Food Philosophy

                            Image by ( Love Veggies

  By ellevalentine)

Lately I’ve been pretty busy trying to keep everything together; fundraisers, clinical, studying, tests, presentations, process papers, patient care plans, trying to find time to sleep, eat, and take care of everything that comes after that.  I try to pour so much energy into the blogs that I posts, making sure that the information is accurate and interesting.  It usually takes me quite some of them together, which is why I haven’t had as many as I would like too. 

Then I realized I’m sure there is something I can come up with that does not require that much effort.  Things that are valuable to me and have now become second nature.

Since I am so passionate about food and the effects that it has on the body I will rattle off a few things.  My philosophy on food is that it should be simple, delicious, and healthy.  Not that I don’t appreciate a complex, well thought out recipe.  It is just not practical for me to fit into my current lifestyle.  Being healthy is a lifestyle choice and needs to be something you are comfortable with.  It should not be an everyday struggle and something you dread. 

That means getting to know your fruits and vegetables; what is in season and the best ways to cook them. 

Homemade Tomato Sauce !

You will need:

• 1/2 cup of olive oil
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 3 celery hearts, chopped
• 3 carrots, chopped
• 1 tsp. crushed rosemary
• 1 tsp. oregano
• 1 tsp. thyme
• salt, to taste
• fresh ground black pepper, to taste
• 1 tbsp. basil leaves ( fresh if you have them)
• 2 32oz. cans of crushed tomatoes

I give in and do the harlem shake

Hello Everyone

 

When I saw the Harlem Shake videos I was pleasantly surprised since this is how I normally dance anyway.

I decided to give it a shot!

I donned a glorious skeleton Kirgurumi for the event.

Hopefully this will bring a smile to your face.

 

No pugs were harmed in the making of this video.

 

My First Taste of Freedom – Part 2

The vagus nerve, the tenth cranial nerve, is really fascinating when you understand everything within the body that it is involved in. It runs from your brainstem down the whole length of the spine to the abdominal organs and innervates every organ along the way. It plays a major role in lowering the heart rate, breathing patterns, intestinal movement, sweating, and speech. It is your bodies off switch when feeling anxious and dealing with an overwhelming amount of stress, and the counterbalance to the fight or flight response. In another post I will talk about its connection to the enteric nervous system, our bodies "second brain", where our serotonin is secreted, packaged, and sent up to the brain via the vagus nerve. 

  

Have you heard about Mycobacterium vaccae yet?

 

  Have you heard about Mycobacterium vaccae yet? It is a type of good bacteria that you breathe in when you spend time in nature or dig in your garden. M. vaccae was discovered on accident during an experiment to find a cure for lung cancer, after boosting the immune system it was also observed that patients “emotional health, vitality, and cognitive function” had improved.

Best Macaroni and Cheese Recipe Ever !

You will need: ( For an 8" pan)

- 16 oz. package of tortiglioni
- large bag of shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 2 1/2 cups milk
- 2-3 eggs
- teaspoon of oregano, basil, and thyme
- 3 cubes of chicken bouillon
- teaspoon of salt and pepper

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My First Taste of Freedom – Part 1

What happened to me?!...I have had some strange experiences since November of 2012. This is when I first felt an overwhelming surge of energy through my body that seemed to collect in my bottom lip. The lower lip got so tight and puckered that I couldn't force a smile, and I did my best to act normal so that nobody would notice. When this happened for the first time, I also smelled electricity. The kind of smell that I can only compare to the haunted house rides at a fair, where you ride through on low budget metal track in a rusty cart. The first time I felt this was during a high energy, life and death moment and I could not sleep that night. I blamed it on the adrenaline, and perhaps it was.

My Natal Chart (Advanced Horoscope)

   

This is my natal chart which is like a snapshot of the sky at the moment you were born. It goes much deeper than your Sun sign (the sign you read when you check the horoscope in the newspaper).

If you are new to astrology and would like one of your own just send me an e-mail! You will need a time of birth for the houses and ascendant to be accurate, but there are general aspects that won’t change much if you don’t know the correct time. This is, of course, for entertainment purposes only.

 

Click the image below if you would like me to make one for you!

 

Yoga Sutras

Yoga: arriving at a place we have not been before; a science of the mind; to bring two things together- unite. The roots of Yoga can be traced back roughly 5,000 years to the Indus Valley civilization where the first seals depicting people performing asanas are found.

Those seeking to go beyond habituated thought and the stressful, distracting demands of materialist society are drawn to the meditative practices of yoga. Yoga reunites all opposites, using practices and systems dealing with regulations and exercises, to bring reconciliation between them. There are many styles that all stem from the same concept of sustaining a lucid, balanced mind; waking up the sleeping soul. The goal is to direct the mind to a state of stillness, without any distraction, while you remain conscious; achieving Kaivalya (freedom). Through practice you understand the purity, clarity, and maturity of intelligence.

Of course, there really is no goal when you practice asana or kriyas, the benefits will come when you enjoy the practice with an open mind and fresh insight. By focusing on the bandhas, "to bind or tie together", you will intensify the cleansing of pranayama and clear any energy blocks. These are "locks" in your body. The three most important are jalandhara bandha (involving the neck and upper spine), uddiyana bandha (between the diaphragm and floor of the pelvis), and mula bandha (between the navel and floor of the pelvis).

Homemade Peppermint Bark!

You will need:
- parchment paper
- candy thermometer
- 12 oz. dark (or semi-sweet) chocolate
- 1 lb. white chocolate
- ½ tbsp. peppermint extract
- ½ cup candy canes (crushed)

I recommend tempering the chocolate because it gives the candy a nice snap!