New Age Organic

A rich and satisfying healthy meal.

Servings: 6-8
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 1.5 hours

8 cups water
5 medium sweet potatoes or yams
4 carrots, sliced thinly
1 medium onion, chopped
1 bay leaf
2 tbsp.low sodium tamari
2 tbsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. paprika

Peel the sweet potatoes and cut them in chunks. Place 8 cups water in a large soup pot. Add potatoes, carrots, onions, and bay leaf. Cover and simmer over low heat about 1 hour. Add tamari, lemon juice, and paprika. Simmer for 15 more minutes. Serve with fresh french bread or bread sticks.

1. Avoid excess sun exposure, which will damage the skin on all levels. Use a good sunscreen of at least SPF30 when sun exposure is unavoidable.
2. Do not smoke and try to avoid passive smoke exposure. Smoking causes narrowing of the blood vessels in the outermost layers of your skin, impairing blood flow and depleting the skin of oxygen and nutrients. Smoking also destroys collagen and elastin, causing skin to sag and wrinkle prematurely
3. Keep calm and avoid excess stress. Stress promotes an increase of free radicals in the body, a major cause of premature aging. Prolonged stress causes the skin to be consistently starved of both blood and oxygen, making it look dull and lifeless, less supple, and more prone to blocked pores and breakouts of acne.
4. Limit alcohol and intake of stimulants. Alcohol in particular dilates the blood vessels in the skin and excessive drinking leads to chronic dilation of the capillaries, causing a permanent red flush on the face. It also depletes vitamin A in the body.
5. Have a fantastic healthy diet, based on fresh organic fruit and vegetables and the foods known to encourage healthy aging. Choose high quality supplements to slow the aging process, boost your overall nutrient intake, and reduce oxidative stress on the body.
6. Hydrate, Hydrate, Hydrate! The more water you drink the better your skin can eliminate toxins, retain moisture, and maintain that youthful glow. Six to eight glasses of water per day is recommended. 
7. Moisturize daily using organic ingredients to nurture and feed your skin. Check your prefered moisturizing cream, stay far away from products that list petroleum and chemical additives.

A healthy and hearty meal or topping.

Servings: 4-6
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 30 minutes
(Cooked Beans Needed)
see how to cook kidney beans

4 cups cooked kidney beans
1/2 cup water
2 onions, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed
2 (16 oz.) cans tomatoes, cut up
2 tbsp. chili powder
2 tsp. ground cumin

Place water, onions, green pepper, celery, and garlic in a medium sauce pan and saute over high heat for 3-4 minutes.  Add remaining ingredients, bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer for 25 minutes.

Tips: Serve over brown rice or baked potatoes, or serve as is for a hearty meal topped with chopped onions, diced green chilis, or shredded greens. Fresh tomatoes may be used instead of canned. Other beans may be used instead of kidney beans, such as black beans, or white beans.

A bit of stress in our daily lives is healthy and provides needed adrenaline for periodic energy boost in dangerous or critical situations. Common stress today however is a different matter. In modern life we are often pushing ourselves to the brink every waking moment, be it fighting traffic, meeting deadlines, or just racing to keep up.

This kind of manic stress is implicated in virtually every negative symptom of the aging process. Let’s understand it and look at ways to eliminate stress for good.

Are you stressed?

Symptoms of stress include:

• Sleep Problems
• Head, Neck, and Back Tension
• Digestive Problems
• Hair Loss
• Fatigue
• High Blood Pressure
• Palpitations
• Chest Pain
• Skin Problems, such as Hives, Eczema, Psoriasis, and Rashes
• Jaw Pain
• Infertility
• Menstrual Problems
• Sexual Difficulties
• Depression and Mood Swings
• Irritability and Frustration
• Memory Problems and Lack of Concentration

If you think that sounds like a recipe for disaster, you’re right.  Let’s look at how we can restore balance to your life with natural remedies.

Siberian Ginseng
This adaptogenic herb helps your body to adapt to and cope with physical and emotional stress.  Studies have shown that ginseng helps improve stamina and endurance, and helps increase the body’s resistance to infections.

Essential Oils
Uplifting and relaxing essential oils can be helpful in reducing stress when combined with a massage or meditation routine. Stress reducing essential oils include: cedar, chamomile, jasmine, lavender, marjoram, neroli and rose. Use as massage oil or in a vaporizer to fill the room with their tantalizing aromas.

Vitamin B
Our bodies burn up the B group of vitamins rapidly when we are stressed. So it’s especially important to eat a variety of B-rich foods, such as whole grains, brewers yeast, meat, oily fish, eggs, brown rice, wheatgerm, beans, sunflower seeds, and nuts.  It is also recommended that you take a B-complex supplement daily to make up for shortages in diet, particularly in times of great stress.

Antioxidants
Antioxidants are the the nutrients that help repair the damage done by emotional, physical, and environmental stress. They also play a major role in protecting the body from the ravages of free radicals that break down our cells and promote aging. Eating plenty of fresh, preferably organic, brightly colored fruit and vegetables is a great start, but if your diet is poor or you are under stress a supplement is recommended.

Zinc
Zinc is crucial for anyone under stressful conditions. It is needed for cell repair, digestion, immune function and emotional health. Zinc is also needed for the production of the adrenal hormones, so the Zinc you get in your diet will be quickly burned up when under stress. Food sources are: yeast, eggs, pulses, liver, meats, pumpkin seeds, most seafood and whole grains. Of course if your diet is not balanced or incomplete you should take a good supplement to make up for the shortage.

Essential Fatty Acids
A shortage of essential fatty acids (EFA) has been linked to stress. A deficiency will exacerbate stress symptoms and diminish the body’s coping mechanisms, while the stress itself uses up your existing EFAs, setting up a vicious cycle that leads directly to further EFA deficiency. Eat nuts, seeds, and plenty of oily fish, and take a supplement in the form of flax seed oil.

The Importance of Staying Fit
Exercise reduces stress by burning up the adrenaline created by stress. It also creates endorphins, the feel-good hormones that improve mood, motivation, and tolerance to pain and stress. The next time you are stressed try turning to exercise instead of alcohol, tobacco, or binge eating, and feel the difference.

Exercise is also good for improving brain function. Aerobic exercise helps to increase the number of neurotransmitters in the the brain, so that messages are carried more quickly between brain cells. This increases mental flexibility and agility over longer periods of time.

Beyond all that, regular exercise increases the supply of oxygenated blood to the brain, which enhances concentration, alertness and intellectual capacity. All of these things are diminished in periods of stress, so the more you can train yourself to use exercise as a coping tool, the more effectively you will reduce the stress in your life.

No Caffeine, Please
Research has shown that drinking four to five cups of coffee or soft drinks, makes the body act as if it is under constant stress. This combined with other stressors will increase blood pressure significantly, leading to an increased risk of heart disease as well as damaging the adrenal system.  Because caffeine is so addictive you may find that cutting out coffee and soft drinks completely may be easier than simply cutting back.

A sweet and tangy side dish to sparkle the senses.

Servings: 4
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 15 minutes

5 large carrots, sliced
1/2 in chunk of ginger root, grated
1/2 orange rind, grated
1 tbsp. honey

Cook the carrots in 1/2 inch of water until tender (about 15 minutes). Add ginger, orange rind, and honey, stir well. serve hot.

Building enhanced brain power and maintaining a healthy fully capable mind as we age is nothing to take lightly.  There is plenty of evidence to support the notion that both mental agility and memory decline to some extent as we age, but the good news is that this does not have to be the case.

By ensuring that our diets are truly healthy, and we get plenty of brain building exercise and continue to stimulate our minds as well as take specific supplements to enhance brain function, we can stay ahead of the aging process and remain as sharp and quick minded as we were in our younger years, in fact with rigorous focus we can be far better than we ever were.

What makes us forget?
Intense stress is most often the culprit behind being forgetful, interfering with our ability to concentrate, make important decisions and remember. Being over extended and over taxed, having too many irons in the fire may also be a problem.  When you are doing too many things at once you are less likely to focus on the details, the less you pay attention, the less you will be able to remember.

For 99% of people memory loss never becomes a serious problem, but some diseases, such as Alzheimer’s can lead directly to memory loss. Alcohol abuse and recreational drug use can also affect memory in significant ways.

Beyond diet and mental exercises we turn to specific natural vitamins and minerals to build brain power.

Ginkgo Biloba
Ginkgo exerts its vascular effects primarily on the lining of the blood vessels. It stimulates greater resilience in the venous system, aiding in the clearing of toxins that accumulate in the blood stream when there is a lack of oxygen. Ginkgo is mainly implicated in conditions that affect the brain, including short-term memory loss, vertigo, headaches and depression.

The memory enhancing benefits of Ginkgo are not limited to the elderly. In a double blind study, the reaction time of healthy young women performing memory tests was significantly enhanced after a period of taking Ginkgo as a supplement.

Recommended dosage is 60mg-80mg 3 times daily.

Alpha Lipoic Acid
Alpha Lipoic Acid is a powerful antioxidant, and has been shown to prevent oxidative stress in nerve tissue.  Lipoic acid helps maintain glutathione levels, which are found to be depleted in conditions such as Parkinson’s disease. It appears to have a protective affect on the brain and nerves, as well as the liver which deals with toxins that can affect our brain function. It is found in meat and most vegetables as well as natural supplements.

Recommended dosage is 200mg to 400mg per day.

DMAE (Dimethylaminoethanol)
This memory-building substance is common to a number of compounds that are known to stabilize cell membranes. Cell membrane degradation has been proposed as one of the key mechanisms of the aging process. DMAE is normally present in small amounts in the brain, and is known for its remarkable brain-enhancing effects. It is naturally occurring in anchovies and sardines, which may explain why fish is so often regarded as brain food. DMAE works by accelerating the brains synthesis of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine, which in turn plays a key role in maximizing mental ability and preventing memory loss in aging adults.

DMAE is also used for treating attention deficit disorder, enhancing memory and mood, and boosting cognitive function. DMAE is also used for treating Alzheimer’s disease, by increasing IQ, physical energy, and muscle reflex.

Recommended dosage is 75mg to 150mg per day.

Pycnogenol (Pine Bark Extract)
As well as having potent antioxidant effects, Pycnogenol also helps maintain neurotransmitters so that they function longer and improve the circulation of the brain. The increase in nitric oxide provided by Pycnogenol may also improve learning ability and memory.

Recommended dosage is 50mg to 150mg per day.

Super Oils
Rosemary essential oil has enjoyed a reputation of enhancing memory for hundreds of years, hence the old saying “rosemary for remembrance”. Try a single drop of rosemary oil on each wrist to stimulate the senses. Peppermint oil is another good choice to stimulate the mind.

Oils can also be used to affect your moods, which in turn will affect your memory. Antidepressant and cheering oils include bergamot, orange, and other citrus oils.  Rosemary is great for mental fatigue as well. Virtually any application of essential oils, including baths and massage, will have the desired effect. Another very effective way to use them is to simply get them into the air using a spray bottle (10 drops in 1 pint of water) or a vaporizer.

EFAs and Brian Power
Essential fatty acids are now recognised as star nutrients essential for optimal brain function and as mood stabilizers. Without omega-3 fatty acids (one of the EFAs) brain cells stiffen and inhibit the messages that pass between neurons. Shortages of these essentials have also been linked to low intelligence, learning disabilities, and depression. What’s more, they also enhance cognitive, aural, and optic development, which continue throughout life.

The best sources of these omega-3 fatty acids are avocados, cold-pressed oils like olive, and nuts and seeds such as walnuts and flax seed. Oily fish such as salmon, herring, sardines, mackerel, pilchards and fresh tuna also contain omega-3 fatty acids.

A super nutritious favorite the whole family can enjoy.

Servings: 4
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cooking Time: 20 minutes

2 cups broccoli pieces
2 cups cauliflower pieces
2 cups zucchini pieces (1 inch)
1/2 cup oil free Italian dressing
2 cups tomatoes, chopped
1/2 cup mushroom halves
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1 tbsp. cornstarch or arrow root
1/2 cup oil free Italian dressing
1/2 cup nut or rice milk
1/2 pound spinach spaghetti, cooked and drained

Cook cauliflower, broccoli and zucchini in 1/2 cup water and 1/2 cup Italian dressing for 5 minutes. Add tomatoes, mushrooms and parsley. Cook an additional 10 minutes. mix 1 tbsp. cornstarch in a small amount of water. add to vegetable mixture while stirring. Cook and stir for 1 minute. Remove from heat and place in a serving bowl.

Mix 1/2 cup dressing with milk choice. Heat just to boiling. pour over cooked spaghetti and toss to mix well. Place in a serving bowl. Serve the noodles as a base for the vegetable mixture.

Give yourself the spa treatment with our home spa steam facial. Steam facials are useful for opening the pores, cleansing the skin, removing toxins and improving circulation of the micro capillaries of the face.

Ingredients:

1 tbsp. chamomile
1 tbsp. fennel
1 tbsp rose petals
1 tbsp. calendula (Marigold) for dry skin or
1 tbsp. lemon balm for oily skin

Place the ingredients in a bowl and add 2 pints of boiling water. Put your face 10-12 inches over the bowl, then make a tent over your head with a towel to trap the steam. Close your eyes and remain in this position for 10-15 minutes, letting the steam penetrate your skin. Afterwards, immediately rinse your face with cool water to tighten the pores.

The health of your cardiovascular system is crucial to living a long, vigorous life, and its overall condition will affect the way you look and feel, and of course how long you live. Looking after your heart, blood, and the blood vessels that supply it is absolutely essential for anyone wanting to live a long and healthy life. This means getting plenty of exercise, eating a healthy diet, reducing stress, and taking heart-boosting supplements to treat and prevent cardiovascular conditions.

Cardiovascular conditions such as angina, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, stroke and heart attack, are all preventable and treatable by making healthy nutrition choices and lifestyle changes.

We have already discussed the nutritious foods you should be eating, but what about the vitamins and supplements you should be taking to boost your health and wellness?

Which Supplements

Co-Enzyme Q10 (CoQ10)
CoQ10 is a vitamin-like substance used by the heart muscle for energy. CoQ10 has been shown to strengthen the heart muscle, relieve angina, and regulate blood pressure. Taking Co-Q10 as a supplement can boost stores of CoQ10 lost due to aging, stress, and prescribed drugs. CoQ10 is primarily found in fish, lean meat, eggs, spinach, broccoli, peanuts, wheatgerm, and whole grains.

While our bodies typically produce the CoQ10 we need, this is diminished as we age and it’s worth noting that cholesterol lowering prescription drugs (statins) and drugs that lower blood sugar counteract and reduce the CoQ10 in our bodies, making the need for this important nutrient even greater.

Recommended dosage is 30mg to 100mg per day. Here is an excellent doctor recommended C0Q10 supplement.

Policosanol
Greatly reducing blood levels of unhealthy cholesterol (LDL) is well established as an effective strategy for preventing cardiovascular disease. The typically prescribed statin drugs used to lower cholesterol have a number of negative side effects, including a high risk of Parkinson’s disease. Policosanol is a newly discovered, all-natural supplement that has been shown in studies to significantly lower cholesterol levels. It is also a powerful antioxidant.

Recommended dosage is 20mg twice a day.

Hawthorn
This herb has been dubbed “the four corners of the heart tonic” because of its influence on all aspects of heart health. Clinical trials have shown the effectiveness and safety of Hawthorn extracts in early congestive heart failure, mild angina, arrhythmia, and high blood pressure, as well as use in recovering from heart attacks. Hawthorn works by improving blood flow through the coronary arteries and stimulating the efficiency of the hearts pumping activity.

Additionally, it lowers cholesterol and blood pressure, is anti-arrythmic and promotes antioxidant activity by increasing blood flow in the peripheral blood vessels. In this way Hawthorn’s flavonoids help protect small capillaries from free radical damage.

Check with your doctor before taking if you are already using an already prescribed medication.

Recommended dosage is 100mg to 250mg per day

Pycnogenol
Pine bark extract (Pycnogenol) is a natural blood thinner (reduces blood clotting) and can reduce high blood pressure.  Dr. Watson at the University of Arizona states: “Our research shows that Pycnogenol is a safe and natural option, especially for those who cannot tolerate the adverse aspects of aspirin. Here is a completely natural substance with remarkable activity. It may well have enormous health implications for an aging population”

Recommended dosage is 50mg to 100mg per day.

Vitamin E
This vitamin can help prevent excessive blood clotting, damage to the arteries and the build-up of bad cholesterol (LDL). Researchers have found that the risk of heart disease is reduced up to 40% in those who use Vitamin E supplements and that sufferers of heart disease can reduce the risk of heart attacks by up to 75%. Vitamin E is found naturally in many foods, but Vitamin E supplements are a good addition to any healthy lifestyle. 

Flax Seed Oil
Flax seed Oil is rich in omega-3 essential fatty acids. These help prevent heart disease by lowering cholesterol and triglycerides (unhealthy fats) and appear to block the action of cancer promoting prostaglandins (PGs).

As a natural blood thinner omega-3 may prevent dangerous blood clots which can increase the risk of heart attack and stroke. Eating plenty of flax seeds in breads and cereals as well as using flax seed oil in salad dressing or as a condiment is a good way to boost your intake, supplements are also available to help you maintain healthy levels of omega-3.

Recommended dosage is 500mg twice a day or 3 tsp of oil.

The question of whether to cook vegetables or eat them raw is not really a choice you need to make. The arguments on both sides are compelling and you should know the facts to best answer the question for yourself.

Raw food contains enzymes that are required by the body to break down other foods. Cooking tends to break down these enzymes, while raw foods ensure that these enzymes remain intact throughout the chewing process, and some experts believe throughout the entire digestive system.

On the other side of this argument, a key study has shown that the body can absorb up to 5 times more carotenoids (a key antioxidant found in carrots, broccoli, and spinach) when cooked. The research showed that when these vegetables were cooked and mashed the level of carotenoid absorption was dramatically increased.

So when you are considering raw vegetables vs. cooked vegetables for your next meal, don’t take sides. The healthy choice is to have both.  Add raw vegetables to salads and use them as snacks, then cook vegetables in your main dishes such as casseroles, bakes, stews, and soups.

Find balance in your vegetable consumption and your body will thank you.