Sometimes we’re all a bit prickly, like durian fruit!

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This article recently appeared in the Bangkok Post and I decided it was a great one to share! The durian fruit is a classic example of how we can all be a bit prickly on the outside sometimes, but inside be deliciously sweet and full of love! Remember: don’t judge a fruit by its skin (or even by its smell for that matter!).

I found this beautiful display of fresh durian fruit on my recent trip to Bangkok, Thailand

“Because it’s in season this time of year, durian comes at a much cheaper price, allowing me to indulge in the yellow fruit as much as I can.

The “king of fruits“, however, is not treated like royalty, with some hotels and public facilities banning it due to its offensive stench, which draws comparisons to things like stinky feet, fermented garlic and rotting garbage.

Durian has long been reviled by some — it was even named “the most wicked fruit in the world” in a 1936 article in the US newspaper, the Milwaukee Sentinel. To be fair, the news brief ended positively, noting that some Europeans who had tasted the fruit declared it to be the most delicious on Earth.

I totally agree. Durian is divinely delicious, and foreigners should not miss out on nature’s masterpiece by tasting the different varieties — chanee, mon thong, and kaan yao. They will then discover that what smells like Hell tastes like Heaven.”

Durian fruit is prickly and hard outside but soft and sweet inside, like many people!

“The thorny basketball-sized fruit reminds us that people, too, shouldn’t be judged by their personal appearance, smell or (sometimes) public behavior. After all, there may be a reason behind their misconduct. Recently, stereotyping people according to their age has emerged in another glaring case of society judging a fruit by its skin.

I believe that, while humans might differ wildly, we’re all the same at the end of the day.

Once, when I was shopping for durian, I encountered a 70-something-year-old woman. Biologically she was a manus yai (a grandmother’s age), but technically she was a durian-jabbing manus pa, who spoiled the firmness of a packaged mon thong I was planning to buy. Because she was elderly, I did not want to confront her. Instead I left her to leave little finger-shaped craters on the other pieces of mon thong. I was upset, of course, but that didn’t mean I had to vent my frustration on cyberspace. Just forgive and forget — allow that grandma the pleasure of poking durian for the rest of her life.

At the most basic level, we’re all the same. We’re all human.”

This article is from the Bangkok Post, 20 August 2014 and was written by Kanokporn Chanasongkram View the original and full article here: http://www.bangkokpost.com/opinion/opinion/427685/sometimes-we-re-all-a-bit-prickly

Health benefits of durian fruit

Durian fruit is a healthy vegan fat. If you feel hot after eating durian, your liver might be overworked. In that case, cool it down by eating mangosteen (the sister to the durian king). Durian is a natural stress reliever thanks to the tryptophan it contains. Tryptophan is the amino acid that the body uses to make serotonin, your feel-good happy hormone, making durian a natural anti-depressant. Durian also increases sex drive, stamina and helps you sleep better too.

If you want a truly “out-of-this-world” raw food combo, try eating durian fruit on a empty stomach (it digests better and gives you more energy that way). Then, eat a few raw cacao nibs. Follow up with a cup of puerh or “pu erh” tea, that’s a raw fermented tea from China used by the Chinese to help the liver digest fats. Note that puerh tea does contain caffeine so it’s best to drink it early in the day. Watch out…you’ll feel a real natural high from this potent combination and appreciate the powerful of naturally good food!

Where to Buy Durian Fruit

Durian grows in SE Asia, mainly in Thailand, Malaysia and the Philippines. In Asia, look for fresh durian in supermarkets already cut and separated into packets for single servings (as shown in the picture above). You can also buy dried durian slices, durian chips, durian candy (made with sugar) and even durian ice cream.

Outside of Asia, some supermarkets sell imported durian fruit but it will more than likely be frozen. The best place to look is in an Asian supermarket or ask around in the your local Chinatown area. I found a whole frozen durian at a Filipino supermarket in Maui, Hawaii once. We took it home, thawed it out and cracked it open and i have to say that it was delicious!

More on Manifestation and Motivation:

Raw Zucchini Rolls with Walnut Pesto and Cashew Cheese: Recipe

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Are you looking for something different than another salad? Or looking to bring an eye-catching and mouth-watering dish to your next raw food potluck or healthy picnic? Try this recipe for Raw Zucchini Rolls and your friends and family will simply be amazed at how delicious healthy food can be. And of course, it’s gluten-free!

Raw Zucchini Rolls with Tomato Sauce, Cashew Cheese and Walnut Pesto – it’s easy to make!

I actually threw this dish together with what I had at home one day not using any recipe at all. That’s the beauty of learning how to cook – once you know the basics, you can use your creativity to make just about anything you want! My goal was to have a nice finger-food raw food platter. I saw that I had a lot of organic zucchini, so I said, hmmmm…I can make zucchini rolls, now what to put inside? First I made the tomato sauce and it was yummy, but I felt like it needed more texture. So, I made the walnut pesto. Then, I decided to top it off with some smooth and creamy raw cashew nut cheese and this gorgeous gourmet-looking raw pasta dish was born!

You can make this yourself at home. You will need either a blender or a mini-food processor, about 3-4 large organic zucchinis and the following ingredients:

Walnut Pesto Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cup raw organic walnuts
  • 1 Tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 1 cup organic fresh basil leaves (or cilantro)
  • 1/2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
  • Dash of Himalayan Salt

Raw Tomato Sauce Ingredients

  • 2 cups organic tomatoes, chopped
  • 1 Tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 1-2 raw garlic cloves
  • 1/2 tsp. organic dried oregano leaves
  • 1/4 tsp. organic dried basil leaves
  • 1/4 tsp. organic cayenne pepper
  • 1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
  • 1/2 Tbsp. raw apple cider vinegar
  • 1 Tbsp. raw organic honey (optional)
  • Dash of Himalayan Salt

Raw Cashew Cheese Ingredients

  • 2 cups organic raw unsalted cashews
  • 1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
  • Dash of organic cumin powder
  • Dash of organic cayenne pepper
  • Dash of Himalayan Salt

How To Make a Raw Zucchini Rolls

1. Make the Walnut Pesto: Add the ingredients into a mini food processor or blender and pulse several times until the mixture is course but uniform in texture. Set aside in a glass container, covered and refrigerated for at least 2-3 hours to marinate.

2. Make the Tomato Sauce: Add the ingredients into a mini food processor or blender and pulse several times until the mixture is course but uniform in texture. Set aside in a glass container, covered and refrigerated for at least 2-3 hours to marinate.

3. Make the Cashew Cheese: Add the ingredients into a mini food processor or blender and blend for 1-2 minutes until smooth in texture. Set aside in a glass container, covered and refrigerated for at least 2-3 hours to marinate.

4. When you are ready to serve, prepare the zucchini strips: Peel the outer skin of each zucchini (the skin can have a bitter taste but also looks more like real “pasta” without the skin). Then use a peeler, mandolin or knife to cut the zucchini into flat strips.

5. Using one zucchini strip at a time, place 1 spoonful of tomato sauce and 1 spoonful of walnut pesto on the strip, then roll the strip, securing it with a toothpick. Top each zucchini roll with a dollop of cashew cheese and a small sliver of fresh basil leaf for decoration.

6. Serve on a plate of lettuce, with loving intention to share the gift of good health!

Note: If you are vegan, you can replace the raw organic honey with agave nectar or a dash of organic stevia powder.

For more on how to start a raw food diet, how to do a detox at home or what minerals you may specifically be deficient in, book a private health consult with me via Skype.

How to Book Your Health & Nutritional Coaching Session:

1. Take photos of your eyes with a digital camera.
2. Email the photos to me for approval.
3. We schedule a time to meet via phone or Skype!

More on Raw Food:

Do you need to eat 100% raw food for success? How much raw food is best?

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Recently the New York Times ran an article in their online blog section entitled “Growing Up on Raw Foods” where the author discussed whether or not it is safe to raise children on a 100% raw food diet. I found this article to be very interesting for a number of reasons and I am so happy that it highlights some important factors to consider when transitioning to a raw food or vegan diet.

All information in this article is for educational purposes only.
It is not for the diagnosis, treatment, prescription or cure of any disease or health condition.

How much raw food do you need to eat for success?

Getting Iron and B12 on Vegan or Raw Foods

First, the author points out that children who eat a vegan or raw food diet have higher risk of anemia and vitamin B12 deficiency. As many of you know, I am a huge advocate of eating dark leafy green vegetables, which in my opinion, are the most important food to add to any diet, whether it be a vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free, Paleo, diabetic, heart healthy or weight loss diet. In fact, I wrote an article called My Boyfriend Followed my Raw Food Diet and Got Anemia to try and get people thinking about eating more leafy greens for a good vegan source of iron. B12 is also a valid concern (and actually meat eaters are often deficient in B12 too due to low absorption); for that I always recommend a high quality B12 supplement. Note: I do not recommend liquid B12 supplements because many people develop gum sensitivity and/or nerve pain in the teeth from B12 in liquid form.

Accepting your % of raw food

But, the highlight of this article for me was to read about how some well-known raw foodists are changing their 100% raw food status and are eating more cooked food in their diet:

“Some longtime raw-food evangelists are rethinking their devotion. Jinjee Talifero, who runs a raw-food education company with her husband, Storm, in Santa Barbara, Calif., was 100 percent raw for most of the last 20 years, until about a year ago, when financial and other considerations made it difficult to continue feeding their five children, ages 6 to 19, that way. “It was always like a borderline thing to keep enough weight on them,” she said, and getting proteins from cashews and almonds was proving too expensive.

Her children also ran up against social problems. “They were socially isolated, ostracized and simply left out,” said Ms. Talifero, who now incorporates cooked food in the family’s diet.

Sergei Boutenko, 29, a filmmaker in Ashland, Ore., ate only raw from 9 to 26, and for years his family preached the virtues of the diet. But, he said, “there was this constant hunger,” and the raw children he met seemed “underdeveloped and stunted.”

He now eats about 80 percent raw, with occasional meat and dairy. “When it takes 15 hours to make a raw food lasagna that wipes out two days of your life, it’s better to just make a vegan or vegetarian lasagna and move on with your day,” he said.”

The Daily Mail UK website had an article on raw food recently where Australian raw food advocate and follower of a fruitarian or 80-10-10 diet Freelee the Banana Girl explained that she remains ‘raw until four’ – meaning she eats no cooked or heated food until 4pm.

These articles make me so happy because finally, the raw food world seems to be letting go of the 100% perfect raw food pedestal. Even Gabriel Cousens (author of Conscious Eating) says that you can get the same results with eating an 80% raw food diet as you can with 100% raw food, but it will just take you a little longer to get there.

A high raw food diet is usually more than 2/3 or 66% raw food, and 80% is excellent

The conclusion: It’s ok to eat a high raw food diet, as long as you focus on quality of food and:

  • Choose organic fruit and veggies wherever possible
  • Prepare your food with loving intention
  • Avoiding processed foods and chemical food additives
  • Eat cooked food without guilt (because you are 100% human!)
  • Cook your food in healthy ways without heated oils, frying or charring the food

Remember, balance is the key to success. As Dr. Bernard Jensen says, “One cup of coffee won’t kill you, but one glass of orange juice won’t cure you either.”

What’s my % of RAW?

I was 100% for 2 years until I started traveling more and then I dropped down to 90% raw to accommodate my schedule, eating plain steamed veggies, an occasional plain baked potato or organic brown rice. After 8 years on the raw food path, I now sit comfortably at a high raw food diet which means I eat 85-100% raw food. My daily diet consists of green smoothies, green juices, huge salads, sprouts, nuts, seeds, fresh wheatgrass shots, homemade sauerkraut, kombucha and occasionally some organic cooked black beans, chickpeas, steamed vegetables, veggie soup with homemade broth, organic brown rice or red quinoa. I mostly follow the Hippocrates Diet or Ann Wigmore style of eating. Technically speaking, I am not a vegan because I do eat raw organic honey and other bee products like royal jelly on occasion. I made some mistakes with my raw food diet nutritionally along the way, and I’m going to reveal all my lessons learned in a new ebook, so stay tuned!

If you’re going to keep your new diet habits as a healthy way of living for life, it has to be a sustainable for life. Many experts agree that you have to eat at least 50% raw food to start seeing and feeling results (more energy, improved skin, better digestion, anti-aging & cellular repair, reversal of disease). Whether you’re eating 60 percent, 80 percent, 90 percent or 100 percent raw food, the most important thing to allow yourself to be is 100% human. As you go through the years of your life, your percentage of raw food may increase or decrease, and that’s okay! No matter what, the percentage of raw food that you are eating should feel right for you.

> Are you trying to transition to a raw food, vegan or vegetarian diet and feeling overwhelmed with all of the different opinions out there?

> Are you struggling emotionally and socially with changing your diet and feeling isolated or confused?

> Are you eating a healthy raw food or vegan diet and still feel tired, have trouble sleeping, or suffer from skin problems, hair loss, brittle nails, digestive problems, anxiety, depression, infertility, or dental problems?

> Do you want to change your diet but simply don’t know where or how to begin?

For more on how to start a raw food diet, how to do a detox at home or what minerals you may specifically be deficient in, book a private health consult with me via Skype.

How to Book Your Health & Nutritional Coaching Session:

1. Take photos of your eyes with a digital camera.
2. Email the photos to me for approval.
3. We schedule a time to meet via phone or Skype!

To read the New York Times article in its entirety, go here: Growing Up on Raw Foods

To read the Daily Mail UK article in its entirety, go here: ‘I lost 3st eating vast “mono meals”: Controversial diet guru who consumes 5lb of potatoes in one go says single-food feasts are key to weight loss and health

More on Raw Food:

Get Affordable Organic Food with Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) Vegetable Home Delivery

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Want to save time and money and get more affordable organic fruits and vegetables? Then check into finding a local CSA for organic home delivery in your area. Community Supported Agriculture or CSA is a way to connect consumers directly to organic farmers. With no store or “middle man” in between, you get more affordable produce that’s fresh and in season.

Get local organic produce delivered to your door & save money too!

How does a CSA work?

Basically, you invest in a “share” of the harvest, meaning you pay in advance for regular deliveries of organic, fresh, seasonal produce from local farmers. Every program varies in what it offers, when and where it is delivered and how much a share costs. Typically, you choose between a “small box” or a “large box” which is delivered weekly on a certain day (say every Tuesday or Thursday). The contents of the box will vary depending on what’s being harvested that week. For example, this week (in summer) in Israel I received: organic tomatoes, cucumber, lettuce, dill, parsley, beets, green chives, mint, pumpkin, spinach, Swiss chard, daikon, zucchini and watermelon. Other times I will get garlic, onion, lemons, papaya, apples, melon or kohlrabi with a mix of fresh greens that also vary depending on the time of year. On average, 1 large box will last me about 4-5 days. I usually need to supplement with my own store-bought organic fresh fruit because admittedly, you usually get more veggies than fruit in a CSA box. With the CSA that I belong to, there is also the option to order additional items, including local organic eggs, tahini, honey and olive oil (I don’t order any additional items but I know a lot of people who do). The box is delivered directly from the farm to your door.

The benefits of eating organic food

Organic food is higher in minerals because the soil in which its grown is a much better quality than the over-farmed, depleted and toxic soil you find in industrial farming. Without any hazardous pesticides either, organic food can decrease your risk of allergies, rashes, inflammation and asthma and keep your immune system strong. This is especially important for growing children. Organic food is also not irradiated or genetically modified (GMO), two more processes and man-handling added to the food supply today which can be harmful to your health.

And, my favorite thing about organic food? It tastes way better!!! My fresh organic produce is never bitter or bland. And a better natural taste has to be better for you. Once you try it, you will see for yourself!

The saddest thing I find about organic food is people seem to only invest their money in it at certain times in their life: mainly, when they’re pregnant, sick or have cancer. Outside of that, it can be really hard to convince anyone to spend money on organic veggies, fruit, nuts, seeds and/or grains. Even vegan, raw food, vegetarian and gluten-free folks will often turn their head at the added cost of organic. But why wait until you are sick or pregnant to start eating the best food for your body? If you eat organic food for years before your pregnancy, don’t you think you will be higher in minerals, less toxic and therefore increase your chances of a healthy pregnancy and baby? And perhaps if you invest in some high quality food now, you won’t ever get sick and if you do, you will recover much more quickly. If you put better fuel in your car, it will run better and last longer. Well, let’s add some extra miles to your life and keep your internal engine working great with high-quality organic food! You deserve the very best.

The benefits of using CSA delivery

1. You increase the amount of organic food in your diet.
2. It’s more affordable and fresher than buying organic produce in stores.
3. The fruit and vegetables are locally grown and in season.
4. You’re supporting small local businesses and farmers in your area.
5. You save time and hassle by enjoying home delivery.
6. You naturally get more variety in your diet.
7. You can experiment and try new veggies that you might not otherwise buy (like daikon or kohlrabi).

In fact, I can’t think of any reason not to join a local CSA! To get started, research your local community by googling “CSA organic delivery + your county, city or state” and see what you find. You can also inquire at your local health food store or Wholefoods market.

A good list of Organic Home Delivery farms in USA: Organic Consumers Directory List for USA

In Israel, there are 2 popular CSA services for Tel Aviv: Chubeza and Maggie’s Garden (I personally have tried both and now am happy with Chubeza). Find a complete list of Organic Home Delivery farms in Israel, including Jerusalem, the north to Herzilya and south to Ashkelon here: Times of Israel article on Eating Organic in Israel using local CSA

If you’re using a local CSA in your community, please list the link in the comments below with your city, state and country below and let’s share the good times of eating more natural, whole and pure food! I’m thoroughly enjoying a healthy week with yummy green smoothies, juices, raw food salads and desserts all with beautiful vibrant organic food!

For more on how to start a raw food diet, how to do a detox at home or what minerals you may specifically be deficient in, book a private health consult with me via Skype.

How to Book Your Health & Nutritional Coaching Session:

1. Take photos of your eyes with a digital camera.
2. Email the photos to me for approval.
3. We schedule a time to meet via phone or Skype!

More on Organic Food:

What’s the Best Juicer? How to Choose a Juicer

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Buying a juicer is a commitment to actually start juicing. Believe me, I wish there was a self-cleaning juicer out there too, but there isn’t! I consider this a more advanced stage of healthy food prep because of the added time and effort it takes to make juice. For that reason, I encourage you to really think about what you’re most likely to use on a daily basis. Do you have extra time to prepare ingredients for juice and to clean the juicer? Or, are you more likely to blend a green smoothie that takes less than 5 minutes to make and can be stored in advance?

I recommend that you make green smoothies for at least 6 months before you even think about advancing to the world of green juices. When you’re comfortable with the green smoothie recipes and ingredients, it will be much easier for you to make the leap into juice.

When you’re ready, the next step is to decide what juicer is right for you. And if that wasn’t enough, there are actually 2 different types of juicers. If you’re not ready then take this information in as a side note, to be used at a later date, but don’t worry about the details too much now. Below, I explain the different types of juicers.

What to look for in a juicer

Features to look for in a juicer

With juicers, there are two main types: masticating and centrifugal. Those terms describe how the ingredients are mashed, spun and/or pressed and actually separated between a fiber and liquid form.

The other main feature to look for in a juicer is the size of the shaft where you place the ingredients for juicing. You will see some juicers listed as big mouth or wide mouth; that means you can take an entire apple or pear and easily fit the whole fruit in the juicer shaft as opposed to cutting it into quarter-size pieces and placing it in a smaller shaft. While it may seem that this feature makes it faster or easier to juice, it doesn’t change the cleaning time which is the most time-consuming part of the process.

Masticating

Masticating juicers are the best juicers for making green juice because the slow-press motor can easily squeeze the juice out of high-fiber leafy greens. Sometimes referred to as cold-press juicers, masticating juicers operate at a slow speed and produce a higher amount of juice. Masticating juicers can juice fruits, veggies, leafy greens and wheatgrass. They are usually sold online or in more specialty stores and they come at a higher price tag.

Centrifugal

Centrifugal juicers are readily available at normal retail outlets and are the most inexpensive type of juicer to purchase. With a centrifugal juicer, the ingredients are pulverized through a fast-spinning blade that extracts the juice through a strainer. These machines can’t handle leafy greens, wheatgrass, sprouts or herbs and are better suited for fresh and veggies. Because of the faster spin, they make less juice per volume of ingredients.

Top picks for juicers

Omega

The Omega 8004 is my personal top pick of juicers for making green juice. It’s a masticating juicer, and in my opinion, is easier to clean than other masticating brands or models. The 8004 has a great motor and can also juice wheatgrass (see below). Price starts at $199.95.

The Omega Juicer is a GREAT value for your money and an excellent juicer

Cuisinart

The Cuisinart Compact Juice Extractor is a centrifugal juicer that comes in at an affordable price with a nice design and a reliable brand name. Priced at $89.00.

Cuisinart Compact Juicer is a great value and a good starter juicer

Hamilton Beach

The Hamilton Beach Big Mouth Juice Extractor is also a centrifugal juicer with a nice clean, simple design. The fantastic price makes this juicer a great option if you’re on a budget. Priced at $59.85.

Good value for your money with this Hamilton Beach Juicer

Keeping your Juicer Clean

My advice for how to clean your juicer is this: Do not drink your juice until after you clean the juicer! If you drink your juice immediately, you’re much more likely to move onto something else and forget about the juicer until later. By then, all the pulp will be stuck to the juicer parts making a bigger job to scrub everything clean.

Your best bet: As soon as you finish juicing, unplug the juicer to make sure that the power is off. Take the juicer apart and rinse all the pieces with a sponge, warm water and dish detergent. Add the juice pulp to your compost pile if you have one. Once your juicer is on the drying rack, you can enjoy your freshly made juice! This is a house rule in my kitchen and it really works.

Choosing a wheatgrass juicer

If you’re interested in juicing your own wheatgrass at home, you’ll need a masticating juicer. The Omega 8004 is a great model for making fresh wheatgrass. Other options include the Champion juicer, and the Hurom vertical slow-press juicer.

Do you need to juice, and should you be juicing?

That’s a great question! Find out more about whether or not you even need to juice here.

Looking for a new blender too? Check out my guide on Battle of the Blenders: Which one is best?

For more on how to start a raw food diet, how to do a detox at home or what minerals you may specifically be deficient in, book a private health consult with me via Skype.

How to Book Your Health & Nutritional Coaching Session:

1. Take photos of your eyes with a digital camera.
2. Email the photos to me for approval.
3. We schedule a time to meet via phone or Skype!

More on Juicing and Smoothies:

Cilantro Hot Sauce Recipe! For a Spicy Dip or Salad Dressing

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Check out this amazing raw hot sauce! If you’re a former tabasco and hot sauce lover but are looking for an upgrade in your ingredients and a 100% raw food version of your hot sauce, then you’ve come to the right place. In this recipe, there is NO added sugar, no monosodium glutamate (MSG), no added colors or preservatives – just an all-natural good-for-you safe food recipe. It takes only a few minutes to make, and this hot sauce will keep in the fridge for 4-5 days. We usually make it once a week as a treat to add to a salad or a a topping to a yummy vegan seed cheese or nut cheese.

Delicious recipe for homemade hot sauce using hot peppers, coriander (cilantro) olive oil, salt and fresh garlic.

This is a very popular style of hot sauce in Middle Eastern food. Traditional Middle Eastern food has a lot of raw food dishes, and since I’m living in Tel Aviv, Israel, I get to play around with local, fresh ingredients and share some healthy recipes with you. In Hebrew, this sauce is called “skhug yarok” (green skhug). The Yemen people claim that this dish brings you health and longevity. The ingredients are: 1 whole bulb of garlic, 2 large hot peppers, 1 bunch fresh cilantro, 2 tablespoons olive oil + salt.

How To Make Homemade Hot Sauce

Place the following ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth:

– 1 bunch of fresh coriander (cilantro)
– 1 whole bulb of garlic, peeled (yes, the entire bulb, not just 1 clove)
– 2 large hot peppers (you can use 3 small raw jalapeño peppers)
– dash of Himalayan salt to taste (check your sea salt for no additional additives)

The key to making this hot sauce right is to add the olive oil at the very end, after you blend the other ingredients!

After everything is blended, add:

– 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

and blend again. Store in a glass container in the fridge.

This sauce is hot! You only need to add 1 teaspoon to a salad to give it a real kick! Garlic is a powerful anti-inflammatory food and a known anti-cancer food. Cilantro is a fantastic natural chelator of heavy metals and is recommended to eat during a heavy metal detox. Hot peppers help to detox the liver, strengthen blood and boost your immune system. This recipe is vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free.

Can you see how much healing power you can get from your food?

Delicious recipe for homemade hot sauce using hot peppers, coriander (cilantro) olive oil, salt and fresh garlic.

For more on how to start a raw food diet, how to do a detox at home or what minerals you may specifically be deficient in, book a private health consult with me via Skype.

How to Book Your Health Coaching Session:

1. Take photos of your eyes with a digital camera.
2. Email the photos to me for approval.
3. We schedule a time to meet!

More Healthy Recipes:

Raw Detox Salad Recipe

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Eating raw organic food can be so much fun! Check out this gorgeous salad that took only a few minutes to prepare…and it’s full of detox foods to make it a mini-cleansing meal!

Use the healing power of raw foods to create a fantastic detox salad

For the salad add: Chopped rocket leaves, grated carrot, chopped cucumber, fresh mint, parsley, sunflower seeds and top with homemade raw sauerkraut. If you can’t find rocket leaves, then just use fresh chopped spinach or romaine lettuce.

Make the dressing with: Chopped garlic, crushed papaya seeds, extra virgin olive oil, raw organic honey (optional), fresh lemon, a dash of cayenne pepper and Himalayan salt to taste. The papaya seeds should be fresh, from a ripe papaya. I usually set aside some papaya seeds after eating the papaya. Store the seeds in a small jar in the fridge for up to one week. Use a few seeds each time you make this recipe.

What makes this a DETOX salad?

  • Fresh parsley: Kidney cleanse
  • Cayenne, olive oil & lemon: Liver cleanse
  • Garlic & papaya seeds: Anti-parasitic foods (kills germs)
  • Sauerkraut: Natural probiotic (good bacteria)
  • Rocket & cucumber: Skin cleanse
  • Sunflower seeds: Good for glandular system
  • Raw honey: Immune booster
  • Fiber: Colon cleanse

Let Your Food be Your Medicine…..Wow, it’s really true!

Click here to learn how to make fermented cabbage and raw sauerkraut. In a temperate climate, it takes as little as 4 days!

What is DETOX?

The highly refined foods that you eat every day, including sugar and white flour, make you susceptible to intestinal problems, and possible diseases. The average diet today is heavily loaded with chemical additives, flavorings, coloring agents, toxic pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, and other toxic chemicals which overburden our bodies. Add to that work and family-related stress, indigestion, illnesses, constipation and sedentary lifestyles, and you have a recipe for an unhealthy colon and an overweight and tired body. Many health conditions are caused by the combination of processed foods, low fiber diets and poor evacuation of waste.

Periods of abstinence from solid food – a ritual performed since ancient times – can allow the body to “cleanse and purify” or “detox”, that is, to remove toxins, excess fat and even parasites caused by years of ingesting processed food, excess food, refined sugar and wheat and even fast food that eventually impairs the normal functioning and our body’s elimination.

During fasting, large amounts of these accumulated metabolic wastes and poisons are eliminated through the cleansing ability of all the organs of elimination – the colon, liver, kidneys, lungs and skin.

Eating more detox foods in your regular diet is a way to have a “mini-cleanse” on a regular basis and that helps the elimination organs keep us with their daily housework. Eat a detox salad for lunch instead of pizza or Chinese food and you will have better digestion, less headaches or insomnia, improve your skin and increase energy levels, simply by choosing better fuel for your body. A raw food diet is a detox on its own. You can continue for 1, 3 or 7 days on a 100% low fat raw food diet as a way to really give the body a good natural cleanse from the inside-out.

For more on how to start a raw food diet, how to do a detox at home or what minerals you may specifically be deficient in, book a private health consult with me via Skype.

How to Book Your Health Coaching Session:

1. Take photos of your eyes with a digital camera.
2. Email the photos to me for approval.
3. We schedule a time to meet!

More on Raw Food:

Loni Jane Anthony pregnant and eating 10 bananas a day: She says “80:10:10 diet saved my life”

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A pregnant woman eating 10 bananas a day in Australia is making world-wide news and stirring a lot more than raw cacao and acai bowls… Loni Jane Anthony is a 25-year old pregnant blogger and instagram sensation, famously known as “10-bananas-a-day” Loni Jane.

Loni Jane was recently featured on news.com.au in Australia where she discussed her the details of her “extreme diet,” considered even more extreme to many because she is now 26 weeks pregnant.

“It all started about three years ago. I started getting skin infections, acne and putting on weight which was weird because I’d always been so slim. I wanted to sleep all the time and ended up with a whole range of health problems including candida overgrowth, hormone imbalance, irregular periods and hair loss,” she said.

She says that years of a party-hard lifestyle with excessive partying, drinking and alcohol left her sick and desperate for a solution. She turned to the 80-10-10 diet, a diet created by Dr. Doug Graham consisting of low-fat, whole, fresh, uncooked fruits and vegetables after her health hit rock bottom.

“It wasn’t for weight loss or for a quick fix. I was internally really sick; I was killing myself slowly. If I’d kept living that lifestyle I would’ve ended up with a disease like cancer or early ageing. So giving up that food was really quite simple for me,” Loni said.

“I came across the 80:10:10 Diet from an extreme fruitarian. She really taught me that you can live and thrive on this lifestyle by just eating higher carbohydrate vegetables, fruits and juices, and keeping your diet low fat. You even keep good fats low to keep your blood sugar stable. It’s been amazing.”

Loni also tried the Paleo Diet and Gerson Therapy before converting to 80-10-10 or “811,” a low-fat, plant-based diet – which is 80% carbs, 10% fat and 10% protein.

Now 26 weeks pregnant with her first child, Loni Jane says The 80:10:10 Diet ‘saved her life.’

“I usually wake up about 4.30am-5am and have up to two litres of warm water with lemon. I let that go down for two or three hours. In summer I like to eat half a watermelon to get hydrated,” she said.

“If I don’t have watermelon I’ll have a big smoothie with at least five bananas, but usually more than five because organic bananas are smaller, and about a litre of filtered water. I also always have oranges in the morning being pregnant. I’m obsessed with eating oranges.

“At lunch I usually like to have a mono meal, meaning one type of fruit, which is really good for digestion and goes straight through you. At the moment it’s mangoes I’m hooked on so my meal for lunch will be at least five or six mangoes. I might then have a salad later depending on how active I am that day.

“Dinner is always a huge salad with a tahini dressing. If I decide to have something cooked I’ll have it on the side like at the moment my crispy no-fat potatoes are divine.”

“I feel like now I can share who I really am and I’m not trying to hide behind alcohol and partying. I don’t need to alter my state and get drunk to feel like myself or to have fun. I didn’t quit alcohol altogether but it’s no longer five days a week, it’s more like once every five months.”

“If you live your passion people will see that. I’m just living it, and living exactly what you see, and that’s what inspires people I think. Because I’m at an age where most people are out getting super-drunk and taking heaps of drugs and having no self-respect, so I like to inspire girls because I was once in that position as well.”

So, the big question… is this ok? Is it safe for a woman to be eating 10 bananas a day while pregnant? First I should say that I’m happy to hear of any story that gets us talking more about fruits and vegetables! Loni Jane is a very pretty girl. It sounds like she’s feeling great during her pregnancy and I hope she’s getting her iron levels tested and regular health check-ups to make sure the baby is ok.

From my own point of view, I personally think Loni Jane is a bit too thin and she looks very thin in her pregnancy photos, but just that’s my opinion. Of course, some woman can be very thin and healthy while pregnant. The most important thing to do while pregnant is have regular doctor visits and make sure the baby is developing at the right rate, that the heart rate is ok and that the mother is not anemic or mineral deficient.

When I see photos like this, I worry more about the implications of what kind of image this puts out to young girls and women. I’ve worked with many women with eating disorders and I’ve seen the obsession with flat-belly “selfie photos” all too often… I’ve also worked with many women who had drug and alcohol addictions, and went straight from that addiction into a strict and regimented 100% raw food diet. Replacing one addiction for another keeps an obsessive-like behavior, it isolates a person from family and friends, and keeps them locked into a “perfection-seeking” lifestyle. Often these women will binge and purge between raw food and junk food, desperately trying to find a stable middle-ground. Underneath that can be a real lack of self-value, self-worth and self-love. Some women will even combine their 100% fruitarian diet with getting breast implants, cheek fillers, lip fillers and botox but then profess their love of raw food and living a “natural life.” When young girls see an image of a size 0 women with size D silicon gravity-defying breasts drinking a green juice or holding a handful of bananas, it just doesn’t give plant-based diets or raw food a good name. How do we find a balance, when it’s clear that sex and beauty sell? In truth, there is no easy solution.

It’s definitely important for pregnant and breast-feeding mothers to get enough fat, protein and calcium in their diet. If a pregnant women is vegan, vegetarian, fruitarian or raw foodist, she should be extra attentive to her nutritional needs. Eating 10 bananas a day while pregnant is perfectly fine. (How many women eat 2 bagels, a bag of cookies, ice cream and cake while pregnant…and no one bats an eye?) However, in the early stages of pregnancy, it’s especially important to avoid too many high Vitamin C foods. High doses of Vitamin C can stop the body from making progesterone, the main pregnancy hormone. It could be dangerous for young pregnant women to follow Loni’s diet if they eat too many mangoes and oranges thinking they are doing the right thing, when in fact the high amounts of Vitamin C could trigger a miscarriage. It’s also not a good idea to go straight from a SAD or meat-eating diet into a 100% raw food diet at the onset of pregnancy and this can stir up a lot of toxins from the natural detox effect and that’s not good for a growing baby.

In Loni’s case, she seems to be doing well at 26 weeks and I wish her all the best. She’s got a creative eye and her photos of raw food are great! I’m happy that she is bringing a lot of attention to eating a more plant-based diet and she sounds like she’s pretty grounded in her approach to dealing with her new-found fame.

What do you think? I look forward to reading your comments below!

Related Article: Is it safe to detox while pregnant or breastfeeding?

Raw Food Diet Articles:

How to Ferment Cabbage and Make Raw Sauerkraut

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If you think that eating more fresh, natural raw food in your diet is too expensive, then this recipe is definitely for you! Making fermented foods at home is one of the most inexpensive ways to enjoy raw food. For optimal digestive health, we need to get good bacteria in gut on a regular basis. Antibiotics destroy all the bacteria in our system, both good and bad. Over time, this can lead to more imbalance in digestion function, absorption and elimination. Some experts even say that food allergies, autism and ADHD may be related to an imbalance of bacteria in the colon. Certainly many digestive diseases like colitis, diverticulitis and Crohn’s disease are caused in part by lack of good bacteria in the gut. Having the right balance of good bacteria helps to strengthen immune system, improve digestive health and long-term, can even prevent dis-ease. Probiotic, or good bacteria, literally means “for life.”

All information in this article is for educational purposes only.
It is not for the diagnosis, treatment, prescription or cure of any disease or health condition.

How to Make Raw Sauerkraut at home, a healthy naturally fermented food

How can we get good bacteria or “probiotics” back in the gut? The Western diet has virtually eliminated all traditionally fermented foods out of the diet, with the exception of yogurt. Store-bought yogurt is pasteurized, and usually contains added sugar, flavor and colorings. It’s also not a suitable option for vegans, and it’s expensive! Nowadays you will see Kombucha drink as a fermented raw food vegan option. Kombucha is fantastic, but it is also expensive at $6.00 per bottle. You may see sauerkraut for sale in supermarkets, but it’s already been pasteurized, so virtually all of the good bacteria has already been destroyed.

Not to worry! If you have just a few heads of cabbage, some salt and a few jars, you can easily make your own raw sauerkraut at home! It’s so easy to make that you will be wondering why you didn’t make it sooner! Cabbage is not expensive, and once the sauerkraut is made, you only need to add about 2 Tbsp. per day to your salad or veggies to get the good bacteria that your body needs. At that rate, 2 heads of cabbage could easily last up to 2 weeks for a family of 4. That’s some healthy savings!

What You Need: Raw cabbage, salt, a grater and jars

How to Make Homemade Raw Sauerkraut

Raw Sauerkraut: Ingredients

  • 2 medium-large organic green cabbage heads (or purple cabbage)
  • 1-1.5 Tablespoons Himalayan Salt or Pure Sea Salt
  • 1 Tablespoon caraway and/or mustard seeds (optional)
  • 2-3 sprigs fresh dill (optional)
  • 2 organic carrots (optional)

Raw Sauerkraut: Equipment

  • Grater or Mandolin
  • Cutting Board and Knife
  • Large Mixing bowl
  • Wooden Mallet (optional)
  • Large widemouth canning jar (or extra large mason jars)
  • Small glass baby-food jar or small glass cup to fit inside the larger jar
  • Clean rock or other weights to fit inside the small jar (to weigh down the cabbage)
  • Old t-shirt or towel for covering the jar
  • Large plate to catch any overspill

Instructions

Clean all materials before starting. Fermentation can be a sensitive process, and if there is any soap residue in your jars or hand cream chemicals on your hands, the fermenting might not work. I prefer to wash everything with a 50/50 mix of tap water and boiled water. For safety reasons, I do not recommend using 100% boiled water. Be careful not to rinse your jars with only boiling water because the glass can crack. Add tap water first, then some boiled water. Swish everything around and rinse. Wash your hands well with clean water and no soap.

Shred the Cabbage. Peel off the leaves of the cabbage and set them aside for later. Grate the cabbage on the large grate side of the grater or use a mandolin to shred the cabbage. Be sure to use the safety mechanism on the mandolin!

Combine Cabbage and Salt. Place the shredded cabbage to a large bowl and sprinkle some of the salt over top. If you have a wooden mallet, then start pounding the cabbage. If using only hands, then begin massaging and squeezing the cabbage with your hands. In just a few minutes, you should start to see the cabbage becoming watery and limp – this is a good sign! You can add some shredded carrot at this stage too (optional).

Making Raw Sauerkraut: Use a wooden mallet and pound away!

Add the salt. Then start squeezing by hand…

As you squeeze the cabbage, it will start to soften and you should see liquid/water. Put the liquid and cabbage in a glass jar for fermenting, pushing out any air bubbles. You can also add fresh dill, whole mustard seeds or caraway seeds for flavor.

Pack Cabbage and Liquid into Jar. Use your hands to pack the cabbage into the jar, pressing out any air bubbles each time you add more. At this stage, you can add some fresh dill, caraway seeds or mustard seeds for flavor. Pour any excess liquid from the cabbage into the jar. When the jar is nearly full, place a few of the larger outer leaves to cover the surface of the sauerkraut. This helps keep the cabbage submerged.

Gently press out air bubbles. Place some large cabbage leaves on top and be sure that your cabbage is all covered by the liquid. If necessary, add a small amount of water to cover the cabbage.

Cover the Jar. Place your filled jar on a dish, cover it with an old t-shirt or towel and put it in a quiet place to happily start fermenting. Ideally, your jar will be on top on a cabinet or on a table where it will not be disturbed. The best place is away from direct sunlight and at a cool room temperature — ideally 65°F to 75°F.

Place your sauerkraut on a dish or in a large bowl. Usually there will be liquid coming out of the jar as it ferments; this way any liquid escaping is caught and will not make a mess.

Finally, cover your sauerkraut with a towel or old t-shirt and keep it undisturbed. Check once a day, pushing out air bubbles and adding more water if needed. It should be ready in about 4 days.

Check Daily. Once a day, be sure to check your cabbage. Open the lid and push down the cabbage to release any air bubbles. If necessary, add a small amount of additional water and salt. By the 2nd day, the cabbage has usually been pressed down enough that there is some extra space in the jar. At that point, add the small baby-food jar or glass cup with rock inside to keep the cabbage submerged under water.

Taste after 4 days. Small batches of sauerkraut like this can be finished in as little as 4 days. On the 4th day, taste your cabbage. If you’re happy with the results, you can transfer your sauerkraut to the fridge where it will continue to ferment, although much more slowly. You can also keep it out to ferment for up to another 10 days, but you must check it every day, press out any air bubbles and add additional water and salt if necessary.

Note: It’s normal to see air bubbles coming through the cabbage during fermentation. When you press them down daily, you are eliminating the air space between the cabbage. In some cases if you forget a day, you may start to see mold, dark scum or smell a bad odor from the cabbage. If the scum can be skimmed off, then it’s ok to do so. If there is a bad smell or visible mold, I recommend to throw out the batch and start over.

When your sauerkraut is ready, put the large container in the fridge or transfer the sauerkraut to smaller jars and then refrigerate. Raw sauerkraut is a fermented product and will stay fresh for a few months. Once you open a jar and start eating it, it’s best to consume the sauerkraut within 30 days.

After 4 days, start tasting your batch. When you like the taste, you can transfer to smaller jars to put in fridge…or share with family and friends!

Making Large Batches of Sauerkraut

You can make much larger batches of sauerkraut in a ceramic fermentation crock, but the crocks are very expensive. It’s probably a good idea to try fermenting in glass mason jars first and see if you actually enjoy eating sauerkraut before making the investment in a crock. (One benefit of the large crock is that you don’t have to check it daily. The weights in the crock keep the air bubbles out.) Over time, if you find you want to make larger batches, then definitely consider making the leap.

How is Sauerkraut Fermented?

Raw sauerkraut is made by a process called lacto-fermentation. We can ferment cabbage thanks to the good bacteria that naturally exist on the surface of the cabbage leaves (and many other veggies too). Food becomes fermented when the “good” lactobacilli bacteria convert their sugars and starches into lactic acid. This is a natural preservative that inhibits the growth of harmful bacteria. The lactic acid also promotes the growth of healthy flora throughout the intestine. Sauerkraut contains high levels of glucosinolates. These compounds have been shown to have anti-cancer activity.

The diets of every traditional culture have included some kind of lacto-fermented food. Kimchi from Korea and cortido from Latin America are 2 examples of traditionally fermented vegetables made from lacto-fermentation. In Europe, people fermented sauerkraut, grape leaves, herbs, and root vegetables. Lacto-fermented veggies are nutrient-dense, enzyme rich, a raw food, vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free. And they taste yummy too! Fermented cabbage is one of my favorite foods for a mini-daily detox and a balanced raw food diet!

More on Fermented Foods:

My boyfriend followed my Raw Food Diet and got Anemia!

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Before I met my boyfriend, he was a normal meat-eating guy and definitely a sugar and bread addict. Luckily, once we got together, he was open to trying my “rabbit salad” and “strange smoothies” ie. raw food style of eating. To his surprise, he immediately felt better and without any pressure from me, he decided himself to go on a high raw food and vegan diet! It was really great to witness his transformation. In the last 2 years, his energy levels improved, his skin cleared, his digestion improved immensely and he continues to look younger and younger. Because of such positive results, he even joined me on a 10-day and 14-day juice fast. Most recently, he completed a 21-day water fast with me in Vilcabamba, Ecuador.

All information in this article is for educational purposes only.
It is not for the diagnosis, treatment, prescription or cure of any disease or health condition.

The Results of His Blood Test. It’s easy to become anemic on a Raw Food Diet if you don’t eat GREENS!

Over the last 6 months, however, he was starting to feel exceptionally tired. My schedule was pretty hectic with a lot of travel and we initially thought it was from all the buses, planes and changing hotels which would make anyone tired (including me!). But it just seemed to get worse. So, when we arrived to Israel, he went to the doctor and ordered some standard blood tests. The result: Low Red Blood Cell Count (RBC), Low Hemoglobin, and Low Hematocrit. What does that mean? He has a case of iron-deficiency anemia.

Vegan foods high in IRON: Cherries, Organic Apricots, Molasses and Leafy Greens

What is Anemia?

Anemia can occur for a few reasons, but is most commonly associated with a lack of iron in the blood. Iron is an essential part of hemoglobin, and low iron levels result in decreased incorporation of hemoglobin into red blood cells. Because hemoglobin normally carries oxygen from the lungs to the capillaries, anemia leads to hypoxia (lack of oxygen) in organs. This can make a person feel lethargic, dizzy, weak, generally unwell and even a bit foggy in the brain.

Did the Raw Food Diet fail for him?

The truth is, although my boyfriend followed me on the raw food journey, he never really liked eating dark leafy greens. He didn’t like the taste of spirulina, in fact, he hated it. So, he wasn’t eating enough greens, either powdered or fresh. In the morning, he would make a big batch of fresh fruit smoothie, pour out some for himself, and then add the green superfoods and leafy greens for me. One of my “go-to” snacks is always a handful of dried organic apricots. But he never really liked those either. Being a former refined sugar lover, he would choose organic dates instead. It’s easy to see that he was simply not getting enough high-iron content foods in his daily diet. So, I don’t think the raw food diet failed him and I do not think that a vegan or vegetarian diet is dangerous to his health. He just wasn’t attentive to getting all the minerals his body needs. (And he also wasn’t listening to me saying “You need to eat more greens!”)

As a side note, the last time I was tested for iron, it was just below the threshold of being too high! The doctor actually told me to stop eating red meat! I didn’t say a word but silently laughed to myself, because I haven’t eaten meat in over 21 years!! I knew it was from my daily Green Smoothie. Somehow my body knew how to hold on to just enough iron and not have too much. When we give the body what it needs, it knows what to do…that’s the internal intelligence of our healing system!

What now?

The blood test results were a big wake-up call. The same day that he received the results, my boyfriend immediately started adding spirulina to his smoothies and started taking a liquid iron supplement. After only 2 days, he noticed the difference. His energy levels picked up and he had an easier time waking up in the morning. Now he is also making a conscious effort to eat more greens in his diet as well. He is not eating meat and has no interest to eat meat, but he did decide to try some plain vegan seitan (with no added flavors so no flavor enhancers). He cooks the seitan with some olive oil, organic cumin and cayenne pepper and adds it to a big raw food salad. (Note: Seitan contains wheat and is not a good option for anyone who is a celiac or sensitive to gluten.) He seems to be remembering to take his daily B12 supplement now too because he is just overall more aware of the importance of getting all the nutrients he needs!

Because of what happened, I will also take an iron supplement for 1-2 months to help get my body back on track just in case I am deficient as well. With over 8 months of non-stop traveling to Costa Rica, Panama, Guatemala, Ecuador, Peru and Brazil, we did not always have the chance to eat as much variety in our diets. For that reason, I could now be low in iron too. Living in one place makes it very easy, and I am now happy to be having 1 green juice, 1 Green Smoothie and 1 fresh wheatgrass shot per day along with my normal salads and fruit.

Vegan Sources of Iron

There are definitely vegan and vegetarian food options that are naturally high in iron, like cherries, dark leafy greens, molasses and/or organic apricots. Green superfoods like spirulina, chlorella, dulse or kelp are also good sources of iron. Having some organic powdered greens in a Daily Green Smoothie is a great way to get a healthy daily dose of iron. Rotating greens helps to get all the nutrients you need, so be sure to switch out your greens between kale, spinach, bok choy, parsley, beet greens, collard greens, Swiss Chard and whatever other edible fresh greens you can find in your local farmer’s market or organic supermarket. If you are new to a vegan or raw food diet, it’s a good idea to get your blood tested in the first 6 months to be sure you are getting all the nutrients your body needs.

Do you Need to Take a Supplement?

Whether you take an iron supplement is really up to you, but I don’t think it’s necessary if you are attentive to eating greens in your daily diet. If you do decide to take an iron supplement, be sure to find one in liquid form because iron tablets (or pills) tend to have a constipating effect. If you become pregnant, you will need more iron and for sure, you should consider taking an iron supplement.

Example of Ferrum Chromotose Iris

In the Science of Iridology, we have a subtype by color called Ferrum Chromotose which shows an inability to store iron. An example of this subtype is shown here. You can see the “tiger striping” or light brown and dark brown stripes in the iris. This is an inherited trait, and if I see this marking during an Iridology Analysis, I will always advise the client to be attentive to getting enough iron in their diet. It should be no surprise that my boyfriend has this marking in his eyes and I do not. If you have this marking, you are more likely to suffer from anemia, especially when there is a lack of high-iron content foods in the diet.

On a daily basis, the only nutritional supplement I take is a B12 complex. I personally think it’s important for everyone to take a daily B vitamin complex, including meat-eaters. Most B12 is lost in the process of cooking and many people (especially meat-eaters) have reduced or limited absorption capabilities.

Need more guidance? I offer personalized nutritional counseling, health coaching and Iridology sessions by Skype and email to help you achieve your best health ever!

Here’s to your health!

More on Healthy Living:

Beginner’s Guide to Green Smoothies

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When was the last time you ate a whole bunch of parsley or spinach in one day? Chances are you never have, yet leafy greens like these pack a powerful punch of nutrition. A great way to utilize the amazing power of green leafy vegetables is with a daily green smoothie.

Beginner’s Guide to Green Smoothies by Jennifer Thompson

I first started Green Smoothie after several months on the raw food diet, and right away, I felt a difference! My energy levels improved even more, and thanks to the added ground flax seed in the Green Smoothie, my bowel movements became even more, well…epic! I knew that this was something that everyone could do at home, even if they didn’t want to go into a strict raw food diet. So, I started telling my Iridology and Health Coaching Clients about Green Smoothies.

Just some of the amazing stories of success I heard: Symptoms of menopause – gone; Acid Reflux – gone; Sugar Cravings – gone; Colitis – gone; PMS – improved; Digestive disorders and constipation: gone; Skin conditions – cleared; Sleep function – improved; Arthritis – gone; and the list just goes on and on!

One of my clients from Switzerland got her 86-year mother hooked on Green Smoothies and saw her digestion function and energy levels improve. Another client canceled his knee replacement surgery after he realized that the chronic pain and inflammation in his knee had disappeared after starting to drink Green Smoothies. I heard from clients who lost weight finally, after years of yo-yo dieting. I even helped a client get pregnant after 8 years on IVF just from having a daily Green Smoothie…she calls her baby a “Green Smoothie miracle!”

What is a Green Smoothie?

A Green Smoothie is a mixture of water, leafy greens and fruits. The ingredients are thoroughly blended with water in a blender. It is important to note that a Green Smoothie is a blended drink and not a juice. A blender is used to break down the cellulose structure in the greens thereby unlocking their valuable nutrients.

Green Smoothies 101: Your FAQs Answered

Green Smoothies 101

Some of the questions people commonly ask when they first enter the world of green smoothies…
When greens are liquidised in a blender, do they lose nutrients?
To break down all the fiber and cellulose in green leaves, you would have to spend several hours a day chewing and have extremely healthy teeth. In a Green Smoothie, the blender does the chewing for you, blending all the greens into very small pieces. So, a Green Smoothie can actually provide more nutrition because it’s blended, not less.

Can I use powdered greens instead of fresh?
The real benefits and healing potential in Green Smoothies lie in the fresh leafy greens, due to their fiber, nutrients and live enzymes. Powdered greens (spirulina, wheatgrass powder, kelp, green powder blends, etc.) are great to add to your Green Smoothie for even more nutritional power, but don’t forget to use fresh greens too. During travel, powdered greens are a practical and easy way to enjoy Green Smoothies on the road.

Can I use ice or frozen fruit?
Energy is required to ‘warm up’ a frozen drink, and that energy takes away from the process of digestion and absorption. Using cold water is ok, because it’s not nearly as cold as ice.

Can I add yogurt or milk instead of water?
Dairy is mucous-forming to the body and can slow down the cleansing and absorption process. You can still enjoy dairy products in your normal daily diet if you choose, but try to keep the Green Smoothie dairy-free so it is easy for your body to digest.

Isn’t that too much fruit sugar?
If you are diabetic, and you find yourself already sensitive to fruit, then use low-glycemic index fruits, such as blackberries, raspberries, strawberries and green apples. If you are unsure in any way, it’s best to consult a medical doctor.

What is the best blender to use for Green Smoothies?
The best blender for Green Smoothies is one that you actually use! Many people think they need an expensive Vitamix or Blendtec blender in order to make Green Smoothies, and that’s simply not true.

A standard household blender is fine, as long as you add water and fruits first, blend, and then add the greens and blend again. That way, you won’t destroy the motor and you will get many delicious Green Smoothies from your blender!

Am I supposed to eat only Green Smoothies?
No! You can eat whatever you normally eat. All you need to do is simply add 1 Green Smoothie a day to your diet.

I eat meat. Will a Green Smoothie still work?
Yes! Green Smoothies will compliment any diet or lifestyle, whether you are a meat eater, vegetarian, vegan or raw food vegan. You do not have to give anything up.

Can children drink Green Smoothies?
Yes! In fact, children seem to really love Green Smoothies! It’s a fantastic breakfast for the entire family and a great start to a healthy day!

How to Make a Green Smoothie with Easy Recipes

Why Green Smoothies?

Primarily because of the health results.

Greens represent a convenient, essentially non-caloric, nutrient-dense source of otherwise hard to obtain minerals like magnesium, calcium, potassium and manganese.

When the body starts to get the nutrition it needs, it will naturally start to crave healthier foods, and that’s a great weight to jump-start eating the right foods for weight loss. Eating fiber in the diet is essential for proper elimination and good colon health.

Aim to drink about 500ml (about 17 ounces or 2 cups) of Green Smoothie per day.

How to Make a Green Smoothie

1. Blend 60% fruit to 40% greens in a blender.
2. Add water and/or high-water content fruits first.
3. Then add greens, blend again.
4. Blend different fruits and greens every day.
5. Try different combinations and find what tastes best to you!

What to Use for Greens

You can try kale, spinach, Romaine lettuce, bok choy, arugula, celery leaves, alfalfa, clover, parsley, mint, coriander (cilantro), dandelion, Collard greens, watercress, beet greens, or Swiss chard.

Avoid using more than 2 different greens at a time – this will ensure smooth, easy digestion and assimilation. It is important to use variety with your greens over a period of time, so try to buy something different each time you shop.

What to Use for Fruits

Enjoy apples, pears, bananas, oranges, papaya, pineapple, peaches, nectarines, grapes, strawberries blueberries or raspberries, depending on what you can find fresh and preferably in season. Watermelon tastes great in a smoothie. You can also use a few medjool dates just to add some sweet flavor.

Use 2-3 different fruits in your smoothie for a pleasant blend of flavors. Banana is delicious in smoothies because it adds a nice sweetness and thickness to the drink.

4 Green Smoothie Recipes

Digestive Power

– 1 Handful Fresh Watercress
– 1/2 bunch Parsley
– 2 cups Grapes
– 2 Red Apples
– Dash of Cinnamon
– 1/4 inch Fresh Ginger
– 1 T Raw Cacao Powder
– 1 T Coconut Oil
– 1 cup Water

Immune Booster

– 1 Handful Baby Spinach
– 1/2 bunch Fresh Mint
– 1 Apple
– 1 Banana
– 1 Lemon
– 1/2 inch Fresh Ginger
– 2 cups Water

Mega Omegas

– 6-7 Large Kale Leaves
– 1 Handful Celery Greens
– 3 Bananas
– 2 T Ground Flax Seed
– 1 T Whole Flax Seed
– 2 T Flax Oil
– 1 tsp. Agave Nectar, Raw Honey or Date Sugar
– 1/2 cup Water

Antioxidant Blend

– 2 Handfuls Romaine Lettuce
– 1 cup Red Grapes
– 1/2 cup Blueberries
– 2 T Goji Berries (soaked)
– 1 Pitted Date (Medjool if available)
– 1 tsp. Acai Powder
– 1/2 tsp. Spirulina Powder
– 1 cup Water

Directions

1. Carefully wash all greens and fruit.
2. In a blender, add the water, fruit and powders and blend until smooth.
3. Add the greens and blend again.
4. Drink and toast to your vibrant health!

Now on DVD: GREEN SMOOTHIE POWER!

Finally, Jennifer’s famous Green Smoothie Class is now available in DVD. Watch and learn…you will soon become a Green Smoothie Expert, ready to bless the world with your green love!

Find out for yourself why thousands of people are turning to Green Smoothies for more energy, better health, detox & weight loss! Are you not experiencing the level of energy and good health you desire? Green Smoothies could be your answer to start getting results. Jennifer’s NEW Green Smoothie Power DVD teaches you how!

here

With the DVD, you also receive 3 eBooks. Use the Quick Reference Guide eBook to get started immediately. Read the How to Make Green Smoothies eBook for inspiration and motivation. Experiment with 200 amazing recipes in the Green Smoothie Recipe eBook. You can be making your first Green Smoothie within minutes!

See how easy it is to add Superfoods to your Green Smoothies, and learn the real secret to Green Smoothie Success: How to Love Your Blender! Plus FREE EXTRAS included: 2 high-quality 100% Cotton Sprout Bags just for you!

BUY the Green Smoothie DVD and 3 eBook Kit:

Green Smoothie Power Kit

 

 

or buy the eBooks separately!

eBook: Green Smoothie Quick Start Guide

Quick Start Guide eBook

This is the condensed version of Jennifer’s famous Green Smoothie Class, complete with the most popular FAQs, benefits of Green Smoothies and how to make your Green Smoothie taste great!

Read what others had to say:

“My energy levels are much better and I don’t have cravings for sweets like before.” – Bill

“People started to comment on how well I look and my skin is so much better!” – Helen

“I feel focused!!” – Cathy

New and improved Edition!

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eBook: Green Smoothie Quick Start Guide (.pdf)

 

 

eBook: 200 Green Smoothie Recipes

200 Green Smoothie Recipes eBook

200 Green Smoothie Recipes are available in this great eBook. That’s 4 different Green Smoothies every week for an entire year!

Some of Jennifer’s Amazing Recipes:

Happy Morning, Daily Detox, Quick Cleanse, Fresh Start, Power Blaster, Digestive Balance, Liver Tonic, Instant Health, Basic Instinct, Champion Blend, Enzyme Energy, Pick Me Up, Mega Omegas, Full of Gratitude, Tweet-worthy, Natural Glow, De-Stresser, Simple Pleasure, Soul Food, Fast Tune-Up, Green Gaspacho, Protein Power, Green Kingdom, Antioxidant Blend, Divine Creation, Ab Fab, Super Dude and many more!

New and improved Edition!

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eBook: 200 Green Smoothie Recipes (.pdf)

 

 

eBook: How to Make Green Smoothies

How to Make Green Smoothies eBook

Learn what the necessary tools are for healing and understand why you can’t get long-term results without adding more greens to the diet.

See why having greens in a raw and blended form is the superior way to get all the Power of the Greens.

Find out what kind of blender you need, the best combinations of greens, fruits and superfoods for your health and hear amazing success stories, including the reversal of grey hair from Green Smoothies!

New and improved edition!

Why wait any longer to start feeling better, looking great and losing weight?

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Article written be Jennifer Thompson for Awakenings ME Magazine.

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Detox Juice Recipe

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When’s the last time you made a delicious detox juice at home? Yes, it’s time to pull out that juicer and start using it! Each ingredient in this recipe is full of phytonutrients, and that means more health benefits for the body.

All information in this article is for educational purposes only.
It is not for the diagnosis, treatment, prescription or cure of any disease or health condition.

Place All Ingredients in a Juicer for a Healthy Detox Drink!

Apples and carrot help to detox the liver. Carrots are also high in beta-carotene, a powerful antioxidant. Grapes have been found to have strong anti-cancer properties due to the anti-inflammatory effect of resveratrol. Ginger is a natural anti-inflammatory food and helps strengthen digestion. Parsley helps to cleanse the kidneys and contains folic acid and chlorophyll which can help to regulate blood pressure. The most powerful detox ingredient in this juice is fennel, a simply amazing detox food. Fennel helps to cleanse the colon; it relieves constipation; it’s great for the immune system with its natural anti-parasitic, anti-fungal and anti-viral properties and it’s particularly known to be very alkaline-forming and that means excellent for an alkaline diet and as a natural antacid remedy. When the body heals from the inside-out, the skin clears naturally too! If at all possible, choose organic for your juice ingredients.

A Juice has NO fiber and in made in a Juicer.

What’s the difference between a juicer and a blender? A juicer separates the fiber from the liquid, and you drink only the juice. A blender blends all ingredients together and you drink the fiber and the liquid, called a “smoothie.” This recipe is for a juice, but if you don’t have a juicer, you can certainly mix all the ingredients in a blender and make a nice detox Green Smoothie too! Juice is easy to digest and absorb and is particularly good to high-boost your mineral, vitamin and micro-nutrient reserve.

How To Make a Detox Juice

Place all Ingredients in a Juicer and Juice. Makes 1 Serving.
Detox Juice Recipe:

– 2 Green Apples
– 4 Small Carrots OR 1 Large Carrot
– 2 Cups of Grapes
– 1/2 inch slice of Fresh Ginger
– 1 Handful of Fresh Parsley
– 1 Cup of Fresh Chopped Fennel

Drink Immediately. You can also add 1-2 Tbsp. of Raw Apple Cider Vinegar, stir well and drink.

Use Variety in Your Juices. Make Different Variations!

This is a great juice recipe, all vegan, vegetarian and of course a raw food, but it complements any diet. You can make variations of this recipe by using cucumber instead of carrot or celery instead of apple or kale instead of parsley. Don’t be afraid to try different combinations! More fresh juice packed with fruits and vegetables is always a good thing!

Drink once a day or 3-4 times per week for preventative maintenance. Add to your juice fasting routine. Share with any family and friends who are sick to help them recover more quickly. As Hippocrates (the Father of Modern Medicine) said, “Let Your Food be Thy Medicine and Thy Medicine be Thy Food.”

If you're ready for juicing, this is the juicer for you!

If you’re ready for juicing, this is the juicer for you!

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