Menstruation and the Moon Cycle

The Moondance

Although I began writing the following post with divine feminine energy in mind, I believe those of you embodying divine masculine energy might garner a thing or two as well…both for your partners as well as yourselves;)…

I don’t recall being “regular” during the first several years of my cycle. It could have been just an initial bodily adjustment curve or that I dabbled in birth control off and on for many years. It wasn’t entirely out of the norm for my body to skip periods altogether or for them to considerably vary in duration and/or intensity. It wasn’t until I began the practice of grounding many years later that I began to notice a connection with our moon. At first it was simply a kindred awareness. There was an innate pull to focus on her, her divine feminine energy, and how it reflected and seemed to strengthen my own. I began charting my cycles and noticed that they often mirror the moon’s rhythm. I am full as she is full…and I regularly bleed as she wanes.

The lunar cycle consists of 29 and a half days, shifting from the waxing moon of increasing light to the full moon of complete illumination, to the waning moon of decreasing light and beginning the cycle again with the waxing new moon of increasing light. It does not seem coincidental that the average length of a woman’s cycle is 29 and a half days as well, parallel to the moon’s cycle.

I have read that it was the norm for women to menstruate with the moon cycle before the addition of artificial light into our lives. Both the exposure to large amounts of artificial light as well as minimal amounts of natural light (and I’m certain a slew of other factors including the amount of pharmaceuticals and food additives that make their way into our bodies and our environment every year) create an inability to tune into the subtle cues and energetic shifts of the earth and moon. In the process of becoming disconnected with these sacred and celestial bodies, we’ve also journeyed a bit further into a disconnect, of sorts, with ourselves. Our bodies are no longer in complete sync with the harmonic structure of our surrounding elements, the rhythms of our natural world, which in part translates into a disconnect from who we innately are; our variant and unified ambitions, and our formations and routines in the interminable interim.

I’ve also read that Native American women would separate themselves from the tribe during menstruation. They cycled together in a “moon lodge” while the men and grandparents temporarily took over caring for the children and other responsibilities. During this time, women were considered even more powerful and would focus their individual and collective energy upon meditation, transformation, reflection, decision-making, and, in general, deeper truth.

For me, it also serves as an energetic source of strengthening the bond between our collective divine feminine energy. I feel very close to my girlfriends during my cycle. And (maybe not so surprisingly) I would almost prefer to be around them during this time at the entire exclusion of masculine interplay.

There’s definitely a profound energy that streams into these few days. For myself, as well as many others, it’s the energy of creativity, of reflection, of letting go, and then, of nourishing and rebuilding.

Repeatedly, during this string of 5 days, I bring my A-game to the table. Close friends joke around with me about how I accomplish more during this stretch of time than I do during all other remaining days of the month combined. It’s true. It’s almost as if I go through a mini-nesting phase each month, working overtime to get everything in order in preparation for the arrival of a both an unclear and uncertain “something.”

Side note: before nixing processed foods, I experienced cruel and compassionless cramps each month. I’ve always been conscientious regarding medications, but my drawer was reliably full with one exception to my typical “tough it out” protocol: Midol! …and lots of it. I cannot recount the times that I sent a friend or lover on Midol runs if I had even the faintest notion that I might run low mid-cycle. When I was much younger, I recall a couple of family members experiencing this variety of near-debilitating cramps, as well. Admittedly, I thought that they were over-exaggerating their experiences, that is until I spent several times, myself, curled up in the fetal position on my bed. After switching to a whole foods diet, however, all cramps- every hint of them- entirely vanished. A very welcomed outcome, and alone, worth the dietary change.

It’s not uncommon to hear women complaining about the inconvenience(s) of their cycles. However, if we shift our understanding of what menstruation is, what it symbolizes and the ways in which it connects us to others and the world around us, we can better understand and lean into this time for the gifts of growth and change that come through release, reflection, and renewal.

While I’m certain that the crone years will hold their own unique offerings and energy, I occasionally imagine that I will miss this current sacred stretch of {methodically} dancing alongside the majesty and mystery of our moon.



Homemade Vitamin C

Make your own vitamin C at home, and make it better than any store-bought vitamin C

Vitamin C Recipe

So you may not know that almost all of the vitamin C supplement manufacturers are making their vitamin C from genetically engineered corn. What! You exclaim. How am I supposed to get enough vitamin C into my family if I don’t buy store bought supplements? Answer: You make your own! What you are about to read is something that the giant pharmaceutical companies don’t want you to see.

Even the health food stores don’t want you to know about this secret. You can make your very own vitamin C supplement that is ten times better than anything you could buy in a store at NO EXTRA COST TO YOU!

Does it have a 1,000 mg of vitamin C per dosage? Nope. Does it have the USRDA amount per dosage? Not at all. Has it been approved by the FDA?  Absolutely not!

What homemade vitamin C does have is live enzymes that allow the vitamin C to be 100% assimilated into your body.  It has its own natural source of rutin, hesperidin, and bioflavonoids. It’s easily acquired, easy to make, and even tastes good, too. It’s just orange & lemon peels.

It’s that easy. Any organic orange or lemon peels left over from the fruit you  buy will do the trick.  Save all of your peels after you eat the inside of the fruit and cut them into thin strips. Place them on a plate on your dining room table and let them dry at room temperature for a couple of days until dry and crisp. You can also dehydrate the peels with a food dehydrator and then store them for about a year in a dry container. For consumption, one idea is to break up peels into smaller pieces and mix them with your favorite tea. This makes the tea taste great, but the downside to this approach is that heat destroys the enzymes. A better option is to place the peel strips into your coffee grinder and grind them into a powder (which won’t hurt the enzymes) and use to mix with your early morning smoothie. One rounded teaspoon will supply you with more organic vitamin C complex, rutin, hesperidin, and bioflavonoids than your body needs for the day, regardless of your size. And this homemade citrus peel powder mixed in your blender with some fresh organic apple juice tastes good too.

Check out these articles if you are looking for tips to boost your immune system, or heal from chemotherapy. Also, be sure to read up on Leaky Guts and Autoimmune Diseases.

Recommended Supplements:
Further Reading:


Alfalfa’s Amazing Health Benefits and More

Medicago Sativa, Pea family

Some folks would say “alfalfa is only fit for livestock,” but you might be surprised to discover that alfalfa was cultivated for medicinal purposes long before it was grown for fodder. Alfalfa has been used for centuries to treat jaundice, arthritis, muscle problems, and kidney disorders.

The Native Americans used it to promote blood clotting and to increase energy and bone strength. Alfalfa is also a well known remedy for intestinal difficulties and for easing menopause. Alfalfa is high in protein and calcium, as well as other minerals and B vitamins.  Alfalfa also contains vitamin C, vitamin E, and vitamin K.

Alfalfa Lore

The first mention of alfalfa was found in old text written by the emperor of China in 2939 BC. It’s botanical name ‘Medicago’ appears to derive from ancient Greece, but it was the Arabs who named it alfalfa meaning “father of all foods.” It was also Arabs who first fed it to horses to make them run faster.

Alfalfa Success Story

Chainsaw Roy, a friend of mine who lives down the road, continually tells me how great alfalfa is and how it saved his life. Roy is around seventy, clean shaven with a silver ponytai,l and is of German/Cherokee decent. He is a character who makes a living carving the purple heart cedar with his Sthil Chainsaw.

When Roy was in his late sixties his knees got so bad that he could hardly walk and his doctor told him that they were going to have to put disks and steel pins in his knees. He told the doctor to take a hike because he was sure the doctor had dollar signs in his eyes. On his way home, Roy had a change of heart. After struggling with such severe pain, to the point of not wanting to live anymore, Roy decided he was going to have to fire up his chainsaw and work through the pain to pay the expensive fees for the tests and appointments. He suffered through work for quite awhile, but then the day came when a stray Navajo wandered by and took up a conversation with Roy about alfalfa’s healing powers.  Roy started eating alfalfa and swears that his condition was gone almost immediately.  Years later Roy still carves and walks like his ancestors did, without any pain from what was a serious arthritic condition.

Alfalfa Flowers

Alfalfa flowers are purple and taste good but horse experts say that alfalfa must be cut before the flowers appear because it can create colic in horses.

Prices of Alfalfa Soar

Alfalfa is generally sold by the bale and can be gotten from most feed stores and pet shops, but alfalfa prices recently skyrocketed here in New Mexico.

A bale of premium quality alfalfa generally costs around $7 or $8 dollars but crop failures in Texas caused the alfalfa in NM to cost $22.50 per bale. Horses have to eat and there are lots of horses in Texas so NM alfalfa was in high demand.  My dad, Doc, randomly bought 30 bales for $210, which is odd because we do not have much livestock to speak of -one rabbit. He had me unload this trailer load of hay into the container and suddenly we were sitting on gold.  Only a few months later, Doc’s small investment is worth $675.

Should I Eat Alfalfa by the Bale?

An entire bale is too much for a human to consume. You could eat it, but I don’t recommend it. It’s almost all GMO now. Thank you Monsanto! Scumbags!!!  It’s not good for you. It’s not good medicine.  It’s just crap. It is best to grow your own alfalfa sprouts organically.  Many people don’t know that your typical store-bought container of sprouts for sandwiches and salads are Alfalfa sprouts.

Sprouting Alfalfa

Alfalfa seeds are really easy to come by. Most health food stores sell them in bulk for sprouting. A very cheap way to grow a mess of alfalfa is to buy an ounce or two of these seeds in the Organic Bulk section and scatter them in an area of your yard that has water, maybe where the water runs off a roof or by a garden hose leak. If you live in a place where it rains regularly (daily is best), then just throw them out into your yard or garden, and let nature do the rest.

It’s also easy to grow alfalfa sprouts in a jar as well.

Alfalfa Sprouts Health Benefits

Alfalfa Sprouts are a Good Source of Protein

One serving of alfalfa sprouts provides a gram of easily digestible and easy to assimilate plant-based protein. Remember, it’s not how much protein you eat, it’s how much you properly assimilate that counts.

Alfalfa Sprouts are High in Micronutrients

Alfalfa sprouts are a great source of several micronutrients. Alfalfa sprouts are a good source of vitamin K and B vitamins including riboflavin, niacin, folate, thiamin, pantothenic acid and B6. Alfalfa is also high in vitamin C, vitamin E, vitamin K, calcium, and other minerals.

Alfalfa Sprouts are High in Fiber

Alfalfa sprouts are an excellent source of fiber. A 33-gram serving of alfalfa sprouts provides a gram of fiber, making alfalfa a good food for people suffering from constipation and other digestive issues.

Alfalfa and Weight Loss

At only 8 calories per serving, alfalfa is an ideal choice for people who trying to lose weight. Thanks to the fiber and protein, alfalfa is filling too.



Almost Raw Asparagus Mango Salad Recipe

This is such an amazing dish, and so easy to prepare! It’s sure to impress even an those who aren’t fond of asparagus. If you are looking to go 10% raw, that’s easy too. Just don’t boil the vinegar, and cut the amount of vinegar you use in half. You may want to sweeten it a bit, as balsamic vinegar reduction is very sweet, but the mangos may take care of that so taste it before sweetening.

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds asparagus
  • 1 large mango
  • 1 cup balsamic vinegar
  • Hot sauce to taste (I use a peach habanera hot sauce I love!)

Instructions

Boil balsamic vinegar for 3 minutes to create a reduction (making the vinegar sweeter and thicker). Cut off tough ends of asparagus. Combine all ingredients and let set for 3 hours in refrigerator.

Alternatively you can cook the asparagus lightly if you prefer. In the image above I used three kinds of asparagus, and cook the purple and white variety lightly and left the smaller green asparagus raw. It’s also good served room temperature or warm if you chose.



Agave Nectar, Is It Healthy?

No. It’s not. Agave Nectar is no healthier than refined table sugar.

Agave nectar is mostly fructose. This is why agave has a low glycemic index. Many people believe that since the sugar in fruit is fructose that this means fructose is automatically healthy. It is, in small amounts, with fruit fiber, fruit vitamins, fruit minerals, and all of the other nutrition in fruit. When whole fruits are consumed, the fructose is absorbed more slowly.

With agave nectar there is nothing to slow the absorption. Even if you eat agave with foods rich in fiber, all of the fructose separates and is absorbed quickly. Fructose passes into the bloodstream and is taken to the liver, where it is made into glycogen. Glycogen is a product stored in the liver and released to make glucose when the body needs it. But once the liver is stocked with glycogen (again, it doesn’t take much), the remaining fructose makes insulin resistant fatty acids and triglycerides.

Excessive fructose consumption (and it doesn’t take much) can lead to liver disease, insulin resistance which leads to diabetes, raised LDL cholesterol, elevated triglycerides in the body, and weight gain due to multiple factors. And if that wasn’t enough, fructose does not trigger the release of two hormones (insulin and leptin) in your blood. These hormones tell your body it’s no longer hungry. And excessive fructose elevates uric acid level, which can lead to gout and/or metabolic syndrome including hypertension and glucose intolerance. The increase in fructose consumption in America directly correlates to the rise in diabetes, heart disease, and obesity. While this is mostly attributed to high fructose corn syrup, if agave was the sweetener used in soda, our health as a nation would not be much better off.

If you’re looking for alternative sweeteners to use, check out our Healthy Sugar Alternatives article. But keep this in mind: in nature, sweets are hard to come by, they are seasonal, and they come with fiber and other nutrition. There is no healthy way to consume sweets on a regular basis. If you are trying to eat healthy, instead of looking for the magical sugar that doesn’t have any negative repercussions, learn to develop a healthier palate – a taste for raw fresh vegetables.



Cheap and Easy Detox Diet Plans (and more)

With a list of common detox diets and reasons to detoxify, and what you should consider before detoxifying.

A very thorough detox can be expensive and difficult, but with today’s lifestyle, detoxifying the body thoroughly is essential for good health. That said, people have a body that efficiently expels toxins effectively when they eat very well, exercise, sweat, and breathe heavily while exercising, drink lots of water, and stay away from medications. There are bound to be some chemicals in the body that will not be expelled on their own, and a thorough detox is still a good idea, but a healthy body always is detoxifying more toxins than it takes in and produces.

Why Detoxify?

Here are just a few indications that you need to detoxify:

Toxins are so easy to accumulate. Here is an incomplete list of commonplace items or substances that can cause harmful toxic chemical accumulation. Some may surprise you!

Brake fluid Fungicides Pesticides
Cables Gasoline Plastic
Carpet Glass Rubber
Ceramics Hair spray Rubbing alcohol
Chipping paint in older homes Hand cleaners Seafood
Colognes Hand cream Shampoo
Computers Insect repellant Shaving cream
Contact lens cleaning solution Insecticide Soap
Cosmetics Latex paint Spot cleaners
Crystal tableware Light switches in cars Spot removers
Dental fillings Liquid soap Stain/varnishes
Detergents Lotion Thermometers
Drugs Lubricants Thermostats
Dyes Medical devices Tire cleaners
Electronic equipment Medication Vaccinations
Erasable ink Mosquito repellent VCR head cleaners
Floor cleaners Nail polishes Wax strippers
Fluorescent lamps Paint Windshield cleaners
Food additives Paper Wood finishes
Food packaging Perfume X-ray shields

It’s amazing how toxic our modern lifestyle has become. The human body becomes overwhelmed. Our bile becomes toxic. Our blood becomes toxic and sluggish. But the way one feels after detoxification is truly an amazing feeling! So alert, energized, focused, successful, intelligent, and the list goes on. Our bodies are amazing, but they are really amazing when they are not being slowed down by crap. Living with a toxic is like driving a car that needed an oil change, a new air filter, and new spark plugs about 60,000 miles ago.

Common Detox Diets

There are a few detoxification diets that you’ve probably heard about. Below are some of the pros and cons with a few of the more well known detox diets and/or weight loss diets.

Diet

Description

Pros

Cons
Master Cleanse / Lemonade Diet The Master Cleanse is a modified juice fast that includes lemonade made with purified or spring water, fresh squeezed lemon juice, organic maple syrup and cayenne pepper. Laxatives are also part of the program as well.
  • Cheap
  • Simple to do
  • Reduces appetite, so it’s great for resetting the body’s desire for food
  • Muscle mass loss
  • Very little nutrition
  • Difficult to stick with for many people
  • Fat loss is likely to be put right back on
  • Most people need supplements to thoroughly detoxify
Raw Food Cleanse There are many variations to choose from. The diets consist of raw foods and fresh juicing.
  • Raw foods are the healthiest thing we can eat
  • Plenty of nutrition
  • Most people need supplements to thoroughly detoxify
Diuretic Diet Diuretic foods or supplements will help the body to release fluid. There are certain herbs and foods that are natural diuretics, like celery, parsley, asparagus, and watermelon.
  • Relieves bloating
  • Quick weight loss
  • Not enough nutrition
  • Muscle loss
  • Fat loss is likely to be put right back on
  • Most people need supplements to thoroughly detoxify
The Body Ecology Diet The diet aims to restore and maintain a healthy ecology that your body needs to function optimally.
  • One of the healthiest diets there is
  • Plenty of nutrition
  • Does a very good job of establishing a healthy ecosystem within the colon
  • Not easy to follow
  • Many of the recipes do not taste good in many people’s opinion
Living Foods Diet A diet program based on living plant foods , like a raw foods diet, but greater emphasis on foods that are still alive and as fresh as possible.
  • Lots of enzymes
  • Lots of nutrition
  • Most people need supplements to thoroughly detoxify
Fruitarianism A diet that includes fruits, nuts and seeds, without animal products, vegetables or grains.
  • Lots of enzymes
  • Lots of nutrition
  • Fruits are very easy to digest
  • Most people need supplements to thoroughly detoxify
  • Fruits can feed Candida
Juice Fast Raw vegetable and fruit juiceand water only
  • Lots of nutrition
  • Most people need supplements to thoroughly detoxify
  • Fruit juice can feed Candida
Hallelujah Diet A heavily supplemented, low-calorie vegan diet, consisting of 85% raw organic foods and 15% cooked foods.
  • Should be easy to continue eating this way
  • Lots of nutrition
  • Does not do a thorough job of removing toxins
Weight Loss Cure Based on Kevin Trudeau’s book which adheres to detoxifying the body as a means to weight loss. Involves a combination of injections, supplements, cleansing regimes and organic foods.
  • A very thorough detoxification diet
  • Lots of nutrition
  • Injections?!?!

Click here for a more extensive list of detoxification diets.

What to Look for in a Detox Diet

A good detox program addresses parasites, heavy metals, colon, liver and gallbladder, and nutrition. Usually when people attempt to detoxify, they fast. Reducing calories is ideal when detoxifying, but reducing nutrition can be dangerous. When your body is releasing chemicals, parasites, calcifications, heavy metals, and many other nasty toxins, your body needs nutrition!

Radical Detoxification

Anyone with diabetes, cancer, thyroid problems, or any serious, life altering health problem should consider doing a very serious and completely comprehensive detoxification program such as The Total Body Cleanse, or OLM’s own Full Body Detox.

While these detox diets are very comprehensive, and completely capable of ridding the body of serious disease, they are not easy to do. In fact, taking time off work may be necessary for those who are particularly sick. But then again, if you’re that sick, you’ll be taking time off of work soon enough.

Simple, Inexpensive Detoxification

For something a lot less expensive, intensive, and consequently, less effective, but still very beneficial, try this routine:

Stevia Lemonade with Cayenne

With distilled water, use fresh lemons and cayenne liquid extract. If the fresh lemons are not available, get organic lemon juice. You can use cayenne pepper in the form of powder if need be. Use as much cayenne as you can stand. Make the lemonade to taste, as many lemons, as much cayenne, as much stevia as you want. I prefer 3 lemons to a gallon of water, but it depends on how juicy the lemons are. Stevia has kind of a funny after taste, but it’s barely noticeable with lemon juice. Drink one gallon a day. I also like to add pure cranberry juice. This helps detoxify the kidneys.

Detoxify the Blood

Dr. Shillington has a wonderful herbal tincture (purchase here) that helps to detoxify the blood. Ingredients include Red Clover, Chaparral, Poke Root, Periwinkle Flower, Lobelia, Cayenne, Garlic, Mullein, Burdock Seed & Root, Yellow Dock Root, Goldenseal Root, Oregon Grape Root, and Blood Root.

Liver and Gallbladder Detoxification

The cheapest, easiest, and, well, most unpleasant (at least for most people) way to clean the liver and gallbladder is with a coffee enema. Read our Coffee Enema article. And to learn more about the gallbladder read Gallbladder Bile, How the Gallbladder Works.

Kill the Yeast

Undecylenic acid kills fungus better than anything. Thorne SF 722 is the best we know of, but it’s not vegan. Take 20 a day (ten twice a day) until the bottle is empty. If it must be vegan, there are other options for undecylenic acid.

Remove Heavy Metals

HM Complex by Pure Encapsulations is an easy, and gentle way to pull heavy metals out of the body without removing beneficial minerals.

Eat

Vegetables, whole coconuts, avocados, and granny smith or crab apples are on the diet. Avocados are a great source of protein, too! And coconut and avocado fat will not make you fat. In fact, they will help you lose weight if needed.

Cook nothing. Get lots of enzymes. Eat as much of these foods whole and raw as you want. Provided your appendix has not been removed, the best way to build up a healthy eco system with beneficial bacteria in your colon is with vegetables. Most probiotics (like yogurt) are killed in stomach acid.

If you’ve had your appendix removed, it’s harder to build back up your beneficial bacteria. If you have never done a serious colon cleanse, you need to. While this makes our inexpensive program a bit more expensive, for those in need of serious colon cleansing or those without an appendix, consider adding Dr. Shillington’s Intestinal Cleans and his Intestinal Detox to the program.

Juice

Juicing is not totally necessary for this particular diet, but juice all the vegetables you want and add ginger to all juices. But limit your carrots and beets as they are higher in sugar. No fruit except granny smith, crab apples, lemons, and limes. A juice press is ideal, as centrifugal juices heat up the juice and kill enzymes.

Exercise and Breathe

Sweat. Breathe heavily. And breathe properly. You should be getting enough nutrition to exercise strenuously. And breathing heavily and properly for long periods of time detoxifies the body. Read How to Breathe.

Turbocharge any Detox with Niacin

Niacin, otherwise known as B3, is a very inexpensive way to boost the efficacy of a detox. You want the flush kind, not the no flush. Most doctors recommend people start with 100 mg, but up to 5,000 a day has been used for serious drug detoxification and other urgent detox needs (such as chemical poisoning). I weigh 220 pounds and I took 1,500 mg for three days. Don’t take niacin for too long, it can damage the liver in high doses and it can also put your b vitamin balance out of whack. This Niacin is the kind that provides the “flush.”

Take it in the morning, and then, in about 30 to 45 minutes when it kicks in, get some exercise or do the sauna. Try some hot tea. Drink lots of fluid (like the cranberry lemonade) and sweat out the toxins. Niacin won’t do you much good if you aren’t flushing out the junk while you do it. It’s powerful. You’ll be itchy, hot, and flush red all over.

Most people without damaged seriously livers can easily handle 500 mg for a few days. The effects last about an hour.

Perhaps 15 – 25 mg would keep first timers from screaming bloody murder, and allow for a more gentle, beneficial  experience.

A word about the process might also be appropriate, as in the patients where I worked for seven years did not appear to have a clue about how to best utilize this vitamin as a cleanse.  (Take a small amount to start, if no effects, i.e., the flush, observed, up the dose by the same increments, until it occurs.  Then stay at that dose until no more effects felt, followed by upping the dose until next flush.  Maintain until no more effect, then up the third time, repeating this process.  Three times through should then be put on hold for weeks to a month or two depending upon health status, before starting again.)  Hopefully, a side note or a foot note, will save beginners that pain and frustration from overdosing the first time around, i.e., a simple word of strong caution.  This note of concern is from one who has used this cleanse for many decades, as well as assisting others through the process.” – Richard

Things to Consider Before and After Detoxification

If you are very sick, you are very toxic. If you are not sick, you may still be very toxic , and being very sick is just a matter of time. But a highly toxic body can be overburdened with detoxification.

Even those who seem perfectly healthy can get detox symptoms such as headaches, nausea, irritability, inability to focus, and fatigue. Consider starting slowly. Eat healthy for a few weeks and exercise before starting your detox diet. Drink tons of water, or better yet, drink a gallon of the stevia cayenne lemonade a day for a month before you detoxify.

And after you detoxify, BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU EAT! For instance, eating a bunch of mashed potatoes after you fully clean your colon and detox for a few weeks can actually kill you! After detoxifying, introduce foods slowly back into your diet. And focus on raw fresh produce, which is what you should always do anyway.

If you can only do one supplement, I recommend the SF722. Nothing is better at killing fungi (yeast, Candida) and almost everyone in today’s modern society has an abundance of it. Most people, with even diets considered to be healthy, need this supplement regularly.

Recommended Supplements:
Further Reading:


5 Simple Ways to Encourage Your Kids to Eat More Fruits & Veggies

With kid friendly organic healthy recipes

In our convenience focused society, many kids are learning that it is quicker to open up a bag of chips then it is to take the time to wash off a piece of fruit.  By now, I’m certain that very few of us have not heard or read about how important it is to back off of the commercialized, processed, packaged fare and to get back to the fresh, Earth~produced foods that we are biologically designed to consume.

This past weekend, our family met up with a few friends for a picnic. One of the other kids began commenting on what my children were eating- claiming that veggies are “tasteless” and that he refuses to eat them unless they are fried. The whole conversation triggered the question in my mind:& how can we motivate kids to harmonize with and enjoy healthy eating habits? The following are a few simple strategies that I believe will help if your child isn’t so fond of the fresh stuff……………

Blend up a fresh fruit and greens smoothie.

Blending is an easy, fast and fun way to pack a lot of nutrition into one simple drink.

Begin by using your child’s favorite fruits and blend them with mild greens (spinach, lettuces, etc.) and a small amount of water to create a smoothie that is both palatable and nutritionally potent.  As your child acclimates to the taste- you can begin to branch out with different fruits and darker greens.  You can also use nut milks or fresh juice as a base for added nutrition.

Dips!!!

If your child is having trouble ‘digging’ a particular fruit or veggie~ try making a dip to go along with it.  Dips are fun to eat and add a whole new dimension, taste~wise.  Examples-> almond butter, sunflower butter, blended fruit or chocolate dip (cold pressed oil, cocoa or carob powder, vanilla stevia, sea salt.)

‘Fun’ify’ snacks

Pretend play with your child while eating…maybe you’re at a cocktail party- or eating with the Queen and King….use fancy cups and plates, cocktail umbrellas or reusable straws.  Create the dish to look like an animal or bug…remember thee ol’ ‘worms in the dirt’ recipe from our childhood?  FUN!  There are several great and easy-to-find online sites to stir up ideas.

Include a colorful salad with dinner.

The way a meal looks is often just as important as how it tastes.  Use a variety of different veggies (and/or fruits) so that your salad will be colorful and visually appealing.  Try blending up your own dressing using apple cider vinegar or lemon, cold pressed oil, and fresh herbs.

Healthy desserts!

Does your child likes ice cream?  Try making ice cream from coconut milk…or avocados and natural flavors/sweeteners.  Get creative with fruit by topping it with the above chocolate sauce or nut/seed based crumble…..or go for something equally as delightful, yet beyond simple- like apple slices, almond butter and cinnamon.  The possibilities really are endless.

Naturally, each above idea can be customized to your child’s unique tastes and preferences.  You’ll find it easier and easier to replace processed, packaged, nutrient~stripped concoctions with nutrient~rich, realfood…Enjoy!