Lemon Cayenne Water

Some of you might be thinking I am a little crazy with this drink.  It may be gross, but it has an amazing health benefit and can help with numerous things- like, headaches, jump-starting metabolism, cleansing bowels, etc.

Here is the recipe...

• 8-12 oz glass of purified water.
• Juice of 1/2-1 lemon.
•  1/8 tsp.- 1 tsp. Cayenne Pepper (start with lower increments).
• 1 tsp. Maple Syrup (the maple syrup has to be real- you don't have to use the maple syrup if you don't want).  Maple syrup has a lot of great nutrients in it.

Give-A-Way!

The winner of the Vitamin C supplement and the Echinacea tincture is....

BRENDA!!!

I will contact you to get your address to send it out.  Thanks to all who entered!

I am doing my 1st blog Give-A-Way on Natural Cures Momma! I am excited to give away a couple of my favorite items...

My favorite Vitamin C supplement and my favorite Echinacea tincture.  These will make a great cold/flu stopper, with the season coming up on us quicker than we know.  So, here are the rules...

To Enter: you have to follow me on my blog and enter a comment below on the "Give-a-way" post.  I will give extra entry's for posting a link on your blog, liking me on facebook and/or following me on twitter.  Just leave an extra comment for each of those, below.  Please make sure you put your email address on the comments.  This give-a-way ends on Wednesday, the 17th of August, 2011.  Winner will be chosen on random.org.  Give-a-way is only good for residents of the United States.

Give-a-way is CLOSED!  Thanks again to all who entered.

Please pass along to all of your friends!  Good luck!

Natural Remedies When Trying To Get Pregnant

Trying to become pregnant is such a wonderful and joyous time in your life.  Welcoming new precious souls to this earth is such an amazing blessing.  There is a lot of preparing that goes into planning a new child, like; insurance planning, financial planning, home planning, emotional planning, etc.  One important degree of planning that sometimes gets overlooked, is preparing our bodies for such a big change.  Here are some natural methods that are proven to cleanse, awaken and prepare the body for pregnancy and childbirth...

• Pre-Pregnancy Cleanse - helps cleanse toxins out of your body so it can nurture a baby more efficiently.  Click here for my basic cleanse.
  
• Daily Green Smoothies  - are important for all of pregnancy and beyond.  Click here for my Green Smoothie recipe.
• Chasteberry - an herb found at your local health foods store.  It is AKA Vitex agnus-castus, and is a menstrual regulator that can help increase fertility.  
•  Red Raspberry Leaf - an herb found at your local health foods store.  It is highly regarded for its ability to tone the uterus and muscles of the pelvic region.
• Nettle Leaf - a supplement found at your local health foods store that contains a wide spectrum of vitamins and minerals that are critical to good reproductive health, including Vitamins A, C, D, K, Potassium, Phosphorous, Iron, and Sulfur.  Nettle Leaf also contains Calcium – a mineral that affects a woman’s ability to conceive and maintain pregnancy.
• L-Carnitine - found at your local health foods store.  Low sperm counts have been linked to low carnitine levels in men.  Several studies suggest that L-carnitine supplementation may increase sperm count and mobility (get this for your partner, it can't hurt).
• Multi-Vitamin/Pre-Natal Vitamin - I would make sure you and your partner are taking a mulit-vitamin.
• Yoga - is a very good way to prepare your body for pregnancy and childbirth.  Yoga can also release harmful toxins from your body.  

I used a lot of these things when I was preparing to become pregnant with my last child.  I believe they all helped a lot.  There is also an herb combination that has been known to help with infertility.  If you have problems with infertility and would like to find out more info, click here.  If you are already dealing with a doctor, I would check with them and make sure it will not affect anything you are already taking/doing.  Good luck on this blessed time in your life!

Basic Cleanse

Here are the guidelines for the Basic Cleanse that I use.  It is used to cleanse your body of harmful toxins.  I try to do some sort of a cleanse (besides when I am pregnant or breastfeeding; before you get pregnant is fine) a few times a year.  

• Eat a huge green salad the night before the cleanse.  Make sure all that is on your salad is vegetables (no cheese, croutons, etc.).  For dressing use only lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, sea salt and seasoning; to taste.
• A couple hours after dinner, drink cranberry fiber drink.  Click here for recipe.
• First thing in the morning drink a full glass of purified water with the juice of a 1/2 of a lemon.  If you are really daring, add an 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper (cayenne pepper is a great bowel cleanser).
• For breakfast eat only fresh fruit.  No bananas, though.
• Mid-Morning drink at least 4 glasses of purified water.  If you are hungry have an apple and/or some freshly squeezed vegetable juice.
• For lunch eat a huge green salad topped with any vegetables.  For dressing only use lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, sea salt and seasoning; to taste.
• Drink at least 4 glasses of water through out the afternoon.  If you are hungry have an apple and/or fresh squeezed vegetable juice.
• For dinner have a large portion of freshly steamed vegetables and/or a bowl of homemade vegetable soup.  You can also have another green salad.  Again, use only fresh lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, sea salt, and seasoning; to taste.
• If you are hungry in the evening, eat another apple (or two).
• First thing the next morning drink a full glass of purified water with 1/2 lemon (with the 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper, if you wish).
• For breakfast enjoy a Green Smoothie.  Click here for the recipe.

You made it!  If you would like to continue on for longer, you can put some rice protein powder in with the nightly Cranberry Fiber Drink, or the Green Smoothie (found at your local health foods store).  If you do not like (or refuse to eat) the dressing for the salad, use a vinaigrette with preferably, no refined sugar in it.  Be positive when you are cleansing and don't give up!  

Cranberry Fiber Drink

• 3 T freshly ground golden flax seeds
• 3 T unsweetened cranberry juice
• 3/4 cup purified water

Mix it and drink before it thickens up.

Great drink for a good source of fiber.  Also used in my basic cleanse.

Natural Energy Boost

Everyone needs an energy boost from time to time.  We all go through times when it is so hard to get out of bed and the all day dragging just becomes normal.  There are a lot of reasons that you may be feeling fatigued.  Here are some of the more popular reasons for needing a "pick me up"...

• Lack of sleep/high stress levels.
• Physically over-doing it/emotional exhaustion.
• Nervous system over-stimulation: using short term stimulants like caffeine, sugar and nicotine.
• Poor nutrition in your diet: eating not enough fresh fruits and veggies and too much refined flours, sugars, corn syrup and more.
• Mental illness, such as depression and/or anxiety can make you overly fatigued.

Some of the things listed above, we can change, or make somewhat better.  That would be a healthy start in changing your energy levels.  Here are a list of things that will help boost your energy the right way, all natural...

• Ginger Root - supplement found at your local health foods store.  It is an herbal tonic for the adrenal glands, which produces the body's energizing hormones.
• Ginseng - supplement found at your local health foods store.  It is a useful herb to combat stress and fatigue, to maximize stamina, and to build strength. 
• Multi-Vitamin - make sure you are taking a multi-vitamin (we need it for the lack of vitamins we get in our diets). 
• B-complex vitamin - B vitamins are very powerful and have been proven to help increase energy.
• L-Carnitine - found at your local health foods store.  It is a nutrient that helps the body turn fat into energy.  It is produced by the body in the liver and kidneys and stored in the skeletal muscles, heart, brain, and sperm.
• SAM-e - a supplement that you can find at your local health foods store.  It is short for S-adenosyl-L-methionine.  It's found naturally in the body and is increases levels of neurotransmitters serotonin and dopamine.  Studies have shown that taking SAM-e and L-Carnitine together can be a very good natural energy booster.
• Green Smoothie - starting your day with a green smoothie (or even an all fruit smoothie, if you are afraid of the greens).  Click here for my favorite Green Smoothie recipe.
• Make sure you are staying hydrated through out the day- preferably with water!

If you would rather just take one supplement, Naturallydirect.net has a energy supplement that I have heard is good.  I have never tried it myself.  Don't get overwhelmed, as I post quite a few options.  You don't have to use all of them.  Try the things that best suite you, as we are all unique (and wonderfully so).

Green Smoothie

I wanted to share my recipe to the 'green smoothie' we drink.  I think drinking smoothies everyday, or as much as possible, can have a major health benefit.

• Golden Flax Seeds: 1-2 T (I buy at whole foods and grind right before consumption).
• Spinach/Kale (or any leafy green): 1 good sized handful or about 1 cup
• Fresh Fruit: 1/2 banana, 2-3 strawberries, 1/2 an orange (you can honestly use any fruit you would like.  I change it up on a daily basis, but this recipe is my fall back).
•   Pomegranate Juice: 1/2 cup (cranberry juice is also good).
• Ice: 1/2 cup
• Vitamins: Multi-vitamin powder.  I don't always add vitamins to mine, but it is a good way to take them.

It will look green, or even brownish/green.  Don't let the look of it turn you away, as it tastes quite delicious (your body will start craving them and all of their sweet healthiness).  Starting your day out with a smoothie can be a great boost in your energy and it's a great way to cleanse your system.  When I start my days out with a green smoothie, I have a healthier mindset and don't want/need to indulge in unhealthy snacking.  It simply starts your digestive track on the right foot.

Enjoy!