External beauty, as a bonus: Minerals, Enzymes, Raw Food

It is true that your family genetics contribute to the type of hair, nails, and skin you get. But, do you think it is as simples as: you get thin hair because of your mom… or, you get acne prone skin because of your dad or else…??? No, the genes are not regulating the hair or nail, or skin type directly. They regulate the other conditions in the body that contribute to our organs health and functionality. The appearance is the result of the body-system condition such as functioning of the digestive system, internal organ functioning, preposition to certain organ weaknesses. So, this should slowly lead you to a conclusion without me finishing the point; Right?
 If you start regulating your general body health you can make an effect on the physical appearance that the Mother Nature intended for you based on the family genes. And of course, since we are feeding ourselves with pesticides residue along with veggies and fruits, antibiotics and hormones along with every chicken breast or hamburger, what else should we expect besides aging, weight problems and health issues??

We are what we eat. So, if you do not like what you see or what is happening with your body, it is wise to seriously evaluate what you are putting into your mouth. And, that does not mean to rely on marketing and industry sponsored ads like “Got Milk?”. It means scrutinizing every piece of information you receive, including what I am giving you, and make decisions for yourself. See how your body reacts to your diet. The body will talk to you. You just have to listen.

Here is some food for thought that I can offer you for the start:

Essential Minerals:

The minerals primarily come from the soil. It comes through the water into the plants. Oh , yes. Oops! We abused the soil with industrial chemicals so much that not much have left in it to give us with our vegetables and fruits.
We have to start supporting organic farming. The more organic foods we buy, the lesser the price will be in the stores. Do you remember the rule of demand and supply? It never fails.

Some studies show that organic food offers up to 87-90% more minerals. Green organic plants are number one food group in supply of essential minerals to our body. Greens are the strongest detox weapons. Since the animal proteins are complex and leave acidic residue in our body, we need to rely on organic greens to come and save our digestive tract.

Here is the list of greens that will help your health:

Arugula, Cucumber, broccoli, celery, kale, romaine lettuce, spinach – please love them and eat them daily.

The list of high mineral fruits:

Acai berries, apples, avocado, bananas, blackberries, blueberries,  cherries, lemons, goji berries, olives, oranges, papaya, pears, plums, strawberries, pomegranate.

The list of high mineral containing nuts and seeds:

Almonds, hemp seeds, coconuts, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, walnuts, pine nuts, brazil nuts, macadamia nuts, sunflower seeds. – ALL RAW – that is the key in the case of nuts and seeds.

You have to know and respect the top minerals:

Silicon (makes our hair thick, nails strong); Zink (rebuilds collagen and makes skin healthy); Iron (contributes to oxygen level in our blood, and circulation); Magnesium (opens up hundreds of detoxification pathways); Potassium (helps body to maintain proper fluid level and regulates nutrients transfer into cells); Calcium (keeps our bones strong.)

Essential enzymes:

We always measure our food by the major nutrients like protein, carbs, and fats. But, we totally ignore such important health regulating element like enzyme.  This is actually where the secret to your health resides.  The enzymes are also the most powerful regulators of your beauty.

Live enzymes are very important for everybody function. There are over 5,000 enzymes that our body utilizes in daily functions.  They help repair DNA, help digest our food and extrapolate nutrients from the food we consume. The enzymes prevent and repair wrinkles, regulate skin tone, help with weight loss and detoxification of the organs. We need as many enzymes as possible. Our enzyme reserve, which we are born with, decreases with every day. The body uses them to regulate PH (discussed in the last week' blog), and to repair all the damage from daily life. So, depending on your diet and your life styles, your body will use up as many enzymes as it requires to survive. The decrease in enzyme reserve will contribute to slow metabolism and faster aging.

My recommendation is to preserve as many enzymes as possible and eat foods full of  minerals and enzymes so your body does not have to deep into the reserve and fight daily for its survival.

The enzymes are found in the RAW plant food. They are heat sensitive so cooking kills them. When we cook vegetables or make jams out of those beautiful, succulent fruits, we destroy what nature is giving us to protect our health. If only the Mother Nature could talk, we would be screamed at every day. The modern food industry has destroyed all the means of the nutrients.

Enzyme-rich foods (raw greens, veggies, raw nuts) are designed to help us digest them. These foods do not need to use the enzymes that our body have in its reserve. When we eat avocado, for example, the enzyme called LIPASE in the avocado helps digesting the avocado. So this particular fruit comes with its own digestive engine. How wonderful is that? But, picture you heating the olive oil and cooking the vegetables in the extremely high temperature. All the enzymes are killed. The olive oil is not digested easily, and now the vegetables that you just cooked in it have no enzymes in them either. Thus, the body has to go to the “bank”. And as we learned from the previous blog (body ph), the cooked vegetable are no longer alkaline food, they are acidic. With that, all your chances for beauty are diminished.
Now, after putting things this way, do you think eating raw salads, fruits, and (raw) nuts is better for our health or do you still think that the baked Green-Bean-Casserole is the answer? I am not suggesting we must eat 100% raw. There is lots of space for the easily digestible cooked foods. I am advocating the increased consumption of the raw veggies, fruits and nuts. You can try to make Green Smoothies (see my other blog on DETOX for recipe.) If you replace one cooked meal a day with the a Green Smoothie, you already will make a big positive change in your health. Add a green salad to your daily lunch and dinner, and you are better off yet!

As a bonus to this eye-opening letter (smile) , I am offering you a great recipe that will allow you to start eating raw nuts in a fun way. And a recipe for a HUMMUS that will be your favorite from the first bite. Not everyone has all these ingredients handy, so do yourself a favor and take the ingredient list to the Health Food Store with you this weekend and make a first step toward healthy and fun raw eating.

With love, compassion, and respect to your great heart & mind,

Truly yours

Namaste~

NUT PATE

This pate offers plethora of minerals, amino acids, and phytonutrients.

Ingredients:

½ cup raw almonds

½ cup raw pumpkin seeds

½ cup raw sunflower seeds

2 tbs. lemon juice

1 ½ tbs. raw, unpasteurized soy sauce (Nama Shoyu)

1 organic zucchini (about ¾ cup)

1 inch of ginger root (peeled and graded)

1 garlic clove (finely chopped)

1 heaping tbs. chopped white onion

1/8 tbs. cayenne pepper

1 heaping tbs. nutritional yeast

½ tbs. turmeric

Directions:

Soak the almonds, pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds overnight. Dispose the water before cooking and rinse the nuts-seeds mixtures.

Put lemon juice and soy sauce in the blender. Add zucchini, ginger, garlic and onion. Add cayenne pepper, east, and turmeric. Blend until smooth.

Add seeds and nuts and blend again. Enjoy on the top of a green salad or as a spread on your veggie wraps.

 P.S. A good mixer / blender is the key to your liking raw food recipes, so consider investing into your health by purchasing a reputable brand like Vitamix or Blend-Tec (4 inch knif). You will transform your life!

HUMMUS

Ingredients:

2 organic zucchinis (chopped)
3/4 cup RAW TAHINI (should not be dry roasted sesame tahini. go for raw)
2 tbs. nutritional yeast
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
3 garlic cloves (chopped)
2 1/2 tbs. sea salt

Directions:

Bland all ingredients until smooth. Enjoy with celery, red papper or cucumber sticks as a snack or appetizer.