Broccoli
I love broccoli. I eat it in some form almost every day, even if it’s just raw with a nice sharp piece of cheese as a snack after work to hold me over until dinner. Lucky for me it’s one of the healthiest foods around: one stalk of broccoli gives you 220% of your daily recommended intake of Vitamin C; it is full of vitamins and minerals; it’s high in fiber, low in fat and calories; and high in calcium and potassium which help with cardiac and skeletal muscle function. AND, some researchers believe that a cup of broccoli a day is enough to help ward off certain breast tumors.

Sambal Oelek
Sambal Oelek is an Indonesian chili paste, very spicy and absolutely delicious (I wrote about it in more detail in my Pasta with Carrot Sauce post). If you don’t like hot food, certainly omit that from the recipe. If you want to try it and live in the Boston area, you can find it at Christina’s Spice Shop in Inman Square (1255 Cambridge Street, Cambridge).

You’ll need (for 1 person)
1 pita bread (any size you want)
Pasta or pizza sauce
Broccoli
Black pepper
Cheese (whichever kind you like, I use low fat cheddar)
Sambal Oelek (optional)
Non-stick aluminum foil for baking sheet

1. Start by cutting up broccoli in smaller pieces. The size is not very important; I like pretty big pieces, but you can just sprinkle on a little bit of the florets if you like.

2. Place your pita bread on a baking sheet lined with foil (I always use non-stick). Spread pasta or pizza sauce on the bread, as much or as little as you like. Sprinkle with freshly ground black pepper. Add the broccoli in an even layer and place the pizza in the toaster oven (middle rack). Bake at 350 for about 10 minutes (times might vary slightly from oven to oven).

3. When the 10 minutes are up, take the baking sheet out of the oven, add the cheese (grated or sliced, as much or as little as you want) and put it back in the oven.

4. Broil until cheese is melted and is starting to change color.

5. Take it out, put on a plate and enjoy! I like to eat it with a tiny bit of Sambal Oelek with each bite, but if you don’t like your food hot, skip that.

Vegan version: Replace the cheese with vegan cheese.

Related posts:

1. Pasta With Carrot Sauce – An Inexpensive And Easy Recipe
2. Tortilla Rollups – The Perfect Weeknight Dinner

I wanted to share my experience with NAET, because, as you all know, it truly is a pain (if not outright life threatening) to live with allergies. And with over half of the US population suffering from some kind of allergy, chances are you are either allergic yourself or know someone who is. If you ask a “regular” western MD, all you’re told is to avoid the things you’re allergic to, and that you will have to live with your allergies for the rest of your life. But there might be hope for all of us and NAET might be the answer!

NAET is by no means a quick and easy fix; it takes time and commitment to get this to work. With all the preparations and restrictions before and after each treatment, it can sometimes feel like a full time job. But if I can eat apple pie again someday, it’s worth every minute!

Here is my personal experience with the first 5 treatments (mandatory regardless of whether you’re allergic to the items or not, in order to get your immune system in balance):

Treatment #1 – BBF

Brain Balancing Formula. This one was easy – no prep work was required and I didn’t have to avoid a thing afterwards. This was my first ever experience with acupuncture, and I have to say that I think it hurts. So many people have told me they can’t even feel the needles, but I certainly feel them. I do have to add that I have almost no tolerance for pain, so it’s probably just me. Maybe it’ll get better once I’m used to the needles.

Treatment #2 – Egg Mix

This took a bit more work – I had to remove my down quilt, the sofa cushions, and all my down jackets before the treatment. Had to vacuum the entire house really thoroughly so that no feathers were left anywhere. Also had to prepare foods I could eat the day after. Which wasn’t so difficult, I could eat many of the things I normally eat. I would say that this one is easier to have done in the summer, since I am a big fan of down everything in the winter… And it was a bit embarrassing at work the day after to run from people in down jackets.

I didn’t notice a whole lot after the treatment, apart from the eczema on my hand, which kept disappearing and coming back again every other day.

Treatment #3 – Calcium Mix

This was a tough one. Between allergies and trying to stick to a vegetarian diet, all I could eat/drink after this treatment was air popped popcorn (with no salt or oil or butter or anything), bland-as-can-be rice cakes and distilled water. This was my first experience with a very limited diet, and not realizing how much not eating affects you, I was out trying to buy a car the day after this treatment. On the way home, I was starting to fear I was going to faint, and it had finally been 25 hours, so I stopped at a store, bought a huge bunch of bananas and ate and ate. Oh, and only being allowed to drink or touch distilled water also means you cannot shower or wash your hands in regular water. Disgusting.

Didn’t notice any improvements after this treatment.

Treatment #4 – Vitamin C Mix

This wasn’t so bad. I had learned my lesson and had prepared some chicken for the day after. I don’t want to eat it, but I also don’t want to faint. You are also allowed to eat brown toast and a few other filling things afterwards, and drink regular water. And shower! What a relief! No improvements noticed. Eczema is back. Needles still hurt.

#5 – Vitamin B Complex

Another distilled water treatment. I don’t know if you’ve ever tried it, but it somehow seems less liquid than regular water… gross. And for me at least, not drinking tap water seems to make me weak. After about 22 hours with only distilled, I get really woozy and shaky, have this annoying humming in my ears, and can basically only manage to sit on the couch and wait for the next 3 hours to pass so I can eat and drink again.

I didn’t notice anything in particular after this one either. But I’m going to keep at it! In my next post, I will write about treatments 6-10, which includes sugar, iron, vitamin A, minerals and flower pollen.

Related posts:

1. Getting Rid Of Allergies Once And For All With The Help of NAET