Oganico Shop and Tea room Loughton

Whilst on my travels and visiting family, I always find it difficult to find places that meet my dietary needs. In fact, it's near on impossible. I love going out for tea and cake, so I always keep a keen eye for new places that I could go and actually enjoy myself at.

Whenever I go to my parents, I usually have to venture into London to find suitable places to eat, but what with having M.E, I don't get to do this very often, and when I do, I take days to recover. So when I discovered a new wholefoods shop was going to open in Loughton Essex named Organico - I was very keen to see what it was going to be like.

For a healthy person, Organico is a pleasant 10 minute walk from the underground station (central line) however if you don't like walking so much, it would make an incredibly short bus ride!

Places like Organico, are gold dust!
Especially when you have food allergies and staying in Essex!

It's so nice to see shops like these opening up on the outskirts of London. Such a relief for me too, because from my parents, it's just a short drive in the car.
Parking is easy, as Organico is very close to county council car parks (bonus points there!)

Everything is Vegan!
Vegan tea, coffee, juices, smoothies... Even the cake is vegan. What's more, is that they have a couple gluten free choices too (yes, that's vegan too, yaay!)
On my first visit I had a Gluten free vegan Almond Muffin. It was sweet, moist, and had a wonderful texture.

On another visit I had a Spirulina orange truffle (annoyingly I've lost the photo) - now knowing what spirulina tastes like, I was a bit apprehensive... But this truffle was amazingly good! Just the right balance of orange to cover the taste of the spirulina, and sweet enough to cure the sweet craving.

It's an Aladdin's Cave for organic and vegan foods products They sell an array of cupboard foods, herbal teas, home essentials. Stacked from floor to ceiling, They're bound to have what you're looking for!

I really hope that as many people as possible visit this amazing little shop, because shops like this deserve to become the norm of society.




They're fresh, stylish, welcoming and homely, whilst catering for everyone's needs. Shopping needn't be a chore - it should be a pleasure, so why shop at a big bright and noisy superstore that's full of stress, when you could probably find all of your desired things in happy little places like this?

Vegan Chilli non Carne

I have been meaning to post up some recipes, but because I often don't write recipes down, this task is often tricky.

Tonight (with lots of help) I have made a Mexican inspired dish. I would have called it a 'chilli con carne' But - There's no meat, onions, or chilli in fact, in this meal, so I decided to call it the mild mexican, because it should suit at least some sensitive tummies, like me. 

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Makes about 8 meals - Freezable up to one month 

The staple ingredients for this recipe are:
1-2 tablespoons Odourless Coconut oil (it's cheaper than regular coconut oil)
2 tins of chopped tomatoes
1 tin ready cooked red kidney beans
1 cup of dried brown lentils
3 large cloves of garlic
1 tablespoon cocoa powder (you could use half a tablespoon of carob powder instead or one square of very dark chocolate)
2 teaspoons smoked/unsmoked paprika
1-2 teaspoons cumin
half a teaspoon coriander
half a teaspoon turmeric - as it's anti inflammatory
1 teaspoon mild chilli powder (optional)
1 tablespoon of gluten free vegan bouillon or one gfv stock cube  (leave this out if you are super sensitive to onions)
1 bay leaf
salt
black pepper - more the merrier as it is anti inflammatory
1 green bell pepper

The veg to bulk it out - I used in tonight's recipe:
1 onion

1 medium Aubergine (you could use a punnet of mushrooms instead)
1 yellow bell pepper (as well as the green pepper)

I'm running low on veg today so just used what I had in the fridge.

You could add in a fresh onion if you're not sensitive to them.

Method:

Pre boil the brown lentils (takes about half an hour till the lentils are soft)
Chop/process your veg to the size you like them (I like them chunky) Then fry them in a large pot the coconut oil till they have reduced in size.
Add all of the staple ingredients to the large pot, stir, bring to the boil, turn the heat down to a very low heat and leave to simmer for up to an hour ( I often forget about it! So if you're like me, put a timer on so you don't forget) 




Don't forget to use organic produce where possible!

Happy eating!

 - I would love to hear from you if you have used this recipe, even if it's just for inspiration :-)

Medication and Me

Because of my personal experiences with western medicine, I have very little trust in doctors that are meant to treat disease.  I was over prescribed medication from a very young age, therefore causing havoc with the rest of my body.
To this day, if I go to the doctors, they try to prescribe me the same medication that has done me no favours in the past.

Here's why my trust in almost non existent towards western medicine..

From about the age of 3, I have had stomach issues. This was treated over the years with milk of magnesia, rennies, and antibiotics. I suffered a lot of ear infections, stomach bugs and coughs.

At the age of 7 I  developed acne which again was treated with antibiotic creams and tablets such as minocin-mr, Zineryt®, Erythromycin, roaccutane tablets and gel and Skinoren Azelaic Acid.

From the age of 8, I was having minor musculoskeletal symptoms (mild neck and shoulder problems, easily injured) I have never been able to hold a pen/pencil properly or comfortably.

I was on Minocin-mr for a few years combined with zineryt. When these stopped working I was given erythromycin to which I often threw up.
I was put on Roaccutane at the age of 9 (I can't remember how long I was on them for) Which has alone caused me some problems that I still suffer with to this day.

At the age of 11 I fell unwell with a 'virus' (I had no antiviral treatment) 
was bed ridden for months with no help of my GP - I was given paracetamol...

I was referred to a neurologist who sent me for an mri scan - results were normal but apparently Great ormand st found areas of my brain that had been attacked by a virus - I'm not sure if this information is correct.

The neurologist put me on amitriptyline, this drug gave me awful psychological side effects and did not help any of my symptoms.  

After 3 years of suffering I finally diagnosed with M.E at Great ormand st hospital - I have never been happy with this diagnoses. 

I had a constant headache, migraines that would last for weeks, extreme exhaustion, insomnia, stomach issues, weak, cognitive impairment.. I was bed, house and wheelchair bound for 5-6 years.

I have had no help from the NHS, just the occasional test, prescriptions that have made me feel worse,  and the inevitable shoulder shrugs... 

Unknowingly, my digestive system has been tortured for years by doctors. If only we had known at the time what the real problems were, we could have avoided pretty much all of future prescriptions I had. Tummy aches and acne would have been almost non existent if milk and gluten had been eliminated from an early age.
But it wasn't, so I'm suffering the consequences of further illness. A weak digestive system means a weak body, vulnerable to disease.

This chemical cocktail could have quite possibly caused the most chronic symptom I have now - M.E. All it took was a bit of stress to push my body over the edge - 12 years on and I am still fighting for recovery.
Painkillers and antidepressants are not going to help me - They made me worse to begin with, so why would I start taking them again now?

In  2013 I accidentally consumed dairy. I didn't realise until it was too late. The roof of my mouth and gums started to peel and become sore whilst I was eating, I spat it out but I had already consumed some of the product with my meal. Within minutes it felt like my stomach was being ripped to shred, like I had swallowed razor blades, or broken glass, being rubbed in by an invisible hand.
I went to the doctor the next day I felt so bad, I looked really unwell and couldn't stand up straight.

I was offered rennies..

FUCKING RENNIES!

I explained my frustration to my new doctor to which to my amazement he listened - he sent me off for further tests and referred me to a dietician.
Some faith had been restored...

All my tests came back normal (surprise surprise)
So I was diagnosed with ibs - ibs is basically a BIG umbrella diagnoses - Anything they can't explain about pain in the digestive system is put under ibs.

I eventually saw the dietician, clinging onto some hope that they could help me.
I was put on the FODMAP diet. I new diet that nhs is raving about claiming it helps ibs.
Sure, it helps some people, but this is me we're talking about here...

From the diet, I found that I'm intolerant to onions. So some success..

Wait for it...

I was told by my dietician to reintroduce onions.... Okay... Why? WHat's the point of eating something if I'm intolerant to it?
'There's no such thing as food intolerances'

Ummm okaaay.... So Why does Milk make me so unwell?

'You can't be intolerant to milk or gluten, you need carbohydrates to live, and calcium from milk, therefore you cannot be intolerant to them'

So suddenly in this world you can only get carbs from bread and pasta and calcium from milk...

My regained faith is going down the drain very quickly...

Ok I'm confused, so I asked her what I should do. She replied...
'start eating wheat, gluten and dairy and take Buscopan.'.

What. The actual. Fuck. (I didn't actually say that, but I wish I had!)

To this day, I am still speechless to that answer. Taking buscopan is not going to cure my problem,
it's just going to mask some of the symptoms.
Milk makes my skin go red and itch, so why the hell would I eat it?

I was so frustrated and upset, I needed help, but I wasn't getting any.
The only way I was going to get help was if I paid for it... of course, I wasn't surprised, I have to pay for all my treatments so what's the difference here..

I saw my nutritionist of whom I saw some years ago. She helped me then, she could help me now.

She put me on a strict diet of slow cooked bones and cabbage. to drink the broth.
Cabbages and bones are very good for healing the digestive system.
I had different variations of stew for about 6 weeks till I couldn't stand the taste!

I was put on a variation of supplements to take with my food to aid digestion and healing, I still take some of the supplements to this day - If I miss one, my digestive health dramatically drops.
My health maintenance is expensive. But if I don't follow these rules, I physically cannot function.

The first lot of supplements I was put on - I'm now on a different supplement regime.

If I hadn't seen a nutritionist and a chiropractor, I would be as unwell as I was 10 years ago.

So if you ask for my opinion on how to treat your health, Here's what I will always say.

If you have a small but annoying problem, and/or take pain killers most days, despite your doctor telling you there's nothing wrong, or that they can't help you...

Keep an open mind. See a holistic nutritionist, and a chiropractor.

It may just be the best investment you will ever make.

The cheapest ways to help prevent illness and disease

If you suffer with low moods, stress... Search for natural treatments.
Nutrition, counselling, CBT, Holistic therapies, yoga classes...
It's not as expensive as you might think.
Talk to them about your budget, they will try to help you as much as possible, even if it's just advice.

If you can't see a nutritionist, You can change your eating habits with the help of second hand books, like;
Patrick Holford, food is better medicine than drugs (you can get this book for less than £3 online)

Healthy recipe books
And other sources of information like;
CNM Nutrition youtube channel
Food Matters - a documentary Paul Mckenna - videos and books

These are my favourite books ^

Want CBT or counselling? But can't afford it?
Just ask or nag your doctor! It's a long waiting list, but it's worth the wait.
If you are honest to yourself and talk about the things that you want to change, be it intrusive thoughts, comfort eating, stress, ocd, anxiety...
Talking to a professional can help solve these issues.

Being offered antidepressants is a quicker and cheaper way to make you feel as though you are being treated.
They don't work for many people! 

They just create problems of their own.
Once you're on them, it's very difficult to get off them, it takes time, and it can make you unwell. Some people have to stay on them forever because their bodies have become too dependant on these useless drugs.

If you can't afford Chiropractic care - Why not try a beginners yoga class?
Just inform your tutor  of any health issues and pains you have and they will help and teach you ways round them. If yoga is still too difficult, visit your local swimming pool as often as possible! Floating and gentle stretching is a great pain management method, not to mention relaxing, without breaking the bank.

I find it very difficult to afford chiropractic treatment , but it helps me a lot - I personally can't live without it, but I am a chronically ill person - as much as I hate to admit it.

A healthy person with one or two problems may only need to see a chiropractor a few times, it really depends how mild or chronic your problem is. Your health and wellbeing is worth the investment.

We would pay £35 for a spa treatment, so why not for a treatment that could help, possibly cure long term pain?

With the help of holistic alternative treatments, natural supplements and pure motivation, I no longer take painkillers.

I'm in just as much pain as I used to be when I was taking painkillers every day, it has made no difference to my suffering. But I'm sure my liver and kidneys are thanking me for no longer swallowing toxic pills.

Maybe I'm just one in a million, but western medicine just does not work, or agree with me.
















Possibly the best tip of all? Visit nature, and listen to it. It will help you clear your mind and focus on the things that matter to you most.

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