Aug 24 walked some and had pain in the chest (something I sometimes get when walking for a while) In this case, it was much worse (I had to bend over several times to relieve it somewhat), and it lasted afterwards also to some degree. Finally decided that it was heart and probably not liver as I had thought before. However, since I was still on the liver thing, I bought beets, ginger powder, and a red hot chili peppers mix. Had run across a video of a recipe for liver support: cilantro, miso, ginger root, kelp, cayenne pepper, lemon but could not find the other ingredients. The video: http://vodpod.com/watch/1825277-herbs-alternative-medicine-liver-cleansing-diet-recipes When I asked for cayenne peppers at the small market here, they were very helpful. When asked what I wanted it for, I said for the heart, and the young girl pointed to one of the items and said “This is why the Yemenites live so long.” So cooked the beets with garlic and ginger, and as a side dish, put the hot pepper mix (Shog) on bread (ate two slices) with Kashkaval cheese. Woke up next morning feeling that it was  easier to move without pain than during the previous three weeks.

Walnut-Raisin Oatmeal with Honey and Cayenne Pepper Relish
To continue the healing process, breakfast consisted of: Two cups of water drunk half an hour before. That’s right, it is stage one of breakfast and believe it or not, the most important part. For the oatmeal, added one tbsp of Brewer’s yeast to the water as it was boiling before adding the almost instant oatmeal (cinnamon can also be added). Walnuts, honey, and raisins rounded out the dish with a slab of butter added on top before the shoot. Meanwhile, the Shog was layered on a slice of French 7 grain bread together with Kashkaval cheese. Breakfast was followed with 1 cup of water and a cup of coffee. The makeup of the Shog, which is defined as a spice, flavor, condiment, relish, sauce, is a sharp paste with the major ingredients: sharp red pepper, coriander, garlic. This one was produced by Beaton Yohai Spices in Israel.
 
 

 
Mushroom Salad
The major question here is “Why use Thyme or, in this case, Za’atar?” Thyme is one of the best antibacterial, antifungal, antimicrobial spices which is eatable by man. Known by man probably since the Garden, it has protected him throughout the ages and added many years to his life, and therefore many more souls to come in (or back in depending on your belief system). There are other substances out there which will do the trick but I personally would not touch any of them. When you put thyme together with sesame seeds and sumac, you have za’atar, a true winner which not only safeguards you, adding to the general health of the system, but can sharpen all of your faculties among other things.
 

I made sure that it was used with this salad which was made with lettuce whose leaves were starting to wilt, whose companion leaves were starting to grow their own fungus, and the tips of some of the leaves I used were starting to develop their own clearly definable borders. Trimmed them and washed well with tap water – the chlorine does most of the job of protection for you, but not all – and I had the makings of an eatable salad. For its psychological benefits (impossible to taste once the dressing is on), crumpled up a slice of Swiss cheese on top before adding the mushrooms. Then washed and sliced the mushroom.

But, just because you are going to use thyme does not mean that eating a toadstool is now a possibility. Unrecognized mushrooms can kill you regardless of what you put on them, how you cook them, or what other great medicinal foods you add to the mix. Unless you are an absolute expert, buy at a reputable market where the fact that you stay alive means a constant paycheck for the owner and employees. Read my mushroom warning at the beginning of this blog many, many months ago. The one pictured here is one of the more eatable ones – champignon, but there are a number out there, each with their own flavor and medicinal qualities. The mushroom, unlike the lettuce, should be fresh. If in doubt, toss, either before (preferable) or after (not advised). The dressing is the important part. It contains cayenne pepper mash, my own addition of coriander, salt, sweet basil, olive oil, sweet chili sauce, honey, and of course za’atar. It is beneficial to make this preparation separately since once on the salad it’s difficult to rinse off.