Make A W.I.S.H.

In Celebration of International Women's Day, we are honored to present:

W.I.S.H.

Women's International Summit for Health

40 of the World's Leading Experts in Health and Wellness Have Come Together to Share Their Wisdom with Women and You Can Listen to Them
All in the Comfort of Your Own Home

Never before have women had such a remarkable, wide-reaching opportunity to
improve their health and their lives.

From the desk of Tera Warner
February 27, 2010.

Dear Sisters, Mothers, Daughters...

Think back.

Think waaaaay back to a time before wrinkles, cellulite and menstrual cycles took up your attention. Think back to before broken hearts and to do lists came along.

Remember the birthday candles, dandelion seedlings and wishing fountains?
Remember how you used to dream and believe that anything was possible?

We know it isn't easy juggling laundry piles, dirty dishes, food prep, homework, scraped knees, tender hearts and wellness. The to do list is long, and often the things we put last are for our own benefit.

For 10 days we're inviting women around the world to
prioritize themselves like never before.

Introducing...

W.I.S.H.: Women's International Summit for Health

On March 8, 2010, for 10 consecutive days, hundreds of thousands of women from around will come together to find the answers they've been looking for.

What Is W.I.S.H. all about and why should I attend?

W.I.S.H. stands for Women's International Summit for Health and it is a modern-day online women's circle of wisdom. Throughout recorded history and long before that time, women have come together to support and empower one another in times of need. We've shared childcare duties, laundry and even lovers in some cultures. Women find solace and strength in sisterhood, and WISH makes it happen on a larger scale than we've ever known before.

With more than 40 star-studded interviews, and 10 different life areas being addressed, WISH promises to be the best event of its kind for women.

Check out the list of amazing speakers and the agenda HERE.

Foodie Friday - Late Winter Dinner & Dessert

Butternut Squash Spaghetti w/ Pistachio Sage Pesto

For the Pesto:

1 cup fresh sage

2/3 cup raw pistachios (pecans are good too)

1/3+ cup olive oil

1 clove crushed garlic

2 tsp. fresh lemon juice

1 tbsp. rawmesean cheese (or nutritional yeast)

For the spaghetti:

1 small butternut squash, peeled

olive oil to taste

sea salt & freshly cracked pepper

Put all ingredients for the pesto into a food processor and pulse until well combined. (A blender will work fine if that is what you have). Store pesto in an air tight container until ready to use.

Spiralize or julienne peel a butternut squash to create spaghetti noodles. Toss the noodles in a bit of olive oil, salt & pepper to bring out the richness in flavor and to soften the squash. Coat the the noodles with the sage pesto and serve. Garnish with fresh sage and a dusting of rawmesean cheese.

I Am Devoted - Living Coconut Cream Pie

Courtesy of Cafe Gratitude

Important Local Food News

As many of you know, I am on the board of Tulsa's Cherry Street Farmer's Market and on the steering committee of Buy Fresh Buy Local Green County. Local food, organic & sustainable farming and our thriving area farmer's markets are very important to me personally, and I know these topics are of interest to most of you who read my blog, as well.

The Cherry Street Farmer's Market, Tulsa most well established, largest and diverse market, has been making plans to make a small move to roomier quarters, as we have completely run out of space for new vendors (and even our established vendors!) at the Lincon Plaza site - in our new location there will be more room for local veggies, fruit, herbs, plants, breads, meat & eggs, dairy goods, body care, and local arts and crafts for our 2010 market season. The plan is to close a two block section of 15th (Cherry) Street between Rockford and Quaker, so we will be just one block East of our old location, making the market just as easy to find and in the same great neighborhood as always. this proposed street closing would only happen on Saturday mornings during market hours. We have broad based support from the market vendors, local merchants, local City Councilor Maria Barnes, the Tulsa Police Department Special Events Committee, and the Swan Lake Neighborhood Association. There are arrangements that have been made to supply ample parking for all market customers!

On Thursday, February 25th, 6PM, in the City Council Meeting Room located in the One Technology Center, 100 S. Cincinnati, in downtown Tulsa, the Tulsa City Council will vote to approve or deny the application for the street closing. This is where you come in - if you would like to see the market continue to grow (and we have some very exciting new vendors who would like to join our ranks but will be unable to in our old location) please attend this meeting to voice your support for the Cherry Street Farmers' Market in our new location. Let the Council know how much high quality local food means to you. If you can't make the meeting, please phone or email your Council Member (check out this link if you are not sure who your Councilor is and for their contact information) and encourage them to support our street closing initiative.

This is one time and place where you personally can make a difference in our city, support fabulous local food (and more!) and the people who have invested their lives in bringing it to you. I hope to see you there!

Beat Those Wintertime Blues!

Although the days are starting to get longer (yay!), the dreariness and cold temperatures of winter can be really hard on many people. It's not just you if you've notice an increased appetite for sugar and starches, and as you button up your jeans, you can find it more difficult to get the job done in the winter. As the alarm goes off, you hit the snooze button a half dozen times, dreading getting out of that warm bed and into the cold.

Once you get to work, people with SAD find it difficult to concentrate, even becoming more easily irritable with co-workers. Although you know it's not healthy, you find yourself being drawn to stimulants like coffee or sodas, thinking they might help you overcome fatigue. You feel a low grade depression as you look at the weather channel hoping for warmer, brighter days.

Characterized as a low-grade depression, people with SAD may sleep too much, have little energy, and crave sweets and starchy foods. This low-grade depression can start to set in during the Fall and Winter months, but usually clears in the Spring.

The reason behind this “Disorder” is decreased environmental stimulation to the brain. To keep us upright, the muscles of the spine have to fight gravity thus creating a constant stimulus to the brain maintaining its survival. Along with gravity; sound, vision, and touch, are all important stimulus to the brain, and oh yeh, let’s not forget light. I’m sure you can relate to waking in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom, and you do everything possible to keep from turning on the lights knowing that the lights will wake you up. All forms of light increase the function of the brain. When the light in the environment diminishes, so does the output of the brain. So this so called condition is merely momentary decreased brain activity as a consequence of changes in our environment.

So, how can you shake off the Winter Blues?

Many people dread the winter months knowing that it will bring heavy coats, runny noses, cold car seats, and low back pain associated with shoveling snow. This is also that time of the year when you are really trying to not lose focus on your New Year's resolutions, but that lethargic & depressed part of you just wants to settle in and chow down on an old comfort food....all the while watching the expansion of your waistline expand and those feelings of depression grow.

The good news is that we are on the down hill side of winter here in the Northern Hemisphere, so there is no time like the present to make an concerted effort to combat the moody blues with some basic, tried and true natural remedies.

Exercise

Physical exercise is a sure cure for the winter blues. We all KNOW that body movement is so important for physical fitness and can be a very positive way to achieve and maintain a healthy weight. It's also essential for building and maintaining healthy bone density, muscle strength, and joint mobility; promoting physiological well-being; reducing surgical risks, and strengthening the immune system. Along with a primarily plant based diet, frequent and regular aerobic exercise has been shown to help prevent or treat serious and life-threatening chronic conditions such as high blood pressure, obesity, heart disease, Type 2 diabetes, insomnia, and depression. Physical activity also delivers oxygen and nutrients to your tissues. In fact, regular physical activity strengthens your heart and lungs, and helps the circulation of blood through your blood vessels. When your heart and lungs work more efficiently, you'll have more energy to do the things you enjoy. Exercise also stimulates various brain chemicals that may leave you feeling happier and less depressed. So dust off those snow shoes, wax those skis, and go enjoy the winter landscape. Join our RFR group - Rehabbers Walking the Walk.

Nutritional Remedies

Experience the benefits of OPC’s, or Oligomeric Proanthocyanidins. OPC’s are organic plant compounds found mostly in fruits, vegetables, and certain tree barks. They are powerful antioxidants, "free-radical scavengers", and function as helpers to influence the body’s immune response to inflammation, allergy and infection. There are more than 20,000 different types of bioflavanoids, of which OPC's are considered the most potent antioxidants. These OPC’s are derived from one or more of a combination of grape seed extract, red wine extract and/or pine bark extract. Proanthocyanidins regulate enzymes that help control crucial neurotransmitters (brain chemicals) such as dopamine and norepinephrine. These chemicals are involved in 'excitatory' responses in the brain. That low grade winter depression may also be caused by low levels of these neurotransmitters. Fortunately, OPC’s regulate enzymes that help control these two crucial neurotransmitters, thereby giving us better focus and elevated moods. Before you reach for your old bottle of anti-depressants, reach for another helping of fresh fruits & veggies, as well as considering a supplement of one of the extracts listed above.


Omega-3 Fatty Acids

Western diets have changed drastically over the past 150 years, during which the ratio of fats from fish and wild plants to those from animal and vegetable oil sources, especially in processed foods, has gone from 1:1 to 1:10. This switch has coincided with a sharp rise in the rates of depression in recent decades, suggesting that omega-3 supplementation could be one approach to treating depression and other mood disorders. Studies suggest that populations that eat more foods that contain omega-3 fatty acids have unexpectedly low rates of SAD. Look to add more walnuts, flax oil & seeds, hemp products, olive & olive oils, leafy greens & pumpkin seeds to your diet.

St John’s Wort

(Hypericum performatum) is the most commonly used herb for treating depression and seasonal affective disorder (SAD), the clinical term for the "winter blues," or depression brought on from short day length. A summary of 23 clinical trials including 1,757 outpatients found that St John’s wort was as effective as standard anti-depressive medications for treatment of mild to moderate depression, and with fewer side-effects. Depression invokes an image of someone crying, sleeping, moping around the house, and avoiding social engagements. This is characteristic for many people, but it’s not the pattern for others. Low levels of the relaxation hormone serotonin are thought to play a role in this behavior. Low serotonin is a common thread in low grade depression and there are several natural ways to increase serotonin levels, including physical exercise (as stated above) and the use of St Johns wort.

Vitamin D

Current research indicates that vitamin D deficiency may be linked to a wide range of health problems including osteoporosis, multiple sclerosis, high blood pressure, diabetes, cancer and yes, depression. The best way to get vitamin D might seem obvious: Get some sun! But it may also be a good idea to consider vitamin D supplements (this is an excellent one). In the winter, the low angle of the sun can make it difficult for some populations to get enough vitamin D, for example the elderly, and those who live at northern latitudes.


This post was written with the help of Dr. Robert Zembroski is a board-certified chiropractic neurologist and the director of the Darien Center for Integrative Medicine. He has maintained a successful private practice for 15 years in Darien, CT. For more information visit www.darienim.com.

Foodie Friday - Bringing Celeriac Back, Yeah!

Today we are celebrating the inner beauty of the ugly duckling of the vegetable world - Celery Root.

Celery Root Pasta Nest w/ Apple Hazelnut Vinaigrette

Inspired by a recipe from the Feb '10 Issue of Bon Appetit

For the Vinaigrette

1 tbsp dijon mustard

2 tbsp apple cider vinegar

1 tbsp lemon juice

1/2 tsp sea salt

1 small garlic clove, minced

1/4 cup hazelnut oil (I used walnut oil today)

2 tbsp olive oil

For the Pasta Nest

1 medium celery root, peeled and spiralized

1 medium fennel bulb, halved & thinly shaved

1 unpeeled Gala apple, cut into matchstick strips

1 tbsp hazelnuts, crushed

1 tbsp flat leaf parsley, chopped

Whisk together the ingredients for the vinaigrette, set aside. Spiralize the celery root, tossing to coat with the vinaigrette. Allow to sit for 15+ minutes to soften. Add in the fennel, apple, hazelnuts and parsley, using your hands to combine. Twirl the pasta mixture on a large fork, creating a big nest and then plate. Garnish with a sprig of fresh parsley, a bit of apple and a dusting of crushed hazelnuts.

Creamy Avocado Soup

from Raw Food Cleanse

1 large avocado

1 1/2 tbsp unpasteurized miso, brown or white

1 tbsp olive oil

1 small lime, juiced

1 tsp fresh rosemary or other herb of choice

1 - 2 cups pure water

diced red bell pepper, pumpkin seeds and freshly cracked pepper for garnish

Apple Citrus Rosemary Infusion

inspired by an article in the March (gardening issue) of Martha Stewart Living

fresh Rosemary sprig

sliced apple

lemon juice & peel

In a French Press, add in the above ingredients. Pour in hot water and let steep for 5 - 30 minutes. Press down the strainer and enjoy.

For an opportunity to win a Spirooli, join Raw Food Rehab.

Staying Juicy!

Above is a slide show of what I've been drinking for the last 3 days (28 Day Total Reset Cleanse Days 4, 5 & 6). Oh yes! Juice, juice and more juice......oh and lots of delicious herbal teas and water too! I've been feeling like I need to wring my socks out, but I've shed 5 pounds and feel amazing, so who's complaining?!! The plan is to stay on the juice train for several more days....I'll be sure to report in soon with more details!

For more info on what I'm up to and to see the ingredients in the above drinks check out my recently released book, Raw Food Cleanse.

Foodie Friday Gets Fruity!

Tonight my hubby & I will be going to a dinner club event with a new group of people and the theme is Mexican Fiesta! Of course I volunteered to bring a salad with Southwestern flair, but I'm also planning to bring a couple of other surprise sides that I am excited to share with you on today's episode of Foodie Friday!

Cherry Salsa

Although this keeps for several days in your frig.....it won't last that long : - )

1 1/2 cups fresh cherry or grape tomatoes, diced

1 1/2 cups fresh cherries, pitted and diced

1/3 cup sweet onion, minced

1/3 cup fresh cilantro, minced

1/2 lemon, juiced

1 jalapeno pepper, diced

1 small clove garlic, minced

1/2 teaspoon agave nectar

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

Blend all ingredients, then cover and refrigerate. Allow the flavors to acquaint themselves for about 1 hour before serving.

Grapefruit Guacamole

This is almost like a salsa, so add more avocado if you like it thicker.

1/4 cup red onion, diced

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 teaspoon agave nectar

1 large ruby red grapefruit, supremed & chopped

1 - 2 jalapenos, minced

1 small garlic clove, minced

1 large avocado, peeled, pitted & diced

(for a thicker guac, add a 2nd avocado)

1 tablespoon cilantro, chopped

1 tablespoon lime juice

1/4 teaspoon salt, or more to taste

Tomato Cilantro Vinaigrette

a few sun-dried tomatoes (soaked to soften & drained)

1 small tomato (or a handful of grape tomatoes)

1 small shallot

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon honey

1 teaspoon fresh cilanto leaves

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

1/4 t salt

1/4 t ground black pepper

Put all ingredients into a blender to combine and emulsify.

Southwestern Fiesta Salad

Romaine lettuce, torn

handful grape tomatoes, chopped

2 scallions, chopped

handful of chopped bell pepper (red, orange &/or yellow)

1 tablespoon pumpkin seeds

1/2 cup thawed frozen corn

1 avocado, diced

1/2 cup black beans, optional

Toss the salad ingredients together with Tomato Cilantro Vinaigrette. Best served on chilled salad plates.

28 Day Total Reset Cleanse Days 1 - 4

DAY 1

Woke up to 32 oz. of water w/ lemon and made up a pitcher of this to sip on throughout the day:

9am - this gorgeous AND delicious Grapefruit Goji Juice (I juiced 6 ruby red grapefruits, then threw a handful of goji berries in to soak for a couple of minutes. Blended and strained....outrageously delicious kick off to my 28 Day Cleanse!)

at noon I had this hardcore savory green juice.....it was absolutely marvelous. I just threw in a bit of what I had: carrot, kale, celery, tomato, red bell pepper, jalapeno, watercress, cucumber, lime, apple cider vinegar

around 2:30 I cracked into a young thai coconut and drank the water. Then at

4:30 pm it was Tea Time! Woodland Raspberry Afternoon Tea is a beautiful blend of rooibos, raspberries, hawthorne berries, heather, rose petals & vanilla

at 7:30 pm I had my final concoction for the day......blended 3 carrots, 3 big handfuls of romaine, 2 stalks celery, 1/2 red bell pepper, 2 scallions, big handful of cherry tomatoes, 1 tbsp cold pressed olive oil, a splash of apple cider vinegar and the juice of one lemon. I blended well and then strained.....it's yummy.

SORRY NO PHOTO.....it looks almost identical to the earlier green juice.

DAY 2

Started off this morning with 2 tall glasses of Goji Lemon water:

I went to an awesome exercise class....it's a perfect fit for me. I can't believe that I actually love going to this class.....what an answer to prayer!

Came home and cranked out another Grapefruit Goji Delight:

Lunch was a tall glass of Pure Vitality (beet, carrot, lemon & ginger)....so pretty & delicious!

For my afternoon pick-me-up I made a Tea Latte (red rooibos tea with fresh almond milk & grated nutmeg)

And then finally at 7 pm it was my American Idol Special (spinach, asparagus, cucumber, cilantro, jalapeno, reb bell pepper, lime all juiced and then blended with coconut water & half a small avocado).

I had a wonderful high energy day....excellent spirits. I think the exercise is just what I needed and the lightness of living on just juice is also elevating my spirits. It seems to have rekindled a new sense of hope and clarity, plus it looks like I've lost about 3 or 4 pounds...hallelujah!!

DAY 3

As always....32 oz of water upon arising (I had just enough left over from yesterday's goji lemon).

Later, I enjoyed My Morning Tea - Bosphorus Blend has pistachios, cumin, almond pieces, coriander, apples, pineapple & tea leaves. Available at http://thegivingteasproject.com

Before I went to the gym for a lunch time cardio BLAST, I delighted in 24 oz. of Exotica - juiced pineapple, cilantro blended with the water of one young coconut.

After my 1 1/2 hour pummeling by "Booty Camp Girl" I was ready for something to lift my spirits and quench my thirst. This Afternoon Delight of juiced oranges, blueberries - blended with fresh almond milk, was the perfect post workout refueling:

My pattern so far this week, is that I brewed some tea in the late afternoon to help me with whatever that nagging feeling is that seems to come over me. It's not really hunger, it is just something else....I hope to figure out what is so I can share it with you, but the tea really helps. Today I enjoyed Amalfi Dreams -- fair trade certified green rooibos, blood orange peels, spearmint & apple:

Then today's grand finale was 32 oz. of Green Gratitude -

carrots, celery, tomato, cilantro, cucumber, lime, jalapeno, apple cider vinegar & fresh cracked pepper:

Another wonderful day....in my past experience Day 3 or 4 on juice seemed to be the getting over the hump point. I think if I can drink juice for 3 days, I can certainly do it for several more. I feel extremely clearheaded and hopeful about the whole of life. Can't ask for more than that!

DAY 4

Before my 9 am workout I had my 32 oz. of lemon water. My warming morning beverage was a ginger, lemon & honey infusion:

After working out, I came home and created an Orange Genius - oranges, peaches, coconut water & meat blended with organic vanilla and strained. SOOOOOooooooo delicious!

I had a marvelously simply afternoon juice of spinach, apples, celery and lemon. Classic.Skipped afternoon tea because I had to console & counsel my brokenhearted 16 yr. old daughter who's boyfriend broke up with her today : ( ......and right before Valentines's Day.....WAH!

I managed to throw together an old favorite for dinner - Green Gringo pg. 52 of Raw Food Cleanse:

So things were just a little "emo" around the house today, but I went the distance and stayed true to my juicy journey. I think I'm over the hump now....all this juicing has given me much more clarity and compassion, it seems. It has also given me marked improvement in my energy and sleep has been so sweet since I've been so fluid and exercising diligently.

I'm feeling accomplished and am encouraged by the direction the dial on the bathroom scale is moving : )

If you'd like to learn more about what I'm doing with this 28 Day Total Reset Cleanse, check out my book, Raw Food Cleanse, and you'll get all the scoop!