Corn, a healthy alternative

Did you know that corn bread is more nutritious than even wheat bread? or that if you mix in beans and corn together (as in corn bread and chili) that you have a complete protein by mixing them?  Corn is one of the healthiest vegetables you can incorporate into your diet - whether fresh ears, creamed corn, corn kernels, or corn bread. The fresh silk that grows in the ears can even be eaten raw right from the cob/ears, added to salads, or beneficial even dried from most herbal shops. The silk tones the bladder - well recommended even simply by steeping one teaspoon of silk per cup of water for 5 minutes, take one tablespoon every two hours, and you’ll be amazed at what imporvements you’ll see in your bladder. Corn silk also helps (homeopathically) for cystitis and kidney conditions, and corn smut for hemorrhage and lack of tone in the uterus.   So think about corn, its an amazing gift from the earth all around.

Some Tidbits of Off the Grid Living at the Taos Pueblo …. Taos, NM

The Taos Pueblo
An example of some tidbits of “off-the-grid” living, natural, organic living in harmony with the natural environment that our ancestors in the American Southwest still live-by. It’s quite impressive ….

Often in the Taos Pueblo you’ll see what are called Drying Racks. These racks are utilized for many different purposes such as drying wild game meat for jerky, drying harvested corn, pumpkin, squash, and bean crops, wild berries, and animal hides for clothing. The buildings are made entirely of Adobe. Adobe is earth, straw, and water mixed and poured into forms - after the bricks are sun-dried, they are stacked and bounded together with the same adobe mix. The walls are frequently several feet thick and the interiors are coated with washes of white earth to keep the rooms bright and clean. The roofs are supported by large timbers/vigas. Smaller wood/latillas are placed across the vigas. The roof is then compacted with earth. The exteriors are plastered annually with adobe due to the exposure of the four seasons. The Pueblo maintains a restriction of NO ELECTRICITY and NO RUNNING WATER within the sacred village. The introduction of wood stoves was adopted in many of the homes for cooking purposes, some families continue to cook right in the fireplace. The village is surrounded by an adobe wall. At one time it stood as high as 10 feet with 5 lookout places … It serves as the boundary for keeping the people safe and undisturbed during ceremonial times. Today this wall serves as a boundary of where Traditional Cultural beliefs are nurtured and where the foreign beliefs do not apply. (Taos Pueblo introductory brochure)

Horno ovens, Taos Pueblo, Taos, NM © 2005 ,br>technogypsie.com, click photo for larger view.

Horno Oven, Taos Pueblo, New Mexico © 2005 technogypsie.com, click photo for larger view.

Horno is a Spanish word to describe the outdoor adobe oven that is used mostly to bake bread and pastries by the women of the Pueblo. A cedar fire is built to heat the oven, then the ash is removed. The loaves/pastries are placed inside to bake. The horno is also perfect for baking large portions of wild game and vegetables. (Taos Pueblo introductory brochure)

Pueblo structures © 2005 technogypsie.com, click photo for larger view.

house, Taos Pueblo, New Mexico © 2005 technogypsie.com, click photo for larger view.

The two main structures of the Pueblo are called Hlaauma / North House and Hlaukkwima / South House. These structures are believed to be well over 1,000 years old. The buildings are actually many individual homes built side by side and layers with common walls and no connecting doorways. The Pueblo looks much like it did when the conquistadors first arrived. The exception is the introduction of doorways. At one time, the only entryway into the homes was by ladder through an opening in the rooftops. This served as a source of light then as it still does today. The roof top entrances also served as a safe guard against intruders of the Pueblo. If an enemy was approaching the ladders were pulled from the ground levels to the rooftops. (Taos Pueblo introductory brochure)

Pueblo structures © 2005 technogypsie.com, click photo for larger view.

Housing, Taos Pueblo, New Mexico © 2005 technogypsie.com, click photo for larger view.

Reader’s Digest “Live it down Plan”

A year ago, I was diagnosed with high cholesterol. I was a tech support agent, who sat behind a computer, a phone, and desk for most of the hours in my week. I also ate a lot of junk food and didn’t get enough exercise, mainly because my job involved too many hours and too much stress. After a painful kidney stone, I decided “office work” was no longer for me, and I entered the wilderness and manual labor as an archaeologist. I never did check to see if my cholesterol is high, but I could almost guarantee you its at a safe place now. I plan to get checked again on my next break. I now hike about 10 miles a day when at work, eat healthier and live much more stress free.

Much of what I have to thank is Reader Digest’s “Live it down plan,” which pushes more fish in the diet, fish oil supplements, multi-vitamins, cognitive healthier eating and more exercise. I’ve lost a lot of weight as well. I couldn’t suggest a better plan, especially one that doesn’t require you to give up things like alcohol, chocolate and meat.

Add Mesquite to your Cooking and to soothe sore throats …

Mesquite is great for barbeque and to add as a nice spice to healthy cooking. It’s also great for sore throats … here are some pictures of this great shrub/tree and some botanical marker sign stats on the plant ….

Mesquite Prosopis Glandulosa Washune has had many uses for New Mexico’s native people and early settlers. Its branches provided shelter, fuel, and food. The bean pods were delicacies and the seeds were cooked or dried and ground into meal. A good honey was made from the nectar of its flowers. From the root fibers beautiful baskets were made. Its gum served as a glue, dye on pottery, and as a medication for sore throats. The foliage provides browse for livestock and wildlife. ~ (biological marker at Bottomless Lakes State Park)

Mesquite ©2005 Technogypsie.com, click photo for larger view

Aromatherapy vs. Athlete’s Foot

You can use Aromatherapy to combat “Athlete’s Foot”. Make up a mixture of 2 drops of tea tree essential oil and a drop of lavender oil, and apply to the top of your toes, inbetween the toes, and around the nails with a qtip or cotton ball. Then massage your feet with a massage oil made up of 1 teaspoon of vegetable oil blended with 5 drops of tea tree oil and 1 drop of lemon essential oil.

Source: Valerie Ann Worwood’s “Complete Guide to Essential Oils and Aromatherapy”

Trader Joes - The Exotic Healthy Alternative Grocery Store

If you’re looking for a place to obtain healthy foods, exotic foods, and unique foods - Trader Joes is the key … fastly growing and with an intent on health consciousness, this unique new grocery outlet won’t disappoint you. It never does me …

Trader Joes Upper Queen Anne Hill, Seattle (#135) 112 Galer Street Seattle, WA 98119 (206) 378-5536 Between 1st Avenue W. and 2nd Avenue W. http://www.traderjoes.com/locations/map/135.asp Trader Joes is my favorite grocery store, though this location is not one of its better stores in the selection and space venue. Still, good enough for the fix I needed today. Trader Joes is a “Unique Grocery Store” with a unique selection of goods, groceries, and food stuffs from all over at very low prices. Originally a small outlet in California, it has quickly grown in popularity from coast-to-coast. When I live in a city where there is a Trader Joes, that’s the only place I shop. I of course grabbed some of my favorites for the camping venture this weekend: Vanilla soy milk, Chai, panang curry thai tuna, cashew butter, blackberry jelly, wheat bread, macadamian carmel popcorn, the famous $2.95/bottle wines, and other munchies. Rated: (storewide: 5 stars out of 5, this store: 4 out of 5)

“Trader Joe’s began in 1958 as a chain of convenience stores called “Pronto Marketsâ€? in the Los Angeles area. In 1967, the founder, Joe Coulombe, the original Trader Joe, wanted to expand the stores’ offerings and enhance their image. He doubled the floor space and offered hard-to-find, boutique domestic and imported wines and gourmet food items at outstanding prices. He decked out the stores with cedar plank walls and nautical décor and garbed the Captain (the store manager), the First Mate (the assistant manager) and the Crew Members in colorful Hawaiian shirts. “Trader Joe’s” was born.
Currently Trader Joe’s has expanded to over 200 stores in Arizona, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Washington.” ~ Trader Joes website history.