Jan 30, 2009
Healthy, Healing Foods: The Budwig Diet
One of the wonderful features of the Healing Drum Retreat is our discussions about the healing herbs that grow around us, herbs used for smudging (a spiritual ceremony), essential oils that encourage healing, and foods that promote wellness.
During the September 2008 retreat we talked about the Budwig Diet. This diet focuses on the use of flax seed oil in the diet. Research of this amazing healing oil goes back decades, and use of Flax seed oil along with a “sulfur based protein” was promoted and used by Dr. Johanna Budwig in the 1950′s.
Many continue to promote and use the budwig diet, ranging from traditional health care facilities to alternative health practitioners. Dr. Budwig treated cancer patients over 50 years ago with this Omega 3 rich diet. Many argued with her theories, but since that time many have recognized the value of Omega 3 and flax seed as a powerful food supplement, including a study at Duke University in 2001.
The ingredients are simple and few, but care should be taken to assure freshness. Here are a few guidelines for your information, and allow us to add the statement, “talk with your health care advisor” before beginning any new supplemental treatments.
- Purchase cold pressed, fresh flax seed oil from a reputable company. Your local health food store will carry this product, and it is typically refrigerated.
- Store your flax seed oil in the refrigerator!
- If you want to add ground flax seed for fiber either grind it fresh and consume immediately, or store your ground flax seed in your freezer.
- It takes six tablespoons of flax seed to give you a teaspoon of oil. You can mix a combo of oil and ground seed to obtain enough oil for your Omega 3, as well as a little fiber boost for your digestive health. Add a little at first to avoid any digestive discomfort from sudden dietary change.
- Mix your flax seed and flax seed oil with a sulfur based protein. What? In Europe a sulfur-based protein is known as Quark. This product is available in some U.S. health food stores. The closest equivalent in the U.S. is cottage cheese. (I recommend organic).
- Blend well, and consume immediately to assure freshness.
- This mix can be a bit bland in taste. You can add a dash of cayenne pepper. Cayenne enhances anything you add it to, and is a natural blood cleanser. “Cayenne increases your blood circulation immediately within seconds, more than any other herb.” Use sparingly until you are used to it!!
- You can add fruit juice or honey to enhance the taste as well, whatever suits you, or add some cumin for an interesting flavor.
How do you mix it, and in what quantities? Its simple, blend ¼ to ½ cup of low fat organic cottage cheese with 2 to 3 tablespoons of high-quality flaxseed oil. Stir this mixture quickly until the oil and cheese are well blended and no pools of oil can be seen. Blending is complete when you can hold a spoonful upside down and the mixture does not fall off the spoon.
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