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Sage is a Wise Choice

Sage smells absolutely delicious. It instantly initiates thoughts of fall and warm memories of Thanksgivings past. It always amazes me that herbs can be delectable AND healing for our bodies at the same time. I love it so much it has a permanent residence in my garden. Pro tip: steep a few leaves of fresh sage with fresh lemon balm in a cup of hot water for about 10 minutes. Mix it with some stevia for one refreshingly yummy tea. You will become addicted! Bonus, it calms your nervous system, reduces hot flashes and helps with memory. I call it my Menopause Magic Mix.

Sage – or salvia officinalis – stands the test of time. Though many reduce it to a minor background role in the kitchen pantry, historically it has held VIH status for more than just its flavor. (VIH = Very Important Herb, obviously)

With the understanding that it possesses powerful therapeutic properties, sage has been used for generations to treat health problems.

And if ancient wisdom isn’t enough to convince you – a number of studies have provided clinical support to the idea that this herb might well be something worth adding to your diet.

What Are the Benefits?

Reduces Blood Sugar

In the absence of modern medication, sage has traditionally been used to treat both type 1 and type 2 diabetes. Salvia Officinalis has been shown to decrease serum glucose without affecting pancreatic insulin production.

In another study, the twice-daily consumption of sage tea lead to an improved lipid profile, and an improvement in diabetic conditions.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4003706/

Decreases Menopause Symptoms

Reaching menopause can often feel like you’re generating enough heat to power a small planet. Hot flashes, excessive sweating, and general temperature-control issues are a common ailment. But a once-daily application of fresh sage extract has been demonstrated to help alleviate such issues thus reducing trips to stand in front of the freezer.

In fact, the consumption of salvia in tablet form has been shown to positively impact a range of menopause symptoms, including panic, fatigue, and vaginal dryness. The latter – which effects upwards of 30% of women – can be effectively treated using a sage infused moisturizer and lubricant.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4003706/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6136974/

Lowers Cholesterol

Though cholesterol levels naturally increase as you age, there are measures you can take to reduce the chance that it becomes a serious matter.

Beyond the obvious recommendations from your health care provider, herbal remedies can be valuable in your fight to keep cholesterol levels in a healthy range.

Studies conducted have shown that an extract of sage can lower plasma cholesterol and improve that HDL/LDL ratio, without any need for the pharmaceutical drugs that are typically prescribed.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4003706/

Memory and Cognition

It doesn’t matter how old or young you are physically, losing your cognitive faculties is scary. Memory-loss in particular can be a distressing side-effect of ageing.

Several clinical studies have indicated how the salvia species can be beneficial in mental disorders, helping improve cognitive function. This includes the speed of memory (only takes 2 minutes to remember where you put your keys instead of 30), and overall mood (not even going to put an example here).

Traditionally, variations of sage have been used to treat degrading mental function in conditions like Alzheimer’s Disease. It has also been suggested that the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of this incredible herb may provide long-term protection against dementia.

As you can see, sage has tons of benefits that go beyond its scrumptious flavor and divine smell. Try making tea combinations with other herbs or start adding it to dishes as an extra flavor boost and reap the benefits![/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

Do you know why Popeye ate spinach? It’s because the cartoon creator, E.C. Segar, was #vegetarian and wanted to let people know that veggies were fire. ⁠

Popeye was woke AF when it came to spinach. He popped a can and next thing Brutus knew was “Bye Felicia!”. One cup of raw spinach contains only 7 calories, 30 mg. of calcium, just under a gram of iron, 24 mg magnesium, 167 mg potassium, 2813 IU of Vitamin A and 58 micrograms of folate. No wonder Popeye felt so savage! ⁠

And ummm…what did Wimpy eat? ‘Nuff said. In addition, spinach contains Vitamin K, fiber, phosphoros, and thiamine. Brutus never stood a chance. ⁠Spinach made Popeye swol.⁠

LMFAO…I am gonna switch back to English now. Just thought I would write a few paragraphs my kids could understand ⁠

Spinach is more than 90% water and for that reason, 1 cup will turn into 1/2 tsp after you cook it. There are 3 basics types of spinach; savoy – dark, crinkly, and curly leaves, flat or smooth leaved, and semi-savoy that has slightly crinkled leaves. We tend to see the smooth, broad leaf variety most often in stores because it is easier to clean.⁠
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Spinach Factoids:⁠
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1. Spinach is native to Persia, which is modern day Iran, and in China they still refer to spinach as the Persian green.⁠

2. March 26th is national spinach day.⁠

3. The reason dishes containing spinach are referred to as “Florentine” is because it was the home of Catherine de Medici, a lover of spinach.⁠

4. In 1937, Crystal City, Texas, erected a statue of Popeye, due to it’s spinach growing roots.⭐⁠

5. Spinach leaves are a mild diuretic/laxative. ⁠

My favorite detox shake: ⁠

1 c. Spinach⁠
Handful of Dulse⁠
1 c. Frozen Wild Blueberries⁠
Handful of Cilantro⁠
1/2 tsp Lions Mane⁠
1/2 tsp Spirulina⁠
1/2 tsp Chaga⁠
1 Tbsp Hemp Seeds⁠
1 Tbsp Ground Flax Seed⁠
1 to 2 cups of Water⁠
Stevia⁠

Oh honey! How sweet you are! Who doesn’t love honey? Humans have used honey for over 8000 years. It has so many uses. And no, I am not talking about slathering it on your partner during sexcapades. (Pro tip: sounds better than it actually is. Think sticky! Very, Very sticky!!)

Got a booboo or a burn? Slap (or gently apply) some honey on that and watch it heal twice as fast. Bonus….honey has antibacterial properties to keep infection at bay. One of the most potent anti-bacterial forms is Manuka honey.

Manuka has been found to be effective at killing MRSA! I know this personally. It was the only thing that got rid of a nasty MRSA infection I caught (long, long embarrassing story). I also had a family member use it to get rid of a horrible C-diff infection (horrendous diarrhea) she got from using strong antibiotics for a UTI. Adding insult to injury, the antibiotics didn’t touch the UTI. But Chinese herbs did!

Honey heals rashes, even diaper rash! But don’t ever give honey by mouth to a baby. It can contain botulism that their immature digestive systems can’t fight off. I usually don’t give honey until they hit two years old.

Got dandruff? Mix equal parts of honey and water to condition the scalp. Within two weeks see your flakes go away. ❄️

Morning sickness? Add honey to lemon juice to help eliminate nausea and vomiting.

Got acne? Honey can give it a lustrous glow AND kill the bacteria that cause acne.

Allergies? Local honey pollen has been used for centuries to beat allergies.

Nagging cough? Honey mixed with coffee is an effective cough syrup for even the most stubborn, lingering coughs. Personally I prefer mixing it with lemon and Jack Daniel’s to knock out the most horrific coughs. It was the only thing that would stop my bronchitis when I was a kid. Yeah, my mom gave me JD.

Poor Digestion? It improves digestion by killing off bad bacteria living in your GI.

Bad breath? Massage honey into your gums for 3 to 5 minutes daily to improve stinky mouth.

Honey may be beneficial in battling cancer and heart disease. It even helps with weight loss when used to replace sugar.

Now you can enjoy some sweetness in your life guilt free. You’re Welcome!

November is here and so starts the season of friends, family, holiday parties and delicious food. I decided to write about cinnamon this month because it flavors so many of the foods we crave during the holidays. It’s the center of the ever popular pumpkin spice. It’s in pumpkin pie, apple pie, cinnamon rolls, snicker doodles, cinnamon bread and more! Besides the fact it is part of these delectable sweets, cinnamon has healing powers that the Chinese have utilized for thousands of years.

Cinnamon’s flavor is considered acrid or pungent. This leads to it being classified as a warm or even hot spice. Cinnamon has a beneficial effect on the stomach, spleen, liver and kidneys. It is also valuable in tonifying the Chinese elements of Earth (stomach and spleen) as well as Metal (lung and large intestine).

Cinnamon has several different effects on our system when we eat it. Don’t you just love a cup of hot apple cider with a cinnamon stick on a cold day? That’s because this spice has a warming effect on our center. It dissipates cold while moving our blood to further help warm our fingers and toes. Cinnamon can also promote the secretion of gastric juices and help alleviate that holiday bloat. There are many indications for the use of cinnamon in Chinese medicine. Some of the more common ailments include lack of appetite, common cold, flu, shivering from cold, impotence, lower back pain, knee pain, and abdominal pain that gets worse with cold.

I will end with a classic recipe used by the Chinese at the first onset of a cold. If caught early enough, this recipe will nip it in the bud. It is called Gui Zhi Tang (gwee zer tang). Make sure your symptoms match those listed below.

Fever and chills unrelieved by sweating
Headache
Spontaneous perspiration
Decreased body resistance
Aversion to Wind
No thirst
Dry heaves
Stiff neck

This formula may also be used for these conditions but please go to a licensed acupuncturist to determine if your symptoms and constitution warrant the use of this formula. Improper usage of herbs can worsen a condition.

Common cold
Fever
Upper respiratory tract infection
Influenza
Postpartum fever
Allergic rhinitis
Angioedema
Cerebrovascular spasm
Eczema
Bronchial asthma
Testicular pain
Appendicitis
Allergic purpura
Enuresis in children
Headache
Cough
Uterine fibroids
Bronchitis
Hemilateral sweating

Urticaria
Morning sickness
Frostbite
Tinea
Neuralgia
Abdominal pain due to chills
Eclampsia
Neurasthenia
Atrioventricular blockage
Hernia
Sciatica
Itching
Hyperactivity disorder
Psoriasis
Endometriosis
Gastritis
Pneumonia
Spontaneous perspiration

Recipe for Gui Zhi Tang

Cinnamon 4 – 9 grams

White peony 4 – 9 grams

Ginger 3 – 9 grams

Dates 3 – 12 grams

Licorice 2 – 6 grams

Simply simmer in water for about 10 to 15 minutes and drink as a tea.

Just another hectic day where I left the house at 7:30 am and got home at 7:30 pm. Kid 2 whining about how hungry he is. Mother’s guilt triggered. So I’m thinking about what is quick, easy and filling that will make him happy (an omnivore) as well as me (plant based). Of course I have next to nothing in the fridge because I haven’t had a minute to shop and most of what is in there qualifies as scientific experiments for new antibiotics. The secret to killing MRSA lies in my fridge! I did manage to locate garlic, an onion, carrots and 2 good celery stalks (surrounded by some not so good ones). These of course were behind the orange that had turned white and green…eeek! I also managed to have some lentils, vegetable stock, and a can of roma tomatoes on hand. Soups on! I used salt, pepper, garam masala, and extra cumin (cuz you can never have enough cumin) for seasoning. I made a batch of brown basmati rice to serve with the soup. You can see in the pic below my son was quite happy with the turnout!

Nick Eating Lentil Soup — Nick eating lentil soup

Recipe As Follows

3 cloves garlic

6 tri colored carrots

2 celery stalks

1 onion

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 28 oz. can of roma tomatoes

1 c. lentils

4 c. vegetable soup

2 c. water

2 tspn garam masala

2 tspn cumin

salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Slice carrots, onions, and celery. Mince garlic. Sautee in olive oil for 5 minutes.
Add can of tomatoes with juice, the soup, water, and lentils.
Add the garam masala, cumin, salt and pepper.
Cook for about 30 minutes over medium heat with the lid on the pot so the liquid doesn’t evaporate
While the soup is cooking prepare your brown basmati rice. I use 2 1/2 cups of water for every cup of brown rice with 1 Tbsp of oil and 1 tspn of salt.
Serve soup over rice and garnish with a bit of parsley or cilantro for an extra dash of flavor.

YOU’RE WELCOME!

Today I came home from the gym and I was starving. I didn’t have time to come up with an original creation so I decided to try out some goodies I found in Trader Joe’s. The last time I was there I found these vegan gluten-free cauliflower pizza crusts that looked promising. I also found a pre-made vegan cashew pesto as well as some frozen mushrooms that looked yummy. I had also read on a Facebook thread that their vegan mozzarella melted up very nicely.

So I cooked up the crust per their directions. I had to cook it longer than stated as it was not the golden brown color on the box. When I flipped it, it tore in the middle. I’m a bit OCD so that bothered me a bit but there are worse things in life so onward. Once the crust was done I put a layer of the vegan cashew pesto, followed by the sauteed mushrooms and the vegan cheese. I sprinkled a bit of fresh thyme and rosemary on top for a bit of extra flavor and threw it back in the oven for another 10 minutes.

The results? It was pretty yummy. The crust was a bit soft in the center but manageable. The cheese…wow the cheese! It melted like the real deal and tasted good also! The mushrooms were good and the pesto wasn’t as good as my homemade but was very acceptable as a replacement when time is an issue. Overall I found this to be an easy healthy vegan alternative. Even my kids liked it and they are ultra picky! Give it a try and let me know how yours came out!

As I was studying Chinese medicine and acupuncture I noticed that ginger was used frequently in Chinese herbal formulas. I loved ginger as I was familiar with it from a Western position but had absolutely no idea how healing this herb actually was! I knew that it aided digestion, helped with nausea and morning sickness, and was very tasty but was clueless as to the numerous applications that ginger could be used.

As I continued my studies I learned that according to Chinese medicine, ginger is a warming herb that has a direct impact on the lungs, stomach and spleen. It is commonly used to treat colds and coughs. It helps purge phlegm from the lungs. It warms the digestive system, particularly the stomach, which can stop vomiting. It is also used as a tonic to boost a persons qi, or life force and can enhance immunity. Ginger can reduce the toxicity of other Chinese herbs which is one reason it is found in so many different formulas. Also, the skin of ginger can be used to promote urination and reduce edema. It is particularly helpful for those suffering from a cold or flu that do not improve once they start sweating.

Caution has to be used with certain individuals. For instance, ginger can increase blood pressure, heart rate and respiration.

Some more noted uses of ginger include allergies, hay fever, headaches, motion sickness, circulatory disorders, and arteriosclerosis. It is even used in acupuncture in combination with a herb called moxa. The acupuncturists put slices of ginger over the belly button and poke holes in it. The moxa herb is shaped into a cone and placed on top of the ginger and set on fire. As it burns down the warmth and properties of the ginger and moxa help heal the digestive disorders the patient has. It is very effective with those diagnosed with “cold in the stomach”.

Next time you find yourself coming down with a cold you can try making a tea with slices of fresh ginger and dates. This is a commonly used remedy and can be very effective if you catch the cold early enough. I always knew this spicy little herb was delicious, but until trained as a Doctor of Oriental Medicine I had no idea how many healing properties it has!

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]You may not realize it but your gut is usually the first thing that needs attention in most states of dis-ease. Gut imbalances are top priority for balancing your hormones.
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Say what? Yup! Your belly is one of the first priorities in reclaiming your hormone health, or your health in general!
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Why? Because your liver loves you and takes the time to break down all those excess hormones, xenoestrogens and toxins. It gets rid of this garbage by dumping it into the bile which gets released when you eat. ☠️
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If the gut is leaky then all that garbage gets absorbed right back into your bloodstream. So it’s like throwing all your trash into a garbage can only to find out there was a massive hole in the bottom.
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The first step is REMOVE. Remove what? Stress, crappy food 🍕, constipation, nasty microbes, food sensitivities, and foods that feed the bad guys in your gut 🍦.
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Step two is REPLACE. Replace enzymes, stomach acids, bile acids, minerals and vitamins, and add herbal remedies 🌱 to help boost an insufficient immune system, thyroid and adrenals.
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Step three is REINOCULATE. Add probiotics, prebiotics, fiber and cultured/fermented foods to help re-establish a healthy gut microbiome.
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Step four is REPAIR. Repair the gut lining (villi and mucosal layer) by increasing short chain fatty acids, glutamine and herbs such as aloe and marshmallow that help soothe and rebuild.🌿
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Step five is REBALANCE. Rebalance your life! Your stress levels, your dietary choices, your activity level, your thought patterns, your beliefs, and your spiritual practices.
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The ORDER is very important! If you jump steps you could make your issues worse. For example, adding probiotics before doing the first 2 steps can worsen symptoms and instigate mad dashes for the toilet! 🚽 Trying to repair before removing will just leave you with some expensive poop! 💩
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If you are confused about what to do then you can always start with improving your dietary choices! You can also get professional help if you are really serious about taking control of your health but don’t know where to start. I am available for virtual consults. You can call 954.228.3445 ☎️ with any questions or to set an appointment.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

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