Workout Recovery Drink

It's ridiculous, but the cost of sports drinks seems to be rising as rapidly as gasoline pump prices.

Well, today we're going to save you some money by telling you how to make your own workout recovery drink. The recipe is easy to make and rich in nutrients. In short, you'll enjoy this concoction after all your strenuous workouts.

Edward's Workout Recovery Drink

1 Tbs sugar or honey
2 Tbs hot water to dissolve sugar or honey
Pinch of salt
2 Tbs fresh lemon juice
8 ounces cool water

Dissolve sugar or honey with hot water, add pinch of salt and 2 tablespoons of lemon juice. Add cool water and drink.

Thanks to Edward for contributing this recipe to one of my newsletters way back in 2003.

If you have a workout recovery drink recipe you'd like to share, use the "Comment" link below and start typing.

Chet "Fast Recovery" Day
Editor, The Natural Health Circus
http://chetday.com/blog

Crisp Cookie Tip

I don't know about you, but I get hotter than boiling water when I've baked a tray of cookies for a few minutes too long.

I mean, seriously, who wants to bite down on a hard cookie?

Well, today I have a great crisp cookie tip for you.

The next time you have a tray of cookies you baked a little too long and ended up with cookies that are too crisip for anyone's liking, simply put the cookies in an air-tight container with a couple slices of torn up bread (any kind).

Like magic, overnight the cookies will become chewy and soft.

This crisp cookie tip work every time, so be sure to give it a try.

If you have a good cookie tip you'd like to share, click on the "comment" link below and start typing.

Chet "I Like Soft Cookies" Day
Editor, The Natural Health Circus
http://chetday.com

Rapid Relaxation Tips

This morning I want to share two easy and rapid relaxation tips that work great.

If you're given to tightening up during the day because of stress, lack of sleep, a jerk for a boss, or any of the zillion other reasons most of us rarely relax, then try putting these tips to work.

I learned them, by the way, from a retired college psychology professor. Whoa!

Controlling Breathing

The first rapid relaxation routine involves breathing in and out nine times in three series of three breaths.

In the first series of three breaths, inhale deeply and, as you exhale slowly, say quietly or think to yourself, "Calm body." Repeat three times.

In the second series of three breaths, inhale deeply and, as you exhale, say quietly or think to yourself, "Calm mind."

In the final series of three breaths, inhale deeply and, as you exhale, say (and do) "Smile."

Five-Finger Exercise

For this rapid relaxation technique, close your eyes, take several deep breaths, and relax.

Now touch your thumb to your index finger.

As you do so, think of a time when you felt an exhilarated, healthy physical or mental fatigue, like after jogging or skiing or successfully completing an important project.

Next, touch your thumb to your middle finger.

As you touch your thumb to your middle finger, think of a time when you had a loving experience.

Now, touch your thumb to your ring finger; as you do so, think about one of your successes in life or a time when you valued praise that you valued.

Finally, touch your thumb to your little finger. As you do, go back to the most beautiful and relaxing place that you have ever been. Allow yourself to stay in that place for awhile.

Whoa, those are easy enough, eh?

Now, don't discount either of these exercises because they're easy.

Instead, be smart and try them. Right now. Don't wait. Take a couple of minutes out of your insanely busy day and try them right now.

You have nothing to lose but your squinched up, unhappy feelings!

Chet "I Try to Stay Relaxed" Day
Editor, The Natural Health Circus
http://chetday.com

Help Gas with Sitz Baths

Fall is just around the corner, and it's time for me to start adding a few blog entries every week.

To get cranked up again, I want to share something I wrote several years ago on how to use a sitz bath to cut back on gas problems.

And, no, I don't mean gasoline.

I mean nasty flatulence. Bad stinky farts.

Ugh!

Help Gas with Sitz Baths

I was passing the time the other morning, reading a paperback entitled The Natural Remedy Bible and I surprised to learn that sitz baths may provide relief from gas problems.

Of course it's best to avoid gas altogether by not eating the things that disagree with us, but, hey, most people don't choose to follow that kind of life and generally end up with some annoying gas at least on occasion.

So, the next time you splurge at the Mexican restaurant and eat the gigantic super special that contains a taco, a burrito, three kinds of enchiladas, a bowl of tripe, two tamales, and a basket of corn chips, try to ease the resulting gas problem by taking sitz baths, using the directions found in The Natural Remedy Bible:

Sitz baths are helpful for gas as well as for other abdominal ailments. Try a ten-to-fifteen-minute hot sitz bath followed by a quick cold gush to the area that was submerged; or alternate between three-minute hot and ten-second cold sitz baths, starting with the hot bath and taking each three times.

Oh, if you've never heard of a sitz bath, it involves a plastic tub that fits over your toilet or in your bathtub itself. You fill this plastic tub with water and then place your butt in it for 10 to 15 minutes.

And try to stay out of the Mexican food joints this weekend, though that's certainly something I find very difficult to do.

Chet "I Love Burritos" Day
Editor, The Natural Health Circus
http://chetday.com

Crockpot Conversions

Here are some handy conversions for my fellow crockpot cooks that I originally shared with readers of my free Healthy Crockpot Recipes newsletter...

Crockpot Conversion Chart

If original recipe calls for 1/4 to 1/2 hour, cook on Low setting for 4 to 8 hours or cook on High setting for 1.5 to 2.5 hours.

If original recipe calls for 1/2 to 1 hour, cook on Low setting for 6 to 8 hours or on High setting for 3 to 4 hours

If original recipe calls for 1 to 3 hours, cook on Low setting for 8 to 16 hours or cook on High setting for 4 to 6 hours.

Depending on your crockpot the Low setting cooks at 180F to 200F degrees, whereas your High setting is around 300F degrees.

These cooking times aren't as specific as one could hope for, but they are the best general guidelines I'm aware of to transfer from non-crockpot cooking to crockpot cooking.

Oh, one more thing, if you have any crockpot cooking tips you'd like to share, use the "Comment" link below. :)

Chet "What a Crock" Day
Editor, The Natural Health Circus
http://chetday.com

P.S. Click here for our review of the very popular and effective "Yeast Infection No More" program that's doing wonders for those with candida or yeast health issues.

Two Soup Tips

How about two quick soup tips this beautiful Thursday morning?

• Soups and stews should only simmer (never boil) when cooking.
  
  
• To remove excessive salt from soup, drop in a sliced raw potato.

Hey, here's a great idea. Put these tips to work by trying the delicious, healthy recipe below.

Curried Broccoli Soup

2 lbs broccoli
3 3/4 cups chicken stock
1 Tbs butter or vegetable oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 tsp curry powder
Pinch cayenne pepper
1 Tbs cornstarch
2/3 cup whipping cream
1/2 cup fresh watercress, finely chopped
Salt to taste

Clean the broccoli and cut it into pieces. Cover with the boiling water with 1 tsp of salt added and cook for about 15 minutes until it is tender. Drain, mash and add to the chicken stock in a heavy saucepan.

Heat the butter in a separate pan and brown the onion lightly. Add the onion to the stock. In the remaining butter in the pan, fry the curry powder and cayenne to a dark brown. Stir in the corn flour and cook to a smooth paste. Add a little of the stock to this, blending well, and return everything to the saucepan.

Allow to simmer for 5 minutes, then press all through a sieve or puree in a blender. Add more salt to taste, if needed. Chill well. Add the chilled cream just before serving. Sprinkle with the chopped watercress.

Wow, doesn't that sound delicious.

If you have a soup tip or a great soup recipe you'd like to share, please use the "Comment" link below.

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

Healthy Fruit Salad

Let's start Monday with a quick and easy recipe for a healthy fruit salad. I've been scratching my head and trying to jog my memory, but for the life of me I can't recall where or from whom I first learned of this recipe. In any event, here it is...

Healthy Fruit Salad

1 organic apple, cut up
1/4 cup blueberries or other berries
1/4 cup pineapple pieces
1 cup organic yogurt
2-3 Tbs ground flaxseed
2 probiotic capsules, mixed into yogurt

This makes a great breakfast or lunch, one serving.

Hey, if you have a healthy fruit salad recipe you'd like to share, please use the "Comment" link below to do so.

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

Stop Brain Fog Foods

Most people experience some brain fog many times during the week, especially at work in mid-afternoon. That's when they chug another cup of coffee full of caffeine and sugar or bounce over to the vending machine to purchase a "gimme a lift" candy bar.

Well, I understand wanting to have a clear head with a functioning brain in the ol' skull cavity, so today I'd like to point out a few healthy foods you can use to dissipate brain fog when it comes rolling in...

The Number One natural brain-boosting favorite heath food I've used myself and heard about over the years is organic baby spinach. This probably sounds nuts if you've never tried it, but munching a handful or two of raw baby spinach will give you a mental and physical lift like you wouldn't believe.

Other brain-lifting munchies would include sardines, tuna, turkey, and a good quality green tea. Almonds also work.

Stay away from grains... they tend to dull thinking power rather than to lift it.

That's it for this Friday.

Chet "Sharp as a Tack at 59" Day
Editor, The Natural Health Circus
http://chetday.com

Juice Diet

How does one go on a juice diet?

Well, you can find as many juice diet plans (some call it a juice fast) as you can find advocates, but, in general, they all agree on a few important steps, which I'll list below.

Before revealing the details, I should tell you I have no qualifications whatsoever as a medical expert and consequently you should check with your family physician or health professional should you choose to use any of the information that follows on juice dieting.

Those for whom a juice diet isn't appropriate:

• Diabetics in particular are generally told to avoid fasting and/or juice dieting because of possible blood sugar problems.
  
  
• Severely underweight individuals should also not go on diets such as this.
  
  
• People who fear not eating should avoid fasting and/or juice dieting.
  
  
• People on drugs, either prescribed or recreational, must check with their physician before trying the techniques that follow.

I would encourage individuals who fall into any of the above categories to consider Tom Venuto's healthy, long-term weight loss program.

Okay, with all that out of the way here are the main steps to consider for a juice diet:

1. Ease into the juice diet by spending a few days on a fruit and vegetable routine where you eat nothing but uncooked fruits and vegetables for anywhere from one to five days. Some people never get beyond this point because after eating high-quality, natural foods such as fruits and veggies for a few days they suddenly feel great again and no longer have a need to go further.

2. Some people hate the idea of living on "rabbit food" even for a few days. For those folks, move right into the juice diet. I've tried both ways and could give you good arguments for either. To make your own best decision, think about the options and then go with the one that feels right to you. Your body is constantly talking to you. Learn to listen. It'll tell you what to do.

3. Plan on going anywhere from one to three days on your first juice diet. People can live on juices alone for amazing lengths of time, but if you've never juice dieted before, just going for a few days will be most comfortable.

I still remember my first five-day juice diet. That was the one that resolved my stiffening shoulder problem for which the doctor had wanted to give me cortisone shots.

My first five-day juice diet was the experience that significantly changed my life and got me into all this natural living stuff.

4. For one to three days, eat nothing solid. Instead, when you feel hungry, slowly sip a glass of juice. What kind of juice? I like freshly extracted orange juice or grapefruit juice in the morning mixed half and half with distilled water, no more than 12 ounces total. Sip it slowly and swirl around in the mouth to properly insalivate. I'll have another glass of the same thing around mid-morning if I'm feeling hungry.

5. Around noon time, repeat step four or follow the directions in step seven.

6. In mid-afternoon, if you feel hungry, repeat step 4.

7. In early afternoon or supper time, have 8-10 ounces of freshly extracted carrot/celery/apple/squash/Romaine lettuce juice. If you don't have a juicer, purchase organic juices at your local health food store or else go to a juice bar on your way home from work. Carrot juice alone also works , though I don't recommend 100% carrot juice because of its high glycemic index rating. Dr. Ben Kim's Greens mixed in 4 ounces of distilled water or freshly extracted carrot or apple juice or even bottled apple juice also works great.

8. An hour or so before bedtime, if you're a little hungry, repeat step 4 or step 7. Keep in mind the fact that fruit juices provoke more cleansing symptoms than vegetable juices.

9. You may or may not feel hungry during your days of juice dieting. When I did an extended juice diet a few years ago, I surprised myself because I did not feel hungry the whole time I stayed on juice alone. On other occasions, I've felt slightly hungry the first few days.

The whole business of hunger is very individualized, but most people report that their hunger goes away after three days.

If you still feel hungry, look at yourself in a mirror. If you look so thin that you fear you're gonna starve, then it's time to stop and eat. Seriously, nobody's going to starve to death by consuming juices for a few days.

10. What to expect or how will you feel? Again, each of us carries a different level of toxicity and each of our bodies deals with that toxicity in a different manner.

In general, if you're very toxic, you may experience some cold-like or flu-like symptoms such as headache, runny nose, tiredness, fever, and so on. This is especially true if you drink coffee, smoke tobacco, do recreational or prescribed drugs, or consume alcohol. The body doesn't like this stuff and when it starts unloading it, you pay the piper.

If you experience symptoms, be thankful. Go to bed and get a well-deserved rest and let your body do some self-repair. Contrary to conventional thinking that encourages us to suppress symptoms of whatever ails us, the natural health model I subscribe to tells us that disease itself is the cure, that through disease (colds, flu, etc.) the body is trying to heal itself, working diligently to get rid of a toxic overload.

According to this model, if we suppress symptoms, we build deeper and more dramatic problems for ourselves in later life. Whoa, now that's a wild idea, isn't it?

Click here to read a detailed explanation about detox symptoms you can expect to experience when juice dieting or when upgrading your diet and lifestyle in general.

You can also expect to experience some very positive changes on a juice diet. Increased ability to concentrate, improved mood and sense of well-being, increased energy, less congestion, improved sense of taste and smell, and a host of other good things.

11. To end the juice diet, start with the best orange (preferably organic) you can find the morning you want to resume your regular life. Peel that sucker and get your hands into it. Break into segments and then bite down on maybe a quarter of one segment.

Lordy, lordy, you never realized in your life an orange could taste this good.

Guess what?

During your brief juice diet, your taste buds reset themselves. And they'll continue to appreciate the wonderful tastes of fruits and vegetables until you reset them again by eating spicy, sugary, processed foods.

And then, guess what?

The fruits and veggies will seem bland and not good. At least until you go on your next juice diet and reset yourself back to the way we're meant to be.

For the rest of the day you break your juice diet, eat fruits only, but don't overeat. You can resume your regular diet the next day, though I encourage you to stay away from all processed foods as much as possible.

Click here for an excellent maintenance diet that works well after coming off a juice diet.

Of everything I've learned since 1993 in my on-going search for superior health, I currently hold dearest the juice diet information I've just shared with you.

Juice dieting represents a remarkably easy and simple way to improve health.

It doesn't cost much, it's easy enough to do, and it works.

Who could ask for more?

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

Instant Energy Snack

Hey, if you're one of those people who starts dragging mid-morning and/or late afternoon at work, I have an instant energy snack idea for you today that beats the grease off the oily donuts, sticky candy bars, and sugary coffee or caffeine drinks you're probably using right now.

Why not substitute nasty energy snacks with a healthy energy snack that'll give you a better boost than any junk food, anyway?

Convinced?

Read on to learn one of my favorite recipes for...

Instant Energy Snack Balls

1 cup dried apricots
1 cup dried figs
1 cup dates
1/2 cup raisins
1 cup unsweetened coconut
1/2 cup almond butter
1/2 cup honey

Separate grind apricots, figs, dates, and raisins in a food processor. Add unsweetened coconut. Mix almond butter and honey. Combine the fruit mixture and almond butter mixture. Make into balls and chill in refrigerator.

One warning... think a bit before eating these instant energy snacks around the donut box with your colleagues.

If you do that, everyone's going to be clamoring for the recipe or, more likely, wanting to eat the ones you make when you bring them with you to work.

Finally, if you have a healthy energy snack recipe, please use the "comments" link below to share it.

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

Fat Skimming Soup Tips

I have three fat skimming soup tips for you today, which were featured in my free healthy soup recipes newsletter.

Although you won't have to skim any fat off this particular blog entry, there are many instances while making soup when you'll want to do just that. So here are three useful fat skimming tips:

1. Refrigerate cooked stews and soups overnight before serving. The fat will rise to the top and you can skim it off before heating and serving.
   
   
2. If you're in a hurry to skim the fat off a soup or stew, an ice cube floated in the soup will help to congeal the fat and make it easier to remove.
   
   
3. I've yet to try this one, but a reader recently mentioned that a leaf of lettuce dropped in a pot of soup will absorb the grease from the top.

Well, that's it for today. Three short and sweet fat skimming soup tips and I'm out of here.

Chet "No Fat Floats on My Soup" Day
Editor, The Natural Health Circus
http://chetday.com

Sunflower Seed Cookies

I don't know about you, but I've loved cookies for as long as I can remember.

The problem, of course, with loving cookies is that most of them are packed with empty calories and just plain not very healthy for the human body.

Well, today I want to share a very healthy cookie recipe that I learned several years ago from Lydia, a reader of my free cookie newsletter...

Sunflower Seed Cookies

1/2 cup pure maple syrup
1/2 cup tahini
1 1/2 cup quick-cooking rolled outs (not instant)
1/4 cup raw (not roasted) sunflower seeds
1/4 cup other nuts and/or seeds, mixed (My friend uses raisins and walnuts and then just sprinkles in some sesame seeds. I put a tablespoon each of sesame seed, pumpkin seed, millet, and pine nut.)

Preheat the oven to 350F and coat a baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray. Set it aside. Place the maple syrup and tahini in a small mixing bowl, and cream them together. Then stir in the oats and sunflower seeds, and mix well.

Drop the dough by 12 rounded spoonfuls onto the prepared baking sheet. Flatten each cookie slightly with the back of the spoon.

Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, or until the cookies are lightly browned. Let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for 5 full minutes. Then carefully loosen them and transfer them to a cooling rack using a metal spatula. Cool the cookies completely before storing them.

Yield: 2 dozen

Thanks to Lydia for sharing the great recipe. Be sure to give it a try!

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

Healthy Spinach Recipes

Since I have a recipe for spinach soup for you today, I also want to include a great one from my friend Victoria, creator of Tooth Soap. Whoa!

Even your kids will eat spinach if you serve...

Spinach for Spinach-Haters

10 ounces frozen spinach
1 clove garlic -- chopped, large clove
1 Tbs unsalted butter
1/2 cup heavy cream -- approximately
1 pinch thyme
Freshly ground pepper
1/3 cup parmesan cheese -- freshly grated, approximate
1/2 to 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
1 pinch ground nutmeg

Cook spinach as directed and drain for as long as your patience permits (squeezing it with towels to speed drying up) and set aside. Melt butter over moderate heat. Brown garlic in butter, throwing in thyme and pepper (to taste) just before garlic is lightly browned. Immediately throw in spinach and warm it up before adding cream and vinegar. Stir. When mixture starts to thicken up, add cheese and take off burner. The cheese will continue melting. Sprinkle a bit of nutmeg and give it a final stir or two.

Nice, eh?

And if you like that one, how about today's featured soup recipe for...

Popeye's Cream of Spinach Soup

1 bunch fresh spinach
1/4 cup medium onion, minced (about 1/2 medium onion)
1/4 cup celery (chopped, including leaves)
1 Tbs butter
2 Tbs flour
3 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup cream
1/4 cup medium sherry
1/4 tsp nutmeg
To taste salt, white pepper

Wash spinach carefully, and discard any thick stalks. Melt butter over medium heat. Add onion and celery and saute until onion is translucent (about 3 minutes.)

Stir in flour, add salt and pepper, and cook for 2 minutes. Add chicken stock, stirring well. Heat until it starts to boil, stirring frequently. Add spinach and simmer for 15 minutes.

Remove from heat and allow to cool for 15 minutes. Using a food processor with steel blades, or a blender, puree the mixture in batches until it is smooth with dark green flecks. Return to a medium heat, taste and correct seasoning.

Stir in cream, sherry, and nutmeg. Do not allow to boil. Serve immediately. Serves 4-6.

And if you have a spinach recipe you'd like to share, use the "comments" link below and then start typing.

Chet "I Never Missed a Popeye Cartoon Show As a Kid" Day
Editor, The Natural Health Circus
http://chetday.com

Healthy Chili Recipe

The creator of Popeye may well be in his grave, but I bet he'd jump out of it if he could for a bowl of today's healthy chili recipe using beans and veggies.

Bluto's Healthy Beans and Veggie Chili

3 cups dried kidney beans
2 Tbs olive oil (optional)
1 large onion, thinly sliced
4 garlic cloves, minced well
1 green pepper (or red or yellow), chopped coarsely
1/2 cup diced red unpeeled potatoes
1 can (10 oz) tomatoes, undrained
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 cup uncooked brown rice
5 cups water or vegetable broth
Salt to taste
Freshly-ground black pepper to taste
Grated cheese for garnish, if desired

Cover and soak beans overnight in cold water. Drain. Put beans in slow cooker. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat oil or a small amount of liquid; saute onion and garlic until soft, about 3 to 5 minutes. Add bell pepper, potatoes, tomatoes, chili powder, and the cumin.

Continue cooking, stirring frequently for about three minutes; transfer to crockpot.

Add rice and water or broth; cover and cook on LOW for 6 to 8 hours or until chili is thick and rice and beans are tender. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Garnish with cheese if desired. This recipe yields 4 to 6 servings.

I guarantee this healthy chili recipe will be a hit at your house.

Hey, speaking of healthy chili, if you have a favorite recipe that you'd like to share with others, just use the comment link below and start typing.

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

Nut Milk Recipes

I recently shared these nut milk recipes with readers of my healthy crockpot recipe newsletter, and the recipes are so good and healthy I'd want to share them with Natural Health Circus readers too. Apologies to those who get to read it twice. :)

This first nut milk recipe comes from EC...

Thanks for the Vita-Mix almond milk recipe. Almond milk is excellent.

You can do the same thing with peanuts and sunflower seeds for peanut or sunflower milk.

If you make peanut milk, try adding banana and honey, which is incredibly d'licious!

Personally, I've never tried peanut milk, but you can be sure that'll happen in the near future. My thought is to add a frozen banana (frozen without skin, of course) to the mix and end up with a banana shake. Whoa!

Now let me share the original almond milk recipe, eh?

This recipe could also be created in a good blender. It was contributed by Kathy J, and here it is...

Chet,

Take raw almonds (must be raw) and soak them in water for 1-12 hours. I put some in a little container, cover with water, and leave them in the refrigerator overnight.

The next morning, drain the almonds, put them in your Vita-Mix (or blender) with a little fresh water, and blend. By adjusting the amount of water, you can make it as thin or thick as you desire. You can use this "milk" in any recipe that calls for cow milk.

If you use a blender or want the almond milk quite thin, pour through several layers of cheese cloth. You can use the discarded almond pulp in cookies or whatever.

If you've never tried nut milks, I urge you to get off your duff and put an end to that omission because the stuff is simply delicious. And very, very healthy.

Oh, do me a favor. If you have a favorite nut milk recipe, share it with others by clicking on the comment link below. The good karma you'll generate by this act of kindness will be well worth your time and effort.

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

Sweet Potato Burritos

A lady named Karena sent me this fabulous burrito recipe many years ago, and I predict you and your family will enjoy it as much as we do.

Addictive Sweet Potato Burritos

Once you've had one - you'll want another. The recipe is a little different from most burrito recipes, but I've had many, many requests for it. Serve these with sour cream, chopped green onions, and salsa.

For vegan burritos, omit the cheese and sour cream. These may be made ahead of time, individually frozen, then heated. For an interesting variation, try deep frying these tasty burritos.

3 tsp vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
6 cups canned kidney beans, drained
2 cups water
3 Tbs chili powder
2 tsp ground cumin
4 tsp prepared mustard
1 pinch cayenne pepper, or to taste
3 Tbs soy sauce
4 cups cooked and mashed sweet potatoes
12 (10-inch) flour tortillas, warmed
8 ounces shredded cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

Heat oil in a medium skillet, and saute onion and garlic in until soft. Stir in beans and mash. Gradually stir in water and heat until warm. Remove from heat and stir in the chili powder, cumin, mustard, cayenne pepper and soy sauce.

Divide bean mixture and mashed sweet potatoes evenly between the warm flour tortillas. Top with cheese. Fold up tortillas burrito style.

Bake for 12 minutes in the preheated oven and serve.

Sounds good, eh?

If you have a favorite burrito recipe you'd like to share, use the comment link below right now.

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

Raw Apple Raisin Cookies

Let's start 2007 off properly with a delicious, healthy raw cookie recipe, shall we?

Raw Apple Raisin Cookies

2 cups sunflower seeds, soaked 4 hours and rinsed
2 Fuji apples, grated
2 large bananas
1/2 cup dates
1 cup raisins
1 tsp cinnamon
1 Tbs flax oil
1 cup walnuts, soaked 2 hours, chopped.

Process sunflower seeds and bananas through a Champion juicer with no plate (grate) or use a food processor. Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl. Spoon dough on a dehydrator tray with a teflex sheet and form into small round cookie. Place cookies close together on the sheets. Dehydrate at 105F degrees for 4 hours, turn cookies over and remove teflex sheet. Continue dehydrating until desired moisture is obtained, approximately 3-5 hours.

Happy New Year!

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

Honeydew Blueberry Soup

How about an extra soup recipe for this issue's Soup Stuff? Thanks to J. Carlson for this one.

Honeydew Blueberry Soup

A cold soup of honeydew and blueberries. Top with whipped topping, if desired.

1 honeydew melon
1 pint blueberries
6 oatmeal cookies

Cut the melon from the rind and into chunks. Puree until smooth in a food processor or blender. Pour into a large bowl and stir blueberries into pureed melon. Chill until quite cold. To serve, ladle soup into individual bowls and crumble an oatmeal cookie over each serving.

Sounds great, eh?

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

Easy Food Tips

How about four easy food tips this Friday morning?

Wrap celery in plastic wrap when putting in the refrigerator and it will keep for weeks. The less air, the longer the celery lasts.

For a variation, take a head of Romaine lettuce, dry it after rinsing, and then put in a plastic bag. Here comes the cool part. Grab a straw and stick it in the bag and twirl the top of the bag. Suck out all the air, quickly pull out the straw, and then twist the bag tight before sealing with a twisty tie.

You'll be amazed at how long celery and Romaine lettuce will remain fresh using the above technique.

Here's another food tip: brush some beaten egg white over pie crust before baking to yield a beautiful glossy finish.

And one more... Place a slice of apple in hardened brown sugar to soften it.

Let's finish with a food tip, shall we? :)

When boiling corn on the cob, add a pinch of sugar to help bring out the corn's natural sweetness.

Finally, if you have a food tip you'd like to share, click on the comment button below and start typing!

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

Healthy Chicken Soup

I have two more soup facts (and two healthy chicken soup recipes) to share with you this morning.

I bet you'll find the first soup fact pretty fascinating:

The ladies of the French court of Louis XI subsisted mainly on soup because they believed that chewing would cause them to develop facial wrinkles.

The Mayo Clinic Health Letter, in assessing chicken soup's role in relieving cold symptoms said, "Chicken soup is nutritious, tasty, inexpensive and has no known side effects."

I disagree with the Health Letter conclusion that chicken soup has no positive side effects.

Actually, there's plenty of evidence that chicken soup helps with colds and flus in an article on my website, but then, hey, a super expensive medical clinic devoted to the drug, cut, and burn model isn't going to pitch chicken soup, is it?

By the way, the article includes a medical doctor's favorite chicken soup recipe, as well as supermarket soups that effectively slow the progress of colds and flus.

Speaking of chicken soup, here are two chicken soup recipes that are so tasty they'll curl your toes.

Chicken Soup with Avocado

1 small onion, chopped coarsely
2 garlic cloves or 2 tsp chopped garlic from jar
1/2 jalapeno pepper, chopped and seeded or 1 small can chopped jalapeno
1/2 cup cilantro leaves
Leftover chicken, cubed (equal to about 1 1/2 cups)
6 cups chicken broth
4 corn tortillas or 1 cup of tortilla chips
2 firm avocados or 1/2 cup prepared guacamole dip
2 Tbs fresh lime juice

Pour a tablespoon of oil in the bottom of a large sauce pan. Sauté the onion and fresh garlic and fresh jalapeno for about 3-4 minutes. If using chopped garlic from jar add it about 30 seconds before you add the liquid. Add broth and simmer for an additional 10 minutes.

If using corn tortillas, halve tortillas and cut into 1/8 inch strips. Heat 1/4 cup oil in a frying pan. Divide strips into 3 batches and fry until golden. As they cook, remove with tongs and drain on paper towel. If using fresh avocados, pit and cut into 1/2 inch cubes. Add chicken to broth, add remaining cilantro, avocado, lime juice and salt to taste. Add canned jalapenos.

Note: If using ready-made guacamole, put a dollop in each soup plate and then ladle the soup over it. Garnish with tortilla strips or tortilla chips. 4 to 6 servings

Carrot Vichyssoise

5 cups chicken broth
6 Tbs butter
2 cups green onion, without tops, sliced
4 Tbs flour
4 cups carrots, peeled and sliced
1 tsp salt
1/8 tsp white pepper
1/2 cup sour cream

Heat chicken broth; set aside and keep warm. Melt butter, add onions and saute 5 minutes; stir in flour. Gradually add hot broth and bring to a boil. Add carrots, salt, and pepper; simmer 30 minutes. Puree in blender and stir in sour cream. Serve hot or cold; garnish with sour cream and chives.

This recipe is really easy to make and excellent served hot or cold. Make sure your blender can tolerate hot stuff or use one of those "one prongers" made by Braun or other manufacturers.

That's it for today's pitch for health chicken soups.

Chet "I Don't Pluck 'Em" Day
Editor, The Natural Health Circus
http://chetday.com

Healthy Soup Facts

Here are three interesting facts about healthy soup that you may or may not have had floating around in your brain:

There is an old Yiddish saying, "Troubles are easier to take with soup than without."

An old Spanish proverb says: "Of soup and love, the first is best."

The first archaeological evidence of someone stirring up soup for dinner dates back to 6000 BC. The main ingredient of this first-known soup? Hippopotamus Bones!

I want you to know that I searched all over the Internet for a good Hippopotamus Bone Soup but was unable to find anything that looked even remotely tasty or healthy.

For a healthy soup recipe today, however, I'll share something a lot less exotic...

Lemon Soup with Garbanzo Beans

6 cups chicken broth
1 15-16 oz can garbanzo beans -- rinsed and drained
6 garlic cloves -- chopped
1 1/2 tsp ground turmeric
1/8 tsp cumin seeds
2 large eggs
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
Pinch cayenne pepper
2 Tbs chopped fresh mint

Combine broth, beans, garlic, turmeric and cumin in large saucepan, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes. Whisk eggs and lemon juice until well-blended.

Gradually whisk two cups soup at a time into egg mixture. Return to saucepan. Stir over medium-low heat until heated through, about five minutes. (Do not boil.) Add cayenne. Season with salt. Ladle into bowls, sprinkle with mint.

Oh, one last thing. If you like soup, you'll want to subscribe to my Amazing Soups newsletter. If you click that link right now, I'll even give you a free one-year subscription. Whoa, what a deal!

Chet "Soup Slurping" Day
Editor, Natural Health Circus
http://chetday.com

Sweet Potato Recipes

I love sweet potatoes, I surely do, and in today's blog entry I'm sharing two sweet potato recipes that should do everything to your sweet tooth but extract it.

These are great recipes, and you're going to get repeat requests for them if you serve them at family dinners, believe me.

Stuffed Honeyed Sweet Potatoes

5 sweet potatoes
1/2 cup soft butter
1/4 cup light cream
2 Tbs honey
2 Tbs dark rum
1/2 tsp cardamom
1/4 tsp sea salt
2 Tbs walnuts -- chopped

Wash sweet potatoes; drain excess water. Place damp potatoes in slow-cooking pot. Cover and cook on Low 5 to 6 hours or until done. (If desired, potatoes may be refrigerated at this point, then scooped out and filled just before serving. Add about 5 or 10 minutes to baking time if potatoes are cold.)

Cut off the top third of each potato lengthwise and scoop out, leaving a 1/4-inch shell. Mash potato pulp with butter, cream, honey, rum, cardamom, and salt. Return mixture to shell. Top with walnuts.

Arrange in shallow baking sheet. Bake in 425 F oven for 15 minutes.

Whoa, that sounds pretty good, eh?

Well, our second healthy sweet potato recipe for the day is just as good, if not better:

Sweet Sweet Potatoes

2 pounds sweet potatoes -- peeled, grated
1/3 cup honey
1/4 cup butter -- melted
1/4 cup flaked coconut
1/4 cup broken pecans -- toasted
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp coconut extract
1/4 tsp vanilla

In a crockpot, combine potatoes, honey, butter, coconut, pecans, and cinnamon. Cover and cook on Low for 6 to 8 hours or on High for 3 to 4 hours. Stir in coconut and vanilla extracts.

If you like healthy, tasty, and easy-to-prepare recipes, you'll want to sign up for at least one of our free recipe newsletters. Over 100,000 subscribers enjoy our healthy recipes every week. You should be one of them!

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

P.S. If you have a sweet potato recipe you'd like to share, use the comment link below to make it part of the Internet for all eternity!

Healthy Soup Recipe

Today I'd like to share a very healthy soup recipe. It has the added benefit of being really easy to prepare. And, yes, of course, it tastes great.

Vegetable Sweet Potato Chowder

3 cups frozen corn kernels
1/2 cup carrots, diced
1/2 cup onion, diced
1/2 cup sweet potato, diced
1/2 cup tomato, chopped
1/4 cup green bell pepper, diced
1/4 cup red bell pepper, diced
1 1/2 quart water
2 1/2 Tbs soy sauce, low sodium
1/4 tsp ground pepper
1 tsp dried thyme
3 bay leaf
1/4 cup arrowroot
1/4 cup water
1 cup spinach -- chopped

Place the vegetables and stock or water in a large soup pot. Add the soy sauce and other seasonings. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for about 45 minutes.

Mix the arrowroot with the cold water and add to the soup, stirring. Add the spinach, stir, and cook another 5 minutes.

If you have a healthy soup recipe, you'd like to share, use the comment link below. :)

Oh, one more thing. If you like healthy soups as much as I do, you'll want to click here for a free subscription to my Amazing Soups newsletter. Join more than 10,000 other subscribers and receive a health soup recipe once a week!

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

Healthy Salsa Recipe

Break out the corn chips because today I want to share a healthy salsa recipe that'll disappear faster than Beep Beep's Roadrunner on steroids! Thanks for Priss Lindsey for sharing this tasty and healthy concoction.

New Mexico Ceremonial Salsa

Chet, after 40 years of perfecting salsa, this is the best!

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 throughly. 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 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 just in a bowl of beans.

Oh man, does that sound good or what?

If you have a healthy salsa recipe you'd like to share, please use the comment link below to do just that.

Happy dipping!

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

Carrot Raisin Oatmeal Cookies

Here's my favorite recipe for healthy carrot raisin oatmeal cookies that I learned many years ago from a fellow named Gerald Pedersen. Because this is an extremely healthy oatmeal cookie recipe, sugar addicts and sweet cookie connoiseurs will probably not go as hog wild over these treats as I do.

But, hey, that's tough toenails, right?

Anyway, I love this recipe, and I cook up a batch every month or two.

Gerald's Carrot Raisin Oatmeal Cookies

4 oz prunes
3 Tbs water
3/4 cup honey
1 1/2 cup shredded carrots
2/3 cup raisins
2 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
2 cup oats
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
Pecan halves

Puree prunes with the water in a food processor until smooth. Place in a mixing bowl. Stir in honey, carrots, and raisins. Add remaining ingredients except pecan halves. Mix well. Drop spoonfuls of dough on a greased cookie sheet. Flatten slightly. Press a pecan half in the center of each cookie. Bake at 275F degrees for 15 minutes or until set and just starting to brown. Remove to cooling racks. Makes three dozen.

If you have a healthy cookie recipe you'd like to share, use the comment link below, please.

And if you want to subscribe to my free cookie recipe newsletter (which features a healthy cookie recipe as well as a traditional cookie recipe each week), click here and join the fun.

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

Healthy Cabbage Salad

Today I'd like to share a healthy cabbage salad recipe that's been a big hit at CasaDay for several years. It's easy to prepare and tastes great.

Indian Cabbage Salad

2 cups thinly shredded cabbage
2 cups shredded carrot
1/2 cup crushed roasted peanuts (or substitute favorite raw nuts)
1/4 cup coconut oil (salad oil is an OK substitute)
1 hot green chili chopped
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1/2 tsp honey
Lemon juice and salt to taste

Mix everything except salt and lemon - add them only when ready to eat.

If you have a healthy cabbage recipe you'd like to share, use the comment link below.

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

Easy Vegetable Soup

Fall is in the air here in rural North Carolina, and it's about that time of the year to start seriously thinking about healthy soup recipes.

Well, today I want to share a recipe that everyone will like because it's easy to make and tasty to boot.

Really Easy Vegetable Soup

1 large can V-8 vegetable juice
1 large can Campbell's tomato juice
2 large packages of frozen mixed vegetables
1 large package of frozen green beans
1 small package of frozen lima beans
3 cans small whole potatoes, diced
1 cube beef or chicken bouillon base
1 tsp hot sauce
Seasonings to taste
Water as desired

Place all ingredients in large stock pot and simmer on low heat 3 to 4 hours. Taste occasionally and add water and seasoning as needed.

And, yes, this would work well in your crockpot too.

If you have a healthy soup recipe you'd like to share, please use the comment link below to do just that.

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

Healthy Sandwiches

Today I'd like to share some recipes for healthy sandwiches. Let's start with...

Susan's Peanut Butter and Tomato Delight

Chet, my Dad taught us to love tomatoes and peanut butter sandwiches when I was a girl and never in my life have I heard of anybody else eating it. I have tried to get people to try it and they do give you that look like you have to be nuts to put tomatoes and peanut butter together, but it really is an odd combination that tastes wonderful.

I tried Susan's suggestion, and she's right. It's a great sandwich.

Speaking of tasty healthy sandwiches, here are a few more...

Laura's Veggie Sandwich

Hey, Chet, I have a favorite veggie sandwich that makes a good lunch:

Mash 1/2-1 avocado (sometimes I squeeze in a little garlic with my garlic press and add a little celtic sea salt) and spread on two slices of bread, preferably whole grain, homemade is best.

Top with sliced tomatoes, sliced mushrooms, grated carrot, sliced cucumber, lettuce, alfalfa sprouts, and whatever other crunchy veggies I can find.

Put sandwich together and cut in half diagonally. Yum... and healthy!

Two Quickies From Barbara

Regarding peanut butter and banana sandwiches, my kids had two favorites:

Cut a "v" in a large banana and fill it with peanut butter for a healthy and delicious banana boat.

For another healthy "boat" we would...

Make tuna salad and put it in a leaf of Chinese cabbage, Boc Choy, or even a rolled Romaine lettuce leaf. This is an excellent protein sandwich with fewer carbs.

You can also fill a scooped out tomato with the tuna for a colorful, filling, and healthy lunch option.

If you have recipes for healthy sandwiches you'd like to share, please do so by clicking on the "comment" link below.

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

Weight Gain Tips

Today I'd like to share three helpful tips on how to gain weight that I learned from a bodybuilder friend named Anthony Ellis...

• To gain weight you must eat more calories than your body burns off, so EAT MORE! The most important thing that I cannot stress too much is that you need to eat to gain weight. You need to eat like you've never eaten before. (But not junk food like donuts and chips or candy.) In other words, you need a weight gain diet.
  
  
• Start eating six meals per day (space them out to about once every three hours). This is a weight gain diet used by those who know what they're doing.
  
  
• Increase your protein intake and reduce your simple carbohydrate intake. Without protein your body cannot build new muscle.

Anthony has a lot more to reveal about how to gain weight in an excellent article on my website. Click here to read that article right now.

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

Oily Skin Tip

Got oily skin?

Well, let's start this week with a natural skin care tip that'll help you sop up your excess oil.

This is so easy, you're hardly going to believe it...

Rub a crisp lettuce leaf directly on your skin to help combat the greasies. You can also use fresh lettuce juice on your face or pour some into your bath.

Lettuce juice also works well to sooth irritated and sunburned skin.

If you'd prefer to use natural skin care products for oily skin problems, I recommend the L'Bri line. Click here for details.

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

P.S. If you have a natural skin care tip you'd like to share, click on the comments link below and tell us all the details.

Apple Breakfast Bars

Let's finish off this week with a healthy recipe for...

Apple Breakfast Bars

1 1/2 cups quick rolled oats
1/4 cup whole wheat flour
2/3 cup dates, chopped
1/2 cup walnuts, chopped
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/4 cup orange juice
1 1/2 cups raw apples, shredded

Combine all ingredients. Let stand 10 minutes. Press mixture into 8" x 8" baking dish. Bake at 375F degrees until lightly browned, about 25 minutes. Loosen with spatula, and cut into bars while warm. Serve hot for breakfast.

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

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

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

Healthy Butter

Today, I'd like to share an excellent recipe for a healthy and different butter...

Karyn's Better Butter

Chet, we try to eat good, but we really enjoy butter, so I'd like to share a recipe for healthy butter that I created.

I found that if I mix one pound of good butter with half a cup of cold-pressed oil (I prefer olive oil, but it's too strong for my kid's tastes) and a half a cup of good yogurt (I use Mountain High, plain), then the mixture is more like margarine, without all the junk that's in margarine.

I let this healthy butter mixture soften and then throw it all in my Bosche food processor and whip it up good.

I usually do at least three pounds of butter at a time and add 1 1/2 cups of the oil and yogurt, and freeze part of it until we need it.

This mixture is not as fattening as pure butter but still tastes very good.

Thanks to Karyn for sharing this recipe for a healthy butter.

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

Natural Insect Bite Treatments

There are almost as many natural insect bite treatments as there are seeds in a pomegranate.

Here are a few of the more interesting home remedies for insect stings that I've run into over the years.

1. Soak the affected area with vinegar.
   
   
2. Put a cotton ball dipped in ammonia on the bite to draw out the stinger and reduce the pain and itch.
   
   
3. Smash up a clove of garlic and place the poultice on the affected area.
   
   
4. Spread some honey onto a clean cloth. Place an ice cube on top of the honey. Wrap up the cloth and place on affected area, honey side next to the bite.
   
   
5. Kill a rattlesnake and then eat some of the meat every day for the next week. (I don't recommend this one since monkeying with rattlesnakes is dangerous, but I included it anyway because it's the oddest insect bite treatment I've ever heard of.)

My personal favorite is No. 4.

Amazingly enough, the honey insect bite treatment worked wonders for me last summer when a wasp decided to kick my ass for disturbing its territory while I was mowing the lawn.

I've never tried treatment No. 5 and have no intentions of doing so in the future.

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

P.S. If you have a natural insect bite treatment you'd like to share, click on the comment link below and start typing.

Banana Recipes

One of my favorite health writers is a guy by the name of John Tobe, who, unfortunately, isn't with us any longer.

Well, that's not exactly true. He'll always be with us in the terrific books he wrote on natural health topics.

Today I'd like to share one of John's banana recipes that I enjoy very much, and I think you'll like it too.

Tope Banana Whip

2 bananas
1 Tbs lemon juice
1 Tbs. honey
1 oz. almonds

Combine ingredients in the blender and beat up into a whip. Drink and smack your lips and say, "Ahh!"

Speaking of bananas, here's a banana cookie recipe courtesy of Marilyn Schultz that you'll also like...

Date a Banana Cookies

3 ripe bananas
1 cup dates (I sometimes use raisins also)
2 cups rolled oats
1/3 cup oil
1 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350F degrees.

In large bowl, mash the bananas, stir in oats, dates, oil and vanilla. Mix well and allow to sit for 15 minutes.

Drop by teaspoonful onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 15-20 minutes (depending on your oven).

Whoa, now you have two healthy banana recipes for your files.

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

Natural Hiccup Cure

I've been collecting natural hiccup cures for years, and today I'll like to share a few of the more interesting ones with you.

When I was still teaching high school, if a student got the hiccups, I'd slowly meander my way over to where she was sitting. I'd then move behind her desk, reading a poem or leading a discussion or something, and would then bend down and yell, "Boo!" Believe me, the hiccups went away in a hurry.

A similar technique that works best with an adult male with the hiccups is to walk up to him and look him straight in the eye and then say, "I heard about you and my wife, and I don't like it one bit."

If it's a female friend or acquaintance of co-worker with the hiccups, approach them in the same serious manner and say, "I can't believe the boss fired you this morning."

Both of these techniques will stop hiccups faster than you can say, "I'll eat a bicycle seat."

Here's one I learned from Cecil, a reader of one of my free newsletters...

Reach back with your right hand and press your middle finger into your spine between the vertebra as far down as you can reach and hold for about a minute. The trick with all these remedies is to change the tension on the diaphragm muscle. So whether you are being scared or shocked or standing on your head or drinking water upside down or whatever, that is what makes it work.

Finally, I learned this one from the Internet: Go up to someone with the hiccups and say, "I'll give you ten dollars if you can hiccup again."

If you have a hiccup cure you'd like to share, use the comment link below and start typing.

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

Workout Recovery Drink

I don't know about you, but after I finish jogging or lifting weights, I can usually go for a refreshing workout recovery drink.

And of course having a nutrient-rich drink is a smart thing to do since you've just stressed your body and broken down millions of cells. At this point, you need something nutritious to help your ole bod create healthy, new cells.

My favorite post work-out cell replacer is an 8-ounce glass of freshly extracted vegetable juice composed of about two ounces of carrot juice mixed with six ounces of a combination of celery, kale, Romaine lettuce, tomato, apple, and anything else that looks good in the veggie bin.

Swirling the first mouthful of this concoction through the choppers and up and over the tongue is a taste treat that can't be beat.

Adding a little dab of hot sauce or juicing a tiny jalapeno without the other veggies (juice it first so the next user of the juice machine isn't in for a hot surprise) makes a memorable drink that will leave you smacking your lips in happiness.

So sweat up a storm with your daily exercise and then feed the cells with a fresh glass of veggie juice. What a great way to end an afternoon with a delicious workout recovery drink.

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

An Apple a Day

Modern science has reported on the health benefits of eating apples and reported that apple eating inhibits the growth of bowel and liver cancer cells in the laboratory.

Rui Hai Liu, lead scientist at Cornell's Department of Food Science, wrote in the journal Nature: "Our results indicate that natural antioxidants from fresh fruit could be more effective than a dietary supplement."

How amazing.

Research scientists continue to confirm that foods made by Nature are actually better for the human body than processed foods and supplements.

So stop at the store today and purchase a bag of apples.

Even better, visit your health food store and purchase a bag of organically-grown apples that haven't been dipped in wax.

And then eat two or three every day.

Click here to read a wonderful article that fully details the health value of apples.

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

Artichoke Facial Mask

Let's start this week with some easy directions for a healthy facial mask you can make at home.

Your skin's going to love this concoction!

To make this natural and healthy facial mask...

Mash two well-cooked artichoke hearts or two canned artichoke hearts (in water not oil) in a bowl.

Add 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon of extra virgin olive oil and 1 teaspoon of organic apple cider vinegar.

Mix well until you have a smooth paste.

Apply the mask to your face, neck and upper chest. Leave on for 15 minutes, then rinse off with tepid water. Pat dry with a soft fluffy towel.

Whoa, talk about young and happy skin!

Oh, one more thing. If you're not into making your own natural health skin care solutions, click here to learn about my favorite facial mask product.

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