Monday, April 18, 2011

The Healing power of Cilantro

What do Camel's and This Cilantro Smoothie have in Common?
 
Cilantro Smoothie

Not much really but my addlepated brain conjuring up this concoction while jet-lagged and dumbfounded by the sheer odessy of climate change within a 24 hour period.. dry hot sandy desert to cool wet still snowy here on the hill.  Great and grateful to be home in Vermont - soon to be green again..which spring is all about inside and out.

Cilantro... "incredibly refreshing" and "hard to believe adding this in a smoothie could make it taste so good" - comments from my spring fling workshop with the central Vermont chapter of WBON-Women's Owner's Business Network.  Cilantro is medicine, a healing food- it will pull out the heavy metals from your system and has anti-inflammatory powers among many others - two teaspoons a day is all you need. Check out the benefits below, play with the recipe.. add different fruit or use yogurt instead of almond milk..get your green on..explore and discover yum and tell me what you think!


Ingredients:
  • 1 cup almond milk or yogurt
  • 1 cup coconut water
  • 1 cup banana
  • 1 cup cilantro
  • 1 cup Frozen Blueberries
  • 4 dates

HOW TO MAKE ALMOND MILK?
You can make almond milk by soaking 1 cup of almonds for a few hours. When finished
soaking, strain them and blend them with 3 cups of filtered water. Strain the resulting mixture through a nut milk bag. You can add sweetener or vanilla for additional
flavor. To store, place in the refrigerator in an air-tight container. You can also buy almond milk in a health food store, but it will not be raw.
Put everything until smooth. Dr. Yoshiaki Omura discovered that mercury levels in the urine increased after an individual ate Vietnamese soup, which contains cilantro. Dr. Omura’s further research discovered that the herb cilantro could accelerate the excretion of mercury, lead, and aluminum from the body.
Contributed by:
Rhio (www.RawfoodInfo.com)


Benefits of Cilantro

The known benefits of organic cilantro are extensive, and researchers are discovering more every day. Currently, there are several well-known, well-documented benefits of organic cilantro, including:
  • Powerful anti-inflammatory capacities that may help symptoms of arthritis
  • Protective agents against bacterial infection from Salmonella in food products
  • Acts to increase HDL cholesterol (the good kind), and reduces LDL cholesterol (the bad kind)
  • Relief for stomach gas, prevention of flatulence and an overall digestive aid
  • Wards off urinary tract infections
  • Helps reduce feelings of nausea
  • Eases hormonal mood swings associated with menstruation
  • Has been shown to reduce menstrual cramping.
  • Adds fiber to the digestive tract
  • A source of iron, magnesium, and is helpful in fighting anemia
  • Gives relief for diarrhea, especially if caused by microbial or fungal infections
  • Helps promote healthy liver function.
  • Reduces minor swelling
  • Strong general anti-oxidant properties
  • Disinfects and helps detoxify the body
  • Stimulates the endocrine glands
  • Helps with insulin secretion and lowers blood sugar
  • Acts as a natural anti-septic and anti-fungal agent for skin disorders like fungal infections and eczema
  • Contains immune-boosting properties
  • Acts as an expectorant
  • Helps ease conjunctivitis, as well as eye-aging, macular degeneration, and other stressors on the eyes.


James A. Duke, Ph.D., a former botanist at the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and author of The CRC Handbook of Medicinal Herbs, states that cilantro has been shown to settle the stomach. He recommends drinking a cup of the tea made from a handful of the leaves, when experiencing any form of stomach discomfort.4

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