Easy solution to Candida or Yeast Issues?

I found this simple idea today. Take one to 6 tsp. cream of tartar daily (just a little less than bowel tolerance--meaning, um, if things are runny, you are taking too much). I haven't actually tried this one, but it's cheap and simple, so sounds good to me.

And it makes sense too. Cream of tartar is the waste product from fermenting grapes. So, the yeast can't survive well in it's own waste.

Here's a link about it all: http://www.docsprefer.com/creamoftartar.html

And of course, don't forget to be eating the good bacteria. Before refrigerators, people fermented to preserve things. But our bodies still need pro-biotics and the best form is food. Kombucha and raw apple cider vinegar are my 2 favorite forms, though I'd like to start making kefir soon. But I remind myself--one step at a time. I'm not there yet. But I know where I want to go!

Are you depriving your kids to make them healthy?

When it comes to children, it can be very difficult to help them be healthy in our culture. It becomes even more important not to take away things but replace things. So, for example, "candy" at our house is carob chips with a healthy sweetener. And sometimes I make chocolate milk or hot chocolate with organic cocoa powder and honey and milk. UMMM! I'm not so sure I should be recommending chocolate, but I do recommend finding a treat that's healthy or (semi-healthy). And the other day my husband mixed honey and organic cocoa powder to make chocolate sauce for pancakes. WOW!

We make our own macaroni and cheese and our own chicken nuggets. Both of these are more work than the average meal, but some of the girls' favorites. And it's critical to me that my children know that healthy can be fun, yummy, and even sweet. Otherwise they'll go to someone else's house and pig out. And my oldest daughter doesn't even like regular macaroni and cheese anymore. I think she's developing a taste for truly good food.

A pet peeve of mine is how frequently candy is handed out to children. If you consider that sugar is not only bad for your teeth, but connected to heart disease, diabetes, and suppressed immune function, these acts of "kindness" no longer seem kind. Everyone has to find there only solution to this problem, but my daughter has learned to so no to any candy offered and if she doesn't get a replacement, I will offer her something when she gets home. Sometimes it's a healthy treat--sometimes it's a bit of money toward something she's saving up for. And she's quite ok with this. Of course, since we homeschool, this does not happen as often as it may for others. But I think it's not a big deal, b/c we have healthy treats often.

And be sure and help your kids see that the food you don't want them to have can make them vunerable to catching colds and likely to have real health problems when they are adults. It does help my daughter to understand that she doesn't want to end up sick like mommy! I mean who wants to be miserable for a week or a life just to have store bought candy. Especially if there's homemade goodness available.

The moral of the story: desserts may be healthy! Especially when they increase will-power to say no to the real junk.

And if you don't have children, you can apply this to your "inner child". Don't deprive yourself either!! Enjoy the goodness of created, natural food and you won't want to go back! Don't give up foods--replace them. And you will make it for the long haul on your health journey.

Film about Lyme

I recently found this movie trailer, though the movie itself is not out yet. I thought even the trailer was informative for someone who is looking to learn about Lyme disease.

www.openeyepictures.com/underourskin

As the point out, it's a growing problem. But Lyme can be defeated by a strong immune system. All the more reason for everyone to watch their diet and lifestyle. Small changes can make a big difference. Keep up the good work.

Cure for Colds--Home Remedies Amish-style

Once when I was up in Amish country, I picked up a little book called Home Remedies From Amish Country. It's a great book of old-fashioned health aids out of your kitchen cabinet. Here's a few:

--Use honey on burns. (It's the best thing I've ever found!)
--Rub vinegar on forehead, temples, palms, and bottoms of feet to reduce fever. (I use Apple Cider Vinegar)
--Use clove oil directly on a tooth to numb tooth pain. (They even say you can put a whole clove in a cavity--haven't tried that one.)

In fact the Amish Home Remedy book is the first place I discovered the Apple Cider Vinegar Tonic and the Master Cleanse. The Apple Cider Vinegar lists SO many things it's useful for: bruises, food poisoning, colds, and avoiding symptoms of "aging" to mention a few.

So, how does this fit into staying healthy. Again, diet, avoiding chemicals/toxins, and washing hands are how we stay healthy. But these home remedies are great for simple problems. They are not as strong as other natural medicines, but that's b/c they are not really medicine, but rather food. "Let you food be your medicine, and your medicine be your food."

And they are cheap and usually available. Like the time I sloshed hot water on my hand at a restaurant. I just got some honey from the counter and put a small piece of napkin over it and I was all fixed up. The book is not really well organized as it just lists all the ideas that various people sent in. But I really like the solutions I've found and the book was well worth it. I even gave them out for Christmas one year.

If your really interested in the book, you have to order it by mail--these are Amish people!

Abana books ltd, 6523 Township Rd, 346 Millersburg, OH 44654.
Send check or money order for $10 plus 7% tax if you live in OH.
(And no, I don't make any money off this!)

Cooking Soaked/Sprouted Brown Rice

Take a pot and add:

4 1/2 c. water (prefer filtered or purified)
4 Tbsp. Raw Apple Cider Vinegar (like Bragg's) or lemon juice, buttermilk, yogurt, kefir, or whey
2 c. brown rice

Stir and cover with lid and leave for at least 7 hours on the counter. (If you have less time, do as long as possible, any bit helps).

In same pot, add 1 tsp. sea salt (opt.). Bring water to a boil for 5 min. uncovered. Then boil covered on low heat for 30-45 min. Do not take lid off early. Check to see if water is absorbed and rice is tender. If not, do not stir, but cover and cook another 10 min. or so until done.


--------------
If you are curious what this does, you might look closely at the rice before you cook it. You can see it looks like a sprouted seed, though I rarely pay attention any more, so no promises that it will every time--I don't actually check. But the sprouting is something that changes the grain and makes the nutrients more digestible and also helps those with sensitive stomachs.


This recipe takes no extra time, just a bit planning. It should cook quicker b/c it is soaked. If you like, double the recipe and keep the extra for another meal. It's very soft and SO good for you. Sometimes I just add a bit of scrambled eggs, some coconut oil, tamari, and some veggies (like onion, pepper, or shreds of carrots) and make a meal of it. Or I add it to some chicken broth and make some soup.

For more info on soaking and sprouting grains, see: http://www.suegregg.com/about/c.htm. At the bottom of the page is an excellent brochure you can print out. Sue Gregg cookbooks are my favorites. You might also want to read this previous post.

Cure for Colds and Ailments--Homeopathic

The best way to fight a cold is avoid it. Nutrition and cleanliness play a key part in this. Do you know the Bible tells us to wash our hands, get rid of things with mold, and that we are dirty if we do things like touch something dead? Only in recent history has hygiene been understood.

But sometimes we get sick or injured or need help with chronic problems from the years before we understood about good nutrition. I've found that it's helpful to have multiple tools in my tool box. Today, I'll start with homeopathic, b/c it's the one I used today!

Here's my over-simplified, unprofessional explanation of what homeopathy is. Homeopathics work on principles of energy. A small particle of a substance is shaken and then diluted and shaken and diluted again. Somehow, in this shaking, the substance's energy affects the water. And when we take this small amount of substance, it is completely safe. And the energy works with our body to heal. However, the trick is that only the right remedy works. And the remedies are based on lots of very specific symptoms that should all match (like cold hands, small pupils, fearful, etc.)

Now, how do you start? Well, I never really knew what to do with it until I found a great book: Easy Homeopathy which makes it simple. It gives you an introduction to homeopathy, detailed information about the 7 most commonly used homeopathic remedies, and lists the possible remedies for basic problems. So, we bought the 7 remedies from our health food store and I love it. When one of the kids is really sick, one of them usually fits their symptoms and their symptoms are usually less in 30 min and gone in less than 24 hours. If you use the wrong remedy it doesn't help. And occasionally nothing will fit, but that's a good reason to have multiple tools in your toolbox!

Now, what I used today. I happened to be reading something today about fibromyalgia and how arnica montana (one of the homeopathics) is good for the bruised feeling. I did have a spot on my back that was hurting and felt very bruised. I'd had it for a couple days and tried 2 different things on the spot that normal work great, but with no real help. (I often get awful knots in my upper back and shoulders from Lyme disease.) We have this remedy in pill form, but also have arnica massage oil, so I opted for the oil. Within 15 min., the bruised feeling was gone and has not returned even half a day later! That's a solution I won't soon forget! When homeopathics work, they don't work halfway!

Make Your Recipes Healthier by Substituting Healthier Ingredients

While a few of your recipes may not be worth the trouble, many recipes can be salvaged by substituting good ingredients. It's simple. Here's some suggested substitutes:


Salt ------------>RealSalt or Celtic Sea Salt

Sugar---------->Sucanot or Honey or Maple Syrup or Agave or Stevia

White Flour---->Wheat Flour (Pastry Flour or "White Whole Wheat" are lighter than regular Whole Wheat)

White Flour for thickening---->Corn Starch or Arrowroot Powder

White Rice---->Soaked Brown Rice

Canned Beans------> homemade beans (preferably soaked)

Vegetable Oil----->Extra Virgin Olive Oil (if not heating) or Ex. Vir. Coconut Oil (if heating very high)

Milk---->Raw Milk

Margarine---->Butter

Vinegar (balsamic, white, or whatever)----->Raw Apple Cider Vinegar (like Bragg's brand)

Soy Sauce----->Organic Tamari (organic is essential with soy to avoid GMO's)

Canned Vegetables---->Fresh (if possible) or Frozen Vegetables

The goal is to use quality ingredients in whole food cooking. If you replace the staples in your pantry, you'll find that cooking healthy can be simple.