t seems for decades we have been led to believe the only way we could keep our homes clean was by using chemical laden and often toxic cleaning products. Many of these products have now been found to be not only detrimental to our health but also to the environment.

I’m sure by now we’ve all heard of the health benefits of bone broth. For those that don’t know, bone broth is a nutrient dense stock which is created by cooking up animal bones and connective tissue. Bone broth is generally made from the bones and connective tissue of animals such as chicken, fish or beef.

This highly nutritious broth is both rich in minerals and vitamins, plus essential fatty acids and amino acids. The gelatin found in bone broth is believed to be helpful for our joint health and our gut health.

Even if you don’t suffer from gut problems or you have no issues with joint health, it makes sense to regularly drink bone broth because it is so nutritious.

Below is my scrumptious Bone Broth Dumpling Soup recipe. It is soooo easy to make and super delicious. You must try it!!

CHINESE DUMPLING SOUP WITH BONE BROTH

Ingredients: 8 cups vegetable or chicken stock; 1 Tbsp Best of the Bone Broth Concentrate Natural; 3 cm piece fresh ginger peeled and grated; 2 Tbsp Spiral Foods Salt Reduced Tamari; 2 Tbsp Niulife Coconut Balsamic Vinegar; 2 tsp toasted sesame oil;1 tsp Natural Road Xylitol; 1 bunch broccolini sliced; 2 carrots thinly sliced; 1 cup sliced mushrooms; 3 shallots sliced; 4 cups baby spinach; 16 XHC Dumplings (Chicken Basil; Tofu Vegetable; Pork Chilli or Wagyu Tomato)

In a pot bring to boil the veg or chicken stock, bone broth, grated ginger, tamari, balsamic vinegar, sesame oil and xylitol. Simmer for approx. 10 to 15 minutes. Add carrots and dumplings. Simmer for 10 minutes. Add broccolini and simmer for further 5 minutes then add sliced mushrooms, sliced shallots and baby spinach. Serve with chopped coriander and chilli paste if desired, for extra flavour.

When new products come onto the market, it’s always interesting researching the various benefits of these products. Although sea buckthorn oil has been used for centuries by traditional practitioners, until recently we generally haven’t been aware of the quite incredible health benefits of sea buckthorn oil.

Sea buckthorn oil is rich in valuable plant compounds such as antioxidants and flavonoids which can be helpful in our body fighting infections. It is rich in many vitamins and minerals and is especially high in valuable fatty acids such as omegas 3,6,7 and 9. In fact sea buckthorn oil is known to contain the most amount of Omega 7 of any plant in nature.

One of the therapeutic benefits of sea buckthorn oil is the positive effect on the mucous membranes of the eyes. Until now it has been difficult for us to access a supplement which can help with dry eyes. The good news is, sea buckthorn oil capsules have been found to be effective in treating dry eyes, as well as reducing eye redness and burning. As we age, we are more likely to experience dry eyes, however we are also more prone to dry eyes if we wear contact lenses, use digital devices for a long period of time, are sensitive to dry and cold conditions or our eyes are exposed to the sun for a long period of time. It is believed sea buckthorn oil taken in capsules, alleviates the inflammation which causes dry eye.

Many women will be happy to read sea buckthorn oil taken in capsules, has been found to be beneficial in treating vaginal dryness. This is very exciting news, as for most women, topical creams have been the only option for this problem. The Omega 7 found in sea buckthorn oil has been found to help lubricate the vaginal walls, moisturise the vagina and reduce inflammation. The uniqueness of sea buckthorn oil is thought to assist with the normal function of the membranes lining the vagina. A 2014 study of 116 post-menopausal women with vaginal dryness, after taking 3000mg of sea buckthorn oil a day, found significant improvements in vaginal tissue integrity as well as improvement in vaginal elasticity and moisture (1).

Dry mouth is quite common, especially as we age. Omega 7 has been found to be one of the most important factors in the proper functioning of the mucosal membranes in our mouth. When Omega 7 is deficient, we have the issue of these mucosal membranes drying out, which unfortunately then leads to this unpleasant sensation of dryness. Because sea buckthorn oil is so high in Omega 7, sea buckthorn capsules have been found to be helpful for treating dry mouth.

Sea Buckthorn Oil can also be beneficial for our skin health. As we age our skin loses its elasticity and it’s believed the lipids contained in sea buckthorn oil may help improve elasticity especially for those with dry or mature skin. The lipids contained in sea buckthorn oil may also accelerate regeneration of our cells. It can be good for dry skin because of its ability to moisturise, reduce inflammation and protect the skin barrier. Sea buckthorn oil capsules can be helpful as well as sea buckthorn skin care products. Sea buckthorn oil has been used in skin care products for years. The nutrients contained in this oil works well in protecting our skin. Because Sea Buckthorn oil is high in Omegas 3,6,7 and 9 it’s believed sea buckthorn oil can strengthen the barrier of the skin, also protecting water loss.

(1) Effects of sea buckthorn oil intake on vaginal atrophy in postmenopausal women: A randomised, double blind, placebo-controlled stody.Petra s Larmo; Baoru Yang; Juha Hyssala; Heikki P. Kallio; Risto Erkkola. Published July 21,2014 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.maturitas.2014.07.010