Tuesdays' Tip - D3

Previously posted (mostly) October, 2008

I take a boat load of supplements. I started taking most of them because of my Meniere's Disease. I ran across this vitamin protocol a couple of years ago. It has really helped me control my vertigo. It's a lot of pills to take, but it beats vomiting on the floor of a grocery store trying to explain to people that it's my ear, not a head injury that is causing my bizarre behavior.

I take others either because my doctor recommended them or because I am old, had my kids late, and want to avoid falling apart before they graduate college. I thought I would spend a few Tuesday's telling you what I take and why. So without further ado....

Today's tip: Vitamin D3

My doctor is a big fan of D3. In fact, he said he personally takes 2000 IU of D3 a day. That's a little more than I do, but after his recommendation I may increase.

Vitamin D3 does all sorts of good for you. Technically, it's not even a vitamin because the body can produce it. It's what your body produces when it is exposed to sunlight. It's the Sunshine Vitamin! It is a hormone that helps your body metabolize calcium and phosphorus. It is also good for your immune system, your nervous system, your teeth and bones, your joints, and your heart. Some studies even conclude that it is a potent cancer fighter. Is there anything left?

Studies also show that most of us are deficient in vitamin D3. Regular exposure to sunlight will give us all we need, but most folks are scared to death of the sun. Fortunately, there are supplements available. Just make sure you get D3. Talk with your doctor about how much you should take.

You can read more about it here.

Tuesdays' Tip - Quinoa

This post (mostly) originally posted in June, 2008.

Today's tip is something I recently found lurking in the back of my cabinet: quinoa.

I bought it awhile back. I saw it sitting on the store shelf, thought I remembered hearing some good things about it, threw it into my cart, and promptly forgot about it. Then a couple of nights ago I was having a foodie block and started digging in the back for something interesting and there it was!

Quinoa, pronounced keen-wah, is a grain. (The girl said it should be pronounced queen-wah. It starts with a "q"!) To quote quinoa.net it "comes from the Andes Mountains of South America... It was one of the three staple foods, along with corn and potatoes, of the Inca civilization. Quinoa was known then, and still is known, with respect, as the mother grain...

Quinoa contains more protein than any other grain; an average of 16.2 percent, compared with 7.5 percent for rice, 9.9 percent for millet, and 14 percent for wheat. Some varieties of quinoa are more than 20 percent protein.

Quinoa's protein is of an unusually high quality. It is a complete protein, with an essential amino acid balance close to the ideal ... similar to milk!

Quinoa's protein is high in lysine, methionine, and cystine. This makes it an excellent food to combine with, and boost the protein value of, other grains (which are low in lysine), or soy (which is low in methionine and cystine). "

Wow! And may I add that it is quite tasty, too. I made it into a pilaf. It only takes about 15 minutes to cook the basic quinoa. I used chicken broth instead of water and it was really good. I cooked some green onions, garlic, peas, and carrots in a little olive oil and then tossed the whole mess together. I would love to show you a picture of the finished product, but the boy said he liked it even better than the bulgur I make. It didn't last long enough to be photographed.

A box is less than $3.00. I used about half a box for dinner. If you don't have a 14 year old boy in your house, that is a pretty good sized bowl of quinoa. Those little seeds plump up nicely. It is very light and fluffy. Oh, and it's gluten-free if you are watching out for that.

There are lots of other recipes on the web site. I predict it will become a regular at our table.


Enjoy!

Tuesdays' Tip - Salt

What's in your salt? No, seriously, have you ever looked? If you are using America's favorite Morton's, you are getting sugar. That's right, sugar in your salt. Salt, calcium silicate, dextrose, and potassium iodine to be exact. The calcium silicate is a "free-flowing agent".

If this gets under your skin like it did mine, you may want to consider switching to either sea salt or kosher salt. They are purer salts.

Kosher salt itself is not necessarily kosher. It is used in the curing process of kosher meats. It has mild flavor. It's flaky and adheres well to the rims of margarita glasses as well as fish. It doesn't contain the additives regular table salt has.

Sea salt is typically made from evaporated seawater. It too is free from additives.

Of course, I'm sure we all should cut down on our salt intake, but we don't need to be taking in more than we bargained for. Go for the simpler alternatives.

Tuesdays' Tip - Sweat It Out

Antiperspirants stop, or at least slow down, the operation of the sweat glands. And many of them contain aluminum. We went over some of the hazards of aluminum here.

On the other hand, a deodorant's job is to slow down the growth of bacteria. It allows the body to function normally and just controls odor.

There is some controversy as to whether or not antiperspirants increase your chance of breast cancer, but personally, I don't want to use anything that stops my body from functioning the way God intended.

I use a deodorant made by Tom's of Maine, but there are several on the market. Go out and find a scent that you like.

Live healthy!

Tuesdays' Tip - Whole Wheat Pastry Flour

Last week I posted about flax seed and its benefits. YD was brave enough to comment that she doesn't use whole wheat flour. I'd be willing to bet she's not alone.

Baking with 100% whole wheat flour can produce some pretty heavy breads. If I dare make biscuits with whole wheat flour, I hear about it. "Why are the biscuits brown? Biscuits are supposed to be white."

I am here to suggest to you whole wheat pastry flour. It is ground more finely and therefore lighter than regular whole wheat flour and every bit as good for you: same amount of fiber, just slightly less protein. You can probably substitute it in most recipes for your all-purpose flour and never be the wiser. You can certainly go halfsies with it. It's a good compromise and available from several sources. Check it out.

Tuesday's Tip

Today's Tip: oregano oil.

Have you ever tried oregano oil? No, not to cook with, but I suppose you could.

Oregano oil is great at fighting infections as it kills many kinds of bacteria, fungi, and parasites. I use it on my teeth.

I have really soft teeth that are prone to infection. A friend told me about oregano oil and I haven't had an infection since. I put a drop or two on a tooth when I feel a little tinge that might mean trouble. When I can't stand it anymore, I swish water in my mouth for a second and then swallow. (Try it once and you'll understand "can't take it anymore." This stuff is stout.) I do that in the morning and evening for a few days.

It is also good for the control of candida, possibly athlete's foot, and other infections.

Let me say that oregano oil is very potent stuff. If you use it for any of these applications, you should only use it for 2 -3 weeks and then stop.

Let me also say that I am not an expert, much less a doctor. Or even a dentist. I share this information only from my personal experiences.

Here are a few articles that tell you more about oregano oil and its possible uses:

OreganoPro
Oil of Oregano
Bnet
Home Remedies Web

As with any home remedy, I hope you do further research on your own if you want to use oregano oil.

Tuesday's Tip

Today's tip: bag it!

I live in a metropolis. I don't know what it's like where you live, but we have a considerable population of homeless. They are on the corners of most busy intersections with their signs and ragged clothes and vacant faces.

I also have children. With compassionate hearts. I have one, too, but it has been hardened by years of overexposure to ... well, too much. It is still compassionate, but with a thick, cynical shell.

These things together make for a difficult situation as we make our way around town. A couple of years ago I came up with a solution: our homeless bags.

Here is what we fill our bags with:

• a water bottle
• water flavoring
• crackers
• cookies

I usually buy a 6-pack of water. Then I buy a box of the flavorings. Since they come in boxes of 12, we put two in each bag. I buy a box of crackers and we divide them among the bags. They usually come in 8's, so some bags get one and some get two. I also add some kind of cookie. This time I got some Little Debbie's. I have also gotten animal crackers. Everything is individually wrapped and non-perishable.

Some of the other things we have added at different times are:

• candy canes at Christmas
• toothbrushes (you can get a pack for $1 at the dollar store)
• toothpaste
• little cans of fruit (make sure you add a spoon)
• napkins
• bandaids

We keep a larger bag of them in our car. When we see a homeless person on a corner we are passing, we hand them one. My children are happy because we are helping the seemingly helpless. I am happy because I am helping without feeding a bad habit. Call me cynical, but I am. I just told you that!

I have never failed to get a smile from someone who has received a bag. And that can even crack my cynical shell just a little.

"Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms." 1 Peter 4:10

Tuesday's Tip

Today's tip: get yourself one of these.
It's a microplane and it is my new favorite kitchen toy.

Hubs has threatened to steal it for his woodworking, but I have it under lock and key.

Let me tell you what this does for Parmesan cheese. It turns it into fluffy air.

I will never zest a lemon with anything else. It was such a satisfying experience.

It also works well with ginger root.

I got mine at Bed, Bath, and Beyond. They have such great coupons and are on my beaten path. You can also find them at Amazon and other places that have kitchen tools.

Tuesday's Tip

Today's Tip: listen to the Word of God

I read my Bible. I enjoy reading my Bible. Most everyone I know who cares about the Bible, reads the Bible. My suggestion to you today is to listen to the Bible.

A couple of month ago I heard on the radio about Faith Comes By Hearing. If you go to their web site, you will read this:

Our mission statement is to record and use heart-language Audio Bibles to bring His church together and make disciples from every nation, tribe, language, and people.

And this:

Faith Comes By Hearing offers the world’s largest catalog of Audio Bibles to individuals and nations who hunger to hear. Offering every person on our planet equal access to the Bible requires meeting the unique needs of generations, technical societies, and fast-paced lifestyles. It also means meeting the cultural and literacy challenges presented when working in underdeveloped countries. Faith Comes By Hearing is rising to meet the biblical needs of a complex world through modern technology.

If you go here, you will see some of what they offer.

I decided to spend lent listening to the New Testament. I chose to download a dramatic reading for that purpose. I have read and studied the Bible for some years now. I in no way claim to be a scholar. I just mean that I have read certain parts of it several times. I put the download on my Zune and began listening regularly.

Can I just say, "Wow!" Especially the gospels. Having someone speak the words to me brought it to life in a way that I didn't expect. They use different voices for different people. Hearing Jesus say the words to me, even as an actor, just seemed more real to me than it ever has before.

I cannot say enough about experiencing the Word of God in this way. If you have an mp3 player, download one of the free versions they have available. If not, you can order it in another form.

You will also notice that I now have a button on the sidebar of the blog. Go check it out.

Tuesday's Tip

Today's Tip: get to know a bee wrangler.

OK, so this may not be something you ever really need to do, but let me tell you, when you need one, it's really handy if their kids are friends with your kids and she'll run right over and take care of things. But I'm getting ahead of myself.

My daughter and I spent a good deal of this glorious day outside. We planted a few things, watered a few things, and did some reading in the grass. We retired inside to contemplate dinner. About an hour later I went outside and found this:

That is my mailbox. With a beard of bees. They all arrived in the hour we were in the house. Amazing.

Fortunately, the mail had already come, so I didn't need to disturb them to find all of the fascinating sales fliers my mailman brought me.

Enter the Bee Wrangler. I haven't known Jennifer long, but our kids are friends. I called her up and she be-bopped right over.

Can I just say, "Wow." I have never seen this process. I am bee phobic enough to be more than a little freaked out at the thought of being in a little net tent with hundreds of bees, even with the protective gear. But Jennifer is brave. Jennifer is experienced. Jennifer went right to work.

She has this cute little bee box that she hooks up to a Shop Vac looking thing. She gently sucks them up and they land into their temporary home. When she gets to the queen in the middle of all the bees, she unhooks the vacuum and holds the house in her lap. She then gets the queen on her finger and puts her in the box being careful not injure her.

The process isn't quite complete yet. She left that little box leaning up against the mailbox. There were quite a few bees that were still airborne and didn't make it into the box. She said they will land there and then quit flying after dark. She will come back by and just pick it up and take them home. She will relocate to them a new hive tomorrow.

I now know more about bee habits than I ever dreamed. It really is fascinating. But I'll leave the bee wrangling to Jennifer. I'll stick to my safe spot on the porch. : )

Tuesday's Tip

First, let me apologize for being so absent. There is just too much. I hope to be better soon.

But that's not why you came.

Today's Tip: go halfsies.

I understand better than anyone that it is so hard to just do it. I love my sugar. I love my baked goods the way I am used to them. I like my sweet tea... well... sweet! What's a girl to do?

Go halfsies!

I still drink sweet tea, but instead of using all the sugar I used to, I use half the sugar I used to use and half stevia. It is still just as sweet but with less sugar. (BTW, don't replace the sugar with the stevia spoonful for spoonful. You only need a fraction of the stevia to get the same sweetness. You may have to play with it to get it just the right taste for you.)

When I make rolls, I use half all-purpose flour and half whole wheat. With some things I bake I use all whole wheat, but some things just need white flour. Of course, I do use unbleached flour. I don't have a problem with things not being bright white.

If you want fewer carbs but can't stomach a plate of meat and lettuce, eat an open-faced sandwich or hamburger.

Eat one cookie instead of two.

The point is, don't give up if you don't want to go all the way. Go halfway. It will make a difference. Every little bit helps you down the road to getting closer every day!

Tuesday's Tip

It occurred to me today that I have told you what not to use on your skin, but I haven't offered you any alternatives. Today I will!

One of the things I use on my face is jojoba oil. Now, technically, jojoba oil is not an oil at all. It is a wax that is liquid at room temperature. But that's good. It's not oily on your face once you put it on. It is quickly absorbed into the skin.

Also, jojoba is chemically very similar to the natural oils in your skin. In fact, it is the most similar of all natural compounds. One theory is that it "tricks" your skin into thinking it has produced enough oil that it balances oil production.

Fortunately, it is also very stable and doesn't get rancid. I have had the same 4 ounce bottle for a couple of years now. A little goes a long way.

In addition to moisturizing your skin, it also is excellent at removing make-up and moisturizing your hair and scalp.

You can pick up a 4 ounce bottle of jojoba oil for about $10. If you want organic, you can usually find it for about $14. And like I said, a little goes a long way. Use it sparingly until you now how much you need.

Tuesday's Tip

Today's tip: xylitol

Chances are, if you brush your teeth, you use fluoride. I don't. Neither does my daughter whose molars came in without enamel. We're wild. We're reckless. We buck the system. We use xylitol.

First, the reasons we don't use fluoride:

• fluoride is a poison

• fluoride is a cumulative poison that accumulates in the bones over the years

• excessive accumulation of fluoride can cause weakening of the bones

• fluoride can be either accidentally swallowed while brushing or absorbed in the mouth. Remember that to quickly absorb some vitamins or medications that they are given sublingually (under the tongue) because of the high number of blood vessels.

But what is xylitol? If you have ever chewed sugar-free gum, you probably got a little xylitol. It is a naturally occurring sweetener found in berries, fruits, and other plant sources. Chemically, it is a sugar alcohol.

What is unique about this sweetener is that it is actually good for your teeth. I know that doesn't compute in your brain - a sweetener that is good for your teeth. But it actually reduces the incidences of tooth decay.

Xylitol reverses the destructive effects of sugar. It is non-fermentable. That means that your oral bacteria will not convert it to acids. It also helps restore the proper alkaline/acid balance in your mouth making it inhospitable to destructive bacteria. It's all good.

We use both a xylitol toothpaste and crystalline powder. I use the powder in her milk. We have had great success with it. We didn't start using it until we discovered the self-destructive nature of her mouth. Each appointment we have with the dentist reaffirms my confidence in the xylitol. We have her mouth under control and have stopped the downward spiral.

You can find xylitol products at the Vitamin Shoppe, Whole Foods, and many on-line resources. Along with toothpaste and powder, you can find gum, mouth rinse, and mints.

Tuesday's Tip

Today's tip is something I have been doing a little more often lately and have really enjoyed: putting pen to paper.

I have fully embraced this electronic age. I love e-mail and keep up with people I would never keep up with otherwise. I used to create newsletters and do other technical writing projects. I have designed and built web sites for people's businesses. However, there is something wonderful about a hand-written note.

When was the last time you opened your mailbox and got a genuine letter from a friend? If you can remember back that far, I bet it made you feel special and all warm and fuzzy inside. I have thoughtful friends and family members who often send cards and thank you notes. While those are lovely and very much appreciated, I love getting a real live letter in my box.

Recently, a childhood friend and I have reconnected. She shunned my urges to e-mail and said she was much better with letters. ????? OK, I'll give that a try. We have only exchanged a couple of letters so far, but I'm not sure if I enjoy writing or receiving them more. It has been so fun.

After Ike, a woman I roomed with in Paris a thousand years ago sent me a letter to check on me. She lives in New Mexico and couldn't fathom the effects of such a storm. What a wonderful surprise during such a crazy time. I immediately sat down and penned her a three page response giving her all the details of our situation.

During this holiday season, make someone's day. I'm sure there are people you don't get to see or talk to often enough. Right them a letter. Tell them what is happening with you. Do it on some pretty paper if you can. I guarantee it will make you feel good. And you will put a smile on someone's face.

Tuesday's Tip

With the holiday's approaching, I thought I would throw out a recommendation today for sweet potatoes.

I really like sweet potatoes. I don't think I have to tell you how good they are for you, but here are some facts just the same.

For each cup of sweet potatoes you get:

7 g fiber
over 38,000 IU of vitamin A
.6 mg. of B6
1 mg of Manganese
952 mg Potassium

And that's just the really good stuff. They also have a little bit of a lot of other good stuff.

And they're cheap, too!

You may be used to loading them up with brown sugar and marshmallows. And while that is yummy, I would like to suggest another way to prepare them.

I roast my sweet potatoes with onions and garlic and a little olive oil and salt. Really. They are so good. We had them for dinner tonight. I'd show you a picture of them, but we ate them all! Here is a recipe for what I do:

Roasted Sweet Potatoes

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Peel a couple of sweet potatoes. Cut into bite sized cubes.

Slice and dice half an onion.

Mince a couple of gloves of garlic.

Toss all together in a baking dish with a tablespoon or two of olive oil.

Sprinkle with a little salt.

Roast in oven for about 35-45 minutes. You may want to give it a stir every now and again.

Is that technical enough for you? It's a great and healthier alternative to the sugar laden sweet potatoes we are used to. Let me know if you try them.

Tuesday's Tip

Today's tip is one of my all time favorites: eat more garlic.

Really, is there ever enough garlic? My husband says he learned to love garlic in self defense. I'm sure he's glad he did. That whole loaf of bread, jug of wine, and thou thing is missing a small bowl of olive oil and some crushed garlic.

But garlic does more than excite my taste buds and ward off vampires. It helps fight infection and stimulates the immune system. It was even used during both World Wars to help fight off gangrene. It's good for your cholesterol levels and can help you avoid blood clots. All this and awesome flavor as well.

If you want to read more about garlic's health benefits, check here and here and here.

If you need more ways to eat garlic, check here and here.

But one of the best and easiest ways to enjoy garlic is to roast it. It makes the flavor a little milder and the texture good for spreading. I ran across this cool idea:

Roasted Garlic Recipe

1 Preheat the oven to 400°F.

2 Peel away the outer layers of the garlic bulb skin, leaving the skins of the individual cloves intact. Using a knife, cut off 1/4 to a 1/2 inch of the top of cloves, exposing the individual cloves of garlic.

3 Place the garlic heads in a baking pan; muffin pans work well for this purpose. Drizzle a couple teaspoons of olive oil over each head, using your fingers to make sure the garlic head is well coated. Cover with aluminum foil. Bake at 400°F for 30-35 minutes, or until the cloves feel soft when pressed.

4 Allow the garlic to cool enough so you can touch it without burning yourself. Use a small small knife cut the skin slightly around each clove. Use a cocktail fork or your fingers to pull or squeeze the roasted garlic cloves out of their skins.

Eat as is (I love straight roasted garlic) or mash with a fork and use for cooking. Can be spread over warm French bread, mixed with sour cream for a topping for baked potatoes, or mixed in with Parmesan and pasta.

Does that sound yummy or what? I may have to make some garlic mashed potatoes tomorrow with some roasted garlic.

How do you eat your garlic?

Tuesday's Tip

I have been telling you about some of the supplements I take. And today's supplement is: Vitamin C.

The RDA, recommended daily allowance, of Vitamin C is only between 75 and 90 mg. That might keep you from getting scurvy, but it's not going to do anything to benefit your health.

Vitamin C is an antioxidant. It helps your protect your body from daily life in our toxic world. Also, Vitamin C helps produce collagen. That is the "glue" that holds our body together. It's very important for maintaining the strength and flexibility of our blood vessels. When they are healthy, our hearts are healthy. There have also been great strides in cancer treatment using vitamin C. You can read a little about that here.

Vitamin C is not stored by the body. If you take a ton at once, that which your body doesn't use will just get flushed away. I take 2,000 mg each day: 1,000 in the morning, 1,000 in the evening. (Yes, I have one of those cute little pill caddies that helps me keep my morning pills separate from my evening pills. No, I'm not on Social Security - yet.)

If you are an elderly man and want to avoid bone loss, check here.

If you are pregnant, and want to know how much C you should take for your unborn child, check here.

If you just know you need to get some C, check here or here.

Tuesday's Tip

Today's tip: ionic minerals.

As I have said before, I take a lot of supplements. A LOT of supplements. This is the only one I have ever felt an immediate result from taking.

Ionic minerals are trace minerals in a liquid form. My mother ran across them several years ago and has sworn by them ever since. I have taken them off and on through the years. Every time I start taking them again I wonder why I ever stopped. When I was trying to decide what to tell you about them I ran across this that said in part...

...ionic minerals are totally bio-available. Results are immediate. In other words, from the first drink of ionic water, the calcium, magnesium, and other valuable nutrients go to work. You don't have to wait six months to see the value of this product in your life. You don't have to take it for six months to experience a shift in your body chemistry--it's immediate.

Well, there you have it. There are immediate results because they are totally bio-available. I'm not a chemist, but I have experienced said results personally. I just generally feel better when I'm taking them. I don't feel like a corpse when I get out of bed. I have more energy.

I take these solely based on taste. I have tried some others and just didn't like the taste. I like the lemon-lime and honey flavored.

The idea behind our need for these trace minerals is that our soil has been so depleted by over farming and pesticides that these minerals that would normally be found in our food are no longer there.

If I could only take a few supplements - I don't think I could just take one! - ionic mineral would be on the list. Check them out. I did a Google search and came up with all of these varieties.

Tuesday's Tip

Since things are returning to normal, I am resuming the Tuesday's Tip.

I take a boat load of supplements. Most of them I started taking because of my Meniere's Disease. I ran across this vitamin protocol a couple of years ago. It has really helped me control my vertigo. It's a lot of pills to take, but it beats vomiting on the floor of a grocery store trying to explain to people that it's my ear, not a head injury that is causing my bizarre behavior.

I take others either because my doctor recommended them or because I am old, had my kids late, and want to avoid falling apart before they graduate college. I thought I would spend a few Tuesday's telling you what I take and why. So without further ado....

Today's tip: Vitamin D3

My doctor is a big fan of D3. In fact, Hubs went to see him today and he said he personally takes 2000 IU of D3 a day. That's a little more than I do, but after that recommendation I may increase.

Vitamin D3 does all sorts of good for you. Technically, it's not even a vitamin because the body can produce it. It's what your body produces when it is exposed to sunlight. It is a hormone that helps your body metabolize calcium and phosphorus. It is also good for your immune system, your nervous system, your teeth and bones, your joints, and your heart. Is there anything left? Go get yourself some D3! Your good health depends on it.

You can read more about it here.

Tuesday's Tip

Today's tip: do away with the fabric softener.

There was a time when I decided on what washer to buy based on whether or not it had a well in the shaft for my liquid fabric softener. Those days are gone. I no longer even use fabric softener.

First of all, most fabric softeners are really toxic. They are full of chemicals that we really don't need in our homes or on our bodies. You can read a little about it here or here.

Secondly, does it really make that much difference? Really? I haven't missed it at all. In fact, when I am out on my walk I can smell everyone else's dryers. I don't even like the smell any more. Too much "fragrance".

So save yourself some money. And do without.

But if you can't, there are other options. Of course, I'm going to say it. Ready? Make your own! I can't really speak to how well this works, but I looked it up special for you. Give it a try and let me know how well it works out. Maybe you can persuade me.

Homemade Fabric Softener

You'll need:

• 1 cup vinegar (white)
• 1 cup washing soda
• 1 cup water
• Drops essential oil (good choices include lemon, lavender, mint, geranium)
• Bottle for storage (flip-cap if possible)

1. Assemble the items from the Things You'll Need section.
2. Mix together the washing soda, white vinegar and water.
3. Add a few drops of essential oil. The scent is up to you. Or, you might wish to leave it scent-free.
4. Stir together one more time.
5. Bottle the fabric conditioner for storage. A bottle with a flip-top lid is good for ease of use but any bottle with a lid is suitable.
6. Use the fabric conditioner in the same way that you would use a commercial fabric conditioner.

If you try it or have your own recipe, let me know. I'd love to hear your results.