Remembrance & Pulling Oil

Today, I’d like to take a moment to remember the events that occurred on September 11^th, 2001. In horrific tragedy, our nation was brought together, supported, and love was given freely. I often feel like in the worst of times we are united, and it is during the best of times that we must strive to maintain this unity. Say I love you to those closest to you, be present with whom you are speaking, be thankful and grateful and mindful, even when it all seems like waste of time. It will do you just as much good, if not more, to share love and support with others. Take this moment to choose how you wish to connect with those around you, with whom you wish to deepen your connections, and why. It can be as simple as noticing their gorgeous watch or as complex as noticing how much you love when they are angered, their pupils dilate. Be as personal as you can and notice how the world shifts ever so slightly. That shift, repeated everyday, filled with compassion and love and the bolstering of one another, can bring peace and understanding and connection: a united front in every way.

---

That being said, to love others you must also love yourself --- cliché, but true. I really want to emphasize self care today, so I thought we would learn about the benefits of oil pulling. Maybe you think it’s gross, maybe you think I’m gross for talking about it, but let me tell you that you will not feel gross after practicing oil pulling. Yes, I know this from personal experience, and I was that person that thought it was disgusting and gross and no how no way was I doing that. But here’s why it is worth considering …

OIL PULLING

THE SHORT OF IT ALL||

What is it? The swishing and pulling of a high quality oil-- namely coconut, sesame, or sunflower—around the mouth for incredible benefits and results.

Why would I do this? Self-care brings out the love you have for yourself and allows you to heal from the inside out.

Do you do this? Yep! Every morning, when I shower or do a short meditation, I can be found oil pulling.

---

BACKGROUND||

The art of oil pulling stems from Ayurverdic healing techniques. The antibacterial properties of the oil (high quality coconut, sesame, or sunflower) pull out bacteria and fungus; alleviate inflammation, congestion, and allergies; rid bad breath, bleeding gums, cavities, gingivitis, plaque, sensitive teeth; moistens mouth, lips, and throat; can relieve stomach issues, i.e. ulcers; improve kidney function; can kill strep throat bacteria. Wow. That’s a lot of positives. Plus, it makes food taste so amazing, and your mouth feels really refreshed and free of general grossness (think about it, it could be real gross in there).

I noticed my teeth that have cavities are now less sensitive, my immunity has improved, and the oil pulling puts me in almost a meditative trance which is always relaxing.

HOW||

Start with 5 minutes every morning and then gradually build to the ideal 20 minutes. It is best done in the morning, but any time for any length is great and fantastic and awesome. I tend to do this coupled with other things like putting pillows back on my bed, washing my face, or taking a shower.

1. Place 1-2 tsp oil (coconut,sesame, sunflower – of highest quality possible) in your mouth
2. Swish/ pull the oil around the mouth and between teeth be careful not to swallow because you are drawing toxins and bacteria from all over your body, i.e. the liver, kidneys, spine – and ingesting the oil would draw all of those toxins back into your system
3. Spit the oil out in the garbage – not the bathroom toilet or sink the oil has a higher viscosity as it fills with bacteria and other toxins and can affect plumbing – and that’s just not something we need to deal with.
4. Rinse your mouth out with salt water or water with apple cider vinegar to get rid of any oil remaining
5. Brush teeth immediately after to kill any remaining bacteria
6. Smile in the mirror and thank yourself for taking care of yourself easy peasy, lemon squeezy

what do you think (comment below) ?? try it for a week and see what happens...

xxoo

[oil photos by emily friend]

Bet You Didn't Know How Amazing Pineapple Is For You ... There's a Recipe, too!

PINEAPPLE

Ananas comosus

IMG_1198

IMG_1196

Pineapple is an amazing fruit. --- side note: I find it funny that pretty much every other country calls it Ananas and Americans call it a Pineapple-- I like Ananas better! --- It is a multiple fruit, which means that it forms as the multiple fruits (drupelets) of the individual flowers grow and merge together. Pineapple can be grown at home; they do well in warm climates. Pineapple, while often associated with Hawaii, did not make it to the area until the early 1800s. It is native to Paraguay and southern Brazil. See below for ways to incorporate it into your diet and a favorite recipe of mine!

IMG_1199

Pineapple is an excellent source of Vitamin C and manganese. In addition to the powerful antioxidant, Vitamin C, there are flavonoids present, such as quercetin. Fresh pineapple is the only known source of an enzyme, bromelain, which has been used in alleviating joint pain and arthritis, reducing inflammation, and inhibiting tumor growth.

Flavonoids are polyphenol compounds abundant in fruits, vegetables, nuts, tea, and coffee, and studies have shown they function as antioxidants, possessing biological activities beneficial to health. With a higher intake of flavonoids it has been shown that there is a lower risk of atherosclerosis, which can lead to heart attack and stroke. Quercetin is a flavonol compound and can help protect against ulcers and stomach cancers.

Nutritional Benefits | just some of the amazing qualities… per 165g or 1 cup

• Vitamin C // 131% DV
• Manganese // 76% DV
• Vitamin B6 // 9% DV
• Copper // 9% DV
• Thiamin // 9% DV
• Dietary Fiber // 9% DV
• No Saturated Fats
• No Cholesterol

What it can help me with |

• Reduce Inflammation, bromelain enzyme --- great for sore throat relief
• Improve digestion, high fiber and water content promote regularity and a healthy digestive tract
• Healthy Skin, antioxidants help fight skin damage caused by sun and pollution; improve skin texture a.k.a reduce wrinkles; improve formation of collagen
• Protection against ulcers and stomach cancers, quercetin content
• Lower risk of heart attack and stroke, flavonoid content
• Help combat the formation of free radicals known to cause cancer, due to high vitamin C content

How I can use it | Cubed, raw **

• Consume it plain and fresh, add it to a smoothie, on top of cereal or granola, add to homemade salsa, bake into a spice cake, or freeze and save some for a later time
• Sweet & Savory Pineapple Recipe recipe below

Canned

• Make sure to get canned in 100% juice and use the liquid; this way you won’t miss out on important minerals and vitamins that can still be present

When not to eat:

• Pineapple can increase symptoms, such as heartburn, for those with gastro-esophageal reflux disease
• If your kidney has an inability or is slow at removing excess potassium from blood, do not consume pineapple

** how I like to use it!

recipe. recipe. recipe. recipe. recipe. recipe. recipe. recipe. recipe. recipe.

Sweet & Savory Pineapple

This recipe is easy to make, so there are no excuses for not eating amazing, nutrient packed, delicious foods. I wrote about sea salt and honey here, and I just wanted to touch on the power of cinnamon and ginger, just a couple players in the spice blend below.

Cinnamon is high in fiber and manganese, a good source of calcium, and contains antioxidant anthocyanidins and chalcone polymers. Anthocyanidins mean they may protect against cardiovascular disease, cancer, and other conditions in which oxidative damage is important. Chalcone polymers increase your cells’ ability to metabolize sugar by up to 20 times. Wow.

Ginger an amazing system soother and contains antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds including shogaols, gingerols, and 6-dehydrogingerdione (DGE). Shogaols inhibit growth of human lung cancer cells and cancer cells which also being an incredible anti-inflammatory. Gingerol can inhibit the growth of tumors and is an excellent anti-inflammatory agent. DGE suppress’ cancer cell growth.

There are so many good things about these two spices, I didn’t have enough space, so stay tuned for a more detailed post in the coming weeks.

To the recipe!!!

INGREDIENTS || try to buy organic as often as possible but don’t miss out on greatness if you don’t have all organic

• 1 pineapple
• 3-5 pinches of spice blend (see below)
• 2-3 pinches of sea salt, more to taste
• *Honey to taste

*note: some vegans do not consume honey—that being said, honey hosts so many amazing and incredible benefits, makes me feel great without sugar crashes, and together are good enough reasons for me … feel free to substitute maple syrup or agave if you are a strict vegan

Spice Blend || have fun with the ratios… I liked mine a litter spicier, so I added more red pepper and black pepper – for a sweeter spice blend, use more cinnamon

• 2-3 tbsp dried red pepper
• 2-3 tsp. black pepper
• ½ tbsp. ginger
• ½ tbsp. nutmeg
• ½ tbsp. cinnamon

To make spice blend || add all of your desired spices to a blender or spice grinder, I used my magic bullet, and blend until combined – if using spices already in powdered form, just stir together store || in a small container for further use (good to add to stews, corn, salad dressings, etc.)

RECIPE ||

1. Cut pineapple any way you desire -- I cut the sides, top and bottom off of mine and then sliced the little pentagons into fifths.
2. Put pineapple into a mixing bowl or serving dish.
3. Add desired pinches of sea salt and spice blend over top of the pineapple
4. Drizzle with honey
5. Stir with a wooden spoon – if no wooden spoon, use what you have
6. Eat out of the bowl or plate and serve!

A little salty, a little sweet, a little spicy. No taste bud left behind. Enjoy!

xxoo

[ recipe inspiration from Free People Blog // photos by yours truly]

Munchies So Good You Might Not Make it Back to the Couch

I can safely say Scandal steals my heart every time Kerry Washington goes home to a big bowl of popcorn, a glass of wine, and a beautifully oversized sweater. When I’m done with my work, my first thought is to change my clothes (ugh tight jeans today), flip on some Netflix, and make a big ole batch of popcorn. Homemade style.

A little honey. Probably too much salt.

Being gluten-free and vegan never tasted so good. Okay there are some incredible foods out there... but this is quick bliss.

I wasn’t even going to eat the popcorn that I was making for all of you, but it screamed my name, popped for joy, and wound up crunching in my mouth before I knew it. Let me just say: best. decision. ever.

Popcorn is amazing. Not only is it 100% whole grain, a big check for healthy and happy tummies, but it also has about 4 grams of dietary fiber for every 4 cups of popped corn. The recommended daily intake of fiber is 25 grams for women and 38 grams for men. So good stuff! And let’s not stop there. Apparently, it has higher levels of healthy antioxidants than some fruits and vegetables! This antioxidant is known as polyphenol. Those pieces of popcorn that get stuck in your teeth, known as the hull, contain about 90% of these polyphenols.  Antioxidants help stop and sometimes reverse the damage done by unstable molecules known as “free radicals”. Thus protecting us against cancers, diseases, and other illnesses. See, I told you popcorn was amazing.

IMG_1101

Honey totes a long list of benefits! I’m going to do a more detailed post of this later, but I’ll give you a little bit of the lo down right now. Honey contains flavonoids, another type of antioxidant, that reduce the risk of some cancers and heart disease. Honey reduces ulcers and other gastrointestinal disorders, is anti-bacterial and antifungal, reduces cough and throat irritation, and when eating raw and local honey, you can expect to have less allergies (because the pollen that would be irritating has already been working it’s way in your system). Cool, huh?

IMG_1099

Sea Salt helps build a strong immune system. It is alkalizing meaning it helps prevent and reverse high acidity levels in your body, eliminating the risk for serious and life-threatening diseases. It also aids in weight loss, relieves dry and itchy skin, as well as and this is a big one helps to preserve serotonin and melatonin in the body which can help with various types of depression, allowing you to feel happier, relaxed, and give you the chance to sleep better at night.

Did you know a sweet and salty recipe could do so much?! Recipe after the pics...

SWEET & SALTY MUNCH CRUNCH POPCORN

This recipe is made in a microwave. There are a lot of concerns regarding microwaves, but I am away at school right now, and restricting myself too much has never served me well in the past, so I am making do with what is available. I hope to create a post using the stove top soon. xxoo

INGREDIENTS || try to by organic as often as possible but don’t miss out on greatness if you don’t have all organic

• 1 brown paper bag
• ~ 2.5 tbsp. popcorn
• Sea Salt to taste
• ** Honey to taste

Play around with the recipe! Add raisins, chocolate chips, puffed cereal! Popcorn is the rice of snack food… throw in a flavor and it just magically works. If you’re new to this whole vegan thing, try adding some coconut oil or olive oil to give it more of the movie popcorn consistency. Then as you become more accustomed to the taste, you might reduce this until you have just honey and salt.

**note: some vegans do not consume honey—that being said, honey hosts so many amazing and incredible benefits, makes me feel great without sugar crashes, and together are good enough reasons for me … feel free to substitute maple syrup or agave if you are a strict vegan; agave is more watery and might make the popcorn soggy, but I know maple syrup works like a charm. 

RECIPE || I don’t use exact measurements, so bare with me.

1. Fill the bottom of the brown paper bag with about 2.5 tablespoons of popcorn kernels. The kernels will cover the bottom with some brown peaking through. Adjust amount according to paper bag size.
2. Fold over the opening of the brown paper bag about 1 inch. Then fold again.
3. Place the bag fold side down into the microwave.
4. Microwave about two and a half minutes (mine takes two minutes and 45 seconds). A good rule of thumb (where does that phrase come from anyway?) is to stop the microwave when there is a pause of about two seconds in the popping.
5. You now have air-popped popcorn!
6. Open the bag, crack the salt into the bag, drizzle honey over the top, reseal, and shake, shake, shake. or Pour the popcorn into a bowl, drizzle the honey over the top, coat it with salt, and then stir with a spoon.

Grab a handful and get those taste buds a partying… I’d be surprised if you make it to your destination before consuming the whole bag. If so, no worries! Just head back over and make another bag :)

[Photographs by yours truly]