Jackie Ritz

Go ‘Crackers’ Over this Wheat-Free Snack Alternative!

March 25, 2014 by Jackie Ritz 8 Comments

One of the things that was tough for my husband to give up when he first started cutting out wheat and grains from his diet was crackers. He just loved having crackers with cheese or with his soup.

So, I had to try to come up with an alternative for him, and I came up with a great one, if I do say so myself. Of course! Slices of fresh jicama.

If you’ve never seen or tried a jicama before, you’ll likely find it in the exotic section of your local grocery store, or more commonly, at a farmer’s market or Asian market.

What a tasty, veggie, and a fantastic replacement for crackers.

INGREDIENTS:

1 jicama, sliced to about ¼ in rounds
1 lime
Himalayan Salt

PREPARATION:

Sprinkle Himalayan salt over jicama slices.
Squeeze lime juice over jicama.

You can keep it this simple, or top the jicama with any cracker topping you like, such as cheese or olive oil.

So quick simple and satisfying. I know you’ll just go crackers over this one! (You may all stop groaning now, thank you)

10 Healing Herbs to Grow in Your Survival Garden

March 21, 2014 by Jackie Ritz 19 Comments

For many, the time has come to plan our summer gardens. My interest is a bit self-serving in that I am in the process of rethinking my own garden and while I grow an abundance of rosemary, lavender and peppermint, this year will be an ideal time to replace some tired shrubs with plants that will work for me. Healing herbs will fit the bill quote nicely.

Herbs have been used for centuries to sooth and to heal. According to Wikipedia:

Herbs have long been used as the basis of traditional Chinese herbal medicine, with usage dating as far back as the first century CE and before. Medicinal use of herbs in Western cultures has its roots in the Hippocratic (Greek) elemental healing system, based on a quaternary elemental healing metaphor.

With such a long history of use it makes perfect sense that you would want to include a selection of herbs in the survival garden.

Healing Herbs for the Healing Garden

Basil: People don’t usually think of basil as a healing herb and yet traditionally, it is called the “king of herbs”. It is used medicinally as a natural anti-inflammatory and is thought to have mild antiseptic functions. Some healing uses are for flatulence, lack off appetite, nausea and cuts and scrapes.
It is also superb on spaghetti and in pesto but then you already knew that. Basil is an annual plant so you will have to start anew each year.

German Chamomile: Chamomile is one of the most popular herbs in the Western world. Its flower heads are commonly used for infusions, teas and salves. These in turn can be used to treat indigestion, anxiety and skin inflammations. As a tea, it serves as a mild sedative to help with sleep.

Feverfew: This perennial is a member of the sunflower family and has been used for centuries in European folk medicine as a remedy for headaches, arthritis, and fevers. The name feverfew comes from a Latin word meaning “fever reducer.”

Its many uses include easing headache pains – especially migraines. This is done by chewing on the leaves. A tea made from the leaves and flowers is said to relieve the symptoms of arthritis.

Lemon Balm: Lemon balm is a member of the mint family. Considered a calming herb, it has been used as far back as the Middle Ages to reduce stress and anxiety, promote sleep, improve appetite, and ease pain and discomfort from indigestion. Even before the Middle Ages, lemon balm was steeped in wine to lift the spirits, help heal wounds, and treat venomous insect bites and stings.

As with many other herbs in your healing garden, lemon balm promotes relaxation and a sense of calm.

Parsley: While not one of my favorites, there is nothing like a sprig of parsley to take away bad breath. It is no wonder that this biennial (meaning it lives for two years) is used to decorate and garnish plates in the fanciest of restaurants.

When brewed as a tea, parsley can help supplement iron in a person’s diet, particularly for those who are anemic. Drinking parsley tea also boosts energy and overall circulation of the body, and helps battle fatigue from lack of iron. Other uses? Parsley tea fights gas and flatulence in the belly, kidney infections, and bladder infections. It can also be an effective diuretic.

Sage: Did you know that the genus name for sage is “salvia” which means “to heal”? In the first century C.E. Greek physician Dioscorides reported that sage stopped bleeding of wounds and cleaned ulcers and sores. He also recommended sage juice in warm water for hoarseness and cough. In modern times, a sage tea is used to sooth mouth, throat and gum inflammations. This is because sage has excellent antibacterial and astringent properties.

Thyme: Back during medieval times, thyme was given to knights before going in to battle. The purpose was to infuse this manly man with vigor and courage.

These days, thyme used to relieve coughs, congestion, indigestion and gas. This perennial is rich in thymol, a strong antiseptic, making thyme highly desirable in the treatment of wounds and even fungus infections. Thyme is a perennial that does well, even in cooler, Pacific Northwest climates.

Rosemary: Long ago, rosemary was known as ‘the herb of remembrance.’ Even today, in places like Australia and New Zealand, it is used as a symbol of remembrance since it is known to help sharpen mental clarity and stimulate brain function. You might recall that many statues of the ancient Greeks and Romans show men wearing sprigs of rosemary on their heads – signifying mental acuity.

The needles of the delightfully fragrant rosemary plant can be used in a tea to treat digestive problems. The same tea can also be used as an expectorant and as a relaxing beverage that is helpful for headaches. Other healing uses include improving memory, relieving muscle pain and spasms, stimulating hair growth, and supporting the circulatory and nervous systems.

Peppermint: Peppermint has a long tradition of medicinal use. Archaeological evidence places its use far back as ten thousand years ago. It is commonly used to soothe or treat symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, indigestion, irritable bowel, and bloating and more.
The leaves and stems contain menthol which in addition to use medicinally, is used as a flavoring in food, and a fragrance in cosmetics. The plant is prolific, growing well in moist, shaded areas as well as in sunnier locations. The roots emit runners that can quickly overtake the garden so most gardeners prefer to plant peppermint in pots.

The easiest way to acquire a peppermint plant? Find a friend or neighbor that is growing peppermint to break off a stem. Place it is a glass of water and in a very short period of times, roots will form an you will have your own peppermint start.

Lavender: I saved my personal favorite for last. Of course it helps that I have an abundant amount of fragrant lavender in my yard.

A tea made from lavender has many uses with one of the foremost being it’s ability to have a calming effect on a person’s mind and body. To that end, lavender can promote a sense of well-being and alleviate stress. It is also useful for dealing with various gastrointestinal issues such as upset stomachs and flatulence.

Because it is a strong antiseptic, lavender tea, when applied topically, can help heal cuts, wounds and sores. It can also be used to mitigate bad breath.

How Do I Get Started?

With so many to herbs to choose from, where do you start? A lot will depend on the amount of space you have, the climate, and the availability of seeds, starts, or cuttings. My recommendation is that you start with three or four herbs that appeal to you from a healing perspective. Many can be grown in pots on a porch or deck so if space is a problem, you can start modestly.

How to Make an Herbal Tea

The process of making a pot of herbal tea is in itself healing. Perhaps that has something to do with the proactive effort involved in doing something positive for one’s own self and well-being. And luckily, brewing an herbal tea is easy.

To make an herbal tea, first bring some cool water to a boil. While waiting for the water to boil, fetch a non-mental container that will be used to brew the tea. A quart mason jar works nicely for this purpose. You do not want to use a metal container since the metal may interfere with the purity and taste of the tea.

Add 2 tablespoons of fresh (or 1 tablespoon of dried herb or crushed seed) to the empty pot or jar for each cup of water. Then, and this is the important part, add an extra 2 tablespoons of fresh (or 1 tablespoon of dried) herbs “for the pot.” So, for example, if you are making 2 cups of hot tea, you would use 6 tablespoons of fresh herbs or 3 tablespoons of dried herbs.

Pour the boiling water over the herbs and let them steep, covered, for about 5 minutes give or take. There is no exact time since everyone’s strength preference is difference. When ready, strain the herbs and pour the tea into a cup. At this point you may want to garnish your heavenly – and healing – cup of tea with honey, citrus fruits or addition herb sprigs.

For iced tea, increase the quantity of herbs in the basic recipe by 1 1/2 to allow for dilution from the melting ice.

The Final Word

In reading about these herbs, you may have noticed that many are reputed to have the same or similar healing qualities. Do they work? I can personally vouch for Rosemary and Lavender which I have used as both a tea and as an essential oil.

One thing that is true is that with a little time and for a nominal cost, you can grow the makings for healing teas, infusions and balms in your own garden. Add a dose of sun and some rich potting soil and you will be set to go. Just keep in mind that while perennial plants will flourish over the winter and will be there for you the following spring, annual plants must be reseeded or restarted every year.

If you would like to learn more about the healing properties of various herbs, the University of Maryland Medical Center has an excellent web site with a lot of useful information about herbs and other alternative medicine topics. Click on “herbs” then scroll down to the particular herb you would like to learn about.

Original Source: Natural Blaze

Bone Broth—One of Your Most Healing Diet Staples

March 19, 2014 by Jackie Ritz 22 Comments

According to an old South American proverb, “good broth will resurrect the dead.” While that’s undoubtedly an exaggeration, it speaks to the value placed on this wholesome food, going back through the annals of time.

The featured article by Dr. Amy Myers1 lists 10 health benefits of bone broth. Sally Fallon with the Weston A. Price Foundation2 has previously published information about this healing food as well.

First and foremost, homemade bone broth is excellent for speeding healing and recuperation from illness. You’ve undoubtedly heard the old adage that chicken soup will help cure a cold, and there’s scientific support for such a statement.

For starters, chicken contains a natural amino acid called cysteine, which can thin the mucus in your lungs and make it less sticky so you can expel it more easily. Processed, canned soups will not work as well as the homemade version made from slow-cooked bone broth.

For best results, you really need to make up a fresh batch yourself (or ask a friend or family member to do so). If combating a cold, make the soup hot and spicy with plenty of pepper. The spices will trigger a sudden release of watery fluids in your mouth, throat, and lungs, which will help thin down the respiratory mucus so it’s easier to expel.

But the benefits of broth don’t end there. As explained by Sally Fallon:3

“Stock contains minerals in a form the body can absorb easily—not just calcium but also magnesium, phosphorus, silicon, sulfur and trace minerals. It contains the broken down material from cartilage and tendons–stuff like chondroitin sulphates and glucosamine, now sold as expensive supplements for arthritis and joint pain.”

The Healing Influence of Broth on Your Gut

In later years, medical scientists have discovered that your health is in large part dependent on the health of your intestinal tract. Many of our modern diseases appear to be rooted in an unbalanced mix of microorganisms in your digestive system, courtesy of an inappropriate and unbalanced diet that is too high in sugars and too low in healthful fats and beneficial bacteria.

Bone broth is excellent for “healing and sealing” your gut, to use Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride term. Dr. Campbell’s GAPS Nutritional Protocol, described in her book, Gut and Psychology Syndrome (GAPS), centers around the concept of “healing and sealing” your gut through your diet.

Broth or “stock” plays an important role as it’s easily digestible, helps heal the lining of your gut, and contains valuable nutrients. Abnormalities in your immune system are a common outcome of GAPS, and such immune abnormalities can then allow for the development of virtually any degenerative disease…

The Healing Benefits of Bone Broth

As the featured article states, there are many reasons for incorporating good-old-fashioned bone broth into your diet. The following health benefits attest to its status as “good medicine.”

Helps heal and seal your gut, and promotes healthy digestion: The gelatin found in bone broth is a hydrophilic colloid. It attracts and holds liquids, including digestive juices, thereby supporting proper digestion.

Inhibits infection caused by cold and flu viruses, etc.: A study4published over a decade ago found that chicken soup indeed has medicinal qualities, significantly mitigating infection

Reduces joint pain and inflammation, courtesy of chondroitin sulphates, glucosamine, and other compounds extracted from the boiled down cartilage

Fights inflammation: Amino acids such as glycine, proline, and arginine all have anti-inflammatory effects. Arginine, for example, has been found to be particularly beneficial for the treatment of sepsis5 (whole-body inflammation).

Glycine also has calming effects, which may help you sleep better

Promotes strong, healthy bones: As mentioned above, bone broth contains high amounts of calcium, magnesium, and other nutrients that play an important role in healthy bone formation

Promotes healthy hair and nail growth, thanks to the gelatin in the broth

Making your own bone broth is extremely cost effective, as you can make use of left over carcass bones that would otherwise be thrown away. And while the thought of making your own broth may seem intimidating at first, it’s actually quite easy. It can also save you money by reducing your need for dietary supplements. As mentioned above, bone broth provides you with a variety of important nutrients—such as calcium, magnesium, chondroitin, glucosamine, and arginine—that you may otherwise be spending a good deal of money on in the form of supplements.

Easy Chicken Broth Recipe

Both featured articles include a sample recipe for homemade chicken broth. The following recipe was provided by Sally Fallon, writing for the Weston A. Price Foundation.6 Her article also contains a recipe for beef and fish broth. (You could also use turkey, duck, or lamb, following the same basic directions.) For Dr. Myers’ chicken broth recipe, please see the original article.7

Perhaps the most important caveat when making broth, whether you’re using chicken or beef, is to make sure they’re from organically-raised, pastured or grass-fed animals. As noted by Fallon, chickens raised in confined animal feeding operations (CAFOs) tend to produce stock that doesn’t gel, and this gelatin has long been valued for its therapeutic properties.8 As explained by Fallon:

“Gelatin was universally acclaimed as a most nutritious foodstuff particularly by the French, who were seeking ways to feed their armies and vast numbers of homeless in Paris and other cities. Although gelatin is not a complete protein, containing only the amino acids arginine and glycine in large amounts, it acts as a protein sparer, helping the poor stretch a few morsels of meat into a complete meal.”

Besides that, CAFO animals are fed an unnatural diet that is not beneficial for their intestinal makeup, and they’re also given a variety of veterinary drugs and growth promoters. You don’t want any of these potentially harmful additives in your broth, so make sure to start off with an organically-raised product.

Ingredients for homemade chicken broth 9

1 whole free-range chicken or 2 to 3 pounds of bony chicken parts, such as necks, backs, breastbones, and wings
Gizzards from one chicken (optional)
2-4 chicken feet (optional)
4 quarts cold filtered water
2 tablespoons vinegar
1 large onion, coarsely chopped
2 carrots, peeled and coarsely chopped
3 celery stalks, coarsely chopped
1 bunch parsley

Please note the addition of vinegar. Not only are fats are ideally combined with acids like vinegar, but when it comes to making broth, the vinegar helps leech all those valuable minerals from the bones into the stockpot water, which is ultimately what you’ll be eating. The goal is to extract as many minerals as possible out of the bones into the broth water. Bragg’s raw apple cider vinegar is a good choice as it’s unfiltered and unpasteurized.

Cooking Directions

There are lots of different ways to make bone broth, and there really isn’t a wrong way. You can find different variations online. Here, I’ll offer some basic directions. If you’re starting out with a whole chicken, you’ll of course have plenty of meat as well, which can be added back into the broth later with extra herbs and spices to make a chicken soup. I also use it on my salad.

Fill up a large stockpot (or large crockpot) with pure, filtered water. (A crockpot is recommended for safety reasons if you have to leave home while it’s cooking.)
Add vinegar and all vegetables except parsley to the water.
Place the whole chicken or chicken carcass into the pot.
Bring to a boil, and remove any scum that rises to the top.
Reduce the heat to the lowest setting and let simmer.
If cooking a whole chicken, the meat should start separating from the bone after about 2 hours. Simply remove the chicken from the pot and separate the meat from the bones. Place the carcass back into the pot and continue simmering the bones for another 12-24 hours and follow with step 8 and 9.
If cooking bones only, simply let them simmer for about 24 hours.
Fallon suggests adding the fresh parsley about 10 minutes before finishing the stock, as this will add healthy mineral ions to your broth.
Remove remaining bones from the broth with a slotted spoon and strain the rest through a strainer to remove any bone fragments.

Bone Broth—A Medicinal ‘Soul Food’

Simmering bones over low heat for an entire day will create one of the most nutritious and healing foods there is. You can use this broth for soups, stews, or drink it straight. The broth can also be frozen for future use. Keep in mind that the “skin” that forms on the top is the best part. It contains valuable nutrients, such as sulfur, along with healthful fats, so just stir it back into the broth.

Bone broth used to be a dietary staple, as were fermented foods, and the elimination of these foods from our modern diet is largely to blame for our increasingly poor health, and the need for dietary supplements.

Both broth and fermented foods, such as fermented veggies, are simple and inexpensive to make at home, and both also allow you to make use of a wide variety of leftovers. When you add all the benefits together, it’s hard to imagine a food that will give you more bang for your buck.

Cleaning Your Floors with Essential Oils

March 18, 2014 by Jackie Ritz 32 Comments

Recently I published an article listing the cleaning products and ingredients that you MUST avoid when you are cleaning your house. Many of the common household cleaners that we use are not only extremely toxic and carcinogenic to us, but they are taking a toll on the environment as well. Is all these cleaning products really necessary anyway?

We have become so scared of germs and bacteria that we are leered in to using products labeled “kills 99.9% of bacteria” and “kills germs on target.” When I see products like this it always causes me to think about how this world must have been before commercial cleaning products and if germs was such a big deal back-in-the-day.

When it comes to cleaning your floors, you don’t need expensive products to do the job. Essential oils are great at cleaning up the dirt while leaving a refreshing, clean aroma in the air. Cleaning your floors with essential oils is completely safe, non-toxic, frugal, and easy!

Best Essential Oils to Clean Your Floors With:

Lavender + Lemon
Citrus Blend: Lemon, Lemongrass, Wild Orange, and Lime
Spicy Blend: Orange, Clove or Cinnamon
Protective blend
Cleansing Blend: Melaleuca + Eucalyptus
Minty Refresher: Peppermint + Wild Orange

Where to buy essential oils? (click here)

What Oils Are The Best for Your Needs:

Have ants and mice? Use Peppermint
Feeling poopy? Use Melaleuca
Want to disinfect? Use Lemon

How to Use Essential Oils on Your Floors:

1. Multi-Purpose Floor Cleaner Recipe

The beauty of using essential oils on your floors, is that you don’t have to worry about using a specific oil on a specific service. Each essential oil will work on your floors. This recipe works if you have tile, hardwood, linoleum, ceramic, laminate, and vinyl. You can mix any of the oils I recommend above to make this recipe or use one single oil.

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup of white vinegar
1 TB of castile soap
15 drops of essential oils
One bucket of water

DIRECTIONS:

Put all the ingredients in a bucket and use to mop the floors.

2. Heavy Duty Floor Cleaner

This is a great recipe to whip up if you have a really messy, sticky spill. Most likely, you will want to use this in your kitchen under where your kids eat!

INGREDIENTS:

Make the recipe above for my Multi-Purpose Floor Cleaner
Mix in 1/4 cup of baking soda

DIRECTIONS:

Mop the floor with the mixture above. Then go over with hot water to rinse any residue.

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Top 11 Spring Cleaning Products You Must Avoid

March 12, 2014 by Jackie Ritz 8 Comments

Yes, it is almost that time of the year again. Time to bust out the cleaning supplies, open up the windows and freshen up your home! How about if this year we make an effort to do this the environmentally friendly way? Many of the common household cleaners that we use are not only extremely toxic and carcinogenic to us, but they are taking a toll on the environment as well. Where do you think all of the chemicals end up?

First off, let’s look at some of the chemicals that you should avoid during your spring cleaning, and well, whenever possible. Here are the top eleven conventional cleaning supplies that you should avoid:

Top Cleaning Products to Avoid

1. WINDOW OR GLASS CLEANER– These products typically contain ammonia. Ammonia can irritate the skin, eyes and respiratory system. It will react with chlorinated products to produce a fatal chloramine gas.

2. CONVENTIONAL AIR FRESHENERS – Air fresheners coat your nasal passages with an oil film called methoxychlor, which will kill the nerves in your nose over time, and interfere with your ability to smell.

3. CONVENTIONAL ANTI-BACTERIAL CLEANERS – Along with the production of new antibiotic-resistant “super-bugs,” the Centers for Disease Control says that anti-bacterial cleaners can also interfere with immune system development in children and they also contain triclosan which can be absorbed by the skin and cause liver damage.

4. BLEACH – Bleach is an extremely strong corrosive that can burn the skin, eyes and respiratory tract. NEVER mix bleach with ammonia products, as fatal fumes will be produced.

5. CONVENTIONAL LAUNDRY DETERGENT – Laundry detergents contain phosphorus, enzymes, ammonia, naphthalene, phenol, sodium nitilotriacetate, to name a few. These can cause rashes, itchiness, dryness and sinus problems. These chemicals are easily absorbed through your skin from your clothes and bed sheets.

6. CONVENTIONAL DRAIN CLEANER – Drain cleaner typically contains sodium hydroxide or sulfuric acid, which can cause blindness if splashed in the eyes.

7. CONVENTIONAL OVEN CLEANER – Most oven cleaners contain extremely corrosive bases of sodium hydroxide or potassium hydroxide.

8. BLEACH BASED CLEANING POWDERS – Many of these cleaning powders such as ‘Comet’ or ‘Ajax’ contain formaldehyde (a known human carcinogen recognized by the World Health Organization) benzene, chloroform among many others. Side effects can include: cancer, asthma and reproductive disorders.

9. FURNITURE POLISH – Furniture polish such as ‘Pledge’ contains nitrobenzene, which is extremely toxic and easily absorbed through the skin.

10. TOILET BOWL CLEANERS – Contains hydrochloric acid, which is corrosive to the skin and eyes.

11. DISHWASHER DETERGENT – Contain a highly concentrated form of dried chlorine, every time you wash your dishes there is some residue left, and when you use these dishes to eat with you actually consume these chemicals.

How to avoid the amount of chemicals we use

There are a few things that we can do to minimize the amount of chemicals that we use, and they are all very simple. If you spill something, clean it up right away. If you get a stain on your shirt, rinse it with water right away. If you make a mess of the toilet, you got it, take a brush and clean it up right away. By cleaning things as they get dirty, rather than waiting to clean and doing it all at once, spills won’t have as much time to stain and you can use very minimal, or often no chemicals to get things clean.

Another excellent thing we can do to reduce the amount of chemicals and cleaners that we use is to just use a little bit of elbow grease. Sometimes you really have to scrub out a pot, pan or stain from the carpet. It seems as though in this day and age we have become so lazy to the point where everything is about convenience rather than what we are doing to ourselves and the environment by using such toxic products and not even thinking twice about it. Also, I think that a lot of us have a skewed idea about what it means to be clean; all of these cleaners that are advertised to kill 99.9% of germs and bacteria, but do we need to be killing all of those germs and bacteria? Not all bacteria is harmful to us and, in fact, we are weakening our immune system by not giving it anything to fight off, so when we come into contact with bacteria we become ‘sick’ much easier.

Okay, so now we know what we shouldn’t be using, but what does that leave us with to get our cleaning done? Luckily, as more and more people in the world are growing more conscious about themselves, the environment and the globe as a whole, there are more eco-friendly cleaning products that are made available to us today. More and more brands are emerging and even old companies known for using harsh chemicals are starting to change their ways.

There are also many natural common household items that can work wonders for cleaning products.

Top 3 All-Natural Cleaning Supplies: Baking Soda, Lemon and Vinegar.

Baking soda is a great way to freshen up fabrics and remove odors. You can place a box in your fridge and freezer to keep it smelling neutral. It is also great to sprinkle on fabrics like carpets, couches and mattresses and then vacuum up to keep these things smelling fresh! Put some in your laundry for an extra whitening boost. I always sprinkle it in the cat litter after I scoop out the clumps.

Lemon juice and lemon peel not only are great smelling natural cleaning products, but they actually get the job done and cut through grease with ease.

White Vinegar mixed with water is an excellent disinfectant cleaner, and also works great for cleaning windows.

Below I have included a basic recipe for an all-natural, all-purpose cleaner. Hope you enjoy!

NATURAL ORANGE ALL-PURPOSE CLEANER

STEP 1: Save enough orange peels to fill up a 1-liter mason jar. (If this is going to take you more than a day or 2 I would suggest storing them in either the fridge or freezer)

STEP 2: After you have done that, pour in 500 ml (2 Cups) white vinegar.

STEP 3: Seal the jar, and let it sit on your countertop or in a cupboard for 2 weeks.

STEP 4: After 2 weeks strain out the orange peels and keep the liquid in the jar.

STEP 5: Mix water with orange vinegar solution (4 parts water 1 part orange vinegar solution in a spray bottle)

Voila! All-natural, homemade all-purpose cleaner!

Happy Spring Cleaning!

Written by Alanna Ketler on Natural Blaze and republished with permission.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Hi, I’m Alanna! I have been a contributor with CE, where this article first appeared, for about 3 years now and wow, has it been an incredible journey so far! I am passionate about animals and animal rights, I also enjoy writing about health, consciousness and I am very interested in psychedelics for healing purposes! Any questions? Feel free to email me: alanna@collective-evolution.com “If we could see the miracle of a single flower clearly, our whole life would change.” – Jack Kornfield

Letting Go of Judging People

March 11, 2014 by Jackie Ritz 4 Comments

One of the best changes I’ve made to help me be happier is learning to see judging other people as a red flag.

Now, I’m not going to pretend I don’t ever judge other people — I think it’s either a built-in method all humans have, or something we develop because of built-in methods. We all judge people, and I’m not an exception.

But I’ve gotten better at noticing when it happens. And recognizing that it’s a sign of something harmful.

The judging itself isn’t bad. It’s what the judging is a symptom of that’s harmful. I say “harmful” instead of “bad” because instead of judging I’d rather observe that it causes harm.

What underlying harmful causes/situations are indicated by my judging people? Well, here are a few:

I am very ignorant of what the person is going through.
I don’t understand the situation.
I have unrealistic expectations of people.
I think I’m superior to other people.
I’m not grateful.
I’m being self-centered.
I’m not being curious, but instead I close off all learning.
I can’t really help the situation from a place of judgment.

How That Happens

Let’s take a fake but typical example so I can show you what I mean (I’m going to bold the symptoms, so forgive the overemphasis):

I see a relative who is actively harming her health, who is overweight and diabetic and yet smokes and eats junk food all the time and does other bad things. I know she can make her health better by changing her habits. I judge her for what she’s doing, think badly of her, get frustrated with her, dismiss her because she’s not worthy of my frustration. This kind of thing happens with me and lots of other people all the time — just change the details to spouse, co-worker, kid, friend and instead of unhealthy things, they’re doing something else you don’t like.

What’s going on in this example? Well, first, I’m ignorant of what she’s going through and I don’t understand the situation. She’s been depressed because of her health problems, feeling guilty, feeling stuck, feeling scared, untrusting of herself. Because of these bad feelings, she doesn’t like to think about health, and makes herself feel better through smoking and comfort food. She’s just trying to be happy. And in fact, I do the same kinds of things all the time — I fail. I feel bad. I comfort myself. So I’m not superior, even if I think I am.

What’s more, I’m not being grateful for the great person she is, despite her health problems. She’s wonderful. By focusing on judging her, I’m not appreciating that. Instead, I’m being self-centered by focusing on how much better I am, how she’s frustrating me, how my frustration is more important than any pain she’s feeling. I’m not being curious about who she is, what she’s going through and why … instead I have made a judgment and that stops all inquiry. And from this place of judgment, I can’t help because I have closed off dialog, and have written her off.

You can see how all of these things are harmful. They make me frustrated and unhappy, they harm my relationship with this lovely person, they stop communication and learning, they don’t allow me to help alleviate suffering, they close me off to what she has to offer me. Among other harms.

How to Let Go of Judging

First be aware that you’re doing it, and see it as a red flag. It’s not horrible to judge, but it’s a good sign that other things are going on that are harming you and others.

This takes practice. But there are symptoms that tell you you’re judging — if you feel angry or frustrated or dismissive of someone. If you’re complaining about someone, or gossiping about them. These are signs you’re judging. Recognize what’s going on.

After you notice the red flag, pause and be curious. Don’t get mad at yourself, but be curious:

Why are you judging?
What expectations do you have that are unrealistic?
What can you guess about what the other person is really going through?
Can you find out more? (This isn’t always realistic but sometimes you can.)
What about the other person can you appreciate?
Can you get out of your self-centeredness and put yourself in the other person’s shoes?
Can you imagine a time when you were going through something similar?

Once you’ve done that, ask yourself: How can you help? What does this person need? Sometimes they just need someone to listen, someone to be a friend, someone to not judge, someone to accept them. Sometimes they need more — advice, a guide, a hug.

But you can’t help them from a place of judgment. Only when you let go of the judgment that has arisen, and come to a place of acceptance and curiosity and empathy, can you really help. And incidentally, you’ll be a lot happier in the process.

Article from Zenhabits

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Jackie Ritz

Go ‘Crackers’ Over this Wheat-Free Snack Alternative!

10 Healing Herbs to Grow in Your Survival Garden

Bone Broth—One of Your Most Healing Diet Staples

The Healing Influence of Broth on Your Gut

The Healing Benefits of Bone Broth