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

Foot Fungus Cure

Did you know that urine can be an effective foot fungus cure?

Anyone who reads my health writings knows I have an overly-developed sense of humor, so let me preface today's natural health tip by saying that I'm not joking with what you're about to read.

With that said, I've been researching some natural foot fungus cures lately.

Well, the other day, a new suggestion came in from a friend of mine, a licensed pharmacist whose avocation lies with helping his clients by referring them whenever possible to natural solutions rather than to strong drugs.

He doesn't make as much money this way, of course, but he helps more people and makes a lot of friends, and that's what it's all about anyway, near as I can tell.

Okay, here's what my buddy told me in his letter regarding a natural cure for foot fungus:

Hey, Chet, between you, me, and the printer cable, the fastest and cheapest and most effective way to go after good ole foot fungus... your own urine. I know peeing on your feet in the shower sounds whacked, but I have used it effectively and passed it out dozens of times from behind the Prozac counter. And with a host of positive feedback.

Well, I was glad to get this fascinating suggestion from my friend because I've always been interested in urine. I mean, seriously, with so much of it coming out of us every day, how can we not be?

Although I don't have space to write an epistle on this, I do want to say that, contrary to the bad press it gets, human urine is sterile and not something filthy that we should cringe about when we mention its name.

I mean, seriously, my pharmacist friend and I aren't recommending that you drink the stuff, though people in India have been doing just that for thousands of years for apparently good reasons.

But that's another story.

Anyway, if you have a nasty case of foot fungus and want to try the easiest and least expensive home cure I'm presently aware of, pour or pee some of your own urine on the problem in the shower, let it set for a minute or two, and then wash it off. Repeat as necessary whenever you shower until the problem heals.

By the way, after reading this tip, Linda S wrote, "There is another less offensive remedy. For real. Soak a cup of corn meal in warm to very warm water for about an hour, then soak the affected area in the 'meal water.' This can be done while watching you favorite tv show in the evening. Repeat as necessary. Supposedly, two to three times in a week should do the trick."

There, now you have two natural foot fungus cures for the price of one!

And if you have a natural foot fungus cure, click on the comment link below and share it with the thousands of health seekers who read this blog at least once a day.

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