Recipes: Figalicious Fun Bars

These Fig-Fantastic Bars are a great addition to any errand running day, road trip, shopping snack or just to have around as an in-between-meals munchie.

They are packed full of fiber, protein, PEA from the raw cacao, and hormone balancing properties from the maca, not to mention calcium and protein from the almonds, a little boost of energy from the raw honey, and viral-fighting properties in the coconut oil. So eat to your health! And let your taste buds revel in these chewy little wonders. Enjoy!

Recipe: Figalicious Fun Bars

1 cup raw, chopped Almonds

25 dried Mission Figs (approx. 1 package, give or take a few)

1 scoop raw Cacao Powder

1 scoop raw Maca Powder

1/4 tsp Sea Salt

1 tsp Organic, Gluten Free Vanilla

1 Tbsp Chia Seeds

2 tsp raw Coconut Oil

1-2 tsp organic, Raw Honey (start with one, and if your mixture still seems a bit lose, add more)

Put all ingredients into the food processor, pulse thoroughly. Form into medium sized balls, roll into mini logs, then shape into bars. Refrigerate and enjoy!

Namaste,

Chlorella Boot Camp

What is chlorella? Chlorella is a type of green, freshwater algae packed with immediately available very large amounts of chlorophyll, which is a vital nutrient when it comes to our health and bodies. It is a whole food, extremely rich in vitamins, minerals, amino acids, polysaccharides, and a ton of other beneficial compounds. Chlorella contains a whopping 60% of pure, easily digestible protein, and therefore is ranked as one of the highest sources of protein on earth. Chlorella contains more chlorophyll per gram than any other plant source.

The fibrous outer shell of the chlorella nucleus acts as a blood detoxifier by binding to pesticides and heavy metals, eliminating them completely from the body. Hilary Jacobson, in her book, "Mother Food for Breastfeeding Mothers," showed that chlorella can also help remove any mercury deposits in the body. Mercury can come from eating certain fish known to contain mercury, such as tuna, or from amalgam dental fillings as well as other environmental sources. Mercury is a heavy metal that destroys the nervous system over time. There’s more on this below…

Chlorella supports the optimum functioning and cleansing of the liver, which is the organ chiefly responsible for the general day-to-day body detoxification. A Japanese study showed that taking 4-6g of chlorella before consuming alcohol can prevent hangovers 96% of the time, even after a night of heavy drinking (* a note to my breastfeeding mommies: If you are planning on consuming or do currently consume a responsible amount of alcohol while breastfeeding, I highly recommend taking 10-15 chlorella tabs before having your weekly/bi-weekly glass of wine or beer!!! If you are a pregnant mom who has personally chosen to sip wine here and there during your pregnancy, which I am not suggesting, condoning, encouraging or otherwise supporting here, I would strongly encourage you to consider taking 10-15 chlorella tabs (or 3-6 grams) prior to consuming your wine.)
Since we’re on the note of breastfeeding, let me tell you new mommies how important chlorella is for you specifically. Breastfeeding provides your baby with a huge extra load of nutrients and boosts his/her immunity. The exact composition of breast milk changes with each feeding to adapt to your individual baby's needs. A study in Japan followed 35 breast-feeding mothers. Eighteen of them took chlorella supplements and were compared to the rest. Breast milk from mothers who supplemented with chlorella had higher concentrations of Immunoglobulin A (IgA), which is an antibody. These antibodies help prevent viruses, bacteria and fungus from creating infections (very important if you are doing an alternative vaccine schedule, or choosing not to vaccinate at this time). IgA, in particular, helps protect the surfaces of the body that are exposed to foreign substances like the nose, digestive tract, eyes, ears, saliva and tears. This is a big advantage to young babies. This same Japanese study showed that dioxins, a toxin that is prevalent in all modern human environments, is excreted to the baby through breast milk. The mother absorbs the toxin from her environment through her skin, respirations and diet. Chlorella supplementation actually decreased the dioxin amounts in the breast milk, making the milk safer for babies. Some people do have trouble tolerating chlorella. If this is you, then consider supplementing with an AFA blue-green or spirulina algae, or marine phytoplankton.

Chlorella rejuvenates the blood, cleanses the bowls and liver. Chlorella helps to protect against radiation, relieves inflammation, supports healthy weight loss via digestion and elimination (my postpartum mommies!), reinforces the immune system, and accelerates the healing process. For digestive detoxification and weight loss, chlorella can absorb toxins from the intestines, and in combination with its ability to favorably alter the bacterial flora content of the bowels, it is able to help relieve chronic constipation and eliminate intestinal gas. “Chlorella causes the lactobacilli bacteria in our intestines to multiply at four times the normal rate. Taken with meals, chlorella helps provide great digestion and more importantly, better assimilation of nutrients.” However, be warned that when you initially begin taking chlorella, you may experience some gas, cramping, constipation and/or diarrhea. Therefore I recommend slowly introducing chlorella into your diet, to avoid these side effects. And as with any supplement or superfood that I suggest and/or talk about, never over do anything. Take the recommend amounts found on packages or in your own personal research. Be your own educator! And please talk to your Naturopath, Pediatrician or General Practitioner before starting any new supplements.

“Chlorella has even been known to reduce some side effects (like fatigue) from chemotherapy treatment. It is able to do this because research suggests that chlorella is able to accelerate the recovery of developing immune system cells and restores the population of mature white blood cells (WBC’s). And there is a newly available strain of chlorella which contains a significant portion of the blue pigment phycocyanin (found in high amounts in AFA blue-green algae and spirulina) which helps the body produce more stem cells. When superfoods containing phycocyanin are consumed with superherbs such as reishi, maitake or chaga mushrooms, the immune response is significantly improved.”

As far as detoxification, chlorella is capable of removing alcohol from the liver in addition to the cleaning out of heavy metals, certain pesticides, herbicides and polychlorbiphenyls (PCB’s) from human tissue (which is why it is so strongly recommended for breastfeeding mothers, above).
Numerous research projects here in the US and in Europe indicate that chlorella can aid the body in breaking down persistent hydrocarbon and metallic toxins, specifically mercury (have you been vaccinated? Are you vaccinating your baby/children?), as well as the cadmium, arsenic, lead and DDT in addition to PCB. Complete elimination and detoxification of heavy metals or other chemical toxins in the blood can take anywhere from 3-6 months or more, depending on how much chlorella you are taking, and how contaminated your blood is.

Yet another amazing benefit of chlorella is its ability to increase our resistance to viral infections (are you choosing not to vaccinate your baby at this time? Or did you have your baby prematurely? Are you doing a delayed vaccine schedule?) and enhance our body’s ability to kill bacteria. For example: “Cytomegalovirus is a herpes-type virus that can cause serious illness in patients treated with immune-suppressing drugs. Mice treated with chlorella extract prior to introduction of this virus survived lethal infection doses. Chlorella extract decreased virus replication in the organs by 58-65% and the extract increased the activity of gamma interferon, which stimulated the NK (natural killer) cells to attack the virus.”

Lastly for now, I’ll mention the CGF (chlorella growth factor) that David Wolfe talks about. This is an amazing property which has scientists baffled around the world. “Chlorella is able to quadruple itself every twenty hours, growing faster than any food crop known to man. When chlorella is ingested by the human body, it dramatically increases the rate of rebuilding and healing in tissues, multiples the growth rate of the lactobacillus (good flora/bacteria) in the bowel, boosts the immune system, and fights free-radical damage. Chlorella also helps rebuild nerve tissue damage throughout the body and is excellent for treating degenerative brain and nerve disorders. This superfood is being used to help treat patients with Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease.”

There you have it. Chlorella is a must for our diets. Especially us pregnant and lactation women! What a rich and easily accessible source for so many good nutrients that provides such an outstanding array of benefits to our bodies and support immune system, not to mention its amazing detoxifying properites. Chlorella is super easy to find… You can order it online, find it in your local health food store, or in powder form to mix into your smoothies and superfood treats. I add it in wherever I can; smoothies, a pinch in superfood or raw treats I am making, you can even add a pinch to salad dressings, or just take the tabs (pretty easy). Now that you know, you have to do!

One of the most reasonable sources for Chlorella online:

http://www.swansonvitamins.com/SWK002/ItemDetail?n=0

References & Resources:

Superfoods: The Food and Medicine of the Future –David Wolfe

http://www.naturalnews.com/chlorella.html

http://www.klinghardtacademy.com/images/stories/Heavy_Metal_Toxicity/Chlorella/chlorella%20powerpoint%20into%20pdf.pdf?chakra_shop=bd2597ed07b242e829a092c5abd86f9d

http://www.bio-medicine.org/medicine-news-1/Study-Shows-Mothers-Who-Take-Chlorella-Boost-Babies-Antibodies-During-Breast-Feeding-22182-1/

http://www.amazon.com/Mother-Breastfeeding-Mothers-Hilary-Jacobson/dp/1589612299

Mornings Reinvented!

Forget coffee! After drinking this smoothie, you won't need it!

Some days I start with my Incan Warrior Hot Chocolate, but due to the extreme AZ summer heat, terribly hot even at 6am when I start my day, I've been switching it up with this ice blended velvety nectar. Here is the recipe; I go back and forth between this and my green smoothie. I have my green smoothie daily, but sometimes not until mid-morning.

I find this Nana-Cacao smoothie gives me the boost I need to get in a quick morning workout. I drink it about 30+ minutes before my exercise routine or yoga… I follow up my workout with a pinch of local bee pollen, and 1-2 oz of raw aloe vera gel, from my plant, or from the store, whichever I have time for that morning. Enjoy!

Recipe: Raw Nana-Cacao Smoothie

1 Organic Banana
2 Scoops Raw Maca Powder
2 Scoops Raw Cacao Powder
1 Scoop Amazing Grass Powder, Cacao Flavor
1 Tbsp Chia Seeds (more if desired)
2 Cups Almond Milk
Ice Cubes
(As an occasional twist you can add a scoop of Organic Raw Almond/Peanut Butter!)

Blend and enjoy the massive energy boost for breakfast!

Cha-Cha-Cha-Chia!

Chia seeds that is, which yes, comes from that fun little “Chia Pet” we all had or saw back in the 80’s. Who knew it was actually not just a lovely eyesore, but an amazing power food for our diets? Not me, until the past several months I had no idea just how amazing Chia seeds are for your health. The benefits are outstanding, and worth a second glance!

Chia seeds (Salvia hispanica L.) are extremely high in Omega 3 and are packed with antioxidants, vitamins, minerals and fiber! 30% of Chia seed oil is Omega 3, 10% is Omega 6, which is the perfect balance of essential fatty acids for our bodies. These vital fats help protect our bodies against inflammation (such as arthritis and heart disease), and actually contain more Omega 3 than salmon! Chia is the richest non-marine whole food source of Omega-3 and dietary fiber currently known to man.

There is also evidence (scientist are researching, but I’m going to consider it fact) that Chia seeds help in reducing blood pressure (have you had a previous pregnancy where preeclampsia was an issue? Eat more Chia!) According to the American Heart Association, Omega-3 fatty acids can normalize blood pressure and bad cholesterol levels, while helping promote healthy heart and blood vessels.

Chia seeds are highly hydrophilic (can absorb large amounts of water) and can hold a whopping 10-12x their weight in water (flax seeds only absorb approximately 6-8x their weight in water)! This makes them a great enhancer in hydrating our bodies (especially for athletes, and those who practice Bikram yoga, like me!) With six times more calcium than milk, and with greater amounts of high-quality protein than the one found in soy, Chia also helps strengthen muscles and bones.

Eating Chia seeds can actually slow down how fast our bodies convert carb calories into simple sugars, which scientist are researching as having great benefits for diabetics especially… there are studies indicating that Chia seeds can control blood sugar! Therefore they are excellent for those looking to drop a few pounds in a healthy way. How does this work? The Chia seeds actually turn into a gel-like substance once they enter our digestive system, which causes some of the food (calories) we eat from getting completely absorbed into our system. This also makes you feel full faster, reducing your appetite. Chia´s insoluble fiber reduces digestive transit time and removes toxins as it passes through the digestive tract. This assists our bodies in flushing out digestive waste faster than almost anything I’ve seen! It acts like a magnet to toxins as it moves through our intestines, it is really amazing. They are an excellent source of raw dietary fiber.

Chia seeds are an excellent replacement for flax seeds, for those who have an allergy or are otherwise sensitive to flax seeds, such as myself (usually accompanies a gluten allergy/intolerance and/or Celiac Disease). Flax seeds, although good in their own right, are often difficult to digest.

Now for my Chia seed soap-box moment; if you are pregnant, Chia seeds are a MUST for your diet. I say MUST and I mean non-negotiable! Your developing baby desperately needs the Omega's in Chia seeds to facilitate optimal neurological development and more. Eating Chia seeds is an excellent alternative for my Vegan and Vegetarian friends, and even if you are a self-proclaimed carnivore, you still need these little wonders to flush out all the toxins and waste from your carnivorous diet. For my pregnant mommies, these little seeds will help you to banish pregnancy water retention, as they absorb, absorb and absorb water and toxic build up in your body. They will provide you with the proper fats you need as you begin to build and produce colostrom, and a healthy placenta.
For my postpartum mommies, Chia seeds are amazing at helping to shed those pregnancy pounds! Just watch as they flush out your body of excess fluid and toxins, and the benefits from the fiber will speak for themselves. If you have had trouble with constipation or those pesky hemorrhoids, these little seeds will be a lifesaver. Add Chia seeds into your diet to lose the baby weight, while nourishing your body at the same time with antioxidants, Omega's, fiber, calcium, protein and more. I love Chia seeds. I eat them constantly. I would venture to say that in any given day I eat a 1/2-1 cup of Chia seeds, sometimes more or less, depending.

So how do you use Chia seeds? How can you incorporate them into your daily diet? It’s so easy! I eat them all day, every day, and LOVE them. Chia seeds have a completely neutral flavor and color, and therefore integrates seamlessly into almost any recipe. In Mexico, Chia seeds are soaked in fruit juices, and they call it Chia Fresca!

I enjoy toasting a slice of gluten free bread, spreading some organic almond or peanut butter on top with a little bit of raw honey, then sprinkling a load of Chia seeds over the top. It is crunchy, sweet and gives you a HUGE energy boost. I also sprinkle them on top of half an apple with a tablespoon of peanut/almond butter. They are yummy in a yogurt (if you eat dairy), and can be added to fruit salad with some slivered almonds, SO tasty.

Toss a tablespoon or so into nearly every smoothie, and after a little while the seeds turn to gel, and you don’t even notice they are in the smoothie. Especially if you blend them with a berry smoothie; the seeds are so tiny, you can’t differentiate them from the berry seeds!

Daily I try to incorporate Chia seeds into almost every raw snack that I make, including my superfood bars, balls and squares. I sprinkle the seeds on top of my gluten free granola, add them to my quinoa and any other gluten free snacks or baked goods I make.

Here are a couple fantastic recipes to try, I love them and use them frequently! And if you haven't already figured it out, Chia seeds are 100% gluten free!

Recipe: Chia Trail Mix Squares

1/2 Cup Raw Almonds
1 Cup Organic dried Apricots
1/2 Cup Dates
1 Tbsp Lemon Zest
1 tsp Organic/Gluten Free Vanilla
1/2 Tbsp Organic Chia Seeds

Put everything into the food processor, adding the lemon zest and vanilla at the very end. Form into little balls, squares or any other shape you like, and refrigerate!

Recipe: Strawberry Chia Pudding 2 Tsp Organic Chia Seeds 1 Scoop Raw Organic Maca Powder 2 oz Almond Milk 1 Tbsp Raw Almond Butter Basket of Fresh Strawberries Grind Chia seeds up in a blender or food processor along with chopped strawberries. Mix together with the other ingredients in a bowl, serve chilled! This is a great summer "desert" or you can eat with gluten free (or other) granola in the morning for breakfast! Enjoy!

Where can you find Chia Seeds? www.nutsonline.com www.navitasnaturals.com www.therawfoodworld.com

My Naturally Well Baby

Since having Mia, I wanted to make sure that we continued our household tradition (okay my tradition, Steve is learning as we go) of doing everything as naturally as possible when it came to Mia’s care. I eat everything as organic/raw/superfood as possible, use castile soap, almond or coconut oil for body moisturizer, etc. And that is why I only use plant-based cleaning products, and wash her in organic plant-based soap/shampoo, when I use it that is. I try to use soap on her as infrequently as possible, to keep her skin moisturized, and to allow her build up a healthy amount of flora.

Speaking of flora and good bacteria, that is the purpose of this blog! Well one of the points. Check out Dr. Greenes book, ‘Raising Baby Green’ if you haven’t already for tips about all-natural child raising and home living. I loved it, and found so many great solutions in it for things like household cleaning products, and we now use Dr. Bonners Castile soap now exclusively (Steve’s not too thrilled about this, but he’s getting there :)

When I began seeking a Naturopathic Pediatrician, I was overwhelmed. But then I found Dr. van der Veer and her website through a referral from a friend. I called, and this wonderful woman actually answered her phone! And then talked to me! For 25 minutes. I was blown away. Never in all my years have I actually gotten a doctor on the phone who would talk to me about all my concerns, and then set up an appointment with me.
I mainly wanted to talk with her about vaccinations for Mia. I am against them partly, and the other part of me isn’t sure. I needed help, and she gave it.
Steve and I LOVED meeting with her one Saturday, and she gave us over two hours of her time at her home office. I’ve never felt more comfortable, and heard. Dr. van der Veer was really listening to our concerns and providing us with information to help in our decision making. It was a phenomenal experience.
One of the things she immediately prescribed are the Ther-Biotic Infant Formula Probiotics for Mia, which we ordered and began giving to her.

We have been able to terminate the use of any Mylicon as a result, and Mia has had no digestive issues at all, and her spitting up, burping and gas has grown to a minimum. Most impressively since she started on the probiotics several weeks ago, is that Steve caught a really bad flu virus, and was at home for 3 days with it. I thought for sure Mia would catch it, but she never had a sniffle! I’m not saying this is exclusively because of the probiotics, I know that my superfood and nutrient rich diet and the fact that I exclusively breastfeed are big factors. But Mia has had one tiny cold with congestion, and that was prior to the start of her probiotic regimen. I am convinced that they have really help build up her immune system, and strengthen her digestive system. This was especially important to me since Steve and I have chosen to omit certain vaccinations, and delay many of them as it is. This is not a choice we took lightly, and spent many, many hours and days doing research, discussing, and talking to experts. One of which is Dr. Baral at the Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine in South Scottsdale. We were able to attend one of his seminars, which was amazingly informative. One of the key things he strongly encouraged that night (I was only 8 months pregnant at the time we attended) was the use of infant probiotics, especially if you are omitting, or delaying any vaccinations. Probiotics can do wonders for any immune system, especially that of our tiny infants and children.
So when I consulted with Dr. van der Veer and she brought up all the same information, I jumped on it, having somewhat forgotten about the seminar at that point. That is why I am encouraging/reminding all of you about the importance of probiotics here.

Dr. van der Veer has also come along side of me helping me with some of my own postpartum issues, and been such a lifesaver. She has me on a regimen to help strengthen and support my immune and digestive system as I breastfeed, and help keep my stress at a minimum with my busy schedule.
I would highly recommend checking out her site, and calling her for a phone consultation with any concerns you may have with your little one, especially if your baby is struggling with any gastric reflux, allergies, eczema, constipation, etc.

Dr. van der Veer will take the time to hear your concerns and really talk with you about a plan to help resolve what can be resolved. I just wanted to pass on this information because I have been so thrilled, and am so grateful for her support in these first few months of Mia’s life.
The Ther-Biotic Infant Formula probiotic can be found here on Dr. van der Veer's site, and is only $30/bottle, which will last you quite a while, since it is powder, and you only give 1/4-1/2 tsp daily. Mia loves when I give it to her (on my finger), she thinks she is getting some kind of special treat. Oh is she ever! I'm giving her good health, no great health, which is the best gift any of us can give to our sweet babies and children.

http://www.mynaturallywellbaby.com/Orders_Childrens4.html

Check out Dr. van der Veer's site if you'd like, or to contact her for an appointment/consultation.

http://www.mynaturallywellbaby.com/index.html

Apple Cider What?

Apple Cider Vinegar is some fantastic stuff, let me tell you. And everyone who squirms at the thought of drinking some vinegar for health or even a weight loss aid, I like to remind you that if you are into any vinaigrette dressings, or cooking with balsamic vinegar, this isn’t far behind. Its really not that bad, I promise!

Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) is made by a fermentation process (remember the Kombucha blog?) similar to how alcohol is made.Sugars in food are broken down by yeast and bacteria (fermenting grapes into wine, rice into sake, grain into whisky, etc.), turning it into alcohol; if it ferments further, you get vinegar (ever had a bad bottle of wine? Tastes like vinegar). The word vinegar is from the French language, meaning “sour wine.” So in the case of apple cider vinegar, you take guess what, yes, apples, pulverize them, and then the sugar in the apples is broken down by yeast and bacteria (referred to as, “the mother”) producing the vinegar. ACV is an effective natural bacteria-fighting agent that contains beta-carotene (helps counteract against damage from free-radicals), pectin (helps reduced bad cholesterol and regulate blood pressure and many vital minerals and trace elements such as potassium (helps eliminate toxic waste from the body), calcium, magnesium, phosphorous, chlorine, sodium, sulfur, copper, iron, silicon and fluorine, all vital to health. ACV also contains malic acid which is very helpful in fighting viral (lots of colds and flu’s lately?)fungal and bacterial infections (struggling with UTI’s pregnant gals?). Malic acid dissolves uric acid deposits that form around joints, and eliminates it, helping to relieve joint pains. ACV also contains acetic acids, which apparently slows the digestion of starch which can help to lower the rise in glucose that commonly occurs after meals (weight loss after baby!). On top of everything, ACV seems to help clear skin conditions, especially blemishes! I have typically clear skin at all times. But last week I noticed a big old zit threatening to arise on my lower jaw. I hit the bottle (of ACV) ;) for a couple days, and that little dude never surfaced and is gone.

ACV is proving to have a positive effect on several areas in health, including diabetes, high cholesterol, blood pressure and heart health, cancer, and (drum roll) weight loss! ACV has the effect of making people feel full for longer periods of time. It also aids in digestion and elimination, easing constipation (Ladies, let’s not be shy, this can be a problem postpartum), and because of the good bacteria it can help prevent UTI’s and aid in strengthening the immune system overall. Other theories are that ACV helps to speed up metabolism, and decreases water retention (also a need in us pregnant and postpartum ladies; ACV was a huge help to me).
With diabetes, studies show that ACV may help lower glucose. One study showed that people with type 2 diabetes who took two tablespoons of ACB before bed lowered glucose levels in the morning by 4%-6%.
As a personal testimony I can tell you that in all my years of drinking ACV I noticed the most beneficial results postpartum. It has helped alleviate water retention, ease my digestion, keep my skin clear throughout all the hormonal changes (that and my super-superfood diet). And on the rare day when I’m feeling, well, not so smooth, it fixes me right up. So if any of this hits home with you, give it a try! It certainly can’t hurt. Since I am breastfeeding, I make sure to drink it just after I’ve fed my little pumpkin, just in case she doesn’t like taste in her next meal. I asked my doctor about it, and she said, “do you eat a lot of food with balsamic vinegar?” and I told her I most certainly did, to which she replied that it shouldn’t be a problem breastfeeding or otherwise. But please, as I always say, ask your own doctor if you have any concerns. Here’s to your health!

Recipe: Apple Cider Vinegar Purple Elixir

2 Tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar (I prefer Bragg’s; you can increase amount as desired, occasionally)
8 oz Purified Water
2-4 oz Organic Concord Grape Juice (just the juice with no added sweetners, like R.W. Krudsons brand: http://www.rwknudsenfamily.com/products/just_juice/organic_just_concord_grape)
1-2 dropperfuls of Stevia OR 1-2 teaspoons of Raw Organic Honey.

Mix, drink, feel the health!