healthy living check

All the recipes in my cookbook are simply very good for you. However, it's also great to have a sense of just how healthy, or perhaps I should say unhealthy, you are. In You Are What You Eat I included a big chapter on getting to know your body. Here are some quick questionnaires that will give you a good idea of how you're doing on the McKeith scale of healthy living. All the recipes mentioned can be found in my You Are What You Eat Cookbook.

immune system check

The foods you eat are like a tonic to the immune system. Certain foods can suppress immune function while the right foods may actually boost immune activity. For example, sprouted broccoli seeds have been shown to be one of the most powerful immune-boosting foods that we know of. Conversely, people who eat high quantities of foods with refined sugars often suffer from allergies, food intolerances, chemical sensitivities, hay fever, colds, flu, headaches, and other disorders, all of which are related to immune dysfunction. In our modern world, immune degradation is becoming a prevalent issue among the mass population at large.

Answer yes or no:

Yes

No

Do you have bad breath?

Do you suffer from congestion or a runny nose?

Does your tongue have a thick, white or yellow coating or teeth marks round the side?

Do you have dark circles under your eyes?

Do you have white spots on your nails?

Do you have pain or sensitivity under the right rib area?

Do you have thrush or yeast problems?

Are you tired all the time?

Do you catch colds or flus frequently?

Do you suffer from hayfever, allergies or food sensitivities?

 

  

Your total score is:

between 7 and 10: immune basketcase
You urgently need to comply with everything that I tell you. Do not miss my Carrot and Almond Soup, which is a really easy place to start. Carrots are high in the antioxidant Beta Carotene and Vitamins A and D. Eat sprouted seeds and get into fruit because of the high vitamin content. Pineapple is a great source of vitamin C, for example. Grilled Banana With Citrus Spice is a delicious fruit treat and for breakfast, road test my fruit salads. If you feel the onset of a cold or the flu, try using cinnamon in your juices and smoothies, or in herbal teas. Cinnamon has a historical use of providing relief when faced with these symptoms, especially when mixed in a tea with some fresh ginger.

between 4 and 6: mess waiting to happen
Act before it's too late. Whenever you feel under par, make a Sprout Surprise Juice. You will love my immune boosting Baked Salmon with Spinach and Leeks. There's lots of fresh ginger in this dish, which is beneficial for the immune system, and spinach, which is a good source of another immune booster, Co Q 10.This recipe also has lots of onions - it's important to eat lots of onions (and garlic). I once had a friend who worked in an onion and garlic factory. He said that in the entire time he worked in the onion job, he never once had a cold! Several anti-inflammatory agents in onions render them helpful with the respiratory congestion associated with the common cold. Both onions and garlic also contain compounds that may help reduce inflammation. In addition, the quercitin and other flavonoids found in onions work with vitamin C to help kill harmful bacteria, making onions an especially good addition to soups and stews during cold and flu season.

between 1 and 5: hopeful
There's still a little work to be done, but you could lift yourself up fairly quickly. You too should eat lots of powerful sprouted broccoli seeds whenever you get the chance. And start growing your own sprouted seeds too. Commit to making 2-3 vegetable juices every week, thus delivering lots of nutrients to your immune system. I have a client who used to live on crisps and burgers and now her favourite recipe is the Fennel Fun juice. Also, try my Sea Vegetable and Sprout Salad and don't miss out on the immune boosting Raw Avocado and Cucumber Soup.