Where to Get Young Thai Coconuts

Whole Foods and select health food stores; but, if you want fresh, organic ones, go to www.genefitnutrition.com/coconuts.html

WHY EAT MOSTLY RAW OR LIVING FOODS?

In the 1920s, Dr. Edward Howell observed that enzymes present in raw foods reduced the body’s digestive burden.
Health care practitioners and others have used enzyme therapy for more than half a century. Even ancient civilizations wrapped papaya leaves, containing the enzyme papain, around wounds to support the natural healing process.
So, what are the building blocks that our bodies need to function? Enzymes, vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients, protein, essential fats and fiber. We get all of these from our food and they are involved in growth, repair and maintenance of the body. Here’s a little info about what they do….
Enzymes, which are proteins, convert the food we eat into chemical structures that can pass through the membranes of the cells lining the digestive tract and into the blood stream. The help transform and store energy, make active hormones, dissolve fiber and prevent clotting. They have anti-inflammatory effects. Enzymes help balance and restore the immune system and heal many diseases. Enzymes even help repair our DNA and our RNA.
We are all born with enzymes but our pool of enzymes is exhaustible. When you cook food, you destroy all of the life giving enzymes that the food came with. So, to digest and use that food, you have to tap into your own pool of enzymes instead of using the ones provided by the food. By eating raw food, you preserve and rebuilt your enzyme pool!
Well, most of us know what vitamins are and what they’re good for ~ but, did you know that when you cook food, a large percentage of the vitamins are destroyed? Also, 17 of the 30 elements known to be essential to life are metals. Mineral deficiencies cause disease in humans. When foods are cooked, many of the minerals are destroyed or altered.
Phytonutrients are what give fruits and veges their color. They protect the body and fight disease. They also fight cancer and help your heart. Phytonutrients are at the leading edge of research on nutrition. Here again, phytonutrients in freshly harvested plant foods can be destroyed or removed by cooking.
Okay, so now you’re probably saying, “What can I eat?”…. “I can’t go without cooking my food.” …. “What about my pizza?”…. don’t worry…. I don’t eat an “all raw” diet either; but, just being knowledgeable about what you put into your body is key. Just knowing about the destruction enzymes, etc., in cooked food may make you think about incorporating a little more raw food in your daily diet. Maybe you can substitute that turkey sandwich for a big, fresh salad with broccoli, spinach, tomatoes, avocado, romaine or mesclun and anything else you like to go in it. How about fresh fruit for breakfast ~ or possibly a smoothie made with fresh fruit and some spinach. The one thing you don’t want to do is stress over any of this. Just do your best one day at a time and see how you feel. You may realize you have more energy which will spur you on to eating more raw foods. Give it a try!

Quiet Time

Hi everyone! So my yoga training ended yesterday. It was very bittersweet, as I am eager to sleep later in the mornings, however I am sad to leave such a powerful group of women. The past two weeks have been quite transformative, as I've learned how to teach children's yoga through a lot of exploration into the child within! The program was so engaging and informative... it has totally changed my outlook on children and how to treat them. I also made many strong connections with others on the training. There was such a diverse group of women, yet all so individually inspiring and unique.

My roommates left this morning, as did most of the group. I am staying for some extra time. Today was a day of solitude, as nothing is open on Sundays here in Nosara (really... nothing). I had no choice but to relax and enjoy nature. Some people find it difficult to be alone, however this environment does not allow me to feel alone... the sounds of nature are so prominent and inviting. What would you do if you had an entire day to yourself in nature? Here are some pictures I took while roaming the jungle.

If you are not packing up to go to Costa Rica to get some alone time, do not fret. Sitting quietly with your eyes closed, or simply dedicating ten or twenty minutes per day to be by yourself WITHOUT electronics, is a healthy start to tapping into the energy within.

marinated kale salad

For those of you who want the benefits of a dark, leafy green, this salad is the way to go. First of all, it's amazing how the shape and presentation of food can actually have an effect on the taste. Whether it's in our heads or not, it doesn't really matter ~ if it tastes better, that's great. Well the trick with kale in a salad is that you really have to "massage" the dressing into the kale. Kale is a fairly tough and sturdy green vegetable so massaging the oil into it makes a world of difference.... almost makes it seem like it was steamed. So, anyway, today I bought "dinosaur" kale, or, another name for it is lacinato kale. I removed the tough stem, layered the leaves on top of each other, folded them in half lengthwise and, starting with the narrower end, rolled it up.... similar to a jelly roll. I posted some pictures to help you visualize. Then, using a sharp knife, cut thin slices from one end to the other -- this is known as chiffonade. It's french ~ turns out that "chiffonade" means "made of rags". So in the cooking world, chiffonade is a technique used to cut up any flat, leafy food into long and thin rag-like strips.... actually looks like ribbons. So, first I poured some olive oil into the ribbons of kale and some fresh lemon juice (you can judge the amounts for yourself) and sprinkled with sea salt. This is when you want to massage the kale. The olive oil and lemon juice act as softening agents and you'll actually feel the kale begin to soften and wilt. Next I finely diced a red pepper (how much you use depends on how big the salad is); I used one-half of the pepper. Then I sprinkled in some pine nuts and some chopped kalamata olives. I tasted just a small amount -- was going to a birthday dinner for my daughter Molly and didn't want to spoil my appetite -- but, yum, it tasted really good. I can't wait until dinner tomorrow when I plan to have it with some kombocha squash, steamed veges, quinoa and whatever else I'm in the mood for. Oh, I almost forgot.... kale is rich in calcium, lutein, iron and vitamins A, C and K. It has seven times the beta-carotene of brocooli and ten times more lutein. Kale is also rich in the much-needed fiber so lacking in the daily diet of Americans who eat mostly processed food. The "icing on the kale" are the natural occurring all-important phytochemicals sulforaphane and indoles wich research suggests may protect against cancer. So, if you don't normally eat kale, do your body a favor and try different ways of eating it. Whether you want it in a salad like the one I mentioned or cooked with some onions, garlic and olive oil, just eat it as it's soooo good for you. Enjoy!

AMAZING Health Benefits of Coconut Water.... Great Smoothie Recipe

Coconut Water – “the fluid of life”…… literally!

Coconut water is an isotonic drink. I know…. I didn’t know what that meant either until I did a little research. According to Encarta, Isotonic means, “specially formulated to supply the body's chemical needs in situations in which minerals and fluids are used up by the body, e.g. during vigorous exercise.” It’s a natural isotonic beverage, with the same level of electrolytic balance as we have in our blood. In fact, during WWII, when IV solutions were scarce, coconut water (which was siphoned directly from the nut) was used as an IV drip for patients in hospitals.

Coconut water is very high in potassium – actually more per serving than bananas, low in calories (60 calories per serving) and very refreshing. It’s also high in Manganese which is essential for bone growth ~ 2-5 mg/day is recommended for good health….(great in the prevention of osteoporosis.

If you’ve never tried coconut water, do yourself a favor and buy a young Thai coconut – not the brown hairy types but the white hairless ones! Since these coconuts travel a long distance, you want to make sure they’re fresh. Here’s how to tell….
If you cut it open and there’s a purplish tint to the water, that means that it’s bad. It means that it’s started to decompose; also, if you see little black spots around the white shell of the coconut, that means it’s started to decompose and mold as well.
If you want a website where you can order fresh, organic, young Thai coconuts, just comment on my blog page and I’ll post it. It takes 2-3 days to get to you from CA!
Ok, so now for the best part…. A smoothie I make using coconut water….
Blender or Vita-Mix
1/2-1 cup coconut water;
Meat from one young coconut;
1 medium to large peach or mango or pineapple (anything that’s in season); most times I prefer frozen organic strawberries and blueberries (maybe 1/3 bag of each) – great antioxidants;
2 cups organic spinach (or other leafy green)
If you need it on the sweeter side, throw in 1-2 organic dates.

Aaahhhh, Lushness!

Okay, I'm back almost 2 weeks now and I can't get the picture of the landscape around me in Costa Rica out of my head. Just have to share some of the foliage with you.... and hubby as well. It was absolutely incredible in person. So inspiring to be in the rain forest.

Back to the Real World (hmmm........)

Costa Rica was absolutely amazing.... the only thing missing from this vacation was having our daughter Molly with us. I know she would have loved it as much as we did. I remember thinking about life back in the states and realizing that some of us are so compartmentalized in our lives.... kinda do the same things day after day. Not to say that the natives of Costa Rica don't do the same things, but it seems like the things they do don't involve trying to make enough money to help pay down their debts or living from paycheck to paycheck, stressing about the possibility of losing their job or about losing more money in the stock market or thinking about their diminishing 401K programs. No, their lives are not as complicated as ours.... they don't consume as much as we do. They live simply, enjoying the small but meaningful things in life like family, friends, community. At least in Nosara, where we spent last week, most people don't even own TV's. I must say, not having a TV all week was heaven. We actually spent the small amount of time after dinner and before bed ~ talking! Yes, talking.... like I remember doing with my family in the early-mid 60's (we had a TV then but the channels were limited and dad didn't like us watching too much TV).

I know we talk a lot about healthy foods in our blogs -- well, after all, that does translate into healthy "everything else!" But, since traveling to Costa Rica, I've been thinking about health in terms of modern technology. I realize that people in Costa Rica (at least in Nosara) are not walking around with cell phones and are not sitting sipping coffee while working on their laptops. I did see many laptops, but they were perched in front of the tourists. Not a surprise.... Oh, yeah, so ~ getting back to health, do you ever wonder the long term effects of cell phone use, computer use, TV's, Ipods, power lines, microwaves, and on and on.....? I have! I think we all need to do some soul searching to decide how much we're hooked up and if we can limit some of the exposure to different forms of radiation. It's so easy and addicting to stay connected electronically, but kinda sad too. We'd be much better off with face-to-face conversations, actually talking out loud to not just friends but family as well. I feel we've lost something in the race to be technologically advanced. I felt this in Costa Rica where I envied the human connectedness, the human contact. It feels really 'healthy' to be connected in a real, personal and physical way to people in our lives. Isolation and alienation is not healthy when it comes to relationships. As I always say, health is what we feed ourselves -- whether that's good wholesome food or nourishing relationships that move and inspire us. Costa Rica was inspiring as well as amazingly lush and genuinely simple.

I know you love pictures...

Raw organic superfood treats and chewy local cacao beans from Dharma at Pachamama (www.pachamama.com). She comes to the farmer's market here in Nosara on Saturdays. She also sold raw bagels, made of sprouted seeds and grains, raw macadamia cheese, raw dehydrated hamburgers, chocolate ganache cake, and other goodies.

Even more...

More

Costa Rica Pictures

Greens on the go!

Hi everyone! I am still in Nosara, Costa Rica. My parents left yesterday morning, and my Heartrise Children's Yoga Teacher Training begins this evening. The energy has shifted from vacation to work, as I will be assisting on this training. However, as Tamika and Carolyn so accurately described, it is the type of work that literally 'gives you goosebumps'. I am very grateful to be a part of this!



So, as I've posted, Costa Rica is full of healthy food, such as tropical fruits, but the only thing that's somewhat lacking is the quantity of GREENS! When I'm back home, I'm chigging wheatgrass or green juices throughout the day. I still have amazing energy and clarity when I'm here, but greens are a very important piece of the nutrition puzzle. The only greens readily available here in Nosara are spinach and lettuce. I actually visited an organic farmer's market yesterday morning (every Saturday AM here in Nosara), and they had mustard greens. I bought all of them, of course. Mustard greens are extremely bitter though, but I was just so happy to see something green and leafy (don't mind me). Anyway... if you are ever nervous about not getting your 'fill' of greens while travelling ANYWHERE, I strongly encourage you to experiment with Vitamineral Green (http://http//www.healthforce.com/index.php?page=shop.product_details&flypage=garden_flypage.tpl&product_id=6&category_id=1&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=65).



It is a 100% Truganic (beyond oragnic) powder which is 100% synthetic free. It supports blood sugar, detoxification, the immune system, liver, kidneys, blood, bones, colon, regularity, circulation, and longevity. It contains ingredients from nature, such as broccoli juice, kale juice, parsley juice, ginger root, chickweed, spiruline, chlorella, enzymes, and probiotics. Sound appetizing? Well, it TASTES good too! I usually put it in a smoothie or a coconut water. If all you have is water, I suggest adding some stevia. I feel on top of the world after I drink it. Maybe it's in my head. Why don't you try it and let me know? You can order it online or you can find it at Live Live on 10th Street in Manhattan.






CHEERS!

Pura Vida DOS

Hola! Lo siento for not writing for the past few days. I came with the intention of updating my blog everyday while travelling in Costa Rica, but the computer and the rainforest are not as perfect of a match as I had imagined. However, I am so eager to be back here and share some of my experience so far! It has been incredible, especially since I have had the past few days to "chill out", which is rare when I'm in Costa Rica. I am usually working or on a training, which IS relaxing in its own way, but it's a totally different energy.

It is the wet season, so there is no question regarding the fact that I am in the middle of the RAINforest. It rains usually around the same time everyday (approx. 3 or 4pm). When it rains back home (New York), I usually feel very lethargic and fatigued and sometimes in somewhat of a depressed mood. The rain in Costa Rica serves as a signal of Mother Earth's feeding of the plants and land surrounding me. It is refreshing, exhiliarating, and meditative. I could actually say I look forward to the afternoon thunderstorms.

If you are salivating at the above picture while reading this blog, you are not the only one! This huge plate of tropical has become my go-to breakfast every morning. I was never much of a fruit eater... maybe due to mixed messages I've researched regarding sugar consumption, or my own worry of fruit not being 'enough' to satisfy me, especially when I am very physically active during the day. I have had nothing but fruit for breakfast for the past five days, and my energy levels have been higher than ever before. The dish consists of mango, papaya, banana, watermelon, orange, and pineapple. Eating these local, organic fruits are a great way to energize for a days full of biking, surfing, yoga, walking, or anything! I really never knew how amazing I would feel until I tried. Imagine what we could be missing out on, just because we don't give it a chance? Eating fruit is only a small example. Also, as previously noted, these fruits are INDIGENOUS to this climate and culture, making them more easily assimilated in the body. I find myself craving tropical fruit down here, whereas I usually crave apples or grapes up north. Give fruit a try- you may be pleasntly surprised! Also, my theory stands that natural sugar from fruit is not detrimental to health, unless you have serious candida symptoms. I tend to limit my intake of concentrated sweeteners, such as maple syrup, agave, etc in terms of excess sugar. Fruit is a gift of mother nature! Also, tropical fruits such as pineapple and papaya are full of active digestive enzymes such as bromelain, which is an enzyme that digests proteins in the body. Despite its low calorie content, fruit has a very high water and fiber content, therefore maknig you feel fuller longer.

Okay, I'm getting hungry writing this. Time to recharge my batteries! Stay tuned!

Pura Vida UNO

Hola chicas y chicos! I'm in Nosara, Costa Rica sitting at the beautiful Cafe de Paris. The only reason I am using my computer is to be able to share my experience with you. I always get so intrigued when I read people's blogs... especially travel blogs. I will also be posting pics soon.

I arrived in Liberia, Costa Rica with Mom and Dad on Saturday, August 1. Then we took a two-hour ride to the remote secluded rainforest town of Nosara. Located on the Guanacaste Peninsula on the western coast of Costa Rica, Nosara embodies all that is tropical, yoga-inspired, and surfworthy. People walking around in anything more than a bathing suit is a rare happening. The main part of town is probably no more than 2 miles. I walk everywhere, although some people ride dirtbikes, quads, bikes, etc. It is the wet season, so the temperature is around 95 degrees Farenheit and it is very humid (just my style). It's so great to sweat! This is my third time here, and every time I come, I feel a drastically different energy when I'm here. Perhaps it is because of the intense detoxification process that my body undergoes by constantly sweating, moving, and eating healthy meals. The food is prepared fresh from local ingredients including papaya, mango, avocado, starfruit, etc. The majority of the food is local and organic. My favorite place to eat is at the Cafe de Paris, where they have something for everyone. I love the vegetarian casado, which includes brown rice, salad, steamed vegetables, avocado, ratatouille, pico de gallo and plantains. It's a very indigenous 'Tico' dish. When I travel, I enjoy eating the food native to that country.

Anyways, I am off to a yoga class at the Tree Tops (part of the Nosara Yoga Institute). I did my yoga teacher training here in July 2007, and being here brings me back to that transformative experience. To be sharing this with my parents is also interesting, as this is a place I have created through words, pictures, and passion for the past two years. I am happy to be sharing this very sacred part of my life with my family.

PURA VIDA (Pure Life) <---that's the Costa Rica 'phrase', if you will... how awesome is that?!