Aspire

My sister in law, Mel came for her first visit to Arkansas, so I decided to take a mini vacation and treat ourselves to my favorite restaurants and foods in North West Arkansas. Among these were Wiederkehr Restaurant, Theo’s, James at the Mill, Farmers Table and MJ Pizzeria. My entrees contained several filets of beef, pizza, Benny on a Biscuit, a six inch tall slice of chocolate cake (from MJ Pizzeria) and Creme Brulee. Although she flew away Sunday morning, my taste buds were still on vacation. If I always ate like I was on vacation…well, I wouldn’t feel very healthy. I began to have a strong craving for Walkers Butter Cookies from Scotland, (confession – I had some the day before). I got my purse and headed out the door, without telling anyone where I was going.

It just so happened that my 16 year old daughter (pictured above) arrived home, as I was walking to my car. She asked where I was going. I admitted sheepishly where I was going and that I probably ought not. She said lovingly, “Mom, get back into the house! You don’t need any more butter cookies!” I had already thought that I really ought not to continue the journey, but she confirmed it, so I went back into the house and heard her telling my husband, “I found Mom sneaking off to get butter cookies.”, to which he gave me a knowing look and returned to his movie screen.

I decided that I needed to find a better way to handle my craving. I had to deconstruct my craving in order to figure out what my body really needed. Often times, when we are craving, we are a bit dehydrated and really need a drink of water. I filled a 16 oz glass of filtered water and drank the whole thing. Then, I thought about the main components of the food that I was craving: sugar, salt and fat. I looked around the kitchen and found these components, in a healthy form, out of the CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) box, back yard garden and the refrigerator. I created a fine salad which fully met my cravings, which would require zero guilt or extra future energy expenditure. I have included the recipe and photo below.

The Five Necessary Ingredients for Fighting Cravings:

Realization – that it is a craving – knowing is half the battle
Accountability – a strong conscience, accountability partner or a 16 year old daughter
A Well Stocked Kitchen – to have healthy ingredients on hand
A Little Creativity – ideas for using what is available
Filtered Water – first, of course!

I hope this helps you deal with your next craving!

Holly Aaron BA, LMT, HTP, INHC
Aspire Holistic Health and Wellness, LLC
Therapeutic Bodywork, Healing Touch and Health Coaching

Aspire to reach your potential in body, mind and spirit!

For appointments: Call or Text 479-283-6507

Sweet Summer Salad
By Holly Aaron

INGREDIENTS
1 small organic cucumber, diced
1 organic, fresh, local peach, diced
1/2 small red onion, sliced and diced
3 oz fresh mozarella, torn into small pieces
1/2 cup organic sun gold tomatoes
1 tbsp olive oil
10 fresh basil leaves, cut into small pieces
1/2 tsp celtic sea salt

PREPARATION INSTRUCTIONS
Dice, slice, tear and measure the ingredients and stir together in your favorite salad bowl and eat immediately. Serves one person with a craving for sugar, salt and fat. Multiply the ingredients to serve more than one. This would also be a great contribution to a summer picnic or gathering of friends.

Experience: The Importance of Saving for a Rainy Day

Our days are numbered and yet we don’t have access to that number. Some of the lucky ones are able to live long fulfilled lives, being active, aware and content until their last day, while others’ lives are cut short by negative health experiences or untimely death. With this being the case, it is imperative that we choose our experiences wisely. So many people go through their lives going to a job that they hate, use vacation in order to spend time with family members who may be less than their favorite people and occupy countless hours in front of various types of screens, out of a sense of obligation, to pass the time or avoid reality. We can, of course, choose this life for ourselves, but it leaves a lot to be desired. I prefer to enjoy life as fully as I can, logistically and financially, while I am physically able.

There was a time, where travel and exciting opportunities were not a part of my life and did not seem like an imaginable possibility, until I sat in a car with an atlas of the United States in my hands. I began looking at all the green areas, National Parks, and questioned why I thought that I couldn’t visit them: so far away, so unreachable, so much money, so much time. The real reason was that I had never even considered it as a option, until this day in which a seed was planted. Shortly after, I met someone who had just been to all of the National Parks in Utah. He described them with such excitement and wonder that the seed began to grow. By the following spring break, we had plans to go visit the parks in Utah, but I looked on the map and realized that we could also visit the Petrified Forest, The Painted Desert and The Grand Canyon. This became our first trip of many to the National Parks, from the East coast to the West Coast, through the Rocky Mountains, into Canada, England, Ireland and Scotland, all from a tiny seed planted, while sitting in a car, looking at an atlas.

I have thousands of memories and photos from our trips. These memories are in my mental bank for a rainy day, a day when I am not able to go. Now, this rainy day doesn’t have to be far in the future or at a time of disability, it can be while sitting in a waiting room, waiting for a client or for children in a pick up line. The first time an anesthesiologist asked me to go to my happy place, in 1999, he mentioned beach and ocean water, which for most would have been happy. My reply just before I went under, was of the visualization of having two jelly fish wrap around both legs, leaving their uncomfortable venom. This was due to the fact that I only had limited experience and an unpleasant one at that. My last big occasion to need pleasant imagery for visualization, was for an MRI, two actually, back to back. If you have had an MRI, you will totally understand, however if you have not, I’ll explain. There is a reason you are having and MRI, in the first place, and that has probably created pain and fear.
You are placed on a hard plastic board that looks like the inside of a coffin and told not to move a muscle and asked to breath with as little movement as possible. Then the board, along with you, is slid into a dark tunnel, just larger than you, fortunately someone told me not to open my eyes. There is audio communication between you and the radiology staff and copious amounts of very loud banging, knocking and buzzing noises with short pauses. This situation is enough to throw many into quite a panic!

I kept my eyes closed, while beginning gentle rhythmic breathing, and went on a hike in Waterton National Park. I observed the stream, the trail, the trees, the grizzly scat and climbed steadily higher on my journey to one of the longest hikes, for tourists, in that park, 26 km. The sky was blue with puffy white clouds and the trail wound back and forth up the mountain until at last we reached and emerald green lake, Goat Lake, which is fed by a glacier. Then I got on the train between Toronto and Vancouver. While riding and looking at the scenery, I had a wine tasting venue, yummy and soothing to the nerves. I got off the train in Jasper National Park and took a ride in a convertible smart car, just imagine, in order to hike to many waterfalls with rainbows in their spray and more lakes that look like giant, aqua blue swimming pools. I lie in the sunshine, on a large, flat, deep red colored rock in Red Rock Canyon and looked up at the royal blue sky and listened to the climbing guide encourage a beginning climber, while also listening to a hawk’s majestic call. I got into a convertible Mustang and drove through the Going to the Sun Road, in Glacier National Park, with the top down, feeling the wind on my face and the sun warming my skin, while looking at the mountains that seem to go on forever. I went to a few other places in that time period of just over an hour. During the MRI, I could have experienced a panic attack and obscured the films, which would have caused them to redo the procedure but I chose an amazing experience instead. I am extremely grateful to have saved for that rainy day! The above photo is taken in the Hoh Rain Forest in Washington, USA. I encourage you to plan your next short hike, bike ride or destination vacation and bask in life’s pleasantness, while giving little thought to the minor annoyances, which surround us.

Feel free to share this article with those you care about.

Holly Aaron, BA, LMT, HTP, INHC
Aspire Holistic Health and Wellness, LLC
Fayetteville, AR

Providing Massage, Healing Touch and Health Coaching

Aspire to reach your potential in body, mind and spirit!

For appointments: Call or Text 479-283-6507

May the Luck of the Irish Be With You, Always!

Mark and I met Art in Vancouver, at the Bloedel Conservatory in Queen Elizabeth Park. He was putting on quite a show for us. I am so grateful for my vision which allows me to see grand spectacles like Art, flowers, trees, birds and bees. I have been blessed with good vision and have not required glasses or any other assistance in order to see. I do have an eye exam occasionally to be sure that all is well. My eye doctor informed me that by the time women reach my age, they begin requiring some spectacles. He also told me that in a few years, he could prescribe some bi-focals. I happen to be a strong bit Irish and that Irish competitiveness popped out when he said that. It is my intention to eat for the health of my eyes as well as for the rest of my body and hopefully be able to decline his offer. Here are five foods (avocados, carrots, sweet potatoes, almonds and dark leafy greens) and a few smoothie recipes to help with this.

Mark your calendars, I will be giving a presentation called “Nourishing Foods for Skin and Health” on March 28th, 12:30-1:30 at the newly opened Natural Grocers in Fayetteville, AR.

Tropical Antioxidant
For a fast breakfast drink or anytime pick me up with a double dose of potassium, eye benefiting lutein and free radical scavenging antioxidants, add one banana, one ripe avocado, 1/4 cup of blueberries or mixed berries, one scoop Kal stevia or 1 Tbs honey or maple syrup to a Magic Bullet or other blending machine. Add approximately 1/2-1 cup of water and blend.

Carrot Cake Smoothie
Here is a tasty way to have eye benefiting carotenoids from carrots. Boil three washed carrots and three dates, leave skins on for extra nutrients. Allow to cool or add ice cubes. Add carrots, pitted dates, 1/8 cup coconut flakes, 2 Tbs coconut oil, 2 Tbs cream cheese, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, and 1 cup of water (use cooled water from the boiling ) into the Magic Bullet and blend until smooth. For extra sweetness, add 1 Tbs maple syrup.

Sweet Potato Cream
The sweet potato is loaded with beta carotene, it actually has a higher content by weight than carrots. A super fast way to prepare a sweet potato is in a pan of water. I wash the potato and cut any tough spots or scrapes and place in a pan of water that covers half of the potato. Place lid and allow to boil until a fork easily slides into it. Be cautious that the water doesn’t cook out, as it makes for quite a mess in the pan. Add medium sized boiled sweet potato, 2 Tbs Organic whipping cream, 2 Tbs coconut oil, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, 1 Tbs maple syrup or 1 scoop Kal stevia (if extra sweetness is desired) and 1 cup water (use cooled water from boiling) to the blender. Blend until creamy.

Nuts and Greens
Almonds are also good for the eyes with their high Vitamin E content. Almonds are a good source of protein and Omega 6 fats. Sprouting nuts increases digestibility and makes the nutrients more available and by removing the enzyme inhibitors and activating the enzymes. I soak raw almonds over night and place in the Excalibur dehydrator at 115 degrees F, this allows them to be dry but still raw. A handful of sprouted almonds makes a great snack or a great addition to a salad. Dark leafy greens such as spinach, kale and collard greens with their lutein and zeaxanthin are also beneficial for the eyes.

If you or someone you know are struggling with losing weight or regaining/maintaining health, health coaching may be right for you. Feel free to share this article with those you think might benefit.

For appointments: Call or Text 479-283-6507

For many of us, the cold and dreary winter days take a toll on our positive outlook and energy levels. I have struggled with the “Winter Blues” for as long as I can remember. For many years, I began to sadden as the leaves started to turn, unable to appreciate their beauty, for I knew that then they would fall and the weather would be cold and dreary. When the trees began to bloom in spring, I would perk up again. This created a scenario where I was sad for half of every year. At some point, I realized that it didn’t have to be this way.
I learned about Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) and the ways to alleviate the condition. There are light boxes to sit in front of, broad spectrum lights bulbs to replace the soft white bulbs, sun alarm clocks (which I love), the Biomat, which produces a far infrared light and heat to warm the tissue deeply and liquid sunshine!
A light box is a box full of high kelvin temperature light bulbs, which are more like sunshine, including all of the colors and therefore appearing white to blue. These are used frequently to treat SAD in the places where the sun rarely shines. My issue with these, is that I would have to sit in front of them, which is not conducive to my more active nature. These boxes of light can be found on Amazon and www.fullspectrumsolutions.com.
Broad spectrum light bulbs have a high Kelvin temperature. Our normal soft white bulb is usually at 2300K to 2700K (sickly yellow as Dr. Mercola calls it). The broad sprectrum bulb, also called natural daylight, will have a much higher Kelvin temperature (5000K to 6500K). Natural sunlight ranges from 5000K to 6000K. I found some of these bulbs at Lowes but they can also be found on Amazon or Full Spectrum Solutions.
Of course, in the winter, it gets light later, usually later than your alarm needs to go off. Who wants to wake in the dark, the chickens don’t even do that? I found a sun alarm clock, made by Soleil www.soleilsunalarm.com, years ago and have been using it since. I set the time I want to wake up and the light comes on very dimly 30 minutes prior and slowly brightens. It reaches full brightness at the time the alarm is set. This is all that I need to wake and I wake in a much more pleasant mood than I would, if rudely awakened by beeping or a buzzer. For those of you who have an even harder time waking, the alarm does have the beeping feature or radio.
The Biomat is a mat filled with amethyst and tourmaline. It produces far infrared light/heat and an ionic detox. I offer this feature in my massage and Healing Touch sessions. The far infrared light penetrates six inches into the body, deeply heating and relaxing the body. I have used the Biomat for over a year and am still in love with it. I crawl into bed at night and say “I love my Biomat”, almost every night. I became a distributor because I loved it so much. Contact me if you are interested in more Biomat information.
Liquid sunshine, different than liquid moonshine, is Vitamin D or Vitamin D containing Cod Liver Oil. Our bodies make Vitamin D, cholecalciferol, as the suns rays strike our skin, but on cold, dreary days our skin doesn’t have a chance to see the sun. In the winter, I supplement with a good source, high quality Vitamin D3 or take Carlson’s brand Cod Liver Oil, lemon flavor, which includes Omega 3’s, is great for the brain, skin and an anti-inflammatory. Here is a link that talks about the Vitamin D, including how we get it from the sun and how we can supplement when there is no sunshine, along with dosage recommendations from several organizations. http://www.vitamindcouncil.org/about-vitamin-d/how-do-i-get-the-vitamin-d-my-body-needs/

I am including a smoothie recipe, that I made this morning, which includes liquid sunshine.

Blackberry Banana Smoothie

• 1 ripe organic banana
• 1/2 cup organic, plain yogurt
• 1/2 cup frozen blackberries
• 1/2 cup filtered water
• 1 scoop Kal brand stevia
• 2tbsp. Carlson’s brand, Lemon Flavored, Cod Liver Oil

Add banana, yogurt, blueberries, stevia and water to a Magic Bullet, Nutri Bullet or blender and blend until smooth. Pour into a pint glass (glass is important), thoroughly stir in the cod liver oil. Make sure the cod liver is lemon flavored, otherwise it will taste fishy. Make sure to stir into a glass jar rather than plastic, as the cod liver oil can permeate the plastic, which might be unpleasant later.

This will make for a quick, enjoyable breakfast, great for your brain, mood and skin. Makes one serving.

Are they good or bad for you?

First eggs were good for you and then they were bad for you and now they are…?, oh, it is so confusing. Actually eggs are the same as they have always been with the exception of how some of them are mass produced. Until the past century, much of the population had chickens on their homestead or in their back yard or stable. We have gotten away from raising our own food and have become dependent on someone else to raise it for us, which has cost us control over what’s in our food. Many age old recipes have eggs in them, quiche, meatloaf, egg drop soup, breads, cakes, cookies, creme brülee, custard, eggnog, just to name a few. And then there are the breakfast foods, bacon and eggs, green eggs and ham, omelettes, poached eggs, eggs benedict and many more. There are sauces and spreads, bearnaise, hollandaise, mayonnaise… The list of egg containing foods continues, much longer than you want to read or I write.

An egg is a whole food, a real food. It has everything needed to support the life of a chicken. Similarly to human babies in-utero, the egg absorbs chemicals, pesticides and metals that the adult chicken eats, thus the importance in buying organic free range eggs or having some chickens in your back yard. Eggs are an economical source of high quality protein. Protein is one of the three macro-nutrients that we utilize for fuel in our body and to build and repair muscles, tissues, skin and antibodies and many more. The other two macro-nutrients are fats and carbohydrates. Eggs also contain fats. The human brain is comprised of 60 percent fat and healthy fats are the perfect fuel for the brain. Eggs are a great source of choline, a precursor to phosphatidylcholine and sphingomyelin, fat like molecules that make up much of the brain and acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter.

Eggs are beneficial for our thyroid. They contain iodine which is necessary for the production of thyroid hormones. They also contain selenium which is necessary for thyroid hormone metabolism. Eggs contain lutein, an antioxidant which is found in concentrated form in the eyes and shown to decrease the risk of cataracts and macular degeneration. They also contain vitamin D, which is helpful with mood, bone building, immune function and many other functions and tissues. Phosphorus and vitamin K are also players in bone building, vitamin B2 and B5 assist with energy production, and sleep and mood enhancing tryptophan are also contained in eggs.

Back to the question, are eggs good for you? I’ll have to quote one of my nursing instructors, “It depends.” Above, we discussed the many ways that eggs are good for you, however, eggs are one of the known allergens and not good for those who are sensitive, intolerant or allergic to them. Those with kidney issues have to exercise caution as to not overtax the kidneys due to the protein. Eggs do contain cholesterol and may increase cholesterol in select individuals. However, cholesterol is a necessary ingredient for producing many of our hormones including vitamin D and when we don’t have enough dietary cholesterol, our liver produces its own. Here is an article by Dr. Mercola with further information on eggs and cholesterol. http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2012/08/27/eating-eggs.aspx If you unsure and would like to know if you have an allergy or sensitivity to eggs or other foods, I can provide an Alcat allergy test for you (learn more at www.alcat.com). I encourage you to keep in mind moderation and rotation, so, not too much and not all the time. The Alcat testing labs recommend waiting three days between a given food, in order to decrease the risk of developing sensitivity.

The next question is which is the healthiest way to prepare eggs. Some say raw, some say cooked. Dr. Mercola is a proponent of raw eggs. Below is an article he wrote on raw eggs vs. cooked eggs. I like to have them a little each way. I make smoothies with raw eggs from my back yard or soft poach the eggs, in order to preserve the integrity of the yolk. http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2005/02/09/raw-eggs.aspx Here are a couple of egg recipes that I have created:

Chocolate Smoothie recipe: (serves 1)

2 organic free range eggs or backyard eggs
2-3 Tbs Navitas raw organic cacao (raw chocolate)
1 scoop Kal brand stevia extract (can substitute 1-2 Tbs real maple syrup)
2 Tbs organic heavy whipping cream (can substitute milk or coconut milk)
1/2 cup filtered water
1 tsp vanilla
optional 1-2 Tbs Chia seeds (for extra protein, omega 3’s and fiber)
optional 1-2 Tbs melted coconut oil (will become solid if drink is below 76 degrees)
optional 1 cup fresh or 1/2 cup frozen spinach
optional 2 drops medicinal grade peppermint essential oil

Combine all desired ingredients in your blending device (I use a magic bullet) and blend. Drink immediately, preferable to have in the morning as the cacao is a stimulant.

Quick Egg Salad with a Powerful Crunch: (Warm or Cold) Serves 3-4

6 organic free range eggs or backyard eggs (poached)
1-2 Tbs organic mayonnaise or homemade (will need to double if egg yolks are hard)
3 stalks organic celery (finely chopped), less if less crunch desired
2-4 Tbs minced onion ( if you dislike raw onions, can saute first or omit)
1 tsp red curry
1 tsp mustard
1/2 tsp celtic sea salt

Bring a 1 quart of water to boil, add a few drops of vinegar to water (to prevent the whites from separating) (don’t add salt as it caused the whites to dissolve), crack the eggs into a separate bowl and gently slide the eggs into the water, cook for 5 minutes (10 min. if you like hard yolks), remove with slotted spoon or drain the water, holding the eggs in the pan. Slice eggs into small pieces, add other ingredients and stir. Can be served warm or covered and refrigerated until cold. Can be added to a sandwich or a layer of greens or eaten alone.

If you or someone you know are struggling with losing weight or regaining/maintaining health, health coaching may be right for you. Feel free to share this article with those you think might benefit.

Holly Aaron BA, LMT, HTP, INHC

Loving abundantly will create more joy in your life and the world.
Do you remember the Golden Rule? Many people and many religions utilize this concept to underlie their morals and ethics. Copy and paste this site to view various versions: http://www.thegoldenrule.net/quotes.htm. I’d like to draw your attention to the version from the book of Leviticus in the Old Testament, “Love your neighbor as yourself”. The first step, in being able to exercise this rule in our lives, is to love ourselves. If we do not love ourselves, how can we possibly truly love others. Are we patient, kind, trusting, hopeful and persevering with ourselves or do we beat ourselves up, fear failure, self judge or even sabotage our success and joy?

If loving yourself is not your greatest strength, you can begin now with baby steps, i.e. patience. Try to treat yourself as you might a child, who is just learning to ride a bike or to read. Be kind to yourself; give yourself enough time, enough sleep, enough quality nourishment and plenty of positive experiences, laughter with friends, enjoyable vacations, massage or meditations and visualizations. If treating yourself with love and respect is difficult for you, I recommend the book, “May Cause Miracles”, by Gabrielle Bernstein. It is a 40 day process of reading, affirmations and exercises, which may increase your love for yourself, a miracle.

One thing that helps me to love myself is practicing random acts of kindness. I chose the photo above, a beautiful gift from nature, which I took on a three day hike in October, 2010, on the Ozark Highlands Trail. I haven’t a clue what species it is, but it presented itself randomly, on the forest floor, as a delicate and beautiful expression of love. It made me smile and pause to take a photo. I felt a sense of awe and tremendous gratitude for this rare presentation. I now share this beauty with you. I will also share one of my favorite random acts of kindness stories.

A dear friend, who was always baking and preparing gifts of food, had a range/oven combination. The range would not self-light and only select burners would work, but the oven seemed to work well, until the day it died. She and her family were not in a position to purchase a new one, so they got a toaster oven instead, just to get by. When I learned of this, my mental wheels began turning. I started looking online, at the selection of new range/ovens combinations from Sears, and plotted with a mutual friend and my husband about getting a new stove for her. I found one that would fit their kitchen and the following day, drove to Sears in my mini-van, purchased it, loaded it up and drove straight to her house for the unloading. I would often bring gifts of books or toys that our crew had grown out of, so she was used to me delivering boxes. I knocked on her door and asked her to help me with a box of stuff that I had brought. She saw the box and was immediately suspicious and onto me. She expressed such delight, surprise and gratitude that it warmed my heart and continues to warm it still, many years later. The really wonderful thing about practicing random acts of kindness is that it makes me smile and feel giddy, during the whole time I am plotting, planning and presenting them and even years later, as I think back on them.

I encourage you to begin looking for ways to mischievously be kind to someone in your surroundings, whether it be a smile, a kind word, a hug, a cup of coffee, lunch, a home made card or something large and unorthodox. You will be accomplishing the entire Golden Rule, as you do this, because you can’t help feeling joy and pride for your kindness, when you produce loving actions for others.

I’d like to sum this article with the lyrics from the Beatles, “All you need is love, love, love is all you need!” Feel free to share this article with those you love. If would like to receive future mailings, please sign up for my free newsletter.

9-7-14

“Tomorrow, tomorrow, I love ya, tomorrow, you’re always a day away…” -Charles Strouse

After 11 months of steady work, I fly out for Loveland, Colorado, tomorrow, to complete my Healing Touch Program training, Level 5! I have been honored to be a part in some amazing transformations, with the clients whom I’ve had the pleasure to work, during my apprenticeship. I will bring my proof of a practice; 127 documented sessions and a 10 page case study, proof of self care; 10 reflective reviews of holistic modalities, that I tried, proof of study: 7 reflective write-ups of books about Healing Touch, ethics for energetic healers, quantum physics, energy work/holism, journaling, spiritual development and professional development, a reflective write-up about participating in a mentor relationship, community service, a personal professional notebook which includes a resume with an emphasis on Healing Touch and much more, to be judged, as to whether I am qualified and ready to be called a Healing Touch Practitioner. Many thanks to all who participated in this process. It is a fantastic relief to be finished with this piece of the journey!

Chicken soup, the age old recovery method from colds, flus, and tummy issues.

This lovely potion is generally made with chicken, celery, carrots, onions, garlic, salt and pepper.  Often is is combined with a starch, rice or noodles, creating chicken noodle soup or chicken and rice.  Chicken soup has typically been used to assist someone with getting out of bed and getting “back on their feet”.

When trying to answer the question of “Why chicken?”, we can look at the energetics of the animal.  The chicken is spry, running or taking short flights all day, to get to her next meal, whereas the cow is a lumbering creature, usually not in a big hurry. When considering the energetic purpose, it is important to choose a chicken which was allowed to run around freely, pecking for food all day, rather than a white chicken that lived its life in the confines of a metal cage, unable to even turn around.

Celery contains vitamin C which is known for its immune boosting effects.  It also contains coumarins which enhance the performance of certain white blood cells, allowing them to seek and destroy the unwanted invading pathogen that caused the illness. As this soup is for your health and to strengthen your immune system, it is important to choose organic, so that you are not adding unwanted toxins and chemicals. Look up the “dirty dozen” and the “clean 15”, to assist in deciding which foods should be purchased as organic. Carrots are a great source of carotenoids, the precursor to Vitamin A. which has long been known for its benefits to vision, but also supports the immune system.

Onions contain Vitamin C, quercetin and flavonoids, which work synergistically to kill pathogenic bacteria, a perfect addition to our soup. Garlic contains a sulfur compound called allicin which serves as an antibiotic, killing bacteria, fungi and viruses. Garlic also contains Vitamin C.  An important note is to finely chop or mash the onion and garlic and allow to sit for 5-10 minutes prior to cooking. allowing their health promoting compounds to become heat stable.

Celtic sea salt, not table salt, contains magnesium, sodium and 60 trace minerals which serve to balance the electrolytes in the body and keep it hydrated. There is a nice article about the difference between table salt and real salt, Celtic sea salt or himalayan salt @ http://draxe.com/10-benefits-celtic-sea-salt-himalayan-salt/ (copy and paste into your search bar). Pepper, both black and cayenne help support the immune system.  Black pepper contains piperin, a phytonutrient that has an antibiotic effect for many bacteria.  Cayenne pepper contains capsaicin, a phytonutrient that breaks up mucus in the sinuses and lungs.  It also contains beta-carotene, the precursor to Vitamin A, which supports the immune system.

The health benefits and nutritional information for these foods was found in “The World’s Healthiest Foods, Essential Guide For The Healthiest Way Of Eating” by George Mateljan.

A chicken soup recipe:
4-5 chicken thighs (humanely raised)
one onion (finely chopped)
three cloves of garlic (mashed)
four stalks of celery (chopped) (organic)
four carrots (whole or chopped)
1/2 stick of butter (organic)
1/2-1 tsp Celtic sea salt (more or less to taste preference)
sprinkle of pepper, black or cayenne or both (to taste preference, start slow and add more)
Enough filtered water to cover ingredients, more if you plan to add rice, noodles or quinoa

Chop onions and mash garlic, set aside.  Place thawed chicken in pan, add carrots, celery, water, salt and begin heating at a medium to high heat.  Add onions and garlic after they have set for 5-10 minutes. Bring to boil and turn heat down.  Let simmer for 40 minutes.  Sprinkle pepper in lightly, stir and taste.  You can add more salt if needed. There is no subtraction, so start slow and gradually add until you achieve your taste preference.  Pull chicken out with a slotted spoon or tongs, shred with a fork, remove the bone and add shredded chicken to the broth.

You may add noodles, rice or quinoa once the water is boiling.  White rice and quinoa take 20 minutes to cook, Brown rice takes around 40 minutes.  Noodles take around 8-10 minutes, longer if you like them very soft.  Gluten free noodles can be substituted if you are sensitive to gluten, as most are, according to Dr. David Perlmutter in “The Grain Brain”.