Liver Health Part One

The liver is the largest organ in the body, it is responsible for processing toxins and it plays a key part in regulating glucose for energy metabolism. The liver is a very active organ that is involved in about 10,000 processes a second, a staggering number which is hard to comprehend. As such the liver can easily get overworked and compromised by stress, overeating, poor eating, stimulants and alcohol. Any combination of the above mentioned scenarios  puts a huge stress on the liver. Overeating stresses the liver and when combined with alcohol this adds greatly to the stress.

Leafy Greens to Love Your Liver

To assist the proper functioning of the liver eat more leafy bitter greens, collard, mustard and dandelion greens are excellent choices. The liver is a fatty organ and it is very integral in processing fats. Eating healthy simple raw plant fats helps the liver function smoothly and nourishes the whole body. And, it is equally important to avoid rancid and unhealthy oils, especially those found in fried and processed foods.

With exception of coconut oil most if not all healthy fats go rancid rapidly when heated. This is important to know because overheated rancid oils are a major toxin to the liver and as much as we can avoid not ingesting these toxins the best. You are best to just not cook with almost all vegetable oils, some like canola can be ok but they are not that good for you and most are genetically modified. Healthy oils are really important piece to liver health and if you take anything away from this post I hope it is this fact. It is advised to use either coconut oil, high quality sesame oil or organic ghee (clarified butter) for cooking as these fats have a high heat tolerance.

 

Healthy Liver Foods

Foods that are good for the liver include burdock root, beets, greens and artichokes. Burdock is so wonderful for the liver and skin and is can be found in most health food. Burdock root has a mild sweet woody flavor prepare it by steaming or gentle sauteing, it pairs well with carrots and a little nama shoyu. Made popular by the macrobiotic diet enthusiasts, burdock is a common weed  throughout the United States. Dandelion another common weed is also great for the liver and use  beets to help purify the blood and keep the liver clean and healthy.

Easy Cleansing Burdock Recipe:
Julien one stalk of burdock and 2 medium carrots
1 tablespoon sesame oil

-Heat one tablespoon of sesame oil in a skillet over medium
-Saute the burdock for 7 minutes stirring continuously, add the carrots
-continue cooking for 7 minutes stirring occasionally,
towards the end add a few dashes of soy sauce and sprinkle of cayenne.

Serve warm with rice or quinoa
This dish is warming tasty and very balancing to the entire body. This dish is a simple way to make the most out of burdock. Enjoy and stay tuned for Part Two of the Liver Health Series.

The Pomegranate Ancient Myth and Modern Health

The Pomegranate fruit has been revered by humans since biblical times. This rich superfruit has mythological and ritual significance and was viewed as a symbol of fertility and abundance. While most fruits and foods have undergone much genetic altering by humans over the centuries the pomegranate is relatively the same now as it was thousands of years ago.

The pomegranate is mentioned in the Bible and the Quran, two ancient holy books. It is also a popular fruit in Greek, Roman, Egyptian and Hindu mythology. The associations of Pomegranates with wealth, abundance, prosperity and fertility can easily be transfered to our present day understanding of this fruit as a rich source of polyphenol anti-oxidants.

There are few fruits as highly and widely revered as the Pomegranate this makes me wonder if our ancient brothers and sisters know something we are just finding out? While modern research into this fruit is relatively new it does show promise and anecdotal reports from regular Pomegranate juice consumers suggests that it helps with blood pressure, cholesterol, gum strength and the prostate.

How to Use:

Pomegranate juice concentrate is easy to incorporate into you lifestyle, my favorite way to use it is to simply add it to a little bubbly water to make a natural soda. Or you can add a tablespoon of the juice concentrate to smoothies, you will be shock by the amazing tastes you can create as it pairs well with many other fruits. Another stellar way to use this juice concentrate is in the morning mixed into yogurt, talk about yum! The sweet and tart flavor of pomegranate mixed with the creaminess of yogurt is heaven. Expand your imagination and see what you can come up with as you explore the complex and delicious taste of Pomegranate Juice Concentrate.

More on Pomegranate Health Benefits:

The pomegranate tops all other conventional fruits, in its ORAC (Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity) value, making it one of the most powerful antioxidant fruits.  In scientific studies it has been shown to benefit cardiovascular function, healthy cell replication and antioxidant protection. These health benefits are contributed by phytochemicals compounds such as ellagic acid, gallic acid, anthocyanins, and tannins, including punicalagin and other powerful phytonutrients.
 
Clinical and experimental studies show the pomegranate juice:

• Decreases Low Density Lipoprotein (LDL) oxidation
• Enhances cellular (macrophage) glutathione
• Helps maintain regular platelet activity
• Reduces activity of angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE)
• Supports normal vascular contraction.
• Promotes normal cell function and replication

 This ancient fruit has many modern uses, it is widely popular for good reason; it is super good for you and super tasty. And, by using it in concentrate form you will get a powerful dose of the anti-oxidants in just a tablespoon of juice. The Premier Research Labs Pomegranate Rejuvenate is made fresh from organically grown pomegranates and nothing else.

Agave, Stevia and the Glycemic Index

Agave Nectar

Ah, Agave a sweet and tasty nectar straight from the fields of Mexico. We feature both dark and light fairly traded and organic agave in 12 ounces jars from Essential Living Foods.
 

The Agave plant is a succulent that grows in the arid regions of Southern Mexico, where traditionally the nectar has been fermented to make Tequila. The un-fermented nectar makes a sweet, raw sugar substitute, that is suitable for most diets and widely enjoyed by those who use it.

Dark Agave is the perfect alternative to brown sugar or maple syrup, sweetening with 25% fewer calories. Sweetening your life with Agave is easy, as it is similar in sweetness to sugar yet it has a much lower glycemic index level. It is great in tea, coffee, smoothies and can be used deserts and drinks. Agave rates 30 on the Glycemic Index Scale.

THE GLYCEMIC INDEX AND WHY YOU NEED TO PAY ATTENTION TO IT

The Glycemic index is a rating scale that measures the way carbohydrates affect blood sugar levels afterbeing consumed. The runs form 0 to 100, foods rated 55 or lower are considered to be low glycemic index foods. Foods from 56 to 69 are medium and from 69-100 are high glycemic index foods; white sugar and many processed junk foods fall into this category. There are many factors that determine how you react to sugars, so consider the index as a reference guide as a variety of factors affect your blood sugar response.

In general foods with a lower glycemic index produce less of a blood sugar spike than foods with a higher glycemic index. So why is this important? With a large sugar load comes a spike and this large spike leads to a large crash and when this pattern becomes habit it can lead to a health crisis. But if we can avoid this by choosing foods that have a low glycemic load we can prevent the Spike/Crash/Crisis scenario. 

Out of balance blood sugar leads to a Yo Yo effect on your body's glandular system particularly the pancreas and adrenals. 
Here's how it goes: you consume sugar with a high glycemic load, your blood sugar spikes, your body secretes insulin to draw the sugar out of your blood stream and into your cells. It does this because too much sugar in the blood is dangerous. But them what happens is your blood sugar gets low and your body starts to secrete the stress hormones adrenaline and cortisol and you eventually start to crave more sugar which continues the cycle. Now folks this is very simplified, mainly because I don't want to go into the technical jargon. But what is important is that you understand the cycle, lets review again.


1.) You Eat Food with a High Glycemic Index
2.) This causes a dangerous spike in blood sugar levels
3.) To counter this your pancreas secretes insulin to draw the sugar from the blood into the cells
4.) This leads to a drop in blood sugar and a. . .
5.) Desire for more sweets


How many people are trapped in this cycle? We do what we need to do to survive but if we don't consciously intervene and stop this cycle it will continue and lead to a crisis.  And, don't just listen to me, I encourage you to try it yourself. Watch what happens when you eat high sugar foods, watch the cycle see how it feels in your body, pay attention.


These spikes and peaks and valleys also cause a massive increase in the release of stress hormones in the body, such as cortisol and adrenaline. This leads to a host of other issues with weight gain and insulin resistance being two of the main outcomes. 

SWEETNESS AND HEALTH

Take your sweetness and health one step further, consider using Stevia, a naturally sweet substance that rates ZERO on the Glycemic Index. Meaning it will not affect your blood sugar in any way. We have a variety of Stevia options for you to choose from making it easy for you to start using it in a number of different ways. 

Packets and Liquid

Tuck a few of the packets into your purse, pocket or backpack for use on the go. Or pick up a dropper bottle which also conveniently fits into a purse or backpack.


But, no matter how you choose to sweeten your life beware of the dangers,options and choices involved. Because over time your body will suffer from an overload of sugar. The body is resilient and with proper care and attention it will be there to serve and support you to live a healthy balanced life.

Food Source Vitamin C

The Importance of Truly Natural Vitamin C

Is all vitamin C is created equal? The simple and true answer is a resounding "NO". Is something made in a factory/lab the same as something that grows on trees? "NO". It pales in comparison. Man made vitamins are limited in their scope because they are not backed by and supported by the concert of nutrients found in nature and in fruits. And in this case the Acerola Cherry which is what Truly Natural Vitamin C™is made of.

If you were to buy a Vitamin C tablet at the drug store you would be buying a lab made ascorbic acid powder. Now ascorbic acid is only a part of Vitamin C, not the whole picture. Now say if you were to eat a handful of Acerola cherries or peel an orange you would be getting ascorbic acid along with hundreds of other co-factors which all work in synergy to give you a well balanced Vitamin C compound. This complex is not easily replicated in a lab. That is because when it is found in nature it is naturally balanced.

Isolated Nutrients -vs- Whole Food Complexes

The main issue with isolated nutrients commonly found in vitamins on store shelves is that they are not balanced. And, when we ingest these unbalanced compounds we contributing to a body out of balance. Your body does not recognize isolated nutrients as nutrients because they never come that way from nature. You would never find ascorbic acid all on its own in a fruit or food, you would find it in concert with quercitin, rutin and other bioflavoniods. This is because these other compounds are needed for the full and proper absorption of Vitamin C.

So when you buy Truly Natural Vitamin C™ you are getting a supplement that contains naturally occurring Vitamin C in a powdered form. That is non-toxic in low or high dosages, highly absorbable, and therefore is rarely excreted through your urine. And it has all of the naturally occurring elements synergistically present and bonded (including naturally occurring bioflavonoids) because it is 100% food (100% Acerola Cherry Powder).  Truly Natural Vitamin C™ is truly a well balanced and pleasant tasting food supplement that is easy to use worth adding to your daily diet. 

And not only is this product really good for you it is also on sale, a 6 ounce jar normally retails for $17.86 but you can now buy it for $14.29 a savings of over $3.00 over normal retail. We could all use a little more Vitamin C in our lives so why not get from a food source like Truly Natural Vitamin C™.

Crystal Energy by Patrick Flanigan

Patrick Flannigan's two signature products, Crystal Energy and Mega Hydrate are key supplements to staying fully hydrated all the time. Today we will discuss Crystal Energy but first lets review why hydration is so important.

THE IMPORTANCE OF HYDRATION

Would you believe that our flesh, bones and organs account for only about 30% of who we are? This body that we think we are that we identify with is mostly water. Take away the water and your left with a hollow shell. Kind of like those magic toys I played with as a kid, where you add water and voila. The lifeless flat little thing took shape and assumed a form. But, we are more dynamic than that, we are more like seeds, there is a huge potential but without the water nothing gets actualized.  So I invite you to consider who and what you are and the importance of water in you life, the quality of water and the ability to absorb and utilize it properly.



THE SOURCE OF LIFE

Water is the source of all life, 70% of you is water and 70% of this earth is water. This keen mirroring of who we are and the planet we live on is fascinating. If we look around we can see what water does and doesn't do, how the quality of water affects living organisms. When we see drought stricken areas we see dry cracked ground, dusty and lifeless. The crust of the earth is akin to our skin, our skin needs to be hydrated to stay healthy, moisturizers and lotions can help it stay supple but if we are not adequately hydrated our skin dries out becomes flaky and begins to crack and peel. This is all an indication of the dry inner landscape asking for proper hydration.

JUST ADD WATER

And, add some CRYSTAL ENERGY to your water for enhanced hydration and well being. What is it about adding Crystal Energy to water that makes it so special? First off when you add Crystal Energy to your water you will feel the difference immediately. That is because the micro mineral clusters in this solution both structure the water and reduce the surface tension and this is something you will feel and sense when you first try it. The water feels softer, smoother, more velvety, this is the reduced surface tension at work. Water is a vehicle and a solvent and the solvency of water is greatly enhanced by the reduced surface tension. This is because the water is now able to be better absorbed by the body and go to work both cleansing the cells and delivering nutrients to the cells.

The microscopic clusters that are the structured aspect of CRYSTAL ENERGY  also help with the cleansing and nutrient delivery. They help the water in its solvent action as a chelater of toxins and particularly heavy metals. The clusters help to dislodge and encase the toxic substances and carry them safely from the body. This cleansing function combined with better hydration and assimilation of nutrients adds to the feelings enhanced well being that people using this product commonly report.

TIPS ON USING CRYSTAL ENERGY 

Incorporating this useful product into your life and getting maximum results from it are easy. Here are a few tips for you to get the most out of Crystal Energy.

• Add Crystal Energy to your sports water bottle because when we exercise we breathe and sweat at an increased level and these are two ways we lose water. Exercising increases our body's need for water as well as full and proper hydration, Crystal Energy excels at increasing full and proper hydration.

• Add Crystal Energy to mist bottles that you may use at the beach or during any other activity. This will help to keep your skin soft and refreshed when exposed the elements.

• Add Crystal Energy to distilled or Reverse Osmosis purified water, this will help to 'revive' the water and give it structure, particularly distilled water which lacks any structure. 

With summer just around the corner staying properly hydrated is going to be key to enjoying your time outdoors so pack some with you and bring it where ever you go. And Remember to STAY HYDRATED with CRYSTAL ENERGY and feel the energy of what a properly hydrated body feels like, it is a feeling you will no doubt energy.

Also frequent headaches and chronic grogginess are common signs of dehydration, so check your water intake and add some Crystal Energy to your water. 

Fresh Bee Pollen

Fresh, tasty and straight from local hives, California Bee Pollen.

Bee pollen is a stunning food, completely unique as are all food products we get from bees. Bee pollen is actually flower pollen that is collected by bees as they visit the tens of thousands of flowers they visit in a week. It collects on small sacs on the bee's hind legs and accumulates as they stop at each flower, this is also how bees pollinate flowers.

The pollen we feature comes to fresh and soft, because it is hand collected in a manner that does no harm to the bees. The bees that provide our pollen live in hives that are placed in the vast organic Avocado, Orange and Lemon groves of Southern California. This fresh pollen is loaded with nutrients and comes to you fresh, as it is kept under constant refrigeration until it leaves our door.

Bee Pollen is a unique food source; here is a list of its noted nutritional components.

• All essential amino acids, a complete protein
• Vitamins A, B Complex series C, D, E, K and Rutin
• 28 Minerals - Trace Mineral needed for good health
• Enzymes and Co-Enzymes for good digestion

It is also a popular spring food that has been used to help the body cope with the spring allergy season. So if you are a Southern California resident suffering from seasonal allergies consider adding some of our local bee pollen to your diet.

Bees work tirelessly to pollinate food crops, which is vital to our well being; it is not only vital but absolutely essential because with our their efforts we would be at a complete loss. Many of the foods we get from bees are beneficial to human health, so thanks to bees we get to enjoy their foods and the foods of the field and orchards that they pollinate.

But they do need our help as there has been a situation going on for sometime called colony collapse disorder. To learn more about this disorder and 5 simple steps you can take to help visit this link.

White Sage Incense

Mount San Jacinto, at dusk, as seen in this recent photo, is a magical and mystical place. This mountain stands at a height of 10,834 feet, towering over the desert below.  This mountain stands like a sentinel over the desert and Zebra Organics is fortunate enough to live near the base of this great mountain. This mountain is a prominent figure in the life of the desert here in Southern California. While driving on Highway 10 as you pass Cabazon and begin to descend into the Palm Springs area, there are two things you see, windmills and Mt. San Jacinto. 

This mountain is home to a White Sage, a plant holds a special place in the life of the indigenous people of this country. The smoke of white sage has been used to cleanse and purify environments and people usually before important ceremonies. This process of cleansing is called smudging and involves burning the dried sage leaves which creates a gentle smoke.

 Juniper Ridge has two wonderful White Sage products you should know about one is their exquisite incense which can be used to smudge and cleanse an environment much like Native Americans use the whole leaf plant. The Juniper Ridge White Sage Incense is a very pure product containing only wildcrafted white sage and an organic plant resin so the sage adheres to the bamboo stick on which it comes. Unlike most incense sticks available this one is pure and clean with a fresh scent that does not cloy or fill the environment with a harsh perfume. 

Juniper Ridge also offers a cleansing soap made from fresh wildcrafted white sage right from San Jacinto Mountain. The San Jacinto White Sage Soap is exquisite, it is a must try not only does it smell amazing it softens the skin. This incredibly strong, aromatic resin, is the most highly prized Western Sage where it is used in Native American purification rituals.

This Soap is a delicious treat because:

- It is 100% scented and colored with wild plant trimmings, no essential oils or colors added
- It is a mild, all vegetable oil base superfatted with shea butter for an extra, moisturizing face and body soap
- The large 3.5 ounce bar lasts about a month.
- Other "sage" soaps smell sweet and perfumey because they are made from the essential oil of European Sage - this is the only sage soap with the real smell of wild california sages becuase it is the only one made from the real sage plant trimmings!

Ingredients: live plant infusion from sustainably wildcrafted plant and tree trimmings from the mountains and deserts of the West, saponified organic palm oil (certified sustainably harvested), saponified organic coconut oil, saponified organic olive oil, organic jojoba oil

Invite the Magic of San Jacinto mountain into your life!