It was such an honor to teach at Hanuman Festival in Boulder Colorado.
Being at Festivals can be exhausting. But if you eat healing foods and foods that give you energy, you can end up enjoying your time and feeling amazing despite the long days and meeting lots of people.
In this video you will find 3 recipes of quick delicious, energy boosting and fat burning meals that you can whip up when you are in a hurry. đ
A lot of people think that you have to give up your favorite comfort foods to maintain a healthy weight.
I'll be the first to tell you, I LOVE PIZZA! So, I would never give it up but instead, I enjoy it whenever I want. I just use a healthier recipe. It's that simple!
The pizza crust is typically the most unhealthy part of the pizza. You can always top it with you favorite healthy toppings. So, here's my go-to recipe for a healthier pizza crust.
Yours in health,
Danette
P.S. Please share this yummy recipe with your friends and I always love reading your comments below.
Here's a fun, festive fruit salad recipe that's perfect for 4th of July!
If you've been reading for a while, you'll know I love to play with this recipe and make different versions of it, depending on what ingredients I have on hand.
It's always a favorite at Summer parties. Oh, and don't skip the mint because it really makes the flavors pop in this dish.
RED, WHITE, AND BLUE
FRUIT SALAD
Serves 4-6
INGREDIENTS:
1-pint strawberries, cubed
1-pint raspberries
1-pint blueberries
2 white flesh peaches, sliced into cubes
1/2 a honeydew melon, sliced into cubes or balls (if you have a melon baller)
leaves from 3-4 sprigs of mint
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons raw unfiltered honey
DIRECTIONS:
1. Chop mint leaves and toss with honey (more or less to taste), lemon juice, and 1 tablespoon water.
2. Pour over fruit and toss until coated.
3. Cover and let stand for about 30 minutes.
NOTE: You want to serve this right away or cover and store in the fridge to serve within 24 hours.
I love how I can express my love for both good health and my country in one easy dish.
Yours in Health,
Danette
P.S. Feel free to share this festive recipe with your friends and I always love reading your comments below.
Gathering energy around you as you move and sway with the world, is one of the greatest ways you can call more abundance and peace in to your life.
This 90 second stretch will ease your soul as well as call in the abundance that is yours for the taking. Do this each morning and night and start noticing the shift within your soul as it manifests in your everyday life.
Yours in Health,
Danette
P.S. I hope you will share this stretch flow with your friends and I want to hear from you! Please leave your comments below.
Most of us know turmeric as a bright orange spice. Itâs used in Indian food, and itâs the main spice in curry.
But did you know that this cousin of ginger is also good for your body and brain?
Turmeric is a root plant. The spice is made by boiling and drying it, then grinding it into a fine powder. Raw turmeric is much higher in nutrients than the spice.
The curcumin in turmeric has been shown to be as good as some drugs at easing pain. It also neutralizes free radicals, which have been linked to the aging process.
Curcumin has also been shown to boost the levels of the brain hormone BDNF.
Brain-derived neurotrophic factor, also known as BDNF, is a protein that, in humans, is encoded by the BDNF gene.
The big thing to know about it…BDNF has been found to fight the effects of aging.
Fights Fat and Helps Depression too!
As if reducing pain and fighting the aging process weren't enough, turmeric can help people who suffer with depression.
One study took 60 patients and split them into 3 groups:
some taking Prozac
some taking curcumin
some taking both.
Six weeks later they found that the curcumin was just as effective as the Prozac, but without side effects.
Other studies have shown that curcumin can boost serotonin and dopamine. These are 2Â of our most important feel-good hormones.
One of the best things about turmeric is that it suppresses the growth of fat tissue and prevents obesity.
Researchers fed lab animals a high-fat, high curcumin diet. The mice gained less weight and had lower fat mass then they had at the start of the study, even though they ate the same number of calories.
Their levels of proteins and cholesterol that produce fat were lower too.
The scientists think that the curcumin found in turmeric speeds up fat metabolism, lowering body fat and total weight.
So, How Can I  Get More Turmeric into My Diet?
You can buy fresh turmeric root at Asian and Indian markets and keep it in the refrigerator for a week or two in a plastic bag.
QUICK TIP: Be careful when youâre handling it. Raw turmericâs yellow color can stain your skin or your clothes.Â
Some people slice it up and eat it raw. Others put it into salad dressings or smoothies, but juicing is one of the best ways to eat it fresh. It has fat-burning capabilities, a ton of health-boosting properties plus amazing gut healing capabilities! Thatâs because turmeric is filled with healing compounds called curcuminoids. I also recommend you take Turmeric + Ginger Capsule or enjoy a hot cup of Earth Echo's Golden Superfood Bliss. This one's an absolute game-changer!Â
Hereâs a great recipe for a cool drink that tastes great and gets you a healthy daily dose of turmeric.
When leptin levels drop, as they rapidly do on low calorie, low carb diet plans, youâll start burning fewer and fewer calories every day. If youâre burning fewer calories, this means slower weight loss results.
4. Low-Carb BrainÂ
If youâve ever been on a low carb diet before, chances are good youâve experienced âlow carbâ brain. Itâs the cloudy, almost confused state that lack of carbs leaves you in.
This is because your brain relies mostly on glucose for fuel. Once again, when carbs arenât coming in glucose isnât being delivered.
Youâll find your focus, motivation, and memory are all on the decline when you shun carbs in your plan.
5. Lack Of Nutrients
Finally, letâs not forget the fact that if you arenât eating carbohydrates, you're going to be missing out on key nutrients your body needs.
Carbohydrates â especially fresh fruits and vegetables â supply your body with a good dose of vitamins and antioxidants. Your body needs these things to be at it's best
Cut carbs and youâll struggle to get these in. Even if you eat the healthiest varieties of proteins and healthy fats, youâll still miss out. These foods simply don't give you the wealth of nutrition that carb based foods provide.
So keep these points in mind. Make sure that you strongly consider keeping some good carbs back in your meal plan. Not only will you see better fat loss results, but youâll be in better health as well.
Focus on sources like
oatmeal
sweet potatoes
brown rice
quinoa
beans and lentils
Keep your intake to around 100-150 grams per day for the best weight loss results.
Yous in health,
Danette
P.S. Please share this info. with your friends and I welcome your comments below.
Coconuts are a life giving plant – healthy and versatile with a ton of uses. A few of them might surprise you too!
In tropical countries, coconut products are everywhere you look.
You can find them in:
food
beauty products
handmade tools and decor
Jewelry, art and ropes are just a few ways coconut is used.
Coconut is also known as ”jewel of the tropics” and for good reason!
5 Ways to Use Coconut in Your Kitchen
1. Coconut water: It's the liquid inside the tender, young coconuts. It's full of electrolytes, potassium, sodium and digestible sugars. It also contains inorganic ions like calcium, magnesium and phosphorus. It's one of the best post workout and sports drinks.
Coconut water also provides a nutrient called cytokinin, that has anti-aging effects.
2. Coconut milk:Â It comes form blending the coconut meat with water. Used in soups, stews, puddings and in smoothies.
The fat in coconut milk is easy to digest and soothes the digestive tract. The fat can be used to make a healthy whipped cream too!
3. Coconut flour: Most used in baking, it comes from dried meat of coconuts. It is rich in fiber and gluten-free which makes it a great ingredient for baked goods like this healthy pizza crust.
Coconut is anti-inflammatory in nature, which makes it ideal for people with chronic inflammation.
4. Coconut sugar:Â Coconut sugar comes from the flowers of the coconut palms. They are less processed which retains the nutrients and have a low glycemic index.
It's a great replacement for white sugar, use equal amounts to replace a cup of white sugar in recipes. This Amazing Paleo Apple Crisp recipe my friend shared with me is so yummy, you'll never even miss the white sugar!
5. Coconut meat: It is the fleshy inner part of the hard coconut shell. The meat of a tender coconut is soft and delicate.
Meat from matured coconut is tough and crunchy. The tough meat when scraped becomes the coconut flakes used as a topping, and in desserts.
Studies show that consuming coconuts helps to relax blood vessels and dilate. This helps to lower high blood pressure.
Surprising ways to use coconut outside of the kitchenÂ
Coconut butter: Fresh meat of coconut ground to a smooth paste gives the coconut butter. Besides use in cooking, it acts as a face pack, and hair conditioner and moisturizer .
Coconut oil: It's used for cooking but it's also a great beauty product.
People in tropics use it as hair oil to prevent premature graying and hair loss. It is one of the chief ingredients in soap making as well. I got the chance to make homemade coconut oil in Bali and I'll never look at my huge jar of coconut oil the same way again.
A Few Other usesÂ
Coconut coir: Coconut's brown coir fiber is often used as dish scrub in many tropical areas. It's a nontoxic, eco-friendly way to remove stubborn grease from dishes. Best of all they make a great compost after many uses.
Coconut shells: Coconut shells are best for decorative purposes, cooking utensils like ladles, cups. It's good for gardening – as a compost or to grow seedlings. In some countries it's even used as fuel.
How to buy and store coconuts
While buying a whole coconut choose ones that are not cracked or punctured.
Heavier coconuts tend to have more water than lighter ones.
Shake the coconut to judge its water content. If the inside is dry, the coconut is too mature and may not taste good.
You can store a whole coconut for a month in the refrigerator. Opened ones stay good only for 3 – 4 days.
Next time you see a coconut in your grocery store, buy it. It's inexpensive and has a ton of valuable uses.
Yours in Health,
Danette
P.S. Please share this info. with your friends and I welcome your comments below.
A couple weeks ago, I had the honor of teaching at Afest in Mykonos Greece. I love being around so many inspiring entrepreneurs trying to make the world a better place.
My method for teaching is quick, effective workouts, that incorporate multiple muscle groups for maximum results in less time. You can follow along in this video and do the exact workout we did in Greece.
Yours in health,
Danette
P.S. Please share this video with your friends and I welcome your comments below.
I was appalled by a recent report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine.
The report says, ”GM foods are safe for human and animal consumption and the environment. ”
Is this the reality? Can we take these findings as the final word on GMOs !! Not so fast.
There's a decade long controversy over the safety of GMOs and it's far from over. Before IÂ share more, here's some background on GMOs.
What are GMOs?
GMO stands for Genetically Modified Organisms, also called, GM foods or genetically modified foods.
They've been grown since the 1990's. The reason was so farmers could grow more crops to help feed our growing population.
Yet, over a period of time this technology became a tool for food corporations. It became a way to create cheaper food and of course, to make more money.
Researchers have long questioned GM foods.
The 3Â main reasons being:
1. They've been less studied and observed.
2. Their long term effects on human and animal health is unknown.
3. Current safety evaluations aren't well rounded. One report argues that GM crops should be thoroughly evaluated. Current GM foods are evaluated as crops made of several substances of known safety, and not as a new life form.
The report doesn't convince me to eat or recommend GM foods. Here's why:
Safety of GM foods
1. Increased pesticide resistance
Bioengineered crops tend to resist the effects of pesticides. This means that more herbicides can be sprayed to kill weeds, while not harming the crops.
Problem is, this all adds up to high levels of pesticide residue on the crop. It also helps create pesticide resistant weeds and insects.
The report confirms that there's an increase in pesticide resistance. This clearly contradicts the report's safety assurance.
2. Based on biased studies
An independent review paper about GM studies on animals reveals a shocking truth.
The report says published studies on GM crops aren't available for all crops. The review found only 19% of the GM crops had been researched.
3. Influenced by Big food corporations
The Food & Water Watch, is a non-government group that fights for consumer rights.  According to them this report is influenced by bio tech industry and food corporations. This creates conflicts of interest and begs the question…Is this is a biased report?
4. Not eco-friendly
Genetic engineering of crops simply isn't environmentally friendly.
For centuries, farmers have used simple techniques like crop rotation to get rid off weeds. Some farmers have quit the practice of crop rotation due to GM crops and use of herbicides to kill weeds. Crop rotation, protects the soil, stabilizes its natural nutrient content, and is eco-friendly.
These are just a few reasons, there are other reasons too. Still, it's best to stay vigilant in a corrupted food system and take charge of your health.
How to stay away from GM foods?
Be aware: Here are the GM crops / foods that you should know. Cotton, soy beans, canola, alfalfa, corn,  papaya, sugar beets, apple, and potatoes. These are all the GM crops.
Besides, don't eat Processed foods, 75 % of them use canola or soy bean oil as ingredients.
Read labels: Make it a habit. Reading food labels to check for GMO ingredients helps. Food corporations have found ways to sneak GM foods in their products. There are plenty of smart phone apps that make your job easy.
Or, it's easier to buy GMO-free products or choose organic ones.
It's mandatory that products named ”organic” are GMO-free.
Just be sure not to buy unhealthy products.
GMOs are not a viable option for our life and the health of our planet. Information on them is still not in black and white. They're not ethical and not worth risking your health like a guinea pig. I will not risk my health and neither should you.
Yours in Health,
Danette
P.S. I urge you to share this info. with your friends and I welcome your comments below.
