Tag Archives: cleanse

Get it While You Can! Vitamix Special!

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Click on photo to order your Vitamix and save an additional $25.00

Hi Loves, I got an email about this and couldn’t resist throwing up a quick blog about it. The Vitamix is my heart in the kitchen- and as you know, is the only piece of kitchen equipment I literally carry around the world with me. It will change your life, your health, your beauty.

For a limited time, Vitamix is running a special on the Vitamix 5200, selling the factory reconditioned machines for $379.00.  These guys only come on special every so often and they usually go fast and sell out! So if you’ve been really wanting one but have been hedging, now is the time!

If you click on the photo above, you’ll receive free standard shipping which is worth $25US/$35CN.

My schedule hasn’t slowed down any since I’ve gotten back! I’m being very organized (okay trying!) with the constant soaking and sprouting of various seeds and nuts- based on certain recipes I’m making the next day or in a few days.

What’s my favorite kitchen ingredient right now? Sundried tomatoes! I throw them in sauces, salads, dressings, as garnishes, etc. They taste like sun in a bite to me.

Well I’ll write more soon! Check out the Vitamix sale if you haven’t gotten one yet- you won’t regret. And have a wonderful and inspirational week!!

All my love,

Kimberly

Finding Food, Making Food on the Go(!) Across Europe!

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Hi Guys!

I hope you had a wonderful week last week!

I had an unbelievable time in Europe working on a whirlwind press tour for a film. We were moving so fast, that when we got to a city I had to really hit the ground running. I called ahead to request certain food be sitting in my minibar in each of the hotels, but there was always shopping I had to do, and things I had to source on the go. It was incredibly stressful at times, and I slept about 2 hours a night- but what an experience!! So fun!! And crazy.

 

Here’s my mini bar in London. If I had 10 minibars, I’m sure I would have filled them all! I wondered if any of these 5 star hotels ever had as much food made in them?! Btw we flew on a commercial jet First Class to London, and I made food right there in my seat on the way as well!

Here’s my room in Dublin. The table where I would chop and assemble things, and desk area was Vitamix central!

 

Taken from my hotel window in Dublin…There was always a fleet of black cars taking us around from place to place!

 

The Dublin premiere was insane.  Hundreds and hundreds of people were lined up in the streets! I had to walk the red carpet myself as I got out of the car and went up ahead, and I have to say that I’ve never had an experience like that with so many people screaming behind a fence, while you are in a little clear passageway. I’ve been to lots of premieres in LA and NY- but none like this one!

On and off the private jet! No need to go through customs! What I really liked was that our bags were labeled and picked up in our rooms, and then delivered to the next hotel room seamlessly! I know they are not great for the environment, but it certainly wasn’t my call! And I don’t see how we would have been able to move around to so many different press events so quickly if not for flying on our own time.

 

This is my view from my hotel room on the beautiful island of Mallorca, Spain. Gorgeous!!! I’ve been to Spain, but Mallorca is definitely my favorite spot in the country! Also, you do get a bit spoiled traveling like this :) .

Below is where the party and the press line were later on that night…

 

Over to the right is the little boat that took us out to the yacht in the distance… It was beyond magical to be in the Mediterranean on a yacht, surrounded by beautiful Spanish people. I love everything about Spain- the energy, the culture, their look. Well, everything but their cuts and slabs of red meat that are so prevalent! I did bring food on the yacht by the way!

 

This table became my main food-making station in my room in Mallorca.

 

Or on the floor! One of my biggest issues was getting the converters to work so I could use the Vitamix in all the countries… Okay after this I stopped taking a lot of pics.

Anyways I am now back in Chicago for a few more weeks working on the movies. Promise to get back to some real nutrition, beauty and health posts soon!

Oddly energized, even with so very little sleep…and of course Lots of love, Kimberly

 

Video: How to Store Your Sprouts!

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Hi Guys!

Hope you are well!!

I am here in Chicago, and it has been none-stop! If I haven’t been at set I’ve been making food at home to bring, and trying to squeeze in a little yoga here and there. It looks like I’ll be here for a few more weeks! I’m slowly finding my way around Chicago- well at least the multiple Wholefoods I’ve been sourcing groceries from. :)

Anyways, here is a quick video on the best way to store sprouts at home so they don’t get slimy, moldy and gross! They can if we leave them in plastic containers. Sprouts are incredibly how in enzymes and will help rebuild our bodies and supply us with beauty minerals, so we want to include them in our daily diet.

Enjoy, and I’ll post more soon!

Lots of love, Kimberly

Optimize Digestion and Chew Your Way to Better Beauty and Health

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Hello my cherished loves,

I hope you are doing well! Today’s topic is on chewing and digesting food!

How many times do we rush through a meal to get on with work, get to our next task, drop the kids off somewhere- or even eat while we are working? Or should I phrase it- when do we not do those things, and actually concentrate on eating as its own separate, sacred task? I had some classes on chewing this past week at the Ann Wigmore Institute, with some interesting info and perspectives that I wanted to share with you.

Dr. Ann Wigmore says that if we are not chewing our food well or concentrating on eating- while we are eating- we are wasting our time with food!

When we eat, we are releasing stored energy locked up in the plant food (which is hopefully what you are eating!) that transfers into our body through digestion and assimilation. The food literally becomes part of our organs and glands. But in order for that plant food to really nourish us, even if we are eating the healthiest and most organic plant food on the planet, we have to be sure we are digesting it properly. This is not a mechanical task that always turns out the same no matter what- because it involves our total being, our state of mind, emotions and environment. Below are some ideas to help make sure you are optimizing your digestion:

1. Chew chew chew- the theme of Ann Wigmore. Even if you drink Green Juice, or drink the Green Smoothie, you should chew your food so it mixes well with your saliva to aid the digestive process! Solid food like salads should be chewed 40-100 times. I always ignored this popular adage :) but it is amazing how much saliva you really do produce when you practice it! In one class we listened to music where every 60 seconds a bell would ring and that would signify to swallow. So it forced us to be conscious of chewing for 60 seconds, which pulverized the food into liquidity.

When you chew this well, it is amazing how full you get on way less food! Swallowing chunks of foods is EXTREMELY harmful for the body, which has to waste copious amounts of energy and additional enzymes to then break it down. If you are a fast eater now is the time to change your ways, for your own sake!

2. Prepare the body for eating. You eat with your whole body and your brain. So start by being totally relaxed. Take some deep breaths if that helps. Relax your jaw (most of us clench) and even say the vowels first to fully loosen up the muscles in the face. Move your hands to your stomach to prepare it to receive food. This also puts us mentally in touch with our digestive organs and we become more connected to our body. Smell your food first before eating it, and really look at it. Hopefully it will be vibrant and beautiful!

3. Be conscious of your food in every way before you start eating it. Where did it come from? How was it grown? Who were the people that grew it? Under what conditions did it grow? When I was eating Energy Soup I started really thinking about the sunflower sprouts that it contained, that grew in the greenhouse there. We had classes on growing them, and I saw how full of amazing, vibrant energy they were and how they turned their beautiful little heads towards the light. Like us! We want to always turn toward the Light!

So when we really think about our food, we become more grateful for it, and when we eat in a state of gratitude our food digests better and nourishes not only our bodies, but the emotional, mental and spiritual side of us. Food is energy, and energy affects us on all of these levels. There really is something to the idea of making food with love, and when someone makes something for you with love it does taste better! I always bless my food first.

I know, deep right! Quite a contrast to people that jam the food they just bought at the drive-through down their mouth as they race down the highway driving! I don’t think they have any clue as to how the food came from the factory farm to the slaughterhouse to their packaged container, or the suffering and pain that the animal might have endured that would very much transfer if you were to eat the animal’s carcass. Bad energy transfers also, which leads me to…

 

4. Don’t eat in a loud place! Clanking sounds and chairs and loud talking does not make for good digestion. If a place does not have peaceful energy, chances are that your food was made in a non-peaceful, rushed or agitated way as well. And I don’t want food with that energy in my body! If I sense that I won’t eat there. Many trendy New York restaurants are like that, so if I have a business meeting there or something with friends- I’ll just get something to drink. Don’t worry about what others think- the choices you make affect YOUR body.

5. Don’t eat if you are angry, sad, agitated or stressed out. Your body will not assimilate the food in a good way! It really is better not to eat in these conditions- just wait or put it off!

6. Don’t work, watch TV or read while you are eating. Your attention is diverted from the process of digestion, and you will not take in the food in the same way. Talking should be limited. This is really hard, as eating and socializing have been very much integrated into our culture. I too often eat with others. I try to concentrate on my food when I’m actually chewing and swallowing, then I’ll put down my fork and talk for a minute- then go back to eating, so on and so forth.

I hope that these ideas are helpful to you in promoting your digestion. Eating is a powerful and sacred ceremony of life that must be respected.

Love,

Kimberly

Coconut keeper and lover!

 

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The Enormous Difference Between Raw Foods and Living Foods

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Hi Guys!

I hope you are having a great, post-holiday week. I hear it is really hot in NY, so if you are in a hot city hope you are drinking lots of room-temperature water to hydrate!

I’m here having a fabulous time at the Ann Wigmore Institute. There is so much to talk about, I had to divide this original blog up into 3 or 4 posts. :) But I thought I would start with a topic that has really been on my mind lately, and is emphasized so much here at the Ann Wigmore Institute.

Dr. Ann Wigmore was a true pioneer and her legacy has changed nutrition and the health movement forever. Before she passed away in 1994 (from a fire by the way, not old age), she already wrote extensively on the difference between just eating raw food and actually eating in a superior and nourishing way, which she termed Living Foods. Even back then, in the 60’s, 70’s, 80’s and early 90’s, the raw food movement was around. Dr. Wigmore observed that many people on a raw food diet, but not a Living Foods diet, had acidic bodies, were deficient in certain important minerals and compounds, had weight and skin problems (like acne) and were certainly toxic. I think if she saw aspects of the raw food movement today she would be horrified!!!! So why is it that if someone is eating “all raw” they can still be so incredibly unhealthy?? There are lots of reasons, but I’ll list a few here:

  1. Living foods are made up of whole, organic plant foods, with an emphasis on greens, sprouts, fresh fruit, and some nuts and seeds. Today the misconception is that “anything goes” as long as it is raw. So what does that mean? People LOAD up on extremely heavy dehydrated foods, tons of oil, cacao, agave, too much sea salt, “superfoods,” way too many (unsprouted) nuts and the like. The emphasis on the simplicity of nature, and greens, has been diminished!
  1. Dr. Wigmore said the most important part of eating Living Foods was eating some blended foods, so you would get the every important benefits of the foods without having to work to digest them, and you would retain the fiber in the food to help create bulk in the colon to sweep out toxicity. This is what the Glowing Green Smoothie is based on loves!! There is a science to it!! If you juice, you remove all the dietary fiber. There are benefits to that as well- but know that you are not getting blended food.

Even if we ate salads all day, most of us don’t chew well enough to get the volume of nutrients in that we would get from some blended foods. BTW, we have some chewing classing here, and it really is amazing how much we need to chew to get the nutrition out!! I was shocked! I thought I was a slow eater, but now that I am conscious, I am a slow eater times 10! :)   It can take me 45 minutes to finish a bowl of Energy Soup.

 

 

3. Living foods emphasize digestion, so contain lots of easily digestible fermented foods, such as Rejuvelac and raw sauerkraut, and you MUST soak and sprout your seeds and nuts! Dr. Wigmore believed the reason so many raw foodists have acidic bodies is they are eating the nuts and seeds without preparing them properly to remove the inhibitor enzymes, which keeps the nutrition dormant in the human body, and makes them acid-forming and mucus-forming.

4. Agave is a HUGE no-no. I know, it sucks because it is so easy to use and makes things so damn tasty! I used to use it and promote it! But the truth is that anything that is too easy and too good to be true like that…usually is. If you look at it closely, you may wonder how it arrived as a syrup that way. Maybe you’ve noticed that I have been saying little quips against agave here and there for the last year or so. I’ve also tried to remove it from as many places in this blog as I could find.

I used to think it was okay- after all the whole raw food world seems to think it is okay! It’s low glycemic, isn’t it? It’s from a plant, isn’t it? It is used without limit in many instances in the raw food world. I’m going to do a whole post on this soon. But the truth is that agave is almost pure fructose, and fructose makes you fat and destroys the collagen in the skin. I think that is one reason why raw foodists that eat it every day gain weight.

I used to promote it too! So don’t feel bad because I don’t. I didn’t fully realize back then how bad it was- but I know now! There is such great marketing attached to it. And I am not being judgmental. When you know better you do better. And I am sharing this with you because I highly recommend for you to cut it out of your diet 100%, the way I have. You have to be careful, because unfortunately now it is in everything from energy bars to raw granola. Read the labels and avoid, avoid, avoid!! I will write extensively on this topic in another post. Stay tuned folks!

 

5. Living Foods do not contain a lot of dehydrated foods. This is sort of related to #1. Dehydrated foods are considered transitional foods for those weaning off of cooked food. Dehydrated foods are concentrated with no water, and very dense. They can be very constipating, and do not promote cleansing and lightness! Dehydrated hemp burgers, too many flax crackers…

I think people rely way too much on dehydrated foods. I make them for dinner parties and when I’m making food for those that eat meat and cooked food, to show them raw food can taste really good. But as you elevate the level of health and wellness, the dehydrated food becomes a tiny fraction of the diet. Dr. Wigmore said dehydrated food should be used very sparingly, like for special occasions or a little bit here and there. Like I was saying in #1!

6. Okay, so sorry to keep harping in on #1! But we can’t rely too much on cacao or oil to make things taste good. Our taste buds are getting used to too much stimulation, and then we aren’t satisfied anymore with a plain salad or a Glowing Green Smoothie. We don’t need all that stuff all the time- keep it simple.

Alright, that is my manifesto for tonight! My brain is bursting with so much to say but I have to say nighty now. The internet is slow and it took me forever to get the post up. But a small price to pay! I LOVE the island life and the lack of technology, TVs, air conditioning (at least here!), etc. and wearing flip flops all day and jumping in and out of the ocean 3 or 4 times a day between classes!

I’ll write more soon!

I wrote this post not to burst your bubble, but because I love you and want you to feel your best and reach the highest level of health that you can reach!

Love, Kimberly

Update: Lessons on Body Image from High Schoolers

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Hi Guys! So back in February I got this sweet email from a 17-year old boy about girl issues and a girl he liked being offended when he said she looked “healthy.” Here’s the original post. I posted the initial back and forth, and over the last few months we’ve exchanged a few emails. Heck, I remember being 17, and being really self conscious and not really knowing who I was!! I would hide under ugly turtlenecks and baggy shorts and hated that my hair wasn’t straight! :)

BUT- happy ending!!! Last night I got a sweet email from the GIRL!! Their names are changed and I got their enthusiastic permission to retell their story of teenage love (ahhhhhhh, 16 Candles anyone??).

(Here’s the emails from Feb).

Dear Kimberly,

My name is Kyle and I’m 17 years old.  I know this might not be your particular area of expertise, but since you deal with beauty and self-image issues I thought you might have some good insight on an experience I recently had.  It involved a girl I had just met at a dance.  We talked for a good half hour and seemed to be hitting it off.  She was very pretty, smart and nice.  We even exchanged email addresses.  I was so excited!

Then, things suddenly went downhill.  I commented that she had a “really nice, hourglass figure”. I thought she would take it as a compliment but instead she became deeply offended.  I went into damage control mode and tried to clarify my comments but I think I only made things worse when I used the term “healthy”. With a look of complete disgust, WHAP!, she slapped my face and departed.

As I was standing there alone rubbing my cheek, with my friends nearby laughing at me, I was wondering why she was so offended.  She had a classic hourglass figure – very busty, narrow waist, shapely hips/legs. I guess she had interpreted “hourglass” as meaning big/overweight/full figured. Why can’t girls embrace their curves?

Btw, I do have her email address.  Do you think I should her an apology note or should I interpret the slap in the face as another way of saying she does not want to see me again?

–kyle

HERE’S MY REPLY BACK TO HIM:

Hi Kyle!

I usually take up to a few weeks to answer someone back, when I get swamped, but your email was to sweet and sincere to put off!

You are a fantastic writer and you should pursue something that involves writing as you go to college and eventually choose your career. I am impressed. Teenagers can have a very hard time expressing themselves adequately in words. You are lucky because you can do that through your writing, which not everyone can.

For this reason, I would highly recommend emailing her, and explain what you were really trying to communicate. Use the words “beautiful” and “attractive.” I am personally trying to change womens’ interpretations to view the word “healthy” is actually the body adjective we should strive for. Unfortunately, it does get interpreted differently. A girl that is even slightly self-conscious of her body, which is pretty much every teenage girl, and most women in the world (!), will interpret someone saying she is “healthy” as a nice way of saying fat.

Every girl wants to feel beautiful and attractive. So also tell her that you wouldn’t think she would be any more attractive if she was stick-skinny, and the reason you said she was “healthy” was because healthy is synonymous with “beautiful.” I think the world would be a much better place if women knew that guys like you thought that healthy was much more attractive, and if women thought the world “healthy” was a huge compliment. We do not all have to fit into one stereotype. It starts even earlier than 17, but especially at your age, if girls embraced their bodies it would save so much wasted energy and heartache down the road.

Keep in touch, and let me know it goes with your lady!
All my very best, Kimberly

FROM LAST NIGHT

Hi Kim.  This is Adriana, the girl that Kyle met at the dance a while back.  I don’t know how to thank you for giving him advice.  It turns out that he’s a really sweet guy and we have a great relationship.  Lots of guys my age are jerks and I guess I assumed the worst about him when he made the “hourglass” comment.  I’m happy with my body shape but it’s really frustrating to be judged for your bra size and not your brains.  I do remember that he looked ashamed rather than angry after I slapped him and I was hoping I was wrong about him.  I was thrilled when I saw and read his email!

 

We’re having a great time and can now laugh about the first time we met. Kyle is great guy and a true gentleman.  He’s also really tall too, at 6’6″, and I’m a short girl at 5’2″.  I really had to reach in order to connect with that slap, lol.  But I also assured him that I would never slap his handsome face ever again and planted a big kiss on his cheek :-)

 

Without your help, this might not have happened so you should feel great!

Adriana

Sooooooooooo sweeeeeeeeeeeeet!!! Who doesn’t love a happy ending?!! The heart of it was that he thought she was beautiful and great all along, but  we girls are really the complicated ones with body image and words, and boys mean well, but can sometimes be boneheads when it comes to the right words and communication. :) Glad it all worked out. The young uns’ are happy!! Yay!!

Alright, back to work now!

Oodles and oodles of love to you.

Kimberly

 

How to Eat Like an Islander… and Get Beautiful in the Process!

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Hi Guys!

I have been fortunate enough to spend many months of my life on many islands across Asia and the Pacific, including islands that are part of Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand, Fiji, Hawaii and Polynesia. The people that live on these islands and in the remote communities and villages I visited were so beautiful, full of life force, spirit and happiness. There was a presence that is hard for me to describe- the locals are really intertwined in each moment of life. These islands have nourished me, and rejuvenated me on so many levels… and not to mention shaped aspects of my nutritional philosophy that could never be learned from a textbook.

As we come into summer, and the heat index is rising here in NYC, I can feel my body shifting to adjust to the seasons. Accordingly, my diet is adjusting as well. In this climate, my diet is closer to how I ate on these islands.

Here are some of my thoughts:

1. I say this time and time again, but here goes: Do not eat a heavy breakfast. You will not see islanders hunkered down in a café, eating the likes of egg white omelets, bagels and fat-free cream cheese, or Cheerios and skim milk. No! The islanders are out on the fishing boats in the morning, running around and setting up their shops and places of business for a full day ahead. They drink beverages, or may have some fruit, but they stay very light, which keeps them on their toes.

Don’t you get weighed down with a heavy breakfast! Have your Green Smoothie, and become more beautiful every morning!

2. Fruit it up! One of the most important detox fruits is pineapple, because the bromelain enzyme it contains helps bust up toxins in the body. I don’t really do set “cleanses” from time to time, because the honest truth is that I am constantly cleansing from my lifestyle diet. I don’t believe in short-term diets.

In the summer, sometimes I’ll do a few days in a row like this: Green Smoothie for breakfast, pineapple for lunch, Green Smoothie a few hours later, a bowl of blueberries, then a salad for dinner. I’m going to put my beloved father on a program like this soon- he just doesn’t know it yet. :) My beloved mother will support me with this for him as well.

Summer is the season for fruit! We don’t intuitively need heavier foods like we do in the winter.

3. Drink your coconut water if you are active. If you are not active, I don’t recommend having very much of it. Why? It still has sugar calories in a liquid form. If I was sitting at a desk all day and went home and watched TV, I would NOT drink coconut water! But now when I am sweating my _____ off doing yoga, I am drinking coconut water. When I was in Bora Bora and doing yoga on the beach every day, sometimes I would eat/drink 4 coconuts a day. But that was also a big part of my diet. I worry that with the recent coconut water craze people will drink coconut water in addition to their 3 course dinners or turkey sandwich lunches, then get fat, then blame it on the coconut water. It really is for active people. Of course, if someone insists on drinking something with flavor it is better than any soda or pasteurized fruit drink out there!

The Polynesian guy in the picture showed me how to drive a stake into a log in the jungle, then smash a coconut on top to make a hole and pour the coconut water right into my mouth! He also had a technique for squeezing the mature coconut meat to get the coconut milk out, which was quite interesting!

4. No dairy. Dairy is not a natural food of the islands, and you tell by how much better their skin is in general. Avoid, avoid, avoid. Say goodbye to the milk, the cheese, and the highly overrated (and still pasteurized and problematic) yogurt. GOODBYE ugly clogger!

5. Yes, there is some fish and other animal products in some islanders’ diets, but it is WAY less than what the typical Westener eats. And last time I checked, there was no factory farms on Koh Phi Phi, Thailand.  If you do choose to eat some animals (which I personally do not), then make sure they are hormone and steroid-free, and cut back your quantities and frequency of eating them.

6. Celebrate your food! Eat with relish and gratefulness and a joyous attitude. Food helps support our God-given life force. All of us are so lucky, in so many ways.

Much, much Love.

Warmly and with More Love, Kimberly

Tumerica- !

18 Replies

Hi Loves! Hope you had a great weekend. I wanted to share with you an amazing beauty and health elixir created by my friend and fellow yogi Daniel Sullivan. I talk about turmeric on my blog so much, and after Friday’s post I was thinking about ways I could encourage all of us to get more into our diets. Then I thought, “Duh!” Why don’t I share with everyone about Daniel’s fabulous endeavors?!! Below is my interview with Daniel.

 

 

KS: What is Tumeric- (www.tumericalive.com) all about?

Daniel: Tumeric- is a transformational anti-inflammatory Elixir. It is effective in combatting literally all known inflammatory agents thereby reducing risk of cancer, arthritis, asthma, Alzheimer’s Disease, and chronic fatigue. Our therapeutic enzymatic formulas empower immune response, improve memory and facilitate fat metabolism. Tumeric- Elixir of Longevity energizes the body and helps maintain a healthy balanced weight.  Curcumin, the active ingredient in turmeric root, can actually reset and realign your genes, activating your life’s highest health potential.
Tumeric- is an antioxidant detox blend, which alkalizes the body, chelates, or draws, heavy metals from blood and tissue, rejuvenates the skin, and lowers high blood pressure and bad cholesterol.

Our beverage is high in anti-oxidants and can strengthen weakened cells, and increase serotonin and dopamine levels in the brain.  The Tumeric- Evolution of Nutrition promotes a very graceful aging experience.

Each bottle is artisanally and energetically handcrafted with a purpose and a destination.  We strongly believe that our vision, guided by great passion and Love for our product, will manifest and proactively change and improve the lives of many.  Our goal is to enable people to realize and activate their fullest health potential through awareness, education and experience.  Tumeric- is committed to offering the very best in natural, sustainable health and education.


KS: What inspired you to found it?

Daniel: While farming in Hawaii, Dec 2008, my dear friend Lindsey and I discovered the turmeric crop at a place called Haleakua.  I was instantly and magnetically drawn to the turmeric root.  The volcanic nutrient rich soil of Hawaii was the perfect place to cultivate this tropical herb.  I ate the fresh turmeric root right out of the ground and quickly noticed transformational and healing effects.  My body and mind resonated deeply with the herb and I began researching it and talking to people about its qualities and health benefits.  My yoga practice was enlightened by the profound anti-inflammatory nature of turmeric.  Stiffness that I had experienced began to dissolve, and my energy levels increased, as well as mental clarity and blood circulation.
When I left the farm, I made it my practice to always have fresh, living turmeric with me.  For the next 10 months my relationship with turmeric evolved and I continued to nurture and to expand my awareness of its incredible healing potential.  I shared my passion and discoveries in the hope that others could heal and empower themselves through the gift of turmeric.
After trying extracts and supplements I came to realize that, for me, the best and most effective source of turmeric and curcumin was the raw root.  It was my dream to facilitate fresh enzymatic turmeric into the lives of all people.  I decided to consult a chef and to create a turmeric elixir.  Lindsey gave me some creative suggestions and I met with Chef Irek to formulate the world’s first ever fresh turmeric beverage.  We were delighted to find that the proportions of our formula were aligned with our own numerology and the number 3.

KS: Tell us about the benefits of turmeric and the other ingredients in your fabulous elixir.

Daniel:

Turmeric, the ancient root of longevity, is one of the most powerful “natural healers”.  Turmeric has been used as medicine for thousands of years. Its super potent therapeutic qualities, pleasant taste, and a beautiful bright golden colour make it a particularly attractive food.  Studies show that people who eat turmeric regularly have much lower incidence of cancer and liver disease.  Turmeric is a powerful anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antimicrobial, and anticancer agent.  It aids digestion, especially that of fats through increased bile production in the liver.   Other health benefits include:  anti-viral(flu), anti-cancer, increased energy levels, reduction of high blood pressure, and promotion of good cholesterol levels.

 

Ginger’s medicinal qualities are similar to those of turmeric.  Botanically they are very close cousins.  Ginger has been known and used for more than four thousand years.  It is one of the most powerful natural digestives, which increases flow of saliva, bile, and gastric secretions.  It is antimicrobial, antiviral, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant.  It also aids blood circulation.

 

Cayenne pepper has been used as a natural medicine for millennia.  It aids digestion, stimulates appetite, and increases blood flow to the body’s tissues.  It is a powerful antimicrobial and antioxidant agent, and also increases the effectiveness of other herbs when taken together.

 

Cardamom’s medicinal and culinary use goes back several thousands of years.  It is antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and an aphrodisiac.  It increases blood circulation, stimulates appetite, and aids in digestion.  Ancient Indians regarded it as a cure for obesity.

 

Mint has been used for millennia as a remedy for indigestion and other gastrointestinal disorders.  Mint stimulates production of bile in the liver and increases peristalsis, making it a powerful digestive agent.

 

Sun dried, hand harvested sea salt is an amazing source of bio-available ionic minerals.  It contains more than 90 minerals, including essential trace minerals. It increases blood circulation, blood supply to tissues, and it regulates blood pressure.  It stimulates flow of saliva and gastric secretions, making it essential for good digestion.

 

Organic lemon juice has a powerful alkalizing effect on our tissues.  It assists digestion, removes constipation, and regulates bile flow.  It is a powerful antibacterial agent that regulates blood pressure and also supplies vitamin A and C.  It is especially effective in combination with bio-flavonoids.

 

Honey is one of humankind’s oldest culinary and medicinal substances, and its use dates back several thousand of years.  Honey is antimicrobial and it promotes tissue healing.  Honey is also a superb source of enzymes and sugars. The honey in our formula is organic, local, unfiltered and unheated.

KS: How often do you recommend someone drink it? Once a day? More? Less? Good to have after/before yoga or other physical activity?

Daniel: I drink Tumeric- Elixir everyday and my energy energy levels are always at peak.  My body is light free, clean and clear like a crystal.  I attribute this freedom to the ‘Queen of All Herbs’, Turmeric, and our therapeutic Tumeric-Elixir.
If one could drink 8-12 onces of Tumeric-Elixir each day, you will notice significant improvements in your energy levels, mental clarity, focus, lightness of body, seratonin levels, detoxification, skin tone, asthma, allergies, digestion, fat metabolism, and immune system strength.  Tumeric- is wonderful on an empty stomach for increased absorption and bio-availability and is also great after a meal as a digestive.

 

KS: What is your favorite thing about your business?

Daniel: My favorite part of creating the Tumeric- experience is serving a fantastic healing movement and connecting with like minded, conscious, awakened, and progressive people.  I love sharing what I’ve learned on my path and I love learning from others by seeing my reflection in others.  I am fully committed to activating my highest mental, physical, and spiritual health potential and facilitating the same activation in others.

KS: Where can we get it?

Daniel: The Tumeric- grass roots expansion began and radiated from Alphabet City, a subsidiary of the East Village in downtown Manhattan.  It is from this community and neighborhood that Tumeric- will grow into national healing beverage.  The mindfulness, creative integrity, and community values of the Village are infused in Tumeric-.  We buy from, sell to, and support local business, community, and economy. By bicycle we sustainably distribute our Elixir of Longevity to health food stores, yoga studios, restaurants, gourmet markets, and bodegas.  The evolution of Tumeric- began in downtown Manhattan and will extend to reach all of the five boroughs.  The Tumeric- vision is limitless.

KS NOTE: Guys, did you read that? Tumeric- is distributed by bicycle!! You can’t get any greener than that!! For NYC locations that sell it click HERE. If you are located in New York, you MUST try it!!

Hopefully soon Tumeric- will be available nation and worldwide! Here’s the website one more time: www.tumericalive.com

Take care of you! Lots of Love, Kimberly

Sweet Walnut Chutney

16 Replies

One of my favorite cuisines in the world is Indian food. Unfortunately, not much Indian food is raw, so it is not something I get to eat very much… Occasionally if I eat it I’ll get yellow dahl with rice or some vegetable curry. Too bad the korma and masala sauces have cream! I won’t eat those dishes.

However, there are some great raw substitutes for some Indian Flava with a capital F! One thing I used to love is chutney. I just think it is a nice accompaniment to have at dinner. Here is a recipe for a raw version of chutney. My camera “yellowed” out and I took an extremely ugly picture of it as I made it tonight (top picture). :( Sorry guys! I definitely am by no means a photographer. I can’t figure out why it does that sometimes.

But to give you an idea of more of what it should look like (though this recipe will come out a lighter tan color), I posted the second picture, which isn’t this recipe! I just wanted to not have my ugly picture up there all by its lonely self. Who would want to try the recipe then?? But I assure you if you like a little sweet condiment with dinner, or with a green salad, it has quite an interesting, yummy taste.

Sweet Walnut Chutney

  • 1 cup chopped organic raw walnuts
  • 1 Tbs. raw organic honey
  • 1 tsp. cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp. turmeric
  • 4 Tbs. pure filtered water

Blend the water, honey, cinnamon and turmeric until smooth. Then throw the walnuts in and blend again, but leave it a bit chunky so don’t blend too much. I like to stick it in the oven (without turning it on) for an hour or so before dinner so it gets a little warm, like how I like it. This makes just over 1 cup. Just like regular chutney, eat as a condiment in small quantities, like 1-2 Tbs.

Turmeric is an amazing antioxidant and beauty food. It helps cleanse our systems and is great for the skin.

Memorial Day Weekend a la NYC

31 Replies

Hi Guys!

I hope you had a great weekend! I was traveling last week, so I was happy to stay in NYC this weekend and get a lot of things done. My big project was that I officially reopened up my backyard!! I got really motivated to finish the whole thing. It involved two big trips to Home Depot to get a lot of new plants and flowers…

 

There was a lot of time to chat while my trusty Home Depot friends were helping me repot my plants. I am so  proud of my man Donovan! (Above) Here he is throwing out his Pepsi after we had a conversation that a healthy young man such as himself should not be taking down his health with SODA!! :)

Weekends in New York for me usually involve a trip to Chinatown, which is a nice 15-20 minute walk from my apartment. I always get durian, which is a fatty fruit like coconut, and has a nice thick skin for protection. I do not buy any of the cherries, blueberries, or other non-organic, non-peel fruits in Chinatown.

Durian is native to Thailand, the Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia and Vietnam. Yep, these are all countries I have traveled across and love! Durian is very high in raw beauty oleic fats, Vitamins E and A, potassium, and trypotophan! It tastes like ice cream- except more filling and it is actually beautifying! Regular ice cream made of cow’s milk dairy is of course the opposite- it destroys beauty.

I always go to my favorite fruit seller (on the NW corner of Bowery and Grand) who opens my durian for me. Then I sit at the part across the street to watch soccer while I eat at least half of the durian for an extremely filling lunch! If you go visit, tell Jay I said hello!

 

 

I started exploring other plant shops in Chinatown and stores to get more trinkets to fix up my yard… Here is my favorite Asian home/furniture in lower Soho: Pearl River.

 

 

Amongst all the lamps, and dishware, and Asian chochskies in general :) , I found…

 

This incredible Buddha! Shining from amongst all the other figurines and items around him.

I decided to splurge and get him- I had to have him for my backyard. Some New York girls splurge on Manolo Blahnik shoes…I like to splurge on huge, heavy Buddhas!

Here I am carrying him home carefully…

 

And unveiling him in his new home!

 

Here is what it looks like at night!

 

 

And this is how Buddha changed this whole corner! Who are we kidding? He changed my whole backyard.

 

I’m writing this from my outdoor table, gazing at Buddha. Remember, environment is really important and influences our energy. Spruce up your home or your desk at work with stuff that inspires you! I will write more soon. Have a good, short work week!

Lots of love, Kimberly