• Traveling to be with friends and family and encountering germs that you are not familiar with.
• Poor eating habits – Too much rich food and not enough immune boosting nutrition
• Lack of exercise
• Pushing yourself hard in the preceding weeks.

There are other possible reasons but to my mind these are the most likely.

Here are some suggestions that you can try to boost you immune system and help your bodies natural defenses preventing or minimizing the effects of colds and other winter infections.

Drink plenty of water.  When you are feeling sick, your body is working hard to fight the infection.  You are probably running a temperature and your body needs more water both to facilitate the work your body is doing and to replace water lost through heat exchange.

Increase Vitamin C.  Citrus foods are high in Vitamin C so incorporate oranges, limes, lemons, and other citrus into your salads and desserts.  Grapefruit is also a good source of vitamin C but if you are taking Statin drugs for cholesterol your doctor or pharmacist will probably have told you to avoid grapefruit.

Honey has antiviral, antibacterial properties.  Using honey as a sweetener may be beneficial when fighting a cold.  Honey was valued by the ancient Egyptians and has been found in by archeologists in the tombs of the pharaohs.

Chicken soup has anti-inflammatory properties which is why it is often recommended as a staple for people suffering from colds and flu.

Herbal teas using herbs know to boost the immune system such as Echinacea can also be soothing to a sore throat and will help keep body fluid levels up.

Increase the amount of Fruit and vegetables in your diet.  The nutrients in fruit and vegetables are required to support a strong body and immune system.  Where ever possible buy the highest quality and eat vegetables that have the least possible processing.

These are just a few suggestions.  There are many more and I am sure many of you have others that you can add to this list.  I am opening up the opportunity for you to post you favorite immune boosting suggestions.  So if you have suggestion please go ahead and share them.

As we move into the holiday period I really enjoy baking some special holiday treats.  I am told that traditional fruit cake is something that is not well received here in the United states but for me it is one of the basic things that says Holiday.  Since I have cut gluten out of my diet and noticed much greater clarity of thought, better moods and digestion as a result I am sharing my adapted recipe with you.  This particular cake is very moist and light but heavy with fruit.  It is adapted from one of my mothers old 1950’s traditional recipe books.

Gluten Free Traditional Holiday Cake 

• 6 cups dried fruit in any combination (choose from Raisins, Currants, Cranberries, cherries, Mixed Peel, Dates, Figs etc)
• ½ cup of shelled nuts (Almonds, Walnuts, Pecans, etc)
• ¾ cup butter
• ½ molasses
• ¼ palm sugar
• 4 eggs
• 1¼ cups gluten free flour
• Pinch of sea salt
• ¼ tsp each of ginger, nutmeg, cinnamon, ground cloves
• Grated rind of 1 lemon
• Lemon juice

Clean the dried fruit and chop the nuts. ( If you wish to you can soak the fruit in brandy or rum in the refrigerator for 1 week prior to baking the cake).

With the butter softened at room temperature cream together with the palm sugar and molasses.  Add the eggs one at a time beating the mixture well between each egg. Sieve together the flour and spices and add the salt in a separate bowl. Add the fruit and lemon rind to the flour mixture then using a small amount at a time mix it into the butter, sugar, molasses mix. Fold in gradually adding a squeeze of lemon if the mix is dry until all the mixture is in the bowl.

Line a 9 inch cake tin with parchment paper and tip the mixture into the tin.

Bake in a moderate oven (300 degrees) for 2 hours then turn the oven down and continue to bake for up to 5 hours in total or when a metal skewer piercing the center of the cake comes out clean and the cake is golden brown in color.

If the cake is going to be coated in almond paste or marzipan brush it with egg white.

Wrap the cake in parchment paper and then wrap it again. Store it in an airtight container until ready to decorate it – usually about one – two weeks prior to the day you plan to eat it.

• 2 cups diced tomatoes
• ½ cup chopped basil
• 1 tsp. crushed garlic
• ¼ tsp Celtic sea salt
• ½ cup Olive oil
• 4+ slices of toast (Whole wheat or Gluten free)
• ¼ cup Parmesan cheese or ¼ cup of blended brazil nuts.

Combine the tomatoes, the basil, the garlic, the salt and the olive oil in a large bowl and allow to stand for half an hour to allow the flavors to mingle.

Spread the mixture onto the toast.

Sprinkle with the parmesan (or Brazil nuts if you prefer non dairy)

Serve garnished with salad greens or basil leaves.

One of my favorite ways to cook is to use only one pot and to cook on the top of the stove.  This curry recipe fits all of my favorite criteria.

• 1 cup diced onion.
• Coconut oil or butter for frying
• 4 cups of any combination of:

            Meat or poultry

            Potatoes

            Cauliflower  

            Green beens

            Egg plant      

            Squash

            Mushroom

            Okra

•  All cut into 1 “ pieces
• Tablespoon of curry powder
• 14 floz coconut milk
• Chili powder if you want to make it hotter.

Fry the onions in the coconut oil or butter. Add the 4 cups of mixed ingredients and allow to brown slightly.  Add the curry powder and cook for 1 minute stirring all of the time. If you like curry to be spicy add chili powder to taste.  Pour in the cocnut milk and bring to a gentle simmer. Simmer gently for about 20 -30 minutes or when all of the meat and veg are cooked.  Remove the lid and continue to simmer until the sauce reduces down to about half.

Serve with brown or wild rice

Raw Food Combining Chart is a simple chart for proper digestion on the raw foods diet and in this article I will give you some guidelines that you would typically find in a raw food combining chart. This article will explain what are the best food combination’s on the raw food diet.

When thinking about making a recipe it is good to take proper food combining into consideration. If you have compromised digestion eating your foods properly can make a real difference. The basic premise behind the theory is that certain foods digest well together and certain foods are hard to digest together. This has to do with the digestion time of certain foods among other factors. If you have ever experienced flatulence or bloating after eating a meal chances are your foods were not properly combined. Many people who have consistently followed the guidelines have noticed a difference in the ease of their digestion. Here are some tips as a guideline when making your recipes.

1. Fruits and fatty foods do not combine well together.
2. Acid and Sweet fruits do not combine well together.
3. Non starchy vegetables and fatty foods combine well together.

All vegetables combine well together, and all fruits from each of their categories combine well together. For example: 2 acid fruits such as oranges and grapefruit.
High water content vegetables include all green vegetables, summer squash, bell peppers, jicama, sea vegetables, and green sprouts as well.

Starchy Vegetables include mature carrots, beets, winter squash, sunchokes, sweet potatoes, corn, fresh peas, and other starchy root vegetables. Sprouted buckwheat can also be considered a starch.

Fatty foods include all nuts and seeds, coconuts, and avocados.

Sweet fruits are your starchier fruits. Some examples are bananas, mamey sapotes, sapodillas, dates, persimmons, tamarind, and figs…(etc.)

Sub acid fruits are fruits that are not as starchy as sweet fruits but not as acid as acid fruits. Some examples are: mangos, apples, pears, peaches, nectarines, plums, grapes, cherimoya, papayas…(etc.)

Acid fruits are fruits that have a lot of acid in them. Some examples are all citrus fruits, pomegranate, kiwis, most berries, tamarillos, star fruit, tomatoes, and pineapple.

Melons are a fruit that is best eaten alone.

Lettuce, cucumbers, young leafy greens, and celery are the best vegetables to combine with fruits.

It is best to limit your fat at each meal to only one or two types. For example eat an avocado at one meal and sunflower seeds at the next, but try not to eat them together at the same time.

It is best to try and not combine too many fruits together at one meal. 1-3 different types of fruits are best.

The worst combination is dried sweet fruits with nuts and seeds such as you find in many raw desserts and pre-prepared raw snacks such as cookies and energy bars.

Oils and nuts and seeds are very difficult to digest together and will leave you feeling heavy and tired.

Wait until your fruit meals are digested (about 1-3hrs) before you eat your fat meals.

Don’t be overwhelmed! See how you feel after you eat a meal and experiment with what methods work for you. Remember, if you are eating simply chances are you’re food combining properly! Also, remember that no one eats perfectly all the time, so just do your best.

For a more in depth chart please visit the links below:

Cecilia is a raw foods teacher in Sonoma, California. For more in depth information about food combining please check out this raw food combining chart. For more information on the raw food diet check out Cecilia’s raw foods website: becoming raw.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Cecilia_Benjumea

Rice pudding has always been one of my favorite desserts.  It is so simple and yet has great creamy flavor.  Traditionally, my mother made rice pudding using short grain, polished white rice, milk and sugar.  This adds up to a high carb combination and a prime candidate for causing an adrenal spike and crash to the blood sugar.  No wonder we always were expected to have a Sunday afternoon nap in front of whatever matinee was playing on the television.

I looked at this recipe and thought about how I could create a slightly healthier version.  The result still has a lot of carbs so should be eaten in moderation but here’s what I came up with.

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup brown Short grain rice
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 20 fl.oz. raw whole milk
• ½ oz. Butter
• Ground Nutmeg

Heat the oven to 300 degrees.

Put the rice, honey and milk into an oven proof dish.  Cut the butter into small pieces and dot onto the top of the mixture.  Sprinkle nutmeg on top. Bake for 1 hour. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 2 minutes before serving.

Equal numbers of each of the following

• Cherry size mozzarella cheese balls (drained)
• Fresh Basil leaves
• Cherry tomatoes
• Cocktail sticks or tooth picks
• Balsamic vinegar
• Olive Oil

Wrap a basil leaf around each Mozzarella ball and stick a pick through to hold it in place.  Put a cherry tomato on the pick with the mozzarella and basil.

Either:

• Drizzle Olive oil and/or balsamic vinegar over the Caprese picks to taste

Or:

• Place small dipping bowls of Olive Oil and Balsamic vinegar beside the picks so people can help themselves.

(http://shine.yahoo.com/channel/health/super-food-for-men-and-women-1409161/)

states that a study by UCSF suggests women who have enough vitamin C are less likely to suffer from gallbladder issues.

Papaya has a very distinct flavor so why not combine it with other flavors to create a great summer fruit Salsa.

Fruit Salsa

4 Lrg Tomatoes Diced

1 Lrg Yellow or White Onion Diced

1 Jalapeno Pepper Chopped (optional – add more or less to control the spiciness)

3 Serrano Chili Peppers Chopped

1/4 Mango Diced

¼ Papaya

1/4 Green Bell Pepper Diced

1/4 Garlic Clove(Minced)

1/2 cup finely chopped Cilantro

1/2 cup Chopped Green Onions

1 lemon (juice only)

1 tsp White Vinegar

Salt ( 2 pinches)

Pepper ( 2 pinches)

Combine all vegetables together in a large bowl and squeeze in lemon juice and vinegar, sprinkle on salt and pepper. Mix thoroughly. Chill for 3 hours and enjoy!

This is one of my favorite recipes and I cannot believe I haven’t shared it with you before now.  I invited a friend to join me for lunch this week and I made this recipe.  She loved it so I thought I’d share it with you.  If you are avoiding wheat products this is a great balanced meal in it’s own right or you can do as I do and add other vegetables to enhance it.

Ingredients:

1lb ground lamb

1 onion (chopped)

3 carrots (chopped)

1 rib of celery (chopped)

1 cup of peas (can be frozen if fresh are not available)

2 or 3 large potatoes

½ oz butter

Small quantity milk (Raw if you use raw milk)

Celtic sea salt and ground black pepper

Method:

Eat the oven to 400 degrees.

In a large pan boil the potatoes until soft. (I like to add a sprig of fresh mint to the water the potatoes boil in)

In an oven proof pan or pot sauté the onion, carrot, and celery.  Add the ground Lamb and increase the heat to brown the meat.  Drain off any excess fat. Remove from the heat and add the peas.

Drain the potatoes (and remove the mint). Add the butter and a small quantity of milk and mash the potatoes until smooth. Spoon the potatoes on top of the lamb/ vegetable mixture – spreading the potatoes out to completely cover the mix forming a potato “crust” for the pie.

Bake in the oven for 30 minutes or until the top of the potato begins to brown.

Serve hot.

If you wish, gravy can be added to the lamb mix before adding the potatoes. It will give a slightly different consistency and if you have anyone who has a wheat intolerance be careful to use wheat free gravy.

This recipe is called “Shepherds pie” because the meat used is Lamb.  The recipe can be made using ground beef or buffalo and usually this will change the name to “Cottage Pie.”

Half Honey Dew melon (seeds removed)

3oz 40-50 count Shrimp

Celtic Sea Salt

Black Pepper

Put the shrimp into the well left when the seeds were removed from the melon.

Sprinkle with Celtic Sea Salt and Black Pepper to taste.

Chill if not already cool.

Eat by scooping out using a small spoon – if you want to be a little more artistic when preparing use a melon baler to scoop the melon into balls and mix the Shrimp with the balls inside the shell of the melon.

Nutritional values

3oz of shrimp are about 90 calories; they are approximately 17 g of protein, 1 g carbohydrate and 1.5g fat. Prawns are higher in cholesterol at 130mgs which is high compared to other fish.  3oz of shrimp also contains approximately 44mg of calcium, 2mg iron, 31mg magnesium, 175 mg phosphorus, 157 mg potassium, 32mg selenium, 126mg sodium,1g zinc. They have small amounts of vitamins A, B1, B2, B6, B12, Niacin, Folic Acid, C, and E.

½ honeydew melon is about 230 calories; it is approximately 3g protein, 59g carbohydrate, and 4g fiber. It contains about 260 IU Vitamin A and has small amounts of Vitamins B1, B2, and B6, Niacin, Pantothenic acid, Folic Acid, Vitamin C, and E. Honeydew Melon also contains small amounts of minerals Calcium, Copper, Iron, Magnesium, Manganese, Phosphorus, Selenium, and sodium.