Simple Cauliflower Fried Rice

This delicious and easy five ingredient recipe is not only healthy but also fast and easy to make.

Seek out shrimp that are free of sodium tripolyphosphate (STP) as it significantly booststhe sodium in your shrimp.

Total time to prepare: 20 minutes

Serves: 4

3 teaspoons of sesame oil, divided

10 medium shrimp peeled and deveined

5 large eggs, lightly beaten

1 cup of sliced green onions

16 ounces of fresh or frozen riced cauliflower

½ a teaspoon of freshly ground pepper

¼ teaspoon of sea salt

1. Heat 1 ½ teaspoons of sesame oil in a skilletover medium heat. Add shrimp and cook for 3 minutes.

Remove shrimp from pan.

2. Return pan to medium heat and add 1 ½ teaspoons of oil.

Add eggs and cook for 2 minutes until almost set stirring only once.

Fold eggs in half, remove from pan and when cooled cut in ½ inch pieces.

3. Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil in a pan over medium high, add1/2 a cup of green onions and cauliflower.

Cook for 5 minutes without stirring or until brown.

Add shrimp, eggs, pepper and salt.

Top with the remaining cup of green onions.

Calories per serving 269.

Fat 17g

Protein 20 grams

Carb 9grams

Fiber 3 grams

Sugar 3 grams

Sodium 358 mg

Calc 12 % DV

Potassium16 %DV

Identifying Heavy Metals

Identify heavy metals and how they contribute to increasing health-related issues

Many people are not aware of the problems of heavy metal toxicity. Heavy metals include mercury, aluminum, lead, cadmium, nickel and arsenic. They are particularly toxic to the system because they damage the inner workings of the cells and at the same time impair all pathways of detoxification, affecting skin, cell, blood, lymph, bowel, lungs, kidney and liver. Heavy metals will collect inside cells especially those of the brain, nerves, kidneys, and the immune system. We are exposed to heavy metals through environmental contamination from industrial processes and fossil fuels that spew lead particles in the environment.  We can absorb mercury from cracked or old amalgam dental fillings and contaminated fish.

Heavy metal toxicity can have a wide range of symptoms from headache, fatigue, tremors, dizziness, and impaired ability to think. Heavy Metal can be detected through hair and urine analysis.

We can detoxify heavy metals through intravenous chelation therapy with EDTA in a doctor’s office. Benefits occur rapidly, but side effects can be headache, mild pain, fatigue. Oral chelation is just as effective, but works more slowly.                                                                                                        

Benefits of Massage Therapy

Massage therapy is a wonderful tool for self-care and one of the best things you can do for your well-being.

In today’s hectic world the calming effects of massage therapy help to treat mental and physical ailments such as stress, pain, anxiety and depression in a holistic way.

Here are its top 10 benefits of massage-therapy:

1. Pain Relief

One of the most important reasons people get massages is to relieve pain. Whether it is chronic pain from an illness or from excessive exercising, massage therapy is the key to relieving pain in a holistic, noninvasive way. Regular massage therapy sessions relieve muscle cramps and spasms, stiffness and body aches and reduce or prevent them altogether.

2. Stress Relief

Daily life can be stressful. Work or family life can overload our nervous system and elevate our stress hormone levels. By raising dopamine levels, massage therapy will calm the system down and put us in a state of deep relaxation. This can be a complete reset to the system.

3. Increases Circulation
Through the pressure applied during a massage therapy session, blood flow increases, and the lymphatic systems is stimulated. This creates pain relief while also improving circulation. The circulatory system then pumps oxygen and nutrients to the muscles and organs to improve blood flow and remove waste.

4. Boosts the immune system

Our immune system is designed to fend off colds and fight infections. Sometimes, poor nutrition, lack of sleep, and stress can weaken our body’s natural ability to fight infections. Massage therapy is a wonderful way to increase immune function and protect oneself and keep healthy. Certain massage techniques will improve the flow of lymph, a bodily fluid that fights infection and disease, as well as remove excess lymph through manual drainage.

5. Improves Posture and Flexibility

Massage therapy can greatly increase flexibility and improve posture by loosening and relaxing muscles. This will also increase range of motion, improve posture and greatly relieve pain.

6. Lowers Blood Pressure

High blood pressure is a serios condition. Massage therapy reduces stress and anxiety which then lowers stress hormones and helps to keep blood pressure down. This leads to a more relaxed and stress-free way of living.

7. Relaxes Muscles and Mind

Daily life can be very stressful. Massage therapy activates the para-sympathetic nervous system which controls the ability to feel good, therefore helping the body to relax. As muscles are relaxed tensions melt away leading to a calming state for the body and the mind.

8. Rehabilitates Injuries
 Massage therapy can be a wonderful adjunct to any rehab program. Massage therapy increases circulation, relaxes muscles, increases flexibility and posture while also reducing recovery time. This can help to ease stress that is intensified by painful injuries.

9. Flushes Bodily Toxins
Regular massages therapy can flush out lactic acid build-up in the muscles, promote sinus drainage, loosen mucus in the lungs and break up scar tissue. Through this process of clearing out toxins and inflammation, massage can improve energy levels and stamina.

10. Regulates Blood Sugar Levels
Massage therapy can support the body process of regulating blood sugar levels. This is because massage releases endorphins, which are hormones that can help to regulate blood sugar levels. Additionally, massage therapy has been shown to reduce cortisol, which can also help to improve blood sugar levels.

Seasonal Eating

 Seasonal eating is a sustainable way of changing your diet that has many health advantages.

It is an easy way to add more nutritious produce to your diet and save money, while also lowering your carbon footprint at the same time.

Getting started is simple: you can visit your local farmers’ market, grocery store, or consider joining a community-supported agriculture group (CSA).

Here are some of the health benefits of seasonal eating

Instead of eating the same small group of fruits and vegetables year-round, seasonal eating encourages a varied diet. Branching out from your favorite kinds of fresh produce will give you important vitamins and minerals that you might not usually get.‌

Additionally, the quality and freshness of in-season produce are much better than out-of-season produce. Because demand for certain crops is high year-round, they are modified to grow in bulk and to resist disease, but these modifications take away some of their nutritious benefits. When fruits and vegetables are grown during their natural timeframe, they will grow and thrive without any harmful additives.

Here are some vegetables and fruits available in each season:

Spring: Apricots, Artichokes, Arugula, Asparagus, Avocados, Beets, Carrots, Cauliflower, Daikon, Cherries, Fava Beans, Fennel, Green Garlic, Green Onions, Leeks, Mangoes, Radishes, Rhubarb, Sugar Snap Peas, Salad Greens, Spinach, Swiss Chard, Shallots, Strawberries, Turnips, Watercress.

Summer: Blackberries, Blueberries, Corn, Cucumbers, Eggplants, Figs, Garlic, Green Beans, Melons, Nectarines, Okra, Onions, Peaches, Peppers, Plums, Potatoes, Summer Squashes, Tomatoes, Tomatillos.

Fall: Apples, Arugula, Asian Pears, Beans, Broccoli, Brussels Sprouts, Fennel, Green Tomatoes, Hard-Shelled Squashes, (Acorn Squash, Butternut, Blue Hubbard, Delicata, Baby Dumpling, Pumpkins) Pears, Persimmons, Pomegranates, Radicchio, Sweet Peppers, Sweet Potatoes. Winter: Broccoli Rabe, Cabbage, Celery Root, Citrus Fruits, Cooking Greens (Kale, Collards, Chard), Leeks, Parsnips, Rutabagas.  

References :

Hawthorn university (seasonal eating)

Web md seasonal eating

Healthy Beverages

Many beverages consumed today, especially sodas, are loaded with caffeine, concentrated sugars, artificial sweeteners or alcohol and should be avoided. We can see the detrimental effects sodas have had on the American population and how consuming unhealthy beverages can contribute to obesity, health problems, diabetes and even cancer.

So how can we replace some of the unhealthy drinks with healthier choices? In the morning instead of drinking large amounts of coffee we can substitute with organic green tea which is rich in antioxidants, assists in weight loss and even helps to ward off cancer.

Water is one of the most important beverages and essential to our body. The average adult needs about 8 to 10 glasses of water a day. Water is necessary to assist the body in performing many functions. It hydrates, flushes the system and eliminates waste and toxins. Many people are chronically dehydrated.

If you like fruit juices the best choice are natural organic juices with no sugar added, which can be slightly diluted with water.

Another healthy choice is fresh juiced vegetables like beets, carrots, cucumbers and greens which are high in nutrients and antioxidants.

Herbal teas are a great choice. Not only do they have many medicinal properties, but they are also free of caffeine and wonderfully hydrate the body.

Fermented beverages like kombucha, a drink that goes through a 7 to 10 day fermentation process or kvass a fermented drink from Russia, are both high in nutrients like beneficial lactobacilli, lactic acid and enzymes, and aid in digestion and assimilation.

Healthy Dessert: Brownies

These are the best flowerless brownies ever, and they’re just in time for Christmas!!

Prep time: 10 min

Cook time: 30 min

Servings: 8

Ingredients:

3 large eggs

3 tbs of melted ghee

2 tbs of coconut oil

¼ cup of unsweetened cocoa powder

Dash of salt

2 tsp of vanilla

5 tbsp of stevia

2 oz of dark unsweetened or semi-sweet chocolate chips

2 dashes of cayenne pepper

1 ½ cup canned black beans, rinsed and drained

You can also add walnut or pecan pieces

Directions:

Mix all ingredients in a blender. Once blended stir in chocolate chunks and nuts.

Line a baking pan with parchment paper and crease with ghee or coconut oil.

Pour the mixture into the backing pan and bake at 350 degrees for 30 min.

This will make 16 brownies.