Wellness Wednesday: Wonderful Watercress

by Jena Sanders

Freshly picked watercress from our spring.

An aquatic plant with a peppery flavour, watercress is one of mother nature's most nutrient dense and medicinally powerful foods.

Loaded with 15 essential vitamins and minerals (i.e. micro-nutrients and antioxidants) watercress in modern times has come to be considered a cancer-fighting super food.

In fact, did you know watercress contains more vitamin C than an orange, more calcium than milk and more absorbable iron than spinach??

That's not all, it also contains vitamins A, K, and B1 & B3, along with magnesium, manganese, potassium, zinc and more!

In 400 BC, Hippocrates, The Father of Modern Medicine, is said to have founded the first hospital near springs filled with wild watercress that he used to treat patients with blood conditions.  

An abundance of watercress.

In the 1600s, herbalist John Gerard touted watercress as a treatment for scurvy, as it was much easier to come by than the elusive orange at the time.

Watercress was even recorded in the first American Thanksgiving dinner with the Pilgrims and Indians...So how can you enjoy it, too?

My family is blessed with our own spring that has an abundance of watercress.  Harvesting it before flowering buds appear,  I will toss some in a salad with some olive oil and vinegar, or make a cream based pureed sauce, or even chop it up and toss it in a warm potato soup.

If you are not as fortunate to have access to your own watercress, now is its harvest season, so try finding some at a local farmer's market or a store such as Whole Foods.

And who knows, at some point it might be a anti-aging, super-nutrient in SoJoy Spa products, you'll have to stay tuned...

**Medical Disclaimer:  The information contained in this article is intended to provide helpful and healthful advice from traditional, home-health & well-being practitioners (Not medical doctors) and should not be construed as medical advice.  Please consult your primary health physician if you have or may have any pre-existing medical conditions.**

Wellness Wednesday: Do You Know Cocoa?

Butter That Is.

by Jena Sanders

Recent studies have indicated cocoa butter may reduce the risk of heart disease, cancer, and arthritis while maintaining a neutral effect on cholesterol.   Known as "the ultimate emollient" cocoa butter helps keep the skin moisturized and supple as it aids the skin in fighting off free radicals which cause wrinkles.   

Who doesn't like the smell of chocolate?  Whether you are eating it (in the form of chocolate) or applying it to your skin (to prevent stretch marks) cocoa butter smells heavenly.  For ages, cocoa butter has promoted health and well-being. 

For optimal health benefits, cocoa butter should be and unrefined.

Cocoa butter is a natural fat extracted from the cocoa bean.  Cocoa butter contains the active ingredient, cocoa mass polyphenol.  CMP is a substance known to to inhibit the growth of immuno globulins that contribute to skin conditions such as dermatitis, eczema, psoriasis and other skin allergies.  As an added bonus, cocoa butter's rich chocolaty aroma is therapeutic, contributing to a sense of contentment.

Cocoa butter is considered a "healthy fat,"  almost a third of which are monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats.  Cocoa Butter also contains Omega 3 & 6 fatty acids, both necessary for human health that the body cannot make itself. 

Rich in Vitamin E, a powerful antioxidant) cocoa butter makes the perfect addition to your skin care regime.  Vitamin E is known to neutralize free radicals which helps the skin to maintain elasticity.  Repeated application also improves the quality and texture of the skin.  That's why cocoa butter is very effective in preventing and reducing stretch marks.

Cocoa butter is solid at room temperature.  Here @ SoJoy we have developed a way for your body to absorb this healing butter in a synergistic combination with other natural healing ingredients.  Our lip and body balms contain pure, organic cocoa butter.

Pamper and nourish your skin and you'll nourish whole body, mind and spirit.

www.southernjoyonline.com

Oil That Squeak!

by Janet Poston
There is a reason for oiling.  Cars, doors, machines, tools, etc. function much better.  We do, too.  For us, oil is a necessity in life.  There are many essential oils, dating back to Biblical times.  As a matter of fact, there are 188 references to oils in the Bible.  Oils are the oldest form of medicine known to man and were considered more valuable than gold.  Remember frankincense and myrrh?  Frankincense oil contains very high immune stimulating properties.  Myrrh oil combats fungal and viral infections.

An assortment of Essential Oils.

Here @ SoJoy, we are launching new spa products in March taking into account the properties of many essential oils.  All oils have a very high frequency (the measurable rate of electrical energy flow that is constant between any two points).   A human body also has electrical frequencies, and much about a person’s health can be determined by its frequencies.  When the frequency drops in a person, the immune system is compromised.  Here’s where the essential oils can help fix the squeak.

According to Dr. Royal R. Rife (inventor of the Rife machine) every disease also has a frequency.  He found that certain frequencies can prevent the development of disease and that others would destroy the disease.  So, an important question is:  Can we make a difference and avoid disease by what we eat, breathe, and absorb through our skin?  Clinical research shows that essential oils have the highest frequency of any natural substance known to man, creating an environment in which disease, bacteria, viruses, and fungi cannot live. 

I have used many oils or combined them for:  relaxation & stress (citrus & lavender); stimulation (lemon, melaleuca, rosewood); anti-inflammation (basil & bergamot); infections (melaleuca & oregano); complexion (sandlewood, rose, geranium, grapefruit, lavender); digestion (peppermint);  muscle soreness & tissue repair (lemongrass), concentration (basil, black pepper & cypress), etc.  Some high-grade theraputic oils can be taken orally (please consult with your doctor first) or rubbed into the skin.  They can also be diffused into the air.  They freshen the air with natural fragrances, eliminating the need for synthetic, harmful air fresheners.  

Non-toxic cleaner that smells wonderful.

I have used oils for cleaning as well.  I simply make a spritz using spring water, distilled vinegar, steeped cloves, steeped cinnamon bark, lemon oil, rosemary oil, eucalyptus oil, and a few drops of food grade hydrogen peroxide.  I add a little to my dishwasher, laundry cycle even my mop for cleaner floors.  This combination also makes an excellent spray to repel insects on flowers and plants.  Nothing synthetic or harsh with this cleanser!

Each of the essential oils we are using in Sojoy spa products has health benefits.  We’d like to introduce Sojoy’s new body balms available in March: Balance, Flourish, Confidence, and Timber (for men); Sojoy’s new toners: Blossom and Vigor (aftershave for men); and Sojoy’s new hand sanitizer: Clean.    All new spa products are handcrafted with many essential oils and other natural-ingredients for excellent health benefits, AND the largest organ (skin) in the body will benefit by feeling cleaner and softer.  It’s time to eliminate that squeak!

Happy Wellness Wednesday!

**Medical Disclaimer:  The information contained in this article is intended to provide helpful and healthful advice from traditional, home-health & well-being practitioners (Not medical doctors) and should not be construed as medical advice.  Please consult your primary health physician if you have or may have any pre-existing medical conditions.**

Wellness Wednesday: Komubucha, A Health and Beauty Elixir

by Jena Sanders
Kombucha is heralded as an ancient "elixir of life" originating 2,000 plus years ago when the Korean doctor named Kombu, treated the Japanese emperor with fermented tea; "cha" meaning tea.  This elixir spread through Asia and many parts of Eastern Europe, particularly, Russia where it is still a traditional beverage made in many households.

Kombucha, for Well-being and Beauty

 Kombucha is making a resurgence in popularity as part of the green/whole foods/real food movement and with this post I invite you to partake of this detoxifying, energizing, living beverage. There is a lot of information on Kombucha, and if you are so inclined to read any books on the subject, I recommend Kombucha: The Miracle Fungus.


A synergistic combination of B vitamins, healthy organic acids and live enzymes, Kombucha boosts the immune system, detoxifies the liver, promotes a healthy balance in your digestive system, and calms the central nervous system, leaving one with sense of wellbeing.  It is panacea for ailments including (but not limited to) cancer, HIV, digestive problems, asthma, arthritis, high blood pressure, eczema, aids in weight control, diabetes and more.

Besides numerous health benefits, it also has several beautifying effects (especially when applied topically), including: clear & luminous skin, thicker hair, wrinkle reduction, tighter pores.  Kombucha extract is cropping up on the beauty aisle as it is being used as the latest health tonic for skin.  Personally, when I have applied masks of a pulverized scoby, I have had excellent results; my skin looked radiant and felt tight with pore size diminished. 

My sister-in-law, Liberty, along with introducing me to Kefir years ago, more recently supplied me with a Kombucha starter.   It has become a staple in our household, with my three little boys asking, "Can I ("may I", as I gently correct them) please have some Kombucha?"  They love it!  Of course, I am thrilled to provide them with a delicious (think carbonated apple cider) beverage that is truly healthy for them.  On a side note, to date they have never been on an antibiotic, which I attribute to whole and fermented foods in their diet, and mild silver protein for any infections that may occur.

Fermenting Kombucha

 Kombucha is a fermented tea made from sweetened green and/or black tea.  To ferment, one places a SCOBY, an acronym for a symbiotic colony of beneficial bacteria and yeast, that looks  kind of like a flat mushroom pancake, along with a little bit of liquid starter into a glass or ceramic pot.  In This contained ecosystem, the scoby will replicate itself leaving the "mother" and new "baby."

To make one gallon:

• Boil water and add 15 green and/or black organic tea bags.  Let steep, covered, for at least 15 minutes.
• Add 1 cup of sugar*.  Stir to dissolve.
• When tea has cooled to room temperature add scoby and 1/2 cup of starter (kombucha tea).
• If this is your first batch it is recommended to add 2 Tbs. of distilled white vinegar.
• Cover with a porous, breathable material (I use unbleached coffee filters w/ rubberband)
• Let ferment keeping out of bright light for 7-10 days.  Depending on the weather, it may take a shorter amount (warm weather) of time or longer amount (cooler weather).  The best way to gauge is to taste test during the process.  The longer it is brewed the more sour tasting it will become.  
• After fermenting pour into air tight containers to maintain effervescence.
• ENJOY!
• Pass on the "babies" to family and friends, so they, too, can enjoy this healthy elixir.

*White, refined sugar is recommended for optimal fermenting.  I personally use organic, raw turbinado sugar.

Scoby replication

 Remember this is a living process, so each batch, scoby duplication, may vary.  I would recommend getting the basic recipe down before experimenting with herbal teas, and or various flavours.

**Medical Disclaimer:  The information contained in this article is intended to provide helpful and healthful advice from traditional, home-health & well-being practitioners (Not medical doctors) and should not be construed as medical advice.  Please consult your primary health physician if you have or may have any pre-existing medical conditions.**