On my Himalayan tours, I can go from a very hot to a very cold climate in a matter of hours and being from North America I am used to thinking of temperatures in Fahrenheit.

However Fahrenheit is becoming obsolete in many parts of the world, so I have learned to understand Celsius and be comfortable with conversions.

So I thought it might be useful to do a short little blog post on temperature conversions so you know exactly how comfortable you will be once you step into your new surroundings.

I am starting first with the actual temperature conversion formulas, just in case you want to know how the numbers came about (although there are tons of apps you can download to do this for you in a jiffy).  I will also be providing my favorite app later in this post.

To convert from Fahrenheit to Celsius use (F – 32) x 5/9 = C

Example: If it is 100 degrees Fahrenheit in Bali, Indonesia, (100 – 32) x 5/9, it is 37.7 degrees Celsius.

To convert from Celsius to Fahrenheit use (C x 1.8) + 32 = F

Example: If it is 20 degrees Celsius in Kathmandu, Nepal, (20 X 1.8) + 32, it is 68 degrees Fahrenheit.

The ConvertMe App is my personal favorite for temperature conversions without having to do the math.

What are some of your experiences?  Is there a process or conversion app that you use and like very much that you can share?

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When you are taking part in tours of the Himalayas, I hope you are able to visit a tea manufacturing place. This is my final discussion on teas and today’s topic is on the healing qualities and health benefits of teas.

All types of tea contain flavonoids, which are powerful antioxidants. These flavonoids in tea also help maintain bone mineral density, reducing osteoporosis and preventing fractures as we age. Green tea flavonoids stimulate the body’s ability to burn calories by increasing fat oxidation and raising the metabolism.

Dr. Jack Bukowski of Harvard Medical School concludes that the flavonoids and antioxidants found in tea may inhibit the formation of cancer cells, and protect the cardiovascular system by decreasing free radicals.

Flavonoids also work as anti-clotting agents, enhance the body’s immune functions, lower LDL cholesterol levels while raising HDL, boost longevity, assist digestion, and lower blood pressure.

So bottoms up to a nice cup of tea!

You can read more about teas, tips on making a perfect cup, as well as my yummy chai recipe in my book, The Deity Diet.

Because my wellness boot camps in India are at a 1600-acre tea plantation, my guests and I have the good fortune of seeing how tea is manufactured from the initial picking of the “two leaves and a bud” until the tea is packaged for the open markets, so I thought I would share with you how this process works.

It starts with the harvesting of the tea leaves where as I had mentioned above, only the bud and the two youngest leaves are plucked. My boot camp guests and I are so fortunate to have the pleasure of hiking amongst the many trails and tea bushes of the vast estate and frequently come across the workers who manually do this harvesting, a pretty labor intensive process.

And did you know that an experienced worker can pick up to 60 pounds of tea a day which produces about 15 pounds of the final product.

These freshly picked leaves are spread out on trays and hot air is blown over them for up to twenty four hours to drive out the moisture. This is known as the withering process and during this phase the leaves lose about 40% of their weight. During the drying process the leaves turn a dark shade of green. Leaves that are to be made into black tea are then rolled and broken up with machines to release their enzymes and essential oils, preparing them for the oxidation process.

In my next post (part 2 of 3), I will discuss the oxidation and fermentation process.  Part 3 will be the final section on tea where you will find out how manufacturing is done to create black, green, oolong, and white teas and what makes these teas different from each other.

Picture source: Photobucket (exmanforever)

The Acai berry also contains anthocyanins and flavonoids, powerful in helping the body fight oxidative stress and disease. According to experts, these substances play a significant role in the body’s cell protection system and a diet rich in antioxidants help counteract the aging process by neutralizing the free radicals in our bodies that destroy our cells.

Anthocyanins create the red, purple and deep blue tone in many fruits, flowers and vegetables such as red grapes, blueberries, blackberries and the acai fruit pulp according to some studies, indicate higher antioxidant properties than cranberries, strawberries or even blueberries.

Acai oil is also an antioxidant powerhouse as an ingredient in cosmetics as the processed oil appears to have a longer shelf life and the antioxidant levels continue to remain high.

So why am I writing these posts about these superfruits? Because I am exploring a “vitamin stick” product high in anti-oxidants from these superfruits, including the means to absorb them into our cells effectively so the body can function at its optimum for a longer, healthier life. I certainly don’t believe these superfruits are the cure all for everything and there are a lot of scams out there, however if they contribute to a healthier mind and body then I am definitely interested in finding out the best way to utilize them. After all, research has indicated that living past 100, in fact up to 120 years of age is not pie in the sky any longer, and although some of it can be attributed to out genes, how we live contributes significantly to this longevity. Therefore I am of the opinion that if we take care of ourselves holistically, coupled with advances in technology and medicine, we can become vibrant, active, and healthy super-centenarians.

And why not? What do you think?

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For the next few days I will be focusing on seven different super fruits that are high in antioxidants.

Picture source: patagoniamaqui.com

The first super fruit I am starting with is the Maqui Berry. Did you know that the Maqui berry is one of the most powerful known botanical antioxidants?

Antioxidants are critical in fighting free radicals that contribute to our aging process. Fro example, they help protect our blood vessels from the oxidative damage of these free radicals, they provide anti-inflammatory benefits, help our nervous system and generally help us stay healthy. Although we cannot stop our bodies from growing older we can definitely take steps to improve our health as we age by paying attention to the nutrients we put into our bodies.

There has been some significant research on this purple fruit known as the Maqui berry found in the Patagonian region of South America, with findings that indicate its potential to improve our immune system and protect our bodies from a variety of health conditions.

The maqui berry is packed with anthocyanins and polyphenols, which have the ability to neutralize free radicals and help fight disease in our bodies, according to scientific studies. It also has the highest ORAC value per serving. So what is an orac value? Well, it stands for Oxygen Radical Absorbsion Capacity and it is the scale which measures the amount of antioxidants that food contains and its ability to absorb free radicals.

Keep in mind though that just because a food product has a high amount of antioxidants does not necessarily mean your body will actually use them all as the ORAC ratings do not calculate the actual absorption rates of the body. So you still need a mechanism to ensure that your body maximizes the benefits of these high antioxidant rich foods. I will talk more about this in future posts.

In my next post later this week, I will discuss the Acai berry and how it compares to the Maqui berry.

Golden Gate Produce Terminal

On March 11, I had the pleasure of meeting Pete Carcione, president of the Golden Gate Produce Terminal and owner of Carcione’s Fresh Produce, and experienced a wonderful visit and glimpse into the busy activities of the wholesale produce warehouses at the Golden Gate Produce Terminal.

Pete’s family has been in the produce business for over 90 years, starting with his grandfather who came to America as a teenager and opened a small produce store in San Francisco.  You may also remember Pete’s father Joe Carcione, who hosted snippets of advice and tips for fruits and vegetables on television in the 1980′s. Joe also wrote a newspaper column, published two books, and was syndicated on about 80 television stations nationwide for his television and radio spots.

The family legacy continues through Pete Carcione, whose wholesale produce business has been supplying fresh, high quality fruits and vegetables for 35 years to over 400 stores and restaurants throughout northern California.

Pete is currently in the process of re-publishing one of his father’s books,  The Greengrocer Cookbook which is currently out of print but appears to still be in popular demand,  and I am so honored that some of the recipes from my book The Deity Diet are going to be featured in the upcoming release of The Greengrocer Cookbook.

As I drove through the gates of the Golden Gate Produce Terminal, I was absolutely amazed at the size of it – multiple wholesale produce distributors in huge warehouses spread out over 17 acres and 200,000 square feet – filled with farm fresh produce of fruits and vegetables, literally from floor to ceiling, spread out into the street – boxes and boxes of delicious, colorful oranges, apples, Swiss chard, rhubarb, crates of beans, avocados, pineapples, and mangoes from local farms and countries as far away as France and Chile.

It was an art just dodging the forklifts beeping and moving about while they load the shipments on trucks destined for local grocery stores and restaurants. By 9:30 AM most of the activity had slowed down as trucks took off for their deliveries.

I tasted succulent, crunchy baby cucumbers, and sampled fragrant, juicy Mandarin oranges that were dripping with sweetness. I learned about the Name,  (pronounced “Nami”) a tuber which looks like an oversized potato but filled with antioxidants and vitamins, and how to pick the best mangoes (but that is another blog post).

I was pleasantly surprised to find out that the produce terminal is not just for business customers but is open to the general public as well. It is located near the San Francisco International airport at  131 Terminal Ct, South San Francisco, CA.

So the next time you are out and about you may want to drop in – maybe you will be lucky enough to pick up a fresh box of sweet, juicy Mandarin oranges for a lot less than what you will pay at your local grocery chain.

Until next time, here’s to your abundant living!

Connie Umbenhower

The following salad is delicious and filled with amazing health benefits and a rainbow of colors.

In addition to wholesome carrots, apples and nuts, one serving of this salad contains nutrient rich Kale and Swiss Chard loaded with minerals and Vitamins A, C and K (one cup of Kale provides over 300% of Vitamin A and 80% of your Vitamin C daily needs, while Swiss Chard provides 374% of your Vitamin K daily needs).

Red, Yellow and Green Bell Peppers are high in antioxidants, phytochemicals and lycopene, and known to fight heart disease, stroke and cancer; while Cilantro is powerful cleansing agent, good for the digestion and full of antibacterial qualities.

Ingredients

• 2 cups Red Swiss Chard, chopped
• 2 cups Kale, chopped
• 2 cups Romaine lettuce, chopped
• 1 cup celery, chopped
• 1 cup red apple, chopped
• 1 cup red pepper, chopped
• 1 cup yellow pepper, chopped
• ½ cup shredded carrots
• ½ cup finely chopped cilantro
• ¼ cup slivered almonds (sprinkle over finished salad)

Directions

1. Wash vegetables and apples thoroughly, prepare and drain using a salad spinner so salad is nice and dry. Mix thoroughly in a large bowl.
2. Sprinkle slivered almonds over the top of the salad and serve with your favourite dressing.

Serves 6-8

For most of us, the next few weeks are going to be stressful – what with Thanksgiving in a couple of days, then there’s the Christmas shopping and Christmas celebrations, New Years etc – not only will we be indulging on all kinds of goodies but it will be taxing on our time and finances as well.

So here are 5 Tips that will hopefully help you save some money and/or time:

1. Get a FREE Turkey! Many grocery stores are currently offering free turkeys so check out the local one in your area. I myself just got a 14 lb bird after I spent $99 on groceries at Lucky’s.
2. Have a Potluck style Thanksgiving or Christmas. If you are having friends or family over, have them bring one or two items so you have less to do, or do the same if you are going to someone else’s place.  Martha Stewart’s side dishes look yummy  if you want to check out her website.
3. Incorporate anti-stress related  foods into your menu. In addition to turkey  which seems to definitely get everyone dozing off after their feast (LOL),  studies have shown that almonds help lower blood pressure and are also high in B vitamin components. Another stress relief power food is the Avocado so be sure to include them  in your salads as they are high in potassium which reduces your blood pressure as well.
4. Give it away - try to go without gifts this year and use the money to help someone else. You will make a difference to someone less fortunate. I was so proud of my daughter and her husband when I found out that they had used the money they had budgeted for gifts for each other and instead spent it on filling a number of shoe boxes for Operation Christmas Child.
5. Avoid the Black Friday Rush – If you do have gifts to purchase, avoid black Friday and try to shop the following Monday – there will still be awesome sales, as stores are really trying to get customers in. And you will avoid the insanity of packed stores the day after Thanksgiving. However if you absolutely must shop on Black Friday, here is a BlackFridayInfo.com link that may help you search ahead of time for what some stores are advertising on this day.

Here’s to Your Good Health and Abundance.  Have a Happy Thanksgiving!

Connie

Bitter Melon, also known as Bitter Gourd with the English name of Momordica Charantia, is an amazing fruit-vegetable that appears to have very interesting properties for fighting diabetes, cancer and certain infections and fevers.  It is a green cucumber like food with a rough skin and is grown all over India (called Karela) and other Asian countries.  It can be found in most grocery stores in the United States.

Bitter melon does have a very bitter flavour so it is an acquired taste for most people. I certainly acquired this taste early in my childhood from my grandmother and I LOVE bitter melon! My grandmother would steam it, mush it up, then add lemon juice, chopped garlic, onions, salt and fresh diced hot chillies to it and our family would eat it as one of our side vegetables with rice and curry.

Bitter melon has been used to control blood sugar levels throughout the centuries and science appears to support this. This gourd like fruit contains bioactive properties and could be a powerful treatment for Type II Diabetes. One of it’s benefits is that it allows the body the ability to improve glucose tolerance.

Research indicates that bitter melon has four components (momordicosides Q, R, S, and T with karaviloside XI) which create increased activity of AMPK, which is directly beneficial to fighting diabetes and obesity.

Additionally bitter melon has certain components that appear (again, according to research) to have a potential for treatment against breast cancer , prostrate cancer, and possibly HIV related infections, however anti HIV properties are not conclusive and more research is needed. Some of its other herbal uses include treatments for digestive and skin diseases.

You can add bitter melon to your diet as either a steamed vegetable or juice this great little plant. For some people it is more palatable to eat it fried. It can also be taken as a bitter melon extract.

If you are taking medication for blood sugar levels, please check with your doctor before use. It is not recommended for people with liver problems and should not be used during pregnancy as it may stimulate the uterus. This information is for educational purposes only and for diagnosis or treatment of any medical problem, please consult your licensed health care practitioner.

Ever met someone who absolutely changed the way you think? Well, a few months ago I met Cassandra Rae of Simply Fearless, an absolutely amazing woman and one of the most positive thinkers I know. Cassandra’s online bio is “I am simply and beautifully human!” What an attitude!

I went to Cassandra for help with my blog as I was totally stuck with what I call a mental blog block (she is also a blogging expert and can provide tons of ideas in a matter of minutes). So after helping me get unstuck we starting talking – I was having a totally overwhelming day (she is also a great listener) and going through the “I have to do this…” and “I have to do that..” – she looked at me and said, “Connie, change the “I have to..” to “I get to…“.

I just looked at her in amazement that such powerful little words just popped out of her that could completely change an attitude! Those words have made such a difference in my life since then and I have reminded myself so many times to say “I get to…”.

Overwhelming tasks become positive opportunities to be thankful for. For example, I have to cook tonight becomes I am fortunate to have a husband or child or family I get to cook for… I have to get these books back to the library becomes I am thankful for FREE books and movies I get to enjoy and so on and so forth.

I have passed this on to my daughters, my sisters, and my friends. Who knows how many attitudes and lives these little words have impacted. Just amazing. If you want to find out more about Cassandra be sure to check out her awesome blog and website at www.simplyfearless.com.