Category: Blog

Have you ever had a Mimosa Pudica? Which is a sensitive plant? I was given one a long time ago when I was a little girl about 7 or 8 years old.

Our neighbor had a garden were he grew many different flowers and vegetables. One day he called me over and showed me the plant he said he would give it to me if I promised to take care of it. I said I would and took it home to show my mom and told her what he said.

Do not touch it much because it will die. But coming from a big family and I being the youngest, no one listened and it soon died.

I felt so bad because I had broken my promise.

Many  years later, I worked in a grocery store and was working in the flower department. I was watering the plants and a drop of water fell down on a small plant and it closed instantly! I was so excited I had found this plant again.

I took it home and took really good care of it and it was growing great. Then, my sister-in-law got sick and I went to help her.

I told my husband at the time to please take care of my plant. When I came back, my plant was dead. I was so disappointed and mad at him.

It is a rare plant, very hard to find. To this day, I have not seen one. I didn’t even know the name until today.

I always described the plant to nurseries around the area but no one had ever seen one, or knew what I was talking about. I have always wanted this plant, now that I know the name of it. hopefully I can find a place to be able to get one.

Sounds stupid, but I feel closer to finding it than I have ever before.

I can’t explain the feeling I feel inside.

It is like finding something you lost and your overjoyed.

I had found some seeds but they didn’t bloom, but now I see what I did wrong now. I just need to find the seeds again and that isn’t easy. I didn’t know you need to put the seeds in warm water and leave them overnight, and if they float, they are bad. If not, they are good to plant.

Mimosa Pudica also is used to control blood sugar and blood pressure. This plant is also good for your gut-protective properties, the seeds are known to protect from parasites.

Mimosa Pudica cleanses the intestinal track as it eliminates toxins from the body.

Mimosa Pudica is also good for arthritis pain relief and also helps with healing wounds.

I could go on and on about this Mimosa Pudica – this shy plant is not shy when it comes to all the healing possibilities it has to help one’s body to heal.

I always thought it was a special plant but did not realize how truly especial it was until now.

I will let you know when I find the seeds and how it turns out, and that well be another thing off my bucket list.

We all use cooking oil or spray oil to cook our food, but have you ever wondered which one is healthier for you and your family? There are so many of them out there to choose from. On top of that, you need to take into consideration how it is processed.

 

Many things we use can cause inflammation to our bodies and even the simplest things we use to prepare our food can be a contributor.

Cooking with spray oil is considered much more healthy than cooking oil because you use less due to it being more of a mist than a liquid, and they say a little goes a long way. That is why it makes it healthier to use the cooking spray.

As for the cooking oil in a bottle we tend to pour more in the food we are preparing, which adding too much may give it flavor but we start to get pleasantly plump in the process. Which starts to affect the heart and arteries.

With that said, there are some things to take into consideration when deciding which you are going to use.

For example, when you buy your cooking oil you have to consider the shelf life of the cooking oil. Some tend to get rancid after a while. If you overheat the cooking oil it changes the characteristics and it is not very healthy after that.

Spray cooking oil is considered healthy because you use less and can spray oil on many things with it, but the only thing about the spray oil is that if you are too close to a flame it may explode.

So,  you need to keep it from the flame.

Do not be fooled about the spray can oil, for every second you leave your finger on the button you get 7 whole calories. This doesn’t sound bad but if you use the whole spray can of oil it adds up to 1000 calories.

So, for the cooking oils, it is best to use oil sprays in moderation and also check for the temperature limit. Don’t go over the heat limit because then it becomes dangerous to consume.

Spray can oil are good, but the only thing is to spray away from the flame especially around the barbeque.

Using cooking oil in moderation is always healthy.

Now that all that has been said, it is time to get down to some heavy cooking.

The holidays are upon us and it is time for some holiday cheer with cookies and tamales and the whole enchilada. So, take out the pots and pans and let the festivities begin.

Nothing makes me happier than family and friends getting together, each making their special dish and desserts, or trading off recipes.

Seeing those big smiles, smelling the goodies as you walk into the kitchen in anticipation, sneaking a taste when you think no one is watching, asking if they need any help preparing the food to get it out to the table as fast as they can to sit down to eat dinner.

 

 

How many of you enjoy eating your fruits and vegetables and then find out that they are not so safe to eat? That would really be a bummer because that would really take the flavor out of the food. I love to make and eat food, but one of my favorites is Tomato, which is at the top of the Top 10 Most Dangerous Foods (your mother never told you about).

Top 10 Most Dangerous Foods

(your mother never told you about)

1. Tomato

Tomato makes many dishes taste so good, but they say it is not good to consume too much, because it causes inflammation and also has tomatine an alkaloid that is toxic to humans. Tomatoes will not kill you but they will cause tummy problems.

2. Cashews

Cashews – are very good but very poisonous if eaten raw. Cashews are coved in anacardic acid that can kill you, but if properly roasted are very delicious.

Did you know that a Cashews are a seed, not a nut, and it comes from a cashew fruit.

3. Apricots and Cherries

Some of my sisters favorite fruits are Apricots and Cherries

The seeds of these fruits have a substance called Amygdalin. If swallowed, Amygdalin turns into cyanide in the stomach. That is why, when you taste the hard seed, it is bitter. The bitter taste is to prevent humans from consuming them. But the fruit itself is delicious to eat if you like that kind of fruit.

4. Apples

They say eat an apple a day will keep the doctor away, but any more than that could land you in the hospital because apples, like apricots and cherries, also have Amygdalin which turns into cyanide in the stomach. So, don’t overdo it.

5. Asparagus

Asparagus – We all enjoy this little sprig of green delight smothered in butter or cheese, but did you know if you eat of its fruits  the berries that are bright red, very pretty but poisons it can make you sick. Vomit and diarrhea, not good if both ends have to be going down at the same time.

6. Kidney Beans

Kidney Beans – Contain phytohemagglutinin which means if you don’t cook them right you can get diarrhea and vomiting. this bean is used a lot in chili beans, now I knew I had a reason not to like them.

7. Rhubarb

Rhubarb – Who doesn’t like strawberry rhubarb pie? It is the most awesome flavor combination, high five to who ever created such a delicious desert. It looks like celery except red its leaf’s have oxalic acid which can kill you by causing kidney failure, so don’t eat the leaf’s just the pie.

8. Pineapple

Pineapple – I love to eat and drink the juice but pineapple has a lot of sugar 16.2 in just one cup that’s a lot of sugar and it can do a lot of damage to the body. So, eat it a few pieces at a time and you can still enjoy it, especially on pizza.

9. Corn

Corn – Is everyone’s favorite food from corn tortillas to buttered popcorn to corn on the cob but it is so full of GMOs that it now is not good for us.

10. Figs

Figs – I could eat figs all day long they are so sweet and delicious and wouldn’t get tired of them. Figs are high in fiber, help lower blood pressure, but to sweet, 16 grams of sugar, but I would rather eat these than drink a soda.

Well here are some very good fruits and some vegetables that are very popular, yet not so safe to eat if we prepare them wrong or consume to much of. So enjoy in moderation.

Bon Appetit!

 

I have known many family and friends that have had metal implants. Some have been successful and others have not. There have been concerns about metal implants put in the body only to cause harm from chromium and cobalt ions that get into the bloodstream.

There are so many problems, like cancer and heart problems, to name a few.

Artificial hips only last ten to fifteen years. Some hip surgeries that are metal on metal last half that time only (five years), and do a lot of damage to the tissue and bone.

It was supposed to be an upgrade from plastic that they used to use for hip surgery but it failed miserably, causing more pain as it started to come loose from the bone, which also caused problems that the bone cells couldn’t form, and because of this when a patient needs a new replacement, it is harder to do the surgery because of the bone loss.

So there is a higher risk of failure because of it.

Another problem is, if the person is allergic to the metal, which is painful when the tissue around the metal becomes soft, this is called pseudotumor.

The sad thing about the pseudotumor is that you don’t know if that person is allergic or not until after the surgery and time go by.

If you do find that you have any bad reaction let your doctor know right away because the metal can affect more than just your hip, also your blood streambloodstream.

Knee replacement failure is having a faulty implant loosening which causes many problems, like stiffness, swelling, and pain. if it continues for some time you may have bigger problems occurring. Like your body rejecting the implant.

I have an uncle who went in for a knee implant and he had so many problems with it, he did let his doctor know how much pain he was in. It seemed that it took forever for my poor uncle who was in so much pain to get another knee replacement.

His body rejected the metal in his knee. Once he got a replacement he did much better.

With today’s technology, you would expect that these implants would last at least twenty years or more but they don’t because our bodies are not made to have these impurities put in our bodies. Just like prescription drugs are harmful to the body, so are the implants that are used to “improve” our lives.

Many people have had these surgeries done and some have been successful but much more have failed, only to leave the person devastated because they have to go through the suffering all over again just to have it removed and replaced and pray that it works this time around.

They are finding that the manufacturer, where these devices are being made has many things wrong with them and are being recalled back.

Can you imagine the people that have been complaining about the device implanted in their bodies, and finally their voices are being heard, thank God for that?

 

 

Many people today wake up with a chronic pain especially on their legs or feet, and some pain comes and goes, and others continue non-stop.

It is so frustrating to constantly be walking with this pain in the legs and try to keep active at the same time. I would not wish this on anyone.

Telling your doctor about the pain just adds to the prescription drugs at home that add to more side effects. Sometimes you feel so hopeless, because this pain is not going away, “I don’t want to take prescription drugs,” is there anything else that might help?

Well, there may be something that might help, it all depends on you, if you are willing to take it.

It is something that has been around for centuries and is in almost every household around the world. Apple cider vinegar, has minerals like potassium, magnesium, and calcium. By using apple cider vinegar on your nerve pain, can actually reduce swelling because it is a natural anti-inflammatory and is concentrated.

Many people don’t realize how exhausted the body gets having to deal with this everyday. It is like walking on needles for some, or rocks for others.

Take two or three tablespoons of apple cider vinegar and mix with warm water and drink.

Some people get neuropathy from the following: 1) Diabetes 2) Infection 3) Traumatic Injury 4) Alcoholism.

Treatments vary. There are three types of nerve damage.

1. Motor Nerves

Motor nerves – control our movements. Without this control we can’t move our bodies freely and our muscles get stiff or weak. We get spasms, twitching uncontrollably, and our body no longer has the moving reflex.

2. Sensory Nerves

Sensory Nerves – Send messages from the body to the brain, when it feels a sharp or cold sensation. Without this, we lose the sensation of feeling the difference between cold or hot water. We lose coordination, we feel numbness, unsensitized to things we touch, and may get tingling sensations.

3. Autonomic Nerves

Autonomic Nerves – these control our bladder, blood pressure, sweating, and heart rate. Autonomic nerves also control our breathing.

How to Minimize the Effects oaf Neuropathy

Prioritize

It is important to prioritize your tasks for the day. Try not to do them all at once. If possible choose one day to do your shopping and another day to do your groceries.

It doesn’t mean you cant do anything but sit. It just means you need to give your body time to adjust and not overdo it. You can still go out for those walks and take a few breaks along the way. You can still cut the lawn or work in the garden. All those things you love and are good for you because they keep you motivated.

As we get older it is not easy to ask for some help. We feel the need to be independent as long as we can. But asking for help is not going to show weakness. It shows that you are wise on knowing your limitations and that is so smart on your part.

Remember, try to get plenty of sleep if you can. Be of positive mind, and keep moving forwards always.

Basil is such a refreshing herb, I love the smell it lets out, just like mint a little goes a long way. Centuries ago they use to think that basil had mystical powers. Used in spiritual ceremonies because they believed it had strong healing powers. Ancient Egyptians used basil as part of the embalming process. In Crete to ward off evil spirits they planted basil around homes and temples and it was given to sweethearts as a gift.

But as time went by basil was thought to be poisonous and they stopped using it. Basil originated in Africa and Asia. Then brought to all other places in the world. It likes hot dry places, that explains why my plants never survived, should of kept it near the fire place. Well, we learn as we go, it should have said something to me!

I guess I was not paying attention. Just paying each time one died. There are many varieties of basil. In fact, there are 150 species to be exact. But not all are used in cooking, some are hybrids used in landscapes and worship implements. They cross-breed so easily that is why there is such a large variety.

Top 6 Basils

1. Sweet Basil

The most common is the sweet basil –  everyone uses this one for tomato sauces, soups, even pesto.

2. Lettuce Leaf Basil

Lettuce Leaf Basil –  is part of the sweet basils, you can infuse oil with it or cook it in oil .The flavor is amazing, many people use it to flavor their oil and dip there bread in it, just thinking about it makes my mouth water.

3. Genovese Basil

Genovese Basil –  is also a sweet basil and goes with many cuisine dishes. Its very aromatic.

4. Dark Opal Basil

Dark Opal Basil –  is a very beautiful dark color and smells sweet also used in in cooking sauces but what is nice about this basil is you can use it in a flower arrangement and it will give out that sweet smell.

5. Lemon Basil

Lemon Basil – it taste like lemon and you can add it to salads or fish for that citrus flavor we all love. You can also add it to your sun tea to get that lemony taste. Believe it or not we also have a

6. Lime Basil

Lime Basil – it has the flavor of lime and can be used in many dishes that need the lime flavor.

Basil Syrup Recipe

Here is one syrup that is so good:

You take one cup of sugar and  half cup of water and half cup of washed basil leaves, put it all in a small sauce pan, simmer, let cool, then strain into small container.

Should keep for a week or more. and you can use it to sweeten tea or fruit. Try it on what ever you think might taste good to you, be adventurous.

Some of the basils I mentioned are not found in grocery stores but they can be found in nurseries where gardening plants are sold.

The good thing about the variety of basil plants is that you can plant them in your garden where they can get plenty of sun, they don’t like the cold. Now I know.

 

What causes a blood clot in the body? Blood clots form when blood starts to thicken forming semisolid mass. It may be triggered by an injury, or just occur without a cause. But once you have one it can travel to any part of your body and start serious problems.

There are good blood clots which help the body when it gets injured. When you get a cut and it stops the bleeding that is the good blood clot. But the other blood clot could be due to many different reasons like, medication, heart rhythm problems, family history of blood clots, prolonged sitting or bed rest, smoking, and so much more.

If you have a blood clot in your leg, your leg well be swollen and red  and may be painful, if so, you need to call your doctor or go to the hospital right away.

To prevent blood clots, don’t sit for long periods. Move around and get up and walk, get your blood circulation going.

Avoid Alcohol

Don’t drink lots of alcohol because it will dehydrate you.

Drink Water

You need to drink plenty of water to keep you safe from clots.

Lose Weight

Also if overweight, it would be healthier to lose weight if possible.

Avoid Stress

Being overly stressed and having periods of high anxiety can increase coagulation developing blood clots.

Get Moving

Keeping active does a body good, walking, hiking, dancing, even swimming help especially the lungs. The more that you move improves your chances every day.

With the the way that 2020 has gone there are many of us who have gained so much weight because everything has been closed, but that is no excuse to stay on the couch and not move.

Do Stuff

There are plenty of things you can do still. Clean house, finish your honey to do list, paint the rooms in the house, get a hobby that keeps you on your feet. Go on nature walks, or play with the dog outside. Just keep active and try not to injure yourself in the process and you should be fine.

Take it Slow

Remember, if you haven’t exercised in a while take it slow don’t overly exert yourself and make it fun. Show your self a good time, but ask your doctor what kind of exercises would be good for you to try out first.

Blood clots can go away on their own naturally but it takes time, time for the body to break it down and absorb it, but you still need to be careful until you get checked by the doctor to make sure it is gone. It may take weeks or months, it all depends on your body’s healing power.

Take Herbs

If you want to heal with herbs then you need to take the following herbs to help your body to heal. Turmeric, Ginkgo biloba, Ginger, Cassis cinnamon, Cayenne peppers, and Garlic. these are just a few that can help keep in dissolving blood clots and keeping them from forming. And there are many more herbs that can help.

It takes time for the body to heal itself and with natural herbs the body responds better to the natural herb the the synthetic drugs.

Many people, men and women alike have thick hair and as we get older we start to loose our hair, and ask, “Why is my hair falling out?” Some start to loose their hair at a very young age.

I knew a woman that lost all her hair completely and the doctor didn’t understand why. But that it had something to do with stressing out and that is why she had lost her hair.

I also had a niece and nephew that lost their hair and also was told it was because of stress.

When your hair falls out, like that, it is called Alopecia Areata. The hair starts falling out in circular clumps, which would be really scary if that happened with out understanding why, all of the sudden, leaving patches on your head of missing hair.

It can even affect the rest of your body, like eye brows, lashes, and other places on your body that has hair.

Some people don’t loose all their hair but the hair breaks off and grows back. For some, it grows back a lighter color than the rest of the hair or grows back thinner and white.

Why is my hair falling out?

There could be many reasons you are loosing your hair and it could be due to genetics, stress, smoking, pregnancy, medications, hair coloring or styling, or your diet.

If you go to a doctor, they will check by taking a few samples of hair and blood to see what is the cause of your problem.

Some natural ways of helping your hair to grow would be to make time once a day and massage your scalp. Use hair oils, they will stimulate hair growth, at the same time it helps you to relax and be stress free.

Aloe Vera has been used to stimulate the scalp. It helps with dandruff and helps unblock hair follicles that are blocked by oils. Washing your hair with Aloe shampoo a few times a week can keep your hair healthy.

Many of us use a hair dryer and curling iron every day. so that tends to do damage to your hair.

The next best thing to use would be Coconut Oil for your hair. Its best to massage it into you scalp and also you can use it on the rest of the hair. If your hair is dry leave it on over night if not leave in for one or two hours then wash your hair.

If you can handle the smell of Onion Juice in your hair for fifteen minutes and then wash. You will have hair in no time at all! Onion Juice has been found to help people that suffer from Alopecia Areata, it improves blood flow to hair. All you do is blend onion, squeeze juice thru cheese cloth and put on your scalp.

Rosemary and Cinnamon is also good to grow your hair, put four sticks of  Cinnamon in a pot of water and simmer for fifteen minutes and then add four sprigs of Rosemary. Simmer twenty minutes let cool. Spray all around your scalp and massage, let dry.

 

Every year you hear about someone taking a walk in the woods and enjoying nature, nothing wrong with that. But you should always be prepared for the unexpected. I’m not only talking food and water, but your first aid kit or know your herbs and they can help you survive. Always take something to keep you warm. Yes, it may be warm during the day but at night it may be colder depending on where you are. Matches in a waterproof container would come in handy.

But if you are not prepared here are some thing you can forage if lost during the cold.

Pine trees, many parts are edible, the needles of the pine tree can be boiled and made into a tea, the inner layer of the bark can also be eaten, also the young pine cone can be eaten. Even the young pine tree roots can be eaten. You can boil the root and peel off the first layer and they taste sweet. Pine trees are a great source of vitamin A, vitamin C beta-carotene.

Wild Garlic and Onions are everywhere in temperate regions they have a characteristic smell so you can tell they are Garlic and Onions.

Chickweed can be identified by its oval leaves with its pointed tip, and hairs along the stem that are white. This plant can be eaten raw. The other kind of chickweed is called mouse-ear chickweed. That one you need to boil to get the hair off the leaf, then you can eat it.

Burdock usually finds you before you find it, the little burs stick to your pants or boots as soon as you pass by it. You can make a tea with it, if the plant is young you can eat the root, but if it is old then it is very bitter tasting.

Rose Hips in the winter stick out like a sore thumb you can eat them raw or use them to make a tea, they have lots of vitamin C. In an empty winter landscape they are easy to see.

Velvet Shank Mushrooms have orange caps that make them easy to spot in a winter landscape, they grow from dead wood but prefer elm and oak trees best and usually grow in groups.

Nettles are a supper food, rich in proteins and vitamins, also have plenty of Iron. They make a great meal. Its best to wear gloves before picking.

Acorns are best picked up from the ground, meaning they are ripe and ready to eat. They are full of good fats that our body needs. You soak them in warm water before using them. You can make coffee or flour with them. To make acorn coffee you grind to a powder and boil the water then add the acorn powder, just like you would normally make coffee. To make flour, you do the same, grind into a flour.

I guess you have to use your imagination when it comes to making food in the woods when you are lost, the food may not be what you are used to but at least you wont be hungry. And when they find you, you can share the food that mother nature has provided.

 

How many of you wake up and head for the coffee machine first thing in the morning and then get ready for your day? Me, me, me! I have to have my coffee, but there are days that my body is not responding and I drink more and I get the opposite effect.

Did you know that there are different herbs that make great coffee substitute, still taste great, and give you the energy you need to make it thru the day. Plus, you do not have to get the jitters that some people get drinking too much coffee.

Chicory is an herb that you can use as a coffee substitute. The benefits of using Chicory as your coffee include helping with inflammation, keeping your blood sugar levels in check, and essential when it comes to gut health. But if pregnant you should not drink Chicory.

Dandelion Root, when roasted and made like coffee taste similar, the good thing about Dandelion coffee is it has probiotics and helps reduce inflammation, great for your immune system, also helps your gastrointestinal tract to stay healthy and helps with circulation.

Chaga tea, this woody looking mushroom helps prevent ageing, improves your immune system just by drinking it in the morning, you feel energetic without the sluggish feeling at the end of the day. All this goodness by just boiling water. How awesome is that?

Cacao Nibs, you can buy them at a health food store. The flavor is rich and tasty. Enjoying a hot cup every morning makes for a great substitute for coffee. They are high in potassium, lowers risk of heart disease, lowers blood pressure and blood sugar levels, and also packed with Iron and Potassium.

Barley is one of the popular choses when it comes to picking a grain for a coffee substitute. I would have never thought of Barley as a coffee. But it helps reduce bloating, lowers blood sugars, and helps eliminate constipation.

All these coffee substitutes  that I mentioned all have great benefits that help the body to heal and give you the energy that you need to make it thru out the day.

These substitutes sound so much better then coffee. It could be that coffee has all the same benefits as the substitutes but our bodies have gotten so use to it, so it is good to mix it up and change our drink of choice. every once in a while.

Does it really matter as long as we get that boost of energy that we all need in the morning to get us motivated to start are day?

The one that really caught my eye was Barley, someone must have really been desperate for a cup of coffee to come up with that one, but with desperate times comes desperate measures.

From all this, I have learned that coffee has some real competition and I do believe there are more substitutes out there that we have not heard of yet but taste just as good and have many more health benefits that does a body good.

Coffee anyone?