I had delicious, juicy pineapple pieces for lunch.

Did you know…?

Pineapple is high in vitamin C which is great for the immune system. It’s also a good source of thiamine, B12, folate, copper, manganese and fiber.

Pineapples contain enzymes called bromelain that reduce inflammation, bruising, pain and accelerate wound healing time. Bromelain is helpful for reducing inflammation from tendinitis, muscle injuries, sprains and strains.

Bromelain was approved for treatment of sinus and nasal swelling after trauma or ear, nose and throat surgery by the German Commission E (the German equivalent of the FDA).

Bromelain can kill some viruses and bacteria.

Bromelain is helpful in reducing the pain of osteoarthritis.

In 2000, the Annals of Internal Medicine reported bromelain supplementation helped to heal patients with ulcerative colitis.

Research published in the journal Planta Medica found that bromelain was superior to the chemotherapy drug 5-fluorauracil in treating cancer in an animal study.

The core of the pineapple has the most concentration of bromelain.

Have you ever sprinkled some cinnamon on pineapple? Try it!

Have you ever juiced pineapple with purple cabbage?

Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony.  -Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi

Ripe tomatoes not only taste delicious, they are so good for you. Tomatoes are an excellent source of lycopene, a carotenoid that gives tomatoes their red, orange and yellow colors. Lycopene is one of the main reasons to eat more tomatoes.

• The journal Neurology reported that Finnish researchers connected high lycopene levels in the blood to stroke prevention. They found men with the higher amounts of lycopene in their blood had a 55% lower chance of having stroke.
• Lycopene destroys the damaging molecules called free radicals so they can’t attach to your cells and promote disease.
• Studies show that lycopene helps prevent lung, stomach and prostate cancers. There is also mounting evidence that lycopene can reduce cancers of the colon, pancreas, breast, cervix and mouth.
• Lycopene in tomatoes have been reported to lower total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol and triglycerides.
• Lycopene prevents bone loss and osteoporosis.
• Lycopene helps to reduce the risk of cataracts and macular degeneration.
• Red tomatoes have the highest amounts of lycopene called trans- lycopene but research shows that orange colored tomatoes provide us with tetra-cis-lycopene, which our bodies easily use and absorb more.
• Researchers in Kyoto, Japan found a substance in tomatoes that activates your DNA to burn more fat.
• Tomatoes are an excellent source of vitamin C and beta-carotene. They also contain vitamin K, potassium, molybdenum, mangenese, fiber, vitamin B6, folate, copper, vitamin B3, magnesium, vitamin E, vitamin B1, phosphorus, protein, tryptophan, choline, and iron.

Remember to eat a little fat with your tomatoes because your body will absorb lycopene better with it.

 You have the power to heal your life, and you need to know that. We think so often that we are helpless, but we’re not. We always have the power of our minds…Claim and consciously use your power. -Louise Hay

Collard greens don’t get as much attention as other cruciferous vegetables like kale, although they should. Collard greens are one of the healthiest greens you can eat.

Here are 6 reasons to eat, juice, and blend collard greens.

1.  Collards are an excellent source of vitamin K and vitamin A. They also contain vitamin C, folate, manganese, calcium, tryptophan, choline, iron, vitamin B6, vitamin B2, magnesium, vitamin E, protein, omega-3 fats, potassium, phosphorus, vitamin B3, vitamin B1 and vitamin B5.
2. When collard greens are eaten, the fiber nutrients join with bile acids in the intestine and pass through the body in a bowel movement. The liver has to replace the bile acids by using its reserve of cholesterol, as a result, cholesterol level drops.
3. Collard greens provide us with high levels of glucosinolates, which are converted to cancer fighting compounds called isothiocyanates.
4.  Collard greens contain 4 core anti-oxidants: caffeic acid, kaempferol, quercetin, and ferulic acid. These help to lower oxidative stress in our cells which in turn lowers the risk for cancer.
5.  There are 350 micrograms of folate in every 100 calories of collard greens. That’s more than brussel sprouts, broccoli and kale. Folate is a vitamin B complex needed for red blood cell production, helps prevent homocysteine build up, supports healthy nerve function and skin cell production.
6.  Collard greens provide anti-inflammatory benefits because they contain vitamin K and omega 3 fatty acids in the form of alpha linolenic acid.

Collard greens are known as “soul food” in the south. Put some soul into your salads, juices, smoothies. They also make great wraps.

The key to eating healthy? Avoid anything that has a TV commercial.-unkown

Happy October!

The entire Commercial Appeal newspaper in Memphis today is tinted pink for Breast Cancer Awareness Month. This makes me cringe. I’ve never understood why they call it Breast Cancer Awareness, shouldn’t we be focusing on what we want, breast wellness?

Cancer is big business everywhere but I especially noticed it here when I got off the plane. I saw a huge advertisement on the wall of the airport for a cancer center, a commercial on the local radio station, and a booklet that came with the weekend paper was full of cancer centers and doctors. We are being inundated with cancer. It’s no wonder that cancer is one of man’s biggest fears!

“Support the fight against breast cancer. Come have a steak on us!,” reads one ad in the Commercial Appeal newspaper.  Red meat is linked to cancer and other illnesses. Synthetic and natural estrogen is implanted in cattle about 100 days before slaughter. Having a steak in not helping the fight against cancer and it’s certainly not helping to prevent it.

“Come get a mammogram and get a $10 Macy’s card!” is one of the half page ads for Baptist Women’s Health Center. Really?! Doses of radiation can actually increase risk for cancer. I personally know someone who had her annual screening every year since she was 40 and still was diagnosed with breast cancer 5 years later. How did that happen?  

There’s too much talk about cancer treatment and not any on prevention. Today’s paper is a perfect example of how the breast cancer awareness campaign is all for profit.

Please watch this Pink Ribbons, Inc trailer. It’s a documentary about the Susan G. Komen Foundation. You can find the entire movie on Netflix.

Pink Ribbons, Inc.

The best way to support those with breast cancer is to teach them about health and be there for them emotionally.

Tips on how to stay healthy.

• Stay alkaline. Choose colorful, ripe, organic fruits and raw vegetables. Choose locally grown. Eliminate meat, fish, milk and dairy products, soy (except fermented, unpasteurized, organic miso) , processed foods, sodas, candy and junk food. Eat like your life depends on it because it does.
• Eat mostly raw foods.
• Incorporate omega-3 and omega-6 fats into your diet.
• Eliminate GMO foods from your diet. Corn, soybeans, canola, cotten, alfalfa, sugar beets, papaya and squash are the eight crops that are genetically modified and widely used in the United States. Avoid products made with high fructose corn syrup, soybean oil, canola oil, and sugar. Even organic soybean and canola oil should be avoided.
• Invest in a juicer and a high speed blender. Juice and blend every day.
• Read your food labels. Know the names of toxic ingredients so you recognize them.
• Drink clean, filtered water.
• Consider breast thermography over a mammogram. Thermography is a safe tool for screening for breast cancer.
• Limit your EMF (electric and magnetic fields) exposure. Shield yourself.
• Check to see that your kidneys are functioning properly. Urinate in a glass and let it set. Check for sediment. You should see white flakes at the bottom of the glass.
• Get at least 20 minutes of sunshine daily so your body can produce vitamin D.
• Walk through a forest or woods as often as you can. Phytoncides released by trees increases the amount of NK cell activity. These NK cells fight cancer.
• Do a deep detox several times a year by fasting, juice fasting, and/ or fruit fasting.
• Eliminate stress from your life.
• Get plenty of sleep every night.
• Avoid exposure to toxins. Whatever you apply on your skin gets into the bloodstream. Be careful about which type of deodorants and antiperspirants you use. Avoid parabens, such as methylparaben, butylparaben, propylparaben, benzylparaben, and phthalates. Also avoid aluminum.
• Avoid exposure to hormone disrupting plastics like BPA.
• Don’t wear binding bras that restrict circulation to the breast area.
• Move your lymphatic system. Use a dry brush daily, use a rebounder (mini trampoline), turn the water on hot and cold in the shower. Get massages often.
• If you are overweight, make a reasonable plan to lose weight and stick to it.
• Perform a self breast exam often. Get to know your body, if you don’t already.
• Exercise daily. Sweat often. 
• Practice yoga, tai chi, and/ or qi gong at least 3-4 times a week.
• Go barefoot often in the dirt, grass, or sand. This is called earthing. FInd out what earthing is if you don’t know.
• Meditate daily.
• Laugh often. Watch funny movies.
• Make an attitude of gratitude a habit.
• Learn as much as you can about nutrition and how your body works.
• Learn about natural herbs that can be used to strengthen your organs.
• Believe in your body’s natural ability to heal itself.
• Always listen to your body.
• Question what you read about breast cancer screening, treatment, and statistics. Research and think for yourself. Ask yourself “was this written to scare me or to inform me?”

If you or someone you know is diagnosed with breast cancer, or any form of cancer, or illness, don’t rush and make a decision about treatment until you do your research. Look into alternative forms of healing first so you can make an informed decision.

“Focus on what you want to create, not what you want to get rid of.” – Ken Blanchard

I had a wonderful vacation in Humboldt County, California. Blackberries grow wild everywhere there on the roadsides and fields. My friends and I picked them every day. I miss being able to pick them fresh and eat them right away, fortunately blackberries are available at most grocery stores and even though they seem quite expensive in comparison to other fruits, they are well worth every penny.

Here are 7 Reasons to Eat More Blackberries.

1. Blackberries have the highest amount of antioxidants than any other food on the planet! The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition reported that a 2006 study showed that blackberries content of antioxidants were 5.75 millimoles per serving. That’s more than any other food. Next on the list is walnuts and strawberries.
2. Studies show that the antioxidant compounds found in blackberries such as rutin, ellagic acid, gallic acid, tannins, cyanidins, catechins, pelargonidins and salicylic acids are beneficial against inflammation, cancer, aging and neurological diseases.
3. Blackberries contain minerals like manganese, potassium, copper and magnesium.
4. Blackberries are a good source of vitamin C. 100 grams of blackberries contain 23 mg of vitamin C which helps to boost the immune system, fight infection and reduce pain and inflammation.
5. Blackberries contain vitamin A, vitamin K and vitamin E.
6. Blackberries have 5347 ORAC value per 100 grams. ORAC is oxygen radical absorbance capacity.
7. The ellagic acid in blackberries inhibits the growth of tumors.

You are the one in control. Stop, explore yourself, and rid yourself of the thoughts, images, and feelings that bind you. Become free and healthy and your body will readjust itself to match. Become love. ~ Dr. Robert Morse

Here are some things I have learned along the my journey to Wellville.

1. I eat mostly fruit. I eat tons of fruit and I have never felt better! We are frugivores, we are meant to eat fruit. For a long time I was afraid to eat too much fruit because of what everyone told me about it. I thought it would make me gain weight or cause blood sugar issues. This is so far from the truth. Fruit has fiber so the fiber helps to stabilize blood sugar. You can’t gain weight eating all fruit, it is almost impossible. You get full too fast from all of the fiber. Fruit is cleansing. Fruits like melons, berries, oranges and lemons are excellent cleaners because they clean your GI tract and help get your lymphatic system moving.
2. I no longer eat three meals a day, instead I eat  about 6 or 7 times a day. I eat when I am hungry, some days I can eat less, some days I can eat more. I have found that the breakfast, lunch and dinner thing just makes me ravished by lunch time or dinner.
3. I don’t just squeeze a lemon slice in water, I use an entire lemon. I keep lots of lemons around and it’s the first thing I drink in the morning. When I am done with the lemons I use a grater and save the lemon zest in a bag and freeze it, makes a great topping for salads, kale chips, and it’s great mixed with honey for tea.
4. I always combine my food properly. I never mix fruit with anything else. I never followed this plan before, didn’t feel it affected me but it DEFINITELY does! I eat melons alone. I keep my meals as simple as possible.
5. I don’t drink with my meals. I have been doing this awhile and have found it works for me. Drinking something with your meals dilutes the digestive acids in the stomach.
6. I only eat ripe fruits and vegetables. In the past I’ve gotten mangoes that weren’t ripe and this is not good, because fruit is acidic if it’s not ripe. The only fruit that can be picked when it’s not ripe and ripen is bananas, everything else ferments.
7. I eat outside in the sunshine whenever I can. Most of us spend way too much time indoors and we need at least 15-20 minutes of sunlight a day to get adequate vitamin D levels. Everything living needs the sun but I am also careful not to burn.
8. I look at food as acidic or alkaline. It’s much better way of looking at food and it helps me determine what’s best for my body.
9. I move way more than ever now. I used to think 90 minutes of hot yoga, squats and rebounding was enough but I am finding that if I walk a few miles in the morning, rebound all throughout the day, whenever I pass by it, hot yoga, squats and then a walk/run in the evening works much better for me. If you have an office job where you sit all day, make sure you stand up several times a day and go for short walks.
10. I pay attention to my bowel movements and urine. I have learned recently that clear urine have a few different meanings. If you are very over hydrated it would be clear, it can also mean the kidneys are not functioning properly and need to be strengthened.  You should see sediment in your urine. A healthy body will have 2-3 bowel movements a day.
11. Parasite cleanses are important. Everyone that eats raw vegetables, or eats meat,  or eats sushi and/ or  has pets has parasites. They can cause cravings for foods and cause other problems too. Get some herbs that will help rid you of parasites. I noticed that when I got rid of some parasites the cravings for sweets disappeared.
12. Emotions are linked to our organs. Release anger, forgive, be peaceful and loving. I make a habit of observing my feelings and it makes it so much easier.

Wherever you go, go with all of your heart.- Confucius

Hemp seeds are awesome. Have you tried them yet? Don’t worry they won’t get you stoned. Hemp seeds are one of the most nutritious foods ever. They are an ideal food source for raw foodies and vegans but I think everyone should be eating these.

 8 Reasons to Eat Hemp Seeds

1. They taste really good in almost everything!  They have a nutty flavor. You can add a few spoons to your smoothies, salads, soups, oatmeal, puddings, cereals, dressings and use them in raw recipes.
2. Hemp seeds are a nutritionally complete food. They contain all of the essential amino acids and all 20 amino acids.
3. Hemp seeds are easily digestible and do not cause the bloating and gas like other proteins. 3 tablespoons of hemp seeds equals 11 grams of protein.
4. There are two types of protein in hemp seeds, 65 % is edestin and 35% is albumin. Edestin protein is very close to our body’s own globular protein in our blood plasma. Albumin is also a high quality protein.
5. Hemp seeds are the most balanced sources of essential fatty acids with an omega 6 to 3 ratio of 3:1. Most experts concur the ratio of omega 6 to omega 3 should be consumed in the range of 1:1 to 5:1  get the maximum benefit. Omega 3′s can help to reduce inflammation, lower your risk for cancer, arthritis, heart disease, improve brain function and be helpful for people with atherosclerois. The gamma-linolenic acid can help reduce nerve pain in diabetics too.
6. The extracts from hemp seeds can help to improve memory and learning. They help to stimulate calcineurin which is a brain enzyme that plays a key role in brain synapse activity. A study at the University of Michigan showed that calcineurin increased both immune and brain function in mice.
7. Hemp seeds are excellent for your digestive system. The seeds have a bulking and laxative effect. This cleans the walls of your colon.
8. Hemp seeds contain glutamic acid. This is a neurotransmitter that helps us deal with work related and psychological stress.

You can find raw shelled hemp seeds at health food stores and also online. Remember to store them in the refrigerator after opening.

Miso soup is made from fermented soybeans, sea salt, koji and some blends are made with barley, brown rice, buckwheat and white rice. Some miso is fermented from three months to three years. It has been a traditional Japanese food. It dates back 2500 years to ancient China.

Benefits of Miso:

1. Eating miso soup regularly keeps the gut healthy by restoring the flora. Keep your gut healthy and it will keep your body healthy.
2. Miso soup is a complete food meaning it has all the essential amino acids. It’s full of beneficial bacteria, enzymes, protein, vitamin B12, B2, vitamin K, vitamin E, tryptophan, choline, lecithin and linoleic acid.
3. Miso can help to alkalize the body. Disease can’t live in an alkaline environment.
4. It helps to lower LDL cholesterol.
5. It’s wonderful for your skin. Miso soup contains linoleic acid which helps the skin stay soft and clear. People with higher intakes of linoleic acid have fewer wrinkles.
6. Miso soup stimulates your digestive system.
7. Eating miso soup can help to reduce your risk for prostate, breast, colon and lung cancers.
8. It can protect you from radiation. In 1945, when the atomic bomb was dropped in Nagasaki, Japan, patients and staff at the St. Francis Hospital were 1.4 kilometers from the epicenter of the fallout. They all managed to survive and stay healthy, while others who were the same distance or even farther away suffered from leukemia and radiation burns. Under the supervision of Shinichiro Akizuki, M.D, the patients and staff ate a daily diet of miso soup, brown rice, vegetables and seaweed. Neither Dr. Akizuki nor his patients suffered from the effects of the nuclear bomb. They all agreed that it was their daily diet that saved them. To read this incredible story, see http://yufoundation.org/furo.pdf Miso soup can also protect you from radiation from EMFs and ELFs given off by transformers, powerlines, computers, electrical stations, microwaves and air conditioners.
9. Miso soup is high in antioxidants.
10. Miso soup is a good source of B vitamins, even B12. Any vegans out there looking for vegetable sources of B12? Here ya go!

Buy Organic Non-GMO
It is very important to choose a brand that is organic and non-GMO. Miso soup paste can be found in Asian and health food markets. Miso paste can last several months in the refrigerator. It’s very easy to make. Make sure to never let it boil. The paste can also be used for sauces, dressings, and spreads,

Caution
Most soy is genetically modified and has been for many years.

 Miso is a food that has been acclaimed as a general protector against radiation sickness and chronic disease. Miso is an alkaline-forming, fermented paste made from soybeans which may also be mixed with rice or barley. Unpasteurized miso, which is the only type to eat, has many healthy bacteria and enzymes which help digestion and keep the bowels healthy.  –Gabriel Cousens, M.D. “Conscious Eating”

Fermented foods have been around for ages and there are so many out there for you to choose from. There’s sauerkraut, umeboshi, miso soup, tempeh, kimchee, kvass, kefir, cider, cheese, wine, beer, olives, soy sauce, pickles and kombucha and many of these can be made very easily in your own kitchen.

Health and the disease are usually born inside your digestive system so if you want to stay healthy, you need to keep your gut healthy. Your stomach is considered the second brain of your body. It’s called the enteric nervous system and it’s a huge network of neurons in your gut that communicates constantly with your spinal cord and brain. The same chemicals and hormones that transmit signals in the brain are found in the stomach including norepinephrine, serotonin, acetylcholine, and nitric oxide. Sometimes the function of the enteric nervous system and the brain overlap like in the emptying of the stomach. Another function of enteric nervous system is to warn the brain of toxins in the stomach so that a response from both brains is coordinated. And of course it’s the enteric nervous system that tells your brain when it is hungry or full.

Your digestive system is lined with very specialized cells that only live for a couple of days and shed and then are replaced by new healthy cells. This process continues over and over. But in order for your body to produce healthy functioning cells, it needs proper nutrients like vitamins, fats, enzymes, proteins and also a healthy gut flora.

Researchers have experimented with animals who had sterilized digestive tracts. They found the cell regeneration process goes completely haywire because the cells end up mutated and some of them turn cancerous and they are unable to break down food and absorb nutrients properly.

What are the benefits of fermented foods?
For starters, fermented foods are full of probiotics. You need bacteria to live. Your good bacteria is wiped out by antibiotics, alcohol, eating foods with herbicides and pesticides, too much sugar, stress, and chlorinated water. Eating fermented foods will help you maintain healthy gut flora.

Eating fermented foods can relieve you of any stomach ache related to acid. If your hydrochloric acid is low, fermented foods will help to increase acidity. If you are producing too much acid, eating fermented foods will help you protect your intestinal lining.

Fermented foods have more nutrients. All that bacteria growing creates more B vitamins, including folic acid, niacin, riboflavin, biotin and thiamin.

Enzyme levels drop as you grow older, so eating enzyme rich foods helps to take some of the work load from your pancreas and improve pancreatic function. This is very beneficial for people who are diabetic.

During fermentation, ascorbic acid is converted into ascorbigen. Ascorbigen helps your body by preventing the absorption of toxins through the small and large intestines.

Eating fermented foods will help to destroy and inhibit the growth of pathogenic bacteria. Most pathogenic bacterias are sensitive to acidic environments. In the 1950′s, during Europe’s typhoid fever epidemic, reports showed that sauerkraut was effective in killing the bacteria.

Eating a traditional macrobiotic Japanese diet which included miso soup, which is a fermented food, is what saved the lives of 31 patients and staff at St. Francis hospital in Nagasaki, Japan, where the atomic bomb was dropped 1.4 kilometers away. Others who lived in the same range suffered from leukemia, cataracts, cancers and other illnesses. To read more about this http://yufoundation.org/furo.pdf

Read Labels
Be careful and read labels when buying pickles and sauerkraut from grocery that are made using heat processing and/or vinegar. This is not the same as fermented sauerkraut and pickles.

Eat some fermented foods!
So if you don’t eat fermented foods already, add some to your diet and make your gut healthy and happy!

the photo above is red beet and cabbage sauerkraut. super yummy!