This is a to-the-minute health update from Kevin Gianni and Renegade Health.  Please read on…

1. Natural Pest Control for Your Garden with John Kohler – The Renegade Health Show Episode #341 – 2009-06-30 19:00:35-04
   More on urban gardening today…
   John Kohler shared so much with us yesterday, we wanted to share more!
   Today, he talks about how to use natural pest control, how to protect against slugs, and how to use wine barrels to grow your garden in case you don’t have any space in your yard!
   Take a look! [...]

If you can’t click on the post above please visit this page directly:

==> http://renegadehealth.com/blog

http://i1.ytimg.com/vi/t647JJACc3k/default.jpg

Here are the directions. I had to read it several times to make sure I was doing it right. But don’t worry! You’ll have an extra mushroom every week as the first
mushroom grows a second one underneath. You pull it off and give it away.
I love my tea! It’s so good! And my husband’s been drinking it, too!
You can put the mushroom vial in the fridge in a glass of water until you’re ready and motivated to start. You’re basically just making tea, cooling it, adding vinegar
and then the mushroom.
so here goes:

First you need a big glass vessel: You can get a big jar at target for about $14 and its about 2.5 gal.
You need to use sugar for this, no its not technically raw but the yeasts need to eat the sugar to make the kombucha. I use organic unrefined rapadura or turbinado sugar from the bulk section at my co-op.
You’ll also need to get some kind of tea (camellia sinensis) this means black, green, oolong, or white tea. Herbal won’t work because the bacteria need to feed on the tanins of the camellia sinensis and I would avoid using anything flavored as it may disrupt the culture. I just get the cheapest organic tea I can find from the bulk bins at my co-op.
Also, a piece of cloth like from an old t-shirt is good to put over the mouth of your jar to keep the fruit flies out, and believe me they WILL come. The fruit fly problem can be alleviated somewhat though by making a little trap. Put a little kombucha in a small jar, dish, lid, whatever with a little dish soap and voila!
Obtaining the SCOBY (symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast a.k.a the mushroom a.k.a the mother) is a little more challenging but it can be done. The mushrooms are constantly multiplying so anyone that makes kombucha will at any given time probably have more mushrooms than they need. I would suggest finding some kombucha groups online and asking around if anyone in your are will give you a scoby (and traditionally, it is bad luck to sell a scoby so good news for us students).
Once you have everything you can start your kombucha. This is the part that can be time consuming but keep in mind you only have to do it about every two weeks depending on the temperature and personal preference. It also helps if you have a friend or friends over a and have a bottling/brewing party.

Step 1: Add 1 quart of clean water in a stainless steel pot and start to boil.
Step 2: Add 1 cup of sugar and stir to dissolve in the water before it reaches a boil
Step 3: After the water has boiled, turn off the heat and add 4-5 organic tea bags (1 tea bag equal ~ 1 Tbls. of loose tea) and steep about 10 min. (its a good idea to start bottling the batch from before while the tea is steeping).
Step 4: Pour 2 quarts of clean water into 1 gallon glass container (as I said before I have a 2.5 gallon jar so for me this whole recipe is doubled).
Step 5: Add tea and sugar mixture, this should bring the temperature of the boiled water down to lukewarm (test to make sure, you can always add more water, water that is too hot will kill the scoby).
Step 6: Add the mother.
Step 7: Add 1-2 cups of starter liquid (saved from the previous batch). This step isn’t critical but it helps. You should get a little starter liquid from whomever you get your new scoby.
Step 8: Cover your container with a piece of cloth (cheese cloth won’t work, little flies can get through it) hold the cloth on with a big rubber band or get creative like I did and weave several rubber bands together to form the ‘mega kombucha band’.
Step 9: Set the container aside in a dark warm, ventilated area for 7-21 days. In the summer I wait a week, since it has been getting colder I have been waiting up to three weeks. To test your brew just stick a straw under your mother and take a sip. The longer you leave it the stronger/more tart it gets. Actually if you leave it long enough it will turn into vinegar. This happened to me once after the bottling process (kombucha will continue to brew a little after you bottle it and may even form a new mother, it is very resourceful, you can slow this down by putting it in the fridge), I had forgotten about a few bottles in the back of my cupboard and when I found them they were way too sour for me so I have been using them instead of apple cider vinegar on my salads.
To Bottle:
- You can use any bottles/jars you have on hand. I use old GT’s kombucha bottles or I really like to reuse pelegrino bottles (the pretty green makes it feel more festive or something).
- Go ahead and have fun with flavors. Just drop stuff in the bottle and fill (not quite to the top as the kombucha will expel gas).
- Its generally good to leave your bottles out to brew with their new flavors for about a week or so and during that time you should “burp” your bottles so that they don’t explode (once a day is good, more so in the beginning)
Flavor Ideas:
- My favorite by far is ginger/lime, grate some fresh ginger, squeeze a fresh lime, and its better if you grate some of the lime peel in there too (this goes for any citrus) and your done.
- Pear
- Apple spice, at my local farmer’s market I has access to the most amazing raw organic apple juice and this with some cinnamon, cloves, ginger, etc. makes a great holiday feeling kombucha (we drank this with our thanksgiving dinner).
- Persimmon
- Goji berry
- Blueberry, also a good variation is blueberry spice
- Any fruit that was once frozen tends to get mushier when it thaws and I think it imparts a little more flavor that way, but if you use fresh fruit its a good ideas to mash it as much as possible.
-  I have heard of some people making some with slippery elm and echinacea and those types of herbs for the cold season.

This should be enough to get you guys started. There is a mountain of info and people to help you on the internet and of course you can ask me any questions.

Have fun playing!

For questions about making kombucha, you can ask here, or http://culturesforhealth.com

They give wonderful heart-felt and detailed answers about kombucha.

http://i1.ytimg.com/vi/t647JJACc3k/default.jpg

Reported Benefits of Kombucha Tea

• Eliminates wrinkles and helps the removal of brown spots on hands. It is a skin humectant.
• Prevents certain types of cancer. In Manchuria, where this mushroom came from, there has not been detected one single case of cancer. Every day people drink this tea as a religious atonement.
• During menopause, reduces hot-flash discomfort. Just after drinking the Manchurian Mushroom Tea, you may feel a warm sensation. due to the fact that the tea components join the blood stream causing a draining action of toxic chemical elements and fluids, reason for, which you will notice increased mobility in your extremities and flexibility around your waist.
• Helps constipation.
• Helps muscular aches and pains in shoulders and neck.
• Helps bronchitis, asthma, and cough. Will help children with phlegm.
• Helps with allergies, also with aching nerves.
• It has helped kidney problems.
• It is said to be useful in cataracts and other formations on the cornea.
• It cleanses the gall bladder, helps colitis and nervous stomachs.
• Helps heal diseases. It will lower cholosterol and soften veins and arteries.
• It will stop infectious diarrhea.
• Helps burning of fat, therefore, helps to lose weight.
• Helps insomnia.
• Helps the liver work more efficiently.
• Helps to level off glucose and sudden drops of blood sugar in diabetics if taken daily it will eliminate urea In 100 days.
• It has surprising effects on the scalp, helps avoid baldness, thickens hair and eliminates gray hair.
• Helps digestion.
• Decreased craving for alcohol

Clovers

(Perennial Legumes) Aysicarpus vaginalis

Clovers are popular legumes grown for forage and wildlife feed providing useful energy, protein and fiber. Clovers are also known for their soil improving and nitrogen fixation. Soil tests should be made on all fields planted in clovers to determine proper fertilization.

Clovers are annual/perennial forage legumes (seeding and non- reseeding) that are desirable in established pastures when controlled, as animal feed and nitrogen for the soil upon dying. High in protein, prolific and survives close grazing. Clovers are heavy users of water and will not grow on deep sand beds or sandy soils without underlying clay foundations.

Pennington’s Durana Clover and Patriot Clover are two popular clover seed varieties that are considered to be superior white clovers. Both of these white clovers have earned Pennington’s Yield Up branding due to their high quality. To read more about these clovers please click the above links

JewelWeed and Benefits of Red Clover Leaf, Blossoms, and Tea

The long root is rhizome, and sends out runners, producing several stems 1 to 2 feet high, slightly hairy; leaves ternate, leaflets ovate, slightly toothed, ending in long point often lighter colored V shape in center, flowers red to purple, fragrant, in dense terminal ovoid or round heads.

The red clover plant blooms from April thought out the summer months.

It’s technical name is: Trifolium pratense. Other names include: Meadow Honeysuckle

• Meadow Trefoil
• Peavine clover
• Purple Clover
• Trefoil
• Wild Clover
• Cleaver Grass
• Marl Grass
• Cow Grass

It’s natural habitat for Trifolium pratense, the perennial herb where its origin is believed to be Britain. This is where it is abundant. Although, it is now a world wide plant and is naturalized in nearly every country, even the Arctic Circle and high up into mountains.

It also has unique properties as Red Clover leaf and blossoms are edible and medicinal, the young leaves and new flowers are harvested, and are very nutritious, used in salads, soups, or as a pot herb. The sprouted seeds are edible in salads and have a crisp texture and robust flavor. A delicate sweet and medicinal red clover tea is made from the fresh or dried flowers, it is alterative, antiscrofulous, antispasmodic, aperient, detergent, diuretic, estrogenic, expectorant, sedative and tonic.

Red Clover has also shown anticancer activity, poultices of the herb have been used as local applications to cancerous growths. Internally, the Red Clover plant is used as an alternative medicine for skin complaints such as eczema and psoriasis, cancers of the breast, ovaries and lymphatic system, chronic degenerative diseases, gout, whooping cough and dry coughs.

Red clover is now involved in research for a certain medicinal alkaloid “slaframine” which is often found in diseased clover, this substance has shown antidiabetic and anti-Aids activity.

The Folklore associated with this plant during the middle ages associated it as a charm to ward off evil spirits and witches. The four leaf clover was said to have even more power against evil, a five leaf clover was said to be worn by witches to give them evil powers, and a two leaf clover would give a maiden the power to see her future lover.

Try This Recipe

Red clover medicinal tea: To 1 tbls. dry flowers or herb add 1 cup boiling water, steep 10 min., sweeten to taste, drink warm for cough and upset stomach.

Click Here to Find Many Red Clover Products

“Jewelweed” A Natural Remedy for Winter Dry Skin

Jewelweed is an effective natural herbal remedy and offers immediate relief for winter dry skin, poison ivy, poison oak, okra spines, stinging nettle, and other irritating plants; as well as bug bites and razor burn. Jewelweed is also used in herbal medicine for acne, heat rash, ringworm and many other skin disorders.

A native plant of Eastern North America, Jewelweed grows in damp woods. Also known as “touch-me-nots” because the oblong seed capsules when ripe, will explode at the slightest touch, scattering the seeds widely. The soothing sap of the plant is clinically proven to be medicinal and a remedy for relief of many skin problems. Keep Jewelweed spray handy during the summer months too, for sunburns.

Jewelweed Poison Ivy Treatment Kit with Jewelweed Spray

M and I just did our annual trip to Asheville – and what a wealth of trails, energy vortexes and raw food! Our favorite places so far are:

Greenlife Grocers – the chef puts out raw food packages daily, like:

Raw:

Falafel Wraps

Carrot Ginger Soup

Pineapple Gazpacho

Spring Rolls with Red Chile Sauce

Gazpacho

Nutty Loaf

From the Deli, they have Carrot Dulse Salad, Quinoa salad, Sprouted Lentil Salad

From the Smoothie Bar : Daily wheatgrass shots, assorted smoothies and drinks like:

Kale lemonade – yum! Berry smoothies, acai smoothies,  and nut butter smoothies

From the store itself, they have a raw food section – Yay! With Cheezy Almonds, Raw Parmesan, Ulimana Products, Raw Crackers, Mesquite Powder, Yacon Syrup, Coconut Juice, Peppermint Water, Fruits and Vegetables, a salad bar, raw seeds and nuts, kale chips

And from North Carolina University Farmer’s Market, we found a booth of Raw Living Foods! With raw chocolate, raw crackers and granola. The chocolate was awesome!

Here’s M and D walking/ feet soaking at the University’s Arboretum:

Here is the Audobon Bird Sanctuary – a wonderful, wild walk – incredible!

We also ate at the very gourmet Laughing Seed Cafe, which had AMAZING Raw Lasagna and the

Dragon Plate – piles of raw marinated onions, sprouts, beet sauerkraut and greens with peanut sauce or apple/chipotle dressings, plus the Freaky Tiki Smoothie of coconut milk and strawberries. Chef Jason does a wonderful raw enchilada plate and his own INCREDIBLE cashew ice cream. He’s an amazing chef! Get the punchcard, you’ll want to come back!

See Dorothy on YouTube making the raw almond milk. It’s exactly the same as hazelnut!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iCxEtJHmzIg

Seed and Nut Milks are wonderful, rich drinks to have all year round. But cold nut milk – ahh, there’s nothing like it on a hot summer day.   Easy to make – you soak most seeds or nuts, then blend with water and strain. Add whatever you like for a tasty, rich cream or milk! Here are a few new recipes:

Many thanks to Trina, Rebecca, Dorothy, Trish and B.J for an outstanding potluck! 2 kinds of Vege pate, kale salad, greens with pea/ginger dressing and cacao-dipped strawberries! What a feast of wonderful people and beautiful living food!

I originally became vegetarian but was still eating the things made out of white rice, and the products with wheat flour. Then, I went to a nutritionist for help with my blood pressure. My journals show I’d reached a high of 149/101! Whoa. So she advised me to cut out any white grain products, as they constrict the blood vessels.  I did cut out all white products and all products not saying “organic stone-ground whole wheat.” I also added ground flax seed to my morning smoothies. Within 2 weeks my blood pressure dropped to the lowest – 99/49. The nutritionist said she’d never seen anyone’s go down that fast – usually it takes 30 days. ( I also let go of about 7 pounds in that time.)

3 years later my blood pressure remains about 106/59, raising or lowering, of course, fluctuating during the day under stress or relaxation.

Next I was interested in growing wheatgrass, so my daughter bought me a hand-grinder and a package of wheatgrass seeds for Mother’s Day! I might not have done it for myself so quickly, but with all the stuff, I went ahead, and have been juicing for over 3 years. Within the first 30 days my dandruff disappeared quickly and forever and I gained tons of energy.

NEXT, and so wonderful, was that every menopausal symptom I had for the last year went away. I never had another hot flash, swollen, tender breasts, those emotions where you think you’re going crazy. I’d only had them during that one year, and never again after starting the wheatgrass!

After 12 years of doing tai chi on the advice of my sifu I became a tai chi instructor during this time, took the yoga teacher training and became a yoga instructor, took the reiki training and became a reiki healer/master/person! Look what happens when you start changing!

Six months later I added blue-green algae to the daily routine. I added bee pollen to my daily shake. Then I read Victoria Boutenko’s  “Green for Life” book, followed by Ann Wigmore’s writings, and added greens to my daily smoothies. I’ was quickly addicted to them, sometimes even salivating when I’d see a bunch of greens. I’ve been on daily green smoothies  now for 2 1/2 years. Added rejuvelac to my smoothies and other recipes in place of water.

My hands and feet had been swollen and red and puffy for about 9 months, and that completly went away. My hands are now back to their sweet, soft skin again. Tiny little red bumps went away as well. (I’m 50, by the way.)

Raw emotions surfaced for awhile and continue to surface. I look at them and see them (meditate) and they go away without judgement.

Just recently I became brave and added the green soups to my day. They’re awesome! And a third way to add chlorophyll to my diet, cooling my body.  The idea of eating bananas and greens all day like the monkeys, appeals to my soul.

Over A year and half ago I saw the Raw Videos and DVD’s that are out and started becoming more raw.  Many days I’m completely raw, and soon will be 100%. Why am I not now? Some days emotions or the past or memories or something that hasn’t let go will impulsively have me eat something not raw, for the “fun” of it.  I judged myself alot in the beginning, but dropped that as an ego boost. I mean, oh my gosh, there are people suffering, in pain, chronic, really hard suffering day to day. I’m not gonna talk about how raw I am. Very selfish.  But I am wanting to be the most pure form of a crystallized being I can, absorbing energy from all sources and hopefully being a conduit for great energy and compassion. So, some days! Some moments! And utterly human.

1.Wash 2 heads of kale
Strip off leaves. Tear into chip-sized pieces. Put in a bowl.
Drizzle over with a mixture of :
1/2 c. tahini
1/4 c. Bragg’s amino acids or soy sauce
a splash of water
1/4 c. nutritional yeast (the kind with the added B-12, if you can get it)
juice of 1 lemon
Massage into the leaves. Dehydrate overnight ’til crispy

2.

Here’s another recipe:
WARNING: You will probably eat these before they make it out of the dehydrator!

Chop up two large bunches of Lacinato (Black, Dinosaur) Kale (de-stem)

Mix up in vitamix:
3/4 cup sesame seeds soaked several hrs.
1/4 cup shoyu or tamari
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup filtered water
2 chopped green onions
1 clove garlic
Juice of one lemon
Pinch sea salt
1/4 cup chopped parsley

Blend and toss with kale. Dehydrate overnight.
Make sure that the kale is not overlapping or it will not totally get crunchy.

3. Full-fat, full-yummy recipe:

Kale Chips
One bunch of organic kale
one cup raw organic cashews
one cup nutritional yeast
one organic red (bull)  bell pepper
1/8 to 1/4 ish cup of lemon juice
Himalayan crystal salt

Grind salt crystals, and nutritional yeast. Set aside.
Grind soaked cashews.
Add red bell pepper and lemon juice.
Blend.
Add the dry to the wet and blend till smooth.

Take long stems off kale. (you can juice these if you like)
“Massage” the cheesey mixure into kale.
Lay on dehydrator trays.
Dehydrade at 105* for about 18 hours.

The hardest part of this recipe is waiting for them to be done! =)