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Let’s protect them on their journey.  Let’s plant more chemical free flowers.

It all starts with “your yard” – one yard at a time—no more pesticides!!!  This is one of the worse enemies to our insect community! 

Buying local Honey (straight from the hive) can help your allergies and has many other great health benefits.  It’s important to use honey from “your area” for the allergy benefit.  Stay away from most store bought honey in the cute little jars.

“HONEY”

Contains little to no pollen

May contain antibiotics

Main ingredient is High Fructose Corn Syrup  (HFCS)

HFCS commonly derived from GMO corn

HFCS is linked to diabetes, obesity, liver damage and hypertension

HFCS leads to narrowing of blood vessels and immune problems

RAW HONEY

Anti-viral anti-fungal properties

Packed full of vitamins,  nutrients and enzymes

Powerful antioxidants

Helps ward off allergies

Stabilizes and balance blood pressure and blood sugar

Boosts the immune system

Improves skin condition

Aids in digestion

Spring is coming! Bee a Honey and plant pesticide-free flowers.  Your flowers are some of those 4.5 million!

A few tips for those of you just starting out. I suggest starting out with fruit only at first, this way they fall in love with them. Experiment with different fruit. Start with a few at first, so if they show an allergy you will know which one caused it. Slowly start adding a veggie over the next few days.

Carrots are naturally sweet and they tend not to notice it. Start serving these smoothies as soon as you start introducing fruits and veggies to your little one. Buy fresh and organic if possible. In the winter months you will more than likely have to get frozen organic in the freezer section.  Ashlee, showed me that freezing bananas in little slices is the best treat ever. It’s like eating ice cream. I love throwing them in my smoothies. Makes the texture of the smoothie more like a shake and less like a juice.

CAUTION: DO NOT put milk in your smoothies. Instead use yogurt, whey, almond, coconut or rice milk. Less allergies and easier to digest.

My First Smoothie

1 banana ripe and frozen
1 cup of apple juice (from fresh juiced apple is best)
1-2 cups of carrots (baby organic)
1 cup plain yogurt

Blend in a blender and serve
ENJOY!

My Blue Nana

1 cup fresh/frozen blueberries
1 cup spinach/kale
1/2 cup almond milk
1 cup plain yogurt
1 tbsp honey (local to your area)

Blend all together and serve – Definitely a favorite!

Experiment! There are no rules with smoothies! Don’t be afraid to try any veggie or fruit.

In a research study of 109 children whose mothers objected to their children going barefoot, 9 had very poor feet and 44 had poor feet, only 6 had good feet and absolutely NONE had excellent feet; i.e., about 6 % total were good. Of mothers who had no objection to their children going barefoot (52 kids total), only 2 had poor feet and NONE had very poor feet, while 29 had ( i.e. 56%) had good or excellent feet. ( From Wikler’s book, in Parents for Barefoot Children website)

Reduces Inflammation in the body

Improves memory, focus, concentration and overall intelligence too! ( Dr. Merzenich, one of the nation’s leading Neuroplasticians.) hmmm…I can think of a few people who need to go barefoot most of the time Now where did I put my keys?

We all need to get more grounded. The earth naturally carries a huge negative charge ( that’s why our appliances are all grounded). Did you know that when our feet touch the ground we get to discharge some unwanted free radicals? What’s keeping you from getting out there and connecting with your environment? Go out and get some dirt between your toes, cool grass on the soles of your feet, and let the stones stimulate nerves. I love it!!

If you have tender feet, start off by going barefoot for 60 minutes and work your way up. Try different textures outside and take in the sounds and smells outdoors. YOU WILL FEEL AMAZING!

CAUTION: Know your yard and your neighborhood. Stay clear of potholes, briars, and the busy bees! Bee alert!

Did I mention your shoes last longer?

Here’s a yummy Chai Chicken recipe:

At a glance:

• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 45 minutes
• Serves: 4

Ingredients:

• 4 chicken legs
• 4 or 5 sliced carrots
• 1 cup coconut milk
• 2 cups of Chai tea

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Place the chicken and the carrots in your favorite casserole dish
3. Sprinkle on a pinch of salt and pepper
4. In a pot pour the coconut milk and tea together and boil
5. Pour over the chicken and carrots
6. Cover with a lid and bake for 45 minutes (longer if your chicken is bigger and needs it)
7. Serve it up with brown basmati rice and some greens of your choice
8. Use whatever coconut milk mixture is left as a sauce

Let me know how you like it. Enjoy!

Skimping on the chewing can increase your chances of spending your time and money at the doctor’s office complaining of acid reflux, indigestion, heartburn, bloating, belching, constipation, stomach discomfort and even weight gain. Just simply chewing can resolve many of your ailments. You can dramatically change your life just by making little adjustments here and there. Most are very simple… or “easy peasy”, as my grandchild Gabby would say.

Let’s slow down and chew, it’s very crucial for you. We all have busy lifestyles with work, running the kids here and there, going to the gym, homework, dinner, bath time and finally bedtime. Eating on the run increases your chances of not chewing properly. We barely make time to sit down together anymore and share a meal. We tend to inhale our food in front of a TV or computer, using our fork like a shovel pushing our next bite in before we have even finished swallowing the previous one. This is so bad for your health!

I am sure that you, like myself, learned basic anatomy in Junior High or High School… that digestion begins in the mouth by chewing. Stop for a minute and think about how over worked the stomach is if we cheat or skip the first step. The more we break that steak down in our mouth, the easier on the digestion in the stomach.

Many suffer with indigestion and/or acid reflux due to not chewing properly, so you can see that if your food is not properly broken down before meeting up with your esophagus, it will remain undigested and cause an overgrowth of bacteria in the intestines. Do you know that the action of chewing and producing saliva helps trigger a message to your stomach, intestines, and the whole gastrointestinal system to get on board that digestion has begun? They receive their message and prepare for their individual responsibilities. They take their duties seriously all to keep your body in balance.

What’s the “sense” of chewing?

The sight of your food alone is enough to stimulate the secretion of digestive enzymes, the smell and eventually the taste of your food, causes enzyme secretion to increase. When we start to eat, the first step of chewing helps our food to encounter these enzymes in our saliva. The process of digestion continues, the enzymes are then secreted by cells within the lining of the stomach and gastrointestinal systems.

Chewing longer can help you lose weight. This statement alone helped me to slow down on my chewing.

In the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, a researcher stated, “eating more slowly could be a simple and effective way of tackling weight problems”. They went on to say  “Research indicates eating quickly, gorging and binge eating have a substantial effect on being overweight”. “Our results showed obese participants chewed less and ingested more quickly than lean ones.”

A survey of 1,000 people last year by the sandwich chain Subway showed the average person in Britain chews their food just six times before swallowing it.

Experiment around with chewing. If you are one of those who only chews 3-6 times before swallowing, try chewing 25 to 40 times before letting it go down the hatch. Try placing your fork down on the table after each bite and do not pick it up again till you have completely chewed and swallowed. Focus on fully chewing each bite. At first you will feel silly, but it will become a habit and one that you will enjoy. Don’t rush the best part of eating. Pay attention and savor each level of flavor. You will notice that you will get full faster. I want you to notice how you feel at the end of your meal.

Now go enjoy that meal and don’t forget to chew!

After garlic has been consumed, it is then absorbed into your bloodstream and diffused through different organs. This is how the skin, intestines, lungs, and urinary system benefit from its healing properties. Its active agent is allicin, which is responsible for its very strong odor and its healing.

25 benefits of garlic:

1. Ear Infections
2. Sinus Infections
3. Wart Removal
4. Colds
5. Flu
6. Constipation
7. Lowers LDL (bad cholesterol)
8. Raises HDL (good cholesterol)
9. Constipation
10. Shingles
11. Joint pain
12. Fever
13. Blood Thinner
14. Corns
15. Athlete’s Foot
16. Nail Fungus
17. Heart Disease
18. Stroke
19. Sprains
20. Disinfectant
21. Wormer
22. Bug Repellant
23. Ulcers
24. Viruses
25. Antibiotic

Garlic loses its antibacterial/antiviral effect when it is cooked. Medicinal garlic needs to be eaten raw or in its essential oil. Choose solid, firm bulbs, and avoid the ones with soft or damp spots. If you don’t want to try the “sandwich” my Dad used to make for me, perhaps shred it on a salad, using parsley, mint or cilantro along with it to avoid bad breath.

Okay, don’t laugh but here’s a little remedy for your cold or sore throat:

Shred 1 extra large clove or 2 – you can use a press or your food processor to crush 1 oz of garlic if you want. Mix with 1 cup of honey. Let sit for 1 hour. Keep it somewhere cool, and when you feel a cold coming on, take 1 to 2 tsp and then take every hour thereafter. This is also great for relieving severe chest congestion and those painful coughing fits.

I hope you will remember this handy natural remedy and reach for it more often, maybe it will become one of your favorites too!

If you want any further advice or tips on how to use raw garlic for your ailments, feel free to email me at lesa@lesazenauskas.com.

“To get through the hardest journey we need take only one step at a time,  but we must keep on stepping.”

~ Chinese Proverb

1. Drink more water – ’cause your body is 75% water, you know. It’s crucial! The late Dr. Fereydoon Batmanghelidj, an Iranian-born physician, claimed that regularly drinking water can treat an array of illnesses.  “You aren’t sick, you are thirsty”, he asserted in his best-selling 1992 book, Your Body’s Many Cries for Water,  which brilliantly proves how most pains and sicknesses are due to dehydration. Did you know that a craving for sweets is actually a signal from your body that you are dehydrated? Ok, so I will eat my chocolate bar with some water.
2. Increase or introduce yourself to whole grains – they surprisingly can help you maintain a steady level of blood sugar. They release sugar slowly into your bloodstream, the body absorbs it slower and you in turn are provided with longer lasting energy. So eat up!
3. Practice cooking – practice, practice, practice… if you are like me.  Ken, my husband, is a better cook by far, just ask any of our 9 grandchildren. Try to get away from fast foods. Cooking delicious meals in a short time is a skill worth learning. It’s not rocket science, but it does take practice. While practicing, be forgiving and give yourself permission to make mistakes. My Kenny always says you can tell when someone puts love into their meal. The first time he said this I laughed at him. But remember when you were a child how Grandma’s meals always tasted and smelled sooooo yummy! That’s because Grandmas always add a dash or two of love. A very intimate relationship exists between the meal and the one savoring it.
4. Up the sweet veggies – it helps to have the naturally sweet flavors over the processed ones. When cooked these have a deep, sweet flavor – like corn, onions, carrots, winter squashes, sweet potatoes and yams. Some of you may not agree, but parsnips and turnips have a wonderful flavor as well. You can check out my website for some delicious recipes coming soon: www.BelieveHolistic.com
5. Increase your leafy greens – just like Momma said, “You gotta eat your greens before you get any pudding”. They are high in calcium, magnesium, iron, potassium, phosphorous, zinc and loads of vitamins. I am not talking iceberg lettuce people. I want you to try kale, collards, watercress, broccoli, mustard greens, rabe, dandelion and others. Raw arugula is my favorite by far. I love it with some walnut oil drizzled on top with a little sea salt and black pepper . Excuse me, but I need to excuse myself to go see if I still have some in my fridge. :)  Try adding these several times a week, better yet daily. Give it a month and tell me how you feel. Make a smoothie with them if it helps you get them down. Benefits – blood purification, improved circulation, strengthened immune system, healthy intestinal flora, elimination of depression, improved digestion and clearing of lung congestion.
6. Experiment with different proteins – they help build muscle, beautiful skin and hair. Requirements vary dramatically from person to person. So try increasing or decreasing and see how it makes you feel. You will find that I say to listen to your body quite often. The body was designed to heal itself, it wants to heal itself and it will tell you when it needs something. I will go into proteins more in a future blog post.  The best size portion of meat is the size and thickness of the palm of your hand.
7. Consume less diary, sugar, junk foods, coffee,  and alcohol – this is the hardest one I think. You will see that you have an increase in energy right away.  The effects of these I will cover in another blog. Don’t try taking away all these at once. Just pick one at first and then try another.
8. Develop easy  habits that nurture your body – this relationship is often over looked by the medical community. Purchase a hot water bottle (like all Grandmas have).  You will be amazed at the power this simple procedure packs just by placing it on your tummy.  The lower belly is the central balance point of your body.  Heat from the water bottle brings more energy and more circulation to the digestive organs in the area, which is the engine of your entire body. Try it at bedtime, place it on your tummy for about 15 to 20 minutes. Don’t put the rubber against your body throw it inside a pillowcase or a old cotton t-shirt for comfort.  Another way to nurture your body is by doing a hot towel scrub. It relaxes, detoxes, and increases circulation. Your skin is your largest eliminating organ. You eliminate more toxins through your skin then through urinating, or defecating. The hot towel scrub rejuvenates your skin.  Take a wash cloth, dip it in hot water, wring it out, and then rub your entire body for about five to 10 minutes. There’s no right way or wrong way. Do not do it in the shower. Stand by your sink in front of the mirror. I like to do this in the evening for relaxing but I know others who like doing it in the mornings because it’s very invigorating. These are simple tools with huge rewards. Your body will love you for it.
9. Loving relationships that support you – rarely do I meet someone who has all the support they need. Sometimes it is as simple as asking for help. Other times, the answer may be in creating new relationships and getting rid of old ones that bring you down. We all need a loving support system, this is an important issue, so find people in your life that can offer it to you.
10. Find some sort of physical activity that you enjoy and get moving – many of you hate exercise, I understand. Can you do this for me? Think about what you loved to do as a kid? Close your eyes and remember it. How did you feel? Was it dancing, playing ball, or hiking? Reconnect! Get moving regularly. Exercising aids in digestion, lifts your mood, and increases circulation. I will meet you outside for a little dodge ball.
11. Find work you love or find a way to love the work you are doing – most Americans hate their job. That’s actually where they spend most of their time and energy. It’s sad. They don’t even realize how this affects their health. If you are young you can look at possibly changing your career to a more suited talent you possess but if you are older it is scary to even think of taking a new path for many reasons. It will be a challenge for you to find a way to love it. If it is an office job, you could add some paintings or change your surroundings to make it more pleasant. Instead of looking at your work environment and blaming it you could see what you can learn from your current situation and how you can make changes. You may be surprised that when you make changes with yourself, your job may feel more fulfilling. Like I said, it can be a challenge.
12. Spiritual practice – this is what gives meaning to our lives.  I feel this is the biggest missing link in our world. My experiences show that people feel more connected with life, the big picture, and they get healthier faster.

Which one of these steps will you try first? Try it for a week. You’ll be glad you did. Your body will THANK you. Go at your own pace! Could one of these choices be helpful to you?  It’s almost been a month,  how’s your resolution going?

Coconut Pulling is an ancient practice of taking 1 tbsp. of the oil into the mouth and swishing and pulling it in and out of the teeth for 15 -20 minutes.  People use different oils.  I prefer Coconut oil because of its natural antiviral, antibiotic properties.  DO NOT gargle it! DO NOT SWALLOW THE OIL! You want to spit all that bacteria, pus and nasty gunk out!  Coconut oil expert Dr. Bruce Fife says, “Oil pulling is one of the most remarkable methods of detoxification and healing I have ever experienced in my career as a naturopathic physician.”

I was  excited to try this out after researching all its benefits in school.  When I started Coconut Pulling, I had no idea what the benefits would be for me personally.  I have never been fond of coconut cake or Almond Joy’s (until recently) so I thought I might have some problems with doing it.  I was afraid I would gag.  I went out and purchased my first jar of Organic Coconut Oil ( I always use every herbal remedy on myself first before having family or friends try it ).  I was wondering how I could keep that stuff in my mouth for 1 minute let alone 20 minutes, just swishing it around.  It all sounded kind of exhausting and excuse the immaturity here, but yucky! I finally came up with the idea of putting it in my mouth and then jumping into the shower.  I would try to swish for the whole time I was bathing and shampooing my hair.  The first time felt like forever.  I started chewing it until it turned all watery in my mouth. But I did it without spitting and gagging or snorting it through my nose!!!!  These were my fears folks.  Whatever you do don’t spit that stuff in your sink or you will be calling a plumber.  Spit it in the toilet or better yet a trash can.  I then brushed my teeth and rinsed with clean water.  Did I mention to do this on an empty stomach?  I was amazed instantly  how clean my teeth felt, even cleaner than after flossing and very shiny too.  The weeks and months that followed were even more astonishing.  I started noticing my breath was fresher, my sinus ailments were gone, I slept better, my teeth were whiter, digestion had improved, food tasted better and no colds to name just a few.  I have to admit for the first week I experienced some nausea, but I knew and actually hoped for this.  I know I sound crazy, because coconut pulling helps ‘pull out’ toxins from your body and nausea is the side effect of this event.  The mouth is the first step in digestion, there’s a boat load of bacteria in your mouth and it can enter the blood stream from your mouth.  Homeopathic medicine is even placed under the tongue for easy absorption into your blood stream.  So I knew it could help remove toxins.  A huge noticeable improvement came that I never even thought could happen.  Pulling ‘pulled’ the WRINKLES out, ok well helped reduced their appearance.  I think that was because I was giving my face a full work out with all that pulling and swishing.  I remember my face being sore. Like my face had done a round of sit ups. Maybe I was swishing too hard, so relax and go easy on yourself.   I don’t know if Ken will like this little nugget to be known, but his coconut pulling decreased his painfully loud snoring. Everyone in the family knows he can shatter windows.

It is helpful to write down in a journal the day you start and pay attention to the way your body feels from starting this therapy.  You may use this to help with your children’s health, especially if they have reoccurring ear infections, colds, asthma or Strep throat.  Imagine using this simple therapy to help keep you out of the Doctor’s office.  I know many Moms who feel like they live at the Pediatrician’s office.  Do you feel like you have tried everything and that you are at the end of your rope?  People have experienced many benefits and I look forward to hearing how you have been helped.  I know the benefits of coconut pulling goes beyond just the mouth.  There is not a more simple or easy detox therapy out there.  Picture this, no dieting, no drinking nasty herbs that have you running to the toilet and you know what I mean. As my granddaughter Gabby would say, “It’s easy peasy”.

Here’s some health benefits people have said they have experienced from using Coconut Pulling.

- Whiter, straighter teeth

- Healthy, pink gums

- Increased energy

- Decreased migraine headaches

- Clear sinuses

- Less severe asthma

- Decreased allergies

- Improved PMS symptoms

- Regulated menstrual cycles

- Better sleep

- Clear skin

In 1996, Indian newspaper “Andhra Jyoti” conducted a survey to find out user experiences regarding the effectiveness of oil pulling. Out of a total of 1041 respondents, 927 (89%) reported amazing health benefits. Only 114 (11%) reported no benefit.

I am not claiming it to be the one cure all, I am just sharing with you the results I have experienced and how it can be one step toward aiding your body in healing itself.

It’s so simple and easy!  Give it a try.  It can’t hurt anything! So are you going to pull or not?