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:
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.
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.
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.
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.
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!
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 apowerful 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 possiblyHIV 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.
On my last journey to India, I was incredibly moved by some of the local children we met there. Friendly and quick to say hello, these children seemed happy, though they have little by our standards. Perhaps because I myself come from India, I found them to be endearing and felt a distinct connection to them.
As founder of Himalayan Boot Camp, I envision my company as one that gives back to the community. Being that Himalayan Boot Camp is rooted in India – in its culture, food, and the adventures India offers – I believe some of the local villages which we traverse on our Boot Camp adventures should benefit from our business endeavors and success. Himalayan Boot Camp, by itself and through its guests, can be the vehicle for contributing, even in a small way, to the quality of life for some local children.
One way in which I propose to do this is to provide my guests with an opportunity to give something small yet meaningful. After making inquiries, I have learned that school supplies are in great demand. English reading books for children ages three to twelve are especially in short supply.
Willing Himalayan Boot Camp guests could bring a book or two for this age group, along with a few pencils and erasers. At a small get-together, my guests can visit and interact with some of the local children, and give them each a gift of a book and some school supplies. I know it would be an unforgettable moment for the child and personally rewarding for any guest who chooses to participate.
Another project which I will soon be implementing is what I call my “Socks For Children” project (I am working on a more formal name for the project). As you might imagine, the Himalayan foothills are extremely cold during the winter, and many children could use good quality, warm, and well-insulated socks. In light of that, each October when I travel to India for our boot camps, I will take with me a large suitcase full of 500 pairs of socks. 250 needy children will get 2 pairs of socks each. I am certain that these socks will mean so much and will help prevent the recipients from suffering from cold during the harsh days of winter. Contributors to this project may be, but need not be, Himalayan Boot Camp guests.
If you are interested in being part of the socks project, send me an email to connie@himalayanbootcamp.com and I will provide more details as I get this project up and running.
While I was in India last Oct, I was fortunate enough to be able to visit a farm that belonged to a friend of mine and asked him if we could dig up some turmeric root so I can take a picture for my blog and here it is.
Turmeric is a plant in the ginger family with an earthy, bitter flavor and a mustard-like smell. It is a root that is boiled, then dried, and finally ground into a yellow-orange powder to be used as a spice. Turmeric is the ingredient that gives curry dishes their yellow color.
On of the main components in Turmeric is Curcumin. This component has been found to have amazing healing properties. I have consolidated some highlights of Turmeric below from my upcoming book The Deity Diet. Stay tuned for the release date.
Turmeric as a healing spice has been found to do the following:
• Produce bile that helps break down fats.
• Detoxify the liver, and assist in blood circulation and purification.
• Because of its antibacterial properties, used as an antiseptic for cuts and bruises.
• Has anti-inflammatory properties and known to be effective as a pain reliever.
• Assists in digestion and fights off intestinal parasites
• Works as an anti-oxidant, and helps reduce cholesterol and fight arteriosclerosis.
• Fluoride in turmeric is highly effective to strengthen teeth & prevent cavities.
• Used as a beauty treatment by brides in India, known to enhance the complexion.
• Turmeric’s distinct aroma and taste adds color to, & enhances the flavor of curries.
• Turmeric is also used in eggs and in salads.
One of the significant benefits of turmeric is its potential for preventing Alzheimer’s disease. According to a UCLA study, India has one of the lowest rates of Alzheimer’s disease in the world. The incidence of Alzheimer’s among Indian adults aged seventy to seventy-nine is 4.4 times less than that of the United States. Research indicates that curcumin, the main component of turmeric, inhibits accumulation of destructive beta amyloids that form the plaques found in the brains of Alzheimer’s patients. Further studies are being conducted.
The next time you cook with Turmeric, think about the positive impact you are contributing to the health and well being of your body.
I would like to share with you an absolutely delicious and healthy recipe that my guests at my March 15 boot camp (Scotts Valley, CA) loved. I have been getting requests for the recipe from some of them so I thought I would just post it here.
This is such an easy spread to make so here it is:
2 cups of edamame beans
3 garlic cloves
2” section of fresh ginger
4 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
¼ cup of water
Blend everything together into a paste. Depending on how thick you want it you may need to add a little more water.
If you want to make it a little spicy, add some cayenne pepper or fresh chillies. You can get edamame beans in most grocery stores (under $4 at Costco for a large container).
You can enjoy this spread on whole wheat crackers, or with fresh fruit for a nutritious snack or light meal.
I am so excited to share that I made my television debut on The View from the Bay! It was a lot easier than I expected. I thought I would be more nervous, but I wasn’t. I learned about cooking on TV. You actually prepare everything ahead of time and basically pretend to cook! Live television is fun. At one point, Spencer poured all the oil into the ingredients when I wasn’t looking and when I went to stir fry the curry I didn’t have any oil. In fact, I think I told Spencer to put the oil in because I wasn’t paying attention. Ah! Fortunately, the team was very experienced. Spencer made a joke while locating more oil and it turned out great!
The information in this blog is for educational purposes only. For diagnosis or treatment of any medical problem, please consult your licensed health care practitioner.
