My Review of Recycled Glass Mug

Originally submitted at Greenfeet - The Planet's Homestore

Made from Recycled GlassThese handmade, 100% recycled glass mugs are the perfect addition to any kitchen or office. Well made, these mugs are the workhorse of the kitchen and can be used for hot or co

Recycled Glass Mug

GREAT MUG!

By Katie "Organic freak" Buid'he from Seattle, WA on 12/25/2009

 

5out of 5

Pros: Perfect Size, Comfortable To Hold, Durable, Recycled, Dishwasher Safe, Great Price, Attractive Design, Thick Glass

Cons: Can't think of ONE

Best Uses: Home, Decorative, Commercial, Informal, Formal

Describe Yourself: Stylish, Bargain Hunter, Practical

I love this mug, it is a great size-larger than most conventional mugs, but not an overwhelming size, I use it for tea and coffee and the green glass imparts a great hue to the tea, very attractive-I love them! I found more at a co-op near me and bought 2 more to complete a "set" for me, as well as 2 to buy as a gift for a friend-I liked them that much!

(legalese)

Probiotic sounds sooo much better than antibiotic...

I have been a fan of Lacto-fermented food my whole life, in fact craved them, during all my pregnancies. What are "lacto-fermented foods", you ask? It is not the same as spoiled, as those foods that are properly lacto-fermented won't make you sick. The most popular lacto-fermented foods are yogurt, pickles (though not the kind you find on the food shelves these days), and sauerkraut. Lesser known, though gaining in popularity, are Chutneys, Kefir, and Kimchi. Virtually obsolete are the watermelon relishes, pickled beets, and pickled onion of yore.

What is so great about them is that they are CHOCKED full of healthy probiotics that keep your intestinal flora in balance, why this is important is that they compete with unhealthy bacteria for resources and when continually replenished can keep them in check, such as Candida and Strep B. They are also great because the "Probees" also predigest the foods they are fermenting, making them easily assimilated by the gut and keep the gut from becoming inflamed. When these probees colonize the gut in optimal numbers they can also do part of the hard work digesting foods to keep your gut from becoming overworked and irritated causing things such as IBS. It is thought that many digestive diseases of today (most especially auto-immune diseases such as Celiac's, Crohn's, and colitis), that weren't oft seen hundreds of years ago, are caused by the poor diet that modern man has adopted that precludes lacto-fermented foods among others. One of the largest problem with today's refined foods is pasteurization. While touted as one of the breakthroughs of the 20th century, it isn't necessarily a good thing. Pasteurization not only kills bad bacteria, but also GOOD bacteria necessary for proper digestion--these Lactobacillus are our Symbionts, and we have evolved over thousands of years with them in our bellies. Pasteurization kills many of the enzymes necessary for proper digestion as well. How to Prevent this? Make your own!

It is extremely simple to make your own lacto-fermented foods. While some recipes-largely those involving fruit- encourage you to add whey, you could also substitute Lactobacillus capsules (open and empty them into the mix)-or if you have plain yogurt-before you stir pour the clear watery stuff off the top into your mix-that is whey. Most of the time you just need a jar, your vegetable, whatever spices your require, a large amount of salt, and purified water. I HIGHLY encourage those that attempt this to use organic vegetables as the pesticides used on conventionally grown produce can and will interfere with proper fermentation, the same reason you want to use purified water. Here is a great link and 'how-to' on fermented foods.

If you want to attempt to make yogurt you will need unpasteurized or 'Raw milk' or find a yogurt making "packet" -which is really just the good bacteria that pasteurization burned off. While this may seem scary to some, those that have issues digesting standard milk from the store actually have an easier time digesting Raw milk due to the unadulterated enzymes within. While Raw milk cannot be store bought usually, you can pick it up from co-ops, farmer's markets, and directly from the farm. Here is a helpful link for those interested in finding Raw milk in their area.

My favorite fermented food, introduced to me by my half-Korean husband, is Kimchi. While the term Kimchi is often used to encompass all Korean fermented foods eaten at a typical Korean meal (technically referred to as 'banshan') the most significant is that of Napa Cabbage or Bok Choy.

Kimchi also has the most widespread health benefits I've seen yet from the already healthy status of fermented foods. It has Garlic and onions which fight infections, lower cholesterol, promote B-12 absorption, and regulate blood sugar. The hot peppers are noted for anti-inflammatory activity and cabbage has noted anti-ulcer activity, is high in Vitamin C, and as a whole it acts as a natural detox for your intestines clearing away unhealthy bacteria colonies and stagnation and promoting better nutrient absorption. It can fight obesity as the lactic acid produced by the probiotics promotes proper and quicker digestion which leads to shorter duration in the intestines. That isn't all! Kimchi is reported to prevent cancers of the digestive tract as well as keep skin healthy and young. For those interested in Kimchi (one of the easiest to make) here is a great resource on the nutritional profile and a recipe as well. There is much more than twice the probiotic content of yogurt to this edible delight that was rated as one of the top 5 healthiest foods by Health magazine (as well as 2 other fermented foods..huh?!). You should try it for yourself :)

Thanks to Nagyman @ Wikipedia for the pic :)

Lean Holidays...Fat Fun

So with the economy tanking (as much as the stock market has rebounded in the last 3 weeks, I am still reticent to believe that the United States, or other country's populations are seeing such a rebound locally) I have a feeling that the Holiday season we have all come to expect won't be quite the abundant and extravagant celebration. Instead of dwelling on the have not's this season, our family has decided to make the most of the loss of an untenable situation, and settle into "thrift".

A couple of ideas to get you through decorating, feasting, and gifting for whatever your particular Winter Holiday Traditions are:

• Craigslist:

My favorite used shopping site, though newspaper ads and local bulletin boards are just as handy. You can find gently used decorations *cheap* in large lots, so as to eliminate the nickel and dime-ing of larger stores on per item purchases. You can find great gifts as well-remember gifts that are needed or useful don't have to be new-in fact, it is very eco-responsible to give those used tools, appliances, and RVs a new home rather than purchasing them new from the store. Many times you can find clothing lots in the size you need for children as well, that can get them through a whole season for the price of one outfit new as well. If you want to add your own creative flair, buy a bunch of different blankets and make a patchwork quilt or skirt to give to your Secret Santa this Christmas. The farm and garden section of this useful site also has great deals on produce that people grow and have surpluses on in their personal gardens-take advantage! For those that are having a hard time rubbing two pennies together, what do you have that you don't need anymore? Get rid of those things that are useful, just not to you, and use the barter section to get things to gift, eat, or pretty up your home, which brings me to my next idea.

• Swap meets!

If you don't have one advertise (craigslist?) and start one. Bartering is a great tool for getting by in a rough economy, get rid of those high end shoes you wore once and trade for a 'new' bike for your tot.

• Making do with what you have.

Get creative. Make a garland out of popped popcorn, and turn that too large dress into a hip skirt for your daughter, or a new board game out of scrap wood for your little boy. Cut down your own tree, or make one out of twigs and glue. Tie ribbons out of scraps from your sewing kit, and make ornaments out of old clothes and toys. Get the kids involved and let them get into the spirit of cooperation during the holidays. If you can't afford that Christmas or Thanksgiving turkey, make a chicken or a ham. Plump up your stuffing by dicing an apple you have lying around, or make dinner into a potluck with friends and family, so the financial burden is lessened on all, and make the holidays about community.

• Give a little

Take the family to a soup kitchen to feed the homeless, or have your kids go through their old yet usable toys and give them to a child with less than yours. Buy that extra cranberry sauce and donate it to the food shelf. Times are tough for everyone, and if you have a little extra, be it time or money, to give to someone having a tougher time than you-do it! It puts a smile on everyone's face.

The Holiday Season doesn't have to be about the most lavish feasts and gifts, turn it back into a time of giving, family, and friends and dwell on what you have instead of what you might have lost.

Vitamin D3...the new "IT" vitamin

It's been over a week since my last blog -I KNOW-I do have a life however :) And the vacation I took reminded me of this important vitamin as the last day I was there was also the sunniest and most beautiful day. What am I talking about? The "sunshine vitamin"--Vitamin D3!
Vitamin D3, also called cholecalciferol, is not really a vitamin, but a secosteriod and believed to also be a neurosteriod. It's function is widespread through all body systems (skeletal, circulatory, nervous, immune, digestive, reproductive, and is even mood altering)

Like a plant needs sun to produce Chlorophyll so do we need the sun for Vitamin D3.

The BEST and most efficient way to produce D3 is to go out into direct sunlight for about 20-30 minutes each day. In the summertime, your body will produce about 20,000 IU's of Vitamin D3 when fully exposed for 20 minutes (think: bathing suit). Now wait a minute, isn't that like...oh I dunno... ONE ONE-HUNDREDTH (1/100) of what the Adequate intake is, established by the FDA? Why yes, it is. Which is why I don't pay attention to that at all. I take about 16,000 IU's by oral supplement of D3 in the winter time, as 20 minutes of direct sunlight is just not an option here in the Pacific Northwest. I have had no issues with toxicity either. Current research is actually suggesting that the upper limit of 2000 IU's currently set is a minimum that our bodies need and that the actual requirements may be between 10 and 20 Thousand. However, make sure it is D three you are taking, as there have been mixed reviews about it's cousin D2 or ergocalciferol.

Through my research I have found that "megadoses" of Vitamin D3, in preliminary research, is a potent anti-cancer supplement as well as useful for staving off disease in general by supporting the immune system.
There have been numerous studies outlining the efficacy of D3 supplementation and the remission of cancer, and rather than link each one, I have found an amazing website dedicated to bringing the awareness of Vitamin D3 and it's potential uses and necessity in today's diet, if not derived from the sun itself.

Not only is D3 believed to be a potent anti-cancer supplement, but the deficiency of may also be linked to autism, depression, mental illness, hypertension, heart disease, autoimmune disorders, as well as chronic fatigue and pain. It is widely known-with no small amount of concern, that many of these noted disorders are on the rise; Could this, perchance, be in keeping with the generational turn for indoor pursuits rather than having a natural rapport with the earth and sun?


Most likely. 20 minutes of sun a day can't hurt if I'm wrong-so go work on that tan.

Knitting, Knot for crazy lonely ladies anymore...

So, A couple of years ago a good friend of mine taught me to knit. I was good at for the quarter of the scarf I got done, and then I put down my needles and when I went to go pick them back up, I had forgotten how to go about finishing the darn thing. So I told my dear husband that I wanted to go about buying a knitting book, so I could get back to knitting, and finish the scarf plus start some baby clothing projects-he gave me a crazy look and then gave me this link. It shows you in pictorials, words, and in video format for all types of learners. Now why would I want to go about knitting? You say. And I am ONLY 29 or 34 or .

Knitting (or crocheting) is not for Old ladies, rural Amish, or pregnant barefoot house moms any longer. That stereotype is long gone and knitting, believe it or knot, is cool! You can make neat toys for your little ones, hats for winter in cool shapes and styles, and knit that scarf you've always wanted but, expense-wise, was always out of reach. I suggest you start small, as you may be discouraged early and quit if you try to take on a duster length sweater. Try a stuffed teething toy or a baby cap for the baby you know that's on the way. A great way to be useful, save money, and have a great new hobby!

(Pictures courtesy of PDX Beanies and lulahoops on Etsy.com)

Back to health maintenance...A good thing to have on hand in case the world should go nuts.

Ok, so Colloidal Silver has gotten a bad rap lately and I feel the need to clear up some misconceptions. There is this big scare running around, that I feel has BIG PHARMA written all over it. It's called Argyria. While Argyria is a very real condition, there are only about 3 confirmed cases that have ever been used as evidence. While there is no actual toxic effects from developing Argyria, no one wants to run around looking like a Smurf hybrid, and it is this gray-blue pigmented possibility that it's detractors are trying to scare people with. What no one is bothering to tell you, is that NOT ONE case of Argyria was ever been reported in correlation with true colloidal silver-that is, silver metal nanoparticles suspended in water. Two reported cases were from "home brews" of silver in water with an electrical current run through to create ionic silver, silver that has an electron missing, a state that makes it very co-dependant indeed. What is it that co-dependants need/crave...partnership...awwwww. So these Silver ions will search out partnerships prior to entry and within your body, and one perfect bond is that with Chlorine, such found in simple table salt, to create a Silver salt. This Silver salt in HUGE quantities is what is responsible for the "blue man" syndrome. It acts in much the same way a developing photograph does when exposed to light and "colors" when deposited in the skin. Silver Nitrate, which was found in many nasal sprays of yore, is also a Silver Salt that acts similarly to produce Argyria. However, nonionic silver and silver that is not protein bound, plain metallic silver suspended in purified water has never been shown to produce any adverse effects reported to the FDA. (2)

SO now that we have the 3 ton elephant in the room escorted out, I can tell you the purported (though with testimonials) ailments that silver can rid from your body. Silver is antimicrobial, antifungal, and antiviral-not to all, but most. It has been clinically proven to decimate the number of MRSA in a lab culture to undetectable levels in 5 hours. It was also shown to kill the virus HIV-1 in a laboratory setting as reported by the Journal of Nanotechnology. Various other fungi and bacteria have been tested and all have been shown to die when exposed to Silver particles (that which found in true colloidal suspensions) as well. Also human studies were done to determine whether silver bio accumulates (it does not) and whether Silver changes it's chemical composition when exposed to HCl (stomach acid)-it does not.

People have been taking Colloidal Silver for over a century and there are many pink and brown bodied people out there that have been illness free for a number of years because of their prophylactic use of CS. It is not a cure-all, as the reason silver is so efficient is because it can easily bind with the sulfur compounds on the external capsids of pathogens rendering them unable to reproduce and eventually killing them. These binding receptors may not be available on every pathogen unfortunately, so you won't find a 100% cure-all here. But most is better than none at all!

Winter gardens...not for the tender

So I decided to get off the over-hyped flu issue I addressed in earlier posts and go to something productive. My winter garden. This is my first winter garden and I'm looking forward to doing it well...hopefully. This is a great way to lessen the burden on your pocketbook, while at the same time making sure there aren't harmful chemicals in your food.

I used an area that had been used previously as a garden (we just moved here, so it wasn't ours) noted by the fact that we found a squash tag while hoe-ing it up. And found about 4 earthworms which is a good sign for the quality of soil we have to work with. I DID go out and purchase a bag of organic fertilizer that I can use every 2 months or so, just to make sure my plants are receiving all the nutrients they need. Also if you live in very cold climes (I live in the Puget Sound area so my winters-barring last- tend to be milder) you are going to want a cold frame, and most likely a mulch of some sort (hay or straw works really well!) A cold frame is something easily done on your own, but you can buy them as well. The easiest (and cheapest) way to build a cold frame is with some plastic sheeting (painter's plastic) and scrap lumber and build a short square frame over your plantings and staple your plastic sheeting around it as airtight as possible-then build a "lid" a square flat frame with painters plastic wrapped--you could even get fancy and put it on hinges, or you could do it like this blogger suggested.

I have started my seedlings inside (I started them last week, but it isn't too late) in some peat pots and will transplant them outside once they are about 5 weeks. Except for garlic-- you can actually buy a garlic bulb, separate the cloves, peel, and direct sow right into the soil. I found a fantastic hardneck variety at my Co-op that I am planting for spring harvest called "Korean Purple" 1 Bulb can yield about 10-12 bulbs in spring...yummy.

The plants I have decided to do besides the Korean Purple garlic are: Carrots, Broccoli, Salad Leaf Beets ( a two for one!), and Shallots

Other plants good for a Winter garden are Peppers, Cabbage, Chard, Mustard Greens, Collard Greens, Onions, and Leeks.

When you plant and grow in winter time, the plants go into a type of "survival mode" and store more sugar than in summer plantings, so you get much richer, sweeter flavors, than their summer counterparts.

After your seedlings are well established, you can plant them outdoors--make sure they get into the ground before it gets too hard, and put your mulch over them and then your cold frame atop that (or if you have already built your cold frame over your intended area, plant within and put the mulch atop your plantings and pop the lid closed)

Your plants will still need to be watered, which in VERY cold places can be tricky (for some areas a cold frame may not be enough-greenhouses may be a better bet.) but make sure you aren't putting too warm of water on your plants--too extreme differences in temperature can shock your plants. Most of these plants are pretty hardy, especially to be able to survive winters, and don't need too much looking after, about every other day should be good to test for soil dampness. You can use organic compost or organic fertilizer about every two months to ensure a healthier harvest, and then Viola! come January or February you have the makings for a hearty French Onion Soup...mmm yummy.

The Great Vaccine Debate

This topic is a hot one, but one I can't help but touch upon. Most people are all for vaccinations. Which is their absolute right. However, I am of a different school of thought.
Don't get me wrong, I wasn't born this way, my parents weren't anti-establishment hippies by any stretch of the imagination. I, in fact, was a very pro-vaccine kind of person and debated that position until the evidence against such a stance was overwhelming. So I think instead of attempting to convince anyone, I will just offer evidence that convinced me, and let those that will make their own decision. I had a lot of links and word of mouth evidence thrown at me that I shrugged off, never read, and would rebut without even glancing at the material (ignorant of me, I know), but the one thing that made me go 'hmmm' was the fact that a former director of the NIH was quoted as saying:

"The only safe vaccine is one that is never used."

Dr. James R. Shannon

Now for those that do not know what the NIH is... It is THE largest health establishment in the U.S. It is the nation's medical research facility and much of the nation's health policy is developed as a result of findings within the NIH. SO to have someone say this, whose job was overseeing all of the United States medical research- a large portion of which dealt with vaccination issues- struck a nerve with me. So I took the bait and looked into it myself, and I came away stunned.

Three things jumped out at me at once. Vaccines don't really work, they are full of toxic junk, and they can even make a population sicker.

What I mean by vaccines don't really work, is that well they don't do the job nature intended. In theory, yes "by introducing a pathogen that is weakened the body will form an immune response" sounds good, but in practice it doesn't produce the inflammatory response necessary to overpower a pathogen. Remember our skin and mucous membranes are an intrinsic part of our immune response-they contain resident dentritic cells (our memory cells) that can mount an attack at the first sign of a prospective invader. Basically even before an invader passes the skin/mucous membrane barrier-the dendritic cell is "on it" gathering the cavalry. Vaccines take them out of the equation-think of it as trying to bake bread and not using any yeast-only the half the pan is covered and your bread is hard and flat...you get my point anyways.

Not only that, but many times vaccine makers are using cell cultures that aren't sterile with the genetic material carrying provirus' within them, so that they are released within your own body and you then become infected. There is documented evidence that cancer causing viral strains were transmitted via the polio virus in it's inception, to the unwitting public. Today's vaccine maker's "promise" that their tissue samples are better controlled, however as a provirus, many can hide undetected within DNA until an enzymatic trigger starts them reproducing. And then there is the "attenuated" virus itself. While most of our vaccinated diseases today were on the decline previous to mandates due to the advent of indoor plumbing and handwashing crusades, since the mandates (and by mandates, I mean school required shots) there are actually increases and even pockets of outbreaks within 100% vaccinated populations.

The ingredients in vaccines gave me pause because, well, I am not a chemist. So I did what any confused and needing-to-be-enlightened person would do. I Googled.

Yikes.

While Thimerosal has been taken out of all childhood vaccines besides the Flu shot, there is still the issue of Aluminum and Formaldehyde. Aluminum build-up has been linked to a host of neural defects from ADHD to Alzheimer's. Formaldehyde deteriorates cell metabolism and is cytotoxic and in turn causes cell necrosis. They add free amino acids that alone can become excitotoxins in your body when not part of a larger amino chain (see my sweetener blog). There are a host of other ingredients that have similar "EW!" reactions if you care to take a look.

These vaccines trigger premature thymus cells in babies at a much too early age-that could mature into hundreds of thousand of mature T-cells. A natural early immune response in babies takes up about 10% of these pre-mature thymus cells. A vaccinated individual? 60%. Leaving the immune system depleted for any future encounters with disease.

Between the known and unknown ingredients in our vaccines today, as well as the lack of proper immunity even a "safe" shot containing a minimum of ingredients would impart--I find them completely unnecessary. They have been linked to cancer, autoimmune diseases, neural disorders, behavioral disorders just to give you the short list.

My take? Not worth it. Our immune system evolved over millions of years and our species has made it to the very top of the food chain without the need for invasive and possibly deadly shots.

My choice is clear though it was a struggle to get here, with the world practically yelling that this is GOOD for you. I think shots have become big business, and not about saving lives. If anything, my paranoid brain screams out--"They break you at birth so they can spend the rest of your life "fixing" you and raking in the big bucks" It behooves vaccine makers to keep getting vaccines mandated--as soon as they are, they are covered under legislation that keeps them free from litigation from any adverse effects-including death and then they supply the drugs that treat the illness they imposed. One can only assume that is the reason my children are required about 26 more vaccinations than I at the same age.

Keep your immune system healthy with good food, herbs, and vitamins and chances are that if you do get sick, it will be mild (crappy, but mild). Use common sense of course, and utilize medical facilities when necessary, but people have treated their own illnesses for thousands-nay hundreds of thousands of years. You can too-don't let the hype scare you.

As a side note, my husband (a government worker) was told he could opt out of the H1N1 (SWINE) flu shot that had been previously mandatory. Why? Too much mercury.

Artificially sweet...Isn't that like fake nice?

Artificial sweeteners haven't been getting the attention they deserve. I have done a lot of digging on this topic, and it turns out that not only are they worse for you than the plain ole' sugar packet next to them, they may even make you fatter.
There are 4 main artificial sweeteners running around the globe wearing various brand names. The chemical names of these however are: Saccharin (think pink.), Aspartame (feeling blue?), and Sucralose (yellow is a pretty color!), and Acesulfame K (Potassium) a hider in most refined (see "boxed up") foods.

Saccharin, developed on accident as a byproduct of coal tar derivatives, seems to be surrounded by confusion as it has/hasn't/has/hasn't been deemed dangerous too many times to list. It was banned until the sugar shortages during WWI coincided with the reversal on it's ban in 1912. It has been shown to cause cancer in lab rats (the ammonia in the bladder "activated" (for lack of a better term) the saccharin's ability to pass into the cell causing mutagenic damage, though it has been said that the amount of saccharin used could never be replicated in "real world" conditions.

Sucralose is relatively new to the scene. It was accidentally discovered while attempting to create a pesticide. It is actually "manipulated sucrose" --but really, it is chlorinated sugar (chlorine being a known carcinogen). They remove the Hydroxyl groups in sucrose and replace them with 3 chlorine atoms. mmm yummy. In animal trials, the Thymus-a gland responsible for T-lymphocytes and protection against autoimmunity (things like diabetes, lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, etc.), had shrunken as much as 40%. Lymph follicles were atrophied in they Thymus and Spleen. There were pregnancy concerns such as spontaneous abortion, decreased fetal weight, and lagging labor triggers. Not only that, but up to 2% of contaminated byproducts may be found in yon fake sugar such as: Heavy Metals, Arsenic, Triphenilphosphine Oxide, Methanol (again?), Chlorinated Disaccharides, and Chlorinated Monosaccharide. Google them...not fun. There have been no long term studies done for this product either. Some alleged adverse reactions are: gastrointestinal difficulties, skin rashes, chest pain, anger, severe mood swings, anxiety, wheezing/coughing, and depression.

Acesulfame K (aka Acesulfame Potassium) is lacking enough studies for conclusive evidence either way. One thing IS for sure, it does contain the carcinogen methylene chloride, and long term exposure to this chemical can cause anything from headaches to cancer.

Aspartame appears to be the most prolific, and I have even found it in my cranberry oatmeal that was labeled "all natural", and it also is the most controversial. There is even a condition labeled "Aspartame syndrome" that mimics the symptomology of MS (multiple sclerosis). To give you just a hint of why you should be so alarmed, let's look at the main molecular components of Aspartame. There's aspartic acid (an amino acid), and phenylalanine (another amino acid) that make up 90% of the "'sweetener", at first look not so alarming right? Wrong. Amino acids are fine when ingested as part of a larger protein, but when ingested in their pure form alone, they become excitotoxins and mess with the CNS, cause abnormal nerve transmissions that can be linked to headaches, fogginess, balance issues, and even seizures. And to make bad news worse, it has a cumulative effect on the body as well. They stimulate free radicals in the body, that can deteriorate organ functions as well. Not to be outdone, when Phenylalanine decomposes naturally (during long storage or high temps) it becomes diketopiperazine, a well-known carcinogen. Sound bad? Well, it's not over. The remaining 10% component of Aspartame is methanol, otherwise known as wood alcohol. Go ahead, Google it. Scary huh? A one liter diet pop/soda/carbonated beverage has 8 times the safe legal limit imposed by the EPA on this substance. And if you think you are safe from the carcinogens at high temps, think again--because methanol at cool temperatures gives rise to formaldehyde, which enters cells via the bloodstream and affects cell metabolism and even DNA, accumulating until your body goes wonky and you feel like a pile of dog shit wrapped in someone else's boogers, pissed on, wrapped in a used garbage bag, lit on fire, and then stomped on repeatedly. mmmm fun. The adverse reactions from aspartame consumption are endless as there a multiple toxic reactions stemming from the actives and their decompositions. Ironies of note: Aspartame complicates the complications of diabetes: it has been commented that it makes keeping blood sugar level controlling difficult, and contributes to blindness and neuropathies associated with diabetes as well. And the biggest irony of all--It makes you fat! The formaldehyde stores in the fat cells and when it needs storage, you don't lose! On average when one Doctor weaned his patients off of Aspartame, they lost an average of 19 pounds! Though this is just the tip of the iceberg, and too much for me to list. Go young padawan, research this for yourself.

To be sure, artificial seems NOT the way to go when trying to lessen your calorie burden while still enjoying sweet treats. The good news is, I have a fantastic alternative: Stevia. Stevia is virtually calorie-free, all natural "for realz", and needs no processing to use. "What is this 'Stevia'?" you ask... Stevia is a plant that you grow. Chop up. Put in your lemonade. It even has health benefits, and has been shown to help diabetics maintain blood sugar levels long term and in one study, lowered LDH levels as well.

I have a Stevia plant on my window sill that desperately needs to be transplanted as we speak, which shall supply me with endless sweet teas. There's nothing fake about that.

Victory Gardens...perhaps "Unemployment Gardens" more apt?

So there is a renewed interest in the 1940's Victory Garden. For those of you scratching your head going, "huh?" The Victory Garden was the Depression/Rebuilding's era idea of feeding yourselves to help the country. Looks like now that times are rough once again, people should seriously take a look at starting a garden..an odd post in October perhaps, but there are such things as greenhouses, and even better-you can start your own "grow room".

I know what you are thinking, a "grow room" seriously? Isn't that what marijuana grower's use to hide their illicit activities? Yes, but...

Since the advancement of growing technology, there are (relatively) inexpensive lighting and hydro- or aeroponic systems you can buy to start your year round harvest. Make your veggies and fruits perennials! There are LED lighting systems that use as much as 1/10th the power to grow your gardens and are similarly priced as the 1000W Metal Halide or Sodium lights. And they have anywhere from 50,000 to 80,000 hours before replacement becomes necessary. That is like 7 or 8 YEARS of full time use.

The best part is that you can increase that lifetime by only using them in the winter months and using plain ole' sunshine in the summer. A light that covers approx. 100 square feet (a 10X10 room)is only about a foot in diameter, $200 and most(if not all) are considered "plug and play" which is, you can hang them (with the included hanging chain) and them plug them in and they are ready to go. If you want to do year round growing in a much larger growhouse/greenhouse there is a 300W option that will run you about $750-1250 though some top of the line models run as high as $1800(totally inflated in my opinion).

These lights run very cool as compared to their fluorescent counterparts (and for the paranoid, are not hot enough to register on DEA IR flyby's), they do not contain mercury, are not made of glass and will not shatter, and use a much smaller portion of energy than the "old traditional" lights do. Seems very win-win to me! For the uber "green" you could set this up with a correct wattage solar panel or wind turbine for increased savings.

If you elected to use pots and potting soil you could decrease your initial monetary output (though your food harvest would be lower as well) but overall, if you used these full time, you would realize your savings in just under a year, especially with a hydro or aeroponic system. and even more especially if you used any surplus to sell to friends/family or for bartering. Most, if not all fruits and vegetables can be grown this way and well...with the possibility of famine around the corner(if some economists are to be believed), you just might want your food crop hidden...

Literally, food for thought.

Elderberry ends epidemic early...

While this blog's subtitle IS "Recipes for Life", don't be fooled-This isn't a cooking blog. While my first post may have alluded to it being so, this is a wellness or lifestyle blog, specifically mine, which I wish to share with everyone. That being said, I thought I would stay on the "fighting the flu" theme and talk about Elderberries. Elderberries have been used for centuries, mainly among First Nations peoples and in Europe -and no, not as that fantastic insult in Monty Python's Holy Grail, but as a cure-all for colds and flu bugs.

Sambucus Nigra is the scientific name for the common elder, though nothing about this shrub is common. The flowers have been used to make cordials, soft drinks, and syrup; while the berries have been used to make jams, wines, and most importantly, an extract for medicinal use.

Cough medicines for children were recently pulled off the market and for good reason. In most cases, medicines that we think are a cure are actually symptom depressants, that is, they hinder your own immune system by deflating the immune response. Not only that, their chemical make-up can be dangerous for children and overdoses were frequent. Enter Elderberry syrup. In a double-blind placebo controlled study done at the University of Oslo in Norway, Researcher Erling Thom found that people within the Elderberry Extract group had their symptoms markedly improved by day 3 and virtually gone by day 4, as opposed to the placebo group that did not see noticeable improvement until day 7 and complete recovery until day 8 or later. Most importantly the only "side effect" noted was that one person in the elderberry group disliked the taste (It is a bit sickly sweet). It is noted to be safe for children and infants alike, yay!

Now that we have the medi-speak out of the way-here's my take.

It works.

I use it on my family religiously. For this most recent illness brought home by my oldest, I gave Sambucus brand (by Nature's way-not trying to plug, but I know someone will ask, plus there are some elder extracts out there that don't have the flavonoid content to get you better) but Sambucol is a reputable one as well. My son became ill Wednesday evening, stayed home Thursday, felt much better by Friday, and was healed by Saturday-though he is still a bit hoarse. My daughter started developing symptoms on Saturday and I gave both her and my middle boy (as a precaution) the extract and my daughter is almost fully recovered and my two year old son hasn't become ill yet. If your kids don't like the overpowering sweetness (or you don't) throw it in a small cup of water or juice and, cheers!

A rather glowing testimonial and totally true. Cross my heart.


Either of these extracts can most likely be found at your local co-op and maybe your local grocery store, but in case you are having a hard time locating one, I will include a link on my sidebar to Amazon where you can purchase them online or at the very least know what to look for.

A new twist on an old classic...just in time for flu season

It's that time of year again. Only a couple of weeks since school started and my oldest son already brought the "icks" home. It didn't take long for my daughter to catch it, characterized by sniffles, sneezing, fever, and congestion. SO when this happens in our home, I do my best to fortify their immune reserve by amping up immune-boosting foods in our daily meals. At the trip to our local market I was inspired by the bright wonderful colors of the fall vegetable line-up and dreamed up, what I like to call: Ratatouille ala Pacific Northwest. Not your average ratatouille, this peasant dish has all the makings of a healing food: color, bioactivity, and most of all-TASTE! While the colors gave me the initial inspiration, I crafted this dish on the basic premise of the healing powers of good ole' chicken soup. Classic Ratatouille is a vegetarian dish with layers of vegetables cooked into a stew of sorts with eggplant as the star of the show however, as I was looking for a chicken soup interpretation for the increased Zinc content and the texture issues my children have, I swapped the two. My second "must have" in this recipe was garlic. Garlic is not only great for stinky breath and pores, but it is also a potent anti-viral, anti-bacterial, and anti-fungal and has been shown in studies to combat the cold and flu bugs . It has cardiovascular restorative powers and is thought to have blood sugar regulating effects and cancer fighting properties as well. No kitchen pantry should be without fresh garlic. With all this in mind I began preparing my dish with relish.

Ingredients:

Zucchini -I used Yellow zucchini-a rich bright yellow-gold zucchini with rich flavor-but regular green, or even yellow squash will do. For a family of 4 or less, one large squash stick-for more, grab another. Slice into thin rounds.

Tomato-I used two larger very ripe Roma tomatoes as they seem to have a richer flavor than beefsteak or standard varieties do. Slice these into thin rounds as well.

Shiitake Mushrooms- Is the variety of mushroom I sliced up for it's immune enhancing properties. Some other great mushrooms are: Maitake, Cordyceps, and Reishi. (look for more mushroom info later!)

Orange Bell Pepper- Any 1 bell pepper would do, but food should look good as well as taste great, so for my fall color theme, this worked great- sliced thin.

1 Medium to Large Sweet Onion sliced into thin rings

2 Free Range Chicken Breasts- sliced and diced.

2 Large cloves Garlic-pressed or minced

Herbs de Province (I used a dried pre-mix of my own with Thyme, Basil, Parsley, a small bit o' Rosemary and Crushed Lavender) about 2 teaspoons or to taste

Salt and Pepper to taste

3 Tablespoons Olive Oil

Astragalus root-1 shaved stalk**

-Oh. And 1 casserole dish, preferably round (I used my handy Pyrex round casserole-looked GORGEOUS through the glass.

Saute the chicken breasts for about 2 minutes, then add the Herbs de Province and garlic. Saute until chicken is before or JUST done-then remove chicken and set aside leaving the oil/broth mixture in your saute pan. Add the Onions to the oil/broth and saute until translucent. Grab your round casserole pan and layer the squash in concentric circles until covered (if adding an Astragalus Root to simmer, place under the squash) and add a little salt and pepper, layer the mushrooms similarly, then the tomatoes, bell peppers, and finally add the oil/broth mixture containing the Onions to the top layer-pouring evenly throughout, and for your top layer add your Chicken. Fresh Parmesan Cheese is great with this recipe, but as dairy products can be mucous forming, a tasty alternative is a ground up mixture of Almonds and a pinch of salt.

Bake in the Oven for about 30-45 minutes or until vegetables are tender. I use a spatula to try and preserve the layers and then ladle the broth at the bottom over the top. Garnish at will with Parsley, orange, or even a broccoli "tree".

This was a hit in my house, even with my vegetable averse children.

**optional for the sicker than sick: 1 dried shaved Astragalus root stalk to be placed at the bottom of your casserole dish to steep with the broth. Astragalus is a wonderful immune boosting herb that is great in teas or broths to enhance the body's own immune system in fighting off illness :)