Butternut Squash Soup with only 4 Ingredients

Here is an easy soup recipe!  For those on Candida Clear sub the balsamic vinegar for apple cider vinegar.  I tried both ways and the apple cider vinegar is a great substitution for it!

2 lbs of butternut squash (I got mine from Costco and it is already cut into cubes)
1 medium onion
3 to 4 cups vegetable broth (We didn't have any so I used chicken broth)
2 to 4 balsamic vinegar (For Candida Clear use apple cider vinegar)
Salt and Pepper to taste

Cook the diced up butternut squash in coconut oil at 375 degrees for 30 to 40 minutes until tender.  With about 10 minutes to go cut up the onion and saute with coconut oil in a skillet until they start to get golden edges.  

When both the butternut squash and the onions are cooked throw them into a blender with the vegetable (or chicken) broth.  I didn't have to warm up the chicken/vegetable broth because the squash and onions were really hot so it warmed the broth up really quickly.  

After it is blended add the balsamic or apple cider vinegar to taste.  Start with 1 tsp and work up to what you would like.  (I didn't get my blender out but instead put everything into a large soup pot and then used a hand blender.  Either way works great!)  

We topped it with jalapenos and avocado which was a perfect little addition!  You could even try cilantro or green onions too.

Enjoy! 

Recipe Idea from

http://www.onelovelylife.com/roasted-butternut-squash-soup/

Diced up Butternut Squash from Costco

All done!  Topped with jalapenos and avocado

What I used to blend it all together with.  Or you could add it all to a regular blender.  

Tips on Ear Infections for Infants

This one is for all the parents! 

 

My son has been fighting an ear infection and all the drainage that comes with it this past week.  This time of year, especially, we see a lot of kids for sinus drainage, ear aches, and coughs.  It’s such a challenge to see our little ones not feeling well and, of course, we want to do all we can to make them feel better as quickly as possible.  Before you rush out and load up on the “yummy pink stuff” we got as kids any time we needed an antibiotic, here are a few tricks to try at home.  If these don’t work, give us a call and get in for a sick visit!

 

Breastmilk

If you are nursing, a few drops of breastmilk can do wonders!  Breastmilk is loaded with antibodies to help fight illnesses and does wonders against infections and clearing fluids.  For stuffy noses or sinuses, place a few drops into the nostril while baby is lying down.  For clogged tear ducts or pink eye, put the drops into the corner of the eye (Warm breastmilk may be less of a shock to the little one).  For earaches and infections (you guessed it) put a few drops (warmed) into the ear to help soothe and dry up fluids.  There’s a reason they call this stuff liquid gold!

 

Garlic Oil

I am sure you have heard us tell you many times that garlic is a wonderful natural antibiotic and drainage supplement.  This definitely applies to earaches!  At the onset of ear pain, place 3-4 drops of warmed garlic oil into the ear.  This will help to soothe the pain and dry fluids while fending off any start of infection.

 

Silver

When in doubt, there is always Silver Shield!  Colloidal Silver is a fantastic and effective natural antibiotic, antiviral, antifungal and so much more.  Especially with Nature’s Sunshine’s addition of their Silver Shield gel, there are countless ways you can use it now.  For pink eye, place a drop into the corner of the eye.  With an ear infection, drop into the ear.  With any kind of respiratory issue, stop by the office to pick up a nasal spray bottle.  You can put the silver shield into the bottle and squirt up the nose to get directly into the sinuses and lungs.

 

Have a good day! 

Becca Potter

BeccaPotterNRT@gmail.com

 

To schedule online with Becca click the link below

https://clients.mindbodyonline.com/classic/home?studioid=213814 

 

 

 

100% Vitamin C Drink for Kids

Don't worry about the high fructose corn syrup, preservatives, food coloring and dyes (known neurotoxins) this has 100% vitamin C in it! (It makes me want to cry seeing this and how it is marketed as a yummy treat for little ones tummies.)

Do your children a favor and choose fruits and vegetables for their vitamin C and avoid all this junk.  Getting in their 100% vitamin C is not worth drinking this punch.  No way, Jose!!! 

Struggling with Menopause?

If you are one of the many women struggling with (or fear) menopause keep reading.

Menopause does not mean the body stops producing all hormones but instead the ovaries go into retirement by drastically decreasing their production of estrogen and progesterone.  In turn the adrenals (aka stress glands) have to pick up the slack and increase their production of sex hormones for everything to run smoothly.

The problem is that over the first 40 to 50 years of most peoples lives, the stress glands get run down.  They have to produce the stress hormone (cortisol) whenever stress is present.  Stress can be good or bad, actual or perceived.  This means even if you are moving to a new beautiful house it can still be very stressful.  Then you add in on top of it kids games, deadlines at work, traffic, family stress, etc.  It adds up real quick and your adrenal glands never get a break.  It is like asking them to do a sprint, then another sprint, then run a marathon, and once they finish another sprint, etc.  If you had to physically do that each moment you were awake your body would crash and burn.  And after 40+ years of this they get burned out too.  

After all of that you THEN start asking them to up the production of estrogen and progesterone to make up for the lack of hormones being produced by the ovaries.  The result when the adrenals (aka stress glands) can't keep up is stereotypical menopausal symptoms (hot flashes, night sweats, weight gain, decreased libido, dry skin, etc).  

So supporting and giving your 'stress glands' some love and TLC to produce hormones like they should can do wonders, absolute wonders, for women going or who have gone through menopause.  It SHOULD NOT be a dramatic, terrible transition.  Don't fall into the trap of thinking that common symptoms (aka what you stereotypically hear about) are NORMAL.  They are NOT NORMAL but instead common because most Americans are in adrenal fatigue.

One of my favorite quotes is (by Kevin Trudeau)

"Most people have no idea how good their body is designed to feel."  

You DO NOT have to suffer with the incurable, miserable symptoms.  Support the areas of your body that need it and you will be surprised at how good you can feel and how minimal the 'transition' will be.  

For specific ideas on how to support your adrenals there will be a blog post coming your way next week.  Stay tuned! 

A Healthy Local Lunch Find!

In Brentwood (off of Old Hickory) I ran across this amazing little restaurant with freshly made meals and juices for people on the go!  They are dairy and gluten free!  (Perfect for anyone on Candida Clear too.)

I got the Zucchini Alfredo (no dairy ingredients and the noodles are made from fresh zucchini).  It was really tasty along with the juice I got!  I would highly recommend checking the Daily Juice out!  :) 

Homemade Laundry Detergent

Here is a simple recipe for the homemade laundry detergent I use.  It makes a huge batch and lasts for a long time!  (Very very cost effective considering how expensive laundry detergent can be with the bonus of being free of chemicals and dyes! A WIN WIN!)
All but the Oxo Brite is available at Kroger which I ordered through Amazon. 

• Borax (1) 4 lb 12 oz box
• Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda (1) 3 lb 7 oz box
• Castile or Dr. Bronner’s Bar soap (2) bar- (I used the peppermint scented)
• Arm & Hammer Baking Soda 4 lbs
• Oxo Brite (1) 3 lb container (I ordered on Amazon) 

Grate the bars of soap (I used a hand grater which was a pain.  Other people use a food processor and say it is much easier- I'll probably do that next time).  Then mix all the ingredients together!! Use 1-2 tablespoons per load. I have a HE washer and just put it in the powder section. For information on what I use for fabric softener click here.   Enjoy! 

 

 

I store mine in a large glass container I got at Target. 

 

(Also- for extra dirty clothes I add in 1/2 cup to 1 full cup of baking soda.  You can get a huge bag of baking soda at Costco for a great price.)