Diet For A New America

I recently finished reading John Robbins' book, Diet For A New America. It has been around for a while, so maybe you have already read it yourself. For me, it was very educational as well as inspiring. Today I am going to share with you a couple highlights that I marked in the book as well as my reasons for pursuing a vegetarian diet.

Overall, the message of the book is to persuade the reader to forgo meat and animal products in one's diet. The reasons are plentiful and backed up with abundant scientific research. Some reasons include the following:

• The animals we eat are raised in horrendous, unnatural conditions on factory farms, fed an unnatural diet of corn and soybeans, and endure an unbelievable amount of suffering.
  
• The meat from the animals raised on the factory farms is unhealthy as a result of the poor diet and unhappiness of the animals. For example, the adrenalin that courses through the animal just before it is slaughtered poisons the meat. And that is just the beginning.
  
• The hormones and antibiotics given to the animals are imparted to the consumer through the flesh and negatively impact one's health by causing hormonal imbalance and destruction of one's internal digestive ecology.
  
• The factory farms on which most meat is raised, pollute and destroy the environment.
  
• The vast amount of resources such as grain and water that go into fattening herds of cattle, for example, could eliminate world hunger. The number of input calories is far fewer than the number of output calories. It is a very inefficient way to feed humans. 
  
• The human body really does not require so much protein that eating concentrated sources such as meat is necessary or useful. In fact, it is often damaging causing gout, kidney stones, and osteoporosis.
  
• Meat and dairy products acidify the blood and tissues leading to overall calcium loss and osteoporosis. Drinking milk does not result in calcium increase and stronger bones as we may have been led to believe. It actually has the opposite effect.
  
• Pesticides are concentrated in animal products many times more than in plants and vegetables. This toxic load impedes the body's ability to efficiently regenerate and carry out primary functions for optimal health.
  
• The human digestive system is not best suited for digestion of meat. In fact, it is much different from that of carnivorous creatures. The regular consumption of meat will, over time, result in various physical maladies such as colon cancer.
  
• The meat that is mass produced in this country and all over the world is so unhealthy it is seriously damaging the health of all those who eat it which increases the burden on the health care system as well as supports a society dependent on pharmaceutical drugs leading ultimately in a continuous downward spiral of degenerative disease.
  

My reasons for being vegetarian are out of concern for the following:

1. My health: I wish to live to an old age, free of physical pain and physical limitation. I always wish to be active and dwelling in a fully functioning body. Being vegetarian and eating whole foods will greatly contribute to the accomplishment of this goal.
   
2. The environment: It is apparent how much the meat industry from start to finish irrevocably damages the environment. Climates change; drinking water becomes scarce and contaminated; clean air becomes polluted. It is important to think ahead rather than live for today's profit or pleasure.
   
3. The suffering of animals: A certain passage from the book sums up my viewpoint regarding the animals - "It's not the killing of the animals that is the chief issue here, but rather the unspeakable quality of the lives they are forced to live."  Most people have no concept of what suffering was endured by the animals they have eaten. It is so bad that it is nearly beyond belief. I personally don't wish to make that suffering literally a part of me.
   

Another passage from the book states the issues succinctly: "We have become protein obsessed, and we pay an incalculable price for it. We feed an enormous amount of grain to livestock which could otherwise be fed to the world's hungry. We cause a great deal of needless suffering to animals. And finally, we seriously compromise our health."

Busting the Protein Myth

The book presents a great study on how much protein is really needed for a proper functioning body and how easy it is to consume sufficient amounts on a vegetarian diet. Healthy protein intake ranges on a spectrum of 2.5 - 10% of daily calories. Mother's milk provides 5% of its calories from protein which feeds babies who are growing faster than at any other time in their lives. If one eats protein at the high end of the spectrum (10% of calories), it is almost impossible to not get enough protein on a well balanced vegetarian diet. 49% of the calories from spinach are from protein. If we ate nothing but spinach, we'd have WAY more than enough protein. If we ate nothing but cabbage (22%), we'd have more than double the maximum protein requirement. Even a cantaloupe diet (9%) would provide our bodies with sufficient protein.

A meal of 1 cup of beans and 1 cup of brown rice, for example, provides complementary amino acids and contains approximately 19 grams of protein. Add 1.5 cups of broccoli for 6 more grams. And that's just lunch! If you are consuming enough calories with natural foods, you are virtually certain of getting enough protein.

Be Thankful & Aware

I don't wish to come across as dogmatic or judgmental in my approach. I am just so passionate about both physical and environmental health, I want others to grasp some portion of the impact that eating meat has in myriad realms of our world. I realize that people are not going to give up meat over night, but my hope is that people could be concerned enough about their own health at the very least to cut consumption of meat and animal products in half.

I always thought that I would not hesitate to eat meat if given some from an animal that was properly raised in a natural environment. I allowed myself the opportunity one night to partake of meat from a non-factory farmed animal. While it tasted pretty good, I ultimately realized, I liked the vegetables that were on my dinner plate much more. The meat felt heavy in my stomach and did not make me feel particularly well. It was good to allow myself that experience and realize that my body truly no longer desired meat. I am not harsh with myself. Sometimes I will allow myself to eat a little meat thinking that I want it. In the end, it so happens that the experience only reinforces my desire to stay vegetarian.

Whatever your eating philosophy, I implore you to eat with positive thoughts and thankfulness. If you are on a road trip and have to eat something you would typically not, bless it and be grateful for it. Otherwise, the supposed unhealthy food will truly create unhealth. So often, people who are pursuing a healthy diet will beat themselves up when they falter a bit. For instance, I very often talk to raw foodists who express guilt at having eaten cooked food. My philosophy is to be gentle with oneself. Make the best choice you can at the moment. If you are going to break your eating plan, do it consciously, realize how it makes you feel, then get over it. The most important thing to remember is to eat with gratitude. A statement from the book (paraphrasing Mark Braunstein) says, "The person who eats beer and franks with cheer and thanks will probably be healthier than the person who eats sprouts and bread with doubts and dread."

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Sunburn Treatment & Prevention

Since it is now August and the height of summer time here in Portland, I have some timely information on natural prevention and treatment of sunburns. Being a fair skinned person myself, I am well acquainted with the power of the sun's rays and how quickly they can cause a week of suffering. Fortunately, I have great solutions that work every time, even for a person as pale as myself.

Treatment

So you find yourself red as a lobster after having spent all day playing in the sunshine. Instead of enjoying the next week of summer fun, all you have to look forward to is peeling, flaking, and odd stares as you walk through the grocery store. Not so for me. When I find I have mistakenly gone from prudent to overindulgent with sun exposure, I turn to Lavender essential oil. Many occasions I have completely skipped the peeling and burning phase and gone straight to healed in just one or two nights. All I do is apply therapeutic-grade Lavender essential oil to my skin. Often, I top it with jojoba oil and let it soak in. I always apply before bed and after showering in the morning until the skin has calmed to a nice healthy tan. Goodbye burn.

Prevention

I LOVE to be in the sun. The shade just doesn't quite do it for me on a nice summer day like today. Of course, staying in the shade is the most obvious solution to preventing sun burns but certainly not the most fun. Sunscreen is the second most obvious solution; however, sunscreens are loaded with toxic chemicals that we would do well avoid. It seems we are stuck choosing between two evils: skin cancer from sun burn or cancer from toxic chemical absorption. Until now...

Allow me to introduce the internal 'sunscreen' that really works: Astaxanthin.

Astaxanthin is a carotenoid derived from microalgae that blocks ultra violet damage to the skin. This nutrient is found also in seafood and is what gives salmon, for example, their natural pink color. Astaxanthin is a powerful antioxidant that can assist in overall skin health and anti-aging. Additionally, it can contribute to eye health, nerve health, and exercise recovery.

In the mornings during the summer time, I take two capsules of astaxanthin, and I am ready to go. I buy my astaxanthin supplement from Vitacost, where I get many nutritional products because their costs are low and shipping is a flat $5 regardless of how many products I purchase.

No longer do I need to worry about my scalp, forehead, or nose burning when I find myself having been unexpectedly overexposed to the sun's rays. Neither do I need to worry about oxybenzone, lauryl sarcosine, fragrances, etc. polluting my blood stream.

This sounds like a win-win to me!
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Natural Skin Care

Last April I began an experimental skin care regimen from which I really got results! Since my teenage years I have struggled with skin blemishes - acne and congested pores. I fully expected to just grow out of it, but it persisted into adulthood. While browsing the internet one day I ran across what is called the Oil Cleansing Method. It sounded easy enough, so I put it in to action! After one month of faithful practice, I got noticeable results. Now I want to share with you all about it along with other natural hygiene practices.

First things first:

Eye Makeup Removal

Grapeseed oil is my solution for eye makeup removal. First, I tried Olive oil which stung my eyes. Next, I tried Jojoba oil which didn't sting but left a film over my eyes (no fun!). Grapeseed oil, however, is light, produced no stinging, and is great for the skin! Perfect!

The Oil Cleansing Method

The basic idea behind this method is that oil dissolves oil. Typically, soap is used to cleanse the skin, but soap not only takes out the dirt and grime, it also strips away the natural oils which are needed to keep the skin moist and supple. This dried-out effect brought on by soap necessitates the use of moisturizers. Most moisturizing products are loaded with all kinds of harmful chemicals (big problem!). Fortunately, there are natural products available with less perplexing lists of ingredients. I exhort you to begin reading the labels on all packaged products you purchase (for both internal and external consumption). The shorter and more comprehensible the list of ingredients, the better! Don't be fooled by package labels that say "All Natural" or "Organic". Verify the ingredients yourself.

In the oil cleansing method, Castor oil is used to draw out impurities from the skin without leaving the skin stripped and dried out. Castor oil is antibacterial and antifungal and is used in many more ways to achieve healing than will be covered here. Using cold-pressed castor oil, I perform the following steps each night:

1. I remove my eye makeup.
   
2. I pour some castor oil into my palm and use my finger tips to rub it into my skin. It is okay to apply the oil right on top of makeup without washing first. I rub in circular motions all over for several minutes.
   
3. I soak a wash cloth with hot water and press it to my face. What I really want to accomplish here is a steam effect. I want the pores to open and the castor oil to penetrate and latch on to impurities. Sometimes, if the water on the cloth is too hot, I hold it close to my face. When I breathe out of my mouth onto the wash cloth, I can feel hot steam rise to my face. It is really quite effective. I will hold the cloth to my face until it cools to room temperature. Once cool, I will resoak the cloth with hot water and do the steaming procedure again. Please be careful not to hurt your skin with scalding hot water. You could also accomplish this steam using a pot of boiling water and a towel to drape over your head. Feel free to pursue this method, but chances are you are more likely to stick with a quicker, simpler method.
   
4. After the second steam, I use the cloth to wipe the oil from my face. 
   
5. Then... I start all over! I use a second dose of oil and rub it into my pores followed by two steams and wipe off.
   

Toner

Once I am done with the oil cleansing, I use a cotton ball to apply my homemade toner. In a glass bottle I have combined the following:

• 1/2 cup of strongly brewed tea: I used green and chamomile teas (6 tea bags total), but you can use other things such as Burdock, Yellow Dock, and Sarsparilla which are good detoxifying herbs. I may experiment with those on my next batch of toner. 
  
• 1/4 cup of raw, apple cider vinegar: let the tea cool before combining.
  
• Several drops of Tea Tree oil: Tea Tree is an excellent antibacterial treatment for blemishes.
  

You may at first be put off by the smell of vinegar, but don't worry, the scent disappears quickly enough.

Anti-Aging

My final step is to apply my homemade anti-aging formula. In a 2 ounce amber dropper bottle, I combine jojoba oil and the following essential oils in the approximate amounts:

• 10 drops of Frankincense
  
• 7 drops of Myrrh
  
• 7 drops of Sandalwood
  
• 5 drops of Rosewood
  
• 1 drop of Geranium
  
• 5 drops of Lavender (I may or may not add this, but it is a wonderful, universal skin remedy)
  

To apply, I drop some of the formula on clean fingertips (important!) and rub around my eyes and lightly pat all over my face. It smells wonderful. Jojoba oil is a nice, light oil that penetrates the skin easily and takes all the wonderful essential oils with it. Jojoba oil will not clog pores. Do not be afraid to use it even if you have very oily skin. In fact, your skin's oil production may become quite balanced after using jojoba oil consistently.

A second skin formula that I always have mixed in a dropper is jojoba and Tea Tree (approximately 15% solution) that I use on particularly blemished days. Tea Tree oil works just as effectively on acne as Benzoyl Peroxide or Salicylic Acid and is non-toxic!

Cleansing Tea

In addition to the topical skin routine, I recommend drinking tea made with herbs which are known for cleansing the liver and thus improving skin condition. These herbs include Burdock root, Yellow Dock, Sarsaparilla, and Dandelion root. Here is a formula for a cleansing tea:

• 1 part Burdock root
  
• 1 part Dandelion root
  
• 1 part Yellow Dock
  
• 1 part Sarsaparilla
  
• 1/2 part Licorice root
  

Add for flavor:

• Cardamon seeds
  
• Cinnamon Bark
  
• Clove buds
  
• Ginger root

Put 3 tablespoons of the mixed herbs in 20 ounces of water and soak overnight. In the morning bring to a boil and simmer for 15 minutes. Strain out the herbs and drink. Save the strained herbs and add 1 tablespoon of new herbs to make another batch the following day. Continue to reuse the herbs 3 times before discarding.

Often, poor skin condition is an indication of a toxic liver and/or poor elimination channels. If the body is having difficulty eliminating via primary means, it will eliminate through the skin.

Dry Skin Brushing

Dry skin brushing is the use of a stiff, natural-bristle bath brush which you can find sold in health and beauty supply stores. The technique is accomplished by briskly brushing in long, sweeping strokes across the skin toward the heart. Brush the entire body at least twice over and follow with a warm shower to rinse. The brush should be kept in a dry place as exposure to water will change the stiffness and effectiveness of the bristles.

Dry skin brushing removes dead skin layers, stimulates circulation, assists the lymphatic system, helps remove cellulite, and results in overall softer skin. Additionally, the dry skin brushing technique can assist us in restoring proper levels of vitamin D. It is well known that skin makes Vitamin D when exposed to sunlight. However, it is not so well known that Vitamin D is actually produced by the interaction of sunlight with the natural oils produced by the skin. If we wash those natural oils away with soaps and detergents, we still end up Vitamin D deficient even with sufficient exposure to the sunshine. The dry skin brushing technique is effective enough to cleanse the skin and leave the natural oils behind.

Diet

In addition to this skin routine, I have become vegetarian/vegan over the last few months as well as increased my intake of raw foods. I didn't become vegetarian over night, rather slowly moved away from consuming meat and most animal products altogether. I'm sure this factor also played a role in my improved skin condition as eating lower on the food chain introduces fewer toxins into the body which must find their way out.

Sources:
Body Electronics by Thomas C. Chavez
http://www.acne.org/messageboard/OIL-CLEANSING-METHOD-Hi-t141871.html

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I'm Back! With more Health & Wellness...

After months of neglect, the Lemon Letter is back in action! My life got quite busy last February through April with my regular full-time job, but now I have no more excuses. With my return, I plan to add a more personal touch to my health articles and share more with you about what I am doing in my daily health journey. I will address diet, exercise, nutritional supplementation, natural remedies as well as mental and emotional health. Health is always an evolution. I encourage you to take what you find valuable and incorporate it into your own health evolution.

Just a week ago, I was finally able to define and articulate specifically how I want to pursue my passion for natural health and wellness. It seems so obvious now, but here it is:

I want to be a health and wellness coach!

I'm not sure why it took two years to come up with that realization, but it is better late than never. Currently, I am an accountant by profession, but what I really love is what I write about here in my articles. Perhaps someday soon I will be able to devote as much time to this passion as I devote to crunching numbers! What I ultimately desire, though, is to see individuals take control of their health and become vibrant, glowing human beings.

What taking control of one's health means to me:

• First, it means taking care of the physical body through food, exercise, and natural remedies. This manifests as a body which grows and ages gracefully, free of physical pain and degenerative disease.
  
• Second, it means taking care of one's emotional, mental, and spiritual health. This shows through increased happiness, optimism, compassion, and love for life without reason.
  
• Third, it means taking care of one's surroundings to support a healthy lifestyle. This would manifest in taking care of the environment such that a healthy life may be maintained in perpetuity. This would also manifest in taking care of one's relationships and personal affairs. For example, one needs to be in control of one's finances to eliminate stress and unhealthy behaviors that might result from such disorder. In fact, you can expect a future article where my accountant-self weighs in to address health in finances.
  

I hope you will keep reading. I've got an article coming on natural hygiene and beauty routine which I have been experimenting with for months! Check back later for plenty of health topics to come!

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From Happy Hour to Healthy Hour!

Tonight I am drinking my favorite beverage in the whole world -- Love Juice! I discovered this delicious concoction at a juice bar I used to frequent - Namasté Café Juice Bar in New Brunswick, NJ - and have been hooked ever since. Because I love it so much, I want you to share in the pleasure. Treat yourself to a happy hour that never was happier.

Equipment needed: An electric juicer of some kind. I am using a Jack Lalanne juicer; however, if you are in the market for a juicer, read a product review on the amazing Breville juicers here.

Ingredients:

• 1 small beet
  
• 2 apples
  
• 4 carrots
  
• 1 lemon
  
• 1" fresh ginger
  
• Love!
  

Instructions:

Juice all the ingredients in any order and make quantity adjustments to match your preference. Some people like a lot of ginger while some people find it to be too spicy. I recommend starting with a conservative quantity and giving it a taste before you are done juicing. The ginger is a key ingredient, however, so don't leave it out!

Yesterday, I took a mid-day break from work for a wheat grass shot pick-me-up. I went to The Energy Bar in downtown Portland and ended up ordering a full juice instead. It tasted very much like Love Juice except it was green. The ingredients were:

• 2 oz. wheat grass juice
  
• Apples
  
• Lemon
  
• Ginger
  

Now you have a starting point to develop your own happy hour beverage!

Cheers!

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Rejuvelac Smoothie for Healthy Digestion

This week I successfully brewed my own rejuvelac! I have been using it as the liquid base in my daily green smoothie and would like you to consider trying it as well. You might be thinking, "Rejuva-what?" Keep reading, and I will explain.

A brief introduction to rejuvelac:

What is it?
Rejuvelac is a fermented beverage used to replenish intestinal microflora and help rebuild digestion.

How is it made?
Rejuvelac is made by fermenting sprouted grain in water over a 2-3 day period.

What does it taste like?
Rejuvelac is slightly fizzy with a hint of lemon flavor. Most people do not like it at first but get used to it. It is not something I would sip out on my deck on a sunny afternoon, but that is why I put it in my smoothies! Nutrition without repulsion!

Below, I describe how to make my rejuvelac.

1.  Start by sprouting 1 cup of wheat berries (or other grain such as rye or millet) in a 1 quart mason jar.

Sprouting Procedures:

• Rinse the wheat berries once. If you have a sprouting screen to put over the mouth of your mason jar, this will make the process much easier, but a screen is not necessary.
  
• Put the grain into your mason jar, fill with pure water, and let it soak for 8 hours or overnight.
  
• Next, drain the grain, rinse once, and drain sufficiently. If you have the sprouting screen, leave the jar tipped into a bowl at a downward slant to allow air to circulate and the grain to continue to drain. If you do not have the screen, drain well and leave the jar open and tipped sideways on your counter.
  
• Let the grain sit for another 8-12 hours and rinse again.
  
• You will rinse it 2 or 3 times a day until the sprouts are tiny and just emerging from the seed. This will take 1-2 days.
  
• Put the sprouts in your blender with some water to cover and blend on high for 5 seconds.
  
• At this point, you are ready to begin fermenting!
  

2.  Put the ground-up grain back in your mason jar and fill the jar up with pure water.

3.  Add a dash of raw, unfiltered apple cider vinegar or fresh lemon juice to make the solution slightly acid and help the fermentation process along.

4.  Add about 10 slices of fresh ginger root for an interesting flavor.

5.  Cover the top of your jar with a cheese cloth or other cloth that will allow air to come through. Secure the cloth with a rubber band.

6.  Let your sprouted grains soak for 72 hours, no more. Warm temperatures will speed the fermentation process. It that case, it will be done earlier. A white film on top is good. If the film turns colors, throw the grain away and start over. Give the jar a gentle spin 2-3 times a day. Expect some bubbling to show at the top.

7.  After you have let the solution ferment, strain out the grain fragments and store the liquid in a clean, sealable jar. There you have your rejuvelac!

8.  Give it a taste. It won't taste spectacular, but it should be slightly fizzy and lemony.

9.  Make a green smoothie with a banana, lime, greens, and frozen pineapple.

10.  Discard the used grain.

Now, I want to tell you a little more about the benefits of rejuvelac to convince you that this process is worth the effort.

In our guts exist colonies of bacteria which exist symbiotically with us. These probiotic microorganisms are naturally occurring and serve many important purposes such as the following:

• Protecting against foreign bacteria, yeasts, fungi, and infections
  
• Producing and absorbing vitamins, enzymes, and oxygen
• Improving skin health
• Correcting digestive dysfunction

Antibiotics are the opposite of these probiotics and will seriously compromise your digestive health. If you have ever taken antibiotics, it is necessary to rebuild that healthy ecosystem.

Stress is another killer of healthy gut bacteria. Stress can alter the pH of the system and endanger the delicate balance of microflora.

Microflora is also affected by the food we eat. It lives primarily on bits of undigested plant food. An unhealthy diet may allow less desirable microflora to overgrow and other helpful microflora to die leading to an imbalance. This means we should continuously include in our diets plenty of raw plant food that is high in fiber. Keep in mind that many processed and packaged foods contain anti-biotic substances such as preservatives, pesticides, fungicides, sterilizing agents, etc. that can damage your microflora. Even the chemical additives in your tap water such as fluoride and chlorine can throw off the delicate balance of your digestive ecosystem.

To keep your digestive microflora healthy and plentiful consider the following:

1. Begin consuming more raw, fermented foods such as vinegar, miso, kombucha, and rejuvelac. In addition to my rejuvelac smoothie every morning, I drink 2 tablespoons of raw, apple cider vinegar. I drink it down like a shot. If this is too scary for you, don't hesitate to sweeten it with a bit of raw agave or raw honey. Apple cider vinegar is alkalizing as well as a digestive tonic.
   
2. Eat plenty of raw, organic produce that will provide indigestible starches and cellulose on which the microflora thrives.
   
3. Take a high quality probiotic supplement. If I ever suffer indigestion after consuming a heavy meal, I take 2-3 probiotic supplement capsules, and the stomach ache is gone in less than 30 minutes. Probiotics that have worked for me are Natural Choice Pro-5 Probiotic Blend, Dr. Mercola's Complete Probiotics, and NSI Probiotic 10-20. Read a great article on probiotics here.
   

Sources:
http://www.jonbarron.org/detoxing-health-program/2008-10-27.php
http://www.kalsschool.com/Newsletters/tabid/198/Default.aspx#friendly_flora

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Cuban Dinner & BEANS!

I want to share with you what has been one of my favorite dinners lately. While I don't put myself in any boxes by labeling myself vegan, vegetarian, raw foodist, etc., I absolutely prefer those types of foods. To my great pleasure, all desire for meat, including big, juicy hamburgers, has vanished. A common concern about becoming vegetarian is getting enough protein. Many people don't know where to turn for protein other than to meat. I used to feel this way since I would suffer from low blood sugar, resulting in emotional distress when I had not received sufficient amounts of protein. But today, I find myself very satisfied on a vegetarian/vegan diet. If you would like to eliminate much of your meat consumption but don't know with what to replace it, I would like you to consider the bean.

Today, I want to tell you about the bean and how it can be properly prepared so you can consume it happily with comfort. But first, as I promised, my latest favorite dinner: The Cuban Plate! This will get your mind open and mouth watering for those beans!

There are four different components to prepare, but it is really quite simple once you get to it.

Cuban Black Beans:

1. Prepare about a cup of dry black beans through proper rehydration and heating technique as described later in this article. This will take some planning ahead of time.
   
2. Once you have your beans ready to go, sauté about a half an onion and 3 cloves of garlic (both minced) in coconut oil
   
3. Add the prepared beans to the onions and garlic
   
4. Add about 2 teaspoons of cumin, 1 teaspoon of oregano, 1/2 teaspoon coriander, and 3-4 dashes of apple cider vinegar
   
5. Heat through and let the flavors mingle a bit
   
6. Add sea salt to taste
   

Spanish Rice:

1. Measure white rice and water according to package directions (typically a ratio of 1 part rice to 1 1/2-2 parts water)
   
2. After you bring the water to a boil, add a whole, un-peeled clove of garlic and a chunk of onion
   
3. Add 2 Tbsp. of tomato paste
   
4. Add 2-3 threads of saffron
   
5. Cover and simmer according to package directions
   

Guacamole:

This recipe comes from oneradionetwork.com and can be prepared ahead of time or while the beans and rice are cooking.

Ingredients:

• 2 tomatoes (choose two varieties).
  
• 1/2 onion (your choice of color).
  
• 1 pepper (your choice of type and temperature).
  
• 1 clove garlic.
  
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro (leaves and stems).
  
• 1/2 Tbsp lemon juice.
  
• 1/2 Tbsp olive oil.
  
• 1/2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar.
  
• 1/2 tsp cumin.
  
• 1/2 tsp coriander.
  
• 2 ripe HAAS avocados
  
• 1/2 Tbsp lime juice
  
• 1/4 tsp sea salt
  

Instructions:

1. Mince garlic, cilantro, cumin and coriander.
   
2. Add lemon, oil and vinegar to spice blend.
   
3. Dice tomato, onion, garlic and add to spice blend.
   
4. Add the avocados and blend ingredients together with potato masher
   
5. Top with lime juice and salt.
   

Delicious!

Coconut Fried Plantains:

Save preparation of this component until last. It should only take 10 minutes maximum.

Buy a plantain from the grocery store that looks very very ripe. I am talking about one that looks beyond your comfort level for normal banana consumption. It should have quite a lot of black on the skin. Even plantains that are completely black are still good. If you get one that is very yellow or green, it will not have any flavor, will be very tough, and will be very disappointing.

Once you have your nearly black plantain, heat a good amount of coconut oil (2 Tbsp, perhaps) in a skillet to medium temperature. While your pan is heating, cut a skin-deep slice all the way down the length of the plantain. From there, you can lop off the top and start peeling off the skin. I like to cut the plantain into wheels about 1/4"-1/2" thick.

Lay each slice in the heated coconut oil and turn them over on their other side when they get to be a toasty, golden brown. When both sides are toasty, serve 'em up!


Combine all four of your attractive dishes on a plate, garnish with cilantro and lime wedge, and enjoy immensely!


Now that your mouth is watering for some delicious cuban black beans, let me talk to you further about the virtues of beans and how they should best be prepared for optimal digestion and assimilation of the nutrients.

What is so great about beans?

• They are extremely inexpensive! $2-3 per lb. dry weight = $0.50/ lb cooked!
  
• They have high protein content. Black beans contain 15 grams of protein per cup.
  
• They possess in abundance minerals such as magnesium, potassium, iron, and phosphorus
  
• They contain B vitamins such as folate and thiamin
  
• They are high in soluble and insoluble fiber!
  

Now that we know why beans are so great, what is the digestive challenge all about?

Legumes as well as grains and seeds possess certain anti-nutrients that allow the seed to survive through the winter and preserve itself until the proper environment for sprouting presents itself. These anti-nutrients are phytates and enzyme inhibitors. Phytates bind to minerals such as iron, calcium, and magnesium and prevent the absorption of the minerals in the body. Enzyme inhibitors block the enzyme's activity, which is to assist in the breakdown and digestion of the protein, sugars, and phytic acid. Beans possess complex sugars (oligosaccarides) that cause digestive discomfort frequently experienced when consumed, hence their reputation as the musical fruit.

The solution around these complications is the use of water, heat, and time! With a few hours of planning you can sprout the bean, which will activate the enzymes to assist in the breakdown of the oligosaccarides and eliminate the phytic acid.

Just follow these steps:

1. Cover the beans in four times their weight in warm water (between 90 and 130 degrees Fahrenheit). The water should also be slightly alkaline, if possible. Rehydration will take between 1 to 4 hours. The enzymes need plenty of time to do their work breaking down the complex sugars and phytic acid. You may let the beans soak overnight for convenience.
   
2. Drain the beans then cover them again with 4 times their weight in water that is heated to 147 degrees Fahrenheit. It is at this temperature the enzymes work the most efficiently. However, for simplicity, generally warm water will still do the trick. Just remember that the enzymes are destroyed at 150 degrees. The soaking also assists in eliminating the sugars as they diffuse out of the bean. Changing the water multiple times will further the diffusion of the sugars out of the bean. A useful tip is to add a strip of the sea vegetable kombu (member of the kelp family) that will help alkalize the water and add alpha-galactosidase, the enzyme which assists in the digestion of the complex sugars.
   
3. After soaking, drain the beans well, add them to a pot with more water, and bring them to a simmer. Adding kombu again will eliminate any oligosaccarides still lurking. Cook the beans until tender.
   

Sources:

http://www.westonaprice.org/foodfeatures/cooking-legumes.html
http://teaching.ucdavis.edu/nut10/handouts/Misc/content.pdf

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Inflammation and Omega-3 Fatty Acids

Scientific research is finding a link between inflammation and a host of seemingly unrelated diseases. The list of inflammation symptoms is long and varied. Some include asthma, diabetes, depression, heart disease, obesity, arthritis, Alzheimer's, osteoporosis, and acne. Possibly, one of the greatest causes of inflammation is an imbalance of essential fatty acids.

The overview on inflammation

Inflammation is a process by which our body's white blood cells and chemicals protect us from infection and foreign substances. Sometimes, the immune system inappropriately triggers an inflammatory response when there is no foreign substance to fight off. This describes autoimmune diseases; the body's normally protective system is causing damage to its own tissues. The body responds as if normal tissues are somehow infected or abnormal.

Inflammation can affect any part of the body including joints and organs. Symptoms can vary widely depending on the affected organ. For example, inflammation of the lungs manifests as asthma.

Inflammation is caused by many things ranging from physical injury to long-term chronic health conditions. An imbalance of essential fatty acids is a huge contributor to inflammation. Omega-3 fatty acids help reduce inflammation while omega-6 fatty acids tend to promote inflammation. An appropriate ratio of these essential fatty acids is near 1:1. The American diet tends to contain 11-30 times more omega-6 to omega-3 because of widespread use of vegetable oils and high consumption of fast food and processed food. This is a significant factor in the rising rate of inflammatory disorders in the United States.

Promoting Healthy Inflammation Response With Omega-3 Fatty Acids

If you are suffering with an inflammatory condition, I urge you to NOT use prescriptions or over-the-counter drugs as treatment. Prescriptions will not make the condition better and probably make it worse. Thousands of Americans die each year by internal bleeding from taking anti-inflammatory medication (NSAIDs). Vioxx alone managed to kill more than 50,000 Americans. Instead, treat your illness naturally by increasing your intake of omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 can be found in foods such as walnuts, flax seeds, and fish.

I strongly recommend adding a high quality, potent omega-3 supplement to your diet. A great way to do this is to grind flax seeds and add them to your food (smoothies, granola, homemade energy bars, etc.) It is important, however, to freshly grind the seeds yourself and use them soon thereafter. The Omega oils are delicate and immediately begin to go rancid when exposed to heat, oxygen, and light. You can slow the process by keeping the groud flax seed or oil in a dark, sealed, and cooled container. But optimally, you would eat them ground freshly that day. A trusted source of flax oil and other Omega fatty acid products is Barlene's.

The reason we grind the seeds rather than eat them whole is so the body can actually get at the essential oils. If eaten unground, the seeds will pass right through the digestive tract whole.

More specifically I recommend using the product Moxxor. I stand behind this product for many reasons. It only contains three potent ingredients and no fillers. The ingredients in order of volume are

• Green-Lipped Mussel Oil
  


• Deep Marine Oil from the Hoki Fish
  


• Grape Seed Extract
  

Green-lipped mussel oil has been scientifically proven to be 200 times more effective than other fish and seed oils to achieve an anti-inflammatory action. The mussels are grown and harvested sustainably in their natural environment in the pristine fjords of New Zealand. These green-lipped mussels are not "fed" anything by humans; they merely filter the sea water, taking in the minerals and phytoplankton, and concentrate the nutrients which become the mussel itself. The oil that is extracted from both the mussels and Hoki fish is free of heavy metals and contaminants found in most sea food today. Also, the oil is EPA and DHA omega-3, which is the form that can be immediately utilized by the body. Seed oils (walnut and flax) are ALA omega-3, which requires the body to perform a metabolic process before it can be of benefit. The oil is cold processed; heat is not used in any way which would damage the delicate lipids and destroy the health supporting properties. These marine oils are stabilized by the grape seed extract. The grape seed extract protects the oils from oxidation. These three ingredients are combined in a specific ratio for maximum absorption.

Besides a healthy inflammatory response, omega-3 fatty acids contribute to

• Healthy Skin and Hair
  


• Cardiovascular Health
  


• Improved Cognitive Function and
  


• Balanced Moods
  

You can purchase Moxxor HERE.

Sources:
http://my.clevelandclinic.org/symptoms/Inflammation/hic_Inflammation_What_You_Need_To_Know.aspx
http://www.jigsawhealth.com/articles/chronic_inflammation.html

http://www.naturalnews.com/moxxor_health_benefits.asp?id=julia

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Inspired Salad

I just ate a wonderful salad that I must share with you. It can take a lot of effort and creativity to get excited about salad. I know how tiresome salad can be, especially when I get in a rut, always eating the same combination of ingredients. If you are having a tough time getting excited about your salads, give this one a try. You just may find yourself craving those greens again.

Build your salad using the following:

• Trader Joe's Baby Arugula Blend: baby arugula, baby spinach, baby lettuces
  
• Celery
  
• Shredded Carrot
  
• Beet Chunks (steamed)
  
• Raw or Toasted Pecans
  
• Feta Cheese (optional for vegans)
  

For the dressing, whisk together

• Juice of a 1/2 blood orange
  
• About 1 tbsp. of olive oil
  
• Dash of apple-cider vinegar
  

(Mix in the approximate ratio of 4:1:2)

Garnish with a blood orange slice. It's beautiful and delicious!

To make the meal complete, serve alongside a baked or steamed sweet potato.

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My Favorite Food & The Big Fat Lie

The Avocado. If given the choice to eat anything in the world, I would choose a beautiful, perfectly ripe, Hass Avocado. My favorite preparation of this delicious and nutritious fruit is simply sliced on top of sprouted grain toast with a sprinkling of sea salt. Another great breakfast preparation with avocado is a fruit salad consisting of avocado, mango, banana, and papaya.

Some have never acquired the taste for avocado, and more than one person has told me they don't indulge in avocado because "it's just so high in fat!" This statement saddens and appalls me when these very same people feel okay about eating a pastry for breakfast. There's something wrong with the general perception of and attitude toward fat. The word itself fetches associations of "evil" and "abhorrent". This attitude is reflected throughout the grocery store where one can find a low fat or zero fat option for just about everything. Labels that boast "0 grams of fat" seem to convey a kind of virtue which our subconscious, as a result of modern conditioning, interprets to mean "this is really healthy, and you can eat as much as you want!"

Today, I want to change the negative attitude toward fat by presenting the facts about fat -- the role of fat in the body, the history of fat, and the different kinds of fat.

The Role Of Fat In The Body

Fats play many critical roles in the body such as providing a concentrated source of energy and providing building blocks for cell membranes and hormones. They act as carriers of fat soluble vitamins such as A,D,E, & K. Fat is needed for the conversion of carotene to vitamin A and mineral absorption. When included as part of a meal, fat slows down the absorption of the meal allowing the body to go a longer period of time without feeling hungry. Those that are able to remain fat free for a length of time may develop a variety of health problems including low energy, poor concentration, depression, weight gain, and mineral deficiencies.

The History Of Fat

Politically correct nutrition says we should replace our intake of saturated fats with unsaturated fats such as vegetable oil. A theory called the lipid hypothesis, proposed by researcher Ancel Keys in the late 1950's, purports that there is a direct relationship between the amount of saturated fat and cholesterol in the body and the incidence of coronary heart disease. Numerous studies have questioned his data and conclusions; however, the lowfat diet became widespread by virtue of publicity and promotion by the vegetable oil and food processing industries. While many 'experts' assure us that the lipid hypothesis is backed by incontrovertible scientific fact, I find it hard to believe considering that prior to 1920 coronary heart disease was exceptionally rare. Animal fat and butter consumption was far higher in the early 1900's compared to the late 1900's. In fact, from 1910 to 1970 the intake of traditional animal fat decreased by 20% and butter by 77% while the consumption of vegetable oil in the form of margarine, shortening, and processed oils increased 400% and the consumption of sugar and processed foods increased 60%. As these dietary changes took place, incidence of heart disease increased dramatically so that today 40% of all deaths are heart disease related.

The cause of heart disease is not animal fats and cholesterol. Rather, it is caused by a number of factors present in modern diets such as over-consumption of vegetable oils and hydrogenated fats; excess consumption of refined carbohydrates in the form of sugar and white flour; vitamin and mineral deficiencies; and the disappearance of antimicrobial fats from the food supply such as animal fat and tropical oils. Analysis of fat in artery clogs reveals that only approximately 26% is saturated. The rest is unsaturated while over half is polyunsaturated.

The saturated fats which so many people are trying to avoid actually play important roles in the body. Examples include the following:

• Saturated fatty acids are what give our cells necessary stiffness and integrity
  
• They are vital to the health of our bones and for incorporation of calcium into the skeletal structure
  
• They protect the liver from alcohol and other toxins
  
• They enhance the immune system
  
• They are needed for proper utilization and retention of essential fatty acids (EFA's)
  

Types Of Fat

While the notion that saturated fat in itself causes heart disease is incorrect, it is true that there are bad fats which should be avoided. A basic understanding of the different types of fats should be obtained.

One classification of fatty acids is by saturation.

Saturated

Saturated fats are highly stable due to their chemical structure. This means they are not likely to go rancid even when heated for cooking. The molecules pack together tightly and form a solid at room temperature. This fat is found in animal fats and tropical oils. The body also makes saturated fatty acids from carbohydrates.

Monounsaturated

Monounsaturated fatty acids are slightly less stable; the molecules do not pack together as tightly as the saturated molecules. They are liquid at room temperature but solid if cooled. These fats may be used in cooking at low temperatures. This form of fat is found in olive oil, cashews, almonds, pecans, peanuts, and avocados. The body can make monounsaturated fatty acids from saturated fatty acids.

Polyunsaturated

Polyunsaturated fatty acids are liquid even when refrigerated and go rancid easily. These oils should never be heated or used in cooking. Polyunsaturated fatty acids are found in flax seed oil, soybean oil, canola oil, corn oil, and safflower oil.

Excess consumption of polyunsaturated oils has been linked to increased cancer and heart disease; immune system dysfunction; damage to the liver, reproductive organs and lungs; digestive disorders; depressed learning ability; impaired growth; and weight gain. The reason behind this is that they become oxidized or rancid easily when subjected to heat, oxygen, and moisture in cooking and processing. Rancid oils are characterized by free radicals which attack cell membranes and red blood cells causing damage to tissue, blood vessels, and organs resulting in premature aging, tumors, Alzheimer's, cataracts, plaque build up in the blood vessels, and autoimmune disease such as arthritis. Solution: eat your flax freshly ground and never cook with extracted polyunsaturated oils.

Polyunsaturated fats include the essential Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids. These are called "essential" because our bodies cannot manufacture them. It is important to obtain these from the food we eat such as flaxseed, walnuts, and fish. While these fats are essential, a balance should be maintained. Commercial vegetable oils are high in Omega-6 EFA's and lacking in the vital Omega-3 EFA's. This imbalance can result in inflammation, high blood pressure, irritation of the digestive tract, depressed immune function, sterility, cancer, and weight gain. Deficiencies in Omega-3 EFA's have been associated with asthma, heart disease, and learning deficiencies. Modern agricultural practices have reduced the amount of Omega-3 EFA's available in commercially available meat, eggs, and fish. For example, organic eggs from a chicken allowed to feed on insects and green plants can contain omega-3 and omega-6 essential fatty acids in the favorable ratio of 1:1 while commercial supermarket eggs can contain as much as 19 times the amount of omega-6 to omega-3. Solution: ensure you are getting your Omega fatty acids from whole foods. If you eat meat or animal products, be sure that it comes from a healthy source - that is, from grass fed, truly free range animals. I wouldn't trust what is found in the store.

Trans Fat

Trans fats are created through the chemical process of hydrogenation. Hydrogenation turns a poyunsaturate, normally liquid at room temperature, into a fat that is solid at room temperature such as margarine and shortening. Manufacturers begin with cheap oils such as soy, cotton, corn, and canola, already rancid from extraction, and subject them to high heat and pressure and tiny metal particles. The result is a chemically altered molecule which can wreak havoc inside your cells and even block the utilization of the essential fatty acids. Consumption of hydrogenated oils is associated with cancer, atherosclerosis, diabetes, obesity, immune system dysfunction, low-birth-weight babies, birth defects, decreased visual acuity, sterility, difficulty in lactation and problems with bones and tendons. This type of fat should be completely avoided. I urge you to begin reading the labels on items that you purchase in the grocery store. You will be surprised where these fats appear. Look for the words "hydrogenated", "partially hydrogenated", "margarine", and "shortening".


In summary, dietary fat is necessary for optimal health and physical function. Healthy fats are found in healthy, organic, free-range animal products; tropical oils such as coconut oil; olive oil; and whole foods such as avocados, nuts, and seeds. Fat is not the culprit of disease, rather sugar, refined foods, and hydrogenated oils. If you are currently using popular canola oil in your food preparation, stop and replace it with olive oil and coconut oil. Currently, I only use coconut oil when cooking. It works absolutely wonderfully. Do not use shortening even if the canister claims "No Trans Fat". The claim is untrue. Use an organic, cultured cream butter such as KerryGold as a substitute. KerryGold butter is sold at Trader Joe's, Zupan's, and possibly other unique grocery stores in your neighborhood. The absolute best butter would be homemade from raw milk if that option is possible for you.

Do something healthy for your body and brain today -- eat an avocado!

Sources: 

Weston A. Price: http://www.westonaprice.org/knowyourfats/skinny.html

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Tropical Green Smoothie

Here is a new delicious green smoothie recipe that I highly recommend trying for yourself. The idea comes from Karen Knowler, the Raw Food Coach. You can find out more about her and getting started on a raw food diet through the link on the Lemon Letter home page. She shared this recipe as a raw food fresh juice. I decided to blend the ingredients rather than juice them. I do, however, juice the lemon and lime. This smoothie is great for sipping on a summer afternoon or for drinking as an afternoon pick-me-up.

Tropical Green Smoothie

Blend the following:

• 1/4 of a fresh pineapple (I don't have to be as careful about peeling off the skin when I plan to blend the pineapple. I don't even cut out the tough core. The Vita-Mix will take care of it all.)
  
• Half a medium-sized cucumber (I buy organic and don't bother with peeling)
  
• 1 freshly juiced lime
  
• 1 freshly juiced lemon
  
• 2 celery stalks
• Handful of organic spinach
  

As with all smoothie recipes, quantities are approximate. Customization is encouraged.

Enjoy!

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Two Quick Exercise Sets

The snow here in Portland caught me off guard, and I was unable to do my usual uphill sprints. Thus, I had to rely completely on indoor activity to stay fit. In the videos below, I illustrate two different sets of exercises you can do to get fit starting today. The best part is, each set takes five minutes or less. Getting fit may be on your upcoming list of New Year's resolutions, and I think these sets are a great way to get started.

The exercises are listed below each video to assist you when you try them on your own.

Superset #1:

Do each exercise as hard as you can for 30 seconds with no breaking in between.

• Full body warm-up: Starting Blocks or Knee Taps
  
• Upper Body: Push up or modified push up
  
• Lower Body: Jump Squats or Wall Sit
  
• Upper Body: Chair Dips
  
• Lower Body: Leg Ups
  
• Abdominals: Rise & Shine
  
• Upper Body: Soup Can Shoulder Exercise
  
• Lower Body: Wide Leg Squats
  

Superset #2


Do each exercise for 30 seconds and do 10 seconds of jumping jacks in between each one.

• Full body warm-up: Jumping Jacks
  
• Abdominals: Bicycle
  
• Jumping Jacks (10 seconds)
  
• Lower Body: Bridge with Single Leg Lifts (right and left legs)
  
• Jumping Jacks
  
• Upper Body: Pullups or Hang from Bar
  
• Jumping Jacks
  
• Abdominals: Flutter Kick
  
• Jumping Jacks
  
• Lower Body: Lunges
  
• Jumping Jacks
  
• Upper Body: Pushup with Side Plank
  

Now cool down with a simple Yoga routine!

And keep it up!

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Green For Life!

I just read a fabulous book that I HAVE to share with everyone: Green For Life by Victoria Boutenko. I started drinking green smoothies about a month ago but was doing it experimentally and without much direction. I had decided that I wanted to start eating more greens, and hadn't been 100% successful with a daily salad discipline. So one morning I decided to just incorporate into my daily fruit smoothie the spinach sitting in my refrigerator untouched.

Victoria tells her story about how she helped save herself and the health of her family with the discovery of green smoothies. As a tenacious researcher, Victoria provides a host of health facts and explains very simply how a daily green smoothie can make an immense difference in one's health and well being. I am incredibly excited about the green smoothie, what it can do for my health, how good it tastes, and how easy it is to make. For those that don't have much time for breakfast or any nutritious meal, the green smoothie is the answer!

Victoria shows how we can get all our necessary protein from greens as well as a host of vitamins and trace minerals. She contends that dark green leafy vegetables should to be in their own food group separate from other vegetables, and these can be combined with anything, including fruit without any ill digestive effects.

Some of the many benefits of consuming lots of raw, dark green leafy vegetables involve the following:

Fiber: the insoluble fiber found in greens acts as a sponge that soaks up toxins and cleans them out. Without enough insoluble fiber, our bodies will try to eliminate through the skin, eyes, nose, and mouth. Rough, blemished skin and excess mucous are signs of this.

Stomach Acid: Many people today have low stomach acid (hypochlorhydria) and don't even know it. This is a big problem because our stomachs need sufficient hydrochloric acid in order to fully break down our foods and assimilate the nutrients. Without sufficient stomach acid, we become malnourished. Signs that you may have low stomach acid include some of the following:

• Bloating, belching, or flatulence immediately after meals
  
• Indigestion, diarrhea, or constipation
  
• Heartburn
  
• Multiple food allergies
  
• Adult acne
  
• Undigested food in the stools
  
• Chronic yeast infections
  

Victoria conducted her own experiment in collaboration with a medical doctor using volunteers with hypochlorhydria who were willing to incorporate green smoothies into their diets without changing any other habits. After only 30 days, 67% of these volunteers experienced improved stomach acid levels as well as dramatic positive health benefits such as weight loss, increased energy, healthy elimination, decreased cravings for sweets and junk food, and improved sleep. Even better - they all said drinking the green smoothies was easy!

Blood pH: Proper pH balance is a critical factor for optimal health. Cancer and disease thrive in a low pH environment but cannot survive in an alkaline environment. With all the acid-forming, processed foods that are popular today, it is no wonder that cancer is growing prolifically. Additionally, an acid state may be the reason so many people are unsuccessful at losing weight because the body uses fat to store the acid. Eating plenty of alkalizing raw greens and fresh fruits will raise the pH of the body making it possible to maintain optimal, disease-free health.


Rest assured that I didn't divulge the entire contents of the book. I encourage you to get it (check your local library!) and read the fleshed out points and arguments. I only presented a brief taste of the information and evidence that the author presents.

At the end of the book, Victoria provides various smoothie recipes. These will help until you get your imagination going. I will provide one here:

Raspberry Dream
Blend well:
2 bosc pears
1 handful of raspberries
4-5 leaves of kale (take out the thick, woody stem)
2 cups of water
Yields: 1 quart of smoothie

Remember to rotate your greens and include a wide variety. I didn't eat kale or collard greens until I started drinking green smoothies. Victoria says that many weeds you pull from your garden are spectacular, nutrient-packed greens such as lambsquarters. Don't throw the tops of your carrots away! They may contain far more nutrition than the carrot itself. Blend those! The same goes for beet tops.

Read my Green Salad Smoothie article for two more smoothie ideas.

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Quick & Tasty Dressing For One

Now that you've got your salad made, you need a dressing. And you need it now. Don't grab the ranch bottle out of the refrigerator. Whisk together this quick and tasty dressing for one. You probably have all the ingredients in your kitchen right now.


This dressing comes from Traci Sellers. Her website is at bestfoodist.com.

Recipe:

• 1 Tbsp. Olive Oil
  
• 1 tsp. Mustard (Dijon or Spicy)
  
• 1 tsp. Vinegar (Apple Cider Vinegar highly recommended)
  
• 1/2 tsp. Maple Syrup
  
• Salt & Pepper to taste
  

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Almond Milk

I drink almond milk everyday and use it the same way I would use animal milk or soy milk. I always use it as a base in my smoothies because it is tastier than water and is healthier than sugary, pasteurized juices. I choose to make my own almond milk at home because store-bought almond milk contains preservatives or mysterious additives that I would prefer to be without. Additionally, I like to be in control of the sugar and sweetness.

Today, I will tell you how to make your own almond milk at home so you can replace the pasteurized cow's milk and soy milk.

Reasons for eliminating these products raise controversial issues. Nevertheless, I will briefly provide a couple reasons here.

Conventional Cow's Milk: Healthy and important bacteria and digestive enzymes are destroyed through pasteurization making assimilation by the body difficult. Even worse, antibiotics are added which destroy your own existing beneficial and critical intestinal flora. If you want to drink animal milk, get it organic and raw from a farmer close to you.

Soy Milk: Much controversy exists concerning whether soy milk is good or bad. Criticisms include the following:

Estrogen-like compounds present in soy can affect hormone balance in both men and women.

Soy has a high phytic acid content which takes important nutrients such as calcium, magnesium, and iron from the body.

Additionally, modern manufacture may use some undesirable processes such as quick blanching of the bean (instead of slow soaking) and deodorizing of the final product to eliminate the beany taste or smell. The process of slow soaking is necessary to eliminate the naturally occurring phytic acid and to make the nutrients bioavailable.

My solution for soy milk would be to make my own, but why not make almond milk instead? It is really quite easy!

Recipe and Instructions For Homemade Almond Milk:

Sprout 1/2 cup of raw almonds by soaking them in water for a minimum of 4 hours. This activates the enzymes which get rid of the phytic acid and make the nutrients in the nut available and assimilable by the body.

(Note: Almonds grown in the USA are now all pasteurized/irridated by order of the FDA and USDA as of September 2007. However, they are still labeled "RAW". This is very unfortunate as the almonds become dead and unable to sprout. Thus, the sprouting process is rendered useless.)

Put the sprouted almonds in a blender (Vita-Mix highly recommended) along with a 1/2 cup of other nuts of your choice to make 1 cup of nuts in total. I recommend cashews and Brazil nuts. Hazelnuts are a great choice as well. Cashews and Brazil nuts do not need to be sprouted. Hazelnuts do.

You will be using 6-8 total cups of water. Start with only 2 cups or just enough to cover the nuts plus 1 inch. Using only a portion of the water to start allows the nuts to circulate through the blades more frequently and become so finely chopped that a smooth texture is achieved. Ensure enough water is used to get the mixture circulating quickly but not allowing too much space between particles.

Next, add at least 4 dates with the pits removed. If you want the milk sweeter, add a couple more dates, a bit of agave, or raw honey.

Additionally, I recommend adding a few ice cubes to make it cold.

Finally, run your blender on the highest speed for 3 full minutes to liquefy all the ingredients and eliminate possible grittiness.

After 3 minutes, turn down your blender to stir speed or off. Pour in the rest of the water (I usually end up with 8 cups of milk when I am done), blend a bit more, and you are done! Give it a taste and determine if it needs more water or sweetness.

Now, you are ready to make a delicious smoothie or pour it over a bowl of Ezekiel 4:9 sprouted grain cereal!

Some people like to strain the milk through a cheesecloth or other very fine strainer to eliminate any grit. I prefer to eat the whole nut and don't find that straining is necessary when using the Vita-Mix.

Store the milk in a half-gallon glass jar in the refrigerator. It will keep for up to a week. You will need to shake the milk after it has been sitting as particles will settle out.

Variations include adding a banana, cinnamon, or vanilla.

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Green Salad Smoothie

Drink your salad for the day! Are you having trouble getting down your daily greens? I know that sometimes I do. That is why I assure myself of getting my greens by including them in a daily smoothie. They are so much easier to eat, and this way I eat a much wider variety than if I had to chew them mouthful by mouthful.

Here is the basic, green smoothie formula to get you started (--for those who need a formula. Creativity is highly encouraged, however):

• 1 cup of liquid: almond or nut milk or filtered water
  
• 1 big handful of greens (Kale, Spinach, Collard Greens, Grape Leaves, Carrot tops, Beet tops, Cilantro, Parsley, and more!)
  
• Banana (to make it creamy)
  
• Lime juice or 1 peeled lime (or other citrus for zest!)
  
• 1 C. Frozen Fruit (pineapple, mango, strawberries, etc. to make it cool)
  
• 1 Tbsp. Omega oil such as Barlene's flax oil for those essential fatty acids
  

Blend!

I like to add a couple tablespoons of superfood powder for good measure. (Recommended superfoods: Dr. Schultze's Superfood, Boku, Revitaphi, Vitamineral Green, Gary Null's Green Stuff)

Here's another green smoothie that I have made for breakfast.

• 1 cup of almond milk
  
• 1 big handful of Kale & Spinach
  
• Avocado
  
• 4 Dates
  
• Frozen mango & strawberry
  
• Juice of 1 Lime
  
• Small chunk of ginger root (optional, but good)
  
• Superfood
  

Blend!

For a sweeter taste, add dates. You don't taste the greens at all. And start saving up for a Vita-Mix. It's a great investment in your health if you use it well (by making and drinking green smoothies, for instance!). I never want to live without it! If you purchase one through my website, you get free shipping!

You can use this link:
https://secure.vitamix.com/redirect.aspx?index.aspx?COUPON=06-003646

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Caesar Dressing! (Vegan, Raw, Healthy, & Delicious)

Here is the Caesar Dressing recipe that I use. I got it from Traci Sellers. Her website is bestfoodist.com.

This dressing is healthy, vegan, and chemical free. It does take some preparation, but if you don't enjoy salad and vegetables very much, this dressing is a spectacular way to liven them up and help you enjoy your daily greens!

First, you will need to prepare Traci's Almondaise. This serves as the creamy base of the dressing. You should start a minimum of 5 hours in advance due to almond soaking. If you are planning further in advance, soak 1/2 cup of raw, whole almonds overnight before you begin.

Almondaise
Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup of Raw, Whole Almonds Soaked Overnight
  
• 1/2 cup Water
  
• 1 cup (approx.) Light Olive Oil
  
• 3 Tbsp Lemon Juice
  

Instructions:
1. (Optional) Peel almonds. Peeled almonds will produce a whiter, finer textured end product. (I have never peeled the almonds. It sounds like a lot of work, and since I use the Vita-Mix, there is no problem). Have the rest of the ingredients handy.
2. Place the almonds in a blender and grind to a smooth paste. If it's necessary add a little additional water to keep it moving.
3. With the blender still running, remove the top insert and drizzle in the olive oil gradually until the mixture is thick. A bead of oil should rest on top of the churning mixture.
4. Add lemon juice. Blend for 1 minute longer, stopping the blender to stir down the sides as the mixture thickens.
5. Store in the refrigerator in a tightly sealed container for 5-7 days. The water tends to separate. Just stir before using.

Caesar Dressing
Ingredients:

For the "parmesan"

• 1/3 cup dry almonds
  
• 2 tsp of nutritional yeast
  
• 1/4 tsp sea salt
  

For the dressing:

• 1-2 cloves of pressed garlic
  
• 1 cup of Almondaise
  
• 1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
  
• 2 tsp lemon juice
  
• 1 tsp Sea salt
  
• 1 tsp black pepper
  
• 1 tsp raw honey
  
• 1/2 cup water
  

Instructions:
1. In a dry blender, pulse almonds with yeast and salt until crumbly
2. Add remaining ingredients to blender and blend to combine

You are done!

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7 Steps To A Much Healthier Life

So you want to get healthy, but don't know where to start. Here I break it down for you into what I think are the first and foremost steps in turning your health around. Don't overwhelm yourself and try all seven steps at once. Take it one week at a time. Become successful with step 1 for one week before implementing step 2. Here we go.

Step 1. Replace ALL soda and bottled beverages with pure water.

Most soda and bottled beverages contain high levels of refined sugar and/or toxins such as aspartame and sucralose. I strongly believe that if you are drinking one or more bottled beverages per day, cutting this habit is the number one thing you can do for your health right now. The sugar (typically high fructose corn syrup) in soda and bottled beverages is not metabolized the same way as other sugars and has been conclusively linked to obesity and diabetes. Choosing diet soda is not the answer either. Many studies have shown that people who drink diet beverages gain weight anyway. Additionally, the sugar substitutes are toxic chemicals that can cause other health problems and should not be ingested under any circumstances.

A reason to avoid soda other than the fact that it contains harmful chemicals, is that soda is an acidifying beverage. Disease thrives in an acid environment. Otto Warburg won the Nobel Prize for demonstrating that the main cause of cancer is an oxygen deficient/acid environment. Additionally, calcium loss will result as the body attempts to remedy the acid condition with alkalizing substances such as calcium. Hmmmm... it sounds like that might be coming from your bones...

One formula to address the question "how much water should I drink everyday?" is to drink half your body weight in ounces. For example, if you weigh 150 pounds, you should drink 75 ounces of water. I suggest you get a large water bottle and take it with you to work and wherever you go. If you are not used to drinking this much water and find yourself going to the bathroom very frequently, just stick with it for a week, and your body will adapt.

Step 2: Eliminate fried foods.

Fried foods are detrimental for two reasons. 1. They contain trans fat and/or 2. They are usually fried in vegetable oil. So, what is so bad about these two facts?

1. Trans fat is an artery-clogging fat that is formed when vegetable oils are made to be solids at room temperature. This kind of fat is not found in nature and has been linked to cancer, neurological disorders, birth defects, nutritional deficiency, among others and should be completely avoided. Start reading the labels on any packaged food and look for "Hydrogenated", "Partially Hydrodenated", and "Shortening". Strictly avoid these foods. Also, note that fast food is loaded with this fat and should be avoided.

2. Vegetable oils such as sunflower, safflower, canola, and soybean oils are polyunsaturated fats which are highly susceptible to heat damage. Heat causes oxidative damage creating free radicals. Translation: these oils after heat exposure become cancer causing.

The bottom line is, there is absolutely no reason your body would want you to eat french fries or doughnuts.

Step 3: Eat a fresh, green salad every day.

Most of us could really benefit from a daily dose of fresh, raw vegetables. This could be a great source of natural vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients. Don't turn it into a bad food by adding a chemical-laden dressing bought at your local grocery store. Olive oil (extra-virgin, cold-pressed) with a dash of balsamic vinegar or lemon juice makes an easy dressing. Add minced shallot, dijon mustard, or garlic powder for more flavor. If you have any fresh herbs around, don't leave those out.

I make a wonderful, vegan, Ceasar copy-cat dressing made with an Almond base. It does take some preparation, but will make your salad taste as good as junk food. You can pile it on and not feel the least bit guilty. For a quick solution, try the Quick & Tasty Dressing For One. Find the recipes in my blog archives. There are so many online sources for quick, homemade, healthy dressings. Just do some looking around.

If you struggle to get the greens in every day, read my article on the easiest way ever to consume your salad every day!

Step 4: Avoid processed foods and fast food.

These kinds of foods are high in calories, low in nutrition, high in the wrong kinds of fats, and full of strange chemical ingredients. They will only serve to take away from your overall health. We are all looking for ways to save time, but do not sacrifice your health by going to the drive-thru or putting a packaged meal in the microwave. It is not worth it. How much is your health worth to you? My health is absolutely worth a little extra time and a little extra money. Cutting corners is not a good strategy for health. Avoid foods that are far removed from their natural states. You really are what you eat -- Remember this! What you eat literally becomes a part of you. Build with high quality, natural substances that will keep you strong and well-functioning for the entirety of your life. Here is a simple rule to follow: if it has more than 5 ingredients or ingredients that you can't pronounce, don't eat it. All fast food falls into this category.

Step 5: Eat fresh fruit for breakfast.

When you wake up in the morning, before you eat anything, grab a piece of fresh fruit. This fruit wakes up your system, requires no effort for the body to digest, promotes elimination, and is alkalizing, cleansing, and nourishing. Fruit should only be eaten on an empty stomach. Combining fruit with starches and proteins causes gas and bloating. Thus, the morning is a perfect time to get your fruit for the day. Remember: Fruit First!

Step 6: Find an enjoyable form of exercise and schedule it in to your day.

Exercise is very important to overall health. You can improve cardiovascular health, bone density, circulation, flexibility, and more with exercise. People come up with a lot of excuses for not exercising. A big key to success is to schedule it into your day; make it mandatory, not optional. Also, make it fun! If you hate running, don't run.

Believe it or not, but you can get great exercise with just 4 minutes a day! That takes away your lack of time excuse, doesn't it? All you have to do is pick four exercises and do each one as hard as you can for 20 second intervals with 10 seconds rest in between for one whole minute. After four minutes, you should feel like you got a work out. Here's an example for you to start with:

1. Full Body and Cardio: Squat Thrusts. Start standing with your feet shoulder width apart. Drop down to a crouching position and put your hands on the floor. Thrust your legs out behind you then jump back to a crouch. Stand up and repeat. Advanced variation: when you thrust your legs out behind you, do a pushup before coming back to the crouch. Also, jump up in the air when you come up to a standing position.

2. Upper Body: Pushups. If you are a beginner and struggle with pushups, start with an incline. Put your hands on a bench or wall.

3. Lower Body: Lunges. Take a big step forward with one leg and bend the knee until your thigh is parallel to the floor. Your knee should not extend beyond your toes. Your leg should make a right angle. To do this in one place you can push that forward leg back to meet your back leg. Or do it walking style by bringing the back leg to meet the forward leg. Then repeat the exercise with the opposite leg.

4. Abdominals: Flutter Kicks. Lay on your back with your hands under your bottom. Raise your legs to about 45 degrees off the floor. Alternate bringing one leg up and one leg down while keeping them straight. This should look like a flutter.

You can find hosts of bodyweight exercises to mix and match. I just happened upon a site today that has a whole circuit of exercises listed, described, and illustrated. That website it located here: http://mazzland.com/wrestling/3rdperiodcircuit/ Another good site with bodyweight exercises by category is found here. Also do a Google search for "Body Weight Exercise". You will find plenty of great exercises that don't require any equipment. Take some time and jot down a few four-exercise combinations. After you wake up in the morning and have eaten your fresh fruit, you will have a daily workout ready to go.

No more excuses!

Step 7: Begin supplementing with high quality superfoods.

It is a well known fact that most of our soil is very depleted of nutrients which in turn causes our food to be less nourishing. It can be very difficult to get all the vitamins and minerals our bodies need even when eating a wide variety of vegetables all day long. Supplementation provides a way to ensure daily that we are not becoming deficient in essential nutrients. Be aware that not just any multi-vitamin is going to provide that assurance. Most multi-vitamins sold at your favorite drug store are basically worthless. Synthetic versions of isolated vitamins are not well absorbed by the body. The solution is to find a superfood from nature as close to its natural state as possible and minimally processed. The following are my top three recommended daily supplements:

1. Spirulina
2. Chlorella
3. Omega-3 Fatty Acids

Spirulina and Chlorella are micro-algae that grow in fresh water. These micro-algae contain an astounding array of nutritional elements including vitamins, macrominerals, trace minerals, essential fatty acids, protein, nucleic acids, chlorophyll, and phytochemicals. They are thought to contain every nutrient required by the human body. These micro-algae are not only nourishing but also cleansing and detoxifying. Spirulina and Chlorella should be taken on a daily basis as a food. You do not have to worry about overdosing.

I recommend that you purchase Nutrex Hawaiian Spirulina from vitacost.com. This is a high quality Spirulina for only $0.09 per gram. Buy Kyoto Chlorella from swansonvitamins.com. This is a quality Chlorella for only $0.12 per gram. If you take 10 grams of Spirulina and 5 grams of Chlorella every day, that is an investment in your health of $1.50 per day. This is much cheaper than paying for cancer, depression, or other degenerative diseases. Make it a life-long habit.

Omega-3 essential fatty acids are essential because the body has to get them from the outside; it cannot manufacture them when needed. Omega-3 oils are found in flaxseeds, walnuts, marine oils, and fatty fish. Omega-3 fatty acids are important for cognitive function, mental health, cardiovascular health, joint health, and preventing cancer. The reason we should supplement with omega-3 is because the standard American diet provides for too much omega-6 fatty acids. The ratio of omega-3 to omega-6 should be about 1:1. However, with the popularization of vegetable oils, Americans consume these fatty acids in the ratio of about 20:1. An excess of omega-6 fats actually causes serious health problems. An omega-3 supplement will greatly help balance consumption of these oils.


Now that you have read through my first seven suggestions for your road to health, go back to the top and make a resolution to implement step one starting right now. These seven steps are by no means the complete picture, but my purpose for this article is to provide a starting point without getting into complicated, health-nut details (that will come later!).

Start here. Conquer the first 7 steps. And keep reading the Lemon Letter to fill in the gaps and continuously improve your health.

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