I have been examining my own nutritional program lately after I caught that nasty virus that kept me sick most of Feb. I have now been sick 3 times since moving to Fischer. I am sure I got run down with the move and all but I should be over it by now. I got off all my support products for a short while when I could not find anything but my program is now the same as it was before the move with one exception.

I had been drinking a product called kombochu tea for about 10 years and I lost my mushroom culture to make it during the move. Kombochu tea is a fermented drink made with sugar and green tea. The sugar is used up during the fermentation process and the final product looks and tastes somewhat like vinegar. It is not a very pretty product to look at and has the tendency to want to grow another mushroom even when you keep it in the refrigerator. I have almost lost a few friends that happened upon it in a quest for a cold soda. My friend, Linda Hoover, will not even stay in the room when I am mixing mine up to drink in my morning smoothie. Those of you who know Linda can understand what I am talking about. Food presentation and texture is very important to Linda.

Anyway, the lack of Kombochu tea was the only thing I could think of that was missing. I was still taking my packets of algae, probiotics and enzymes and drinking my Xango everyday but I had backed off on mixing my smoothie because I thought it was too sweet with only juice and fruit but no Kombochu tea. I usually add the powdered algae blend to get some algae and wheat grass so I was missing that and occasionally I would forget to drink my Xango because it was also added to my smoothie.

I called my local health food store in search for a source to obtain a new mushroom starter and they told me I could grow one in 2 weeks from a pint of the original flavor kombucha tea which they had in stock. Three and a half weeks later I have a nice healthy mushroom and I harvested my first batch of tea today. Boy, that smoothie sure did taste good. I have long ago lost my original recipe and explanation of exactly what the tea is and what it does. I know it is very high in antioxidants. I do remember something about the manchurian people drinking it every day and living to be over 100 years old on a regular basis.

I make mine in a wide mouth 1 gallon glass cookie jar from Walmart. It is important that you use only a stainless steel cooking pot and a glass container to grow the tea. You can put it in whatever container you want after it is fermented.

I bring 1 gallon of water to a boil and then add 1 cup of sugar.

Let this boil for about five minutes then turn off the heat and put in 4 regular size, green tea bags.

Remove the tea bags after about 20 minutes and let the mix cool to room temp.

In a wide mouth glass container add your starter mushroom and about 2-4 ounces of the solution it grew in. Cover it with flannel cloth, secured with a rubber band and put it in a dark place for 10 days to 2 weeks. The longer you let it ferment the stronger the tea tastes. I like 10 days myself.

Now I feel my health program is complete at least for now. I am eating better and enjoying the fresh eggs, goat’s milk and home grown produce. The regular exercise and fresh air is great, too. Madalyn