Restoring Healthy Through Nutrition

CBS This Morning featured a health spot called "Gut Check" today.  The topic of beneficial bacteria is a key point for improving overall health for people of all ages.  The standard American diet is filled with meat, dairy, sweets, fat and refined carbohydrates.  These foods slow the digestive tract, contribute to the growth of inflammatory "bad" bacteria, reduce the good neurotransmitter production which benefits mental health, makes the body very acidic, and destroys the immune system.  The story on CBS This Morning highlighted the negative effects of bad bacteria being linked to diabetes, obesity and inflammation. For the broadcast of This Morning's spot, "Gut Check", click on this link:  Gut Check    How can you improve your health by getting more good bacteria in your gut?  Change your diet.  Eat high fiber foods.  The only source of fiber is through plant foods.   You can get all the good gut flora that you need by eating a la...

Light and Simple Cabbage Soup This delicately flavored soup is perfect for cool days or served cold on hot days.  I give the credit to a good friend who cooks by taste, like myself.  She served a cabbage soup similar to this and told me what seasonings she used.  Here is what I did to replicate her delicious soup. 1 cup lentils 3 quarts water 1/2 head cabbage cut into bit sized pieces, about 3 cups 1 large onion chopped 4 cloves garlic minced 5 large carrots chopped 3 stalks celery chopped 4-5 potatoes, any variety, cut in bite sized pieces 1-2 cups summer squash, chopped 1 tablespoon fennel seed 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1/4 cup fresh chopped parsley salt & pepper to taste In a 8-10 quart soup pan, bring water to boil and add lentils, onion, garlic, carrots, celery, potatoes, summer squash, parsley, fennel seed and cinnamon.  Once the soup comes to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until potatoes and lentils can be pierced with a fork (about 15 minutes).  Add choppe...