DIY Canning Butter

Caution should always be exercised with canning. The following video is offered as an inspiration of the many things you can do at home.

Pumpkins are a little known miracle food.

Pumpkin is not your average food. High in iron, full of vitamins, minerals anti-oxidants and even fiber, Pumpkin is one of the few vegetables allowed during the Atkins induction phase. Part of the squash family, Pumpkin seed can be used in any Winter squash recipe, being part of the same family as squash and cucumber. You can even roast it without opening it, on 350 degrees in your oven by poking holes in it to let the steam out. It will cook perfectly.

Pumpkin can keep for 6 months whole. Store them in a cool place (50-60 degrees) with newspaper beneath them when they aren't opened. Once opened though, you should use the pumpkin within a couple of days or so, as it can begin to decompose quickly. Once cooked it will usually keep for 4-5 days in the fridge. Dehydrated or canned, you can get a year or more out of pumpkin.

For seeds you can dry them on paper towels, oil them and salt/season them a bit if you prefer, and slow roast them at 250 degrees until the scent is right. This process is usually not more demanding then 45 minutes to an hour, when you stir them every 15 minutes for evenly dispersed roasting.
The Seeds can also be used to make milk, by soaking the seeds in 5 cups water and then blending the entire mixture until milky, adding agave or other desired flavoring touches as desired, then straining the pulp out. The pulp can be used a pate if desired, and the milk itself can be blended (like most non-dairy milks) with oil to make cream, or butter (butter comes with lots of blending).

Starting pumpkin seeds off (guesstimating 1 cup of pumpkin seeds and a 1/2 cup water) with less water will make a thicker cream instead of a milk if you do not wish to emulsify with oil. Adding 3-4 tbs of agar-agar to heated pumpkin milk until it dissolves will help you to make a hard cheese (though adding lemon juice, garlic powder, and onion powder to taste is recommended for cheesy flavor). Some raw foodists ferment the creamed versions of nut milks (without oil) of the milk as cheese over the course of 2-3 days in a lightly colored pan after simmering milk to rid of potentially harmful bacteria. It could work with seed milk.

A quicker way to roast pumpkin seeds




Pumpkin's color communicates its beta-carotene benefit right from first sight. It's full of
Vitamin A, Protein, Alpha and Beta Carotenes, antioxidant carotenoids, Zinc, copper, Manganese, Phosporous, Amino Acid L-Tryptophan, Vitamins C, K and E, iron as mentioned, fiber, minerals as mentioned, potassium, effective carbohydrates, and magnesium. In short, this vegetable is a powerhouse of goodness. The seeds, called Pepitas are abundant with minerals as well as what some say is an anti-inflammatory effect. It has also been said it can protect against prostate cancer and osteoporosis.



The heavier sizes are great for cooking (2 to 5 pounds is a good range- when they are too big they are not as suitable), while light sized pumpkins are drier with more open space in their middles.





This Fall, you can share some of those interesting facts with your social circle, as many have no idea pumpkin can be used for more than pie and seeds.

Some folks even make boats out of the giant ones ^_^













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DIY Comfrey Oil

In a society that must return to its creative DIY consciousness, online tutorials are a great solution for learning more about herbal remedies, indoor gardening and the like. From time to time we'll be bringing you interesting DIY projects that can help you build upon your skills to provide for your own needs from the bounty of nature and your revitalized imagination.

Enjoy the following tutorial that will teach us about making Comfrey oil.

In general, comfrey is considered as a medicinal plant with
anti-inflammatory, analgesic and tissue regenerating properties in
Germany. A clinical study shows its efficacy on acute ankle
sprains, pain and edema. [2] Topical application of comfrey shows
improvement of morning joint stiffness with good tolerability in
another trial. [3]
-http://www.zhion.com/herb/Comfrey.html




Learn to make oil from scratch here
and research how to make oils and butters with your juicer.


Also recommended:
Learn about Ancient Allergy Remedies here.

The efficiency of the Acai Berry

Called one of the most nutritious superfoods and powerful foods in the world by Dr. Perricone,
Acai has fast become the ingredients to look for in smoothies, and prepackaged drinks. A Brazilian import, the acai berry tastes like berries and chocolate, and bursts with high energy. The unsweetened pulp version of the fruit is the preferable form to purchase. You can find it in most natural food stores. The benefits of Acai are numerous. They include; combatting premature aging with antioxidants (Acai has 10 times more antioxidants than grapes), a near perfect amino acid complex with valuable minerals necessary for proper muscle regeneration and health, as well as the support of cardiovascular health and digestive balance with 'good' fats, phytosterols, and dietary fiber.



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Organic Candy

So close to Halloween, giving consideration to ecologically, socially responsible and even healthy candy is recommended. Fortunately Green and Natural Mom has discovered something that can make the organic-geared greenies very happy:Pure Fun Organic Candy.



I haven't tried it personally yet, but the website is sure loads of fun in a Willy Wonka-ish swirl of color and upbeat carnival worthy acoustics kind of way. Their candy colors are derived of natural origins such as:


* Annatto
* Turmeric

* Alfalfa
* Red Cabbage

* Red Beets
* Caramel



And their natural flavors range from:

* Goji Berry
* Lemon
* Lime
* Orange
* Tangerine
* Honey Lemon

* Raspberry
* Green Apple
* Watermelon
* Ginger
* Cinnamon
* Pomegranate

* Maple
* Licorice (and Anise)
* Root Beer
* Vanilla


*In addition to this they steer clear of creepy GMO's, gluten, casein, dairy, artificial flavors, dyes, pesticides, preservatives and FD&C colors.




In short, pure fun is candy that isn't poisonous.
Enjoy ^_^

The Value Of Sleep

Proper rest regulates weight, undoes depression, and keeps heart disease at bay. But if you're like most people, sleep is probably considered more of a luxury than a necessity. You may, like many others, sacrifice the time your body and mind need to replenish themselves, to get just a bit of extra work done here and there, but at what cost?

Lack of sleep can cause mood disturbances, increase pain, and even increase your risk of developing diabetes.A poll in 2007 conducted by the National Sleep Foundation found that 60 percent of American women get a sufficient night's rest only a few times per week or less, though 8 hours of sleep per night is essential for maximum health.

So how do we get back on track?
Better diet, and remodeling your habits are two surefire ways to re-acclimate your body and mind to operating on a full night of sleep. Habits take 21 days to become set into one's mind. Keeping this in mind, you can create a schedule for yourself that involves better management of time that strictly calls lights out at a non-negotiable time for at least a month to allow the pattern to establish itself in your nightly routine.

Set your alarm to go off an hour before your designated bedtime as a cue that you have an hour to get there.

Wind down during that hour after taking care of any last minute house duties, and/or hygienic rituals.

Your body begins to prepare itself for sleep well in advance of your awareness by producing the sleep chemical adenosine, while you're still awake. When you don't get enough sleep, the adenosine stays with you, keeping you drowsy. Some say this is a building of 'sleep debt'.
When the sun sets, your eyes take notice, and the body cues the pineal gland when it gets the signal from your eyes that light is dimming, at which point it secretes melatonin, to increase drowsiness.

Drowsiness can be overcome however, by a willful person intent on finishing up that last report for the following morning, or staying up to watch syndicated sitcoms to catch up on entertainment missed during the day. In cases where one finds themselves very undisciplined or plagued by thought to the extent that they can't relax into sleep, there are natural alternatives.
Natural sleep aids like Melatonin, or Valerian root can assist you in getting your required amount of sleep, as can the aroma-therapeutic benefits of Lavender, when sprayed upon a pillow, or added to a diffuser.



Source:
Natural health Magazine, June 2008

Feel Good Challenge #4

Compiling affirmations helps us to get back in touch with the part of us that dreams vividly, and has access to a neverending pool of hope: Our innerchild. Society has told us to stuff the child within down, and grow up, but how well does that really work for us? Creativity is natural.
It is time for everyone to come out of stifling the one gift that makes all of us unique. Our ability to express our view.








You'll Need:

Innerchild tools of your choice (clay, glue, paper, crayons, pen, stickers, glitter, etc)
Goodies for guilt-free munching (PBJ, Green Banana Smoothies, etc)



Action:

It's playtime. Allow yourself to create right now, without judgment. Color. Glue. Sculpt. Reconnect with the part of you that knows the value of wonder, and expression of perspective. Draw a picture of the tree in your front yard. Doodle and find symbols in your doodles for personal insight. If you find yourself drawing flowers, notice whether they are blooms or buds. What do they tell you about your own process. If you notice alot of stars in your art, consider that your subconscious may see much brightness ahead in your path. It may be your time to shine.

When you've finished your innerchild session, take some time to write down any insights you may have gained through the process.


Please share your feedback about the challenge and talk with other challenge participants in the comments.

The Mighty? Mangosteen

Mangosteen may not have survived America's first attempts to have the 18 foot high trees that grow in Africa, flourish in the states (the only tree that bloomed bore one fruit that died fairly quickly), but that doesn't stop industry from attempting to bring its benefits to US customers. Entire wild forests of the fruit can be found in Malaya, and the fruit is also found in the Caribbean and Central America.
There a decent number of skeptics however, who feel that something claimed to be so versatile and tasting as good as Mangosteen does, might not be very effective, despite reports that Mangosteen is anti-depressant, anti-leukemic, anti-microbial (fungus and bacteria), and also anti-viral.

Mangosteen is said to contain over 40 xanthones (biologically active plant phenols identified in select tropical plants) identified in the rind, which places the fruit in the category of one of the fruits with the highest xanthone content, according to Xango.com (a major distributor of the Mangosteen juice product). They claim also that only 6 xanthones have been studied in depth (fully ripe fruits are said to contain xanthones, gartanin, 8-desoxygartanin, and normangoston and a derivative of mangostin that is a central nervous system depressant, causing a blood pressure rise).

In eastern countries the rind is sliced and dried into a powder to overcome dysentery. It is also made into an ointment that is applied to eczema and other disorders of the skin. The decoction of the rind is taken to relieve diahrrea and cystitis, gleet, and gonorrhea applied as an astringent. Steeped in water overnight it is a remedy for chronic diahrrea in both adults and children.

In the Phillipines a decoction of the leaves and bark is used to treat thrush, diahrrea, dysentery, and disorders of the urinary tract. An infusion of the leaves with an unripe banana and a bit of benzoin is applied in Malay to the wound of circumcision. As a root decoction it's taken to regulate menstruation.

In the end it may be too early to tell if Mangosteen is the superfruit juice ingredient Xango claims it to be, but it is surely a gem in the world of folk medicine.


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Brown Short Grain Rice Hearts Your Hair

Hair is the fastest growing tissue. It utilizes your body's nutrients, making balance the key in taking in optimal nutrition. Hair requires a mix of complex carbohydrates, protein, minerals and vitamins in balanced portions. Overdoing it with any particular nutrient can throw off your hair's healthy balance. The primary building block of your hair, is protein. Complex carbohydrates and iron (a valuable mineral in this area of health) will help hair growth. B Complex vitamins, build good hair and skin, and Zinc, Folic acid are also helpful.



Why Brown Short-Grain Rice ?
A fantastic source of B vitamins and fiber, Brown Short Grain Rice provides the complex carbs your hair will need for healthy growth. Taken with protein during mealtime it is the perfect meal for your follicles. Good sources of ethical protein include Soy, and Beans.
It is considered ideal to start with proper complex carbs and protein as early in the day as possible when your hair follicles need the most energy. A cup of rice (steamed, blended or mixed with 2 more parts water then strained to make rice milk) with vegetables or fruits, can make for an ideal source of nutrition in the morning hours.

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