LOVE

PRAY

DREAM

DANCE

LAUGH

LET GO

CHANGE

FORGIVE

BE STILL

HAVE FAITH

BE FEARLESS

SERVE OTHERS

LIVE WITH PASSION

THIS IS LIFE

JUST TRY

BREATH

LOVE

YOU

A FEW SUGGESTIONS FOR THE NEW DECADE

2010

I don't know about you, but on some level that I am at a loss for words, I welcome in the new decade with open arms. Each new year brings in a fresh start, but this year we have an added bonus of beginning a new decade. Now that we are just a couple years from 2012, we have an opportunity ahead of us to welcome change.

2012 is not an "end" in a destructive way, but rather a turning point to a time we all will gradually open to things our left brain cannot "prove" to be true, yet in our hearts we know it to be so. This is refreshing and it is happening to all of us now on some level. Think about it...things such as a belief in acupuncture, herbs, massage, energy work and even astrology are more widely accepted now compared to 10 years ago. We can only choose to be open to all possibilities, or be left standing in the dust as the world moves forward to "the impossible". I have come to learn being stubborn will hold you back :)

If you would like to consider doing something good for your body to kick off the new decade, I have a few suggestions for you that require minimal effort on your part, but could provide a grand pay off.

One: Drink tea
Two: Give your liver some love
Three: Try a little Slippery Elm Bark for a few weeks

TEA: When drinking tea, use 2 tea bags and steep for at least 10 minutes. Green tea is very powerful!!!! Studies show the rates of lung cancer in Asian countries are very low despite their bad smoking habits. The compounds in green tea clean the lungs...so drink up! Scroll down for more details, use the link below for more encouraging information, and of course buy organic tea when possible. Why drink pesticides when you are trying to do something good for yourself? http://chinesefood.about.com/library/weekly/aa011400a.htm

LIVER: Give your liver a break and shower it with milk thistle or a good liver cleansing tonic. Your liver is like your body's "General" it directs all the energy or chi flowing through your body. If your liver is stagnate, blocked and toxic your life force energy will become stagnated or stuck. If this is the case you probably are experiencing such things as skin issues, allergies, fatigue, head aches etc. Your doctor most likely will NOT suggest you try a cleanse or take an herbal remedy for your liver. He/she will probably give you a drug of some sort to calm your symptoms after running a series of tests. Yep, we need western medicine when it cures. Your body is the most magnificent machine you will ever own. It will run smoothly and heal itself if you give it the raw materials it needs according to mother nature. It is a self healing machine. However, if you do not house clean at the very least once a year or mind what you put in it, your day will come when you have to take drastic measures to restore your health.

I love LIVER RESCUE from Health Force Nutritionals available on line or at Karyn's on Halsted. Take the therapeutic dosage for a week or so and then just use daily. Also at Karyn's is a line called Herbs of Light that has special tinctures to treat the liver and so much more. Straight up milk thistle is a good thing too. In Australia they sell milk thistle in 15,000 mg tablets....here in the US it is generally sold in 200mg tablets so don't be shy!

SLIPPERY ELM: Do you have stomach/intestinal issues? Consider drinking chamomile tea daily along with one heaping teaspoon of slippery elm bark dissolved in a little bit of water daily for 3 weeks. Slippery elm will coat, heal, and seal the stomach and intestinal track. This is KEY for those suffering from leaky gut, colitis, ulcers, irritable bowl, allergies etc etc!

Slippery Elm should be taken on an empty stomach. You can find it in the bulk section of whole foods in powder form. So simple and will benefit everyone! For more information on slippery
elm click here http://www.all4naturalhealth.com/benefits-of-slippery-elm.html

OK....hope this gives you something to nibble on to start off the new decade with something new! Add some tea to your daily routine....check out a liver tonic and do a regime of slippery elm bark for a few weeks!

Here is the skinny on tea!

TEA is the 2nd most consumed beverage in the world next to water. The four main types of teas are: green, black, oolong, and white. Flowers, fruits, and herbs can also be added into the tea. In Women's Health magazine it had a section on tea, claiming that "a recent study found that people who drink tea are biologically younger than their actual age by about 5 years." How does it do this? Antioxidants. One of the reasons we age is because of oxidation and free radicals.

A free radical is a “bully” atom to all the other atoms. It steals electrons from your healthy cells so it can become stable. This results in DNA damage or dysfunctional proteins. Antioxidants come to the rescue and give up their own elections to the free radicals. The antioxidants found in tea are called phenols. Four cups of tea provide:

129 mg potassium (important in the regulation of fluid balance as well as for the proper functioning of cells, including nerves and muscle)

1.1 mg manganese (essential for the development of enzymes, as well as being an important component for bone and cartilage)

76 mcg riboflavin (also known as vitamin B2; required to release energy from protein, carbohydrate and fat)

0.76 mg niacin (involved in the release of energy in tissues and cells)

Green tea
Studies have been done to show green tea may help with weight loss and prevent or slow:
Cancer (LUNG, bladder, colon, esophageal, stomach, and pancreas)
Heart disease
Arthritis
Liver disease
Tooth decay

Herbal tea
An infusion of anything from dried leaves, pieces of ripe fruit, flowers, grasses, nuts, barks, seeds or other botanicals that give the tea its flavor or health benefit. Examples:
Hibiscus - reduces high blood pressure and helps with menstrual cramps
Peppermint - calming and aids stomach and digestive problems
Chamomile - calming, anti-inflammatory and heals the stomach

Black tea
Naturally high in flavonoids which can
Reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke
Lower cholesterol
Reduce inflammations
Improve blood flow
Maintains sugar levels

Oolong tea
Contains more polyphenols than black and green tea (which help protect against health conditions and diseases)
Revs metabolism to promote weight loss
Improves skin appearance
A cup contains half the caffeine of a cup of coffee

White tea
Studies have shown that white tea may:
Boost immune systems
Prevent dental plaque buildup
Protect skin cell damage

Rooibos tea
Herbal red tea that has no caffeine
Many natural minerals and antioxidants
Contains aspalathin, a flavonoid, that protects against heart disease
Anti-inflammatory and calming properties
Aids in digestive problems, nausea, stomach cramps, and constipation

The Secret Bath

My teacher and inspiration, John Douglas www.spirit-repair.com has a remedy that will calm any nerve, clear any "bug", sooth any over stressed muscle and just about anything else under the sun. It is as simple as it gets. All you need to do is fill a tub, give yourself 30 minutes to 2 hours, light a candle, get a good book or calming music, or even better just gaze and turn off your "mind" and enjoy.

Here is what you need for one bath:
2 pounds of sea salt
1pound of baking soda
1 pound of epsom salt

Fill the tub with hot water, no soap, add all the "potions" as they quickly dissolve....then just relax in bliss for 30 minutes minimum to 2 hours. Get out of the tub, rinse off in a clean shower, wrap yourself up in love!

Enjoy and please share the love!

Looking Great at 93!

Many may have heard of Jack LaLanne a man ahead of his times and a testimony of how exercise an optimal nutrition can help reserve you. He said, “Exercise is King, nutrition is Queen, put them together and you’ve got a kingdom.”

Dr Mercola has put together a great article regarding Jack and 10 steps to optimal health that I found interesting and wanted to continue to spread the inspiration far and wide.

Here is your link to Mercola's article for your daily dose of guidance or inspiration!

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2009/08/11/Do-You-Want-to-Look-Like-This--Great-Reasons-to-Exercise-and-Eat-Right.aspx

Grocery Store Bar Codes

Another reminder when grocery shopping...if the produce sticker has a code that begins with a 4 then it was grown conventionally, if it begins with a 9 then it was grown organically, and if it begins with an 8 then it is a GMO (genetically modified).

Hidden Messages in Water

Here is a compilation of thoughts from the "Hidden Messages in Water" Masaru Emoto. Check it our for yourself and spread the idea far and wide.

"The most beautiful and delicate crystal that I had seen was formed by water being exposed to the words, "love and gratitude". It was as if the water had rejoiced and celebrated by creating a flower in bloom. It was so beautiful that it actually changed my life from that moment on. Water had taught me the delicacy of the human soul, and the impact that "love and gratitude" can have on the world. We all know that words have an enormous influence on the way we think and feel. Words are an expression of the soul.

The earth is searching. It wants to be beautiful. It wants to be the most beautiful it can be. We define the human being as water. I am quite certain that the water in the people who look at the photographs of crystals undergoes some form of change. I have found the most beautiful crystal of all. The one created by "love and gratitude" This is supposedly what all the world's religions are founded on. Water reaches from every individual cell to encompass the entire cosmos. The individual and society make up one enormous ocean. By adding our individual drops to this ocean, we participate in the formation of society."

In Love and Gratitude!

What Is Krill Oil and Why Is It Beneficial?

Many of you may be subscribers to Dr Mercola’s newsletter at http://www.mercola.com/ . If not, consider it an invitation as Dr Mercola is a good source to educate yourself on many topics when it comes to health.

I was asked yesterday if I take fish oil and why not. Generally knowing many of our water sources are contaminated with environmental pollutions which means our fish are literally “toxic”, I typically choose to clear fish off my personal menu. What I do supplement with instead is krill oil for a bountiful supply of omega 3.

I have pulled some information from Dr Mercola’s website here to give you the “ quick and dirty” on what exactly krill is and it benefits. Knowledge is power so here is his angle and education on krill.

Krill oil is made from krill, a small, shrimp-like crustacean that inhabits the cold ocean areas of the world. Despite their small size, krill make up the largest animal biomass on the planet. There are approximately 500 million tons of krill roaming around in northern seas.

Krill oil, like fish oil, contains omega-3 fats such as eicosapentanoic acid (EPA) and docosahexanoic acid (DHA). However, in fish oil, these omega-3 fats are found in the triglyceride form. In krill oil, they are found in a double chain phospholipid structure. The fats in human cell walls are in the phospholipid form. The phospholipid structure of the EPA and DHA in krill oil makes them much more absorbable.

Krill oil also contains vitamin E, vitamin A, vitamin D and canthaxanthin, which is a potent anti-oxidant. The anti-oxidant potency of krill oil is, in terms of ORAC (Oxygen Radical Absorptance Capacity) values, 48 times more potent than fish oil. The astaxanthin found in krill oil provides also excellent protection against ultraviolet light and UV-induced skin damage.

Dr Mercola is not a major fan of too many supplements as he believes your best source for optimal nutrition is through whole foods and I AGREE! Krill oil, however, is one of his exceptions as most Americans consume far too few omega-3 fats, and way too many omega-6s.
Your ideal ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fats is 1:1. Today, however, most people’s ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 averages from 20:1 to a staggering 50:1. Those kinds of ratios spell serious danger to your health. So serious, in fact, that even the mainstream health media now reports that lack of omega-3 is one of the most serious health issues plaguing contemporary society.

As far as supplements are concerned, two of the best yet simple ways to improve your overall health include:

1.Increasing your intake of antioxidants
2.Increasing your intake of omega-3 oils

And krill oil accomplishes both of those missions. Dr Mercola used to recommend that you take fish oil to enhance your intake of omega-3 fats. And high-quality fish oils are certainly great products with many important health benefits. However, fish oil is weak in antioxidant content, whereas krill oil contains potent antioxidants. In a perfect world, you would be able to get all the omega-3s you need by eating fish. Unfortunately, the vast majority of our fish supply is now so heavily contaminated with industrial pollutants and toxins like mercury, PCBs, heavy metals and radioactive poisons that I just can’t recommend it any longer. Even the slow-to-react FDA and EPA have put out health advisories warning against certain fish and shellfish consumption for young children, women who are pregnant or may become pregnant, and nursing mothers.

Dr Mercola believes krill oil is the perfect substitute for fish consumption as krill is not plagued with the problem of heavy contamination. Being on the bottom of the food chain, krill simply do not have enough time to accumulate dangerous levels of toxins like other marine sources.

Krill has been shown to be beneficial for a really wide range of health issues, including:

Support for concentration, memory and learning
Blood sugar health
Healthy joints, with an increase in joint comfort
Fighting signs of aging
Protection for cell membranes
Cholesterol and other blood lipid health
Healthy liver function
Relief of normal PMS symptoms
Bolstering your immune system
Healthy mood support
Optimal skin health

Krill Oil is a Potent Treatment for Inflammation and Arthritis Symptoms. Several studies have been published on the remarkable effectiveness of krill oil, including a 2007 study in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition which evaluated the effect of Neptune Krill Oil (NKO) on patients with chronic inflammation and arthritis. After just 7 days of treatment, krill oil reduced inflammation by more than 19 percent, while the placebo group had an increase of inflammatory C-reactive protein of nearly 16 percent! It also significantly reduced pain scores, reduced stiffness and reduced functional impairment. After 14 days of treatment, krill oil further decreased inflammation by almost 30 percent, while the inflammation levels of the placebo group increased more than 32 percent.

The study concluded that krill oil at a daily dose of 300 mg significantly inhibits inflammation and reduces arthritic symptoms in as little as 7 to 14 days!

YOU CAN ORDER KRILL OIL AT www.mercola.com

MSG?

One more hot topic...MSG. This is a big one and a rather highly debated topic. First MSG, or Monosodium Glutamate is a salt of the amino acid - Glutamic Acid (glutamate).

Monosodium glutamate (MSG) is a flavor enhancer commonly added to Chinese food, canned vegetables, soups and processed meats. Although the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has classified MSG as a food ingredient that is "generally recognized as safe," the use of MSG remains controversial. MSG has been used as a food additive for decades. Over the years, the FDA has received many anecdotal reports of adverse reactions to foods containing MSG. But subsequent research found no definitive evidence of a link between MSG and the symptoms that some people described after eating food containing MSG. As a result, MSG is still added to some foods.

A comprehensive review of all available scientific data on glutamate safety sponsored by the FDA in 1995 reaffirmed the safety of MSG when consumed at levels typically used in cooking and food manufacturing. The report found no evidence to suggest that MSG contributes to any long-term health problems, such as Alzheimer's disease. But it did acknowledge that some people may have short-term reactions to MSG. These reactions — known as MSG symptom complex — may include:

Headache, sometimes called MSG headache
Flushing
Sweating
Sense of facial pressure or tightness
Numbness, tingling or burning in or around the mouth
Rapid, fluttering heartbeats (heart palpitations)
Chest pain
Shortness of breath
Nausea
Weakness
Symptoms are usually mild and don't require treatment. However, some people report more severe reactions. The only way to prevent a reaction is to avoid foods containing MSG. When MSG is added to food, the FDA requires that "monosodium glutamate" be listed on the label — or on the menu, in restaurants.

**The above information is from www.mayoclinic.com

Some of the ingredients that are really MSG: natural flavors, natural flavoring, glutamic acid, hydrolyzed vegetable protein, hydrolyzed soy protein, and more!

Logic questions, do you really want any of these "possible" reactions? For more information see: http://www.truthinlabeling.org/

Agave or Yacon?

Agave seems to becoming a main stream sugar source as it is showing up on the shelves of most health food stores including Whole Foods. Now we are hearing more and more about Yacon Syrup. In my raw food prep classes I have been getting a lot of questions about what exactly is agave and yacon and which is better? So briefly I will define each, then give basic information regarding each sugar. Then as I always say, you deduct the information for yourself and make the best decision for you and your family as to what "sweetener" is works for you.

As a side note, I prefer to use stevia extract, raw honey, dates and yacon syrup for my personal use. However, if I am preparing foods for others I will use half yacon and stevia and may complete the recipe with raw honey or agave. Each have their unique taste. Yacon is generally the safe glycemic choice, raw honey is VERY healing, agave is simply a sweetener, stevia an innocent herb and a date...well perfectly terrific as is!

Before we move on with the "details" a reminder to choose RAW sources as in the heating of processed versions much of the vitamins, minerals, enzymes and phytonutrients are destroyed. NOTE: Yacon and Agave are heated in processing so some raw foodist will argue they are truly not RAW and are "processed" unlike dates and raw honey!

I hope the following gathered research is helpful for you. We should always question processed and concentrated foods that are not found in nature, even if “raw”.

Here is your information.

YACON syrup is derived from the yacon plant, a tuber found in the Andean region of South America. The roots contain potassium and the antioxidant vitamins A, C and E.

Though packed with sweetness, the sugar in yacon is mainly in the form of fructooligosaccharides (FOS), which cannot be absorbed by the body. This means yacon is both naturally low-calorie and low in mono and disaccharides (less than 1 gram per serving of the sugars that rapidly elevate blood sugar levels). Yacon root syrup has little influence on the glucose tolerance curve and is dramatically less glycemic than honey, agave, or maple syrup.

Yacon syrup has the following properties and benefits:

Regulates friendly intestinal flora, especially improves the growth of bifidobacterium
Reduces constipation
Helps to reduce the risk of developing colon cancer
Improves calcium and magnesium absorption, helping to strengthen the bones
Improves vitamin absorption
Helps manage cholesterol, triglycerides, and fat metabolism in general
Boosts the immune system in a similar way to aloe vera
Contain glyconutrients
Ideal for low-calorie and weight-loss diets
Ideal for low-sugar diets
Ideal for cancer-fighting diets
Non-cariogenic (does not cause cavities)
Contains superfood-level antioxidants
Standardized to 30% FOS (fructo-oligosaccharides)
Rich in antioxidants
Helps reduce symptoms of blood sugar disorders (hypoglycemia, diabetes type 2, etc.)

AGAVE is best recognized as the plant from which tequila is made, it has also been used for thousands of years as an ingredient in food. Agave nectar (sometimes called agave syrup) is most often produced from the Blue Agaves that thrive in the volcanic soils of Southern Mexico. Agaves are large, spikey plants that resemble cactus or yuccas in both form and habitat, but they are actually succulents similar to the familiar Aloe Vera.

To make the agave nectar, sap is extracted from the pina, filtered, and heated at a low temperature, which breaks down the carbohydrates into sugars. Lighter and darker varieties of agave nectar are made from the same plants. Because of the low temperatures used in processing many varieties (under 118°F) raw foods enthusiasts generally regard agave nectar as a raw food. The lighter syrups undergo less heating and a more thorough filtration to produce a more mildly flavored product that is neutral enough to be used in many culinary applications. The darker syrups are filtered less, and the solids left in the syrup make for a stronger nectar with a flavor sometimes compared to maple syrup.

Here is the "question" people are raising about agave: Agave Syrup is advertised as “low glycemic” and marketed towards diabetics. It is true, that agave itself is low glycemic. We have to consider why agave syrup is “low glycemic.” It is due to the unusually high concentration of fructose (90%) compared to the small amount of glucose (10%). Nowhere in nature does this ratio of fructose to glucose occur naturally. Long-time raw foodist and Medical Doctor, Dr. Gabriel Cousens, M.D. says that agave nectar raises blood sugar just like any other sugar. Dr. Cousens wrote a book, "There Is a Cure for Diabetes".

Other “concentrated sweeteners” that are often seen in raw food recipes include:

1) Maple Syrup which is not raw and heat processed. If it is not organic, it may also contain formaldehyde and other toxic chemicals.
2) Sucanat or evaporated cane juice is pure dried sugar cane juice. Unfortunately this is processed at a temperature above 118 degrees and therefore can’t be considered raw.
3) Yacon Syrup is once again, a concentrated sweetener processed at a temperature of up to 140 degrees Fahrenheit.

MILK..Does it really do the body good?

I get so many questions regarding Milk and what to do about calcium if we choose to not consume dairy. Below is an article from Dr Mercola for you to review and draw your own conclusions. I grew up around a HUGE family of dairy farmers so you can imagine how my questioning dairy was met with huge opposition.

After my cancer experience and cleaning up my diet to one that works for me of a whole foods plant based, dairy/soy free, and enzyme raw rich foods, I have learned marketing is EVERYTHING! Fact is cancer thrives on mucous. All milk contains casein which is the number one ingredient in glue. Human breast milk is very low in casein for the needs of a human baby. A baby cow weighs about 100 pounds and drinks the milk from its mama to grow quickly to 800 to 1300 pounds. The casein in cows milk obviously is great big huge! Something to think about. If you are minding your health perhaps give the article a wee bit of time.

We eat food for the minerals…calcium is a mineral. Even the bible says we are dust of the earth. Take a look at this website and consider Blue Ocean Minerals….it is food….no contraindications….just benefits…I even put drops in my doggies water! http://www.spiritrepair.com/ or http://www.blueoceanminerals.com/

SOY? Well almost all soy/tofu these days in genetically modified and generates non beneficial elevated estrogen levels. For daily milk alternative, consider almond or rice milk. Yogurt? You can now find dairy/soy free coconut milk yogurt at whole foods.

Remember, a cow eats GRASS (greens) to make milk. GREENS are a powerful nutrient packed source of all minerals and calcium.

Here is your article:

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2009/07/18/The-Milk-Myth-What-Your-Body-Really-Needs.aspx