I think everyone should start their week by watching this video:
Would the world be a better place if we all had a pair of these glasses?
Thelma and Louise
Did I happen to mention how much I love our chickens? Chickens are one of our best investments. This is Thelma and Louise. I know we shouldn’t name them, but I can’t help myself. They each have their own unique personality. So how could we not name them??? These Barred Rock chickens look exactly the same. I can tell the difference because Louise always runs up to me and starts talking. I wish I understood ‘chicken speak,’ but I’m pretty sure she’s always saying the same thing – “Please give me more organic oats!”
Which is Healthier – Juicing or Blending?
Someone is always asking: Which is better – juicing or blending?
Which is better? Juicing juice or blending smoothies? If you’re looking to improve health, there’s no question. Juicing removes the pulp/fiber which allows the body to quickly absorb nutrients. Using a blender, even a high-priced blender, keeps the fiber which slows nutrients from entering our bloodstream. Because the fiber remains in a smoothie, we feel fuller and it’s impossible to get the quantity of nutrients available with juicing. We simply can’t drink that much fiber. There’s a reason Gerson Therapy® uses juicing–juicing can improve health. Don’t get me wrong–smoothies can be beneficial, too, especially when we replace non-foods with real food.
In case you don’t already know, “The Gerson® Therapy is a natural treatment that activates the body’s extraordinary ability to heal itself through an organic, plant- based diet, raw juices, coffee enemas and natural supplements.”
I was long overdue when I finally replaced my centrifugal juicer with a masticating juicer. I knew the masticating juicer had a bigger health benefit; the only thing holding me back was the price. My Jack LaLanne juicer had served me well for many years and was a good price at under $100. I purchased it when I was first becoming a ‘foodie,’ and knew nothing about juicing and probably less about health and wellness. A masticating juicer is easy to disassemble and cleans up fast. The pulp is much drier and my chickens love it. (Coming soon – my cracker recipe using all that pulp!)
My Omega NC800HDS juicer is not only capable of juicing fruits and vegetables, making nut butters, and making frozen desserts, but can juice wheat grass, and extrude pasta. Even though pasta isn’t a staple in my home, I’m happy to have a way to make it using my own healthier ingredients, like glyphosate-tested Jovial’s Einkorn Flour. It’s great that I not only didn’t have to pay for extra parts to use this for more than a juicer, but I also didn’t need to find extra space in my kitchen to store other big, clunky accessories.
Four things that impress me most about my Omega juicer:
1. It goes together and comes apart easily and quickly. (I like that I don’t need my reading glasses to put it together or take it apart.)
2. I can juice wheatgrass.
3. It comes with extra parts to make desserts and pasta.
4. And best of all—cleaning is a breeze. I spend much more time washing my fruits and vegetables than I do washing this juicer. A brush is included which makes cleaning the strainer easy.
3. It comes with extra parts to make desserts and pasta.
4. And best of all—cleaning is a breeze. I spend much more time washing my fruits and vegetables than I do washing this juicer. A brush is included which makes cleaning the strainer easy.
Why I chose the Omega NC800HDS over other masticating juicers:
1. Successfully juices wheat grass without purchasing extra parts.
2. Makes frozen fruit sorbet/desserts without purchasing extra parts.
3. Horizontal model is easy to clean, with less parts than the vertical model.
4. Includes 6 nozzles and 1 juicing screen.
This particular model, according to the Omega website, has a ‘bigger’ chute for the fruits/vegetables. The Omega website states, “The size of the feed chute is larger so you spend less time prepping before juicing.” (I would honestly hate to see the smaller chutes because it is quite small.)
Two things I learned about this juicer:
1. The drum locking clip tends to stick. I keep a spray bottle with water handy and, after unplugging the unit, I carefully spray the drum locking clip to force out any juice so it won’t stick.
2. The juice strainer sometimes needs extra cleaning. I need to occasionally soak the juice strainer in hot water and dishwasher detergent and scrub it with a toothbrush. I then wash and rinse. (Never put any parts in the dishwasher!)
I always juice more fruits and vegetables than I can immediately drink. Although it’s recommended to immediately drink the juice before nutrients start to degrade, I seal leftover juice in a canning jar with my Foodsaver Jar Sealer and store in refrigerator. Below is my juicer and the Foodsaver I would buy (with the roll storage) if I needed a new one:
Grab this eBook while it’s free! The 40 Best Quick and Easy Juice Recipes: – for Better Health, Weight Loss and Delight
The Norwalk is said to be the best juicer available. With a $2500 price tag, it’s clearly not for everyone, including me. If I was ever told I had cancer, though or seriously suspected I had cancer, I might desperately search for a way to purchase this juicer so that I could properly follow the Gerson® Therapy.
Homemade Toothpaste – Secret to the Right Consistency
No More Plaque
Ralph Nadar exposed the Dirty Dozen in Cancer Prevention News, in the Fall 1995 issue. The toothpaste I used at the time, Crest Tartar Control, happened to be on that list. I quickly moved to better, more trusted toothpastes. I have only used homemade toothpaste for a few years. I’m glad I switched!
I’ll admit my surprise when my dental hygienist said, “you no longer have plaque on your teeth.” She also said, “you only have stain from drinking coffee or tea.” Then she asked, “Are you using baking soda?” I actually thought to myself, hmmm…it must be well-known at least in the dental community, that baking soda removes plaque, and Wow, if I gave up coffee, tea, and any stain-causing drinks, what would she do during my appointment?
Too Sloppy or Too Hard?
If you’ve ever made your own toothpaste, you know it’s usually too sloppy in the summer and too hard in the winter. I had to experiment to keep my toothpaste softer in the winter and more solid in the summer. Coconut oil is solid at 76° and stays liquid above that temperature. Coconut oil and orange essential oil are both known teeth whiteners.
The Right Consistency
My secrets to keeping the right consistency: In winter, I add fractionated coconut oil (FCO) or MOM (Milk of Magnesia) In the summer, I omit the FCO and add more baking soda. I keep adding baking soda until it’s the consistency I want. To make adjustments in temperatures under 76°, it needs to be heated until melted or added to a food processor (I use this mini-processor). I sometimes use a bigger processor to make more at once. Since we all keep our homes at different temperatures, we’ll all use different amounts of FCO and baking soda. Start with my basic recipe and go from there—adding either more FCO, MOM, or more baking soda.
Each Family Member Should Have Their Own Jar
You’ll need to dip your toothbrush into the jar. Please give each family member a jar of their own toothpaste. It’s not a good idea to spit this toothpaste out into your sink. CAUTION: Coconut oil is great at clogging drains. I always use organic coconut oil as my base, but for making do-it-yourself recipes like this one, I sometimes use the lesser expensive, organic refined coconut oil.
UPDATE
UPDATE: At my most recent cleaning appointment in March 2016, I again asked if I had any plaque. My hygienist said, “No, only stain from coffee.” She suggested I use a whitening mouth rinse and then added “they contain hydrogen peroxide.” Of course, I won’t use chemical-laden mouth washes. I typically had a cavity every one to two years, but I’ve not had a cavity in the six years I’ve been drinking Zija International’s Supermix which is primarily moringa oleifera (a plant). Zija International was the company that brought moringa to the United States in an enzymatically alive, bioavailable, easy-to-re-hydrate packet. Zija has since been purchased by Isagenix. You can find it here: Isagenix Zija Supermix.
Please note: This is my experience; you might not have the same results.
It’s Worse Than Chronic Lyme Disease
What Could Possibly Be Worse Than Chronic Lyme Disease?
Did you know there’s actually something worse than Chronic Lyme Disease? Becoming re-infected and having to recover from it again. And again. And yet again. Especially, when you were finally headed in the right direction and feeling better. If you don’t know anything about Lyme Disease (and you probably don’t unless you have Chronic Lyme Disease yourself) it’s a debilitating disease that steals our lives, our money and for many—our friends and family. There’s no cure and none in the foreseeable future. But that’s a story for another time.
It all started Sunday, when I woke with a sore throat. I thought, great, a second attempt at getting a cold this winter. I’ve not had a cold in at least four years. Mainly, since I learned the importance of good nutrition. It also helps I’m a fan of Andrew Saul who says about Vitamin C, “The reason one vitamin can CURE so many conditions is that a deficiency of one vitamin can CAUSE many conditions.” Whenever I’ve felt a sniffle that feels like a cold coming on, I promptly pay attention to his common sense: Respiratory Illness, (oh yeah, whatever did happen to that bird flu he mentions?) AND I increase my intake of Zija’s Supermix since it has 92 all-natural, from-a-plant nutrients.
Sunday, my symptoms started with a sore throat. I immediately started taking Vitamin C and it didn’t help. Absolutely no relief. Within a couple hours, my temperature soared and I had migrating body aches EVERYWHERE. My symptoms only continued to get worse.
Remembering what a warm winter we’ve had, it suddenly hit me—it’s the Lyme Flu. I remembered back to the other two times I had it. This felt exactly the same. Maybe I should back up.
What’s the Difference Between a Cold and a Flu?
I learned from my daughter’s pediatrician many years ago, the main difference between flus and colds are: with flus we have body aches and fevers, colds we have neither. Antibiotics do not work for either. I later learned we don’t have flus here, in the United States, in the summer.
The first time I realized I had the Lyme Flu was in the middle of summer. I’d been bitten by a tick a couple weeks earlier. I developed a sore throat that, within hours, graduated to a 103.5° temperature and horrible, migrating body aches. The worst sore throat I’ve ever had and body aches were almost intolerable. I couldn’t walk more than 5 feet without wanting to vomit. When the aches seemed to be more concentrated in my knees and neck, I suddenly realized, this is the Lyme Flu.
Since I’d been on high-dose antibiotics for quite some time for Chronic Lyme Disease, I had some leftover antibiotics. I decided the worst that would happen, if it was a regular flu in July, the antibiotics would do nothing. I had nothing to lose by taking them.
I was shocked the next morning when I was actually able to function. I showered and drove a half hour to a scheduled appointment with my doctor. I told her what happened and she said it was probably the plaquenil, an anti-malaria drug, that worked so quickly. She agreed it had to be Lyme Flu because antibiotics don’t work on viruses. I learned antibiotics can be a good diagnostic tool.
You Do WHAT With Bees?
So this Tuesday morning it hit me—this was probably Lyme. Why hadn’t I thought about that possibility yesterday or even Sunday? This has been an unseasonably warm winter—Christmas was almost 70°. My dog had a tick on January 7th.
By now, I could barely swallow and the thought of swallowing a handful of antibiotics was not pleasant. I’m sure glad I did. Within a couple hours my sore throat started to abate and by Tuesday night, I could swallow without horrible pain. Twenty-four hours later, I was much better and could actually function again.
The pain of knowing I’ll still have to fight this longer to avoid more symptoms will linger a long time. If you’re not familiar with Chronic Lyme Disease, many people try BVT (Bee Venom Therapy) in an attempt to recover. That should help you understand how evil Chronic Lyme is, when people resort to stinging themselves 30 stings a week.
My butler is making me some homemade chicken soup. He’ll add lots of garlic just before serving me. It won’t cure Lyme Disease nor cure Chronic Lyme Disease, but it sure will taste great since my appetite is finally back. Okay, so he’s really my husband, but for today, let’s just say he’s my butler.
