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September 25, 2007

Mental Health Soiree

Filed under: Health and Wellness,Mental and Emotional Health,Music,Therapeutic Friends — HealthiaCynthia @ 10:23 pm

Leg Warmers Art Print
Edwards, Harvey
Buy at AllPosters.com

The other night (Saturday night, actually) a kind friend had a number of us over for a sort of 'music night'. He himself is an organist and the 'salon' is taken up mostly with a fine instrument. But these music nights just consist of each of us bringing along a favourite CD and having clips played from it by our host. It's a little educational, but it is mostly social. This same friend also belongs to a writers' group. In all, he is a most inspiring and motivating person! And, most important, he is KIND. I hope you know someone like that.

Go here to watch and listen to Jascha Heifetz play Rondo by Mozart.

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September 19, 2007

Recipe for Strawberry Coconut Ice

Filed under: Miscellaneous Ramblings,Raw Honey,Recipes,Whole Food,raw food? — HealthiaCynthia @ 12:57 am

Last night I combined a can of organic coconut milk, about a cup of organic strawberries and a cup of frozen organic strawberries, 2 peeled bananas, 1 large Tablespoon of raw buckwheat honey and put it through the Vita-Mix (first on Variable from low to high and then on High) until it was all smoothly creamy in consistency. I then poured it into a pie plate (with plastic wrap lining it so I could later just lift the plastic out to put the frozen mass into the Vita-Mix again). I froze it solid in the freezer and then ran it through the Vita-Mix again. It was/is delicious... like a very flavorful gelatto! Lovely!

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September 18, 2007

A Good Night’s Sleep

Filed under: Essential Oils,Health and Wellness,Sleep — HealthiaCynthia @ 10:07 pm

We have all the felt the effects of sleep deprivation: that zombie-like feeling that consumes us the moment we roll out of bed.  Our eyes are heavy, we can't think straight, everything in a blur.  Like mechanical robots, we go about our day not fully comprehending what is going on around us. The negative effects of sleep deprivation are quickly becoming an alarming issue.  According to the National Sleep Foundation's 2002 Sleep in America poll, 58 percent of adults in the US experience symptoms of insomnia several nights a week. Sleep-deprived individuals find it hard to concentrate or feel productive during the day.  Perhaps worst of all, more and more are driving drowsy.  In fact, the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that 100,000 of reported crashes occur as a result of drowsiness. <a href="http://diffusinglife.younglivingworld.com?PC=hc" title="Diffusing Life @ Young Living World.com">Young Living Essential Oils</a> feels strongly about promoting good sleep.  Not only is it mandatory for mental health and normal functioning, but it's pertinent for maintaining a healthy lifestyle.  That is why we offer products that promote restful sleep. Single essential oils such as valerian, spikenard, and lavender are known for their ability to relax, calm, and emotionally ground a person.  <a href="http://diffusinglife.younglivingworld.com?PC=hc" title="essential oils">Peace & Calming and Gentle Baby</a> are soothing essential oil blends that have similar effects.  These oils can be diffused, inhaled, massaged into the feet prior to retiring to help ease tension and settle the mind.  <table border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tr> <td width="367" valign="top"> DURING THE DAY:  </td> </tr> <tr> <td width="367" valign="top">+Consume less or no caffeine, particularly late in the day +Avoid alcohol and nicotine, especially close to bedtime +Exercise, but not within three hours of going to bed +Avoid naps, especially in the late afternoon or evening +Establish a regular sleep schedule; don’t try to make up for lost sleep </td> </tr> <tr> <td width="367" valign="top">  BEFORE BEDTIME: </td> </tr> <tr> <td width="367" valign="top">+take a warm bath using Evening Peace Bath & Shower Gel to soothe away stress and tension before retiring at night. +Rub a drop of essential oil such as lavender on your palm and smooth over pillow to aid with sleep +Apply Peace & Calming or another soothing oil to the feet before bedtime to promote relaxation.  </td> </tr> </table> <table border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tr> <td width="197" valign="top"> <a href="http://diffusinglife.younglivingworld.com?PC=hc" title="Valerian"> <img src="http://diffusinglife.younglivingworld.com/products/images_prod/3648.jpg" alt="Valerian" title="Valerian" width="115" height="250" /></a>                1 <a href="http://diffusinglife.younglivingworld.com?PC=hc" title="Valerian">VALERIAN</a> Item No. 3648 5 ml Whsl. $32.50/Pref Cust. $37.63 Retail $42.76 </td> <td width="197" valign="top"> <a href="http://diffusinglife.younglivingworld.com?PC=hc" title="Lavender"><img src="http://diffusinglife.younglivingworld.com/products/images_prod/3640.jpg" alt="Spikenard" title="Spikenard" width="115" height="250" /></a>2 <a href="http://diffusinglife.younglivingworld.com?PC=hc" title="Spikenard">SPIKENARD</a> Item No. 3640 5 ml Whsl. $29.75/ Pref. Cust. $34.45 Retail $39.14 </td> </tr> <tr> <td width="197" valign="top"> <a href="http://diffusinglife.younglivingworld.com?PC=hc" title="Lavender"><img src="http://diffusinglife.younglivingworld.com/products/images_prod/3575.jpg" alt="Lavender" title="Lavender at diffusinglife.younglivingworld.com" width="95" height="250" /></a>                      3 LAVENDER Item No. 3575 15 ml Whsl. $19.75/Pref Cust. $22.87 Retail $25.99 </td> <td width="197" valign="top"> <a href="http://diffusinglife.younglivingworld.com?PC=hc" title="Peace & Calming"><img src="http://diffusinglife.younglivingworld.com/products/images_prod/3393.jpg" alt="Peace & Calming" title="Peace & Calming diffusinglife.younglivingworld.com" width="103" height="250" /></a>            4 PEACE & CALMING Item No. 3393 15 ml Whsl. $26.25/Pref. Cust. $30.39 Retail $34.54 </td> </tr> <tr> <td width="197" valign="top"> <a href="http://diffusinglife.younglivingworld.com/hc"><img src="http://diffusinglife.younglivingworld.com/products/images_prod/3345.jpg" alt="Gentle Baby" title="Gentle Baby at diffusinglife.younglivingworld.com" width="104" height="250" /></a>                  5 <a href="http://diffusinglife.younglivingworld.com?PC=hc" title="Gentle Baby">GENTLE BABY</a>  Item No. 3345 15 ml Whsl. $29.75/Pref Cust. $34.45 Retail $39.14 </td> <td width="197" valign="top">  <img src="http://diffusinglife.younglivingworld.com/products/images_prod/3742.jpg" alt="Evening Peace Bath & Shampoo Gel" title="Evening Peace Bath & Shampoo Gel" width="79" height="250" />                      6 <a href="http://diffusinglife.younglivingworld.com?PC=hc" title="Evening {eace Shower Gel">EVENING PEACE BATH & SHOWER GEL</a> Item No. 3742 8 fl. Oz. (236 ml) Whsl. $23.50  Pref. Cust. $27.21  Retail $30.92 </td> </tr> </table> The above article is taken from "Essential LifeStyle" Magazine Vol. 2 No. 2 .  Reprinted with permission of Young Living, Lehi, UT 84043 USA **info provided by National Sleep Foundation

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September 16, 2007

A-nise Flavour for a Green Smoothie

Filed under: Green Smoothies,Health and Wellness,Kale,Recipes,Smoothie Moves,Smoothie recipes,Vita-Mix,VitaMix,Whole Food,raw food? — HealthiaCynthia @ 3:02 pm

I have just had an interesting "conversation" on a bloggers' discussion board about Green Smoothies. Turns out that not as many folks have heard about them as I had assumed. (Lesson: Don't Assume Anything). Here's a bit of review on Green Smoothie benefits for those who already heard me spout about this passion of mine: 1. If you consume only three cups of Green Smoothies every day, you will have taken in enough greens for the day to nourish your body. Even people on Raw Vegan Diets don't get as many greens in their diets as they need. A molecule of chlorophyll has only one atom that differentiates it from human blood! The Green Smoothie developer, Victoria Boutenko, believes that when you absorb chlorophyll through Green Smoothies, you are experiencing all the benefits of a healthy blood transfusion! That means more energy and clarity! You want that? 2. Green Smoothies, unlike extracted 'green juices', are a complete food-- they still contain their important fibre! You get into trouble with your elimination system when you cut out fibre. 3. Well-blended Green Smoothies are easy to digest and you absorb all the minerals and vitamins that you will find in these fruits and veggies that are normally hard to get at because they are locked behind the cell's walls. 4. The combining of 40% organic tender greens with 60% organic (if possible) fresh, ripe fruit is the optimal nutritional make-up for excellent health and flavour. They are extremely palatable with the fruit flavor dominating, and the greens adding a fresh zesty taste that you will be pleasantly surprised by. 5. Children are well nourished when Green Smoothies are introduced into their lives (gradually, of course). Babies weened at 6 months from mother's milk really take to Green Smoothies because they are creamy and naturally sweet when sweet, ripe, fresh fruit is used. Keep children's Green Smoothies relatively simple: water, banana, and romaine might be the way to start. 6. If you are using a VitaMix, the process is quick, easy, and easy to clean up. Put your ingredients in, put the lid securely on, whirl, use the plunger if needed. There are no fibre traps to clean out and no heartbreak of watching the 'best part' of the fruits and veggiesturned into compost. 7. Green Smoothies are more effective and less expensive than using green powder drinks and assorted other supplements-- even if you buy all your organic fruits and veggies at an expensive store. We'll talk more about cutting these costs while amping up your nutrition\in coming newsletters! I promise that you will begin to LOVE your daily Green Smoothies, if properly made with ingredients that you like the taste of! The following is a really flavorful Green Smoothie that my husband made this morning following our neighbor's off-loading a pile of fresh fennel branches (he was pruning) onto him. If you love the flavor of anise or licorice, you'll love this. Fresh celantro adds the lemonytones. This is true herbal magic-- I feel an amazing surge of wellness and energy! ED'S LICKORISHY LEMONY GREEN SMOOTHIE
2 C. filtered water
1/4 Pineapple, peeled and cored
1/2 bunch of Cilantro
2 Florets of Fennel seeds
1-2 Bananas
6 small ripe prune plums, pips removed

5 small Kale leaves Add water, and then other ingredients. Put double lid securely on your Vita-Mix. Start out on lowest variable speed and turn steadily; Flip over into HIGH. Process until smooth and all one color. Pour into tall glasses and enjoy! ************************************************************ Join the Life-Enhanced Smoothie Moves Community. For a free subscription to Smoothie Moves click here If you are considering a Vita-Mix Super 5200, be sure to use code #06-002685 at time of purchase and you will save yourself the cost ($25 US/ $35 CDN). Ask about the 3-Payment-Plan! Vita-Mix is the Best Investment in my Health I have ever made! ************************************************************ Click here if you are considering a Vita-Mix Super 5200, to save yourself the cost of shipping-- be sure to use code #06-002685 if purchasing by phone($25 US/ $35 CDN). Canadian customers can call 1-800-VITAMIX or 1-800-848-2645 to order. Ask about the 3-Payment-Plan! Thank you, and enjoy! ~Cynthia

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September 14, 2007

~The MOST Thirst-Quenching Lemon Drink

Filed under: Lemons,Raw Honey,Recipes,Whole Food,raw food? — HealthiaCynthia @ 1:50 am

The following recipe is adapted from a similar heated recipe in the book "Lemon Zest: More than 175 Recipes with a Twist" by Lori Longbotham.

Living Lemon & Barley Water

Remember how some of your friends used to make a cold tea concoction over a few days? Well, the same idea goes here.

Soak 1 C. organic barley in about 2 C. filtered water for 48-72 hours (soak it somewhere cool, like the fridge-- we are not aiming to make alcohol here...lol).

On the day you plan to make the brew,

Cut 6 large organic lemons into quarters. Leave skin on but remove pips (you can sprout them later if you wish).

Combine barley and its water with the lemons and a

1/2 Cup of raw honey (or stevia to taste)

and 6 more cups of fresh water

in the Vita-Mix Container.

Process with both double lids securely in place. Begin by setting the speed to Variable Low and steadily increasing it to the highest Variable Speed and then flipping it over into High until the "juice" is of a creamy, same consistency throughout. Put in the fridge in a large container. If it is too 'thick', you can just stir in additional water.

You may want to keep a little of the juice and just add in more water as a nice thirst quencher for a fresh after-work pick-up.

Barley water has a long and esteemed history in England for nourishing the sick and slaking the thirst of those doing hard manual harvesting. This version uses raw ingredients and thus avoids some of the excessive acid-forming action of the cooked and process-sugared brew (although both the barley and the honey are also acid-forming). You will benefit from the enzymes in the raw honey and the vitamins and phytonutrients in the living brew itself. Enjoy!

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September 11, 2007