March 2013 Birthday Fun! Part 1

My nephew, Harrison :-)

this is what happens when two 2 year olds investigate your pizza making while your back is turned :-)

the two little monsters :-)

My nephew, Silas

The next world famous piano duo!

Thirty-One and pizza...can't get any better than that!

"C'mon Stephen, play THOSE notes!"

Birthday table!

Happy Birthday to Audrey, Adalyn, Silas, Caleb, and Brannon! Our March Birthdays!

Icing is just soooo good :-)

Of course, icing is always multi purpose...it makes great hair gel!

Finally, a pair of pj's that won't make her  "get hot" in the winter time!

How to make Eggshell Water

Hmmm....the title sounds so very...umm...interesting, doesn't it? :-) My sentiments were just that the first time I read about eggshell water myself! After all, the shell is just something you throw away, right? That is exactly what I thought until I began my health journey and I began to learn that there is pretty much a good use for EVERY part of an animal, right down to their feet or in this case, shells!

So, how does one make this stuff and why should one make this stuff? Glad you asked :-)

Make Eggshell Water

Tid Bit on Eggshell and Bone Health
1. Studies have shown that taking eggshell with vitamin D3 improves bone mineral density. Egg shells have been used for the pain, and treating, of all kinds of arthritis and joint pain.
2. Pour 2 cups of hot water over 4-5 (free-range or organic is best) crumbled egg shells. Add 1 tsp fresh lemon juice or vinegar. Cover and let sit for 2 hours. Strain the shells out and put liquid in a clean glass jar with a lid. Take a sip of the liquid one or two times a day. Just because it works, does not mean you should take more than you need. So, slowly increase your dosage until pain is the gone. After that do not increase it. Some of us need more calcium than others, but remember our bodies cannot handle too much calcium.
Store extra liquid in the refrigerator. Eggshell Water will last for 3 to 4 days.
3. Egg shells are high in Calcium, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Glycine, Gelatin, Collagen, and Other trace minerals.

Since I have some bone damage to my left side from a car accident, drinking eggshell water has helped SO much! When I go off it, the popping and soreness return...interesting! Now, I hope you understand that making eggshell water from GROCERY STORE eggs is DANGEROUS! There are too many chemicals, antibiotics, hormones, and dangerous bacterias living in those eggs and you should never use the shells, much less use the eggs! If you can't find clean eggs near you, then get some chickens and learn how to raise your own :-) I am very fortunate in that my parents provide me with these delicious, healthy, and safe eggs to eat, but if I didn't have that option I would most certainly have a yard full of chickens myself!

** I know that doing this has helped me but as always, I don't diagnose or treat anyone with what I post on my blog and if you try anything that I suggest, you do of your own free will. I just share what other herbalists and Naturopathic Doctor friends of mine have shared with me and what I've discovered from hours and hours of personal research and study that has worked wonders for my own personal health,  but each person has to make that personal choice for themselves to follow Non Standard Medical advice.**

Check out another great way to get some superior nutrition in the form of a healthy Protein Shake here!
I always love hearing input from my readers and if you've used anything that I have shared on here or you've used something else and had great success with it, SHARE it! I love reading about others successes with their health regarding nutrition. Have a great and health happy day!

Homemade Herbal Green Protein Drink

Since March is the big birthday month in our family - a total of 6 this year. I thought I'd try to do some "foodie" things in between all the posts of the birthday happenings :-) Today I'm going to tell you how to make your own Herbal Green drink that costs way less than buying something in a Health Food store prepackaged.

Now, you may not have a Dehydrator like this one....

But, you can use your stove at the lowest temperature possible or if you have a warm place in your house where you can lay out the greens to dry, you can do that but it will take a few days. Using any temperature above 104 degrees destroys nutrients, enzymes, and minerals so having a temperature controlled unit like my Exaclibur or using a warm place in your house is the best way.

Do you remember this picture from a while back that I shared about the winter greens I was getting from the Farmers here in NC?

Well, I'm going to tell you how to take all those yummy winter greens you're either buying or growing and turn them into a delicious herbal protein smoothy that is so healthy for you and helps you beat the winter blues by receiving digestable protein and vitamins A and D to keep your mind healthy and alert!

First you take all the dried greens that you've dried....see mine?

I've powdered up lacinto kale, curly kale, and green leaf lettuce

Put them in your blender and pulse or blend until the greens are a nicely powdered up! Then you add 1/4 pound each of the following herbs....

Organic Kelp, Indian Gooseberry, and Hawthorn Berry powder are three of my favorite powders to use!
Kelp is an algin that is very high in Iodine which is absolutely necessary for a healthy thyroid and is a great blood purifier. Indian Gooseberry is probably the most highly recommended berry for the consumption of Vitamin C and is known for it's benefits to the heart and cardiovascular system. Hawthorn Berry is great for either high or low blood pressure and counteracts the effects of rheumatism. You could really use any herb or berry powder that fits your nutritional needs, but these three are ones that everyone should regularly use.
Because the nutritional value of "vegetables" in the store is minimal to non-existent due to depleted soils, chemical fertilization, and genetic modification of the actual plants, our diets have to include a lot of herbs and berries to help fill in the nutritional gaps. If you are buying your vegetables strictly from the store, you are receiving little to no nutrition whatsoever. You would have to consume bushels of grocery store produce to get the same nutritional value as a few tablespoons of a powdered berry, herb, or green substance that either you've grown or that has been sustainably and organically grown.

After you've powdered your greens, combine them with the powdered herbs and berries in a large bowl. After stiring, transfer this powder mixture to a glass mason jar. This MUST be kept in the fridge.

Now, onto the fun part! How to turn those power packed herbs, greens, and berries into a super protein shake!

In a large blender place the following items....

3-4 organic bananas, 4-6 raw farm raised egg yolks (NOT the whites), 1 cup homemade fresh yogurt, and enough milk to fill the blender.

PLEASE DO NOT use ANY eggs raw unless they come directly from a farmer that you know. To do otherwise is asking for salmonella or e coli poisoning.  There is NO such thing as "free range, cage free, fresh" eggs available in the grocery store. That is a marketing scam! Those chickens are raised in deplorable conditions and have a little door in the side of their building that they can go out of into a small fenced off area that is dirt only, IF they can find the door.  "Cage free" means they are not confined to small cages, but are confined to a large building beak-to-beak. Don't be fooled by the cartons :-)

If you have any Raw Cacao powder you can add that in as well to give you some additional vitamins and minerals. I LOVE using Cacao, but it is expensive and I use it as a "treat" in our shakes periodically.

After the above ingredients are in the blender, add 4 Tablespoons of the powdered mix, blend thoroughly, and enjoy!

The raw egg yolks, yogurt, and milk provide all the digestable protein your body could desire! Oftentimes when the body is compromised, digestive enzymes are not present and it makes digesting grains, meats, and raw vegetables difficult. Using truly raw yogurt on a daily basis increases the body's ability to regain digestive enzymes and lactobacillius 's and makes it easier on the body to digest and retain important vitamins, minerals, and nutrients. I know for myself personally that using a shake like this daily has helped my thyroid, kidney, and liver remain efficient despite internal damage acquired after a car accident. Your body can heal itself and stay healthy, but it has to have the tools to do it with!

I hope this Herbal Green Protein shake will be as helpful to you in your health journey as it has been to me! Stay tuned for learning how to make Egg Shell water, Whey and cheese, and delicious Bone broths! Simple but very effective remedies for the ailing body that require only 1-2 ingredients and your time!

Happy Health!