Milled flax seeds, a must-try

Whole flax seeds

I purchased a 3-pound bag of organic milled flax seeds over the weekend. Each 2-tablespoon serving has the following awesome benefits:

• 2,800 mg Omega-3 fatty acids
• 4 g fiber
• 3 g protein

I notice a big difference in my mood when I ingest Omega-3, a fatty acid scientifically proven to boost the happy brain chemicals.

My mom always made a flax seed drink when I was a kid. She would boil the seeds in water for a while, grind them up in the water with an immersion blender, strain seed chunks out and milk the strained product with some milk and honey or sugar. I always loved the taste, but had no idea it was healthy to drink.

Remembering I liked the taste of flax seeds, I dumped 2 tbsp. or so of the milled stuff I bought into my Crystal Light yesterday. The consistency reminded me of those commercials about chunky fiber supplement mixes, like Metamucil, even though I've never tried them. After a few minutes, the milled seeds got softer and had a chewy, slimy texture, which is normal. Now, I know when the package says to put the seeds in a beverage, they mean a smoothie or something. However, I actually liked the milled flax seeds in my watery beverage after I let them sit for a bit.

The package of milled flax seeds says you can use it as a substitute for eggs, butter and oil.

• 1 TBSP of oil, butter or shortening=3 TBSP milled flax seeds
• 1 large egg=1 TBSP milled flax seeds + 3 TBSP water

I definitely recommend you try milled flax seeds if you have not.

Black Rice: The New Superfood

I've read so much great information about black rice recently that I decided to try it. After soaking the black rice in water for 10 hours, I placed 1.75 cups of water for every cup of black rice in a rice cooker and let it do its thing. The result was a rice that is more tender than wild rice, sweeter than brown rice and as filling as bran. Personally, I liked the taste of black rice, and want to try it mixed with white rice.

Here is an article WebMD recently posted about black rice:

Black Rice Is Cheap Way to Get Antioxidants

Study Shows Black Rice Is Good Source of Healthy Antioxidants and Vitamin E

By Bill Hendrick
WebMD Health News

Reviewed by Laura J. Martin, MD

Aug. 26, 2010 -- Inexpensive black rice contains health-promoting anthocyanin antioxidants, similar to those found in blackberries and blueberries, new research from Louisiana State University indicates.
"Just a spoonful of black rice bran contains more health promoting anthocyanin antioxidants than are found in a spoonful of blueberries, but with less sugar and more fiber and vitamin E antioxidants," Zhimin Xu, PhD, of Louisiana State University Agricultural Center, says in a news release. "If berries are used to boost health, why not black rice and black rice bran?"

Xu and colleagues analyzed samples of black rice bran from rice grown in the Southern U.S.
He says black rice bran would be a unique and inexpensive way to increase people's intake of antioxidants, which promote health.

Black rice is rich in anthocyanin antioxidants, substances that show promise for fighting cancer, heart disease, and other health problems, Xu says.

He adds that food manufacturers could use black rice bran or bran extracts to boost the health value of breakfast cereals, beverages, cakes, cookies, and other foods.

Black Rice vs. Brown Rice

The most widely produced rice worldwide is brown. Millers of rice remove the chaff, or outer husks, from each grain to make it brown.

White rice is made when rice is milled more than is done for brown rice; the bran is also removed, Xu says.

The bran of brown rice contains high levels of one of the vitamin E compounds known as "gamma-tocotrienol" as well as "gamma-oryzanol" antioxidants.
Many studies have shown that these antioxidants can reduce blood levels of LDL "bad" cholesterol and may fight heart disease.

So black rice bran may be even healthier than brown rice, Xu says.

He and his colleagues also showed that pigments in black rice bran extracts can produce a variety of colors, from pink to black, and may be a healthier alternative to artificial food colorants that manufacturers now add to some foods and beverages.

He writes that several studies have linked some artificial colorants to cancer, behavioral problems in children, and other adverse health effects.

Currently, black rice is used mainly in Asia for food decoration, noodles, sushi, and pudding, and Xu says that he would like to see it eaten by more Americans.

Black rice bran could be used to boost the health value of foods, such as snacks, cakes, and breakfast cereals, Xu and his colleagues suggest.

This study was presented at a medical conference in Boston. The findings should be considered preliminary because they have not yet undergone the "peer review" process, in which outside experts scrutinize the data prior to publication in a medical journal.

Here is a black rice pudding recipe from Epicurious:

yield: Makes 8 servings

active time: 10 min

total time: 2 hr (includes cooling)

Commonly served for breakfast in parts of Southeast Asia, this dish also makes a great dessert. Chinese black rice, sometimes called forbidden rice, works well, but if you live near a Southeast Asian market you can use this same method with the more traditional Thai black sticky rice.

If you can't find any kind of black rice, substitute brown rice (not quick-cooking) — it will result in a thicker, light-colored pudding but will still be delicious.

Ingredients: 

1 cup black rice

1/2 cup sugar

1 (13 1/2- to 15-oz) can unsweetened coconut milk, stirred well

Preparation: 

Bring rice, 3 cups water, and 1/4 teaspoon salt to a boil in a 3- to 4-quart heavy saucepan, then reduce heat to low and simmer, covered with a tight-fitting lid, 45 minutes (rice will be cooked but still wet). Stir in sugar, a scant 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1 1/2 cups coconut milk and bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until mixture is thick and rice is tender but still slightly chewy, about 30 minutes. 

Remove from heat and cool to warm or room temperature, stirring occasionally, at least 30 minutes.

Just before serving, stir pudding and divide among 8 bowls. Stir remaining coconut milk and drizzle over pudding. 

Cooks' note: Rice pudding keeps, covered and chilled, 5 days.

Natural stress relief

When you feel stressed-out, anxious or upset, looking at pleasant images can sometimes help relieve the tension. Here are some stress-relief pictures for your enjoyment.

Mufasa and Simba

Monkey and pet cat

Potentially new species of purple octopus

Skunk kitten

Smiling dog

Happy dog

Practical Fun

I have some cousins that love to play with bubbles. They would love this bubble wand for sure. I guess the guy who is making the bubbles is called a bubble-smith.

Nail Fungus Treatment

Summer is almost here and for those who suffer from toenail fungus, the thought of wearing open-toe shoes makes them wish winter was back.

The Naturopathic Doctor blog has offered the following advise about how to get rid of nail fungus using easy-to-find and natural ingredients. This blog is written by contributing, reputable naturopathic doctors.

Natural Nail Fungus Treatment: The Beer Soak

The basic premise behind this odd sounding natural toenail fungus treatment is to soften nails with beer, create an acidic environment with vinegar which is beneficial to good bacteria and deadly to fungus and then penetrate nails with specific beneficial bacteria to help kill and prevent further recurrences.

Essential Ingredients:

Acidophilus containing a specific strain of 125 billion organisms.

Guiness Stout beer or any other dark beer (Guiness is the one proven to work).

White Vinegar

Basin big enough for your feet or hands

Time

Persistence and Consistency

Natural Toenail Fungus Treatment Procedure:

In tub, pour 1 liter of room temperature beer into a basin

Add 1/2 a sachet which is 60 billion acidophilus and other probiotics.

Add 1 liter of White Vingear

Soak clean feet in the solution for 30 minutes before bed or when best for you.

On removing your feet or fingernails from the basin, file the nails down with a pumice stone or file

After each 3rd day, toss out the entire solution mixture and remake using the formula: 1 liter of white vinegar, 1 liter of dark beer and the remaining half of one sachet. This keeps the solution’s ingredients in active live form. If too old, it will not work.

Repeat for 30 days every day. Do not skip a day for best results.

Do twice a day for faster results

What to look for:
As fungus gets killed by this natural toenail fungus treatment, you will notice new nail growth from the nail base coming in clear. This is a good sign. Some people see clearing at the base within one week and some people see clearing at the base in one month. It all depends on how fast your nails grow and how often you soak them.

It will take about 3 to 6 months for infected nails to completely grow out. As long as you keep seeing the nail base come in clean and grow out cleanly, you are on the right track. If it is not growing in cleanly, keep soaking the nails.

Make sure you do this toenail fungus treatment daily. Make it a routine. Watch some TV, read a book or wash the dishes for 30 minutes. Do not skip a day. If you do, it may take a bit longer than a month but keep at it.

If you know your nails grow slowly, then consider MSM or Silicea 6x cell salts as they have shown to increase nail growth.

This anti-fungal protocol is an excellent way to help prevent liver damage via Lamisil.

If the formula is not strong enough, play with it. Perhaps add some more of the acidophilus to the mix or more vinegar or more beer. Play with the concentrations if necessary.

... if you take the acidophilus sachets internally, you are treating a cause of the fungus – not just treating the nails....

...If you’re debating whether or not to do this soak, don’t. If you are wondering if it works – it does.

Give it a shot – it is safe, effective, inexpensive. Yes it takes some work, but popping a liver toxic Lamisil pill for 3 months daily also takes work – especially repairing the damaged liver. You only get one liver.

The Acidophilus and White Vinegar and the Guiness are the proven ingredients.

People have tried other strains of acidophilus from their health store without result. You may try them to see if they work for you but from I have seen, they do not work well.

One factor is that the sachets contain a variety of acidophilus, not just one form and they also contain a specific strain of those types. Why that matters I cannot say but it seems to as those who used a different product did not have success.

Another reason why other bacteria fail to work was found out by my Immunology professor, Dr Sheryl Berman, PhD. She did a study on about 35 different acidophilus companies and found that only one had the actual amount of live bacteria it claimed in the container – some of the companies stated 1 billion live bacteria per capsule and contained…none. The Acidophilus that I suggest claim 125 billion per sachet and at manufacturing have 170 billion.

Choosing a different dark beer that is less expensive may hinder your success. I have not had reports of other effective dark beers so I am not sure. You can give it a shot but you are only saving a few bucks while investing 30 days of soaking. That is pennies per day extra. Worth the risk? If you have time, it would be good to know if the others worked…if they do, let me know...

...Enjoy healthy nails once again! It’s summer – put on those sandals!

...Please note: Fungus is due to either a weak immune system, trauma to the nail area, high refined carbohydrate diet or recent or long term use of antibiotics.

That said, taking one sachet in a glass of water before dinner for 14 days helps restore healthy gut bacteria which likely has a direct impact on proper immune function, may help combat fungus internally and externally longterm and reduce refined carbohydrate and sugar cravings as the ‘bad’ bacteria which do crave sugar will be wiped out by the beneficial bacteria. So taking the sachets internally for one week, soaking for a few months, changing your diet, building your immune system and not bashing your nails will likely improve your fungus situation.

A mild headache may occur while taking the sachets internally. Taking vitamin C usually helps. The headache is usually due to the ‘die-off’ reaction from unhealthy bacteria being killed by the healthy probiotic found in the sachets.

Natural Tattoo Care

I recently got another tattoo and developed an ointment with products from my kitchen and beauty cabinet:

• Non-scented, all natural vitamin E lotion
• Olive oil
• Lavender oil

In an air-tight container, mix about 2 tbps. olive oil, 1/2 cup lotion, and a few drops of lavender oil. Mix thoroughly.

After washing your skin with mild soap and water and patting dry, apply the ointment liberally. Place plastic wrap over the tattoo and secure with gentle medical tape.

When a tattoo is healing, do not let that tattoo dry out so a hard scab does not form. Scabs or picking at tattoo scabs can make your tattoo look blotchy because doing this can remove the ink for which you paid.

After getting a tattoo, do not soak it in water for a couple of weeks. This means no direct water sprays on the tattoo in the shower, no baths, no hot tub soaks, no swimming in pools, etc. When taking a shower, apply petroleum jelly all over the tattoo so there is less water contact on it. Wash the petroleum jelly off at the end of the shower, before applying the aftercare ointment you made.

Tattoo are cool, but can look really stupid without the proper aftercare.

Note: The tattoo pictured is not of my tattoo. I don't have man-arms.

Make Your Own Beauty Products

When making your own bath products, you know exactly what's in it. These make great gifts.

Homemade Hair Conditioner

Recipe Ingredients:

Apple Cider Vinegar
Fresh Herbs: lavender, rosemary, basil, sage
Citrus Peels: lemon peel, orange peel

Directions:

• Take a sterile jar of any size and fill half way with your favorite assorted herbs and citrus peels, make sure they are pesticide free.
• Next fill the jar to the top with apple cider vinegar.
• Seal, store in a cool, dark place and shake daily for three weeks. Strain & refrigerate the infused vinegar.
• Take 2 TBS of the herbal vinegar and put into a 12 to 16 ounce spray bottle. Top with water.

Spray as much as you need on your hair after shampooing (first wash off the shampoo, shake spray bottle before using), massage into scalp, rinse off. No application of commercial hair conditioner is needed.

This recipe not only helps condition and nourish your hair, it also helps remove much of the buildup from commercial shampoos and conditioners.

*Note: Some herbal combination may affect light colored hair (blondes, grays) or dyed hair color. You should be ok since it’s such a small amount of herbal vinegar that is well diluted in water, but just a heads up to test a small patch of hair first.

Homemade Lavender Water

2 cups water (distilled)
3 TBS vodka
15 drops Lavender essential oil

Directions:

• Mix the essential oil and vodka together then add water. Seal in a jar or bottle, keep in a dark place for 2 weeks before using.

Bath Jelly

Ingredients:

3/4 cup water
1 envelope unflavored gelatin
1/2 cup liquid soap (unscented–use shower gel, hand soap or bubble bath)
*Essential oil (choose your favorite–a few drops)

Directions:

• Bring water to a boil, remove from heat then slowly stir in and dissolve the gelatin. Slowly add liquid soap and stir to mix. Add essential oil, stir well.
• Pour liquid into a clean clear jar or container, seal and refrigerate overnight.

Once the mix gels, it’s ready to use. Just add a spoonful under running water in the bath for a bubbling treat (a tablespoon or two will do).

*If you wish, you can skip the essential oil and use liquid soaps that have a fragrance.

Notes: Use within a few weeks. Keep refrigerated and airtight to avoid mold.

Peppermint Milk Bath Recipe

1 cup powdered milk
1/2 cup cornstarch
2 cups hot water
1/2 teaspoon peppermint oil

Herbal Milk Bath Recipe

1 cup powdered milk
1/4 cup cornstarch
2 TBS dried herbs of choice
2 cups hot water

Almond Honey Milk Bath

1 TBS Almond Oil
1/4 cup honey (*omit honey if mixing ahead, add when using)
1 cup powdered milk
2 cups hot water

Lavender Milk Bath

1 cup powdered milk
1/8 cup dried lavender
2 cups hot water

Brown Sugar Scrub

1/2 cup of brown sugar
1/4 cup of almond oil
1/4 cup of liquid Ivory hand soap
1/4 tsp of vanilla

Lemon Sugar Scrub

1 cup sugar
1/2 cup olive oil
1 TBS lemon zest (grated)

Lavender & Rosewood Scrub

1 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup almond oil
1/2 tsp vitamin E
6 drops rosewood essential oil
4 drops lavender essential oil

Coffee & Brown Sugar Scrub

1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup white sugar
3 TBS fresh coffee grounds
5 tsp almond oil
5 tsp jojoba oil
2 tsp honey
1 tsp vitamin E
1 tsp vanilla

Tea Sugar Scrub

2 cups white sugar
1 cup honey
2 TBS tea
5 drops vanilla

Yogurt Sugar Scrub

3 TBS baby oil
1 TBS yogurt
1 TBS white sugar

Directions:

• Mix ingredients and use as a body scrub/exfoliator.