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Monthly Archives: August 2013

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Almond milk

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Almond milk is easy, and requires only 3 ingredients (and only 2 if you want just plain almond milk!)

Ingredients:
– 1 cup fresh (un-roasted, raw) almonds
– water for soaking almonds
– 3 cups water
– 1/2 tsp. fresh vanilla bean (optional – this will make it have a hint of vanilla flavoring)
– 2 dates, (optional – this will make your almond milk taste slightly sweet, which most conventional almond milks taste like)

Directions:
1. Soak almonds overnight for at least 6 hours
2. Drain water from almonds and discard
3. Stick almonds, 3 cups water, vanilla, and dates into high speed blender (recommend to use the vitamix or blendtec), and blend until smooth
4. Strain blended almond milk using a cheesecloth, nut milk bag, or other strainer
5. Fresh almond milk will keep for 4-5 days in the fridge
Read more at http://www.naturalcuresnotmedicine.com/2013/08/homemade-almond-milk-recipe.html#FG4WBWoAtKsI6uHZ.99

The Power of Plant Protein..

Secrets of people who never get sick

It’s tempting to dismiss it as luck: Some people might catch a slight cold or suffer an occasional ache or pain now and then, but they never seem to suffer from flus, fevers and illnesses that send the rest of us diving under the covers for days.

Despite centuries of scientific advances, doctors still can’t tell us definitively how to stay well. So why not look for solutions from the people for whom the common cold is, well, uncommon?

Here are 8 surprising habits of those people who never get sick — and how you can adapt them to your own soon-to-be healthier life.

1. THEY STRESS LESS Researchers at Duke University found that stress damages the immune system and the heart. Other studies suggest that it increases your chances of contracting bacterial infections, such as tuberculosis. There’s also evidence that learning relaxation techniques early on is crucial: A 2009 Stress in America Survey by Harris Interactive on behalf of the American Psychological Association found that stress is a top health concern for kids between ninth and 12th grades, and suggested that stress could do serious long-term damage if those children don’t learn to manage it. Of course, exercise is one of the best ways to chill out. A University of Southern California study found that when participants took a vigorous walk around a track, they reduced tension in their bodies by 20 percent. A diet rich in fruits and vegetables is also crucial, as is laughing: It releases endorphins in the body that act as natural stress busters. Plus, a good guffaw gives your heart muscle a workout.

2. THEY EAT LESS As far back as the 1930s, studies found that animals that were fed less lived twice as long. More recent research in humans has linked calorie restriction to lower incidences of age-related health problems, including cardiovascular disease, diabetes and Alzheimer’s. Participants in one study who ate 25 percent less than their usual amounts had lower overall cholesterol, LDL (“bad”) cholesterol, triglyceride levels and blood pressure. Keep in mind that calorie restriction is an easy diet to do unsafely, however. Start by limiting simple sugars and flours, and pack your meals with dark leafy greens and other vegetables. You can find more tips on calorie restriction at crsociety.org or naturalhealthmag.com.

3. THEY OPT FOR HERBAL REMEDIES Although plant-based health aids have been long derided by the Western medical community, about onequarter of all prescription drugs are derived from plants. Herbal remedies (plants purported to have medicinal properties) are an integral part of traditional Chinese medicine, and what we know about plants’ abilities to heal is impressive: They can alleviate high blood pressure, stimulate the nervous system, destroy germs and boost the immune system. But you needn’t fill your medicine cabinet with supplements; something as simple as green tea can help improve your immunity and your health. Commercial green tea beverages have come under fire recently for unsubstantiated health claims, yet studies have shown that antioxidants in green tea called polyphenols have the potential to boost metabolism and burn fat, protect against liver disease, control blood sugar levels and lower LDL cholesterol. Skip pre-packaged bottled versions and sip unflavored loose-leaf green tea instead.

4. THEY MAKE FRIENDS A PRIORITY Studies show that people with strong friendships tend to have more robust immune systems and are less likely to succumb to infectious diseases. In 2008, Harvard University researchers found that positive social attachments might protect against memory loss and other cognitive disorders. A 1993 Swedish study of male blue-collar workers (who are at increased risk of heart disease, statistically) concluded that men with strong social support lowered their risk of cardiovascular disease; and a 2009 study in Buffalo, N.Y., found that those with few friends were most likely to suffer from heart disease, depression and anxiety. If you feel the need to boost your crony count, try this little experiment for one week: Strike up at least two conversations every day with someone you haven’t talked to before. And aim to listen more than you speak; the more airtime you give someone, the more generous he or she will be with personal details. Also, keep the bellyaching to a minimum. Your tone can determine how often others will want to spend time and talk with you.

5. THEY STAY Ph BALANCED According to some practitioners of alternative medicine, the body is healthiest when its systems are functioning midway between completely acidic and completely alkaline (i.e., pH balanced). When pH levels fall below that midpoint, the body suffers from a condition called acidosis, which even in minor cases can cause fatigue, rapid breathing, stomach problems and confusion. Many experts say that the typical American diet, chock-full of meat and sugar, has created an epidemic of acidosis in the Western world. Most vegetables are alkalizing, however, so eating them regularly can reduce your risk of being too acidic. Include lots of dark leafy greens, green beans, asparagus and carrots in your diet; other alkalizing foods to reach for include cucumbers, coconuts and avocados.

6. THEY EAT GARLIC Studies have shown that garlic can act as a powerful antioxidant and antibiotic, as well as cut the duration and the number of colds you catch. In addition, garlic has proved efficient in reducing blood pressure and triglyceride and cholesterol levels. Some experts say that garlic’s medicinal value lessens when it’s in a supplement form and recommend that you eat it fresh if you want to get garlic’s health benefits.

7. THEY DETOX REGULARLY Many chemicals used commonly today—such as phthalates, dioxins and PCBs—were absent from our environment a century ago. That might be why the rates of diseases (including cancer and liver disease) linked to toxic exposures are increasing, say experts. Although no long-term studies on the benefits of detoxification have been done, chances are good that your health will improve if you lower the level of synthetic chemicals present in your body. Digestive issues, fatigue, breakouts or muscle pain are often signs that you could benefit from a detox program, most of which require you to limit meats and avoid wheat, sugar, dairy, caffeine and alcohol. You can also purge toxins by sitting in a sauna or taking Bikram yoga classes, which are practiced in a hot room. Cleansing homeopathic or mineral baths might help, too. Talk to your doctor before embarking on a detox program of any length. If you’re pregnant or nursing, have an eating disorder or suffer from any kind of chronic health condition, it’s especially important to detox only under the supervision of a health care provider.

8. THEY TAKE MORE NAPS Sleep deprivation has the same biological effect as stress: Overtired bodies ratchet up production of the hormone cortisol, which gives you energy but restricts production of human growth hormone, limiting your body’s ability to repair itself. Just like stress, sleep loss has a degenerative effect on your health, and lack of sleep is also tied to compromised immune function. Researchers at the University of California, San Diego, found that the number and effectiveness of immune cells decrease without enough sleep. A counterintuitive napping tip: Consider drinking a cup of coffee or other caffeinated beverage right before your nap. Because it will take about 20 minutes for the caffeine to travel through your digestive system, you can fit in a short snooze before it takes effect. Japanese researchers found that subjects who did this were more alert when they awoke than those who didn’t, and that their post-slumber work productivity was higher.

Source: Natural Health Mag

Blueberry Lemon Donuts from: Damn Delicious.net

 

Prep time: 5 minutes Cook time: 10 minutes Total time: 15 minutes

Yields 3-4 servings

INGREDIENTS:

  • 1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed
  • 1/2 cup blueberries
  • Zest of lemon
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 1 large egg, beaten

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Place puff pastry sheet on a surface that has been sprinkled with flour. Using a 2-inch round cutter, cut out 12 circles.

Place 6 puff pastry circles onto the prepared baking sheet. Top with blueberries, lemon zest and sugar and then top with another puff pastry circle, using a fork to seal the edges. Repeat with remaining puff pastry circles to make 6 donuts.

Brush the tops with the egg wash and cut two small slits on each donut using a sharp knife. Place into oven and bake until golden brown, about 10 minutes.

Serve immediately.

Protein: Carbs: Fats:

Alkaline and Acid foods and chart.. Source: Natural News

The typical American diet is a deadly one, consisting primarily of toxic and acid-forming foods like processed sugars, artificial sweeteners, refined grains, conventionally produced meats and dairy, and hidden genetically modified organisms. All this, combined with a plethora of other challenging environmental factors (such as lack of rest, psychological stress, and pharmaceutical drugs), mean it’s no wonder that more and more people are being diagnosed with chronic, degenerative illnesses or otherwise deadly conditions for which modern conventional medicine claims to have no known cure.

One of the basic underlying problems with this unsustainable lifestyle – and there are many – is the average consumer’s lack of understanding that the body must balance the blood’s pH levels at a slightly alkaline level of 7.365 in order to survive. When a person ingests food to “burn” for fuel, the digestive and metabolic process transforms it into a kind of ash which is either acidic or alkaline. The laws of modern biochemistry further explain that it is not the organic matter of foods (whether the food itself is acidic or alkaline), but their inorganic matter (such as calcium, magnesium, potassium, sodium, sulfur, phosphorous; that is, how they break down in our bodies), that determines either the acidity or alkalinity of this ashy residue.

alkaline-food-chart

For this reason, and because all foods in nature contain both acid and alkaline-forming elements according to the Conscious Living Center, balance is either achieved or thwarted as a direct result of the foods we choose to eat. Too many acid-forming foods can have dire consequences for our health, with “acidosis” being a common diagnosis in diabetics, for example. This is because when the nutrients required to maintain this slightly alkaline state cannot be obtained from food, the body will instead draw from its own stores, like the bones or other vital tissues – damaging its ability to repair itself and detoxify heavy metals, thereby making a person more vulnerable to fatigue and illness. And the margin for error is small. Even an only slightly acidic pH of 6.9 can actually lead to coma and death.

Of course, the ultimate goal is balance. Eating too many alkalizing foods can lead to its own fair share of complications over time, but the risk of this is seemingly less likely, given the current sorry state of today’s highly addictive consumerist diet. To combat the effects of such a diet, here are six of the most alkaline-forming foods to work into your everyday meals:

1. Root vegetables

Due to the healing “yang” nature of these foods in traditional Chinese medicine, and their tendency to be more rich in minerals than many other vegetables, it may be safe to say that you can’t get enough of them. Look for radishes especially (black, red or white), as well as beets, carrots, turnips, horseradish and rutabaga. Ready to eat after steaming for just 15-20 minutes, root vegetables will help you feel both satiated and better grounded.

2. Cruciferous vegetables

These are the veggies we all know and love, made even more delicious with just a small amount of healthy, homemade sauce like pesto. Choose from broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts and the like.

3. Leafy greens

These include kale, Swiss chard, turnip greens and spinach – of which spinach may in fact be the best pick. Known especially for its rich vitamin K and folate content, spinach is also packed with vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals, antioxidants and fiber, helping to improve digestion and even vision.

4. Garlic

A true miracle food, garlic appears at the top of innumerable lists of foods that encourage overall health, and alkaline-forming food is no exception. Among its other benefits are its ability to promote cardiovascular and immune health by lowering blood pressure, cleansing the liver and fighting off disease.

5. Cayenne peppers (capsicum)

As part of a family of potent, tropical peppers which contain enzymes essential to endocrine function, cayenne is among the most alkalizing foods. It is known for its antibacterial properties and is a rich supply of vitamin A, making it a helpful agent in fighting off the harmful free radicals that lead to stress and illness.

6. Lemons

Lemons may be the most alkalizing food of all. As a natural disinfectant, it can heal wounds while also providing potent and immediate relief for hyperacidity and virus-related conditions, as well as coughs, colds, flu and heartburn. Lemon also works to energize the liver and promote detoxification.

So it can’t hurt to think twice about what’s on your plate at your next meal, but not doing so might. Just applying that age-old motherly advice to “eat your vegetables” can be a solid first step in achieving better health.

Source: Natural News

Houseplants that Detoxify the Air in Your Home

How to Build a Rain Barrel (DIY for less than $100)

This DIY rain barrel costs less than $100 and works just as well as the expensive one you can buy. These simply instructions we’re sourced from our friends atFamilyhandyman.com. You can use this to build your own and start saving water with the next rainfall. ( WARNING: THIS MAY BE CONSIDERED ILLEGAL WHERE YOU LIVE – Please remember to check the local laws in your area prior to building this and collecting rain water – this practice is illegal in some areas).

It’s pretty easy to build your own rain barrels from plastic drums or trash cans. Search online for “bottles” or “containers” to find an “open head” plastic 55-gallon drum with a cover (about $60). Or find a used barrel by talking to car wash managers (they buy soap and wax by the barrel). If you can’t find a container you like, buy a large, heavy-duty garbage can (about $35) at a home center. All the other plumbing parts will add up to about $40.

rain3

Place the drum near a downspout, drill a hole in the side near the bottom and screw in a drain valve. That’s an OK installation if you plan to run a soaker hose to your garden. But if you want to use a wand or a spray nozzle, you’ll need to elevate the barrel on a stand for more water pressure. Water is heavy (55 gallons weighs 440 lbs.), so use 4×4 treated lumber for the legs and secure everything with construction screws or stainless steel lags. But don’t place the stand on soft ground. You could kill somebody if the rig toppled over. If you have large gardens and want to store more water, double-size the stand and add a second barrel.

rain1

rain2

Cut holes in the bottoms of the barrels with a 2-1/4-in. hole saw. Then screw in a 2-in. male threaded electrical (gray PVC) conduit adapter (electrical adapters aren’t tapered like plumbing adapters, so you can tighten them down all the way). Squirt a thin bead of silicone caulk around the opening and screw on a threaded electrical PVC coupler to cinch the barrel between the two fittings (see Figure A). Next, glue together sections of 2-in. PVC pipe, unions (to make winter disassembly easier), reducers and valves. As long as you’re at it, install an overflow pipe so you can direct the excess where you want it.

Finally, cut a hole in one of the covers and mount a screen to filter out leaves and debris. Then just wait for the next big rain.

Grow 100 lbs. of Potatoes in 4 sq ft

Photo from apartmenttherapy.com

Grow a few potato plants, each or in their own wooden box, crib, barrel or wire cage. The container should be about 18×18 inches at the base, about 24-30 inches tall, and able to be gradually filled with soft soil or mulch as the vines grow. Set each container atop a well-prepared fertile soil. Plant one strong seed piece and cover lightly with 4 inches of soil. As the vines grow, gradually fill the container with mellow compost, mulch or soil, but always make sure you don’t cover more than one-third of the vine’s new growth. With some varieties, the underground stolons which produce potato tubers keep on forming new ones for some time. In containers the yield may be increased 200-3000 percent compared with open-field culture. This is a great way to grow a lot of potatoes in a very limited space. We recommend doing this with Yellow Finn, Indian Pit, Red Pontiac, or the fingerling types. Watering requirements will be greater however, so check the cages or containers frequently in warm weather.
Read more at http://www.naturalcuresnotmedicine.com/2013/08/grow-100-pounds-of-potatoes-in-4-square-feet.html#mB5WFalG4HPDC63Z.99

You will need:

  • 6 – 2″x6″x8′ *boards
  • 1 – 2″x2″x10′ *board
  • 96 – 2½” wood screws
* – You can use pine, cedar, redwood or pressure treated mud sill that has been treated with copper sulfate, which is not toxic to the soil.

Step 1

Cut 2″x2″s into 4 – 33″ lengths.
Cut 2″x6″s into 12 – 21″ lengths and 12 – 24″ lengths.

Step 2 : Assemble as shown in figure 1.

HINT: Pre-drill screw holes in 2″x6″s.

Over prepared soil you will only build your box one board high. Fill with soft soil or mulch and plant seed potatoes 4″ deep. As the vines grow approximately 12″ above soil add another board and fill with soil being careful not to cover more than 1/3 of the vine. Keep repeating the process until the box is completed as shown.

Step 3 : Harvest Time!

As shown in figure 3 remove screws on bottom board and harvest your oldest potatoes first. Replace soil and boards. Your next harvest will be layer #2 and so on until you reach the top board.

Read more at http://www.naturalcuresnotmedicine.com/2013/08/grow-100-pounds-of-potatoes-in-4-square-feet.html#mB5WFalG4HPDC63Z.99

 

MARINATED PORK TENDERLOIN

 

1⁄2 cups olive oil
1⁄3 cup soy sauce
1⁄4 cup red wine vinegar
Juice of 1 lemon
1-2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1-2 Tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped
2 tsp dry mustard
Freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1 1-lb. pork tenderloin (silver skin removed)

Directions:
Combine all marinade ingredients and reserve 2-3 Tbsp. Place the pork tenderloin and marinade in a Ziplock bag and let marinate for at least 3-4 hours.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a hot skillet over medium-high heat, sear each side of tenderloin for 2-3 minutes. Place in the oven and cook for 30-40 minutes or until the meat has reached 160 degrees. Let rest for at least 5 minutes before slicing.

Pan Sauce:
Pan scrapings from pork tenderloin
1/2 cup of chicken broth
2-3 Tbsp of the reserved pork marinade (thoroughly mixed)
1-2 tsp butter

Meanwhile, place the skillet back on the stove over medium heat. Add the chicken broth and scrape up all the browned pieces from the bottom of the pan. Add the marinade and let it boil down for 2-3 minutes. Add the butter and remove from heat stirring until butter has melted. Pour over the pork tenderloin.