DOIDY CUP blog

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Have you ever heard of a tree medicine? Therapists believe that many illnesses can be cured by simply having the person to spend as much time as possible among trees which have either stimulating or calming effect, ease meditation, relieve stress and support healing processes. All you have to do, is just find “your own tree” to feel strong and healthy in mater of only few minutes.

It’s today that we celebrate The Breastfeeding Day. There is no need to point out why and how important it is for infants, especially in its first six months of life. Nevertheless, it is worth to keep up with breastfeeding even longer, since as the little one grows up the milk customizes to its needs, remaining for it the most valuable nurture at the early stage of its life.

The fruits of elder, which for us are the most interesting from the culinary point of view ;), are rich in vitamin C, B, as well as in aromatherapy oils and already mentioned organic acids. This fantastic mixture has the sudorific and analgesic effect and for this reason is very often used to fight a cold or flu. But what else may it be useful for? Hmmm.... how about delicious jams, juices and syrups used to sweeten light herbal brews or simply to drink with water? ;)

What is the darkest rainbow colour? Of course, it’s the purple blue... Some of us like this colour very much, others treat it distantly. One thing is for sure – no one passes by blue- and blackberries, plums indifferently. And now is their time...

In this summer time it is so wonderful to walk into the woods and search for its delicious treasuries! The woods are perfect oxygen manufacturer, and thanks to conifers - full of aromatherapy oils, such as pine, larch, spruce or mountain pine. Inhaling this type of air, our lungs regenerate and our brains relax. If you suffer from asthma or chronic and recurrent respiratory infections you should become a frequent guest into the coniferous forest.

However, the woods are not only the trees. Getting slightly lower we come across the delicious and so healthy richness of undergrowth. In August numerous little bushes are bending over the heavy dark fruits, which are not only very tasty but also have very versatile use. Blueberry has been famous for its healing qualities for centuries. It’s rich in A, B1 and C Vitamins, tannin and plant acids, but the most importantly - in anthocyanins. This plant pigment of an exceptional value gives the fruits their purple-blue colour, plays the preventive role in our organism, and has multi “anti” (-allergic, -micotic, -cancer and -ulcerous) effect.

Blueberries, a treasury of anthocyanins, are a perfect heal for both constipation and diarrhea. Their dried fruits have anti-diarrhea and antibacterial effect, and their leaves are used while cystitis and digestive tract inflammation. While the season for blueberries doesn’t last very long, it is worth to use it for harvesting and preserving them for a later time. You can also frozen some of your harvest – unfortunately our organism is unable to accumulate anthocyanins, therefore it is crucial that we provide it with those important substances all year round in order to supplement its deficiency systematically.

Just above the undergrowth we may find another dark-colour fruit, of a high edible and healing properties – blackberry. So popular blackberry bush can be found almost everywhere, not only in the woods, but also on field paths, in trenches, gardens and brake. Its fruits are very sweet and famous among wood-wanderers, but not everyone knows how many types of preserves we can use it for. Just to name the few, such as jam, wine or simple juice. Blackberries are known for its vitamins richness (C, E and B), just next to many others nutritive components, such as magnesium, potassium, iron, phosphorus or calcium. This fruit supports digestion, has anti-febrile effect, as well as prevents diarrhea and constipation. Similarly to blueberries, blackberry is rich in anthocyanins. Its flowers and leaves have similar (although much weaker) effect to its fruits, however when dried and combined with leaves of raspberry, wild strawberry and thyme become a fantastic aromatic tea, of a diuretical and expectorant effect.

We are now slowly leaving the woods and heading towards the garden, where we can find blackcurrants, berries of aronia, plums, dark grapes and very ripe at this time of year, almost black cherries. All the above are first of all the source of anthocyanins, however it is the blackcurrant, which combining the already mentioned with the abundance of Vitamin C (making the blue-pigment unusually active) becomes one of the most immunizing fruits ever.

Purple-blue fruits and vegetables are relatively rare in nature, and this is because we consider this colour not so fetching and appetising. Moreover, many of us believe the “blue products” to be dangerous. There are some people keen on blueberries, aubergine and blackcurrants, however the statistics show this colour is the least inviting “to be eaten”. Our ancestors considered blue food rotten. And you have to admit – there is something to this - only think about the blue cheese ;)

And eventually – here’s the yellow surprise – a sunny sky-colored Doidy Cup!

Green cocktail, in a very delicious and healthy way, will quench our thirst, at the same time providing us with much sustenance. You may use almost any vegetable, but remember to use those which will assure the right consistency, such as cucumber or cabbage.

This kind of cocktail you may prepare using vegetables and fruits, adding (or not ;)) some water or milk. We can recommend delicious, very nutritious and fibre-rich vegan milks, such as oat or almond milk (available in healthy food stores). They usually come in 1l-boxes or in instant form.

Spring is just the right time to start up our bean sprouts little plantations ;). Being extremely rich in microelements, mineral salts and vitamins, have much less calories than proper plant they would have become.

Sprouts can be delivered to our little ones in a blended form, and as supplement to potato puree, quark, yoghurt and fruit- or vegetable cocktails.

Have you heard about beneficial qualities of algae? Those sea organisms include huge number of vitamins and minerals, and are also known for having some healing qualities. Therefore, while preparing the vegetable broth for your Precious, make sure you add a handful of dried algae, just next to our traditional polish vegetables.

There are only two lasting gift we should give our children, one is ROOTS and second is WINGS!

Happy Children's Day!

Herbs are strong aroma seasonings, which not only add to our food some extraordinary smell and taste, but also ease digestion, clear our blood and can immune to many sicknesses. Due to their values, it is worth to include them into the little ones’ diet. And those of the highest value are fresh herbs, grown in private gardens or windowsill pots.

Did you know that herbs should not be chopped on a wooden trencher, as it absorbs their aroma? It’s best if you use special herb shears, which having a few (usually 3 or 4) blades, make it really quick and easy.

If there's one person in this world who can love us unconditionally, care for us without limits and make us smile effortlessly, it is you dear mother.

We wish you a lifetime of happiness. Happy Mothers Day.

May and June are very special months. We tend to associate it with picnics and spring time outings, aromatic lilac, lilies of the valley, delicious and fresh early vegetables and trees covered with white flowers. At this time of year the green around us has a very special shade – so fresh and so juicy! This green also influences our moods, we gladly grasp for green fruits and vegetables, such as lettuce, cucumbers, apples, kiwis, limes, pears, beans or spinach, which we like to unite with health and thanks to which we gather much vital strength and need to keep up with healthy diet. Those green fruits and vegetables owe their colour to chlorophyll, which is regarded to be the plant blood, simply indispensable for each organism development. Eating chlorophyll-rich products, we ensure that our body is able to eliminate toxic substances more easily, which at the same time strengthens our immune system, regulates and fosters our metabolism, provides us with vitality and energy and also improves our eyesight. Thanks to providing ourselves with green food on a regular basis, we ensure the appropriate level of many vitamins, such as A, E, C or K, as well as folic acid, iron, calcium, phosphorus and beta carotene.

There are so many perks of green diet! And since the choice of green food is simply enormous, it is impossible to name all of the products, therefore everyone would find something for himself. And to prove that, below you will find just the most popular examples of green vegetables, along with their sustenance:

Lettuce – improves metabolism;

Spinach – fights anaemia, includes almost all vitamins, folic acid, iodine and iron, has anti-cancer effect;

Cress (lady’s smock) – is recommended for people suffering from thyroid dysfunction (includes a lot of iodine), good for diabetes, has chromium, iron, sulphur, calcium and Vitamins C, A, B3, PP, and E;

Parsley – prevents from anaemia and rickets, clears blood and has diuretic effect in result eliminating water surplus. Moreover it provides us with calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium, folic acid and Vitamins A, C, PP, B, E, D and K;

Chives (spring onion) – fosters appetite, ease digestion, has slight purgative effect, includes carotene, folic acid, Vitamins C, B1, and B2, but also potassium, magnesium, calcium, chlorine and silicic acid;

Dill - ease digestion and food absorption, has carminating effect, includes Vitamin C and beta carotene;

Celery – simply clears our organism;

Cabbage – provides us with C and A Vitamins and clears our organism;

Cucumbers – eliminate the water surplus from our bodies;

Courgette – ease digestion;

Spring is the perfect time for setting up our own crop of herbs and vegetables in balcony baskets It’s easy and not very effort-demanding. Moreover, there is a wide range of potted herbs available in garden centres, which require only watering. The kitchen windowsill not only becomes then pretty and green, but also smells fantastic, which fosters our appetite and makes us keen on healthy snacks. Spring cuisine proposals list is extremely rich and we are not able to gather them in one place. However, feel welcome to visit our blog, where green-inspired propositions for the next two months are easy to find.