Creamed Spinach

I got about a pound of fresh organic spinach through my coop last week and still hadn't used it so today I decided to make creamed spinach and boy am I glad I did. It was so fast and SO yummy. In two batches I boiled the spinach for one minute then strained. I put about a half cup of cream in a pot with a few cloves of roasted garlic and salt and pepper. I let the cream come to a boil then through the spinach in with the cream. As you can see there really isn't much cream on it. Actually most of the cream stays to the bottom of the pot. It was so yummy, you have to try it!!

Homemade Fruit Leather

As you know I am part of a produce coop, well two actually, so with that I seem to have an overabundance of apples. I wanted to do something different with them. Something healthy (besides eating them raw cause quite frankly I was over apples this week). There is a really cool blog my sister told me about where this woman basically takes anything you can buy in a package and makes it from scratch. Anyway, she made fruit leather and I wanted to give it a try. Fruit leather is basically just dried fruit (fruit roll ups but with actual fruit LOL). All I did was cut up all the apples I had (2 bags), cored them (did not peel them), put a little water in the bottom of a pot, covered and cooked down. You can peel them if you have nothing better to do but I was too lazy. When they are cooked down I pureed them and spread it on a half sheet pan with oiled parchment paper. This is where it got a little funky. According to the website, she had you cooking it for 10-18 hours on the lowest temp setting in the oven. I had my oven on 170 degrees, checked it in 4 1/2 hours and it was done. Basically it just has to be dry. Maybe I spread mine so thin that it didn't take so long, not sure. My advice to you is to check it after a few hours. I am about to try making some more but this time add a little grape concentrate for a different flavor. Oh, the first time I made it I did add some cinnamon to it, but that was it! Definitely give this a try, my kids LOVED it!!

Resources:
http://heavenlyhomemakers.com/

Tis the Season...for sugar that is!

I was at a Holistic Mom's meeting a few years ago and there was a Chiropractor there who was talking about the immune system. He touched a bit on the "flu season". He said that it is NO coincidence that flu season runs parallel with the most sugar ridden holidays of the year. It peaks in November (right after Halloween) and ends in April (right after Easter). I know I have mentioned it before but it is definitely worth repeating, more than 60% of your immune system is in your gut. If you fill your body with sugar, it is more susceptible to germs. Now I have two young kids and I don't want to be the militant sugar police, however I do set boundaries. I explain to them that if they eat too much junk they will get sick. And if they do get sick, no sugar for them is the rule!! Just a healthy reminder for my readers during the most tempting time of the season! Pick your "junk" wisely ;op

Resources:
http://www.holisticmoms.org/

Natural Food Website

I was Christmas shopping on amazon.com and I came across a natural food website that seemed worth sharing. I haven't browsed the whole thing yet but from what I saw it looked like a good resource. I was looking for Newman's Own strawberry licorice because I bought some at Whole Foods the other day and they were very yummy! My husband loves Twizlers but for obvious reasons (can you say Red #40) I try not to buy them. The Newman's Brand was a great replacement! Here is the link. Let me know what you think!

http://www.abesmarket.com/

Teflon

I was thinking I may have written about this topic before but I can't remember LOL If I did, it's definitely worth repeating.

If you have any Teflon (or non-stick) cookware, throw it away!! I suppose you could donate it or give it to someone who doesn't care about cooking on a toxic surface :o)

Teflon is a member of a family of chemicals called “perfluorochemicals” (PFCs). According to the Environmental Working Group (EWG), “PFCs virtually never breaks down in the environment and has been found to contaminate most of the US population, including 92 percent of children tested to date.” Link to Environmental Working Group for the full story: http://www.ewg.org/healthyhometips/dangersofteflon

One of the biggest issues with Teflon cookware is that at high heats (standard cooking temperatures) the particles start to break down, There have even been reports of birds dropping dead from the toxic gases released off a cooking pan, referred to as the Teflon Flu. Yes, I realize we are not birds, but if they are dying, what do you think it is doing to you while inhaling those invisible toxins?

Teflon is not just limited to cookware though, you can also find it on carpets, furniture, clothes and even cosmetics. Your skin is very porous and can easily absorb the Teflon particles causing who knows what damage to your body. Think of the effects on babies, young children and animals rolling around on those surfaces! It also pollutes the environment and the people surrounding the plants that produce this chemical.

Of course if you ask DuPont (the makers of Teflon) They will tell you there is nothing to worry about...just use their product as suggested and you will be fine. Sure, I will get right on that, NOT!

Oh, and as a side dish... DuPont is a competitor or Monsanto...need I say more?

Some additional resources:
http://www.ecomall.com/greenshopping/teflon4.htm

http://abcnews.go.com/WNT/story?id=1540964

http://www.wisegeek.com/is-teflon-dangerous.htm

Frozen Bananas

This is total random useful information a friend of mine told me I should post. Did you know that you can freeze ripe bananas and use them later for baking things like banana bread? You can stick them in the freezer with the peel on if you are in a hurry or help yourself later and peel them so all you have to do is put them right in your recipe! Now you know!

Jalapeno Poppers

I got three jalapeno peppers from the coop and a friend of mine made poppers and it sounded so yummy I had to give them a try.

Boy where they good. They were not spicy at all either. My husband cleaned the peppers thoroughly then I stuffed them with cream cheese, cheddar cheese and chives. Dipped them in egg, then covered them in panko (garlic powder, salt and pepper mixed in panko). Then you bake them for 20-25 minutes at 350 degrees. They are so good, I'm not kidding LOL. Enjoy!

Produce Coop

I just joined this produce coop and look at this pile!! I got all this fresh organic produce for $45!! I am very excited. You can find out about this coop on their website, www.anniesbuyingclub.com. It looks like they are only in Florida now but maybe there is room for expansion. If you want to be a coordinator, you even get your produce for free!! Check it out.

Must Watch Documentary - The Greater Good

I am watching this video now...I highly recommend it!

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2011/10/30/the-greater-good.aspx?e_cid=20111103_DNL_Art_1

Here is their website too

http://www.greatergoodmovie.org/

Bill Gates Population Control?

I just read a disturbing article on naturalnews.com about Bill Gates and his vaccine campaign. I'm not trying to go all conspiracy theorist on you but it certainly feels like rocky territory. Check it out and let me know what you think...

http://www.naturalnews.com/029911_vaccines_Bill_Gates.html

Pancreatic Enzymes

I don't know if any of you receive the daily emails from naturalnews.com but they are having an audio series called the healing cancer summit featuring various doctors and experts in the cancer field. I was listening to it tonight and there was a Dr. Nicolas Gonzalez on and he was talking about some of his treatment plans, including pancreatic enzymes. I had never heard of it so I Googled it and it looks pretty interesting. He said that you can't overdose per se on the amount, however if you took too much your stomach may be a little upset. I found a pretty cool article on another site that I thought was worth sharing. One of the things that caught my eye was this statement: "Another indicator of pancreatic insufficiency is the intestinal overgrowth of the yeast Candida albicans". So here is the link for this article and also the link for that doctor. Happy researching!!

http://www.myhealthmybody.com/trellis/ADM1745_Pancreatic_Enzymes

http://www.dr-gonzalez.com/index.htm

Big Companies Taking Advantage of their Customers

So my last post was about the GMO's being found in some "natural" products, including Whole Foods and Barbara's Bakery brands. It made me so ill that I had to reach out to at least one of those companies to look for an explanation (please understand that I realize I am talking to a money hungry corporation). So below is my conversation I posted on Barbara's Bakery's Facebook page...

ME:
I just saw an article on Naturalnews.com that said several of your cereals contain GMO "• Barbara's Bakery Puffins cereal was also shown to contain more than 50% genetically engineered corn." Please explain [I posted the link to the  article on the naturalnews.com website from my previous post] THEY DELETED MY POST WITHIN AN HOUR!!!!!!

THEIR RESPONSE:

Barbara's Bakery

Hi Morgan - Thank you for the post. We continually strive to source Non-GMO ingredients through our supplier relationships and our participation in the Non-GMO Project. Our experience with North American farming today is that there is a very limited supply of GMO-free corn and soy grain available, so it's a challenge to bring affordable, entirely GMO-free products to the marketplace. This is an important issue for us, and we will continue to search for innovative solutions. -Sarina

ME:

Morgan Harlan hmmm, I feel like when a company advertises itself as a "natural" company then stands behind the Non-GMO project then puts GMO's in its product is DEFINITELY misleading its customers (myself included). I understand it may be difficult to find Non GMO suppliers, but in my mind, you either change the recipe to include whatever Non-GMO's you can find, or campaign yourself differently. People will go out of their way to purchase a Non-GMO product (again, myself included), and are willing to pay the price to do such. I feel as if you have covered yourself under the "natural" veil and are reaping the benefits at the cost of your customers. I will not be buying your products any longer as I feel taken advantage of.

 WE SHALL SEE WHAT THEY SAY...STAY TUNED...

GMO's in natural cereals...UGH!!

So I opened up my email today and there is an email from Naturalnews.com about how the "natural" companies are loading their cereal (and I'm sure other products) with GMO's (genetically modified organisms). Among those listed were Kashi, Whole Foods 365 brand corn flakes, Mother's brand and Barbara's Bakery. I am so tired of big corporations taking advantage of people. When I shop at Whole Foods aren't I under the assumption that there are no GMO products to step foot in that store?? Well, all those products I just listed are sold there. It makes me sick. Maybe I will read that this was all a mistake....RIGHT....

Here is the article I read. Please read it and pass it along.

http://www.naturalnews.com/033838_breakfast_cereals_GMOs.html

A new book by Joel Salatin, Folks, This Ain't Normal in bookstores on October 10

I got an email from the leader of my WAPF (Weston A. Price Foundation) http://www.westonaprice.org/ and thought it was worth sharing. It definitely looks like something I would enjoy reading...

FOLKS, THIS AIN'T NORMAL
By Joel Salatin

We live in abnormal times. Really abnormal times. Times when most people think Twinkies, Cocoa-puffs, and Mountain Dew are safe but raw milk, compost grown tomatoes, and Aunt Matilda's homemade pickles are unsafe. The average morsel of food travels fifteen hundred miles between point of production and point of consumption. Indeed, the average T-bone steak sees more of America than the farmer that grew the cow.

Never in the history of civilization has a culture eaten foods it can't pronounce, foods that can't be made in a domestic kitchen, or foods that won't rot. Living foods mold, rot, and decompose. How long can an M&M remain on your counter without altering its appearance?

Until extremely recent days, people had to think about energy, whether it was providing for draft animals for transportation and power, or accumulating firewood to keep the stove burning in the winter
We are the first culture to abdicate domestic culinary arts in favor of microwavable boxes of processed, stabilized, extruded, reconstituted, dye-colored, amalgamated, irradiated, nutrient-compromised, transgenic modified, prostituted pseudo-food. Modern America now has the highest rate in history of chronic, debilitating diseases, and leads the world in unhealthiness.

We're the first culture to invent supermarkets and to universally equate children's chores with abuse. We're the first culture to confine animals in factories, use pharmaceuticals on our food, and break the soil-building carbon cycle on a massive scale.

These themes, discussed in historical context, conventional modern-day thinking, and future response, position Joel Salatin's new book FOLKS, THIS AIN'T NORMAL as a must read for Weston A. Price members. Indeed, he even uses the book to acquaint the world with WAPF as well as the Farm to Consumer Legal Defense Fund.

"When a major publisher (CenterStreet, an imprint of the Hachette Book Group) decided to put their weight behind this project, I decided that part of my objective would be to let the world know about all these wonderful groups and thinkers who really have all the answers to people's fears. I get tired of seeing the media wringing their hands as if solutions don't exist, when in fact, they do. I hope this book draws thousands and thousands into the WAPF camp--just mentioning the organization should drive people to the website."

Never one to allow victimhood excuses, Salatin ends each chapter with a bulleted list of "things you can do." This broad book addresses issues as varied as food police, soil development, Disneyfication of the culture, and scientific findings proving pasture-based livestock is far more nutrient dense than factory-farmed counterparts. It will warm your soul.

If you've ever wondered how to articulate how ridiculous many modern assumptions are, this book will give some sound bites. Filled with stories, satire, and humor, FOLKS, THIS AIN'T NORMAL is due for release Oct. 10 in hardback, Kindle, and audio-book.

http://www.amazon.com/Folks-This-Aint-Normal-Healthier/dp/0892968192/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1318206009&sr=8-1

Ginger Mint Cookies

I found this recipe for these ginger mint cookies and they are AMAZING! Let me know what you think.

1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp dried mint (I used spearmint)
2 Tbsp finely chopped crystalized ginger
1 Tbsp lemon zest
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup light brown sugar
pinch of salt
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 egg yolk, room temperature
1/4 cup sugar for rolling

Preheat oven 350 degrees. In a medium bowl mix flour, mint, ginger, lemon zest and baking soda. With an electric mixer, mix butter, sugars, vanilla and egg yolk until light and fluffy. Mix in flour slowly at a low speed just until combined. Roll dough in small balls and roll in sugar. Place on cookie sheet about an inch apart. Bake until bottom is slightly brown (about 15 minutes). Yummo!!

Flu Vaccine

I was on Facebook and someone posted this copy of popular flu vaccine insert. She said she got it from a RN who was giving vaccinations at Wal-Mart. After she showed it to the RN, the nurse was speechless. Are you amazed that the people administrating these vaccinations don't read these inserts? Don't be, because I would be willing to bet money doctors and pediatricians all over the world have never taken the time to read one of them. I'm sure the pharma reps are giving them the "research" results and tell them just how amazing and safe their product is. Please do your research before you put ANY pharmaceuticals in your (or your children's) bodies!

A Little Arsenic in your Apple Juice

A lot of people have been asking me if I had heard anything about the arsenic in apple juice. Apparently Dr. Oz had a show about it. He tested a few different brands of apple juice and there were traces of arsenic in most of them. The issue is that most of the apple juice we use in America is from concentrate and that gets imported from China were it gets exposed to pesticides that may contain arsenic. (I do want to note here that apple juice concentrate is also used to sweeten a lot of processed food products including food bars, fruit snacks, etc.) After his show aired the apple juice companies and the FDA were all fired up (shocked aren't you). The FDA released a statement stating that these were "acceptable" levels of arsenic in the juices.........I'm sorry, what did I just say...... that's right I guess the FDA thinks it's perfectly acceptable to consume some levels of arsenic. They never cease to amaze me I swear. Anyway, I have read that there is a little glitch in Dr Oz's research though. There are two different kinds of arsenic; inorganic (man-made) and organic (naturally occurring) and in his testing they did not separate the two. So, it's a little tainted in my book. The moral to the story...if you make sure and buy organic apple juice (preferably made in USA) you are not going to be exposed to the inorganic arsenic (you know, the stuff that can kill you).


Here's the link from the Dr Oz show:
http://www.doctoroz.com/videos/arsenic-apple-juice

Soy

You may not be aware of this but soy is one of those things that is in almost everything and it is not something you want to be consuming. Well, let me be more specific, un-fermented soy. The types of soy that you should eat are natto, tempeh and soy sauce. To start out soy is most likely to be genetically modified (over 90%). Second, it is very high in a phytoestrogen which mirrors human estrogen and has been linked to a number of diseases, including breast cancer. Soy is especially dangerous for infants/children to consume. A friend of my sister gave her daughter soy formula and when her teeth came in they were grey because of the soy!! Soy also has potent enzyme inhibitors which disrupt digestion. Also, soybeans contain hemaglutin, which is a clot promoting substance which causes red blood cells to clump together. Soybeans also have a high level of phytates or phytic acid which inhibits your body the ability to absorb certain minerals. Sounds like something you want to avoid doesn't it. The reason the fermented soy is ok is because there is something that happens in the fermentation process that removes the negative issues with soy. You may notice that Asian cultures eat a lot of soy, but it is the fermented kind they mostly eat. Now, I am guilty of enjoying a plate of salty hot edamame when I'm at a Japanese restaurant, but all the processed soy, I really try and avoid. Don't let the marketing monsters con you into thinking it's good for you! If you drink soy milk, try something different like coconut milk or almond milk. Once you start looking at labels though, you will be amazed at the fact that it is in nearly everything! The chemists have figured out ways to break this bean up into a million different uses. A common ingredient is soy protein isolate. I swear, who comes up with this stuff. Anyway, like I said, try to stay away from soy as much as possible without losing your sanity in the interim.


There is a book that comes highly recommended about the risks of soy, it is called "The whole soy story" Keeyla T. Daniel PhD

Here's a Mercola article that touches on a lot that I mentioned above:
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2010/09/18/soy-can-damage-your-health.aspx

Alkaline - The Anti Cancer

I can't stress it enough, you are what you eat. It never seems to amaze me what people will eat as part of their everyday diet. Well in case it wasn't obvious, you get out what you put in.

I'm sure a lot of you have heard of an alkaline diet vs. an acidic diet? Well, the theory is that your blood is slightly alkaline making the pH levels between 7.35-7.45. When you eat diets high in acid, is disrupts this pH level and inhibits your ability to absorb certain nutrients/minerals. Cancer also thrives in an acidic environment and cannot survive in an alkaline environment. Most people have an acidic diet (hence the enormous cancer rate). I read a fascinating book where the author compared our diet to that of primates. Since we share over 90% of the same DNA you would think we were susceptible to the same diseases, however, they do not get a fraction of the diseases we do. In this book she attributes this to their diet. She breaks it down even further and if you would like to check her book out it is called "Green for Life" by Victoria Boutenko.

You can find a good list of what foods are alkaline/acidic on this website: http://www.rense.com/1.mpicons/acidalka.htm.

As you may suspect all the "fun" foods (by fun I mean you knew they weren't gonna be good for you) are acidic. The way I look at it, if you keep filling the "cup" with acidic foods and never empty it, or refill it with alkalized food, there will eventually be an issue. I can't stress the importance of detoxes here. You can almost compare your body to a car. If you never tune it up or flush it out every now and again, build up will occur; it's just a matter of when. The same goes for your body. I saw an amazing quote the other day that I will end this post with...

"Health is not simply the absence of sickness"

Diatomaceous Earth

Hello strangers ;o) I'm a part of a local yahoo group for conscious parenting and they were talking about Diatomaceous earth (DE). Has anyone heard of it before? I have heard of it, but I haven't tried it. It sounds fascinating though. It is basically a fossilized hard shelled algae (phytoplankton) that has a ton of uses. It can be used as a stabilizer in dynamite, for pool filtration, pest control (it takes the exoskeleton of the bugs, especially fleas) among lots of other uses. It is important to know to get the food grade DE. You can give it to your pets orally for about 60-90 days to get rid of any parasites they have. Actually, you can use it on yourself if you suspect you have a parasite (I read on one website to take one tsp with a drink per day). The food grade DE does not work chemically so there is no chemical toxicity to it. It resembles the shape of a honeycomb (when magnified) and the sharp edges to it are what kill the parasites, much like the fleas I mentioned earlier. You can use it topically to control many insects, for instance, rub it on your dog’s fur for fleas. If you see roaches, spread it where you see them. Pour it over an ant mound. Sprinkle it where you see aphids. Pretty cool stuff! I love how nature provides use with the most perfect remedies that are useful in so many ways and they don't poison everything else in their way!

http://www.earthworkshealth.com/

http://www.gardenharvestsupply.com/ProductCart/pc/Diatomaceous-Earth-Food-Grade-5-lb-Bag-11p39.htm?gclid=CIzP0Ymm86oCFcER2godWBcBOA

Coconut Oil Sale

I just wanted to give everyone a head's up (sorry a little last minute though). Nutiva has a sale on coconut oil right now.

Here is the sale: Save $$ on Nutiva ORG Coconut Oil 1 Gallon @ $46.99 till Friday 12th midnight coupon code: cocodeal - or buy case of 4 for $41.45 ea code: cocodeal4 - http://ow.ly/5Zf7I

This is a GREAT deal!! If you miss this one though, you can find them on facebook and if you like their page they will give you a $10 off coupon code. They also have a bulk deal on chia seeds too, 3 pounds for $20. If you don't need that much, split it with someone! I just ordered some of each of these things!

I use coconut oil for most of my baking, and as a lotion. It isn't greasy when you rub it in real good and it is great smelling (well as long as you like the smell of coconuts).

Nutrition and Hospitals - Need I Say More?

So my father was recently in the hospital having surgery. He had a fistula from Diverticulitis (hence why I had the few posts on fiber). Anyway, I just wanted to vent how disgusted I am by the stuff they tried to pass as food in that place. I really don't understand how a place full of sick and injured people wouldn't place any emphasis on good nutrition. It's not like they aren't making any money in these places. Two days after his surgery (to remove a section of his colon) they put a tray in front of him with an ice cream scoop of processed mac n cheese, brown vegetables (they had been nuked to death) and a piece of white bread...SERIOUSLY!? Thankfully my sister was there and let them have it about how ridiculous that was and they promptly gave him some slightly more nutritious foods. But think about how many people don't have any advocates there for them, or the people who just don't know any better. Shouldn't a place full of health workers know better? It really makes me want to figure out a way to change things. This is where I really wish I had a nutrition degree to back up the wealth of knowledge I have so that these people will listen to me and make a change. If anyone has any other suggestions, please let me know.

Fiber

So I was talking a few posts ago about the importance of eating your fruits and veggies. I want to add to that. I think I should have emphasized the importance of fiber instead. Did you know that everyone should have an average of 30-40 grams of fiber every day. That's a lot of fiber! Most people only consume around 8-12 grams each day. So as you can see, there is quite a gap. I wanted to provide a link I found on different ways to get fiber and how much fiber some food actually has. If you can try to consume your fiber via food, rather then fiber supplements, that would be the best option. Besides fruits and veggies, some other fiber sources are whole grains, beans and nuts.

There are two types of fiber, soluble and insoluble. I found this website that gives a pretty good breakdown of the two and here's what they said: "Soluble fiber is found in dried beans, peas, oats and oat bran, flaxseed and psyllium husks. It's also found in fruits such as oranges and apples and vegetables like carrots. Soluble fiber binds with fatty acids in your stomach and prolongs digestion time. This helps to regulate blood sugar. Studies also show that soluble fiber can help reduce your overall cholesterol count. But what's even more important, soluble fiber lowers your LDL, which is considered to be bad cholesterol.
Insoluble fiber is found in whole wheat, wheat bran, vegetables such as cauliflower and green beans and the skins of fruits and root vegetables. Insoluble fiber helps remove toxins from your colon and balance intestine acidity. It also helps move waste through your intestines and bowel."

As you can see, fiber is some pretty important stuff. Here is the link that I mentioned earlier. At the bottom of the chart it has links for other charts, check those out too.

http://commonsensehealth.com/Diet-and-Nutrition/List_of_High_Fiber_Foods.shtml

Chia Seeds

Chi Chi Chi Chia... Remember that commercial? Well it's not just for clay pots anymore. Chia seeds are pretty amazing little creatures. Chia seeds come from the mint family. They are high in omega 3 fatty acid, antioxidants, fiber among other things. They have virtually no flavor so you can add them to anything and no one would be the wiser. They don't even need to be ground (unlike flax seeds) to receive the amazing benefits they offer. I just throw them right in our smoothies. You can order them online or pick them up at any health food store. Hey, we were just talking about adding more fiber to your diet and here's a super easy way to do it!

Here is a link to order them online from a place where I buy my coconut oil.

http://nutiva.com/chia-seeds/chia-seeds-101/

Diet Related Illnesses

We hear it all the time "eat you fruits and veggies", are you getting enough fruits and veggies?" and then we proceed throughout our busy days NOT eating our fruits and veggies. So why do you think that is? Honestly, I have no idea. Sometimes I am guilty of not eating the proper amount myself, although I somehow manage to get my kids to eat their fair share. But if you really stop and think about it there are SO many health issues we can avoid if we just ate more of those things. I mean it's not like they don't taste good for Pete's sake!!

For example, have any of you heard of Diverticulitis/Diverticulosis? You hear it a lot in older people but basically it is a condition in which the small pouches in your intestines or colon bulge outward and become inflamed and infected. If it is serious enough you have to have surgery to have the infected parts of your intestines and/or colon removed. Now maybe you didn't know this but it is completely diet related. It is from not eating enough fiber. Where does fiber come from...fruit and veggies of course! So I ask the question again...why don't we eat enough of them when we know they are the best thing for us?? I think we just have to treat our body like a true temple. What you put into it, is what you get out of it. Let's all try and be more intentional and grab an apple the next time we have a sweet tooth. You have to start somewhere!

Homemade Chai Tea

I have the most amazing Chai Tea recipe. It is way better then any store bought one I have ever tried. If you can't have milk, I'm sure you can swap it out with almond or coconut milk. I keep all the spices in my freezer to prolong their shelf life. Let me know what you think!

Chai Tea
2 cups water
2 individual tea bags (black or green or one of ea)
1 cinnamon stick
6 cardamom pods, crushed
1 whole clove
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
2 1/2 cups milk
1/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

In a pan over medium heat, combine the first 6 ingredients and bring it to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 5 minutes. Stir in the milk and bring to a boil for 1 minute. Strain all the spices out then add sugar and vanilla. Serve hot or over ice. Enjoy!

Homemade Almond Body Scrub

I found this recipe and can't wait to give it a try. Maybe it will inspire some of you. If anyone does it before me, please let us know how it turned out.

1/4 cup coarse sea salt
1/4 cup oil (baby, olive or coconut -- I would use coconut)
1/2 teaspoon almond extract

Mix and enjoy the exfoliation!

Bentonite Clay

Sorry it has been a while since my last post. I will try and not let it go so long between posts in the future :o)

I recently bought some Bentonite Clay from my Frontier Coop. There are a lot of uses for it from what I have read but I got it for detox purposes. It comes from volcanic ash, mostly from Wyoming. You can use it topically or orally. Either way all you do is add water. Although I did read on one website that you could add rose water or milk for a more soothing effect when applying it topically. You want to make a paste if using it on the skin. When you drink it just add a teaspoon to 8 oz or more of water. Oh, you can also add it to your bath water too.

Bentonite Clay has a negative ionic charge and most impurities, toxins, parasites have positive ionic charges so like they say "opposites attract". The toxins will stick to the clay and move out of your system. The clay is inert so it will not be absorbed by your system.

I have used the ready made store bought kind of Bentonite Clay before when I had a stomach bug. It did not have much of a flavor. I have not tried the powder I just bought yet so I can't let you know how that tastes. I will post some links so that you can do some research and see if this is something you are interested in too!

http://www.bulkherbstore.com/Bentonite-Clay-Powder
http://www.naturalnews.com/025854_clay_body_detox.html
http://www.aboutclay.com/

Strawberry Milk

My son is such a strawberry milk lover. Horizon organic milk makes a strawberry milk but I always wondered why no one made a strawberry syrup. Then I discovered an Agave strawberry syrup. He likes that but of course after I buy it I then hear that Agave is not all it's cracked up to be [shocked] not really. So I decided I would make my own strawberry syrup. Admittedly, it is not exactly like the fake stuff you buy (like anything in nature could be), but it isn't half bad either!! He loves it and that's all that matters. It is really simple to make so here is the recipe in case there are any strawberry milk lovers out there.

Strawberry Milk:
1 cup strawberries
1 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
boil for 10 minutes, then strain strawberries (feel free to save them and put in yogurt or cottage cheese or whatever for that matter)
I added a little natural strawberry flavor because really to me it tasted more sweet then like strawberries.

Here are some pictures:

Hormone Imbalance? Try DIM PLUS

Hi Morgan and all! Long time no chat with everyone!!

I know my comments are typically suited for the top row of this blog, but I was encouraged to add this important message regarding the product DIM Plus that is changing the lives of friends I am very close to. It's an all- natural supplement, not a prescription. DIM flushes excess "bad" estrogen out of the body, helping to normalize the progesterone to estrogen ratio. Its great for anyone who is estrogen dominant. This can be purchased at your nearest health food store. If you have a Whole Foods nearby they sell it there. My lovely lady friends have been confiding in me about the health complications they have been challenged with over the past few months. Consequently, many of the symptoms corresponded with the ones I was faced with for many years until I started taking this product back in early September 2010. Due to the hormonal imbalance and my estrogen dominance it was interfering with my Candida recovery and I was really feeling defeated. The culprit for this imbalance for me was birth control. For some its pregnancy, stress, environment, etc. Once I decided to stop taking birth control (over 5 years ago) my body was overwhelmed with a laundry list of life altering symptoms: irregular painful monthlies (they were so bad I would have to take an overload of painkillers to get through the torment), severe mood swings, hot flashes, inability to concentrate, breast tenderness that was so severe- moving or wearing a bra was not an option- the list goes on and on. So, I found this product DIM Plus and got on it immediately after thorough research and approval from my Naturopathic doctors. 

What an amazing gift this product was, and a most incredible transformation I was blessed with from the use of it. After over 10 years of skin nightmares I no longer suffered from cystic breakouts or breakouts period (well unless I ate too many avocados....ladies/men avocados may not be good for your skin... I had lunch with the first winner of Americas NTM, Adrianne a couple of months ago and she said "I love Avocados they are so good for your skin"...Um..not always...I'm pretty sure she has amazing skin for other reasons (opinion)...they have a high oil content in them, and if your body cannot break it down they will make you break out (words of wisdom from my doctor, Dr. Mann)... okay, sorry, going off on a tangent... My point...

If your feeling loss of control, or you just don't feel like yourself, or have any of the symptoms I have mentioned, perhaps this product is for you.. 

It's not for everyone, for some women unfortunately it does not resolve their health concerns. I encourage EVERYONE who wants to use it, to do your own research, make your own decisions, and then if you feel comfortable, go for it. I do want to say one thing before going further..everyones body is different. I take only 2 and it really helps me, but I started with only 1 every day, and could see the results after the first month. My good friend just started taking 4 a day, and not only can she see the difference, but "I" can see the difference in her. The key to it all is consistency. If you don't take it consistently every day you WILL NOT see the difference. Also, unless its obvious that you are estrogen dominant, see your doctor. They will be able to detect your levels, and see if this is an Estrogen problem.. 

IMPORTANT NOTE: The owners of this Natural Divas site do not sell this product, or endorse this product as associates working for the company Natures Way. We are not receiving profit in any way for telling you about this product..We are not doctors. This product helped me, so I'm hoping it can help you too. I'm asking that you take this possibility to your Naturopathic doctor and try it if they think its beneficial to your health. There are no reported side effects associated with taking this product, to my knowledge. 

With love

Beth

Pharmaceutical Marketing

I came across this quote in a book I'm reading and felt it really said a lot:

"Marketing a disease is the best way to market a drug."

Isn't that the truth?! All I could think of was those pharmaceutical commercials with the shining, happy people talking about this awful health issue they are having, only to end the commercial with the list of side effects. They make these drugs seem so fantastic! I swear sometimes after listening to the symptoms for this issue they are providing drugs for even I almost think I have it! LOL

I read something once that said an actual side effect to a certain depression medication was depression!! I'm sorry, but that is just crazy! Now, don't get me wrong, some people need to be on medication and it does play a part in some healing, but I think it is fair to say that we are an over medicated society.

Pharmaceutical companies are no group of dummies. They market to the consumers and literally put in their ads to talk to your doctor about their fantastic medication. They know full well that doctors are busy people and if someone comes in saying how they have this "ailment" and need "this" medication they have seen in the magazine or on TV, chances are they will write then a script for it!

We do live in a magic pill/quick fix society where everyone is in a rush for who knows what really. We could all benefit from some calm down time where we can reflect and give our body the break it needs. Just Breathe!!!

Homemade Dressing

I was at a party over Memorial Day weekend and a friend brought in the most delicious homemade bleu cheese dressing. I have made my own vinaigrette dressings before but never a creamy one. I don't know how many of you have read the salad dressing labels but it is loaded with a bunch of stuff you can't pronounce. So I made my own creamy base, split it in half and made two different dressings to it. They were great! The picture is of the roasted garlic Gorgonzola one. Once you make the base you can play around and add whatever you like!

Base:
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup sour cream or plain yogurt
1/4 cup mayo
salt and pepper

Mix and refrigerate for at least 24 hours so the flavors mesh then add whatever you want. I added 2-3 oz Gorgonzola cheese and 1 head of roasted garlic to mine.

Breast Thermography

Have you ever heard of breast thermography? I went to a Holistic Moms Network group and that was their topic. They had a spokeswoman there who does them and it was fascinating stuff! She explained how it works and showed some images. I was definitely convinced and am going to make an appointment soon to get it done.

Basically, a thermal image is taken of the breasts by a thermal imaging camera and that is your base image. No painful boob squashing!! You make a follow-up appointment (I think six months later) and that image is compared to the base to look for any differences. then you go every year or two thereafter. It can detect inflammation (possible cancer) much earlier then a mammogram. It works especially well with younger women due to the fact that our breasts are sometimes dense. The greatest thing about thermography is that it does not expose you to any radiation, unlike mammograms.

You may have to look around to find someplace in your area that does breast thermography. One downside is that you will likely have to pay out of pocket to have it done. The lady I heard seemed reasonable (about $200 for both sessions).

Here are some links to check out:
http://www.breastthermography.com/
http://www.mercola.com/downloads/bonus/thermography/report.aspx
http://www.naturalnews.com/032618_breast_thermography_FDA.html#ixzz1OX0nY823

More on Vaccines

I am so excited to have some interest in the vaccine post I made the other day. Thanks! I wanted to make my comment an actual post cause I was worried it would be a little long winded being that this is a passion of mine. One of the comments had to do with making some vaccinations such as Tetanus and Polio a mandatory requirement for all infants and children. I have to disagree with this. There is no situation that is "one size fits all" so to say that everyone should just get this vaccine, regardless of the situation, is a little irresponsible.

Also the comment was made "I believe that the failure to do so (vaccinate) on the parents behalf is a terrible misjudgment, and can lead to a child's life ending in horrible pain and suffering, and is completely preventable". Many people choose not to vaccinate their children because they do not believe the risk of the disease is as strong as the risk of getting the vaccine. When you get into your car, there is a chance that you will get in a car wreck and die. Actually according to statistics, that chance is pretty high, but millions of people make that choice everyday. It is similar with vaccinations. If you do not vaccinate there is a chance you will contract the disease, but in many cases that chance is very rare. It is also not a given that if you get these diseases you will experience the worst case scenario of extreme pain and or death. Many of the diseases they vaccinate for are treatable. Now the flip side, when you look at the ingredients of a vaccine there is a long list of known toxic ingredients and carcinogens; that is a given. Here is a short list of what is in most vaccines so you can get an idea what your body is up against. Aluminum (linked to seizures, Alzheimer's, brain damage and dementia), Ethylene glycol (the main ingredient in antifreeze), Formaldehyde (known carcinogen), Gelatin (allergen), Glutamate (allergen), Neomycin (allergen), Phenol (coal-tar derivative), Streptomycin (allergen), Thimerosal (mercury -- very toxic).

"There is widespread agreement that the time period since the common vaccines were introduced has seen a remarkable decline in the incidence and severity of corresponding natural infection. But the customary assumption that the decline is attributable to the vaccines remains unproved and continues to be questioned by eminent authorities in the field." Dr. Richard Moskowitz

"If immunizations were responsible for the disappearance of these diseases in the US, one must ask why they disappeared simultaneously in Europe, where mass immunizations did not take place" Dr. Robert Mendelsohn

Tetanus, although a very serious disease is very rare. This bacteria does not live everywhere. The proverbial "rusty nail" associated with causing tetanus comes from the nails used on horse shoes. Tetanus lives in the intestines and mouths of horses and most other mammals therefore when they poop it can get stuck on the nail of the shoe and someone could step on it and contract tetanus. Puncture wounds because they are typically deep don't have a lot of oxygen therefore make a wonderful breeding ground for this bacteria. However, with proper wound care this can be prevented.

Polio is transmitted person to person via respiratory and fecal-oral contamination. "It was not considered problematic until the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. Even during massive epidemics, however, most cases remained subclinical, with fewer than 1 percent of the population evidencing paralytic forms. Even when paralysis does occur, 50 percent of cases recover completely and another 25 percent have only mild residual paralysis." Vaccinations, A thoughtful Parents Guide by Aviva Jill Romm

Modern society has come along way with disease control. Sanitation, nutrition and the medical society has attributed greatly to this decline. However, many feel we are on a slippery slope with the medical side. As you can see chronic illness is on the rise as well as antibiotic resistant, new deadly strains of bacteria/viruses are popping up more frequently. If we keep trying to resist these issues via "vaccines" and other medical miracles we may just be digging another hole all together.

Here are some great resources to check out:

http://drtenpenny.com/
http://www.vaclib.org/
http://www.thinktwice.com/
http://www.vaccinetruth.com/
http://www.whale.to/a/tenpenny1.html

CDC Mandatory Vaccine Comparison Chart

A friend of mine had this vaccine comparison chart on her facebook and I just had to post it. I was ironically having a conversation over the weekend with a friend how the vaccines my generation got are nothing compared to what they get vaccinated with today. This chart reiterates that.

Websites to Check Out

Here are two good websites I wanted to share:

http://www.mercola.com/

http://www.naturalnews.com/

The Artificial Color Rainbow

I was recently having a conversation with some friends and one of them mentioned that they were recently diagnosed with adult ADHD. He has been on medication for a year I believe. Now having read a lot of books on vaccinations this topic comes up a lot due to the fact that there is some speculation that this disorder is linked to being vaccinated. I mentioned to him that artificial colors are a big trigger for ADHD/ADD. He had no idea. He said that I was the first person that ever told him that. I am not shocked by that. The mainstream western medical doctors in America can be driven by pharmaceutical companies making it such that those are the only remedies they offer. Now I know doctors can't know everything all the time but I feel like most people think they do. It is so important to do your own research especially when it pertains to your body. Doctors are only human and make mistakes or leave out information just like regular people. http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2000/07/30/doctors-death-part-one.aspx Now in this person's case, he is on the medication but if he continues to consume food that triggers his disorder what is that doing to his body? I'm not sure but it seems to me like it would cause unneeded stress to his system. Remember, everything you put into your body has some sort of reaction.

Fluoride

Fluoride is a funky topic for me. Admittedly I have not researched it enough. I was however, reading my book "The Hundred Year Lie" and they touched on the topic. In reading this my feeling on the topic resurfaced so I thought I would post.

I used to only use toothpaste without fluoride but then I got paranoid because my teeth are pretty susceptible to issues so I went to a natural toothpaste like Tom's or Jason's with fluoride.

Now, again I haven't researched this but the book said that fluoridation came about in 1939 when a scientist (here we go again with these friggen scientists) working under a grant from the Aluminum Company of America recommended that it be added to the water supply to help prevent tooth decay. The author goes on to say that there was a reason the aluminum company recommended this. Apparently the aluminum and fertilizer companies create a by-product in their factory smokestacks called silicofluoride which contains lead, cadmium, arsenic and other toxins. It is very costly to properly dispose of this waste so they sold it to make fluoride. GREAT, just GREAT!!

Now as I read on I got a feeling that most of the concern is for ingesting the fluoride (seems obvious with the ingredients right) via the water supply but I suppose you still absorb a portion even if it is topical via toothpaste or dental treatments.

I feel like this is yet again another situation where you just feel defeated. We are constantly being bombarded by toxic chemicals so that someone can make or save a buck.

I will end this with a quote from the book:

"If the stuff gets out into the air, it's a pollutant. If it gets into the river, it's a pollutant. If it gets into the lake, it's a pollutant. But if it goes right straight into your drinking water system, it's not a pollutant. That's amazing!"

http://www.fluoridealert.org/50-reasons.htm

Ear Injuries

I was on the phone the other day and all of the sudden I hear my son screaming (that blood curdling cry scream). I get off the phone, run into the room and he is holding his ear crying and screaming "sissy put a chopstick in my ear". Holy crap is what is going in my head at that very moment. I can't even imagine the pain that would cause.

So what now... Now I would like to think I know a little about a lot of things, but ears...I've got nothing! My kids have never even had an ear infection so I have not had to deal with ears issues. There was no blood (typically this type of injury produces a lot of blood) so I wasn't sure what the damage was but I knew it had to be checked out. I tried calling some people and of course now is the time NO ONE answers their phones!

The crappy thing is I was in the process of switching pediatricians but hadn't made it official so when I called her office they were only taking messages. Someone was supposed to call me back, however that obviously wasn't going to work I had a screaming child on my hands. So my husband finally called back and told me to go to the walk in clinic so I did. They were backed up and told me to go to the ER. I didn't want to do that because I know that is never a speedy process. I called my old pediatrician and they told me to come right in (darn, should have done that first).

He checked his ear and said he had a perforated eardrum. My poor baby!! The orders were to not put anything in the ear and make sure nothing (including water) gets in his ear until he re checks it in 2 weeks (the average time it takes to heal). Now going back to my original comment about knowing nothing about ears, when the injury first happened and no one answered their phone I thought I had to do something so I put a drop of garlic and mullein oil in his ear (feeling pretty bad about that!) I knew those drops were anti-bacterial/anti-fungal so I thought maybe it would soothe the pain.

I did put a call into my naturopath and she suggested I give him Arnica (trauma/bruising) and Ledum (puncture wounds) homeopathics. I also purchased some moldable ear buds for when he is taking a bath or around water.


So the moral of this story is to never give children chopsticks and don't put anything in an ear if it's been injured!

Hummus

I made two different hummus dips for a party this weekend and they were very tasty. Here are the recipes:

Black Bean Hummus:
1 can black beans drained
1/2 C Tahini
1/4 C lemon juice
2 garlic cloves
1/2 tsp salt
dash of cayenne

Put all ingredients in food processor then slowly add oilve oil till it gets a smooth consistency.

Guacamole Hummus:
1 can chick peas
2 Haas avocados
1/4 C lemon juice
1 garlic clove
1/2 package of organic guacamole seasoning (or add your own spices)

Put all ingredients in food processor then slowly add olive oil till it gets a smooth consistency.

Safety of Food

I have another vent session I thought I would throw out there to see what other people might think about it. With the tragedy in Japan resulting in the massive amount of radiation spewing in the environment it triggered me to think about what is safe to eat anymore. It mostly just left me frustrated (hence the venting). So you have the radiation in the air there, the oil spill in the Gulf here, the factory farming in the middle....so, what's safe to eat? I'm not trying to be paranoid but it is something to consider before eating.

Vitamin Shoppe Deals

Just wanted to pass along that you can find some really great bargains at the Vitamin Shoppe store. I am not sure if they have stores everywhere though. The last several times I have been there I got 50% off skin products like HUGO Naturals and a great organic travel mug (made from corn). They also sell a lot of homeopathic medicine too that are competitively priced. Check them out!

Microwave - Can you live without it?

As a modern convenience to probably 90% or more of our society did you ever wonder if you could live without your microwave? A few years back I decided I was going to limit my use and put it out of reach so it wasn't as tempting (on top of the fridge). This did help, a lot actually. Then one day about a year and a half ago my husband moved the fridge away from the wall and SPLAT, there went the microwave! He of course felt really bad, but I was actually happy. I knew I wasn't going to buy a new one and got to see how I could function without the temptation. Usually the first thing people ask me when they see I don't have one is "how do you reheat things?" Uh... the same way I cooked it in the first place... the stove or the oven :o)

So, why am I not a fan of the microwave? It produces radiation to cook your food and also emits electric magnetic energy. Both of these things I like to minimize if at all possible. If you plan on keeping yours, try not to stand in front of it when it’s on. Also, don't heat your food in plastic. I know snopes issued a comeback saying this was perfectly acceptable, but let's look at it logically. Plastics are loaded with chemicals. Heat it up and expands and contracts, risking possible leaks into your food. The known carcinogenic in a lot of plastics, BPA, will attach itself to any animal fat when heated (so don't pour hot food containing animal fat into a plastic container). I will end with a quote from Deirdre Imus from her book "Growing up Green";

"Microwaves are a perfect example of American's obsession with convenience above all else...our insistence on taking shortcuts, even at our own peril."

Magic Eraser -- Not so Magical

Does anyone know what makes the magic eraser so magical? I wonder if it is the formaldehyde-melamine-sodium bisulfite copolymer it is made from? Holy crap, seriously people!? I of course learned this the hard way after it was rubbed on my kids arms and they started getting chemical burns on their skin. I'm really disliking chemists more and more these days. Let's just say I will no longer by buying this product anymore!

A Farm Near You

I went to a really great farm yesterday with the kids. It's called King Family Farm and Market. They have two locations; one in Myakka and one out east off SR70 and

Caruso Road

. They are not "certified" organic but they do everything as if they are. One of the neat things about it is they have signs above all the sections of produce telling when that batch was harvested. The stuff was amazingly fresh and super yummy! After we picked our produce we went out to cut our own flowers, which the kids loved! Then they had a few horses so we went to feed them. If you don't live around here, I encourage you to seek out some farms in your area. You will find not only is it cheaper then the grocery store, it is way fresher!

Here is their info:
King Family Farm and Market
4630 60th St E, Bradenton, FL 34203
Tues-Sat 9am-6pm
kingfarmmarket@gmail.com
941-773-1624 

Salmon Cakes

Here is a recipe for salmon cakes. It is SO yummy! Most of the time I used canned salmon (canned salmon is always wild) but if I have fresh salmon I will use that too.

1/2 cup cooked salmon
3 scallions
2 large potatoes peeled and mashed
(optional ) 1/2 red bell pepper (dice and sauté before you put in cake)
1 T lemon
Salt and pepper

Mold into cakes, dip into a bowl of egg with milk then into a bowl of breadcrumbs. Fry in a little bit of oil (I use safflower oil), then flip. When done put on cookie rack with paper towel underneath so that it drains but remains crispy.

 

Venting on Vending

Sorry it's been a while since my last post, I had a jam packed weekend. It was a nice family and friend filled weekend which left me with very little time to think, let alone post.

On Saturday we had Payton's tee ball then it was off to the Y. It was Healthy Kids Day there so they had all sorts of activities for the kids and it was all free...who doesn't love free! Now I do love the Y, however I feel like they miss the mark with nutrition. I have noticed quite a bit of overweight kids there, which is good that they are at the Y cause that means they are being active, but then you go to the rec room and see the vending machines.

Pepsi is a YMCA sponsor. Ok, I get it, the Y is non-profit and they need the money, but Pepsi, really? I can't think of a more unhealthy thing (OK, I can but let's not get off topic). There are 2 Pepsi soda vending machines, 1 water and a 1 Gatorade one (we've already discussed my feelings on Gatorade). But wait, that's not it. In between all these beverages is the snack machine. There is literally not one healthy snack in there! Then after the sports games they offer right outside the entrance hot dogs, hamburgers with chips and soda.

To me, there is no healthy without good nutrition. However, I learn more and more each day that for many, the two do not go hand in hand.

Better Candy Alternatives

This may seem like an unlikely post for a natural blog, but hey, who doesn't like a piece of candy every now and again right? I subscribed to the Green Helper newsletter (from the coupon post) and since Easter is right around the corner they had a website for a candy store online. The website is http://www.naturalcandystore.com/. There are two things I try to be strict about the kids not having, artificial colors and artificial sugar (although I admit every now and again I fold on the artificial colors). So I was pretty excited to see this website. They have a huge selection of stuff. Check it out!

Kombucha -- A Success!

Ok, so it's been a while since I have mentioned the kombucha. I went through two unsuccessful batches (operator error) and like they say, third times a charm. It is SO good. Even Gary, who never wants to try anything "crazy" I make said it was good. It tastes like sparkling grape juice. Now don't be scared, but here is what the SCOBY looks like and the juice.

Green Cleaning

Years ago when I was working and before I had kids I had a cleaning lady. I remember coming home and smelling the bleach throughout the house and thinking "ahhhh the house is so clean now". Now I think back and cringe at all that stuff seeping into my lungs. Bleach is definitely not in my cleaning regime anymore. I can't even tolerate a whiff of it without it burning my eyes and nose.

There are lots of different things you can use to clean your home. Plain old white vinegar will clean almost anything. If you are not a fan of the smell you can add essential oils. I read an article that Sara Snow wrote and shared it with some friends and everyone enjoyed it so I will post it here for everyone else.

Vinegar inhibits mold and bacteria growth, and will cut through grease and soap scum in your kitchen, bathroom or anywhere else in the house.  It last forever and it's cheap!  Use distilled white vinegar instead of apple cider to avoid staining surfaces, the smell dissipates as it dries.

- For a basic all over the house cleaner, mix together equal parts of vinegar and water in a spray bottle. Use on countertops, glass and floors.
-Clean your floors with a mixture of ½ cup white distilled vinegar and a ½ gallon of warm water. No need to rinse. Just wipe and go.
-For windows, fill a spray bottle with water and a quarter cup of white vinegar or lemon juice. A great way to recycle your newspapers is to use them in place of paper towels for a streak-free finish.
-Clean your disposal and drains by pouring 1 cup of white distilled vinegar down the drain. Let it sit and flush.
-A ½ cup of distilled white vinegar added in to the rinse cycle of your washing machine will act as a natural fabric softener and will rinse clothes cleaner, getting out excess soap and detergent.
-To freshen a toilet bowl, pour two to three cups of white vinegar into the toilet bowl, let sit for a few hours then scrub and flush.

A basic liquid soap (non-petroleum based and free of dyes - castile and other plant-based soaps are a great choice) will clean anything.
-Use a touch of soap and warm water to wash down countertops.
-Clean wood floors using a large bowl of warm water and a tablespoon of soap with rags.
-Sprinkle a grimy surface with baking soda and follow up with a soapy sponge

Olive oil is great for moisturizing and conditioning.
-Mix two parts olive oil to one part lemon juice for an all natural furniture polish.
-To keep brash from tarnishing, rub with olive oil after cleaning.
-Rub olive oil onto stainless steel surfaces to remove streaks and prints.

Baking Soda is a fantastic scouring agent and an odor neutralizer
-Get rid of carpet odor: sprinkle them with baking soda before you vacuum.
-Mix a small amount of baking soda with liquid castile soap to get your countertops, sinks and tubs shiny. For a 'fresh smell' try adding a few drops of rosemary, orange or lavender essential oils.
-To clean your oven mix together three parts baking soda with one part salt and one part water. Spread the mixture across the oven surface and allow it to sit up to eight hours. Scrape and wipe clean.
-To clean your toilet, pour 1 part baking soda to 4 parts vinegar into the toilet basin. Let it sit 15-30 minutes, then scrub and flush.
-For a clogged drain, pour ½ cup of baking soda down the drain, followed by ½ cup of white vinegar. Allow the mixture to fizz then flush with hot water.
-Add a ¼ cup of baking soda to the wash cycle of your laundry machine to soften fabrics naturally, eliminating the need for chemical, and often highly fragranced, fabric softeners.

Lemon Juice cuts through grease naturally so it works well for kitchen cleaning especially.
-For a healthful alternative to common aerosol air-fresheners, combine ½ quart of hot water with equal parts baking soda and lemon juice (about a teaspoon each).
-Mix together a mild liquid soap and lemon juice for an excellent dish soap. (not to be used on silver)
-To brighten whites in the wash, add a small amount of lemon juice to your machine's rinse cycle.
-A spray bottled filled with water and a quarter cup of lemon juice will get greasy windows and mirrors clean.
-Place dried lemon peels into small cloth pouches or tea bags to keep out-of-season clothes fresh and to deter moths and other rodents.

BONUS: Tea Tree Oil is naturally a fungicide, germicide, antibacterial agent and antiseptic. It can treat mold and mildew and even freshen the air in your house.
-To treat household areas with mold and mildew, mix tea tree oil into your white vinegar and water mixture, then spray and wipe. --Help shower doors and tile stay cleaner by wiping them with a mixture of tea tree oil and water.

To spot treat your carpets, mix together equal parts of borax, salt and white vinegar. Apply the paste to the stains and allow to dry, then vacuum up the paste.

Coupons!

I have a few friends who are couponers... not just skim the Sunday paper kind either, the ones that have binders of coupon flyer's and a list of websites all of which the research before they go shopping. My impression of that at first was "yeah, that's great but I don't buy any of the things they have coupons for". Well that was until my friend shared these links with me. I am so excited to be able to actually save some extra money on some of the stuff I buy! Happy couponing!
http://yourgreenhelper.com/2011/04/whole-foods-deals-april-6-12.html
http://www.mambosprouts.com/
http://dealseekingmom.com/coupons/

For those with Candida

Hello all!  I just wanted to send everyone a note from the candida section. Most of Morgans blogs are not regarding Candida even though some are appropriate, so I have dedicated a section to Candida only as a separate link. However, I wanted to let everyone know that  today is the big day "blood work". I'm in the doctors office now, crossing my fingers. I'm on month 6 with a couple of months prior leading  into my treatment.

Early January I had blood work which indicated major progress. My liver enzymes were still up, my thyroid still working a little too hard, my PH still is off, but Dr. Mann was so happy to know that my intestinal wall was sealed off, my blood much cleaner, and even though she is concerned that my white blood cells were still on guard and my immune system still isn't exactly where she wants it to be, I received a shining review. We have now gone some time with additional treatments for my liver, assisting my thyroid, and so forth. She has been a saving grace through it all, but I am still experiencing serious "die off" at times. I'm looking forward to getting my new blood work so we can tweak things a little, and regain my progress. It seems to me we have hit a bit of a plateau of sorts.

For those of you who are not sure if you have Candida and or would like more information on getting started. Check out my blog page under Candida and use the food sheet provided in the link below to know what you can and cannot eat.  This site was very helpful to me and has many recipes and stages that were approved by my doctor as "being on the right track" when I first started. Ofcourse you have to be very careful. For instance if you have a tender liver there are things you must not take. If you have serious candida coconut can throw you into the worse die off of your life. I learned this all the hard way. Get to a doctor first and work through it with them. You need your blood work first so you know exactly what your dealing with here before you start your diet.

my email is beth@bethmay.com

http://www.thecandidadiet.com

I will take you through months 4-6 soon and introduce some foods that are easy and that I love like

A brief intro:

PUMPKIN SOUP

Take 1 small pumpkin, cut it in half, and remove the seeds, cut one half into squares and remove the outer skin. Put half of the pumpkin into a medium sauce pan and fill with water to cover the pumpkin squares. Take 1/2 of 1 red onion and dice. Place into sauce pan. Boil all ingredients on high until the pumpkin is tender. Place everything into a blender and mix until smooth. Serve hot, sprinkle some basil and some sea salt to taste. If you'd like a topping you can take the pumpkin seeds and put them in the oven and bake until fully toasted. 

THE EASIEST STIR FRY EVER

Seriously I'm not a master chef. I only started cooking about a year and half ago, and when your busy its even harder to learn. The easiest candida safe thing you could cook is this stir fry. Literally take a saucepan and about 6 tomatoes which you cut into halves and throw in, cut long thin slices of onions, and slice some zucchini and red peppers. Add some olive oil to the bottom of the pan. Candida safe make sure the olive oil is Cold Pressed and Extra Virgin, and literally cook them until they start getting brown. Use a spoon to smash the tomatoes and onions. Stir until brown. Once that is done add your cooked brown rice and the rest of your ingredients. Its easy, its fast, and Candida hate it! Its perfect, and it tastes so good! Flavor! Ahh. 

I know it seems really overwhelming, so if you need a friend, or have a lot of questions send us your comments or email me directly and we can talk. Its all going to be okay, and we can get through this together! If you have recovered from Candida, we would love to hear from you~!

Thank you again to my friends who have helped me through this, and to my new friends who have taken such an interest! I love you

Quinoa Oatmeal

So the other day after making my quinoa meatballs (recipe in older post) I had some left over cooked quinoa. I put in the fridge and forgot about it for a few days. Then when I rediscovered it I decided to make oatmeal out of it. I just put some milk (can also use almond or coconut milk), vanilla extract and a little sugar (you could also use honey or real maple syrup) on the bottom of the pan and heated it till the sugar dissolved (didn't take long). Then I added the leftover quinoa and some raisins and cinnamon and mixed till it was hot. It definitely has a different texture then regular oatmeal but it was really yummy!! It reminded me of rice pudding. I forgot to take a picture but I will make it again and take one so you can see how delish it looks!.

What's in your Gatorade?

So I was at the zoo today and it was pretty hot. I drank all my water and needed some refreshment and fast. I was looking in the cooler and saw some Gatorade. You can tell I was overheated cause my brain said ahhhh, that sounds yummy. So I open it up and start chugging. After my brain cells have been restored from the heat I turn it over and read the ingredients. It wasn't "that" bad (except for all the sugar, but not high fructose I might add) until I got to the glycerol ester of rosin (does it sound like wood...oh that's cause it is) and the brominated vegetable oil (banned in most countries except US of course). UGH! I really wish chemists would stop making food and beverages! Apparently adding these two toxic ingredients together keep citrus flavored drinks from separating. Well I don't buy it (not literally, figuratively...I already bought it lol). There are plenty of citrus flavored drinks without either one of these ingredients, some of which Gatorade makes. Many of you won't know, cause I have only seen them sold in Whole Foods, but Gatorade makes a natural line with no food dyes or wood or oil for that matter. Anyway, no more orange Gatorade for me!

McDonalds Ingredients

So I'm sure there are some of you out there who still eat McDonald's food (I won't pick on you, don't worry). I figured if you do, you are probably on a don't ask don't tell mindset with what they actually put in their food. I wanted to just post a few items here for you to take a glance from. This is right from their site:
http://nutrition.mcdonalds.com/nutritionexchange/ingredientslist.pdf  Now keep in mind, when you read an ingredient list, they list the most to the least as far as quantity from beginning to the end. For example the BigMac sauce is mostly made out of soybean oil. Now remember what I posted on soy, that 90 something percent is genetically modified, pretty safe to say this is included in that percentage! Also, I was impressed by the lack of ingredients in the actual meat patty, well with the exception that I know their quality of meat is nasty (read in Fast Food Nation that they use old run down dairy cows that don't produce milk anymore).

Big Mac® 100% Beef Patty:

100% pure USDA inspected beef; no fillers, no extenders. Prepared with grill seasoning (salt, black pepper).

Big Mac® Bun:

Enriched flour (bleached wheat flour, malted barley flour, niacin, reduced iron, thiamin mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid, enzymes), water, high fructose corn syrup, sugar, soybean oil and/or partially hydrogenated soybean oil, contains 2% or less of the following: salt, calcium sulfate, calcium carbonate, wheat gluten, ammonium sulfate, ammonium chloride, dough conditioners (sodium stearoyl lactylate, datem, ascorbic acid, azodicarbonamide, mono- and diglycerides, ethoxylated monoglycerides, monocalcium phosphate, enzymes, guar gum, calcium peroxide, soy flour), calcium propionate and sodium propionate (preservatives), soy lecithin, sesame seed.

Big Mac® Sauce:

Soybean oil, pickle relish [diced pickles, high fructose corn syrup, sugar, vinegar, corn syrup, salt, calcium chloride, xanthan gum, potassium sorbate (preservative), spice extractives, polysorbate 80], distilled vinegar, water, egg yolks, high fructose corn syrup, onion powder, mustard seed, salt, spices, propylene glycol alginate, sodium benzoate (preservative), mustard bran, sugar, garlic powder, vegetable protein (hydrolyzed corn, soy and wheat), caramel color, extractives of paprika, soy lecithin, turmeric (color), calcium disodium EDTA (protect flavor).

100% Angus Beef Patty:

100% Angus beef. Prepared with Grill Seasoning (salt, black pepper) and Angus Burger Seasoning: Salt, sugar, onion powder, natural (botanical source) and artificial flavors, maltodextrin, natural beef flavor [beef broth, yeast extract, maltodextrin, salt, lactic acid, natural flavor (plant source), beef fat, citric acid], spice, dextrose, autolyzed yeast extract, garlic powder, dried beef extract, sunflower oil, caramel color, worcestershire sauce powder [distilled vinegar, molasses, corn syrup, salt, caramel color, garlic powder, sugar, spices, tamarind, natural flavor (fruit source)], spice extractives, annatto and turmeric (color), calcium silicate and soybean oil added to prevent caking.

French Fries:

Potatoes, vegetable oil (canola oil, hydrogenated soybean oil, natural beef flavor [wheat and milk derivatives]*, citric acid [preservative]), dextrose, sodium acid pyrophosphate (maintain color), salt. Prepared in vegetable oil (Canola oil, corn oil, soybean oil, hydrogenated soybean oil with TBHQ and citric acid added to preserve freshness). Dimethylpolysiloxane added as an antifoaming agent.

CONTAINS: WHEAT AND MILK *(Natural beef flavor contains hydrolyzed wheat and hydrolyzed milk as starting ingredients).

Chicken McNuggets®:

White boneless chicken, water, food starch-modified, salt, seasoning [yeast extract, salt, wheat starch, natural flavoring (botanical source), safflower oil, dextrose, citric acid], sodium phosphate, natural flavor (botanical source). Battered and breaded with: water, enriched flour (bleached wheat flour, niacin, reduced iron, thiamin mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid), yellow corn flour, bleached wheat flour, food starch-modified, salt, leavening (baking soda, sodium acid pyrophosphate, sodium aluminum phosphate, monocalcium phosphate, calcium lactate), spices, wheat starch, dextrose, corn starch. Prepared in vegetable oil (Canola oil, corn oil, soybean oil, hydrogenated soybean oil with TBHQ and citric acid added to preserve freshness). Dimethylpolysiloxane added as an antifoaming agent.