Thursday, June 14, 2012
Inner Cleanse and Liver Flush
I wanted to write some notes about some cleansing processes. I have been asked a few times about a Liver Flush formula that has worked for me in the past and consists of two phases:
A tea with equal parts of:
Peppermint
Fennel
Yellow Dock
Burdock
Nowadays I would also add:
Dandelion Root
Fenugreek
Clove (1/4 the amount of the others)
Triphala (1/4 the amount of the others)
to the formula. Two tablespoons (3 tablespoons you add the other ingredients) and two cups of water, bring to boil, and simmer for 5 minutes. The process yields one cup of Liver detox tea.
You want to prepare the above tea as a chaser for the powerful liver flush brew below:
2 Oranges
1 Lemon
1 Garlic clove
1 Ginger knob
2 tablespoons of Olive Oil
everything but the Olive Oil ran through a juicer. Orange has the peel removed, the Lemon does not have the peel removed (unless it is not organic). It is a slight foul brew and the tea is a welcome chaser to wash it down. They work well together. Many people have found the tea alone to be effective.
As always, please check with your health professional if you have any concerns about the use of this formula and respect your own biochemical individuality. This formula is fairly safe, but the juiced portion of the formula is very intense and may bring up a lot for people to release. Sometimes anger issues get intensified (and others around you may be more aware of this sooner than you are). If it is too intense, just stay with the tea longer.
It also helps to have a cleansing diet at the same time. If you are not already Vegan, then temporarily become Vegan for this cleanse. Eat lots of salad with fresh grated carrots, any kind of leafy green, no raw onions, and perhaps some Daikon radishes (thinly sliced). A small amount of rice and lentils for substance can be added. Triple Leaf Detox tea is a very good conventional brand tea that helps to detox the body and is a useful supplement to this process and is very inexpensive. Fresh juices, both from fruit and from vegetables, also helps this detox.
About 10 days in a row with the formulas should be enough, though a few have gone for about 21 days with a deeper cleanse happening and even some gallstones being released (a little extra Olive Oil helps to move them out).
I would also add a tea made of warm water and a teaspoon of Triphala powder a few nights before going to sleep, to help detox and heal the intestines. This should be gentle enough to continue with longer if you are finding benefit with this.
If you have cheese in your diet, you may need to dissolve all the mucoid strands in your intestines first, so that your body has a cleansing path to remove the toxins from itself. Cheese is about 70 percent Elmer's Glue (there is a smiling cow on the label for a reason, though in reality the cows are not smiling all that much). If you want to get clear on this, buy some casein free Vegan cheese, cheddar cheese, and Elmer's glue to compare, notice the gooey texture of two of them, and how the Vegan "cheese" does not have it and barely melts right. There are some special herbal formulas to cleanse the colon of mucoidal strands.
Tuesday, May 8, 2012
Raw Pea Soup Version 5
I made a recipe of "raw pea soup" this morning. It consisted of about two cups of frozen peas, covered with filtered water and then blended in a powerful blender (in my case a 1/4 horse power one). Then I added a small amount of apples, mangoes, and pineapple for sweetness, and then blended again. Then I added parsley, basil, turmeric, ginger, and cilantro, and then blended, occasionally adding water to thin the liquid enough so that the blender does not work too hard, but not enough to spoil the cream soup texture. Added about 1/4 cup of Tahini, 1/8 cup of Miso, some shakes of Himalayan salt, two shakes of Tamari gluten free soy sauce, 1/2 tablespoon of chili paste, and two squeezes of lemon juice, and then blended again. Added 1/4 cup of corn, and then blended again. Added some Flax Seed Oil (3 tablespoons) and Eschium Oil (2 tablespoons) for Omega 3's and just pulsed on low power (to preserve the delicate Omega 3's).
The tahini and peas have a fair amount of protein. Pineapple has the enzymes. The Himalayan salt has ionic minerals. There are many herbs with good medicinal properties in this mix. There are natural fruit sugars for some good energy.
Monday, November 28, 2011
Herbal Medicine and Cancer
Before I continue this essay, I want to share that what I share is not meant to be a substitute for seeking professional help or for a doctor prescribed therapy. I am not recommending any individual to ignore the council of the healers that they have chosen to care for them. That being said, I do believe that we have a right to decide which course of treatment is right for us and a right to refuse a treatment that does not feel correct for us. We are the ones ultimately responsible for our lives. What follows are my own notes about herbs and cancer. These notes are part of a work in progress and will most likely be revised, added to, and updated many times. I like to call them "pioneer" notes written on the journey itself with no guarantee that the journey will reach the place desired. Much of the pioneer notes are compilations of the notes of other pioneers.
There was apparently a study that found about 3,000 herbs that had anti-cancer properties. I found mention of the list on several sites. None of them placed the whole list online. Some of them seemed to have broken down the list into the key ingredients. It seems that the original study, which was more in alignment with allopathic (conventional) medicine, did not distinguish between the various functions that the herbs had. There are, for instance, primary active herbs and secondary support herbs. In the latter category, some of the herbs may balance some of the side effects of the primary herbs. For instance, although herbal medicine is usually very safe, some herbs are a little harsh feeling on the intestines and intestinal soothers can often make the herbal brew feel more pleasant when drunk. Some herbs help the detox process. Others will help the active healing elements reach the places that they need to go. Others will provide a subtle nutrition or tonification which is often needed when undergoing a healing crisis.
I noticed that several herbs seemed to recur on many websites as primary active herbs:
reishi mushroom
burdock
licorice
chaparral
garlic
None of the sites mentioned any dosage level for these herbs, though I gathered that one could make them according to what would be appropriate per a cup of tea. Chaparral can be toxic on large amounts and I would recommend researching this for a safe dose and err on the side of less rather than more. It seems that a product called Kyolic, an extract of the active ingredient in garlic, may be superior to garlic or at least easier on the intestines and breath of people. I did notice that it comes in a liquid and powdered capsule form, with the powder having whey, a dairy product. This does not fit my vegan diet and may be a concern for others, especially when I ran across an article (that I hope to post on this blog) sharing how cancer has three stages, (1) presence of carcinogens, (2) cancer igniters, and (3) onset of cancer. We get a lot of carcinogens, since even cooking food produces some. But they do not generate cancer unless something ignites them. The researcher in the article only found two. One was animal products, including dairy and animal flesh, and the other was nicotine. It seems wise to be a vegan nonsmoker to have a cancer preventative lifestyle. It could be that whey is not a cancer igniter. The article did not detail what aspect of dairy was the issue. I found the article interesting, because it fit every experience I knew of cancer. There was even two exceptions that proved the rule of a friend who was vegan and only got cancerous tumors after being convinced to give up her vegan diet and another person who kept a vegan macrobiotic diet for over 10 years and was cancer free, but then decided it was too much discipline, ate differently, got cancer and died. It is unclear whether becoming vegan after the fact of getting cancer can help reverse the process. One friend pulled this off, but needed to other things too, like receiving energy healing treatments. There are probably other cancer igniters, too, but I suspect that the researcher found the most popular ones. I also met with some people who went through chemotherapy or tumor removing surgery who ended up getting a tumor regrowth later on. All of them were either on the standard carnivore diet or had a lacto-vegetarian diet. I must admit, by scientific standards, my sample size is very small and this data may not hold up when more and more cases are studied. But I thought I would mention this and maybe others can check along with me. One caveat about diet, though, is that it is hard to get accurate data about the diet profile of a person. I found that many people are unclear about what a vegan diet is. Some people think being vegetarian still allows fish and chicken. While others are called themselves vegan but make an exception for feta cheese or accidently let dairy slip in through the soy cheeses that still have casein in them or protein smoothies that have whey in them. Merely taking the word of someone for what their diet is does not quite work. I have found too many people who fudge on this. When it comes to this kind of study, it would need to be more precise than only using the subjective testimony of what people think they are eating (though it might be good to note what they think their diet is anyway).
There are some people, like Hulda Clark, who believe that Cancer is the result of micro-viruses or pathogens. These people recommend doing an anti-parasite protocol with:
wormwood
clove
golden seal
black walnut
p'arco
grapefruit seed extract
oregon grape root
I think that there is something to this theory. I do find that such powerful anti-parasite brews can help knock out a lot of stuff. It needs to be combined with a person avoiding "cancer feeders" like sugar and maybe flour products in general (though the kind of healthy vegan diet that I recommend would do this automatically, using stevia in the place of carbohydrate based sugars). If the tumor is near the skin, a tincture can be rubbed on the skin near where the tumor is. There is some risk in this procedure, though, since there are different types of cancer and some tumors are benign and maybe should be left alone. I had a friend die of a cancer that was misdiagnosed. The doctors cut into the relatively benign tumor and made it spread all over the body so fast it killed her in about two weeks. I have not heard of an herbal tincture rub nearby doing anything bad though. It seems that usually an herbal brew either hits the mark or it does nothing good or bad. The anti-parasite brew is intense. If it does work, there is something called "die off" where it kills the pathogens and the parasite bodies become toxins that the person must flush out of the system. This phase can be rough to experience. If does happen, it is a good sign, but it requires that a person continue to use the anti-parasite brew for about one month to make sure any hidden parasite eggs do not hatch and start the problem all over again. There is a challenge, too, with this process, because sometimes the pathogen in question is a good hider and finds a place in the body where the herbal brew cannot reach. Some have found success adding caster oil rubs to force the pathogens from these hiding places. It is also possible to use "transport herbs" to bring the active potency to the locations where the pathogens are hiding. P'arco on the list is considered anti-cancer on some lists I found on the internet and is also a good one for handling candida overgrowth. It is the easiest of the herbs to handle in this category, yet it seems to do a lot of good things.
The list above is a compilation of several anti-parasite lists and protocols. Hulda Clark mainly used Wormwood, Clove, and Blackwalnut (tincture). I have found clove oil to be very powerful, though it is important that the purity of the oil be food grade (steam distilled rather than chemically extracted).
The following list are herbs that appeared in some lists and protocols for cancer:
green tea
slippery elm
echinacea
bee propolis
codyceps sinesis
oregano
rosemary
ginger
turmeric
jalapenos
ganoderma
garlic
These seem to add well to the above formulas, though I would personally not use bee products because of being vegan. The status of insects in a vegan diet is mixed. Some people are calling themselves "begans" to indicate that they use honey and bee products. I do not think that bee products would ignite cancer like regular animal products, so as far as cancer is concerned either vegan or began is okay. I just think the poor bee has had a rough time lately and would like to give them a break. Even when their products are not used, they pollinate a lot of plants and do good service to life and humans.
Ginger on this list is probably a support herb that soothes the intestines, helps stuff move through the bloodstream, and transport the active herbs to where they are needed. I do not think it helps to directly fight the cancer, but I could be wrong. It is also a very good anti-inflammation and anti-oxidant, which may reduce cancer and other ailments by removing this basis for their existence inside us.
Turmeric is similar to ginger, but may be the most potent herbal anti-inflammatory.
Rosemary seems to be a Vitamin C reloader. This means that it allows us to use the Vitamin C we have about five times more than usual. This means we can get the benefits of Vitamin C with less acidity in our bloodstream. Cancer seems related to a more acidic internal environment.
Oregano seems to also have anti-parasite properties as well as many other good properties. I am less familiar with this herb and hope to learn more about it. The herb has come up quite a few times in a number of anti-cancer formulas.
Jalapenos and Cayenne are often on anti-cancer lists. They can be rough on the system, though, and person will need to see how well he or she is handling them. Since Hispanic culture uses them a lot in many recipes (and I sometimes go to a particular Mexican restaurant when I get a certain kind of flu and their salsa knocks it right out), people who like this kind of food may be more adapted to its use. I have noticed that many cultures have a certain kind of chili paste or curry that is very hot and this might do well too if you can handle it.
Ganoderma is one that I have not researched at all, but was on a few lists. I mention this one here so that anyone curious can follow through.
I added garlic again, because it recurred on a few lists. It seems it is both an active herb and a support herb.
These herbs were considered support herbs to the main active anti-cancer herbs. Notice that some of the herbs on this list have been mentioned in another context. Most herbs are multi-functional and so this is no surprise:
turmeric
ginger
rosemary
basil
aloe vera
thyme
These herbs were found on some lists and I thought that they were worth listing here too:
saint johns wort
slippery elm
vanilla
gingko (transport herb, especially for brain, increases blood oxygen)
grape seed extract
dill
alfalfa
lemon balm (soother, like the mints, and also has some anti-cancer properties)
milk thistle (liver and kidney clease, anti-radiation)
nettles
clove
oregano
parsley
rosemary
sage (soother)
celery seed
oregano seed (also called ajwan)
mint (soothers)
Many of these are support herbs. Some are on other lists mentioned above. Sage is known as an intestinal soother. Celery seed seems to remove acidity from the body and may help to alkalize the system. Nettles can provide some nutrition and is high in chlorophyll and serotonin.
A note about Rosemary: It is very potent. You probably do not need for much of this. Even a few of its tiny leaves in a cup will do.
Finally, one last list which I thought interesting but have not fully researched at this time:
saffron
oldenlandia
artemisia (wormword, but may suggest other members of the same family, like mugwort)
sortalaria
curcumin (may be like cayenne and ginger)
One possible brew:
reishi
burdock
licorice
chaparral (small dose because of possible toxicity)
garlic
clove
spearmint
cardamom
lemon balm
celery seed
stevia (for sweetener and has some anti-cancer properties on one list)
oregano seed
green tea (or other forms of camellia sinesis)
cinnamon (small amount, creates a thickening effect in the brew itself that could clog the straining process)
ginger
turmeric
black seed
I think that this would be a good base brew for an anti-cancer strategy and has enough good ingredients to strengthen health. The only consideration is how much of the anti-parasite protocol to add to this. Again, these are pioneer notes and will probably need to be tested and refined further. I have skipped a line between the primary herbs and the support ones.
I have been brewing these herbs in a pressure cooker and then straining them in a fine mesh strainer to remove the solids.
There was apparently a study that found about 3,000 herbs that had anti-cancer properties. I found mention of the list on several sites. None of them placed the whole list online. Some of them seemed to have broken down the list into the key ingredients. It seems that the original study, which was more in alignment with allopathic (conventional) medicine, did not distinguish between the various functions that the herbs had. There are, for instance, primary active herbs and secondary support herbs. In the latter category, some of the herbs may balance some of the side effects of the primary herbs. For instance, although herbal medicine is usually very safe, some herbs are a little harsh feeling on the intestines and intestinal soothers can often make the herbal brew feel more pleasant when drunk. Some herbs help the detox process. Others will help the active healing elements reach the places that they need to go. Others will provide a subtle nutrition or tonification which is often needed when undergoing a healing crisis.
I noticed that several herbs seemed to recur on many websites as primary active herbs:
reishi mushroom
burdock
licorice
chaparral
garlic
None of the sites mentioned any dosage level for these herbs, though I gathered that one could make them according to what would be appropriate per a cup of tea. Chaparral can be toxic on large amounts and I would recommend researching this for a safe dose and err on the side of less rather than more. It seems that a product called Kyolic, an extract of the active ingredient in garlic, may be superior to garlic or at least easier on the intestines and breath of people. I did notice that it comes in a liquid and powdered capsule form, with the powder having whey, a dairy product. This does not fit my vegan diet and may be a concern for others, especially when I ran across an article (that I hope to post on this blog) sharing how cancer has three stages, (1) presence of carcinogens, (2) cancer igniters, and (3) onset of cancer. We get a lot of carcinogens, since even cooking food produces some. But they do not generate cancer unless something ignites them. The researcher in the article only found two. One was animal products, including dairy and animal flesh, and the other was nicotine. It seems wise to be a vegan nonsmoker to have a cancer preventative lifestyle. It could be that whey is not a cancer igniter. The article did not detail what aspect of dairy was the issue. I found the article interesting, because it fit every experience I knew of cancer. There was even two exceptions that proved the rule of a friend who was vegan and only got cancerous tumors after being convinced to give up her vegan diet and another person who kept a vegan macrobiotic diet for over 10 years and was cancer free, but then decided it was too much discipline, ate differently, got cancer and died. It is unclear whether becoming vegan after the fact of getting cancer can help reverse the process. One friend pulled this off, but needed to other things too, like receiving energy healing treatments. There are probably other cancer igniters, too, but I suspect that the researcher found the most popular ones. I also met with some people who went through chemotherapy or tumor removing surgery who ended up getting a tumor regrowth later on. All of them were either on the standard carnivore diet or had a lacto-vegetarian diet. I must admit, by scientific standards, my sample size is very small and this data may not hold up when more and more cases are studied. But I thought I would mention this and maybe others can check along with me. One caveat about diet, though, is that it is hard to get accurate data about the diet profile of a person. I found that many people are unclear about what a vegan diet is. Some people think being vegetarian still allows fish and chicken. While others are called themselves vegan but make an exception for feta cheese or accidently let dairy slip in through the soy cheeses that still have casein in them or protein smoothies that have whey in them. Merely taking the word of someone for what their diet is does not quite work. I have found too many people who fudge on this. When it comes to this kind of study, it would need to be more precise than only using the subjective testimony of what people think they are eating (though it might be good to note what they think their diet is anyway).
There are some people, like Hulda Clark, who believe that Cancer is the result of micro-viruses or pathogens. These people recommend doing an anti-parasite protocol with:
wormwood
clove
golden seal
black walnut
p'arco
grapefruit seed extract
oregon grape root
I think that there is something to this theory. I do find that such powerful anti-parasite brews can help knock out a lot of stuff. It needs to be combined with a person avoiding "cancer feeders" like sugar and maybe flour products in general (though the kind of healthy vegan diet that I recommend would do this automatically, using stevia in the place of carbohydrate based sugars). If the tumor is near the skin, a tincture can be rubbed on the skin near where the tumor is. There is some risk in this procedure, though, since there are different types of cancer and some tumors are benign and maybe should be left alone. I had a friend die of a cancer that was misdiagnosed. The doctors cut into the relatively benign tumor and made it spread all over the body so fast it killed her in about two weeks. I have not heard of an herbal tincture rub nearby doing anything bad though. It seems that usually an herbal brew either hits the mark or it does nothing good or bad. The anti-parasite brew is intense. If it does work, there is something called "die off" where it kills the pathogens and the parasite bodies become toxins that the person must flush out of the system. This phase can be rough to experience. If does happen, it is a good sign, but it requires that a person continue to use the anti-parasite brew for about one month to make sure any hidden parasite eggs do not hatch and start the problem all over again. There is a challenge, too, with this process, because sometimes the pathogen in question is a good hider and finds a place in the body where the herbal brew cannot reach. Some have found success adding caster oil rubs to force the pathogens from these hiding places. It is also possible to use "transport herbs" to bring the active potency to the locations where the pathogens are hiding. P'arco on the list is considered anti-cancer on some lists I found on the internet and is also a good one for handling candida overgrowth. It is the easiest of the herbs to handle in this category, yet it seems to do a lot of good things.
The list above is a compilation of several anti-parasite lists and protocols. Hulda Clark mainly used Wormwood, Clove, and Blackwalnut (tincture). I have found clove oil to be very powerful, though it is important that the purity of the oil be food grade (steam distilled rather than chemically extracted).
The following list are herbs that appeared in some lists and protocols for cancer:
green tea
slippery elm
echinacea
bee propolis
codyceps sinesis
oregano
rosemary
ginger
turmeric
jalapenos
ganoderma
garlic
These seem to add well to the above formulas, though I would personally not use bee products because of being vegan. The status of insects in a vegan diet is mixed. Some people are calling themselves "begans" to indicate that they use honey and bee products. I do not think that bee products would ignite cancer like regular animal products, so as far as cancer is concerned either vegan or began is okay. I just think the poor bee has had a rough time lately and would like to give them a break. Even when their products are not used, they pollinate a lot of plants and do good service to life and humans.
Ginger on this list is probably a support herb that soothes the intestines, helps stuff move through the bloodstream, and transport the active herbs to where they are needed. I do not think it helps to directly fight the cancer, but I could be wrong. It is also a very good anti-inflammation and anti-oxidant, which may reduce cancer and other ailments by removing this basis for their existence inside us.
Turmeric is similar to ginger, but may be the most potent herbal anti-inflammatory.
Rosemary seems to be a Vitamin C reloader. This means that it allows us to use the Vitamin C we have about five times more than usual. This means we can get the benefits of Vitamin C with less acidity in our bloodstream. Cancer seems related to a more acidic internal environment.
Oregano seems to also have anti-parasite properties as well as many other good properties. I am less familiar with this herb and hope to learn more about it. The herb has come up quite a few times in a number of anti-cancer formulas.
Jalapenos and Cayenne are often on anti-cancer lists. They can be rough on the system, though, and person will need to see how well he or she is handling them. Since Hispanic culture uses them a lot in many recipes (and I sometimes go to a particular Mexican restaurant when I get a certain kind of flu and their salsa knocks it right out), people who like this kind of food may be more adapted to its use. I have noticed that many cultures have a certain kind of chili paste or curry that is very hot and this might do well too if you can handle it.
Ganoderma is one that I have not researched at all, but was on a few lists. I mention this one here so that anyone curious can follow through.
I added garlic again, because it recurred on a few lists. It seems it is both an active herb and a support herb.
These herbs were considered support herbs to the main active anti-cancer herbs. Notice that some of the herbs on this list have been mentioned in another context. Most herbs are multi-functional and so this is no surprise:
turmeric
ginger
rosemary
basil
aloe vera
thyme
These herbs were found on some lists and I thought that they were worth listing here too:
saint johns wort
slippery elm
vanilla
gingko (transport herb, especially for brain, increases blood oxygen)
grape seed extract
dill
alfalfa
lemon balm (soother, like the mints, and also has some anti-cancer properties)
milk thistle (liver and kidney clease, anti-radiation)
nettles
clove
oregano
parsley
rosemary
sage (soother)
celery seed
oregano seed (also called ajwan)
mint (soothers)
Many of these are support herbs. Some are on other lists mentioned above. Sage is known as an intestinal soother. Celery seed seems to remove acidity from the body and may help to alkalize the system. Nettles can provide some nutrition and is high in chlorophyll and serotonin.
A note about Rosemary: It is very potent. You probably do not need for much of this. Even a few of its tiny leaves in a cup will do.
Finally, one last list which I thought interesting but have not fully researched at this time:
saffron
oldenlandia
artemisia (wormword, but may suggest other members of the same family, like mugwort)
sortalaria
curcumin (may be like cayenne and ginger)
One possible brew:
reishi
burdock
licorice
chaparral (small dose because of possible toxicity)
garlic
clove
spearmint
cardamom
lemon balm
celery seed
stevia (for sweetener and has some anti-cancer properties on one list)
oregano seed
green tea (or other forms of camellia sinesis)
cinnamon (small amount, creates a thickening effect in the brew itself that could clog the straining process)
ginger
turmeric
black seed
I think that this would be a good base brew for an anti-cancer strategy and has enough good ingredients to strengthen health. The only consideration is how much of the anti-parasite protocol to add to this. Again, these are pioneer notes and will probably need to be tested and refined further. I have skipped a line between the primary herbs and the support ones.
I have been brewing these herbs in a pressure cooker and then straining them in a fine mesh strainer to remove the solids.
Friday, August 12, 2011
Medicinal Chai Formula
I am writing this formula down mainly because I have mixed it for myself and my brother James a lot of time and wanted to keep the notes from being lost. The ingredients are:
Green Tea
Cardamom
Chicory
Cinnamon
Clove
Anise
(Fennel)
Fenugreek
Bitter Orange
(Lemon Rind)
The first group has only two herbs. These are the main ones behind the formula. Yerba Mate and Lichee Black Tea seem to be possible substitutes for the Green Tea, but it still seems, for our experience, that a high quality Green Tea is superior (Ecoteas makes an excellent Green Tea and is fair trade and organic to boot).
The second set of ingredients are support ones. We actually had more of these ingredients on this list, but these are the ones that seemed the most essential. It seems that Fennel or Anise or both work about the same. I prefer some Star Anise that is fresh ground.
The third set has Fenugreek which is also a key essential. The others are less necessary. Lemon Rind supports the first set very well and only a small amount is needed. Bitter Orange is a thermogen and adds with some similarity to both Lemon Rind and Ephedra (not on the list). A tiny bit is all that is needed, perhaps 1/20th of the total amount, if even that. If you are unsure, then just skip it.
My brother has recovered a lot from a long term chemical sensitivity, sinusitus, and/or universal reactor allergy. He has some allergic reactions still left, but they are more identifiable, have less impact, and has episodes less frequently. The Chai blend has dissolved his sinus headache and congestion usually within one to three cups. He takes the Chai twice a day and possibly one more time a day if needed. It is the main thing that is healing him.
As usual, I am only reporting what I have found from my experience and from the experience of my brother in this case. I cannot guarantee the same results for others. If there is any doubt about whether something is healthy for you or whether it fits any prescriptions or any special biochemical individuality that you have, it is up to you to check in with your favorite health professional and make sure that it is okay or at least take the risk for oneself and not put the responsibility totally on me. I believe more in the older herbal and energetic models of healing, like Tibetan medicine and Aryurveda, where healing is not seen as a magic bullet that you eat and miraculously get healed, but as a matter of getting the seven stages of digestion functioning properly, detoxing from any adverse condition within the body, and building up a high quality diet. I also feel that it is important to have a compassionate heart, a creative loving service to others for the livelihood that one has, a clean conscience, and a commitment to look at and eliminate any addictions, both obvious ones and subtle ones. And I do think that meditating every day for at least an hour is necessary for health and sanity.
Green Tea
Cardamom
Chicory
Cinnamon
Clove
Anise
(Fennel)
Fenugreek
Bitter Orange
(Lemon Rind)
The first group has only two herbs. These are the main ones behind the formula. Yerba Mate and Lichee Black Tea seem to be possible substitutes for the Green Tea, but it still seems, for our experience, that a high quality Green Tea is superior (Ecoteas makes an excellent Green Tea and is fair trade and organic to boot).
The second set of ingredients are support ones. We actually had more of these ingredients on this list, but these are the ones that seemed the most essential. It seems that Fennel or Anise or both work about the same. I prefer some Star Anise that is fresh ground.
The third set has Fenugreek which is also a key essential. The others are less necessary. Lemon Rind supports the first set very well and only a small amount is needed. Bitter Orange is a thermogen and adds with some similarity to both Lemon Rind and Ephedra (not on the list). A tiny bit is all that is needed, perhaps 1/20th of the total amount, if even that. If you are unsure, then just skip it.
My brother has recovered a lot from a long term chemical sensitivity, sinusitus, and/or universal reactor allergy. He has some allergic reactions still left, but they are more identifiable, have less impact, and has episodes less frequently. The Chai blend has dissolved his sinus headache and congestion usually within one to three cups. He takes the Chai twice a day and possibly one more time a day if needed. It is the main thing that is healing him.
As usual, I am only reporting what I have found from my experience and from the experience of my brother in this case. I cannot guarantee the same results for others. If there is any doubt about whether something is healthy for you or whether it fits any prescriptions or any special biochemical individuality that you have, it is up to you to check in with your favorite health professional and make sure that it is okay or at least take the risk for oneself and not put the responsibility totally on me. I believe more in the older herbal and energetic models of healing, like Tibetan medicine and Aryurveda, where healing is not seen as a magic bullet that you eat and miraculously get healed, but as a matter of getting the seven stages of digestion functioning properly, detoxing from any adverse condition within the body, and building up a high quality diet. I also feel that it is important to have a compassionate heart, a creative loving service to others for the livelihood that one has, a clean conscience, and a commitment to look at and eliminate any addictions, both obvious ones and subtle ones. And I do think that meditating every day for at least an hour is necessary for health and sanity.
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
Notes on Chicory
Picture from:http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Cichorium_intybus_003.JPG
Chicory
- leaves can be eaten raw.
- leaves are best when young and/or growing in areas protected from direct sunlight.
- older leaves are best when cooked in several changes of water.
- young plant, including flower heads can be cooked.
- roots can be eaten raw when young.
- roots can be split, dried and roasted to make coffee substitute.
- look for chicory on disturbed ground, ranging from plains and foothills to montane regions.
- warning: excessive/prolonged use may damage retinas and cause sluggish digestion.
Chicory teas taken internally are believed to be effective in treating jaundice and liver problems. Additionally, as with many other herbs, a tea made from roots or leaves appears to be useful for those with digestive problems. Save a little tea and try dipping a cotton ball into it for a refreshing and soothing eye wash. You can also add a spoonful or two of honey to thicken and use as syrup for a mild laxative for kids. For long-term use, try drying and pulverizing Chicory leaves into a powder for use in capsule form. Please see How to Make Herbal Capsules for more information.
For external use, bruise fresh Chicory leaves and apply to areas affected by gout, skin eruptions, swellings, skin inflammations, and rheumatism.
http://www.gardensablaze.com/HerbChicoryMed.htm
If you thought Chicory was only a rich, caffeine-free coffee substitute, think again! The herb's diuretic and laxative properties have been used for thousands of years as a purifying tonic for the blood, liver and kidneys, and it will also support the body's efforts to counteract stomach acid after eating too much rich food. Recent studies show promise for Chicory Root in the area of good heart health by assisting the body to fight fat and helping to decrease blood cholesterol levels, as well as controlling rapid heartbeat.
History:
Chicory is a rather scruffy-looking, weedy perennial that is native to Europe, and it was imported to the United States during the eighteenth century by early colonists. It is so plentiful that it is almost believed to be indigenous to North America, where it grows cultivated and wild and may be found in fields, pastures, marginal areas and even invades lawns and gardens. The leaves at the plant's base are large and hairy, somewhat resembling those of a dandelion, giving Chicory one of its common names, Blue Dandelion. It has been suggested that another of its common names, Succory, is of Latin derivation, from succurrere, meaning "to run under" because of the depth to which the root penetrates. From the base, many two- to three-foot, stick-like stems arise, producing widely spaced foliage and milky sap; and bright, almost iridescent, blue flowers bloom on the stems, as if stapled to the wrong plant. Chicory will grow in almost any soil but prefers rich, well-drained, neutral-to-alkaline soil in sun. The rootstock is light yellow outside and white inside and also contains a bitter, milky juice, and the entire plant has been used in herbal medicine (primarily as a cleansing and toning herb) for thousands of years. The ancient Romans used Chicory as a blood purifier and also as a food, and it has remained an important crop throughout continental Europe to this day. The sixteenth century herbalist, Parkinson, described Chicory as a "fine, cleansing, jovial plant," and French herbalist, Maurice Mességué, maintains that the reason Chicory is so popular in France as a coffee addition or substitute is that it is a good "liver herb," toning and detoxifying the livers of those who enjoy French cuisine a bit too much. The leaves of Chicory may be eaten as a vegetable and added to salads and herb butters, and the roots are highly valued for medical preparations and for use as a coffee substitute or enrichment to balance its flavor and to counter the coffee's acidic quality and adverse effects on the stomach. The leaves of the young roots, which have a slightly bitter, caramel flavor when roasted, are dried and roasted to create a rich and flavorful coffee blend or caffeine-free coffee substitute, called Chicory coffee, which is especially popular in France. In World War II, when there was a shortage of coffee in the United States, Chicory coffee was a great substitute. Chicory Roots are lifted in early spring of the second year, dried, and used in cuisines and as a bitter, cooling herb in herbal medicine. Some of the constituents in Chicory Root include a bitter principle, inulin and sugar.
Beneficial Uses:Chicory Root is considered a fine herbal liver, gallbladder and spleen tonic. The herb is called a "cholagogue" or substance that promotes the production of bile and stimulates its flow from the gallbladder and bile ducts, and as such, it may help to purify blood and cleanse the liver and gallbladder, which may further assist the body's efforts to release and dissolve gallstones, expel excess internal mucus and treat liver complaints, such as jaundice and enlarged liver.
The bitter principle in Chicory Root is believed to be beneficial for the glandular organs of the digestive system. Acting as an herbal antacid, the root is said to support the body's efforts to neutralize acid and correct acid indigestion, heartburn, gastritis, vomiting, upset stomach and lack of appetite; and Chicory Root has been approved by the German Commission E as an appetite stimulant and a remedy for dyspepsia. Because it stimulates bile production, this action helps to speed up the digestive process, further aiding the stomach after eating too much rich food (a use very popular in France).
Chicory Root may be helpful in the area of good heart health. Recent studies have produced some very positive evidence that Chicory Root fights fat in the system. Those with a very high fat diet experienced a remarkable decrease in blood cholesterol levels in time after taking Chicory Root, which may prove very helpful in cases of hardening of the arteries. Moreover, Egyptian scientists have investigated the potential use of Chicory Root in treating tachycardia (rapid heartbeat). Their studies showed the presence of a digitalis-like principle in the root, which actually decreased the rate of heartbeat in laboratory animals. Hopefully, this will have a beneficial impact on human health.
Chicory Root has been used as a tonic that nourishes and strengthens kidney function and urinary organs. The herb has a diuretic action that increases and promotes the flow of urine, which may support improved kidney function by cleansing the kidneys of toxins and removing them from the body.
As a mild laxative, Chicory Root may help to expel morbid matter from the intestines, further purifying the system of waste and toxins and often helping in cases of constipation.
Used externally, Chicory Root is believed to have healing properties for skin lacerations, swellings, hemorrhoids, poison ivy and sunburn. In addition, it has been used in poultices to reduce the inflammation of rheumatism and the pain of stiff and sore joints.
Ingredients:
100% Chicory Root Botanical Extract (4:1) - Our products contain 100% pure plant-based/natural materials using no fillers, grains, yeast, sugars, binders, excipients, starches or synthetic materials.
Recommended Dosage:
Take two (2) capsules, one (1) to two (2) times each day with water at mealtimes.
Contraindications:
Pregnant and nursing women should not use Chicory Root Herbal Supplement. Those who suffer from allergies to members of the daisy (Compositae) family (ragweed, asters, sunflowers, etc.) should consult a doctor before using this product.
Capsule Information:
Our Chicory Root 4:1 supplements are encapsulated in 100% Gluten-free, Vegetable Cellulose, Certified Kosher, size '00' Capsules. (click here for size comparison) Each capsule contains approximately 600 mgs.
Special Note:
If any medical terms on our website are confusing or unknown, we have compiled a small dictionary of terms for you. Click here for our Definitions, and go directly to the word in question for further information.
Disclaimer:
The information presented herein by Herbal Extracts Plus is intended for educational purposes only. These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA and are not intended to diagnose, cure, treat or prevent disease. Individual results may vary, and before using any supplements, it is always advisable to consult with your own health care provider.
http://www.herbalextractsplus.com/chicory-root.cfm
Botanical Name: Chichorium intybus
Indian Name: Kasni
Origin, Distribution and Composition of Chicory
Chicory, or endive, is a perennial herb with a long tap root. It has condensed, round stems, numerous light or dark green leaves and pale blue flowers. The leaves have a bitter taste; flowers open at sunrise and close at dusk.
Chicory is native to the Mediterranean region or, possibly, eastern India . It was known to the ancient Greeks and Romans and was cultivated in Egypt over 2000 years ago. The ancient physicians employed the plant in the treatment of several ailments. Classical writers like Horace, Virgil, Ovid and Pliny mentioned its use as a vegetable and a salad ingredient. Some scholars thought that the name succory came from the latin succurrene -which means to run under-because of the deep roots. Another suggestion is that succory may be a corruption of chicory, or cichorium, a word of Egyptian origin. Chicory has been mentioned as a special skin nourisher by ancient herbalists. A tea made from the pale blue flowers of this plant was said to give glowing skin.
An analysis of chicory or endive leaves shows them to consist of 93.0 per cent moisture, 1.7 per cent protein, 0.1 per cent fat, 0.9 per cent fiber and 4.3 per cent carbohydrate per 100 grams. Its mineral and vitamin contents are calcium, phosphorus, iron, carotene, thiamine, riboflavin, niacin and vitamin C. Its calorific value is 20.
Chicory flowers contain a glucoside chichorin and bitter substances, lactucin and intbin. Seeds contain a bland oil and roots contain nitrate and sulphate of potash, mucilage and some bitter principle.
Medicinal uses of chicory
tonic, diuretic and laxative. A decotion of the root has benefit in jaundice, liver problems, gout and rheumatic complaints. The root, when dried, roasted and ground, may be added to coffee or may be drunk on its own as a beverage.
Healing Power and Curative Properties of Chicory
Chicory is a tonic herb when taken in moderate quantities. It increases the secretion and discharge of urine. It is also a stimulant and a mild laxative. This herb helps the functions of the liver and gall bladder.
Eye Defects
Chicory contains food elements which are constantly needed by the optic system. It is one of the richest sources of vitamin A which is very useful for the eyes. The addition of juices of carrot, celery and parsley to chicory juice makes it a highly nourishing food for the optic nerve and the muscular system. It can bring amazing results in correcting eye defects. Half a liter to one liter daily of this combination has frequently corrected eye troubles within a few months, to the extent that normal vision was regained, making the use of glasses unnecessary.
Constipation
The herb is a natural laxative. It is, therefore, beneficial in the treatment of chronic Constipation.
Anaemia
The herb, in combination with celery and parsley, is very helpful in anaemia. It is an effective blood tonic.
Liver and Gall Bladder Dysfunctions
Chicory flowers, seeds and roots are medicinally used in the treatment of liver disorders. About 30 to 60 ml of decoction of he flowers, seeds or roots can be used three times daily, with beneficial results, in the treatment of torpidity or sluggishness of the liver, biliary stasis or, stoppage of bile, Constipation and enlargement of the spleen.. Endive or chicory juice, in almost any combination, promotes the secretion of bile and is, therefore, very good for both liver and gall bladder dysfunctions.
Respiratory Disorders
The combined juices of chicory, carrot and celery are most helpful in asthma and hay fever, provided milk and foods containing concentrated starches and sugars such as white rice, white flours, macaroni, sweets, pastries and cakes are eliminated from the diet. Powder of the dry root in doses of half a teaspoon, mixed with honey if taken thrice daily, is a good expectorant in chronic bronchitis.
Obstructed Menstruation
A decoction of chicory seeds is useful in treating obstructed menstruation.
Other Uses and benefits of Chicory
The young leaves, preferably blanched, are eaten in salads. They may be mixed with other greens to minimize their strong flavor. The mature green leaves are sometimes used as a cooked vegetable. The root, when roasted and ground, is often used as an ingredient to -mix with coffee, or is taken as a beverage on its own.
http://www.online-vitamins-guide.com/herbs/chicory.htm
---Uses---The leaves are used in salads, for which they are much superior to Dandelion. They may be cut and used from young plants, but are generally blanched, as the unblanched leaves are bitter. This forced foliage is termed by the French Barbe de Capucin and forms a favourite winter salad, much eaten in France and Belgium. A particularly fine strain is known as Witloof, in Belgium, where smallholders make a great feature of this crop and excel in its cultivation. The young blanched heads also form a good vegetable for cooking, similar to Sea Kale.
Enormous quantities of the plant are cultivated on the Continent, to supply the grocer with the ground Chicory which forms an ingredient or adulteration to coffee. In Belgium, Chicory is sometimes even used as a drink without admixture of coffee. For this purpose, the thick cultivated root is sliced kiln-dried, roasted and then ground. It differs from coffee in the absence of volatile oil, rich aromatic flavour, caffeine and caffeotannic acid, and in the presence of a large amount of ash, including silica. When roasted, it yields 45 to 65 per cent of soluble extractive matter. Roasted Coffee yields only 21 to 25 per cent of soluble extract, this difference affording a means of approximately determining the amount of Chicory in a mixture.
When infused, Chicory gives to coffee a bitterish taste and a dark colour. French writers say it is contra-stimulante, and serves to correct the excitation caused by the principles of coffee, and that it suits bilious subjects who suffer from habitual constipation, but is ill-adapted for persons whose vital energy soon flags, and that for lymphatic or bloodless persons its use should be avoided.
http://botanical.com/botanical/mgmh/c/chicor61.html
(the above site has a lot of detail, I am posting only the leaf comment because the leaf use is the most neglected on other sites).
Monday, July 25, 2011
Queen Anne's Lace: Herb Notes
Queen-Anne’s–lace (Daucus carota) is found in many parts of the world. It bursts with large, delicate umbels of white to purple-tinged flowers in spring and summer. Each umbel possesses a tiny single red or purple spot in the center, and as the seeds begin to ripen in late summer, the umbels contract to resemble a bird’s nest. Queen-Anne’s-lace earned its common name from a legend that tells of Queen Anne of England (who died in 1714) pricking her finger—drawing a drop of blood—while sewing lace.
Thursday, April 28, 2011
My Personal Diet
I occasionally get asked what my day to day diet is like. I did some postings of various meals that I made for myself on another blog, but felt it would be good to also do it here, using the comments section to add some of my meals as I make them for a while, and to include recipes when possible.
Having stated this intention, I would like to share a few disclaimers. One is that I am definitely an explorer who is very much in a learning process about the role of diet in the spiritual life. My opinions are going to change from time to time, probably not drastically, but it a way that shows some fine tuning and evolution in understanding.
I started out with the usual American diet, with lots of steak, potatoes, and some overboiled veggies on the side, occasional Chinese stir fried dishes, some Mexican food (or the American re-styling of this genre ala fast food), and occasionally some burgers and fries. Some salads would figure into the equation, but it was mostly an optional garnish and was not taken as a serious source of nutrition. There were some soups every now and then, too, with ever increasing amounts of MSG (monosodium glutamate) that no one really knew was frying the brains of people and causing a number of mental illnesses, later to be classified as an "excito-toxin", increasing the speed that electrons crossed the synaptic gaps.
During that time I had severe allergies, especially to grass pollen and cat dander. The general feeling about allergies was that it was something you had or not had, that it was genetic or inherited, and that you could not do much besides take allergy pills. I just mainly lived with it. I got periodic sinus headaches with them and took aspirin, and spent one night in particular struggling to breathe each breath, not knowing whether I was going to live out the night and see the next morning. I got into a concentration about breathing then and was, after a long time, about to resume normal breathing and fall peacefully asleep.
In college, I decided to become vegetarian. It was not for dietary reasons, but for compassion for animals. The inspiration came from my studies, in a college class called "History of American Theology". I had chosen to study the Quakers and John Woolman in particular, and wrote an essay about his walkabout across the US at that time when he was alive. I decided to meditate Quaker style and found, like Woolman, a prompting from within to become vegetarian. Every time I thought of becoming vegetarian, a gentle joy waves through me. After a month of these wavings through, I surrendered to the impulse and made it into a decision. I was taking "Ethics" in philosophy that year also and going into the various ethical issues that are still hot topics in the world. My professor and later friend was not quite vegetarian himself, but had leanings in this direction and was reducing his intake. I went cold turkey and failed miserably. My body did not react well to the change. After only 3 days, I ate a steak and felt a little defeated in my purpose.
But life has a way of helping us out, a pastor gave me a copy of RECIPES FOR A SMALL PLANET, and I was able to make decent and tasty vegetarian meals for myself. I was still lacto-ovo vegetarian, since I was mainly into not killing animals for food. I transitioned in smaller stages for six months, first not buying any dead cow meat or chicken meat a month, then not eating any at restuarants the next month, and then not eating at friend's houses the next month, and then doing the same thing for fish for the next three months. This more gradual transition worked.
About two years into being vegetarian, I noticed that my allergies had weakened considerably and some people even remarked that I had a glow of health, something that in my previous days as a carnivore never happened. About four more years later, I dropped eggs. Or actually my body decided it did not like eggs anymore and spontaneously threw them up. Perhaps it was a bad egg, but I got that it was a signal that my body was changing and did not want eggs anymore. This rang true in the next two years.
I was reducing my dairy fairly rapidly after this and was near vegan, having only the casein in soy cheese and some yogurt as my only two dairy sources, with some occasional "sneak ins" of Parmesan cheese in some tomato sauces when I would go to an Italian restuarant and the chef did not get the request right. It was not that they would deliberately put in cheese, but that sometimes it was already sprinkled in while making the sauces and then forgotten. This phase ended when I was in deep retreat up on the coast of Oregon and realized that I had accidentally crossed the line into being completely vegan, so I decided to stay that way. I found that my allergies reduced to almost zero from this and from some emotional processing that I found in a Reiki book that I was reading. My eyes still itch and sometimes get red during the peak of hayfever season, and sometimes I occasionally sneeze. When I was a carnivore, I would go through boxes of allergy pills. When I was lacto-ovo vegetarian, I would only use about 10 tablets a year. When I was vegan, it might be one tab. After having gone through a year and quarter eating raw food only, it is down to zero tablets. I am not into raw food only now, because I feel that legumes are better cooked for me and my body likes a little occasional rice. But I do recommend that people try about 3 to 5 months raw food diet (at the right time) just for the cleansing it does. When you feel strong protein cravings, it is a signal that the cleansing time is complete. I interviewed a lot of raw foodists and found that they hit a specific protein craving at roughly the 3 to 5 month zone. They usually, at that time, ate too many almonds and got sick.
I did learn not to overcook food after my raw food phase. I take more care to preserve the enzymes that are usually lost in cooking and also keep a certain percentage of raw food and raw smoothies in my diet. It is somewhere between 50 percent and 70 percent, more raw in the summer, and less in the winter. I love raw pea soup and regular cooked soups. It seems that having that much water in the food is helpful to digestion.
In the biography of Milarepa, the great yogi saint mentions getting lots of energy from having had nettles soup mixed with a little barley flour. It surged through his system and helped more kundalini energy through him. He had gotten the barley four as a gift from a hunter who thought his diet was weak in some carbs (he did not quite put it that way). Apparently his body was muscle glycogen starved and surged back into life after getting some. Milarepa did not forget this dramatic shift and made a note to himself that diet was an important factor on the spiritual path. I liked how Milarepa did maintain the attitude of a scientist and kept learning from his own experience. His conclusion rang true to me.
My first experiences with herbal medicine was through two events. One was getting some Celestial Seasonings Sleepy Time Tea and feeling it literally knock me out. A friend of mine in college gave the tea but warned me that it might make my already tired body want to sleep even more. I remember saying that something about that it was only a bunch of herbs and would probably be too mild to do that. I was wrong. The other event was my getting very sick in graduate school and had to not go to classes for two weeks. I was in a fever, trying to wait out the illness, and was not getting any better. After two weeks, a friend dropped by and asked if I wanted to go out from some Chinese food. I figured that I could be sick anywhere and that at least I could get some food. I was not particularly hungry, but my friend was willing to split a stir fry with me and that was enough. The waitress was a friend of mine, who apparently noticed that I was coming more to life when I drank some of their Oolong tea and kept filling the pot. I drank 50 cups and was feeling better and better. I went to sleep well that night and woke up feeling so well that it seemed as if I was never sick. Going from a fever that never left to a wellness with no linger signs of illness in about 10 hours felt like a miracle. I explain it better now. I was getting hydrated. I was getting a caffeine boost that jump started my immune system. I was getting a ton of antioxidants. And I was getting natural antibiotics from the fermented products inside the Oolong tea. Oolong, unlike the regular green tea that it is made from, it fermented. The bacteria that cause fermentation always secrete their own antibiotics to take over their space and claim it. In the process they often transform a lot of the acids into medicinal compounds. Then there is theanine to jump start the dopamine and polyphenols that clear up "brain rust". But like Milarepa's experience, I did not forget my entry into the world of herbs and diet for healing.
Since then I have been experimenting more and more with herbs and especially herbal teas for healing, and even herbal teas for nutrition. I find that it only takes a little tweak to prepare cooked food as if it were a herbal preparation, adding spices, not for flavor only, but for medicinal considerations. It is no accident that many old style Chinese cooks will saute onions, garlic, turmeric, and ginger in oil as a preparation for a stir fry. The antioxidants in ginger and turmeric help the oil to not degrade (low heat helps too, when stir frying only veggies, you do not need as much heat as you would with animal flesh). All the spices are really medicinal herbs. There is a Chinese saying that goes, "Let food be your medicine and medicine be your food" that summarizes this kind of consciousness.
I also do read a lot of western medical stuff on diet. Our biochemical and physiological understanding has grown a lot. But the approach lacks the order of Aryurvedic and Tibetan healing knowledge. As a result, the medical data does not form a unified whole in the minds of people and is less of a guide for people. When you grok the Aryurvedic system, then the data falls into place more readily and supports the aims of the old rishis. I had to learn the harder path of trying out a lot of diets that were based on partial knowledge, like the Pritikin diet, the Macrobiotic diet, the high protein diet, and the gluten free diet. Most of their knowledge did get integrated into a larger picture. I learned something valuable from each of them, but some, like the high protein and the Pritikin were too unbalanced for the long term. It seems that balance and proportion are valuable keys to right diet. What goes against this is "addictive craving" which only cares to eat "comfort food" and "pleasure food". While food is meant to be pleasurable and comforting to eat, it needs to be primarily nutritional and medicinal. If this focus is not maintained, then one will never eat in balance. One will eat too much and not enough of the right things, and this indulgent way of eating does kill people or at least stresses people, ages them, and hurts them. Our diet is meant to be a support for our lives and not an adverse factor we are supposed to survive.
Having stated this intention, I would like to share a few disclaimers. One is that I am definitely an explorer who is very much in a learning process about the role of diet in the spiritual life. My opinions are going to change from time to time, probably not drastically, but it a way that shows some fine tuning and evolution in understanding.
I started out with the usual American diet, with lots of steak, potatoes, and some overboiled veggies on the side, occasional Chinese stir fried dishes, some Mexican food (or the American re-styling of this genre ala fast food), and occasionally some burgers and fries. Some salads would figure into the equation, but it was mostly an optional garnish and was not taken as a serious source of nutrition. There were some soups every now and then, too, with ever increasing amounts of MSG (monosodium glutamate) that no one really knew was frying the brains of people and causing a number of mental illnesses, later to be classified as an "excito-toxin", increasing the speed that electrons crossed the synaptic gaps.
During that time I had severe allergies, especially to grass pollen and cat dander. The general feeling about allergies was that it was something you had or not had, that it was genetic or inherited, and that you could not do much besides take allergy pills. I just mainly lived with it. I got periodic sinus headaches with them and took aspirin, and spent one night in particular struggling to breathe each breath, not knowing whether I was going to live out the night and see the next morning. I got into a concentration about breathing then and was, after a long time, about to resume normal breathing and fall peacefully asleep.
In college, I decided to become vegetarian. It was not for dietary reasons, but for compassion for animals. The inspiration came from my studies, in a college class called "History of American Theology". I had chosen to study the Quakers and John Woolman in particular, and wrote an essay about his walkabout across the US at that time when he was alive. I decided to meditate Quaker style and found, like Woolman, a prompting from within to become vegetarian. Every time I thought of becoming vegetarian, a gentle joy waves through me. After a month of these wavings through, I surrendered to the impulse and made it into a decision. I was taking "Ethics" in philosophy that year also and going into the various ethical issues that are still hot topics in the world. My professor and later friend was not quite vegetarian himself, but had leanings in this direction and was reducing his intake. I went cold turkey and failed miserably. My body did not react well to the change. After only 3 days, I ate a steak and felt a little defeated in my purpose.
But life has a way of helping us out, a pastor gave me a copy of RECIPES FOR A SMALL PLANET, and I was able to make decent and tasty vegetarian meals for myself. I was still lacto-ovo vegetarian, since I was mainly into not killing animals for food. I transitioned in smaller stages for six months, first not buying any dead cow meat or chicken meat a month, then not eating any at restuarants the next month, and then not eating at friend's houses the next month, and then doing the same thing for fish for the next three months. This more gradual transition worked.
About two years into being vegetarian, I noticed that my allergies had weakened considerably and some people even remarked that I had a glow of health, something that in my previous days as a carnivore never happened. About four more years later, I dropped eggs. Or actually my body decided it did not like eggs anymore and spontaneously threw them up. Perhaps it was a bad egg, but I got that it was a signal that my body was changing and did not want eggs anymore. This rang true in the next two years.
I was reducing my dairy fairly rapidly after this and was near vegan, having only the casein in soy cheese and some yogurt as my only two dairy sources, with some occasional "sneak ins" of Parmesan cheese in some tomato sauces when I would go to an Italian restuarant and the chef did not get the request right. It was not that they would deliberately put in cheese, but that sometimes it was already sprinkled in while making the sauces and then forgotten. This phase ended when I was in deep retreat up on the coast of Oregon and realized that I had accidentally crossed the line into being completely vegan, so I decided to stay that way. I found that my allergies reduced to almost zero from this and from some emotional processing that I found in a Reiki book that I was reading. My eyes still itch and sometimes get red during the peak of hayfever season, and sometimes I occasionally sneeze. When I was a carnivore, I would go through boxes of allergy pills. When I was lacto-ovo vegetarian, I would only use about 10 tablets a year. When I was vegan, it might be one tab. After having gone through a year and quarter eating raw food only, it is down to zero tablets. I am not into raw food only now, because I feel that legumes are better cooked for me and my body likes a little occasional rice. But I do recommend that people try about 3 to 5 months raw food diet (at the right time) just for the cleansing it does. When you feel strong protein cravings, it is a signal that the cleansing time is complete. I interviewed a lot of raw foodists and found that they hit a specific protein craving at roughly the 3 to 5 month zone. They usually, at that time, ate too many almonds and got sick.
I did learn not to overcook food after my raw food phase. I take more care to preserve the enzymes that are usually lost in cooking and also keep a certain percentage of raw food and raw smoothies in my diet. It is somewhere between 50 percent and 70 percent, more raw in the summer, and less in the winter. I love raw pea soup and regular cooked soups. It seems that having that much water in the food is helpful to digestion.
In the biography of Milarepa, the great yogi saint mentions getting lots of energy from having had nettles soup mixed with a little barley flour. It surged through his system and helped more kundalini energy through him. He had gotten the barley four as a gift from a hunter who thought his diet was weak in some carbs (he did not quite put it that way). Apparently his body was muscle glycogen starved and surged back into life after getting some. Milarepa did not forget this dramatic shift and made a note to himself that diet was an important factor on the spiritual path. I liked how Milarepa did maintain the attitude of a scientist and kept learning from his own experience. His conclusion rang true to me.
My first experiences with herbal medicine was through two events. One was getting some Celestial Seasonings Sleepy Time Tea and feeling it literally knock me out. A friend of mine in college gave the tea but warned me that it might make my already tired body want to sleep even more. I remember saying that something about that it was only a bunch of herbs and would probably be too mild to do that. I was wrong. The other event was my getting very sick in graduate school and had to not go to classes for two weeks. I was in a fever, trying to wait out the illness, and was not getting any better. After two weeks, a friend dropped by and asked if I wanted to go out from some Chinese food. I figured that I could be sick anywhere and that at least I could get some food. I was not particularly hungry, but my friend was willing to split a stir fry with me and that was enough. The waitress was a friend of mine, who apparently noticed that I was coming more to life when I drank some of their Oolong tea and kept filling the pot. I drank 50 cups and was feeling better and better. I went to sleep well that night and woke up feeling so well that it seemed as if I was never sick. Going from a fever that never left to a wellness with no linger signs of illness in about 10 hours felt like a miracle. I explain it better now. I was getting hydrated. I was getting a caffeine boost that jump started my immune system. I was getting a ton of antioxidants. And I was getting natural antibiotics from the fermented products inside the Oolong tea. Oolong, unlike the regular green tea that it is made from, it fermented. The bacteria that cause fermentation always secrete their own antibiotics to take over their space and claim it. In the process they often transform a lot of the acids into medicinal compounds. Then there is theanine to jump start the dopamine and polyphenols that clear up "brain rust". But like Milarepa's experience, I did not forget my entry into the world of herbs and diet for healing.
Since then I have been experimenting more and more with herbs and especially herbal teas for healing, and even herbal teas for nutrition. I find that it only takes a little tweak to prepare cooked food as if it were a herbal preparation, adding spices, not for flavor only, but for medicinal considerations. It is no accident that many old style Chinese cooks will saute onions, garlic, turmeric, and ginger in oil as a preparation for a stir fry. The antioxidants in ginger and turmeric help the oil to not degrade (low heat helps too, when stir frying only veggies, you do not need as much heat as you would with animal flesh). All the spices are really medicinal herbs. There is a Chinese saying that goes, "Let food be your medicine and medicine be your food" that summarizes this kind of consciousness.
I also do read a lot of western medical stuff on diet. Our biochemical and physiological understanding has grown a lot. But the approach lacks the order of Aryurvedic and Tibetan healing knowledge. As a result, the medical data does not form a unified whole in the minds of people and is less of a guide for people. When you grok the Aryurvedic system, then the data falls into place more readily and supports the aims of the old rishis. I had to learn the harder path of trying out a lot of diets that were based on partial knowledge, like the Pritikin diet, the Macrobiotic diet, the high protein diet, and the gluten free diet. Most of their knowledge did get integrated into a larger picture. I learned something valuable from each of them, but some, like the high protein and the Pritikin were too unbalanced for the long term. It seems that balance and proportion are valuable keys to right diet. What goes against this is "addictive craving" which only cares to eat "comfort food" and "pleasure food". While food is meant to be pleasurable and comforting to eat, it needs to be primarily nutritional and medicinal. If this focus is not maintained, then one will never eat in balance. One will eat too much and not enough of the right things, and this indulgent way of eating does kill people or at least stresses people, ages them, and hurts them. Our diet is meant to be a support for our lives and not an adverse factor we are supposed to survive.
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