-Almonds contain phenylethylamine, which in turn sends a signal to the brain that something exciting is about to happen.

-That apple does more than keep the doctor away, it will sweeten the taste of your saliva.

-Asparagus is loaded with vitamin E which helps build muscle mass.

-Avocados and have good potassium

-Bananas have the potential to boost the male libibo.

-Cabbage is a wonderful for increasing circulation.

-Celery is high in androsterone, a hormone secreted by men that women are attracted to.

-Chili peppers stimulate nerve ending and increase your heart rate.

-Chocolate increases PEA and theobromine.

-Cheese actually contains more PEA than chocolate.

-Eggs are high in B vitamins, which help in regulating hormones.

-Figs are very high in amino acids, which in turn boost the libido.

-Garlic has allicin, which has been shown to increase libido.

-Oysters have long been reputed as an aphrodisiac due to it’s high zinc content, which is known to boost testosterone and dopamine!

It is no seret that the world has been struggling with the negative effects of pollution for decades now. However, when we think about pollution we do not tend to think about how toxic our indoor environments can be. In fact, the common toxic chemical benzene is three times more prevalent indoors than outdoors.

Indoor air toxicity is the culprit of many health problems we see with people today, such as athsma. When pondering how to prevent and to alleviate the issue of toxic chemicals in our living environment, the solution may be so simple that it is almost unbelievable. What is this solution you might ask? Housplants.

Our homes and office spaces are concentrated with stagnant, toxic air. When windows are kept closed it inhibits healthy circultion of oxygen by restricting the flow of indoor and outdoor air. This allows for the accumulation of toxic chemicals such as formaldehyde, benzene, and trichloroethylene. These chemicals can come from anywhere, particularly cleaning supplies. Houseplants not only absorb these chemicals, but they also convert carbon dioxide into oxygen. So not only do houseplants rid our living spaces of harmful toxins, but they also bless us with the substance that we need to sustain life. How beautiful is that?

Problems that arise from chemical pollutants are:

-headaches

-throat and eye irritation

-fatigue

-rise in chemical sensitivity

-athsma

Possible benefits from housplants:

-alleviation from common problems caused by chemical pollutants

-easier to breathe

-positive psychological effects

A few common houseplants that are efficient in removing common chemicals are;  bamboo palm, Chinese evergreen, and Janet Craig dracaena.

Houseplants are easy to maintain and can eliminate these toxic substances from you indoor environments, as well as add an element of freshness to your home.

Here are the necessary ingredients:

Sauce
1/2 cup raw organic almond butter

1/2 cup sundried tomato, soaked for 1-2 hours

1 med to large lime, juiced

9 dates, pitted

1 tbsp agave or yacon syrup

3/5 cup cold-pressed olive or sesame oil

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

3/4 habanero, seeded

1 tbsp ginger diced

1tsp tamari or namu shoya

fresh minced lemongrass

Directions:

Combine all ingredients in a high-speed blender, except the dates and almond butter. Blend at high speed until smooth, with some texture. Slowly add the almond butter and dates to make sure they are well incorporated into the mixture. The sauce will be very thick and you can add extra olive oil or sesame oil if it is difficult to blend. When the sauce is ready, mix into the marinated kelp noodles and fresh vegetables. Serve at room temperature.

Noodles: 2 bags kelp noodles, drained and marinated 1 red bell pepper, julienned 1⁄2 red onion, julienned 2 green onions, cut lengthwise on a bias 1⁄2 cup sugar snap peas, cut in half 1 handful fresh basil, torn by hand

1 handful fresh cilantro, torn by hand 1/3 cup cashews, broken into small pieces 3/4 cup cold-pressed olive oil or hemp oil 1 lime, juiced 1⁄2 teaspoon sea salt 1 lemon, juiced

Directions: Start by draining the water from the kelp noodles and then marinating them in a shallow bowl with 1⁄2 cup olive oil, sea salt, and lemon juice. Let marinate for 1-2 hours to soften and break down. Cut all vegetables and combine with the marinated noodles, 1⁄4 cup olive oil and lime juice. Mix in the spicy Thai sauce from the recipe above and serve with crushed cashews and lime juice squeezed on top.

Variations: For a sweeter sauce, add a little more agave nectar or yacon syrup to taste.

For this post, I wanted to delve into a concept that is very intimatly intertwined with health and vitality, and that is spiritual and mental health. Frequently when we are engaging in the topic of nutrition, we are talking about how to take care of the body. Many times, we neglect our “other parts,” and by that I am refering to our mental and spiritual well being.

The mind, body, and spirit connection may be a lot more intetwined than we think. In the Western world, we take great pride in our accomplishments and our capacity to work hard to “live better,” but sometimes we may have to question whether or not that is really true. In the day to day, we have many obvious responsibilities, things that we must take care of, but do we really take care of everything? Even if we do manage to tackle our daily “assignments,” such as, making the deadline for a project, paying the bills on time, or doing the laundry, did we take the time to make sure that we took care of ourselves? Hmm.

It is a tricky question. You may have to ask yourself, “What satisfies me? What makes me happy?” It could be any number of things, but in the day to day we often use all of our other responsibilities as excuses to not have the time to take care of ourselves.

If your attitude is that you must take care of all of your practical duties first, then if you have the time you may do something for yourself, I would think again. If you as a person are not fufilled as a whole, then how can you function efficiently? As much as we would like to be, we are not energizer bunnies. We wear ourselves down to a low and most of the time we do not realize what the true antidote is. Instead we reach for the false cures, which are things like coffee.

The truth is is that us as a whole, our spiritual beings connected with our bodies and minds, are a garden and they require constant cultivation. The way to grow the most beautiful flowers and lush grasses is to do daily what makes you feel calm, content, and centered. Perhaps a devotion to a daily contemplative practice to gather the “bits and pieces” of your mind, or a soothing, relaxing bath every evening with essential oils, or even a few moments to remind yourself what it is in your life that you are grateful for. Whatever soothes and relaxes you and brings you back to your center is what you need. Taking this time, whether it is twenty minutes or an hour, can bring you great clarity and insight, allowing you to effortlessly accomplish your tasks.

The balance of this three angle pyramid is essential for maintaining contentment and happiness in your life on a constant and daily level. Even though the ebb and flow of life will still exist, as it always will, it allows us to deal with our obstacles in a more healthy and dettached way. With this mentality, we can be far more productive and happier in our lives.

As you may well have heard, the diet plays an intristic role in the grand scheme of our lives. Fortunatly for us, we have the opporunities to make decisions and choices to help us live a better quality of life and even reduce our risk for some of the most prevalent degenerative diseases.

This food pyramid, constructed by Dr. Andrew Weil, M.D., is a guideline for foods we can easily implement into our diet to help reduce inflammation as we age. It has long been suspected that our standard diet could be a leading culprit in the epidemic of diseases such as cancer and heart disease. Inflammation is also linked to Alzheimers, Parkinsons, and autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis.

By following a balanced diet that is abundant in fruits and vegetables, whole grains, healthy fats, and high quality protein, we can strive towards our best quality of life!

The antioxidants and phytochemicals in fruits and vegetables are absolutly necessary to implement into your daily diet. If you feel that you are having difficulties getting enough fresh fruits and veggies into your diet, Catie’s Vitamin C Powder and Catie’s Organic Greens are a great way to insure that you are giving yourself the adequate amount of nutrition from your fruits and veggies. Both of these superfood powders in your morning smoothie is one of the greatest ways to kickstart your day so that you can be the productive and energetic person you know that you are and can be!

ingredients:

• 2 tbsp coconut flour
• 1 cup gluten free flour blend
• 2 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 2 tbsp flax meal
• 1/3 cup sugar (we used xylitol)
• 1/2 cup sweet potato puree
• 1/2 cup buttermilk (1 cup coconut milk with 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar, let sit 10 minutes)
• 3 tbsp coconut oil (or oil of choice)
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg, or
• 1/8 tsp cayenne, or
• 3 tbsp nutritional yeast, and/or
• 1-2 tbsp chopped persimmons (for a more persimmon like flavor)

Directions:

place sugar, sweet potato puree, coconut oil into a bowl. stir together then add in your dry ingredients. end with adding in buttermilk and stir till combined. add in your additional flavorings.

pipe or scoop batter into donut pan that is lightly oiled . can use muffin pan if you do not have donut pan.

bake at 350 for 16-20 minutes.

the donut pan we use is this 6 donut pan from amazon (no affiliate)

once donuts are done remove from pan and let cool on cooling rack as you get your frosting ready.

persimmon tahini frosting

• 1 fuyu persimmon
• 1-2 tbsp tahini

mix the frosting together in a small food processor till smooth. may need to add a little water, or could add in some maple syrup. we left ours savory!

spread onto the donuts. and enjoy!

1. With the rose flowers and 10 fl oz boiling water, make an herbal infusion. A herbal infusion is made by placing the flowers into a jug, pouring boiling water over them and then leaving it covered to cool. The mixture then needs to be strained and kept in the fridge.
2. In a large heavy – based stainless steel saucepan, melt the beeswax. Add the coconut and sweet almond oils, beating steadily with a wooden spoon or whisk, and then add 2 tablespoons of the herbal infusion and the lemon juice in a slow trickle.
3. Remove the saucepan from the heat and keep stirring until the cream has cooled to almost body temperature. Add the frankincense and lemon essential oils and then give it another good stir. Pour the cream into jars and shake until the cream has cooled thoroughly. To preserve the essential oils, clear jars need to be kept in a dark place. Add to your nighttime cleansing ritual. Wash off all make up and gently rub cream in a circular motion, going from jaw to cheekbones, around your eyes and over your forehead, neck, even your hands!

2 tbsp of chia seeds

1 cup of water

1tsp of cashew butter

1 1/2 tsp of coconut sugar or favorite organic sweetener

1/4 tsp of vanilla

a pinch of sea salt

sprinkle of cinnamon

Mix until the seeds release a gelatinous texture. Then it’s ready to eat! Garnish with bananas or any fruit you fancy. Perfect!

• -increases the bioavailability of nutrients which lay dormant in whole grains, enhancing the nutritional density of sprouted whole-grain foods. One of the main nutrients is phenolic acid, which contains antioxidant activities.*
• 
  
• -returns grain to a plant state; plants are simple sugars that digest as vegetables in the body.

• 
  
• -converts the starches found in grain into simple sugars that the body uses for energy, versus starches that can be stored as fat.
• 

• 
  
• -reduces significantly the glycaemic and insulinaemic responses and increases satiety, both of which are useful in the management of type 2 diabetes and weight regulation.

• 
  
• -ignites the amylase activity, or beneficial organisms such as lactobacilli that aid in digestion; sprouted grain flour is a natural laxative.

• 
  
• -develops the flavor which allows 100% of the whole grain (high fiber) flour to be used without the bitter taste found in unsprouted whole grain flour.
• 
  
• -increases the antioxidants, Vitamin C, Vitamin B and carotene, that helps with absorption of; calcium, magnesium, iron, copper and zinc during digestion.

• 
  
• -enhances the hydrolysis of phytic acid, an enzyme inhibitor, allowing for better absorption of nutrients.

• 
  
• -includes the whole grain including the bran, which contains most of the vitamins, minerals,fiber and photochemicals found in whole grain.

* Antioxidants inhibit the oxidation of free radicals, preventing the damage or death of human cells. There are two subcategories of phenolic acid: free radicals versus total phenols. Syringic acid is the main free radical found in grain. During the EESF sprouting process, syringic acid increases, resulting in an increase of total phenolic content and antioxidant activity. 

Spring is here and more and more we start to see the playful fruits starting to be harvested. This recipe features two jewels of the spring time, tender apricots and succulent cherries. This humble yet delicious crumble is incredibly simplistic in its preparation and assembly and is ready to eat upon completion. If desired, serve with a dollop raw or vegan cream.

Filling:

1 1/2 cup fresh cherries, pitted and sliced

6 apricots (seeded and thinly sliced)

1 /2 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon agave

Crumble Topping:

1/4 cup raw pecans

1/4 cup Essential Living Foods sprouted flour. (Optional, can substitute rolled oats)

1/4 cup raw brazil nuts or almonds, lightly chopped

3 Medjool dates, pitted and chopped

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon vanilla powder

1/4 teaspoon sea salt