Sunny and 40 Degrees on a Sunday..

Hearing the news about Florida's freezing temperatures and citrus crop damage makes me grateful for this El Nino-type winter day here in Vernonia, Oregon. We've had the zero degree moments last month, with freezing pipes to replace for some, and the winter is not over. I heard one fellow say he was not prepared when the really low temps hit, but his exposed pipe didn't break. It did, however, with further temperature drops, though it was not as low. The 4-5" of snow I saw here is now a soggy, melted memory.

Here in Vernonia we've had another community tragedy, of a local resident being killed at a steel mill, crushed under a load. In small communities, there are those that bring food and firewood, and work to gather money for those affected by life's unfortunate events.

Costs keep rising, despite many who are out of work. A ballot just came in asking for increased tax dollars. I went to Columbia County offices Monday to find them all closed on a Furlough day, and Friday the Sheriff's Department closes at noon. The norm of raising fees and taxes will someday soon find many bankrupt and homeless. Printing more money results in inflated dollars, requiring more of them to purchase anything. Registering a car is now $86. Gasoline is inching up towards $3 a gallon, local sewer and water bills are around $103 a month, and West Oregon Electric Cooperative with the second highest rates in the nation is planning to build new facilities out of the flood zone.

Some predict and believe in an orchestrated economic collapse, which will cause panic and martial law, and move the world into a 'new world order', like Kissinger and Bush and others have mentioned now for a few years. Others say with a downturn in the economy, an upturn is inevitable as always. I tend to believe those with some experience and wisdom like Ron Paul, who bothers to speak out, and can be heard on YouTube. Who knows? In the meantime, I'm sure my own life needs focus and attention.

I've decided to include a 'healthbite' at the end of this blog. This one will be about arthritis pain and what helped with a gal that uses an antioxidant called Vivix:

ARTHRITIS PAIN: I'm a person who has used Shaklee vitamins as well as their business plan to improve all elements of my health profile since 1985. I am now 72 and have been experiencing an elevated amount of joint, muscle and back pain. It has grown over the past several years to aggravating proportions effecting sleep and most movement. I was using up to 16 Pain Complex tablets a day to control this growing pain. It worked to quench the pain but the pain itself showed no signs of letting up. Then, in early August, Shaklee Corporation introduced VIVIX, a fabulous new longevity tonic with resveratrol and super-grape extracts. I actually began taking Vivix while attending the convention in New Orleans. It is now September 15th and I'm pain free! I take NO Pain Complex. I use the Prescription for Health products recommended by Dr. Jamie McManus in addition to Vivix...one teaspoon a day. It's great to be able to move again without pain anywhere. Martha Maxwell

http://content.shaklee.com/shaklee/flash/show.php?video=vivix

http://leangreencafe.myshaklee.com/us/en/products.php?sku=21000

Contact Pamela for information about Vivix, or any Food Supplement, Vitamin or Protein from Shaklee.
Shaklee Independent Distributor
503-429-0240

Vernonia Treasures

Today I share a great chipotle hummus recipe and another Vernonia Treasure:
The Blue House Cafe
I shared this on my www.leangreencafe.blogspot.com blog this morning, and didn't want anyone to miss out on the information on both blogs.

**Be sure to read the post "Review of Medical Doctors' Treatments...on www.leangreencafe@blogspot.com as I share various natural cancer healing options from 4-5 Medical Doctors, for those who need this information. There are 6 or 7 resources including Optimal Health insurance and maintenance tips in the beginning of the post.

No liability assumed in sharing research or personal accounts. Read disclaimer at end of above-mentioned post. Thank you.

Here's a hummus recipe you might like to try. I also made a Jalapeno and Lime hummus and my first pita bread with 1 c. whole wheat flour to 2 c. white.
I saw a recipe for a pineapple, curry coconut hummus that begs my attention.
Hummus can be made with black beans, w/ no tahini (sesame seed paste) or substituting peanut, almond or cashew butter for the tahini. There are so many variations.
Serve it with warm pita squares, and crudite' -veggies for a lunch, snack or small meal.

Veggies etc to use: Olives, radishes, jicama, raw green beans (very alkalinizing!), carrots, celery, raw red, orange, green or yellow peppers, zucchini or cucumber slices, etc.

Mediterranean Food is some of the healthiest for you.
In my small town of Vernonia, Oregon, The little Blue House Cafe, with Armenian owners make the best chicken gyros with pomegranate sauce, or beef and lamb gyros w/ Tzatziki sauce. (Made with Greek yogurt.)

Chickpeas or Garbanzo beans are high in protein, molybdenum and magnesium, etc.
1 cup provides 15 grams of the 50 daily grams of protein recommended.

(Since protein makes up 90% of our immune system, I use at least one serving of soy protein a day, for insurance. 60 studies show soy builds bone mass better than just calcium alone.) A quick cocoa or vanilla soy drink, (made with rice milk for me) or my favorite berry smoothie keeps my blood sugar level and gives me boundless energy. Carbs and caffeine spike the blood sugar and crash us into lethargic lizards with headaches, shakes, and a diuretic effect, flushing away that precious calcium. The only soy I recommend (for safety) is Shaklee's. (Non-GMO, water-processed on low heat to remove the anti-thyroid substance of soy, 50% calcium added to neutralize soy's acidic qualities.) Say NO to ACIDOSIS. It is deadly.
Click on Gabi's picture at upper right of www.leangreencafe.blogspot.com
This month w/ 50 PV of product, the $19.95 one-time Member Fee (15% off all products) is FREE.
Call 503-429-0240 to take advantage of this offer.

Chipotle Hummus
(Variation from internet recipe)
2 (15.5 ounce) cans garbanzo beans, drained
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup tahini (sesame-seed paste) or peanut, almond or cashew butter.
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice or lime juice
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 canned chipotle pepper in adobo sauce
(I freeze individual peppers on a cookie tray and put in a freezer bag to avoid wasting the rest of the can, thinking I will use them again later…)
2 cloves garlic-I use much more per individual taste. Garlic is an anti-fungal, anti-viral, anti-bacterial agent. Also known to bring blood pressure down and thins blood.
1 1/2 teaspoons cumin
1 (7 ounce) jar roasted red bell peppers, drained
I broiled a red pepper and peeled it=less money.
6 oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
1/2 teaspoon salt- (I use sea salt.)
ground black pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS
Place the garbanzo beans, water, tahini, lemon juice, olive oil, chipotle pepper, garlic, and cumin in the bowl of a food processor; blend until smooth. Add the red peppers, sun-dried tomatoes, cilantro, salt, and pepper. Pulse the mixture until the ingredients are coarsely chopped into the hummus base. Transfer to a serving bowl, cover, and chill until ready to serve. Can drizzle olive oil on top and garnish with cilantro and tomatoes or roasted red pepper.