• 27Apr

    8 Health Benefits of Coconut Water

    via Natural Home Remedies by author on 4/24/13

    Coconut water is one of the most refreshing drinks nature has to offer. Also known as ‘the fluid of life’, it is the juice found inside a young, tender and green coconut.

    Coconut water has many beneficial properties along with being very nutritious. It is believed to have been successfully used intravenously during the World War II, to replenish blood plasma levels.

    Coconut water comprises ninety-five percent want, while the remaining five percent consists of vitamins B, C, and minerals like potassium, magnesium and sodium.

    Benefits-of-coconut-water

     

    A pure cup of coconut water has about forty-six calories, three grams of fiber and two grams of protein; it does not contain any preservatives, unhealthy fats or cholesterol.

    Since it is all natural and pure, there are no likely side effects and can be safely consumed by people of all age groups. Coconut water has about eight broad benefits among others.

    1. Restores EnergyAs coconut water is rich in potassium and magnesium, salts and sugars, it is often used to rehydrate if a person loses a large amount of fluids due or soon after a vigorous workout.It is also being considered as a better choice by athletes instead of sports drinks available in the market. It helps fight fatigue and restores energy. Furthermore, it works as a great hangover cure.
    2. Helps in Losing WeightIf you are well hydrated your body is restricted from storing fat which in turn will raise your body temperature and a higher body temperature will affect themetabolism in a positive manner. Therefore, it will help you shed the excess weight.Drinking coconut water will keep you hydrated, in addition it will also act as a diuretic that will help pass out the waste from your body with greater ease and speed.
    3. Lowers Blood Pressure and Boosts Cardiovascular HealthCoconut water might lower blood pressure levels as it can increase the effect of medicines used for the same. Some researches and studies have shown positive changes in blood pressure levels in individuals who drank coconut water on a regular basis possibly also in place of plain water.It is loaded with potassium, magnesium and vitamin C, and these nutrients are directly connected to general health benefits apart from lowering high blood pressure levels.

      Recent studies and researchers have also discovered that coconut water may actually help lower the LDL (bad cholesterol) and increase the HDL (good cholesterol).

    4. Facilitates Muscle BuildingAfter a heavy workout muscles tend to be sore, coconut water helps the body by replenishing the lost energy. It further adds to building up the endurance capacity, and facilitating muscle and tissue repair. It is rich in amino acids and potassium which is essential for the proper functioning of muscle action in the body.
    5. Good for SkinBeing hydrated is the secret to a beautiful skin. Though dehydration can cause many illnesses that affect various organs of the body, having insufficient fluids in the system will cause the toxins to be removed by the body via the skin as well, which may lead to acne and other skin problems.Keeping yourself hydrated is a fundamental rule to a good skin, what better way than by drinking all natural and pure coconut water that will not only hydrate your body but also detoxify it in the process.

      Moreover, it contains cytokinins that have anti-aging effects. Other than drinking, coconut water can also be used as a mask on the face or to simply wash it with.

    6. Improves DigestionCoconut water is said to contain Lauric acid which is converted by our body to form an antibacterial that helps with digestion and fighting against intestinal worms, and other infections and parasites in both children and adults by facilitating as an antibiotic as well.Plus, being an alkalizing agent, it relieves heartburn caused by a highly acidic diet. Furthermore, coconut water strengthens the immunity of the body too.
    7. Detoxifies BodySince coconut water also acts as a diuretic it cleanses the body of toxins, aiding the kidney in its function along the way. Besides, medical research has shown that drinking coconut water helps dissolve kidney stones.It is said to balance sugar levels as well; therefore, making it safe for people with diabetes as well. Moreover, tender coconut water aids in the treatment of liver ailments such as hepatitis.
    8. Helps Against DiabetesA person suffering from diabetes may experience numbness and tingling of the feet, their kidneys are affected along with their eyes. This happens because the blood is unable to circulate properly.Coconut water has the ability to improve the blood circulation and by doing so, it will provide some relief against the symptoms. Moreover, being high in fiber and low in carbohydrates, coconut water is ideal for people with diabetes.

      Coconut water benefits almost every individual and because of all the natural goodness that it contains like raising energy levels that in turn make a person feel more comfortable and motivated to follow an exercise regime.

      Regular exercise, in turn helps achieve the desired weight, which eventually helps the person maintain a healthy body weight. Needless to say, a healthy body wards off illnesses, thereby making it easier to maintain overall wellbeing.

    Read more about 8 Health Benefits of Coconut Water at Speedyremedies.com

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  • 03Apr

    Stuffed Avocados with Sprouted Quinoa, Tomatoes and Parmezano

    Stuffed Avocados with Sprouted Quinoa, Tomatoes and Parmezano -

    so full of protein, fat, sprouts and fruit, it’ll last you all day!

    Serves 2-4
    Prep time: 15 minutes
    INGREDIENTS
    2 ripe avocados  – cut in half, fill with quinoa and tomato. sprinkle with Parmezano
    2 cups sprouted  quinoa (soak 2-4 hours, drain, sprout  12 hours – 1.5 days, washing  often)
    1 medium-sized tomato, diced
    1/4 cup Parmezano – walnuts, nutritional yeast and garlic/lemon (see this blog)
    Salt and pepper, to taste

    Avocado Selection Tip: Place the avocado in the palm of your hand and squeeze gently. If it gives a little to your touch, it’s ripe and should be used right away. If it feels hard, it’s not ripe, so place in a brown bag and store in a dark place for two days. Don’t refrigerate.

    Filed under: Fruits, Nuts/Seeds, raw, Raw "Sour Cream," "Cheeses," "Milks", Raw Daily Meals, Vege Dishes/Main Meals
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  • 02Apr

    Homemade Elderberry Syrup and Tincture

    Homemade Elderberry Syrup

    http://www.pistachioproject.com/2012/02/homemade-elderberry-syrup.html

    If you haven’t heard of Elderberry Syrup yet, you are in for a treat. Elderberry Syrup is made from Elderberries (obviously) and is used in the prevention and treatments of colds and influenza. Elderberry syrup has actually been shown to be more effective at preventing the flu than even the flu vaccine! The flu vaccine is only designed to protect against a few strains, Elderberry syrup kills eight strains of influenza.
    Not only is elderberry syrup an amazing flu prevention but it can also be taken if you ever do come down with the flu. Elderberry syrup is truly amazing when it comes to influenza and sickness in general.
    There is one downside to elderberry syrup; it can cost a lot! Many store bought elderberry syrups cost an average of $18.00 for just 8oz. This depends on brands and ingredients of course. Which brings me to another point; many store bought elderberry syrups contain ingredients that I would rather avoid such as sugar, preservatives, alcohol, or glucose.
    The good news is that there is a way to make sure your elderberry syrup contains only ingredients that you want and save a lot of money. Simply make your own elderberry syrup and when I say simply, I mean simply! If you can make tea then you can make elderberry syrup.
    Elderberry Syrup
    ½ cup dried elderberries or 1 cup fresh elderberries
    3 cups water
    ½ cup honey (raw is preferred)
    Directions:
    Bring water to boil in a saucepan, add in elderberries and reduce to a simmer. Simmer for 30-45 minutes or until liquid has reduced by half. Let the syrup cool and then strain through a fine mesh sieve, cheesecloth, or muslin. Add in the honey once cool and stir. Store your elderberry syrup in a jar in the refrigerator. Alternatively, you can make large batches of elderberry syrup and can them in mason jars.
    Keeps for 2-3 months
    Dosage:
    Preventative: 1 Tbs/daily for adults, 1 tsp/daily for children over 1 year.
    Illness Remedy: 1 Tbs/2-3 hours for adults, 1 tsp/2-3 hours for children over 1 year.
    Curious to know how the price difference adds up? As I said, store bought elderberry syrup costs about $18.00 for just 8oz. Homemade elderberry syrup cost me just $2.00 for 8 oz. Seriously, this is one remedy that is definitely worth making at home!
    Don’t know where to find elderberries? Some people have access to fresh elderberries but for those of us who do not, simple go with dried elderberries. You might be able to find them in some natural stores but if not then you can buy them at Mountain Rose Herbs or Amazon like I do.
    Tincture -http://frugallysustainable.com/2011/10/building-your-medicine-chest/
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  • 24Mar

    Mango Cashew Sunshine Bites

    Mango Cashew Sunshine Bites

    via My New Roots by Sarah Britton on 3/23/13
    http://mynewroots.org/site/2013/03/mango-sunshine-cashew-bites/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+My-New-Roots+%28My+New+Roots%29

    makes approx. 20

    Ingredients:
    2/3 cup / 100g raw cashews
    1 cup / 100g dried mango pieces (purchase organic, unsweetened, unsulfured)
    ½ cup / 50g unsweetened desiccated coconut, plus more for garnish
    1-2 tsp. creamed honey, for sweetness if desired (or brown rice syrup, barley malt)
    seeds of 1 vanilla bean
    lime zest
    pinch sea salt
    pinch ground turmeric (optional)

    Directions:
    1. Soak cashews for four hours. Drain and rinse.
    2. Soak mango for 20-30 minutes until slightly softened, but not mushy.
    3. In a food processor combine all ingredients except honey. Pulse to combine until a sticky dough is formed. Taste for sweetness and add honey if desired.
    4. Spoon out about a ½ tablespoon amount of mixture at a time and roll into a ball with your hands. Roll in coconut to coat. Store in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.

    I hope you all enjoy these as much as I have and that you don’t wait for a long trip to try them out!

    Love and sunshine,
    Sarah B.

    Filed under: Fruits, Nuts/Seeds, raw, Raw Daily Meals, Raw Desserts, Raw Recipes
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  • 17Feb

    Raw Chocolate Cherry Ice Cream

    http://www.terawarner.com/blog/2011/09/raw-food-recipe-cheery-chocolate-cherry-ice-cream/

    Raw Chocolate Cherry Ice Cream

    - by Danielle Felip

    This raw chocolate cherry ice cream recipe is not only simple and easy to make — it’s also nutritious, very low in fat, AND decadently delicious! With this raw ice cream recipe, you’ll be able to taste the goodness of summer any time of the year.

    Ingredients:

    • 2 frozen bananas

    • 1 cup cherries
    • 2 tbsp raw cacao
    • 1 tbsp agave nectar
      or maple syrup

     

    Directions:

    1. Place ingredients in food processor or blender and blend until smooth.

    2. Serve immediately for “soft serve” style ice cream
    OR freeze for 1 hour for firmer consistency.

    3. Top with additional raw cacao nibs, chopped cherries and silvered almonds!

    Enjoy, guilt-free!

    Filed under: Drinks, Fruits, raw, Raw Daily Meals, Raw Desserts, Raw Recipes, Smoothies, Uncategorized
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  • 17Feb

    Cherry Mango Love Smoothie

    Cherry Mango Love Smoothie

    http://www.terawarner.com/blog/2013/02/raw-food-recipe-cherry-mango-love-smoothie-for-valentines-day/#more-29288

    Ingredients:

    • 2-3 ripe bananas (spotted all over)
    • 2 ripe mangoes (very soft and wrinkly all over)
    • 1-2 cups frozen black cherries

    Directions:

    Place mangoes in the bottom of your Vitamix or blender, then bananas and then frozen cherries on top. If you need to you can add a little water to make it blend easier, but I like my smoothies thick. Blend until smooth. Serve and garnish if desired.

    How to cut mangos into heart shaped pieces:

    To make heart shaped mango slices, you’re going to need a really sharp preferably thin knife. Slice off the cheeks of the mango (around the inner woody pit) and trace an outline on the skin in a heart shape, or any desired shape.  Carefully cut out the mango trying to be as smooth in your cuts as possible. When you’re done you can trim any choppy bits after to make it look more streamlined.

    Additional Tips:

    If you don’t have frozen black cherries, you can use frozen raspberries. Strawberries are a possibility, just make sure they are sweet. You can easily make this a green smoothie by adding some spinach to it.  The cherries will mask the green colour and make it look more purplish.

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  • 17Feb

    Kimberly Snyder’s Green Smoothie Recipe

     Drinking the Glowing Green Smoothie (#GGS) is a great way to incorporate tremendous amounts of greens into your diet – far more than just eating your veggies. A serving of the GGS contains over 3 cups of dark leafy green vegetables, which is more than many people get in a week!

    Greens have more valuable nutrients than any other food group on the planet. You might be surprised to learn that greens even have high-quality, easily-assimilated amino acids – enough to build the protein that supports the muscle mass of the mighty, greens-eating gorilla, which pound-for-pound is the strongest animal on earth!

    Blending helps make greens’ full spectrum of nutrition readily available to the body. Nutrients are encased inside plant cells and getting their benefits requires these cells’ walls to be ruptured. Greens need to be worked down to a creamy consistency, but most people simply don’t chew that much! Blending addresses this problem, helping your body absorb the maximum amount of nutrition from your greens.

    This is the drink that I drink every day, and have all my clients drink to feel and look their best. I hope that it will become part of your daily life as well.

    I generally recommend starting out consuming around 16 ounces of the Glowing Green Smoothie, and then working up to 24 ounces or more. A Vitamix blender is definitely recommended to make this smoothie, so that it’s smooth, silky, and delicious in only a few minutes of prep time and cleanup.

     

    The advantage of making a big batch like this one is time and convenience. Unlike juice, the Glowing Green Smoothie will keep in your refrigerator, as long as it’s covered, for about two and a half days. You can share it with your family or roommates, or have it yourself over that time period. You can also freeze portion sizes of it in glass containers and thaw out the night before in a bind.

      “I don’t like diet, I like to eat right and that’s what Kim’s program is all about. She’s brilliant.”

    …Ongoing cleansing is a critical way to reach your highest potential of health and beauty. The Glowing Green Smoothie retains all of the fiber of the greens and fruit, rather than removing it. In nature, vegetables and fruit are found with both their fiber and juice intact, and we can’t improve on nature. Fiber is critical for ongoing cleansing by sweeping out toxins on a regular basis, helping to keep your digestive tract and body clean, and also keeping you more full so that you tent to eat less heavier and/or acidic foods throughout the day.”

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  • 22Jan

    What Contaminants Are You Eating by the Dana-Farber/Brigham and Women’s Cancer Center

    What Contaminants Are You Eating by the Dana-Farber/Brigham and Women’s Cancer Center:

    http://www.dana-farber.org/uploadedFiles/Library/adult-care/treatment-and-support/support/nutrition-services/what-contaminants-are-you-eating.pdf

    M-The apple page said if you can’t buy organic apples, you better be washing and peeling them because of their pesticide levels

    and potatoes are one of the most heavily sprayed produce products in the US food supply.

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  • 06Dec

    Olive leaf Benefits

    http://www.herbwisdom.com/herb-olive-leaf.html

    “… we can say that supplemental olive leaf may be beneficial in the treatment for conditions caused by, or associated with, a virus, retrovirus, bacterium or protozoan. Among those treatable conditions are: influenza, the common cold, candida infections, meningitis, Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), encephalitis, herpes I and II, human herpes virus 6 and 7, shingles (Herpes zoster), HIV/ARC/AIDS, chronic fatigue, hepatitis B, pneumonia, tuberculosis, gonorrhea, malaria, dengue, severe diarrhea, and dental, ear, urinary tract and surgical infections.”

    *********************************************

    Medical Medium
    Olive Leaf is a powerful and effective medicinal that contains tremendous healing properties for the immune, cardiovascular, circulatory, respiratory, digestive, and lymphatic system. Olive leaf is particularly beneficial in fighting viruses and bacteria in the body such as Shingles, Herpes, E. coli, Salmonella, Staphylococcus, and Klebsiella pneumonia and can help to wipe out colds & flu viruses faster than most medications. Olive Leaf also has the ability to significantly lower blood pressure and maintain it at a healthy level. Olive leaf contains a compound called Oleuropein which helps to prevent the constriction of arteries, increase blood flow, and improve functioning of the heart. It also helps to lower LDL (bad) cholesterol and prevent the risk of strokes and heart disease. Olive leaf has been known to benefit those suffering with diabetes, high cholesterol, bronchitis, gastritis, and auto-immune disorders such as chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, addison disease, guillain-barre syndrome, arthritis, colitis, lupus, celiac disease, eczema, scleroderma, psoriasis, cardiomyopathy, graves disease, and HIV. Olive leaf contains powerful anti-inflammatory properties which helps to improve circulation, reduce swelling, and increase energy and flexibility in the body. Olive leaf is also a great digestive aid and helps to remove excess acidity from the body. Olive Leaf extract can be found online or at your local health food store in liquid, tincture, cream, and phyto-cap form. Dried olive leaf can be found in tea and capsule form. Consider adding olive leaf to your medicine cabinet for a potent natural remedy and an incredible immune booster.
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  • 29Sep

    *Fresh Fig Jam

    on youtube -http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xh9cbJffD4Q

    If you’ve never tasted figs, they are quite amazing.  And if you like strawberry jam, you’ll love fig jam.Fresh figs are so delicate, they perish after just one week from harvest. Sticky sweet, filled with hundreds of crunchy, edible seeds, fresh figs are truly an experience to be had.

    Ingredients:

    • 3-4 fresh figs
    • 1 T. Lemon juice
    • Water as needed
    • 1 T. sweetener: coconut nectar, Stevie , fruit or honey
    • 1/4 tsp. cinnamon – optional
    • 1 T. Chia seeds – soaked 10 min.

    Directions:

    Soak chia seeds in water for 10 minutes. Add all, except water, to your blender and blend quickly, adding water as needed. Eat immediately, or chill.

    Figs, from the Moraceae family, are not truly a fruit, but actually a flower that has folded up into itself. This inverted blossom encapsulates thousands of tiny, crunchy seeds, which are actually the unfertilized ovaries of the undeveloped fruit. The unusual product of this “fruit” is a soft, gelatinous pulp dotted with these tiny, edible seeds, that is both sweet, sticky, and wonderfully unlike anything else.

    Filed under: Fruits, Raw Desserts, Raw Recipes, Videos
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