My dad ahha moments!

So I got sick this week and it didn't make much sense to me other than I am working 6 days a week right now at work through our busy time and am exhausted. I went to the doctor,our Naturopath, on Thursday and after seeing her feel fantastic. She asked me if I was sad or grieving for any reason because that will lower the immune system and I was. Yes, a year ago my dad died I told her with tears and 3 years ago to the day this week is when I had my near death illness. She said ok how are you dealing with these issues? My dad passing was a shock. A devastating, overwhelming shock. I was strong and tried to be positive but never really dealt with it. It all started on my birthday when he went into cardiac arrest and 2 days later he passed. I was devastated. I was/am a daddy's girl. My birthday was now not a fun time but a bitter reminder on his passing. How do you deal with that and make it not so? I obsessed over that for a long time this year. My undealt with emotions made me sick. After this realization and some homeopathic meds to help me through I feel great and free of that stress. It has had me thinking about my dad a lot. So one thing I realized today was that my dad at some point had the ahha! moments that I am experiencing and that was the reason behind some of the things he did that we never understood or appreciated. He was trying to pass it along in his way not be annoying or embarrassing. My dad never ever met a stranger. It did not matter where we were or why he new someone there or would by the time we left. He spoke to everyone...the man nobody else would talk too who was standing alone and dirty, the guy in line wearing a t-shirt with the high school name of the school he attended, the Cub Scout at church and his family, the parent with a child to tell them they had a "wonderful blessing", the mother embarrassed by her autistic son's singing in church to tell her it was beautiful,endless stories with my CNT at the hospital and so on. He noticed the laughs of the elderly and the physically challenged and made sure we did too. He had a nice word for everyone and was truly hurt and saddened that others didn't seem able to follow this. Now my dad had a turbulent childhood and tried very hard to achieve things for himself and his family to a possible negative point. He loved his dad. I never got to met him because he passed before I was born but I heard many awesome stories. I do not think my dad was personally happy alot as an adult but at some point a shift happened and he had an ahha! awakening. In his 60's he started a company that did home repair for low income people. This was a time consuming and physically demanding job. It was also dangerous. He took it seriously and seemed to get a great deal of enjoyment and satisfaction from it. It was his way of sharing himself the only way he knew how...work. We, the family, did not support this because we saw the physical ,emotional toll it took and we did not get it.This hurt him a lot. I get it now. I hope he knows that. I share myself by writing and talking. I appreciate my dad's teachings and I understand now what I never did before. Thanks dad!

Best Birthday a girl could have

It is 3:30am and I am awake because I am happy. I had the most amazing & perfect birthday I could have ever dreamed of yesterday. I had the day off work so I slept in which is always a nice treat. I woke up to several very kind birthday wishes on Facebook and another special holistic website I am a member of. Then I opened a large package that had arrived from our friends in Portland which was full of goodies for both of us and the sweetest card ever. Paul woke up and came downstairs so I opened my gift from him and then went into my laboratory (the kitchen)to make his juice. I asked him to come watch me make it and learn how to use the juicer. He did and he finished it off which was nice because now he knows how to make his juice any time. We watched a little tv about the Motown musicians and then headed off to Whole Foods for a few things. From there we went to eat a late lunch at a local organic restaurant. It was a nice break not having to prepare any food. As much as I like to do it sometimes I need a break. We were the only people in the place which I always like. I want the restaurants like this one to succeed and remain open but I like having them to myself. We came home with about an hour and a half to kill before going to our next planned event so we watched pointless tv about fashion and home repair. I ate Kettle chip potato chips figuring it is my birthday so if I am going to eat it do it today. we then set out to pick up my mom and go listen to a local woman speak about how she used a raw vegan diet to heal herself of cervical cancer. I was super stoked about this because we are on that path and need to meet others who have been there and successfully accomplished it. This event was held at a local health food store in one of the suburbs of our city about 5 minutes down the road from my mom's place. So, I wanted to show her around the store in hopes that she will at least try to go there for groceries. The place was packed to her this woman speak which was exciting and it was so great to me to see a lot of older people in the audience. her story is so similar to ours it was as if I was talking. That was so nice because we have heard these stories on line or in books but tonight we were looking at the person and hearing her voice tell the story. she lives in a suburb that is only about 15 minutes away from us. She is real & tangible. She is inspiration and motivation like we have not had before. My husband said she needs to write a book and I agree as long as she never stops speaking publicly. When it was over I asked my mom what she thought and she said she enjoyed it very much. I was super thrilled to hear that. I was over the moon happy. We got in the car to take my mom home and she wanted us to come inside so she could give me my gift so we went in with her. As I walked in the living room I saw a woman standing in the kitchen. She looked familiar but why was there a person in my mom's kitchen? Was she being robbed? Then a group of people jump out of the hallway into the living room and I am sure we are getting robbed until the initial shock wears off and I realize it is my family saying Happy Birthday. The woman in the kitchen is one of my sister-in-laws. I was floored. I never suspected a thing nor did I expect it. My family didn't do this kind of thing. It was super nice, especially since on Feb. 16,2009 my dad had cardiac arrest and was in the hospital fighting to stay alive. He passed away 2 days later. Last year my birthday was a devastating day. I am glad that one year later my family is celebrating it. It is the first time we have had a surprise party. I know my dad was there and happy. One of my sisters had a raw vegan cake made. Kansas City is getting a new raw restaurant in March!! Yeah! My sister had the chef/owner make me a cake and my mom said no other types of food were allowed. Do you know how great this is and how wonderful it made me feel. It was delicious and everyone ate it. There were no leftovers. I am so happy I can't sleep. That is a feeling that is precious. I am a fortunate & grateful lady. The universe & god are constantly showing me love and confirming that we are on the proper path. 37 feels so good!!

Best Buddha Bowl

Tonight I made the best Buddha Bowl so far. I changed it up and used brown rice instead of Quinoa. What's nice about this is that I made the rice on Sunday. when I make brown rice for any reason I make enough for another meal. It keeps in the fridge for a few days and makes dinner easier. I have no measurements for this so it is to your taste. This made 2 bowls

Brown rice
1 avacado
3 green onions
1/2 carrot
20 soaked almonds
1 small head of broccoli
sesame seeds
sesame oil
nama shoya (unpasturized soy sauce)
3 cloves of garlic


Cut up the green onions including some of the green stems, chop the garlic, cut the tops off your broccoli and use a veggie peeler to get carrot shavings & slice your avocado. Toss these veggies in your bowls and top with the rice, sesame seeds and nama shoyu. Add the almonds & Enjoy!

winter

"Why do we need wintertime? Why would a Creator create short,cold days? I think it is because there are times we need to go within and be in touch with our inner source of energy and fire. What keeps us going during difficult times? What keeps us warm? When we realize the message of winter, then how we perceive it changes. It is a time for coming together so we can warm each other."Dr. Bernie Siegel

Easy to find superfoods

Last night I took a nutrition class taught by a dietician from one of the hospitals in our city. My past experience with hospital and doctor's office dieticians has not been less than impressive but I was pleasantly surprised at this lady. I like her which is good because we have 3 more classes. These classes are focused on foods that are good to eat during, as a a preventative measure or in addition to aid recovery from illness. Last night's topic was Superfoods. She wanted to talk about foods that are readily available & common so you will notice some things missing. My notes aren't complete but this will get you started.

Some common superfoods are walnuts, oats, yogurt, salmon, berries, broccoli, garlic & onions, tomatoes, spinach, pumpkin, soy, legumes & beans, tea( specifically green tea)

Green tea is antifugal, antibacterial and a good source of chlorophyll & polyphenols. Chlorophyll binds to carcinogens and absorbs them so the body can excrete them. Green tea is lower in caffeine than black tea and boiling water should not be used to brew green tea. Hot water is sufficient. Boiling water can destroy some of the beneficial nutrients. If you have low iron or hemoglobin counts green tea is not a good thing to drink because the tanins inhibit iron absorption. At least drink it away from eating a meal of iron rich foods if you just must have it. Fresh lemon juice will help us to absorb the phytochemicals(antioxidants) in our foods. So add it to your tea or salads, whatever. Pucker up and enjoy the benefits. Spinach is high in COQ10, carotenoids, calcium, iron, B vitamins, zinc, magnesium, chlorophyll & plant derived omega 3. Spinach has been shown to reduce cancers of the colon, lung, stomach, skin, breast, prostate & ovaries as well as heart disease mostly due to the COQ10 and cataracts due to the lutein. One serving of spinach or other dark leafy greens per day is optimal. This can be achieved by eating them as a salad, including them as part of a sandwich, topping off a tomato soup or omelet, sauteed as a side dish with olive oil and garlic or as we do in my house juiced with apple. Beans raise iron levels in the blood and contain folate. They have phytochemicals(black beans especially) that support angiogenesis which means they help cut off the blood supply to tumors. They are a great source of soluble fiber which helps sweep away the bad cholesterol and provide lasting energy. Beans are a great plant based protein source. When preparing from dry beans like red kidney, pinto, navy, black, & garbonzo need to soak over night or at least 8 hours in order to bring out the enzymes and make them easier for us to digest. This also cuts down on cooking time. At least 4 1/2 cup servings per week in optimal. Pumpkin is high in vitamin A which helps keep inflamation down and benefits the mucus membranes of the body. It is no coincidense that it is a fall /winter vegetable then as these properties aid in the prevention of upper resperitory illnesses which flourish in the fall & winter. Sweet potatoes, winter squashes, carrots, orange bell peppers are sidekicks to pumpkin. Canned pumpkin is more nutritious than fresh pumpkin. On a side note from my own knowlegde canned real pumpkin, not pumpkin pie pumpkin is good for your pets to relieve constipation. After all our GI tracts are big mucus membranes. My cats love it. Frozen choices can be more convient and are just as nutritious. Berries are high in phytochemicals. Blueberries in particular support angiogenesis and help prevent degenerative diseases. One or two cups per day is optimal. They can be added to salads, smoothies, oatmeal,etc. Frozen is a good choice because when fruits and veggies are flash frozen they have lost less nutrient content from the time they were picked. There is also nutrient loss each day from the day they were harvested. Flash freezing prevents that loss so if you are not going to eat a fruit or veggie soon from the time you purchase it then frozen is a good option. Of course this is also a great reason to buy local. Broccoli contains calcium, folic acid and B vitamins. It is a cruciferous vegetable. This family of veggies neutralizes toxins making them water soluble so we can eliminate them. Cruciferous veggies especially in raw form contain goitrogens. Goitrogens are a thyroid inhibitor that halts to production of certain hormones so if you have a thyroid condition it is best to limit if not avoid this family of veggies. Talk yo your doctor or dietician. Research estimates that broccoli sprouts provide 10 to 100 times the power of mature broccoli at neutralizing carcinogens. Broccoli sprouts can be found in the produce isle but are very easy to grow at home on your windowsill. Sprouting seeds are available at health food stores and at some garden centers along with sprouting kits. In 5 to 7 days you can have grown your own sprouts for a fraction of the cost of store bought sprouts. Garlic is also called the Italian flu shot. It is antibacterial & antiviral. 1/2 or 1 clove daily can lower LDL cholesterol by 10%. The best way to use it is to macerate or smash it and allow 5 minutes before eating in order to allow the active compounds to be released. The same goes for onions. Yellow & red onions have more nutrient content. Tomatoes neutralize free radicals and oxidize LDL. Concentrated lycopene is more beneficial which is why tomato sauces are better than fresh. Tomatoes from a jar are much better than from a can. When Lycopene is concentrated it is more bioavailable. It helps protect against prostate cancer. Soy is high in all of the essential amino acids but it can also be a highly processed food. The processed forms should be avoided. These are soy protein isolates, soybean oil in excess and TVP or textured vegetable protein. Try soy in its' traditional forms like tofu, tempeh, edamame, miso or tamari soy sauce. also watch that your soy products are labeled NON GMO. Soy is one of the biggest gmo crops grown. Substitute tempeh or tofu for meat at least once per week. Snack on edamame. Soy has some adverse side effects in those with cancer. We did not touch on this but it is widely known so if you have cancer do some homework on eating soy before you do. Walnuts contains vitamin E which protect cell membranes of fatty cells like our brains. It is no coincidence that a walnut looks like a brain when cracked in half. They also contain arginine which opens up blood vessels making them heart healthy. They are a great fiber source as well. Oats are another great fiber source. Thy contain ferulic acid which fights against prostate cancer. Steel cut oats are the oat groat before it is pressed and rolled for rolled oats. They take longer to break down in the body thus giving lasting energy. Instant oatmeal is chopped up rolled oats that have been mechanically predigested and usually contain excessive amounts of sugar and flavorings. Steel cut oats are optimal. Yogurt contains probiotics which the body needs to maintain immune health. Greek yogurt has twice the amount of protein as regular yogurt. It is a bit more sour too. Avoid yogurts that contain high fructose corn syrup, added sugars and artifical sweeteners.
Salmon is high in omega 3 , selenium, iodine & zinc. Wild should be used instead of farmed raised. Farm raised salmon are not fed their natural diet but rather fed corn and the like. These feeds also contain dyes so the meat will be pink, antibiotics,etc. Farmed raised fish are subject to illnesses and environmental contaminants due to the fact they are confined and packed together in small spaces like all other factory farmed animals.
So enjoy these easy to find superfoods.