Still Struggling with this FUNGUS!!!

Hi Folks! I thought I had the victory...I really did.  I've been trying the works, because I REALLY want to get rid of this scalp fungus NATURALLY.  I want to stop using non-natural (chemical) substances on every part of my body so I'm pulling out all the stops! At least I thought I was.

I'm feeling defeated because just when my scalp seems to get better..........the fungus comes back with a vengeance!  Take a look:



It's like my whole scalp is coming off!

This is what I've done over the last year:
1. Tea tree oil
2. Apple cider vinegar (worked at first, but then had no effect)
3. Ginger, onions and aloe
4. Black walnut ointment and hull (mix the hull with water, apply to scalp then rinse off) The ointment went on my scalp.

I have to wash my hair once or twice a week due to my fungus friend build up.  Tea tree shampoo works well, and I try to wash my head scarves often.

So now I think it's time to look inside myself and fix this....Literally! We are what we eat/drink right? Our skin/scalp is a reflection of what's inside.  So I have an internal issue with fungus.  All of the topical remedies I've used have stopped working.  It's time to look within.  I need to change my diet and refrain from foods that fungi love. 

But what is a fungi?  Fungus is commonly known as yeast and mold, and can cause an array of issues like allergic reactions, athlete's foot, candida, ring worm and food spoilage.  Fungus can also help provide yummy food and drinks like: bread, soy sauce, beer, wine, kimchee, miso and Quorn.  Mushrooms are fungus. How many of you love mushrooms? 

Moldy strawberry

Mushrooms

But don't mistake fungus for bacteria.  They are two very different organisms.
You can only see most bacteria with a powerful microscope and lab equipment, but the effects of a bacterial infection can be felt in a sinus infection, food borne illness or strep throat.  Ever heard of E.Coli????

Bacteria

 

I posed the question "how do I successfully get rid of my fungus friends?" to a group of herbalists at Natures Has All The Answers on their weekly radio show and the feedback was clear.  Change my diet by eating and drinking foods that fungi hate and clean my blood.  I'm down for another challenge.  Let's call this one the "GET RID OF THIS SCALP FUNGUS FOR GOOD" challenge. 

Stay tuned ya'll! Don't forget to give me some tips and encouragement!

Peace and love!

Plants are Cool : Plantain The Anti-Poison

Herbal Bush House  is back to tell us about another wonderful creation in the “Plants Are Cool” spotlight.   I’ve posted about products that I’ve used in the past made by Herbal Bush House and they’ve kindly agreed to do a monthly post on herbs to enlighten us all.

Herbal Bush House is dedicated to promoting knowledge of the use of food, herbs and water through educational programs within the community.  Their mission is to empower people with wisdom and understanding of the use of nature’s blessings to promote healthier lifestyles.

Plantain - The Anti-Poison:

The Plantain you find on the lawn is usually Plantago Major. It is a broad-leafed plant that stays low to the ground, and has a little crooked seed stem that grows up out of the middle of the plant. Plantago lanceolata is usually found in backyards and waste places. It is a long narrow leaf with the veins that run parallel from stem to tip. Some plants will grow a foot tall and the seed stem grows straight up from the middle of the plant sometimes reaching heights of two feet.



Plantago Major



Plantago Lanceolata

Plantain is an infection fighter for the immune system. It fights blood poisoning, kidney and bladder infection, poisonous bites and stings. Here is a testimonial story. A man took his favorite dog on a hunt one day, the dog was bitten on the shoulder by a diamondback rattlesnake. When he got the dog back home, he put some plantain juice on the bite, the dog kept licking the juice off. He put some plantain juice in a bowl and the dog lapped it up. Then he smashed up some plantain leaves and put it on the dogs shoulder for a couple days. The dog laid around the first day , the second day she was up and down, but the third day she seemed normal , thanks to plantain.

Plantain is one of those herbs recommended for many ailments: poisonous bites and stings, boils and carbuncles, tumors, inflammation, eczema, thrush, blood poison, yeast infection, ulcers, bed-wetting, poison ivy and many more. Plantain leaves are best used fresh, the plant can be put in a blender roots and all. The macerated fresh leaves can be put on bee stings and used for skin irritations. The important constituents of plantain is the gluside aucubin and allantoin. Plantain can also be used for burns, cuts and wounds and insect and flea bites as well.


Plantain (Plantago Major)

Ribwort Plantain (Plantago Lanceolata)

Look for plantain in your back yard!! I wonder if you will find it?  I know we've used it for Caleb's eczema...in oil and leaf form.

Peace and love!

Plants Are Cool: Ashwaganda - The Stress Reliever

Every month you will hear from the herbalists at Herbal Bush House in what I’m calling the “Plants Are Cool” spotlight.   I’ve posted about products that I’ve used in the past made by Herbal Bush House and they’ve kindly agreed to do a monthly post on herbs to enlighten us all.  They sell personal care products like face cream, shampoo, hair pomade, Gut Buster, probiotics, and a host of slaves and oils for various ailments and conditions.  All products are 100% natural and made with care.

So let me formally introduce you:

Herbal Bush House is dedicated to promoting knowledge of the use of food, herbs and water through educational programs within the community.  Their mission is to empower people with wisdom and understanding of the use of nature’s blessings to promote healthier lifestyles.

Now let's get down to business!

Ashwaganda: The stress reliever

Withania somnifera commonly called Ashwaganda (Ash-wa-gan-da) also known as Indian ginseng is an adaptive herb and one of the best I may add.  I love it. It doesn’t matter how hard and stressful your life may be.  A cup or two of Ashwaganda can ultimately bring that stress level down to zero. Stress can affect the body in many ways. For instance a person under enormous stress can develop high blood pressure, an over or under active thyroid, low libido, fatigue, digestive issues and a host of other ailments. Stress takes a huge toll on your adrenal glands. As you ascend into the burnout zone and are at the point where you can’t focus on anything and everything gets on your nerves, think of Ashwaganda as a good friend.  A friend there to help you through the hard times.  Because of the great adaptogenic properties of Ashwaganda coping with stressful situations can be simple whether at home or at the workplace. Ashwaganda is a general tonic that can increase energy levels in the body, it’s also know to help aid in proper thyroid function, insomnia, male and female fertility, anxiety and more. Ashwaganda is also known as Indian Viagra because it has been used by many men to rid themselves of impotence.

Ashwaganda!

Ashwaganda!

 Your health is your command!

The Hair Journey: 100% Natural Hair Care Products

I've stated before that since my hair is "natural" I want to nourish  and care for it by using natural hair care products.  These days there are so many products on the market for natural hair, but how many of the niche and mainstream products are all natural?  Most of what you find will contain some natural ingredients but not all.  The majority of the ingredients are derived by synthetic means and you can't even pronounce them!  The Kinky Curly line comes the closest (in my opinion).

Because of the desire to care for my hair with natural substances, I've expanded my hair care repertoire from shea butter, aloe and apple cider vinegar (ACV) to products made by Herbal Bush House.  For the last two months I've been using these products and I am VERY pleased!!! I started with the shampoo and rinse, then included the pomade.  They contain ingredients you can find in your kitchen or garden and I can pronounce every word! :)

1. SOIL HERBAL SHAMPOO:

Contains: purified water, rose, black walnut leaf, neem, rosemary, yarrow, foti root, basil leaf, horsetail, coconut oil, potassium hydroxide, olive oil, hemp oil, jojoba oil and citric acid

 

 

My rating:  GOOD, will continue to use


2. SOIL HERBAL HAIR RINSE:

Contains: purified water, hibiscus, amla, pea protein, apple cider vinegar, rose, black walnut leaf, neem, rosemary, yarrow, foti root, basil leaf, horsetail, coconut oil, potassium hydroxide, olive oil, hemp oil, jojoba oil and citric acid

My rating: The BOMB DIGGY, LOVE THIS STUFF!!! This product softens my hair, and I've been using it as a sort of "co-wash" when I don't want to shampoo my hair. 

3. SOIL HERBAL POMADE:

Contains: avocado oil, grape seed oil, coconut oil, olive oil, slippery elm, Irish moss, flax seed and rosemary essential oil

 

My rating: The BOMB DIGGY!!!! LOVE THIS STUFF!! I've been using it for my wet and dry twist and braid outs as featured in my last styling frenzy.  I've also been using it daily, especially after I release my twists.  It leaves my hair soft and "fluffy" and well nourished.

Dry skinny twist out using Herbal Bush House "Soil" line

Have you found any other 100% natural products on the market?  Do you make your own?

If you are interested in trying these products click the Herbal Bush House link and you will be on their webpage.


Peace and love!

The Juice Journey: Fantastic Fruit Punch!

I'm on a fresh fruit juice kick and I made some A-MA-ZING fruit punch yesterday.  It's fantastic, yummy, and nice to look at. The idea for this juice popped into my head because I had strawberries and grapes that needed to be eaten.  Caleb is VERY finicky these days about what fruit he eats.  He used to eat everything.  Now, he asks for things, I buy it and then he does not eat it....go figure.  Thus the fruit punch! Caleb actually helped make this juice...and I will add that he was eating on the job!  So there were a few strawberries that didn't make it into the juicer.  Ahhhh...I digress! Check out how I --excuse me -- I mean WE made this fantastic juice!

Fantastic Fruit Punch Recipe:
1 ripe pineapple
5 oranges
1 cup of fresh strawberries
2 cups of fresh cranberries
2 cups of fresh grapes
1.5 inches of fresh ginger root

Here's how WE made it:

Step 1 - gather all ingredients (and a chair for Caleb to stand on), wash, peel and chop in preparation for the juicer.

Oranges, pineapple, red grapes, strawberries, cranberries, ginger root

Step 2 - Juice all ingredients (remember to alternate hard and soft ingredients).  Pictures were hard to take with a 2 year old close to a wired, running appliance.  It was fun but please take care to monitor EVERY move your child makes while helping to prepare any food item.

 

 Step 3 -  Separate the pulp in the finished juice by using a standard strainer.

 

 Check out the pulp that was left over!

 

The pulp was so tasty (yes I tasted it!) I saved it for smoothie making.  I usually don't save the vegetable juice pulp, but fruit juice pulp is still so sweet.  I hate to throw it away.

 

Step 4 - ENJOY! :) Note: this recipe yielded 3 cups of juice.  It was very sweet, so I could have stretched it out with water. 

 

 

 

 Step 5 - clean up.  The worst part of making juice is the clean up process.

 

 

This is a great juice for the entire family.  It's also good to drink throughout the day.  It's an awesome alternative to the powdered, sugary fruit punch you will find in a can or tin in the grocery stores.  Yes, it takes more work....but it's so much better for you.  Remember you can use any combination of fruit you want.

 

 

Drink up!!

 

 

Peace and love!

Orange Pineapple Ginger (OPG) Juice

My juicer is still whirring away folks!  Not only is this juice DELICIOUS it's super healthy and will fuel many systems in your body all at once. With only three simple, common ingredients this juice will keep you alert, glowing and free of belly aches! Initally, I thought oranges were just good for the vitamin C boost and the main benefit of eating pineapple was the enzyme bromelin that breaks down proteins....but boy was I WRONG! Check out characteristics I didn't know about these juice ingredeints. 

Oranges** -
1 - Contain high amounts of provitamin A,  vitamin B1 and B2
2 - Contain 170 known phytochemicals
3 - Can help prevent retina degeneration due to the carotenoid content

**IT'S BETTER TO EAT A WHOLE ORANGE INSTEAD OF POPPING A VITAMIN C PILL.  I put that in caps, becasuse when we consume whole food we get so many other benefits than when we take isolated, synthetic supplements.  The whole food nourishes the whole body.  A supplement will only effect ONE part of your system in an incomplete way.

Pineapple -  
1 - Prevalent vitamins are C, B1, B6 and folates
2 - Weight loss aide - consume before eating to help reduce appetite
3 - Can fight sterility due to it's high manganese content that helps form reproductive cells (in males and females)

Ginger -
1 - Good for easing symptoms of diarrhea
2 - Can reduce inflammation
3 - Can relieve gas pains

OPG Juice Recipe:
1 ripe, fresh pineapple
4 - 7 oranges
2 inches of fresh ginger root (or less if you don't like it so spicy)

Here is how I made the OPG juice:

Step 1 - Gather all ingredients

 

Step 2 - Remove the skins and chop everything up in preparation for the juicer

 

Step 3 - Juice all ingredients (I'm using a centrifugal juicer).  Try to alternate between soft and hard ingredients.

 

Step 4 - Strain the finished juice with standard strainer (not pictured...I forgot to take a picture!)

Step 5 - ENJOY!

This juice is also great for the cold season.  I think by far, this is my favorite juice. Drink up and drink often! 

Peace and love!

Communty Supported Agriculture (CSA) - Week 3

It is week three of our CSA journey.  Everything we've received so far as been awesome!  I will admit, I'm a bit intimidated by some of the veggies....I'm not sure what to do with them! Here is what we got this week:

• white potato
• butternut squash
• unknown yellow squash
• purple kale
• green cabbage
• carrots
• spinach
• mushrooms
• parsnips
• beets
• white cauliflower

CSA pickup #3

This week we've made: vegetable Udon soup, stir fry, pumpkin/split pea soup, and Pumpkin Delight.

Tomorrow morning the juicer is getting fired up!!


Peace and blessings!

The Food Journey: Pumpkin Delight Smoothie

I'm squashing disease  by utilizing my Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) pumpkin!  First time making a smoothie out of pumpkin and it was DELICIOUS!  

Pumpkin Delight Smoothie:
2 cups of pumpkin (raw or steamed) - I actually used 1 cup of each
2 cups of hemp seed milk
Honey (sweetened to taste)
1/2 cup coconut butter/manna
1 - 1 1/2 teaspoon of pumpkin spice blend
Dash of nutmeg
Dash of ginger powder

Again...please free style this recipe to suit your taste buds. You can use dates instead of honey, almond milk instead of hemp seed milk, etc. 




Pumpkin parts!



Ingredients

 

Pumpkin Delight

Has any one else tried pumpkin in a smoothie?

Peace and blessings

The Food Journey: Berry Blizzard

Hi Folks!

I've been on the run these last few weeks...so much so, that I've been making TONS of smoothies and quick meals to prevent myself from eating things I shouldn't and to keep my engines revved up!

Here is a simple but absolutely YUMMY smoothie recipe I've made about 6 times in the last few weeks! I call it the Berry Blizzard smoothie.  This smoothie is full of vitamin C and antioxidants and is so TASTY! Oh...and Caleb approved! :)


Berry Blizzard Recipe:
1 cup frozen strawberries
1 - 1/2 cup fresh red grapes
1 cup goji berries (dried)
1/2 cup cranberries (dried)
water (add to reach desired consistency)

Optional:  hemp and chia seeds

Add all ingredients to blender and whirl away!

Berries in VitaMix

Cranberry (dark purple), Goji berry (bright red), Strawberry and Red Grapes

Berry Blizzard!

 

Happy smoothie making!

Peace and blessings!

The Health Journey: The Raw Detox Aftermath.......

Hi folks....

It's been a week post the raw 30 day challenge.  You are probably wondering what I've been doing, what I've been eating....and how I feel. I provided the 13 main lessons learned from the challenge last week and I'm still absorbing the learnings and converting to a new lifestyle.  So far so good!

What I've been doing:
I'm still training for my Duathalon (biking, running, lifting weights).  I've also been using my self control and perseverance muscles to help me through some personal struggles.  I keep thinking about the resolve I had to last 30 FULL DAYS! That blessing is keeping me focused!

What I've been eating:
I've been eating both cooked and raw foods.  I would say most days I've been 75% raw.  They say it takes 21 days to form a habit....I went hard (minus the rebellion) for 30 straight days.  I have definitely formed a habit! A good one at that! Some examples of my meals include:

• chia porridge with hemp milk, seeds and nuts
• more bruchetta (this time on veggie pasta)
• salads (with added rice on occasion)
• more smoothies and juices
• mashed potatoes
• vegetable Pad Thai
• CHIPS!!! But just enough to wet my appetite.
• lots of fruit!
• lots of nuts!
• chocolate cake (C'mon! It was Independence Day! And it was GOOD! - Big up Xan!)

I have not had: ice cream, SNICKERS!, tons of bread, and a lot of other processed foods.  My taste buds have been slightly reformed.

How I'm feeling:
I noticed a strange thing the other day: I now have a bionic nose and tongue.  My sense of smell and taste are heightened.  For example: I ate slices of conventional and organic apples at the same time and I COULD taste the soap/pesticides on the conventional apple! I have NEVER been able to tell the difference before.  Just call me Super Zahra!

The other thing is that I am way more aware of my body.  The slightest tinge of pain does not go unnoticed.  My libido has also increased! Okay...TMI (too much information)...but you know what? It's true and a great benefit from CLEANING out my system!

So folks - I'm pressing on the upward way...new heights I'm gaining everyday!  Yesterday I overate....and I COULD FEEL IT.  All I ate for the remainder of the day was good ole watermelon (More Watermelon Please!)

Thinking about detoxing?  What program are you going to try??

Peace and blessings!

The Food Journey: Falafel is Vegan?

Falafel is one of my favorite Mediterranean dishes.  I love falafel on it's own or with all the fixings. I started making my own falafel late last year.  In the past I've used the boxed version and had it in restaurants many times.  No restaurant makes it the same way.

Falafel has become one of my favorite things to cook.  All of the versions I've made have been different  (some not so good as others).  After following a recipe the first time I abandoned all boundaries and improvised to make it allergen free ( no wheat).  It's such a good meal you will not miss the meat! Yes...falafel is all vegan! A very simplistic, flavorful and healthy vegan dish at that!

The main ingredient in falafel is chickpea (aka garbanzo bean or chana).  This bean is a source of  complete proteins (19.3%)  which by definition includes essential and non-essential amino acids with the exception of methionine.  Chickpeas paired with a whole grain will give you protein bliss.  Here are some other benefits:

• low in fat
• abundant in the B-complex vitamins (except for B12)
• high in minerals (iron, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, calcium and zinc)
• high in fiber
• nutritional  proportions are balance and can be used as the main dish in vegetarian meals
• recommended for stress and depression due to the B-complex vitamins present

Chickpeas


What a bean!! All that in a bean?? We don't give enough credit to beans in our society.  They are seen as poor man's food and boring.  In our house beans are the bomb diggy!  They are cheap and very good for you.  Who said a poor man's food was bad in the first place???  I'm all about good food for a reasonable price and beans fit the bill.  But please soak before use...it helps eliminate the flatulence beans get a lot of  publicity for.

Okay..so on to the falafel recipe:

Ingredients:
chick peas -  soaked overnight or longer (10- 12 hours).  This is a pretty hefty bean and needs a lot of time for the water do it's job.
onions - fresh
garlic - fresh
olive oil
coconut flour (to build consistency, any other flour can be used like rice, wheat or oat...but I like to keep it gluten free)
coconut oil for cooking (again any other oil can be used)
coriander - to taste
cumin - to taste
salt - to  taste
herbs (I've used the following: dill, cilantro, parsley but there's a ton out there)

You can blend everything in stages or all together.  I typically blend the chickpeas, onions, garlic and olive oil together first.  Then I blend in the herbs.  The spices are added to the mixture in a bowl and the flour is added as needed to get a thick pasty consistency for ease of cooking and eating.  The less water used the better.  Add as much oil to get the mixture churning as possible.  Now I've had some blunders where I've had to throw the mix away....there was just no way to salvage what was in that bowl!! I tried...and ended up making it worse!!

I usually pan fry the falafel mixture in coconut oil and eat it with pita bread and salad (tomatoes, onions, herbs, greens and lemon juice).  I'm still working on a white sauce recipe free of sesame seeds. Any suggestions?? You can add any fixings your heart desires.  Caleb loves falafel and it's a good way for me to get him to eat some greens (my falafel is usually very herby).  The cook time is less than 4 minutes on each side.



Cooked falafel

 Love, love, love it!

Try it out and let me know how it goes!!

Peace and blessings!