How to Make Matcha !!!

I've been on my matcha kick so here is another how to video on preparing it. Like I've said before this unbeatable beverage touts many health benefits! I'm still loving it and thankfully has curbed my appetite for coffee. This video is from the matcha company, PANATEA. They are catching the green wave. I'm telling you it is the best ever!

ORAC Scale

Matcha! Where Have You Been All My Life?

Matcha!

Matcha green tea has been a revelation. How or why hadn't I been introduced to it before is beyond me. Already I have a plethora of green tea in my kitchen, and well with all my research on health and nutrition matcha somehow escaped my field of recognition. How did this happen? At any rate I owe this all to the world of social media. Flipping through my Instagram feed I became inspired by one of the various healthy food gurus I follow. They were using it in their smoothies praising a long list of it's health benefits and also highlighting how it makes for an excellent replacement for coffee. The timing couldn't have been better because over the past month, finally with some resignation, I have come to the conclusion that coffee is simply not good for me.

I know, I know,  the famous ashtangi saying, "no coffee, no prana," has been touted with pride around the community. But seriously, for me longterm coffee consumption meant a big time depletion of prana. Through other research I have also found this to be true from other resources in regards to yoga practice. Not only does coffee deplete our adrenal glands but it is dehydrating as well as depleting for the body of valuable minerals and taxing on the nervous system. Now, I'm not saying every once in a while having a cup of joe is a bad thing I just came to the conclusion that for myself drinking it daily was doing more harm than good overall. And let's face it, it's a drug! One that once you quit will leave you with withdrawal headaches lasting for a number of days. Now, I don't mean to badger coffee because sure it gives a nice kick in the morning. The smell. Well, that is what always got me. Oh that smell! There is nothing quite like it. But let's look at an alternative that garners even more benefits and brings a state of alert and calm centered wellbeing at the same time. No jitters.

Matcha!

My newfound favorite beverage of choice. It adds to, instead of takes away. One important note in regards to what we choose to consume daily. Does it add to our overall longterm health and wellbeing? Or does it simply give the illusion that it's whats needed to get through the day. Remember, if there is one thing yoga practice teaches is what we do today will effect our tomorrow.

A Background ... 

Match has been consumed for over a millennium in the Far East starting with Japanese Zen Buddhist monks and Chinese Daoist who recognized the benefit of matcha supporting a calm energy in the body while remaining alert for meditation practice. This comes from the compound L-Theanine which promotes the production of alpha waves which in turn induces relaxation without drowsiness. Also, L-Theanine activates concentration, memory and boosts one's energy and endurance. Samuri warriors would also drink matcha before their battles.

Antioxidants! 

Matcha gives a high does. Topping the ORAC scale you can rest assure along with a healthy diet that making room for more antioxidants is a good thing while also containing a few components that play a key role in cancer prevention. It fortifies the immune system providing abundant quantities of Vitamin A and C, Iron, Protein, and Calcium.

Is that all?

NO! Not only does matcha give a high dose of antioxidants, improves concentration and endurance it boosts metabolism and detoxifies as well. High in chlorophyll drinking matcha plays a hand in removing heavy metals and chemicals from the body. Because the tea leaves are stone ground and you are essentially drinking the ground tea leaves themselves you receive a more effective bang for the buck when it comes to obtaining these essential nutrients versus steeping the tea leaves.

Give it a Try!

One of these days I'll make a video on how to make it. That's a promise. However, in the meantime if you are curious, the below video with give some insight on how to prepare it. There are also other creative ways to consume matcha by making lattes as well as adding it to smoothies. I'm sure the possibilities are endless. However, the best way to drink it is straight up!

Turmeric Tea

A while back I posted a recipe for the highly popular turmeric milk. Nonetheless, dare I say, I might have found something that tops it. Homemade turmeric tea! I am in love, love, love with this drink! It is quickly becoming my favorite hot drink of all time - move over coffee. Bold statement, I know.

I've already posted the long list of turmeric's benefits and making it as part of one's regular routine will no doubt do the body good. One benefit I have noticed right away is the clarity and quality of my skin. It does the job. Again, for those that are experiencing joint pain or minor muscle aches, turmeric has powerful anti-inflammatory properties that help in the healing process, naturally. Solid gold.

The good thing is this recipe is simple and easy. Two words I undoubtedly like to hear. Here are the quick and dirty details adapted from one of my favorite healthy cooking blogs, 101 Cookbooks.

Ingredients

1/3 Cup Raw Honey
2 1/2 - 3 Teaspoons of Turmeric
Lemon
A dash of Black Pepper or Cayenne Pepper

Optional Additions
Fresh Ginger
Peppercorns
Cardamom
Cinnamon

Mix the honey and turmeric together forming a thick paste. It will make enough for multiple uses so whatever is extra can be stored in the refrigerator.

For each serving place a heaping teaspoon (sometimes I go for a little extra) in a cup. Pour hot water (not boiling hot) into the cup and stir, dissolving all of the turmeric paste. Then, squeeze half a lemon into the cup adding a few dashes of black pepper, or my personal favorite, cayenne pepper. The turmeric and spices have a tendency to settle to the bottom so it is a good idea to have a spoon on hand to stir the tea occasionally. For added benefit, I like to add grated fresh ginger to my tea or you could also add cardamom or even cinnamon depending on your taste.

FYI. Just a little side note in regards to the effectiveness of turmeric is it's a good idea to add black pepper in that it increases it's potency making the compound curcumin found in turmeric more bioavailable. No worries, it actually complements the tea quite well. 

Healthy Joint Tonic and Much More: Golden Milk

Got joint issues or want to implement a practice that will benefit your overall health? Welcome to the miracles of turmeric! What are the benefits of turmeric exactly? Well for one it is a natural anti-inflammatory, which let's face it we could all use from time to time. Also, it is known for its' anti-parasitic and anti-bacterial properties. The list goes on. This healing herb from India is cost effective and worth having in your kitchen especially when learning all the good that it does. I've started taking turmeric in the form of Golden Milk to help alleviate a bit of joint and muscle pain I've been experiencing lately. I figure I have nothing to loose so might as well try it.

Benefits Include

• Supports healthy joint function.
• Promotes radiant healthy skin.
• Improves digestion.
• Promotes healthy blood and liver function.
• 5 - 8 times stronger than vitamin E and stronger than vitamin C.
• Research has found it has cancer fighting properties.

Believe me, I could have added much more to the list. Do the research and you will understand what I mean. 

Below is the recipe for Golden Milk with the above video. I have already made my first cup and really enjoyed it. I think it will make a suitable nightcap as I settle down at the end of my day. I also added Udo's oil like was suggested in the video. Feel free to use any type of milk you choose. I actually used an organic coconut/rice milk combination, sweetened with a dab of organic maple syrup. Loved it.  

Turmeric recipe

Take 1/4 cup turmeric powder, mix with 1/2 cup pure water and simmer over medium-high heat for at least 7 minutes, stirring constantly. You will notice a thick paste form. If it get's too dry while cooking you can add addional water. Once cooled, put into a glass jar and put in fridge. This is good for up to one month. 

Golden Milk:

Add 1 tsp. to 1 cup. hot milk (cow, goat, soy, rice, almond, or any combination), maple syrup or honey to taste and 1/2 tsp. of almond or sesame oil. Gently heat and stir. 

Guerilla Gardener

This is amazing. Community gardens are the wave of the future. 

Food: A Word

In Mysore

"One cannot think well, love well, sleep well, if one has not dined well."  

- Virginia Woolf

I've had an interesting relationship with food over the years. I guess many of you out there could say the same. I had a father who was into organic foods and farmers markets loooong before it became fashionable to do so. Quite honestly, at the time of my youth it was a little embarrassing. You know how it is, to be at the age where it seems beneficial to be like everyone else. Thankfully, I outgrew this mentality. Yes, my father was a nutritional sleuth, reading labels like the real purity detective that he was. I remember many times looking up at him, patiently waiting, to get the nod of approval for something I felt I desperately needed. Fruit Loops and Lucky Charms are what every kid needs! So I thought. On most occasions my dad gave me a flat out, no. Sometimes, however, he would say, yes! If, and only if, it met the nutritional standards he was looking for. To this day I never quite figured out what they were. All I know is there were never flashy colors floating in my milk while eating my morning cereal. C'mon, feel sorry for me.

I always felt a bit strange when my father would take me to the out of the way, one store of it's kind, natural food store. It stood on the funky edge of town. Nothing like the flashy grocery stores that I was glamoured by, or like the Whole Foods ultra hippie-chic of today. No, here there were huge barrels of bulk foods, dusty shelves, teas, and dried herbs. I always remember the smell. It was strange. Yeah, it smelled natural, not antiseptic, which I thought was natural. Of course my father would always school me on the true ways of the world. How crazy our society had become. How detached we were from nature and our environment. How essential it was to have your own garden. The importance of composting! The relevance of recycling. Trees are our friends! Why isn't anything made in America anymore?!! At that time I thought he was a bit quirky, eccentric even. Now I know different. I can appreciate all that he was trying to teach me at the time, even though I didn't quite get it. However, on a deeper level what he instilled in me sunk in. A seed was planted. I just didn't know it at the time.

Fast forward. I went through a junk food rebellion, but it never really stuck. It never felt right. The bigger lesson is I went through a phase where food became a means to an end. Obviously, I learned the importance of eating healthy, but in reality it become just another concept or expectation I needed to fulfill. In that, I never really gave myself the freedom to connect consciously to my food. A problem. More or less, I was fitting myself into various diet labels. First, I became vegetarian to my mother's dismay. Then to low fat, the Zone, high protein/no carb, rawfood, living foods, raw food vegan, vegan, the list goes on and on. During those years I just couldn't help it, it was a phase of identification and experimentation. I thirsted on learning about nutrition and longevity.

Delving deeper into yoga practice I clearly felt the connection between the food I ate, and how it affected my practice on into day to day life. The gift of yoga; becoming in tune with bodily energies and cycles, call it body wisdom. Well, not so fast. Even though I was able to intuit my bodily rhythms at a higher level I was still using food as a means to an end. Meaning, asking myself questions such as, will it give me energy? Will it help make me look good? Is this yogic? AHIMSA!? Yes, it is true Ahimsa is important, but do we not also have Satya, as well? Truth. I still wasn't connecting to my food or to my truth. What was making me feel good? What was making me feel whole, sustained, nurtured, and nourished? Important questions. Questions that go much deeper than diet labels. Yes, I know the phrase, "you are what you eat." But, this isn't what I was driving at. It went even deeper. What was my relationship with the food I was consuming? The vital question. This is what I was missing all along. This is what my father always knew. Ironic. The essential element had always been right under my very nose, as clear as day, except I was as blind as a bat. It was my full circle moment.

At present, I feel uncomfortable with diet labels. I don't want what I eat to be my identity. Through the years I've seen it all. I've seen people preach veganism for the sake of nonviolence, who were quite frankly, not even all that nice. I've been around meat-eaters who have hearts of gold. I've seen the opposite. I mean, can we really eat our way to God? Does what we eat make us better human beings? Can we be arrogant and self-righteous about our diets and ideals? Obviously, I have many more questions than answers. Are there more health conscious ways of eating? Definitely YES. However, from what I've been exposed to there's much more to the story when it comes to diet and what is good for the planet, ultimately ourselves. The ways of mass agriculture have done massive harm to our natural environments, and we all know the horrors of factory farmed meats. Where's the balance? We've lost it.

I guess it goes back to the question. What is our relationship with our food? Is it destructive and violent? Is it humane and just? Is it in balance with ourselves and our surroundings? Again, important questions to look at. As I've become more connected to the foods that I eat, as a best practice, knowing where and how my food got to my table has become more important to me; choosing to eat at the level of cause, not the effect.

Ultimately, I have and will go through my eating ups and downs, but truthfully, nourishing myself from the inside out has proved it's importance over the years versus trying to fulfill some exterior label or image. When it comes to diet I will never live in absolutes because this is still using the outside as a marker. The only Absolute is on the inside. If I connect here first then my choices on the outside become easy one's to make. 

Spinal Nerve Function

Vetigo

"The same stream of life that runs through the world runs through my veins night and day in rhythmic measure. It is the same life that shoots in joy through the dust of the earth into numberless waves of flowers."     - Rabindranath Tagore

Over the course of several months I've had episodes of vertigo. It wasn't until this morning when it felt downright unmanageable. I don't want to make mountains out of mole hills. For the most part I feel healthy. I do my best to sustain a healthy lifestyle and diet. Not going too much into one extreme or the other. Admittedly, this month has been challenging on various levels. Disappointments, loss, confusion, just to name a few. When it rains, it pours. A deeper part of myself knows much of these developments when it comes to external stressors have been made worse in my mind. I can become aggravated by too much mental energy. It drains me. For good reason. Probably why yoga practice is such good medicine. I can channel the energy down into the body. I can breathe. I can feel a sense of freedom and abandon as I flow. Taking this off the mat has another set of challenges. I do my best.

With the cold and darkness of November my sensitivities are through the roof. I'm cold constantly. Even when inside. For the first time, I think ever, I am feeling the deep affects of not having enough direct sunlight. I'm not pale (obviously) like most Scandinavians. I need more light. What to do? I have started taking Vitamin D without feeling much of a difference. On some level I know it's doing me good. I think there's a part of me who desires to continue with business as usual, but really, with the change of season, it seems to be calling me to take a step back, and thrill, chill. I'm pretty much being told the old way of being simply isn't working anymore. It's time to make changes. I can feel it on so many levels.

What's that definition of insanity again? Oh yeah, expecting a different result when doing more of the same . . .

Sometimes a loss of focus is just what's needed to get back into focus. It's time to change the internal landscape. I can travel the world a thousand miles over and I will still need to contend with the one, the only, myself. What's the use of talking a good game if not living it? If not inspiring to lead from the heart and acknowledging that, hey, it will be challenging, but why let it get me down?

Being the investigative reporter I am, I did a little thumbing around on vertigo.

"The cause of vertigo is 100% metaphysical! According to Lise Bourbeau, "Vertigo indicates that you perceive a loss in your psychological balance. You feel you've lost your footing or your grasp on what you thought was a balanced life, even though it wasn't meeting your true needs. You may feel anguished about making a decision regarding a new direction and, as a result, your dreams remain unfulfilled. It's possible that you have just experienced a dramatic change in some area of your life that appears not quite balanced and causes you either to feel a temporary imbalance or to have others judge you as unbalanced. You have a difficult time dealing with judgment of others, even if you refuse to acknowledge it."

The mental message being conferred to you by vertigo is that "You are receiving an important message from your body to acknowledge and honor your true needs and alter your notion of what compromises a balanced person and a balanced life. The longer you cling to the fear of being unbalanced, the more likely your life will become so." - Ibid (source)

Well, I could agree on some, if not most, of what it states above. I did have a period of feeling unsettled, not to mention a full blown round of acupuncture and bodywork sessions that brought up some interesting things to contend with to the surface. More on that later. Until then . . . finding balance in the face of change. 

Healthy Pride

"I must be a mermaid. I have no fear of depths and a great fear of shallow living."


- Anïs Nin

Being sick. Yeah, a foreign concept to those who practice yoga. Yes, I'm being cheeky. You'll just have to deal with my sarcasm since I'm not feeling well at the moment. Does that give me license? I like to think so. So here I am, after a full day of being in bed. I can't remember the last time I had to lie in bed all day, if ever. I've been forced to contemplate many things while lying here.

I have an interesting history with illness. Well let's see now, I was never really allowed to be sick. I hate to say it but my mother hated when my sister and I were sick. Often I would suppress not feeling well for the sake of not bringing any attention to myself. No coddling. Never! I was one of those kids who had years of perfect attendance at school because I would literally have to be dying not to make it. Except the time I caught some crazy flu where I was so dizzy I couldn't walk straight much less walk to the bus stop. I stayed in for like the first time ever in my childhood.

Truthfully, I was a healthy kid for the most part. I didn't catch nearly half of the nasty bugs that went around when young. Somehow, I never caught the chicken pox either. To this day I am not sure how that happened because my sister contracted it. So I guess you can say I'm lucky or maybe not so lucky if I were to get it as an adult. Yikes!

To tell you the truth I wish I would have had more freedom to feel what I was feeling when it came to illness. To give myself the option to rest and renew. Because of how I was raised it's been a challenge to feel worthy of time to let an illness ride itself out. Then there was a phase where being sick just wasn't an option on any level. Thankfully I've out grown that to some extent.

I've observed an interesting phenomenon being in the yoga community, however. It's almost like the denial of coming down with a cold or a sniffle is common place. When at a party over 3 weeks ago the guest of honor had mentioned how there's a nasty throat virus going around and that his girlfriend was unable to attend. At the time, I had the impression, yeah that's what everyone else gets, not me. From then until now I've seen this virus take a few people out. Especially with a few yoga teachers. When I would make the comment that someone didn't look so good quickly I would be told, oh it's nothing, really. Or another comment was, I never get sick. I haven't had a cold in over three years. One teacher told me this over and over again. I got it the first time, mind you. Interesting this denial that we get sick. Reminds me of when one of my closest friends, who also practices and teaches yoga, almost seemed bitter to have come down with a cold. Her last illness was nearly 5 years ago! So she says. Once again, I was reassured by her, over and over again, this type of thing just doesn't happen. A quick tonic of herbs brewed, drunk down, and it will be as good as gone, I was told. Well, let's just say it didn't really happen that way. The sniffle rode itself out in due time as usual.

Do we have health pride? Because we do yoga and eat organic foods are we somehow above human protocol?

So about a week ago a tickle started to manifest in my throat. Yeah. From what I heard this is how it starts, as an innocent tickle. Not a good sign. I mentioned to a colleague of mine that I thought I was coming down with something which I was quickly told that she never catches anything. Did I ask? Nooooooo. However, yes, I was reminded of the strength and vitality of her immune system, never mind mine.

So I caught this damned throat virus, big deal. It's my time. I'm due. However, through this experience I'm left wondering if some of us have become prideful with the lifestyles we have chosen? If somehow we have risen above a certain apex of human evolution (delusion) because we won't accept anything less, much less being sick. Like somehow we are better people if we don't come down with these common human conditions.

In many ways I have felt relief to finally accept that illness comes and goes and the importance of rest and renewal. It's okay. Not the end of the world. I have had to deal with the guilt of staying home from work. Something that I will always have to deal with because of the circumstances of my upbringing and temperament. You know, we all have our stuff.

As I lay here I realize being able to relate to the human condition seems much more worthwhile than having the illusion of rising above it. In the end resistance is another pattern no matter how we slice it. Relating to all that is around, our differences, our weakness, our strengths gives rise to compassion, that yeah, we're here in these bodies just trying to make sense of it all.

Real Food Flow Chart

Swedish Summer

“Whatever you do, you need courage. Whatever course you decide upon, there is always someone to tell you that you are wrong. There are always difficulties arising that tempt you to believe your critics are right. To map out a course of action and follow it to an end requires some of the same courage that a soldier needs. Peace has its victories, but it takes brave men and women to win them.”

(Ralph Waldo Emerson)

I love Swedish summer, but it doesn't love me back. At least for the moment it doesn't. I've had my first bout of allergies in years. Kinda frustrating to feel allergic to nature. Itchy eyes. Ticklish nose. Swollen, scratchy throat. Not the funnest feeling when all you want to do is enjoy the lovely weather. Oh well. I'm making the best of it. It's times like this when the neti pot comes in handy. Seriously, it's heaven sent. Neti is my best option for thriving in the Swedish summertime.

I used to flush twice a day, everyday, and now I'm getting back into it. Once starting up again, I've had to ask myself - why did I stop? It's incredible.





A daily neti pot cleanse leaves you feeling clear headed and alert. Below are a few of the benefits to taking up the practice. Prevention is key!

Neti removes all the dirt and bacteria-filled mucus from within the nose.

It also helps to drain the sinus cavities. This, in turn, will help to re-program the body's natural mechanisms against nasal infections such as hay fever, allergies, sinusitis and other upper respiratory complaints like sore throats and coughs, post nasal drip, inflammation of tonsils and adenoids.

It is beneficial for illnesses such as asthma and bronchitis as it reduces the tendency for mouth breathing by freeing the nostrils of mucus.

It has a cooling and soothing effect on the brain by drawing out excessive heat, and is therefore beneficial for headaches, migraine, epilepsy, temper tantrums, hysteria, depression and general mental tension.

Neti is of great benefit for problems associated with the eyes. It helps flush the tear ducts, encouraging clearer vision and gives a sparkle to the eyes.

It can be beneficial for certain types of ear disorders such as middle ear infections, glue ear, tinnitus.

Neti improves sensitivity of the olfactory nerves, helping to restore lost sense of smell, and thereby benefits the relationship with taste and digestive processes.

It has subtle effects on the pineal and pituitary glands which control the hormonal system. This has a harmonizing effect on emotional behaviors.

Neti affects the psychic center known as Ajna Chakra which helps in awakening higher states of meditation.

It helps to stimulate better powers of visualization and concentration and gives a feeling of lightness and clarity to the mind.

Neti is excellent for those trying to give up smoking. Since it reduces the tendency for mouth breathing, Neti re-sensitizes the nose to the actual pollution of ingesting smoke, thereby de-programming the brain of the physical and psychological addiction.

(Source)

A Land of Contrasts {Iceland Weather}

Oh my. When researching Iceland before my arrival I had read how quickly the weather changes. I didn't really fall for it, because I've heard the same thing about other places. Heck, I've heard that about Columbus, Ohio, and even Sweden. Nope, those two don't come close to the schizophrenic nature of Iceland. OMG!

From the time I awoke till about noon it had rained and become sunny in a cycle of about five to six times, with bursts of wind mixed in. Later, there was a bit of snow sighted. Sun came out again. Then sleet. The fiercest burst of sleet I've ever encountered. It was coming in sideways, and felt like rocks pelting me in the face. Ummmm, yeah. Not the best feeling in the world, lol. I relented to walking backwards. Ha! Then sunny again! As if nothing ever happened! I was told with the changing of seasons the weather is a bit more neurotic. Should be settling soon. Now I know I have to be ready for anything. With all this, I don't get how the Icelanders can STILL be so chic and stylish. A mystery.

I encountered my first Icelandic pool experience. A huge part of the culture. Deals and acquisitions are even made over a dip in a hot pot. The majority of pools are outdoors. Yes outdoors, even with all the elements. That's the beauty of it. You start in the slightly heated pool then work your way up in temperature moving into warmer and warmer hot pots (or hot tubs). There's a steam room too.

The mixture of sitting in a geothermal pool, filled with spring water, and fresh air is intoxicating, and brings with it an abundance of health benefits. No wonder Icelanders have one of the highest life expectancies in the world. They don't live without taking a dip, regularly.

I'll be adding it into my regular routine! My skin glowed, and I felt completely relaxed. Ahhhhh. The perfect remedy for challenging yoga practices.

 Iceland. A contrast of hot and cold. Makes for interesting synergy.

Oil Therapy

I hold quite a bit of vata in my joints. Everything pops, especially lately. With that being said, the use of oils have become important in my daily routine. Internally and externally. However, I just recently started something called oil pulling. Ever heard of it?

Oil pulling therapy is derived from Ayurvedic medicine. A natural therapy, by swishing oil in the mouth for several minutes while toxins are absorbed. This is one of the reasons why its important to never swallow the contents of the oil. I always spit out the swished oil in the toilet so my sink drain doesn't clog.

It's recommended to use sesame oil, however other oils can be used. I tend to stick with organic cold-pressed oils.

I've only been experimenting with the therapy for several weeks, as part of my morning routine. So, I can't really give a good assessment as to the effects. A month or longer will give more accurate detail. However, the most startling effect is how it whitens the teeth. Seriously, I'm talking about gleaming, sparkling white. Wow. Forget about using abrasive, whitening toothpastes, with harsh chemicals, and other methods of teeth whitening, this does the job. 

After doing a bit of research I've heard various recommendations as far as how long to swish the oil in the mouth. Anywhere from 10 to 20 minutes is given. Oh yeah, and you always want to oil pull on an empty stomach. Mornings seems to work well with my schedule as I'm preparing for the day. I've taken showers, checked email, washed dishes while swishing the oil.

Other alleged benefits include improvements in joint pain and/or arthritis, migraines, skin conditions, allergies, and digestive problems. Also helps in purifying and strengthening the body.

For more information on oil pulling visit here or google.

A Word Regarding Obesity

Worth watching.

The Skinny on Fat

I've been meaning to write a blog post in regards to healthy fats for the past several months. As I tried to pull from several sources, including my own experience, I came across the following article that, naturally, put all down better than I could, lol. However, I will say, consuming a fair amount of ghee, olive oil, flax seed oil, coconut oil, chia seed, and walnuts doesn't bother me when it comes to weight. If anything, When consuming the above, at fairly healthy quantities, I find my metabolism revs up even more, like how a well oiled machine runs better and more efficiently. I've been guilty of adding walnuts, flax seed oil, chia seed, hemp seed and ghee in one serving of oatmeal in the morning with no issues. The important thing to remember is that all fats are not created equal!

By Dr. Ariel Policano

Omega-3's: Making healthy hormones, preventing heart disease and promoting weight loss!

When we think of fat in our diet, there often seems to be confusion surrounding the types of fat and the amount of fat that is beneficial. Some say fats are important, some say it should be no more that 10% of your diet. Fats are really crucial for optimal human health, so cutting back on them excessively does not make good sense. Some of the areas that fats play a role in are memory and brain health, preventing cardiovascular disease, creating healthy hormones and maintaining health at a cellular level.

Research shows that longevity and the reduction of illnesses like cancer and heart disease come as a result of consuming plant-based sources of fats (as in nuts and seeds). Saturated fats are typically those that come from meat and dairy and can promote inflammation in the body. Chronic inflammation in the body is now associated with heart disease and cancer. A notable exception to saturated fats causing inflammation is coconut oil, which actually has anti-inflammatory properties.

Some form of saturated fat is needed in the human diet, and I will cover that in more depth in future articles. Until then, let me give you some quick advice: Consume coconut oil! Especially vegans. This is a healthy form of saturated fat, which is needed by the cell membrane and helps to give you a complete spectrum of necessary fats for good health.

Unsaturated fats are beneficial for our health because they act as healthy building blocks for hormones as well as our cells. An important part of each cell in our body is the cell membrane. This allows nutrition into the cell and effectively allows waste to be pumped out of the cell. The health of this cell membrane is determined to some degree by the fats that we consume, and our overall health is of course related to the health of our cells. The brain is also made up in large part of fats, and many of these unsaturated fats are instrumental in creating good health.

There are polyunsaturated fats and monounsaturated fats. Flax seeds, hemp seeds and chia seeds are all a form of a polyunsaturated fat. The nature of a polyunsaturated fat makes it highly reactive. Don't ever heat polyunsaturated fatty acids because they oxidize very rapidly. This means that by heating or cooking with them, they produce free radicals. Flax seed oil should be consumed as close to the date it was pressed as possible. Similarly, grind your flax seeds right before consuming them, if possible.

Monounsaturated fats are somewhat more stable than polyunsaturated fats. Olive oil is an example of a monounsaturated fat.

People often wonder about the root of the names for the unsaturated fats - omegas 3, 6 and 9. The names take their cue from their chemical structure. This is a bit technical, so hold onto your hat. The location of a double bond, which connects two carbon atoms, determines the name of these essential fatty acids (EFAs). "Omega" tells us that when we start to count the double bond, we start from the end (the right hand side). The "3" indicates where the first double bond occurs along the chain. The point is that it is the location of double bonds that causes omega-3s to behave differently in the body compared to other fatty acids.

Let's take a look at some of the omega-3 essential fatty acids. One of that we hear about a lot is called ALA, or alpha linolenic acid. ALA is found in flax seeds and hemp seeds. Then there is EPA (eicosopentanoic acid), which is typically found in fish and DHA (docosohexanoic acid) which is also found in fish like salmon and others. However, marine phytoplankton contains both EPA and DHA! This is truly amazing because these two omega-3 fatty acids are very anti-inflammatory and have been used as key therapeutics in reducing the risk of heart disease. Fish oil has been the knee-jerk recommendation to many people who have or are at risk of developing heart disease. It is wonderful to have an alternative to fish and fish oil to derive the same benefits.

It makes sense that the phytoplankton would be more bio-available because it is the source of EPA and DHA for the fish. The fish eat the plankton and then we eat the fish, so we have quite a task then of extracting the oil from the fish. If we consume the fish oil, there are then other questions. Is the oil truly fresh? With the processing, transport time and the time it sits in a gelatin cap on the shelf of your health food store, does it have a chance to become rancid? Is the fish safe in terms of being free from heavy metal contamination? Marine phytoplankton does not carry any of those concerns. The plankton are very small and are easily broken down and assimilated.

Here is a summary of recommended foods and oils that contain omega-3 fatty acids: flax (seeds and oil), hemp (seeds and oil), chia seeds, walnuts and marine phytoplankton.

The benefits of omega-3s include reducing the risk of heart disease and stroke while helping to reduce symptoms of hypertension, depression and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Some research has shown that omega-3 fatty acids support the health of the immune system and may reduce the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease.

One of the most important benefits of omega-3 fatty acids is that they reduce inflammation. The omega-3 fatty acids are the ingredients actually change chemical reactions to produce fewer substances called leukotrienes and prostaglandins. These substances will tend to increase aches and pains in the body. When we compare these to saturated fats, the saturated fats actually promote inflammation. Chronic inflammation, as measured in the blood with markers like C-reactive protein, is now known to be associated with cancer and heart disease.

One of the most interesting things about omega-3 fatty acids is that they do not make you "fat" in the way that saturated fats (as from meat and dairy) do. The omega-3 fatty acids help your body and your metabolism to function much more effectively. And when your body and brain function better, you feel better. Your cardiovascular system functions better because of the effects on the bloodstream.

And finally, here is an amazing key to maintaining healthy weight! By consuming foods that contain omega-3's like flax and hemp, the body secretes a substance called leptin. The leptin will help you to feel more satisfied with less food. It also improves the body's ability to respond to insulin. If you process insulin more effectively, you will also regulate blood sugar and manage your weight much more easily. High levels of circulating insulin tell the body "store fat!" and literally block the biochemical pathway that breaks fats down. The secretion of these leptins in response to omega-3 fatty acid consumption will reduce these circulating insulin levels. Pass the hemp seeds, please!

Enjoy the fats listed below in moderation and you will likely experience fewer aches and pains, better mood and memory, better hormonal health and maybe even some weight loss! After all, now you have the skinny on fats.

Healthy Sources of Omega-3 Fatty Acids:

Flax seeds and flax oil
Hemp seeds and hemp oil
Chia seeds
Walnuts
Marine phytoplankton

(Source)

Coffee Enema. Who Knew?

"Expose yourself to your deepest fear; after that, fear has no power, and the fear of freedom shrinks and vanishes. You are free."

(Jim Morrison)

Ok. So I guess I'm going there. The coffee enema. Geez ...

The first I heard of such a thing was many years ago. Yes, I heard Janet Jackson did them. Yes, I thought it a bit strange and overzealous. Well now, I've treaded down various paths and certain things just don't seem all that strange to me. It's all about having an open mind.

After doing a far amount of research on my own, I found that coffee enemas have been around for hundreds of years. There are many different kinds of enemas one can partake in, and the coffee enema in particular has the ability to aid the liver and detoxify the body.

Coffee enema's have also been successfully used for cancer patients as an adjunct treatment. Dr. Max Gerson, M.D. popularized this form of therapy using the coffee enema along with special diet, juices, and supplements with excellent results in the early 1900s.

Further benefits include enhanced elimination of toxins through the liver, increased bile output, and improved digestion to name a few.

I won't go any more further, but nonetheless, it's interesting. Not sure if anyone out there has experience with doing them, but if so, I would love to hear form you!!!

The Coffee Enema

Cleanse Recovery

"This is love: To fly toward a secret sky, to cause a hundred veils to fall every moment, to let go."

(Rumi)

All done with my first liver/gallbladder cleanse! Hooray! All in all, it wasn't bad, and fairly painless. Actually there was no pain, except for the nausea I experienced last evening, which my two other friends did not experience.

Continuing from yesterday, after taking my second dose of Epsom salts, in the morning, things really started to flow ... and Violà! ... stones were released! It's amazing, lol. Most were very, very small, and the biggest ones I could see were pea sized. See the above picture. I placed a quarter next to two stones I recovered so one can see the relative size of the things. I expelled anywhere from 50 to 100 of these little guys, to my best estimate. Absolutely, painless.

The color of the stones expelled tell a story of there own. Dark green ones, are the oldest, and tan stones are usually the newest. One friend of mine had bright orange ones!!!

All in all, I'm extremely glad I did the cleanse, and feel an overall sense of well-being from doing so. The best way I can describe it is, it feels like a strong release. Obviously. Much was released. I feel as if my skin is glowing!

Again, I can't say it enough, the book we followed for the cleanse gave us a wealth of information. We followed what the author suggested to the letter. He clearly laid everything out for one to easily understand, and follow.

The book: The Liver and Gallbladder Miracle Cleanse, by Andreas Moritz

He does recommend repeating the cleanse anywhere from 3 week to 1 month intervals until no further stones come out. When a cycle of stones are expelled, the ones in the back move to the front. And, the number of times one needs to repeat, all depends on one's diet history/health and such. I'm not sure when I will repeat, however I do see the benefit in adding this into one's health maintenance regimen.

After getting over the hump of doing it my first time, it really wasn't as bad as I imagined. Through my own yoga practice over the years, I've come into a strong sense of my body's intelligence, an intuitive sense, if you will, and though it may seem strange to those on the outside, I feel as if I'm on the right track ... and, I couldn't feel better about it.

What a liberating feeling. I feel wonderful!! Yipeeee!

Liver/Gallbladder Cleanse Day 6

"In the universe, there are things that are known, and things that are unknown, and in between, there are doors."

(William Blake)

Cleansing day. My side effects were a bit different than my counterparts. Not sure why that is, but you know, different strokes for different folks, lol.

Had the last liter of apple juice with a twist of apple cider vinegar, in which are supposed to help further soften the stones.

Ate a light breakfast, of plain porridge with soy milk.. On the last day, no sweeteners or oils are to be used for the two meals allotted. For my second meal, brown basmati rice with mixed vegetables of tomatoe, zucchini, and shitake mushrooms. Yum!

Right before the cleansing procedures another enema is recommended so when the stones release, there is nothing in the colon to obstruct the flow. This time, I did a plain water enema using steam distilled water.

In the evening is when the first round of Epsom salts are ingested. Four tablespoons of Epsom salts (magnesium sulfate) added to a total of 24 ounces (three 8 oz. glasses) of filtered water in a jar. This makes four 6-oz servings. This is where I took my first, 6-oz serving. Yeah, it doesn't taste good, and I even used a straw to help ease my taste buds, haha. However, it wasn't too bad, and the serving sizes were doable. The main actions of Epsom salt are to dilate the bile ducts, making it easy for the stones to pass. In addition, the salts clear waste that obstruct the release of the gallstones.

Two hours later, I consumed my second serving of Epsom salts. Compared to my counterparts, I had the strongest laxative effect taking the solution. I was constantly running to the bathroom!!! It was unbelievable. Let me just say I was in the flow, lol.

Another two hours later, time for the grapefruit/olive oil concoction! Obviously, there's prep time, so it's good to have it ready to take two hours from the 2nd serving of Epsom salts. To my surprise, ingesting the grapefruit juice/olive oil mixture, with a twist of lime, for taste, wasn't all that bad to take down. I was expecting this to be the worst part. The important step when taking the solution is to drink it within 5 minutes, next to your already prepared bed, and LIE DOWN IMMEDIATELY, when finished. This is the essential part to the release of gallstones. It's highly recommended to lie on your back or right side only, and fall asleep.

The worst part for me was the nausea I experienced throughout the night. This was due to the sudden outpouring of gallstones and toxins from the liver, and gallbladder. Personally, I had waves of nausea, and weakness, at the same time, that didn't feel all that great. It wasn't the most comfortable feeling, but knowing I was doing myself some good, kept me going. Eventually, the nausea passed ...

All considering, I slept lightly ...

Next morning, I took the 3rd serving of Epsom salts. Once assimilated into the system, this is where one can expect the expelling of gallstones.

More on what I found later ...Yikes!

:-)

Liver/Gallbladder Cleanse Day 5

"Re-examine all that you have been told… dismiss that which insults your soul."

(Walt Whitman)

Continuing to eat my vegan meals, drink my apple juice, and fa la la ... it's been easy going. Although, I did receive some unusual sensations in my liver/gallbladder area. It wasn't painful, but it didn't really feel great either. Kinda like a throbbing sensation that lasted for maybe 15 minutes or so, and passed.

Tomorrow, will be the big day of consuming the Epsom salt mixture, along with the grapefruit juice, olive oil concoction. I'm not really looking forward to all that, but it must be done!

Hopefully all goes well ...