If you are like me, you love discovering a new food item, skin care product, or a great book. Here are some items I thought to share with you, which are my most recent and favorite discoveries.
The creamy sweet texture of coconut butter adds a sumptuous melt-in-your-mouth experience to any food dish. I love to put it my fruit and yogurt for breakfast, as well as on toast. I also put it in my smoothies, but when blended the melt-in-your-mouth experience is lost. It is extra nice when I find something that is tasty that happens to also be nutritious and good for me. Coconut butter is good for the brain!! There are several varieties on the market. Just be sure to buy organic.
I have to confess, I became addicted to Cacao Crunch. It is almost too good to belong in the category of a super-food. Sprinkling a little bit on top of a smoothie, fruit salad, or yogurt provides a little crunch and adds another savory delightful dimension to your breakfast. Although expensive, it is worth it.
Recently, I discovered Lentil and Rice Crisp Bread crackers in East Hampton, New York. I could not keep enough of them in my family’s house over the summer. They are made from organic rice and lentils and come in several different flavors. They are light, savory, and yes… also good for you!
Ayurvedic Pulling Oil is an unusual product to recommend. Oil Pulling is an ancient Ayurvedic practice. It involves putting about a spoonful of oil (generally cured sesame or coconut oil is used) in your mouth and swishing it around for at least 5 minutes. Then you rinse your mouth and brush your teeth.
The benefits of oil pulling are numerous. The mouth is home to millions of bacteria and viruses. The oil acts as a cleanser, pulling out the bacteria, viruses, and toxins before they get a chance to spread through the body.
I have known about oil pulling for a long time and did it occasionally with sesame oil or coconut oil, but often went for months without doing it. The last time I was at Wholefoods Market there was a person with a little booth who was offering samples of the Ayurvedic Pulling Oil product in cinnamon. I tried it and immediately loved it. I have been using it daily ever since. It also comes in mint, which I have not yet tried.
I found this product —Farmaestetics Facial Exfoliate—Sweet Milk and Lavender in the gift shop at The Ocean House Hotel in Watch Hill, Rhode Island. Most exfoliates I try feel rough on my face. This one exfoliates, but is very soft and nourishing on the skin. It feels completely pure. I also use it on my arms, legs, and as a facemask.
Do you struggle with dry skin? I do, especially in the north during the winter. It seems like whatever I put on my skin, an hour later it feels dry again. At a local farmer’s market in Delray Beach, Florida I discovered this product— Taspen’s Organics—Moisturizing Body Butter—Lavender. It is so rich, but not greasy, and it really moisturizes my dry skin. Growing up in Florida and having spent a lot of time in the sun, I find it is helping my skin not to have the alligator look, or as we use to say about people who have had a lot of sun, the dried raisin look!
Reading & Reflecting:
Here are three non-fiction books I read this year, which I feel are worth recommending.
My neighbor in Florida told me about Harmony—A New Way of Looking at the World and left me her copy when she went north for the summer.
Prince Charles has been on a crusade, what he calls a “ Sustainability Revolution”. What got me so excited about his book is that everything he talks about is parallel to what I have been studying through the teachings of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. I was extremely impressed with the depth of knowledge that he has gleaned from studying ancient cultures. More importantly, I was amazed at the many innovative programs he has implemented to bring practical, holistic solutions to the many problems we face today. Prince Charles is one of the world’s great thinkers of our time—a status I would never have perceived from reading Royalty Magazine!
I love beautiful quotes. In his book The Supreme Awakening, Craig Pearson quotes many great men and women—people like Plato, Laozi, Rumi, St. Teresa, Einstein, Emerson, Black Elk, Emily Dickinson, and more—and explores their extraordinary experiences of “wakefulness, freedom, and bliss”. He places these sublime experiences in the framework of higher states of consciousness brought to light by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. Dr. Pearson shows how anyone can systematically access and stabilize these experiences through the simple, effortless technique of Transcendental Meditation. It is a profound book, which anyone can appreciate.
It is always heartwarming to read a book about someone who has overcome tragedy. Enlightenment is Sexy is one of those books. It is refreshingly genuine and honest. Valerie Gangas shares her journey in which she finds her place in the world by reclaiming her life in the face of tragedy. She desires to uplift the consciousness of those around her by sharing her experiences, and also offers practical advice from lessons learned along the way during her transformation.
Whether or not you have already purchased my book, it is not too late to get as a gift for family and friends. What can I say about my own book, except … please buy it! Here is a recent review of the book that touched me deeply.
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