Tag: nutritional therapy ireland

Live Raw Foods: The Force is Strong With These Ones! :)

September 23, 2012

Eat something raw with every meal. (And, of course, share with others:D)

Why is Raw so important?
Raw food (unless we are talking about food that comes from dead animals) means Alive. We also call it FRESH. And it’s the kind of fresh that doesn’t come out of an oven – it’s more like very fresh air high in pristine green mountains where every breath invigorates you, or the fresh breeze on the ocean shore or in the middle of a mature forest far away from any settlement. It is almost the same kind of freshness we feel in the air after a powerful long rain, thunder and lightning that cleared the air and filled it with billions of negative ions – we open the window or step outside and inhale this incredible freshness, it fills us to the brim sending very pleasant feeling up and down our body! This is how truly fresh and clean food tastes… You know the apples out of your own back yard that you pick off the tree and eat there and then? Or any wild or organic berries, vegetables or greens that you pick and eat almost immediately…The freshness of these fruit and vegetables cannot be truly described in words…You just Sense it on many levels. It’s as if LIFE itself is pouring into you through your mouth and your stomach making you feel ALIVE! The scientific research does show that after we pick something up (away from a branch or a stock ), the full amount of compounds is intact for about 15 minutes and then the breaking down process (or decay, death) begins. Some of the prescious compounds do get irrovocably lost after 15 minutes, however, some of them are still “alive” for much longer but do get completely destroyed by heat or radiation…

This Freshness that we are able to sense when eating – or even holding a particular vegetable or fruit in our hands – can be somewhat explained spiritually and scientifically. The ancient Ayurvedic medicine describes Ojas or the Life Energy or “vigor” which exists in humans and all other living beings. We can generate this vigor and can also consume it from living plants. The plants generate it via photosynthesis using the energy from the sun (a process, which is described in science very well, but is yet to be explained: where solar energy is converted or used to synthesize molecules and other energy within plants and algae to sustain them:) We can sense and taste the difference in the levels of ojas between a freshly picked apple and an apple picked 4 months ago and which is now being sold in a supermarket. It just doesn’t have that “zing”, that “freshness” or “vigor” of a fresh fruit anymore! In more contemporary terms (although ayurveda is old, but isn’t at all outdated, as its very rational principles work very well today too), in our modern terms we do know of something called enzymes, there are enzymes that we make ourselves (in our Gall Bladder, for instance) and there are completely different vast quantities of enzymes we cannot synthesize in our bodies found in vegetation. These enzymes get destroyed by cooking and radiation, stay fresh in sub-zero temperatures , and they can stay “asleep” or dormant in seeds of plants sometimes for thousands of years: i.e. if the seeds are well-preserved, they remain inactive until the conditions are right, and then they start to germinate. [For example Kamut grains have been found in ancient Egypt which have been buried (stored) for thousands of years. The grain successfully germinated and nowadays you can buy kamut bread or crackers in health stores, although prior to the second half of 20th century we haven’t had kamut for a long time:).] So, the enzymes, can be equated with life force that starts to become active when life begins anew in a seed.

What do enzymes do?
There are many different types of enzymes and they seem to participate in a lot of processes: from breaking down nutrients, allowing nutrients to be absorbed into the blood stream, to being catalysts in important cellular processes, to being necessary for the delivery of nutrients to cells, some enzymes also destroy broken or dysfunctional cells or remove and break down toxins. Basically, without enzymes it would be very difficult to absorb and utilise all that nature has provided in the plants and seeds… Also, enzymes seem to play an important role in providing organically-bound minerals in plants, i.e. when enzymes are destroyed, minerals become denatured, non-organic, i.e. the same as they are in a rock, which makes it almost impossible for us to absorb. We have to then make these minerals organically-bound ourselves – which is a lot of work, as generally plants are much better equipped at this than humans, and if we eat them with their minerals still organically bound – we very quickly absorb all the minerals we need without having to deal with inorganic mineral left-overs either, i.e. such as in cooked foods. A good example of this is spinach: there is some controversy regarding oxalic acid in spinach. However, according to Dr. Walker (I am inclined to believe him since the man lived for at least 99 years and died in perfectly good vibrant health following his raw diet and juicing!) oxalic acid found in spinach, sorrel and some other plants is one of the most important acids found in its natural raw form – it is needed for the peristaltic motion of the bowels and tonifies the very delicate nerves and muscles that relax and tense to produce this very complex motion in our body. In its organic (raw) form, oxalic acid connects with calcium and assists in its absorption in the body. Once enzymes are destroyed by heat, the oxalic acid becomes non-organic, and becomes toxic to the body. It still forms connections with calcium but no longer releases it, which can lead to calcium deficiencies. Non-organic (cooked) oxalic acid forms oxalic acid crystals, which can accumulate in kidneys (this is why people with kidney stones are warned not to eat chocolate and cooked spinach).

Enzymes get destroyed by heat – the majority of them are destroyed at 43° Centigrate (Celsius), so warming anything above this temperature will result in loss of enzymes – and therefore loss of Life from Food. Eating something without its ‘zingy freshness’ is really never the same. And you are missing many enzymes that do not only deliver vitamins, minerals and nutraceuticals into your body, but also enzymes that participate in destroying inflammation and cancer in cells. Having mineral and vitamin deficiencies and toxicity are the leading reasons behind many diseases, and eating raw foods takes care of both!

How do I increase my “Force”, “Ojas” or Raw Foods intake :)?

  1. The best place to start is fresh fruit: it’s tasty, sweet and easy to introduce to the most toxic of humans. Eat it between or just eh before meals. The reason why this works best is because we break down sugary foods much quicker than any others, and if you eat something heavy first, i.e. bread, beans, fish – these foods take much longer to break down in the body, so the sugary foods will break down faster and will sit on top of whatever you’ve eaten before them, not being able to pass down the digestive tract. These sweeter foods start to ferment (rot), and this causes toxic by-products of digestion, you may experience it as bloating or constipation at a later stage, although what this eventually leads to is much more than just those symptoms. So, yes, start with the fruit, give it to the kids – if they feel like eating 5 pears and then a little bit of their dinner, well, so be it. What they have eaten is probably much more nutritious than the cooked dinner that was offered to them. Also, remember that the fruit digests very fast – so 30-50 minutes later, the kids will be back to either ask for more fruit or, more likely, for their dinner.
  2. Start to juice. This is a great tip for kids! And I mean every day. Drink a pint of raw fresh vegetable or fruit juice daily. The ones from cartons ABSOLUTELY DO NOT COUNT! They are NOT RAW! They are pasteurized: heated to 80° Centigrade! And the ones that have been juiced last night don’t count (Unless you have a magnetic masticating juicer). If you do this consistently and every day, without skipping a single day, after about 3-4 weeks you will notice that you are craving juices and have much more natural interest in salads, fruit, vegetables and other crunchy and fresh foods that you may not have had much interest in before. The juices will detox and nourish your body with instant vitamins and minerals that do not require digestion (as they are liquid without pulp). And this will bring your body into a more natural harmonious state where it is more likely to react in a more natural way to what it actually needs to be healthy.
  3. Green smoothies. These guys will work like lovely big, porous sponges on whatever toxins have been lodged on your bowels. They will also provide many essential vitamins and minerals, as they are raw :) And they will alkalise your blood, your cells and chlorophyl will oxygenate your blood cells more efficiently. If you are not familiar with green smoothies, here is a link to a youtube video explaining what they are: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=xW5LUkeVA6s    Otherwise, here is a simple recipe for one of mine on this website. (Click the link.)
  4. Have at least one LARGE, Tasty, multi-coloured Salad daily. Experiment with salads and use tasty dressings to create tasty salads (read below): don’t just use iceberg lettuce and one sad-looking pinkish tomato and giant white onions! This is McDonald’s idea of a salad, not an idea that belongs to humans beings who have taste buds!!! Use Fresh, varied leaves, such as: young spinach, rocket, beet greens, romaine lettuce, mustard greens, bok choi, lamb’s lettuce, chard, etc.
    Here is my classic take on a salad, and people fo LOVE them: cut larger leaves into strips or use baby leaves and add: fresh green or red onions cut small, organic tomatoes, organic cucumber (cucumbers are full of pesticides in winter, especially if they are grown in colder climates, i.e. Ireland or U.K. as there is no sunlight and they have to be stimulated a lot with chemicals to grow!) If in Ireland/UK buy spanish and/or buy organic in winter, otherwise you are eating a watery goo, instead of a perky crunchy cucumber! Add ripe avocado [it has to be soft and creamy]: this will make your salad exceptionally tasty! Use raw garlic, dill, parsley for more flavour! And remember, it’s all in the dressing! For the dressing: Use cold-pressed flax oil, lemon juice sprinkled/or liberally juiced over your salad, plus Himalayan pink salt! And that’s all! Simple dressing but oh, so tasty! [Remember to buy your flax oil from the fridge and store in the fridge. Never buy flax oil from a shelf. Go to health stores for best flax oil.] And remember you can also use radishes, carrots, raw beetroot (grated), Muli (white long radish), bean sprouts (not soy).
  5. Have something raw with EVERY meal you are eating. I.e. porridge or muesli in the morning? Cut an apple, pear or carrot rings on top of it! A sandwich for lunch? Buy a salad with it that has actual raw ingredients in it! Eat an apple or two or three before it! ;) Soup? Ask for some lettuce leaves from the sandwich counter, put them on top of your soup! Better yet, order a salad or bring your own amazing salad for lunch! :) A tip: Bring Avocados with you: these are raw, nutritious, don’t require washing, very filling, antioxidant, have protective oils in them and vitamin E. They can be eaten with anything: a soup, another salad, main course or on their own. And even with a desert :)) A tip: Have some fresh fruit just before your lunch (may be as you are waiting for it to be delivered or as you are queueing) – if there is really nothing raw on the menu. Go to the corner store or  a supermarket, if you forgot your fruit in the morning! There are ALWAYS Fruit in every store, even at petrol stations!
  6. Research Raw nutrition: Look for recipes, good books, youtube. Victoria Boutenko “Raw Family” books and “Green for Life”. “80 10 10 Diet” by Dr. Douglas Graham. “The China Study” http://www.thechinastudy.com/

Good luck and I wish you Radiance on all levels of your Being!

Love,

Kamilla.

Universal Healthy Diet. Is there such a thing?

September 15, 2012

Dear Radiant Readers, :)

Many people come to me and say that they have a “healthy diet” or they ask me whether I think they “have a healthy diet”…I would like to examine this a little closer and thus, allow you to see the multitude of options in the world of what can be considered a well being-enhancement through diet. I also hope it will give you some ideas on how to find what is right for you in the informational avalanche of ideas on nutritional health today.

So, let’s start by defining “healthy nutrition”. There are so many schools of thought and so many directions in nutrition, and many of them – sadly – use a uni-directional approach of only focusing on ONE aspect of nutrition, i.e. protein, fiber, oils, no-sugar, etc. There are several diets that I would consider suitable for radiant health, however, there are also many different types of people with different psychological and physiological needs, hence as long as the diet is as natural to the way it grows in nature and has sufficient variety of multi-nutrients, any such diet could be called a “healthful diet for certain types of people”. :) There are, however, substances which we are consuming today, that are most definitely “not-healthy” no matter how one “dresses them up” (pun intended;). I cannot even call these foods – foods. These are rancid fats, synthetic toxic colourants and flavour-enhancers, taste-enhancers, heavy-metals in absorbable forms added to foods as additives, sulphites, glutamates (see Dr. Blaylock lectures in google on glutamates in many foods, which are a major cause of many diseases), and simply old, overcooked concoctions in pretty packaging that have little left of the original natural multi-nutritional energetic value and are instead filled with synthetic vitamins to make up for the removal of the same vitamins during severe processing (breakfast cereals are a fine example of this). Such “foods” cannot even be called foods, they are too far removed from what they used to be! The main reasons we are eating them is tricky flavour-enhancers and because many people’s palates have been numbed with too many artificial flavours, sugars and salt.

So, let’s now look at some examples of  “diets” and how we can see what would be considered a “very good diet” from a certain point of view and a simply “not good enough” from another. So, imagine somebody who has been eating meat and two vegetables for dinner, processed corn flakes for breakfast, a white roll for lunch and biscuits in between meals, and, maybe they were also eating crisps and drinking some coke or fizzy sugar-free drinks. Now…it doesn’t take a genius to realise that if we were (1) to remove coke and artificial sweeteners (in diet drinks) and the crisps, we are already making the nutritional situation much better for this person. Let’s go a little further and imagine that this person is now (2)eating more vegetables in beautiful casseroles, mixed vegetable “steam-fried” dishes, italian vegetable mixes in zesty sauces, etc. and perhaps they also added fresh fruit throughout their day to bring vital antioxidants, vitamins and fiber for detoxification. Plus this same person is having water between meals as well. This is now an entirely DIFFERENT level from the one where we simply removed the most obviously toxic substances from the diet… They are providing much more plentiful vitamins from fresh vegetables, they are providing water to dilute and remove toxins from cells…So would you call this a “healthy diet”? Yes, from the point of view of the previous diet, absolutely! However, not really, if we now imagine that (3) this person also swaps processed grains such as morning cereals for unprocessed grains: so, in place of white/brown bread with GM soya flour and artificial raising agents, this person is now eating wholemeal bread only, plus brown rice in place of white, buckwheat, quinoa or millet in place of potatoes or white pasta (white rice and white pasta are 90+%  deficient in vitamins and minerals but still have the “empty” calories). This same person may now also bring Omega 3 into their diet as milled linseeds or chia! See how many positive changes have occurred now:

  • no rancid fats from crisps that damage liver and gall bladder,
  • no coke that has a lot of sugar (or Diet Coke with carcinogenic-toxic aspartame), plus it also lowers our PH making us acidic, which is a cause of cell oxygen deprivation and is a serious factor in most disease;
  • no white refined grains that also make us acidic and up our toxic load;
  • many fresh vegetables that are bringing easily absorbed nutrients and providing insoluble gentle (not isolated harsh bran!!) into our body to absorb and safely bring out toxins;
  • Omega 3 is needed by every cell in the body; it helps with any inflammatory processes that may be present in the body, it helps with immunity and hormones and it balances the nervous system;
  • Whole grains will add additionalcomplex and whole vitamins and minerals and, most importantly, replace processed white flour, plus some of the grains can assist in detoxification: i.e. brown rice helps cleanse small intestine. Millet is a source of amygdalin (a precious anti-cancer nutraceutical) and has bitter components that help cleanse the liver also.

(4) Let’s make yet another nutritional adjustment: let’s imagine that this person is bringing even more nutrients into their diet by having more raw vegetables and fruit: Big salad or two daily, lots of fresh organic fruit before each meal (all of which provide fiber, antioxidants and other nutraceuticals – in their natural, complex way, that naturally destroy cancer cells, boost immunity, balance hormones, keep us alkaline, etc.). This person is now increasing the amount of vegetables and fruit above all other foods they are eating: cooked grains, meats, fish and beans. Perhaps they are going off acidifying meats and eating fish on occasion instead. Perhaps they are making green cocktails (shakes) that incorporate green leaves, so they no longer need to cling to their acidifying cheese, milk and yoghurt to “think” that they need calcium this way…This freedome from dairy allows for more detoxification in the cells, allows higher and healthier level of nutrition from raw greens and fresh fruit, there is higher levels of clarity for not just tissues and cells – for the person’s consciousness overall. And, of course, this is – again – a different level of nutrition, and from this point the previous diets do seem limiting and not “healthy enough”. But you know, we could continue with this and add more nutrient-rich and even easier absorbed foods and remove fish or bring in spirulina, avoid grains, include fresh vegetable and fruit juices daily and wheat-grass juice. We could go on like this for probably several more pages here… :)

However, I think that there is no such thing as a Universal “healthy diet” that would suit everybody instantly in the current state that the humanity is in… There are too many psychological addictions to non-foods and also foods that are doing us more harm than good! Check the RESULTS: i.e. give your diet some time and then see what happens. The two magical things that would indicate “it’s working” shoudl appear after a month or sooner: much improved health and overall well-being! WHAT MAY STOP YOU TO IMPROVE YOUR DIETARY HABITS: It is so important to have some understanding as to why you would crave something that you already know isn’t good for you. So, for instance, you may crave coffee or sugar or meat or fish for a while but after a certain time you will notice that the craving are gone and you may get much larger mental clarity, emotional harmony and better energy levels. Knowing that candida or fungi crave sugar or interstinal parasites crave animal proteins amay empower you to go with your new healthier options! :)

More points to consider here are that there are most definitely some diets or elements thereof that are detrimental to health for any person, as some of us Can and Do ingest things that are literally poisonous to us (just consider something “simple” like deep-fried chips which contain rancid, toxic and proven to be carcinogenic oil), and we can exclude many naturally life-giving foods which can keep us in a much better state of health (exclude ALL vegetables and fruits from your diet and you will have health consequences after a while)… We can be eating foods that are primarily disease-nurturing, such as highly processed sugary and savoury snacks with artificial flavour-enhancers, red meats, excessive dairy, white sugar and refined grains. There are unhealthy elements in diets, and there are diets that provide better nutrition, than others, and it is all about comparisons and consideration of the state of overall well being that the person eating this way is wishing to be on. Somebody who has been an omnivour for 90 years may not want to change to a vegetarian diet, even though it may prolong their life, however, that person may be actually in a much better health than a 50-year old vegetarian that eats very little raw vegetables and mostly eats “fake” vegetarian burgers and processed vegetarian meals with chips, crisps and coke.

The main three points I would like to make here are: as long as the diet provides you with what you need right now holistically, i.e. it provides nutrients which you would expect to have, not just one aspect of them, i.e. only protein, only fats, only carbohydrates, only no sugar (but what you eat instead of sugar is of no importance). And it has to do this in the nutritionally optimal way for you.  You researched it or got information from a holistic professional or thriving (!)  life-long followers of such diets and learned for yourself point-by-point what it gives you and how it addresses what you used to think was necessary for you in a diet – then, if all three points are to your satisfaction, this may indeed be the best diet for you at this time. For, once you start to approach what you are eating consciously, then many MORE levels of what can be called “healthy nutrition” open up before you. For instance: there are diets that stress eating balanced foods from the local region, i.e. it makes sense that people with mostly european DNA might have issues digesting bananas or rare exotic fruits or that foods travelling from far away would have to be gassed or coated in preservatives, and so the focus here is more on local antioxidant berries, fruits and produce instead. There is, for instance, the intelligent and scientifically solid way of food combining (so the foods don’t ferment or rot in the stomach, but digest more effectively as ). There are many solid and nourishing vegetarian diets. And even many types of raw diets: mixed, juices + vegetables and no raw grains, 80-10-10, mono-raw, etc. All of which, if done intelligently and at the right time, are very healthy for particular people with particular physical and emotional-spiritual parameters. So, if you were, for instance, to get somebody to go raw with severe stomach problems without more knowledge about how to repair and heal their stomach lining or get rid of their ulcers (check the amazing Dr. Walker’s Juice Therapy books: http://amazingdiscoveries.org/AH-healing-fruits-vegetables-Dr_Walker) and instead, simply ask this person to eat everything raw without any rhyme or reason behind the foods they are choosing, these people may run into severe difficulties on the physiology front alone.. If we try to do the same with somebody who has ideas that everybody needs meat daily or that raw means = loss of weight, the person is going to run into both physiological and psychological difficulties. Another example is to try to increase fruit intake is a person has high levels of heavy metals in their body and a non-working colon OR they had unresolved pathogens and conditions that are particularly reactive to fruit – this, again, would be a mistake. All should be done in its own good time, as we need to consider not only the type of foods that a particular physical body needs, but also the types of foods that their emotional-mental-spiritual constituents require. If somebody has an emotional addiction to potatoes, as it has been their “Drug of comfort” for years, no matter how much the potatoes bloat and cramp this person’s stomach, and what kind of will power this person has, they will be tormenting themselves if all they do is remove potatoes from their diet, add nothing else or do nothing to address what they were trying to comfort with these potatoes for so long…

So, in conclusion, any new “healthier” diet should be an enriching, not a limiting experience! When you are “removing something” you should be bringing much more into your life that definitely increases your vibrancy! Do your own research for free, do not automatically believe nay-sayers unless these people gave a particular dietary approach their full attention and tried it for more than just a week or a month – it is easy to criticize something you have never done yourself and simply quote “some” research, which probably was not done on a particular diet and simply questions a particular element, plus that research may have been done by corporations that would lose huge money if everybody knew how to simply and naturally prevent and cure many diseases. Unfortunately, there is financial gain at stake when it comes to diet – otherwise we would always get quite straight forward information about it, as common sense and science have both discovered almost a century ago some of the most wonderful combinations of natural eating that make sense and work. If everybody held keys to their own source of nutrition, we would have much more Freedom socially and the world, not just our health. So keep an open mind and keep educating yourself through external information and personal experience! :)

Homemade Almond Milk – Raw, Delicious, Antioxidant, Alkalising and Easy to make! :)

September 12, 2012

Dear Radiant chefs,  ;)

This simple almond milk recipe is great for vegans, raw foodists and people with dairy sensitivities or allergies :).

Consuming dairy over the age of 5 (definitely over 10, as this is when the majority of human population on this planet stops producing lactase – an enzyme necessary for the proper digestion of milk) results in creating more acidity in the body. This is bad news as acidosis promotes oxygen deprivation in cells and, ultimately, is a precursor to most diseases. So, opting for unprocessed non-dairy alternatives is definitely a healthy step forward. For calcium needs, start eating more leafy greens: have salads with plenty of different leaves like spinach, rocket, chard, lamb’s lettuce, beet greens or have some green smoothies daily :)! Almonds also have quite a good amount of calcium in them! Remember, no other animal suckles milk past its baby stage and all the deer, zebras and elephants are just fine – no signs of osteoporosis! Just think about how large and strong elephants’ bones are – all from the wonderful mineral-rich leaves! Other good sources of absorbable calcium is spirulina, sesame, linseeds, many other whole seeds and dried (unsulphered) fruit.

Almonds are the only nuts that have an alkalising effect on the body (as opposed to acidifying). Almonds are rich in antioxidant Vitamin E and some Vitamin A, have high levels Potassium and phosphorus, have good amounts of calcium and magnesium, B vitamins, especially B3. They are also relatively rich in choline – a necessary component in preventing fatty liver. In research, almonds have been found to reduce cholesterol and triglyceride levels.

You will need:

  • 1 cup (or glass) of almonds.
  • 3 cups (or glasses if you used a glass to measure out your almonds) of filtered or bottled water.
  • 3 large dates (not glazed glucose syrup: check the label. Medjool dates are the best or go for organic dates from health stores are never dipped in glucose) OR use a teaspoon of agave/honey to sweeten, dates ARE better as they have valuable minerals as well as the sweet taste:).
  • pinch of pink Himalayan salt (optional).
  • 1/2 vanilla powder or a few drops of organic vanilla essence (optional).
  • Fine Strainer and a cheese cloth (or you can use a new sterilised dish cloth).

The process:

  1. Soak a glass of almonds overnight (or during the day:P for at least 6 hours, better 8).
  2. Strain and rinse the almonds.
  3. Place the almonds into a blender with 3 glasses of water, add dates, salt, vanilla and blend until a smooth, homogeneous consistency has been achieved.
  4. Strain through a fine strainer (or sifter) first (see picture below).
  5. Then use a cheese cloth to strain the milk again. [Or you can use a thoroughly washed and sterilised dish cloth, the cloths normally smell of industrial oils and colours as they are not made for food processing but for washing dishes;). I have used a cloth like this when there was nothing else handy, but you can also use a fine linen cloth or  a very thin handkerchief (again, washed and sterilised:). So, to use an ordinary dish cloth: first wash it with some dish washer liquid or vegetable soap, rinse very thoroughlyuntil there is no smell of either the dish washer liquid or soap, as otherwise the smell will transfer onto your milk! Boil some water in a pot and submerge your dish cloth in the boiling water for about 5 minutes. Remove it from the pot carefully with a fork, place on a clean plate, wait till it cools, then ring it out with very clean hands – remember this cloth should be clean as you are straining fresh almond milk through it, and the milk should keep fresh in the fridge for up to 4 days, so keeping your hands freshly washed at all times is very important!Place the cloth over a bowl or pot into which you are straining your milk, and pour some of your milk in:

    and then squeeze out the almond milk:
    The remaining pulp can be used in baking (just add some into any biscuits or cakes), or to make delicious Raw Almond or chocolate cookies (the sea-shell cookies on my picture beside the milk are raw almond-raisin biscuits):Place your milk in a clean jug in the fridge or drink straight away :) The milk will keep in the fridge for 3 days (up to 4 maximum). Enjoy! :)

A Glowing Face in 10 minutes: Easy and Super powerful Rejuvenating Spirulina Mask!

September 10, 2012

Dear radiant readers:),

Today I would like to share with you something that can give your skin an incredible radiance and rejuvenation in as little as 3 minutes! This wonderful mask only needs one ingredient: Spirulina. Because Spirulina is a powerhouse of readily available nutrients for your skin – they absorb easily and quickly transforming your skin in a very short time. Spirulina has many of antioxidants that perk up and tone tired skin, giving it a healthy glow, and also protect your skin from free radicals. Spirulina contains chlorophyl – this is where the green colour comes from – this really oxygenates and illuminates skin cells (as if you’ve just done some cardio in fresh air and have been detoxing for a few days), and promotes collagen formation. Spirulina is incredibly nourishing to the skin, providing it with many vitamins and essential and trace minerals, it softens & nourishes dry skin, balances oily or combination skin – so basically it is suitable for all skin types. :) Small amounts of omega 3 and omega 6 are perfectly nourishing and readily available for the skin to make it extra supple and promote elasticity.

Further tips:

  • Use only about 1/4 teaspoon for the face and a little bit more 1/3 for the face+neck.
  • Use this mask before important dates, meetings, etc. Especially effective if you are tired, after work and need a quick boost to look your best. :)
  • Get in the shower, splash your face and apply your mask, wash the rest of your body and then wash off your mask at the end of the shower. This is the easiest, laziest and still extremely effective way to do many masks :)
  • Use spirulina mask on your neck and chest. Using all masks on your neck as well as the face is important because over time it may become apparent that the neck is not as youthful looking as the face, as you don’t look after the neck as much!
  • Using spirulina on the rest of your body (even for 30 seconds as a quick: apply and wash off) will noticeably soften and nourish your body skin, try it – the skin feels incredibly great afterwords! Also useful for stretch mark areas on the body to promote elasticity of the skin.

Sugar-free Raw Luxurious High-antioxidant Orange Chocolates! Yum! :)))

September 5, 2012

Fish-shaped chocolates I specially made for a very dear 100% raw guest. They happilly swam into our stomachs!:)

Ingredients:

  • 100 g of Raw Cacao Butter
  • 8 tablespoons (shallow) of raw Cacao Powder
  • 2 tablespoon Lucuma powder
  • 4 tablespoons of Agave syrup
  • Zest of 2/3 medium-sized organic unwaxed orange** (see below)
  • Half a pinch of pink Himalayan salt.
  • 1 tablespoon of cacao nibs (for sprinkling) [optional] OR Ground almonds or other nut pieces [optional]
  • Pinch of Organic vanilla essence (please use natural and not petroleum-preserved supermarket one) [optional]
  • You will also need: Silicone Ice-tray or chocolate moulds:

The Method:

  1. Grate cacao butter & melt using a hot “water bath”, being careful not to over heat (place cacao butter into a bowl, place the bowl into a pot of hot pre-boiled water, the butter will melt fairly quickly if you keep whisking it with a fork).
  2. Add Cacao powder and mix.
  3. Add the orange essence or zest, salt and mix well.
  4. Add lucuma, all the other ingredients and the agave and stir.
  5.  Pour into the moulds and sprinkle with cacao nibs or crushed nut pieaces. Place in the refrigerator for 10 minutes or freezer for 5 minutes.

** Use unwaxed fruit only! New Zealand and Australia do not really wax fruit when in season – all imported USA lemons ARE WAXED! If in colder parts of Europe and North America – read on: If the label doesn’t say that it’s “unwaxed”, it is waxed with artificial sealants! In the UK and Ireland: Tesco sell “unwaxed lemons” or else buy organic lemons and oranges. Otherwise organic market stalls will sell you some. OR this is less raw, but you only need a few drops, use: Natural Orange Essence.

Final Note: The whole process takes longer to read than to make – it will take you about 10 minutes. Freeze it for quickest results. Press on back of each individual silicone shape to pop your chocolate out onto a plate. Optional: decorate by sprinkling cacao powder over your chocolates (like in the main picture above). And Enjoy! :)