I’ve been having fun with Beet Root Powder the last few days. First I used it in my blueberry kefir smoothies – and it added some serious nutrients and color! Instead of looking like a homemade smoothie, it looked like something that belonged in a pretty photograph. A warning though – don’t mix spinach and beet powder in the same smoothie if you are wanting a fancy outcome (tastes good still). Then tonight I made couscous and added in fresh tomatoes, fresh broccoli, lemon juice, salt, feta cheese…. then last minute thought “Hmm… purple couscous would be cool too”. My 2 year old sous chef agreed…….So, in went 2-3 tablespoons of beet root powder. Here is a word about why you want to use this beautiful powder:

Beet roots are a healthy food and are a rich source of natural sugar along with containing sodium, potassium, phosphorus, chlorine, iodine, iron and various important vitamins. The high nutrient value of beet root makes it an invaluable food in terms of health benefits it provides and it is thus used for therapeutic purposes. The powder can be used to flavor carrot, celery, and other vegetable juices, and also to color a variety of foods.

Beet powder provides a wide range of nutrients, but its most significant phytochemical is betaine. Betaine helps the liver process fat. This prevents the accumulation of fatty tissues in the liver (steatosis), especially in heavy drinkers, and it also prevents excessive triglycerides and LDL cholesterol in the blood. According to the American Heart Association, beet juice can help lower blood pressure and due to the high content of iron in beets, it is good for anemia.

Beet root naturally cleans the kidneys and gall bladder. The potassium present in it helps in providing nourishment to the body for daily functions while chlorine organically cleans the liver and kidney. In addition, it has positive effects on one’s digestive system as it helps in the treatment of digestive disorders and problems like jaundice, nausea and vomiting due to dysentery or diarrhea. Beet root combined with carrot juice can prove extremely beneficial in building the red corpuscles thereby helping in treating low vitality and anemia. Being an excellent solvent for inorganic calcium deposits, beet juice helps in the treatment of hypertension and other cardiovascular disorders. It is also extremely beneficial for women as it aids in the regulation of menstruation. Along with having numerous health benefits, beet root is also beneficial for the skin.

The root contains about a tenth portion of pure sugar, which is one of the glucoses or fruit sugars and is very wholesome. Cane sugar has to be converted by the digestive juices into fruit sugar, before the body can absorb it, but the sugar present in the beet root is already in the more easily assimilated form, thus making the beet a valuable food. Its sugar is a force-giver and an energy creator, a source of vitality to the human body. Besides its tenth portion of pure sugar, beet root has as much as a third of its weight in starch and gum.

The red pigment in beets raises antioxidant enzyme levels in the liver and may promote detoxification in the intestines, blood and liver. Colon cancer research has also shown that consumption of beet fiber may increase colonic CD8 cells, which detect and remove abnormal cells.

Folate is considered an important aid in maintaining a healthy pregnancy. It is critical at times of rapid cell development as it is necessary for creating DNA and RNA. The high level of folate (up to 136 grams per cup) in beets makes them a valuable food for pregnancy. Spina bifida and anencephaly are two birth defects which may be prevented by the consumption of folate rich foods.

Magnesium is an important mineral in healthy bone production and maintenance. Without appropriate levels of magnesium, calcium cannot be utilized effectively. Beet root is high in magnesium, making it a good vegetable for women concerned with preventing osteoporosis.

Typical Preparations – One or two teaspoons added to water or juice, 2-4 times daily. One teaspoon of powder provides the nutrition in one beet.

The above is the description from More Than Alive (where you can also buy Cane Creek Coffee – which is what I use).
My personal stash of beet powder came from Bulk Herb Store, which is a good source too for herbs and such (AND where you can see me in the new video Making Herbs Simple Volume II). Okay, enough for promotions…. It doesn’t matter where you get your beet root powder – cause it’s a great source of nutrients, creative cooking, and fun!

Share on Facebook

This morning I found three Black Walnut Trees on my property!

Last night I was reading a friend’s blog and she made her Black Walnut almost exactly one year ago – which means the time is ripe NOW to make this tincture (which I just realized). Then, this morning a young girl stopped by wanting to pick some of my Walnut to make a tincture! haha Good timing, since I was literally heading out to door to pick. We found a tree at the end of the driveway that had already started dropping the green balls. Good thing I knew to pick the green ones (not black) and how to make them. It was so fun!

Here are the (copied) directions on how to make your own homemade Black Walnut Hull tincture (store bought it is very expensive):

Black Walnut

The medicine of the Black Walnut tree is found in it’s fruit — mainly the HULL of the fruit.  The walnut hull is a thick, hard, rough, green skin that surrounds the actual walnut (shell and all).   When it falls off the tree the hull begins to turn black.

The medicinal properties of the Black Walnut hull are mainly anti-fungal and anthelmitic (kill parasites), and these properties are not mild, if I do say so, myself.  …Yowza!

A tincture is a great way to draw out and preserve the properties of Black Walnut hull.  Don’t bother trying to make this into a syrup or otherwise improve the taste.  It refuses to be improved without LOTS of sweetener, and if you’re going to be using this to help kill off something like Candida albicans (yeast), lots of sweetener is just what you don’t need.  So when you  take some of this tincture, just dump it down the hatch and follow up with ginger kombucha (what?  what is kombucha?  …that news will break later)  or some other equally good goodness.

Below I’ve spelled out a recipe (from Hulda Clark) for making a Black Walnut hull tincture.  When you are collecting the walnuts for this recipe, it’s important that the hulls be at least 50% green in order to get the most out of them.  Don’t peel the hulls off of the walnuts.  This tincture is made with the whole “walnut ball” intact — hull and kernel.

Happy tincturing, and may your parasites shake in their boots.

Black Walnut Hull Tincture Extra Strength

Your largest enamel or ceramic (not stainless steel, not aluminum) cooking pot,

Preferably at least 10 quarts Black Walnuts, in the hull, each one still at least 50% green, enough to fill the pot to the top

Grain alcohol, about 50% strength, enough to cover the walnuts

1/2 tsp. vitamin C

Plastic wrap or cellophane

Glass jars or bottles

The black walnut tree produces large green balls in the fall. The walnut is inside, but we will use the whole ball, uncracked, since the active ingredient is in the green outer hull.

Rinse the walnuts carefully, put them in the pot, and cover them with alcohol. Sprinkle on half the vitamin C. Seal with plastic wrap and cover. Let sit for three days. Pour into glass jars or bottles, discarding walnuts, and divide the remaining vitamin C amongst the jars. If the glass jar has a metal lid, first put plastic wrap over the top before screwing on the lid. Potency is strong for several years if unopened, even if it darkens.

(taken from page 543 The Cure For All Diseases by Hulda Clark)

Take 2 tsp., all together in 1/4 cup water. Sip it, don’t gulp it. Get it down within 15 minutes. (If you are over 150 pounds, take 2 1/2  tsp. Do not take more than 3 tsp. because no additional value has been observed.)

**************

A couple extras:

– Instead of ceramic/enamel pot, I used a glass gallon jar for the tincturing process.

– The vitamin C is to preserve the green color of the tincture.  If you don’t care what it looks like, you can make it without.

– The less oxygen in the tincture, the better.  The jars in which the tincture is stored should be filled almost to the brim, leaving very little air-room.

– The storage jars, if possible, should be amber glass.  Store in a dark, cool place — refrigeration not necessary.

– If you don’t want to ingest 2 tsp. vodka every day, put the tincture in some warm (110 degree)  water to get rid of some of the alcohol.  Make sure the water isn’t too hot or it could damage the parasite/yeast killing properties.

– Black walnuts are a great source of iodine, so there’s lots of iodine in this tincture.

–  Black walnuts stain like crazy.  Be warned.

Share on Facebook

When I married my man, I thought his mother and siblings sure did a lot of complaining about aches and pains and went to a doctor or chiropractor more than was necessary. But since finding out in the last couple years that their mother had Lyme for over 35 years and had passed it to 4 of her 6 children, I now understand why they seemed so unhealthy to me. One brother got especially bad after going through some real stressful situations and became bed ridden. After years of doctors, tests, surgeries, and traveling to clinics, he was diagnosed with chronic Lyme. The info was overwhelming to him, esp. with brain fog, so he came to our house for a couple weeks while I researched, cooked his special diet and just tried to help him understand the protocol and diet his Lyme Dr. put him on. His was a long hard road, but in about 18 months he was near 100%. This experience really sparked my interest and when I realized how huge and complicated the Lyme world is, I couldn’t resist the challenge of learning more.

Now that I understand a lot about Lyme, I’ve been able to help quite a few friends consider the fact that they may have Lyme and helped them find a diagnosis, hope, and healing. One friend, after moving to our community, was flat on her back with pain, fatigue, racing heart, and air hunger. She had some health issues previously, but the stress of the move really brought out the worse. After many tests she was diagnosed with several conditions and at the time I met her it was Epstein Barr Virus. After 10 minutes of hearing her story I encouraged her to get a Western Blot done at IGeneX Labs. She did indeed have Lyme and is now following a Lyme protocol under a Dr’s. care.

Here is some basic information about the disease:

First off, Lyme Disease is the most misunderstood and misdiagnosed disease in America. Caught in its early stages, following a known tick bite, it is easy to treat. But when a person has no idea that they’ve contracted it and the bacteria is left to thrive in the body for years, it becomes a chronic condition that is VERY difficult to treat.

When one contracts Lyme (via ticks, mosquitos, mother to baby inutero or breastfeeding, sexually transmitted, and through many bodily fluids) the Lyme bacteria, a spirochete named Borrelia Burgdorferi, enters the bloodstream and, because of its spiral shape, can drill its way into tissue, muscle, and every organ including the brain. Thus it effects every and any area of the body and can manifest itself as a rheumatoid, musculoskeletal, or neurological disease. Because of this, a person infected with Lyme can and will experience a variety of health problems and after consulting Dr. after Dr. and test after test will only have their symptoms addressed while the spirochete is growing and multiplying inside them. And along with Bb (Borrelia Burgdorferi) come many vector-borne co-infections, Babesia, Bartonella, and Ehrlichia. They each carry their own set of pathogens which add to the complexity of the disease and treatment needed.The symptoms of Lyme disease are too many for me to type out, so here is a link to a fairly exhaustive list: Symptoms of Lyme

If you or someone you know has nagging health issues and have been through a myriad of tests and Dr. visits, have unexplainable pain, fatigue, or have a nagging feeling that something isn’t right in spite of the many positive health changes you’ve made, I think its time to consider the possibility of Lyme. It is truly the fastest growing epidemic in the nation. For every three people who have Lyme, there is an expected one more with a maximum possibility of two more and and expected increase of at least 80,000 Lyme disease cases per year and up to a maximum increase of 160,00 per year by the year 2012.

Getting accurate test results is also very difficult because the CDC (Center for Disease Control) has established such rigid criteria for standard testing. So, if you’ve been tested for Lyme through your Doctor’s office using an ELISA screening test and it was negative, that doesn’t mean you don’t have Lyme disease. Only a few medical professionals understand the complex pathogenesis of Lyme disease because this information is not taught in medical schools, conferences or seminars. This makes it difficult to recognize, diagnose, and treat. The best way to be properly diagnosed is clinically, by a LLMD (Lyme Literate Medical Dr.) or a holistic/natural Dr. who is familiar with Lyme. There are a couple labs that specialize in Lyme testing that have a good percentage of accurate results: Igenex and Central Florida Research.

If you discover that you have Lyme you’ll want to begin treatment as soon as possible. There are many different opinions and protocols out there for curing Lyme and the best place to start is with education. Read, read, and read some more. Here are some good books to start with:
The Top Ten Lyme Disease Treatments
Cure Unknown
The Lyme Diet

And you can also find Lyme forums or contact someone you may know of who has suffered from Lyme and find out what works for others.

Because of the spirochete’s ability to morph into 3 different and hard-to-treat forms, due to the complexity of co-infections, and because everyone is different depending on their health and lifestyle before and since contracting the disease, you will need to experiment and find the best treatment plan for you. A Doctor who is experienced in this is the best route to go, IMO. You can search for Dr. referrals in your area here at the Lyme Disease Association: In left side bar under “Resources” click on “Doctor Referral”.

Many of us don’t want to hear the idea that we may have a DISEASE. We, or our Doctor, want to address our health issues for what they are- inflammation, leaky gut, adrenal fatigue, thyroid problems, depression, pain- and treat them through meds, diet, detox, and/or supplements. And we will experience some relief and healing so we think we’ve found the answers. What we don’t realize, until we really understand Lyme disease, is that all these conditions have been brought on BY Lyme. And if we don’t KILL the Lyme bacteria, Borelliosis, we will fight those maladies forever and never really attain healing.

- Brenda

Share on Facebook

I’ve been reading about this chemical element for the past few months. Here are some things I found most interesting:

• Iodine deficiency is the leading cause of preventable mental retardation. The LEADING cause! I could not believe it! Everyone thinks that because iodine was added to the salt – that we are okay. But even in developed countries there is a serious problem of Iodine Deficiency.
• There is a correlation between Iodine Deficiency and Breast Cancer – And Iodine Deficiency and Hypothyroidism. The thyroid gland and breast tissues actually hold Iodine (and use them).  Here is an interesting article by Dr. Howenstein, MD, called Iodine Is Vital For Good Health
• Iodine is put into animal feed as a supplement.
• There are A LOT of different types of Iodine….. Iodine – 131, Iodine 124, Iodine, 129, etc. Some are used to enhance our health and some are used as Radiation Treatments to destroy cancers. For a chemistry lesson read more at Wikipedia.
• There is some evidence that the fluoride we encounter in our water system and toothpaste prevents proper absorption and use of the Iodine we need. This is complicated to me, as the two Chemical Elements are similar and can be combined (I GUESS??). I didn’t take high level chemistry. Can you tell?
• Iodine shouldn’t be added just because or recklessly. As in any food element – it’s best in a whole food source so the body can process it correctly. This article from  Natural News recommends taking Kelp (it’s a whole food) to regulate your Iodine levels. They claim that taking Kelp can help a too skinny person gain weight and an obese person loose weight (again, linking thyroid function to proper Iodine absorption).
• There is an opposing view point that says too much Iodine messes with the thyroid and makes it not work properly. I’m really not sure about the evidence, but I’ll post the links so you can have the information yourself:                                                                            Jillian Michaels, Master Your Metabolism
  it says on pg 220: ”Don’t supplement with iodine. Many “holistic” nutrition websites recommend that you take supplemental iodine or kelp to support your thyroid. Don’t. The average American diet has plenty of iodine-and when the thyroid gland senses high levels of iodine in the blood, it will release even less thyroid hormone.”
  The New England Journal of Medicine article published new research from China that looks at the relationship between iodine intake and thyroid disease. Reporting in the June 29, 2006 issue, the researchers concluded that “more than adequate or excessive iodine intake may lead to hypothyroidism and autoimmune thyroiditis.”

I personally take Iodine as a supplement in Kelp form. I think I need it because I have a family history of hypothyroidism and have personally experienced pregnancy induced thyroiditis.

So, there ya go! I recommend everyone know there thyroid functioning levels (You can get a blood test from your doctor) AND make sure you are consuming enough whole foods that are high in Iodine. It sure helps me!

Share on Facebook

If you follow my Facebook page you might have read that I need to lose some baby weight! I had my third child five months ago and have still not lost the extra. I had no trouble with the first two kids. But, now I realize what people mean when they say “with three kids everything changes”. Things aren’t all that much harder….. just totally different. Every minute feels like it’s filled with something, and then trying to walk with three little children is quite different than walking long distances with one or two even in the stroller.

Most people when they want to lose the extra think “how can I cut calories and fat?” Well, cutting calories can ultimately help… but NOT cutting the fat. You don’t want to cut the fat. Good fat is good for you. I’ll scream it again! Good fat is GOOD for you.

Whole fresh milk (more information about what is “fresh milk”? link to The Untold Story of Raw Milk), fresh butter, coconut oils, olive oils, fish oils, and animals fats are all foods I try hard to incorporate in our diet. Did you notice canola oil, margarine (read more from Body Ecology, 20 Reasons Butter Is Better) , low fat butter, and soy (yuck yuck) are not included on that list? Here is a really good article from the Healthy Home Economist about the important fats we need in our kitchen – Five Fats You Must Have In Your Kitchen and WHY you need them.

Okay, so what am I going to do – other than not cut out the fats?

1. Eat a good breakfast and no food after 7pm, unless I forget to take my vitamins during the day (then I’ll have to eat a little something – hehe)

2. Drink loads of water

3. Walk 2 miles a day – 4-5 times a week

4. Do about 20 pushups and 50 sits ups a day

5. Do this Dr. Schultz wieghtloss package called “Super Slim” for 30 days. I get this in the mail in a few days, and I’ll let you know how it goes.

6. Not have too high of an expectation. Just hope my clothes fit a little loser in 30 days.

I am still nursing, so I can’t be crazy about anything. I also hold onto a little bit of weight while I nurse…. but I’m about 10lbs over that heavier nursing weight.

There, I wrote it in my blog. Now I have to do it. *wink*

I’ll let you know in 30 days if I’ve been successful and what I think worked and what didn’t.

Share on Facebook