In China and Japan people are always consuming this vegetable called Burdock. It's almost like the consistency of Jicama when cooked and it looks like, well, a root. It takes on the flavor of whatever it's cooked in, and is often served in Japanese restaurants. While many view it as a food item, it is in actuality so much more...
The lore of its curative properties stretches back for ages. While always being a huge component in Chinese medicine, Burdock was also used in the middle ages to cure a whole slew of things.
Are you ready for the list?
It's primarily known to be a blood purifier, a remedy for measles, arthritis, tonsillitis, viruses like colds, throat pain, and as a diuretic. It helps with many skin disorders when taken internally as a supplement or used topically (acne, boils, eczema, psoriasis, and skin infections).
The Chinese use it as an aphrodisiac, and found it effective in treating barrenness and impotence. Hmph you say? Cure-all? What about cancer? Well some say it helps cure that too. Recently Burdock root has been employed by Russian and Indian doctors in the treatment of certain cancers. (However, this use of Burdock root still needs to be tested thoroughly.)
I studied natural remedies while abroad and a lot of old wives tales and remedies worked because people believed they did. A lot of "medicines" were all about the placebo effect. Well I'm not so easily a believer.
The people in my family are often getting upper respiratory tract infections requiring intense courses of antibiotics. We get sore throats, colds, fevers, skin infections you name it. I'm sure your family does as well! All we want is something that works! After trying Burdock for the first time I became a believer; over the course of two hours my glands shrunk from golf balls back down to normal. My father who gets killer upper respiratory tract infections and is out cold on the couch for a week straight (even with antibiotics) felt better over night after taking the Burdock pills (requiring no antibiotics) My sister who gets sore throats and colds every couple of weeks was better a day after taking this stuff. I started telling everyone I knew and thats why I'm posting it up here!
(Just a warning: the first time you take it you will sweat like you have never sweat before. Burdock is used as a diaphoretic, which means it makes you sweat, a lot, which is essential for cleansing the body of toxins. According to natural healers, diaphoretics are vital for treating the flu, gallbladder or liver disorders, and to aid the kidneys in purifying the blood.)
How can a tiny supplement made from a vegetable do all of this?
There has been a lot of analysis of the chemical properties of Burdock root and what makes it so effective.
Some of the active ingredients of burdock are polyacetylenes, which are known to be really effective antibacterials and anti-fungals. Burdock enhances the performance of many of the organs whose main purpose is to purify the body and eliminate toxins (i.e. kidneys, liver, colon, etc). This brings your body out of whack.
Although, it is important to make sure that the herb is pure. There was a case where burdock root was contaminated with the plant belladonna, which contains atropine and makes humans sick. The key here is to purchase your supplement from a reputable source or brand(not picked out of someone you knows garden.)
I use Nature's Way brand. 6 a day, 2 with each meal when I'm not feeling well. I take it like this until I feel better.
So next time you're in a Japanese restaurant, go for the Burdock root ( the veggie won't make you sweat I promise) but it is chock full of vitamins and still gives some loving care to your vital organs.
Be well people!
Wednesday, June 4, 2008
OOOoh cookies (organic, vegan, gluten free, peanut butter cookies-that don't taste like old shoe!)
Living in a intentional community in the East Village with a bunch of vegetarians (some with crazy food allergies) you pick up some interesting recipe ideas here and there...These cookies are so great, and so easy! Try em out...
1 cup organic or all natural peanut butter
1 cup organic sugar
1 free-range egg
1 teaspoon gluten free baking powder
1/2 teaspoon organic honey
Preheat the oven to 200 degrees
Cream the butter and sugar, then add the egg, baking powder, and honey
Mix thoroughly, then form into balls about an inch and a half in diameter,
roll in granulated sugar
Bake 10 minutes.
Let sit on tray for 4min (I know it'll be hard, I'm sorry)
Let cool on a wire cookie rack
ENJOY!
Tuesday, April 8, 2008
Garlic Sautee'd Wild Mushrooms and Lemon Roasted Avocado Over Golden Rice
This gourmet recipe is a HUGE hit at dinner parties and a healthy protein rich meal that actually fills you up!
Serves 4
1 cup(250 g) brown rice
1/4 teaspoon tumeric
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon corriander
6 cups assorted wild mushrooms, cleaned
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
juice of 1/2 a lemon, plus an extra squeeze
extra sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 avocados
Preheat oven to 300F (150 C)
Put the rice into a saucepan with tumeric, salt, corriander, and 2 1/2 cups (600ml) water. Bring to a boil, then cover and leave to cook for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and leave, still covered, for 5 minutes.
Saute' the wild mushrooms in the oil until tender, adding the garlic and a squeeze of lemon juice toward the end of the cooking time. Season with salt and pepper.
Halve, pit, and peel the avocados, coat on both sides with lemon juice and season with salt and pepper.
Add the remaining lemon juice to the rice mixture--it will immediately brighten the color.
Fluff the rice with a fork, then spread on a serving platter. Tope with the avocado halves, cut-sides upward. Spoon the mushrooms onto them, heaping them up but leaving a rim of green showing. Leave in the oven for up to 15 minutes. But be sure not to let it get too hot--warmed is fine, but don't let them bake or they will spoil.
BON APETITE!
Serves 4
1 cup(250 g) brown rice
1/4 teaspoon tumeric
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon corriander
6 cups assorted wild mushrooms, cleaned
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
juice of 1/2 a lemon, plus an extra squeeze
extra sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 avocados
Preheat oven to 300F (150 C)
Put the rice into a saucepan with tumeric, salt, corriander, and 2 1/2 cups (600ml) water. Bring to a boil, then cover and leave to cook for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and leave, still covered, for 5 minutes.
Saute' the wild mushrooms in the oil until tender, adding the garlic and a squeeze of lemon juice toward the end of the cooking time. Season with salt and pepper.
Halve, pit, and peel the avocados, coat on both sides with lemon juice and season with salt and pepper.
Add the remaining lemon juice to the rice mixture--it will immediately brighten the color.
Fluff the rice with a fork, then spread on a serving platter. Tope with the avocado halves, cut-sides upward. Spoon the mushrooms onto them, heaping them up but leaving a rim of green showing. Leave in the oven for up to 15 minutes. But be sure not to let it get too hot--warmed is fine, but don't let them bake or they will spoil.
BON APETITE!
How To Make Eating Greens A Little Greener
Bring to mind the food that you put on your table today. Whether you had eggs for breakfast, or steamed vegetables for lunch, or even simply an apple to snack on; Do you have any idea where these foods came from? Even if you don't consider how they are made, think about how they got to your table. If you have no idea, then thank goodness you stumbled upon this article!
It takes trillions of gallons of gasoline to transport food in this country. That apple you ate, may be from Costa Rica, those vegetables, could very well be from Mexico which means, those foods had to be transported to your grocery store, by boat, plane, or truck which all involved burning up fuel.
In the current climate crisis, gas crisis, and economic crisis, with one easy lifestyle change you can reduce your impact, and improve the situation of your world and life.
The biggest benefit of purchasing locally grown food is the quality of food you get! The shorter the period of time between food being picked and being put in your mouth, the higher the nutritional content of the food! Fresh food is jam-packed with vitamins and the longer it sits out, the more rapidly the nutritional value decreases. When food is transported it takes days, so by the time it reaches the table your family is losing out. Additionally by purchasing locally grown food you not only get the highest quality food, you slice all of that pollution out of the equation.
Some great options are visiting local farmers markets. Farmers bring their products freshly picked and ready for you to eat. Its a great way to get involved in your community. For farmers markets near you visit http://www.localharvest.org/farmers-markets/.
Another great option is joining a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) which is a farm that offers memberships. So for a fee (significantly smaller than what you pay for food now) you get a weekly share of the farms organic crops for the growing season, which can be fruit, vegetables, fresh eggs, milk, honey, etc. With the looming recession its nice to know that changing our eating habits to pay less, doesn't mean cutting organic, or fresh out of the equation. You will actually save money by getting involved with a CSA.
By supporting a CSA you will be supporting organic farming practices which means you can be positive there will be no pesticides used on your food. Which also means there will be no pesticides leaching into the water supply in your area.
Your food will be pure food, no GMO's (genetically modified foods). The crop is turned over often so there is less disease and more diversity. They use natural compost so they dont have to use synthetic fertilizers that also leach into the water supply, and destroy the soil.
CSA's also offer seasonal food. During different seasons your body has particular nutritional needs that are met by the vegetables that grow during that season. It makes sense, the earth works with us in this way. One simple example would be in the summer time salads and leafy greens grow prominantly. They carry lots of water in them, which is great since you need water in the summer time so as not to get dehydrated.
To find a CSA near you visit http://www.localharvest.org/csa/.
By taking this simple step you will decrease your impact on the earth and take part in improving your land, community, and life.
It takes trillions of gallons of gasoline to transport food in this country. That apple you ate, may be from Costa Rica, those vegetables, could very well be from Mexico which means, those foods had to be transported to your grocery store, by boat, plane, or truck which all involved burning up fuel.
In the current climate crisis, gas crisis, and economic crisis, with one easy lifestyle change you can reduce your impact, and improve the situation of your world and life.
The biggest benefit of purchasing locally grown food is the quality of food you get! The shorter the period of time between food being picked and being put in your mouth, the higher the nutritional content of the food! Fresh food is jam-packed with vitamins and the longer it sits out, the more rapidly the nutritional value decreases. When food is transported it takes days, so by the time it reaches the table your family is losing out. Additionally by purchasing locally grown food you not only get the highest quality food, you slice all of that pollution out of the equation.
Some great options are visiting local farmers markets. Farmers bring their products freshly picked and ready for you to eat. Its a great way to get involved in your community. For farmers markets near you visit http://www.localharvest.org/farmers-markets/.
Another great option is joining a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) which is a farm that offers memberships. So for a fee (significantly smaller than what you pay for food now) you get a weekly share of the farms organic crops for the growing season, which can be fruit, vegetables, fresh eggs, milk, honey, etc. With the looming recession its nice to know that changing our eating habits to pay less, doesn't mean cutting organic, or fresh out of the equation. You will actually save money by getting involved with a CSA.
By supporting a CSA you will be supporting organic farming practices which means you can be positive there will be no pesticides used on your food. Which also means there will be no pesticides leaching into the water supply in your area.
Your food will be pure food, no GMO's (genetically modified foods). The crop is turned over often so there is less disease and more diversity. They use natural compost so they dont have to use synthetic fertilizers that also leach into the water supply, and destroy the soil.
CSA's also offer seasonal food. During different seasons your body has particular nutritional needs that are met by the vegetables that grow during that season. It makes sense, the earth works with us in this way. One simple example would be in the summer time salads and leafy greens grow prominantly. They carry lots of water in them, which is great since you need water in the summer time so as not to get dehydrated.
To find a CSA near you visit http://www.localharvest.org/csa/.
By taking this simple step you will decrease your impact on the earth and take part in improving your land, community, and life.
Saturday, March 8, 2008
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