A word on Japan, the threat of Radiation and Potassium Iodide, and a Healthy Recipe

The devastating tsunami that ravaged the eastern region of Fukushima in Japan has raised a number of fears regarding the negative impacts of radiation exposure on environmental and human health.

The earthquake is estimated to have killed more than 15 thousand people.
The failure at Japan's nuclear power plant reactors has introduced talk of cesium, radioactive iodine and potassium iodide. People in North America are rushing out to take iodine pills, specifically in the form of potassium iodide, to combat the threat of radiation spreading from the nuclear concerns.

Radiation is energy that travels in waves. Some radiation is used for beneficial purposes, such as cancer treatment and nuclear energy.

However, too much exposure, or too little exposure, to nuclear radiation can cause a number of health problems, most commonly cancer. It can also create gene mutations that lead to neurological disorders such as Huntington's Disease.

Radiation exposure commonly leads to radiation sickness. Victims can take drugs that increase white cell production to help combat any infection and reduce damage to internal organs especially the thyroid. The thyroid is an endocrine gland in the neck that produces thyroid hormones. These hormones, principally Triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4), regulate the body's metabolism. Patients with thyroid problems can be treated with iodine radiation, hence the demand following Japan's nuclear disaster. Potassium iodide works when the thyroid takes it up, instead of the potentially dangerous radioactive iodine that comes from a nuclear fallout. In theory, this can protect thyroid from potential cancer due to radiation exposure. But, according to numerous experts, the threat of radiation from the crippled Japanese nuclear reactors to North America is extraordinarily low.

Iodine tablets typically work when taken before radiation exposure, or immediately after. So, in the cases of panicked North American residents, it’s unlikely that taking potassium iodide will protect them. And there are side effects as well, including inflammation of the salivary gland, allergic reactions, and gastrointestinal side effects. Worse, according to USA Today”taking the pills too late — a week after exposure — can actually cause radioactive iodine to get locked in the thyroid”. So, Instead of spending time and money to find and purchase iodine, it’s much more useful to use those dollars and contribute to the Japan earthquake and tsunami relief efforts instead.

If you wish to build up your iodine, take the following elixir created by my friend, Arden.

It tastes great and will give you lots of energy and natural forms of iodine as well as many other valuable minerals and nutrients.

Arden’s Health Elixir -

1 cup of parsley, chopped coarse
2 green onions (optional)
1 clove garlic (or less)
1 tsp. chopped fresh rosemary (optional)
1 Tbsp. fresh ginger
1 tsp. miso paste or more to taste (or 2 tsp. sole)
1 tsp. kelp powder
Juice of 1 lemon
1/4 tsp. cayenne powder
2 cups warm water (not more than 105 F)

Chop garlic, onions and ginger and put into blender along with miso, lemon juice, kelp and parsley. Blend to a smooth paste, adding a little water if needed. Add the remaining water and cayenne to taste. Blend just to mix and drink immediately.

I drink this anytime I feel a little sluggish and it perks me up right away. You can omit the garlic and onion if you'd like a milder tasting broth. This recipe is very flexible, feel free to add or remove the word "optional' wherever you wish. Folks who like spice and ginger can increase both of those to taste. It could even be made with orange juice and extra ginger but in that case, hold the garlic. Enjoy!

Sandra Butler Raw Food Chef 250-862-1158 http://raw-food-kelowna.blogspot.com/

HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY

Three things pop into my head when someone mentions “The month of March”. First, I think, “Spring is on the way” and secondly, “St Patty’s Day” and thirdly, “Green”. I don’t have a spec of Irish in me, but you would never guess that around St. Patrick’s Day. I’m just as taken with it as every good Irish friend I have ever known. One reason St. Patrick's Day might have become so popular is that it takes place just a few days before the first day of spring. One might say it has become “the first green of spring”.

Saint Patrick was the patron saint and national apostle of Ireland who is credited with bringing Christianity to Ireland. Saint Patrick is most known for driving the snakes from Ireland. It is true there are no snakes in Ireland, and there probably never have been but as in many old pagan religions, serpent symbols were common and often worshipped. Driving the snakes from Ireland was probably symbolic of putting an end to that pagan practice. Saint Patrick's Day has come to be associated with everything Irish: anything green and gold, shamrocks and luck. Most importantly, to those who celebrate its intended meaning, St. Patrick's Day is a traditional day for spiritual renewal and offering prayers for missionaries worldwide.

So, why is it celebrated on March 17th? One theory is that that is the day that St. Patrick died. Since the holiday began in Ireland, it is believed that as the Irish spread out around the world, they took with them their history and celebrations. Big cities and small towns alike celebrate "wearing of the green," music and songs, Irish food and drink.

For a raw foodist like myself, March is a wonderful time to think about “green” food. Of course, the first green food that comes to mind is a “Green Smoothie”. Green Smoothies are a major part of my everyday diet (no matter what day or month it is). With high oxygen content in chlorophyll and high mineral content in green plants, greens are the most alkalizing food that exists on our planet. By including green smoothies into our diet we can keep our bodies Ph balanced and healthy. Green Smoothies were developed by Victoria Boutenko. Victoria and her family ate 100% raw for many years when she realized that they did not seem to be receiving optimum health by eating just fruits, nuts, seed, grains and vegetables. After many months of research she concluded that they required more chlorophyll in their diet. Chewing large amounts of various greens every day did not appeal to them. After much research and a study of the diet of chimpanzees, Victoria came up with a “complete food” that tastes good and takes less than a minute to prepare.
The ratio in green smoothies is optimal of human consumption; about 60% ripe organic fruit mixed with about 40% organic greens. Add some water and blend. It’s that simple.

Green smoothies are better than juice because they contain lots of fiber. One should think of this green smoothie as a daily natural tonic and should think of it separately from any other smoothie you might prepare and drink during the day. This green smoothie can be taken at any time. However, for this “tonic” drink, stick to the basic recipe (fruit, greens, water) and make it a daily routine. Don’t add anything else such as nuts, seeds, oils, supplements or other ingredients to this smoothie and avoid using starchy vegetables. These items could slow down the assimilation of the smoothie in your digestive tract and may cause irritation and gas.
Drink this smoothie by itself, and not as a part of a meal. Don’t consume anything, even as little as a cracker or candy with it. You may eat anything you want approximately 40 minutes before or 40 minutes after you finish your smoothie. Your goal is to get the most nutritional benefit out of your smoothie.
Drink your green smoothie mindfully. Sip it slowly, mixing it with your salvia. Savor the flavour. Think about the healthy nutrition flowing through your body.

Don’t add too many ingredients into one smoothie, such as nine different fruits and a dozen different greens. Try to keep most of your recipes simple to maximize nutritional benefits and to keep it easy on your digestive system.
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If your green smoothie tastes delicious you will always look forward to the next one.
Always rotate the green leaves that you add to your smoothies. Almost all greens in the world contain minute amounts of alkaloids. Tiny quantities of alkaloids cannot hurt you, and even strengthen the immune system. However, if you keep consuming kale or spinach for example, eventually the same type of alkaloids could accumulate in your body and cause unwanted symptoms similar to toxic poisoning.

Always choose organic produce whenever possible. The absence of pesticides and toxic chemicals is only one of many benefits of organic food. The most important reason to consume organic food is the superior nutritional value of organic fruits and vegetables in comparison to conventionally grown produce.
Buy locally grown fruits and greens whenever possible and when in season or on sale. You can freeze fruits without destroying the enzymes. Cut the fruit in blender-sized pieces and freeze in “one smoothie” portions. Don’t add any preservatives to the fruit. If it changes colour a little, that’s ok, it’ll still taste awesome in the green smoothie.

Remember the KISS principal when making your green smoothies. Have fun, invent your own favorite smoothies and enjoy the great health benefits. We hope this information helps you to embrace the true nature of wearing “green” for St. Patrick’s Day. Honestly, you can say that you are wearing your green inside and out!

Here are some fun and delicious ideas for a Green Smoothie:

The Luck O The Irish
1 ½ c water
2 granny smith apples
1/2 lime, peeled
4 stalks of celery
½ small cucumber
6 – 8 leaves of romaine lettuce
small handful of dandelion greens (optional)
Place all ingredients in the blender and blend until smooth. Enjoy.


Kiss The Blarney Stone Sweet Smoothie
1 ½ cups water
2 oranges (peeled)
1 banana (peeled)
2 dates (pits removed)
1 stalk celery
A hand full of romaine lettuce (approx. 1 ½ c)

Assemble in blender and blend until smooth.

Shamrock Green Smoothie
1 ½ c. water
½ c. frozen or fresh pineapple pieces
1 fresh mango. sliced
1 tsp lemon juice
A hand full of spinach (approx. 1 ½ c)

Assemble in blender and blend until smooth.

Here’s another great recipe:
Irish Spring Fruit Compote
Kiwi, peeled and cubed
Green grapes (cut in half)
Honey dew melon, cut into small chunks
Blueberries
Fresh Mint, for garnish
Combine fruit and serve in a pretty bowl or martini glass with mint.

For more information contact:

Sandra Butler Raw Food Chef
250-862-1158
http://raw-food-kelowna.blogspot.com/

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY! CACAO CHOCOLATE!

A Word about Chocolate –The month of February is in full swing. Many of us are feeling the effects of the long winter and we are looking forward to the arrival of spring. The welcome bonus we receive in this month is Valentine’s Day. To me, this day can be summed up in one word – CHOCOLATE!

Before I became a raw food advocate, I would always feel guilty about my love for chocolate and about my apparent over-indulgence of this beautiful product. Then, in learning more about it, I came to the wonderful realization that cacao is one of the “Superfoods” (cacao is the precursor for chocolate). Yep, that’s right, chocolate: that oh-so-indulgent treat that makes women around the world swoon. But it’s not the milk chocolate candy bar or the box of chocolate-covered cherries that I’m referring to. It’s the dark and cacao powder varieties that work best.

Cacao was given the name of Theobroma by Linnaeus. The word literally means food of the gods because of delicious tastes of its seeds that left anyone who ate it at a loss for words.

The preparation of Cacao is actually pretty simple. First, the beans must be ground into a form of a paste with the use of hot rollers. With the hot rollers, some sugar is mixed in and a little bit of starch, removing some of the Cacao’s fat. Preparing Chocolate is quite similar except that the fat is kept instead of removed.
What are its medicinal uses?

Cacao is famously used as an ingredient in cosmetic ointments and also in various pharmacies as coating for pills and suppositories. Aside from its coating purposes, Cacao also has emollient properties that make it effective in softening and protecting chapped extremities and lips.

Want your cough remedy to be safe and pleasant tasting? Then choose dark chocolate and get relief. Dark chocolate's theobromine has been proven to be more effective than over-the-counter remedies and codeine. But it has shown none of the unwanted side effects, making it a better, safer cough remedy. It sure tastes a lot better than the usual medicine too.

Research has shown that it is more effective than the common remedies dextromethorphan and codeine. Compared to codeine, theobromine was about 33% more effective. It acts to suppress the nerve responsible for coughing.

Without the unwanted side effects, it's safe to use while driving or operating heavy machinery. It has the potential to be the source of new, safer cough treatments.

Dark chocolate and cacao powders are rich in flavonoids, which have been shown to lower your risk of cardiovascular disease and lower your blood pressure. So when you choose a chocolate bar with a higher cocoa percentage (higher than 70%), you are also getting more flavonoids and helping your heart stay healthy. In fact, a recent study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine found that women who ate one serving of chocolate per week (about one ounce) were 60 percent less likely to die from heart disease. Also, their levels of carotid atherosclerotic plaques (the stuff that clogs the artery in your neck, which supplies your brain with oxygenated blood) were significantly lower.

However, many chocolate manufacturers process the treat over and over again, causing the chocolate to lose some of its antioxidant properties. And white chocolate has no flavonoids whatsoever; it’s made with no cocoa solids at all, only cocoa butter and sugar at its basic level. But don’t rush out, grabbing for all the dark chocolate you can get! Women who ate chocolate every day had comparable results to those that ate it once per week.

Remember: moderation is key and the darker the better. If chocolate is not your thing; there are other foods rich in flavonoids, too. Try some red wine, tea, cranberries, and apples.
As for me, I'm planning to test dark chocolate on my next cough. I'm ready. I've got some Chocolate Truffles right here on my desk. Wait a minute...my throat's feeling a little irritated, could be a cough developing. Don't want it to take hold. Better pop some chocolate in. A-h-h-h-h-h...that's better.

OK! Here’s a recipe for CHOCOLATE TRUFFLES – ENJOY!

Chocolate TrufflesRecipe modified from a Raw Rose recipe
• 1/2 cup of sesame seeds (or any other nuts you have on hand)
• 1/2 cup pumpkin seeds (or any other nuts you have on hand)
• 1/2 cup of medjool dates (or other dates)
• 1/8 teaspoon sea salt
• 4 tablespoons raw carob powder

Process the nuts in the food processor. Keep processing them until you can’t see the nuts anymore, but stop processing before they get too soft looking.
Add the dates, seasalt and carob powder. Process again until everything is well mixed and clumped together.

Roll the balls in your hand and form balls. Some people like to roll completed truffles in goji berries, coconut, cocoa powder.

As Raw Rose suggests, these are also delicious if you crumble a truffle or two on top of sliced bananas or other chopped fresh fruit.

Sandra Butler
Raw Food Chef
250-862-1158
http://raw-food-kelowna.blogspot.com/

Can Chemicals Be Washed Off Produce?

Can Chemicals Be Washed Off Your Produce?

posted by Maria Rodale Feb 10, 2011 6:01 am

I often get asked if you need to buy those produce washes to clean off your fruits and veggies, especially if they are not organic. My gut instinct has told me two things: One, a little bit of soap and water works just as well, and doesn’t cost much. And two, I have always suspected that you can’t really wash those chemicals off. It’s both good and bad to know, now, that I was right.

A recent study of soybeans reported in Beyond Pesticides Daily News Blog, done by the University of Toledo, shows that the chemical triclosan—a pesticide used in antibacterial products; remember, I have said never to use them!—actually runs off into water and the waste materials that are used to treat the crops (if they’re not grown with organic methods). The triclosan is taken up in all parts of the plant, including the bean. So, the chemical is INSIDE the plant and can’t ever be washed off.

How organic farming can heal our planet, feed the world, and keep us safe

How many times do I have to tell y’all to eat organic?!

What’s actually most frightening, though, is that once the water is contaminated with our chemical waste, even organic farmers will have a hard time keeping their plants clean and pure. There is only one solution: to stop buying chemical food and stop using chemicals in your life.

In an ironic twist, a new update from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention finds that rich people apparently have the highest levels of triclosan in their blood, and adults have more than children. Why? Probably because rich people can afford all those antibacterial products that contain triclosan, and are often obsessed with hygiene. (At least, the adults are…you know how hard it is to get a kid to wash his or her hands!) Remember, those antibacterial products kill both the good and the bad bacteria, and we need bacteria to live. Killing the good guys make the bad guys even badder.

Growing evidence that chemical agriculture is killing us

So, here is my advice:
1. Don’t ever buy a product that says antibacterial on the label (unless it’s vinegar, or something natural and nontoxic like that).
2. Always buy organic food!
3. Always wash your fruits and vegetables before you eat them—just plain water works best.
4. Always wash your hands and your kids’ hands with just plain soap and water.
See what harmful chemical the FDA is considering putting in your mouth


Read more: http://www.care2.com/greenliving/can-chemicals-be-washed-off-your-produce.html#ixzz1DgT8u22iR


Sandra Butler
Raw Food Chef
250-862-1158
http://raw-food-kelowna.blogspot.com/

Raw Food Recipe - Classic Winter Salad

Raw Food Recipe - Classic Winter Salad
Shaved Fennel with Blood Oranges,Pomegranate, and Pinenuts

Serves 4
A classic winter salad to begin with, this dish is made both texturally and visually intriguing by the sweet and sexy addition of pomegranate seeds. The optional addition of paper-thin red onion slices and an oil and lemon dressing makes a lot of sense; the sharpness of onion works well with the sweet combo of fennel and pomegranate and the creamy contrast of sharp cheese.

2 large fennel bulbs, trimmed
Juice of 1 lemon
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 large blood oranges, peeled and segmented
1 cup fresh pomegranate seeds
Salt and pepper
1/2 cup ground pinenuts or macadamia nuts (optional)

Use a mandolin or sharp knife to slice the fennel as thin as possible. Place the fennel slices in a bowl and toss with the lemon juice and olive oil. Add the blood orange segments and pomegranate seeds, season to taste with salt and pepper; and toss gently to mix.

Arrange the fennel salad on 4 individual plates. Sprinkle ground pinenuts over the top of each plate and serve.

Mario Batali Simple Italian Food:
Recipe adapted from "My Two Villages"
By Mario Batali

Sandra Butler
Raw Food Chef
250-862-1158
http://raw-food-kelowna.blogspot.com/

Upcoming Classes for February

"OUT OF MEXICO" RAW FOOD CLASS is back for FEBRUARY 8 and 22. 

You will learn how to make a healthy (virgin:>) margarita and some very simple to prepare, but extraordinary "wraps" that can be utilized in many, various ways; as well, a quick to prepare, healthy dessert that you can enjoy for breakfast, if you choose and not feel one moment of guilt; and much more! 

This is a new, fun class well worth the investment of $45.  (Obtain a 20% discount if you bring a friend - your friend gets 20% off also).

Time:  6 p.m. - 9 p.m.

Location: 

1009  Lawrence Ave.

Phone (250 862-1158 or 250 470-1158) or email sandrabutler@uniserve.com for reservations

Space is limited.  Book now!

Pay in advance by Visa, M/C, Cheque or Cash 

Sandra Butler Raw Food Chef 250-862-1158 http://raw-food-kelowna.blogspot.com/

Raw Food Recipe - Stuffed Mushrooms

Raw Food Recipe - Stuffed Mushrooms

1/3 C pine nuts
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/3 C fresh cilantro, packed leaves, chopped
1/3 C fresh basil, packed leaves, chopped
1 T lemon juice
1 C tomato, chopped
2 T Nama Soya or to taste

Put all ingredients into a food processor, except the tomatoes, and pulse chop several times.

Stop to scrape down the sides and repeat. Add the tomatoes and continue to pulse chop until just blended.

Keep the texture to pesto, it should not be a puree. Remove stems from mushrooms and stuff the filling into the cap of the mushroom.

Place on a dehydrator sheet and dehydrate at 105 degrees for 2-4 hours.

Sandra Butler
Raw Food Chef
250-862-1158
http://raw-food-kelowna.blogspot.com/