Wholebodyhealing44

Health & Wellness through Joy & Awareness


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Turmeric ~ A Powerful Little Root!

Recently a wonderful little root by the name of Turmeric has grabbed my attention. Because I wanted to know more about it, I have done a bit of research on it’s possible Health benefits. What I have found is listed below:
Turmeric is an Antioxidant, it may help the body in the healing process for the following conditions:
• Inflammation
• Heart Health
• Alzheimer’s
• Natural Painkiller
• Skin Health
• Cancer

Primally Inspired’s link: http://www.primallyinspired.com/turmeric-tea-liver-detox/ has the most wonderful home made Turmeric Tea recipe that you must check out!

Ways that you can incorporate Turmeric into your diet:

• Can be grated and added to smoothies or Home made Juice
• Can be added to your Soups, stews or chili
• Sprinkle it on your veggies as you sauté
• Add it to your Casseroles
• Sprinkle it on your salads
• Mix with other spices and sprinkle on homemade Kale chips or any other veggie chip

There are so many creative ways to add this wonderful spice into your diet!!

Interactions – Be cautious with the following combined with Turmeric (Thank you Web MD):
Medications that slow blood clotting (Anticoagulant/Antiplatelet drugs) interacts with turmeric.

Turmeric might slow blood clotting. Taking turmeric along with medications that also slow clotting might increase the chances of bruising and bleeding.

Some medications that slow blood clotting include aspirin, clopidogrel (Plavix), diclofenac (Voltaren, Cataflam, others), ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin, others), naproxen (Anaprox, Naprosyn, others), dalteparin (Fragmin), enoxaparin (Lovenox), heparin, warfarin (Coumadin), and others.

Further interactions ~Thank you University of Maryland Medical Center for the following information:
Drugs that reduce stomach acid — Turmeric may interfere with the action of these drugs, increasing the production of stomach acid:
• Cimetidine (Tagamet)
• Famotidine (Pepcid)
• Ranitidine (Zantac)
• Esomeprazole (Nexium)
• Omeprazole
• Lansoprazole (Prevacid)

Drugs for diabetes (that lower blood sugar) — Turmeric may make the effects of these drugs stronger, increasing the risk of hypoglycemia (low blood sugar).

What does Turmeric taste like??

In my opinion ground/powdered Turmeric is a bitter tasting spice. I would advise you to start with a very small amount and then continue to add more until it reaches your own personal taste!

The grated root has a less bitter taste. I would advise that you always start with a small amount of any new herb or spice…it is much easier to add more in then to take some out if you have added too much!!

How much to take?? Thank you Living Strong for the following information
http://www.livestrong.com/article/385952-how-much-turmeric-to-take/:

I hope you will try Turmeric as a part of your healthy eating routine!!

Until next post Love, Health and Serenity…
Roxanne


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Raw Cheesy Kale Chips ~ *WARNING* VERY Addicting!

Last week I visited my sister Theresa. She always makes the most wonderful treats, whether they are sweet or savory they are ALWAYS wonderful! She had made Cheesy Kale Chips, and let me tell you they are beyond amazing! She sent me on my way with many treasures, one being a baggie filled with chips to share with Rich. When I got home I asked him to try 1….he liked it and tried another…… I closed up the baggie and put it on the kitchen counter. The next day when I went to eat a few, I couldn’t find the baggie so I asked him if he knew where they went…he answered…”Yeah, I ate them.” I am very happy that he likes them because I’ll be switching them in for his regular Tater Chips 🙂 However, I am now craving more Yummy Cheesy Kale Chips!!

I am so excited that I will have my very own Excalibur Dehydrator in the next couple of weeks…I love tax time 🙂 My home will then be overflowing with all kinds of raw treats…both savory and sweet!

This recipe is brought to you by my sister Theresa Hinckley, of Theresa Rose’s Garden. Her Facebook Page is amazing and jam packed with all kinds of fun and interesting information, recipes and quotes. Please take a minute to stop by and visit her! If you find her page to be a Happy little space filled with wisdom love and grace, please press ‘Like’

Raw Cheesy Kale Chips

2 packages Kale
4 red peppers
2 cup raw cashews
1/2 cup sesame seeds
1/2 tbsp pink salt
juice of three limes or one big lemon
1/2 cup nutritional yeast
1 tb soy sauce or coconut aminos
1 tsp tobasco smoked chipotle sauce

Rip the kale into pieces..while taking off the stem. I use a huge stainless steel bowl. Put the pepper in the bottom of the blender first with the lime or lemon juice, salt, soy sauce, chipotle and then the nuts and seeds and nutritional yeast. Blend on high until a nice smooth paste. Taste it and think about eating the whole thing straight…this is where I think OMG I could eat this like a soup, or a dip for veggies. Now pour it over the kale leaves in the big bowl and massage it in…this helps break up the fibers. Spread on dehydrator sheets…use teflex. Turn on to 110 degrees, usually for 24 hours. I start in the afternoon and then next morning turn the chips over..you have to taste them as they dry..chewy warm cheesy goodness. You will want to eat them all then too!

I hope you will put these on your list of things to try…not only are they good, but they are good for you!

*WARNING* Once you make these Cheesy Kale Chips…it’s all over….you will definitely become ADDICTED!!

Until next post Love, Health and Peace
Roxanne


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Black Bean “Spaghetti”

Black Bean Pasta

This will be a very short and quick post. Something I wanted to share with anyone who is Gluten Free. I have discovered another Gluten Free alternative for pasta!! It is amazing and tastes so good!! It is Organic Black Bean Spaghetti by Explore Asian. The only ingredients in this product are Black Beans and water.

All you do is bring your pan of water to a boil, drop the pasta in and once it starts to boil again let it cook for 6 minutes and it comes out *P*E*R*F*E*C*T*…You can mix in veggies like mushrooms, lightly steamed broccoli, raw onion or any other veggie that you like and Enjoy!! OR you can add tomato sauce!! So good! This pasta has a texture that is unexplainable and addicting!! I hope you give it a try….it is sooooo worth it 🙂

Until next post…Love, Health and Peace
Roxanne


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Yummy Honey Mustard Chicken

This is an amazing recipe that I found on http://grandmotherskitchen.org/recipes/honey-mustard-almond-chicken-thighs-or-breasts-recipe.html. I used Chicken Breasts and I must say this was amazing!! I think you could use it on wings as well!! Thank you Grandmothers Kitchen for this wonderful recipe!

Ingredients

1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
8 boneless skinless chicken thighs
1 large red pepper, seeds removed, sliced into strips
3/4 cup honey, divided
3/4 cup Dijon mustard, divided
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup finely slivered almonds
1/2 teaspoon curry powder
Small amount of fresh parsly sprigs, chopped for garnish

Directions

1 Place chicken thighs in a shallow dish.
2 In a small bowl, combine the salt, black pepper, cayenne, and dried thyme; sprinkle evenly over the chicken thighs.
3 In another bowl, add 1/2 cup honey, 1/2 cup mustard, and garlic; stir to combine; pour mixture over the chicken.
4 Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours.
5 Take chicken out of marinade and discard marinade.
6 Place chicken, slivered almonds and red pepper sliced in a lightly greased, foil lined broiler pan.
7 Bake at 375 degrees for 40 minutes or until chicken is done.
8 In a small bowl, combine the remaining honey, the remaining mustard, and the curry.
9 Pour the sauce over the chicken and serve garnished with choped parsley.

Original Honey Mustard Almond Chicken Thighs Or Breasts Recipe found at Grandmothers Kitchen Recipes.


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Bones, Bones ~ Healthy, Flexible, Strong Bones!!

In order to have strong and flexible bones we need Calcium, Collagen and Vitamin D to start. As we all know Calcium makes the bones strong, Vitamin D helps the bones to absorb the Calcium and of course the Collagen not only makes our skin young and pliable, it also makes our bones flexible. Listed below are some foods that will help with Collagen release in the body and vegetables that contain Calcium.
Although I believe in getting the majority of my vitamins and minerals from whole foods, Vitamin D rich foods are hard to come by and you would have to eat a truck load in order to get what you need. There are 2 different types of Vitamin D – D3 which is Vegetarian D and D2 which is an animal based D.

An average amount of Vitamin D may be 1,000 to 2,000 mg. a day. HOWEVER, it is BEST to check with your Health care provider to find out what would be the correct dosage of vitamin D for you to take. There are certain circumstances where your Health Provider may suggest a very high dose of vitamin D.

Collagen is a form of protein that has a lot of responsibility in the body. It helps maintain the strength and integrity of the skin, bones, cartilage, muscles, organs, connective tissue and teeth. As you age, collagen tends to decrease. This is especially seen in the skin as wrinkles start to appear. Although collagen is not directly found in foods, there are several foods that help promote its release in the system.

Antioxidants
Antioxidants help to boost your immunity. These can be found in various fruits that also help promote collagen. Examples of these include beets, red peppers, blueberries, prunes, blackberries, cherries, raspberries and stewed tomatoes.
Omega Foods
Omega-3 fatty acids are healthy fats that the body cannot produce on its own. Foods that contain these fats can also promote collagen in the body. Examples of these foods are Brazil nuts, almonds, pecans, cashews, flax seeds and cold water fish like salmon, halibut, herring and mackerel.
Vegetables
There are a number of vegetables that are low in calories, high in vitamin C and they help promote collagen. Examples of these include asparagus, kale, cabbage, collards and baby spinach.
Avocados
Avocados are high in monounsaturated fat, fiber and potassium. One other thing they can do is promote collagen. They can be eaten as they are, or you can also find them in the form of avocado oil.
Genistein
Soy has a substance called “genistein” in it that can help promote the release of collagen in your body. Other than soy beans themselves, soy products can include miso, tempeh and tofu.
Meats
Meats are known for their high protein content, and some of them are also high in fat, like red meat. But they can also help promote collagen in the body. Examples are beef, chicken, turkey, pork and duck. Eggs and game meats like venison and bison can also help promote collagen.
Thank you Living Strong for this information:
http://www.livestrong.com/article/21989-foods-containing-collagen/

Also:
Garlic
Garlic is a good source of sulfur which is necessary to produce collagen in your body. Garlic also contains large amounts of lipoic acid and taurine, which are essential for rebuilding damaged collagen fibers. When cooking pasta, soup, meats and other dishes, be sure to add plenty of garlic.
Tomatoes
You probably know that tomatoes contain a great amount of lycopene. What you don’t know is that lycopene helps fight collagenases. Collagenases are basically enzymes that destroy the collagen in your body. To make the most of tomatoes, it’s better to cook them than eat them raw. Stew or grill vegetables, or make your own tomato sauce for pasta.
Dark Green Vegetables
Leafy greens and other green vegetables are known for their high nutritional content. As if that wasn’t enough reason to consume them, dark green veggies have also been found to contain agents which help in collagen production. Some examples of the vegetables you can enjoy are spinach, asparagus and kale. Not only do they help in the production of collagen, but they also help your body use this protein more effectively.
Foods Rich in Omega-3
Omega-3 is a fatty acid which is considered to be a good fat. Unfortunately, a lot of people do not get enough Omega-3 with their diet. Instead, they end up consuming excessive amounts of bad fats. Omega-3 promotes smooth, supple and soft skin so you might want to consume it regularly. Omega-3 is found in most cold water fish like tuna, salmon and mackerel. If you don’t eat fish, you can sprinkle flax seeds in your meals instead or take supplements of flax seed oils.
Red Fruits and Vegetables
Aside from tomatoes, red fruits and vegetables are also considered good sources of lycopene. Beets and red peppers make tasty additions to your diet. Aside from lycopene, these red natural foods also contain plenty of antioxidants which promote collagen and battle other signs of aging.
Thank you 3 Fat Chicks:
http://www.3fatchicks.com/6-foods-that-enhance-collagen-production/

Love, Health and Joy to you until the next time….
Roxanne


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Dedicating, Connecting, Awakening and Programming your Crystals

This is a very easy procedure and it will help you open to your Crystals. All of these steps are simple and Spiritually awakening.

Dedicating is easy…”My use for this Crystal is only to work with love, light and the very best intentions for all”. You can use your own words to dedicate your Crystal as long as you have the basic thought of working It with love and the best intentions.

To Connect to your Crystal all you have to do is visualize your Crystal…close your eyes, see your Crystal and just think “I connect to the healing Energy of my _____ this being the Crystal you are connecting to. You may feel a tingling, heat or even goose bumps or you may feel nothing at all. Once you do this step you ARE CONNECTED to your Crystal.

Awakening your Crystal is another easy step. This can be done in several ways: Going to the beach and striking the crystal against the sand, holding your Crystal and ringing wind chimes, Placing a tuning fork against your Crystal after striking it on a rock or another Crystal, ringing a Crystal singing bowl.

Programming a Crystal is just stating to your Crystal what you expect It to do for you.
According to Melody “Programming is the process of instructing the energies of the Crystal in the method in which to use its qualities of transformation, stability and attunement. Precise directions are required or the response will be less than that which is intended.

“The act of holding a crystal and intending to use it for a specific purpose is the simplest form of programming (ie: for healing or meditation crystals).”
Melody
Love is in the Earth
A Kaleidoscope of Crystals

———————————————————————————-
**In metaphysical terms, programming a crystal is storing an energy pattern in a crystal. The energy pattern programmed into the crystal can be any thought, color, emotion, sound, or any other vibration. These vibrations can be accessed to bring those energies into use.
This is another way to program a crystal so that you or someone else can benefit later from the energy pattern programmed into it. If you have a different method you prefer, use it. I don’t believe there is one way to do it, but rather many, and you should choose the one(s) that suit you best.

Needed to Program Your Crystal:
• The Crystal
• Clear Intent – Know what you want to program the crystal to do.
• Focused Action – This method is one focused action.
Step One – Clear your crystal with whatever method you prefer, and sit down with your crystal at your personal altar or in a place that you’re not likely to be disturbed while you are programming your crystal. .
Step Two – Hold the crystal in your dominant hand (right hand if right handed) and clear your mind of unrelated thoughts. Start to focus on your intention for the programming of your crystal.
Step Three – Focus on your intention for your crystal by saying descriptive words aloud. For instance, if you want to program your crystal to bring peace of mind, start repeating the words “peace of mind” over and over again. A whisper is fine if a normal tone of voice would attract distracting attention from others.
Step Four – Repeat your intent verbally into your non-dominant hand, then place that hand over your crystal to push the vibrations into the crystal.
Step Five – Continue holding the crystal and repeating your intention until it feels as though the vibrations have sunk into the crystal fully. If necessary, repeat step four.
Once your intuition tells you or you have a sense that the crystal has accepted the vibrations, open your hands and thank the crystal. The crystal is now programmed.
This method can also be used with tumbled stones, spheres, polished crystals, and natural chunks of minerals, as well as natural crystals.
To retrieve and use the crystal’s program, hold and rub the crystal while asking (silently or out loud) for its programming to be released and those energies come out.
To erase the crystal’s program, simply clear the crystal with intent to remove the programming.
**This information is courtesy of Robyn A. Harton
http://www.crystalsandjewelry.com/index.html
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Last but certainly not least is to always give thanks to your Crystal for its healing and love. Gratitude for your Crystal and Its healing energies is a very important practice not only for your Crystals but for your own Spiritual Growth.

Water Kefir Grains/Crystals

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Water Kefir 36 hours into the first Fermentation

Water Kefir 36 hours into the first Fermentation

I have found something new that I have just fallen in love with. A fermented beverage called Water Kefir…this is a probiotic drink that tastes great, is fizzy and super healthy. Water Kefir is an amazing drink that you can make at home very inexpensively, easily and in any flavor that you like! It only takes 24 to 48 hours to brew up your own “Magic Potion”!

I have made Lemon/Cayenne (Yumm!) Blackberry (Yumm!) Peach (Yumm) Peach/Blackberry (Yumm!) and Grapefruit (Yukkkkk!!!) all (except the grapefruit) were excellent. My future experiments will be Cantaloupe/cucumber among others. So far my favorite is the lemon/cayenne. My garden is filled with cucumbers and cantaloupe and that is why I will be experimenting with these flavors! I have learned through experience what works for me and what does not. If you like your water kefir to be very fizzy (Like soda), which I do, don’t add fruit to the first fermentation. I do add a dried, unsulphured fig. Here again it is your choice to add some dried fruit as long as it is organic and unsulphured. Making your own water kefir will save you a great deal of money AND you know exactly what is in it!

Your first fermentation is for 48 to 72 hours. I always do 48 hours but you may choose to go an extra day….more health benefits 🙂 What to do first:
Dissolve 4 tablespoons of organic cane sugar into 4 cups of spring water in a half gallon glass jar. Gently place 4 tablespoons of kefir grains into the dissolved sugar water. You can use either a coffee filter or a piece of cloth over the top with a rubberband so that none of the little critters (fruit flies etc.) can get into the mixture. Put the jar in a place where it will not be in direct sunlight. That is the first fermentation!

The second Fermentation is 12 to 24 hours. This is when I add the fruit and/or juice! I like to use the organic lemon juice vs. real lemons because for some reason when using real lemons the water kefir is not as fizzy! The lemon/cayenne is my favorite flavor. The added organic cayenne makes the water kefir not only Digestive System friendly but it also raises metabolism and is heart friendly besides. The lemon, of course, is a very gentle cleanser along with being a highly alkalizing fruit. For the second fermentation you strain the fermented beverage into screw top bottles and leave out on the counter (out of direct sunlight) for the 12 to 24 hours. **IMPORTANT** you must burp your bottles about every 8 to 12 hours. I found the screw top glass bottles to work great. If your water kefir has a lot of fizz when you open the bottle to allow the fizz to escape being able to tighten the screw top quickly can save you a big mess!

What I use and what I have found works for me for the 2nd Fermentation

The fruit is all your choice 🙂 along with any spice or herb you may be partial to…or that you may need for a healing affect.

2 – 15 oz screw top bottles or more when you have a bigger batch (I used the KeVita glass bottles that I had previously purchased)

1/2 dried unsulphured fig for each bottle (always use organic, unsulphured dried fruit) a pinch of cayenne (good for heart, metabolism and digestion) If you do not like spicy…leave it out! You can also use ginger root or any herb/spice that you like 🙂

I have a place in my closet with a “dresser” where I put my water Kefir for the first fermenting. The second fermenting is right next to the second batch of the first fermenting process.

What will you Need?

• *4 Tbs. Organic Kefir Grains
• *1/2 gallon Mason Jar (or glass jar of your choice!)
• *Organic Cane Sugar
• *A spot in your home that does not include Direct sunlight. (These little creatures actually like the dark)

Tools Required:
• Plastic strainer
• Plastic measuring spoons
• Plastic spoon
• Measuring cup
• 8-cup (1/2 gallon) Ball Mason jar
• 2 to 3 screw top glass bottles (I use the 15 oz from KeVita)

It’s very important that you NEVER use any metal utensils or tools when handling living cultures such as kefir grains. They don’t like metal and may be adversely affected if exposed to it.

Never use tap water because it may contain chemicals such as chlorine and/or fluoride. They will kill the grains. Make sure the dried fruit doesn’t have any sulfur dioxide added to it. Many conventional brands add this chemical to keep the dried fruit looking bright and fresh.

The ratio of 1-1-1 is what you need to follow. 1 Tbs. Sugar to 1 Tbs. Organic Kefir Grains to 1 cup spring water.

If you have any questions about your water Kefir, please email me at roxannecummins_wholebodyhealing@yahoo.com

I have found that the very best Organic Kefir Grains can be ordered from www.keysands.com

About the Keysands Family taken from their site:

“We use Organic Pure Cane Sugar to grow our grains, but they are no picky eaters and will gladly thrive on any sugar you give them. We mix our sugars up periodically to keep our grains happy and active. There are endless ways to flavor water kefir which provides fun for the whole family. These little guys will grow quickly so you can make much more at a time! To offer you peace of mind, we keep our home cleanly and safe by using organic, natural products. We never use harsh, toxic chemicals around our family or our grains.”

Love, Health and Joy to you until the next time….
Roxanne


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Adzuki Sweet Potato Veggie Burgers

AdzukiBB2

I have been experimenting with Adzuki beans recently, trying to make my own Veggie burgers instead of buying the frozen packaged ones. The first batch I made tasted awesome, however, they turned into a flat mass in my fry pan. Tonight I did it! They came out amazing and kept their shape! This recipe can be easily transitioned to Vegan simply by leaving out the cheese.

Ingredients:
2 cups cooked adzuki beans cooled
1/2 cup boiled, mashed and cooled sweet potatoes or yams
1 cup sautéed sliced Mushrooms-cooled (about 2 cups raw will cook down to
1 cup)
1 medium onion diced
4 oz. organic cheddar cheese shredded
1 tsp. curry powder
1/2 tsp. granulated garlic
1 tsp. horseradish
4 turns of black pepper
4 shakes sea salt
3/4 cup homemade Ezekiel bread crumbs (***easy to make directions listed below )
3/4 cup **brown rice flour
** you can substitute any type of gluten free or regular flour.

Directions:
Mix adzuki beans, sweet potatoes, curry, garlic, horseradish, black pepper and salt together. Once well mixed (I used a fork to start with and then dug in with my hands!) add onions and cheese and mix. Last add the bread crumbs and flour and mix with hands. Once everything is well mixed form into burgers. This recipe makes 9 burgers medium to large in size. They freeze very well and I usually fry half and freeze the rest.
***For Ezekiel bread crumbs I just put the crusts that I have saved from 4 loaves of bread onto a cookie sheet and put in the oven @ 200 degrees for about 2 hours. Then I put them into my Blendtech for about 30 to 40 seconds and voila homemade organic sprouted breadcrumbs!!
Until next time…
Peace, Love and Health…
Roxanne