Herbs Can Do a Body Good!

I read this recent article written by Ema Salmon of Ema’s Herbs, located in Ventura, California,in an online magazine or ezine called OUR VOICES.

I would highly recommend going by and reading the free copy she offers. Many different authors from health, to family life, spiritual health and government. Many different authors and much fine reading! 

This is part of a recent article from Ema Salmon on herbs . While I am  juicing now and don't do smoothies, this is a smoothie I will add to my diet in April. I do juice basil and it tastes wonderful!

While we don’t usually think of herbs as being an ingredient in a smoothie, we are overlooking an easy way to get these type of healthy herbs in our diet…without cooking a lengthy meal. Blending herbs in your smoothie is a quick way to ingest them and receive any curative or preventive powers they may have and basil has plenty.

Some of the highlights of basil include: It provides anti-inflammatory relief which stems from eugenol, a volatile oil in basil that blocks enzymes in the body that cause swelling, making basil an ideal treatment for people with arthritis.

Basil is known to have antioxidants that protect the body from premature aging and age-related problems and even types of cancer. Basil contains the flavonoids orientin and vicenin, which are plant pigments that block your cell structures from oxygen and radiation damage. Basil can help with constipation, stomach cramps and indigestion. It can also be used to give relief from the common cold, flu, asthma, bronchitis and sinus infections.

So what are you waiting for? Try this smoothie and let us know what you think! Is basil a good smoothie an ingredient or should we just add more strawberries next time?

Smoothie Ingredients:
2 bananas
10 Basil leaves (fresh is better)
1 tablespoon honey
1/4 cup water

Instructions:
Place all smoothie ingredients in your blender and blend until the basil leaves are minced into tiny pieces and enjoy.

About Ema -Ema’s Herbs perspective embraces both modern and folk medicinal approaches; after all, herbs were the first medicine used by people to detoxify, cleanse, nourish, calm and ease their discomforts.

My Journey through Lent with Juice

I decided that for Lent this year I would do something different. I decided to juice my way from Ash Wed to Easter Sunday. I know you are thinking well she has been doing this for 11 months now why is this something special for Lent.

This past year has been a journey for me. One to better health, family life and most importantly Spiritual health. Last Feb I watched Fat Sick and Nearly Dead and started on my journey. March 21 was the first day of my first ever juice cleanse. I never thought I would last a day much less 96 days (which was the length of my first feast). During this time after much prayer I decided it was time to discover the Church I had been "auditing" for 25 years. So in August I began my journey to become a member of the Catholic Church.

After my first 96 days of juice cleanse or feast as I now call it, I visited my many doctors and they were shocked and surprised at the change in me. My weight was down, my medicines were not  needed as much. My brain fog and left over issues from 3 strokes in 2011 were much improved. Since my first Juice Feast I have followed with a 40 day cleanse and several 2 week cleanses. I have added juice to my daily diet by juicing 2 of my meals and also my snacks. The food I eat is all natural, no processed or meats.

For Lent I pledged to add the nutrients to my body as well as my spirit. Of my daily juices I do less sugars and more of the greens to help my body cleanse. My morning juices have to be less green because of medicines so below is one of my morning juices.

12 oz cranberries (fresh)

5 Sweet Potatoes Peeled and cubed

3 Granny Smith Apples

2 Oranges

1 lime

Juice all items in the order listed. Serve cold or slightly warm less than 110 degrees, 

so all the nutrients remain.

I invite you to follow along here on my blog. Share with me any of your experiences. If you have question please feel free to drop me a note at shweetpotatodolls@gmail.com. I am not an expert by any means but I would love to share what I have learned these past 11 months. 

Til tomorrow

Stay Juicy

Sandi