towers, Author at Towers Family Chiropractor

Homemade Ginger Lemon Tea

November 4, 2014 by towers

If you feel nausea upon waking, consider drinking ginger lemon tea. This problem may be related to toxic bile from the liver/gallbladder. Some folks may get diarrhea when they eat (especially those who’ve had the gallbladder removed) while others may have a problem with constipation. This tea is a good bet for either as the lemon is cleansing to the liver and assists with good bowel function, and the ginger helps with nausea. While these are signs that you need to clean up the diet and work to insure that you’re having daily, well-formed bowel movements, in the short-term it’s a blessing to have an immediate remedy in your kitchen/medicine cabinet! If you prefer to make this easier, you can use 2 ginger tea bags instead of fresh ginger.

1 Tbsp. of grated or very thinly sliced fresh ginger root

2 cups of pure water

juice of 1/2 a lemon

1 tsp. honey, optional (avoid if you are overweight, pre-diabetic or diabetic)

peppermint sprig (optional)

stevia extract or monk fruit powder to taste (optional)

In a pint-sized glass jar, place the ginger. Boil 2 cups of water and pour over the ginger. Cap the jar and let stand overnight if you want a stronger tea (you can warm it up again in the morning if you want to drink it hot) or until it cools to desired temperature for a milder tea. Strain tea into mug and add lemon juice, mint if desired, honey, and stevia or monk fruit if desired. Drink first thing in the morning.

Say No to Morning Nausea!

November 4, 2014 by towers

Please explain why you came to our office.

“I came to Monica to get help with my stomach issues of nausea, pain, and diarrhea that came from having my gallbladder removed. She recommended I remove all soy products from my diet and to start drinking what I affectionately call my cleanser tonic first thing in the morning. It’s a cup of homemade ginger tea with fresh lemon juice and a little honey.”

Please describe your response to following Monica’s recommendations.

“I no longer have the morning diarrhea or the painful spasms/cramps after eating! My quality of life has improved exponentially. I am so thrilled I no longer have to live with the pain and nausea!”

“Yoga Toes”

October 30, 2014 by towers

Are your toes being deformed by confining shoes? Well, ideally we should all be going barefoot when we can and wearing shoes with wide toe boxes otherwise. To begin to undo the damage done by wearing stylish shoes and to get some relief from bunions and hammer toes, try “yoga toes”. I like to wear them when I’m taking an Epsom salt bath–very relaxing way to give your toes some attention!

Chicken Zoodle Soup

October 15, 2014 by towers

Previous recipes posted here have featured zucchini “noodles” (for which I have just coined the name zoodle) and chicken broth. This soup is super easy if you have these 2 items plus a few other basics on hand. It’s no secret that I am no fan of pasta–so this is my version of chicken noodle soup! If you make the chicken broth according to this linked recipe, it is so flavorful that this soup needs little seasoning.

1 small zucchini, spiralized with a vegetable spiralizer or a julienne vegetable peeler

2 cups homemade chicken broth

1/2 cup of a mix of other vegetables: green peas (frozen ok), chopped carrots, finely chopped onions

1/2 cup chopped chicken meat (optional)

2 tsp. mellow white miso (MisoMaster brand is good)

salt and black pepper to taste

Heat broth in soup pot on medium heat until simmering. If you want to add onions to your soup, sauté them first in some olive oil until soft and then add them to the broth. Add other vegetables to the broth except zucchini. As soon as other veggies are tender, add the chicken. Simmer for a few minutes and then add the zucchini “zoodles”. Simmer for just a few minutes more so as not to overcook the zucchini–it should be firm so it resembles pasta. Take off heat. Mix miso in a bowl with a few tablespoons of the hot broth from the soup and then add this mixture to the soup. Stir well. Add salt and black pepper to taste. Best served immediately.

Sunflower/Pumpkin Seed Butter

September 15, 2014 by towers

This is a yummy peanut and nut butter substitute, yet it’s a good choice too for people who don’t have peanut or tree nut allergies because it supplies coconut fatty acids and the good fats in the seeds. Even though the seed soaking and drying step complicates this recipe, it’s worth it because soaked seeds are easier to digest. I try to keep this soaked-then-dried seed mixture (2 parts sunflower to 1 part pumpkin) on-hand by making a big batch at one time so that I have plenty for snacking (add some salt) plus extra for recipes such as this one and the Lime Pie I recently posted. (Extra soaked/dried seeds should be stored in the refrigerator.) The ghee in this recipe adds a butterscotch flavor and makes the mixture spread more easily. You can adjust the amount of honey to suit your taste and you can leave out the cocoa powder if desired. Enjoy it on apple slices, a banana, celery sticks, or crackers.

1 cup raw (unsalted/no added oil) sunflower seeds

1/2 cup raw (unsalted/no added oil) pumpkin seeds

1/4 cup honey or 6 medjool dates, pitted

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1/2 tsp. sea salt

2 Tbsp. coconut oil

2 Tbsp. ghee

1-2 Tbsp. raw organic cocoa powder (optional)

Soak the sunflower and pumpkin seeds in one quart of water in a bowl or glass jar overnight or at least 8 hours. Rinse very well in a colander and allow to drain well. Spread the soaked seeds out in a baking pan and dry in a 150 to 250 degree F oven. It will take longer to dry thoroughly in a lower temperature oven (about 2 to 3 hours) but it is better for preserving more nutrients. Keep in mind that the seeds will dry more quickly if you use a larger baking pan as they will be spread out more. Stir well every 30 minutes to evenly dry the seeds. As soon as the seeds are lightly browned and dry, remove from oven.

Place the roasted seeds in a food processor and process until finely ground. Add other ingredients except the oil and ghee. Pulse until well mixed. If the coconut oil and/or ghee is solid, melt until liquid on low heat on the stovetop. Add the oils while the processor is running and process until thoroughly mixed. Transfer to a glass storage container or a jar. Keep refrigerated. If the seed butter is too hard to spread easily, leave it at room temperature until it softens—about 15 minutes.

Zucchini “Noodles”

September 15, 2014 by towers

This is a good vegetable substitute for pasta. Easy, fast, and NOT HEAVY on the stomach. If you don’t have a vegetable spiralizer (I have a Paderno that works great), you can use a dual julienne or vegetable peeler. This is an inexpensive peeler that also has a blade for julienne cuts. Make this dish as spicy or filling as you want by garnishing with any combination of: red pepper flakes, hot pepper sauce, avocado cubes, chopped olives, grated romano cheese, chopped sweet red pepper, or cooked white beans.

2 small-medium sized zucchini, spiralized

3 cloves garlic

2 Tbsp. olive oil or ghee (I used 1 T of each)

fresh basil, 2 Tbsp. chopped

2 tomatoes, chopped or 1/4 cup dried tomatoes, soaked in water to soften, chopped

1/2 c chopped shitake mushroom (optional)

salt, pepper to taste

Romano cheese, grated

Saute crushed garlic in olive oil or ghee. As soon as the garlic starts to sizzle but before it browns, add the zucchini “noodles” keeping the heat at medium. Stir for 2 minutes to evenly heat zucchini until just tender (zucchini noodles will NOT be firm if you overcook at this step so undercook them). Add chopped tomatoes and mushrooms, basil, salt and pepper. Stir for a minute or so more to heat evenly. Serve immediately with garnishes of your choice.

Dreadful Pain Relieved

September 3, 2014 by towers

Please explain why you came to our office.

“A dreadful pain in the middle of my back, unable to sleep, just awful.”

Please describe your response to treatment.

“After the first treatment I could sleep and each treatment thereafter provided more relief until all is well! As if my back hadn’t been hurting.”

Chronic neck pain

September 2, 2014 by towers

Please explain why you came to our office.

“Chronic neck pain and was seeking relief.”

Please describe your response to treatment.

“Found the help I needed. Treating the cause not only the symptoms!” ~30 Yr-old male

Debilitating low back & knee pain

August 29, 2014 by towers

Please explain why you came to our office.

“Sore muscles, low back and knee pain from fall when diagnosed with diabetes.”

Please describe your response to treatment.

“Have recovered the ability to manage steps, start walking program again after several months of inability. Overall body movement is improved 100%. You’ve given me back my mobility.” ~81 year-old female

Dill Garlic Pickles

August 27, 2014 by towers

We are STILL getting cucumbers from the garden–2014 is the year of the cucumber. I’ve made the best of it and have been stocking up on sour (brine) pickles. They keep for months in the fridge and are a lot easier to make than any other pickle. Plus they contain good bacteria for a healthy digestive system since they are fermented. If you don’t have your own cukes, perhaps you can still get a deal on locally grown ones at farmers markets. Young small pickling cukes that are not seedy are ideal–they will be firmer pickles. Don’t use big, over-ripe cukes–you will be disappointed in the final product. Also, if your room temperature is above 75 degrees F the pickles may be slimey or moldy and should be discarded so be sure you have a cool place for fermentation.

You will need a big glass jar with a wide mouth. I have a gallon-sized jar with a 5- inch mouth that is perfect but two 1/2 gallon-sized wide-mouth canning jars (available at hardware stores) will work very well too. You will also need a smaller jar that fits inside the mouth of the big jar to act as a weight for keeping the cukes down in the brine. Remove all labels and wash all jars very well before making the pickles. It’s taken me a while but I now have a collection of recycled glass jars that fit very well into my wide-mouth canning jars. Get your system down–you won’t regret it and you’ll be ready for next year’s cucumber crop!

For 1 gallon of pickles:

About 8-10 small cucumbers, washed well

3 sprigs of fresh dill or 2 Tbsp. dried dill weed

6 large cloves garlic

About 2 quarts of brine: 3 Tbsp. sea salt (I like Celtic) per quart of filtered water

Arrange as many of the cucumbers in the glass jar(s) as will fit so that they are packed but not squished together. Also leave a space of at least 3 inches at the top of the jar. I place them in vertically, side-by side and fit 2 layers of them in if the cukes are small enough. Add the dill and garlic by pushing them down in the spaces between the cucumbers. Dissolve (by stirring well) 3 Tbsp. of salt in a quart mason jar almost filled with water. Pour this onto the cukes in the big jar. Mix another quart of brine and add that –usually 2 quarts of brine is enough to completely submerge the cucumbers but if you need more mix it at that ratio. Be sure to leave about 3 inches of space at the top of the jar. Now fill your small glass jar with water, cap it and place it into the big jar–ideally it just fits in and acts as a weight that submerges the cucumbers without spilling brine. If you didn’t leave enough space at the top of the jar you will have trouble with brine overflowing. Place in a 65-75 degree F room out of direct light. Put a plate under the big jar just in case some brine spills over as the fermentation proceeds. Also, cover the top with a dishcloth or cheese cloth to keep dust, etc. out. Check every day to be sure the cukes stay submerged. The pickles should bubble as they ferment and be soured through in 5-7 days (cut one open and see if it is dark green all the way to the center). Remove cloth and the small jar and cap your big jar. Keep in the refrigerator.

« Previous Page

Homemade Ginger Lemon Tea

Say No to Morning Nausea!

“Yoga Toes”

Chicken Zoodle Soup

Sunflower/Pumpkin Seed Butter

Zucchini “Noodles”

Dreadful Pain Relieved

Chronic neck pain

Debilitating low back & knee pain

Dill Garlic Pickles

Good Nutrition

Cleansing Tooth Powder

Children’s Adjustments

Children with back pain

Towers Family Chiropractic