Mental Health

In cases of mental illness, medication can have its place. If your symptoms are severe, the proper medication can ease your suffering. But what if you find yourself in the dilemma where your doctor has not found an effective medication for you or the side effects outweigh the benefits? Then you might want to explore other avenues. Please do so with caution and under the watchful care of your physician. Please understand that herbs and meds often do not mix. Some natural substances to be avoided by those taking medication can include primrose oil, St. John's Wort, Valerian, kava kava, and gotu kola. Also be aware that just because it is a natural substance doesn't mean that it is safe and not without side effects.Sometimes just changing your lifestyle, by adhering to strict health principles, is enough so that you can cut down on medication and eventually get off of them entirely. This is more often not the case. I have known people who have tried every herb in the book and still could not get true relief. Although other people have reported good results wtih kava kava, valerian and GABA with B-vitamins including inositol helpful in cases of anxiety. This no doubt in part due to the fact that we are all individuals requiring different things at different times, but it can also be due to the lack of quality of the products being used.  Nevertheless more than general health principles and an herb or two is generally required. 

Tracking and eliminating allergens and toxins can be an important part of recovery.There are many ways to detoxify the system. You don't need to purchase expensive items to do so. A master cleanse and a few 7 day rounds of colloidal bentonite and phyllium cleanses a year will do wonders to help clear the body of accumulated waste and will help you lose weight as well. Just make sure you get the approval of your doctor before doing anything.   Probiotics are important as well.  These are all subjects in themselves which should be addressed individually.

Actress Margot Kidder, who played in such films as Black Christmas, The Great Waldo Pepper, The Amityville Horror, and Lois Lane in the 1978 film Superman, suffered from bipolar illness for many years before curing her condition with amino acids such as GABA, L-taurine, tryptophan and other natural substances. If you are afflicted with this condition you might want to explore this option by checking out the following website: http://www.alternativementalhealth.com/articles/aminobipolar.htm

The Natural Medicine Guide to Bipolar Disorder book by Stephanie Marohn describes mental illness as being the result of an imbalance of the body, mind and spirit and discusses alternative treatments involving cranial osteopathy, homeopathy and other methods of treatment.

John Nash, who inspired the movie A Beautiful Mind in which Russell Crowe played the lead, recovered from paranoid schizophrenia without the use of psychotropic drugs. You can catch Nash being interviewed on the following website: http://beyondmeds.com/2011/01/10/johnnashvideo/

A NEW VIBRANT YOU

I am not a doctor nor a dietician, however I do know what has helped many people lose weight and regain their health. The suggestions I offer are not new. They are based on time proven principles. So after checking in with your doctor to get his approval, let's begin to build a new you. The first step is hydration.  Water is essential to cleanse and keep all body processes going. You need to flood your system with half its weight in water. Seems like quite a lot, yet it is not. Begin your day with a liter of water and wait at least 20 minutes before eating breakfast. I'll have more to say about the benefits of water in future Soaring Chi posts.

Now you are ready to eat, which involves the second key principle to weight loss and better health.. Forget about the word diet and think nutrition. Feed your body whole foods. Major on vegetables, fruits, eggs, lean meat if you eat meat, beans, sprouted grains, dairy if you eat milk products and cold-pressed oils such as flax and olive oil in limited amounts.   Eliminate soda, sweets, white flour products, hot dogs, packaged foods. I'll say more on this subject in further posts as well. The third principle involves the care of your teeth. Find a good dentist that you can trust and take care of those dental issues . An infected tooth can poison your body. You need to take responsibility for your own dental care by keeping your teeth clean. I'll have more to say on that subject as well. The next thing your body requires is light exercise, get out of your house and get moving. Begin by walking, even if it is only a few minutes at first, breathing in the fresh air. Add minutes to your daily walk until you have walked 20 minutes. Begin at a slow pace and over time build up to a fast clip. This takes care of two other important health principles, your need for sunshine and your need for fresh air. Now let's address emotional and mental health. We are made of love and need to love and be loved. Emotional support and a positive mental outlook on life is crucial. Turn off that nightly news and focus on goals and not problems. Focus on what you have and not on what you don't have.  Focus on what you can do now, instead of what you can't do. Our last health principle is so often neglected in our fast paced world,  I call it the three “R's”. Our bodies require time for rest, recreation and reflection. This includes the eight hours of quality sleep that our minds and bodies require in order to function properly. Speaking of time... it will take time to reverse your health condition, so be patient with yourself. I'll flesh out each one of these principles in further posts.

CASHEW COCONUT COOKIE BALLS

Here is a quick and easy raw recipe for coconut lovers.

Put a cup of cashew nuts in a mini food processor, along with 2 tablespoons of room temperature (melted) virgin coconut oil, a good pinch of Himalayan or Utah Red high mineral salt, 1 teaspoon of pure real vanilla extract and 5 Medjool dates that have been cut into pieces.  I put the setting on chop and then grind to blend well.  You will end up with a thick gooey mixture. Take this mixture and transfer it into a bowl.  Add dried coconut and a tablespoon of honey until it forms a dough. Roll the dough into small balls and then roll them into dried coconut. I used leftover coconut from making coconut milk.  I dehydrate the leftover coconut by putting it on a cookie sheet and setting it in the oven with the light on but no heat on.  If you put it in the dehydrator, the fan will blow it all inside your dehydrator. That is why I use the oven with the oven light on. You can use lemon extract instead of the vanilla or chocolate extract or any other extract that you like.  Happy experimenting!

MAKE YOUR OWN VANILLA EXTRACT

It's super easy to make your own vanilla extract, but you have to be patient because really good vanilla extract takes two months to fully infuse. You will need a pint jar with a tight lid so that the alcohol will not evaporate. Make sure your jar is clean. With a sharp knife, cut 3 vanilla beans lengthwise leaving a little of the ends uncut. The beans will be cut down the center except for the very ends. Put the vanilla pods into the jar and push them down so the alcohol will cover them, then pour in 1 cup of bourbon or rum. I didn't have either bourbon or rum so I used vodka and it worked fine. Place in a cool, dark place like a closet or kitchen shelf and wait. Trust me it's worth the wait. The result will be the most wonderful, fragrant vanilla extract your senses have ever enjoyed. Strain and pour into a dark glass bottle. I transfer mine into a mini beer bottle with a tight lid.

You can make your own orange and lemon extracts by using vodka and citrus peels instead of vanilla. You can make your own coconut extract by adding fresh or dried grated coconut. You can make your own almond extract by adding 6 almonds. You can make mint extract using mint and vodka, ginger extract using ginger and vodka, chocolate extract using cacao beans or powder. You can even make a mixture of two or more to create your own special flavoring. I think I might try coconut and chocolate next time! Happy creating!

VITAMIN D IS FREE

Most Americans work indoors, drive to stores to shop indoors, study indoors and spend free time in front of their television or computers. We are spending less and less time outdoors unless we happen to be our own weekend gardeners. Even when we do get outside we coat ourselves with sunscreen fearing sun damage or worse skin cancer. It is no wonder that our unhealthy lifestyles have created an epidemic of deficiencies. Vitamin D deficiency is becoming more and more prevalent in America, even teenagers are afflicted with it today. The Health Research Forum insists that healthy sun bathing is good for people and that not getting enough sunshine is what is harmful. Without sunshine plants cannot grow and people cannot thrive.

If we really understood the importance of spending time out of doors, we would try to find opportunities to catch a few deep breaths and some of those healthy sun rays. Sciencebase.com states that there is a safe way to sunbathe. Start with only a few minutes per day and gradually increase your time to 15-20 minutes per day. Avoid using sunblock or sunscreen so that your skin can take in its daily dose of free D. It is important to keep hydrated and go out in the morning or some other time when the sun is not blazing hot.

Inadequate levels of Vitamin D can increase the risk of cancer and osteoporosis. Vitamin D is crucial for bone mineralization and a healthy immune system. Absorption of calcium depends on blood levels of D. According to PubMed.gov, a study conducted on March 17, 2010 by The Commonwealth Medical College in Pennsylvania, 74% of the 160 cancer patients were found to be low in Vitamin D. The Creighton University School of Medicine in Nebraska found that adequate levels of Vitamin D3 and calcium can cut the risk of cancer by 77%!

The amount of Vitamin D required depends on many factors. Your age, gender, health, skin color and location. An average, healthy person needs 15-30 minutes of sun per day. An elderly Caucasian woman, who lives in a northern latitude with health issues, would require more. If you think you might have a Vitamin D deficiency, ask your doctor to have your D levels checked. If you choose to supplement, you might want to consider the more natural and readily absorption D3 instead of  D2 which is a synthetic form.

Foods which offer Vitamin D include fish, fish oil, egg yolk, liver and mushrooms.

In my opinion, the most natural way is the best so I'm off to catch my 15 minutes in the sun!

NUTRIENT DENSE SMOOTHIES

 Smoothies are a fabulous way to bless your body with an abundance of vitamins and minerals. I have one or more every day. They make a perfect breakfast on the go and are great snacks. Green smoothies are a powerhouse of vitamins and minerals. You can use any greens that you like or any combination of greens.You can use chard, kale, spinach, baby bok choy, sorrel, beet greens, collards or any other. All you do is rinse greens in cold water, tear the leaves off the stems, put a cup or so of raw nut or seed milk in your blender, add the amount of greens you desire and blend. If you are new to green smoothies, as with anything, it may be a good idea to start with a small amount of greens and work up to the desired amount. That way your body gets used to the flood of nutrition and you will find out which greens you want in your smoothies plus your taste buds will learn to enjoy the unique taste.  I put about 2 good-sized handfuls of greens in my smoothie. After you have blended the greens and nut or seed milk, add a sliced fresh or frozen banana. The banana will sweeten your green smoothie naturally and make it more palatable. Raw green leaves are extremely healing and nourish every cell of your body. If green smoothies are just not your thing, fruit smoothies would be next best. In the summer I often have delicious fruit “shake” smoothies made from raw vanilla almond  milk and frozen bananas and berries. You can freeze papaya, mango, berries of all kinds, peaches, nectarines almost any kind of fruit will do.  You can add a tablespoon of flax oil, peanut butter or coconut fat if you'd like.

THE IMPORTANCE OF STAYING HYDRATED

Healthy bodies consist of approximately 60-75 % water. Maintaining hydration is essential to good health. There are many benefits to getting adequate amounts of water. You will have less sick days and in general feel better.  Keeping hydrated reduces the risk of cancer, helps combat fatigue and aids digestion.  In addition to that your joints will stay lubricated, it will keep your skin youthful, increase cognitive function and help regulate body weight.

Signs of dehydration are dry mouth, parched lips, dry skin, dark urine, lethargy and irritability.

Everyone should consume at least half their body weight in pure water per day. This is not tap water. Tap water is loaded with chlorine and a multitude of harmful chemicals including drug contaminants and pesticides. Chlorinated water consumption has been linked with a higher risk of bladder cancer.  The orthomolecular.org website page “The Negative Health Effects Of Chlorine” states that drinking chlorinated water and swimming in chlorinated pools may sharply increase the risk of developing deadly malignant melanoma. 

There are other ways to disinfect water that does not involve chlorine. For this reason, it is my opinion that chlorine be left for toilet bowl cleaning and not for drinking.

Your requirement for water depends on many factors including age, occupation, condition of health and age. For optimal health 2 liters is recommended. If you have a job where you sweat a great deal, you will require more.

If you want to start your day off better, start drinking a liter of pure water every morning before drinking or eating anything else. We will have more to say about the value of water in future posts.

TO SUPPLEMENT OR NOT TO SUPPLEMENT THAT IS THE QUESTION

Most vitamin and mineral supplements are derived from chemicals. These chemicals are not easily absorbed and can be quite toxic to the body. Food source vitamins and mineral supplements are much more easily absorbed, yet are still fractionated nutrition. Food is a complex mix of not just vitamins and minerals but also enzymes and other factors that assist in the absorption of nutrients. Only whole food itself has all the co-factors that the body needs to utilize the vitamins and minerals present within them. All the discovered and yet to be discovered nutrients, in perfect balance, is found within that particular food. You can only obtain that in the food itself preferably in it's most natural state. For this reason, it is wise to focus on eating high quality fresh foods, organic if possible. If you have a specific need for some particular vitamin or mineral, make sure to add whole foods rich in that particular nutrient. If that does not correct the problem, then you can find a truly natural whole food source supplement. Our first priority should always be in providing ourselves and our family with the best diet we can afford. Fresh fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds, locally grown when possible, contain living enzymes, not available in a dead product no matter how convincing the advertisement might seem to be. When I get tempted to fall for the latest “super food”, I have to ask myself if this advertisement is actually true or just hype and seek the facts through research. I find that most of the time, it is just hype. Even if the super food matches up to its claim, I have to check out the company that sells it, what are their standards? Of what kind of quality is their product and has it been damaged or altered in some way at some point on its way to me? Is it high in heavy metals? Has it been irradiated somewhere along the line? Has it undergone x ray treatment on its way to me via the post office? Lastly, do those I ask even know the truth about their product for many do not.  Some of these questions we might not find an answer to. In the long run, purchasing local  food seems to be the best route to take. Even though most super foods are wonderful in their natural, raw state, by the time they are dried and shipped they only contain a fraction of the nutrients they once had. Why make companies rich when organic nutrient charged food is available locally? Not only that but you will enjoy it more and that alone is an important factor in helping to promote health. Enjoying a juicy peach or some other tasty, sun bathed fruit creates positive feelings and brings positive energy into our bodies.

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MAKE YOUR OWN RAW GREENS POWDER

I have been making my own greens powder for quite a long time. It is really easy. All you do is wash your greens, shake off the water, remove the stems from the leaves and dehydrate them. You can pick one of your favorite greens or use a combination of greens. I like to use a mixture of chard, kale, spinach, beet greens and collards. If you don't have a dehydrator, you can put the leaves on a cookie sheet and place them in the oven with the light on but no oven heat. The light bulb will be enough heat to dehydrate them especially in the summer. A food is still considered to be raw if it has not been heated over 115 degrees. When I dehydrate my greens in the dehydrator, I keep the temperature down to 110 degrees. When the leaves are thoroughly dehydrated, I grind them into a powder in my Vitamix.  I do this by placing the greens in the Vitamix container, put the variable speed on number one, turn on the machine and increase the speed to #10, then let it run for about 20 seconds. If you do not have a Vitamix blender or the equivalent, you can use a coffee grinder. If you use a coffee grinder, it will take longer and you will have to keep adding dried green leaves and emptying the container when the contents turns into a fine green powder. 

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The Content in Soaring-Chi Blogs are not intended to be a substitute for professional medical or dental advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical or dental condition. Never disregard professional medical and dental advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard or read on Soaring-Chi. If you think that you have a medical or dental emergency, call your doctor, dentist or 911 immediately. Soaring-Chi does not recommend or endorse any specific procedures, opinions, or other information that may be mentioned on Soaring-Chi. Reliance on any information provided by Soaring-Chi, Soaring-Chi Blog or Soaring-Chi employees or guests is solely at your own risk. The Soaring- Chi Content is provided on an “as is” basis.
The instructions, information and advice contained on the Soaring-Chi Blogs are strictly for informational purposes only. Soaring-Chi, Brian Stracner, Ginger Miller and the contents of these blogs cannot be relied upon as a cure, preventative, or treatment for any dental or medical condition. It is recommended that you consult with a licensed medical and or dental professional before acting upon any recommendation or advice offered in any of the Soaring-Chi blogs. Use the information in Soaring-Chi at your own risk.
Soaring-Chi, Brian Stracner, and Ginger Miller do not represent or endorse the accuracy or reliability of any opinions, statements or information presented on the Soaring-Chi Blogs.
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PAPAYA SEEDS

I have been eating papaya seeds for many years. Small amounts of papaya seeds are edible and can be beneficial, but you don't want to overdo it. I have read that papaya seeds contain enzymes which may be useful in helping digest food and killing intestinal parasites.

So next time you eat a fresh papaya, consider saving the seeds .If you don't plant them, perhaps you might like to try making a seasoning out of them.  I scoop the seeds out of the papaya, put them in a little strainer, rinse them well, then dehydrate them. When they are dehydrated, I grind them in a coffee grinder to put in a spice container, with a top with holes in it to shake out the contents.. I  think they taste somewhat like black pepper and use them as a seasoning. Just a sprinkle on your food will do.

If you are allergic to papaya it is advisable to avoid eating papaya seeds. You should also avoid eating papaya seeds if you are on blood thinners, are pregnant, nursing or have an ulcer. As always consult with your physician before adding any new food or supplement to your diet.

COCONUT COOKIES

I made coconut milk from the unsweetened grated coconut I purchased at the health food store. I saved the leftover coconut to make these cookies. I dried the coconut leftovers to make a sort of coconut fiber flour.  If you dry your coconut in the dehydrator, the fan will blow it all over the place and make a mess. You can spread out the coconut on a teflex or parchment lined dehydrator tray and leave it in the dehydrator overnight without the dehydrator on or put the coconut on a clean, plastic cutting mat and sit it on your counter overnight or you can place it on a cookie sheet and place it in the oven with the heat off.  Next time I make these, I think I'll try it with the still moist leftover coconut after making coconut milk.  

If you keep your coconut oil in the refrigerator like I do, you will need to return it to a liquid state. Put the solid coconut oil in a little glass bowl.  A Pyrex custard cup or ramekin works really well for this purpose.   In the summer all that is required is that you sit a little bowl of solid coconut oil on the kitchen window sill until melted or on a kitchen counter overnight. In the winter, you may need to sit it over a bowl of warm water.  What works for me is to fill a small bowl with hot tap water, then place a cake rack over the bowl, put the small bowl of coconut oil on the rack and place a lid or towel over the whole thing to hold in the steam in order to melt the oil. Now for the recipe.

Coconut Cookies

Put about 5 medjool dates in a food processor and process to a paste. You need to add enough dates so that your dough  can be formed into balls.  The amount of dates depends on the dryness of the coconut and other factors. Add the coconut leftovers, and approximately 3 tablespoons of melted coconut oil, a good pinch of high mineral salt and from 1 teaspoon to 1 tablespoon of pure vanilla extract depending on the need for moisture. Process.  If the mixture does not form into a dough that you can form, stop the machine and add any additional dates you might need and then process. Take the dough out of the food processor and form into tiny bite size balls. Serve will sun tea or iced chocolate solar coffee.

These tend to be dry, but they are good.   

RAW PECAN-WALNUT MILK

Put ½ cup of pecans and ½ cup walnuts in a blender with 3 cups of pure water and let sit a few minutes. Then turn on your blender and blend well. Strain through a nut bag that has been placed over a jar or quart measuring cup. Squeeze out as much liquid and oil as possible. Return the liquid to the blender and add 1 teaspoon of vanilla, a pinch or two of high mineral salt, a heaping tablespoon of raw honey, two dashes of cinnamon and one dash of nutmeg. Blend and refrigerate.

Nuts, in general, are said to boost the immune system. Walnuts are rich in omega 3 fatty acids, may benefit the bones, help manage weight, fight breast cancer and help improve blood flow in adults with type 2 diabetes. Some research indicates that walnuts may be useful in improving cognitive ability. This is interesting since the walnut resembles the left and right hemispheres of the brain.

Pecans are rich in oleic acid, the same fat as in olive oil, which may also help fight breast cancer. Regular consumption can lower LDL (bad cholesterol) and raise HDL (good cholesterol). Pecans contain minerals like calcium, iron and selenium and vitamins such as vitamins E and B complex.   

CASHEW MILK

If you soak cashews add a teaspoon of sea salt and only soak whole cashews 3-4 hours. If you soak them longer, they will become bitter.  I used cashew pieces and didn't soak them at all. All you do is put 1 cup of cashew pieces in a blender with 3 cups pure water and turn it on for a minute or two.  Place a nut bag over a measuring cup or wide mouth jar and pour the cashew liquid into it squeezing the bag tightly to get out all the liquid and oil  that you can.  Pour the cashew milk into a blender and add a teaspoon of vanilla extract, a dash of salt and one tablespoon of raw honey. Blend well and pour into a jar to store in your refrigerator.

You can  refrigerate or freeze the cashew pulp to use later.

CASHEW PULP CHEEZE

Since I don't like to waste anything, I came up with this.

1 ¼ c. cashew pulp

2 tablespoons high quality nutritional yeast

½ teaspoon sea salt

a pinch of cayenne pepper

2 tablespoons of premium organic extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons of plain kefir

Just mix it up and pack into a little container. Place in the refrigerator for 24 hours before eating. This is optional, of course, but I put some leftover hemp pulp on the top and mashed it in. I wanted to use up the hemp pulp and it makes it look a bit moldy like cheese. Okay, I admit it's not anything like actual cheese, but at least it is tasty and it is a healthy fermented food. How do you eat this, you might ask... well, it is good wrapped in a crunchy lettuce leaves for one thing, you could add a few tablespoons to salads and you can fold in finely chopped vegetables like raw carrots, celery, minced onion and whole garden peas.

You want a good nutritional yeast that contains lots of vitamin B. Some of this grocery store bin stuff is anemic compared to a good one from the health food store.

Be aware that some of the “olive oils” on the market today are adulterated (mixed with cheaper oils), some do not even contain any real olive oil at all.   Be sure to get an organic one that you can trust as being what it claims to be. Local farmers markets are good places to get the real deal. If you can't get to a farmers market, look for dark glass bottles with a harvest date.

By the way, olive oil is not the only product being adulterated. The pollen is often removed from honey and corn syrup and sugar syrup added. Orange juice and apple juice is sometimes mixed with sugars and water. Even coffee is being adulterated these days. Better to pay a little more and get real food than to pay good money for artificiality.

CHOCOLATE SOLAR COFFEE

I made a simple syrup to put in my solar coffee today.
CHOCOLATE  SYRUP
1 cup water
1 c. rapadura sugar
2/3 c. cacao powder
Mix together in a saucepan cacao powder, water and sugar.  Bring to a boil over medium heat, then reduce heat and simmer until it thickens and is glossy.  Cool and strain.  Use this to sweeten your solar coffee.

SOLAR COFFEE

Why not harness the sun to make your next brew?

Grind 1 tablespoon of organic coffee beans in a coffee grinder. Wash a glass quart jar and rinse well.  Fill the jar with 3 cups of pure water. Put the ground coffee in the middle of a coffee filter. You can place a couple of fresh mint leaves on top of the ground coffee if you like mint. Gather together the ends of the coffee filter and tie a string around the top or wrap a rubber band around the top to secure. You now have a little bag of coffee. Drop this bag into the water. Put a lid on it and put it in the direct sun. You can put it on the sidewalk, on a sunny window sill, on the top of your car or any place that will get full sun. It should be ready in about 3 hours. Take it out of the sun, remove the little coffee bag and discard it. Add a couple tablespoons of piloncillo (cane sugar). Piloncillo is pure, unrefined sugar that tastes delicious in beverages especially coffee. You can grate a piloncillo cone with an old-fashioned grater. Or you can sweeten it with  chocolate syrup.

QUICK AND EASY FRUIT COBBLER

RAW BRAZIL NUT COBBLER

I dehydrated the Brazil nut leftovers from making Brazil nut milk. Put some chopped dates in a food processor. The amount depends on the kind of dates used. If you use the Medjool dates you won't need as many as if you use Deglet Noor type. All I had were the later so it took about 8 dates. You will need to sweeten to taste.  It may take more dates. Place your dehydrated Brazil nut leftovers in the food processor. Add a pinch of salt and about a teaspoon of cinnamon.  I like cinnamon so I added more. Pulse, chop and then grind.  

You can use any fruit in season or a mixture of fruit such as peaches and blueberries. Peel and slice sweet peaches or some other fruit that is in season.  Put the fruit slices or and berries in a small shallow glass bowl or casserole dish. Sprinkle the Brazil nut mixture on top. You can serve as is or with homemade sorbet.   

BRAZIL NUT MILK

Brazil nuts are a gold mine of nutrition. They are high in fiber, healthy fats and vitamins. They are also rich in minerals such as copper, selenium an antioxidant that boosts the immune system and manganese a co-factor for antioxidant enzyme superoxide dismutase. They are an excellent source of protein containing all of the essential amino acids. It is important to soak nuts in order to reduce the phytic acid contained in them. Phytic acid binds to calcium, magnesium and other minerals which can prevent minerals from being absorbed by the intestines. Soaking nuts in salted water overnight will remove most of the phytic acid.  

Brazil Nut Milk

1 cup Brazil nuts soaked overnight in water with a pinch of quality salt added to the soaking water. In the morning, pour off the water and throw away.  Put the nuts in a blender with 3 cups pure water and blend well. Pour liquid in a quart measuring cup in which you have placed a nut bag, then squeeze out the liquid. Return the liquid to the blender and add a tablespoon of honey and blend a couple seconds. Pour into a clean quart jar and refrigerate. Save the leftover pulp to use in a raw recipe.  You can freeze it or dehydrate it.

SKIN CARE

Most skin care products on the market are loaded with harmful chemicals which actually age the skin and are carcinogenic. You can easily make your own cosmetics from simple ingredients found in your kitchen. You will be nourishing and promoting the health of your skin.

Honey is a natural anti-oxidant, anti-microbial and humectant which protects, moisturizes and rejuvenates the skin. It is a very effective facial cleanser. All you do is rinse your face in plain water then take a dab of honey and mix it in the palm of your hand with the water still on your hand and apply it to your face as you would any cleanser. Rinse well and your skin will feel smooth and silky. 

Here is a honey scrub recipe that you can use 2 to 3 times per week to remove old skin cells and renew your skin.

HONEY SCRUB

1 teaspoon of honey

1 teaspoon of baking soda

Mix well.

Rinse face well.  Put the exfoliation honey scrub in the palm of your hand. Apply it to your face with your  fingertips moving around in small circles all over your face. This is a gentle scrub that will leave your skin glowing.

SESAME SEEDS AND DATES

SESAME-DATE MILK

Sesame seeds are a treasure trove of minerals.

It is always best to soak nuts and seeds before consuming them, but this time I just didn't have time. Soaking raw nuts and seeds initiates germination which increases their vitamin power.

Dates are delicious with sesame seeds. Sesame seeds have plenty of calcium and dates are loaded with vitamin B Complex which may help promote sleep. Nuts and seeds contain ample quantities of tryptophan which is said to be a sleep aid. When I make a smoothie out of this milk and add a banana, I am getting even more tryptophan to help me sleep at night.

Put one cup of sesame seeds in 3 cups of pure water and about 8 Deglet Noor dates in blender and blend well. Put a nut bag in a glass quart measuring cup and pour liquid into the bag. Squeeze to release all liquid and oils into the measuring cup. Add a pinch of salt, pour into a glass jar and refrigerate.

RAW TAHINI AND DATES

I also made some raw fresh sesame seed butter by putting about 1 c. sesame seeds in a blender with enough cold-pressed sesame seed oil to begin the blending process. I start on low and work up to high. It takes a few minutes in my blender to produce a creamy sesame butter. Turn off the blender now and then to push down the seeds from off the sides of the blender container with a spoon. A chop stick can double as a kitchen tool to dislodge sesame seeds from underneath the blades so that they can become incorporated into the sesame butter.  Dates filled with sesame seed butter are a real treat.  All you do is cut dates in half, remove the pits and fill each half with a bit of tahini.  

   

100% FRUIT SORBET

I've been making these fruit sorbets for years and they are a wonderful alternative to the sugar laden sherbets and sorbets found on the market.  They are nutritionally superior, taste better and are far less expensive than anything organic you can purchase at the health food store. You are getting the whole fruit.  Freezing only affects the enzymes and nutrients a small degree compared to cooked foods. To make the sorbet all you do is freeze any fruit of your choice, berries, mango, peaches, whatever you like. When frozen run these frozen fruits through a champion juicer with the blank attachment instead of the screen. When you use the screen the juices come out the screen, when you use the blank nothing comes out there. So everything comes out the end  from which the leftover juice fibers usually fall. So you end up with a creamy frozen mass. You could try to make it in a blender, but you would have to add liquid and keep turning off the blender to stir it around with a chop stick.  Sweet peaches and strawberries in season make really great tasting sorbet. I just made one with organic frozen strawberries, frozen papaya and organic ripe frozen bananas. Bananas are a terrific way to naturally sweeten sorbets. If some type of sweetner must be added, I generally avoid adding honey since it tends to freeze up and not distribute evenly. Raw sugar is good. Liquid stevia is an option. There are some really good tasting liquid stevias out there and some really bad tasting ones. I avoid the powdered kind and opt for the liquid from companies I can trust to deliver taste and quality.

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PINE NUT MILK

Pine nuts are high in iron, magnesium, potassium and protein. They are unique in that they are the only source of pinoleic acid which helps stimulate hormones that suppress the appetite. They are also high in oleic acid which helps protect the heart. Pine nuts produce a lovely white creamy milk. Adding 2 tablespoons of honey will offset the slight bitter taste. Some of the best loved foods are bitter, like chocolate for instance and may require a bit more sweetner in order to be appreciated.  It is fun experiencing all different types of flavors.

PINE NUT MILK RECIPE

½ cup pine nuts

3 cups pure water

2 heaping tablespoons of honey

Put the nuts and water in a blender and blend well. Pour the milk into a nut bag and squeeze out all the liquid and oil. Pour liquid back into blender, add the honey and blend well. Transfer to a quart jar and refrigerate. It will keep about two days in the refrigerator.

There was only a tablespoon of the pine nut leftovers. Not wanting to waste it,  I added a good pinch of sea salt, a pinch of nutritional yeast, dash onion powder, about ¼ teaspoon quality olive oil and about ¼ teaspoon of balsamic vinegar to make a sort of cheese like spread.

HEMP MILK RECIPE

Hemp milk is easy to make and delicious. It is high in protein, minerals and contains 3,6 and 9 omega oils. The seeds are higher in omega 3 than walnuts. Hemp seeds contain no THC or any other psychoactive compounds.

Hemp Milk

1 cup hemp seeds

3 cups pure water

pinch salt

raw honey

Put the seeds and water in a blender and blend well to produce a white liquid. Pour the liquid in a nut bag which has been placed over a quart size measuring cup. Squeeze out all the the liquid until you have a dry pulp. Save the pulp. Return the milk to the blender. Add 1 tablespoon of raw honey and a pinch of Himalayan or Utah Red salt and blend until well mixed.  Pour into quart glass jar and store in the refrigerator.  Use as you would any milk.   

OMEGA 3,6,9 COOKIES

It seems that we only hear about the benefits of omega 3 oils.  Perhaps the standard American diet may weigh too heavily on the 6 and 9 omegas, but if you are like me and you do not consume a great deal of the other oils in the form of baked goods and salad dressings, then this does not apply. Consuming only omega 3's did not help me eliminate my health problems. It wasn't until I added a balance of 3,6,9 omegas that I noticed an improvement in my skin, energy level and general feeling of well-being. I find it best to consume these oils in their natural state in fresh foods since oils tend to become rancid very quickly.  Here is a delicious raw cookie recipe which contains all omegas. 

3,6,9 COOKIES

Put 1 cup of raw walnuts and 1 cup of raw cashews in a food processor and grind to a flour. Take out and place in a bowl. Put 6 big medjool dates in the processor and add back the nut flour along with a pinch of high mineral salt and about two teaspoons of pure vanilla extract. Take out the sticky cookie dough and form into small pressed rounds. Refrigerate and eat as is or dehydrate them overnight. You can form them into balls and then roll them in raw grated coconut or raw cacoa if you wish.

For more omega 3, you can add more walnuts and or flaxseed.

Melon Juice Anyone?

Most people don't think about juicing watermelon, cantaloupe or honeydews but their high water content make them the perfect fruit to juice. You can't find a more satisfying, refreshing summer beverage.  Melons are a valuable source of vitamins, carotenoids, carbohydrates, minerals and enzymes. They have antioxidant and free-radical scavenging benefits and they flush out toxins from the body. So break out you juicer this summer and make your own natural electrolyte thirst quenching drinks by juicing melons.

Chocolate Coconut Milk

Since coconuts are being irradiated and I do not have time for the laborious process of preparing a whole coconut anyway,  I make my coconut milk out of organic shredded coconut.  No need to soak the coconut overnight.  You simply put 1 cup of unsweetened shredded coconut in a blender with 3 cups of pure water. Blend for a minute, let sit a couple of minutes and blend another minute.  Pour the liquid in a nut bag that has been placed over a jar or quart sized measuring cup.  Squeeze the bag tight to get out all the liquid and coconut cream. Put the milk back in the blender, add a pinch or two of high mineral salt, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, 2 tablespoons of raw honey, 1 to 2 tablespoons of raw cacao powder and blend a few seconds to mix well. Pour into a jar and refrigerate.  The cream will rise to the top.  You can gently break it up with the tines of a fork.  Save the leftover coconut to make delicious raw cookies.  You can substitute carob in the place of cacao if you prefer.
The benefits of coconut are almost endless.  Coconut kills viruses, bacteria,  parasites and fights candida while cleansing the intestines and colon. Coconut is rich in lauric acid a medium chain fatty acid also found in human breast milk.  Lauric acid is a natural saturated fat easily utilized by the body to boost energy and protect the heart by reducing bad LDL cholesterol and increasing good HDL cholesterol.                            
If you need help moving beyond your goals, click here:  www.northstatehypnosis.net

Nutritious, high fiber cookie

I wanted a raw cookie, made out of leftover almond pulp, that tastes like the traditional peanut butter cookie and came up with this quick and easy recipe.  I dried the almond pulp in a dehydrator.  If you do not have a dehydrator, you can dry it in an oven overnight with the oven light on.  This cookie recipe is not all raw, but you can substitute a raw nut butter, like raw almond butter or raw walnut butter, to make it all raw.  We wanted peanut butter cookies, so I used peanut butter.  Peanut is a legume and, unless you are allergic to them, can be eaten raw.  However, since they are difficult to digest, I used lightly roasted peanuts for this recipe. Everyone likes it and kids love it!

SEMI-RAW PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES
1 1/2 cups dried almond flour (this is dried leftover pulp after making almond milk)
1/2 teaspoon high quality, high mineral salt like Utah Red or Himalayan salt
1/2 c. freshly made peanut butter (some grocery stores offer peanut butter freshly ground in machines while you wait)
1/4 c. raw honey
Mix together the almond flour and salt.  Add the peanut butter and honey and mix really well.  Form into balls and then pat out into little cookie sized patties.  Dip a fork in a little pure vanilla extract and press cookies to further flatten them.  Dry them in a dehydrator at the lowest temperature or put them in the oven with the oven light on.  Drying times vary depending on the weather.  In the summer, it takes about an hour in my dehydrator.  Anything cooked over 115 degrees is considered a cooked food. My dehydrator has a very low setting beginning at 85 degrees.  I avoid going beyond 95 degrees.

We had a fourth bottle of organic red wine leftover from dinner several nights ago, so I decided to turn it into an iron tonic.  I juiced 4 medium sized beets which yielded approximately ½ c. beet juice and added it to the wine. An ounce with dinner not only purifies and builds blood but is also good for the digestion. Wine aids digestion and beets contain betaine hydrochloride which helps digest food as well. Red wine is high in antioxidants including resveratrol. Red beets contain a wealth of beautifying minerals and vitamins. 

Almond milk doesn't last long around here so we have plenty of leftover almond pulp to use up.  Here is a raw cookie recipe I threw together today.  Everyone seems to like it. I dried the pulp by spreading it out on a parchment lined tray and dehydrating it at 110 degrees until dry. If you don't have a dehydrator, you can do the same thing in an oven by spreading the pulp out on a cookie sheet with the oven light on.  It only took a couple of hours and then I left it overnight without the dehydrator on.

Raw Almond Cookies
1 3/4 c. leftover almond pulp
8-15 pitted diced dates (if you use medjool dates it will take less since they are bigger and sweeter)
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
1 or 2 pinches of Utah Red or Himalayan salt
3-4 tablespoons raw almond butter
Place in a food processor and mix to form dough.  If you do not have a FP, you can use a blender. You will have to stop the blender every now and then to move around the mixture that forms around the blades. A chop stick is a handy kitchen tool for going around the edges of the blades when the blender is off.  When mixed enough, transfer to a bowl and mix again if necessary.  Roll into balls and flatten.  You can eat them as is or you can dehydrate them overnight at 110 degrees.  They don't last long enough to dehydrate around here!  You can vary the recipe any way that you like according to preference.  Instead of flattening them, you could roll them in chopped nuts, coconut or cacoa.  You could dip them in chocolate.  You can do all kinds of things.

I made a raw filling for lettuce wraps using some leftover almond pulp.  Here is the recipe:
In a food processor put:
1/2 cup walnuts
1 large, diced Portabella mushroom cap
1 chopped garlic clove
2 teaspoons miso
a squirt of Bragg's Liquid Aminos
Process until the mixture forms a paste.
Put mixture in a bowl and add:
1/2 cup leftover almond pulp
3 tablespoons minced onion
1/4 c. finely chopped red pepper
1/4 c. finely chopped green pepper
a dash of cayenne
1/2 teaspoon cumin powder
Mix well.  Fill lettuce leaves with the mixture.

You can use your leftover almond pulp to create delicious recipes. I made this batch of cookies yesterday out of what I had on hand.

RAW CACOA COOKIES
Place your leftover almond pulp in a food processor.  Add 1/2 c. raw cacoa powder. Sprinkle a pinch of quality sea salt over the mixture. Add 1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract and 3 tablespoons of melted coconut oil.  (Coconut oil is easy to melt if you place it in a small jar and put the jar in a bowl of hot water.) Add 1 cup of raisins or chopped dates.  Process to mix.  Form into balls and freeze until set. These are loaded minerals and fiber. If you are anemic, use raisins instead of dates and you will have a highly absorbable iron food. You can substitute and add anything you like.  It's fun to experiment!

Making a creamy, delicious almond milk is easy.  All you do is soak 1 cup of raw almonds overnight by putting them in a bowl and covering them with water.  In the morning, drain off the water.  Put the nuts in a blender with 3 cups pure, filtered water.  Blend very well until it turns white like milk.  Place a nut bag or washed, clean (never been used for paint) paint strainer bag over a quart size measuring cup or quart jar.  Cheesecloth also works, but not as well as the bags.  Squeeze the liquid out of the bag until the contents are dry.  Use whatever method works best for you. I usually start at the top of the bag and work down to milk out the almond milk making sure to squeeze out the oil as well which forms the cream.  Save the almond solids to use in a raw recipe.  Pour the liquid back into the blender and add 2 pinches of quality sea salt, 1 or 2 tablespoons of raw honey, 1 vanilla pod or 2 teaspoons of pure vanilla extract.  If you want it extra creamy, you can add a pinch of zanathan powder.
Note:  You can freeze leftover almond pulp for future use or place on dehydrator sheet and dehydrate it at 100 degrees until dry to use in raw recipes.  It could also be used as a skin exfoliant when you bathe or shower.

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Making your own powdered sugar out of unrefined organic granulated sugar is quick and easy. You can use Rapadura or sucanat sugar granules. Just place 1 ½ cups of sugar crystals in a blender with 1 tablespoon of cornstarch or arrowroot starch. Begin at the lowest speed and work up to the highest speed. Let it run on the highest speed until it becomes light and powdery. This will only take a few minutes. To avoid breathing in any airborne powder, let it sit until it has settled. You will have a powdered sugar that is anywhere from light brown to tan in color due to its mineral and vitamin content. You can use this in any frosting recipe. I tried using palm (coconut) sugar and it was okay, but I wasn't that impressed with the finished product. I made a delicious carrot cake with a cream cheese frosting, using Rapadura and everyone loved it!  

Now for a mixed seed butter rich in nutrients. You can choose any seeds that you like. I chose these because they are what I had on hand. If I had pumpkin, I would have added a small amount of them too. Seeds are high in fiber and protein. Sesame oil, used in Ayurvedic medicine, is very healing, it even fights gingivitis. Sesame seeds are high in calcium, a good source of vitamins B and E as well as minerals such as iron, copper, manganese, magnesium and zinc. They contain sesamin and sesamolin. These lignan fibers are said to help prevent high blood pressure and protect the liver against oxidative damage. Flax seeds, also high in lignans, are rich in omega-3 essential fatty acids and phytochemicals including antioxidants which promote health and prevent disease. Flax seeds and hemp seeds are high in all nine essential amino acids. Hemp seeds have a balanced ratio of omega 3 and 6 fatty acids. Sunflower seeds are a powerhouse of vitamins and minerals, healthy fats and protein. They contain selenium a mineral which helps prevent cancer and is said to actually promote DNA repair.

Begin by putting seeds  into a blender, in this case I chose 1 tablespoon of flax seed, 1 tablespoon of hemp seeds, ½ c. sunflower seeds and 1 cup sesame seeds.  Add just enough sesame oil to start the blending process, stopping blender now and then to stir the seeds with a spatula adding more oil as needed. I started the process on low speed, until the mixture formed a paste, then turned up the speed until the mixture was the consistency of tahini. In case you are unfamiliar with sesame seed butter (tahini), just blend until relatively smooth. Add ½ teaspoon of Utah Red or other high quality salt and blend. Scoop seed butter into a container of your choice.

You can use what's left in your blender to make seed milk for a smoothie. Just add a cup of water to the blender, honey to taste (I add about 1 teaspoonful), frozen berries and a frozen banana. Seed butter has a stronger flavor than nut butter, so it may not taste as good when making smoothies with greens added. I find that sesame goes better with fruit especially bananas and berries.   

You can make an all-natural floor cleaner out of a few ingredients from your kitchen. This is my favorite:

1 cup vinegar

10 drops orange essential oil

1 squirt of unscented natural, earth friendly dish soap

Put the above ingredients in a pail and then fill the pail with water. Mop floor, empty pail contents, refill with plain water and go back over the floor with a squeezed out mop. I leave mine on for a few minutes before rinsing off. It does a good job on linoleum floors and it smells great!

Do not use on marble floors. Acidic cleaners will ruin shiny polished marble surfaces.

Dryer sheets and fabric softeners contain some of the most toxic substances to have in your home. The chemicals that make up their heavy fragrances bake right into the fabric and become a part of the garments you wear every day. These harmful toxins are absorbed, into your body, through the skin and have been linked to cancer, upper respiratory problems and central nervous system disorders. Why spend good money to buy products that poison and cause disease? You are not left without options.

If you don't mind the bumping around noise, as they do their job, two tennis balls will fluff up your laundry and reduce dryer time in the process. In addition to that, you can dampen an old washcloth with vinegar and toss it into the dryer with wet clothes. Here is a recipe that has worked for me.

Put 1 cup of white vinegar in a spray bottle, add 1 teaspoon of lemon essential oil and spray an old washcloth 5 or 6 times. Always be sure to shake the bottle before spraying. I have two washcloths to use for this purpose in order to wash one with a load of laundry to reuse to dry the next.

By the way, if you need help moving beyond your goals, click here: www.northstatehypnosis.net

Just adding one or two more ingredients can make your homemade, toxic free cleaning products even better. Here is my favorite glass and mirror cleaner recipe:

1/8 cup rubbing alcohol (Isopropyl probably works better but I use a clear cetl alcohol such as vodka)

1/8 cup white distilled vinegar

1 cup warm water

1 teaspoon cornstarch 

You just mix and pour it into a spray bottle. Shake before using. The addition of corn starch and alcohol helps prevent streaking.

You can tweak the recipe a little to make a disinfecting cleanser, for your counters, by leaving out the cornstarch.

Just think of all the money you will be saving by making your own!

For those interested in avoiding harsh house cleaning chemicals,  try making your own.  It is fast, easy and costs next to nothing.  To clean your bathroom sink and tub, you can make a soft scrub cleanser by mixing together baking soda with just enough natural liquid soap or dish soap to resemble the consistency of bakery cake frosting.  You use this mixture as you would any cleansing scrub.  If you have one of those sponges with a scratchy side, you can apply this mixture to your wet surface with its scratchy side and scrub in small circular motions, then use the sponge side to thoroughly rinse it off.  After you are done, run your hand around to make sure it has all been rinsed off.  Of course, it can do no harm, but it can be annoying to step into a tub of water and feel dried soda instead of the unusual slick surface of the tub.

An easy way to clean the toilet is to pour a cup of baking soda into the toilet bowl, scrub, leave it an hour and then flush.

For an effective glass and surface cleaner, mix 1 cup of white distilled vinegar with 1 cup of water, pour into a plastic spray bottle, spray the surface and wipe off with a lint free cloth.

It's simple to make raw nut butter.  Nuts are high in fiber, phyto-nutrients, antioxidants and are great source of vitamins, such as vitamins E, B-complex, and minerals.

I use a variety of nuts such as walnuts which are high in omega 3 fatty acids; brazil nuts a great source of selenium; cashews which contain zea-xanthin an important antioxidant that protects the eyes against UV rays; pecans  which also contains zea-xanthin as well as ellagic acid which protects the body from cancer and almonds which are the most nutitious, high protein nut available.

Simply put the desired amount of mixed nuts of choice in a blender adding just enough omega 3 rich walnut oil to form a butter. Allow the blender to run a few seconds, then turn it off to stir the mixture before giving it another whirl. A pinch of Utah Red or Himalayan salt adds more minerals. It tastes really good and is really good for you. You don't need to waste money on supplements when you eat high quality, nutrient dense foods. Our bodies were made to get what they need from live food, not hard to digest tablets and pills that do not contain the full-spectrum of substances that make them bio-available.

For easier blender cleanup and to prevent waste, you can use what is left in your blender to make a nice nut milk.  All you do is add a cup or two of water and some honey then proceeding to make your smoothie. 

You can add or subtract any nut that you like according to preference. 

For a healthy, easily absorbable iron supplement which is also good for eczema, I make this iron tonic.  I drink some orange juice or take a C supplement with it for even greater iron absorption. It really helps my anemia. This is how I make it:
Boil one quart of water in a pan. Turn heat down low and add 1 oz. of yellow dock root.  Let simmer until the liquid is reduced to half a quart.  This takes approximately an hour on my topstove. Strain the herb and pour liquid in a quart jar.  Add 1/2 cup of quality blackstrap molasses.  That's it!  Some add dandelion root, I don't since it is best avoided by those who have gallbladder problems.  I keep it in the refrigerator and take a tablespoon three to six times per day. This formula is not constipating like most iron supplements.  In fact it is a mild laxative.  There are some contraindications in using yellow dock.  Due to the irritating effects of oxalates in Yellow Dock it must be avoided by those with kidney disease or kidney inflammation. Those with gastrointestinal irritation might also want to avoid it due to its mild laxative effect.
Taking it internally, in the form of this tonic, and making a paste of yellow dock from the powdered herb to apply topically on my eczema numular, really affords me relief.  I also put licorice tincture and coconut oil on eczema blisters instead of cortisone cream or make a salve when I have time.

Orange and lemon juice, a similar green juice and the spirulina and chlorella smoothie. This is the 7^th day on the phyllium and clay and the 10^th and final day of the entire cleanse. The joint pain that I was worrying about, for several days, has finally lessened.

I will break the cleanse, this evening, by eating a nice vegetable minestrone. It is important not to over tax the digestion system by eating heavy foods after a cleanse. Light foods, in small portions, are advisable. Tomorrow I will start taking a probiotic and drinking kefir to restore any lost intestinal flora. In spite of being ill, this cleanse was easy and totally worth it. However, I think my body wasn't finished detoxing. Maybe in a couple of months I'll do another one to finish removing all the years of accumulated toxins.

Feeling better and am so glad that I rode it out yesterday. Skipped the ginger in the citrus juice today and added blackberries instead. Continuing with the green juice, the phyllium and clay and the algae smoothie. Tomorrow will be the last day of the cleanse. I had considered going on a cleanse about a year ago, but kept putting it off. I thought it would be difficult.  I am surprised at how easy it was and how much strength throughout the cleanse.

I have been experiencing increased joint pain. I'm not sure if this could be a sign of healing or an indication that I should stop the cleanse. I've heard that inflammation, aches and pains and other symptoms can arise when the body is strong enough to help heal itself and toxins are being eliminated. I'll try more juices and give it a little time. I'm thinking this might just be a part of the process. Same citrus juice and green juices. It's the fifth day on the phyllium and bentonite.

It's already day seven and I'm not even hungry,  my body is probably getting all the nutrition that it needs from the fresh juices and smoothies. I am feeling stronger, lighter and healthier every day.

I added  a knobby chunk of ginger root to my orange and lemon juice today. Ginger eases nausea, headaches,  aches and pains. Found some Cara Cara oranges which supposed to be higher in vitamin C than regular oranges. Generally foods of darker, brighter color mean more nutrtients and phytochemicals. Green juice pretty much the same except I added mung, clover and alfalfa sprouts. Continuing to see results with the clay and fiber. 

Didn't cough last night. Night sweats but slept great. Feel stronger and more positive emotionally compared to yesterday when I felt down after hearing some discouraging news. Sometimes it's not just a person's body that need cleansing, but also their emotions. Even my mind seemed to purge of negative thoughts as they raced through. I'm sure that it's all part of the healing process. It's the third day on phyllium and hydrated bentonite with plenty of water. It does indeed clean out the pipes! Juice today is orange and lemon, same ingredients in the green juice except I added a little beet root. Added a tablespoon of flaxseed oil to my smoothie today. Beets are loaded with amazing properties which purify the blood, detoxes the liver and increases glutathione levels in the body. Glutathione has the ability to pull environmental toxins into the colon where they are then be eliminated. To make today's smoothie I put a cup of nut milk in a blender added one generous tablespoon of spirulina and chlorella powder, 1 tablespoon of flax oil, a frozen banana and blended it until smooth.  

Coughing today. Coughed for a couple of hours, last night, having to get up and down until I put a couple drops of oregano oil in a glass of water and drank it. Slept very little and am tired, but I'm grateful for the little sleep I got. Pineapple juice with a harbenero pepper, the same green juice drink recipe as yesterday, phyllium fiber and hydrated bentonite, lots of water. Tommorow will be the third day on phyllium and bentonite. The third and fourth days are when the body rids its old accumulated mucoid buildup. Though it may be a gross subject to some people, milk and cooked foods clog the colon with hardened mucous creating a set up for disease. While toxins are being removed from the body, it is not uncommon to feel spacy like I do today.

Added a smoothie of high protein, immune boosting spirulina and chlorella to help fight off the rest of this thing. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, spirulina may have the ability to prevent some flu viruses from replicating.

Had chills and night sweats, but slept and feel fine otherwise.

Consumed 1 quart of orange juice plus 1 quart of green juice with the fresh turmeric root instead of the pepper and no cucumber this time.

Added phyllium fiber and colloidial bentonite to a cup of tomato juice and drank this four times today. Physllium fiber reduces hunger cravings and along with the liquid bentonite, detoxifies the colon by absorbing toxins. Psyllium scrubs clean the colon while bentonite actually pulls out toxins and dumps them in the colon for elimination. Toxins such as radiation, heavy metals, drugs and other harmful substances are removed from the body in this way. It is important to drink copious amounts of water to help assist this process and to offset the drying effect of the clay.  

Slept well. Headache and sore throat gone. Toxins are being eliminated from every channel. Still have chills off and on and now have a cough.

Garlic, nature's antibiotic, has been doing its anti-bacterial job well.

According to Dr. Batmanghelidj the potassium in orange cannot be utilized by the body without a small amount of salt. So I added 1/2 teaspoon of Real salt to my quart of orange juice today in order to ensure that the potassium will be utilized by the cells of my body. I added one lemon as well.

Same green juice recipe except instead of the harbenero I added turmeric root. Turmeric root, rich in curcuminoids, is an anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial, anti-fungal and a natural cough, cold and flu remedy. However, as with many natural substances, turmeric should be avoided by certain people. Fortunately, I'm not one of them. 

Sinus head ache and chills. That's good because chills can be a sign of cleansing. Just means I'm on the right track and need more liquids. So I'm flooding my system today with plenty of water, fresh juiced orange juice and green juice made with the same ingredients as yesterday. That harbenero pepper, feels good on the throat. Harbenero peppers are great for detoxifying and breaking up congestion.   

Beginning a Juice Cleanse

Hi, my name's Ginger Miller.  Brian's blog has been such an inspiration to me, that when a sore throat developed, I decided to go on a juice cleanse as well. I am using produce from the grocery store since the price of organic fruits and veggies is so expensive for juicing. Today I drank about 3 cups of pineapple juice, 2 cups of lemonade with stevia (from fresh juiced lemons) and 3 cups of green juice drink of lettuce, parsley, celery, garlic, carrots, cucumber, tomato, a small harbenero pepper, apples and an entire onion. The onion, high in quercetin a free radical scavaging antioxidant and antibacterial, with garlic and pepper should be very effective in helping my body get well. A trick I learned, from one of my friends, is to add some of the rind of oranges and lemons while juicing them. Both the white part and the colored part. She said that the white part is rich  in bioflavonoids while the colored part is a natural antihistamine. It seems to work.   

Final Day!

Well everyone, Ive made it 10 whole days. I am super week, have lost about 6 pounds, and am ready for some real food!

Day 6: Over the hump

Hello everyone! Well, here we are at day six, and I feel like a withered and weekend man. My whole body is soar, and I felt like the flu hit me like a freight train yesterday. Yesterday all I have was the master lemonade, and my body was cleansing at an extreme rate. My nose was constantly running all day, and I probably went through about three rolls of toilet paper trying to keep my nose clean. Today I am going to start incorporating smoothies too, so I have the strength to get back to work by Monday. For this reason the last three days of smoothies and the last four days of the modified master cleanse starts today. Happy cleansing everyone!

Day 5 Halfway through!

Hey everyone, I was a very good boy yesterday. I stuck to the plan 98%, I did have two dark beers, but I( think the dark beer is helpful in cleansing the body and providing it with a little extra sustenance that I wouldn't get otherwise.. One bummer thing is that my flu started to come back last night with a vengeance in my head. I woke up at 3am and couldn't breath, so I took some Robitussin. My friend Koz McKev, once told me that the winter time was time for cleansing, and I think I understand his reasoning. When we get sick, its out bodies telling us that we have a virus, and we need to clean out our systems.. Yesterday I had an avocado for lunch, and ate raw almonds, cashews, and sunflower seeds throughout the day. Today I plan on having more raw fruits than nuts. I feel my muscles getting weaker, but I am also noticing my belly pooch is starting to dissolve. I have decided that after the cleanse is over on Tuesday or Wednesday (depending on if I take a zero day this week, because I am thinking about just blasting through the last 5 days since this nasty flu came back), I am going to adopt a raw diet until I can shred off the rest of the belly. After the belly is at a size that I think I can get a six pack to shine through, I will start the 100% fitness plan.

Cleanse day 4

Here I am at day four. I am definitely losing weight. I am not exactly sure how much weight I have lost so far, but I can definitely see more definition in my abs. Yesterday, I did go a little off of the diet plan, but I'm still ok with a little room for unplanned munching. The only real food I ate yesterday besides raw, was a tiny slice of burrito and a little shot of coffee from the Trader Joe's sampling table, and in the evening I ate one fish stick and one shrimp off of my daughters plate, and again I had four beers. I think the hops in the dark beer is helping my body kill of the rest of this flu virus, but I have been drinking one dark beer, then three lighter beers. Tonight I am going to stick with the just one dark beer. My muscles do feel a little weakened, but I'm almost halfway through my time dedication. Since I am allowing myself a few bites of real food, I haven't had any weird cravings. I am still going to have my zero day on Saturday, because I still think that is an important element of any weight loss/cleansing plan. However, I will be eating vegetarian even though theoretically I could eat anything.

Cleanse Day 3

Well, I did eat some food out of the plan last night, but it was very small. I had 10 bites of my daughters spaghetti and meatballs. I also had about 4 ales, which is definitely not in the plan, but I think the hops helped kill off even more of my flu.Im still working on it, and I think that it may be a good idea for people to ease into this cleanse, instead of just jumping right in. It works for me thus far anyhoo! Well loyal readers I'm off it take my daughter to the Doctor again because she might have contracted a staff infection from her preschool. You have a fun day :)

Soaring-Chi Cleanse Day 2

Hey everyone! Last night I was naughty. I did good all day, but as soon as I tasted my daughters chicken pot pie to make sure it wasn't too hot for her, i spiraled into a feeding frenzy. However, I did not have enough raw fruit and nuts to get me through the tough time. Today I will stock up on pears, apples, bananas, oranges, and some yummy raw nuts to satiate my evening cravings. Throughout the day its just my modified masters cleanse lemonade drink. Cheers to day 2!

-Hypno-Swami-

Master Cleanse day 1!

Hello dear friends. Today marks day 1 of my modified master cleanse. So far a little hungry, but motivated to go strong. What has prompted this was a nasty flu. I didn't get sick at all with the smoothie and juicing routine, but a week after I slacked off I instantaneously got the flu. This prompted my decision to go out and buy a whole bunch of lemons to juice. I almost completely wiped out the flu that I had in one day, but the poisons in my body are still lingering. From now on, whenever I get sick, I have decided to jump right into a modified master cleanse. After day 10 I will give the recipe and technique of my modified master cleanse. For now, read the struggles of cleansing and going without solid food for one week.

Hypno-Swami out

Day 27!

Hey everyone, we have officially hot day number 27. With only three days left to complete my 30 days of drinking smoothies for breakfast it feels like it has been a long windy road going up an d down hills. Originally, I had planned to start posting smoothie recipes everyday for thirty days. However, I have decided to change plans. Instead of going right into posting smoothie recipes, I have decided to start a modified 10 day Master Cleanse starting tomorrow morning. After the 10 days are over, I will start posting the last three days of the smoothie mission, and transition right into the 30 days of smoothie recipes. Happy Easter everyone, and I will see you tomorrow for day one of the Master Cleanse!

5 days off, first 24 on

Well, it's been a rough week. My daughter caught the flu, and shortly after I got it too. I created some awesome hypnosis dub step music, that turned out really awesome over a two day period, before my voice went out yesterday around 2. I juiced 2 bags of lemons when I got home, two apples, and a huge hunk of Ginger. Mixd in enough honey to drink. I got my protious today, which is the final item to compete all the needed equipment for the launch of Scientific Hypnoneurotherapy.

Hamburger for breakfast!?

Yep, that's right. No smoothie for me today. I chose to eat the rest of my hamburger from last nights dinner. I've got a naughty naughty 25th day ahead ;)

Day 24

Hey everyone! Its smooth sailing still :) I haven't posted lately because I have been busy working with Tom Silver and Johnathan Royal. These are two of my favorite hypnotists for different reasons. Tom is like a guess of hypnosis, and definitely the great-grand master of hypnosis today. Johnathan Royal is the best marketer in our business. If these two skilled people got together and became friends, they would rule the hypno-world. I am honored to be working with these two famous people, but alas, I must start focusing on myself and my own successes again. If you would like to learn how to hypnotize from the best call me directly at 530-828-0880, check out my website at www.NorthStateHypnosis.net for therapy or stage entertainment questions. We only have 6 more days until I start giving you guys some yummy recipes again ;)

Day 14 & 15

The smoothie thing is going great! I did not juice last night though :-(  This time of the season is really busy for my private hypnotherapy practice at North State Hypnosis, and it does get difficult to get everything done. However, determination must win out for me to complete this blog. Wish me luck folks, see you on Friday. Tomorrow will be a day off in celebration of my daughters 5th birthday :-)

Day 13!

I smoothed, cant blog very much today. working on a paper for school. Looking forward to adding some yummy recipes :-)

Day 12

I am a hungry hypnotist today! I am really looking forward to my smoothie today. I can now see four of my upper abdominal  muscles, which is very exciting. People are getting sick all around me, and I haven't caught a cold since I started this program. All in all, I feel like I am developing super health!

Day 11 - Oranges are better in juice

Well everyone, yesterdays juice was a little messed up, as is today's. Fortunately, today's juice is not as bad as yesterdays was. I added some orange to my smoothie yesterday and today, and it left little rock like objects in my smoothie :-( I thought I had gotten all of the seeds out today, but I was wrong.  I guess oranges are meant to juice and not to smooth.

Day 10

Hey everyone, this is going smooth. I am starting to really look forward to giving you guys some recipes here in another 20 days. Just a note, I take breaks from this diet on holidays and special occasions. The 8th of this month is my daughters birthday, which is next Thursday. I will be taking that day off as well. Here's another day of healthy living! Cheers!

If you haven't checked out my other website you should check it out today! ;-) Hypnosis in Chico

Day 9

I was looking forward to smooth today. Until I made up a strange concoction that I now have to suffer through :-( Tomorrow will be much better!

Day 7&8

Well folks, on Friday I totally forgot to blog. However, the smoothie thing is going great! I am looking forward to having these breakfasts. Much more so, than I was about juicing. I think one of the reasons why is because of the whole pain/pleasure principle. I am seeing this smoothie transition as pleasurable, since the food is so healthy, and so yummy. I am still juicing before dinner every night too (except for Saturdays), which is still a little difficult to motivate myself through. The one thing that creates resistance, is all the cleanup and prep work that is involved in making these dietary changes. However, I have see four of my abs, which is a great motivator to continue working on the 6 pack for summer ;-)

Day 6 Smooth Sailing

This morning I had extra time to do everything that needs to be done. I even slept in for 2 hours! It is interesting how fatigue affects a persons motivation. I have been eating more lately too, because of a minor back injury that occurred from standing on my head to show off to someone. I guess what I am learning through yoga should not be abused by my ego ;/

Day 5 Self Sabotage

Well, I almost messed up today. I forgot to go shopping last night, and ended up with no almond milk for my smoothie this morning :-(  Furthermore, I only have one banana left! Fortunately, I found a can of condensed milk in the cupboard to save the day! That was a close call, and a strong reminder than not having a plan is planning to fail. I will have to take appropriate measures in the future to make sure I am fully stalked up on my yummy almond milk.

Day 4

This morning was another tough one. Last night I didn't juice before dinner, and I ended up struggling with heart burn all night. I stuck to it even though I was craving bacon and eggs like you wouldn't believe. Its a good thing I have dedicated myself to this blog, or I may not have gone through with it today. Anyhoo, I have made it through another day ;-)

Day 3

This morning was tough for two reasons. One reason is because it was my birthday on Friday, so I took two days off instead of only one. This morning, I just wanted another greasy breakfast, but determination WON! I also almost forgot to do my blog :-o  However, after all the obstacles have been set aside, here I am. Still succeeding ;-)

Day 2 Smooth

Hey everyone! Today is the second day of the smoothie for breakfast program. I am doing well with it, but I was weighed at the Dr yesterday, and found out I haven't lost ANY weight :-( That will not stop my quest. I will push on to provide entertainment for you, my dear readers.

Day 1

Hey everyone. Today is day one of the smoothie for breakfast diet. I am totally starving for breakfast today, and pancakes sound good. However, the smoothie is hitting the spot! Its almost like having ice cream for breakfast. Is this dieting, because it tastes like cheating ;-)

Final Juice!

Hey everyone! With this being the last juice, I am ridding the Italian Stallion with a fancy saddle. This is one of my favorite concoctions, but I haven't quite figured out a perfect recipie. Any suggestions?

1/2 Zucchini

1/2 Yellow crookneck

2 1/2 Carrots

12 Fresh oregano sprigs

4 Fresh basil sprigs

1 Red bell pepper

1/4 Red onion

1 Chunk of fresh garlic

2 Vine ripe tomatoes

2 Red apples

Enjoy!

One day left!

Well everyone tomorrow will be the last day of 30 recipes of raw juicing.


Today's juice was simple:

4 green granny apples

4 carrots

1 hunk of ginger

2 days left for juicing!

Only two days left for juicing everyone!

The Energizer

4 Carrots

2 Red delicious apples

2 green granny apples

2 pink lady apples

1 bunch of wheat grass

1 Lemon

1 Hunk of Ginger

Hooked!

I am hooked on the Italian Stallion.

I'm making one again today, except I noticed it wasn't as sweet as the yummy marinara's that I am used too. For this reason I am adding 4 red apples to the mix today ;-)

Sweet Potato Salvation

Hey everyone. We are almost done with the recipes. Here is one chocked full of betacarotine. Enjoy!

2 sweet potatoes

4 carrots

2 green granny apples

5 days left!

With only 5 days left, I've invented some pretty yummy juice recipies for you to enjoy.

Today i am doing the Italian Stallion again, except today I ran out of bell peppers. Also I am adding wheat grass to the mix. Enjoy it, its for life!

Italian Stallion

Only 6 days left everyone!

1 bunch of fresh oregano

1 bunch of fresh basil

6 roma tomatoes

2 chunk of garlic clove

3 red bell peppers

1/2 red onion

Red Grapefruit Guru

Only 7 days left. Its been a long road here, but the momentum is behind us now.

Here is the Red Grapefruit Guru Juice

4 Red Grapefruits

4 Red Apples

2 big hunks of ginger

Fruity Freestyle

Yum, yum, yum. Here is our yummy juice for day 8 ;-)

1 Grapefruit

2 Navel oranges

1 Lemon

2 Red apples

1 Green granny apple

1 Hunk of ginger

9 days left!

Same recipe as yesterday today, except I decided to add

1 Tbs cinnamon

1tsp clove

1 tsp nutmeg

10 recipes left!

Hey everyone. Here we are at the 10 day line once again :-)  This is a killer Kale drink, with a ton of yummy energy to get you through the day.


6 Large leaves of Kale

4 Carrots

1 lemon

2 red apples

1 pink apple

1 green apple

1 chunk of ginger

1 yellow bell pepper

Day 19 Mexican Master 2

Yesterday's juice was so yummy, Im making it again.

This time I added 3 more tomatoes and a Tablespoon of Cumin. Super yum!

Day 18 Mexican Mastery

This on is inspired by my love for Mexican food

5 Roma Tomatoes

4 Tomatillo

1 huge bunch of cilantro

1 huge bunch of wheat grass

2 whole jalapenos

Day 17 Musty C 2

Here the recipie is the same as yesterday, except for I added one navel orange too :-)

Day 16 Musty C

Here is a new recipie to try. I picked some fresh mustard greens yesterday. Lets see how it tastes!

8 Large mustard green leaves

1 large handful of wheat grass

2 red apples

2 pink lady apples

1 green granny apple

2 grapefruit

2 satsuma oranges

1 lemon

Day 15

Half way through everyone! Im excited to start having smoothies every morning instead of these nasty cooked breakfasts.

I got to talk with the worlds most famous hypnotist the other day. I would never have thought that when I first picked up Tom Silvers Hypnosis Training Manuel 8 years ago, I would be talking with him for an hour on the phone :-) It looks like I will be helping him come up to Northern California to train people in his Scientific Hypnotherapy. Super exciting stuff!

Todays juice is the same as yesterdays because it was sooooo yummy! One modification though, I added a whole cutting of organic wheat grass today.

Day 14!

Yesterday I didnt post a recipie because Tuedays batch was HUGE! It lasted me for two days :-) Here is our recipie for day 14. Remember, food is fuel.


1 Lemon, with 1/4 of the rind left on

5 Leaves of Kale

1 Huge hunk of Ginger

4 Carrots

1 whole celery heart

1 Slice of red onion

2 Red Apples

2 Pink Lady Apples

13 Latin Enlightnenment

1 huge bunch of spinach

1 celery heart

3 cloves garlic

1 orange bell pepper

1/2 red onion

1/2 yellow crookneck squash

12 Self-Help Citrus Revisited

Well, yesterdays drink was WAhey-Hey tooo sour! Today I'm trying it again with some sweetness.

4 red apples

1 huge hunk of ginger

2 navel oranges

4 clementines

1 ruby red grapefruit

1/4 cup of wheat grass

I got a new juicer that puts more pulp in, so ive got this automatically now ;-)

11 Self-Help Citrus

Here is a yummy juice today packed with vitamin C

1 Huge Hunk of Ginger

4 Clementine Oranges

2 Navel Oranges

1 Ruby Red Grapefruit

 1 Lemon

1/4 Cup Wheat Grass

Lots of pulp = lots of extra fiber in your diet ;-)

Day 10 Hot and Hypnotic!

I am excited today! I just bought the Omega Vert Juicer, and I highly recommend it to EVERYONE ;-)

Here is your juice for today. Careful though, its hot and healthy ;-)

1 large bunch of spinach

4 carrots

4 tomatoes

2 tomotillos

1/2 red onion

4 celery spears

2 cloves of garlic

1 bunch of cilantro

2 Jalapenos

Add some pulp back, burn your germs away, and enjoy!

Day 9!

Hey everyone here is a cleansing juice, that may be good for liver detox, and increased energy. 2 red apples 1 pink lady apple 1 green granny apple 1 chunk of Ginger 1 lemon 1/2 a beet 1 cucumber Add some pulp back to the juice

Day 8!

Hot and Hypnotic!

Here is our juice for today. My inspiration this morning is Bloody Mary :-)

4 Tomatoes

5 Carrots

1 Huge Mountain of Spinach

2 Cloves of Garlic

8 Stalks of Celery

1/2 Red Onion

Tabasco Sauce to Season

Add About a Cup of Pulp Back to your Juice

Welcome to Day 7!

Wow, only one week in and I'm already planning for the next 30 days :-) Last night I looked at a bunch of juicing recipes, and it seems like I have made one major culinary mistake in the previous juices. I remember hearing Mario Batali say, they key to good Italian food is simplicity. Original Italian recipes use just a few spices and ingredients, so that all the flavors come through.  This will be the theme of the rest of these juice recipes..., simplicity.

2 green granny apples

1 hunk of ginger

2 tomatoes

1 large Cucumber

2 Oranges

1 Lemon

Add yummy pulp back to the mix after juicing and enjoy!

See you tomorrow loyal friends ;-)

Friday the 13th!

Happy Friday the 13th everyone! Today is day 6 of our juicing recipes. Enjoy this sweet one ;-)

1 Large Hunk of Ginger

2 Oranges

2 Pink Lady Apples

1 Lemon

1 Cucumber

Add some pulp back ;-)

I will be off tomorrow for Saturday, but Ill see you all on Sunday for recipe day 7

Day 6

Woot! Day 6 ya-all


1 whole bunch of Spinach

2 small red apples

1 lemon

2 hunks of ginger

3 small tomatoes


If you need help losing weight for the summer check out Brian Stracner's weight reduction page here: North State Hypnosis

Day 5

Hey everyone here is our juice for today 1 big bunch of spinach 1 lemon 2 oranges 4 small tomatoes 1 heart of celery 4 carrots 2 red apples Add some pulp!

Hypnotic recipes day 4

Hey everyone! I hope you enjoy today's juice recipe. Last night I watched the documentary Fat, Sick, and Dead. Wow, am I glad I'm changing my diet! Here is your recipe for today: 1 large bunch of Spinach 2 oranges 1 lemon 2 slivers of pineapple 4 Campari tomatoes 6 stalks of celery 3 granny apples Add some of that pulp back! The extra fiber is good for you ;-) See you tomorrow loyal friends!