Tag: detox

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The 52 New Foods Challenge – Green Onions

Green onions probably aren’t anything new for many of us, but they are an essential ingredient in all types of cuisine. I don’t mind onions raw, I love them cooked, and I ADORE them caramelized. I realize that not everyone feels this way about onions, especially children. Jennifer Tyler Lee suggests including them in omelets or even making savory green onion pancakes. I like the idea of using them to make savory pancakes, but choosing a grain free flour for the pancakes, rather than whole wheat flour. (You probably know my stance on wheat, but if not, check out this post.)

Food Facts:

  • Onions are members of the allium family, like garlic and leeks.
  • Smaller onions have less water and a greater concentration of phytonutrients.
  • The sweeter the onion, the less phytonutrient activity.
  • The Western Yellow variety of onion has the most antioxidants
  • The papery skin layer of the onion has the most concentration of bionutrients. And while we don’t eat that part of the onion, it should be saved and added to homemade broth.
  • Onions are a rich source of the antioxidant quercetin. This phytonutrient is vital to support digestion and gut issues.
  • The antioxidant values in onions have been shown to prevent cancer
  • Onions have also been shown to fight against cardiovascular disease and osteoporosis.
  • Good source of vitamins C and B6, potassium, and manganese.
  • Onions have been also been shown to support the respiratory system and fight coughs and congestion.
  • The sulfur in onions (and all alliums) is great for liver detoxification.
  • A good source of prebiotic fiber (this feeds your gut bacteria and helps to keep the colony thriving).

From: The 52 New Foods Challenge: A Family Cooking Adventure for Each Week of the Year, with 150 Recipes by Jennifer Tyler Lee, Superfoods: The Healthiest Foods on the Planet by Tonia Reinhard, and Eating on the Wild Side: The Missing Link to Optimum Health by Jo Robinson.

Photo Credit: Luv Kreativ Photography https://www.instagram.com/luvkreativ/?hl=en

 

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The 52 New Foods Challenge – Salmon

Salmon is my most favorite fish. I’ve loved it since I was a kid. My uncle John would go out fishing and always bring home plenty of salmon to share. Often, he would smoke the salmon and this was my very favorite treat. It’s like I had arrived in healthy heaven. Today it is still my favorite, along with halibut.

Jennifer Tyler Lee suggests a sesame crusted salmon, which sounds delicious. She also suggests a recipe for crispy salmon chips (salmon skin) which intrigues me!

Planked Alaskan salmon and asparagus

Food Facts:

  • Always opt for wild salmon. Its nutrient values are far superior to that of farmed salmon. Wild salmon has 20% higher protein content and 20% lower fat content as compared to farmed salmon.
  • The chinook and sockeye varieties of salmon are fattier than ono, pink, and chum.
  • Salmon is a great source of potassium, selenium, niacin, phosphorus, thiamine, folate, riboflavin, and magnesium, and vitamins B5, B6, B12, C, and E.
  • Great source of protein and omega-3 fatty acids.
  • Wild salmon has a healthy ratio of omega-3 to omega-6 fats.
  • Cold-water fish, like salmon, have been shown to protect against heart disease, alzheimer’s disease, and many types of cancer.
  • Salmon is good for combatting inflammation.
  • It has also been shown to help prevent against depression.
  • It is a great protein source for detoxification of the liver. [aka Love your liver with salmon.]

From The 52 New Foods Challenge: A Family Cooking Adventure for Each Week of the Year, with 150 Recipes by Jennifer Tyler Lee, Encyclopedia of Healing Foods by Michael Murray, Joseph Pizzorno, and Lara Pizzorno, and Superfoods: The Healthiest Foods on the Planet by Tonia Reinhard.

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Detoxing Armpits! Say what?!

I first switched to Tom’s of Maine deodorant when I was about 21 years old. It worked well for a few days and then I broke out in a crazy rash. I had avoid wearing deodorant or shaving for about a week. Boy, did I stink!! [I’m normally kind of a stinky person, or at least I was…]

Fast forward about ten years. I had given up the natural deodorant quest during my 20’s. But as we began eating healthier and being more mindful of the toxins under our control, I went back on my quest for a more natural deodorant. I tried basically every brand that Whole Foods sells, including Jason and Nourish. I also tried Primal Pit Paste. None of them worked for me and most of them gave me a rash. I finally settled on a few days of my Dove deodorant and then a few days of my natural deodorant.

Then a friend gave me a recipe for a homemade deodorant. It used essential oils, shea butter, and cocoa butter. It didn’t give me a rash like the others, but I didn’t like the way it smelled (ylang ylang, yuck!) nor did I feel “fresh”.

I kept using my rotational method, toxic deodorant for a few days, natural deodorant for a few days. Then came L-Day [lump discovery day]. On April 30th, 2014, I found a lump in my right breast. After I picked my crying self up off the bathroom floor and after calling my husband sobbing, I did two things. 1) I threw my conventional [aka toxic] deodorant in the trash and 2) I recycled any plastic food containers we had [we never heated food in the plastic containers, but I didn’t even want them near my salads anymore]. My reasoning behind this logic: if it’s not Cancer, this is a wake up call for you. You might get a second chance, don’t blow it. Well, it turned out that it was Cancer [more about that can be found here].

I resolved to use only “hippie” deodorant [as my husband calls it] from there on out. Stink or no stink.

About 10 months later, after I got my Young Living Essential Oil Starter Kit, one of the first things I decided to make was deodorant. I really liked the blend that I made and was quite happy with it. Until I went back to work. I went back to teaching after Cancer treatment [chemo, surgery, and radiation] and I noticed very quickly that I was really stinky. BY 10AM!!! I really hadn’t even done much by 10 am, but it didn’t matter. I stunk.

I remembered having seen a pin on Pinterest floating around about detoxing armpits. So I found the long since buried pin and decided to give it a try. I had nothing left to lose.

Often times, when switching from conventional deodorant to natural deodorant, people often complain that natural deodorants don’t work for them. That was me every time I tried to make the switch. Our sweat glands can get clogged with toxins, especially when using conventional deodorants with chemicals in them. When the sweat glands get blocked, the armpit is more odorous. Using a bentonite clay mixture can hel
p to clear the glands of the blockages and can prevent your armpits from stinking. Here is a link to the bentonite clay. Aztec Secret Indian Healing Clay Deep Pore Cleansing, 1 Pound. Here is the Pin from Wellness Mama.

Detox Recipe

1 T Bentonite Clay

1 T Bragg Organic Raw Apple Cider Vinegar, 32 Ounce – 1 Pack

water, as needed for consistency

Mix all three ingredients together in a glass bowl with a non-metal spoon. It should be the consistency of a smooth paste. Apply to armpits and leave on for 5-20 minutes. Wash off with warm water and a washcloth.

This is a bit messy, FYI. I did this for 5 days in a row before bed. I would mix it up, apply to my armpits, put a towel on the couch, and watch TV while it dried. It did not irritate my skin, but I would suggest doing a test run on a small area of the skin first.

Deodorant Recipe

10 drops Young Living Lavender essential oil

10 drops Young Living Purification essential oil

10 drops Young Living Tea Tree essential oil

10 drops Young Living RC essential oil

5 drops Young Living Joy essential oil

5 drops Young Living Eucalyptus essential oil

Add all essential oils to a roller ball and fill with fractionated coconut oil (or your favorite carrier oil). Enjoy!

Hugs and Health <3,

Katie