Ahha!

Today I am having a HUGE Ahha moment. For about a week I have not felt well physically. It has not been the usual and obvious winter flu kind of not feeling well but something different. Something deeper if that makes any sense. For a few days I thought I had it figured out, food sensitivities and detoxing. I still believe that these things are playing a role as I have been seriously playing around with my diet but they are not working alone. Emotionally I have been feeling all over the board and overwhelmed. HELLO, Miss studying Holistic nutrition and just now putting those things together. Sometimes it takes time to get into the practice especially on one's self. So I gave myself a good talking too and asked for all of the emotions associated with the overwhelming situations to come forward so I could acknowledge and release them. Talk about turning on the waterworks and feeling the need to throw up. It makes perfect sense. As I am trying to purge strong held emotions and memories I am manifesting that process physically and it is not pleasant. An example is that if I feel physically sick or have physical symptoms I turn them into a life threatening illness. A headache does not represent brain surgery and fatigue and digestive issues do not always mean cancer. You see in my past I had consistent, life disrupting headaches for a period of time that ended up being the result of a brain abscess. I had to have brain surgery and was the recipient of some lovely side effects. I almost did not make it and it was possible that I would not be a functioning person afterwards...so I was later told. This experience was a living nightmare but I am alive and a very functional person today. My late husband had backaches and weight gain followed by rapid weight loss. It turned out to be a stage IV cancer. Huh?!! Both situations were scary as hell and life changing in both good and bad ways. It is understandable why I associate not feeling well with serious illness but I have to retrain my brain that this is not always the case.
Our emotions do not just go away. Many times we stuff them away or ignore them as a way of dealing with them. But, where is away and since when did ignoring something do anything but allow it to continue or get out of control? I am not professing to be a great guru of emotional release by any stretch of the imagination. I am working on practicing it seriously though. I learned about it a few years ago through the books of Louise Hay and Dr. Bernie Segal as well as through Quantum Touch therapy. I recently rediscovered it after a long over due session of energy healing. This might all sound very woo woo but let's put some perspective on it. It is a very well documented and accepted fact that stress can cause and is a definite factor in many illnesses and we know that stress is an emotional response that triggers physiological actions. Our emotional and spiritual selves are very real and need to be given as much attention as our physical self. They are not different. They are parts of the whole which is us as human beings. Our well being is not just referring to our physical self. It requires the physical, emotional and spiritual in order to be complete. We require the health of these three aspects of our being in order to be healthy human beings. I am not going to assure you that to cure your headache, backache, etc. you need need to get right with yourself on an emotional and spiritual level but I am going to invite you to give that an honest try. It is not pleasant to bring up painful emotions or overwhelming questions about life but doing so allows you to acknowledge that at one time they were real, at one time, not necessarily now so holding on to them is not of any benefit to you. This is a process worth trying. A great resource I have found in emotional release is The Sedona Method by Hale Dwoskin.
So next time you get some time to yourself and decide to treat yourself to a spa day or a massage throw in some time for some emotional pampering as well and know that you are truly doing your body good.

Easy dinner

Here is an easy dinner for anyone to prepare. You will need a food processor but other than that these are easy, fuss-free recipes that will impress. They are also mostly gluten free. I will provide you with a completely gluten free option.

Leafy avocado rice paper rolls

1 package of rice paper, follow package directions for use
1-2 avocado depending on how many rolls you want to make, sliced
1 cucumber, sliced very thin, a mandolin slicer works best
2-4 carrots depending on how many rolls you want to make
3-4 leaves of green leafy or romaine lettuce cut into strips

lay your soaked rice paper out flat and position your avocado and then the rest of the veggies tightly in a row and roll following the directions on the package
It is a great option to get your veggies off of the salad bar (I like Whole Foods salad bar b/c it is mostly organic and labels everything so you will know). This way they are already cut and shredded for you but you will have to do the avocado yourself. I would add green cabbage if you chose to go this route.

Mock Peanut dipping sauce - from Raw Food Made easy by Jennifer Cornbleet

1/2 cup raw almond butter
1/4 cup water
1 tbs. fresh lemon juice (slice a lemon and twist the round part of a spoon into the flesh to help extract the juice)
2 tsp. pure grade b maple syrup (grade b is less refined)
2 tsp. tamari
1/2 tsp. crushed garlic (1 clove)
1/4 tsp. grated ginger
cayenne and sea salt to taste

Put all ingredients into the food processor and process until smooth



Toasted Sesame Soba Noodles w/ Baby Broccoli

1 package of Japanese Soba Noodles (real soba noodles are made from buckwheat and that is all. Read the package) Usually there will be 3 separate bundles per package. For 2 two bundles is usually enough
3-5 green onions, chopped
2-3 cloves garlic, chopped
5-8 stalks broccoli, chopped including stems (this is to taste) You can use whatever veggies you like
Toasted sesame oil
Tamari
Crushed red chili pepper flakes
1 tbs. unrefined coconut oil

Follow soba noodle package cooking directions. Add the coconut oil to the cooking water. They usually only need 4 minutes per bundle to cook.
Chop your green onions, garlic and broccoli. Again you can use any veggie you like and getting them already chopped or shredded from the salad bar is always an option to save time and waste if you know you probably will not eat the remainder before they go bad. When the noodles are done and on their serving dish top with veggies, garlic and tamari, sesame oil & pepper flakes to taste. Sliced almonds and avocado go well in this too. I like to sprinkle sesame seeds on top
before serving.

Perfect Chocolate Mousse - from Living Cuisine by Renee Loux Underkoffler

1/2 cup pitted, softened dates (to soften them just soak them in a bowl of water for a 10 minutes)
3-4 tbs. pure grade b maple syrup
1 tbs. cold pressed coconut butter (optional but I think it makes a world of difference to use it)
1 1/2 tbs. non-alcohol vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups mashed avocado (approx. 3 med. avocados)
3/4 cup raw carob powder
4-6 tbs. cocoa powder (or additional carob powder)

Drain the soak water from the dates and set it aside to use later. In the food processor put the coconut butter, dates, maple syrup and vanilla and blend till smooth. Spoon in the avocado and blend till smooth adding some of the date soak water if necessary. Spoon in the carob and cocoa powders until smooth. It will be thick like a mousse. Serve. You can freeze it for an ice cream like dessert too. I serve it with mixed berry puree made from strawberries and raspberries which can be purchased frozen and thawed in the fridge. Puree in the food processor or a blender.

If you need everything to be gluten free try using Coconut Aminos instead of Tamari. All of these ingredients should be easy to find at health food stores like Whole Foods.