In Good Health Blog » Foods, Drinks, Recipes

Organic – To Buy or Not To Buy?

Lana — Tue, 28 Dec 2010 16:55:22 +0000

To avoid proliferation of toxic, chemical pesticides in the body, it’s a good idea to buy organic produce whenever possible. Since this is not always feasible either due to availability or price, it’s helpful to make some distinction. Which fruits and vegetables should you be sure to buy organically? Which are lowest in pesticides? Some of this information is based on how much spraying is typically done with a particular food. Other considerations are the shape of the produce and how much pesticides can enter or cover the edible parts. For example, pesticides easily lodge in foods with lots of little crevices such as spinach, lettuce, strawberries or raspberries. It is best to buy all berries organically. Conversely, it is less crucial to buy organic when it comes to foods with thick, protective, inedible rinds such as melons or bananas. However, choose organic if you plan on using the rind, as with citrus, since pesticides are concentrated on the outer surface.

Pesticides and the Brain

Repeated exposure to pesticides is associated with an increase in the risk for Alzheimer’s disease in later life, according to an observational study published in Neurology.

According to the study, commonly used pesticides (organophosphate and organochlorine) inhibit acetylcholinesterase—needed for learning, memory and concentration—at synapses in the somatic, autonomic and central nervous systems. There may be lasting effects on the nervous system. In the study, the most common route of exposure was farming. Here’s yet another reason to purchase organic foods. The more we eat organic, the fewer people will be forced to work in agricultural jobs that expose them to pesticides.

Highest in Pesticides (buy organic or unsprayed):

Apples
Bell peppers
Blueberries (domestic)
Carrots
Celery
Cherries
Collards
Grapes (imported)
Green Beans
Kale
Lettuce
Nectarines
Peaches
Pears
Potatoes
Red raspberries
Spinach
Strawberries

Lowest in Pesticides (less crucial to buy organically):

Asparagus
Avocados
Bananas
Cabbage
Cantaloupe
Cranberries
Eggplant
Grapefruit
Kiwi
Mangos
Melons (Honeydew, Watermelon)
Onions
Papaya
Pineapples
Plums
Peas (sweet)
Sweet Potatoes

Hidden names of MSG – be informed!

Lana — Mon, 05 Jul 2010 20:24:47 +0000

MSG is a neurotoxin and excitotoxin that over excites the cells in the brain so that food tastes better. Due to MSG, the cells die off from overexcitation. Some people get reactions after eating the food ingredient monosodium glutamate (MSG) – reactions that include migraine headaches, upset stomach, fuzzy thinking, diarrhea, heart irregularities, asthma, and/or mood swings. Even if you don’t get a reaction, the MSG neurotoxin is still unhealthy for the body. MSG is also implicated in weight gain because it alters the body’s adipose tissue. Scientists purposefully feed MSG to lab specimens to cause them to become overweight in order to study obesity. This is known as MSG-induced obesity.

More than 40 different ingredients contain the chemical in monosodium glutamate (processed free glutamic acid). Many of the hidden names listed below will surprise you.

Ingredients that ALWAYS contain processed free glutamic acid:

Glutamic acid (E 620),

Glutamate (E 620)

Monosodium glutamate (E 621)

Monopotassium glutamate (E 622)

Calcium glutamate (E 623)

Monoammonium glutamate (E 624)

Magnesium glutamate (E 625)

Natrium glutamate

Yeast extract

Anything “hydrolyzed’

Any “hydrolyzed protein”

Calcium caseinate

Sodium caseinate

Yeast food

Yeast nutrient

Autolyzed yeast

Gelatin

Textured protein

Vetsin

Ajinomoto

Ingredients that OFTEN contain or produce processed free glutamic acid

(may or may not be a problem) :

Carrageenan (E 407)

Bouillon and broth stock

Whey protein concentrate

Whey protein isolate

Any “flavors” or “flavoring”

Maltodextrin

Citric acid (E 330)

Anything “ultra-pasteurized”

Barley malt

Pectin (E 440)

Protease

Anything “enzyme modified”

Anything containing”enzymes”

Malt extract

Soy sauce

Soy sauce extract

Soy protein

Soy protein concentrate

Soy protein isolate

Anything “protein fortified”

Anything “fermented”

Seasonings

Ingredients that work synergistically with MSG to enhance flavor. If they are present for flavoring purposes, so is MSG.

Disodium 5-guanylate (E 627)

Disodium 5-inosinate (E-‐631)

Disodium 5′-ribonucleotides (E 635)

Ingredients that are suspected of containing or creating sufficient processed free glutamic acid to serve as MSG-reaction triggers, only in HIGHLY SENSITIVE people:

Corn starch

Corn syrup

Modified food starch

Lipolyzed butter fat

Dextrose

Rice syrup

brown rice syrup

Milk powder

Reduced fat milk (e.g.., skim milk; 1% milk; 2% milk)

most things low fat or no fat

anything Enriched or Vitamin enriched

Last updated June, 2010 from Truth in Labeling Campaign (www.truthinlabeling.org.)

Almond Milk – tastes better when you make it yourself!

Lana — Tue, 08 Jun 2010 22:23:03 +0000

Making Nut Milks

You can make some delicious milks by whirling soaked nuts with water in a blender. You can make the mixture delicate and thin or thick and creamy. Soak raw almonds or raw cashews to make almond or cashew milk. Nut milks are healing and are a great alternative for folks who have allergies to other types of milk. You can either strain the blended mixture (in a nut bag or with many layers of cheesecloth) or drink it as is. If you choose to strain the mixture, you can save the almond meal to use as flour for baking or for making a facial mask. Thanks to Marie for sharing her “chai-spiced” version with me and my Herbal Medicine class at AIMC. Really delicious!

Basic recipe

1 cups raw nuts (can use a little more for a really creamy drink)

4 cups water

1 TBS Honey

1/4 cup medjool dates

Optional spices to make a ‘chai-spiced’ milk

1/4 tsp clove

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1/2 TBS cinnamon

1 tsp vanilla

1/4 tsp almond extract (optional)

1 tsp ginger powder (or to taste)

1/4 tsp sea salt

Make the basic recipe first. Soak 1 cup nuts, preferably over night, and try to change the water when possible so that the nuts are soaking in fresh water every 3-12 hours. At the very least, you should soak the nuts several hours. When soaking is complete, you have the option to either leave the skin on or to remove it which is easy to do in water when the soaking has been long enough and the nuts are soft. Next, put soaked nuts in blender and cover with about an inch of water over the top. Blend until the mixture is smooth (may need to add a little more water to thin it out). Strain through layered cheesecloth or a nut milk bag. Put liquid back in blender and add the rest of the ingredients and enough water to bring the mixture up to 4 cups of liquid. You can blend with heated water for a warmer drink.

Why soak nuts?

Soaking makes nuts easier to digest, since this process neutralizes the part of the nut that is problematic (the enzyme inhibitor). When you pour off the water, you remove the enzyme inhibitor.

Fruit and Nut Milk Shake:

When the almond milk is prepared, try whizzing up a peeled banana or other fresh fruits (raspberries, strawberries, etc) along with the nutmilk. This is a great way to get a protein filled dessert that contains only natural sugars. It’s the new smoothie!

Hawthorn Berry Health

Lana — Tue, 18 May 2010 17:41:42 +0000

Properties of Hawthorn Berries

Cardio-tonic (strengthens the heart muscle)

Diuretic (promotes urination)

Astringent (solidifies loose stool)

Hypotensive (lowers blood pressure)

Physical Effects

Heart and cardiovascular tonic

Relaxes and dilates blood vessels

Lowers blood pressure

Improves general circulation and blood flow

Strengthens damaged or weak heart muscles (increasing the heart’s efficiency)

Exerts a scrubbing action on plaque inside the blood vessels.

Click here for research on using hawthorn for hyperlipidemia and prevention of atherosclerosis.

For men:

Hawthorne is also useful as a tonic for men because it balances and enhances the adrogenic (male) hormones in general. Hawthorn berries also have the ability to relax and dilate blood vessels, which is helpful for erectile problems.

Cautions:

Hawthorn may interact with vasodilating medications and may potentiate or inhibit the actions of drugs used for heart failure, hypertension, angina, and arrhythmias. Do not use hawthorn with blood thinners such as Warfarin.

Large amounts may cause a drop in blood pressure and possibility of fainting. Generally considered safe for long-term use, do not exceed recommended dosage. Consult your health care professional for assistance with heart problems.

Walnut & Hawthorn Berry Dessert

Lana — Wed, 05 May 2010 17:58:53 +0000

50 grams Hawthorn fruit ‘Shan Zha’

150 grams Walnuts ‘Hu Tao Ren’

sufficient water for soaking and boiling

6 TBS honey or ¼ cup sugar

Soak the walnuts overnight or at least ½ hour. Rinse well and moisten with new water. Grind this walnut and water mixture into a thick liquid. Add more water to dilute if necessary to make it smooth and even.

Wash the hawthorn fruit in a strainer and then place in a Asian herb pot or other suitable pot. Add water to cover fruits by about 1 inch. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to a medium fire and cook 20 minutes. Strain and reserve the liquid in a mason jar. Add more water to the pan of hawthorn and repeat the boiling and straining process one or two more times. Discard the dregs and save the liquid. The remaining liquid should total roughly 1000ml. Combine the hawthorn fruit liquid and the honey or sugar and stir and heat over a soft heat. When the honey or sugar has melted, slowly add the thick walnut liquid, stirring continually while pouring. Cook this mixture until it starts to boil slightly. Then pour into a bowl. Top with fresh mint leaves or other colorful bits of fresh fruit.

Therapeutic effects of this recipe

Supplement the lungs and kidneys

Nourishes yin fluids in the body

Indications:

Chronic, weak lung cough & shortness of breath

High blood pressure and/or high cholesterol

Kidney deficient impotence

Low back pain

Chronic thirst

Dry stool (because the nuts have moistening oils)

Slow digestion with abdominal distention (especially of fatty foods)

Cautions:

Lotus seeds

Lana — Sat, 24 Apr 2010 19:56:38 +0000

Lotus seeds ‘Lian Zi’ strengthen the digestive system and the kidneys. The seeds are also used for strengthening certain types of heart deficiency. White lotus seeds (peeled before drying) are better quality than the red lotus seeds (unpeeled product). Soak overnight and cook with soups and warm cereals, or mix with rice. Lotus seeds are also included in several herbal medicine formulas.

indications:

chronic diarrhea (spleen qi deficiency)
loss of appetite
premature ejaculation
uterine bleeding
vaginal discharge
palpitations
anxiety
insomnia

The Cleansing Power of Seaweed

Lana — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 04:33:04 +0000

Seaweed, salty and cold, has the following medicinal functions:

Clears heat, transforms phlegm nodules
Promotes urination
Modern Research: lowers cholesterol
Modern Research: binds heavy metals to cleanse them from the body

Here is a recipe for seaweed salad using hijiki seaweed, given to me by my friend Junko. It is possible to substitute another type of seaweed.

Ingredients:

Dry hijiki – 1 package
Fresh lotus root – 3 smaller ones
Carrots
Green beans
Inari nomoto – 1 can (soybean)
Oil
1 tablespoon of sugar
mirin sake
miso paste
bonito flakes

Soak dried hijiki in water for 20 minutes. Strain and set aside.

Prepare the veggies: peel the skin off the lotus roots, cut carrots, green beans, and inari nomoto into medium pieces.

Add oil to frying pan or wok. Stir-fry lotus root, add a little water to steam cook . Add carrots and cover. Then, add green beans at the end.

Add 1 tablespoon sugar mixed with 1 tablespoon mirin sake. Add bonito flakes. Once everything is stir-fried, add hijiki and a little oil. Continue to cook on medium heat. Then add salt, and possibly more sugar and mirin to taste. Also, you can add soy sauce to taste.

Link to inari nomoto: http://www.mountfuji.co.uk/acatalog/Mount_Fuji_Sushi_Seasoning___Sprinkles_44.html

Summer time cure: mung beans

Lana — Fri, 26 Mar 2010 05:28:39 +0000

Mung beans bring healing to the body especially in the spring and summer time, when temperatures are hotter. The sprouts can help to detoxify the body, clear internal heat, and quench thirst. Here’s a tasty recipe from my friend Linda:

Korean Mung Bean Sprout Salad (Sukju namul)

Water — 4 cups (enough to immerse sprouts)

Salt — 1 teaspoon

Mung bean sprouts — 1/2 pound

Scallions, minced – 3-6

Garlic, minced – 3-12 cloves

Sesame oil — 1 teaspoon

Sesame seeds, toasted — 1 teaspoon

Salt — to taste

Bring the water and salt to a boil in a saucepan over medium-high flame. Add the sprouts and boil for 1 minute. Remove from heat, cover tightly and set aside for another 2 minutes.

Drain the sprouts, rinse them with cold water and squeeze out any extra water with your hands.

Toss the sprouts with the remaining ingredients and set aside for 30 minutes to let the flavors mingle. Serve at room temperature.

Thanks for the recipe, Linda!

CAUTION: Not for cold conditions. It may be best to avoid mung beans if trying to get pregnant as they are very cooling to the body.

Kudzu – a nourishing & healing root starch

Lana — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 01:48:01 +0000

Kudzu root, the invasive plant of the south, really does have some great value. In fact, its unusual ability to grow several feet in one day is testament to its strength and ability to replenish the body’s resources. This healing, fibrous root can be used as a cooling, regenerative medicine and is common in many traditional Asian formulas. When it is purified as a starch (root fibers removed), you can use it as a food. It is easy to use as a thickener (instead of corn starch) for soups, stews and dessert puddings. Incorporating foods like this into your diet is a great way to help balance your body while going about your life.

Kudzu root has the following functions:

Relieves muscles, clears heat
Nourishes yin, alleviates thirst
Release rashes to the surface (to bring them up and out of the body)
Alleviates diarrhea (when herb is toasted)
Modern research: decreases blood pressure, reduces blood sugar

Kudzu Pudding for clearing heat:

1 cup pear juice or mint tea

2 full teaspoons Kudzu powder

Makes enough thin pudding for 1-2 servings. Double or triple depending on number of people.

Add liquid to pot and begin to heat. Meanwhile, powder Kudzu starch with mortar and pestle or by other suitable means. In separate bowl, mix kudzu powder with 1/4 cup water or more as needed, similarly to how one dissolves corn starch. Slowly add kudzu mixture to pot. Boil slowly and stir regularly until the preparation thickens. This can take as much as 20 minutes.

Common uses:

To lower a fever, treat colds
To regulate the bowel movement (calm hypermotility if loose or induce softer BM if hard)
To stimulate the appetite
To relieve fatigue
To relax the muscles, shoulders and back of neck

Mountain Garden Herbs in Burnsville, NC is an organic grower of kudzu in the United States.

http://www.mountaingardensherbs.com/

Smooth your mood with Mimosa Flower Tea

Lana — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 19:05:06 +0000

Mimosa Tree Flower Tea ‘He Huan Hua Cha’

6 grams Mimosa Flower ‘He Huan Hua’ (Albizzia julibrissinis)

honey (to taste)

Place mimosa flower in a cup and soak in boiling water. Strain. Add honey to taste and drink when cool.

Functions:

Nourish heart and fortifies the spleen

Resolves depression and moves liver qi

Clears the mind and encourages a cheerful spirit

Indications:

Upset emotions and troubled mood

Nervous exhaustion

Fatigue and listlessness associated with unsmooth mood

Chest oppression and discomfort

Sighing

Mental sluggishness

Eye diseases

I also like to mix mimosa flower with various types of green tea. It gives the tea a sweet flavor and has nice benefits for the health.