Vitamin Cocktail for the Skin
Today I woke up feeling refreshed and wanted to do something extra special for my skin. I love the smell of apples as they simmer, they remind me of the holidays so I decided to create a skin refiner (exfoliant) that will leave your skin feeling simply marvelous.

Apple (Green)
Apple’s are a rich source of flavonoids and polyphenol, which are powerful antioxidants. Malic acid an alpha hydroxy acid derived from apples, provides antioxidant actions and assists in skin exfoliation, to gently exfoliate and brighten the skin. Green apple also contains Vitamins A, B and C to brighten and tone the skin as well as Quercetin to calm redness.

Lemon Zest
The zest of the lemon is the outer skin which contains volatile oils and when blended with honey makes an extremely powerful exfoliant for the skin.

Honey
Honey is a by-product of honey bees when they collect the flower nectar in their mouths and the nectar mixes with enzymes and then it is turned into honey. Raw honey is honey that has not been heated for pasteurization, filtered or strained to remove the wax, pollen or propolis. Honey is a natural humectant that attracts and binds water to the upper layers of the skin.

Yogurt (Whole Milk, Plain)
Yogurt is a cultured product made from the natural bacterial fermentation of milk. Fermentation of the milk sugar (lactose) produces lactic acid which is an alpha hydroxy acid. Used in skin care treatments, lactic acid has the ability to digest skin cells and improve the texture of skin making it one of the best alpha hydroxy acids for sensitive skin. Yogurt is an effective ingredient in skin care treatments and allows the outer layers of your skin to release and shed over a few days, stimulating new cell growth in the skin’s deepest layers. With its natural antibacterial and antifungal agents, it assists in getting rid of germs and bacteria that plague the skin.

Recipe
1 Green apple
1 Tbsp lemon zest
1 Tbsp honey
2 Tbsp yogurt

Core and slice green apple and place in a blender. Add the lemon zest, honey and yogurt and blend into a creamy smooth mixture. Apply entire mixture to a cleansed face and leave on for 20 minutes, if you have sensitive skin leave mixture on between 5 to 10 minutes. Rinse will cool water and apply your favorite moisturizer.

Enjoy!

by Tracy Neely

Ginger Lime Body Polish
Take a mini vacation to the tropics with this exfoliating treatment that will leave your skin feeling smooth to the touch.

Sugar
A sugar scrub is a scrub made with natural sugars for a gentler affect. Sugar scrubs are less dehydrating than salt scrubs and can be used by all skin types. Sugar scrubs promote the growth of healthier skin cells and promote cellular turnover. I like to use white sugar in this recipe because once you zest the lime; the zest is visually stimulating to the eye against the backdrop of the white sugar.

Macadamia Nut Oil
Macadamia Nut Oil (Macadamia integrifolia) is expeller pressed from the nut of the macadamia nut tree and is high in palmitoleic acid, a monounsaturated fatty acid commonly found in other vegetable oils. Palmitoleic acid is also found in sebum, thus macadamia oil has been often recommended for mature skin, which starts to dry as the sebum production diminishes. It is high nourishing and emollient oil recommended for dry and mature skin.

Ginger Essential Oil
Ginger essential oil (Zingiber officinale) Ginger seems to improve the body’s ability to sweat, help circulation and help us get rid of cold symptoms and the flu.

Lime Essential Oil
Lime Essential Oil (Citrus aurantifolia) is steam distilled using the whole fruit and expressed lime oil is cold-pressed from the fruit rind of green limes. Cold-pressed lime oil acts as an astringent, counteracting overproduction of sebum, and is especially useful for oily skin. Its antibacterial property is useful for the treatment of acne.

Lime (fruit)
Lime (Citrus aurantifolia) is smaller in size than the lemon, with a thin smooth skin. It has a sweet smell and contains less juice than the lemon, but packs a powerful punch when used in food and skin care recipes.

Recipe:
1 cup granulated sugar
½ cup macadamia nut oil
5 drops ginger essential oil
4 drops lime essential oil
Zest from 1 lime

Directions:
Combine 1 cup of sugar and ½ cup macadamia nut oil in a bowl and mix well. Add zest of 1 lime to sugar and oil mixture and combine well. Add 5 drops of ginger essential oil and 4 drops of lime essential oil to mixture and combine well. Apply mixture to entire body in a circular motion, paying close attention to heels, knees and elbows. Shower off in warm water and notice the soft touch to the skin left behind by the macadamia nut oil and the fragrant aroma of the essential oils. This scrub invigorates and exfoliates the skin, while the macadamia nut oil and essential oil are left to moisturize the body and leave the skin with an intoxicating aroma.

Enjoy!

By Tracy Neely

Healthy Hair Serum

This serum will moisturize your strands with a nourishing oil that will restore luster to your hair and the essential oils will stimulate hair growth and also help to strengthen the capillaries that supply blood to the scalp and hair follicles and improve elasticity.

Jojoba Oil (Cold pressed)
Jojoba oil is a liquid wax produced from a desert plant called Simmondsia Chinensis. It is cold pressed from the seeds of the jojoba plant, a shrub, native to California, Arizona and Mexico. Jojoba oil when applied to the skin has absorption properties similar to sebum (oil) and prevents moisture loss. Jojoba oil conditions your hair and prevents it from being dry, brittle and dull

Rosemary Essential Oil
Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) essential oil is steam distilled from the leaves, flowers and twigs of R. officinalis and the numerous sub varieties. It is a pale yellow to almost colorless mobile liquid with a strong, fresh, woody-herbaceous smell. Rosemary is probably one of the best known and most used of the aromatic herbs. It is a relaxing and revitalizing oil that has the ability to heal wounds and regenerate the skin. The oil is reputed to stimulate hair growth and prevent premature baldness and well as used in the prevention of dandruff.

Beauty Note: This herb should not be used by anyone who is pregnant or suffering from epilepsy. Because rosemary is a stimulant, it should not be used by heart patients.

West Indian Bay Essential Oil
West Indian Bay (Pimenta racemosa) essential oil is steam distilled or water distilled from the leaves of the tree native to West Indies and is cultivated in Venezuela, Puerto Rico and the Caribbean Islands. The oil is recommended as a scalp stimulant and can also be used as a hair rinse for those who suffer with dandruff.

Chamomile Essential Oil
Chamomile essential oil is distilled from the flowering tops of Anthemis nobilis. It is a native of Western Europe and is now cultivated in England, Belgium, France and Hungary. Using pure chamomile essential oil on the scalp helps to strengthen the capillaries that supply blood to the scalp and hair follicles and improve elasticity.

*Precautions
Chamomile is in the Ragweed family and may react with those who have extreme sensitivities to the Ragweed family.

Recipe
¼ cup jojoba oil
5 drops rosemary essential oil
5 drops West Indian bay essential oil
5 drops chamomile essential oil

Combine the jojoba oil with the rosemary essential oil, the West Indian bay essential oil and the chamomile essential oil and store in a darkly tinted glass bottle with a tight fitting lid. Let the mixture sit for 24 hours before using. Apply serum from scalp to the ends of the strands of your hair, cover hair with plastic cap or warm towel for 15 minutes. Shampoo and rinse your hair twice. Dry and style your hair as normal. This treatment can be done once a week for normal to dry hair or once a month for oily hair.

Enjoy!!
By Tracy Neely

A detox bath can be a great way to rid your body of unhealthy toxins. This type of bath is also a great way to clean your body from the inside out. When the body goes through a detox, there is a natural progression that occurs whenever the body begins to expel and eliminate toxins. While the hot water draws the toxins to the surface of the skin, the Epsom salts produce sweating which help rid the body of the toxins.

Sea Salts

Sea salts are an effective treatment that soothes the skin, helps relieve joint and muscle pain, aids in the elimination of toxins and helps replenish the body with essential minerals.

Juniper Berry Essential Oil

Juniper Berry Essential Oil (Juniperus communis) also known as Common Juniper is steamed-distilled from the crushed, dried or partly dried ripe berries. The best juniper berries are collected in northern Italy, Austria, Czech Republic, Hungary, Croatia, Serbia and France. This oil is well known for its diuretic and lymphatic decongestant properties. It is recommended for clearing toxins and reducing the level of uric acid in the body.

Baking Soda
Baking soda is an acid neutralizer and also added to bathwater has a softening effect on the skin.

Epsom Salt
Epsom Salt also known as magnesium sulfate is absorbed through the skin, as in a bath, it and draws toxins from the body, sedates the nervous system, reduces swelling, relaxes muscles and is a natural emollient.

Lemon Essential Oil
Lemon Essential Oil (Citrus limon) is obtained from the peel of lemons by cold expression. Cold-pressing will yield six to seven pounds of oil from one ton of fresh fruit. Following extraction, different batches of cold-pressed California lemon oils are often blended together to produce a more consistent aroma profile, while lemon oils from Italy usually come as individual, small lots from different producers. Italian oils typically have a wider, more inconsistent range of aromatic qualities. Lemon oil can be used as a mild detoxifier and is recommended to clear heat and dampness from the body.

Recipe
1 cup sea salt (fine)
2 drops juniper berry essential oil
1 cups baking soda
1 cup Epsom salt
3 drops lemon essential oil

Combine sea salt, baking soda and Epsom salt together and slowly add to warm running bath water. Add juniper berry essential oil and lemon essential oil to warm bath water and soak in the tub for no more than 15 to 20 minutes.

Enjoy!!

Tracy

Almond

The almond that we think of as a nut is technically the seed of the fruit of the almond tree, a medium-size tree that bears fragrant pink and white flowers. Like its cousins, the peach, cherry and apricot trees, the almond tree bears fruits with stone-like seeds (or pits) within. The seed of the almond fruit is what we refer to as the almond nut. Skin care products that contain almonds are especially effective for treating dry and sensitive skin. In addition to being an excellent source of protein, calcium, copper, phosphorus, iron, vitamin B1, and other B vitamins as well as niacin, almonds have a high fat content that replenishes the skin’s natural oils. Ground almonds are a great way to exfoliate the top layer of the skin and restore it to its natural beauty.

Honey

Honey a sweet yellowish or brownish fluid is produced by various honey bees from the nectar of flowers. Honeybees must tap over two million flowers to make one pound of honey, flying a distance equal to more than three times around the world. Honey is a healing and soothing natural humectant that attracts and maintains moisture in the skin. Honey has been documented as an effective “anti-microbial” agent. This means that honey restricts the growth of certain bacteria. As such, honey can help with cases of minor acne by attacking the bacteria that cause the breakouts while moisturizing the skin to aid rejuvenation.

Sweet Orange Essential Oil

Sweet Orange Essential Oil (Citrus sinensis) is cold-pressed from the orange peel of the evergreen tree that is native to China, but is now cultivated extensively throughout the United States and Europe. Sweet Orange is a great oil to use for colds and the flu and it helps combat fever. Its antiseptic and antibacterial properties in skin care recipes make it great for naturally eliminating and preventing the development of bacteria and other microbes. The essential oil is a tonic for the skin and great for oily skin, dry skin and dull complexions. It softens the epidermis and stimulates circulation making it great for rough and calloused skin.

Recipe
3 tablespoons finely ground almonds (a food processor or coffee grinder works well)
2 tablespoons honey
5 drops sweet orange essential oil
Mix all ingredients together thoroughly and apply to a cleansed faced in a circular motion to remove dead skin cells. Rinse well and apply your favorite moisturizer.

Enjoy!!

Enjoy these little tips to make your home and your life a little more healthy for you and the environment. **hint: these tips will save you money too!**

* When loading a dishwasher, skip the pre-rinse, it can waste 20 gallons of water per load. Skip the dry cycle as well and allow dishes to dry by leaving the door open after washing.

*Fix toilet and faucet leaks immediately. A single slow leaky faucet, dripping 30 drops per minute, wastes 3 gallons per day, or the equivalent of 27 baths per year.

*Encourage friends, family, neighbors, and co-workers to support and buy from companies that promote and sell eco-friendly products. Support companies that are upfront with their ethics and their practices. Responsible eco-friendly companies go an extra step to minimize their use of resources and recycle, whenever possible, on the job.

*Use personal care products that contain the safest ingredients possible. Only 11 percent of the 10,500 ingredients the FDA has documented in personal care products like hair spray, deodorants, fragrances, and nail polish have been assessed for safety by the cosmetics industry. Many personal care products contain phthalates; chemicals that can damage the liver, kidneys, lungs, and the reproductive system.

*Install dimmer switches in rooms where it is practical for ambient lighting. Any light bulb dimmed by 25 percent (including incandescent) will use roughly 20 percent less energy. Dimming one 75 watt incandescent by 25 percent for only 4 hours a day will save you 30 pounds of carbon over the course of the year.

Countertop Surface Deodorizer
Recipe
4 drops of one of the following essential oils (Eucalyptus, Lavender, Grapefruit, Lemon, Orange, Rosemary, Sage)
1 Pint of distilled water
Spray bottle
Add 4 drops of oil to each pint of water. Pour into a spray bottle and store in cool dark place. Use after cleaning kitchen surfaces.
Enjoy!

Little present from Tera:
As part of our clutter busting/spring cleaning program with the Body Enlightenment System, I have finally confronted something that I’ve been putting off for a long time. I’ve trained quite extensively in aromatherapy and a few years ago, I started a company called, Shizen Aromatics. This little company actually did very well, won entrepreneurial awards, and received subvention from the government to help us build it, but being a pregnant, single mother with a home day care full-time meant there just weren’t enough hours in the day to make it work.

My commitment to being home and available to my children has always been greater than my commitment to making a thriving business.

Long story short, we chose to shut down the company, but I still have a whole bunch of gorgeous organic, wildcrafted essential oils kicking around, and even some diffusers and INCREDIBLE aromatherapy manuals.

For the big stuff, I guess I’ll come up with an online garage sale, or something, but because in this article Tracy mentions counter sprays, I thought I’d offer up some gorgeous antibacterial essential oil blends for anyone who would like to make a commitment to using greener eco-products in their home.

Replacing conventional cleaners is easy. There are so many natural solutions available, and it’s fun to spice them up with a bit of zest and the natural anti-bacterial power of essential oils. Basil and Lime are wonderful for kitchen counters! Peppermint and a touch of Eucalyptus, with Lemon is gorgeous on a dust cloth and spread throughout the home.

I will not charge you for this (though each bottle is worth about $15), but if you are willing to send me money for the postage and bubble envelope (about $8-10 in the US and Canada) then I will happily send you some eco-treats to help your home smell more beautiful and put a smile on your face while you clean and de-clutter!

If you’ve ever felt like your hair needed some extra tender loving care, this is the treatment for you!

Rosemary

Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) belongs to the Labiatae or mint family. Its native habitat is the area around the Mediterranean Sea and Portugal. It is now cultivated in many countries. Rosemary can grow to be as tall as man to about 6 feet and grows out to look like bushes. The leaves are long and skinny like pine needles. Rosemary flowers which are violet in color, bloom briefly in spring on young shoots.

Commercially cultivated and dried rosemary leaves come from Spain, France, Morocco, and Tunisia. The common method of extraction is steam distillation of the leaves.

When applied to the hair, rosemary has the ability to stimulate hair follicles and may also help to reduce dandruff when combined with rosemary oil. In some instances, rosemary may also be useful in the prevention and treatment of head lice.

Beauty Note: This herb should not be used by anyone who is pregnant or suffering from epilepsy. Because rosemary is a stimulant, it should not be used by heart patients.

Olive Oil (Extra Virgin)

The olive is traditionally regarded as a symbol of peace. The ancient Greeks wore garlands of olive leaves in their hair as they prayed for peace. The oil comes from the pulp, not the kernel, and mills crush the fruit gently so that the stone does not fracture. The oil is separated by centrifuging, and some oils are filtered for purity, however unfiltered olive oil contains all the nutrients found in the olive fruit.

‘Extra-Virgin’ means the oil comes from the very first pressing (or processing) of the olives and releases the highest quality oil from the olive. ‘First cold-pressed’ means the oil is processed using as little heat as possible. This ensures minimal damage and no chemicals are involved in the extraction process.

Olive Oil for the hair infuses moisture directly into the scalp and hair shaft, quenching the thirst of extremely dry hair. It also helps to repair split ends and gives body and sheen to the hair.

Beauty Tip: Exposure to light and heat can turn olive oil rancid. This destroys the healthy, antioxidant properties of the oil. Store your olive oil in darkly tinted bottles.

Rosemary Essential Oil

Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) essential oil is steam distilled from the leaves, flowers and twigs of R. officinalis and the numerous sub varieties. It is a pale yellow to almost colorless mobile liquid with a strong, fresh, woody-herbaceous smell. Rosemary is probably one of the best known and most used of the aromatic herbs. It is a relaxing and revitalizing oil that has the ability to heal wounds and regenerate the skin. The oil is reputed to stimulate hair growth and prevent premature baldness and well as used in the prevention of dandruff.

Remember: This herb should not be used by anyone who is pregnant or suffering from epilepsy. Because rosemary is a stimulant, it should not be used by heart patients.

Recipe:

· 1/4 cup warmed olive oil (2 tablespoons for normal to oily hair)

· 4 drops of rosemary essential oil

· 2 sprigs of dried rosemary (do not pull leaves off of stem)

Combine the olive oil and the rosemary essential oil first and then add the sprigs of rosemary and store in a darkly tinted glass jar with a tight fitting lid. Let steep on a sunny window sill for 24 hours. Strain the tonic through a cheese cloth and store in a dark, glass bottle. Apply tonic from scalp to the ends of the strands of your hair, cover hair with plastic cap or warm towel for 15 minutes. Shampoo and rinse your hair twice. Dry and style your hair as normal. This treatment can be done once a week for normal to dry hair or once a month for oily hair.

Enjoy!!

It’s strange, you know. I had an enlightened experience when I realized the importance of eye contact. I was thinking about how important it is to look people in the eyes–how powerful it is.

Then I realized that the center of the eye, is just a hole, and I thought to myself that if people could just look each other in the eyes, and connect with that dark spot, that “nothingness”, maybe all the other stuff they judge and attach meaning to would just fall away.

Maybe they could just realize that the black part… that little nothingness is really all there is.

I’m either highly illuminated, or extremely under-slept. You decide.

In the meantime, check out Tracy’s super contribution called:

The Eyes Are The Windows to The Soul

I’ve been thinking a lot about our eyes and how we show so much emotion through them. You know, there are some days when I wake up and I look in the mirror and I am just shocked that whatever I had on my mind before I went to bed, still shows up in my eyes the next day.

I thought it was only fitting that I talk about how to care for our eyes today, since the skin underneath them is pretty fragile and has less oil glands than other areas of our face and body.

As we get older, the skin under the eyes becomes more delicate and how we take care of them has an effect on our emotional well being.

Here are a few simple ideas to keep our eyes looking healthy and full of life:

• Hydrate your body and drink good clean water, now is a great time to check out the Divas Water Ionizers. When a person is dehydrated the body starts storing water as a defense system and this will add to puffiness around the eyes.

• Buy a great pair of sunglasses to reduce the amount of squinting when out in the sun. A good quality pair of glasses should have enough protection to block out UVA and UVB rays.

• Quit smoking. Smoking cause’s vascular (blood vessel) problems that can not only threaten your life, but also make your blood vessels appear more prominent and bluer beneath the skin, causing dark circles.

• Cut down on the amount of salt in your diet. It could add to water retention and puffiness

• Balance the stress in your life with something that brings you pleasure

• If you have allergies, look for natural, herbal, or alternative treatments that may possess the same long lasting effect that over the counter products provide.

• Get a restful night sleep, and if possible sleep with your head slightly raised. Add an extra pillow or prop up the head of your mattress. This helps prevent fluids from accumulating around your eyes as you sleep to prevent puffiness.

• Eat a healthy balanced diet loaded with fruits and vegetables, especially leafy green vegetables, which offer major benefits to your entire body, including your brain, your bones and your heart, while helping to prevent cancer, detoxify your body, boost your immune system and give you more energy.

Diva Beauty Tips:

• Grind a raw potato and add almond paste to it. Use the mixture regularly on the under-eyes to minimize dark circles and puffiness.

• Cut a fresh fig in half, place a half over each eye, flesh side down , leave on for 15 minutes to minimize dark circles

• Soak cotton pads in cold milk and place over closed eyes for five to ten minutes to reduce puffiness or swollen eyes.

• Apply crushed mint leaves in cheese cloth around eyes for five to ten minutes to minimize dark circles

• Steep two herbal tea (chamomile (if allergic to chamomile or ragweed use, black or green tea),( rosehip), bags for about 2 minutes, chill the tea bags and use them as a compress to reduce puffiness and drink the tea to relax and unwind.

• Place 2 thinly sliced, chilled cucumbers on each eye and relax for 15 minutes to minimize puffiness

Enjoy!!

Time for Tracy’s Beauty Tips for Softer, Younger Looking Skin

Green Diva Purifying Masque
French Green Clay

French green clay, known as illite, is a 100% natural bio-organic material. Over thousands of years in the earth it absorbs a wealth of essential healing minerals from the plant kingdom including Silica, Magnesium, Calcium, Iron, Potassium, Cobalt, Manganese, Zinc, Selenium, Copper, Aluminium, Phosphorous, & Sodium. After removal from the ground the illite is naturally sun-dried, capturing the solar energy which activates the vital minerals and trace elements within.

French green clay takes its name from the fact that rock quarries located in southern France enjoyed a virtual monopoly on its production until similar deposits of illite clays were identified in China, Montana, and Wyoming. The clay’s green color comes from a combination of iron oxides and decomposed plant matter, mostly kelp seaweed and other algae.

It is regarded as a beneficial treatment for stimulating the skin and removing impurities from the epidermis (outermost layer of skin cells). The clay works by adsorbing impurities from the skin cells, by causing dead cells to slough off, and by stimulating the flow of blood to the epidermis. As the clay dries on the skin, it causes the pores to tighten and the skin to feel firm.

Apple Cider Vinegar (Raw and Organic)

Raw Apple Cider Vinegar is unfiltered, unheated, unpasteurized and is made from the juice of pressed organic apples that have been put through the natural process of fermentation. It is allowed to ferment past the stages of sweet and dry cider into the vinegar stage. Unlike other vinegars, apple cider vinegar is not distilled (turned to steam by heat), as this destroys most of the enzymes, minerals, trace minerals, pectin and other valuable nutrients. All of these remain intact in the “mother,” that is, the solid layer that forms on top of the vinegar during fermentation. Apple cider vinegar that has not been distilled, preserves its natural malic and tartaric acids, which assist the body in fighting toxins and unfriendly bacteria.

Healthy skin has a protective acid mantle that can be stripped away by overuse of alkaline body soaps, many of which also contain preservatives, synthetic perfumes, animal fats and hormones. Apple cider vinegar, on the other hand, helps keep the skin in an acidic state. It’s important to remember that the skin is the major organ of elimination, so maintaining an acid mantle assists the normal detoxification process of the skin.

Juniper Berry Essential Oil

Juniper berry essential oil is distilled from the berries, twigs and leaves of J. communis. The essential oil from the berries is considered to be the most suitable oil for use in aromatherapy. The best juniper berries are collected in northern Italy, Austria, Czech Republic, Hungary, Croatia, Serbia and France. The best juniper berry essential oil is steam-distilled from the crushed, dried or partly dried ripe berries. It is a clear to pale-yellow oil with a fresh, yet warm, rich balsamic, woody-sweet and pine-needle-like odor.

Juniper essential oil has traditionally been used as an anti-septic, astringent, digestive stimulant, and for purifying and detoxifying the body.

Beauty Note: Juniper Berry Essential Oil is contra-indicated during pregnancy.

Recipe:

4 TBS. French Green Clay
4 TBS. Raw Apple Cider Vinegar
3 to 4 Drops Juniper Berry Essential Oil

Combine French green clay with apple cider vinegar, add 3 drops juniper berry essential oil and stir the mixture until it is a smooth paste – add more clay or apple cider vinegar if needed. Apply 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick layer of clay to the face and let it dry. Drying times vary, but times are generally 5 minutes for delicate skin and 15- 20 minutes for normal skin. You will feel a pulling and tightening sensation on the skin as the masque d

Beauty Tip: Please be sure to wet the masque completely with cool water before gently removing the masque with a wet cloth. Once masque is completely removed, rinse face with cool water and apply your favorite moisturizer.

I hope you enjoy this treatment as much as I do!!

p.s.It’s one thing to have beautifully soft, young looking skin. It’s another to know how to show it off with grace, poise and feminine charm that turns heads without you saying a word.

The Secrets of Sensuality have been revealed! Read them, know them, use them, so you can walk the walk, take up space, use those curves to have more self confidence than ever!

Okay, so this was technically supposed to be a Raw Mom post, but I had to post it on the diva site, because… well, honestly, it just doesn’t seem fair to keep juicy news like THIS under lock and key for mothers.

And so, Divas, we’re thrilled to post this steamy Saturday contribution for our Raw Mom, Ardis Henson. You can learn more about her here on our RawMom site.

Raw Foods that put you in the Mood

Move over oysters and chocolate!

Did you know there are a ton of fruits and vegetables that have historically been touted to possess divine aphrodisiacal powers? It should come as no surprise as raw fruits and vegetables, with their varied shapes, textures, colors, and juices are, without a doubt, some of the most sensuous foods out there.

Can you imagine a more ecstatic food experience than biting into, say, a perfectly ripe, succulent, juicy peach (or mango? Or…insert-your-favorite-fruit)? One might even argue that all fruits and vegetables, in their heavenly, sensual, natural state have aphrodisiac qualities – after all, fruits are the sex organs of plants! Here I have listed some interesting and juicy tidbits about a few of these raw goodies – some you may already be familiar with, others a surprise, followed by a couple sexy raw creations I’ve come up with that are sure to get your juices flowing!

1. Arugula (rocket) – in Ancient Roman times, arugula was consecrated to Priapus, a minor fertility god who was portrayed as having an enormous phallus. The Romans also used it in various love concoctions, as it was believed to be a potent stimulant. Either way, this spicy green is sure to heat things up!

2. Asparagus – Lauded for its aphrodisiacal properties, 19th Century grooms consumed 3 courses of asparagus, hoping to boost their sexual prowess.

3. Avocado – the name comes from the Aztec for “testical tree” since avocados hang in pairs, bearing resemblance to the male genitalia. Accordingly, Aztec women were not allowed out of the house during its harvest as it was thought to be a sexual stimulant. Rich in Folate, B6. C, E and certain phytochemicals, it has been theorized that these nutrients, in conjunction with compounds found in other foods may heighten feelings of love. I don’t know about that but
I do know that I’ve had an ongoing love affair with this rich, creamy, sinful treat for as long as I can remember….

4. Banana – Aside from its phallic shape and creamy texture, it contains the enzyme bromelain, which some studies have demonstrated improves male performance. The banana is also high in the B vitamins and potassium, which are necessary for the manufacture of sex hormones.

5. Basil – has long been thought to increase fertility and libido. The smell of basil, it has been said, is particularly exciting to men; women have even been known to scent their breasts with it in hopes of attracting a lover. Also reputed to increase circulation, thereby making it an effective male “enhancer”.

6. Black sesame – Traditionally used in Chinese Medicine to increase fertility. It is thought to purify the kidneys where the “essence” is held.

7. Celery – contains androsterone, a male hormone, which research has shown, is released in sweat to attract females. Celery has been used through the ages as a cure for impotence and is also rumored to increase the volume of male “emissions” when eaten in large quantities…hmmm.

8. Figs – Ancient Greeks engaged in orgiastic celebrations of new crops. Also, when split in half, figs are said to resemble female genitalia.

9. Maca – Very popular these days among raw foodists, studies have suggested this “superfood” tones and balances the hormones in men and women, increasing both fertility and sexual appetite. Try it and see for yourself!

10. Mango – The flower of the mango tree, according to myth, represents cupid’s arrow; its fruit, succulent breasts producing highly aphrodisiac nectar. The mango is taken all over SE Asia as a supplement to increase virility.

11. Pineapple – A homeopathic remedy for erectile dysfunction, pineapple is also purported to make sexual secretions taste sweeter.

12. Strawberries – According to myth, when Adonis died, Venus wept inconsolably and her tears, upon hitting the earth, transformed into heart-shaped strawberries. Another superstition has it that when you halve a strawberry and offer it up to a potential mate, he/she can’t help but fall in love with you. Moreover, due to its high malic acid content, strawberries are a natural tooth-whitener; eat them to make your mouth extra kissable!

13. Vanilla & Almond – Used in aromatherapy, as their scents have been shown to produce feelings of lust, particularly in women.

And now for those randy recipes:

Mojo Maca
1 Cup almond milk
1 Cup water
Vanilla beans, scraped from pod, to taste
2 Dates, stoned
1 Large, ripe, frozen Banana
1 Tbs. black sesame butter
2 Tbs. maca powder

Blend until creamy smooth, insert 2 straws and share with your paramour, like two giddy teenagers in a soda shop.

Rocket to Venus
2-3 handfuls Arugula
3 cups water

2 large, super-ripe mangos
½-1 Cup strawberries
½- Cup blueberries
1 large, ripe banana

Blend until smooth and let the flavors burst in your mouth. This is surprisingly delicious; even my son likes it, and believe me, ladies, he is already quite the Casanova!

As you can see, the aphrodisiac claims of food consist of a lot of folklore, a little (questionable) science, but a whole lotta fun…I hope you enjoyed reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it. Bon appetit and bon amour!

-Ardis