The Juicing/Smoothie COLOR CHALLENGE: PURPLE

Hello good people!!! I'm back with another COLOR CHALLENGE update! I'm a little late with posting the latest happenings with the Juicing and Smoothie group....but last week's color challenge was PURPLE! Fruits and vegetables the color of royalty (purple) are packed with anthocyanins which can provide numerous benefits:

Here are the juices and smoothies I made and consumed for the PURPLE challenge!

Red Capple Juice: 1/2 red cabbage, 5 brocooli stalks (didn't want to waste anything), 5 apples, 1 inch of ginger, hibiscus (sorrel) tea

Banana Berry Smoothie: 2 bananas, 1 cup frozen raspberries, 1 cup frozen strawberries, hibiscus  (sorrel) tea, flax and chia seeds,  dash of organic cane sugar

PURPLE Passion smoothie: 2 bananas, 2 cups frozen raspberries, 1 cup frozen blueberries, flax seed milk, hibiscus (sorrel) tea, and  chia seeds

Purple Breeze smoothie: frozen pinapples, 2 D'anjou pears, 1 cup frozen raspberries, 1 cup frozen blueberries, apple juice, chia and flax seeds

 

All of the juices and smoothies were DELICIOUS!!!!  The group is really having fun with the color challenge.  It's been exciting to put different recipes together and to see what others have created!  We're spreading the fruit and veggie love one cup at a time!!  Next color is RED!

What's YOUR favorite purple fruit or vegetable??

Peace and Love

The Juicing/Smoothie COLOR CHALLENGE - ORANGE

Hi Folks! The juicing/smoothie group on Facebook is off to another adventure!!! Eating and drinking the rainbow is a good way to ensure you are getting a variety of nutrients. So that's just what we're going to do! The first color of the challenge is orange. The goal is to make at least ONE orange colored fresh juice or smoothie this week and post it on the group page (recipe and picture). Click here to check out the group page.

Here's a recipe that I've posted before that may get your creative orange juices flowing!

There are many orange ingredients available in most markets that will provide a delicious, nutritious, power packed beverage.  Note - all ingredient do not have to be orange...but the final beverage should be.

Here are a few orange ingredients:
oranges
clementines
persimmons
pumpkin
butternut squash
carrots
orange cauliflower
golden beets
sweet potatoes

Join us on this week's color challenge! :)


Peace and love!!

Balance! Do you have it?

Hi Folks! Lately I've been struggling with finding the right balance in every aspect of my life.  As the year winds down, I wanted to reflect on what could make 2015 a better year for me.  In the Nutrition Nook post for My Faith and Fitness I explore what balance is and ways to achieve it.

Check it out!

http://my-faith-and-fitness.com/2014/09/nutrition-nook-zahra-balance-2/


Peace, Love and HAPPY FRIDAY!!!!!!!!!

Slamming Smoothie Contest - Incredible Hulk 2

Hi Folks! The next submission is called the Incredible Hulk 2 by Rona Daniel! Mmmmm.....looks mean and VERY GREEN! Grrrrrrrrrr RRRAH! I see  it has you all growling! I can hear ya from here!  :)

Incredible Hulk 2:
Mango
Kale
Spinach
Avocado
Banana
Cinnamon
1/3 cup oats
Almond milk
(Garnish with mango/apricot Greek yogurt and cinnamon/nutmeg)

This smoothie contains the following allergens: dairy, tree nuts (almond)

Thanks Rona! I love the beautiful green color! This smoothie is filled with two powerful greens: kale and spinach, with such alkalizing properties, vitamins and minerals you can't go wrong!

Incredible Hulk 2 Smoothie by Rona Daniel

The Parasite Cleanse - Part 2

Hi Folks – I cannot begin to tell you how tumultuous these last two weeks have been.  I need a wooo sah moment or just a simple vacation!!!!

I started theparasite cleanse two weeks ago with Well Diva Lifestyle (formerly known as Soul Food Therapy).  On day 2 of the cleanse, I broke rank and had ice cream (it was my birthday after all)!  The following week I had to travel for work.  Traveling has always been tricky because you never know what the food selection is going to be in the airports or at your final destination. Last year I wrote a series of articles that about diet and travel (Airplane Food parts 1 - 5). The difference in last year's saga was that I was not limited to foods parasites hat (FPH).   Most locations I visit are not metropolitan areas with a wide array of health food options.  Plus, I always use traveling as a means to get the naughty treats I normally refrain from (during a stress free week!). 

So here I go on a week long journey out of town, away from my kitchen stocked with foods parasites hate (FPH) and into the realm of foods parasites love (FPL).  I never really paid attention to the food choices (healthy or otherwise) in regards to what parasites hate.  It’s sad to say but MOST of the food available in the marketplace (restaurants and grocery stores) is a  parasite’s dream!  I wouldn’t be surprised if the general population was riddled with parasites based on the components of the standard American diet (SAD) that we consume. 

 

So how did I manage?  Did I give up?  Well…yes…and no.  Let me explain.

1 – I searched for food and snacks that parasites would hate in the airport.  It was quite disappointing and frustrating.  I found some snacks…..but they WERE NOT TASTY! I’m always talking about how healthy food should taste good but I was very disappointed and not eager to continue to torture myself.

 

2 - I stuck to my standard late night supermarket trip to pick up healthy snacks. This time, I included smoothie ingredients and a very small blender ($20).  I had a smoothie EVERY morning for breakfast but it went downhill from there. I did drink ample water and had no elimination issues.  

Late night grocery haul - berries, pineapples, nuts, basil, mint, coconut water, unsweetened peanut butter, celery, blender, water bottles, straws, crushed red pepper, lemons, small knife

 

I'm done.....EXHAUSTED........

3 – I compromised and ate foods parasites LOVE (FPL).  Examples: cheese on my salad with ranch dressing. Yeast rolls for lunch. Veggie nachos for dinner (with grilled veggies, beans, avocado, cheese and corn chips).  I had a stress episode on the last day and ate lasagna…………………and potato chips…..and a donut!

Lunch - salad with ranch and cheese - I added the nuts and pumpkin seeds

Lunch - salad, cole slaw and the forbidden potato salad

Dinner - veggie nachos (forbidden cheese and corn chips)

So I was on the edge and actually jumped in the water.  I felt slightly guilty…and even more disappointed because I did not stick to the program. I’ve rebelled during a cleanse before, but this time it just felt so hard.  Here’s what I learned:

1.       It’s really hard to remain faithful to a cleansing program while away from home.  When your comfort zone (the home kitchen) is stripped away and you are left to protect the cleanse in a “hostile” environment it can get rough.  I had difficulty and temptation even in the grocery store! I was so hungry in that grocery store a box of Nutty Bars was screaming my name!

 



Late night TEMPTATION
 



 

2.      Life happens.  You do the best you can, pick up the pieces and start again. There is no need to feel guilty or beat myself up.

3.      I’ve been exposed to another wellness activity and feel empowered that I can repeat it…..and actually complete the program.

4.      My advice to others is plan to do a cleanse when you don’t have anything else to do…no birthday celebrations, travelling, or visitors.  It can be done, but takes a lot more effort, and when you are away from home, you can never predict what type of food will be available. Granted I could have eliminated the cheese.........

 

Peanut butter and jelly smoothie ingredients (blackberries, strawberries, peanut butter, coconut water)

Pineapple, strawberry and mint with chia and coconut water

 

Infused water (lemon, mint and strawberries)

Next steps:

1.       Continue to pay attention to the foods I eat so that I can have a balance between foods parasites hate and love.

2.      Continue to eat pineapples and pepper along with the other yummy recipes I created while on the cleanse.

3.      Try the parasite cleanse again when there is less excitement in my life.

I'll leave you with key messages that have helped me:  just do your best.  Life is a journey.  Things are not always going to go as planned, but having a measure of self-control still goes a long way.  Will power is key in completing any challenge.  External forces can pressure your resolve.  It’s up to you to manage it, but don’t beat yourself up about falling short.  Just get back up and try it again. 

Even though the parasite cleanse was rocky, I’ve been enlightened on what parasitic symptoms are, how bad the standard American diet is, and how to manage my diet better.

Whew!

Peace and love!

The Parasite Cleanse!

Hi folks I have been super busy working on some new things!! Since we last spoke I started a PARASITE cleanse.  As you know I’m always looking for ways to improve my body.  Over the last 18 months I’ve participated in the following wellness activities:

·         Dry brush challenge

·         30 Day raw food challenge

·         Liver flush

·         The Daniel fast

Well Diva Lifestyle formerly known as Soul Food Therapy with Renee Simpson RD (registered dietician) is sponsoring this parasite cleanse.  We are on day #3 and I’ve already broken rank.  Today is my birthday (Whooo hooooo!!) and I had a hankering for some Ice cream….so I jumped in and had my fill! It's  my birthday after all!  Give a girl a break! Please no judgment! J

Why is ice cream bad to have during a parasite cleanse?

1.       Parasites love sweet things! The purpose of the cleanse is to expel the parasites from your system…not continue to feed them.

2.       There are other things that one should refrain from while on a parasite cleanse.  Like most detox or cleanses, a diet of clean unprocessed food should be consumed.

3.       Grains like white rice and wheat should be avoided.  Sweet fruits like peaches, bananas, apples, and plums should be benched.

4.       A laxative or colon cleanser is a must to help get those parasite out!

5.       Green leafy veggies, pineapple, papaya, pumpkins seeds, garlic, ginger and hot spices should be widely consumed (among other parasite cleansing foods).

Here is what the cleanse consists of:

1.       The cleanse is for 14 days.

2.       Omit foods parasites love (FPL) and consume foods parasites hate (FPH).

3.       Drink cleansing tea (clove, wormwood, and black walnut hull are a must)

4.       Take a laxative or colon cleanser

5.       Balance gut flora with probiotics

Not so bad right?  Well the summer is my prime time for consumer my all time favorite fruit: WATERMELON.  It’s been hard to refrain from eating it, but there are quite a few options for what you can eat while on this cleanse…and the tea is wickedly bitter!!!

What can you gain by doing a parasite cleanse (besides removing them)?

1.       Decreased bloating

2.       Decreased excessive gas

3.       Increased energy

4.       Better sleep

5.       Better digestion

6.     An end to anal itching

If you consume meat or sushi…..or any other raw food (even fruits and vegetables) – you probably have parasites in your body. 

So far I’ve tweaked my smoothies and juices to meet the FPH criteria, and I’ve created some yummy salads like this spicy black bean salad shown below (IT WAS DELICIOUS!!!!).  Check out more of the foods parasite hate!

Amazing Spicy Black Bean Salad (black beans, tomatoes, peas, garlic, olive oil, onions, cumin, salt, lemon juice, dill, sage, cilantro, parsley)

Grilled vegetable kabobs (pineapple, onions, squash, zucchini, eggplant, bell peppers)

Gazpacho (tomatoes, onion, garlic, olive oil, basil, red pepper)

Parasite tea! YUCK!

Purple Dawn smoothie (blue berries, pineapple, papaya, chia seeds, pumpkin seeds, coconut water)

Golden Tango smoothie: papaya, pineapple, banana, peaches, hemp seeds, chia seeds, turmeric powder - I was suppose to omit the banana and peaches......



How to Stay Haydrated and LOVE IT!

Howdy Folks! Summer is here!!! I love summer it's my favorite season! When it gets hot the only thing that will truly quench your thirst is W-A-T-E-R!

See how I've been staying hydrated on the most recent Nutrition Nook article on My Faith and Fitness blog by Crystal Cochren right here.

Infused water!


 

The Juice Journey: Mint the Undercover Aphrodisiac

Mint is a common herb.  You find mint flavored toothpaste, candy, floss, gum, tea, and mouth wash in almost every home across the globe.  But there is more to this herb than just being a breath freshener.

 

 

I started using mint in my fresh juices because I liked the flavor it added to my nutritious nectars of love. In my quest to understand and learn more about my nectar ingredients this is what I found out about mint:

1.       There are over 50 species of mint

2.       Menthol (an alcohol) is an active component which contributes to the essence or aroma of mint

3.       In high does mint can act as an aphrodisiac (not sure how high is high...to proceed with caution)

4.       It can eliminate intestinal gas

5.       Can behave as an antiseptic

6.       Can be used in  steam treatment for unclogging nasal passageways

7.       Mint can invigorate your body

8.       Can relieve headaches, migraines and alleviate rheumatic and muscular aches.

Here is a great recipe (one of my favorites – Family approved) using this mighty herb:

Orange Mint Juice:

 8 oranges

1/3 bunch of kale

2 inches of ginger

2 cucumbers

½ cup of pineapple

10 - 12 sprigs of mint

The preparation was a bit different from other juices I’ve made.  In order to get more of a minty punch I juice all the other ingredients and blended the mint in afterwards (see below). 

Juiced ingredients: oranges, pineapple, kale, ginger, cucumbers

 

Adding mint to the blender with juice

 

Mint and juice in blender

 

Orange Mint Juice (YUM - MY!!!)

OOOO WEEE! This was some great juice! One of my favorites!  Try it and tell me what you think!

Peace and love!

Hair Candy by Koosie: Are you living your dreams?

Hi Folks!  Do you know the reason why you were born?  What is your passion?  What do you LOVE to do?  More importantly can you make a living doing what you LOVE?  Today we are going to hear a testimony from Akua who we've featured before on The Natural Journey For Life.  She shared her hair routine and glorious curls with us last year!  We'll she's back to share her Hair Candy Journey. 

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Many businesses start from someone seeing a need and then filling that need.  Usually it starts in their home or close to home.  My need:  cute and unique hair accessories for all ages.  How did I fill that need:  Hair Candy by Koosie. 

I realized rather late in life that I have a talent for certain art forms or mediums.  One of those is graphic arts.  And the one that I am following up on now is creating pieces of art for your hair using ribbons, remnant fabrics, and most importantly beads.  I started dabbling or experimenting several years ago with different methods and finally settled on a few that have really worked.

My favorite and most creative Hair Candy barrettes are the beaded accessories.  I think it allows me to show tons of creativity.  My creations are usually tailor made for my clients.  Clients usually give me their favorite colors or what specifics on what they are looking for and I bring back the most delicious morsels of Hair Candy.  My goal is to base each custom piece on someone's personality.  I have a wonderful  and creatively weird sister.  So I use her for all of my experimental and wild designs.  Hair Candy for my older sisters are usually more conservative, though one loves tons of colors while the other just likes basic colors.  I enjoy the creative process.  Sometimes I have a plan and sometimes I don’t.  But starting out with pieces and putting those pieces together to create a unique piece of wearable art is wonderful!

Hair Candy for girls

 

Hair Candy for the adventurous

 

Hair Candy for the conservative!

 

 

I am a Federal employee who has experienced a very volatile employment year.  Because of this volatility I decided to really truly do what I love and put a price on it.  My goal is not to “Work for the Man” for the rest of my life.  I want to control my own destiny with God making the path clear.  I am still in the beginning phase.  But I feel motivated and hopefully will be more than a small business someday.

If you would like to purchase your very own Hair Candy by Koosie.  Shoot me an email at acolley96@gmail.com.  And we can start the order process.  You can also look at some of my other pieces by going to Hair Candy by Koosie on Facebook.

It’s never to late to create!

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Wow! Here is my Hair Candy!! Go and get yours!! Thanks Akua for sharing your Candy Journey!  We are born with gifts and talents and if we don't use them are we really fulfilling our purpose?  I think not! I can relate to Akua's story because I too have found my true purpose...and It's not "working for the man" the rest of my life.

I'm the adventurous kind......here's my Candy! :)

 

Have you found your passion?

 

Go get your Candy!

 

Peace and love!

 

The Juice Journey: Cabbage Cleanse Juice

This juice blessed my life through the inspiration of Rika Susan at Best Juicing.com.  She posted an article about the top 15 fruits and vegetables to juice (http://www.best-juicing.com/best-fruits-and-vegetables-to-juice.php).  I modified the recipe by adding two more ingredients.  The main ingredient is cabbage.  Cabbage?  In juice? Yep! Keep reading.

I didn’t know how awesome cabbage was until I made this juice and did a little research.  The cabbage family includes: broccoli, cauliflower, red cabbage, Chinese cabbage, savoy cabbage, Brussels sprouts, and kohlrabi.  I knew broccoli was good…and Brussels sprouts of course…but just plain cabbage?

The Cabbage Family....
 



Here’s some interesting facts about cabbage:

1.       Cabbage juice can heal gastric ulcers and  relieve stomach inflammation

2.       Due to the fiber content cabbage is a great laxative and can help ease constipation

3.       The sulphured substances act as antibiotics and help to re balance bacterial flora

4.       Cabbage juice can expel intestinal parasites (yikes!)

5.       Vitamin C content is comparable to oranges

6.       The phytochemicals found in cabbage have anti cancer activity
 

Here is the recipe:

 

 

 

 

Try it and tell me what you think!

 

Peace and love!

An apple a day REALLY does keep the doctor away!

Hi Folks! 

Fruit is ESSENTIAL to living a healthy life.  We oftentimes over look fruit for a other sweets that will eventually cause heath problems in one way or another.  Since I've been learning about juicing and doing more of it, my world has opened up to the true benefits of fruit!

Check out the Nutrition Nook on My Faith and Fitness blog to learn more!

Know what this fruit is???

Peace and love!

Why is Hair So Important?

Hi Folks!  I have a guest post  tonight that  brings an extremely provocative view on HAIR to the dinner table.  Hair all over our bodies and the connection nature has to it will be explored in this article.   I hope you will read this with open hearts and minds.  I found that some statements made me question my own ideas about hair.

Mark P. is a natural enthusiast and herbalist.  Here he is in his own words.

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Why is hair so important?

Facial Hair (nose, ears, eyelashes):

When you think of hair the first thing that may come to mind is beauty.  Long flowing locks that are shiny, soft, and straight.  Some folks still categorize hair as good or bad hair.  I even saw something online about different stages of hair, stage 1, stage 2, and stage 3 and so on.  Now I was asked to share something on hair so I’m going to talk about hair as I see it.   I always say nature has all the answers and is ever present when intelligent men look for solutions.  Ever look up as you pass through the toll booth and the top of the toll plaza is lined with fine wires sticking up at various angles? Or even in the mall parking lot at the top of those light poles.  They may likely have these same wires sticking up.  One of the main reasons for the wire is to stop birds from landing, eliminating waste or building nests all over the signs and lights. Now for those people that clip unsightly nose and ear hair remember that hair was put there for the same reason and that is to offer protection from insects entering your body and (worst case scenario laying eggs and multiplying inside of you).  Especially with your nose and ears being so close to the brain. Eye lashes are there for the same reason, to prevent some little fly from getting into your eyes. Hair also offers protection from dust and other airborne particles we may not see.

Nose hair removal...is it really necessary?

Ear hair...hope yours is not as full and fluffy!

Eyebrows:

The eyebrows were not only designed to divert water away from the eyes but to also stimulate the pineal gland. Ever had a suspicion about something or someone you saw or heard of?  Have your eyebrows been activated by raising up? The outer eyebrow goes up and the inner eyebrow goes down and you’re like “what the heck is going on here?” Now you’re on alert and start paying closer attention to this person.  “Okay…suspect is 5’4” about 160 lbs., blue suit, white shirt, red tie”.   Then facial recognition kicks in and you’re also looking for specific identifiers (like a pin of the American flag on his suit). So now that your pineal gland has been activated the next phase is sensing the energy that every living thing in this universe is vibrating.  Antennas go up in the form of the hair on your body hair standing at attention.  Like hair standing up on your neck.  Now that all your antennas are up you should be picking up the suit's vibrations.  If you are picking up a bad vibe then of course you will be more alert and aware of your surroundings and if the vibe is cool your body will relax.  But since we don’t listen to our bodies that much anymore we are blind to things like this because the professionals may say that it can’t be scientifically proven.  But Googling the situation for how to react is always on the table.

Eyebrow raise.....lol!

Underarm and private organ hair:

We all know that the lymphatic system plays a very important role in our body’s immune system. In your body’s lymphatic system here are over 200 lymph nodes that help fight bacteria to keep us healthy (since this article is about hair I’ll keep information on the lymphatic system high level).  The heavy bush that grows in these areas (underarm and private organs) work together with your lymph nodes as they breakdown and kill bacteria. The vast amount of hair that grows in these areas help remove some of the toxic waste that may reside in the lymph nodes. Hopefully your eyebrows are up right now and you’re thinking like a two year old and asking “WHY?” What other high energy parts are in these regions? You are right, it’s the breast, uterus, prostate, etc.  So in a world where there are so many toxins around us on a daily basis, why remove hair from parts of your body that were designed to help in so many ways? Come on people…..what in the world is manscaping?  And ladies the main reproductive organs are covered with hair for a reason (I don’t wonder why so many are having problems with conception).  I’m not saying that shaving the hair from these areas is the only cause of all their problems but it is definitely a part of the equation.  I’m not going to go too far with breasts but when we shave the hair from our underarms and use deodorants containing toxic heavy metals lumps will form because we are shutting down elimination channels.  By doing this we take a gamble that the other elimination sites can handle the extra load.

Is shaving armpit hair really the right thing to do???

Head Hair:

Now let’s talk a little about the hair on the head that everyone looks at. Question: is it me or do only Black people use the phrase “natural hair”?  I have never heard someone from Asia, Europe, Mexico, or Russia say that they are wearing their hair “natural”.  Remember your hair is an antenna to the universe! Yes, in our ancestor’s days hair styles were used to tell age, status and who the village healer was.  Moving forward, slaves leaving Africa had their heads shaved. This was to destroy identities and connections with their homelands.   Interestingly, even today all military personnel get their heads shaved. When the connection is lost or limited an individual can be controlled and programed  easier.  Hair defines who we are.  Now their universe becomes smaller and the level of consciousness drops to just doing their jobs and not thinking critically.  Without a doubt black people are the most spiritual people on the planet and because of this, ways to control and distort their self-image were created.  Namely by promoting hate of the natural coils and kinks that grew out of their heads.  Resolution to a "bad" head of hear, could only be found through chemical or heat treatments.  Chris Rock did a special on hair and there was a scene where they applied one of the more popular hair products (chemical relaxers) that my sisters and some brothers use on their hair to a soda can and it ate up the can. If it can eat through a soda can…what must it be doing to our bodies?  I’m going to leave you with this because this is supposed to be a short piece on hair and I’m just carrying on.  I can tell when the body is copper deficient because hair starts to turn gray. Copper is one of if not the best conductor there is. We know that a coiled antenna gets better reception than a straight one.  So I always say to people "don’t only look at the big picture as a whole".  Look through, under, behind, on the sides and in every corner of that big picture. Love yourself and love your hair it means more than you know.

My Natural Tresses (2008)

I’ll leave you with this scenario:  Take any woman or man working in corporate America with a perm (chemical relaxer), shave their head and put them on a 30 day detox to remove those harsh chemicals from their bodies.  I guarantee their level of consciousness and awareness rise within 6 months and you will hear or see signs that they want to pursue their independent dreams loose the desire to work for others.   

Again, I encourage you all to love yourself and love your hair (all of it!).  It means more than you know.

Mark P.

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That was heavy folks! Any questions/comments/concerns???  I have issues with keeping hair on certain areas of my body....not sure I'm ready to let all my hair frolic and live a life of freedom!!  I stopped chemically relaxing my hair years ago, because it was damaged.  After I went "natural", I began to LOVE my hair and the ability to have such versatility.   I then realized the connection I have with my ancestors and heritage by choosing the natural journey.  Hair is a blessing and just like the liver, kidneys, heart and skin....it plays a vital role in being healthy.

Peace and love!