Vol. 3, Issue 44, March 5, 2009
From the Diva Desk
 Another week, another revelation. It seems the nature of life in general is that we're constantly engaged in the process of either expanding and becoming more aware (more ALIVE) or shrinking and slipping back into our shell--into our old patterns.
As our FREE 90-Day Detox progresses into it's third week, many of us have felt things shifting. This week we've had some real doozies on the blog--the kind of articles that shake you up and make you think twice before you put another donut to your lips. Coming Out of the Cooked Food Closet (see excerpt in this issue) and Don't Take My Word For It are definitely worth your time in checking out.
As for my date with destiny and that brief moment of stardom I mentioned in last week's issue of Health in High Heels...it lasted about 60 seconds, but I'm not complaining. ;-) (Even Oprah had to start somewhere, riiiight?) You can check it out here, if you'd like to take a peek. My date with Mr. Wheatgrass went much better and in the name of detox, he took me to the spa again this week. My week has looked a bit like this: Hot yoga, spa, green juice every day! My glory, Woman! I think I'm going to start a 365 day detox program! This is just too much fun!
Recently on the blog we've had some fabulous teleseminar guests as part of the FREE 90-Day Detox program. Paul Nison has been inspiring us to eat during the day, Yuri Elkaim got me back to yoga for the first time in 3 years and Tonya Kay will be joining us today for an inspiring story of how she got off psychiatric drugs and got ON the healthy eating bandwagon instead!
IMPORTANT NOTE: I want to give you the heads up about a teleseminar taking place on March 12th with Dr. Ritamarie. If you've ever looked a donut or breadstick with seductive eyes, then you MUST listen to this call! Watch for next week's announcement!
Okay, my little Sparkle Puff! Check out the blog for more juicy updates, and let's hope this issue's articles with a feature on flaxseed, green juice recipes and a little ditty on raw over 50 is all bundled up with love and sassy charm.
Hoping this week has been filled with unexpected pleasantries, my dear.
Love and hugs,
Tera
In this Issue:
Recipes: Juicy Treats from Sandee
Vital Vittle by Maureen Lauder: Flaxseeds, Please!
Raw Over 50 by Jacki Harmon
5 Steps For Coming Out Of the Cooked Food Closet by ME!
NEW RELEASE: Shannon Leone's "The Healthy Lunchbox!"
Spring has Sprung!
(What about the button on your waistband?)
The Vital Vittle
Food of the Week: Flaxseeds
By Maureen Lauder
For a teeny tiny seed, the flaxseed sure does pack a punch! Regular consumption of flaxseeds delivers huge quantities of lignans and alpha linolenic acid (not to mention bunches of fiber). Why do we care? Well...
- Alpha linolenic acid is an essential omega-3 fat that produces anti-inflammatory effects. This means fewer symptoms of asthma, less arthritis, fewer migraines, and less chance of osteoporosis.
- In the standard American diet, the ratio of omega-3 to omega-6 fats is skewed. We tend to take in too much omega-6, which promotes inflammation and bone loss. Increased omega-3 consumption (through foods like flaxseeds and walnuts) helps readjust that ratio.
- Omega-3 fats help reduce the formation of blood clots-which means less risk of heart attack and stroke.
- Omega-3 fats also keep cell membranes flexible, enabling better absorption of nutrients and eliminations of waste. There's no point in extra healthy eating if the nutrients can't make it all way into your cells, now is there?
- Flaxseeds also do an amazing job of controlling cholesterol. One study found that people who ingested 20 grams (about 2 tablespoons) of ground flaxseeds each day reduced their cholesterol counts at about the same rate as those who took statin drugs.
- Flaxseed also contains high quantities of lignans, which protect against breast cancer in post-menopausal women. Lignans also work to cut off the blood supply to tumors, thus reducing the likelihood of cancerous growth.
- AND, regular flaxseed intake has been shown to reduce dry eyes and minimize hot flashes.
 Pretty impressive for a little seed, huh?
And flaxseeds are versatile, too. Flaxseed can be eaten whole or ground (they're pretty tasty sprinkled on salads or other dishes) or used as a base for raw crackers, breads, and cookies. And flaxseed oil makes for a great salad dressing-light and yummy.
One of my friends makes about the easiest dressing I've ever seen using flax oil: she uses a spray bottle to mist oil on the salad, and then seasons it with fresh-ground sea salt and pepper. It's amazingly good for something so simple!
And if you're feeling a little more ambitious, you might try whipping up a batch of flaxseed crackers. This is an endlessly variable recipe, so use your imagination!
5 Easy Steps to Flaxseed Crackers
- Soak 2-4 cups of flax seeds in an equal amount of water for 8-12 hours. The seeds will get goopy and gelatinous. Don't worry - that's what helps your crackers stick together.
- Using a food processor, mix in a bunch of veggies: onion, sun-dried tomatoes, broccoli, kale, red pepper, whatever rocks your world.
- Add as much or as little seasoning as you like. (Suggestions: lemon juice, Bragg's or nama shoyu, garlic, cilantro or other fresh herbs.)
- (Or, for a sweet cracker, skip the vegetables and savory seasonings and blend in some fruit--bananas and orange juice, perhaps.)
- Spread as thinly as possible on a Teflex sheet. Sprinkle some salt on top. Dehydrate. Once the crackers have firmed up a bit (after 10-12 hours), flip them over and peel off the Teflex. Continue dehydrating until crispy.
As long as they're thoroughly dehydrated, these crackers will store (in an airtight container) for months. And they taste delicious with dipped in guacamole or piled with slices of tomato and avocado!
Hey Raw Moms...
Meet your new SUPERPOWER!
Think of this book as Clark Kent's phonebooth...you go in a super mom, you come out a SUPERMOM! You'll be able to whip up healthy raw meals faster than a speeding bullet, and end mealtime struggles in a single bound.
Juicy Treats
By Sandee
 "Can't Beet It" Dinner Juice:
1/4-inch of Ginger Root
1 each Green Pepper
4 to 6 Celery stalks
3 stalks of Kale
Either the stems of a Beet or a good piece of beet
1 full Cucumber
3 to 4 Carrots
Juice Ginger first the remaining ingredients can go into juice in any order. Serve immediately
"Ginger-Gold" Dinner Juice:
1/4-inch of Ginger Root
1 each Red Pepper
4 to 6 Celery stalks
Spinach a good sized handful
1 full Cucumber
3 to 4 Carrots
Juice Ginger first then the remaining ingredients. Serve immediately
"Easy to be Green" Dinner Juice:
1/4-inch of Ginger Root
4 to 6 Celery stalks
1 full Cucumber
Favorite Greens a good handful
3 to 4 Carrots
Juice Ginger first then the remaining ingredients. Serve Immediately
Learn how to work your body and embrace your curves...
So HE will!
Raw Over 50: The Story of Conquering The Myths of My 50+ Body
By Jacki Harmon
I've been eating 100% live/raw food for a little over six months now, and I believe it all started... well.... hmmmm... let's see. Last spring I was determined to do something once and for all about the weight that I put on since I turned 50, six years ago (well, almost seven years now...). It seemed that no matter how much I exercised or how much I ate - or didn't eat - nothing stopped the onslaught of impending bulk. Each year added a few more pounds until I hardly recognized myself! What happened? Who was I? Where did this strange body come from? I decided I needed to take this foreign body by the horns and wrangle it back into submission. Actually, I was gentler than that, but the determination was there.
 The Kitchen Gardener
I am a constant gardener in my kitchen. I am planting and harvesting green sprouts daily in my apartment, but that's a story I'll tell you about another time. I am also a constant gardener of my thoughts - persistently planting seeds of gratitude, love, appreciation, and acceptance. I think there's more to being vibrant and healthy than just eating the proper foods. I also find that I need to clear the clutter of the thoughts which aren't true, and replace them - replant them with thoughts that align myself with who I really am.
I Am What I Think
I have experienced that my body responds only to my thoughts. So, with some resolve I began to question my thoughts about popular beliefs that I was buying into like, "Women over 50 look matronly", "Menopause causes every woman's body to explode into uncontrollable pockets of flab and sag", "Sex appeal and being over 50 is an oxymoron", "No matter what you do after 50, a beautiful body is totally illusive"...., and guess what? I found out that those beliefs are not true at all!
Eating live/raw food came to me as a result of my learning to constantly question any stressful thoughts that I was buying into. Eating food in its natural state just came to me naturally! Tera's "whole-istic" detox offerings are so valuable, because I've found that it's not possible to clean up the body without paying attention to cleaning up thoughts and beliefs, also. In fact, I've discovered that when I cleanse stressful thoughts, the body follows -it sparkles easily and effortlessly.
Lose The "Shoulds" and the Pounds
I lost 45 pounds in three months. It just melted away, and has stayed away. I ate (and still do eat) tons of delicious raw foods, and if some judgments pop up like, "I shouldn't eat after dark" or "I shouldn't eat too many sweet fruits" or "If I eat ‘that' I'll blow everything", I just question those opinions to see if they are really true for me, or if I might just be buying into someone else's beliefs no matter how "scientific" they appear to be! As I become more aware of the power, beauty, and truth that's within me, all the "shoulds and shouldn'ts" of the world, which always feel like prison sentences, become flagrant myths - not true for me at all. Discovering what's true for me reveals the most delicious freedom I've ever experienced. I also keep my attention on how beautiful
l feel, rather than paying any heed to how I look in the moment, because when I feel the beauty from within it radiates outward.
Detox Your Negative Thinking
Starting a raw food diet by detoxing a bunch of stressful, untrue beliefs is the most effective way to go. Cleaning out all the old sludge in the body and the mind ensures the success of staying raw/live and healthy. As I continue to question some of my stressful thoughts on the subject of "my over 50 body", I can feel this spark of power hidden deep in the recesses of my being, trying to get my attention, only buried under layers of sludge that need dissolving. Those layers are finally melting away, and that spark (the "sparkle puff" that we are!) is becoming stronger and brighter by the minute. I've promised to honor and listen to, and accept the truth of my being, and not allow any false thoughts or beliefs to bury that truth ever again. Finding my power and beauty once more feels magnificent! It's magical, fun, pure freedom, dominion and joy! I now know that the power and beauty are there, and I have every intention of keeping this bounty upfront and center.
Not all Green Drinks Are Created Equal...
Will the REAL Green Smoothie Queen please stand up?
  The Green Smoothie Queen St. Patrick's Day Challenge
Sponsored by the Luck of the Irish and Lucky Number 7
Get a 7 day challenge for the price of 3 for a limited time.
Sign-up ends March 10th!
5 Simple Steps to Coming Out of the Cooked Food Closet
By Tera Warner
 Life deals a hard blow and some of us struggle more than others to get our ducks in a row. But, but, but, but, buuuuuuuuut... (and you can quote me on this one!)
More than another ebook, or another miracle supplement or a visit with the stethescope, more than another "secret to success" you need someone else who believes in you!
And now you've got one. Actually, thousands if you just log into the Powder Room and start making friends. There are other women just like you all around the world and they need you as much as you need them.
I've seen people overcome all kinds of difficult situations. I know that solutions exist and that there is a way out of the hole you're in, no matter how deep it feels. But read this and remember it:
THE ONLY WAY OUT IS THROUGH!
You have to START. You have to pick yourself up where you are RIGHT NOW. It doesn't matter if it's day 13 or day 49. It's TODAY! Start! Make this happen. Make it your day. Here's are my best suggestions for how to get out of a food funk once you're in it:
1. Start Your Day With Water
No matter how poorly you ate the day before, tomorrow is a new day. Make it the day to start fresh. Start your day with a tall glass of water and DO NOT EAT ANYTHING until you are TRULY HUNGRY! The sad thing is that most people do not know how to identify real hunger.
2. Learn How To Identify Real Hunger and Eat When Really Hungry
One of the things I think people misunderstand the most is the most basic concept of all:
Hunger.
They mistake all manner of grumbling stomachs and general irritation for the real thing.
Hunger pulls.
Hunger persists.
Hunger salivates.
Hunger isn't fussy or choosy.
If you think that something "doesn't sound good" then consider the possibility that you're not really hungry. You should care less how your food sounds and more that there's food at all. These other things you're feeling can be detox symptoms.
3. Find Yourself An Accountability Partner
Make a public statement on the blog, if you must. I offer you THIS SPACE to declare to the world your intention to make things go right. You can leave a comment, but you can also find a buddy on the Powder Room, too. What about a neighbor, a friend, a co-worker. It doesn't matter WHO it matters THAT you find someone to support you and encourage you in your process.
 4. Make Change on a Gradient
Depending on where you're at and how you're coping with things, you need to understand that TAKING THINGS ON A GRADIENT IS VERY IMPORTANT.
If you keep setting yourself ultimatums and then crashing on them, something's not working. If things feel out of control, find some part of your situation that you can control and control it.
Maybe you'll just eat ONE piece of pizza instead of THREE.
Maybe you'll stop eating after 9:00pm instead of midnight.
Find the gradient, whatever it is, and START THERE! Start somewhere, but START for Heaven's sake, because as I said it before, THE ONLY WAY OUT IS THROUGH!
5. Persist and Thrive In Spite of All The Obstacles Against You
You can do this, but persist. Get your boots back on, Babe, and DECIDE that you really want this. The barriers you perceive are only there because you CHOOSE for them to be barriers. Get over it! Get up! We need you on the team. Have you noticed how many sick, struggling people there are out there that haven't even figured out yet that there IS a relationship between their food and their health.
WE NEED YOU!
Listen, I don't like being a loud-mouthed "coach" but when your kid is running in front of a truck, you don't whisper to them to come back to the side walk. Sometimes love does need a hard hand. A wake-up call. If you are engaging in self-destructive behavior then THIS IS YOUR WAKE UP CALL!
Get on board. Read the blog posts about our FREE 90-Day Detox and get started.
It's not just what you think, it's also what you DO! Stand up, Woman, and get your life back!
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"What's for Dinner?"
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Marketplace
Learn the TRUTH behind psychiatric drugs.
Do a bit of Spring Cleaning with the Body Enlightenment System!
What's in your kiddo's lunch box? Think it could be healthier?
Will the REAL Green Smoothie Queen please stand up?
Tingle the tastebuds with Divalicious juices and cocktails!
Five Minutes to Fresh Food!
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