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Spring protection
3/30/08
The ancient Chinese believed that we are especially vulnerable during the change of seasons. Depending on the season, one's system could get invaded by cold, damp, wind or heat and result in illness.
This year, especially in the Northwest, spring is cold and damp. This is the time when it's easy to wish and believe that winter is over, and dress, eat and play uncautiously.
Spring colds are hard to shake. Protect yourself by dressing in layers, eating warm foods, especially spring soups, and getting adequate rest.
A "spring soup" is made with a light chicken or beef stock and fresh green vegetables, such as asparagus, sweet peas and green onions.
Strengthen your immune system with herbal teas, such as chamomile, echinacea and green tea. Astragalus is great for stress resistance. |
Spring cleaning
3/23/08
In many cultures it is traditional to clean your house thoroughly of winter's collected debris. Likewise, it is also good to do an internal cleanse to rid your body of the toxins which accumulated through heavy eating and lack of exercise through the winter.
The best cleansing foods are fresh greens, salads, asparagus, green peas - all the green leafy vegetables that are coming into season. Add to this a hot green tea with lemon in the morning (sweeten with honey, stevia or xylitol). If you're not a lemon fan, start with a few drops and work your way up to a tsp per cup.
Lemon alkalizes the body and helps the liver, which is our main organ of detoxification. Other liver friendly foods and herbs are dandelion, endives, artichokes and bitter tasting herbs. |
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Keep your oils refrigerated
3/17/08
Oils are very fragile. When exposed to light and air, they go rancid quickly. Rancid oil acts in the body like a free radical. It robs electrons from your cells, damages them and causes you to age.
The sticky coating on your oil bottle, where oil had dripped, is plasticized oil and in no way helps you stay healthy. Buy your oil in a dark glass bottle, keep it in the fridge and never heat it to smoking temperature. |
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The eyes of potatoes
3/7/08
Potatoes, when exposed to light, make a toxin called solanine under the skin and also in the eyes where new shoots grow from. This process is accelerated in supermarkets from light and warmth.
When cooking potatoes, you must always remove the eyes and also peel them if you detect any hint of greenness under the skin. 8 oz of green potatoes can make a child very sick. Always keep potatoes in a cool, dark place and discard when sprouted or green. |
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Why soak beans before cooking?
2/20/08
Plants create seeds (beans, grains or nuts) in order to propagate their species. They will germinate only if humidity and warmth are right. Until then, enzyme prohibiting compounds protect them from breaking down, and thus also, from being digested (gas). Soaking seeds in warm water stimulates germinating conditions; the enzymes can work and the seeds become easily digestible. |
"Rosemary for remembrance..."
2/27/08
...says Ophelia in Shakespeare's Hamlet, as she's making her bridal wreath. This line does not mean, as commonly believed, that Hamlet should remember her.
Shakespeare was fascinated by herbal medicine and wove bits of it into his plays. Rosemary is for remembrance because it dilates the blood vessels in the brain and by getting more oxygen, you can remember things better.
You can grow rosemary in a window box and season chicken, pork or potatoes with it for a delicious flavor. Rosemary is contraindicated if you're taking blood thinning drugs. |
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