Discovering Kvass!

Kvass. It might be new to the store shelves, but it’s actually an age-old beverage, hailing from Russia and it’s lip-smacking good.

Years ago, I discovered Kvass (Russian for “leaven”) and it definitely raises the bar. Here’s a drink that takes the simplest ingredients and transforms them into a refreshing drink, but what’s more, a healing elixir, too. All starting with bread and water, or beets and salt.

With a simple fermentation process involving sourdough or sourdough rye bread, glucuronic acid is produced. If you’ve never hear of this-don’t worry. All you need to know is that your liver makes this acid, too.  It gathers up toxins and poisons and evicts them from your body.

So, after a glass of Kvass, your body gets a boost of glucuronic acid and can really accelerate the detoxification process.

It’s typically flavored with fruits, such as apples and raspberries or vegetables like beets. I highly recommend you add it to your shopping list or better yet-make it yourself and follow in ancient footsteps when you craft and enjoy this detoxifying drink.

To our health! Or as the Russians say, “На здоровье!”

Here’s a great recipe to try from Sally Fallon’s Nourishing Traditions (page 595):

You’ll need:

• 4-5 slices whole grain sourdough bread

• 2 quarts filtered water

• ¼ cup whey

• 2 teaspoons sea salt

• ½ cup raisins

• 2 apples, peeled and quartered

“Place bread in warm oven until dried out. Place in a large bowl. Bring water to a boil and pour over bread. Let cool before adding sale and whey. Cover and leave at room temperature for 2-3 days. Remove bread and strain into a 2-quart container. Add raisins and apples, cover tightly and store in refrigerator for about 1 month before drinking. Kvass is ready when the fruit floats-a sign that sufficient lactic acid has been produced.”

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Your Own Homemade Toothpowder

Sodium Fluoride, Triclosan (a pesticide according to the EPA!), Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, Propylene Glycol.

These are the common ingredients in your tube of toothpaste. None of them are good for you, your gums, your liver or your pearly whites.

Lately, I’ve received inquiries from folks who are looking for effective and safe toothpastes to use while taking their remedies.

Let me share with you what I personally use and what anyone else can try!

Not only is this toothpaste safe to take when using homeopathic remedies (remember, mint can be an antidote to homeopathic remedies), it is also far safer for the entire body than most products on the market today.

And it's inexpensive to boot!  I also like the idea that moms can make these kinds of products at home with their children in order to teach them the importance of self reliance.

Here’s what you do:

Mix together the following ingredients:

• 1 cup Baking Soda
• ¼ cup French Clay (found at  most health food stores)
• 1 drop essential oil (I like to use cinnamon oil, but other great choices are clove, anise, fennel, myrrh, rosemary, lemon or even orange oils.)

I keep my toothpowder in a pretty porcelain cup.

To use this mixture, just wet your brush and dip it into the toothpowder. In essence, you are cleaning the brush; the mechanics of the brush are what really clean your teeth.

Important note:  Because baking soda is an abrasive, using too much can be detrimental, so a very little goes a long way. If you have too much powder on your brush it can be too abrasive and remove the dentin.

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Go Gluten-Free!

With 1 in 133 in the U.S. affected with celiac disease[1], it’s not too surprising that gluten-free diets are popular these days. But people with Celiac’s disease aren’t the only ones who benefit from gluten-free fare.  Did you know, it’s been estimated that 97% of Americans who have Celiac’s disease are not diagnosed?[2]

Many people are completely unaware that they have gluten intolerances and end up experiencing years of discomfort (in mild cases) and much worse, in others.

I like to challenge many of my clients to go gluten free for 30 days and find out whether or not gluten is the culprit responsible for their health dilemmas.

Why don’t you take the challenge, too?

In the process, you’ll discover new ways to make old favorites as well as creative alternatives. Perhaps you’ll realize that you’re better off gluten, as many already have.

Let me get you started! Check out my gluten-free pancakes and banana bread recipes.  Or how about pizza with an almond flour crust? A simple bread or a festive almond cranberry loaf are good options, too.

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A Homeopathic Remedy for Teachers’ Stress

Teachers have so much on their plates. More and more, middle and high school teachers are faced with disciplinary problems while they strive to maintain a peaceful environment in their classrooms.

One teacher told me that after a long day, she’d come home, lay her clothes out for the next morning and sleep until then, when the whole routine started all over again!

To ensure that you get your much-needed and well-earned Zzz’s, let me offer you a remedy lesson. It could help you become an A+ teacher!

As a homeopathic consultant/educator, teachers frequently come to me for help. Many deal with stress that comes in the form of wakefulness, anxiety or even a nervous stomach.

Sleep can be disturbed when the load of responsibilities and paper work pile high. The remedy Nux Vomica, 30C can be a gift if you frequently wake at 3 AM and can’t fall back to sleep because your mind is wide awake, thinking of the impending day’s tasks.

Those who need Nux vomica can also be plagued with digestion issues such as constipation, bloating, gas and other gastro intestinal complaints. Irritability is a common symptom, too.

It has been repeatedly shown that when Nux Vomica, 30C  is taken four times in one day and then repeated one
week later, sleep and calm are restored and gastro intestinal problems melt away.

(But remember, the specific symptoms listed above must be present, in order for this remedy to do its work. A different set of symptoms calls for a different remedy altogether.  This can make choosing a remedy a bit more confounding, but it’s worth all the effort!)

After the correct remedy has been chosen, sleep can be restored and the peripheral issues will melt away. Can we ask for more?

If Nux vomica doesn’t complete the job, a call to a classical homeopath can be beneficial. It may mean deeper work needs to be addressed.  

There are literally hundreds of homeopathic remedies available, which have been shown to eliminate stress-related problems unique to teachers. A homeopathic consultant can sort through them to find the perfect remedy for you. And when you learn this lesson, pass it along to colleagues and parents.

Homeopathy is medicine without side effects, is safe and most importantly, it works!

 

The information provided in this article is for educational purposes only and may not be construed as medical advice.  The reader is encouraged to make independent inquires and to seek the advice of a licensed healthcare provider.

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Pinworms and Colds; Who Needs Them? Protect Yourself, Teachers!

Can you think of anything worse than the thought of pinworms?  Because pinworms are a common childhood infection, regrettably, they're prevalent  in schools, too.

Consider this your first lesson in homeopathy.

Homeopathy is a method of medicine that has the gentle and powerful ability to deal with easily spread infections, such as pin worms and colds.

Let’s look at two homeopathic remedies that have a reputation of protecting teachers (and students) who’ve been exposed to these common childhood sicknesses.

When the classroom epidemic is pinworms, there is a great little remedy that is reputed to be just as powerful, not only to eliminate them, but which can be used as a prophylactic.

(Remember, the alternative is not a pleasant one. Conventional medicine will suggest a medicine that is a vermicide.  The suffix “cide” means to kill.  This means that the active ingredient is a pesticide of sorts, which kills the worms. We want to get rid of the worms, but not at the expense of harming the body with a vermicide.)

Instead, the remedy Cina creates an unfriendly environment so that the worms will expel themselves.  Cina tincture can be used by taking 6 drops in water, then sipping the water throughout the day for 15 days in a row.  It should be repeated one month later in the same manner. This is the advice of practicing homeopaths of India where this kind of infestations is even more prevalent than in the U.S.

Homeopathy has helped many teachers from getting contaminated with this insidious infection even when nearly the entire class is affected.

For colds, my favorite remedy for our family is Oscillococcinum.  In France, it is the top selling, over-the-counter medicine of any kind.  They use it as the premiere remedy to abort a cold or flu before it comes on or before it comes on in full force.  The French take it as a preventative as soon as the first student begins to sniffle and then one day each week for a month, then one day each month until the cold season is over.

Plenty of other Europeans and Americans use it too.

That’s because the protection it offers can be significant, as long as it’s taken before the symptoms get a foothold.  Oscillococcinum is reputed to be particularly valuable when the colds and flu’s come about during the wet and cold seasons, such as autumn and spring.  Some say it’s infallible.

All of these remedies are available at health food stores and many pharmacies and will cost no more than $15.  Additionally, homeopathy will not interfere with any meds you may already be taking.

If you find that your health is too often plagued by the latest illness in school, give homeopathy a try.  It may even become the discovery you innovate in your next science class.

Pinworms and Colds; Who Needs Them? Protect Yourself, Teachers is solely intended to provide a format in assisting the student in learning the principles of Homeopathy.   It is in no way to be considered a substitute for a consultation with a health professional.

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Back to school? 5 Tips to outsmart lunch menus!

Children learn many things in the school, don’t they? Math equations, pronouns, sports and games, but the last thing you want them to soak up is a taste for nutritionally vacant and maybe even harmful foods.  Cafeteria foods are notoriously unhealthy and gross. (I remember visiting with the head cook at my son’s school and found that nearly every item in the pantry contained MSG.)

Yes, they must go to school, but that doesn’t mean that they can’t learn invaluable lessons from you and their lunch box, too

Here are 5 easy and fun snacks to snuggle in their lunch box:

• Surprise Pot! A bell pepper opened to look like a jack-o-lantern stuffed with different surprises for each child. Try carrot or celery sticks, cherry tomatoes, cheeses cut into fun shapes, raisins, grapes or dried cherries and top the pepper again with its little cap.

• Pirate Loot! Skewered slices of apples, pears, peaches, etc., on little plastic swords. (Remember to dip the fruit in lemon juice so that it retains its color!) 

• Cheese Poppers! Old fashioned popcorn, drenched with butter and coated with Romano cheese, oregano, basil, garlic, salt and pepper. (Hot sauce is a nice touch if your child(ren) enjoy spicier foods.)

• Cinnamon Milk! Send them with a thermos of warmed raw, unpasteurized, non-homogenized whole fat milk with a sprinkle of cinnamon and a splash of vanilla extract.

• Pick-Up-Sticks! Cut stick-size pieces of carrots, celery, cucumbers and peppers and toss along with fresh green beans. Make an easy dip of sour cream and chives for them to dip. (If you’d like a sweeter option, try stick-size slices of apples, pears and nectarines with a homemade dip of yogurt and raw honey.)

Check out these and other fun ideas in my audio CD, “Secret Spoonfuls. Confessions of a Sneaky Mom”!

 

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11 Ways to Get Whole Foods into Your diet; Make Your Own in a Jiffy

What do I mean by whole foods? I mean pure foods….. Those foods that are not adulterated by pasteurization, homogenization, preservatives, denaturing and manipulative processes.

I mean foods as they are and as God intended. True, there are some methods that we’ve come up with, to enhance beautiful and whole foods, but it’s only to add an extra spark of vitality and never to take it away. I don’t recommend eating any product that’s been so far removed from the original, that there’s practically nothing of the original left in it. Instant mashed potatoes? Dried cheese powders? Breakfast cereals? 1% milk? Abominations, every single one.

Try these 11 ideas instead:

•  Make your own calcium-rich Vinegar: Place several eggs (still in the shell) in a canning jar, and cover with raw, unfiltered apple cider vinegar. After a day or so, the shell will have dissolved, discard the eggs, and strain the vinegar through cheese cloth. What you have left is a calcium-rich vinegar, which you can use in cooking and in your next Salad Dressing.  Better than any calcium tablets on the market..and free!

•  Make your own Salad Dressing. Easy and edifying. Use your calcium-rich vinegar and cold-pressed olive oil. Add some spices, onion powder, Celtic salt and pepper.

•  Make your own Bone Stock. This is the easiest way to get calcium. Minimal effort produces a nutrient dense source of gelatin and protein and a delicious start to any soup or grain. Use it for soups, casseroles, sauces and the liquid for cooking your rice, beans and pasta.  (Check out my CD, “Secret Spoonfuls” for this and other great recipes)

•  Make your own Thick Homemade Crockpot Yogurt. An ancient food, delicious on its own, in smoothies, in dips, or even added to bread recipes.  Remember to use whole fat milk.

•  Make your own Pickled Cucumbers. Great as a snack, on the go or on the side. Long lasting and packed with healthy enzymes  (Check out my CD, “Secret Spoonfuls” for this and other great recipes)

•  Make your own Kombucha. Easy to make, refreshing but more importantly, great for you.

 •  Make your own sweets, like my…Moose Mounds and In-the-freezer-Cookies (Check out my CD, “Secret Spoonfuls” for this and other great recipes). Wait ‘till you taste these

•   Make your own Breakfast. Start your day with proteins like eggs and bacon fried in bacon fat (nitrate free and free range, of course!). Try this instead of cereal, toast or bagels.

•   Make your own Breakfast Smoothie. (Check out my CD, “Secret Spoonfuls” for this and other great recipes) Fast, delicious and easy.

•  Make your own Mayonnaise. Use raw eggs, olive oil, mustard and lemon juices. Avoid soybean, corn, safflower and canola oils and instead use almond oil.  Inexpensive, quick, gourmet and nutritious.

•  Find your own Dairy Farmer and drink local raw milk! Ask around at Farmer’s Markets and small farms.

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