www.HerbnHome.com

A Simple Healing Appetizer

2009-10-13T11:10:00.003-05:00

A friend asked me today about raw garlic which inspired me to remember my favorite raw garlic dish. I immediately made a batch of it. This appetizer is so yummy and healing! The garlic clears your sinuses and your lungs as well as providing an anti-biotic effect. Garlic is also known to clear asthma attacks and reduce fevers and pain. The cumin is fantastic for the digestive system and helps reduce pain as well. As I still have some lingering join pain from the flu that will be nice. The best thing about this appetizer is that it is easy to make - because who wants to cook when they are ill?

Recipe

1. Slice some tomatoes in a large bowl. Add to a second bowl - a few large spoons of raw garlic, a tablespoon of olive oil and a tablespoon of cumin.

2. Add some salt and mix the garlic mixture.

3. Combine the two mixtures. This tastes best when you cover it and let the tastes mingle together for an hour before eating it but I can rarely wait it smells so good!

My son smelled it and wanted some. He does not like tomatoes so he dipped some crackers in it - his evaluation - "this is awesome!"

How Housework Can Heal You

2009-10-12T12:12:00.002-05:00

Some tips for people who need to get their house clean while they are ill:

If the work can wait, leave it. However, this popular encouragement from friends, family and well wishers can often work against you as having a clean house enhances the positive Feng Shui in your space and can increase your ability to heal. So leave what is not urgent (no need to wash the windows or dust the top of the ceiling fans today) but you may want to consider doing some bare basics and here are some tips on how to do those in a healing manner:

1. Add 6 drops of essential oil of thyme, eucalyptus, rosemary, tea tree or other healing oil to dishwater and do your dishes by hand. The steam from the hot water will clear your sinuses and your lungs and the oils will help your immune system. Additionally, your dishes will be germ free and very clean!

2. Wear a face mask when dusting or using any cleansers of any kind. Even if you don't usually have a reaction to cleansers remember that your body's immune system is weak now and may have reactions to things it can usually tolerate.

3. Turn off the air and open the windows - even if it is winter or hot summer - this will help air out the house, clean the air in the house and help you feel better too. Having the heat on in the winter may feel comfortable, but it can often dry the air and when you are ill this warm dry heat is an ideal atmosphere for virus and bacteria to breed in.

4. Ask someone to help you do at least one thing - a friend, a spouse or a child. People feel good when they help and it feels good to be cared for. This positive energy can help you heal.

5. Do some organizing and pick up things from the floors and around the home. This can help the healing energy flow of the home and allows you to move about in a gentle manner so you can work the illness out of your system.

6. Do a load of sheets and pajamas or clothes and add some lavender or another favorite relaxing essential oil to the dryer sheets. This will help you sleep at night and even perhaps nap during the day. It will also lessen your stress and you will not be worrying about all the work you will have to catch up on when you are "well" again.

7. Cook a nice chicken soup or vegetable soup (if you don't eat meat) with chopped vegetables. You can chop the vegetables while you are sitting. Chopping is a simple action that can induce meditation if done with mindfulness (your mind only in that moment). This and other meditative activities can speed healing in your body. And of course the soup is very healing - especially if you add healing herbs like thyme, rosemary, and sage.

8. Do some additional meditative activities like sorting your e-mail, darning socks, or filing papers instead of watching TV or staring at the walls in misery (I speak from experience here LOL). These are tasks that can create anxiety when left undone for too long, but they are also tasks that are hard to do when one is feeling energetic and "ready to work". Finishing some menial tasks like this will give you a sense of accomplishment and will alleviate worry and guilt and this will increase your healing ability.

Friday's Live Chat- Unconditional Parenting with Chis Cade

2009-09-29T14:38:00.001-05:00

Dear Members,

Our next live Earthschooling Waldorf chat is this Friday, October 2nd at 11am CST/USA. It is with Chris Cade, whom many of you know from the website www.Spiritualshortstories.com - the topic will be "Staying Inspired as a Parent" however, you will have the opportunity to ask any questions you want including questions about stories.

Registration is limited. You can sign up HERE to attend this session or sign upHERE to attend more than one session.

October 2nd, 10AM PST - Inspiration for Parents - Unconditional Parenting, How to Stay Inspired and Using Stories in Parenting
with Chris Cade of http://www.spiritual-short-stories.com/

Chris Cade has been inspiring millions of people daily through his website Spiritual Short Stories. Many Earthschooling and Waldorf parents subscribe to his newsletter and are already familiar with his work. I know that a number of Waldorf teachers and parents use stories from his website for their daily "inner work" meditation as well as for Main Lessons or story time. Chris will join us for an hour on October 2nd to answer questions and share wisdom about "Unconditional Parenting", stories in parenting and how he stays inspired as a parent. Chris is the visionary behind world's #1 Spiritual Story site online. In April, Chris asked to be laid off so that he could follow his dreams to empower people worldwide with his network of spiritual websites, the Inscribe Your Life program, and his upcoming printed book "Think Without the Box."
www.inscribeyourlife.com
www.spiritual-short-stories.com
www.chriscade.com

Why I Had Food Poisoning

2009-07-29T13:44:00.003-05:00

A few days ago I had a bad case of food poisoning. I am sure if it was anyone else it would have lasted more than one day. I immediately wondered about that lettuce I had eaten that evening. There was nothing to tell me it was "bad" but I just had this "intuitive feel" about it - and my intuition is rarely wrong. However, I just let it go and was happy I was fine.

Imagine my surprise when this morning I received the following information from a consumer watch organization I am a member of:

Do you have fresh lettuce in your fridge? Last Wednesday, a company recalled romaine lettuce in 29 states due to salmonella. Much of that lettuce was already in people's homes. Did you know about the recall effort so you could check on your greens? Probably not. It's time we stop relying on unreliable recalls and start to prevent food poisoning up front. The Food Safety Enhancement Act will do that, but we need your Representative to vote FOR it this week, before Congress goes on its recess!

The House could vote THIS AFTERNOON or tomorrow. Act now!

It certainly would be nice to have more information about what is happening with the food I purchase. We are not able to be self-reliant at this point so I do rely on outside food sources and I need to trust those sources.

My stomach seems to be "iron" in many ways. I lived overseas for years and ate street vendor food, unwashed vegetables and fruits and even drank from the NILE a few times. I can't believe some of the things I ate! But the only times I ever got ill were when I at at the "Nile Hilton" in Tahrir square. I often wonder if the entire "beware of local food" scare was created to increase attendance at local hotel restaurants!

Of course, that is my experience and I am saying that jokingly, of course. One should be cautious in what they eat and aware of what they are consuming - from a street vendor or from a fancy hotel chain.

What has surprised me most of all is that in 16 years of living in "developing countries" I experienced food poisoning only twice. Since coming back to live in the USA I've experienced it 6 times in only 5 years. What are your experiences with food poisoning? How do you keep yourself and your family safe? Share with the list! I would love to hear what everyone has to say.

Blessings & Health,
Kristie
www.HerbnHome.com
www.TheAvicennaInstitute.com

How Can You Tell if Health Information is Valid?

2009-07-29T13:26:00.004-05:00

A student at The Avicenna Institute brought up a good point in their paper the other day. They mentioned that a lot of studies that are done on the benefits of different foods are done by the government or by the food industry itself. So how can you tell what the truth is? They cited a website that had claimed many benefits of their product.

Last week I was doing research on artificial food colorings and I found the official European government site that stated that "of course these are not harmful". "Of course" if the government makes something legal they want to reassure us that it is not harmful. This is one example of how false information can be propagated to large groups of people.

However, in using the Internet as a research tool (along with books, interviews, studies, etc...) I have found that in most cases positive information is quite accurate on many websites. If you go to a website that sells honey their quoted studies on the benefits are usually accurate. When you check on the journal references and studies they are usually easy to find and "check out". If you go to a website that talks about the benefits of aromatherapy, homeopathy, brown rice, or anything I have found that 99% of the time their positive quotes stand up to a background check.

So in doing your own research online I just wanted to share that what you need to be most cautious about is the lack of negative information or the abundance of negative information. If a website contains lists of positive studies you need to also check on some of the negative studies or information about that product. You should cross reference everything with at least one impartial source or at least three different sources. Perhaps check out Snopes. Although they seem to have a bias that runs against natural healing, they tend to use "tried and true" methods of research - two professional research librarians run Snopes out of their trailer and use the library, journals and phone calls as their main research methods.

Of course the best method is to check with a professional. Many of my clients send me long e-mails with questions about supplements, products, and foods they are consuming. I can often save clients hundreds of dollars and many hours of wasted time, simply by helping them go through their "cupboards" and sort through all the "hype" attached to the products they use. Many times there are less expensive products that are available that can show the same results or benefits. If you would like assistance sorting through all the conflicting health information you have gathered contact your health care professional - they are there to help you with things like this! Most people think they need to contact their health care practioner only if they are ill, but a consult of this nature could actually save you from becoming ill, and save you hundreds of dollars as well. If you don't have a health care practitioner you can contact about this information I am available online at www.HerbnHome.com - consultations are still only $47.00 until August 1st.

Beware of Bad Herbal Advice

2009-07-22T15:19:00.002-05:00

Somehow I got on a mailing list for Triple Crown Health Newsletters. They appear legitimate because they put a big banner ad for Blue Cross at the top of their header. Only on close inspection can one tell that it is an ad and the newsletter is not coming from Blue Cross. For months I thought they were newsletters coming from Blue Cross and I found it interesting that Blue Cross was putting out so many herbal newsletters so I didn't opt out. However, today was the first time I have read one of the newsletters and this is why.

As I was skimming through the newsletter I saw the words "Kava Kava". Kava Kava makes me very ill. So ill that I would even consider visiting the emergency room. This is not unusual. Just like every herb, not all herbs are meant to be consumed by everyone. Although Kava Kava is advertised as a relaxing herb it actually makes many people's heart race and can induce panic attacks or worse. I was curious what they had to say and then horrified that the newsletter didn't mention anything about side effects at all. In fact, in closing, it said,

"Many people ask themselves, how do I know that herbs are safe for me to take? Herbs are all natural, so in most cases herbs are very good to take. Herbs rarely cause side effects like many other drugs sold."

This is entirely false and is one reason why herbal medicine sometimes gets a bad reputation. Herbs should be taken in a responsible manner and be considered just as carefully as you would any medicine. Many herbs have side effects and many people have contraindications of taking certain herbs. Some of these side effects can be confusing and uncomfortable as well as harmful.

I've had clients complain of horrible headaches and dizziness because they steeped teas for too long. One client came to me with a range of complaints. When I asked him about supplements he consumed it turned out he was taking about 30 different herbs that someone at GNC had recommended for him. When he stopped taking the herbs his complaints went away. Another client spent days in bed with horrible cramps before they called me to ask advice. It turns out they were taking senna on a weekly basis without balancing it with cumin or another herb to calm the intense cramps it can cause. When I was in labor with my third child I accidentally took too much skullcap to calm me after the birth and put the nurses into a panic because my blood pressure went so low. Luckily I knew why it was so low, I stopped drinking the tea and avoided the costly and perhaps painful tests they had in store for me.

The best way to decide what herbs to take is to consult a resource or a person you trust and the best way to tell if you can trust them or not is to ask them, "Do herbs have side effects?" If they say no, then find another resource.

Do I Have to Gain Weight to Get the Nutrition I Need?

2009-06-17T23:09:00.003-05:00

Question (edited to abbreviate): "I am nutritionally frustrated, and you are someone who will understand. In investigating my sudden onset joint pain, I found that I am anemic. I have never been anemic, and am guessing it may be due to my reduced calorie/reduced red meat diet that allowed me to lose 35 lbs. So today for breakfast I had a bowl of cereal with 5 g fiber and 4 mg iron, prune juice with 2 g fiber and 3.5 mg iron. I added a glass of grapefruit juice with vit C because prune juice has no vit C, and had a strawberry smoothie. This provides 7.5 mg of iron, toward a daily goal of 18, and 10 g fiber toward a daily goal of 25g. It also adds up to 13 Weight Watcher's points, and my daily total is 20 points. Am I going to have to re-gain 35 lbs in order to each enough food to correct my anemia and get enough fiber to avoid getting constipated? I see no option other than to take supplements, and that should not be the way this works. Am I wrong?" - B

Dear B,

This is a great question and a place where herbs are the perfect solution! There are so many herbs that are high in iron and herbal teas have no calories! Some ideas are below:

ROOT TEAS (Make as decoctions)
Choose one or mix together in portions
Burdock
Yellow Dock
Goldenseal
Don Quai
Oregon Grape Root
Pau d'arco

LEAFY TEAS (make as infusions or eat as foods)
Chives
Raspberry leaf tea
Alfalfa
Nettles
Dandelion
Chickweed
Horsetail
Mullein

There are also many dietary solutions to your problem - eating patterns and various foods you can focus on, as well as other therapies you may want to explore. If you would like a full consultation I offer consultations at www.HerbnHome.com

Blessings & Health,
Kristie Karima Burns, MH, ND

Carrots and Chlorine

2009-06-15T19:45:00.000-05:00

For years I thought I was allergic to carrots. I ate from a variety of sources so I am sure there were a few times I didn't react to them. However, the majority of times I did. I had horrible reactions to them - a catch in the throat and a general feeling of being choked. However, I enjoyed the taste of carrots and for some reason carrot juice never seemed to give me the same problem. Years passed and finally I decided to get new allergy tests. Nothing showed up new - I had the same allergies I had when I was two years old (although interestingly enough many of them don't bother me anymore. I have four cats, for example, and don't have any reaction to them anymore). My favorite carrots were the little mini carrots that were pre-cut. They just seemed so easy. The other place I ate a lot of carrots was when I lived overseas. I ate them fresh from the market.

Have you figured out the mystery yet?

I didn't either. It took me years and years to figure it out until one day I read an article about how packaged carrots are treated with chlorine bleach before going to market. In Egypt, where I was living for a time, it was common for people to soak their vegetables in a weak bleach solution to kill parasites and other contaminants. In both cases I was getting from minute to large doses of bleach - something I am severely allergic to.

I am sharing this story because this happens, not only with carrots but with many food items. You may feel miserable after eating certain foods, but it may not be the food itself - it may be the way it is processed or what is added to it.

Did you know that boxed orange juice most often contains at least a little moldy fruit? This is bad news for people allergic to mold but not allergic to oranges.

Did you know nuts have high mold counts too?

Many salads contain sulfites?

Salad dressings in most restaurants contain MSG?

Some processed meats, chips and canned soups contain gluten?

The list could go on for pages.

So if you are having a reaction to one of your favorite foods it may be helpful to do some research into how it is harvested, stores, transported, processed and displayed. It could be at one of these points that the irritating substance is added and not the food itself. And keep in mind - purchasing organic and/or at the farmer's market will reduce your chances of having a reaction but won't eliminate the chances all together.

Reduce Caffeine in Tea Naturally

2009-06-10T18:44:00.002-05:00

One thing I have noticed after years of healing is that one of the main problems we have in today's society is consumption of too much caffeine. I cannot drink caffeine myself because my body has what I call, "natural caffeine". However, I know how hard it is to avoid caffeine! The other day I ate a piece of chocolate cake at a restaurant and didn't realize it was made with espresso. I did not sleep all night. I also realize how hard it is to avoid caffeine in black, green and white teas. I have some dear friends who have given me tea as gifts and they are such lovely tempting flavors, but they all contain caffeine. However, there IS a solution. This solution also works if you accidentally pick up that caffeinated tea at the store instead of caffeine free (I did that with some Earl Grey once) or if your favorite tea that you want to enjoy a cup of in the evening just happens to be the one with caffeine in it.

Did you know that you can make your own decaf tea from caffeinated tea? To do this - put the tea bag in the cup, pour boiling water over this, let steep 20 seconds. Pour off the hot water and then pour on new water. The tea still maintains its healing qualities and taste but is no longer caffeinated. This is especially important for Green Tea as it has almost as much caffeine as coffee!

Enjoy your tea!

Blessings & Health,
Kristie Karima Burns, MH, ND
www.HerbnHome.com

Healing Breath by Kristie Karima Burns, MH, ND

2009-05-25T07:02:00.000-05:00

The other day I happened to be in a room with a reiki master when I experienced a tightening of my chest. It was uncomfortable but it was not unexpected. I had just eaten a bagle with lox and cream cheese and raw onion. A lot of bread does not agree with me and raw onions never do. I should have known better. So I commented that I was going to excuse myself for a glass of water. Instead I was offered a treatment. Her comment was, "you should not be in THAT much pain from some onions". Just another example of how, as a healer, it is often most difficult to heal oneself!

After a few moments in the chair, she commented that I was not breathing. My breath was so shallow that I was not getting enough oxygen to my heart and chest and entire body. Not surprising. It had been a stressful day and the event I was at was one I felt "forced" to attend - I was eager to get back to my own world and was not feeling very comfortable.

She lead me through a simple exercise:

Breathe as deeply as you can in through your nose.

Hold the oxygen there in your lungs.

Breathe out.

Repeat 10 times or as needed.

After this I was completely pain free.

It is amazing how we can so often forget the most basic things of life.

So next time you have pain or are feeling anxious or unwell - try to breathe and see if it helps you. It is free and only takes a few moments so it is worth a try! And remember - if that does not work, drink a large glass of water. Many issues in our life are also caused by slight dehydration.

To learn more about inexpensive healing methods visit my website:

www.TheNaturalLivingChannel.com

Blessings & Health,
Kristie Karima Burns, MH, ND
www.HerbnHome.com
www.NaturopathicHealingCourse.com

Space Clearing Reminder

2009-05-20T08:00:00.000-05:00

We often forget how simple healing can be and how taking care of just the basic things in our life can heal us. Water - air - and our environment can all heal us if we take care to drink enough, breathe deeply enough and clear our space. I send this reminder out once a year - these are my instructions on how to give your space a regular and easy "space clearing":

Initial Space Clearing and Weekly Maintenance
1. Clean your home (or the space you are clearing)
2. Put things where they belong
3. Throw out anything and everything that you do not need.
4. Take a ceramic or glass bowl and fill it half with sand. Make a little hole in the sand and fill it with sage leaves. Set them on fire and walk slowly around the house with your “sage fire” distributing the smoke. Concentrate especially on the corners and entryways of the rooms.
5. Buy some fresh fruits – including at least one or two unusual ones and place them in a basket in your kitchen.
6. Buy some fresh flowers. Place one bunch in your living room and one in your bedroom. Yellow is good for the bedroom. (if fresh flowers are too expensive for weekly. Buy two cheerful plants or two multi-bright-colored scarves and put them in these rooms)
7. Buy (or unpack) an aromatherapy candle and place it in your bathroom. Burn it for two hours.
8. Place a beeswax candle on your dining room table with a small houseplant (Such as a baby cactus or flowering or green plant – whatever appeals to you).
9. Play some music that you enjoy for one hour in the space. Even if you are not in the space.

In general – create a beautiful perfect world for people to come into and invite them in. Don’t let people come in and create or change the atmosphere of your home. You control it. If someone comes and leaves a bad “impression” on your home or you have a fight or a serious discussion. Burn the aromatherapy candles, burn some sage, buy some more fresh flowers and re-new YOUR space that you control.

Other Names for MSG

2009-05-17T06:30:00.000-05:00

If you look on the sidebar of this blog you will find a few articles I have written on MSG. Not everyone reacts to this substance. However, if you do, it can be devastating. Symptoms can range from headaches to insomnia to heart palpitations. MSG can cause anxiety attacks in some people and much more. I have found some useful links to supplement the articles I have already written on the subject. The first set of links gives you a list of other names for MSG and a little background, the second set of links talks about the many restaurants that use it and the places you will most commonly find it.

http://www.naturodoc.com/library/nutrition/MSG.htm - along with this there is a list of restaurants that use this at: http://www.msgtruth.org/whywe.htm and:
http://www.rense.com/general52/msg.htm
and
http://www.msgmyth.com/discus/messages/12/12.html

To learn more about eating right you can audit the Nutritional Healing Course or earn a certificate in Nutritional Healing at: www.TheAvicennaInstitute.com

Music and Healing

2009-05-15T18:14:00.003-05:00

You have probably heard the term "Musical Therapy" or are familiar with the idea that music can heal. However, did you know how easy it can really be? In its basic form, it is something very simple that everyone can do for free at home. The following chart tells you which sound you should hum and which note you should hum it in for each of the body systems you are dealing with.

The link below shows you where you can get some of those notes online (there ARE online tuning forks!) if you do not have a tuning fork or other instrument at home. If you have a tuning fork at home it is best for you to hold the tuning fork to that area of the body so you can feel the vibrations of the note. Another good "trick" is to fill a glass with water so it vibrates to the note you need. After clinking a fork on the side of the glass a few times you can drink the water that was in the glass.

Crown Chakra (Head) - ngngng - B
Brow - mmm nnnn - A
Throat - eeeeeeee - G
Heart - ay - F
Solar Plexus - ah ah ah - E
Sacral - oooooo - D
Root/Base - oh oh oh - C

http://www.onlinetuningfork.com/

Enjoy!

If you want to learn more about natural healing remember to visit:
www.TheNaturalLivingChannel.com to see free videos or
www.TheAvicennaInstitute.com to enroll in classes. Classes start at only $25.00.

Blessings & Health,
Kristie Karima Burns, MH, ND

My Favorite Detox Diet

2009-04-08T10:15:00.002-05:00

Every change of season I do a detox. Sometimes I do a juice fast, sometimes I use a lot of herbs, sometimes I do other kinds of detoxes. However, for the next ten days I am doing my favorite detox diet. I almost feel guilty doing it because it is so easy. It seems like I should be suffering more - LOL :) The thing I like about this diet is that it does not deprive a person of any basic needs (such as proteins or grains), it does not limit portions of most of the items and it is based on creating a completely balanced food experience (in terms of hot and cold foods) so your body can more easily detox. Because there are no stimulating foods on the menu (hot foods like cayenne, sugar, beef, or other foods of hot temperament) those horrible urges one has to eat "junk food", bread or sugar or more food are not there. What we don't realize is that a lot of those desires come from the stimulants in the food we eat. There are also no overly "cold temperament" foods so your body's metabolism does not slow down. In many fasts or detoxes, if you are consuming too many cold temperament foods - like raw fruits and vegetables or raw juices, your body could become overwhelmed with cold foods and become stagnant.

This is the detox diet. It should be done for 10 days and can be done up to 40 days. You can add herbs to it according to your needs. I did a mini consult for myself and decided that I would add Nettles and Hibiscus tea to my detox this week. Vegetables should be slightly cooked - don't eat too many raw and follow the instructions. I usually allow myself one favorite fruit - this week I am eating blackberries. The first day I cooked an apple with one of the veggie stir fries I made.

It is always best to consult a health care professional before embarking on any detox program. This program should not take the place of any advice from your health care professional. I am available for consults at: www.HerbnHome.com . Some people find it more convenient to have an online consultation.

Detox Fast - 7-10days

You are allowed only:
Vegetables: Asparagus, beet, broccoli, Brussel sprouts, carrot, celery, Swiss chard, cucumber, eggplant, endive, garlic, kholrabi, lettuce, mushroom, mustard greens, onion, parsley, parsnip, pepper, potato, radish, spinach, squash, tomato, watercress (argula)
Legumes: Beans (green or snap), peas
Grains and flours: Wheat germ, bran, oatmeal
Fruits: Avocado
Seeds: Pumpkin, squash, sesame, sunflower
Nuts: Brazil (for protein), pinon
Meats: If you MUST, have only 3-5 ounces of chicken breast per day or fish
Dairy products: Yogurt (maximum one cup a day)
Herbs: chives, sweet basil, dill
Drinks: Green herb teas like chamomile, peppermint, alfalfa, nettles, etc...

NO OIL, SALT, MSG, MILK, TEA, CANDY, SNACKS, BREAD, SUGAR, HONEY!
Do not use Maggi or other Chicken bouillon cubes to cook with during this time. Use only fresh vegetable broth, water or homemade chicken broth.

COOKING TIPS
For oil in cooking use broth or water or a little butter or a tsp. of olive oil only.
Do not use salt. Don’t worry. After two days your food will taste naturally salty
Use yogurt in soups and cooking for a creamy effect and in place of oil for baba ganoush.
Use only plain yogurt
Each person gets only 1 small chicken BREAST a day or fish or no meat. No more!

IDEAS
Stir Fry vegetables
Chop veggies in a pot and bake them in a tomato or other sauce for 30 minute in a covered pan
Use oatmeal to thicken soups and sauces, then blend some in the blender for a creamy soup.
Slice vegetables in fingers and steam or bake with curry powder or fresh herbs
Zucchini and carrots with fresh dill
Potatoes with chives, garlic and onions
Potatoes with fresh dill and a bit of mustard
Bisilla, bemia, fusulia all made without oil and no rice
Soups
Oatmeal - plain (for kids with apple and raisin)
Raw vegetables cut up
Chopped salads with lettuce, tomato, onion, broccoli, cauliflower, peppers, carrots.
Zucchini and tomato stir fry with chopped spinach or parsley and Italian season
Tomato Soup with green pepper, carrot and squash
Broccoli and cauliflower stir fry

TIPS
Chop up carrots, celery, broccoli, cauliflower, etc...and keep them in a container for when anyone gets hungry. Keep a basket of apples and oranges out for the children when they get hungry. Use any leftover stir fries for soups the next day. Use a lot of fresh herbs or spices to make up for the lack of salt. Make a glass of carrot or carrot celery juice for a snack. (you can add an apple to the juice to make it sweeter but it must all be homemade juice).

Make it simple! Make oatmeal for breakfast with mint tea and then soup and chicken and salad for lunch. When you are stuck make soup or raw veggies. Buy some canned peas & carrots , beets and green beans for quick snacks-emergency hunger.

Pre-plan your meals and think about what you will make all week before you start. This will make shopping and cooking easier to plan. Don’t worry about making the same thing more than once.

Drink a lot of water.

Plan to eat a small nibble of veggies, glass of carrot juice or apple between the meals so you will not be hungry. Plan ahead! Perhaps prepare some meals , shop and plan for two days before you start.

MUST DO DURING THE DETOX
Walk every day to sweat
Shower or bathe daily with loufa
Drink lots of water. 8-10 glasses.

What our Children Should Be Eating

2009-04-04T16:38:00.003-05:00

When my children were babies and toddlers I had an idea in my head, formed in part by magazine articles, friends, my own mother, etc...about what foods were "healthy" for a growing child. I also had another list of things in my head called "things children will never eat". This list included spinach and lima beans.

However, as my children grew and as I learned more and more about nutrition through my own studies I realized that each person has their own list of "needs and desires". However, my own children have taught me more about this than my formal studies.

Rather than share a philosophy with you I will share some of the likes and dislikes of my youngest child, who is very intuitive.

Sofi dislikes meat. She will not eat it in a box, she will not eat it with a fox, she will not eat it in a house she will not eat it with a mouse...

She has been like this since she was a baby. I am not a complete vegetarian. Most of our meals are vegetarian focused. However, I do use meat as a flavoring because my own body cannot digest beans in any way, shape or form and many alternate protein sources (such as soy) I am allergic to. However, for Sofi she remains completely healthy with her vegetarian fare.

Sofi does not like orange juice, peas, green beans, carrots, oranges, bananas, lettuce or any of these typical "healthy" things I grew up with. For a while I tried to force these foods on her thinking to myself "who does not like orange juice???" However, Sofi's body was more clever than I! I discovered, over time, that she adores Molokia (a spinach like plant), she adores alfalfa sprouts (eats them by the handfuls) and will eat an entire box of raspberries in one sitting!

These were all items on my "kids won't eat" list. However, interestingly enough, these items are power packed with nutrition and are even healthier than the items I was trying to feed her. As a rule, sprouts, any "baby" greens and any berries have more nutrition than their larger vegetable or fruit counterparts.

As time goes on I find out more and more about my children's likes and dislikes and I have found that it is the nutrient value of what they are eating that is important rather than what they are eating. I have discovered that if I allow them to try different foods from different cultures and different gardens that they have more opportunities to find their own likes and dislikes. Instead of making those decisions for them, I now offer them a larger variety of foods and have the rule "you have to at least try it once but you don't have to finish it the first time". Sofi recently discovered she loves oriental orange chicken. I would never have thought she would have liked THAT!

Gone are the days where you have to have a certain amount of food in each of the "four food groups" or those days when everyone needs to have a glass of orange juice with their breakfast. Our focus is now on making sure the foods we eat are high in nutrition, organic when possible and loved by the person who is eating them.

How to Explain MSG to Children

2009-03-14T14:01:00.002-05:00

The other day I was trying to explain why MSG is unhealthy for you. However, my 10 and 12-year-old just looked at me with one of those "yah, whatever you say" looks. Obviously I didn't do a very good job of explaining. As many long-time readers know I have a campaign against MSG. It is a harmful flavoring that causes different health problems for different people ranging from stomach aches, insomnia and headaches to more major problems like diabetes, heart problems and cancer. Because of its dangers Chinese restuarants were pressured to take it out of their foods about 8-10 years ago.

What I have found offensive, since then, is that while Chinese restaurants have taken it out of their foods, places like Pizza Hut continue to add it to their sauces and many canned items include it in their sauces and soups. It is still used in many salad dressings and other food items.

However, I am getting "off track" here. If you want to know more about MSG you can visit this BLOG and find the words MSG to the right hand side and look at all the articles there.

This little note was to share an idea a student gave me about how to explain MSG in a way children would understand. She was completing her assignment on nutritional healing and included the following description of MSG:

MSG: Also can be named as hydrolyzed plant protein, natural flavor and Kmbu extract, autolyzed yeast, and yeast extract. The animal based MSG comes from animal blood or decaying protein. It has been linked to learning disorders in children and hyperactivity. Effects include headaches, nausea, diarrhea, mood changes, sleep problems, rash, sweating, and chest pain.

I think when anyone hears the words "animal blood and decaying protein" they will have enough information until they are able to understand the rest. That just sounds unappetizing!

Toxic Home Reminder & Affirmation

2009-03-09T12:27:00.003-05:00

A student in the Naturopathic Healing Course turned in her assignment today on the "Thirteenth Principal of Healing". She chose as her topic, "Creating a Healthy Living Space". I thought her paper was a great affirmation for all of us that what we are doing to live more natural lifestyles is worth it! Sometimes we spend so much money, time and thought creating all those "perfect natural spaces" around our home, purchasing the "greenest" cleaning supplies and making sure our kids have the most natural toys. However, some days don't you find yourself wondering, "I'm I being nuerotic or is this all worth it?" Even if you don't think it - how many times have your relatives asked you this question?

This quote, take from the first part of the student's paper, sums up the "worth" of it all to me:

Siegfried Gursche, in the Encyclopedia of Natural Healing, quotes: “According to the Environmental Protection Agency, fifty percent of all our illness can be traced to indoor pollution, which is ten times more toxic than its outdoor counterpart.”

Your Herbal "Stemulus" Package

2009-02-26T09:51:00.003-06:00

Ok, I admit I didn't make that up. Our local florist has that on their sign and I thought it was so clever! But it also fits what I wanted to talk about today. During rough economic times (be it now or another time) I often find people struggling to keep up with their natural healing program.

This can be for many reasons. Sometimes it is because their health insurance does not pay for the vitamins and herbs they are using, sometimes it is because the organic milk costs double what the "hormone laden" milk costs and it is hard to keep doubling one's grocery bill when the budget is so tight.

However, there are many things we can do to reduce our budget and still keep eating and healing in a natural way.

1. Use herbs and sprouts instead of expensive vitamins. Green herbal teas like Nettles, Alfalfa and Peppermint are laden with minerals and vitamins. Drinking a cup of greens every day is better than a multivitamin. Additionally, sprouts are packed with vitamins and minerals and are also very inexpensive to grow. If you can have tea and sprouts daily you do not need to purchase multi-vitamins. If you or a family member are taking vitamins for a certain condition you can plan your teas according to which nutrients they need the most. You can find a lot of this information online by searching under the name of the nutrient you need and the words, "herbal sources". If you would like a personalized nutrient tea created for you and your family please contact me at: herbnhome@gmail.com - the cost is only $15.00 per person.

2. Get "back to basics" in cooking. I find that when I'm not worried about money I may pick up those granola bars, boxes of cereal, canned organic soups and my favorite - ready-made Indian foods. However, making things from scratch is still the least expensive way to eat. And it does not need to be hard. Some of our favorites are also very budget-friendly. We love to make brown rice and then add our own toppings. I set cheese, greens, stir-fry veggies, and various toppings on the table and we make our own "rice sundaes". Yesterday I put some potatoes and a few other ingredients in the crock pot and we had a savory stew in the evening.

3. Prioritize your organic purchases. In an ideal world everything I purchase would be organic. However, my local organic resources are expensive and belonging to a buying co-op has not worked out for me yet. Instead, during the weeks when budgeting is tight, I may put some "regular" (although definitely unbleached!) flour in the cart, or buy some "regular" apples. However, I always purchase organic milk, eggs and meats. We use meat as more of a flavoring, so I don't need to purchase a lot of meat anyway. However, these three items are the ones that contain some of the worst pollutants when it comes to "regular" food standards.

4. Being vegan or vegetarian is also a good option! We don't eat much meat anyway, and my youngest daughter has always been vegetarian (nobody told her to, she just only likes to eat grains, beans, veggies and fruits). On weeks when the budget is tight we can always forgo the milk, eggs and meat too. Even if you are not interested in a vegetarian lifestyle, "going veggie" every once in awhile is a wonderful detox for yourself and your family. It also allows your family to discover new foods and new ways of cooking and eating.

5. Learn what herbs can substitute for your expensive herbs. Are you using herbs that are costing you a lot of money? Echinacea, Goldenseal and many Bowel Cleansing Formulas are very expensive. So are many other herbs and herbal formulas. Go online or to your local store and look at the least expensive herbs, then go online and search for what those herbs do. I can ALWAYS find an herb that is less expensive when I am doing healing work. For example, the best bowel cleanser & detoxer around is still psyllium husks. These have been used for thousands of years in India and the east and they are still superior and safe enough to use daily. You can purchase a large container or these for only $7.50 at the local health food store or online.

6. Make your own tinctures. There is nothing magical about a tincture. You can make your own "gypsy tinctures" from ANY herb (see the free video at www.TheNaturalLivingChannel.com) and store it in your refrigerator for 3-6 months. Use honey or glycerin to make the syrup/tincture tasty. The added bonus? Glycerin actually extracts herbal properties BETTER than alcohol does. The only time I purchase those expensive little tincture bottles at the store is when I am travelling or I need to keep something in my purse.

If you have any other ideas that you use please share them in the comments or by posting to:

herbnhome@yahoogroups.com

Blessings & Health,
Kristie
www.HerbnHome.com

3-Day Healing

2009-01-27T10:53:00.004-06:00

If I was only able to get one message to my clients and students I would want to share with them that healing can be very quick and easy. What I have found in over 18-years of doing healing work is that it is not the process that is difficult, it is us, as people, that make it difficult. If we can focus on changing the basics in our lives we can make changes that are instant and long-lasting. It always amazes me that we don't make the choice to do this more often and I often ponder why that is. Is it because we were raised in a society where everyone "went to the doctor" to get "medicine"? Is it because we were raised to fear germs, get immunizations and take expensive vitamins? Do we have this belief now that everything has to be complex?

To encourage new clients I like to share with them how quickly their lives can change if they start by focusing on the basics of life FIRST, before they see the doctor and before they take any herbs or start on any therapies. These are:

1. Sleep - sleep is so important that if you sleep less than 6.5 hours a night your blood sugar levels can become diabetic. To return your blood sugar levels to normal you only need to have a regular sleep schedule for 72 hours. Many other health problems that are caused by lack of sleep can also be healed (or at least improved) by sleeping well for only 3 days in a row!

2. Water - water is so significant that even slight dehydration can cause digestive problems, headaches and many other health problems. Just drinking one glass of water when you have a headache can often cure the headache. If you drink 8 glasses of water three days in a row any problems you have that are related to dehydration will improve or vanish.

3. Whole Foods Diet - diet is so important that what you eat the night before can effect you in the morning. What you eat one day can effect you for days to come. People who eliminate sugar and processed foods from their diet can see significant changes in their health within 3 days - blood tests will reflect these results.

4. Exercise - Just one session of walking or treadmill or even 5-minutes of stretching will increase your circulation to the extent that you will FEEL better immediately. Three days of continuous exercise will improve your sleep, increase circulation and increase serotonin levels significantly.

5. Positive Thought - Scientists are now finding that much of disease can be related to negative thought and stress. By focusing on the positive in your life just for three days you will see your serotonin levels rise, and your immune system stronger. Of the many hundreds of research papers in this area I found the following one very interesting:

"Now a new study adds another piece to the puzzle. Researchers at the University of Wisconsin are reporting today that the activation of brain regions associated with negative emotions appears to weaken people's immune response to a flu vaccine. "

The results are so quick with these simple steps that I am amazed more people don't try them. We are so trained into thinking that our cure or our solution will take such a long time that I don't think many people believe that they can induce almost instant cures using the five steps above. It seems hard to believe. But I have seen it happen over and over and over...

Blessings & Health,
Kristie Karima Burns, MH, ND
Consulting Online at : www.HerbnHome.com

Educated Natural Living

2009-01-27T10:36:00.003-06:00

In the "old days" what one read in a book or magazine was thought to be pretty accurate and we often based decisions on what we read. It was only with the advent of the Internet and self-publishing that more opinions emerged and we started to question what we were reading. Now, the tangled web we are in amazes me! In this day and age one needs to actually be educated in the field of natural healing and natural living just to be able to navigate the websites, online articles and off-line magazines and books.

I can't even read a magazine or book today without stopping every few pages and saying - "Hey - that is not true!" or "Wow! That is bad advice!"

Here is an example from a woman's magazine I picked up at the grocery store:

THE LIE (from the magazine)
(Article on saving energy)
"Cook your meals in your microwave oven, and you'll save time plus use 50% to 65% less energy than if you used a conventional oven."

THE REALITY (from me)
If you cook food with a microwave oven it will not save money because when you cook (or even re-heat) with a microwave you are destroying nutrients in the food. Food has no real value without nutrients so you will either find yourself more hungry later and need to eat more or you will find yourself depleated of nutrients over time and will need to purchase expensive supplements. Furthermore, a poor diet of microwave cooked food will cause health issues that will also cost you money.

This is just one example. However I see tens of examples daily as I browse the newspaper, magazines, articles and online sites.

So this little BLOG post is just a reminder....

Make sure you are educated in the subject you are reading about. Herbal and natural healing information in magazines and online can inspire me and give me new ideas. However, they are only useful when I also have the knowledge and tools to know how to cross-reference information and use the information I am given.

Do you know how to figure out the dosage of an herb you want to take after reading an article about it? Do you know how or where to cross-reference information about that herb? Do you know the most recent studies about the different trends in health (eggs, cholesterol, water,sleep, etc...) and how they compare to studies done ten years ago?

Without a lot of basic information a person can easily be misled through many online articls and even published books.

Make it a goal for yourself this year to become educated in some of the topics you read about most - you can take classes at a local community college, you can study a well-respected book on the topic and now you can even audit some of my online courses for a fraction of the cost it takes to be a full-time student. Check out the auditing possibilities at:

Audit Natural Healing Courses

Blessings & Health,
Kristie
www.HerbnHome.com

The Healing Power of Nurturing Herbs

2009-01-26T14:41:00.005-06:00

Sometimes part of the healing process with a child (or any person for that matter) is the nurturing and reassuring feeling they get by "taking medicine". Somehow, this process evokes a healing response in the body, in addition to any healing power the medicine may have.

One of the many reasons I enjoy herbal healing with children so much is because I am able to allow them to heal themselves with herbs and they can even take a few extra sips or spoons of herbal syrup if they feel the need.

Because I only use very mild and safe herbs with the children like peppermint, chamomile, catnip, fenugreek and others, I am able to leave these herbs in drawers labelled "Stomach ache", "Fever", "Nerves", "Sleep", etc...and invite the children to use the herbs when they feel the need. I would never feel comfortable doing this with any OTC medicine as most can have serious side effects if taken in any excess at all. Of course the children have been taught how to use herbs and have been told all the safety warnings and they usually ask me first anyway...but the fact that I can feel comfortable leaving these "medicines" within their reach is wonderful.

Additionally, when my child feels the need to take more herbal syrup or tea because they want to feel they are "getting better faster" I don't have to say "no". I invite them to have an extra cup of peppermint tea or an extra spoon or two of chamomile syrup, knowing that they probably do not need it, but that it will not harm them either. And they feel better because they sometimes enjoy the process of taking the medicine. Somehow "taking medicine" makes a child feel special when they are ill. It helps a person feel nurtured. And those feelings can help a person heal.

If you would like to do this with your children make sure you are only using very mild herbs that are safe for children and that they know how to use the herbs and are supervised as much as possible in the beginning and that the place where you openly store your herbs is in a public place near where you are. I have posted before about the side effects of herbal medicines and how we must be cautious even with remedies that are natural. Over-use or misuse can cause a variety of problems, and taking herbs that are not suitable to your temperament can also cause a variety of problems (see previous BLOG posts).

If you would like some ideas on how to teach your child about herbs and natural healing you can check out some of the parent-child classes I am offering at www.TheAvicennaInstitute.com

Blessings & Health,
Kristie
www.HerbnHome.com
www.TheAvicennaInstitute.com

HERBS: Winter Herbs for Your Blood Type

2009-01-11T20:57:00.002-06:00

I found this wonderful chart online for those of you interested in eating according to your blood type AND season! This chart shows you what herbs, appropriate for the winter season, are ALSO good for your blood type. You can find the chart at:

http://www.recipenet.org/health/recipes/er4yt/herb_chart.htm

Blessings & Health,
Kristie Karima Burns, MH, ND
www.HerbnHome.com

It's the Little Things...

2009-01-11T20:10:00.003-06:00

Sometimes it is the little things that help us lead a healthier and more holistic lifestyle - not the big changes! Here are three little things that have made very big changes in my life. I appreciate finding things like this. We spend so much time trying to improve our lives or make changes for the better. Sometimes we spend hours and many dollars and of course we always hear the saying, "If it sounds too good to be true it is". However, sometimes it sounds too good to be true and it actually is true! This is how it was with these three things for me. I am sure there are more...and would love to hear about yours too (please comment below this post on the BLOG) but these are the three that stand out for me the past month:

1. Lavender on the Drier Sheets. I get unscented drier sheets and put a few drops of lavender on them before I toss them in with the bedding. It helps the bedding to smell wonderful, the kids love it and it actually helps them to sleep better. We all sleep better with the lavender infused sheets and it is much easier than running the diffuser, putting it in the bath or rubbing it one someone's feet. It is also very very inexpensive.

2. The One-Server Blender: I purchased a small blender that has a little base on the bottom and then on the top it is a 16-ounce cup with a lid and a cap - much like a portable coffee mug or plastic drink cup you get from a gas station. You can make a smoothie in this little cup/blender and then take the entire cup off the top of the blender, put a straw through the lid and then enjoy it. It is easy to clean, the kids enjoy making their own smoothies with it, you can make individual flavors (since everyone around here likes different ones), you can take it out the door for a quick breakfast or snack and it encourages us to drink more smoothies. Since buying this the kids and I have eaten a lot more fruit and one more serving of something healthy means one less serving of something potentially unhealthy.

3. The Mini Vac: I have a mini vac near the dining room. Every time one of the children or animals makes a mess I (or even the kids) take the little vac down, vaccuum it up and it is done. I used to have to vaccuum the entire floor in the dining room area almost daily, but now with this spot cleaning method I don't have as much work to do. And that gives me more time to make homemade bread!

What are some of the little things that make a difference in your life?

Blessings & Health,
Kristie
www.TheNaturalLivingChannel.com

BACK TO BASICS: Digestion

2009-01-11T19:56:00.003-06:00

There are so many websites that tell you about how this or that herb will heal you or this new miracle natural cure will help you but often it is the very basics of life that we need to recall and remember. That is what I like to focus on in this BLOG and in my newsletter - how we can all heal and feel better using natural methods that are free and basic. I often find with clients that are these basics that will heal them rather than an expensive herbal formula or the newest craze in nutritional supplementation.

My latest goal is to help people who have problems with digestion. I know so many people who have spent hundreds of dollars are vitamins, herbs and supplements to help their digestion. I've had bouts of bad digestion myself. However, most of those could be directly related to a poor food choice. But what do you do when you eat healthy foods and you still have trouble digesting things? I recommend that you start with the bare basics and work up from there.

First, remember that ANY change in diet will cause your digestive system to adapt, and thus you may have "poor digestion" for a few days to a week. It is well known in raw food circles that raw food is very healthy, but someone who is not used to eating all their food raw will have trouble digesting it during the first week of their transition to a raw food diet. If you are vegetarian and have a hamburger you will have trouble digesting the meat. However, if you eat meat daily, you will not have as much trouble.

Secondly, ANY food can cause you to digest poorly. Don't be fooled by the name "natural" or by the fact that the food is directly from your garden. Some people just don't digest some foods well and some foods can naturally cause gas. For example, broccoli and beans are famous for causing gas. However, they are very healthy and natural foods.

Third, digestion can be improved by combining foods in better ways. A few beans can be combined with a cup of rice instead of someone eating an entire bowl of chili or black bean soup. There will be a siginifcant increase in the ability of your body to digest when you reduce the beans and add the rice.

And last, but not least, you need to make sure you are chewing your food 12-18 times. In fact, this shouold be listed as number one. This may seem a bit crazy or a bit obvious but it is very rare to actually find someone who chews their food properly - we are all used to chewing our food about three times and then swallowing. However, science has proven that this causes all sorts of health problems as it is actually your salivary glands that have all the ingredients you need to digest. Additionally, by chewing slower and more frequently you will reduce the amount of air in your system, which can cause the gas.

After making these changes in your diet, THEN go on to explore other options in healing. If you would like a personal consultation you can contact me at: www.herbnhome.com

Blessings & Health,
Kristie

Lower Prices for Healing Courses & New Payment Options

2008-12-23T13:45:00.003-06:00

Dear Members,

In January, 2009 I will be raising the cost of all the healing classes at www.TheAvicennaInstitute.com to reflect the increased time I have been spending with students and course maintenance. However, to offset the increase I will be offering an additional option. You may now audit the courses at a much lower price. When you audit the course you will have access to all the files, videos and audio. However, you will not have exams and will not receive a final certificate. You can choose to upgrade your membership at anytime to receive exams and your final certificate. However, you can remain in audit-mode as long as you need to. With audit you do receive tech support on your files. However, you do not have student-contact hours with the instructor. Please visit the site to see the new prices. With this new option you can actually take an entire course for as little as $25.00.

Additionally, I have now added the services of the Amazon.com shopping cart to make check-out easier for some people who have had trouble with Paypal. As always, checks and money orders are also accepted.

Blessings & Health,
Kristie Karima Burns, MH, ND