Prepare For the Swine Flu, Boost Your Immune System

Welcome back!

CDC says it’s too late to contain a US outbreak!!!
(watch the video below)

The swine flue is spreading. 8 students are have tested positive in New York City.
The first European case of the flu is confirmed in Spain. EU warns against traveling to US and Mexico.

It is possible that we have a pandemic on our hands?

It’s not sure if the flue vaccine from this winter will protect us from the swine flu. For all of us how did not get the vaccine there is not enough vaccine left.

So what can we do today! Right now?

Read more

Get the Most out of Your Nuts

Nuts are healthy!

I would prefer them to almost any snack but if you but if your favorite is toasted, artificially flavored nuts you’re in trouble.

In this article I’m going to show you how the nutritional value changes depending on how you eat your nuts.

Raw or roasted

If you look at the nutritional value between a dry roasted nut and a raw nut there is not a lot of difference. If the nut is roasted the fat increases both the good and the bad fat.
If the nut is oil roasted the fat increases a lot maybe 50%. The roasting process also causes a loss in vitamins.

To summarize this part you don’t want to eat oil roasted nuts. But, as I see it, the biggest problem with roasted nut is that they in most cases are salted and sometimes flavored with other things you don’t want in your body. Nuts are great but salt and artificial flavorings are NOT good. Read more

Save on your food expenses

Are the increasing food prices affecting your household?

Don’t worry anymore.

Imagine this as a solution not only to your budget but to the global food crisis as well.

Imagine a food that will:

• Keep for years.
• Give you vitamins, minerals, proteins and enzymes.
• Allow inexpensive transportation at 1/5^th to 1/20^th of its real size.
• Mature to its full nutritious potential in a few days.
• Cost only cents per serving

There is such a food and it is available to you!

The foods are sprouts. Just buy some seeds in your grocery store and start benefiting from these inexpensive, nutritious foods.

Sprouting is really easy! All you need is seeds, a colander and a some water.

Learn the 3 easy steps to sprouting in your own home.

Healthy foods for the climate and your wallet

Many people think that it is expensive to buy healthy food. To some extent this is of course true.

• Organically grown produce is more expensive than conventional produce.
• A loaf made of only whole grain or spelt cost more than a bread only baked on white flour.
• Cookies cost a lot less than fresh fruit.
• And so on.

But it doesn’t have to be more expensive to follow a healthy diet. If you are prepared to change your habits just a little you can save money AND eat better.

Are prepared to make ONE single change in your diet? One change that has a big positive impact on your health, your wallet and the climate.

Then swap meat for dried beans, lentils and peas.

Start with one day a week. If you like it then add another day. Take one step at the time.

Why are dried beans, peas and lentils so good?

• They are really inexpensive
• They are very nutritious
• You can boost their nutritional value even more by sprouting them
• They are many, many variations

Another benefit of course is that you then eat less meat. Meat is really bad for global warming. Too much meat is bad for you healthy (and yes we eat too much meat). Meat is expensive especailly if you by “good” meat that is not filled with antibiotics and additives.
Preparing dried beans, lenses and peas is very easy and consumes very little time. The only thing you need to do is plan ahead. Many need to soak for a day or two. And they need to cook for quite awhile. But during this time the need practically no attention.
How long time does it take to put some peas in a bowl and pour over water? 2 minutes.
How long time does it take to put beans, canned tomatoes, spices, water, onion and some vegetables in a pan at put it in the oven? 10 min
You can even use a slow cooker and skip the soaking.

Try different recipes. Pots, salads, soups, chilli, hummus or burgers. Make dishes with inspiration from India, Mexico, Brazil.

A bit of meat or ham can be used a spice but it is not the main, belly filling ingredient, like in a pea soup.

For the climate. Meat production adds to global warming; 3 times more fossil fuels are needed to produce a meat centered-diet vs a meat-free diet

Emergency pack. Keep an emergency can of you favourite beans at home at all times.

How to grow your own natural super food

Sprouts are great food. They are not only very nutritious, they are also inexpensive. Some people even call sprouts super food as they contain enormous levels of proteins, vitamins, minerals, trace minerals, chlorophyll pigments and enzymes.

Scientific studies have shown that the nutrient content in food can rise with 50-2000 % when sprouted. The body also absorbs nutrients more easily from sprouts and they are easily digested which saves the body’s own energy reservoir.

Did you know that broccoli sprouts not only protects you from cardiovascular diseases, it might also protect your unborn baby? Dr Juurlink, at University of Saskatchewan, and his research team found that feeding broccoli
sprouts to pregnant rats not only improved the mothers’ health, it also seemed to improve the health of their offspring into adulthood – even if the babies never tasted a sprout.

Try out my easy home sprouting where all you need is water, seeds and a colander.

How to sprout seeds, grains and nuts

1. Soak. Soak your beans, grains or seeds in filtered water. For smaller seeds soak for 4-6 hours and larger approx. 12.
2. Rinse. Then rinse the seeds and put them in a colander. Place the colander where the seeds get indirect sunlight. Rinse twice a day until the sprouts have the length you prefer.
3. Eat. Most seeds sprout in 2-4 days. If you eat them short they will have stronger flavor. Don’t leave the sprouts for too long as they will spoil. When the sprouts are ready put them in a jar and store in the refrigerator where they keep for about 3 days.

Most organic food is expensive and sprouting is a great way to get fresh, convenient, organic produce in your own home for next to nothing.
When reports are being published that nutrient value of many foods has dropped it’s time to take charge, boost your intake of nutrients and start growing your own sprouts.

Did you know that alfalfa sprouts are one of the most nutritious foods you can eat? The roots of the mature plant reaches deep into the soil and collects trace elements like selenium and zinc. Alfalfa sprouts are a good source of vitamins A, C, E, K and vitamins B-complex. They also contain calcium, magnesium, iron and potassium.

Once you have seen how easy it is to grow sprouts and how great they taste you might want to invest a couple of dollars in a sprouting jar or an automatic sprouter.

Raw food weekend; a body cleanse for rookies

Does the thought of fasting make you feel hungry? Here is a great and above all EASY way to start a healthier life and clean your body from toxins: A RAW FOOD WEEKEND. There is no long, overwhelming commitment. No worries about being too hungry as you will eat solid food full of fibers. It won’t affect you work since you will only change your diet during the weekend.
Sounds promising? Well it is. Everyone can follow through with this raw weekend.

You will need to do a bit of planning:

1. Set a date. Choose a weekend where you have no social activities that involve eating planned. Doing this weekend cleanse while you have a barbeque at the neighbors is just making life hard on yourself. So find an appropriate weekend and block it in your calendar.
2. Decide on what to eat. Raw foods are foods which have never been heated above 116 Fahrenheit or 46 °Celsius. This does not only exclude cooked food but also dairy and most juices since they have been pasteurized. You should eat fresh raw vegetables, fresh raw fruit, raw nuts and sprouts. You should drink freshly squeezed juices and as much clean water (spring water or filtered water) as you possibly can. Since you will eat sprouts start by choosing what to sprout. I recommend chickpeas, lentils, radish seeds and alfalfa seeds. The reasons I recommend these are because they taste good and are easy to sprout.
3. Shop for food. Since it takes a couple of days for your seeds to sprout you need to do you initial shopping at least 5 days before you start your cleanse.
4. Prepare and plan. Now it’s time to get started. Follow the steps for easy sprouting. Also decide what else to eat. Will you eat salads or do you feel inspired enough to surf the web and search for exciting recipes for raw food.
5. Shop the fresh food. Now its time to make a real shopping list it should look something like this:

• Local fruits that are in season
• Your favorite fruits and vegetables
• Root vegetables
• Grapes or other sweet fruit
• Raw nuts (not roasted of salted)
• If you like vinegar on you salad get some raw apple cider vinegar

Whenever you can and the price is within reason choose organic food. If possible go to the local farmers market to do your shopping. Here you will find good quality and really great tasting products. Buy more than you think you will eat. It’s very hard to stand hungry in a kitchen full of forbidden food.

When you leave the house during your cleanse always bring some water and a fruit, some nuts or something else to snack on. This way you a less likely to fall for the temptation of buying some foods you are not supposed to eat.
So now you are ready to go. After this weekend you will feel lighter, have more energy and have less toxins in you body.

Caution
Eating raw food is a much easier way to clean your body than fasting. But if you are sick or recovering form illness, consult with your physician first. Never do a body cleanse if you are pregnant or lactating.
Changing your diet to raw food may cause gases. This is because the fibers in raw foods are intact, unlike cooked foods’ fibers, which are broken down by heat.

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