Why I love Lemons

 

LEMONS, why I love them:


Our body runs on electrolytes, such as potassium, sodium, chloride, and magnesium. These elements conduct electricity in our body, and to maintain balance of our body systems we need to also consume a healthy balance of these mineral salts. High sodium and low potassium in the diet can disrupt this balance and cause high blood pressure as well as increase the risk of cancer in the body. Lemon juice can be used to flavor foods in place of salt.

Lemons are readily available, inexpensive, and the benefits are endless! They are a powerful antioxidant, antibacterial, astringent, diuretic, laxative, AND packed full of Vitamin C, A, B1, B6, and P, magnesium, potassium, and folic acid.

Homemade Tomato Sauce !

You will need:

• 1/2 cup of olive oil
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 3 celery hearts, chopped
• 3 carrots, chopped
• 1 tsp. crushed rosemary
• 1 tsp. oregano
• 1 tsp. thyme
• salt, to taste
• fresh ground black pepper, to taste
• 1 tbsp. basil leaves ( fresh if you have them)
• 2 32oz. cans of crushed tomatoes

I give in and do the harlem shake

Hello Everyone

 

When I saw the Harlem Shake videos I was pleasantly surprised since this is how I normally dance anyway.

I decided to give it a shot!

I donned a glorious skeleton Kirgurumi for the event.

Hopefully this will bring a smile to your face.

 

No pugs were harmed in the making of this video.

 

Healthy Winter Chicken Soup!

You will need:
- 1 lb. marinated chicken breasts, cubed
- 5 (organic) carrots, diced diagonally
- 5 (organic) celery stalks, diced diagonally
- 1 medium sweet onion, sliced
- 1 11 oz. can low sodium cream of (mushroom, chicken, celery; use what you have or like)
- 2 cups low sodium chicken broth
- 2 or 3 cloves of fresh garlic, minced
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 pinch of rosemary, crushed
- 1 tsp. thyme
- 1 bunch of kale, washed and deveined
- Egg noodles

Make your own Blueberry Smoothie !

You will need:- about 1 cup of ice (5 or 6 cubes)
- about 3/4 cup frozen blueberries
- 1 cup vanilla yogurt
- 4 oz. pomegranate juice

I like to blend my ice and juice first (especially if you add protein), to keep from getting frothy. If you add protein it is best to do it last and only for 10 to 15 sec.

Then add the blueberries and yogurt. Blend and enjoy!

My First Taste of Freedom – Part 2

The vagus nerve, the tenth cranial nerve, is really fascinating when you understand everything within the body that it is involved in. It runs from your brainstem down the whole length of the spine to the abdominal organs and innervates every organ along the way. It plays a major role in lowering the heart rate, breathing patterns, intestinal movement, sweating, and speech. It is your bodies off switch when feeling anxious and dealing with an overwhelming amount of stress, and the counterbalance to the fight or flight response. In another post I will talk about its connection to the enteric nervous system, our bodies "second brain", where our serotonin is secreted, packaged, and sent up to the brain via the vagus nerve. 

  

Benefits of Brahmi!

Gotu Kola, Centella asiatica, also know as Brahmi "the greatest of great"

This ancient, traditional herb contains the triterpenoids: asiaticoside, centelloside, and madecassoside. These powerful components make this medicinal herb useful in a range of complications and prevention of further damage.

• promote cell apoptosis; cytotoxic towards many different cancer cells
• increases the tone of connective tissue
• accelerate healing process of burns, keloids, and wounds (enhance collagen production and reduces scar tissue)
• lowers blood pressure and reduce leg edema (keep blood vessels strong, maintains resistance of the veins, and enhances blood flow)
• mild adaptogen (enhances the body's ability to resist a stressor)
• fatigue, depression, anxiety (assist in producing neurotransmitters)
• protects against neurodegeneration
• mild diuretic
• anti-inflammatory
• heightens mental function; improves memory and learning capabilities (useful for ADD/ADHD)
• restore some of the memory loss of Alzheimer's disease
• nourish, support, and rejuvenate the liver and kidneys
• Himalayan yogis used Brahmi to aid in meditation and yoga by calming and awakening the mind for a clear, steady practice.

Have you heard about Mycobacterium vaccae yet?

 

  Have you heard about Mycobacterium vaccae yet? It is a type of good bacteria that you breathe in when you spend time in nature or dig in your garden. M. vaccae was discovered on accident during an experiment to find a cure for lung cancer, after boosting the immune system it was also observed that patients “emotional health, vitality, and cognitive function” had improved.

Best Macaroni and Cheese Recipe Ever !

You will need: ( For an 8" pan)

- 16 oz. package of tortiglioni
- large bag of shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 2 1/2 cups milk
- 2-3 eggs
- teaspoon of oregano, basil, and thyme
- 3 cubes of chicken bouillon
- teaspoon of salt and pepper

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Spicy Black Bean Soup !

You will need:

• 1 lb. dry black beans
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 peppers (one red, one green), chopped
• 2 jalapenos, chopped
• 5 cloves of garlic, minced
• 2 quarts of vegetable stock
• 3 tbsp. olive oil
• 2 tsp. cumin
• 2 tsp. coriander
• 2 tsp. oregano
• 2 tsp. cayenne pepper
• 2 tsp. red wine vinegar

My First Taste of Freedom – Part 1

What happened to me?!...I have had some strange experiences since November of 2012. This is when I first felt an overwhelming surge of energy through my body that seemed to collect in my bottom lip. The lower lip got so tight and puckered that I couldn't force a smile, and I did my best to act normal so that nobody would notice. When this happened for the first time, I also smelled electricity. The kind of smell that I can only compare to the haunted house rides at a fair, where you ride through on low budget metal track in a rusty cart. The first time I felt this was during a high energy, life and death moment and I could not sleep that night. I blamed it on the adrenaline, and perhaps it was.

My Natal Chart (Advanced Horoscope)

   

This is my natal chart which is like a snapshot of the sky at the moment you were born. It goes much deeper than your Sun sign (the sign you read when you check the horoscope in the newspaper).

If you are new to astrology and would like one of your own just send me an e-mail! You will need a time of birth for the houses and ascendant to be accurate, but there are general aspects that won’t change much if you don’t know the correct time. This is, of course, for entertainment purposes only.

 

Click the image below if you would like me to make one for you!

 

The many benefits of Garlic!

Another one of the simple remedies that I wanted to start my blog with is raw, crushed garlic. Garlic is a native to Central Asia, one of the oldest cultivated plants, and predates written history. Garlic remedies have been recorded in Sanskrit documents for about 5,000 years and its use in China goes back 3,000 years. An Egyptian medical papyrus, the Ebers Codex, dates the use of garlic to about 1550 B.C.E. for many ailments, while Hippocrates, Aristotle, and Pliny also cited many uses.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yoga Sutras

Yoga: arriving at a place we have not been before; a science of the mind; to bring two things together- unite. The roots of Yoga can be traced back roughly 5,000 years to the Indus Valley civilization where the first seals depicting people performing asanas are found.

Those seeking to go beyond habituated thought and the stressful, distracting demands of materialist society are drawn to the meditative practices of yoga. Yoga reunites all opposites, using practices and systems dealing with regulations and exercises, to bring reconciliation between them. There are many styles that all stem from the same concept of sustaining a lucid, balanced mind; waking up the sleeping soul. The goal is to direct the mind to a state of stillness, without any distraction, while you remain conscious; achieving Kaivalya (freedom). Through practice you understand the purity, clarity, and maturity of intelligence.

Of course, there really is no goal when you practice asana or kriyas, the benefits will come when you enjoy the practice with an open mind and fresh insight. By focusing on the bandhas, "to bind or tie together", you will intensify the cleansing of pranayama and clear any energy blocks. These are "locks" in your body. The three most important are jalandhara bandha (involving the neck and upper spine), uddiyana bandha (between the diaphragm and floor of the pelvis), and mula bandha (between the navel and floor of the pelvis).

Homemade Peppermint Bark!

You will need:
- parchment paper
- candy thermometer
- 12 oz. dark (or semi-sweet) chocolate
- 1 lb. white chocolate
- ½ tbsp. peppermint extract
- ½ cup candy canes (crushed)

I recommend tempering the chocolate because it gives the candy a nice snap!