GREAT AMERICAN SMOKE OUT

Today is dedicated to my mother, Emma Mckee. She started smoking at 15 and didn't stop until it was too late. Emphysema and heart disease strangled and choked her to death at only 69. In June of this year we signed the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act that requires tobacco companies to dedicate 50% of the cigarette package--front and back--to warn people of the harmful effects of cigarettes on health. Bravo. But, it still isn't enough.

Today is one of my favorite days...the Great American Smoke Out. It's a day of hope. A day to start anew to kick a killer habit. It's day one. It isn't easy, I watch friends and clients try to quit the habit only to be sucked right back into it. So, today could be your day.

I recommend a five point herbal program to support your body during tobacco withdrawal: 1) nerve repair 2)lung cleanse 3)cravings 4)purifying (detox) 5)water.
The full program is on my website: www.GBHfarm.com Click on Articles/Quit smoking.

Here's to you, you can do it. Go get 'em.

Sweet Potato

I'm trying to concentrate and the little female cardinal I wrote about back in March is STILL banging herself against my office window. How can she have any brains left...not that she had any to begin with. It's hard to believe it's fall, over 70 degrees two days in a row, green grass and a geranium blooming on the patio.

We continue to pack things over to Rocky Creek. We've done so much work here at Nodaway Hill; the gardens are fertile, friable and full of worms. (The good kind). I feel wistful about leaving them.

Another word about the flu: in addition to the good lymph massage I discussed yesterday, eat sweet potatoes!! (Preferably not at the same time). I purchased a case of dirty potatoes at farmers market--they keep better if they are not washed prior to storing. This bright beauty has so many good things in it, it's a wonder sunshine doesn't burst right out of it.

Carotene (vit A), Vitamin C, maganese, copper, B6, potassium, iron and fiber. You'll need to eat a little fat with the potato to convert the caroten to vitamin A, but that's ok because it only starts out with 95 calories. It packs a whollop of anti-oxident and anti-inflammatory properties both of which are associated with reducing the development of atherosclerosis, diabetic heart disease, and colon cancer. They are also helpful in reducing the severity of osteoarthritis,asthma and rheumatoid arthritis.

B6 converts homocysteine into benign molecules; high homocysteine levels are associated with heart attack and stroke.

Richard Baybut, an associate professor of nutrition at Kansas State discovered that a carcinogen in cigarette smoke-benzoapyreine-destroys vitamin A. His earlier research proved that animals deprived of vitamin A developed emphesema. Conversely, his recent studies show that diets with ample vitamin A reduces emphesema. Since sweet potatoes have 262.2% of our daily requirement--pass the sweet potatoes, please.

Here's a super-simple receipe for tonights dinner from "Nourishing Traditions" by Sally Fallon. (This book is one of my picks available in the right column).

Sweet Potato Dollars
3-4 sweet potatoes
3 Tbls melted butter
3 Tbls extra virgin olive oil
sea salt
Peel, slice crosswise in approx. 1/4-inch intervals. Brush two cookie sheets with melted butter/olive oil mix. Arrange in one layer, brush with remaining butter/oil. Bake 45 minutes at 350 degrees.