Healthy Fall/Winter Soup: Jerusalem Artichoke, Potato, & Leek Soup

One of my favorite fall foods is hearty artichoke (Jerusalem), potato and leek soup. This recipe is so warming, especially on a cold fall/winter night!


First I start out by washing all of my vegetables, especially the root vegetables since they usually have lots of dirt!





Here is a list of the ingredients to buy:


3 leeks
10-12 Jerusalem artichokes (you can add more if you grow them and have a lot)
3-5 medium to large potatoes
Sea salt (to your taste, everyone is different)
2 Bay leaves
Pinch of rosemary
3-5 cloves of garlic
1 tablespoon of organic butter
Sprinkle of oregano and basil
Any other spices to taste
1 medium onion

The best thing about preparing food is making it up as you go! I always smell my spices to determine if they would taste good in the dish. To me, this is the best recipe! Experiment as you make this soup! See what you like!

Cut up your leeks (make sure you wash them well since sand and rocks will get stuck in between the layers), potatoes and Jerusalem artichokes. Add to boiling water. Put all spices in and bring to a boil. Let boil for 5 minutes or so and then turn down to low. Cook this for 3-8 hours before you eat. The longer this soup simmers the better it will taste!

As you are nearing completion, give your soup a taste test! Add more sea salt if you haven't added enough. Also, add any other spice you think might add flavor t your soup. This taste is different for everybody. Now is the time to add the butter. Also, now is the time to add your cut up onion. Let your soup cook just until the onion turns soft.

Finally, ENJOY! You will be impressed by this nourishing and easy to make soup!

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Svea is a traditional Naturopath, classical homeopath and holistic doula. Her private doula practice can be found here. 

Are Microwaves Destroying Your Health?

While I was walking in a bookstore the other day, I noticed a cookbook for microwave cooking. I began laughing as I pictured a young couple preparing a five-course meal in the microwave. The reality then set in... do these people really know what they are doing to their health by cooking in a microwave oven?

In 1991, there was a lawsuit in Oklahoma. A woman who was having a hip replacement was killed by a simple blood transfusion because the nurse warmed the blood in a microwave oven. Oftentimes in these procedures they warm the blood before a transfusion, but obviously not in a microwave. Most of us think a microwave only warms food, but this shows that it is doing something completely different to our food.

When I was growing up, I remember my mom telling me not to stand too close to the microwave, because it would "hurt" me.  I have also observed many different people saying the same thing.  Logically, if we can't stand too close to the microwave because it is bad for our health, then why would we eat the food that was directly inside of the microwave?

Surprisingly, there is little research on this topic, however, I was able to dig some up. Two different researchers, Blanc and Hertel researched the effects of microwave food.  They found that food is significantly changed after it is warmed in a microwave oven. They also measured blood samples directly after eating and found that haemoglobin levels decreased (resulting in anemia)... and this was only an 8 day sample! What are the long term effects? Is this a cause of the ever-increasing prevalence of anemia? Researchers reported that the results became even more pronounced during the second month of the study.

Microwaves cause a violent change in food and causes its molecules to form new life forms called radiolytic compounds. These mutations are unknown in the natural world and wreck havoc within the body, causing deterioration in the blood and immune system.

More research has been conducted in Russia from 1957 until now, showing that when ingesting food from a microwave, more cancerous cells are found in the blood, a higher incidence of stomach and digestive cancers are found, food is extremely altered and destroyed, and many, many more.

Because of this research, microwaves were banned in Russian in 1976. There is also advice out there to NOT heat a baby bottle in the microwave, since the microwave will destroy some very essential nutrients for the child. If nothing else speaks to you, then hopefully this does!

I know how my body feels after it eats microwave food....NOT GOOD! I have avoided microwaves for about three years now, cooking in toaster ovens or regular ovens. One month ago I ate at a restaurant and right after eating I felt like my throat and stomach had been burned (although my food was not hot). I was a bit confused as to why I would feel this way until the waitress came over and said she had burned her hand on the plate that came out of the microwave!

OOOOHHHH BOOOOYYYYY WAS I UPSET!!!!! Most people don't know the effects of microwaves, but folks, this is NOT acceptable to me! Since when do we not have enough time to cook a meal in the oven and sit down to enjoy it with our family?

Under NO circumstance would I suggest heating ANYTHING in the microwave (including water). Take a little bit of extra time to warm your food the old fashioned way... in an oven.  If you do not have access to an oven, eat your food cold.  Some people think that skipping a meal is "bad for you", but I say, if the only options are to microwave food or not eat, I would say DON'T EAT!

So, are microwaves destroying your health? Some symptoms could be:

Headaches
Sore Throats
Hypo/hyper-thyroidism
Cancerous growths (especially in the esophagus, stomach and/or digestive system)
Acid reflux
Ulcers
Any many more...

To counter the effects of microwave food, make sure that you are eating plenty of raw fruits and vegetables! STOP MICROWAVING YOUR FOOD.... IMMEDIATELY! Better yet, get rid of yours entirely!

Till next  time,

Sacred Healing Traditions---Signing out! :)

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Svea is a traditional Naturopath, classical homeopath and holistic doula. Her private doula practice can be found here. Her Montreal Natural Fertility website can be found here.