by Chet Day
This'll be short and to the point.
Because of the current scare going on related to the Mexican Swine Flu outbreak, I spent a good part of this past weekend updating the description and PDF of my popular collection of 37 natural cold and flu remedies.
If you're concerned about the potential of this new swine flu turning into the long-predicted flu pandemic, you'll want to have access to the time-tested flu remedies in my special report.
I especially recommend the powerful Natural Tonic on page 27 in my collection of flu remedies. Though it tastes worse than just about anything I've ever passed between my tongue and my stomach, this tonic has worked wonders for me, my family, and hundreds of flu remedy collection owners since I first learned the recipe early in 2004.
Anyway, you can read all about How to Beat Colds and Flu with 37 Natural Remedies right now at http://natural-cold-flu-relief.com.
Chet "Natural Flu Remedies" Day
Editor, The Natural Health Circus
http://chetday.com/blog
Sunday, April 26, 2009
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
More cold sore remedies
by Josh Day
For a week I've had a massive, painful cold sore above my right canine.
Interestingly enough, a reader wrote in with this tip:
"Yes, I discovered lysine about 25 years ago. I had a terrible attack and was in pain for 8 months. I could not swallow food. The doctor said there was nothing he could do. After all these years I do not get attacks. If a feel a little sensation I will take 1 pill. It is so good that you have given your readers this advice. It saved my life of terrible throat pain. - Irene"
You can read the original post about lysine and cold sores here.
To sign up for our free newsletter that also featured the lysine tip, you can subscribe here.
Josh Day
Co-Editor
The Natural Health Circus
For a week I've had a massive, painful cold sore above my right canine.
Interestingly enough, a reader wrote in with this tip:
"Yes, I discovered lysine about 25 years ago. I had a terrible attack and was in pain for 8 months. I could not swallow food. The doctor said there was nothing he could do. After all these years I do not get attacks. If a feel a little sensation I will take 1 pill. It is so good that you have given your readers this advice. It saved my life of terrible throat pain. - Irene"
You can read the original post about lysine and cold sores here.
To sign up for our free newsletter that also featured the lysine tip, you can subscribe here.
Josh Day
Co-Editor
The Natural Health Circus
Monday, April 20, 2009
Simple Acne Tip
by Chet Day
I was rummaging through archives of old Health & Beyond Weekly newsletters recently and ran into some nice little tips I'm going to share in coming entries here in the Natural Health Circus blog.
Today we have a simple tip for helping acne problems from Suzanne M:
If you have a natural health tip you'd like to share, click on the "Comment" link below and share away, eh?
Chet "No Zits" Day
Editor, The Natural Health Circus
http://chetday.com/blog
I was rummaging through archives of old Health & Beyond Weekly newsletters recently and ran into some nice little tips I'm going to share in coming entries here in the Natural Health Circus blog.
Today we have a simple tip for helping acne problems from Suzanne M:
Although I personally have never had an acne problem, I have nephews who were constantly "zitting out."Okay, that's it for our first simple natural health tip.
I recommended that they try simple witch hazel, patted on twice a day. You will be as surprised at the results in just a few days as my nephews were. All for a buck and a quarter. :)
If you have a natural health tip you'd like to share, click on the "Comment" link below and share away, eh?
Chet "No Zits" Day
Editor, The Natural Health Circus
http://chetday.com/blog
Saturday, April 18, 2009
Ceremonial Salsa Recipe
by Chet Day
This beautiful Saturday I'd like to share a wonderful recipe for salsa that I received several years ago from Priss Lindsey, a reader of my free vegetarian recipes newsletter.
When she emailed me the recipe, Priss wrote, "Chet, after 40 years of perfecting salsa, this is the best!"
Whoa, that's high praise indeed.
If you like salsa, you're going to love today's recipe...
New Mexico Ceremonial Salsa
6-8 tomatillos, husked and cut into large chunks
1 basket cherry tomatoes, washed and stemmed
1 bunch cilantro, washed and cut up
4 cloves chopped garlic or 1 Tbs minced garlic
Juice of one lime
2-4 jalapeno peppers, seeded and sliced
1 giant Spanish onion, peeled and cut into large chunks
Put ingredients in blender and blend thoroughly. It may help to do the cherry tomatoes and tomatillas first to get a liquid consistency and then add in the other ingredients. Salt to taste.
This salsa gets better in the fridge and will keep for 4-7 days.
It's great with white corn chips or inside burritos or on tostados or even in a bowl of beans.
Try this salsa recipe and then come back and comment about it, won't you?
And if you have a favorite salsa recipe you'd like to share, please do so below.
Chet "Salsa Recipe Collector" Day
Editor, The Natural Health Circus
http://chetday.com/blog
This beautiful Saturday I'd like to share a wonderful recipe for salsa that I received several years ago from Priss Lindsey, a reader of my free vegetarian recipes newsletter.
When she emailed me the recipe, Priss wrote, "Chet, after 40 years of perfecting salsa, this is the best!"
Whoa, that's high praise indeed.
If you like salsa, you're going to love today's recipe...
New Mexico Ceremonial Salsa
6-8 tomatillos, husked and cut into large chunks
1 basket cherry tomatoes, washed and stemmed
1 bunch cilantro, washed and cut up
4 cloves chopped garlic or 1 Tbs minced garlic
Juice of one lime
2-4 jalapeno peppers, seeded and sliced
1 giant Spanish onion, peeled and cut into large chunks
Put ingredients in blender and blend thoroughly. It may help to do the cherry tomatoes and tomatillas first to get a liquid consistency and then add in the other ingredients. Salt to taste.
This salsa gets better in the fridge and will keep for 4-7 days.
It's great with white corn chips or inside burritos or on tostados or even in a bowl of beans.
Try this salsa recipe and then come back and comment about it, won't you?
And if you have a favorite salsa recipe you'd like to share, please do so below.
Chet "Salsa Recipe Collector" Day
Editor, The Natural Health Circus
http://chetday.com/blog
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Memory Improvement Tip
by Chet Day
I have a great memory improvement tip this morning for those of you who, like me, are starting to wander into their golden years with less than a stellar recollection system.
Here's the story...
The other night my wife and I were having a little pillow talk about the past, recalling people we'd known and enjoyed during our more than 35 years together.
I started talking about one of the guys who hired me as an English teacher when we lived in New Orleans, a man who was witty and smart and just plain fun to be around.
I could remember all kinds of good stories about him, but do you think I could dredge up his name to save my life?
Nope.
His name just wasn't there. For a few moments, it hovered around the edge of coming into consciousness, but it wouldn't surface.
This sort of lapse usually doesn't bother me too much because most often the name (or whatever else I'm trying to recall) will pop into being amongst my fading gray cells in a few minutes.
But not this time.
His name completely eluded me.
We stopped reminiscing after a time and my wife fell asleep, but I stayed awake, trying to recall my old friend's name.
Well, I kept that up for almost two hours before I finally got frustrated enough to capitulate to age and fading memory.
Then, for some reason, I told myself mentally, "When you wake up in the morning, you'll remember your old friend's name."
I repeated this to myself several times and then turned on my sleep CD and went to sleep.
The next morning, I woke up and walked a few steps into the bathroom and sat down on the throne, and, holy smokes, the name "Lewis Garvin" pops into consciousness.
And, yup, you guessed it... that was the name of my old friend and boss in the best English department I ever taught in.
I was practically giggling with glee over how this memory improvement technique worked, so I started yelling "Lewis, Lewis Garvin," as loud as I could, loud enough to wake my wife, who thought I'd finally gone around the bend for good. "His name was Lewis Garvin."
Well, I guess that's enough wandering around in what passes for a brain in my skull for today, but I did want to share this memory tip because it's a good one.
And it works!
Chet "Memory Tip" Day
Editor, The Natural Health Circus
http://chetday.com/blog
I have a great memory improvement tip this morning for those of you who, like me, are starting to wander into their golden years with less than a stellar recollection system.
Here's the story...
The other night my wife and I were having a little pillow talk about the past, recalling people we'd known and enjoyed during our more than 35 years together.
I started talking about one of the guys who hired me as an English teacher when we lived in New Orleans, a man who was witty and smart and just plain fun to be around.
I could remember all kinds of good stories about him, but do you think I could dredge up his name to save my life?
Nope.
His name just wasn't there. For a few moments, it hovered around the edge of coming into consciousness, but it wouldn't surface.
This sort of lapse usually doesn't bother me too much because most often the name (or whatever else I'm trying to recall) will pop into being amongst my fading gray cells in a few minutes.
But not this time.
His name completely eluded me.
We stopped reminiscing after a time and my wife fell asleep, but I stayed awake, trying to recall my old friend's name.
Well, I kept that up for almost two hours before I finally got frustrated enough to capitulate to age and fading memory.
Then, for some reason, I told myself mentally, "When you wake up in the morning, you'll remember your old friend's name."
I repeated this to myself several times and then turned on my sleep CD and went to sleep.
The next morning, I woke up and walked a few steps into the bathroom and sat down on the throne, and, holy smokes, the name "Lewis Garvin" pops into consciousness.
And, yup, you guessed it... that was the name of my old friend and boss in the best English department I ever taught in.
I was practically giggling with glee over how this memory improvement technique worked, so I started yelling "Lewis, Lewis Garvin," as loud as I could, loud enough to wake my wife, who thought I'd finally gone around the bend for good. "His name was Lewis Garvin."
Well, I guess that's enough wandering around in what passes for a brain in my skull for today, but I did want to share this memory tip because it's a good one.
And it works!
Chet "Memory Tip" Day
Editor, The Natural Health Circus
http://chetday.com/blog
Friday, April 10, 2009
Bacon Sandwich + Hangover = Cure?
by Josh Day
According to a recent study, a bacon sandwich may actually help "cure" a hangover.
Josh "Never Hungover" Day
Editor, The Natural Health Circus
http://chetday.com/blog
According to a recent study, a bacon sandwich may actually help "cure" a hangover.
- Elin Roberts, of Newcastle University's Centre for Life said: "Food doesn't soak up the alcohol but it does increase your metabolism helping you deal with the after-effects of over indulgence. So food will often help you feel better.
- "Bread is high in carbohydrates and bacon is full of protein, which breaks down into amino acids. Your body needs these amino acids, so eating them will make you feel good."
- Ms Roberts told The Mirror: "Bingeing on alcohol depletes neurotransmitters too, but bacon contains a high level of aminos which tops these up, giving you a clearer head."(source)
Josh "Never Hungover" Day
Editor, The Natural Health Circus
http://chetday.com/blog
Homemade Vanilla!
by Josh Day
Today I'd like to share my homemade vanilla recipe.
1 pint of quality vodka
6-8 vanilla bean stalks
Remove 1 or 2 shots of vodka. Slice open each vanilla stalk lengthwise, exposing beans. Put stalks in vodka. Seal and let sit in a dark, dry place for two months.
And here's another vanilla recipe sent in by a reader:
"Hi, Chet. I've been making my own vanilla for more than ten years. I prefer the taste of brandy as the base and use the cheapest I can find. Then I add three vanilla beans sliced lengthwise and put the bottle away for a long while. In fact, I have a 1.75 liter bottle that must have 30-40 beans in it. I just keep adding brandy to that from the new jug and have a great quantity for cookies. In fact, a .75 or 1-liter bottle makes a great Christmas gift to a baker." - Diann F.
Josh "Vanilla" Day
Editor, The Natural Health Circus
http://chetday.com/blog
Today I'd like to share my homemade vanilla recipe.
1 pint of quality vodka
6-8 vanilla bean stalks
Remove 1 or 2 shots of vodka. Slice open each vanilla stalk lengthwise, exposing beans. Put stalks in vodka. Seal and let sit in a dark, dry place for two months.
And here's another vanilla recipe sent in by a reader:
"Hi, Chet. I've been making my own vanilla for more than ten years. I prefer the taste of brandy as the base and use the cheapest I can find. Then I add three vanilla beans sliced lengthwise and put the bottle away for a long while. In fact, I have a 1.75 liter bottle that must have 30-40 beans in it. I just keep adding brandy to that from the new jug and have a great quantity for cookies. In fact, a .75 or 1-liter bottle makes a great Christmas gift to a baker." - Diann F.
Josh "Vanilla" Day
Editor, The Natural Health Circus
http://chetday.com/blog
Tuesday, April 07, 2009
Perfection in Red Beans and Rice
by Josh Day
I've been making red beans and rice for five years now. But I never felt I'd gotten it right until now. There was always something missing, a flavor not right. As it turns out, I needed to remove one key ingredient -- actually, a couple ingredients -- and include a new flavor.
This recipe started out as an Emeril recipe. I've modified it a lot over the years, attempting to recreate the red beans I remember from the New Orleans of my childhood.
There are two red beans and rice dishes that eclipse all others and whose flavors I'm always trying to capture. The first dish is the red beans made every other Wednesday at my old private school in Louisiana, Metairie Park Country Day School. It'd be a challenge to find a better plate of red beans anywhere in New Orleans. The second are the red beans made by Al Copeland's restaurant Copeland's as well as the red beans from his Popeyes chicken franchise.
Enough nostalgia. Let's get to the recipe.
Everything is as exact as possible so you too can make these perfect red beans.
Josh Day's Red Beans and Rice
1 bag of dry red kidney beans, soaked in a bowl overnight in your fridge
3/4 cup yellow onion, minced as finely as possible (a food chopper is ideal here)
1/4 cup celery, finely minced
1/4 cup green bell pepper, finely minced
1/4 cup Italian parsley, finely minced
1 smoked hamhock
1 32-ounce container chicken broth
32 ounces water
4 large cloves of garlic, minced
3 bay leaves
1 heaping Tbs Tony Chachere's Famous Creole Seasoning
1/2 tsp cayenne powder (or more if you want the red beans hot)
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 tsp natural liquid smoke
1 Tbs olive oil
Cooked rice
Soak your beans in a large bowl overnight. The beans will triple in size so be sure you fill with enough water to cover all beans.
Finely mince your onion, bell pepper, and celery. A food chopper or food processor makes things a lot easier as you want everything almost pureed.
Add olive oil to a cast iron pot and head on medium low. Add smoked hamhock and let cook for five minutes to release flavor. Now add onion, celery, and bell pepper. Stir until onions turn translucent.
Clear a small area in the pot and add garlic. You may need to add a drop or two more oil. Stir garlic and cook for no more than a minute. DO NOT brown garlic as this turns it bitter and can ruin the dish.
When garlic is cooked -- you'll know because you'll smell it -- stir in with vegetables and hamhock.
Add parsley and bay leaves.
Season with Famous Creole Seasoning, cayenne, and ground black pepper. Forgo salt as the creole seasoning has plenty.
Stir and let the flavors come together for a minute.
Pour in chicken broth. Fill up container with water and also pour in.
Drain and rinse the beans well and then pour in the beans.
Add Liquid Smoke -- you want natural liquid smoke; you'll know because there will be no MSG or funny-sounding chemical in the ingredients -- and stir everything well.
Cook on stovetop for a minimum of five hours. The longer you cook it, the better it will taste.
You'll need to check the pot at least once every hour to top off with water and to stir. As the dish cooks, the beans will become creamy and everything will come together. Expect the beans to be watery for the first 3 or 4 hours.
Near the end of cooking remove the ham hock and bay leaves and mash beans with a potato masher if you want them more creamy. This is how Al Copeland made his red beans; they were almost a puree.
The best way to cook rice is to first rinse the dry rice several times in running water. The ratio of rice to water is 1:1; so if you're making 1/2 cup of rice, add 1/2 cup water, 2 cups of rice, add 2 cups of water, etc.
Here's a little secret... add a spoonful or two of the creamy beans to the rice and stir well before cooking.
Cover pot and cook rice on medium heat until it begins to boil. Turn on the lowest setting and cook for exactly 20 minutes. Then remove from heat and let sit for 20 minutes, still covered. Never remove the cover during the cooking process.
Serve beans over rice and garnish with green onion stalks and a scattering of dried parsley. Also provide condiments like Tobasco hot pepper sauce, vinegar, and croutons.
Josh "Red Beans" Day
Editor, The Natural Health Circus
http://chetday.com/blog
I've been making red beans and rice for five years now. But I never felt I'd gotten it right until now. There was always something missing, a flavor not right. As it turns out, I needed to remove one key ingredient -- actually, a couple ingredients -- and include a new flavor.
This recipe started out as an Emeril recipe. I've modified it a lot over the years, attempting to recreate the red beans I remember from the New Orleans of my childhood.
There are two red beans and rice dishes that eclipse all others and whose flavors I'm always trying to capture. The first dish is the red beans made every other Wednesday at my old private school in Louisiana, Metairie Park Country Day School. It'd be a challenge to find a better plate of red beans anywhere in New Orleans. The second are the red beans made by Al Copeland's restaurant Copeland's as well as the red beans from his Popeyes chicken franchise.
Enough nostalgia. Let's get to the recipe.
Everything is as exact as possible so you too can make these perfect red beans.
Josh Day's Red Beans and Rice
1 bag of dry red kidney beans, soaked in a bowl overnight in your fridge
3/4 cup yellow onion, minced as finely as possible (a food chopper is ideal here)
1/4 cup celery, finely minced
1/4 cup green bell pepper, finely minced
1/4 cup Italian parsley, finely minced
1 smoked hamhock
1 32-ounce container chicken broth
32 ounces water
4 large cloves of garlic, minced
3 bay leaves
1 heaping Tbs Tony Chachere's Famous Creole Seasoning
1/2 tsp cayenne powder (or more if you want the red beans hot)
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 tsp natural liquid smoke
1 Tbs olive oil
Cooked rice
Soak your beans in a large bowl overnight. The beans will triple in size so be sure you fill with enough water to cover all beans.
Finely mince your onion, bell pepper, and celery. A food chopper or food processor makes things a lot easier as you want everything almost pureed.
Add olive oil to a cast iron pot and head on medium low. Add smoked hamhock and let cook for five minutes to release flavor. Now add onion, celery, and bell pepper. Stir until onions turn translucent.
Clear a small area in the pot and add garlic. You may need to add a drop or two more oil. Stir garlic and cook for no more than a minute. DO NOT brown garlic as this turns it bitter and can ruin the dish.
When garlic is cooked -- you'll know because you'll smell it -- stir in with vegetables and hamhock.
Add parsley and bay leaves.
Season with Famous Creole Seasoning, cayenne, and ground black pepper. Forgo salt as the creole seasoning has plenty.
Stir and let the flavors come together for a minute.
Pour in chicken broth. Fill up container with water and also pour in.
Drain and rinse the beans well and then pour in the beans.
Add Liquid Smoke -- you want natural liquid smoke; you'll know because there will be no MSG or funny-sounding chemical in the ingredients -- and stir everything well.
Cook on stovetop for a minimum of five hours. The longer you cook it, the better it will taste.
You'll need to check the pot at least once every hour to top off with water and to stir. As the dish cooks, the beans will become creamy and everything will come together. Expect the beans to be watery for the first 3 or 4 hours.
Near the end of cooking remove the ham hock and bay leaves and mash beans with a potato masher if you want them more creamy. This is how Al Copeland made his red beans; they were almost a puree.
The best way to cook rice is to first rinse the dry rice several times in running water. The ratio of rice to water is 1:1; so if you're making 1/2 cup of rice, add 1/2 cup water, 2 cups of rice, add 2 cups of water, etc.
Here's a little secret... add a spoonful or two of the creamy beans to the rice and stir well before cooking.
Cover pot and cook rice on medium heat until it begins to boil. Turn on the lowest setting and cook for exactly 20 minutes. Then remove from heat and let sit for 20 minutes, still covered. Never remove the cover during the cooking process.
Serve beans over rice and garnish with green onion stalks and a scattering of dried parsley. Also provide condiments like Tobasco hot pepper sauce, vinegar, and croutons.
Josh "Red Beans" Day
Editor, The Natural Health Circus
http://chetday.com/blog
Wednesday, April 01, 2009
Vegetarian Ziti
Here's a simple and tasty recipe for...
Vegetarian Ziti
1 box ziti or small shell pasta, cooked and drained
1 jar marinara sauce
1 small can black olives, drained
1 small onion, diced
1 green pepper, diced
Several white mushrooms, diced
1 Tbs olive oil
Shredded Mozzerella cheese to taste
Heat olive oil in skillet. Add pepper and onion. When onion becomes translucent, add olives and mushrooms. Mix marinara sauce, pasta, and veggies together. Heat thoroughly in oven.
That's it for now.
Chet "Ziti" Day
Editor, The Natural Health Circus
http://chetday.com/blog
Vegetarian Ziti
1 box ziti or small shell pasta, cooked and drained
1 jar marinara sauce
1 small can black olives, drained
1 small onion, diced
1 green pepper, diced
Several white mushrooms, diced
1 Tbs olive oil
Shredded Mozzerella cheese to taste
Heat olive oil in skillet. Add pepper and onion. When onion becomes translucent, add olives and mushrooms. Mix marinara sauce, pasta, and veggies together. Heat thoroughly in oven.
That's it for now.
Chet "Ziti" Day
Editor, The Natural Health Circus
http://chetday.com/blog
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