Bottling Exercise

When my family and I set sail on a Christmas cruise this past December, Yoga and Pilates were the two classes I signed up for at sea. Back on land, I'm excited to have a found a place near my home where I can do both: Pilates one day, yoga the next -- and then throw some Zumba in there, too, and I've got quite a exercise program going on, I'd say.

Today, I am simply "bottling" the great feeling of exercise. I took a Pilates class yesterday morning and a Zumba class last night. At the end of the hour-long Pilates workout, the instructor said to me, "You make it look easy." That was sweet of her, but I still want/need to get my core strengthened far more. But, if I did "make it look easy," I'm sure the yoga teacher training program I'm doing is certainly helping with that. Talking about yoga, that's Kate Potter (yellow shirt), creator of the Namaste Yoga TV show, pictured with me (green pants) about three or so years ago.

I ended up at Zumba last night because I felt an urge to go cardio-crazy, so to speak. The class had two instructors -- lovely and lively French gals -- and we partied away, Zumba-style! (By the way, Didier, my Yoga Teacher Training teacher is also French.) The Zumba fitness room had lots of space for moving around -- and the atmosphere just made me feel like I was dancing in my own living room. After class, I joined my husband and son at their basketball practice. Initially, I was going to go with them but decided that rather than just watch my husband coach and watch my son get all of his exercise in, I might as well get some of my own in! So, it was my "date" with Zumba until I met up with my family, and so I got the best of both exercise "worlds".

Today, after Chapel at my son's school, it was off to Victoria's yoga class at the gym -- where I got to do headstands and backbends (wheel). Thanks, Victoria! Victoria received her yoga teacher's certification from the same school where I'm getting mine, so her classes feel as if they're an extension of my training program. Perhaps that's why throughout her class today, I heard Didier's voice in my head reminding me that: "Yoga is about energy," and then I could feel myself giving more energy to the postures while feeling stronger and more alive in the process. For instance, here's a little exercise where you, too, might be able to experience this difference I speak of:

~ With your arms about shoulder width apart, extend them straight up above your head and look up.

~ Bring them back down by your sides.

~ Now, with your arms hanging down by your sides, stretch your fingers open wide and begin the motion of raising your arms (shoulder width apart) above your head. Raise them with purpose and intention. Raise them as if you have the head of a tiny infant resting on your wide-opened finger tips of one hand and the infant's feet resting on the finger tips of the opposite hand. Feel the strength it takes to lift the precious "infant" up towards the sky as you look up with shoulders relaxed and away from the ears. With that stretch, remember to spread your fingers apart like five-pointed stars....because you are a star! ;-)

Did you feel the difference between the two variations of the stretch? Did you feel more electrified by the second one? I did. :-)

Exercising with Energy,

Penny

Bottling the "3 Facts About Me" E-mail

Hmmh, I thought this could make a good blog entry for today. A friend of mine from Bermuda forwarded me a "3 Facts About Me" e-mail that she had completed, and those on her list were to do the same. I decided to go ahead and follow the instructions and found the exercise to be relaxing and fun. (Thanks, Angeline!) So, here's a way to learn a little more about who's behind BottlingHealth.com.

3 FACTS ABOUT ME!

THREE NAMES I GO BY:
1. Penny
2. Pen
3. Mommy

THREE JOBS I HAVE HAD IN MY LIFE:
1. Freelance Writer/Editor (still have this one)
2. Educator-in-Training (Health Food Store)
3. Retail Banking Training Trainer/Supervisor

THREE PLACES I HAVE LIVED:
1. Bermuda
2. Virginia
3. Florida

THREE THINGS I LIKE TO WATCH:
1. My son playing any sport he loves.
2. Gymnastics
3. The beauty of nature

THREE PLACES I HAVE BEEN:
1. Haiti
2. Panama
3. Venezuela

PEOPLE THAT EMAIL ME REGULARLY:
1. Shannon L. (Her book "Eating For Beauty, Health & Pleasure" is available on my site.) http://www.bottlinghealth.com/books.htm
2. Melissa (She has a buy-one-get-one free SMOOTHIE e-book special going on on HER site.) http://loverawlife.synthasite.com/e-books.php
3. Jinjee (Re our PearMagazine.com work)

THREE OF MY FAVORITE FOODS:
1. Mila, a WONDERFUL 'whole food' that can be added to any food. Find out about it on my website -- http://www.bottlinghealth.com/. I have a Mila contest going on here: http://bottlinghealth.blogspot.com/2009/02/mila-give-away-bottle-this-contest.html
2. Avocado sprinkled with Mila, Sea Salt, Black Pepper and Cayenne
3. Smoothies/Juices. Got children? See a related article I wrote at http://www.eujacksonville.com/story2.php?storyid=269

THREE FRIENDS I THINK WILL RESPOND:
1. Tee
2. Tonya (cousin)
3. Michele

THINGS I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO:
1. More people understanding that they can increase their health by leaps and bounds by adding a scoop of Mila and other raw-vegan food to their diet.
2. More people living according to the gifts placed in their hearts. (It adds to a happier world, because EVERYONE would be smiling.)
3. My son growing according to his true gifts and talents (and not what the world dictates he should be), but rather listening to God's voice in his heart for everything he does in life.

Now, here's what you're supposed to do...and please do not spoil the fun. Copy the above text, hit forward, delete my answers and type in your answers. Then send this to a few good friends or family INCLUDING the person who sent it to you. The theory is that you will learn a lot of little known things about each person on your list.

Bottling Shannon Leone's Raw Food Starter Manual

It's an honor to announce that Eating For Beauty, Health & Pleasure: A Raw Food Quick-Start Program by Shannon Leone has been added to BottlingHealth.com.

Knowledgeable and Sassy Shannon will take the confusion and headache out of understanding why raw and living foods are such optimum choices for the mind, body and spirit. Not quite ready to go all raw even though you do 'get it'? That's okay! In her simple e-book, Shannon meets you exactly where you're at and provides easy-to-follow tips for improving your health --one step at a time. Slow and steady!

"The question I get asked the most," writes Shannon........

Read more here!

*Shannon Leone is pictured above with her Rawberry Cheesecake! Mmmmmm........

Bottle this Strawberry/Banana/Mila Smoothie

If you have seen the Smoothies/Juices page of BottlingHealth.com, you would have read that my son's favorite smoothie is strawberry/banana. Or, if you read this article, you'll have read the same. I wish I could say my boy is in love with the Green Smoothie like his dad (and his friends, Christian and Dalton), but that's just not Caleb's reality at this time. If I make the Green Smoothie sweet enough, however, yes, Caleb will drink it, but it's simply not at the top of his smoothie choices the way it is for his dad. So, I just try to work with him where he's at...

In any event, when I really "nail" a smoothie (any kind) for Caleb, it certainly warms my Mommy heart. And even though I can't always successfully disguise the greens in smoothies I make for him, I can disguise Mila very well, folks. And, when you learn the amazing nutritional content of Mila, an all-raw whole food, well, that's enough to send any Mommy into Mommy-bliss land after your child consumes it. It has:

"700% MORE OMEGA-3’s than Salmon
500% MORE CALCIUM Than Whole Milk
200% MORE IRON Than Spinach
100% MORE POTASSIUM Than Bananas
1400% MORE MAGNESIUM Than Broccoli
100% MORE FIBER Than Bran Flakes
500% MORE PROTEIN Than Kidney Beans
300% MORE SELENIUM Than Flax Seed
800% MORE PHOSPHORUS Than Whole Milk
MORE ANTIOXIDANTS Than Blueberries
MORE FOLATE Than Asparagus
MORE LIGNANS Than Flax Seed
MORE DIETARY FIBER than Flax Seed"

After adding a full 13-gram scoop of tasteless-Mila to Caleb's strawberry/banana smoothie today, he said, "This is the best one I think you've made in a while. My mom's really becoming a raw-vegan chef," he exclaimed as he walked by with the mason jar in hand. Now, it's not that he tasted the Mila, because that has no taste, however, that was his way of saying the strawberry/banana/Mila smoothie was just that good. To really test the quality of the smoothie, I asked, "Should I make one like this for Tyler (his friend from school)?" "YES," he answered with great emphasis. Oh yeah, that was confirmation this was an "on fire" type of good. ;-)

Tyler? Caleb had mentioned that Tyler had visited BottlingHealth.com and, at school, asked him if the smoothies really do taste good because his mom was going to make one for him. Caleb told him that most of them do, but I should have had my husband telling Tyler about the Green Smoothie -- not Caleb. ;-) At work, my husband has turned several folks on to the Green Smoothie. Caleb's more so my strawberry/banana advocate. In any event, since I also want Caleb to have the opportunity to share his favorite smoothies with his friends (instead of always my favorites), we'll start Tyler off with the strawberry/banana one. (It's coming soon, Tyler, and your mom may just win a bag of Mila to add to smoothies she makes for you at home. I see she entered the contest.) ;-)

The recipe I used today for Caleb's Strawberry/Banana/Mila Smoothie:

~ about 5 or 6 strawberries (with stems on; I've got to get the greens in when I can)
~ 2 bananas
~ a little water (not too much --just enough to get the ingredients to mix around)
~ 1 13-gram scoop of Mila
~ a couple handfuls of ice, which then made it need....
~ a good squirt of honey (to taste)

Delicious! I even poured myself some in a fancy glass for myself!

Enjoy!


P.S. My friend, Melissa, over at LoveRawLife.com has a Sun-Sational Smoothies recipe e-book special going on until March 15. Check it out!

Mila vs. Flax? Bottle this info!

Here's the Mila Expert, Dr. Wayne Coates! They tell me, in his 70's, he's still running marathons. ;-) Makes sense! He uses chia, the seed that builds endurance and is, therefore, known as "The Runner's Seed."

Get more Mila info at www.BottlingHealth.LifeMax.net

Bottling this Whole Food Clinical Study

Mila, a high quality chia seed, recently went head to head with a popular cholesterol-reducing drug -- and "the study concluded that the raw whole food, Mila, matched the leading statin drug in its ability to lower both LDL and systolic blood pressure." Read the full article here about this clinical study done at The University of Texas Health Science Center. Way to go, Mila! :-)

Want to hear from the expert who has researched Chia for years and years? Click here!

Mama Mia -- I'm Bottling Some Mila!

Heartfelt readings to every raw foodist I know personally (or not) and ANY one else who is reading this at this moment. Thanks so much for stopping by! I am totally honored that you took a few moments to be here! I am so grateful for your time!

Well, I have got some news that I am absolutely thrilled to share...(Can you feel my heart beating with excitement? I just took a deep breath to slow it down!) ;-)

Have you heard of Mila? If not, I am sooooooo excited to introduce you to this highest quality all-raw chia seed that has:

"700% MORE OMEGA-3’s than Salmon
500% MORE CALCIUM Than Whole Milk
200% MORE IRON Than Spinach
100% MORE POTASSIUM Than Bananas
1400% MORE MAGNESIUM Than Broccoli
100% MORE FIBER Than Bran Flakes
500% MORE PROTEIN Than Kidney Beans
300% MORE SELENIUM Than Flax Seed
800% MORE PHOSPHORUS Than Whole Milk
MORE ANTIOXIDANTS Than Blueberries
MORE FOLATE Than Asparagus
MORE LIGNANS Than Flax Seed
MORE DIETARY FIBER than Flax Seed"

I know that chia is quite popular in the raw-food community and is often added to smoothies and such, but how many are aware that not all chia is created equal?

So, when using a less-than-optimum quality of chia, it's not surprising that we're not getting the level of Omega-3s that we think we're nourishing our bodies with! However, Mila -- also referred to as "The Miracle Seed" and "chia rediscovered" -- is the best of the best, hands down, when it comes to chia.

Thanks to Dr. Wayne Coates and his tireless chia research efforts for about the past 18 years, we have come to learn all of this amazing information about the benefits of Mila. To provide the body with OPTIMUM benefits, Mila is grown "within a band approximately 23 degrees north and south of the equator, that is, from The Tropic of Cancer to The Tropic of Capricorn," Dr. Coates explains in the November 2008 issue of "Your Business At Home" magazine.

Another question that Dr. Coates answers in that interview is: "Besides the amount of Omega-3, how does generic chia seed differ from Mila?" He explains: "Generic chia is generally a lower-quality seed. Where it is produced, how it's produced and how it is cleaned are all aspects that must be considered when judging the chia quality. There are generic chia seeds out there that are quite dirty, which means they contain weed seeds or plant parts, both of which degrade the quality of the overall product."

I tell you, having this optimum quality chia (Mila) in my home seems to be making my kitchen (and me) vibrate at another level. I LOVE Mila!!! And I love that it's great for anyone! It has universal appeal, so to speak, and inspired me to come up with my own slogan for it: -- "Changing Health In America" (and beyond) is what Chia has become to mean to me!

If you are wondering if Mila is truly raw, well, let me let the Mila guru, Dr. Coates, answer that for you. He explains: "Traditional grinding methods heat the seed through friction, which produces oxidation. Oxidation causes oil seed rancidity, decreasing the shelf life of the ground seed. Mila is not exposed to heat and can be kept unopened for years without becoming rancid, since naturally occurring antioxidants in chia make it last longer. The ancient Aztecs knew this and traded in both whole seeds and ground chia," says Dr. Coates.

Mila can be mixed in with just about any food and it doesn't alter the taste because of how virtually tasteless it is! For instance, my husband, who ordinarily quickly detects any addition I've blended into his favorite kale/banana smoothie has not at all picked up on the addition of Mila to his green drinks. He simply sees the pretty bag of Mila sitting on the kitchen counter, but he has no idea that a scoop of the finely sliced chia in the bag is ending up in his daily smoothies. Shhh! Don't tell him. (He'll find out soon enough, though, when he reads this.) ;-)

I quickly decided that I didn't just want to purchase Mila to nourish my family, but I also wanted to very much be hands-on with LifeMax, the company with "vision" that has blessed us with Mila by way of Dr. Coates' research. LifeMax is convinced that the Omega-3s, protein, fiber and the many forms of goodness in Mila will change health, globally.

LifeMax is also interested in helping folks reach financial health and has, therefore, created a very easy-to-operate direct-sales system for Mila distribution. You can create a wonderful home business on the 'shoulders' of LifeMax, and the company will ship the product for you, so you certainly don't have to be worried about that. You'll get your own website with a non-complicated tracking system and so much more! Basically, you'll spread the word about the benefits of Mila and the backend of the "office" will do the rest.)

With all of my heart, I believe in Mila -- and I believe in LifeMax -- and I believe Mila is an optimum whole raw-food product that health educators and such should strongly consider educating themselves and others about while adding it to home kitchens, web sites, retreats, restaurants, stores, etc. Mila needs to be everywhere! Every home needs a bag of Mila. Mama Mia, let's bottle some Mila, folks! ;-)

For more information about sampling a bag of Mila, click here. Then, click on "Order Product Now" at the top right of the page. Or, if like me, you clearly know you want to be a Mila distributor, visit the "Become A Distributor" section which is also located on the top right.

Let's take this next and wonderful step to making this world even healthier -- one bag of Mila at a time! By the way, a bag of Mila is designed to last about a month -- you only need a scoop a day (the scooper is provided in the bag)!

To clarify, you can simply order Mila for your home AND/OR sign up to get it distributed into the home of your readers, customers, family, friends, etc. What a great way to spread health and wealth.

A Big Mila Hug to you!

Feel free to post a comment or question here or e-mail me at penny@BottlingHealth.com

Much Love,

Penny
http://www.bottlinghealth.lifemax.net/

"Write my answer plainly on tablets, so that a runner can carry the correct message to others." Habakkuk 2:2

Bottling Mandura -- Part 2

*While not juiced directly from my juicer (which I know is optimum), this is our best option (in our home) for regularly getting durian, mangosteen, and acai into our bodies. So, for Mandura -- and Mandura only --I've bent my must-be-from-the-juicer rule as to meet my son halfway on his health journey. In the meantime, I'm enjoying this "Royal Family of Fruits," too....



A little add-on from my earlier post.

I just felt inspired to have a 4 pm shot of Mandura (my son's drink of choice) and truly felt a certain vibe while simply holding the bottle.

Maybe it's just me, but I really do feel something quite special about this bottle that seems to exude "royalty!" It's just something about this nutritional supplement (right down to the packaging) that I resonate with! Before returning the opened bottle to the refrigerator, I held it close to my heart and thanked God! I know, I know...mushy me! ;-)

And, the healthy "family" that's in the bottle (durian, mangosteen, acai, and blueberries) is quite refreshing, too! Nothing like a dose of health this time of day. After my son had his 2 ounces before going to school this morning, he put his glass down on the table and exclaimed, "Now that's some good stuff."

We won't always just take the Mandura straight (even though it goes down well that way), but we'll mix it up a bit, too, by mixing it in into our fresh juices and smoothies! But outside of the other fruits and veggies we eat, a mere 1 to 2 ounces, 1 to 2 times a day is all that's needed from the Mandura bottle.

Afternoon Smiles,

Penny

Bottling Mandura & Dancing!

I'm doing the Mandura dance! "Mandura?" you ask! Oh yes, it's a health dance comprised of durian, mangosteen, acai, and blueberry moves -- I mean...juice. Today, we received our next bottle of this fruit-juice supplement that is created from some of the world's most nutrient-rich fruits...so, yes indeed, I'm doing the Mandura dance! Work it, Penny! :-)

I'm so excited that it was my 13-year-old son, Caleb, who turned me on to this fruit drink after he first tried it at his buddy Beau's house. Caleb was 12 at the time and came home that evening telling me all about this mystery juice that sounded so powerful. Then, when I saw the regal-looking bottle that this preservative-free beverage was stored in, I had a strong feeling Mandura was just as powerful as it sounded.

K.C., Beau's mom, one of the partners of the company that formulates and distributes Mandura, cleverly came up with the Mandura name -- "Man..." for mangosteen - "The Queen of Fruits" and "...dura" for durian - "The King of Fruits." Although "Man..." kicks off the name, durian is actually the first fruit on the ingredient list, but I'm sure you'll agree that Mandura sounds far more jazzy than Duraman. ;-) The folks at Mandura are calling this exotic four-fruit blend, "The Royal Family of Fruits." Because of the company's aseptic bottling process, Mandura is free of preservatives and the company's "state-of-the-art cold-filled technology" allows nutrient retention of the ingredients used to make Mandura.

There are varying opinions in the raw food community about adding supplements to an all-raw diet. However, if my family's diet was as rich as our friends Storm and Jinjee from TheGardenDiet.com, well, things might be different. But, as of this season in our lives, my husband and son don't exclusively eat a raw diet, and my all-raw percentage tends to vary, so I believe Mandura is a perfect fit for the Powells right now. While it is my philosophy that organic fruits (and veggies) freshly juiced and consumed within 15 minutes of juicing them are optimum, I am convinced that Mandura can nicely complement my family's health. And folks who are consuming this drink -- simply 1 to 2 ounces, 1 to 2 times per day -- are reaping some great health improvements. (Stay tuned for some testimonies!)

As I grow more deeply in health, love and my relationship with God, I've come to believe that when well-intentioned prayer and love go into a health product, prayer and love actually become the key ingredients, even though they are often not listed on the product. However, since Mandura's headquarters just happens (although I don't believe in coincidences) to be so close to my home, I have been able to spend time there, and I love the heart, energy, intention, and Godliness I see and feel behind this drink. My heart is saying, "Yes to Mandura," and I'm certainly not one to ignore that part of my body. Plus, since the skin, our largest organ, is a sign of the quality of one's internal health, I'd have to say that the shakers and movers that I personally know behind Mandura are definitely "walking" their "talk." They glow!

In fact, on the day of my extensive visit at Solstice International (the Mandura headquarters), I heard the voice of K.C.'s 6-year-old son echoing down the hallway: "I need three cups of Mandura." I assumed he was asking for one cup for himself and the others for his two brothers who were playing basketball. "Three cups?" his mom questioned. "Yes, I just took so many shots (referring to basketball), and I haven't made one yet." he explained. So, he turned to another shot of Mandura to turn his basketball statistics around. Too cute! Priceless!

Mandura is coming soon to BottlingHealth.com, so information about it will definitely be growing and glowing here. If you want to let your children find out, firsthand, why children are raving about this nutritional supplement, I'll put you in contact with just the right folks if you contact me at penny@BottlingHealth.com. There's really nothing to lose since you can get a 30-day risk-free trial period; a money-back guarantee.

I don't know about you, but I just can't regularly get my hands on fruits as potent as durian, mangosteen, and acai, so, thankfully, Mandura brings them into my home. And what makes Mandura even sweeter is that my son LOVES it and turned me on to it. Now, folks, that is health music to my mommy ears...

...So, off I go again to do the Mandura dance! Come join me! ;-)

Mandura Smiles,

Penny

***Stay tuned for Mandura on the Smoothies/Juices page of this site under a section called "Caleb's Choice!"***

Return to http://www.bottlinghealth.com/

Bottling Family, Fresh Air & Smoothies

Opening the windows in our homes can certainly give our spirits a lift, which, to me, is a great indicator that we were designed to be outdoors more than in. But, when we can't be out in the fresh air, open those windows whenever possible. What a nice way to clean any stale air lingering in both our house-homes and body-homes!

On Saturday, after my husband and son headed outdoors to do some yard work, I opened the windows in the house and immediately felt a fresh-air kind of joy. With a happy heart, I decided to get a few Green Smoothies ready for my husband for when he returned indoors ,
and I made a banana/flaxseed smoothie for my son who was ready to drink one sooner than later.
"Always buy flaxseeds whole rather than ground, because the delicate oil in powdered flaxseeds can go rancid fairly quickly. Flaxseeds are rich in essential omega-3 fatty acids," writes my dear friend, Angela Elliott, in her handy dandy little book, Alive in 5: Raw Gourmet Meals in Five Minutes.


In Family, Fresh Air & Smoothies,

Penny

Bottling Raw Food at Shakti Life Kitchen

On Wednesday, I had a meeting at Shakti Life Kitchen and blissfully enjoyed a most delicious raw and living foods lunch while there! With Love and Gratitude for all of the community energy that goes into the food and service there! I LOVED my day with you, Shakti Life staff...











Yes, that's a RAW-VEGAN burger topped with nothing but goodness! YUM...YUM...

Here's an article -- "Raw Deal" -- that Jacksonville's Folio magazine published with great quotes from my dear friend, Yvette Schindler from the Present Moment Cafe in St. Augustine, and my new friend, Valerie Herrmann from Shakti Life Kitchen in Atlantic Beach. At this link, scroll down to the article Raw Deal. I'm sure you'll enjoy every word of it...such a fun spin the writer, Danny Kelly, put on it!