Making Time for Quiet

 Graphic from LittleBirdieBlessings

My family knows, firsthand, how much I enjoy reading to others! This is one of the reasons that my husband has said, for many years, that I should have been a school teacher! :-) My friend, Teeshalavone, is probably the one who would let me read to her all day long if I so desired. :-) I especially find great JOY in reading Scripture verses (or any related/supporting content) aloud to anyone who will listen. :-)

So, to have had the opportunity to do that to "open ears" last night (and last week) WHILE sharing some calming yoga tools at an Advent 'slowing down/calming' event at Grace Episcopal Church was a blissful, blissful blessing to me!! :-) I got a little teary when I read to a room of many adults, some supporting text to Matthew 14:23 found in "Streams in the Desert."

"...Strength is found not in busyness and noise but in quietness... Our Lord loved the people who flocked to him, but there are numerous accounts in the Scriptures of His going away from them for a brief period of time..."

"The one thing that we need today more than anything else is to spend time alone with our Lord, sitting at His feet in the sacred privacy of His blessed presence. Oh, how we need to reclaim the lost art of meditation! Oh, how we need 'the secret place' (Ps. 91:1 KJV) as part of our lifestyle! Oh, how we need the power that comes from waiting upon God!"

Bottling Strawberry/Aloe Juice

Today, I picked some Aloe while outside mowing the lawn and then made a lovely Strawberry/Aloe Juice!!! It wasn't sweet but still refreshing! Of course I could have added honey but preferred the red juice in its most natural state!

The plump, juicy strawberries I used were local and farm fresh from The Veggie Bin.

In "The Juiceman's Power of Juicing," Jay Kordich says: "Strawberries are high in potassium and iron, which is good for strengthening the blood. The sodium content makes them a valuable tonic for nerves and for keeping glands healthy, which explains why they are considered 'youth' food."

Strawberries are also know for their wonderful vitamin C content and "natural sugars that cleanse the system," Kordich explains.

What a perfect food for spring cleansing!

Why not sip on some Strawberry Juice?

Strawberry/Aloe Hugs,

Penny

Bottling Colorful Creations

I'm basking in the color of the contents of this week's The Veggie Bin items! Ahhh, color bliss! Like the last box, the strawberries are divine! I'm off to add them to some Swiss Chard, Mixed Greens, Cilantro, Water, Coconut Oil, and Honey in the blender...for the result of a healthy smoothie breakfast in about 24 seconds (the time my blender takes to whip it all up).

Colorful Hugs,

Penny

Bottling Tomato Soup-Smoothie

Yesterday, I experimented with making this Tomato Soup-Smoothie for a friend. It turned out well, so I'm planning to make it for my husband and I today. Plus, it's a quick way to use up some tomatoes I have here.

In blender, I put:

~ 3 Tomatoes from The Veggie Bin
~ a handful of Thyme from The Veggie Bin
~ Seasonings: To taste, Himalayan Sea Salt , Black Pepper, Garlic Powder, Onion Powder, Cayenne Pepper (tiny shake), an assorted Spicy Seasoning Blend I had on hand (just a little shake)
~ Juice from 1/2 a Lemon
~ 4 Dates (or, to taste)

I blended on the smoothie setting until the mixture was nice-n-smooth. The consistency, while fairly thick, was still easy enough to just drink.

About the soup-smoothie, my friend replied:

"Oh that Savory Smoothie was the BOMB!! I slurped it all down and sprinkled in a few kale chips."

What a nice way to get more tomatoes into our systems!

Tomato Hugs, :-)

Penny

"Slice of Blueberry Heaven"

I made this delicious raw-vegan blueberry pie today. My friend, Chloe, named it. "Shall we call it a 'slice of blueberry heaven'?" she asked me when she saw a picture of it on my Facebook page. So, Chloe, a "slice of blueberry heaven" it is! :-)

Chloe wanted to know what ingredients, in addition to the obvious blueberries, were used to create this 'cake-ish' pie. Let's see if I can get it all straight in my mind, because I was just winging it. :-)
For the crust, in the food processor, I fully processed (until it basically couldn't spin any longer):
~ Soaked raw almonds, approx. 2 cups
~ Medjool Dates, pitted, 6
~ Honey, approx. 1 tablespoon or to taste
~ Cinnamon, a good shake...a few times :-)
~ Nutmeg, a good shake...a few times :-)
~ Sea Salt, a pinch or two
~ Garden of Life's Coconut Oil, approx. 1 - 2 tablespoons

This basically made enough to create a crust for both the bottom and top of the pie. I made two "balls" with the crust (it was like Play-doh), and then I pressed the first one down on the plate to spread the crust.

For the sauce, in blender, I put:

~ blueberries, approx. 1 cup

~ more of the above mixture made in the food processor. But, the second time using the food processor, I used 5 Medjool dates (pitted) and a little less of the other ingredients, as well.

~ water, approx. 1 cup or so to get it to all mix in the blender.

After blending, I ended up with a thick-texture for the sauce, however, it was easy to pour over the whole blueberries I had spread on top of the bottom crust.

Next, I spread the other Play-doh-like crust on another plate (for size). Thankfully, I was able to lift it up off the plate with a spatula and then place it on top of the blueberries and sauce.

I poured more of the sauce on the top crust, smeared it around like icing, spread more blueberries on top, and then put in the the refrigerator to set. Actually, I first put it in the freezer for about 30 mins and then moved it to the fridge.

So, what did I do with the leftover sauce?

Made a smoothie but added ice to make it more smoothie-like!

So, as you can see, I've been to blueberry heaven today! :-)

Blueberry Hugs,

Penny

Bottling this Mountain Smoothie

Mountain Smoothie! :-) My teen asks for a smoothie, well, he gets a smoothie. LOL. No, he didn't drink ALL of this. We split it between the family...

Ingredients include: Spinach (a few handfuls), Strawberry (approx. 7), Blueberry (a few handfuls), Banana (2 -3), Water (approx. 2 cups), Honey (to taste).

Smiles,

Penny

A Cruciferous Veggie/Ginger Juice

Who would think all of these ingredients are in this juice: Carrot, Cauliflower, Bok Choy, Kohlrabi, Brussels Sprouts (1/2 of a whole stalk with sprouts), Parsley, and Ginger? You could end up with a little spicy after-taste, but popping a Barhi Date in the mouth so nicely counteracts that!

Cheers,

Penny

My Answers to the Cons of Juicing

Donna McGee, studio manager at Life's Journey Yoga & Wellness, shared this article with me: The Pros and Cons of Juicing by Jo Cavallo.

Below, I've quoted some of the cons that the writer lists followed by "my answers" to them!

Here goes...

Article: "However, there are some drawbacks to juicing. For one, the process of juicing eliminates fiber."

My answer: Because we would typically balance juicing with eating whole foods or making smoothies (in blender) that retain fiber, it wouldn't be as if we are completely eliminating fiber from our overall diet. The chance to nourish the body while eliminating the process of heavy digesting...giving the digestive system a well-needed break...is invaluable, I think.

Article: "One of the health benefits of eating more fruits and vegetables is to increase your source of heart- and digestive-healthy fiber."

My answer: It's all about balance: eat some, blend some (the smoothie made in blender keeps the fiber). Then, juice, too, for that instant-dose-of-nutrition opportunity! I think the optimum word here is "balance." Juicing doesn't have to take over the whole diet, unless one is juice fasting or such for a certain period of time.

Article: "Also keep in mind that unless you drink your home-squeezed juice right away, you run the risk of contamination by exposing it to air and pathogens."

My answer: I think this juice-and-immediately-consume-it process is a beautiful thing! Fresh juicing, fresh drinking! Why wouldn't we want to get the nutrients from the juice into the body as soon as we can? Isn't that far better than drinking juice that has sat on a store shelf for weeks? Plus, we don't need a huge glass of fresh juice to receive the nutritional benefits, so it shouldn't be tough at all to get the fresh juice consumed soon after juicing the produce.

Article: "And then there is the expense of buying a juicer and the time investment needed to prepare the fruits and vegetables you're using and the cleanup afterward."

My answer: There are juicers to fit varying budgets. For anyone who is a regular consumer of store-brought juice, well, before long or over time, they'll eventually end up paying the cost of a juicer for juices they've been purchasing. Plus, with juicing, there are no bottles or containers to dispose of after juicing, so it's easy to see why juicing would be an eco-friendly choice when it comes to consuming juices.

Regarding the time investment element, is it really that bad to take a little bit of time out to push some produce through a juicer and clean the equipment when we're done? Many people spend far more time cooking a full-course meal in front of the stove/oven...which often requires far more prep and cleaning time than the overall juicing process? And, by the way, quite often, that one fresh juice is far healthier than the full-course cooked meal. I think the "time investment" is something that can be viewed differently with a little shift in perspective.

Happy Juicing! :-)

Penny

The Very Berry Spinach Smoothie

What happens when fresh, local strawberries and spinach from The Veggie Bin meet frozen blueberries picked from Jacksonville's Cardui Organic Farms? Well, here's one possible result:

"It tastes like ice cream," my husband said upon taking his first sip. Moments later, I heard all the slurping going on. Good to the last drop! My teen drank his out of a 12oz mason jar that was filled to the top, so this was one of those treats enjoyed by the whole family!

In blender, put:

~ strawberries, approx. 7 (I leave the green stems on for the iron. Once everything blends up, you can never tell they were even there. If you're using this week's strawberries from The Veggie Bin, do save some to eat whole. Mmm, they are fresh and yummy! I really considered not blending them because of how delicious they taste as is!)

~ frozen blueberries, approx. 1 cup

~ spinach, a couple handfuls (I used the The Veggie Bin's spinach and gathered a nice size handful from the bigger bunch.)

~ water, 1 1/2 - 2 cups depending on the consistency you want

~ honey, to taste (I used The Veggie Bin's local honey.)

~ optional: ice

Blend well. Perhaps pop a straw in your glass, and enjoy your very berry spinach smoothie with honey!

Yummy!

Smiles,

Penny

What's in this Green Smoothie?

This morning, on Facebook, a friend asked: "Penny, what are in the amazing Green Smoothies you made me? My mornings are all smiles and energy the last 2 days. Plus they are DELISHIOUS. :)"

Here's the recipe. (I also posted it on Saturday along with some other raw food creations I made that day.)

For the smoothie, in the blender, put:

~Kale, about 4 - 5 (or more) of your kale leaves from your this week's veggie bin. Simply break in half or thirds to get the leaves to fit in your blender container.

~ Parsley, small handful. A little parsley will go a long way.

~ Banana, 3 - 4...depends on the sweetness and smoothie consistency you want. (If you use bananas you've frozen, this can serve as your "ice" if you want a cold smoothie.

~ Lemon Juice..from 1/2 of a lemon

~ Coconut Oil, approx. 1 tablespoon. Again, I use this brand. Delicious!

~ Water, approx. 2 cups

~ Optional ~ Honey, approx. 1 tablespoon. The honey serves to provide a tad more sweetness if you desire it. (I used local honey supplied by The Veggie Bin.)

In blender, add all ingredients above and blend well. You should end up with a very smooth, somewhat thick consistency. Use fewer bananas or more water if you want a thinner consistency.

Enjoy...

Penny

HoneyBell Oranges Galore

Heaven rained Honeybell Oranges down on my family!!! Thank you! Thank you! xoxo

"And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat." Genesis 1:29 KJV

Five of the oranges in the above bin filled up this glass...with a little left over.

Learn about these tasty oranges at http://www.honeybelloranges.net/.

"...You can’t hear or go through something about FL citrus without noticing the phrase Honeybell oranges. They are the sweetest, juiciest, and merely the very best..." ~Honeybell Oranges

Raw Food Creations from The Veggie Bin Stash

In yesterday's post, I talked about the amazingly tasty orange juice I juiced from The Veggie Bin. Today, I've been creating raw food for a friend who sent her bin home with me on Thursday. It has felt like art fun at my dining room table, and the bin from the Veggie Bin housed my "art supplies". :-)

So far, for this friend, I've created:

"Kohlrabi/Cauliflower Pâtés"...that can be turned into:

"Kohlrabi/Cauliflower Pâtés Boats" or "Stuffed Kale Leaves"
What's needed?

~ Kohlrabi. (I used approx. 3/4 of a whole kohlrabi in my veggie bin. Cut up and then drop chunks into food processor.)

~ Cauliflower, approx. half of a full head. Put chunks in food processor.

~ Parsley, a full handful

~ Green Onion, 1 leaf

~ Medjool Dates, approx. 6 or to taste (Be sure to remove the seed from each.)

~ Coconut Oil, approx. 1 1/2 tablespoons. I use this brand from Garden of Life.

~ Kale, as many leaves as "boats" you care to make

~ Optional ~ Sea Salt, to taste

~ Optional ~ Black Pepper, to taste

In food processor, chop-up kohlrabi and cauliflower. Add, parsley, green onion leaf, coconut oil, Medjool dates, sea salt and black pepper, if desired, and process again in food processor. The mixture will now take on more of a wet consistency that can be a dip, a spread, etc.

Fill your big kale leaves with your pâtés, and enjoy!

Green Smoothie

In blender, put:

~Kale, about 4 - 5 of your kale leaves from your this week's veggie bin. Simply break in half or thirds to get the leaves to fit in your blender container.

~ Parsley, small handful. A little parsley will go a long way.

~ Banana, 3 - 4...depends on the sweetness and smoothie consistency you want. (If you use bananas you've frozen, this can serve as your "ice" if you want a cold smoothie.

~ Lemon Juice..from 1/2 of a lemon

~ Coconut Oil, approx. 1 tablespoon. Again, I use this brand. Delicious!

~ Water, approx. 2 cups

~ Optional ~ Honey, approx. 1 tablespoon. The honey serves to provide a tad more sweetness if you desire it. (I used local honey supplied by The Veggie Bin.)

In blender, add all ingredients above and blend well. You should end up with a very smooth, somewhat thick consistency. Use fewer bananas or more water if you want a thinner consistency.

Cheers to your raw-food art!

Coming next: Kohlrabi/Cauliflower Tabouli

Juicing Fresh, Local Oranges from The Veggie Bin

Jan. 27, 2011

Cheers to week two of receiving my bin of local, seasonal, farm-fresh produce from The Veggie Bin in Jacksonville, FL. Now that I've picked up my bin that was delivered to Life's Journey Yoga & Wellness, well, all that's left to do is nourish myself and my family with the varied produce. One simple way to do that is to JUICE some of it, starting with the oranges tucked away in the bin of the day.

For this juicing adventure, all I have to do is peel the oranges...leaving as much as the white pith on them as possible...and then feed them through my juicer. In seconds, voilà, I'll have a glass of tasty orange juice up to my mouth!

"...By law, orange juice sold in cartons and bottles in the supermarket is pasteurized, a process that kills life-giving enzymes. .....because most of the vitamin C dissipates shortly after juice is made, many manufacturers add synthetic vitamin C to bolster the content. Still others add sugar for sweetening. None of this is necessary if you juice your own oranges.....What emerges is a thick, foamy drink with a heavenly creamy color." ~Jay Kordich in "The Juiceman's Power of Juicing"

By the way, if the orange juice doesn't turn out to be as sweet as you would like it to be, perhaps add the fresh juice of an apple or two to it (one of my son's favorites). Or, just stir in a little local honey or cinnamon in place of the apple. Smile at the life-giving enzymes you'll be feeding your body!

Happy Orange Juicin'...

Penny

Update: Jan. 28, 2011

To a friend of mine who also gets a bin from The Veggie Bin delivered to Life's Journey each week, I texted this note: "Just juiced oranges from bin. Only oranges....peel and juice...delicious! Wow! Took everything in me to share." LOL

Yes, the flavor of these juiced oranges was incredible. Seriously! Of course, the flavor can vary from orange to orange, but the orange juice from the oranges in my bin were certainly tasty.

In The Juiceman's Power of Juicing, Jay Kordich talks about how his mother used to squeeze fresh oranges, but he says it wasn't really juicing, because "she simply rotated the halved oranges on a reamer and pressed them in a squeezer." He explains that was simply "rubbing tissues against membranes and creating" what he calls "orange water. It may taste healthy," he says, "but has few of the health benefits of orange juice made in the juicer."

So just what is in orange juice other than the obvious vitamin C? Kordich's list also includes: "B complex, bioflavonoids, potassium, zinc and phosphorous. Orange juice "contains almost all of the oranges' food value," he writes. "Consumed pure, it is a perfect balance of nutrients."

Note: The orange juice I made (pictured above) was actually a little brighter in color than the picture shows.

Bottling Private Yoga Classes and A Twist on Holiday Shopping

After teaching yoga class this morning at Life's Journey Yoga & Wellness, I was "hugged," as usual, by the serenity of the studio. I got to thinking about my interest in wanting to schedule more private yoga classes (in addition to the group classes I enjoy teaching); I just love those special yoga-connections between teacher and student.

As I moved about the retail and office sections of the studio with my warming thoughts about one-on-one classes, this book -- The Heart of Yoga: Developing a Personal Practice
-- caught my eye from a basket it was resting in. I flipped it open and landed on page xxvii of the Introduction. Then, this quote immediately captured my attention and served as a sign for me to grow more private yoga classes:

"...In yoga, the purpose is to bring some change, and the teacher is the reference point. You always remember what the teacher told you -- not what you read in the book or what he spoke in the class, but what he told YOU. You need the teacher, you need the intimacy. Yoga is intimate. There is no yoga between one and a million; yoga is between two -- the teacher and the student.......'In education the first requirement is the teacher, the second is the student. What should happen between them is learning. How it should happen is through the constant teaching of that which will be relevant to the student. That is education...'"

Later, back at home, while writing about this experience, I came across an old picture of Michelle, a Life's Journey yoga student and friend whom I've taught several private classes to! Michelle is pictured relaxing in Split pose (left) and Wide-Legged Forward Bend (below) during one of our one-on-one classes at the previous Life's Journey location. Hmmh, I'm thinking that stumbling upon Michelle's private-class pics on today of all days was yet another sign for me to get some more private classes going!

A Private or Semi-Private Yoga Class can make a great BIRTHDAY and/or HOLIDAY GIFT. Gift certificates are available at Life's Journey! Or, I can even come to you!!!


P.S. Prior to leaving the studio today, I picked up a copy of the November 2010 issue of natural awakenings magazine. It's "SIMPLE LIVING" theme and related article title -- "LESS STUFF More Happiness: How to Regain Your Authentic Self" -- caught my eye, as well as "TWISTS ON TRADITION: Three Festive Meatless Entrées." By the way, do check out The Vegan Muse for more "meatless" ideas.

Why not put a "twist on tradition" this year with a combination of some meatless dishes and reducing "stuff" shopping with "authentic-self/happiness" shopping, an amazing shopping experience that could very well be awaiting you on your yoga mat, privately or in a group class!

Happy Shopping! :-)

Penny
penny@bottlinghealth.com

Bottling Day 3 of Garden of Life's RAW Cleanse

If you read my yesterday's blog entry, you'll recall the high energy I felt yesterday. Adding on to what I previously shared, I also mowed the lawn in the afternoon in this HOT Florida weather and then went to a high-energy Zumba class that evening. Today is a new day, however, and my body is telling me to REST for the most part. I will be teaching a yoga class this evening, which can complement my take-it-easy feeling today. When we detox our organs, as is the case with this RAW cleanse, it's normal to have these feelings of needing to slow down. So, I will not fight this feeling but rather honor it...and feel blessed that I can.

Regarding Garden of Life's RAW Cleanse, I've previously given some details about the first two daily steps of the program:

1. RAW Cleanse Toxin Defense - Optimal Oral Health and Immune System Support

2. RAW Cleanse Organ Detox - Natural Detoxification of Organs and GI Tract

More info about step 3 is:

RAW Cleanse Digestion & Elimination -- Toxin Capture and Removal is the third and final step in the RAW Cleanse experience, helping to catch and hold undesirable compounds in the digestive tract and facilitate final transport from the body. Digestion & Elimination contains 800mg of RAW Food-Chelated magnesium to draw water into the colon for effective movement of intestinal bulk. RAW organic flax and chia seed act as bulking fibers to absorb toxins and pollutants while RAW organic coconut fiber facilitates intestinal flow and creates a positive microbial balance in the body." ~Garden of Life®

Bottling Day 2 of Garden of Life's RAW Cleanse

Perhaps you read about the probiotic mouth-swishing part of Garden of Life's RAW Cleanse in my yesterday's blog entry. After the 45-second swishing and just prior to yesterday's breakfast -- a freshly made green apple and lemon juice, I took three of the Organ Detox capsules that are designed to naturally detoxify the organs and GI Tract. Then, I took the remaining three capsules for the day with lunch, which was a blueberry, banana, Maca smoothie.

"Organ Detox is the second step in the RAW Cleanse experience, supporting normal removal of environmental toxins and pollutants from the body, as well as internally generated waste by-products.....This antioxidant, enzyme and amino acid rich formula supports healthy liver biotransformation and excretion of environmental toxins (and their metabolites) normally introduced into the body in small amounts." ~Garden of Life®

After taking the final three capsules at lunch, the next RAW Cleanse step wasn't until about an hour before bed. While that stage is my least favorite part of the cleanse, it's oh so good for the body, because it's the Digestion & Elimination stage. The only reason I say it's my least favorite part is because of the taste of the green powder that needs to be mixed with water or a low-sweet juice. HOWEVER, thanks to Charlie's tip to hold my nose and chug, well, there's no taste at all until I let go of my nose. Then, I just quickly grab some water to wash away that final taste. (Hmmh, maybe Garden of Life can turn this powder into capsules. I think I will suggest this to them. :-)) In any event, the result of this daily stage of the cleanse is well worth the not-so-good taste, because it's nothing like starting the day with a great release of toxins. :-) It really helps set the tone for the day, because the fresher and lighter the body feels, well, the fresher and lighter the day.

For instance, it's still early this morning...my husband and son are still asleep...and already I've done my probiotic swishing, had some wonderfully cleansing quiet prayer time with prayers from PrayerGoddess.com, done a bit of yoga (including my favorite headstand to refresh the brain), written a thank-you note inside of a card and delivered it to an associate, worked on an idea for The Vegetarian Muse, did some produce shopping and have unpacked the mangoes, avocados, papaya, cucumber, coconut, kiwi, strawberries and bananas I purchased. I know my son will awake asking for his favorite strawberry, banana smoothie, so now I'm prepared. Plus, yesterday, we had the sweetest mango we've ever tasted, and I'm thinking he's going to want that today, too, since he says he's upping his raw eating today. At 14, he's well aware of when his body needs a bit of cleansing, so he takes some all-raw or mostly raw days here and there. I wish he'd take more of 'em, but I'm happy and proud of his conscious efforts.

Okay, folks, I still need to take the first three Organ Detox capsules for the day with breakfast. So, off I go to do that. What's for breakfast? Cucumber, green apple, lemon juice.

Talk to you tomorrow!

Happy Cleansing,

Penny

Photo: Me pictured for Life's Journey Yoga & Wellness

Bottling the 45-second Probiotic Swish

RAW Cleanse™
The Ultimate Standard in Cleansing & Detoxification
For those looking for the ultimate cleanse experience, RAW has always represented the standard. RAW Cleanse from Garden of Life features uncooked, untreated and unadulterated ingredients that are designed to support your body’s natural digestive and detoxification systems.† ~ Garden of Life®

When I first did Garden of Life's 7-Day Raw Cleanse, I had planned to document the journey, but other tasks and such apparently took the place of that intended journaling. Today, however, I'm kicking off a new month repeating this cleanse, so here's my second chance to share some notes along the way.

The cleanse kicked off this Sunday, August 1 morning with swishing Toxin Defense in my mouth for about 45 minutes. This powder-like substance part of the cleanse is "a unique combination of oral and intestinal probiotics that work in the mouth to help inhibit harmful toxins from traveling further into the body." In the cleansing kit pictured above, there are seven packages of Toxin Defense to be taken each morning....for seven days. I shake the package a few times to be sure all of the mixture is collected at the bottom, and then I cut the package's top, pour into my mouth, add a good sip of water, and get to swishing. You may feel a few chunky parts at first, but the swishing quickly helps break it all down. Once you swallow, you'll notice a fresher-feeling mouth blended with that healthy feeling of knowing that deeper health started brewing beyond the mouth once the Toxin Defense was swallowed.

"This 'point-of-entry' defense contributes to overall immune function and promotes microbial balance in the gastrointestinal tract for proper digestion and elimination. The clinically studied intestinal probiotic contained in Toxin Defense helps to support healthy bowel function, elimination and a health gut-associated immune system." ~Garden of Life®

The Garden of Life's "suggestions while cleansing" are:

•Drink at least the recommended 64 ounces of filtered water each day.
•Eat fresh fruit, vegetables particularly crucifers and bitter greens (such as broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, endive and radicchio), seeds, nuts and lean protein- organic whenever possible, with wild caught fish. Note: I'll be doing all or mostly raw-vegan food.
•Increase your healthy fat intake by adding 1 teaspoon to 1 tablespoon each of organic coconut oil, flaxseed oil, cod liver oil and olive oil per day to your diet.
•Keep high allergen foods, such as dairy and wheat products to a bare minimum.
•Eliminate caffeine, tea, coffee and alcoholic beverages.
•Eliminate added sugar, refined flour, processed foods and fatty food with trans fats.
•Eliminate skin care products with ingredients you can’t pronounce.
•Use natural cleaning products.

Bottling Cleansing & Detoxing

I've found the perfect topic to reawake my Bottling Health blog with! And since I haven't blogged here in a long while -- be warned, folks...I've got lots to say! :-)

As I wait for Grassroots Natural Market in Fleming Island to open today so that I can go there and purchase a "health gem" that I learned about last night, I'm feeling like the excited child at Christmas. I even awoke at about 5:00 this morning, propped my head up and glanced over at the clock with the hope that it was almost time for Grassroots to open...only to later learn that the one closest to me is actually closed today! :-(

In any event, the "gift" that has my cells jumping for joy is the news I discovered last night in Extraordinary health™ magazine about "the world's first RAW cleansing and detoxification program" created by Garden of Life®. I mean -- I know, I know -- if we eat a 100 percent and largely varied raw-vegan food diet the way my dear friends, Jinjee and Storm do at TheGardenDiet.com, the food, alone, could be our overall cleansing and detox program. This couple and their children maintain optimum health with no supplements or supplemental cleansing programs; however, I'm still on my journey to Jinjee and Storm's level of raw eating. But, since I try to eat a high amount of raw food, I would say that for the most part, I stay aligned with cleansing and detoxing on certain levels.

I get many compliments about my skin, so I'd say that my body is doing a pretty good job with its cleansing process. However, I would also say that the last time I DEEPLY detoxed -- I mean, taking-wheat-grass-shots-daily-for-10-days-and-colonics type of deep -- was when I did the 10-Day Healthy Lifestyle program at The Living Foods Institute in Atlanta three years ago. I just haven't detoxed to that degree since then and am sure that I am not covering ALL of the detoxing bases with my food. So, just as I was feeling it's time for a major cleansing and detox experience again, I came upon the information about the Garden of Life's RAW program. Doesn't God ALWAYS deliver right on time?!

And to think I wasn't even going to bring home the literature that had been placed in shopping baskets for customers at Grassroots. After unloading my basket the day I recently shopped there, I had planned on leaving the reading material at the bottom of the basket as to not bring additional paper into my home. (I'm striving to be a minimalist with paper and things.) In any event, at the checkout counter, I suddenly remembered I needed one more food item (God's timing again!), and when I darted to the isle to collect it, Lance, the manager at Grassroots who was tallying up my goods and packing them, put the literature in my shopping bag.

So, last night, of the three magazines that Lance sent home with me, I decided to first peruse Extraordinary health™. Once I began seeing the words "raw" this and "raw" that, well, those who know me well will know that I began delving more deeply into the text. I soon fell "in love" with this resource for various reasons, including finding the Garden of Life's 3-in-1 cleansing and detoxification program well-explained on two full pages. Intuitively, I knew this was to be the 7-day cleansing and detoxing journey I was to do. Now!!! As the saying goes, "Don't put a question mark where God puts a period," so I'm not questioning it but rather....just doing it.

***So, stop by this blog over the course of the next 7 days to find out how the 7-days cleanse is going for me.

Which companies will you support?

I realize that more and more companies are popping up these days with convenient raw food and products. Sounds like a good thing, right? But, so I'm told, even the integrity of some of these companies is questionable (so beware!). However, there was an intuitive feeling I got about the energy and effort that the Garden of Life® is putting into their RAW offerings...AND...I like that they even take the time to produce a magazine loaded with varied insights about their business...AND...I see that a friend of mine, Paul Nison, raw food educator, is part of the Garden of Life® team, so that also helps make me trust this company even more. The editor of Garden Life's Extraordinary health™ magazine, Jordan Rubin, also founder and CEO of Garden Life®, comes across like the friendly neighbor next door. I read his words and trust what he's telling me/us about his company that wants to transition us from average health to EXTRAORDINARY health™.

Now that's the type of health I want. Don't you? And, even through my flaws, I believe I can attain it. And, you can, too!

On that note, a few more hours before the Grassroots in Five Points opens today (about 30 mins from me), and then I'm there, to get this "1-2-3" cleansing program that I'll be kicking off tomorrow with! I love that this program first focuses on oral health via the oral probiotic, S. salivarius, and then organ detox via ingredients such as raw chlorella (a green algae), and then digestion and elimination via ingredients such as "RAW food-chelated magnesium" that allows for naturally moving bulk from the intestines as opposed to forcing it out as some other products do. The "RAW Digestion & Elimination" powder product in this RAW program also provides omega-3 fatty acids and fiber, and some of you will know I've been promoting that via Mila, another all-raw product I love.

"Since many people chose to incorporate cleansing in their lives, you would think there would be a raw cleansing supplement for those embarking on a raw food-cleansing program, "says Rubin in Extraordinary health™. "The fact of the matter, however," he continues, "is that for many nutritional companies, cost and availability of effective raw ingredients is an issue. Sourcing all of the raw ingredients necessary to create a raw cleanse product is undeniably costly and time-consuming. Raw should be the ultimate standard for cleanse ingredients, but it hasn't been that way. That's about to change, thanks to a new breakthrough formula, Garden of Life RAW Cleanse."

Here's to Bottling Cleansing & Detoxing...Here's to Bottling YOUR Health!

Penny

Bottling la barefoot studio

Just hanging out in the office of la barefoot studio. I just love the energy of this place. If you haven't seen them yet, check out the tip clips I did here a few months ago.

Bottling Fall Restoration Retreat

Here's a fun Fall Restoration Retreat that Bottling Health is doing with Life's Journey Yoga & Wellness. A weekend full of living food, yoga, relaxation in nature, walking, and journaling.