Green foods, Qi and Consciousness... is there a connection?

The energetics of foods have been popularized in Chinese medicine for centuries, but only recently has there been some momentum towards shifting consciousness by eating certain foods in the popular culture of the United States. Spiritual nutrition is a term that Dr. Gabriel Cosens has coined to describe using foods and their energetic vibration to atune our bodies and minds with our spiritual path towards consciousness. Qi or life force runs through everything, including foods. Greens, especially algae, cruciferous vegetables (broccoli,cabbage, brussel sprouts) Kale and collard greens, and sea weeds are especially nutrient dense and full of good Qi. By this I mean that their energy is clean, detoxifying and highly nourishing. When these foods are eaten, especially if they are organic and local, their good clean and naturally detoxifying energy infuses into our bodies and helps us reach our spiritual goals.
For example, Blue Green algae, chlorella and spirulina are stars when it comes to allowing us to connect with or higher purpose. They are incredibly high in chlorophyll, essential amino-acid,low in fat and high in fiber and minerals. Chlorella has been on this planet for get this... 2 billion years!Chloros (green) ella (small) in Greek may be small is size, but it packs a punch when it comes to the amount of amazing energy inside. It was the first life form to have a true nucleus(1) It is 50% protein,20% fat and 20% carbohydrate and jam packed with trace minerals-B vitamins, caratenoids,Vit. C, magnesium, lutein and flavenoids which are shown to have powerful anti oxident abilities. This plant can pull toxins, especially toxic heavy metals from the body to be safely removed by the colon while supporting the liver in the detoxifying process.
How do these nutrient and detoxifying foods us connect with our higher consciousness? In Feng Shui there is an idea that you have to clear out the old to allow for the new.Have you ever noticed how cleaning out old clothes or your closet allows for a fresh stream of creativity and a renewed sense of energy? It is the same with the human body. We must cleanse out the old stored toxins in fat cells as well as our toxic thoughts to purify our always present connection with the divine.
There are now many ways to incorporate these foods into our ever day diet. Health food stores sell many different products from the real deal vegetables to powders to add to green smoothies, fresh frozen liquids, and pills. The best way to get your daily dose in in my opinion are green smoothies with fresh frozen live Blue Green algae with fruits and vegetables.
Next post will be my favorite Green Smoothie Recipe!
Enjoy and make room for a clean connection to the divine with your GREENS!!!

Peanut butter and Jelly Balls!

Recipe is SUPER simple and insanely good!

What you need: a food processor, 1 cup dry peanuts (organic and low salt preferred) 1 cup Dried Cherries (also with little to no preservatives) and 10 dates!

1. De- pit 10 dates and plane in the food processor. Medjool work the best because they are soft and yummy.

2. Place 1 cup of low salt peanuts with the dates and pulse the processor until the peanuts are all chopped up in to smallish pieces and everything is combined.
3.Place in a bowl.
4.Now chop the dried cherries into small pieces and combine well with the dates/peanut mixture.
5. Lastly, use a spoon to scoop out then dough and shape into a ball.
6. TASTE! Oh soooo good! Store in an air tight container- if they last that long!
This recipe should make 10-20 depending on how small you make the balls.

Medicinal Food for 2/20/11, DATES!!!

DATES!!!I'm not talking the romantic kind.....although eating more of these sweet treats, and less made with processed sugar could lead to more of the romantic kind! Dates are an amazingly sweet fruit packed with nutrients and are wonderful to add to deserts instead of sugar. The date palm tree is also known as the "tree of life" because it was probability the first cultivated tree in history, dating back 8,000 years. Directions on how to cultivate and care for the date palm tree are written on sun baked bricks found in Mesopotamia, Iraq more than 5,000 years ago. The date palm was eventually brought to China 1,700 years ago and then Spaniards took it to California where most of the dates are grown today.
Dates are an excellent source of fiber and the B vitamins niacin, B6,riboflavin, thiamine and pantothenic acid; and the minerals copper, potassium,manganese,magnesium,iron, and phosphorus. They are also high in folic acid and the trace minerals zinc and selenium.
Dates contain 260% more potassium than oranges and 64% more than bananas!
Dates are also among the most alkeline foods and contain beta-D-glucan. Beta-D-glucan is a special kind of fiber that has been shown to slow the absorption of sugar in the small intestine. This helps to keep blood sugar even, especially when paired with almonds or walnuts.
Dates are also helpful for people suffering from constipation because the beta-D-glucan adds bulk and softness to the stool making elimination easier.Beta-D-glucan also aids with a feeling of satisfaction after a meal because it is a soluble fiber, meaning that it slows gastric emptying and moves through the intestines nice and easy!
Enjoy! Next, I will post my favorite date recipe.....yummmmm.

What makes Miso Soup a Medicinal food?

Miso soup is considered a Medicinal food because Miso is fermented. Miso is typically made from soy beans,barley, or other beans. My favorite brand is the South River Miso Co's aduki bean miso. You can find out more about the company and where to purchase their product on their web site. www.southrivermiso.com
The beans are fermented with a bacterial culture called koji. This process breaks down the beans and makes them highly digestible, as well as inoculating them with beneficial bacteria. This makes the miso paste great for your digestion by renewing your intestinal flora with positive and beneficial bacteria. The more beneficial bacteria you have lining your intestinal tract, the greater immunity you will possess and the more regular your elimination will be. These are both incredibly important for your overall health because the more regular your elimination, the better your body is able to rid itself of toxins, and the better your body will be at fighting illness.
Approximately 70-80% of your immune system lies along the intestinal tract. In a healthy individual, positive bacteria line the mucosa and protect it from pathogenic ones invading the blood stream. When the lining of the small intestine is compromised due to chronic antibiotic use, the birth control pill, poorly managed stress, or  diets high in processed foods and sugar, the good bacteria die and yeasts and what ever comes along is allowed to populate it.This sets up an environment that will lead to digestive problems and allergies, both food and seasonal. In children causes for unbalanced flora could be C-section birth, bottle feeding and early weening to solid foods.Many of the symptoms include: frequent colds and ear infections, runny noses or sinus conditions, seasonal allergies, colic or early waking/poor sleeping habits, and unfortunatly ADHD or other behavioral conditions. In adults abdominal gas, bloating, loose stools or constipation are some of the symptoms that may be present when the bacteria is out of balance.
Supplementing your diet daily with one of the many fermented food products is one way to ensure a healthy digesting system. I will post more recipes on how to make your OWN fermented foods in the coming days.
Miso soup also contains seaweed and mushrooms.  Seaweed is incredibly nutritious and very helpful for balancing the thyroid gland because is high in iodine. It is also very moisturizing and cooling to the body. Mushrooms are also immune simulators and have anti-cancer fighting properties. Maitake mushrooms are my all time favorite and have a wonderful flavor and texture.
Enjoy! 

Recipe for today!

Today's recipe will help you recharge after last nights late night watching the Super Bowl.
Start the morning with 2 glasses of warm water and 1/2  lemon. This will naturally help detox your system and rehydrate you after salty foods and any other offending foods!

My Special Miso soup with the best miso ever made! South River Miso is a local Company in Conway, Ma.They grow their own rice and make the Miso in small batches with an ancient Japanese recipe.

1.Chop 1 glove of garlic, some fresh ginger, and handful of fresh onions and place in a cooking pan with a small amount of either olive oil or coconut oil. Cook for a few minutes until the onions are looking slightly clear.
2. Add 3-4 chopped mushrooms (maitake or shitake preferred) but baby bella, oyster or any mushroom will do. Cook well on medium low heat. You don't want the garlic or oil to burn, so stir to prevent this.
3. While this is cooking place 2-4 cups of water in a pot and chop some carrots and celery.Place into the pot and cook for a few minutes. Until carrots are beginning to become tender.
4.Once the mushrooms are cooked thoroughly, add all the ingredients into the pot and allow to cook for a few minutes more. Then add a few strips of your favorite seaweed.
5.Take 1 tablespoon of Miso and place in your bowl.Then pour the soup over. Mix with a spoon and enjoy!

Welcome!

Welcome to the Medicinal Foods and Acupuncture Blog! This is very exciting for me to have a place to share all of the wonderful knowledge that I have been gathering. First I wanted to share a little about me, I am a Licensed Acupuncturist and an Certified Veterinary Technician with over 11 years of experience working with patients who are interested in optimal health.I am a mom and a dog owner so whatever I share here will be peppered with personal experiences! Over time I have discovered that there is an incredibly strong link between digestion, the foods we ingest, and well, everything else in the body! This is why I am dedicating this blog to helping people figure out how to get optimum nutrition through the use of medicinal foods with a focus on a healthy digestive system. Once the digestive system is working optimally then the symptoms that people are often plagued with will begin to heal themselves. Pain will diminish, skin conditions will clear up, headaches will disappear, weight will begin to stabilize, energy levels will improve, and mental clarity will return. The connection between the gut and the brain will be discussed at length so that people will begin to see how the signs of mental depression or anxiety will be able to be greatly improved with some changes in foods and with the dedication to breathing routines or weekly acupuncture sessions.
This will hopefully be an interactive experience with tons of recipes for you to try, so I welcome all you questions and comments.
All the recipes shared here will be GLUTEN FREE, SUGAR FREE and KID FRIENDLY!!