Dandelions and Weeds

Hello All,
I have had several questions about dandelions and weeds in yards now that spring has arrived most everywhere in the US.  Dandelions and weeds grow best in a low calcium high magnesium environment.  If you do not compost your yard - or it doesn't breakdown things quickly and reabsorb them - you may see an increase in weeds - specifically dandelions.  While dandelions are GREAT as an herb - they are a pain to get rid of and multiply faster than bunnies! 

A couple working suggestions - spray your dandelions with vinegar.  The acidity in vinegar will kill most weeds.  If you have loads and loads, this probably isn't the best solution.  Composting is also a good solution - compost before winter will help with the following spring's bout of weeds... but this doesn't help this year's growth, eh?  You can also use a lime calcitrate spread on your yard to reduce the number of weeds... here are a couple links to review with some really good information.

Recommended Reading: http://www.safelawns.org/blog/index.php/2010/11/guest-blog-to-reduce-weeds-and-improve-lawn-apply-calcium/
More Recommended Reading: http://organicgardening.about.com/od/weeds/p/dandelions.htm
More Recommended Reading: http://www.lawncare.net/attack-of-the-lawn-weeds/

As far as the BENEFITS of dandelions - yes there are quite a few.  Dandelion leaves are great in salads.  They have a slightly peppery flavor and most all parts of the dandelion are beneficial.  Dandelion has a whole host of benefits - diuretic, cleanses the digestive / urinary tracts, purifies the blood, strengthens the immune system, lowers blood pressure, cures anemia, clears skin, reduces indigestion and acid reflux, and lowers cholesterol levels - AMONG others. 

Recommended Reading: http://www.organicfacts.net/health-benefits/herbs-and-spices/health-benefits-of-dandelion.html
More Recommended Reading: http://www.herbwisdom.com/herb-dandelion.html

And here is a good salad recipe for dandelion leaves - honestly, I LOVE herb salads better than any other type - there are so many different textures and flavors that each bite is a new discovery - dandelion leaves are a perfect addition to that mix.  Now, please be careful - do not use any dandelion leaves from a yard that has had pesticides / herbicides sprayed on them - as you will be ingesting those chemicals through the greens.  Recipe: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/dandelion-salad/Detail.aspx

Enjoy!  Blessings ... E

Foods You Should be Eating - Mango

Mango is getting more and more popular in the US.  There are several variations, and I know that when I first bought mango I didn't like the flavor AT ALL... here are some points to help you get the right mango, serve it when it is ripe, and how to cut it to serve it properly.

There are two major types of mango and a wide range of varieties of mango.  The two major types are champagne and haden.  It is very easy to see the differences between them - Champagne is yellow, haden is green / red.  I prefer the champagne, they ripen quickly and are sweet.  Haden has fibers and are more difficult to tell when ripe.  Picking a mango.  The champagne mango will ripen fairly quickly.  If you are wanting a fully ripe mango it should be fully yellow and will give a little when you squeeze it.  It may also leak juice from the stem end.  I usually purchase several at a time and let them ripen naturally on my counter.  If it takes more than 2 days to ripen on the counter, it will never be sweet.  The haden mango - a ripe haden mango will be more yellow and red rather than green and red and will always weep from the stem.  It should give a little when squeezed.

Cutting a mango.  This was the hardest for me... I peeled the first one I got... and got a horrible after taste.  The mango has a long slender seed in the middle.  Start at one end of the mango and cut as close to the seed as possible.  You will almost have cut it in half lengthwise.  Set it in your palm skin to skin and cut a tic-tac-toe grid in it without going through the skin.  When finished scoring the mango, gently push the skin so the cubes stick out.  Use your thumbs to gently remove the cubes.  Serve and enjoy.

Recommended reading: http://www.champagnemango.com/site/varieties

Now you know how to buy, check for ripeness, and how to serve... but WHY?  Mangoes have many great health benefits.  They aid in digestion.  For those that have problems with indigestion, the enzymes in mangoes help settle the stomach and reduce acidity.  They help lower cholesterol.  Mangoes are high in dietary fiber, pectin, and vitamin C which help lower LDL cholesterol numbers.  Mangoes are also high in Vitamin E which has been known to help regulate sex hormones and is good for skin, hair, and nails.  They also help boost memory and and concentration due to the Glutamine Acid.  Mangoes are high in iron and are great for those of us that are anemic.  One mango a day will significantly boost your iron.  The enzymes in mangoes also regulate your sugar levels in the body helping with diabetes.  And finally - the two big boys - Cancer and Heart Disease.  Mangoes are known to prevent both due to the high levels of antioxidants. 

I eat my mango plain - no sugar, no salt, no lime, nothing... One mango a day during their season.  But there are many other ways to serve mango... chutney, salsa, in savory dishes.. etc...

Recipes: http://www.champagnemango.com/site/recipes

More Recipes: http://freshmangoes.com/mangorecipes/recipes.html

More Recipes: http://allrecipes.com//Recipes/fruits-and-vegetables/fruits/mangos/Main.aspx

Blessings... E

One a Day Keeps the Doctor Away

No, I am not talking about an apple... there is a much better fruit that you should eat first thing in the morning before you eat anything else.... This is another one from my grandmother... Thanks Grams!

Bananas contain three natural sugars - sucrose, fructose and glucose.  Combined with fiber, a banana gives an instant, sustained and substantial boost of energy. Research has proven that just two bananas provide enough energy for a strenuous 90-minute workout. No wonder the banana is the number one fruit with the world's leading athletes. But energy isn't the only way a banana can help us keep fit. It can also help overcome or prevent a substantial number of illnesses and conditions, making it a must to add to our daily diet.

Depression: According to a recent survey undertaken by MIND amongst people suffering from depression, many felt much better after eating a banana. This is because bananas contain tryptophan, a type of protein that the body converts into serotonin, known to make you relax, imp rove your mood and generally make you feel happier.

PMS: Forget the pills - eat a banana. The vitamin B6 it contains regulates blood glucose levels, which can affect your mood.

Anemia: High in iron, bananas can stimulate the production of hemoglobin in the blood and so helps in cases of anemia.

Blood Pressure: This unique tropical fruit is extremely high in potassium yet low in salt, making it the perfect to beat blood pressure. So much so, the US Food and Drug Administration has just allowed the banana industry to make official claims for the fruit's ability to reduce the risk of blood pressure and stroke.

Brain Power: 200 students at a Twickenham (Middlesex) school were helped through their exams this year by eating bananas at breakfast, break, and lunch in a bid to boost their brain power. Research has shown that the potassium-packed fruit can assist learning by making pupils more alert.

Constipation: High in fiber, including bananas in the diet can help restore normal bowel action, helping to overcome the problem without resorting to laxatives.

Hangovers: One of the quickest ways of curing a hangover is to make a banana milkshake, sweetened with honey. The banana calms the stomach and, with the help of the honey, builds up depleted blood sugar levels, while the milk soothes and re-hydrates your system.

Heartburn: Bananas have a natural antacid effect in the body, so if you suffer from heartburn, try eating a banana for soothing relief.

Morning Sickness: Snacking on bananas between meals helps to keep blood sugar levels up and avoid morning sickness.

Mosquito bites: Before reaching for the insect bite cream, try rubbing the affected area with the inside of a banana skin. Many people find it amazingly successful at reducing swelling and irritation.

Nerves: Bananas are high in B vitamins that help calm the nervous system.

Overweight and at work? Studies at the Institute of Psychology in Austria found pressure at work leads to gorging on comfort food like chocolate and crisps. Looking at 5,000 hospital patients, researchers found the most obese were more likely to be in high-pressure jobs. The report concluded that, to avoid panic-induced food cravings, we need to control our blood sugar levels by snacking on high carbohydrate foods every two hours to keep levels steady.

Ulcers: The banana is used as the dietary food against intestinal disorders because of its soft texture and smoothness. It is the only raw fruit that can be eaten without distress in over-chronicler cases. It also neutralizes over-acidity and reduces irritation by coating the lining of the stomach.

Temperature control: Many other cultures see bananas as a "cooling" fruit that can lower both the physical and emotional temperature of expectant mothers. In Thailand, for example, pregnant women eat bananas to ensure their baby is born with a cool temperature.

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD): Bananas can help SAD sufferers because they contain the natural mood enhancer, tryptophan.

Smoking: Bananas can also help people trying to give up smoking. The B6, B12 they contain, as well as the potassium and magnesium found in them, help the body recover from the effects of nicotine withdrawal.

Stress: Potassium is a vital mineral, which helps normalize the heartbeat, sends oxygen to the brain and regulates your body's water balance. When we are stressed, our metabolic rate rises , thereby reducing our potassium levels. These can be rebalanced with the help of a high-potassium banana snack.

Strokes: According to research in "The New England Journal of Medicine,"eating bananas as part of a regular diet can cut the risk of death by strokes by as much as 40%!

Warts: Those keen on natural alternatives swear that if you want to kill off a wart, take a piece of banana skin and place it on the wart, with the yellow side out. Carefully hold the skin in place with a plaster or surgical tape!

So, a banana really is a natural remedy for many ills. When you compare it to an apple, it has four times the protein, twice the carbohydrate, three times the phosphorus, five times the vitamin A and iron, and twice the other vitamins and minerals. It is also rich in potassium and is one of the best value foods around. So maybe it’s time to change that well-known phrase so that we say, "A banana a day keeps the doctor away!"

Blessings - E

Thyroid or Iodine

I highly recommend that you do research before you go visit the doctor.  No one knows your body better than you do.  A doctor is trained to know how to put things together, but if you don't include the right symptoms, you have a high possibility of being diagnosed incorrectly.  Let me share an example..

Anemia, cold fingers and toes, weight gain, swollen fingers, hair loss, increased need for sugar.  Many people are diagnosed with either diabetes or hypothyroidism with these symptoms... yes tests come up positive.  BUT what questions should be asked? WHY.  What is causing these diseases?  Diabetes and Hypothyroidism are serious. 

I was really concerned when I started needing fruit several times a day and my hair started thinning.  I talked to several of my naturopathic contacts and they asked me the right questions.  Are your fingers and toes always cold?  Well, yes.  But I was raised in the north and got mild frostbite as a child - I thought that was the reason.  Are you gaining weight without adding food?  Uh huh... I am not as active as I was in Nebraska but it has been difficult to lose even with daily exercise.  Now I am curious... Why?

Iodine Deficiency.. wait, did you say IODINE?  Isn't that the reddish yellow stuff my mom put on cuts and scrapes as a kid?  Yes, one and the same.  And yes, iodine is an essential mineral.  I was SHOCKED by what I read.  Symptoms that I didn't even realize were symptoms were right there in front of me.  I am anemic have been for a very long time.  Once I started taking iodine supplements, my longtime symptoms started going away. 

So here are some statistics for you:
In the US, it’s estimated that one in seven women suffers from iodine deficiency.
— Caldwell, K., et al. 2005.
— Hollowell, J., et al. 1998.

1/3 of the world's population lives in iodine depleted locations

Women that are severely iodine deficient run the risk of having a child  born with "cretinism"

Breast cancer can be a result of iodine deficiency

Children that are iodine deficient run the risk of stunted growth, retardation, problems with speech, hearing, and movement

Iodine in the body helps regulate several major centers: thyroid, temperature, heart, breast, mental, and musculature

How do I know if I am iodine deficient?  There is a very quick and simple test that you can perform at home.  Go get that bottle of iodine for scrapes and cuts and put a 1" circle on the inside of your thigh or upper arm.  If the reddish yellow goes away w/in 30 minutes, you are iodine deficient.

The best foods that naturally contain iodine are saltwater fish, sea vegetables, and iodized sea salt.  Other foods with iodine include dairy products, eggs, radishes, onions, and watercress.  IF you are in an iodine deficient area (upper Midwest) your root vegetables will not be a viable option for you.  I always recommend consuming foods with the vitamins / minerals you need daily - but sometimes that isn't much of an option.  I take iodine supplements daily along with my omegas. 

For those of you taking Thyroid medication, if you are shown to be iodine deficient, I am told that you may be able to get off those meds within 30 days of going on the iodine supplements. 

Here are a couple good articles to read for more information:
http://www.womentowomen.com/hypothyroidism/iodinedeficiency-thyroidhealth.aspx
http://www.staytuned.ws/iodine.html
http://www.thyroid.org/patients/patient_brochures/iodine_deficiency.html

Happy healing!  E