We Like It Raw - Raw Food Goodness

Checkin’ in with Courtney Pool!

                     

Today I am thrilled to be featuring Courtney Pool and her new book, The Spirulina Recipes ebook (http://spirulinajunkie.com/spirulina-recipes-ebook/ .)

If you don’t know who Courtney is, here’s a little background on this awesome woman!

For over 5 years, Courtney worked with Dr Gabriel Cousens at The Tree of Life Rejuvenation Center in Patagonia, Arizona. She taught nutrition and cleansing classes as well as being in charge of social media, PR and marketing. 

                    

She is Juice Feasting and Live Foods Nutrition Coach (http://www.juicefeasting.com/). She writes about raw food nutrition, spirituality and healing eating disorders, which she has personally healed herself of. She also has a blog at http://www.courtneypool.com/ 

She has recently written an amazing, and much needed, recipe book devoted to Spirulina Recipes! This ebook contains recipes from Courtney and a host of other awesome raw food chefs including Elaina Love, Penni Shelton, Chaya-Ryvka Diehl, Frank Giglio and more! 

                   

I have been playing with some of the recipes in the book this past week and am astounded that spirulina can be so versatile and yummy! Because I love raw desserts, I started with the Spirulina Power Balls...YUM! Next up was the Rainbow Rolls with Blue Green Pate & Dipping Sauce....Heaven! 

I have to admit that I never did much with spirulina besides add it to smoothies because I just didn’t know what to do with it. I highly recommend checking out this awesome ebook! The pictures alone are massively drool worthy!

http://spirulinajunkie.com/spirulina-recipes-ebook/ 

 Courtney shared one of the recipes here with us!

                

The Spirulina Salad 

Ingredients:

▪ 1 big bowl of your favorite greens and/or sprouts – my favorites are all the lettuces, kale, spinach, alfalfa and clover sprouts, and sunflower sprouts.  You can also use chard, bok choy, arugula, collards, cabbage and any other kinds of sprouts or green leafy vegetables.

▪ Your high-quality oil of choice – you can use olive, sesame, hemp, pumpkin, or any other plant-source, cold-pressed, organic oil.

▪ High-quality salt – I recommend himalayan salt or very high quality sea salt

▪ SPIRULINA – I recommend the powder for the kind of consistency you’re looking for, but you can try the crunchies instead or in addition!

Directions:

A note about the spirulina salad – it is very open to adaptation.  For this reason, I don’t have exact measurements in these directions – feel free to try my proportions, but PLEASE play around with your own!  Some people like their salads more “goopy”, some like them light, some like them salty, some don’t like much salt.  And of course, some like to start with a little spirulina, and junkies like me choose to pour it on thick.

1. First, you want to oil up your salad.  The consistency people seem to like best is to have enough oil that your whole salad has a nice coating – not dripping and goopy, but not so little that you’ll barely taste the oil.

2. Start with a small amount of oil, perhaps 1/2 – 1 TBS, depending on how much leafy greens and sprouts you have.  Mix the oil around with the greens and inspect if you need more.  Add another TBS and see how that mixes around.  It’s important to thoroughly toss your oil and salad first.

3. Add your salt.  This is an optional step, as some people don’t like salt, but I find that a little bit really pulls the salad together to give that almost ‘cheezy’ taste.  Keep in mind that spirulina has a slightly salty taste on it’s own.  Toss your salad again, now with the salt added.

4. Time to add your spirulina!  Ok, here’s where it really is up to you.  I recommend starting with a small amount, such as 1 teaspoon.  Put it on your salad, and again- toss until the spirulina is consistent throughout.

5. Eat with incredible enthusiasm and obscene messiness.  Taste, relish, and savor!  And the most important part – don’t wipe off the lovely spirulina lips that will be created.  The salad will taste better that way 

6. Play around with proportions of all the above ingredients to find what YOUR best spirulina salad looks like!

                 
                      "Eat with incredible enthusiasm and obscene messiness" 

I can't wait to try more recipes! Check out the book and sign up for the blog so you can find out  what our Spirulina Queen is up to next! 

In Love and Health, 

Lori Clayton, LMT, CHHC

http://www.pureblisshealth.com/

 

To Juice or Blend? That is the question....

Along with the question of “Which blender or juicer do you recommend?” I am often asked which is better, juicing or blending? This is a great question! My answer is BOTH! They really can’t be compared. It would be like comparing weight training to ballet.

                

Juicing

Juicing removes the pulp and leaves you with the nutrients and water. When juicing you are able to maximize the nutrient content with a very quick and efficient delivery system. Nutrients are absorbed directly into the body without having to be broken down as with smoothies or whole food.

With juicing, you're concentrating a lot of plant material into one glass, so it’s important to understand the balance of vegetable to fruit ratio. Some common fruit and veggies in juices pack a powerful sugar punch that have the potential to raise blood sugar. Carrots, beets, oranges are big sugar additions. When juicing, focus on green veggies such as celery, cucumber, kale, chard, bok choy or parsley for example as your base. Then add a little apple, pear, carrot etc. 

There are several kinds of juicers on the market. The two most common are the  centrifugal juicers like the Breville used in the recent documentary, Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead and single auger juicers like the Green Star.  

I have two juicers for juicing different purposes. I personally use a Breville and love it. I don’t however, find it effective for greens like kale and spinach. It has a wide mouth so there is a bit less chopping required and it has an easy clean up. 

Then there is the single auger juicers that grind the veggies or fruit slowly to press the juice out. I use a Samson and find this is the more effective style of juicer for greens. 

Juicing is an ideal thing to do while fasting or during illness or health challenges as you don’t need to use any energy to digest and assimilate the nutrients. Juices will oxidize rather quickly so they need to be consumed very soon after juicing.

        

Blending

With blending smoothies you are retaining the fiber. Our bodies love fiber! With the fiber in tact, you will feel full longer. They are also helpful in reducing cravings. When using fruit, blending is a better option due to the retaining of the fiber which slows the sugar absorption. 

Green Smoothies have really taken off. You can also make blended soups, which is essentially a savory smoothie thats slightly warmed. 

I personally use a Vitamix. There are other high speed blenders on the market such at the Blendtec which is a great option as well.

I blend much more often than I juice, mostly due to convenience. I love making raw warm, blended soups. I often add some fat like avocado to the smoothies or soups to keep me feeling full longer. Fats also help maximize nutrient absorption. 

Don’t gulp your juice or smoothies down, swish it around your mouth and “chew” it. Blend it with saliva so it breaks down more efficiently this will also help to prevent gas and bloating.  

Here are a few recipes to play with.

                

 

Mighty Green Juice

• 1 bunch spinach
• 1/2 bunch kale
• 1/2 bunch chard
• 1 bunch cilantro or parsley
• 1/2 head of broccoli
• 1/2 bunch celery
• 1-2 cucumbers
• 1-2 green apples

Process through juicer. Enjoy!

Sweet Power Smoothie

• 1 banana
• 1/2 hawaiian papaya/mango/ peach, fresh or frozen
• 1/2 bunch spinach or other green
• 1-2 celery stalks
• 1/4 avocado
• 1/2 bunch cilantro
• 2 tbls hemp or chia seeds, opt
• Enough water to get to the consistency you desire.

So tell me, what do YOU prefer juicing or blending and why? 

Turn in tomorrow for the Featured Friday Person! 

 

In Love and Health, 

Lori Clayton, LMT, CHHC

http://www.pureblisshealth.com/

 

 

Healthy Relationships & Touch

Healthy Relationships

Healing isn’t always about what we put in our mouth. Food is just one source of nourishment. We are fed by the richness in our lives as much or more than the food we eat. 

Healthy relationships, physical activity, a rewarding career and a spiritual practice are soul satisfying and critical in having a balanced and truly healthy life. As a Holistic Health Counselor from the Institute for Integrated Nutrition, we call these Primary Foods. They are the richest source of nourishment we have. Actual food we eat, is called Secondary Food. 

When we are starved for joy, affection, mental stimulation, self expression, adventure and spirituality, we often comfort ourselves with foods. In that starved emotional state we don’t always make the healthiest choices. 

Emotional depletion is very commonly the underlying cause in obesity, anorexia, depression, anger, high blood pressure and yes, I’m going to say it.....extreme orthorexia as well.  

I’ve noticed when working with my counseling clients that if there is an underlying emotional issue it’s not going to heal with kale alone. When you feed the soul, physical challenges often heal on their own.

We as humans have a need for touch, intimacy, open communication, cuddles and hugs. We need to be able to give and receive love. Having healthy friendships, a romantic relationship and loving interactions with family members provide a beautiful way to express love, joy, intimacy, adventure and compassion. 

Take some time to explore your relationships. Look at family, friends and your intimate relationship. Be honest. Do they bring you joy and fulfillment? Are they reciprocal? Is there a depth and richness to them? Or are they a one way road? Emotionally draining?

Are there people in your life that just don’t FIT anymore? I invite you to evaluate these relationships much like you would if you were preparing for a yard sale. What is no longer needed or working for you. As you are honest and compassionate in allowing relationships that no longer “fit” to leave your life, you will be amazed at how people show up that now you have space for.

I’m not suggesting you go file for divorce or cut your family out of your life. Look for ways to heal, forgive, rekindle affection, joy or improve communication. There always needs to be room for flexibility and growth in all our relationships. Life would get boring if we all stayed the same. 

Now, here’s the kicker. Sometimes if you are honest with yourself, you may find the imbalance may coming from you. If that happens use the same honesty, integrity and compassion for yourself. Journal your thoughts and feelings. Get clear on a resolution.

Touch

Touch is a powerful healer. Touch is the first sense to develop in the womb. It’s also the only sense that involves our entire physical being, the rest of the senses happen in your head. Touch has been proven to reduce tension and anxiety. 

Along with cultivating deep, meaningful relationships, receiving bodywork such as massage is another way to nurture yourself. Having been a massage therapist for 20 years, I in no way, see massage as an indulgence. It is a powerful healing therapy that has tremendous health benefits on every level.

          

One of the most powerful forms of healing bodywork I have been blessed to practice is called Watsu. Watsu is a form of aquatic bodywork performed in warm water. You are held, cradled, floated and stretched by your therapist. There is a deeper healing going on in watsu. Yes, you relax, your body is stretched and massaged, but there is a spiritual aspect that nearly transcends the physical benefits. 

Being lovingly held in someone’s arms with no expectations is such a powerful healing and nurturing experience. I often have clients cry or laugh.    

There are so many forms of bodywork. Taking the time and making yourself a priority is a wonderful way to destress, be nurtured and heal your body, I encourage you to find a massage therapist, watsu therapist (please see www.waba.edu for practitioners.)

So take a deep breath and start to explore your relationships! Think of the joy and freedom that will be available to you as you bring fulfilling relationships into your life! Go get a massage or a watsu! After all one needs more than green smoothies to survive!

In Love and Health, Lori Clayton, LMT, CHHC

http://www.pureblisshealth.com/

Sugar, The Sweet, Sweet Poison

Dealing With Sugar Addictions

Sugar addictions are something I have personally dealt with all my life. As a child I was rewarded with sugar, given sugar to stay quiet, sugar as a bribe and grew up on sugary breakfast cereal. I would raid the cookie jar, literally, at night. I risked punishment to get to the candy drawer. I could sniff it out anywhere! I was addicted to one of the most potent drugs by the time I was 5. Sound familiar? It’s a wonder we all survived! 

I finally broke my addiction due to blood sugar fluctuations seriously affecting my moods. It was a challenge! However, this is also how I came to become known for my healthy raw desserts! Life can still be sweet on the healthy side of the street!

          
Raw Strawberry Cheesecake

 

Scary Facts

The American Heart Association says the average American eats about 22 teaspoons of  added sugar a day! To contrast this, they recommend not consuming more than 6 teaspoons a day for women and 9 teaspoons for men. Thats a mighty big difference!

Let’s take a look at just one of the biggest sugar culprits in the Standard American Diet: processed breakfast items.  

• Pop Tarts: 17 grams, slightly more than 3 teaspoons (Half the daily allowed)
• Cinnabon Cinnamon Roll: 55 grams, 11 teaspoons (Three times the daily allowed)
• Captain Crunch 3/4 cup: 12 grams, 3 teaspoons (Half the daily allowed)
• Yoplait Yougurt: 27 grams, just over 5 teaspoons (1 teaspoon shy of the daily max!)

 You might as well just eat a Twinkie! Even the “healthy” bars are loaded!

• Twinkie: 2 pack, 37 grams, over 7 teaspoons (over the daily max)
• PowerBar: 23 grams, about 5 teaspoons (but it’s healthy right? No.)

Our brains become hard wired for that sweet sensation that stimulates the natural “feel good” chemicals in our brain, like serotonin, which calms and relaxes us. We get addicted to the opioid effect that is triggered by sugar. Sugar is literally a very addictive drug.

The over consumption of sugar can lead to a vast array of health issues including:

• Type 2 Diabetes
• Excess weight  
• Anxiety
• Hyperactivity 
• Mood swings 
• Digestive problems 
• Depression 
• Impaired immune system
• Inhibits mineral absorption
• Tooth decay
• Candida  
• Raises bad cholesterol and lowers good cholesterol
• Can lead to certain types of cancer (sugar feeds cancer cells).

It's a SAD Culture

In our culture we are bombarded with advertisements for processed, refined, nutrient devoid food that is laden with sugar everywhere we go. Sugar is in everything from breads, cakes, cookies, jams, sauces, peanut butter and even soup! Read the labels! 

When we begin to see how sugar affects our health and mental state, for many of us, we are really looking at a drug addiction. When you start coming off sugar, expect to experience detox symptoms similar to alcohol or any drug and make a plan to deal with these symptoms. 

What You Can Do

Here are some ways to eliminate sugar cravings and stabilize your blood sugar.

• Eat regularly: Eating every 3-5 hours keeps your blood sugar stable
• Include protein, fat, fiber rich foods at each meal
• Reduce or eliminate caffeine: The highs and lows of caffeine cause blood sugar swings and can trigger sugar cravings.
• Use better sources of sugars like pure maple syrup, stevia, dates, coconut sugar or brown rice syrup. Use in moderation.
• Evaluate your use of animal products as the over use can cause sugar cravings.
• Eliminate snack and junk foods! Choose fruit as a snack or dessert.
• Spices such as cinnamon, coriander, nutmeg and cloves sweeten food and reduce cravings.
• Exercise balances blood sugar, increase feel good endorphins and keeps your weight in check.
• Get plenty of sleep, when your body is tired it craves energy in the form of sugar.
• Find non food source of sweetness in your life like hugs or time with friends. When life is sweet you don’t need the added sugar!
• Drink more water: Often sweet cravings are a sign of dehydration. 

Did you know that soft drinks are Americas #1 source of added sugar? The average can of soda contains 39 grams/8 teaspoons, 1 bottled soda contains 65 grams/13 teaspoons and a Big Gulp contains 91 grams/18 teaspoons. Remember the daily recommended MAX is 6 teaspoons for women and 9 teaspoons for men! 

Need a Little Help?

 Supplements you can try for sugar cravings are chromium, magnesium (naturally found in cacao or high quality chocolate), B3, L-Glutamine and 5 HTP.

Adding more fresh, raw, whole, foods to your diet will help. The more you add these foods you will “crowd out” the bad foods. If you have a sugar craving try eating a date. They remind me of eating caramel! They are full of minerals and fiber! Most raw desserts pack a nice sweet punch without the sugar spike. They often contain cashews, and as we saw in yesterdays post cashews are a wonderful natural antidepressant. There are also many amazing healthy chocolate products on the market....Because what would life be without a little chocolate right? ;)

And always...always, find ways that have nothing to do with food to add some sweetness into your life! Hugs, babies, puppies, massage....What is one sweet non food thing YOU do to treat yourself?

In Love and Health,  Lori Clayton LMT, CHHC

http://www.pureblisshealth.com/

 

Healing Mood Disorders with Food

"Let food be thy medicine and thy medicine be thy food" Hippocrates

With the increase of people affected by depression and mood disorders rising to nearly 20 million just in the US alone, so have the number of prescriptions for antidepressant medications written. 

However, we have also seen that these medications often produce undesirable and often devastating side effects. There have been countless reports of violence, suicide, insomnia, psychosis, anxiety and more. Furthermore, it’s been shown that these medications are often not even effective, and only work for about 30% of the people taking them. 

Antidepressant medications work to increase the levels of serotonin, which is the “feel good” neurotransmitter needed in the brain to balance mood and behavior. Imbalances in serotonin can lead to anxiety, depression, seasonal affective disorder, hyperactivity among others.

So What Happened?

In the mid 60’s the boom in the processed and refined food manufacturing came into being.  As people began eating these refined, processed and nutritionally deficient “foods” we began to see a significant rise in mood disorders. 

Often one of the first signs of malnutrition are emotional symptoms. With our Standard American Diet, “SAD”, of processed, refined foods, the B vitamins are among the nutrients lost. These vitamins are critical in brain function and mood balance. Ironically, these are also the nutrients needed to assist the digestion of these foods.

Processed foods also often contribute to hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) which can cause serious emotional disorders and has been sited in a significant amount of domestic violence cases. 

 

                

What Can We Do?

More and more people are turning to alternative therapies such as acupuncture for mood disorder treatment. A critical part of this therapy is the food we are eating! As you can see, mood disorders are largely caused by nutritional deficiencies, so it stands to reason that when you swap the nutritionally deficient food for whole food that retains all the nutrients, you begin to restore balance in your body. 

In fact, according to Dr Andrew Saul, 1 large handful of cashews, provides 1000-2000 mg of tryptophan, which is a precursor to serotonin, and is just as effective as Prozac with none of the side effects!

Good Mood Foods

• Almonds: High in B6, magnesium 
• Walnuts: High in minerals and omega 3
• Chia: High in essential fatty acids
• Sesame Seeds: High in calcium, magnesium, tryptophan
• Kelp: High in calcium, omega 3, protein, zinc, magnesium
• Cashews: High in tryptophan, which is a precursor to serotonin 
• Greens: High in calcium and folic acid
• Guava: High in vitamin C, tryptophan 
• Figs: High in calcium, magnesium, fiber
• Cacao: High in magnesium, also makes opioids that make you happy! 
• Avocados: High in essential fatty acids, tryptophan, folic acid

 Foods to Avoid 

Any food or beverage that contain artificial sweeteners as they can block the formation of serotonin. Foods high in saturated fat. Sugar in all forms to avoid blood sugar spikes. Caffeine. Wheat: Gluten allergies have been shown to be a common cause of depression and mood disorders. (Eating whole fruits that are low on the glycemic index are ok as the fiber slows the absorption of the sugar)

Raw and High Raw Diets

Many of the critical nutrients present in food are lost in the cooking process. Raw, living foods are so important to add more of in your diet. While there is more information coming out from leading authorities in the raw food movement that having a 100% raw food diet is NOT critical in optimal health, all still believe that having a diet HIGH in raw foods is of vital importance.

Good Mood Lifestyles

In addition to healthy, supportive foods, lifestyle plays a big role in alleviating depression and mood disorders. Exercise increases feel good endorphins, meditation helps keep you relaxed, being in the sunshine increases serotonin and will provide Vit D which has been proven to help with depression, you can also supplement Vit D.

The Goods

 Here are a few recipes for mood enhancing smoothies! Go on get happy!

Happy Hempy Cacao Smoothie

Ingredients:

• 2 cups almond milk
• 2-3 tbls cacao powder or nibs
• 1 banana
• 1/4 avocado
• 3-4 dates
• 2 tbls sesame or hemp seeds
• 1 tbls lecithin powder, opt
• 1 tsp vanilla powder or extract
• pinch of salt
• 4-5 ice cubes

Blend all ingredients except ice until smooth, add ice and blend again. Drink and be happy!

 

Berry BlissTastic Smoothie

Ingredients:

• 2 cups almond milk
• 1 cup strawberries, organic please :)
• 1/2 cup raspberries, blackberries or blueberries, fresh or frozen
• 2-3 figs
• 1 banana
• 3 tbls sesame seeds
• 1/4 avocado
• 3-4 ice cubes

Blend all ingredients except ice until smooth, add ice and blend again. Enjoy the bliss!

 Giddy and Green Smoothie

Ingredients:

• 2 cups water or any variety of nut or seed milk
• 2 cups spinach or other green
• 1 banana
• 2 dried figs, soaked, opt
• 1 mango, fresh or frozen
• handful of sprouts
• 1/4 avocado
• 2 tbls chia seeds
• 3-4 ice cubes

Blend all ingredients except ice add ice and blend again. Get your giddy on!

Other ways to include Good Mood Food into your diet:

Add a handful of almonds, walnuts, ground flax on top of a dark leafy green salad. Add some kelp to soup or savory smoothie. Sprinkle chia or ground flax on top of fruit or some coconut yogurt. Make a chia breakfast porridge and top it with walnuts or cacao. The possibilities are endless. I invite you to get creative with your food! And if possible ALWAYS eat with your hands! ;) 

As with any medical condition, If you are experiencing depression or mood disorders, please seek medical advice. This article is not intended to be a substitute for proper medical advice.

In Love and Health, Lori Clayton, LMT, CHHC

http://www.pureblisshealth.com/