The Raw Food Solution

Photo courtesy of LyricsArt

Remember those quiet moments awake at night when you wondered how you’d get yourself through it?

The food obsessions and cellulite…
The domestic disputes and low sex-drive…
The kids, the boss, the mother-in-law…
The pain, the tears, the tough years.

Life is always going to kick up a few surprises.

It happens to all of us, and while we may not be able to control what happens, we can control how we respond to Life.

We can find solutions, support and inspiration to overcome our difficulties and improve life together.

Since before the history books were written, women have come together to share wisdom, support, and sisterhood. We’ve shared husbands and childcare duties, and even synchronized our menstrual cycles. We’ve ground flour, made garments and nursed tender wounds. We have a history–a history of coming together to support one another in times of need.

And while modern life and luxuries may have eliminated many of our needs for support, no amount of technological “advances” can take away from our need to connect, share and inspire one another. In fact, it’s quite the opposite:

In celebration of International Women’s Day, the biggest WISH there’s ever been is coming true. On March 8, 2010, women from all around the globe are invited to attend W.I.S.H. Women’s International Summit for Health - a series of free on-line interviews with leading health and wellness experts who answer the most pressing questions faced by women today.

Click here to register for the Women’s International Summit for Health

For 10 days, thousands of women will come together to hear the stories and share the wisdom of a star-studded list of 40 speakers. Exploring the subjects of sensuality, spirit, food, and relationships as much as fitness, beauty, health, money, attitude and family.

Whether it’s the kids, the cellulite, the hot flashes or steamy romances, W.I.S.H. bring women together to find solutions and recharge their batteries.

Register free before March 8, 2010 and join us for the world’s biggest empowerment party EVER!

Click here to register for the Women’s International Summit for Health

Photo courtesy of Beatbull

Transitioning to raw food isn’t easy for most people. If you’ve been used to eating mostly cooked food all of your life, this transition may be especially difficult. For people who have always eaten a diet high in raw fruits and vegetables it may be a bit easier, but they may still miss those cooked foods that gave them comfort for so long.

We’re going to look at five ways you can make the transition to raw food easier. While it won’t be a walk in the park no matter what you do, it will certainly go a long way toward making things go much smoother for you.

1. Add one raw snack to your diet every day

This is especially important if you rarely eat any raw fruits or vegetables. Adjusting to a new way of eating is always difficult, and the further removed it is from your standard diet, the harder it will be. By starting out by adding a snack each day, you can start to adjust slowly.

2. Add raw toppings to sandwiches, hot dogs, hamburgers, and other similar dishes

Try having a sandwich with many different raw vegetables like lettuce, tomatoes, onions, peppers, sprouts, spinach, and avocado, and just one or two slices of meat or cheese.

3. Eventually move to eating just one cooked meal daily

This one cooked meal should be something you like, but not one of your favorite foods. You need to start moving away from those beloved cooked foods as soon as possible.

4. Try smoothies

A lot of people love smoothies already, so try blending a mixture of frozen and fresh fruit together for a delicious raw smoothie. Add a little raw agave nectar or a few pitted dates to your smoothies for extra sweetness!

5. Try some delicious raw recipes

It’s not going to be easy transitioning if you’re eating plain salads and fruit. By combining a number of different ingredients together in interesting ways, your food will be much more exciting and you’ll be more likely to stick with your choice.

Find tons of FREE raw food recipes with photos, raw food weight loss menus, and plenty of information about the raw food diet at Alicia Davis’ Raw Food Blog. If you’re interested in losing weight or you just want to improve your health, the raw food diet is just what you’ve been looking for!

Photo courtesy of Jules:Stonesoup

At this time of year you might want something thick and creamy to drink but that still tastes lighter than a heavy nut-milk if you’re trying to lighten your load. I adore vanilla, so having a shake revolve around it is definitely a good thing as far as I can see! This shake feels very nourishing to the soul. Its creaminess is soothing, its “warm” taste welcoming. Yes, this is a “pleased to see you” drink that you’ll want to welcome on a regular basis.

Drink it in!

Ingredients:

* 1 cup sesame seeds
* 2 large bananas
* 2 cups water
* 3 Medjool dates OR 3 Tablespoons agave nectar
* 1 Tbsp vanilla essence OR ?-1 vanilla pod

Directions:

1) Place all ingredients into a blender and blend on full power until all of the sesame seeds are fully broken down. [NB: Owing to the size of the seeds this may be hard to do - if you prefer no lumps at all you will need to mill the seeds in a nut mill before blending with the other ingredients.]

2) Taste test for sweetness and add more dates or agave if required.

3) When you have your perfect blend, write it down, pour it out and find a soft spot on your lounge floor. Bury yourself in cushions and sip, slurp or savour, depending on your mood.

RAW COACH’S TOP TIPS:

* If you’d like to add more flavour to this basic mix, try playing with varying amounts of any (but not all) of the following: mesquite powder, coconut butter, cacao nibs or raw carob powder.

© Karen Knowler, The Raw Food Coach 2009, www.TheRawFoodCoach.com

Karen Knowler, The Raw Food Coach publishes “Successfully Raw” - a free weekly eZine for raw food lovers everywhere. If you’re ready to look good, feel great and create a raw life you love get your FREE tips, tools and recipes now at www.TheRawFoodCoach.com.

Click here for more raw food recipes.

Photo courtesy of Shaletann

I am so glad I could finally manage to fit in the time to write this post. Sometimes I feel like there is so much to do that I wonder if I am ever going to make some real progress.

Many of us have a tendency to devote an extraordinary amount of time to ticking things off our to-do list without ever really getting the sense that we actually get enough things “done” so that we can kick up our heels and just relax a little.

While you may have become very adept at balancing all of the demands of your life I am pretty confident in saying that it is more than likely that you do NOT take enough time for yourself. I’m also willing to bet that on the rare occasions that you do take time for yourself, you feel great because of it.

Well, starting on International Women’s Day (March 8, 2010) you are being invited to let some of the world’s leaders in health, wellness and personal empowerment for women infuse your life with more support, inspiration and positive energy than you’ve had in a long time.

The best part is that you don’t have to get dressed up or spend a fortune on travel expenses to attend this event because the entire event is FREE.

You just need to COMMIT to putting aside a bit of time for you.

http://www.wishsummit.com

So commit to yourself. You will feel so much better, so much more alive and empowered and productive after you give yourself this boost of inspiration!

You can take a peek at who will be speaking here:

http://www.wishsummit.com

Remember that life is more than just the never-ending pursuit of the next item on your to do list. It’s actually a very delicate balancing act between a few key areas of your life.

In order to create balanced health it is essential to address all of these factors including nutrition, fitness, relationships, finances and attitude.

It’s all connected.

For this event there are ten different categories relating to different aspects of our lives for each of the 10 days of this event. Throughout these ten days it will be highlighted just how vitally important it is to address all of the different areas of your life to improve and enhance your total well being.

http://www.wishsummit.com

Do whatever you can to clear off March 8th on your agenda.

Once you do this, everything else will fall in place, but it does require that you COMMIT to making this day a day for YOU.

Once you commit that first day, you will be so lifted, inspired and motivated to fit in all the others, too.

Start by signing up for WISH: Women’s International Health Summit right NOW:

http://www.wishsummit.com

Photo courtesy of avixyz

Spirulina is the latest and most touted superfood. It has been featured on numerous TV shows from the travel channel to Good Morning America. Spirulina is a form of blue-green algae and happens to be the most nutritious food pound for pound known to man.

Spirulina is actually an ancient food and is 100% natural and highly nutritious algae. Recent research shows that it has great benefits for aging, cancer fighting and immune resistance. Scientists have recently discovered that this superfood has the ability to strengthen the immune system and fight problems associated with the aging process. According to Australian researchers:

Scientific studies occurring throughout the world indicate that spirulina, a blue-green algae that has been living on the planet since long before mankind, may be the best of these disease-preventing, anti-aging foods.

Spirulina was originally discovered in lakes and ponds in Africa. This spirulina was then cultured and after much research has been used in indigenous and remote areas to increase nutrition and reduce diseases like scurvy. People in indigenous and remote countries tend to have diets lacking in nutrition and substance. When treated with just a spoonful of spirulina per day it was found that nutrition and health levels greatly increased. Spirulina is now a major constituent of food and health programs all over the world.

Spirulina has been proven to boost immune systems, bolster energy and greatly reduce the risks of many different cancers and infections. According to Australian researcher Anton Moore:

As we age and our bodies change and become less efficient at getting us the nutrition we need. It becomes more important to use highly nutritious superfoods like spinach, to achieve a well balanced diet and better health. Lately, it has become quite obvious that spirulina is the key or superior superfood and should be made a main part of every diet for optimum health and to ward off disease and sickness.

Spirulina is a complete food and boasts the highest amount of protein content of any food, many times higher than soy beans, at 60 plus percent. It is also packed with vitamins, beta carotene, more antioxidants and phytonutrients than green tea (research is currently being conducted on this by the National Cancer Institute), and is basically the best food and or supplement, pound for pound, available today.

So there you have it, a complete rundown on why spirulina is the latest leader of the superfoods and for the best in health it should be added as a daily staple to your diet.

About the author:

David Maillie is a chemist with over 12 years experience in biochemical research, clynical analysis and skin care. For more information on TCA peels for in home use and other great anti-aging products and ideas please visit http://www.bestskinpeel.com

Photo courtesy of Darwin Bell

Eating healthy foods for the liver can improve and support liver function on a daily basis. Having a healthy liver results in greater energy and general well-being. A poorly functioning liver can result in tiredness, headaches, bad breath, allergies and intolerances, problem skin and weight gain.

Foods that are healthy for the liver fall into two main categories. First are those that promote the detoxification process of the liver. And second, are those that are high in antioxidants and therefore protect the liver while it’s carrying out its detoxification processes. Below are a list of the top eight foods that are considered to be good for your liver.

1. Garlic and onions

Garlic contains allicin which is a sulfur-based compound needed by the liver for effective detoxification. Garlic helps the liver rid the body of mercury, certain food additives and the hormone estrogen.

2. Cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, cabbage)

These vegetables are very powerful detoxifiers of the liver. They contain chemicals that neutralize certain toxins such as nitrosamines found in cigarette smoke and aflotoxin found in peanuts. They also contain glucosinolates that help the liver to produce enzymes it needs for its detoxification processes.

3. Freshly squeezed lemon in hot water

Drinking freshly squeezed lemon juice in a cup of boiled water first thing in the morning helps to cleanse the liver and promote detoxification. It also stimulates bile production, cleanses the stomach and bowel and stimulates a bowel motion.

4. Beetroot

It’s a blood-purifying tonic that is also capable of absorbing heavy metals.

5. High-antioxidant fruits

In a study done by the US Department of Agriculture at Tuffs University, it was found that the following list of fruits had the highest levels of antioxidants (in descending order): Prunes, raisins, blueberries, blackberries, strawberries, raspberries, plums, oranges, pink grapefruit, cantaloupe, apples and pears. Antioxidants help to protect the liver from the high levels of free radicals that are naturally produced during the process of detoxification.

6. Apples

Apples contain pectin that bind to heavy metals in the body (in particular in the colon) and help their excretion. This reduces the load on the liver and its detoxification capacities.

7. Artichoke

Increases bile production. One of the jobs of bile is to remove toxins through the bowel, as well as ‘unfriendly’ micro-organisms. It has been suggested that 30 minutes after eating globe artichoke, bile flow is increased by over 100%.

8. Bitter leafy salad greens (dandelion, chicory, endive, rocket)

The bitterness of these foods helps to stimulate bile flow within the liver.

Please note: The information in this article is not intended to take the place of a personal relationship with a qualified health practitioner nor is it intended as medical advice.

About the author:

Alison Cassar is a naturopathic practitioner and nutritionist and runs a busy clinic in Sydney, Australia. Her particular interest is chronic tiredness as it’s a very common presenting symptom in clinic. Her website and e-book http://whydoifeeltired.com/ explores the many causes of tiredness as well as solutions and prevention.

Photo courtesy of Sifu Renka

Have you ever given any thought to seaweed?

For the majority of people seaweed conjures up an image of a smelly, green or brown, unpalatable tough weed washed up on a shoreline somewhere. Alternatively, it could be that dried stuff you get in sushi bars or Japanese and Chinese restaurants. Very few people realize the health benefits of seaweed and just how versatile it really is.

Described as “perfectly balanced natural food” certain seaweeds, like certain land plants have been used for centuries by different cultures for medicinal and nutritional purposes, fertilizers and even to awaken sexual desire.

Seaweed has been confirmed as one of Nature’s “all- round pharmaceutical miracles” with claims that it can accomplish everything from warding off and treating several types of cancer, lower cholesterol and blood pressure, thin the blood, prevent ulcers, kill bacteria and even cure constipation.

It’s not just the Japanese who have appreciated the health benefits from daily consumption of seaweed either as there are reports of people living high in the Andes consuming it on a regular basis. Both cultures are renowned for their hardiness but just why is this natural vitamin supplement so good for us? The answer is the ocean.

For millions of years minerals and nutrients have been draining from the land into the sea and it is more or less a constant chemical medium.

The ocean contains the same minerals and trace elements as human blood and these are integrated into the living tissue of seaweed. As the seaweed is organic (easily broken down) and the natural vitamins, foundation minerals and vital nutrients are in such an easy to assimilate form, this wonderful sea vegetable is of huge nutritional benefit and really is a natural whole food vitamin supplement.

For example, it has been estimated that certain seaweeds are up to 30 times higher in minerals than land food, which is affected by depleted nutrient levels in our soils.

Many people are understandably concerned about consuming produce from the oceans these days because of media reports of pollution, but this issue is widely misunderstood. Generally the ocean is a far less polluted growing medium than land soil especially farm soil because of the widespread use of pesticides, insecticides and fertilisers as well as airborne industrial pollutants.

Some seaweeds, particularly certain varieties of wrack have been the subject of scientific study over many years in connection with specific medical conditions where they have been found not only to have therapeutic value, but are a powerful nutritional component in a wide range of treatments.

For several years seaweed has been used as part of the protocol for detoxification in mercury amalgam extraction and may prove helpful where there is evidence of mineral imbalance and thyroid disorders.

The thyroid gland directly affects metabolism and regulates many other bodily functions. It requires iodine to operate smoothly and seaweed is a rich source.

In ancient Egypt seaweed was used as a treatment for patients with breast cancer but the modern use of chemo and radiation therapy makes the health benefit of seaweed far more evident because it provides a natural detox.

Seaweed has no significant fat and contains a high level of the rare antioxidant, selenium, making it exceptional value in candida treatment.

Cholesterol, blood pressure, heart disease are all familiar medical conditions in our modern society and a link has often been made to high salt intake. Very small amounts of whole salt, ideally in the form of seaweed have been shown to be an antidote to excess sodium consumption.

Also, seaweed can prove beneficial for bronchitis and other respiratory infections as it is a natural multivitamin containing soothing, mucilaginous gels which specifically rejuvenate the lungs and gastrointestinal tract.

Another problem seaweed can assist with is helping the body to maintain the acid/alkaline balance in blood, lymph and cells. Modern diet tends to favor carbohydrates, protein and fats, which can all become surplus acid deposits if our bodies do not have the means to fully metabolize them. Often this produces food allergy and intolerances, with acid build up in the system which is a cause of heartburn, indigestion, and ulcers. Seaweed can neutralize these acids so they can be safely eliminated and help restore balance.

Seaweed has been described as “the most nutritious form of vegetation on this planet”, so the next time you spot some on the sea shore remember it is far more than a smelly weed!

About the author:

Jean Shaw is the author of I’m Not Naughty - I’m Autistic - Jodi’s Journey and Autism, Amalgam and Me - Jodi’s Journey Continues. Her book and mercury poisoning helpline details can be found at
www.jeanshaw.com. For details on Seaweed natural health products see www.anyoneforhealth.com

There are several types of detox diets. There are those in which you can only eat fruits and vegetables, those in which you can only eat “clean” foods, those in which you can only drink fruit and vegetable juice, and the most extreme type where you can only drink water. You can also do specialized cleanses designed specifically for certain area of the body, for instance the liver, kidneys, blood or lungs.

However, most detox diets just involve cleansing the entire body. Below, there is a sample of a seven day detox diet that you can try.

First of all, it is important that you have regular bowel movements during a detox because this will lessen the likelihood of toxins being reabsorbed by the body. A good way to make sure you will eliminate regularly is to take 2 tablespoons of ground flax seeds in lemon water in the morning, and drink lemon water throughout the day. Flax seeds provide the body with fiber and lemon water has a slightly laxative effect.

It is also important to drink enough fluids on a cleanse. You should try to include at least 8 glasses of water daily to ensure that you are allowing toxins to be flushed out.

A sample menu of a detox diet follows below. This is a diet that allows some food, since this tends to be easier for beginners. Remember, you can modify this to fit your needs and preferences.

UPON RISING

· 1/2 lemon squeezed into a glass of warm water

· 1 tablespoon of bentonite clay and 1 tablespoon of ground flaxseeds in a glass of water

BREAKFAST

· breakfast smoothie made with pear, rice milk and rice protein powder

· supplements: vitamin C

SNACKS

· apple juice diluted with water

· water

· vegetable broth

· supplements: milk thistle

· celery sticks and hummus

LUNCH

· chunky vegetable soup made with vegetable stock and your choice of vegetables

· steamed broccoli with sesame seeds and beets sprinkled with lemon juice on brown rice

· apple sauce

· supplements: multivitamin

SNACKS

· dandelion root tea

· carrot sticks with hummus dip

· water

· supplements: milk thistle

DINNER

· curried lentils on quinoa

· salad with mixed greens, red peppers, artichokes and sprouts drizzled with salad dressing of garlic, lemon juice and olive oil

· vegetable broth

BEFORE BED

1 tablespoon of bentonite clay and 1 tablespoon of ground flaxseeds in a glass of water

This can be followed for up to seven days. Have fun, and remember to be careful, because while you should expect to feel sluggish and slightly ill, if you are feeling very ill or fatigued, contact your doctor.

About the author:

Barney Garcia writes about many different topics. He is a proud contributing author and invites you to his websites. rapid detox and detox diets and www.fantastic-detox-diets.info

As part of the six week deep tissue detox I have been increasing my intake of green juices. I created a delicious juice yesterday that I would like to share with you.

I don’t have a juicer so I make my juices in the vitamix by blending the greens and then straining the juice in a nut milk bag. With this technique you need to add water but lately I have been substituting with coconut water with fantastic results. The coconut adds a sweetness that helps to neutralize the bitterness of the greens.

You can try any kind of green with this juice. I used a green that is called sayur hijiau here in Bali, which translates funnily enough as ‘green vegetable’. After a quick search online to identify it I think it may be an Asian green called Yao choy. It is a rather mild tasting green that you can probably find in Asian markets but if not I would recommend kale or spinach.

For this recipe I used an entire young coconut including the flesh, however I should let you know that the local coconuts are a little different to the young Thai coconuts. They have a lot more water and the flesh has more of a jelly-like consistency. If you use a Thai coconut or if your coconut meat is quite hard I recommend adding just a small amount of the flesh because you don’t want the juice to be too thick.

The rosemary is a great addition while you are undertaking a detox because it has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties as well as helping to eliminate unhelpful bacteria. The apples adds extra sweetness but if you like your juices to be really green you can try leaving them out.

This juice was so delicious and I was amazed how energized I felt afterwards! This recipe makes enough for several large glasses of juice. Let me know what you think

Ingredients:

One young coconut juice and flesh ( about 3 cups coconut water)

1-2 pounds mild leafy greens

2 green apples

1-2 sprigs fresh rosemary

Method:

Blend coconut water, apple, rosemary and greens in a high-powered blender then strain with a nut milk bag. Add juice back to the blender with coconut meat and blend again.

Enjoy this delicious and nourishing juice anytime. It makes a great breakfast or pre-workout drink.