Your Guide to Root Vegetables – Health Benefits, Recipes, and More

Root vegetables are exactly what the name implies – they are the root of the plant. The most common root vegetables have become family staples: potatoes, sweet potatoes, carrots, onions, beets, and radishes. Some are treasured spices: garlic, ginger, horseradish, and turmeric. And then there are the more adventurous root vegetables that you may or may not have cooked or eaten: daikon radishes, turnips, parsnips, rutabagas, Jerusalem artichokes, celeriac, kohlrabi, yuca, jicima, maca root, and more.

Due to their ability to absorb vitamins and minerals from the ground, root vegetables grown in rich soil are full of nutrients and are an excellent source of fiber. Many are high in vitamin C, B vitamins, and vitamin A. Many are antioxidants. Several have remarkable healing properties.

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Unfortunately, root vegetables absorb toxins from the ground as well, making organic the best choice.

In choosing the best root vegetables, all should be firm, never soft, and blemish free. If the tops are still attached, you want to choose fresh leaves, not only as a means to choose the freshest vegetables, but the tops of many root vegetables are eaten as well as the root.

In the past, we stored root vegetables in the root cellar, a dark, cool, humid space. If you choose to store any root vegetables in the refrigerator, cover and seal them in plastic or paper and place them in a drawer or they will soon become soft. (Do not refrigerate regular onions or potatoes.)

Many root vegetables can be eaten raw, steamed, sautéed, baked, roasted, stir fried, or fried.

Potatoes

potatoesThe number one food crop in the world, potatoes are a nutritious vegetable unless they are fried or loaded down with butter and sour cream. They are a good source of antioxidants, vitamin B6, vitamin C, potassium, manganese, phosphorus, niacin, copper, and pantothenic acid.

There are around 100 varieties of potatoes with varying skin colors (red, brown, yellow or purple-grey). The flesh is white, yellow, or purple. Potatoes also come in all shapes and sizes from the giant russets to tiny fingerlings.

Do not store potatoes in the refrigerator or in sunlight. A cool, dark place is best. Do not leave them in a plastic bag that will trap moisture. Store in paper bags or burlap. Do not eat potatoes that have turned green or sprouted.

Potatoes are one of the “dirty dozen” with the highest pesticide residues. Choose organic potatoes to avoid these toxins.

Potatoes can be baked, roasted, steamed, boiled, or fried. A common favorite way to cook baked potatoes is with rosemary.

Recipe: Rosemary Potatoes

Bake small potatoes (or 4 large potatoes) in the oven at 360 degrees until they are 3/4 of the way done. Remove from oven, cut in half (peel and dice large potatoes) and mix with the following:

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil or coconut oil or ghee
  • 1 tablespoon minced garlic
  • 3 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
  • 2 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
  • 1 teaspoon spicy red pepper flakes
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon of black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon of turmeric

Return to the oven and continue cooking until done.

Carrots

carrotsMost of the time, the carrots we see in the grocery store or farmers market are a bright orange color, but carrots come in a variety of other colors: white, yellow, red, and purple.

Carrots are a well-known and proven aid to eye health, including glaucoma and cataract prevention. Newer studies reveal their ability to prevent colon cancer and cardiovascular disease. They are an excellent source of vitamin A, with one cup of carrots providing more than the daily requirement. They are also a good source of vitamin C, B vitamins, vitamin K, vitamin E, manganese, potassium, and more.

If the carrot tops are attached, cut them off before storing the carrots and the tops in the refrigerator. Tops can be eaten; try adding them to your salads.

Carrots can be eaten raw or cooked in a variety of ways; however, steaming is said to retain the most nutrients and provide the best taste. Cut in 1/2 inch slices and steam for 5 minutes.

Recipe: Carrot Slaw

A delicious carrot slaw can be made with three ingredients: carrots, pineapple, and raisins (or dried cranberries).

  • Cut one fresh pineapple into small pieces – retain juice.
  • Add shredded carrots. Judge the amount by the pineapple and pineapple juice. You want the juice to moisten all of the carrots. (You can always add a little extra juice.)
  • Add raisins or dried cranberries. Stir and eat immediately or cover and refrigerate a few hours to let the flavors mingle.

Sweet Potatoes

Sweet PotatoesThere are about 400 varieties of sweet potatoes. Their flesh may be nearly white, cream, yellow, orange, pink, or purple. They are anti-inflammatory, have antioxidant properties, and they help maintain blood sugar levels.

The leaves of the sweet potato plant have antioxidant properties and are often added to soups. Purple sweet potatoes contain an antioxidant ability more than 3 times that of blueberries. They are also a very good source of vitamin C, B vitamins, manganese, phosphorus, copper, potassium, and pantothenic acid.

Sweet potatoes can be baked, roasted, stir fried, fried, boiled, or steamed. Like carrots, steaming retains the greatest nutrients, though boiling retains plenty of beta-carotene. Baking or roasting doubles the glycemic index.

Recipe: Sweet Potato Pie

  • 4 medium sized sweet potatoes. (The dark orange kind)
  • 1 fresh pineapple, chopped into small pieces.

If you bake the sweet potatoes, bake them slowly in a 350 degree oven. If you slice and steam them, you may want to add a little honey after mixing all the ingredients.

  • Mash or whip cooked sweet potatoes with coconut oil or ghee
  • Add spices to taste: cinnamon, cumin, allspice, nutmeg, and salt.
  • Add fresh pineapple when the sweet potatoes have cooled enough to not kill the pineapple’s enzymes.

Onions

onion braidOnions support the cardiovascular system, benefitting both the heart and the blood vessels. They help increase bone density, support ligaments, and are an anti-inflammatory. Onions have also been shown to help prevent cancer and are antibacterial. Rat studies are showing onions help balance blood sugar. They are a very good source of biotin and a good source of vitamin C, copper, B6 and B1, phosphorous, potassium, and folate.

There are two important things to keep in mind when dealing with onions. 1. Do not over peel! The outer layers are more nutrient dense than the inner layers, so peel as little as possible. 2. Let onions sit for 5 minutes after chopping or slicing before cooking them. Again, this has to do with nutrients and the chemical process that takes place within the onion when it is cut.

Green onions can be stored in the refrigerator along with bagged scallions. Other onions should be stored at room temperatures, away from potatoes and bring sunlight. Wire baskets or other methods that allow for ventilation are good.

This amazing recipe comes to us from Julie Kinch and Debbie Fraser of Cooks With Cocktails (See link below).

Recipe: Gluten Free Crispy Baked Onion Rings

Ingredients

  • 1 large Sweet Onion (I like Vidalia, but you can really use whatever)
  • Olive Oil Spray

For The Dry Mix

  • ½ cup Arrowroot Powder
  • 2 tsp Paprika
  • 5 tsp Salt
  • 1 tsp Onion Powder
  • 1 tsp Garlic Powder
  • 5 tsp Sugar (optional)

For The Wet Mix

  • ½ cup Coconut Milk
  • 1 Egg

Instructions

  1. Heat your oven to 400 degrees.
  2. Mix together all the dry ingredients in a medium sized bowl.
  3. Mix together the two wet ingredients.
  4. Slice the onion to make rings that are about ¾ of an inch wide. Peel the skin from each ring and carefully separate the rings from each other.
  5. Line a baking tray with parchment paper.
  6. One at a time, take each ring and dip it into the wet mix. Then drip it into the dry. Coat it well, but make sure to tap all the excess back into the bowl. Place the ring on the baking tray.
  7. When all the rings are ready, spray the rings with olive oil spray. You want to coat them, but not get too much. Flip them over and spray the other side.
  8. Pop them into the oven. Check them after 9 or 10 mins and flip them over. Cook for an additional 4 mins or so.
  9. Take them out and serve them right away.

Leeks

Like onions and garlic, leeks are an allium vegetable. And like onions and garlic, they should be allowed to sit for 5 minutes or more after cutting before you cook with them in order to receive the greatest nutritional benefit. However, raw leeks are delicious with a milder taste than onions.

Leeks are an excellent source of vitamin K; a very good source of manganese, vitamin B6, copper, iron, and folate; and a good source of vitamin C, vitamin A, fiber, magnesium, vitamin E, calcium, and omega-3 fats.

Leeks provide support for the cardiovascular system due to their antioxidant qualities and their ability to lower homocysteine levels.

Store them in the refrigerator without cutting or washing them before use. To use them, cut off the root and peel the outer layer around the base. You can slice the lower part in whole slices, but as you near the greens you must slice it in half to wash out the dirt that always accumulates.

Cock-a-leekie soup is a delicious traditional Scottish recipe for those who eat chicken.

Add them to any recipe where you would add onions. You can stir fry or steam them, or add them to soups and salads.

Beets

Beets provide antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and detoxification support. They are especially good for the nervous system and eye health. They help prevent heart disease and cancer, and their fiber is especially healthy for the digestive tract. Beets contain folate, manganese, potassium, copper, magnesium, phosphorus, vitamin C, B6, and iron.

Beets can be eaten raw, baked, roasted, boiled, or steamed, but the most nutritious way to eat them is raw or lightly steamed. (If you cut them into quarters, they should steam within 15 minutes. Cooked beets can be easily peeled after cooking by rubbing the skin off with a paper towel. Nutritious beet greens can be eaten raw or cooked.

To store beets, cut off the tops, leaving 2 inches of stem. Place tops in one plastic bag, the roots in another, and store them both in the refrigerator.

Raw Beet Salad

  • Three medium to large beets.
  • 2 limes
  • Honey to taste

Use a spiralizer to make beet ribbons. Juice the limes. Mix honey into the lime juice to taste. Pour over ribbons. (If you do not have a spiralizer, use a peeler or grate the beets.)

Yams

Yams are also root vegetables, distinctly different from sweet potatoes. Yams, which are native to Africa and Asia, are rarely found in U.S. grocery stores, though they may be found in an Asian market. The peels are brown and are not smooth–rather they look like they are covered in small roots.

There are two main types of sweet potatoes. The one with a deep orange colored flesh is often called a yam, just to differentiate the two.

True yams are a good source of potassium, vitamin C, and vitamin B6. As far as recipes go, you can cook yams like a sweet potato but know that they are drier and not as sweet. Try yams in place of the sweet potatoes for these fries:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yyVpipOmYpY

Radishes

RadishesThe health benefits of radishes are truly impressive. They are said to be good for the liver and stomach, the kidneys and bladder, the lungs, the cardiovascular system and the immune system. They purify the blood and eliminate waste, detoxify and are an anti-congestive. They are used to treat cancer, jaundice, constipation, urinary tract and kidney infections, skin ailments, and more.

Radishes come in varying shapes and sizes from large to small, from long to round, and in colors that include white, black, yellow, green, pink, red, or purple. All are a great source of vitamin C.

Daikon radishes come in all shapes and sizes, though the ones sold in the U.S. market generally look like oversized white carrots. The tops are edible and have a peppery taste; they are often added to salads.

Smaller radishes are more nutritious because nutrition is pulled from the root to the tops as the vegetable matures.

Daikons are an excellent source of vitamin C. They also contain vitamin B6, magnesium, and calcium.

To store, wrap tightly in plastic and refrigerate.

Grate them raw and add to salads, slow cook, steam, roast, bake, or pickle them. You can frequently find a daikon radish salad made with rice vinegar in Asian buffets. But here is a recipe for a real treat:

Recipe: Spicy Radish Kimchi

From Reviving the Tradition of Fermented Foods (See link below)

Yield: 1 quart

Ingredients

  • 1 large (12-16″ and 3″ diameter) daikon radish
  • 2 baby leeks OR 4 scallions (green onions)
  • filtered water
  • sea salt
  • 4-6 garlic cloves, peeled
  • 2-inch piece of ginger
  • 1 oz. red pepper powder (more=spicier)
  • 1 Tbsp fish sauce (to taste); optional
  • 1 Tbsp tamari or shoyu (soy) sauce

Instructions

  • Soak the Veg
  • Cut off greens from radish and peel outer layer off with a peeler. Use greens for another purpose.
  • Cut radish into 1 inch cubes, or slice into rings.
  • Dissolve 3 Tablespoons salt into 1 quart of water in a half-gallon (or larger) container. Avoid using a metal container.
  • Add radish cubes to brine and soak for up to 6 hours.
  • Drain the veggies through a colander. Reserve 1 pint of brine when draining.
  • Make Paste
  • Roughly chop the garlic and ginger. Add to bowl of a food processor bowl. If you don’t have a food processor, dice the ginger and garlic so it’s almost a paste, and add to a mixing bowl.
  • Slice leeks or scallions into ½” pieces and add to mix.
  • Add pepper powder, tamari and fish sauce to mixing bowl. Vegan variation: omit fish sauce.
  • Stir and mash contents (or pulse with food processor) together until a paste forms.
  • Wearing a latex or plastic glove to protect yourself from the heat of the pepper, mix the paste thoroughly with your hand into the drained radish cubes. You can mix everything directly in the fermenting container, or in a separate large mixing bowl. Mix until the cubes are coated nicely with the paste.
  • Ferment
  • Even out the cubes in the container. Next, right on top of the mixture, place the largest object (usually a plastic lid or plate) you can find which will fit inside the diameter of the container.
  • Add a weight (such as a wine bottle or other glass bottle) on top of the lid/cover.
  • Liquid will continue to create a brine while the veggies are weighed down.
  • Check the container in 1 day. If the contents are not sumberged in brine, add the reserved brine.
  • Cover with a cloth and rubber band to keep flies out. (If using airlock skip this step).
  • Place in a cool spot (out of direct light) for 14 days. The larger pieces take a little longer to ferment than smaller diced styles of kimchi. Note: Your house will smell like kimchi.
  • Move to refrigerator, where the taste will develop slowly. Will keep for up to 6 months

Turnips

radishes 5/10

Turnips are an ancient food for humans. Evidence shows they have been eaten since prehistoric times. They have also been used as fodder for animals for 600 years or more.

Turnips are a good source of vitamin C, while the greens (the tops) are a good source of vitamin C, vitamin K, vitamin A, folate, and calcium.

Some people find turnips too bitter to eat due to a genetic sensitivity to the cyanoglucosides they contain.

Turnips can be eaten raw – just grate them up and add them to salads. Generally, they are eaten in the many ways we eat potatoes. You can boil them, fry them, steam them, mash them up with milk and butter or add them to soups, stews, and other dishes.

Rutabagas

The origin of the rutabaga is an interesting one: they are a cross between the turnip and cabbage. In many countries they are called turnips, yellow turnips, or Swedish turnips along with other names such as neeps.

Rutabagas are an excellent source of vitamin C.

Like turnips, rutabagas contain cyanoglucosides. To those who have inherited 2 genes that detect a particular bitterness receptor, rutabagas are inedible due to their bitterness.

Rutabagas are eaten in a variety of ways. They can be baked or boiled and eaten alone or mashed and combined with other root vegetables such as potatoes and carrots. Rutabagas are also added to soups and stews.

Parsnips

Jerusalem artichokesParsnips look like white carrots. Like turnips, they were once used as a regular staple before the popularity of potatoes took their place.

Parsnips are a good source of vitamin C, folate, and manganese. You can cook them any number of ways from grating them and adding them to salads raw to using them instead of carrots in a cake.

Below you will find two recipes; one is sweet, the other not. These recipes are from Seasonal Chef. (See link below).

Recipe: Orange-Glazed Parsnips

  • 8-10 medium parsnips
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 2 tbl butter or margarine
  • 2 tbl honey
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/4 cup orange juice
  • 1/2 tsp grated orange peel

Instructions

  1. Peel parsnips and cut into quarter-inch-thick sticks. Cover parsnips with water and simmer until just tender, about 15 minutes. Drain.
  2. Meanwhile, in saucepan, melt butter, stir in honey, salt, orange juice and peel. Heat to boiling. Turn off heat, add drained parsnips and gently stir to coat pieces.

NOTE: For maple-glazed variation, try using ¼ cup maple syrup, ¼ tsp prepared mustard, salt and pepper to taste.

Recipe: Kale and Parsnips

Ingredients

  • 1 cup sliced onions
  • 1 cup halved and sliced parsnips
  • 1 tbl corn oil
  • 1 cup water
  • 2 tbl ginger, minced
  • 1 bunch kale, veins removed and cut into bite-sized pieces

Instructions

  1. Saute the onions and parsnips in oil for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent burning. Add the water and ginger. Cover and simmer for 4 to 5 minutes.
  2. Add the kale and continue cooking 4 to 5 minutes longer. Stir occasionally but otherwise keep the saucepan covered.

Jerusalem artichokes

Jerusalem artichokesJerusalem artichokes, also known as sunchokes, are a plant native to North America that was cultivated by Native Americans. The plant is in the sunflower family, and it grows tall beautiful sunflowers. The root is similar to ginger root or fingerling potatoes.

The skin of the sunchoke root may be light brown to tan or pink to reddish in color. The inside may be white, cream colored, tan, or purple. They are high in fiber and a good source of iron, potassium, and thiamin.

There are many recipes, various kinds, for sunchokes, from soup to chips. As a matter of fact, there are many recipes on the web for chips. Just slice them thin and cook in oil. Sprinkle with herbs. But be careful, they’re apparently delicious. Don’t eat too many. Sunchokes have quite a reputation for flatulence when eaten in excess.

The following recipe is from The Fruit Guys. (See link below.)

Recipe: Pan-Fried Jerusalem Artichokes in Sage Butter

Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoons butter, divided
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 pound Jerusalem artichokes, scrubbed and cut into 1/4-inch-thick rounds
  • 3 tablespoons fresh sage leaves, coarsely torn and divided
  • 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoons fresh Italian parsley, chopped

Preparation

  • Melt 1 tablespoon butter with olive oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.
  • Add Jerusalem artichokes and half of the sage.
  • Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Sauté until brown and just beginning to soften, turning frequently, about 10 minutes.
  • Using slotted spoon, transfer Jerusalem artichokes to shallow serving bowl.
  • Add remaining 2 tablespoons butter and sage to skillet; fry until sage darkens and begins to crisp, about 30 seconds.
  • Add lemon juice; simmer 1 minute. Pour lemon-sage butter over Jerusalem artichokes in bowl, tossing to coat.
  • Season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with parsley.
  • Serves 4–5. Prep time, 15 minutes; cook time, 15 minutes.

Celeriac

CeleriacAlso known as celery root, turnip rooted celery, or knob celery, is a variety of celery. Celeriac is an excellent source of vitamin K and a good source of vitamin C, Vitamin B6, and phosphorus. The big brown bulbous root is eaten raw or cooked and tastes similar to celery, or some say, celery and parsley combined.

The following recipe is from Sylvia Fountaine of Feasting at Home. (See link below.)

Recipe Celeriac Fennel Soup

Prep time, 15 mins. Cook time is about 20 mins. The recipe yields 8 Cups Soup

Ingredients

  • 1 large fennel bulb, cored and diced ( about 1 ½ cups)
  • 1 C white onion, diced
  • 1-2 Tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 grapefruit-sized celeriac- peeled and diced ( about 4-5 cups)
  • 8 Cups Chicken or Veggie stock
  • ¼ teaspoon white pepper
  • salt to taste
  • ¼ cup creme fraise or sour cream for garnish ( optional)
  • Parsley oil (optional, for garnish – see recipe below)

Instructions

In a large heavy bottom pot, saute diced onion in 1-2 Tablespoons olive oil, over medium high heat until tender, about 5 minutes. Add fennel. Turn heat to medium-low and saute until fennel begins to caramelize, stirring occasionally about 12 minutes. Add celeriac, pepper and 8 cups chicken stock. Turn heat to high, bring to a simmer, lower heat, cover, and continue simmering until celeriac is very tender, about 15-20 minutes.

Using a blender, blend until smooth -in batches, only filling blender 1/2 full. (Remember when blending any hot liquid, cover the blender lid firmly with a kitchen town, and only fill blender 1/2 full, and start on the lowest speed, to prevent a blender explosion.)

Return to the pot. Taste for salt. When serving, garnish with a swirl of creme fraise, (or sour cream) and a little parsley oil.

Recipe Parsley Oil
  • 1 Cup packed Italian parsley ( stems ok)
  • ½ Cup olive oil
  • ½ clove garlic
  • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
  • 2 teaspoon lemon juice
  • Pulse all ingredients in a blender or food processor until combined.
  • 1 white onion diced

Kohlrabi

kohlrabiYou know how tomatoes are actually fruits? Kohlrabi isn’t actually a root vegetable. The bulb is actually a part of the stem that grows above ground. It is probably considered a root vegetable due to both its name and its appearance, as it looks like a cross between a turnip and celeriac, and its name is a German word that is literally a combination of cabbage and turnip.

Kohlrabi is a member of the cabbage family, though it is said that its mild taste is more like broccoli. This vegetable, once a favorite of European nobles, has never lost its popularity in Europe.

It is high in fiber, vitamin A, vitamin C, folic acid and calcium.

It can be eaten raw, as a matter of fact, it is eaten raw like a piece of fruit by many Germans. Choose small bulbs; large bulbs are woody, tough, and require peeling. Small bulbs can be eaten peel and all.

There are two varieties: one is purple, the other green. The purple one is sweeter.

Here is an interesting salad from Vegetarians in Paradise. (See link below.)

Kohlrabi Siam Chopped Salad

Yields 4 servings

Ingredients

  • 4 medium kohlrabis, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch dice
  • 1 1/2 cups (360 ml) chopped Napa cabbage
  • 1/4 pound (115g) snow peas, chopped
  • 1/2 to 1 fresh pasilla (poblano) pepper, diced or 1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  • 1/2 red bell pepper, cut into fine julienne about 1 inch (2.5 cm) long
  • 3 green onions, chopped
  • 3 tablespoons organic canola oil
  • 2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
  • 1 or 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
  • 1/2 inch (1 cm) piece ginger, peeled and grated
  • Juice of 1/2 lemon (about 1 tablespoon)
  • 2 teaspoons sesame oil
  • Dash of rice vinegar
  • Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
  • Black sesame seeds
  • 2 tablespoons minced green onions

Instructions

Combine all the ingredients, except the black sesame seeds and green onions, in a large bowl and toss well to distribute the seasonings evenly.

Transfer to an attractive serving bowl or platter and garnish the top with the black sesame seeds and minced green onions.

This salad is best if made several hours ahead to allow the dressing to penetrate the vegetables. Serve as a salad course or a side dish.

Cassava or Yuca

Cassava, also known as Yuca, maniac, Brazilian arrowroot, tapioca, and many other names, is an important staple throughout the world. Yuca has a high carbohydrate content and is high in vitamin C, phosphorus, and calcium. An amazing variety of traditional dishes are based on this root vegetable from alcoholic drinks to a vegetable used like potatoes or flour to make bread, cakes, and crackers. In the U.S. cassava is mostly sold as tapioca for pudding.

Cassava is a rot generally 2-4 inches in diameter at the top and approximately 6-12 inches long. The brown skin is rough; the inner flesh is white to yellow. Cassava is an excellent source of calcium, vitamin C. The leaves are edible as well and are a good source of protein.

Cassava root must be properly prepared or it will be toxic.

Tapioca Pudding

  • 3 cups of goat milk or nut milk
  • 2 eggs – whisked
  • ½ cup tapioca
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla
  • ¼ to ½ cup (more or less to taste) of honey

Instructions

Soak tapioca in cold water overnight.

Drain tapioca and add to milk and salt in a saucepan. Bring to a boil while stirring.

Reduce heat and cook for 5 minutes. Continue to stir.

Remove from heat. Whisk a cup of mixture into beaten eggs, a little at a time. Once it is all blended, stir it back into the pot.

Simmer over medium-low heat for 2 or more minutes, until it thickens. Remove from heat and add honey and vanilla. Stir and taste. Add more honey if needed.

Serve hot or refrigerate and serve cold.

Jicama

Jicama, also called Mexican yam or Mexican turnip (among other names), is actually a relative of the bean family. Like regular potatoes, the vines and leaves of this plant are poisonous.

Jicama is a good source of fiber and an excellent source of vitamin C.

The flesh is white with a papery yellow/brown peel. The sweet, crunchy flesh is often cooked in soups and stir fries, but it usually eaten raw with a dip.

An easy dip is made by adding a bit of honey and lime juice to yogurt. But any dip you use for raw veggies is a good match for jicama from spinach and guacamole to the hummus and gourmet combinations. Many just squirt lime and sprinkle chili powder on jicama strips. Here is a great recipe that utilizes the dehydrator.

Recipe: Spicy Lime Jicama Chips by Ilene of The Colorful Kitchen

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients

  • 2 medium jicama
  • 2 tbs gluten-free tamari
  • 1 tbs + 1tsp agave
  • juice of 2 limes
  • 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

Directions

Combine tamari, agave, lime juice and cayenne pepper together in a small bowl.

Peel jicama and cut it in half. Slice into strips 1/8″-1/4″ thick. You can do this by hand or with a mandolin slicer.

Place jicama strips in a medium bowl and coat thoroughly with marinade. Make sure each piece of jicama is completely covered.

Place strips on dehydrator tray. Dehydrate at 110° for 4 hours, then flip jicama over, rotate trays and dehydrate for another 4-6 hours. Your chips are done when they are crispy on the outside but not shriveled. Enjoy with salsa, guacamole or your favorite dip!

Maca Root

Maca root is also known as Peruvian ginseng. It’s not surprising, considering the medicinal properties attributed to it and the fact that it is known to be an aphrodisiac. It is eaten as a food in the areas where it is grown and it made into flour. But most of its use in the U.S. is as a supplement.

Maca root is said to increase energy; boost brain power, endurance (both athletic and sexual), stamina, libido, fertility, and general health. It balances hormones (both male and female), reduces stress and anxiety. It stabilizes mood and mood swings, aiding in depression. It improves health of teeth and bones, strengthens hair and reduces hair loss. It alleviates symptoms of menopause and PMS. It is also said to clear acne and blemishes. Wounds heal faster.

Maca is rich in B vitamins, vitamin C, vitamin E, calcium, zinc, iron. Magnesium, phosphorus, and amino acids.

The hypocotyl, the bulb between the stem and actual roots, can be one of many colors: cream, gold, red, green, blue, purple, or black.

Maca Root Contraindications

  • Do not use if pregnant or lactating.
  • Do not use if you have hormone-related cancer or polycystic ovary syndrome.
  • Use with caution if you have thyroid problems. Lighter colored maca inhibits iodine uptake, while darker maca contains natural iodine.

There are also warnings to start slow, with no more than ½ to 1 teaspoon a day; 1 tablespoon is the average daily dose for a few days followed by a few days abstinence. Too much may disrupt your hormones.

These are most of the better-known root vegetables. There are more, of course, some familiar, many not, but all are worth discovery. If you have any favorite recipes, please share them.

Further Reading:
Recommended Supplements:
Sources:


How to Detoxify From Chemotherapy and Repair the Body

This is not the easiest article for me to write, as I have seen many people cure cancer naturally. On the other hand, being diagnosed with cancer is so incredibly scary for someone and their family, and choices are made in haste.

Many times I’ve seen someone who believed in natural medicine, someone who swore they would never go the chemo route, get talked into chemotherapy by what I hope are well-meaning physicians and a terrified family. If you are considering chemotherapy while reading this, I urge you to, first and foremost, find out how much time you have before the situation is dire. In most cases, the person diagnosed with cancer has much more time to make a decision than the oncologist led him or her to believe. In fact, with many types of cancer, the average five to seven-year survival rate is decreased once chemotherapy is administered.

If you have undergone chemotherapy, the bad news is that chemotherapy is often more dangerous than the cancer itself. We’re not typically told this because of the immense profits involved. The good news is if you are very strict with your diet and you are not suffering from a host of other ailments that were brought on before the cancer diagnosis, you can detoxify the body and reverse most of the damage caused from the drugs.

Here’s the catch. Whatever you were doing that caused your body to develop cancer in the first place has to stop! Chemotherapy ravages the body, and nobody is more prone to cancer than someone who already had it and underwent chemotherapy. After detoxifying from chemo drugs, don’t just put all of your newfound knowledge about health aside; it’s time to live in a way that allows your body to continually detoxify. After all, your life depends on it. Your body just sent you that message loud and clear.

Related: How To Heal Your Gut

Juicing Tonic

Juice ginger, turmeric, cranberry, and lemon. Leave the peel on the ginger and turmeric. You will need two ounces of each juice. Each ingredient should be organic and whole and juiced immediately before it is consumed. Use a citrus juicer for the lemon. A juice press (slow juicer) is ideal for the other ingredients.

If you can’t find whole fresh cranberries, try to find pure, unpasteurized, unsweetened, organic cranberry juice. If you cannot find it (try your health food stores and your local farmer’s markets), get organic frozen cranberries. The last resort is pasteurized, organic, unsweetened cranberry juice that is not from concentrate. If you cannot find that, you’re not trying hard enough.

Add a little bit of fresh cracked pepper and a pinch of cayenne to your cup of juice. Drink it. Shot it down or sip, whatever you need to do, but know that once it gets down, the ginger will settle your stomach.

For the first few days you should be drinking two cups of this tonic a day. After that, if you find that you’re not terribly sick, you could move to just two or three ounces in the morning. If you suffer from serious nausea, then I recommend drinking the tonic regularly, sipping it throughout the day.

Related: Can You Take Probiotics WHile Taking Antibiotics or While On Chemotherapy?

Cranberry Lemonade

Make a gallon of fresh, organic, cranberry lemonade with stevia every day. Drink as much as you can. The juice will filter the kidneys and keep them operating, help cleanse the liver, and help balance the pH. The water needs to be distilled, not spring. Spring water is wonderful, but this is the time for pure, ultra clean drinking water void of any potential contaminants. If you don’t like stevia, drink the lemonade without it, but do not use any other sweetener. Click here for the recipe.

Juicing

After chemotherapy, the body will have a very hard time digesting food, and juicing may be the best and possibly the only way to get enough nutrition into your body. If you are digesting food well enough I would skip the juicing.

I am not usually an advocate of regular juicing because juice is too sugary unless it’s just vegetable juice. Unfortunately, pure vegetable juice is not palatable to most, including me. Granny Smith apples, beets, and carrots are all high in sugar, but you can use just a little juice from these three sources to sweeten your vegetable juice – but just enough to get it down.

Related: Chemotherapy Detox

Liver Detox

Chemotherapy is incredibly toxic to the body. You must cleanse the body of all remaining chemicals.

Detoxifying the blood and boosting the liver’s ability to do its job are of paramount importance. Here are some well-known formulas that you can make yourself at home. Make sure all of the ingredients are organic and/or wildcrafted and of the highest quality.

Doc Shillington’s Blood Detox Formula (or purchase here)

Mix the following by volume, and make a standard tincture using 100 proof vodka as your menstruum:

  • 2 – parts Red Clover Blossoms
  • 2 – parts Chaparral
  • 1 – part Lobelia
  • 1 – part Cayenne
  • 1 – part freshly chopped Garlic Bulb
  • 1 – part Burdock Seed & Root
  • 1 – part Poke Root
  • 1 – part Yellow Dock Root
  • 1 – part Goldenseal Root
  • 1 – part Oregon Grape Root
  • 1 – part Blood Root Sap
  • 1 – part European Mistletoe
  • 1 – part Periwinkle Flowers

Doc Shillington’s Blood Detox Tea (or purchase here)

Use the exact same herbs as above in exactly the same proportions and make as a decoction only. Bring to a boil and let it simmer for 15 minutes, then drink.

Doc Shillington’s Liver/Gallbladder/Pancreas Formula (or purchase here)

Use 100 proof vodka or a 50% alcohol mixture for your extraction.

A part is a part by volume and not by weight.

  • 3 – Parts Milk Thistle Seed
  • 1 – Part Dandelion Root & Leaf
  • 1 – Part Oregon Grape Root
  • 1 – Part Gentian Root
  • 1 – Part Wormwood Leaf and Flower
  • 1 – Part Black Walnut Hulls
  • 1 – Part Ginger Root
  • 1 – Part Fresh Garlic
  • 1 – Part Fennel Seed

Doc Shillington’s Liver/Gallbladder/Pancreas Tea (or purchase here)

All parts are by volume and not weight.

  • 2 parts Roasted Dandelion Root
  • 1 – Part Cinnamon Bark
  • 1 – Part Cardamom Seed
  • 1 – Part Licorice Root
  • 1 – Part Juniper Berry (Mono Sperma is best)
  • 1 – Part Ginger Root
  • 1 – Part Clove Buds
  • 1 – Part Black Peppercorns
  • 1 – Part Uva Ursi Leaf
  • 1 – Part Burdock Root
  • 1 – Part Pau d’ Arco
  • 1 – Part Fennel Seed
  • 1 – Part Horsetail Herb
  • 1 – Part Orange Peel
  • 1 – Part Parsley Root

Check out How to make a tincture for more information on making these formulas.

Immune System

Echinacea, vitamin C, and vitamin D are three supplements that should be used to boost the immune system. Anyone, who has gone through chemotherapy, should consider these supplements.

Shillington’s Total Tonic will help boost the immune system and pull out heavy metals and other toxins from the body.

Shillington’s Total Tonic Recipe:  (or purchase here)

  • 1 Handful of Garlic Cloves
  • 1 Handful of chopped Onions
  • 1 Handful of chopped Ginger
  • 1 Handful of chopped Horseradish
  • 1/2 handful of chopped Habanero Peppers

Throw in a blender and cover with an inch or two of Organic Apple Cider Vinegar.

Update: I like this Root Cider even better.

Candida

An unbalanced gut encourages an overgrowth of Candida. Candida leads to cancer (and almost every other disease and ailment of our modern era). Wormwood, a strong probiotic, oil of oregano, and undecylenic acid will keep the gut balanced and kill Candida.

Undecylenic acid, probiotics, oil of oregano, and salads (like these) repair the gut. Take oil of oregano separately from the probiotics, as the oil of oregano will kill beneficial bacteria. I recommend taking your probiotics at night, every night after other microbe-killing supplements and the last meal have been consumed.

Related: Best Supplements To Kill Candida and Everything Else You Ever Wanted To Know About Fungal Infections

Epsom Salts Baths

Epsom salts pull salt and toxins out of the body while the skin absorbs magnesium and sulfates. Magnesium is critical for enzymes, for oxygenation, muscle and nerve function, improving blood flow and reducing inflammation. Sulfates are building blocks for tissues, including nerve tissue.

To benefit the most from an Epsom salts bath, use the proper amount and soak for the required amount of time.

If you weigh 100 pounds, use one cup of Epsom salts. Use an additional ½ cup for each additional 50 pounds. For example, 101-150 pounds = 1 ½ cups. 151-200 pounds = 2 cups. 201-250 pounds =2 ½ cups. And so on.

Stay in the water for a full 40 minutes. The first 20 minutes pulls out toxins. The second 20 minutes absorbs magnesium and sulfates.

Hydrotherapy – Hot and Cold Showers

Hot water pulls blood to the skin’s surface. Cold water does the opposite, driving the blood from the surface to the core. Alternating hot and cold speeds up circulation, bringing fresh blood to the tissues along with oxygen and nutrients, while aiding the body in carrying away toxins.

For 20 minutes, alternate hot and cold. Start with water as hot as you can stand for two minutes then switch to as cold as you can stand for two minutes, and then switch again. This is a very powerful healing tool.

Nutrition

Nutrition is the basis of health. In order for us to be healthy and stay healthy, we must detox, ridding ourselves of toxins, parasites, and pathogens, and we must give our body all of the building blocks it needs to heal itself by eating an abundance of nutritionally dense, whole foods. That’s the foundation, and a good nutrition formula (make your own here) like this one should be included, but not substituted, for a healthy diet. You can put this into smoothies, juice, drink with just water (which is a bit hard to get down), or sprinkle it on salads. The following link has a recipe for salads and for the cranberry lemonade.

Related: Detox Cheap and Easy Without Fasting – Recipes Included

Do not eat processed foods. Never eat artificial flavors, colorings, preservatives, MSG, trans-fats, or GMOs. It is impossible to eliminate all of these harmful chemicals if you eat out at conventional restaurants. It is nearly impossible if you eat processed, prepackaged foods, even from the “health food section.” It is entirely possible – actually downright easy – if you simply eat whole, fresh, unadulterated, organic foods. Your diet should consist of 80% fresh, raw, organic produce, more vegetables than fruits.

You do this by eating an incredible salad once a day, a salad with 10-15 vegetables, including plenty of dark leafy greens. You eat fresh fruit a few times a day (unless you are already getting fresh fruit in a smoothie or through juicing), and you add nutritional powder to your daily regime.

Your goal is to choose the most nutrient dense foods with the fewest toxins. Along with avoiding all the additives to foods, eliminate sugar and caffeine. Also, add essential fatty acids (Organic Vegan EFA, krill oil, or flaxseed oil) to your diet.

Right now, you need to avoid meat. If you choose to eat meat in the future, choose organic meat. Remember, we eat at the top of the food chain.

Recommended Supplements:
Further Reading:


Body Language – What Is Your Body Saying About You?

Did you know that our body, mind, and spirit work together to reflect what is happening with each other? One of my clients was struggling with self-esteem and confidence at our first meeting; it was evident by how she held herself before she even spoke a word. Her head was dropped, she was slouched over, her back was rounded, her eyes were downcast. The message her body was sending to the world (whether she knew it or not) was that she wanted to hide, be small, go unseen.

Only months later, I sit across the table from a confident, vibrant gal. She has a boldness that manifests in her posture. Her head is held high; her shoulders are back and down. She appears taller, larger, and has so much joy it is evident. The remarkable thing is that she is the same woman, but if you had met her in both scenarios, you would never make the connection.

Somatics was founded by Thomas Hanna (1928–1990). Hanna was known for his ideas around Sensory-Motor Amnesia, a situation in which the body forgets how to move normally. But, what does somatics mean, exactly? Soma is “the body as perceived from within.” Cool, huh? Somatics comes from the Greek, somatikos, which stems from soma, the body.

Greek, shmeek…what does it really mean? As much as we try, we cannot separate the inner and outer landscapes of our body.

Hanna’s ideas were based on those of Hans Selye and Moshé Feldenkrais. They believed, and built practices around, the idea that there is an innate and intuitive interconnection of body to our mind/spirit. Our body is telling us our story all the time. Are you listening? It’s the most fascinating story of our lives. Here it is.

Your body, your posture, and your energy are constantly communicating. They are telling you (and the whole world) what is really going on. Do you know what story you are telling? Are you confident, happy, self-assured, and easy going? Or, maybe something else.

Think about the body in the context of dating. Why is that two equally attractive women can enter a bar and yet one is hit on and approached by men while the other is not? Or, why is it that we are put off by one individual but feel interested or drawn in by another, regardless of how they look objectively?

Of course, there could be a host of reasons why this could be. But, have you ever felt as if your inner message or dialogue is being translated by your body and broadcast for all to see (and have you ever received someone else’s message, regardless of what they are saying with their words)? Well, that is what is happening whether or not your are aware of it. We are sending messages whether we are aware of them or not. So, what are you putting out there?

Part of being self-aware is being aware of what you are saying with your body. It’s often an area of challenge for individuals who are especially logical, left brain dominant, or rely heavily on their intellect functioning. We all have parts of ourselves that we are more confident in displaying or more comfortable with, and those other parts of us are speaking, too.

Our body not only communicates but has memory. Peter Levine has been a pioneer in our decade of such findings. We are finally making that mind/body connection in issues like Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) or anxiety disorders, and pretty much anything that the body/mind/spirit experiences as a shock to their combined, integrated, and whole system. For some people, it takes something big, all encompassing, such as battle in a war, a near death experience or accident, whereas others may find something more subtle and intangible–like an emotional blow–is what knocks them flat. It could look like abandonment from their father, an emotionally abusive relationship, or being bullied as a child. We each have a different experience of what is traumatic. It has nothing to do with strength or willpower. Things you won’t understand at first, seemingly simple or small things, can be a mind/body/spirit turning point.

These wounds run deep, and the body holds them until you are ready to process them more consciously. For some, this maybe sooner than others. Other people hold on to trauma for years, and sometimes the body protects itself by not allowing the conscious mind to process these traumas. Remember our body’s main job is protecting us and loving us up.

Fibromyalgia is often one of these situations where there is physical pain without a known cause. As something that is not easy to see, not easy to test for, and is often caused by something non-physical, it has left modern day conventional clinicians baffled. Syndromes like Fibromyalgia and other mind/body syndromes are rising to the surface and gaining more credibility in our society. The stigma that has been around emotional trauma and the physical disease it can cause is lifting. There is more awareness of these issues as we continue to recognize this intense mind/body connection.

The body has memory, just like the mind, and when we allow for these memories to come forth, we can release them and allow for more space for new memories and goodness. As a gal who has lots of memories in this bod of hers–having overcome my share of anxiety, stress, and a handful of near death experiences and medical interventions–I want to share what has allowed for levity and sweetness in my mind and my muscles.

Get Your Groove On!

Movement and dance can help you become more self-aware and let that body wisdom do its magic. It is very healing to move our bodies for several reasons, but using our bodies to fully communicate and express ourselves is an important piece in creating that somatic connection and integrating our whole selves fully.

Get In Touch

Massage and touch are another one of my favorite things to do in general, but touch is powerful in creating healing on a deep level. It not only frees up physical blocks in the body’s connective tissue, bringing oxygen to all of our cells and decreasing inflammation, it also releases the hormones of connection, love, and trust (oxytocin). If you aren’t getting regular touch (like weekly), then save up and get yourself to a good bodyworker. Touch is healing and also deepens the mind/ body/ spirit connection.

Stretch It Out

Stretching is ahhh so good. Taking time out to give your bod a good old ringing out is both cathartic and good for ya. I remember back to when I first started to take yoga. At that time of my life, I was running, doing, spinning to survive. In that dizzying time of life, yoga was the only time I was still, other than when I was flat out in bed, exhausted. We would have a great workout of challenging poses, and I found that I could feel emotions move up to the surface when I was still and in my breath. Some days it was frustration, sadness, or extreme joy—and it always surprised me. Many people say yoga is the only way to get in touch with our deepest selves and let those buried emotions out, but I think it’s just one way of doing what people have been doing for millions of years. Breath + Moving = Health.

Give It a Breather

You can push through exercise or running or life and fail to really sigh or breathe. But when you let down and do deep breathing combined with movement like pilates or barre or stretching and watch the healing begin. Seriously. Taste the richness of deep breathing and exhaling

I used to exercise, lift weights, and move through my day while holding my breath. I would be tense and rigid, ready to react, stuck in fight or flight. Then I started to breathe, not only take in air but exhale and let it go along with releasing it fully from my lungs. Wow, what a difference it makes. I had no idea I had not been breathing properly. Once I became aware of this, I was able to watch for it and check in with my body through the day. So, when things get busy, and stress starts to flow, I do a quick check in and see how I am inside of my body. Am I feeling tight and where are my shoulders? Then I take a big breath, and let it go.

Breathing is supply of oxygen and also the source of relaxation. When we take a big breath, a sigh, we are giving our bodies the message of “hey, it’s all good”, “you are a-okay”, “you have enough” verses what not breathing does. So now you. What gives you the full exhale?

How do you feel when you are breathing and releasing and emptying your lungs? How can you remember to breath today? See how it makes you feel to breath deep down and exhale every bit of from your lungs.

Have a Sit (Or Stand) In

We can change our mood, our outlook, even our ability to complain or gossip by just changing our posture. Try it on next time you find yourself engaging in a regular complaint. Check out how you are using your body and do something radically different, like putting raising your hand or standing on one foot. You will find the complaint vanishes, or your mood changes. Change your body and your mind/emotions will follow.

Talk It Out

Just because your pain cannot been seen by the human eye does not mean it is not real and having a real effect on your life. If you had a broken bone, you would go to the doctor to have it set. Or if you hit your head while playing and needed stitches (like my niece did recently), you would get the care you need, and you would do it now. When there is an emergency, you don’t wait for tomorrow. When you are bleeding, you go to someone who can help. It’s the same when you can’t see it on the outside. Just because you aren’t bleeding doesn’t mean you aren’t experiencing an emergency. Don’t wait for it to go away magically. Tell someone – your doctor, your friend, your family member. There is love just waiting for you; so reach for it, dear one.

Your body is always rooting for you, speaking to you, and loving you.

Sources and Further Reading:



Foods, Vitamins, and Herbs That Kill Cancer

While everyone knows that prevention is the best defense against cancer, many people don’t know that studies have shown that certain foods, herbs, and various supplements can actually reduce and reverse cancer as well.

Raw Fruits and Veggies

A diet consisting of a variety of raw fresh vegetables is the best prevention and also a potential cure for cancer, depending on how far cancer has progressed and how easily the body can digest and properly assimilate nutrition. Berries, grapes, broccoli, leafy greens, sprouts, avocados, red and yellow peppers, red cabbage, dandelion, beets, and many more foods have been proven in numerous scientific studies to not only prevent but to also destroy cancer cells. If we did research on every single piece of produce we eat, we’d probably find that almost all of them, if not all of them, prevent and fight cancer in some way or another. This is what the modern diet is missing, fresh raw produce. Early humans ate pounds of it a day, all day, every day.

Related: Best Supplements To Kill Candida and Everything Else You Ever Wanted To Know About Fungal Infections

Do not underestimate the miraculous healing properties of whole, raw, fresh, organic, uncooked, unadulterated produce. Believe it or not, it’s the foundation of almost all of the best remedies for ailments, and it is the only path to true health. Eat a wide variety of raw produce every day. Cooked produce has benefits, but raw produce heals. Make big salads every day with lots of produce. Make sure that 80% of your diet is raw produce. I can’t stress it enough!

Related: Stop Eating Like That and Start Eating Like This – Your Guide to Homeostasis Through Diet

Mushrooms

Certain types of mushrooms, including, but not limited to, turkey tail, reishi, hen of the woods, and agaricus blazei have been shown in studies to benefit people fighting cancer and to improve the overall immune system. Reishi is a great source of anti-oxidants. It can inhibit some malignant tumor growth, and it has a massive amount of other, amazing health benefits. Agaricus also contains strong anti-tumor properties. Countries like Japan and Brazil use it in cancer treatment protocols. Current research of turkey tail mushrooms reveals their cancer-killing effects, while hen of the woods (also know as maitake), provides anti-viral support and reduces blood pressure and blood sugar.

Herbs and Spices

When taken with a small amount of black pepper, the curcumin levels skyrocket
Garlic, oregano, cloves, cayenne pepper, cinnamon, and ginger have been shown in multiple studies to fight cancer. Spice up your meals, especially those big salads. Fresh raw produce works synergistically with herbs and spices. In other words, the combination of garlic, oregano, and a bunch of vegetables is more powerful than garlic and/or oregano alone.

Related:

Speaking of combinations, turmeric and black pepper make a powerful cancer-killing duo. Most of you have heard of the incredible benefits of turmeric and it’s cancer-killing properties. Turmeric is known to actually outperform many pharmaceutical drugs for various diseases. The only problem with turmeric is that the beneficial component to which all the hoopla is about, curcumin, is not easily absorbed by the body. Black pepper contains piperine, a chemical with powerful antioxidant properties. Pepper and turmeric together inhibit the growth of cancer cells without destroying healthy cells.

When people eat a considerable amount of turmeric, within an hour, there’s a slight increase of curcumin in the blood, but the liver actually tries to get rid of it. When taken with a small amount of black pepper, the curcumin levels skyrocket. Reports range from a 200% increase to over 2,000%! It’s no coincidence that two of the main ingredients in curry powder are black pepper and turmeric. Come to think of it, ginger and cinnamon, two other powerhouse herbs, are also almost always found in curry spice blends as well. It’s no wonder…

Just like produce, raw herbs and spices are best (as opposed to powdered and processed). Cook with them all you like, but before eating a cooked meal, try throwing in some more flavor with freshly grated, crushed, or ground spices. This practice will not only increase your health, it will radically improve the taste of your food as well.

It should be noted that while I am a fan of whole foods, there are extracts and other supplement forms of foods that can be much more powerful for certain conditions and ailments.

results in an herbal killing machine that killed 98% of the breast cancer cells

Herbal Supplements, Vitamins, and Minerals

Getting a wide range of vitamins and minerals should be easy when you’re eating lots of produce, but it’s not always that simple. Our soil is so degraded even organic produce doesn’t have the nutrition it used to have. If you cannot grow your own produce in the most optimum conditions with the best soil, we recommend a primarily food-based nutrition powder from a source you know and trust. Not “whole food sourced”, we mean actual food like rose hips, lemon peels, chlorella, etc. When these nutrition formulas are done right, the enzymes are left intact.

Related: Chemotherapy Detox

One mineral deficiency can lead to other minerals being out of balance, causing an array of problems, including an inability to assimilate vitamins. In most cases, this is why taking one or two specific minerals for a long period of time is not recommended, unless under the supervision of a well-informed naturopath. Incidentally, the same is true for many vitamins. Get the bulk of your nutrition from raw food, first and foremost. Let food be your foundation.

Vitamin C is one vitamin that you can take a large amount of for a short period of time without worrying about it offsetting other nutrients, but taking large doses of vitamin C and assimilating lots of vitamin C are two different things. We recommend Liposomal vitamin C. The best way for most people to take vitamin C as a daily supplement is within a good nutrition formula as previously mentioned and from a wide variety of produce such as red and yellow peppers, pineapple, citrus foods, and many others.

There are a ton of herbal tinctures, extracts, and other supplements that kill cancer cells. Echinacea, oil of oregano, clove oil, goldenseal, berberine, astragalus, pau d´arco, red clover, and skullcap are a few of the many plant-based herbal supplements that kill cancer cells. Study after study shows that many of the right plants and plant extracts have more power to kill off cancer cells than conventional treatments.

Wormwood is a very powerful herb that is often used to kill parasites and Candida. Wormwood, more specifically, artemisinin, the active ingredient in sweet wormwood extract, kills cancer cells.

Interesting Information On Wormwood

A new study has shown that a derivative of the wormwood plant, artemisinin, turns deadly in the presence of iron. Breast cancer cells have high levels of iron. When artemisinin senses these higher than usual levels of iron, it destroys the cancer cells with little damage to the surrounding healthy cells. This results in an herbal killing machine that killed 98% of the breast cancer cells present within 16 hours!

Although this study is in its first phase in a lab with Petri dishes, artemisinin tablets are “widely and successfully” used to fight malaria for the same reason, the parasite responsible for malaria uptakes a large amount of iron, just like the breast cancer cells. Artemisinin zeros in on the iron and destroys the parasite.

We don’t recommend taking iron with cancer. Iron feeds cancer, and the administration of iron in the study was carefully done by researchers in a very specific way. But wormwood is known to be one of the best herbs for killing a number of parasites, and it is anti-microbial and anti-fungal, making wormwood a great addition for people who need to heal their gut and heal from a variety of ailments.

Finally

Healing starts in the gut. Healing the body cannot happen without healing the gut. Check out How To Heal Your Gut. Also be sure to check out the recipes in Detox Cheap and Easy Without Fasting.

Recommended Supplements:
Further Reading:
Sources:


To Vaccinate or Not To Vaccinate

A few generations ago there was no question. Vaccinations were the modern miracle of the day. Thanks to the pharmaceutical companies we were well on our way to eradicating horrific childhood diseases that resulted in death or lifelong disability. Right?

As parents we are told that vaccinations are mandatory. You must vaccinate your child to enroll him in daycare, to enroll her in school. And then you sign a permission slip after acknowledging your awareness of the risks. It lists possible outcomes like catching the very disease your child is being immunized against or worse. You realize your child could be permanently damaged by that shot or could even die. But the odds are so low and you don’t really have a choice, do you? Not if you want your child to go to school. So you grit your teeth, say a silent prayer, and sign on the dotted line.

Or do you?

Vaccine Injury

Times are changing. The real story is slowly being revealed. The climbing autism rate is horrific. Vaccine manufacturers (thanks to vaccine court) are admitting the link between autism and vaccines, whistleblowers are coming forward, and correlations are undeniable, but mainstream media and most of the conventional medical world still denies the connection.

Autism rates have dropped from 1 in 5000 to 1 in 68. Many are beginning to take notice, to question the role of vaccinations in this epidemic.

Autism isn’t the only vaccine injury. A quick look at one legal firm’s list of successful cases reveals several kinds of injuries: Guillaine Barre Syndrome (GBS), Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyneuropathy (CIDP), Immune Thrombocytopenia Purpura, Neuralgias, Transverse Myelitis, Miller-Fischer Variant of GBS, Acute Disseminated Encephalomyelitis, Demyelinating Condition, Cellulitis, Opsoclonus Myoclonus Syndrome, Bilateral Symmetric Diaphragmic Palsy, Demyelination of the Phrenic Nerve, Pneumonia, Sepsis, Systemic Inflammatory Response, Opsoclonus Myoclonus Syndrome, Systemic Lupus Erythematosus, Multiple Sclerosis, Brachial Neuritis, Menningitis, and death.

India’s Supreme Court took Merek to trial over Gardasil (HPV) vaccinations that sickened many girls and killed seven.

Vaccine Effectiveness

Recent outbreaks of whooping cough and measles have shown the ineffectiveness of the vaccines. Anti-vaccine proponents will argue that the effectiveness of all of the vaccines shown in the past was more a matter of increasing sanitation rather than the public campaigns to vaccinate. A clear downward trend in all of the illnesses targeted by vaccinations continued at the same rate after vaccinations began.

Pharmaceutical Companies and Morality

For so many years, we have refused to believe that a pharmaceutical company could possibly hurt anyone on purpose or through wanton negligence. A look at this year’s pharmaceutical scandals by Health Impact News puts that argument to rest.

If you have been vaccinated or plan to vaccinate, we recommend a detox as soon as possible. Check out the “Further Reading” section below.

Recommended Supplements:
Further Reading:
Sources:


The Benefits of Common Root Vegetables

Root vegetables are exactly what the name implies – they are the root of the plant. The most common root vegetables have become family staples: potatoes, sweet potatoes, carrots, onions, garlic, and beets. High in vitamins and minerals that they absorb from the ground, root vegetables are full of nutrients and are an excellent source of fiber. Many are high in vitamin C, B vitamins, and vitamin A. Many are high in antioxidants. Several have remarkable healing properties.

In choosing the best root vegetables, all should be firm, never soft, and blemish free. If the tops are still attached, you want to choose fresh leaves, not only as a means to choose the freshest vegetables, but due to the fact that the tops of many root vegetables are eaten as well as the root.

In the past, we stored root vegetables in the root cellar, a dark, cool, humid space. If you choose to store any root vegetables in the refrigerator, cover and seal them in plastic or paper and place them in a drawer or they will soon become soft. (Do not refrigerate regular onions or potatoes.)

Many root vegetables can be eaten raw, steamed, sautéed, baked, roasted, stir fried, or fried.

Potatoes

The number one food crop in the world, potatoes are a nutritious vegetable unless they are fried or loaded down with butter and sour cream. They are a good source of antioxidants, vitamin B6, vitamin C, potassium, manganese, phosphorus, niacin, copper, and pantothenic acid.

Potatoes are one of the “dirty dozen” with the highest pesticide residues. Choose organic potatoes to avoid these toxins.

Carrots

Most of the time, the carrots we see in the grocery store or farmers market are a bright orange color, but carrots come in a variety of colors: white, yellow, red, purple in addition to orange.

Carrots are a well-known and proven aid to eye health, including glaucoma and cataract prevention. Newer studies show prevention of colon cancer and cardiovascular disease. They are an excellent source of vitamin A, with one cup of carrots providing more than the daily requirement. They are also a good source of vitamin C, B vitamins, vitamin K, vitamin E, manganese, potassium, and more.

Sweet Potatoes

There are about 400 varieties of sweet potatoes. Their flesh may be nearly white, cream, yellow, orange, pink or purple. They are anti-inflammatory, have antioxidant properties, and they help maintain blood sugar levels.

The leaves of the sweet potato plant have antioxidant properties and are often added to soups. Purple sweet potatoes contain antioxidant ability more than three times that of blueberries. They are also a very good source of vitamin C, B vitamins, manganese, phosphorus, copper, potassium, pantothenic acid, and vitamin B6.

Onions

Onions support the cardiovascular system, benefitting both the heart and the blood vessels. They help increase bone density, support ligaments, and are an anti-inflammatory. Onions have also been shown to help prevent cancer and are antibacterial. Rat studies are showing onions help to balance blood sugar. They are a very good source of biotin and a good source of vitamin C, copper, B6 and B1, phosphorous, potassium, and folate.

Beets

Beets provide antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and detoxification support. They are especially good for the nervous system and eye health. They help prevent heart disease and cancer and their fiber is especially healthy for the digestive tract. Beets contain folate, manganese, potassium, copper, magnesium, phosphorus, vitamin C, B6, and iron.

Garlic

Garlic is antiviral, anti-bacterial, antifungal, and anti-inflammatory. Regularly used in alternative treatments, garlic has a long history of medicinal excellence, among them cancer prevention and cardiovascular benefits. It is an excellent source of manganese and vitamin B6. It is a very good source of vitamin C and copper, and a good source of selenium, phosphorus, vitamin B1, and calcium.

The all star of the group is garlic, check out, Garlic, the Most Amazing Herb On the Planet. And speaking of beetroot, if you’re looking to boost your health by giving your body a lot more nutrition, see Total Nutrition – Make your own Homemade Multivitamin and Mineral Formula.

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How To Fight SAD Naturally This Winter

Seasonal Affective Disorder or SAD is a condition that affects up to 10% of people around the nation in some manner.

Typically, the signs mimic those of depression but only occur during the colder, darker months. Symptoms of SAD can include, but are not limited to, energy loss, desire to be left alone, increased weight gain, increased appetite, and difficulty focusing on everyday tasks.

When you have SAD, the experience can be confusing initially. However, after being diagnosed by a medical professional, you’ll want to take steps to help restore your mind and body to a happier state, regardless of what Mother Nature has in store.

Some people turn to heavy prescription drugs or attempt to self-medicate with alcohol in order to mask their SAD symptoms. Such coping mechanisms can lead to overlapping health problems and long-term health risks. Instead, consider these natural ways to relieve SAD symptoms and start feeling happier:

1. Live in Sunlight… Or Faux Sunlight

When you’re feeling burdened by SAD, you may be tempted to stay indoors in darkened rooms. However, doing so will only fuel your feelings of isolation, loneliness, and gloom. It also will leave you vitamin D deficient, a significant contributor to SAD since vitamin D deficiency has been directly linked to decreased mood, decreased serotonin production in the brain, and other symptoms related to depression.

Understandably, most of us spend tons of time inside when it’s cold, and this leaves us out of sunlight, which is one of the most natural ways to get loads of vitamin D. Yet it’s possible to get vitamin D without stepping out-of-doors by using full-spectrum light boxes. These boxes are a form of “light therapy,” and this treatment is effective for about eight out of ten people suffering from SAD.

The only precautions for users of specialized light boxes are never to look directly at the light with the naked eye because the light box produces light similar to the sun’s rays, and if you are taking any medications, be sure sunlight is not contraindicated.

2. Get Moving

Exercise has been shown to improve mood and can be a boon to your health throughout the winter. Working out in your home, in a gym, or outdoors will improve your overall well-being by boosting serotonin levels to help ward off SAD symptoms. As a bonus, your heart will be healthier, your skin will look better, and your body will feel fitter.

3. Drink More Water

Are you tempted to guzzle caffeine or mixed drinks to alter your mood? Try your best not to give into these cravings. Both will dehydrate you, leaving your body depleted of necessary H2O. The more dehydrated you are, the less able you will be to think clearly. Carry a water bottle with you so you get at least 8 to 10 glasses of the good stuff per day.

4. Keep Yourself on Schedule

Does your schedule tend to change radically during the winter? Do you find yourself in bed for longer periods of time? Don’t sleep your life away; get on a schedule and stick to it. Find a reason to stay up until your bedtime, and then get up at the same time each morning. This will help your body remain on a predictable rhythm.

5. Take a Quick Vacation

If you have the funds to do it, why not take a quick weekend trip to a sunnier spot such as Florida, California or even the Bahamas? Not only will an impromptu vacation lift your spirits, it will also give you a much-needed break from the winter doldrums and SAD.

6. Watch the Carbs

Unless you’re doing a lot of exercise, hold back on munching on processed carbs all day. Cravings for unhealthy foods tend to go up when experiencing SAD. Choose your meals and snacks wisely, and add many fruits and veggies to your diet to boost your intake of vitamins.

7. Speaking Of Vitamins …

Have you forgotten to take your multivitamins? When you have SAD, you need to give your body every advantage possible. The best vitamins to take to ward off symptoms of depression include B complex vitamins and vitamin D. Also consider St. John’s Wort and zinc.

The most important thing to do, of course, is to recognize and acknowledge that something is amiss. By taking action, you’ll be able to weather the winter naturally.

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