Homemade Seasoning Salt

April 22, 2012 at 1:01 AM (Homemade Seasoning Mixes, Non Toxic, Recipes, Simple, Under $1.00)
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When I’m in a hurry in the kitchen I like a fast all-purpose spice I can grab and sprinkle on a hunk of meat, and throw it in the oven. It took me a while to develop something that is truly all-purpose, but I think this is it! So far I have used it on chicken, fish, beef, bison, salad, hard-boiled eggs and pasta. I think that fits the bill of all-purpose don’t you?

All-Purpose Seasoned Salt

6 Tbsp Sea Salt

1/2 tsp Thyme

1/2 tsp Marjoram

1/2 tsp Garlic powder

2 1/2 tsp Paprika

1 tsp Mustard powder

1/2 tsp Onion powder

1/4 tsp Dill

1 tsp Celery salt

Mix all in a bowl and funnel into a shaker. I used this pretty ceramic shaker I found at a yard sale.

8 Comments

Ginger Beer: A Probiotic Summer Drink

April 20, 2012 at 1:22 AM (Beverages, Ferments, Health, Non Toxic, Recipes, Simple)
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I try to get as many beneficial bacteria in my diet as possible. Right now in my kitchen I have a healthy, bubbly sourdough starter, a jar of sauerkraut fermenting away on the counter, a jug of kombucha on top of the fridge, a gallon of fermented lemonade inside the fridge that’s almost gone, a ginger beer bug on my night stand, and homemade yogurt sitting on the dryer.

I try to keep the ferments at least 15 feet away from each other (which is a challenge in a tiny 1 bedroom apartment) so they don’t cross ferment. You don’t really want bacteria from another strain landing on your kombucha or yogurt, because over long periods of time it will change your scoby/culture into something else entirely. It can weaken your cultures, mutate the strains of bacteria and even kill your “bug”.

I am having a lot of fun with fermented beverages right now. We are really enjoying the lacto-fermented lemonade, and it goes really fast. As the weather warms up, it is the perfect time to start experimenting. Ginger Beer is another really easy beverage to make yourself. It is tangy and sweet and bubbly and would be an excellent soda pop replacement for anyone trying to break that addiction.

Ginger Beer Bug

Small glass jar

1 1/2 cups purified water

2 tsp sugar

2 tsp ground ginger powder

Mix ginger, sugar and water. Cover jar with a coffee filter or towel and leave on the counter at room temperature. Every day feed the bug 2 tsp of sugar and 2 tsp of ground ginger. Around day 7 you should see bubbles when you stir the bug. That means it’s ready. Don’t panic if this takes longer, I have had it take almost 3 weeks in the winter.

While it’s fermenting away, work on finding a good container for your ginger beer. Most people use empty 2 liter soda bottles, because it is easy to tell if your beer is ready with plastic (by squeezing). I have used plastic bottles and 2 small beer jugs that we got from a local micro-brewery. (a great source for cheap fermenting supplies BTW) You can also reuse 1 gallon milk or water containers. What I really should do is buy a fermentation lock for these glass jugs. They are like $2, I don’t know what I’m waiting for….

Ginger Beer

3/4 cup sugar

4 lemons

1 gallon purified water

your finished Ginger Bug

  • If you’re  using several smaller containers, just mix this in a 1 gallon pitcher and pour into the smaller containers by funnel.
  • Let the sediment settle to the bottom of your ginger bug. Pour the liquid off of the top, into the pitcher.
  • Add the juice of 4 lemons, sugar and water. Stir to mix it all up. (leave the sediment in the original jar, you’re going to need to keep this alive for future batches)
  • Pour the beverage into the gallon jug, pop bottles etc…leave 1 inch of head space. Cap tightly.
  • Leave to ferment for at least 7 days. The longer it sits the more sugar the bacteria consume.  Now comes the fun part (and this is why plastic is easier)

Every day squeeze your plastic bottle or jug. When it gets really tight and full of air and there is no more ‘give” it’s ready and should be placed in the refrigerator immediately. If you are using glass, you look for bubbles and can test for carbonation by opening the jug. You’ll see an explosion of bubbles in the jar when you remove the cap, just like when you open a soda pop. It’s ready.

You can also (and I have) not carbonate it at all. I have mixed this in a 1 gallon juice pitcher and covered it loosely with the lid and just let it sit there for 7-14 days. It tasted exactly the same and was delicious, just not carbonated like soda. I honestly don’t particularly like carbonation, I never was a big fan of soda. So I usually bottle half of it tightly and the other half I leave uncovered so the fermentation gasses can escape.

How to Keep Your Ginger Bug Alive

After you’re finished making your ginger beer, you are left with your original “bug”. Which is a glass jar with about 1/2 inch of ginger sediment in it.

Add 1 1/2 cups purified water to the jar

Mix in 2 tsp sugar

Mix in 2 tsp ground ginger powder

Every day (or when you remember) feed the bug with ginger and sugar and stir. After you are finished drinking up your ginger beer, your bug will be ready to make more. It is a very easy ”scoby” to maintain and almost impossible to kill once it gets really bubbly. Every time  you make a batch of ginger beer, remember to reserve that sediment in the bottom of the jar, and you can make ginger beer forever.

Has anyone tried making this with fresh grated ginger? I tried it twice, and both times it was a flop. I don’t know what I was doing wrong.

37 Comments

Whole Grains May Not be as Healthy as You Think

April 16, 2012 at 1:47 AM (Health, Non Toxic, Recipes, Simple, Your Journey to Health)
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Grains, grains, grains. It seems there is a lot of confusion about whether to eat them or not, how to prepare them, how to soak and sprout and sourdough and grind…..I am just as confused about grains as everyone else. So here are the parts I am sure about:

  • Our ancestors soaked or fermented their grains before making them into porridge, bread, cakes and casseroles.
  • All grains contain phytic acid in the outer layer or bran
  • Untreated phytic acid can combine with calcium, magnesium, copper, iron and zinc in the intestines and block the absorption of these minerals.
  • A diet high in grains leads to bone loss, tooth decay and mineral deficiencies.
  • Soaking allows enzymes and bacteria to break down and reduce phytic acid.
  • Soaking allows enzymes to release vitamins that are bound in the grain, making them readily available to your body.
  • Soaking partially breaks down gluten, making it easier to digest.
  • Cracked, rolled and ground grains (flour) go rancid very quickly at room temperature. Long before you purchase them off the store shelves.

Parts I’m not so clear on:

How much of the phytic acid is reduced by soaking? Is it worth it?

What ratio of grains should a person eat? What is a safe amount?

What grains need to be soaked for what length of time?

Most recipes say to cook the grain in the water in which it was soaking…doesn’t that water have phytic acid in it now? Where did it go? Did small ninjas come carry it away in the night?

According to Ramiel Nagel in the book Cure Tooth Decay: “Sprouting grains is a wonderful step in the fermentation process. But it does not remove that much phytic acid. Typically sprouting will remove somewhere between 20-30% of phytic acid after two or three days for beans, seeds and grains under laboratory conditions at a constant 77 degrees Fahrenheit. Sprouting was more effective in rye, rice, millet and mung beans, removing about 50% of phytic acid, and not effective at all with oats. Soaking by itself for 16 hours at a constant 77 degrees typically removed 5-10% of the grain and bean phytic acid content. Soaking increased or did not reduce the phytic acid content of quinoa, sorghum, corn, oats, amaranth, wheat, mung beans, and some seeds.”

“These statistics do not illustrate the entire picture. Even though soaking quinoa actually increased phytic acid contents, soaking and then cooking quinoa reduces its phytic acid levels by more than 61%. The same holds true for beans. Soaking and then cooking removes about 50% of phytic acid. With lentils this same procedure removes 76% of phytic acid. Roasting wheat, barley or green gram (Mung beans) reduces phytic acid by about  40%. A very interesting report shows the value of grain and bean storage in relation to plant toxins. In humid and warm storage conditions beans lost 65% of their phytic acid content.”  And for the record Ramiel Nagel recommends either severely limiting grains in the diet, and freshly grinding grain and discarding part of the bran and germ (the part that contains the phytic acid). According to his research if you are purchasing flour from the store you should buy unbleached, un-enriched organic white flour, and eat it very sparingly. I would highly recommend that you read his book. It’s 234 pages of mind blowing research. www.curetoothdecay.com

I also want to add some anecdotal evidence. If I eat a handful of raw nuts I get almost instantly bloated, with stomach pains and indigestion. If I soak the nuts and dehydrate them and then eat a handful of nuts, I digest them just fine and can eat a big serving of homemade trail mix with no problem.

If I eat unsoaked oatmeal, I get the same feeling. Just an overall feeling of not digesting properly. Bloated and heavy and weird…If I soak the oatmeal for 24 hours and then cook it, I digest it just fine.

So based on my own experience with grains alone, I think soaking is worth the trouble for me. I also think we would be much better off in a lot of areas if we listened to our ancestors (and our bodies). Traditional people soaked, fermented, or sprouted grains. Maybe they were doing that for a reason?

To further add to my confusion, I was recently introduced to http://www.phyticacid.org/ Dr. Amanda Rose has done some interesting research showing that your soaking medium should not contain calcium. She explains that the phytic acid is reduced even more with just a plain water soak, or with an acid medium that does not contain calcium (vinegar, lemon juice, sourdough starter etc). Every soaking recipe I have ever heard called for whey, buttermilk, or kefir. She says that soaking in warm water, or warm water with sourdough starter is more effective. I am planning on purchasing her e-course and research materials, and I will post all about it when I’m through I promise!

HOW TO SOAK GRAINS

1 cup grain

1 cup warm purified water (enough to cover)

2 Tbsp sourdough starter (learn how to make one here) OR lemon juice or vinegar.

Mix all ingredients in a bowl (I mix mine right in the sauce pan that I plan to cook them in) Cover with a lid or cloth and let sit out overnight (or longer). Oatmeal is very high in phytic acid and should be soaked for 24 hours. Anyone who has eaten soaked oatmeal knows that it really does improve the flavor so much, that it is worth it for that reason alone. Soaked grains also cook much faster, which is great for the morning rush.

HOW TO SOAK NUTS

4 cups nuts

filtered water to cover

1 Tbsp sea salt

Mix all ingredients in a bowl and cover with a cloth. Let it sit out at room temperature for  8 hours minimum. I let mine sit overnight. Drain in a colander. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Spread nuts out in a thin layer. Place in oven on lowest heat (no more than 150 degrees). My oven has a “warm” setting that is 170 degrees, I use this and place a wooden spoon in the oven door so that the door is open 1 inch. The thermometer now reads 144 degrees. Perfect! Dehydrate the nuts for 12-20 hours or until they are crispy and no longer moist at all. I stir them a few times so this goes faster. If you are lucky enough to have room in your kitchen for a dehydrator, use that!

Almonds, pecans, cashews, macadamia nuts and peanuts have high amounts of stable oleic acid and can be stored for four months at room temperature (if container is air tight). Walnuts contain unsaturated linolenic acid and should always be stored in the fridge.

So what do you think? Does that sound too difficult for daily cooking? I find that if I plan ahead and stick to my menu planning I have no problem soaking grains. When I don’t make a menu for the week, then I only remember it about 50% of the time. I do a large batch of nuts at once, and that lasts us for 3-4 months or so. Right now, I don’t have a grain grinder, so I am buying sprouted flour. I am really looking forward to grinding my own grains, if I can ever fit that appliance in my budget that would be great!

So hopefully you leave this post feeling a tad bit less confused about grains. I know it is a confusing subject, and I think the more you research health and nutrition the more confused you are going to get. One thing at a time right?

Related article

How I remineralized my tooth cavity without dentistry

My favorite soaked oatmeal recipe

Make your own Wild Yeast Sourdough Starter

Characteristics of Traditional Diets

19 Comments

Homemade Hippie Hairspray (it really works!)

April 12, 2012 at 1:13 AM (Almost Free, Fast, Homemade Hippie Beauty Products, Make It Yourself, Non Toxic, Recipes, Simple, Under $1.00)
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I have seen this recipe for years on the internet, and I just assumed that there was no possible way it could work. I mean who on earth would think that sugar water would work just as well as my $1.00 can of Suave? I don’t use hairspray very often, but when I do I want to spray it once in the morning and forget about it for the rest of the day. That stuff better hold! I also have very fine, silky hair that doesn’t hold a curl for even 1 second, so if I ever want curls there had better be a strong can of hairspray nearby.

I was really, completely shocked that this worked! Here is your 30 second recipe. Give it a try!

Homemade Hippie Hairspray

1 cup nearly boiled water

4 tsp sugar

  • Mix and pur into a fine mist spray bottle
  • spray , wait 30 seconds to dry, spray again.
  • stronger? add more sugar
  • Weaker? add less sugar

The above recipe makes a very “max hold” type hairspray. I actually had to add a bit more water and dilute mine, because I don’t need it quite that extreme.

I have been using this for a month now to test it out, and I have no complaints. It actually makes my hair very shiny, it holds all day, and NO it does not attract bugs :)

Suggestions:

  • Use the finest mist bottle you can find. I used an old hairspray bottle and it was perfect
  • Spray a very tiny amount on and wait for it to completely dry and then re-apply
  • As weird as this sounds, I spray all of my hair, let it dry, and then brush my hair. It adds just the right amount of texture to my hair, so I have zero static cling. Love it!
  • You can add any essential oil that you like (if you like to smell like a girl)

Now I have yet another household product that I don’t have to spend money on. I spend $5.98 on a 10 lb bag of organic sugar. So this recipe costs me exactly $1.6 cents!  ONE POINT SIX CENTS PEOPLE! Amazing. I love being cheap :)

Related Posts:

Homemade Hippie Wrinkle Cream

Homemade Hippie Mouthwash

Homemade Hippie Face Wash

Homemade Hippie Hand Lotion

Homemade Hippie Lip Balm

Homemade Hippie Body Wash

Homemade Hippie Bug Spray

Homemade Hippie Toothpaste

Homemade Hippie Body Lotion

A COMPLETE LIST OF HOMEMADE HIPPIE RECIPES

45 Comments

Homemade Hippie Lip Balm

April 9, 2012 at 4:05 AM (Fast, Health, Homemade Hippie Beauty Products, Make It Yourself, Non Toxic, Simple, Under $1.00)
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I carry chapstick with me everywhere. I don’t wear much make-up, but I like to have nice, moist kissable lips. Who doesn’t? I thought there was some master formula for lip balm and that it would take a lot of time. I assembled all the ingredients, made the recipe and filled the container in less than 15 minutes. Trust me, you can do this!

Your basic recipe is 1 Tbsp oil of choice, 1 tsp beeswax and any flavorings or colorings that you wish. Pretty simple right? I wanted just a basic balm, so this is the recipe I went with.

Homemade Hippie Lip Balm

1 tsp coconut oil

1 tsp olive oil

1 tsp lanolin

1 tsp shea butter

1 tsp honey

1 tsp beeswax pastilles (Mountain Rose Herbs sells this)

I put the oils and beeswax in a small metal bowl and heated on the stove top until they were all melted together. I removed the bowl from the heat and stirred in the honey. I used a small funnel and poured it into empty lip balm containers that I had been saving.

It filled 4 of them (the tube type) with some left over! I left it sitting on the kitchen counter, and by the time I threw the dishes in the dishwasher it was set up and solid and ready to use. I made it “un-girly’ enough that Rob and I can both use it.

There are a zillion variations to this recipe. I think next time I’ll try half coconut oil and half Vitamin E.

Good oils to use for Lip Balm:

  • Cocoa Butter
  • Coconut Oil
  • Olive Oil
  • Rosehip seed oil
  • Almond Oil
  • Grapeseed oil
  • Lanolin
  • Shea butter
  • Jojoba Oil
  • Avacado Oil

To add color:

  • Beetroot powder
  • Cranberry or other juice
  • Dried fruit pureed into a powder
  • Cherries

To add flavor:

  • Cocoa powder
  • Lemon juice
  • Lime juice
  • Vanilla extract
  • Cinnamon
  • Essential Oil of Peppermint
  • Ginger powder
  • Honey

Where to buy the ingredients? I use a combination of either Mountain Rose Herbs or iherb.com. If you go online to www.iherb.com you can use the coupon code HIF798 and receive a $10 discount and free shipping.

Related Posts:

Homemade Hippie Eye Cream

Homemade Hippie Mouthwash

Homemade Hippie Face Wash

Homemade Hippie Body Wash

Homemade Hippie Hair Spray

Homemade Hippie Hand Lotion

Homemade Hippie Body Lotion

Homemade Hippie Tooth Paste

A COMPLETE LIST OF HOMEMADE HIPPIE RECIPES

29 Comments

Proper Care of a Cast Iron Pan

April 3, 2012 at 5:27 AM (Health, How To, Non Toxic, Recipes)
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I love my cast iron cookware. I almost exclusively use cast iron, and have found that it heats more evenly than any other pan in the house. Well seasoned, it has a better non-stick coating than stainless steel, aluminum or copper. Cast Iron can go from the  stove-top directly into the oven. They are also extremely cheap compared to any other cookware. A 12″ pre-seasoned skillet costs $20 and will last you for the rest of eternity.

I find that even a pre-seasoned pan, needs a little TLC before you use it. First of all rinse the pan in hot water (no soap). Dry the pan thoroughly and coat with a generous dollop of oil. Wipe the oil all over the inside and outside of the pan, there should be no puddles. I prefer olive oil or coconut oil, but anything will do. Place the pan in a 350 degree oven and bake for 1 hour. Turn the oven off, and leave the pan inside until cool.

The first few foods that you cook in your new pan, should be cooked in oil. Sauté or fry something. This will add additional layers of oil, and really saturate all of the pores of the pan with oil.

To Clean your pan after cooking. First of all, don’t wait until the pan is completely cold and the food is stuck on and congealed and impossible to remove (if you forget, warm the pan again on the stove-top before trying to clean it). Grab the warm pan and scrub it under hot running water. Again, no soap! I know it feels weird to use no soap, but you don’t want to remove all that seasoning you worked so hard on do you? Scrub with a plain (no soap added) brillo pad, plastic pot scrubbie or wash cloth. I find that plastic bread ties work wonders. I also make scrubbies out of the plastic net bags that onion/potatoes come in, and they are awesome too.

Just fold the bag in half 4-6 times. You should have a tight little square of mesh. Rubberband or tie around the top or middle. Scrub away!

Dry the pan completely. Add a Tbsp of oil to the pan, and coat pan inside and out with oil. I oil my pan after every single use, and it is completely non-stick now. I just made crepes in it yesterday without a problem.

Did I mention that all food cooked in your cast iron pan will have extra iron in it?

Did I mention that a cast iron pan keeps your food warm for ages, because they stay hot for so long?

Did I mention that a cast iron dutch oven makes the most perfect boule of bread in the world?

Did I mention that if you ever want to make superb homemade cornbread, the most tender steak ever, or a killer deep dish pizza you are going to need a cast iron pan?

18 Comments

Why is this Organic Food Stuffed With Toxic Solvents?

April 1, 2012 at 9:59 AM (Health, Herbal Medicine, Non Toxic, Video)
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Reblogged from Mike's Anubis:

By Dr. Mercola

Last December, the U.S. National Organic Standards Board, an expert panel that advise the USDA Secretary on organic matters, narrowly approved Martek Biosciences Corporation's petition to allow the use of their genetically modified soil fungus and algae as nutritional supplements in organic food.

The product is an omega 3/omega-6 oil (DHA/ARA) synthesized from fermented algae and soil fungus.

Read more… 2,166 more words

Thank you for a great post Mike! As usual this information is crucial and we need to help spread the word! I must reblog this!

3 Comments

Homemade Magnesium Oil and How to apply

March 31, 2012 at 1:04 AM (Almost Free, Health, Herbal Medicine, Homemade Hippie Beauty Products, How To, Non Toxic, Under $1.00)
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Yesterday I talked about the depletion of magnesium in our food and soil and the devastating results. The fact that up to 80% of Americans are deficient in magnesium really scared me (see health studies mentioned yesterday) and prompted Rob and I to do an experiment. We eat a whole lot of magnesium rich foods, and for some reason he just isn’t absorbing it that way. A few months ago we tried oral magnesium, and that wasn’t absorbed well either (If you’re looking for a recipe for diarrhea take a heaping teaspoon of oral magnesium). I started researching transdermal magnesium therapy and discovered that 75% of the magnesium is absorbed through the skin with this method. I found a product loosely referred to as magnesium oil. Though it’s not actually an oil at all, but a super saturated solution of magnesium chloride.

First I went to the health food store shopping for magnesium oil to be applied to the skin. I found a 4 ounce bottle for $19.99 or a 8 ounce bottle for $37.50. Those are both around $5 per ounce. I’m sure by now you have figured out that I’m a cheap skate. I went home and figured out how to make it myself.

Calling all Cheap Skates

I went online (I found several sources on Amazon) and ordered pure 100% Magnesium Chloride Flakes (and you should too). I ordered a 2.2 pound bag of flakes for $14.99. This will make gallons of magnesium oil. I would recommend Swanson Ultra or Ancient Minerals if you are looking for a pure source. Also make sure the label says “Magnesium Chloride Flakes” and absolutely nothing else! This is what they look like:

Homemade Magnesium Oil

1/4 cup magnesium chloride flakes

1/4 purified water

In a saucepan heat water and add flakes. You don’t have to boil it. Just hot enough to dissolve the magnesium. Ok that’s it. I feel like there should be a lot more steps here, but nope, you’re done :)

I funnelled ours into a cute little spray bottle that I saved. Yes I save everything like one of those weird hoarder people. And see, I really do use all that crap eventually!

Rob and I both shower at night. So before my shower, I take off all my clothes in the bathroom and spray my entire body down with magnesium oil. I then rub it in really good just like lotion. It needs to soak into the skin for at least 20 minutes, so don’t shower for at least that long. I spend this 20 minutes brushing my teeth, using my water pick (do ya’ll have a water pick? If not you should go get one they are the bomb) plucking my eyebrows and whatever other stupid girly things I can think to do.

I should probably warn you about a couple of things here, because nobody warned me and I was quite unpleasantly surprised….

1. The first couple of times you use this spray is stings. It didn’t sting all over my body, but for some reason my lower back was itching/stinging/burning/ for like 5-7 minutes afterward. Not fun. Rob had the same thing happen to his abdomen. It stings because magnesium chloride is derived from salt and some of us have sensitive skin. After the 3rd day of using this I am 100% sting free and so is Rob. So hang in there!

2. After it dries on the skin it leaves a white, salty, powdery residue on the skin. You kind of look like you just walked out of a bakery explosion :) This is the reason that I started spraying right before I shower. This would not be cool under my mostly black work attire.

3. Don’t spray this on an area that you just shaved. Ladies if you can just imagine here the area that I just got done shaving before I sprayed….you will die laughing. For some reason it didn’t occur to me that this would be an especially sensitive area. Whatever. I won’t make that mistake again.

4. Rob sprayed his whole body, including his chest. Nipples are sensitive people. Very, very sensitive. So, unless burning nipples are something you’re really into, avoid these two small areas.

So that is our little experiment in a nut shell. I am really hoping and praying that this cures Rob of his restless leg syndrome. After all the research I have done, I would recommend that EVERYBODY supplement with magnesium. The chance that you have enough magnesium in your body is only 20% And by the way, my 4 ounce bottle of magnesium oil cost $1.70. That is .42 cents per ounce. Ha!

In case some of you have not discovered Underground Wellness, there was an excellent podcast about Magnesium on Wednesday March 28th 2012, that I would highly recommend. It features Morley Robbins, who has dedicated his life to studying magnesium deficiency. CLICK HERE TO LISTEN.It is much more thorough and in depth than my meager postings….Go to www.blogtalkradio.com and search for Underground Wellness and you can listen to it online or click the above link. It is also free on iTunes. I am a big fan of listening to my iPod while I’m stuck in the kitchen all day….

32 Comments

Magnesium Deficiency and what to do about it

March 30, 2012 at 4:02 AM (Health, Herbal Medicine, Non Toxic)
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My darling boyfriend (I still think it sounds idiotic to say boyfriend at my age. Can’t we coin a new phrase America?) has restless leg syndrome. Until recently I truly thought that was just a made-up syndrome. Doesn’t it sound ridiculous? Well poor Rob has a terrible time with completely involuntary and uncontrollable restlessness in his legs, feet and ankles. We will be sitting down watching a movie on the couch, and his legs hurt, they are cramping and he has this “itch’ to get up and move or to shake his legs. He’s tried to describe it to me, but it’s a really difficult feeling to describe. Then, after he’s sound asleep in bed his legs literally kick every couple of minutes all night long. He says it’s like when you are at the doctor and they hit your knee with the reflex hammer. So this has resulted in two things. One, my legs are black and blue from being kicked in my sleep all night and Two, I’ve been doing a lot of research on restless legs and what on earth causes this! Here is what I found out:

Magnesium

Magnesium is one of the most important minerals in the human body and is essential to good health. It is critical in over 350 essential biochemical reactions in the body including digestion, energy production, muscle function, bone formation, creation of new cells, activation of B vitamins, relaxation of muscles, and also assists in the proper functioning of the heart, kidneys, adrenals, brain and nervous system. In fact, Magnesium is the fourth most abundant mineral in the body—it can be found in human bones, teeth and red blood cells, and activates more enzyme systems than both Iron and Zinc combined.

Symptoms of Magnesium Deficiency

Magnesium deficiency is running rampant among Americans. One study sponsored by the National Institutes of Health shows that 68% of Americans are magnesium deficient. Other experts put the number closer 80%.

If you’re a geek like me and like to read the actual health studies:

  • “Dietary Magnesium and C-reactive Protein Levels,” Journal of the American College of Nutrition, Vol. 24, No. 3, 166-171 (2009).
  • Jaffe R MD. “How to Know if You are Magnesium Deficient: Over 75% of Americans Are” (transcript), 06/16/09, http://www.innovativehealing.com

Signs of Magnesium Deficiency

  • Leg Cramps
  • Foot Pain
  • Muscle Twitches
  • Insomnia
  • Migraine Headaches
  • Low Energy
  • Muscle Weakness
  • PMS
  • Hormone imbalances
  • Chronic Fatigue
  • Osteoporosis
  • Restless Legs (aha!)
  • Abnormal heart rhythm
  • Anxiety
  • Irritability
  • Kidney stones (calcium oxate)
  • Constipation
  • Insulin Resistance

Of all the minerals required for good health, calcium has been pushed into the spotlight. There has been a flood of calcium-fortified foods, beverages, and supplements. Ironically, without magnesium, calcium cannot be properly used or absorbed by the body. If there’s no magnesium, then the calcium builds up in the cells causing angina, arrhythmia, hypertension, headaches, and asthma.

Compounding the problem is the knowledge that the body actually strips magnesium and calcium from the bones during periods of “functioning” low magnesium. This effect can cause a doubly difficult scenario: seemingly adequate magnesium levels that mask a true deficiency, coupled by ongoing damage to bone structures. Thus experts advise the suspicion of magnesium deficiency whenever risk factors for related conditions are present, rather than relying upon tests or overt symptoms alone.

Causes of Magnesium Deficiency

If you eat like a typical American—many processed and refined foods, convenience foods, and junk foods—then you’re probably seriously magnesium deficient. Just the process of refining foods strips nutrients, including magnesium. Some examples:

  • Dry roasting nuts removes the highly nutritious oils which contain magnesium.
  • Milling flour from grains strips magnesium from the grain.
  • Sugar in anything uses up magnesium.
  • Fluoridated, softened, and distilled water depletes magnesium.
  • Carbonated beverages and some processed foods, like lunch meat, contain phosphates that bind to magnesium molecules and flush it out of the body.
  • Alcohol blocks magnesium, especially if you have three or more drinks a day.
  • Caffeine flushes magnesium from of the body.
  • Some foods—like raw or roasted nuts and seeds, grains, soybeans, spinach, and chard—contain compounds called phytic acid and oxalic acid which can cause magnesium to be eliminated from the body.

You can find ample amounts of magnesium in green vegetables, nuts, seeds, and whole grains — but only if they’re grown under optimal growing conditions by an organic farmer who also uses a nutrient-rich fertilizer containing magnesium.

So while eating magnesium-rich foods is a noble goal, it just might not be realistic given the lack of nutrients found in our food and in our soil today.

So both Rob and I are trying external magnesium therapy. I made homemade magnesium oil, because this stuff is seriously expensive at the health food store.  I’ll post the very simple, very cheap recipe for Homemade Magnesium Oil tomorrow, and how to apply it. I’ll also keep you posted on how this works for his restless legs. My fingers are crossed!

26 Comments

MSG: A Very Tasty Poison

March 26, 2012 at 2:14 AM (Health, Non Toxic)
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The Journey of a Thousand Miles begins with a Single Step

I started my health journey like most people do. By eliminating the bad, unhealthy ingredients one by one. So far I have eliminated chlorine, fluoride, high fructose corn syrup, white flour, white sugar, soy and all of its by-products, every kind of trans, hydrogenated or vegetable oil, chemicals in every beauty product and make-up (except hair spray, anybody have a good recipe for that?) chemicals in every cleaning, household and laundry product, prescription drugs, caffeine, regular table salt, pasteurized and homogenized dairy, factory-farmed meat, artificial food dye, processed lunch meat, breakfast cereal, non-stick cookware, aluminum and all products containing GMO’s.

This process can be very daunting if you are just starting out. Remember to start with ONE thing at a time. If you are new to real food, I would recommend that you start by eliminating trans and hydrogenated oils first.

And now I want to talk about MSG. That nice, slow killer.

What is MSG?

MSG is an additive that has been widely studied and proven to be a dangerous, neurotoxic substance. It causes dizziness, violent diarrhea, anaphylactic shock, Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, brain lesions, retinal degeneration, obesity and neurological damage. It has been linked to neuroendocrine disorders, obesity, reproductive disorders, stunted growth, behavioral disorders, learning disabilities, memory disorders, hyperglycemia, addiction, stroke, epilepsy, ALS, schizophrenia, anxiety and depression. MSG is an excitotoxin, which means that it over excites your cells to the point of damage, acting as a poison. Despite these dangers the FDA has labeled MSG as GRAS (generally recognized as safe). MSG is also highly addictive and tastes delicious, making it doubly dangerous.

Where is MSG?

The really scary part to me, is that MSG is not always on the label. Even seasoned Label Nazi’s like myself have a tough time avoiding it entirely. Products containing calcium caseinate, hydrolyzed vegetable protein, sodium caseinate, textured protein, hydrolyzed soy protein, and citric acid always contain MSG. If the label says “flavorings” “natural flavors” “seasonings” or the like, they usually contain MSG. The new crop spray for beans and apples, contains 30% MSG. 90% of products sold in fast-food restaurants contain MSG, even those fancy salads.

Food manufacturers are hiding MSG so you don’t know where it is. Lately, food manufacturers mention a “clean label” when referring to soy sauce and other processed flavor enhancers that already contain MSG in the form of glutamic acid.  Food manufacturers use these ingredients so they can claim “no added MSG”.  Hence a “cleaner” label.  They know it’s in there, they are just hoping you don’t.

Common Foods to avoid:

    • Soy protein- used in baked goods, hot dogs, vegetarian foods
    • Powdered Cheese- used in snack chips and mac & cheese and boxed dinners
    • Malted Barley- used in breads, bread mixes and beer
    • Hydrolyzed protein- used in canned tuna, self-basting poultry, canned and dried soups
    • Powdered milk- this is used in ALL low-fat dairy products
    • Seasoning mixes
    • Bacon Bits
    • Baking mixes
    • Bouillon cubes
    • Bread Stuffing
    • Broth and stock
    • Canned meats
    • Cheese dips
    • Clam Chowder
    • Corn Chips
    • Croutons
    • Dry roasted peanuts
    • Frozen dinners
    • Frozen pizza
    • Gelatin
    • Potato chips
    • Pot pies
    • Processed meats
    • Relish
    • Salad dressings
    • Salt substitutes
    • Canned soup
    • Soy Sauce
    • Infant formula
    • Baby food
    • Virus vaccines
    • Corn Oil
    • Whey Protein

This is not a complete list by any means. MSG is literally in hundreds of thousands of products. But this will give you somewhere to start. The best way to avoid MSG is to make your own food. Throw away everything that comes frozen or boxed or canned or prepackaged and learn how to make these foods on your own. Buy your own herbs and spices to season your food. Start small, but DO start!

I don’t want anyone to think I’m perfect by any means. I still have a lot of things on my health list to cross off. I need to find a natural alternative to hair spray, I still wear mascara even though I’m sure it’s terrible, I still haven’t started grinding my own grains even though I’ve threatened to do it for 2 years. I only remember to soak grains and legumes about 50% of the time. I don’t cleanse or detox nearly as often as I should. I haven’t exercised in over a year, I work at a stressful job. I still need to study electromagnetic energy, and do something about the worst offenders (bye bye microwave). I haven’t replaced all of my plastic food containers yet. I still take birth control pills and I have a hard time resisting a good pastry! I just quit smoking recently and that was a huge hurdle for me, I procrastinated about that one for a while…. But I take it one thing at a time and learn as I go.

So what does your healthy journey look like? Are you overwhelmed? What is the next thing on your list?

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