Flavors of Fall!

It's the end of October and San Diego is just now feeling the beginnings of Fall! My favorite season! Time to bust out the scarves, sweaters and boots! Time for Pumpkin Spice everything and lots of festivities with family and friends. Oh yeah, and who can forget Crock Pots!

I often get asked how I manage to make delicious, homemade dinners 6 times a week. With a little planning, it can become rewarding to prepare these meals rather than feel like a chore! This post will share one of my favorite fall Crock Pot recipes! As always I try to keep my meals as healthy and loaded with nutritious foods as possible! This recipe is low prep, easy and perfect for eating on a crisp fall evening!

My most favorite thing about the crock pot is its very low maintenance. After you throw everything in you can go about your day whether it be heading off to work or chasing the kids around and picking up your living room 900 times a day! It's so nice when at the end of your day your house smells as if someone has been slaving away over dinner, but you haven't done anything since morning.

French Dip Sandwiches

Place a roast in a crock pot and cover with water. Add a dash or two of red wine,  about 1/3 cup of soy sauce and some chopped garlic, sliced onions and maybe even some mushrooms and/or bell peppers. Let everything sit in the crockpot on low heat for 6-7 hours or until the meet is shredded.  With tongs remove meat and any other additions so that just the au jus sauce is left in the crock pot.

Place sliced rolls open faced on a baking sheet and place in the oven set to 300 degrees for about 5 minutes or so to warm the bread. Remove the bread, top with meat and cooked veggies, place a slice of pepper jack or swiss cheese and place back in the oven just long enough to melt the cheese.

Pour some of the au jus sauce in a small bowl and enjoy your delicious meal! You can always make, or buy some horseradish sauce if you want a little extra kick. My favorite is to spread some Trader Joe's Wasabi Mayo on the roll. Mmmmmmmmmm........................

Disclaimer:  Please note: I am not a medical professional. Please use your careful discernment and double check with your naturopath or doctor before taking any vitamins or supplements

PAID ENDORSEMENT DISCLOSURE: In order for me to support my blogging activities, I may receive monetary compensation or other types of remuneration for my endorsement, recommendation, testimonial and/or link to any products or services from this blog.

Don't Fear the Fever!!!

No one likes to see their little babies sick and in pain. This post is written as to share some information on how to naturally deal with poor, sick little munchkins, specifically to handle one of the most commonly feared symptoms, a fever. It will describe how this indicator should not be feared, but is rather a sign that the body is doing what it is supposed to in order to fight off a sickness.

We recently had a hard week! My son got his first real sickness. It came just after our first trip to Disneyland and I think just being exposed to a large amount of people and germs just took a toll on his immune system. About 2 days after our fun, family adventure he was very fussy and felt VERY hot. I took his temperature and the thermometer read 102!

No Mama likes to see their little baby in pain and a fever as high as that can be pretty scary! Being that my son is my second baby, I feel like I've been around the block and no longer panic when my kids are sick as I did as a first time mom. From previous research, and a quick read through of my homeopathic pediatric books I researched some ways to help make life a little more comfortable for my little man. His symptoms were a high fever, a slight runny nose with clear discharge and he was very very weepy and clingy (but then again aren't most men when they are sick!) My poor boy wasn't his usual happy, smiley self. He wouldn't walk, wouldn't play and had absolutely no interest in laughing at even the funniest behavior. All he wanted to do was lay on me, or lay in bed and sleep. I put him to bed in a onesie, gave him a few Belladonna tablets and put him down with a bottle of almond milk with some Vitamin D drops. I knew the most important thing to do was to monitor the fever (you should contact your doctor if the fever gets to be 104, continues to climb or is at 102 for longer than 3 days) and to make sure that he was getting enough fluids.

I continued to monitor him every hour or so, and gave him Belladonna tablets whenever he seemed really miserable. I have always read that you should let fevers run there course. They are due to the body fighting off a virus and the heat from the fever kills the virus. Breaking the fever before the virus has been killed can actually prolong the sickness. This is why its important to let the fever do it's natural thing and just try to make your itty bitty patient as comfortable as possible. I also gave him a bath with a few drops of essential oils added, Rosemary, Lavender and Tea Tree. These particular oils help the body to stabilize the fever naturally. I offered fluids to him often, most times persisting to make sure that he didn't get dehydrated and made sure to include his vitamins (Multi and D). I could tell he didn't feel good, but he wasn't miserable and suffering and I could tell it was coming to an end.

On the afternoon on the 3rd day of the fever, it was much lower that day and by evening my son was beginning to return to his happy, fun little self. Because he had slept so much those couple of days when it was bed time he wanted to play instead. I let him stay up for a few minutes more to play and put him down confident that the worst was over. When I went to pick him up the next morning and saw a red, bumpy rash all over his face, neck and torso I immediately got nervous and sent a text to my husband. Right after I texted him I remembered back to when my daughter experienced these same symptoms around the same age. I referred back to my books and the internet and knew that he was suffering from Roseola. A very common viral infection that typically occurs in babies 9 month to 2 years of age. The symptoms are actually a lot scarier than the actual illness itself, you just need to keep an eye on your little one and notify your health care provider if you child appears to be dehydrated or the fever is over 104 or persists for too long.

Even with having an entire rash my sweet boy seemed happy and not too uncomfortable. I did give him some chamomilla twice, once before nap and once before bedtime just to make sure he was comfortable and had a good nights sleep to help his body heal. By the next morning his rash was almost completely gone and if it weren't for the slight pink, bumpy spots you would have never known he was sick as he was back to full energy and had his appetite back. Illnesses like this are actually very healthy for children and help them to build up their immune system to develop into healthy adults.

Disclaimer:  Please note: I am not a medical professional. Please use your careful discernment and double check with your naturopath or doctor before taking any vitamins or supplements

PAID ENDORSEMENT DISCLOSURE: In order for me to support my blogging activities, I may receive monetary compensation or other types of remuneration for my endorsement, recommendation, testimonial and/or link to any products or services from this blog.

Benefits of practicing mind body techniques to facilitate a natural labor

With so many medical interventions and use of drugs during labor it is no surprise that many woman are unfamiliar with the importance of mind body techniques and the benefits they have on labor and post-partum health. Educating women on these techniques early in pregnancy can significantly reduce unnecessary medical processes that are typically seen. For example, Cesarean and Pitocin rates are at 30%, with epidural rates at and astounding 80%. These interventions can cause complications during labor along with side effects in both mother and baby, which can result in trauma.

Pitocin is a synthetic form of Oxytocin and is released into the system via IV, delivering the drug in a steady flow instead of in secreted bursts, which is how the body releases natural Oxytocin. This results in stronger contractions, which may decrease blood flow and can cause distress to both the mother and baby increasing the likelihood of a C-section. Mind body techniques such as yoga, relaxation, imagery, and meditation offer both psychological and physiological benefits to both mother and baby. These techniques help to improve comfort during labor, and shorten the duration of the overall labor time.

Most popular mind body techniques

Yoga is one of the most popular forms of exercise during pregnancy and combines gentle stretching, relaxation and breathing techniques. This ancient practice increases internal awareness and focus that helps create confidence and trust in your body while also bonding with your baby. It can lower blood pressure and prevents and relieves aches and pains that impinge on the body during pregnancy. Yoga builds stamina, relaxes the pelvis, and helps the baby transition into an optimal birthing position.

The relaxation response can significantly improve your overall health and well being. Research has shown that when the relaxation response is used on a daily basis it can reduce feelings of depression, anxiety, and chronic pain, as well as improve blood pressure, immunity, and self-esteem. Relaxation helps to create endorphins, which help to decrease pain during labor, whereas fear causes the release of stress hormones and catecholamine that can increase pain and duration of labor. Meditation and imagery can be effective methods of helping to achieve complete and total relaxation.

Meditation helps to create melatonin, which is released into the bloodstream during stress inducing times. It also produces endorphins that have very powerful pain relieving effects, similar to morphine. The more dedicated the woman is to her prenatal meditation, the less afraid she will be of preconceived pain prior to the onset of labor. This will allow the woman to be less disturbed by any actual pain felt which creates feelings of joy. Frequent practice results in higher levels of endorphins during labor.

Imagery and visualization are other powerful tools for women to practice prior to labor. Envisioning a successful labor can help build confidence in the woman's ability to birth naturally without medical interventions coming into play. Tight and tense muscles can prevent the body from opening, which is essential in order for labor to progress. Practicing imagery and visualization towards the end of your pregnancy and during labor helps to condition the mind and reduce stress and anxiety.

In addition to helping make pregnancy and labor easier, these modalities also help the post-partum body recover quicker. These techniques prevent and treat post partum depression and anxiety by allowing the mother some time to herself to nurture her mind-body connection. With so many physical and hormonal changes going on during this time, it is beneficial for the mother to take some time to decompress and build awareness with her changing body to adapt to each new stage of motherhood.

Sources for this article include:

http://www.bidmc.org
http://www.bidmc.org
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17900044
http://www.birthresourcenetwork.org


Disclaimer:  Please note: I am not a medical professional. Please use your careful discernment and double check with your naturopath or doctor before taking any vitamins or supplements

PAID ENDORSEMENT DISCLOSURE: In order for me to support my blogging activities, I may receive monetary compensation or other types of remuneration for my endorsement, recommendation, testimonial and/or link to any products or services from this blog.

Mi Gusta Tacos!!

I love tacos! So simple, yet so many different options. I wanted to share a recipe that I recently created with some inspiration from Pinterest (CLICK HERE to follow us!) As fall approaches I am ready to use my Crockpot to make yummy soups and stews, but since we have still been having a bit of a heatwave I have been looking for healthy dinners that are also light and summery!

BEHOLD! Lobster Tacos with a cilantro lime yogurt sauce and homemade Spanish rice and beans! Not to toot my own horn, but it was to die for! I keep dreaming about it and plan on making it again
real soon.

Ingredients:

Black Beans-

Dried black beans
Salt & Pepper


Place in a pot and cover with water. Soak the beans for 1-4 hours (the longer you soak them the less likely they are to cause gas and bloating) After the beans have soaked drain and rinse them and place them back into the pot and cover with water and add some salt. Bring to a boil and then turn the heat to low, cover and allow the beans to simmer until soft. You can season to taste.

Spanish Rice:

Basmati rice
Chopped tomato
Chopped carrot
Cumin
Cayenne Pepper
Paprika
A few Saffron threads
Salt & Pepper

Bring rice to a boil and add chopped veggies and seasoning and mix. Turn heat to low, cover and allow rice to simmer stirring every 3-5 minutes until ready.

Taco filling-

Lobster, shrimp or Longostino tails (from Trader Joe's)
Chopped garlic
Cumin
Paprika
Cayenne Pepper
Salt & pepper
Olive oil

Mix everything except lobster (or shrimp, etc.) into bowl. Toss the meat and coat and cover. Let it sit in the fridge for about 20-30 minutes to allow the flavors to marry.

Yogurt sauce-

Greek yogurt
Chopped cilantro
Zest and juice from a lime
Cumin
Salt & pepper

Mix all the ingredients together and cover. Let it sit in fridge until ready to use.

You can chop up whatever veggies you want to use as condiments to your tacos. I used chopped red onion and shredded cabbage and shredded cheese. You can change the intensity of the taco filling, and the rice by adjusting (or completely eliminating) the Cayenne pepper. I fried up some corn tortillas but it would also be good if they were just warmed. Either way this healthy, easy meal is sure to impress! Try it and let us know what you think!

Disclaimer:  Please note: I am not a medical professional. Please use your careful discernment and double check with your naturopath or doctor before taking any vitamins or supplements

PAID ENDORSEMENT DISCLOSURE: In order for me to support my blogging activities, I may receive monetary compensation or other types of remuneration for my endorsement, recommendation, testimonial and/or link to any products or services from this blog.

Kick that Cold & Flu to the Curb!

With cold and flu season approaching I wanted to share some of my favorite natural remedies. These alternatives are cost effective, easy and all natural with no yucky dyes or additives that are added to many over the counter and prescription medicines.

The first step is prevention. Living a healthy lifestyle helps to build up your immune system so that when you do get sick, your body is able to overcome most illnesses. Eating lots of organic fruits and veggies help to ensure that your body has the essential vitamins and minerals to keep you healthy. Vitamins such a C, D and Probiotics help to protect your system and help to prevent and treat many sicknesses. Recent studies have shown that Vitamin D deficiency is detrimental to the body and can result in diseases such as cancer, diabetes and even depression. One of the cheapest and easiest ways to get an ample amount of Vitamin D is to go outside for 10-15 minutes and enjoy the sunshine!

Even the healthiest person is not completely immune to getting sick, but the healthier the person is the less severe the sickness will be. Using natural alternatives help to heal the body rather than mask them like many over the counter medicines like NyQuil and Robitussin do. Many of the options I am about to share are safe to use on infants and toddlers (unless stated otherwise).

All Natural Cough Medicine- 

Ingredients:
Honey (local organic is best)
1/2 an onion (any color)

Chop up the onion and place in a Tupperware or jar and cover with honey. Put the lid on the container and let it sit in the refrigerator overnight. The next day strain the mixture saving the liquid and discarding the onions. You can keep this in your fridge for up to two months. I promise you this doesn't taste as bad as it sounds. It has no alcohol so you don't feel loopy, its safe on kids (over a year due to using honey) and works incredibly. My mom used to make this when I was little and it's has worked better than any cough medicine I have ever tried! I swear by it!

Herbs to have in your Natural Medicine Kit-

All of these herbs are safe and effective and can be found at most health food stores or online! Ever since all the Children's Motrin & Tylenol recalls since I had my daughter I swore off those commercial brands and have gone strictly homeopathic. The results have been great! Children can take 2 pellets every 30 minutes for acute symptoms and 3 times a day for less severe cases. Adults can take double the dose of children with the same frequency.

Chamomilla 6C- This homeopathic remedy is good to have on hand for irritability and digestive issues. It is also great to help with severe pain associated with teething, ear aches and gas pains.

Belladonna 6C- Helpful for fevers that come on suddenly as well as a clear runny nose. Also helpful in relieving headaches and inflamed, red sore throats.

Nux Vomica 6C- This is useful when a child has eaten too many sweets or has overindulged and has a tummy ache and nausea. Also works well to cure adults of the same symptoms (including hangovers!)

Pulsatilla 6C- This is to be used with nasal discharge is thicker and and children act clingy and weepy. Also helpful for earaches that are less intense.

Arsenica Album 6C- This is used to treat signs of food poisoning or stomachache accompanies by diarrhea. If your child vomits suddenly and its not due to overeating, Arsenica should be the natural treatment.

Natural Cold & Flu Buster (Adults Only!)-  

Ingredients:

Peeled Garlic cloves
Peeled Ginger
Cinnamon
Cayenne Pepper
Lemon
Honey
Water

Boil fresh, purified water as if you were making tea. Roughly chop up the garlic and ginger and add it to the water to boil. Once it comes to a boil turn off the heat and cover the pot to let it steep for about a half an hour. After it has stepped you can remove the garlic and ginger and discard. Add cinnamon and cayenne pepper and squeeze some lemon and add honey to taste.

This is a butt kicker but I like to get hardcore and try to kick the butt of whatever is coming after me! This elixir is awesome at soothing a sore throat, alleviating congestion and clearing out sinuses. The combination of these ingredients are strong and work well to boost the immune system. It's a little harsh at first but after the first couple of sips you should be fine and start to feel better pretty quick!

If you have any other homeopathic remedies that you use I would love for you to share them!

Disclaimer:  Please note: I am not a medical professional. Please use your careful discernment and double check with your naturopath or doctor before taking any vitamins or supplements

PAID ENDORSEMENT DISCLOSURE: In order for me to support my blogging activities, I may receive monetary compensation or other types of remuneration for my endorsement, recommendation, testimonial and/or link to any products or services from this blog.

Healthy Trails to you!!!!

This blog will share with you a delicious Red Lentil Trail mix recipe. This is a new family favorite! Its so easy and so healthy. My kids want to eat it by the truckload, and I don't mind because its so healthy! Even my husband loves it and he doesn't even like lentils.

1 cup of organic red lentils
1/2 cup of raw organic pumpkin seeds (Pepitas)
1/2 cup of organic raisins
1/2 cup of organic dried cranberries
1/2 cup of chocolate chips
Sea salt

Soak the lentils for an hour and then drain. Preheat the oven to 350F. Place a piece of parchment paper on a baking sheet and spread out the lentils evenly on the pan/paper. Cook the lentils in the oven for about 30-40 minutes, or until they are crunchy and then let them cool off. Mix all the other ingredients, except for chocolate chips in a large bowl and add lentils. Add chocolate chips and sprinkle sea salt when lentils are completely cool and mix everything up. However, the last time I made it I added the chocolate chips while the lentils were still a little warm and when I was mixing the chocolate slightly melted which caused the chocolate to really hold the lentils. I liked this technique because my daughter is famous for picking out all the chocolate first (then berries and then not wanting to eat the rest. With the chocolate slightly melted it allowed her to get a good about of lentils.

You can make so many different versions of this! You can add or substitute with any of your favorite dried fruits. You can add other nuts and mix and match to create so many different, healthy blends of trail mix! We would love for you to share with us your favorite creations!

Disclaimer:  Please note: I am not a medical professional. Please use your careful discernment and double check with your naturopath or doctor before taking any vitamins or supplements

PAID ENDORSEMENT DISCLOSURE: In order for me to support my blogging activities, I may receive monetary compensation or other types of remuneration for my endorsement, recommendation, testimonial and/or link to any products or services from this blog.

Get Your Kombucha On!

So here is another one of my obsessions. Kombucha!! For anyone who hasn't tried it, it's definitely an acquired taste. I will never forget my first sip! It tasted tangy and sweet at the same time with a bit of effervescence. I didn't know what to think. It took me a couple of bottles (on different occasions) to get a taste for it. But once I learned of all the benefits it offered I was hooked. Being  $5+ dollars a bottle it was something that I would get occasionally, but wanted to get my hands on more for a cheaper deal. That's when I looked into making my own. I was so excited when I saw how easy it was and how cheap! You can basically make a gallon for less than a $1 (not including supplies) I'm going to share with you my super fun Kombucha experience and I encourage you all to try it yourself (if you dare!) and share your story with us!

What is Kombucha?

Kombucha is a living health drink that consists of fermented tea and sugar. It has been known to cure a wide range of conditions such as arthritis, intestinal disorders, cancer, multiple sclerosis, insomnia, baldness and much more. The tea has been shown to boost the immune system and even reverse aging due to being high in antioxidants that attack free radicals from damaging cells. It is especially beneficial in detoxing the liver and kidneys. Kombucha is high is glucaric acid which helps to ward off cancer, contains glucosamines which prevents and treats arthritis and is also a probiotic to improve digestion, fight candida and eliminate the symptoms of depression, anxiety and fibromyalgia.  All these wonderful benefits thanks to the living mushroom type bacteria culture that grows and makes this all possible!

That's right, a living growing culture that feeds off the sugar and transforms into all sorts of wonderful health benefits! Making it was a pretty cool process, very easy, and very much like a science experiment. If you are pretty squeamish I probably wouldn't try to make your own, but anyone who is up for it and enjoys Kombucha, I would totally try it!

What you need:

• One gallon of water (fresh purified) 
• One cup of sugar
• 10-12 tea bags or 1oz of self bagged tea
• One cup of Liquid Kombucha
• One piece of solid Kombucha Culture- "The Mother"
• Large glass 1 gallon brew container
• Cheesecloth or paper towel
• Rubber bands
• Dark warm place with good ventilation (I used a space in my garage. I wouldn't do it in my house due to the slight smell from the fermentation process.)

If you know someone who makes Kombucha you can ask them for a piece of their culture to start your own. If not you can purchase a kit that contains the tea, the culture and instructions. I got mine at People's Organic Coop in OB. The brand is Oregon Kombucha and I got the Jasmine Green Tea version (as opposed to black tea). I'm almost done with my second batch so if anyone in San Diego would like a little starter culture let me know! I would love to share!

To process is simple! Bring the water to a boil, brew the tea, add the sugar and stir until dissolved. Now you just wait for the water to cool completely. It cannot be too warm or it will kill the culture. I let mine sit for about 2 hours just to make sure its nice and cool. You add the water to the brew container, add the liquid kombucha and culture. You finish by covering with the cheesecloth or paper towel and securing with a rubber band. Place the container in a warm dark place and wait for the magic to happen. The process can take 7-28 days depending on the heat and your taste preference. It grows fast at 80-85 degrees and much slower in cooler temperatures. 

In a few days you will see a solid film grow on top of your batch. This is the new "Mother" culture forming. It will most likely not be a pretty sight. It could be white, brown, lumpy and bumpy and slimy on the underside with strings of dark material. Smile! This is a sign of a healthy culture. It may float or sink and will eventually grow into thick layers which can be separated and used to batch more, shared with others or even composted. 

After 7 days you can try your kombucha and see if its ready. If you want it more bold and tangy you can keep testing it every couple of days to find the flavor that is right for you. That is the beauty of making your own! To taste, I would use a straw and a small glass. I would stick the straw in the brew with my finger on the top of the straw to capture the tea, and then transfer it over into the glass to taste. This helps to prevent contamination of the batch. 

Once your kombucha is ready you can remove the culture with clean hands (no gloves) and just place the culture in a bowl with about a cup of the kombucha and cover with a clean cloth until you are ready to make a new batch. Or you can store the culture and liquid in a closed container and even in the refrigerator for an extended period of time.  When you are ready to bottle the kombucha you can pour it into clean jars with tight fighting lids. Fill almost all the way to the top. Next store the kombucha at room temperature for another 2-4 days to allow for the second fermentation process. You can then store your kombucha in the refrigerator for months if needed and still enjoy the same yummy flavor and natural carbonation.  

I had so much fun brewing my own Kombucha and will definitely make it a habit (although will probably have to take a hiatus once it really cools down). Not only has it been a fun experience, I have felt so much more energized since I have been consuming the healthy elixir almost daily!

Supplies; Kombucha Starter kit: Culture from starter kit. 

The Brew and Storage Process

Finished Product

Kombucha with the new "Mother growing on top" 

The "Mother" removed and placed in a bowl with about a cup of kombucha. Ready for me to start my new batch!

All bottled up and ready for the second fermentation process before serving!

Disclaimer:  Please note: I am not a medical professional. Please use your careful discernment and double check with your naturopath or doctor before taking any vitamins or supplements

PAID ENDORSEMENT DISCLOSURE: In order for me to support my blogging activities, I may receive monetary compensation or other types of remuneration for my endorsement, recommendation, testimonial and/or link to any products or services from this blog.