Tag Archives: organic

The Miracle of Oatmeal Water

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The “Oatmeal Water” remedy suggested in this article provides you with a great tool for quick relief and healing from from head and chest colds, sinus and ear infections, or practically anything involving your mucous membranes.

Oatmeal Water

  • 4 heaping Tbsp. (or more – I use a large handful) oatmeal
  • 4 quarts of water

Use organic rolled oats, (not instant; they lack the slippery smoothness that is so important here). Bring the water to a boil, add oatmeal, reduce heat to simmer and cook slowly for 20 minutes, remove from heat and let sit until almost cool, whisk mixture and strain out the oatmeal; the cloudy water that’s left is oatmeal water. Shake well before pouring into a glass. Feel free to drink copious quantities of this oatmeal water all day long; it produces clean, clear and healthy mucous that flushes out the old mucous that is contaminated with all sorts of stuff, including pus; this old mucus is a breeding ground for bacterial and viral infection. Keep yourself supplied with new batches of this oatmeal water until you are completely recovered and have no more symptoms.

The water from oats cooked this way is mucilaginous and offers a gentle slipperiness to our mucous membranes, aiding greatly in cleansing the tissues of the mouth, nose, sinus cavities, throat and lungs. It also detoxifys and eliminates the nasty, sticky and toxic mucous coating that is over-acidic and loaded with germs. Gone will be the days of dry, sore nostrils when you can’t keep from sneezing and blowing your nose. No scratchy throat either. You’ll cough up and expel large amounts of unhealthy mucous, replacing it with an uncontaminated, slippery and healthy mucous.

What do we need mucous for?

When the body needs to rid itself of bacteria, viruses or other intruders, white blood cells hunt them down and envelop them in mucous – just like the bees encase all hive invaders in wax to keep them contained. This mucous is then expelled by the strong forced ‘exhales’ called coughs and sneezes to help the contaminated mucous leave the body. It’s a very effective and self- sufficient system as long as we encourage it to follow its natural course. Whenever we suppress this function with anti-histamines and other medications (which may provide temporary relief from the symptoms), this unnatural treatment method will likely counter the body’s natural healing power allowing the actual ailment to linger for days – even weeks.

Furthermore, a clean, clear mucous is also necessary to coat the mucous membranes, soothing these sensitive tissues and keeping them from drying out, becoming sore, or even bleeding.

Testimonies to the effectiveness of this remedy…

Oatmeal water is mentioned by Jethro Kloss in his classic 70’s book “Back to Eden”.  He had read in a daily paper “…that the Great Northern Railroad had a very urgent piece of road to make. They hired a big crew of men and worked them fourteen hours a day. Instead of giving them ordinary water to drink, they gave them oatmeal water to drink, and the newspaper stated that not one man was off work on account of sickness, and it stated that never before has there been such a wonderful, healthy experience in the entire history of railroads.”

From an anonymous source…”When my daughter was 4 years old she had a very rare and deadly disease called Kawasaki’s which primarily affects only Japanese children (she is a blond and blue eyed Caucasian). She could not take anything by mouth, not even water and had a fever that ranged from 105 to 107 degrees. The doctors could not do any more for her and gave up telling me she would die. I started giving her eyedroppers full of oatmeal water, and within hours she could take teaspoon fulls, the next day she was able to drink the oatmeal water from a glass. Within 4 more days her body temperature was normal and she was released from the hospital. The doctors predicted she would suffer heart and brain defects as a result, and none of that happened. She is now 35 years old and the proud mother of my 3 year old granddaughter. IMHO, oatmeal water saved her life!”

Additional notes:

It is recommended you drink oatmeal water whenever you feel “out of sorts” or if you’re in the company of others who are sick, sneezing, coughing, etc. Keep in mind, this as much a preventative as a cure, it lubricates the whole system including the entire digestive track.

Oatmeal water can also be used in a multitude of other ways, including a soup base or an ingredient in a smoothie, so be creative.

How Inflammatory is Your Diet?

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Are you aware that the foods you eat every day may be the cause of chronic inflammation in the body and put you at risk for heart disease, cancer, diabetes, arthritis and even some forms of dementia?

Basically there are two types of inflammation that can be present in the human body: acute and chronic. Acute inflammation is most often useful, but chronic inflammation is the root cause of many diseases and ailments.

Inflammation is one of the common natural responses the body has to the healing process. Acute inflammation works great for healing a cut or a bruise. The body’s white blood cells and their chemicals get into the affected area, do their job and get out. But too much of a good thing leads to problems. Chronic inflammation will damage, rather than repair, healthy tissues and cells. When inflammation is too intense and/or prolonged, it produces sickness and disease instead of healing.

When your chosen lifestyle includes an unhealthy or poor diet, you’re setting the stage for chronic inflammation to damage your body, establishing a constant irritation, quite possibly throughout the whole body; damaging arteries, which can lead to heart disease or dementia, aggravating tissues and cells, which can lead to cancer, diabetes, or irritating joints and connective tissue resulting in rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis.

The sad part is chronic inflammation is a silent condition; you may even have chronic inflammation and not know it.

Foods that commonly cause inflammation:

Are you wondering if your diet is high in inflammation-provoking foods yet? Dietary foods that trigger chronic inflammation in the body include many of the fats in meat and dairy products, refined sugars, saturated and hydrogenated oils, processed and fast foods, bleached and enriched grains, fried foods, pastries, plus processed meats like hot dogs and deli items. A specific omega-6 fat, called arachidonic acid, found in most meats, is a particularly potent inflammation promoter. Check your kitchen supplies and throw out these inflammatory foods, then eliminate them completely from your diet.

Additionally, those who are overweight have an increased risk of chronic inflammation. Most possibly this occurs because the body’s fatty tissues store arachidonic acid, increasing the supply of this damaging, inflammatory chemical.

The solution:

Make antioxidant-rich plant-based foods a staple in your diet and eat more vegetables and fruit. The more phytochemical-rich fruits and vegetables you eat, the more you boost your immune system which naturally defends the body against inflammation and disease. Once you develop an appetite for antioxidants, you’ll feel more energy and notice an almost immediate improvement in overall health. Antioxidants are the key to disease prevention and the reduction of inflammation. Extra-virgin olive oil, fruits, vegetables, mushrooms, nuts, whole grains, things like green tea and certain spices (e.g.; turmeric and ginger), prevent much of the tissue damage that would otherwise trigger an inflammatory response. Proper food selection insures that you’re getting the best dietary sources of antioxidants, like vitamin C, beta carotene, and thousands of essential phytonutrients. Antioxidants block free radicals (highly reactive oxygen fragments) that if allowed free reign, would damage the genetic code, cell membranes and proteins, leading to heart disease, cancer, dementia and more.

Additionally, you should also know that no amount of dieting will drastically improve your health unless you also adapt and maintain a healthy lifestyle. You’ll find it very helpful to exercise daily, cut back on stress and reduce your exposure to toxins as much as possible; if you do this, your body will repay you a thousand-fold.

So…What are you waiting for?

My Hero – Birke Baehr…

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An Internationally recognized speaker and youth advocate for sustainable food and agriculture, Birke has visited and volunteered at farms around the United States and recently published his first book, “Birke on The Farm”.  Birke has spent the last four years traveling around the United States and Italy visiting organic farms and learning from the farmers who steward those farms. He has attended numerous organic agriculture seminars and workshops; including one with renowned farmer and author, Joel Salatin who Birke looks up to in his pursuit of new thinking about food and agriculture. Birke continues to educate himself in this genre and intends to be a sustainable organic agriculturist in the future. He has a passion for educating others, especially his peers, about the destructiveness of the industrialized food system and the enlightening alternatives of sustainable and organic farming, food and practices. At 11 years of age, Birke was the youngest presenter at TEDx Next Generation Asheville (Aug. ’10) where he gave the talk entitled, “What’s Wrong With our Food System” which became an internet sensation with close to 2,000,000 views.

Here’s the video…

And – young Birke has a website, visit it here…https://www.birkeonthefarm.com/index.html

Raw Vegan Holiday Salad Recipes

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Rawsome Salads

Orange, Avocado, Spinach Salad

This salad recipe kind of sounded like an odd combination, but the flavors actually mesh pretty well together. The sweetness from the orange goes nicely with the tanginess of the lime and creaminess of the avocado.

Ingredients:

  • 1 orange
  • 1 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1/4 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
  • 1 Tbsp lime juice
  • Dash of sea salt
  • 2 cups baby spinach
  • 1 avocado, sliced
  • Black pepper to taste

Directions:

  • Section the orange and use a knife to cut off the skin from the sections. Try to drizzle any of the remaining juice into a small bowl.
  • In the small bowl containing the orange juice, whisk together the remaining juice, olive oil, lime juice, and sea salt.
  • In a serving bowl, add spinach and sliced avocado. Pour dressing over top and gently toss. Sprinkle with black pepper.

Creamy Sea Salad

Dulse is a popular sea vegetable that is good in soups, salads, or even sandwiches. It has a soft chewy texture and a rich reddish brown color. It can be bought in flakes or as whole stringy leaves. Dulse is a good source of protein, B-12, chlorophyll, enzymes, and fiber.

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups mixed greens
  • 1 tomato, diced
  • 1/4 cup dulse flakes
  • 1/2 cucumber, diced
  • 1 avocado, diced
  • 1/2 cup sprouts
  • Dash sea salt
  • Dash black pepper (or to taste)

Directions:

Place all ingredients into a bowl. Gently toss. Add your favorite raw dressing.

Coleslaw

Coleslaw always seems to be the salad you take with you on picnics. When using the purple cabbage, it’s definitely one of the prettiest salads. Try it and see if it’s also one of your favorites!

Ingredients:

1 cup purple cabbage

  • 1/2 cucumber, diced
  • 1/2 tomato, diced
  • 1 small carrot, shredded
  • 1 green onion, chopped
  •  1 clove garlic, minced
  • 2 tsp ground cumin
  • 2 Tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 tsp sea salt
  • 1/4 cup olive oil

Directions:

Place all ingredients into a bowl and gently toss.

Simple Green Salad

This recipe is super easy and honestly, you can substitute any of the greens for ones that you like in this or any of the salad recipes. This just has a variety of greens and variety is good for your body! A list of scrumptious salad greens to insure colorful variety…

  • Arugula
  • Cabbage (green or red)
  • Chard, Swiss (green, red or rainbow)
  • Dandelion Greens
  • Endive
  • Escarole
  • Kale
  • Radicchio
  • Romaine
  • Spinach
  • Watercress

It’s easy to pick just one type of green to eat in your salad daily (baby spinach is my choice!), but it’s also nice to give your body a variety, here’s a simple suggestion to get you started.

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup red kale
  • 1/2 cup mustard greens
  • 1/2 cup spinach
  • 1 cup arugula

Directions:

  • Remove ribs from kale and mustard greens.
  • Chop all greens into bite size pieces and toss.
  • Add your favorite vegan raw dressing.

Raw Pad Thai Salad

Ingredients:

  • 2 zucchinis, sliced into strips with a vegetable peeler
  • 2 large handfuls of bean sprouts, approx 2 cups
  • 3/4 cup chopped nuts (use almonds, peanuts or cashews)
  • 1 red or yellow bell pepper, sliced into strips
  • 4 green onions, diced
  • 1/2 cup fresh chopped cilantro
  • Juice from one lime
  • 1 tablespoon raw, cold-pressed olive oil
  • 1/4 tsp sea salt

Preparation:

Toss all ingredients together in a bowl until well coated. Add a dash more salt if desired and enjoy!

Vegan Holiday Snack Recipes

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Olive Tapenade

Olive tapenade is a great spread to serve with crackers for an easy gourmet appetizer or hors d’oeuvres. This recipe, which uses two kinds of olives, making a nice color combination, adds to the appeal of the dish. This olive tapenade recipe is both vegetarian and vegan, and can be prepared in just a few minutes. You might also want to try this recipe for olive tapenade with sun dried tomatoes, or if you like spicy food, try this version of olive tapenade with peppers and hot sauce.

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup black olives
  • 1/2 cup green olives
  • 1 tablespoon capers (optional)
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, or to taste

Preparation:

In a food processor, simply process all ingredients for a few seconds, being careful not to process too finely, since tapenade should not be too smooth.

Serve with crackers, flatbread, baguette, or slices of toasted artisan bread.

Tomato and Basil Bruschetta

This easy vegan bruschetta is made with fresh tomatoes and basil and drizzled with olive oil. No cheese is needed if you use fresh red ripe tomatoes and flavorful basil. As for the salt, any kind will do, but sea salt or kosher salt will give the best flavor.

Ingredients:

  • 12 slices French or Italian bread, lightly toasted
  • 3 large tomatoes, chopped
  • 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 3 tbsp fresh basil, chopped
  • 1/4 tsp sea salt or kosher salt

Preparation:

Combine tomatoes, oil, basil and salt in a covered bowl and let marinate at least 4 hours (do not refrigerate; tomatoes will lose their flavor).

Use a slotted spoon to layer on to bread. Serve immediately.

Spicy Vegetarian/Vegan Bean Dip

A classic vegetarian bean dip with spicy chilies and Tabasco sauce. Vegetarian bean dip is great for a casual vegetarian Super bowl or party appetizer. This vegetarian bean dip recipe is also vegan.

Ingredients:

  • 1 – 28 ounce can vegetarian baked beans, drained
  • 1 – 4 ounce can green chilies, diced
  • 3 tbsp vinegar
  • 2 tsp chili powder
  • 1 tsp Tabasco sauce (or your favorite hot sauce to taste)
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • 2 green onions, sliced
  • Tortilla chips
  • Preparation:

Drain beans and add to blender. Add chilies, vinegar, chili powder, Tabasco, onion powder, salt and garlic powder blend until smooth. Pour into bowl and garnish with green onions.

Serve with tortilla chips.

Vegan Holiday Dessert Recipes

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Brownies (egg and dairy free):

Brownies are a classic and simple treat and this recipe makes it easy for the lactose intolerant to enjoy them just as much. The recipe comes from a dessert spot in New York City.

  1. Mix 1/2 cup of flour, 1/2 cup of sugar, 1/4 cup of cocoa powder, 1 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder, 1/8 teaspoon of baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 1/4 teaspoon of xanthan gum.
  2. In a second bowl, mix 1/2 cup of applesauce, 1/4 cup of canola oil, 1 tablespoon of vanilla and 1/2 cup of dairy-free chocolate chips.Mix both bowls together.
  3.  Bake for 15 minutes at 325 degrees.

Gingerbread Cookies:

Take a traditional holiday recipe and turn it vegan with this recipe.

Ingredients:

  • 4 tablespoons coarse sugar (turbinado or demerrera or “sanding” sugar)
  • 2 cups unbleached flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 2 1/2 tablespoons ground ginger
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1/2 cup canola oil
  • 1/4 cup molasses
  • 1/4 cup almond (or soy) milk
  • 1 cup raw sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions:

  1. Sift dry ingredient (except sugar) into a bowl and set aside.
  2. In a large bowl combine wet ingredients, including the raw sugar and whisk or beat on medium until blended.
  3. Stir in the pre-sifted dry ingredients and mix until well combined.
  4. The dough will be quite sticky and you may need to dampen your hands to work with it. Roll the dough into little balls (about 1 Tablespoon) and flatten out to your liking.
  5. The thinner the cookie the crisper it will be – a slightly thicker cookie will yield a crunch on the edges and a slightly chewy interior.
  6. Press the coarse sugar onto the tops of the cookies and bake about 10 minutes at 350 on a greased cookie sheet.

Pumpkin Pie:

The holidays wouldn’t be the same without a pumpkin pie. Here’s a vegan version of the old standard recipe.

  1. Mix 2 cups of pumpkin purée, 1 cup of almond (or soy) milk, 3/4 cup of raw sugar, 1/4 cup of cornstarch, 1/2 tablespoon of molasses, 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract, 1 teaspoon of cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, 1/2 teaspoon of ginger, 1/3 teaspoon of nutmeg and 1/4 teaspoon of allspice.
  2. Pour filling into pie crust. Bake for 50 minutes at 350 degrees.

Banana Ice Cream (dairy free):

All ice cream has dairy in it, right? Well, not so, here’s some awesome ice cream made from a frozen banana.

It’s simple…freeze a banana, put it in a food processor, and that’s it. It takes a little bit of time to get creamy. But, that’s it. Add a teaspoon or so of peanut butter and just a  bit of cocoa powder (optional).

Healthy Holiday Indulgence

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This is the time of year when we get together with family and friends who are probably less aware of, and surely less sensitive to, the dietary choices we’ve made in regards to the impact food has on our overall health. During this time cravings for the unhealthy foods we’re offered everywhere we go can be a powerful challenge to our coping skills. It can also be somewhat troubling to know how to properly respond to questions (or even criticism) without trying to convert those around you.

Although we know better, we can still have unhealthy cravings. And there’s a thin line between craving and addiction (see THIS POST). It’s critical to keep in mind that healthy eating habits are an advantage, not a deprivation over the holidays. Knowing that you are choosing not to pollute your body with the toxic food ingredients that surround us all during these festive occasions will keep you on track and may even be an inspiration to others – who knows, perhaps they’ll learn to embrace these differences rather than resent them.

You gotta love the old adage, “Nothing tastes as good as health feels”, which prompts us to remember that yucky, lethargic feeling we used to get after indulging ourselves with sugary, salty, fatting, msg-laden foods.

In an ideal world, we would be surrounded by delicious, healthy, nutritious, hypo-allergic foods; especially at holiday time when everyone wants to feel their very best in order to make the most of their celebrations with loved ones. So in the spirit of the holidays, over the next couple weeks this blog will feature a variety of nutritious and satisfying plant based recipes that will help us stay on the path to optimal health and wellness.

We’ll start with these recipes, but stay tuned there’s more to come.

Appetizer – Mushroom-Almond Pate (serves 4 – 8)

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup almonds, ground
  • 2 oz. (approx ½ stick of Earth Balance vegan butter substitute)
  • ½ lb. portabella mushrooms, finely chopped
  • ½ tbs. salt
  • ½ tsp. thyme
  • pepper to taste
  • ½ cup water

Directions:

  • Melt the Earth Balance, add the thyme and sauté the mushrooms.
  • Add the water and allow the mixture to season and cook off a bit.
  • When the liquid is about halved, remove from the heat add the ground almonds and puree to a fine pate.

Serve with warm pita triangles or crackers of your choice.

Lentil, Walnut & Celery Salad (serves 4)

Ingredients:

  • 8 ounces lentils
  • 2 celery stalks, thinly sliced
  • 1/2 red or yellow bell pepper, chopped
  • 2 scallions, finely sliced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • cumin to taste
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • pepper to taste
  • 1/4 cup walnuts, chopped

Dressing

  • 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
  • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

Directions:

  • Cook the lentils with the salt, cumin and a bay leaf until just tender but not too soft depending on what sort of lentils they are.
  • Drain and cool (discard the bay leaf).
  • In a small bowl combine the rest of the ingredients and add to the lentils.
  • Shake together the vinegar and oil and pour over the lentils.

Can be served warm or cold.

Entrée – Tempeh Bourgogne (serves 4)

Ingredients:

  • tbs. olive oil
  • pkg. (approx 9 oz.) tempeh, sliced in bite sized pieces
  • package (8 oz.) mushrooms, sliced
  • large onion, chopped
  • 1/2 cup red wine or more if needed
  • 2 tbs. Braggs Aminos
  • salt to taste
  • 1/2 red bell pepper (optional), cut in small pieces
  • 1 tbs. arrowroot flour or cornstarch

Directions:

  • Heat the oil in a large frying pan.
  • Add the onions and saute until semi-clear.
  • Add the chopped red bell pepper and sliced mushrooms.
  • Lightly saute the vegetables.
  • Add the tempeh pieces and saute until golden brown.
  • Add the wine, Braggs and seasonings.
  • Shortly before serving, mix the cornstarch in a bit of red wine and add slowly this to the mixture in the frying pan, stirring until the sauce thickens.

Serve this with cooked potatoes, either mashed, or boiled.

Veganism & Yoga

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Introduction:

Yogic philosophy teaches us that food is to be considered a carrier of the life force called “Prana” and is judged by the quality & quantity of the Prana it contains and by the effect it has on our consciousness.

“Sattva” is defined as the quality of purity and goodness. Sattvic foods are pure, clean and wholesome, they’re foods that are abundant in Prana and their life-giving properties leave us feeling calm, alert and refreshed.

Another word common to Yoga philosophy is “Ahimsa”, the first yama of yoga, which asks us to do no harm. Ahimsa = non-injury (literally: the avoidance of violence) and insists upon us not harming other sentient beings – animals or otherwise.

A question often asked of vegans and those who eat only a plant-based diet is “What about plants – aren’t they sentient beings too?” Well no, not exactly. Sentient beings have minds; they have preferences, desires, or wants, and there can be no serious doubt that both humans and animals have interests, including an interest in avoiding pain and suffering and an interest in a continued existence.

Sri Ramana Maharshi, perhaps the most famous Self-realized sage of modern India, was asked what the most important aid to meditation was and he immediately replied “a pure vegetarian diet.” He quoted the ancient Chandogya Upanishad (D II 26.2) that says; “when food is pure, the mind is pure, when the mind is pure, concentration is steady, when concentration is achieved one can loosen all the knots of the heart that bind us.” Vegetarianism, especially veganism, is one of the main pillars of the purifying the mind.

The Spiritual Importance of a Plant-Based Diet for Yogis and Students of Yoga:

The Hathayoga Pradipika (section 58 of the main classical Hatha Yoga textbook), recommends avoiding “ …fish and meat” In the Mahabharata, which the Bhagavad Gita comes from, the importance of not eating meat is emphasized. The body, emotions, spirit and even our hereditary expressions are significantly affected by what we eat. Sensory inputs from numerous objects disturb us in many ways, not only consciously, but subconsciously and unconsciously also. In Sanskrit the term for this disturbed condition of awareness is called Vyutthita chitta or the disturbed (literally ‘provoked’) mind. Through proper plant-based diet, meditation, and other sattvic activities, we can reduce this state of disturbed awareness and experience a state of undisturbed awareness or equilibrium termed in Sanskrit as Samahita chitta or the concentrated (literally ‘collected’) mind in which the body, senses, prana and the mind all function in harmony.

The key element to the sattvic diet is plant-based foods. Flesh foods (meat, fish and poultry) and animal products (eggs and dairy) increase the animal frequency in the body and prompt animal-like tendencies into action such as the vibrations of anger, lust, fear and even murderous impulses. The energy of an animal based diet adds to the impurities of the mind and the nervous system.

There are those that claim that flesh foods are an essential part of their natural diet and so should not interfere with the unfoldment of their higher nature. But as written by Sri Yukteswar, the guru of Paramahansa Yogananda, in his book “Holy Science”, “Can flesh be considered the natural food of man, when both his eyes and his nose are so much against it, unless deceived by flavors of spices, salt and sugar. On the other hand, how delighted do we find the fragrance of fruits, the very sight of which often makes the mouth water?”

Flesh food and animal products promote a tamasic (dull and heavy) effect on the physical body and mind. They clog the pranic channels of the subtle body; the 72,000 nadis through which the Kundalini needs to move freely to do its spiritualizing work, and they tend to make the mind insensitive. The Manusmirti (5.49), an ancient law code of Hindu society, states, “Having well considered the origin of flesh foods, and the cruelty of fettering and slaying of sentient beings, a person should abstain from eating flesh.” It also states (6.60), “By not killing any living being one becomes fit for liberation.” Additionally the Yajur Veda (12.32) states, “You must not use your God-given body for killing God’s creatures whether a human or animal.”

A vegan way of life actively establishes six aspects of Ahimsa:

  • (1) Compassion and non-cruelty toward sentient beings;
  • (2) Safeguarding the earth and its ecology;
  • (3) Feeding the hungry and poor;
  • (4) Preserving human life;
  • (5) Establishing and maintaining personal health;
  • (6) And inspiring and promoting peace.

Yoga, Health and a Plant-Based Diet:

Yoga teaches that a vegan/vegetarian diet is not only essential for the spiritual life, but is also the basis for good health. Not only do those on a plant-based diet live longer, they actually have (according to more than a dozen research reports) two (potentially more) times the endurance than meat-eaters and they are much less susceptible to disease and other health problems. The eating of flesh foods has been proven beyond any doubt to significantly increase the likelhood of the occurance of major chronic diseases like cardio-vascular disease, hypertension, cancer, kidney disease, arthritis and osteoporosis, just to name a few.

People who eat animal products are also at a higher risk of various viral, bacterial, fungal, and parasitical infections. With flesh foods being at the top of the food chain they have about 15 times more pesticides and herbicides than plant-based foods. Animal products (i.e.: eggs and dairy) have about 5 times more pesticides and herbicides than vegetable foods. A vegan or vegetarian mother has less than 1% the amount of pesticides in her breast milk as a meat-eating mother.

Yoga and the Optimal Sattvic Diet:

The modern American equivalent of a traditional sattvic diet today consists of organic, whole, natural fruits and vegetables, seeds, grains and occasionally nuts. This diet emphasizes foods grown in harmony with nature, preferably by farmers using organic methods, planted in good soils, ripened naturally and then prepared with an attitude of love. Such foods carry the highest level of prana and consciousness. This modern sattvic diet does not include junk food, excessively spicy or salty foods, fried food, white flour, refined sugars, hydrogenated oils, saturated fats and other forms of food that unnaturally stimulate your blood sugar or agitate your mind. This diet avoids meat, fish, eggs and dairy as well. It does not include GM (genetically modified) or GE (genetically engineered) foods, irradiated foods or microwaved foods.

In summary:

The “yoga of food” is the art of selecting foods that increase the pranic forces for healing, purifying, calming and quieting the body and mind. It’s a dietary regime that energizes the 72,000 nadis so that the powerful, spiritualizing force of the Kundalini can move more freely through them, bringing us closer to the primary goal of yoga; freedom from the vrittis (tendencies) of the mind and the subsequent union with the divine.

Are You “Sold” on Organics?

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Make sure you’re not being “sold-out”!

If you are currently one of the growing numbers of those who go to great extremes in order to insure they’re eating healthy, organic food as much as possible (and practical) – BEWARE! You need to read the following report from Carolanne Wright (NaturalNews)…

Click on: The big sellout — Majority of organic companies owned by mega corporations

Greed and profits have now taken over much of the organic food production industry, with “Big Organic” joining “Big Ag” and “Big Pharma” as they compete for your dollars, rather than helping you find foods that insure optimal health and wellness.

The following quote is just one example of the deception that seems to be everywhere you look for some unadulterated, natural or healthy food:

”…as I was running late for a meeting I tried to find just one prepared food item that I would choose to eat from the hot food bar at Whole Foods Market last night. Everything offered was either dead animals, which are very un-hygienic to eat and a spiritually costly choice (Ahimsa), or GMO-laden dishes full of tofu (not organic) and other sordid attempts at pretend healthiness, much of which was smothered in dairy.”

I think we all were delighted to see healthy foods becoming more popular, but now it is becoming just another marketing ploy. If you want to eat energizing, life-giving foods you really need to research what you eat, and this goes way beyond reading labels; you need to know where your food comes from and, if possible, who grew it and under what conditions was it grown. If you don’t hold yourself accountable for truly understanding what you are actually putting your body, don’t expect anyone else to do it for you, your government certainly won’t do it, corporate farms and the biotech industries won’t do it; they actually want you to remain in the dark so that they won’t be threatened by you making intelligent, informed and responsible choices. You need to make up your mind; your body can a temple or a prison, and the biggest deciding factor? It’s Your daily choices.

Support your local and family farms; get to know the people you buy your food from. By supporting them, you will help them to resist the need to sell out to the corporate consolidations that are trying to drive them to bankruptcy.

We have to remain diligent and keep the demand for healthy foods increasing. On Jan. 21, 2010 a US Supreme Court decision overturned the legislative ban on corporate campaign financing. Government watchdogs allege that opening the floodgates to corporate dollars means that industry giants now have carte blanche to bankroll politicians who side with big ag and other corporate entities.

Where do we as consumers get to cast our vote? At the supermarket, the roadside stand and the family farm.

Moksha!!! Liberate yourself through education!