VEGAN RESTAURANT REVIEW

VEGAN RESTAURANT REVIEWS

One of our favorite hobbies when we are traveling is to find new quality vegan restaurants and health food stores. Here are a few we have discovered and would like to share with you. Since we are are not professional food critics we will not be grading these restaurants but simply sharing the ones we like the best. So all come with a HIGH recommendation, and are places we eat at whenever we are in the area.

TUCSON, ARIZONA
Lovin Spoonful - A  small quaint place with a great menu. Must say their corn chowder was as good as I've ever had. Also has a tempeh bacon wrap "double stuffed". Will be a regular stop when in the area.

PHOENIX, ARIZONA
Pomegranate Cafe - A long standing favorite of ours. We eat there whenever we can. Great place to take friends. Mary loves the street tacos. We absolutely love the cinnamon rolls (only served on weekends), plus their coffee drinks and smoothies are awesome

LOS ANGELES
Cafe Gratitude - The city is loaded with great vegan eateries but our favorite is Cafe Gratitude in Venice. Never had a bad meal there and have eaten almost everything on the menu. The biggest problem is to decide what to choose. Make sure you are hungry when you go there because you will surely eat a lot.

Gracias Madre - If you are vegan and like Mexican food this is your place. Everything from nachos to tacos to enchiladas. All amazing,, be sure to order guacamole is is to die for.

PALM SPRINGS
Natures - Fantastic cafe with an unbelievable menu. Smoothies, juices, tofu scramble, great salads and so much more. You could eat there everyday for a year and never order the same dish twice. A regular stop for us when we are passing through Palm Springs. Set up like a cafe with short order cooks.

Enjoy and feel free to share your favorites with us. We will be adding to this list regularly..

NEW MEAT LIKE VEGAN BURGERS

I have tried many of the commercial vegan meat-like burgers and would like to share some thoughts.
The first of which is that I am extremely glad they are on the market now. When I first started on the V path all I could get in restaurants were salads and baked potatoes. I've said this before, but it was boring and discouraging. The first generation of V foods were tasteless and had the consistency of cardboard, that image still sticks with many people even til today. The V options today are amazing in taste and texture. There is no longer any reason not to eat them based on poor taste or texture. Everyday something wonderful and new hits the market, it is an exciting time for vegans.


With that being said we still have to be vigilant to make sure we are eating the best possible V foods. Best to have organic, non GMO, and as unprocessed and chemical free as possible. As Dr. Jensen used to say eat whole, pure, and natural as possible.


On occasion you might like a burger meal, I know I do. So we have many choices starting with making your own, with one of the many great recipes available. We also could buy one of the organic "veggie"(black bean)  patties found in the freezer section. Many of these are great tasting and pretty healthy. However you might want one of the "meat like" burger patties that you might get in a fast food restaurant or to make at home. When we eat them we are usually cooking them at home on a griddler


Yes they are processed but some stand out among the others. One major requirement we have is that they are non GMO. These two fit that bill, and are on the top of our list..


BEYOND BEEF BURGERS are non GMO, and have a base of pea protein, rice protein and mung bean protein,.no soy or gluten...20 grams of protein. Even though it does contain canola oil it is non GMO... The redness that looks like blood comes from beet juice, pomegranate powder and lycopene color.(this is our V burger of choice). They also make a V sausage with a similar nutrient profile.


LIGHTLIFE BURGERS Are also non-GMO, and have a similar ingredient profile as Beyond meat burgers, pea protein based. Taste and texture are quite good and also  have 20g. of protein. They also make hot dogs , tempeh, crumble and other nice products.

CAULIFLOWER RICE

This is the most simple yet versatile recipe ever...

INGREDIENTS
1 head of cauliflower

INSTRUCTIONS
Using knife cut up cauliflower into pieces that will fit in food processor.
Put pieces in food processor...do not overload.
PULSE until cauliflower is consistency of rice...
May store in fridge 5-7 days...

MANY USES
Use anyway you would normally use cooked rice...
Use to make raw sushi...
Use as a base to make raw vegan pizza crust...
Use as a base to make raw crackers or bread...
Sprinkle on salads...
it is endless...tasty... and healthy

Q. & A... NEW PLANT BASED PRODUCTS HITTING THE MARKET

Q. What do you think about all of the new plant based products hitting the market?




A. Thanks for the question Marcia...




I am VERY excited about the new plant based products that are now available. When I first started my V journey all I could get in restaurants was a salad and baked potato... boring after awhile. The variety and improved quality today is great.I am especially impressed by the variety and quality of the mylks and cheeses. Even the vegan meats add some excitement to meal planning.




However the consumer must be smart, aware and discerning. Just because it is vegan doesn't mean it is healthy. French fries are vegan but we know they are really a junk food, and after all, junk food is still junk food, So we still must read the labels and be aware of what is on our plate. Check the sugar, fat, chemical and sodium content. So even though it may be good for the animals it may not be good for the humans.I simply say "buyer beware."




The jury is still out on the new craze of vegan burgers. Of course when you stick them on a white hamburger bun a cover them with sugary catsup you are ending up with a junk food. But as Dr. Jensen used to say it is what you do most of the time that counts. Once in awhile a bit of something off track will not harm you. So if you are inclined, treat yourself a bit, now and then. BUT will always keep it 100% vegan.


May peace be with you
Baruch Hashem

VEGAN CHEEZY SAUCE RECIPE

Here is a simple recipe to make a cheezy sauce that will spice up many of your dishes. Use as a dip, or coating for items you wish to dehydrate such as onion rings or kale.


Ingredients...
1/3 cup raw cashews
1 red bell pepper (cut in pieces)
4 TBSP nutritional yeast
1 tsp garlic powder
1 clove fresh garlic
1 TBSP olive oil
2 limes juiced
dash of salt
water to thin mixture(make it to texture you desire)
dash of cayenne if you want it a bit spicy


Place all ingredients in a magic bullet and blend til smooth
Use as coating, dip oe dressing...enjoy

CONSTRUCTING A WELL ROUNDED VEGAN MEAL

When you become a vegan of are thinking of doing so, you will be bombarded with questions such as, " where do you get your protein" or "How do you eat a well rounded diet", What do you eat"? The answer is simple  " I get my protein and nutrients from my food just like you do".


The following are some guidelines and tips in constructing a thoughtful well rounded vegan eating plan.


Start by dividing your daily food into four major groups.



PROTEINS
FATS
CARBOHYDRATES
FRUITS AND VEGGIES


VEGAN PROTEINS
The average American consumes way more protein than is needed. The average person only needs 40-50 grams of protein per day. With a four part well rounded vegan diet that is totally realistic with almost no effort, Protein deficiency is not an issue in the U.S.

Black beans and other legumes - 100 grams of black beans yields around 21 grams of protein, You will also get fiber, magnesium, potassium, folate and other nutrients when you eat legumes.
Pea isolate protein powders - If you are into smoothies or soups dump a serving of pea protein powder to get around 25 grams of protein.
Oats - will provide you with 17 grams per a 100 gram serving, plus very tasty.
Quinoa - A great ancient grain providing you with about five grams per serving...tasty too.
Guava - is a protein fruit with about 3 grams per serving.
Pistachio nuts - will provide 20 grams of protein per 100 gram serving. The perfect salad topper of snack.
Other miscellaneous vegan sources include, tempeh, non dairy yogurt and kefer. You might notice tofu is not on the list here. I will address that at a future post. We are not so high on tofu.

VEGAN FATS
Fats are good brain food as well as helping in the construction of hormones. It is an essential part of the diet.

Avocados - A half of an avocado will provide you with about 10 grams of monounsaturated fat. That is a good fat the helps keep bad cholesteral down.
Nuts - They are very high in fat so best to eat less than a quarter of a cup per day which will provide about 17 grams of fat per day. If you are trying to gain weight eat more.
Seeds - My two favorite seeds are sesame seeds and pumpkin seeds, both are quite low in fats but are nutritional powerhouses. I like to make them into seed butters and eat a tablespoon of each per day. Sunflower seeds are good as well but are extremely high in fat so limit them. Chia, flax and hemp seeds are great salad toppers as well.
Oils - Be careful with oils such as olive, avocado, sunflower etc. It is a very highly processed food and should probably not be used to cook with. A little bit sprinkled on a salad with lemon is okay,

CARBS
Carbs are an essential part of our diets but be careful no to overdo them. Also would be best if not overly processed such as white bread.

Grains - In general grains should be somewhat limited. Mostly ancient grains such as teff are the beat. Other grains that we find acceptable for many reasons are, quinoa, barley, amaranth. and millet.
Sweet potatoes and yams -No fat, no cholesterol, minimal sugar (6g), loaded with nutrients.
Sprouted grain tortillas - are a good substitute for bread.

VEGGIES AND FRUITS
Leafy greens - should be a staple almost everyday. Highest in nutritional values per calorie of all foods.
Cruciferous veggies
Root veggies
Veggies that grow on vines or stalks
All fruits in limited quantity.

I think you get the idea if it is a veggie...eat it...mix up the colors...make a rainbow salad daily...each color represents a different set of nutrients so it will round out your personal nutrient profile.

MISC. ADDITIONS
Make sure you add a few probiotic foods to your daily plan such as sauerkraut, yogurt, kefir,  kombucha, or other veggie  ferments such as kimchee. It will help you balance out you gut biome
We also suggest you have a daily serving of various sprouts as part of your plan. Put them in your salad or wraps..

So you see being vegan gives you an amazing array of highly nutritious and tasty foods. Won't be long before your friends and family want to eat like you.

May peace be with you.

THE FOUR DIMENSIONS OF VEGANISM...PEAS

Many people consider veganism as a diet. This is not the case, it is rather a way of living, a lifestyle if you prefer to give it a label.Of course eating is a major part of our lives so veganism does in fact encompass how we eat and what food choices we make.


We look at veganism as a four dimentional lifestyle with an underlying philosophy of "do no harm" or Ahimsa.
.


Dimension #1...PHYSICAL
The physical dimension of course starts with a healthy vegan diet. One that promotes cleansing, healing and prevention. As part of this we should include regular physical activity and activities that promote a quiet mind. In other words we are taking care of our own body and minds.Ahimsa.


Dimension #2...ECOLOGICAL
Our behavior, activities and outlook should be aimed at sustainability of the environment and the planet as a whole. what we do and the way we do it should cause no harm to the planet, the air and our water. The object is to leave it all better that how we found it. Ahimsa.




Dimension #3... THE ANIMALS
The animals are the true victims of our careless lifestyle and eating choices. If we look at animals as sentient beings with a unique soul and consciousness, we would give them the respect they deserve. We would not lock them up like prisoners. We would not torture them. We would not drug them to death and take their babies away. We would respect them. Ahimsa.




Dimension #4... SPIRITUAL
For us to get the most out of life we need to consider this dimension very seriously. We need to realize that we are simply part of the entire scope of nature and consider carefully how best we fit in to the greater scheme of things. Communimg with nature regularly, looking at the stars in wonderment, and living a life of service helps us answer the bigger question... what is our purpose?
Ahimsa.




This post is just an introduction to the four dimensions of veganism. Each of these dimensions will be examined in great detail as we go along.


DO YOU LIKE PEAS?
Why would I ask you say... well the acronym for the four dimensions of veganism is PEAS...
Physical, Ecological, Animal, Spiritual... so put some peas on your plate and give it some thought...




May PEAS be with you.  

THE VEGAN JOURNEY

Veganism is one of the fastest growing trends on the globe. New products, new restaurants, and new books are popping up everywhere, With all of this growth and activity there comes some confusion as to how to incorporate veganism into your life. So to help you manuever through the maze we have created this one stop site to provide you with good education, usefull tips and great resources.


We will be covering all the major topics and hot buttons related to the vegan  and holistic lifestyle including recipes, places to get good vegan meals, new product releases, fasting, weight loss or gain, supplementation,plus controversial topics such as 5G and how to deal with it. We will even answer your personal questions right here.




Just a few tips...
1. There are already many useful posts on this blog from the past, take a few minutes, look through them and pick a few that might interest you.
2. Check this blog out everyday for the latest and greatest tips and posts.
3. Be sure to contact us with any questions regarding your own vegan journey.




So remember every journey starts with the first step... so start today...may peace be with you.

ASK MIKE...IS EATING RIGHT WORTH THE MONEY?

ASK MIKE
June 30, 2015

My lifelong friend, Marc, submitted this question for consideration. It is a question we are all concerned with. I can't begin to tell you how many people have said to me "I would love to eat the way you do, but it is too expensive".

Q. Mike, Do you believe that the extra money stores like Whole Foods charge for their products are really worth it in health benefits, since a lot of those labels seem to be meaningless?

A. Great question Marc, there are a lot of moving parts here and I hope to get to all of them for you.
I would like to start by saying that my wife Mary and I are fully committed to eating vegan and much of it in its natural uncooked state. We are on this path for many reasons which we can discuss at different time. We share a lot of the duties regarding this lifestyle and more specifically the food we eat. We believe that eating food that is organic, local, in season, whole, pure and in its natural state brings great health benefits at many levels.  That is our commitment, so with that as a back drop, let's continue.

Executing this lifestyle is of course where the tires hit the road. We have set up informal rules for ourselves that serve as a blueprint for how we do this.  Here they are for the first time ever in written form.

1. We acquire and prepare most of our food ourselves in a conscious manner
2. In carrying this out we try to buy all of our food from conscious growers and vendors. I personally vet almost everyone we buy from and actually have called their suppliers to see if it is all up to speed. I have a list of questions I ask each one of them. Sounds like a lot of work but it really is fun.  I learn a lot, and it gives me great confidence in what I am eating, as well as who I am buying from. Once you have vetted your main products and suppliers you only have to do that once in awhile. Just yesterday I vetted stevia products and vendors. (See yesterday's blog for results.)
3. When we eat out we will always try to eat at some type of conscious restaurant, typically not chains, steakhouses, etc. But on the road in a pinch who knows, but it will always be plant based foods.
4. We always try to carry our own food with us wherever we go so we have more control over the quality. Coolers are great and our little RV has a fridge.
5. We try to keep our packaged or processed foods to a minimum. It doesn't always work out that way so we are diligent label readers. We watch for additives, sugars, preservatives, unknown chemicals, etc, and try to avoid them.
6. If an item is on "the dirty dozen list "(Google it) we will ONLY buy it organic, otherwise, we will do without. If it is on the "Clean 15" (Google again, we might buy it if organic is not available or too expensive.

With all of this said we discover fun things and have great adventures together, even when we travel, which is a lot..Let's move forward with the cost of living this way that is mostly organic and live foods. Although we do much of this together, Mary is a very careful shopper both in selection, quality and pricing. She knows how much things should cost and which stores have the best products at the right price, which includes farmers markets. Since we want things as fresh as possible we shop or "pick a few things up" quite regularly. The days of giant shopping and stocking up (my bad habit) for us are history.Once again short frequent stops are just built into our daily lifestyle.  I am going to tell you we do have a Whole Foods within walking distance of our condo in Phoenix, but for the reasons stated above it is not our primary shopping spot. We don't actually have a single shopping spot but rather several, and based on what Mary observes it is a fluid process. The following are several places we shop in Phoenix area.   Sprouts Market mostly for our staples and quick pick ups. Whole Foods for whatever Mary says we need there  She also added that WF has great sales items so we can try new things at a great price. Costco has become the largest organic retailer in America.  I have vetted their suppliers and am happy with the info I have gotten for organic non-GMO products that we use regularly.  Plus they come in great sizes.   Local farmers markets for produce in season So this is where we buy more than 90% of our food. We also belong  to a great community garden in Bozeman, so we get some of our food from there as it is ready to harvest.

So keeping your food budget down while keeping the quality and health benefits up can be built into your lifestyle. Of course, eating right and preventing disease is ALWAYS going to be less expensive than paying the doctors to fix what is broken or not working right. Prevention will always be the best cure.

Here are 8 Tips:

1. Shop in several stores for specific products, be aware of pricing for your key items. Spread the wealth.
2. Shop at local farmers markets.
3. Prepare most of your own foods and keep them with you..
4. Be select on the restaurants you choose.
5. Read labels, Non-GMO Certified Project and FDA Certified Organic are the ones we trust as of today.
6. The words natural, genuine, healthy are all meaningless.
7. Be an informed consumer, vet your suppliers, read blogs like this.
8. Feel free to contact me to check out a product for you. I love it.
wholehealthwarrior2012@gmail.com

Being a Whole Health Warrior is being your own advocate. As we say,
"your body should last a lifetime".  Enjoy the journey.
.

TURBO TASTY GREEN SMOOTHIE

TURBO GREEN SMOOTHIE MADE EASY

This will give you the base for any green smoothie. The idea is to get as much greens into the drink as possible to pack in the minerals. Too heavy on the fruits taste good but is overloaded with sugars, so use fruit as a side sweetener. 

Large handful of spinach or kale or other green leafy veggie.

A bit of Xylitol or stevia will offset the bitterness of the greens.

8-10 oz. of nut mylk 

4 ice cubes

Now kick ck it up with a hand full of blueberries or strawberries

1 TBSP bee pollen (local if possible

1 TBSP vegan protein powder (hemp or pea is good)

1v TBSP of a good green powder (premier greens is my favorite or Sun is Shining)

1 TBSP spirulina

2 walnuts

2 Brazil nuts

1 TBSP ground flaxseed

10 Goji berries

This should make your day....

STEVIA - THE SWEET TRUTH

 STEVIA  2015

The Good, The Bad, The Ugly

What is really exciting about being on the Whole Health Warrior journey and the quest to raise consciousness is that we are always learning, growing and discovering. One lesson I have learned is never to be afraid to jump in at anytime for fear of the development of the proverbial better mousetrap. What a horrible non-vegan image, but you get the idea. I hold this standard with my food choices, using the best information at the time to make my decisions. Study what is available, be discerning, decide, and move on. Never being afraid to come back and revisit this when “new” information is made available.

So is the case with stevia. When I first started using stevia, the object was to replace sugar and any of the common artificial sweeteners. In my mind the evidence regarding each of those was no longer debatable. Stevia is a plant that has been used for centuries as a medicine and sweetener which has zero affect on insulin levels in the blood so I started using it...

In those days you basically got stevia in a shaker, sort of ground up greenish stuff, we didn’t use much because it was very sweet but it worked fine. Then something happened to our stevia. It started to look like sugar, came in little packages of white powder in coffee shops, and in liquid bottle droppers with fancy flavors, plus it was given fancy names like Truvia, Stevia in the raw and so on. Intuitively I knew something was amiss here, but by then I wasn’t using much because I had moved onto different non glycemic sweeteners. When people asked me about stevia I would tell them it had no impact on insulin, that I wasn’t crazy about the taste, etc.

FAST FORWARD TO TODAY

Recently my friend asked me to read an article by a person names “Food Babe” (Vani Hari) dated 6/28/15 entitled INVESTIGATING SNEAKY INGREDIENTS IN STEVIA.

In summary here is what she writes:

She starts by telling us how bad sugar is for us, which most of us already knew, and that Americans eat way too much (130 pounds per year), and that it is addictive. Got it!

She then shares with us a brief history of stevia and how it is a plant from South America, That the extract is 200 time sweeter than sugar, and zero impact on blood insulin levels.  Got it!

Here's where it got interesting for me, thank you Food Babe for making my life easier.

ENTER BIG CORPS

The sweetener market is huge generating megabucks, so of course BigCorp wants their share. By now sugar and artificial sweeteners like aspartame are getting bad raps (rightfully so) so it’s time to find a new cash crop, enter stevia. BUT we need to reformulate it because natural is no good, rebrand it, who wants to call a food by its real name, repackage it remarket it, and all the rest.

So today we have a something new (not sure what it really is) that people are using as stevia. Some issues to consider:

1. Many of the brands are highly processed with as many as 40 steps.
2. In some cases the processing itself is patented.
3. Many of the processes are using chemicals, even possible carcinogens.
4. Some of the processes include acetone, methanol, ethanol, acetonitrale, isoproponol and other hard to pronounce non food items.
5. Then you might find additives to the final product such as dextrose, erythrotol, agave inulin, even silica.
6. Much of all of this includes non organic and GMO products or by-products
7. Stevia leaf has a long history of human usage while this other stuff doesn’t. Is it safe?

So as you can see the poor friendly little stevia plant is under assault and the finished product is now called a food. Any questions?

MY PERSONAL TAKE ON THIS

BigCorp is going to do their thing but I WILL NOT be participating.

I will not buy brands such as Truvia (by Coca Cola), Pure Via (Pepsico product), Stevia in the Raw or any other product that appears to processed in these ways. Don’t need the product that bad, value my health too much, and do not want to feed the BigCorps until they wake up and become conscious.

I WILL DO THE FOLLOWING

Continue to research this issue and report back to you when I have something worthy of reporting, such as new suppliers or new news on this topic. New tips such as looking for the words “whole leaf stevia” on labels (good).

I will endorse and buy from companies that treat our food with respect and consciousness. The following are 3 companies I have vetted and will buy from them (already have) and will use their stevia products. (More to come- this is a work in progress).

We will start to carry the best Stevia we can find in our online store at whwstore.com

Will have it online July 15^th. Always at a 20% discount.

1. Sweet Leaf Stevia (Wisdom Natural Brands)

Gilbert AZ. 800-899-9908 – sweetleaf.com

I have vetted them, only organic stevia leaf, no chemicals, water based extraction, and flavorings are botanical herbs, fruits, and veggies. No GMO, MSG, or other bad stuff.

Product is heat stable, can be used in cooking and baking. (Liquid drop form).

Call Melissa if you have any questions, she is very helpful.

2. Green Stevia Leaves

Greengreenstevia.com

All organic – simply dried leaves- you may grind it up yourself.

Available on Amazon for $16.88

3. Frontier Natural Products Coop

Green leaf stevia powder – (organic)

800-669-3275

Frontiercoop.com

16 Oz. - $22  

So hope this helps and many thanks to FoodBabe for bringing us up to speed.

Google her for her website and blog or follow her on Facebook.

Baruch Hashem

INSPIRING WARRIOR WORDS - (2.8.15)

Warrior Words to live by from Lao Tzu

When you find the way
Others will find you
Passing by on the road
They will be drawn to your door
The way that cannot be heard
will be reflected in your voice
The way that cannot be seen
Will be reflected in your eyes

~ Lao Tzu

A Whole Health Warrior is judged by his or her actions
not by what they say they say they are going to do....

WARRIOR WORDS THAT MATTER

Warrior Words

“Life is what you make it,” this is very true.
Find beauty and magic in all things,
and the Love that sees you through.
When you look at the world where you live,
seek not your gain, but what you can give.
When a man is poor, and hungers, and thirsts,
serve not yourself til you serve this man first.
When a man is down and seeks shelter from cold, give him shelter.
You’ll receive blessings untold.
Live by the Golden Rule:
Do unto others as you’d have done unto you.
And always remember:
When you destroy, you destroy a part of you, too.
Life is what you make of it!

~ Unknown

ANYONE WANT TO DO THE NEXT 7 DAY FAST WITH ME?

On a roll here and don't want to stop...

If anyone wants to start fresh or continue on let me know so we can stay in touch...

It's such a gift I have trouble stopping a fast...

Baruch Hashem...

DAY 7 – THOUGHT IT WOULD NEVER GET HERE

Parting is such sweet sorrow…well maybe not!

The end of a fast is bittersweet.  You now get to go back to eating solid food but you are getting off of God’s sacred operating table. You have done amazing things to improve your health including the activation of what is called the “Youthing Gene”. That’s right, when you are on the table you are actually turning the clock back. The bitter part is this phase is over, BUT you can continue to do amazingly good work and remain close to the Divine by eating the Divine evolutionary way of plant based, organic, high percentage of raw, meditating, walking and all the rest  You have all of the tools, it is now up to you. Let’s meet again next January for another go at this, or if you are interested, I fast four times per year, so let me know if you would like to join me…Baruch Hashem

 7 Tips for Day Seven…

1.     You must read Day Six instructions again, it is what you are doing today.

2.     You have regenerated your taste buds…savor the flavors of every bite.

3.     Tomorrow you can have a smoothie…not too much fruit maybe some berries (sugar) Add a fermented food into your daily diet, kombucha, sauerkraut, kimchee, non-dairy plain unsweetened yogurt, etc.

4.     Think seriously about dismissing some of your old habit.

5.     Tomorrow continue with the salads. Add the fats we mentioned earlier if you wish.

6.     Meditate, Walk, and Yoga, should now be embedded into your life.

7.     Most of all thank God for the gift you have been given…

So I leave you to carry on and pray that you stay close to the Divine way of life and become a Whole Health Warrior…Baruch Hashem

DAY 6 - IS TOMORROW THE END OF THE TUNNEL or JUST THE BEGINNING

Day 7 is always exciting, but the work is just beginning

You have done an awesome job. Completing a seven day juice fast is no easy task. You will have done what most everyone else will never do.Completing a seven day juice fast in the right way never seems to make a person arrogant but rather just the opposite is true, it humbles us. It helps us reflect on our place in the universe, it resets our DNA, It helps us check our egos, and helps us become closer to the Divine. Pretty powerful stuff...Don't you think ???..
So you've done a lot in seven days but the hard work is in front of you... You must break the fast correctly...and equally as important RIGHT NOW is the time to consider your life and eating patterns after the past. Will you go back to old unhealthy patterns? Will you adopt a plant based diet? Will you continue to walk and meditate? All these questions should be addressed now.
As a reference to what you might consider you might take a holistic wellness class from WHOLEHEALTHWARRIORACADEMY.COM...It is the online school we are launching January 28th, or you might wish to read the book we wrote, The Whole Health Warrior available at mikechaetbooks.com...Whatever you do continue on the path you have been on during your fast, it is a great gift from the Divine.

SEVEN RULES to Break Your Fast

1. Meditate for 15 minutes before you eat...
2. Bless your food...
3. Eat in silence./ Chew each bit 50 times/ savor each bite till it is gone and before you take the next bite....
 DO NOT OVEREAT..
4. First 2 meals. should be a SMALL organic, fresh salads...cucumbers, tomatoes, grated carrots, finely sliced cabbage, romaine letttuce or some baby greens, red bell pepper, no onions or garlic please.Squeeze fresh lemon or lime as a dressing.
5..Sprinkle tablespoon of ground flax on your salad.
6. Take some form of probiotics to repopulate your gut.
7. No fats the first day, olives, oils, avocados, nuts, seeds, etc, til the second day and then only small quantities for a few days.

What a treat you are in for...the Divine is giving you an amazing reward or the work you have done...
Share your experiences with me at wholehealthwarrior2012@gmail.com

DAY 5 MOVING INTO SPIRITUAL MODE

Congratulations Superheroes...you have done 5 days of green juice fasting..

So today while walking to the gym I found a dime on the ground. I did pick it up and put it in my pocket and then wondered what I should do with it...It's only a dime....Not worth much...
Then I decided to give it away...A Kabbalistic way of thinking, "receive in order to share"., but then it's only a dime...Then the answer came to me...at home we have a Tsedoka box...we put spare change in the box along with an occasional bill or two...Then when full we donate the money to a charity of some sort..You would be surprised at how quickly those found dimes add up...By the way Tsedoka giving is a mitsvot (good deed) straight out of the.Torah...So on day five I started to break through the spiritual  ceiling with one little dime...It is the small things that count...

Seven fasting tips for today...
1.  Avoid looking in the fridge, pantry, or food shelves...not good cues on a fast.
2.  Take some time and commune with nature...sit under a tree, play in the snow, walk by a river...
3. Sit quiet and meditate...where have I heard that before?
4. Add a jalapeno or 1/2 of a sweet potato for the day in your juice when you are making it...
5. Here is a good one...CHEW YOUR JUICE..yes do it...the chewing motion stimulates the enzymes in the mouth, ptyalin (an amylase enzyme)...which helps to break down starches...
6. Make a potassium broth and drink a cup per day...put the peelings of 10 potatoes, a bunch of parsley...in a pot   add clean water ...bring to a boil...turn heat down and let simmer for 45 minutes...let cool... strain the solids out and drink a cup of the broth...Very high potassium...good for the heart...
7.  Do some yoga...at least 15 minutes or more per day...

Stay the course you are doing great
email with questions comments...wholehealthwarrior2012@gmail.com

DAY 4 TIME TO TAKE IT UP A NOTCH

Bamm..let's kill the boredom

Day four and you are halfway there. But you might find drinking the same green juice is getting a little boring so here are a few tips and ways to spice up the days ahead.

1. Add a tomato, a red pepper, or a jalapeno pepper to spice it up.
2. Once you have made your juice stir or blend in some red cayenne pepper flakes, and or pink himilayin salt
3. If your tongue is white...GOOD... means you are cleansing. Buy a tongue scraper and scrape till pink just before you brush. No tongue scaper, no problem, use your toothbrush to scrub your tongue. Be sure to floss every night.
4. Walk...walk...walk...
5. Take a relaxing bath...sauna...or steam...
6. Get a massage...you have earned it...
7. Oh ! guess what....Meditate...Meditate...Meditate.

Just.a reminder that you are on a spiritual green juice fast...
calm the spirit whenever possible read from your most.special book...
Mine is the Torah..

Email if you need anything
wholehealthwarrior2012@gmail.com

DAY 3 - ALMOST HALF WAY THERE

Have some treats for you today....

So today is day 3... at noon tomorrow you will be half way there nice job.
As I said earlier today is the day your hunger will go away...If not, too bad there is always tomorrow.
Just kidding, should start to go away except  for one boogey man that I call cues. Cues are things that you identify with the pleasure of food and eating. For example driving by your favorite restaurant, or walking into the house at dinner time, seeing a food ad on TV, even seeing a favorite treat on the shelf or in the fridge. They are cues and play tricks on your mind. Think about the smell of coffee, or popcorn at the movies or cinnamon rolls baking, all are cues getting you ready to eat so tip number one for today...

1. Avoid, ignore, or recognize cues. Consciously avoid or say no to them.
2. Build new cues, like the feeling of your flat stomach, the sun coming up bringing in the new day.
3. Essential oils are a great cue, lavender on the pillow makes the bed more welcoming, sandalwood's aroma is rich and creamy, lemon or orange scents are satisfying to the spirit. My favorite is frankenscence anytime...
4.Treat yourself today with a cup of organic veggie broth. Our favorite is Imagine or Pacific brand in a box. Almost no nutritional value so won"t trick body into thinking you are eating.
5.Read some educational material or book on the benefits of raw food.
6. Do not use microwave during your fast.
7. MEDITATE...MEDITATE...MEDITATE...Find a quiet comfortable spot and MEDITATE...

THERE YOU HAVE IT ...ENJOY THE JOURNEY

Email with questions and comments... wholehealthwarrior2012@gmail.com

DAY 2...ARE WE HAVING FUN YET????

Whole Health Warrior Fasting Wisdom

So how did day two go for you?

Here are 7 more tips to help you out.
1. Headaches you say? Don't worry it is normal...remember you are stirring up toxins in the body. Don't be surprised at almost anything from headaches to a few heart palpitations.
2. Always remember this whole process is a gift from the Divine. As Paul Bragg always said, "you are on natures operating table".
3. Still hungry....no problem ...it will go away in a day or so.
4. Meditate...Meditate....Meditate
5. Think about this...The enlightened masters typically did 40 day dry fasts...no water...no food...
So 7 days is doable for us mere mortals...anyone want to do 40 let me know...
6.Moses did 2 40 day fasts almost back to back while receiving the Torah and 10 Commandments...yowser...my hero...
7. Tip #7- Enemas...If you feel like you need to take them to clear out toxins in the colon or to move things along...go for it...Enema kits are inexpensive but work wonders if you need to. Follow instructions...

So there is today's 7 bits of FASTING WISDOM...
Keep checking this blog - email me if you need anything...
mikechaet@gmail.com

THE SEVEN DAY GREEN JUICE WINTER WARRIOR FAST - Day 1

Here We Go Everyone

Today is day one for our winter green juice Warrior Fast. Hope you are having a good day Mary and I started the day by juicing enough for one day. To the basic green juice as described below we are adding tumeric root to the drink. BEST ANTI-OXIDENT EVER..
Here are todays 7 tips to make this a great journey.

1. No pressure to perform..the fast is seven days...do what you can...
2. It is a spiritual fast...meditate as much as you can...keep the stress down as much as possible...
3. We bottle our juices in 16 oz. glass kombucha bottles...3-4 per day...
4. BEST TEA EVER...Longevity tea by Dragon Herbs...available at whwstore.com at a discount. We will drink 3-4 mugs per day. Make up a thermos full and sip through the day.
5. After 2 to 3 days hunger will vanish....
6. Rest whenever you have to.
7. Enjoy the journey...It's the best gift you can ever give yourself....

WATCH THIS BLOG DAILY FOR SEVEN TIPS for your
 SEVEN DAY GREEN JUICE WARRIOR FAST.

READY TO JOIN US?

Winter Green Juice Fast and Cleanse...

If you are ready to commit to our seven day fast email me at
wholehealthwarrior2012@gmail.com..

All guidance and assistance is free.
You will be part of a great little community.

Baruch Hashem

Mike

2015 DATES SET FOR WINTER JUICE FAST...

2015 Winter Fast Dates...

We have a nice group of people that will be juice fasting with us this year...
THE MORE THE MERRIER...INVITE YOUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY...

MONDAY JANUARY 12th THROUGH SUNDAY JANUARY 18th.. .

A few tips in prepping for fast:
1. During the week before the fast eat a full on plant based diet if you can.
2. Eat as much raw as you can...lots of salads.
3. Walk 30 minutes each day as a minimum (outdoors as weather permits).
4. Buy your juicing supplies before you start the fast,
5. Gather up a spiritual book that you have been wanting to read..
6. Gather up a few DVD's on holistic health that you have been wanting to watch.
7  Set up a comfortable place to meditate.

KEEP YOUR EYES ON THIS BLOG FOR MORE GOOD INFO........

2015 BASIC GREEN JUICE RECIPE FOR FASTING

Nutrient and spiritually rich juice

If you are going to join us on the WINTER 2015 7 day green juice spiritual fast
watch this blog  for lots of great tips.

BASIC GREEN JUICE FOR FASTING

Celery - Cucumber - kale - should make up 75% of the juice by volume.
chard, collards, mustard greens, romaine lettuce may substitute for kale.

Green apple, or carrot juice -  not so much just as a condiment
Small amount of ginger, tumeric root, and lemon with the peel.

Consume 4 - 16 ounce drinks daily for full mineralization and hydration.
Drink as fresh as possible.

Season with powdered, tumeric, cayenne pepper or even a bit of pink salt - but just a touch

Other beverages may include herbal teas, purified water, with or without apple cider vinegar.

Be sire to say a blessing over the juice before drinking.......

2015 WHW FASTING TIPS - White Tongue

Look in the mirror at your tongue...it is your report card

Sounds like a strange thing to do, but the tongue will tell you tons about what is going on in your body during your fast. Typically after the third day your body really starts to cleanse, prior to which it was getting used to no food and all liquids. It was enjoying the rest and turning down the heat.

Once you start to cleanse, toxins start to move out of the body through the elimination systems, the skin, the urine, the bowels, plus the tongue and others.The normal color of the tongue is pink, but when you are fasting it very often has a white coating, this is a good thing. Toxins are leaving your body. The question of course; what can you do to help the tongue and accompanying breath odor.

The answer is pretty simple. Besides your normal oral hygiene including tooth brushing, water pick, and flossing, you can do what is called "tongue scraping". Tongue scraping is done twice a day with a tongue scraper which you can purchase at any pharmacy, or pharmacy section in one of the big stores or health food stores.

It is a U or V shaped stainless steal configuration usually with rubber grips that you will hold with both hands while running the dull blade across your tongue while scraping off the whitw coating. Do it at the sink for obvious reasons. Exposing the pink of the tongue will get the tongue ready for the next round of toxin cleansing. Do it before you brush your teeth. As a final step in tongue cleansing use your tooth brush to brush the tongue as well.

It seems like a little thing but the way of the Whole Health Warrior is to pay attention to the 1000 little things to achieve whole person radiant health.

Keep up the good work

Baruch Hashem and

Blessings to all.

2015 WINTER GREEN JUICE SPIRITUAL FAST AND CLEANSE

It Is That Time Again
Let's Cleanse and Fast Together...

January is a great time to go on a fast and we have a group that is excited to go.
We will start our 7 day juice fast officially after the first...of the year (exact dates to be announced in a day or so) watch this blog it will all be here.The protocol we are using is a green juice fast as taught at Gabriel Cousens' Tree of Life Rejuvenation Center in Patagonia, Arizona.This blog will have all of the details for you to follow. It will also have a daily update, notes, and commentary once the cleanse and fast begins. One spiritual objective of this fast is to spend meditative time contemplating a global shift to the light and what we can each do as individuals to make it happen.

If you wish to participate and be part of the group simply email me at: wholehealthwarrior2012@gmail.com and let us know you are in, and include your own email address so we can send you updates etc. It will be fun to see how many people join in.

Spoke to some fasters recently  and the biggest issue was breaking old habits such as eating routines, going to the fridge, seeing food they habitually eating, even issues of morning coffee. Rest assure this is totally normal. We build habits and routines and start to depend on them. Fasting in part is done to break these old paradigms in order to start new ones. Breaking these old paradigms will take a bit of creativity during the fast.. When a trigger goes off and tells you to eat or drink something find a replacement such as a cup of tea, drinks some juice or even go for a short walk, maybe meditate for 10 minutes. Take control by substituting old triggers with new actions...

Most of all consider everything that is happening during your fast as a blessing and say thanks for the challenge. Fasting is a gift from the Divine and once you accept the gift you move closer to the Source..

Join us if you wish no matter where you are right now......

If you are not a member of this blog already join us and you will get the auto updates...

Feel free to email me for specific issues or questions at:
mikechaet@gmail.com

Baruch Hashem

Enjoy your fast for it is a blessing and a gift from Hashem...

IN THE BEGINNING THERE WERE VEGANS

GENESIS 1:29 
Setting The Stage

According to the Jewish calendar, we just entered the year 5774 which tells us how long it has been since Adam and Eve appeared in the Garden of Eden. Beginning the new year it is tradition that Jews around the world continue their Torah study by starting at the beginning with Genesis. Of course, most people know that Genesis starts with the words "In the beginning".  What most people may not be aware of is that on the sixth day of creation as the final word we were told by the Creator what our food was to be.

In Genesis 1:29 of the Torah (the first  five books of Moses) it is written, "Then God said, " I give you every seed bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be your food. And to all the beasts of the earth and all of the birds of the air and all the creatures that move on the ground - everything that has breath of life in it - I give every green plants for food. And it was so". This was taken directly from the Holy Bible - New International Version published by Zondervan. 

 The Chumash is a definitive translation with various views and commentary of two thousand years of Rabbinic scholarship regarding the Torah (The Five Books of Moses and other related teachings both oral and written)  The following appears in the Chumash - Gutnick  edition of the Five Books of Moses page 13, "Let him (man) rule over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the skies, over the cattle, over all the earth, and over all the creeping things that creep on the earth" (P. 11). In other words the creator gave man dominion over the earth and all that was on it. It further reads "I have given you every plant that reproduces by seed that is upon the surface of the entire earth, and every tree that has seed bearing fruit! They shall be food for you. For all of the wild animals of the earth, for all the birds of the skies, and for everything that moves upon the earth that is alive! The food for humans and animals shall be plant vegetation only - and that is what happened.". "God saw everything he had made - and look- it was very good".

So we see that it was written in Genesis 1:29  very clearly that our food was to be plant based. Let's drill down a little further to find the deeper meanings of these writings by reading Toras Menachem, (commentary by the Rabbiniccal scholars). It is written in the Chumash "The knowledge that man is the pinnacle of creation (described in 26-28) could lead him to become arrogant and disrespectful of the world's contents. So, after describing the greatness of man, the Torah continued and equated cattle and animals to man regarding the food they were allowed to eat. These verses are an attempt to humble man with the knowledge that despite the fact that he is the pinnacle of creation formed in the image of God, he is nevertheless a creation that needs to eat in order to survive, like any animal"..

Plus, "Despite the fact that God told man to  rule over the fish of the sea, birds of the skies, and all of the wild animals that move upon the earth", (v 28) he nevertheless limited the authorities of man in that "he did not allow Adam and his wife to kill a creature and to eat its flesh". This was in order to ensure that man's awareness of his own genuine greatness should not lead to arrogance or pompousness.It was obviously important to keep man humble, otherwise he might get carried away with his power.

If God  created man and presented him with a dietary plan isn't it logical that the food provided would contain all of the nutrients man needed to live a healthy life ? This is why Rabbi Gabriel Cousens, M.D. calls a live, raw, organic, plant based diet the "highest evolutionary diet on the planet".

In regards to the diet of man and the animals Rashi, the brilliant rabbinnical scholar that lived in the 11th century writes, " The Torah equates cattle and the animals to man regarding the food that they were permitted to eat and that they were only allowed to eat vegetation, and not meat". The Torah states explicitly that " I have hereby given you every plant...and every tree that has seed bearing fruit". They shall be food for you" (v. 29-30). From the fact that God makes no mention of meat, Rashi concludes "it is obvious that man was required to be a vegetarian (vegan)".

With this most compelling commentary on the position of the Torah on man's relationship to the earth and the animals upon it I ask the following:  Where have we gone so wrong? How can we treat the earth the way we do? How is it that we destroy all of the topsoil, pollute the air and the water, and truly poison all beings on this glorious earth that we live on?  And how have we gotten so far away from our relationship with animals ? How can factory farming exist, and slaughterhouses abound? How can we be killing billions of sentient beings for food when we have all the food we need on the earth as provided by Hashem? Isn't veganism the most compassionate of all options, and isn't it man's intended option? What ipath is the human race following?

Most importantly what are we going to do about this collectively, and individually ?  

COCONUT OIL PRIMER

Coconut Oil - More Than a Super=food

David Wolfe defines a superfood as a food that has both medicinal qualities as well as high nutritional qualities. How would you describe a product that combines those qualities with qualities of dynamic prevention, and majot healing. Coconut oil is way more than a food for it can be used both inside the body as well as outside, it can be used to lubricate moving mechanical parts, as a cleaner, as a fuel, as a base for soap and hundreds of other uses.I think we should call it a Super Gift from Divine Nature.

Coconut oil is a medium chain fatty acid which doesn't mean much to a most people but consider this: "Medium chain fatty acids are transported across the intestinal wall directly into the portal vein then directly into the liver. Here they are used to produce energy.Whereas long chain fatty acids end up as low density lipoproteins (bad stuff). (from Coconut Cures by Bruce File) In other words it provides the body with a great source of energy, with no bad stuff. Medium chain fatty acids include lauric acid, capric and caprylic acids, all of which are enrgy producers and healing agents for the body.

I will touch on just a few things here that coconut oil is reputed to be beneficial for I would suggest if you are interested in further info read a small but well written book entitled Coconut Cures by Bruce File, It  goes into great detail on the topic as well as the science in great detail. Also you may wish to Google coconut oil  for more details as well. The best thing you miy choose to do is simply go buy some and consume a tablespoon or two as part of your foods daily, rub it on your skin, and substitute it for other common oil usages including cooking.

Millions of people for thousands of years  have used coconut oil for the following:
As a skin moisturizer, lip balm, anti bacterial for wounds,  for digestive issues, as an anti fungal and anti microbial, as a weight loss aid, improve thyroid function, as an anti inflammatory, for arthritis, infections, to fight parasites, gum disease, prevention of heart disease, hormone balancing, fibromyalgia, brain development, as a general body tonic and so much more. If this sounds like a miracle product you just might be right.

If we consider how diseases develop in the body we see how a compound like coconut oil can help prevent and maybe even cure them. It makes everything work better so the body can heal itself. A true natural curative approach. Read more and educate yourself on this true gift to humanity.

GRAB AND GO RAW

Building more "fast" raw vegan foods into your daily routine

The traditional successful fast foods have been popular for several reasons, they are tasty, not very expensive and of course they are fast. These three characteristics are very important to most of us.

Can we apply these three characteristics to our raw vegan eating plan?
The answer is absolutely yes! Mary and I do it all the time.
 
Let's focus on the "fast" issue here. To be successful it will take a bit of planning and preparation. Plan what your GRAB AND GO RAW" foods that are your favorites. Take some time and make your favorite top ten list and create a plan to have these available to you all of the time. You may not have all of them all of the time but you should probably have half or more of them on a weekly basis so you can GRAB AND GO RAW.We try to make most of them.

Once you have planned which ones you will have for the week set aside one day a week (We like doing it on Sundays) to prepare them. By doing it all at once you can prepare most of them all at one time, this is economy of scale. Make sure you have proper storage containers for the various "fast" foods that you will be preparing.

Our Favorite Top Ten GRAB AND GO RAW Foods
1. Raw veggie platter stored in fridge.(veggies cut similar to a party platter)
2. Three flavors of dipping sauces. (Thai peanut, curry sauce, marinara sauce) all made in blender.
3. Assorted dehydrated seeds and nuts (Amino almonds, cheesy walnuts, etc)
4. One or two quarts of raw vegan soup, made in blender.
5. Rainbow salads (Prep all veggies, store in zip bags or containers, grab and build salad daily).
6. Green smoothies (Prep ingredients weekly, store in fridge, grab and blend daily).
7. Green juice (Prep ingredients weekly, stor in fridge, grab and juice daily).
8. Nut cheese (Make a batch for the week store in fridge)
9. Cabbage salad (Make a batch and keep in fridge, gets better in a few days).
10. Crackers (Once a week make up some crackers to spread the cheese on and eat with salads).

Summary
To prepare these foods for the week will take about half of a Sunday (not including the dehydrating time).
We shop on Saturday (Farmers market if open) for the foods in our regular course of running errands and prepare the foods on Sunday. We make enough for the two of us to Grab and Go Raw for the week. By doing it this week we prepare for ourselves very tasty foods, reasonably priced, and spend very little time during the week thus actually saving time because it is all done at once. This economy of scale matches up with the three requirements of "fast food". Most of all it is healthy, and a spiritually rewarding lifestyle. A little bit of planning and preparation as it fits into your life will reap big rewards for you and your family. You will be working to improved health, saving time, and maybe even creating a new fun family activity and setting the stage for a higher level of health for generations to come.

GMO SCANDAL - NORWAY

Serious commentary regarding GMO foods from Norway

Just today I did a teleconference for our spiritual nutrition mastery students and one of the topics was GMO foods. As I see it, the key issue regarding the use of GMO foods is not whether I will get sick today if I eat a GMO soybean but rather what signals do my genes receive from consuming genetic materials that have been altered by scientists. Whay new blueprints have been imbedded into my personal genetic blueprint and how will that all manifest in the future of my health or in the health of generations to come.It is an imperfect science with too many unanswered questions.

Norwegian scientists have been quoted over the years as key researchers in this area and if you click on this link you will see where this may be coming back to haunt them. Enjoy the read and let me know what you think. http://www.monsanto.no/index.php/en/environment/gmo/gmo-news/74-the-norwegian-gmo-scandal.

SALYCILATES THE NEW GLUTEN ?

Salicylates the new buzz word....

Everywhere you turn today you find a new product or restaurant that claims to be "gluten free". This is being done because the medical community is diagnosing gluten sensitivity more than ever before thus people are now "gluten free" consumers. Gluten is not so much the enemy but rather the quantity of it that we take in as part of the SAD (Standard American Diet) diet. Just check your food intake for the amount of wheat you consume, and while you are at it check the amount of sugar and dairy you and your family may consuming. No wonder we end up with lactose intolerance, gluten intolerance and diabetes. It is almost all due to the quantity we consume as part of the SAD diet.

I see the next buzzword being "Salicylates".  It is a natural compound found in plants and is a sort of  naturally occuring pesticide. This compound also helps plants fight diseases. It is important to understand that if we eat huge quantities of any single food we are putting ourselves at risk of consuming to much of what that food contains. It is for this reason we should eat a broad spectrum of raw plant based foods, vegetables, leafy greens, nuts, seeds, some beans, sea vegetables, grains, berries, and some fruits (not too many).

We may recognize the word salicylate from common over the counter medications, especially N-SAIDS (aspirin or ibuprofin), as well as other compounds such as pesticides, and even some perfumes or fragrances and, plastics. These are forms that are made in labs for commercial use. Naturally occurring salicylates seem to be reduced when foods ripen naturally on the tree or bush before they are picked. Nature has a way of protecting the unripened fruit from various organisms until it is ready to be harvested for human consumption at which time the salicylate counts drop dramatically. Genetically modified foods (GMO) are said to contain high levels of salicylates so if we eat organic non GMO foods we don't consume the same volumes of salicylates.

Some foods high in salicylates:
Jams
Processed juices
Processed syrups
Chemically dried fruits and veggies
Processed sauces
Fruits picked unripe
Processed flavorings for foods

To eliminate or reduce salycilate sensitivity
Eat fruits that ripen naturally (don't overeat on fruit period, too much sugar)
Eat whole, pure and natural foods
Eat an organic plant based diet
Less commercially processed foods
Drink clean energetic water and fresh organic green vegetable juices
Avoid meds, cosmetics, and common household products containing salicylates

As you can see processed foods, unripened foods, and some man made products seem to be the greatest issue here. Moving to an organic, plant based, high variety form of eating greatly reduces anyone's intake of salicylates. Something we should all think about anyway.

A few diseases that have been implicated as a possible salycilate sensitivity
Certain types of asthma (aspirin allergy)
Meniers disease
Some forms of autism
ADHD

This is just a quick primer on salicylates, if you feel you have an issue you might choose to do much more research. Remember, as in any lifestyle disease or sensitivity,  the effects are cumulative so if you start to improve your diet and lifestyle to a more natural way of eating and living hopefully you will reverse your symptoms, but please be patient.

VANILLA EXTRACT...ANY VALUE ?

Many people including myself love to use vanilla extract in smoothies and other recipes does it have any nutritional value?

The answer is across the board pretty much none. It does have a few calories (24 per 2 tablespoons which equals 399 for a cup) but thats pretty much it. Each serving has 1 sugar and 1 carb, almost zero protein, fats, sodum etc.
So in a way it provides us with a tremendous taste with nothing good OR BAD for us. Just a rich full flavor.

There are a few reported folk remedies that vanilla is used for:
1. It is calming to the stomach and helps with nasuea. Just mix in water.
2.It can help with weight loss since it does bring a sense of richness to what it is added to.
3. It has been reputed to help regulate menstrual cycles.
4. In an emergency it has been used on wounds with some positive results.
5. Because of its wonderful odor it has been reported to calm nerves and anxiety.

So don't stress over vanilla, just enjoy it as a regulat part of your diet.

YOUR PATHWAY

Notes from Whole Health Warrior book

Each person creates and travels along their individual pathway, and no two are exactly the same. The major elements employed by the Whole Health Warrior consist of the seven sacred practices, the seven building blocks and the seven evolutionary behaviors. These are utilized as we create and follow our own pathway. You may have heard the “saying we each make our own way through life”, I may add to this: that we do so by creating and following our own “pathway”. Howard S. Friedman wrote a book called The Longevity Project which was a study in longevity over an eight decade span of time. The object was to follow a select group of children through eight decades of life and to see what factors were involved in early death or living a long life. Some people refer to this as the Terman study since the originator of the study was Dr. Terman.

In his book Dr. Friedman says, “There is no doubt that an unfortunate individual can be suddenly struck by a bus or by a virulent infection. There is no point in blaming the victim, and there is no way to have near perfect control over your health. Many times awful things happen for no rational reason, but as we have discovered over and over in our studies, some pathways are much healthier than others, and many people have made their own luck by following them”, (p. 203). He goes on to report that, “Hard work and accomplishment are strong predictors of a long life, (p.207), and “The deeper we dig into the lives of these people, the more we understand about the pathways to longevity”, (p 3). Becoming a Whole Health Warrior will lead you to the healthiest of all pathways as you will resonate with Divine Nature.

.The conclusion to be drawn is that whole person health is not limited to one factor nor even several factors, but rather the trajectory and pathway that a person chooses to follow during his or her life. The essence of the Whole Health Warrior is to provide you with some wonderfully healthy and uplifting companions to be brought along with you as you travel along your own personal pathway of life. When you are in the state of radiant health your body resonates with nature, you will feel this because you will have limitless and unbounded energy and grace in your life. Enjoy the journey.

NOTES ON SHINGLES

When we get shingles as an adult here are a few things to consider

Shingles Notes

1. Main issue is suppressed immunity from

stress, immune suppressing drugs, trauma, illness.

Build the immune system.

2. It is the reactivation of the chicken pox virus and is held in the central nervous system.

Why do we give kids chicken pox vaccinations today?

3. Irritated branched nerve endings is what causes the severe pain.

4. Problem with adults who did not have chicken pox as kids or had a mild case.

Teenagers are now showing up with shingles due to all of the above.

9 Tips for relief

1. No caffeine drinks it drains needed nutrients
2. Vegan live food diet helps is advised
3. Vit c, oregano oil, Lysine supplements
4. Reishi, cordyceps, astragalus provide adrenal support. (Chinese herbals)
5. B Comples for stress, D3 nutrient facilitation.
6. 8 hours of sleep minimum.
7. Capsacium on skin for pain relief
8. Meditate daily
9. Yoga

TURBO OMEGA CHIA-FLAX PORRIDGE

TURBO OMEGA CHIA-FLAX PORRIDGE

Basyk Recipe

 3 Tbsp chia seeds

1 Tbsp ground flax seed

3/4 Cup warm water

Mix the above into the warm water let sit for 3-5 minutes

so water is absorbed into seeds.

This gives you the basic chia porridge to start with

From here I go nuts by adding the following:

Tbsp hemp seeds

Handful of goji berries

Cinnamon

2-3 drops stevia or a bit of xylitol

Tsp bee pollen

3 chopped wal;nuts

3 chopped brazil nuts

Blueberries or strawberries

1 tasp tahini

1 tsp cacao nibs

1 Tbsp coconut flakes

And anything else that floats your boat.

Once you mix this all up it will be a bit thick like oatmeal add as much fresh hemp milk, almond milk or coconut milk you would like to make the texture the way you want it.

TESTIMONIAL TO HEALTHY LIVING

A message from Trish in Canada

This is a testimonial regarding the power of healing by the human body. This lady has had a neuromuscular for 15 years or more. She undertook the Whole Health Warrior eating plan and this is these are the results.

I am absolutely fantastic! How are you and Mary doing? I am on the road to a glorious road of good health and happiness! Thank you for your Whole Health Warrior book! I am reading it and learning so much! I am on a schedule and sticking to it! I think of you often and smile! When people ask me about the "diet" I am on, I smile. I then explain that it is a lifestyle choice called the Whole Health Warrior Pathway I have chosen and the results are clearly evident! I have only fallen once since the I started,. I have energy I never knew possible, my 'Charlie horses' are basically gone. Only 2 episodes. My circulation is really good and I don't have stomach aches or bloating any more! My headaches are considerably less. I feel healthy and happy. The English language lacks  the capacity to clarify how grateful I am to you!

VACCINATIONS - pro or con

Last summer I spent some time listening to and speaking with Neil Miller author of Make an Informed Vaccine Decion for Your Child. He graciously shared his thoughts on childhood and adult vaccinations. I was especially concerned for we had a new grandson on the way. The topic is quite controversial so rather that write anything on the topic or express my personal opinions I would suggest you go to the following website for the organization called THINK TWICE:: http://thinktwice.com/

The material on the site is fascinating and gives you a different side of the story than you may receive from the medical community. It may help you make an informed decision.

Feel free to make comments here and start a dialog on this blog if you wish.

EXCITING INTRO TO OUR NEW BOOK

Introduction to Whole Health Warrior 
by Gabriel Cousens M.D.

It is a joy for me to write the introduction of Mike Chaet’s Whole Health Warrior book and its companion workbook The Whole Health Warrior Workbook to Living Healthier and Longer. As a person who is seen as a pioneer in the live food movement it is very nice to see Mike Chaet’s compassionate, thoughtful text go to publication. It represents the next significant wave of sharing of the vegan, live-food Culture of Life based paradigm with a larger population. This sharing of this vegan, live-food ecologically health and spiritually based paradigm is truly part of the evolutionary shift that is happening in our world as we the Whole Health Warriors move from the Culture of Death to the Culture of Life and Liberation. As Mike points out it isn’t exactly a new idea. This work has grown from the seeds of the Essene tradition descending from the prophets as far back as 500 BC, where it is said that Pythagoras studied with the Essenes at Mt. Caramel and returned liberated and a teacher of plant-source-only, live-food nutrition. There is a link between spiritual awakening, liberation, and a diet of live foods. A live food diet is the Whole Health Warrior’s diet which has the potential to turn you into a superconductor for the Divine and a highly energized potent player for the transformation of the planet. What I particularly appreciate about this book and its author is his outstanding skill as a compassionate bridging teacher helping people learn and be motivated to become Whole Health Warriors for healing themselves and the healing of the planet.

In his book he thoughtfully reviews each step of the process of becoming a Whole Health Warrior. Part one is titled Enlightened Education and, indeed, it is an enlightened education Mike Chaet shares with people. He elucidates on the importance of an overall shift into plant-based nutrition, the importance of live food nutrition in general, and that we are unique individuals as holistic Health Warriors and that our daily work is to become ever more powerful, sovereign examples for the world. When one masters this live food paradigm, which his two books empower one to do; one is able to make a larger contribution to one’s health and spiritual evolution. The implementation plan and workbook is extremely well-written and clear in that it provides the reader with a variety of plans that individualize and respect the sovereignty of each prospective Whole Health Warrior. The whole person health loopogram, the seven sacred practices, four individualized health plans (a 13 week; a 10 day; a 21 day; and a freestyle). All give much needed individualized options. This is all evidence of Michael Chaet’s understanding about what it takes to be a unique warrior transitioning into a lifestyle that is wide open and requires a significant amount of individualization.

            Having read every word of this book, I want to attest to the clarity and strength of how Mike Chaet has developed the teachings, and has thoughtfully shared how to navigate the paradigm shift, thus making the way clear for thousands of people to be inspired to make such a shift. The Whole Health Warrior book is a bugle call to action inspiring that spark of health warrior in each of us, to take the next step into enlightening ourselves and the whole world. We are very fortunate to have this gift for the healing of ourselves, our families, and our living planet. I recommend it for all people bridging and adventuring into this new way of life, because it will successfully empower you to do the work that needs to be done to become a Whole Health Warrior.

Blessings to your health and spirit,

Gabriel Cousens, MD

Author, Conscious Eating

May 2, 2012

NICE HOME WHEATGRASS JUICER

Sampson Electric Gear Juicer

This juicer is not the highest end available but is a good home workhorses and gets the job done for a reasonable cost. Good way to get started. Will talk about the high end juicers in the future...

Quick product review for those interested in wheatgrass. Have been using our Sampson electric juicer for several years now - love it. We do only wheatgrass and nut butters with it. It is slow and powerful and gets the job done. Great yield. Google Sampson Gear juicers for best pricing.
Prior to this we tried a hand crank type - what a pain, don't bother.
By the way if you are doing wheatgrass, grow your own or buy it by the tray at the local health food store. Juice away.

MY 3 FAVORITE ESSENTIAL OILS

 Essential oils primer

To begin with I must start by saying I am a big fan of essential oils. I use them in one way or another, almost everyday for a whole host of purposes. I keep several small bottles in the car of lemon, grapefruit and orange oils. When I drive they seem to energize me and clear the air of other scents. I especially like the rich scent of frankincense; it seems to help me focus when I am writing articles such as this. I use my own blend of lemon eucalyptus when I fly.  The calming affects of lavender help slow things down at night before bedtime but most of all I very much respect the healing effects of tea tree oil and eucalyptus. I consider them the king and queen of my first aid kit.

A quick review tells us that essential oils are a pure derivative extracted from plants. They are considered by many to be plant hormones. So as to be considered pure, nothing is added or mixed with them. There are no added scents, or preservatives. The molecular structure is such so as when they enter the body through inhalation, skin absorption or otherwise they have a specific effect on the human body. Their vibratory frequencies match up to certain identifiable frequencies in the body thus causing the desired resonating effect. Essential oils enter the body as a subtle energy form.

The study of essential oils is a living science unto itself and since there are so many oils the combinations and effects is almost endless. Although it is different than traditional medicines essential oils if used properly may ease symptoms and aid the body in healing itself. The oils may used by themselves, in combination with others, or even mixed in with a carrier oil such as jojoba, which helps deliver the essential oils deeper into the skin and the body.

My Three Favorites

1. Tea Tree Oil

The scientific name is melaleuca alternifolia and is found as a native species in Australia. Since it has been used as a medicinal oil for centuries the effects of tea tree oil and how to use it have been passed down from generation to generation. I like something that has a proven empirical track record over generations of time. Tea tree oil is thought to increase the production of white blood cells that makes it as perfect aid in fighting infection and killing bacteria on contact. It is considered an anti-viral, anti-bacterial, ant-fungal as well as an immune system stimulant. This makes it an aid in fighting infection.

2. Eucalyptus oil

Having been in the health club industry for so long eucalyptus and I were very close friends. It is commonly used in saunas, steam rooms and inhalation rooms in health clubs. It is considered an extremely effective germicide, antiseptic, antibiotic, diuretic, analgesic, anti-viral, deodorizer, and anti-inflammatory. It is legendary for its effectiveness in reliving pain as well as bronchial congestion.

3. Lavender oil

Is known worldwide for its calming effects. It is used as a relaxant, antispasmodic, antidepressant, sedative and a nervous system tonic. Since it is well known foe its calming affect on the body it may very well help in preventing stress related diseases.  The element in lavender that helps reduce stress is called tarpenes. It has been used over the years for migraines, tension, and even burns and scalds and as an antiseptic. The best lavender oil comes from France

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The first aid kit

These three oils are easy to use and can be kept in small dispenser bottles which may help make up a great first aid kit. Consider using for the following.

Tea tree oil

Abrasions, acne, arthritis, athlete’s foot, bad breath, bites, blisters, boils, burns, chicken pox, chiggers, cold sores, cuts, cysts, dandruff, dermatitis, dry scalp. Ear infection, eczema, flea bites, fly bites on pets, foot odor, fungus, gingivitis, hemorrhoids hives, ingrown hair, itchiness, lice, mosquito bites, nail conditioner, pimples, psoriasis, ringworm, scabies, seborrhea, sore throat, stings, sunburn, thrush, ticks, toenail fungus, toothache oil, mouth ulcers, warts, yeast infections.

Eucalyptus

Arthritis, asthma, bronchitis, burns, cuts, emphysema, fibromyalgia, gout, hay fever, head congestion, insect bites, laryngitis, muscular dystrophy, neuropathy, osteoporosis, phlebitis, rashes, scoliosis, shingles, sinus, sunburn, insect repellant, repels fleas & ticks on pets.

Lavender oil

Antiseptic wash, anti-inflammatory, anxiety, burns, depression, flatulence, foot rub, fungus, herpes, hypertension, insect bites, insomnia, nausea, post partum, sinus headache, stretch marks, sunburn, wounds.   

Reference

Geronimo, M. Healing pain relief relaxation moisturizing- pamphlet on essential oils, Phoenix, AZ: Self Published. Used by permission of author Mark Geronim