Archive for February, 2010

Learning to Love and Accept Yourself

Happy Valentines Day to our raw food and holistic health family! To continue with our celebration of our Love Your Body Month, we would like to talk about learning to love and accept yourself. You are all beautiful. magnificent beings and we are so happy to have you be a part of our family. Often times we associate love with other people (such as family members, friends, or a significant other), animals (your pet) and experiences (how you felt when…..). When we say “I love you,” we’re always saying it to another person. How often do we express our love for ourselves?

Let’s take a look within for a moment. Many of us have lifelong goals and aspirations that we hope to acquire, maybe it’s finding your true soul mate, getting a new job that excites you, or taking an adventurous vacation. No matter what it is, in the end, it all comes down to the basic need to be happy, being accepted and feeling loved. We all achieve this state through different paths (new career, new partner, new beginning, new adventures). But one way to catapult yourself onto the path of happiness, being accepted and feeling loved is to love yourself.

In order to truly love yourself (and in return share that love with others) you have to accept and love yourself unconditionally. Even if there are parts about you (physically, mentally, spiritually) that you are still working on, love those parts anyway. They are apart of you, a forever changing and evolving being. We would like to share with you 5 tips to help you love and accept you, for the person you are right now, and the person you are going to be.

5 Tips to Love and Accept Yourself

1. Show The Mirror Love. Often times when we look at ourselves in the mirror, our eyes are immediately drawn to what we consider to be our flaws or things we would like to change. Some of us get up in the mirror, not to gaze into our eyes, but to examine the size of our pores (yes ladies, we said it!). We think about “I wish my [fill in the blank] was [fill in the blank].” Well, if all you look for are flaws, then that is all you will see. So instead look for beauty. Next time you look in the mirror, give yourself a compliment (“hey there good lookin’!” “wow you’re looking great today!” “I love those bright eyes of yours!” etc). Say it out loud and with a smile. It may seem silly, but its guaranteed to put you in a good mood and stir up some positive energy. Remember too, as you gaze at yourself, see your whole self (the whole amazing package of everything that you are); this really puts love and acceptance into perspective.

2. Make A List. What do you LOVE about yourself? I mean absolutely LOVE!!! Make a list of 10 things that you absolutely adore about yourself. This list can be a combination of physical and personality traits! And be sure to write this down as we believe there is power and energy in the written word. This can be a really fun and positive exercise for yourself, a chance for you to brag about what makes you so awesome! You can put this list a couple different places. It can be a post-it note on your bathroom mirror or a journal entry in your diary. Or, you can hide a couple copies in a book, binder, wallet or purse, so you’ll find the sweet surprise later. What an excellent way to continuously send love your way.

3. Say “I LOVE YOU.” How often do we look into the eyes of someone (a romantic partner, spouse, friend, family member) and say “I love you.” We say it, we mean it, and we look into their eyes. We see that person for exactly who they are, and we LOVE them for it. Why not treat yourself to that same love? Let’s go back to the mirror. Let’s look into your own eyes, call out your name, and genuinely say “I love you.” It may be a gentle whisper at first but we guarantee that you will get louder and more convicted each time you do it! You’ll probably incorporate a little dance and maybe a wink after a couple weeks of this. Have fun! You are so worth it!

4. Beauty Is A State of Mind. If you are happy with yourself. If you think of yourself as beautiful and sexy, then others people will think that way about you too. It’s about confidence. What can you do to be m ore confident? Aside from these fabulous tips, wear clothes that make you feel good. That’s right, clothes carry energy too. If you love it, and it looks great on you, you will exude that confidence and others will notice. Take care of yourself physically. Working out in any shape or form releases endorphins and good energy. You feel awesome because you accomplished something and you are working towards a goal. Eat right! Eating the right foods that give you proper nutrients is another way to heighten the level of positive energy you have in your life. When you eat right, trust us, it shows. Be kind and compassionate with yourself, through taking care of your mind, body and spirit, you are showing yourself love and acceptance.

5. See The Whole Person. We live in a society that is way to judgmental. We see someone and based on their appearance we make judgments. We make preconceived notions about who a person is, based on how they look. Change the way you think, change the way you see the world around you, and ultimately you will change yourself and bring more love into your life. Next time you are out and about, or even if you are in the office, try to remove your blindfold of just seeing a physical person, and instead see the whole person. See what makes them so unique, see what their amazing traits are. What makes them who they are, unlike anyone else? What makes them so special? You don’t want to be judged by superficial standards, so shift your mindset to not view others in this light.

LOVE. LOVE. LOVE. Love is in the air. Whether or not you’re celebrating with someone else, make sure you show some love to yourself, for our Love Your Body Month, and beyond.

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Raw Chocolate Recipe Round Up!

Serve up something sweet, smooth and delicious for your love this Valentine’s Day. We’ve searched around for the most magnificent recipes for you to try. Treat yourself or treat the ones you love! Either way they are sure to go over well. Enjoy some delicious raw chocolate!

Raw Chocolate Cake

Let’s eat cake! While we’re at it, let’s make it healthy but still taste fabulous! This is a recipe you must try. You’ll find all the ingredients and directions here: Raw Chocolate Cake.

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Real Chocolate Ice Cream

Karen Knowler just perfected her raw chocolate ice cream just in time for the holiday weekend. The ingredients list is simple and the taste is magnificent. Check out the full recipe here: Real Chocolate Ice Cream.

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Super Easy Raw Chocolate Recipe

This looks so delicious! Super easy creation to make, then place in your fridge for a couple hours for it to set. Check out the full recipe here: Super Easy Raw Chocolate Recipe.

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Raw Vegan Chocolate Brownies

Raw Vegan Chocolate Brownie Balls – Sinfully Delicious! Mmmmmm. Yes they are THAT good! Tiffany, over at Nature Moms Bog, has a fabulous recipe for you. Check it out here: Raw Vegan Chocolate Brownies.

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Raw Chocolate Mousse

So smooth and creamy and delicious, and good for you too! Check out the full recipe here: Raw Chocolate Mousse.

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Raw Chocolate Truffles

This recipe for Raw Chocolate Truffles really lets you get creative with how you garnish them (see the picture below). Check out the full recipe here: Raw Chocolate Truffles.

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Double Chocolate Cherry Cheesecake

Kristen (from Kristen’s Raw) has a super amazing recipe for a raw cheesecake. Check out the full recipe here: Double Chocolate Cherry Cheesecake.

Inspirational Quotes on Love

Looking for that perfect quote to put in a card? Or perhaps some inspirational words to get you in the mood? Let us inspire you with some wonderful words of love. Enjoy! If you have a quote you would like to share, leave a comment.

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“Love is not love that alters when it alteration finds.”
-Shakespeare

“If I could reach up and hold a star for every time you’ve made me smile, the entire evening sky would be in the palm of my hand.”
-Unknown

“You don’t marry someone you can live with – you marry the person who you cannot live without.”
-Unknown

“Life has taught us that love does not consist in gazing at each other but in looking outward together in the same direction.”
-Saint-Exupery

“A kiss is a lovely trick designed by nature to stop speech when words become superfluous.”
-Ingrid Bergman

“True love is like ghosts, which everybody talks about and few have seen.”
-La Rochefoucauld

“Love is but the discovery of ourselves in others, and the delight in the recognition.”
-Alexander Smith

“The richest love is that which submits to the arbitration of time.”
-Lawrence Durrell

“There is no remedy for love but to love more.”
-Thoreau

“Love cures people – both the ones who give it and the ones who receive it.”
-Dr. Karl Menninger

“To love and win is the best thing. To love and lose, the next best.”
-William M. Thackeray

“Who says love never lives? Maybe we’ve never lived.”
-Unknown

“Some love lasts a lifetime. True love lasts forever.”
-Unknown

“If love is great, and there are no greater things, then what I feel for you must be the greatest.”
-Unknown

“The Eskimos have 52 words for snow because it is so special to them; there ought to be as many for love!”
-Margaret Atwood

“Love is like playing the piano. First you must learn to play by the rules, then you must forget the rules and play from your heart.”
-Unknown

“Within you, I lose myself. Without you, I find myself wanting to be lost again.”
-Unknown

Black Eyed Salad

Not all salads start out with Romaine lettuce or baby cabbage! Why not try a salad that offers a different mix of ingredients and a bold flavor? We promise you, this salad is as delicious as it is colorful. And not only that, but it is super easy to make!

Preparation time: 5 minutes

Ingredients:

• black-eye beans (soaked overnight in cold water)
• sliced carrot
• beansprouts
• sliced red pepper
• sliced cabbage
• 1 teaspoon of cold pressed hemp oil
• 1 teaspoon of sea salt
• 1 teaspoon of lemon juice

Equipment:

All you need is a mixing bowl!

Preparation:

Mix all the vegetables together in a bowl. Then, add in the sea salt, lemon juice and season with the hemp oil. That’s it!

Enjoy!

This recipe was provided by Marat, who resides in Leeds, UK. Marat is the raw enthusiast behind the website RawPublic, where he features daily raw food recipes and tips for a healthier lifestyle. Marat’s favorite thing about about raw foods is eating 100% raw; he says he is full of energy and passion for life!

How To Love Your Body Raw

This month we are going to LOVE our body RAW.  What better time to do this than during the month of Valentines… the month of Love. Whether you are all raw, eat partially raw or trying to go all or more raw, these tips will help you to show more love to yourself for the month of February and beyond.

1. Eat More Chocolate. What is a better way to start these tips that to say that this month we can use the excuse to eat more chocolate…Raw Cacao.   Chocolate in its raw form is high extremely high in anti-oxidants, magnesium (why do you women think you crave chocolate before that time of the month) and helps suppress and satisfy those cravings.  What makes this a perfect food for loving our body raw this month is that it contains the neuron-peptides that are similar to those we produce when we are in Love.  How many of you LOVE chocolate…there is something to it.

2. Add More Maca. In addition to the Chocolate, how about adding in some MACA, the root that acts as an aphrodisiac So now you are having the love producing cacao and the libido increasing Maca and what do you have… an amazing and extremely tasty combination that’s high in nutrients.  Maca great for rebuilding the adrenals, strength, stamina, endurance, is loaded in vitamins and minerals and is a great source of Protein containing over 20 amino acids.

3. Eat More Red Foods. And then third, let’s add more red foods in this month.  How about some amazing Goji Berries that are known for longevity.  These berries are also very high in anti-oxidant, …  February is a cold month for many of us, soaking goji’s in some warm water can make a wonderful tea.  To top it off there is nothing better than the combination of the Goji’s with Maca and Cacao.  So before we continue, let me give you a recipe.

Let the Goji Berries steep in some hot (not boiling) water for 20 min, then use the Goji water, add a TBSP of Maca, a TBSP of Cacao, a handful of cashews some agave and blend well.  You will have an amazing and highly nutritious Raw Hot Chocolate that will have a malty flavor from the Maca and a hint of berry with all kinds of health benefits.

4. Love Your Skin Too! Get on-line, or look around, there are some companies that carry skin care that is completely chemical free and contain many ingredients that will really help nourish your skin.  My favorite is Simply Divine Botanicals. You will notice a huge difference over the conventional soaps.  Not to mention our skin is a huge absorber of toxins and chemicals, we may be trying to avoid eating them but try not putting them on your skin either and see the difference.  I personally like using products that contain MSM.  Taking pure MSM internally will do amazing things for your skin also.  And try rubbing yourself down in coconut oil, it completely absorbs and your skin will feel amazing and softJ  Maybe on Valentine’s Day, have a jar of coconut oil by the bed…

5. Make Time For You. Most people are living high paced and high stress lifestyles.  The continued excuse “I don’t have time” for anything that involves taking time for ourselves…  Taking time for you is the MOST IMPORTANT thing you can do.  Without thinking, there IS something that would come immediately to mind that you would love to do for yourself…maybe it’s get a massage or acupuncture treatment, go for a hike or bike ride, read that book that has been sitting on your night stand for months.  All you have to do is just do it.  ‘Ask yourself’ for a little time this month to do some things you want to do and see what happens.  All you have to do is ‘’ask”.  It is actually really simple and there is always time, it’s just whether you chose to do it or not.

6. Eat More Raw. By eating more raw foods and especially greens, we keep our bodies in balance.  When I say balance I am also talking from a pH standpoint and the internal biological terrain of our entire system.  When we chose to eat more raw foods, it eliminates the foods that turn our internal biological terrain into an environment for all the unwanted bacteria’s, viruses, yeasts, fungus, mold, dis-ease causing agents, etc.  We want to love our body, not waste it, which is what we do when we eat process, refined, pasteurized, homogenized, pesticide, genetically modified, hormone induced food. Think of your body as a garden, would you dump trash in it and expect it to flourish or would you love it and tend to it, watering it regularly so that it grows into beautiful plants that are going to nourish.   Would you water your garden with soda and other drinks…do you think the plants would grow or would they die?   Would you put bread in your soil or veggies to help nourish the soil and fertilize it? Think about your internal body as that garden and the more you care for it with natural and raw sources, the more it will flourish into that beautiful garden that will nourish you from the inside out.   The more alive the food you eat, the more vibrant you will feel!  I always like to say, what color is our planet, GREEN, so what do you think are the best foods to eat to live a healthy life…

7. Eat Healthy Snacks. Try substituting raw flax crackers for your regular processed crackers, eat more greens and sea veggies, add some avocados and raw Olives (yum).  Snack on more nuts and seeds, some Goji berries mixed with Cacao nibs, is a great snack!!  And just keep drinking more smoothies.   This is the best way to get all those nutrients in and it tastes great!

Kendell Reichhart is a Certified Holistic Health Counselor and Integrative Nutritional Consultant.  Specializing in healing through raw and whole foods.  Nutritional Microscopy.  Towson, MD.   443-250-9335  www.naturalvibranthealth.net

“When the body is properly nourished, it then has the ability to function optimally.”

Raw Banana Split

Want a deliciously different dessert? Something that is fun for you to eat but also an excellent recipe for when you have friends and family over? Let’s take your raw dessert experience to the next level. Try this Raw Banana Split and after one bite, your tastebuds will be begging for more.

Ingredients:

• 1 Banana (fresh or frozen)
• ½ C Organic Frozen Cherries
• 2 T Coconut Crème
• 1 T Chia Seeds
• 1 T Honey/Agave Nectar
• ½ T Vanilla Powder
• 1 T Sundried Coconut
• 1 T Wild Jungle Peanuts or Mac Nuts
• 1 T Bee Pollen (optional depending on your dietary choices)

Equipment:
High-powered blender

Directions:
1. Slice banana in half long ways and place open on a plate.

2. In a high-powered blender, blend the cherries, Vanilla Coconut Crème, chia seeds, honey and vanilla powder.  Pour over banana.

3. Top with sundried coconut, chopped nuts and bee pollen.

This is a fast and easy desert that is a big hit with kids and unexpected company.  And it is great comfort food when you have a craving for something sweet.

Source: Vivapura’s Easy Recipes that include Superfoods

2 Delicious Potluck Salads

Angeline from Singapore sent over these fabulous potluck salad recipes and wanted us to share them with you. We think they are full of color and texture, making them magically delicious.

potluck salad n° 1

• 3 oz mixed leaves (mine were organic mixed baby greens from earthbound farm but any mix would do)
• 1 grapefruit
• 1 kiwi
• blueberries
• walnuts
• almonds

1. Simply layer leaves with chunks of grapefruit & diced kiwi.

2. The final top layer had scattered blueberries, walnuts and almonds. some grapes would greatly improve this mix, as grapes are definitely sweet, whereas grapefruits, kiwis & blueberries may not necessarily be. cherries, if they are in season, would also be great, especially white cherries.

Angeline says she personally doesn’t use salad dressing, only the occasional dash of balsamic vinegar if the salad is very plain (like a single leaf + a single fruit & no nuts).

3 Yoga Poses to Relieve Stress in Just 20 Minutes A Day

Piera Bonventre is a Homeopathic Practitioner, raw food connoisseur and a travelling yogi. She also tweets energy healing and daily yoga instructions- encouraging you to include yoga anytime of day. Piera will be our in-house yoga instructor, providing insight and direction into this unifying form of movement. Here’s what she has to say:

I know time is valuable.  Time is now a precious commodity.  Sometimes there isn’t time to breath it seems. And some of us really aren’t breathing much at all.    How you breath sets  your whole mental, emotional and physical state for the day!

Deep lower belly or diaphragmatic breathing is the most beneficial way you can regain your focus and calm during harried times and circumstances.  So when the kids are screaming, deadlines have to be met and your mother in law is coming over for the weekend, get on the mat to stay sane and your best amazing self.

YOU don’t need hours of YOGA to gain benefits!

MAKING time for Yoga should be a no brainer.  Yoga will encourage you to breath in PURE  energy enhancing PRANA.  Yoga will “reset” your whole state so you are BALANCED, FOCUSED and CLEAR.  And you don’t need hours of Yoga to gain the benefits! You actually will be more efficient and therefore need less time to do all those “must do” tasks.

Actually a good 20 minute session will do you a world of a difference when life gets really hairy and you feel tied up in knots. So lets get those knots unraveled, that breath flowing and your JOYFUL heart brimming with energy.

3 POSES + 20 MINUTES +AWESOME INTENTION= A STRESS BUSTING PRACTICE

Here are the three poses I believe are some of the best for receiving the most out of a yoga practice in a short amount of time. These poses are often considered foundational to any Yoga practice.  You will gain strength, increase flexibility and encourage cleansing of the whole system.

Pose  #1 Warrior Pose:

Any warrior pose can be implemented and choose to do all three for maximum benefits.  Warrior poses are standing poses and as such encourage the building of strength and stamina.  They also nurture INTERNAL strength and are excellent to improve self esteem.

In Warrior poses be very conscious of the alignment of your hips, you want to direct them so that they remain equal and not off center.  If your right leg is forward for example, encourage the left hip to come forward, and not sway back putting the lower torso out of proper alignment. Hips are huge in this pose!  Keep them squared and equally balanced.  Also remember to keep shoulders relaxed, and not hunching up to your ears.  Think of lowering the shoulders, yet keeping them engaged inwardly.

Pose # 2  :   Parivrtta Parsvakonasana Or Revolved Side Angle Pose

This is a twist type of asana.  Twists are very beneficial for the health of the spine and organs.  Twists encourage spinal circulation and help relieve blocked energy channels to the spine.  Twists also DETOXIFY organ systems.  Digestive organs get massaged and are helped to digest, assimilate and eliminate food.  Also the whole LYMPHATIC system is stimulated and encouraged to release toxins and waste products.

Again be conscious of the hips in this pose.  Keep them aligned and the spine long and straight.  Open the heart center as you twist to the side and keep the shoulders balanced with the hips.

Pose #3   Sarvangasana  or Shoulder Stand:

I’ve included this particular pose because its a very effective nerve and glandular balancing inversion.  It helps in so many ways to detoxify and re balance the whole system.  Shoulder stand will help you release toxins from the organs and lymph system.  In addition to this it has a very healthy effect on the hormonal system because it helps to regulate the thyroid.  A very special gland that regulates the metabolism and hormonal system of the body.  Shoulder stand also calms the nervous system, encourages SLEEP and tranquility.  Don’t we all need a great night sleep?

If you just do these three poses,  you have a well rounded practice you can do in just 2o minutes!  Even if you only have 15-20 minutes, THE EFFECTS are amazing.

Get on your mat! 5 minutes becomes 10 minutes.  10 minutes becomes 30 minutes, and 30 minutes becomes  a life time!

It did for me

keep walking lightly,

Namaste

Piera