Cha-cha-cha-Chia!

For variety, I've been adding chia seed to my green smoothies lately. It's been a very interesting learning experience. I thought I'd share a few things about the chia seed with you:

Here's a little info I found from the Green Smoothie Girl.

"Chia seed has 7 times as much iron as spinach.  At 18%, it has more protein than beef, and its amino acids comprise a complete protein.  It slows conversion of sugars in the bloodstream, so it’s great to eat with a high-sugar meal.  (I mean like potatoes or fruit–hopefully y’all have abandoned or are at least minimizing refined sugars.)

Its mucilaginous properties mean it absorbs toxins, and it’s fantastic for weight loss.  I don’t like to eat after dinner, so if my dinner was light and I get really hungry later, what I do is eat a large spoonful of chia seed and chase it with a big glass of water.  It absorbs 10 times its own weight in fluids, so it fills you up when you are hungry with hardly any calories.

It tastes mild –- like nothing, really.  You can sprinkle it in cereal, or put it in a smoothie–but it will dramatically thicken your smoothie.  For that matter, it’s a great thickener!  Put 1 tsp. chia seed in 3 Tbsp. water, and you’ve got yourself an egg replacement.

It’s packed with those rare Omega fatty acids that your body cannot manufacture and must receive from foods–in perfect proportions.  And it stores for a very long time! I highly recommend it."

More nutrition info.

Pesky Warts!

I've had a little but pesky wart growing in the middle of my forehead for about a year. I was going to have it burned off at the dermatologist but I decided to try an herbal expert first. She told me about a little bottle in her store that other customers had used for wart removal. She didn't know much about it, but told me it had helped a little boy whose hands were covered in warts. I tried it ... and it worked! I have absolutely NO SIGN of the wart .. perfect, pink skin in about two weeks. I don't know a ton about this compound but I thought I'd put it on my blog anyway. My daughter is using the herb now to get rid of some warts forming on her feet. She's a dancer and it's been painful for her. I'll let you know if it works for her too.

It's called 

L-Methionine

Here's some general info but you can google to find out more:

L-methionine is an essential sulfur-containing amino acid that is soluble in water. It is a powerful antioxidant, assists in the breakdown of fats, and helps inactivate free radicals. It is an essential amino acid ... read more

High levels of methionine can be found in sesame seeds, brazil nuts, fish, meats, and some other plant seeds. Most fruits and vegetables contain very little of it; however, some have significant amounts, such as spinach, potatoes, and boiled corn. Most legumes, though high in protein, are also low in methionine... read more

I did find one warning. Improper conversion of methionine can lead to atherosclerosis; a condition of the heart. So keep that in mind.