Translate this blog....

Showing posts with label superfood. Show all posts
Showing posts with label superfood. Show all posts

Friday, January 03, 2020

**SIFO** Newest Superfoods?

This is the first of what I'm calling Stuff I Found Out (SIFO - sigh-fo)  posts that might pop up from time to time. This will be things I hear about in the news that I usually only share with my family and friends because they haven't heard about it or don't have time to read the source. Here we go...

SOURCE: Article on Chowhound (that I found via the Flipboard app) about new Superfoods.

TLDR Summary: (links added are from me)

  • Nervines - a new set of herbs. In the class of herbs known as "adaptogens" that possibly help us combat stress and jitters. Nervines? Think herbs for your nerves.
  • Chlorella - algae described as a "complete protein" that is high in B12 and other good stuff. Can be used in powder form to add to soups and salads. (This was a big thing back in Alaska around 6 years ago. The health food stores would put this right on the end of aisles because people were always coming in looking for it.)
  • Raw Cacao - is up there with the whole "dark chocolate is good for you" craze. It's high in a lot of good stuff - like antioxidants and has protein and fiber. I will say 2 things here: 1) I actually have used Cacao powder for a few years now and I got my huge bag from Amazon. I add it to my coffee and teas. I will add a photo later in this post 2) I saw an episode of that silly show "Mom" where Bonnie and Adam have a tiff when she eats his chocolate bar made with "Ka-Kow!". It's different from 'regular' choc.
  • Fiber - Key to regulating blood sugar and bowel movements. Enough said there.
  • Pre-biotics - The popular pro-biotics feed off of pre-biotics. Pre-b's, like fiber, are good for gut health. (I recently started trying to find a decent set of pre-and pro-biotics. It's a bit of a struggle finding something reasonably priced that works consistently.)
  • Digestive bitters - These stimulate your body's efforts to break down foods. (I only think of booze when I hear "bitters"!) There is a brand of bitters (for digestive enzymes, not cocktails) listed but the article recommends using bitter herbal teas. Here's Wiki on bitters.
And here is the brand of cacao that I have used. Got my first bag around 4 years ago and it lasted for... possibly 18 months I am guessing. I got my next half-pound bag at a health food store not too long after I moved here and I still have most of it left. It doesn't take much added to my coffee (especially Keto coffee) or tea to give it a real yum yum flavor. If you have to drink black coffee, this is the way to do it! I keep some in a cannister on the counter and the rest heat-sealed in a bag in the freezer.



 Peace
--Free







This is one of my favorite songs.
I watched a documentary about the late Prince the other night. I thought about him when I was writing this post. He was rumored to be a health freak like some of us. The thing is, our mental health may be more important because it has to affect everything else, right Take care of all that you are, folks.

.



Sunday, March 13, 2016

Hair and Face Smoothie

At the end of this last week, I was feeling less than joyful. No particular reason, just a case of the blahs. To lift my spirit and do something nice for myself, I had a little solo 'Spa Day' without, you know, actually going to a spa.

I gave myself a mani-pedi, and I also gave made and used a nice hair mask and facial treatment. To further keep down my costs, I used only what I had on hand:

Note that I left the Greens Plus out of the mix that I used on my hair. This is what the 2 different mixes look like (pardon my crappy photography skills). 

Lots richer colored with
Greens

Minus Greens












All the ingredients fit with my recent opinion about beauty products which is: If it's not safe for my insides, why put it on my outsides? Anyway, I assume you're probably too lazy right now to go back and read (or re-read) the post on the Greens Plus, so here are the ingredients again:


Other than the Stevia Leaf, the ingredients are all something I'd eat regularly. (I try to stay away from Stevia just because of the taste, but everything else in this Greens blend masks it from the taste buds!)

Still, I wasn't sure what would happen with all those greens when applied to my face. For all I knew, I was going to end up looking like an alien. That's one reason I did my 'spa' treatment on a Friday. I'd have all day Saturday to fix any mistakes and still make it to Sunday church service on time. 

As far as the hair mask, the results were not as moisturizing as I expected. In hindsight, I'm thinking that I could have added more honey and maybe a little bit of coconut or olive oil. What I did like is how clean my hair felt. I only did a really good rinse (not a shampoo) before and after applying the mask. Also, I think that a full hour might have been too long for leaving it on. (I got involved in a phone convo...). Like I said, my hair did feel really clean, and I didn't get any breakage. Afterwards, I went ahead and used a little bit of Aussie Moist conditioner to get some softening.

The 'green mix' went on my face like any other facial mask and I let it rest for 20 minutes. It was thicker than the hair mask because of the added Greens powder. (I like that for the face because it helped it stay in place, but wouldn't like it that thick for my hair. Just a little note in case you decided to try this.)One pleasant surprise in using the Greens in the facial is the very gently exfoliating effect. I generally only use super-fine grained things to exfoliate with because I don't want to damage my skin. The greens were so fine that I enjoyed massaging the problem areas of my nose and chin. There was no irritation at all. The mask rinsed well and left my skin feeling super clean and, I think, more toned. This was almost like a really gentle clarifying facial. After rinsing, I added a tough of Jojoba oil while my skin was still slightly damp. Wonderful!

Next time, the only thing I will change is the hair mask. I will definitely add something for softening. I'm thinking that a little bit of Coconut or Marula oil will do the trick. 

If you've been keeping up with the blog, you'll know that I'm taking a few tablespoons each day of blackstrap molasses. I can tell now without a doubt that this is helping my dark hair hold its color. My hair isn't growing much faster than usual, but it is thicker at the roots. I'll take it.

Peace
--Free



** Since I don't know much more about Desert Cactus Honey (other than that it comes not from bees but an agave cactus), I'm not sure if that affected the hair mask. Maybe I will do a comparison with some 'regular' honey next time. Notice there's not a lot of info about desert cactus online. I am seeing that it's a 'thing' to mix either types of honey with EVOO as a shine treatment. Hmmm...

Tuesday, March 01, 2016

**REVIEW** Plantation Brand Blackstrap Molasses

Let me start this by pasting in what I shared on Google Plus back on the 18th of February:

The fatigue has been serious for a few weeks now. The ferrous sulfate docs give me causes constipation (yeah, sorry). 
Today, while at the infusion center, another patient (older lady visiting from Georgia) reminded me of an old remedy for "tired blood". 
Her: Where are you from, baby? Me: Texas, but raised here in Alaska. Her: Your mother from Texas and you never heard of using 'strap? Me: (Thinking of whoopings I got) Yes, ma'am. Strap, switch, belt... Her: No, honey. Blackstrap Molasses! 
And then I did remember! And I_hated_ that ' strap as much as I hated whoopings. I have learned in the past few years how to mask the taste of things that are good for me. 
I dragged my behind to the store after treatment and picked up some 'strap! 
I swear this is the same slavery time brand my mother used! 😲
I got home and slept for 4 hours, woke up and made some coffee and added a spoon of the 'strap (and I'm always going to call it that!) 
Still dog tired, but I'm going to keep adding 'strap to my coffee and see if it helps.
I'm drinking some in black tea now. After this, bed. 😴😴😴

#fatigue#chronicdisease#sarcoidosis #lifeisstillbeautiful#iamblessed#iamjoyful#nothingsgoingtobreakmystride#naturalhealthremedy#workedformymama #plantationblackmolasses #plantationseriously#evenauntjemimagotamakeover

Yes, it was like that. Here is the brand of molasses I'm talking about:

Okay, aside from my jabbing at the brand's name, I have to tell you what an impact this product has made on my life.

The very next day (after taking that first dose of 'strap), I put another 1/2 tablespoon in my morning coffee. Even though I felt much better than I usually do after an infusion, I knew I was going to have to find another way to get my 'strap dosage. It was not bad in coffee, but made it a little heavy tasting. Later, while looking up more information about molasses, I ran across a more delicious way to get my daily dose:

Tablespoon of the molasses in bottom of a coffee cup
Couple of drops of hot water to cover the molasses (to soften/thin it)
Stir the water and molasses
Add 8 ounces (or more) of your choice of cold dairy or soy (I use vanilla soy)
Stir well and enjoy
(Of course, I modified the recipe and will sometimes drop in a frozen cube of coconut milk! )

To me, the taste is like chocolate. Like I said, I have added a cube of coconut mile, but I also enjoy this as a warm drink before bed. At any rate, mixed with the soy, the molasses takes on a whole new (better) flavor. I bet parents could probably get their kids to drink it. Check with your doctor first!

The best thing about getting my energy from the molasses is that I don't get the constipation that iron pills cause. I thought it might be because of the added dairy/soy, but I found that BSM is used as constipation reliever. Also, it's just nice not to have one more pill to deal with.

Even if you're not concerned with fatigue, there are lots of uses for 'strap (I kind of knew about baked beans, but forgot all about BBQ sauces!):

The brand that was available at my local health food store was Plantation (yeah), but I did find a more affordable brand (with slightly different nutrient levels) on Amazon. As far as I can tell, 'strap will "keep" for  up to 4 months or more without losing quality.
Plantation label

Golden Barrel label

Since there are several brands, I am going to be making future purchases based on nutrition labels (I've order the Golden Barrel brand), taste, and price. Availability here in Anchorage is limited to our health food stores (as far as I know) but, depending on where you live, you might be able to find it in grocery stores. I'm pretty sure my mother and grandmothers living in Texas weren't hitting Whole Foods in the '60s and '70s!

If you know of more information about 'strap, let me know.

Peace
--Free

Sunday, October 25, 2015

**REVIEW** Greens Plus Superfood Raw

When I mentioned that I was finally getting some energy back and would try catching up on reviews, this is something that I believe helped a little bit:





I got it because I want to get rid of some of this "sad weight" I've put on. I actually should calling it "saddage weight" since it is from mood and age! Ha!

Greens Plus Superfood Raw was a bit of an impulse buy. I was strolling through the local Carrs/Safeway store's health food section, trying to find something that would help with the whole "I seriously need energy" thing. When I saw the GPSR, I recalled reading something in a forum about such "superfood" blends helping with the immune system. Another benefit I could use. With a $25 dollar price tag, the GPSR should probably come with a blender and some utensils...

I googled to see where else the product might be available locally for cheaper, and... No such luck. Since I haven't really done anything frivolous with the recent PFD money I got, I went ahead and splurged. Because I will return for refund if something I buy doesn't work for me.

What almost made me return it was what it looks like.


Yuck, right?

What made me give the first taste a try was remembering how yucky my wheat grass powder also looks. It's not as yucky as it looks, so...

Let's check the label one more time to see if I might be able to use this stuff:





That's a lot of stuff - green and otherwise. Of course, I had to Google most of the ingredients.

Whenever I read an ingredient list like this, I realize how little I have lived, travelled or hung out with people who read nature magazines. 

You can check out the links to the various ingredients - or at least the links I found interesting - but I can tell you about the taste of this blend. It is not bad. Not bad at all. 

I'm pretty relieved about the taste because I read some of the Amazon reviews and, boy, some people went in!

While the taste is not bad, I hate the slight grit. Maybe if I blended the powder into a smoothie, it would be better, but I don't really have my own kitchen so that's kind of a hassle. I simply add the powder to about 8 ounces of any juice with a strong flavor of its own. Apple cider works best, but I also use regular apple juice. Yesterday, I added some to one of those sugar-laden aloe drinks and that didn't work out so well. For one thing, the powder clumped up with the aloe pulp. For another thing, too much sweetness. Ick. I will stick with the apple ciders and juices.

I think that blending this would help with the grittiness. For now, I just add a touch more juice to thin out the dregs. The taste would be pleasant if not for the grit. 

The suggestion on the label is to do 1 scoop,3 times a day. The first couple of days I stuck to that, but I forgot the third scoop until late last night. There does seem to be a bit of an energy boost - or maybe that's psychosomatic? - so I didn't want to use the powder so close to bedtime. However real the energy boost is, I will say that I don't feel so hungry all the time. 

My feeling is that this adds a lot of nutrients that I'm not getting (when I let my eating habits go downhill) so my body is not craving as much. Basically what I have been doing the past week is fixing a pot of pinto beans with seasoned ground beef and, throughout the day, eating four or five small servings with corn bread. Beans are fiber (filling), meat is good protein (and flavorful), and cornbread is, well... cornbread is just delicious.

I have just about 10 days before I travel. I'd like to not look like a half opened can of biscuits. My bloating is down (in spite of the beans) and I stay full longer.

So, if you are wondering about this product, I can tell you that it's really doesn't taste bad. It's probably yummy in simple smooties. Matter of fact, this might be great for when you only have some liquid and one fruit but want a smoothie as a meal replacement. ~shrug~

Finally, there is one HUGE negative I  see with this (other than the grit) is that it's sold by weight. I was  very disappointed at the cost when I opened the container and saw that almost  a third of it was just air. I mean, why the deception with the too-big container? That's something that will make me look around for a different brand next time.

Peace
--Free

P.S.: I didn't link to this brand because I am put off by the packaging. When I see a can that big, I expect more product for the money and the brands know that!

Monday, March 30, 2015

Do you Chaga?

Today*, when I visited the Center (Farmers') Market of Alaska-grown products in our Sears Mall, I didn't intend to spend a penny. Actually, I was only at the mall to pick up a few grocery items from Carrs-Safeway... Yeah, well. Send me near a mall and watch what happens, right?

I'm glad I got detoured and took a look at what the vendors had to offer. I discovered something interesting. This:



These are both nectars made from the Chaga mushroom/fungus. Apparently, this is something that grows all over Alaska (and other places, of course) on birch trees. 

I've been in Alaska almost as long as I have been living. Why did I not know about this?

Chaga is something that many indigenous people use as part of their diet and natural medicinal needs. Native Alaska peoples are very aware of the Chaga mushroom and its benefits. Okay. I not only have lived here most of my life, some of my family is Native Alaskan.

Once again, why did I not know about the Chaga mushroom? Well, probably because I didn't pay attention to everything that this dear woman tried to teach me while she was still here on earth:

In her 60's, she would walk for miles like she was 15 years old!

That's Marie. She's the grandmother to some of my nieces and nephews. I should have listened to her That woman could go for walks from one end of town to the other, just because she could. She could outwalk a teenager! Anyway, Marie, I am paying attention. Finally.

So, about the Chaga mushroom, tea, nectar, etc. There are many benefits. Here are some links for more information:

I haven't looked through all this information myself, but I did get an overview of the benefits from a couple of the vendors at the Farmers Market. I didn't get any of the tea because I wanted to start with the nectar. The vendors explained that I can add the nectar to my tea, coffee and cereals. That's an easy way to get started with something I wanted to ease into using.

Since am fighting immune problems, I decided to invest in a jar of the nectar from the first place I stopped at. Then I ended up getting upset with myself for not checking a stall further down. Different shaped jar, but same amount (just around 5oz) of the nectar for half the price. What I realized a few days later is that the more expensive nectar was also much thicker in texture and had a richer taste. I suspect it had more Chaga than the cheaper brand...

Now, about this Ch-ch-chaga. (You knew I had to do it. And I'm silly from being sleep-deprived. Forgive me.) As with anything, we have to be careful to check with our doctors to make sure that something we ingest doesn't interact badly or interfere with any prescribed medicines or medical conditions. That said, I'm not thrilled with the last doctor I saw and I am looking for a new G.P., so I've gone ahead and used the nectar. I haven't had any negative reactions that I can tell and I've had a couple of labs done since then to check my blood and urine.

Before I get to the various pieces of info I did check out online, let me give you my take on the taste of the 2 nectars I purchased. 

The $10 nectar is plain and sweetened (I can`t remember with what, but here is their Facebook page, if you want to ask). It`s pretty yummy. When I taste-tested it on a spoon before I bought it, I expected it to taste like a flavored honey. At room temp, it looks just like honey but with heavier caramel color. It has the texture of honey. I was surprised that it tasted so much nicer than honey. To me, the taste was sweeter and richer. Like the difference between whole milk and cream. When the vendor was suggesting different ways to use it (in coffee and tea and on my oatmeal or cereal), I remember thinking that I could just keep licking it right off of a spoon. (And I have done this a couple of times since I got the nectar.)

The $5 nectar is with honey and ginger.  It has the same room-temp constency (maybe a little thinner than the other nectar) and it`s lighter in color. You can taste a hint of the ginger and lemon flavor, but they are not overwhelming. (I actually accidentally used it in my coffee and, surprisingly, it was fine.) I have also eaten this one right off a spoon. I`ll get to that whole "off the spoon thing" later.

When I commented before about the differences in pricing, I hadn`t had a chance to notice the nectars after they had been refrigerated. The more expensive nectar was thickened 5-fold. The less expensive one was about the same consistency it had been at room temp. It was a tiny bit thicker, but not nearly as much. I don`t know why this is, but I am going to do more research. I mean, is it because there is more Chaga in the $10 item? Or is it because the other item has ginger and lemon added? Curious, right? (By the way, my nephew - who is half Alaska native - told me that this is because there was more Chaga extract in the thicker nectar. Get what you pay for, yes?)

I have learned a bit from digging around online and talking to a person I trust.
The person I spoke  with (I will call her "May") is a Native Alaskan who respects her heritage and has been practicing the use of natural resources from the land. She told me that her people have been using Chaga since forever. They appreciate the antioxidant powers and healing aspects of the Chaga Mushroom. It still amazes me that this nectar was made using a mushroom that I have grown up seeing yet never paid mind to. I have family members who are natives of this land and this is the one thing none of them ever brought up. I realize now that I probably was just not paying attention.
May explained that the Chaga she uses grows on the sides of Birch trees. She said that they are odd-looking and easy to recognize (hard to mistake, as with some other fungi, berries and plants). 


She described them as looking a little like they have a beard. This is when they are ready for picking. And, weirdly, the mushrooms are hard like wood when they are picked and stored. When you hear "mushroom", you`re probably thinking soft and spongy. (When I saw one of the mushrooms displayed by a vendor, I did think it was just a strange-looking piece of wood. That`s what it looked and felt like. If I had been more coherent, I would have noticed that the item was one of the mushrooms the nectar had been made from.)

I forget the rest of what May told me, but she did advise that I could pick my own Chaga Mushrooms and make my own teas. (I will be talking with her later so I can take notes and update this post.) I also am going to speak with a good friend who will probably be able to help me with making nectar from the mushroom.

From searching around online, I have learned that Chaga is not any kind of a mystery to any culture who does pay attention to nature and its benefits to health and wellness. Note some of the info in the links I provided earlier.

I have learned that you can ingest Chaga as a tea or a powder (to add to food and drink); you can add the nectar to almost anything that you want to sweeten. Now that I know I like it in general, I'm going to give the tea a try. By the way, I saw the Chaga items flavored in many ways: root beer, lemon, ginger, peppermint, etc. (I will stick with my lemon-ginger and the plain sweetened flavor for now.)

What I can tell you now that I have been using this for a couple of months, this stuff did increase my energy. I was having one of the roughest weeks of my life and was just ragged out with fatigue. Coffee only works until you get all jittery and sick of it. The nectar was something that I could eat right off a spoon or add to some tart juice (think Cranberry) and it gave me energy that felt more like a second wind than a caffeine hurricane. It didn't give me the shakes, irrita-bitchies or make my heart raise. I just felt like I could get through the next few hours. Of course, I had to crash at some point, but I really appreciated the little boost when I needed it.

NOTE: I first started this post way back in, I think, October. I had to update some of it so forgive me if the post is disjointed. Also, I have since gotten some of the tea in a concentrated form. I add a couple teaspoons of it to my green teas, coffee, or I just make a hot Chaga tea and add some of the nectar to sweeten it. Right after Mike's passing, I wasn't eating for several days at a time and I think drinking the green tea and Chaga kept me from just dropping on my face.

Peace
--Free