Well, the other night at 1 am I was trying to help her go to sleep and I offered her some reiki.  It definitely calmed her down but she wasn’t going to go to sleep, so I got curious and started asking her questions about reiki.  I wondered how she experienced it and lately she’s been expressing herself so well I thought I was going to get some pretty neat responses!  Well – let me tell you that she blew my mind!

I couldn’t believe the depth and quality of her descriptions and I just had to share them with you guys

What a beautiful experience, holding hands with my daughter, chatting about how reiki makes us feel…

I asked her about her five senses and in no particular order – here’s some of what she said:

“It tastes like cookies and milk and grass (you can eat grass you know!)”

“It smells like new babies and new animals and rain.”

“It feels like love.”

“It feels like you.” (meaning in mom)

“It sounds like rain and heart beats.”

“It looks like peace has come alive.  Peace has arrived and that war shouldn’t be happening.”

“It feels like water and milk.”

“Butterflies”

“It feels peaceful and calm.”

“I feel well rested even though it is way way waaaaay past my bedtime.”

“I feel better.”

“I feel stronger, happier, peaceful, safe and glad to be in this country because it is safe.”

“I am happy to help charity.”

Awestruck!

<3

April 2, 2012

Often these beliefs where come by at very young and impressionable ages.  For example, some mean hearted, angry person yelled “you idiot!” at you when you were 3.  Your little brain logically thought that that adult was smarter than you and knows more than you and those ‘facts’ even strengthen the argument that you are in fact an idiot.  And thus you’ve harboured the belief that you are an idiot all this time.  It’s totally unfounded and illogical, and that person probably wasn’t even really talking to you – but it still effects your every decision.

Another example is a teacher, or a ‘friend’, or a parent – anyone of influence in anyway could have made an impression on you – at anytime, even yesterday

In fact, there need not be anyone involved but yourself.  You could have come to a conclusion all by yourself based upon the facts you had at hand.  For example “I can’t do that”  because in the past you haven’t been able to, but things change, skills, knowledge, and strength (both mental and physical) change.  Perhaps that belief is not longer true.  Have you honestly challenged it – with out allowing your belief systems to get in the way?

Why live this way?  Why allow old thought patterns, old beliefs, old truths to hold you back?  Why not change these beliefs?

It’s simple – and yet hard   It requires that you take a serious look at yourself and your thought processes.  It takes time and real self-reflection.  It can be very helpful, enlightening, and revitalizing – in fact it’s down right invigorating and freeing to go through this process – give it a try!!!  Here’s how …

In Your Journal:

-          Take a look at your ANTs:  What are your Automatic Negative Thoughts?  Spend a day just writing down every negative thought you have.

• Take note of your thought process as well
  • What triggered the thoughts?
  • Where did your mind go with the thoughts?
  • What were the feelings and emotions connected to the thoughts – before, during and after the trigger?

-          Then for each thought ask the following:

• Is it true?
• Is it true right now?
• Is it true all the time?
• Is it ever not true?
• Is it rational?
• Is it real?
• Is it relevant?
• Any other questions you may find helpful.

-          Now focus on the positives.

• When the negative thought arises – begin the questioning in your mind to ensure that you are actually feeling appropriate feelings for the current situation.

-          I’d like you to also look at your coping mechanisms.

• When you come across a situation that you don’t like the outcome of; spend some time reflecting upon how you dealt with the situation.
• Ask yourself what the thought process was behind your actions – be honest and don’t judge yourself at this point – simply observe.
• Now note the beliefs that are driving your actions and coping mechanisms.
• Now apply the same process to these believes as you did to your ANTs.
• Do your beliefs still match your current core values?
  • If not – are your beliefs relevant in your life anymore

That means healthy fats are paramount to a healthy heart.  It also begs the question: what, then, does the body turn into blubber?  The answer:  Sugars and starches (AKA – carbohydrates!).

So in order to healthfully loose weight and continue to support the building of strong cells all over the body (including the brain!) we need to make healthful chooses when it comes to fats.

“Low Fat” food stuffs are usually laden with sodium, chemicals and sugars to increase their flavour.  We don’t need any of those things in our bodies!  Plus the fats that are in these products are highly processed turning them into free radicals – so rather than doing any good at all for our body they are actually causing physical harm and inflammation in the body!  Remember that fats go directly to the heart as an energy source so this means serious damage can be happening to the tissues around the heart (think cholesterol and worse down the road!).

Thus our choices in fats are important all around!

What’s a healthy choice?

#1 – an unprocessed (cold pressed or first pressed) oil
#2 – a balance between saturated (eat less) and unsaturated (eat more) oils
#3 – a balance between omega 3’s (fish, flax, hemp, etc.) and 6’s (sunflower, safflower)
#4 – nothing hydrogenated 

What are good oils to have in my cupboard?

Butter (organic and raw is the best option)
Coconut
Palm (red is the best, white is processed)
Hemp
Olive
Peanut
Sesame (tossed is OK)
Fish Oils (Cod liver, EFA blends)
Evening Primrose
Flax
Avocado or eat raw avocados
Eat Nuts & Seeds (raw) or use their unprocessed oils

The final and most important rule about fats is to ENJOY your fats when you do eat them!  Check your physical stats sheet to find out the amount of fats you should be taking in daily and adjust your diet accordingly!

Each of the following items = 1 serving

Olive oil – 1 teaspoon
Olives -  5 small
Almonds – 10 whole
Avocado – 1/8
Peanuts – Spanish 20 whole, Virginia 10 whole
Pecans – 2 large
Seeds (hemp, chia, sunflower, flax, sesame, pumpkin) – 1 tablespoon
Vegetable Oils (canola, corn, flax, safflower, soy, sunflower) – 1 teaspoon
Walnuts – 6 small
Bacon – 1 slice
Butter – 1 teaspoon
Heavy Cream – 1 Tablespoon
Light Cream & Sour Cream – 2 Tablespoons
Mayonnaise – 1 teaspoon
Oil & Vinegar Salad Dressing – 2 teaspoons
Coconut or Palm Oil – max 1 tablespoon (3 teaspoons) a day

Alopecia totalis:  loss of scalp hair.

Alopecia universalis:  loss of all body hair.

Alopecia areata:  loss of hair in patches.

Androgenetic alopecia:  (AGA) aka male pattern baldness.

Hair loss to due pregnancy:  mild hair loss two or three months after giving birth.

Factors involved in hair loss include:

-          Aging

-          Chemical Exposure:  inc. excessive dying; Chemotherapy; radiation therapy; work place hazards, etc.

-          Diabetes

-          Heredity / Genetics

-          Hormone Imbalance:  thyroid disease, deficiency, over activity;

-          Nutrient Deficiencies:  Vitamin Deficiencies; sudden weight loss; iron deficiency; diabetes; Poor Diet

-          Poor circulation

-          Trauma, Chronic Stress

-          Weakened immune system:  acute illness; surgery; radiation exposure; high fever; skin disease; Fungal Infection;  Ring Worm; In some cases the body may mistake the hair follicles for foreign tissue, making this kind of hair loss an auto-immune concern

Demodex follicularum – mites that commonly infest all adult scalps by middle age.  The body may cause an inflammatory response in an attempt to kill off the mite.  In this case the mites are killed, but the hair follicle is closed off and killed too.

Androgenetic alopecia:  (AGA) aka male pattern baldness.  Both a genetic predisposition and high levels of androgens are present in this case.  This can occur in both men and women.  In women it usually doesn’t occur until after menopause, but can begin as early as puberty.

Hair loss to due pregnancy:  the body does not loose hair while pregnant, so women will often loose quite a bit of hair two or three months after giving birth.

B12 is involved in the metabolism of every cell in the body are you getting enough of it?  Probably not! Studies show that about 80% of vegans or live foodists become B12 deficient and 39% of meat-eaters are B12 deficient.

Vitamin B12 is found in animal products such as meat, eggs, milk and fish.  It’s also found in Spirulina, Chlorella, mushrooms, nutritional yeast and fermented foods.   Plus the healthy bacteria in our gut make B12 for us (thank you bugs!)

Deficiencies are associated with chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, Alzheimer’s, depression, and bipolar disease.  Other deficiency symptoms include diarrhea, fever, infertility, sore tongue, enlargement of the mucous membranes of the mouth, vagina and stomach, macrocytic anemia and low white blood cells and platelet count.  It may also be a factor in babies who show ‘failure to thrive’.  Lack of B12 can lead to children being neurologically impaired because they need B12 for the development of their neurological and hematological systems.  Plus, if you take medications for diabetes, stomach acid, ulcers, blood pressure, birth control or cholesterol you are likely to be deficient too.

B12 is known to supply us with energy and it is necessary for the process of forming red blood cells.  It also helps your body produce melatonin that helps you sleep!  Plus it supports the immune system too.  It’s an intrinsic part of the body’s functions on an EVERY cell level – and serious deficiencies will cause death.  Luckily most of us in the west never have to worry about that, but there have been recorded deaths in recent history L

The easiest source of B12 is animal products:  meat, eggs and milk.  But not all people want to / can ingest animal products  - many vegans and vegetarians opt to use spirulina or chlorella as a daily supplement for B12.  The only problem with using these plant options for B12, not directly the fault of the plant!  It is hard to assimilate enough B12 from any source.  That’s because B12 is a large molecule compared to other vitamins and it needs a specific enzyme called intrinsic factor to be metabolized in your body.  It’s also more difficult to absorb as we age because as you age you lose the ability to secret hydrochloric acid which helps to release the B12 from your food. To further exacerbate the problem, B12 is hard to absorb through the stomach so even if you are eating foods or taking supplements that are rich in Vitamin B12 it is unlikely that you are getting enough. You would only absorb around 1% at best from a standard capsule supplement dose.  This is why you see a lot of sublingual B12 supplements.  Sublingual supplements enter the blood stream through glands in your mouth and thus completely bypass the digestive system.

Another way to boost absorptuion is to take lemon water or a digestive enzyme that includes HCl with your meals – this increases the acidity of the stomach, releasing more of the B12 for absorbtion.

Also cultivate a strong healthy bacteria colony in your gut – feed them pre-biotics (healthy soluble fibres) and boost the colony’s numbers by eating unpasturized fermented foods (miso, yogurts, sauerkraut, kefir, kombucha).  Whenever you are sick (especially with diarrhea) or if you ever need to take antibiotics ensure that you supplement with a probiotic.

Finally – make sure you are getting a rich source of B12 in your food at least every 3 days.

Living the healthy (raw) food lifestyle can be challenging when you’re wanting to head out with friends or enjoy the social aspect of food.  One of the most fun aspects of eating healthy or raw is learning to cook differently and preparing your own food.  But you know that there will be unhealthy food available as soon as you leave the house…so what do you do?

Plan and have will power!  Remember why you’re choosing the healthy (raw) lifestyle, remember what you felt like before you embarked on this journey and think about whether or not you want to go back there.   For me remembering the pain, lack or energy, lethargy, poor focus, confusion – it’s just not worth it to me to eat that piece of store bought chocolate cake!  Plus, when I’m out with friends, I’m out to see them, not to eat food

Besides your “special” diet isn’t as unusual as you may think.  Many people these days have allergies and special diets so you will not be that unusual!  And those around you may take interest and may want to follow your lead – so be a leader and show them how easy it really is once you get the hang of it!

Heading out to restaurants is getting easier and easier!  In a worse case scenario you order a salad and water with lemon – not that bad of a choice really

Restaurants are very accommodating now.  Getting gluten free pasta is a breeze pretty much everywhere now!  The other day I went to Luke’s Corner Bar & Kitchen in Vancouver and had amazing quinoa with fresh veg and organic chicken – it was amazing!  And I didn’t have to sacrifice a thing. 

If you’re a 100% raw foodist, you’ll likely have a tougher time than somebody who is doing 50% to 80% raw, or simply choosing to be free of specific ingredients like wheat or cow’s milk.  But again – there are a lot of amazing salads out there, and you can just skip the dressing!  Easy – peasy!

Here are some tips for enjoying yourself while out at friends’ homes:

Tip #1 –If you’re doing the 100% raw food diet (whether it’s a permanent eating habit or you’re just doing a cleanse) it can be a good idea to chat with your host in advance. Most hosts are more than willing to accommodate and make sure to have food that you can enjoy.  Believe me, once your friends and family understand why you’re doing this and what you can eat – they’ll bend over backwards for you!  I can’t tell you how many amazing dishes my friends and family have come up with for me – I’m so blessed!  I even got a milk-free, wheat-free, soy-free cheese cake for my birthday from a pastry chef friend of mine and it was AMAZING!

Perhaps offer to bring something to add to the meal or ask if they could make sure there is plenty of salad or raw veggies for you. Or simply just ask if you can bring your own food because you’d like to make it easier for them.  Usually I’ll bring a side dish and make sure there’s a salad being served, then I can pick and choose what I want to eat.

Nowadays it’s not rude to be choosy – there are so many diet restrictions out there, everyone is understanding and accommodating

If you are not 100% raw but rather something in the 50% to 90% range then life is a lot easier, simply eat raw during the day and leave your ‘allocation’ of cooked food for the event.

Don’t forget about the 80/20 rule:  If you’re simply choosing to eat healthy and you’ve got no restrictions – plan your week to allow for the day of the event to be your 20 day.  Just be reasonable about it!.

Tip #2 – Eat before you go out so that you are not starving when you get there and tempted to eat something you may regret later.  Making healthy decisions is much easier on a full stomach.  You’ll find that this alone can help with 90% of the battle.  I always carry a granola bar or two in my purse incase I get stuck in a jam – but that’s better for day-to-day hiccups, not when someone’s cooked for you!

Tip #3 – Offer to bring a dessert you have made.  People do not even consider whether the dish is healthy, raw or cooked – as long as it looks good they’ll give it a try.  Plus you’ll be sure to have something to enjoy at dessert time and it might spark a conversations about healthy eating too!  Another chance to be a leader!

Tip #4 – Decide before you go out what you will eat and what you won’t. For example, decide not to eat dessert, or decide not to combine protein and carbohydrates.  Decide not to eat fried goods, or not to eat wheat – whatever your health plan calls for – know it and make a commitment to yourself to follow through on it.

Tip #5 – If you’re being quite strict with your meats, you can either choose not to eat meat at the event, or you can choose to ask about the meat’s origins.  At a restaurant this is easy because they’ll usually advertise the quality of their meats, but in someone’s home you don’t want to insult them.

If you decide to ask about the organic-ness of your hosts meat (LOL) ensure that you’re asking in a non-confrontational way and explain that you are on a cleanse if necessary.  When you approach the questions, do so with compliments in them so that you’re not seeming like you’re insulting your host or their food.  Once you have the answers you want you can choose to eat it or not to eat it.  And remember that any question comes across much better with a smile on your face.  ☺

Tip #6 – Another important thing to ask is what’s in the sauce.  Again here you can use the approach of being curious simply because it looks good.  When you compliment them they’ll be excited to tell you all about it.  You’d be surprised how many things are cooked in bacon grease, with cream milk sauces, with added corn starch or wheat for thickness.  If you’re avoiding anything, it’s good to ask.

Tip #7 – Ask if the party will have a sit down meal or just a buffet.  Parties can be a lot easier with the buffet style of eating as it allows you to pick and choose rather than be faced with a meal in front of you that you feel you should eat out of politeness.  If it’s going to be sit down, make sure to chat with your host and let them know about your eating habits beforehand.  Remember these are your friends and family – they will be willing to discuss it with you if you explain why you’re asking.

Tip #8 – If you’re cleansing or eating a very strict raw diet then you’ll want to avoid alcohol.  If you are driving then you have a easy excuse not to drink.

One idea is to take something with you like a carafe of a non-alcoholic cocktail you have made yourself which is always a welcome gift.  Try freshly squeezed lemon, with puree of raspberries, a few drops of stevia or other plant based sweetener such as coconut palm sugar or agave topped up with sparkling water.  Add some mint leaves and put in a large glass jug and it looks amazing!

If there are cocktails just serve yourself some bubbly water in a cocktail glass with a lemon or lime and nobody will know the difference.  ☺

Or stick to plain water and add some lemon to make it more alkaline.

Tip #9 – Remember to monitor how you’re feeling.  Stress plays a big role in our health.  If you’re having a lot of trouble with the food then you’re not likely to have fun or be fun to be around.  If you’re stressing about the food, go to the bathroom and try something like EFT, breathing, self talk or reiki to get your cravings under control, then rejoin the party.

Tip #10 – Bring a friend.  See if there’s a friend who eats like you do who can go with you.  It’s easier to eat well when you have a peer that’s helping you and making you feel like you’re doing the right thing.  It’s easier to succumb to bad eating when you’re the only one that knows it’s not good for you.  Plus you can enjoy the food together.

Always remember to thank your host for accommodating you – especially if they eat a drastically different diet than you do.  Aren’t you blessed to have such amazing friends?

Chia seeds do good things for the body, like keeping blood pressure and blood sugar under control. The omega-3 fatty acids in chia protect against inflammation and heart disease. Chia seeds come from the desert plant Salvia hispanica, a member of the mint family that grows in southern Mexico. In pre-Columbian times, chia seeds were a component of the Aztec and Mayan diets and the basic survival ration of Aztec warriors. They even played a role in religious ceremonies.  Supposedly, 1 tablespoon of the seeds could sustain a person for 24 hours. The Aztecs also used chia medicinally to relieve joint pain and skin conditions. It was a major crop in central and southern Mexico well into the 16th century, but it was banned after the Spanish conquest because of its association with the Aztec “pagan” religion.

Over the past few decades, commercial production has resumed because we’ve recognized (again) what an amazing source of nutrients the chia seeds truly are.  As we search for healthier foods that are denser in nutrients, and therefore able to feed more people on less land – chia is a front runner and welcome (re)addition to the daily diet.

Chia seeds are one of the most powerful and nutritious superfoods in the world. Chia seed is an excellent source of fiber, packed with antioxidants, full of protein, loaded with vitamins and minerals, and the richest known plant source of omega-3 essential fatty acids. Everyone from children to senior citizens can benefit from the wonderful nutritional qualities of chia seeds.

Chia seeds have:

·         more omega-3 than Atlantic salmon

·         more antioxidants than fresh blueberries

·         more fiber than bran flakes

·         five times the calcium of milk

·         two times the amount of potassium as bananas

·         three times more iron than spinach

·         more protein, fiber and calcium than flax seed

Adding just 2 tablespoons of chia seeds to your daily diet will give you approximately 7 grams of fiber, 4 grams of protein, 205 milligrams of calcium, and a whopping 5 grams of omega-3. Chia seeds include phosphorus, magnesium, manganese, copper, niacin and zinc.

Chia is an ancient superfood that is very similar to flax, but without the estrogen and phytoestrogen element which can be a major problem for anyone with hormone related cancers or imbalances. Chia is also a great source of B vitamins including folic acid.

Chia has 3 to 10 times the oil concentration of most grains and 1 ½ to 2 times the protein concentration of other grains. These oils are the essential oils that the body needs to help absorb the fat soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K.  As well as to build cells, support the brain, joints, eyes, nerves, heart, skin and more!

Plus, chia seeds are energizing and give a boost of energy that lasts, providing stamina and endurance. A single tablespoon could sustain Aztec warriors for an entire day, and chia seeds reduce cravings. Because chia seeds absorb so much water and have high soluble fiber levels, they help release natural, unrefined carbohydrate energy slowly into the bloodstream, which means they are a great supplement for suffers of diabetes, hypoglycemia, and other blood sugar imbalances.

AND:  Chia seeds are easily digested!

Unlike flax seed, chia seeds do not have to be ground up before you ingest them. The human body can easily digest chia seeds breaking through the hard outer shell and accessing the nutritious innards.  Chia’s 7 grams of fiber per serving actually you’re your digestive process.

Getting chia into your daily diet is easy too – chia seeds are convenient and versatile. You can eat chia seeds straight from the bag, mix them with your favorite drink, add them to your cereal or salad, sprinkle them onto your oatmeal, granola, or yogurt – you name it!  Chia seeds have little flavour, and they are pleasantly crunchy.  On top of that chia seeds last for years in the refrigerator.  Just keep them in an air tight container.

Insects hate the chia plant, so it’s easy to find organic seeds.

Unlike flaxseed, chia seeds can be stored for long periods without becoming rancid and don’t require grinding. You can enjoy chia seeds’ gentle nutlike flavor by sprinkling ground or whole chia seeds on cereal or salads, blend them in a smoothie, juice or water, or create healthy, delicious dehydrated crackers or cookies. Eat a handful of whole seeds as a snack or make your own chia smoothie.

Chia Seeds have many anti-aging properties. The seeds fight free radical damage. Aging happens when damaged cells are replicated. Chia antioxidants act to neutralize the free radicals that cause premature aging and flush out age-accelerating toxins. Chia seeds help a person regain youthful exuberance, skin elasticity, enhance hair, skin and nails, lubricate joints, reduce inflammation and muscle soreness and speed rejuvenation as well as lowering lactic acid buildup in muscles.

Chia provides 97% of its calories from high quality plant protein and lipids with very few calories from carbohydrates. The carbohydrate portion of Chia is predominantly insoluble fiber, which is beneficial to digestion because it passes through the gastro-intestinal tract undigested resulting in a non-caloric, but still quite satisfying effect for the body. Plus insoluble fiber soaks up toxins, especially heavy metals – so chia is naturally cleansing.

Gram for gram, Chia is the highest source of protein, bar none.

Try these great ways to use chia in your daily life:

Chocolate Banana Coconut Chia Pudding

2 ripe bananas
1 cup fresh coconut water
2 Tbsp chia seeds
(2 Tbsp raw cocoa powder – optional)

Grind the chia seeds in a high speed blender.
Add the bananas and coconut water and blend until creamy.
Take the mixture out of the blender and allow it to thicken.

Enjoy this nutritious, delicious and easy treat daily for a high fibre, high potassium functional food supplement.

Chia Enhanced Smoothie

Just add 1-2 Tbsp of chia seeds to any smoothie.

Chia Enhanced Baking

3 Tbsp (alkalized, filtered) water
1 Tbsp chia seed

Mix it up & allow it to get gloopy.  Use this mix in any recipe as a replacement for 1 egg – makes your baking really nice and fluffy J

Enjoy!

Brenda Cobb : www.livingfoodsinstitute.com

Raw for 30 :  www.rawfor30days.com

I just wanted to let you know that there are less than 24 hours left to pick up a copy of “Simply Raw” and “Raw for Life” for 50% OFF the regular price and get the $161.20 in bonuses.  I just found this deal in my in box and I wanted to share it with you.  This movie is inspirational and I have it in my library – definitely worth a watch.  Plus all the bonuses were also amazing!  I’m glad I bought the package!

And after tonight this huge discount is gone…  Sorry it took me so long to let you know about it

If you haven’t seen the trailer yet make sure to check it out here:

http://www.rawfor30days.com/cmd.php?Clk=4565080

Also, just so you know the $161.20 in bonuses are REAL bonuses.

You can actually look them up on the individual expert’s websites and see them selling for the exact prices shown…

You basically get $191.15 of products for $15…

This special half off special ends Friday (TODAY!) at midnight! If you’d like to get this revolutionary film that so many people are raving about and save 50%, then go here now:

http://www.rawfor30days.com/cmd.php?Clk=4565080

Remember, 20% of your net purchase goes to support a ballot initiative to get GMO’s labeled in the state of California (setting a great precedent for the rest of the country)

I’ll write more about the movie later on (smokin’ busy today) but I just wanted to make sure you all knew about this great deal!

Have a GREAT day!

What IS a Free Radical?

A free radical is a molecule that damages the tissues, cells, and even the DNA of an organism on a second to second basis.

• Humans are subjected to about 10 000 free radical attacks EACH HOUR!
• Every breath you take, every move you make = free radicals.
• Plus exposure to toxins, rancid oils, poor quality supplements, chemicals, pollutants, sun damage, electromagnetic pollution, stress, and more all equal further free radical attacks.
• Free radical attacks are responsible for all kinds of damage in the body causing wide spread inflammatory problems such as
  • hardened and torn arteries (heart attacks, plaque build up and strokes)
  • DNA damage (cancers)
  • Nerve damage
  • Obesity
  • Aging
  • Degenerative Disease
• In fact free radical damage has been linked to over 200 degenerative diseases!
• 87% of disease could be helped with free radical damage repair.

FIGHT FREE RADICAL DAMAGE WITH ANTI OXIDANT RICH CHOCOLATE!!!

What is an Antioxidant?

An antioxidant is an enzyme or other organic substance, such as a flavonoid, that is capable of counteracting the damaging effects of oxidation (AKA free radical damage) in animal tissues.

• Flavinoids are plant based antioxidants that are particularly high in cacao (that’s chocolate) and proven to benefit the cardiovascular system
• Everyone needs about 1000mg of flavonoids / day &  you get 580mg in just 1 XPower Square by Xocai
• USDA recommends:  3,000 ORAC daily  (Canada doesn’t seem to have a RDA yet)
• Studies show 10 000 ORAC are best for health benefits
• Studies suggest that adding at least 1000mg of antioxidants to your daily diet will add 10 healthy years to your life span!

What is ORAC?

Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity – a food’s ability to help your body fight off free radical damage.

Raw Chocolate has the highest ORAC value on the planet.

Xocai’s end product ORAC value is tested regularly and is guaranteed – they put it on the box!

So – get out there and find yourself some RAW, clean,  filler-free, chemical-free, ethically grown, dark chocolate!  Can’t find any?  Come see me – I’ve found an amazing product that I love and my kids love too.  You know it’s tasty when even the kids ask for their supplements everyday   And that’s what chocolate can become for you and your family – a nutritional superfood that you treat both as a treat and a supplement.  It’s the best of both worlds!

Read on if you want to learn more about this amazing healthy chocolate I now carry at my office:  Xocai – What makes it Special?

What is XoVita^™? XoVita is an exclusive and proprietary high-antioxidant blend of cacao, açaí, and blueberry compounds for superior protection against free radical and oxidative damage within the body.

Xocai is Raw – meaning the antioxidants, vitamins and minerals are still intact.  It is all-natural, unprocessed, cold pressed dark chocolate.  The chocolate does not undergo ‘dutching’ or roasting – it’s processed in a patented way that does not exceed 220 degrees, which means it’s raw according to Raw Food Movement.

Clean – no wax, nofillers, no chemicals, no preservatives, no hydrogenated or trans fats, no processed sugars.

Friendly – vegan, vegetarian, diabetic & celiac friendly

Added antioxidants – açai berry (2^nd highest ORAC food on the planet) and blueberry = an ORAC value that’s equal to eating a ton of spinach (1.6 pounds) or 6.5 pounds tomatoes!  Chocolate itself is extremely high in antioxidants, but is especially high in flavonoids, which have been approved by Health Canada and proven to heal the circulatory system!

Only 3 chocolates a day provide you with ALL your antioxidant needs for the entire day (1000mg of antioxidants).  Add in your fresh and clean fruits and vegetables each day and you are far better off than most people eating a S.A.D. diet!

Xocai Healthy Chocolate products have been approved by Health Canada to claim that they reverse free radical and oxidative damage with in the body!

What are you waiting for?  Let’s get you started on a daily chocolate boost!

The holiday season is actually one of the best opportunities you have to go green. After all, your holiday experiences can serve as a role model for green, resource-efficient practices all year round!

Here are some tips and tricks to guide your planning:

1. Buy local and seasonal. Skip those rock-hard supermarket tomatoes and venture to your local farmers market or natural foods grocery instead for locally farmed, seasonal foods. You’ll be pleasantly surprised at the late harvest abundance of squashes, root vegetables, cooking greens and apples.
2. Skip (some of) the meat. Raising conventional livestock requires large amounts of fuel, pesticides and fertilizers, making the process a major contributor to greenhouse gases. You don’t have to make your holiday meal vegetarian, but it is worth considering whether you can move from meatcentric dishes to ones that feature smaller amounts of meat as a seasoning. Think sausage crumbles, not steaks. If you do buy meat, purchase from reputable farmers for flavorful meats that are free of antibiotics, growth hormones and E.coli.
   Our local Scout group is doing a fundraiser this Christmas of local, clean turkeys through JD Farms.  If you’re interested in ordering one – shoot me an e-mail:  Therapist@NaturalRelief.ca
3. Drink local. Consider getting wine from a local, organic winery, with less pesticide intensive viticulture methods. Or, support our nation’s growing craft brewing industry by picking up beer from a local brewery.
4. Dust off the china and glasses. One of the biggest generators of waste at holiday parties is the use of disposable cups and silverware. Though it’s definitely easier to throw everything away, you’ll find that with a couple volunteers to help you wash dishes or load the dishwasher, everything will be rinsed and dried in no time flat. If you don’t want to buy additional dishes, consider asking each guest to BYOP: Bring Your Own Plate, along with a glass and fork. That way, you will have plenty of dishes to go around, and the dirty ones will go home with their owners!  Can’t go wrong with this one!
5. Organize the leftovers. Once the meal is finished, don’t let it sit idle. Encourage guests to dispose of their scraps in a compost collection. Leftovers can be packed or frozen and used for future meals. If there is too much for you to handle, the food can be redistributed for guests to take home. Ask people to bring a container with them, so that they can tote a piece of the dinner home at the end of the night.
6. Give gifts that grow and inspire. Consider spreading the magic of real food culture through a hands-on cheese making kit, yogurt maker, sprouter or a home brewing kit. Or share your favorite cookbook of culinary fundamentals. A seasonal produce calendar can be a fun reminder of what to anticipate next year at the farmers markets. Seed packets are a cheap and creative way to help develop a green thumb. You can also give postcards or greeting cards that have seeds embedded inside the paper, and can be planted after being read.
7. Use wrapping “paper” that lasts. Skip the wrapping paper for a practical and stylish alternative. Try using reusable tote bags or light scarves. Reuse old maps, the comic pages from newspapers, and sheet music. If you do have a heap of discarded wrapping paper at the end of the night, be sure to recycle it, along with any other cans and bottles.  Remember to use recyclable wrapping parer if you must use it at all – waxed wrapping paper is not recyclable, so our family buys mailing craft paper and decorates it our selves for each gift receiver.  It’s personalized, recycled, and recyclable.