My First Product Review!

I'm back!

A few weeks ago I was contacted by CSN Stores to see if I would do a product review for them. I was flattered to be chosen and am excited for the opportunity--and now that I've chosen which product I want to try, I'm even more excited! CSN will soon send me le creuset yogurt maker, I'll try it out, and then post a review.

I remember as a child enjoying my mom's homemade yogurt, and look forward to being able to make it for myself. (I haven't wanted to fiddle with making it without a yogurt maker, though there are other ways to make it.) Probiotics, here we come!

Small Hiatus

My family and I recently relocated 1600+ miles from where we used to live and I won't even have reliable internet for a while. So please take a small hiatus from my blog and I'll get back to posting as soon as I am able. Don't forget to check back, though! If you are already a follower of my blog, you'll be automatically notified when I'm up and running again. If not, you may want to consider becoming a follower.

In the meantime, won't you send me a recipe, suggestion, question, or idea while I am away...?

Thanks so much for your comments and support up to this point! It has been gratifying to find out little ways that my suggestions are helping others.

Allergy Elimination

"We now know that most illnesses (i.e.headaches, back aches, joint pains, addiction, PMS, indigestion, cough, body aches, etc.) are caused by undiagnosed allergies. When left untreated, allergies can become serious life threatening illnesses."

"Up until now we have looked at diseases as certain annoying symptoms due to poor function or non-function of certain organs or body parts. Medical professionals all over the world are taught to look for symptoms and treat them rather than look further to find the cause of these symptoms. If we did, most of the causes could be found easily and symptoms could be reduced or eliminated permanently."

So says Devi S. Nambudripad, the discoverer of NAET, an allergy elimination technique that literally cures allergies for good. She is an M.D., acupuncturist, chiropractor, and PhD, just to name a few of her qualifications. Her method uses techniques from all parts of her background and professional expertise that work together to heal the body physically, physiologically, and emotionally from every imaginable allergy. And you don't have to have the typical allergies to be allergic. If you are in pain, are uncomfortable at times, or simply don't feel yourself, there is a reason for it that can be traced to sometimes surprising allergies. With NAET, a doctor in your area will diagnose your allergy/allergies and effectively eliminate them one at a time, whether it be lactose intolerance, hypersensitivity to cold, allergy to cotton, chemicals, gluten, specific foods, etc, and eliminate them without using medication or invasive procedures.

Sound too good to be true? Even with my homeopathic background, I kept having that thought as well, as I was reading the book, Say Goodbye to Illness. But I kept realizing how western my thinking is and how far western medicine has gotten from helping the body heal itself--and not just cover up the symptoms. And while I appreciate all the modern medical advances and the benefits of medications and invasive procedures to help people, I think our reliance on such things has made us expect to need them when we aren't feeling well, though that may not be necessary.

Over the last few years a few of my friends and associates have, in desperation, turned to NAET specialists to see if they could help them in their illness, pain, and/or allergies. And they have been cured. In the first years of his life, the son of one of my friends was allergic to practically everything and was constantly very sick. After trying everything she possibly could, my friend finally found out about an NAET doctor in her area and when her son's treatments were complete (a process which can take weeks to years, depending on the severity and extent of the case), he was cured of everything. Now he can eat whatever he wants and has no negative reactions to anything else in his environment. And from my other friends' experiences, this is a typical story of how NAET helps people.

After learning all I have, I hope to find an NAET specialist in my next area and see if we can't eliminate my child's lactose intolerance, my environmental allergies, and my secondary infertility. It's exciting how limitless the opportunities of this method are!

Echinacea: Another Home/Herbal Remedy

Almost my whole life I have taken Echinacea capsules to boost immunity, particularly during times I feel an illness coming on or I have a full-blown illness. Recently I have been experimenting with the (herbal) tea as well, which I actually feel is more immediately effective. It tastes good anyway, and is soothing, so it is something I want to drink when I'm feeling under the weather.

From UNM:

Results of archeological digs indicate that Native Americans may have used echinacea for more than 400 years to treat infections and wounds and as a general "cure-all." Throughout history people have used echinacea to treat scarlet fever, syphilis, malaria, blood poisoning, and diphtheria. Although this herb was popular during the 18th and 19th centuries, its use began to decline in the United States after the introduction of antibiotics.

Today, people use echinacea to shorten the duration of the common cold and flu and reduce symptoms, such as sore throat (pharyngitis), cough, and fever. Many herbalists also recommend echinacea to help boost the immune system and help the body fight infections.

From herbs.org, a list of primary uses of Echinacea:

• Colds, coughs and flu and other upper respiratory conditions
• Enlarged lymph glands, sore throat
• Urinary tract infections
• Other minor infections
• May help combat herpes and candida
• Wounds, skin regeneration and skin infections (external use)Psoriasis, eczema and inflammatory skin conditions (external use)

And my favorite quote:

Echinacea increases the "non-specific" activity of the immune system. In other words, unlike a vaccine which is active only against a specific disease, echinacea stimulates the overall activity of the cells responsible for fighting all kinds of infection. Unlike antibiotics, which are directly lethal to bacteria, echinacea makes our own immune cells more efficient in attacking bacteria, viruses and abnormal cells, including cancer cells.

Neti Pot

About a year ago I started learning about the Neti Pot and became very interested in using one for myself. I suffer from allergy symptoms year-round, thanks to my allergy to dust mites and seasonal pollens. (But note that the Neti Pot is also great for colds.) While living in the Midwest I have experienced surprisingly fewer symptoms than I did out West. But about a week ago the temperature cooled significantly and we left our windows open all night to take advantage of it. Blessedly cool air came in and very effectively cooled our apartment (which will lower our electric bill!), but allergens came in too. And of course this all happened at a time when tree and weed pollen counts were high. Pretty soon I was feeling awful in my sinuses and all my other regular allergy symptoms returned. I was not a happy camper! So in desperation I decided it was finally time to take the Neti Pot plunge. (And since we're moving back out West soon, where my allergies will again be a regular issue, I was planning to purchase one anyway.)

This is the kind I bought and so far I have been very happy with it. I chose it over ceramic (which I would prefer) just because of its better durability, which is currently the most important issue to me, since I don't want it getting broken in our move or if one of our children gets a hold of it. But there are many other styles in metal, ceramic, and plastic.

The verdict? I am sold! It really does make me feel as if I have bathed my sinuses and can finally breathe freely for the first time in a long time. It also relieves the pressure I feel building up in there and cuts down on the postnasal drip and therefore on the resulting sore throats and ears. Using the Neti Pot does take a little getting used to and I recommend starting out slowly, using half of the regular solution at first. Read all the instructions, take things slowly, and concentrate on breathing through your mouth rhythmically while the solution makes its way through. When you are finished it just feels so good!

Another Grocery Bill

I haven't listed a grocery bill since this post, so I thought I'd record a more recent one. I was pretty happy that most of this stuff was on sale all at the same time!

2 gallons milk - $4.58 (but I actually got one free because of a milk coupon, so): $2.29
Head of romaine lettuce (1.34 lbs) - $2.00
Family Size bag tortilla chips - $2.79
2 lbs. cheese - $6.29
2 lbs. strawberries - $1.50 (awesome!)
bunch red grapes - $1.72
nectarines and peaches - $1.53
whole pineapple - $1.99
2 cantaloupes - $3.00
avocado - $1.00
container grape tomatoes - $2.50
cucumber - $1.00
blue cheese dressing (I'm always a sucker for this stuff, especially when it's on sale) - $2.50

Total: $32.40 + tax - $5-off coupon

Carrot-Zucchini Muffins

Remember that carrot-zucchini cake I made? Well, I had some shredded carrots and zucchini left and decided to make some muffins. Much to my surprise, I found a recipe that already called for both veggies (and modified it, of course). We loved the result, but next time I make it I'll cut down the honey some, since it was too sweet for me. (I cut it down here.)

Note: I wasn't sure if the way my food processor shredded the veggies was fine enough for muffins, so I put them in the blender with a little water and turned them to mush, and that worked just fine.

Carrot-Zucchini Muffins

2/3 c. vegetable oil
2 large eggs
2/3 c. honey
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 c. whole wheat flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 1/2 c. finely shredded unpeeled zucchini
1/2 c. finely shredded carrot

Grease 12 muffin cups (or use those little muffin papers).

In mixing bowl beat oil, eggs, honey, and vanilla.

Combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. Add to wet ingredients; stir until blended. Fold in shredded zucchini and carrots.

Fill muffin cups about 3/4 full. Sprinkle with cinnamon and/or raw sugar, if desired. Bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes.