A Few of My Favorite Go-To Resources

I’ve culled the data and checked them out so you don’t have too!

Healthy Living Guides and Resources

• Environmental Working Group (EWG) - Wow! they have done and continue to do a fantastic job of reporting on foods containing fewer pesticides (the annual dirty dozen list), clean water, non-genetically modified foods, less toxic skin care products and more. www.ewg.org

• Diet Inflammatory Index (DII Screen) - this is a free app to assess the pro-inflammatory status of your typical diet. This baseline assessment or screening of the foods you typically eat will give you a DII score to help you understand your risk of health conditions associated with food choices and chronic inflammation.

• Mediterranean Diet - Oldways is a non-profit food and nutrition group that provides research, articles, an eating plan, and recipes, helping folks live longer happier lives.

Kitchen Tools and Appliances

• Blender - To date, Vitamix is still my favorite high speed blender. DIY your own nut butters, flours and nut/grain milks. Blend up soups, smoothies and more with ease. My hubbies smoothie of the week right now is blueberry, fresh lemon juice and a small chunk of red beet.

• Juicer - I have an Omega 8006, it’s great, if you have one there is no need to change. But fast forward, there is a new kid on the block. If you are buying a juicer, you might check out the Nama J2. It is a bit easier to load and clean which saves precious time. At my house anything that saves time means I will use it way more. It’s a win-win investment, more time, better health. They are both great and each has its own advantages!

• Water Filter - After several years, I still really like the Berkey Water Filter. It is stainless steel, gravity filtered and tastes clean. We fill it up with tap water and enjoy listening as it drips through. It is easy to clean, portable and affordable to replace filters.. You can even take it camping!

For more on equipping your kitchen and stocking your pantry, see my Essential Guide, to become a more Resilient You.
And last but not least, here is one more thing, I think everyone should visit a thrift shop or garage sale and buy a beautiful vase that makes you happy to fill with shrub stems, flowers and herbs. Every glimpse of something beautiful is healing.

My Apothecary Staples

Always consult your doctor before beginning any new nutritional formula. Next, it is very important to only buy very good quality formulas, free of unwanted “tag along” ingredients and manufactured properly to maintain optimal nutrient form and absorption.

Hibiscus Tea - Of 280 beverages studied for antioxidant levels, hibiscus tops the list, even above green tea. Hibiscus is reported in numerous studies to aid in lowering blood pressure.

Ginger Tea - Considered to have “bitter” properties, ginger aides healthy digestion. Ginger is known to reduce nausea, is highly anti-inflammatory and also useful in cancer prevention. Our early ancestors would enjoy a cup of ginger tonic or tea before meals to stimulate digestive juices.

Holy Basil - Love this well studied herb known to lessen the cortisol response to daily stressors. Tulsi Tea is one of my go to favorite ways to enjoy Holy Basil sometimes called the queen of herbs. I also grow holy basil that may find its way into my smoothies, water glass or cut and dried for winter teas.

Matcha Tea - Matcha tea is made from the finely ground powder of the leaves of the same shade grown camilla sinensis bush that green, black and oolong teas are also made from. Rich in antioxidants and EECG, 1-cup matcha tea is thought to equal to the benefits of 17-cups of green tea, WOW! Studies have shown both matcha and green tea to be useful in many areas of health, including anxiety, diabetes, gut healing, cognitive decline, bone health and cancer prevention.

Marshmallow Tea - Calming and healing for the entire gut / intestinal mucosal lining. Right now, I order from Mountain Rose Herbs.

Multiple Vitamin - A good quality multiple vitamin covers many bases, decreasing the total number of formulas needed. Innate Response Formula is 2-tablets per day formula for Women or Men. I like the idea of splitting the dose to one with breakfast and lunch or dinner. Premiere Research Labs brand Multiple Vitamin is also a very good choice for many - 2 with breakfast and 2 with lunch.

Mushroom Blend - I weave lots of cooked mushrooms and a mushroom blend extract through my life. Good to know fact… studies report that eating 2 mushrooms per day cuts breast cancer risk for women by as much as 50%. Mushrooms make the list of the top handful of foods known to help prevent cancer. I use Host Defense brand Community Blend extract.

Omega-3 Rich Oils - For now, I am still eating low mercury wild fish such as salmon, sardines, anchovies, or cod twice a week. For folks that do not eat fish, algae oil is recommended. Good to know fact… fish eat omega-3 rich algae which is why fish is rich in omega-3 oils.

Turmeric - An absolute essential for so many things. Turmeric helps rid cancer cells, it is anti-inflammatory (meaning it helps near everything) and is indicated in heart, brain, gallbladder and liver health. I add turmeric in my curry, in my smoothies, on avocado toast and in tea. This is good to know… 1-teaspoon of good quality turmeric is equivalent to approximately 325 milligrams turmeric supplement. I most often use Premier Research Labs Turmeric because it is affordable and uses the whole root and oils. Yes and yes, the synergy of the whole turmeric root is very beneficial. I include it with meals that contains oils or pepper since both are known to aid absorption of turmerics rich compounds including curcumin. The other brand I use often is Organic India Turmeric Ginger formula. For some I use both the whole turmeric and a separate curcumin. Do note that studies indicate that the synergy of all the compounds in whole turmeric is important to add to a separate curcumin.

Vitamin D - The sunshine vitamin is also found in fatty fish, mushrooms, egg yolk and fortified foods. This is another vitamin that depending on your recent vitamin D lab may be wise to supplement, especially if you are unable to get about 15-20 minutes natural sunshine daily.

Barley Grass - I keep barley greens in my frig for the days I am not eating enough veggies and leafy greens. Barley grass is rich in chlorophyll, vitamins and minerals including vitamin E, K and calcium, along with antioxidants including bioflavonoids, polyphenols and SOD. Look for a certified gluten free barley grass powder.

Bone Health Formula - So we know that our body prefers food based and plant based sources of calcium. Beyond eating a diet rich in bone supporting nutrients, many benefit from a bone health formula to support a healthy diet for strong bones. Current research supports plant based formulas.