Quote Of The Day

Whether splitting the atom or inventing a new style of sculpture it all begins with the same thing - doing.

Without it nothing happens.

Without it you are not learning.

Without it you are not on the cutting edge.

Quote Of The Day

 

Dive deep.

Find your treasure.

Bring it back and share it with our world.

 

Some people are born with innate skills, a predisposition, for the career path they are to eventually take. Others have to toil a little harder, to put in more work in order to develop skill in the direction they wish to go.

Wherever you fall on the continuum one thing is certain - everyone can, and needs to practice, in some shape or form, if they want to move forward and evolve in their line of work. 

Known skills can always be polished further. 

New ones adopted into your routine.

The potential for growth is always there, no matter who and where you are.

Chili and Capsaicinoids Benefits

Fresh scotch bonnet chili (Capsicum Chinense).

Exceptionally hot.

Exceptionally beneficial.

All members of the capsicum genus (from bell to habanero) are rich in the vitamins C and A, and the mineral silica, making them great for improving skin elasticity and shine. What makes the Scotch Bonnet stand out in particular though is its exceptionally high heat (Scoville) rating. Clocking in with between 100,000–400,000 Scoville heat units (SHU), the Scotch Bonnet adds a formidable punch to your meals.

Try them chopped fresh into guacamole or even in sweet desserts with chocolate, their fruity bite works well in both sweet and savoury domains alike.

Updated Projects

If you have had the pleasure of being around me in person over the past half year to a year ;) you may have equated me with a zombie who has had his face constantly in the computer, with little to no time for anything or anyone else.

The explanation for this, aside from my general usual enjoyment of isolation from people ha ha, is I have been working pretty intensely on some new projects which are finally starting to come to fruition and hopefully, will be seeing the light of day soon if all goes to plan.

I won't reveal too much at the moment as things are still taking shape, other than that they involve the coming together of some interesting worlds and philosophies (one being chocolate and nutrition) which when combined together have the potential to create some pretty radical change and transformation.

If this peaks your interest then head over to euphonichealth.com and sign up for the email newsletter to stay up to date, or follow us on social media, if that is your thing. Lots of fun, free, and easy tips for people looking to bring their energy, mood, and physical structure to more peak levels.

Finally, and most importantly, I apologise for not showing up as fully as I could in supporting you in your life recently, and probably in general. I am recommitting and striving (again lol) to being better and improving at this. There is a definite big chink in my armor here.

Quote Of The Day

How we chose what we do, how we go about doing it, this determines the value and quality of an activity. 

Washing dishes. Sweeping the kitchen. Pouring a glass of water.

Treat them all as works of art 

Book Of The Day 5

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BOOK OF THE DAY 5

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Courage is not the absence of fear, says Osho. It is, rather, the total presence of fear, with the courage to face it. This book provides a bird's-eye view of the whole terrain-where fears originate, how to understand them, and how to find the courage to face them. In the process, Osho proposes that whenever we are faced with uncertainty and change in our lives, it is actually a cause for celebration. Instead of trying to hang on to the familiar and the known, we can learn to enjoy these situations as opportunities for adventure and for deepening our understanding of ourselves and the world around us.

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"The word courage is very interesting. It comes from a Latin root cor, which means heart. So to be courageous means to live with the heart. And weaklings, only weaklings, live with the head; afraid, they create a security of logic around themselves. Fearful they close every window and door - with theology, concepts, words, theories - and inside those closed doors and windows, they hide. The way of the heart is the way of courage. It is to live in insecurity; it is to live in love, and trust; it is to move in the unknown. It is leaving the past and allowing the future to be. Courage is to move on dangerous paths. Life is dangerous, and only cowards can avoid the danger - but then they are already dead. A person who is alive, really alive, vitally alive, will always move into the unknown. There is danger there, but they will take the risk."

-excerpt from 'Courage The Joy Of Living Dangerously' by Osho

Quote Of The Day

Move more on the path of uncertainty. Yes, you may fall. Yes, you may get hurt. But, with this gamble comes tremendous vitality. A sharpness, an aliveness that no other thing can bring, and this, no price can ever match.

Quote of The Day

Hatch a plan. See yourself there in your mind. Do the daily work to make your vision a reality. 

By consistently showing up each day, again and again, realigning and recommitting where need be with our original intention, we eventually reach where we set out to be. 

Small steps are better than no steps.

Eventually we arrive.

Quote of The Day

Greatness is not in the thing done. The greatness is in the consciousness that you bring while you do it.

Touch a pebble with great love; it becomes a diamond. Smile, and suddenly you are a king or a queen. 

Bringing your whole awareness to everything you do. Living ordinary moments in an extraordinary way. This is the secret to a creative life.

Sourdough Bread with Ancient Grains

Some kamut and einkorn flours ready to go into a new batch of sourdough bread.

 

Many people throw the baby out with the bath water when it comes to grains and bread, labeling them all as unhealthy food choices. While they certainly have drawbacks, and feature far too heavily in our diets, they can be used intelligently from time to time to provide us with some nutrition and pleasure.

To maximise nutrient uptake from store bought bread choose ones made from the less domesticated grains (such as spelt, kamut, and einkorn) which ideally have gone through a sourdough process with wild yeasts, or a long fermentation process with fresh yeast. Additionally, the ingredients on the packet should read : flour, salt, yeast. Nothing else needs, or should, be in there to make great tasting bread. Even better make it yourself with the recipe below and then you get to control the parameters mentioned above.

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Ancient Grain Sourdough

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•2 1/2 cups lukewarm water

•3 g fresh yeast (the size of a pea) or 1/4 tsp dried yeast

•2 tsp sun dried sea salt

•1 tsp unpasteurized honey

•1 handful fresh herbs or 3 TB dried herbs

•700 g ancient grain flour (choose one, or a combination, of Spelt, Einkorn, or Kamut)

•extra flour for folding

•1 oven proof dutch oven or ceramic pot/casserole dish

Place water in a large mixing bowl and dissolve yeast  in it. Add salt, honey and herbs and combine until well mixed. Sift the flours and add to the water mixture. Mix together until all is combined. Cover with plastic wrap or a piece of fabric and set aside to ferment at room temperature for 12-15 hours.

 

Prepare your work surface with a light dusting of flour. Pour the dough out on the flour covered surface and dust the dough with flour to prevent sticking. Then fold it 4 times. Take the first side and fold it onto the middle of the dough. Repeat this for the opposing side, then do the same thing to the top and bottom. Now place the folded dough into your proofing vessel of choice (proofing basket works best) and let rise for 2-3 hours at room temperature. With around 40 minutes left of the rising time, turn on the oven to 500F (250°C) and place your cooking vessel with the lid on in the oven. After 40 minutes carefully remove the vessel from the hot oven, using oven gloves. Unwrap the dough and place/drop it in. Slash the dough with a knife, then cover with the lid and place it back in the hot oven. Bake for 30 minutes, then lower the heat  to 445F (230°C), remove the lid and bake for another 15 minutes. Remove it from the oven, let cool slightly, and turn upside down and place the bread on an oven rack to cool.

Homemade Energy Drink

One of the best decisions I ever made in regard to upgrading my athletic performance, and health, was to replace all store bought energy drinks with ones made at home.

Here is one I use regularly, before and after exercise, which includes one of my all time favourite fruits - the blood orange.

Blood Orange. A variety of orange with dark red flesh owed to the presence of anthocyanins (a family of antioxidant pigments) such as chrysanthemin.

The citrus family, of which blood orange is a member, are the perfect pre and post workout food due to their rich electrolyte content. Rich in potassium, calcium, and magnesium, they help replenish these cell salts which our bodies loose through the process of sweating.

For the perfect homemade sports drink try the juice of two oranges squeezed into 750ml of water with 1/2 tsp sun dried sea salt added. Shake it all up and you are good to go.

Healthier, tastier, and more effective than and pre-bought energy drink.

For years now freezing cold showers have been one of my favourite protocols for immediately increasing my mood, focus, and energy. 
I am always amazed by the profound shift that takes place over my mind and my body in such a short space of time.

Yes the discomfort is intense. Push through though and you will be greatly rewarded with immediate and lasting effects on your physiology and psychology.

A good way to ease into cold therapy is to take your usual warm shower and then finish with cold on the lowest setting. Just thirty seconds is enough to notice an effect. From here you can build up to longer times if you desire, or go straight cold with no prior warm.

Did my cold dip this morning then listened to a podcast with the King of cold therapy - Wim Hof

Check out the show at https://player.fm/series/london-real-59740/wim-hof-the-iceman

Fascinating listening.

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"In the Bhagavad Gita they say, 'The mind under control is your best friend, the mind wandering about is your worst enemy.' Make it your best friend, to the point where you can rely on it. Your mind makes you strong from within. It is your wise companion. The sacrifices you make will be rewarded. Life doesn't change, but your perception does. It's all about what you focus on. Withdraw from the world's influence and no longer be controlled by your emotions. If you can grab the wheel of your mind, you can steer the direction of where your life will go."

-Wim Hof

Holy Basil for chronic stress and anxiety

 

When people come to me for coaching one of the first things I do is put them on an adaptogen. Why? Because everyone experiences stress and adaptogens are an easy way to help overcome and manage this stress.

When stress is mentioned most tend to things of emotional stress - such as anxiety. When really stress comes in many forms. There are environmental, biological, physical, and emotional stresses . Then there is the severity with which the stress is affecting our body - is it acute or is it chronic? In short; stress comes in many flavours, and if you are alive, you are experiencing some form of it.

More often than not the adaptogenic herb I recommend to begin to with is Holy Basil as it is readily available, cheap, tastes great, and helps to target the most chronic stress symptom most people experience on a daily basis -anxiety. 

While anxiety symptoms can come from a number of possible avenues, and often require multi targeted approaches to treat, holy basil can positively effect our feelings of calmness and serenity through its ability to reduce cortisol and blood sugar levels in our body. Not much is needed, more often than not effects are felt after the first cup.

A good brand to go with is Pukka Herbs. They are readily available, high potency, and most importantly they understand the importance of sustainability.

Happy brewing and remember no matter what herb you are taking if you don't seek to address the other areas of stress in your life (relationships, job, diet etc etc) then you will continue to suffer in much the same way, albeit with a slightly clearer mind ;)

Tip of The Day #8

Just like our skin, the condition of our hair can be affected by the quality of our nutrition. The cells that make up each strand of hair require a regular supply of nutrients in order to maintain new, healthy growth. The nutrients most involved with this renewal are; protein, vitamin A, biotin, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, omega-3, selenium, zinc, and iron. 

Of the foods particularly rich in these nutrients black sesame seed (Sesamum Indicum) is probably one of the most interesting. Famed in Traditional Chinese Medicine as a hair tonic (a food used to promote the growth of thick, healthy hair), black sesame is prescribed to stimulate hair growth and darken greying hair. While the jury is out on its ability to produce melanin (the pigment responsible for hair and skin colour) in our bodies, science has validated it as a rich source of the nutrients involved in hair growth. Rich in B-vitamins, iron, zinc, selenium, and a complete protein, black sesame packs a well rounded punch when it comes to the 'hair nutrients'. Additionally, a great source of vitamin E and rich in Oleic Acid, black sesame helps to lock in moisture and add shine to your locks.

Hair darkening properties or not, black sesame makes for a powerful addition to your regime due to its balanced and well rounded nutrient profile, and wonderful taste. 

Sesame seed is most often found in the form of tahini, which can be used in much the same way as you would peanut butter. If you are unable to find black tahini (more than likely) then the version made from the white seed is a good replacement. Aside from its slightly lower antioxidant levels, the white stands up to the black in nutrient profile.

Some concern has been raised around the oxalic acid content and mineral binding properties found in the hulls of the seeds. If this concerns you then opt for the hulled version, but do know that you will missing out on some nutrition as a result.

My go to juice for both taste and mood/energy/beauty enhancing benefits.

•2 raw beetroot

•1 habanero pepper

•1 head of celery

•1 big chunk of ginger

•1 Apple

•1 lemon, skin left on if organic

Chop and add ingredients to the juicer. Give it a quick mix, pour into container of choice and enjoy.

Many times when people make the switch from a meat based diet to a more plant based one they find it challenging to maintain their muscle mass and strength. Often this is partly through the inability to find a dense and absorbable source of plant protein to fill the gap left by omitting meat. Two go to foods to help cover this issue, among several others that can occur on both a vegetarian and carnivores diet, are shelled hemp seeds and bee pollen. Here is my favourite recipe that I have daily to ensure I am covering my bodies protein needs. 

As a side note many people who think they have an allergy to bee pollen (itchy, scratchy throat symptoms) are actually just eating rancid pollen. To sidestep this issue choose one which has been dried and processed properly. My two favourites are from TOCA Honey and GFM Honey. Even better would be sourcing from a local beekeeper in your area. If symptoms still persist even when trying other sources then it may be a true allergy and best left out of your diet.

Chocolate Protein Milk

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4 cups of water
1TB Organic bee pollen 
1/4 TSP vanilla powder (or one vanilla bean)
1/2 to 1 cup shelled organic hemp seeds (more makes it richer and vice versa)
1 TB of your sweetener of choice ( I used organic honey for the one in the picture above)
Pinch sun dried sea salt
1 TB Raw cacao powder 


Add everything to a blender and blend. Can be drunk immediately or refrigerated and drunk as and when required.

Melon Whip

An ideal drink to replace electrolyte loss after sauna and/or exercise induced sweating.

Melon Whip 

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•1 ripe melon

•1/2 cup of ice ( optional)

•Juice of one lime (optional)

Slice melon and cut the rind of it and discard it. Cut melon into chunks and remove seeds. Put into blender with lime juice and ice and blend for one minute. Can be drunk immediately or stored in fridge for use as and when required.

Chipotle Hot Chocolate

Breakfast staple at the moment.

Chipotle Hot Chocolate 

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•4 cups of hot water

•1/4 TSP vanilla powder (or one vanilla bean)

•1/2 to 1 organic desiccated coconut (more makes it richer and vice versa)

•2 TB of your sweetener of choice. I used raw organic honey for the one in the picture above

•Pinch sun dried sea salt

•1/2 to 1 TSP chipotle chilli powder

•Herbal/medicinal extracts of choice. I used 1TB maca and 1 cap of Paradise Herbs Imperial adaptogen (optional)

•1 small 35g bar of dark raw chocolate. 

Add everything to a blender and blend. Heat on stove to desired temperature and then enjoy.

Book of The Day #4

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BOOK OF THE DAY #4

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Healing with Whole Foods brings together authentic traditions of Oriental medicine with current Western research on health and nutrition to create the most detailed source-book available on planning and preparing an optimal diet.

Pitchford says in his dedication that he hopes the reader finds "healing, awareness, and peace" from following his program. The diet is certainly ascetic by Western standards (no alcohol, caffeine, white flour, fried foods, or sugar, and a minimum of eggs and dairy) but the reasons he gives for avoiding these "negative energy" foods are compelling. From the adrenal damage imparted by coffee to immune dysfunction brought on by excess refined sugar, Pitchford spurs you to rethink every dietary choice and its ultimate influence on your health. Without being alarmist, he adds dietary tips for protecting yourself against the dangers of modern life.

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"When emotions are relatively balanced, we naturally sense self respect and therefore find that quality choices in food represent the most desirable action. Moreover, we discover that inferior foods simply aren't interesting. Their energetic qualities are negative and we naturally prefer not to pollute our bodies and degrade our minds with them. Such a relationship between food and awareness is a key to feeling complete and having emotional equilibrium. Greater awareness breaks the emotional attachment-link to food. Such simple processes are often hardest to see; we may think our emotional conundrums need a complex cure , yet by having practices that calm the mind and brighten the spirit, by being abundantly active, and choosing quality foods, we ride the emotional train to harmony! One purpose of this text is to promote world peace in a unique and highly practical way - by encouraging the healing of our overly aggressive desires and emotions with self reflective practices and better quality biological choices, including food choices."

-excerpt from 'Healing With Wholefoods' by Paul Pitchford

Tip of The Day #7

Since ancient times, pomegranate has been used for medicinal purposes. Know as "natures power fruit", the pomegranate is one of the most antioxidant rich foods in the world. 

Native to the Middle East, pomegranates (Punica granatum), like most fruits, are rich in vitamin C, fiber, and potassium. What makes the pomegranate stand out though is its remarkable levels of antioxidants and inflammation suppressing phytonutrients. Researchers have identified more than 120 different phytochemicals in pomegranates with a study in 2008 finding the juice to have greater antioxidant capacity than even red wine, green tea, and acai berry juice. The most exciting research to date has come from studies on the pressed juice and a compound in it called Ellagitannins and their potential to exert antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects on cancer cells. While more research is needed to make a definitive claim on the juice against cancer, research carried out in 2006 stated the juice to be a possible "nontoxic option for prevention or delay of prostate carcinogenesis." 

Again when something has a long standing historical use, tastes great, and has no (known) toxic effects then it makes sense to include it in your daily regime. 

When choosing the juice make sure to get 100% percent juice, otherwise you are paying for added water and sugar and diluting/negating most of the benefits to be had from the fresh juice. A great brand to look for is 'Biona Pomegranate Juice'. The juice tastes great alone or can be added to sparkling water, freshly pressed juices, and blended smoothies.

Ginger Benefits

Who has had their ginger today?

Ginger is one of the best herbs/foods to use in the Winter to help keep blood flowing freely and to assist with the break down of the heavier, heartier fair that most are drawn to during cold spells. 

Not much is needed for an effect. Try a shot of fresh ginger juice before a meal, or a teaspoon in a smoothie, even a small amount added to a soup or stir fry will provide some benefit.