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Finding A Substitute for Coffee Addiction! October 17, 2010 |
Superfood Evolution Ezine -- Issue #010
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Hello friends, Welcome again to Superfood Evolution! A big thank you to all my Superfoods-for-Superhealth site visitors for your attention and support! Here we go with my monthly newsletter #10. Many of you expressed great interest in learning more about superfoods, superhealth and achieving optimal states of aliveness! So, here it is by popular demand! It is my intent to uplift and empower your true health potential to create the best life ever for you and your family. "You are what you eat" is the first rule of thumb here, the rest just falls into place!
Finding A Substitute for Coffee AddictionAlthough many of us are searching for ways to improve our health through diet, many people are still addicted to a popular substance called Coffee.The stimulation people get from drinking coffee is an expenditure of vital forces, not the kind of real energy that comes from adequate rest, exercise and superfoods that build and sustain life-force.
"Using coffee for mood enhancement is a short-term blessing and a long-term curse. While the initial adrenal stimulation may provide a transient anti-fatigue lift, caffeine's ultimate mood effect is a letdown, either subtle or profound." Patenaude Quiting the Coffee Habit For Good A coffee addiction can be a hard one to drop overnight. My suggestions for someone wanting to quit the coffee habit....are to do it slowly! Drink fewer amounts everyday, little by little decreasing your consumption. Perhaps, you may at first replace coffee with a healthier tea, like green tea or Yerba mate. But overtime, any caffeinated drinks that cause artificial stimulation are not good for long term health. There are many ways to build "chi" and provide lasting energy to the body. The Chinese have been doing it for thousands of years with their herbal system, classified as the Major tonic herbs. These powerful tonic roots are an excellent way to provide the best kind of energy, one that nurtures and strengthens the body and internal organs. Different than caffeine, which stimulates through an influx of short term superficial energy, Chinese tonic herbs move deep within to build and support energy from the ground up. (See our Cafe Tonic Mocha recipe below.) 7 Top Ways to Use Stevia SweetenerIf you have ever tried Stevia, you either like it or you don't. Some people feel it has a strong aftertaste. These days, however, there are many variations of this popular sugar substitute you might want to experiment with. Stevia is a great substitute for those with candida or diabetic concerns, naturally regulating blood sugar levels, unlike other natural sugars.I personally have had a mad love affair with Stevia for years. Being sensitive to many other high glycemic sweeteners, Stevia offers the perfect balance, either used alone or blended with other natural sweet replacements. Here are some top ways to use Stevia for those who love it and those who might want to give it another try.
1) Liquid Stevia Solution - This is probably the most palatable way to use Stevia for those who find it too intense. It is a slightly more refined version that is blended with tasty, naturally flavored tastes, like vanilla creme, root beer or toffee. It has less of a "green-chlorophyll" taste because this element has been removed. It is easy to use and only takes a few drops to do the trick.
2) Whole Leaf Stevia Concentrate - This is a great way to use Stevia if you like the "whole plant nutrition", but still want the convenience of using a dropper bottle.
3) Stevia Packets - Many people are used to using packets of nutri-sweet and white sugar. For those who are making the transition, Stevia also comes in white powdered packets you can buy boxed. They can also be carried easily in a bag or purse, so you are prepared when eating out.
4) Stevia White Powder Extract - Similar to Stevia solution above, but this is the refined white powder that results when the chlorophyll component has been removed. It is a much healthier option for those who are used to the "whiteness" of other refined sweeteners.
5) Stevia Green Powder - Probably the most simple, processed version of this sugar substitute. This powder is made directly from the green leaves of the Stevia plant. Stevia Powder - 1lb
6) Dried Stevia Leaves - You can also buy Stevia leaf dried in bulk quantities. It is great for storing and maintaining more of it's nutritionally integrity. You can always powder it up when your ready to use it OR add it to teas.
7) Fresh Stevia leaves - I have actually grown this amazing plant in my own backyard. It can get quite tall and the leaves are dense, thick and sweet. Picking your own freshly harvested leaves is an excellent way to use it. You can blend them into desserts or drinks, or add them to an herbal tea recipe. Astragalus - The Amazing "Chi" Tonic
Astragalus (Astragalus membranaceus) is one of the great Chinese tonic herbs, and commonly known in the West to enhance the immune system. In fact, it is one of the most important double-direction immune-modulating herbs in the world, building vital energies and strengthening the primary energy of the body and all the metabolic, respiratory and digestive functions. For this reason, Astragalus, is used around the world for its energy enhancing qualities that build "Chi" naturally. Astragalus Root Slices - 1lb
We use it in 3 different ways:
Most of the time I use all three methods when I really want to boost up for periods of intense computer work or physical exertion. Sometimes, I actually chew on a bit of the sweet tasting root, which is sold sliced into long pieces.
It is especially helpful in cases of chronic fatique, exhaustion, during illness, or as one ages, to counteract the effects of gravity that pull the body down. Astragalus enriches the "Upright Qi", which is the energy used by the body to maintain an upright posture and healthy positioning of the internal organs, depleted Upright Qi causes sinking, or a "prolapse," of the organs.
Astragalus ( Astragalus membranaceus ) 1 Oz Herb Pharm
BOOK REVIEW:The Stevia StoryThe Stevia Story: A Bittersweet Tale
by Donna Gates, Linda Bonvie, Bill Bonvie
Donna Gates is a world renown health motivator and author of the Body Ecology Diet. She writes this book, along with two co-authors, to provide an intriguing historical tale of Stevia and it's use throughout the ages up to it's modern day use as an alternative sugar substitute. There is interesting research into the FDA's involvement to suppress the use of Stevia as a sweetener. The book discusses the dangers of saccharine and aspartame in common foods most people eat everyday. It gives an informative account of the use of this sweet plant with recipes and even a section on how to grow your own stevia plant.
Recipe of the Month:Cafe Tonic Mocha
This hot cup of brew will not only give you the "real energy" you deserve, but also provides the kind that lasts over the course of a lifetime. We discuss the benefits of using Astragalus and the superhealth supporting actions it promotes, now you can experience them for yourself in this delicious cup of Chinese tonic herb "java". A great coffee substitute when you are trying to break the habit. It will actually begin to tonify areas that a coffee addiction often depletes.
We like to use a bit of cacao because it provides a bitterness similar to coffee bean, along with some theobromine. The ginger helps deliver the health properties of medicinal mushrooms and Astragalus root. In addition, Chaga mushroom also gives a nice coffee-like flavor. A delicious un-coffee we know you will enjoy!
SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS:
DVD of the Month:Raw For Life!Raw For Life: The Ultimate Encyclopedia of the Raw Food Lifestyle
This 2 part Dvd is a great introduction to the raw, living food lifestyle and perfect for anyone new to the subject, as well as entertaining for any raw food enthusiast. An inspiring message and interviews with leading edge superfood and raw health motivators. This farely low budget documentary is narrated by Kirt Tyson, who also starred in the Simple Raw Dvd, Reversing Diabetes in 30 days.
It includes recipes and discusses benefits of the raw food diet which make this lifestyle encouraging and accessible. The menu selection breaks down the categories as seen below. Disk 1 Topics include: Starting Out - with Reverend Michael Beckwith, Woody Harrelson Disk 2 Topics include: Nutrition - with Woody Harrelson, Brian Clement PhD, and Brendan Brazier
Thanks for joining me on my tenth edition of Superfood Evolution. If you would like to subscribe or tell a friend click here.
Until next month... Here's to your Superhealth! Much love, Shira
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