Black Berries.....SCORE

 

I have lived here for over 7 years and anyone who knows me knows that I am all about the free food from Mother Earth.  I don't know how this has escaped me, but I have never found a super great blackberry patch with berries plump, juicy and just the right sweetness ....until today.   And I have not told you the best part, there is no competition except for the bears of course.  And of course, I will leave plenty for them.  No, I am not going to tell you where I found them.  THEY ARE MINE....and the bears:)

What do you know about blackberries besides they are yummy and full of antioxidants helping boost the immune system to protect against desease.  Well they are also germ fighters.  Black berries have a high dose of ellagic acid that has anti-bacterial and anti-viral properties.  And blackberries benefit the brain.  Being high in antioxidants, "they fight free radical damage in the brain;  affect cell signaling between neurons and reduce cellular inflammation. This improves the functioning of neurons involved in both thinking and motor control."  I hope this works for me!

quote from  2012 review published in the "Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry"

Bluuuuuberry Time

Its Blueberry season and I for one am looking forward to hiking around some and collect a few more for a blueberry pie or add to some grits.  Yes grits, love them-kinda of makes me a little southernJ 

Besides the sweet juicy taste of blueberries, they are extremely nutritious having numerous health benefits such as soluble dietary fiber, minerals, vitamins, and pigment anti-oxidants that contribute immensely towards optimum health and wellness.   Some would call it a super food.  I do, but only when in season. 

What are some of those health benefits:  Well for one, they are low in calories so go on eat as many as you want.  One of the most important attributes are blueberries have a  high level of antioxidants (more than red wine and green tea combined) content in the form of anthocyanin’s giving its blue color, quercetin, carotene-6 and zeaxathin.  Um, it’s not so important the names, just know that they are all high powered antioxidants that help protect your body against free radicals keeping your body running at optimal levels.  A rule of thumb here, the darker or more vivid color, the more antioxidants

Other vitamins and mineral of blueberries are antioxidants A, C, and E; B complex, potassium, manganese, copper, iron and zinc.

Here’s a tidbit about how blueberries can boost brain Health:

“Scientists at the USDA research center have been studying the beneficial effects of blueberries on brain function in animal models for over a decade. Through studies with rats, researchers have found that object memory loss, which occurs normally with age, can be prevented and even reversed by feeding blueberries to older rats.

And in a study of nine human subjects, led by Robert Krikorian and his team at the University of Cincinnati, researchers found that older adults who were given blueberry juice scored higher on memory tests than those receiving a placebo. This study supports continued research on how blueberries may serve as a preventive method for cognitive decline.”

Hmmm, could use lot more of that!

I use blueberries in the form of a fruit acid in my in Ageless C Serum to help exfoliate dead skin cells as well as add antioxidants .  Check it out 

Go Wild-Eat Violets

Simple Lifestyle Changes for Optimal Health

Wild violets are not only pretty they're edible and they've been used for their medicinal properties longer than the United States has been a country.-they can be tossed in a salad, used to make violet tea, violet syrup, violet jelly, and even violet vinegar.  (Recipes at bottom)  I just eat the leaves and the flowers when I see one in the wild (free of pesticides.) .  I collect them a bit off the trail so they will less likely be peed on by an animal.   Washing them is always a good thing.  Also I collect them to make violet oil I use in my lip balms.

If you get the chance to eat a violet and I hope you do, notice that it is very slippery.   Also, violets are full of Vitamin C and Queritin.   Quercitin is a bioflavonoid and boost the effectiveness of Vitamin C.  Also Quercitin has been indicated useful in diminishing allergies-due to its decrease in mass cells responsible for Inflammatory response.(This is where more investigation is needed for more information)  So knowing that violets are slippery and full of Vitamin C makes it an ideal choice to soothe a sore throat or cough.  Its slippery qualities make it a gentle laxative. 

FREE FAT LIP BALM

As mentioned, I make a violet with added Chickweed to make lip balms.  I chose these because Violets and Chickweed are full of nutrition and are very emollient.   I made a fat lip balm to plump up and moisturize your lips.  To all local Ashevillians, I will be at the North Asheville Tailgate Market on April 19^th and The Herb Fest May 2-4th.  Mention this blog, like me on Facebook, and I would love to give you one at the events.

Recipes

Violet Tea

2 tsp dried violet leaf (Air dry them in a dark place till crispy)

1 1/2 cup boiling water

Pour the boiling water over the herbs. Cover and let it steep for 10 minutes before drinking.

 Violet Vinegar:  Nutritional Tonic for Health

8 oz. bottle of seasoned rice wine or champagne vinegar

1/4 C fresh violets (cleaned and air dried till slightly limp)

Push the violets into the vinegar.  Cap the bottle and turn it upside down a couple of times to immerse the herbs. Leave the bottle on the counter, turning it over and back up again daily to promote dispersion and immerse the flowers. After three or four days, strain out the flowers through a plastic strainer or coffee filter. Re-cap and store in a cool, dry, dark place for up to one year.

 

Nuts about Brazil Nuts

Simple lifestyle changes for optimal health:  One Brazil Nut a Day

I take a brazil nut once a day if I remember -maybe more gingko would helpJ  Why because brazil nuts are loaded with selenium, crucial for proper functioning of the body and excellent for the health of the skin.

Selenium is a trace mineral and antioxidant, and is required for the proper activity of a group of enzymes collectively called glutathione peroxidase. These enzymes each help turn toxic hydrogen peroxide into harmless water.   Of the eight known glutathione peroxidase enzymes, five of them require selenium.   Well, I am don’t completely understand that, but if we did not get rid of the hydrogen peroxide produced from the many reactions that takes place to keep us alive, we would die.  What I better understand is selenium is involved in recycling of vitamin C from its spent form back to its active one, allowing for greater antioxidant protection.  Wow, that is what I am interested in!

The selenium content in foods depends on the concentration of selenium in the soil where the crops were grown, but unfortunately nearly all trace minerals are widely depleted in the soils that grow our food including Selenium.   That's because conventional agriculture extracts these minerals from the soils, year after year, while replenishing none of them.  Besides the brazil nut, other foods are  Besides the Brazil nut which has the highest amount of selenium,  other good sources of selenium: Sunflower Seeds, Fish (tuna, halibut, sardines, flounder, salmon), Poultry (chicken, turkey), Eggs, Mushrooms (button, crimini, shiitake),Grains (wheat germ, barley, brown rice, oats), and onions.

Horsetail

Selenium is very important for healthy skin.  In addition to Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Beta-carotene, Omega 3, Selenium, a strong antioxidant helps protect the skin from sun damage and maintain firmness and elasticity.   Other plant sources of selenium are chickweed and horsetail.  Well right now in the spring, you can go out on most paths and find chickweed growing along the path.  Take a nibble, your body will love it!   Another plant is horsetail.  Besides being high in silica, horsetail is also sooths and tightens tissue.  If you ever get the chance to look at horsetail, look at the various joints-natures signature telling youthat it is good for your joints.  Because of horsetail's excellent support for the skin, I include it in my botanical complex in  my Vitamin A Night Crème-Nutrition from Mother Earth. 

 

 

 

Aloe Vera for Digestive and Immune support and brain function

Simple Everyday Life Changes for  Optimal Health.

Since I started studying natural health 6 years ago, I have always been interested in supporting my body with the full range of nutrition with simple everyday foods that are readily available and meets the common pocket book.   This series of blogs will contain highlights of such foods leaving you to do more research if desired.  As some of you know, I own a naturally pure skincare line called Zenjenskin.  Many of the suggestions on what you can take internally works well topically as well supporting my passion that beauty is from the inside out.  Our first topic is about Glyconutrients found in Aloe Vera.

Glyco What?  Well even though you may not have heard of it, we ingest some glyconutrients every day as they are essential to the needs of every cell in our bodies.  Unfortunately, most of us don’t get enough of them leaving our bodies depleted.  For example, today, it would take 53 peaches to give you the nutritive value that a single peach gave you in 1950.  Partly because our soils are depleted and partly because our diet has changed from eating lots of nutritionally based foods to fast food.

What is a Glyconutrient?

Glyconutrients are polysaccharides found in mushrooms, breast milk, some plant gums, sea brown algae, and aloe Vera.  Polysaccharides are involved in the everyday process of cell to cell communication- the thing that happens so our cells will live on.  Um, this is where those of you interested can do some research on your ownJ   Since we are not all mushroom, brown algae, plant gum and breast milk consumers; we are going to focus on ALOE VERA.   

Aloe Vera has been known for centuries for its healing powers of wounds, burns, the prevention of infection, and taken internally, it is a great support for digestion (having prebiotic effects), immune support and optimal brain function.   You only have to slather a bit of aloe Vera on you to know that it is cooling and soothing and will quickly calm a burn.  Hmmm, didn’t know about the brain function.  You can be sure I will be taking more of that.

There are over 150 nutritional ingredients in Aloe Vera working all together in a synergistic way to create healing and health giving benefits. The ten main areas of chemical constituents of Aloe Vera include: amino acids, anthraquinones, enzymes, minerals, vitamins, lignins, monosaccharide, polysaccharides, salicylic acid, saponins, and sterols.   Another mouth full more those who like to do research-anyone?   What is most impressive to me is that it takes 22 amino acids to build protein, our bodies produces all of them except 8 called essential amino acids.  Aloe Vera has those 8 essential Amino Acids.  Kudos to you Aloe!!!

How to apply this to everyday life?

This is what I do.  When I am filling up my water bottle with purified water, I put a tablespoon of aloe Vera in it.   Simple-done.   Told you it would be simple.  Please buy organic, it is reasonably priced.

Topically, Aloe Vera is nutritional, soothing and calming and for those reasons, it is the base of all my skin care products.  You can check out my website at www.zenjenskin.com or follow me on Facebook at www.facebook.com/zenjenskin for more information about the healing powers of plants and food.

Clay is just dirt? Right?

 What about Clay?  It’s just dirt right?

Uh, Yep and No. Clay does come from the soil, but it is mineral rich and is known widely for its amazing detoxing and purifying properties used externally and yes internally.  Eating  clay, REALLY.  I admit, even with the information I have, it still is hard for me to drink the muddy, murky looking concoction.  This blog explores the minimal facts about clay…..please explore further on your own before you tread down this path in hopes of ingesting all the benefits of pure calcium benonite clay.   

There are many types of clay, but only one I know about that you should ingest pure calcium benonite clay.  First, let me tell you about the different types of clay that can be used on the skin to exfoliate, detox, soak up excess sebum (oils on the skin), clarify, tighten and bringing color to your skin.  It is one of the best instant treatments I know of to look amazing.

Kaolin and bentonite clays:  These natural Earth clays help clarify the skin, absorb excess oil and reduce shine.   

Rhassoul Clay contains high percentages of silica and magnesium along with potassium and calcium, its high mineral content, effectively draws out impurities, buffs and polishes and immediately tones the skin without irritation.  

French Green Clay has excellent absorbing agents as it absorbs the extra oil from the skin, which is good as this extra oil may lead to acne marks and blemishes."  Green clay is the choice for sensitive or acneic skin.

Topical Uses:  Making a clay mask is a treat.   When ever I am going out on for a special occasion or just want to feel and look better, I mix clay with several different options depending on what I feel like.  Some of the options are juice for additional exfoliation, egg white or coffee juice for tightening, lavender or tea tree oil for blemish control and calming the skin. 

Mix it up to a creamy consistency, and lather on your face or other body parts.  When you start to see it drying (which usually means it gets lighter in color) but it still feels a bit sticky, it's time to wash it off with warm water. I like to follow it up with a toner for extra added benefit.  You will not believe how wonderful you will feel after only a few minutes of treatment with  Bentonite Clay as a face mask. Your skin will look amazing with this simple treatment.

Clay taken internally for health benefits.   The choice of taking clay internally is Pure Calcium Kaolin Clay.  Pure Calcium Bentonite clay contains more than 70 trace minerals. By mixing Pure Calcium Bentonite clay with water either internally or externally the expanded particles develop into a large surface which enables them to pick up many times their own weight of various body toxins. This wide surface is made of a great number of tiny platelets, each with a negative electrical attraction for positively charged toxins. Bentonite clay's negative charge is responsible for its amazing detoxifying properties: it is a magnet for many toxic elements present in the human body (heavy metals, pesticides, and free radicals), which are positively charged. This physical pulling power of Pure Calcium Bentonite Clay also has an absorbent action (like sticky paper) as toxins are drawn into the porous surface of the clay.  For more information go to www.livingclay.com  

Here is a bowel detox I am going to try.  Again, please seek do research on your own or seek medical attention for your own safety.

Bowel Detox

Mix 1 tsp. (4.93 ml) of bentonite clay, 1 tsp. (4.93 ml) of powdered psyllium (not whole psyllium seeds or un-powdered husks), and 1/2 tsp. (2.46 ml) of ginger powder with 1 cup (250 ml) of organic apple juice

Shake the mixture well until all of the lumps are dissolved. Drink the shake immediately before the psyllium makes the mixture become gooey. Do not consume any food within 2 hours before or after drinking the shake because the food will be absorbed by the clay. Do not drink more than 5 shakes a day.    I would also add to this a daily lemon water drink.  Also be sure to drink plenty of water because bentonite clay can cause you to be constipated.  Also during a bowel cleanse, it is best to eat as little as possible sticking to juices made up of anything you like. 

I hope you enjoyed this little snippet on Clay and will get back to me with any information or experiences you would like to share.

Hope you are having an awesome day!

Jennifer Maves
www.Zenjenskin.com 

Visit my website for other amazing skin care treatments

Rooting in Silence

 

 

I love to walk along the path during the winter months.  It is so quiet and peaceful.  It is a time of rooting down and resting like our plants relatives.  I rest in gratitude over the last year and contemplate the promise of new beginnings.     One of my favorite plants in the winter is the White Pine.  I love the smell mostly.  It brings a calm serenity to my mind.

 Besides the lovely aroma, the White Pine is wonderful for Cold remedies.  It has 10 times more Vitamin C than an Orange.  One year when I was struggling with a lingering cold, I wanted to use a plant that was available, so I turned to the white pine.  I gathered the fallen fronds, packed them into a jar, covered them with cold water, added 1 TB. fennel and let it sit for 6 hours.  After removing the matter, I drank the juice.  My cold disappeared rather quickly.   Thank you White Pine!

Other plants I look for in the winter are Chickweed and Burdock.  Chickweed is a highly nutritious emerging first in early Spring, disappears during the hot weather and reappears when the weather cools again. It is a welcome surprise because most the of the wild edibles are dormant until next Spring.  I suggest when you find a patch, pick it, eat it raw, or blend in smoothies or make it into a pesto.

The Burdock Root is best harvested in the late fall.  Burdock root is a wonderful blood cleanser which is great this time of year after all the rich holiday treats. It can be taken orally or used topically as a remedy for skin disorders.   I like adding it to soups, and Chai Teas dried or fresh. 

Thank you and Namaste to all my Zen FriendsJ

www:zenjenskin.com               Like me on Facebook        zenjenskin@gmail.com   828.777.8044

 

                    ZenjenSkinNews

I am proud to announce that Zenjenskin products are now sold locally at:

South Asheville

Katuah Market- Local by Nature located is Biltmore Villiage Asheville

www.katuahmarket.com

Downtown

French Broad Coop Food for people- Not for profit is located downtown Asheville

www.frenchbroadfood.coop.com