Food | Living Earth Beauty

Category Archives: Food

How you can enjoy Beauty, Immunity, and Longevity with only 5 minutes of your time each day!

April 9, 2011

I have something very special to share this week!

An Exclusive Interview with the stunningly Radiant and the uber knowledgable Bethanne Wanamaker, Co-Author of Superfood Beauty Elixirs.

Superfood Beauty Elixirs is my FAVORITE recipe book for super nutrition. I blend several radically beautifying and rejuvenating Elixirs from this cutting-edge Ebook every day. These Elixirs are the foundation of my diet and the nutrition I consume for ultimate health and beauty. You can survive on standard whole foods, smoothies, and juices, but to truly THRIVE at our highest potential, Elixirs like these are essential!

Interview with the Radiant Bethanne Wanamaker, Co-Author of Superfood Beauty Elixirs

Bethanne Wanamaker is a passionate Certified Nutrition and Natural Beauty Educator and Author who is wholeheartedly devoted to empowering women to take control of their own health, make conscious lifestyle decisions, and become responsible and accountable for their actions and results.Her mission is to help women understand the power they hold with regard to their health and the irresistible potential that lies within when we commit to ourselves! Her story, as written in Volume 3 of Thank God I: Stories of Inspiration, was the catalyst experience for transforming her own health, as well as finding her true purpose in this blessed life.

Bethanne is the founder EdibleGoddess.com, a company dedicated to sharing the truth about nutrition, cutting edge health and natural beauty strategies, and a growing range of products that lead to everything you could want for yourself. She studied at Bauman College of Holistic Nutrition to become a Certified Nutrition Educator and has pursued an immense level of continuing education and teaching others in topics relating to holistic nutrition, cleansing and detoxification, longevity, raw foods, Superfoods, super tonic herbs, natural beauty, flower essences, human potential, self-development and discovery.

1. What inspired you to create Superfood Beauty Elixirs?

We had been making simple versions of our elixirs for some time with MSM and whole food vitamin C and then just kept taking it to the next level – for taste, benefits, and to maximize the synergy between the ingredients we chose. It really started with these MSM/Vitamin C drinks (such as the Morning Beauty, Orange Snow Breeze, Pink Limeade) and then a cascade of ideas poured in!

The Green Supreme was created because I was traveling to Southern CA to work the LongevityNOW Conference and wanted to make a powder blend that covered all my needs while I was on the road and working super long hours. I needed to be able to mix it with just straight spring water and have it taste good, and keep me going throughout the weekend. This is one of our longest list of ingredients for our recipes (which I’d like to change in a future edition of the book) because of this. It’s the “all-in-one” – the one to make ahead of time if you have limited access to your Superhero goodies while away from home. I remember driving back home with friends, drinking my Green Supreme (which did not have a name at the time), and my friends kept saying, “you know, everyone loved your elixirs this weekend – you could really do something with this.” And from the moment I got home, Christian and I played in the kitchen taking our original simple elixir ideas combined with our recent inspiration, and created the book.

2. Do you drink elixirs like these every day? Give us an example of how you work them into your schedule.

I do drink the elixirs every day, and typically between 1-3 each day. During the 6 months it took to write our book, we made elixirs every night to test, re-test our sweet creations. Ever since, we’ve gotten in the habit of making an elixir as a “night cap” just a few hours before bed (maybe an hour after dinner or so) and we’ll enjoy it that evening and then I save a cup for myself in the fridge so I have something ready for me when I awaken the next day. We brew tonic herbal tea multiple times per day: we use it as part of the base in a seed/nut mylk for a Superfood smoothie, on chilly afternoons to keep warm and cozy, and in the evening as a nice hot cup of satisfying tea (sweetened with stevia). We go in phases with the kefir, but usually have at least one batch per week which will make us a few ultra-refreshing coconut kefir elixirs. The kefir recipes have become some of my favorites in the book and because of the high probiotic content, each drinks FEELS massively healing, which I love. There is something unbelievably quenching about the kefir recipes, and it’s always an exciting moment when we have the kefir ready to make chilled elixirs.

3. Why Superfoods and Superherbs? Can’t we just eat plenty of fruits & vegetables or drink plenty of juices?

This is a question that will always come up in the raw food movement and that’s great because many of us want simple answers to complex issues. Yet, in each of our own experiences with eating solely fruits, vegetables, and freshly made juices, it was great in the very short-term, but felt there were something missing ultimately – even with a diverse selection of local produce. Bringing wild foods, Superfoods, and tonic herbs into the diet really do take your health to the next level and it’s usually a level of health that was not imaginable beforehand. With environmental pollution so prevalent, and the fact that our soils are not even close to being as healthy as they were 100 years ago, even organic fruits and vegetables do not have the potential to allow your body full gene expression. Christian and I want seriously be as healthy as we can be, and that means hand-selecting from different dietary approaches and taking the very best of them, and compiling our own version of the optimal individual diet. Wild foods, Superfood, and tonic herbs bring with them an immense potential for activating the innate healing regenerative energy within us all and considering it is we that have the ability to heal ourselves, we are willing to step outside the super extreme purists diet and emphasize foods correlated with longevity, genius, and spiritual growth.

4. One common comment I hear about people being resistant to superfoods is are that they’re too expensive and not realistically affordable. What do you have to say about that? How do you make it work?

Packaged Superfoods certainly can have a high price tag, yet so can all packaged raw and organic foods as well. All wild foods are considered “Superfoods” and they are free and offered to us in abundance. Consider that if you buy a bottle of wild blue green algae (which happens to be very pricey because it also happens to be one of the foods EVER we could consume – a little goes a long way, so you’re not going through the bottle in 1 month. Each bottle lasts a long time (even has a great shelf life), so it’s not like you’re going out buying this stuff on a weekly basis. There IS a start-up cost, just like anything though – you may pay more initially and then the expenses go down depending upon your usage and chosen maintenance amount.

I also feel that I am my greatest investment, so I am willing to do whatever it takes to keep myself not only well, but getting younger and healthier as each year passes. Since putting health as my #1 priority, I’ve gone through my expenditures for the month and taken a close look at how I spend my money – and found ways to whittle down other expenses so I could create the life I wanted. We all spend money every day, it’s just a matter of HOW you spend it. I could look at anyone’s finances and help you determine ways to eat healthier and continue to up-level your health, even on a strict budget, and after being laid off (or any financial downfall). With my own health, I am not willing to compromise – that would be too easy and full of symptoms to do.

5. If you could pick just a handful of superfoods or superherbs to have at home, say top 5, what would they be?

Wild blue green algae, seaweeds, fresh aloe (from whole leaf), spirulina/chlorella (have to have both for various reasons), and medicinal mushrooms (#1 being Reishi)

6. What differences have you noticed in your health and beauty with these elixirs in your life?

I have definitely felt more deeply nourished since incorporating these elixirs into my life, without question. I love that I can get an infusion of mouth-watering goodness in a divinely delicious way, and not have to rely on taking pills. Consuming tonic elixirs are a liberating choice and they have the ability to address so many issues and layers at once. Specifically, my diet feels much more well-rounded since making them a staple in my routine. I have less cravings because of the deep nourishment they offer – like they’re filling in nutritional gaps that supplements just aren’t able to do. The elixirs are made with 100% food – no “supplements”, so our bodies respond much more favorably to whole food nutrition than vitamins and minerals in isolated form. Also, I’ve noticed a preserving youthful effect on my skin (which is just a reflection of what is going on internally) and that is an amazing and clear sign that I am more mineralized and truly healthier, and therefore my skin skin appears more radiant. There is also a mental satisfaction when drinking the elixirs – they’re like non-alcoholic sweet, yet super low-glycemic cocktails, so you get the magic potion in a glass that is actually going to leave you feeling much better the next morning!

7. Are elixirs like these essential for external beauty? If so, why?

I believe they are based upon what I’ve personally experienced and what I’ve witnessed in others. As we all know, radiant beauty comes from within, so not only do we want to release accumulated toxins and poisons from the body, but just as importantly we want to infuse our body with super nutrient-density to restore, regenerate, and repair us from top head to toe. We’ve found the elixirs to be the most delicious, cost-effective, and practical way to get medicinal quality foods into the diet with the greatest potential for producing immediate results – something which is likely enticing to us all. Not to mention, with liquid nutrition the absorption level is at an all-time maximum (highly bio-available), so the drinks really deliver on their promised results.

8. If you had to chose one elixir recipe that is the ultimate for gorgeous skin, hair, and nails, and overall radiance, what would it be?

#1 Green Supreme, #2 Ancient Wisdom, #3 Tropical Quench (I had to list three… But if you were to say the “ultimate” one – it’s a hard choice, but I feel Green Supreme is THE overall best beauty tonic elixir in our book with Ancient Wisdom a close 2nd.

9. What’s next for you?

The Conscious Goddess Cleanse: Bethanne is leading women from all over the world in a purifying detox program. It includes all the Healthforce products you’ll need to complete the cleanse, private phone sessions with her, and weekly teleseminars with leading experts – including me!

Be sure to check out Bethanne’s Conscious Goddess Cleanse - where I’m a featured guest speaker!

Here is Bethanne’s phenomenal Ebook, Superfood Beauty Elixirs:

Superfood Beauty Elixirs

<- Click here to THRIVE at a new level!

Here are some of the Superfoods featured in the Ebook. These are some of the basic ingredients you’ll need to make the Elixirs:

Vitamineral Green & Vitamineral Earth
Vitamineral Green is a superior, nutrionally dense therapeutic green superfood powder. Vitamineral Green nutritionally supports blood sugar, detoxification, the immune system, liver, kidneys, blood, bones, colon, regularity, circulation, and longevity.
Earth Sacred Healing Food contains essiac herbs, healing roots, barks, and seeds. Soothes colon, supports blood sugar, colon health, detoxification, immune system, and longevity. Earth can can be used on its own as a grounding superfood blend, or ideally taken in the same day as Vitamineral Green for a balance of yin and yang, a grounding to Vitamineral Green’s more etheric qualities.

<- Click here to CLEANSE, REJUVENATE, and THRIVE at a new level!

Plant-derived MSM Crystals: The Ultimate BEAUTY Mineral!
MSM works to build collagen, helping to create smooth skin, thick lustrous hair, and strong nails. MSM also restores and maintains healthy joints, increases flexibility, speeds recovery time from sore muscles, and is excellent for recovery from injuries. MSM makes the tissues more permeable so that they may move nutrients in and toxins out with greater ease. MSM has a remarkable effect at neutralizing foreign proteins (i.e. allergens, toxins, undigested food) making it anti-inflammatory. It provides a source of organic sulfur for the amino acids that are essential for internal cleansing.

I mix these MSM Crystals into drinks twice a day. This is the highest quality MSM available and is the only one I have found that is NOT derived from Petroleum sources.

<-Try MSM for true beauty from the inside out!

Truly Natural Vitamin C
The essential companion to MSM. MSM and Vitamin C work together synergistically. Vitamin C helps the body fully absorb the MSM. Truly Natural Vitamin C is food, not an Vitamin C synthetic or isolate. This is a naturally occuring Vitamin C in powered form. Unlike synthetic or isolates, neither of which occur in nature, this Vitamin C is non-toxic in any dosage amount and is highly absorbable. I take Vitamin C at least 3 or 4 times a day. Vitamin C not only boosts our immune systems, but it also required for collagen production. Vitamin C also speeds up skin healing and protects it from environmental aggressors.

<-Get your Vitamin C the way nature instead – an essential nutrient for health and beauty!

Also posted in Beauty, Beauty Foods, Healing, Health, Nutrition, Recipes, Skin and Body – 0 Comments

Reader Question: I’m Getting Started On The Raw Vegan Diet – Help Me “Whet My Appetite!”

November 27, 2010

Jill and I often consult with friends, readers, and customers of LivingEarthBeauty.com about the Raw Food Diet and about Raw Vegan Skincare. (Jill is a Holistic Health Counselor and Natural Skincare Expert) We’re posting the most popular questions we get and sharing our answers and insights so that you can benefit from our experience.

From Drew:

I’m getting more and more interested in raw and organic foods and I know you and Jill have spent a lot of time researching and testing different things for yourselves and your business.

I was wondering if there was any literature or general recommendations you would make for a novice. Someone just getting into it. Something to wet my appetite.

I make smoothies everyday with organic berries, flaxseed, organic yogurt, Spirulina, wheat grass, cocoa powder and OJ but that’s the extent of my knowledge for now.

I’d love to hear some of your thoughts.

Nice work with the smoothies, that is a great start! My first recommendation: experiment with replacing the yoghurt with Raw Goat’s Milk Yoghurt. It’s very important that this is Organic, Unpasteurized (Raw), and as local as possible. I’m sure there are producers near you that are selling this. The difference between cow products and goat products is striking, especially when you consider the fact that cow milk has evolved for a baby cow to grow from 80 pounds to 1600 pounds, gaining an average of 100 pounds per month. Goat’s milk has evolved for a baby goat to grow from 10 pounds to 110 pounds … a much more human-like growth pattern! The compounds and nutrients in these two milks reflect this fact, as you can read about in this comparison. The difference in growth patterns is a single example that is representative of the many reasons that cow milk is a mismatch for the human body.

Over the long term, I recommend removing all dairy products from your diet, however there are more important things to cut out first. These include gluten, all refined sweeteners (including agave nectar!), and all non-Organic produce and fruit. Choosing to remove meat and dairy from your diet is important because they have an acidifying effect on the blood, and are the #2 contributor to global warming.

Here are my top recommendations as you dive deeper into the Raw Vegan Diet:

1. Take It Slow and learn what your body specifically needs – everyone is different and if you try to go too fast, you’ll get out of balance and start feeling bad. The number one reason that people quit a new diet is because they take it quickly and cannot handle the changes they feel in their body. This especially happens with the Raw Vegan diet due to natural detoxifying.

2. Let The Toxins Go - Make sure that as you purify your diet, you let the toxins exit your body! The more pure your diet, the more ‘old’ toxins your body dumps into your colon. Basically, as we purify, our body is relieved of the load of toxins we’re putting in from chemicals in food, pesticides, gluten, etc. This allows our body to start dumping the old toxins it’s been storing in the cells – the ‘Standard American Diet’ bombards our bodies with toxins and because we usually never detox, all the toxins are held inside. As you go deeper into raw foods, I highly recommend using colon hydrotherapy and enemas to give the toxins a place to go. A good book that takes this into much further detail is Dr. Jensen’s Guide To Better Bowel Care.

3. Read anything by David Wolfe – he is my favorite raw food author, and in my opinion has the most authentic approach to raw foods. He’s not trying to sell any particular methodology or mindset, instead he focuses on empowering you to discover what works for your body. His most comprehensive book is The Sunfood Diet Success System, and next most important is Superfoods: The Food and Medicine of the Future.

4. Quick and Easy Superfoods – Here are some of our favorite additions to smoothies:

Chia seeds are delicious and contain Omega 3, Antioxidants, and Protein. If you like thick, milkshake-like smoothies, chia seeds soak up a huge amount of liquid and can transform anything from watery to pudding-like in a matter of minutes. (Make sure to get plenty of water in your body along with them!) Here’s a chia seed porridge that Jill created. Also, chia seeds are great for your hair, skin, and nails. You can buy them here.
Goji Berries are also one of my favorite foods in the world, the #1 superfood, and they contain protein and huge amounts of antioxidants. (I’m eating them as I write this…)
Spirulina, by weight, is the most dense form of protein in the world (approximately 70% complete protein in its natural state), so you’re doing great eating that. It’s also far more bio-available and digestible than meat protein. (The reason that meat contains protein is due to animals eating grasses that contain protein through photosynthesis.) Try combining Spirulina with other green foods and superfoods to maximize the nutrients – I recommend Billy’s Infinity Greens, which is one of the top multi-green powders.
Plant-Based MSM is the best substance to support health in joints and skin, and is great for fast muscle recovery after working out. It also helps your cells produce energy. We sell the only certified plant-based MSM in the world. It works best in combination with Vitamin C, best found in Organic orange juice or Camu Powder.
Cacao Powder – You mentioned that you already include this in your smoothies, and it is a great source of uplifting energy. Be sure to eat cacao in moderation, due to its strong effect on your adrenal glands and liver. This is our favorite Organic Cacao Powder.

5. Organic Is Key – One of the ways in which many cancer and disease-causing toxins sneak into our diet is through non-Organic fruit and produce. Jill and I go to great lengths to eat only Certified Organic foods, and at times I have to sacrifice this when eating away from home or traveling. (Luckily our favorite restaurant uses 100% Organic produce: Cafe Gratitude) Any time you are purifying your life yet eating non-Organic food, you are taking two steps forward and one step back.

6. Protect Your Nerves – Make sure that if you’re moving away from meat and dairy, you are receiving enough B12. This is the one nutrient that has gradually left even the most nutrient-dense diets due to the erosion of topsoil and our habit of washing vegetables – the soil actually contains the bacteria which create B12. Without enough B12, our nerves gradually stop working! The best B12 supplement in the world is a living culture called Premier Research Labs Max Stress B.

Have fun eating the most pure, joyful food in the world – and gradually deepen your sensitivity to your body so that you can feel exactly what works for you.

Do you have any questions about this post or about the Raw Vegan diet? If so, click ‘Comment’ below and ask away. I will respond to every comment or question.

Also posted in Healing, Health, Nutrition – 1 Comment

3 Reasons The Vegan Diet Fails For Most People

October 16, 2010

These is a teaser for the much longer article I am writing on Veganism. This upcoming article discusses and dispels all myths, concerns, and questions I have ever heard come up around eating a Vegan diet.

I completely believe in Bio-Individuality. We are all very beautifully Different! We have different body types, blood types, constitutions, sensitivity levels, to name a few. AND, we are ALL designed to be Vegan.

Most people define their attachment to animal foods as a need. The fact is, we do not need animal products of any kind to survive, live, or thrive. In fact, humans are natural vegans! Animal foods actually became part of our diet long after we evolved into who we are today.

Dr. T. Colin Campbell, professor emeritus at Cornell University explains that:

“The birth of agriculture only started about 10,000 years ago at a time when it became considerably more convenient to herd animals. This is not nearly as long as the time [that] fashioned our basic biochemical functionality (at least tens of millions of years) and which functionality depends on the nutrient composition of plant-based foods.

In the book The Power of Your Plate, Dr. Neal Barnard, President of the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, states that:

“Early humans had diets very much like other great apes, which is to say a largely plant-based diet, drawing on foods we can pick with our hands. Research suggests that meat-eating probably began by scavenging–eating the leftovers that carnivores had left behind. However, our bodies have never adapted to it. To this day, meat-eaters have a higher incidence of heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and other problems.”

The premier authority on anthropological science, paleontologist Dr. Richard Leakey, explains that

“[y]ou can’t tear flesh by hand, you can’t tear hide by hand…. We wouldn’t have been able to deal with food source that required those large canines” (although we have teeth that are called “canines,” they bear little resemblance to the canines of carnivores). We lack sharp claws to seize and hold down prey. Our hands are actually perfectly designed for grabbing and picking fruits and vegetables. Also, we have the intestines like other herbivores, ours are very long (carnivores have short intestines so they can quickly get rid of all the rotting flesh they eat).”

We do not have instinct to chase, kill, and devour the raw carcasses of animals (at least most of us are, hopefully). Most of us also feel bonds with and love for animals. If we were only designed to hunt and kill them, we would have absolutely no feelings for animals.

There were times of great scarcity thousands of years ago when we were hunter-gatherers. At that time, we may have needed a little meat in our diets, but we don’t need it now! Especially when we are living in a time of severe Global Warming and 51% on the planet of all Greenhouse Gases are caused by the Meat and Dairy Industries (EVEN your Organic meat and dairy!). The UN has even published a public report which says that Vegan diet is vital to save the world! http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2010/06/02-7

Download the full UN report here:http://www.unep.org/resourcepanel/documents/pdf/PriorityProductsAndMaterials_Report_Full.pdf

The 3 Reasons a Vegan diet EVER fails for ANY One

1) Lack of High Nutrient Density.

Fruits, vegetables, grains, nuts, seeds, etc are NOT enough! We need wild and ancient, pre-hybridized food to thrive to our highest potential.

For example, Spirulina has 3.6 billion years of evolutionary wisdom coded in its DNA! A hybridized fruit you buy at the market, created to be more desirable to our over-sugared dulled taste buds (to be super sweet and often seedless), has some nutrients, but not enough to thrive on alone.

Protein is NEVER something to be concerned about when going Vegan! The most common question I receive as a Vegan is “what do you do for protein?” That’s SO easy, plant foods, such as algae, green-leafy vegetables, nuts, seeds, avocado have plenty of bio-available protein to nourish our bodies, helps us thrive, feel amazing, and even be a body-builder or tri-athlete! Spirulina has more protein by weight than any other food on the planet! The high-protein diet is only an outdated fab and untruth! We only need ten percent protein maximum daily. Beileve, I was a non-believer too – I thought I needed animal protein to live or even feel okay, until I took the time to detoxify my addiction to it. And – I am an O+, Vata-type that feels better with more protein and fat than some others.

Taking the the time and patience to end my dependence on animal foods, is an expression that I am thinking about and feeling other beings and the health of the planet in my food and product choices, other than just myself and my own needs. And, I am infinitely healthier, happier, and more spiritually attuned to the planet and all beings!

2) Lack of Proper Detoxification Methods.

If you are ever transitioning to a more pure, plant-based diet – detox will and does happen! You body needs help discarding of the masses of toxins being dumped into your elimination organs as you detox from the less ppure diet you were eating before. Colon Hydrotherapy, Colon Cleansing, and other organ cleansing is a MUST!

Without additional cleansing, toxins are being dumped into the body faster than they are eliminated. This results in ‘Feeling Bad and Weak’ – continual cravings, loss of energy, etc. This so often leads people to say that a ‘vegan diet just didn’t work for me or it isn’t for me’. This is understandable, because to few of us actually know what is happening inside our bodies when we make this kind of diet change.

3) Lack of Balance in what you are eating and drinking.

ALL processed and refined foods must be eliminated in order to ever be healthy and feel good. Many people on a new vegan diet, will stop consuming animal foods, but continue to eat these foods, even if occasionally at restaurants or from boxes and bags you buy at your natural foods store. Yes, most food at the natural/health food store is processed or refined and not optimal for a helping our bodies thrive! AND, even if you eat a 100% whole food diet - fruits, veggies (and even additions of grains and nuts) alone will never lead to long-term success!

We need to be eating a VAST spectrum of different types of foods and always eat with the Seasons - like herbs, roots, spices, Chinese herbs, Ayurvedic herbs, medicinal mushrooms, wild foods, etc. which balance our body’s nourishment, temperature, constitution, etc. in addition to the typical foods we may eat (fruits, veggies, grains, etc.).

More to come. . .

Thank you!

Also posted in Beauty Foods, Healing, Health, Nutrition – 2 Comments

Toxic Skincare Products And Unsafe Cosmetics That Are Lurking In Your Home and IN YOUR BODY (And How To Let Go Of Them!)

October 12, 2010

- Do you eat whole, organic, unprocessed foods, even massively powerful superfoods, yet still buy soap and shampoo at the drug store or department store?

- Do you believe that a commercial, chemical-based anti-aging product is the only EFFECTIVE way to protect yourself from wrinkles and aging?

- Do you read the labels on your skincare, soap, shampoo, toothpaste, and other body products as carefully as you read the ingredients on a box of food?

For many of us, all the products we use on a daily basis ‘slide under the radar’ when they come into our home! We never think to question what ingredients may be in our makeup, or a hand soap, or our facial cleanser.

It was a revelation when I woke up to the fact that every single product that touches my skin (or I inhale, in the case of cleaners, perfume, candles, anything that has ‘fragrance’) HAS AN EFFECT on my body and on my wellness!

Skin care has always been a great passion of mine. It is a heavenly way for me to deeply care for myself. I also lived most of my life with Psoriasis, Acne, Eczema, Rashes, and highly reactive skin. For many years, I was using a ‘normal’ regimen of cleansers, moisturizers, makeup, and eye serums from popular department stores, online stores, and even natural food stores. I always bought the ‘organic’ brands that promised beauty with beautiful labels. I kept trying new ones and spent hundreds of dollars a month in the hopes that something, anything ‘might help me get rid of my skin conditions and stop the breakouts!’

As I began eating a healthy, natural diet many years ago, I also started using natural skin and body care. My evolution toward purity in my diet grew hand-in-hand with the purity I sought in skin and body care products. As my diet became more pure, it also felt intuitive to me to use more pure skin and body care products. It wasn’t until I began living a 100% Raw Vegan lifestyle, that I realized the degree to which purity is not only important, but also essential for our bodies and spirits to thrive!

With my new way of eating came increased sensitivity – I simply couldn’t use any of the ‘Organic’ and ‘Natural’ skin and body care products I was using before without feeling sick or getting worse breakouts. I was also in a place where I no longer was willing to accept having bad skin. I desired beautiful, healthy skin so much that I studied and researched endlessly, and constantly experimented with different products for skin and different ways of healing my body and my skin. I did this for years. And also for years, I searched for skin and body care that would be both radically healing and effective

‘Why would I eat chemical-free food, yet use any chemicals on my skin?!’

(even the chemicals in supposed ‘natural’ skin care’)

This became not only a question for me to ask, but to answer and live that answer. That was a life-changing decision! My skin immediately started clearing up! And it is not only clear, but also radiantly beautiful now! I was so used to having bad skin for so long that when I receive compliments on my skin, which is a very frequent occurrence now, I am still surprised!

I healed multiple chronic diseases in my body and have beautified my skin by removing chemicals from my life and choosing food and skin care that are as close to nature as possible.

I knew that the Purity I found through toxin-free organic skincare, shampoo, and body products was my gift to share with the world!

That’s why I’ve created Purify My Life!

This is a FREE downloadable .pdf report that will teach you:

WHY Purity is an essential secret to Beauty

And WHAT you can do to take your body from toxic to Pure!

That’s it – I am giving away this program to you today, because I care! No catches! I strongly encourage you to download it immediately! (Link is at the bottom of this post.)

Now – I’ve got a SURPRISE for you!

In addition to creating a free .pdf report, I am going to COACH you through the 10 days of purifying YOUR life.

This is called the Purify My Life 10-Day Coaching Program!

Enjoying my Clear, Radiant Skin!

A 10-Day Coaching Program for FREE! Available INSTANTLY!

(Now, if you just want to download Purify My Life, go ahead and scroll to the bottom of this post. You’ll see the link there.)

Enter your name and email right here, and I will immediately start you on the coaching process to Purify YOUR Life!

(Again, there’s no catch, it’s totally free and we DO NOT share your email with anyone else. Integrity always. Spreading the Love only.)

Thank You for joining me on this transformational journey! Here’s to Purity!

WITH LOVE,

***

Click Here To Download Purify My Life

Also posted in Beauty, Beauty Foods, Healing, Health, Skin and Body – 1 Comment

Beauty Breakfast Porridge

October 4, 2010

Photo Credit: little blue hen

Chia Seeds and Goji Berries two of the most beautifying foods in the world.

Chia seeds contain the highest amount of essential fatty acids (omega-3 and omega-6) known. They are loaded with over 60% essential fatty acids. Chia seeds are an excellent source of complete protein (about 20% protein) and contain strontium which helps to assimilate protein and produce high energy. Chia seeds are an excellent source of antioxidants containing even more antioxidants than fresh blueberries. The high amounts of antioxidants in Chia seeds also keeps the oils from going rancid – contributing to a long shelf life.   Chia seeds also provide fiber, iron, calcium, niacin, magnesium, copper, zinc and phosphorus. They stabilize blood sugar  by slowing down the rate at which complex carbohydrates are digested and then assimilated into the body. The soluble fiber helps to stabilize blood glucose levels resulting in steady, sustained energy. Chia seeds can absorb over 10 times their weight in water making them a body hydrator. They absorb the water we drink holding it in our system longer. The Chia seed gel is a hydrophylic colloid that has a medicinal affect for many digestive health issues, helping to cleanse and soothe the colon, and absorb toxins while lubricating and strengthening peristaltic action.

Like Chia seeds, Goji berries are also extremely high in antioxidants and protein. They are one of the highest antioxidant containing foods. They are a complete protein, with nineteen different amino acids, including all eight essential amino acids. Goji berries contain vitamins B1, B2, B6, and vitamin E, as well as 21 or more trace minerals. They also contain polysaccharides, iron, betaine (liver-healing), linoleic acid (EFA), beta-sitosterol (anti-inflammatory), sesquiterpenoids & tetraterpenoids (anti-aging). They are the only food known to stimulate our bodies to naturally produce more Human Growth Hormone, making it one of the best anti-aging foods on the planet.

Breakfast (or snack or dessert) Beauty Porridge

(All Raw and Organic, as always)

Base
3 Tbs Chia seed
1/2 cup fresh vanilla almond milk (see recipe below)
1 Tbs Goji berries

Flavor options
fresh ground vanilla
cinnamon
nutmeg
dash himalyan or celtic salt

Sweet options
stevia
flavored stevia (English Toffee flavor)
raw honey

Additions

(depending on your preference and what you have on hand)
sliced banana
soaked (and dehydrated if prefered) walnuts and or almonds
cashews
soaked Pumpkin seeds
Black Sesame seed
raw Cacao nibs
handful of fresh berries
raisins or other dried fruits

Vanilla Almond Milk Instructions

Soak almonds in pure water for at least 8 hrs.

Drain (or water plants with soak water) and rinse several times

1 cup soaked almonds

3 cups water

1 vanilla bean, seeds scooped out or 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground vanilla

Stevia or honey to taste

Blend the soaked almonds with the water until smooth. Pour into a nut milk bag over a bowl. Twist and squeeze until all liquid is in the bowl. Save the almond pulp in a container and put in the refrigerator for use in other recipes.
Pour the almond milk back into the blender and blend with the vanilla and sweetener until smooth.
Milk will last in the refrigerator for about 5 days. Shake well before using.

Porridge Instructions

With Love:

* Pour Almond Milk over Chia seeds and Goji berries in a bowl. Mix and let sit for 10 min to an hour (depending on how thick you would like the porridge). Chia seeds will thicken into a gel-like consistency. The longer they soak, the more they will absorb the liquid. Stir as the porridge begins to thicken to make sure all Chia seeds are covered and do not clump together. When it reaches desired consistency, add the rest of the ingredients and mix well. I find it best to add in any other liquid and powder ingredients first, mix well, and then add in solid ingredients.

Enjoy!

Also posted in Beauty Foods, Nutrition, Recipes – 2 Comments

Angelina Elliott and her Magical Soaps: Exclusive Interview and Recipe

September 17, 2010

Exclusive Interview with the Goddess Herself

Could you please tell us little bit about how your soap-making adventure began?

I would be delighted to! I learned to make soaps years ago, but the real adventure began when I thought of an idea to make food based soaps, because before that SOAP WAS JUST SOAP. I thought of when I had this idea back when I was 15 1/2 to wear your food, and how marvelous it would be to not only eat superfoods, but to also bathe in them as well. Your body absorbs everything through the skin, so why not feed it while you are cleansing, rather than cleansing and depleting?

What inspired you to make these soaps?

The idea of lathering chocolate all over my body was just such an exciting idea, I had to run with it. When I first started, I had no idea how it would turn out, I just did everything from my intuition and when the soap was finished curing, it was pure heaven. I thought from there, why not do cranberry, lemon, tiramisu, cinnamon, and more, so I did and I just love what they do for my body and my senses. Such an exhilarating experience-one of BLISS!

Could you please tell us about some of the ingredients you use and why you use them?

I love superfoods for my inner body and I enjoy wonderful full fat foods like olives and avocados, one of the reasons I believe I have good skin. I also enjoy berries and unusual fruits, I actually go to sleep with fresh durian on my face, because I truly believe it gives me a glow when I wake up. I’ve never told anyone outside of family that this is one of my beauty secrets!! I use ingredients like coconut oil, African Shea butter, macadamia oil, rose hip seed oil, walnut oil, avocado oil, marula oil, kalahari oil, and Superfoods like Goji, cherry extract, cherry powder, MSM, sea buckthorn, schizandra berry, camu camu, noni, pomegranate extract and powder, mangosteen powder, and then I pour all the love I possibly can into the mix! The reason I use such mind blowing and expensive ingredients is because I truly believe you are what you consume whether it is by mouth or externally worn, so why not wear the absolute best. Organic, wild, Biodynamic, and fair trade are all especially important to me when it comes to ingredients, I couldn’t use any substitution.

What makes these soaps so special?

The love and the energy that goes into each bar first and foremost and secondly the ingredients we use, and thirdly the process we use to make these soaps. These soaps are truly the only raw superfood soaps in the world. I am sure there will be many imitations to come, but I doubt anyone will go to the extremes we go to, to produce heavenly bars. We personally use each and every one of these delectable bars and wouldn’t have it any other way, so what we get, you get and I refuse to compromise!

What inspired the flavors/scents of the soaps?

Many people know me as a gourmet chef, I have been a gourmet chef for many years, so food excites me, especially desserts! I thought there must be a way to create delicious, enticing, sexy, out of this world soaps and the rest is as they say, history. ) The first food soap I ever made was inspired by my famous chocolate cheesecake, now featured in my Decadent Gourmet book.

Angelina Shares an Exclusive Recipe that inspired the first soap flavor

From Angelina’s book, The Decadent Gourmet

Sexy Goddess Chocolate Cheesecake

Crust:
•3/4 cup carob powder •1 cup almonds •1/2 cup honey dates, pitted •4 tablespoons cacao butter, melted •2 teaspoons vanilla flavor by Frontier • teaspoon Himalayan salt
•Place cacao butter pieces in a bowl in the dehydrator at 104 degrees until melted. •Process almonds, salt and carob powder into small crumbs, add dates, cacao butter and vanilla extract and process again. •Press into the bottom of 9” square pan and place in the freezer.

Cheesecake Filling:
•2 cups cashews •2 cups cacao powder •1 1/2 cups grated cacao butter •2 tablespoons vanilla flavor by Frontier •1 cup date syrup or one cup agave
Directions:
•Melt cacao oil by placing cacao butter pieces in a bowl and place in a dehydrator at 104 degrees until melted. •Soak cashews and dates for the cheese. •Process cashews, cacao butter, date syrup or agave, and vanilla flavor until smooth like cream cheese.

•Pour cheese over the crust and gently tap the pan a few times to let ingredients settle. •Place cake in the freezer to set for about 2 hours. •Take the cake out of the freezer and remove it from the Spring Form pan, place cake on a platter, pour sauce over the cake and decorate with whipped cream, if desired.
•Serve the cake immediately or store in freezer until ready to eat.

Also posted in Beauty, Recipes, Skin and Body – 0 Comments

Beauty Foods Recipe: 5-minute yum salad with Ginger Mint Tahini Hemp Dressing

May 13, 2010

fast easy yum salad

I literally made this salad spontaneously while sitting on the floor of our tiny RV (the RawVee). Don’t worry – the floor is very clean, carpeted, and no food touched it. I just used the ingredients we happened to have here in our little refrigerator and fruit and veggies basket. My husband, Jed, gushed over how good it was, so I thought I’d share it. It took me only about 5 minutes to make!!

Salad

All Organic & Raw:

Add any greens you happen to have around to a bowl the size of your hunger. I used Spinach.
I did not have an abundance of spinach, so I added handfuls of fresh curly Parsley and fresh Cilantro.
I tore all of these up into pieces.
Next, I diced 2 stalks of Celery and tossed it in.
Then, I diced a Radish or two.
I cut plenty of Cherry Tomatoes in half and added them to the bowl.

Dressing

Add the following to your Vita-Mix or blender.

All Organic & Raw:

1/2 inch fresh Ginger
6 -10 fresh Mint leaves, depending on your love for mint
2 Tbl Tahini
3 Tbl Hemp Seeds
Half a Lemon (seeded) or Lemon Juice of 1 lemon
1/2 – 1 clove garlic
1 Tbl of Flax, Hemp, or Olive Oil (optional)
1 tsp Billy’s Infinity Greens
5-8 Shakes of Herbamare (to taste) or Himalayan or Celtic Sea Salt
add Living Spring Water, or at least purified water to just cover the ingredients in blender, or depending of how liquidy or creamy you want it.

Blend until smooth, pour over salad, and toss.

Enjoy in love and gratitude!

Also posted in Beauty Foods, Recipes – 1 Comment

How to Travel in Health, Vibrancy, and Gratitude

May 5, 2010

Traveling within the country

I always plan in advance when I am going to be away from home for several hours and when traveling for a longer period of time. I bring snacks like veggies, fruit, nuts, etc. when away from home or traveling. When on a road trip or camping, I bring a cooler full of fresh food and veggie juice I make just beforehand. I also bring a green food powder, like Billy’s Infinity Greens, so that when the veggie juice runs out I have an easy dose of energy and nutrients – just add water. When traveling by airplane, I also always bring my own snacks. The food at airports should be avoided at all costs. Never get stuck there hungry and unprepared. Also, I find out ahead of time where natural foods markets and sometimes where raw and vegan restaurants are at every destination. Always plan to nourish yourself with healthy, fresh food where ever you are! You’ll find yourself more energized, relaxed, and content.

Traveling Internationally

Traveling from a place of gratitude and abundance is so essential for having an enjoyable, expansive experience, and for being a gift to the places and people you are around wherever go you (rather than being a burden or bringing negativity). Be at peace with and have no expectations of having access to the same types of foods that you have at home. For instance in South and especially Central America, there are very few vegetables available. There are veggies like carrots, zucchini, cucumber, cabbage, and onion in many local markets, but for the most part they are imported from Mexico. If you are used to receiving your veggies organic and fresh from the garden or farm, like I am, it is best to see these foods as blessings and infuse them with blessings, as they are not fresh, pretty, or organic. In most countries, there is no Organic Certification and in fact the same meaning of the word ‘organic’ does not exist. There is a plethora of fresh tropical fruit: Papaya, Watermelon, Pineapple, Banana, and Plantain. Most of the fruit is not organic either. There is the potential that some fruit from very small orchards could be, but there just is no way of knowing.

Tip: Most nourishing, highest quality food to eat while in a tropical place: wild coconuts right from the tree.

Bring along what you can

I brought along Billy’s Infinity Greens, as I always do when I travel. I also brought Raw Organic Royal Jelly Powder. For solid food, I brought seeds and nuts. Dried fruit, like Goji Berries, are also great. Any food that is not immediately perishable, and is simple and full of nutrients is ideal. Jed and I only brought very small backpacks with us, so I had a minimal amount of space for food. I fairly quickly went through my solid food, as adjusted to the smaller amount of food that was available. By the time I ran out, my body adjusted to the smaller amount of food, and the coconut and fruit became more satisfying.

Know food names in the language of the country you are visiting

This is essential for receiving what you want and avoiding what you don’t want.

Blessing the Food

I am someone who would much rather fast than eat low quality food. I would prefer to live on water rather than eat non-organic food. But, while traveling, it just was not possible to do a long-term fast without have a nourishing structure to be part of. I also am not a proponent of long-term water fasting. Therefore, I had to surrender to the fact that I was going to be eating non-organic food and rather than focus on that fact, I focused on being grateful for that food. I have a practice of saying a prayer of gratitude for food before I eat it. When the quality is questionable, I also add a blessing to the food by placing my hands over it or just by speaking silent words to infuse it with love, health, and increase its vibrational energy.

Eating Raw while traveling

Eating raw while traveling in the US, or other countries where fresh, organic food is available is the easiest thing in the world! We are SO blessed! Here’s what I do: for the most part, except from time to time when there a tantalizing raw restaurant nearby or I feel a desire for more complex flavor, I eat as simply as possible. I do not require “meals” and really no preparation. I primarily mono-eat, or eat one type of food at time, for ease of digestion, assimilation of nutrients, for the pure joy of simplicity and of taste of pure foods just as they have been gifted to us. This makes traveling so free, easy, and delightful. All you have to do is bring organic veggies, fruit, nuts, seeds, sprouts, (and dehydrated snacks if you wish) with you. Fresh fruits and veggies that are easy to travel with are: all fruits, avocado, sprouts, cucumber, sugar snap peas, carrots, celery, etc. I also shamelessly stuff handfuls of mixed greens and lettuces in my mouth. If I am traveling in a car or have access to a car, I also am always visiting the local natural foods markets, or even check for raw food restaurants if I am near an area that I suspect could have one.

While traveling internationally, especially to third world countries, it can be very challenging to eat raw, especially if food quality is essential to you. Eating raw in certain areas of the world, like South America, Asia, and Africa can also create health challenges due to bad water for washing the veggies.

Find a trusted source of food

In Ecuador, I researched and guided myself to places where the food came from an organic garden, as much as I possibly could. There are a few inns and resorts throughout the country that do have their own organic gardens where much of their produce comes from. I did not eat anywhere but three trusted places the entire time we were there, and yet I still managed to pick up unwanted friends – parasites and bacteria.

Deciding whether to travel raw or not

I have been eating purely 100% raw vegan organic food for nearly two years now and even just eating one meal of cooked food would be a huge shock to my body. I felt that trying my absolute best to minimize risk of food contamination while maintaining my diet for the sake of my body, my beliefs, and my consciousness outweighed the perceived ‘safety’ of eating cooked foods with or without unhealthy refined oils, refined salt and seasonings. etc. HOWEVER, if you do not eat raw, or eat a percentage of raw, I do suggest that you avoid eating uncooked vegetables. Only eat fruit that has a thick peel-able skin. Do not drink anything made with ice. (Sometimes you can watch them make smooties, which is the best option for me – especially when I saw the cook dumping spoonfuls of white sugar into it!) Fresh Juice without ice or water is okay. And of course, only drink bottled water directly out of the bottle or that you have seen come from a sealed bottle.

You don’t have to eat only raw to travel healthily

Prepare several cooked meals ahead of time and pack them in glass containers or BPA-free plastic storage containers. Prepare items are good to eat cold. Bring plenty of your favorite healthy snacks with you. Stop at natural food markets, instead of eating out, if possible.

Being Different

Living in the United States and especially California is a very unique experience. There really aren’t any other places in the world that are remotely similar, in a vast number of ways. One such way is food. From my experience traveling through most of our beautiful country, California is the capitol of conscious eating and especially Living Foods. I have felt so embraced, included, and (almost ‘normal’ in California. I had the exact opposite experience while traveling in Belize and Ecuador. There was absolutely no comprehension what was eating ‘organic’, ‘vegan’, or ‘raw’ meant, and why one would do that. Some people treated me as an alien out of curiosity, but primarily as alien for being completely crazy, strange, and silly! I always do my absolute best to be in total respect and honor of people and their culture. Therefore, I was in full respect of any feelings around my way of living. My personal tendency is that I do not like attention. I try to be under the radar as much as possible. However, since eating is something that we all do regularly, and I either had to ask for what I needed (since I was entirely reliant on other people for food most of the time), or I was eating around other people and they were curious about me. Oh my, this was quite a learning and practice of awareness, surrender, and patience for me. I do not like attention, and yet I received around the clock attention. I prefer not to defend my choices around food or my way of being in general conversation, and yet I was asked what I was eating and why I eat that way for nearly every meal of every day. Phew . . . that was truly a challenge for me . . . and really positive growth.

Surrender

Surrender to what is, AND ask gracefully and respectfully for what you need if it is available and reasonable. Keep it simple. In Belize, I started out by just asking for veggie sticks, of whatever they had. It ended being carrots, zucchini, and cucumber, eventually. It took about a week (from the same people) to receive what I intended. At first I did not understand, I believed that I was asking for the simplest thing in the world. When it truth, it was more complicated for them than to make the cooked Belizean dishes that were on the menu. Most vegetables, and there are only a small few, are imported into Belize. Truly, vegetables are not a part of the Belizean diet. I stopped asking for vegetables after I understood this and discovered that these foods were imported, despite what I had been told at first. Fruits are grown in Belize, especially Papaya, which is native to Belize, but most Belizean to do not eat much fruit either. I only saw tourists eating fruit. Fruit (Papaya, Pineapple, Watermelon, Banana, occasional Mango, and very green, bitter oranges) are the fruits that are primarily available. Markets, street carts, and most restaurants will have these fruits available. It is ‘normal’ to order a fruit plate. I also happened to be staying on an island for two weeks, so I primarily subsisted on coconuts directly from the trees, and fruit. Both were relatively easy obtain without causing too much of a scene.

In Ecuador, vegetables are much more widely available. Ecuador is vastly more developed than Belize is. However, it still is the case that apart from corn, root vegetables, and legumes, vegetables (especially green ones) are only a small part of the standard diet. There are a variety of vegetables available at markets, and there are a few more places that you can stay that have their own gardens.

Keep bugs at bay

When traveling nationally, take Immune Illume, Digest The Best, and an essential oil based insect repellant with you. When traveling internationally, take the aforementioned products and a product like Miracle Mineral Solution or Adya Clear with you for purifying water and as a very potent way to ensure that no microbes or parasites are able to flourish inside your body. Miracle Mineral Solution is a very intense product, so use with care.

Easy intestinal parasite remedy

I began trying this remedy while in Ecuador, because if there was one thing I could get fairly easily it was Papaya. I did not have all of the products I mentioned above, so this was my best option. A gentle and easy option for parasites. I have not heard that it will work for bacteria, though. One-quarter of a Papaya seed consists of a highly digestible protein, which can be used to eliminate parasites. The seeds are soft enough to chew; yet they are spicy (horseradish-like). You might try blending them with juice or water & raw organic honey. Try at least twenty seeds per day for about five days.

Other acute intestinal bug remedies and cleansing assistance

(All of which I have utilized since leaving South America)

Colon Hydrotherapy, Home Enema, Colosan, or other all-natural, herbal, non-stimulant based laxative
Garlic (if you prefer to do without the odor of fresh garlic, Kyolic is a good product)
Miracle Mineral Solution
Probiotics

My most important tip

Be grateful for what is, what you have, where you are, and who you are with. Feel abundant and blessed no matter what the circumstance. You are always and will always be provided for. Right here right now is always a time to live in Love.

Click here to see photos of our incredible travel journey.

Also posted in Coconut, Healing, Health, Nutrition, Travel – 1 Comment

Ode to the Miraculous COCONUT

March 17, 2010

Photo Credit: pielad

The Endless Health Benefits of the Coconut

Known as the “tree of life” in tropical cultures the wonderful fruit of the coconut palm has possibly the most health, skin, and functional benefits of any food on Earth. In recent years the incredible coconut has finally begun escaping the myths that had tarnished its name. Many still believe that it is fattening and will clog arteries because of its high saturated fat content, while in fact the opposite is true! Processed coconut products, such as sweet coconut cream, coconut sweets, and anything that has added sugar, trans fats, and chemicals will hurt your body and your waistline. Yet, fresh, pure Coconut is one of the most health-giving plants on the planet!

The following is from the Coconut Research Center , www.coconutresearchcenter.org/:

For thousands of years in traditional medicine around the world coconut has been used to treat a wide variety of health problems including: abscesses, asthma, baldness, bronchitis, bruises, burns, colds, constipation, cough, dysentery, earache, fever, flu, gingivitis, gonorrhea, irregular or painful menstruation, jaundice, kidney stones, lice, malnutrition, nausea, rash, scabies, scurvy, skin infections, sore throat, swelling, syphilis, toothache, tuberculosis, tumors, typhoid, ulcers, upset stomach, weakness, and wounds.

Published medical and scientific research also shows the following benefits:

* Kills viruses that cause influenza, herpes, measles, hepatitis C, SARS, AIDS, and other illnesses.
* Kills bacteria that cause ulcers, throat infections, urinary tract infections, gum disease and cavities, pneumonia, and gonorrhea, and other diseases.
* The caprylic acid found in coconut kills fungi and yeasts that cause candidiasis, ringworm, athlete’s foot, thrush, diaper rash, and other infections.
* Expels or kills tapeworms, lice, giardia, and other parasites.
* Provides a nutritional source of quick and lasting energy.
* Boosts energy and endurance, enhancing physical and athletic performance.
* Improves digestion and absorption of other nutrients including vitamins, minerals, and amino acids.
* Improves insulin secretion and utilization of blood glucose.
* Relieves stress on pancreas and enzyme systems of the body.
* Reduces symptoms associated with pancreatitis.
* Helps relieve symptoms and reduce health risks associated with diabetes.
* Reduces problems associated with malabsorption syndrome and cystic fibrosis.
* Improves calcium and magnesium absorption and supports the development of strong bones and teeth.
* Helps protect against osteoporosis.
* Helps relieve symptoms associated with gallbladder disease.
* Relieves symptoms associated with Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, and stomach ulcers.
* Improves digestion and bowel function.
* Relieves pain and irritation caused by hemorrhoids.
* Reduces inflammation.
* Supports tissue healing and repair.
* Supports and aids immune system function.
* Helps protect the body from breast, colon, and other cancers.
* Is heart healthy; improves cholesterol ratio reducing risk of heart disease.
* Protects arteries from injury that causes atherosclerosis and thus protects against heart disease.
* Helps prevent periodontal disease and tooth decay.
* Functions as a protective antioxidant.
* Helps to protect the body from harmful free radicals that promote premature aging and degenerative disease.
* Does not deplete the body’s antioxidant reserves like other oils do.
* Improves utilization of essential fatty acids and protects them from oxidation.
* Helps relieve symptoms associated with chronic fatigue syndrome.
* Relieves symptoms associated with benign prostatic hyperplasia (prostate enlargement).
* Reduces epileptic seizures.
* Helps protect against kidney disease and bladder infections.
* Dissolves kidney stones.
* Helps prevent liver disease.
* Is lower in calories than all other fats.
* Supports thyroid function.
* Promotes loss of excess weight by increasing metabolic rate.
* Is utilized by the body to produce energy in preference to being stored as body fat like other dietary fats.
* Helps prevent obesity and overweight problems.
* Applied topically helps to form a chemical barrier on the skin to ward of infection.
* Protects from the UV Rays of the sun
* Reduces symptoms associated the psoriasis, eczema, and dermatitis.
* Supports the natural chemical balance of the skin.
* Softens skin and helps relieve dryness and flaking.
* Prevents wrinkles, sagging skin, and age spots.
* Promotes healthy looking hair and complexion.
* Provides protection form damaging effects of ultraviolet radiation form the sun.
* Helps control dandruff.
* Does not form harmful by-products when heated to normal cooking temperature like other vegetable oils do.
* Has no harmful or discomforting side effects.

Coconut Oil: The “Healthiest Oil on Earth”
What makes coconut oil so amazing?
“The difference is in the fat molecule. All fats and oils are composed of molecules called fatty acids. Fatty acids consist of long chains of carbon atoms with hydrogen atoms attached. In this system you have short-chain fatty acids, medium-chain fatty acids, and long-chain fatty acids. Coconut oil is composed predominately of medium-chain fatty acids, also known as medium-chain triglycerides. The vast majority of commercial fats and oils, whether they are saturated or unsaturated or come from animals or plants, are composed of long-chain fatty acids.” – Coconut Research Center
All animal fats are extremely damaging to health. Refined Vegetable oils should also be avoided. Only use oils that are cold-pressed, unrefined, and FRESH.

“Our bodies respond to and metabolize each fatty acid differently depending on its size. So the physiological effects of medium-chain fatty acids in coconut oil are distinctly different from those of long-chain fatty acids more commonly found in unhealthy foods. They do not have a negative effect on cholesterol and help to protect against heart disease. Medium-chain fatty acids help to lower the risk of both atherosclerosis and heart disease.” – Coconut Research Center

Isn’t Coconut Oil Fattening?
Absolutely not! Coconut oil promotes weight LOSS. Long-chain fatty acids nearly always go to fat storage, while the medium-chain fatty acids are burned for energy. It is a high energy, long-lasting energy superfood! Coconut oil also helps to stimulate metabolism, so you burn more calories each day, which helps with weight loss and energy levels.

Coconut Oil is a Potent Immune Booster
Coconut Oil is overflowing with powerful Lauric Acid.   Lauric Acid boosts immunity and destroys harmful bacteria and viruses. Coconut oil is actually one of the closest foods on Earth to human breast milk.
And Coconut water is the closet thing found in nature to human blood plasma. Drinking it is like receiving a blood transfusion! The water of the coconut is also beneficial to the detoxifying organs, such as the kidneys and liver, it recharges you full of electrolytes, and it is the perfect thirst quencher.

“Coconut oil contains lauric acid, which is converted by the body into monolaurin. The action attributed to monolaurin is that of solubilizing the lipids, in the envelope of the virus, causing the disintegration of the virus envelope.” – Tom Mountford, The Health Benefits of Coconuts

“Scientists in the Philippines researched the effects of coconut oil and lauric acid on patients with the HIV virus that causes AIDS. Most of the AIDS patients showed a dramatic drop in the HIV virus count, in some cases to “undetectable” levels.” -Sheryl Walters, citizen journalist   (NaturalNews) Hopefully, more research will further substantiate these findings.

P.S. Good News: If you are allergic to coconuts, you may use coconut oil. Proteins in the coconut meat, not the oil extracted from it, cause the allergy.

Coconut: One of the most perfect Skin and Hair Beautifiers on the planet

The following except for ‘Coconut Oil for Hair and Scalp’ is from http://www.coconut-connections.com, Adapted from The Healing Miracles of Coconut Oil by Bruce Fife

Conventional body care products that are made with refined vegetable oils and animal oils generate free radicals both in and outside the body. If you use a lotion or cream with refined oil in it you are in fact causing your skin to age faster. Though it may seem to bring temporary improvement, the product will actually accelerate the aging of the skin and even promote skin cancer through the free radicals that are formed from the refined vegetable oils.

The small molecular structure of coconut oil allows for easy absorption through the skin. It prevents destructive free-radical formation and provides protection against them. It can help to keep the skin from developing liver spots, and other blemishes caused by aging and over-exposure to sunlight. It helps to keep connective tissues strong and supple so that the skin doesn’t sag and wrinkle. In some cases it might even restore damaged or diseased skin. The oil is absorbed into the skin and into the cell structure of the connective tissues, limiting the damage excessive sun exposure can cause. Coconut oil will not only bring temporary relief to the skin, but it will aid in healing and repairing long-term damage.

Coconut oil for Hair and Scalp
Saturating the hair and scalp with coconut oil and leaving in for 30 minutes or even overnight for greatest benefit will condition and soften the hair and scalp and help clear dandruff and other scalp conditions.

How Coconut Oil Protects the Skin in total Harmony
Healthy skin has a pH of about 5, making it slightly acidic. Natural skin oils, also known as Sebum, also contain medium chain fatty acids, in the form of medium chain triglycerides. The combination of slightly acid pH and medium chain fatty acids in Sebum provides a protective chemical layer on the skin that prevents infection from disease-causing organisms. Coconut oil is nature’s richest source of medium chain fatty acids. Coconut also has about the same pH as the skin, supporting its natural chemical balance.

When bathing or showering, soap washes the protective layer of oil and acid off our skin. By using a coconut oil product you can quickly help reestablish the skin’s natural antimicrobial and acid barrier.

Gorgeous Products Featuring Beautiful COCONUT OIL!

Radiant Love Butter
Delectable edible love lotion for moisture, massage, and play. For body, hands, lips – everywhere. A body or massage oil that glides, slides, smoothes and soothes skin. An organic orange swirl of vanilla and cinnamon dipped into raw oils of cococreme, jojoba and cacao butter for body, hands and lips.

Jai Baby Joy
Fresh infused vanilla beans dipped in coconut crème, jojoba and marula creating a loving oil to glide over a baby’s Jubilant skin. A beautiful libation for the whole family: beauty and baby massage oil for all faces to tiny toes, a blessing for pregnant tummies, for soft supple skin after bathing, and a very kissable men’s aftershave. Babies and bellies get yummier!

Everybody Loves the Sunshine
Let the sunshine in! Nourishment for sun-soaking and sun-soaked skin. Rich oils of the desert: jojoba plant, virgin coco-crème, red raspberry, seabuckthorn, schizandra berry, immortelle, carrot, rose, cape-chamomile, lavender, turmeric, lemon, palmarosa are a cooling canopy to restore and adore your heavenly body. So nourishing it is, the deep drink your whole body has been thirsting for. This Beautiful formula harmonizes your time in the sun.

Best Skin Ever and Ultra Restore & Ultra Sapphire also feature Coconut Oil

Enjoy the Coconut Love!

Also posted in Beauty Foods, Coconut, Coconut Oil, Healing, Health, Nutrition – 1 Comment

Eating for Beauty and Health: My first RAW TRAVEL Report: TROPICAL ISLANDS

March 17, 2010

Photo Credit: KhayaL

At home I am used to eating a great abundance of Organic vegetables all of the time – in the form of juices, salads, just out of the ground. When I first arrived in on the island in Belize, I was trying to get my hands on as many fresh veggies as I could. After I few days, the vegetables stopped feeling good and right in my body. Even though I was told they were organically grown, I researched with locals and found that they likely were not pesticide free. (‘Organic’ and especially organic certification are non-existent terms here, and pesticides are nearly ubiquitous.) Also, because many of the vegetables do not grow here in Belize they felt wrong in my body while staying on a tropical island!

I never eat tropical fruit at home, even though some grow locally during the spring and summer. Why? Because after several years, even though I have healed myself from many conditions, I still consider myself in the process of healing from a lifetime of damage resulting in Insulin Resistance, Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome, and Hypothyroidism. In order to heal these particular conditions, I was eating a very low glycemic diet with no fruit or sweeteners. I gradually moved to a low glycemic diet, then a low to moderate glycemic diet, which is where I have leveled out and what feels good to my body. I still do not use sweeteners at all except for my beloved unrefined Stevia. I do not eat fruits sweeter than apples and I do not eat dried fruits.

Here, far away from home, it took what felt like a huge amount of surrender to trust that eating what was available, plentiful, and grew naturally right here was the best way to serve my body! There was a time where I almost developed a fear of very sweet fruits (dates, bananas, etc.) because of the damage refined sweet foods had done to my body. Well, after I had my first plate or two of beautiful local fruits – Papaya, Banana, and Pineapple – I felt wonderful! I eat intuitively, based on what I feel I need and what feels good physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually – during and after I eat it. Now that I have been here for nearly two weeks and my body has adapted, I have been eating tropical fruits several times a day and that is what feels best to my spirit and body here in this tropical land.

I have a spiritual philosophy on food and nature. I believe that everything is nature was created to be the perfect nourishing, healing, loving gift to all beings. I have loved experiencing this even more fully and apparently as I have begun traveling to new parts of the world. The foods that feel nourishing, balancing, and happy in my body and spirit wherever I am are foods that grow right around me! The food that has been my greatest savior and joy here, and the food that grows wild, entirely without human intervention in total abundance . . . is the divine Coconut!

Surprisingly, few locals drink the coconut water or eat the fresh meat here. There are a few dishes, including the Caribbean variety (such as coconut curry shrimp) or the American variety (such as coconut pancakes or smoothies) that use coconut shreds and canned coconut milk. With locals and travelers alike, carrying a coconut in my arms, drinking the coconut water, and eating the meat has drawn lots of attention – both out of curiosity and oddity. Opening the coconut first to get to the water and then to meat takes some effort! My husband Jed has gallantly, generously, and most lovingly been getting the coconuts for me and uses a machete to quickly open them for water and then for meat, just like a local expert.

An aside – I have always relished the amazing water and meat of the coconut, but do not eat fresh coconuts very often in California because importing them from Thailand takes a toll on the environment and the nutritional value of the coconut. Also, there are few sources for Organic young coconuts in California, unless you live in the vicinity of coconut palms and can get them directly from the tree. There are two resources online that I found – but you have to order in bulk. The sites are: www.genefitnutrition.com and www.rawguru.com Also, you can find these organic young coconuts at Erewhon in Los Angeles. TAKE NOTE: The Young Thai Coconuts you find at your local health food store or Asian Market are NOT organic. (Easily identified – they are white and dome-shaped, not like the older coconuts while have a stringy, brown husk.) ALL of these are dipped in a preservative and pesticide, usually Formaldehyde – ick! Also, never drink the coconut water in boxes and especially aluminum cans! It is not organic and has little nutrient value, if any, left and you’ll be drinking aluminum when you drink it from the cans. You can taste the aluminum very strongly. The only fresh, organic bottled version of coconut water is made by Body Ecology and can be found in the freezer section of your health food store.

Traveling here was a challenge at first. I have become so accustomed to being the one in charge of what I eat and having such an endless abundance of food options! Being in the tropics with very little food options and receiving food from others rather than preparing it myself has been a process of progressing openness, flexibility, and surrender. My surrender to the food and the blessings that are here has allowed even greater joy and gratitude.

Also posted in Coconut, Health, Nutrition, Travel – 0 Comments