Boost Your Health at Home

There are so many inexpensive ways you can support your health and well being by making things from scratch at home.  Not only does it save you money, what you can make at home is better for you than commercially prepared versions.   And you can customize it to fit your needs and preferences.  Here are some examples of things you can make yourself that will boost your health.

Keifer water is an effervescent,  fruit-infused water, that you can make at home in about 3 days.  It is full of probiotics which are good for the gut and can help clear the skin and energize the whole body.  It is similar to kombucha in that it’s lightly fermented.  It is made with live water kefir grains, which actually come from a cactus.  You can use most types of fruit and even add other healthy ingredients like chia seeds.  You can also add ginger, and other spice flavorings.   To make it, you add sugar (or another type of sweetener), to water in a glass jar.  Let it sit and ferment for 2 to 3 days, with a kitchen towel over the opening so it can breath.   Don't worry about the sugar - the keifer grains metabolize the sugar.  The resulting drink is only mildly sweet.  Next, add the strained keifer water to a jar containing your fruit and spices.  Let that sit, sealed, for another 24 hours.  And there you have it, a healthy probiotic drink that you made yourself. You can learn more and buy water kefir grains at Yemoos.

Oat milk is a vegan alternative to dairy milk that’s made by blending water and oats, and then straining out the liquid.   So it's easy to make at home as long as you have cheese cloth or a milk bag for straining.  It is rich in fiber and vitamins.  The soluble fiber it contains is called beta-glucans and offers several heart benefits.  Another benefit is that the beta-glucans forms a gel-like substance inside your gut that helps lower your blood cholesterol levels.  Commercial oat milk often has a similar amount of vitamins and minerals as traditional cow's milk.  That is because the FDA permits fortifying milk and non-dairy substitutes with vitamin D and vitamin A.  But they can also contain other not so healthy ingredients such as oil, salt, and thickeners.

Growing your own sprouts is inexpensive and is a cost effective way to eat nutrition packed food.  Seeds, beans, legumes, and grains can all be sprouted.  The resulting food contains a significant amount of protein as well as higher concentrations of important vitamins and vital nutrients.  Sprouts are also full of enzymes for digestive and metabolic processes.  Most sprouts have a crunchy, even slightly sweet flavor. They are a great addition to salads, stir-fry meals, sandwiches, and more.  Some of the most common sprouts are radish, broccoli, mung bean, chia seed, red clover, and lentil.

Fermenting vegetables is a method of food preservation that also enhances the nutrient content of the food.  The fermentation process makes the minerals in the resulting cultured foods more readily available to your body.  The bacteria that do the fermenting also produce vitamins and enzymes that are beneficial for your digestion.  Almost any vegetable can be fermented and once done, they can be cold stored for year round use.  Carrots, cabbage, radishes, and garlic cloves are great choices.  To start the fermentation process, you'll need salt, salt and whey, or a starter culture.  There are tons of recipes on the internet, so enjoy!

Infusing vinegar is a fun and easy way make something healthy and tasty.  It also makes a great gift when you use a nice glass jar.   You can infuse almost anything into vinegar because it is so acidic.  And it only takes a few weeks to end up with a strongly flavored vinegar.  To make an infused vinegar, place the herbs, spices or fruit in a seal-able glass jar.  Warm the vinegar on the stove (do not boil) and fill the jar to almost full.  Let the vinegar sit for about two weeks out of direct sunlight and shake the vinegar every couple of days.  After about 2 weeks, you can strain the herbs/spices/fruit out of the vinegar and you're ready to taste your creation.

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