Nutrition | Living Earth Beauty

Category Archives: Nutrition

The Secret to Soft, Shiny Locks

September 3, 2010

The products you use to care for your hair have a massive effect on the beauty of your hair. They can either nourish your hair or damage it. Chemical, artificial hair care products always severely damage your hair, even though they claim to do the opposite. Other factors also play an integral role in the overall health and beauty of your hair. Poor nutrition, hormonal changes, chemicals, chlorinated water, pollutants, and alcohol consumption can all impair hair health. Skin is beautified with nourishment inside (nutrition, etc.) and out (nutritious skin products). The same is true for hair! Beautiful hair is not just something you are born with, how you nourish your body and your hair is what makes the difference!

Stunning Hair from the Inside Out

*HYDRATE! Drink twice your weight in ounces of spring or at least purified water per day.

*Foods for healthy hair include (all organic, if possible) dark green leafy vegetables, almonds, blackberries, papayas, plums, celery, green beans, sweet potatoes, pumpkin, sesame and sunflower seeds, buckwheat, millet, sea vegetables, garlic, onion, olive oil, avocado.

*Hair is comprised of 95-97% protein and 3% moisture.
So, Plant proteins are particularly beneficial: spirulina, green leafy veggies, sprouts, raw nuts, raw seeds, sun-cured olives , avocado.

*Herbs or herbal teas: alfalfa, burdock root, horsetail, ho shou wu, nettle, oat straw.

*Drink plenty of fresh organic vegetable juices.

*Nutrients preferably from food (listed above) or from supplementation if needed: Zinc, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Vitamin B complex: PABA, Folic Acid, Biotin.

*Camu camu when added to hair care products strengthens, untangles, and protects hair from external damage.

*Sulfur is also particularly beneficial. MSM is a great way to get plenty of sulfur. Cacao is also high in the beauty mineral sulfur. Sulfur builds strong nails and hair, promotes beautiful skin, detoxifies the liver, and supports healthy pancreas functioning.

*Most importantly (besides water) PLENTY of Omega-3 Fatty Acids.

Best sources Omega-3 Fatty Acids:

* Flax seeds and fresh flax oil
* Hemp seeds and fresh hemp oil
* Chia seeds
* Walnuts
* Marine Phytoplankton

Care your Hair with these Special Tips

* Scalp Massages promote hair beauty, help prevent hair loss, stimulate the sebaceous glands, and improve circulation. Add 3-4 drops of Rosemary Essential oil to your fingers. Apply fingertips to your scalp and move in small circular motions for one minute in each area of your scalp. Work from hairline to sides, then over crown to the base of your neck, the way the blood flows to the heart. Inverting your head by bending forward while doing the massage is especially beneficial.
* Brushing the hair helps distribute he scalp’s oils to the full length of the hair and increases circulation the scalp. Start brushing at the ends of your hair and work up, brushing a few inches higher after every few strokes. Hold your hair while brushing it to avoid breakage and tugging at your scalp. It is good to brush your hair before washing it. Avoid brushing when wet because it is more likely to break due to its weaker hydrogen bonds.
* Avoid washing hair daily. For very oily hair, wash every other day maximum. For normal to dry hair, wash once or twice a week. Wash your hair in warm water and rinse with cool water to close the outer covering of the hair shaft. Squeaky clean hair is a sign of damage and not something to strive for.
* Consider getting a shower filter if you are not on well water. It will help protect your hair, skin, and your body (through absorption) from chlorine and other dangerous and damaging chemicals.

* Much gratitude for the wonderful book, Beauty by Nature by Brigitte Mars, from which much of the above is sourced.

Also posted in Beauty, Hair – 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, Food, Healing, Health, 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, Food, Healing, Health – 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, Food, Health, Travel – 0 Comments

Oral Health from the Inside Out

February 25, 2010

Photo Credit: sweetbeetandgreenbean

Proper oral care is extremely important, but the health of your teeth and gums is also primarily determined by how healthy your body is on the inside. Using the best oral care products possible and brushing 10 times a day will not protect against decay if your diet is high in refined foods. The further away a food is from it’s natural state, the more harm it can bring your teeth. Refined foods lead to higher acidic levels in your body. This damages teeth and gums. When the body is acidic, it borrows the calcium and other minerals it is depleted of from teeth and bones.

A diet high in vitamins and minerals is essential for oral health – particularly calcium and vitamins A and D. Vitamins A and C are needed for the absorption of calcium, and calcium is an important element in our teeth.

Choose these foods that are abundant in vitamins and minerals and foods that naturally fight bacteria, remove plaque, strengthen enamel, and freshen breath:

1. Sea Vegetables
Sea vegetables are very rich in calcium and they also contain large amounts of vitamin C. They also has contain Fluorine, which fights tooth decay.

2. Vegetables
Green plants have large amounts of chlorophyll, phosphorous, and vitamins A and C, all of which are needed for calcium absorption. Chlorophyll helps build enamel and prevents tooth decay. Vitamin C helps reduce plaque from building up. Broccoli, carrots, sweet potato, pumpkin are all vegetables that contain large amounts of vitamin A. Vitamin A is required for the formation of tooth enamel. Crunchy vegetables also bring health to gums by cleansing and stimulating them.

3. Fruits
Most fruits contain good amounts of vitamin C. Vitamin C creates the cement that holds all of our cells together. It is vital for beautiful skin, and for the health of your gum tissue. If you don’t get enough vitamin C, the collagen network in your gums can break down, making your gums tender and more susceptible to the bacteria that cause periodontal disease. Kiwis are particularly high in vitamin C. Berries such as Goji Berries, Blackberries, Strawberries, Camu Camu berry, and Cloudberry are bursting with large amounts of vitamin C.

Be sure to rinse your mouth out with water or brush immediately after eating fruit, so that the sugars and acids are not sitting on your teeth. If you eat citrus fruit, rinse with water, but wait at least 30 minutes before brushing to avoid damaging enamel.

4. Onions
Onions contain powerful sulfur compounds, which kill various types of bacteria. Their antibacterial compounds are most potent when eaten freshly peeled and raw. p.s. There are some tips below for natural breath fresheners.

5. Celery
Celery protects your teeth in two ways: The extra chewing it requires produces plenty of saliva, which neutralizes the bacteria that causes cavities. Additionally, chewing on naturally abrasive foods massages gums and cleans between teeth.

6. Sesame seeds
Sesame seeds are high in calcium, which helps preserve the bone around your teeth and gums. Eating Seeds (in their whole form) also slough off plaque and help build tooth enamel.

7. Shiitake Mushrooms
Lentinan, a sugar found in shiitake mushrooms, prevents mouth bacteria from creating plaque.

8. Water
Water cleanses the mouth, allowing the saliva to work wonders depositing essential minerals back into the weakened teeth. Drinking water keeps your gums hydrated and is the best way to stimulate saliva–your body’s greatest defense against the bacteria that cause plaque and cavities. Rinsing your mouth with water also helps wash away trapped food particles that decompose in the mouth and cause bad breath. If you can’t brush your teeth after eating, be sure to rinse your mouth with water.

Sources:

Berry, Lynn, Beyond Non-Toxic Toothpaste: Tips for Healthy Teeth, NaturalNews.com, December 8, 2007
10 Most Healthy Foods for Teeth, Dental Health Magazine, April 16th, 2009
Knittel, Linda, 10 Foods for a healthy, beautiful smile: protect your teeth and gums with these stellar foods – Diet and nutrition: how to eat right, Natural Health, Dec, 2002, Weider Publications, Gale Group

Also posted in Beauty Foods, Health, Oral Care – 1 Comment

Recipe: Raw Chocolate Pudding (and the truth about ‘raw’ cashews)

December 6, 2009

Photo Credit: sweetonveg

Jed loves this treat. He adores dipping fresh, organic berries, especially strawberries, in it.

Ingredients

1/2 cup – 2 cups soaked Raw, Organic Cashews*
4 Tablespoons Raw, Organic Carob Powder (We use Carob, but you may use Raw Cacao Powder, if you like, for even more chocolaty-richness). We like the Raw European Carob, as it has a “roasted” flavor like chocolate, but it is raw.
2 teaspoons Vanilla (I use pure dried/powdered vanilla bean)
Sweetener of your choice (I use Stevia, but you could also use raw, organic Honey, Yacon Syrup, or Agave Nectar)
a dash of Cinnamon
spring or purified Water

Instructions
Soak 1/2 – 2 cups of truly raw, organic Cashews* overnight. (The amount of cashews depends on how many people you want to serve or how much you want left over).

Drain and rinse the Cashews.
Place all ingredients in your Vita-Mix (or very powerful blender) and blend until completely smooth. Start with approximately a 1/2 cup of water. Add more water if the consistency is too thick or it will not blend easily.
Enjoy as is or as a sweet, chocolaty dip for fruit

* All cashews are steamed to remove the skin, unless the package says that they have been skinned by hand. Therefore, cashews are not raw unless they are labeled “truly raw” and are treated by hand. Eating only truly raw cashews ensures that the fat has not oxidized due to the heat applied to them and that their enzymes are intact.

*The oils found in the cashew shell are poisonous. Cashews are in the same family as poison ivy and poison sumac. This is why you always see them shelled and skinned. I was concerned about this fact for while and stopped eating them. But, I soon came to my senses. Being cashew-free only lasted a few months – they are so luscious. I eat them alone as dessert sometimes, they are so naturally sweet. They really are totally safe and extremely healthy to eat when the skin is removed and when they are truly raw, so no need to go without these sweet, creamy nuts.

Also posted in Health, Recipes, Uncategorized – 1 Comment

6 Ways to Start Making Healthy Food Choices – Become an Empowered Eater

October 23, 2009

Our Kitchen Island after the local Farmer's Market

One Sunday Trip to the Farmer's Market

Do you have the automatic habit of eating whatever is in front of you or eating something just because it sounds or smells good? Do you want to discover how to enhance your wellness, beauty, and confidence by taking charge of your diet? Here’s how to transform your habitual way of eating into a conscious, joyful choice – become an empowered eater!

Keep a Food Journal

I’m often asked for one easy step to move towards healthy eating. That’s easy – I recommend keeping a food journal - recording in a notebook everything you eat or drink, how you felt before eating, how you feel immediately after eating, and how you feel several hours later. This includes everything that enters your body, including supplements, pharmaceuticals, and water. Using a journal will bring eating and drinking from an unconscious behavior to a conscious awareness. Also, you’ll notice that by choosing to feel the effect of each substance that enters your body, you will reconnect with the physical and emotional feedback that your body gives any time you eat or drink. We are one synergistic being, everything we think, feel, eat, or drink affects every part of our being. Our Body, Mind, and Spirit are all affected by the food choices we make. The deeper we go with the awareness of how everything we eat and drink affects our entire being, those around us, and the planet at large, the healthier we will eat. (Ask in the comments if you would like a sample layout for a food journal.)

Ask Yourself: How Close is This Food to Nature?

A relatively new development in the last 100 years has been packaged, pre-processed food. For millions of years before that, our ancestors have successfully eaten food exactly as it came from the earth, with minimal preparation. A simple trick for choosing food in a store or restaurant is to ask yourself, “How close is this food to nature?” Think about what it took for the food to get from a garden or farm to your hands. Choosing food with the fewest steps to reach you and the least processing means that more nutrients and natural components will be part of the meal. When you do eat out or buy packaged food, read labels and be wary of anything that you cannot pronounce, do not recognize, or sounds like it was created in a lab or factory. (We all know what sounds like a chemical, ie “Butylated Hydroxyanisole”.) If you eat out, ask what the ingredients are and where they came from. Tracing food and ingredients back to their natural source is a fun and simple way to reconnect with the life-giving nature of foods fresh from the earth.

Eliminate Processed and Damaging Foods

Now you have started asking “How close is this food to nature?” And surprisingly, you have found that much of the food in grocery stores and restaurants contains processed ingredients. Choose to begin eliminating these foods, and bringing in creative replacements. Many people look for motivation in this stage, and I recommend two methods. First, try “crowding out” the harmful foods by adding in more luscious fruits and vegetables. Second, give yourself a gentle but firm schedule for eliminating harmful foods in stages. For example: “By December 1st I will end my relationship with foods containing refined sugar. By January 15th, I will stop eating processed fats.” Involving friends and family in the process of empowered eating is a fun way to receive support and accountability. (If you need support and accountability on your path, please don’t hesitate to contact me.)

Damaging Foods Categories:

Refined Sugars
All Processed Foods, including Processed Starches, Processed Fats, etc.
Dairy (If you choose to keep dairy in your diet, Raw Dairy is a better option, especially Raw Goat’s Milk products)
Animal Protein (If you choose to keep animal products in your diet, which I highly recommend against for health and ethical reasons, reduce the frequency you consume meat to 1-3 times per week. Also, try make sure the animal was treated as well as possible and the meat is free from antibiotics, hormones, and was fed the food that it was designed to eat, such as grass, not corn. Buy your meat and dairy from local Organic farmers, if possible.)

Connect With Your Food

Know where your food comes from and how it came to be. Prepare your own food at home as much as you possibly can. Eat Organic, Locally, and Seasonally whenever possible. Support your local Organic Farmers – buy your food at your local Co-op, Farmer’s Market, or even better yet, grow your own food.

Be Prepared

I always plan in advance when I am going to be away from home for several hours and when traveling. I bring snacks like veggies, fruit, nuts, etc. when away from home or traveling. When on a road trip or camping, we bring a cooler full of fresh food and veggie juice I make just beforehand. We also bring Green Food Powder, like Billy’s Infinity Greens, so that when the veggie juice runs out we have an easy dose of energy and nutrients – just add water. When traveling by airplane, we also always bring snacks and meals we have prepared ourselves. The food at airports is terrible! Never get stuck there hungry and unprepared. Also, I find out ahead of time where health food stores and 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.

Educate Yourself

Read books and watch films about the food industry and where your food comes from. You’ll be surprised by what you learn. Here are a few to get started:

BOOKS:

In Defense of Food: An Eater’s Manifesto and The Omnivore’s Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals by Michael Pollan – The quintessential starting point on the path of food awareness

The China Study by T. Colin Campbell – The Most Comprehensive Study of Nutrition Ever Conducted and the Startling Implications for Diet, Weight Loss and Long-term Health.

FILMS:

Food, Inc. – A recent documentary exposing the insides of the United States food production system.

Foodmatters – You are what you eat.

Earthlings – Humans and Animals can interact peacefully. (View Free on Google Video)

JOIN ORGANIZATIONS:

I receive the Organic Consumers Association newsletter for regular up-to-date information on food and the food industry.

Since I became an empowered eater, my life completely changed. I stopped getting sick – ever. I would like everyone to know that getting a cold or the flu does not have to be a normal seasonal routine. I have not had a cold or virus, not even a sniffle, for over six years now and I do not expect to ever have one again. My immune system is so strong because of the healthy way I eat that colds or the flu never have a chance in my body. When I began eating consciously I also lost weight, began looking more vibrant and beautiful, and became more happy, positive, energized, and more able to give and receive love. You absolutely can have the healthy, happy life that you desire. Conscious, empowered eating is an essential part of creating a healthy, happy life!

Also posted in Health – 2 Comments

Moms, Your Baby Loves What You Eat

October 16, 2009

photo credit: fofurasfelinas

I’m often asked “What easy steps I can take to start on the path of wellness and joyful nutrition?” The answer is simple: the key to eating in a deeply nourishing and healthy way is to tune in to your body. Feel what your body desires at the deepest level, instead of what your mind craves or advertising dictates. Start noticing how you feel physically and emotionally before, during and after eating. Your body always wants what will nourish you the most and feed every cell of your body.

Pregnancy is the ultimate call to listen to your own body and the baby growing inside of you. Pregnancy is not an excuse to “junk out” with foods that address emotional cravings. Your body needs more nourishment and nutrients than ever for you AND for your baby. Nutrient dense food is what your body is craving. Yes! your pregnant body is truly craving nutrients, not junk as we have been acculturated to believe. The less you take in the nutrients you need to live and thrive, the more you body will call out to you – you will be more hungry, you will have intense cravings, you will never feel satisfied.

I recently visited a dear, old friend and her beautiful and healthy 4-month-old baby. We were discussing food, as can be a common topic when I am around. She shared a gem of wisdom with me, saying “when I was pregnant, my food choices were simple – when I wanted something sweet, I would say to myself ‘would I feed my baby a brownie or a piece of fruit?’ The choice was obvious.” Wow! That is the perfect way to consider what you eat when you are pregnant. You are not only feeding yourself, every single morsel of food you eat or beverage you drink enters your baby’s body as well. Would you feed a newborn baby a cheeseburger, a pint of double chocolate chip ice cream, or a latte? And further, would you want your child to only desire these foods as he or she grows older? Or would it be nice if he or she loved natural, nutritious fruits and vegetables?

Believe it or not, you have the choice:

Your Baby Loves What You Eat When Pregnant and Breastfeeding
Written by Sheryl Duruz

At the Monell Chemical Senses Centre in Philadelphia they were researching to see if what the mother ate affected the lifelong food and flavour preferences in their babies. Dr Mennella had a group made up of pregnant and nursing mothers carrot juice every day. Once eating food the children who were exposed to the taste of carrots through the amniotic fluid or breast milk were much keener on carrots than those whose mothers had not drunk carrot juice!

A similar study was then done on peaches and found the same result.

Then a third where breastfeeding mothers whose babies were starting to eat solids but hated green beans had a turn around once the mother started eating them too (and passed on the proof she was in her breast milk)!

Julie Mennella, who carried out the study, said: “Flavours from the mother’s diet are transmitted through amniotic fluid and mother’s milk. A baby learns to like a food’s taste when the mother eats that food on a regular basis.”

So if you want to help your children be healthy and enjoy healthy foods start early by taking excellent care of yourself!! Dr Mennella said: “If mothers want their babies to learn to like to eat vegetables, especially green vegetables, they need to provide them with opportunities to taste these foods.”

I will leave you with more beautiful words from my friend and new mama:

“Pregnancy was an incredibly sacred time and I felt very protective of my baby as he developed for his entrance into this world. I wish more woman would recognize their responsibility to their developing infants–it’s so much more than just not smoking and drinking. I truly believe that he is a content little guy because he developed in a calm, healthy, organic environment.”

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Recipe: Sweet & Creamy Raw Oatmeal

October 5, 2009

Photo Credit: digiyesica

This breakfast delight is my husband’s favorite. He has been eating it every morning for at least the last six months!

Ingredients

1 cup Organic, Raw, Steel-cut Oats (rolled oats are steamed and thus, not raw)

1/4 cup Organic, Raw Walnuts (Pecans are also nice)

2 tablespoons of Organic, Raw Chia Seeds

1 tablespoon (or to taste) Organic, Cold-Pressed Coconut Oil Or Organic, Raw Almond Butter

1 dash Organic Pure Vanilla Powder (dried vanilla bean ground to a powder)

1 dash Organic Cinnamon

1 dash Himalayan or Celtic sea salt

Sweetener options: 1 dropper-full English Toffee Stevia, 1 teaspoon unrefined Stevia Leaf Powder, 1 teaspoon Organic, Raw Honey, or 1 teaspoon Organic Yacon Syrup

Optional

One small handful of Organic Raisins (soaked or unsoaked)

Jed likes extra protein, so 1 add one scoop of delicious tasting Raw Power

Fresh, Organic Blueberries

Organic Banana slices

Instructions

Soak Oats and Walnuts overnight in an uncovered glass container (in the same container is fine) with plenty of the purest source water possible

Soak Chia Seeds separately overnight

In the morning:

Drain oats/nuts and rinse/drain 2-3 times with purified/spring water.
Put into bowl, and add 1/2 Tbsp coconut oil or 1 Tbsp almond butter.
Add water to the oatmeal (heat water to under 100 degrees if you need help melting the coconut oil and/or if it is a cold day and you need warming up). Oats are a “warming” food to the body, so warm, room temperature, or cool, the oats will warm you body from the inside out.
Add chia seeds
Mix in your sweetener of choice
Add dash of vanilla and cinnamon
Add Himalayan or Celtic sea salt to taste.
Optional: Add raisins, protein powder, blueberries, or banana slices

Enjoy!

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Beauty Foods: Sauerkraut!

October 1, 2009

photo credit: rachel is coconut&lime

What is Fermentation?

Vegetable fermentation is a natural process of using lactic acid bacteria for fermentation. Cabbage is the best vegetable to ferment, because it has copious amounts of lactic acid bacteria.

The Health Benefits of Fermented Foods

Fermented foods aid in digestion, support immune function, stop cravings for sugar and carbohydrates in processed foods, contain B vitamins and anti-inflammatory omega-3 fatty acids, can help to reduce high cholesterol levels in our blood, and increase the ability to absorb nutrients in your foods by up to one hundred times. Consuming foods that contain live lacto-bacteria has protective benefits against pathogenic microorganisms, aiding our bodies into fighting and preventing diseases, such as cancer. All of these health benefits also have a significant affect on the beauty and youthfulness of your skin!

Make Your Own Sauerkraut

Making your own sauerkraut is fun and easy! Most commercial sauerkraut is pasteurized, thus killing the beneficial flora (except for a few brands like Rejuvenative). Jed and I recently made two batches. One turned out just right and was so delicious, it was all I wanted to eat for days. The other batch went bad and was a total wash. We prepared both batches exactly the same and used the same jars for both. It is helpful to keep in mind that fermentation is more of an art than a science. They are so many factors, even uncontrollable ones, that can affect the fermentation process. Being free of an attachment to the outcome is a good idea, just in case it does not not turn out the way you hope. I have found that the more practice I have with fermenting, the more I increase my chances of success. Once you get down the timing, the measurements, the jars, the tools, the ingredients that work for you, delicious results become much more likely.

The Recipe

Container & Tools:

a glass or ceramic jar (no plastic! it will leach into your food)

I like to eat the sauerkraut as a snack or meal, instead of as a condiment, since I love it so much, so I use large jars to make a large quantity.

a wooden spoon with a long handle (metal will kill the friendly bacteria)

Ingredients:

1/4 – 1 full head of Organic Cabbage depending on how much you desire

4-5 tablespoons per quart of Organic, Raw, Unfiltered Apple Cider Vinegar

2 tablespoons per quart Himalayan Crystal Salt or Celtic Sea Salt (Using salt in the process prevents the breakdown of vegetable proteins and the overgrowth of yeast.)

The most pure Water possible, water directly from a natural spring that you have collected yourself, or Artesian well water is the ideal choice. Do NOT use chlorinated tap water! The chlorine will kill the friendly bacteria you are trying to cultivate.

Instructions

Wash your hands (the environment should be as sterile as possible).
Choose a clean, sterile jar or jars to ferment in.
Chop the cabbage into whatever size pieces you desire. Chopping it in a food processor will yield more condiment size pieces. Place the cabbage in the jar.
Add the Apple Cider Vinegar and the Salt to the jar and then fill the jar with water so the cabbage is covered by at least an inch of water.
Use a sterile wooden spoon to mix the cabbage, salt, vinegar, and water together. I use the handle of a long wooden spoon to mash everything together. The spoon part is too big to get through all of the fairly tightly packed cabbage in the jar.
Seal the jar – not too tightly. A jar that is sealed too tightly could result in an explosion.
Place the jar in a dark place. I use a low kitchen cabinet. The closer to the floor the cabinet is, the more stable the temperature will be. The average household temperature is fine for fermentation (68-72 degrees).
Check on the sauerkraut in about 5 days. If a scum forms on the surface, do not fret, it should only affect the surface. Remove the scum if it does form and make sure the cabbage underneath is unaffected. Taste the sauerkraut. It should start to be sour and tangy after a few days, and should get stronger with time. In cool temperatures, the fermentation process could continue for weeks or months. In warmer temperatures the process is far more rapid and could be ready in a week or so. You instinctively know whether a food has gone bad or is delightfully tangy and fermented. Use your amazing senses to determine when you would like to eat it! To stop the fermentation process, place the saurkraut in the refridgerator. It will last for months in the fridge.

Tip: Food Grade Hydrogen Peroxide is an instant, easy, and effective sterilizer.

Experiment with fermentation and glow with health and beauty! Enjoy!

Also posted in Beauty Foods, Recipes – 1 Comment