Sugar
has become the new faux pas in the health industry. Everyone everywhere
(or so it seems) is talking about how ‘bad’ sugar is for you. And it’s
not just white sugar they are banning from their kitchens. The evil
synthetic sugar alternatives aspartame and acesulfame-K, to name just
two, have been linked to cancer.
So what else is there? Here are my top 5 natural healthy alternatives to sugar in no particular order.
This is a thick syrup made
from coconut tree sap. Unlike maple syrup, it doesn’t require intense
heating to bring out its sweetness. This allows it to be enzymatically
alive and for its naturally high amino acid profile to remain intact. It
has far higher levels of important minerals than any other sugar, as
well as high levels of Vitamin C.
Unlike sugar cane, which
leeches the soil, coconut palms repair damaged soil, require very little
water and produce 50-75 percent more sugar per acre than sugar cane.
Health Benefits: Low
glycemic index; high in vitamins and minerals. Also has insoluble fibre,
which prevents against sugar spikes in the bloodstream, and a unique
medium chain fatty acid, said to help prevent heart disease.
Stevia, a shrub native to
Latin America, is not really a sugar at all! It is up to 300 times
sweeter than sugar too. It has no kilojoules and does not raise blood
sugar levels. Not all stevia is equal though. Often times, cellulose
powder and bulking agents are added to make stevia more palatable. You
must check the label first. The green powder is the stevia you need to
be looking out for. Some people say Stevia has an aftertaste. This is
something you can certainly get used to over time.
Health benefits: In truly unprocessed form, provides
beneficial antioxidants, vitamins and minerals. Because our bodies can't
digest the stevia plant, it offers essentially zero calories and has an
extremely low glycemic index. Fructose count also becomes negligible,
and it doesn't affect blood sugar levels.
Raw Honey
Source raw honey
that’s been organically and locally produced to reap the full benefits.
Packed with vitamins, honey also has antimicrobial properties. It does
have more calories than normal sugar but because it’s sweeter you use
less of it.
Health benefits:
Natural antibacterial, antiviral and antifungal properties; can be used
to treat ulcers. Some raw honeys have a number on their labels; the
higher this number, the higher the antibiotic properties. Local, raw
honey may also help people with seasonal allergies.
Agave nectar comes from the
blue agave cactus – a massive plant. While it’s become a popular
sweetener among health enthusiasts in recent years and is a popular
alternative to honey among vegans, you do need to ensure you are getting
good quality raw dark unfiltered agave as oftentimes, the lighter agave
is adulterated with HFCS. This is still a rare occurance within
Australia but does happen. Agave has a low GI of 30
Health benefits:
Provides the body with several nutrients and may be beneficial for
digestion. Because it's very sweet, a little goes a long way.
Yacon syrup is made from the
root of the yacon plant, which grows in the Andes region of South
America. Thanks to its high fructooligosaccharides level (FOS), a sugar
polymer our bodies cannot digest, it has minimal impact on blood sugar
levels. It is glucose-free, and does not increase blood sugar levels.
Because of this, yacon syrup is often recommended as a sweetener to
those suffering from diabetes or at risk of becoming diabetic. Yacon
syrup has a divine carmel flavour and is one of my favourites. I love
its smooth taste, especially in chocolate!
Health Benefits: Considered a prebiotic as it aids in
the absorption of calcium and other vitamins. Also promotes healthy gut
flora, which is essential for good digestion. Because its primary sugar
is FOS, which can't be absorbed, it's low-calorie and has a low
glycemic index.
I was inspired by the book written by Marci Shimoff, who
appeared in the world wide phenomenon movie The Secret. Being an NLP
Trainer and Hypnotist as well as a Naturopath, I would often find
clients expressing a deep sadness or unfulfillment within themselves.
They often expressed this as:
I just feel that there is something missing inside me
I don’t feel like I’m living my passion
I know there is more to life than what I have
Or the great big one: is this all there is to life?
I discovered that by incorporating certain foods and
supplements with a few psychological shifts, specific mental exercises,
somebelief changes and adding in specific exercise suited
to the individual, there were massive increases in the natural
happiness of people.
It
has been theorised by Dr David Lykken, a scientist at the University of
Minnesota USA, that our happiness set points (from the perspective of
how much is nature and how much is nuture), that approximately 50% of
our set point is genetic and 50% is learned! The latter is determined by
your thoughts, feelings and beliefs formed in response to your life’s
experiences. Further to this original study, 3 psychology researchers
Sonja Lyubomirsky, Kennon Sheldon and David Schkade discovered that the
50% learned happiness is broken down further into a 10% which is
determined by circumstances (such as wealth, marital status, job) and
the remaining 40% being determined by our habitual thoughts, feelings,
words and actions! This is fantastic news as this means it is within our
control! We all have the power to reprogram our own happiness set
points to a higher level of peace and well being!
There are multitudes of personal development courses,
workshops, seminars, retreats, books, DVD’s, CD’s, downloads and more
that can teach you to teach yourself tools, techniques and strategies to
increase your happiness. Even I have my own set of programs and
seminars that I have designed.
Yet, one thing that many of these miss out on, is the
nutrition component. By using specific foods and nutrients, you can
enhance the effect of all these programs. So many therapists and
practitioners forget that the body is a whole – mind, body and spirit.
They are all one. They cannot be separated. You need one to facilitate
optimum functioning of the other.
I have included a small list of everyday foods that you
can access to increase your happiness set point and listed some of the
reasons why they work
I’m
not talking about milk chocolate or confection chocolate that exists in
supermarkets & grocery stores. Quality raw organic dark chocolate
contains amazing compounds such as Anandamide, which literally means
“internal bliss,” is a lipid that binds to and activates cannabinoid
receptors within the brain, mimicking the psychoactive effects of
cannabinoid drugs, such as heightened sensitivity and euphoria.
Another group of compounds found in chocolate are the
biogenic amines, most notably tyramine and phenyl-ethylamine (PEA).
Biogenic amines are naturally occurring, biologically active compounds
that act primarily as neurotransmitters and are capable of affecting
mental functioning and regulating several bodily processes such as blood
pressure and body temperature.
PEA occurs naturally as a neurotransmitter in the brain
and is thought to stimulate the nervous system and produce feelings such
as those experienced when a person is “in love.” For that reason, PEA
has been touted as the “love drug” and has been credited for chocolate’s
aphrodisiac properties.
Chocolate contains approximately 50% fat and close to 50%
carbohydrate; this combination of nutrients results in a powerful
effect whereby all brain chemicals (specifically serotonin, dopamine,
and opiate peptides) are positioned at optimal levels for positive mood
and euphoric feelings.
2. Silverbeet
Silverbeet
is often overlooked yet it contains a bucketload of magnesium.
Magnesium is used in scores of enzyme and biochemical processes within
the body. A study in 2009 in the “Australian and New Zealand Journal of
Psychiatry” discovered that lower magnesium levels were associated with
higher depression scores.
3. Asparagus
You
will find me often singing the praises of this versatile vegetable. It
happens to be one of my most favoured vegetables as it is so incredibly
nutritious. Asparagus has high levels of folate and tryptophan. Low
levels of folate have been linked to depression in half of all cases of
depression, according to recent research. Tryptophan is also used by the
brain to make serotonin, which is one of the human brain’s main
mood-stabilizing neurotransmitters.
Some people complain is makes their urine smell. The best
way to avoid this is to ensure you are hydrated sufficiently before
hand. You can also try to drink a couple cups of nettle tea a day to
detox and cleanse the body.
Honey contains kaempferol and quercetin, which helps to
prevent depression (and keep your brain healthy) by reducing
inflammation in the brain. It also won’t send your body into
“fat-storage” mode, like regular sugar can, by having less of an impact
on blood-sugar levels.
5. Coconuts!
Coconuts
are another favourite food of mine. They are extremely versatile and
nutritious. Look for young green drinking coconuts that you can also
utilise the flesh for. Drink the water it contains and eat the flesh.
Coconuts contain medium chain triglycerides. Medium-chain triglycerides
are special fats that fuel better moods and promote general
brain-health.
SUPPLEMENTS:
Being a Naturopath, I find that many of my clients cannot
get the nutrients they require for optimal functioning from food alone.
These are some of the nutrients/supplements I often recommend in my
clinic (most are Practitioner only products and you won’t find them on
health food store shelves – you need to ask a Certified Health
Practitioner).
1. 5 HTP (Practitioner Product)
The nutrient 5-HTP (5-hydroxytryptophan), a derivative of
the amino acid tryptophan, is a precursor to serotonin that may help
support mood. It is also on the pathway of melatonin so those who cannot
take melatonin, 5 HTP is perfect. It also helps you sleep peacefully at
night.
2. SAMe
All living things contain SAM-e (S-adenosylmethionine).
The body makes SAM-e from the amino acid methionine. However, you may
not be able to obtain sufficient methionine levels simply by ingesting
food. In addition, because of age or other factors, levels of SAM-e can
fluctuate or decline.
Supplementation with SAM-e is the easiest way to increase
intake. SAM-e is involved in over 35 biochemical reactions involving
enzymatic transmethylation.** (The methylation process is the mechanism
by which the body rids itself of potentially damaging compounds,
synthesizes neurotransmitters, makes components of cartilage, regulates
enzyme activity within the cell and maintains the flexibility of cell
membranes.)**
Science has been looking into this remarkable supplement and
time after time clinical studies have drawn the same conclusions,
SAM-e:
• Promotes healthy joint function and comfort**
• Boosts mood and emotional well-being**
3. Cognisense (Orthoplex)
Orthoplex Cognisense has been specifically formulated to
promote and maintain the functional integrity of the neural tissue and
to support general brain structure and functioning including stress
response, memory, cognition and neurotransmitter function.
Cognisense may be beneficial in a multitude of
situations. From simply maintaining optimal mental health to supporting
brain function in a range of areas from children’s learning and
behaviour, to stress, anxiety and depression and neurodegenerative
conditions in the elderly.
4. Glutamine (Optimal Control)
Glutamine is one of the principle fuels for the brain
cells. It stimulates mental alertness, improves intelligence, normalizes
physical equilibrium, detoxifies ammonia from the brain, improves and
soothes erratic behaviour in elderly patients, improves the ability to
learn, aids in retaining and recall in memory, helps with behavioural
problems and autism in children, stops sugar and alcohol cravings, may
improve IQ in mentally- deficient children, enhances peptic ulcer
healing, and may be used to treat schizophrenia and senility.
Glutamine is the most abundant free amino acid found in
the muscles of the body. Because it can readily pass the blood-brain
barrier, it is known as brain fuel. In the brain, glutamine is converted
into glutamic acid—which is essential for cerebral function—and vice
versa. It also increases the amount of Gamma-amino butyric acid (GABA),
which is needed to sustain proper brain function and mental activity. It
assists in maintaining the proper acid/alkaline balance in the body and
is the basis of the building blocks for the synthesis of RNA and DNA.
It promotes mental ability and the maintenance of a healthy digestive
tract.
5. Alpha GPC (Optimal Control)
Clinical Research in humans and animals has demonstrated
that GPC (l-alpha-glycerylphosphorylcholine) helps support higher brain
function, mental acuity, and the release of human growth hormone. GPC is
a precursor to the neurotransmitter acetylcholine and the membrane
constituent phosphatidylcholine. Research suggests that it is more
bioavailable than other forms of choline for the maintenance of learning
and memory.
6. Bioactivated B Complex (Dr Vera’s)
B group Vitamins may help with depression, reducing
fatigue, reducing alcohol cravings, reducing the risk of stroke and
heart attack. Activated B Complex is a superior high potency mix of B
group vitamins. It contains the active forms of vitamins B2, B3, B6 and
folic acid making it one of the most advanced B group vitamins on the
market today.
The benefit of activated B group vitamins is that you
don’t have to rely on your liver to convert the inactive forms of B
group vitamins into their active form. This is beneficial for people
suffering from a sluggish liver or liver disease. Activated B group
vitamins also have the ability to bypass any metabolic abnormalities
that may contribute to low cellular levels of B group vitamins.
Stress
Anxiety
Adrenal gland support
Liver detoxification
General wellbeing
Stamina and endurance
B Vitamin deficiency states
The active ingredients in Dr Vera's Pure Innovation
Activated B Complex, when professionally prescribed, may assist patients
suffering from specific health conditions.
7. Salmon Oil (Herbs of Gold)
Natural Salmon Oil is a natural source of the long chain
Omega-3 marine essential fatty acids, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and
docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). EPA and DHA play an integral role in many of
the body's metabolic functions and are also an important component of
cellular membranes.
8. Theanine (Strictly Practitioner Only)
Theanine is a miracle in a capsule. I use it for times of
stress, anxiety, nervousness, tension, inability to sleep and in most
of my clients on the Autism Spectrum.
Theanine is a naturally occurring amino acid often found in green tea.
L-theanine’s effect on the brain can be visualized on an
EEG. Brain waves are actually smoothed out—but not flattened out—by
supplemental L-theanine.16 The body is relaxed, the mind is calmed, but
no drowsiness occurs.5 This is exactly the type of relaxation prescribed
by sleep therapists. The person seeking help will be asked to listen to
music or engage in a similarly relaxing activity immediately before
retiring. Studies show that pre-sleep relaxation is very effective
against insomnia, even in tough cases.*
Falling asleep is one thing; staying asleep and getting
quality sleep is another. Researchers in Japan gave volunteers 200 mg of
L-theanine daily and recorded their sleep patterns on devices worn
around their wrists. The L-theanine didn’t cause the subjects to sleep
longer, but it did cause them to sleep better. It was documented that
sleep quality, recovery from exhaustion, and refreshed feelings were all
enhanced by L-theanine. Those taking L-theanine felt like they slept
longer than they actually did. This is good news for people who don’t
get enough sleep, or those who want to sleep less and do more.*
One of the other effects of the tea ceremony is that it
leaves people in a better mood. Knowing that L-theanine can cross the
blood-brain barrier and positively affect brain chemistry, scientists
investigated its mood-modulating effects. The results of those studies
have led to L-theanine being patented as a mood enhancer. How it works
is not completely understood, but one thing researchers have discovered
is that L-theanine changes levels of amino acids affecting serotonin and
other neurotransmitters in the brain.*
Theanine helps balance brain chemistry especially those associated with stress.
Being happy for no reason is a goal most of us wish to
attain. It can be done and it does take some work, personal commitment
and continued practise. The only person you ‘need’ to do it for is
yourself.
Blend the raw soaked and drained cashews with the coconut
flesh until it is a paste. Add in the raw cacao powder, the lucuma
powder and the agave. Give another quick blend until well mixed. If the
‘ice cream’ is too thick, add in coconut water as desired and portion
off into small containers in the freezer until needed.
REMEMBER: HOLIDAY CLOSING TIMES
Our last shipment before Christmas will be on the morning
of Thursday December 20th so get your orders in before then! Our office
will then be closed for the holidays with shipping recommencing on
Monday January 7th.
CHRISTMAS CHOCOLATE EBOOK
Third time lucky! The past two
newsletters have either had an incorrect or broken link to this great
eBook. Apologies to readers (and Pamela).
Get heaps of fantastic Christmas raw chocolate
recipes with Pamela Vinton's Amazing Guilt-free Chocolate ebooks. Over
80 amazing recipes.
Buy
one David Wolfe Raw Omega-3+ Astaxanthin 60 caps and one Ocean's Alive Marine Phytoplankton and get one
Estroblock 60 caps for fr.ee! Click here and add this bundle to your shopping
cart.
KUVINGS BONUS
Buy a Kuvings Silent Juicer and get a Kuvings 6.7" Ceramic Knife (value $69) and Kuvings/NUC Antibacterial Chopping Board (value $39) as your fr.ee bonus.
There
are times when unexpected guests pop in at Christmas and rather than
serve the typical Christmas fare of peanuts and pretzels, wouldn't it be
wonderful to surprise them with delectable delights that nourish them
and tantelise their tastebuds!
I have made the 2 Bites recipes similar so that you
can either split the recipe or make a double batch easily. Believe me,
these divine bites will disappear in a flash! They rarely last longer
than half an hour at our place and we always make a triple batch!
Filled with life giving raw cacao, plump medjool
dates and psyllium to support bowel health at an important time of the
year, your guests will appreciate the effort you've put into these
amazing treats.
To finish it off, you can make a quick and easy warm cinnamon cacao drink to replace coffee or alcoholic egg nog.
Combine ingredients in a blender.
This will thicken it well. Warm to 46C. You can do this in the Vitamix
or Vitacrush or VERY carefully on the stove. If you use the stove, you
need to stop heating before it gets to the target temperature because it
will continue to heat even after the being removed. You can use a
chocolate thermometer to check.
Add 2 cups of the water, the soaked and drained almonds
and vanilla bean to the blender. Give it all a process for a minute and
check for desired consistency. Add in more filtered water depending on
the thickness you desire. Process for another one minute or so being
careful not to heat it up too much. Strain through a nutmilk bag. You can save the remaining pulp, dehydrate it and use it as flour for other recipes.
Process the soaked and drained almonds in a blender until
roughly chopped. Add in the drained medjool dates and process again
until a bit more processed. Lastly, add in the psyllium until blended
moderately. Remove the mix from the blender into a bowl, and hand mix
the remaining ingredients, adding in a small amount of coconut oil if
needed (adding in too much will result in soggy floppy bites). Hand
roll into little balls and roll in the dessicated coconut. Set in the
fridge to set slightly and serve!
Process the soaked and drained almonds in a blender until
roughly chopped. Add in the drained medjool dates and process again
until a bit more processed. Lastly, add in the psyllium until blended
moderately. Remove the mix from the blender into a bowl, and hand mix
the goji berries, adding in a small amount of coconut oil if
needed (adding in too much will result in soggy floppy bites). Hand
roll into little balls. Set in the fridge to set slightly and serve!
HOLIDAY CLOSING TIMES
Our last shipment before Christmas will be on the morning
of Thursday December 20th so get your orders in before then! Our office
will then be closed for the holidays with shipping recommencing on
Monday January 7th.
"I WANT HEALTHY HANDS" ARTICLE OFFER
We have a few remaining bottles of Maia Organics Hand, Nail & Cuticle Conditioner 25ml
which will be given as a bonus first come, first serve to all orders
with the words: "I want healthy hands" in the shipping details of your
order. It's an intensely nourishing blend of organic essential oils and
base oils to nourish, repair and rejuvenate your hands, nails and
cuticles.
Buy one David Wolfe Raw Omega-3+ Astaxanthin 60 caps and one Ocean's Alive Marine Phytoplankton and get one Estroblock 60 caps forfr.ee!Click here and add this bundleto your shopping cart.
KUVINGS BONUS
Buy aKuvings Silent Juicerand get a Kuvings 6.7" Ceramic Knife (value $69) and Kuvings/NUC Antibacterial Chopping Board (value $39) as yourfr.eebonus.
Article: "Healthy Hair, Skins & Nails" by Michelle Ovens
"I want healthy hands" article offer
Recipe: Kelp Noodles with Broccoli Sprouts & Tahini
Christmas Chocolate Recipes eBook
Christmas Special Offers
Free Gift Wrapping
Christmas Gift Ideas & Treats
ARTICLE
Healthy Hair, Skin & Nails!
by Michelle Ovens, Naturopath
Summer is a great time to shed some layers, expose a
little bit more skin, and enjoy those sensational balmy nights. It is
usually the time when you realise your hair, skin and nails need a bit
more attention also. The condition of your hair, skin and nails can be
outward signs of your overall health and can indicate where you may be
lacking in the nutritional department.
Hair
and nails reflect the health of the body two to six months previously.
Skin reflects any imbalances much more immediately. The skin is the
largest organ of the body and is responsible for the elimination of a
variety of toxins. This of course means that much of what is going on
inside will quickly be reflected in the appearance of your skin.
The good news is, you can help your body with foods and nutrients.
Protein:
is the building blocks of all cells in your body; all 73 trillion of
them. An easily digested and absorbed protein is Ezy Protein
Biofermented Brown Rice Protein Powder. My recommendation is the
chocolate one as it has added cacao powder. Raw cacao has over 70
minerals and vitamins.
Iron: Tired and lacking in energy? This may be a
symptom of low iron. Hair, nails and skin can also suffer if you're
lacking in iron. Skin may be very pale, become itchy, or there could be
cracking at the side of the mouth (this could also be a Vitamin B
deficiency). Nails can become brittle and develop vertical stripes, or
even become spoon-shaped. You could shed more hair and it will be
noticeably more dry, brittle and dull.
Lentils, cashews, tahini, almonds, figs, dates and pumpkin seeds are high in iron.
Vitamin C
is essential to make collagen, the structural cement of the body. Under
the skin, collagen is the fibrous tissue that plumps it up giving
support and shape. As skin ages it loses collagen. Kiwi fruit, oranges,
guava, capsicum, dark leafy greens, broccoli, cauliflower and brussel
sprouts, papaya, strawberries, mango, blueberries and tomato are high in
natural vitamin c. Acai and rosehips are also high in Vitamin C. A
great superfood supplement is the Berry Ultimate Antioxidant Blend or Merry Berry Superfood blend.
A combination of silica, manganese, magnesium and
calcium with zinc are essential for strong and healthy hair skin and
nail growth. There are a lot of supplements on the market, including
some Practitioner Only products that promise the world and are not worth
the money spent on them. I’ve been in the Health Food Industry for over
17 years now and I’ve seen just about every claim made. Herbs are
usually the better way to go as opposed to a capsule or tablet. If you
do decide to use a supplement, look for ingredients that are ALL
chelated. Herbs such as Horsetail (filled with natural silica) are great
for encouraging fast and strong growth, though if there is any metal
plates, pins, pacemakers, aortic stents etc, they will be dissolved by
the horsetail. Also known as Equisetum, this magnificent plant can
dissolve gold if left in solution! It is fantastic for gout crystals,
kidney stones, excess uric acid, calcium spurs etc. It does come with a
warning; ensure you only use it for a short time. Best used under the
supervision of a Medical Herbalist.
MSM powder
is another product you can add into your daily meals. Sulphur is the
building blocks of all cells. It is used in every enzyme process, in
every hormone production, in every metabolic pathway within the body.
Sulphur is also in beans, eggs, fish, garlic, lentils, onions, and
yoghurt.
Nettles: as in Stinging Nettles. According to Sergi
Boutenko, Wild Edibles expert, nettles are one of natures most
nutritious wild foods, they are rich in iron, silica, calcium, vitamins
A, D & K. Nettles soothe and prevent hay fever and allergies.
Regulates blood sugar and improves circulation. Nettles also help
rheumatism and arthritis; in many cultures people would thrash
themselves with nettles to help these conditions. Eating them is said to
be helpful for stiff muscles after exercise. And of course, they are
magnificent for glowing skin, luscious locks and healthy nails. Best in
the form of herbal tinctures if you cannot get it wild, though drinking
1-2 cups of tea a day could be beneficial also.
"I WANT HEALTHY HANDS" ARTICLE OFFER
We have a bottle of Maia Organics Hand, Nail & Cuticle Conditioner 25ml
for the first 12 orders over $100 with the words: "I want healthy
hands" in the shipping details of your order. It's an intensely
nourishing blend of organic essential oils and base oils to nourish,
repair and rejuvenate your hands, nails and cuticles.
RECIPE
Kelp Noodles with Avocado, Broccoli Sprouts and Tahini
Combine all dressing ingredients together and pour over
the top of the kelp noodles and other ingredients. Mix gently and enjoy.
CHRISTMAS SPECIAL OFFERS
Buy
one David Wolfe Raw Omega-3+ Astaxanthin 60 caps and one Ocean's Alive Marine Phytoplankton and get one
Estroblock 60 caps for fr.ee! Click here and add this bundle to your shopping
cart.
Buy a Kuvings Silent Juicer and get a Kuvings 6.7" Ceramic Knife (value $69) and Kuvings/NUC Antibacterial Chopping Board (value $39) as your fr.ee bonus.
GIFT WRAPPING
We are offering free gift wrapping for the following great gifts:
Cacao butter, (also known as cocoa butter) is the natural cream coloured vegetable fat extracted from cacao beans during the process of separating the powder and liquor from the bean. 70% of the world's production of cacao butter is produced in the West African nations Nigeria, Ghana and Cote d'Ivoire. Cacao butter has a soft, sweet cacaoaroma, and is one of the most stable fats known.
The Ultimate Moisturiser: Eczema and Dermatitis Symptoms eradicated with CacaoButter?
Cacao butter has been called the ultimate moisturizer, and has been used to keep skin soft and supple for centuries. It is one of the most stable, highly concentrated natural fats known, and melts at body temperature so that it is readily absorbed into the skin.
Cacao butter is often recommended for treatment of skin conditions such as eczema and dermatitis. When applied topically, it creates a barrier between sensitive skin and the environment and also helps retain moisture.
In addition, cacao butter contains cacao mass polyphenol (CMP), a substance that inhibits the production of the immunoglobulin IgE. IgE is known to aggravate symptoms of both dermatitis and asthma.
Can using cacao Butter help the fight against cancer?
Recent research indicates that massaging the skin with cacao butter may help relieve stress, boost the immune system, and even prevent cancer. This is because cacao butter, like chocolate, contains a lot of CMP.
Researchers in Japan reported that CMP inhibits the growth of cancerous cells and tumours by reducing active oxygen levels in the body, and concluded that CMP inhibits the oxidation of LDL (good) cholesterol and the production of inflammatory cells; there is some evidence that the CMP in cacao butter may also help prevent heart disease and ease arthritic symptoms.
Preliminary research indicates that CMP actually helps suppress excessive T-cell activity in the immune system, which could help treat conditions associated with overactive immune systems, such as psoriasis, fibromylagia, and chronic fatigue syndrome.
Some Uses for Cacao Butter
Add a spoonful to your bath water for a luxurious experience.
Great for dry, itchy skin, or sore muscles.
Try adding Lavender or Chamomile essential oil as well, or an herbal infusion made from soothing herbs.
Use in massage for overexerted muscles
Add to soaps for a conditioning effect that adds a good lather.
Add it to your handmade soap recipes.
Use during pregnancy to keep the skin supple, & to prevent stretch marks.
It may also be used after giving birth to reduce stretch marks.
Process almonds until finely ground and place in a bowl
Coarsely process pecans, cranberries and goji berries and add to bowl
Leave hazelnuts whole and add to bowl
Add minced chili or powder
Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well by hand
Taste test to get the desired level of chili bite
Press into a cling wrap lined 15cm x 15cm (6in x 6in) container
Refrigerate overnight
Cut into squares and enjoy
Store in fridge in an airtight container
*Suitable to freeze
Pamela Vinten has just released her latest re-write of her raw, natural chocolate recipe eBooks. It is a brand new look incorporating 8 of her previous books into one purchase (2 books plus bonuses) so is great value. There are many new recipes as well as the original ones - over 80 in total. Check out her books atwww.amazingguiltfreechocolate.com
There are many other bonuses as well. Pamela's delicious raw chocolate is gluten and dairy free, diabetes friendly, vegan and fat burning. Read her web site to find out why. Eat chocolate and take off weight!
PERMANENT PRICE DROPS
MSM Sulphur 1kg was $75 now $57.75 400g was $32 now $25 200g was $15.95 now $12.95
Maqui Berry Active
Powder Organic 200gwas $59.95 now $39.95 100g was $34.95 now $24.95
We were so excited to receive the first newsletter contributions. We had a great time reading through them all and have posted the first recipe below - a beautiful Raw Banoffie Pie by Lou Dwan. We're sending Lou a $50 Raw Power Gift Certificate.
Recipe Contribution
by Lou Dwan
There are always those flavours that instantly zip you straight back to childhood. For me, anything caramel was just the ticket. Staying at my Grandparents, our treats would always be salted peanuts and Caramello chocolate. Caramel Easter eggs were munched first.
The coveted dessert that my Mum would make on an occasion was Banoffie Pie - biscuit crumb base, ooey gooey caramel, bananas, cream and grated chocolate. I think these days I would be buzzing off the sugar in one of these bad boys, simply by sniffing it. My taste buds have definitely matured and evolved since my childhood sugar loving days. Refined sugar and me aren't really the best of friends at this stage in my life - I've turned to more natural sources when I indulge in a sweet treat.
It's amazing how, over time, you can "programme" your taste buds to appreciate the natural sweetness that is abundant in things like dates - the earth's caramel. Processed white sugar and high fructose corn syrup filled caramels? No way - here's my raw and refined sugar free version of my childhood favourite:
Pulse the base ingredients together in a food processor until a soft crumb is formed. Push into a non stick spring form cheesecake pan... compacting down firmly. Place in the fridge.
In a food processor or high speed blender like a Vita Mix, whizz together the "Cream" scraping down the sides as necessary. Mix until super smooth.
Pour on top of base, and place in the freezer for about 4 hours.
Transfer to the fridge to soften slightly before serving.
Garnish with raw cacao nibs/greated raw chocolate or sliced banana and a sprinkling of raw cacao powder.
Are you a bit of a word-smith? A budding J.K. Rowling of the raw food community? :-) We would love to hear from you! We are looking for interesting articles, personal stories, recipes or product reviews written by our raw food community members. Anything that you think our 10,000-strong newsletter community would like to read about. We will be giving a $50 Raw Power Australia gift voucher for each contribution that we accept to include in the newsletter. So, get out your crayons, pencils, pens, keyboards or iPads and send your beautiful prose to info@rawpower.com.au
Note: contributions advertising a business service are not for consideration. If interested, please contact us to see how we can work together.
Price Drop
Great news! The Oscar Vital Max 900 Juicer has had a permanent price reduction from $495 to $449. Remember, it comes with a 20 year warranty on the motor and a 5 year warranty on parts!
Place all the ingredients in a food processor and pulse until it reaches a doughy consistency.
Press into four mini tartlet pans with removable bottoms.
Place
bases onto a mesh dehydrator sheet and dehydrate at 115 degrees F (46C) for
six hours. They should now be firm enough to remove from the tart cases
so you can continue to dehydrate them for a further eight hours.
Place the tartlets on a cooling rack for three minutes before serving.
* Tart cases should be approx 11-cm wide and no more than about 1-cm.
* To
make cashew flour, process the correct amount of cashews blender slowly
until flour-like. Please do not overblend as the oil from the cashews
will turn it to dough.
For the apples & raisins
Mix the apples and grape seed oil together and dehydrate for six hours.
Mix all other ingredients in a bowl with the apples and place them in the dehydrator for another two hours before serving.
For the infused yacon syrup cacao nib sauce
Mix all ingredients in a blender until smooth. Pour into a glass jar.
Place the bottle on top of the dehydrator for two hours to warm it up before service.
Assemble
Crumble the tarts by hand followed by a spoonful of apples & raisins and drizzle infused yacon syrup cacao nib sauce.
There is a lot of research coming out showing that the recent ideas about the dangers of saturated fats and the need for low-fat diets have actually contributed to the prevalence of obesity, diabetes and other diet-related health problems. An article on NaturalNews.com the other day talks about a heart surgeon openly admitting that low-fat diets recommended for years by mainstream medicine actually cause heart disease and that consuming healthy fats (including saturated fats) is vital for good health.
Mike Adams from Natural News has written many articles about this over the past few years. In "The Great Fat Debate - Why Virgin Coconut Oil is best" (2009) he talks about the origin of much of the confusion over fats and that coconut oil - being made up of two-thirds medium-chain fatty acids - helps us lose weight, reduce cholesterol, improve diabetic conditions and lower the risk of heart disease.
In another article, he compiles a list of expert research findings on the role of the essential fatty acid Omega-3 in preventing diseases of inflammation.
Essential fatty acids are those fats that the body cannot produce on its own. Your body gets these fatty acids directly from food. There are only two EFAs: alpha-linolenic acid, an omega-3 fatty acid, and linoleic acid, an omega-6 fatty acid.
Almost all the polyunsaturated fat in the human diet is from EFA. Some of the food sources of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids are fish and shellfish, flaxseed (linseed), hemp oil, hemp nuts, soya oil, canola (rapeseed) oil, chia seeds, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, leafy vegetables, and walnuts.
Omega-3 fatty acids, such as docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) are important for enzymatic pathways required to metabolize long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs). Low plasma concentrations of DHA is associated with depression and suicide.
To Optimise your omega 3 essential fatty acid levels on a vegetarian diet -
Have a daily intake of nuts, seeds and their omega 3 6 9 oils.
Include good sources of the nutrients which aid essential fat conversion – zinc, magnesium, calcium, biotin and vitamins B6, B3 and C.
Avoid things that inhibit conversion; alcohol, trans fats (from animal foods and processed foods), smoking, caffeine, viral infections, stress and excess intake of vitamin A and copper.
Balance your intake of omega 3 and 6 fatty acids. Due to the widespread use of sunflower oil in food manufacturing and grain fed livestock we tend to have a much greater intake of omega 6 to 3 fats in our diets. This imbalance can lead to the conversion enzymes getting used up for omega 6, restricting omega 3 conversion. The ideal balance is around 3 to 4 parts omega 6 to one of omega 3.
Buy your seed oils cold-pressed and from the fridge in your health shop. Also buy in small quantities so it remains fresh. At home store them in the fridge and use them cold. If heating oils use butter, ghee or even better coconut oil.
Some people may have less of the conversion enzymes and may need to be strict with the above nutrient supporters and inhibitors. These people include those with atopic allergies (asthma, eczema and hay fever which run in the family) and those with diabetics.
Increase your algae intake when planning a pregnancy, pregnant or breast-feeding.
Have an essential fatty acid test to determine your specific needs and if your diet is meeting these.
Do you need oily fish?
If you optimise your intake of essential fats, and their conversion, the majority of people can achieve good health without fish. Oily fish also has a number of drawbacks in addition to the ethical considerations such as the overfishing of our oceans. The seas are increasingly polluted and unacceptable levels of toxicity such as dioxins and PCP’s as well as mercury have often been found in fish destined for the food chain. Farmed fish is also not the answer as this unnatural method of rearing fish not only relies on a processed diet which may not convert to the same nutrients in the fish, but also requires the uses of antibiotics and other harmful agents to prevent the spread of disease.
Algae sourced DHA supplementation is however recommended in pregnancy as studies have shown lower levels in babies born to vegan mothers. Finally if you have a health condition such as diabetes or atopic allergies or even if you are mildy stressed you may be limited in your ability to convert your own fats so you'll need to consider an algae based DHA EPA supplement such as Klamath Lake blue green algae.
½ cup desiccated coconut food dyes (optional – not raw)
Method
Combine all ingredients except food dyes until smooth.
Divide the mixture into 3 bowls and add a few drops of food dye to each bowl to give pink, green and yellow eggs. Start off with a little dye and gradually build up until you reach the desired color. If desired add a little peppermint essence to the green egg mixture for a mint flavoured egg.
Place in fridge to set but still pliable Roll into egg shapes and place back in fridge
We're only getting the newsletter out tonight due to a concern over one of the products we've been stocking that we've been monitoring. Read below for more details. On a more happy note, we've got a beautiful Icecream recipe by Omid and an interesting article by Anand.
In this Newsletter:
- Boysenberry and Blueberry Icecream by Omid Jaffari
- "What's more valuable than gold in an economic meltdown" by Anand Wells - Ejuva temporarily out of stock; indicate your interest now - Raw Food Kitchen price commitment
- Layby for Christmas
Place all the ingredients, except for the cardomom pods, in the Blender and blend until smooth.
Transfer to a bowl, stir in the cardomom pods and place it in the refridgerator. After about 20 minutes, take the bowl out, remove the pods and pour the mixture into an ice cream maker.
Turn it on and let it churn for about 15 minutes.
When the ice cream is half frozen, add the cardomom pods, and leave for another 20 minutes (or until you get your ideal consistency). But after that, remove all the visible pods before scooping it out.
Enjoy!
THIS WEEK'S READING What is more valuable than gold in an economic meltdown?
While many people buy gold as security in times of economic turmoil, my number one priority is to have access to high quality food and water. You can’t eat your gold! For that reason we are members of a very exciting project called Organic Farm Share http://www.organicfarmshare.com/
At this time Organic Farm Share is only open to members from Northern NSW and Southern QLD, however, there is still plenty of other things you can do to begin taking charge of your food supply.
In many ways we have lost connection with our food. How it is grown, where it comes from are often a mystery to many people. Up until now we have had the luxury of being able to go to the supermarket and fill up our trolley with cheap food that, according to a study done by Ceres in Melbourne, has travelled on average 70,000 kilometres! I was amazed to discover that 60 cents in the dollar of food we buy is paying for its transportation. Clearly this is not a sustainable practice and unless we change what we are doing we are going to run into some serious trouble in the not to distant future.
Why?
According to the 2008 Living Planet Report humankind first exceeded the world’s capacity to regenerate itself in the 1980s. Within one generation (30 years) from that point, our human activities have outpaced the world’s capacity to regenerate itself by 30%. This means that if we continue at our current pace, within just one more generation, we will exceed what our planet can provide by 100% requiring the equivalent of two planets to maintain our lives. An impossible equation.
To most of us living in the western world the idea of a food shortage is very hard to imagine, however, according to many scientists and leading authorities it is a very real concern.
Australian journalist and science writer Julian Cribb states in his book "The Coming Famine - The global food crisis and what we can do to avoid it" that “Experts predict the crisis will peak by the middle of the twenty-first century; it is arriving even faster than climate change.
Not just peak oil, but peak land, and even peak people, have and will continue to create vast pressures on the food chain, with humanity running through every available resource - nutrients, fish stocks, arable land, usable water, fertilisers - without regard for the future. Yet there is still time to forestall catastrophe,” says Cribb in his introduction.
I know that much of this may sound doomsdayish, however, it is based on good science and I agree with Cribb that we can avoid this disaster through taking action on a personal level.
While I am not advocating that everyone leaves the cities and moves back to the land to grow food, I believe we do need to take action now by learning to grow at least some of our own food and harvest wild edibles for our own food security and for the future of human life on Earth. In addition to this homegrown food and wild edibles are more often than not higher in nutrients that bought food and they are always fresh.
So where does one begin?
The easiest and quickest way to grow your own food is by sprouting. This can be done whether you live on the 100th floor of a skyscraper or in a cave. All you need is seeds, water and some form of container for sprouting.
One of the most affordable and simple options is use 2 litre glass jars with muslin or plastic fly screen and rubber bands. Or if you want to go high tech you can buy self watering sprouting systems live the Easygreen Sprouter for around $350. If you haven’t tried growing sprouts before I would recommend you begin with jars.
Once you have got the hang of it you may like to graduate to an automatic sprouting machine. The main advantage of these automatic sprouters is that there is no manual soaking or rinsing necessary: just fill the sprouter up with water and seeds and you will have sprouts in 3-4 days. This can be very convenient if you are too busy or forgetful to rinse your seeds on a regular basis.
Not only are sprouts incredibly easy to grow they are also some of the most nutrient dense food on the planet and are a truly living food, right up until the moment you eat them.
Our friend Koa the bush food medicine man, carries a sprouting bag (made from muslin) when he goes bush. He harvests wild seeds, soaks them in his sprouting bag and hangs them off his backpack while hiking or from a tree at night. This is an ingenious way to grow sprouts even while on the run!
What is even easier than growing sprouts?
Harvesting wild edibles some of which are also known as weeds. That’s right; we are often surrounded by food and don’t even know it! For a start there are over 400 varieties of grass all of which are edible. While the fibre in grass is difficult for humans to digest we can still chew grass or even better, juice it. I often let the grass in my back yard grow long so I can harvest it and add it to juices. Grass is highly nutritious packed full of chlorophyll and phytonutrients. It also has the ability to draw more minerals from the earth than any other plant. So you don’t have to go to the trouble of growing trays of wheatgrass when you can juice your back lawn. If you do harvest grass or any other wild edible, make sure it is clean and not sprayed with pesticides of any other toxic chemicals. For this reason it is never a good idea to harvest wild edibles close to any roads.
Apart from grass there are an enormous amount of highly nutritious wild edible weeds bushes and trees from dandelions to farmers friends, from Hibiscus flowers to bulrush roots. There is no need to ever starve to death if you are stranded in the wilderness and know how to identify wild edible plants.
Education is a key to successfully harvesting wild edibles because some plants are highly toxic. In Australia I recommend Tim Low's book, "Wild food Plants Of Australia" and Isabel Shippard's “How can I use herbs in my daily life?” If you are based in North America you can’t go past "The Encyclopedia of Edible Wild Plants of North America", by Steve Brill.
In addition to reading books, I have found it very helpful to have someone help me identify wild edibles. See if you can find someone locally who can take you on a wild edible walk. In Byron Bay you can go on a walk with wild edible expert Cockatoo Paul.
Koa Windsong also offers workshops when he is living in Northern NSW. And Sergei Boutenko holds regular wild edible walks in the USA and in also in the countries he tours. Members of the Live Food Challenge have access to Sergei Boutenko’s video presentation on greens and wild edibles – he lists some of the more common wild edible plants and offers some great advice on foraging and plant identification. Members also have access an amazing interview with Koa. Koa can go bush and survive without a bought supplies indefinitely when he chooses to and is an inspirational character.
Another more traditional way to improve your food security is to grow your own veggie or permaculture patch. This can be done even if you live on a suburban block. It is truly amazing to see how much food can be grown in a small space. If you don’t have time there are now businesses who will come to your house and convert your garden to an edible permaculture food forest! In some areas they will even look after it for you for a fee.
Live Food Challenge members also have access to the video Home Grown Revolution. It is a short documentary about how a family grows over 6,000 pounds (2,720kg) of food per year on a small suburban block (1 tenth of an acre) in Pasadena USA, just 3 minutes from LA. Very Inspiring!
It is time to ditch the lawn and begin growing food producing plants.
There are so many different ways to grow your own food – if interested I recommend doing a permaculture course and getting your hands dirty. Permaculture is about creating natural habitat and ecosystems which more or less maintain themselves. It is a much more natural and lower maintenance method than growing veggies traditionally in rows.
So now you have some great strategies for maximising the quality and security of your food.
By taking responsibility for your food supply, instead of relying on multinational organisations to feed your family, not only will you have created food security; you will have become a part of the solution needed for the very survival of our over-taxed planet.
Grow for it!
Anand
P.S. If you are interested in seeing how one country survived and then thrived a “Peak Oil” experience I highly recommend the wonderful documentary - Power Of Community - How Cuba Survived Peak Oil, it is a very inspiring example of what can be done when the traditional food supply goes down.
EJUVA TEMPORARILY OUT OF STOCK - Please indicate interest
We sold out of our limited Ejuva Body Cleansing Program stock in three days ... that's how popular it was. We have some more on the way and if you are interested in purchasing it, please email us indicating your interest so we can place a more accurate order with the manufacturer. We wouldn't want you to miss out.
RAW FOOD KITCHEN PRICE COMMITMENT UNTIL XMAS
If you can find any product in our Raw Food Kitchen catalogs (Appliances, Dehydrators,Juicers, Water Purifiers) cheaper (including GST & shipping) at any other legitimate online store then we will match that price up until Xmas as long as we're not losing money on the deal. Just call us on 07 3715 7620 to place your order. Laybys do not apply.
LAYBY FOR CHRISTMAS
We are offering a layby service for any purchase of $500 or more. Just place your order using our Direct Deposit (EFT) payment option and clearly specify "LAYBY ORDER" in the Shipping Instructions field. A minimum $100 initial payment is required to secure the shopping basket. Final payment of the balance is required by December 16, 2011. Cancellations will incur a $50 re-stocking fee. Please indicate the invoice number clearly in all bank transfers.
Why not enjoy the pleasure of a modern take on this old-school Italian recipe. Sprinkle cinnamon powder on the tarts when they come out of the dehydrator to make them look like they've been in the oven.
1 cup hazelnuts
1 cup raw cashews, soaked 2-4 hours
3 tbsp light agave nectar
1 tsp vanilla essence or ground vanilla beans
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 tbsp cinnamon powder
For the mascarpone filling
2 cups raw cashews, soaked 2-4 hours
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup light agave nectar
1 tsp nutritional yeast
1 tsp light miso
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 tsp mesquite powder
1 tsp probiotics
For the pink peppercorns
1/4 cup pink peppercorns, gently crushed
1/2 cup sour cherries (optional)
Method:
For the crust
Place all the prepared hazelnuts and cashews in the Magimix food processor and pulse into a coarse flour.
Add all remaining ingredients except the cinnamon powder and lightly pulse until well mixed.
Press into four mini tartlet pans* with removable bottoms.
Place bases on a mesh dehydrator sheet and dehydrate at 45C for two hours. They should now be firm enough to remove from the tart cases so you can continue to dehydrate them for a further six hours.
Dust cinnamon powder over the tartlets to make them look as if they are slightly burned.
* Tart cases should be approximately 11cm wide and no more than about 1cm high to allow the mixture (details below) to dehydrate inside.
For the mascarpone filling
Mix cashews, water and probiotics in the blender until smooth.
Allow to sit in a glass bowl covered with towel in a warm place for 14-16 hours to culture.
When finished culturing mix in the remaining mascarpone ingredients by hand and refrigerate for four hours or until set.
Assemble
Pour mascarpone filling onto the tarts and garnish with pink peppercorns and sour cherries.
I was amazed at the wave of emotion I felt at hearing of Steve Jobs death. My life has certainly been touched by both the man and his legacy.
There has been much talk in several natural health newsletters about Steve’s passing saying that he died prematurely and that he could have healed himself if he avoided chemo and radiation therapies and did it naturally.
Maybe. Maybe not.
As a lover of Reality, I believe that Steve died at the exact moment and in the exact way he needed to. To argue with this and say he should have healed himself naturally, lived longer and brought us more cool gadgets etc. is to argue with Reality – it is a losing proposition every time. Have you noticed that when we get into playing armchair Gods by saying things like “he should have lived another 30 years” that Reality is completely unmoved?
Steve accomplished more in his 56 years than most people will achieve in 56 lifetimes and he is now trailblazing new territory (death), and the reality is we are all going to follow him when the time is right for us.
Having said that, I still like stacking the odds in my favour for a long healthy life. I keep to left hand side of the road when driving and try not to speed (too much), I eat organic foods and superfoods with plenty of raw, I exercise, and above all else I aim to enjoy this moment as much as I can because the Reality is I have no say when this amazing trip called Anand’s life will end. Byron Katie has said that it can be a trap to be too obsessed with health of the body – you could get hit by a truck tomorrow.
Enjoy today!
Anand
SEXY ON RAW TOUR
Philip McCluskey and Julie-Ann Booth, two US raw food celebrities, are touring Australia in November and early December. Visit www.sexyonraw.com for more information.
The Byron Bay event is still looking for 4-6 volunteers. Those interested please contact Ishka at ishkafolkwell (at) gmail.com
BRISBANE EVENT
Dr. Gabriel Cousens will be delivering a presentation title "Spiritual Nutrition" providing deep insights into live plant-based foods as the optimal diet for health, wellness, longevity and spiritual growth. Dr Cousens will also present recent research including that on caloric restriction, insulin resistance and anti-ageing. At the Bardon Conference Centre in Brisbane during the evening of Thursday December 1st.
We are offering a layby service for any purchase of $500 or more. Just place your order using our Direct Deposit (EFT) payment option and clearly specify "LAYBY ORDER" in the Shipping Instructions field. A minimum $100 initial payment is required to secure the shopping basket. Final payment of the balance is required by December 16, 2011. Cancellations will incur a $50 re-stocking fee. Please indicate the invoice number clearly in all bank transfers.
Sugar
has become the new faux pas in the health industry. Everyone everywhere
(or so it seems) is talking about how ‘bad’ sugar is for you. And it’s
not just white sugar they are banning from their kitchens. The evil
synthetic sugar alternatives aspartame and acesulfame-K, to name just
two, have been linked to cancer. 
It
has been theorised by Dr David Lykken, a scientist at the University of
Minnesota USA, that our happiness set points (from the perspective of
how much is nature and how much is nuture), that approximately 50% of
our set point is genetic and 50% is learned! The latter is determined by
your thoughts, feelings and beliefs formed in response to your life’s
experiences. Further to this original study, 3 psychology researchers
Sonja Lyubomirsky, Kennon Sheldon and David Schkade discovered that the
50% learned happiness is broken down further into a 10% which is
determined by circumstances (such as wealth, marital status, job) and
the remaining 40% being determined by our habitual thoughts, feelings,
words and actions! This is fantastic news as this means it is within our
control! We all have the power to reprogram our own happiness set
points to a higher level of peace and well being!
I’m
not talking about milk chocolate or confection chocolate that exists in
supermarkets & grocery stores. Quality raw organic dark chocolate
contains amazing compounds such as Anandamide, which literally means
“internal bliss,” is a lipid that binds to and activates cannabinoid
receptors within the brain, mimicking the psychoactive effects of
cannabinoid drugs, such as heightened sensitivity and euphoria.
Silverbeet
is often overlooked yet it contains a bucketload of magnesium.
Magnesium is used in scores of enzyme and biochemical processes within
the body. A study in 2009 in the “Australian and New Zealand Journal of
Psychiatry” discovered that lower magnesium levels were associated with
higher depression scores.
You
will find me often singing the praises of this versatile vegetable. It
happens to be one of my most favoured vegetables as it is so incredibly
nutritious. Asparagus has high levels of folate and tryptophan. Low
levels of folate have been linked to depression in half of all cases of
depression, according to recent research. Tryptophan is also used by the
brain to make serotonin, which is one of the human brain’s main
mood-stabilizing neurotransmitters.
Coconuts
are another favourite food of mine. They are extremely versatile and
nutritious. Look for young green drinking coconuts that you can also
utilise the flesh for. Drink the water it contains and eat the flesh.
Coconuts contain medium chain triglycerides. Medium-chain triglycerides
are special fats that fuel better moods and promote general
brain-health.
Cacao butter has been called the ultimate moisturizer, and has been used to keep skin soft and supple for centuries. It is one of the most stable, highly concentrated natural fats known, and melts at body temperature so that it is readily absorbed into the skin.
Comments