…and someone(s) in your life who couldn't care less?

Well, after much lamenting, cajoling, mentoring, throwing up handing, and finally saying "fine, eat what you like i'm putting seaweed in my dinner dammit!" -ing, I have come up with a few tricks to appease my sense that time is running out to stuff adequate nutrition into another human being.  Because, lets face it, it ain't my body, so I really don't have the right to feel put out by it all.  

Educate, don't Berate!  (is that how the saying goes?)

IN THE MEANTIME:

#1. Spruce up the Salt

One good thing about fussy eaters, is that they are usually also too lazy to remedy a situation unless it is very uncomfortable.  So, get yourself a salt shaker that is also a grinder, some unrefined course sea salt (grey if you can get away with it) and some seaweed of your choice.  Mix it all together and pour into grinder.  Then, get rid of any other salt options in the house.  If they want to saltify, they must grind!  I haven't actually had any complaints, as it really does just taste salty.

TIPS:

grinder:  if you can afford ceramic parts, great, they don't rust.  If not, plastic or stainless steel will do the job.  If you can't find one easily, you can buy one of those specialty salts in any grocer to start with and then just keep refilling it with your own mix.
 

salt:  get the biggest course salt you can find, if it is damp (high quality) you might need to spread it out on something (pan, towel, board) and dry it out first.  The grey colour is because it hasn't been bleached or refined and it still contains all those tasty trace minerals that we actually need.  They also help minimize the damage excess salt causes in the body.  After all, we came from the sea originally right?

seaweed:  This is all preference… As I am lazy, I buy Dulse flakes, which are already cut up for you and mix well with salt.  I've also used Alaria, which come in black strands and breaks up nicely when dry.  Kelp gives you a littel extra calcium and Nori a little extra protein.  Use your imagination!

So, don't do the salty dance of guilt, just spruce* your salt up! 

*you know you Can eat spruce needles (or at least make vit. C rich tea outa them), but you might find the taste a little strong and distracting for salt…

Just a quick note to let you know that on of my favorite products, E3Live is having a Holiday Special!

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This will give you a chance to stock up on your favorites, buy extra for friends, or just treat yourself!  They even have a section for gifts under $10 this year.  So if you want something unusual for the person who has everything or who doesn't go for the regular candy-type gifting, this is an option.

*Special Tip: Use coupon code: HOLIDAY2011 during checkout

Click Here to See their Superfoods and Gifts

Cheers and Happy Season even if you don't get many holidays…!

Here, more than anywhere I've ever lived, have I noticed the complete scarcity of sunshine.  When there is a glimmer, people flock to the streets and the coffee shops, hoping to get a little warmth on their faces before the inevitable return of cloud cover and drizzle.

I've recommended Vitamin D a lot in my life for people who work inside or have depressive tendancies, or even wear too much sunscreen, this is the first time I've prescribed it for myself.  I found this great raw form from Garden of Life that has been working well so far.  (On the test subjects of myself and fiance – not exactly a controlled experiment, but we can get very cranky!!)

It's been a short time, but I have found myself with a slightly brighter take on my life, even as my sleep stays deprived.  One thing at a time.

As winter thaws into spring, most of us look forward to leaving behind the ice and snow to welcome the warmth and blossoming flowers.  For those of us who suffer from springtime seasonal allergies, however, the changing of the seasons can be bittersweet as we face the prospect of days spent with constant sneezing and an unrelenting runny nose.

This need not be the case, though.  There are natural remedies available at your local health shop to help prevent and eliminate the annoyance and discomfort of seasonal allergy symptoms.

Natural Anti-histamines

Many allergy symptoms are caused by the inflammatory compound, histamine.  When there is an abundance of certain substances in the atmosphere, such as tree pollen in spring and grass pollen in summer, the immune systems of allergy sufferers will treat these harmless substances as toxins and unnecessarily produce histamine to combat them.  Fortunately there are natural supplements that can inhibit the release of histamine which, unlike pharmaceutical anti-histamines, have no adverse side effects.  Quercetin, a bioflavanoid found in many common foods, is the most recommended by health practitioners but there are other natural supplements with known anti-histamine properties such as Vitamin C and the herb Nettle.

Antioxidants

As well as being natural anti-histamines, Quercetin and Vitamin C are also antioxidants which can assist in combating allergies.  Antioxidants help protect the body from free radicals, an atom or group of atoms that cause damage to cells.  This cellular damage can lead to many health problems including a weakened immune system and susceptibility to inflammation, both of which make us more vulnerable to seasonal allergies.  Coenzyme Q 10 and Grape Seed are other antioxidant supplements which have been shown to help in the allergy fight.

Immune boosters

A strong immune system can help prevent allergies.  Astragalus, Echinacea, and Garlic are among the most highly regarded natural supplements to improve the immune system.

If you suffer from seasonal allergies, visit a health food shop near you and they will be happy to assist you in finding the right natural remedy to help you enjoy the beautiful spring and summer allergy free.   

I am still baffled by the amount of people I meet who still don't try for the Doctor (no less!) Recommended dose of 8-10 glasses per day.  If a glass is 8oz… that's 2L of water!  Yes, you unbelievers!… 2 litres, minimum.

Now I have been lucky enough to grow up in a place where water is abundant.  As I listen to the stream outside my window, I do think about how I could possibly get enough water in the desert? Or does the body simply function differently?  I often worry about walking around the planet Dune and having to use recycled bodily water for hydration.  Have I simply been spoiled on water?

Well, those thoughts aside, water has helped me with:

• PMS: water retention and bloating is caused by the body actually having too little water and having to store it.
• Dry skin and lips, dry scalp
• Sports, the muscles react better, faster and with less fatigue than if I have been lax in my water drinkage.
• Constipation:  a dehydrated colon is a common cause of bowel issues. (magnesium helps the colon absorb the water)
• Tiredness:  the body is made up of so much water, fluids is how almost every system in our body communicates (lymph, blood, digestive juices, intracellular fluid)
• Headaches (mild-moderate):  some say that the glass of water you take with your 'Advil' is actually what cures the headache.
• Toxicity:  soreness, tiredness, brain fog, joint problems, edema.  Water can dilute and flush toxins out of the body.
• Thirst (haha)

Some books claim that dehydration is the cause of almost every major disease out there.  It's an extreme theory, but it doesn't hurt to try drinking water first, as it is the easiest and cheapest thing you can do for yourself (at least in my part of the world…)  Watch your electrolyte balance if you Only drink water (especially if you are sweating) and try to include some juices, herbal teas or (as all the hot yoga places say) Emergen-C.  Gatorade if you are desparate and in a sea of convenience stores instead of health food stores.

-what you are looking for is H20 with glucose, potassium, sodium and magnesium.  (limes or Apple Cider Vinegar, sea salt, molasses/raw sugar/maple syrup)
I will endeaver to find a tasty homemade substitute as I can't find my notes right now!

Just remember, when in doubt, drink water!

Weakness 1: wheat

why?  it is easy and tasty and cheap.

alternatives? more expensive, harder to find, nobody else wants to eat them with me and i love to share.

what is so bad about it?  it tends to be extremely processed, it is in EVERYTHING, I am blood type O so it produces harmful lectins for me, gluten and my stomach don't get along.  But oh for a good bowl of pasta!  I want it!  It makes me very happy!  and then it sends me into a pasta coma….

Weakness 2:  chocolate

why?  duh!  sugar, caffeine, fat and love all mixed into a food.

alternatives?  no…. just no

what is so bad about it?  the good stuff is pricey, the cheap stuff is full of everything BUT chocolate… The sugar keeps the hypoglycemic addiction running, feeds the yeast in the body, keeps me awake at night, makes me want more the next day.

Weakness 3:  dairy

why?  So very comforting and satisfying, melty, filling for the belly when there is no meat to be had, VERY easy to work with and makes everything taste good.  Oh, and is a very good excuse to drink wine.  Ok, clearly I have an issue as my own category was "dairy"… and clearly all I've written about is cheese…  Well, that is my Achilles heel.

alternatives?  Nothing quite like it (cheese i mean).  I have substituted oil, salt and avocado for the "satisfying-ness" of it in the belly.  Almond milk is a great milk substitute for me, I use it in everything from smoothies, to ovaltine, to pancakes.  Yogurt I am ok with.

what is so bad about it?  hard to digest, bad for blood type O, hard on the liver apparently.  I've been told from a Naturopath, 2 energy workers, Chinese doctors and my own evidence that it is bad for me.  Blocks me up and gives me things like eczema and foggy brain.  My energy is much higher when I don't eat it.

All this self analysis is stressing me out, so i think I'm gonna go make cheese sticks now… but i will eat a carrot too… the colour orange is supposed to be good for digestion

So you wanna eat or talk philosophy?  Personally, I like doing both..

People gather using the backdrop of food for comfort, company, idea sharing, business, family and a myriad of other reasons.  Filling my belly and my brain at the same time is one of my favorite pass-times.  Not that i don't love eating in front of the TV as well (filling my brain in a different way), but if i don't have a meaningful meal once in a while, i start to feel like something is missing.  Focusing on the food and the people you are with is one way to counteract the isolation of many of our jobs and lives these days (she says while typing on her computer!..)  If i was rich I'd probably find a way to eat out everyday with people i liked.

This idea carries me into the preparing of food too.  Consciously cooking and choosing your ingredients becomes a way of spreading the love and the nutrients!

My neighbours and landlords usually watch my gardening with  a suspicious eye….maybe it's because i might dig holes in the back lawn to put compost in….maybe its because i rejoice to see a field of dandelions to put that sunshine yellow in my salads and pancakes! 

I skulk around neighbours yards looking jealously at their chickweed and lambs quarters, wondering if they know what nutritional powerpunches they have right under their noses.
When taking care of my mom's garden, i am careful to grab all the weeds and take them home with me to put on my balcony…
They grow well!  They are super tasty, Pretty, and Good for you!

here are my favorites, as a lazy yet opportunist gardener:

• chickweed (needs wet cool, light sun)
• violets (same)-tiny wild pansy
• purslane, i've only found in my garden once, in Hamilton, where it was very fertile but very HOT, interestingly sour and crunchy.
• lamb's quarters (seems to just grow….you can see it in empty lots, abandoned ground…spinach like in its culinary actions)
• dandelion, do i really need to describe? mmm, liver bitter….
• plantain (city sidewalks, with grass, wherever people walk)
• wild lettuce, grows all over the city with little spiky spines on it…but don't eat much, its a strong relaxant)
• nettles, if you are lucky enough to live by a fertile creek or park where they hide under the big trees to enjoy the damp…you can identify by the invigorating sting.
• i also really like aloe, which does grow as a weed in some places! (namely those places where i tend to get sunburned)

I know i have seen at least one example of each this summer, next year i promise to bring the camera with me… but the best thing to do is find someone (the local herbalist) to take you on a weed walk in your particular zone.
 

Well, it has now been even longer (7months?) with the no-shampoo washing, and I am still a happy camper!  It does get knotty pretty fast, but with long curly hair that is a never-ending hassle and tussle with me anyway. 

One of my favorite side effects is that my brush has never been cleaner!  You know that wierd waxy, dirt buildup that tends to get in the bottom of combs and brushes if you use them alot? (really hard to clean, and kinda gross)  Gone, gone, gone!  (girls you know what i mean right??)  It took a few months but now my natural wood bristle brush stays nice and woody no matter how much i use it..

I think I have more split ends then before, so I might try putting a little oil on the ends once in a while, or brushing more often to distribute the natural oils.  But it remains nice and curly, bouncy after wetting, and very product free.  I still have some natural spray in conditioner, left-over from the old days, that i use for special occassions, less than once a month.  To be honest, I barely wash it at all anymore, even with baking soda…1-2 times a month —pure laziness!  I love it!