Posts Tagged ‘food as medicine’

If you have an interest in losing weight I recommend that you increase you nutrient rich food sources and decrease the items you are consuming that have little or no nutritional value.

Enjoy two nutrient rich beverages a day. I enjoy one in the morning and usually one right after work. Here’s an example:
1 cup orange juice
1 cup coconut milk
1 Tbl Spirulina-Plant based complete protein, vitamins, minerals, etc. Can’t say enough. It’s great.
1/4-1/2 tsp MSM-sulfur, important for cellular & joint health. Keeps the cells flexible
1 tsp Merlin’s Herbal Magic Roots Elixir-Energizing & alkalizing herbal blend-Find this at one of the above links under Tea & Spices
6-8 frozen strawberries
Stevia-no calorie natural sweetner

If you want it to be more filling you could use yogurt or kefir instead of one of the other liquids.

Weight lose not just about what you eat.  Find ways to have fun exercising.  Get out and walk, swim, bike ride, take a dance class.  Do a variety of activities so you don’t get bored.  You don’t want your mind to get bored and you body needs variety also.  You will burn calories and boost your feeling of well being.  Make it fun, not work.

It’s a gorgeous summer morning. It was cool here so the windows are open. I enjoy that so much more than air conditioning. Made my pot of yerba mate, did my journaling and reaching for better feeling thoughts and visions.  I know all is well.  I am loved and supported.  I feel good.  It’s a great day.  I’m taking my fresh mango, cottage cheese and tea to enjoy on the deck.  Wishing you a wonderful day.

This morning started out feeling like I had so many things to do I didn’t know where to start.  I knew a to do list was in order.  After the animals got fed I made my morning smoothie.  The recipe varies to keep it interesting:

1 Cup orange juice

3/4 cup coconut milk

1 Tbl Spirulina-Amazing complete protein

1-1/2 tsp Opti-MSM (organic sulfur) If you’ve never used this you need to start with smaller amounts.  Great for joints, skin, hair, nails, healing, cleansing, etc.

1/2 tsp Merlin’s Herbal Magic Roots Elixir-Cleansing and energizing without caffeine.

1/2 tsp Maca-Balances endocrine system.

Stevia-No calorie natural sweetner

8 frozen strawberries

Blend and enjoy.  It tastes great.  It’s very green.  Very fulfilling.  Packed with nutrients.

I decided to take my smoothie and go feed the fish in the pond and pick tomatoes.  I spilled 3/4 of the smoothie.  Ugh.  The ants around here will be supercharged.  I knew it was time to slow down and not worry about getting anything done.  Breath and just feel good.  That’s enough right now.

I love these products. You can find everything but the Stevia at the link below.
“>

There are so many things that taste good and are good for you.  Rooibos tea is one of them.  If you find yourself hooked on soda start trying to substitute some wonderful teas.  Your body will love you for it.

Numi tea is having a 20% off sale on teas from South Africa.  Numi has some lovely teas.  Rooibos is only one of them.  Find out more through the link.  You will feel so much better.

There are a lot of SuperFoods out there these days. I have tried numerous ones, but my staple is Spirulina which is blue-green algae. Spirulina is a full spectrum, non-toxic, is easy to digest and 50-70% protein. It contains all eight essential amino acids making it a complete protein. It is superior to the isolated protein powders, especially those from animal origins. Animal proteins are high uric acid forming and this contributes significantly to ostoporosis and kidney stress. Spirulina’s protein is gentle on your kidneys and it has been shown to actually help protect against kidney failure. Spirulina is also easier to digest than animal protein.

I add it to my cat and dog’s food everyday.

Spirulina provides high levels of chlorophyll and also contains iron, vitamin A, a full spectrum of carotenoids, B-1, B-2, B-6, E and K. It provides a vast array of minerals, trace elements, phytonutrients and enzymes. Spirulina offers beneficial fatty acids DHA, GLA and others which have been shown to possess anti-viral activity.

Spirulina is a whole food source of concentrated nutrients. I use it in a smoothie or added to juice everyday, usually twice a day. In the morning and when I get home from work.

Spirulina is great if you want to lose weight you can create a nutrition packed drink that supports your bodies needs and boosts your energy. Use the powder powder in a nutrient packed drink before meals and your body will feel more satisfied. If you find your challenge is between meal snacking than use it as a snack substitute to satisfy your cravings.  This should be only one aspect of your weight loss plan.  A healthy body needs great nutrition and exercise.  You also want to explore your emotional relationship to your body.

This is how I consumed my Spirulina this morning:

1-1/2 cups organic berry juice or any juice you like. Apple cider is another favorite.
1 Tablespoon Spirulina
Opti-MSM Flake-the amount varies, if you never took you start with a small amount and build
Stevia – natural no calorie sweetner
8 +/- frozen strawberries
a couple ice cubes

Blend and enjoy.

Sunfood Nutrition is my favorite source for food related nutrition.  I use their products in my daily smoothies like MSM powder, Spirulina, Earth, Mangosteen powder and Maca.  They are advocates for raw diets so the products they offer are raw and minimally processed

This is a great weekend to try something new or restock.  Everything is on sale. I love it.  Check them out on the link below.

“>

This is my favorite black bean recipe.  I’ve discovered I prefer using dried black beans and cooking them in a pressure cooker.  Pressure cookers are a worth while investment.  I use mine for dried beans, brown rice, squash, and potatoes.  It cuts the cooking time down and the flavors are great.

I enjoy black beans and brown rice.  It doesn’t matter which you cook first they both keep and reheat well.  Together they are a great virtually fat free high quality protein.

I recommend organic as much as possible.

Black Beans:

Ingredients:  2 cups dry black beans                1/4-1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

2 teaspoons sea salt                       1-1/2 teaspoons fennel seed

Directions:

1.  Place beans into a pressure cooker and fill with enough water to cover the beans by 1 inch.  Bring to a boil without the lid and boil about 2 minutes.  Remove from heat, drain and cool about 1 hour.

2.  Add water to the beans again enough to cover the beans by 1/2 inch.  Add sea salt, fennel seed, cayenne pepper.  Put the lid on and set the pressure cooker on high or 15 pounds, depending on your indicator.  Bring to a boil and cook for 35 minutes.  Release the pressure according to the manufacturer’s instructions for your cooker before opening the pot.

Serve hot with brown rice.

Optional:  sprinkle with grated Colby Jack cheese and salsa.

Here’s great info I found on the health benefits of black beans.

Mandy and I have been using MSM twice a day since about the end of May.  The amount of mucus in her eyes from allergies has been reduced by about 75% I would say.  She hasn’t stopped scratching, but that has improved.  I am giving her 1 tsp twice a day mixed in with her food along with 1/2 tsp of mangosteen powder.

The MSM works better in relation with vitamin C.

I have been adding the MSM in a smoothie or juice once or twice a day along with 1 tsp of Mangosteen powder, 1 tbl of Spirulina and 1 tbl of a raw herbal and plant blend called Earth.  I had been having an intense toothache which is 98% gone.  I figured I would get rid of what I’m sure was an infection before I see the dentist, ugh.

In the short period of time I have noticed an improvement in my nails and skin.

Check it out for yourself.  MSM is great for joint health, reducing allergies, helps the body produce insulin, assists in metabolizing carbs.  It helps the body absorb more nutrients so it’s great to take in conjunction with other nutrients, especially vitamin C.

These are all products I get from Sunfood Nutrition.  I believe they are one of the best sources for food based nutrition that I’ve found.

This is a nice twist on your summer beverage, healthy and tasty. Yerba Mate is one of my favorite tea’s. A bit of a stimulant due to the vitamins, minerals and a tad bit of caffeine. It’s not a late night tea for me.  No jitters if you are caffeine sensitive. This weekend when I was making my pot of tea I added fresh pineapple mint from my garden. Pineapple mint has a subtle flavor. It added a nice twist, plus the wonderful digestive benefits of mint. Get additional health benefits by sweetening with stevia. No calories, no effect on blood sugar. It takes a fraction of the amount to sweeten compared to sugar.

Growing mint is easy. It’s a hardy plant but can be invasive. I recommend keeping it in a pot.  It is an attractive plant and will look good among your other plants or on your patio.  When brewing it in with my tea I cut it up to help the oil release.

I like using loose leaf tea at home because I drink several cups a day and it’s less expensive and environmentally friendly.  A French press pot allows maximum contact between the water and herbs.  You can allow the herbs to steep for longer periods of time.  Brewing herbal teas longer is more beneficial to allow the vitamins, minerals  and all the good stuff to seep into the water.

In Joy.

I have recently added powdered MSM to my daily nutrient drinks. I usually have two a day, morning and late afternoon. I have also started adding to Mandy’s food because she has major allergy issues. We are on day 3.

I have noticed the increase in circulation for myself. With the severity of Mandy’s condition I think it will take a bit longer and I need to increase her dosage a bit.

I love using the tools that nature has given us for healing. MSM is a food that is easily used by the body.

Check here for more info

I don’t like to recommend to many things I haven’t tried myself so I’ll keep you posted on the benefits I experience along with Mandy’s progress.

Lounging in the ivy.