Thieves Oil

Have you heard the story of the Four Thieves of Marseilles who successfully robbed people afflicted with the bubonic plague in the 14th Century? It’s rumored that their armor was a blend of herbs and oils diluted in white wine vinegar which they doused themselves with before going out & plundering the community… and they never became ill! A modern-day “Thieves Oil” exists today with numerous uses - household cleaning when diluted into a spray bottle, diffusing into the air for immune benefits, massaging on the feet with a carrier oil to help ward off colds and pathogens during flu season, or even using a few drops in a capsule to take orally for your immune system. If your family tends to get their fair share of colds and germs passed around each Winter, consider using a Thieves blend at home for wellness purposes - diffuse this blend for 30 minutes a few times each day in different rooms of the house to clean and purify the air while making your home smell divine. 

Thieves oil blend:

40 drops of Clove Essential Oil

35 drops of Lemon Essential Oil

20 drops of Cinnamon Essential Oil

15 drops of Eucalyptus Essential Oil

10 drops of Rosemary Essential Oil

Summer: Season of the Heart

When I think of June I always think of the beginning of long, hot summer days balanced out by a LOT of swimming in Deep Eddy or our neighborhood pools. Summer means we are moving out of Wood (Spring) and into the Fire phase of Chinese Medicine. In fact, the Summer Solstice was upon us this week on June 21st - the longest day of sunlight in the year! 

Summertime means warmth, light, activity, elation, and socializing. In Chinese medicine, summer is also the season of the heart organ, and during this season we should strive to balance the heart organ system with our food, actions, and intention.

The heart is seen as the emperor of the body, governing the blood and blood vessels, and storing our Spirit. It acts as a leader for the body and maintains order of thought and intention. If there is no order, chaos will occur and you may have anxiety, insomnia, inappropriate behavior, discomfort around people, heart palpitations, panic attacks, or stuttering. Just as blood pumped from the heart communicates with our cells, bringing them oxygen and nutrients, our heart is also responsible for social communication and thrives on love and warmth from people.

To keep the heart in balance during the hot summer months use the following foods: salads, fruits, beets, carrots, cucumbers, cabbage, melons, brown rice, tofu, celery, sesame, slightly bitter greens, or longan fruit. Eat less red meat, fats, and extremely spicy foods. Stay connected with family and friends. Balance the fire and activity of summer with enough rest and time in the water! Water balances Fire. Meditation is also a valuable tool for quieting the busy Fire-type mind.

What did you cook this weekend?

A few delicious images of our home-cooked food choices this weekend… Do you cook with your family on weekends? Do you go to a farmer’s market? It’s a great way for me to unwind with everyone at home - cooking a wonderful meal that makes the whole house smell good, getting everyone at the table together, taking time to enjoy our family and appreciate what we have. If that’s not good medicine, I don’t know what is. 

Above: Garlic Shrimp with chile de arból and parsley…

Above: Grilled Vegetable Tacos with all the trimmings… 

Above: First Heirloom caprese salad of the season! I could eat these daily for the rest of the spring AND summer… 

Ridiculously Easy Raw Chocolate Bars

Some of you might think making your own chocolate sounds like a chore, one which you would be more than happy to simply leave to the professionals. I’m here to tell you this: making your own chocolate could not be ANY easier than this recipe I’m about to share. It’s only 3 basic ingredients. No cooking involved. Just mixing & freezing. Making raw chocolate - without cooking or heat involved - is actually wonderfully healthy for you as well. It is completely, 100% guilt-free dessert! I’ve been mixing up some batches lately and here are my favorites picks for superfood-infused raw chocolates that will make your heart sing: 

Homemade Raw Dark Chocolate:

3 Tbsp organic, unrefined coconut oil

3 Tbsp raw cacao powder

1 tsp raw honey (you can adjust more for taste)

Mix coconut oil and cacao powder in a small bowl and set that bowl inside a larger bowl filled somewhat with warm water - leave the cacao mixture here until the coconut oil softens. Mix well. Stir in honey and any other liquid or powder ingredients you might add (see my variations below), pour into a small dish lined with parchment paper. Freeze until solid - just an hour or so. EAT! 

Raw Maca - Goji - Chocolate (pictured above): Mix in 1 tsp maca root powder to cacao mixture and stir. Sprinkle with goji berries before freezing. I call this the Yin/Yang chocolate. Maca root is a yang tonic, goji berry is a yin tonic - so together they build the yin (substance) and yang (function) energies of our body. A great chocolate to activate your kidneys, which help with our most primal functions of reproduction/fertility and stress recovery. 

Raw Orange Peel - Almond Chocolate: Sprinkle orange zest and flaked almond slivers atop raw chocolate mixture before freezing. This one’s not really on the therapeutic side, unless tasting really good is enough therapy in itself?

Raw Ginger - Turmeric Chocolate: Add ¼ tsp ginger powder & ¼ tsp turmeric powder to cacao mixture and stir. Freeze as is, or top with more fresh grated ginger before freezing. Ginger and turmeric are both invigorating, anti-inflammatory herbs that can help with arthritis and bursitis conditions. If you have pain or poor circulation, go ahead and pump up your chocolate with these. 

yum. 

My husband loves when I make what I call “Rainbow Bowls”. Tasting Table made a really great info-graphic on how to create a balanced bowl based on macrobiotic principles with several variations to keep your palate happy. We love making this type of dish for dinner and having heaps of leftovers for lunches during the week. Make a quick bowl of dressing like this Sunflower dip to spoon on the top and you’ll be surprised at just how delicious macrobiotic can be. 

My own variations for macro-bowls include some traditional Chinese medicine changes, naturally, like adding chicken/egg/beef/fish for those who are not vegetarian or need extra protein; adding different greens like collards/kale/chard for extra heartiness and iron; religiously garnishing with gomasio or sesame seeds/nuts; and adding a sour flavor for total balance like pickled beets/cabbage or sauerkraut. 

These bowls are always so colorful and vibrant - they never fail to put me in a good mood. They leave me feeling light, satisfied & energetic… Isn’t that what food should do in the first place? 

Put Down That Artificially Sweetened Soda (...Please!) →

New psychological research provides clues as to why consuming such drinks can actually lead to weight gain.

It’s always an interesting conversation to have with someone - why they should stop drinking diet soda when it “has no calories.” Even folks who are otherwise very conscious about their health often use diet drinks as a way to satisfy their soda or sweet cravings… and then wonder why they can’t shed the extra 5 or 10 lbs they always carry around, or why they still have a sweet tooth. This is a good article explaining one reason behind why artificially sweetened drinks still lead to weight gain, and more importantly, lead to the behavior that leads to weight gain. Read the article and find out why! 

Natural Solutions to Gastritis

Millions of folks are dealing with stomach issues in America. This is not new. The commercials and ads for acid reflux medications are not new either. Getting VERY old, in fact, in my opinion. Here is some information that may be new to you, some natural tips on dealing with your heartburn, especially when due to inflammation of the stomach lining, or gastritis.

Many people think acid reflux/heartburn issues are due to too much stomach acid, and that the pills you can take for it will neutralize this acid from causing you pain. That’s not entirely correct. Most of these problems are due to a completely normal & healthy amount of stomach acids just going the wrong way, or irritating a place that is damaged from some other cause. Here are a few natural ideas for reducing stomach inflammation, thereby relieving the symptoms of heartburn from gastritis:

• Carrot juice or Cabbage juice: Drink about 1 C per day to relieve inflammation in your stomach lining. 
• Aloe Vera Juice: Use up to 4 oz of aloe juice per day to relieve gut inflammation. This can also be used as a laxative, so be cautious with that. 
• L-glutamine powder: Try this amino acid supplement as a powder form, and it will soothe gut inflammation and can even heal stomach ulcers. 
• Pistachio nuts: Eating pistachios is a great way to get fiber and prebiotic action for your gut to encourage healthy bacteria. They are also naturally low in calories so make a great snack. 
• DGL Licorice root extract: This supplement acts by increasing the mucous coating in your esophagus, stomach & intestines, thereby protecting that tissue from irritation by stomach acids. 

*thanks to posts from Andrew Weil and Leo Galland on the latest info about acid reflux and gastritis*

What do Kids Want?

Growing up, I recall peeling off artichoke leaves and picking out juicy pomegranate seeds as two of my favorite ways to enjoy a snack. I realize now, of course, that not every kid is so inclined. My husband, for example, claimed to not have ever seen or tasted a real, fresh stemmed cherry until we met and HE WAS ALMOST 30! We obviously had very different experiences with food as children. As I prepare to have my first child, I’ve been thinking… Why is this? Why are some kids picky eaters and others aren’t? What does it take to get kids interested and excited in eating fresh foods? I know we all innately have our likes and dislikes, but (I have to admit) I believe it also comes from home and the guidance given by parents to their kids at a young age– mainly how familiar you make these foods to the family at large. What’s in the house on a daily basis? What do your children see YOU eating? How much importance is given to fresh and healthy foods vs. frozen, boxed, and convenient? I’ve also learned a few key things from working with clients with resistant children:

1. Kids like to be FAMILIAR with things: Kids can scare easily from new things they haven’t seen or touched or tasted. Too new, too different = Not comforting and not going to go there. So make things familiar, put the veggies out, have them hold and feel them before you even request a bite. Eat them yourself. Set the picture up so that the child is immersed by the good stuff. Research shows they may need to try new things up to 10x to be okay with it. 

2. Kids like to Know WHY?: Why should they bother eating this vs. that? Take time to explain, in a calm and positive manner, why it is important and why you eat healthy on your own. One of my cousin’s kids was so upset when she discovered that a piece of beef jerky had a lot of additives and HFCS in it one day, because her parents had told her what damage it can do to your body, in detail. Kids respond much more to specifics if they are told a bit more than the standard “It’s just good for you, so eat it!”

3. Kids won’t eat well if they are NOT HUNGRY: Make sure that snacking all day long is not an option for your picky eaters. If they aren’t that hungry at meal time, they are much more likely to display their pickiness on what they prefer to eat and when. 

4. Kids like things that LOOK FUN: My husband says that there is definitely a difference in eating a freshly cooked, vibrant green bean vs. a mushy, soggy one from a can. I think kids pick up on this - they still register flavor and have eyes to see whether something is visually pleasing to them. Play on this and make your food colorful, beautiful, and enticing for those little hands. Go to the source of your food and explore a farmer’s market with fun kids’ activities going on. 

5. Kids will follow their parents’ lead through OBSERVATION (to a certain age): Set an example in your kitchen. Over time, as your children see what you eat and why you made these changes, they will first ask questions and then most likely not want to be left out anymore. Kids are in their prime of growing and evolving, and learn new habits much more quickly than adults. 

For more info on how to approach kids - browse this great article: “Taking the Icky out of Picky Eaters”. 

Celebrate Health this Thanksgiving

Want to create a vibrant, healthy, gorgeous Thanksgiving meal? There is so much more creativity beyond the turkey and dressing. I love a colorful, visually stimulating plate and that’s one of the reasons why I LOVE Thanksgiving so much – there is such beauty in the food you are about to eat. My mom and I are especially motivated to create the perfect plate on Thanksgiving day. When a better time to celebrate food, wholeness, and the abundance of nature’s gifts to us all? Inspire this love of colorful, vibrant, nutrient-rich food in your family this year by cooking some bold, healthy side dishes to accompany your bird. Click on the images below for recipes. ♥

Sweet Potato and Cauliflower Gratin with Sage:

Raw Kale Salad with Lemon (gotta have your greens):

Raw Cranberry-Orange-Ginger Relish (a personal MUST!):

Roasted Carrots with Cumin:

Golden Crusted Brussels Sprouts (my husband’s fave):

Roasted Acorn Squash with Chili-Lime Vinaigrette (it’s DELISH):

Happy Cooking and Happy Eating! xo

Food Therapy: Increase Your Fertility

I see several patients each month who are struggling with fertility challenges. If you or someone you know happens to fall in this category, keep reading! There is a great home remedy that will boost your potential for conception, and all it takes is a bit of time in the kitchen – making homemade bone broth. Bone broth has many health benefits, one of which is to nourish what we call the Kidney Essence, or Kidney Jing, in Chinese medicine. Kidney Jing is responsible for creating life, the foundation of one’s constitutional makeup (DNA), and the energy one needs for procreating and giving life to another human being. How fertile or virile one is is dependent upon this Jing, or sexual essence. Kidney Jing can be damaged or depleted in a variety of ways over one’s lifetime… poor or malnourished diet, too much exercise or sexual activity, stress over long periods of time, drug use, or chronic illness and high fever. With dietary therapy, bone (& especially bone marrow) is the best way to replenish lost Kidney Jing. Bone marrow has some of the most important functions of the body - producing red blood cells and stem cells that can differentiate into a variety of cells in the body. This is basically what it takes to make life - cell division and LOTS of blood. A pregnant woman will increase her blood volume by 50% to support a growing baby! Drinking bone broth daily can rekindle your Kidney energy and add substantial nutrient-rich nourishment to the depleted body. Try this recipe:

Beef Bone Broth:

~ 4 lbs beef marrow bones and/or knuckle bones

3 lbs meaty rib bones

4+ quarts of filtered water

½ C vinegar


3 small onions, coarse chop


3 carrots, coarse chop


3 celery stalks, coarse chop


several sprigs of fresh thyme


1 tsp peppercorns


1 whole bunch fresh parsley



Place marrow or knuckle bones in very large pot with vinegar and cover with water. Let stand. Meanwhile, place meaty rib bones in roasting pan and roast in the oven at 350 until they have browned. Add these to the pot along with vegetables. Pour fat out of the roasting pan and add cold water to the pan, set over a high flame and scrape coagulated bits from the pan with a wooden spoon. Add this liquid to the pot with bones, and even more water to cover bones if needed, leaving a bit of room at the top of the pan for the stock to expand as it cooks. Bring to a boil. Skim off all scum that rises to the top with a spoon, after you have skimmed add your peppercorns and thyme. Simmer the stock for at least 12 hours (and up to 48 hrs) and just before finishing add the parsley and simmer for 10 minutes more. You will now have a repulsive looking pot of goop and broth. Remove large bones with tongs and STRAIN it into a large bowl! After straining you will have a wonderful and delicious bone broth for drinking or to use in cooking. Let cool in the fridge and remove any congealed fat that rises to the top. Drink 1 Cup daily (warmed) for increased fertility. This makes quite a lot of broth, so store in the fridge or freeze for longer storage. 

Nourishing Breakfast: Congee

Congee, at its most basic, is a lot like oatmeal: warm, porridge-like grain soup served in bowls. But cooked over long periods of time and garnished with additional healing foods (made savory or sweet), congee can be the spark that leads to weight loss, increased metabolic function, healthier digestion, and stronger immunity. It is the standard Asian healing food for the sick or malnourished. Congee is also generally gluten-free, classically made with rice. You will notice that congee is very easily digested, you will feel hungry again about 1-2 hours after eating it! This meal is a great way to kickstart your digestion and metabolism and allow your body to fully absorb nutrients upon waking. Adding in meats, nuts, egg, fish stock etc will add protein for a fuller meal. 

Today I made a sweet & simple congee, although I do like the savory versions as well - even for breakfast - so I’ll describe a few alternatives to this recipe you may want to experiment with. Made this way, it’s enough for the whole family to enjoy in the morning - with no prep work for you! 

Brown Rice Congee:

1 C short or long grain brown rice

6 C water

½ teaspoon sea salt

1 large handful dried goji berries (gou qi zi)

Place all ingredients into a slow-cooker or crock pot and set on low. Cook overnight, or for about 8-9 hours on the low setting. Serve with garnishes of your choice (see below).

Variations:

- for this congee I made a topping of walnuts, sliced almonds, flax seeds, sunflower seeds & goji berries, mixed with a drizzle of olive oil, honey, and sea salt. Stir this nut mixture up and use as a garnish for congee, plain yogurt, or smoothies. Keeps in the fridge for about 10 days. 

- for creamier sweet congee, sub 1 C coconut milk for 1 C water and cook as directed. 

- for savory congee, instead of goji berries, add bamboo shoots, diced carrots or sweet potato, or ½ C dried mung beans and cook as directed. Also try cooking in half chicken or fish broth, half water. Or garnish with diced boiled egg, pickled veggies, sea salt, pepper, & olive oil.