I have tears welling up in my eyes and my cheeks hurt from smiling. It doesn’t matter how grey a day gets, around here the overflowing bounty of sisterhood vibes keeps me uplifted, on fire and bubbling over with gratitude for the amazing women in my life.

One of those amazing women is Stacey Terry, who is “Bringing Health to Heartland of North America” in Winnipeg, Manitoba! She’s come onboard as a representative of Ecopolitan in Winnipeg, and you can read her very inspiring story here! Besides being a great writer and inspiring teacher, she’s a musician! And it was during a recent phone call that she let me in on some of her artistic abilities. That’s when we thought of coming up with a song–A Raw Diva Theme Song.

Well, I didn’t know she’s come up with something this fast and this fun, but here it is!

Stacey, thank you sooo much for the love, enthusiasm and inspiration you bring to us! It really is a gift having you in this community and I look forward to many more magical, musical, inspirational adventures together.

With gratitude,

Tera and Raw Divas everywhere!

Livin’ Diva
by Stacey Terry

Come a little closer, little to my lips
Tap those little toes and start to sway those hips
Yeah, that’s the way to move
And start to feelin’ fine
Now if you’ve got a sparkle let it shine.
Wouldn’t it be dandy if this feelin’ stayed
And you could live each day with new zeal?
Well sista, yes you can
If you ditch your pots and pans
And change the way you think about your meals

I’m an achieva
A change believa
I’m a gorgeous walkin’ talkin’ raw diva
I said now no more blues
From those cooked menus
Goodbye, farewell, so long, adieu, and seeya
Give me rainbows and greens, bananas, broccolis, and beans
I’m gonna give you back a smile that shines
I found the truth to love, beauty, and youth
Livin’ diva is so divine!

Now ovens don’t give lovin’ like a smoothie can
Fryin’ leaves you cryin’ nine times out of ten
But blendin’ helps with mendin’ all those cooked food woes
And soon you’ll have that bright raw diva glow
You’re gonna feel the best you’ve ever felt before
You’ll dance and laugh and sing all through the night
So drink it if it’s green, and you’ll see what I mean
You’re gonna see the livin’ diva light!

You’re an achieva
A change believa
You’re a gorgeous walkin’ talkin’ raw diva
You said now no more blues
From those cooked menus
Goodbye, farewell, so long, adieu, and seeya
Give me rainbows and greens, bananas, broccolis, and beans
I’m gonna give you back a smile that shines
You found the truth to love, beauty, and youth
Livin’ diva is so divine

We found the truth to love, beauty, and youth
Livin’ diva is so divine

If it had been up to me alone, I would have stayed home snuggled under the heat of my laptop getting things done. But Saturday is their day and so I was somewhat reluctantly dragged to the outdoor skating arena in the parc near our house by Mika and Sebastian the other night.

Sebastian triumphantly brought his hockey stick, a chewed up puck and some hockey gloves. My brother (who recently moved to Montreal) has been indoctrinating him about our beloved Canadian sport. He’s learned which jerseys to cheer for and which ones “suck” (my brother’s words). I’m not sure what was more satisfying for him–the skating itself or the pleasure of walking past the big boys all decked out in his gear.

It was so cold we didn’t have to compete with long-haired Quebecois men in sweatpants and hockey jerseys. We had the rink to ourselves and we liked it!

Mika was blissed out on the invention of new artistic skating moves. (Careful not to imagine anything too graceful, here, please.) She would beg me to watch her choreographed routines and announce the names of her movements while interjecting “without that fall” every time she’d tumble.

It was cold, the kind of cold that bites and burns, but we didn’t notice until 2 hours had passed. The winter world was ours, because barely anyone else was brave (or crazy ?) enough to play when it was that cold.

This morning I checked the temperature–a balmy -23 Celcius before wind chill. I slipped on a layer of polypropylene, I slipped on my baby blue running hoodie, a fuzzy layer and a wind breaker. Then my winter running pants and out I went for an hour long run. It was fabulous.

I used to complain about the cold, but they say what you resist, persists. Let’s be honest, complaining has never served anyone. If it wasn’t for my brave companions in life, I’m sure I’d miss out on a lot more living and adventure. They remind me not to get so stuck in to do lists and responsibilities that I forget to LIVE. They keep my sleeves rolled up and allow me to stop, once in a while, and soak up the sweetness of life for the sake of sweetness alone.

This poem used to be on my mother’s fridge, while I grew up. It stuck somewhere in the recesses of my mind–anchored, etched and never to be forgotten. Who would have thought that by sticking it there, she assured the well-being of her children’s children. It’s a poem that when I realize it or not, guides the choices I make about how I spend my time.

I wouldn’t invite the queen to wipe a white glove along the back of my piano this week, but I’ve had a blast and oooze the kind of affinity a mother feels when she’s basked in the sweet smells and giggles of her children for a couple days.

Here hoping this etches itself somewhere in your world, Sunshine. If you don’t mind me suggesting, it’s worth printing out and posting on your fridge.

To My Grown-Up Son or Daughter

My hands were busy through the day.
I didn’t have much time to play
The little games you asked me to
I didn’t have much time for you

I’d wash your clothes ; I ‘d sew and cook
But when you’d bring your picture book
And ask me, please to share your fun
I’d say ,” A little later, Hon”

I’d tuck you in all safe at night,
And hear your prayers , turnout the light,
Then tiptoe softly to the door,
I wish I’d stayed a minute more.

For life is short and years rush fast,
A little child grows up so fast,
No longer he is at our side,
With precious secrets to confide.

The picture books are put away,
There are no children’s games to play ,
No goodnight kiss , no prayers to hear,
That all belongs to yesteryear.

My hands once busy, now are still
The days are long and hard to fill,
I wish I might go back and do,
The little things you asked me to.

-by Alice E. Chase.

Good one, isn’t it!

Love and frosty kisses,

Tera

The Vital Vittle

By Maureen Lauder

Food of the Week:  Sea Vegetables

Seaweeds like nori, dulse, and kelp provide some of the most varied mineral content of any food.  Most of the minerals found in the ocean end up one way or another in sea vegetables, and the mixture of vitamins and minerals in seaweed closely resembles that of the human body.  Sea vegetables are also incredibly nutrient dense, which means that a little goes a long way.

Types of Sea Vegetables

There are lots and lots, of course, but here are some of the most common:

Dulse:  Dulse is a red seaweed with a chewy texture.  It’s low in sodium but has a salty taste that makes it good for seasoning.  Dulse can be purchased in whole-leaf or flake form or in granules for seasoning.

Hijiki: Hijiki is round, noodle-like sea vegetable that can be used in salads.  It is usually sold dried and then reconstituted for use.  Watch out though – its volume expands quite a lot as it rehydrates.

Kelp:  Kelp ranges from light brown to dark green in color. Raw kelps is chewy and salty and acts as a natural flavor enhancer.

Nori:  Perhaps the best known sea vegetable, nori sheets widely used in sushi rolls in Japanese restaurants.  Nori can also be purchased in flake form and used as a seasoning or garnish.  Nori sheets are often toasted; raw nori is darker green and somewhat chewier.

Wakame: Wakame is a dark green sea vegetable with long leaves.   Wakame is often imported to North America from Asian countries; a similar seaweed, called alaria, grows naturally off the Atlantic coast of the northern US and Canada.  Wakame is commonly used in salads and in miso soup.

Why It’s Good for You

Nutritional content will vary somewhat depending on the variety of sea vegetable, of course, but they all have a few things in common:

• Lots and lots of iodine, vitamin K, folate, and magnesium – plus iron and calcium.
• Like flaxseed, sea vegetables are a good lignans, which helps prevent fast-growing tumors from metastasizing.
• Sea vegetables promote healthy thyroid function. The thyroid, which regulates your body’s metabolic processes, depends on iodine to function.
• The folic acid in sea vegetables helps reduce the incidence of some birth defects.
• The magnesium in sea vegetables may help reduce the severity of migraine, asthma, and menopause symptoms.
• Plus, magnesium and folic acid help prevent cardiovascular disease.

Get Yer Sea Veggies In!

Because they’re so nutrient dense, you don’t need to eat a lot of sea vegetables to get the benefits.

• Kelp and dulse are both sold in shakers and can be added to almost any dish as a seasoning or as a salt substitute.
• Dulse, kelp, and nori flakes, as well as wakame leaves, can be added to salads for a little extra zing.
• And nori sheets make for a great wrap! Sweet ingredients like apples, pears, lettuce, avocado and honey can be rolled in nori sheets for a dessert-like treat.
• Or make “sushi” rolls: Spread a thin layer of finely chopped cauliflower or your favorite raw pâté on a nori sheet. Add a row of veggies– tomatoes, peppers, and spinach, perhaps-down the middle and then roll the nori into a tight tube. Eat in one piece as a wrap or slice into chunks and share.

And if you’re feeling more ambitious (Cucumber Sea Vegetable Salad, anyone?), check out the raw seaweed recipes on the Maine Coast Sea Vegetables website.

…to take more time, no, to make more time to bring order to my life and allow myself to enjoy the little moments of soaking up sunshine that I usually let slip away to tackle something else on my to do list instead.

In our Cozy Coaching group we’ve been passing around our pledges! At the end of what feels like an unusually long week, this is my pledge.

It’s Saturday morning. I’m punching out of this computer and punching into some snow pants and ice skates for a day in the snow and sun!

What about you, Sunshine? What do YOU pledge to do for yourself today?

Looove and love and hugs,

Tera

Take This Toxicity Self-Assessment

Rate each of the following symptoms based upon your

health profile for the past 30 days.

Point Scale:
0 = never or almost never have the symptom
1 = occasionally have the symptoms, effect is not severe
2 = occasionally have it, is severe
3 = frequently have it, effect is not severe
4 = frequently have it, effect is severe

Your Current State:
DIGESTIVE SYSTEM:
___ Nausea or vomiting
___Diarrhea
___Constipation
___Belching, passing gas
___Bloated feeling
___Heartburn
____ TOTAL

EARS:
___Itchy ears
___Ear aches, ear infection
___Drainage from ears
___Ringing in ears
___Hearing loss
____ TOTAL
EMOTIONS:
___Mood swings
___Anxiety, fear, nervousness
___Anger, irritability
___Depression
___ TOTAL

ENERGY/ACTIVITY:
___Fatigue, sluggishness
___Apathy, lethargy
___Hyperactivity
___Restlessness
____ TOTAL

EYES:
___Watery, itchy eyes
___Swollen, reddened, or sticky eyelids
___Dark circles under eyes
___Blurred/Tunnel vision
____ TOTAL

HEAD:
___Headaches
___Faintness
___Dizziness
___Insomnia
___ TOTAL

HEART:
___Skipped heartbeats
___Rapid heartbeats
___Chest pain
___TOTAL

JOINTS/MUSCLES:
___Pain or aches in joints
___Arthritis
___Stiffness, limited movement
___Pain, aches in muscles
___Weakness or tiredness in joints
___ TOTAL

LUNGS:
___Chest congestion
___Asthma, bronchitis
___Shortness of breath
___Difficulty breathing
___ TOTAL

MIND:
___Poor memory
___Confusion
___Poor concentration
___Poor coordination
___Difficulty making decisions
___Stuttering/stammering
___Slurred speech
___Learning disabilities”
___ TOTAL

MOUTH/THROAT:
___Chronic coughing
___Gagging, frequent need to clear throat
___Sore throat, hoarseness
___Swollen or discolored tongue, gums, or lips
___Canker sores
___ TOTAL

NOSE:
___Stuffy nose
___Sinus problems
___Hay fever
___Sneezing attack
___Excessive mucus
___ TOTAL

SKIN:
___Acne
___Hives, rashes, dry skin
___Hair loss
___Flushing or hot flashes
___Excessive sweating
___ TOTAL

WEIGHT:
___Binge eating/drinking
___Craving certain foods
___Excessive weight
___Compulsive eating
___Water retention
___Underweight
___ TOTAL

OTHER:
___Frequent Illness
___Frequent or urgent need to urinate
___Genital itch, discharge
___ TOTAL

____ GRAND TOTAL

Overall Score Tabulation:

Add up the numbers to arrive at a total for each section and then add the totals for each section to arrive at the grand total.
Above 50:  Severe toxicity! You should definitely do the 90 Day Detox program then invest in a 15 minute consultation with Dr. Tel-Oren to assess which specific health conditions most need to be addressed and what additional tests and actions may be necessary for your condition.

Above 15-49  is moderately toxic. People with moderate levels of toxicity should definitely do the 90 Day Detoxification Program, but this should be sufficient to getting them on the right path without additional preventional help and eliminating significant toxic accumulation in the body. Although, if there are lingering symptoms despite improvements, one may wish to follow up with specific details through consultation with Dr. T.

Below 14  is Lox Toxicity. Even though your condition is mild you can still benefit from the detox because it can PREVENT diseases, not just treat or improve them. Since it is possible to have low level symptoms in the face of severe toxic accumulation, and it is possible even to harbor severe illness without any symptoms (example, a person can have a severe diagnosis only a couple weeks after a “healthy” check up) it’s important to be aware of toxic exposure at work and at home, and still strongly recommended that everyone undergo a detoxification program.

Sign Up for the 90 Day Deep Tissue Detox HERE!

Registrations close on February 1st!

Stay tuned for an open-invitation Q&A teleseminar about this program and more of your questions answered on the blog!

Medical Disclaimer:
Information on this website and within any of its programs is provided for general educational purposes only and is not intended to constitute 1. Medical advice or counseling II. The practice of medicine including psychiatry, psychology, psychotherapy or the provision of health care diagnosis or treatment, III. The creation of a physician patient or clinical relationship, or IV an endorsement, recommendation or sponsorship of any third party product or service by the sponsor or any of the sponsor’s affiliates, agents, employees, consultants or service providers. For more information, please see our privacy policy and terms of use. If you have or suspect that you have a medical problem, contact your health care provider promptly.

The Vital Vittle

By Maureen Lauder

Food of the Week:  Garlic

Oh, marvelous garlic!  Could anything make a dish so tasty so quickly?  I think not.

In addition to being yum yum yummy, garlic provides a host of health benefits:

• It’s high in manganese, vitamin B6, vitamin C, and selenium and packs quite an antioxidant wallop. Regular consumption of garlic makes a significant dent in the free radicals present in blood.

• Garlic also wields HUGE cardiovascular benefits. It reduces blood pressure, inhibits the growth of atherosclerotic plaque, reduces cholesterol, and prevents damage to blood vessel walls.

• Garlic acts as an anti-inflammatory, helping to alleviate both asthma and arthritis symptoms.

• Garlic also works as an antibacterial and antiviral agent. Garlic can not only reduce the damage caused by infections, but it also serves as a powerful weapon against the common cold.

• And, as an added bonus, the selenium in garlic helps prevent cancer and protects the body against heavy metal toxicity.

• (And, of course, we mustn’t forget garlic’s well-known vampire-repelling properties.)

If raw garlic is a bit too strong for you, then you’re in luck.   Studies suggest the health benefits of garlic are activated by chopping or crushing, which stimulates the conversion of one of garlic’s beneficial phytonutrients to a form used by the body.  Overcooking will inhibit most phytonutrient activity…but lightly cooked (not microwaved) crushed garlic is still super-healthy.

There are plenty of ways to add garlic into your diet, since a lot of dishes taste better with a hint of garlic.  One great way is to use garlic in your salad dressings, as in the recipe below (borrowed from Living on Live Food by Alissa Cohen).  This is, bar none, the best salad dressing ever.

French Dressing

¼ cup flax oil

2 t apple cider vinegar

1 clove garlic

¼ t ground yellow mustard seed

¼ t paprika

¼ t pepper

½ t sea salt

Blend ingredients and serve.  This doesn’t make a lot, so feel free to double, triple, or quadruple the recipe as needed.

By Angela Elliot

I am passionate about Passion Fruit!  Years ago for my Birthday, I received a magical passion fruit vine with fruit on it and from that day forward, I was hooked. Imagine my delight when I first saw the flowers.  Ooh, are they are GORGEOUS! Here’s a picture of a passion flower, so you can see what I am talking about.

So not only are the flowers gorgeous, the fruit they produce is DIVINE. There’s this amazing sexy juice inside along with seeds and you just cut open one end and spoon it out. This is the fruit of the Gods and Goddesses for sure.

What does the amazing fruit look like?

Some look like this depending on the variety, there are two varieties of Passion Fruit, they may look different, but they taste about the same.

Why get excited and passionate about Passion Fruit?

Because the passion fruit contains potassium, phosphorus, calcium, vitamin C, flavonoids, antioxidants, and water!

What can I do with it besides just eat it with a spoon?

Use the juice to flavor drinks, fruit soups, dessert creams and custards.

How do I pick one out?

Go to the Farmer’s Market and select fruit that is heavy for its size, large, and plump. When ripe, it is fragrant with a shriveled, wrinkled shell that is rich in color.

What if I want to grow it like Angela does?

Here’s a neat site that tells you how to do just that!  

Please let me know if you try it. I hope you get as passionate about passion fruit as I am.

If there is ONE THING that makes this redhead reputation of mine flare up into action it is the inhumane practice of psychiatrists dishing out drugs like candy. (Offering “help” with a knife behind their backs!)

There is good news in the world today, because the hammer came down on Eli Lilly and with a $1.42 billion dollar price tag attached to it. OUCH! Unfortunately, as FOX News reporter Douglas Kennedy reminds us, the $60+ billion they pulled in recently makes 1.42 look like a traffic ticket.

But I’ll still take the win and celebrate a victory for the good guys! A few more people will be taking the mask off their eyes about the dangers of psychiatric drugs and that means we’re just that much better to creating a civilization worth . I’ve ordered 100 copies of a DVD that shook me up recently, and as soon as it arrives, I’ll let you know. In the meantime, watch this:

Lilly Goes DOWN! But $1.42 still ain’t enough to cover the lives that have been ruined and the kids they kill.

Grrr…

Sending sunny thoughts anyway!

Tera

And hats off to Shayla The Great who put it all together for us this week! I loooove you Shayla! Check it out! Some of your best blog highlights and juicy news about Dr. T’s upcoming tour along the West Coast.

You can also find out how to order our SUPER DIVALICIOUS HOODIES!! Hmmm…

Finally, a team shirt! You can read the latest issue of Health In High Heels HERE!

I am bubbling with joy inside about a little somethin we have beein working on in the background. As I am writing this, we have a group of gorgeous divas reviewing our new… (HOLD YOUR HOSES, LADIES!)

…DIVA JINGLE!

I’m serious! Our own theme song! Can you believe it??!! I’m too excited about this. It’s really going to make you smile as soon as you hear it.  I can hardly wait until we get to show it off and I’ve been pressuring our musical team like mad to get something ready to show you. (Patience has never been my strong point. You may have noticed.) I just keep listening to it again and again and laughing like crazy! It’s GREAT! I know you’re going to love it!

In other news, I’ve been slaving myself to the 90 day Detox announcement and holy moley smackaroney it’s the coolest program we’ve ever done. While this blog lets me be my sparkly self, I have to be honest and let you know that the caliber of the program we are about to deliver is impressing even me. I would totally sign up for this program if I hadn’t thought of it myself! I just keep wondering if we’ll ever get to capture all the incredible information that Dr. T has to offer and every time I think we might, I get a resounding NO WAY!! He’s just a fountain of incredible information about health and wellness and I know you’re going to be impressed with what this program is offering. (And I’m going to be impressed with the fact that I finally launched it when it comes off the press!)

Ooooh, speaking of presses… the last time Dr. T was here, we hooked up with the great Josée Quenneville of Supreme Master TV and she recorded a mega episode of Dr. T in action! The camera crew was here until 2:00 am! (They were, by the way, some of the most AMAZING people I have ever met. They were SOoooo… I dunno… supremely mastered!??!) There was just that special “something” about them. Beautiful, beautiful people! Weeeell, we just found out that the show is going to air NEXT WEEK on January 20th! In North America, there are 2 ways to view the program:

1. via free to air satellite on Galaxy 19 at 97 degrees West
2. via live webstreaming online at www.SupremeMasterTV.com

We have even more good news, you know! The gorgeous Angela Elliott will be releasing some fantastic new ebooks next week! The Simple Gourmet and another winning book all about juices and cocktails. YUM!

Our brother site, Ecopolitan.com, will be releasing their FIRST EVER Recipe book! This is sooooo exciting, because it’s loaded with all the very best recipes from the Ecopolitan’s Restaurant. I mean, most restaurants would never give these recipes away! But this book is loaded with AMAZING, knock-out ecological raw food gourmet recipes.

You know what else is happening?! On February 21st, we’re hosting our first ever Raw Diva PAJAMA PARTY!! We’re renting a bed and breakfast all to ourselves and we’re going to spend the weekend making great food, watching sappy movies and enjoying each others’ company! Women of all ages, sizes, shapes and colors are coming and it’s going to be a BLAST! We promise to take lots of pictures!!

Dr. T is coming back to Montreal for Valentine’s Day (*blush*) and will be with us to give more lectures in the Montreal area after coming home from his West Coast Tour! There’s so much going on, Sunshine, I can hardly keep track of it myself.

We’re growing by leaps and bounds and it’s all because of YOU! So, thanks, Sugarplum. I sure appreciate you being here. Okay, back to the detox drawing board. Soon, Chica! Very soon the 90 Day Detox will be ready!!

Mmmmmmuah!

More excitement to come…

Tera