Yes! You can cure a cough with cayenne pepper and chicken broth!

A few weeks ago, I woke up in the middle of the night unable to swallow.  My throat was swollen and sore.  It surprised me because I haven’t been sick in about five years.  How did that happen?  With all the healthy food I eat, I shouldn’t be sick.  In the subsequent days that followed, I developed a runny nose and a very bad cough.  Yes…I had a full blown out cold.  I don’t know of a single person that likes getting sick.  It sucks to feel terrible and have to stay in bed all day when you have piles of things to do.  However, I tried to be optimistic and use the time to analyze why I got the cold in the first place.  In addition, getting a cold afforded me the opportunity to try out a home cold remedy. 

Why did I get sick?  If you ask my mother, she will tell you it’s because I drink raw milk.  Everything that happens to me, she blames on my drinking raw milk.  For instance, if I didn’t sleep well the previous night, she will tell me, “It’s the raw milk you are drinking.”  If I cut myself shaving or stub my toe, she will try and attribute it somehow to my drinking raw milk.  I can tell you that’s not why I got sick and that’s not why people get colds.  This is one instance that I am not listening to my Mom.  So why do people get sick?  There are a myriad of reasons, three of them I will discuss briefly.  

1.        Low Vitamin D -  I would bet one million dollars (of course I don’t have it….lol.), that the person who gets a really bad cold has low vitamin D levels.  Vitamin D3 levels range from 100 (high) to 32 (low).  I had mine recently tested and it was a 25…..time to break out the supplements!  If you are consistently getting colds, please have your levels checked and take the necessary steps to raise it.

2.       The body is removing toxins – According to Andreas Mortiz, a cold or the flu is the “body’s attempt to return to a balanced state called homeostasis.  This healing or toxicity crisis occurs when toxins in the body have reached a certain level of concentration.”  By toxins, he is referring to chemical food additives, environmental pollutants, trapped metabolic waste and undigested food in the gut.  In other words, the body is cleaning itself of stuff that doesn’t belong there.   Be careful of taking any cold medications when you are sick.  You don’t want to suppress the body’s natural healing mechanisms.  Please consider taking medications if, and only if, you truly need them. 

3.       Emotional Breakthrough -  A cold is a “cleaning disorder.”  Sometimes when we have emotional issues and/or past trauma’s that are buried deep in our subconscious, and are somehow resurrected, it can trigger a response.  If we have deep seated emotional issues that are brought into our awareness, believe it or not, our body may produce a cold to help sweep the buried emotions out of the body.

 So….I have some notion as to why I got sick, now what was I going to do about it?  After four really bad nights, I had enough of my cough.  I did a bit of research online and came up with the magic ingredient, cayenne pepper!   The capsaicin in cayenne pepper acts as an antiseptic that will help clear the lungs and throat of congestion.

There’s nothing like chicken broth when you have a cold or flu.  Therefore, I decided to make myself a huge pot of homemade chicken broth.  To each mug full of broth, I added some cayenne pepper (hotness to taste.)  The broth/cayenne mixture soothed my throat and was very beneficial when I drank it before bed.  All I can say is ………WOW!!  IT WORKED!!  I am completely on the mend and I feel great!! 

I can smell the flowers!

REFERENCES:

http://www.livestrong.com/article/366248-how-to-use-pepper-as-coughing-remedy/

Mortiz, Andreas.  Timeless Secrets of Health & Revjuvenation:  Ener-Chi Wellness Press, 1997- 2007

Unsolicited Advice….Somebody Stop Me!

Life is full of lessons, tests and challenges.  Some of these we sail through with flying colors because they are easy and we tackle them joyfully.  We have all passed quite a few of these lessons and continue to do so as we live each day.   However, there are some life lessons we fail miserably.  In that case, you are doomed to repeat them over and over again until it finally sinks in… or the light bulb in your head goes off and you say, “I get it!”  This is how we garnish wisdom and understanding in life…..by trial and error.  Experience comes from making lots and lots of mistakes.  Wisdom comes from learning from these mistakes.  So far, I have lots of experience…..(Who said that?...lol.)

I asked a friend for advice last week regarding a website.  After he answered my question, for some strange reason, I felt the need to give him, “unsolicited advice,” or something out of left field he didn’t see coming.  Why did I do that?  It had nothing to do with what I asked him.  He didn’t ask me for my opinion.  Why did I feel the need to say something to him that was completely none of my business?  Did I hurt him?  I don’t know.  It definitely wasn’t my intention.  So why did I do it?

I am very comfortable speaking my mind, especially if I think it can help someone.  Most of the time, when people give unsolicited advice, they mean well.  They think they can help in some way.  It’s a nurturing instinct or the need to take care of someone or a situation.  The desired consequence is usually meant to be positive.  However, even if the intent is to help, the receiver of the advice may not perceive it that way, and the advice may end up hurting someone’s feelings.  I can give a recent example.  A woman I know just lost her husband of almost sixty years.  She’s been in her home “grieving” with the blinds and shades down.  Another neighbor called her and asked if she was okay because she noticed everything was closed so tight.  That was a very nice thing to do, show concern for a neighbor.  However, the woman kept going saying that she should raise her blinds because it looks as if she is “depressed,” which upset the grieving woman.  Again, I’m sure the advice was well-meaning, but it wasn’t taken that way.   Of course, there is always the example of the mother-in-law that tells her daughter-in-law to “put a sweater on that baby.”  Advice that is not asked for, or the person is not expecting advice from you, is not okay….even if you mean well. 

**I had to write it 100 times on a whiteboard so it would sink in….”I will not give unsolicited advice.”

Okay....I had a little help!

According to John Gray, who writes the Mars/Venus books, men and women give and receive advice differently.   Women love to give advice to other women, for that is what they seek.    Women love to talk and solve their problems together.  Men on the other hand, try to solve their problems on their own and will not seek out advice unless they specifically ask for it.  A good rule of thumb for giving advice is to only give advice to those who ask for it.  Then it is okay.  How do you stop from giving unsolicited advice? 

Well….you can try putting tape over your mouth but that won’t stop your fingers from typing! 

I'll admit....I just wanted to see what it was like to put tape over my sister's mouth...lol

Actually, it is a very hard to stop giving unsolicited advice.  Why?  Because you have to consciously think of not doing so before you speak.  You need to be aware of what you are about to say and think of the consequences before the words actually leave your mouth.  It requires your mind to be very present.  It can be done.  Just hear Mom’s words in your head,  ”Think before you speak.”  Remember that all actions have reactions.  Never underestimate the power  of your words. 

References:

Gray, John, Ph.D., Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus, Harper Collins Books, New York 1992

Every Day Can Be Earth Day! 10 Things You Can Do……

1.        Plant a tree or tend a garden.

2.       Stop using plastic bags and find a place near you that recycles them.  Bring your own reusable bags when you shop.

3.       Stop buying plastic water bottles.  Buy BPA free-lined stainless bottles instead.

4.       Use dark sky lighting.

5.       Put power strips on your appliances and turn them off at night or when not in use.

6.       Support your local farms.

7.       Condense your shopping trips.

8.       Recycle as much as possible.  Consult your town guidelines for items such as batteries, paints and medicines.

9.       Donate some of your time to community sponsored cleanup projects.

10.   If you can walk somewhere instead of taking a car, do it!

I'm Featured in the "Who's Cooking" Section of Newsday!

**COPY FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO CANNOT READ IT ONLINE.....

CHRISTINE SEGAL

Lives in Mount Sinai with her husband, Jeffrey, and children, Michelle, who's in college, and Paul, a high school senior. Founded Inner Beauty Workshops, a wellness-coaching business, six months ago.

What's your cooking style? It's natural. When my husband became ill about four years ago, I decided to get even more healthy. I did an enormous amount of research.

What did you change? We no longer eat white sugar, white flour, white pasta. No simple carbs. I've substituted with honey and whole-wheat flour. I switched to organic. I joined a CSA , Golden Earthworm Farms, and I go to Sang Lee Farms [on the North Fork] in season. It's not like at the supermarket, where something has traveled thousands of miles. It's good for the local economy, too.

Are there specific books you'd recommend? "What's in Your Food" -- it's a little guide to everything in your food. Another good book is "Nourishing Traditions," by Sally Fallon. I have hundreds of books, though.

What's your food heritage? I'm half-Greek and half-Italian, so I cook a lot of both. My mom's a really good cook. What's really impressive about my mom's cooking is she never uses a recipe. Now I just have to get her to use the grass-fed beef.

What's the next food frontier for you? Fermenting. When you ferment vegetables, you're creating your own probiotics. You're preserving, but you're also creating friendly bacteria that's good for your digestive system. I have some fermenting now -- carrots. You put carrot sticks in a Mason jar with filtered water, garlic, a little sea salt, dill and kefir. You secure the top and leave it in a dark corner of the kitchen for a week, or longer. The carrots are delicious and more digestible.

Chicken vino bianco
4 tablespoons olive oil
3 pieces boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, organic or pasture-raised, cut into small chunks
1½ cups whole wheat flour seasoned with sea salt and pepper (for gluten-free, use coconut flour)
1/4 cup organic butter, divided
2 tablespoons chopped green onion
1/2 cup diced vine-ripened tomato
1/2 cup chopped red onion
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1 tablespoon chopped fresh garlic
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 pound spaghetti-style rice pasta (or whole-wheat)
Sea salt and pepper, to taste

1. Heat oil in large saute pan.
2. Dust chicken in seasoned flour. Cook chicken on both sides until done (no longer pink inside). Remove chicken from pan and set aside.
3. Add 2 tablespoons butter to pan. Add green onion, diced tomato, red onion, mushrooms, garlic, chopped parsley, crushed red pepper and salt. Saute 3 minutes, stirring constantly.
4. Return chicken to pan. Add white wine, lemon juice and remaining butter and allow to come to a boil.
5. Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package directions. Add drained cooked pasta to the chicken and vegetable mixture, toss together to serve. Serve with a nice side salad. Makes 4 servings.

**Here is the link to the actual article:

http://www.newsday.com/long-island/li-life/who-s-cooking-christine-segal-1.2808550

Powerhouse Spring Foods & Fajita Recipe

I cannot stress the importance of eating foods that are “in season.”  It is where you will get the most bang for your buck and the most nutrients for your body.  It is wise to eat warmer foods (such as foods that are grilled, roasted, steamed or baked) during the fall and winter when your body’s internal temperature is colder, and cooler foods during spring and summer when your body temperature is warmer.  This will balance out your digestive tract, which is the best way to absorb nutrients.  It is when your body is nutrient starved, that it retains extra weight.  Therefore, it is important to pay attention to the foods that are grown during each season.  The local farms are beginning to open, such as Sang Lee Farms in Peconic , Garden of Eve Farm and Briermere Farms in Riverhead.  Why not take a drive out to visit and see what they currently have for sale.  Here is what you may find:

Spring Seasonal Produce Chart - Northeast
Arugula Asparagus Carrots (late spring) Chard Fava Beans Garlic scrapes Herbs (for example cilantro) Lettuce	Mint Mushrooms Nettles Parsnips Pea Greens Radishes Rhubarb Scallions Strawberries (very late spring)

This is also a great time of the year to begin planting your vegetable garden.  I have weeded and “turned the dirt” of my own garden.  I also started planting some cilantro, which is a one of my favorite herbs. 

Cilantro looks very similar to flat leafed parsley.  However, you can clearly tell them apart by the smell.  According to the book, The World’s Healthiest Foods, by George Mateljan, cilantro “contains numerous phytonutrients with antioxidant power including flavonoids such as quercetin, kaempferol, rhamnetin and apigenin and the phenolic acid compounds, caffeic and chlorogenic acid.”  What this all adds up to is some astounding health benefits.  In addition to its antioxidant properties, cilantro is also a blood cleaner.  How cool is this…it can help the body get rid of heavy metals such as mercury, lead and aluminum.  I remember watching a very impressive and interesting video by Jerry Brunetti, a man who cured his own terminal cancer.  He included as part of his protocol eating a handful of cilantro every day. (http://www.nuganics.com.au/2007/07/06/jerry-brunetti-food-as-medicine/)   I try to grow my own cilantro and incorporate it into as many dishes as I can.  A word of caution, cilantro is a medicinal herb and should not be overdone.  If you are using it for medicinal purposes, it is wise to ask your doctor the exact dose that is right for you.  Cilantro is wonderful in many ethnic culinary dishes.  I have a lot of fun experimenting with the herb in my kitchen…..

 I decided to share with you a delicious recipe that contains cilantro.  I use cilantro two ways in this dish, once in the marinade and also as a garnish.  This recipe can easily be gluten-free, depending on the tortillas you buy.  Please read the ingredient list and select tortillas that are organic and contain no genetically modified ingredients.  I used brown rice tortillas for this recipe.  Since there is so much flexibility in this dish, you can omit the meat and make it vegetarian, if you desire.

Fajitas – The Healthy Way

Marinade

½ cup good quality olive oil

¼ cup red wine vinegar

¼ cup fresh lime juice

1/3 cup chopped scallion

½  tsp. honey

1 tsp. oregano

1 tsp. ground cumin

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/3 cup fresh cilantro

Sea salt & pepper to taste

1lb boneless chicken breast, sliced or flank steak, sliced for stir fry

1 organic red pepper, sliced into strips

1 organic green pepper, sliced into strips

1 organic yellow pepper, sliced into strips

1 large onion, sliced into strips

Sprouted whole wheat tortillas or brown rice tortillas (if gluten free)

Garnish: Organic tomatoes, avocado, raw cheese, organic lettuce

You can start this recipe either early in the morning or the night before serving it.  Combine all the marinade ingredients together in a glass bowl and whisk until blended.  It will be chunky.  Slice the peppers and onions into strips and put in a bowl.  Slice the meat and put in a separate bowl.  Divide the marinade in half and put half on the onion/pepper bowl and the other half over the meat.  Mix each bowl until items are coated with the juices of the marinade.  Cover and refrigerate.

The next day or later in the day, preheat skillet to medium high heat and add your meat of choice.  Stir fry until meat is done.  Add the bowl of onions/peppers to the skillet and continue to stir fry at medium high heat until the veggies are to your liking.  Arrange on top of tortilla and add toppings or garnishes  of your choice.

FOR ADDITIONAL  SPRING RECIPES, PLEASE ORDER MY EBOOK!  THE COST IS ONLY $5.  http://www.innerbeautyworkshops.com/id70.html

HAPPY SPRING!!

REFERENCES

http://ezinearticles.com/?Amazing-Health-Benefits-of-Cilantro---The-Mega-Benefits-of-Eating-Fresh-Cilantro&id=1005298

http://www.nuganics.com.au/2007/07/06/jerry-brunetti-food-as-medicine/

Mateljan, George, The World’s Healthiest Foods, “Seattle: George Mateljan Foundation, 2007”

Milk Baby Milk.......

Years ago, when I first started reading about how many chemicals there were in our food, personal care products, cleaners, water, air….you name it, I was shocked.  I would read something and then put the material down to digest it, not to mention get the shocked look off my face.  Once I resumed reading, the next shock would hit….one after another, shock after shock.  In those days I usually walked around bewildered.  Today, rarely anything has that effect on me.  I have become shockproof, or so I thought, until the idea came to me for this blog post.  The subject was to write about the chemicals in baby/toddler bubble bath soap.  It has been a very long time since I’ve bathed a baby, as my youngest is heading off to college in the fall.  However, something perplexed me to write.  Given that it had been at least 15 years since I looked at baby bath products, I was absolutely stunned when I saw the ingredients!  I haven’t had a “peel me off the floor” episode in so many years.  I forgot what it felt like.  WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  So here it goes…..

Did you know that your skin is your biggest organ?  And, not only that, is super absorbent and sucks everything that you put on it into your body.  When we take a bath, our skin is absorbing the water in the tub as well as everything we put in the tub.  For instance, if we put some olive oil in our bathwater, it will get absorbed into our system.  If we put chemicals in the bath water our biggest organ will suck that into our body as well.  Our skin does not play favorites.   Now, if we bathe our baby or toddler in baby bath products that contain chemicals, it enters his/her bloodstream.   Scary!!  Another problem with chemicals in bath water is that young children frequently put their fingers in their mouths.  Hence, in addition to a nice dose of chemicals being absorbed via the skin, the child is also ingesting chemicals via the mouth.

 I decided to check the ingredients of a bubble bath soap from a very popular baby brand….Guess who??!!  Can I just say, “Holy s$it!!!”  Now, as I list the ingredients, you can scream or I may have to peel you off the floor as well:

Baby Bubble Bath & Wash

Ingredients:  Water, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, PEG-80 Sorbitan Laurate, Sodium Trideceth Sulfate, Acrylates Copolymer, Glycerin, Disodium Lauroamphodiacetate, Phenoxyethanol, Glycol Distearate, Fragrance, Tetrasodium EDTA, Laureth-4, Methylparaben, Propylparaben, Polyquaternium-7, May also contain Sodium Hydroxide.

Since I cannot pronounce these chemicals, let’s take a look at this chart:

NAME: Cocamidopropyl Betaine	PURPOSE: Surfactant	POTENTIAL EFFECTS: Allergic reactions
PEG-80 Sorbitan Laurate	Surfactant	May contain harmful impurities linked to cancer or gastrointestinal or liver toxicity hazards
Sodium Trideceth Sulfate	Wetting agent	Not assessed for safety
Acrylates Copolymer	Film forming agent, antistatic agent	Skin irritation
Disodium Lauroamphodiacetate	Surfactant, used for skin cleaning	This has not been assessed for safety
Phenoxyethanol	Preservative	Potential for reduced fertility, classified as toxic and an irritant, linked to cancer
Glycol Distearate	Skin conditioner, controlling thickness of product	Limited or no toxicity information available
Fragrance	Scent	Who knows what chemicals this consists of or their possible effects
Tetrasodium EDTA	Chelating agent	Skin irritation, eye toxicity, kidney or renal system failure
Laureth-4	Surfactant, emulsifying	Irritation: eyes, skin or lungs
Methylparaben	Preservative	Endocrine disruptor, increased risk for certain cancers, itching, burning and blistering of skin
Propylparaben	Preservative	Asthma, allergic reactions, skin redness, itching and swelling, hives, anaphylaxis
Polyquaternium-7	Control’s static electricity and leaves skin feeling soft	May link to cancer

·          Surfactant (surface active agent) can be defined as an emulsifier, foaming agent, solubilizer, wetting agent or cleanser.

HOW CAN ANYONE RECOMMEND PUTTING A CHILD IN BATH WATER FULL OF THESE CHEMICALS?

I bet you’re wondering, “How can this happen?”   I hate to break this to you, but the FDA does NOT regulate the cosmetic industry.  The government granted self-regulation to the Cosmetic, Toiletries and Fragrance Association (CFTA) in 1938.  This gives manufacturers “cart blanche” to use whatever chemicals they want without providing safety tests to the public.  Even scarier, since we see the individual effects of each chemical listed above, can you imagine the synergistic effects of this toxic soup? 

NOW HERE’S THE GOOD NEWS??!!......YOU HAVE A CHOICE!  The beauty of choice is that there are alternatives!    Your child will enjoy his/her own baths just as much, if not more, if you put items in the bathwater that you can find in your own kitchen.  These items are safe, non-toxic and cheap!  My favorite is milk, organic of course!  Cleopatra was known for taking milk baths, which gave her soft, radiant skin.  You can add a drop of an essential oil, such as lemon or orange, to make the water smell really nice.  A milk bath can be made into a fun game to play with your child.  Once milk is poured into the tub, the water will turn opaque.  You can hide items such as bath toys under the water and make your child reach and try and find them.  In addition, you can crack your child up if you play dress up (i.e. Cleopatra) as he/she takes a bath or maybe crack yourself up….LOL

 Other items you can put in the bath water are olive oil or minced oatmeal.  There are numerous organic body care books available.  My personal favorite is Organic Body Care Recipes, 175 Homemade Herbal Formulas for Glowing Skin & a Vibrant Self, by Stephanie Tourles (http://www.amazon.com/Organic-Body-Care-Recipes-Formulas/dp/1580176763/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1302045880&sr=8-1)  You can also find numerous organic bubble bath recipes for children online as well.  These will be non-toxic, safe and best of all, you control the ingredients!

The bottom line is we must read the ingredients of personal care items we purchase for ourselves and others and make conscience, informed and educated choices……

REFERENCES:

http://www.cosmeticsinfo.org/index.php

http://www.ewg.org/

http://www.johnsonsbaby.com/bathtime

http://www.purezing.com/living/toxins/living_toxins_dangerousingredients

Statham, Bill. What’s in your food?, Philadelphia, PA: Running Press Book Publishers 2006

(This is my opinion, protected by my First Amendment right to Freedom of Speech)