My Recipes: Spinach Paradise.

Do you love Spinach? I do! They are great! Their season goes from March to June. Though we can find them available in our stores all year round. And the following is one  of my favourite recipes, plus it's excellent for non-green eaters, as even them love this recipe. Though sceptical at first...   

Bon appetite!

Spinach are well known for their nutritional qualities and have always been regarded as a plant with remarkable abilities to restore energy, increase vitality and improve the quality of blood. 

There are a lot of good reasons why this lovely veg has this great proprieties, primarily the fact that it is rich in iron, which plays a central role in the function of red blood cells which help in transporting oxygen around the body, in energy production and DNA synthesis. Spinach is also an excellent source of vitamins. Specially vitamin A, C, B2 and K. Folic acid, as well as being a good source of magnesium. 

I think it is worth mentioning that vitamin K is quite rare, it is vital for maintaining bone health and it is difficult to find vegetables richer in vitamin K than spinach. Others include broccoli and kale.

INGREDIENTS

A teaspoon or two of Rapeseed Oil. 

An Onion and a half.

A couple Garlic Cloves.

200 grams of Organic Spinach.

A handful of Raisins.

Some Walnuts.

And a few seeds: (I usually use Hemp, Sunflower, Sesame and Flax seeds).

Half a Lemon.

A drizzle of Extra Virgin Olive Oil. 

So how do you get this baby ready?

Well simply chop the onion and the garlic while the rapeseed oil is getting heated up on a saucepan. I prefer to cut them in a similar size to the spinach leaves, but it is really up to your taste. 

Once the oil is hot-ish turn the fire down and stir fry the garlic and onion till they are golden. Next step is to add half of the spinach. Make sure you wash them thoughtfully before cooking them. You don't want them to get very soft, just cook the long enough for them to change their texture. 

While the spinach are cooking sprinkle all over them a generous amount of raisins and part of the seeds and nuts. Make sure you've crushed the seeds in a mortar or you won't get their nutritional proprieties and you'll just poop them out due to their natural protective cover.

When the leaves have gotten that softer feel to them, turn off the fire completely and add the raw half of the spinach and mix with the content of the pan.

And finish it off adding the rest of the smashed seeds, the juice from half a lemon and a drizzle of Olive Oil.

Enjoy!

Awakening on the Inside. The Benefits of Meditation.

The art of meditation isn't hard to master. This ancient relaxation technique aims to increase concentration and spiritual awareness. The regular practice of meditation helps to focus all attention on something concrete; A goal, our breath, a thought that you wish to attract ... And the experts on the subject affirm that it opens the door to both the growth and spiritual progress of our being.

Meditation is a method, which allows us to improve our lives, and like the oriental masters, we can discipline our minds, solve problems and begin to create our own reality.

The only thing necessary is the desire and the effort to achieve it.

One of the ways to dominate the mind is by silencing it. Meditation quietens the mind, helps you control your thoughts and revitalises your body.

Those facts are not just backed-up by spiritual individuals. It is also been proved that meditation reduces stress, anxiety and depression, as it raises the levels of serotonin, a powerful neurotransmitter, whose deficiency is linked to depression.

In addition, it activates brain areas related to positive emotions, relieves chronic pain and reduces the risk of suffering heart disease.

After several days practising meditation, without the need to have a great experience, the levels of antibodies raise.

Whenever I meditate I feel a rising peace coming from within, and expanding towards the outside expressed in a subtle happiness. I feel like the ancient Oak upon a cliff, like the serene lake with deep blue waters and like the birds swaying with the wind.  And yet I feel more awake, more centred, more present.   

Water Lilies by Claude Monet

Meditation technique;

For starters it is important to find a quiet place. As meditation has to be comfortable and secure, your posture should also be comfortable and firm. In fact you can choose any position as long as you keep the column straight, and if we wish; We can put relaxing music on.

We will close our eyes and concentrate on what we have chosen as the support of our attention.

Sit comfortably, relaxing your body as much as possible without collapsing or bending your spine. You can relax your tense muscles with these exercises:

1. Drop your head on your chest, Inhale and exhale deeply three times. Returns to the correct position.
2. Tilt the head back, inhale and exhale deeply three times. Returns to the correct position.
3. Tilt your head to the left. Then turn to the right and inhale and exhale deeply three times.
4. Then turn the head in a circle, three times to one side and three times in the other direction.
5. Breathe in rapidly through your nose until your lungs fill-up. Hold the air for a moment, after which and with a sound of ... Hah ... you will exhale through the mouth. Repeat three times.
6. Inhale slowly and deeply through your nostrils. Feeling swelling in the middle of the stomach, do it three times (this serves to remove all the air spent from the lungs).

Now with your body relaxed and breathing in a normal, though deep way, focus until you imagine your body wrapped in water, air or light.

Turn your attention to your toes. Make them relax, making the tension and tiredness disappear from them.

Repeat this with the whole body. Bit by bit. With every single part of your body. 

Finishing with the forehead to be able to focus directly into the third eye. Deepen your concentration more and more in the third eye, transcends the material self, because only then can you meet your inner self.

Just relax, and let flow up, toward the energies. Let yourself be carried by the magnetic impulses if you feel them. You can then pray, conjure, or visualise whatever you'd like. 

Before finishing your meditation session. Take a last deep breath and open you eyes very slowly. Do not rush, incorporate yourself slowly and stretch your muscles.

I find it very funny how time perception changes when you meditate. Sometimes what it feels like a minute turns out to be fifteen and what felt like an hour is just five minutes. Does that happen to you as well?

Nutrition. The Thing that is Keeping You Alive.

Food. If you think about it our lives revolve around food. I don't know about you, but I am always looking forward to my breakfast, and then lunch and dinner. Also all major events of our lives turn around food as well; birthdays, weddings, even funerals.

The Roman God of the Seasons,
by Giuseppe Arcimboldo 

Nowadays is very easy to get something to eat, we just comfortably walk to the nearest shop, supermarket or, even, vending machine. But in the past people had to work very hard to get a single meal. In the case of vegetables, people had to grow them, plant them, care for them and safeguard them from a variety of plagues and weather conditions, recollect the fruits and vegetables, clean them, cook them, conserve and store to use in the season in which those specific plants don't grow. 

When it comes to animal produce, they had to hunt, fish or raise the animals. And once they'd manage to find and catch them, they'd had to flay, clean and prepare the meat before even been able to cook and eat it.  

It is great that most of us are no longer restricted to those activities in order to acquire the food we need to survive, but as we've given up the responsibility to grow our own food we have also forgotten why we eat (to nourish ourselves), we have lost the sacred aspect of food as well as the knowledge of the one thing that is keeping us alive. 

For the first time in history, without considering great catastrophes such as wars or a mass disease, the life expectancy of the next generation is shorter than the one of their parents. That is just insane! The report, published in The New England Journal of Medicine, says the prevalence and severity of obesity is so great, especially in children, that the associated diseases and complications -Type 2 diabetes, heart disease, kidney failure, cancer- are likely to strike people at younger and younger ages.

We are slowly killing ourselves, all due to our current sedentary lifestyle and massive intake of processed denatured "food" packed with high doses of added sugar, salt, saturated fats and preservatives, that are completely absent of beneficial nutrients. This situation has gone out of hand. But the good news is that recovering that sacred knowledge is very easy. I am not a nutritional expert but after reading several books on the subject including; Food Matters by Mark Bittman, The Body Book and The Longevity Book both by Cameron Diaz and Sandra Bark and The Great Book of Healthy Living by Txumari Alfaro and Raúl de la Rosa, to name a few. I think I have got some notions, and although I am no expert I will try to explain the basics of nutrition as well as I can:

In my opinion nutrition is not just about food. Because depending on your age, your environment, if you are physically active or not, your genetics, if you have a healthy intestinal flora, your levels of stress, among other factors, will determine the levels of nutrients and calories your body requires. Calories are the energy that each aliment contains, the more active we are the more calories we will need. Broadly there are three main groups of nutrients. 

• The ones that we need in larger amounts (named Macro-Nutrients) composed of Carbohydrates,  Proteins, and Fats.
• The ones that are needed in a less greater amount, but are still essential, (known as Micro-Nutrients) which are Vitamins and Minerals.
• And a third group is Water, and though not really a nutrient, but that also has a direct effect on them, we find Fibre.  

Let's get some more specific details of each of them, shall we?

CARBOHYDRATES 

These are the main source of energy to our body and our brain. Carbohydrates are turned into glucose, a type of sugar, by our bodies and used to provide energy in a cellular level.

Plants make them trough a process called photosynthesis; by mixing the energy of the Sun, water and carbon dioxide from the air. 

Though glucose is a type of sugar, refined sugars that we find on biscuits, cakes, fizzy drinks, and other processed foods, are not nutritious, that type of processed sugar is known as Sucrose.
There are many types of sugar but the following three are te more common: Glucose, Fructose and Sucrose. Glucose is practically everywhere and fuels out bodies, Fructose is the sugar found on Fruits, that is healthy because fruits are also packed with fiber that slows down the abortion of those sugars. Sucrose, on the other hand, adds empty calories to our meals and studies have shown that sucrose sugar bypasses the hormones that tell you're full which means you can overeat without realizing it. Even worst, in order to be processed trough our bodies it consumes B type vitamins, so it is not just empty, it is also stealing valuable vitamins!

Good sources of carbohydrates are whole grains, such as brown-rice, oats or quinoa. Vegetables like sweet potatoes, beetroot, kale and spinach. Fruits, for example, apples and grapefruit. And legumes like chickpeas, beans and lentils.

PROTEINS 

Proteins are strength. They are broken down into amino acids by our bodies in order to repair and build muscle. Protein are essential components of body cells and are composed of carbon, hydrogen, oxygen and nitrogen.

All the tissues of the body (bones, skin, muscles, organs...) have a group of proteins to perform their functions. Proteins contribute to cell building, growth and repair. The body needs protein to grow and regenerate.

The best sources are low-saturated fat foods like fish, legumes, eggs, poultry, seeds and nuts. If you opt for a vegetarian or vegan diet take into consideration that protein obtained from almost all plants lack one or several essential amino acids, plant sources must be combined with a complementary vegetable to form complex proteins.

FATS

Healthy fats are essential. Fats belong to the group of lipids, are composed of carbon, oxygen and hydrogen. They form a fundamental part of the cell membrane and their role is primordial in the absorption of some vitamins and minerals to keep you healthy. Also, fats help balance our body temperature.

There is this widespread belief that fats are unhealthy and undesirable, so lets re-friend fats, they don't deserve to be treated that way! There are three types of Fats: Saturated (the one we should avoid), Monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats.

A diet rich in monounsaturated fats, present in vegetable oils (the best is olive), avocados, peanuts and walnuts, reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease.
There are two types of polyunsaturated fats: the omega-3 fatty acids that are found in fish oils. They regulate blood pressure, coagulation and enhance immune responses, as well as keeping a healthy functioning brain, retina and spine. And omega-6 fatty acids, which are found in sunflower, rapeseed and corn oils. Essential for growth, cell structure and maintenance of a healthy immune system. 

Saturated fats, on the other hand are present in coconut and palm oils, although they are more abundant from animal origin derived from red meat and dairy products such as sausages, whole milk, cream or ice cream.
The ingestion of these fatty acids should be limited as they increase the danger of cardiovascular disease.

VITAMINS & MINERALS

Unlike macro-nutrients, vitamins and minerals do not provide energy and are only required in small amounts, but their role is crucial in the normal functioning of the body and in the digestion process. Vitamins are organic, as opposed to minerals which are inorganic substances.

There are many types of vitamins and minerals, with a variety of functions. like keeping your skin, and hair smooth and healthy, Others help you not to be tired and to think clearly.

The main source of them are fresh fruits and vegetables. Make sure you eat a variety of them! And avoid "vitamin drinks" as they are artificially added, the body cannot absorb them and are usually packed with sucrose.
Calcium, vitamin D, phosphorous and magnesium are used to build bones.
Iron, copper, folate and vitamin B12 are the blood formers
Vitamins C, A and E, selenium and beta-carotene are antioxidants.
Thiamin, riboflavin, niacin and vitamin B6 keep you from tiredness as thy help transform carbs into glucose.
Sodium, potassium and chloride are the hydraters.    

FIBRE, 

It is actually a type of carbohydrate, but humans cannot digest it, but it is great at aiding our digestive track exercise. It balances cholesterol in our blood and aids with weight loss. Nullifies constipation and prevents diabetes as it regulate sugar levels, and even helps prevent colon cancer.

There are two types of fibre; Insoluble, known as cellulose, and soluble. The first one helps move food and waste down your digestive system. The second one is absorbed in the body and slows digestion to ensure maximum nutrient absorption.

Fiber is found in whole grains like oats, wheat or barley, vegetables like broccoli, carrots and cucumbers, seeds and nuts, fruits like oranges and grapes and legumes like beans or lentils.    

WATER

The truth is that we owe our existence to water because it explains to the cells of the body how to distribute energy to make it balanced and productive. In fact water performs so many functions that it is consider it to be life in its most intimate essence; Invigorates, nourishes, transports, lubricates, reacts, stabilises, signals, divides, structures and communicates.

The body needs around two litres of water a day to stay hydrated. Make sure to check your thirst. Being thirsty means you have been needing water for a while. Signs of dehydration include: Dry mouth and skin, a blurry mind, headaches, confusion, fast heartbeat and weakness.

Make sure you drink a lot of water right after you wake up, since the body hasn't got any for, at least, 8 hours, drinking it will revitalize your hole body, it is a great morning ritual!. Remember, the best source of water is water. Not energy drinks, lemonade, coffee, tea, alcohol nor fizzy drinks!     

A Natural Home.

I love visiting my friends houses, so many aspects of our personally are reflected in our rooms! Apparently adolescents have messy rooms as a reflection of their boiling hormones in the inside. Harmony with nature is one of my greatest ideals and, of course, if you know me you can tell it is also reflected in my home.

White Oak,
photo taken by Darius Tubilda

A natural home reflects a healthy relationship with the environment and a balanced life style. So let me share some tips to enhance the natural energies in our homes;

Always make sure that the house where you live and its furniture are made from ecological building materials; Since they have the advantages of being less polluting, healthier (as they don't release noxious substances) and are more pleasing to the senses and our spirit.

Adobe, stone, brick, bamboo wood and gypsum are healthy and environmentally friendly materials because they require little energy in their production (compared to their synthetic substitutes like aluminium and steel). But to really fulfil their ecological function, their place of origin must be as close as possible to the retailers as it avoids - or diminishes - pollution and energy consumption produced by transport.

We have to be very careful with the type of paint and the varnishes. Since the chemicals they have give off toxic vapors over the years, compounds capable of generating serious disturbances in those who inhale them.

Luckily there are natural paints made from resin that, after drying, they can be washed and they maintain a great capacity of absorption and diffusion. Or mineral paints such as the ones made of lime and silicate; these have porous (allowing a perfect breath of the wall), and are resistant to pollution, fungi and bacteria and can also be washed.

Chemical varnishes emit toxic gases for a long time and denature the materials in which they are applied. So our best option will be to use varnishes proceeding of natural oils (composed of flax-seed oil, castor oil, balsam and pine resin, ground pigments and citrus peel distillates).

Also we have to take into account the fabrics we use - in clothes, sheets, curtains, etc. - organic and natural fabrics are much better: wool, cotton, linen, silk ... since they allow perspiration and are free of toxic substances. And we will avoid clothes that are resistant to wrinkles, that repel stains or water, that do not need ironing or that do not shrink as they are synthetic.

Building insulation is also important. Some healthy and ecological options- as long as they are local products - are:

Cotton, cellulose, cork, fiber of hemp or coconut, wool, linen, wood or straw.

In plumbing it is very important to avoid plastic materials derived from chlorine, such as PVC: they are harmful to our health and to the environment, and very dangerous in case of fire.

As well as the materials it's important not to bring chemical toxins whit our cleaning products. A very easy to make (and economic) homemade recipe for natural cleaning consists in mixing soda bicarbonate,  distilled white vinegar and water. It is great as a multipurpose cleaning solution and you can always add a few drops of essential oils such as pine or teatree to add aroma and extra disinfecting properties. Without jeopardizing your health nor the people you love.

My Recipes: Pasta Salad with Greens, Blueberries and Anchovies.

The following recipe is one of my favorites. Tasty and full of nutrients, plus it's very easy and quick to make.

Lunch Time,
photo taken by Darius Tubilda

INGREDIENTS

Wholegrain pasta (I recommend the spiral shaped one). Just a hand full.

Your choice of greens (I normally combine Spinach, Lettuce and Kale). Use enough to cover up the base and majority of the plate.

Blueberries (I also add Pomegranate and/or clementines sometimes )

Anchovies

A couple seeds (I usually use Chia and Sunflower seeds)

And for the dressing:

Fresh or dry Basil

Lemon or Lime juice

Extra virgin Olive oil.

And all you have to do is boil the pasta until "aldente". (I never add salt to the water but a couple bay leaves)

Wash up the greens and the berries and sprinkle the seeds and herbs on top.

You can add the anchovies for a good source of calcium and protein and add some contrast to the mild flavor of the salad. Or go completely vegan and add some walnuts perhaps.

Drizzle the olive oil and the lemon juice and Voila! You have got yourself a lovely nutritious meal in less than 10 minutes!

Enjoy!

Being Healthy is Easy if you know How.

Is it weird that I am so into health and well-being at age 22? For some reason literally every single person I meet gives me a curious look, or a whispered wow. So I am going to explain the foundations of a healthy life to demonstrate how easy it is to be healthy.

As the lovely actress, model and writer Cameron Diaz states on her book "The Longevity Book"; the best way to live fully is to live healthfully. So the first thing you need to be healthier is information. Let's start by defining what health is, the answer is very simple. Health is the natural state of any living being and disease is the consequence of a rupture of that natural harmony. And to recover it and/or maintain the health you have to do something very easy; To start you must have the will to do it. A healthy life is the one that puts the means to support the natural resources and defences of the organism in order to keep us in balance. Being healthy is basically doing all the things we love doing! Eating (Nutrition), Resting (Sleeping), Interacting with others (Socialising), Moving (an Active life, Fitness) Creating (project/career you are passionate about) the environment (in and outside our home) and Managing stress (meditation, hobbies, contact with nature...). Whenever you do any of those things the benefits are practically miraculous, and aid your organism at all levels; body, mind and spirit. It is also important to realise that being healthy will not make you invincible, some people justify their unhealthy habits by stating that being healthy doesn't warranty a long life. And of course it doesn't. But it increases the odds. A healthy lifestyle will definitely reduce the symptoms and or duration of any ailments you might experience, or even prevent them from occurring on the first place.

Health is not about unpleasant tasteless food or sacrifice and repression. The truth is that health is about habit, knowledge and gratefulness.

Knowledge because a good health implies knowing the origin and the effects of the food we eat and our actions, once acquired this new knowledge something that used to be a delicious treat, reveals its true colours, and becomes something unacceptable, pure poison.

Gratefulness because, if everyone were truly grateful, wars, conflicts and hatred would disappear. Because when you are thankful for your life, you also appreciate the life of others. And inevitably you stop punishing and poisoning. You respect your own body, your mind, your spirit. You respect nature, you respect the world and all the creatures that inhabit it. Because you thank the gift of life. And thanks to something as simple as being grateful, harmony begins to invade you.