Cholesterol

This is sorta funny but do you all understand what HDL cholesterol actually does?

It helps the body break down and get rid of fat!

See, that's why they call it the GOOD cholesterol, and it's such an odd thing to have high body fat and great HDL-doesn't match unless it's something like AD36.

That's why they always think that active, exercising people are the ones that have great HDL. Oops. Bursting that bubble! :)

Here is a great article on thyroid/adrenal issues
Thyroid.about.com . They talk about the thyroid, adrenal, sex hormones connection.

Test your thyroid: put a thermometer by your bed, and in the morning, before you get up, take your temperature. Do it for 5 days, and then average it. If it is low, you are likely in the range of low functioning thyroid.

Interesting that coconut oil helps thyroid function (3 tbs a day), but what most stresses the thyroid is low adrenals.

Here's another article that talks about estrogen dominance and how it opposes thyroid function.
Hypothyroidism

Estrogen causes food calories to be stored as fat. Thyroid hormone causes fat to be turned into energy.
Natural Progesterone inhibits estrogen. Low progesterone can be assisted by eating organic soybeans.

But-can we find organic soybeans that have NOT been genetically modified? That may require some more research. Happy hunting!

Meantime, they are starting to rethink the 'bad' cholesterol thing...it was a marketing ploy to increase the use of pharmas that lower cholesterol. Create a need for the product that you have...

B-12 Benefits All of Us!

B-12 is a water soluble vitamin (vs a fat soluble vitamin).

Water soluble means that the body releases whatever it can't use and we pee out, so there are no adverse side effects. We need to replenish our B12 daily.

B-12 is needed to process iron. B-12 is highly valuable to the CNS and to the brain. It helps with general function.

They now have B12 patches.

B12 causes an increase in usable energy. It is recommended for diabetics. The experts say that the affects on blood sugar should be GOOD, and that they should notice increases in energy.

Methionine is an essential amino acid that we get from protein. Some is turned into homocysteine, and then into methionine with the help of B12. If we are low in B12, homocysteine levels are high because the body can't do the reaction it needs to. Homocysteine is a nerve toxin and vessel toxin-
levels are high in Alz, stroke, cardio disease, eye disorders.

So to prevent high homocysteine, we need B12. To lower blood pressure, try taking B12 shots.

Food sources of B12-a big one is MEAT!

The Benefits of OLIVES for blood pressure

According to Gaia Herbs, olives have been cultivated for at least 3,000 years, probably longer. They help us with...STRESS. Olive oil extract is said to lower blood pressure as it is anti-inflammatory.

Gaia Herbs / Olive Leaf Extract

Olive Leaf Tea


If I had the time, the next degree I would pursue would be in nutrition and herbology. Yep, returning to mother nature's medicine cabinet. Think about it. All of our medicines are from botanical chemistry.

Our botanists are studying in the Amazon now, looking for that cure for cancer, so they can replicate it in a lab, patent it, turn it into a product and we can pay $150. a pill. Ow. For the better good.

As our healthcare system grinds deeper and deeper into people's pockets, and into their minds with ever increasing fear-based marketing campaigns we have to wonder...medical is considered one of the safest job markets today. Ouch.

IS all this fear marketing...um...making us sick? Could it be? And what do we do about it?

I think it's about honoring our grandmothers and our great grandmothers. It's about coming back to simple and back to the earth. When a single pill can be invoiced at $250. you have to wonder what we are doing? What have we come to honor, and what do we fear?

I thought about my ancestors, and my little greek uncle Mike had olive trees, fig trees, date trees in his yard. We would go to visit, and he would take us into the back yard and pick from his trees and feed us. Olives. Figs. Dates. Staples to the Greek. Are they healthy for us? You bet!

And you know, an olive tree's leaves treat infections and are an anti-oxidant. (I wonder if someone has a recipe for olive leaf soup or something?) Olives are anti bacterial, anti-fungal, and immune boosting. They are anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory. Go Uncle Mike. BTW-He died in his sleep at 96. His brother was 97, and their father died at...ready...108.

MUCOID PLAQUE

Keeping it simple, dairy, cheese, anything fermented which means vinegars, malts, and alcohol as well as soy, are all mucus forming. Wheat, and corn are irritants for many if not most people. Pastas, sugars,flours, meat, also appearing in the foods to not eat list.

If you stick with the rawish, you are definitely going to start moving mucus. That means that you may feel MORE congested for awhile. Why? Because you have to move the mucus out! We're back to where we started. Gotta get it out. So, cleanse, exercise, sweat in the sauna.

Olive oil, quinoa, seaweeds, all your fresh-hey ok bananas are on the acid side, you know what? I figure fresh is best, and I leave it at that as to their acid alkaline lists. Man-we could make ourselves crazy. Oh wait. We DID!

Top of the list are all the things we have been eating- and raving about on our raw-ish quest...

Parsley, kiwi, mango, dates, figs, cantaloupe, cayenne, papaya, asparagus, raisins, pineapple, apples, garlic, avocados, celery, lettuce, raspberries, almonds, jerusalem artichokes, fresh coconut, miso, leafy herbs, leeks, mushrooms, tomatoes, olives, sesame seeds, lemons, cabbage, oranges, peas. We've had ALL these in our recipes.

Slightly acid are: blueberries, pistacheos, brazil nuts, kidney beans, pecans, plums and prunes, sunflower seeds, cashews, cranberries. SLIGHTLY acid.

Dr YOUNG ph miracle program if you want a reference.
 FREEDOM YOU Personally, my suggestion is to stick with what your body is telling you because so far...YOU ARE RIGHT ON!

Italian/Pizza Flax Crackers Recipe

Italian/pizza Flax Crackers:
3dozen

3/4 cup sun dried tomato powder (you can make this using dry sun dried tomatos put in high powered blender or cuisinart -- the drier they are the better)
1/2 cup purified water (additional water to thin too)
1 1/2 cups chopped red bell pepper
1/4 cup chopped onion
1-1/4 tsp sea salt
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp italian seasoning
1 tsp crushed garlic
1/4 cup mixed fresh herbs
2 cups flaxseeds soaked 8-12 hours in 4 cups purified water (do not rinse or drain)
(you can mix golden flax and regular flax too...)

-combine sun dried tomato powder and water stir into paste
-combine sun dried tomato paste red bell pepper onion salt lemon juice italian seasoning and garlic in high powered blender or cuisinart
-blend or process mixture adding more water to thin if necessary
-transfer mixture to large mixing bowl add flazseeds and stir well to combine
-spread batter evenly on dehydrator tray lined with teflex sheets or other non-stick sheet (parchment paper works - but best with teflex) score the crackers into size shape you want
-dehydrate 105 degrees for 12 hours or until completely dry and crisp
-flip onto mesh dehydrator screens peel off teflex and continue to dehydrate for 24 hrs or until completely dry
-allow to cool store in sealed glass container for upto 3 months at room temp - refrigerator or freezer for up to 6 months.

(to flip trays you can put one tray on top of the other making a sandwich and flip around onto new tray---then you can easily peel of teflex backing)

RAW is fresh, not slow

I know that one of the widespread misconceptions about raw food is that it's time consuming and takes too long. This could not be further from the truth!

I found that while there was a lot of prep, in washing, cutting and mixing, I saved lots of time by not heating,  cooking or having to clean the messy pots after.

But what was true-was I had  t o  s l o w  m y s e l f  d o w n.

I definitely had to slow myself down to "uncook".
I had to be more prepared, and I had to think ahead.
I had to begin to pace myself into what I would be eating in a few days time, and not just in this immediate moment for alot of the recipes. Soaking nuts and sprouting was a challenge! I had to really focus on those things or I had a mess because I would get busy and forget to drain and rinse, or I wouldn't have soaked nuts to use in a recipe.

I couldn't go thoughtless about food with the backup of running through a drive in. I couldn't NOT think about food.

As a result, not just my eating was changing. I had to change my relationship to time, my schedule and my life, and how I lived it day to day.

What I discovered, and I am only talking for myself here, was that I had become very unconscious about what I was slamming into my mouth. I opened a package that made my life easier, and served it, and there wasn't alot of thought going into it anymore. I was running to Costco and buying lots of convenient packages and my freezer was full. We were all going to the freezer saying "What's for dinner?" We had lost the home cooking that I had raised the boys on. What happened to me?

I used to really cook. I mean REALLY cook. I made fish sticks myself with real fish, I made my own chicken nuggets. I canned, and made jellies back in the day. We had had a  vegetable garden. And then they became busy teens and I had lost track of them and me. It was too hard to get a dinner on the table that everyone would eat, and God Forbid I could get them to the table at the same time!

The freezer with it's convenient packages had become the mainstay during those impressive years. Fast food was the cry as we all jumped into the  car eating something so we could make it to the next appointment.

Yikes. What were we doing???

Our culture has placed a high premium on "fast", and doing more in less time. That concept has come into the kitchen, and since the 50s, our food styles have sped up. Cooking, preparing, cleaning up after...all those labor saving devices, and all those prepackaged, prepared, foods...I didn't realize how much I had shifted into it until we started thinking raw.

Family bonding used to be over doing the dishes. At Thanksgiving my brother and I had a great time doing all the dishes by hand as my mother doesn't have a dishwasher. We chatted side by side and caught up as we did the dishes for 16 people. It was uninterrupted time-no one wanted to help, and what with our hands in water and the rhythmic repetative nature of the work, very relaxing! I miss doing dishes by hand, and have continued the practice since. Raw has much fewere messy dishes-no stuck on stuff that has to be soaked and scraped. No oily messes congealed. Dishes are by far nicer to deal with.

Raw food preparation is meditative. Soaking, cleaning, chopping, spicing. It brought me back to loving food again, and even more, loving being in the kitchen again.

It has been comforting to me. I hum while I do it. I get out my mixing bowls and accouterments. There is a lot of food prep in a raw kitchen. And you have to stay on top of raw food-with no preservatives you can't leave it long. Take a few days off, and you have a fridge full or soggy mushy moldy stuff.

But by and far the benefits have far outweighed the drawbacks. I haven't lost much weight, but I wasn't doing it to lose weight. I feel better and I can tell immediately when I have strayed too far from the rawish quota. I am back in relationship with my body and I easily recognize my own signals, what really really feeds me, and what I want to eat based on what nourishes me. My mind has unhooked from the marketing hypnotic trance of donuts and ice cream, fast food french fries and American burgers. I can feel the difference. I am no longer numb or eating to numb out. I might have something now, but it's not an eating binge, and I don't guilt myself about it. I notice it, notice my physical reactions to it, and move on.

I've also unhooked from alot of the illness/wellness hypno-hype. I don't believe that I am going to die from b12 deficiency because I am doing raw. I proved the opposite to myself-I am way high in b12! When I learned to trust my body, really trust myself, I am just fine. I've learned to listen to myself, and that means I don't consider my emotional body a misguided uninformed willful child that I have to control with my willpower.

But raw, for me, has meant slowing down and listening to myself. It's meant paying attention on a day to day basis to what I am doing, and why. It's meant chop wood, carry water. It's meant be in the now. It's meant love where I am. It's meant connecting.

We can't connect to our lives, to our loved ones to the world if we don't connect to ourselves, and what I see and felt myself is that we are being encouraged to disconnect from what's vital. Vitality and life force energy begins with food, and then moves out in concentric circles from that center.

What feeds you?
What do you allow to feed you?
What sustains you?
What are you willing to invest your time and energy in? And that should be in what feeds you, shouldn't it?

So why has our culture focused LESS on what really feeds us, and MORE about zipping through food times to get out there and search for what feeds us? Hurry hurry or you will be left behind.

We've noticed a return to our creative selves. We've noticed a return to our authentic voices. We've noticed a return to our families, and our loved ones, and ourselves. We've noticed we rejoice in the energies around us, and the color in the leaves and the drops of water on a spider web. The little things that we used to speed by and think "I'll make time later to take a walk" rather than enjoying the now moment of every day. I love that I notice the rich color of the browns of the eggshells as I am cracking them open to add to a smoothie. Wow moments of my every day life. And they are little. And it is the noticing that I most enjoy.

Once I called Jon to come out and sit on the lawn with me-and told him to look at how you could see every blade of grass breathing. Yea-he thought I was stoned. And maybe we are! Maybe eating raw and connecting into the energy of life is exactly like being stoned!

That means we've slowed our lives to a comfortable stroll-connected with each footstep, rather than speeding by things in the fast lane. I prefer it. I've come to value the stroll. I'm built for comfort, not for speed, I've decided!

Raw food isn't just about the food, and heat and prep time. It turns out to be about living. It turns out to be an energy thing.
And when I get away from it, I miss it. When I fall away for a time, it's because my life has gotten busier and I am going too fast again. And coming back to raw reminds me to come back to the stroll.

Years ago I was living in Italy when we had huge gas shortages. Italy went to allowing people to only drive every other day based on your license plate ending in an even or odd number, and then they went to no driving on Sundays. What a difference it made in people's lives-in a good way!

Kids came out and played soccer in the streets. The roads turned into a people festival. Everyone came out and talked and played all day long with no cars on the roads and no where to go. Sundays became people days. We were forced to slow down to a stroll, and life was better.

Does it have to be raw for us to get the benefits? I don't think so. I think when we get the concept, we can add cooked and we can maintain a healthy balance. So far though, when I start adding cooked, I start to speed up again! I am still working at unhooking fast from cooked...

Remember the raw-ish credo- aim at 10, be happy with 7. If you get 5 in...you are way ahead of the pack!

MACA for sex and stamina!

MACA is (oh yes oh yes!) supposed to aid in hormonal balancing!
It's also reputed to assist the body in recovering from physical stress.
It increases stamina and endurance, which is what Pam was noticing.
It's good for chronic fatigue.
Maca is rich in iodine-which we know is good for thyroid issues.
It's rich in magnesium, phosphorus and calcium-all good for bone density.
It has zinc and iron, and contains B1, B2, B12, and E
It also has glycosid steroids
It's an adaptogen
It stimulates the hypothalamus, and the pituitary

Unlike caffiiene, it's NOT a stimulant-but it creates a steady unhancement of physical and mental energy.
It is rich in sugars, proteins, starches and essential minerals

Found the following suggestions:

For hot flashes-take a teaspoon twice daily-wow!
and when symptoms balance, reduce to 1/2 tsp daily.
Men-1/2-1 tsp daily.
Perimenopausal-1/4 tsp daily

Maca is also recommended in Peru for bone density=and osteoporosis.
Maca affects the pancreas and is good for hypothyroidism.

In Peru-they swear it is great for SEX! Probably the 'stamina' don't you think?

Is Green Powder the same as Fresh Green?

The 'new' thing is powdered green drinks. They tout 4-6 servings of fresh greens per serving...
But they aren't fresh, are they? They are processed and powdered...pardon me but fresh is like...live...

I still think fresh raw green juice is the best thing-but what's happening is we are worried about chemicals, and toxins and whether it's clean enough when we juice it.

So we would rather do processed, powdered and no longer real or fresh...because it's more convenient and safer?

Isn't that just the marketing pile of sh*# that we are trying to avoid by doing the powder to begin with? Hmmmm

Just thinking about it. I bought some actually, and it has stevia in it so you don't 'have to' add apple juice to make it palatable. I hate stevia. I didn't read the fine print.

It still doesn't taste like fresh-not even close to the real thing. But it's convenient. If I were traveling, or on a plane, or out in the wild and unable to eat something fresh, it would do. But a steady diet of it? I'm thinking we are doing ourselves dis-service again.

Why do we have such an aversion to trusting real fresh food?

What is more convenient than cracking a fresh organic egg into your juice shake in the am? Huh? But instead we buy protein powder that tastes like YUK. Oh you can get used to it. That's not the point.

The POINT is that nature made it the best possible way, in the most convenient, beautiful container, and we can't begin to improve on it! Take the apple. Isn't it perfect? Come on. And Strawberries? The color, the shear beauty! THE SMELL! NOTHING is better than fresh, and clean and raw.

Isn't that what we want in the world too? no bad guys? All things in balanced cooperation? So, how about having some balance and cooperation on our plates? It's a small start, that may make a big difference. Your body is the world, your world. Are you at peace?

List of what to Grow in Your Herb Garden

Growing an herb garden is easy even if you have a small space because they do great in pots.

Investing in fresh herb plants in the spring is also a small price compared to buying fresh in your grocery store, although it is NICE to have it available.

Outside in partial sun areas so they don't burn, or inside in a sunny window, north/south is often best, and you can have fresh herbs to cook with on a daily basis. I have a small pot of basil in a sunny kitchen window and I snip a few leaves every day.

Apartment dwellers with balconies or sunny windows can also have fresh herbs!

Here's what I plant every year-and some are perennial depending on your areas but not here in the mountains. Now that I am in the high mountains though, NONE of them are perennial. 1000 feet higher makes a huge growing difference.

BASIL-annual and very very sensitive to temperature changes. I lost 2 last year with sudden frosts. BUT cutting fresh basil is absolutely the best thing ever, and you can keep it in the kitchen in water.

GARLIC CHIVES-easy easy and plentiful. Snip a few here and there to add to things like eggs, and the purple and pink flower clusters are beautiful!

PARSLEY-easy to grow and beautiful. Will seed and regrow year after year in your garden. Lovely everywhere. Parsley isn't just decorative you know! Add it to your green juice for extra cleansing action.

SAGE - include several varieties. I like the purple sage. These are perennial and you will have an endless supply from these hardy plants.

MINT - lots of varieties available, and again you can plant several. Perennial and easy to grow. I like mint and if you like mojitos you will need PLENTY! Mint is hardy, and will take over if you plant it in the yard, but it's a great edible ground cover.

OREGANO - I like Italian - what can I say. There are usually several to plant. These are perennial and take a bit to establish but then are quite hardy.

CILANTRO - not so easy to find yet, but it should be available where you are

CURRY - yes it's a plant. It smells wonderful.

LAVENDER - oh so wonderful to pick and dry as well as use fresh, and the wonderful smell in your garden-wow.

I like to keep my herbs in pots so I can move them inside in the winter. Most will winter over inside without a problem, and I also keep them in pots on the deck so that I know the dog can't pee on them. Ew. But I have had them in the yard before and they do well for the most part.

Herbs love to be trimmed and remember, when you are cooking fresh it takes less to give your dish a kick!

These are my usual favorites and if you have some others, post them. Even Home Depot sells them now, so haapy herbing! Remember, herbs are for more than taste. They are mother earth's medicine cabinet.

Why Raw-ish and not all RAW?

Did you know that the Chinese don't encourage too much raw?

It's harsh on the system.

They say: Everything in balance, everything in relationship to everything else, and excess in nothing.

ALL raw may work for you, and it may not work for you. The important thing is to develop that right relationship with yourself. Some of us have never had it before!

The number one rule is to pay attention to your body, and pay attention to what works for you and what doesn't. Remember, this is about changing your relationship to food and your body for the rest of your life.

What Triggers Diabetes!

Interesting article on Diabetes:

"In a discovery that has stunned even those behind it, scientists at a Toronto hospital say they have proof the body's nervous system helps trigger diabetes, opening the door to a potential near-cure of the disease that affects millions of Canadians.

Diabetic mice became healthy virtually overnight after researchers injected a substance to counteract the effect of malfunctioning pain neurons in the pancreas."

Read the full article by clicking below.

CLICK FOR DIABETES ARTICLE

Enjoy!

FRUIT SMOOTHIE

For you working folks that have to run out the door in the morning, try this-

In your blender

place 2 cups of fresh frozen strawberries (or fresh if you have them)

1 banana, peeled

1 orange, peeled

2 dates

Whip it up on blend and run out the door! If you want to get really healthy, add a handful of flax seeds or wheatgerm if you have it on hand for a nice texture and nutty flavor.

The pulp makes it nice and thick, and the frozen berries make this a smoothie. If you use fresh strawberries and want it to be a smoothie texture, add 4 icecubes.

You can use peaches, berries, all sorts of different flavors for variety.

NOW

this is the base:

add 2 tbs hemp seeds 

or 2 tbs chia seeds

or 1/2 C soaked and peeled almonds

2 tbs fish oil

RAWish SOUP

I already posted the Gazpacho earlier, but I really like this so here goes:

I make a pot of this and find it's good at night when I want something warm. Keep the water at a simmer, not a boil.

Remember,  potatoes should NOT be eaten raw.

Into the food processor goes:

1 potato, peeled
1 sweet potato, peeled
Coarse chop them and then put them in the pot and put it on simmer. Put them in a good sized pot with water, about 2/3s.
While they are simmering away, I put the following into the food processor and coarse chop:

2-3 carrots, peeled
1 onion, quartered
2-3 TBS chopped garlic (it's a great parasite cleanse)
1 bell pepper, seeded
1 green zuccini
2 stalks celery

Dump them into the pot (or ANY vegetables I happen to have around that I want to finish up.)

Salt, pepper, cayenne, oregano, basil, parsley, some hot pepper flakes.

I used fresh parsley the last time, yum and so pretty too!

The vegetables release flavor into the water, and if you make this the day before you want to eat it, it will increase in flavor.

I cut up small cherry tomatoes in half and put them in at the end and let them just BE in the hot water. They were great int there! The hot water was enough to really "cook" the potatoes so that I wasn't eating them raw, and the other veges were crunchy.

The next night I just reheat the water by simmering again, or you can add some hot water to a bowl and eat it, OR you can put a bowl full in the food processor or blender with some hot water and puree it for a nice thick soup. VERY satisfying.

Sprinkle sunflower seeds on top. Yum!

ACAI BERRIES

ARTICLE ON ACAI BERRY

is a link to an article about a brazilian berry that they tested that kills from 35-85% of the leukemic cells in a petrie dish-not bad for this little antioxidant. Eat your colors. It's dark purple! Yeah, I know. I'm an artist-I push color!

ISRAEL ACADEMY OF ANTI AGING

ISRAEL ACADEMY OF ANTI-AGING

This is an organization dedicated to making people live 150 years. I think it's the translation into English-and what they MEAN is helping and encouraging as well as spearheading WAYS...but! They promote RAW FOOD which they call natural hygiene.

SUPER GREEN JUICE RECIPE

SUPER GREEN JUICE RECIPE

1 whole bunch of celery, washed

1 head of romaine, washed

3 big leaves of kale

1 bunch of chinese spinach, washed

1 cucumber, peeled if not organic

4 lemons with rind cut off

3 apples

2" hunk of fresh ginger

This makes a BIG batch of juice. Drink half and take the other half to work for later in a sealed container in the fridge. This is a great green juice cleanse.

Remember to rotate your greens so your body doesn't get too stuck in a rut.

100 Lessons on Manifesting your Best Life Ever!

100 LESSONS on MANIFESTING YOUR BEST LIFE EVER

1. We all work with one infinite power

2. The Secret is the Law of Attraction (LOA)

3. Whatever is going on in your mind is what you are attracting

4. We are like magnets - like attract like. You become AND attract what you think

5. Every thought has a magnetic energy frequency

6. People think about what they don't want and attract more of the same

7. Thought = creation. If these thoughts are attached to powerful emotions (good or bad) that speeds the creation

8. You attract your dominant thoughts

9. Those who speak most of illness have illness, those who speak most of prosperity have it.

10. It's not "wishful" thinking, it's wish fulfilled thinking.

11. You can't have a universe without the mind entering into it

12. Choose your thoughts carefully .. you are a masterpiece of your life

13. It's OK that thoughts don't manifest into reality immediately (if we saw a picture of an elephant and it instantly appeared, that would be too soon)

14. EVERYTHING in your life you have attracted .. accept that fact .. it's true.

15. Your thoughts cause your feelings

16. We don't need to complicate all the "reasons" behind our emotions. It's much simpler than that. Two categories .. good feelings, bad feelings.

17. Thoughts that bring about good feelings mean you are on the right track. Thoughts that bring about bad feelings means

you are not on the right track.

18. Whatever it is you are feeling is a perfect reflection of what is in the process of becoming

19. You get exactly what you are FEELING

20. Happy feelings will attract more happy circumstances

21. You can begin feeling whatever you want (even if it's not there).. the universe will correspond to the nature of your song

22. What you focus on with your thought and feeling is what you attract into your experience

23. What you think and what you feel and what actually manifests is ALWAYS a match - no exception

24. Shift your awareness

25. "You create your own universe as you go along" Winston Churchill

26. It's important to feel good ( ( ( (((good))) ) ) )

27. You can change your emotion immediately .. by thinking of something joyful, or singing a song, or remembering a happy

experience

28. When you get the hang of this, before you know it you will KNOW you are the creator

29. Life can and should be phenomenal .. and it will be when you consciously apply the Law of Attraction

30. Universe will re-arrange itself accordingly

31. Start by using this sentence for all of your wants: "I'm so happy and grateful now that....

32. You don't need to know HOW the universe is going to rearrange itself

33. LOA is simply figuring out for yourself what will generate the positive feelings of having it NOW

34. You might get an inspired thought or idea to help you move towards what you want faster

35. The universe likes SPEED. Don't delay, don't second-guess, don't doubt..

36. When the opportunity or impulse is there .. ACT

37. You will attract everything you require - money, people, connections.. PAY ATTENTION to what's being set in front of you

38. You can start with nothing .. and out of nothing or no way - a WAY will be provided.

39. HOW LONG??? No rules on time .. the more aligned you are with positive feelings the quicker things happen

40. Size is nothing to the universe (unlimited abundance if that's what you wish) We make the rules on size and time

41. No rules according to the universe .. you provide the feelings of having it now and the universe will respond

42. Most people offer the majority of their thought in response to what they are observing (bills in the mail, being late, having bad luck...etc..)

43. You have to find a different approach to what is through a different vantage point

44. "All that we are is a result of what we have thought" - Buddha

45. What can you do right now to turn your life around?? Gratitude

46. Gratitude will bring more into our lives immediately

47. What we think about and THANK about is what we bring about

48. What are the things you are grateful for?? Feel the gratitude.. focus on what you have right now that you are grateful for

49. Play the picture in your mind - focus on the end result

50. VISUALIZE!!! Rehearse your future

51. VISUALIZE!!! See it, feel it! This is where action begins

52. Feel the joy .. feel the happiness :o)

53. An affirmative thought is 100 times more powerful than a negative one

54. "What this power is, I cannot say. All I know is that it exists." Alexander Graham Bell

55. Our job is not to worry about the "How". The "How" will show up out of the commitment and belief in the "what"

56. The Hows are the domain of the universe. It always knows the quickest, fastest, most harmonious way between you and

your dream

57. If you turn it over to the universe, you will be surprised and dazzled by what is delivered .. this is where magic and miracles happen

58. Turn it over to the universe daily.. but it should never be a chore.

59. Feel exhilarated by the whole process .. high, happy, in tune

60. The only difference between people who are really living this way is they have habituated ways of being.61. They

remember to do it all the time

62. Create a Vision Board .. pictures of what you want to attract .. every day look at it and get into the feeling state of already

having acquired these wants

63. "Imagination is everything. It is the preview of life's coming attractions." Albert Einstein

64. Decide what you want .. believe you can have it, believe you deserve it, believe it's possible for you

65. Close your eyes and visualize having what you already want - and the feeling of having it already.

66. Focus on being grateful for what you have already .. enjoy it!! Then release into the universe. The universe will manifest it

67. "Whatever the mind of man can conceive, it can achieve" W. Clement Stone

68. Set a goal so big that if you achieved it, it would blow your mind.

69. When you have an inspired thought, you must trust it and act on it.

70. How can you become more prosperous?? INTEND IT!!

71. 'Checks are coming in the mail regularly'... or change your bank statement to whatever balance you want in there... and get behind the feeling of having it.

72. Life is meant to be abundant in ALL areas...

73. Go for the sense of inner joy and peace then all outside things appear

74. We are the creators of our universe

75. Relationships: Treat yourself the way you want to be treated by others ... love yourself and you will be loved

76. Healthy respect for yourself

77. For those you work with or interact with regularly .. get a notebook and write down positive aspects of each of those

people.

78. Write down the things you like most about them (don't expect change from them). Law of attraction will not put you in

the same space together if you frequencies don't match

79. When you realize your potential to feel good, you will ask no one to be different in order for you to feel good.

80. You will free yourself from the cumbersome impossibilities of needing to control the world, your friends, your mate, your

children....

81. You are the only one that creates your reality

82. No one else can think or feel for you .. its YOU .. ONLY YOU.

83. Health: thank the universe for your own healing. Laugh, stress free happiness will keep you healthy.

84. Immune system will heal itself

85. Parts of our bodies are replace every day, every week..etc... Within few years we have a brand new body

86. See yourself living in a new body. Hopeful = recovery. Happy = happier biochemistry. Stress degrades the body.

87. Remove stress from the body and the body regenerates itself. You can heal yourself

88. Learn to become still .. and take your attention away from what you don't want, and place your attention on what you

wish to experience

89. When the voice and vision on the inside become more profound and clear than the opinions on the outside, then you have mastered your life

90. You are not here to try to get the world to be just as you want it. You are here to create the world around you that you choose.

91. And to allow others the world they choose to see, exist as well.

92. People think that if everyone knows the power of the LOA there won't be enough to go around ... This is a lie that's been ingrained in us and makes greed.

93. The truth is there is more than enough love, creative ideas, power, joy, happiness to go around.

94. All of this abundance begins to shine through a mind that is aware of it's own infinite nature. There's enough for everyone. See it. Believe it. it will show up for you.

95. So let the variety of your reality thrill you as you choose all the things you want.. get behind the good feelings of all your

wants.

96. Write your script. When you see things you don't want, don't think about them, write about them, talk about them, push

against them, or join groups that focus on the don't wants... remove your attention from don't wants.. and place them on do wants

97. We are mass energy. Everything is energy. EVERYTHING.

98. Don't define yourself by your body .. it's the infinite being that's connected to everything in the universe.

99. One energy field. Our bodies have distracted us from our energy. We are the infinite field of unfolding possibilities. The creative force.

100. Are your thoughts worthy of you? If not - NOW is the time to change them. You can begin right where you are right now.

Nothing matters but this moment and what you are focusing your attention on.

Combat Inflammation and low thyroid with Wheatgrass Juice

So why do I love the wheatgrass juice? 

Wheatgrass primarily neutralizes infections, overcomes inflammations, and gets rid of parasitic infections. It purifies the blood, detoxes the liver, and cleans the colon. It has the same chemical composition as hemoglobin. 

A study at the U of California showed that it even repairs DNA. I FEEL better when I do wheatgrass, daily. That’s what I notice.  

Here’s what happens- if you body is in a state of inflammation, it is causing your adrenals to pump out MORE cortisol. Why cortisol? Well, cortisol is an anti-inflammatory. Your body is TRYING to correct it. 

Excess insulin also causes inflammation. MORE fish oils and flaxseed oils and less vegetable oils and cut out cooked oils completely.

Increase selenium-bran, nuts, tuna if you must, onions, tomatoes, broccoli.

Inflammation also goes hand in hand with underactive thyroid. And here’s news-the medical community says .50 - 5.0 is a normal range for women “our age” meaning 35-50. That means your thyroid can test down to less than 1 for function and they still won’t want to medicate. 

What’s going to boost your thyroid function in a natural way are all the things we are eating- carrots, spinach, apricots, asparagus, olive oil, avocado, sunflower seeds, whole grain cereals, bananas, oily fish, so choose meals that include these foods. But I will tell you that for me taking thyroid did NOT help. It did force my thyroid but it didn’t help my problem. I am off thyroid meds, I am off water pills. What HAS helped is using food in a whole new way. I feel awesome.

Hippocrates said, "Let your foods be your medicine and your medicine be your foods."

When we are talking about adding cooked foods, keep it to cooked VEGETABLE foods. If you start adding stuff the body is going to react to, don’t be surprised and don’t get down on yourself. Figure it is all information! No failure, only feedback.

Reaction is inflammation. If you miss hot foods, then cook your vegetables, do simmer soups. Keep your foods simple and NOTICE! We are shamans. We are trackers. We are calling ourselves back to our healthiest state of being and clearing ourselves of why we have settled for less in our lives…less health, less life, less happiness, less. It’s time to expect more.

Remember: this is not about being a raw foodist. It's about living a balanced healthy life.

Enjoy!

IT SHOWS IN THE SKIN

Nutrition for the skin should be of optimum importance to all of us, and easy to recognize that you need to shift something. 

Check your skin in the mirror: your skin is the part that shows up to the world, and no amount of makeup or cream will disguise your state of internal being. Stress shows in our skin. What we feel, and how we feel presents to the world, so look at yourself in the mirror and notice what your skin is telling you.

Fresh Food heals so if you want to improve the condition of your skin (and hair) add more COLOR to your diet. 

If your skin is saggy and lacks luster you just aren't eating enough color!

ORANGE: Eat sweet potatoes, carrots, squash and pumpkins. All contain beta carotene. Load your cart and your plate with color and eat it fresh! Oranges, red peppers and tomatoes are chock full of vitamin C. 

If you have dark circles under your eyes:

GREEN: Eat more green! Any and all good dark greens are great for the skin. Greens flush toxins from your body, and that's good for the skin. Your liver's condition shows in your eyes. Dark circles, droopy eyes, yellowed eyes are all signs of liver congestion. Flush those toxins with lots of green juice and raw green on your plate! More than just a salad here and there, live green.

BLUES AND PURPLES: Eat dark rich color! The darker the color the more antioxidants there are inside. Eat color! Blueberries, dark grapes, cherries, blackberries, eat them fresh by the handful add them to shakes but don't cook them! Eat fresh. Eat live.

If you skin is dry: it's asking for more oils in your diet. Put it IN rather than ON. You aren't eating enough fat. Get your omega 3s up and your skin will immediately show it by having fewer wrinkles and more shine! It will be more fluid and supple.

FATS: Think fish, and nuts and you'll have it covered. Walnuts are especially oily as is tuna, salmon and sardines. Avocados are a great source of good fat (and double points because it's green too!) You NEED good fats. The biggest rule to bust out of is that fat is bad for you! Your brain needs fat, and so does your skin. Not all fat is the same, so to keep it simple. If it's cooked, it's a no. If it's fresh, it's a yes! Olive oil, coconut oil are great for the skin too. 

Avocado facial: If you are making a mask just for yourself, only use half of a really soft avocado. Add a tsp of honey, and a tsp of greek yogurt and mix. Slather it all over your face (and hair too if you like) and then sit with your feet up and relax for 20-30 minutes. Rinse and feel how great your face feels!  

EGGS: I'm a big believer in eggs as the most perfect food. Buy organic, free range, brown and that should cover it. Eat the whole egg. Eggs are a great source of zinc which is great for the skin and the brain.

I know, eggs aren't vegan, and most raw food-ists don't condone them, so remember, I am not an extremist! I like things that are simple. I am way too busy to enforce too many rules. We have to live our lives, keep it simple, and that means excavating ourselves out from under the rubble of too many contradictory food beliefs. 

Egg white facial: Oh the best for tightening the skin! Separate one egg, and use the egg white only. Beat until frothy. Wipe it all over the face avoiding the eyes and mouth. Let it dry and it will tighten up and draw toxins out of the pores, then rinse off. If you apply tissue to the face and then add more egg white, you'll have a peel off mask. Cost: 25¢ Savings: $7.00 for a tube of over the counter mask all the way up to $125. for a salon facial! Can you beat that??? And no chemicals or preservatives!

EAT YOUR WATER and the CHOCOLATE

I'm back in Berkeley for awhile and near my mother after 35 years. It's funny, but I didn't realize what a rule follower she was and how I am at heart a rule breaker! I hear the rule, and automatically it seems (maybe more as I get older but hey) I say ..."um...no."

For instance that rule about drinking 8-10 glasses of water a day? I've never been a big water drinker. Drinking water is always something I've had to consciously think about. I carry water bottles in the car, in the backpack. I still have to remind myself to drink. I must be a camel, but I'm just not thirsty! I eat a lot of raw fresh food though so I figured a long time ago that I must be getting my water that way. But always people would pound me with "are you drinking enough water?"

Juicing and raw foods are hydrated, which means they carry a high water content! So, I'm gratified to read this morning on Yahoo's Healthy Living that we get to break the old rules...at last!  I feel vindicated! I feel justified. I feel...unthirsty and it's ok!!

The old rule >> 'drink 8 glasses of water a day' was written in 1945!!! Folks, talk about not updating our software programs! Sheesh~
New rule >> eat fresh food every day. That's raw folks! EAT YOUR WATER! Get that fresh food into you and you'll be hydrated! You gott admit, you can see it in people's skin if they eat fresh.

The other 3 rules to rethink according to the article:
Old rule >> Eat 9 servings of fresh food
New rule >> fill half your plate with fresh and enjoy

This means less counting portions and more just reach for fresh. I hate counting. This a simpler, user friendly rule so again, we've been advocating this already! Remember that the darker the color the more nutrient dense it is.

But my rule: eat as much raw as you can and simply don't worry even about the half a plate thing! EAT THE FRESH FIRST!

Avoid red meat >> eat the meat, just make it lean and organic.
I know this is a raw-ish food blog but you know if you need red meat, so eat it when you feel like it.

OUR number one rule here is FOLLOW your body's lead. Pay attention to the internal signals and relax around food!

Rule number 4 to bust out of >> BMI! Oh for the love of Pete, I've always hated statistics. I almost flunked it in school. Mathematical experts really take the cake out of life you know? When mathematicians started dictating that we had to fall within a range of numbers, people started looking at the numbers instead of tuning in to how they FELT!

""People come in different sizes and shapes," says Joanne Ikeda, nutritionist emeritus at the University of California, Berkeley. "The idea that everyone should fall under 25 is ludicrous." A person can have a high BMI and still be healthy, Ikeda argues. Research supports the theory: A Journal of the American Medical Association study found that fit women--even if they were overweight according to their BMI--were less likely to suffer a heart attack than those who were out of shape. Ikeda advises her patients to stop obsessing over their BMI, eat a nutritious diet, and log 150 minutes of exercise per week. "A healthy lifestyle results in a healthy weight." 


Thank you BERKELEY and Joanne Ideda. YES! We are NOT all going to fall into an optimum range. And we are NOT all going to die if we don't hit those numbers. PLEASE-start living your life! Eat a little chocolate-make it the GOOD STUFF! DRINK a little wine-make it the GOOD STUFF

JUICE for IMMEDIATE HEALTH and ENERGY

My mother had dropped to the lowest weight I have ever ever seen her at. 112 pounds. She was disappearing on us, was so weak she fell getting out of bed. NOTHING I said could entice her to eat. She didn't have the strength or the will to cook, or to chew. If I made her a soft boiled egg, she would eat a few bites half heartedly and leave the rest. Nothing tasted good, nothing sounded good and she was losing muscle tone. She would just lay watching tv. I was really worried. 

I went to Bed, Bath and Beyond and got a Breville juicer for her. I came home, unpacked the juicer, washed and set it up, washed the considerable sink full of vegetables I had picked up and made a nice pitcher of green juice with ginger start-day-with-green-juice. I put it in a dark pitcher with a lid, in the fridge. Fresh is best, but any is better than none.

In 24 hours my mother's health turned the corner. By that evening she was up off the couch, talking to us, and actually ate dinner with us at the table. Carne Asada! She even asked for a "a bit more".

I gave her a half a glass to sip and continued to keep her sipping it through the day. By that evening she was hungry! She slept deeply and long that night, for a change, and the next day she was walking quickly around the house and doing her income tax figures, getting ready for the accountant! She poured herself juice throughout the next day and then wanted to know how to make it herself and had me teach her how to assemble the juicer.

And last night she complained my sister in law didn't give her enough food at dinner! I had to laugh as we could only get her to eat a half an egg all day less than 3 days earlier! She said "I'm going to get some of that green juice, do you want some too?" YES!

So there we are at 11pm eating toast and peanut butter and sipping green juice!

For anyone that is weak, ill or incapacitated, make them raw, fresh juice! The body can immediately use the nutrients without having to spend precious life energy digesting. It's cleansing, nutritious and a fast way to get energy to the body and brain. PLEASE juice for someone you love especially if their health is at all compromised. Make it by the pitcher, give them small amounts throughout the day and watch them perk up. Do start with green juices for alkalizing the system for health and vegetable juices.

Pomelo and Spinach Salad

This is a great dinner dish with lots of pretty color. If you are not completely raw, add some cooked shrimp, chicken strips or even some pan seared Tuna! I love the color and do add spices. They are healthy and add robust flavor to foods.
Enjoy!


1 Pomelo, peeled completely and fruit sectioned and cut into 1" pieces.
           Remove all the pith from the sections as it can be tough and fibrous. 
1 red pepper, chopped
2 slices red onion, chopped
1 crunchy apple, chopped
1/2 english cucumber, peeled and chopped
4-5 sprigs cilantro, chopped
5-6 good sized fresh mint leaves, chopped
1/4 cup raw peanuts
1/4 cup fresh grated coconut

dressing: whip and set aside until serving
2 limes-juiced
4 tbs olive oil to taste
sea salt, ground pepper, cayenne pepper

Add baby spinach greens right before serving, and toss with dressing.
Sprinkle with coconut and serve!