Wednesday, December 12, 2012

Sugar Coated Holiday Blues

What a combination, sugar and the holiday blues.  One is enough to live with.  But really, so many of us have both of them.  There is definitely a connection between them. As far as sugar blues goes, many Americans have them and have been exporting them around the world.

What are they? Please continue reading this article by clicking here: Sugar Blues.

To stress free, less sugar and memorable holidays,

In health and joy,
Barbara


Barbara Greenhouse
Refresh Your Life Now
Bethel, CT 06801, 
203 216 6889

Barbara Greenhouse shares her passions of Food, "Cooking", Cruelty-Free, Ahimsa, the Nutrition and Health Connection, and the Sharing of Unbiased Information for a healthy and informed world.  She guides her clients through their journey to live their deepest dreams, simply and holistically, with compassion and by incorporating some delicious live raw whole foods.  She is currently authoring her first book, "Sacred You, The Delicious Journey"®  -  © copyright Refresh Your Life Now - 2012 Connecticut, USA

Why Manage Life? Live It! ®  Refresh to the Good Life! ®

Friday, November 30, 2012

Refreshing Anytime Tips for the Holidays

So many of us are wondering, where did 2012 go!  December starts tomorrow and we are in the joy of another holiday season.

My top refresh tip is to keep up your self care and even step it up a bit.  This way you can count on being energized, joyful and in balance over the next four weeks of holiday celebrations and beyond.

My top 14 self care refresh tips are:

1.  Breathe deeply through your nose into your belly and take it up into your chest and heart.
     Breathe out slowly through your mouth. This is the perfect time to think or say a mantra.
     My favorite of late is All is well!  Repeat 4 times. Increase a breath each day up to 5, 6 ...
2.  Relax with a casual walk.
3.  Write a poem, story or in your journal to slow down your pace.
4.  Hum or sing while working or shopping or straightening up your home.
5.  Decorate for the holidays not a task to be done, but in joy.
6.  Brush your skin with a special bath brush to invigorate your skin to relax and increase circulation
     to it.
7.  Smile as much as you can. Your endorphins will keep you in a great mood.
8.  Give hugs often. The return to you is heart warming.
9.  Reflect on the joy of your divinity, your relationship with Source and know that you are Sacred.
10. Look in the mirror first thing each day and say I Love You. Repeat until you believe it.
11. Tell all whom you know and love that you love and appreciate them and tell them why.
12. Drink non sugar drinks: tea, fresh juices, coconut water and plenty of fresh filtered water, to stay
      in balance and to feel refreshed.
13. Have a cup of your favorite tea with some warming herbs like cinnamon, ginger, cayenne. Sit and
      sip slowly and savour the flavors.   My newest favorite is Jasmine Green Tea which leads to my 
      last self care tip.
14. Create lasting rituals for yourself and separate ones with you and your family or friends.

I'd love to hear about your favorite self care practices.  Looking forward to hearing about them in the comments below.

Wishing you beautiful days and memories,

In health and joy,
Barbara

Barbara Greenhouse
Health Coach
BarbaraGreenhouse.com
RefreshYourLifeNow@gmail.com
Facebook.com/refreshyourlifenow



Saturday, September 15, 2012

A Convenient Life.


Convenience.  Is it good for you?

This topic came to me in a funny and an unusual way.  I locked my car keys in my car at the library.  I picked up my house keys by mistake.  The police station in my town is conveniently next door to the library so a short walk solved my problem easily.  This is a positive experience related to convenience.

However, with this experience it got me to thinking, to think about the words convenience and convenient.   How often are they a good thing in my life and in yours?

We live a convenient life.  What does this mean?  In a nut shell it boils down to saving you time.  But does it really accomplish much for you? What ends up in this saved time?

There are convenience stores, convenience foods, texting, cell phones, ipads all of which are convenient.  I'm sure you can come up with a much longer list as to what is convenient in your life.

The other side of convenience is loss of quality.  The top two conveniences on my mind with significant loss of quality are relationships, all types: to self, others, the Divine, the planet, our neighbors.  The second is food.

For an enlightening exercise take a piece of paper, yes, please not on the computer, draw a line down the center of the paper.  Next, title the left side CONVENIENCE and on the right side title it LOSS of QUALITY.

Go as deeply as you can with this, take some time.  The purpose is to gain insight on how you are truly not living a life of quality, which is only one part of living YOUR life, the life of your dreams.  Because with out quality, their is lack.  With quality their is life.  If you have an example of where your quality has improved, do write that in.

The last part of this exercise is to write up a sentence or paragraph or two, or if you are more artistic, draw what you wish to do, that will counter each of the of loss of quality that you have listed.

An example:

The convenience:   Purchase and eat convenience store and fast food.

Loss of quality: (use I, not you, of course)
Many:  You have no idea what is in your "food", you have lost the connection to lovingly prepare and connect to delicious food and it's source for your self and/or others, fast food tends to be scoffed down running from here or there, not properly chewing the food, no down time, where is the enjoyment and nurturing, loss of new flavors and foods, added chemicals, taste enhancers etc. that keep you hooked.  The big loss is not sharing the love of creativity and healthy food preparation with children if you have them, which is great bonding time and they feel empowered by helping and learning, doing something fun and with mom or dad.

New quality:  Starting today I will visit the grocery/health food store and explore the whole food section.  I will look for color and items I would like to try.  I may ask someone to tell me about an item I know nothing about.  I may explore organic humanely raised meat as well, if I eat meat today or in the future.

If today I decide to purchase new organic vegetables and fruit I will start with simple new ways to prepare them or just wash and eat them.  I will look for simple recipes online, in a cookbook, ask a friend or my health coach if I have one, for some new recipes using my new found foods. Otherwise I will decide when I would like to do this. 

I will set the time I previously used to drive to the convenience store or fast food restaurant to slow down, take a deep breath and simply cut, chop or slice food and steam, saute or eat raw my new found foods.  The world of delicious fresh juices and smoothies I have heard about will eventually be added to my daily routine.  I can't wait to invite my spouse and children to be my assistant chefs.

Of course you then build on this until you wean yourself off of the junk and less nutritious foods as you will have filled your meals with such nutritious and healthy foods, there won't be much, if any, room for them. It may also mean cutting back some activities to allow for optimal health. 

Why is this so important?  Lack of quality of life, especially related to food, can set the stage for illness and dis-ease such as diabetes, cancer, coronary heart dis-ease, auto immune arthritis and obesity, ADHD, increase stress, create binging and so much more.

The actual qualities behind these are connection/relationship, better quality for this example food, which equates to better quality of life and health, respect for yourself and more...   As you go deeper still, with each deeper connection that comes to light, you will find they lead you to a deeper connection to the Divine.

So tell me, is convenience really good for you?  Or does it steal from you? (for every gain, what are the losses if any?)  Please let me know below.

One more example of loss of quality, not gone into detail here, is the use of electronic and mobile devices for example cell phones, TV, video games.  They kill the connection component of relationship.  This is a whole separate article coming your way in the future.

These topics and more tie in nicely to my upcoming work shop, "Why Manage Life? Live It"!®  Discover how to turn you Health and Lifestyle challenges into a life of Wellness and Happiness, rescheduled for Tuesday evening, October 30th from 7-9 pm.  Healthy and organic nutrient based refreshments will be served at the conclusion of the workshop.

There is limited space, so please rsvp sooner rather than later so you will be able to attend. Pre-registration is required by Friday October 26th.  I am looking forward to seeing you on the 30th.

Please sign up using www.BarbaraGreenhouse.com:
1. Click the Connect tab
2. Click the Free Consultation tab
3. Input your name etc.
4. Input your yes or no rsvp in the comment field.
5. Mail your $20 check to:
Refresh Your Life Now
c/o Barbara Greenhouse
35 Maple Drive
Monroe, CT 06468


In Health and Joy,
Barbara

203-216-6889
www.BarbaraGreenhouse.com
RefreshYourLifeNow@gmail.com
Follow on Twitter, @bgsuperfoods
Facebook.com/RefreshYourLifeNow
http://RefreshYourLifeNow@blogspot.com



This post may be reprinted on your blog, website or in your e-zine with my blessing as long as you include the following in tact:  


Barbara Greenhouse shares her passions of  Food, "Cooking", Cruelty-Free, Ahimsa, the Nutrition Health Connection and the Sharing of Unbiased Information for a healthy and informed world .  She teaches, guides and supports her clients along their journey to achieve their goals one step at a time, to live their dreams simply, holistically and with compassion.  

By recommending some delicious live raw whole foods their progess to a healthier and happier life begins with reduced stress, less pain, weight loss, optimal health.  She is currently authoring her first book, "Sacred You, The Delicious Journey"®    © copyright refreshyourlifenow, - 2012 Connecticut, USA





Monday, July 2, 2012

July's Herb of the Month

It's hard to believe that we are in the second half of 2012. Summer is a wonderful time for you to relax, have more fun, and rejuvenate; to refresh your body and soul.  July's herb of the month aligns perfectly with the summer season.

Derived from the Greek word Mintha.

Mint is another fine example of the thorough knowledge the earliest civilizations had about natural remedies and healing.  We are slowly returning to the natural wisdom nature has provided us for millennia.

This versatile herb was brought over by the colonists on the Mayflower.  It is steeped in history and had and still has a variety of uses. The Egyptians, once again, used this herb over 3,000 years ago.  Other earlier civilizations are documented for their use of mint too.  There are 40 varieties of mint, the most common are spearmint, peppermint and penny royal.

Mint makes you feel good through your sense of smell, it can be both uplifting and calming and healing with it's cooling properties throughout your body and for the stomach.  It aides in digestion, motion sickness, colds, the flu, fevers, is used in chest rubs and cools skin irritations.  It is antispasmodic, diaphoretic and a stimulant.  If you have GERD or take certain medications check with your health practitioner before using or eating peppermint. The jury is still out with regards to it's use with homeopathic medicines due to new studies and inconclusive findings.

Mint on the Rocks
Mint goes wonderfully in recipes with fruits, vegetables and or meat.  Since mint has a cooling effect it's use is very welcome during the hot summer. Some cooling uses of mint are mint iced water, mint sun tea, mint ices or sherbet and in dairy or non dairy ice cream where homemade is supreme sans all the chemicals.  I love chocolate and mint together. My favorite summer cool down treat is anything frozen and partially thawed that is chocolate and mint. Then there is the delicious southern drink the Mint Julep, for those inclined to something fancy.

Mint is also used to flavor yogurt, dressings, soups, for dental health in toothpaste and chewing gum and adds a nice cooling effect in liqueurs.

This is a salad recipe I concocted with ingredients on hand that would be cooling on a hot summer day.  Feel free to use any ingredients you like.  I have a new found favorite salad ingredient that I just love, fresh peaches. 

And remember, use organic fruits and vegetables for great taste, better health, and to support your local small farms and markets.

Ingredients:
Salad greens, baby spinach, rainbow chard, kale any or all of your favorite greens
1 large cucumber
1 large fresh peach
1/2 cup fresh blueberries
2 large pinches of a variety of your favorite sprouts
1 mango cut into pieces optional - not local of course
6 - 8 mint leaves

Dressing:
Your favorite 2 oils, non-hydrogenated
White wine vinegar
1-2 Fresh squeezed sweet valencia or sweet blood orange
1/8 small red onion
1/2 medium sized clove garlic
Mango juice
Peach Juice
Basil
Mint
Red chili pepper seeds, to your hotness level, optional

Method:
Wash the greens and tear into pieces place in a large bowl
Cut cucumber in small chunky pieces place in the bowl
Cut peach into chunky pieces, if juicy cut over a small bowl
to reserve the juice, place fruit in the bowl
Cut mango into pieces reserve the juice, place fruit in the bowl, optional
Wash blueberries place in the bowl
Wash and add sprouts
Chop garlic
Rinse, chop or tear the mint and basil leaves

Drizzle the oils on the salad to your liking, toss
Combine the vinegar, orange juice, reserved juices in a separate bowl, whisk
Chop red onion add to this bowl
Add chopped garlic
Add some of the basil and mint, whisk
Add some stevia or your favorite sweetener if needed, optional, whisk

Add dressing to the salad tossing well to incorporate
The amount of dressing you make is equal to the size,
number of servings, of the salad you make or make plenty and store
in the refrigerator
Add the remaining basil and mint

Dressing works well as a marinade for tempeh, tofu, fish or meat.

Tip: Oils can be seed, nut, or vegetable oils for example hemp, flax, sunflower, pumpkin, grapeseed, sesame, almond, hazelnut, or olive.

What are some of your favorite summer salads?  Let us also know if you like to be creative, reach out to different/unusual  salad ingredients and use what you have on hand in the refrigerator in the comment section below.

Homemade Raw ice cream:

Ingredients:
2 Frozen organic bananas
3 Heaping TB of raw cacao powder, more if you like
2-3 TB  organic peanut butter
20 -24 Drops peppermint spirits extract or a non-alcohol extract
2 oz Coconut water 
Sweetener to your taste, optional - raw coconut sap, raw green stevia, raw honey, 
maple syrup (not raw), xylitol (not raw - from the Birch tree is best, most now from corn)
Tip: double, triple recipe etc. for the number of servings you want.
These amounts make 1 serving.

Method: 

Add coconut water to your blender or food processor
Cut frozen bananas into slices 1 inch thick
Add bananas couple at a time to the blender/processor
Pulse slowly
Add a drop of water to cacao, mix
Add cacao slowly into blender/processor, mix, then add more
Add peanut butter slowly, a little at a time until everything is
incorporated
Scrape down sides and blend again
Add peppermint, blend
Place in glass bowl(s)

Tip: For a creamier ice cream you may add one of the following:
fresh coconut meat of 1 Thai coconut
1 medium unfrozen ripe banana, it should smell sweet
1 -2 TB  Lucama powder (also a thickener)
Irish Moss powder this affects the taste some (also a thickener)
1- 3 TB Arrowroot powder  (also a thickener)

For the last 3 put one in a little at a time and stir or blend. Let ice cream sit 20 minutes or so in the refrigerator to see how well it thickens. Add more if you like it creamier and thicker.  Stir  or whisk to make it creamier. Place in freezer.

For more of an ice do not make it creamier or thicker.




Friday, June 22, 2012

June's Herb of the Month

Cinnamon
Cinnamon Sticks

Did you know that cinnamon is tree bark?  Until recently I didn't know that two kinds of cinnamon existed. Where have I been!  Cinnamon commonly sold in the US is from the Cassia tree.  Our second choice for cinnamon is Ceylon cinnamon hailing from Sri Lanka by way of an evergreen tree of the laurel family.  While it is not as sweet as Cassia cinnamon it does provide a more delicate flavor for your favorite recipes.

Cinnamon is also medicinal and has been used since ancient Egyptian times for a variety of illnesses and dis-eases.  It can help insulin resistance and weight loss.

In one study reported by the Diabetes Care Journal, cinnamon reduced blood sugar levels and increased the natural production of insulin, while it lowered their blood cholesterol also.  Specifically, their blood cholesterol levels were lowered in the range of 10 to 26 percent, affecting overall cholesterol levels and reducing the LDL (known as the bad cholesterol) but not reducing levels of HDL, the good cholesterol. For more information and the data source - Thyroid-info.com.   

What are some of your favorite drink, and food recipes that you make using cinnamon? Head on down to the comments section below and please let us know. 


In Health and Joy,
Barbara


203-216-6889
www.BarbaraGreenhouse.com
RefreshYourLifeNow@gmail.com
Follow on Twitter, @bgsuperfoods
Facebook.com/RefreshYourLifeNow
http://RefreshYourLifeNow@blogspot.com



This post may be reprinted on your blog, website or in your e-zine with my blessing as long as you include the following in tact:  


Barbara Greenhouse shares her passions of Food, "Cooking", Cruelty-Free, the Nutrition Health Connection and the Sharing of Unbiased Information for a healthy and informed world .  She teaches, guides and supports her clients along their journey to achieve their goals one step at a time, to live their dreams simply, holistically and with compassion. By recommending some delicious live raw whole foods their process to a healthier and happier life begins.  She is currently authoring her first book, "Sacred You, The Delicious Journey"®    © copyright refreshyourlifenow, - 2012 Connecticut, USA



Wednesday, June 20, 2012

Inflammation, The Good, The Bad and the Ugly

Is there really something good about inflammation?  Yes, surprisingly there is because we only hear the bad press.  Well, we will cover all of it here in this post.

Pure Water, Hydration  Natural Stress Reduction
Inflammation is your body's first line of defense against infections and injuries, wounds, falls, toxic food, pesticides, pollution and the like.  The emergency response team in you body responds immediately.  A little science here, this team receives distress signals of the bio chemical nature from damaged tissues and cells.  For knee scrapes or puncture wounds the injured area is sealed off, incoming bacteria get their death sentence and certificate and the damaged tissues are destroyed.

What we perhaps see as redness, swelling, feel as heat or pain and perceive to be bad,   are actually signs that the body's emergency response team is in action, your inflammatory response. 

Inflammatory response is the start of the healing process.  Like everything else, this response needs to keep a balance between heating up inflammation and cooling it down.  As we know, when there is excessive inflammation, heat, and the ph is too acidic our immune system is compromised and we become ill.  When it is severe and chronic our body is way out of balance.  The body and all of our body's systems immune, circulatory, respiratory to name a few are in distress, break down and serious dis-ease takes hold.  

For example, internally, when veins, arteries, our system organs, tissues and joints are taxed or injured they become inflamed because the automatic response system kicks in to start the healing process. At this stage however serious symptoms arise and the response team can become overwhelmed when the conditions are chronic due what the body perceives as an overload of toxins. What toxins?  Excessive sugar, toxic food (wax, petroleum products unpronounceable chemical foods), pesticides,cosmetics, body care products etc., over a long space of time.  The immune system can not handle the situation well.  The body tries to send us messages but we are too busy to listen until the damage is done and comes forth as a debilitating dis-ease and perhaps unrelenting pain depending on the dis-ease.  

Tips to avoid or clear up inflammation:

1. Drink plenty of fresh spring water, or filter your own.  Checkout findaspring.com.
2. Eat and drink more dark leafy greens, cruciferous vegetables and other alkaline or 
     alkaline forming foods
3. Eat organic for at least the annual dirty dozen fruits and vegetables. Organic tastes better  
    irregardless of what mainstream reports and biased testing show. It tastes good, you will 
    eat more fruits and vegetables which tames inflammation and then eliminates it or
    keeps it in balance. Organic is less costly in the long run with your time and money, it is
     non-GMO, no animal genes in your fruits and vegetables, no built-in pesticides and lastly 
    the soil is nutrient dense with numerous minerals and life teaming organisms with in the   
    soil, verses deficient soil, your typical conventional industrialized farm soil.
4. When you cook meat if you do, choose rare, medium rare. Grilling burnt/crispy is deadly.
5. What ever you wouldn't eat don't serve to your body to cleanse your skin, face or body
     with, nor use as moisturizers, perfumes, makeup or hair products. Anything not easily
     pronounced is a good indication that it is toxic, not health and you don't want it on your 
     skin where it then transits into your body.
6.  Manage your stress. As the # 1 killer in the us today because it's damage hidden for so 
     long. It causes inflammation which in turn creates an acidic ph and when chronic, causes
     debilitating dis-eases, most often deadly dis-ease, for example Cancer, Diabetes, CHD,
     Lung dis-eases, Autoimmune dis-eases Rheumatoid Arthritis, Lupus, Alzheimer's, 
     Adrenal Failure and more.
7.  Cut back on the whites - sugar, flour, salt, unless you have low blood pressure; the brain
     requires salt for development. Use Celtic or Pink Himalayan salt, not iodized salt.
8.  Cut back on caffine, alcohol, prescription meds, antibiotics. Use pro and prebiotics.
     While cacao and dark chocolate is good for you for much of the chocolate on the market
      has quite a bit of caffine.  For some health conditions caffine needs to be avoided entirely.

Do you suffer from a debilitating dis-ease?  How's your stress life?  Please share with us in the comments below. 

And as always, if you would like full support in your life to be healthier and happier take that first step for yourself, sign up for a free 50 minute health consultation on my website by clicking here.

  
In Love and Light,
Barbara

203-216-6889
www.BarbaraGreenhouse.com
RefreshYourLifeNow@gmail.com
Follow on Twitter, @bgsuperfoods
Facebook.com/RefreshYourLifeNow
http://RefreshYourLifeNow@blogspot.com



This post may be reprinted on your blog, website or in your e-zine with my blessing as long as you include the following in tact:  


Barbara Greenhouse shares her passions of Food, "Cooking", Cruelty-Free, the Nutrition Health Connection and the Sharing of Unbiased Information for a healthy and informed world .  She teaches, guides and supports her clients through their journey to achieve their goals and live their dreams simply, holistically and with compassion and by incorporating some delicious live raw whole foods.  She is currently authoring her first book, "Sacred You, The Delicious Journey"®    © copyright refreshyourlifenow, - 2012 Connecticut, USA



Sunday, May 27, 2012

Unnecessary Dis-eases

There is holistic solution.
Grab a special cup of tea, this is a long one!

You've read about it in the news. The occurrence of diabetes, cancer, obesity and heart disease are on the rise. Even in children.  Why?

Our bodies are telling us messages, loud and clear.  But we are not listening. They are out of balance big time caused by nutrient deficient food, stress, overwhelm, poor food choices, grab and go food, we're not home cooking, not enough sleep and too many meds for this or that. Toxins are found everywhere in our food and our living and working environments along with toxins in the soil, the air we breathe, the water we bath in, drink and swim in for recreation.  

Since 1980 diabetes has increased steadily. Statistics from 1994 on show not only the increase in this disease as diabetes 1 but also Diabetes 2 especially from 2008 on getting drastically worse each year thereafter.  The graphs indicate increase in diabetes overall not by 1 or 2. Another interesting point is that severe or longer term diabetes causes cardiovascular dis-ease which has higher morbidity rates for male diabetics.  Dis-eases never before seen in children are now showing up at alarmingly high rates. Conventional solutions? Band Aids, pop a pill for everything, not getting to the root cause.   If you listen to your body you know more than a person who speaks to you for just 5 minutes, maybe 10 and writes you a prescription and is out the door to the next patient.

 
 The body is the greatest communicator and healer but we just don't listen.  We need to. For example, when tired do you slow down and rest? Or do you forge ahead because of x, y or z?  Do you finally get the message because you can't lift up your head or arms and you stay home put for the day, yet feel slightly better the next day and go back to work, school appointments etc.?  You need multiple days of rest to heal without interruption to the healing process to get fully back on your feet and stay on them.  

Depending on what actually got you to stay home and slow down, was the bodies last attempt to communicate to you that you are out of balance.  This could have been contagious and what your run down body (immune system) couldn't fight off. When you go back to normal life after just one day because you "feel" better you've actually shutdown your healing process and possibly spread an illness to others.  If their bodies are not in optimal health, their immune system is compromised, they will be down with an illness too. The more our bodies go through this scenario, the more you are inviting dis-ease into your life. We also need to listen because of reasons like these:  Fainting while driving can be hazardous to your health and can be fatal. My aunt a diabetic, would faint while driving. She was lucky, she didn't kill herself or anyone else. Passing out on a hard floor especially if you live alone is dangerous.   My uncle fell and did hit his head and died. They found a cancerous tumor in his head.  

You have a to-do-list a mile long with nothing marked in for your me time to do what you enjoy, self care and what will SLOW you down.  I'll admit life presents responsibilities to care for others' illnesses to me, causing me to fall short on my quiet time, self care and  fun time.  In the morning before I rise I relax, think and breathe each day, a constant me time.  The rest I do my best to include.  Stress, especially chronic stress, taxes the adrenals, the heart, the immune system, your hormonal system (which is part of a communications network within your digestive system), to name a few.  Everything is interconnected. When in balance you're a Rolls-Royce, when out of balance you're a clunker.

Here's some biology in simple terms.  The built-in survival responses created for man's survival 1000s of years ago aren't working well with our much different lifestyles of today because of what we no longer do that actually kept earlier man much healthier than man today. A few examples, we eat after we are full.  This disrupts the hunger communications that tell us we are satiated, over time we can become obese; we no longer rake leaves we use machines to blow them, we no loner use a scythe to cut grass nor even a hand push blade mower. Most use sit down tractor mowers now.  We are no longer getting the movement we need on a regular basis.  This not only keeps our muscles toned, and our breathing deeper, but also our metabolism is being regulated differently due to modern day lifestyle changes and chronic stress.  Earlier man had stress but not chronic stress.  He hunted large game, had to be strong, run, sprint, squat, forage/gather fruits and vegetables and and be active and alert to survive. Modern day man is not anywhere near as active (has less movement).  Even in just the last 20 - 30 years most kids today have less movement.  They don't use jungle gyms, climb rocks, run or play hard any more.  Aside from team sports programs and karate, kids are using computers, playing computer games (adults too) and you see the rise in obesity and diabetes.  Less movement + more food consumption = unhealthy situations, dis-ease.  Dis-ease = Less calorie burn + More fat storage +Acidic ph. The classic definition of disease is when your ph is .1 higher or .1 lower than the normal ph.  "A healthy blood pH without cancer has acid + alkaline balance almost equal. Actually a healthy body is slightly alkaline measuring approximately 7.4". source-altered-states.net /barry/update178/index.htm  Therefore maintaining and losing weight is more difficult for many of all ages. And this is a big and, our metabolism is slower so we are not burning enough calories from the increase in the intake of modern day nutrient deficient calories, we are storing fat created by all the low carbs, sugar and hidden sugar products that is so prevalent in the American diet today.   The increase in chronic stress which genetically wants to store more fat for survival, isn't alleviated due to less movement.  Another fact is that we are born with just so much insulin in the pancreas. This never became depleted before death.  It is now. It literally gets used up.  The over consumption of foods especially the sugar laden foods and high glycemic foods cause the pancreas to release insulin almost constantly.  It is now found that the insulin stores meant to last for a life time are now running out at younger and younger ages.  Hence the need to take insulin.

Another good reason we have more dis-ease is because food is fuel for our bodies and is being used for entertainment mostly these days. What's the latest food fad or trend?  Diet? Today the thoughts of what I crave or what I would just like to eat versus what does my body require to function perfectly, as it was created to receive, is more important. We have this mentality of food as gratification and not what we need it for. I'm not saying we can't enjoy it, that's not the purpose and we need to strike a healthy balance.  Food is necessary as fuel for the energy that the body requires on the cellular level where the cells get the nutrients, minerals, water, and oxygen that they need for their food and fuel to function optimally for us every second of every day.  Our heart doesn't miss a beat, we breathe 15-20 breaths per minute as adults no matter what we feed them at, first.  The brain has specific requirements to function optimally, the heart does, the nervous system does, our skin does and so on.

Our body's requirement is high test fuel and sadly most people are providing the lowest grade of regular fuel.  So, most bodies today are breaking down, inflamed, dis-eased, and acidic broken down examples:  diabetes, cancer, coronary heart dis-ease, severe arthritis, autism, altzheimers. We are totally out of balance on so many levels. An acidic body is the ground floor of dis-ease. And no one is listening to the messages from their body: shortness of breath, chronic fatigue, brain fog, low energy, dis-ease, swollen legs, ankles, pain and excessive weight gain.

What does it mean to be in balance? You have energy because your cells receive all that nutrient dense foods supply to them, some of which is supplied rather quickly, therefore they require less use of energy so there is more left over for you overall.   You feel good, you loose some weight, you look forward to each day, you have strong relationships, love your job/career (or move to get to that) and have some higher power, what ever that is for you, to pray/talk to/walk with in nature/meditate with, which is very comforting for you. A true sense of support and unconditional love. What I and many call LifeForce energy.  A good coach can give you good support and accountability to live your dreams and meet goals along with your higher power.  You were not created to be a clunker.

Simple lifestyle changes taken a step at a time over time and the desire to be healthy and happier will transform you to a place that you probably dream about, a place you can definitely obtain and maintain.

My free 50 minute health consultation is an easy way to communicate your struggles, pain, stress and dis-ease and the good, present for you today.  You also clarify what goals you want to reach regarding your health and for what is called primary foods, the essential yet non food sustenance's of life.  Who are you communicating all of this too?  Why to yourself.  As we discuss your most important findings deeper communications will come forth.

Sign up for my newsletter, Refresh to the Good Life News ® where you will find articles, tips, recipes and more. Click the link at the top right on this page to sign up.  In the form's comment field schedule your free consultation. Provide two choices please.  My consultations are scheduled the hours of 5 - 9 pm, Tuesdays and Wednesdays and Saturday mornings 10 - 12 N. I will confirm your free consultation time by email.

Start your journey, you really deserve it.  Awaken, Align Transform, Refresh. 
Refresh Your Life Now.  Refresh to the Good Life!® 


In Love and Light,
Barbara

203-216-6889
www.BarbaraGreenhouse.com
RefreshYourLifeNow@gmail.com
www.Facebook.com/RefreshYourLifeNow
www.RefreshYourLifeNow@blogspot.com



This post may be reprinted on your blog, website or in your e-zine with my blessing as long as you include the following:  Barbara Greenhouse shares her passions of Food, "Cooking", Cruelty-Free,
Healing Naturally and the Sharing of Unbiased Information for a healthy and informed world .  She teaches and supports her clients through their journey to live their dreams easily and holistically, with compassion and by incorporating some delicious live raw whole foods.  She is currently authoring her first book, "Sacred You, The Delicious Journey"®    © copyright refreshyourlifenow, - 2012 Connecticut, USA


Saturday, April 28, 2012

May's Herb of the Month

 
Garlic Odiferous and Delicious

Garlic is definitely a friend to our bodies yet gets a bum rap due to it's reputation for bad breath and body odor.  Roasted garlic is sweeter and the breath isn't as much of an issue. Now let's see why this member of the Lilley family which was treasured during Egyptian times is good for us.

1.  We live in a world of parasites. They make their way into our digestive tract by the food we eat, from pets and unsanitary conditions.  These little guys and gals just hate garlic. Garlic, over here!

2.  Simplified, our  blood delivers nutrients, proteins, electrolytes and hormones throughout the body.  It also feeds the neurons in the brain the oxygen and the nutrients they need to stay healthy, requiring a constant blood flow to the brain.


The body makes its own supply of hydrogen sulfide, which acts as an antioxidant and transmits cellular signals that relax blood vessels and increase the blood flow. Garlic also increases hydrogen sulfide in the body.  You can read the rest of this article here. Again, this ensures  an even free flow of blood throughout the body, except to the lungs where the blood takes and delivers oxygen from the lungs to the rest of the body.  Very important tasks. 

While garlic enhances many recipes with it's flavor we also know it is very beneficial for heart and cancer health for these reasons.  

An apple a day keeps the doctor away. Well just maybe having garlic each day will keep the cardiologist and oncologist away. We can wish right! Wishes and thoughts do come true.

A few of the ways that I love to use garlic in recipes ( there are many)  are in my chunky guacamole/salsa, my green salads, raw crackers and in my salad smoothie.  

What are some of your favorite recipes that you make using  garlic? Head on down to the comments section below and please let us know.  Would love to have you also share with us on  Facebook.com/refreshyourlifenow.

Barbara

203-216-6889
RefreshYourLifeNow@gmail.com
www.RefreshYourLifeNow@blogspot.com
Follow us on Twitter using @bgsuperfoods 
Like us on Facebook: facebook.com/refreshyourlifenow

 
This post may be reprinted on your blog, website or in your e-zine with my blessing as long as you include the following:  Barbara Greenhouse shares her passions of Food, "Cooking", Cruelty-Free, and the Sharing of Unbiased Information for a healthy and informed world.  She teaches and supports  her clients through their journey to live their dreams easily and holistically, with compassion and by incorporating some delicious live raw whole foods.  She is currently authoring her first book, "Sacred You, The Delicious Journey"®    © copyright refreshyourlifenow, - 2012 Connecticut, USA

Friday, April 27, 2012

Wearing the Healthy Nutrtion Hat

My dad came home after "residing" in the hospital and rehab for the last 3 plus months swapping between the two three times.  Was he happy to hear he was finally going home!

I can't imagine the long lonely days and nights.  At times he was happy, he has a sense of humor when he remembers and a flirt.  I would visit and he wished I could've stayed longer sometimes.

I wore the meal planner hat to help him regain his strength and to encourage him to eat more again once he was back on solid food.  Makes me thankful to be able to eat and to eat what I want to eat even more.

Now home I was able to speak with the head of the dining room where he lives to plan healthy meals with lots of fresh fruits and vegetables (salads), dark green vegetables and sweet potatos. We are better able to keep him off of the white foods, bread, pasta and sugar now.  The director was very agreeable to it all.  He knew what quinoa is and says they do serve it at times, as some of the residents like it. Many however are not familiar with it and therefore won't eat it.  He'll make sure my dad has some and buckwheat and tabouleh too when they are on the menu.

The point of my dad's tale?   It was not always easy to provide healthy meals for my dad in these two institutions. Trays came up wrong or the doctor made changes I did not agree with (Ensure instead of real protein, Colace instead of prunes.) I won the battle for each. The Colace didn't work, boy did the prunes!  As someones healthcare advocate this is an area to really focus on because if you do not stand up for your loved ones nutritional needs while receiving institutional care, they only go so far, and at times as in my dads case, they give the standard food tray filled with all my dad is not supposed to eat due to his unique health issues.  

On a wonderful note the hospital dining services had a survey which I filled out very honestly and in a long detailed manner. Suggestions flowed and I added them.  The second hospitalization the menu had changes WHOLE MULTI GRAIN bread was added, more salad choices and more drink choices. More heart healthy choices. My dad needed these.

It pays to speak up and to also fill out surveys and be heard.  They took mine to "heart" and I was pleasantly surprised.  Every baby step leads to change. The ripple has started at the hospital and the rehab facility.

It's amazing as life normalizes in someone elses' life how your own becomes more normal too.  While I did make some green juices and smoothies, I did not every day. My body was ready for good food.  So I whipped up a naturally sweet sundried tomato red pepper sauce.  Taking my vegetable peeler in hand I made large ribbons of zucchini fettucini noodles, cut up a whole creamy avocado and generously spooned on the sauce.  My taste buds rejoiced.  

Simple and Quick Organic/Raw Red Sundried Tomato and Red Pepper Sauce



Ingredients:

1/4 C + 1TB warm water
6-8 sundried tomatoes (unsalted variety)
1/2 1 large red pepper
1/4 C pine nuts
1 large clove garlic (smaller's ok)
1/4 C olive oil (may drizzle in) 
 2 large zucchini




Method:

Pour the water into the blender and add the sundried tomatos.
Let them soak in the warm water for 10  minutes

Create the zucchini fettucini noodles over a big bowl
Add a 1/4  tsp salt (or less) to the noodles
After the noodles sweat, drain out the water

Wash, cut and de-seed the red pepper
Peel the garlic
Peel and cut up a ripe avocado

Pulse and then blend the tomatos and water
Add some of the olive oil, blend by drizzling it in
Add the red pepper, blend
Add the garlic, blend
Add more olive oil, blend
Add pinenuts, blend
Add in more olive oil if desired
Optional a pinch of salt after you taste it

This sauce makes a delicious spread. I used it on a hummus and sprout sandwich and a sprouted tofu vegetable burger with spinach and sprouts on top. Both on Ezekiel Sesame Bread.   

Let me know how the recipe turns out for you and other ways you use it in the comments below. 


Barbara

203-216-6889
RefreshYourLifeNow@gmail.com
www.RefreshYourLifeNow@blogspot.com

www.BarbaraGreenhouse.com
Follow us on Twitter, @bgsuperfoods 
Like us on Facebook: Facebook.com/RefreshYourLifeNow

 
This post may be reprinted on your blog, website or in your e-zine with my blessing as long as you include the following:  Barbara Greenhouse shares her passions of Food, "Cooking", Cruelty-Free, and the Sharing of Unbiased Information for a healthy and informed world.  She teaches and supports  her clients through their journey to live their dreams easily and holistically, with compassion and by incorporating some delicious live raw whole foods.  She is currently authoring her first book, "Sacred You, The Delicious Journey"®    © copyright refreshyourlifenow, - 2012 Connecticut, USA

Tuesday, April 17, 2012

4 Elements to a Great Meal

What a beautiful Spring day to stroll from the train down to 12 Park Avenue in New York City the home of Franchia Vegan Cafe and Tea Room.   I met my friend Sarah for lunch.

Indulge Your Taste Buds
We started out with tea, I with juiced Carrot, Apple, and Ginger with Green tea, Sarah had iced Pomegranate tea.

So many delectable items on the menu we took our time to decide.  We began with Noodle soup with vegetables and Ramen Noodles in Soup with "lobster balls".

Our salads were ordered to arrive with the soups.  "Duck" in spicy sauce with chopped vegetables, more like a slaw, very good. The sauce had depth.  I savored every bite.

The pumpkin noodle salad with vegetables and large bits of beets was good, however the  pumpkin noodles themselves were a bit disappointing.

Mind you the soup and salad were very filling with large portions satisfying to the healthiest of appetites.  We really didn't need an entree, but the selections made it impossible to pass on so we decided on a rather interesting one.

We split the Tofu and Roasted Kabocha Pumpkin in sesame soy sauce for the entree. The pumpkin was very tender, it melted in your mouth and the sauce very flavorful.

If you are looking for " 'Teas and elegant light food', New York Times," take a stroll to 12 Park Avenue, sit beneath the beautifully tiled ceiling and become full on many levels.

If you've been to Franchia Vegan Cafe, let us know about your experiences in the comments below.

Next stop?  I'll share about this in another blog post soon. One hint, it's another fabulous place in NYC and mostly raw.

Barbara

203-216-6889
RefreshYourLifeNow@gmail.com
www.RefreshYourLifeNow@blogspot.com
Follow us on Twitter using @bgsuperfoods 
Like us on Facebook: facebook.com/refreshyourlifenow

 
This post may be reprinted on your blog, website or in your e-zine with my blessing as long as you include the following:  Barbara Greenhouse shares her passions of Food, "Cooking", Cruelty-Free, and the Sharing of Unbiased Information for a healthy and informed world.  She teaches and supports  her clients through their journey to live their dreams easily and holistically, with compassion and by incorporating some delicious live raw whole foods.  She is currently authoring her first book, "Sacred You, The Delicious Journey"®    © copyright refreshyourlifenow, - 2012 Connecticut, USA

Saturday, April 14, 2012

Delicious Anytime Smoothie

Hit the books and notes last night studying into the wee hours.  I wanted a snack.  So happy I had all these ingredients to make the following smoothie:

9 oz Thai coconut juice
1/2 pound fresh organic strawberries
1 large ripe organic banana
3 TB raw organic coconut oil
2 TB Vega EFA oil
2 TB cinnamon
1/4 cup raw organic cacao powder
2 C organic baby spinach

Method:

· first add coconut juice and strawberries to blender
· next add in the following order:
· the oils
· cinnamon (slowly)
· cacao (slowly)
· pulse in the banana
· scrape sides of the blender
· pulse in spinach 1/2 or all at a time

Very Young Coconut
Options:

1.  cut back the fruits by 1/2. Increase the spinach to 3 C or more.

2.  add in a sweet apple or another 1/2 banana if the smoothie isn't sweet enough for you.    
However, late at night or in my case really very early in the morning, you don't want a
sugar rush.  

3.  use dandelion or other dark greens with or instead of spinach.

4. add real dehydrated organic wheat grass juice powder

If you are diabetic substitute an apple for the banana, the fiber in the apple and the fiber and protein in the spinach helps to keep the blood sugar more stable. The more greens you use the better.


Always flavor to your tastes and experimentation is good.  It's an adventure. 

So I'd love to have you tell me about your favorite smoothie or favorite late night (or into the wee hours of the morning) snack in the comments below.

Barbara

203-216-6889
RefreshYourLifeNow@gmail.com
www.RefreshYourLifeNow@blogspot.com
Follow us on Twitter using @bgsuperfoods 
Like our page on Facebook:  Refresh Your Life Now

 
This post may be reprinted on your blog, website or in your e-zine with my blessing as long as you include the following:  Barbara Greenhouse shares her passions of Food, "Cooking", Cruelty-Free, and the Sharing of Unbiased Information for a healthy and informed world.  She teaches and supports  her clients through their journey to live their dreams easily and holistically, with compassion and by incorporating some delicious live raw whole foods.  She is currently authoring her first book, "Sacred You, The Delicious Journey"®    © copyright refreshyourlifenow, - 2012 Connecticut, USA