1 ripe avocado
½ red onion
½ tomato
½ red chilli
Handful fresh coriander
Lime juice to taste

(all organic of course!)

Finely chop the onion, tomato, chilli and coriander.

Scoop out the flesh of the avocado (making sure you scrape the inside of the skins well with a spoon to get as much of the bright green coloured flesh as possible to give your guac a lovely colour).

Add the avocado to the other ingredients and mash with a fork until the desired consistency (lumpy or smooth it's up to you).

Add lime juice, salt and fresh black pepper to taste.

*Note: you can make this very quickly in the food processor but you need to be careful that you don't make it too smooth so that all traces of the tomato and onion disappear into the paste.

The Gotu Kola has slender stems and a leaf that looks a little like one part of a three-leaf clover. It looks more salad decoration that ancient medicine but indeed that's what it is in India and South East Asia.

If you believe the Chinese myth of longevity of Tai Chi Chuan, Gotu Kola helped master Li Ching-Yun live to be 256. Another folklore from Sri Lanka tells the story of King Aruna who claimed that Gotu Kola gave him enough stamina to satisfy 50 women.

But there is more than meets the eye behind these old tales. Today, Gotu Kola is used in a whole number of therapeutic medicines and natural products but it may appear as one of many names on an ingredients lists. For example Centella asiatica, Asiatic Pennywort, Indian Pennywort, Luei Gong Gen, Takip-kohol, Antanan, Pegagan, Pegaga, vallaarai, Kula kud, Bai Bua Bok, Brahmi, Bemgsag, Brahma manduki, Ondelaga, Khulakhudi, Mandukaparni, Thankuni, rau má, Manimuni, and Saraswathi Plant. It's many names may give some indication of how useful this plant is in the eyes of many number of cultures in Asia. But it gets it's common name, Gotu Kola from the Sri Lankens - in Sinhalese ‘Gotu' means conical shape and ‘Kola' means leaf.

Used as medicinal herb in Ayurvedic medicine and traditional Chinese medicine Gotu Kola is believed to help memory, energy, nutrition, strength, sharpness and immunity. It is antibacterial, anti-viral, anti-inflammatory, a cerebral tonic, a circulatory stimulant and a diuretic. Gotu Kola also a mild adaptogen, which is natural herb that increases the body's resistance to stress, trauma, anxiety and fatigue.

Scientific studies have proven it to improve mental ability and memory. It is said to re-vitalize the brain and nervous system, increase concentration and increase attention span.

As a topical treatment it has been used in leprosy cases for it's wound healing properties. It helps scars to heal by stimulating the production of type 1 collagen in the skin. Gotu Kola shows results in decreasing inflammation and myofibroblast (Connective tissue cells that are important in normal wound-repair responses) production.

On top of these skin healing properties it's antioxidant property explains why it is uses to combat aging. Be it infused in hot water as a tea, added raw to salads or mixed in to your common natural beauty products, Gotu Kola can give you a lift - on the inside or out.

Neal's Yard Remedies uses Gotu Kola in a number of their products including Mahonia Clear Skin Gel, Frankincense Toning Body Cream and Rejuvenating Frankincense Serum.

Manuka honey is created by bees that gather nectar from the flowers of the Manuka bush (as pictured below). The Manuka bush is only native to New Zealand explains why the Manuka honey labels in the supermarket are all branded kiwi style. But why would natural skin care products like New Zealand beauty range, Trilogy contain Manuka honey?

The Manuka bush (a member of the tea tree family) has many medicinal benefits. The honey the bees produce from its nectar has anti-bacterial properties. The oil of the bush can be applied topically as an antibiotic and antifungal to help wounds close and heal more quickly. It's been proven to improve stomach ulcers, boils, minor burns and infections. Manuka can also combat more difficult strains of bacteria such as the superbug, MRSA (Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus).

But not all Manuka Honey has ‘active' properties, though its not understood by the scientific community why. In New Zealand it is tested by the Honey Research Unit and given a UMF (Unique Manuka Factor) rating to prove its level of medicinal use. A rating of 10 or above is considered ‘active'.

From a beauty perspective active manuka is rich in protein, vitamins and minerals. Sensitive skin particularly benefits from the anti-inflammatory properties manuka. As a natural antioxidant mature skin adores this as an ingredient in masks and other skin care products. It is able to absorb free radicals caused by skin damage and helps the skin to retain moisture. This improves texture significantly.

Trilogy's Ultra Hydrating Cream is one organic skin care product that makes the most of the healing properties of manuka.

The Plantain leaf has been used as a snakebite remedy, to prevent uterine bleeding after childbirth and dressing wounds on the battlefield.

The plantain leaf we are talking about here is not the same as banana-like vegetable of the same name. Broadleaf plantain, Healing Blade, Soldiers Herb, Roadweed, White Man's Foot, Lanceleaf plantain and Ribwort are other common names but if you are looking at the ingredients list of a natural skin care product you may find one of its botanical names plantago lanceolata or plantago major.

Herbalists have been using the plantain leaf to remedy inflamed skin, dermatitis, insect bites and eczema for a long time. It's major constituents give plantain a mild anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial and antihemorrhagic effect. It is also a powerful coagulant. By crushing the leaves and applying them topically, plantain soothes and calms the problem area. Plantago Major contains allantoin, which helps cell renewal (see blog on allantoin).

The Nourishing Cream by Latvian organic beauty specialists Madara is one skin care product that contains plantain leaf as a biologically active ingredient to soften and soothe skin, especially to the dryer parts of the body - elbows, knees, feet and hands.

Did you know that research has shown that some people with mouth ulcers who switch to a toothpaste without SLS (Sodium Lauryl Sulfate) will recover completely?

Anyone that has had one knows that mouth ulcers are unpleasant. It's actually an exposed nerve, which in the sensitive lining of the mouth can be very painful. The good news is they aren't contagious like cold sores so kissing isn't out of bounds but who wants to smooch with an aching mouth.

Switching to a natural toothpaste is a good first step if you suffer mouth ulcers frequently. You can get many like Lavera's mint and Green People's peppermint flavours that feel very near to a conventional toothpaste - they don't foam quite as much or have that hot tingly feeling (which isn't very nice when your mouth's cut up with ulcers anyway!) Brushing a little softer can also help.

Other causes of mouth ulcers may be stress, fungal or viral infections, IBS, Vitamin B12 deficiency, anaemia, food allergies like gluten or dairy and dental braces.

Swishing cold camomile tea around the mouth can help ease some discomfort but if ulcers haven't eased after a few weeks consult a doctor or dentist.