Everyone's Favorite (Raw Vegan) Kale Salad

 

If you've never had kale salad before, you are in for a treat!   Massaging kale with olive oil and lemon juice creates a soft texture and wonderful flavor that people don't normally associate with salads.  That is why I call this salad, "everyone's favorite kale salad!" 


Ingredients: 

2 bunches of kale
1 c. shredded carrot
1 1/2 avocados
2 T. extra virgin olive oil
the juice of 1 lemon
1/2 sweet bell pepper, chopped finely
1/4 tsp. sea salt to taste
1/4 tsp. cayenne

1 clove of raw garlic, minced
nutritional yeast (optional)


Directions: 

1.  Wash and de-stem the kale.  Tear the leaves into pieces and place them in a mixing bowl. 

2.  Add the shredded carrot, 1/2 an avocado, olive oil, lemon juice, bell pepper, sea salt, garlic and cayenne to the bowl.  Using your hands, massage the the liquid ingredients and avocado into the kale and vegetables until they are well coated and the kale is soft. 

3.  Chop up and add the additional avocado to the salad, along with nutritional yeast if you desire a "cheesy" flavor.  Extra sea salt can also be added to taste at this time.  Toss to combine. 

Kale is an extraordinary green with cancer and cardiovascular protective properties  Rich in Vitamin K, C, A, and calcium, it protects bone health and provides your body with antioxidants that keep you young on a cellular level.  An anti-inflammatory food, kale protects your body from arthritis and auto-immune disorders. 

Eucalyptus Oil: One of Nature's Most Versatile Medicines

Eucalyptus oil is a product of the eucalyptus tree, which has been deemed as one of the most useful trees in the world.  Historically, it has used for shade, hardwoods, medicine, paper, and even fuel.  It is native to Australia and regarded as a general ‘cure-all’ by its native people, the Aborigines.

Eucalyptus essential oil was first distilled in 1788, when Doctors White and Cossiden used its oil in treating problems of the chest. The first scientific studies about of the antiseptic and bacterial properties of the oil were published in Germany, where it was prescribed for all respiratory system conditions such as asthma, bronchitis, coughs, and the flu. During World War I, Eucalyptus oil was in huge demand as it was used to control a meningitis outbreak and for the influenza of 1919.

Eucalyptus oil has an unusually wide array of medical properties.  The oil is analgesic, anti-bacterial, anti-catarrhal, anti-infectious, anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, anti-viral, diuretic, expectorant, insect repellant, and a stimulant.

Eucalyptus's broad range of properties make it applicable to a long list of health problems, including:

- lethargy
- respiratory illnesses, including asthma and bronchitis
- muscular aches and pains (especially those of a "cold" nature such as rheumatic pains)
- breathing difficulties of all types
- flu
- fever
- parasites
- colds/coughs
- sinusitis
- parasitic infections
- bronchitis
- general toxicity
- emotional stress and anxiety
- depression and lethargy
- candida
- migraines
- tuberculosis
- hypoglycemia and diabetes
- measles
- acne and other skin infections/sores
- allergies
- burns

There are a variety of different ways to apply Eucalyptus oil to receive its benefits.  These include massage, compress, bath, and skin care as well as direct inhalation, diffusing, and vaporizing.

Although Eucalyptus is considered generally safe for aromatherapy, it is not recommended for infants. When used externally, Eucalyptus is both non-toxic and non-irritating and can be an extremely useful and versatile addition to a natural first aid kit.

Here are four ways you can use Eucalyptus essential oil at home this winter: 

1.  For cold, flu, coughs, etc. put a few drops on the soles of both feet before bed.  This is especially helpful prior to getting sick, when beginning to feel slight symptoms.
  
2.  To ease fever discomfort, make a cold compress and apply to the forehead and/or back of the neck. To make the compress just add a few drops of oil to cold water in a bowl. Use a wash cloth or towel and soak in solution, wring out and apply to area.

3.  For coughs, mix 20 drops into 1/3 cup of olive (or another carrier oil like sesame or coconut) and massage into the chest.
   
 4.  To prevent catching the flu during flu season, diffuse eucalyptus essential oil every day. You can also add a few drops to your house heater’s filter every week, or, when vacuuming, put a few drops on the vacuum bag or filter.


Sources:

Higley, Connie and Alan.  Reference Guide for Essential Oils, p 68.

Taulbee, Pattie.  "The Best Essential Oil for Colds and Flus:  Eucalyptus!"  www.plantlifeworld.com.

"Eucalyptus Essential Oil," http://www.anandaapothecary.com.