Quotes

I do have some blogs in progress, really. I've been re-reading and re-watching favorite books and movies, here's a few quotes until I post my other posts.

How many more times will you watch the full moon rise? Perhaps twenty. And yet it all seems limitless. ~Paul Bowles The Sheltering Sky

If no one loved, the sun would go out. ~Victor Hugo Les Miserable

When the heart speaks, the mind finds it indecent to object. ~Milan Kundera The Unbearable Lightness of Being

Man... probably the most mysterious species on our planet. A mystery of unanswered questions. Who are we? Where do we come from? Where are we going? How do we know what we think we know? Why do we believe anything at all? Countless questions in search of an answer... an answer that will give rise to a new question... and the next answer will give rise to the next question and so on. But, in the end, isn't it always the same question? And always the same answer?~Narrator Run Lola Run

Hey did you know Ice Cream is really good for you, lots of calcium ~The Ice Cream Man Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai

Cultivating Energy

Last week, a few friends and I attended a weekend Qigong workshop. We couldn’t pass it up. Thirty-two hours of continuing education class for under $100 – unheard of! If that wasn’t enough, Green Smoothies and food healing were on the agenda. I was sold.

Qigong, a system of self healing encompassing gentle movements, breathing, and meditative practices, was part of my master’s in Oriental Medicine curriculum. Last weekend’s workshop taught the same movements as I learned in school but I understood and could perform the movements better/more fluidly this time around. Qigong works and to be honest I don’t exactly understand it and I’m ok with that. I’m a pretty accepting person. I believe “Each to his or her own”. And, I will try just about anything without question, well sometimes with a slight raise to the eyebrow.

I didn’t feel the energy flow during the class way back in school, but I did experience symptoms of cultivating energy. The world was much more vivid when I left class at 8 pm, I experienced amazing clarity, and I was wide awake all night energized. Not the best use of energy, but still yes it works. In last weekend’s workshop I experienced the presence, the density, the movement of energy emanating from my hands and moving within my body. It was a remarkable feeling to know where I had blockages and which side was more receptive. And, yes, I was wide awake at night for 3 days and the exercise prompted other physical symptoms of flow as well. I now engage in qigong exercises only in the morning so I have that clarity and alertness all day instead of all night!

What's Bugging You?

Do you experience any nagging repetitive thoughts? Run through past events over and over with alternative dialog? Seem to be stuck in negative emotions or complaining? Something’s bugging you!

These mental and emotional tendencies are what I like to call mental and emotional parasites - mentally repeating events or hanging onto destructive emotions and thoughts is unproductive and depleting to your energy. This is how I like to approach a parasite cleanse.

You can cringe and deny it all you want but we all carry around parasites. Yes, actual creatures. There’s a healthy balance of organisms and then there’s a whole slew that proliferate where they shouldn’t be. These organisms feed off the food you put into your body that is meant to give you energy, not them! When we cannot process or use what we feed our bodies, natural medicine practitioners see a correlation in the inability to focus or process events and thoughts mentally and emotionally. It’s completely linked from our perspective.

Spring is the time to awaken from the slowness of winter. Our metabolisms slow, weight accumulates, maybe our activity level slows down, and sleep increases in winter. Two weeks in spring using the protocol of extra strength Black walnut hull tincture, and capsules of wormwood and clove is all that is required to rev up the body. No diet change is necessary, but it’s a good idea to refrain from sugar, wheat, yeast, alcohol and caffeine. You will rid your body of the accumulations from winter, maybe some parasites from your gut, and most definitely the mental and emotional parasites.

I was able to put to rest a past event that kept creeping into my mind as well as make peace with a relationship. I certainly didn’t enter the cleanse with any expectations of this sort, and I was very excited by the outcome. Would these have happened without the herbal protocol? Maybe, but I don’t know if I would have resolved them within the two week cleanse.

Here’s one version of a protocol of dosages for a parasite cleanse. If you tend toward sluggish intestines or seem to during this cleanse, add in a laxative tea like Smooth Move or senna powder or visit a holistic practitioner who can provide an herbal supplement for you.

Black Walnut Hulls (from the black walnut tree - juglans nigra)
anti-parasite, anti-bacterial, anti-viral and anti-fungal remedy with active ingredients juglone, tannin and iodine




Wormwood (from the Artemisia shrub - artemisia absinthum)
Its known for its vermicidal properties and helps those with a weak and underactive digestion. It increases the acidity of the stomach and the production of bile. It reduced abdominal bloating



Common Cloves (from the clove tree - eugenia caryophyllata)
has anti-parasitical, anti-fungal, antiviral and anti-inflammatory properties. It also removes pain

Come for the Fun, Stay for the Bliss

Since childhood, I was drawn to non-fiction stories of families living with autism. Some of my favorite clients to work with in my acupuncture/energy work practice have been kids with autism and Down’s. And I can talk passionately about the link between the nutrient-lacking food we eat, the effect it has on mom’s-to-be guts and what that means for the health of their future children.

Last year, I met Gina Laverde and Dougie. You can read about their journey elsewhere, but they are amazing souls. Gina’s passion about the health of moms and kids is personal. When Gina and her husband Doug realized what was occurring in their son, they interviewed and researched tirelessly and effectively helped Dougie recover from autism. He is now a 5 year old smart cookie (gluten and sugar free of course) attending Waldorf school.

So far this doesn’t sound so fun or bliss-filled, does it? Here it is!

Gina’s other (brain)child, Certified Organic Woman is holding a benefit for autism recovery in Santa Monica on Friday, March 19^th. I guarantee it is a can’t-miss event - a night of DJed music, dancing, food, gifts, services and raffle prizes. Tickets are $40 at the door, but raffle tickets are available now if you can’t attend. Won’t you join us?

A recent message from Certified Organic Woman:

I'm so excited about the Magic Elixir Bar, and OH THE GIFT BAGS! I went to the shop yesterday and got to choose the treats you'll be taking home.

I'm not spilling the secret but I will say that Ally over at Lush is awesome, and she helped me pick things that the guys will like too.

So, there's something for all of your tastes (and smells).

Can't wait to see you there!

If you haven't purchased your tix yet -- please do!

Here's the link: http://www.facebook.com/l/0d832;ow.ly/1gGeZ.

The guest list is filling up.
It's a cozy space and we want to make sure we can all fit.

By Land or By Sea, Green Superfoods

Over the last couple months I wrote about a variety of superfoods. Nuts, seeds, berries, and now green stuff that is nutrient-dense for their tiny size. We’ve got nutritious green stuff that we find in the garden and not as familiar green stuff from the water’s depths.

For the landlovers, we’ve got your grasses-alfalfa, barley, and wheat (no relation to the grain) and your leafy green vegetables – to name a few: arugula, beet greens, chicory, collards, dandelion, endive and escarole, kale, kohlrabi, lettuces, mustard greens, parsley, spinach, swiss chard, turnip greens, and watercress.

Some controversy surrounds the benefits of grasses, but grass is a green plant and contains nutrients. I am allergic to wheatgrass but used barley grass throughout a 6 month cleanse several years ago.

Individuals on blood thinners need to eliminate Vitamin K intake because it is a blood thinning vitamin, meaning you will need to avoid most of these lovely greens. But, the flip side is if your doctor allows it and monitors your blood levels closely and you are committed to maintaining healthy diet chock full of green veggies, you can reduce you medication. This can only be done with the full support and guidance of your doctor!

Other than Vitamin K, depending on the leafy greens you consume, you will be taking in more calcium than you’d get from dairy, Vitamin A, C and E are up there too, magnesium, obviously fiber, inulin, chlorophyll – what I call the “blood” of the plant (a must for vegetarians!)

Yes, greens taste bitter and pungent. Our standard American diet is quite sweet and salty and oily, so the pungent and bitter tastes of veggies will be amplified until you are accustomed to them. This can be like feeding a baby new foods. It takes more than a few tries to not have it thrown back in your face! A little experimenting, a little help from cookbooks or blogs or wherever you collect recipes, will help you find the perfect way to eat your greens. Some I eat raw and some I eat steamed or sautéed. I like the flavors, and am overly sensitive to what most people enjoy, sweet and salty.

If you are going to try ANY superfood, try the grain-like seeds of quinoa and amaranth and then greens. It is easier to try a spin on something you already eat than to implement an additional food. Truly packed with nutrients, my clients with sugar-cravings or chocolate cravings soon lose the urge to OD on sugar when increasing their intake of green vegetables. I have noticed that chocolate cravings are a mask for the body’s need for magnesium, a stress relieving mineral which helps with sleep and muscular tension.

For the waterlovers, we’ve got your algae- wild blue green, spirulina, chlorella and your seaweeds.

I suggest talking to a nutritionist with a Chinese Medicine bent. With a consultation we can assess which green is best for you. Some people have strong, hot digestive systems which can handle the cold natured/temperature spirulina, whereas others need to nourish their yin and need one a little more subtle like chlorella, or, not a seaweed but, a grass that is warm natured like alfalfa. I myself stick with chlorella to nourish my waning yin and Wild Blue Green for all of its neurological attributes. A great supplement that I’ve seen work wonders with kids’ development is BioAge. I am taking the supplement now. I will let you know what I notice!

Sea veggies contain many times more calcium and iron than milk or beef. Brown wakame can be used instead of lettuce in a sandwich. Arame, brown stringy strands, I like to mix with hot pepper sauce, sautéed kale, and a few other vegetables in a cold salad. Kombu is a food tenderizer. I toss a large piece into the boiling water with dry legumes. It begins the process of breaking down fiber reducing the gaseous effects some people experience. Dulse is a red/purple color and available as sheets and flakes. It is nutty and mild. I shake it onto foods and grains as others would salt. No cooking or reconstituting needed. Green nori can be used to wrap something other than sushi.

Here are well-known healthy sea vegetables worth considering:

• Irish moss seems to contain 15 of the 18 essential elements that make up the human body. This includes great amounts calcium, iodine, sulphur, and potassium as well as Vitamins A, D, E, F and K. This definitely makes it a superfood, plus it was the main food source during the time of famine in Ireland!
  It has expectorant, demulcent, anti-inflammatory actions. It is beneficial for the skin, connective tissue, for an array of lung conditions, for peptic and duodenal ulcers, for urinary bladder inflammation, and for diabetic maintenance.
  I soaked this in water and kept in the fridge and added to smoothies. When blended with 3 times the water, it makes a paste and will add a creamy fluffy texture to recipes.
  

Other sea veggie options:

• Arame , a mild, almost sweet brown kelp is a great place to begin if you’re unaccustomed to eating sea veggies. It's usually found in thin dried strands. Soak a small handful in water until soft, add to your favorite salad then toss on your favorite salad dressing. Your salad becomes even more nutritious. I usually combine with shredded carrots and shredded broccoli stalks, sesame seeds, steamed cool kale, and thai chili paste and veggie mayo. It’s really good!
• Dulse is packed with protein and iron. I sprinkle the flakes on many things.
• Kombu, a popular ingredient in miso soup and other Japanese dishes. Just put a small strip in water and simmer for 45 minutes or longer on low heat. Now you have a wonderful mineral-rich broth. Now, simple cook veggies, soups, or your grain-like seeds in this broth. I add a small strip of kombu to a pot of cooking beans to soften and increase digestibility.
• Wakame – Closely related to kombu, this variety was found to have fat burning properties that could fight obesity, according to research from Japan. I add this to my smoothies. I soak a week’s worth in water and keep in the fridge.
• Laminaria Japonica - This miracle cleanser of heavy metals. It’s rich in vitamins and minerals that help support your thyroid, detoxify your body from heavy metals and ward off disease.
• Kelp – A brown algae, kelp grows in nutrient-rich ocean water and is packed with vitamins, minerals and iodine. Kelp is thought to be especially useful for prostate, pancreas and digestive health. It is recommended for a gamut of thyroid disorders. Your thyroid needs minerals (like the ones found in ocean veggies) and certain fats to work well.
• Nori – the common sushi wrapper, as “seaweed sheets” use them as wraps or they taste delicious when toasted. Nori in Japan is used like injerra in Ethiopia as implement to convey food like rice to mouth.
• Hijiki – Makes a great natural beauty aid. It needs more cooking than arame.
• Agar – Agar is wonderful for creating delicious sugar-free desserts. It is a vegetarian alternative to gelatin. It can be used in both sweet and savory dishes and has mild laxative properties...so can be helpful for those who suffer from constipation.