Milk kefir

 Hi guys,

 Do you guys like yogurt?! You probably  will like milk kefir as well. It's a little more sour but oh so delicious. There are so many health benefits in drinking this great probiotic drink. Healthier digestive system. Helps to create a healthy immune system. It can help relieve intestinal issues. Helps with bowel movement. It can even help your nervous system. It's a Whole Food, super good!! And, those people who cannot drink milk because they are lactose intolerant, can actually consume milk kefir because the 

 Kefir grains consume the lactose during the culturing process. So with so many benefits, why not try it?! 

 

These are called kefir grains. They are the little buddies that do all the work in culturing the milk. These living cuties are our gut friends. 

( I get very excited about them) Kefir grains are combinations of yeasts and bacteria living on a substrate made up of a variety of dairy components. These live kefir grains look a little bit like cauliflower florets and are somewhat gelatinous in texture.  - Alex Lewin from 

Here is Weston A Price on making your own milk Kefir!

http://chapters.westonaprice.org/daytonoh/how-to/milk-kefir/

We use milk kefir for a base in our smoothies, also making our own ranch dressing, using it in pancake batter for the best pancakes. And more. 

 This is just a brief description on milk kefir, but there is so much more I can say. 

 If you have any questions please don't hesitate to ask! 

     Blessings!  

Ginger Ale

Benefits  of Natural Ginger Ale. The Chinese, Indian and Arabic communities have made use of natural ginger as a medicinal herb for 2,000 years. The rhizome, or underground stem, is native to the Asian community, where it has been used as a spice in foods for 4,400 years. - thanks to google for this information- isn't this neat?!! 

 Naturally you would want to make your own right?!

Here is a great link to more information about the health benefits of Ginger. 

http://www.pyroenergen.com/articles10/ginger-ale.htm

Here is the recipe 

http://seattleseedling.com/2013/01/video-make-ginger-beer-with-just-3-ingredients/

 I hope you enjoy the recipe as much a we do! Cheers.

 

Calendula Salve

Here is the recipe for a wonderful multipurpose salve!!

1 cup infused calendula olive oil. 

1/2 cup grated beeswax ( use local if possible)

10-40 drops lavender essential oil. 

I used a double boiler . You honestly don't need anything fancy, I just used a glass Pyrex bowl over a small pot of simmering water.  Add the olive oil, and beeswax and melt it together. Once the beeswax dissolved add your essential oil and pour into your container of choice!  You can be creative and play around with this recipe. You will notice in my photo that I added some dried lavender, chamomile, & calendula in my oil while it simmered in the double boiler. I strained it after about 10 minutes. Then added my beeswax .You can also use diffrent essential oil, like Melaleuca, wild orange, grapefruit... They all have great benefits.  This should last for one year, but we always run out way before a year. 

 Uses for this Salve:Bug bites, rashes, lips, dry skin, cuts, scrapes, and minor burns, face moisturizer, and it's safe for babies!

  

 I infuse my dry calendula flowers in organic olive oil for about 6 weeks or longer.  You can also infuse lavender, chamomile, and marshmallow root. All of those herbs are beneficial to your skin.

   Hope you enjoy it. These make beautiful gifts. 

I'd love to hear what herbs you use if you make your own salves?! 

Gut Talk!!

Our Gut health is so very important, because its the motor that runs the ship.  If your gut is healthy, you will be healthy. Your gut is your immune system! ( actually two thirds of your immune system.)  It's important to eat good nutritious foods such as fermented foods like, sauerkraut, kombucha, kimchi. Greek yogurt,  not commercial yogurt, and kefir. Food is our medicine, so loading up on these types of foods is very important. 

 Things that kill, the good buddies in your gut, are, processed foods, lots of sugar in take, GMO's, pharmaceutical drugs,alcohol, antibiotics, even stress to list just some.

 Read these articles: http://www.rodalenews.com/gut-health  

     http://www.westonaprice.org/category/modern-diseases/digestive-disorders/

Also watch these short YouTube video, almost exactly our story when it comes to antibiotics.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=pDBI9txA-W0 

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=neHbUI2JiPw

I'm not an expert in  gut Health, but I know it worked for me and my family. Just passing on our experience. I can say so much more but I'll let you do your research. Once we change the way we eat and started to be mindful of our gut, we noticed a tremendous change in our health. My husband no longer takes any medication for his past issue with IBS and acid reflex!!! Taking a good quality probiotic can help you get started. 

 These are the brands that we like

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000KITWWY/ref=mp_s_a_1_fkmr0_1?qid=1432002066&sr=8-1-fkmr0&pi=AC_SX110_SY165_QL70&keywords=sadina+lab+probiotics 

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0010EG6OO/ref=mp_s_a_1_fkmr0_1?qid=1432002119&sr=8-1-fkmr0&pi=AC_SX110_SY165_QL70&keywords=udio+flora+probiotics

              Happy  gut health Friends!  

                 Elena

Fermentation!!!

 I love to ferment! Such a great way to boost your gut and add good microbes to a very important part of your body. Think of the gut as The engine that drives the car.  We need good microbes.              ( good bacteria) in order to be healthy and our immune system to work properly.  So today was our first time making sauerkraut!  I used this recipe. 

 

   http://www.greenkitchenstories.com/golden-sauerkraut-wild-fermentation/

  I didn't have any ginger on hand so I left that out. In about 3weeks we should know how it tastes and I'll also share that with you!

Here is also a link on fermentation from Weston A Price Foundation.

  

 http://www.westonaprice.org/health-topics/lacto-fermentation/

 Feed your gut good things friends, you will reap the benifits!  

~Elena