Wednesday 26 June 2013

Our Top 5 Organic Foods


Organic food has become a staple in most people's weekly shops, which is great. The aisles are becoming more and more populated with the little 'O' graphic and 'Soil Association' logo which let you know that what you're eating is entirely chemical free. With the growth of the industry, comes a greater selection of produce and, therefore, more choices to make as you wander round with your trolley. Whether you're on a tight budget, want to know what the healthiest foods are, or would just like to try something new, there is an awful lot of choice. We've trawled the shelves for our top 5 Organic foods. Unlike many of the lists which you will find online, we've selected things which you could go out and buy right now in your local supermarket. Let us know if you have any suggestions in the comments section below!

1.Organic Fairtrade Bananas – Aldi
Aldi have been winning every award under the sun in the last year or so. Their prices, quality control and customer service are really impressive. The only thing they've really lacked is organic produce which, if you want to avoid chemical substances in your food, can be a deal breaker. Aldi have recently added organic bananas to their shelves, which represents a tremendous step in the right direction. As well as being certified as organic, they also carry the 'fairtrade' mark and a price which is very reasonable for organic fruit.

2.Taylor's Fairtrade Coffee – Multiple Shops
Needless to say, coffee isn't the healthiest thing on this list, but it's a big part of many of our day-to-day lives! Coffee benefits hugely from being organic, as a lot of the pesticides can add to coffee's natural toxins, which is what can give you that groggy 'crash' feeling after your morning cup of 'joe'. As with the bananas, it is also a fair trade product; it's always best to go organic AND fair trade where possible. The medium roast flavour makes this aromatic coffee perfect for any time of the day.

3.Yeo Valley Organic 0% Yoghurt
Where as coffee might not be the best for your digestive system, yoghurt certainly is. Active cultures in this organic yoghurt are great for you digestive system, fighting away the bacteria which can lead to an upset stomach. Natural yoghurt is also a great source of protein, so it will fill you up for longer than a sugary yoghurt. Yeo Valley is a great brand to buy organic dairy from as they are British, and it's important to support the organic industry in the UK.

4.Organic Nectarines/Peaches
It may seem awfully unspecific, but organic nectaries and peaches are 'musts' when you're buying organic food. In a survey which tested a number of different fruit and vegetables for chemical pesticides, peaches and nectarines were by far the most contaminated. This means that any non-organic peaches and nectarines you may buy will almost certainly have come into contact with pesticides and insecticides. Buying organic will enable you to enjoy a tasty, healthy treat without worrying about what it has come into contact with.

5.Nairn's Organic Oatcakes
The meat and vegetables needed to cook big meals are fairly easy to find, making that part of an organic diet relatively simple. It's the healthy snacking in between meals that can be difficult to find organic food for. For starters, wheat is not particularly good for you in the first place, so it's good for your body that these organic oatcakes are wheat-free. They come in multiple backs of six oatcakes, which makes them perfect for taking to work, or sending with your children to school.

4 Living belive that organic is the only way to go, which is why they are happy to offer a great selection of organic mattresses, natural latex mattresses and organic pocket sprung mattresses. Their Sussex showroom, between Lewes and Eastbourne, has a number of different mattresses to try out.


Thursday 13 June 2013

10 Fun and Healthy Things to Try this Summer!

1-Walking, Running or Cycling to Work
The weather may not be tropical, but it's certainly not snowing! As long as the temperature is OK, why not run, cycle or walk to work? If you work far from home, you could cycle to the train or bus? There's always a way to fit in an extra bit of exercise into the day!

If you're lucky enough to live in a nice rural area, you have absolutely no excuses! Try and convince some friends from work to join you, and you'll stay motivated all summer. If you get this extra exercise (which really adds up over a few weeks) that beer and barbecue will be guilt free come friday!

2-Organic Coconut Water
Coconut water is the drink of 2013! Where has it been all our lives? Coconut water is absolutely caked full of healthy vitamins and minerals, tastes great and is now available to buy organic! What's not to like?

3-Go to a Local Music Festival
If you live in the UK, you'll almost certainly have some kind of music festival within 100 miles of you! We just love to drink cider and enjoy music into the early hours! Whatever type of music you're into there's always going to be somewhere that caters to your needs. Having said that, a live festival the best way to get to know and love new music!

4-Look after your Garden
Boring, I know! You'll be absolutely ecstatic once you've finished though. If you have an outdoor space in which you can relax on a sunny day, you won't regretting having sorted out the garden at the beginning of the summer! If you have somewhere to spend time outdoors, you'll also be less likely to spend money to sit outdoors at a pub or restaurant!

5-Enjoy Spending Time with Friends
This is a pretty big one all year round, but whilst the weather is good, why not catch up with old friends? You can just go for a walk or wander round a few shops, without any kind agenda. The beauty of summer!

6-Run a Race for Charity
If you want to get fit, it's great to set yourself a goal to train for. Whether it's a marathon, half marathon or 5k, signing up for a race is a great way to get fit for the summer!

Even if you don't want to become an elite athlete, there are plenty of 'fun runs' where you can raise money for a great cause, dress up in a silly costume and make new friends!

7-Learn to Cook Something New
I'm going to learn to cook Paella, you? Summer is a great time for expanding your cooking repertoire as there are a lot of exciting fresh organic ingredients available. It's pretty easy to fall into a rotation of cooking the same meals over and over again, so it's good to get out of the funk!

8-Be a Tourist in your Local Area
I don't know what it is, but we often seem reluctant to truly appreciate the area we live in. Everywhere in the UK has a story to tell, even Basingstoke (sorry Basingstoke!). If you live in a city, hop on one of those open-top sightseeing buses and prepare to learn! If you live in a small town, look on trip advisor to see what the most local tourist attractions are. The chances are you'll spot a tonne of thing you don't know about and end up having a whale of a time.

9-Grow your own organic fruit
The main reason that organic fruit and vegetables are so expensive is that they need to be grown to such strict regulations and check thoroughly before being sold. It's good that the Soil Association regulations are so strict, but it does add an extra cost. Growing some of your own fruit at home will give you a hobby, save you money and give you lots of yummy summer treats!

10-Let your TV Gather Dust!
The new series of Game of thrones will still be there in the autumn, I promise! We've all looked out of the window on a sunny day and though “I just can't be bothered to do anything today”. This summer, it's time to go out and do things, not sit inside and waste all of that good vitamin D!

4 Living, a brand which has been consistently committed to promoting a healthy lifestyle,  are one of the leading Organic Mattress retailers in the UK. Their collection of natural latex mattresses and organic pocket sprung mattresses caters to all body types and preferences.