I was speaking with a friend that was suffering with a seasonal cold.

She told me about all the natural remedies she was using to relieve the cold and stop its progression, but she said, “It descended into my lungs. Every time I get a cold, it always goes into my lungs, and there it stays for weeks.”

That’s very telling about her condition.

Unfortunately, even though she was doing everything she could to treat the cold before it went deeper into her body, the best time to support her system would have been BEFORE she got the cold.

Treating her recurring chronic condition, would NOT begin at the onset of the sickness, it would begin when she was feeling well.

I’ll explain.

Every time she gets sick with a cold her lungs are negatively impacted. This shows us that there is a weakness and/or a deficiency in her body that needs her attention.

Healing her condition begins with strengthening her “Wei Qi” and lungs BEFORE the onset of the next sickness.

The Wei Qi in Traditional Chinese Medicine, is similar to the way our Immune System protects us.

It is the body’s protective barrier; the defensive energy that acts as the body’s first line of defense against external pathogens, like viruses and bacteria, wind and cold.

If someone has a strong Wei Qi, they generally have a robust immune response and quick recovery from illness.

If someone has a weak Wei Qi (like my friend), they are more vulnerable to colds and flu that linger, they may fatigue more easily, and don’t have enough defense strength to stop the progression of an illness, or to heal quickly.

After she heals from this current lung infection, that would be the best time to deeply nourish her system with the foods and herbs that have been used for thousands of years to support the Wei Qi (immune system), spleen, and lungs. This would be true preventative medicine and would support her healing process.

If you struggle with poor immunity, slow recovery, and recurring illnesses, see below.

Top 3 Ways to Strengthen your Defenses Using Food and Herbs as Medicine:

#1: Eat Warm, Deeply Nourishing Foods

Raw or cold foods can weaken Spleen Qi and reduce energy production. Instead of beginning the day with cold cereal and milk, yogurt with berries, or a frozen protein smoothie, start the day with a warm breakfast like savory cooked oatmeal with breakfast sausages, or a creamy congee.

Congee prepared with the medicinal herb, Astragalus Root, is one of my favorite ways to strengthen immunity before the next illness settles in: Immune-Boosting Congee

#2 Add Warming Herbs and Spices to Your Recipes

If your body is feeling cold (internally) you’ll surely invite a “cold” into your system. It’s common knowledge that colds thrive in cold environments – and that includes inside your body.

Warm up your digestive system, and get your blood moving with ginger, garlic, scallions, cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg, cloves, star anise, peppercorns, turmeric, chili pepper, cumin and cayenne pepper.

Here’s a delicious Spiced Squash Soup to warm up your body deliciously: Cinnamon and Nutmeg Spiced Squash Soup

#3 Use Tonic Herbs to Support Energy

Most people think of using medicinal herbs only when they get sick, but tonic herbs are the everyday heroes that can be used regularly over a long periods of time to build energy, strengthen your internal systems, and rebalance your body.

“Tonic herbs and herbal formulas commonly include herbs that are gentle and nourishing. They feature many herbal adaptogens like licorice and schisandra. They also often include medicinal mushrooms like reishi and other plants that support a balanced immune response.”[1]

Common tonic plants to support immune and lung health include:

• Ginseng
• Ashwaghanda
• Astragalus Root
• Shizandra berries
• Reishi mushrooms
• Cordyceps
• Tulsi (Holy Basil)
• Nettles

Here’s one of my favorite Lung Support teas to sip on throughout cold and flu season to keep your lungs healthy and well. It contains Shizandra, Tulsi, and Mullein.

Don’t wait for the next illness before you start taking preventative medicine. Start now to give your body a better fighting chance to protect you and keep you healthy and well.

Want to learn more about natural healing?

Join me inside my Health is Wealth Community. We prepare you and your beautiful body (and mind) for all of the seasonal illness BEFORE they come knocking at your door.

Health is Wealth Community

[1] https://www.traditionalmedicinals.com/blogs/ppj/the-basics-herbal-tonics

The post Is it too late to support immunity? first appeared on Andrea Beaman.

You can put this sweet compote onto cake (including pancakes), or as a topping on oatmeal.

I like to put it on top of Polenta Lemon Cake. It’s totally delish!

Sweet Strawberry Compote

 

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Prep time

10 mins

Cook time

10 mins

Total time

20 mins

 

Author: Andrea Beaman

Recipe type: Dessert Topping

Cuisine: Health coach cooking

Serves: 4-6 servings

Ingredients

• 2 cups fresh or frozen organic strawberries (crowns removed and quartered)
• 3 tablespoons granulated sugar (can use honey or maple syrup)
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Instructions

1. Put the strawberries, sugar, and lemon juice into a small saucepan over medium heat.
2. Bring to a boil, then lower heat to a gentle simmer, stirring occasionally.
3. Cook 10-15 minutes until the fruit breaks down into a saucy consistency.
4. You can mash some strawberry pieces with a fork to get a creamier texture.
5. Remove from heat and let cool.
6. The compote will thicken as it cools.

3.5.3251

The post Sweet Strawberry Compote first appeared on Andrea Beaman.

Lemon Scented Corn Cake with Strawberry Compote

 

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Prep time

10 mins

Cook time

45 mins

Total time

55 mins

 

Author: Andrea Beaman

Recipe type: Dessert

Cuisine: Seasonal Eating

Serves: 8 servings

Ingredients

• 1 & ½ cups finely ground cornmeal or corn flour
• 1 & ½ cups almond flour or gluten-free flour
• ¼ tsp. sea salt
• 1 & ½ tsp. baking powder
• 1 cup granulated cane juice or other sugar (date sugar, coconut sugar, beet sugar)
• Zest of one lemon
• ½ cup olive oil
• ½ cup unsweetened plain yogurt
• 2 eggs
• 3 tbsp. lemon juice
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Add dry ingredients into a mixing bowl (flour, salt, baking powder, sugar, lemon zest) and combine.
3. Put the wet ingredients into a food processor or blender (olive oil, yogurt, eggs, lemon juice, vanilla extract), and blend until creamy.
4. Add the dry ingredients into the food processor with the wet ingredients and blend together until smooth.
5. Grease a 9 inch pie pan or 9x9 baking tray with olive oil (or butter).
6. Bake 45 minutes or until lightly golden.
7. Remove from the oven and let the cake rest for 25-30 minutes or longer before cutting into it.
8. Top with flaky sea salt and Sweet Strawberry Compote.

3.5.3251

The post Lemon Scented Corn Cake with Strawberry Compote first appeared on Andrea Beaman.

If you’ve been struggling with thyroid symptoms that include exhaustion, weight gain, and hair loss, join me LIVE to heal your thyroid.

For more information and to register, CLICK HERE.

The post Thyroid Webinar first appeared on Andrea Beaman.

Sweet and Tangy Homemade Tomato Sauce

 

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Prep time

20 mins

Cook time

1 hour

Total time

1 hour 20 mins

 

Author: Andrea Beaman

Recipe type: Seasonal Eating

Cuisine: Traditional Recipes

Serves: 6 servings

Ingredients

• 6 pounds of tomatoes
• ⅓ cup of extra virgin olive oil
• 5 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
• 1 tsp. oregano
• 6 fresh basil leaves
• 1-2 tsp. sea salt
• ½ tsp. baking soda (optional, to reduce acidity)
• 1 tbsp. sugar (optional, to increase sweetness)

Instructions

1. Bring a pot of water to boil.
2. Score the tomatoes with a little X at the base (opposite the stem).
3. Drop the tomatoes, in batches, into the boiling water for 60 seconds.
4. Remove the tomatoes and place into an ice bath.
5. When the tomatoes cool, peel them and slice into quarters.
6. Remove the stems, excess seeds, and water and discard.
7. Dice the tomatoes.
8. In a deep frying pan, or soup pot, add oil and bring to medium heat.
9. Add garlic and oregano, and cook 1-2 minutes (do NOT burn the garlic).
10. Add the diced tomatoes, 1 tsp. of salt, and 5-6 fresh basil leaves.
11. Turn the heat to high and bring ingredients to a boil.
12. Reduce heat to medium and cover.
13. Cook 35-40 minutes.
14. Uncover and continue cooking until most of the “water” has evaporated (additional 30-45 minutes or longer depending on how thick you like your sauce).
15. Season to taste and add additional salt and aromatics if needed.
16. If you want a "smoother" sauce, puree in a food processor or blender.

3.5.3251

The post Sweet and Tangy Tomato Sauce first appeared on Andrea Beaman.

One of my friends, Anthony DelGreco, was Italian. His parents and grandparents migrated from Italy to the United States and brought with them the culinary knowledge that makes Italian cooking stand out as one of the most popular cuisines in the world.

Anthony carried on the tradition of his ancestors and would make fresh tomato sauce.

One year (many decades ago), Anthony gifted me a jar of his homemade sauce.

Truth be told, I grew up eating Prego and Ragu from the grocery store, which I thought was pretty darn good. So, I was skeptical that anything could top that.

But, when I tasted Anthony’s homemade tomato sauce – Yowzah!!!!

It tasted like a burst of vine-ripened tomatoes that were light, bright, and vibrant; it was a balance of sweet fruitiness, plus lively, tangy acidity.

And, I could almost taste the sunshine, tradition, and love in that jar!

There was NOTHING in the supermarket that could compare to Anthony’s homemade Italian tomato sauce.

When he handed me the jar, he told me the secret to making it taste authentic…

He said, “You need to blanch the tomatoes in hot water. Then peel the skins off and squeeze out the seeds before adding them into the pot.”

It’s been a few decades since then, and I’ve never used the knowledge he shared with me… until this summer.

We got so many tomatoes from my CSA this year – it was a crazy abundant harvest.

I told my husband we have to make tomato sauce otherwise they are going to go bad.

So, we got to work!

I know some people swear by a specific tomato (like Roma) to make sauce, but I needed to use up what we had.

And, that included: Roma Plum tomatoes, slicing tomatoes, and cherry tomatoes. We used them all.

We scored the tomatoes first to make them easier to peel. Then we dropped them into a pot of boiling water for a minute or two, and then pulled them out to chill in an ice bath.

After they cooled, we hand peeled them and cut them into sections so we could squeeze out the excess seeds and liquid.

It may seem like an extra step, but the science has caught up to this ancestral wisdom.

“Tomatoes, according to Ayurveda, are members of the nightshade family, which also includes potatoes, eggplants, peppers, and a poisonous plant called Atropa Belladonna. Alkaloids, which are chemicals that can be toxic to insects and animals, are found in these plants. Some of these alkaloids, particularly those found in tomato seeds and skins, can cause inflammation and irritation in humans.”[1]

It’s nice to have the science, but even if we didn’t have it, I’d still trust ancient culinary wisdom handed down from generation to generation. Just like Anthony’s ancestors did with him (pictured below are Anthony and his Grandma aka Nonna or Nookie).

No science needed… just simple instructions shared from one kitchen to another.

BTW – the homemade tomato sauce we made tasted delicious!

I’ll be doing this every summer with the extra tomatoes we get.

Big thanks to Anthony and his family for bringing ancestral culinary wisdom from Italy to America!

Our sauce tasted sweet, so we didn’t need to add sugar. But, if your sauce is too tangy and tart, 1-2 tbsp. of sugar should be able to fix that.

Or you could do what Anthony’s mom did to make it sweet and also cut down on the acidity – she added a carrot to cook with the sauce.

And, if you get agita (heartburn), from the high acidity in tomato sauce, you can add a small amount of baking soda at the onset of cooking, to reduce that.

Get the recipe below. Enjoy!

Do you make homemade tomato sauce?

 

Print

Prep time

20 mins

Cook time

1 hour

Total time

1 hour 20 mins

 

Author: Andrea Beaman

Recipe type: Seasonal Eating

Cuisine: Traditional Recipes

Serves: 6 servings

Ingredients

• 6 pounds of tomatoes
• ⅓ cup of extra virgin olive oil
• 5 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
• 1 tsp. oregano
• 6 fresh basil leaves
• 1-2 tsp. sea salt
• ½ tsp. baking soda (optional, to reduce acidity)
• 1 tbsp. sugar (optional, to increase sweetness)

Instructions

1. Bring a pot of water to boil.
2. Score the tomatoes with a little X at the base (opposite the stem).
3. Drop the tomatoes, in batches, into the boiling water for 60 seconds.
4. Remove the tomatoes and place into an ice bath.
5. When the tomatoes cool, peel them and slice into quarters.
6. Remove the stems, excess seeds, and water and discard.
7. Dice the tomatoes.
8. In a deep frying pan, or soup pot, add oil and bring to medium heat.
9. Add garlic and oregano, and cook 1-2 minutes (do NOT burn the garlic).
10. Add the diced tomatoes, 1 tsp. of salt, and 5-6 fresh basil leaves.
11. Turn the heat to high and bring ingredients to a boil.
12. Reduce heat to medium and cover.
13. Cook 35-40 minutes.
14. Uncover and continue cooking until most of the “water” has evaporated (additional 30-45 minutes or longer depending on how thick you like your sauce).
15. Season to taste and add additional salt and aromatics if needed.
16. If you like a smoother sauce, puree in a food processor or blender.

3.5.3251

[1] https://www.timesnownews.com/health/diet/consuming-tomatoes-with-seeds-might-be-harmful-to-your-health-heres-why-article-105076772

The post Do you make homemade tomato sauce? first appeared on Andrea Beaman.

I am a firm believer that laughter, and a positive disposition, is good medicine for your body, mind, and spirit.

And, it just so happens that medical science has documentation to back that up.

According to studies, laughter:[1] [2]

• Enhances your intake of oxygen rich air
• Improves immunity
• Stimulates your heart
• Increases endorphins
• Relieves pain
• Improves your mood

In my daily experiences, I laugh a lot.

Not inappropriately, of course. I don’t laugh at people in pain, or at the horrors that are happening in the world.

But, I do love to laugh, and I love poking fun at all of the things that seem ludicrous to me.

My ability to enjoy life and laugh often, angers some folks on my social media feeds. They don’t find me to be funny.

Those folks question why I’m giggling or laughing about something serious like “medical science” or the constantly changing health advice coming from the “experts.”

Angry people call me stupid or refer to me as a Quack.

But, guess what?

Those kind of comments just give me more fuel for the funny fire.

And, I’ll post a snarky response like this one on Instagram:

Whether you are laughing and enjoying life, or stuck in the muck and mire and angry about everything, we are all just having our experiences while we are here.

I’m sending you love and laughter to lighten your load and potentially (according to the science) improve your mood and help you heal.

Have a great day!

[1] https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/stress-management/in-depth/stress-relief/art-20044456

[2] https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2686627/

The post Do you think laughter is healing? first appeared on Andrea Beaman.

Everywhere I turn, people are talking about taking peptides.

Friends, family, influencers, trainers… it seems like almost everyone is using them.

If you don’t know what a peptide is, here’s the skinny:

Peptides are short chain amino acids. The are essentially mini-proteins that acts as cellular messengers. They bind to receptors on cell surfaces to direct actions like tissue repair, immune defense, hormone regulation, digestion, and inflammation.[1]

Here are some examples of the most common peptides and what they do:

• BPC-157 for healing
• CJC-1295 for growth hormone support
• GHK-Cu for skin health
• TB-500 for tissue repair
• GLP-1 for metabolic health and weight loss

These latest injectables have made their way into the marketplace and into people’s bodies.

Many folks are touting their amazing benefits. And, that’s a good thing.

But, and here’s the big BUTT…

Did you know your body naturally makes peptides to support your health and vitality?

It’s true.

Here are some of the many peptides your body creates:

• Insulin: Made by your pancreas, controls blood sugar levels by telling cells to absorb glucose.
• Glucagon: Raises blood sugar by prompting the liver to release stored glucose.
• GLP-1 (Glucagon-like peptide-1): Signals fullness after eating and triggers insulin release.
• Growth Hormone-Releasing Hormone (GHRH): Stimulates the pituitary gland to release growth hormone.
• Oxytocin: Manages uterine contractions, milk release, and social attachment/bonding.
• Endorphins and Enkephalins: Natural painkillers and mood elevators.
• Substance P: Transmits pain signals from sensory nerves to the brain.
• Antimicrobial Peptides (AMPs): Found in your skin to fight bacteria, viruses, and fungi while helping with skin barrier repair and wound healing.

Holy cow! It looks like the human body is the most AMAZING peptide producing facility.

And, your body’s ability to internally make these peptides and release them for your use is FREE.

Well… not exactly.

Your body builds peptides using raw materials from the protein you eat.[2]

Which basically means, you need to support your body with the right ingredients and nutrients to create peptides.

But, and here’s another big BUTT…

You could eat enough dietary protein, but if your digestive system is compromised and/or unhealthy, you won’t be able to breakdown and absorb the nutrients/proteins needed to build those peptides.

This certainly is a conundrum because a large percentage of people in the world struggle with gut imbalances. Especially, in America, where I live.

“Globally, more than 2.8 billion people suffer from digestive diseases, and over 40% of the world’s population lives with functional gastrointestinal disorders. In the United States alone, approximately 60 to 70 million individuals are affected by diagnosed digestive diseases each year”[3]

With those unhealthy digestive statistics, if you want to insure that you have the ability to create your own peptide processing factory inside your body, you’ve got to support the health of your gut.

You can learn more about supporting gut health here: Without Good Digestion, You Won’t Absorb Nutrients

And, for those of you that are currently taking external synthetic peptides, here’s something to consider…

Once you begin taking the supplemental peptides, you create a feedback loop inside your body, that STOPS your body from creating its own peptides.

What?!

Yep, that’s how it works.

External or synthetic peptide supplements tell your brain that you already have enough, and that pauses your body’s own output.

You literally shut down your body’s peptide factory.

Personally, that doesn’t work for me.

Instead, I let my body do what it’s designed to do; create peptides.

And, this is how it’s done:

• Support digestive health.
• Eat great quality foods (protein), that are prepared well and easy to digest.
• Reduce stress (high stress negatively impacts digestion and overall health).

With the right support, your beautiful body can create all of the peptides it needs for wellness and vitality.

If you want to learn how to do this naturally, hop into my Health is Wealth Community. We’re not selling peptides, we’re supporting health in the most delicious ways.

[1] https://www.health.harvard.edu/medications-and-treatments/peptides-what-they-are-potential-benefits-and-safety-concerns

[2] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK562260/

[3] https://gastro.org/press-releases/new-survey-finds-forty-percent-of-americans-daily-lives-are-disrupted-by-digestive-troubles/

The post Do you use peptides? first appeared on Andrea Beaman.

During the summer months, the fruit share I purchased from my community supported agriculture (Stoneledge Farm), provides me with way more peaches than my family and I can eat before they start to break down.

The peaches you purchase in the grocery store are often picked unripe – that’s why they often get mealy and don’t taste very sweet.

But, the peaches I get directly from the farm are picked at the peak of ripeness. They are bursting with juicy sweetness that dribbles down your face when you take a bite!

Peaches are delicate fruits with a thin skin, so they don’t last long after they’ve ripened.

So, what can I do with all of the sweet peaches before they decay?

Make a yummy peach cobbler, of course!

Fresh Peach Cobbler

 

Print

Prep time

15 mins

Cook time

40 mins

Total time

55 mins

 

Author: Andrea Beaman

Recipe type: Delicious dessert

Cuisine: Seasonal eating

Serves: 4-6 servings

Ingredients

• 6-7 ripe peaches
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• ¼ cup sugar
• 1 cup all purpose flour
• ⅓ cup maple sugar 
(or other sugar)
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 2 dashes ground cinnamon
• ½ tsp. sea salt
• 6-7 tbsp. unsalted butter
• Ice cream (optional)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375°.
2. While oven is heating, bring a pot filled with water to a boil.
3. With a sharp paring knife, score the bottom of the peaches with a shallow X.
4. Drop the peaches into the boiling water for 30-60 seconds.
5. Remove the peaches from the water, peel the skin off and discard.
6. Slice into the peaches, from top to bottom, around the pit into ½ inch thick slices.
7. The slices will be easy to peel away from the pit.
8. Put peaches into a mixing bowl and add vanilla, sea salt and sugar.
9. Place peaches into a buttered, 9x9 baking dish or casserole dish.
10. In a separate bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, sea salt and butter.
11. Work butter into the flour until it resembles crumbly texture.
12. Sprinkle crumbles on top of peaches.
13. Bake 40 minutes or until fruit is bubbling and crumble is nicely browned.
14. Top with a dollop of whip cream or your favorite ice-cream.

3.5.3251

The post Fresh Peach Cobbler first appeared on Andrea Beaman.

Every summer I get an abundance of squash and zucchini from my local farm (Stoneledge Farm Community Supported Agriculture.

To get through all of those veggies in the most delicious ways, I put them into everything!

I make:

• Savory Summer Minestrone
• Squash and Zucchini Lasagna
• Preserved Zucchini in Olive oil

Most recently, I turned those summer squashes into yummy fritters.

They came out totally delish!

But, to give them some flair, I decided to call them by their fancy French name: Courgette Fritters.

Courgette is the French word for green summer squash (aka Zucchini).

Enjoy the fritters… whatever you decide to call them!

Crispy Courgette Fritters

 

Print

Prep time

30 mins

Cook time

6 mins

Total time

36 mins

 

Author: Andrea Beaman

Recipe type: Integrative Health Coach

Cuisine: Food is medicine

Serves: 4 servings

Ingredients

• 2 mediums sized courgette/zucchinis (green or yellow)
• 1½  tsp. sea salt
• 3 scallions, finely sliced
• ¼ cup parmesan cheese
• 1 garlic clove, peeled and minced
• 1 tsp. dried oregano
• ½ tsp. dried thyme
• 1 large egg, beaten
• ½ cup all-purpose flour
• ½ tsp. baking powder
• Yogurt
• Fresh Dill
• Olive oil (or avocado oil)

Instructions

1. Shred the courgettes on a box grater or use the shredding disc in a food processor.
2. Place shredded vegetables into a large mixing bowl with 1 tsp. salt and gently toss.
3. Set aside for 25-30 minutes.
4. Gather the shredded vegetable into a cheese cloth and squeeze out the excess water and discard.
5. You could also squeeze out the excess water simply by using your hands.
6. Put the shredded courgettes back into the large mixing bowl and add scallions, parmesan cheese, garlic, oregano, thyme, and remaining ½ tsp sea salt.
7. In a separate bowl, beat the egg, then add it to the large mixing bowl with flour plus baking powder.
8. Combine all ingredients together.
9. On medium/high heat, add a shallow layer of olive oil into a large frying pan.
10. Drop ¼ cup of courgette batter into the pan and gently flatten it with a spatula.
11. Fry 3-4 minutes on each side, or until golden brown.
12. Remove from the heat.
13. Top fritters with a dollop of yogurt and dill.

3.5.3251

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