I am currently doing oil pulling and other members of my family are doing the detox bath. I want to try skin brushing sometime. Lots of possibilities here.
1) A monthly book bundle (I know I said I would not be promoting any more e book bundles for awhile but I could not resist. It looks quite good. BUT IT ENDS TODAY SO GET IT NOW!!
The May eBook bundle theme is Homesteading! Cost is only $12.97
In Pioneering Today-
Faith and Home the Old Fashioned Way, author Melissa K. Norrisexplains practical and easy methods to cook from scratch, garden, preserve your own food, and see God’s fingerprint in your everyday busy life. You’ll learn how to:
- Decrease your grocery and energy bill
- Improve your family’s health by cooking from scratch and over 40 delicious recipes
- Grow and preserve your own food
- Reduce your time in the kitchen without sacrificing taste and nutrition
- Expand your view of God in your daily activities
Whether you live in the middle of the asphalt jungle or on the side of a mountain, you can experience the pioneer lifestyle and start your own homesteading journey. When you surround yourself with things made from the hand of God, you can’t help but see Him. 132 pages / Retail Value: ebook-$2.99 Paperback $9.99 Follow Melissa K. Norris on Facebook. 
Learning how to raise chickens doesn’t have to be difficult. In fact, The Urban Chicken by Heather Harris will walk you right through each step of the way, from choosing a breed to where it will live, all the way to processing. A simple, easy to read guide that will quickly expand your knowledge and making getting fresh eggs and meat from your own backyard seem like child’s play. 41 pages / Retail Value: $3.99 Follow the Homesteading Hippy on Facebook. 
Would your farm benefit from a livestock guardian animal to defend your property and stock? In Livestock Guardian Animals, by Marie at Rural Living Today, learn how donkeys, llamas, and livestock guardian dogs deal with threatening predators. Read about the instincts, abilities, and limitations of each type of livestock guardian. Then evaluate your needs and make the right livestock guardian decision for your farm, ranch, or homestead. 23 pages / Retail Value: $2.99 Follow Living Rural Today on Facebook. Drawing Blood from Your Goats by Starlene Stewart, is a help
ful instructional guide which will walk you through the process of drawing blood from your goats, complete with photos, labeling instructions, how and where to send the blood for testing. Instead of calling out your local veterinarian and shelling out $$$, learn to draw blood yourself and save money on your homestead! 19 pages / Retail Value: $4.95 Follow Starlene Stewart on Facebook. 
Making Hand Milled Soap for Fun and Profit by Susan Godfrey includes instructions and 52 recipes to teach you how to make your own designer soaps at home! It also includes many tips and resources for making a profit selling them! 45 pages/Retail Value: $3.75 ![image]()
Remember - this sale is for ONE WEEK ONLY! It disappears forever on May 20th at 11:59pm!
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2) I am now an affiliate for The Nerdy Farmwife’s new e-book called Naturally Sweet Treats. She did give me a free copy and it looks wonderful. There are 32 dessert recipes that are acceptable for many allergy free diets and they look good enough for anyone to eat. I will be doing a review in a week or two complete with a give away of 1 copy of the e-book. Stay tuned but in the mean time it is only $3.99 for 1 month so this is your chance to get this at an incredible price.
3) Bundle of the Week
I am very excited about this week’s bundle because it is Kitchen Stewardship’s ebooks and they are already books I use and am an affiliate for. These books are well worth the money.
This week at BundleoftheWeek.com, add five Kitchen Stewardship ebooks to your library at a fraction of their regular price! Whether you’re already a fan of the talented Katie Kimball or just hearing about these ebooks for the first time, this collection of real food ebooks includes not just recipes but plenty of information to empower you on your real food journey — and it’s available at almost 80% off retail this week only. Plus, purchasers will receive a special coupon code to purchase Katie’s latest ebook, Better Than a Box, at just 50%! From soaking grains and using beans to stretch your budget to dozens of snack recipes for busy families on the go and tasty desserts that won’t leave you feeling deprived, Katie’s ebooks offer recipes and kitchen tips for every meal of the day. P.S. Even if you’ve already got one or two of these ebooks in your collection, this collection offers a great value for the remaining books. And you’re welcome to pass on your duplicates to a friend or family member to encourage them in their real food journey as well! Healthy Snacks to Go (2nd Edition) by Katie Kimball With over 45 healthy snack recipes and ideas including traditional granola bars, iron-packed Popeye bars, and a dozen “larabar” style variations, Healthy Snacks To Go is the resource you need for healthy snack ideas. Complete with time-saving tips, frugal options and allergy notes, plus diaper-bag friendly snacks that are toddler-approved, this will become your “go-to” cookbook to keep your cupboards filled with nourishing yet quick choices. The Everything Beans Book by Katie Kimball This comprehensive resource explaining everything you want to know about beans and legumes. In The Everything Beans Book, you’ll find recipes for homemade beans and rice, refried beans, wraps, Mexican fare, soups, pasta dishes, and even a dessert, plus frugal tips and substitution ideas! Beyond recipes, this ebook also offers over 20 pages of information to facilitate your new love of beans and make sure you can cook with dry beans without any stress. Smart Sweets by Katie Kimball Katie’s goal with Smart Sweets: 30 Desserts to Indulge Your Sweet Tooth is to give you options that are way better for you than you’ll find in the grocery store, usually better for you than another homemade version, and sometimes downright good for you. You’ll find less sugar, healthier sweeteners, whole grains, soaked and sprouted grains, no grains, probiotics and even some vegetables in these desserts recipes, without sacrificing taste or enjoyment! Is Your Flour Wet? by Katie Kimball In Is Your Flour Wet? Soaked, Sprouted, or Soured: Grains Recipes from Our Kitchens to Yours, Katie offers a basic introduction to soaking, sprouting and sourdough, plenty of how-to tutorials and more than 45 recipes from a variety of real food bloggers, including breads, snacks, pancakes and waffles, oatmeal, cakes and more! The Family Camping Handbook by Katie Kimball If you’ve always wanted to try camping as a frugal family vacation but are nervous because you have little ones, The Family Camping Handbook will show you how to survive and even thrive out in the woods with young children. You’ll find an overview to help you get started camping, packing and to-do lists and, of course, real food adaptations to standard camping fare. This ebook includes a total of 36 camping recipes and techniques, including paleo/primal/grain-free adaptations. The Kitchen Stewardship bundle is only available through 8am EST on Monday, 5/27. Get yours today:
Jennifer
Affiliate Disclosure: I have several affiliate programs I work and do receive a commission if you purchase something through those programs. This helps to pay the expenses of running this blog. I am only an affiliate of companies and books which I believe in and use myself. You can be sure that I have checked out carefully the company which I recommend. To make something an affiliate link of mine is the highest recommendation I can give. That said I am not responsible for the content and products that company makes and sells, only for my own recommendation.
Red clover is a very common herb and also a really useful one. Interesting how many of the common “weeds” that God has placed in our paths often are just full of wonderful health benefits (dandelion is another one of these). It is chock full of vitamins including B vitamins, vitamin C, phosphorus, potassium, calcium and magnesium.
One of the most prominent properties of red clover is that it is high in isoflavones which makes it a great herb for women’s health. Isoflavones are phytoestrogens which are plant chemicals which act like estrogen. It can be particularly effective in treating menopausal symptoms like hot flashes and mood swings. It is also effective at treating PMS symptoms. (If Vision Herbs ever develops a PMS or menopause tea we will definitely put this in.) “This effect may also reduce the possibility of developing estrogen-dependent cancer of the endometrium (the lining of the uterus). In addition, results from a review of nearly 1000 women suggest that red clover may interfere with an enzyme known to promote the progression of endometrial cancer.” 1 These isoflavones may also help to increase HDL cholesterol (the good cholesterol).
Another health benefit of red clover is that it acts as a liver and blood purifier. It is also known for its anti-cancer benefits, especially external cancers. These can be treated with red clover tea internally and clover poultices externally.
The tea has expectorant properties so has been traditionally also used for treatment of colds, coughs, allergies, and bronchitis. It is an ingredient in our Vision Herbs allergy relief tea. And as usual we get our from Mountain Rose Herbs.
Precautions: “While red clover blossom benefits most women, it should be avoided by women who suffer from breast cancer, fibroids, endometriosis and other conditions potentially caused by excess estrogen. Physicians also agree that red clover should be avoided by women who are pregnant or nursing.” 2
Jennifer
Disclaimer: I am not an herbalist and all information is based on my research and personal experience. For educational purposes only. This information has not been evaluated by the FDA. This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
1 http://www.herbwisdom.com/herb-red-clover.html
2 http://www.benefitsoftheworld.com/how-red-clover-benefits-female-hormones-organ-function-and-well-being/
Blogging today at Naturalfamilytoday.com and this week’s article is on the advantages of sourdough and how to make it. As you know I have written some about this before. This is a different article though so I encourage you to go and check it out
“As I stated in some previous posts, I do not believe grains are bad. Grains have been eaten for centuries and there is evidence as far back as Egypt that bread was a part of the ancient’s diet. It appears that some of this bread was even made with refined flour.”
88th Wildcrafting Wednesday
Wildcrafting Wednesday is hosted by:
While traditional wildcrafting refers to gathering herbs and plants in the wild to use for food and medicine, Wildcrafting Wednesday is a weekly blog hop for sharing self-sufficiency and homesteading tips, tried and true home-remedies, and your favorite herbal uses. It’s a place to gather information on ways to incorporate old fashioned wisdom in our day-to-day life. It is anything and everything herbal – from crafts to cleaning to tinctures to cooking. It is remedies and natural cures made at home from natural ingredients. It is self-sufficient living, homesteading, and back-to-basics tips to save food, money, and resources. If it involves herbs or traditional methods of homemaking and home healing then we want to read about it! In other words, Wildcrafting Wednesday is a “one stop shop” for the past weeks best tips and simple steps to become more healthy and more self-reliant! Please join us! 
Featured Posts from Last Week’s Blog Hop
Each week, we get some incredible posts submitted by amazing bloggers. The following posts are our featured posts as determined by our readers.
Stinging Nettles by The Entwife’s Journal
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How to Build Up Your Garden Soil for Almost Nothing by Natural Living Mamma
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The Ultimate Homemade Ingrown Hair Removal Mask by 5 Minutes
Thank you to every one of our bloggers who linked up and to all of our readers for helping us pick our featured posts!
Guidelines for Participation: 1. Please link up your blog post using the Linky widget below. If you are posting a recipe, only real food recipes are permitted please. This means no processed, packaged, or refined food ingredients! 2. Please link the URL of your actual blog post and not your blogs home page. That allows future readers who find this post and go to your link to be able to find what they’re looking for. 3. Please place a link back to this edition of the blog hop in your post. That way your readers can benefit from all the ideas too. This also helps out the other participants who are hoping to get more traffic to their blogs. If you’re new to blogging here’s what you do: Copy the URL of Wildcrafting Wednesday from your browser address bar. Then edit your post by adding something like, “This post was shared on Wildcrafting Wednesday” at the end of your post. Then highlight “Wildcrafting Wednesday”, click the “link” button on your blogging tool bar, and paste the URL into that line. That’s it! If you prefer, you can grab the button below and insert it at the end of your blog post. Either way is acceptable! 4. Please only link posts that fit the blog hop description. Old and archived posts are welcome as long as you post a link back as described above. Please don’t link to giveaways or promotions for affiliates or sponsors. That keeps our links valuable in the future since a link to a giveaway three months old isn’t going to be worth browsing in three months time, but a link to an herbal tip will be. 5. Posts containing profanity will be deleted without notification. 6. Please leave a comment. 7. And bloggers, please check out the other posts and leave a comment for them too. I know that we would all love to hear from each other. The following button will link back to this edition of Wildcrafting Wednesday:
This chapter is an essential discussion because we live in an age with processed and packaged foods are very easy to come by. Any processing that we do to food will change its chemical and biological strucure. This processing depletes the nutrition in the food and teh food loses its taste. To compensate chemicals are added to give back taste, color, nutritients, and preservatives. “Natural foods get changed into various chemical concotions, which are then packaged nicely and presented to us as “food”. “ p. 105. We don’t always know what these ingredients are as manufacturers do not have to report any ingredient which has been processed before they got it or made from processed ingredients.
Most processed foods are carbohydrates, including things like breakfast cereal, pastries, candy, jelly, condiments and more. Most carbohydrates get broken down into glucose in the body. We also get the carbs from fruits, vegetables, and grains but when we eat them this way they get absorbed more slowly. When we eat processed carbs they absorb much more quickly and can cause rapid spikes in glucose levels in the blood. The body responds with lots of insulin production which then causes the blood sugar level to drop quickly and creates the need for more food. This cycle can cause hyperactive behavior in certain children and adults along with headaches, moods, and general fatigue. These carbs are also hard on the gut flora and feed the pathogenic bacteria and fungi and make a great environment for worms and parasites to live off of. Processed carbohydates contribute greatly to a “toxic” gut situations.
Breakfast cereals: These are highly processed carbohydrates with much added sugar. These cereals will feed the pathogenic bacteria in the gut. The fiber in them is not helpful to the person eating it as most of the fiber is high in phytates and will bind essential nutrients and contribute to the mineral deficiencies already present. The added synthetic vitamins have a low absorption because the body does not recognize them as food.
Crisps, chips and snacks: Not only are these highly processed carbs they also are cooked in vegetable oils that have been heated to very high temperatures. These oils after heaing now contain trans-fatty acids which are fatty acids with an altered chemical structure. They acids will replace the omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids in the cells and make the cells dysfunctional. They also damage the immune system. In 2002 a study was published in Sweden which reported carcinogenic substances called acrylamides in potato chips, french fries, bread and other baked and fried starchy foods.
Wheat flour: Wheat flour is processed with much nutrition remove and preservatives and nutrients added back into the flour mix. Even if gluten is removed the gluten free flour mixes have the underlying problem of nutrition removed and chemicals added back in. Wheat is a number one cause of food allergies and intolerances. p. 111
Sugar: It is estimated that an average Western person consumes 160-200 lbs of sugar each year. (p. 111) Sugar also damages the gut flora and makes the blood sugar jump around and causes the body to have to use minerals (especially magnesium) and vitamins to metabolize the sugar. A major source of sugar is soft drinks and fruit juices and they are no better if an alternative sweetener is used like aspartame or agave. No GAPS person should be having these processed foods in their diet. All foods should be as close to nature as possible, whole and homemade.
Soy: Soy is cheap to make and is present in all kinds of processed foods. It is not beneficial to us and many of the supposed benefits are not really there. Soy is used in Japan and other parts of Asia but it is used as a whole bean or fermented in soy sauce, miso, natto, or tempeh. In the West soy is used as soy protein isolate which is made with an acid wash that leads to the beans absorbing aluminum. 60% of processed foods including soy milk and soy infant formula, contains this. p. 113.
Soy is a natural goitrogen which means it impairs iodine absorption and affects thyroid function. Most GAPs patients are hypothyroid and soy will make this even worse. Soy beans also contain many phytates and as with grains the phytates bind with minerals in the body and prevent them from being absorbed. Studies done have found that most autistic children have allergies to soy. (p. 114) On top of this most soy (90%) is genetically modified and not labeled. Traditional fermented soy products can be used after the GAPS diet is completed but otherwise no soy is permitted.
Jennifer
You can find all the previous chapters at my Pinterest board.
http://pinterest.com/jdages/gaps-book-cliff-notes/
Tagged: GAPS Cliff NotesGAPS dietGAPSgrainscarbohydrates
Worth watching- only 2 and 1/2 minutes long.
Photo by pablo0713.
Fennel is a perennial plants belonging to the same family as caraway, dill, anise and cumin. Fennel is native to southern Europe but also grows in the Middle East, China, India and Turkey.
HEALTH BENEFITS
- Fennel contains some powerful anti-oxidants, like kaempferol and quercetin which remove free radicals from the body and help to prevent cancer and other diseases.
- “Fennel seeds are concentrated source of minerals like copper, iron, calcium, potassium, manganese, selenium, zinc, and magnesium. Copper is required in the production of red blood cells. Iron is required for red blood cell formation. Zinc is a co-factor in many enzymes that regulate growth and development, sperm generation, digestion and nucleic acid synthesis. Potassium is an important component of cell and body fluids that helps controlling heart rate and blood pressure. Manganese is used by the body as a co-factor for the powerful anti-oxidant enzyme, superoxide dismutase.” 1
- Contains Vitamins A, E, B complex and C.
- Lowers LDL cholesterol levels as these seeds are high in fiber which binds with the cholesterol.
- Anti-inflammatory which prevents many chronic conditions.
- Help to prevent and treat intestinal gas, bloating, and indigestion which is why they are in Vision Herbs Happy Tummy Tea.
- .The oil in the seeds also helps the body digest nutrients more efficiently
- For women, Fennel is helpful when breastfeeding, as it stimulates milk production. It is also good for promoting menstruation, and relieving discomfort of menopause. This is because Fennel is naturally rebalancing to hormones. It is good for aiding the return of a regular menstrual cycle after childbirth or after coming off the birth control pill. 2
- Tea can be effective against intestinal worms.
- Effective against congestions and coughs. which is why it is also in Vision Herbs Allergy Season Tea.
That is quite a list and should be convincing enough that fennel is an herb worth pursuing. I buy mine from Mountain Rose Herbs.
Jennifer
Disclaimer: I am not an herbalist and all information is based on my research and personal experience. For educational purposes only. This information has not been evaluated by the FDA. This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
1 http://www.nutrition-and-you.com/fennel-seed.html
2 http://www.indigo-herbs.co.uk/acatalog/Fennel_seed_Info.html
Shared at Wellness Wednesday and Wildcrafting Wednesday.
This week is a light week in terms of opportunities but there are a few things.
1) Bundle of the Week. - Beauty and Fashion
Beauty is more than skin deep, and this week’s bundle is designed to help you feel beautiful from the inside out! Discover the secrets to jump starting your energy, inspiration to get your weight under control, and beauty and fashion tips to help you prioritize yourself even as you juggle your busy life — all for 75% off, this week only!
Embracing Beauty by Trina Holden
In this candid and sometimes hilarious book, Trina shares her journey to embracing beauty in the season of motherhood. Every chapter is crammed with practical inspiration and tips for defining your style, choosing clothes and accessories that work for you, and combining it all into a look that will bring joy and confidence to your day.
The No Brainer Wardrobe by Hayley Morgan
The No Brainer Wardrobe is a book to help women learn to love the clothes they have, lose the clothes they hate, and shop for items to fill the gaps. Hayley offers images outlining outfit selections, tips for how to shop, and instructions for creating a lookbook plus encouragement to help you save time and money and feel great in what you wear.
Energy Explosion by Arabah Joy
Energy Explosion will give you the plan you need to regain your energy. In this 7-day guide, Arabah gives step-by-step instructions for jump starting your energy by addressing your body, mind and spirit, plus printable charts and checklists to track your progress!
Frumps to Pumps by Sarah Mae
Getting dressed in the morning often makes us more hospitable, more productive, more playful and more energized. In Frumps to Pumps, a one-month motivotional (motivation + devotional) from popular author Sarah Mae, you’ll find encouragement and practical tips to help you get into the habit of getting dressed so you can love people (and yourself) well.
100 Pound Loser by Jessica Heights
Jessica’s 100-pound weight loss story is inspiring, encouraging and motivating. In this short but candid ebook, she shares her story plus practical advice to help readers conquer their weight loss goals and appreciate their bodies, regardless of the numbers on the scale.
The Beauty & Fashion bundle is only available through 8am EST on Monday, 5/20. Get yours today:
2) Tropical Tradtions
Tropical Traditions has great sales every week. This week’s sales include 30% off dried coconut (one of the products I order), 20% off organic fair trade coffee, and a few other deals. To order come through my affiliate link and we will both benefit (if you are a first time customer you get a book on coconut oil and flour).
3) Local folks - I am teaching one more class at the Whitehall-Coplay School District Community Education. The topic is real foods and how to eat a real food diet and make it work. This will be on Wednesday May 15th from 6:30 to 9PM. If you are interested contact me for more information or contact the school district. Cost is $15 for the class.
Jennifer
I have a guest post over at Natural Family Today on soaking grains.
“Last week we discussed the value of grains and whether to include them in a daily diet or not. My conclusion is that for many of us grains are still important to have in our diets to some degree. I also believe that the way those grains are prepared is very important to our use of them.”
Jennifer
