Vacuum Your Sinuses in One Easy Flight

Any person having sinus issues and spotty access to heathcare should consider the following. It's a way to piggy-back some wellness on top of any planned air travel.

There are two ways (at least that I've found) to clean out one's sinuses using either a store-bought sinus spray or my old fave, garlic...and a cross-country (Vegas to Chicago'll do) flight. Keep in mind that the garlic will likely piss off whoever is sitting in the seat(s) next to you on the plane.

What you'll need:

• Nasal/sinus spray (like Afrin), OR
• A few sections of organic garlic

AND

• One airline ticket for a three-hour flight or longer

For a few days (three or four), use the Afrin, or take some thin slices of garlic and jam 'em up your nose. Change them at least once or twice daily. Your glands and sinuses will start to feel the magic. Drink plenty of water.

Take your plane and enjoy your flight. At your destination, whether it is a hotel or otherwise, be sure to take a long, hot, steamy shower, and blow your nose while doing so.

I was surprised at some of the stuff that came out (and it was stuff that wasn't doing me any good, for sure), and how much better I felt after the works had been cleaned out. The lower pressure of an airliner's cabin (they are pressurized to the level of several thousand feet) can not only make your ears pop, but it can be used to clean out your sinuses as well.

It beats having to pay someone in the healthcare industry for a vacuuming, and doesn't require any health insurance, either.

Alkalizing Whey Protein - Some Notes

For a couple of years, I followed a protocol on the Yahoo! Candidiasis list involving whey protein and some other supplements, including selenium and other minerals, along with vitamins A, C and E. It was designed by a gentleman on that list and I can say that it did work very well for me. I now use the protocol every so often as part of a rotating list of protocols I use to keep toxin levels in the bod down.

Before I dove into the protocol, I researched whey and found that it was an alkalizing form of protein, in other words, good for reversing body acidity and its associated disease-states. It's full of what are called glutathione precursors, glutathione being labeled as "the mother of all antioxidants," where deficiencies in it are found among those experiencing various disease processes like asthma, cancer or liver disease. I was instructed to be very particular as to which whey I used, being recommended to get only bioactive, undenatured whey.

I use NOW's natural (aka unflavored and unsugared) whey protein isolate, after trying out several others. Some had sucralose in them, not something I do in large amounts if at all, and some were of the whey protein CONCENTRATE variety instead of the ISOLATE variety. The isolate is more refined and pure, and less likely to trigger sensitivities in those having issues with dairy.

For me, eating a lot of the same exact things every single day doesn't work, and same goes with the whey. I'll eat a couple servings a day for a while, then move to rice protein or hemp protein so the bod doesn't build up any irritations of familiarity. "Vital foods and a variety of them," was what my holistic docs always told me.

But whey is something I'll keep rotating back to, as necessary. It has a good therapeutic track record, can be used in a lot of recipes, and the taste of plain whey is mild. It's great when mixed with inulin and cinnamon in warm rice or almond milk before bed, added to shakes or blended into puddings and other desserts.

Beautiful Kidney Beans

Here's another easy and flavourful recipe that is vegetarian/vegan, full of protein, complex carbs and natural sulfur, which is the beauty mineral known for building strong hair, nails and skin while detoxifying the liver and supporting a healthy pancreas. This recipe requires pre-preparation by soaking beans overnight.

Though some people have an inability to break down certain proteins found in beans, most people need only start to include beans on a regular basis in their diets for any problems with digesting them to subside. Some individuals, however, have a rare condition known as TMA (Trimethylaminuria), aka, "Fish Odor Syndrome", because the odor produced is like that of decaying fish. The odor consists of sulfur compounds, plus nitrogen compounds (amines). People with this condition must abstain from beans and other dense protein foods.

You will need:

• 3-4 c. soaked beans (soaked according to instructions below)
• 2 onions, chopped
  
• 6 small sections of garlic, peeled and sliced
• 1/2 red bell pepper
• 3 scallions, sliced
• 1/2 bunch parsley, chopped
• 1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped
• Sea salt
  
• *Small piece of kombu seaweed (optional)

Rinse and place 3-4 cups of dried organic kidney beans into a deep bowl or metal pot and cover with at least an inch of clean water. Place lid over top of beans and refrigerate overnight.

Drain soaked beans and place in large boiling pot, with enough clean water to cover the beans by 1-2 inches. Sprinkle a couple of pinches of sea salt into the water, add optional kombu* and bring beans to a boil. Stir and turn heat down to produce a gentle simmer.

Allow beans to simmer for 30 minutes, then add chopped onions, garlic, scallions and pepper. Cook beans and veggies for another 30 minutes. Add chopped cilantro and parsley and cook an additional 5-10 minutes. Beans and veggies should have a very thick, soupy consistency. Serve in bowls with hot bread, rice or lo-carb crackers. Refrigerate any leftovers, or freeze for longer-term use.

These beans can also be used in bean tacos or burritos by adding taco seasoning, to taste, to any portion of cooked beans.

*Kombu is a seaweed that has many great minerals in it, and when added to beans as they cook, it helps to break down the fart-causing properties of said beans.

Warmed Turmeric Milk

Turmeric is known for its anti-inflammatory and astringent properties, making this recipe a great tonic for health. It is an Ayurvedic remedy for phlegm-based illnesses like colds. In India, turmeric is used for skin problems and all kinds of other health issues. It is great for those dealing with cancer and is a main component of curry powder.

• 250 ml milk (dairy, rice, soy, almond, etc.)
• 1/2 tsp powdered turmeric

Gently heat milk and stir in turmeric. It's that frigging easy :-)

Variation: Add 1/4 tsp turmeric and 1/4 tsp of curry powder along with an optional small amount of sweetener like agave nectar.

Curried Singapore Rice Noodles

This dish is the SHIT! And great for your health as well.

Curry powder contains a matrix of great herbs and spices, and has the effect of waking up your taste buds as well as encouraging glandular activity in the body due to its warm, tangy spiciness.

Preparing this dish depends on your tastebuds--and how much curry you have around. I like a lot of curry in this, along with a taste-enhancing amount of sea salt:

• 1 package rice noodles (angel hair or vermicelli, aka the smallest-diametered spaghetti you can find)
• Curry powder, to taste (try and get an authentic curry powder and have plenty on hand)
• Butter (to taste--sub in Earth Balance if you need to, but butter works best)
• Sea salt (to taste)

Boil rice noodles in oiled water per package directions. Drain and place in bowl, then set aside.

In a fry pan on medium to medium-high heat, roast slightly your curry powder, stirring it briskly so it becomes fragrant. This helps bring out the flavor.

Set curry aside momentarily, and melt your butter into your rice noodles, enough to generously coat them. Add curry powder a little at a time, stirring into noodles. Add sea salt to taste.

Variations: add steamed or slightly-cooked vegetables (julienned carrots and blanched celery are good). Sliced grilled chicken and scrambled eggs also work well.

Quick Lo-Carb Pie Crust

Here's a simple recipe for a quick lo-carb pie crust. I personally find that too much soy is too much, so I use Nutribiotic Rice Protein (Plain--not the vanilla or chocolate, heh heh) in this recipe:

• 1/2 c. oat or spelt flour (can use part rice flour, etc., if desired)
  
• 1/2 c. unflavoured rice protein or soy protein
  
• 2 tb. organic butter
• Organic almond milk, unsweetened rice milk, soy milk or water: enough to achieve a thick, dry, pie-crust dough consistency, i.e., "rollable without sticking"

Mix all ingredients and lightly flour a cutting board and roller. Sing Frank Zappa's Cyborg while rolling crust dough out into desired thickness--this helps with those long, powerful strokes necessary for a great crust. Bake according to recipe instructions. Use for pies, pastries, topping for pot pies, etc. Be sure to double the recipe for a full-sized baked pie.

Chicken & Stray Veggies Pot Pie Roundup

Here's a cool recipe that rounds up all the stray, leftover veggies in your fridge so they don't go to waste. It is healthy, lo-carb without all the usual weird lo-carb ingredients, nutritious and takes only a few minutes to prepare for baking. You can size this meal for one or for an entire family.

Now for the sobering news: depending on how old your veggies are, you may only be getting 40% of their intended nutrients. Most store veggies are at least a week old, so try to get to farmer's markets or local co-ops as often as possible (better yet, get off yer ass and start growing something--even one thing--yourself!). But take heart--even if your veggies are old, they will still provide fiber--and the more veggies you eat, the better.

The way this dish is prepared, by adding the flour and butter directly to all the other ingredients, will result in a nice, thick sauce for the chicken and veggies during baking, without having to prepare it separately, so it not only saves time, but energy as well.

In mid-sized or large oven-proof pan (e.g., an iron skillet like the one you'd hit hubby over the head with that can go in the oven) or glass baking dish, place:

• Water, enough to come 1/3rd to halfway up the side of the pan or baking dish
• 2-3 pinches sea salt
• 1 tb organic butter or Organic Earth Balance
• 1 tb organic oat flour, spelt flour or other thickening agent

Now, stir all these ingredients together in the pan or baking dish. Don't worry about the butter not mixing in - it will melt when it heats up. Next, add:

• Sliced leftover organic veggies, leaving space in the liquid for 1 - 3 chicken breasts (without overflowing the pan or baking dish - onions, garlic, celery, carrots, greens, shallots, herbs, etc.)
• 1- 3 organic chicken breasts, arranged so they are at least halfway covered by the liquid while baking. (Add more water if necessary and note that if you want to veganize this, you can use the Earth balance instead of butter, leave the chicken out or cube some tofu into the mix to your taste.)
  

Bake at 375 degrees F for 35 minutes or until chicken is bright white through the center of each breast. If chicken is done (or even very close), cut each breast with scissors to create small bite-sized chunks of chicken. Stir the whole chicken-veggie mixture around in the hot pan or baking dish for 1 to 2 minutes to encourage thickening of the liquid.

Next, cut one store-bought (or homemade--see my Quick Lo-Carb Pie Crust recipe) into long, thin strips and cover the chicken-veggie mixture in a lattice pattern and return to the oven for 10-15 more minutes until crust is cooked. Spoon into individual bowls.

Easy Bitchin' Inulin-Sweetened Chewy Granola Balls

Welcome to my Fit and Bitchin' Kitchen! This is the first recipe on this blog, and it's a sweet--but not sugary--healthy and nutritious snack that's easy to make.

This recipe, like some of the others on this blog, is something I came up with during my recovery from cancer, which continues to this day, and where refined white sugar is an absolute fucking no-no for me and anyone with cancer, as it only serves to feed cancer cells, providing them the acidic environment they need to thrive in.

[Recommended reading: Sugar Blues, by William Dufty. Read it and cry, because intellectually, you'll never want to eat white sugar again, even though Big Food has bastardized your tastebuds to be addicted to it.]

This recipe uses inulin, a pre-biotic, which is a sweet powder derived from Chicory Root that feeds the good bacteria in your gut while providing a good dose of fiber (farting is encouraged!). Its sweetness is mild as compared with sugar and will not impact your blood sugar levels like sugar does. Inulin can be found in most health food stores and Trader Joe's carries a reasonably-priced large bottle in their vitamins section (update: Trader Joe's has informed me they no longer carry their inulin, so I now order it in multiples from AllStarHealth.com).

This recipe is simple and can be made anytime in just minutes.

In medium bowl, mix together 1 c. of Stuff*:

• 1/3 c. raw organic sesame seeds
• 1/3 c. raw organic buckwheat groats
• 1/3 c. uncooked organic rolled oats

*Stuff can be any mixture of things you have around--raisins, other seeds, etc. Just be sure it totals around 1 cup.

Next add inulin and sea salt to the Stuff:

• 4 tb. inulin
• 1/4 tsp. sea salt

In large bowl, cream together:

• 2 tb. organic agave or maple syrup (adjust for sweetness--use vegetable glycerin and/or your fave no-calorie or low-glycemic sweetener instead if you need to limit sugars)
• 2 tb. organic cashew butter
• 1 tb. sweet organic butter, unsalted (use organic Earth Balance if you don't do butter)
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract

Add your dry Stuff to the creamed wet ingredients. Mix thoroughly until everything is evenly mixed and everything is sticky. Roll mixture into balls, then refrigerate. These lil' fuckers are good.

• Option 1--add 1/2 tsp. cinnamon to recipe
• Option 2--add 1/4 c. grain-sweetened or similar chocolate chips
• Option 3--roll balls in dried coconut
• Option 4--roll balls in ground flax meal

Enjoy!