Summer's Bounty to Prevent and Cure Cancer and Diabetes

What a delicious summer this has been.  Organic fruits and vegetables are always welcome and tasty especially after the harsh winter we had this year in the Northeast.

I don't know why, but the organic fresh fruits and vegetables have more flavor this summer than I can ever remember.  What a treat.

Here are 6 ways to enjoy them.

1.  Step up your regular organic tossed salad with any or all of the below.  Switch them around for variety:

Fresh greens and lettuces from the farmers market, food stands and your own garden.

Add heirloom tomatoes, celery, fresh sprouts, scallions, and avocados

Add blueberries, peaches, raspberries, black berries, kiwi, pineapple  in any combination with the greens.

2.  Lightly brush and grill red, orange and purple peppers, asparagus, zucchini and yellow squash or your favorite vegetables with a favorite high heat flavored oil (hemp seed, grapeseed or coconut). And, Lightly brush and grill sliced sweet potatoes, golden beets, peaches and or pineapple (pineapple not likely found at the food stand or market).

3. Use lettuce, collard and chard for burritos. Fill with your favorite vegetables, nuts and seeds mixture or vegetable seeds and meat or fish mixture with seasoning.

4.  My favorite pick me up, and for hydration, is my morning green juice first thing in the morning usually from the base of cucumbers, celery, greens and fruits.  I use the left over pulp to make vegetable quinoa burgers.

5.  A greens and fruit smoothie an hour or so after the green juice is a great way to keep you satiated until lunch, and as an afternoon snack due to all of the fiber.  These are especially delicious with the luscious increase of flavor of the fresh summer fruits and vegetables.

6.  Delectable desserts made with the fresh fruits and herbs.  The imagination is endless here. Tarts, pies, bars, parfaits fruit salad,  ice cream, ices and more.

The markets and farm stands are so welcoming with all of their fresh bounty.  What a delight when your plate and table become the same.

The more rainbows of colors you eat ,that are more readily available during summer give your body a boost, a boost of energy, and a boost of immune support.  Some help to lower blood sugar levels and most are filled with antioxidants to keep oxidative damage and cancer at bay, plus so much more.  I've always been fascinated and loved rainbows.  This is another type of rainbow that fascinates me,  and possibly you too.

The more Organic fresh vegetables and fruits you eat during the summer sets you up for improved health as you obtain all of the vital nutrients your body requires, the vitamins and minerals not found in high quantities in the non-organic varieties while also giving more support to your local organic farmers.
Check the Environmental Working Groups Dirty and Clean list of non-organic fruits and vegetables to help you choose some from the list of clean if your budget requires cutting back on your food costs.

Some of my favorite organic summer fruits and vegetables are
heirloom tomatoes, fresh herbs, kale, rainbow chard, cucumbers, corn, fresh peas, spinach (though spinach is now finished until August) blueberries raspberries, strawberries, dark cherries and peaches and some hydrating watermelon.

I would love to hear about all of your favorites and any short recipe ideas that you have too.  I'm looking forward to reading your shares in the comments below

In health and joy,

Barbara

Barbara S. Greenhouse
I help ill career moms overcome degenerative diseases
specifically diabetes and cancer

Certified Health Coach

Member, International Association for Health Coaches

Member, American Association of Drugless Practitioners

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

www.BarbaraGreenhouse.com

RefreshYourLifeNow@gmail.com
http://RefreshYourLifeNow.blogspot.com
Like us on Facebook, facebook.com/refreshyourlifenow
Follow us on Twitter, @bgsuperfoods

Barbara Greenhouse shares her passions of Food, "Cooking", Cruelty-Free, Ahimsa, the Nutrition and Health Connection, and the Sharing of supressed 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, fruits and vegetables.  She is currently authoring her first book, "Sacred You, The Delicious Journey"®  -  © copyright Refresh Your Life Now - 2013 Connecticut, USA

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

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 supressed 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 vegetables and fruit, their progress 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, - 2014 Connecticut, USA

How to Prevent and Heal Diabetes. Todays Food Supply and How Far It's Come to Promote Illness And Death

Food is best when it's delicious AND Nutritious. Any food you eat and its quality starts with the soil it's grown in or the health of the waters it’s taken from.

Meat from cows that graze on grass and clover only, instead of being fed  pellets of corn and soy, are healthier. They have more vitamins, minerals and omegas.   Why? Because the chlorophyll in the greens is abundant with omegas and magnesium, has basically the same cell structure as our hemoglobin, builds blood which carries the oxygen and  helps to eliminate toxins through the skin to name a few. What you eat is what your body gets; either benefits or issues.  Fish and seafood no longer come from the pristine waters of the past but polluted waters.

Animals that are subjected to CAFO and pellets for food are fed antibiotics, growth hormones and GMO corn and soy pellets, not what their digestive systems were designed for. They are stressed from overly cramped quarters, cruelly treated , abused,  live in gestation cribs not allowed to move, pigs boiled alive to remove their skin, grown too fast and fattened unnaturally fast to get them to market in unusually cruel circumstances, chicken beaks are cut off without novacaine and their cages are so small they can't move.  This affects the meat.

How does this relate to Diabetes, Cancer and inconvenient ailments? Modifying away from what
is natural for what the animals eat, the vegetables we eat, especially the GMO vegetables, and continuously and heavily sprayed fruits and vegetables enter your body.   These pesticides are not acceptable to the body and are treated like intruders. They cause inflammation. CAFO cows in feed lots stand in large amounts mud and feces up to a foot high. Bacteria heaven! This does not make a healthy environment.  What can enter the animal can then enter you by eating the meat.

Small amounts of aggravators add up over time and cause imbalances in your body. Growth hormones and antibiotics also enter your body through meat. You can see the affects of both in your children and yourself for both. If you were a cell or two in your body you'd feel choked, punched, pulled, stretched, burned, ...unable to function. Grouped together you feel like these descriptors, which doesn’t feel good to you.. You get the idea.  You can see the effects on children. Their bodies are maturing at a much faster rate than 20 - 30 years ago. This messes up the balance of their hormones which can upset their natural individual time and processes when they mature as teens. If your kids are diabetic and have other ailments adding these to the mix exacerbates their issues as the body sees the antibiotics and growth hormones as intruders, which agitates, aggravates and inflames.

Other issues pertain to dairy and farm subsidies.  Dairy is touted for all of the calcium and that you must have 3 good servings of dairy per day.  Well that's advertising.  You don't. Dark leafy greens have more calcium and without the fate, bacteria and pus.  Plus, too much calcium actually creates more fractures. The CDC even has data that with the increase of calcium in middle aged to the elderly as the consumption of calcium has gone up, so have hip fractures. You need the correct balance of calcium and collagen, as collagen keeps joints and bones flexible, keeps them from breaking, not calcium. As you age and eat incorrectly your body loses calcium you do need to replace it with calcium rich foods. Calcium and Vitamin D deficiencies are important factors if you are diabetic. Balance of one element is key to stay healthy as it is for all of the elements and processes in your body.

Did you know there is an allowable limit for pus in milk? And bacteria? Do you really want to ingest these into your body? "Ok, I'll have a cup pus and bacteria please." No amount should enter your body knowingly. It is doubtful these are healthy and can keep your immune system in overdrive keeping the agitation and stress a constant chronic condition, deep within your body. Stress is the number one killer.

Food subsidies create the situation of "oh my" what do we do with all the surplus milk, soy and corn we grow after CAFO cows are fed.  Push them on to an unassuming population through processed foods, and advertise them heavily.  The farm soil, unless organic through healthier practices, blows away over time creating dust bowls and barren land because it becomes nutrient devoid, as mentioned earlier, the ecosystem in the soil is chemically burnt out.

Organic farms and foods need to be subsidized if anything is to be. Organic makes for healthier animals, but what about the farmer, his family an the farm workers who work in heavily and continuously sprayed fields? Organic farms are healthier to live on and work on which equates to less stress and agitation on their bodies which means less inflammation and less lifestyle diseases or pregnancy issues.

I wrote this article to relate how the mass Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations for meat, fruits and vegetables is not healthy and how it impacts your life, especially when you have to deal with a degenerative disease like Diabetes or Cancer.  The more you eat from this less healthy "deadly" food system, the less healthy you become and the more ill you are. It may feed more people but at what cost? Cost to your health, cost to the environment, cost to our waterways from industrial and farm runoffs, cost to the farmers and farm workers.  Every dollar you spend in it, except for organic or farms that practice sustainable practices, affects your health negatively, aggravates your current diseases and aliments requiring you to manage your disease, not live your life. Food subsidies had their place in the Great Depression. They were supposed to end after it. Politics kept them going to this day pushed onto the American people by big agriculture lobbies currently, and by biased and incorrect marketing.

Even though organic is initially more costly because it is not subsidized, there are ways to find
inexpensive organic produce. Let your local representatives and Congress know that if any food is subsidized it should be healthy organic foods.  Processed foods are stripped of most if not all of their nutrients and then maybe 6 or so may be added back into the final product along with HFCS, sugars, chemical and alot of bad fats. They are then labeled fortified. Why remove the nutrients in the first place?

Think clean, eat more green and a rainbow of colors, eat organic or the cleanest foods on the EWG clean and dirty lists at EWG.org.  Think more fresh air, fresh clean water, findaspring.com, say no to pesticides, herbicides or extremely limit their use, artificial food, food dyes, MSG, chemicals, hidden sugars and bad fats, antibiotics (if a must, eat or drink a food that supplies you with healthy bacteria to keep the flora in your stomach in balance) and growth hormones especially kids, to popping a pill for every ailment, and GMO foods.  Rethink highly processed foods, transition to whole foods, fruits, grass fed meats and safe seafood. Think calm and adding movement to your life, connect with nature, take walks, dance, pick up a hoola hoop, shoot hoops, jump rope, work out, move about, mow the lawn with a manual or electric push mower, and whatever you like. Just get off your butt and move.

Oh, and smile. And make sure to have some fun

Health topics come from so many angles. What's important is that you have optimal health, are feeling great, are full of energy and don't manage your life, but live it!.  

Head on over to  www.BarbaraGreenhouse.com/contact to schedule a free health strategy consultation to chat, demystify healthy nutritious eating and discover your journey away from disease to health.

 

I would love to hear your thoughts about how you perceive food as healing. Please connect with us in the comments below.

www.BarbaraGreenhouse.com

refreshyourlifenow@gmail.com

Connect with me on:

Facebook.com/refreshyourlifenow

@bgsuperfoods

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

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.