Spring Cleaning

Spring and sprung and thoughts turn to Spring cleaning.  It's time to open the windows and get fresh Spring air circulating through the house.  When I was a kid in the 50's  we hung the rugs on the clothes line and gave them a good beating (that was always fun).  We clean our yards, wash and wax the cars, and plant gardens.

Why not give your body the same care.  This is a wonderful time to detox your body and even think about a colon cleanse.  Your body's most important natural detoxifier is glutathione, an amino acid-based antioxidant.  Glutathione contains sulfur and so toxins stick to it and are then flushed from the body via urine and stool.  One way to increase your glutathione level is to eat foods that are high in sulfur.  These include garlic, onions, radishes, broccoli, cauliflower and boc choy as well as egg yoke.

You also might want to consider adding gultathione building supplements like N-acetylcystine (NAC), alpha-lipoic-acid (ALA) and milk thistle extract (MTE) to your supplement routine.  I take 500 mg of NAC, 100 mg ALAand 175 mg of MTE twice a day.  Some people double the NAC and ACA intake. 

In addition to a multiviatamin you may consider taking 500mg of vitamin C, 20 mg of zinc, and 150 mg of selenium.  These all provide metal-chelating benefits.

If you have never considered or done a colon cleanse then you might want to read this informative article at Web MD:  http://www.webmd.com/balance/natural-colon-cleansing-is-it-necessary.  From my perspective I think that it is important and do a colon cleanse every six months. 

To your health . . .

Emergency Kits

A couple of days ago I responded to a Twitter request for info about emergency kits with the following.  I hope that it is useful.  Obviously, my way is not the only way.  Develop emergency kits and plans that meet your family's needs.

I have a large plastic box in the back of the van with food for three days (lots of easy to prepare canned food, etc.). The van also caries an ax, hatchet, small shovel, and a camp stove with fuel. We live in a heavily wooded area so wood for fires and shelter is plentiful.

I have prepared a fanny pack for each member of the family. The fanny packs are in the back of the van. Each fanny pack includes the following:

• Small AA flashlight
• Plastic poncho
• Emergency blanket (reflective plastic)
• Whistle
• Pocket knife
• Fire starter (the kind that make goods sparks)
• Box of matches in a zip lock bag
• A $5 roll of quarters
• $20 bill
• 2 protein bars

I have also prepared a large backpack with the following (the backpack stays in the van):

• Two rolls of toilet paper
• Compass 
• GPS with East Coast topo maps
• Hunting knife
• 20 protein bars
• 2 wakie takies
• A 2 meter portable transceiver that runs of 6 AA batteries (I'm a ham radio operator)
• 2 meter, roll-up J-pole antena with 6 meters of coax
• 100 meters of parachute cord
• 20 meters of rope
• Fishing line, hooks, lures, and weights
• Fire starter
• Snow Peak GigaPower Stove with 2 liters of white gas
• Small fry pan
• Small pot for boiling water
• Five metal drinking cups (they nest well inside each other) Can be used to heat water for instant soup or noodles
• Water purification tablets
• MSR Water purification filter
• 1 Liter Nalgene water bottle
• 12 rechargable AA batteries
• Solar battery charger
• Solar/crank AM/FM/SW radio
• Pocket version of the Bhagavad  Gita

Finally I have placed a tent, ground cloth and five sleeping bags in the closet by the front door of the house so that we could load them in the van in a hurry if we had to.  We also have a canoe parked next to the house for quick access.  It takes about five minutes to toss it on top of the van and tie it down.

Pray for the best, plan for the worst.

Capsaicin and Heart Attack . . . The News is Good!

Capsaicin, the hot stuff in cayenne peppers, has a long history of use in folk medicine and by alternative health practitioners.  In fact, cayenne is often called, The King of Herbs".  Now scientists have come up with proof cayenne does have a remarkable ability to help the heart. University of Cincinnati (UC) scientists have found that capsaicin, the main component of cayenne, may literally stop a heart attack in its tracks when applied topically.

New research just published in the journal Circulation concludes that a common, over-the-counter pain salve containing capsaicin rubbed on the skin during a heart attack (mice were used in this experiment) could serve as a cardiac-protectant -- reducing or even preventing damage to the heart. The researchers found an amazing 85 percent reduction in cardiac cell death when capsaicin was used. This is the most powerful cardioprotective effect ever recorded, according to Keith Jones, PhD, a researcher in the UC department of pharmacology and cell biophysics.

According to Natural News, Dr. Jones is currently working in collaboration with cardiologist Neal Weintraub, MD, director of UC's cardiovascular diseases division, and other clinicians to test capsaicin's heart protective abilities in people. "Topical capsaicin has no known serious adverse effects and could be easily applied in an ambulance or emergency room setting well in advance of coronary tissue death," Dr. Jones said in a media statement. "If proven effective in humans, this therapy has the potential to reduce injury and/or death in the event of a coronary blockage, thereby reducing the extent and consequences of heart attack."

Learn more:  http://www.healthnews.uc.edu/news/?/9213/

Vegetables In Coconut Curry Sauce

Hope you enjoy this, it is one of my favorites:
 
Vegetables in Coconut Curry Sauce
Prep time; 20 minutes
Cooking time: 50 minutes
Serves; 6

Ingredients

• Vegetables
• 1 head of cauliflower florets (about 4 cups)
• 2 medium carrots, peeled and cut into half rounds
• 2 zucchini, cut into found
• 1 red bell pepper, cut into half strip
• 1 cup frozen pea
• 1 medium onion, mince
• 2 tablespoons garlic, mince
• ¼ teaspoon dried crushed red chili pepper (more or less to taste)
• Spices
• 2 tablespoons ground coriande
• 1 teaspoon turmeri
• 1 teaspoon curry powde
• 1 teaspoon sal
• ½ teaspoon powdered cumi
• ½ teaspoon ground cardamo
• ¼ teaspoon cinnamo
• pinch ground clove
• Other
• 2 cups coconut milk (use 1 can of pure coconut milk, 14 fl. oz.
• ¼ cup canola oil or peanut oi
• 1 tablespoon mustard seeds
• 1 tablespoon honey (optional)

Steps:

1. Steam cauliflower, carrots, zucchini, bell pepper and frozen peas until al dente
2. Heat oil and mustard seeds in a medium sized pot
3. When seeds start to pop, add onion, garlic and red chili pepper and sauté until the onions are is translucent
4. Add spices and mix and cook for 3 minutes on low heat
5. Add 2 C coconut milk and simmer, but do not allow to boil
6. Fold in steamed vegetables
7. Add 1 T honey if desired
8. Serve with steamed rice

Humus

If you like good humus as much as I do then you might be a little dismayed by grocery store prices.  I have been making my own for a long time.  Its quick and easy, and pretty inexpensive. 

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 16 oz can of chickpeas or garbanzo beans, drained (reserve the liquid)
• 1/4 cup liquid from can of chickpeas
• 3-5 tablespoons lemon juice (depending on taste)
• 1 1/2 tablespoons tahini - OR- 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 4 tablespoons olive oil

Preparation:

Drain chickpeas and set aside liquid from can. Combine all of the ingredients in blender or food processor.  As you blend slowly add the liquid from chickpeas until you get to the desired, creamy consistency. Blend for 3-5 minutes on low until thoroughly mixed and smooth.
Place in serving bowl, and create a shallow well in the center of the hummus.
Add a small amount (1-2 tablespoons) of olive oil in the well. Garnish with parsley (optional).
Serve immediately with fresh, warm or toasted pita bread, or cover and refrigerate.

For a little variety you might add one of the following as your are blending:

• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1/4 C drained artichoke hearts
• red pepper flakes (these are hot so be carefull)
• 1/4 C drained and pitted black olives

Enjoy