Home-Made Salad Dressings for Greater Intestinal Health
Posted: Monday, August 06, 2007
by Eve Juurik
The Spring of Life
I hope You are monthly taking time to develop one new good habit towards greater health and longevity. " One thing I've discovered is that making small yet significant adjustments can make all the difference in our goal to live healthy ", says certified fitness coach Marty Copeland. She also suggests we write down our goals. It has actually been scientifically proven that those people who write down their goals, achieve 90% of their goals, while the 90% of the people who do not write their goals down, achieve a mere 10% of their goals.
I would like to share with You one real worthy health goal.
Fresh salads are some of the healthiest foods this time of a year. In order to receive the greatest benefits from the antioxidant-loaded greens and vegetables, we can prepare a super healthy custom-made dressing right at home. I strongly urge You not to use supermarket salad dressings as they contain too many synthetic substances that greatly subtract from the health benefits of a fresh salad. It is so very easy to prepare a healthy salad dressing at home... thus greatly boosting the nutritional value of Your salad.
The main ingredients You need are freshly squeezed lemon juice or organic apple cider vinegar and organic extra virgin olive oil. Extra virgin olive oil is very good for the digestion and is also helpful in losing weight. Apple cider vinegar helps burn fat and cleanse the colon.
Pour the ingredients into a glass jar with a screw-on top. Then add some salt... and then comes my favorite part - just go wild in adding those fresh or dried herbs of Your own choice. Finally, screw the top on and shake really well. Let the dressing sit for at least 15 minutes, allowing the flavors and antioxidants intermingle, bringing out the best of one another. Pour some of it on Your salad & mix. Let it sit for another 10-15 minutes before serving, allowing the vegetables and greens to devour the dressing.
You can keep the extra dressing in the fridge. Do not use plastic containers to preserve food. Always use glass or ceramic or wood. Some recent studies have shown plastic containers to release harmful chemicals into the food it contains. They are especially dangerous when used in microwave. Though, even without the use of plastic containers, microwave ovens do a pretty good job in killing the health value of the foods.
When You pick the herbs to use in Your salad dressing, choose the ones that contain the health benefits You desire. Many of the herbs aid digestion and help heal the colon. Here are some suggestions:
ANISE (Pimpinella anisum) - relaxant, stimulant, tonic, carminative, stomachic. Anise prevents fermentation and production of gas in the stomach and bowels; helps to overcome nausea and colic.
BASIL (Ocimum basilicum) - stimulant and nervine. I use basil a lot as it gives a very pleasant taste to almost any food.
CARAWAY (Carum carvi) - prevents fermentation in the stomach, aids digestion, strengthens and gives tone to the stomach, helps to expel gas from the bowels.
CATNIP (Nepeta cataria) - useful in pain of any kind, spasm, gas pains, hyperacidity in the stomach, and for the prevention of griping in the bowels. Helps relieve headaches.
CAYENNE (Capsicum frutescens) - stimulant and antispasmodic. Cayenne is good for heart, kidneys, spleen, pancreas. Cayenne will help heal a sore and ulcerated stomach (while black pepper, mustard, or vinegar will irritate it).
CORIANDER (Coriandrum sativum) - a good stomach tonic and very strengthening to the heart; expels wind from the bowels. Good for flavoring other unpleasant-tasting herbs.
CUMIN (Cuminum cyminum) - contains incredible antioxidant properties, including seven anti-inflammatory properties and three pain relieving compounds.
DILL (Anethum graveolens) - helps prevent gas and fermentation in the intestines; stimulates the appetite; very quieting to the nerves. Dill has been used traditionally as a remedy for cancer and estrogen deficiency.
FENNEL (Foeniculum vulgare) - good remedy for gas, acid stomach, gout, cramps, colic, spasms.
FENUGREEK (Trigonella foenum-graecum) - has long been considered the "cure-all" treatment for ailments in the Middle East. The bittersweet seeds contain five compounds that appear to help diabetics lower blood sugar.
MARJORAM (Majorana hortensis) - a good tonic; excellent for sour stomach, loss of appetite, indigestion, water retention.
MINT (Monarda punctata) - very quieting and soothing; eases pain; good for water retention, nausea, vomiting, gas and other digestive problems.
ORIGANUM (Origanum vulgare) - very strengthening to the stomach; increases appetite; helps in case of water retention; helpful in dyspepsia, rheumatism, colic, nausea, neuralgia, nervousness.
PARSLEY (Petroselinum sativum) - very rich in iron and vitamin C, very good source of calcium, potassium, phosphorus and vitamin A. This herb is excellent for cancer (in this case is best drunk as tea). Parsley is an excellent remedy for difficult urination, dropsy, jaundice, stones or gravel in the urinary tracts, obstructions of the liver and spleen, syphilis, and gonorrhea. DO NOT USE parsley in case of kidney infection!
SAGE (Salvia officinalis) - You can never go amiss when You take sage, a herb that is often called "cure-all". It is good for liver and kidneys, one of the best remedies for stomach troubles, dyspepsia, gas in the stomach and bowels. Will expel worms in children and adults.
TURMERIC (Curcuma longa) - possesses tremendous anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. The herb is beneficial as a digestive aid, liver protector, and heart tonic. It is a pain reliever, relieving pain without upsetting the stomach.
I hope You will enjoy preparing Your very own healthy salad dressings... knowing that You are taking a significant step towards greater health and longevity. The information about the herbs and condiments is from Jethro Kloss' "Back to Eden, The Classic Guide to Herbal Medicine, Natural Foods and Home Remedies since 1939" and Jordan S.Rubin's "The Maker's Diet".
Eve Juurik
Body-Mind-Spirit Health, Fitness & Beauty in Organic Way
http://www.TheSpringOfLife.net
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