At the Birch Center for Health, our focus is in using Traditional Chinese Medicine to balance energy and optimize health. We can help you review your diet and see how you can make slight adjustments for massive improvements in health and quality of life. Everyone is different, and even a raw or increased raw diet can be tweaked to help each individual achieve optimal health.

Anthropologist Margaret Meade said, "It is easier to change a man's religion than to change his diet." Yet within a short time and armed with knowledge and support, you will feel huge changes in your well-being.

Find out how to use food as an ally in your healing and wellness, rather than as a contibutor to your symptoms and disease.

Receive continued support, information, ideas and exercises to help focus your intention and acheive your health and wellness goals.

Raw food preparation is simple, fast and easy. Cleaning after food preparation is a snap. No baked-on oils or crusty messes. The following blended recipes require only an inexpensive blender and fresh ingredients.

Melissa's Simply Amazing Tomato Soup

This uncooked soup is simple to prepare, and tastes amazing.

In a blender, put about 1/2 cup of water, 2 chopped celery sticks, three cut up tomatoes -- fresh from the garden or farmer's market is best -- and a pinch of real (sea) salt. Add 1/2 to 1 avocado (more if you like thicker soup) and blend.

Now add a handful of greens. They can be chopped spinach, chard, collards, or wild edibles like purslane, dandelion greens, lambs quarters or chickweed. I literally go out every morning in the spring, summer and fall and fill a colander with weeds and greens from my garden/yard. Blend again.

Pour into a bowl (this will yield 2-3 servings). You can eat as is, or add chopped olives, a spoonful of cultured veggies, some corn, or whatever you'd like!

Green Smoothie

In the blender, blend some water, banana, and frozen or fresh fruit of your choice: I like frozen pineapple, mango and cherry. Once blended, add a handful of greens. These can be leaf lettuce, spinach, chard, or the wild edibles I mentioned above. For more protein you can add a tsp of spirulina (though greens and wild edibles are high in protein.) Blend again and enjoy!

Blending food is a great way to up the absorption of vitamins and minerals from your food. It makes the food much easier to digest.

Try different combinations, flavors like mint, lemon, curries, or different combinations of fruits, veggies and greens. You'll likely surprise yourself by the ease of creating such delicious nutritious food!