DIY Sprouting

I recently began sprouting again for the first time in a few years, and I'm wondering why I ever stopped!

Sprouts are a wonderful addition to your daily food routine:

• Sprouts are an excellent source of vitamins, minerals, and protein
• They're easily digestible due to the high amount of enzymes released via the sprouting process
• Sprouting releases the life energy and vitality that is lying dormant within the seeds and beans, the energy that gives them the ability to grow into a plant and produce more seeds or beans.
• You can easily add them to salads, shakes, sandwiches, or stir-fry's or eat them alone as a snack
• They're super simple to make!

To sprout you'll need 2 things:

1. Seeds or beans

• Alfalfa, radish, mung bean, lentil, broccoli, adzuki, sunflower, or redclover are all great options! (Remember, organic is always best to avoid potentially harmful GMO's)

2. Sprouting kit or homemade jar

• You can buy a sprouting kit, such as the ones found here. Follow instructions found in kit.
• You can make your own sprouting jar with some basic equpiment: a wide mouth mason jar, wire mesh, and a rubber band large enough to fit around the jar

If you're making your own sprouting jar, cut the wire mesh into a square shape that is large enough to cover the opening of the jar. Place enough seeds or beans (or a combo if you're feeling creative!) to cover the bottom of the jar. About 2 tablespoons should do. Make sure to leave plenty of room as the sprouts will grow rapidly. Wrap the mesh around the opening of the jar and secure the rubber band around the mesh and jar, pulling the mesh tight.

Fill the jar with enough water to cover the seeds. Allow the seeds to sit in water overnight. In the morning, drain the water through the mesh covering. Add more water, again covering the seeds, and shake gently to rinse. Repeat this at least 2 times per day until the seeds are sprouted.

Different seeds and beans will take different amounts of times to sprout. Temperature has an influence as well as the amount of sunlight. Ideal conditions are out of direct sunlight for most of the day (you can put them in the sunlight up to 4 hours per day, but you don't feel obligated) and around 75 degrees F (23 degrees C). Don't worry if your kitchen is colder, the seeds may just take a little longer to sprout.

You'll know when they're finished (see above picture). When they're ready, place them in an airtight container in the fridge and use within 5 days.

It may be easier to have 2 jars rotating, starting another 3 days after the first. That way you'll always have a fresh supply of sprouts!

Natural Ear Infection Remedy

A few months ago I began to feel the well-known sharp pain deep in my inner ear that indicated an ear infection was coming on. To add to the discomfort, I was experiencing pain in not just one, but both ears. I've been getting ear infections since I was a baby, so I know the feeling all too well.

Since I don’t take antibiotics anymore after learning about their harmful effects (I’ll save those details for another post), I decided to take the natural healing route. It’s important to note here that antibiotics do not cure infections themselves. Antibiotics help the body when it has become overwhelmed by reducing the amount of bacteria to the point where the body can then use its innate healing abilities to remove the rest of the bad stuff. I believe there’s a time and place for antibiotics, and a simple ear infection (or in my case, infections) is not it. I knew that if I gave my body what it needed, it would take care of the rest for me, with no harmful side effects.

First, I began thinking about what had caused this infection to come on at this particular time. It had been pretty cold in Amsterdam the last few days, and particularly windy. I began to notice the pain when I was walking back to the car after going out to lunch with a friend. I did a little research and learned that the ear canal can become dried out in cold weather, just like the nasal passages do. This leaves the inner ear susceptible to all kinds of microbes; bacteria, viruses, and fungi included.

I then remembered an Ayurvedic technique I had heard about called nasya, also known as “ear oil.” Ayurveda is a 5,000+ year old form of medicine from India and is the world’s oldest known method of healing. The process of nasya is simple, and really makes a lot of sense when you think about it logically.

Ear oil involves two simple household ingredients: olive oil and garlic. The olive oil is used to lubricate the ear canal, and the garlic, one of nature’s best anti-everything cures, is used to kill any unwanted infections. I figured I’d give it a go.

There are two ways to make the ear oil. The first is useful when you first notice a possible infection coming on because it’s really quick to make, but doesn’t keep as long. The second can be made in advance and keeps longer, for those times you feel you may need to use it in the future (i.e. after swimming a lot in the summer or during a ski trip).

Option #1 (for quick use):

• Place 1/2 cup of olive oil in a pot with 2 cloves of crushed garlic. Slowly heat the oil, with the burner on low heat. You’ll begin to hear the garlic pop and see it sizzling. Allow this to continue for a minute, then remove the pot from the heat.
• After the oil has cooled down to room temperature, use a cotton swab to put the oil into your ears. You may also use a dropper, putting 3 drops into the ear, 3 times per day until healed. NEVER PUT HOT OIL INTO YOUR EARS! You can store this mixture in a glass bottle for a few days.
• After putting the oil in your ear canal, move the external part of your ear around clockwise and counter-clockwise to make sure the oil goes all the way in. Try to keep the oil in the ear as long as possible for maximum benefits. It may help to place a piece of a cotton ball into the ear to keep the oil from leaking out.

Option #2 (for longer term use):

• Using a glass bottle that can be sealed well, fill the bottle with olive oil and 2 cloves of crushed garlic per ½ cup of oil. Store in a cool, dry place for one week. This will keep for two weeks.
• Follow above instructions to put the oil into the ear.

Please note that ear oil is not to be used if you have blood or pus coming from the ears, or if you think you may have a ruptured ear drum. See your physician first if you have any doubts.

So, while I felt a bit odd with cotton balls sticking out of my ears and a slight garlic-y odor every time I turned my head, my ears felt soothed as soon as I put in the oil. I used a dropper to put in 3 drops in each ear, 3 times total over a 24 hour period. Two days later, the pain was completely gone! Those Ayurvedic doctors really did know what they were doing :)