Tree of Life Cafe - Food Pics 20

H1N1 Swine Flu Updates

The insanity the governments and pharmaceutical industry are attempting to pull off with the swine flu vaccine is SERIOUS. Please stay informed. The site www.vaccineactionletter.blogspot.com has an incredibly professional letter/writeup on the vaccine.

Here are some recent updates:

H1N1 Swine Flu Vaccine Miscarriage Stories from Pregnant Women - one of our TOL employees just learned this morning that their good friend lost her baby the day "right away" when she received the vaccine.

Nurses Got Sick from the Swine Flu Vaccine in Sweden - 190 Adverse Reactions 1 Suspected Death

Quebec woman dies after contracting H1N1 virus 2 days after receiving the 'live virus' swine flu vaccine - 3rd death in the province since September.

If I were making a video on the truth of the vaccine I'd be a lot more passionate than they are presenting themselves in this video, but their information is right on:

My Oral Health Protocol

I have pretty white teeth.. like a polar bear, some say ;) I did have braces so I can't take credit for their alignment, but I have taken good care of my teeth my whole life.

As a child my parents made me floss every single night, no exception, and brush every single night. They actually set a timer for 2 minutes and my brothers and I would have to brush continuously until the timer finished. From so many years of doing it, I felt icky on the rare occasions that I didn't floss and brush before bed and so always brought my floss and toothbrush everywhere. No matter how late it was or how tired I was, I just always had to brush and floss my teeth.

I honestly only go maybe one night every couple months where I don't, and still continue to brush AND floss every night (ok now I'm starting to feel like a dentist). About 4.5 years ago, I started using natural toothpastes. Now, I'm actually experimenting with brushing with neem oil and xylitol, both natural substances that support teeth and gum health.

Neem is a tree, and its oil has been widely used in India for a long time and is an amazing antiseptic. It can also be taken internally and I often put it in teas. Xylitol, despite its odd name that makes it sound like a very highly processed and fake substance, is actually from birch tree bark. Not all xylitol on the market is actually from birch trees, some is from corn. Gabriel has done a fair amount of testing and research on this particular brand of xylitol and has found it to be quite good. Xylitol is often used in european toothpastes and gum. There's an interesting little article on xylitol and dental health here. I often use xylitol in my sweet treats, smoothies and in tea, too. I get wacked out on too much sugar so it works well for me.

Usually I put about 2 drops neem oil on my toothbrush and then just dip it in the xylitol container and brush. It's nice because neem is super strong and bitter and the sweet xylitol evens it out. The coolest thing? If you swallow some of the mix, it's good for you internally, too!

Brush.. AND floss.. every day, kiddos!

Here's to sparkly white grins,
Courtney

Plant Based Diets in Mainstream

Bonjour mes amies!

Yesterday I did a P90X workout and am sore today! I haven't forgotten about P90X and it's a long story about why it's been a while, including my DVD drive on my computer biting the dust. I actually plan to simply start over again soon. I also saw Michael Jackson's 'This is It' and I loved it - definitely recommend seeing it!

While we're here, a funny comment someone posted on my youtube video with Tim Van Orden:

"Her teeth are whiter than a polar bear!"

Hehehe...

In other epic news:

Jonathan Safran Foer Interview on Ellen Degeneres show - hugely awesome for spreading the message of eating a plant based diet! He's totally wrong about the swine flu, but everything else - lovely! I also adore how he brought the global warming/diet link into it. If you haven't seen Gabriel Cousens' spiel on that relationship, you can view part 1 by clicking here.

Natalie Portman goes vegan because of Jonathan's book - Always knew I liked her ;)

Tree of Life Garden Pictures 2

Raw Recipes by TOL Cafe - Southwestern Veggie Burger

Southwestern Veggie Burger with Guacamole and Salsa by Tree of Life Cafe

1 C pumpkin seed, soaked, s-bladed
1 C walnut, soaked, s-bladed
1 C sprouted buckwheat, s-bladed
1 C minced veggies (peppers, zucchini, celery, carrots and or greens), s-bladed or sliced with the 2mm slice disk

¾ C miso, whole
½ C flax, ground
2 T olive oil
2 T lemon
½ bunch fresh herbs, basil, cilantro or dill, s-bladed
1 T fresh ginger, s-bladed
¼ t jalapeno, fresh, s-bladed
¼ t Himalayan salt to taste
dash hing

Optional: Chipotle, thyme, curry, Italian seasoning and marjoram

Directions: Process all vegetables nuts and seed and toss them into a bowl. Add remaining ingredients and mix by hand. Portion using an ice cream scoop making a ball and flattening to form.

Recipe and Photo by Timothy Casey created and plated by Anthony Rojas

Sun, Tea and Parties

It's Nifty November, lovely ones! I am flabbergasted that this year is almost over, WOW! Can you believe it's been nearly 10 years since the millennium?!

I am happy to say I am back to my vibrant health after Los Angeles. Last week I did mostly juices and a few salads with immune supplements. I've also been really magnetized to chanca piedra aka break-stone tea. I've been making it nearly every day, putting a little stevia in it and loving it up. Although it has amazing health benefits, I'm actually just drinking it because a) I'm drawn to it and b) it tastes delicious to me! From JuiceFeasting.com:

Chanca Piedra, or Break-Stone Tea is an Amazon rain forest plant. Traditionally it is used for breaking up kidney stones, liver stones, and gall stones. It has been indicated in the treatment of urinary tract calculi (“kidney stones”) which are located in the kidney, bladder, or ureter. Can also serve as prophylactic therapy to prevent or diminish the tendency to form new stones.

This weekend's Halloween party was quite the endeavor too. Koali and I began prepping at 11am on Saturday and busted out clear till the party started at 7pm, danced until 1am, and then cleaned/put up pictures on facebook until 4:30am. Wow.. Did you see the treat pictures below? That's what raw vegan looks like, baby!!

I'd like to brag that this week it's in the lower 80's with a little breeze.. perfect sunbathing weather. What's that I hear? There is snow where you live? You have to bundle up in bulky winter wear? Bummer for you...

Love love love,
Courtney

Halloween Bash

Last night, Koali and I hosted our annual Tree of Life/Patagonia community Halloween Bash and it was yet another smashing success! Here are a few pictures, and the rest are on Koali's facebook album.

Below: My co-hostess Koali as a bird

Below: I had no idea what I was going to be until an hour before the party.. and whipped out a lacey cowgirl.

Below: Tim and Michela, TOL cafe chefs, with their HOMEMADE pants!!


Below: raw chocolate brownies

Below: Brandi Miller, community member, musician, and apparently, mermaid!

Below: Michela (raver), Sebastian (Rock Star - note the necklace..), and Philip ("The Love Doctor") -all TOL staff

Below: Shalva, TOL staff member


Below: Shalva's raw vegan chocolate brownie cake pudding thing.. delish

Below: Seth and Ivri

Below: Joanna (cafe chef) and I experiencing the Joy of Wigs.. Think I can pull off blonde hair?

Below: Cale, TOL staff member

Below: raw vegan donuts that tasted exactly like pumpkin flavored Krispy Kremes

Below: Brandi, myself and Philip having a good time

Below: Just some raw goddesses, that's all..

Let me know about that blonde thing ;)

Love and blondeness,

Courtney

Myself talking about Spirulina Salads with Tim Van Orden

Fellow Vermonter Tim Van Orden of RunningRaw, made this video of me talking about spirulina salads when we were in Oklahoma City for our 105degrees presentations. Enjoy!

Recovering from Pollution and Other News

I am recovering from L.A. air kicking my boot-ay, just in time for the Halloween Bash myself and my lovely Koali are hosting. I've been drinking mostly juice, pretty much ceasing eating at about 3pm, taking NCD Zeolite, mushrooms, Ecinacea, and several other immune helpers. I've also been sweating stuff out in the infrared saunas, and going to bed early and sleeping in. I just went outside and noticed some massive chemtrails, which I haven't seen for quite a while here. They are SO going to help me getting better! (sarcasm, if you don't know what chemtrails are yet.)

Other news..

'Raw Food, Fully Cooked Concepts' - my friend Boris, a German raw food chef, has an article in the New York Times!

Angela Stokes' blog post on their Retreat at the Tree of Life

Fall Garden Update from Jake of RawUtah.com

Video on the physiology of the Fight-or-Flight response from the University of Utah - thanks, Dhru!

Lori's post on the Alchemy Conference

Dawn's post on the liver