You are what you eat: Educate Yourself Here on Food and Recipes

Basic Guidelines: Do not eat things out of boxes or cans.  Eat as fresh as possible.  If you must eat something out of a box or can, make sure it is not a processed food.  Eat fresh, simple, proteins, vegetables ad libum and whole fats.  Do not eat things that have been broken apart into partial foods--like low fat, or pasteurized.  Eat raw, organic, pesticide free whole foods.  Go light on grain.  If you eat grains, eat unprocessed whole grains. Strive to have about 5 colors of food on your plate except for white.  Stay away from the whites: white flour, white sugar, potatoes, etc.
Where to find healthy fresh, local food:

Local Harvest

Sustainable Table

Eat Well Guide
Texas: Sustainable Food Center

Bastrop: Farmers Market 
Producers Market

Websites and Recipe Sites for Gluten Free, Healthy Whole Foods Cooking and Living

http://www.helpguide.org/life/healthy_eating_diet.htm

http://www.omgallergyfree.com/

Congee Recipes
Kitchari and Dosha Balancing Recipes

http://www.sproutedkitchen.com/

http://overgrowthesystem.com/

10 Books/CookBooks to check out!

1 Animal Vegetable Miracle By Barbara Kinsolver 

2 Anything by Michael Pollan

3 Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of the All American Meal

Healing with Whole Foods: Asian Traditions and Modern Nutrition

4 Nourishing Traditions: The Cookbook that Challenges Politically Correct Nutrition and the Diet Dictocrats

5 Whole Foods Companion: A Guide for Adventurous Cooks, Curious Shoppers, & Lovers of Natural Foods

6 Wild Fermentation: The Flavor, Nutrition, and Craft of Live-Culture Foods

7Real Food: What to Eat and Why

8 True Food by Andre Weil

9 Beyond Beef: The Rise and Fall of the Cattle Culture by Jeremy Rifkin

10 The Anti-Inflammation Diet 

Food Related Documentaries I recommend (great to have the whole family watch after Thanksgiving Dinner)

King Corn

Food Inc 

Beer Wars
Fat Sick and Nearly Dead

Here is a Guide to the top 10

Resources for those with Lupus

General info
http://www.uklupus.co.uk/compindex.html
A magazine and online community for support
http://www.lupus.org/webmodules/webarticlesnet/templates/new_magazinehome.aspx
A book:  http://www.abouthealinglupus.com/

Resources from David Hoffman, a great herbal clinician http://www.healthy.net/scr/article.aspx?Id=1349
Resources from Paul Bergner, a great herbal clinician
http://medherb.com/Therapeutics/Immune_-_Systemic_lupus_erythematosus.htm

More herbal info http://www.herbs2000.com/disorders/lupus.htm

Peach Remedy for Summer SAD in Texas

My peach tree has had quite a productive year.  I am a busy little bee collecting peaches and peach leaves for use in various concoctions.  Thanks to Matthew Wood for opening me to the world of Peach Leaf as a remedy.  You can read more from him here http://www.woodherbs.com/Peach.html

This year, as I went through all the various ways to prepare peaches, I came up with a cordial that has a dual purpose.  A common preparation of peaches is canning Peaches in brandy.  I love using peach leaf........... so what I did to put a spin on this recipe was to create a brandy peach cordial(with honey)and then pack in peach leaf and mimosa blossoms.  Why Mimosa?

Mimosa Flower and bark is a remedy in Traditional Chinese Medicine, that a student of mine who was trained in TC Medicine brought to me in a tincture swap.  TCM uses the blossoms to nourish the "shen" or "spirit".  I found from my first drop of the blossom glycerite I was hooked.  Not only do the blossoms taste exquisite but they immediately lifted my spirits.  I felt lighter and more at peace.  I have to say that the only thing that taste nearly is good was............peach leaf!  The two tastes together are phenomenal, like a kind of honey floral, cherry taste.  After a month or so the peaches can be eaten out of the brandy and eventually the brandy strained off for use as a cooling remedy for our Summer heat which often causes a summer version of SAD.  Texas gets hot.  Not just a little hot but so hot that day after day of 100+ weather can create a fried and depressed kind of angst, especially around August in these parts.   I have found that a little bit of peach leaf and mimosa blossom can't gently ease the feeling of being "fried" and cool core temperature while the mimosa blossom subtly lifts the spirits.  The combination is a great little remedy for Texas Summer SAD(Seasonal Affective Disorder).

HorMoans Spray

We just finished concocting our newest brew for our women's health line, Hormoans.  This spray smells great and does the job.  Not only do the herbs we used have a regulatory effect on hormones, but are well known calming herbs and antimicrobial, making this a spray for 101 purposes.  We combined fresh White Sage Leaf with Native Pennyroyal, Wild Yarrow, and a couple of drops of Lavender and Clary Sage Essential Oil.

I like to use it to help me feel less cranky and irritated by others.   I have seen it successfully quell a hot flash and it is safe to spray on a wound to help prevent infection or kill germs.  The Yarrow in the spray helps to stop bleeding as well.  Check it out, it will soon be available online. 

Love Potion #13 is Brewing!

An annual tradition.  Organic Chocolate, Local Honey, Damiana, Rose Petals, Oat Grass and other herbal aphrodisiacs infused into a nice Irish Whiskey.  Sip.  Sip a little more and enjoy!

Creamy Coffee Butter

I love coffee and I am experimenting with something I can smear on and help feed my addiction.  For the holidays I created a nourishing cream with shea butter, mango butter, almond oil, Ruta Maya organic air trade local espresso.  I added a bit of rose and vanilla to the blend for a little bit of sweetness.  Need I say more?  It is absolutely addicting.  Now on to lip balm

Double Compounded Arnica cream

Holiday time means Cream time.  I have been thinking about an extra strong version of an antiinflammatory formula in the form of a cream.  Steph and I pulled together arnica and juniper oil with Arnica tincture I gathered this summer and blended it to make a cream.  We added in essential oils of peppermint.  Its great!  Can't wait to give it out.  There is just so much you can do with cream.............