Monthly Archives: March 2014

Beat a Cold Quick

This was supposed to be posted last week but my computer ate it. Its even more relevant now that we have a break in the cold. A friendly reminder to keep you neck covered if you ditch the jacket this week so you don’t end up getting sick.

I could end this blog pretty quick, beat a cold by not getting yourself run down and then eating sugar.

That’s not usually what happens though does it?

Last week was my daughter’s birthday and I spent 2 days cooking and cleaning for what was meant to be a low key party with the family.

 

There was left over cake to eat. So we did on Sunday night. Monday I had a little at lunch too.

 

When I was leaving work on Monday night the bug that’s been bothering everyone decided to attack. I felt like I got hit by a bus. The sore throat, achy body and chills started almost all at once. I was low on my vitamin D supplement and didn’t feel well enough to grab my needles. So here is what I did.

I drew a bath of the warmest water I could stand and dumped a coffee cup of Epsom salts, bentonite clay and dead sea salts into it. I soaked until I felt nice and warm then I took my time getting out of the tub as many times if I get up too fast I have a tendency to feel dizzy. Once out of the tub I put on layers: sweat pants and a big heavy sweatshirt and fuzzy socks. I gave my husband and daughter a squeeze goodnight and crawled into bed under a big heap of blankets to sleep for the night. Its best to stay under the covers until you sweat to get all the yuck out. It took a while before I felt warm enough to peak a toe out from under the covers but I slept all bundled up for the night. When I woke the next morning most of my symptoms except for fatigue were all but gone.

 

Lucky for me I had the next day off to rest and load up on my usual cold go-too’s. Thieves in the diffuser. Chinese Herbs, Yin Qiao which rocks for a sore throat. Loaded up on my vitamins, extra fluids, and rest. This has been my (knock on wood) only cold all winter and I was able to kick it super fast.

 

Never under estimate a warm bath and rest to the rescue! (also never under estimate how sugar can knock down your immune system)

 

Stay healthy my friends. 🙂

Green Lentil Curry

This is another great recipe with a foundation of spleen foods with a balance of winter and spring goodies to keep your body nourished, full and healthy. The inspiration comes from the shrinking kitchen, here is what I came up with.

what you need:

3 small yellow potatoes, cubed

1/2 cup green lentils, rinsed well

4 cups water

2 cups of cauliflower

1 yellow squash

1 small eggplant, cubed

1 medium carrot, slices

2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon tumeric (eyeballed)

4 large cloves of garlic

1 teaspoon dried chili powder

1/2 teaspoon cumin

1 tablespoon coconut oil

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1/4 c chopped cilantro

One small piece of ginger root

What you do:

Rinse lentils and then put into large stockpot with water and bring to boil over medium high heat.

Add potatoes and carrot to lentils, simmer uncovered for 5 minutes

Add cauliflower, squash, eggplant, salt and tumeric.

Return to a boil, cover and then turn to low to simmer for 10 minutes or until veggies are tender. Stir a few times.

Meanwhile add chopped garlic, ginger, cumin and chili paste to coconut oil until carmelized.

 

Add cornstarch into veggie lentil mix to thicken juices and turn eat up high for 1-2 minutes.

Add in carmelized garlic ginger paste and cilantro and stir to combine.

 

Hardy enough to eat alone or add to quinoa, rice or cauliflower “rice”.