Naturally Sweet!

IT’S ALL ABOUT THE FOOD
  January 2011
Chew Your Rope
GOOD HEALTH IS AS CLOSE AS YOUR NEXT MEAL!



Naturally Sweet!

It is New Years day!  The tree is still up but I am seriously contemplating its demise, the kids are gone, the credit cards bills will start rolling in at any minute and I am thinking about cookies.  Now, I am a very self disciplined person.  Really I am, most of the time.  I believe that eating organic natural foods, maintaining a healthy weight, getting at least 30 minutes of exercise a day, drinking plenty of clean water and getting at least 7 hours of sleep a night is crucial to good health.  But, when those little sirens of sweetness rear their ugly little sprinkles I have to put on my Super Woman power bracelet of resistance to fend them off.

We all love sweet things.  Sugar is a simple carbohydrate that occurs naturally in foods such as grains, beans, vegetables and fruit.  When unprocessed, sugar contains a variety of vitamins, minerals, enzymes and proteins.  Refined sugar is extracted from sugar cane or beets and it lacks vitamins, minerals and fiber.  It requires extra effort for the body to digest.  The consumption of sugar creates a nutritional deficiency because the body has to use its own minerals and enzymes to absorb the sugar.

Increasingly, people understand the that they need to find an alternative to sugar thus creating the demand for artificial sweeteners.
The most popular are saccharin (Sweet and Low), aspartame ( Equal and NutraSweet) and sucalose (Splenda). There have been so many reported studies on these chemicals that it is easy to feel confused as to what affect they have on your health.

Here are a few of the findings that I feel are rather compelling.  Artificial sweeteners have been linked  to all sorts of illness and disease including cancerous tumors, lymphomas, leukemias, lesions in various organs, transitional cell carcinomas, nerve damage, seizures, and premature death.

“Scientists from Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston have revealed results from a study outlining some of the effects of artificial sweeteners on the body. Conducted on a group of 3,000 women, the results indicated that those who drank two or more artificially-sweetened beverages a day doubled their risk of more-rapid-than-normal kidney function decline.

Similarly sucralose, a chlorocarbon popularly marketed as the artificial sweetener derived from sugar (Splenda), has been implicated in severe chronic illnesses including brain and nervous system disorders, migraine headaches, cancers, and immune-system debilitation.

Though touted as safe, the chlorocarbon components of sucralose are verifiable toxins. Those who have experienced negative symptoms from sucralose often recover following the discontinuation of its consumption. Among other results, laboratory tests have concluded that long-term sucralose consumption shrinks the thymus gland, the biological source of the immune system."
(Excerpt from Artificial Sweeteners are Continually Found to be Unsafe and Toxic - @NaturalNews.com -  Saturday, November 14, 2009)
A great many varieties of artificial sweeteners have been approved, many scandalously, despite the fact that safe, natural sweeteners exist. They are often difficult to find in processed foods so just chalk this up as another great reason to pursue whole, healthy foods that are as close to their natural states as possible.  So what do you choose for a natural safe sweetener?  Check out my list of safe sugar alternatives.  Now that doesn’t mean that these can be eaten in unlimited quantity without you gaining weight or putting you on the sugar coaster of energy highs and lows but they do offer a taste that is satisfying and will not disrupt your quest for better health.



Chew Your Rope-Change Your Life!

Attention suffers of digestive disorders!

Does IBS, constipation, diarrhea, colitis, diverticulitis, celiac, heart burn, acid reflux, food allergies or leaky gut syndrome limit your joy in life?  Relief from these chronic life- limiting conditions is as close as your next meal.

My 2011 focus is on helping you improve your digestive health.

If you or someone you care about is struggling with symptoms that they suspect are triggered by the foods they eat then please contact me.

Many times the solution is simply changing the food that you eat.  All you need is a caring, knowledgeable guide that will work with you.  You deserve to be healthy!

Please contact me at:
Mindy@ChewYour Rope.com or 203-210-7462.

Please forward this newsletter to anyone that you feel can benefit from digestive coaching!

Take Me To ChewYourRope.com




  
Bittersweet Chocolate Cake with Prune Puree and Hazelnuts
from Lucid Foods by Louisa Shafia

1 cup prunes, pitted and soaked in 1 cup of water, over night
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
6 ounces unsweetened chocolate
1/2 cup butter, at room temperature
1 cup hazelnuts, toasted, pulsed in processor until coarsely chopped
5 medium eggs, divided
1/2 cup agave
1/4 teaspoon salt

1.    Preheat oven to 350

2.    Drain prunes and put them in the bowl of a food processor.  Add the vanilla extract and puree until smooth.  Set aside.

3.    Butter a 10" pan, line it with parchment paper and butter the paper.

4.    Place the chocolate in a heatproof bowl, then place the bowl on top of a double boiler and melt, stirring occasionally

5.    When chocolate has melted, remove it from the heat, stir in the butter, and fold in the prune puree and the hazelnuts.

6.    Using a mixer beat egg yolks and agave for about 4 minutes then fold into the chocolate mixture. Using a clean mixer beat egg whites and salt until form stiff peaks.  Fold egg whites into chocolate mixture in three batches.

7.    Pour batter into prepared pan, smooth top.  Bake for 20 minutes, rotate pan and bake 5 to 7 minutes more.  Center should be slightly soft.


Natural Sweeteners!

Agave Nectar:  Made from the agave cactus it is 1.4 times sweeter than sugar but is much less disturbing to the body's blood sugar levels

Honey:  One of the oldest natural sweeteners and sweeter than sugar.  Honey can have a range of flavors depending on the plant source.  Raw honey contains small amounts of enzymes, minerals and vitamins.

Maple Syrup:  Made from the boiled down maple tree sap and contains many minerals.  Be sure to buy 100% maple syrup and not maple flavored corn syrup.

Dried Fruit Puree:  Delicious puree can be made from any dried fruit.  Simply place 2 cups of fruit in a bowl with 2 cups of boiling water, cover and let soak for at least one hour.  Strain out water and puree fruit.

Fruit Juice:  Many juices are naturally sweet like apple, orange and prune. Make sure you get 100% juice.

Stevia:  Stevia is a plant whose leaves naturally taste sweet.  Just a pinch can sweeten a smoothie or a cup of hot chocolate.  Use too much and you get a more bitter taste.

Brown Rice Syrup:  This caramel-like syrup is made from fermented brown rice.  It is not overly sweet.  It gives baked goods a crispy texture, so use it in granola or crisp cookies.  It can replace corn syrup in desserts like pecan pie.

Sucanat:  Short for sugar cane natural, this brand name product is made of evaporated organic cane juice. It is made through a mechanical rather than a chemical process and thus less refined. It retains many of sugar canes original vitamins and minerals.
NEW YEAR - NEW YOU!

Added a few extra pounds over the holidays?

Confused as to what to foods will help you to look, feel and function better?

Have a re-occurring health issue that conventional medicine is unable to remedy?

Fuel your body with food that taste great and make you feel better.

A six session small group seminar series focusing on improving your health.

Class includes informational materials, recipes and giveaways.

Session One
Sugar Blues and Cravings – Take back your life

Session Two
Health Food Store Tour and Buying Organic

Session Three
Glorious Greens and Great Grains

Session Four
The Power of Protein

Session Five
Food and Mood

Session Six
Relationships and Nurturing Yourself

Meet like minded people that are interested in creating better health and a happier life.

Group limited to 8!

PROGRAM BEING OFFERED IN STAMFORD AND FAIRFIELD

START YOUR OWN GROUP TODAY - GET AT LEAST 4 FRIENDS TO JOIN IN THE FUN AND YOU ATTEND FREE!

YOU CAN DECIDE LOCATION AND SCHEDULE.  ALL CUSTOMIZED FOR YOUR GROUP!

Call today for more information, to register or start your own group:

Call 203-210-7462 or email Mindy@ChewYourRope.com

"Please God, make my words today sweet and tender, for tomorrow I may have to eat them."


All upcoming newsletters will focus on digestive wellness!  Please send this newsletter to anyone that you know that can benefit from this information.