Chia is more than a pet

Chia growing

My dear friend Angie can’t eat wheat, dairy, soy,
Nor can she eat foods containing, flax, tomatoes, macademia nuts, peanuts, drink beverages containing acai, and host of other things.
But Angie likes Chia.
I introduced her to Chia the other day.  She had missed it when Dr. Oz talked about the health benefits of chia seeds on “Oprah.” Now Angie says the song from the commercial for Chia Pets goes through her head all the time.

What makes the Chia Seed the super food that many claim it to be?
*Great source of Omega 3 and 6 oils
*You don’t need to grind Chia seeds to get benefits
*Hydrophilic: Chia seeds absorb the water we drink, holding it in our system longer
*Studies show they slow the rate at which our bodies convert carbohydrate calories into simple sugars - may have benefits for diabetics.
*Using a dose of Chia in water can help dieters feel fuller, so fewer calories are ingested
*High in fiber and healthy oils - Chia can be a great addition to a detoxification program.

100 grams of Chia or 3.5 oz. are:

*A source of magnesium equivalent to 53 oz of Broccoli•
*A source of iron equivalent to 10 oz of Spinach
• A source of foliate equivalent to 2 oz of Asparagus
• A source of fiber equivalent to 4 oz of bran
• A source of calcium equivalent to 23 oz of Milk
• A source of potassium equivalent to 6 oz of Bananas
• A source of omega 3 fatty acids equivalent to 28 oz of Atlantic Salmon
• A source of antioxidants equivalent to roughly 10 oz of blueberries

CHIA facts

• Is a complete, whole and natural food not a supplement.
• Has thousands of years of Safe historical human consumption (Chia seeds)
• Is 100% Cholesterol free and Trans Fat free
• Is Not Genetically Modified (GMO)
• Contains significant amounts of quercetin antioxidants that aid in reducing inflammation
• Is one of the highest overall antioxidant containing foods (ORAC 1680 pr 22g) more thanblueberries and prunes
• Is gluten free, and can be eaten by people suffering from celiac disease.
• Is certified Kosher
• Is a perfect digestive aid, creating better assimilation of food and excess stomach acids
• Is A Dieters Dream – Fat replacement- food extender and creates a full satiated feeling.
• Encourages healthy and gentle bowel elimination
• Enhances energy levels and extends endurance
• Prevents dehydration and aids in electrolyte balance
from: http://www.culinarycaregiver.com/page/1267702

To take as supplement…..
Mix 15g (1.5 Tbsp) Chia seed with 8oz water in a clean jar.  Close the lid, and let stand, shaking periodicaly for a few minutes until the chia seed becomes evenly suspended, then drink.
(from “Greens+” brand Chia supplement)

To take in food…….
There are a host of recipes for incorporating Chia seeds into your diet.  A search on google will yield ample results.  I go for the “Chia raw recipes” such as are found at: http://www.naturalnews.com/022468.html

The Maligned Oil

Coconut oil is one of the most misunderstood and maligned of oils. The bad rap is changing, however, as indicated by the presence of numerous brands of virgin coconut oil available on the market. I am here today to contribute to the cause of dispelling unhelpful and unhealthful myths.

First I must say that oil in general is misunderstood. Most of the oil consumed by Americans is very unhealthy, but is thought to be healthy. Oils that are avoided by the general public are often the most healthy. This is probably due to marketing more than anything else. One huge point of misinformation is around the processing of oils. Most virgin oils - “virgin” means first cold pressing - are nothing like their heated counterparts. They are much more beneficial. Don’t waste your time on the heated stuff.

The virginity question is the crucial missing point in the studies showing that coconut oil is a “bad” saturated fat. The studies referred to in reports putting coconut oil in the “bad” catagory of good and bad oils and fats were carried out using heated, even hydrogenated coconut oil. Now you may remember my article on margarine and hydrogenated oils: hydrogenated = very bad. To lump this processed junk into the same category as the beautiful virgin stuff is a crime.

For scientifically minded, read this abstract on a study showing that virgin coconut oil reverses the tendency to make plaque.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/14608053?dopt=Abstract

Recent reports discuss the dangers of trans fats. Why do we constantly trust that products we find on the market must be safe, when we constantly find that the reverse is true? One day margarine is safer than butter; the next day butter is healthier than margarine.

Too much is left to marketing, not enough on testing, tradition, common sense, good taste. Italians don’t eat 100% olive oil; they eat 100% extra virgin olive oil.

Coconut oil has been associated with weight loss, heart health, healing, benefits to diabetics, and skin care. The chain of molecules in coconut oil are medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs). They burn up quickly in the body.  

The reason the fat in coconut oil burns (metabolizes) quickly is that the body treats its MCTs in a completely different way than it treats other fats.  LCTs (long-chain triglycerides) are slow to metabolize, so that they are more easily stored as fat.  In contrast, MCTs burn rapidly for energy use, and thus are far less likely to contribute to fat storage.

Informative links:
http://www.westonaprice.org/knowyourfats/coconut-oil-studies.html
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0XUK/is_/ai_n17213451
A whole book on the subject: The Coconut Oil Miracle by Bruce Fife and Jon J Kabara.

You can find organic virgin coconut oil in health food stores and through online resources, such as on my raw foods page: click on “raw food store” from here.

Beyond the Neti

Breakfast at Stefanie’s reader Adam asked: Do you have any remedies for sinus-y itchy throat & cough stuff?
I have a neti pot, he said.

I said, well, this is what I find works great. It might not be for everyone!

I like to use the nasal spray bottles — I think it works better than the neti for healing sinus trouble, cough, irritated throat. The salt water has a chance to rinse over the whole sinuses.
normally the neti pot just rinses over one area and doesn’t get deep in there.

For simplicity I get a nasal spray product in a bottle that can be opened and emptied. Like from, say, Walgreens - they have a “salt solution” or “saline solution” which has a bunch of chemical stuff in it. I pour it out and add a salt solution using good quality salt. A dropper bottle will work, too, but you have to use 3 droppers full on each side. I think “Real Salt” from Whole Foods might be okay and not so expensive. Or salt sold for use with the Neti pot, or what you will. Don’t ever use “regular” commercial processed salt.

The solution should be very salty to the taste, but not, like, over the top salty. (start with no more than 1/4 tsp salt to 1/3c water) Pour it into your nasal spray bottle. Using warm water is best, but not absolutely necessary.
Here is what I do: I take my bottle with salt mix and lay down on my back. I tilt my head back.
Then I squeeze some solution into my sinuses, breathe through my mouth, and tilt my head to one side, then the other side. I then sit up and blow my nose (have my hanky handy).

If you have too much salt it will be very uncomfortable and may cause a little bleeding of the tissues. Just dilute a little and try again about an hour later if this happens.

If it hurts it’s too strong.  
If it isn’t salty enough, it won’t have any noticeable result. 
If it is merely uncomfortable and salty you got it just right.

If congestion is really bad, do a few rinses — you will proably notice improvement after a couple of hours. I noticed that when there was a lot of congestion, the salt water kind of sat and mixed and started to loosen it up, and in about an hour I had salty nose blowing going on. What a relief!
Do this a couple or a few times depending on how bad your condition is.
The salt water that drips into your throat will relieve some of that throat pain
It should relieve the cough too.

Last night my mother called me and mentioned she was just not quite getting well from the flu. She had a cough that wouldn’t go away. I mentioned the salt water rinses. Now, you should know that my mother is a scientist and she doesn’t put up with rumours about this or that remedy. She wants the hard science. She couldn’t believe that this would help her cough, because she was unaware of any congestion or post nasal drip. Rinsing the sinuses shouldn’t help as far as she could see. However I have noticed when I am recovering from allergies and illnesses that sinus congestion dries up, but causes a lot of irritation. Sometimes even a very sore throat, laryngitis, or a lingering cough.

I was rooming with a dancer named Sam for work on a show in New York. Cold and flu season. Sam had a bad cold, and the cough was not only bad, but was keeping her awake. She didn’t really want me to try to pour salt water in her nose (I didn’t have a bottle handy, so I was figuring out how to use a paper cup). But she did get some relief for her cough by gargling with warm salt water (I did have salt with me). A few days later she recounted our salt water story to her mother. Her mother, in a rich Long Island accent had said, “Well, that girl knows what she is talking about! You should listen to her!”