Things I Never Thought I'd Put in My Mouth

You have probably gathered I've been reading what most would consider "out there" nutrition. I can honestly say the advice is not "out there"; rather, what I believed about nutrition most of my life was wacky. I plan to review The Maker's Diet which I am almost done reading. Jordan Rubin's nutrition information is wonderful, but his theology about the Law is incorrect. More on that later because I am currently lost in Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni's Queen of Dreams. Informational books are great, but after awhile I ravenously crave fiction, poetry, creative non-fiction, or other creative texts. I highly recommend Divakaruni's books - she has a beautiful writing style, very poetic, and many delicious Indian food references.

The 5 Senses Fridays have conveyed my recent transition to much healthier nutrition; and non-toxic cleaning, medicinal and beauty supplies. I bet some of those items cause you to ponder my sanity, or roll your eyes muttering, "Hippie." To further your bewilderment, I've compiled a list of things I never, ever thought I would put in my mouth:

1. Organic unfiltered apple cider vinegar: 1-2 teaspoons in a glass of water several times a day when your digestive system is misbehaving. You may also add a teaspoon of honey to make it more palatable if need be. Our friend Kemper would gag a maggot, but I actually enjoy this beverage. I began imbibing it this week due to my body going through a detox phase and wreaking havoc on my digestive system. Apple cider vinegar covers all the woeful digestive bases, and if you do a Google search, you will find a myriad of other medicinal and cleaning properties.

2. Primal Defense is on this list mainly because it's a black pill containing Homeostatic Soil Organisms. I believe this supplement is the main reason I'm going through detox, but it's worth it due to my past digestive ailments including a beginning ulcer and stomach acid imbalance. Primal Defense is the best probiotic I've found, and super duper healthy. A word of advice: if you are considering taking Primal Defense, please start with ONE pill a day, then gradually work up to three a day just as the bottle says. I arrogantly thought I could handle two a day, but I was seriously wrong.

3. Raw goat's milk Kefir. I have always loved cow's milk yogurt and more recently cow's milk Kefir, and I adore goat cheese. But somehow the thought of goat's milk made me want to gag. Then I read that goat's milk is a natural antacid and easily digestible, so I purchased a pint of raw goat's milk Kefir on a whim at the Farmers' Market. I was surprised to like it! I took one step further and ordered a starter set of Kefir grains from the goat milk farmers. As of next week, I will be making my own cow and goat milk Kefir which looks easier than I imagined! Kefir also contains a lovely array of probiotics that I venture to say most everyone is lacking in their diet.

4. Bee pollen. It is probably best to use it in a smoothie, but I just swallow about 2 teaspoons a day. Eventually I will take a tablespoon a day, and at that point I will most likely mix into a smoothie. It does not taste that bad, but you can only chew up so much bee pollen. As with raw honey, it is best to eat local bee pollen for allergies. Click here for the other miracles of bee pollen.

5. Cod liver oil. I mentioned this on my blog recently, but it had to be in this list! I confess I have not taken this oil daily during my detox phase. I will try today since it is a rich source of vitamins A & D, and omega-3's.

6. Homeopathic medicine. I admit to thinking homeopathic medicine was nutso for many years. My opinion has shifted as of late with a little research. I added a few books to my wish list, but as usual, Annie Crawford provided a good article on the topic. In addition to Liddell oral sprays and Similasan eye drops, I'm impressed by Boiron meds which have been surprisingly helpful through the detox. I've also taken a few remedies by Hyland's. I would love to find a reputable homeopathic doctor in Houston!

7. Green superfood supplements. I love salad, spinach salad most of all, and I even love many other green vegetables, but some ingredients in green superfood supplements should not go together! (in my mind at least) For example, read Garden of Life's Perfect Food ingredients. I first tried the powder form and actually gagged - I could not finish the glass. My gag factor was swayed by the numerous health benefits, so I purchased the caplet form and I'm happy to report those do not make me gag - I don't even taste them. Even yummier forms of super greens are Naked Green Machine drink and Organic Food Bar's Active Greens flavor.

8. Soaked almonds. They taste good, but soaking probably seems unnecessary and maybe gross to some of you. However, soaking almonds brings out dormant enzymes and nutrients, and the process is painless. I soaked a small batch the other night by filling a drinking glass 1/4 full of raw almonds and filling the glass full with water. I left the glass on our kitchen counter overnight and wa-la! - extra healthy almonds for breakfast. (or a mid-morning snack) Now they are sitting in our fridge, the glass covered. Soaked almonds stay good only for a few days, but next time I plan to sprout a larger batch which takes about three days, and then dry them in the oven so they will last months.

9. Kelp, but did you know kelp helps regulate thyroid? I've suffered both low thyroid and habitual visits to the thyroid doctor in years past. God healed me of the most serious symptoms, but lately I've felt a tiny bit thyroidish though not severely so. I was fascinated to read this list by a Mom, and I quickly bought a basal thermometer and a bottle of World Organic Liqui-Kelp. Why not? My temperature was indeed a bit low, so I placed 4 drops of kelp in a glass of water and gulped it down. You can't even taste the kelp! As an added bonus, both the kelp and the thermometer are cheap - around $5.00 each. (or cheaper online)

10. Any other mouthwash except Listerine, and certainly not one with essential oils! Realizing again I don't know everything, Jason's Healthy Mouth tea tree oil/cinnamon/clove mouthwash is just as healthy and better than chemicals. Then I tried Thieves mouthwash that has all the bite of Listerine and is equally antiseptic! Thieves essential oil blend is very interesting. The story goes that in France during the 15th century plague, four robbers did not perish while robbing the dead. When caught by authorities, they were ordered to divulge their survival secret which was the essential oils of clove and rosemary plus a few other aromatics. Whether or not this story is true is up for debate, but modern research has proved a blend of five essential oils to be highly antiseptic, antiviral, and anti-infectious. The oils are: clove, rosemary, cinnamon, eucalyptus, and lemon. Thieves mouthwash contains this therapeutic-grade essential oil blend plus peppermint oil, stevia, and spearmint oil. It also comes in a pretty blue bottle which is important, right Mom? (the link's picture is out of date) Oh, and Thieves oil smells amazing - cinnamony and clovey.

That list isn't too bad, right? The only one I still find challenging is cod liver oil. The other items I grew to love, and I'm thankful for God's provision. I believe He has led me to eat and live this way not only for digestive health, but also for prenatal health and life-long nutrition. Eventually I would like to lose a little weight, but that is not my main concern as long as I don't gain weight! In all my reading I am finding that true health is most important, nutrition is vital, and yes, exercise is good. I just need to improve my exercise which will be easier to do now that detox is fading. Even more important is a lesson I'm learning daily: I need not nor should not "impress" anyone other than the Lord God and my husband who both love me exactly as I am. When I catch myself comparing what I look like to a friend or other woman, I confess and thank God for health, provision, and even for how I look. Speaking of Johnny, he has been very supportive and open-minded in my nutrition quest. He is not quite as into it as I am, but he does use Jason's tea tree mouthwash, Tom's of Maine natural toothpaste, a homeopathic medication, and helps me cook meat without hormones and antibiotics. Not to mention he allows our grocery bills to increase in good faith!

It is time to clean our sad, dirty bathroom. I made my first homemade disenfectant spray not only due to hippie tendencies, but also to be more economical vs. buying Lysol wipes left and right, or too many bottles of non-toxic cleaners. Here is Annie Crawford's recipe for a large spray bottle:

1 cup vinegar (Annie recommends 9% vinegar, but we have a huge jug of 5% white vinegar, so I used that instead. Perhaps I could have used apple cider vinegar?)
2 cups water
10 drops tea tree oil (Again, I used what we have which is 15% water-soluble tea tree oil, so I used 15 drops. I'm sure it is best to use straight tea tree oil)
5 drops Thieves oil (A bottle of Thieves oil is $38.82, but there are 250 drops in the bottle! It will go a long way)

Now I'm off to clean the bathroom, thanks to villains of long ago.