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Kiani talks about more wild foods…If you are interested in wild foraging, please check out his meetup group at : https://www.meetup.com/ReturningtoNature/

I decided to post something about the healthy microbiome living on our skin.  There has been a lot of talk about the microbiome our gut, so I thought I’d post something about our skin microbiome.  The cosmetics and personal care industry uses a lot of chemicals in their products, and I have decided to try to minimize my exposure to these chemicals.  When I buy beauty products, I try to buy handmade products (preferably local).  This way I know who made the products and all the ingredients in the products are known to me.

According to the Environmental Working Group, the average American woman uses 12 personal care products daily, exposing herself to 168 different chemicals. The average man uses six products a day, with 85 unique chemical ingredients.  But the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has very little authority to review the safety of chemicals in cosmetics. Some companies make products that are less hazardous, but others put human carcinogens and developmental toxicants in their products.

EWG created the Skin DeepⓇ cosmetics database to help shoppers identify the chemicals they are being exposed to through personal care products, and find healthier alternatives. When you see the EWG VERIFIED™ mark on personal care products, you know that these products are free of ingredients of concern, fully disclose their ingredients and use good manufacturing practices.  Check out their website:

http://www.ewg.org/consumer-guides

References:

Faber, Scott.  (2016, December 8).  Real Reform Needed for Outdated Cosmetics Laws [blog post].  Retrieved from :  http://www.ewg.org/enviroblog/2016/12/real-reform-needed-outdated-cosmetics-laws

This is the second in a series of Wild Foraging in Hawaii with Kiani Kaina.  Check out his Returning to Nature tours where he shows you wild edibles at https://www.meetup.com/ReturningtoNature/

This is a follow-up to my video with Kiani Kaina (where he opened a sprouted coconut).  I wanted to show everyone what these sprouted coconuts (baby coconut) trees look like on the inside.  One word of caution for people who have high cholesterol, heart disease, or stroke:  coconuts are delicious but they do contain saturated fat.

This is the first in a series of different worm bins I will be showing on my youtube channel.  Worm bins (such as Brian’s) use worms to recycle food scraps into compost. Worms eat food scraps, which become compost as they pass through the worm’s tail end. This compost can then be used to grow plants. Worm compost or vermicompost  is good for plants, since the worms are eating nutrient-rich scraps and turn them into nutrient-rich compost.

Certain foods are not recommended for the worm bin, such as meats, oils, and dairy products.  They take longer to break down and attract pests.  Cooked foods can be oily, which also attracts pests.  Use only raw fruit and vegetable scraps. Citrus fruits are acidic and can attract fruit flies.  Onions and broccoli may have a strong odor.  More variety in vegetable matter makes a better worm bin.

To set up a worm bin, you need a box, moist newspaper strips, and worms.  Worms need moisture, air, food, darkness, and warm (but not too hot) temperatures.  Worm bedding (newspaper strips or leaves) holds moisture and contains air spaces essential to worms.  You can buy worms at your gardening shop, or I usually get them from friends who have worm bins.   Your worm bin should be shallow rather than deep, as worms prefer to live in the top six inches of the soil. Cover the bin with a loose fitting lid that allows air into the bin.

A worm bin is a supplement to a compost and not a replacement for one. Worms  can only eat so much at a time.  Put the scraps in one corner of the bin and cover them with  an inch of newspaper. After a couple of days, add scraps to another corner. If worms get hungry between feedings, they’ll eat the newspaper.

Put the worm bin in a safe place out of direct sunlight because the sun will irritate the worms. Worms like temperatures between 50 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit.  The contents of the bin should be as moist as a wrung-out sponge. You may have to spray mist on the paper to keep it from drying out. When the worm castings appear, the bin will stay wet because they hold water.  If the bin gets soggy, put in some dry shredded newspaper. If worms are on the sides or lid of the bin, it is too wet.

Make sure there is no water in the bottom of the bin, as the bin may start to smell, and the worms may die. The worms will multiply, and there will be baby worms in the mix and worm cocoons.   You may find that other decomposers like mites, pot worms and tiny black beetles as well.

If you take care of your worms and create a nice environment for them, they will eat your food scraps produce compost. In 3-5 months, your bin will be filled with compost and you can remove the finished compost from the bin. After a few months, you can add a new layer or remove the compost from the bin.

Worm castings can be very wet. Spread them out on a tray to let air-dry for a few days.  Worm castings (waste) are like fertilizer, since they are full of plant-supporting nutrients.  Sprinkle castings on plants and over garden beds. They can also be mixed with potting soil (20% castings 80% soil).

References:

Coyne K. & Knutzen E.  (July 25 2011)  How to Make a Worm Bin.  Mother Earth News.  Retrieved from http://www.motherearthnews.com/diy/garden-yard/make-worm-bin-ze0z11zhir

Fong J. & Hewitt P.  Worm Composting Basics.  Retrieved from http://compost.css.cornell.edu/worms/basics.html

Thank you Greg for providing this wonderful recipe for our community!

Ingredients:

1-2 large breadfruit (Ulu)

1 box of mushrooms (criminal or whatever kind you prefer)

fresh rosemary

green onions (chives are okay too)

fresh oregano

garlic ( a few cloves or a whole head depending on how garlicky you like it!)

shallots (6-8) depending on how much onion you prefer

+/- salt

Directions:

Wash all ingredients.  First, chop breadfruit into smaller pieces and start to steam in water.  In about 15-30 minutes, it will be soft and ready to mash.  In the meantime, you can mince the garlic and shallots and roast in the oven at 350 degrees.  Check on them periodically to see when they are slightly browned.  At that point, they will be ready to mix into the mixture.  Next, you can chop the mushrooms into smaller pieces.  Cook the mushrooms on the stove with water.  Now it is time to cut up the herbs.  If you have an herb miller, you can use that; or you can cut them with a knife.  Then, the throw the herbs in with the mushrooms.  You can leave some for garnish the dish later as well.  Once breadfruit is soft and ready to mash, take it off the stove and mash it with a spoon or whatever tool you prefer.  When mushrooms are browned with herbs, combine that into the mashed mixture.  Finally, add the browned garlic and shallots and mix.

Nutrient Contents:

Breadfruit:  Please see post on Chocolate Ulu Pie to see health benefits of Breadfruit.

Mushrooms: Crimini mushrooms are a low calorie, low fat source of fiber, potassium, B vitamins riboflavin, niacin and pantothenic acid. Fiber lowers cholesterol, maintains a steady blood sugar, and assists in digestion. Potassium is essential for muscle contraction and transmission of signals between nerves. B vitamins support metabolism and the immune system and promote cell growth.  Crimini mushrooms contain several antioxidants and trace minerals, copper and selenium. Copper is an antioxidant that plays a role in energy production, iron metabolism, and the formation of connective tissue. Selenium is an antioxidant and helps regulate thyroid hormone.  Mushrooms have been shown to prevent the build-up of cells in inflamed blood vessels and may therefore reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.  All mushrooms also suppress the growth of breast cancer cells.

Rosemary:  Rosemary is a good source of iron, calcium, and vitamin B6.  It  stimulates the immune system, increases circulation, and improves digestion. In addition, rosemary also contains anti-inflammatory compounds that may make it useful for reducing the severity of asthma attacks. Also, rosemary has been shown to improve concentration by increasing the blood flow to the head and brain.   Rosemary may prevent brain aging.  It contains carnosic acid, which is able to fight off free radical damage to the brain and prevent brain aging.

Oregano:   Oregano has a high content of manganese, calcium, iron, vitamin K, fiber. Research has shown that oregano can help liver function and speed up the process of toxin elimination.  It is packed with fiber, which helps maintain the health of the gut and increases nutrient uptake.  Oregano is a natural form of omega-3 fatty acids, which improves your heart health and helps rebalance your cholesterol levels and decrease inflammation in the cardiovascular system,  preventing heart attacks, and strokes!  It also contains rosmarinic acid and thymol, powerful antioxidants which improves your immune health and help prevent cancer.  These compounds are antibacterial, defending the body against a wide range of bacteria. Oregano also increases the production of white blood cells and speeds up the metabolism, enabling a quicker recovery from illness.

Onion:  Please see post on Mango Salsa to see health benefits of onions.

Garlic:  Besides keeping the vampires away, garlic has many other benefits!  Garlic is low in calories but very rich in Vitamin C, Vitamin B6 and Manganese. Garlic supplementation has been shown to boost immune system function.  It has been shown to reduce the number of colds and the duration of colds.   Studies have found garlic supplementation helpful in reducing blood pressure.  It was just as effective as treating blood pressure as Atenolol in one study!  Garlic also helps lower total and LDL cholesterol (the bad kind).  High doses of garlic supplements have been shown to increase antioxidants in humans.  These effects may help prevent common brain diseases like dementia.  At high doses, garlic have been shown to protect against organ damage from heavy metal toxicity.

Shallots:  Shallots have even more anti-oxidants, minerals, and vitamins than onions!  They contain vitamin A, pyridoxine, folates, thiamin, vitamin C.  Vitamin A is a powerful antioxidant that helps protect from lung and oral cavity cancers.  They also contain iron, calcium, copper, potassium, and phosphorus

In addition, shallots are a rich source of flavonoid anti-oxidants, such as allicin.  Allicin reduces cholesterol by inhibiting HMG-CoA reductase enzyme in liver cells.  Allicin also decreases blood vessel stiffness by releasing a vasodilator chemical called nitric oxide, which helps reduce blood pressure. It also inhibits platelet clot-formation inside the blood vessels, decreasing risk for coronary artery disease,  peripheral vascular diseases, and stroke.  Allicin is also anti-bacterial, anti-viral, and anti-fungal!    Shallots also contain phyto-chemical compounds allium and allyl disulfide which are anti-mutagenic and protect from cancer.  These compounds also help lower blood sugar in diabetics.

References:

Busch, S.  (2011, June 5).  Health Benefits of Baby Bella Mushrooms.  Livestrong.com. Retrieved from http://www.livestrong.com/article/408701-the-health-benefits-of-japanese-mushrooms/

Health Benefits of Oregano.  Organic Facts.  Retrieved from http://www.organicfacts.net/health-benefits/oregano.html

Leech, J.  Eleven Proven Health Benefits of Garlic.  Authority Nutrition: An Evidence Based Approach.  Retrieved from https://authoritynutrition.com/11-proven-health-benefits-of-garlic/

Nordqvist,  J.  (2015, September 15).  Rosemary:  Health Benefits, Precautions, Drug Interactions.  Medical News Today.  Retrieved from http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/266370.php

Rosemary.  The World’s Healthiest Foods.  Retrieved from http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=75

Shallots Nutrition Facts.  Nutrition and You.  Retrieved from http://www.nutrition-and-you.com/shallots.html

A few months after falling from the tree,  the brown coconuts sprout to become a baby coconut tree.  It will grow into a fully mature coconut tree in 4 years.  Sprouts have more vitamins and nutrients than they do in an un-sprouted form. About a week after sprouting, the sprouts will have the highest bioavailability of nutrients. Seeds must contain all of the important nutrients that a plant will need to grow in its initial days…

Sprouts can help with weight loss!  They are very high in nutrients but very low in calories! The fiber in sprouts helps to make you feel full, both by adding bulk to your bowels, but also by inhibiting the release of ghrelin, the hunger hormone that tells our mind that we are ready to eat something. This reduces overeating and snacking.

Sprouts contain a lot of enzymes which help boost the various metabolic processes and chemical reactions within the body, specifically when it comes to digestion. They help to break down food effectively and increase the absorption of nutrients by the digestive tract. The fiber found in sprouts bulks up the stool, making it easier to pass through the digestive tract. Fiber stimulates gastric juices, which aid the enzymes already found in sprouts in breaking down food. Sprouts can clear constipation and diarrhea and help prevent colorectal cancer.

Sprouts are a rich source of protein, which is necessary for the creation and maintenance of cells, organ repair, skin regeneration, bone growth, and muscle development. Sprouts can replace meat as a source of protein for many people.  Antioxidants Iron and Copper are also found in sprouts.

Coconuts are a versatile food item rich in calories, vitamins, and minerals. They are a  good source of B-complex vitamins such as folates, riboflavin, niacin, thiamin, and pyridoxine.  Coconut meat and water contain a good amount of potassium. Coconut water is refreshing drink!   It is packed with sugars, electrolytes, minerals, and bioactive compounds and enzymes that aid in digestion and metabolism.  Cytokinins in coconut water have shown significant anti-ageing, anti-carcinogenic, and anti-thrombotic effects in studies.

The coconut kernel is a wonderful source of minerals like copper, calcium, iron, manganese, magnesium, and zinc.  Much of the calories come from the fats and protein. Caution if you have heart disease though, as the meat does have saturated fat.   However, the saturated fatty acid in the coconut is lauric acid, which can increase good HDL cholesterol levels in the blood.

References:

Coconut Nutrition Facts.  Nutrition and You.  Retrieved from http://www.nutrition-and-you.com/coconut.html

I am posting the lecture I did for the Vegetarian Society of Hawaii in July.  In this lecture, I speak about dietary changes we can make to prevent or reverse the metabolic syndrome.  I also touch on how some auto-immune diseases are improved with a plant-based diet.  Enjoy!