Most Sushi eaters devour the taste of crab, mangoes, cucumber, rice, tuna, etc. whatever there is [...]]]> The most taken-for-granted part of Sushi for me is the Nori. Although Sushi is a Japanese food, it is a popular food not only to the Japanese people but to many people regardless of race and culture.

Most Sushi eaters devour the taste of crab, mangoes, cucumber, rice, tuna, etc. whatever there is inside a sushi but oftentimes fail to savour the clean taste of the Nori. The Nori is simply known to most as rice paper, used to wrap maki sushi. Little did they know that what most sushi eaters think as just another wrapper, is a sea vegetable rich in protein, zinc, calcium and iodine.

Nori, also known as Porphyra, is a seaweed/sea plant with a clean, sweet, meaty taste when it is dried. It has about 50% assimilated protein, higher than any other seaweeds/ sea vegetables. Nori is the perfect sushi wrapper because of its high fiber content. One third of a nori sheet consists of good quality dietary fiber, which can help reduce the risk of certain adverse health conditions. It is also rich in carotene, iron, protein and phosphorous.

In Japan, numerous red, brown and green seaweeds are processed everyday. The most highly valued among these sea vegetables are the species of Porphyra, which are used in products that occur in dried nori. The results indicated that the sea vegetable Nori contains various biologically active substances that are very beneficial to human health.

Nori is usually sold dried and in sheets. It is best used in salads and soups after being soaked. It is, of course, most popular as a wrapper to rice balls or sushi. Since Nori is a food from the sea, anyone who is in a sodium-restricted diet should be extra careful in the amounts eaten. The amount of minerals varies with each type of sea vegetable, for example, wakame has the most iodine content, while kelp and lavare have significantly less sodium content than Nori.

Nori has three desirable acid taste components: glutamate acid, inosinic acid, and guanil acid–also called "the flavor of Japan." These components are a highly valued secret of Nori, which dates back to ancient Japan.

Nori is also known as a beauty and health diet, since it is considerably high in fiber content, low in cholesterol and abundant in vitamins and minerals. Growing children will benefit greatly from this seaweed.

Here are some ideas and strategies to lower the negative impact of stress and allow you to have a more relaxing and enjoyable holiday [...]]]> Stress levels begin to rise in anticipation of the holidays. Now that we are in the midst of the "holiday season," stress levels are likely to rise even higher.

Here are some ideas and strategies to lower the negative impact of stress and allow you to have a more relaxing and enjoyable holiday season. Many of them are natural activities for reducing or moderating stress. Many can overcome the negative impact of previous stress. Whatever activities you choose, do them joyously. Laugh and play and sing and talk with friends … every day.

Physical Well-being and Food Choices

1. Eat organic, whole foods that are as close to nature as possible. When your diet is filled with plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables, complex carbohydrates, and adequate amounts of essential fatty acid, your energy levels lift and your stress calms itself.

2. Drink plenty of the best available water throughout the day. Opinions vary about what is the "best" water. Pure spring or mountain water is generally the best, but not easily available. Purified, filtered water can still be high quality. Inadequate water consumption and dehydration can cause stress.

3. Eat a healthy breakfast within an hour of rising to energize you and reset your system. Skipping breakfast can make you more tired and irritable, which increases your stress. Eat it slowly to savor the taste and digest it properly.

4. Avoid sugars, refined carbohydrates, food additives, preservatives, and processed foods, and minimize your intake of alcohol and caffeine. Refined carbohydrates zap your energy. When you attend parties and other holiday events, make the choices that support your long-term health goals.

5. Be attentive to your vitamin, mineral, and other nutrient intake. Ideally, use high quality whole foods to get the nutrients you need. If needed, supplement with food-based minerals and vitamins.

6. Use natural remedies. Certain herbs, teas, homeopathic remedies, and flower essences can be extremely helpful because they are non-invasive and support your body to heal itself and to strengthen you no matter what your health situation. Add to those a practice like yoga, tai chi, or chi gong, and you will maximize all your other healthy choices.

7. Breathe. When you breathe intentionally or consciously for a few breaths or a few minutes, your breath tends to become smoother, deeper, and quieter. Shallow breathing is a sign of stress; when shallow breathing continues over time, it creates more stress. Breathe yourself into relaxation.

8. Sleep the number of hours your body needs for adequate replenishment. "Early to bed and early to rise" is still the best advice you can act on when you think about sleep and rejuvenation.

9. Exercise daily. By varying the exercise, it will seem less annoying and more a part of your life. If you schedule appointments on a calendar, include appointments with yourself to exercise. With added holiday activities, be sure you do not subtract your physical activity. Keeping your body moving with some effort from time to time, will moderate your stress levels.

10. Work with health care professionals who use healthy methods. Remember, you cannot poison yourself into health. Various forms of massage relax you during the session, and provide benefits over the following days and weeks.

Emotional, Mental, and Spiritual Well-being

1. Think "balance" on all levels. Or perhaps you have another word, like calmness or sanity or equilibrium. The word doesn’t matter, but the concept and related practices do matter. The key is to have variety in your life — enough variety to revitalize you but not so much that it scatters you.

2. Relax, meditate, pursue hobbies, or be leisurely on a regular basis. Regular practices of self-care and gentleness support you in doing all the activities you need to accomplish with far less stress.

3. Keep the main thing the main thing. Knowing your priorities is key. Staying focused on those priorities is essential. Scheduling your time realistically supports you in doing what you really want to accomplish.

4. Trust yourself. Learn to trust your own inner guidance. Both misinformation and helpful information abound. You need to know what works for you; you will know by how you feel. When your stress levels increase, you feel not-so-good. When your stress levels decrease, you feel better.

For mostly organic products, I recommend:
Raw Food World and Sunfood, and Natural Zing

For Guided Meditations for relaxation, I recommend:
Meditations by Jeanie Marshall

My answers: We use it all the time. I love to give packages of it [...]]]> In our house, Maca finds its way into smoothies and raw soups many other combination dishes, on a regular basis. We just purchased ten pounds and when the package arrived, I thought … "Why did we purchase so much?"

My answers: We use it all the time. I love to give packages of it to friends. Maca stores well for years. So those are my reasons.

Fruit or Vegetable or Herb?

Maca grows as a root on slopes of the Peruvian Andes. Although it is a root (it grows mostly underground), it is more often considered a fruit because part of it is exposed to the air and sun. However, there are also those who consider it is an herb.

I consider it is a true superfood.

It is collected and stored in a dark and dry location for about 45 days, and sold in powdered form. It’s an amazing superfood with a range of health benefits. It particular, it is well-known as an energizer, hormone balancer, fertility enhancer, immune builder, and natural anti-depressant. Red maca is for men only.

Maca is part of the cruciferous plant family. The chemical constituents are alkaloids, tannins, glucosides, sterols, phyto-sterols, and polysaccharides. It is rich in Vitamins, such as the B family (B1, B2, B12), C & E and Minerals such as calcium, magnesium, iron, phosphorus, zinc, and Iodine. It is also rich in amino acids, and so it is a reliable source of plant protein.

Quality Maca

I only purchase from sources that I trust. And that’s what I recommend you do. On the left navigation bar are banners to three credible, dependable sources. And here are the direct links as well: The Raw Food World, Sunfood, and Natural Zing. (And yes, each of those is an affiliate link, so we get paid a small commission if you purchase after clicking the link).

I only purchase the powder in bulk. I know that it is available in capsules, but I haven’t even looked at the labels. If you purchase capsules, be certain to read the label! Make sure there are no fillers.

How Much Maca is Enough?

One of the most common questions regarding maca is how much to take daily. As with all food, the answer is not exactly the same quantity for everyone. You want to take enough to get the greatest benefit.

I only use certified raw and organic maca powder, which is much more potent than other products. I take about 1 tablespoon of maca each time I take it. Most people find that starting with a smaller quantity and working up to a tablespoon or more is a good approach.

Once you start taking maca, you need to be regular with it — for example, daily — to get the best effect if you are using it therapeutically to build muscle, have a baby, boost your energy, or increase your hormones. When your body has assimilated enough, you are likely to notice less immediate effects. At that time, it is generally recommended that you take a break, or at least take it a little less regularly.

Some people recommend skipping a week each month, and that’s what my husband does. Another family member goes off it one day a week and then two days a month. A friend goes off maca about one week every two months. Recently I have been experimenting with a schedule of three times a week: Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. So, that’s every other day, and a two day break.

Generally, it is good to take a break from any nutrient that you take fairly regularly, as the body strengthens itself to compensate for not having the substance. It is a wise to have a wide variety of nutrients and alternate when you take them. Several years ago, I stopped taking maca for several weeks. I began to feel less vibrant and a little cranky. I restarted it and really felt the positive effects immediately.

Here are some general guidelines for quantity. If you’re new to maca, experiment with 1 teaspoon daily for about a week. If you feel good with that, increase it to two teaspoons daily for a week, and then to 3 teaspoons, which is 1 tablespoon. That’s a reasonable amount, but more or less may suit you better. Once you understand its effects on you, you can certainly take two tablespoons for extra energy occasionally.

How to Eat Maca

Maca is a food which combines well with other food. It has a somewhat pleasant taste, but I think few people consumed it on its own. You can add it to essentially any food, although you do not want to cook it. You can consume very small amounts through the day, if you wish.

In our family, the most common pattern is that we eat it once a day in a smoothie with other raw fruits or vegetables. Or we put it in an elixir with raw cacao, stevia, and water, swirled in a blender.

So now, maybe you understand better why we purchase so much at a time.

Sea Vegetables are [...]]]> Sea Vegetables have long been associated with good health because of their mineral content. They are rich in essential vitamins, iodine, iron, protein, potassium, and a bio available source of calcium and magnesium. Sea vegetables are, indeed, one of the richest sources of nutrients essential to maintain a healthy life.

Sea Vegetables are also popularly known as "seaweeds." The giant seaweed kelp can grow as much as 200 feet tall and is capable of growing up to a foot a day.

You can crush, chop, or crumble a sea vegetable in order to get the most satisfying dish with it. It is superb in salads, soups and sauces, pizzas and focaccias, casseroles and rice. Among raw foodists, the Wakame "seaweed" or sea vegetable is a favorite. It has a soft texture, with a mild taste and a slightly crispy midrib, perfect for raw salads and raw food smoothies.

My Top 3 Favorite Sea Treasures

Sea Vegetables add an amazing color and wonder to the sea. Shades of green from the Nori, hues of brown and golden brown from the Wakame and Kelp, different shades of red seaweeds and the blue-green algae provide a unique burst of color. They are like edible gems among the vast expanse of delightful sea treasures!

1. Wakame. Is a high-calcium, high-protein seaweed, widely used for hair growth and luster, and to have good skin tone. It has a soft texture, mild taste and a slightly crispy midrib, making it a favorite among raw food eaters. Wakame has dark brown fronds, 12 to 16 inches wide and around 2 to 4 feet long, It is the traditional sea vegetable in the widely-known miso soup. In Japan and Europe, wakame is distributed dried or salted, and used in soups, salads or simply as a side dish to tofu and other salad vegetable.

2. Nori. Is a rich source of calcium, zinc and iodine, with a protein content similar to soybeans. Furthermore, the protein content is considered of very good quality, and is easy to digest. Nori is normally sold in dried sheets, and is used to wrap those yummy rice balls we call sushi. Among sea vegetables, Nori is considered the easiest to eat raw. High in protein and low in cholesterol, Nori is a part of the “beauty diet.”

3. Kelp. Contains Vitamins A, B, E, D and K, and is a source of Vitamin C and minerals. Kelp can also be used as a substitute for salt and as flavorings in an assortment of drinks and other dishes. It is so healthy that it’s used to support heart function, control body weight, and aid in poor digestion and elimination. Kelp also boosts the immune system, increases energy, improves liver function, and reduces arthritic pain. It is great roasted, marinated, pickled, boiled, and sauteed. In the case of the raw food eater, Kelp with sprouted mung bean sprouts, lentil sprouts, bound together with raw almond butter is a pure delight!

Everyday Food

In our house, we rarely eat a salad of 99% sea vegetables, although many people enjoy such dishes. Instead, we consume them essentially every day, in smaller quantities. They are a regular ingredient in our Raw Food Energy Soup and other raw soups and salads. We are grateful for these treasures from the sea.

The Botanical Name of Avocado is Persea Americana, P. gratissima, specifically classified from the flowering plant, Lauraceae (Laurel) family. Avocado grows in a [...]]]> There are so many benefits of avocado eating that my family and I eat this wonderful fruit nearly every day, alone or in combination with other foods.

Introduction to Avocado

The Botanical Name of Avocado is Persea Americana, P. gratissima, specifically classified from the flowering plant, Lauraceae (Laurel) family. Avocado grows in a variety of locations, but it is native to the Mesoamerican Region. It is an evergreen plant, which can live in diverse environmental conditions, making it easy to cultivate and grow in various places.

A Mayan princess was once believed to have eaten the first avocado, which was also believed to hold magical and mystical powers. Even in those early times, the benefits of avocado eating had already been linked to wellness, nutrition, and mysticism.

Alligator pear, midshipman’s butter, vegetable butter, and butter pear are some of the various names associated with avocados. In web searches, Avocado is often misspelled as "avocadoe" or "avocadoes," which more often than not, re-directs the query to the correctly spelled variant of the word.

There are more than 80 varieties of avocado. A single mature avocado tree can yield up to 120-400 fruit annually. The avocado fruit comes in a variety of colors: green, dark green, purple, and black. As the avocado ripens, it changes color, though the extent of the color change depends on the variety. Some avocado varieties retain their color regardless of maturity.

The health benefits of avocado eating had been so widely spread that it is cultivated in most parts of the world. It is California — my home state — that claims the title "Avocado Capital of the World."

Benefits of Avocado Eating

Avocado is considered by many as a nutritionally dense fruit. It is considered to have a cooling energy. Avocados are a rich source of good fats, vitamin E, B-complex vitamins, potassium (two to three times that of bananas), fluorine, copper, and lecithin.

A single avocado fruit has about 300 hundred calories in it, 20 percent of which is monounsaturated fat. This type of fat is beneficial in maintaining levels of good cholesterol (HDL).

Avocado aids in blood function, lung and large intestines lubrication, neutralizes liver functioning, and in cases of urinary adverse health conditions, it soothes the bladder. It is also widely known to counteract erectile dysfunction, promote bowel movement, ease nervousness and promote better sleep.

While we usually think of eating as something we do with our mouths, in fact, we also "eat" and consume nutrients through our skin and hair. Mashed ripened avocado applied to the face or scalp promote better moisturizing and conditioning, and is especially recommended for dry skin and hair. Clearly, the health benefits of avocado eating are not limited to internal wellness of the body, but to external beauty as well.

Eating Avocado

Whenn purchasing, it is best to choose firm avocados if you plan to use them later in the week. Otherwise, select an avocado that yields to gentle pressure when pressed. In our family, we have a preference for watching them ripen under our own eyes. If they are ripened on the store shelf, we cannot always tell how how ripe they actually are.

Generally, we leave them in the open air to ripen naturally. In order to speed up the ripening process, we sometimes place the avocado in a paper bag, either alone or with an apple. We keep the paper bag at store at room temperature for one to five days, checking regularly until ready to eat.

Because of the high oil content, avocados can deteriorate rapidly after ripening. As soon as they are ripe, place your avocados in the refrigerator to retard or avoid rancidity. Do not eat rancid or overripe fruits.

The benefits of eating avocado are endless. It is no wonder most health conscious people had a liking to this made-in-nature superfood! Nutritionally dense, and with a high amount of good fat, even people who have difficulty digesting fats, will usually find avocado easy to assimilate.

In any fruit or vegetable salads, avocado is an excellent addition or garnish. Avocado can also be used as a sandwich filler or dip, especially guacamole. It can also be eaten alone, with no other foods combined.

Avocado Cultivation

Due to the avocado’s subtropical nature, it needs a climate without frost or too much wind. In the event of frost, the immature fruit drops from the tree, thus, seriously reducing the yield.

It takes 4-6 years for an avocado tree propagated by seed to bear fruit. Because of this long growth, commercial avocado orchards often use grafted trees and rootstocks.

The avocado fruit does not ripen on the tree. Instead, it will fall off or be picked, once it has reached a mature size. Avocado tastes vary, depending on the oil content and variety.

Of all avocado varieties cultivated in California, 80% are the "Hass" (often misspelled or marketed as "haas") variety. This variety has dark rippled skin and rich, creamy flesh. The cultivar "Florida" on the other hand, is larger and rounder with a smooth medium-green skin. With firmer, fibrous flesh, and less-fatty, oftentimes marketed as the low-calorie avocado.

I’ll be writing more about avocado in the future, including more about nutrition and beauty and special health benefits. And, of course, some recipes.

Intellectually, you may have accepted that eating more raw foods is a good idea. Previous choices may make this difficult for you to [...]]]> You are more than just a physical being with a few thoughts and experiences. You are a whole person who needs to be fed on many different levels of your being.

Intellectually, you may have accepted that eating more raw foods is a good idea. Previous choices may make this difficult for you to embrace or act on. Or it may be the most natural idea to integrate into your life.

Be gentle with yourself. When you simply think of raw food as something to add to your meals, it is so much easier. If you think that you must “become raw” as a full-time eating cuisine, it is one of the best routes to failure. It’s not impossible, but it depends on how you currently eat as to how easy it is to consume living foods.

You don’t have to abandon a lifetime of favorite foods just because it seems like a good idea to eat foods in their raw state. Choices made in moderation and joy are so much more successful than choices made because you think you should.

If you resist doing something 100% and end up doing it 0%, you are nowhere. Instead, joyfully choose another percentage. Or forget the numbers and percentages all together. Choose joy. Choose health. Choose at each meal.

The most healthy mind set is to think of ADDING more raw foods rather than DEPRIVING yourself of the foods that have become familiar. The more often you add in raw vegetables, sprouts, fruits, nuts, and seeds, the sooner they will become more familiar to you. Your hunger will diminish. And when you are hungry, you will more likely reach for raw vegetables, sprouts, fruits, nuts, and seeds.

If you want cooked food, plan for it and enjoy it. Once you start eating more raw foods, you will begin to notice that you feel better and more energetic, and the cooked food will have less appeal.

Your body needs a wide variety of nutrients, which are found in a wide variety of foods. As full of nutrients as raw foods are, eating only a few items will not be adequate. Any single item might be packed with a lot of nutrients your body needs, but a variety will nourish you more fully.

I suggest you read and experiment. Raw food eating can nourish your body fully, but being raw haphazardly is not the same as understanding sound principles and practices. You need to balance your raw foods so that you consume proper nutrition.

Here’s my challenge to you (if you choose to accept it): each week, try a new raw food or a new combination of raw foods. You might buy a vegetable or fruit you have not eaten before or try a recipe that’s new to you. Try new textures, new tastes, new experiences. Choose joyfully.