Dead Bug Soup!

You know it's creepin' around your job because you hear the coughing and the hacking at your coworker's desk...
Your know your kids have been exposed because they come home from school with a scratchy throat and the sniffles....
You then realize you're tired and achey and already your thought process has shifted into the fear of getting sick. In a mild panic you reach for a bottle of cough medicine and a can of chicken noodle soup and....
STOP!
Take a breath and relax! Getting worried about getting sick actually increases your likelihood of getting sick!


Did you know the body's response to stress is exactly the same whether you are running for your life from a bear in the woods, angry and stuck in traffic, or worried about a sickness ruining your weekend plans? It's called the Sympathetic Nervous System and it kicks in when we're in panic mode. The body naturally shifts into the "fight-or-flight" response when we are worried about our survival, whether in the face of a life or death situation or concerned about the common cold.


So, rather than residing in this state of unnecessary panic, creating a more difficult time warding off colds and flus, we can CHOOSE to stop, take a few deep breaths, and slow ourselves back down, thus shifting us into the state of "rest-and-relax", the calming function of the Parasympathetic Nervous System.


In addition to settling our racing mind and finding a calming breath, we can nourish and support the body's response to foreign invaders by preparing a tasty, healing soup. Homemade-with-love food, especially soups, are some of the best and most comforting medicine of all time. Here's my easy-peasy-impossible-to-screw-up-basic-soup-recipe to keep the icky-sicky away!


DEAD BUG SOUP
Keep in mind this recipe is a good starting point for creating your very own healing soup. Only YOU know what you like best, what tastes best, and what will heal your soul! Don't worry about exact measurements and have some fun experimenting with various herbs, spices, and vegetables!


Gather the following ingredients: ALWAYS CONSIDER LOCAL, ORGANIC INGREDIENTS FIRST!


* 12 c. broth (any kind, but even better is to make your own!)
* 2-3 sticks of Astragalus Root (available at my favorite herb shop Desert Sage Herbs, if you're in the Phoenix valley; or check out Mountain Rose Herbs online)
* 5-10 garlic cloves, depending on your tastes
* a big ole chunk of fresh ginger root
* 2 c. kelp, kombu, sea palm, or any other tasty seaweed vegetable (check out Maine Coast Sea Vegetables)
* 1 leek
* 1 package Shiitake mushrooms
* 1 bunch Lacinato kale, or any other dark leafy green you prefer
* 1 bag frozen broccoli florets
* Soy sauce
* 1 T. Miso paste (the lighter the color the more mild it is....for this I chose White Miso)
* optional...sea salt, lemon juice, lemongrass, coconut milk, hot chile sauce, and any other intriguing herb or food that suits your fancy

1. Pour broth into a large cooking pot. Here's my nice thick, dark, and nutritious homemade "bone broth". I'll post on this in the future because it's economical, delicious, and a really great source of calcium!
Add the Astragalus Root (sorry no pic!) and bring to a gentle simmer, cover and allow the herb's immune-supporting properties to steep into the broth for about 15 min. You can choose to keep the sticks in and avoid eating them, chew on them anyway because it will only help rather than hurt, or pull them out of the pot and discard.

2. Meanwhile, crush, peel, and mince the garlic cloves, allowing for the garlic to sit and rest for at least 5 min. before tossing into the simmering pot. This crucial step allows for the enzyme allinase to activate and metabolize alliin into alicin, the most biologically active compound in garlic. This compound doesn't exist until garlic is bruised or crushed, so let the magic happen! Here we find anti-fungal, anti-microbial, anti-septic, and anti-bacterial properties that help fight off infections.

3. Along with the garlic, add the fresh ginger. First peel, then slice or grate into pieces. I'd normally use 3 times this amount but my refrigerator stock told me otherwise. Get spicy with it! Ginger supports healthy digestion and the ability to breakdown and metabolize dairy products. Speaking of which, avoiding dairy in general, but especially during times of being sick or run down is very wise. Dairy=mucous and mucous=snot, phlegm, and sluggish digestion. EW!
Ginger also wards off intestinal invaders, supports circulation, can help break a fever, and is anti-inflammatory.

4. Next, wash and chop the Shiitake mushrooms into slices. I like to keep em thick and meaty, but for those who don't prefer the texture of mushrooms, slice em thin for compliance. Shiitake is revered for her anti-cancer and anti-tumor properties, as she works to support the immune system. Eating medicinal mushrooms like Shiitake and Maiitake regularly may reduce your risk for cancer and keep you healthy while others are sick.

5. Add small chunks or bite-sized pieces of kombu (pictured here) or  another sea vegetable you want to try. For ages coastal peoples around the world have included seaweeds into their diet because of their unique, delicious flavor and high iodine content which supports a healthy functioning thyroid, thus supporting the endocrine system and hormone production. Also a good source of minerals and helpful for balancing blood sugar, these oceanic friends help curb salty-chip cravings. Sea vegetables are a very, very important element to a balanced diet. They're easy to toss into soups, casseroles, salads, can be baked lightly as a substitute for chips or other salty snacks, and of course we all know Nori, a staple in sushi! YUM!

6. Cut off the ends of the leek, cut lengthwise down the middle, rinse the  debris between the layers, and chop into half-moons. Add to the soup! 

The sacred geometry present within plants is incredible! The Doctrine of Signatures show us that leeks are just glowing with healing for the eyes and blood vessels!

7. Wash, dry, and tear the kale off it's thick stem and into bite-sized pieces. Toss 'em in! The benefits of kale are ridiculously huge. As stated in my first blog entry, it's one of my favorite foods. Kale, along with most other dark leafy greens, is high in calcium, magnesium, potassium, and a slew of other vitamins and minerals. Plus you get that healthy fiber that keeps our bowels a movin'! Colon health.....check!

8. After about 10 min. of low-cooking, at this point you can choose to let the soup continue to meld it's flavors or plan to eat right away, in which case you add the broccoli. Adding it too soon will cause it to become a bit mushy, which is ok if you're planning on that. Otherwise, add it toward the last few minutes of cooking to preserve some of the vegetable's stability.

I personally choose the frozen route for this particular soup because it's easy to stock up on frozen organics to have ready for whenever the bugs are floating around town. Just open up the bag and add to the soup....easy peasy! An interesting note, broccoli contains more bioavailable calcium than milk or calcium supplements combined! Along with essential vitamins and minerals, broccoli is one of our super-foods!

9. Once you're getting ready to eat, add some soy sauce. I prefer a gluten-free product such as the one above. Adjust to taste. This is also when you can choose to instead add sea salt and lemon, hot chile sauce, coconut milk, more garlic, or more garlic. Did I mention more garlic? :)

10. Finally...like the icing on the proverbial cake, we invite beloved MISO into our soup. Miso is essentially a fermented soybean paste. Even though I advocate for avoiding soy-based products in general, the ones we are using in this recipe are minimal or of proper preparation for good health, as is miso. Here we find really great digestive support through active, alive food. Dissolve the miso into the soup once you've turned off the heat as to not destroy the precious raw food that it is. No need to ever cook miso! You'll find high-quality miso in the refrigerator section of your favorite natural foods grocer. 

And there ya have it....Dead Bug Soup! Eat this until it's gone, or freeze the rest for a cold, rainy day, and be well!
"Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food!" -- Hippocrates

super-duper skin healer!

I recently finished an experiential Materia Medica on the plant Calendula officinalis, otherwise known as Calendula or Pot Marigold. Essentially, the assignment was to research the plant and spend at least 30 days taking the plant in various delivery systems, experiencing firsthand the medicinal effects. I thought I'd share some information and personal observation from this incredibly useful plant....

Calendula - joyful, cheerful, my BFF!

Calendula is a beautiful flower in the Asteraceae family, with bright yellow and gold petals that just scream sunshine and happiness. Just admiring her beauty makes you feel awesome! She's not to be confused with the decorative landscaping variety of Marigolds, however. The flower heads are what we use in herbal medicine, in the form of teas, tinctures, infused oils, salves, creams, and more! Within Calendula's beautiful flowers we find :
anti-inflammatory, anti-septic, anti-viral, anti-fungal, and astringent actions. Not only is Calendula all this, she's more! She helps with the lymphatic and immune systems, and also supports the gall bladder, liver, and provides vitamins and minerals.

Although she's great in so many ways, her sterling reputation comes from her amazing ability to heal the skin and expedite external wound healing. Calendula encourages the formulation of granulation tissue, which is an essential part of the body's natural healing process. Last year I was in a pretty nasty motor scooter accident which left a gnarly gaping hole on my knee, exposing the bone. EW! I will provide a detailed post (with photos) in the near future....trust me, you won't want to miss that one! It was almost a miracle how I healed that wildly offensive wound using botanicals instead of plastic surgery!

Using the dried flowers, you can easily prepare your very own Calendula oil that can be used to treat scrapes, burns, cuts, bites, dry skin, eczema, psoriasis, acne, scars, and any almost any other type of external wound or abrasion. The oil is also lovely as part of a salve or cream recipe. (I'll post a recipe for this in the near future too!)

HOW TO MAKE YOUR VERY OWN SKIN HEALING CALENDULA OIL:

1. Fill a clean glass jar (w/ matching lid) with dried flowers (about 2/3 of the way up)....use whatever sized jar you want!
2. Pour cold-pressed Extra-Virgin Olive Oil  (almond, apricot, castor, or grapeseed oil work well too) over the flowers until you reach just above the top.
3. Cover the jar opening with a square of parchment paper and twist on the lid with the paper in between....this helps create a tighter seal.
4. Give her a shake and make sure the flowers are immersed in the oil and there aren't any leaks, and..... TA-DA! that's it!

IMPORTANT: Keep the jar in a dark warm place or, even put it in a window or give her some outside exposure now and then so the oil can capture the sun's energy and heat. Just make sure to agitate (shake, wiggle, move the oil and flowers around) at least once per day. This is a really important part of the process so keep the jar within eye's and arm's reach! You can even dance around the house with it, tell jokes to it, or write lovely affirmations all over the jar. It will only create more potent medicine!

After 2 weeks to one month (or longer if you'd like) of maceration, AKA soaking time, uncap the jar and filter the oil from the plant material through a fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth into a new clean jar w/matching lid. Label with the name and date and keep in a dark cool place----but no need to refrigerate. VOILA! You are practicing herbal medicine!

happy healing!
the wise owl

the wise owl is swooping in! ...


At last, I find myself blogging... 
Although I never intended to blog or really even envisioned myself using such technology to connect with family, friends, and the rest of the world, I now realize this is the 21st century and I am finally ready to swoop in!


My hopes are high and my spirit is full of love for this blog to be an inspirational and educational tool for expression, growth, communication, and expansion. As the soul/sole force behind The Wise Owl, I am here to share with the world my perspective on health, healing, life, and the unknown. No, I am not a doctor....and no, of course I don't know everything. But YES I do care! And yes, I strive to embody my highest abilities and qualities so that I may encourage not only myself, but others to find their path to optimal health. 


Without further adieu....
Let's start with a topic that everyone loves....


MY CURRENT TOP 3 HEALTHY FAVORITE FOODS :


*healthy is an overused term, so when I say healthy I mean full of nutrients, tasty, overall beneficial, and worth the time and/or money to either grow, buy, cook, ingest, and/or enjoy!*


1. Chia Seeds
Ch-ch-ch-chia! That's right....remember the 90's? Well maybe not ALL of the 90's (some weird stuff went down in this decade). Think back to the ridiculously exciting commercials with that catchy jingle for Chia Pets...ya know the ones where you grow sprouts out of a clay figure for no reason other than to waste time and money? I do! My Bart Simpson Chia Pet was totally cowabunga-dude, but totally pointless. If I only knew then what I know now, I would have chosen to eat those seeds instead! Those same seeds happen to be one of the most nutritious foods on Earth!


Even the Mayans in Ancient Mexico once used these teeny, tiny little seeds as currency...now that's impressive!


Not only are they packed with protein, fiber, and essential vitamins and minerals, they are super easy to add to just about anything, even your water! You can toss a couple teaspoons into your smoothie, on a salad or in your dressing, in soups, in your morning oatmeal, or even in baked goods (coming soon....my recipe for Damn-Good-Gluten-Free-Chia-Cornbread). 


Another fun fact about Chia seeds is their mucilaginous properties, AKA they get gooey, chewy, and a bit gelatinous when soaked in liquid. This is a good thing, as they offer binding properties similar to the consistency of eggs. Soaked Chia seeds can then be substituted for eggs in baking and act as a thickener for cooking. Make sure not to actually eat the seeds out of a Chia Pet though...rather, choose organically grown seeds from a quality source. :)


2. Coconut Milk
Shake your coconuts to this delicious and nutritious beverage! Coconut milk is fabulous...hands-down maybe the best thing since sliced bread, except it's naturally occurring and has been around for ages.


Coconut milk contains lauric acid which has been shown to offer anti-viral properties, thus supporting the immune system. Interestingly enough, lauric acid is also found in mother's breast milk....food for thought? I think yes! (Cue to shake your coconuts one more time.)


Coconut milk is also really fatty. Now don't fret! This is the kind of fat you NEED and WANT and can enjoy without guilt! The body is readily able to break down, absorb, and assimilate the fatty acids contained in coconut milk. When we take in healthy saturated fats the body can use them up with ease. When we take in strange, processed, foreign vegetable oils like canola oil, corn oil, and margarine, the body freaks out, gets upset, becomes inflamed, and doesn't know what to do with them.
...SEGWAY... 
Coconut milk also helps decrease inflammation in the body, whereas pasteurized cow's milk increases inflammation in the body. Plus, it tastes great! I prefer to buy Thai brand, full-fat coconut milk in a can. The processed stuff you find in cartons in the refrigerator isle just doesn't cut it. They add unnecessary preservatives and sugars that take away from the goodness coconut milk has to offer. I like to buy the full-fat rather than the lite because you can either 1) use it full-fat and it's completely legit, or 2) double the quantity of a can by diluting it with filtered water. It will still be rich and worthy, even cut down with water. You also save some bucks too! Make sure to store any leftover coconut milk in the fridge for safe keeping.


Try coconut milk in smoothies and soups, as a replacement for dairy and soy milk (soy is a discussion for another day), as a creamer for your tea or coffee, or just straight up if you are brave. I wouldn't drink the whole can at once, however. There is the possibility of loosening up your stools with that kind of move, if ya know what I mean :) 

3. Kale
Most folks are now familiar with this mysteriously popular green, thanks to social influence from experts like Dr. Oz. Even though I don't watch TV, I can appreciate some good publicity for my super star homie, ... KALE! WOOP WOOP!


There are many varieties of kale, all amazing, all of which you should explore. My favorite is Lacinato or Dinosaur Kale. Always stick to organically-grown produce, especially your greens. Dont skimp on the good stuff! Organic kale is still really, really cheap compared to the price of high-blood pressure medication for the rest of your life. Seriously!


Some steps to get your kale ready to eat:
1- wash the leaves thoroughly and whirl around in a salad spinner or pat dry
2 - hold the thick end of the stalk with your right hand, pinch about 1" up the stalk with your left hand, hold tight and pull your left hand away, stripping the leaves away from the stalk in one fluid motion. SWWWIIISH! 
3 - tear into bite-sized pieces 


From here you can do so much the possibilities are almost limitless!
...saute with onions, garlic, peppers, and shiitake mushrooms and combine with organic, free-range eggs; toss a couple of handfuls into your favorite soup, stew, chili, or casserole; lightly steam and toss with a green vegetable salad; bake some kale chips, or again, if all else fails.....toss em into your morning smoothie!


Dark leafy greens, kale in particular, are one of the HIGHEST SOURCES OF CALCIUM ON THE PLANET! That's right folks, more calcium than milk. Even more bioavailable calcium than your grocery store vitamins! Kale also contains the perfect synergy of essential vitamins and minerals. Oh! I almost forgot! Kale contains lots of chlorophyll (what makes a green plant green). The human body is unable to create chlorophyll, but we need it to purify, oxygenate, and build our blood. This is one of many special gifts plants offer to us people. The plants spend some quality time with the sun, water, and soil, they make chlorophyll, and give it to us to keep us healthy! What sweet friends we have in the produce section of our local grocery stores! 




I hope you found this interesting enough to try these foods in your regular diet. Rather than thinking you have to switch to being a vegan or do a 30 fast to get healthy, start by incorporating these nutrient-dense foods into your life on a daily basis and see what happens.
Cheers to love, light, and finding your own path to wellness! 
-The Wise Owl