How to Be Happy

Today I'd like to share a wonderful motivational piece on how to be happy that was emailed to me several years ago. I don't know the name of the author, unfortunately, so I can't credit it properly.

A Donkey Shows Us How to Live

One day a farmer's donkey fell down into a well. The animal cried piteously for hours as the farmer tried to figure out what to do.

Finally the farmer decided the animal was old and the well needed to be covered up anyway.

It just wasn't worth it to retrieve the donkey.

So he invited all his neighbors to come over and help him. They all grabbed a shovel and began to shovel dirt into the well.

At first, the donkey realized what was happening and cried horribly. Then, to everyone's amazement, he quieted down.

A few shovel loads later, the farmer finally looked down the well and was astonished at what he saw.

With every shovel of dirt that hit his back, the donkey was doing something amazing. He would shake it off and take a step up! As the farmer's neighbors continued to shovel dirt on top of the animal, he would shake it off and take a step up.

Pretty soon, everyone was amazed as the donkey stepped up over the edge of the well and trotted off!

Moral: Life is going to shovel dirt on you, all kinds of dirt. The trick to getting out of the well is to shake it off and take a step up. Each of our troubles is a stepping stone. We can get out of the deepest wells just by not stopping, never giving up! Shake it off and take a step up!

Remember the five simple rules to be happy:

1. Free your heart from hatred.
2. Free your mind from worries.
3. Live simply.
4. Give more.
5. Expect less.

And now you know how to be happy... or, if nothing else, how to be happier!

Click here for another great motivational story on my website.

And if you have a motivational story you'd like to share, click on the comment link below and start typing!

Chet Day
Editor, The Natural Health Circus
http://chetday.com

Improving Eyesight

There are a number of ways to improve eyesight.

Today I'd like to share a letter from Ed, who has good information on how to improve your eyesight naturally...

Weston A. Price and Rosalind Wulzen discovered two different unknown factors in raw-milk butter that enable our bodies to use the oil soluble vitamins (A, D, and E) more effectively.

Since these vitamins, especially A and D improve our eyes, among other health effects, we all need to know about these activator factors in butter.

Price recommended taking both cod liver oil and butter to give our bodies the fat-soluble vitamins we need.

Nourishing Traditions, a wonderful book by Sally Fallon and Mary Enig, has lots more info on traditional foods we should be eating for superior health.

Oh, one more thing.

I have an excellent article on my website entitled "Why Butter is Better." If one of the vegan gurus has you believing that butter is a non-healthy food, you need to click here for a different (and in my opinion, much more correct) point of view.

Chet Day
Editor, The Natural Health Circus
http://chetday.com

Lemon Juice Tips

Toay I want to babble on a bit about a healthy fruit that doesn't get nearly as much attention as it should... the lowly lemon, which is wonderfully rich in nature's purest vitamin C.

Did you know that lemon juice is an antioxidant?

It's true. German studies reported that lemon peel exhibits remarkable antioxidant activity, activity unrelated to vitamin C.

As you no doubt know, antioxidants work beneficially on human cells, especially in terms of providing protection against cancer and aging.

Oh, here's a little lemon juice tip for you pregnant ladies... fresh lemon juice squeezed into pure water reduces or gets rid of morning sickness.

If dandruff problems are giving you fits, add a tablespoon of lemon juice to your shampoo, and enjoy the results. Be sure to rinse well with plenty of water. Warning: lemon juice can lighten the color of your hair, so keep that in mind.

Canker or other mouth sores? Try gargling with lemon juice and pure water.

If you're spending a lot of money on soft drinks, try squeezing fresh lemon juice into tonic or carbonated water. Whoa, good!

So the next time you're at the supermarket, get a bag of fresh lemons and put them to use in your diet.

Chet Day
Editor, The Natural Health Circus
http://chetday.com

P.S. Oh, one more thing. If you like lemonade, click here to learn about my popular collection of 33 classic recipes.

No Mayo Potato Salad

Let's start what promises to be one of the hottest July Mondays on record with a healthy potato salad recipe, shall we?

No Mayo Potato Salad

6 large potatoes
3-4 scallions
3-4 Tbs extra virgin olive oil
1-2 tsp white wine vinegar
Salt and freshly-ground black pepper to taste

Scrub the potatoes, or peel them if you don't like skins. Cut into 1-inch cubes and cook in boiling water until almost starting to fall apart.

While the potatoes are cooking, slice the scallions very finely, including the green part.

Drain the potatoes and tip into a bowl. While they're still hot, pour in the olive oil and mix well. They should start to disintegrate a bit - this is the secret of this salad!

Add the scallions, vinegar, salt and black pepper. Taste as you go along and add the amounts you think you like. Leave to cool; chill if you wish, and serve. Serves somewhere between 5 and 10.

Try this healthy potato salad recipe because it's a good one.

Chet Day
Editor, The Natural Health Circus
http://chetday.com

P.S. If you have a healthy potato salad recipe you'd like to share, use the comment link below to add it to the blog.

Hair Loss Remedy

You can spend weeks trying to find a hair loss remedy on the Internet. That's especially true about finding one that actually works.

Well, still being the proud owner of a full head of healthy (but grey) hair, I can't vouch for the hair loss remedy I'm about to share, but, hey, it's worth a try.

According to Helen Lee in her book The Tao of Beauty, you can eat your way to great hair.

Her Black Sesame Seed Soup can be eaten as a snack or even for dessert and supposedly provides skin and hair benefits.

Helen Lee says the ingredients should be purchased fresh from your nearest Chinese grocer.

Hair Growing Soup

1 cup of uncooked long-grain white rice
1 cup of black sesame seeds
1 tablespoon of sugar, or to your own tastes

Wash and drain the rice and the sesame seeds in separate containers. Stir-fry the sesame seeds in a dry skillet over low heat for approximately 5 minutes or until the heat releases their fragrance. Be careful to not let them burn.

Grind the rice and toasted seeds with 1/4 cup of water in a blender or food processor.

Pour the mixture plus an additional 1 3/4 cups of water into a medium-sized saucepan. Cook over medium heat for approximately 10 minutes, stirring often to avoid burning. Add sugar as desired to taste.

Hair Growing Soups notwithstanding, if you're having hair loss problems and also drinking distilled water, there may be a connection between the two. Click here to read an article on that topic.

If you give this hair loss remedy a try, I'd like to hear about the results. Just use the comment link below.

Chet Day
Editor, The Natural Health Circus
http://chetday.com

Healthy Sauerkraut Salad

Let's start the week off right with a healthy sauerkraut salad recipe, shall we?

Lima Bean and Sauerkraut Salad

2 cups of naturally fermented sauerkraut
2 cups of cooked lima beans (if pressed for time, you may use canned or cooked frozen lima beans)
1 head of Romaine, Boston, or Red lettuce, chopped
Mayonnaise dressing
Salt and pepper to taste

This is an easy salad to prepare and, since it contains sauerkraut, is a good way to begin a meal as the tangy taste helps stimulate digestive juice flow.

Drain the sauerkraut and pull apart with a fork. Combine well with the beans. Stir in enough mayonnaise to just wet the salad. Spread over a bed of lettuce and serve. Serves 4-6.

For the mayonnaise, you can either make your own or you may use a store-bought brand that is made without soy or canola oils. In the USA, Hain's Safflower Mayonnaise is acceptable and widely sold at supermarkets.

Click here if you'd like to learn how to make sauerkraut.

That's it for this Monday. See you later.

Chet Day
Editor, The Natural Health Circus
http://chetday.com

Raw Cookie Recipe

Let's end the week with a healthy raw cookie recipe, courtesy of Sheryl.

Apricot Pecan Cookies

2 1/2 cups chopped dried apricots
4 cups muesli
2 cups coarsely chopped raw pecans
3/4 cup honey
1 Tbs vanilla
1 3/4 cup raw organic almond butter
1/2 cup chopped dates
Dash of salt (I don't use the salt)

Stir all ingredients together. Shape into flat round cookies about 1/2 inch think. Makes 4 dozen cookies. Refrigerate or freeze these cookies immediately. You can vary the dried fruit to change flavor.

Hint: rinse hands often and keep them moist while forming the cookies. The dough won't stick as much.

This is a terrific raw cookie recipe, and I know you'll enjoy it as much as I do.

Chet Day
Editor, The Natural Health Circus
http://chetday.com

P.S. If you have a healthy raw cookie recipe you'd like to share, click on the comment link below and start typing.

Soak Water Tip

Here's a great little tip from Regina on what to do with the soak water you use for sprouting:

Chet, I love to sprout all sorts of beans. Did you know that the soak water (for sprouts and beans that you cook) is great for your plants?

The carbohydrates left in the soak water that are difficult for us to digest are wonderful nutrients for all house plants and vegetables. So instead of pouring that water down the drain, pour it on your plants for a free natural fertilizer.

I love these practical and easy tips.

If you have one you'd like to share, click on the comment link below and write about it right now.

Chet Day
Editor, The Natural Health Circus
http://chetday.com

Healthy Bath Tips

Today I'd like to share four healthy bath tips you can use to save money.

Why spend an arm and a leg on expensive bath products when you can whip up wonderful bath ingredients from your own kitchen?

Ginger Bath

Peel and coarsely chop an inch of whole ginger. Put in an old stocking, tying one or both ends to keep the ginger inside. Place in a tub with very warm running water. A ginger bath will help to detox your body and soothe your skin.

Apple Cider Vinegar Bath

Add half a cup of vinegar to your bath to help combat fatigue and invigorate the body.

Baking Soda Bath

To relieve itching and various skin irritations, add a half of a box of bicarbonate of soda to your bath. A soothing baking soda bath is also great for sunburn.

Milk Bath

Add 1 cup of instant milk powder to your bath to make your skin silky soft. You can also add a few drops of lavender essential oil to relax you before bed.

I learned these healthy bath tips from my friend Victoria, the creator of Tooth Soap.

That's all for today.

Chet Day
Editor, The Natural Health Circus
http://chetday.com

Healthy Banana

Today I'd like to share some information emailed to me many years ago by a correspondent long forgotten about one of nature's great health foods -- the lowly banana.

If you want a quick fix for flagging energy levels there's no better snack than a banana.

Containing three natural sugars - sucrose, fructose and glucose - combined with fiber, a banana gives an instant, sustained and substantial boost of energy.

Research has proved that just two bananas provide enough energy for a strenuous 90-minute workout. No wonder the banana is the number one fruit with the world's leading athletes.

Besides being a quick fix for flagging energy levels during the day, bananas may also help overcome or prevent a substantial number of illnesses and conditions, making them a wise addition to your daily diet.

Here are just a few of the conditions that bananas are said to help...

Anemia

High in iron, bananas can stimulate the production of hemoglobin in the blood and so helps in cases of anemia.

Blood Pressure

This unique tropical fruit is extremely high in potassium yet low in salt, making it the perfect food for helping to beat blood pressure. So much so, the US Food and Drug Administration has just allowed the banana industry to make official claims for the fruit's ability to reduce the risk of blood pressure and stroke.

Brain Power

Two hundred students at a Twickenham (Middlesex) school were helped through their exams this year by eating bananas at breakfast, break and lunch in a bid to boost their brain power. Research has shown that the potassium-packed fruit can assist learning by making pupils more alert.

Constipation

High in fiber, including bananas in the diet can help restore normal bowel action, helping to overcome the problem without resorting to laxatives.

Depression

According to a recent survey undertaken by MIND amongst people suffering from depression, many felt much better after eating a banana. This is because bananas contain trypotophan, a type of protein that the body converts into serotonin known to make you relax, improve your mood and generally make you feel happier.

Hangovers

One of the quickest ways of curing a hangover is to make a banana milkshake, sweetened with honey. The banana calms the stomach and, with the help of the honey, builds up depleted blood sugar levels, while the milk soothes and re-hydrates your system.

So take advantage of one of the best buys in your supermarket and keep a good supply of healthy bananas in your home... all the time!

Chet Day
Editor, The Natural Health Circus
http://chetday.com

Vegan Banana Bread

Let's start this week with a healthy vegan banana bread recipe, shall we?

Vegan Banana Bread

1 1/2 cups flour -- whole wheat
1/2 cup wheat bran
1/2 cup wheat germ
3/4 cup turbinado sugar
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 bananas -- mashed
1 apple -- finely chopped

Combine all ingredients. Bake at 350F for 60-75 minutes in a greased and floured loaf pan, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from pan and cool on its side.

That was easy enough, eh?

If you have a healthy banana bread recipe you'd like to share, just use the comment link below and start typing.

Chet Day
Editor, The Natural Health Circus
http://chetday.com

Healthy Pineapple Bars

Let's wrap up the week with a terrific little recipe for...

Healthy Pineapple Bars

20 oz crushed pineapple
2 cups chopped dates
3 cup oats
1 cup wheat germ
1 cup coconut
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 1/4 cup orange juice
1/4 cup coconut oil

Combine pineapple and dates in a saucepan. Cook on medium heat until thickened. Stir frequently. In a large bowl, mix oats, wheat germ, coconut, and walnuts. Stir in juice and oil. Press half of the oat mixture in a greased 9x13-inch pan. Spread the pineapple mixture on top, then sprinkle on the rest of the oat mixture. Press down lightly. Bake at 350F degrees for 30 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool. Cut into squares. Makes 32.

These healthy pineapple bars will taste better than any granola bar you've ever bought in any store or restaurant in your life!

So give them a try this weekend.

Chet Day
Editor, The Natural Health Circus
http://chetday.com

P.S. If you have a healthy snack bar recipe you'd like to share, click on the comments link below and start typing.

Deep Relaxation

I don't know about you, but I really enjoy states of deep relaxation.

I mean, seriously, what could be better than letting your body melt into a quiet, peaceful pool of utter calm?

Well, yes, that is better, but we're not discussing bedroom matters this morning.

Today I want to give you a natural technique you can use to attain really nice states of deep relaxation.

Ready?

Here we go with a technique shared by the late Declan Twohig...

Sitting comfortably, with eyes open or closed, list (to yourself) three things which you can see, then three things which you can hear, then three things which you can feel.

For example, "I see the color of the wall, I see the person opposite me, I see the color of her hair, I hear the sounds outside the room, I hear people moving about, I hear my own breathing, I feel the cushion underneath me, I feel the air on my skin, I feel my hands on my lap."

Then narrow it down to a list of two things in each sensory mode, and then one thing in each mode.

Tell yourself, "As I count from ten down to one, I can go into a deep, comfortable state of relaxation."

Then count breaths backwards from ten to one and enjoy the relaxation that you are drifting into.

This works most powerfully when the verbal listing within your head is timed in a rhythm with your breathing.

Yes, the technique sounds a little complicated, but give it a try anyway. It only takes a few minutes and it will put you into a state of deep relaxation.

Chet Day
Editor, The Natural Health Circus
http://chetday.com

P.S. If you want a recording that'll drop you into deep relaxation without you having to do anything other than to put on your headphones, click here to learn about my popular Cat's Purr CD. I promote it as a natural sleep aid, but it's also one of the best deep relaxation CDs on the market.

Vegetable Soup Recipe

Today I'd like to share a healthy and easy vegetable soup recipe that I predict you'll add to your soup files.

1/4 cup olive oil
1 yellow onion, diced
1 leek, sliced thinly
1 head of celery, diced
2 cups of carrots, diced
2 cans of diced tomatoes
1 cup of green beans (fresh)
1 1/2 cup of diced potatoes
3 quarts of low sodium vegetable stock or water
1 Tbs minced garlic
1 Tbs dry basil
1 tsp dry parsley
Salt and pepper to taste

Saute the onion, celery, leeks and carrots in olive oil over a medium flame for 2 minutes, add the garlic, basil and parsley and continue to cook for another 3 or 4 minutes. Add the vegetable stock or water, diced tomatoes, diced potatoes and green beans simmer for 30 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasonings with salt and pepper if necessary. Serves between 6 and 8.

Whoa, that's an easy and healthy vegetable soup recipe, eh?

Chet Day
Editor, The Natural Health Circus
http://chetday.com

Sitz Bath

I spent the first 52-years of my life thinking a sitz bath was a bath where you sat in the tub with the water up to your waist.

What a surprise to learn back in 2000 when I was reading The Natural Remedy Bible that I had spent my entire life with the wrong conception of a sitz bath.

On the off chance you're as ignorant as I am, and that is an off chance believe me because I can sure be bone-headed sometimes, I'd like to share with you today what I learned about the sitz bath from The Natural Remedy Bible:

"The sitz bath affects mainly the circulation in the lower abdominal and pelvic region. It does so without influencing the circulation in the lower limbs because the legs are not immersed. It serves mainly to disperse congestion in the abdominal and pelvic organs, a common problem for sedentary workers.

"Sitz baths are not to be taken more than three times a week. Convenient plastic tubs that facilitate the use of this application are available, but you can also use an ordinary bathtub.

"Fill the tub about one-third full so that the water covers the upper portion of the thighs, the seat, and the abdomen up to the navel. It is most comfortable to sit crosswise in the bathtub with the feel resting on a small stool set on the floor.

"In this positin, the circulation in the back of the knees will not be restricted. With practice, you will be able to take a sitz bath without having to undress compeltely. To avoid a chill, the upper torso should be clothed, or a light blanket or sheet should be draped over the shoulders and chest."

And now you know everything I know about how to take a sitz bath.

Happy sitzing!

Chet Day
Editor, The Natural Health Circus
http://chetday.com

Natural Asthma Remedy

Asthma is a horrible problem for many people. Unfortunately, many of the medications used for asthma relief have side effects almost as bad as an asthma attack itself.

You may find useful one or all of the following natural tips for asthma relief...

• Drink a solution of 1/4 cup onion juice, 1 Tbs of honey, and 1/8 tsp of black pepper.
  
  
• Mix 1 tsp honey with 1/2 tsp cinnamon and take it at night before going to bed.
  
  
• Express the juice from a garlic clove. Mix 10-15 drops in warm water and drink.

People have also reported relief from asthma by using an energy technique called EFT. Click here to download a free manual that will show you exactly how to do EFT.

Chet Day
Editor, The Natural Health Circus
http://chetday.com

Natural Milk Bath

Everybody likes soft skin, except maybe for Godzilla and some of his amphibian kin, so I thought today I'd share with you a home-made recipe for a natural milk bath concoction that sounded pretty cool.

I found this recipe in an old health magazine we had laying around here at CasaDay.

Casey Kellar, author of Natural Beauty and Bath Book (Lark Books, 1997), says the milk in this recipe moisturizes rough skin.

1 cup full-fat powdered milk
2 Tbs almond meal
2 Tbs barley or oat flour
A few drops of rose (Rosa centifolia) essential oil

Mix all the ingredients in a bowl, then add two tablespoons to a tub of water. Soak for 15 minutes. Store the remaining bath mix in a glass jar at room temperature. It should keep for two months.

And if you like natural, home-made approaches to healthy skin, click here and sign up for my free series of natural skincare tips.

Chet Day
Editor, The Natural Health Circus
http://chetday.com

Tortilla Soup Recipe

I'll get to today's healthy tortilla soup recipe in just a minute.

But, first, a little fun...

Although I'm hardly what most people would call an elegant or sophisticated man, I do have moments (rare, I admit) when I like to put on some airs and dine like royalty.

Judging from the comments I receive, I know many readers of this blog are far more sophisticated than I, so, for them, I have this soup serving tip today, one that was sent in by an aristocrat in the United Kingdom, if I recall correctly:

A liner plate placed under each bowl allows you to serve bowls filled with hot or cold liquid gracefully. Use a salad plate beneath rimless bowls, and a ten-inch dinner plate beneath rimmed bowls.

The plate also gives your guests a place to put the spoon when they have finished eating, and helps to protect the table.

Since I often wash the dishes here at CasaDay after meals, you can imagine how many times a decade I serve soup with an extra plate.

Yes, you're right.

Maybe once. Twice at the most.

But the next time the Prince of Wales drops by for a bowl of soup, I'll be sure to put the above tip into action.

Speaking of action, let's make some soup, shall we?

Healthy Tortilla Soup Recipe

1 cup homemade vegetable broth plus 4 cups water - or -
1 can vegetable broth and 1 can water
1/2 medium onion, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 cup cilantro, chopped fine
1 green, yellow, or red pepper, diced
1 ripe tomato, chopped
1 can black, pinto, or mixed chili beans, drained and rinsed
2 cups frozen corn
1/2 cup brown rice
2 Tbs lime juice
Salt and pepper to taste
Tortilla chips
Optional: 2 Tbs tequila

Simmer the onion, pepper, garlic, rice, corn, and half of the cilantro in the broth and water for about 30 minutes, or until the rice is tender. Add the tomatoes and beans.

When the tomatoes are just cooked, remove from the heat and add the rest of the cilantro, lime juice, and tequila. The tequila should be allowed to evaporate for five minutes or so before serving. Salt and pepper to taste. Serve over crumbled tortilla chips.

Notes: Try sprinkling a little shredded CoJack cheese on top. You can season with sea salt. It adds a rich flavor to the clear broth.

Now, that's a healthy and tasty tortilla soup recipe.

If you have a healthy soup recipe you'd like to share, use the comment link below and type it in.

And if you'd like to subscribe to my free Amazing Soups newsletter, click here.

Chet Day
Editor, The Natural Health Circus
http://chetday.com

Healthy Snack Ideas

Let's start the new week with four quick, easy, and healthy snack ideas, shall we?

The next time you feel like you can't go another five minutes without eating, instead of chomping your molars into some nasty, high-sugar, health-compromising junk food snack, have...

• A healthy dip or nut butter and some raw crunchy vegetables.
  
  
• An avocado in a whole wheat or corn tortilla with a dash of sea salt.
  
  
• Slices of organic raw cheese and some sour fruit.
  
  
• A fresh glass of fruit or vegetable juice.

Seriously, if you followed the above four suggestions over the course of a year, you would not only satisfy your snack cravings, but you would also lose at least ten pounds... and probably more than that.

Whoa, that's great, eh?

Chet Day
Editor, The Natural Health Circus
http://chetday.com

Fruit Nut Cereal

Today I'd like to share another in the series of natural and healthy cereal recipes that I've been posting here in the Natural Health Circus.

So, without further chatter, let's get down to brass tacks with...

Nancy's Natural Fruit Nut Cereal

1/3 cup cashews
1/3 cup pecans
1/3 cup walnuts
1/2 cup raisins

Grind the above ingredients on low in your blender, VitaMix, or food processor and then dump into a bowl and set aside.

Make almond milk:

1-1/2 cup raw almonds - grind on low speed
4 cups water
3 cups ice
1/4 cup maple syrup or to taste

Add water to ground nuts and blend on high for a few minutes. Add syrup and ice and blend a few more minutes.

Place fruits from 1 or 2 below into a cereal bowl. Top with ground nuts and then almond milk.

1. Sliced bananas, chopped sweet apple, chopped dates.
   
   
2. Sliced bananas, chopped peaches and/or nectarines, blueberries, srawberries.

That's the basic recipe, and thanks to Nancy for sharing it.

Now, get creative and come up with your own variations. If you hit on a really good one, come back to the blog and share it with readers by clicking on the comment link below.

Folks, that's a healthy cereal recipe!

Chet Day
Editor, The Natural Health Circus
http://chetday.com