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In Coconut Oil, Friend or Foe Part 1, I discussed some of the unique properties of coconut oil.  In Part Two of this series, I have chosen to review some of my own personal experiences relating to the effects of what is being touted as nature’s “miracle” oil.

As a brief review, unrefined, virgin coconut oil, also called coconut butter, comes from processing the meat of the mature brown coconut.  Even though coconut oil is 92% saturated, it has no trans-fats and contains no cholesterol.  The fatty acids in coconut oil are medium chain fatty acids (MCFA’s).  These fatty acids are shorter than large chain fatty acids/triglycerides found in other fats and oils that are responsible for raising one’s cholesterol.  Large chain fatty acids take longer to digest and tend to be stored as stubborn fat, while MCFA’s are broken down very quickly and burned as fuel before they can be stored as fat.  Coconut oil contains a high concentration of lauric acid, which plays a key role in protecting the digestive tract by killing bacteria and viruses and is a potent anti-microbial agent.  Its health advantages further vary from metabolic miracle to a healing skin and beauty aid.

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Anyone who has thought about ridding or lessening processed food from their menu should add Living in the Raw - Desserts by Rose Lee Calabro to their library. This cookbook provides a variety of recipes geared toward a raw desserts goal.

Desserts are usually the main treat that guests, even including the children, want to taste. Calabro provides simple recipes using no unhealthy additives or ingredients such as sugar, eggs or dairy. Instead, she uses natural or organic and raw ingredients such as coconut milk, seeds, dates, nuts and almonds. She explains organic food is, “produced without the use of chemically formulated fertilizers, growth stimulants, antibiotics, or pesticides.” Organic food is rich in vitamins, minerals, and enzymes. Another raw ingredient often used is carob, a chocolate substitute from a fruit. This means even with raw desserts the desire for that chocolate taste is possible. Ingredients for these naturally sweet desserts are available at farmers’ markets and natural food stores. (continue reading…)

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If you’ve ever wanted to reach inner peace or freedom, The Untethered Soul: The Journey Beyond Yourself helps. Writer Michael A. Singer strives to provide readers with a method toward a better understanding of their inner self as well as relationship with their surroundings.

He writes that, “To attain true inner freedom, you must be able to objectively watch your problems instead of being lost in them. No solution can possibly exist while you’re lost in the energy of a problem.” Start the journey at the beginning by looking within yourself. No one knows you like you know yourself.

Readers can relate to his points as well as his writing style allowing a simple approach to help them reach their goal. Singer explains you and your thoughts are always together and are difficult to shut off sometimes. He points out, “There are two distinct aspects of your inner being. The first is you, the awareness, the witness, the center of your willful intentions; and the other is that which you watch. The problem is the part that you watch never shuts up. If you could get rid of that part, even for a moment, the peace and serenity would be the nicest vacation you’ve ever had.” (continue reading…)

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During a recent trip to the bookstore, I was admiring all the inspirational and helpful green lifestyle books available for adults, and I became curious about the publications available for children. Books are a fantastic way to educate children because they engage the children’s imagination and express complex ideas in terms that youngsters can understand. Wandering through the colorful children’s section, a discovered a number of books that introduce children of all ages to the concept of a green lifestyle and that use children’s lust for adventure to instill the powerful beliefs of conservationist. After reading several publications, I compiled a list of three books that are inspiring to both adults and children. (continue reading…)

©iStockphoto.com - David H. Lewis

After watching a recent episode of Oprah, I have become increasingly interested in knowing where my food comes from and knowing exactly what is in the products that I eat. Featured on that particular episode was Micheal Pollan, the author of several food-related books. As soon as the hour-long episode ended, I logged on to Amazon and ordered Pollan’s newest book, Food Rules. Since the day my order arrived in the mail, I have become more conscious of my eating and have improved the eating habits of some of my most stubborn family members. This slim, 139-page book has changed my life, and it has the power to improve the diets of any family willing to open the paperback.

Unlike many nutritional articles and books, Pollan’s Food Rules is written for the average person, not a scientist. The language is easy to understand, the reasoning makes sense, and the rules are realistic. The book is divided into three sections, each answering people’s most daunting dietary concerns: what to eat, what types of foods to eat, and how to eat. In each of these sections, Pollan provides practical policies to help people bypass the “edible foodlike substances” and eat real food. (continue reading…)

I know that the nine-year-old can be difficult and moody, but when mine wrote “2008—another year to live through” in his journal, it got me to thinking: those teenage years are going to be bad, bad, bad. Sure, there’s no way to guarantee your kid isn’t going to be miserable or get into trouble, but there’s got to be some way to help inoculate them against the troubles of life.

What I really wanted to know was how to tell whether my child is depressed, or just has a really bad attitude. If you’ve got a phlegmatic child who by nature complains a lot and will always comment that the glass is half-empty, what can you do to help that child survive his middle-school and teenage years, never mind the trials of adulthood? How would you even know when this kind of child is actually depressed as opposed to just constantly negative? (continue reading…)

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