Naturally Simple Blog

I always notice a bit of a change in the air this time of year.   We are slowly but surely edging towards Spring but we aren’t quite there yet and it always seem as though nerves fray just a little bit more easily.   I thought I might offer a bit of advice as to how to eat your way to a healthier nervous system.
Nutrition plays a vital role in a healthy nervous system but before you even think about what foods to eat, you should look at your eating patterns.   Are you skipping meals while taking in large amounts of stimulants or sugars?   These eating patterns need to be addressed before you can move on.   You need to eat enough to provide your body with the foods you need.  It is almost impossible to do this with two meals a day so your body begins to crave foods that will give it that quick energy fix. Unfortunately in our society,  candy bars and coffee are far more available than a leafy green salad or a whole-grain snack.  You have to plan a bit more to provide yourself with healthy alternative but it is completely worth the effort.   Once you address your eating patterns, you can begin to look at the nutrients your body needs to properly support your nervous system.

Calcium intake is key to  healthy nervous system functioning  due to the fact that Calcium molecules are vital to the chemical reactions that take place in your body to transmit nerve impulses and muscle movement.    Thankfully calcium is easily found in many foods and herbs.   Obviously dairy products contain a good deal of calcium but you can also find calcium in many non-dairy products.  Seaweeds contain the highest level of calcium available; even more than dairy products.    In fact, most dark leafy vegetables such as broccoli, kale, spinach and parsley also contain calcium.    Oats and almonds are high in calcium which is one of the reasons I use those two ingredients when making homemade oat milk.  Sesame seeds and tahini are good sources, as well.  Herbal sources of calcium include: nettle, comfrey, horsetail, oatstraw/milky oat tops, dandelion greens, and chickweed.
B Vitamins are also important to a healthy nervous system but it is important to note that there is too much of a good thing.  Taking large doses of B vitamins (specifically B12)  can lead to anxiety attacks and panic disorders.   In other words, taking those high dosage “stress tabs”  may lead to an increase in symptoms you are trying to alleviate.    It is also important to note that B vitamins are best taken in as a “complex”.  High dosages of one B vitamin invariably lead to a deficiency of another.  I think that the complexity of B vitamin supplementation may be one of the main reasons I choose to eat my vitamins rather than take pills.  Nature seems to naturally understand what our bodies need and nutrients present in foods are often combined more precisely than we could ever hope to accomplish with supplements.   Thankfully B vitamins are present in so many wholesome foods that I rarely worry if I am getting enough.   Whole grains such as whole wheat, brown rice, oats, and barley are wonderful sources of vitamin B, as are dried beans.  Yogurt, molasses, wheat germ and kefir contain.   Vegetable sources of Vitamin B include most leafy green vegetables,fresh sprouts, and seaweeds.  There are a few other specialty sources of B vitamins that can be included in your diet such as bee pollen, spirulina and nutritional yeast. Bee pollen is an amazing nutrient which I should devote a whole blog entry to, but I do worry about our dwindling bee population and the availability of this nutrient.   Consequently,  I use it sparingly and with a great deal of respect for the creatures who created it in mind. Herbal sources of vitamin B include:  comfrey, parsley, dandelion greens and nettles (Do you begin to see why nettles are always a part of my nourishing infusions?)

Vitamin C mixes with vitamin B-6 to create serotonin so it is important to make sure that you are getting an adequate supply.  Papaya, bell peppers, citrus fruits, strawberries, raspberries, Brussels sprouts, cantaloupe, broccoli and cauliflower are all good food sources of vitamin C.   My favorite herbal source of Vitamin C is rosehips but there are many others.
Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin necessary  for calcium absorption which is created in your body when you absorb UVB rays.  These UVB rays are most readily available between the hours of 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.  Exposure times no longer than 10-15 minutes two or three times a week are adequate.  Still, many Americans don’t get outside as much as we should during the mid-day hours so dairy food is often enriched with vitamin D.    The body does store vitamin D for use during the winter but how much vitamin D your body produces is entirely contingent on the amount of UVB rays your skin absorbs and how much you get in your daily diet.   This can be tricky because there is no plant source of vitamin D.   Sources of vitamin D,  we incorporate into our DAILY diet include:  tuna, eggs, salmon, organic milk and yogurt.  Regardless, of what you might hear, cheese  and butter do not necessarily have Vitamin D so check your labels.    In  the Northern Hemisphere where the UVB rays can’t penetrate the atmosphere well, if at all, from November to February,   it is important to think about Vitamin D supplementation.   For all that I am not a fan of supplements, there is a time to be wise.  If you get little exposure to UVB rays and you are not eating foods which contain Vitamin D,  you might want to consider a supplement.  A good source of vitamin D is cod-liver oil which just goes to show that Grandma might have known what she was doing, after all.

Here are a couple of quick recipes I enjoy which seem to take the edge off of a bad mood.   Many of the recipes I included in my Herbs for Energy post serve a double purpose of providing some of these nutrients as well.  Hopefully, I don’t use too many smoothie recipes for everyone but I find them to be the easiest way for most people to incorporate healthier foods in their grab-and-dash lifestyle.   Keep in mind that an insulated coffee mug keeps things cold as well as it keeps things hot.   Either one of these drinks would make a complete breakfast.

Stressbuster Smoothie

1/2 cup almond-oat milk

1/2 cup  yogurt

1/2 cup raspberries and strawberries

1/4 cup wheat germ

1 teaspoon bee pollen

Avocado Milkshake

1 ripe avocado

1/2 cup yogurt

1/2 cup almond milk

3 tablespoons honey or grade B maple syrup

1 tsp carob powder (optional)

The November Herbal Blog Party is on and the buzz this month is morning stimulants or ritual blends.  This topic hits home for me because I LOVE coffee but I have been making a concerted effort to cut back on the amount I drink.  I found the way to make this transition easier on myself was by replacing an unhealthy habit with healthful herbal concoctions.    There are many herbs that are considered stimulants which can be included in the daily diet.   These herbs create energy by nourishing the body, activating body systems and increasing circulation thus restoring vitality and health.   Making the switch to herbal stimulants, however, is a process that requires patience   Herbal stimulants don’t provide the instant gratification that one becomes used to when consuming caffeinated products.

There are many herbs that I  have experimented with including; cinnamon, cloves, ginger, ginseng, peppermint, spearmint,  cayenne, and horseradish.  These are all very mild herbs which I feel comfortable including in my daily diet as sources of nourishment and stimulation.  While there may be stronger stimulants out there such as ephedra and guarana,  I feel they should be treated with the same respect as coffee and saved for occasional use.

Morning Brews
In the morning,   I need something warm and quick.  Nourishing infusions are strong herbal “teas” which contain nutritive herbs that tonify and nourish the body.  I also like to throw a little “wake up herb” in to the mix as well.    As these infusions need to brew for quite some time, I have gotten in the habit of starting mine before I go to bed.  It is nice to wake up to that steaming carafe.  Often I just drink mine black but you can make a latte if you are in the habit of drinking your coffee with creamer or sweetener.

Peppermint Latte

1/3 part  dried peppermint or spearmint leaves

1/3 part  dried red raspberry leaves,  blackberry leaves, red clover blossoms, or any other nourishing herb

1/3 part  oatstraw

1 quart water

Brew a  nourishing infusion of the dried herbs.   In the morning you just steam some milk or coconut milk and add to the infusion and sweeten with honey, if desired.

If you are wanting to add root or bark herbs to your diet, the best way to prepare them is by decocting.   Chai is an excellent example of a decoction which stimulates and nourishes. A great way to make chai caffeine free is by replacing the black tea with dandelion root and burdock root.   This is a single recipe but you can make it in large batches and just use a few tablespoons of the mixture at a time.

Herbal  Chai

1/2 tablespoons dandelion root

1/2 tablespoon burdock root

1 tablespoon of fennel seeds

6 green cardamom pods

12 cloves

1/4 teaspoon black peppercorns

1 small cinnamon stick

1/4 inch slice of fresh ginger root (or a teaspoon of dried ginger)

Grind all of the ingredients except the  fresh ginger.  Bring 7 cups of water to a boil in a saucepan and add the ground mixture and fresh ginger to the boiling water.  Turn the heat down to the lowest setting and simmer the ingredients for 30 - 40 minutes.  At this point you can add milk, coconut milk, or almond milk to your liking.    Sweeten with honey, if desired.  I don’t really have much of a sugar habit so I don’t add any sweetner.  I think that the herbs add a mild sweetness of their own which I enjoy.

The 3 p.m. Drop
If you are like me,  you might experience a mid-afternoon drop in energy.   Consider turning to a healthful drink or snack for energy rather than reaching for a soda or more coffee.  These make good summertime drinks as well.

Oatmilk Smoothie

1 1/2 cups  almond-oatmilk,  or coconut milk

1/2 cup berries (we like raspberries)

dash of cinnamon

Blend all ingredients and drink

This blend is nice because you can mix a large batch up and take it with you to enjoy during break-time.  I think you will agree that it is a better alternatives than a candy bar & soda. You can play around with the herbs in this recipe to suit your taste but I like a little bit of spice.

Vegetable Juice Cocktail

1 cup tomato juice

1/4  cup carrot juice

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 clove of garlic  (I am lucky to have a juicer and I just toss this in with the carrots)

1 tsp fresh horseradish

dash of cayenne pepper

These are a yummy snack that provide a more healthful source of energy, as well.  I came across the recipe, originally, in the Gladstar course but I tweaked the ingredients a bit to suit my taste.  Rosemary Gladstar recommends the very sparing use of guarana in these balls for students or people who might be driving long distances.

Zoom Balls

1/2 cup honey

1/2 cup tahini

1 tablespoon ginger

1 tablespoon ginseng

1 tablespoon bee pollen

Add  unsweetened coconut, chopped almonds and chopped dried cherries in equal parts until the mixture is stiff enough you can roll the  it into balls or pat it into bars.

1/2 cup raw almonds

1 1/2 cup oats

1/2 cup oat straw

10 cups of water

(Editor’s Note:  I didn’t mention my oatstraw is a mix of straw and milky oat tops.  I mix four ounces oatstraw and four ounces milky oat tops together and use it when oatstraw is being used for nutritional purposes.)
Grind almonds, oats, and oatstraw in a food processor.  Put water and ground mixture into a large saucepan.   Bring to a boil and reduce heat to low.  Simmer for 20 minutes,  strain, and refrigerate.

This is a thick liquid as it brings out the mucilage from the oats.   It works best in smoothies and baking although I like it warm over granola.

1/2 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup water

2 tablespoons white wine vinegar

1 1/2 tablespoons brown sugar

1 tablespoon honey

1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic

1  1/2 teaspoon minced gingerroot

1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

Instructions for sauce: Combine all of the ingredients except garlic and ginger in saucepan and heat until sugar is dissolved.   Add fresh garlic and ginger root to sauce.  This is good served over rice as a light meal.
Instructions for glaze:  Combine all of the ingredients except garlic and gingeroot in a pan and heat until sugar is dissolved.   Mix 1 tablespoon arrowroot powder with 1 tablespoon of water.  Stir this into sauce and cook until thickened.  Add garlic and ginger.  This is great as a dipping sauce or on wings.

1- 2 lb pie pumpkin

2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground ginger

1/4 tsp ground cloves

3/4 cup maple syrup

Cut the pumpkin in half and dig out the seeds and pulp.  (Don’t forget to save the seeds for roasting!)
You can process the pumpkin any way you like. If you peel the pumpkin, dice the flesh and cook it in about 1 1/2 cups of water, you can put it in the food processor to finish off. Personally, I find peeling and dicing pumpkin quite tedious.   I steam the pumpkin in a roaster, scoop out the insides and process them through my chinois sieve.

Place pureed pumpkin in a saucepan with the remaining ingredients.  Cook over very low heat for an hour or until thick.  It will take less time to cook if you process the pumpkin the way I do.   This can be frozen or processed in jars.

2 cups of dried red lentils

2 large onions (finely chopped)

1 head garlic (peeled and mashed)

1/2 inch chunk of ginger root (peeled and chopped)

3 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons of tomato paste

1/2 teaspoon paprika

1 teaspoon salt

3 cups of water

1/4 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice.

Cover the lentils with water and allow to soak for 30 minutes.

In a soup pot, saute onion, garlic and ginger until golden.   Mix in remaining ingredients except for lentils and lemon juice.  When the water boils add lentils; simmer for 20 to 30 minutes until lentils have softened.

Add lemon juice and serve with warm pita bread.

This is a fun little recipe.  I have been playing around with it a great deal this week.  It works as a great base for so many different kinds of jelly, it is truly amazing.

To Begin: Put the following ingredients into a six quart (non-reactive) saucepan.

4 pounds tart apples cut into quarters

3 cups water

3 cups white vinegar

1 tablespoon fresh lemon peel

Now this is the fun part!  Add any of the following combination of ingredients or make up your own.

Jalapeno Jelly  -   8 chopped jalapenos,  1 chopped  sweet green pepper

or
Habanero  Jelly -  4 chopped habanero  peppers,  1 large chopped sweet red pepper

or
Mint Jelly -          1 1/2 cup freshly chopped mint leaves

Bring this mixture to a boil and simmer for 20 minutes.  Mash with a potato masher until it looks like lumpy applesauce.

Strain mash through a mesh sieve lined with cheese cloth.  I like to do this in the evening and let it sit overnight.  If the mixture is thick add a little water.  You will want at least four cups of liquid but I usually end up with more.   The key is to really mash the apples
In the morning, measure the juice and put into a large heavy-bottomed saucepan. For every cup of liquid add  7/8 cup of raw or turbinado sugar.   (Yes,  I know that is a lot of sugar but it is jelly, after all.)

Bring this mixture to a boil while stirring to dissolve sugar.  Now simmer the mixture until it reaches soft ball stage on a candy thermometer.   You should see a bit of foam forming as the mixture reaches 225 degrees.  Don’t worry that is just the natural pectin of the fruit.    Test the thickness of the mixture and when it is ready process the jelly.

This is not a precise recipe.  A lot depends on how thick your homemade  buttermilk turns out.  I get to label it as a frugal recipe because I grow the herbs needed for the recipe

2 cups buttermilk

sour cream

3 cloves minced garlic

1/4 cup Italian flat leaf parsley

2 tablespoons freshly chopped chives

2 tablespoons freshly chopped basil

1 tsp sea salt

freshly ground pepper to taste

Mix all of the ingredients together except for the sour cream and then whisk in just enough  sour cream to bring the dressing to the desired consistency.

I have a lot of basil lately so I have been experimenting with ways to use it.  This is a recipe I made up by substituting basil for spinach so if you don’t have pounds of basil going to waste,  feel free to use spinach.

3/4 cup chopped fresh basil (or spinach)

2 cloves of fresh garlic (optional)
1 egg

1 tsp oive oil

2 tablespoons water

Process the basil,  garlic, oil and egg in a food processor until finely chopped.   Add 1 and 1/2 cups flour.  Add water by the teaspoon full until the dough forms a ball.  Put the dough in the fridge for an hour and then roll with a pasta roller or rolling pin.  Cut noodles into long thin strips.   Storage tip:  This recipe can be dried for storage but freezing the noodles after you dry them a bit will probably ensure a fresher basil taste.

I found these recipes digging around the files at the extension office.  Who says volunteer work doesn’t pay off.  The date on this publication was 1977 which is the same year my husband was born. They were definitely targeting the back-to-the-land types with these.

 Buttermilk

1 quart skim milk

1/2 cup commercial buttermilk

Stir these together well and let them sit at room temperature until the mixture thickens.  Once the mixture is thickened it can be chilled.   If you save back 1/2 cup of this buttermilk for your next batch, making buttermilk is probably more economical than buying it at the store, especially if you use it for this next recipe, as well.
Sour Cream

2 cups whipping cream

2 tablespoons buttermilk

Pour the cream and the buttermilk together in a mason jar and shake vigorously.  Let it sit in a warm spot for 24-48 hours until the cream thickens.  (Try sitting the jar on your water heater.  It works for making infused oils.   I don’t see why it wouldn’t work for this process.) Chill the mixture overnight and use like you would sour cream.

I used my immersion blender to cream it up a bit. This is not a necessary step but it will look more like the sour cream you buy at the store, if you do this.