Cold Salad, Hot Salad

Sometimes I just don't want to monkey with a cold salad.  Sometimes the vegetables are just a little past their prime and aren't really suited for raw eating anymore.

That's when I make a hot salad.

Like today!

I threw it all into a cast iron frying pan with butter and olive oil, seasoned with salt, pepper, garlic, and italian seasoning, and doused it in white wine vinegar.  Then, I covered it and let it stew up for a while.

I served it topped with parmesan cheese.

Yum, and I blew my vegetable quota for the day out of the water!!

Could You Be a Locavore?

I couldn't.
I love bananas, oranges, almonds, peaches, grapefruit, dates, figs, chocolate, coffee, and tea too much.
I find the concept wonderful, challenging, and intriguing, but living in the cold north east means some great limitations, unless you count locally produced products from not locally grown products, such as Utica Coffee or Saratoga Peanut Butter.
Another hold up is budget.  My grocery budget is TINY!  If I can't grow it myself or scavenge it, it has to be bought with a very restrictive budget.  With 4 peanut butter fanatical children in the house, I purchase the best quality for the lowest price, and unfortunately, I can't afford locally produced peanut butter.

But, I do try to buy locally when I can.  Not everything produced locally is more expensive than chain grocery story imports.
And I try to buy in season when I can, or at least products produced in the United States.  Nothing against foreign countries, but in season strawberries from Florida taste better than imported strawberries from Peru.  And in season strawberries in my own backyard taste better than Florida strawberries.

That's what this blog is about.  It's not about a specific diet plan or lifestyle.  It's about not being apathetic about your health, the planet, your lifestyle, or what you feed your family.  It's about finding YOUR passion, YOUR healthy.

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Back from the Dentist

My second bi-yearly cleaning happened today.

I left the office with such sore gums.

It wasn't the fault of the dental hygienist.  She was great!

It's my body's fault.

After a little discussion, we concluded that I have caustic saliva...and a LOT of it.

Apparently, drooling on my pillow at night isn't just fodder for teasing.
It causes tartar build-up and weakens my enamel.
So, I have to go back and have a cavity filled right before Christmas.

Boo....Hiss!!  I went 12 years without a cavity!

I wonder if it is the result of having started drinking coffee this year.

Regardless, when I go back in May for my next cleaning, I want there to be as little digging and scraping as possible.
But how can I avoid the inevitable?

For starters, I am increasing my carb decreasing.
Not sure I want to give up coffee, though.
But, I am going to oil pull.
If I had the extra money, I could buy fermented cod liver oil and x-factor butter oil.
More water in my diet is likely needed, too.

Any other ideas on how to reduce acidic saliva and salvage tooth enamel?

Plastic Problem

The other evening my husband watched a program on the excessive use of plastics these days and the dangers they pose.  The program was called Plastic Paradise and is available on Netflix Instant.

I didn't watch it, but I was in the next room preparing homeschool lessons and listening in.  Even IF (and I say if because I am not accusing nor dismissing) the program was agenda-based and sensationalized, it still was eye opening to just how much plastic we have!  

A century ago we lived without plastic.  In some ways it was better and in other ways it was so much worse.

Plastic is useful.  It has helped lives and saved lives.

But it has hurt us, too.

Several years ago, my sister and I considered a great reduction in our plastic usage.  We tried, but time, money (lack thereof), and life stresses got in the way and we largely forgot our venture.

I'd love to revive it again, but can I?  Could you?

I'd like to try.

Chicken Soup Delivered

My sister texted me to let me know she was very ill and couch-bound.  I wish I could take away her illness.  While I cannot, I can do the next best thing and boost her immune system.

I made a huge pot of homemade chicken soup with a pasture raised stew chicken, potatoes, carrots, spinach, onions, celery, fresh garlic, parsley, turmeric, bay, sea salt, pepper....am I forgetting anything?

I also sent over herbal tea (agrimony, chamomile, nettle blend) and some grapefruit seed extract.

Hopefully, these will help in her healing process.  She's a strong, young woman who is rarely sick, so I'm sure she'll bounce back sooner rather than later, but I'm very glad to be able to help her in this way.  My own family has been helped many times.  It's nice to give back.

What are your go-to's for getting well?

SCD/GAPS Update

I'm sorry I haven't been posting.  My computer crashed and the borrowed one didn't support blogger very well, so my last post didn't have pics or links.

I ended up quitting the SCD/GAPS diet after the 5th week.  I had been experiencing strange symptoms since about the 3 week mark.  At first I held on wondering if it was just die-off, but they got worse and unlivable.  I lost 5 lbs with no effort.  I really didn't feel the desire to exercise while on the diet, so didn't.  But, I lost 5 lbs and was continuing to lose weight that I did not need to lose.  My skin was healing, but suddenly broke out again.  I experienced a 10 day long period (mine are usually 5-6 days).  My ovulation was so painful, I thought about going to the ER.  I had dizzy spells.  I became very irritable and even experienced some depression.

After doing some research online (yeah, I know....), it sounded like my carbohydrate levels were too low.  So, I slowly introduced some carbs, starting with sweet potatoes, potatoes and then sprouted grains.  I am now back on my usual balanced diet and I am pretty much back to normal.

I'm not writing the SCD/GAPS diet off completely.  I may try it again in the summer.  I'm also wondering if the symptoms may have been from the high consumption of nuts (almonds mostly) that I ate in the raw form rather than soaking and drying  to remove the phytic acid.

If I do the diet again, I plan on preparing the nuts properly.

SCD/GAPS Week Two

Day 7:



Breakfast: Smoothie, herbal tea

Lunch: Venison, roasted carrots, green beans, leftover grain-free pizza, water

Snack: dried apricots, dates, scones, water, apple and gouda

Dinner: french toast scrambled eggs with apple and pecans (2-3 eggs beaten with some water, pure vanilla extract, cinnamon), tangerine, water





Day 8:



Breakfast: fried eggs, tangerine, water

Lunch: cheese, carrots, 2 dried apricots, lentils, cauliflower, water

Snack: grain-free banana nut muffins

Dinner: spinach, mushrooms, asparagus, grain-free meatballs, water




Day 9:




Breakfast: smoothie, muffin
Lunch: carrots, sauerkraut, meatball, muffin
Snack: muffin, yogurt, date, coconut, pecans
Dinner: bacon cheeseburger (no bun), salad with oil and vinegar




Day 10:




Breakfast: scrambled eggs, muffin, banana, water
Lunch: chicken and steamed veg, water with lemon
Snack: dried apricots, muffins, yogurt with dates and coconut, herbal tea, water
Dinner: chicken, mixed veg, navy beans, water




Day 11:




Breakfast: scrambled eggs, muffin,  herbal tea
Lunch: 2 apricots, salad with skipjack tune, 1/2 avocado, carrots, oil and vinegar seasonings, lacto-fermented sauerkraut, water
Snack: 2 dates, apple with gouda, water
Dinner:  sausage and cabbage casserole, pea soup, water




Day 12:




Breakfast: smoothie, water
Lunch: leftover casserole, water
Snack: herbal tea, grain-free cupcake, raisin and nuts, tangerine
Dinner: cauliflower and cheese with mushrooms, squash, water




Day 13:




Breakfast: smoothie
Lunch: dates, apple and cheese, water
Snack: cupcake, water, tangerines
Dinner: chicken, broccoli, mushroom olives and muenster cheese grain-free pizza, water




**This week was rougher for me.  I had dizzy spells starting on Monday.  Nothing severe, but I wondered what was causing it.  My (uneducated) guess is perhaps candida die-off.  I also learned that nettles are not allowed on the SCD diet and I often add nettles to my herbal tea.  In addition, I ate sweet corn in the mixed veg. 

For the coming week, I decided to try to eat fewer carb substitutes, lower my cheese intake and increase my broth intake.  I am not a fan of broth at all, so this'll be a challenge.


I am also adding some candida-killer ingredients to my foods, such as grapefruit seed extract, garlic and cinnamon. 

Why I Am Not Doing the GAPS Intro

I decided not to do the GAPS intro for two simple reasons:

1. I knew that if I had to restrict myself that much I'd fail.  I'd give up.  Even though skipping the intro may make it take longer to heal, I knew I had a good shot at being successful if I didn't restrict myself that much.

2.  I'm not severely ill.  I don't have Chron's or Colitis or Celiac.  I don't have Autism or Dyspraxia.  I simply have some symptoms of a gut that isn't working to par and I'd like to see if cleaning and healing my guts helps rid me of these issues.  Therefore, I don't feel that I absolutely need to do the intro.

SCD/GAPS Week One

Week one had some bumps, but overall, it went well for such a dietary change.

Day One:

Breakfast: scrambled eggs (water, not milk) over spinach with avocado topped with cheddar cheese.  Tangerine, herbal tea and water.

Lunch: chicken broth with chicken and mixed veg. *forgot that mixed veg has corn in it.  Picked out corn.  Side of raisins and almonds.  Water.

Dinner:  navy bean dip (soaked and cooked navy beans, garlic clove, olive oil, water pureed), mashed squash, carrots, water

Snack:  yogurt* with bananas, almonds, coconut and dates.  Water. *All yogurt mentioned is homemade.

Day Two: 

Breakfast: (shown above) Grain-free waffles with bananas and mixed berries cooked into a syrup.  Herbal Tea, water.

Lunch: Apples with cheese, raisins, dates, coconut oil, almonds, water, bean dip with carrots.

Dinner:  Mixed greens, 1/2 an avocado, cheese, tuna (packed in water, not broth or soybean oil), homemade dressing (olive oil, apple cider vinegar, water, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper, italian seasoning), water.

Snack: tangerine, cherry tomato, carrots, gluten and dairy-free blondie with chocolate chips (I was at a New Year's Eve party and a guest really wanted me to try it when she heard I'd appreciate something like that.  Even though the rice flour and chocolate chips are not GAPS-legal, it was the best dessert choice for this diet there.)  Water.

Day Three:

Breakfast: smoothie (banana, frozen mixed berries, yogurt, coconut water, herbal blend, coconut oil, probiotic, raw egg), herbal tea, water.

Lunch:  salad w/olive oil, broccoli cheddar soup (hubby and I were at a restaurant.  In hindsight, I should have chosen chicken noodle and avoided the noodles, or just gone with the straight salad bar because the cheese was probably processed cheese food and it most likely contained soy and wheat), water with lemon.

Dinner: chicken, green beans, cauliflower, water

Snack: banana, yogurt, coconut, water, tangerine

Day Four:

Breakfast: Scrambled eggs and cheese, tangerine, herbal tea

Lunch: dates and coconut oil, chicken broth with broccoli and cheese, water

Dinner: grain-free meatloaf (ground beef, almond flour, seasonings, egg), squash, peas and carrots, water

Snack: grain free scones, water, yogurt with bananas

Day Five:

Breakfast: smoothie, herbal tea

Lunch: chicken broth with broccoli, sausage and cheese, water

Dinner: grain free fried catfish (shown below), lacto-fermented saurkraut, cauliflower, water

*To make the catfish, I blended almond flour with egg and water into a batter.  I dredged the catfish in almond flour and then did my best coating it with the batter.  Truth be told, the batter would not smooth onto the fish very well.  I then fried it in peanut oil.*

Snack: scones, 1 date, water

Day Six:

Breakfast: scrambled eggs, sausage (pure sausage, not seasoned or smoked), scone, herbal tea

Lunch: salad (spinach, carrots, apple, cold leftover grain-free fried catfish, gouda, pecans, lacto-fermented saurkraut, water

Dinner: grain free pizza with broccoli, mushrooms, olives, muenster cheese, water

Snack: scones, tea, yogurt with bananas, coconut and dates, water

**Over all, I don't feel too much different.  I seem to be having some symptoms that may be die-off symptoms, such as a day of tiredness, some very strong carb cravings, some gas/intestinal aches/bloating, and some skin eruptions.  I don't think I've gained or lost any weight.  I haven't exercised all week, but have rather been sleeping in as much as I can.

New Year, New Guts

Today, I am starting a new healing diet called the SCD (Specific Carbohydrate Diet) or the GAPS diet.  These diets are very similar and are used to clean and heal the guts thus allowing the body to heal from many ailments and symptoms.  From now on into the New Year, I will be blogging about how I am doing on this diet.  It is restrictive and I judge it will be hard to keep on it, but I want to try.  I will have to be my own advocate.  I plan on being on it for at least 3 months....more if I feel I need more healing.

It's going to be hard for this carb and lactose addict to do this, but I want this journey to be as raw and as a real as the foods I will be eating on it.

Since the diet is so restrictive, it is going to take some adjusting to meal prep for myself.  My plan so far is:

My homemade herbal smoothies for breakfast
Broth or broth-y soup and/or salad for lunch
A SCD altered dinner

I stocked my freezer with frozen broccoli, cauliflower and butternut squash to replace my usual carb side dishes (potatoes and all grains are not allowed on this diet in order to not feed the bad flora in the gut).

My Thoughts on Grains

There are varying views on grains, whether they are healthy or not and whether people are getting sick on them or not.  From nutritional expert to layman, opinions abound on the matter.  I decided to add my own opinion to the matter.  I have no medical authority.  I have simply been studying health and nutrition for myself for nearly 2 decades.

Are grains bad for you?  I don't believe they are.  However, I do believe that people are getting sick from eating grains.  I believe that in general, people are losing the ability to properly digest grains.  But why?

1.  Our Western (American) diet is overloaded with grain products and thus some of us are developing an intolerance and allergy to being over exposed to grains.

2.  Our generally poor diet and chemical exposure had damaged our guts, even across generations, making it harder for some people to digest grains.

3.  Formula feeding and not breast feeding our babies long enough and putting them on grain-based foods as their first foods is damaging some people's ability to digest grains.

4.  Our grains are mass produced on depleted soils and not as healthy as they ought to be.

5.  Our grains are overly processed into undigestable non-foods.

6.  Our grains are not properly prepared (sprouted or soaked).

I do not believe that we were created or evolved to not eat grains.  I do believe God gaves us grains as part of our diet.  I also believe that some people simply cannot eat grains or gluten products, just like some people can't tolerate dairy or strawberries or nuts.

Some people learn they can eat grains if they are properly prepared (soaked or sprouted).  Others learn they just need to limit their grains and not rely on them as the foundation of their meals.  Still others have to eliminate grains or gluten for a time and heal their guts before slowly reintroducing grains into their diet.  Some can never eat grains or gluten again.  Some find that returning to grains made in a more traditional manner (such as eating oatmeal rather than puffed cold cereals) is better for them.

I also believe that we should not ascribe to a false sense of health by needlessly eliminating grains or gluten just to try a fad diet plan or unsupported dietary dogma.  Just because one person actually does well on a certain dietary lifestyle doesn't mean you will, too.  Health is personal.

So, don't panic and think you need to eliminate grains or gluten from your diet.  Research it for yourself and see what's best.  Don't jump onto the gluten-free or grain-free bandwagon just because it's the latest dietary fad.  Find what works for you.

Grain-Free Scone Success!

Almond Flour Berry Scones

I found almond flour at our local health food store and tried THIS recipe out.  I wasn't sure what to expect, but a lick of the raw batter on the spoon was promising.

Promising, indeed!  The final product is quite tasty and filling to boot!  All those healthy fats in the almond flour, butter and eggs really makes this a satisfying dessert, snack or even breakfast!

Nourishing Recipes

Today, in the fitness challenge group I am a part of, our challenge is to find a healthful recipe and share it.  Another step up in the challenge is to actually make the recipe.  I'm game!

Thankfully, our head coach has encouraged the challengers to avoid "healthy" recipes that feature processed, canned soup ingredients.  Just because it is low-fat or low-cal doesn't mean it is healthful.  Hence why I've entitled this post "Nourishing Recipes."

I am choosing THIS recipe from THIS list of GAPS/SCD recipes.  You can't go wrong health-wise with any of these recipes.

Other great sources of nourishing, healthful recipes:

Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon  (every single recipe in this book is nourishing, natural and healthy and it includes gourmet desserts!)
The Healthy Home Economist
Cheese Slave
Nourished Kitchen
Food For Kids Health

Natural Sweeteners...a better choice

Honey, preferably raw:  Raw honey is chock full of enzymes and amylases that help us more easily digest carbs.  Local honey contains pollens that can help ease allergies.  Honey has trace amounts of vitamins and minerals and contains many antioxidants.

Maple Syrup:  Maple syrup is full of trace minerals such as calcium, manganese, iron and zinc.

Rapadura:  aka dehydrated cane sugar juice.  This sweetener is rich in minerals and is close enough to sugar for baked goods.

Stevia:  This is an herb and a little goes a long way.  Some people are sensitive to stevia and be aware that many commercial packets contain additives.

Date Sugar:  Date sugar does not dissolve easily, so it is great on top of muffins or in oatmeal.  It is high in tryptophan, which is an amino acid that has a calming effect.

Molasses: high in B vitamins and minerals such as iron, zinc, copper, calcium and chromium, this sweetener.

Sorghum syrup:  ditch all that agave syrup/nectar and try sorghum syrup, instead.  It is rich in B vitamins and minerals such as phosphorus, iron and calcium.

The best thing we can do is get used to a lower sweets diet and save sweetened food as a treat rather than a regular part of our daily diet.  It takes some time, but one thing I've personally noticed is that the less refined/fake sugars in my diet, the more I taste the natural sweetness of fruits and vegetables and the flavors of unsweetened foods.

The Healthy Home Economist
Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon
Nutrition Facts
The World's Healthiest Foods
Authority Nutrition

Detoxifying Twists

I thought it was just health nut mumbo jumbo....twist your torso and detoxify....but, in practicality, there seems to be something to it!  Since I started doing the twists, I am no longer bloated or...ahem...constipated.  Plus, it feels sooooooo good on the back.

Consider it a hug for your internal organs.  Wringing them out, you move digestion, gas, and perhaps even toxins along their paths...out.

Here are some popular twists to do.  Yeah, I'm stealing them from google images.  I was going to do my own pictures, but I figured these would show proper form better than I can and that's important:

Images from:  www.kristinmcgee.com, www.breakingmuscle.com, www.shape.com, www.alignyo.com

Don't Fear the Fat or Egg Yolks!

Remember in 1990's?  It was an era of "fat is BAD!"  Ummm....did that do much of anything to reduce the obesity epidemic in America?  No!!  Instead, people avoided healthy fats to their detriment and adopted the low-fat, no-fat chemical s**tstorms that are out their now.

Lemme say this once and for all, so listen carefully:  GOOD FATS (in healthful moderation) WILL NOT MAKE YOU FAT!!  And healthful moderation may be more than you think.

So, please, stop thinking you're doing yourself a dietary and healthy lifestyle favor by eating fat free yogurts.  Especially the flavored ones.  Learn to love plain whole milk yogurt and load it up with fruit, turn it into a veggie dip (with real herbs, not some chemical-laden packet of mix), add nuts, unsweetened coconut, honey, maple syrup, etc and enjoy the filling goodness.

Listen, we need fats.  Fats help absorb vitamins.  Fats keep our body going.  Fats help us feel full so we don't gorge ourselves on empty calories.  Embrace the avocado, the almond, whole milk (preferable raw), butter, olive oil, coconut oil, salmon, EGG YOLKS....but toss those nasty vegetable oils (canola, corn, shortening, PAM).

And please, enough with this egg white stuff.  Eat the yolk!  I'm begging you!  The yolk is full of goodness and good cholesterol.  You NEED good cholesterol for a healthy brain.  People on low/no fat diets and low/no cholesterol diets are more likely to get dementia!  But don't just buy any conventional egg.  And avoid those "vegetarian fed" eggs.  Sorry, but anyone living on a genetically modified corn and soy diet isn't going to produce much of anything healthful...find a local farmer who lets their chickens peck the ground for bugs and seeds and such and buy their eggs, then eat the whole darned thing!

Here are some great resources on the info I've presented here:

The Five Fats You MUST Have

How Vegetable Oils Make Us Fat

Get Your Fats Straight

Why Skim Milk Will Make You Fat

Health Benefits of Egg Yolks

You need to feed your body and feed it well for it to run properly and grow good muscle and cells and such.  You can't have that if you are feeding your body with processed chemicals and not giving it the building blocks it needs (good fats and cholesterols).

After my first baby was born, I could not budge the last bit of baby weight.  I exercised regularly and ate a low-fat diet.  Why wasn't my weight budging?  After reading research on fats, I took a leap of faith and switched to a full-fat diet and eliminated almost all processed foods.  You know what happened?  I didn't blow up like a balloon.  I dropped not only the last 5 lbs of baby weight, but I dropped nearly 10 lbs!  I had muscle tone and strength and wellness like I never had before!

I've had 4 babies and I still eat a full-fat diet and I weigh less now than I did before I got pregnant with my first!

One caveat....all bodies are different and we have different ways of metabolizing foods.  So, while you should eat good fats every day and not shun them, your body may not be able to handle as much as mine.  Or you may not like the more "robust" look that comes with a traditional full-fat diet.  Our world's view is very slender and toned.  On a woman, the full-fat diet usually presents a more Marilyn Monroe look than Jillian Michaels.  See what works for you.  Experiment and be mindful of your body, but please PLEASE do not shun good fats and egg yolks.  Our bodies need them!

Take Care of Yourself...Please!

No, really!  PLEASE, I am begging you to take better care of yourself!

I recently spent a few hours of my life in an ER waiting room (not for me) and it was a sad display.

There are those who have their health taken from them.  They normally take care of themselves, but age, injury, cancer, or something else has stolen their health from them.

And then there are those who've never really bothered to take care of themselves.  They've smoked, drank, ate junk foods, stayed sedentary, and wasted their brains on TV shows and their minds on bad attitudes and useless grudges.  Most were late-middle-aged to elderly.  Many probably still had a chance to turn their health around, but most likely will rely on pharmaceuticals to get them by.

I know, I probably sound judgemental.  I'm not walking in their shoes, but it did get me thinking.  The time to start taking care of yourself for your older years is NOW!  Age and ill-health are going to come, but you can at least reduce and/or delay the impact it has on you NOW!

Cut out the processed junk!
Get up and move!
Eat healthy foods!
Drink water!
Destress!
Get fresh air!
Turn off the TV!
Forgive!
Seek the Lord!
Throw away chemicals and use natural alternatives!

Taking Healthful Advantage of October

October is just around the bend.....so is cold and flu season.  Here are some ideas to keep you healthy during October:

1.  Take advantage of Indian Summer days and throw open your windows!
2.  Fall clean your house to get rid of dirt, dust, allergens, clutter, summer bug carcasses, cob webs, etc.
3.  Get outside and soak up the sun (before having to shut yourself away for a winter).
4.  Hey, if it's one of those uniquely warm Indian Summer days, throw on your bathing suit and sun bathe!
5.  Start eating homemade chicken soup.
6.  Add turmeric to that soup!
7.  Start taking immune boosters such as Echinacea, Grapefruit Seed Extract, Turmeric, Probiotics, etc.
8.  Exercise, preferably outdoors.  Keep that blood flowing.
9.  Limit those tempting scented candles.  They pollute the air quality of your house and make your immune
     system work overtime.
10.  Do your research on the flu shot and whether or not you should get one.  Personally, I refuse it.
11.  Stay hydrated.
12.  Take advantage of any citrus in season.

If you do happen to fall ill with a cold or flu, please, PLEASE avoid spreading it as much as you can.  Stay home and rest, if you can.  If out, take measures to keep your germs to yourself.

Here's to a healthy, happy October!

Little Ways to Improve Your Health

There is a saying out there that no amount of exercise will undo a bad diet, and it is true, but often a complete lifestyle overhaul is too much for a person to deal with....and succeed.  I, myself, have taken baby steps over two decades, as my knowledge, research and ability grew.  I'm still growing and learning and always will!

I am a proponent of baby steps to better health.  If you can take a giant leap, by all means, go for it!  But, if those giant leaps leave you feeling overwhelmed and doomed to failure, take baby steps and build on them.  Like a young toddler, you'll soon find yourself running!

Here's a list of little ways you can improve your health:

Stop bringing home goodies.
Replace your ice cream bowl with a cup of yogurt.
Stop leaning over your shopping cart.  Stand up straight and push.
Practice posture improvement.
Do your kegals!
Sleep commando or in the buff.  Your body needs to air out!
Massage your breasts.
Replace a cup of coffee with a cup of quality tea.
Ditch the fancy creamers.
Replace sugar with rapadura.
Stop buying canola oil, vegetable oil, corn oil, shortening and margarine.
Ditch the breakfast cereal or bagel in the morning and have oatmeal, instead.
Buy the "Dirty Dozen" in organic.
Switch out your aluminum-filled antiperspirant with a non-aluminum alternative.
Switch out your fluoride toothpaste for a non-fluoride alternative.
Stop buying artificially colored products.
Stop buying artificially sweetened products.
Eat more soups (not canned).
Visit your farmer's market.
Drink enough water.
Switch to whole milk, preferably raw, if you can.
Book a massage.
Walk more.
If you're married and you know it, have more sex. (Sung to "If You're Happy and You Know It)
Reduce your chemical usage (cleaning products for body and home)
Get a good night's sleep.
Turn off the TV!
Go to church.
Get a little unprotected, indirect sun. 
Join a CSA.
Stretch.

Tea Time!

The Whistling Kettle, Ballston Spa, NY

 

This past weekend, hubby and I had the pleasure of taking our first visit to The Whistling Kettle in Ballston Spa.  I highly recommend it.  The food was very good, the service excellent, the atmosphere nice, (the bathroom clean), and the teas......no words.  There are no words.  Hubby chose chamomile and I chose Vanilla Silk Oolong.  Bliss!  (Also recommend the Garden Panini.)

 

While there, I grabbed their 2013 catalog and was intrigued by all the different teas and information within it.  I thought I was fairly up on teas, but apparently, I am quite the novice! 

 

It got me thinking about different ways people nurse, improve, and maintain their health.  Some follow certain diets.  Some are big on exercise.  Some follow alternative practices.  Some swear by Shakeology.  Some use herbs.  And some drink tea. 

 

Teas are very medicinal and the practice of taking time for tea is a great way to relieve stress and unwind.  To pause, rehydrate, refresh and enjoy some fellowship is a great health benefit.  Add to that the benefits of actually drinking tea and you have a healthy double whammy!

 

I encourage you to visit The Whistling Kettle in person or online.  Get their catalog.  They not only describe the teas, but offer the suggested serving size, water temperature, and steeping time for the best of each tea.

 

Share in the comments your favorite tea and why!