'Tis the Season for . . . Colds and Flu

Yup. When the weather starts changing and lots of people go back to school, it's the season of being sick. I can't remember the last time I even had a sniffle, but I woke up yesterday with a sore throat and it's only gotten worse. By now, I feel mildly miserable as it's moved a bit into my ears and is also giving me a headache. Here's what I'm NOT going to do: I'm not going to pump myself up with vitamin C pills, eat ice cream to soothe my throat (that used to be my cure-all), consume any over-the-counter medication, get a flu shot, or go to the doctor for some antibiotics. None of those are very good choices when dealing with a common cold, but this is what I AM doing:

• Eating a whole foods plant based diet. I will obtain all the nutrients I need (including vitamin C) from eating lots of local produce. Our bodies don't absorb and utilize vitamins and minerals taken out of context anyway, so taking vitamin C capsules doesn't do much good. Eating a whole foods plant based diet also includes avoiding sugars, which is a major bummer because that's what we all crave when not feeling well. But, sugar lowers the immune system up to 40% for 3-4 hours after its consumption. So no "treating ourselves" when we're sick. It only keeps us sicker for longer.
• Taking garlic capsules. Garlic is a wonder-worker, and among its many benefits are its antibacterial, antiviral, and antifungal properties. I already consume lots of garlic in my diet, so I'm also taking Kyolic brand garlic capsules. I bought their immune formula, so it also contains astragalus, which is another great herb to take when sick because it boosts your white blood cell count.
• I'm about to make Elderberry Immune Syrup. This unfortunately won't be ready for about two weeks (and I sure hope I won't still be needing it then) because I have to make an elderberry glycerite first, but it's a great thing to have around for bouts of a cold or flu because elderberries stimulate the immune system. You can buy elderberry products at a natural health foods store, but I can't resist the opportunity to make my own.
• I just made Slippery Elm Pastilles. They're a homemade remedy for a sore throat. Slippery elm bark (Ulmus fulva) is the main component, and it is made up of the lining of the bark of the tree. It's a demulcent, which means that it's soothing to inflamed or irritated tissues. Slippery elm bark is rich in mucilage, which is a gummy secretion from a plant, and it's this mucilage that soothes the throat on the way down. The other ingredients in the pastilles are honey and some sweet orange essential oil for flavoring. I can't wait to try them tomorrow!

This is what they look like right now. I don't know what they'll look like when they're finished - I have to leave them out to dry for 24 hours.

So there you have it. Some (but not the only) safe, effective ways to deal with the fall sick season. Do you have any favorite home remedies you rely on during this time?

CSA Dinner

Last night my goal was to make good use of as much of my CSA produce as possible, and this is what happened. I thought it was going to be gross, but it was quite delightful! On the left there are Simple Braised Greens with Garlic. I made them with toasted sesame oil and sesame seeds. Yum! At the top of the plate is Roasted Sweet Potato and Rocket Salad, my new favorite way of eating arugula. And bottom right are some lovely Zephyr summer squash. If you've never had a Zephyr, go find one! They're so good! I just brushed them with a little olive oil, salt, and pepper, and stuck them in the oven till they were cooked through. Simple and delightful. Almost this entire meal was local and fresh, and it was completely plant based whole foods. I think it offsets the nasty candy I ate yesterday . . .

Later today I have my first pickup of the second CSA we're trying here, Full Moon. I'm excited to try something new, but also sad to be done with Roots Farm for the season. They've been good to us. I'll be sure to share about the veggies we receive!

A Confession

I just ate a bag of candy (not going to tell you what kind so you don't get the craving) because I was stressed out, not having a great day, and not feeling real well. Sick Sick Sick. Isn't it weird how I craved the very thing that is worst for me right now? Highly processed foods only add to the stress on our bodies, and sugar actually depresses the immune system. Brilliant. But, even as long as it's been since I've had such a packaged and processed food, that's still what I craved and then gave into so easily. And you know what? I don't feel any better. And I knew I wouldn't. Ok, there's my confession. Time to move on to better things.

I've been getting kale in my CSA share every week! Considering that kale is one of my favorite foods, it's been marvelous. Last night, I made Spicy Kale and Cannellini Beans from one of the best food blogs ever, YumUniverse. Almost everything I make from there becomes a favorite recipe. My version turned out to be as ugly as it was good, so I didn't take a picture, but she has a pretty picture on her blog, so you can see what it should look like. So easy, healthy, and delicious.

Yesterday I got to eat lunch at The Grit, Athen's vegetarian restaurant! I've been dying to try it out, so when the opportunity finally presented itself I was all over it. In addition to the delightfully pleasant company I enjoyed, the food was divine. I had a falafel pita and a spicy garden tomato soup. Yum. They have a cookbook that's at the top of my birthday list if anyone was curious about that :)

Milk Thistle

Source

If any sort of miracle drug were to exist, it would be milk thistle. (Garlic would be my #2 choice.) I'm continually amazed at the astounding healing properties contained in common, everyday plants, and the complex ways they interact in our bodies to promote health and healing. God really knew what he was doing, huh? Milk thistle may be the most astounding herb I've studied so far. It's my favorite herb, and for good reason. It benefits almost any medical condition (even complaints that aren't typically associated with its use, like endometriosis) and has no side effects. It's considered a weed, so it's not expensive. Clint and I take it everyday. Want to know a little bit more? Here's a short paper I wrote on it. Read it, be amazed, then go out and get yourself some milk thistle capsules!

(I have my sources if you really want them)

Early Birthday Present

There's been lots of food happening around here as usual. Some not good enough to post, some I forgot to take pictures of, some was very interesting. Like this raw BLT.

That's right, a raw bacon, lettuce, and tomato sandwich. And no, I did not eat raw bacon, I made eggplant bacon! Here it is before it went into the dehydrator. It came out looking darker and more shriveled than that.

The bread is a raw bread made mainly with flax seeds, sunflower seeds, and sesame seeds. It's an old standby for me. Instead of mayo there was an avocado butter, and of course the lettuce and tomato were still lettuce and tomato. It was good, but not earth shattering. Definitely interesting enough to share though!

I also received a surprise in the mail this week. My sister sent me an early birthday present! Getting things in the mail is so much fun, and getting surprises in the mail is the best ever. Then, when it involves owls, it's almost too good to be true. This is the adorable owl necklace she sent me. Thank you Sister!

That's all for now. I can't sleep so I thought I'd post this random stuff. Hopefully you all are slumbering peacefully and can read this nonsense when your brains are functioning better than mine.

Vegan Mexican Hot Chocolate

I had a sweet tooth today, no surprise there, and had this YumUniverse recipe in the back of my mind for just such an occasion. I didn't have all of the exact ingredients, and I've really been wanting to try my friend's idea to used whipped coconut milk on top of my hot chocolate as a whipped cream replacement. Well, neither idea entirely worked out, but the end result of what I scraped together from the failures was still amazingly delicious, repeatable, and blog-worthy. So here it is, my YumUniverse inspired Vegan Mexican Hot Chocolate.

Vegan Mexican Hot Chocolate
4 dates, pitted
1/4 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
Pinch cayenne
Pinch sea salt
3 tablespoons cocoa powder
1 tablespoon cashew butter
1 can coconut milk
Water, as needed
Combine all ingredients in blender and blend till smooth. Add water as needed to reach desired consistency. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. (I added more chili powder and cinnamon to mine. You could also add your favorite sweetener at this point if you need it sweeter.) Transfer to saucepan to warm it up, then whip into frothy goodness. Pour into your favorite mug with your favorite cup cozy like the one Maggy made me (pictured), and try to save enough for your husband to enjoy a taste when he gets home. (I bet it would be extra good with a shot of espresso in there for a vegan mocha!)

Super Immunity!

"The leading cancers that affect most people, like breast cancer, colon cancer, prostate cancer, ovarian cancers, can literally be wiped out by superior nutrition . . . Cancer truly is a state of nutritional ignorance and poor nutrition." Do those statements get your attention? They should! They're from this super immunity podcast I listened to today featuring Dr. Joel Furhman. It's only about 25 minutes long; if you have a little spare time today, I think it's very much worth your time! If you don't have time, he's basically saying that a whole foods plant based diet promotes health and prevents illness, the exact same message of The China Study that I've been raving about for weeks now. He also has some very interesting things to say about supplementing with folic acid, which is the #1 thing I've been told to do during this pregnancy. According to Dr. Furhman, that's harmful and incorrect advice. Very interesting. Curious about the flu shot? There's info about that in this podcast as well. I for one enjoy all the scientific evidence behind health and nutrition, but if you don't like wading through all the information, take my word for it: maximize plant foods and minimize animal foods. Your body will thank you for it.