Full Moon In Aquarius - new directions

The full moon in Aquarius is a time to tie up loose ends and take an individual stand for what you believe in. Let go of any old self defeating patterns. Start preparing yourself for new things that are coming. Let go of your preconceived notions about how things "have" to be or "should" be start looking in new directions.

"This Full Moon is also Midsummer Night, the night of mistaken identities and magical shifts between the worlds. The line between conscious and unconscious is blurred. And the trine of the Sun to Jupiter and Uranus shows that anything is possible! Miracles can happen, dreams can suddenly come true."

Sources: http://artcharts.com/blog/2010/07/full-moon-july-25/

http://celestialspace.wordpress.com/2010/07/15/full-moon-in-aquarius/

A fun little aside...

* In Sweden on Midsummer in the evening it a tradition for unmarried girls to go out and pick seven different types of flowers - remaining silent while picking each one. That night when they go to bed the girls put the 7 flowers under their pillows. It is believed that on this night only if a girl does this she will dream about the man she will marry.

More things I love... Crows

Summer Head Cold - Raw Garlic Soup

Ugh. Am I the only one who would like to strangle people who come to work sick and pass it around? I for one would rather handle the extra work load than catch a nasty head cold. But people do and colds are a part of life. I have fought - it is settling in and instead of being angry at my thoughtless coworker. I'm turning my mind to juice and food so I can assist my body in recovering as quickly as possible. So a list of a few natural things I do when I feel a cold coming on...

1. Oregano Oil great for the immune system and sinus - don't take the drops straight they will burn the inside of your mouth instead put 2-4 drops in tea or water with a bit of sweetener - or what I do get veggi caps from a health food store (the kind to make your own vitamin capsules with) and mix 4 drops of oregano oil with grapefruit seed extract. I take 2 or 3 of these a day - never on an empty stomach when I feel something coming on.
2. Garlic, onions and ginger all great immune system builders. If I'm feeling really lousy I'll make ginger tea (cut up ginger steeped in boiling water for 10 minutes or so - I let it cool and drink it with a little lemon juice, cinnamon and black pepper as a tea). Garlic/Onions - I make garlic soup when I'm sick - I think it works just as well or better than chicken soup (just as tasty too - recipe at the end of this post).
3. Orange Juice - fresh squeezed of course :)
   
4. Hot Bath - I'll put in a bit of dried yellow mustard and epsom salts if I feel I need to sweat it out.
5. Rest - sometimes giving up the fight and just sleeping it off is the best remedy of all.

RAW Garlic Soup

• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium white onion (about 1 1/2 cup)
• 1 teaspoon pink sea salt
• 1pinch of black pepper
• 4 cups vegetable juice (for this I use a blend of whatever I have on hand usually carrots, celery, and red pepper)
  
• 1c walnuts (soaked)
• 1c cashews (soaked)
• OR 2C soaked almonds OR 1C nuts and 1 small zucchini (if you use the zucchini only use 3 cups of veggie juice)
  
• 1/2 C fresh cilantro
• 1tsp of curry (or 2tsp of paprika)
  
• 1tablespoon of tahini
  
• 4 cloves of garlic
• juice of 1/2 lemon, or to taste

Blend all together until smooth in a high speed blender - I keep mine blending in my Vitamix until it is warm. Sprinkle top with Hemp hearts. (I'll find a photo and post a little later :)

Under Pressure - Green Smoothie

Feeling a bit argg! Even after popping my trusty B complex and C vitamins which usually do the trick for me. When I'm feeling stressed out I'm often temped to grab refined carbohydrates to stuff the feelings down. During my Juice Feast I learned that the best answer to stress is keeping my body clean from all the "comfort food" junk - however - yesterday I must admit the refined carbs won out 4 chocolate chip cookies later I realized okay - maybe I needed a little release but, lets go on from here and not do this again. So on that note... some great foods that help the body heal from stress overload (and not a one is a chocolate chip cookie!).

Blueberries - We all know these are one of the healthiest foods around. Blueberries are very high in vitamin C, which has been shown to give the body added reserves to help it deal with high levels of stress. Also, blueberries contain a high amount of fiber, which helps regulate blood sugar levels. Blood sugar levels that fluctuate too much are a major contributor to stress for some people.

Oranges Another food that is rich in vitamin C. When you are stressed, your body releases even more free radicals than usual. Vitamin C helps to keep the free radicals in check, and repairs the body.

Green Vegetables Broccoli, kale, and other dark green vegetables are chock full of vitamins that help replenish our bodies in times of stress. Many vegetables also contain potassium which is great at calming down your nervous system.

Almonds A good source of Vitamin B2 and E, as well as magnesium and zinc, almonds are high in fat, but most of the fat is unsaturated. Like vitamin C, vitamin E has been shown to fight the free radicals associated with stress, and in particular, those free radicals that cause heart disease.

Dried Apricots Rich in magnesium. Some say that magnesium helps reduce heart palpitations brought on by stress. Magnesium is a natural muscle relaxant as well. (also high in fiber and vitamin C) ... check out my "Moons of the Faithful Biscotti" recipe for a sweet tasty stress busting treat.

Avacado Contains healthy fat that can help battle stress.

Sweet Potatoes—Sweet potatoes can satisfy that carb/sweets when we are under great stress. Full of beta-carotene and other vitamins, and the fiber they contain helps your body to process the carbohydrates slowly.

Stress Busting Green Smoothie

• 1/2C Blueberries
• 1C Fresh Orange Juice
• 1C of Mixed dark leafy greens (like Kale and Spinach)
• 1/2 cup of almond milk

Blend leaf greens and orange juice and almond milk in a high speed blender until smooth add blueberries and pulse until frothy. I like to sprinkle some sliced almonds on top of mine as well... yummy. If you haven't tried a green smoothie before you will be surprised at how unsalad like this tastes - very berry fruity!


"You can search throughout the entire universe for someone who is more deserving of your love and affection than you are yourself, and that person is not to be found anywhere. You yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe deserve your love and affection."
- Buddha

Best Juices for Singers

I was looking up throat remedies for my boyfriend who sings yesterday and ran across a couple of great juicing tips for public speakers and singers who want to keep their voices in tip top shape during a show.

Pineapple Juice
A number of professional singers gargle or drink Pineapple juice during shows.
According to Isabella Snow , a long time blues singer it is very important for singers to keep their throats well lubricated - to do this she says Pineapple Juice does a great job .
"Far and away, the best choice available. Doesn’t matter if it’s room temp or a bit chilled, but nothing cold. And nothing with chunks in it, those can make you cough. Pineapple juice is slick, it will instantly moisten your throat, wet your tongue – and cause you to salivate, which is the best lubrication you can find. 1 glass per 45 minute set, a sip or two between songs, that’s all you need. Remember, you’re just lubricating, not quenching thirst. Do not go overboard with pineapple juice, you will spend the next morning in the bathroom. Crazy as pineapple juice sounds, it’s the best thing you can use, and I’ve converted every opera singer I’ve ever mentioned it to."

Source: http://hubpages.com/hub/Tips-For-Singers-and-Public-Speakers-Throat-Lubrication-
Tori Amos' Lemonaid

On stage, Tori Amos drinks a lemonade like drink to rehydrate herself. She calls it "Duncanade" after her former chef Duncan Pickford, is similar to an electrolyte replenisher. (she also uses lip gloss to keep her lips moist during performances - thinking Raw Coconut Butter/Oil might do the trick just as well :).

Duncanade:

• 2 L. water
• 2 lemons, chopped, seeded and pithed (1 whole lemon per L. of water)
• Blend lemons with 1 1/2 L. of the water
• Strain and discard pulp
• Blend that with 10-12 oz. honey that's been blended with 1/2 L. water
• Add the remaining 1 L. water
• 4 pinches of salt (1 pinch for every 1/2 L. water -- more if you sweat a lot)
• 24 drops of essential lemon oil (6 for every 1/2 L. water)
• 1/4 t. cinnamon
• Strain again

"This magical lemonade works wonders for me. The honey in it feels smooth going down your throat, and best of all, provides instant salivation. Duncanade is also extremely tasty -- not too sweet, and not too sour."

Source: http://retrogrademusic.blogspot.com/2009/03/singers-with-sore-throats-beyond-normal.html

All Praise the Cabbage

Many people overlook the health benefits of cabbage. It has been recognized for centuries for its ability to cure stomach and intestinal distress. Uncooked Cabbage is high in glutamine, an amino acid that is essential for intestinal health. It has also been proven to be both antibacterial and antiviral. Cabbage contains Vitamin K (essential in the production of blood clotting proteins); potassium (helps regulate blood pressure); and quercetin (antioxidant that is a natural antihistamine that can benefit allergy sufferers). Cabbage is an excellent source of vitamin C. It is also a very good source of fiber, manganese, folate, vitamin B6, potassium, and omega-3 fatty acieds. Cabbage is also a good source of thiamin (vitamin B1), riboflavin (vitamin B2), calcium, potassium, magnesium, vitamin A, and protein.

Good for what ails you… :)

• CONSTIPATION The juice of cabbages is often used to relieve constipation. Beware can make you windy if you have a lot of junk in your system it needs to break down.
  
• ENLARGED PROSTATE
  
• Anemia: High in chlorophyll - good for blood building.
• OBESITY Research has shown cabbage contains a chemical called tartaric acid, which inhibits the conversion of sugar and other carbohydrates into fat.
• JOINT PAIN Raw cabbage is one of the best vegetables you can take to ease inflammation of the joints. You can eat it however you like, just make sure it is fresh and uncooked! Herbalists suggest to eat fresh cabbage in the morning prior to any other food. I've also been reading that cabbage leaves rolled with a rolling pin until they are releasing their juice and wrapped around a sprain (held in place with a banage) or pulled muscle work wonders.
• ULCERS many people claim they feel better after drinking fresh cabbage juice for only 5 days! "1 liter of the fresh juice per day, taken in divided doses, resulted in total ulcer healing in an average of 10 days. The high content of glutamine, an amino acid that is the preferred fuel for the cells that line the stomach and small intestine, is likely the reason for cabbage juice's efficacy in healing ulcers. "
• Alzheimer's Red cabbages contain significantly more protective phytonutrients than white cabbages and are said to help alzheimer's patient. Antioxidant polyphenols can protect brain cells against the damage caused by amyloid-beta protein, suggests a study published in Food Science and Technology.

Interesting Historical Tid Bits…
The Egyptians ate cabbage with vinegar before a night of drinking to prevent hangovers. Cabbage is still today considered one of the best remedies to cure hangovers! The Romans also ate cabbage to cure every imaginable ailment under the sun! They ate it raw with vinegar before and after each meal.

Cultured Cabbage Juice (good for GI tract killing fungus and parasites)

1. Fill blender with chopped green cabbage.

2. Add distilled water until 2/3 full. Blend on hiigh for 1-2 minutes.

3. Pour out into large bowl and repeat for 2 more batches.

   Cover with cheese cloth, gauze or stocking and let stand at room temperature X 3 days.

4. Strain to separate juice & pulp. Place cultured cabbage juice in refrigerator.

   When supply gets low start new batch, but add 1/2 cup of cultured juice (Starter) and new batch will be ready in 24 hours."

When juicing cabbage you should not drink more than about 4oz of cabbage juice at a time and it is best mixed with other juices such as carrot / apple juice. The flavour combination of carrot and cabbage is well tested, as cabbage and carrot are the base ingredients of many varieties of coleslaws. Coleslaws are highly popular dishes that regularly appear in a raw food diet.

If you consume too much cabbage juice in one go then you may experience a feeling of gas and slight cramps in the intestine due to the sulphur in the cabbage juice reacting with bacteria that exist in the intestines.

Sources:

http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=19#healthbenefits

http://www.happyjuicer.com/juicing-ingredients/Cabbage-juice.asp