@eco-alex

The Medicinal Cooking Collective Recipe Book #5: Cooking with the Water Element for the Kidneys and Bladder

This fifth week brings this 5 element gourmet medicinal cooking collective to a cozy end. Thank you to all who took part, and the really incredible dishes and ideas you have all brought to the plate. So many of you spend so much time on your posts, and photography, and writing, and it really shows. I'm very happy to have done this and have really learned a lot each week whilst encouraging myself to cook and eat for my wellbeing whilst still pleasing my tongue.

I think its fair to say that cooking for the kidneys and bladder is more of a challenge than any of the other elements, although as always we have shared some amazing and beautiful recipes! This week i haven't submitted a recipe! I was planning to make a tasty kidney bean burger and something with it, but something rather unusual happened. My body suddenly required that I fast and removed my appetite almost completely since about a week now. it means I am barely eating, and what i do eat is very simple. This might also actually be a great tonic for all the organs including the kidneys, because I am drinking plenty of fluids and herbal teas such as nettle tea. It feels like a great cleansing and I haven’t felt so light or strong in ages! So please do pardon my absence in this final week.. but this whole experience does make me think about doing a fast challenge.. or semi fast.. Let me know if that sounds Interesting to you.. its surely not for everybody!

Off Grid Lifestyle - Emotive Drone Footage Of Earthship Karuna

I self built Earthship Karuna between 2009-2012. Although it was a great challenge, I am now self sufficient and have real security for the years to come. I have no bills for power, water, and heating or cooling and am living on an ultra minimal carbon footprint.

Discover how beautiful an off-grid sustainable home can look like, and why you should start considering becoming self sufficient yourself. This movie consists of some beautiful drone footage of Earthship Karuna and the surrounding mountain and forests, with an impactful message to get you thinking about living self sufficiently.

If you would like to read the story of I how built Earthship Karuna you can read it all on Steemit at:
https://steemit.com/earthship/@eco-alex/a-compilation-of-all-my-eco-building-and-workshop-posts-on-steemit

My video is at DLive

@holisticmom

Environmental Hazards and Why I'm Fighting For Changes

A couple of weeks ago as I was walking down to the harbor to meet my mother-in-law off the boat, I was greeted by a putrid burning from the incinerator that burns all the island's waste.

This is the image I took on the day
Sark is a beautiful place to live or visit but this hazard that is situated so close to the harbor is old, dilapidated and no longer fit for purpose.

So I took a couple of snaps of the smoke and posted a discussion in the local community group.
The incinerator has been subject to great debate in recent years. Just a couple of months ago, during a meeting about the environmental exhibition, two of my friends and I were discussing solutions to this very problem.
In the comment thread of the discussion I proposed some of these solutions.

Breastfeeding With A Little Help From Mother Nature

In a previous post I mentioned about the struggles of breastfeeding and how I overcame them. One of the ways was what would become my introduction to alternative natural medicine, here is my story below. Once my son's tongue tie was sorted I began looking for ways to help increase my milk supply and stop supplementing with formula. Around this time my partner was building up our internet business which was centered around sharing useful articles and info about natural cures. As I was helping to write articles for this, I began to realise that there was this whole other world of medicine. A world that didn't rely on chemical concoctions and man made unnatural substances. One of the things I remember thinking was that there must be a natural way to help boost my milk supply.

@artemislives

Noni - Making Big Pharma Nervous and Happening in My Thai Garden!

When a natural plant makes Big Pharma and the USFDA nervously huff and puff, you KNOW there is something amazing to be discovered. You already KNOW the plant has phenomenal healing power when you read this:

"In August 2004, the US Food and Drug Administration issued a Warning Letter to Flora, Inc. for violating section 201(g)(1) of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (the Act) [21 U.S.C. § 321(g)(1)]. Flora made twelve unfounded health claims about the purported benefits of noni juice as a medical product, in effect causing the juice to be evaluated as a drug. Under the Act, this necessitates all safety and clinical trial evidence for the juice providing such effects in humans.[2]"

Punctuated By Buddha and the Moon

I knew it was a Buddha day before I opened my eyes this morning. The chanting from the temple just a few hundred metres down the road is always different on Buddha Days - earlier (starts around 4am) and wafts though our always-open-windowed old teak Thai house. A well-trained musical ear can hear that they know the village is sleepily listening. Wat Duang Dee, it's called, the simple Buddhist temple in Baan Rim Tai, the village where we live in Mae Rim, Chiang Mai, Northern Thailand.

@trucklife-family

The Magic And Wonder Of The Apple Tree

August is the time when we get to harvest what we have grown and also it is the time to harvest all the amazing plants and fruits that nature has provided for us. Celebrating Lughnasadh is the perfect way to show our thanks to the Earth for her abundance. One tree that is know globally is the Apple Tree. It is the 10th tree of the Celtic Tree Ogham and it represents abundance, gratitude, cleansing and open hearted generosity. Because we are living in a time of abundance, I wished to talk today about the Apple Tree, a tree that is all giving. In order to receive the gift of abundance and receive the wisdom from the tree, take the time to sit with one and open your energy to receive. As is the way with nature, it is best to give something in return, any natural offering is good, especially one high in nitrogen as you are helping to feed the soil and the tree.

Allowing Myself To Heal

These days, I am taking the time, the time needed for me so that I can process all that life has given me so far, the pain, the joy, the anger, the pain and acceptance. Accepting that this is my life right now, that at this moment this is my existence. I can not spend time trying to understand why, why me, why has so much happened to me right now. Because if I do that, then I only end up going round in circles, around and around I go. Never ending this circle of pain and pity.

No I need to face up to my pain, I need to say Yes this is shit right now, everything that has been thrown at me is shit. I need to own that pain, acknowledge it, honour it. I also need to embrace it and Allow it to give me the energy I need in moving forward. Because with everything that has happened to me, I am now left with the opportunity to heal.

Embracing The Winds Of Change

The last few days have been really hot and humid, their has been a sense of things building up. Then came the thunder, a low rumbling in the mountains that surround me. I love thunder, I love the sound that is makes, the way it vibrates from the sky down into the earth. I love what it represents, that increase in pressure and temperature, these two forces coming together, colliding in a way and making such a show of their power. I love it's power,it's force, it is so humbling and awe inspiring, how small we all are compared to this force of nature. And when it happens it cleans the air and makes way for change.

@solarsupermama

What Are We Teaching Our Kids?

I recently had a little run in with an evangelical street preacher. I actually wrote a post about it, but it disappeared from my tablet. Maybe I didn't need to put all that out there. We had words because I have a gay daughter and a zero tolerance policy for hateful dumbfucks. I guess the one good thing you can say about this interaction is that it spawned a lot for me. One of the things we battled about was his speakers blaring on about lust. I was not in a mood to explain to either my six or four year olds about lust.Here's the thing. I pretty much let them watch and listen to whatever they want. I figure they will regulate on what is and isn't too much for them. I'm also open to talking to them about whatever. They can ask me anything, and they know that, but I don't offer up much that isn't asked for. This guy was telling me he talks to his four year-old about lust, and I'm just wondering how that four year old feels about all that? What a gross violation of that kid's mind.

What Became of Drawings on the Fridge?

Well y'all. It's been a while since I bragged on my kids. For those who don't know, my 16 yo daughter, Sophie, is a brilliant artist. She's moving up to Colorado in just a few weeks to live with her dad for a while and attend the Boulder Sudbury School. It's a really exciting time for us, though I'm totally and completely terrified and pretty much freaking out about her leaving. Through our recent moving process, we gathered up Sophie’s paintings that were for sale at local gift shops so we could keep them close. There are still a couple out there floating around, but for the most part we have them gathered together. So I thought this would be a good time to show off her work before sending it to new shops or hanging it here in the house. I’m only posting what is for sale, so let me know if you’re interested in something. I will also put the link to her Etsy at the bottom.

@vegan.niinja

MINT-MANGO VEGAN ICE CREAM (nicecream)with only 4 ingredients - Simple recipe - SUGAR FREE

https://steemitimages.com/0x0/https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmaJZLgRpZVyzxsjYg3vCaCNZHpydKUZnGXhxaHFPAmvL4/nicecream%20mint%20(1%20von%204).jpg

Happy weekend my dear friends! Let's enjoy some vegan ice cream, shall we? This is all I need in the heat this summer, and this combined version with mint, mango and banana is so delicious and fresh!

The important thing when you make nicecream is that the bananas should be very ripe for a sweet and creamy taste and texture. The best is when they have some black spots!

No further introduction necessary today:

FOOD PHOTOGRAPHY - Mini vegan breakfast Recipes!

https://steemitimages.com/0x0/https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmZBvFSPE9i2Vjw3K5KhJVGbqNWQMrCbWuSAGMox4RQdGN/smoothie%20(3%20von%204).jpg

Hi darlings! It's time to share some vegan breakfast ideas with you guys! I love an easy and cold breakfast during the summertime, but it also needs to be fulfilling, as I am normally very hungry in the morning. How about you? How do you like your breakfast during the summer?

So today I just want to share some tips and ideas on how to create a delicious breakfast that keep you fulfilled and that taste great in the morning or whenever you break the fast.

@rainbowrachel

The Celestine Prophecy: Insight 1 - Coincidences are actually Divine messages from the Universe...

Hello beautiful soul, I hope you are having a fabulous day so far. 🌈 ✨ Last week I began re-reading The Celestine Prophecy and again got swept away in the adventure and excitement contained in the book. I ended up writing a little book review explaining what the book is about, and why everyone should read it, which you can see here. I also mentioned that I would create individual posts to discuss each of the “Insights” discovered in the book, and today I’d like to talk about that first insight. But first, a little backstory: The Celestine Prophecy is a fictional novel that tells the story of a man on an adventure through Peru to discover an old Manuscript containing many secrets on how human beings can and should evolve. It predicts a massive transformation in human society. The Manuscript contains 8 concepts, or “Insights” that can assist humans on their path to understanding the Universe and how it works, how we are all connected, and how we can continue to evolve and grow as a species. (To find out more about the book in general, check out my review in the link posted above)

Rainbow Rachel's Recommendations #2

Hello beautiful Steemian. I hope your day is off to a fantastic start!

A few weeks ago a made a post called Rainbow Rachel's Recommendationswhere I highlighted 5 things in my life that I am in love with and highly recommend. I'll be making these posts every few weeks or so, highlighting books, movies, recipes, meditations, songs, etcetera! Anything that makes me want to jump for joy and tell the world about is fair game. 😃 💚

Today, I give you the second edition of Rainbow Rachel's Recommendations. Enjoy :)

@walkerland

A piece of myself. How Natural Medicine Has Impacted My Life.

Hello everyone! I am a kitchen witch, herb lover, self proclaimed healer, organic gardener and lover of Mother Earth. I spend many hours each day communing with nature. We grow a lot of our own food and transform it things like healthy meals, herbal remedies and skin care. If I were to boil down the primary focus on my natural health journey I would have to say that this quote from Hippocrates says it all.Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food. I stand by this with every ounce of my being. I believe in this so much that my husband and I have transformed our entire lifestyle so that we can empower ourselves with new skills and discover more about who we really are. We are self taught and dabble with many forms of naturopathic remedies in our every day life.

@riverflows

Playing to Our Edges: Holding Breath Underwater

I've never really thought of myself as a courageous person. In fact, I regret so many things that I haven't done because I'm too scared to do them. Like many, I have a deep fear of rejection, and a fear of failure. I'm worried that I won't be good enough - not just for other's standards, but my own. I have no idea where this comes from - perhaps it comes from a moment in childhood. Perhaps it's come from some moment where my brain just flipped and the trauma of hurt remained in my body. It takes so much work to undo this conditioning and sometimes I don't feel I have the strength for it. It's far easier to ignore it and pretend it's not there. Yet ignoring it is impossible for me, as it always bubbles up to the surface anyway, so I best deal with it as it comes, and even before this happens!

My Natural Medicine Story: Well, One of Them Anyway

I'm writing this one in response to a challenge run by @naturalmedicine, which I run with @holisticmom and @mountainjewel. If you're interested in writing for this challenge, everyone is welcome. You can find the original post here, and it's running right through to August 15th. Check out the #naturalmedicine tag for some fabulous entries so far. We both sat at the table with the quite innocuous looking cardboard packet of pills in front of us. I was crying with frustration and rage, angry that I’d been so quickly diagnosed with a disorder that a daily pill could fix, with no questions about my history or information about what the side effects could be, and no mention of ongoing support or follow up. It just felt wrong, but I’d filled the script anyway, and now I had a glass of water and a pill broken out of it’s foil packet and waiting to enter my bloodstream, my brain, my life.

@zen-art

Enjoying the creative process

Life sometimes gets in the way, but life is supposed to that, right? I was almost seven days away from steemit and I see nothing much has really changed. Crypto is still down, people are still enjoying their holidays and those that are still active on steemit (the number seems to get smaller and smaller with each day) are loving their time creating quality content and spending time with great people. Me? I have been busy with a lot of things but no spoiler alerts! Read on and find out...

@senorcoconut

So Many Mushrooms, So Little Knowledge...

Ok yes, tomato is my favorite food, especially in a salad with a really tangy vinaigrette, shallots and garlic. My second favorite has to be Mushrooms. Out here in the north east (USA) we've been rained on at an unusual rate. It's been a very wet summer, but when the sun comes out so do the mushrooms! I don't know much about them and I haven't tasted too many different kinds in my life, but this sudden spurt has really sparked my interest.

Off Grid Life: Learning to Hack into a (GFCI Protected) Generator

Making the move from the concrete jungle to the woods is all it's cracked up to be... but it isn't a walk in to park!!!Like I've said before, I try to learn something every day. Yesterday I learned to identify jewel weed and was introduced to a trenching tool I had never heard of that uses compressed aire to blow dirt out of the way. Today I'm learning that there are more and more movies being filmed in the area we've just moved to, due to a tax incentive for the industry. Good news for me, that means I may not need to travel so much to go to work (when I do go to work)!!!

@stortebeker

Field Trips from the Doighouse

As I mentioned before, the Doighouse project is more than just an Earthship (in construction). It is a garden, it is a forest, it is a community. But more than anything, it is a learning center created for exchanging information on sustainability, off-grid living, permaculture practices, and appropriate technologies. Though the basis for all of this is people and places, including the folks directly around us, as well as people from around the world who pursue these areas of interest.

It is therefor quite appropriate that once in a while we take a break from pounding tires, and visit a place that is somehow related to what we are all about. Two destinations so far have been OUR Ecovillage near Shawnigan Lake, and Free Spirit Spheres in the hamlet of Dunsmuir, just a few kilometers from here.