Food and Drink

A selection of posts on food and drink, health, restaurants we like(d) in Chiang Mai, Thailand, and anything edible…

DIY: Homemade Toothpaste with Coconut Oil

Making your own toothpaste is very easy and saves you from having to use chemically produced toothpaste with glycerin and sodium flouride.

Glycerin gives toothpaste a nice creamy texture and coats the teeth for “protection”, but at the same time it also stops re-enamalization which essentially means that cavities can’t self-heal.

Sodium flouride is a by-product of aluminum manufacturing that can also be found in rat poisons and industrial pesticides).

Here is the recipe for making your own healthy toothpaste:

ingredients

6 tbsp coconut oil
6 tbsp baking soda
25 drops essential peppermint oil
1 tsp stevia (or more if you like it sweeter)

Directions:

1. Mix all ingredients together in a bowl. Whip it really well to give it a light creamy texture.

2. Pour into a small jar and seal it up until ready to use.

I use a small stick to dip into the toothpaste and spread nicely onto the toothbrush. You can also just dip the toothbrush into the jar.

Enjoy

Råd: Hvordan faster man?

Jeg har netop afsluttet en 15 dages faste. Reelt set var fasten ikke 15 dage, men for at gennemføre en 3 dages vand faste er det vigtigt at forberede kroppen. Det tager tid. Denne artikel er en trin-for-trin-vejledning.

Lad være med at faste hvis du har diabetes, hypoglykæmi, er gravid eller ammer. For de fleste mennesker er faste kke en nem opgave, og du skal være parat til at tage fri for at gøre det.

Du kan reducere bivirkningerne af at faste ved at følge en rå-juice faste i stedet for rent vand. Det vil bremse fjernelsen af toksiner fra kroppen og også fjerne nogle detox symptomer. Detox symptomer omfatter: kvalme, hovedpine, svimmelhed, mangel på energi, mavesmerter, kramper, smerter i benene, forvirring osv. (du velkommen til at tilføje din egen oplevelse til det).

Fordelene:

3 dage hjælper kroppen slippe af med toksiner og renser blodet.
5 dage starter processen med at heale og genopbygge immunforsvaret.
10 dage giver kroppen tid til at gøre bod på skader forårsaget af langvarig udsættelse for farlige kemikalier og giftstoffer.

Det er ikke tilrådeligt at gå lige fra normale spise-og drikkevaner til faste. Det vil få kroppen til at gå ind i en chok tilstand. Jeg har engang prøvet det i Thailand. Jeg ønskede at faste og troede at fordi jeg normalt hovedsagelig spiser friske frugter og grøntsager, så jeg kunne gå lige fra at spise dette til faste på vand. Jeg gav op efter den første dag.

Nedenstående er en trin-for-trin guide til at faste:

Trin # 1: Forberedelse til faste (uge 1 & 2)
Stop med at spise kød, mejeriprodukter, fisk, drikke kaffe, alkohol, rygning. Ved udgangen af ??den anden uge skal din kost kun være frugt, grøntsager, kerner og nødder.

Trin # 2: Rå frugt, grøntsager, nødder og kerner (3 dage)
Tre dage, hvor alle måltider kun består af rå frugt, grøntsager, kerner og nødder.

Trin # 3: Blendet rå mad (3 dage)
Tre dage før vand fasten, blend alle dine fødevarer i en blender. Dette er en måde at forberede dit fordøjelsessystem på at bremse ned og være klar til den manglende mad. Dette er det trin jeg sprang over sidste gang jeg fastede og det gjorde en verden til forskel at gøre det. At drikke fødevarer er slet ikke det samme som tygge mad.

Trin # 4: Vand faste (3 dage)
Drik mindst 3 liter vand hver dag. Du vil måske finde dette svært på den anden og tredje dag fordi din mave er blevet mindre. Sørg for at du har fuldstændig hvile i disse dage. Lav ikke nogen planer. Jeg foreslår, at du tager fri eller alternativt starter dag 1 torsdag aften og slutter fasten søndag aften. Det er hvad jeg gjorde. Jeg fandt den første dag hårdest. Jeg tænkte konstant på mad. Selv de mest simple fødevarer syntes overvældende lækre (som f.eks. et tørt stykke brød med tomat). Jeg led også af søvnløshed og en vis forvirring. Den anden dag var nemmere bortset fra at jeg var svimmel, havde synsproblemer og kvalme et par gange. Den tredje dag var en leg, bortset fra en mærkelig smerte i mine ben og en smule kvalme. Den første frugt shake var ærligt talt ikke så god som forventet (søndag aften). Du kan lette fasten ved at drikke destilleret vand med økologisk citronsaft eller økologisk kamille te. Jeg havde ikke adgang til økologiske produkter, og derfor fastede jeg udelukkende på vand.

Trin # 5: Blendet rå mad (3 dage)
Vend tilbage til blendet rå frugt, grøntsager, kerner og nødder i 3 dage efter din faste. De ønskede virkninger kan blive ødelagt ved at spise kogte fødevarer umiddelbart efter.

Trin # 6: Rå frugt, grøntsager, nødder og kerner (3 dage)
Tre dage hvor alle måltider kun består af rå frugt, grøntsager, kerner og nødder.

Trin # 7: Genindfør anden mad
Langsomt genindfør andre slags fødevarer i din kost. Hvis du tror, at du måske har fødevarer over-følsomhed eller allergi, så er dette at godt tidspunkt at teste disse fødevarer. Én ad gangen kan du langsomt genindføre hvede, mejeriprodukter, æg, soja og sukker til din krop. Vælg én ny hver dag, og i løbet af dagen spis 2 til 3 portioner. Bemærk eventuelle reaktioner. Vent for en dag, og på den tredje dag, kan du prøve en anden slags. Gentag, indtil du har prøvet alle de mulige typer af allergi fødevarer.

Den bedste del ved fasten for mig var at jeg gennemførte den, og at jeg har udviklet en ny kærlighed til madlavning / tilberedelse af mad.

Held og lykke med din faste og skriv endelig dine oplevelser til os, så vi kan dele dem med andre læsere.

NB: Denne artikel findes på engelsk også, men jeg har valgt at oversætte den så min mor og andre danske læsere kan finde en nem vejledning.

Recommendations: Sightseeing in Copenhagen, Denmark

There are lots of beautiful things to see and visit while in Copenhagen, but if you have merely a day there are a few things I personally think you should not miss.

In chronological order I suggest that you start at The City Hall Square, in front of Palace Hotel.

If you have a lot of time you could pass by Rosenborg Castle, where the Crown Jewels are protected by the Royal Guard. Otherwise just walk down through the main street (strøget) until you get to Kongens Nytorv. Here you will see the beautiful Royal Theater, world famous for its Royal Ballet.

Go to Nyhavn which is the colourful canal district right by Kongens Nytorv. Here I suggest you take a boat tour. If you go to the boats on the right side of the canal a boat tour only cost you 30 kr (5 $) for one hour. It is really worth your while.

Afterwards take a stroll along the waterfront to Amalienborg Palace – winter residence of the Royal Family. Here we have the opportunity of seeing the changing of the Danish Royal Guard. This should be followed by a visit to the Gefion Fountain and The Little Mermaid, inspired by H. C. Andersen’s fairytale. At the moment she is, however, on vacation and not there.

Go back along the water front and head over to Christiansborg Palace, home to the Danish Parliament and the Old Stock Exchange. After that I suggest that you go to Christiania – the freetown. It’s a lovely artist village established in the 1970s where you will be able to see an alternative way of living and eat some lovely (vegetarian) food.

Tivoli Gardens is a lovely place to end the day and spend the evening.

Have a lovely visit.

Advice: How to fast?

I have just finished a 15 days fast. Well in actually fact the fast itself did not last 15 days, but in order to do a 3 days water fast it is essential to prepare the body. This takes time. This article is a step-by-step guide.

Do not fast if you have diabetes, hypoglycemia, is pregnant or breastfeeding. For most people fasting is not an easy task and you need to be prepared to take time out to do it.

You can reduce the side-effects of fasting by following a live-juice fast instead of pure water. It will slow down the removal of toxins from the body and also remove some detox symptoms. Detox symptoms include: neusea, headache, dizziness, lack of energy, stomach pain, cramps, pain in the legs, confusion etc (please feel free to add your experience to it).

The benefits:

3 days helps the body get rid of toxins and cleanses the blood.
5 days begins the process of healing and rebuilding the immune system.
10 days gives the body time to reverse the damage caused by long-term exposure to dangerous chemicals and toxins.

It is not advisable to go straight from normal eating and drinking habits to fasting. It will cause the body to go into a shock condition. I once tried it in Thailand. I wanted to fast and thought that because I live mainly of fresh fruit and vegetables, I could go straight from eating this to fasting on water. I gave up after the first day.
You will need to get off the various stimulants and food addictions in order not to shock the system.

The below article is a step-by-step guide to fasting:

Step #1: Preparing to fast (Week 1 & 2)
Slowly stop eating meat, dairy, fish, drinking coffee, alcohol, smoking. By the end of the second week your diet should be only fruits, vegetables, seeds and nuts.

Step #2: Raw fruit, vegetables, nuts and seeds (3 days)
Three days where all meals consist of only raw fruit, vegetables, seeds and nuts.

Step #3: Blended raw food (3 days)
Three days before the fast, blend all your food in a processor. This is a way to prepare your digestive system to slow down and be ready for the lack of food. This is the step I skipped last time I fasted and it made a world of difference to do it. Drinking food is not at all the same as chewing food.

Step #4: The fast (3 days)
Drink at least 3 liters of water every day. You may find this a challenge on the second and third day because your stomach shrinks. Make sure you have complete rest these days. Do not make any plans. I suggest you take the days off or alternatively start day 1 on Thursday evening and end the fast on Sunday evening. This is what I did. I found the first day the hardest. I constantly thought about food. Even the most simple food seemed overwhelming delicious to me (like a dry piece of bread with a tomato). I also suffered from insomnia and some confusion. The second day was easier except that I was dizzy, had visual problems and felt nausea a few times. The third day was a breeze except for a strange pain in my legs and a bit of nausea. The first fruit shake was honestly not as good as expected. You can ease the fast by drinking destilled water with organic lemon juice or organic camomille tea. I didn’t have access to organic products and therefore I stuck with water.

Step #5: Blended Raw Food (3 days)
Return to blending raw fruits, vegetables, seeds and nuts for 3 days after your fast. The desired effects of a fast can be ruined by eating cooked foods immediately after.

Step #6: Raw fruit, vegetables, nuts and seeds (3 days)
Three days where all meals consist of only raw fruit, vegetables, seeds and nuts.

Step #7: Reintroduce Food
Slowly reintroduce all kinds of food back into your diet. If you think you might have food sensitivities or allergies, this is an ideal time to test these foods out. One at a time, slowly reintroduce wheat, dairy, eggs, soy, and sugar to your body. Choose one for one day, and during that day consume 2 to 3 servings. Note any reactions. Wait for a day and then on the third day, try another food. Repeat until you’ve tried all the possibly allergic food types.

The best part about the fast for me was the fact that I kept it and that I have developed a new found love for cooking/preparing food.

Best of luck with your fast and please write your experiences to us so that we can share with other readers.

Vegetarianism: A fish is not a vegetable!

Fish suffocating: Does it look like the fish has no feeling?!?

As a vegetarian it is not seldom that I hear the comment “ohh so you are a vegetarian, but you do eat fish right?”. No, of course I don’t eat fish. A fish is NOT a vegetable and I am against all killing and suffering of animals – so of course I can’t accept it for fish either. I have never understood how anyone could call them-self a vegetarian but still eat fish?!? Perhaps they don’t recognise (or want to realise) that fish injure just as much pain as other animals when they are caught and slaughtered.

Like other animals, fish feel pain and experiences fear. According to Donald Bloom, who is the animal welfare advisor to the British government, the nerve system in a fish is almost the same as in birds and mammals. This means that when they are dragged from the depths of the ocean, the fish undergo a terrible decompression – the fast pressure change ruptures their swim bladders, pops out their eyes, and pushes their stomachs through their mouths. Then they are thrown onto the ship, where they slowly suffocate, are crushed to death or are still alive when their throats and bellies are cut open. Does that sound like a nice death to you…one that you can just oversee so that you can eat sushi and still call yourself a vegetarian (or just eat fish for that matter)???

Overfishing is also a problem for the commercial fishing industry. Having basically emptied out the sea for “desired” fish, they now raise fish in fish farms. This practise is known as “aquaculture” and uses either cages in the ocean or tanks on land. There are so many fish in one cage/tank that they can hardly swim and bump into each other and the walls of the enclosure all the time. This results in painful sores and damage to their fins. The huge amount of feces in the tanks also lead to outbreaks of parasites and disease (besides the environmental damage of the surrounding area). In order to keep the fish alive in such an unhealthy environment, large quantities of antibiotics and other chemicals are poured into the water. When the fish have reached the desired size, they are brutally killed by having their stomachs cut open or they die of suffocation when the water in the tank is simply drained away.

Bon appetite!

NB: This article is a tribute to my wonderful sister Gitte, who has always been a strict vegetarian. Happy birthday Gitte.

Free Vegetarian Starter Kit from PETA

fruits, food
fruits, food

When it comes to vegetarianism, the number one question on most meat-eaters’ minds is, “What do you eat?” I have often met meat-eaters who says “so you just salad?”. No, I eat everything. There are vegetarian alternatives to almost any animal food, from soy sausages and “Fib Ribs” to Tofurky jerky and mock lobster (if you so desire).

There are also great alternatives to dairy products such as soy ice cream, soy chocolate milk, Tofutti cream cheese, and more.

Becoming a vegetarian today is certainly a lot easier than 17 years ago when I became a vegetarian. Seriously, in Denmark we had hardly any veggie products. We had one kind of (not delicious) canned sausages and some paté. That was it. I am glad I did it out of love for animals and not for health reasons because it would have made it harder to keep.

Today it is so easy to become and be a vegetarian and there is a lot of help and inspiration to find. The American animal organisation PETA is doing fantastic work to promote vegetarianism. They have a website called www.goveg.com which has all the information you need about becoming a vegetarian including: the issues at stake, meet the animals, recipes, literature, famous vegetarians and the most amazing part: A FREE vegetarian starter kit.

It’s a great vegetarian starter kit with information and recipes and they send it to your home address for no cost at all. I have already ordered it for my sisters and my mum and it is really nice.

You can order the free vegetarian starter kit on the following link: http://www.goveg.com/order.asp?c=pfvskvp09

Good luck!

Vegetarianism: The meat of the argument

Animal cruelty in the meat industry

The health benefits of a vegetarian diet are well-documented, as are the increased risks of heart disease and cancer that come with eating meat. But these are “merely” personal benefits, and personal risks. Most people will say that this is a personal “lifestyle” choice. Yes, I agree. What you do with your body – is certainly your choice.

However, the decision to eat meat or not to eat meat is actually broader than personal lifestyle. With the advent of factory farming, other factors have to be considered.Modern meat production is a completely automated, mechanised industry with billions of animals spending their entire lives – 24 hours a day, seven days a week – in tiny pens or cages, never seeing the sun, never feeling fresh air, never being allowed the freedom to walk even one step. By eating meat you not only decide on a lifestyle for yourself – you decide the cruel life of these animals.

How many of us can remain complacent in the face of such institutionalised cruelty?

Did you know, for example, that 70 % of the grain grown in the United States is used to feed animals destined for slaughter? Or that 80% of the water used in the States goes toward animal agriculture? Or that land growing potatoes, rice and other vegetables can support 20 times as many people as land producing grain-fed beef? Or that many leading scientists now rank the environmental damage caused by the meat producing industry as second only to that caused by fossil fuels?

By eating meat you not only decide on a lifestyle for yourself – your decision influences the environment, global hunger and the cruel life of these animals. Don’t be cruel – be a vegetarian!