Twelve Weeks to Wellness and Optimal Health Seminar

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Over the last several days, I've been watching a health lecture--and taking copious notes--while I eat breakfast.  While I don't regularly share reading lists and videos here, and although I've only watched one full one and part of another so far in the series, I'm learning such amazing things that I have to let you know about them, too.

What?  A seminar called Twelve Weeks to Wellness and Optimal Health.  It runs for twelve weeks, and this is week five.

Who?  Presented by Dr. Youngberg, of the Youngberg Clinic, Lifestyle and Nutritional Medicine for the Whole Family.

Where?  Although the lectures are live in California, they are being streamed on the internet.  (Yay!  That means I can watch them from Texas.)

When?  The lectures take place on Monday evenings, and the videos are available free for one week each.

How?  Register to receive each week's video link by e-mail through Dr. Younberg's web site.  When the link comes, you can either watch live (and submit any questions you have to be answered at the end of the lecture, time permitting) or watch when you have time during the following week.

This week's lecture, called Optimizing Digestion for Health and Healing, covered everything from the health benefits of eating fruits and vegetables to several simple and natural ways to aid digestion when things aren't working quite right.  The question and answer section at the end briefly covered topics such as the use of apple cider vinegar, juicing, bloating, alkaline water, and the healing and reversal of neuropathy (nerve damage).

I would love to hear about it if you're able to watch some of the lectures, and what you think of them!

Huisache, Acacia farnesiana

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Recently when some young ladies complimented me on my outfit, saying, "You look springy," I wondered how in the world they knew what spring looks like--really looks like.  

Here in south Texas, there are green things all "winter" long, there are flowers blooming, and sometimes you even walk around your neighborhood in the evening darkness looking at Christmas lights without wearing a coat.

In a world like that, how can they know what spring means?  The kind that bursts forth in full bloom after months of gray, the kind of green that replaces the brown, the kind that brings out yellow flowers first, as if knowing you need something the color of the sun after the weeks and weeks of long nights and short days?

Over the last few weeks, though, I've been delighted to see some distinctly south Texan signs of spring.  Many of the trees do bring out a new coat of leaves to celebrate the season, and the neighborhoods are full of flowering trees I've never seen before.  And wonder of wonders, while we have had no tulips or daffodils, there are Whole Outdoor Flowerbeds full of Amaryllises, which I've only ever seen grown indoors, one at a time.

It did not once occur to me that there would be a place in the world where such things were possible.

These yellow-blooming trees were among my new delights a few weeks ago.  Their soft, puff-ball blossoms smelled sweet, cascading down the full height of their tall trees along the city's exercise trail.  

I didn't know what they were until a friend told my husband about a yellow blooming tree named Huisache, whose flowered branches his grandmother brought into his bedroom in bouquets when he had colds, to help him heal faster.  I'm quite sure he was talking about the trees beside the walking trail.

And isn't it just like our heavenly Father, to tuck health and healing into the scents of blooming and beautiful branches of trees, abundantly available for our use and enjoyment?

Of course, I don't know if there has been a scientific study to show the health benefits of the Huisache scent, but I wouldn't be the least surprised to find out that their blossoms, especially combined with fresh air and good ventilation, really would help cleanse a room and the people in it.

Immune Boosting Drink

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Somehow it's the time of year when busy students come down with little sicknesses, and often keep coming to school with their colds in tow. I'm one of them. I don't have anything too major--just a little soarness in the throat. But I pulled out the big guns (in addition to a little extra sleep), and made my good friend's famous Immune Boosting Drink.

It's not for the faint of heart, but I promise that if you dare to try it next time you start to get sick, you will very likely actually think it tastes good. And your body will thank you. Here's the recipe.

6 lemons, juiced

6 cloves garlic

1/2 onion

thumb-sized piece of fresh ginger (or dump in some ground ginger if you don't have fresh)

1/2 c raw honey

1/2 t (or more) cayenne pepper

If you're like me, you'll blend it up and add enough water to make two quarts, drinking one quart before bed and one quart the next morning. If you're even braver like my husband, you'll leave out the honey, blend up everything else, and drink it straight, WITHOUT dilluting it at all.