Canyon Clean-up and Barbecue! - Hi-Country Estates II

In BalanceGoing Bananas!By Carol DeanYes, that was me pushing the grocery cart behind the mountain of greens, veggies and fruit at the market every week since March 25th. Wesure did go through a ton of greens and bananas and are still going strong! What started as an experiment has turned into a life choice for a higher levelof health because the benefits are so vast and we have only just begun to tap into them. Here are just some of the benefits that we and other 30 dayplus experimenters have been enjoying: increased energy, Candida and nail fungus disappeared, sex life improved, wanted less or no coffee,fingernails became stronger, depression lifted – suicidal thoughts gone, weight loss, less blood sugar fluctuation, more regular bowel movements, ‘PMS’symptoms went away, acne cleared, eczema healed, dandruff disappeared, better sleep, B-12 levels normalized, improved digestion, cancer improvedand healed (after three months), cravings for sweets and junk food disappeared, clearer thinking, clearer eyesight, calmer mental state, warts andallergies disappeared (after a few months) and the list goes on. Even arthritis, gout, diabetes and hypertension have been reversed after a short time.The best part is that you can receive benefits just from adding green smoothies to your existing diet –that’s the power of plants!Some may ask how we get our protein. It’s a well kept secret that greens such as kale, spinach, parsley, carrot tops, beet tops, dandelion andcollard greens among others are an abundant source of protein in the form of amino acids which are easier for the body to utilize than complex proteins,especially when the cell walls are broken down by a high speed blender. Greens have sufficient protein to build dense muscle in grazing animals like thebuffalo, antelope and deer so why not us? And the protein from greens doesn’t have cancer as a side effect. Plus, your body gets all the important plantfiber, abundant minerals, vitamins and protein in a usable form just minutes after drinking. Children love green smoothies and so does our dog!Is it expensive? When you consider the cost of a doctor visit, a hospital stay, medical insurance, loss of work time out, declining health or lossof a loved one – you decide. We decided to join the Green Smoothie Revolution!For more information go online:www.rawfamily.com, www.creativehealthinstitute.com,or go to Amazon for “Green For Life” by Victoria Boutenko.Nothing will benefit human health and increase chances for survival of life on earth as much as the evolution to a vegetarian diet.~ Albert EinsteinRose Canyon FloraRubber Rabbitbrush(Chrysothamnus nauseosus)By Arlene JohnsonRabbitbrush or, in Spanish “Chamisa”, is dominant along Rose Canyon Road with its broom shaped growth and its yellow, late summerblooms. Even after a series of drought years, the runoff along the road provides enough water for the plant survive.This plant is usually found in abandoned farmsteads, fence rows, and disturbed sites and along roads. Rabbitbrush found on range land canbe an indicator of overgrazing. Because of its deep root system, Rabbitbrush resprouts readily after a fire and it survives brutal attacks from mule deer.(And we have had several). The seeds are abundant and will rapidly reseed with a little ground moisture. There are several subspecies in the westernstates that have adapted to a variety of soils, micro climates and plant communities.Rabbitbrush is also called “Rubber Rabbitbrush” because of the latex in the stems. Native Americans of the Great Basin chewed it to relieveboth hunger and thirst. The rubber shortage during World War II stimulated research into mass producing rubber from this plant. It did not pan outbecause of the large amount rubber needed compared to the amount of rubber that could be produced. There has also been research into theproduction of hydrocarbons from its biomass and using its resin for polymer plastics. Tea has been produced from Rabbitbrush; however there is thepotential for an allergic reaction. The Navajo use the seeds to make bread or mush. The plant is also used for dyes.The plant develops an extensive root system enabling it to tap the underground water reserves. Specimens growing near Los Alamos, NewMexico exhibited a concentration of radioactive strontium-90 300,000 times higher than a normal plant. Their roots had reached into a closed nuclearwaste treatment area, mistaking strontium for calcium. The strontium was drawn from the underground waste containers to the plant above ground.(Masco, Joseph. The Nuclear Borderlands: The Manhattan Project in Post-Cold War New Mexico. Princeton University Press, 2006). Moral to the story– Do not plant Rabbitbrush near your septic tank, drainage field or any water piping system.In a drought period, low moisture prevents the seeds from germinating but once there is a wet winter, the seeds sprout and rapidly grow a taproot. After this past wet winter, there are several newly sprouted seedlings by my house. These came from a lone plant that has survived the last tendry years growing on the edge of a fence. In an attempt to relocate some seedlings to another location, I discovered they had already grown a 12 inchtap root by late April.2