New Protein Bar Recipes for the New Year

We are days away to kicking off the new year with the 30 Day Essentials Feeling Fit Detox "diet". I wanted to have a gluten-free, peanut free, soy free - basically allergen free protein bar available containing detox approved ingredients. This recipe does a pretty good job - although I did add in organic agave nectar as I had no Stevia in the house. Make the substitution and these bars should be 100% detox approved, as detox diets do not allow sugars.

Almond Nut Detox Bars

1 jar almond butter (Maranatha 26 oz roasted almond butter)

2 T. juice from ½ orange (at room temperature)
2 c. organic quinoa (uncooked)
4 scoops Essentials vanilla protein mix
2 scoops Essentials fiber boost
1 ½ c. dried blueberries (or cranberries)
½ c. golden flaxseed
1 c. chia seed
1 c. pecan chopped pecan meats
1 c. walnuts – finely chopped (processed, almost like nut flour)
1 T. korintje cinnamon
¾ c. agave nectar or Stevia substitution
1 c. sliced almonds

In large mixing bowl place contents of almond butter jar (note: this is much easier if you prep the jar by tipping it upside down, back and forth 3-4 times the prior day as the separated oil will automatically mix), and orange juice, stir well.
In separate bowl stir dry ingredients together and add into almond butter mixture, stirring with sturdy wooden spoon until blended. Add in agave nectar, as needed, until mixture is well blended and sticks together well. Place into a large bar pan, and use spoon to flatten mixture out into bar pan. Cover and let refrigerate a couple hours before cutting into bars. Bars may be placed into snack bags for on the go snacking. Keeps well in refrigerator for a month (if they last that long!), and can also be frozen.

Kid’s Delight PB n Chocolate Bars
28 oz jar of organic peanut butter
3 cups rolled organic oats
2 scoops Essentials chocolate protein powder
1 scoop Essentials fiber boost
2 c. peanut halves
1 c. mini semi sweet chocolate chips
½ c. dark chocolate chips (optional)
1 c. organic honey
When shopping for chocolate read labels and find chips with least amount of additives. Check a health food store – beware of high fructose corn syrup and artificial this or that!
In large metal mixing bowl place contents of peanut butter jar, stir if needed with wooden spoon until creamy.
In separate bowl stir first three dry ingredients. Stir into peanut butter. When well blended add in peanuts, chocolate chips and honey. Blend well and place onto large bar pan – flatten out with wooden spoon. Chill thoroughly before cutting in to bars.

These bars received rave reviews at my New Year New You class tonight. They are no bake - pretty simple to make although some muscle is required to stir the mixture. I suppose a good KitchenAid type mixer could handle it fine.
Package individually for school snacks or snacks on the go. These bars are very satisfying, so it does not take a large bar to curb one's appetite. Because they are no bake they are simple to make....so whip up a batch for your new year, and incorporate into your new year, new you eating plan!

To your health,
Rita S.

Is a changed lifestyle of eating worth it?

We are born in an alkaline state...but in all likliehood, we will die in an acidic one unless one decides to take charge of their health and well being, and is on purpose to provide an alkaline, internal environment, one that is not cancer cell friendly.
Per Dr. Bruce West "...probably everyone over age 50 has cancer cells of one sort or another in their body at any given time. Most will never know it is there because their body will simply cure it. These are the survivors. The strong people - ones with a strong immune system..."
‎"...you can be a survivor. Once you know cancer thrives in an acidic, anaerobic (without oxygen), toxic, and immune -weakened environment in your body....taking steps to maintain proper acid/alkaline balance, increase oxygen levels, decrease toxin levels or detoxify the body, and strengthen the immune system are the keys to preventing cancer. Although it may seem daunting, it is not only easy, but it can become a way of life..."
Dr. Bruce West IS one of those doctors curing cancer. He was interviewed in KNOCKOUT and I just quoted him above in reading "Killing Cancer...Not People". I have to agree with his statements, from all I have read…let common sense prevail! I will probably subscribe to West’s health newsletter soon, and add to my ever growing library of resources. http://www.healthalert.com/t-Article_Archives.aspx

Yesterday a friend asked, what if after all I have changed, and all I am doing- fails and I end up with cancer anyhow. What if…
First, I can say most assuredly….what if I had NOT changed my ways. I was already on the fast track to type II diabetes, chronic back pain, achy joints, continuous sinus drainage. Because I did change my eating habits, lost 85 lbs. – all of those symptoms that add up to a less enjoyable life, are now gone. I feel the best I have felt in 20+ years…and that alone, makes a lifestyle eating change, totally WORTH it. I could die tomorrow very happy and feeling GREAT!
If I do get cancer…well, for one it means I started too late. At age 47, I had plenty of years of built up toxins, prime cancer cell growing lifestyle, and ignorant consumer shopping habits leading up to the “C” word.
But I also know that my immune system is fantastic. I have rarely gotten sick these past two years, and if I do I breeze through it pretty quickly. A healthy immune system is half the battle in fighting the “big C”. If I do get cancer, I would immediately buy a juicer and start juicing wheatgrass and all sorts of low-glycemic vegetables, pump in oxygen, and immediately detoxify my inner organs so that my liver could function at prime capacity.
I will keep on keeping on doing what I am doing. It is working for me. My entire family is benefiting from healthier food choices. When we are all healthier, we are a happy family as well. You can also enjoy greater health in 2012. If you have any questions, feel free to ask!
To your health,
Rita S.

Healthy New Year - Part 2

Optimal Nutrition for Fat Loss
Excerpted from an e-blast by Dr. Mercola...
It is important to understand that 80 percent of your ability to reduce excess body fat is determined by what you eat, with the other 20 percent related to exercise and other healthy lifestyle habits.
The greatest pitfall of the American diet that prevents untold millions from reaching and maintaining a healthy weight is excess fructose consumption. It's the number one source of calories in the US, and this ingredient, primarily in the form of high fructose corn syrup (HFCS), hides in so many processed foods and beverages, it can be near impossible to avoid unless you alter your shopping and cooking habits. By avoiding processed foods in general, and focusing instead on whole, preferably locally-grown organic foods, you can plow your way through one of the greatest dietary obstacles there is today.
Next, you'll want to pay close attention to your consumption of grains (including organic ones) as they too readily break down into sugar, and promote insulin resistance and retention of body fat.
Following is a quick summary of Mercola's basic recommendations, which pretty much looks like the 30 day detox program I plan to start on January 1st:
· Limit your fructose to less than 25 grams per day. Ideally, you'll also want to limit the amount of fructose from fruit to 15 grams per day, as you're likely consuming 'hidden' fructose if you eat even small amounts of processed foods or sweetened beverages
· Limit or eliminate all processed foods
· Eliminate all gluten, and highly allergenic foods from your diet
· Eat organic foods whenever possible, preferably locally-grown
· Eat at least one-third of your food uncooked (raw), or as much as you can manage
· Increase the amount of fresh vegetables in your diet
· Avoid artificial sweeteners of all kinds
· Swap all trans fats (vegetable oils, margarine etc.) for healthful fats like raw grass-fed organic butter or coconut oil
· To re-balance your omega-3 to omega-6 ratio, take a high-quality omega-3 supplement, such as krill oil, and reduce your consumption of processed omega-6 fats from vegetable oils (trans fats) (I use a very high quality vegan Omega 3 supplement that utilizes flax and chia seed oils)
· Drink plenty of pure water
· Optimize your vitamin D levels, either through appropriate sun exposure, a safe tanning bed (I don't agree with tanning beds), or a vitamin D3 supplement (if you are vegan and wish for a vegan D supplement, the source will have to vitamin D2, which, when formulated correctly is very absorbable, such as the calcium/D supplementation I take. Quality of vitamin supplementation is especially key in Vitamin D)

I hope you find this list helpful. It has very much become my mantra in in enjoying a healthier lifestyle. I didn't follow the plan of a renowned, or not so well known doctor, a highly publicized fad diet such as Atkins or South Beach, but in general...absorbed information from various health newsletters and utilized my new knowledge, common sense, and scriptural references to foods we should eat...and the result was a much healthier me!

To your health,
Rita

Healthy New Year Tips - Part 1

Beginning January 1 myself and a number of others are going to be participating in the Million Pound Challenge. Losing pounds, or commiting to exercise, we can help stock the local food pantries. It's a win win!
Over the past 18 mo. I have read much and have shared much. Dr. Mercola found this list of tips in a yahoo compilation, which he is advocates, and I can affirm I have read in a number of sources. I thought I would share this summarized list of tips here, should you have a new year's resolution of living a healthier lifestyle.
1. Eat at the magic hour: Have a snack that contains protein between 3 PM and 4 PM. It will boost your metabolism and balance your blood sugar.
2. Beef up on a belly-zapping hormone: Eat as close to zero grams of sugar as possible. This will keep your insulin levels low, and also keep your glucagon levels high. Glucagon, a hormone, helps keep your belly flat
3. Chew on this: Chewing prevents bloating. Chew food until it is like applesauce in your mouth. (Seriously, do we EVER do this? But it is important!) Digestion begins in the mouth, and better-digested food means less gas and bloating.
4. Size matters: Eating portion-controlled meals will reduce your abdominal flab.

Building muscle, losing fat, and improving overall health is dependent on one very important hormone -- insulin. The website Bodybuilding.com offers 6 tips to get your insulin sensitivity high and keep it there. Here are three of them:
1. Tighten the reins on refined carbs: One of the primary reasons people develop diabetes is their overconsumption of refined carbs and sugars, which causes their pancreas to continually pump out more and more insulin.
2. Have some healthy fats: Another way to increase your insulin sensitivity is by optimizing the rate at which your body processes carbohydrates by eating plenty of healthy fats.
3. Stay active all day: Most people hit the gym regularly, but they succumb to long periods of inactivity during the rest of their day. This is asking for trouble. (My one thought on how we can somewhat address this problem is to try and take a 20 min. walk during lunch time. Even in the winter, have hiking boots and wool socks along, a parka in real cold temps, and walk briskly in brisk temperatures. I did this last winter, making sure I had the sun shining on my face when it actually shone, and it gave me energy through the afternoon.)
The above tips nicely review and summarize blog posts I have made throughout the year - if you seek more detail on these tips you can search for key words or find the topic in the topic cloud tag.
If you are a local reader, I invite you to join me in my home on Thursday, Dec. 29th at 6:45 pm or Saturday morning, Dec. 31, at 10:45 for a "New Year New You" class. In this class I will be sharing my own journey to weight loss, as well as samples of several Essentials foods that were a part of my health journey toolbox.
To your health,
Rita

Holiday Indulgences

Merry Christmas all! If you are like me, you may have indulged in sugar laden treats, or simple carbs in the form of crackers, homemade breads, pretzels and such as holiday open houses and parties have been a part of my life these past few weeks. For certain I will need to cleanse my body after this holiday season is past.
Knowing I had over indulged, I was pleasantly surprised last night when I hopped on the balance-style hospital scale at my mother-in-laws home last night. I had fully expected to have put on a number of pounds from the last time I weighed myself (which was this past summer it seems). Happily the scale was the same, perhaps a pound lighter than I recall. It can only mean that I must have lost some more weight, OR my metabolism has been so greatly changed that I can fall off the "health food wagon" and my reprogrammed body continues to burn fat and resist "insulin resistance".
This was truly a great Christmas gift. Not that I am going to take my health for granted. The new year is days a way, and I will certainly be hopping back on the "healthy lifestyle" wagon, not because I have a serious health problem, but because it is my deep desire to not be diagnosed with a serious health issue in my future.
For my sake, and that of my family, in 2012 I will refocus on vital living through healthy eating, and incorporate excercise into the year ahead.
To your health,
Rita S.

Vitality 2012 - Wellness for a Community

In my journey to lose 85 lbs and keep it off - I have LEARNED TONS. I have read so many books and articles this past year, and continue to do so. My brain is on overload with all the information I read...and I love to share what I learn. Thus the inspiration for forming a community support/accountability group for people who want to make healthier and smarter choices at the grocery store. Anyone can do what I have accomplished, simply by learning to make more wise choices.
This past fall I was speaking with several ladies at Crossroads Coffeehouse, and Mary Devitt, the owner. My friend Stacy Carlson has mentioned several times that we should form a support group for weight loss, and Mary was in agreement. With Stacy and Mary's help, we are launching Vitality 2012 - Crossing Over to Healthier Eating. This new community group will meet on the third Sunday of each month from 3-5 p.m. Anyone can join. There is no fee, however, I may end up asking for a bit of assistance with cost of making copies, especially if this group grows.
It seems I will be leading the group ... This is a natural for me as I have had this role in many organizations I have been a part of in the past, and have always loved teaching. This also means I will have to set aside preparation time each month as we want to have a topic for discussion each time. My goal is to provide a handout, go over some points and toss around thoughts and ideas. With all of the health newsletters I subscribe to and books I read, there is plenty to share!
The main premise of this group is for members to support one another, whether it is in a desire to lose weight or simply have more energy. We are to hold each other accountable, share successes and ideas, and hopefully even healthy recipe ideas. No, we don't have to divulge our weight, nor will we weigh in each time... but we do want to encourage one another!

Mary Devitt suggested our group might even tie in with the community garden that was launched this past year. For those who would like, we might gather before the meeting to take a walk.

I have MANY files on my computer with bullet points and paragraphs of information I thought important enough to blog (when I have the chance). The commitment to this group will mean forcing myself to sort through those files. I also have a file drawer with a number of articles that are earmarked "research for community group". I suspect I have plenty of information to share, and will probably be spending lunch hours preparing each month. (LOL)

Today I brainstormed topic ideas. If YOU have suggestions please feel free to comment. Or if there is one topic in particular you would prefer we touch base upon earlier vs. later.

Vitality 2012 Suggested Topics, In no particular order:

1. Pyramid for healthy eating (this is NOT the food pyramid I grew up with!)

2. Label reading - ingredients that prevent weight loss and contribute to disease

3. Good Fats/Bad Fats (Oils & Nuts, Spread vs. Butter)

4. Digestion - Importance of a Healthy Gut

5. pH - Acidic vs. Alkaline Foods - Why Should We Care?

6. Detoxification - Why A Healthy Liver is Key for Weight Loss

7. The Spice of Life - Spices that Promote Health

8. Hormonally Balanced Food Choices

9. Type II Diabetes and High Cholesterol - Is There a Connection

10. From the Ground Up - Being Aware of Plants/Foods That Absorb Trace Metals

11. Inflammatory & Allergenic Foods - How To Listen To Your Body

12. Vitamin Supplementation - Is It Money Down the Toilet?

I would also like to see a CSA vendor fair, inviting local organic farmers to set up booths and share what their farm offers. I especially find the ones who provide recipes on how to use produce, like rutabagas, very helpful. (LOL) In Cross Plains we are blessed with MANY trails thanks to the Ice Age Trail...and I would like to invite IATA to share with our group the various trail options in or near our town and how we can access them.

Soon a book and group of ideas from a PBS pledge drive we supported, "Eat to Live Well" will be arriving in the new year. I know it will become an important resource in preparing for these meetings, and was thinking ahead to this group forming when I decided to make the pledge. I am confident that high cholesterol, type II diabetes, achy joints and a malady of other common ailments can be reduced or eliminated through the information this series will provide. My husband is looking forward to learning as well - and our 2012 family goal is to continue our journey to restored vitality, and eat as God intended.

We will have a sign up sheet down at Crossroads soon to get a handle on the number of people interested, so that I can prepare enough handouts. Watch for it, or be sure to e-mail me (rita.purelyliving@gmail.com) or Stacy Carlson (stacy.liveforvitality@gmail.com) if you plan to attend.

To your health,

Rita S.

Cancer "Do Nots"

Recently I learned about an organization called the American Anti-Cancer Institute, as it endorses the skincare and nutrition products that my company offers. I love that…as the anti-cancer perspective IS the greatest reason I got into the business of offering Swiss-formulated, pure, safe and beneficial products.
It is a site worth perusing. I will share a few items from their site. I encourage you to send people who have cancer to this site, and also to support this organization with monetary donations if you are considering year end contributions.
I am glad to note that my family has already taken action towards many of the items on the “avoid these” lists. We have not cut out the microwave completely, but are reducing its use. We bought a teapot for heating water after learning that microwaved water is essentially “dead” water, as the microwaves change the molecular structure. Someday I hope we can afford a filtered water system, but at least we have well water and are not subject to chlorinated city water.
AACI "AVOID THESE" ANTI-CANCER CHECKLIST
1. Stop drinking and bathing in tap water; use a chlorine shower filter
2. Stop using flouride toothpaste
3. Stop using anti-perspirant; (you've got armpits for a reason) Deodorant, OK, if non-aluminum
4. Stop using teflon coated cookware
5. Stop cooking most of your food, go raw as much as possible
6. Cut out TV dinners and microwave cooked food
7. Discard dairy products except for the Budwig protocol (occasional goat milk OK)
8. Stop drinking regular and diet sodas, products with added sugar and/or aspartame, and acid-forming beverages including sports drinks. Stop drinking bottled water. Use filtered water and if possible, ionized water.
9. Cut down red meat consumption -- once per week acceptable, if organic
10. Don't eat farm fed fish, buy it Wild, please

There is MUCH MUCH information to take in on this site. I have only just begun, and downloaded the e-book. I look forward to delving into that as soon as I am done reading The China Study.

To your health!
Rita S.