“How eating Seasonally and locally supports you most nutritiously and healthfully”

18 Raw Recipe Tips before you get started on your Recipes

Before you get started on a recipe, here are a few basic points to keep in mind:

Your ingredients should be raw, of course (raw carob powder, raw tahini, raw almond butter, unpasteurized miso, and so on). A few recipes call for items that are not raw . These can be used for flavor, if desired or ommitted.

Use Organic produce when possible.
Wash all produce.
Peel what needs to be peeled (for example, bananas, avacados, jicama, papayas, and any waxed produce); otherwise, leave the peel on (for example, carrots, apples, and unwaxed cucumbers).
Remove large, hard seeds, such as those as of dates and prunes, and also some smaller ones, such as those of citrus fruits and papayas.
Remove woody stems, such as those as figs and apples.
Use pure water in any recipe that calls for water (or for soaking).
When a recipe calls for soaking nuts or seeds you’ll typically soak them in twice as much water as their dry volume. Large nuts are generally soaked from eight to twelve hours. Small nuts and seeds are generally soaked from four to six hours. Rinse nuts and seeds in a colander after soaking, and drain them well and quickly before using them. Discard the nut soak water in the garden or use it to water plants. It is not for consumption. Dried fruit should be soaked in a small amount of water (just enough to cover) until it is tender. The soak water can usually be included to add moisture to a recipe. Certain recipes may deviate from these guidlines.)
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Shopping at a “brick and mortar” store has its advantages, such as the products being right there in front of you. However, the internet provides much more than that. Browsing vitamins and supplements online provides additional information about the products, as well as great prices and a larger inventory than many walk-in stores. Shopping online offers convenience, privacy, and a broader selection of products with savings rarely found at your local store. Through the internet, you can find suppliers for items you use every day and even unique items that you may be interested in trying. Another benefit of shopping online is the ability to obtain information on a variety of similar supplements that may be closely akin to the product you already use.

In recent years, the sale of health supplements has increased as more people have become aware of the health benefits they provide. A growing percentage of supplement sales are occurring online. Internet shoppers are rewarded for their patronage by the numerous health supplement discounts and loyalty programs that are relatively easy for buyers to find. (more…)

Most of the times, the necessary body building diet that can drive our training into the thresholds of success is not exactly what we would rather eat if we were let to choose. Yet the healthy foods you must eat, the dieting schedules you must keep and the consistency you must observe are not only good for you muscle pursuit but also for your health.

Like most conventions, even dieting for a body building program sometimes becomes a bore and we feel very low emotionally. We loose the psyche to cook and eat the same, same food over and over again, without breaking the trend and buying some fries and chocolate once in a while. This very eventuality is what makes it hard to diet, the fact that we are limited in what you should eat. Were there no limitation and no requirement, say for example what you eat is all that is available, you would not be bored or lustful to eat the junk anyway. (more…)

Weight is almost a constant obsession with Americans. We fear the scale, and judgmental stares. We secretly believe that being overweight or obese is because of our lack of self control. Sometimes we become angry at ourselves or depressed because of our weight. Body dysmorphic disorder is a condition that is common in the United States. This is manifested by a person’s fixation on their physical appearance and small or nonexistent flaws. This is considered a psychiatric disorder that is growing in prevalence. Surveys show that more than 85 percent of Americans believe that they should lose weight.

However, sometimes we reach a point where we have little control over our weight. Of course we need to be healthy. We should work to avoid obesity or get ourselves safely out of it, because it is a serious danger to health. But other than that: exercise regularly, eat nutritiously and balanced meals, take a good multivitamin, and give yourself a break. There are many factors about our weight such as genetics and environment that we cannot control. Many people will never have the body of a model no matter how hard they work for it and that is all right. Most models are airbrushed and starving. (more…)

Achieving a healthy diet is one of the most important tasks during pregnancy. Your body is creating an entire new body for your baby that needs essential vitamins to get started. If you are not fortified with these vitamins, either you or your baby will go without, causing weakness or complications.

As you plan your diet, don’t forget to drink plenty of water to keep your cells hydrated and your entire body running smoothly. Water and milk should be your first choice when considering a beverage. When you are pregnant you will need to eat more calories than usual, but make sure they are rich with the substances you need to stay strong. (more…)

If you’re like most people, conquering your cravings is one of the biggest challenges you face in your fitness and weight loss journey. As soon as the word “diet” crosses your lips, you may start craving all the junk you know you’re not supposed to eat. The secret is eating the right foods to help calm the cravings instead of the wrong ones. Add these 7 easy-to-find, tasty foods to your meal plan, and take control of your appetite before it takes control of you!

Appetite Suppressing Foods #1: Protein Shake
This is the key ingredient of how I lost 70 pounds in 4 months and have kept it off for over 15 years. Meal replacements do not have to be bland to be effective. This is the ultimate fast food – 1 minute in the blender with milk and fruit, that is it. Not only will you suppress your appetite, but you will get all the nutrition of a well balanced meal without the calories. There is a reason why this works and a plate of pancakes with syrup does not. (more…)

Calories can seem to sabotage our diets on a daily basis. Working out for 30 minutes can burn up to 350 calories but it just take half a cup of your favorite coffee drink to put those calories back into your body. Cutting 100 calories from your diet on a daily basis might be much easier then you thought. From blotting the grease off your favorite piece of pizza to skipping the whip cream on your favorite drink will diminish those extra calories in a jiffy! Before you know it your calories will be gone and so will your saddlebags. Dr. Pousti has put together a list of 20 ways you can cut 100 calories from your diet and look amazing for the rest of summer.

1. Go for regular coffee with sugar free splenda and non-fat milk and skip the calorie packed Frappuccino.
2. Instead of eating a whole bagel try splitting it with a friend and consume half the calories.
3. Make your eggs with egg whites only and still get your protein without the fat and cholesterol that is found in the yolk.
4. Say no to cheese on your sandwich.
5. Skip out on the croutons when eating a salad.
6. Eat a turkey burger instead of a regular burger.
7. Order your hamburger protein style, no bread just lettuce wrapped around the meat and veggies. (more…)

Most people who are health-conscious enough to take a daily multivitamin are probably also trying to eat well. Most likely they try to eat plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables, all-natural whole grains, and lean protein. This alone, combined with a consistent exercise regimen, will definitely keep you looking and feeling younger. But the real secret to anti-aging may be in the daily multivitamin. A recent study has shown that there may be an incredible life-extending effect that results from taking a daily multivitamin.

There is a natural lifespan to normal, healthy cells that is linked to the so-called telomerase shortening mechanism. The telomeres function by ensuring the cell’s chromosomes do not fuse with each other or rearrange during cell replication. This is very important because it basically helps the cells to avoid developing into cancer. Telomeres have been described as the ends of shoelaces, without which the lace would unravel.

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For many years now it has become more apparent that nutrition played an important role in the life of a drug addict, alcoholic, methadone patient or other that might be chemically imbalanced. Today many are looking for answers to help solve the problem of nutritional deficiencies in alcoholics, drug addicts and methadone treatment patients. This search was pioneered by a group of doctors who developed a vitamin mineral supplement to help people with drug problems. Today more people are paying attention to this problem with their clients whom are in treatment. In many cases it is being added to their treatment plans. The big problem then is what course of action needs to be taken to positively affect a change in their client’s health and nutrition.

Many times the course of action to address the problem is to tell the person to start taking a “good” vitamin. Maybe they tell them to go to a health food store and try some specific product that might give them some relief. This can be expensive road to follow, trying to find the right vitamin supplement for each case. Vitamin B in various forms is most often recommended for low energy but that is just one issue. Then people are told another product to help other issues (Something for this and something else for that.). The result is that there is no real change because the treatment is not complete. The problems persist and sometimes even worsen. The person gives up and becomes skeptic towards the benefit of health and nutritional supplements.

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Studies have shown that if you are starving yourself, then you aren’t losing weight effectively. That doesn’t mean that you should just eat anything that you have a craving for, and not eat within moderation. Yet, it does mean that if you are subscribing to a weight loss strategy that has you missing meals and starving your body, then it will turn out poorly for your overall health. Breakfast is a meal that many people miss eating, to the detriment of their weight loss goals.

A meal that Americans are having trouble eating is a healthy breakfast. Studies have shown that a well balanced breakfast is a keystone to a healthy diet and lifestyle. Many people who are trying to lose weight miss manage breakfast, and that leads to failure in their weight loss ambitions. Breakfast, as the name of the meal explains, is the breaking of the night’s fast. Your body has been sleeping, and recharging during the night’s sleep. When sleeping your body is conserving energy, and partially shutting down. This partial shutdown slows your body’s metabolism. The body doesn’t start to metabolize and burn energy, which is how your lose weight, until it takes in some form of nutrients. That is one of the many reasons why breakfast is essential to losing weight. Once you eat breakfast, your body will start to burn energy, and prepare for the daily load ahead of it.

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