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Hayfever remedies: Bee pollen

I mentioned the beginning of my hayfever remedies last week, but I didn’t get a chance to tell you about the discovery that has changed my life with allergies: bee pollen!

Specifically, locally-collected bee pollen.

Bee pollenDuring allergy seasons (for me, it’s spring flowering trees and late summer grasses through the first frost), I mix a teaspoon of the bee pollen granules into a few ounces of juice or water and drink it in the morning.

It’s truly amazing.

I don’t have to walk around carrying a box of tissues. I don’t sneeze uncontrollably every 5 minutes. And I don’t have to resort to chronic use of antihistimines, like I used for years before I went natural.

Not that I don’t sneeze these days. I do. Not that I don’t blow my nose this spring. I do. But my eyes aren’t itchy, my nose isn’t red and swollen, and my brain doesn’t have that fuzzy, allergy-ridden feeling where it’s hard to concentrate on anything beyond basic survival.

My state has two main zones: a mountainous, high-country region, and flat plains. My city is on the edge of the plains, so I got bee pollen collected from just east of us, on the plains. Before my next trip to the mountains, I will start taking some bee pollen from that region to build up my defenses.

I found my locally-collected bee pollen in the refrigerated section of my local Vitamin Cottage (a health food grocery store). Always try one or two granules first, to test for any allergic reaction, before committing to a large amount. And never give bee pollen or honey to children under 1 year old as they could get very sick.

Shaping lifelong eating habits

The single most common food mistake I see parents make is not exposing kids, preschoolers especially, to a wide range of foods and flavors. Too often I see parents giving their kids the same old “kiddie food” repetoire without ever even offering something different, say, from the adult’s plate.

Last summer I was appalled during a family reunion when my three sisters in-law and I would gather to feed the eight children under 5 years old. My children feasted on leftover turkey enchiladas, sweet and sour meatballs, and broccoli slaw, while the others were only offered food such as sliced deli meats, bread, American cheese slices, macaroni and cheese, hot dogs, and baby carrots. Most times the other children were not even invited to try the adult food; maybe they would have liked it? We’ll never know.

We do know, however, that it may take 11 or more exposures to a new flavor before it becomes familiar and acceptable. This is why it is so crucial to keep new foods in the rotation. Just because my 5-year old turned his nose up at my mild green chile posole when I originally made it 5 months ago, doesn’t mean that he won’t eat 2 bowls full when I pull it out of the freezer and serve it again.

In our house the rule is that you must eat 3 bites (and swallow them!) of each category on your plate. At that point, if you still don’t like anything that is served, I will prepare an alternative meal. I do realize that not everyone likes everything, and even kids are allowed to have likes and dislikes when it comes to food, but they have to at least try it. Taking at least one bite enters the flavor memory and makes it more likely to be acceptable the next time.

It’s so important to eat a wide range of foods and not get stuck eating the same things over and over. Each whole food offers different nutritional values, and only by getting a variety can we be sure we are providing our bodies with the elements needed for robust health.

Check out Feeding the Kids — a great guide for shaping lifelong healthy eating habits.

Tea Tree Oil for puncture wounds

At 4 this morning I was rudely awakened by my cat bounding over to the window to check out the sounds of a cat fight in the neighborhood. Most unfortunately, my face happened to be in the way. I received two small puncture wounds on my lip line from her haste.

Immediately, I went into the bathroom to wash my lips with soap and water. Cat claws are notoriously dirty and full of bacteria and parasites. Unwashed cat scratches can lead to “Cat Scratch Fever,” an infection that is no fun for anyone. For scratches, soap and water usually does the trick for cleaning. But punctures are a little different.

Because puncture wounds go beyond the surface, they really need to be disinfected. With the wounds so near my mouth, I didn’t really want to go the Neosporin route, although that is usually a pretty good anti-bacterial ointment. But you don’t want it to slide into your mouth and accidentally eat it, or lick your lips, etc. So I pulled out the tea tree oil.

Tea tree oil is an essential oil from Australia that has been used as an antiseptic by the Aborigines for a long time before modern science backed up the claims.

I have a friend who swear that it cured her husband’s eczema (used topically), and I’ve seen it do wonders as a spot treatment for acne as well.

Always use it topically  (never take it internally), and you can apply it directly to the affected area without dilution.

I went back to bed and when I got up a few hours later, the only remnant of my nocturnal adventures was a little pinprick of blood above my upper lip and a slight tenderness at the sight. I don’t expect there to be any further danger of infection, though I reapplied the tea tree oil again in the morning.

The scoop on Glorious One-Pot Meals

Ok, I didn’t mean to freak anyone out yesterday when I posted that the Glorious One-Pot Meals cookbook will only be available through the month of May, and then it will be going out of print! I received a few frantic emails asking why I would allow an award-winning, best-selling book to die off.

Glorious One-Pot Meals cookbookNo worries! This revolutionary cookbook is not going away: it’s being reincarnated! In January, 2009, Broadway Books (an imprint of Random House) will be releasing the revised and updated edition of Glorious One-Pot Meals!

This is very exciting news!

The Random House edition will contain twice as many recipes as the original cookbook, but it will lose the spiral binding which kept the book from flipping closed while you’re reading a recipe. It will also lose the Hale & Hearty, etc., designations for recipes as well as the photos.

All this means is that the current edition of Glorious One-Pot Meals, published by Pomegranate Consulting, LLC, is bound to be a collectors item!  🙂

It’s on sale for 10% off through the month of May, or while supplies last. From June – December, you may be able to find a copy from a reseller, but you won’t be able to purchase a signed book from the Glorious One-Pot Meals website.

Mother’s Day gift ideas

Have you thought about Mother’s Day yet? It’s coming up this weekend! Custom Spice BoxIf you’re still looking for the perfect gift, be sure to check out a lot of the featured products covered in this blog.

A customized spice box from the Savory Spice Shop has brought raves from all who have received it (including my own mother-in-law!). Filled with Pomegranate syrup, Lodo Red Adobo spice mix, Portuguese sea salt, and finely ground white pepper, it’s rounded out with two original recipes that showcase these flavors. And beautifully packaged, too! Fruit buttersAsk for the Glorious One-Pot Meals spice set.

How about a selection of luscious fruit butters? These are better than any jam or jelly you’ve ever tasted — simply scrumptious!Le Saunier de Camargue Fleur de Sel

Consider sending one of my favorite sea salts, Fleur De Sel De Camargue French Sea Salt, to encourage a healthy switch from table salt. A light salt with gentle flakes, it’s great on everything from vegetables to popcorn. Add a cute Salt Cellar With Spoon to round it out.Glorious One-Pot Meals

Has your mom been introduced to Glorious One-Pot Meals? A quick, easy, and healthy dinner solution that everyone from new moms to empty nester moms will appreciate. Order by Wednesday at 8am and receive a FREE upgrade to Priority Shipping to get it there by Mother’s Day! Also, get 10% off during the month of May as Glorious One-Pot Meals heads out of print. When they’re gone, they’re gone!