Manuka Honey & Hydration for Immunity Support
In this blog, we meet Kim from @prettydeliciouslife. Kim is a food photographer who was diagnosed with SIBO and adrenal fatigue in 2017. She shares her delicious gluten free, low FODMAP, paleo and plant based recipes on her instagram account as part of her mission to educate, inspire and satisfy the taste buds of her followers.
KIM | @prettydeliciouslife
The Daily Water Challenge
We recently asked Kim to give Dr. Maggie's Daily Water Challenge a go for 14 days and report back on her results.
The Daily Water Challenge is a simple way to ensure that you remember to stay hydrated, starting with 20oz (.6l) of water every morning before you have anything else. Adding a teaspoon of Manuka into warm water is the perfect start for immunity and digestive support due to the natural properties found in raw Manuka Honey such as bio-available bee bread, pollen and wax particles, and methylglyoxal.
Add vital nutrients by pre-mixing your water and honey with some fruit or veges and keeping in a jug or bottle in the fridge. Using cucumbers or lemons makes for a fresh and healthy start to the day, and teabags can easily be used as a substitute (just make sure they’re caffeine free!).
Kim's Experience
For our challenge, Kim took 1 tsp of UMF 10+ Manuka honey in her water every morning, and then another teaspoon full of UMF 24+ Manuka honey every morning and afternoon, for the duration of the 14 day challenge. She used the Steens Daily Water Challenge Diary daily, and reported to us that by the end of the challenge she felt more energized and by Day 14, her tummy felt much better than it had at the start of the challenge when she had been experiencing some pain from inflammation.
Kimberly also regularly takes supplements from her doctor for support of her symptoms, including Vitamin B6, C, D, Zinc, Magnesium, KappArrest (for inflammation), HUM Nutrition Daily Cleanse, NAC and Quercitin.
YOUR FREE DAILY WATER CHALLENGE DIARY
If you would like to feel the difference hydration makes, try our Daily Water Challenge and use the columns in our Daily Water Challenge Diary to note down how you feel throughout the 30 day process, and how well you have been able to stick to the challenge.
Don't worry if you don't do so well the first time, just try again for another 30 days!
Since her diagnosis in 2017 Kimberly has learned to listen to what her body has to say.
She generally tries to avoid sugar as part of her low FODMAP diet, but she admits "I have a MAJOR sweet tooth so finding a sweetener that doesn’t trigger my symptoms was a must!". She shares with us one of her delicious adapted recipes - using raw honey to replace sugar meant that Kim experienced the goodness of the raw honey while still satisfying her sweet cravings.
DAIRY FREE MATCHA HONEY LAVENDER ICECREAM
INGREDIENTS
1 can full fat coconut milk1 can coconut cream
1 tbsp gelatin
pinch of sea salt
1 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
1-2 tbsp matcha
3 tbsp honey
3 tbsp monk fruit
2 drops culinary lavender extract
METHOD
1. Over low heat, pour canned coconut milk and cream into a small pot, whisking until smooth. Allow to heat but not fully boil.
2. While still heating, stir in vanilla extract, pinch of salt, monk fruit, honey and matcha, whisking again to combine.
3. Next, mix in gelatin and whisk vigorously to avoid clumping.
4. Pour ice cream base into heat proof container, cover and allow to set in the fridge about 45 mins.
5. Once the coconut mixture is cool, add to frozen bowl of ice cream maker, add in lavender extract and churn according to machine instructions.
6. Pour into pint containers and store in the freezer.
