June NW Cafe ReCap

An early morning walk can be both invigorating & intimidating. We began our Cafe this month with a walk/hike through the San Juan Hills. The first section of our walk is nicknamed "the Wall", and each of us made it to the top. I had 7 other early morning troopers with me getting their natural vitamin D, lowering their cholesterol levels, activating the neurotransmitters melatonin (for good sleep) and seratonin (for stable moods), stimulating 17 different hormones, detoxing with every deep exhale, and nourishing their bloodstream with oxygen with every deep inhale - The amazing benefits of exercising outdoors!

A Breakfast Smorgasbord!

Merrily & Jane prepared a vast array of heated food items for this month's cafe. Guest paid $5 to partake of the spread of hot food items that were all prepared the Natural Way. If individuals had arrive without having had their Barley and their fruit meal (Step 1 of the Natural Way) we offered them some Barley to drink (no fruit so we weren't imporperly combining our food).

We spent some time listening to each other share about where we are within the Natural Way. It's always encouraging to hear how everyone is doing and be reminded that we're all in this journey towards Perfect Health together.

We gathered around the television to Skype Mary-Ann in for a short teaching on Proteins. The information shared was important and went along with our monthly newletter topic. We ended with a question and answer time, where questions were answered by Mary-Ann.

Breakfast Recipes

Begin each day with your Barley (Beets & Carrots), and your Aimega (9servings of fruits & veggies & your essential oils).

Next, enjoy a fruit meal of sorts - Smoothie, Bowl of Fruit (providing your body w/glucose - helps curb the sugar cravings)

After a minimum of a 1/2 hour (best to wait 1 hour for proper digestion), feel free to enjoy a properly combined Hot Breakfast. We have 6 different breakfast ideas below - feel free to discover your own healthy combinations.

NATURAL WAY FRENCH TOAST (Sticks) - See November 2008 entry for the recipe.

HOMESTYLE POTATOES

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees

4 medium red potatoes (cubed)

2 tblspoons Coconut Oil (in liquid form - set container on top of preheated oven)

1-2 tspns Tumeric

Rosemary - fresh, 1 handful

Mary-Ann's Seasoning Salt (to taste)

Mary-Ann's Garlic Salt (to taste)

Chop potatoes, and place in a large bowl. Pour coconut oil on to potatoes and mix well. Add all seasonings to the bowl and thouroughly coat potatoes. Place seasoned potatoes on a cookie sheet and bake for approximately 20 minutes or until potatoes are crispy.

CHICKPEA SCRAMBLE

1 can chickpeas (garbonzo beans) drained - you can mash them if you'd like (makes it a bit more like scrambled eggs - easy to spread in a tortilla...)
1 red bell pepper (yellow or orange)

1 tomatoe

2 green onions

1cup chopped spinach (fresh or frozen)

1/2 cup sliced mushrooms

2 teaspoons Nutritional Yeast (not Brewers Yeast, not baking Yeast)
Mary-Ann's Seasoning (Salt to taste)
Mary-Ann's Garlic Salt (to taste)

1 tsp Coconut Oil

In a pan, saute the peppers, onions, tomatoes, mushrooms and spinach in the coconut oil.

Add chickpeas (chickpea mash), Nutritional Yeast, and seasonings to taste. Drain excessive water and fry until piping hot.

BREAKFAST RICE WITH FRUIT (serves 4)

2 cups soy or coconut milk

2 cups cooked short grain brown rice

1 large apple, chopped

1/4 cup agave nectar

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 cup raisins

1/4 cup walnuts

Pinch of salt

Heat the milk in a 4-qt saucepan. Add all the ingredients and heat through. Season with salt and serve.

TOFU SCRAMBLE (serves 4)

2 tablespoons coconut oil

1 large onion chopped

1/2 cup sliced carrots

1/3 cup chopped red pepper

1 cup chopped zucchini

1 cup chopped mushrooms

1 cup chopped tomatoes

1pd tofu, drained and cut into cubes

2 teaspoons wheat free tamari sauce

1 teaspoon curry powder

fresh gound pepper

Place the oil in a large skillet and heat over med-high heat. Add the onion and saute until soft. Add the carrots, and continue to cook for 2-3 minutes. Add the red bell pepper, zucchini, and mushrooms, and saute for 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes, tofu, tamari sauce, and curry powder, and stir to mix well. Cook until heated through and the vegetables are fork tender. The flavors should be blended well.

- July Dates to Remember -

July 14th - Natural Way Cooking Demonstration - Dana Point Ca., go to www.cestnaturelfoods.com to sign-up

July 25th - Natural Way Cafe - Dana Point Ca.

for more information go to www.cestnaturelfoods.com

July Food Demonstration

Join us for a Natural Way Food Demonstration during the month of July at the home of Kim and David Jones in Dana Point Ca. On Tuesday evening, July 14 at 6:30pm we will prepare a tantalizing four-course meal that will satisfy your taste buds and inspire you to create such tasty fare in your own home! The cost of this event is $20 per person.

Based on the best-selling book Perfect Health - The Natural Way by Mary-Ann Shearer, we will discuss her 5 steps to attaining perfect health by eating a 75% alkaline forming diet. To sign up now, go to www.cestnaturelfoods.com, click on the shopping cart to register and pay. Space is limited to the first 25 people - sign up soon.

Kim's Quinoa Italiano

1 cup quinoa (follow package directions or cook in 2 cups water; season water w/3 tbspns nutritional yeast, Mary-Ann's Green salt)

1 can Cannellini beans (white kidney beans) mostly drained

1/3 cup sundried tomatoes

1 handful fresh basil

1/2 cup Kalamata Olives sliced in half

2 finely chopped green onions

1/3 cup Pine Nuts

1 tsp Oregano

Mary-Ann's Garlic Salt to taste

Mary-Ann's Herb Salt to taste

Mary-Ann's Seasoning Salt to taste

1/3 cup Olive Oil

2 tsp Lemon Juice

1 tblspn Nutritional Yeast

Mix all ingredients together and enjoy.

12 Reasons to Eat an Alkaline Forming Diet

12 Reasons to Eat an Alkaline Forming Diet - Reasons #3 & 4

3) An Acid Formng diet Robs Us of Energy! When your body is in an acidic state more often than not, it will begin to leach alkaline minerals from our bones, muscles and other tissues to ensure that the blood maintains its delicate alkaline balance. This removal of alkaline minerals (particularly calcium) inhibits efficient and effective cellular and body metabolism - making us sluggish, tired and cloudy. In a Nutshell - over acidification drains our bodies of energy and inhibits the body’s ability to use stored energy reserves.

And as if that was not enough - with the leaching of calcium from our bones, Osteoporosis very often follows.

4) Causes Allergies: A diet that is highly acid forming puts a lot of strain on the digestive system, which in turn strains the immune system - leading to it being constantly overworked and stimulated into response mode. The result of this is a heightened sensitivity to nutrition and chemicals, or what is more commonly known as an allergy. Excess mucus, soreness, swelling, eczema, hay fever, asthma, food allergies, hives etc are all ways that the body responds to toxins & attempts to eliminate them.

Stay tuned, next month - #5 & 6...

Kim's Avo Cole Slaw

Recipe Contribution from Kim

Avo Cole Slaw
1-2 avos2 heaping spoonfuls of Vegenaise (or regular mayo)
2 handfuls of cilantro
garlic powder-2 good shakes (or 1 or 2 cloves roasted)
sea salt
2 t. or so cumin
juice of 1 lg. or 2 small lemons

Blend in blender(you could also add other spices as desired--I added in some Mary- Ann's Herbal Salt)

Add to 1 bag of TJ's shredded cabbage
1 diced red pepper
1 cucumber--sliced and quartered
handfuls of raw sunflowers seeds and pumpkin seeds

Toss together & enjoy!

PARASITES outline

Monthly Topic: Parasites

What is a parasite?
It is an opportunistic organism that survives off the host. Very often their affect on the body goes unnoticed. Internal parasites, such as worms, take the nutrition from our food intended for us. This leaves us wide open to other illnesses. If you are feeling generally run down or have any of the symptoms below, this is the time to consider anti parasitical treatment. Some doctors estimate that over 90% of people suffer from parasite infestation.

These parasites can be in the form tapeworm – usually from eating animal flesh , hook worm - from soil or sand so wash even organically grown produce , pin worm – from not washing your hands and touching almost anything, flukes and a host of other lesser known parasites which are estimated to number over 400!.

How do you know you have them?
Signs of parasites can be diarrhea, hunger pains (gnawing feeling), appetite that is too healthy or no appetite, weight loss or weight gain, here I suggest that if you have any weight problem that you get rid of any parasites while you alter your diet and lifestyle) anemia, rectal itching especially at night, tooth grinding, nose picking, bloating and gas (even after you have changed your diet and are properly combining), nausea, fever, rash, irritable bowel syndrome, constipation, diarrhea, joint and muscle pain, bad breath, fluid retention (this will also affect your weight as well), allergies and food sensitivities, sugar cravings, mental confusion, fatigue or tiredness), foul smelling stools, heartburn, headaches, bed wetting, nervousness, sleep disturbances. All this indicates that your Immune and endocrine system is being affected and who knows the long term effects parasites have on the body.

What can you do to get rid of them?
There is a variety of medication available from pharmacies, but they do not get rid of all parasites such as flukes and usually have some side effects. The safest approach is with a combination of herbs. The best herbs are those such as American wormseed, Black walnut hulls, Boldo leaves, Butternut bark, clove, cramp bark, garlic, grapefruit seed, Kamala, Male Fern Root, Neem, Peppermint, Pumpkin seed, Sweet Annie, Thyme and White Oak bark, these are all found in Aim’s Para 90. I do however suggest taking Aim’s Herbal Fibre Blend (1 heaped tsp twice daily for a month at least) as this will help clear the digestive tract of old faecal matter and some of the herbs in HFB will also rid you of some parasites, thus making it quicker and easier when you take Para 90. You will know the product is working if you feel a ‘pokey’ feeling in your abdomen, or your skin itches or feels ‘crawly’. Headaches, excess mucous, nausea and extreme tiredness are other symptoms. You may also experience more frequent bowel movements, looser stools and increased urination. Some people even feel pain in the liver area.

I also suggest taking a probiotic such as Florafood and the Herbal Fiberblend during and after taking Para 90 to recolonise the intestinal bacteria and allow for the proper cleansing of the parasites from your system.

Pregnant and breast feeding women should avoid Para 90 as the parasites can emerge in some strange places, also some people experience severe stomach cramps as the parasites dislodge. People with colon problems should consult a doctor. It is safe to use from the age of 3 upwards. You should aim to cleanse yourself of parasites a minimum of twice a year.


How can parasites harm you?
They can…
Destroy cells faster than new cells can be regenerated this will contribute to premature ageing and cancer
Produce toxic waste products
Irritate body tissue
Invade body tissue, including skin and intestinal lining
Put pressure of internal organs
Depress immune system function while activating Immune System response, thereby contributing to Auto Immune Diseases such as Lupus, Arthritis and Multiple Sclerosis etc.
Cause nutrient malabsorption, thus contributing to eating disorders and nutritional deficiencies.

Try to include some of the following foods on a regular basis, they help control parasite infestations; raw carrots, fresh and dried figs, parsley, pumpkin seeds and sesame seeds or tahini.

May Cafe - Recap

Have you begun your Parasite Cleanse? For all who were able to attend our May Cafe most of us left motivated to do begin incorporating Parasite cleanses into their Natural Way lifestyle.We had a fabulous spread of Natural Way Foods. Merrily & Jane took the time to answer various questions related to health issues like acid reflux and how to take our whole food supplements for best absorption. With Mary-Ann back in South Africa, we felt we should allow her to sleep in versus waking her to share with us at 4am (South African time), so we watched a snipet of her parasite dvd.


Check out the outline of our discussion on parasites - it's a seperate post. Also, check out the post from January 2009 for Jane's rundown of her personal experience with the Aim Para90 parasite cleanse. Did you know that the Liver will attempt to eliminate unwanted substances through the skin??? Jane learned this the hard way. Read on...


The next Natural Way Cafe will be on Saturday, June 27. Come at 7am for the outdoor enthusiasts - a hike through the beautiful San Juan Hills, or meet at 8am for breakfast and a talk from Mary-Ann via Skype on Protein with a question & answer time.