Organic

Eating Organic for a better you and a better world

Eating organic simply means eating the way nature intended food to be. It is the way the world ate for centuries. The more recent style of production is referred to as "conventional," though organic production has been the convention for a much greater period of time. There was never a need to label food as organic until we stated producing toxic food.

It would make more sense to label food as toxic, including a list of pesticides and other chemicals used to grow the food, rather than need to label normal food as "organic."

When buying organic you make sure that your food does not have enormous amounts of pesticides, has no hormones or antibiotics and is respectful for the earth and environment.

Organic is better for you because you receive:

• Better tasting food. Better nourishment for the soil, goes into the plant and ends on our plate, revealing better flavor.

• Much higher nutrition levels (up to 19 times than non-organic).

• Healthier food. Save yourself from all the possible sicknesses and problems that chemicals, hormones and antibiotics might cause. A 1987 National Academy of Sciences report estimated that pesticides might cause an extra 4 million cancer cases among Americans. In addition to cancer, pesticides are implicated in birth defects, nerve damage and genetic mutations. The EPA considers 60 percent of all herbicides, 90 percent of all fungicides and 30 percent of all insecticides carcinogenic.

• Look for the “9”. The product number on the sticker on the produce has to begin with a 9 if it is organic.

Organic farms are better for the planet:

• Non-organic food farms suffer from the worst soil erosion in history.

• Protect water quality. Ground water is contaminated with pesticides (some cancer causing) in 38 states, the main source of drinking water for more than half of the country’s population.

• Modern farming uses more petroleum than any other single industry, consuming 12 percent of the country’s totally energy supply. Organic farming is still based on hard human work, from weeding to green manure and cover crops, instead of synthetic fertilizers.

• Most organic farms today are still small and family owned.

• Support a healthy economy. Even though organic might seem more expensive, in reality, it costs more to produce non-organic food (when you include pesticide regulation and testing, hazardous waste disposal and cleanup, and environmental damage including estimated $74 billion annually in federal subsidies).

• Some food is GMO (Genetically modified), i.e. a lab-invented food. Most common GMO food is soy, corn and canola. This food has fewer nutrients, less flavor and is heavily sprayed. A food that is only good to the pocket of its inventors. Buying organic ensures you dot not get GMO food. Anecdote: I went to a big chain supermarket to buy tomatoes. They did not have organic, so I asked the kind employee if he knows how good these tomatoes are. Many times a farm is in process of becoming organic, or does not spray, but is too small to pay for the organic certification. He highly recommended the tomatoes. He said they are great and can last for at least 2 weeks. Hmmm, I thought, how can that be? Ah, he said. They are made with pig genes in them so they can withstand heavy spraying and will not perish easily. So for all of you that eat Kosher or Halal, watch out! You might be a eating a sinful tomato!


For more information visit:
www.ccof.org
www.organic.org
http://www.organicconsumers.org/

Foods that will make you happy

Love that happy feel, where the world looks pretty? Attitude is the first step, a sense of seeing the half glass full. Here are some foods that can help as well:

• Dark Chocolate or even better, raw cocoa nibs; Coco is rich in magnesium, which helps relax and enjoy a nice quiet mood.
• Sprouts – can give you some high. They are so alive and waiting to burst out into full form, that when you take in some of that crunch, you get the extra power of potential (rich in folic acid and soluble fiber)
• Dark leafy greens will boost your energy and immune system, giving you a sense of power and strength. Eat them as raw as possible. Consider Kale your new best friend (rich in folic acid and soluble fiber).
• Mung beans, sunflower seeds, asparagus, pineapple, and bananas can lift your spirits, as they are rich with tryptophan an amino acid converted by the body into the feel-good chemical serotonin.
• Brown rice is warming sweet and grounding. Chew well. (Rich in B vitamins.
• Wild salmon and sardines (rich in omega 3 fats and vitamin D)
• Ground flaxseeds (rich soluble fiber, omega 3 fats, and folic acid)
• Not a food but is natural and works too: St John's wort is the best natural antidepressant.

And remember. Nothing beats a smile a day. Try a big smile every few hours as you eat some yummy food.

Kale, The Ninja Veggie

Welcome to Ninja Green: KALE, one of my favorites for many good reasons!
Kale is a green leafy vegetable of the wild cabbage family, big in the times of ancient Rome and widely used by peasants, brought to the US by English Settlers in the 1600s.
Kale is hardy and tastes best after a frost, sweeter when fresh, more bitter as it ages… best in the winter, but available year round. Choose crisp vibrant looking Kale with no discoloration (yellowing), and make sure it is organic.

Popular varieties are:

• Curly Kale (Scotch Kale): Dark green leaves, a bit tough, defined stock and a nice peppery, pungent bitter deliciousness.
• Dino Kale (known also as Lacinato Kale): very dark green with an embossed texture, slightly less stocky, a bit sweeter and more delicate than the Curly Kale.
• Russian Kale (known also as Purple Kale): broader and deeply serrated leaves. More delicate and mellow flavored kale. Easy to eat raw, or very quick blanching or steaming.
• Ornamental Kale: like a bouquet of flowers, ruffled edged violet and cream leaves. Mostly used as garnish.

Health Benefits:

• Kale is an excellent source of Carotenes, Vitamin C, B6, and manganese.
• 1 cup of Kale supplies more than 70% of the RDA of vitamin C with only 20 calories!
• It is a great source of fiber, minerals including copper, iron and calcium, and a good source of B1, B2 and E Vitamins.
• Kale is warming, eases lung congestion, benefits the stomach, and is a specific healer for the liver and the immune system. Good for the eyes (contains Lutein).
• Ayurveda: Kale reduces Pitta and Kapha

Preparation tips:

Start by washing the kale well. Then remove the leaves off the stem. If cooking Kale you can start by chopping the stems and cooking them first, adding the leaves later. The leaves are ready as soon as they turn bright green. If you cook them too long they turn not so pretty olive green and loose lots of their nutrients. Salt helps bring out the bright green, while acid might turn it army green. So if adding acid, like lemon, add it at the end before serving, and it will stay beautiful.

I love my Kale raw. My favorite salad is inspired by Esalen’s famous Kale salad. Any type of kale would work.

Kale Salad:
Remove the leaves from the stem, and shred them (you can simply tear them by hand to bite size pieces.
Save the kale stems for stock or throw them into your juice or smoothies, they are a great source of fiber.

Dressing:

• 1 part olive oil
• 1 part lemon juice
• 1 part NamaShoyo (or any other good quality organic soy sauce, including Braggs) NamaShoyo is unpasteurized, and raw, so better flavor and more health benefits.

• Whisk dressing well.
• Massage the dressing into the leaves till they are completely coated ( and look bright green). The longer the kale sits with the dressing on it, the softer it gets, so sometimes I make it a few hours ahead. It also means that it will still be great the next day.
• I love adding nuts and seeds, like pumpkin and sesame (I sprout them first, but not a must).
• You can also slice some daikon radish thinly into the mix. Play and enjoy!

Veggie juices and shakes:

• 4 large leaves of Kale and stock rough chopped
• 1-2 Cups apple juice (to get the blender turning)
• Add veggies like daikon and radishes for a pungent taste
• Add a small amount of beets for a sweeter juice
• add soaked flax seeds with their water (good fats, fiber and omega 3's)
  
• Add berries for a summer feast?
• My recent Love is Kale, apple juice, frozen mango cubes and some shredded coconut, YUM.
• Play and enjoy, it’s hard to go wrong!

More Ideas:

• Lightly sauté kale leaves in olive oil with some fresh garlic. Add a bit of lemon juice or tamari (soy sauce) before serving.
• Braise Kale. Remove from heat and add balsamic vinegar, apples, walnuts and goat cheese.
• Use it as a Pizza topping. Yummy and looks great on red sauce or white cheese.
• Add it to your favorite bean soup or stew (add stock first and leaves at the end)
• Add it to your tomato pasta sauce or as a layer in your lasagna

Bon Apetit!

Your Body as your Temple

The Yoga practice, being sore and Injuries

Seems like most people I know suffer from some sort of injury one time or another. Here are a few tips, from Yoga practice to supplements and food.

Before I begin my practice I bring my awareness to my body. Feeling where it is today, awake, stiff, sore or energetic. Then I take a moment to feel gratitude towards it. I am here, alive, breathing in this body. As I connect with my breath I add a smile, and feel softness. ahhhh :)

I am feeling sore, to practice or not to practice?

Yes, keep practicing, but: First lets distinguish between pain and discomfort or being sore. Pain is not good, and one should stop as soon as pain is there. Discomfort, however, is a sign to yield, to take notice, and to breathe into the place of discomfort. This allows the body to open. Soreness should be treated like discomfort. There is no need to stop practicing—just practice with extra awareness, take it slow and gentle, and modify where needed. When sore, practice to the place of discomfort and not beyond. Practicing 80% of my normal is where I usually like to go.

Remember: Practice is good, but know your edge – there is no benefit in pushing too hard. Treating your body with respect and honoring the signs it gives you is crucial. If we learn to listen to the body, and understand that every day, every moment is different, then we can practice in a sustainable manner. If yesterday, or 10 years ago, there were things that were very easy for me, it does not mean that they are easy today, and I do not expect to perform the same way everyday. Every moment is like a new beginning, and I trust what my body tells me at that particular moment.

Helpful foods for maintaining a healthy body

• Pineapple and garlic both have anti-inflammatory properties and help the body heal from inflammation internally.

• Fresh fruit helps the body absorb the helpful mineral MSM (see below).

• Dark Leafy greens, like kale, beet and mustard greens, arugula, baby salad mix, etc.

• Sprouts

• Raw vegetable juices or blends: I like to blend my veggies so I keep the fiber and have no waste. They become more like thick soups. I use whatever is around. You can play and use any of the ingredients below, no rule!

• Dark, leafy greens

• Celery (absolutely essential due to its high water content)

• A quarter beet (the juice becomes bright red)

• A small piece of daikon radish

• A small carrot (not always as it is very sweet)

• Herbs if around (parsley, cilantro) great for cleansing

• A cube of ginger (can get spicy!)

• Apple juice to get the blender going (100% raw, unfiltered juice)

• A pinch of salt

• A clove of garlic

Supplements:

3 grams MSM with 500 mg Vitamin C and lots of water

MSM (Methylsulfonylmethane)

MSM originates in the ocean but is extracted from the lignin of pine trees. Good quality MSM is indistinguishable from the MSM found in broccoli, peppers, Brussels sprouts, onions, asparagus, cabbage, and mother's milk. MSM acts as a powerful antioxidant and healing source of natural sulfur.

Don’t I get enough from food? Yoga students tend to for put a great deal of stress on their muscles, joints, tendons, and ligaments; and sulfur (MSM), is an essential mineral for promoting elasticity, strength, and the general health of our bodies' tissues. You can find MSM many times sold together in joint formulas, or as a therapy for hair, nails and skin. This is because MSM helps repair every cell of our body.

You can read more on this site http://www.all-natural.com/msm.html

To read the article on my blog page click here

Fish Buffet at Coffee Heaven

4:30am, I await Derk to open the gate to coffee heaven.
I park my scooter inside the gate and hop on the back of his. The morning is very chili and I am wearing all the layers I could find. Dirk is a 36 year old German that has discovered India 10 years back, and 3 years ago has moved to Goa with his girlfriend Diana to open a café, a place that serves all German baked goods, and his famous smoked fish.

Thursday night is the special fish night buffet. Dirk leaves early morning to go to the fish market in Panjim. It’s the main one, where the market is on the dock right by the fishermen’s boats. It’s still dark when we arrive, just a bit of light over the baskets of fish shrimp and squid that were just swimming happily a few minutes ago.
Dirk comes from Hamburg, a city of docks and fresh fish, grew up in a house that had veggies in the back yard and smoked their own fish.
Checking under the guilds to make sure the fish is really fresh, looking for that redness, for the clear eyes, we choose some king fish which is the most available in Goa, we buy some shrimp, calamari, snappers and the mystery fish. The mystery fish is one that we both don’t know by name, one that is very rare to find, but has such a beautiful meaty taste on the grill (sorry, my veggie friends), that dirk is willing to pay triple the snapper price.

We tie the bags of fresh sea life to the bike between Dirks legs and head home. As we drive back, the sky is red with the big sun rising over the rice fields. Some low fog, like a blanket of white clouds floats low on the fields adding to the magical feel. Birds are waking up, the hum of the old scooter’s rotating engine and Derks voice telling me about his philosophy of life. No helmets jackets or gloves in this part of Goa, so the air, sound and surrounding penetrate deeply within.

I leave Dirk to do the cleaning on his own as I rush to my Yoga practice with Rolf and Marci,

In the evening, many arrive to coffee heaven. Simple chairs with natural wooden tables stand on the earth amongst the trees. The buffet offers many vegetarian offers and some of their fantastic dark German bread.
Dirk believes in grilling the fish simple, only a brush of oil. The sauces are aside, and one can choose which to use on which fish.

Coffee Heaven runs as a simple family place, with many regular costumers, especially German. The couple like many westerners in Goa, aim for 6 months of hard work, and 6 months of living in the west.
Goa offers today amazing business opportunities. As such even Diana and Dirk thought of upgrading to a more serious restaurant in a better location and getting another chef to run the show (me). For now I said goodbye nicely as I head over to practice more Yoga in Mysore.