The Original “Whole Foods” Diet

The answer is as old as time and never changes. It is the edicts from the Bible concerning what should be eaten and what should not be eaten. It is the original “whole foods diet”. Somehow we have allowed unnatural or modified foods to substitute for the real thing. Let’s get back to eating the way God intended.So many people are continually searching for “the” diet that will help them lose weight or make them healthy. Diets come and go. While one recommends no carbohydrates, another touts protein as the answer. What are you to believe?

This way of eating derives rules for determining clean and unclean foods from certain passages in the Bible : Genesis, Proverbs, Luke, Exodus, Peter, Leviticus, Judges, Deuteronomy, Isaiah, 1 Corinthians, Habakkuk, and Daniel.[1]

Your body is amazing and works like a well-oiled machine if allowed to do so. Teas and herbs are natural plants that have been used for over four thousand years. The father of medicine – Hippocrates – was once quoted as saying, “Let your food be your medicine and your medicine be your food.”

I recommend a book I carry at the tea shop that goes into depth about teas and herbs by author, Victoria Zak. In her book, 20,000 Secrets of Tea, The Most Effective Ways to Benefit from Nature’s Healing Herbs, she talks about nature’s plants as healers and much more.

“Tea has been a favorite beverage worldwide for hundreds of years. A cup of tea on a rainy evening can chase the chills away and a pot of tea shared among friends can lend an air of enchantment to an afternoon. But more than that, tea can treat a variety of ailments, and with this invaluable guide, you can put the secrets of tea to work for you!”   wrote Victoria Zak in the forward.

If you want to read more on eating naturally, this is a great post about the very reasons you might want to work on changing your eating habits for a lifetime.

https://www.amazingfacts.org/media-library/study-guide/e/4990/t/god-s-free-health-plan

 

 
Genesis 9:3

          Every moving thing that lives shall be food for you. And as I gave you the green plants, I give you everything.


 


 

 

 

Stevia – The Sweetener Plant

Try Stevia Starting Tomorrow

Next time you want something sweet, try using the Stevia leaves as a sweetener in your drinks or in your baking. Since stevia is a natural plant, your body will be able to absorb it better and it has no caloric value. You can purchase it in leaf form like a tea at Boston Harbor Teas.

Issues Surrounding Sugar

Refined sugar consumption is on the rise in the United States. Because sugar displaces nutritive calories, it leads to many of our health problems today like obesity. Therefore, many of our ailments stem from the use of too much sugar which on the average is a staggering 150 pounds per person per year!

 

Plants – Easy to Absorb

Therefore, as a plant, you may want to grow your own. The plants are available in the springtime as are many other herbs from your local nurseries. The whole leaf products contain all the health benefits of the herb used for centuries by the Guarani Indians of Paraguay.  It is commonly known in South America as yerba dulce meaning ‘sweet herb’.

Here are some interesting facts about Stevia:

  • The sweet taste in stevia comes from glycoside molecules that have zero calories.
  • Consequently, there are no carbohydrates so it doesn’t cause cravings like sugar.
  • The sweetness of stevia leaves and pure extracts varies from sourse to source and among the different brands.
  • The genetics of the plant, cultivation, and processing all influence the stevioside content.
  • Surprisingly, there is no known toxicity associated with stevia herb or stevioside extracts.
  • Extensive safety and toxicity testing have been performed. Therefore, Stevia has always been shown to be safe.
  • Unfortunately, Stevia has a bitter component that can be reduced by proper cultivation and processing.
  • Some white powered stevia extracts on the market today contain a filler made of either maltodextrin or fructooligo-saccharides.
  • Stevia is not a source of nutrition for bacteria in the mouth or candida yeast in the colon (as is sugar).
  • Stevia is said to aid people with diabetes or hypoglycemia.
  • Research has shown that a whole-leaf concentrate has a regulating effect on the pancreas and helps stabilize blood sugar levels.
  • Other uses of the herb include lowering elevated blood pressure, aiding digestion by reducing gas and stomach acidity, relieving nausea, and helping to reduce obesity.
  • Fortunately, it has been known to increase energy levels and mental acuity.
  • Many people have reported improvement in their oral health after using stevia concentrate in their toothpaste.
  • Also using it diluted in water as a daily mouthwash benefits your oral hygene.
  • And lastly, Stevia is useful in healing a number of skin ailments.

Sweet Watermelon Oolong Tea

 

Featured Watermelon Oolong Tea

Summer and watermelon go hand and hand. Memories of plates piled high with pink and green watermelon wedges; their juicy, fresh pulp just waiting to be devoured. And who can remember the watermelon seed spitting contests that followed? Sweet Watermelon Oolong Tea is a featured tea at Boston Harbor this summer.

It is a blend of organic premium flavored oolong, papaya pieces, plum, safflower petals, and natural flavors. With its fruity flavor of watermelon with a hint of sweetness, it is refreshing and thirst-quenching over ice or steaming hot.

Benefits of Oolong Tea

Plus there are many benefits of Oolong tea. It is rich in antioxidants and contains many  minerals including calcium, manganese, copper, selenium, potassium and carotin. Vitamin A, vitamin B, vitamin C, vitamin E and vitamin K are part of its nutritional value. It is revered for various benefits as listed below:

  • Weight maintenance
  • Anti-cancer properties
  • Healthy skin
  • Removal of free radicals
  • Aid to control diabetes
  • Healthy bones
  • Mental performance

Such a refreshing drink for summer and tastes terrific!

 

 

Reasons to Drink Green Tea

Voice of Reason – Your Body

Do you believe that your body can tell you what works for your nutrition and what doesn’t work? Perhaps the solution is a simple as drinking green tea.

The problem stems from ignoring what the body is trying to say and continuing to put things into our bodies for various reasons such as simply liking the taste or craving the food. We can all ignore inflammation, stomach aches, head aches, or bowel disorders to a point, that is, until it interferes with your daily living.

For example, even though you suffer from extreme acid reflux, stomach aches, bloating and gas, insomnia and jitters, you continue to drink coffee daily. There is a choice. Continuing to consume one to two cups a day, feeling its lousy effects – or  *STOP* –  finding other drinks, like green and herbal teas, that don’t effect your body adversely.

“The voices of cold reason were talking, as usual, to deaf ears.”

– Ellis Peters, Brother Cadfael’s Penance

Type “O” Blood

If you are a type “O” blood type caffeinated coffee is a drink that should be avoided. The same goes for black tea.

After discussing this with a customer of mine she said, ” Today I have learned that these are symptoms that repeat themselves after drinking a cup of coffee. I have heard about blood type diets for many years starting back in the 70’s and pretty much have discounted that information, but today it makes sense. I think it is time to seek out better options for me and stop drinking coffee.”

Therefore, what should a type “O” be drinking? My suggestions are water, green tea and herbal teas. There are many to choose from. You can sample them at the tea shop to find out what kinds appeal to you. I encourage you to come in and spend some time getting acquainted with the diverse tea varieties. They can be every bit as satisfying as a cup of coffee and, furthermore, offer some nutritional benefits as well.