Tag Archive for: raw foods

Gain Control of Overeating

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It’s easy to get into the habit of overeating, especially in a busy world full of instant accessibility to food. Everyone has a different weak point when it comes to overeating. Over time, overeating can lead to weight gain and also trigger feelings of guilt and remorse, certainly not healthy energies for healing!

Take Control!

I recently read a book about this very topic called ‘The End of Overeating’ by David Kessler. A lot of the book outlines how the food industry creates foods which are addictive by nature, then puts them into packaging with alluring and tempting labels and markets them with intentional advertising geared at selling ‘happiness’ and ‘fun’ through the consumption of their food. It’s definitely all about making profit, and innocent consumer is the victim for sure.

The interesting part of the book is when the author speaks about how to stop the habit of overeating. Below is a summary of his key points to remember.

Stop Emotional Eating

Stop Emotional Eating!

It can be easy to turn to food when emotional tensions are running high. Our conditioned response to stress is to eat. Next time you are faced with this situation, ask yourself, ‘Will eating truly help me deal with this feeling?’ Be prepared with a plan for something else to do besides eat. Call a friend, goo for a walk or practice some stress reduction exercises.

Have a list of alternative responses ready, so that when strong emotions kick in and steer you towards food, you can quickly choose to do something different.

Deal with Temptation

If your guard is down at the first sign if an urge, it can be tempting to respond. That lapse opens the door to an internal dialogue in which you begin to justify giving in to the temptation.

Deal With Temptation

A bad day at work, a child’s misbehaving, even a disappointing step on the scale can become your justification.

Soon you’re inventing excuses for pursuing reward. ‘I’m entitled to this….It will cheer me up….I’ve been good this week….I can eat just a little.’ Eventually, your determination to say no buckles.

Accept the reality that you will be challenged with these moments. It’s not about being strong enough to beat the temptation of eating stimulating food, but about being smart enough to deal with it.

“Eat Food. Mostly Plants. Not too much.” -Michael Pollan

 

Visualize the Right Choices

Visualize success!

Visualize yourself deciding not to reach for bread when it is passed around the table. Imagine choosing all healthy foods when you shop. See yourself creating wonderful salads and delicious satisfying meals that are serving your body and your health.

Elite athletes spend hours anticipating every move of their performance in advance. When the moment comes, they are completely focused on the routine that had been practiced over and over again in their mind.

Mental rehearsal helps solidify your commitment to controlled eating by helping you focus your intentions and maintain control over your thoughts.

-From the Book ‘The End of Overeating’ by David Kessler

As you practice these steps, over time you will start to see for yourself that you can indeed break the habit of overeating and make room for a new healthy, balanced way of living.

More on Raw Food:

Gain Control of Overeating

by

It’s easy to get into the habit of overeating, especially in a busy world full of instant accessibility to food. Everyone has a different weak point when it comes to overeating. Over time, overeating can lead to weight gain and also trigger feelings of guilt and remorse, certainly not healthy energies for healing!

Take Control!

I recently read a book about this very topic called ‘The End of Overeating’ by David Kessler. A lot of the book outlines how the food industry creates foods which are addictive by nature, then puts them into packaging with alluring and tempting labels and markets them with intentional advertising geared at selling ‘happiness’ and ‘fun’ through the consumption of their food. It’s definitely all about making profit, and innocent consumer is the victim for sure.

The interesting part of the book is when the author speaks about how to stop the habit of overeating. Below is a summary of his key points to remember.

Stop Emotional Eating

Stop Emotional Eating!

It can be easy to turn to food when emotional tensions are running high. Our conditioned response to stress is to eat. Next time you are faced with this situation, ask yourself, ‘Will eating truly help me deal with this feeling?’ Be prepared with a plan for something else to do besides eat. Call a friend, goo for a walk or practice some stress reduction exercises.

Have a list of alternative responses ready, so that when strong emotions kick in and steer you towards food, you can quickly choose to do something different.

Deal with Temptation

If your guard is down at the first sign if an urge, it can be tempting to respond. That lapse opens the door to an internal dialogue in which you begin to justify giving in to the temptation.

Deal With Temptation

A bad day at work, a child’s misbehaving, even a disappointing step on the scale can become your justification.

Soon you’re inventing excuses for pursuing reward. ‘I’m entitled to this….It will cheer me up….I’ve been good this week….I can eat just a little.’ Eventually, your determination to say no buckles.

Accept the reality that you will be challenged with these moments. It’s not about being strong enough to beat the temptation of eating stimulating food, but about being smart enough to deal with it.

“Eat Food. Mostly Plants. Not too much.” -Michael Pollan

 

Visualize the Right Choices

Visualize success!

Visualize yourself deciding not to reach for bread when it is passed around the table. Imagine choosing all healthy foods when you shop. See yourself creating wonderful salads and delicious satisfying meals that are serving your body and your health.

Elite athletes spend hours anticipating every move of their performance in advance. When the moment comes, they are completely focused on the routine that had been practiced over and over again in their mind.

Mental rehearsal helps solidify your commitment to controlled eating by helping you focus your intentions and maintain control over your thoughts.

-From the Book ‘The End of Overeating’ by David Kessler

As you practice these steps, over time you will start to see for yourself that you can indeed break the habit of overeating and make room for a new healthy, balanced way of living.

More on Raw Food:

Recipe for Raw Coleslaw Salad with Macadamia Nut Dressing

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Raw cabbage is a wonderful cleansing food, full of sulfur which helps to naturally detox the body. Onions are an anti-parasitic, anti-fungal and anti-viral food. Celery is very high in organic sodium and is known to help with arthritis and even gallstone problems. Fresh dill, parsley and cilantro are wonderful healing herbs for the diet. Cayenne pepper is excellent for strengthening heart and blood. Macadamia nuts are known to be high in monounsaturated (good fats), with exceptional amounts of anti-oxidants, phyto-nutrients and even fiber.

Raw Vegan Coleslaw with Macadamia Nut Dressing

This raw food salad is unbelievably good, and very easy to make! I modified this recipe from the book Super Cleanse by Adina Niemerow, changing it into an even more delicious raw food dish.

Can you see how easy it is to let your food be your medicine, just as Hippocrates said?

Raw Coleslaw Salad

Ingredients:
  • 1 head green cabbage, finely shredded
  • 1 white onion, chopped
  • 3-4 stalks of celery, diced
  • 1/4 cup fresh dill, chopped
 Dressing:
  • 1 cup raw macadamia nuts
  • 1/4 cup purified water
  • 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
  • 1/8 teaspoon Himalayan salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground organic cumin
  • pinch of organic cayenne pepper
  • 1/2 cup fresh cilantro (coriander) or fresh parsley

Raw Coleslaw Salad – All Fresh & Natural, Whole & Pure

Mix all salad ingredients in a large glass bowl. Make the dressing using a mini-food processor. First, ground the macadamia nuts until you get a fine consistency. Add water, lime juice, cumin, cayenne and salt and process until creamy. Add either the fresh cilantro or parsley and blend again.

Pour the dressing over the salad and mix thoroughly. This salad tastes even better if you can allow it to sit for at least 2 hours before serving.

I recommend this salad for people on a detox diet, a pre-cleanse program, a cleansing/healing/rebuilding program and even for people trying to lose weight. The good fats helps to keep the body full while learning to get away from unhealthy fried fats and dairy products. It is very important to have some transitional salads to help break away from old nutrient-deficient addictive foods. Enjoy this salad for lunch or share it with family and friends at a barbecue or party.

More Raw Food Dressings & Dips:

Recipe for a Fresh Homemade Tomato Mexican Salsa

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This is a recipe that everyone loves! If you are in the middle of a fresh summer tomato bliss, this is the perfect recipe to use a lot of deliciously ripe tomatoes. You can either make this salsa mild or spicy, depending on your taste. If you make it for a party, you can easily make half of the recipe spicy and the other half with no jalapenos – that way everyone can have a taste.

Add this salsa to a salad, or serve with fresh cut veggies or raw flax crackers

I love to make this Mexican salsa for my family when I am home in the US, and even though they are not into the raw food diet, they still love this dish. You can serve it with fresh chopped cucumbers, raw crackers, or even roll into mini-tortillas with fresh lettuce leaves, salsa and julienne-cut carrot, celery and zucchini. There are many ways to serve and enjoy!

Raw Food Recipe: Fresh Tomato, Onion and Cilantro Mexican Salsa

  • 8-10 large ripe fresh tomatoes, finely chopped
  • 1 – 1/2 large white onions, diced
  • 10 cloves fresh garlic, minced
  • 1 cucumber, peeled and finely chopped
  • 2 stalks of celery, diced
  • 3/4 – 1 cup fresh cilantro (coriander) leaves, chopped
  • 5-6 fresh limes, squeezed
  • 4 Tbsp. raw apple cider vinegar
  • Dash Organic Cayenne Pepper to taste
  • Dash Organic Cumin Powder to taste
  • Himalayan Salt to taste (about 1/2 tsp.)

Chop and dice all ingredients and mix everything well in a large bowl. Season with more cayenne pepper or salt as needed. It’s best to sit overnight and let the ingredients marinate; but as a minimum try to let sit for at least 2 hours before serving. Optional ingredients below can also be added.

Optional:
1 fresh jalapeno, diced or
5-6 pickled jalapeno slices, diced
2 Tbsp. raw honey

Raw Food Yummy Salsa!

Tomatoes are naturally high in lycopene, a type of anti-oxidant that helps to break down free radical damage in the cells. Garlic and onion and natural sulfur (cleansing) foods and have anti-parastitic, anti-viral and ant-fungal effects. Raw apple cider vinegar is excellent for digestion. Cayenne Pepper helps to strengthen the heart and circulation and is naturally cleansing for the liver. Eating delicious raw food recipes with family and friends is a great way to enjoy healthy food together and also share some of your raw food lifestyle!

Mexican Salsa Bliss!

Cilantro is known to be a natural chelator and is very good for removing heavy metal toxicity from the body. Fresh limes are great for alkalizing the pH, aiding in digestion and reducing any build-up from acid wastes.

Preparing food fresh and in it’s raw form gives you all of the best nutrients and of course will taste far better than anything in a jar or can! All-in-all this fresh salsa is extremely healthy and cleansing for the body, and is also a great choice for anyone currently on a detox diet.

More Healthy Recipes:

How to Make Fresh Sprouts at Home

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Sprouting your own nuts and seeds is so easy and it’s a great way to really get connected back to the growing power of your food. Sprouts provide an excellent plant-based source of protein year-round and when you make them at home, you can eat them as short or as long as you like. They are also extremely affordable for those of you who are trying to add more raw foods to your diet but have a limited budget to spend on raw food.

Mung Bean and Lentil Sprouts: Raw, Vegan Live Food!

Fresh sprouts only require some water and a nice, mold-free environment to grow. I usually recommend starting with mung beans, lentils, wheat seeds, quinoa, alfalfa seeds or radish seeds for beginnings. These sprouts are all very easy to grow and will build up your confidence to later try things like pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, mustard seeds, sesame seeds and garbanzo beans. Keep in mind that when sprouting lentils, you need to buy whole beans (not halves).

Fresh Lentil Sprouts: Full of proteins, enzymes & fiber

You can add sprouts to salads or raw soups for a nice garnish and added ‘crunchy’ texture. You can also make an afternoon snack using a few different types of sprouts and simply sprinkle with cayenne pepper, extra virgin olive oil and some sea salt. They are delicious! Be careful not to eat too many sprouts at one time as they can cause excessive gas, especially if your system is not used to them.

The real benefits of eating sprouts are that they are not only high in protein but they are also a great source of enzymes. All natural, not in any pill or supplement!

Mung Bean Sprouts: Add a small handful to salads for a fresh, crunchy texture

I recommend using 100% cotton bags for sprouting because they allow air-flow into the sprouts and they are designed to not have any standing water, which can often be a problem when using jars or sprouting trays. The bags only require a quick rinse with water 2-3 times per day, and in just a few days, you will see your sprouts happily growing! When I first looked online for cotton sprout bags, I was disappointed to only find nylon bags being sold, so I decided to have my own made! I now have them available for sale at the Healthy Bliss store!

The bags that I sell include a complete set of instructions for both sprouting and for using cotton bags to make your own nut and seed milks.

The instructions for sprouting are:
    Soak overnight (8-10 hours) in a glass jar, using 2/3 beans to 1/3 water.
    Empty beans or seeds in the sprouting bag and rinse well with water. Rinse until the water runs clear.
    Hang moist bag in your kitchen or in a dry place (away from windows and direct sunlight).
    Rinse bag with fresh water 2-3 times per day.
    Check for readiness after 1 day. When at desired length, put entire bag in the refrigerator and continue to rinse one time daily.

The following are some yummy sprout recipes from the book Ann Wigmore’s Recipes for Longer Life. There is so much you can do with fresh sprouts – get creative, have fun and enjoy!

Recipe for Alfalfa & Avocado Salad (For 2 – 4)
    3 Cups Alfalfa Sprouts
    1 Avocado
    1 Tomato
    1 Stalk Celery
    2 – 4 Tablespoons Minced Onion
    1 Teaspoon each : Cayenne Pepper, Kelp

Mash the avocado with folk, and chop tomato. Put both in blender and process for 4 – 5 seconds, just until both are mixed together. Put the other ingredients in a serving bowl and pour the sauce over all.

Variations : Instead of blending, cube the avocado and tomato, and use a different sauce to dress the salad.

Recipe for Complete Protein Salad Snack (For 1)
    1 Cup Wheat Sprouts
    1 Cup Chick Pea Sprouts
    2 Tablespoons Minced Parsley
    1 Teaspoon Vegetable Seasoning (Cayenne Pepper, Cumin and/or Chili Powder)
    1 Teaspoon Kelp
    3 Tablespoons Coconut Oil
    1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice

Mix the sprouts together with the minced parsley and seasoning. Pour the liquids over all.

2 Sprout Nut Seed Milk Cotton Bags + eBook – Raw Food Cooking
$15.99

More on Nut Milk and Healthy Recipes:

Spirulina: 60% Complete Vegetable Protein Green Superfood

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Superfoods are getting more and more popular these days, and it can start to get overwhelming to decide which ones you need and what is most important to add to the diet. Without a doubt, spirulina is a superfood that I would definitely recommend because it has so many nutritional benefits, it’s easily available and it’s not that expensive. What more could you ask!

Spirulina Superfood

Spirulina is a blue-green algae that grows in fresh water. It is cultivated, dried and sold either in powder, tablet, capsule or even ‘crunchy’ form. You can easily add the powder to your daily smoothie, but if you prefer you can simply take one tablet daily.

Dr. Morton Walker in his book The Chelation Way, explains the nutritional benefits of spirulina:

‘This fresh water algae has the highest conversion rate to sunlight – 8% – as compared to other plants (3 to 5 percent). Thus, spirulina brings you the most potent form of nutritional benefits derived from photosynthesis of the sun’s light. It is a complete vegetable protein and is the source of practically all the vitamins, minerals, digestive enzymes, trace elements, cell salts and chlorophyll your body needs for almost perfect nutrition.

Essential minerals in spirulina include iron, magnesium, manganese, zinc, potassium and others. It also contain B complex, especially B-12, so that spirulina could be an important food supplement for vegetarians. One tablespoon has one and a half more niacin than a half-cup serving of brown rice. This plant is so packed with power, in fact, that the authority says you could actually live on just two to three tablespoons a day. It is concentrated nutrition.’

According to the nutritional information supplied by Spirulina Planet, ‘Spirulina has 60% easy-to-digest complete vegetable protein without the fat and cholesterol of meat. Spirulina is also the richest source of natural beta carotene, ten times more concentrated than in carrots. It is also the richest source of B-12, richer than beef liver!’

Spirulina is known to be an excellent source of iron. If that wasn’t enough, it’s also a very good source of chlorophyll, known to be a natural cleanser for the blood and a natural detoxifier.

If you are already making a daily fruit or green smoothie, it’s very easy to add 1-5 grams (1 Tbsp. is ok) to your smoothie. A simple recipe would be:

Green Smoothie with Spirulina

In a blender, blend:
2 cups water
1 handful fresh spinach
1 medium banana
3 fresh peaches or nectarines, cut into slices (no seeds)
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1 Tbsp. spirulina powder

Spirulina Crunch

One of my favorite ways to enjoy spirulina is in the ‘crunch’ form. You can find these at spirulinaplanet.com or online at different raw food websites. It is so delicious and the crunch doesn’t have any ‘pond scum’ taste.

My friend Anita Cheung at i-detox.com showed me how to make a great trail mix using the spirulina crunch. She mixes dried goji berries, raw pumpkin seeds, cacao nibs and spirulina crunch for a superfood snack extravaganza. My preference is to mix dried raisins, dried goji berries, raw pumpkin seeds and spirulina crunch. Yum! What a great snack to take on the road for the day or while traveling! Just a little bit fills you up too!

I also like to sprinkle some spirulina crunch to salads occasionally just for something different.

If you decide to use spirulina powder, you can add 1 Tbsp. to a sweet fruit smoothie and the taste is usually hidden. An example is 1 Tbsp. spirulina, 1 cup fresh pineapple, 1 banana, 1/4 cup fresh strawberries, 1 cup water, 2 Tbsp. ground flax seed blended in a blender.

You can even add spirulina to plants or home vegetable garden as a way to mineralize the soil and give more nutrients to the plant. Once a month, add 1 tsp. or 1 spirulina tablet to the soil near the base of the plant. Water the plant or garden normally.

Imagine all the good you are doing for your body just by adding this one superfood to your diet. Your body will thank you with more energy and power to get you through a healthy raw food day!

More on Green Smoothies:

How to Make Kombucha, a Naturally Fermented Health Drink

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Kombucha is considered to be a health drink because it contains natural bacterias that can help replenish the bacterial balance in the colon. The kombucha itself is the yeast/bacteria combination which is formed into what is called a ‘SCOBY’ or Symbiotic Colony of Yeast and Bacteria. The SCOBY looks like a slimy pancake; some people refer to it as the ‘mother.’

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.

GT Kombucha

The ‘mother’ kombucha culture is what is used to make your own kombucha batches at home, in the same way that people brew their own beer. The kombucha drink will also become ‘fizzy’ when fermented, but the alcohol content is extremely minimal.

You can start your own kombucha culture by buying a container of GT Kombucha Drink from any WholeFoods store. Drink enough of the liquid to leave about 1/4 inside the glass; leave out at room temperature with the cap off but covered in cloth. In about one week, you will see your very own SCOBY pancake floating on top and you are ready to start fermenting!

All of the details on how to make your own Kombucha at home are detailed in the above video, filmed at my friend’s organic farm in Maui, Hawaii. Here is a brief set of directions which I received when I purchased my SCOBY online through Dom’s Kefir Grains:

Directions for Kombucha:

1. Prepare tea with 4 teaspoons of conventional loose tea or 4 teabags in 4 cups of boiling water. Steep for 5 minutes. (Green tea, black tea or a combination is suitable).

2. Strain tea in an 8-cup glass jar and dissolve 1/3 cups sugar (either raw sugar or organic refined white sugar).

3. Let sweetened tea cool to room temperature, then pour kombucha ‘mother’ with the solution in which she was stored.

4. Place a clean cloth or paper napkin over the mouth of the jar and secure in place with an elastic rubber band.

5. Ferment, leaving undisturbed, for 7-12 days at room temperature range of 19C – 25C (66F – 79F).

6. Strain kombucha tea and repeat the whole process.

As for how much kombucha to drink daily to enjoy it’s health benefits, I would recommend about 1-2 cups per day or 250ml- 500ml daily. It’s a nice refreshing drink to enjoy on a hot day, and the natural bacteria will help with digestion and even can help stimulate the bowels, thus avoiding constipation. Kombucha can help lessen any overgrowth of candida and is good for anyone suffering from intestinal parasites. If you are addicted to pop or soft drinks, and are looking for a fizzy drink that is still considered healthy, kombucha is the drink for you.

More Healthy Recipes:

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Featured Superfood – Green Powder Blend Vitamineral Greens

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High-Quality Organic is a ‘must’ with Superfoods!

Did you know that low quality superfoods can legally use cheap ‘fillers’ and low quality ingredients? Especially when buying Superfoods, beware of low quality green food products. There is not currently a lot of regulation on these powders. Many superfood companies are taking advantage of that, offering high-priced products with lots of cheap fillers and very small amounts of pure ingredient. Watch for added fillers such as rice powder, bran, oats, apple pectin, barley malt, large amounts of lecithin or added sugar. This is an example of when 100% organic really does make a difference. Be sure your superfood is 100% certified organic!

Vitamineral Greens Powder Superfood

I recommend Health Force Nutritionals Vitamineral Green as an all-over high-mineral high-quality superfood to add to your Green Smoothies. The quality is superb – 100% TruGanic (beyond organic), 100% pure Super foods. Nothing added, No fillers, not Diluted. No synthetics. Just like we like it! You don’t have to be Raw or Vegan to experience the benefits of this product.

A green powder blend is a great addition to any diet because it helps you to build your mineral reserve, increases the variety of green you are getting on a daily basis, provides extra chlorophyll in the diet, adds a good source of vegan protein and helps to maintain a healthy alkaline pH.

Some people even claim to have a reduction in sugar cravings when adding high-mineral green powder blend to their diet. Read this testimonial:

‘I have used this product with great results. After one week using 1 tablespoon per day, I noticed a huge drop in cravings. I didn’t crave sweets or junk. I was just simply not hungry. This can probably be attributed to high mineral content within the product. I have read that constant food cravings are related to mineral deficiencies. Maybe its mind over matter. Either way it works.’

More on Healthy Living:

Raw Food, Vegan and Organic Options in Seoul, Korea

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There is hope. You can find some healthy restaurants and vegan, organic foods in Korea. Hopefully this guide will help get you started.

Loving Hut Mushroom Salad

For a healthy vegan restaurant, be sure to check out the Loving Hut. They have a nice green salad which is all raw, and 2 mushroom salads which are not raw but I do recommend that you give them a try. According to their mission statement, they put loving intention into their food. I’m going to honest and say that I don’t think they are MSG-free, so watch out for those vegan sausages, soy proteins and other flavored faux meats. The Loving Hut also sells some vegan cakes, vegan bread, vegan ice cream and some organic body products too. There are locations throughout South Korea and many in the Seoul area.

The Loving Hut
http://lovinghut.kr
Locations throughout Seoul (check website)

Cafe des Verts, Seoul

If you are looking for organic coffee, there are a few options. One is Cafe des Verts in Gangnam-gu. They have organic coffee to enjoy in the cafe but also sell it to take home. 18,000 KRW will get you 200 grams of organic coffee from either Colombia, Ethiopia or Brazil.

On their online shop, they have the organic coffee and also many organic teas for sale including Organic Blueberry Rooibos Tea. Remember, if you are doing coffee enemas, you absolutely should be using organic coffee!

Cafe des Verts
http://www.verts.co.kr/
2F Donghoon Tower, Gangnam-gu (check website for other locations)

Another place for organic coffee in Seoul is the Cafe Il Cipriana in the Jongno-gu area. This is a quiet little cafe tucked just off the main road, and they sell all organic coffee, smoothies, salads and panini sandwiches.

Cafe Il Capriani
10-6 Gahoe-dong, Jongno-gu
+82 (0) 2 762 5825

Organic Veggie Store

Between the Angsuk Station Exit 2 and Cipriana, I found another Organic Store selling fresh produce and some products. The produce looked very good and I would definitely recommend that, but the packaged items they sell were a bit of a mix, and many of them are things which I would not ‘approve’ as healthy. Just an example to not trust all items in a shop because the sign outside says ‘organic.’ Look for hidden sugars and MSG for sure. They did have Olive Leaf Extract though which I highly recommend as a natural anti-biotic and immune booster.

If you are looking for supplements, try the Noble Shop. They have flax oil capsules, vegan B12 tablets and Evening Primrose Oil amongst other things. They also carry some good body products, including the ‘Kiss my Face’ line, Lamas Beauty and an entire range of make-up products that were not tested on animals. On their website, I even found a Garden of Life at-home Detox Kit called ‘Raw Cleanse’ for 70,000 KRW!

The Noble Shop in Korea
http://veganshop.co.kr/

Hansalim store in Seoul

Another good resource for organic body and home products and also organic fruit and veggies is the Hansalim Store. They probably have the best prices of all of the places I visited, so I highly recommend them. The only catch is that you have to be a member to buy there, and I think you need to be a permanent resident of Korea. So try to find someone who can sign up for you – it will be well worth it. They do home delivery for members and you can also order from their website.

Hansalim
http://www.hansalim.or.kr/
Many locations throughout South Korea (check website)

Don’t forget that in normal supermarkets throughout Seoul you can buy buckwheat noodles for just 5,000 KRW. This is a great alternative to wheat for anyone cooking at home.

Finally, a new service has just recently been launched in Seoul and that is fresh organic fruits and vegetables home delivery service. This I highly recommend – I mean, how could they make it any easier?! The project is called Veggie Hill, and they work with local farmers outside of Seoul to get the best quality fruit and veggies. You can order by email, phone or online.

Veggie Hill
http://veggiehill.com/
010 2781 0772

For information on yoga classes, healthy events and to buy Himalayan Salt Crystal Lamps, check out the Mind, Body Seoul Studio in Itaewon.

More on Traveling Raw:

Raw Food Snack: Recipe for Sesame Balls or ‘Raw Halva’ Dessert

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Sesame Balls

This is my ‘healthy’ version of Halva, a very popular and traditional Middle Eastern Dessert made with ground sesame and sugar. In this version, we will use raw sesame seeds and raw honey or agave (whichever you prefer). This is a great snack for kids and it’s healthy! Sesame seeds are a great natural vegan source of calcium.

Raw Sesame Ball Yum!

How to Make Halva – Raw Sesame Balls

  1. In a mini food processor, first blend/grind:
    • ½ cup organic raw white sesame seeds
    • small dash of Himalayan Salt
  2. Then add 3-4 Tablespoons Raw honey (or agave nectar) and blend again. Add more sweetener if the mixture is too dry. The mixture should be moist enough to roll into small balls (about the size of a walnut).
  3. Place a handful of whole sesame seeds on a plate and roll each ball (walnut size ball) onto whole seeds to coat the ball with sesame for a nice, appetizing look.

Sesame balls topped with goji berry or mulberry,
Cacao version rolled in raw coconut flakes

You can decorate each Raw Halva Sesame Ball with goji berries, raisins or dried mulberries. To get even more creative, try adding raw cacao powder for a Raw Chocolate Sesame Ball Dessert…yum!

Serve and enjoy! This recipe is so fast and easy, you will be amazed. I have shared this with family, friends and at raw food potlucks and it is always a favorite.

Affirmation: ‘I accept myself for where I am on my journey knowing that just being on the path is a good thing!’

More Raw Food Desserts:

Super Energy Raw Cabbage Salad Recipe – A mini-detox meal

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Featured in this recipe is the Super Energy Salad, one of my favorite Raw Food Salads. I often make this for friends, and they love it too!

The ingredients are easy for you to find no matter where you live in the world.

Super Energy and Super Taste in this yummy raw food creation!

Super Energy Salad (serves 2):

Salad Ingredients:
4 cups Finely Chopped Green Cabbage
1/4 cup Chopped Fresh Parsley
2 Roma Tomatoes, Quartered

Dressing:
Blend together in a Blender or Mini-Food Processor:
1-2 fresh cloves garlic
Juice of 1 lemon
1/4 cup Tahini (if you don’t have, try a nut butter like almond butter)
2-4 tablespoons water or more (to thin dressing if desired)
Pinch teaspoon Himalayan salt (to taste)

Toss cabbage and parsley with the dressing before serving.
Place the roma tomatoes on the side and drizzle some dressing around the plate for garnish and appeal.

Another way to serve this delicious Raw Cabbage and Parsley salad – yum!

This is a great cleansing salad thanks to the healing power of parsley and cabbage. Parsley is an excellent internal cleanser, it’s high in Vitamin C and calcium and is very strengthening for the kidneys.

This is a true cleansing salad, a natural detox, as Mother Nature intended!

Cabbage is a food naturally high in sulfur which makes it a powerful cleanser for the body. Sulfur foods help the body to clear out environmental toxins, chemicals and even some heavy metals. Cabbage is also very good for digestion and for strengthening the colon.

Healthy Habits Check

Have you been…

  • Making one new raw food meal per week?
  • Experimenting with foods you have never tried before?
  • Sharing your creations with family and friends?

More Healthy Recipes:

Green Smoothie Recipes and Inspiration

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New healthy habit: Drink one Green Smoothie every day. No more excuses. Time to experience the Green Smoothie Power!

General recommendations for Green Smoothies:

Green Smoothie Bliss!

  • Blend 60% fruit to 40% greens.
  • Use 2 varieties of fruit and up to 2 types of greens.
  • Blend different fruits and greens every day.

HAPPY MORNING SMOOTHIE:

  • 1 bunch fresh parsley
  • 3 bananas
  • ½ fresh pineapple
  • ½ lime squeezed
  • ½ cup water

FIBER BLEND SMOOTHIE:

  • 5-6 leaves large kale
  • ½ bunch parsley
  • 1 Tbsp. cold-pressed hemp oil
  • 1 Tbsp. ground hemp protein
  • 2 Tbsp. ground flax seed
  • 1 red apple
  • 2 cups red grapes
  • ½ lemon squeezed
  • ½ cup water

QUICK CLEANSE SMOOTHIE:

  • 1 bunch celery leaves
  • ½ bunch parsley
  • 2 cups fresh papaya
  • 2 cups fresh pineapple
  • ½ cup water

GREEN BLISS SMOOTHIE:

  • 2 Large handfuls of kale
  • 2 lemons, squeezed
  • 1 avocado
  • ¼ cup water

Enjoy these wonderful creations made from the healing foods of Mother Earth and blended especially with love!

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Feature Elimination Organ: Kidneys

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Parsley is great for kidneys

The kidneys are an important eliminatory organ for overall body health. They regulate the body’s fluid volume, mineral composition and acidity levels. By eliminating wastes and adjusting fluid balance, the kidneys play an essential part in maintaining homeostasis in 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.

If your kidneys are stressed or toxic, you may start to experience problems with lower back pain, elevated uric acid levels and even kidney stones. The kidneys can easily get overloaded with debris from unfiltered water, protein overdose (too much meat in the diet), and chemicals from low quality, de-vitalized food. Crystals can then form in urine from the various salts that build up on the inner surfaces of the kidney. Eventually these crystals become large enough to form stones in the kidney. And that can be a painful experience!

Drink more water!

Remember that all of your organs are working together at all times, so be aware that a sluggish or toxic colon will automatically put stress on the kidneys and other organs. Anytime you do a cleanse, you are giving all your organs a chance to rest and renew. You may want to also consider doing some additional cleansing specifically for the kidneys.

On a daily basis, drink more water! Water is the main avenue that the kidneys have to flush out acids and toxins, so give it a good supply!

If you experience any lower back pain, discoloration or cloudiness in the urine, or even early symptoms of gout, it is important eat a cleaner diet, staying away from salty, flavored potato chips, excessive meats (especially red meat) and to support the kidneys with parsley tea, juniper berry tea or uva ursi tea.

Once a year, you may want to do a kidney cleanse, especially after having done a colon cleanse. You can buy kidney cleansing supplements in health food stores, already blended into a 2-week supply for your use. During that time, avoid coffee and alcohol. Try to eat supporting foods for the kidneys, especially parsley. Drink plenty of clean, filtered, good quality water.

Send your kidneys love and they will reward you with good health for life!

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