Chocolate is good for you? Too good to be true?

Well yes and no.  First, you need to understand that there is a world of difference between cacao—pure chocolate from the cocoa plant--and “chocolate” products.  Many chocolate products are “chocolate-flavored” products which do not have any health benefits, and in fact, some have so much sugar, preservatives, and other processed ingredients that contribute to many health problems.


The health benefits of chocolate come from cacao.  Cacao comes from the beans of the cacao plant that are fermented, dried, and roasted.  Most high-quality dark chocolates contain cacao.  Look for chocolates with higher percentages of cacao, at least 70% or up, without fillers like soy lecithin.   Roasted cacao beans can sometimes be purchased as nibs, which may taste bitter, but can add a wonderful taste to dishes and your breakfast cereal.  Or even better, you can buy nuts and snacks made with raw cacao in organic grocers and health food stores.


Studies have shown that cacao is high in antioxidants and has a beneficial effect on blood pressure.  It also has other benefits, such as reducing LDL--the bad cholesterol.  Cacao has also been shown to reduce blood clotting, and additional studies have linked chocolate consumption to fewer heart problems and lower risk of mortality.


So go ahead, splurge, but splurge on the good stuff.

More on soaking...the How.

Some of you have emailed to ask how exactly do we soak nuts, seeds, grains, legumes?


The basic method is as follows:  Pour your nuts, seeds, grains, or legumes into a large bowl or jar and cover with enough water to cover over them.  You can use plain filtered water, water with a pinch of salt or some lemon juice.  If you have it, water kefir is an excellent medium for soaking.  Soak for 30 mins to a few hours (for grains), and 7 to 24 hours for nuts and legumes.  When you soak it for longer than a few hours you may start to see the first sprouts coming out which means the food is coming alive.


After soaking, make sure you discard the soak water.


For grains and legumes, drain them and cook them as your would normally do.  For nuts and seeds, if you are cooking or blending them, you can just drain them and cook/blend them as usual.


If you want to eat the nuts and seeds crisp, drain them and spread on a stainless steel pan. Place in a oven and warm (preferably at 100 degrees but no higher than 150 degrees), turning occasionally, until dry and crisp, making sure they are dry all the way.  If the minimum temperature of your oven is at 200 degrees then leave the oven door open a crack to keep the temperature lower.  You can of course use a food dehydrator instead of an oven if you have it.


Yes, it takes a lot of time and effort, but nuts are wonderful food provided by Nature, and it is a pity if we do not prepare them properly such they can give us the maximum nourishment.  Many people have told me raw nuts and seeds bother their stomachs, and that they could not eat very many of them without starting to feel uncomfortable and stuffed up. But once they started soaking and dehydrating them, they found they could handle them very well. 

One in three of us has this?

I used to think that high cholesterol is a disease that affects overweight and older people.  In the past few years, however, I seem to run into more and more youngish (if I can call me and my peers this) and seemingly fit people who complain about high cholesterol.  Of course, we don't attribute anything bad to ourselves or our lifestyles, mostly to our parents as a "hereditary thing".  Recently, I read that over 100 million Americans have this condition and are restricting their diets as a result.  Over 100 million! Aren’t there only 300 million or so people in the U.S? Hmm...

What is so bad about cholesterol? Well it is not all evil.  It is actually naturally produced in your body to help you digest fat, make Vitamin D and certain hormones, and build cell walls.

Then why is cholesterol associated with heart diseases?  First, we may take in a lot more than what we need.  We actually make 80% of the cholesterol our bodies use and just need to take in 20% from food.  Also, there are two kinds of cholesterol:  LDL and HDL, LDL being the bad guy, HDL is the good guy.  LDL causes deposits on cell walls, making your artery walls thicker.   HDL actually prevents this process.

To lower your LDL, you can add these foods to your diet:

Oat meal and oat bran (not instant oats please)

High-fiber fruits like apples, pears, prunes

Barley

Kidney beans

Psyllium

Healthy nuts like walnuts, almonds and others (remember to pre-soak them—see earlier post)

Omega 3 fatty acids

Here is a smoothie recipe that a friend of mine calls “The Cholesterol Buster”.  It helped him lower his cholesterol significantly over a 6-week time period:

The Cholesterol Buster smoothie:

Put 1/2 a glass of orange juice and a diced banana or peach into a 16 oz jar, cap tightly and shake. Then add 1/3 cup raw rolled oats and 1 tablespoon ground flax meal. Cap once again, shake, let sit for a minute.

(The smoothie can be frozen and will stay cool for hours after coming out of the freezer.)

Have a healthy and happy heart!

The real key to health is....

...happiness!

“When I was 5 years old, 
my mother always told me that happiness was 
THE key to life. 
When I went to school, 
they asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up. 
I wrote down ‘happy’. 
They told me I didn’t understand the assignment, 
and I told them they didn’t understand life."       
                                                        - John Lennon

"I'm innocent", says coconut oil

There is widespread misconception that coconut oil is bad for you because it is said to be saturated fat and can raise blood cholesterol and cause heart disease. 

First of all, "saturated fats are bad for you" is misguided.  Scientists now recognize that just as there is good and bad cholesterol, there are also good and bad saturated fats.

Coconut oil are mostly medium-chain fatty acids, which are easily digestible and converted into quick energy. It is less likely to cause obesity because they are immediately used by the body and have no opportunity to be stored.

The real culprits are bad saturated fats like hydrogenating fats and its by product trans fatty acids, which lower the "good" HDL cholesterol and raise the "bad" LDL cholesterol.


As a matter of fact, recent studies show that coconut oil can even heal Azheimer’s disease.

Watch this TV segment where researchers say the ketones found in coconut oil have slowed the progression of Alzheimer's disease in some people and may actually prevent it.


http://www.cbn.com/media/player/index.aspx?s=/mp4/LJO190v1_WS

Do you really want my milk?

Hey, I know you humans love drinking my milk and I'm an altruistic kind of cow so I don't mind so much.  But are you sure my milk good for you?  (Yes, I know, it's good for my calf...)


I had happy hour with Bob, a senior executive from the milk industry the other night, and after a few drinks, he spilled some interesting facts to me that he said your milk industry never told you:


1) My milk contains 59 hormones and of those 59 hormones one is a powerful growth hormone called Insulin- like Growth Factor ONE (IGF-1). Interestingly, it is identical in us and you humans.  IGF-1 is a normal part of my milk because my newborn calf is supposed to grow quickly! The medical world says IGF-1 is a key factor in the rapid growth and proliferation of breast, prostate and colon cancers, likely ALL cancers.


2) 80% of the protein in my milk is casein.  Casein is a olymer used to make plastics and is in processed foods as a binder.   Casein is a powerful allergen... a histamine that creates lots of mucus.


3) My milk is allowed to have my feces in it, which is a major source for bacteria. To sanitize water one is told to boil it (212 degrees F) for several minutes, but my milk is typically pasteurized a few times for only 15 seconds at only 162 degrees F.


4) My milk is allowed to have up to 750,000 somatic cells and 20,000 live bacteria, which amounts to a 20 million live squiggly bacteria!


5) 89% of America's we dairy herds have the leukemia virus.  Do you really want to ingest my viruses?


So, what can you use over your cereal or to dunk those oreo cookies? (What strange eating habits humans have...) I heard that almond, rice, soy, and hemp milk are healthful and tasty alternatives.


- Almond milk – store bought or made by soaking and blending raw almonds with water.  You can also use cashew, macadamian, hazelnut, or any kind of nuts.  It can be flavored and enhanced with vanilla beans, sea salt and ginger. 


- Rice milk - usually store bought and sweetened with sugar.  Not much fat, protein or calcium, so can be improved by adding brown rice protein and virgin coconut oil if you want protein and fat.


- Soy milk – usually store bought but buy unsweetened.  Choose organic and non GM as much as possible.  Can be enhanced with ginger, sea salt and a touch of gentle sweetener like coconut palm sugar.  Alternate soy milk with milk alternatives as too much soy can have thyroid suppressing effect.


- Hemp milk - made from hempseeds and water, naturally high in omega 3 and 6 and protein, can be enhanced with gentle sweetener like coconut palm sugar and vanilla beans.


It's okay, you can leave my milk alone, I won't take it personally.  I have plenty newborn calves to feed it to and they love it!

The smart organic shopper

To be or not to be organic?  This question has been puzzling Hamlet, but also today's consumers who believe in buying the cleanest and most nutritious fruits and vegetables, but are not sure whether every thing they buy needs to be organic.  Besides not all produce is readily available organic.


Whether you are on a budget or simply want to know which type of produce has the highest pesticide residues—and which do not—the following guide may help. 


"The Dirty Dozen”:  These tend to have the highest pesticide residues and it is suggested that you buy organic whether possible:


Apples
Bell Peppers
Celery
Cherries
Grapes
Lettuce
Nectarines
Peaches
Pears
Potatoes
Spinach
Strawberries


These have little to no traces of pesticides, and is usually safe to consume in non-organic form:


Asparagus
Avocados
Bananas
Broccoli
Cabbage
Cantaloupe
Corn
Eggplant
Grapefruit
Kiwi fruit
Mango
Onions
Peas
Pineapples
Sweet potatoes
Tomatoes
Watermelon

Are you being slowly poisoned by MSG?

Monosodium glutamate, also known as MSG, is the sodium salt of glutamic acid, a naturally occurring non-essential amino acid.  It is a flavor enhancer that makes things taste better by activating your taste buds.  Because of this, it is an addictive substance that gets people to eat more: It is the nicotine of food!


MSG may cause many adverse reactions, including migraines and headaches skin rashes, itching, hives, nausea, vomiting, migraine headaches, asthma, heart irregularities, depression, seizures, autism, ADHD, and even Alzheimer's.  In addition, research has shown that MSG added to food could cause brain damage in children, and effect how your children's nervous systems formed during development so that in later years they may have learning or emotional difficulties.


Because MSG has acquired an infamous reputation, the food industry has given it new names and new forms, including:

• Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein
• Hydrolyzed Protein
• Hydrolyzed Plant Protein
• Plant Protein Extract
• Sodium Caseinate
• Calcium Caseinate
• Yeast Extract
• Textured Protein (Including TVP)
• Autolyzed Yeast

MSG is usually thought to be an additive in Chinese restaurants (which is why in the U.S. people call the after effects of eating MSG as the “Chinese Restaurant Syndrome”). but it is now added in larger and larger doses to the pre-packaged meals, soups, snacks, fast foods, tinned soups, salad dressings, processed meats, carbohydrate-based snacks, ice cream, bread, canned tuna, chewing gum, baby food, and soft drinks. 


Based on the way MSG is used by the fast food industry, the following tips may be helpful for those wishing to avoid MSG.


Avoid all fast food restaurants!


Avoid flavored snack chips, canned and instant soup.  Scrutinize the ingredient list on all pre-packaged and processed foods.


Tips on eating in Asian restaurants:

• Ask for NO MSG
• Avoid soy sauce
• Avoid soups and sauces
• Avoid marinaded food
• Avoid fish or seafood extract
• Avoid kim chee
• Avoid dipping sauce
• Instead of a sushi roll opt for sushi or sashimi

Who wants to eat gummy waste?

You’ve probably come across the word “soy lecithin” as an ingredient on the nutrition label of many packaged foods that you eat every day.

As a matter of fact, it is one of the top 10 most used ingredients in processed foods.

But what exactly is soy lecithin and where did it come from?

Soy lecithin is a by product of soybean oil production, extracted either mechanically or chemically.   Basically, it is a waste product left after crude soy oil goes through a "degumming" process, and contains solvents and pesticides.

Soy lecithin is commonly used as an additive in processed foods because it is a cheap emulsifier.  It is used to keep water and fats from separating in foods such as margarine, peanut butter, chocolate candies, ice cream, coffee creamers, infant formulas.  It is also used as a cheap "filler" for health bars, chocolates and chocolate bars.  In addition, it helps prevent product spoilage, extending shelf life in the marketplace.

What the food manufacturers don’t want you to know is soy lecithin may be very bad for you. 

First of all, soy lecithin, as with most soy products in the market, uses genetically modified (GM) soy.  The potential long-term impact from eating genetically modified food includes decrease in pancreatic function, increased risk of breast cancer in adult women, and adverse effect on fertility and reproduction.  In addition, ingestion of soy lecithin in an early age may affect immature brain cells leading to impeded brain development. 

Know your food down to the ingredients.  Say no to packaged and processed food that contains soy lecithin.  Your body will thank you for it.

The art of pre-soaking

Pre-soaking is a culinary practice dating back many centuries.  Almost all ancient cultures pre-soaked their grains, nuts, and seeds before cooking or eating them, we are not sure why they started doing it, but they seem to have a wisdom about the world that is not guided by scientific knowledge. 

Today we know more about the science of pre-soaking.  Phytic acid naturally occurs on bran and hulls of grains, nuts, and seeds and plays a key role in signaling the plant to germinate.  This is good for the plant, but phytic acid is not digestible by humans as it blocks the absorption of important minerals.  If you regularly consume foods that contain physic acid, you are denying the much needed minerals and possibly setting yourself up for a deficiency.

Also, grains, nuts, and seeds contain enzyme inhibitors, which protect the seed from germinating until the conditions are optimum for growth. If ingested, these inhibitors can prevent the body's enzymes from working properly, and digestion will be hindered. 

The pre-soaking neutralizes phytic acid and initiates the process of sprouting, which tells the plant to start germinating and turning its stored energy into usable nutrition.  The ensures the enzyme content, minerals, vitamins, proteins, essential fatty acids, and fiber can be absorbed.

So if we’ve known the benefits of pre-soaking and have practiced it for so many centuries why do companies continue to produce and sell foods that contains grains, nuts, and seeds that are not pre-soaked?  Well, it’s all about money, as everything tends to be these days.  Pre-soaking takes time, and time is money.  

Live food may be slow food, but live food is vastly superior to food that is dormant or dead.

Would you prefer to put live food or dead food into your body?

Raw flax seeds

Raw flax seeds that are pre-soaked and pre-sprouted with emanating energy field

If oil prices increase even further...

Take a break, have a live organic whole food energy bar...

How to fall in love...with the right salt

We seem to have a love-hate relationship with salt.  Some of us avoid salt like the plague probably because we once heard bad things about salt…that it causes water retention, high-blood pressure, toxicity, etc.  Some of us are blissfully in love with salt and cannot refrain from pouring it on everything in sight.

The fact is, our body has 50-60 trillion cells and every single one of them needs sodium and chloride and water and a host of minerals.  Hence, we must ensure we have a healthy and happy relationship with salt.   How?  First, we must know our salt.

Historically, salt was a highly valued commodity. So valued, in fact, that it was used as monetary exchange.  Salt was used to fund the Roman wars and pay Roman soldiers.  Sal is Latin for salt, and the word salary comes from the Latin world salarium, which means payment in salt.  In fact, the Romans built roads specifically to facilitate the transportation of salt.

But not all salts are created equal.   

Table salt, the most common salt which is the salt used in processed foods, is made by evaporating the water out of salt deposits, which also removes most of the minerals.  Table salt is almost all sodium chloride, and is full of additives, fluoride, anti-caking agents, potassium iodide, etc..  Some versions of table salt also contain highly toxic aluminum derivatives and bleaching agents.  It’s no wonder table salt is causing so many health problems.


Kosher salt is harvested and processed much like regular table salt but is raked into larger, thicker crystals.  But because of that, it has all the same problems of table salt.


Sea salt is made by evaporating sea water.  It is gaining popularity as a healthier alternative to table salt.  However, the oceans are no longer pristine, and many sea salt producers are refining their salt.   Refined salt is difficult to absorb.


Rock salt comes from salt mines and is more valuable than table salt, but most rock salt has a relatively narrow spectrum of minerals.

Himalayan pink salt is a sea salt from the oceans of 250 million years ago, which was then compressed in what became the mountains of the Himalayas as the sea bed rose up to 20,000+ feet.  As a result this salt is pre-pollution and is the most assimilable form of salt available, with as many as 84 essential minerals.   Its pink color is a result of the combination of bio-active iron and natural organic minerals contained in a crystal matrix.


Love your Himalayan pink salt, and it will love you back, no strings attached.

How's your frequency?

Years ago when I came back to Hong Kong from the U.S., the first thing people said to me as a greeting is “Have you eaten rice yet?”  This is the equivalent of saying “How are you?” or “Are you well”?  Back when there were wars and famines, telling people that you’ve eaten (mostly rice then) informed them that you are doing well.  I never knew how to answer that question because, for one thing, where I am, there is no war and famine and people are eating all the time and eating way too much; and for another thing, I don’t like rice.  Not that I have anything against rice per se, but the refined white rice (which is the stuff served in restaurants) is not only devoid of nutrients but also tastes oh so bland.  But many restaurants are now serving brown rice.  Are they healthier?  Sure.  But like all whole grains, they need to be soaked before cooking and I wonder who does that in the restaurants, if at all.  Well, you don’t need to worry about pre-soaking refined white rice, they are pretty much dead anyway.

Now back to where we began.  In the old days, having eaten means you are well.  For us lucky ones in the developed world, our generation has advanced quite a bit from those days when we were just concerned about putting food on the table.  What does “being well” mean to us?  Wellness does not need to be only the absence of hunger.  Or sadness.  Or disease.   Wellness is more, a lot more.  Every thing in this universe is made up of one thing, energy.   And so are we.  So basically we are just energy.  And as energy we vibrate at our own frequency.   Vibrational frequency is the rate at which something vibrates. The higher the vibrational frequency, the closer it is to the frequency of light. Everything we do, every word we speak, every thought we think sends out a vibration that attracts to it an experience of like vibration.   When we shift to a higher, fuller frequency we affect ourselves and the universe in a positive way.  

How do we do that?  By choosing positive thoughts, by being loving and kind, by putting live whole food into our bodies.   And what is live whole food?  It is food as nature provides them, not something manufactured in a lab. It is raw food, or food that is heated below boiling point to retain its vitality.  It is live organic whole food that is pre-soaked and pre-sprouted in order to ignite their lifecycle, remove indigestible physic acid, and activate their enzymes.

So the next time you greet someone, ask them: “How’s your frequency?”