Day 12 and feeling great!  Today I added some parsley to the mix and some tatsoi.  Tatsoi you say? That was a new one on me. I bought another Organic Girl box of greens and noticed that in the ingredients it reads:

Tangy red and green chard, hearty tat soi, peppery arugula and mild spinach. I looked up tatsoi (according to the Internet it is spelled tatsoi and not tat soi) and it is the new spinach.*

My recipe today consisted of:

• Mixed greens
• Parsley
• Orange
• Lemon
• Apple
• Celery
• Carrots
• Slice of ginger

Yesterday I picked up some turmeric supplement as it has some anti-inflammation properties. I am working on getting inflammation down in my body. I had a CRP (C-reactive protein)  test a few years ago and it was very high, showing inflammation throughout my body raising my chances for heart attack and cancer. Turmeric is important for an alkaline body which is a healthy body.

The medical community has established that an alkaline diet rich in plant foods is key to longevity, but maintaining an alkaline diet is increasingly difficult in modern western culture. Complex alkalizing minerals are contained in abundance in vegetables and a selection of fruits, yet convenience foods, soda, and excess proteins have replaced them. A whole cascade of health issues and degenerative disorders can be traced back to the excess acid caused by our changing habits. Bone loss, acidosis, gut issues, candida, cardiovascular concerns, inflammation, and accelerated aging are all connected to this phenomenon. Many doctors believe that an overly acidic system is a factor in cancer as well.

The good news is that we can do something about it; we can reverse the process and heal our bodies from a number of ailments in a matter of months. This is not a quick fix, and is a lifestyle commitment that requires some dedication. The following steps should help you on your way.

1. Increase your consumption of vegetables and fruits to 9 servings daily. Of the two, veggies are most important for bone building, and should include plenty of onions (these contain superior bone-building compounds), garlic, asparagus, kale, bok choy, endive, broccoli, cucumber, cabbage, collard greens, squash, sprouted seeds, sea vegetables, cress, leafy greens, and more. Wild edibles and grasses are also beneficial.

2. Eat root veggies and tubers: beets, carrots, yams, turnip, rutabaga, parsnip, radish, and burdock.

3. Eat fruits in moderation: avocados, tomatoes, grapefruit, limes, lemons, dried figs, watermelon, coconut, and ripe bananas are all beneficial. Dried prune plums are not alkaline but have a distinct benefit for bones and are therefore included on this list.

4. Eat grains in moderation, and concentrate on quinoa, millet, sprouted bread, and buckwheat. (Increase roots and tubers).

5. Reduce animal protein. Meat is highly acidic and should be consumed moderately or not at all. Choose fish and lamb over beef or chicken. Small amounts of goat or sheep milk may be tolerable.

6. Use olive, sesame, pumpkin, coconut, or flax oil.

7. Amongst the legumes, eat lima beans, white beans, and lentils. Fermented soy products such as tempeh or miso are good.

8. Nuts and Seeds: pumpkin, sesame and almond are best bets, along with fennel and cumin.

9. Increase your water consumption. Decrease or eliminate soda, coffee, processed juices, sports drinks, and alcohol.

10. Use plenty of herbs and spices in your cooking. Cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, curries, cayenne and all the green herbs are wonderful not just for flavor but to help our bodies detoxify. (source About.com)

Day 12 done. Check!

*

Tatsoi (Brassica narinosa or Brassica rapa var. rosularis) (in Chinese: 塌棵菜, 瓢儿菜, 乌塌菜, or 塌古菜; and, inJapanese: タアサイ or 塌菜), also called Spinach mustard, Spoon mustard, or Rosette bok choy, is an Asianvariety of Brassica rapa grown for greens. This plant has become popular in North American cuisine as well, and is now grown throughout the world.

The plant has dark green spoon-shaped leaves which form a thick rosette. It has a soft creamy texture and has a subtle yet distinctive flavour.

It can be grown to harvestable size in 45–50 days, and can withstand temperatures down to –10°C (15°F). Tatsoi can be harvested even from under the snow.