Blog

What to Eat for Energy?

2011-08-02T19:02:01Z

Or should I say drink? This is a great way to start your day and it is FILLED with nutrition!!!

People are always asking me what to eat for breakfast that is light, fast, will give sustainable energy, keep the mind focused, and most importantly, TASTE GREAT! Well, this is how I roll.... this recipe is chock full of amazing nutritional profiles and will GIVE YOU everything I just mentioned, guarenteed! If you have a questions, post it and I will be sure to answer! Now... get ready to FEAST!

~ Green Tea Cacao Mania ~

What you want to do FIRST is brew up 3 cups of Green Tea & Gynostemma. I use organic loose leaf tea that I place in a mason jar. I first pour enough COLD spring water to cover the herbs (about and inch of water to be sure that the hot water keeps from scalding them). Pour the rest of the hot spring water, over the cold water and herbs, filling up mason jar. Cover, and let steep for 10 minutes.

NEXT strain tea and pour into blender adding these ingredients:

(Note: All ingredients are organic, non-GMO, and/or wildcrafted)

*Arriba Raw Cacao Paste (1/4 of a square)

*1 TBL Mucuna Extract

*2 TBL Maca Powder

*1 TBL Cinnamon Powder

*1 tsp Bee Mana

*1 tsp Bee Pollen

*1 tsp Lions Mane Extract

*1/8 tsp Reishi Extract

*2 TBL Xylotol

*2 TBL Raw Honey

Blend and serve!!!

(Note: this makes 2 - 3 servings. Although if your bad a** you can drink the whole thing...

watch out ;-)) Remember to let the tea cool slightly ... warm enough to melt the Arriba cacao paste & cool enough so as to keep the integrity of the ingredients.)

** You can find most of the ingredients listed above at the Longevity Warehouse, although the special medicinal mushroom extracts I am using are coming soon to the public from Immortality Alchemy!

Lessons In Parenting From A Barely Hatched Robin

2011-05-25T19:08:13Z

Courtesy of The Girlie Girl Army...

By: Chloe Jo Davis (Founder of GGA)

Yesterday I met up with my Mom in Riverside Park here in New York City. She waited about ten minutes to tell me that she had found an abandoned half hatched (still in it’s egg) robin or sparrow’s egg on the street. It has been super rainy and windy the past week, so it must have fallen out of it’s nest. “I put it on a warm sock near a candle. It’s moving around like crazy! I see it’s heart beating!” she said “Now what do I do?” My animal-loving heart starting immediately beating out of its chest. I told her to run upstairs and get the egg, put it in a box, and bring it to me. She came down with a little egg the size of a gumball, with a tiny beak poking out, opening and closing, either in pain or looking for food from its Mommy. My breastmilk began to leak a little. I literally wanted to breastfeed this nickle sized creature. I called all of my animal rescue friends, and was given a billion places to take the chick. I ended up at Animal General’s Wild Bird Fund on 88th and Columbus where I was shocked to hear that New York is the ONLY major city to not have a wildlife rehab center. The Wild Bird Fund is run by a gentle lady named Karen Heidgerd who told me eggs as little as the one my Mom found weren’t usually viable, because they “need their Mother’s” but that she would take home the egg and see if a Morning Dove she had at home who had some eggs, would hatch this little teeny egg. If not, she said she would euthanize the little creature so s/he wouldn’t be in pain anymore.

The site of this tiny thing’s heart beating, little limbs flailing, and mouth opening and closing is a visual that will sit in my soul forever. I mean, if I weren’t already vegan… I would have gone veg for life at that very moment. But I digress. If human babies were dropped in the wild, without their Mom’s, they certainly wouldn’t survive either. Humans have created this culture of formula and Nannies, but in truth, babies need their Mommy’s. I see the kids all over the Upper East Side without their Mommy’s all day long, being pushed by Nannies on their cell phones.. and I could swear, I hear them calling out for their Mommy’s.

So I’ll say it, and I’ll spray it… KIDS NEED THEIR MOMS as much as this robin needed it’s Mom. Human baby may not die, but it’s spirit weans and it lessens it’s faith in love. I see the sad eyes in these kids. A few days ago I saw a set of triplet babies, being pushed by three nannies. THREE. Probably man-made (IVF) multiples, this couple had gone through all that work to not raise their own babies? I don’t get it. I think our society needs a wake up call. If you don’t have time to be a full time Momma, don’t have kids. It should be that simple. And there is absolutely no shame in choosing to be a career maven, and not a baby toting lady. It’s one thing to work once your child is a wee bit older (1 and up) and have some assistance, but when it gets to the point where you have a weekend nanny (my next door neighbors have two kids, and two nannies. I just recently met the Mom after living here for a year) – shit needs to change. Could our society overwhelmed with anxiety, depression, and disorders perhaps be a symptom of abandonment? If we all were breastfed and attachment parented, would we all still be on anti-depressants?

Read full article HERE.

I Never Knew Hunger Until I Was Pregnant....

2011-02-04T02:00:19Z

I never knew Hunger until I was pregnant....

We sit in our comfy homes pampered and primped as we pontificate at the knowing of hunger. We are either entrepreneurs, wall street analysts, sales professionals, dreamers, or any other personality type that talks about a "hunger within".... I myself have known this hunger. Some call it "a fire in the belly"... Les Brown, one of the greatest motivational speakers of our time, speaks about how "You gotta be HUNGRY!" All of this is true, especially when going after a dream.

And then you meet hunger...

Pregnancy hunger is strong like a person or thing that literally has you on your knees, humbled by its sheer presence and your arrogance in thinking you EVER knew what "that" ACTUALLY was or is...Your man will do everything he can to help satisfy that hunger and we must be kind, gracious, and grateful as there is no amount of food that will ever suffice! Id say that the only people that can relate to the hunger of a pregnant woman may be those who are homeless and have been unable to eat for a month, or live in a third world country and are emaciated and distended due to a complete lack of nourishment on every level. In fact, those whom have experienced the aforementioned undoubtably have something to teach of hunger putting my pregnant ranting to shame!

I am now in my 7th month of pregnancy and hunger continues to teach many things. It is physical, it is emotional, it is spiritual. Meeting this new found hunger, I am re-discovering aspects of nutrition that I myself in 15 years of study thought I had figured out. Once again, I am humbled.

Each aspect of hunger seems to trigger a part of the other, like the Trinity, they all exist at the same time offering tremendous insight into emotional eating patterns, triggers, and stuffed emotions. It brings light to the hunger of the Spirit... For is it the hungry meanderings of the undernourished Spirit that lead to feeding our emotions which then triggers some kind of physical response?

I suppose that is like asking did the chicken come before the egg or the egg before the chicken? We may never know...

I can say that in all my years of training, coaching, and teaching, I find myself at the precipice of something greater then ever before ... I ask you, as I ask myself... What are you hungry for? Where have you left yourself undernourished? What is it that your Soul or Spirit is crying out for and WHY have you continued to deny it?

Hunger is physiological, psychological, and spiritual... and self love is at the root of it all.

♥ GB

Re(al)Solutions... Have you set your goals?

2011-01-14T06:52:51Z

Morganne Frazier continues to inspire me! She is an incredible girl with a vision that requires each of us at any age to sit and ponder our own existence and how one can improve!

I met Morganne at a Pilates studio in NY after filming the show on We TV, "The Secret Lives of Woman." It turns out that Morganne had seen the episode and I had inspired her! She reached out for a coaching session in order to help her achieve goals in a more optimal state of health and emotional well being.

Most sessions are an exchange for both parties in that you as the student receive the support and information necessary to put your goals into action and get results and I as the coach inevitably receive insight into my own being and how I too can set my own goals into action. This is the beauty of true giving and being open to receive... it is an ebb and flow.

Morganne has become a dear friend and continues to teach and inspire not just myself but ALL those who's path she crosses. I had to post this blog of hers as her play on words is insightful and witty to say the least... in addition, her desire to help people make REAL CHOICES, REAL CHANGES, and RE(al)SOLUTIONS reflects my deepest vision in humanity. May we all continue to have the courage to change the things we can and the wisdom to know the difference!

RE(al)SOLUTIONS - by: Morganne Frazier

Re(al)start
It's that time of year again. Okay, New Years has this stigma surrounding it of resolutions and what we are going to do this year, what we are going to accomplish, blah, blah, blah...

But, take a look at the word "resolution."

Dissect it;

Re-Solution
...a solution you make again?

Well if it was a real solution, it would have been solved the first time!

How many times have you had great ideas, goals, and ambition to do something? How many times did something occur that prevented you from reaching success? Maybe you didn't know where to begin. Maybe you didn't have all the tools you needed. It's possible you weren't receiving enough support. This year it's going to be different. Instead of allowing our beautiful ideas fall like the snow and melt away come spring, let's make a commitment to make REAL SOLUTIONS!

Just to make things clear, this isn't about being perfect. We are already perfect for being imperfect. This program is about messing up, but more importantly learning from those times. If you did something you didn't want to do you accept it, learn from it, and move on. It's called progress and we are in a constant state of progress, let's embrace it together.

So now it's time to begin. We're not restarting, we're giving ourselves the opportunity to get a real start. Infact, a kick-start to health.

Setting your goals.

Establishing a few goals is a really great way to initiate your journey to optimal wellness. Why you ask? Goals set guidelines. They allow you to visualize what you need to do, where you need to go, and most importantly what you've accomplished!

Some may already have an impressive amount of things they crave to achieve. These are your "big goals." Others may be a little stuck on what their goals are. Take a bit of time and organize your goals. Make a list of nutrition, fitness, emotional, financial, and even 'outlandish' goals.

After you establish your "big goal" categories, open your mind. Understand that this will not happen overnight. That's the beauty of it. The learning experience. Sometimes it will be fun, sometimes it will be bumpy and you may want to give up. Don't! You have so much support here. The fact of the matter is that through this journey, you create life-style patterns. Like I said this is not a quick fix. Through your journey to health, time assists you in creating stability through the formation of positive habits.

From here you will move on to a timeline. Some goals will require more time to achieve so it's important to take into account your regular schedule, budget, etc... Another thing we need to understand is that life happens. If you couldn't get in that work out, oh well! If your car broke and you needed to spend that bit of money, it was necessary. If you ate a sugary snack because it was all that was available when you were hungry, oops! Don't beat yourself up for the lessons you learn on this adventure.

For some, you may want to physically visualize your goals. Some may feel more comfortable keeping their goals to themselves. A great suggestion is to write these goals in your notebook or journal. Say your goal is to do 15 push ups, you can track your progress more easily this way. It also feels super great to visualize your accomplishments! Feel free to write your goals on a piece of confetti in the Pilates in Motion studio! It's always exciting to see what goals are circulating. It's also a great way to obtain community support.

As far as this blog is concerned, this your tool to optimal health. This isn't going to magically get you where you want to be, but it will help. Only you can achieve your goals through hard work and dedication. The blog is here to assist you with any questions, concerns, or other things you may need help with. How does that work? Well, when you post comments and questions on the site; articles will be posted pertaining to these very topics! That's right, this blog is going to suit your needs!

Remember, we're here to support and assist.

To follow Morganne's blog go to RE(al)SOLUTIONS BLOG

Gluten Free & Guilt Free!

2010-08-16T21:19:52Z

People always ask me if I am 100% raw. My answer usually goes something like, "I am 100% raw except when I'm not."

LOL - yes, I get a few sideways glances ... My point is that I have been living the Raw Superfood Lifestyle for 10 years and I have yet to ever get a cold. All of my ailments went away and my life dramatically improved on EVERY level! Through this 10 year journey, that is still continuing, I discovered that dogma on ANY level was less than supportive.

By now you know that it is my belief that SELF LOVE is the NUMBER 1 ingredient in optimal health. There are no rules, only choices ... and this is a motto I live by! Whole food, organic food, mineral rich food, placed atop a foundation bathed in LOVE is how we become vital! It is the way to longevity! Prayer ... prayer is another key. It is in this prayer of gratitude that we honor ourselves and the food laid out before us.

Today I want to share with you a little about my day, as far as food is concerned. I woke up about 8 AM and took a moment to become present ... I did some stretching and drank 32 oz of spring water with salt and lemon. Next, I ate some fresh fruit ... I have been loving the local organic peaches that are in season! I turned on my computer, then went and stood on the deck to appreciate the breathtaking, panoramic view of the red rocks.

In that space I took time to be grateful for all that I have in this life. After a while, I moseyed my way into the kitchen where I made my Superfood elixir! GOD I love Superfoods!!!

Every morning it varies slightly; today it was:

3 cups Spring Water

1/4 cup Hemp Seeds*

1/4 cup Chia Seeds*

2 TBL Maca

2 TBL Coconut Oil*

1 TBL Lucuma Powder

1 TBL Mesquite Powder

1 TBL Goji Powder Extract

a dash of Cacao nibs*

squeeze of Stevia Vanilla Extract

1 TBL Xylitol* (birch)

(* = Organic , all other ingredients wild crafted)

Oh and 4 ice cubes as it is hot as all get out here in the dessert! I blend this baby up, pour into my 32 oz Mason Jar and yum, yum, yum!

Now its some hours later as this Superfood cocktail usually has me purring like a cat for a solid 4-5 hours ... I am beginning to get a taste for something ... hmmm ... what do I want???

Well here it is ... I want this totally delicious, MOSTLY raw, open face sandwich! Because I believe in opening up the mind to brand new paradigms and I am quite aware that there are no rules and only choices ... I am sharing this recipe to let you know that I love myself so much, I eat only the best food ever!!! I live by what FEELS GOOD and supports the optimal wellness of my being in every capacity.

First I start with gluten free organic bread!

I take this delicious bread made of amaranth, millet, quinoa, filtered water and sea salt and I toast it until its nice and crunchy!

While it is toasting, I pour myself a glass of Kombucha and take two digestive enzymes. I ALWAYS take enzymes when eating anything cooked or any type of heavy raw food meal. This helps the body move things along. I also take probiotics twice a day that have a minimum of 15 billion in potency.

Now back to the gluten free bread that is toasting ... after I pour the Kombucha and take my enzymes, I prep the other veggies and toppings!

First, I grab an organic Granny Smith apple and slice it with my ceramic knife, next I slice my organic local tomato, that is so red and ripe, my mouth is watering just looking at it! Then I open the organic Hass avocado; I keep one half with the pit and cover for later and the other half I cut into slices. Next, I take the RAW ORGANIC GRASS FED goat cheese and slice it paper thin so it will gently melt on the warmed bread!

My bread pops up from the toaster and I begin to layer! First the raw, organic, grass fed, goat cheese, next the tomato, sprinkle my favorite sea salt, then the avocado slices and another sprinkle of salt!

Some may want to add mustard too!

And Viola! I have a tasty nutritious lunch!

If you are going to eat cooked foods, it has been my experience, that best foods to eat are whole foods that are gluten free and organic, made with love in the best way possible. Take your enzymes and help support the body in digestion! It is my belief that even at 100% raw which I am pretty much all of the time, and you can ask my friends as they think I am pretty hard core, it is best to take probiotics and enzymes on a regular basis! Food is just ONE of the keys in optimal nutrition ... clean, high integrity supplements are another, love and gratitude, are yet another set of keys to the vast and wondrous realm of health and vitality!