Some quotes . . .

The spirit is larger than the body. The body is pathetic compared to what we have inside us.

Diana Nyad, care of Claire Koch

Meditation is not about staying in the Present, but about returning to the Present.

Dr. Sandra Toledo, Sound Meditation Class, Sanoviv

The Hawaiian value of aloha: The way people understand the essence of your spirit is through what they see in your alo, or the face you put forth to the rest of the world. Ha is the breath of life – it’s who you are as an inherently good human being. A person can always breathe in and remember who they are. Put those two parts together and you have the concept of living from the inside out. When your alo is an authentic match with the spirit of your ha, that’s when the aloha spirit manifests. It’s self-love as well as the love for other people.

Rosa Say, Managing With Aloha

The Hawaiian value of ho’ohana: So many people do work because they’ve fallen into it or because of the expectations of others. Maybe their parents wanted them to be a lawyer or a doctor. Ho’o, a prefix that turns a noun into a verb, means to make something happen. Hana is the word for work. With ho’ohana, you do the work that feels good to you and to your aloha spirit. Work in a way that feels intentional, purposeful, and important because it’s an expression of who you are and what you can offer the world.

Rosa Say, Managing With Aloha

Instead of using a pH stick, you can use “Pee-H.” Purple, or red, cabbage provides one of the single best nutritional bangs for your buck, and you can even use it to perform kitchen chemistry experiments, or in this case, bathroom chemistry. Boil some purple cabbage until the water turns deep purple, or blend raw cabbage with some water and then strain out the solids. Pee into your toilet then take your purple-cabbage water and pour it into the toilet bowl. (Low-flow toilets work best, because there’s less water in the bowl.) If the liquid in the toilet bowl remains purple, or even worse, turns pink, your urine is too acidic. Blue is the target. If your pee and cabbage water turns blue, your urine is not acidic but neutral, or even basic.

Dr. Michael Greger, How Not To Die & NutritionFacts.Org

Serving beets at breakfast allows you to check your bowel transit time. Anywhere from 30-40 hours is considered normal. You should take notice of when the beets have transited through your system. The longer food takes to pass through the colon, the more harmful bacterial degradation products are produced. When the transit time is shorter, the colon produces more substances that renew its inner surface, indicating a sign of a healthier intestinal wall.

Nutrition Class (after beets for breakfast), Sanoviv

Stress is not the same as “not relaxing.” In our society, we think of “relaxing” as sitting in front of the television, talking with friends, playing a game of Solitaire, or even reading a book. But these are all actually stressful, because our system sees anything but actual sleep, a nap, or similar as a stress. You need to add these into your life and get 7-8 hours of good sleep every night, and don’t con yourself into thinking that watching TV is “de-stressing” you. It’s not. The only thing that actually makes the mind relax is sleep or pseudo-sleep. It is incredibly important to get this into your day, every day. One “hallmark” is if you are yawning. If you are yawning, then you’re generally feeling in that relaxed mode.

Dr. Chong, Stress v. Relaxation Seminar, Sanoviv

I know that I am feeling ___[peace, anger]____. I know that ___[peace, anger]_____ is with me. (The idea of saying this quote to yourself is so that you re-member that you are just “feeling” these emotions, not that they are “in” you. They are “with” you – and they will subside.)

thich nhat hanh

please remember that hubby doesn’t know (and would NOT like the fact) that I am keeping this blog. So if you’re with us (or him) let’s not mention it, shall we?? I hear that Mexican divorces are swift and efficient…

Recipes…

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Flax Veggie Tortillas

In the bowl of a high-speed blender or a Cuisinart-type device, first pour in about 10 cups of chopped up yellow squash (or zucchini, or peeled pumpkin, or other vegetable like that). Add 5 cups of yellow pepper (or red pepper, it’s just yellow with the yellow squash = prettier), then 3 cups of ground flax seed, and 1 tablespoon salt. It’s important that the veggies are on the bottom/blade side. Turn the machine on a fairly low cycle until you have everything mixed into the consistency of a batter. Pour the batter onto a baker sheet and put in your dehydrator at about 105 degrees until they are dehydrated, but still “bendy.” (In theirs, about 9 hours.)

Apple, Zucchini or Sweet Potato Chips

Mandoline the fruit or veg that you’re using. For the zucchini, you can use a fairly thick setting, but for something like the sweet potato, which takes a lot longer to dry, use a thinner setting. For the veg, pour some coconut aminos into a bowl, and flavor it with what you’d like – salt, pepper, herbs, whatever. Dip the veg in, then shake it and put it on the dehydrator “shelf” (without the baker sheet), so that the air can circulate to both sides.

For the sweet potato, another choice is to dip them in lemon juice and sea salt – make them thin, and then “overlap” the slices so that you have one long “chip.”

For the apple, use the mandoline starting at the base of the apple – discard the first couple of slices – and push the seeds out of the middle slices. This will give you the most even drying slices. (Versus doing it on the side and trying to “avoid” the seeds.) Because the apple is sweet, you can dehydrate it without any other flavoring.

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Flax Seed/Brazil Nut Nut-ola

(6 servings/3 cups): 1 cup whole organic flax seeds, 1 cup raw sunflower seeds, 2 cups Brazil nuts, ¼ teaspoon unrefined sea salt, ½ tablespoon cinnamon, ½ cup pitted dates (8 or so), 1-2 cups of water, 1 tablespoon of grade B maple syrup. (You can do this with whatever nuts you like, add coconut flakes, pumpkin seeds, etc.) Soak the nuts and seeds in water and leave them overnight in a lightly covered glass bowl (not metal or plastic). The next day, drain and rinse. Put half of the nuts and all of the flax seeds into a food processor and blend until ground. Take the remaining nuts and crush them a bit, putting everything into a large bowl. Mix the sea salt and cinnamon together and add to the mixture, then put the dates in a blender with a cup of water and the maple syrup, and blend (this should have the consistency of syrup – if you add more water, it will be less sweet). Mix the dry mixture with the date/syrup blend, using your hands to be sure everything is evenly coated. Press handfuls of the mixture together to release any extra oil from the nuts. Spread the mixture onto dehydrator sheets and dry at 120 degrees for 24-48 hours depending on the “crunchiness” you want (longer times will make it more crunchy and dry). Store in a glass jar or bowl with a tight lid.

Sanoviv Dip

2 cups of coconut cream, or 1 can of coconut milk (use the entire can – organic); 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice; 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves; 2 cloves chopped garlic; 1/4 cup chopped almonds; 1 tablespoon organic coconut oil; pinch of salt and pinch of cumin. Put all the ingredients into a blender until a “dip” consistency is reached.

Paleo Pancakes

(Makes 4 pancakes/2 servings) 1 cup of almond flour, ¼ cup of coconut flour, 3 organic eggs, 1-2 tablespoons of raw honey, ½ teaspoon of cinnamon, ½ teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon of raw ground (unsweetened) organic cacao powder, 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract, ½ teaspoon of sea salt, 2 tablespoons of ghee or coconut oil. Combine the dry ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Mix the wet ingredients (eggs, honey, vanilla) and then gradually add to the dry ingredients until the mixture is smooth. Add 1 tablespoon of ghee or coconut oil to a skillet that has been warmed over medium heat, then pour batter onto the skillet to make two pancakes. Flip the pancakes after 2-3 minutes, cook for another 2-3 minutes. Then add the rest of the ghee or coconut oil to the pan to make the other two pancakes. Serve topped with nut butter, coconut shreds, mashed berries.

Homemade Coconut Yogurt

FWIW, H and I find this very very sour.

Ingredients: 4 cups of chopped coconut meat from young coconuts, 2 cups of raw coconut water (from the coconuts, or Harmless Harvest)*, 1 teaspoon vanilla, 1/2 teaspoon of probiotic powder (example, 2 packets of USANA brand probiotic) OR diary-free yogurt starter, pinch of unrefined sea salt, 1 teaspoon raw honey. Blend all ingredients except the probiotic in a high-speed blender, adding the coconut water slowly, only until smooth and creamy. Blend in the probiotic at the slowest speed. Pour yogurt into a one-quarter Mason jar, leaving about 3 inches of space at the top. Cover with the lid, and let the yogurt ferment at about 105 degrees for 8 hours (my daughter uses her InstaPot overnight). The yogurt can also be left for up to 24 hours in your oven with the door closed and the oven light on. Once fermented, add additional raw honey if needed. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours before eating. *OPTION: Use canned organic coconut milk instead of fresh coconut meat and water – use 2 cans. The recommended brand is Native Forest. To thicken it to the desired consistency, add unsweetened organic coconut shreds. Often found at Trader Joes, can also be found HERE.

Date Rolls

These are great for a little energy in the day. In a food processor, put nuts that you like that you have already chopped coursely. Add dehydrated (unsweetened) coconut, about 1 tsp of coconut oil and 1 tsp raw honey, plus 4-5 dates. Pulse until it sticks together (easier if you have chopped the dates up first). You may not need as much coconut oil, it is what helps to blend it. Roll in more of the chopped nuts. They are very dense calorically so eat slowly!

NOTE: They made another version of these that were deemed Cinnamon Nut Rolls. They were so good. Basically it was the same as the above, but they added cinnamon to the recipe, plus they added some of the dehydrated almond pulp that comes out of the nut bag when you are making nut milk (see below), plus some vanilla. NOM NOM NOM! Didn’t get the “proportions,” but that’s where the fun of cooking comes in :-)

Polyphenol Power Breakfast

Polyphenols in food change your gut microbiome within 24 hours, increasing the “good” bacteria and decreasing the bad. Aspartame kills your microbiome (like an antibiotic does). Lack of sleep does the same. Having a microbiome imbalance is called “dysbiosis.” Blueberries, dark chocolate (preferably organic cacao e.g. no sugar at all), hazelnuts, pecans, peppermint, and ground flax seeds (human body can’t process otherwise) are full of them. They can all be added to this base: 1 cup brewed green tea, 3/4 cup red leaf lettuce, 1/4 c. whole raw oats (need to be sure that they have no glycophate, i.e. RoundUp – check online the oats and all brands you’re going to use to be sure SPOILER ALERT – Bob’s Red Mill DOES), 2 scoops of a protein powder that works for you, 1/2 cup blueberries. VitaMix and enjoy!

nut milk

To make nut milk, take the raw nuts you’d like to use (macadamia, brazil, almond, hazelnut, etc.) and soak them overnight in water. The water needs to cover the nuts. Keep them out of the light while you do this. The next day, pour the water off through a sieve and wash the nuts. Add the nuts to 3x the amount of water. So if you have 1 cup of nuts, use 3 cups of water. If you would like your nut milk a little sweeter, add one date to each cup of nuts. Using a high-speed blender (e.g., VitaMix), start out slow until the nuts are pretty ground, then put it on high speed for about a minute. Turn it off, and, using a nut milk bag (you can buy these online), pour the mixture off into the nut milk bag, which is inside of a pitcher or other large bowl. Squeeze the bag until all the liquid is out. You can reserve the fiber that is now in the bag to use it as the crust for a paleo pie, or if you would like to dehydrate it (about 17 hours at about 105 degrees), this will become nut flour that you can use to bake things (for example, the Paleo Bread). The nut milk will keep in the fridge for about a week, but you will need to mix it as it will start to “settle” after a day or so. (NOTE: When I make it, I keep a “bartender spoon” in the pitcher, so that I can “twirl” it back into milk.) If you make hemp seed milk (using the same 1:3 proportion) you do NOT need the nut milk bag, as there is not enough fiber to necessitate straining. Oh – and I think it goes without saying that peanuts are not nuts – they grow underground and are legumes. So you can’t do this with peanuts.

smoothie ideas

1. pineapple, mango, date, avocado, pecan. Add enough coconut water (or regular water, or ice – after it’s already mixed) to make the desired consistency.
2. strawberry, date, avocado, almonds. Same re the water. BE SURE to use organic strawberries – they are the #2 pesticide-ridden food. Avocados, on the other hand, are the #1 not-pesticide-ridden food, so it’s not critical that they are organic. (If you give a small donation to the charity EWG.org, they will give you the “dirty dozen” and “clean thirteen” on a keychain, to attach to your grocery bag.

Chia pudding

Chia and spirulina were what the Aztec warriors used when they were in battle or on long treks. It provided enough nourishment for them to keep going, and are deemed “superfoods.” To make the pudding, take 1 cup chia seeds, 3 cups coconut yogurt (or almond/coconut milk. For a “savory” one, add lemon peel, ginger, cardamom and warmed lemongrass (needs to be softened). Put in blender, let the chia fibers “turn it into” pudding. If you want a sweet one, mix vanilla, unsweetened dried coconut, plus berries, or you can mix the vanilla, coconut and “apple pie spices” to make one that tastes like apple pie. If you need it sweeter, add a small amount of raw honey or a small amount of stevia.

Quick awesome smoothie

coconut water (for a potassium boost – they only recommend Harmless Harvest or if you get it out of the coconut itself); kale (stem removed) for iron; pineapple for Vitamin C and digestive enzymes (bromelain); full lemon (rind and seeds have good things for you); fresh coconut meat (if available – i.e. if you made your own coconut water); 1/2 c. walnuts that have been soaked overnight, water discarded (good for the brain and decreases the acid that often makes your soft palate “shred”), a couple scoops of a protein of your choice. Blend, then add the ice after to make it “thicker” or it will not mix at all.

Teas: Ginger, Basil Blossom or Rosemary

Rosemary tea offers a pine flavor and aromatic fragrance that is invigoraing and rejuvenating. It can help: (a) ease digestion, because its carnosic acid is a potent antimicrobial and helps balance the microflora and good bacteria in your gut; (b) decrease oxidative stress, because it has polyphenols and flavonoids which are both antioxidants (this is why essential oil doesn’t work as well as the whole plant – that is distilled out); and (c) increase cognitive function during aging, because cooking with just 1/2 teaspoon as been proven in medical studies to improve alertness and speed of memory during aging. Avoid rosemary if you are allergic to pine trees or aspirin.

Ginger is great for lessening nausea symptoms, digestive issues, reducing muscle pain, migraines and lowering cholesterol levels and lessening fatty-liver damage. If you can find a ginger root “shaped like a person” that is the best, per Chinese medicine.

Basil is a great: anti-inflammatory; antioxidant; pain reducer; anti-stress solution (especially after a long day); source of iron. It has Euginol oil, which is similar to ibuprofen in anti-inflammatory effect. (HOWEVER, do not take basil essential oil internally – it is too strong and toxic to the liver.)

In each case, start with 1 cup boiling water.

To make the ginger tea, break off about 1 inch of the ginger root (to yield about 1 Tablespoon when prepared). Peel it, and either slice it very thinly, or grate it to maximize the surface area. Add to the boiling water for at least 10 minutes and let steep. For stronger tea, simmer the ginger in the water for another 10 minutes (you will need a little extra water for the water that will become steam – put a lid on the pot). Add lemon or raw honey if desired.

For the rosemary tea, wash it, and peel off the “needles” by pulling backwards from the tip toward the base. The stem can be reserved for adding to soup stock/bone broth/etc. Crush the needles slightly by rolling them in your hands, then drop the needles into your cup. (Slowing holding your palms to your nose and mouth and breathing in slowly through your nose activates the rosemary in your sinuses and is very good for stress reduction while also being invigorating.) Pour the boiling water over the needles, and let steep for 5 minutes. Add lemon or raw honey if desired.

For the basil tea, use 1 tablespoon basil blossoms, or 2 tablespoons of fresh chopped basil leaves. Remove the stem, which can be bitter. Using the leaves renders a grassier taste while steeping the flowers develops a sweeter, slightly spicier taste.

On Basil Varieties:

African Basil has the highest level of Eugenol (the anti-inflammatory compound similar to ibuprofen); Thai Basil is associated with the reduction of stress (NOTE: This is what we used, it was great); French Basil is commonly used for aromatherapy to help lessen migraine symptoms; Holy Basil (a/k/a Tulsi) is a common tea staple in India and tends to have a sweeter taste.

Wild basil or “exotic” basil is not recommended for infusions or consumption, because of the eugenol – be sure to use a type that you know due to liver effects.

In all cases, don’t steep for more than 5 minutes. If you want more flavor, add more herbs. Take the herb out at the 5 minute mark.

NOTE: This was where the ThinkSport thermos was genius – it has a small removable strainer in the top, so that you can make the tea into it and the strainer keeps the rosemary, ginger, etc. from pouring out into your cup.

Green Pina colada smoothie

Blend all of the following until smooth, in a high-speed blender:

1 fresh young coconut, which yields about 1 cup of coconut water + 1 cup of soft young coconut meat; if you don’t have one, use 1/2 cup of canned organic unsweetened coconut milk (example, Native Forest brand); 1 cup pineapple (use the core!); 1 cup of kale (without the stem); 1/4 lemon with or without rind depending on your preference; 1/4 cup of walnuts, 1 cup of ice. Add coconut water (Harmless Harvest) to make smooth and desired consistency.

Electrolyte Beverage

I took a photo of this and inserted it in a previous post, but I will just type it in here. This is a concentrated mixture – you make it into ice cubes, then add them to melt into the water. The best natural electrolyte replacement is raw, unprocessed coconut water. If you can’t actually obtain it from young coconuts, “Harmless Harvest” is the only recommended brand. Blend the following ingredients in a high-speed blender and make ice cubes, or you can store in a Mason jar in the fridge, though the ice cubes last forever; from the fridge you need to drink it within a few days. Combine:

2 Tbs fresh squeezed lemon juice, 2 Tbs fresh squeezed lime juice, 3/4 cup of raw coconut water, 1/4 tsp raw honey, 1/4 tsp of unrefined full-spectrum salt (not table salt – so for example pink Himalayan salt, Hawaiian black salt, etc. Table salt doesn’t have the full spectrum of salts that you want in an electrolyte beverage).

Infused Water

Here are some recommended combinations for infused water. You want to infuse the water and put it into the refrigerator – put it into as big of a pitcher as you have. At the end of the day, eat what’s in the water, and make a new one tomorrow. ;-) 1. Rosemary and Watermelon; 2. Cucumber & Ginger; 3. Blueberries & Mint Leaves; 4. Mandarin Orange; 5. Grapefruit & Rosemary; 6. Grape, Strawberry & Lime; 7. Cut Apples and Cinnamon Sticks.

Golden Milk

Ingredients: ¼ cup of water, 1 teaspoon of turmeric, 1 cup of almond milk or other nut milk, 1 tablespoon of almond/coconut oil (optional), Pinch of cardamom, Pinch of black pepper, 1 small piece of ginger root (peeled and minced). Optional: ½ teaspoon of cinnamon, 1 teaspoon of raw honey. Blend all ingredients in a high-speed blender until smooth. Put in a saucepan and heat over medium heat (do not boil). Serve warm. Makes 2 servings.

A few more tips . . .

Provided in your bathroom: shampoo, conditioner (works!), body wash, dry brush (you can take home), toothbrushes, tongue scrapers, dental floss, toothpaste, hand soap, laundry bag (for their laundry). If you use any face cleansers, etc. you need to bring that.

Not provided in your bathroom: Lotion. It’s very dry here. You can buy it in the Shop; frustrated I didn’t bring it – of course, it would need to be one of their ‘approved ‘ ones! (a la Beautycounter)

The piano has earphones! I was in the computer room this morning and I could hear “clicking” in the sitting area/tea room and came out to investigate. Here was a gal (not the one mentioned before, because this one actually had “real music” in front of her) playing away – with headphones on! Genius!

If you need it dark when you sleep – bring a sleep mask. Each bedroom has floor to ceiling windows and two sliders looking out at the ocean, and there is a lot of ambient light. No blinds or curtains. Fine by me, but I have heard folks in the elevator grousing about it.

Bring a plastic bag for your swim suit. I might have said this already, but there is no “suit spinner” in the spa/changing area. As such, you need to have something to bring your suit back to your room.

Clothing provided: two hoodie sweat jackets, two sweat pants, two T-shirts, two tank tops, two “camisole” tank tops, two pair shorts (think “men’s cotton athletic shorts from the 80s”), two pair socks (more on those in a second), a pair of Birkenstockesque sandals (to keep), bathrobe. About the socks: The socks are of the “men’s tube sock” variety, however, they are not tube socks, they are actual socks with a heel. Why is that important? Because if your foot isn’t just the right shape and size for the socks, you can’t get them on. Hubby’s foot is slightly too big (size 10) to get his foot “around the ankle bend.” Mine is nearly the same, though I can force it (size 9 men’s/11 women’s). Everyone gets the same socks, so not quite sure what this would mean for wee feet. Suggestion: bring your own socks, but be sure that they’re white athletic socks. I actually did just this – I brought “toe” socks and I’m glad to have them. I can wear them with the sandals, or athletic shoes, and they still are basically the “uniform” that you’re provided. About the shorts: I’m doing all my working out in the room, and it’s not warm enough for shorts outside. Not so sure I’d be super happy to be seen in these – they’re grey cotton, baggy, old-school Champion shorts. They absorb sweat like a champ, so if you’re sweating, believe me, folks would know. Not quite sure how one would get around wearing these, as their clothes are your “uniform.” Just wanted to take note.

Bring two swimsuits. At least during “May Grey” and “June Gloom,” it isn’t warm enough for your suit to dry on the balcony overnight. I’ve put in a “request” for suit spinners in the spa (which was accepted as a ‘great idea’), but until then, bring two suits if you plan to be in the water often.

Costco LonoLife dehydrated organic grass-fed bone broth is great! I picked some of this up on a whim, and it is very tasty!

Today was my day off from working out, though I did the Tai Chi class this afternoon with the hubby. We also did the Thalassotherapy baths together. I’d say that the temperature is about 68F with a nice brine-y sea breeze, but not windy by any stretch of the imagination. The sun basically hid today all day under the “marine layer.” The constant sound is of the ocean hitting the shore – it works as a “white noise” machine! We leave our two sliders open at night.

Tonight we have a Digestion and Detox class, after dinner.

Sayonara . . . Time for dinner!