The Healthy Hooper

Ch-Ch-Ch Chia!

2011-07-10T17:13:00.000-07:00

Do you know about Chia Seeds? No, it's not just a sprouting pet. There is much more to Chia Seeds than cats and rabbits made of green grasses. I'm gonna tell you all about them, why you want to eat them, and how to make them taste yummy and delicious! First off, this little seed from the plant salvia hispanica (a member of the mint family) and was grown by the Aztec Indians. It was one of the major crops, as they used it as food, medicine, in ceremony and fed it to the animals. Interesting stuff!

The main point? I love making Chia pudding with coconut milk, fresh fruits, raw honey, and vanilla !!! I want you to love it as much as I do :)

Chia is a SUPERFOOD. Period. You can add it into your baking, smoothies, cereals, oatmeal, raw puddings, and all sorts of other things to receive the million benefits. It's a great source of protein and every amino acid there is, so there is no excuse to avoid this food. No one is allergic to it and because it is so neutral, you can create a healthy tasty dish at any time. Keep reading for info and recipes.

Benefits of Chia:

* Chia is an evidence-based registered variety of Salvia hispanica L. and is nutritionally superior to flax and soy. Chia is the richest non-marine whole food source of Omega-3 and dietary fiber currently known to man.
* Promotes Cardiovascular Health: According to the American Heart Association, Omega-3 fatty acids (see below for more in Omega-3) can normalize blood pressure and bad cholesterol levels, while helping promote healthy heart and blood vessels.
* Assists Joint Function & Mobility: With six times more calcium than milk, and with greater amounts of high-quality protein than the one found in soy, Chia also helps strengthen muscles and bones.
* Improves Digestion & Natural Detoxification : Chia can absorb a whopping 12+ times its weight in water – flax seed only absorbs 6-8 times its weight. Chia´s insoluble fiber reduces digestive transit time and removes toxins as it passes through the digestive tract.
* Supports Healthy Weight Loss: Chia´s high fiber content and its ability to reduce blood sugar levels after meals inhibits the appetite, thus making it the perfect food for healthy, effective weight loss. Thanks to its neutral flavor and color, Chia integrates seamlessly into any healthy recipe.

Random Chia Fact:

Because it is a seed with special powers, it can be stored at room temperature for up to five years.

To sum it up...

* Chia is an excellent source of calcium, magnesium, iron, zinc, boron, niacin.
* Contains all essential amino acids.
* Vitamins B, D & E.
* 20% protein by weight
* More digestible protein than beans, soy or peas.
* 8.7 times the omega-3 in wild Atlantic salmon.
* 5.4 times the calcium in 2% milk.
* 2.7 times more iron than raw spinach.
* More antioxidants than blueberries.
* Mucin - reduces inflammation in digestive tract.

Ok, so you get the medicinal benefits of chia! Great. You know it's good for you. But, how do you eat it? How do you incorporate Chia into your life? Here is how. You just do it :) And these are my suggestions.

Go to the health food store on online and find organic chia seeds. They are very small and black or gray. Ask someone to help you find them if they are hiding.

Chia Pudding:

Chia pudding can be used to make the following recipe or anything you wish to make up! This gel is also good for vegan baking. Keep reading for more on vegan baking with Chia.

To make a gel-like pudding you begin by soaking them.

-Add ı/3 cup of seeds to 1 cup water and 1 cup of coconut milk, 1/2 tablespoon raw honey, & 1Teaspoon Vanilla; stir gently with a wire whisk off and on for 5 minutes to prevent clumping, and store in a sealed container in the fridge.

After it is gelatinous (half hour or so) add in some diced fruits and berries!

I personally like nectarines, strawberries, blueberries, kiwis and MANGO is my favorite.

-Add the chia gelatin to any smoothie!

-Sprinkle dry seeds in salads!

For vegan baking, 1/4 cup of chia gel acts as an egg replacement.

Chia is wonderful for gluten free baking, because it is an excellent binder and thickener. It can be used in many recipes that call for ground flax seed, but it’s a good idea to use ½-2/3 as much because it is a more powerful binder. The amount needed may depend on the recipe, and might take a little trial and error. A small amount of chia can also replace xantham or guar gum. For most recipes, ¼ to ½ teaspoon of ground chia can serve as a binder.

Rather than using the standard flax “goop” of ground flax seeds and water, replace it with ½ of the amount of ground chia seeds. The seeds should be added to the liquid ingredients, like water, milk, juice, etc. and allowed to sit until it forms a gel, which takes about 20 minutes. Extra chia gel can be stored in the refrigerator and will keep for a week or more.

Chia seeds can also be used to bind burgers, meatloaf, meatballs, etc. instead of egg and breadcrumbs. To replace an egg, use ¼ cup of water with 1 teaspoon ground chia, or 1.5 teaspoons whole chia seeds.

I hope you are stoked about chia. Once I learned how easy it was to make it and how freakin' delicious it is to eat my amazing concoctions, I just had to share! I hope to be carrying chia seeds on my website soon. Stay posted! Aloha amazing family. Hugs and kisses from California

-Shellie

www.thehealthyhooper.com

PS- There is a bit for info on Omega 3's below, as it is a lengthy subject. Plus, the websites I used to glean information about Chia. Enjoy!

-Extra Info on Omega 3-

Omega-3 Acids (Very Important! Keep reading even though there are big words:)

Chia seed has higher levels of alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) than flax seed. ALA is an essential acid because it is not produced by the body. In fact, chia seeds have the highest known whole-food source levels of Omega-3 acids, as measured by percent of weight. These oils, unsaturated fatty acids, are the essential oils your body needs to help emulsify and absorb the fat soluble vitamins, A, D, E, & K. When there are rich amounts of linoleic acid sufficiently supplied to the body through diet, linoleic and arachidonic acids can be synthesized from linoleic acid.

Unsaturated fatty acids are essential for normal glandular activity, especially of the adrenal glands and the thyroid glad. They nourish the skin cells and are essential for healthy mucus membranes and nerves. The unsaturated fatty acids function in the body by cooperating with vitamin D in making calcium available to the tissues, assisting in the assimilation of phosphorus, and stimulating the conversion of carotene into vitamin A. Fatty acids are related to normal functioning of the reproductive system. Chia seeds contain beneficial long-chain triglycerides (LCT) in the right proportion to reduce cholesterol on arterial walls.

Thank you to the following websites for having such amazing and pinpointed info about chia:

http://www.purehealingfoods.com/chiaInfo.php

http://getchia.com/about-chia

http://www.harriswholehealth.com/links-and-files/baking-with-chia

The Story of Two Stones and Some Watermelon

2011-07-05T09:56:00.000-07:00

I passed my first kidney stone when I was 22. At the time, I was working at a medical spa offering massage and mineral make-up consults. I drank tons of coffee, sat at a desk most of my work day, and was using the excuse of ‘I’m hungry’, ‘I deserve it’, or ‘I’m bored’, to nibble on the donuts, treats and Birthday blobs of gooey goodness provided by the nurses daily in the break room. I was also processing through some old emotional issues, as I was in spiritual counseling. I was dealing with old mommy and daddy stuff that I hadn’t quite ‘resolved’. I looked up kidney stones in Louise Hay’s book ‘You Can Heal Your Life’, and she says these pieces of calcium and uric acid in the form of a little stone are ‘bits of un-dissolved and unprocessed anger’. Hmmm…. Interesting information. This was, in fact, true for me at the time.
The painful experience of feeling a kidney stone building in your kidney, the infection of the kidney and urinary tract that comes with the stone, and the actual passing of the stone is one that no one would ever want to repeat. I wouldn’t wish this kind of pain on anyone, not even my worst enemy. This is how my story goes…
I was with my friend Karen, playing with her little boy, and all of a sudden my lower back started to ache. I had just treated and recovered from what I thought was a Urinary Tract Infection, and thought ‘Oh darn, my UTI is back’. But then, it burned SUPER bad to pee, worse than any sensation I felt while urinating with the UTI. It stung so bad it brought tears to my eyes. I went and sat down in a comfy chair, trying to get my back in some sort of comfortable position. No avail. It was futile. The level of pain was growing, rapidly, and I could feel it moving into my side. It felt like something with ripping me open. As the pain kept building and building I finally got to the point where I thought, ‘This is NOT a UTI. Maybe my appendix is rupturing.” I was in so much pain, a pain I had never felt before, that I was completely overtaken by a state of slight panic and fear. I, Miss All Natural, in a sobbing plea begged Karen to take me to the hospital. By this time I was hyperventilating the pain was so terrible. I contorted myself into a little ball in the passenger’s seat of Karen’s car, as we made the long trip to the closest hospital in the country hills of South Carolina. It hurt to breathe. It hurt to move. It hurt. It just hurt so, so, so, badly. I could feel my entire left side being stabbed and shredded from the inside out. Honestly, there were more than a few moments in which I was wishing for death. I remember Karen’s mom, doing her best to help me keep it light, said, “Honey, whatever your going through, it looks more painful than childbirth, so know that one day you’ll be grateful for this and having a baby will seem easy’. I smiled.
I arrived at the emergency room to be on a four-hour waiting list. I was literally writhing around on the floor in pain. I couldn’t control my breathing or my squirming. I suppose I put on quite a scene because the few people who had been waiting in the ER before me were happy to let me go first, before all of them. Most of them were there because they needed to see a doctor for some reason and they had no insurance. I had insurance. Well, correction; I had been PAYING for medical insurance, as they were taking it out of my monthly paycheck. Apparently, this does not actually guarantee that you are insured…
This is where the story gets really good. So, I’m flopping around in pain and having a very hard time catching my breath because the pain is incredibly excruciating, and they tell me I have to go through all of the insurance paperwork before anyone can see me. Basically, they don’t give a shit about actually treating me, they just want to make sure that they are going to get paid for whatever expensive procedure they will surely put me through. I’m shaking as I am signing papers, having to have my friend read me the words because I am feeling to horrible to make sense of anything. My logical mind was far-gone. After I handed her my insurance card, the receptionist tells me that my insurance does not actually kick in until 12 AM on October 1st. It is 4:50 PM on September 30th. A difference of 7 hours and 10 minutes. I begged the nurse to change the date. “Please’, I said. “Put October 1st as opposed to September 30th. Please, help me.” Her response, “Sorry ma’am”, she says without even looking up. “If I break policy that’s my job. You aren’t worth me loosing my job. We’ll treat you but you’re insurance isn’t valid until tomorrow., You can come back then if you like.” In that moment I was in so much pain and also feeling equally emotionally and financially devastated. As of that day, I had made one payment for my insurance and received my card and everything. Apparently I had to make two full payments for it to be effective. Some HEALTH insurance! (Aetna, for those who are curious. I have no shame.) What bullshit! Pardon my word choice, but seriously…it was pure, unrefined bullshit.
So, after ALL of that, I was able to see a doctor. He hardly looks at me and says, “Describe your pain.” I wanted to stab him. ”EXCRUTIATING!” I moan. ‘Please, just give me some morphine,” I ask. His response “On a scale from 1-10, what number would you rate your pain?” Growing delirious I scream “A TWELVE! PLEASE JUST GIVE ME SOMETHING TO NUMB THE PAIN!” I was going to vomit. I told him, and he handed me a tiny, little tray as big as my hand. I looked at it and said “You better point me to a bathroom or you’re gonna have a serious mess to clean up.” He just left the room. My friend Karen found a bathroom and I made it in time, but a really huge part of me wanted to throw up right on that man’s white, crispy and cliché doctors coat. He did not care about me at all. It was obvious. No one really cared, except Karen and the people who were already waiting in the ER and graciously allowed me to receive ‘treatment’ ahead of them.
They took me to get a CAT scan. I am throwing up all during the CAT scan, still begging the staff for something to kill the pain and nausea. I wanted anything to knock me out. I was literally in hell and at the mercy of these people who were all about the procedure, not the person.
After the CAT scan, they put me in a room that gleamed with metallic surroundings and smelled of Clorox. I threw up again. Throwing up is painful enough. Throwing up while passing a kidney stone is pretty much the worst pain I have ever experienced. These people were cold; cold like surgical instruments and dead bodies. No one touched me in a loving way; no one extended a hand or an ear, no one told me it would be ok, except for my friend Karen. She stayed by my side smiling, holding my hand. I was very, very, very grateful to not be alone.
I lied in the hospital bed with the little plastic band on my wrist, marking me as a patient, as they finally, after almost 3 hours, injected me with morphine and an anti-nausea medication. I am not usually for meds unless it is a situation like this. I am not going to pop an Advil for a headache, but I gratefully allowed an unknown dose of sedatives to seep into my system, alleviating the pain that was facilitating thoughts of death and holding me in state of complete and total fear. I stopped throwing up. The pain slowly but surely subsided. I fell into sleep, exhausted.
After about 2 hours, Karen woke me saying they had my CAT scan results back and were ready to discharge me. They came in and all they had to say was this “Well ma’am, it looks like you have a kidney stone. It should pass on it’s own. Here is a nephrology (kidney) specialist to contact when you leave here.” Seriously? That’s it? I was pissed. At this point they were stating the obvious. What about treatment? What about educating me on WHAT a kidney stone is and HOW they come about so I can PREVENT another one? I am only 22! This happens to older people, not young adults. They wanted to just schlep me off to the next guy who was going to take my money without facilitating any kind of healing in return. No way. No specialist could help me. I know what causes kidney stones; too much coffee, sugar, and negative thoughts. No doctor was going to be able to tell me anything more than that, if they even KNEW that. I was on my own at that point. All of my faith in allopathic medicine was gone after that experience. Guess how much my bill was?
$13,000. That’s right. $13,000 for a five-hour ER visit, a CAT scan, hospital room and bed, special treatments/injections/meds, and all sorts of other ‘procedures’ that I was totally unaware they were even doing. When I got that bill, I cried. I finally understood how people could go bankrupt from medical misfortune. It’s a very sad, sick (no pun intended) cycle. I was appalled! There was no way I was going to pay that amount of money, ESPECIALLY after the way I felt I was treated. There was no way I COULD pay that amount, anyway. It was just crazy. I called them up to tell them that I was simply not going to pay this outlandish cost, and they quickly rebutted with ‘Oh, well we have a No-Insurance-Discount for folks like yourself.” Oh, goodie. So, now my bill was only $6,050. Still, a stupid, insane, completely irrational amount to pay, but I made a series of payments, and paid it off within 14 months. I am actually kind of proud of myself for doing that, but wish I hadn’t needed to. That is the end of Stone Number One.
Onto Stone Two! I promise this portion of the tale is not anything like the previous. This is the inspiring part ☺
A few months ago I was having some back pain that seemed out of the ordinary. Sometimes my back would hurt from twisting and turning at too much of an extreme angle from hoop dancing or acrobatics. This was different. It felt familiar, however.
I was at my parent’s house in GA with my Beloved Sebastian and one day I was feeling very blue and tired. I went to sleep around 6:30 pm. I woke up around 11 pm in serious low back pain. It didn’t feel like it was my bones or muscles. I knew I had another stone. I was a little freaked, but now I had tools. I knew, from all of the Qi Revolution seminars that I have attended and worked, that kidney stones could be dissolved by consuming as much watermelon as possible in the form of a smoothie. I sat awake that night realizing that I had a stone in my kidney and it was going to come out one way or another. In all of my pain, Sebastian awoke, and sat up with me through most of the evening, chanting and praying over me, helping me breathe my way back to a relaxed and relatively pain-free state. He massaged me and held me. Again, so grateful to be in the company of someone who was who loved me.
The next day I went to the health food store and bought all of the organic watermelon they had and a bunch of immune and kidney support. I loaded up. I spent well over $100 that day, but that is nothing compared to a $13,000 ER bill. I vowed to watermelon/raw food fast until I felt the stone was gone. I made smoothies multiple times a day for Sebastian, my father and me. At the time, my Dad was in recovery from a stage four congestive heart failure diagnosis. I wanted to dissolve my kidney stone, of course, while at the same time showing my father the healing power of living foods. I began to see that this little stone in my vital organ was a true blessing.
I began to feel better. I was drinking TONS of water, totally gave up caffeine., and had an easy time sticking to the watermelon/raw food fast. It was time to leave my parents house and head to Chattanooga, TN for a Qi Revolution. Yay! I was excited to be around the healing energy of the Qi. I even coerced my father into coming!!! I was really excited about this particular Qi Revolution. I also had set up a couple of hoop dance workshops that promised good attendance. I was grateful to be feeling healthier and happier.
I arrived on the opening day of the Qi Revolution and was setting up my post behind the Music Table. My friend and colleague, Sheila, shows up and hands me a watermelon smoothie. How interesting! I said, “You know, I’ve been drinking these for weeks straight to build up my kidneys and dissolve a possible stone.” She said, “Wow, well I intuitively made you this smoothie this morning thinking that you could use it for some reason.” I was blown away and SUPER grateful for her spot-on intuition. I drank the smoothie and each morning she continued to bring one in for me to drink. By day three, right after we had a really wonderful and intense breath circle, something shifted. I got up from the breath circle and had to pee SO badly! I had never felt a pressure like that inside of my bladder. It was really intense. I ran to the bathroom and sat down and the most forceful stream of urine started blasting out of me. All of sudden, I felt something hot and sharp shoot out of my urethra at light speed! I heard it go ‘ping ping ping!’ against the porcelain of the toilet. I looked down and there it was; a kidney stone the size of my pinky nail. It took a moment for me to realize what was happening. I had just passed a kidney stone with out ANY pain! A pain free kidney stone?! I almost didn’t see how it was possible considering the only other experience I had ever had with a stone of the sort. I was amazed. I was so grateful for all of the watermelon, Qi Gong, Breath Healing and love from my family and friends. I now, from experience, knew the power of healing food. In my case, watermelon smoothies and raw foods prevented me from having a devastating experience. Now, I can recall the second (and last!) kidney stone experience of my life as enlightening, as opposed to frightening. When I tell this story to people, they are amazed as I was when I saw that little grey lumpy stone sitting in toilet. It really is a miracle. A miracle that I created! This is the real point of this story. You create your reality by learning material that is relevant and applying it to your daily life. I would have repeated painful history if I had ignored or numbed my back pain, continued with dehydrating habits, and disregarded healing food protocols that I have studied in depth. I USED the tools that I sought out. I created a reality for myself that was far more enjoyable and inspirational that a second emergency room saga.
You, too, can create healing miracles in your life. LISTEN to your body, DO the research, and continue to educate yourself with information that is appropriate for the healing of your body and the bodies of others. We have power in this world. We are not victims; we are creators; we have choices! Make the choice to live in health, not desperately seeking it when a system or organ is failing. This is my story of how food, love and a devotion to my body temple allowed me to live in harmony, happiness and healthiness. Gratitude for reading my words, and have a beautiful day ☺

The 'UnPronounceables'

2011-06-22T08:10:00.000-07:00

The Unpronounceables. What are they? Where did they come from? Who made them and what are they really? The Unpronounceable Ones are upon us, hiding on the back of food boxes everywhere! Beware, be AWARE and know an what an Unpronounceable IS, and which one you are dealing with. This way you can know how to avoid the harm it's potent toxins may cause, warn the others that you love about the harmful substance, and continue to enjoy your normal life of health, wealth and happiness. The Unpronouncales are those pesky multi-syllabic words found in the ingredients list of a large majority of food products on the market. The masses are totally in the dark when it comes to knowing what exactly is inside of the container of Smart Balance, the can of Coke Zero, or the bag of Double Stuff Oreos. It is seriously a life or death issue to know what the ingredients hiding in your food are, as they have therapeutic/healing benefits or disastrous/deathly consequences.
The choice is yours. Would you knowingly put substances in your body that had scientific proof backing the fact that it causes painful cancers, diseases, and conditions? Many people know the effects of cigarettes, and still choose to smoke them. Well, I am here to inform you as to what the effects of food preservatives, chemicals, and artificial sweeteners are, as the effects of these harmful substances are no different from the carcinogenic (cancer-causing) chemicals in tobacco, car exhaust, or house-hold cleaners. There are master-minds at work, creating and inserting certain ingredients in food to preserve the way it looks, enhance the way it tastes, and create chemical reactions in your body to create addictions, illnesses and pains. This keeps the pharmaceutical companies RICH. The food you eat determines your quality of life. If you eat dead food that has been embalmed to keep it from going rancid because it has NO LIFE FORCE, then you walk around half dead and half alive...barley making it through each day, needing caffeine and sugar to give you energy or else you would be a zombie...sounds like a bad dream to me, not a life! Take control. Read the following paragraphs to inform yourself about your food. Eat food that has not been processed, refined, genetically modified or grown in labs. Eat food that was grown in sunlight, the ocean, your garden, your neighbors garden, the organic co-operative garden, or made in your own kitchen. Eat food that still has life to it, that actually was meant to be eaten. The more chemicals and fake man-made substances you ingest, the unhealthier you will be. This is Fact, not my 'personal opinion'. However, it is my personal experience, which is far more valid that any studies on rats and rabbits in cages. An old philosopher named Hippocrates once said 'Let thy food by thy medicine, and thy medicine be thy food'. Thanks, Hippocrates. I certainly enjoy heeding this advice.

A List of UNPRONOUNCEABLES
(How to Pronouce Them, What They Really Are, & Symptoms Resulting from Ingestion and Prolonged Use)

(Dr. Mercola of www.mercola.com says...)

NO TRANS-FAT SCAM

Food labels, though perceived as fact, do not tell the whole story of what’s in your food. For instance:

* “Incidental additives” do not need to be listed on the label. Incidental additives include substances transferred to foods via packaging, and “ingredients of other ingredients” that are present at “insignificant levels.”

* Food manufacturers are allowed to round to zero for any ingredient that accounts for less than 0.5 grams per serving. So if you eat three servings of trans-fat-free chips, you could actually be getting up to 1.5 grams of trans fats.

* “Clean labels” are rampant. Food manufacturers know that certain ingredients are frowned upon. But instead of taking them out of their products, they may just attempt to hide them on the label using a name you won’t recognize.

* “Natural contaminants” are also allowed and present in your food. This includes things like insect parts, insect eggs, and rodent hairs.

* Many other things are also exempt from being labeled, or may be stated in a way that makes it hard to find. This includes genetically modified ingredients, irradiated ingredients, and ingredients from cloned animals.

(Another article from Mercola.com regarding MSG)

MSG: MONOSODIUM GLUTAMATE

Here is just a sampling of ingredients that contain MSG (the link below has a full list):

* Gelatin
* Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein (HVP)
* Yeast Extract
* Malted Barley
* Rice Syrup or Brown Rice Syrup

Also, many restaurants add MSG to their menu items, so when eating out always be sure to tell your server that you don‘t want MSG added to your food.
MSG is an excitotoxin, a type of chemical transmitter that allows brain cells to communicate. The problem is that excitotoxins can literally excite your brain cells to death. Aside from harming your brain, MSG has also been linked to eye damage, headaches, fatigue, disorientation and depression.

Children are most at risk from MSG. The blood brain barrier, which keeps toxins in the blood from entering the brain, is not fully developed in children. MSG can also penetrate the placental barrier and affect unborn children as well. Nonetheless, most major brands of infant formula contain some processed free glutamic acid (a form of MSG).

SUCRALOSE & ASPARTAME
(www.mercola.com)

Aspartame is the most controversial food additive in history, and its approval for use in food was the most contested in FDA history. In the end, the artificial sweetener was approved, not on scientific grounds, but rather because of strong political and financial pressure. After all, aspartame was previously listed by the Pentagon as a biochemical warfare agent!

It’s hard to believe such a chemical would be allowed into the food supply, but it was, and it has been wreaking silent havoc with people’s health for the past 30 years.

The truth is, it should never have been released onto the market, and allowing it to remain in the food chain is seriously hurting people – no matter how many times you rebrand it under fancy new names.

The Deceptive Marketing of Aspartame

Sold commercially under names like NutraSweet, Canderel, and now AminoSweet, aspartame can be found in more than 6,000 foods, including soft drinks, chewing gum, table-top sweeteners, diet and diabetic foods, breakfast cereals, jams, sweets, vitamins, prescription and over-the-counter drugs.

Aspartame producer Ajinomoto chose to rebrand it under the name AminoSweet, to “remind the industry that aspartame tastes just like sugar, and that it’s made from amino acids – the building blocks of protein that are abundant in our diet.”

This is deception at its finest: Begin with a shred of truth, and then spin it to fit your own agenda.

In this case, the agenda is to make you believe that aspartame is somehow a harmless, natural sweetener made with two amino acids that are essential for health and present in your diet already.

They want you to believe aspartame delivers all the benefits of sugar and none of its drawbacks. But nothing could be further from the truth.

How Aspartame Wreaks Havoc on Your Health

Did you know there have been more reports to the FDA for aspartame reactions than for all other food additives combined?

In fact, there are over 10,000 official complaints, but by the FDA’s own admission, less than 1 percent of those who experience a reaction to a product ever report it. So in all likelihood, the toxic effects of aspartame may have affected roughly a million people already.

While a variety of symptoms have been reported, almost two-thirds of them fall into the neurological and behavioral category consisting mostly of headaches, mood alterations, and hallucinations. The remaining third is mostly gastrointestinal symptoms.

Unfortunately, aspartame toxicity is not well-known by doctors, despite its frequency. Diagnosis is also hampered by the fact that it mimics several other common health conditions, such as:

Multiple sclerosis Parkinson's disease Alzheimer's disease Fibromyalgia
Arthritis Multiple chemical sensitivity Chronic fatigue syndrome Attention deficit disorder Panic disorder Depression and other psychological disorders Lupus Diabetes and diabetic complications Birth defects Lymphoma Lyme disease Hypothyroidism...so much more.

WHAT WOULD AN IDEAL LABEL LOOK LIKE???

Well, you can read everything in it and you know exactly what it is. Food that comes with NO label is best, like an apple, broccoli, and anything from the earth. If you do eat something packaged, as it is bound to happen, be mindful. ACTUALLY LOOK! I like Larabar Raw Food Bars. The Coconut Chocolate Chew is one of my favorites. The Ingredients list looks something like this:
Dates, almonds, walnuts, raw cacao powder and unsweetened coconut.

AH, now THAT is simple and delicious!
Nothing confusing there. EVERYTHING is pronounceable. I feel safe :)

That is enough for now. It is a LOT to take in. Visit www.mercola.com to review the thousands of amazing and informative articles available at whim!

Of course, thank you thank you thank you for reading and giving your time. By informing yourself you are empowering yourself, AND others. Be the example! Shine bright, and don't let some fake sugar or hydrolyzed vegetable protein getcha dimmed down, dumbed down, or numbed out. Keep your awareness and consciousness HIGH by feeding your body and brain the light food it deserves. Aloha, Happiness, Health and Abundance to you all!

-Shellie White

www.thehealthyhooper.com

Be Still...

2011-05-24T12:55:00.000-07:00

...and know that I am God. These are words from a classic text known as the Bible. Reformed southern baptist preacher's daughter, here! (Oh, you didn't know?;) Needless to say, I know a few Bible verses. I have dealt with my rebellion, and I am grateful for these words and phrases that were drilled into my head, as I have interpreted them in many ways to help me in many different situations over the years. The reason I begin THIS text with ancient text is simple. The lesson now was the lesson then. Finding a still point, a center, a place within you where the silence is so pristine that you hear the God/Christ within you speak. Be still, and know. Shhh...
This is the lesson that I am currently spiraling through. I was caught in a whirl wind of truth, travel, illusion, grandeur, unveiling, discovery, exploration, unlocking, unfolding, finding, hiding, dying, being reborn, across the county, out to Maui, live in Maui, realize Love, back from Maui, while totally dissolving and becoming! Gasp! It is hard to even say it all without losing breath. Hence the reason I am here, in this moment, centered and still in the humble home of my mother and father. I had to land, It was time to nest. I needed to process out all of the incredible fulfillment that I have so thirstily and hungrily taken in. I am full, and must empty the stories, experiences, universes and life times that I have experienced in the last year. My body needs to regenerate and revitalize. My mind needs to unwrap and unbend. My creative course needs some direction and my inner child needs nurturing! It was a tough call, and it took me a minute to even admit I needed downtime. It dawned on me (well, more like smacked me in the head) that I need some time to be still, heal, process and be undisturbed. So, I sit now with my Beloved supporting me, nestled into the cozy den of my parents in the Southeast; creating, concocting, and connecting to the Source that led me full Circle.
I am happy to say that this has been a creative surge for me, and I am channeling my re-emergence by presenting my first traveling workshop, 'Advanced Hoop Dance 111: The Next Level'. The first place I am facilitating this experience is Chattanooga, TN (Wednesday June 1st) just before the Qi Revolution (June 4th-7th). I am very grateful to the Tennessee Hoop and Flow Community for embracing me as a teacher! Folks are driving all the way from Nashville...I'm blushing :) The receptivity truly softens my heart, and helps me realize that this is my path, and sometimes it takes me cycling around the circle a few times before I 'get it'. So, finally, after three years of being a humble student of the circle, I present myself to you all as a teacher, mentor, flow facilitator and friend. I am available to you! I offer myself, fully. Please, let me know how I can help you, and we will work towards a common goal. Please share upcoming events with friends (www.thehealthyhooper.com)!
I am honored to be traveling with the Qi Revolution for the second year in a row. I am facilitating a hoop jam during the Qi Revolution on Monday June 3rd at 8:30 in the same room and location of the event. ANYONE IS WELCOME to attend this dance/flow/drum circle, regardless of if you are not attending the Chattanooga Qi Rev. BUT, we sure hope to see you there, at the Qi Revolution :) WWW.QIGONG.COM is the website to check for all upcoming tour dates in a city near you! It is only $99 for four days of super amazing Qi Gong Healing Forms, Food Based Healing and incredibly empowering Breath Empowerments. My hoop dance style is directly correlated with the techniques I am continuing to learn from teachers Jeff Primack, Kai Von-Bodhi, David Beaudry, Jami Deva, Sheila Janan, and Blair Souter. I love my entire Qi Tribe and the vision we all share!
I sure do miss Maui and the cushy little love bubble I effortlessly existed in there, and I am grateful to be able to bring all of this Aloha Mainland, while connecting in with the people whom I love most in the entire world! It feels so good to be resting, developing, revealing and unfolding in the magic of my home. As I have so much coming up this summer, it is important for me to cultivate my energy and resources, while reflecting and being grateful for all I have just experienced! Yes! Thanks for reading and allowing me to share. I hope to see you on some of the adventures of The Healthy Hooper... Until then, blessings and may you find yourself in your stillness <3

Confessions of The Not-So-Healthy Hooper

2010-10-30T01:56:00.000-07:00

I will admit it. I was sick.

Immunity gone. System shut down. My throat was just about swollen shut. My body ached and creaked and had no life. Head throbbing. Ears and nose all stuffy. What? Why? Why me? How could this be?! I AM THE HEALTHY HOOPER! I hoop and move and smile and eat right! I have learned: If you go a weeks without the routine that IS your health, it fails.
I let it slip. I am realizing I test the waters in weird ways. I see what I can get away with. I'll see just how much sugar my body can process before effects are noticed. A little too much time on facebook ad not enough hoop time didn't go over well either. I have learned QUICKLY that I cannot get away with an inconsistent routine. After traveling, being around some smoke, wavering with my food regimen, allowing dehydration to ensue, not allowing enough sleep time and (most important factor) letting my mind start to ramble on about negative outcomes...I fell ill. I was humbled. I didn't even know what to do, actually. I was in this crazy state of fear thinking 'Oh my God, I feel so horrible and helpless. I don't know how to care for myself'. I am so grateful for this pattern and it's arousal within me, for it is teaching me something very important. KNOW THYSELF. Know limits. Don't CHANGE limits. Simply KNOW them. I knew my limits and I walked a thin line. I teetered and toppled. I am human. It is because I am human that I have limits. I also know I am touching the part of my self, my true self, which is limitless.
For me, my health is my main priority. For me to look at my body or face in the mirror and see signs of self-neglect is a huge wake up call. Seeing dull eyes, break outs, soft flesh where muscle once resided is pretty challenging for me. My body changes fast. Which is a good thing for getting back on track with my routine. My body is already responding just to the thoughts! I want to see my eyes crisp, clear and colorful. I want to see ab definition and toned arms, legs and booty. Healthy hair. Happy smile! I want to look in the mirror every morning feeling phenomenal about the image reflecting back to me. That was the lesson in this sickness: love yourself. Always. Just because you are sick does not mean you are a fraud or failure. I was seriously having thoughts like 'You're ill. No one will ever believe anything you say ever again because you are sick and can't take care of yourself. Healthy Hoopers don't get sick!" Then, I realized, I was letting the voice in my head push me around! It had me thinking a few crazy thoughts. The first crazy thought my mind had me believing was that I actually was some sort of identity known as 'The Healthy Hooper'. Yes, I have this online creative entity known as 'The Healthy Hooper', but it is not 'Me'. I AM not 'The Healthy Hooper'. I AM so much more. We all are. This was another major lesson in being ill. I realized I am not who I have believed myself to be. I have released many roles and characters that are no longer me. I let many identities go during this sickness. I found honesty about who I am, where I am, and what I want. I was sick because I was freaking out about everything 'The Healthy Hooper' has to do. She has to write blogs and columns, prepare and eat delicious food for every meal, create amazing hoop videos and edit them and post them, make hoola hoops and send them, study for Qigong, fly to Miami for Qigong, find a way to make money to BE THIS IDENTITY...blah freakin' blah blah blah. My immune system was collapsing as my mind ran in circles about everything that 'had to get done and had to do or the world will explode!'. My solution?
Step away. NOT RUN. Step. Back. Slowly. It takes everything in my power these days to not flee the scene as soon as it's shady. But, I didn't. I'm still here! 'The Healthy Hooper' lives on, alive and better than ever. Here is what I did.
First of all, I let my body sleep as much as it wanted to. Which was so much! For days I slept. I slept 10-12 hours at a time. That alone helped incredibly. Sleep is seriously important for everything. Please, for the sake of yourself and the world, take a nap!
I supplemented. This is where supplements come into the life of a 'healthy hooper'. I dosed heavily on vitamin c, adrenal support, seaweed, colloidal silver and gargled with sea salt twice daily. I ate only liquids. I hadn't been drinking my greens and oils because it was feeling hard to travel and maintain that routine. WELL, I'm back on the greens, hemp, egg and oil combo and feeling better than ever. This has totally inspired me to get the Blendtec blender so I can smoothie fast anytime I want. I needed that and didn't have the tools. Never again! Tools for health and wellness are a priority for me now more than ever.
I allowed help. My beautiful friend Forest that I met in Santa Cruz came over and brought me soup and we sipped our tasty soups in silence (he had his wisdom teeth removed, so we thought we could be invalid together, haha!) We sipped soup and napped and chatted in library voices about how interesting it is for two people who like to do everything are reduced to doing nothing. We read books and sat and simply enjoyed each others company. This was beautiful. We were both feeling icky so we weren't doing anything to 'impress' the other, the way humans tend to do. We just 'were'. It was a healing time for sure. Thank you, Forest :)
Taylor (my beautiful friend and soul sister who I stayed with for two weeks in Santa Cruz post-HoopCamp) also brought me soup and sat with me in my room while I laid in bed. She helped me see things from a very grounded, basic and objective perspective. This encouraged me and I finally stopped feeling like I had done something wrong and was being punished for living an unhealthy life. She sees me for who I am. I needed her to reflect back the good parts. She did a lovely job. Thank you, Taylor :)
I sought silence. The healing silence I experienced inspired me to seek some solitude so I could continue the healing silent vibe. I spent a day or two after that in almost total silence. It felt good to rest my voice. I realized that not much is worth saying, really. Words are amazing, but they only point to Truth. My words can only convey so much. It is the essence of the words that will resonate, or not, with an individual. My lesson here? Be impeccable with your word. Use it when it is needed/appropriate. No need to fill empty space with random words...or you may end up with a sore throat. Ahem...
I received healing a healing treatment. I was on my deathbed and feeling terrible because I made plans to attend a super-charged workshop called Bronnikov Method 1.1. There are multiple levels, and I was all stoked to study the first level, but then I got majorly sick. I decided I wasn't going to go. The thought of driving (or doing anything other than laying down) was simply not appealing and actually made me want to throw up. I called up my friend Blair who was teaching the Bronnikov workshop and told him what was going on. He said "Do you have Skype where you are? Let's do a healing session on you. You will feel better after 12 hours. Even if you don't come to the workshop I want you to experience this, and this is the perfect time." So, we Skyped and he did the Bronnikov Method on me from the airport where he was in Oakland on me laying in my bed in Santa Cruz. I woke up feeling better than I had in weeks. My body aches were totally gone and never came back. I was alive! THANK YOU, BLAIR! (www.bronnikovmethodusa.com)
My throat took a bit longer to heal, which is why I decided to spend even more time in solitude and silence. After I had my session with Blair and was feeling good I decided to head to Northern California to center and settle for a while. As I type this blog I am still up here, enjoying a day or two in town before returning to my remote location in the mountains. No cell service. No internet access. Only my mind and Divine Inspiration. On Monday I will retreat back into the abyss of the woods for one more week. When I come back out again I am sure I will have a clear direction and clear perspective on exactly what it is I am being called to do here. I am so glad I got sick :)
Seriously, I know it may seem strange to some people to hear that. Honestly though, if I never had the contrast of feeling super unhealthy I would not have had this whole healing experience. I learned so much about what I truly want, what matters, and what I am so grateful for. What is true for ME in this existence? What do I need to make sure I am doing to maintain optimal health at all times? I am far more aware now of what my limits are with food, energy expenditure, environmental toxicity and thought patterning. Being ill helped me recognize that I am just giving my energy away. No more! I love giving myself fully, but I have to make time to fill the tank, ya dig?
So, I happily confess to you all that I fell from my own high horse. My own expectations of my self were completely dissolved and I am re-evaluating what it means to be 'The Healthy Hooper'. It means I take care of myself first so I can be of service to all of you. It means I stop compromising and start fulfilling my own needs as they arise. It is that simple.
I am so grateful to all of you reading this! Thank you for holding space for me to work it all out; loud and publicly. It helps me so much to know that someone is going to read this and say 'I needed that'. It creates a little extra space to be filled with more meaning; to know that if I choose to share my experience, it has the ability to aide another human in their own personal experience. Being sick is an experience we all get caught up in. I invite you, if you become ill, to truly embrace the deeper meaning of that message. I did, and it was revolutionary in my development. THE BODY DOES NOT LIE. It is an accurate messenger. Don't silence it. Listen, intently, and in that very moment your life is already better. You're body will catch up <3
Blessings and Healthy Happy Hooping to you all!

For more information on The Bronnikov Method:
www.bronnikovmethodusa.com
For almost anything else you could ever need :)...
www.thehealthyhooper.com
www.youtube.com/shellieinspired

Metallatic Mind Force: Qigong

2010-10-07T12:20:00.000-07:00

What is Qigong?
First, I will tell you what Qigong is traditionally. According to Wikipedia, Qigong is the Mandarin Chinese term used to describe various Chinese systems of physical and mental training for health, martial arts, and self-enlightenment. There are many different types of Qigong training. The one I have been exposed to and practice called Supreme Science Qigong. I am in the process of training to become a high level instructor in this organization. I appreciate what Jeff Primack (founder of SSQ) has created, as he has incorporated unique breathing practices (Breath Empowerment & Nine Breath Method), Food Based Healing and tons of lecture information on important matters (ie: prayer and gratitude, Sacred Geometry and the massiveness of the Universe) into traditional Qigong practices. This is the most potent and easily accessible form of energy healing I have experienced. This brings me to my second point. What is Qigong to me, personally?
My personal Qigong practice consists of movement, stillness, breath, intention, visualization, written word, medicinal food intake, the study of Sacred shapes and energetic cultivation through thought. I am new to this process and practice. I am still working towards perfecting the healing forms I have been taught, so that I may teach them to others. I am doing my best to make every breath I take mindful, and build the habit of practicing Nine Breath Method daily (and the Breath Empowerment when I need some serious inner reflection and healing.) Qigong can be interpreted literally as 'energetic (qi) discipline (gong)'. Through daily practices and mindful living, I am gradually incorporating this into my life, so that it may become my 'lifestyle'.
The title of this post is called 'Metallic Mind Force: Qigong'. The reason I chose these words is simple. In traditional Chinese Five Element Theory the element of Metal is reflective of structure, cleaning up, strength, edge, discipline, detail and organization. For me, Qigong is a very rigid and structured practice. This is good for me, as I tend to sway in the wind and go with the Flow. I am a dancer, which is pure emotion. This can be messy and scattered. I also have a lot of Fire, which can be hard to contain and is at times destructive. When I add the structure the cultivated Qi brings, I feel more balanced, capable and able to focus all of my creative energy. The metallic structure is what cultivates the Qi strongly; think of a metal tube directing water flow, a knife whittling wood, or fire combustion in a car engine. It feels good to apply Metal into other areas of my life. I am finding myself able to control my thoughts; being observant of them and allowing ones that do not serve me to pass on without effecting my vibration; like a Metal shield protecting my mind. Supreme Science is a highly organized organization. As a Certified Level 2 Instructor, (Level 3 soon to be!) I have been provided many tools for marketing, financial success and strategic planning for a career as an instructor. This information is the perfect tool to use and incorporate into the rest of my life: my own business, my dance, hooping, food planning, finances, time management, prioritizing, my writing practice, studies and sleep schedule. The metallic nature of my Qigong practice is helping me to harness my internal and external energies, direct them appropriately, and strengthen my connection to Source. I feel balanced and on purpose.
How does Qigong relate to hoop/dance? The first time I experience Qigong (Qi Revolution 2008) I had my hoop beside me, and every moment that I wasn't practicing the Qigong healing forms or doing the breath work, I was externalizing my cultivated Qi through my hoop dance. It exponentially increased my energy, endurance, creative force, mind power and confidence. I feel like a warrior with my hoop! The harnessing of Qi has increased my awareness of my Kundalini, my Goddess nature, making my dance more inviting and enticing to watch and healing to experience. My mind is sharp and I have power over the object that is my hoop. I have control over the creation that is my body. I am at ease and calm in the surrender of my dance. There is precision in the totality of My Flow. I have increased my Force, my Power, and my purpose as an Artist. I am more conscious of my connection to the Source of the Flow. Qigong and Hoopdance are blissfully married in my world <3
Today is the New Moon. The Fall Equinox has recently passed and Autumn is upon us. Metal is the element of the Fall, so this post seems appropriate for the season. It feels good to be in tune with Earth and her powerful transitions. I encourage you to explore the practice of Qigong in your own life. If you are a seeker, this is a wonderful place to begin a quest that will take you on an exploratory journey of connection, transformation and blessings abound. There is no dogma here. No creed or affiliation. This is freedom. Freedom to cultivate and harness the energy from which we were all created, so that YOU may create a life consciously and purposefully. If you have any questions or are interested in Qigong, hoop dance, food based healing, Nine Breath Method or anything else you have read about here, please contact me, Shellie White, directly and I will be happy to assist you in acquiring the tools you desire to live a happy and fulfilled life. Namaste!

For information about Supreme Science Qigong please visit www.qigong.com
For information about hoop dance or to order a handmade hoola hoop, visit www.thehealtyhooper.com!

Food is Medicine

2010-09-13T15:26:00.000-07:00

When we eat foods that contain high amount of nutrients, we are medicating ourselves the way nature and the Creator intended. I attended a two-day Advanced Food Healing seminar this weekend, and I am so grateful to have had the experience. I have been working towards using medicinal foods in my own life so that my results would inspire others to do the same, and this workshop opened up a whole new world of food for me to explore. I want to give credit to Jeff Primack of Supreme Science (www.qigong.com) for putting together so much useful information and condensing it into a workshop with protocols that anyone can follow to conquer any dis-ease. I also want to credit Kai Von-Bodegom Smith for being such a wonderful facilitator of this powerful seminar, as he delivered this information with true caring and compassion for all of the attendees. With that said, I want to credit The Source for being the supreme intelligence behind the wisdom and medicine of the plants, and our bodies innate knowledge on how to assimilate this medicine so that we may live long and healthy lives! We were designed to live in Oneness with all of the plants and animals on this planet. In this blog I will share portions of what I learned in this workshop, and encourage you to explore this area of artistic healing.
There are so many delicious power foods out there (and some not so delicious one's we want to eat anyway!) When I first became vegetarian almost 5 years ago, I supplemented heavily, thinking it was the best thing for me. I know now that the most bio-available forms of nutrition come directly from food. There are some exceptions here and there when it comes to mushrooms and herbs (tinctures are awesome), but overall the food itself is the best source of the vitamins, minerals, fats, amino acids, etc that the body needs to function optimally.
Food has the ability to cure cancer, reverse diabetes, alleviate pain, dissolve tumors and kidney stones, restore vision, and eliminates excess fat and so much more. Knowing which foods are appropriate per situation is key. The most important element in healing, however, is NOT food. It is intention set by the individual, and the honest acceptance that healing is available, deserved and achievable. Food is a tool to assist recovery. The power comes from the desire to move towards optimal health (as opposed to away from illness). While practicing food healing protocols, it is just as important to stay dedicated to a positive thought process :)
It is important to allow yourself to form the habit of blessing your food and drink. Perhaps you place your hands over it and say 'thank you'. Maybe, you draw a peace sign or yin yang over your food and put some happy thoughts into it. I was raised a baptist, so I find it rewarding to hold hands with others and say a prayer full of gratitude out loud, like my Father and Grandfathers have always done. When I am alone, I place my hands over my food, bow my head and thank the earth, the sun, the animals, the plants and all of the living organisms that helped to create this food. I send thanks to each person who made it possible for the food to be on my plate. I thank the Source for the food, the health and vitality it will bring me, and for giving my body the innate intelligence to turn this food into a future body, light, and energy so that I may continue to expand and inspire the world. Sometimes I draw an Om or a Yin/Yang over my food to seal it all in. Sometimes, I forget to do this, so I give thanks for the food that is already in my belly :) I even bless my tea and coffee these days. I bless my water. I bless you on your journey of discovering what works best for you in this area of your life!
Ok, now...The Food! There are too many amazing foods and herbs to name them all, and the benefits (hence a TWO DAY seminar that just scratched the surface). If you read this and think 'She left out this super food that everyone should know about!, please contact me and share your knowledge. Let's begin!
ACAI, POMEGRANATE and BLUEBERRIES are the top three sources for ANTIOXIDANTS, which means they are highly beneficial in preventing dis-ease. ASPARAGUS is powerful for KIDNEY and LIVER detoxification. CAMU CAMU BERRY, KIWI and STRAWBERRIES have an insane amount of VITAMIN C, which is needed for IRON ABSORPTION and helpful in reversing ASTHMA. DARK CHOCOLATE (75% and up) is a natural remedy for DEPRESSION (along with movement) as it has a chemical similar to dopamine. GOJI BERRIES are super high in BETA-CAROTENE, ESSENTIAL AMINO ACIDS and help create new red blood cells. MACA ROOT is essential for ENDOCRINE SYSTEM, HORMONE REGULATION and SEXUAL HEALTH. MANUKA HONEY kills MRSA and bacteria that causes stomach ulcers. BLACK SESAME SEEDS have many medicinal uses, the one I will mention is that they are high in SILICA which increases BONE DENSITY. AGARICUS MUSHROOMS are being used as a CANCER TREATMENT (very powerful tinctures available at wwww.food-healing.com) AHCC (comes from shitake and mitake mushrooms) increase white blood cells, and is also being used as a CANCER TREATMENT and IMMUNE SUPPORT. CHARCOAL can be used externally to cure GANG GREEN, POISON IVY, SPIDER/SNAKE BITES as it draws out the poison. It can be used internally for ULCERS, GAS, DIARRHEA, and FOOD POISONING. RICE BRAN is high in CoQ10 which is stored in the HEART and needed for optimal heart functioning. SALMON is high in DHA which is profound for brain health. This is essential in healing AUTISM, ADD(ADHD), DEPRESSION and ALZHEIMERS. MICRO ALGAE is the source of the DHA in the fish and can is even more potent than consuming the fish. Eat your seaweed, sea vegetables, and sustainable fish for good fats and trace minerals. GINKO chelates (helps remove) HEAVY METALS which is powerful in the healing of ALZEIMERS and AUTISM. GINSING is a 'superior herb' and has too many benefits to list. In a nutshell, it restores life energy to the body and spirit. MASTIC GUM can reverse ULCERS. A REISHI MUSHROOM tonic is essential for HEART HEALING, SPIRITUAL WORK and relief of DEPRESSION. ROYAL JELLY is the most bio-available food source for B VITAMINS! EGGS are the most bio-available source of PROTEIN. TUMERIC is an ANTI-INFLAMMATORY. An APPLE a day keeps the colon therapist away as it aides in CONSTIPATION. AVOCADOS are super high in GOOD FATS and the PIT has an incomparable amount soluble fiber, which cleans out the arteries (you need a serious blender to be able to take advantage of this. Check out www.food-healing.com for the best one!). BASIL is amazing for DIGESTIVE health. GARLIC kills bacteria and is wonderful for the heart! BEANS burn slowly in the body and are a good aide for SUGAR CRAVINGS. BEETS are a BLOOD CLEANSER and can DISSOLVE TUMORS. BITTER MELON has a chemical similar to INSULIN and is a tool for reversing DIABETES. BROCCOLI, BRUSSEL SPROUTS, CAULIFLOWER, & CABBAGE helps the body KILL CANCER CELLS especially when FERMENTED. CARROTS are good for healing the STOMACH when lightly cooked. CAYENNE PEPPER regulates BLOOD PRESSURE and is an amazing ANTI-INFLAMMATORY. GINGER is a POWERFUL PAIN RELIEVER. CILANTRO is POWERFUL in MERCURY CHELATION and is essential for curing AUTISM. COCONUT MEAT, WATER, BUTTER, OIL and MILK all have different uses for different things. This is a huge super-food! Start by drinking the water for all of the electrolytes your body needs. The oils is the best for cooking, as it has a high flash point. CUCUMBER is high in SILICA which is essential for BONES, HAIR, and TEETH. EGGPLANT helps absorb excess iron in the body. MUSCADINE GRAPES are high in heart healthy POLY PHENOLS. OKRA scrubs the ARTERIES clean! OYSTERS are high in ZINC, which is stored in the PROSTATE, therefore vital to the MALE reproductive system (just as beneficial for females!) PAPAYA is great for DIGESTION and COLON HEALTH, as well as PEPPERMINT and ROSEMARY. The core of a PINEAPPLE is great for BONES and helps kill cancer. TOMATOES are super high in LYCOPENE, which is essential for PROSTATE health. PURPLE SWEET POTATOES have a protein source similar to that of an EGG. SWISS CHARD is essential for reversing DIABETES as well, as it has in insulin-like phytochemicals. WALNUTS, ALMONDS and CASHEWS are good for DHA (brain health), PROTEIN, and FATS. PUMPKIN SEEDS are the highest source of ZINC! WATERMELONS can aide in dissolving KIDNEY STONES. FAVA BEANS have a dopamine-like chemical and can be used to help treat PARKINSON’s. CORDECYPS (a mushroom) aides in LIVER, KIDNEY, IMMUNE, and HEART health. For THYROID HEALTH eat FERMENTED CABBAGE. There are millions of other amazing foods, plants, herbs, etc out there. This is just a tiny taste of the amazing world of Medicinal Food. I encourage you to explore recipes and ways to consume these foods. Foods high in phytochemicals (protective/disease preventative properties) have the most profound results, according to Jeff Primack and his extensive research. Find as many phytochemicals as you can and eat up! :)
Mindfully eating is another major component of creating a healing relationship with your food. After you bless food and prepare it with love, it is important to take your time to savor the food, allow your saliva to digest it partially in your mouth before swallowing, and be sure that you are in a happy space as you eat. Eating food when angry is just no fun. Be grateful for each bite, for the company you may be with, or for the simple blessing of being able to see it, taste it, smell it and be healed by the experience of eating.
I am honored to have this information to use and share. I hope that this sparks your interest in this area of the healing arts! Blessings to you all, as you continue on your unique journeys of evolution, adventure, healing and happiness!
www.thehealthyhooper.com

Eating Less Meat: Making the Switch

2010-08-08T21:05:00.000-07:00

Making the choice to eat less meat is one that will save your body and the planet from detriment and early death. It is this simple. To quote Einstein, "Nothing will benefit human health and increase the chances for survival of life on Earth as much as the evolution to a vegetarian diet." That man was smart, to say the least. I'm listening.
The amount of fossil fuel it takes to convert crop to feed for commercial livestock is outrageous. Entire rain forests are slashed and burned to make room for more crops to feed the cows, pigs, chickens, turkeys and people. These crops (corn, wheat, soy, palm, canola, etc) are used for filler ingredients in almost everything. The transport of the meat and all of the processing, preserving and packaging ends up costing an even more outrageous amount. Plus, the way those animals are treated in these commercial feeding operations and slaughter houses is vile, immoral, and totally heartless. Some never see a speck of sunlight. They never move their legs. It is important to know these things. You don't have to contribute!
As consumers, we have a choice as to where our money goes. I, personally, am not completely vegetarian, but I do not buy commercial meats. I will eat a small portion of locally raised/hunted meat; and some sushi on occasion. I do my best to put my money towards small farms, local restaurants, and better ingredients in general. So, I do still eat fish frequently, but even this I am revising due to the over fishing, as well as the moral issues of fish farming. This is something I am working towards. Sustainable seafood consumption is my current action in doing my part for the planet, and my body.
The point of this blog is to relay the message that eating less meat, even eating no meat, is possible in this society, and is a healthier option. It takes a lot of education on protein sources and knowing what your body needs and wants. Fueling your body to operate optimally is key!
So, the question posed: How do we go from being daily meat eaters to mostly, or completely, vegetarian?
As an athlete and Type O, my body responds well to a relatively high protein intake. When I say it responds well, I mean that I feel satiated after eating proteins. I have sustained energy. I do not crave sugars or unnecessary snacks. If I am a hungry, I eat of course. The more complete protein I take in, the less hungry I am between meals. Eating less meat was a challenge for me, as I was unaware of all of the protein sources that are plant based. I decided to go vegetarian in 2007 just to see if I could do it. A few Catholic friends I had were giving up things like chocolate or soda for Lent. I am not Catholic, but I like a 'healthy challenge' so I decided to give up meat (as giving up chocolate is suicide of sanity.) I remember thinking 'If I give up meat then I can't eat fast food anymore'. I was addicted to fast food, eating it up to three times a day. After three months being 'vegetarian', eating no meat other than fish, no soda, and a salad once a day for lunch I was 35 pounds lighter. I was also bruising easily and having a lot of headaches. My massage teacher told me I needed to balance my diet out through supplementing. Bobby and Kerrie (tuberose.com) also recommended supplements while I was learning how to receive the proper nutrition through food combining. This is what worked best. At this time I was also choosing to go off of a 'mood-stabilizing' prescription I was on called Topamax. I needed to supplement with mood-enhancing oils and B vitamins to keep my mind from playing tricks. Being 'Pescatarian' (fish eater) and supplementing with adequate B Complexes, fish/borage/flax/hemp/coconut oils was the best thing I have done for my body ever in my life. Within a year I had no more asthma, as I was able to quit smoking, lost a lot of weight, was prescription free, had a healthier colon and my menstrual cycle was virtually pain free and predictable to the day. It was a breakthrough in my life, and the beginning of a personal revolution that I feel called to share with others.
Today, I am lean, fit, strong, energetic and full of life. I eat to sustain this. After being strictly 'pescatarian' for two years, I found my body asking for more protein, or a different type of protein. I decided instead of completely restricting myself I would try some meat and see what felt good and what didn't. Beef did not sit well. No cows for me. The only pork I have eaten was a locally raised pig at a wedding in West Virginia, and a couple of burrito's from Chipotle. The wedding pork was amazing and I felt fine, but the burrito pork left me lethargic and heavy. No more of that for me. I have eaten some organic free range turkey and chicken. I don't feel much different after eating those so I just skip it now. Plus, I have read that the label 'free range' may mean that the animal has only received fifteen minutes of sun, as opposed to none. Labeling is paid for by lobbyists, so do your research. Know your farmer, if you want to keep it simple. My body loves eggs and fish. It also likes duck, deer and other wild game. It is so rare that this is actually available to me that I hardly ever eat it, but if it is available and deliciously prepared I consume it with love, gratitude and honor.
As for meat substitutes, I eat those about as frequently as I eat meat, which is not very often. Soy is a tricky ingredient and is present in most meat substitutes. Just like you have to be mindful of antibiotics/hormones added to meats and the treatment of the animals, you must be just as mindful of where the soy/corn comes from. Is it a slash-and-burn rain forest crop? Is is genetically modified? Meat substitutes are still processed, are not actually food, and may have origin just as detrimental to the planet. Plus, soy is not for everyone, as it is high in plant based (phyto-) estrogen. There are many studies that validate both sides of the soy controversy. For MY body, I eat very little soy, as it effects my Moon Cycle (gives me cramps!) My idea of a meat substitute is a portobella mushroom cap baked and stuffed with garlic-y quinoa and a side of steamed veggies, drizzled with coconut oil and sprinkled with sea salt and freshly ground pepper. Yummmm...I'm salivating. Our nutrition should come from our food. Food that is as close to being actual food as possible, not a food like substance with a lengthy ingredients list. Try making your own veggie burgers from mushrooms, chickpeas, spinach and creative spices.
If you are eating meat daily, and would like to switch to being vegetarian, I suggest eliminating beef and pork first. See how you feel. Make sure you are eating fruits and veggies high in vitamin C so that you are absorbing the non heme (iron from plants). Consider supplementing with some high grade 'buffered vitamin C,' while transitioning. Iron in meat is more bio-available, therefore readily absorbed and converted to hemoglobin. However, the difference in absorption rate of heme (animal iron) and non heme (plant iron) is small, and virtually unnoticeable if Vitamin C is present to help the body easily absorb the non-heme. I would then eliminate poultry. You may find yourself hungry as you are no longer considering meat an option. Eat! Don't deny yourself food. It is important, also, to note that hunger can be confused with dehydration. So, drink a glass of water when you're feeling hungry shortly before or after a meal. I eat frequently. I eat about every 3 or 4 hours. This works for me! It may not work for everyone. It is important to note that when making this transition, one may find themselves craving a lot of carbohydrates which can lead to weight gain and an equally unhealthy lifestyle as the previous. Subbing pasta, fries, potatoes, and breads for meat will simply not do. These do not provide the nutrition needed and should be consumed in moderation. Meals should include some sort of plant based protein. Snacks for me consist of raw carrots and hummus, an avocado half with salsa, an apple, a small serving of granola with almond milk, a tablespoon of almond butter, an orange or some other piece of fresh fruit. (Side note: fruit should be eaten alone, on an empty stomach.)
Food combining is tricky and is still something I am a humble student of. I am learning through experience and study what works for my body, most bodies, and of course, what doesn't. Complete proteins are important to create when becoming vegetarian. This is the 'hard' part, but with practice, becomes fun and easy. Studies have shown that you do not need to create complete proteins at every meal. The body will hold on to important amino acids derived from the food in one meal, and use them when the sister amino acid comes along from another meal. They'll join up, and get synthesized in your body. So, in the transition to vegetarian lifestyle it is important to get in a variety of vegetables, grains, fruits and legumes throughout the day. Again, if you eat enough of the right foods your body will know what to do with it all. Quinoa is a food worth mentioning here, as it is a complete protein in itself. When I am cooking regularly, I pretty much alternate between quinoa, brown rice, or polenta. These are staples in my diet. I cook one of these with a different veggie combo every night and dinner never gets boring. It's all about the spices and the ingredients! I also use quite a bit of coconut milk. Pure deliciousness, every time.
Gabrielle Cousens is a vegan, is over 60, can fast for months and still do 600 push ups or something crazy like that. He wrote a wonderful book everyone should read called 'Conscious Eating'. Gabrielle says to 'eat the rainbow'. Eat as many colors as you can throughout the day. Food is beautiful, and we are more beautiful if we see the beauty, purpose and life in the food we are eating. This is the rule I live by. Eat the colors, as many as you can!
To summarize: To eat less meat, eat more veggies. Be careful with meat substitutes; know if the ingredients are right for you and don't turn a blind eye to the commercial farming aspect of it, if that is what was putting you off of meat in the first place. Supplementing is good in the beginning, but should be transitioned out of, should not be depended upon, and used only as needed for immune system maintenance. The idea is to receive the nutrition from the FOOD itself. There are a few supplements that may help in transition. (Side note: All supplements should be very good quality. Otherwise you will loose them through urine or lack of absorption. You get what you pay for. Check wwww.tuberose.com for good supplements!) Supplements I took during my transition: Cod Liver Oil, B 12, B Complex, Vit C, and occasionally zinc. I also took some high grade supplements and tinctures for my adrenal glands and cortisol regulation. I was in adrenal fatigue, and that was causing a lot of my 'symptoms' of manic/depression (bi-polarity). It is important to educate yourself on what nutrients and minerals work together and which ones negate each other. Make sure you are taking them at the right time of day for them to synthesize properly, and that you are combining them correctly so that you don't end up with a deficiency or imbalance. Beware of consuming too many carbs, and eat your largest meals earlier in the day. The body would rather be dreaming soundly while you sleep, not digesting some heavy meal. The old adage goes like this: Breakfast like a king. Lunch like a prince. Dinner like a pauper. If you get in most of your protein at breakfast and lunch then you will feel full throughout the day and crave less sugar/carbs/caffeine. Eating a sugary, starchy, or no breakfast at all can cause blood sugar dips, craves and binges throughout the day. Breakfast really is the most important meal! Check out my previous blog, Daily Food Intake for my personal preferences. I eat tons of eggs, so when/if I go vegan for a bit, this will be my biggest challenge. I eat a lot of Hemp Protein, so that is a good substitute for the eggs. I can always up the Hemp Protein intake and feel just fine. I just love making omelets, is all :)
I hope this information is helpful for you. I must disclaim that this is my own personal experience and I am encouraging you to try new things, but listen to your OWN body. Take some of my advice, leave some of my advice...ya dig? :) This is a unique experience for every individual on the planet. Listen to your body and your heart. I am what could be called a 'flexitarian'. I do not give myself a bunch of rules. I prefer the word 'preference'. Feel it out moment by moment, but stay true to yourself through the process. Remember why you are making these changes whenever you are feeling 'challenged'. Ask for support! You have a wonderful Creator and Community to support you in whatever choices and changes you are making for yourself. Below are some resources to aid you, educate you, inform you and to awaken you. I honor each one of you on your journey and soul ride. Blessings!

Feel free to contact me to contribute to this topic, give a testimonial, or for whatever reason you may have. Email: ihearthoopdance@gmail.com

BOOKS:

The Omnivore's Dilemma, Michael Pollen
In Defense of Food, Michael Pollen
The Botany Of Desire, Michael Pollen
In Defense of Food, Michael Pollen
Women Food and God, Geneen Roth
Eating Animals, Jonathan Safran
Fast Food Nation, Eric Schlosser
FOOD, INC., Karl Weber
Animal Liberation, Peter Singer

DOCUMENTARIES:

Fast Food Nation
FOOD, INC.
The Future of Food
SuperSize Me
Sicko
Meat Your Meat
The Meatrix
King Corn

WEBSITES:

www.tuberose.com (Natural Healing Site, Supplements, Read up on how your body WORKS!)
http://www.thevegetarianblog.com/ (This site has a list of dozens of other sites for everything from animal rights to recipes.)

Again, anything to add, message to contribute or post it on The Healthy Hooper facebook! www.facebook.com/thehealthyhooper

The Healing Waters

2010-08-02T09:03:00.000-07:00

Thursday July 22, 2010 at 1:11pm

I open this with deep and sincere gratitude to Bobby, Kerrie and Noah, whose influence and example was the beginning of the most amazing journey: a healthy relationship with my body.
I went to Brooksville, FL with Noah to meet his parents for the first time. His parents house and property sounded like an idyllic paradise. "The Homestead", he described it. He spoke to me of 'ponds and turkeys, herb gardens and tinctures created by Kerrie, a healing chalet that him and his father built together, a pottery studio and raw food delights'. Really? These people exist? You bet. His father, Bobby and step mother, Kerrie are a super-incredible-powerful healing team. They use innate intelligence and advanced Applied Kinesiology to communicate with the body. I was nervous and excited to meet them, as I was in the process of quitting smoking, quitting fast food, and ceasing all occasional recreational drug use. I was in my last term of massage school (where Noah and I met four years ago) so I was coming into a healthier state of being. I was ready for more. Noah educated me and informed daily of so much knowledge on the body and human health. This was the quality that drew me towards his light. I was thirsty for knowledge, and Noah held the golden goblet of the hydrating healing waters. I gulped it down; the healing waters AND my nervous throat lump as I prayed they didn't think I was totally f****d up!) We arrived, and my believing eyes affirmed the beauty and utopia in the stories. These people were amazing, the real deal. Walking the walk. They had their own catfish pond, ate eggs from their own turkeys, grew most of their own food, had a healing treatment room and so so so much more. There were glass gallon jugs holding water, and on the outside of the jugs positive affirmations were written. I felt chills when I saw that. It impacted me. Everything in their home has a purpose, and that purpose is based on health and healing. After some brief introductions, hugs, and enough small talk for me to feel pseudo-comfortable, I received what will always be referred to in my world as 'The Rundown'. They asked me a whooooole lot of questions about my body and it felt good to answer them honestly. It felt cleansing in itself to admit what I had been doing to myself. Abuse, really. I was eating dead food, drinking sugary poisons and inhaling chemicals that are fatal through smoking. They were very objective and clear on explaining to me what was really going on with my body. They explained to me SIMPLE things like digestion, hydration, food choice, toxicity, an alkaline versus an acidic body, effects of prescriptions on my body and the power of my emotions on my body. I use the word simple because as they told me these things I felt like I was remembering the Truth that I knew deep down but had never practiced. Once hearing it broken down like this, it sounded so simple. My body knew it was true, but my mind never made the connection. They facilitated my ability to stay connected to my body, and provided with the information sources and tools to do it on my own. "Give a man a fish and feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and feed him for a lifetime." To not leave my body to mindlessly eat, smoke, or drink poisons because I am uneducated or bored, became my passion. Ignorance and boredom are for lazy sloths. I was through with being consumed by this darkness. Bobby and Kerrie put me on a table and put all kinds of substances in my mouth to test me for food allergies. Wheat, yeast and dairy all weakened my immune system. They muscle tested me and discovered which muscles were weak, explained to me what nutritional deficiencies cause this, where I was missing this nutrition in in my diet, gave me some of the missing nutrient, and rubbed certain points on my body. They retested the weak muscles after running this protocol, and the weak muscles tested strong. I think I cried at some point because I had so many problems and questions before meeting them, and they just swept right in and showed me the light of truly living. I finally knew the Truth. To make a long story short (the long version will certainly be in my memoir), my life was changed that day for the better forever. I am operating at optimal health today because I follow the example that these people set for me. They ran dozens of muscle tests on my body that day, but the one that sticks with me the most is the test for dehydration. That is the first thing they test for, as most health problems stem from this and this alone! Most people are always dehydrated. This is so underestimated. I saw how important water was to them, and listened intently as they explained its vital role in bodily functions. Bobby and Kerrie had a reverse osmosis filter that filtered the whole house. The tap water was filtered through the main tank and then filtered again through the tap. Then they bottled it and treated it with Mega H. Mega H perfectly balances the water as close as possible to pristine, clean, fresh from-the-untainted-water. They gave me some water with Celtic sea salt mixed in to rehydrate me. The headache I had been fighting for three days was gone within five minutes of chugging the only-slightly-salty mixture. They explained to me proper sodium balance in the body, proper ratios of salt to water, and the importance of trace mineral balance. They explained to me what was really in tap water: aluminum, fluoride and other metals, traces of birth control, feces, pesticides and prescription drug residue because so many people ingest and pass them through the urine. They stored the water in glass as opposed to plastic because water leeches toxins from plastic (especially when heated.) Some of the glass gallons had magnets on each side, creating even more balanced and healing the water. They had words of love and encouragement placed all over the jugs. They showed me books on the healing powers of water and how water is affected by the words we say, written by the enlightened Doctor Emoto. I was entranced. I heeded the words they spoke and read the information they shared. This was four years ago, and here I am today still sharing and writing about it, following the example.
I bathed that day in healing waters. Metaphorically and literally. As an observant citizen of society I caution my fellow human citizens to be choosy and careful of the water in which you nourish your thirsts. Again, a metaphorical and literal piece of advice. I have consumed sweet healing water and also ingested toxic, poisonous, and scalding water in my day. Metaphorically, we are all thirsty for truth, spiritual knowledge, information and answers. There are many clever cats, and rats, who will offer your their goblets to quench your thirst. If you keep finding you are still thirsty or even sick, still going back to the same goblet, perhaps you should learn to fetch your own water. I have learned to drink only from the Source of the water itself, and avoid the middle man and any added ingredients that may have been tossed in along the way. Sip and sample the water of another, be inspired, drink your fill, but ultimately, it is your search. Tap into your own well. Be responsible and use discernment before taking too big of a swallow, or leaping into churning sea. What are you diving for? What are you thirsty for? Be clear on these inner intentions and you will become well hydrated with the waters of Truth and Love. Remain unclear on your intention, dive in blindly, and you may find the water is rancid, tainted, or too rough.
Physically one should know what they are putting into one's body. Our body is four-fifths water. That is almost our entire make up. We are water and dust. One must take in the right amount of water to stay healthy and hydrated. "Too little ain't good. Too much ain't either." Balance. If one is retaining water, it means they are not taking in enough. This may seem counter intuitive, but if the body becomes afraid it will not receive enough of something it holds on to it for dear life. Literally.
Hydrating our bodies with healthy water makes the difference between life and death. One of the most important functions of water is to flush toxins from the body. If we deny our bodies ease of this vital function, we are dead. I choose to show myself love through proper hydration. I spend the time to refill my three-gallon jugs with filtered water from the health food store. I'll buy the bottle of water (in glass when it's available) and refill it when it's empty with good water. I have been drinking pure water (Reverse Osmosis or Distilled works for me) for four years now, so when I taste tap water I can taste the heavy metals and impurities so strongly. I can smell them in the water without even having to taste it. When I first moved to Florida I drank a glass of tap water and ended up with horrible stomach pains and diarrhea. That was enough of an experience to show me! I rarely make exceptions to this commitment to myself. I love my body and show it by drinking the right amount of pure, blessed water.
Did you know that (when viewed under a microscope) a water molecule that has been blessed (ie. Holy Water) looks like a perfect snowflake? Symmetrical and flawless. Water that has been told it was 'ugly' and 'hated' looked like a yellow, disgusting blob. If our bodies are four-fifths water then what we say to our bodies REALLY matters! I look at myself everyday in the mirror and tell myself 'I love you!' I smile and I mean it. When I drink water I do it with love and rub my tummy. I know it may sound weird, but I am more vital and healthy at 25 then I was when I was 8 years old. I am the healthiest I have ever been. Hence, The Healthy Hooper creation. I am stoked to share this journey! If I can do it, anyone can. It began with something as simple as choosing good water over water that makes you sick. It begins with this. It began with someone having the courage to do it, someone else being inspired, and someone else reading about it and getting inspired and then inspiring someone else. Hell yeah! :) We are in this together.
The Healing Water is that which we drink in and accept it as good, true, pure and on purpose. I think dolphins are the most intelligent, highly evolved species on this planet, and they live in water. I dream of being a mermaid. I WAS a mermaid between the ages of 6-11. I still am, secretly. I love the water. I am pretty sure that a HUGE part of my deepest healing work has taken place under the full moon's light while immersed in the sea water of the Gulf. I have felt more comfort shedding my salty tears into her salty solution which holds me buoyant, with no effort, than in the arms of any human. Only ease. I have been healed by a good, hot shower. I have been healed looking over the glassy surface of a lake, watching the water ripple with tiny waves. I have been healed by consuming only water and no other liquids. I have healed my body with water, my mind with water, and my soul with The Waters. We need water to live. Water lives in us. There are so many metaphors one could derive from this concept.
Being introduced to the importance of this element changed me forever. I began this blog with an offering of gratitude to the ones who held my hand with my first step. I will conclude this blog with an offering of gratitude to the ones reading these words and will take it one step further. Thank you to each of you who step outside of the sandbox, and into the waves of uncertainty as you view the distant yet healing horizon. Thank you for being the one who doodles words of love and light onto your water bottles, or the one who christens your baby. Thank you for remember the parts of you (four-fifths!) that are water and watery in metaphorical nature. Thank you. Blessings as we dive deep into the infinite sea of you and me!

Daily Food Intake

2010-07-17T11:02:00.000-07:00

You are what you eat. Period. I dance all the time and don't want to feel weighed down by nasty food or an upset tummy. As a dancer I want to stay hydrated and feel good ALL the time. What I eat keeps me from getting sick, gives me energy, and prevents me from needing to take too many supplements. 95% of my diet is vegetables, fruits, and grains. 5% is animal protein. I rarely eat meat, and when I do it is fish. I am not very experienced at cooking fish it so really I only eat it when it is prepared for me. I eat salad multiple times a day! A close hoop sister of mine has asked me to please blog about what I eat on a daily basis. You got it! :) Here is my typical market list:

*VEGGIES: Seasonal. Right now there is a lot to choose from! Lettuces (so many delicious varieties available), spinach, beets, cucumbers, kale, chard, tomatoes, mushrooms, eggplant, summer squash, carrots, sweet peppers, cabbage, jicima (pronounced hicama). Whatever else is available fresh! Broccoli, snap peas, etc.
*Brown Rice
*Ezekiel Bread
*Coconut Milk
*Garlic
*Unsweetened Original Almond Milk
*Fresh Eggs
*Green Drink Ingredients:
((Green Vibrance or Raw Food Powder by Garden of Life & Hemp Protein, Hemp Oil & Flax Oil))
*Raw Almonds
*Raw Pumpkin Seeds
*Organic, Fair Trade, Shade Grown Coffee
*Yerba Mate Tea
*Sprouts (I like Fullei Fresh, Alfalfa, or Broccoli Sprouts)
*Almond Butter
*Seasonal Fruit: Apples, oranges, berries, mangoes, KIWI (good for asthma!) coconuts, Avocados are my favorite (this is one I have not limited to seasonal eating yet because I am still very obsessed. I am working towards it, though.)
*Organic 80%+ Dark Chocolate
*Polenta
*Quinoa (pronounced keen-wah)
*Gluten Free Oats
*Hummus
*Veganaise (Grapeseed Oil Vegan Friendly Mayo...delish!)
*Spices are everything! I love green, yellow, and red curries & Thai seasonings.
*Fresh Herbs: basil, cilantro, rosemary, thyme, etc.
*Locally made granola

Ok, well, these are my basics. Other things come up, I just can't think of them. As my creativity with cooking grows, so does my ingredient list. I am learning SO much each day. You may be looking at this list and thinking "What the fudge do I do with Quinoa? WHAT IS Quinoa?" Well, it is a grain and a complete protein. You boil it like rice, directions are on the box. You can let it cool and chop up fresh cucumber, cilantro and tomatoes in it, making a nice lil' salad. Or, eat it hot with steamed veggies.
My meals usually look like this throughout the day:

BREAKFAST: PROTEIN FIRST THING in the morning makes for less sugar cravings and a satisfied feeling throughout the day. Less snacking and more smiling:)

Green Drink:::: Fill a shaker or blender with the following:
*Almond Milk, 1 or 2 scoops Hemp Protein, 1 or 2 scoops Green Vibrance, 1Tbsp Hemp Oil and 1 Tbsp Flax Seed Oil. Also, if I am in the same location (as I travel) for more than one week I will use the raw almonds and SOAK them and put a handful of these in the blender drink.
(If I don't have a blender, I still like to soak the almonds to make them extra tasty on salads. I soak the pumpkin seeds, too!)
If you are feeling adventurous, need extra protein, and are not Vegan, I suggest throwing a raw egg in the green drink. You can't taste it. It even makes it a little creamier, I think.) NOTE: This may not taste all that great to you the first time you drink it! It won't taste bad, though. Your tongue might say "WTF?! Tastes like glorified Dirt." But, your body will say "OMG, THANKS!!!". A decent trade-off :) This drink provides me with protein, greens, good oils and fats, and a heck of a lot of energy as it doesn't weigh me down like a bagel with cream cheese might.
When I do not have my protein shake, I almost always make some sort of omelet. I cook it in coconut oil. I saute mushrooms, garlic, onions, peppers and whatever other veggies I have and the put them in in the omelet or scramble. I eat this with fresh greens and one piece of Ezekiel bread. As always, I dress the greens with good oils, sea salt and black pepper. Yum yum in my tum!

LUNCH: Usually a large salad consisting of colorful veggies and four or five sources of protein. So maybe this: Spinach, tomato, cucumber, peppers, mushrooms with (protein sources following--->) boiled egg, sprouts, soaked almonds, soaked seeds, and a little bean salad on the side or something. I dress it with Celtic sea salt, fresh ground pepper, olive oil, and balsamic vinegar. Super. Duper. YUMMY. I feel like a rockstar for the rest of the day!

DINNER... is lighter and this is the time of day where I get my starches and more veggies. Steamed brown rice with lightly sauteed veggies that have simmered in coconut milk seasoned with some sort of curry is my favorite dinner. Very Eastern. I eat about 1/2 cup of rice and two handfuls of veggies. I eat lightly and do my best to NOT eat animal protein after 2 pm. It is hard for the body to digest. Starches (rice, polenta, hummus) are easily digested while the body is resting during sleepy time. I also like to eat this:
Sauteed polenta and eggplant layered on top of each other topped with sauteed garlic, mushrooms. (Polenta on bottom, then eggplant, then yummy mushrooms on top!) I eat this with fresh greens. I eat everything with fresh greens! It is WAY good for the digestive tract, as it pushes everything through, keeping you very regular which is the most important thing you can do for your body, really. Keeping your colon hydrated and clean is the key to health.

I like dessert! I only eat it sometimes. I LOVE COCONUT BLISS ICE CREAM. Enough said. I could eat the whole thing, but I only eat like, a fourth of it at a time. That is some serious self-control kids. I won't lie, one time I was feeling sad and sorry for myself and ate a whole pint of coconut bliss sitting on a bench overlooking the lake. I never once felt bad about it and never will :)

So this is just a very brief summary of my daily food intake. I DRINK ALMOST A GALLON OR MORE OF WATER A DAY. This keeps my hunger curbed (as thirst can often be confused in the brain for hunger), and keeps everything flowing as it should. I drink coffee and yerba mate tea. NO SODA, ever. Never, ever, EVER. I will post more on a special blog on hydration, as it is a VERY important issue!
Feel free to email me or comment with questions, suggestions, input and love. Health & Hoopiness to you, friends! <3

Food, Oil, & The Power of The Consumer

2010-07-13T20:26:00.000-07:00

Alright ya'll, Time to get serious. I'm on a mission with a message. Now that this blog is up and running I feel like it's up to me to choose what is conveyed to the masses. Facebook is great and all, but there's something viable and juicy about this little blog seed planted into cyberspace. I will water it with my words, may they be pure, true, and on purpose. May the angels protect me and Source be my Flow as I delve into what I feel in my heart is the Truth, while exposing and revealing the deceptions, lies, scandals and flat out murderous tactics of the Oil, Food, Pharmaceutical Industries and other Criminal Corporations. To be frank, I am pissed. I've been on too many pills and been told too many bullshit excuses from doctors who COULD NOT HELP ME with my mind and body issues. No one asked me about my diet before loading me up with scripts and shooing me out the door. They with hold information and tell us things that are not only lies, but also are harmful and cause death. MEDICAL CARE is the number ONE cause of death in this country! Not malpractice, CARE. That is friggin' scary. The reason this country is so dependent on this so-called 'medical care' is because the food made available MAKES YOU SICK! It all comes down to the food eaten. There is very little government provided Food Education that is worth a damn. 'Someone' provides us with a Food Pyramid, with no education on nutrition, just advertisements on TV for sodas, cheap drive through meals, and crap out of a box (as opposed to the ground). The really sad part? Most of these ads are geared towards kids. I've talked to kids who think Chick-Fil-A is 'healthy' and things from the ground are 'gross'. Sigh...more on this in a later blog. As for me, I am done eating food that has a mysterious origin with a polysyllabic language involving numbers, colors, and acronyms (ie. Yellow #4 and MSG) Why does my FOOD have to have a bar code? Why are there things on the label I can't pronounce? Why is it so hard to find raw, living food? No more, I say! I will shop at Farmer's markets and eat local at every chance and avoid all 'food substitutes'. I will eat real food and use it as medicine so that I have no reason to believe some stranger with an expensive 'medical degree' who does not know my body, nor asks any questions to make the attempt. I HAVE done this, and healed myself. I changed my life by letting go of prescriptions and doctors and embracing medicinal foods and HEALERS. I am ready to show the way. I am ready to help facilitate the distribution of power from the crumbling corporate entity to the people, and BE the example of POWER through physical and emotional HEALING. I am taking this fire and passion that I feel pumping through me and transform it into powerful devotion to written word. Ready? :)

I have noticed, lately, that my personal issues are quite small in comparison to issues that affecting the entire world (ie; the Gulf Oil Crisis) I am finding it easier to not sweat the small stuff, like, 'He never washes dishes', or 'ANOTHER bill is due.' My thoughts are more along the lines now of 'Where did everything on my dish, COME FROM?' and 'What did it REALLY cost?' Is it local? Or shipped from another state or country? Seriously. This 'oil crisis' has totally transformed my way of thinking about the way I consume, and the way the human race as a whole is consuming. Oil and food are directly linked. The food we eat is a big deal. After reading some very interesting literature I have found that the average American consumes about 400 GALLONS of oil a year THROUGH THE FOOD WE EAT. Are you freakin' kidding me?!

While sitting down to write this first informative blog and introducing myself a little further, I had no set agenda. I am learning to just let it Flow. Looks like this one is going towards the issue of Food and Oil. I will pose a question. What does the average American know about the Oil Industry, and it's involvement in the food they eat?

I am reading the book 'Animal, Vegetable, Miracle' by Barbara Kingsolver. It is so very interesting, enlightening, and educational. This is where I am gleaning information from for this article. I highly suggest you read this book. Here is what I have learned so far. Back at the turn of the century in the early 20's, wealthy people started serving some specialty items at dinner parties, (such as artichokes and lettuces) during the winter months. These items were shipped on ice in box cars by train. It stayed a 'party trick' for a while, and most almost all food consumed in daily life was still grown by local farmers. Then, as the railroad industry grew and subsequently was superseded by interstate commerce, food grown in California was being shipped across country far more frequently. California found it's niche in the agribusiness as a year-long producer and provider of 'out-of-season' fruits and vegetables. This led to small farmers still growing heirloom produce seasonally, being in competition with the 'indestructible-always-in-season' food coming from thousands of miles away. Food that looked pretty after being prematurely picked and shipped a very long way. As a nation we used to consume thousands (about 8 thousand to be specific) of varieties of many different species of plants. Not anymore. Small farms are going under, heirloom seeds are being lost, and the hybridized seeds owned by a sole SIX companies (more on Monsanto and cronies later) are becoming the main crops produced and distributed in this country. We now consume an average 8 species of plants in the American food culture. Seriously? 8,000 to eight in less than 100 years? Our kids are in big trouble if we don't change something.

So, how is oil involved in all of this? America is destroying rain forests in South American countries and all over the world to grow corn, wheat, soy, and canola as feed for animals, fillers for drinks and processed foods, and billions of dollars in profits. These companies underpay the workers and are destroying indigenous life and cultures. The cost it takes to ship the 'seasonal' veggies and fruits of these foreign countries to our supermarkets is outlandish, extravagant, and not just a waste of dollars, but life itself. Money wise it is VERY expensive to ship food here on boats then put it on trains and in refrigerated trucks. This requires millions of barrels of oil. Then, think of the oil/money required to keep these factories running. They have machines that process, package, preserve, and store. These are just a few examples of how much fossil fuel is consumed by the food we eat before we even turn on our car engine to go purchase it from the well-lit, air-conditioned super-market. This is just the beginning...

The fast food industry is what is killing this nation. We have fat kids and fat parents, two types of diabetes and high blood pressure and millions of people a minute going through friggin' drive-thru windows! Keep the prescriptions for high cholesterol and insulin rollin' in! It costs a hell of a lot of oil, YOUR personal health, and even more plant and animal life for fast food to be quick and cheap. The wheat, soy, palm oil, and meat products used to fill up your Burger King bag most likely came from a crop that used to be an Indonesian Rain forest. What used to be the lush and vibrant home of billions of medicinal plant species and endangered orangutans is now miles pesticide ridden, inedible, consumable only after processing, genetically modified corn. We are trading entire ecosystems containing billions of priceless plant and animal life for cheap, tasteless, nutritionally depraved food substances. This is NOT a fair trade, and is making humans the REAL endangered species. How ya feelin' about the price of the $1.99 Happy Meal now? There is no nutritional value in it whatsoever, and is actually full of toxic, addictive, disease causing substances that are not even real food. I know this may seem a bit intense, but I'm sick of this country being sick, fat, stupid and afraid. I am just sharing what I read, and how this knowledge catalyzes my feelings. I hope your still with me!

So, now that I have ranted for a while, time to quit bitching and start a revolution. How does one work towards weening themselves off of this food that comes from somewhere else and costs oil, lives, money, and the health of an entire nation and the economy of the WORLD? Easy. Eat local and seasonal. I am really working hard at this. It doesn't come very easy in most parts of this country, unless you grow your own food. I am not growing any of my own food right now so I am still at the mercy of Earthfare, WholeFoods, and LOCAL FARMER'S MARKETS and health food stores. I do my best to cook my own food, and if I eat out I do my best to find places that serve food made from local produce, meats and baked goods. These places are everywhere! One of my favorites is in St. Petersburg, FL. Angie's Front Porch Cafe. Angie, the owner, frequents many farmer's markets throughout the Tampa Bay area, supporting the local farmers and growers. She makes the food at that Cafe herself, and it is some of the best food I have ever eaten. She also has local musicians booked for brunch on Sunday mornings. The sense of community that gather's there is special. Not the same as a Waffle House or First Watch. It is truly communal and full of local life. I love it there! Also, I do my best to stay in the produce isle of the health food store and if they have local options, that's what I buy. Many communities have what is knows as a 'Co-Op' (short of cooperative). These are amazing. People in the community become members of these co-ops, contributing money or food they have grown, and in turn are able to purchase anything at the co-op for a member price. My favorite one is located in Carrboro, NC and is famous in the hoop community. The Weaver Street Market (we call it The Weave) has local produced, hand-made gifts, soaps, teas, coffees, all kind of local everything! PLUS, they have amazing live music on Sundays and Thursdays, and of course, it's a haven for hoop dancers in the community. Co-Op's are cool! Find one!

What else can you do to lighten up on your consumption of oil through food choices? Eating very little to NO meat and dairy from corporate commercial sources is the best way. It takes a disgusting amount of energy to house, feed, medicate, slaughter, ship and process these poorly treated animals. The less expensive the meat, the more f****d up the process was for you to purchase it at that price. I do eat some meat, mostly fish. In the last year I have had perhaps two servings of organic, free-range buffalo. I only ate that because I felt weak due to a very heavy menstrual cycle. I have done research on iron, and found that spinach is a better source of iron, and has a higher bio-availability (absorbs into the body) rate than any meat source. So, I will most likely never eat red meat again, unless the farmer down the street from me brings me something HE raised, loved, and respectfully slaughtered. I have been a vegetarian in the past, and I have found that my body really does operate more optimally with a diet of 5% meat consumption, 95% veggies, grains, seeds, nuts and fruits. It is the way nature intended, I feel. Every 'body' is different, as we all have a different heritage and biological needs. I eat almost no dairy at all. I use coconut milk, almond milk, and rice milk for all my 'dairy' needs. I eat very little cheese and don't miss it at all. My digestive tract is happier as well. If there is a locally made cheese, I will eat that, and only in moderation. As for eggs, I do eat A LOT of eggs. I purchase them locally every chance I get. There is a great little co-op in Athens with yummy local eggs. I eventually want some turkeys or chickens to take care of this for me :)! Until then, I will continue to spend the extra money on Organic, Free Range, Cage Free, Antibiotic/Hormone Free Eggs. Jeez, it costs a lot just to print all that sh*t on the cardboard carton. I am doing my best with the options I have, and I hope I have encouraged you to do the same. I am always open to suggestions about how to be an even more responsible consumer. Please share!

Well, I feel like this is a good start. I want to recommend Barbara Kingsolver's book to each of you, as it is changing my life page by page. The key to changing the world is changing where you put your money, energy, and efforts. IT ONLY TAKES ONE, and you are ONE! Go forth my healthy, hooping friends, into the world today and make one choice that you feel really good about. One choice that you KNOW in your heart is good for your body, planet, and vibrational consciousness of all life. I love you all. Until next time...Health, Love & Hoopiness your way <3!

Emergence

2010-07-11T20:53:00.000-07:00

The Healthy Hooper has been simmering on the back burner for a little while now. I started posting daily words of wellness on my facebook page, and got an amazing response. From there, I decided to dedicate an entire facebook page to the concept, naming the project 'The Healthy Hooper'. In just a couple weeks I already had 200+ 'Likes', so I took a hint from the Universe and have decided to take this all the way. As I am comfortable with writing, a blog seemed to be the safe way to start. I have always loved to write, and have been keeping a diary since I was the ripe age of 4. Once I hit 12, the diary fell to the wayside and I embraced my 'journal'. I have been documenting my life quite religiously for 21 years now. For me to take my writing to the next level feels REALLY good. For me to take it even further and create a blog/publication that is spreading a positive message, awareness, education, empowerment, wisdom, vital knowledge, and light to the masses feels really REALLY good. To take it as far as I can because I know I can, and incorporate my love/passion/purpose for the healing arts with my love/passion/purpose of hoop flow feels really, super, awesomely, amazingly good and DIVINE! I have a purpose. It is up to me to create it! Today is a new moon. Today is a solar eclipse. I'm usin' this one, baby! I emerge today (7/11/10~my three favorite numbers) as The Healthy Hooper. As I write this first blog for The Healthy Hooper, I set forth the intention to be of service to my fellow Flow Family. I am here to be a beacon in the darkness; To grow and learn beside you, so that we may be powerful in numbers; to inform you of the lies that I am aware of in regards to the Meat, Corn, Wheat, Soy, Pharmaceutical, Weight-Loss, and Media Industries, so that you may make room for the Truth that is right for your body and your planet; to stay hydrated and sustained on nutritious water and food, so that I may enable you to do the same; to continue to educate myself and expand, so that I can answer the really hard questions you will undoubtedly have; to keep my hoop practice daily and sacred, so that I may never forget why I am typing these words. I am committed to this. I freak out about a lot of areas in my life which require commitment, but this is not one of them. I am committed to two things solidly and seriously. Personal Healing and Creativity. This blog feeds both of those hungry mouths. As I learn, document, and share, I grow. I heal. I create! What took me so long?:)

I feel the need to honor the moment in which I felt the Emergence of The Healer within. It was June 22, 2010, Summer Solstice, Father's Day and Hoop Path. After a year of very deep, personal, transformative healing since the solstice of '09, I knew it was time to Emerge from being the Healed to the Healer. I acknowledge that I was healed, and that I always had been, It was just up to me to realize it. In realizing it, I am the Healer. I mean, I am not sure why it took me so long to realize this, as I have been a massage therapist for almost 4 years. It wasn't until I attended Hoop Path this year as 'The Massage Therapist,' and had this Emergence Epiphany that I truly grasped this Truth! All I can say is, I'm grateful, grateful, grateful that I did. I am thankful for all of the people who message me and respond to my facebook posts, as it is so rewarding to be able to gift what I have been given. I am grateful to all of you who have praised my bodywork, as it has given me the confidence to move forward. I feel so blessed to be I able to offer this service! Thank you for receiving it. I hope you have enjoyed this first post of The Healthy Hooper. It certainly felt good to write it! Sending Bliss, Blessings, and Well-Being your way!

~Shellie