Marinated Raw Asparagus

A Yummy and Simple Raw Recipe

By: Caramie Baker

A recipe that I have fallen in love with is to take raw green beans or asparagus (or any other kind of veggie similar) and pour this sauce onto it. It completely changes the taste of raw.

3 tbsp olive oil

2 garlic cloves

2 tbsp tamari sauce (or braggs liquid aminos, basically a raw soy sauce)

1/4 tsp chili powder (to your taste)

Mix together and pour over veggies. Yum!

The Cure - Book Recommendation

Book Recommendation

By: Dinah Jackson

Inside this remarkable book, Dr. Timothy Brantley writes that most health problems are not caused by genetics or germs but by the standard American diet. Rather than eat foods the way they were created, we all too often pollute our bodies with refined, packaged products. When we feel ill, we take drugs to temporarily mask the symptoms. Dr. Brantley wants to change how you view and manage your health -- while showing you how you can revitalize it.

Read more

Progesterone Cream

My Journey to Health

By Sally Gross

I am happy to share my story. If I can help just one person avoid or heal for hormone imbalance, I will have done some good in the world.

In 1993 after having our last child, we decided to have my tubes tied as a form of permanent birth control. This meant my body wouldn't have the egg go through the fallopian tube and be fertilized.

Little did I know that our bodies need this cycle to make progesterone (300 mg a month). Our bodies use this hormone for every cell in our bodies supporting everything from mental well being to our digestive system to our libido. 

My symptoms were as follows:

I experienced chronic strep and bladder infections.

Yeast infections plagued me.

My iron count fell to 15 when it should have been 35-40.

I suffered severe fatigue and depression.

I had constipation and terrible gas attacks.

I was hospitalized with acute pancreatitus and had many attacks thereafter.

I as told by my doctor that I was a borderline diabetic.

My gallbladder was having problems.

I felt nauseated if I ate or if I didn't eat. Nothing appealed to me as far as food wasconcerned except high carbohydrates and sugars. I craved them.

I as in constant pain which wore me out. I had fibromyaligia. It hurt to be touched and I experienced a traveling pain. I had developed skin and sinus allergies.

I started having headaches, and disturbed sleep patterns. At times I was exhausted but couldn't sleep.

I took anti-depressants which really didn't help. They took the edge off but left me foggy feeling and with a low sex drive.

When I went in for a pap smear they found precancerous cells.

When ovulating I would experience terrible pain. At one of my yearly check-ups the doctor found  cysts on each of my ovaries.

My lymph glands were constantly tender and swollen.

I often had open sores in my mouth.

My eyes stung all the time.

I started having irregular menstrual flow with heavy clotting and cramps.

I had pre-menopause bone lose.

I was exhausted and had to sleep a great deal.

I developed facial hair.

My hair began to thin.

I experienced hot flashes.

I had unexplained weight gain.

I would bruise easily and heal slowly.

I had severe mood swings.

I went through ten years of hell. Nobody knew what to do with me. The doctors said there wasn't anything organically wrong with me. In the end, after spending a small fortune, they sent me to a psychiatrist. Nothing worked.

I prayed and pleaded to know what I could do. I wanted to live, not just survive. I wanted to be involved and enjoy my family. I was sick and tired of being sick and tired.

There is so much to my story, but I will cut to the quick. I read Dr. John R. Lee's books: What your Doctor May Not Tell You About Premenopause and What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Menopause. I learned all about hormones and what they do and why we need them. It changed my life! I now have my life back and do the things necessary to be healthy. 

If you have any questions, I would be honored to share what I am doing to help in any way I can. 

You can contact me at sallygross@yahoo.com

Green Smoothies

Green Smoothies ... Yummm!

I'm unfolding for you a great secret ... the secret of how to get life-giving greens and fruits into your diet (like 15 servings in one meal!) to give your body the nutrients to heal and preserve for a life of THRIVING, not just surviving.

It's the green smoothie ... and it's become my ADDICTION!!! My husband and I have one every morning. The kids have them when they have time. Our littlest has one if it has lots of "beanna" in it because he likes it sweet (who doesn't?).

Here's all you need to know to start making smoothies for yourself and your family. I'm going to tell you what vegetables and fruits go into them and then give you some of their healing properties.

here goes ... buckle up. It's going to be a fun ride!

Start with your dark greens (the healthiness thing on earth that can be put in your body -- trust me). You want at least three varieties. I'm going to list the ones I use most, but there surely are more to pick from.

ORGANIC spinach and/or green lettuce.

Spinach

A nutritional bonanza! This mild leaf wonder protects against cancer (especially lung) by preventing the body's cells from undergoing mutation. It decreases risk of cataracts, protects nerve cells, and helps prevent diabetes. It even helps prevent birth defects and heart disease. For those of you who need help coping with life, it has B2 (riboflavin).  It has calcium and magnesium which builds bones and teeth and lowers blood pressure.

Green Lettuce

All variety of looseleaf lettuces contain antioxidants ... more cancer help. This mild leaf is high in fiber which helps with the colon (yeah) and helps prevent rectal cancer. That's all I need to hear!

ORGANIC dandelion greens and cilantro

Dandelion Greens

This bitter green is bitter for a reason. Bitter herbs are good for the liver, which help the body detox ... getting rid of all those horrible binges on the bad stuff. They help fight cancer, boost immunity, thwart the aging process, build bones, teeth and blood. They help your body protect against heart disease. Ancient herbalists used dandelion greens as a liver tonic. It stimulates the production of bile, enabling the liver to do its job. It also helps the gallbladder. I only use about three leaves per batch because they're bitter. But they're powerful little guys and should be used! I eat the leaves but you can do what you want. The whole weed is edible.

Cilantro

This sweet but pungent leaf helps relieve problems with indigestion, gas, and diarrhea.  It contains gobs of nutrients like, calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium, zinc, manganese, Vit C, Vit B6-B2-B3, Vit A, Vit E, folate, fiber ... trust me, its good for you. 

ORGANIC Chard and Collard Greens

When using chard, collards, beet greens or any other large leaf, tear the leaf from the stalk and only use the leaf.

Chard

A member of the beet family... anyone related to beets has got to be healthy. This mild green is a good source of folate (that's the B vitamins that help fight lung cancer). Chard improves digestion, boosts energy levels, and corrects calcium deficiencies. It's also a diuretic and a laxative (weeeeeee).

Collards

This large leaf improves the function of the  glands and the nervous, respiratory, skeletal, and urinary systems. Girls ... it protects against estrogen related cancers, slows tumor growth, and may also prevent the metastasis of breast cancer. It protects against lung, colon and prostate cancers. It reduced the risk of age-related macular degeneration. This wonder leaf can protect against osteoporosis and strokes as well as minimize the neurological damage resulting from a stroke.

My personal favorite -- so it gets its own picture. I use kale every day. I'm showing two varieties above.

ORGANIC Kale

Kale

This thick leaf, with almost no taste, is the best known cancer-fighting vegetable on the PLANET! It's the richest of all the leafy greens in carotenoids. It helps regulate estrogen and ward off breast, bowel, bladder, prostate, and lung cancers. It protects against heart disease and regulates blood pressure. It has gobs of calcium that the body can absorb better than milk or other vehicles. And ... it's contains more calcium than milk (ounce for ounce). So it helps with all the icky possible bone problems too! Heat can destroy a lot of the healing properties of Kale. But if you cook it, the chlorophyl properties aren't affected. So you can eat it both cooked and raw. 

I add these every once in a while to shake things up. You can add all kinds of herbs and roots that you like. If you use ginger, only use about a 1/2 inch and cut off the outer skin.

ORGANIC Ginger and Mint

Ginger

This root has a strong, spicy, sweet flavor. It's the most widely used medicinal herb on the planet. It's been proven to help with nausea, morning sickness, upset stomach, indigestion, vomiting, motion sickness, and cramps. It can help with the pain associated with rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis. Ginger can destroy bacteria, including Salmonella, which causes food poisoning. Ginger helps lower blood pressure, reduce fever, prevents internal blood clots, reduces cholesterol, aids circulation, and eases asthma symptoms. I told you it was cool!

Mint

The flavor of mint is sweet and cooling (you all knew that). It eases insomnia, upset stomachs and nervous tension. It helps the body break down fat by stimulating bile flow. It has been shown to increase the number of phagocytes, cells that are capable of destroying pathogens, bacteria, and cancer cells.

That's the end of the vegetables. You can use all kinds though. Try ...

Beet Greens

Cucumber

Avocado (makes it very creamy)

Celery

Green Beans

etc, etc, etc,

Now it's time to add the fruit, the yummiest part of your smoothie. I recommend using at least two fruits. I usually use about four but you can experiment and come up with what you like. I'm showing the ones I use most, but go for what you like. Just use organic if you can!

ORGANIC dates, bananas and mangos

Pitted Dates

I like sweet ... and dates give me a great amount of nutty sweet goodness. They also have a laxative effect and are linked to lower rates of cancers, especially pancreatic. Dates can be stored in the refrigerator for up to eight months, so go get a bunch. Keep them air tight because they absorb the odors around them. 

CAUTION ... if you have been prescribed monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI) AVOID EATING DATES because it can create a life-threatening rise in blood pressure.

Bananas

Bananas can provide nutrients vital to people with alcoholism, hypertension, hemorrhoids, heart disorders, high cholesterol, ulcers, diarrhea, potassium deficiency, high blood pressure, edema, and intestinal disturbances. Bananas are good for the nerves, muscles, liver, and kidneys, and they feed the good bacteria in the colon. They also help to lesson pain, aid sleep, and enhance immune function. I like them frozen, so get a bunch and don't worry if they go ripe. Just throw them in the freezer.

Mangos

These beautiful, tropical little sweeties are tasty but difficult to peel. Just peel the outer skin and then cut off chunks of fruit around the pit. It's worth the work. Mangoes aid poor circulation. They help reduce inflammation, digestive problems, fever and pain. It's one of the top sources for beta-carotene and has a very high Vit C content.

ORGANIC pears, kiwi, pineapple and apple

Pears

These sweet little beauties are my favorite ... probably because they contain a lot of natural sugars. They are useful in treating inflammation of mucous membranes, colitis, chronic gallbladder disorders, arthritis and gout. They can be beneficial in lowering high blood pressure, controlling blood cholesterol levels, and increasing urine acidity. They are good for the lungs and stomach. They are a great laxative as well. The fiber ... thus the laxative ... can help cut down on the number of cancerous colon polyps. 

Kiwi

This fruit is pretty tart, so pare it with other sweeter fruits. It contains pectin, a soluble fiber, which helps to control blood cholesterol levels. Kiwi is also useful in controlling high blood pressure. One large kiwi has only 46 calories and supplies more than twice the recommended daily dose of Vit C - more than on orange. It has Vit K and potassium as well.

Pineapple

I'm all about the fresh pineapple. Do the work to cut the little critter up and it will be so much tastier ... and better for you. This fruit helps to cleanse the body, aid digestion, purify  and thin the blood, prevent blood clots, increase circulation, aid menses, and regulate the glands. It is useful in the treatment of obesity, cancer, inflammation, influenza, common cold, sore throat, edema, allergies, bronchitis, pain, diabetes, rheumatic disorders, tendonitis, respiratory ailments, heart disease, high blood pressure, muscle disorders, arthritis, and liver and kidney ailments. Whew!

Apples

One apple has about 3.6 grams of fiber ... very cool. This amount of fiber is enough to contribute substantially to colon health if eaten daily (Happy Colon!) ... "an apple a day keeps the doctor away" may have something to it! Apples are a good treatment for chronic enteritis, prostate problems, intestinal infections, inflammation of the colon, goiter, gout, diarrhea, arthritis, herpes, and acid stomach. Apples can detoxify metals in the body and protect against heart disease. They clean the bladder, protect against radiation exposure, lower blood cholesterol and blood pressure, maintain circulatory and intestinal health, and stabilize blood sugar. 

That's enough for the fruits. But there are tons more to choose from.

All types of berries

Peaches

Apricots

Melons

Citrus

Grapes

etc, etc, etc,

ADDITIVES

Many people stop here. You just put the fruits and vegetables in a blender, add water, blend long enough for it to be completely smooth and then enjoy a delicious and nutritious meal. I like to add a few more healing properties for my particular needs. You can try these or just stop here. It's up to you. 

Aloe Vera Juice, Omega 3-6-9 Fatty Acids, Mangosteen Juice

Aloe Vera Juice/Gel

Aloe has been found to "turn on" the immune system by activating macrophages. It provides enzymes, vitamins, and minerals the immune system needs to function properly. It has been proven to support healing in the intestines and colon as well.

Omega 3-6-9 Oils (fatty acids)

I use a 3-6-9 blend, but you can use any source you want. Here's a mini-breakdown.

Omega 3 - promotes brain and eye development, is good for arthritis, helps to prevent abnormal heart rhythms, improves immune function, and reduces blood clotting. It's found in pumpkinseed, flaxseed, canola, soybean and walnut oils.

Omega 6 - The essential omega-6 fatty acid linoleic lowers total blood cholesterol levels as well as levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL, or "bad") cholesterol. 

Omega 9 - This oil is not an essential fatty acid, because humans can produce limited amounts. It is found in almost all natural fats. Large concentration are found in avocados, macadamia nuts, apricot seeds, almonds, and olive oil. It helps to prevent cancer and boosts the immune system.

Mangosteen Juice

This asian fruit is one of the most powerful antioxidants you can find. The rind is where most of the antioxidants are found. The rind, fruit and pulp are mixed together to create a healing juice, better tasting and more absorbable (kind of expensive though). I'm just learning about this fruit, so just google it to get more info if you're interested.

I love these three additives and use them all the time.

Milled flax, coconut juice and a nutrition powder

Organic Cold Milled Flax

This powder makes the smoothies thicker and give me more energy over time. Flaxseed needs to be ground for absorption, but get it cold milled so heat doesn't break down the nutrients. You can also grind it yourself. I use a little coffee grinder. They are a great source of omega-3 linolenic acid - the essential fatty acid American's are most deficient in. Flaxseeds are effective as a laxative and as a soothing agent in inflammatory respiratory problems. They contain protein, fiber, calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, sodium, zinc, copper, manganese, selenium, Vit C, Vit B3, folate and Vit E.

Coconut Juice

The coconut is highly nutritious and rich in fiber, vitamins, and minerals. But I use it mostly because I LOVE the taste. 

Nutrition Powder

First of all, this is NOT a protein powder. It's a nutrition powder that delivers essential amino acids, phytosterols, vitamin E complex, a broad complex of vitamin B and the 120 naturally-occurring antioxidants - including gamma-oryzanol. It's a meal replacement. I recommend that you only use this addidtive if you're planning to use your smoothie as a full meal ... which I do. It's not cheap. I'm sure you can find other powders in health food stores. But if you want to look into the Rice-n-Shine, here's the website: www.ITVventures.com.

NOW FOR THE WATER!

The water is a very important part of your smoothie. Don't use tap water ... chlorine and all kind of other junk can be found in tap water. Don't pollute your pure and beautiful smoothie! Use a purified or Ph-balanced water. I use Kangan water. It's a bit of a pain to go pick it up at a health food store, but it's by far the best water you can put in your body ... full of antioxidants without the acids your body doesn't need. If you want to learn about Kangan water, google it. You'll find a wealth of informtion.

CAUTION ... don't take time-released drugs with Kangan water.

That's about it!

If you're serious about your health and getting your veggie/fruit doses in, DO THE SMOOTHIES. You'll be amazed at how much better you feel. And the weight starts coming off to-boot! My husband drinks them for breakfast and lunch. I drink them for breakfast and sometimes dinner. My 4-year-old drinks them for breakfast (yes, we have to do a count-the-sips game to get it all down), and my teens are drinking them more now as they get over the green color. It's worth the effort to provide your family their nutrition!

Send me comments if you have questions. 

For more smoothie ideas, google GREEN SMOOTHIE or to go Youtube for millions of other people who share my addiction. Happy Smoothies ... and HAPPY COLON!

Deb's Story

Here's my story ... like millions of other stories ... but unique because it's MINE, and because it's mine, it's had a huge impact on me and my family. It's a story of going from very sick, to very well. And I hope that by telling it, it helps others. 

Thus ...

The Happy Colon Club!

By Deb Dowdle

Every good health transformation story must have the BEFORE PICTURE. And I think I do it proud! 

I've enjoyed good health my whole life, with only a few minor hick-ups along the way. But after the birth of my last child, things started to change rapidly. The pregnancy surely took it's toll (bed ridden for eight months) and I soon found myself depressed, overweight, sluggish, with low self esteem, and truly sick. 

I tried a detox cleanse with Elizabeth King which helped a lot, but I found that I was still sick in the end. Doctor's visits revealed a tumor on my right ovary. This is where everything got interesting ....

After visiting an oncologist, we set up a surgery for the next morning. The doctor felt confident that we were dealing with ovarian cancer. We geared up but scared for what the surgery would reveal.

I said goodbye to my boys after a heart-felt conversation about things being in "God's hands".

Eric and I went to the hospital. He was so good to stay by my side through the whole nerve-racking experience.

My mom came to bring me comfort. How does anyone survive without a mom! Even when we're 100 years old, we need our mom's!

Good news! No cancer. Bad news, a grapefruit-size tumor that was removed with my right ovary. (Lucy Jolynn, my left ovary lost her twin ... sniff.) I had endometriosis so thick it took the doctor three hours to scrape it all out. In the scraping process, he accidentally (like he would do it on purpose) cut my uriter. I also hemorrhaged, thus the bruise on the neck from where they put an blood transfusion doo-hickly. I was later told it was one of the worst endometriosis surgeries the doctor had done in over thirteen years (yippee --- pick me). I was also told that my bowel had been deformed. It is common for the endometriosis growth to grow into the bowel, where pieces have to be removed down the road (fun? ... I think not) 

I was soon starting the recovery process in the hospital. I have to be blunt when I say it was HELL. The best part was when my amazing family came to visit. When they'd walk through the door, it was as if life had just entered my body. Oh, how we need our loved ones, especially when we are sick!

The "Moms" in my life, Granny and Oma came to bring me comfort ... 

Again, what would we do without Moms?!!!

My kids left me love notes on the wipe board in my room. When they were gone, I would look at the board and it would bring me comfort. 

My sweet friends Dave and Wendy came to see me. Wendy spent a lot of time with me the first night. I appreciated her SO MUCH. I am so thankful for the many cards, gifts and flowers I got from so many wonderful friends.

My son Shawn drew me a picture of the tumor being removed. It still makes me laugh.

Eric brought Cody to see me time and time again. He missed his mom and needed a lot of comfort and explanation. Eric was so good with him. Here, they're my cheering squad!

I was released after ten days at LDS hospital. I was so happy to go home, but couldn't walk without help. I had no idea how hard surgery recovery could be! I hadn't eaten much during my hospital visit and lost weight. Eric was eating my food and the dietitians didn't know. We didn't realize they were supposed to monitor what I was eating. It was very strange to me that they were giving me full-on meals of meat and potatoes and salad. I could only sip water and juice and the pain killers were making me throw that up. Hmmmm ... makes one wonder what those hospital nutritionists know.

After a rigorous and awful recovery with more hospital visits, infections, complication to medication, etc...  I finally got back to normal life. But I was given NO instruction as to how I should care for myself. "Call us when the pain gets too bad and we'll go from there" was my instruction. After ten weeks, I as still feeling sick. So ...

I called Elizabeth King, the homeopath that did my colon detox the previous year. I went into her office and in a few second she knew what to do to help me. I was immediately put on pro-biotics and other herbs. Within three days I felt as good as new! It was amazing!

I knew at this point, that there was something here that had to be researched. 

But as I felt started to feel better, I lost the urgency to care for myself and within a year I was back to the sluggish, painful life I had experienced the year before. Yes, this is common. We rarely do any changing unless the level of discomfort exceeds our desire for change. My desire for change was now HUGE.

I was finally ready to learn.

I went back to the hospital. Things were pretty bad. I was scheduled for another surgery (full hysterectomy) with a rigorous drug intervention of Lupron (catapults you into menopause). I was told I couldn't have any hormone therapy for four months with the hopes that it would stop feeding the endometriosis. I was also told I'd be impossible to live with ... mood swings, extreme hot flashed, and all the other gross symptoms of menopause rolled into a concentrated bomb of destruction. My husband was not excited about this, especially when they said, "You WILL want to kill your husband". And neither was I. The ability to control my emotions and moods, and to have coping skills for life, was something I didn't want to loose. 

The date of the impending surgery loomed closer. I didn't feel good about it. I went back to Elizabeth King. She told me she had a homeopathic alternative, but it would be hard and require me to have discipline and change some life-habits. 

I cried, but agreed to the process. I cancelled all my other appointments. It was one of the best decisions of my life.

Today, February 2009, I am about to turn 40. I feel as good as I did in my 20's! I am so grateful for the changes I have made and the new chance at a normal life I've been given. I've kept my girl-innerds (especially little Lucy).

I am strict with my health regimen and it gets easier over time. My family has their mom back. They're happy about that ... however, they're wondering what the crap happened to our old way of eating! From time to time I throw in some red meat and potatoes to make them smile. But mostly, we're now inundated with healthy organic meals of a multitude of colors and flavors. It's wonderful. 

I'm going to outline some of the things I am doing for my health. So many of you have graciously asked about it out of kindness. Others of you are in a similar boat and looking for answers. Either way, I hope this recap of my health saga has been helpful.

Happy Colon to you all!!!

MY PROGRAM

First, get a good doctor who is willing to talk about nutrition and holistic alternatives. Get a good physical and take charge of your health. IT'S YOUR JOB -- NOBODY ELSES!

Second, it's a GREAT idea to do a detox cleanse. The one I did with Elizabeth King is about 21 days long. Yes, it's HARD, but when you're done, you will feel amazing, drop a boat-load of weight, and be educated about health far beyond your wildest dreams. Here's her sight if you want to hook up with her.

THE COLON CLEANSE

I'm on a program called MMS (Miracle Mineral Supplement). It's also called Clorine Dioxite.  It basically uses oxygen to kill everything in the body that is alkaline. It was discovered by Jim Humble where it is doing amazing things around the world. I'm not going to take up space to explain how it works. Just google Miracle Mineral Supplement and you'll find a lot of information on it. I do recommend that you work with a professional on how to use it for starters. Like chemotherapy, it can make you sick. But, it's doing a great deal of good.

Learn all about herbs and nutrition and start eating right. It will save your life! 

Green Smooties!!!! ... I scream it from the rooftops!!!! It's has been one of the greatest keys to my success. It works. I drink them every morning and sometimes for dinner too. My family drinks them. Learn as much as you can about them and then do it. Google green smoothies and you'll get a boatload of information. Or you can go to my post where you can see how I do them.

GREEN SMOOTHIES

Maintaining a healthy life with exercise and eating right REALLY DOES make you better. Can you believe it's that simple. But it's not that easy. You truly have to completely change the way you think and act to see results. Remember, its' not what you CAN'T HAVE where you focus. You must think about what you MUST HAVE first. Once you get the nutrition in you, you don't want to ruin it with things like refined products, hormone injected meats, process foods etc. 

Good luck ... send me comments if you have questions.