Giving Up Hope As A New Year Resolution?

The Buddhist tradition teaches us that as long as we continue to wish for things to change, they never will. As long as we hope to improve, we won't. As long as we have an orientation toward the future, we will never just relax into what we already have or already are.

One of the deepest habitual patterns we carry is to feel that now is not good enough. We reflect and compare the present to the past or wish things to be different when imagining the future.

Even at times when we feel great satisfaction in our lives, we tend to think about what the future holds. We don't quite give ourselves full credit for who we are in the present.

It is easy to yearn for things to improve as a result of our actions. We create our New Year resolutions based on these hopes. Vowing to exercise more or improve our diet, we hope to feel or look a certain way.

Abandoning any hope of fruition does not mean abandoning our ambitions. Instead, it points to a path that focuses on the present rather than on results.

Whatever we do, it is usually done for a purpose, hoping to succeed rather than fail. That works well until our thoughts of success or failure begin to overpower the task at hand. Hopes and fears tend to go hand in hand and when we become result driven, we often miss the lessons presented along the way.

How is it possible to maintain our focus and work toward achieving our desired outcomes, without getting fixated on results? As we go about our activities, we must pay attention to the difference between having a goal and being taken over by our hopes, fears, and speculations.

I personally want to meditate more this year, but am not listing that as a resolution. My intention is to continue integrating more compassion toward others and myself. My methods to experience this include meditation and yoga, teaching and coaching, nutrition, and nurturing my relationships. By doing what I love, I tap into my natural strengths. In this way I can experience my ultimate result in the present moment and by meditating more, the experience will simply continue from what is already present rather than from what I feel may be missing.

As you work with your New Year resolutions, keep in mind that the root of healing is not in the premise that you are going to try to push things away, but that what you already have in each step of the process is worth appreciating. Enjoying the ride is how we ultimately find joy and gratification in our lives.

Yoga Sutras 1&2: Bringing the Mind to Rest

Now The Discipline of Yoga

Yoga is The Cessation of Mind

Patanjali’s first and second yoga sutras have been a great reminder, a mantra, to center and ease my recent experiences of a tumultuous mind.

I am fascinated by how much more the body can be affected by the stories of the mind than actual life experiences. Circumstantial events, such as my car accident this past summer, are not the worst upsets to the body. As people we are extremely adaptable in times of crisis. Although life’s events can be destabilizing, it’s the mental worrying about our imagined future or perspective on past that truly causes internal damage.

Yoga postures are not really concerned with the body, they are concerned with the capacity to be. It is only in the Now that we can understand the science of yoga, the scientific laws of being. Yoga is an experience, not an idea or belief. Such an experience can only be accessed in Now.

Discipline means the capacity to know and learn. But we cannot know unless we have first attained the capacity to ‘Be.’

Osho describes us as a crowded house of people filled with our various personas. As we currently are, there are many people in our house but we are not there. A disciple is a seeker, learning to feel his/her being, to be the master of self rather than a slave to the crowding desires. To Be is to learn to be alone in your home in silence.

Yoga is the state of no-mind. The mind includes anything thought related: All ego, desires, hopes, fears, preconceptions, philosophies, or beliefs.

I often confuse the mind with something substantial that exists within my body. I can physically feel the effects of its turmoil. The second Sutra reminds me that the mind is just a function. The mind is an activity just as talking is. If we stop talking, talking stops existing. When we stop ‘minding’, minding stops existing. The problem is we’ve forgotten how to stop. We have lost the capacity to Be in Now.

These two Sutras serve me as a reminder to recognize the turmoil of the mind and to simply remember that this “minding” can be put to rest.

It doesn’t matter how many times the mind wonders off or for how long. What matters is the moment we realize the wondering of mind and bring our attention back to the experience of now, feeling the breath. To recognize the wondering of the mind and to attempt to shift back to present is the ultimate act of compassion for our process and ourselves.

A Winter Way Of Eating

The New England winter climate is mostly cold and dry. Just as the trees and plants around us have dried, we may experience the dryness of our own skin and lips as well as a drop in our body temperature.

As things change externally, our inner body changes in a similar manner and we must care for our bodies accordingly.

Foods For Winter

*  Since winter is cold and dry we need to avoid similar food to maintain warmth and moisture within.
*  Warm, home-cooked foods are ideal, cooked with easy-to-digest oils such as ghee (clarified butter) or olive oil, but not deep-fried.
*  Use cooking methods such as steaming, roasting, stir-frying or poaching in order to heat the food all the way through.
*  Avoid raw foods, which are cold in nature such as salads, cold fruits, ice (especially in drinks), ice cream and raw vegetables as these tend to cool the body.
*  Incorporate foods that create moisture and warmth. Minimize the consumption of crackers, rice cakes and breads, as they are very dry.

Flavor

*  The flavors that nourish and balance the body in the cold, dry, winter season are the sweet, sour and salty tastes. It's best to eat less of the astringent, bitter, and pungent flavors in winter, although all six tastes should be included in your diet.
*  From the less ‘favored’ flavors use ginger (unless you run both an extremely hot body temperature and a hot temper) and radish for pungent to keep warm, enjoy leafy greens and dandelion root for bitter, and cranberry or apple for the astringent flavor to aid detoxification during these months.
*  Root vegetables and grains will provide the sweet flavor. Refined sugars will create more harm than good.
*  For salty flavor reach for small amounts of high quality sea salt and an abundance of sea vegetables.

Food Suggestions


*  Warm hearty soups, healthy lean meat and root vegetable stews, whole grains, and roasted nuts.
*  Cereals, grains, and legumes: brown rice, oatmeal, millet, soybeans, and mung beans.
*  Meat, poultry and fish.
*  Nuts (avoid in excess if you have a lean or lanky body combined with a quick and restless mind.)
*  Root vegetables such as yams, sweet potatoes, yucca, potatoes, beets, turnips, ginger, ginseng, taro, burdock, carrots, parsnips, as well as, fennel, onions, chives, scallions, garlic and leeks.
*  Herbs, spices, condiments and oils: peppermint, basil, ginger, turmeric, parsley, gogi berries, licorice, cinnamon, cloves, chamomile, pepper, honey, and sesame oil.
*  Fruits and nuts: (at room temperature) apples, clementines, cranberries, red grapes, grapefruit, persimmons, dates, figs as well as lemons and limes.
*  If eating dairy (choose organic products!) avoid having them cold. Using ghee (clarified butter) is a great butter substitute.
*  Hydrate! Hot water and room temperature only. If drinking with a meal, sip hot water slowly.
*  The salty taste is attributed to the kidney and bladder, so by adding some salty foods in your diet during winter you can improve the function of these two organs. In Chinese medicine these are the meridians/organs governed by the water element that can be most affected by the dryness of the season. Incorporate some of the following foods to support the kidney and bladder function in winter: burdock root, eggs, fish, miso soup, nuts, tofu, and sea vegetables (such as arame, hijiki, kelp, kombu and wakame.)
*  This is not the season to be eating a fat-free salad and cracker diet. Play with steaming or roasting vegetables for salads and if eating things like toast for breakfast, spread a thin layer of ghee or butter on top.
*  To promote consistency, regularity and a sense of calm it is important in winter to keep a regular routine with your meals.

Winter Breakfast Recipes (balancing the cold and dry season)

Stewed Apples


2 apples peeled, cored and sliced
4-5 dried apricots, soaked in hot water for 20 minutes
4 dates, preferably medjool, pitted and cut in half
2 cups water
1 Tbs. maple syrup

1 Tbs. grated ginger

1/4 tsp. ground cardamom

1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon

Put all ingredients in a saucepan and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer for 5 minutes.
 With a ladle, transfer about a third of the contents, including the liquid, to a blender or food processor and blend into a puree. Return the puree to the pan and serve warm.



Spiced Oatmeal

1/3 cup almonds (preferably soaked overnight)
1&1/2 cups of water

1/2 cup rolled oats
1 Tbs. raisins
1/8 tsp. ground cardamom

1/8 tsp. allspice powder
1/8 tsp.ground ginger
1/2 banana

1 Tbs. maple syrup

Boil the water and stir in the oats and spices. Simmer for 7-9 minutes, stirring occasionally. If using quick oats, simmer and stir for 3-4 minutes. Stir in maple syrup and add banana and almonds.


Sprouted Wheat Bread (Manna or Essense Bread)


Purchase Manna bread at your health food store and enjoy with ghee or almond butter. For a sweetener use honey (preferably local and raw) and sprinkle a dash of cinnamon on top.

Click Here to learn how to make your own Manna bread

Sprouted Bread (known as Essene or Manna Bread)

The simplest bread of all: Grains and water, no additives necessary.

This bread has a moist consistency that resembles a hearty muffin. I often enjoy a slice topped with nut butter or honey as a light breakfast or a sweet snack.

Traditionally, the Hebrew tribes in ancient Egypt made Essene bread by grinding berry roots between rocks or millstones that were then laid to bake on stones heated by a fire or the sun.

These days we don't have to work quite as hard...

You can make your own essene bread or find it in the frozen bread section of your health food store.

Instructions for Making Your Own Essene Bread:
1.  Using 2 cups of dry wheat berries for each loaf, rinse the grains and cover them with twice the volume of water in a ceramic, metal or glass bowl, jar or pot. Cover with a screen or netting that will allow a flow of air and let soak overnight (at least eight hours).
2.  Drain in the morning and rinse at least twice a day for 3 to 4 days, keeping them covered with the netting. Make sure to drain out all the water each time you rinse while shaking the berries to prevent matting and spoiling.
3.  Allow the sprout hairs to grow at least the length of the berries and/or to be sweet to the taste before grinding. If they still taste starchy, give them another day of sprouting.
4.  Grind into a paste in a food processor, knead and shape into loaves (keeping them somewhat round and flat in shape.)
5.  Bake on a cookie sheet at low temperature (160-250°) for three to four hours or until browning occurs.
6.  Let cool and store. Refrigerate or freeze if intended to keep for more than three to four days.
7.  Cut with a wet and serrated knife, and enjoy!
8.  Variations: Add honey, seeds, or chopped nuts or fruit when making your bread.
* Ezekiel and other sprouted bread are made in a similar fashion from sprouted grains and water only with the addition of yeast.

Health Coaches: The Future of Health Care

Health Care continues to base its systems on reacting to illness rather than preventing it. Chronic diseases such as obesity, hypertension, and diabetes wreck our quality of life and cost a fortune. For obesity alone, the medical costs are estimated to be 147 billion dollars a year.

Preventive medicine saves money along with lives. A 2009 article in American Public Health Association calculated that a middle-aged person successfully treated for obesity, hypertension, and diabetes would gain about six years of life and, despite living longer, could save as much as $55,000 in lifetime medical spending.

Preventive medicine must become an integral part of our health care system. This is where health coaching comes in. There is currently no one in the healthcare system who has the job or the expertise to actually help people make the lifestyle and behavior changes that they want to make. It is hard to change engrained behaviors. An Integrative Health Coach is trained to help people clarify their personal health goals and achieve them.

My decision to attend the Institute for Integrative Nutrition (IIN) and become a nutrition and wellness coach was one of the most transformational decisions of my life.

IIN taught me the information, skills, and practical steps I needed to build my health couching business from scratch... and make back my entire IIN tuition before graduation.

I was recently interviewed by IIN to speak of my success as a health coach. If you've ever thought about becoming a holistic wellness counselor, listen to this interview. You can create your dream job!

http://www.integrativenutrition.com/lp/danielmax

(you will be required to put in an email address to listen to the webinar. It is a formality- you will not be spammed!) 

Here's to the future of nutrition!!

Seasonal Pumpkin Oat Energy Balls

my solution to leftover pumpkin.... 

Balls:

2/3 cup pumpkin puree (canned or fresh)
2 Tbs maple syrup
2 Tbs dry roasted almond butter
1/4 cup apple sauce
2 cups quick cooking oats
1/3 cup pepita seeds (pumpkin seeds)
1/3 cup walnuts

Coating:
1/4 cup quick cooking oats
1/4 cup pepita seeds

For Balls: Mix pumpkin, maple, almond butter and apple sauce. Add in oats, nuts and seeds. Roll into two dozen balls.

For coating: In a coffee grinder, grind oats and pepita seeds into a flour. Pour the mixture onto a plate and roll each ball in the flour until covered.

Variation: Roll balls in shredded coconut instead of oat and pepita mixture.

Pumpkin-Oat Power Bar
Press the ball mixture into a 8x8 baking dish and bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Once cooled, cut into squares.

Pass The Salt: A Source To Winter Health & Iodine

Iodized Table Salt

With cooling weather, falling leaves animals preparing for hibernation, plants retreating underground and darkness arriving earlier, nature has begun its preparation for winter.

Meanwhile inside, in the comfort of my own kitchen, the salt shaker has made a reappearance on the dinner table...

Salt carries a contractive/grounding energy that coincides with the ‘downward and inward’ natural direction of the season. As the body redirects its energy for the winter, small amounts of high quality salt can be supportive for winter health.

Not all salts are created equally.

The salt we are most commonly consume is iodized table salt. This salt is a commercially refined table salt that has been heated to such high temperatures that the chemical structure of the salt has mutated from its natural state. It is chemically cleaned, bleached, and treated with anti-caking agents. (That’s why it pours so easily.) Common anti-caking agents used in the mass production of salt are sodium alumino-silicate and alumino-calcium silicate. Both are sources of aluminum, a heavy metal that has been suspected to contribute to the development of Alzheimer’s disease.

Himalayan Pink Salt

Celtic Sea Salt

During the refining of table salt, mined natural sea salt or rock salt is stripped of more than 60 trace minerals and essential macro-nutrients. Refined salt is similar to refined sugar in the sense that they have both been stripped of their nutrients and are concentrated to a degree that throws the body off balance.

To avoid refined salt, minimize the consumption of processed foods (especially soups and microwave dinners), many of which are extremely high in refined salt which is added as a preservative. Furthermore, forget about the salt shakers at most restaurants and switch the salt you cook with at home.
 
The best salts to purchase are sea salt. There are many on the market, from plain old sea salt to fleur de sel, gray french sea salt, and Hawaiian sea salt. Many are coarse, but you can grind them to make them fine.

Using a coarse salt, you will most likely need to use less of it to reach your desired flavor. It is best to add salt at the end of the cooking process to maintain its mineral contents as well as to minimize the amount needed.

I most commonly use Himalayan pink salt, considered the highest grade of natural salt; it contains 84 elements and helps your body maintain a healthy electrolyte balance. You can even add a pinch to filtered water, along with the juice of a lemon, for a natural sports energy drink post-workout.

Natural sea salts promote health  and can aid your body in maintaining normal blood pressure. [Click here for more information on different salts.]

The importance of Iodine:
Refined salt is usually fortified with iodine, which is responsible for many of the body’s health functions including thyroid support (iodine is needed for under active or hypothyroid), fighting infection, and helping the body fend off cancer and mood instability. Severe lack of iodine causes goiter (swelling of the thyroid in the neck), a result of the thyroid gland swelling.

Iodine deficiency can show up in the body as fatigue, foggy thinking, cold hands and feet, dry skin, thin hair, and constipation. If you suspect you might be deficient, ask you doctor to run the 24 hour urinary iodine load test or click here for Dr. Douillard’s mail in test

Natural Sources of Iodine:
We do not get enough iodine from high quality sea salt since much of it is lost during packaging and transportation of the product. However there is no need to seek out iodine artificially as an additive. Be sure to incorporate natural sources of iodine from the following foods:

1. Sea Veggies: the number one source of iodine in food, kelp is the superstar (also available in capsules for a more vigorous treatment).
 
2. Fish: Pacific cod, Atlantic sea bass, black perch and Atlantic haddock are fish high in iodine.
 
3. Animal Foods: Animal foods such as turkey, chicken, high quality dairy and eggs are a decent source.
 
4. Other: Baked potatoes with skin and legumes can contain some iodine.

Sea Vegetables

No food group serves as a better iodine source than sea vegetables. The estimated amount of iodine needed by an adult each day is 150 mcg (micrograms). Depending upon the specific type of sea vegetable, this guideline can be met by 1 teaspoon. A gram of iodized table salt typically contains about 65 micrograms of iodine, whereas kelp contains 100-200 mcg, dulse contains 150- 300 mcg, and wakame contains 79 mcg.  

Kelp is particularly interesting with respect to iodine because some studies suggest that up to 35% of the iodine contained in some varieties of kelp is actually stored in the same forms in which iodine is found in our thyroid hormones.


Simple ways to add iodine to your diet, purchase kelp or dulse shakers and sprinkle on a warm dinner meal or over a salad. Click here to see what seasonings you can purchase at most health food stores.

Further more, click here to discover all different sea vegetables available at health food stores with explanations of how to best use them along with a variety of recipes individualized for each product.


In addition to iodine, sea vegetables (or seaweeds) provide a wide and abundant variety of minerals and vitamins, including calcium and iron, and can help balance hormone and thyroid levels in the body.



Studies have documented sea vegetables to reduce blood cholesterol, remove metallic and radioactive elements from the body, counteract obesity, strengthen bones and teeth, aid nerve transmission, improve digestion, and soften hard masses and tumors.
Eating too many processed foods or foods grown in mineral-depleted soil can result in a lack of minerals in the body, leading to cravings for salty or sugary foods. Adding sea vegetables to your diet can help balance your energy levels and alleviate cravings.

Winter Squash and Pumpkin Muffins!

Winter Squash

Not only sweet and filling, winter squash is known to have anti-cancer effects, is beneficial in fighting against diabetes and heart disease,  and is rich in the powerful antioxidant beta-carotene which contains anti-inflammatory properties.

The rich content of beta-carotene in winter quash makes it a healthy vegetable to fight against asthma, rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis, all of which have inflammatory symptoms. Winter squash is also rich in beta-cryptoxanthin, which considerably lowers the risk of lung cancer.

Being high in fiber, winter squash helps lower cholesterol and protects the colon.

Not only does this vegetable provide us with its sweetness, its carotenoids help  regulate the blood sugar level. Its potassium content also helps lower blood pressure.

Gourmet Squash Recipe:

1 acorn squash
cooked grain (brown rice, quinoa, millet etc.)
dried cranberries  (preferably sweetened with apple juice concentrate rather than sugar)
1 onion
chard or kale
extra virgin olive oil
shredded goat or cow cheese (optional)

Cut squash in half, discard seeds, and place face down in baking dish with 1” water. Bake for 40 minutes at 375F until tender.
Sauté onion for 5 minutes, add greens until they soften 2-3 minutes.  Add cooked grain and cranberries, mix for another minute.   Stuff squash with grain mixture sprinkle cheese on top and bake face up for another 10-15 minutes.  Serve warm!

Daniel's Pumpkin Muffins (made with Quinoa!)

1/2 cup walnut pieces
1/2 cup pecan pieces
1 cup cooked quinoa
1 cup pumpkin puree (fresh or from a can)
2 Tbs ground flax seeds mixed with 1/3 cup hot water, cooled for 10 minutes.
1/2 cup maple syrup
1 tsp cinnamon
1 ½  tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
2 cups white whole-wheat flour**
additional 1/3 cup pecan pieces

Chop walnuts and 1/2 cup pecans. Add all other ingredients except flour and extra pecans and blend. Add flour and blend. Fold in in 1/3 cup pecan pieces.
Bake at 375 F for 25 minutes.

** White whole wheat is made from white wheat berries while standard whole wheat flour is made from red wheat. Still a whole grain flour, white wheat has a lighter texture and is great for baking.

HOW You Cook Affects How You Feel

Mom knows best. As the seasons change, so do the vegetables that Mother Nature provides. With the cooling temperatures of Fall, the vegetables we harvest are ones of a more grounding and warming nature.

When we eat right, the type of food we eat medicinally creates health and balance in our body.  Similarly, varying our cooking methods will do the same.

The way we prepare our food plays a role in the effect it has on our body. In the Fall and Winter it is best to cook our meals on a lower heat for a longer period of time. This releases the more warming quality of our food and provides a settling effect that in turn helps internalize our focus.

Baked foods, sautéed foods, heartier foods, and root vegetables all contribute towards the thickening of the blood. When living in a cold climate, it is necessary for the blood to thicken as the weather grows colder.

Different methods and temperatures of cooking will also help balance out our personality. Since slower cooking methods are more grounding, it makes sense that rapidly cooked foods will have a more activating yet relaxing effect, suitable for the more stagnant and tense individual.
A more harmoniously sweet flavor, cooked undisturbed on a low heat for a longer period of time will have a more calming effect for the angry or impatient person.

The more pressure, salt, oil, time and heat that is used, the more concentrated the food will be. Concentrated foods provide the warmth needed for weaker constitutions that have lost interest in food or life.

When cooking, mindfully engaging with our food by pureeing, mashing, tossing, stirring, or kneading will help energize the food.  

Cooking is the highest of art forms; when it is complete, you ingest your artwork and it becomes you and all those you feed.

It is helpful to be aware of your intentions. The state of the cook affects the state of the food. One can often taste the richness of a meal made and presented with attentiveness and love. Similarly so, a meal prepared in anger imparts anger. Respect what you are doing no matter how simple the preparation.

The foods you eat today prepare you for tomorrow. If feeling melancholy, bake something sweet like winter squash or yams with sweet spices such as cinnamon. Similarly, add some lemon zest to your dressings to add zest to your day. Become creative. At social functions, eating lighter, sweeter foods will help you be more sociable. When studying, simple concentrated foods will help your focus.

Be intuitive. Let the colors, flavors, shapes and smells be your guide.

Choose Living Food

Kirlian photography
captures the energy
field of an apple

As individuals we have the choice of participating in our own health care. We can constantly discover new and healthy ways to nourish ourselves, connecting to our inner source of healing.

We are more than just a physical body. Our body has an energy field of life force pulsing within and around it. Food gives us life so we need to eat foods that contain life as well. When we eat, we nourish ourselves to maintain our ‘life source,’ known in the East as Chi or Prana. When choosing food it is helpful to ask yourself the question “How close is this food to its original source of life?” In other words, how many processes has it passed through since it was harvested from a field? The more processed the food is, the less Prana, life force, it contains.

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• A vegetable picked today is more nutritious than a vegetable picked months ago, as it is still filled with the life soaked up from the earth and the sun. A freshly cooked vegetable has more life energy then a canned vegetable, as it has avoided factory processing.

• However, a canned vegetable has far more life energy than a box of mac & cheese. Processed foods contain little or no energy. In fact they can cause more harm than good. 

• Whole grains are closer to their natural state then processed grains. For example brown rice is what white rice was prior to processing; therefore it is closer to the original state of growing in the fields.
• Whole grain products do not equal whole grains. A bowl of oatmeal or high quality granola is less processed and therefore contains more life than a box of “whole grain cereal.” Whole grain cereals may be made from whole grains but they are no longer whole grains. As a processed product, they act more like sugar in the body rather than like grain.
• Organic has more life energy than conventional, providing a higher content of vitamins and minerals due to factors such as the soil that is used.

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Locally Grown Food

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For those of us living locally in New England we are fortunate enough to enjoy the seasonal pleasures of local produce at the farmers markets. The selection at a farmers market is usually picked the same day, versus the produce found at a conventional grocery store that is often weeks or months old.  If you have to ship a piece of fruit halfway around the world, it will contain far less vital energy than the fresh fruit you get from the farmer who drove in from the fields that same morning. Keep in mind that the closer to home the food was harvested, the fresher it is. When shopping at a conventional supermarket, look around the produce section; try to find foods that came from your state, or at least your country, not the other side of the globe.

An economical option is to buy lots of fresh food at the peak of its season and freeze, jar, or dry it for later use. Why not freeze your own fresh fruit or broccoli?

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What's Preferable; Local or Organic?

Organic foods imported from other countries will usually be more expensive than those from local farmers. Organic foods that are shipped long distances are also often picked when they are unripe. Since organic standards ban the use of fungicides, this allows the food to be transported long distances without spoiling. When fruits and vegetables are picked before they ripen, they contain fewer vitamins and minerals.

When shopping at a farmers market, you have the opportunity to find out from the farmers which treatments they have used on their crops. Many small farms grow their crops following organic standards, but do not get organically certified because of the cost.

When we eat locally grown foods we help the environment by minimizing the miles of greenhouse gases and carbon dioxide that it takes to get the foods transported. We are doing our part for both our local agriculture and the environment. Plus, it tastes better.  Produce loses flavor on those long journeys.

Recipes: Edamame Dip With Cumin Corn Chips

Making your own corn chips is easy. This way you get to use the highest quality oil as well as bake chips rather than frying.

Edamame are young soybeans. They are a good source of protein, are easy to digest and are exceptionally high in fiber.

Edamame Dip

1 cup frozen shelled edamame

2 cups boiling water

3 tablespoons (extra virgin cold pressed) olive oil

juice of half a lemon

1 garlic clove

salt to taste

2-3 tbs water (as needed)

Boil 2 cups of water in a pot. Once boiled add edamame and bring back to boil. Let boil for 5 minutes. Drain immediately and let cool. 

Blend with all other ingredients adding water as needed to create desired smooth consistency. 

Options: add parsley or cilantro to the mix.

Cumin Chips

1 packet (usually 10-12) corn tortillas, sized 5-6 inches

juice of 2 limes (4 Tbs)

1.5 Tbs olive oil

3/4 tsp ground cumin

salt to taste

Preheat oven to 375. Combine oil, juice and cumin in a bowl and brush the mix on both sides of each tortilla. Cut each tortilla into 6 wedges and spread out on a baking tray. You will need two baking trays to fit all chips. Once all chips are on the trays, sprinkle with salt. Bake for 10 minutes, turn them over, and bake for an additional 10 minutes.

Bodies @ An Airport: (living outside our bodies)

I recently learned from health practitioners in hospitals and nursing homes that they can tell when a patient is close to death. They all describe it as ‘seeing’ the life force withdraw away from the limbs towards the center of the body. The hands feel “lifeless” although the patient may still be moving them.

While it might be more noticeable in the frail, many of us live our lives energetically withdrawn from our limbs or disconnected from the totality of our body.

When practicing shiatsu, I’ll often sense the receiver’s energy stop flowing in the chest, neck or shoulders. The meridians of the arms feel depleted of chi (life force) even if the individual is young, strong and healthy.

I am currently blogging from an airport. There is a couple sitting near by, both holding their chest high reflecting a personality of a proud achiever. They both seem too congested in the chest to make any space for relaxation, trust or tenderness in their communication. Some of the passing travelers walk through the world (or maybe just through terminal D) while holding everything inside. Each one has a holding pattern reflected in another part of the body. In contrast, others have the posture and stride of someone who can't seem to hold it together at all. The body is a mirror of they way we most commonly approach life.

We are not a culture that is living in our bodies. Who ever designed the chair I’m sitting in definitely did not have the health of my spine in mind nor was there much thought to my physical or mental health when planning out the airport’s food choices. We are not taught to listen and understand our bodies. Instead we are expected to learn from external resources. Similarly to the dying person, we withdraw our energy away from the whole and into the part. Energetically withdrawing into the thinking head we can no longer hear or comprehend the messages our body is trying to convey. We find ourselves confused about what to eat, how much to rest, when we are hungry, or when we are full.

Separating from the experience of our body, we separate from the roots of our existence. Our body is the container that enables our entire earthly experience. It is the flute that transforms air into music or the flower that manifests its vibrant colors. Without it we would all be floating potential unable to manifest.

The Food Pyramid... What Should I eat?

The Food Pyramid, a model created by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, has become an iconic illustration of what the USDA says is the element of a healthy diet. The Pyramid model has been taught in schools, appeared in the media and has been plastered on cereal boxes and food labels.

Tragically, the information conveyed in this pyramid hasn’t pointed the way to healthy eating. This symbol doesn't give enough information to help us make informed choices about our diet and long-term health. It continues to recommend foods that aren't essential to good health, and may even be detrimental in the quantities recommended. 

Every five years, the US Departments of Agriculture and of Health and Human Services update their nutrition recommendations for citizens.  The 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans continues to reflect the tense interplay of science and the powerful food industry. The panel that writes the guidelines must include nutrition experts who are leaders in pediatrics, obesity, cardiovascular disease, and public health. Unfortunately the selection of the panelists is always subject to intense lobbying from organizations such as the National Dairy Council, United Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Association, Soft Drink Association, American Meat Institute, National Cattlemen's Beef Association, and Wheat Foods Council. With panelists representing diverse industries, creating the guidelines has become more of a negotiation process to appease all sides, rather than keeping the focus on the public’s best interest. 

Several of the new recommendations represent important steps in the right direction while others remain mired in the past. 

Positive changes include the continuing development in the recognition of individual caloric needs and recommendations for overall smaller portions. There is a shift to a more plant-based diet that emphasizes vegetables, cooked dry beans and peas, fruits, whole grains, nuts and seeds. Furthermore the guidelines emphasize the importance of significantly reducing the consumption of foods with added sugars, solid fats, sodium and refined grains.

Vital changes that have yet to be made include the following: 

* Grains: The guidelines lack instruction showing the difference between unrefined whole grains and

their refined versions. This is a shame since refined starches (found in cereals, breads, pastas etc.‘) behave like sugar, having adverse metabolic effects and increasing the risk of diabetes and heart disease. Pictures on the food pyramid of highly refined products such as white bread and pasta continue to represent examples of grains. Simply put, Special K is not a whole grain just as ketchup is not a tomato. 

Recommendation: Keep experimenting with unrefined whole grains. While you may have been eating wheat products your whole life, have you ever tried wheat berries from which the flour is derived?  View recipes for ideas. 

* Protein: The guidelines continue to lump together red meat, poultry, fish, and beans (including soy products) with little differentiation between each type. We are asked to judge these protein sources by their total fat content, making choices that are lean, low-fat, or fat-free. Due to the meat and dairy industries’ involvement in the guidelines, suggestions to lower the recommended amounts have not been approved.   

Recommendation: Because of our bio-individuality, protein requirements vary dramatically from person to person. Many people feel lighter and clearer when they reduce animal products. If you notice that you feel better when eating animal protein, enjoy it in smaller portions together with an abundance of vegetables. Click Here to learn more about plant-based and animal protein.

* Fat: Since the 2005 guidelines there has been more differentiation between detrimental fats like trans fats and health-promoting fats. While this has been an improvement to our past fat phobic education, most of us still have no idea what oils we should be using. 

Recommendation: Let ‘unrefined’ be your guideline. The unrefined label can easily be found on oils such as olive or sesame. Some brands of sunflower or canola can be found unrefined in health food stores. Saturated oils such as butter, ghee or coconut are always unrefined but should be used with care for cardiovascular health. 

* Dairy: The recommendation to drink three glasses of low-fat milk or eat three servings of other dairy products per day to prevent osteoporosis is another step in the wrong direction. Millions of Americans are lactose intolerant, and even small amounts of milk or dairy products give them stomach aches, gas, or other problems. This recommendation ignores the lack of evidence for a link between consumption of dairy products and prevention of osteoporosis as well as ignoring the suspected association of dairy with the causes of more serious diseases. 

Recommendation: Minimize your intake of milk and choose other dairy sources instead. Enjoy fermented products like yogurt and kefir and experiment with goat dairy products for better digestion. Choose raw dairy when available. Milk sensitivities often appear as digestive, respiratory or skin disorders. Try eliminating dairy from your diet and enjoy leafy greens, sesame, soy, flax, and seaweeds for their high calcium values.  Due to the antibiotics and hormones used in the US dairy industry, choosing organic is highly recommended. 

For more information Click Here

* Water: The USDA makes no mention of the importance of water. 

Recommendation: With the body made up of 75% water, it is essential that we continuously replenish this source. Drinking more water helps all of the body’s systems to run smoothly, enabling our organs to comfortably perform their functions. When the body is too dry it contracts. Drinking water helps relieve symptoms such as body tension, headaches, or any other stress related disorder. Hydration also keeps the skin smooth and clear.

Always keep a bottle of water on hand. 


Related Article: 
USDA's Replacement of Food Pyramid 

What's The Deal With Wheat?

Wheat berries are a suitable choice as a whole grain in the summer as they have a cooling thermal nature to them. According to Chinese medicine, this grain helps calm the mind and can be used as a remedy for palpitations, insomnia, irritability, menopausal symptoms and emotional instability. Wheat absorbs a wide range of minerals from the soil and is said to be a vital food in the process of growth and development. It encourages growth and weight gain so is especially good for children and frail individuals. Wheat, however, should be minimized if one is obese or if dealing with tumors or growths.

Wheat often causes allergic reactions as result of the flour products we normally consume that have been made with flour rancid from oxidation. Wheat flour should ideally be used immediately after grinding. Some people who are allergic to processed flour products can still digest cooked wheat berries or sprouted wheat. 

Wheat Berry Salad

1 1/2 cups wheat berries

3/4 cup chopped walnuts

2 stalks celery, finely chopped

1/2 cup chopped tart dried cherries/ dried cranberries (sweetened with apple juice concentrate rather than sugar) 

1 scallion, white and green parts, chopped

1/2 cup finely chopped parsley leaves

3 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons lemon juice

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

In a large pot combine the wheat berries with enough water to cover the wheat berries by 2 inches. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and cook uncovered for 1 hour, or until tender. Wheat berries retain a firm, chewy texture when cooked. Drain and let cool. Toast the walnuts in a medium dry skillet over medium-high heat until fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes.

In a large bowl, combine the wheat berries, walnuts, celery, dried cherries, scallions, parsley, olive oil and lemon juice. Season to taste, with salt and pepper.

Variation: add beans such as garbanzo or edamame and add your favorite vegetables such as green beans, peppers, asparagus, broccoli, etc’. 

Bulghur Wheat Tabouli

Bulgur is made from boiled wheat berries that are then dried and cracked. To avoid buying oxidized grains, purchase it in a sealed package and once opened, store in an airtight container.

1 cup bulgur

1 cup boiling water

¼ teaspoon sea salt

¾ cup parsley, chopped

2 scallions, chopped

1 tomato, diced

Juice of 1 lemon

3 tablespoons olive oil

2-4 tablespoons fresh mint, chopped

(or 1 teaspoon dried mint)

salt to taste

Place Bulgur in a mixing bowl, pouring over it the boiling water. Cover the bowl and let it stand for

15 minutes. Fluff with a fork and let it cool to room temperature.

Once cooled, gently toss all ingredients together. 

Grow your own Wheatgrass

Place wheatgrass in a container with soil, covered with an additional thin layer of soil, and water regularly until grass is grown. Grind or juice for its cleansing properties.