Organic Foods

Dr. Elson Haas’ Detox Diet – Modified

 Nutrition/Diet/Food Therapy, Organic Foods
Jun 252014
 

This is a ‘Detox Diet’ that I was given years ago as a patient of Dr. Elson Haas when I had chronic headaches. The detoxification helped me then and it has helped me cleanse and rejuvenate many times since. I still use it to this day and try to do it at least 2 times a year. Dr. Haas wrote a book about this, The Detox Diet, and I see now that it is in its third edition!! For more info on Dr. Haas, his practice in Marin County, California, or his books, see his website Haas Health Online.

To this day, I recommend this ‘cleanse’ (as I call it) to patients for many reasons, but mainly as a technique to adjust to or return to healthy eating habits or to jump start a weight loss plan. It is fairly easy to do since it basically is eating lots of steamed vegetables, is done for only 7-10 days and works! For more details, see my handout:

Dr. Elson Haas’ Detox Diet – Modified

Product: Cocoa MoJo – Organic Cocoa with Organic Extracts of Medicinal Mushrooms

 Nutrition/Diet/Food Therapy, Organic Foods, Products
Dec 042013
 

Healthy Cocoa – what a concept?!?!?

EnerHealth Botanicals Cocoa MoJo is now carried in my office. It is a ‘great way to enjoy yummy Cocoa while supporting your immune system… especially during the winter’1. This is an organic non-dutched (no alkaloids) cocoa powder with organic coconut palm sugar and organic extracts immune-boosting medicinal mushrooms. The coconut palm sugar has a low glycemic index (of 35), making this a nice dessert treat even for diabetics and others who are watching their sugar intake. The medicinal mushrooms extracts in Cocoa Mojo are:

√ Cordyceps Sinensis – this is a Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) herb that I call the ‘Ginseng for the Lungs’; it is a ‘Lung Tonic’ and is used to treat many respiratory disorders. It is also effective in the prevention and treatment of a variety of cardiovascular disorders, and is also a strong immune stimulant, being antineoplastic (anti-cancer) as well. Additionally, research has shown it is renal-protective (for example, it can help kidney problems such as chronic renal failure).2,3

√ Ganoderma Lucidum aka Reishi mushroom – this is another TCM herb, used to calm the mind, strengthen the Lungs and the body in general, and it also known to be antineoplastic, anti-viral and anti-bacterial (see this excerpt from a TCM professional reference).

√ Coriollus Versicolor aka Turkey Tail mushroom – now widely known to have anti-cancer effects, more research has shown direct antioxidant effect as well.4,5

√ Agaricus Blazei – this is a Brazilian mushroom, researched highly in Japan, that has demonstrated antineoplastic abilities in many research studies, along with immunomodulatory effects.6. It is also known by its Japanese name of himematsutake.

References:
1http://www.enerhealthbotanicals.com/cocoa-mojo.html
2Clinical Manual of Oriental Medicine, 2nd edition, Lotus Institute of Integrative Medicine.
3Panaxea.com research summary.
4http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23627468
5http://www.huffingtonpost.com/paul-stamets/mushrooms-cancer_b_1560691.html
6http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17639159

More references for medicinal mushrooms:
1) Hobbs, Christopher. Medicinal Mushrooms – An Exploration of Tradition, Healing, & Culture. Santa Cruz, CA: Botanica Press, 1995.
2) MycoHerb Clinical Guide for Practitioners. Golden Mirror Press, 2008.
3) Review of Medicinal Mushrooms Advances: Good News from Old Allies, Solomon P. Wasser, HerbalGram. 2002; 56:28-33 American Botanical Council (article online).

Make Yogurt in Your Crockpot (from StephanieOdea.com)

 Nutrition/Diet/Food Therapy, Organic Foods, Recipes
Apr 042013
 

You Can Make Yogurt in Your CrockPot!

From Stephanie O’Dea, New York Times author and blogger Stephanie O’Dea’s website or more direct link at Crockpot365 Blog

(Summarized here since blog post above is too hard to read and follow while in your kitchen! But her posting does have pictures for those of you who need them. And I thank Stephanie O’Dea tremendously – I love this simple way to make yogurt and have used it many times!! I recommend using organic milk and organic yogurt starter though. Note: I have never added fruit as noted here – I add fruit later when I eat it instead (save plain yogurt for starter though, for sure.) —Sheryl Sanchez, L.Ac.)

The Ingredients.
–8 cups (half-gallon) of whole milk–pasteurized and homogenized is
fine, but do NOT use ultra-pasteurized. (Debbie recommends starting with
whole milk until you get the hang of yogurt-making)

–1/2 cup store-bought natural, live/active culture plain yogurt (you
need to have a starter. Once you have made your own, you can use that as
a starter)

–frozen/fresh fruit for flavoring

–thick bath towel

–slow cooker

The Directions.
This takes a while. Make your yogurt on a weekend day when you are home to monitor.

I used a 4 quart crockpot. This is so exciting. My fingers are shaking!

Plug in your crockpot and turn to low. Add an entire half gallon of milk. Cover and cook on low for 2 1/2 hours.

Unplug your crockpot. Leave the cover on, and let it sit for 3 hours.

When 3 hours have passed, scoop out 2 cups of the warmish milk and put it in a bowl. Whisk in 1/2 cup of store-bought live/active culture yogurt. Then dump the bowl contents back into the crockpot. Stir to combine.

Put the lid back on your crockpot. Keep it unplugged, and wrap a heavy bath towel all the way around the crock for insulation.

Go to bed, or let it sit for 8 hours.

In the morning, the yogurt will have thickened—it’s not as thick as store-bought yogurt, but has the consistency of low-fat plain yogurt.

Blend in batches with your favorite fruit. I did mango, strawberry, and blueberry. When you blend in the fruit, bubbles will form and might bother you. They aren’t a big deal, and will settle eventually.

Chill in a plastic container(s) in the refrigerator. Your fresh yogurt will last 7-10 days. Save 1/2 cup as a starter to make a new batch.