olive oil

Posted on autoimmune conditions, Diet, Vitamins

8 Incredible Foods That Calm Autoimmune Diseases

Discover how specific foods can help alleviate the symptoms of autoimmune diseases and improve your overall health.

8. Sunflower Seeds Sunflower seeds are a great way to boost your immune system and alleviate the symptoms of autoimmune diseases. They are packed with nutrients, especially vitamin E, that can help rebalance your immune cells and fight chronic inflammation.

7. Extra Virgin Olive OilRecent studies have shown that extra virgin olive oil contains components like oleic acid and oleocanthal antioxidants, which play an essential role in managing inflammation.

6. Sweet Potatoes Sweet potatoes are a versatile and nutrient-packed option that can benefit your immune system. They do not contain nightshade alkaloids and are rich in potassium, beta-carotene antioxidants, vitamin C, and vitamin A.

5. Fatty Fish Certain types of fatty fish, such as salmon, sardines, herring, mackerel, or anchovies, which are rich in omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA, can inhibit an inflammatory marker called C-reactive protein, which has been linked to worsening autoimmune reactions.

4. Turmeric Turmeric contains the active ingredient curcumin, which has been found to reduce the production, activation, and migration of antibodies, making it an excellent tool for autoimmune balance.

3. Green Tea Green tea is packed with epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), a potent antioxidant that has been found to reduce the production of cytokine cells, which play a role in autoimmune diseases.

2. Mushrooms Mushrooms are one of the few plant sources of Vitamin D and are especially rich in this nutrient, which is beneficial for the immune system.

1. Leafy Greens are packed with a range of nutrients and antioxidants that help fight inflammation and protect the body against free radical damage.

Leave a comment Posted on Diet, Patient Talk, Vitamins

Fighting Anemia with Food – Recipes for Health. An Iron Rich Pesto!


Iron rich pesto

Iron rich pesto

Yesterday I explained that my wife and were increasing the amount of iron in our diet as she is undergoing tests for anemia.

In that blog post I mentioned that I was preparing a pesto for yesterday evening’s meal.

As it was based upon that day’s research I thought I would share it with you. While I’m not a food blogger I am a health blogger so I felt it would be suitable to share this recipe. I should mention that Mrs PatientTalk.Org described the meal as “very tasty”.

This recipe can be vegan or vegetarian according to taste.

Ingredients (serves 4)

a) 400g of Cavolo nero (also called Tuscan kale) – full of iron but also vitamin A, calcium, vitamin K and manganese.
b) 150g of water cress – again iron rich.
c) 10 Brazil nuts – a read source of antioxidants
d) Chopped garlic – to taste really but I used 2 cloves. An antibiotic often used as a folk treatment for the common cold.
e) Juice of one lemon – a great way of getting vitamin C.
f) Olive oil to taste. Olive oil is a way of lowering cholesterol.
g) Salt and pepper again to taste but go for more pepper than salt.
h) Optional but you can use a hard cheese such as Parmesan.


How to do it.

1) Strip the leafy green parts of the Cavolo nero away from any tough stalks.
2) Steam the green leafy parts for five minutes.
3) Please in your blender along side all the ingredients except for the brazil nuts.
4) Blend the ingredients till they become just a bit thicker then the consistency you like.
5) Add the brazil nuts and blend for 30 seconds.

Serve with whole grain pasta and a green salad.

If you have tried this at home please tell us what you think in the comments box. Please do feel free to

1 Comment Posted on Patient Talk

Lowering your cholesterol. Check out these handy and practical tips on reducing your cholesterol levels.


Lowering Cholesterol

Lowering Cholesterol

The newspapers, TV and internet are full of it.  It seems that you cannot turn anywhere without being given dire warnings about the dangers of having too high cholesterol.

And no wonder.

Recent studies suggest that people with high cholesterol (or hyperlipidemia as the boffins call it) are at much greater risk of strokes, heart attacks and heart disease in general.  So I think it can safely be said that it is something we should all be looking out for.

That being said, it does seem that getting good practical advice for those of us rushing around does not seem to be as easy as we would like.

So we at PatientTalk.Org have decided to put together a list of ideas which you can use on a daily basis.

a) Eat whole grain foods like brown rice or whole-wheat pasta.  You might want to experiment with things like quinoa or bulgur wheat.  Porridge or rolled oats for breakfast are a winner.

b) Lots of fruit and vegetables.  I mean lots.  My mother suggests leaving skins on vegetables whenever possible.  So you can still peel pumpkins.

c) Don’t eat animal or chicken skin and fat.  You might even think of becoming vegetarian for at least some of the time.

d) Exercise.  There are lots of possibilities and we have covered a fair few on this blog. https://patienttalk.org/exercise-for-people-with-chronic-pain/

e) Give junk food the body swerve.

f)   Use olive and other healthier oils in cooking and dressings but do so sparingly.

g) Cook for yourself  and do try to eliminate processed food.

h)  Take a packed lunch to work or school rather than buying something when you are there.

i)   Oh yes and give up smoking.  But you knew that, didn’t you?

If you have any other suggestions please feel free to share in the comments box below.

Our readers would love to hear your story!