Greetings From the "Little Cabin in the Wood"

Christmas is less than two weeks away!

Where did the time go? Goodness, it's been a while since I have done any blogging. Autumn seemed to come and go overnight, and we are now quite in the heart of winter, at least here in the north country! Tonight, the temperature is predicted to drop to -18... a good time to do things like listening to "A Prairie Home Companion" as I am now (We Minnesota Lutherans do get a kick out of it!), and take some leisurely steps toward Christmas preparations.

Things certainly have changed since the days when I would start decorating right after the Thanksgiving dishes were cleared! Cut-out sugar cookies are also a thing of the past, since I started focusing on more healthful eats. However, all is not lost! Traditional Christmas cookies are not requisite for holiday happiness; there are a lot of delicious alternatives to comfort and satisfy. Actually, one of my latest discoveries is cinnamon tea-- quite simple, and quite seasonal!

Cinnamon Tea
For a cup of tea, all you need is one cinnamon stick (preferably Ceylon, which is "true" cinnamon), broken into pieces. Cover with boiling water and steep for ten minutes. Strain out cinnamon sticks, and enjoy!

Cinnamon is great for keeping your blood sugar under control (just in case you DO plan to eat those sugar cookies!), and has been shown to improve brain function-- especially the memory. So, enjoy in good health! In fact, cinnamon tea is the preferred beverage of a gentleman I mentioned in an earlier post, who is now 109 years old, and still in excellent health. He drinks cinnamon tea every morning. Perhaps that's one of his secrets to never being sick a day in his life... It's worth trying! Try some instead of your morning coffee. --After all, "variety is the spice of life" and cinnamon is a good spice to start with!

Wholesome Wisdom from a 108-Year-Old Man

Yesterday, as I was researching some health-related topics... I happened across an interview by Paul Nison (a health enthusiast and author known for overcoming his ulcerative colitis & Crohn's disease with a raw-food diet) of a 108-year-old gentleman named Bernando Lapallo. Mr. Lapallo is active and healthy. He has his own blog, a facebook page, and even a book which he wrote in 2009, when he was 107. He's trying to make it to 120--- He says he'd like to give Abraham a run for his money!

Here's his biography, as given on his facebook fan page:

Bernando LaPallo was born in Victoria, Brazil on August 17, 1901 to Mattie Carr and Bernando LaPallo Sr. He moved to the United States and was raised by his father who was a doctor in Philadelphia. His first interest was in food and he went on to study the culinary arts at La Sorbonne in Paris, France graduating in 1928. After years of working as a chef on steam liners and resorts he retired in that profession to pursue an interest in the healing arts. He studied massage at The Swedish Institute in New York City. Later Bernando went on to study and become licensed as a reflexologist and podiatrist at NYU. He completed that course of study at the age of 73. He had a successful private massage practice in New York City for more than 20 years treating people from all walks of life. He currently resides in Arizona where he gives talks on the secrets of his youthful vitality and health. Age Less Live More is his first book. He is currently working on a second.

 In the interview, Mr. Lapallo gives some of his advice for living a long and healthy life. Most of his wisdom came to him from his father about 100 years ago, when he was growing up in Brazil. More advice is given in his book: Age Less Live More: Achieving Health and Vitality at 107 and Beyond. Here are some of the bits of wisdom he gives in the interview:

"The first priority in your life should be your health."

DIET

• Eat properly. He believes the best diet consists of fruits and vegetables (especially green vegetables), fish, and lots of fresh juices. Eat lots of raw fruits and vegetables, like Adam and Eve had in the Garden of Eden. Don't eat processed/fast-food.
• Eat organic.
• Eat animal protein sparingly: He eats fresh fish 3 times a week, perhaps some canned tuna or salmon, only 4-5oz. He eats meat once a year: lamb, because it was eaten at Passover. He'll eat cheese only on a rare occasion.
• Drink herbal teas. (He likes sassafras or cinnamon tea with breakfast). The worse thing you can eat for breakfast is a cup of coffee and a doughnut.
• Don't eat too much.
• Eat only during daylight hours. Eat dinner early, and don't eat after dinner. Eat dinner between 5 and 7pm, and don't eat after that. You could have water or green tea, but no food. It's too late to eat.
• Eat/Live for prevention of disease (He drinks cinnamon tea for prevention of diabetes, since he read that cinnamon was good for diabetics). "If you don't get it, you don't have to cure it."
• Supplement with whole food products: He uses a Superfood powder and Echinacea. These he blends with fruit or juice every day, to supplement his diet

LIFESTYLE:

• Walk every morning: Every day, rain or shine, he walks 1 1/2 to 2 miles before breakfast.
• "Stress will kill you." --His father told him.
• Rest is very important.
• Follow the Ten Commandments. He says his Christian faith is every bit as necessary as food, and remaining long without the nourishment of your soul can leave you just as hungry and depleted as going without food.
• Keep your feet clean and healthy: Wash your feet in soap (castille soap) & luke warm water every night, use a pumice stone to remove dead skin, dry, and then rub thoroughly and apply olive oil. Put socks on, and go to bed.
• Use olive oil as a moisturizer for your face. (Notice he hardly has wrinkles)
• Keep your colon clean, and all the other organs will be able to do their jobs properly.

You can view the 3-part interview at http://paulnison.com/archives/date/2009/12/
His story was printed in Phoenix's East Valley Tribune when he turned 105: http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/story/71921

The salad pictured above is one I made last week: organic leaf lettuce, fennel, dried cherries, sunflower sprouts, lemon juice & olive oil, Herbs de provence (with a little extra lavender), and sea salt, with homemade sunflower-flax crackers crumbled on top as croutons. Enjoy!

18 Ways to Dramatically Improve Your Diet

Now that the decorations are put away, the cookies are eaten, and our lives are devoid of the hustle and bustle that took place just weeks ago, it seems like a good time to replenish our energies, restore our health, and look forward to the longer days and sunshine ahead. Of course, those of us who live within just a couple of hours' drive from Canada will have to wait just a little longer than the rest of you!

In the spirit of this rejuvenation, here's a list of what you can do now to contribute to your health and wellbeing as we begin 2010! :   (In no particular order...)

1. Decrease your consumption of animal protein, and eat more greens and raw fruits and vegetables.
2. Buy as much organic food as you can, especially for the dirty dozen.
3. Eat only organic/free-range/grass-fed meats and eggs.
4. Don't buy commercial milk. --Learn to make your own nut milks (It's easy!).
5. Have a green smoothie every morning for breakfast.
6. Learn to make your own salad dressings, using organic extra virgin olive oil.
7. READ LABELS. If you don't understand the ingredients, don't buy it.
8. Replace canola or "vegetable" oils with organic extra virgin olive oil (for dressings) and virgin coconut oil (for cooking).
9. Eliminate all genetically modified foods. These depress the immune system and cause a host of other problems, most of which have not even been recognized yet. (Look out for PLUs starting with 8). Avoid these common GMO ingredients: corn, canola, cottonseed, soy.
10. Eat only organic fermented soy: tamari, miso, tempeh, for example, and only on occasion. Don't eat soy substitutes, i.e. veggie burgers, soy milk, soy ice cream, etc. Soy messes with hormones and depresses the thyroid, among other things.
11. Eat a big salad of organic leafy greens every day. Add different fruit and vegetable combinations to keep it interesting.
12. Avoid SUGAR in all forms! White sugar (and brown sugar) is a drug. See William Dufty's book "Sugar Blues." Natural sweeteners are an improvement (maple syrup, honey), but are best eliminated for several months before added back in moderation. For your sweet tooth... try different kinds of fruit. Have you ever had a persimmon? a pomegranate? a dragon fruit? Have fun discovering new things!
13. Eliminate gluten (this means wheat, rye, barley, spelt, kamut, triticale, and oats unless labeled "gluten-free") from your diet. It is one of the most common allergens. Unfortunately, these are very prevalent in the standard American diet (SAD). Look out for pizza, pasta, crackers, breads, cereals, etc. There are gluten-free substitutes, but the healthiest way to consume any grain is in their "whole" form. Some gluten-free options include amaranth, buckwheat, millet, quinoa, brown rice, and corn.
14. Start weaning yourself from caffeine--especially coffee. Try Teeccino, Roma, or other natural coffee substitute. If you need that "lift" or mental focus try Yerba Mate tea, green tea, or Think O2 from Traditional Medicinals.
15. Avoid alcohol... at least for now. You can always add back some organic wine down the road for special occasions.
16. Avoid restaurant food. There's more in it than you'd ever want to know. It's easy to bring a salad for lunch, or pick up some organic fruit to grab on the go.
17. Instead of candy bars or even protein bars, try a Larabar. It's made of basic ingredients like dates and other dried fruit, nuts, and spices. You can even find a recipe to make your own! (just Google it)
18. When there's not much in season in the produce section, don't forget about frozen foods. You can get frozen asparagus, broccoli, peas... etc. Frozen is the next best thing after fresh. Avoid canned food!

This may seem overwhelming, so I recommend doing it a little at a time. Each week, pick one thing to work on. By summer you'll have made excellent progress and will likely reap benefits that come from eating healthy foods and eliminating the toxins so prevalent in our food supply. If that seems like too much to think about right now, start with this: Buy some buckwheat groats (they're gluten-free!) and make the buckwheat porridge pictured above. Here's the how to make it:

Buckwheat Porridge
(serves 1)

1/2 cup whole buckwheat groats
1/2 to 1 whole banana
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 to 1 tsp vanilla

Soak buckwheat groats in water overnight. Drain and rinse in the morning. Pour into blender. Add other ingredients and blend until smooth. Pour into a bowl to serve, and top with fresh (or thawed frozen) berries or fruit, perhaps sweetened with a bit of stevia. Enjoy!

Hot Beverages for Cold Days

Photo Source

As we are phasing out of fall and drifting into winter, there's a definite need for beverages that warm us from the inside out. However, not all the options out there promote good health. You know which ones I mean... Hot Cocoa with marshmallows, Coffee, Tang, any powder in a packet that says "just add hot water." The main things to avoid in these things are 1) artifical colors and flavors and other additives, 2) Sugar, 3) Caffeine, 4) Pasteurized, homogenized Dairy products with their added hormones and antibiotics.

Hopefully I don't have to explain the reasons why we wouldn't want artifical colors and flavors and other chemicals in our food. Sugar and Caffeine each warrant their own post. Suffice it to say for now that both suppress the immune system, tax the adrenal glands, and lead the body into an acidic state, which opens it up to all kinds of illness and disease.

There. Now, don't get all distressed about not being able to enjoy these common comforting "cuppa"s. There are all kinds of delicious alternatives that not only don't do damage, but do promote good health and well-being:

Herbal tea: Herbal teas contain no caffeine and are very satisfying, comforting beverages. These are a few of my favorites (I recommend organic):

• Peppermint (soothes the stomach and promotes relaxation and calm)
• Licorice (excellent for your poor, overworked, underpaid, adrenal glands)
• Chamomile (also soothes the stomach and relieves anxiety)

To "spice" things up a bit, try the recipe for a soothing peppermint tea-based chai on Elana's Pantry.com: Soothing Chai.

Herbal "coffee": Herbal coffees are made up of a combination of roasted roots, grains, and dried fruit like dates and figs. They may not taste exactly like the real thing, but they are caffeine-free and definitely give the same impression as coffee. You can even add some coconut milk for a vegan "cream." I think the following ones are especially delicious.

• Mountain Rose Herbs Herbal Coffee: (Gluten-free!) Comprised of roasted Dandelion root, Chicory root, roasted Carob, and Maca powder. 100% organic too.
• Teeccino: Comes in all kinds of flavors. Comprised of things like roasted barley, dates, figs, carob... depends on the flavor. I like Mocha, but there are so many I have yet to try! Check out their website: http://www.teeccino.com/. It has all kinds of information about why you should switch from caf or decaf to "no-caf." If you sign up for their newsletter, you'll get a free sample in the mail, plus a coupon for $1 off your first purchase!

Rooibos: Rooibos is an African red tea. It is very high in antioxidants, AND it's caffeine-free!!!According to Mountain Rose Herbs' website, it's also high in Vitamin C, Calcium, Potassium, Magnesium, Iron, Zinc, Sodium, Copper, and Manganese. --Not bad for a soothing evening treat. It comes in all different varieties-- sometimes as a blend, sometimes with spices added. I especially like my loose-leaf vanilla rooibos. For a Thai-style hot tea, try a plain version with some coconut milk and maple syrup to taste. AMAZING:

1 bag Rooibos tea

1/8 cup coconut milk

1-2 Tbsp maple syrup

Steep tea first for 3-5 minutes. Then add coconut milk and maple syrup as directed, or to taste. Enjoy!!! (Serves 1)

Hot Lemonade: Originally from the book The Master Cleanser, by Stanley Burroughs. The recipe I have actually calls it "German Warfare," and basically says it'll cure what ails you. I drank cups of it when I had a sore throat, and found it to be both soothing and effective. Here's the recipe for one serving:

2 Tablespoons of organic lemon Juice (about 1/2 a Lemon)
2 Tablespoons of Organic grade B maple syrup

1/10 Teaspoon Cayenne pepper powder
Ten ounces of filtered water

Combine first three ingredients. Then, I add hot water to make a tea. It is so soothing and satisfying-- especially if you have some kind of cold. If you want more information about the benefits of this combination, check out the book: The Master Cleanser. It's not a huge investment: about $6.

Pumpkin Latte: The blog "The Nourishing Gourmet" has an excellent recipe here. It's dairy-free, sugar-free, gluten-free, and caffeine-free! Why go to Starbucks or Caribou Coffee when you can make a healthier and less expensive version at home?

Russian Tea: The Whole Foods Market recipe collection has a great healthy version of a childhood favorite, Tang.

Blackstrap Molasses Tea: Organic Blackstrap Molasses is really some kind of superfood. It's really high in minerals and has been said to reverse graying hair! Why not give it a try? If it works, let me know!

1 Tbsp, or so organic blackstrap molasses (to taste)

8-10 oz hot water

Coconut milk (as cream)

Serves One. Also: blackstrap molasses goes really well added to your herbal coffee. It has a nice subtle sweetness. If you want it sweeter, add some honey to taste.

Warm Coconut Milk Egg Nog: Okay, so this is really supposed to be chilled in the refrigerator for an hour or two, but... I couldn't wait! ;o) Turns out, it's especially good while it's still hot~! Yum...

2 egg yolks (from free-range chickens)

1 cup coconut milk

1 1/2 Tbsp honey

1/2 tsp vanilla

1/8 tsp nutmeg

1/8 tsp cinnamon

Heat, but do not boil, coconut milk and honey. Beat egg yolks and vanilla in a small bowl. Add half the milk mixture to the egg yolks and stir. Add back into coconut milk and stir. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens and will coat the back of a spoon. Add the spices, and cool until... it doesn't burn your mouth. Pour in dainty little glass punch cups (or whatever you have), and sprinkle with nutmeg. Enjoy!

And of course there are infinite varieties of Spiced Hot Apple Cider. A word of warning though: conventionally-grown apples have one of the highest rates of pesticide residues. Buy ORGANIC.

Enjoy these hot beverages for the cold days ahead. Do you have any to add? Let me know if you give one a try!