Staying Healthy, especially during the winter, Part 1

We had a great meeting on Thursday learning about how to stay healthy this winter (and all year long) and what to do if you or someone in your family does get sick.

Have you ever heard the saying "You are what you eat"?  There is so much truth in that little phrase. 

   If you eat refined, processed food, products made with white flour and sugar and additives (cold cereal, cookies, crackers, cakes, donuts, etc) and fried foods (donuts, french fries, chips, etc) and foods full of saturated fats you are providing a breeding ground for bacteria and virus' to feed on.  These foods also cause obesity, heart problems, diabetes......and many other "dis-eases".

    If you eat a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, especially dark leafy greens, and green veggies, whole  grains, dried beans, legumes, nuts and seeds all in their natural state, you give your body the nutrients it needs to be healthy and work the way it is supposed to.  

    So the saying "you are what you eat" means just that......if you eat refined, processed foods you will be sick and have health problems.   If you eat food from nature in its whole state, you will be healthy and avoid most "dis - ease".  

How to get and stay healthy....

*Eat a healthy diet

*Drink plenty of water to flush out the toxins and germs in our body

*Do a cleanse (there are many out there, my favorite is Dr. Christophers Extended Herbal Cleanse)

*ACV drink everyday  

           8 oz Distilled water

           1 tsp Apple cider vinegar (Braggs is a great brand, or any brand that is alive with the "mother" in it

           1/2 tsp honey (pure, raw)

*Wash hands often, don't put hands in your mouth, always wash before eating, etc. etc.

*Cover your mouth when you cough or sneeze (cough/sneeze into your shoulder, or down the inside of your      shirt

*Drink herbal tea's.  I love drinking warm herbal teas in the winter time.  They are much healthier than hot chocolate and are full of vitamins, minerals and health promoting, germ fighting properties.  They act as a preventative for the cold and flu.  Some are anti inflammatory, and help boost the immune system.  The ones we drink on a daily basis are:

                           Elderberry tea  (great flu/cold preventative)

                           Red raspberry leaf tea (wonderful for stomach ailments and female problems)

                           Peppermint tea (anti-septic, anti-viral, digestion, headaches)

We usually combine the raspberry and peppermint together, I think it tastes better this way,  I also sweeten mine with a little honey or agave.  When I feel like I am coming down with something, or have been around sick people, I add echinacea to my tea as well.  I could just take the echinacea capsules, but since I have the cut, dried herb on hand, I just add it to my tea. 

*Eat plenty of Vitamin C rich foods.  Did you know that papayas, pineapple, strawberries, bell peppers, broccoli, brussels sprouts, kiwi, cantaloupe and kale all have more vitamin C that oranges and grapefruits?  Rose hips (found in many herbal teas) are high in vitamin C. (I just recently found this out and think I will add them to my homemade herbal teas listed above.)   

        Last  month we talked about green smoothies as a great way to get good nutrition into our diets.  Here is another great reason to drink them.  What better way to get vitamin C into your and/or your kids diets.

*Have a humidifier going every day in your home.  Do you suffer from dry, cracked skin in the winter?  What about dry throats and annoying dry coughs.  A humidifier will help these.  They also help to eliminate viruses and bacteria that thrive in dry air.  Just make sure to clean and sanitize it often to eliminate mold, pathogens, allergens and germs.

*I just started using essential oils earlier this year and just recently learned about diffusers.  We now run one every night with our homemade version of "thieves" oil.  Going to sleep every night with a great smell in the room is just an added benefit.  The person I learned this from said their family has not gotten sick once since they have been using their diffuser.  Here is some information I found on some ways essential oils work:
   Glandular

Essential oils probably exert their most powerful and direct pharmacological effects systemically via the blood supply to the brain. They also have an indirect effect via the olfactory nerve pathways into the brain. Essential oil fragrances are absorbed through blood circulation and nerve pathways from the sinuses into the central glands of the brain, which control emotional, neurological, and immunological functions.

Skin

Essential oils are absorbed in minute quantities through the skin, depending on the oil, dilution, and application (carrier oil, compress, etc). Many of the indications for specific oils include various skin conditions.

Respiratory

Essential oils are inhaled during treatment, which have a direct effect on the sinuses, throat, and lungs. Many essential oils are specific medicines for respiratory conditions.

Circulation

Many essential oils have beneficial effects on circulatory problems, both through dermal and respiratory absorption. These oils enhance the circulation stimulating effects of massage.

  Here is the recipe I found and use for home made Thieves oil
     20 drops clove essential oil
     18 drops lemon essential oil
     10 drops cinnamon bark essential
     8 drops eucalyptus essential oil
     5 drops rosemary essential oil

I buy my essential oils and amber bottles (with the drop by drop applicator) here .  I usually 5x's the recipe and that still doesn't fill the 1 oz bottle.   If you are into Doterra Oils, they have their "On Guard" brand that is supposed to be really good, but I found that I could almost buy all the oils above for the price of one bottle of On Guard, and I can make LOTS of home made Thieves oil, plus have the essential oils to use for all sorts of other things.  For example:
     Lemon - I mix a few drops in about 3/4 to 1 cup distilled water and put in a small spray bottle and sprayed my sore throat many times a day with it.
     Eucalyptus - place 2 to 3 drops in a pot of boiled water, cover your head and pot with a towel and breathe in the steam.  Great for respiratory/lung troubles.
     Clove - Great pain reliever.  Place a drop or two on your finger and massage around a toothache.  We put it on cuts, cold sores, anywhere we have pain.
     Rosemary - Great memory booster.  I used this a lot during my week long finals last summer to graduate from the School of Natural Healing, and I just love the smell of this.

I do need to mention if you are new to essential oils they are very potent.  Some people can use them straight (this is called "Neat" in the essential oil world) and some people cannot.  It also depends on the oil being used.  Placing a drop or two in a carrier oil (such as olive or almond oil) is a safe way to use them, especially on children.  

Kale Chips

You know how sometimes you just want something salty and crunchy, but healthy as well.  The grocery store is full of "stuff" that fits the salty and crunchy part, but there is almost nothing that fits under the healthy category.  I don't want to fill my body with trans fat, carcinogenic, calorie laden foods, but I still crave the crunch and salt, so when I found the following recipe, I was so excited to try it.  Oh my goodness, these Kale chips are so good, easy to make and yes, they are very healthy.   Another way to get healthy, good tasting vegetables into your diet, and to top it off, Kale is one of the very best foods you can eat. Check out this link on some of the benefits of eating kale.

Kale Chips

Wash and dry Kale (any kind of kale)

Cut or tear center rib out and tear into 3" to 4" pieces

Spread cheezy sauce (recipe below) on both sides 

Dry in dehydrator until crisp.

Enjoy!

Cheezy Sauce   

I found the recipe at this website

1 ½ cup raw cashews

3/4 cup chopped red bell pepper

2 garlic cloves

1/2 cup nutritional yeast

3 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice

½ teaspoon chili powder

½ cup water

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

Place all ingredients in blender. (Wet ingredients first!) Blend until smooth. Use as a sandwich spread, a dip for crackers or veggies, for nacho cheese, or anything else you want to use it for.

Here is a link to a great article on The Five Absolute Worst Foods you can eat.  

September's Healthy Eating Support Group Notes and Recipes

What a great discussion we had at Thursday's meeting and with some really good questions asked.
Some of the things we discussed:
*What is the best oil to use?  Coconut oil and Extra virgin olive oil
*What are good alternatives instead of dairy?  Almond milk, coconut milk, Organic soy milk
 I have included the recipes for homemade Almond and Coconut milk below
*How to get more vegetables in our diet?
     Smoothies, lettuce salads, stir fry's, crudites, and making your own fresh juices were just some of the things we discussed.

You heard me talk about the Green Smoothie Girl a few times.  Here are some great articles I found on how two families get their kids to eat healthy.  You'll find the links, here, here and here
     
Homemade Almond Milk
       1 cup soaked almonds (soak 6-8 hours or overnight), rinse thoroughly
       2 or 3 cups distilled or filtered water   (I use 3 cups)
       1 tsp vanilla
       Sweeten to taste (I don't usually add sweetener, but if I do, I use Agave)
     
Directions: Place soaked, rinsed, drained almonds into blender, add water and blend on high until thoroughly blended.  The amount of time will be determined on your particular blender.  High speed blenders like the Vitamix or Blendtec take about a minute.  Pour blended mixture into a large bowl lined with a nut bag, 100% cotton muslin, or linen ( I made my own nut bag out because the store bought one wasn't big enough).
Squeeze the "milk" out of the bag until all that is left if dry almond pulp.  Stir vanilla and sweetener into milk and refrigerate.  This keep about 3 days, if it lasts that long.  The milk will separate while in the fridge.  Just shake or stir well before using.
Notes: I usually put my almonds on to soak the night before and make the milk the next morning which takes about 5 minutes or less.  I don't usually put vanilla and sweetener in mine, because I mainly use it in recipes that already call for these ingredients.  If you are going to drink it, you might want to add them.

Homemade coconut milk is made the same way as Almond Milk, but instead of Almonds, use dried shredded coconut (unsweetened only, found in the Health food store).  I use a 2/1 ratio (2 cups water, 1 cup coconut).

Green Smoothie Recipe #1
all amounts are approximate and to personal taste
1 cup milk (a good place to use your homemade coconut milk)
1 cup frozen pineapple
1 frozen banana
handful of spinach (or other greens such as: chard, dandelion, kale, collard, etc)
optional - 1 tsp coconut flavoring

Place milk and greens in first and blend a little, then add frozen fruit a few pieces at a time, and blend until fruit is thoroughly blended.  If too thick, add more milk, If too watery, add more frozen fruit or ice cubes.

Green Smoothie Recipe #2
all amounts are approximate and to personal taste
1 cup apple or grape juice (or water)
1 cup mixed frozen berries
1 frozen banana
handful of spinach (or other greens)
optional - handful of frozen grapes

Place juice or water and greens in blender.  Add frozen fruit a few pieces at a time and blend until fruit is thoroughly blended.  If too thick, add more juice, if too watery, add more frozen fruit or ice cubes.

Notes: I make my own homemade juices so I know there are no preservatives and fillers.  This is not an option for many people, so look for 100% pure fruit juice, without added ingredients.  As I mentioned, I don't like my smoothies left in the refrigerator overnight.  I think it gets too "pulpy" tasting.  This did not bother others in our group.  If I make more smoothie than I can eat at one time, I pour it in a cup or pint mason jar and cover with tin foil and a rubber band.  This makes a quick and easy lunch.  Just place frozen smoothie in an insulated lunch bag, and by lunch it is just right.  Make sure and pack a spoon, I forgot this once and it was challenging to eat.  Or, you can take a frozen smoothie and place in the refrigerator just before going to bed.  It will be about perfect in the morning.   When traveling in a car, I make several smoothies ahead of time and freeze.  Then place them all in a small cooler and cover with ice.  They last for several days this way.  
   Smoothies can be made out of most any fruit.  Be adventurous and try different things.  During the winter we often make Orange smoothies, which resembles an orange julius.  We always buy fruit when it is in season and freeze.  I peel, then slice into pieces that will blend easily and lay the slices on a cookie sheet and freeze.  Then just place the frozen fruit into a Ziploc bag and you have individually frozen fruit for months to come.  Freezing fruit while in season is more economical and much better tasting than fresh fruit (transported from another country) purchased during  other times of the year.