I started buying coconut water and organic soy milk from my neighborhood 99 cent store ( I am sooo happy they exist and sell these, regular markets charge sometimes 3 times as much for same brand) And by the way I buy WestSoy soy milk bec...ause it does not contain carageen...if you don't know whats bad about carageen, Google it. Anyway, to save more money I freeze the coconut water and soymilk (in seperate) freezer trays and use the cubes in smoothies. I usually add 3 cubes coconut water and 4 cubes soy milk. I throw them in after I add everything else and let them melt -- then I blend them together. Yum!


I make a smoothie everyday...here's the recipe for the one I'm drinking right now.

3 cubes frozen coconut water

4 cubes frozen soy milk (organic)

1/2 cup parsley

1/2 banana

2 large carrots (juiced)

1/4 cup orange juice

1/4 cup spring water

teaspoon ground flax seed ( I use Bob's Red Mill) I don't have a grinder right now.

 

 

Throw these into a blender

Allow the frozen cubes to melt; it takes about 15 minutes and then blend mixture

Enjoy!

 

 

xo   Inge

I helped out at the Ostomy booth at the UCI healthfair last weekend and met this terrific woman who runs Home Care Assistance. Its for people (mostly seniors) who need extra help with daily things like cooking, groooming, running errands and plain old companionship. There lots of these type of agencies in Orange County but what makes this one different is that client care manager, Sandy Rasque, focuses on maintaining a healthy lifestyle and eating. Her staff provides healthy meals that includes fresh vegetables, fruits and even smoothies.


Have you ever stayed in the hospital and been offered Ensure to  either gain weight or keep the weight on? I have when I was getting chemo/radiation treatment. Anyone who has been through this knows that eating is a real problem. Everything tastes awful, so doctors suggest Ensure. Now don't get me wrong they mean well. Ensure has protein and calories but mostly from sugar, and studies show that cancer loves sugar. Why give it what it wants? And in my case, the Ensure was way too sweet.

 So when I was in the hospital my family brought me smoothies from Jamba Juice. Yes, they have sugar too but at least it is somewhat healthier than Ensure.

When I got home we bought a juicer and a blender so we could make our own fresh green smoothies. Before long I was throwing everything in but the kitchen sink. My smoothies must have contained at least 600 calories, all from fresh fruits and veggies, along with soy milk andd yogurt.

Well, Sandy figured this out and wanted her seniors to have a healtheir alternative. Her motto is "Changing the way the world ages". She teaches her staff how to cook healthy meals, including how to make delicious, healthy smoothies (with real fruit and veggies) and serve them to their clients. They also will shop for the food that they will be serving.

This is one of the books sitting on her table at the health fair.

I was so impressed with Sandy's fresh approach to caregiving that I wanted to tell others about her and her agency. I briefly worked for another home care agency a few years ago and what a disappointment that was. It was clear to me that they were all about their 'bottom line', not the clients or their employees for that matter. They paid low wages, expected their employees to drive sometimes 30 + miles to an assignment and only stay 3 hours. Seniors ate (in my opinion) substandard meals. The food was usually processed, fast food, purchased by the senior or family member and prepared by the caregiver. There was no suggestion to eat healthier by anyone. The caregivers I met didn't look too healthy themselves either.


I know of group homes that run the same way, maybe even worse when it comes to healthy meals. I used to work in an adult day program and my clients used to tell me what they ate at home. I also saw the junk food they brought to the program. Nothing healthy in those lunch boxes. How can one expect to have a healthy mind when its fed junk?


Recent studies show that the majority of people with autism have intestinal problems and the correlation is processed food containing GMOs. (You didn't think I was going to talk about health without bringing up the health problems caused by GMOs, did you?)


I think feeding seniors, the mentally ill andd even us, healthy fresh foods will give us a better chance of living a longer healthy life. What fun is it to live longer but to do so being sick? I know thats not for me.

I am hopeful that Sandy's approach to senior care will catch on with other agencies and hospitals for that matter. Everyday more and more health care providers are understanding the connection between good health and eating healthy food. I see new patients all the time in the cancer center who tell me their doctor tells them "no sugar" and thats a step in the right direction.


Sandy was making and giving out samples of one her smoothie recipes at the fair and I thought I would share it with you:


Blueberry Banana Smoothie:


1 ripe banana
3/4 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
1/4 cup nonfat yogurt
3/4 cup lowfat milk or almond milk
1/2 cup crushed ice


Throw in blender, puree and serve!




xo     Inge

 

Its Non-GMO Month!

This is just a partial list of companies who are now officially Non-GMO verified. There are a few who state they are GMO free, so I added them as well. At least they  are trying to do the right thing. Hopefully the big boys at Kelloggs, Post, Smuckers, Hershey, Nestle, Pepsico, CocaCola and their groupies will get on board, especially when they are losing sales.

Find out more about NON-GMO Verfified Project here  http://www.nongmoproject.org/

 

 

 

 

 

I will add more products throughout this month. I am completely convinced that processed foods, especially those containing GMOs is the  major reason we have a health crisis in America.

xo  Inge

I swiped this chart off Food Babe's blog    http://foodbabe.com/2012/09/28/do-your-favorite-snack-brands-contain-gmos/


I suggest fresh fruits and vegetables BUT I know we all like something to snack on occasionally, so why not be sure its good for us! And we are showing our support for those companies who are doing the right thing! Earning a living, while selling a product that is good for the environnment and good for us!

I went to Costco today and found some unrefined, organic coconut oil. They had a huge container of it for $17. That does sound like alot but it was 54 oz., compared to Sprouts brand 16 oz for $8. I stir fried some veggies in my wok, using 2 tblsps of the oil. Yum! I sprinkled my special anti-oxident (tumeric, garlic powder, black pepper) spice blend over them as well.

I scooped some out and put them in one of my empty skin care bottles. I will use that coconut oil for my face moisturizer. Oh and you don't have to keep it in the refrigerator.  You can learn more about the benefits of virgin coconut oil here: http://www.naturodoc.com/library/nutrition/coconut_oil.htm

This looks like a refreshing healthy summer treat!

I have not been blogging for a while because I am working on the Prop 37 Initiative. Its the California Right to Know Prop...You know GMOs and we want them labeled. Please tell me you know what a GMO is.  If not...here it is in 30 seconds.  Its food that has been injected with anything from viruses to shrimp to insecticide. Its defintiely not your old fashioned playing around with hybrids...no its crossbreeding things that do not belong together! And if you eat 70% processed foods, you are eating it...everyday. Anything that contains soy, corn, canola, soon to be sugar beets all are GMO unless they are organic and even those have to be stamped 100% USDA certified.

The problem is this...GMOs are not independently tested. Monsanto will not allow it claiming they are afraid someone will steal their precious patent. Really? Monsanto is the one acting like a drug cartel. Heres the deal. Lets say farmer A agrees to sign this ridiculous contract to only buy Monsanto seed and RoundUp (the 2 work together) and will never re-use GMOs seeds but buy new ones every year. Farmer B lives next door. He doesn't want GMO seeds but bees, birds, butterflies, the wind doing what they do naturally send pollen and seeds to Farmer B's crop, contaminating his field. Now if that isn't bad enough Monsanto's goon squad shows up to Farmer B's field, takes samples. sees that infact his crop contains GMOs, Monsanto then threatens Farmer B with a lawsuit if he doesn't pay them money for patent infrigment....and all this is LEGAL!!!

Thats why I am so involved with this Prop 37 campaign. You saw what happened in Vermont right? The legislature wanted their food labeled in their state and Monsanto heard about it, threatened to sue and the governemtn backed down. WSell, I am NOT backing down. I want it banned but I am told that labeling is the best we can do for now. 50 countries have labeling and dozens have a comeplete ban.

If you live in California here is a link so you can endorse this initiative. I added my name already...

http://www.carighttoknow.org/endorse

And if you want to do more here is the link for that

http://www.carighttoknow.org/

And if you want to know why we are upset with Monsanto and others like them, Google Monsanto complaints and you will get at least a thousand links.


eat your fruits and veggies!   NON-GMO that is!   xo  Inge

I found this on Facebook....

6 Healthy Foods To Replace Your Naughtier Preferences Without Sacrificing Flavor

Just because you’re trying to eat more healthily doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice your favorite food preparations! There are a number of nutritious ingredie...nts that can replace your naughtier preferences without forgoing flavor. Try the following examples and see if your palate isn’t as pleased as your waistline!

1. Quinoa instead of rice or pasta

White rice and pasta are “bad” or simple carbs--you know, the ones that don’t provide much in the way of nutrition. But quinoa! This amazing ancient grain not only acts as a perfect platform for soaking up sauces, just like pasta and rice, but also it’s a complete protein, which means it delivers all nine of the essential amino acids.

2. Shaved zucchini instead of pasta

Another magical swap, shaved zucchini (created by shaving zucchini into strands with a vegetable peeler) can carry sauces from the plate to your palate--and add a serving of veggies to your dish to boot. Bonus: You don’t even have to cook it and it’s a refreshing way to serve saucy dishes during summer’s heat!


3. Coconut water instead of Gatorade

Unless you’re a serious athlete, you don’t need the kind of potassium and electrolytes found in Gatorade anyway; gulping down a good amount of water will more than do the trick for the average gym goer. But coconut water, or the water harvested from inside young coconuts, does provide additional nutritional value over water--without the additives found in sports drinks. Expect great, refreshing, even sweet taste plus about as much potassium as you’d find in a banana.

4. Spinach and tomato sauce instead of spaghetti with sauce

Let’s be honest. Pasta’s main purpose is to be a vehicle for sauce. So why not drive your favorite pasta sauce into your mouth via a more healthy vehicle? Cooked spinach can be a perfect partner for tomato sauces--not to mention a valuable source of vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients, which are known to be anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer.


5. Kale chips instead of potato chips

We don’t need to tell you how unhealthy potato chips are. But you might like to know you can enjoy similarly crisp, greasy flavor and eat healthily if you reach for kale chips. There is a catch--you’ll need to make them yourself. But on the upside, all you need to do is de-stem kale leaves, spray them with a tiny bit of oil, sprinkle them with salt, and bake them for 10 to 15 minutes at an oven preheated to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. If you ate an entire bunch, you’d have satisfied your greens requirement for the day and only ingested about 200 calories!


6. Cauliflower instead of potatoes

Taste aside, there’s not much good that comes from mashed potatoes. But substitute even half of your spuds with cooked and mashed cauliflower and you’ll cut calories and add protein to your favorite rib-gripping side dish. After all, pound for pound, potatoes have nearly four times as many calories as cauliflower.

Source: Prevent DiseaseSee More

https://www.facebook.com/wellnessuncovered

I helped get the Label GMOs on the ballot in California. I know that the corporations who make their living selling gm foods will spend millions of dollars in the next few months to scare people from voting yes to have their foods labeled. I plan to post any articles I can get my hands on to educate those people who don't know what genetically modified foods are. Please copy and share to help spread the word. We are up against a ruthless group, with Monsanto leading the pack. Vermont  legislators recently changed their mind to mandate labeling products that contain gmos, when Monsanto threatened to sue the state. If gmos were safe then why not label them?

I am a firm believer that I got cancer from the foods I ate and that's why I am such an advocate for healthy food. If I can't get organic, I try my best to not eat gm foods, which are harder to determine because they are not labeled. I just read that tomatoes are no longer gm...
http://www.gmo-compass.org/eng/grocery_shopping/fruit_vegetables/15.genetically_modified_tomatoes.html

Another article confirms that in order to stay healthy, we should stay way from gm foods

 http://vitalitymagazine.com/article/dramatic-health-recoveries-reported/

Here is a link that confirms scientifically that gmos are bad for us
http://www.nationofchange.org/genetic-engineers-explain-why-ge-food-dangerous-1340544600

eat your fruits and veggies!    xo  Inge

I ran out of my face cream and I didn't want to spend the money to buy more...mainly because we are on a tight budget these days and quality face cream is expensive. So I discovered online recipes to make my own. The easiest one I found is aloe mixed with lanolin. I already have a large bottle of aloe juice in the frig so all I needed to buy was the lanolin. An 8 ounce bottle is $6 in Sprouts; you can find it in most health food stores. My recipe is 1 part lanolin to 3 parts aloe. I mixed a small amount together and stored them in small glass jar I had  left over from something else...I have an assortment that I keep to use for other things. I keep the aloe in the frig, it seems to last a long time.

eat your fruits & veggies!

xo   Inge

I just made myself organic broccoli & organic potatoes (cooked them in olive oil in my wok) and dipped them in garlic hummus. Yum!

Threw some organic spinach, organic frozen raspberries (from Costco), vanilla soy milk, banana, and spring water that I can sip on throughout the day.

I have been on the go all week and today I am relaxing with my critters. My body was talking to me this morning so I better listen and take it easy.  I used to ignore my body and my immune system got run down. I know better now.

eat your fruits & veggies!
xo   Inge

I have been quite busy lately and since I am away from home longer, I bring my own food. I get up 15 minutes earlier so I chop all the veggies I will be eating and adding to my green smoothies for the day. Today I tried out the new vegan c...ole slaw recipe I found on the web. It's super easy; just use prepackaged cole slaw; mix in Veganese Mayo and organic raisins. I ususally pack a peanut butter sandwich as well and of course a delicious smoothie. Oh, and an organic apple.

 

eat your fruits & veggies!    xo  Inge

I made one of my fabulous antioxidant green smoothies today. I added juiced carrots and celery to fresh organic spinach, organic frozen blackberries & raspberries, a banana, spring water and a splash of vanilla soy milk. I bought the frozen berries at Costco. They just got them in and they were $8.50 each for a 3 lb. bag. That's an excellent price because Sprouts is selling their organic fruit for $3.99 a 12 oz. bag. Forget about Whole Foods; I was in there the other day and their prices are outrageous; they seem to cater to the very wealthy these days. I won't go back there anytime soon.

Do you know that raw carrots contain beta-carotene, a strong antioxidant that can prevent cancer?  If you can buy the carrots with the greens attached; they are rich in protein, minerals and vitamins. The raw celery juice is packed with lots of nutritious goodies as well, like vitamins B1, B2, B6 and C, potassium, iron, folic acid, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, and essential amino acids.  Don't throw away those  celery leaves they are high in vitamin A.

Add these greens to the spinach, which is high in iron and you have one delicious, super anti-oxidant drink!

Have a great day and don't forget to eat your fruits & veggies!
xo  Inge

I was looking for a non-dairy beverage to add to my smoothie today and I found Silk among the almond drinks on the shelf. Their label claimed to be part of the non-gmo project, so when I got home I looked it up. Sure enough Silk is on the list as certified by the non-gmo project to be in fact gmo free. Well slap my face and call me happy! I can buy Silk again!

http://www.nongmoproject.org/take-action/search-participating-products/search/?brandId=389

A must see video that explains the relationship between gmos and illnesses

Organic vs. Conventional Chart

Vegan Food Pyramid

http://www.pcrm.org/health/diets/pplate/power-plate

I made a healthy green smoothie today.  I know it looks red because of the berries, but I figure adding the broccoli stems, carrots and celery make it green. Here's what I put in it... A cup of frozen mixed berries, 3 organic celery stalks, 3 organic carrots, 1/2 cup broccoli stems, 1 small banana, 1 cup orange juice.

 I cut up the carrots and celery and juiced them.

 I was able to get 5 ounces of juice from the carrots & celery

 I added the juice, berries, banana, broccoli stems and orange juice to the blender.

 All set to drink!

The total time it took to make this smoothie was about 15 minutes and that includes clean up. I like to make it after breakfast and drink it throughout the day. Just with this drink alone I got my daily requirement of veggies. I plan to eat organic chips with fresh avocado and homemade picco de gallo for lunch...raisons for a snack and ...well, I haven't decided on dinner yet!  :D

eat your fruits & veggies!    xo    Inge



I have been drinking a shot a day of Noni juice for almost a year now. My sister-in-law told me about this drink a few years before I got sick. She gave her dog Noni juice who was diagnosed with cancer that was recommended to her by her vet. Her dog was in such bad shape that the vet recommended euthanasia but Teri said no, so the vet told her to buy Noni juice.  Her dog lived another two years and died of old age, not cancer. When I was diagnosed, Teri asked if we ordered Noni juice yet, so we did.

Not all Noni juice is the same. The one I buy can only be purchased on line. Here is the link..
http://products.tni.com/united_states/english/nonistore/product/1/134/    Other companies sell it but the formula is different and they add other juices and sugars. I recommend this one.
http://research.tni.com/united_states/english/research/science.html

There are claims on the web from people who claim Noni juice is a cure for cancer. I really don't know about that but I think it's a good supplement along with traditional medical treatment. In case you're wondering...no, the makers of Noni juice are not paying me to say this. I'm just passing along information, like my sister-in-law did.

eat your fruits & veggies!   xo Inge

If you want to grow your own veggies...buyer beware...your seeds could be gmo.




http://www.agardenforthehouse.com/2012/02/forewarned-is-forearmed-veggie-varieties-owned-by-monsanto/