Nutrition

You Are What You Eat

Be wary – most restaurants serve double or triple the standard individual helping, so don’t finish your plate and don’t begin serving these super-size portions at home. Avoid frozen, processed or fast foods. Eat foods that are alive, fresh and natural. Say NO to genetically modified foods. I highly recommend a vegetarian diet but if that feels like too much for you, at least try it part time and be conscious to eat only organically and ethically sourced meat and fish.

Test before you ingest
Our body is an infinite multi-layered and dynamic energy system. Our bodies are in a constant state of change; we need to be in constant communication with ourselves because, regardless of the usual good and bad foods, what was good for you yesterday may not be today. So you have to check. Energy testing your food is an essential step toward opening up communication with your body, which inevitably will lead to a healthier and happier you.

Always practice Conscious Cooking!

We recommend you check out our sister site, Cristina’s Energy Center for a video demonstration on how to test yourself for foods and what your body wants.

Two of the easiest Eden Energy Medicine techniques to do this are:

Become the pendulum
Hold the food you want to test in one hand, and place your other hand over it. Rest your hands over the solar plexus (just below the bra line, if you were to where a bra). Your elbows should be held against your sides, as if they were hugging your sides. Feet together, you are taking the pendulum pose. Close your eyes, take a deep inhale and empty your mind. Hold inhale for a few seconds and on the exhale see if you naturally fall forward or back. Forward good, back bad. Or, do a test first by asking yourself, “what is my yes?” and “what is my no?” and see which way you fall for each. We are all different, so see what is right for you. I do this primarily at home and it really works, much to my disappointment at times. In fact, I live in New York City and take out is a way of life, so I’ll hold a menu, do the test and see what happens.

The knee resistance test
Try this if you’re out to dinner and want to know what is good for you to eat. Hold your hand over your food or tune into your body and hold your left finger over the item on the menu you want. Then hold your right leg 6 to 12 inches off the floor and push down on it with your right hand. Remember this isn’t about strength and making your leg go down, you’re testing to see the level of tension created. If you’re new to this, do the resistance test first without holding your hand or finger over the menu item you are testing so that you have a standard to compare it to. I do it all the time and it really works. I’ll put my finger over, let’s say, fried mozzarella sticks and my knee will easily push down and then I’ll hold my finger over another menu option like a garden salad and my knee will hold strong. I often let my body guide what I order in restaurants and it’s discreet, nobody will know what you are doing.

When you just can’t resist
We are all human and sometimes just want what we want. At these times, give yourself what you crave, but then energetically “fix it.” Take your left hand and circle counterclockwise over the food and do a few figure-8s and then take your right hand and circle it clockwise and do a few figure-8s. Also, affirm that your body will take what it needs and effortlessly discard the rest. Thank the food and enjoy.

The grocery list – just some general good things to keep in the house, we have not addressed special dietary needs (yet). This is currently being updated so take it for what it’s worth at the moment:

Agave nectar or Honey
there is some debate on whether Agave is too processed but I love it. Use it as a sugar substitute. Honey of course has great minerals and pollen that your body needs.

Bragg’s Amino Spray
This has a salty soy sauce kind of taste so it’s great to spray on tofu or anything you’d like to give a salty taste to.

Black pepper
Fantastic seasoning for almost everything. Invest in a real pepper grinder, it really makes a difference.

Crushed red pepper
This great seasoning also helps release happy endorphins, just like chocolate does.

Cayenne pepper
Very spicy-hot but delicious. It’s also good for you – it stimulates your metabolism and has the same mood benefits as chocolate, like all peppers.

Celtic sea salt
This is great for cooking. It’s so tasty and much better for you than regular salt. Because of its strong flavor you need less. I find it melts particularly well over edamame. I consider this a more subtle salt.

Eden Shake Sea and Veggies
These really add flavor to anything you cook.

Ezekiel bread
I like the 4:9 sprouted wholegrain bread but they have other kinds as well. It’s “live” bread so look for it in the freezer section.
Forti-Flax by Barlean’s
Already ground up in flake form, it’s easy to put it in smoothies, salads, soups, etc., and it’s a great source of Omega-3 and fiber.

Kefir
The benefits are great, especially for Gut health! it is an intestinal anit-inflammatory. It also helps to boost your immunity, aids allergies and supports detoxification. I mix in fax seed, chia seed and a few other seed blends and my body loves it!

Golden flax seeds
The golden flax is in its husk, so when you grind it up and put it in smoothies, salads, soups, etc., you are not only getting Omega-3 but also a lot of fiber.

Horizon organic cheeses
They have every kind of cheese you need for cooking. They even have parmesan!
Nutritious Creations Low Fat Cookies
I like oatmeal-raisin the best.

Nutritional yeast
It’s a great source of vitamin B. It’s a powder so you can use it as a garnish on everything from soup to salads, smoothies, etc. I sprinkle a bit on almost everything I cook. It’s a standard seasoning for me.

Maca powder
Reportedly helps depression, menopausal symptoms, stamina, fertility and libido. It comes from the plateaus of Peru and can be used in the same way nutritional yeast is used. I use it in everything.

Mint tea
I always have mint tea after eating a big meal; I also find it eases hunger if I’ve skipped a meal. I also find it aids digestion and it’s soothing to the stomach and the senses.

Organic raw almonds
These are just great to have around the house. Have four or five as breakfast if you’re really in a time crunch. Put the same amount in a smoothie, it really steps up the ordinary smoothie experience.

Organic pear juice
Great for smoothies. Its subtle flavor really adds a beautiful undercurrent to anything you mix it with. Or, just have it alone.

Organic roasted vegetable stock
A must in any kitchen. Use some of it as a substitute for water when making rice or pasta. Use it in gravies, soup…really anything you want to add flavor to. It’s amazing what a difference a little bit of flavor makes!

Organic garlic (fresh or powdered)
Organic garlic is just so good for you and makes everything taste better. What is surprising is that garlic powder has more of garlic’s therapeutic properties because it’s more concentrated. But don’t give up the fresh; it’s still good for you and adds a distinctive flavor.

Organic Parsley (fresh or dry)
It’s great to sprinkle on almost anything. It’s very good for your digestion and adds a flair of freshness. Make it the last thing you add to your meal because you don’t really want it cooked and always tear, never cut it. I always keep some on the table at dinner parties.

Organic frozen vegetables
They’re fresh and easy.

Organic extra virgin olive oil
It’s good for you to have a bit of real olive oil, just don’t over-do it.
Organic olive oil spray, I like the one by Spectrum.

Organic frozen fruit
Fresh, easy and great for shakes or as cocktail garnishes.

Organic frozen blueberries
If you’re going to commit to juicing on a regular basis, you need to keep organic frozen fruit in your freezer. And, blueberries are a must – this super-berry has numerous benefits for memory and the immune system, so make sure you always have them on hand along with any other favorites. It’s also nice to throw a couple of berries into the beverage of your choice in the summertime.

Organic popcorn
It’s very tasty and very low in fat. The organic kind doesn’t pop as well as store-bought, but the flavor and energy is much better. I have a special popcorn pot.

Organic whole grain pasta
There are so many wonderful choices – rice pastas, whole wheat, live grain, spinach (my favorite.) Go to your local health food store and try what looks good to you.
Pink Himalayan salt
Another great salt. It’s pretty strong so you don’t need to use much. I consider this a sharper salt.

Quinoa
This is one of my favorite foods. It’s a carbohydrate, but a great one. It’s a super-grain and is actually good for your body. I buy it in the organic bulk section of my health food store. However, if you are trying to lose weight, you need to watch your portions.

Rudi’s Organic Bakery
They have great breads. I get the hot dog and hamburger buns.

Raw coca beans
Reportedly amazing for depression and give you natural energy. You can eat them raw, which is a bit bitter for my taste. I grind them up and make pudding or a chocolate shake or cookies or sprinkle it on muffins. Let your imagination be your guide…it’s chocolate!

Rooibos tea
Rooibos tea harvested exclusively in South Africa has 50 times the anti-oxidant properties of green tea and is caffeine-free. This healing and anti-aging herb used for centuries by locals is now available for teatime.

Skinny Mini Vegan Cookies
When I tasted their chocolate chip cookie I really couldn’t believe how amazing it was…and low in fat. So far I’ve only found these in Montreal.

Yerba matte dark roast
Reportedly can help anyone trying to get off of coffee. But that’s just one of its benefits. Its nutty, coffee-like flavor gives you energy and enhances your mood all day. It also supposedly aids in weight-loss, too.

I have some great Holiday Dinner suggestions as well as some easy healthy receipes.