Quote "Life is a gift - ours is to learn to receive it" - Lazaris Back to top Welcome Just got home from a week at Seagrove Beach, where the weather was fine and the water was clear. It was so good to see the beach clean and clear of tar balls Waiting for us at home was an abundance of produce: -
 Winter squash in all their glory (buttercup, spaghetti, red kuri, acorn, and this year's favorite, the sucrine du berry - a relative of the butternut squash - a french heirloom from the du berry region, that i'm planning to chop small and bake in a puff pastry shell with some chopped onions and parsley for the authentic du berry experience)
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 Fruits of all kinds (grapes, melons, figs, apples and pears) ready for making jellies, jams, and conserves. Carl and I were making a grape and citrus conserve this week, and by a happy accident (we cooked it too long and the sugar started to caramelize), we created an incredible product that I think will make a great caramel sauce with sea scallops and vietnamese fish sauce!
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Later summer tomatoes, okra and peppers (so many peppers I don't know what to do with them all) And, I realize that for me, receving the harvest is about honoring the gifts of Nature - and ensuring the ongoing abundance of a Nature that loves being loved. Taking the grapes and making jelly, the apples for pies and the pears for spiced christmas pears, speaks to me of generations of women appreciating and conserving that abundance for year-round enjoyment Back to top Feature Article: Catch a Healthy Habit Do you want to give up a bad habit or addiction? Then find an impulse to follow. Watch your thoughts, feelings, wishes, impulses, compulsions, fantasies, and so forth, for one that's headed in the right direction. Then get behind it. Listen to it. Expand it. Allow it. Respond to it. Make that one real, and let it drown out the others For example, last summer I noticed that I'd given up my healthy habit of alternating coffee and green tea with breakfast every morning, and was feeling really addicted to having coffee every day. The thought of switching to tea every other day made my inner control-freak clamp down and I found myself thinking "no way"! "forget it!", "get yourself another sucker!". Stuff like that So I backed off and decided to just think about it and watch for awhile. I got curious about why this felt so intense and what I could do. So I guess I was kind of watching myself around coffee when, a few days later, on coming to the kitchen one morning, I found myself wishing I didn't have to take the time to make coffee. Part of me said – "you don't!" and I realized it would be easier to make tea – just boil some water. But still, I felt I couldn't give up my coffee just yet, so I went ahead and made it. But this experience had given me an idea, and the next time I had that lazy impulse "let's not make coffee", I was ready to follow it. Doing that – following the new impulse – just slightly loosened the hold the coffee had on me. It allowed me to remember why I like my jasmine green tea, and how tonic it feels in my system. The next time was easier and I found that I gradually got comfortable with the alternating schedule, like working at a knot to open it up Today, I drink jasmine tea every day during the week and only have coffee (half caff, half decaf) on the weekend. And I don't miss the coffee on weekdays one bit! A similar thing happened recently when I was out walking and contemplating what to have for dinner. I didn't feel like cooking a meal, but I remembered I had some chicken broth in the freezer and soup sounded easy enough. Then I remembered that ayurveda recommends having a light supper like soup, so I decided to follow the healthy impulse So what I'm doing is enlisting feelings and impulses that come up to turn them in a healthful direction. Waiting for the bus headed where I want to go, then catching it. Rather than trying to get there through willpower and discipline & denial I like my bus better! Back to top
Food Focus: Water Most of us are aware of the importance of drinking enough water. Getting our daily dose of water helps our organs perform their functions, keeps our skin clear and hydrated, and allows physical action in our bodies to flow smoothly. Even with this knowledge, it can still be challenging to drink all the water our bodies deserve daily. In the summer, when we tend to play hard, sweat and spend prolonged time in the sun, drinking plenty of water is critical. Those who are not drinking enough may experience poor digestion, sluggish thinking, skin breakouts, headaches, bad breath and general fatigue To start your day right, set a large glass of water by your bed each night and drink it when you wake up. Drinking water first thing in the morning pulls out toxins from the previous day and freshens your system for the day ahead. Keep a bottle of water accessible throughout the day, whether you are on the go or at a desk. Having a bottle of water close by will remind you to take a sip when thirsty. The first sip will usually let you know how much more water you need. A sip or two may be enough, or you may need a big glass. If you drink most of your daily water before early evening, you most likely will not be thirsty before bed. This is good, because drinking before bed and then waking to use the bathroom disturbs your peaceful night's sleep What about quality? Some people like bottled water, while others prefer filtered water. The key is to like the taste of the water you are drinking, and the water should agree with your body. If the taste of plain water is unappealing, experiment to see how you can make it tasty and drinkable. Try adding a few mint leaves, a wedge of lemon, a sprig of parsley, slices of cucumber, a twist of lime or a squeeze of orange to make water more tempting, or to jazz up your routine. Also, drinking tea or juice and eating raw fruits and vegetables contribute to the hydration process. So, splash in the waves, swim in the sun, drink plenty of water and enjoy the summer fun! Back to top
Recipes of the Month Sun Tea Prep time: 2 minutes
Cook time: 24 hours
Yield: 2 liters Ingredients: 3-4 tea bags of your choice water Directions: - Fill an extra-large mason jar with water, add 3 or 4 of your favorite tea bags and cover with lid
- Place in sun for one full day and let the shining rays pour in heat and energy, bringing out the wonderful tea flavors
- Sweeten if so desired with natural sweetener and serve at room temperature or cold over ice
Note: Garnish with mint leaves or lemon wedge Ginger Drink Prep Time: 7 minutes
Cook Time: 24 hours
Yield: 6-8 servings Ingredients: 1 pound fresh ginger root 2 quarts water juice of 2 limes maple syrup or agave nectar to taste Directions: - Thinly peel the fresh ginger, grate and mix with water in a large saucepan
- Bring to a boil and simmer for 4 minutes. Cover the pan and turn off the heat; leave for 24 hours
- Strain the liquid through a fine mesh sieve
- Add the lime juice and maple syrup or agave. Stir until dissolved. Serve chilled
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News & Events New! Free Mobile Service from Laura! Custom health texts sent to your mobile phone! Laura has developed a set of "expert health texts" that you can enroll your mobile phone number to receive on an occasional basis. You can choose Laura's messaging program (Intuitive Wellness - Be Well) in the expert messages at: http://profile.healthtxts.com/ -- this link will allow you to write your own messages too and choose your messaging times - the time window within which you want to receive messages - this allows you to prevent receiving them between 10pm and 7am, for example. Or you can stick with the default messages by clicking through the rest of the steps. These text messages are designed to help you feel motivated to stick with your healthy choices. You can turn them off at any time Try them and be sure to let me know what you think! I love hearing from readers, especially with ideas and feedback on features I offer and what else you'd like to hear about. Back to top
Special offer from IIN Click here to read about the $500 Tuition Scholarship.
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ambassadorprogram/500scholarshipfallsession2010.jpg Please Note: These scholarships are valid only for new enrollments in the fall session of our Professional Training Program which is now super accessible via distance learning. Call us at (877) 730-5444 and mention Laura Brown to receive the scholarship. Hurry! The scholarship expires September 15, 2010 and only the first 2 people that I refer can redeem it (If you have any questions you'd like to ask me personally by all means email me back. I'd love to help you get answers.) Back to top Forward Do you know someone else who would benefit from this newsletter? Forward it to them! Did someone else forward this email to you? Subscribe here to get this newsletter delivered to your inbox! Back to top About Us Laura Brown is a Certified Health Coach (CHC) and the founder of Intuitive Wellness. Combining the principles of Integrative Nutrition and years of hands-on experience, Laura Brown helps clients tap into the healing power of food in their lives – one meal at a time Call or email to schedule a free health consultation with Laura:
770-953-0534, or laura@intuitive-wellness.com.
See www.intuitive-wellness.com for more information Back to top | 
