Great to chat with Gerry Kelly again today (29th Nov 2019)on The Late Lunch Show on LMFM. See the interview below or you can listen by clicking the button
Gerry Kelly LMFM 0:11
My next guest returns to late launch today. You see she was such a big hit first time round lots of questions from yourselves. I found her so interesting. And I’m delighted to welcome her back. She’s a nutritional therapist and medicinal chef Rachel Graham. It’s really good to see you again.
Rachel Graham 0:26
Thank you so much, Gerry. I’m delighted to be back
Gerry Kelly LMFM 0:28
I’m delighted to have you with us as well know today if you want to put a question to Rachel, You’re quite welcome to do so across the nutritional spectrum, WhatsApp or text us now or you can call in an 1857 15958. The premise of what we’re going to talk about today is boosting our immune systems. Full stop right across the are just not at this time of the year.
Rachel Graham 0:55
Yeah, exactly. So really, there’s so many things you can do to future proof your health. Health all year round before you actually wait for this time of the year and when you’re more susceptible to colds and flus so and there’s so much that you can do with your diet. So including, for example, certain nutrients that really boost your immune system. So the likes of which would be things very simple things like vitamin C, so it’s an oldie but a real goodie. And because you can get that from the usual sources that we think of vitamin C from like oranges and lemons and including those in your diet, but also things like Kiwis actually have more vitamin C than lemons and oranges. So do red peppers, broccoli and kale. So your greens also really, really important and very high in vitamin C. So vitamin C is a really important antioxidant and antioxidants are absolutely key for kind of neutralising as what I think of them as the exhaust fumes of life. So all the things that we’re constantly, you know, bombarded by in our daily lives from environmental toxins and pollutants, to food allergens, too, just chemicals and toxins and things like that. So vitamin C really powerful antioxidant and that’s something that you can take every single day in your diet. In fact, you should be including it nearly in every single meal. Because it is a water soluble vitamin which means you Pee it away constantly so you need to boost it.
Gerry Kelly LMFM 2:22
You have to keep renewing it all the time. I you know, I’m listening to you there and I’m just thinking, all very good, healthy vegetables that you mentioned there and fruits as well. Where do you stand on supplementing that with the vitamin C tablets, I remember as a child the Haliborange you know the deliverable vitamin C?
Rachel Graham 2:41
or they have use some of them are but more the high strength practitioner great ones. So unfortunately, a lot of them are poorly absorbed. So a lot of the powders and the capsules are very poorly absorbed. So you really need to there’s actually one brand it’s called ultra that has a very huge Unique delivery system. So it is actually encapsulated in what I think of it as a fat bubble. It’s a faster liquid bubble. And that means that it just bypasses the really harsh environment of your stomach and can be absorbed really, really well into your cells. So it actually increases absorption by about 60%. Okay,
Gerry Kelly LMFM 3:16
so that’s your recommendation if you’re taking a supplement, but the message is, it’s in the foods you mentioned. Exactly.
Rachel Graham 3:23
If you are consuming a lot of vitamin C rich foods all year round, it will actually reduce your risk for cold and influenza, at this time of the year.
Gerry Kelly LMFM 3:33
Okay, so that’s one vitamin C. What else
Rachel Graham 3:36
Garlic! Garlic is amazing, there’s lovely locally grown garlic. I think it’s Drummond House?
Gerry Kelly LMFM 3:44
Maria Valley produces it here just out in Belletre beside us here Yeah,
Rachel Graham 3:48
Its amazing. I think she produces like four different varieties. So what you’re getting there is not only the antiviral, anti fungal properties of garlic, but you’re also getting the beneficial bacteria in the Soil it it was groaning so you’re getting a bang for your buck there two for one
Gerry Kelly LMFM 4:05
and when you talk about garlic Rachel Are you saying a chop it up and consume it raw and run everybody from within 100 mile of you away – you know what I’m talking about or when you incorporate it into your food dishes, stir fries into recipes is it is good that way.
Rachel GrahamUnknown Speaker 4:24
So it is good but I definitely recommend So for example, if you’re making like a Polonaise for you and your family and the kids have Polonaise so when you’re finished cooking as and you’ve already included your garlic in there, always grate roll garlic in at the end of the cooking process and just take it off the hub and let it sit there because the raw garlic is actually got all of those beneficial antiviral antimicrobial properties that I was telling you about. It will enhance the flavour of your meal and also add medicinal properties to it. So in any way that you can get garlic into you from putting it into your soups and stews, to incorporating it into things like smoothies if you can take it or along with ginger as well. So those two properties together actually act synergistically with each other. So each one actually enhances the properties of the other. So it’s really, really good.
Gerry Kelly LMFM 5:12
So the less you do with garlic and nearer to the raw state that you can take it, the better it is for you. Okay, vitamin C, garlic, come on, throw some more at me,
Rachel Graham 5:21
okay. So let me see Echinacea is another grace compound. So that is something that you can get from a company called a Fogel and they do it in a tincture, so it drops or capsules also. And that’s really, really good. You could also think of elderflower syrup. So there’s some grate herbalists that operate in Louth and they actually will do the extraction for you and create a syrup which is beautiful to add to water and create like a lovely alcohol free cocktail in the summertime with lime juice, or mint leaves and things like that. So you can add it to water and that has really powerful immune boosting compounds. So elderflower syrup is really excellent. And then there’s another South American fruit called camu camu, and that has potent immune boosting properties. And that comes in normally a powder form which you can add to smoothies.
Gerry Kelly LMFM 6:15
And where will you get that in a Health Shop?
Rachel Graham 6:17
Yes, you can get all of these things, it has, it’s a really potent vitamin C, and then you’ve got manuka honey. So we were talking the last time I was here about local honey, which I’m a big fan of. And but manuka honey is also something to be considered, especially if you suffer from any kind of respiratory conditions. It’s very, very beneficial, but make sure that you see the manuka honey logo on the past because that’s really important. So that would be the unique multifactor logo, and it has to have a value or a score of 10 then its concentration is strong enough to be considered medicinal.
Gerry Kelly LMFM 6:53
And I will remind you having been a former beekeeper myself of the county, Louth beekeepers have an active group of members in The week county and they produce honey and I think Owen McGillacuddy – Lyer honey is a locally produced honey as well. And of course the Royal county beekeepers and county made a wonderful people as well and they have local producers you said this to me before yeah if you can get hold of that honey it’s the best exactly
Rachel Graham 7:16
and I’m a I would be a bigger fan of it’s cheaper it’s it’s you know economically more sustainable for you to use that honey than to pay maybe 30 or 40 euros for a jar of the manoeuvre honey so definitely go with your local honey first because you’re going to get those beneficial factors you know, okay.
Gerry Kelly LMFM 7:33
Frankie’s just been on keep those questions coming to us. Oh, eight 618 hundred 658 WhatsApp are Texas. He says he takes wheatgrass powder every morning. What do you make of that Rachel?
Rachel Graham 7:44
Yeah, so we cross is really really good as well. And it’s it’s kind of like a blood cleanser as I think of this and it has a lot of immune boosting properties. So is he taking it in capsule form? Or is he taking his wheatgrass? Well,
Gerry Kelly LMFM 7:57
he might just let us know powder. He says it’s a powder diluted out mixes it with a liquid I take Yeah,
Rachel Graham 8:03
I mean I would just make sure that you’re getting the highest grade highest strength that you can get because a lot of the time these things are mixed in with like other super green powders and it can actually dilute their effectiveness.
Gerry Kelly LMFM 8:15
Okay, so we’ve gone vitamin C garlic Echinacea, elderflower Sera, Camu, Cabu, and local honey, would you like to add to that? Yes,
Rachel Graham 8:24
Last, but definitely not least, is probiotics. Probiotics are the beneficial bacteria that you want to add into your guts to help your gut bacteria to flourish and reproduce. So I definitely recommend probiotics for those who might have just been on a course of antibiotics and antibiotics basically obliterate both your good bacteria and your bad bacteria. So once you’ve come or finished a course of antibiotics, you definitely want to take a really good high strength practitioner grade probiotic.
Gerry Kelly LMFM 8:57
Are you talking about key for their does that come in on under that umbrella,
Rachel Graham 9:01
yes, exactly because Kieffer would have the lactobacillus bacteria which would also be contained in prebiotic capsules. So it’s the same thing.
Gerry Kelly LMFM 9:08
And I’ve seen Kieffer on the shelves of a very popular supermarket that I visit regularly without naming names. What What do you make of that commercially produced Kieffer? Because I know Nikki Kyle, who’s our organic gardener produces our own and she’s given me a strain of it with the knots as well to produce Yeah, what do you make of the commercial stuff?
Rachel Graham 9:27
It’s a great entry level. And I think that for those that might think – Oh, that’s a step too far for me making my own. Let’s start by trying the Kieffer that’s also available in the supermarkets and health food shops. Some brands are obviously better than others, but making your own is going to be far more beneficial because you’re going to get many more strains.
Gerry Kelly LMFM 9:46
So if we do what you say there, ensure that we keep up a vitamin C’s Yeah, the garlic, Aqua nation elderflower syrup, the camu, camu, local honey as well and the probiotics. cooperate all that into our diet and and how we live our lives and eat our food. You’re saying that will position us best to see off colds, flus, etc
Rachel Graham 10:12
Exactly, because it’s going to boost your immunity, that you’re going to have a very responsive immune system that’s not over responsive. So you want an immune tolerance that’s going to basically react to invaders effectively, but at the same time be able to deactivate itself so that it doesn’t react to things that are not necessarily harmful to the body.
Gerry Kelly LMFM 10:35
Really good now, they’re already here on a campaign people are asking us where do we get the local honey what are the brands we’re looking for here? I did say to you I do know and county level and layer honey on Michaela Cody he produces that honey and owner somewhere to go to and I know it’s honey is on sale around the county and beyond. Yeah, is there anybody listening in me today that produces local honey if you’re listening to us today and me though, you know have a local honey And the Royal Academy give us a shout 1857 15958 or 618 hundred 658 by WhatsApp or text and we pass on the information to our listeners on late lunch today. Rachel Graham is staying with us. I have a personal problem I’m going to talk to her about after the break so go nowhere.
Nutritional therapists and medicinal chef Rachel Graham is with us on later. Jen. Thank you so much. Keep all those questions coming to us. He said comment from Alyssa. My dad used to take a spoonful of cod liver oil every morning. What’s Rachel’s opinion? cod liver oil.
Rachel Graham 14:25
Yes. So basically the omega three fats so that’s, you know, they’re anti inflammatory and you’re in that’s very closely connected with your immune system. So very beneficial.
Gerry Kelly LMFM 14:38
Okay. They say says another listener that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Would Rachel agree? Where does fasting come in breakfast then becomes lunch if you don’t take it?
Rachel Graham 14:50
Yeah, it’s all about timing, really. So the intermittent fasting i think that that listener is referring to so where you eat within an eight hour window and you fast over a 16 hour period. So pretty much overnight and have your breakfast later so maybe have your breakfast around 10 and have your last meal at around 6pm so fasting is definitely very very beneficial. It really helps with weight loss and with any inflammatory conditions as well.
Gerry Kelly LMFM 15:15
Are you better doing that having something decent say around six o’clock between six and seven of the evening and then leaving everything aside until you go right round to the next morning?
Rachel Graham 15:23
Yes, absolutely. Because you are allowing your whole system to do its own housekeeping and that rest and digest process is then enhanced. And it means then that your body is actually able to busy itself with other tasks
Gerry Kelly LMFM 15:38
would Rachel recommend eggs for breakfast I suppose it’s in personal preference their both good I take it?
Rachel Graham 15:43
Yes, eggs full of Vitiman A and really, really important for immune boosting and porridge if it’s not the quick oats type which has had unfortunately all of the fibre processed out of it. The proridge oats are really really beneficial because they contain a very important fiber known as betaglucan, which is immune boosting.
Gerry Kelly LMFM 16:03
I know we diversify here, but this is another area and of your speciality. I’m going to come on to this when you’re back with us again, what would Rachel recommend adding to my diet to help but hot flushes and other menopause symptoms?
Rachel Graham 16:16
Okay, so those are known as the Vaso motor symptoms. And really the best thing you can do is actually to reduce sugar and to reduce your caffeine intake because both of those are known to enhance those visa motorist symptoms, which will be then the night sweats and the hot flashes. But then there’s lots of other things you can do as well. So you definitely need to include more what they call Phytoestrogenic foods, which would be things like chickpeas and lentils and more of those kind of plant based proteins. I actually have a a brunch date coming up this Sunday for all about the menopause – it is called “no sweat the menopause explained” and I do a full nutrition talk followed by all of the beneficial nutrients that I don’t talk about in my presentation featured in a brunch. So that’s coming up this Sunday so if anybody’s interested just go onto my website under workshops and you’ll see i – t no sweat the menopause explained
Gerry Kelly LMFM 17:07
and that’s Rachel Graham nutrition is the website it’s a wonderful website Let me tell you as well. Oh yes the bee people, the honey people have been on to me – Co. Meath is covered off bee wise!! Kilmessen and fabulous people. They’re producing local honey, it’s on sale and McEntees in Kells we’re told and you want to mention somewhere in Dundalk with a local honey?
Rachel Graham 17:26
Country fresh it’s a really fantastic local fruit and veg shop and they sell the local honey they’re also
Gerry Kelly LMFM 17:32
okay constipation listenenr on to say – what can they take, struggling a bit at the moment.
Rachel Graham 17:38
Okay, so really fibre is so so important and we all need to increase our fibre they reckon that on average we’re only getting about 19 and 20% of fibre where we should be achieving about 35 grammes of fibre. So psyillium husks is a compound that you can take and just add water to it. You could include it in your porridge in the morning time and then will definitely help with mobility.
Gerry Kelly LMFM 18:02
Okay, so psyillium husks is what you’re looking for there. What does Rachel feel about cinnamon? Is it good asks Marie?
Rachel Graham 18:08
Yeah, turn a certain type of sentiment is called Ceylon cinnamon that’s CEYLON cinnamon. And that’s available in pouches in the health food shop Cinnamon is a known blood sugar balancer. And it is really fantastic for controlling things like sugar cravings.
Gerry Kelly LMFM 18:23
And John’s been on, he probably just missed it. We were talking about the deliverable vitamin C he wanted to mention that again, is it any use you mentioned one
Rachel Graham 18:30
Altrient – it has this very unique delivery format where it’s it’s encapsulated in a phospholipid bubble or a fat bubble which basically means it bypasses the whole harsh surroundings of your stomach and gets absorbed directly into the cells.
Gerry Kelly LMFM 18:43
Now my personal problem – waiting with bated breath to see what is this man going to say to this lady today? Tony the bloody flu. Listen, I was floored with the flu the last 10 days. I mean, I never got a belt like this in my life. And my energy levels are still low to be honest with you today but they are they are They really are be investing a lot and just cutting out anything out of the ordinary that I would normally have been doing. And what can I do or anyone who comes through flu, what can you do to build you up again, what should I be taking?
Rachel Graham 19:12
I definitely think that you should take a very intensive seven day dose of probiotics. And I would look at the biocare range, they do a seven day intensive course, it’s called release intensive, and that has over 130 billion strains of beneficial bacteria. You just got to remember that 80% of your immunity is manufactured in your gut. So actually supporting your gut health is key to supporting your overall health and well being. So by taking a high strength probiotic intensive course like this, especially after really severe bite of illness that you had or maybe a stay in hospital, that’s exactly what you need, like a short, sharp shock. And then I would definitely recommend that you include a lot of fermented foods Really up your doses of vitamin C, and then there’s lots of other things that you can do to enhance your your energy as well.
Gerry Kelly LMFM 20:07
When you talk about fermented foods, what are you talking about there?
Rachel Graham 20:10
So sauerkraut and kombucha, probiotic rich yoghurts, long fermented sourdough breads those kind of things.
Gerry Kelly LMFM 20:20
Okay thank you for that bit of personal advice state I’m sure will apply to a lot of people listening to the show Mrs. Browns Ardee for your local somebody else there you go. I didn’t know those Mrs. Browns in Ardee Great name ties in with the old Brandon Carolls show I’m sure as well. But look, if you want honey, that’s another place that it’s available from as well come back to the Godhead because we’re hearing this more and more across the board that they got is the thing that really dictates everything up and down this body for granted for a lifetime. Anything else we can do for the god beside you know, you mentioned the probiotics there. Anything else?
Rachel Graham 20:58
Absolutely. So and I think Trying to reduce your exposure to antibiotics is really important. And that also includes the meats that have been, treated with antibiotics and hormones. So you need to reduce your consumption of meats. And also spending more time outdoors so that your exposure to different strains of bacteria is also increased. Sleep is really, really important and being active. So being active outdoors, ideally, and then good quality sleep is really important. Both of those things literally go hand in hand because actually, the more you exercise, then the better your quality of sleep will be. Having a good diet, a good diet is the cornerstone, and a lot of the clients that I would see just because we’re all so busy, they’re really struggling with trying to eat healthily, consistently because they just can’t manage it, they’re running left and right, they’re working, they’re picking up kids, you know, and then they’re just too tired. So actually meal prep is key there and Being able to eat healthily, consistently all weekend long and always having healthy food in your fridge.
Gerry Kelly LMFM 22:07
very important. So the tying in of the exercise with the sleep as well, very, very important. And Patty’s just been on to us and said, Gerry, would you ask Rachel on my behalf? What could a person take for continuous kidney infections, that are recurring all the time,o.
Rachel Graham 22:29
I would say to look at things like you know, cranberry, frequent infections like that could also be related back to your gut as well because it could be a Candida or a yeast overgrowth. So again, looking at gut health, and actually the best way to find out what your state of your gut immunity is, it’s actually to do a dietary stool test. And that’s basically requires you to do some functional testing and that can be arranged by the likes of myself or others. nutritional therapist, but what it does is actually gives you results that you know, what type of strains that you have contained in your gut, and what you need to supplement with. So it makes your whole nutritional protocol incredibly targeted, so that you’re not just kind of stabbing blindly in the dark with Oh, I think this might work. You know exactly what you need. And therefore, you’re putting it into your gut in the correct doses. And that’s very effect.
Gerry Kelly LMFM 23:22
And if you do that, it’s targeted, it will work. It will make a change. A huge change in your life. There’s another one in I suffer all the time with my tummy, it’s a gastro problem. I have any suggestions from Rachel?
Rachel Graham 23:37
Well, okay, it’s very vague. Yeah,
Gerry Kelly LMFM 23:38
sure. It’s a big wide. Yes, yeah. But, you know, in general terms of your software, maybe from an upset tummy. Well, I suppose again, identifying what’s causing that. Yeah,
Rachel Graham 23:47
Rxactly. So I mean, if it’s gas and bloating and dissension, and you know, reflux or any of those kind of things, all of that stems back to the balance of gut bacteria that you have. So being able to get the balanced tipped more in your favour is so so important, you know, because you basically, your goal is to have about 85% beneficial bacteria in your gut. It’s okay to have other, viruses or yeast or other kind of harmful bacteria in there as long as they don’t really go over that amount. But if you have that 85%, then you’re going to feel the benefits.
Gerry Kelly LMFM 24:20
And cranberry says somebody else said just come in another advisor there somebody else taking it and bring them and reaping the benefits for that question. Yeah. So so that underpins that for you know, you mentioned the what you have coming up this weekend and more information can be had had by going on to Rachelgraham.ie the website, but interestingly, next year, we’re into January at this stage, you’re running these fermentation courses.
Rachel Graham 24:47
Yeah. So I’m very aware that the really good probiotic supplements are very expensive and really hard for people to be able to afford even over a three or four month period, which is really the length of time that I would recommend taking them. So I’ve created a fermentation workshop that is set out over three half day, Saturdays, and in succession, We will make different things every single Saturday. So we’re going to start with things like kombucha with Sauerkraut will do apple cider vinegar. And we’ll also then finish up with a full day on making sourdough bread. So it’s a really, really great course it’s a full course in fact, yes. And so that starts in the middle of January at
Gerry Kelly LMFM 25:32
the 18th January and runs to the beginning of February. We’ll hear more about that – just one more before we leave apple cider vinegar. It says a listener today. I’m 62. I take a drop of it every morning and a glass of water and I swear by it,
Rachel Graham 25:45
It’s fantastic. So that also contains the beneficial bacteria strain the lactobacillus and it’s actually really easy to make so it’s something that we’re making my fermentation course. And it is fantastic. I would just warn some people who I’ve heard and seen drink it down like a can of Coke, you will literally burn your oesophagus you will melt all the enamel off your teeth. So just diluted in some water, a tablespoon. And you can even add in a spoonful of your local honey to that and some nice hot water and create this wonderful tonic that you can have every single morning and even squeezing the juice of half a lemon. You get your vitamin C hit there. And you’ve got a fantastic start to your day.
Gerry Kelly LMFM 26:24
Well if that doesn’t get you up and going I don’t know what to say. Thank you so much for the wonderful advice will have them sorted will keep them all healthy. I promise you. Check her at Rachel graham.ie until the next time, thank you so much.
Rachel Graham 26:36
Thank you so much, Gerry was great.
Great to chat with Gerry Kelly again today (29th Nov 2019)on The Late Lunch Show on LMFM. See the interview below or you can listen by clicking the button
Gerry Kelly LMFM 0:11
My next guest returns to late launch today. You see she was such a big hit first time round lots of questions from yourselves. I found her so interesting. And I’m delighted to welcome her back. She’s a nutritional therapist and medicinal chef Rachel Graham. It’s really good to see you again.
Rachel Graham 0:26
Thank you so much, Gerry. I’m delighted to be back
Gerry Kelly LMFM 0:28
I’m delighted to have you with us as well know today if you want to put a question to Rachel, You’re quite welcome to do so across the nutritional spectrum, WhatsApp or text us now or you can call in an 1857 15958. The premise of what we’re going to talk about today is boosting our immune systems. Full stop right across the are just not at this time of the year.
Rachel Graham 0:55
Yeah, exactly. So really, there’s so many things you can do to future proof your health. Health all year round before you actually wait for this time of the year and when you’re more susceptible to colds and flus so and there’s so much that you can do with your diet. So including, for example, certain nutrients that really boost your immune system. So the likes of which would be things very simple things like vitamin C, so it’s an oldie but a real goodie. And because you can get that from the usual sources that we think of vitamin C from like oranges and lemons and including those in your diet, but also things like Kiwis actually have more vitamin C than lemons and oranges. So do red peppers, broccoli and kale. So your greens also really, really important and very high in vitamin C. So vitamin C is a really important antioxidant and antioxidants are absolutely key for kind of neutralising as what I think of them as the exhaust fumes of life. So all the things that we’re constantly, you know, bombarded by in our daily lives from environmental toxins and pollutants, to food allergens, too, just chemicals and toxins and things like that. So vitamin C really powerful antioxidant and that’s something that you can take every single day in your diet. In fact, you should be including it nearly in every single meal. Because it is a water soluble vitamin which means you Pee it away constantly so you need to boost it.
Gerry Kelly LMFM 2:22
You have to keep renewing it all the time. I you know, I’m listening to you there and I’m just thinking, all very good, healthy vegetables that you mentioned there and fruits as well. Where do you stand on supplementing that with the vitamin C tablets, I remember as a child the Haliborange you know the deliverable vitamin C?
Rachel Graham 2:41
or they have use some of them are but more the high strength practitioner great ones. So unfortunately, a lot of them are poorly absorbed. So a lot of the powders and the capsules are very poorly absorbed. So you really need to there’s actually one brand it’s called ultra that has a very huge Unique delivery system. So it is actually encapsulated in what I think of it as a fat bubble. It’s a faster liquid bubble. And that means that it just bypasses the really harsh environment of your stomach and can be absorbed really, really well into your cells. So it actually increases absorption by about 60%. Okay,
Gerry Kelly LMFM 3:16
so that’s your recommendation if you’re taking a supplement, but the message is, it’s in the foods you mentioned. Exactly.
Rachel Graham 3:23
If you are consuming a lot of vitamin C rich foods all year round, it will actually reduce your risk for cold and influenza, at this time of the year.
Gerry Kelly LMFM 3:33
Okay, so that’s one vitamin C. What else
Rachel Graham 3:36
Garlic! Garlic is amazing, there’s lovely locally grown garlic. I think it’s Drummond House?
Gerry Kelly LMFM 3:44
Maria Valley produces it here just out in Belletre beside us here Yeah,
Rachel Graham 3:48
Its amazing. I think she produces like four different varieties. So what you’re getting there is not only the antiviral, anti fungal properties of garlic, but you’re also getting the beneficial bacteria in the Soil it it was groaning so you’re getting a bang for your buck there two for one
Gerry Kelly LMFM 4:05
and when you talk about garlic Rachel Are you saying a chop it up and consume it raw and run everybody from within 100 mile of you away – you know what I’m talking about or when you incorporate it into your food dishes, stir fries into recipes is it is good that way.
Rachel GrahamUnknown Speaker 4:24
So it is good but I definitely recommend So for example, if you’re making like a Polonaise for you and your family and the kids have Polonaise so when you’re finished cooking as and you’ve already included your garlic in there, always grate roll garlic in at the end of the cooking process and just take it off the hub and let it sit there because the raw garlic is actually got all of those beneficial antiviral antimicrobial properties that I was telling you about. It will enhance the flavour of your meal and also add medicinal properties to it. So in any way that you can get garlic into you from putting it into your soups and stews, to incorporating it into things like smoothies if you can take it or along with ginger as well. So those two properties together actually act synergistically with each other. So each one actually enhances the properties of the other. So it’s really, really good.
Gerry Kelly LMFM 5:12
So the less you do with garlic and nearer to the raw state that you can take it, the better it is for you. Okay, vitamin C, garlic, come on, throw some more at me,
Rachel Graham 5:21
okay. So let me see Echinacea is another grace compound. So that is something that you can get from a company called a Fogel and they do it in a tincture, so it drops or capsules also. And that’s really, really good. You could also think of elderflower syrup. So there’s some grate herbalists that operate in Louth and they actually will do the extraction for you and create a syrup which is beautiful to add to water and create like a lovely alcohol free cocktail in the summertime with lime juice, or mint leaves and things like that. So you can add it to water and that has really powerful immune boosting compounds. So elderflower syrup is really excellent. And then there’s another South American fruit called camu camu, and that has potent immune boosting properties. And that comes in normally a powder form which you can add to smoothies.
Gerry Kelly LMFM 6:15
And where will you get that in a Health Shop?
Rachel Graham 6:17
Yes, you can get all of these things, it has, it’s a really potent vitamin C, and then you’ve got manuka honey. So we were talking the last time I was here about local honey, which I’m a big fan of. And but manuka honey is also something to be considered, especially if you suffer from any kind of respiratory conditions. It’s very, very beneficial, but make sure that you see the manuka honey logo on the past because that’s really important. So that would be the unique multifactor logo, and it has to have a value or a score of 10 then its concentration is strong enough to be considered medicinal.
Gerry Kelly LMFM 6:53
And I will remind you having been a former beekeeper myself of the county, Louth beekeepers have an active group of members in The week county and they produce honey and I think Owen McGillacuddy – Lyer honey is a locally produced honey as well. And of course the Royal county beekeepers and county made a wonderful people as well and they have local producers you said this to me before yeah if you can get hold of that honey it’s the best exactly
Rachel Graham 7:16
and I’m a I would be a bigger fan of it’s cheaper it’s it’s you know economically more sustainable for you to use that honey than to pay maybe 30 or 40 euros for a jar of the manoeuvre honey so definitely go with your local honey first because you’re going to get those beneficial factors you know, okay.
Gerry Kelly LMFM 7:33
Frankie’s just been on keep those questions coming to us. Oh, eight 618 hundred 658 WhatsApp are Texas. He says he takes wheatgrass powder every morning. What do you make of that Rachel?
Rachel Graham 7:44
Yeah, so we cross is really really good as well. And it’s it’s kind of like a blood cleanser as I think of this and it has a lot of immune boosting properties. So is he taking it in capsule form? Or is he taking his wheatgrass? Well,
Gerry Kelly LMFM 7:57
he might just let us know powder. He says it’s a powder diluted out mixes it with a liquid I take Yeah,
Rachel Graham 8:03
I mean I would just make sure that you’re getting the highest grade highest strength that you can get because a lot of the time these things are mixed in with like other super green powders and it can actually dilute their effectiveness.
Gerry Kelly LMFM 8:15
Okay, so we’ve gone vitamin C garlic Echinacea, elderflower Sera, Camu, Cabu, and local honey, would you like to add to that? Yes,
Rachel Graham 8:24
Last, but definitely not least, is probiotics. Probiotics are the beneficial bacteria that you want to add into your guts to help your gut bacteria to flourish and reproduce. So I definitely recommend probiotics for those who might have just been on a course of antibiotics and antibiotics basically obliterate both your good bacteria and your bad bacteria. So once you’ve come or finished a course of antibiotics, you definitely want to take a really good high strength practitioner grade probiotic.
Gerry Kelly LMFM 8:57
Are you talking about key for their does that come in on under that umbrella,
Rachel Graham 9:01
yes, exactly because Kieffer would have the lactobacillus bacteria which would also be contained in prebiotic capsules. So it’s the same thing.
Gerry Kelly LMFM 9:08
And I’ve seen Kieffer on the shelves of a very popular supermarket that I visit regularly without naming names. What What do you make of that commercially produced Kieffer? Because I know Nikki Kyle, who’s our organic gardener produces our own and she’s given me a strain of it with the knots as well to produce Yeah, what do you make of the commercial stuff?
Rachel Graham 9:27
It’s a great entry level. And I think that for those that might think – Oh, that’s a step too far for me making my own. Let’s start by trying the Kieffer that’s also available in the supermarkets and health food shops. Some brands are obviously better than others, but making your own is going to be far more beneficial because you’re going to get many more strains.
Gerry Kelly LMFM 9:46
So if we do what you say there, ensure that we keep up a vitamin C’s Yeah, the garlic, Aqua nation elderflower syrup, the camu, camu, local honey as well and the probiotics. cooperate all that into our diet and and how we live our lives and eat our food. You’re saying that will position us best to see off colds, flus, etc
Rachel Graham 10:12
Exactly, because it’s going to boost your immunity, that you’re going to have a very responsive immune system that’s not over responsive. So you want an immune tolerance that’s going to basically react to invaders effectively, but at the same time be able to deactivate itself so that it doesn’t react to things that are not necessarily harmful to the body.
Gerry Kelly LMFM 10:35
Really good now, they’re already here on a campaign people are asking us where do we get the local honey what are the brands we’re looking for here? I did say to you I do know and county level and layer honey on Michaela Cody he produces that honey and owner somewhere to go to and I know it’s honey is on sale around the county and beyond. Yeah, is there anybody listening in me today that produces local honey if you’re listening to us today and me though, you know have a local honey And the Royal Academy give us a shout 1857 15958 or 618 hundred 658 by WhatsApp or text and we pass on the information to our listeners on late lunch today. Rachel Graham is staying with us. I have a personal problem I’m going to talk to her about after the break so go nowhere.
Nutritional therapists and medicinal chef Rachel Graham is with us on later. Jen. Thank you so much. Keep all those questions coming to us. He said comment from Alyssa. My dad used to take a spoonful of cod liver oil every morning. What’s Rachel’s opinion? cod liver oil.
Rachel Graham 14:25
Yes. So basically the omega three fats so that’s, you know, they’re anti inflammatory and you’re in that’s very closely connected with your immune system. So very beneficial.
Gerry Kelly LMFM 14:38
Okay. They say says another listener that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Would Rachel agree? Where does fasting come in breakfast then becomes lunch if you don’t take it?
Rachel Graham 14:50
Yeah, it’s all about timing, really. So the intermittent fasting i think that that listener is referring to so where you eat within an eight hour window and you fast over a 16 hour period. So pretty much overnight and have your breakfast later so maybe have your breakfast around 10 and have your last meal at around 6pm so fasting is definitely very very beneficial. It really helps with weight loss and with any inflammatory conditions as well.
Gerry Kelly LMFM 15:15
Are you better doing that having something decent say around six o’clock between six and seven of the evening and then leaving everything aside until you go right round to the next morning?
Rachel Graham 15:23
Yes, absolutely. Because you are allowing your whole system to do its own housekeeping and that rest and digest process is then enhanced. And it means then that your body is actually able to busy itself with other tasks
Gerry Kelly LMFM 15:38
would Rachel recommend eggs for breakfast I suppose it’s in personal preference their both good I take it?
Rachel Graham 15:43
Yes, eggs full of Vitiman A and really, really important for immune boosting and porridge if it’s not the quick oats type which has had unfortunately all of the fibre processed out of it. The proridge oats are really really beneficial because they contain a very important fiber known as betaglucan, which is immune boosting.
Gerry Kelly LMFM 16:03
I know we diversify here, but this is another area and of your speciality. I’m going to come on to this when you’re back with us again, what would Rachel recommend adding to my diet to help but hot flushes and other menopause symptoms?
Rachel Graham 16:16
Okay, so those are known as the Vaso motor symptoms. And really the best thing you can do is actually to reduce sugar and to reduce your caffeine intake because both of those are known to enhance those visa motorist symptoms, which will be then the night sweats and the hot flashes. But then there’s lots of other things you can do as well. So you definitely need to include more what they call Phytoestrogenic foods, which would be things like chickpeas and lentils and more of those kind of plant based proteins. I actually have a a brunch date coming up this Sunday for all about the menopause – it is called “no sweat the menopause explained” and I do a full nutrition talk followed by all of the beneficial nutrients that I don’t talk about in my presentation featured in a brunch. So that’s coming up this Sunday so if anybody’s interested just go onto my website under workshops and you’ll see i – t no sweat the menopause explained
Gerry Kelly LMFM 17:07
and that’s Rachel Graham nutrition is the website it’s a wonderful website Let me tell you as well. Oh yes the bee people, the honey people have been on to me – Co. Meath is covered off bee wise!! Kilmessen and fabulous people. They’re producing local honey, it’s on sale and McEntees in Kells we’re told and you want to mention somewhere in Dundalk with a local honey?
Rachel Graham 17:26
Country fresh it’s a really fantastic local fruit and veg shop and they sell the local honey they’re also
Gerry Kelly LMFM 17:32
okay constipation listenenr on to say – what can they take, struggling a bit at the moment.
Rachel Graham 17:38
Okay, so really fibre is so so important and we all need to increase our fibre they reckon that on average we’re only getting about 19 and 20% of fibre where we should be achieving about 35 grammes of fibre. So psyillium husks is a compound that you can take and just add water to it. You could include it in your porridge in the morning time and then will definitely help with mobility.
Gerry Kelly LMFM 18:02
Okay, so psyillium husks is what you’re looking for there. What does Rachel feel about cinnamon? Is it good asks Marie?
Rachel Graham 18:08
Yeah, turn a certain type of sentiment is called Ceylon cinnamon that’s CEYLON cinnamon. And that’s available in pouches in the health food shop Cinnamon is a known blood sugar balancer. And it is really fantastic for controlling things like sugar cravings.
Gerry Kelly LMFM 18:23
And John’s been on, he probably just missed it. We were talking about the deliverable vitamin C he wanted to mention that again, is it any use you mentioned one
Rachel Graham 18:30
Altrient – it has this very unique delivery format where it’s it’s encapsulated in a phospholipid bubble or a fat bubble which basically means it bypasses the whole harsh surroundings of your stomach and gets absorbed directly into the cells.
Gerry Kelly LMFM 18:43
Now my personal problem – waiting with bated breath to see what is this man going to say to this lady today? Tony the bloody flu. Listen, I was floored with the flu the last 10 days. I mean, I never got a belt like this in my life. And my energy levels are still low to be honest with you today but they are they are They really are be investing a lot and just cutting out anything out of the ordinary that I would normally have been doing. And what can I do or anyone who comes through flu, what can you do to build you up again, what should I be taking?
Rachel Graham 19:12
I definitely think that you should take a very intensive seven day dose of probiotics. And I would look at the biocare range, they do a seven day intensive course, it’s called release intensive, and that has over 130 billion strains of beneficial bacteria. You just got to remember that 80% of your immunity is manufactured in your gut. So actually supporting your gut health is key to supporting your overall health and well being. So by taking a high strength probiotic intensive course like this, especially after really severe bite of illness that you had or maybe a stay in hospital, that’s exactly what you need, like a short, sharp shock. And then I would definitely recommend that you include a lot of fermented foods Really up your doses of vitamin C, and then there’s lots of other things that you can do to enhance your your energy as well.
Gerry Kelly LMFM 20:07
When you talk about fermented foods, what are you talking about there?
Rachel Graham 20:10
So sauerkraut and kombucha, probiotic rich yoghurts, long fermented sourdough breads those kind of things.
Gerry Kelly LMFM 20:20
Okay thank you for that bit of personal advice state I’m sure will apply to a lot of people listening to the show Mrs. Browns Ardee for your local somebody else there you go. I didn’t know those Mrs. Browns in Ardee Great name ties in with the old Brandon Carolls show I’m sure as well. But look, if you want honey, that’s another place that it’s available from as well come back to the Godhead because we’re hearing this more and more across the board that they got is the thing that really dictates everything up and down this body for granted for a lifetime. Anything else we can do for the god beside you know, you mentioned the probiotics there. Anything else?
Rachel Graham 20:58
Absolutely. So and I think Trying to reduce your exposure to antibiotics is really important. And that also includes the meats that have been, treated with antibiotics and hormones. So you need to reduce your consumption of meats. And also spending more time outdoors so that your exposure to different strains of bacteria is also increased. Sleep is really, really important and being active. So being active outdoors, ideally, and then good quality sleep is really important. Both of those things literally go hand in hand because actually, the more you exercise, then the better your quality of sleep will be. Having a good diet, a good diet is the cornerstone, and a lot of the clients that I would see just because we’re all so busy, they’re really struggling with trying to eat healthily, consistently because they just can’t manage it, they’re running left and right, they’re working, they’re picking up kids, you know, and then they’re just too tired. So actually meal prep is key there and Being able to eat healthily, consistently all weekend long and always having healthy food in your fridge.
Gerry Kelly LMFM 22:07
very important. So the tying in of the exercise with the sleep as well, very, very important. And Patty’s just been on to us and said, Gerry, would you ask Rachel on my behalf? What could a person take for continuous kidney infections, that are recurring all the time,o.
Rachel Graham 22:29
I would say to look at things like you know, cranberry, frequent infections like that could also be related back to your gut as well because it could be a Candida or a yeast overgrowth. So again, looking at gut health, and actually the best way to find out what your state of your gut immunity is, it’s actually to do a dietary stool test. And that’s basically requires you to do some functional testing and that can be arranged by the likes of myself or others. nutritional therapist, but what it does is actually gives you results that you know, what type of strains that you have contained in your gut, and what you need to supplement with. So it makes your whole nutritional protocol incredibly targeted, so that you’re not just kind of stabbing blindly in the dark with Oh, I think this might work. You know exactly what you need. And therefore, you’re putting it into your gut in the correct doses. And that’s very effect.
Gerry Kelly LMFM 23:22
And if you do that, it’s targeted, it will work. It will make a change. A huge change in your life. There’s another one in I suffer all the time with my tummy, it’s a gastro problem. I have any suggestions from Rachel?
Rachel Graham 23:37
Well, okay, it’s very vague. Yeah,
Gerry Kelly LMFM 23:38
sure. It’s a big wide. Yes, yeah. But, you know, in general terms of your software, maybe from an upset tummy. Well, I suppose again, identifying what’s causing that. Yeah,
Rachel Graham 23:47
Rxactly. So I mean, if it’s gas and bloating and dissension, and you know, reflux or any of those kind of things, all of that stems back to the balance of gut bacteria that you have. So being able to get the balanced tipped more in your favour is so so important, you know, because you basically, your goal is to have about 85% beneficial bacteria in your gut. It’s okay to have other, viruses or yeast or other kind of harmful bacteria in there as long as they don’t really go over that amount. But if you have that 85%, then you’re going to feel the benefits.
Gerry Kelly LMFM 24:20
And cranberry says somebody else said just come in another advisor there somebody else taking it and bring them and reaping the benefits for that question. Yeah. So so that underpins that for you know, you mentioned the what you have coming up this weekend and more information can be had had by going on to Rachelgraham.ie the website, but interestingly, next year, we’re into January at this stage, you’re running these fermentation courses.
Rachel Graham 24:47
Yeah. So I’m very aware that the really good probiotic supplements are very expensive and really hard for people to be able to afford even over a three or four month period, which is really the length of time that I would recommend taking them. So I’ve created a fermentation workshop that is set out over three half day, Saturdays, and in succession, We will make different things every single Saturday. So we’re going to start with things like kombucha with Sauerkraut will do apple cider vinegar. And we’ll also then finish up with a full day on making sourdough bread. So it’s a really, really great course it’s a full course in fact, yes. And so that starts in the middle of January at
Gerry Kelly LMFM 25:32
the 18th January and runs to the beginning of February. We’ll hear more about that – just one more before we leave apple cider vinegar. It says a listener today. I’m 62. I take a drop of it every morning and a glass of water and I swear by it,
Rachel Graham 25:45
It’s fantastic. So that also contains the beneficial bacteria strain the lactobacillus and it’s actually really easy to make so it’s something that we’re making my fermentation course. And it is fantastic. I would just warn some people who I’ve heard and seen drink it down like a can of Coke, you will literally burn your oesophagus you will melt all the enamel off your teeth. So just diluted in some water, a tablespoon. And you can even add in a spoonful of your local honey to that and some nice hot water and create this wonderful tonic that you can have every single morning and even squeezing the juice of half a lemon. You get your vitamin C hit there. And you’ve got a fantastic start to your day.
Gerry Kelly LMFM 26:24
Well if that doesn’t get you up and going I don’t know what to say. Thank you so much for the wonderful advice will have them sorted will keep them all healthy. I promise you. Check her at Rachel graham.ie until the next time, thank you so much.
Rachel Graham 26:36
Thank you so much, Gerry was great.
