Whether you eat for health or eat because you feel hungry and want something that tastes good. This soup is Good. Each ingredient has a purpose and there are no artificial flavors, artificial colors, no high fructose corn syrup and no MSG.  I make this Minestrone when I feel the need to consume more veggies. The turmeric, onion and garlic will fight cancer, diabetes, heart disease and more. The veggies each have numerous health benefits and the small amount of macaroni will give you energy.

Here is the recipe:

Place in a large pot –

2 crushed garlic cloves

1/2 cup minced onion

1/4 cup chopped bell pepper

1/4 cup organic frozen corn

1/4 cup organic frozen peas

1/4 cup diced carrots

1 carton Vegetable Broth

1/2 tsp oregano

1 tsp. turmeric

1/2 tsp salt

Bring to a boil and simmer 45 minutes. Add:

1 can petite diced tomatoes

1 can organic kidney beans

1/2 cup small shell macaroni

Gently boil 10 minutes longer (until macaroni is done)

Remove from heat to avoid over cooking macaroni. Serve.

Serves 8 bowls.

Your body was made to be self-healing. When you cut your finger, you place a Band-aid on it and it heals. When we break a bone, we put a cast on it and it heals. The same goes for internal injuries, like disease. The way to heal disease is through a thing called “The Human Immune System”. When working properly, it will heal a cold, flu, virus and even diabetes, cancer and heart disease. Yes, I just said that. Most disease is simply Mal-Nutrition. Not getting proper nutrition will allow you to get sicker.

Our immune system functions well when we eat real food. Food that has not been modified with additive, colors, flavors and preservatives. Processed food will not give you health, but instead it makes you sicker. All of us have “some” cancer” living in us at all times. Whether it grows is up to our diet and lifestyle. Eating fast food, processed food, sugar and taking prescription drugs will grow cancer. Eating right and getting some exercise each day will fight cancer.  The same process goes for Heart Disease and Diabetes. Prescription drugs are toxins. While making you feel better in some aspects, they reap havoc in others. Read the fine print!

Since our Central Nervous System is in our spine, wouldn’t it make good sense to see a Chiropractor when you have a pain or illness and the Medical Doctor doesn’t know how to cure it? They give you Antibiotics, CT Scans, MRI’s and charge you a fortune, then tell you they don’t know how to cure it. That’s the story all too often in this day and time. A Chiropractor will adjust your spine so your body can function more adequately and a good Chiropractor will even discuss your eating habits so you can get your immune system optimized. This leads to feeling better and ultimately resolves the problem. I had Shingles a year ago. My doctor wanted to give me 3 prescriptions and some lotion and told me they last about 3 to 4 weeks. I then went to my Chiropractor. She adjusted my spine and I took an over-the-counter pain pill for the pain. I was over the shingles in just a few more days.

The next time you go to the Doctor and they write you a prescription for “the Flavor of the Month”, read the fine print and decide whether or not you want to poison your body and experience the side-effects.

For more information on Natural Remedies, take a look at these websites:

www.doctoroz.com

www.naturalnews.com

www.drmercola.com

www.draxe.com

www.maximizedliving.com

Alzheimer’s patients don’t just lose their memory, they lose touch with the world and it’s so hard on both the patient and the family. My mother told me about this Fidget Mat she made for the Nursing Home where my dad was. I took the idea and gave it some thought, then I dug out my sewing machine and purchased some quilted placemats and started making them. Some are specifically for a woman’s memory and some are for men. I was careful not to put anything sharp or pointed on them (for the patient’s safety) and nothing they could put in their mouth and choke on. I wanted to use items that would spark a memory, like a whistle, a wooden thread spool, a car key, a ruler or a baby bootie. Then I wanted something to give them manual dexterity like a zipper, buttons or a shoelace to tie. I attached the ruler with Velcro so they could re-attach it and keep it with the mat. I also added several swatches of bright cotton fabric sewn together at one end, so they could flip through them and see the pretty fabric swatches. Anything to help them think and remember. My trademark is placing a Cross or miniature bible on each mat to remind them of their Lord and Savior.  

If you would like one of these wonderful mats, contact me at www.licross.com and I will get one to you. I am charging $15 each with FREE Shipping. Li Cross.

Probiotics are finally getting recognized by regular medical professionals. They are the beneficial bacteria we refer to as digestive enzymes. They replace and move bad bacteria  and toxins out of the gut. Creating an environment of better health in your gut and colon. They also help you trim down.  It is important to take probiotics any time you take an antibiotic, because the antibiotic wipes out the good bacteria along with the bad. It’s especially important to take Probiotics when you have the flu, slow digestion and allergies. Keeping a healthy gut relieves allergy symptoms. I have been taking them for years. Yogurt has probiotics in it, but most commercial brands have too may fattening ingredients like sugars and artificial colors and flavors. Greek Yogurt is a better choice in yogurts, but beware of cheap commercial brands. I normally get my yogurt from the Health Food area in my store. Medical studies have proven that Probiotics can indeed reverse Diabetes and some cancers, along with a healthy lifestyle. 

I have done decades of research on Cold Medicines and how they effect the body. The most recent reports indicate the following:

Acetaminophen causes Liver Damage – Tylenol is the largest brand, but other brands are available also. It’s normally used for pain and fever reducer.  Every year nearly 80,000 Americans end up in the ER due to Acetaminophen poisoning. It also leads to severe liver damage.

Ibuprofen causes Ulcers and Kidney problems – Advil and Motrin contain NSAID, which we know as Ibuprofen. It’s an anti-inflammatory drug used for body aches, headaches and fever. Causes peptic ulcers and severe kidney damage. Also increases the risk of heart attacks, high blood pressure and stroke.

Decongestants –  Dangerous with High Blood Pressure  and Heart issues. Drugs like Triaminic and Dimetapp, Afrin Nasal Spray and Neo-Synephrine are among some of the Brand names. People with Heart Disease, High Blood Pressure, Diabetes and Glaucoma should avoid them. They give you a spike in blood pressure and slow your heart rate, also give shortness of breath and unusual nervousness.

Antihistamines – Can cause you to fall. Drugs like Benadryl, Claritin, Zyrtec , Allegra and Chlor-Timeton give relief to a runny nose, but also tend to make you sleepy. They slow your though process and coordination. You get a slower reaction time so driving can be hazardous too. Some don’t cause drowsiness but cause enlarged prostate, high blood pressure and heart disease. If you take them and have difficulty breathing or swallowing, see a doctor immediately.

When you combine Cold Medicines to battle a bad cold, you are flirting with disaster. You may experience serious side effects like High Blood Pressure, rash and irregular heartbeat. You may even have Tremors.

The human body was created to heal itself. It’s called the Immune System. When you boost the immune system with Fresh Fruit and Vegetables, you begin to get well. If you can avoid these drugs and take Vitamin D, Vitamin C and drink a lot of  water, juice and herbal tea, you can flush the virus through your body quickly. Your gut holds onto the virus and keeps you sick. Taking decongestants and antihistamines will absorb the moisture in your gut and slow digestion, prolonging the cold virus. Drinking a lot of fluids and taking probiotics to help empty the bowels will help you get well much faster. I get a cold about once in 3 years and I get over it in about 2 days. Try this method the next time you catch a cold.

If you’re a juicer like me, don’t throw out that pulp. Freeze it in 1 cup portions. Use sandwich bags or margarine cups to store it in your freezer until you need it.

Today I made Carrot Juice and Beet Juice to rebuild my immune system. I made Doggie Treats from the carrot pulp and Red Velvet Muffins from the Beet Pulp. (I juice an apple with the beet for added sweetness). Here are the recipes:

Red Velvet Muffins

1/4 cup butter (or margarine) melted

2 eggs

1 cup beet pulp

1 -1/4 cups sugar (or 2/3 cup Stevia)

1/2 cup milk (or almond milk)

2 cups unbleached flour

1/2  tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. baking powder

4 Tablespoons cocoa powder

1 tsp. vanilla

Mix all ingredients and pour into 12 muffin cups. Bake at 350 about 18 minutes. Done when muffin springs back to touch.

*Note – for carrot muffins – omit cocoa and add carrot pulp in lieu of beet pulp. Add 1 tsp cinnamon and 1/2 cup chopped nuts.

Home Humidifiers Can Cause Legionnaires’ Disease. Legionnaires’ disease, a type of pneumonia, is caused by bacteria called Legionella. The bacteria got its name in 1976, when a number of people who went to a Philadelphia convention of the American Legion suffered from an outbreak of the illness. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Legionella bacteria grow best in warm water, like the kind found in hot tubs, cooling towers, hot water tanks, large plumbing systems or parts of the air-conditioning systems of large buildings. This bacteria also grows in our homes. People get Legionnaires’ disease when they breathe in a mist or vapor (small droplets of water in the air) that has been contaminated with the bacteria. “Warm-mist humidifiers distill the water and only emit water molecules. “Cold mist humidifiers, on the other hand, are like paint sprayers, and they take whatever is in the water reservoir and make a droplet out of it. Unfortunately, even distilled water placed in non-sterile reservoirs will grow bacteria after a few hours and the mold spores in the crevices of such containers are ready to spring to life immediately.” Ultrasonic models are worse. “They ‘weaponize’ the droplets by making them so small that they waft down into the lungs rather than stopping in the nasal passages, sinuses, middle ear spaces, and larger airways,”.  A Home Humidifier or Vaporizer  is recommended for optimal health during the winter months. Our homes can become dryer than the Sahara Desert. To keep our sinuses flowing properly we need the added moisture, but at what risk? Some pediatricians started recommending the cold-mist models after reports of children being burned by touching warm mist units. A warm mist unit placed out of reach solves the problem. (A fan behind a warm-mist humidifier or vaporizer distributes moisturized air more efficiently and prevents steam from peeling the paint on the ceiling above the unit.) The cold mist models have been proven to spread the bacteria through the house and into the lungs of those who live there. If you own a Home-Humidifier, follow the manufacturer’s instructions carefully or replace it with a hot mist model and keep it out of reach of children. The US Consumer Product Safety Commission offers the following suggestions for maintaining home humidifiers:

• Do not allow film and scale to develop in your unit. Change the water in your humidifier daily.
• Use distilled water instead of tap water, which contains minerals. Use demineralization cartridges or filters if recommended for use with your unit and change regularly.

  *For more information – Contact the US Consumer Product Safety Commission or google the subject.

It’s the perfect night for Texas Style Charro Beans and Shrimp Nachos made with Gulf Shrimp.

When I cook, I try to use the freshest raw ingredients and I select a bacon without nitrites. This combination is yummy on a cold night and the peppers and pinto beans offer many health benefits from helping unclog arteries to building strong bones. Here are the recipes:

Texas Style Charro Beans

1  small (16 oz) bag of dry pinto beans

6-7 cups of water

1 Tbsp. baking soda (helps cook gas out of beans)

1 tsp. sea salt

4 oz. cooked nitrite free bacon (chopped)

1 med. yellow onion – diced

2 Tbsp. organic sugar (or regular)

4 Tbsp. Hot Pepper Sauce – I used a tobacco with garlic in it.

Rinse Beans in water and pick out and bad ones. Place in large pot and bring to a boil in 6 to 7 cups of water with the baking soda and salt. Turn off heat and let set for 3 to 4 hours. If the beans absorb most of the water, add 2 more cups of water. Then add the remaining ingredients and bring to a boil.  Place in a crock pot and simmer on low for 6 to 8 hours.

Gulf Shrimp Nachos

4 flour tortillas

1 pound of medium gulf shrimp (cleaned and cooked)

4 to 6 oz. shredded Mexican Blend

2 oz. soft cream cheese

2 oz. hot pepper jelly (any kind)

Coconut or Vegetable Oil

Cut tortillas into triangles

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

Melt 1/4 cup coconut oil and use a pastry brush to coat the front and back of each wedge (or use vegetable oil)

Cover baking sheet with foil to make clean-up simple.

Place wedges on baking sheet and bake 5 minutes on each side (or until golden)

Drop 1/2 tsp. cream cheese and 1/2 tsp. of  hot pepper jelly into center of each chip.

Place a cooked/peeled shrimp on each chip and sprinkle with shredded cheese.

Bake about 4 minutes or until cheese melts. Serve Hot.

 Make these dog treats in your own kitchen. Any cookie cutter will work just fine. They also make great gifts. Made with carrots or apples and whole wheat flour. I found a cute air-tight container at our local Walmart store. They will keep for weeks and dogs love them. Here is the recipe:

¾ cup of apple (or carrots may be used)

1/3 cup vegetable oil

½ cup purified water

1 egg beaten

1 Tablespoon of brown sugar

2-1/2 cups whole wheat flour

½ cup corn meal

Place all dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Stir together and set aside.

Core and peel apple or if using carrots, chop into large chunks and place into a hi-speed blender. Add water, oil and egg. Blend on Hi until saucy.

Combine sauce with dry ingredients and form a large ball of dough.

Flour a rolling pin and  a clean-hard-flat surface. Roll out ½ the dough and using a favorite cookie cutter, cut out the biscuits about ¼ inch thick.

Place on cookie sheets and bake at 350 for 35 minutes. Turn oven off and let them set for 30 minutes to get crisp.  (when using two sheets – bake them at the same time so all treats are done when you turn oven off)

Store in air-tight container.

Being alone at Christmas can be devastating. However, it doesn’t have to be that way. I spent many years alone at Christmas and found ways to get through it without being lonely. There’s and old saying: “If you need a friend, be a friend.” I took it literally. I had a neighbor who was a single mom with two teen age daughters. I would often make blueberry pancakes and sausage on Saturday mornings then I would call her and tell her I was walking over with breakfast. The girls loved it and mom got some time off.

Below is a list of things you can do that really make you forget you’re alone. I have done them, and they made me feel blessed in so many ways.

• Invite a neighbor’s child over to help bake cut-out cookies.
• Place two cookies in small sandwich bags and hand them out. (The mailman, Bank Employees, Crossing Guard, Librarian, Neighbors, or anyone you know)
• Go to a Coffee Shop and Pay Forward. You can often find a college student, EMS person, Fireman, Police Officer, or Elderly person in line and you step up and pay for their beverage. Then simply say, Merry Christmas. (This blesses you and them both).
• Buy a $25 Walmart or Kroger Card. Then walk slowly through the store and God will tell you who needs it most. It’s often an elderly person with a bag of cat food and a loaf of bread in their cart. It could be a young mom with just diapers and milk. You will know when you see them. Just say Merry Christmas, hand them the card and disappear.
• Attend church services. It strengthens your faith and gets you in fellowship with others.
• Give to your local Giving Tree. (Most Christian Radio Stations will have one.
• Buy yourself a new pair of shoes and wrap them and put them under your tree.
• Put up a tree, even if it’s a table-top tree. It will bring you Joy.
• Visit a local Nursing Home and ask when their Holiday gatherings are. Join in and assist with the patients.
• Ask your single and widowed neighbors if they have plans for Christmas. Many are alone and would accept an invitation for dessert at your place.

I hope you will find one or two of these suggestions to fit your budget and lifestyle. It sure makes Christmas easier.

Merry Christmas 

Li Cross