El hígado es el órgano más diverso del cuerpo humano en cuanto a funciones. No sólo es multitarea, sino que también interactúa con la mayoría de los sistemas de órganos del cuerpo por varias razones. Para hacer esto ultra claro, vamos a suponer que es un empleado que lleva muchos sombreros y trabajo diferentes dentro de una corporación llamada “cuerpo humano”:

• * El hígado es como Fed-Ex. Interactúa con el sistema circulatorio, ya que recoge y distribuye la glucosa (azúcar simple que actúa como combustible para el cuerpo) de la sangre.

• * El hígado es una estación de gasolina. Guarda la glucosa que el cuerpo no necesita en el momento en forma de glucógeno, y luego, cuando el cuerpo lo pide, convierte nuevamente la glucosa para que pueda ser distribuida a través de su sangre como combustible (energía) que usted necesita, a fin de, por ejemplo, salir a correr o hacer ejercisios.

• * El hígado es un fabricante. Sintetiza (hace) las proteínas plasmáticas importantes para la coagulación de la sangre y para el equilibrio osmótico (líquido/agua) de la sangre.

• * El hígado es un asistente ejecutivo. Como una de las principales glándulas que ayudan en la digestión, el hígado produce la bilis que ayuda a digerir las grasas.

• * El hígado es un personal de limpieza. Desintoxica el cuerpo de venenos y prepara desechos metabólicos para la eliminación.

Es probablemente en esta última función que la mayoría de nosotros conocemos al hígado, y “las dietas de limpieza” tienden a ser dirigidas a este órgano, porque, como el trata de hacer todas sus rondas y completar sus distintas responsabilidades, incluyendo librar el cuerpo de toxinas, se puede extender demasiado en sí. Tristemente,  para la mayoría de nosotros el hígado es como un trabajador con exceso de trabajo, un empleado estresado, mal pagado, la última rueda del coche de nuestro cuerpo, a quien le mostramos poco aprecio y casi nada de atención. Éstos son algunos ejemplos de lo que debemos y no debemos hacer por este órgano:

• * Paremos los Supertamaños. Nadie es Superman aquí. Así como hay un límite en lo que usted puede hacer en un solo día en el trabajo, ahí, también, hay un límite a la cantidad de comida que su hígado puede ayudar a digerir y la cantidad de toxinas que puede librar de su sangre por minuto. Como estamos en América, hogar del Big Mac, (si usted lée esto desde Perú o México, ahi también hay “comida rápida”) se tienden a comer porciones enormes de una sentada, lo cual es como pedirle a su hígado que levante pesas de 20 libras, cuando sólo se puede levantar las de 10. En este caso, podríamos aprender un poco de los franceses: pequeñas porciones.

• * Consuma orgánico. Comer orgánico significa, entre otras cosas, que la comida tiene poco o ningún pesticida (veneno), nada de antibióticos y nada de hormonas en el caso de la proteína animal. Comiendo alimentos de cultivos convencionales (no orgánicos), significa que usted está comiendo todos estos productos químicos, y luego su hígado tiene que trabajar horas extras para eliminarlos de su cuerpo.

• * Evite el alcohol. El alcohol es una toxina, y ¿adivine quien tiene que hacer el trabajo para liberar el cuerpo de el? Si, el hígado. La cosa es que el hígado sólo puede procesar una cierta cantidad de alcohol a cada momento y, para ello, pone en espera sus otras responsabilidades. Me gusta el comentario que vi en un sitio web sobre esto:

Alcohol = veneno.

Veneno = malo

Hígado = removedor de veneno

Demasiado veneno = hígado sobrecargado

Hígado sobrecargado = higado en problemas

Hígado en problemas = enfermedad

Enfermedad = malo

No dejas de comer veneno =  hígado muere

Hígado muerto = tú mueres.

• * Hidratación. El agua, a través de un proceso llamado “hidrólisis”, es un jugador importante en la limpieza de las células de cada órgano del cuerpo, incluyendo el hígado.

• * Elija frescos en vez de fritos. Al igual que con el alcohol, el hígado tiene que poner otras tareas en espera para ayudar a digerir las grasas. Las grasas buenas está bien consumirlas, pero si usted come un poco de pollo frito, a continuación, algunas papas fritas y luego un postre saturado en cremas, entonces mejor asegurese de ir a la iglesia porque va a necesitar la ayuda del Señor para rehabilitar ese hígado sobrecargado.

Como órgano tan noble que es, el hígado puede trabajar con sólo el 20% de su capacidad. Pero, ¿es eso lo que quieres, un hígado “más o menos”? No. Entonces, ¿qué podemos hacer para ayudar a este empleado para que permanezca en la cima de su juego y nos mantenga sanos y felices? Simple: coma una cantidad diversa y constante de frutas y verduras frescas orgánicas que tienen la ‘buena química’ para mantener a su hígado desempeñando sus funciones metabólicas de manera óptima. El té de Diente de león ayuda porque limpia los riñones, que son amigos de filtración del hígado (trabajan en el mismo departamento). Cardo mariano (milk thistle) trabaja directamente con el hígado, ayudándolo a la desintoxicación y a la limpieza. Beba abundante agua, manténgase alejado de alimentos fritos, alcohol y cualquier sustancia química tóxica que harán que este empleado trabaje horas extras. De lo contrario, preparate a pagar por ello.

Traducido por Mery Paz

John Reganold has been comparing organic and conventional agricultural systems since he noticed the drastic difference between them in a soil sample 25 years ago. He is an agro-ecologist who has always been interested in how land is used, and is the lead author of a study on the sustainability and nutritional benefits of organic farming, which was published in the journal PLoS ONE yesterday.

The demand for organic food continues to increase, and as we are huge fans of the benefits of organic produce here at HLife, we were thrilled to see such definitive information on a much-debated subject. While everyone knows that conventionally grown produce has more pesticide residue that the liver then has to discard, there wasn’t conclusive data regarding nutrition – until now. This study of strawberries grown on commercial farms is among the most comprehensive of its kind: A team of interdisciplinary researchers checked indicators like soil DNA, microbe diversity, fruit taste, antioxidant activity, and even appearance. Twenty-six strawberry fields were analyzed, and side-by-side comparisons found that the organic farms produced more flavorful and nutritious berries while leaving the soil healthier.

HLife chatted with Professor Reganold about the groundbreaking implications of this study, among which are the relationship between organic farming and better nutrition, a longer product shelf life, and quality soil.

Maryl Celiz: How was the study conducted?
John Reganold: Our research team was interested in looking at both the soil quality and also the strawberry quality, including the nutritional quality on real commercial farms. So it had to represent reality. The strawberry capital of the world is in Watsonville, California, so I made phone calls over a couple of weeks and visited Watsonville with growers to see if we could actually get these side-by-side comparisons of organic and conventional strawberry farms where the soils were the same, and where the strawberry varieties were the same and planted at the same time. I found out that we could do this in certain locations, and that’s very critical – that is one of the most important things about this study is the methodology: the varieties are the same, they are planted at the same time, and the fields from these farms are directly adjacent – they are probably about 20 meters apart – and we tried to get a sample, not right on the edge but fairly close, so the soils would not have a differing effect on the berries.

MC: The soil was the same but the difference was on the process of farming and the seeds?
JR: The seeds were the same – there were no genetically modified seeds on either side. We didn’t deal with any GM crops, the varieties are classically bred by either University of California, or, in the case of the Driscoll growers, they have their own breeders. Those seedlings are brought out and put in the ground in November and they grow through winter and in the middle of March you have strawberry production. Then they harvest every three or four days all the way until November, so it’s a seven month production. Strawberries go through cycles so you’re gonna have periods of time when there is high production, but it may be that the organic berries have a little bit of a different cycle than the conventionally grown berries. So, to make sure we took that into account, we sample all three seasons over two years. We samples in spring, summer, and fall and we did that across 26 farms – 13 organic and 13 conventional farms, they were in pairs – same variety, same soil.

MC: You found farms that produce both organic and conventional?
JR: Absolutely. In fact, Driscoll’s is probably the biggest strawberry producer, or one of the biggest in the world, and they grow both organic and conventional berries. Pacific Gold Farms, they were the other big company. The setting was really made possible by the cooperation of these two companies. When we were out in the fields, we didn’t pick the berries because that wouldn’t represent reality. We would make sure that the berries were picked on our study fields when the rest were normally picked by the pickers. And we would have them pick from the spots on the field that we wanted, and they would put them in the clam shells and take them to Driscoll’s. They were very cooperative – they have a big refrigeration system and they would cool the berries down and then the berries would be on their trucks all the way up to Washington state. They were on trucks that were coming to Washington state anyway, but when the berries got up to Spokane, which is near us, we would then take our research berries off the truck. Our berries would go right into the taste test and the other berries would go right into the store, so every part of the process represented reality.

MC: The only difference then was the actual farming process.
JR: That’s correct, and that’s all we wanted. We wanted to be able to say you have two different management systems. If you have these two management systems producing strawberries, what are the effects on the soil, and the soil DNA, the genetics – and what are the effects on the berries, meaning, their shelf life (how fast do they rot), their nutrition (vitamins, antioxidants), and taste? People often will say, “well, these particular berries taste better than these berries,” or, “organic berries taste better than conventional.” But that’s anecdotal. You really need to have scientific evidence for that. So we actually tested that. Our hypothesis was that organic strawberries produce healthier berries from healthier soils, because those are some of the reasons why people buy organic berries. We didn’t know that was the case, so we decided to check it out. So we had to make sure that the methodology was strong enough and done correctly so that we could test the hypothesis.

MC: So taking the hypothesis one step further, since your findings support your hypothesis, would you add that these healthier berries from healthier soils support healthier people because of the benefits that you found?
JR: One thing about strawberries is that they are one of the higher foods in antioxidants and vitamin C, so our study found that with the organic berries tended to have significantly more dry weight. So, if you have more dry weight, that means you have “more strawberry” in the strawberry, which means you’re getting more strawberry when you eat an organic strawberry. We also found that organic berries have more antioxidants, more phenolics, and more vitamin C – all very important for the health of humans. And, organic berries – we didn’t test this, but we know this from other studies that have been done – have much lower residues or no residue of pesticides on the berries, so, in that sense, it’s healthier. If people are concerned about eating pesticides or if they want more vitamin C, it would be better to eat the organic berries.

MC: What did you find about taste?
JR: When we did the taste tests on the berries – these were blind taste tests done with untrained panelists, ranging all the way from 20 years old to folks in their 60s. They would go into a little tasting cubicle and it’s all professionally done, there’s even a red light on so they can’t see the color of the strawberry because that could affect their judgment. They have no idea they’re comparing organic and conventional berries – that would bias them. They just know they taste two berries, and they have to rank them, score them, and we evaluate the scores. We looked at the sweetness and the overall flavor and the firmness of the strawberry. Then the red light goes off and they can see the strawberry and they have to evaluate color. With two of the varieties there was no difference – but with one of the varieties, the organic berry was sweeter, more flavorful, it was even preferred aesthetically, it had better color to the tasters. There are very few taste tests done comparing organic to conventional foods, so, that was quite a finding right there.

MC: How significant was the antioxidant difference?
JR: About 10%. The organic had about 10% more total antioxidant activity than the conventional berries, and the numbers were similar for vitamin C and phenolics.

MC: What did you find about the health of the soil?
JR: When we looked at the soil, there are traditional properties that one can look at, chemical and biological, that give you and indication of soil health or soil quality, and we looked at about 31 properties. And if you were to say, summarize that, there were about 12-14 differences of the 31 properties. And it was with some of the major properties, like the amount of organic matter in the soil, the amount of nitrogen, or the amount of microbial activity in the soil. All those factors, every one, were higher in the organic. Then we took soil samples and inspect the DNA from the soil. You might say, “well, what do you mean DNA?” Soils are living – they have microorganisms in them, both soils that are farmed conventionally and organically. You can go in and kind of get a shot of what the gene pool is like in these systems. We know from doing this enough that certain organisms, or genes that we can see, carry out some important processes in the soil, such as nitrogen fixation or pesticide degradation. When we looked at what we call the signal intensity coming off the organic soils versus the conventional, the signal intensity was greater in all 11 of these processes, meaning, the gene pool, the microbial activity was greater in the organic in every case. There was also more diversity. We can basically say that the organically farmed soils were not only healthier and higher quality, but they were also more genetically diverse, and likely more resilient to stress that might come upon that soil system. Those were pretty significant findings too. We really got to look at soil as well as the berries themselves.

MC: How does the organic process differ from the conventional process?
JR: Both of these management systems are intense. They grow strawberries on mounds that they have to build with special equipment. They plant the strawberries and the mounds on both systems are covered with plastic tarp, which basically knocks out weeds, and it is interesting because the use of this tarp basically excluded the need for herbicide in both systems. The big difference is though, before they put on that tarp usually all the conventional growers use methyl bromide to fumigate the soil, which is basically a brief sterilization of the soil. A lot of the microbes come back, but during that time it helps cut down disease. The organic can’t do that because certification processes don’t like it. Other differences were that the conventional growers could use an arsenal of synthetic pesticides. The organic growers don’t have that, they can’t use synthetic pesticides, however, they can use organically certified pesticides but they are much more limiting. For example, sulfur, which is a more natural pesticide. Organic growers do use pesticides, it’s just that they have to be certified and they’re usually natural. Another thing is that the number of pesticides used is relatively small in the organic systems but in the conventional systems it’s relatively high. And then the conventional growers can also use synthetic fertilizers, but the organic not. So the organic had to use organically certified fertilizers, and they used compost. Now the interesting things is that both systems used compost – the conventional growers used compost to bring back some of the microbes lost during fumigation more quickly. But the organic used twice as much. I think that was one of the main reasons we found so much of a difference in soil quality – and probably not having the methyl bromide might have helped too. But that’s the difference: It comes down to pesticides and fertilizers. The harvesting and irrigation is similar.

MC: How much of a difference was there in shelf life?
JR: We basically took the strawberries and set them on the counter and did what we called the rotting test. You can, basically, watch them rot over a series of days. Most growers and stores that buy strawberries want them to have a long shelf life, maybe five days and not rot. We actually thought that the conventional berries would rot more slowly because they had this array of pesticides. But what happened was the opposite: The organic berries rotted significantly more slowly. So, after a five or six day period, you could have 25% more good organic berries than conventional, on average over the varieties. That’s a plus when you’re selling berries because you want the berries to be able to last longer. And be fresher. To me, that was a surprise.

MC: Any guess as to why that happened?
JR: We don’t really know. If you would have asked me before the study, “ok, which soils are gonna be healthier?” I would’ve probably said the organic. But if you would’ve said about the rotting test, I would’ve said that the conventional is gonna rot more slowly, which is why it was so amazing to me that it was the opposite.

MC: With so many benefits – nutritional, soil health, shelf life – to the organic system, what would be the advantage of farming conventionally?
JR: The advantage for a grower is yield. You get higher yields in general. The industry data from these two companies for these two years showed that the conventional strawberries were producing 25% more yield. Now, at the same time, organic berries were more than making up for that in price premium. The price that a grower can get for an organic berry will more than make up for that 25% yield difference. A grower may get about 40% more for growing an organic berry. Another advantage to conventional farming is that it’s easier to grow conventionally – you have an arsenal of pesticides to use which the organic farmer can’t use, and because there are more conventional farmers, there is more information out there to help you farm conventionally. Organic farming is more intensive and there is less information out there on how to do it.

MC: Did you measure pesticide residue?
JR: We didn’t look at pesticide residues because there’s already information out there on that. The Environmental Working Group has information on pesticide residue, and strawberries are usually in the top 5, they’re certainly in the dirty dozen. The three main reasons people buy organic are because they think it’s healthier, it tastes better, and they think it’s better for the environment. Now, we already know there are more pesticide residues on conventional strawberries. But where the jury is out is on the nutritional differences between the organic and conventional, so we wanted to look at the antioxidants, the vitamin C and the phenolics. Then there’s very little information on taste, so we ran some taste tests. And then as far as better for the environment, I’ve looked at other farming systems where we’ve looked at the effects of organic/conventional farming on, say, soil erosion. And while soil erosion wasn’t part of the study, what is better for the environment is what is better for the soil. People think that organic growers are doing a better job with the soil and we thought, if that’s the case, let’s look at these 31 soil properties and see if that is the case. And let’s look at the DNA, and from those two things, we should get an indication of soil health.

MC: Can you define what sustainability means from a soil studies perspective?
JR: Sustainability is kind of a Utopian concept. What it says is, if we meet sustainability guidelines, or if a particular farm is to be sustainable, it needs to be economically sustainable, environmentally sustainable, and socially sustainable. Then within those three there are all kinds of variables. How do you measure that? You have to test the farm. You can have a farm that is not profitable – that is not sustainable. Or a farm that is causing erosion or polluting a lake – that’s not sustainable. So, when we do studies, we look at different sustainability indicators. For example, soil quality, crop yield, crop quality – if it’s a strawberry, more vitamin C. The farm also has to make money. It has to be good for the environment. But it also has to be socially just – the people working there should get fair wages, benefits, and it should be good for the community. When you look at all of these things you say, wow, that’s a tough business to be in – and it is. But if you look at those variables in general, and you look at the studies that have been done, in general, organic systems are more sustainable than conventional systems.

Manga who? Manganese is a lesser-known but essential micromineral that is often confused with magnesium because of their proximity in pronunciation. Manganese comes from the Latin word magnes, which means magnet. This mineral is so special some researchers called it “the love element”. This is not because it is also found in the lining of the heart, but because animals deficient in manganese do not have a connection with their offspring. Manganese is involved in many enzyme systems as an enzyme activator and a component of metalloenzymes (enzymes that contain a metal ion in their structure). It is mostly located in our bones, kidneys, liver, as well as the pituitary and adrenal glands. Did you know that manganese can actually convert into iron? It also helps carry oxygen from the lungs to the cells.
Because manganese is a brain and nerve food element (it helps develop a strong nervous system), its deficiency can cause many psychological effects like:

• ✴ Reluctance toward doing physical or mental work; vindictive, mean, sadistic personality characteristics; weak will power; absentmindedness; easily upset, impatient, angry, and quarrelsome traits.

• ✴ Its deficiency is also associated with nausea, vomiting, poor glucose tolerance (high blood sugar levels), skin rash, loss of hair color, excessive bone loss, low cholesterol levels, dizziness, hearing loss, and compromised function of the reproductive system.

• ✴ Manganese-deficient people might tend to develop some paranoia, and be occupied with doubt, indecision, confusion, and ambivalence.

• ✴ Research has found most tumors and cancer cells to be low in this mineral.

• ✴ Dairy consumers and meat eaters may be at higher risk of manganese deficiency because large amounts of calcium and phosphorous interfere with manganese absorption.

On the other hand, when we get our balanced levels of manganese, these are some  of its amazing benefits:

• ✴ Develops a strong nervous system and coordinates our thoughts and actions.

• ✴ Supports the creation of iron-rich blood, and production of red blood cells in the liver and kidneys.

• ✴ Helps neurological systems (neuromuscular control), elasticity and strengthening of ligaments and muscles.

• ✴ Works with the essential mineral selenium, to dissolve and get rid of harmful fatty acids and cholesterol.

• ✴ Promotes optimal function of your thyroid gland.

• ✴ Keep your bones strong and healthy.

• ✴ Supports digestive tract health by positively affecting the intestinal lining, the passages in the ducts of the gall bladder and liver.

• ✴ Protects your cells from free-radical damage by supporting the function of a very important antioxidant system SOD (super-oxide dismutase) which also has major anti-inflammatory effects. It also protects mitochondrial membrane from destruction.

• ✴ Improves memory, and enhances intellectual power.

• ✴ Help your body use several key nutrients such as biotin, thiamin (B1), vitamin C, and choline.

To avoid excess of manganese (which is also not good for you), here at HLife we recommend to get your vitamins and minerals from unprocessed, organic whole foods rich in them. Sources or foods richest in manganese are: Nuts (almonds, pignolia, walnuts), whole grains (oats, spelt, brown rice), seeds, leafy greens (spinach, mustard greens and kale), blueberries, raspberries, cardamom, celery, legumes (peas, garbanzo, soybeans), alfalfa, pineapple, broccoli, beets, cinnamon, thyme, turmeric and cloves.

Note: Food manganese levels vary depending on soil quality. Leafy greens are particularly affected by soil deficiencies. So, if want nutrient-dense foods, please buy organic produce and support our local organic farmers and their amazing contributions to our health.

Chron’s: A staple of Cuban and Puerto Rican diets may be helpful in the treatment of a chronic intestinal inflammatory condition. In a study published in the journal Gut, scientists found that plantain soluble fibers prevented the uptake and transport of E. coli bacteria across M-cells that act as gatekeepers to the lymphatic system, helping to halt the progression of Chron’s disease. “This research shows that different dietary components can have powerful effects on the movement of bacteria through the bowel. We have known for some time the general health benefits of eating plantain and broccoli, which are both high in vitamins and minerals, but until now we have not understood how they can boost the body’s natural defenses against infection common in Chron’s patients,” said Dr. Barry Campbell.

Nutrition: Grapefruits to break down fat? A study says yes. Naringenin, an antioxidant derived from the bitter flavor of grapefruits and other citrus fruits, may cause the liver to break down fat while increasing insulin sensitivity, a process that naturally occurs during long periods of fasting. A team of researchers report in the journal PLoS ONE that naringenin activates a family of small proteins, called nuclear receptors, causing the liver to break down fatty acids. The natural compound seems to mimic the action of other lipid-lowering and anti-diabetic drugs: It blocked the activation of a target that creates fatty acids for long-term storage, and it activated two other targets that released fatty acids by fat cells, to be broken down. The scientists claimed this was a fascinating finding, a process similar to the Atkins diet without the side effects, “The liver behaves as if fasting, breaking down fatty acids instead of carbohydrates,” said Martin L. Yarmush, MD, PhD, author of the study.

Exercise: There is yet another good reason to exercise. According to a study, besides burning calories, exercise restores the sensitivity of neurons involved in the control of satiety – the feeling of being full. This contribute to less food intake and the consequent weight loss from it. These findings show that physical activity contributes to the prevention and treatment of obesity, not only by increasing energy expenditure but also by modulating the signals of when you feel full and reducing the amount of food you want to eat.The study was published in the journal PLoS Biology.

Metabolism: Remember the saying “a moment on the lips, a lifetime on the hips”? A study published in the journal Nutrition & Metabolism confirms that a short period of excess food consumption can have long term effects on body weight and fat storage even after the initial weight is lost. The researchers who investigated the long term effects of a sedentary and gluttonous lifestyle found that a four-week episode of increased energy (food) intake and decreased exercise can cause increased weight and fat mass more than two years later. The study suggests that even a short period of excessive eating and a lack of exercise can potentially change an individual’s physiology significantly, causing it to be harder to lose and keep off weight. With the relationship between body mass, fat and overall well-being, even short-term behavioral changes may have long-term effects on health.

Diabetes: Eating more green leafy vegetables can significantly reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes, says research published in the online journal bmj.com. Diets high in fruits and vegetables are known to help reduce both cancer and heart disease, but the relationship between fruit and vegetable intake and diabetes remains unclear. The results of this study reveal that eating one and a half extra servings of green leafy vegetables a day reduces the risk of developing type 2 diabetes by 14%. The authors believe that fruits and vegetables can prevent chronic disease because of their antioxidant content, and that green leafy vegetables such as spinach may also help due to their high magnesium content. “Our results support the evidence that ‘foods’ rather than isolated components such as antioxidants are beneficial for health…results from several supplement trials have produces disappointing results for prevention of disease,” said the study authors. As if spinach and kale weren’t already two of our favorite things here at HLife.

Mood: Can you vinyasa flow yourself into better mental health? Researchers from Boston University School of Medicine have found that yoga may be superior to other forms of exercise in its positive effect on mood and anxiety. The findings, published in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, is the first to demonstrate and association between yoga postures, increased GABA levels and decreased anxiety (low GABA levels are associated with depression). The researchers compared the brains of two groups of healthy individuals – one practiced yoga while the other walked for exercise. After 12 weeks, those who practiced yoga reported a more significant decrease and anxiety and greater improvements in mood than those who walked. These positive changes reported were also associated with increased GABA levels in the brains of the yoga practitioners.

This got me thinking about the human design (as always my favorite pastime) and the matrix of the reality in which we live. I realized that it is imperative to share (as HLife continues to do with its conscious educational efforts) a key idea: In this reality, perfection is imperfection. In other words, if you live in this third level of existence, guess what? Perfection (the way we think of it) does not exist and is not a real attainable goal. My realization has been that, rather than aim for perfection, we must know and understand our nature as human beings (who we are, how we work,) embrace our imperfections, and MASTER our “machinery” – be the masters and commanders of our own selves.

We are all here to teach and learn. Some of us are experts in some areas of life – perhaps you excel at work, and your brother excels at love – but it does not mean any of us are perfect. This is totally normal and realistic, to be good at one thing and not so great at another. The only difference with the expert and the student is that the expert has a better handle on that particular subject matter because of the tools and knowledge that he or she is equipped with and constantly uses to control, manage, and overcome the hurdles in life. Experts or “masters” give struggles reason and understanding. Experts are determined to overcome issues by working them out, not just today and tomorrow, but forever, because that is the nature of being human – to continue to work. But, in essence, we are all on the same boat: Third dimension reality, with limits like our dense physical bodies, volume, weight, gravity, etc…The difference between each of us is our evolutionary level, the grade and plane of existence we’re in, the  dimension, and conscious level.

We are not here to be perfect, and we are not alive to be immaculate, emotion-less beings or  saints. Why are we here? I believe we all have the answer deep within ourselves. I can tell you what, in my humble opinion, we are here to do and for that we must understand what we, “the human form”, are. We are producers of thoughts and emotions. And that’s what we do. That is not something we can fix. We can’t not be that in this physical body, we can’t be without emotions and thoughts. Once we accept this and are okay with it, we can begin to see each other in each other. Once we are conscious of this, we know that all we can do is use universal and self knowledge to learn to control, transmute, recycle, and manage those thoughts and emotions in a way that brings our lives and that of others more harmony and well-being.

The ultimate goal then is note to be perfect, but to be the masters of ourselves. Masters of our thoughts and emotions. This does not mean that once we  have mastered our thoughts and emotions that we will not ever have them. That is not possible, at least not in this third dimension reality because here, it is part of our design. As long as we are in this physical form, we will experience all sort of thoughts and emotions (negative and positive) and it will be our job to transmute them as we experience them. This is the ultimate goal and the essence of mastery. We are those machines designed to transform negative thoughts and negative emotions into positive thoughts and good feelings.

We are all here to help each other by providing our expertise but no one is perfect, and even the “almost perfect” (as some may seem) have other issues in another department of their lives that they are working on. See, the thing is that, as long as we are alive, we will always be working toward something. This is one aspect of our reality that we must surrender to and understand. And this is not a bad thing. We may be demi-gods, but if God (the universe, the perfect dimension) created us as imperfect beings, don’t you think it is  because there may have been an imperfection inside the creators to begin with? We were, after all, created in the image and likeness of our creator. Yet, this human design is so unique, so complex and rewarding, because we have some many amazing things here, like laughter and love. Dancing and music would be two of my favorite things. Like the worker bees, we must constantly understand, transmute, and manage our alchemical factory, both the mind and the brain (metaphysical/material) so that negative experiences can be changed to positive experiences. That is our job. To own and  skillfully manage our thoughts and emotions and co-create a better life.

So breath in, exhale with a smile, look at the beauty around and inside of you. Embrace your divine self in this human experience. Don’t put so much pressure on yourself but do get to know yourself and set realistic goals. Everyone has something to give and something to receive. No one is perfect but if you choose to, you may aim to achieve mastery in some departments of your life and aspects of yourself.  Most of all, master your thoughts and emotions. That is the main goal for a more harmonious life.

La falta de conocimiento y entendimiento de las causas hace que donde hubo una vez amor, con el tiempo se llene de resentimiento. Donde hubo odio es porque hubo amor – hemos escuchado este dicho muchas veces, es antiguo. Y es que tanto el amor como el odio son fuerzas de un mismo rango, sólo que una está en el norte y la otra en el sur, por poner un ejemplo comparativo. Otro factor que destruye el amor es la frustración y otra vez volvemos al origen de esto: la falta de  conocimiento y entendimiento nos lleva tambien a la frustración.  Y claro, todo empieza con una falta de comunicación.

Entoces tenemos: la falta de conocimiento, la falta de entendimiento, la frustracion y la falta de comunicacion.

Viéndolo de esta manera nos preguntamos: ¿Cómo podemos trabajar estos elementos en nuestras vidas para evitar que el amor se convierta en odio o resentimiento?  No es posible hacerlo en un día o en una conversación o a través de una sóla lectura de un libro. Vivimos en un planeta en el que la densidad no lo permite.  Nos toma tiempo asimilar, procesar, analizar y llegar a lograrlo.

Uno de los primeros pasos sería el interés de querer saber, ahí es donde entra el conocimiento. Porque, ¿qué significa conocimiento? Según el diccionario: acción y efecto de conocer. Y ¿qué significa conocer? Averiguar mediante las facultades intelectuales la naturaleza, cualidades y relaciones de las cosas. Entonces, entiendo por lo que me informo, que la investigación es nuestra herramienta. Y debe ser un camino detenido esta investigación, no podemos tomarlo a la ligera, si así lo hiciéramos, ligero sería también nuestro resultado.

Ahora, si todo esto logra despertar nuestro interés y nuestro deseo de querer saber más, estamos bien, porque ahí es donde comienza nuestra educación al respecto. Una  cosa nos llevará a otra y así descubriremos tanto sobre el amor, que todo ese cúmulo de investigación nos dará un conocimiento sobre el amor. Una vez que sintamos que tenemos suficiente información, algo se habrá expandido en nuestra mente respecto al amor, es como si hubiéramos abierto una puerta y nos encontráramos en un lugar nuevo para nosotros. Y es ahí donde entrará el entendimiento a hacer su labor, porque ya con todo el conocimiento que tenemos, podremos entender todo lo que esta ahí. Podríamos decir que, reconoceríamos y automáticamente haríamos la diferencia entre el verdadero amor y las emociones. Y ¿qué nos dice el diccionario de lo que significa entendimiento?: Potencia o facultad del alma por la cual concebimos, comparamos y juzgamos las cosas, e inducimos y deducimos unas de otras. Y ¿qué nos dice de entender? Comprender las cosas, saber con perfección una cosa.

Ustedes se preguntarán por qué hemos visto primero el conocimiento si todo empieza primero con la falta de comunicación. Es simple. Porque si no conoces no puedes entender. Entonces tienes que conocer cómo funcionan las cosas,  luego entender para que puedas ordenarte.  Y ya con HLife  hemos escuchado que el Amor comienza con el Orden.

Ya tenemos nuestro primer paso: Conocimiento. Segundo: Entendimiento. Hablamos también de frustración. ¿Por qué sentimos frustración? ¿Qué es la frustración? Siempre aconsejo a mis hijas que aunque sean palabras tan usadas diariamente que creemos saber porque las experimentamos, en verdad, no sabemos su real significado y  si quieren  salir  de esa experiencia, lo primero que deben hacer es ir al diccionario y ver qué significa esa palabra, de esa manera la podrán conocer, entender y trabajar.  Asi que, veamos qué dice el diccionario de esta palabra – Frustración: acción y efecto de frustrar o frustrarse. Frustar: Privar a uno de lo que esperaba. Dejar sin efecto, malograr un intento.

Entonces, dijimos que la frustración era un elemento que también dañaba al amor, y en efecto, en las relaciones de personas, cuántas frustraciones vivimos porque no recibimos lo que esperamos, porque las cosas no salen como nosotros queríamos y ahí viene este cuarto elemento: La falta de comunicación. Por razones miles de nuestra personalidad, no comunicamos nuestro verdadero sentir a la otra persona, y dentro de nosotros vamos acumulando esas expresiones aguantadas que llega un día en que a la persona que creemos que es parte de nuestra frustración, la empezamos a mirar con resentimiento, y si no hacemos nada por comunicarnos en forma adulta, ese resentimiento comienza a dañar el amor y en casos extremos, ese amor se convierte en odio. Es como la pequeña bola de nieve que si la dejamos rodar puede cubrir un pueblo.

El amor es un trabajo y cuando lo realizamos la recompensa es maravillosa. Recién ahí podemos SENTIR el amor.

Aquí en la sede de HLife, el consumo de cebolla es un hábito diario. Desde  la última cebolla roja hasta las cebollas dulces, algunas son tan deliciosas que se ha dicho de ellas que tienen un contenido más alto de azúcar que muchos otros alimentos dulces. Además de ser valorado como un alimento decadente y sabroso y una medicina natural, la cebolla comparte sabiduría de vida por su estructura estratificada. Las capas de la cebolla quizás nos ayuden a comprender nuestra propia naturaleza estratificada (consciente, subconsciente, inconsciente) y a visulaizar un concepto de dimensiones, o de como pueden verse lo que llamamos realidades paralelas. Su forma nos da un vislumbramiento de la posible forma de la matriz de la vida.

La Historia: Originaria de los tiempos prehistóricos, la cebolla es uno de los alimentos más tempranos de la humanidad, y fue consumida en cantidad en el antiguo Egipto, Grecia, y Roma. Con su forma esférica y sus anillos concéntricos, la cebolla fue venerada por los antiguos egipcios, para quienes esta verdura fue un símbolo de la eternidad. Para atletas griegos y gladiadores romanos, las cebollas fueron alimentos naturales básicos, decían que mejoraban su  desempeño atlético. Las cebollas antedatan a 3500 AC, y se dice que se originaron en Asia. Por el siglo XVII, los europeos  comenzaron utilizando cebollas tanto para sentir su sabor como para propósitos medicinales.

Descripción: Las cebollas  vienen en diversos tamaños, colores, y  formas, aunque la mayoría es circular. La más popular es la cebolla amarilla, mediana y en forma de globo. Luego vienen las cebollas circulares, españolas, blancas y rojas. Las cebollas se dividen en dos categorías: cebollas de primavera/verano y cebollas de almacenamiento. Las cebollas de primavera/verano, crecen  en un ambiente no muy frio, tienen una contextura suave y un sabor templado o sabor dulce. Son muy jugosas, con un alto contenido de azúcar y son recogidas y distribuidas inmediatamente después de ser cosechadas. Las cebollas de almacenamiento tienen una contextura firme, cáscara seca con grietas exteriores y sabores acres. Estas cebollas (generalmente conocidas como amarillas, rojas o blancas) estån “curadas” (un proceso de secar), luego son almacenadas por varios meses y enviadas fuera desde el otoño a la primavera. Los parientes de la cebolla incluyen a los puerros (poros), los ajos y las cebolletas, y estas cosechas colectivamente son conocidas botánicamente como pertenecientes a las familias  de alliums, del lirio, y la familia de amarilis y alliaceae.

Información Nutricional:

• * Las cebollas son un alimento de anticáncer. Un estudio publicado en el Diario del Instituto Nacional del Cáncer dijo que comiendo cebollas (así como otros miembros de la familia de allium) bajó apreciablemente el riesgo de cáncer de próstata. Son también protectores contra el cåncer de  estómago y esofago.

• * Como un miembro de la familia allium, las cebollas contienen compuestos poderosos de azufre que exhalan sus olores acres y beneficios curativos que han sido ligados a la prevención del cáncer. Las sustancias contenidas de azufre a menudo son derivadas de aminoácidos que tienen generalmente antiinflamatorios contra el cáncer, propiedades antibióticas y soporte para el sistema immunológico.

• * Las cebollas son ricas en un compuesto del azufre particularmente poderosos llamado ally propyl disulphid, que baja el nivel de azúcar en la sangre . Una prueba mostró que cuanto  más alto es el consumo de cebollas, más bajo es el nivel de la glucosa.

• Es una gran fuente del mineral cromo, un componente en el factor tolerante de la  glucosa, una molécula que ayuda a las  células a responder apropiadamente a la insulina.

• * Las cebollas ayudan a construir huesos fuertes. Un estudio publicado en un diario muy acreditado Nature (Naturaleza), demostró un aumento de 17% en el calcio cuando alimentaron a un grupo de ratas machos con una pequeña cantidad diaria de cebollas. Las ratas hembras, que tenían los ovarios retirados (que activa más rápida la debilitación de hueso y la osteoporosis) tenían huesos más fuertes cuando fueron alimentadas con cebollas.

• * Son ricas en el poderoso antioxidante quercitin. Este fitonutriente es un natural antihistaménico y antiinflamatorio. Nueva investigación mostró que este químico puede reducir la ansiedad, la depresión y la fatiga. Los estudios también han mostrado su capacidad de fortalecer el sistema inmunológico y aumentar mitocondrias (centro energético de la célula) en el tejido y el  músculo del cerebro.

• * Alto en la Vitamina C, que, juntos con el quercitin, hacen el trabajo para matar a las bacterias perjudiciales.

• * El consumo regular de cebollas es asociado con un riesgo reducido substancial de desarrollar cáncer al colon.

• * Las cebollas contienen antioxidantes poderosos, que son antiinflamatorios, antibióticos, y antivirales.

• * El Estudio de Salud de las Enfermeras, un estudio muy reconocido, nos demostró que las cebollas protegen contra el cáncer a los oavarios.

• * Los aceites naturales de las cebollas tienen  efectos antisépticos y nutrientes como el selenio, el zinc y también contienen algo de calcio, hierro, ácido fólico y vitaminas A y E.

Aplicación: Después de pelarlas, las cebollas pueden ser cortadas en cubitos, en julianas, o pueden ser ralladas. Utilícelas crudas en ensaladas, bocadillos y sandwiches . Pueden ser salteadas, hervidas en la sopa, horneadas o asadas a la parrilla. Cuando nosotros la comemos cruda, adoramos combinar cebollas cortadas en cuadraditos con mucho limon, sal marina, y tomates heirloom. También, al saltearlas o cocinarlas, les agregamos ajos y esta combinación hace de cualquier platillo una receta celestial.

Traducido por Mery Paz

My first brush with Feng Shui taught me something very interesting: It’s not about what you put in the “gua” it’s about the intention you put it with and the meaning behind the symbol you use. A great book that exemplifies these principles for applying the Chinese art of conscious environment decor is Move Your Stuff, Change Your Life, written by Karen Rauch Carter. The author not only explains the role of intention in purposeful positioning of furnishings and symbols, she also does so with wit, simplicity and a whole lot of hilarity.
Let’s explore the basics. In Chinese, feng shui means “wind and water”, and the principles of this art appropriately use elements in order to achieve a desired energetic and psychological result for a particular area of your life. Although traditional feng shui uses an octagon, for the sake of simplification think of your home (or office, or any space – you can apply these principles even to your desk area. I do.) as if it were a big square, and divide this big square (with the front door at the bottom of the square) into nine squares of equal size.  Each of these mini squares is an area that goes by the name of “gua” and the entire square is called a “bagua”. As you can see from the picture above, each gua is assigned to a particular area of life (clockwise from the top center): Fame, Love and Relationships, Creativity and Children, Helpful People and Travel, Career, Knowledge and Skills, Family, Wealth and Prosperity, and the center square is Health. Each gua works with a color and a number and some have an element (the five elements used are water, fire, metal, wood and earth), secondary colors and a geometric shape. The rough list goes like this:

Fame:  Fire, Red, Triangle, 1
Love:  Pink (Red and White), 2
Creativity:  Metal, White, Round, 3
Helpful People/Travel:  Gray (Black and White), 5
Career:  Water, Black, Undulating, 6
Skills/Knowledge:  Blue, 7
Family:  Wood, Green, Rectangular, 4
Prosperity:  Purple (Green and Gold), 8
Health:  Earth, Yellow (Earth Tones), Square, 9

The idea is to work with these colors, numbers, elements and shapes in each area of your house to generate positive results in an area of your life. Does this work? When I lived in Miami, I met an architect whose thesis had been on the psychological effects of particular shapes and colors in design, and this brought home the perspective that a particular shape and color had psychological and therefore wellness benefits. As you can read in our article A Perspective on Color, there are plenty of studies that confirm this. The Chinese as well as many American corporations are known for applying Feng Shui principles to their office designs (ever seen a water fountain at the entrance of a business? Check what life area water is associated with.)

So where do intention and symbolism come in?  Colors, elements, shapes and numbers are all symbols. Intention is the driving force behind the placement energy.  So, let’s say you want to work the love gua of your home. If you’re a guy, you may not want to decorate your bedroom pink. But what is pink? The combination of red and white. Use those colors in various proportions (maybe you use mostly white, a la Mondrion Hotel, and add red in small proportions, maybe even under the bed.) And you don’t have to include a picture of the number that corresponds – use whatever accessories you want in the number proportions: The number of love is two (partnership), so use two candles, two lamps, two bookends on the shelf, a picture of you and your sweetie (this is not the area for family pictures. The family gua is.)

Let’s say your career corner’s element is water. Does that mean you have to make like the Fortune 500s and plant a huge water fountain in your office area? No. A tiny one would be great, but even a symbol of water – a picture of the ocean – positioned with conscious intention will do.

If your fireplace is not positioned in your fame gua, you can bring in the symbol of fire with various items like candles (they don’t even have to burn – just be representative of fire. This is the point of using symbols.) and images of heat, like the sun (sunburst mirrors are in style, by the way. Check out some decor blogs we included in our Home Decor: Support and Inspiration article, to get some ideas.

The point: Use this ancient Chinese wisdom but get creative. Use this knowledge along with the power of intention and symbols in order to achieve a living space that not only inspires you but also supports you goals and aspirations. And have fun while you’re doing it – there’s no better energy to work with than the energy of laughter and enjoyment.

]]> http://hlifemedia.com/2010/08/feng-shui-an-art-of/feed/ 2 http://hlifemedia.com/2010/08/hkitchen-corn-pepian/ http://hlifemedia.com/2010/08/hkitchen-corn-pepian/#comments Wed, 25 Aug 2010 07:00:55 +0000 Silvie Celiz http://hlifemedia.com/?p=6144

Corn Cilantro Pepian by HLife Photography

Last month, I introduced you to a twist on a Peruvian dish  that we called Cilantro Brown Rice. Today, I want to continue on the “in my country” theme and share another Peruvian dish with a vegan twist: Pepian. I was introduced to this dish at my grandma’s house  in Peru and it has been delicious every time there and after. I received plenty of organic corn in my last CSA box, so it was a perfect excuse to make pepian myself. At my grandma’s house they used to ask us, “do you want it white or green?”. Which meant with or without cilantro, and of course we would reply, “GREEN GREEN!!” This past month’s cilantro has been exceptional in smell and taste so, cilantro pepian it is! The original Peruvian pepian recipe is made with pork or beef, so instead I used tempeh (fermented soy bean). This is a quick and simple dish that always makes everyone say: “YUMMMM!”

Prep: With a knife, shave the corn kernels off the cob and put them in a food processor.  Add the cilantro leaves to the food processor and blend until smooth (not super creamy). In a medium pan, add a bit of coconut oil and turn the heat to high. Once the pan is hot, take down to medium-high and add the garlic and onions. Add a bit of black pepper, a pinch of sea salt, and saute for about 2 minutes or until the onions are translucent or golden. Then turn the heat up a bit and add the tempeh and pour the tamari on top. I used a wild rice tempeh because the soy bean and rice combo makes it a complete protein. Saute for  about a minute and then add the corn cilantro mix and blend. Add a bit more sea salt and pepper to taste. Put a lid on it and let it simmer on medium low for about 10 – 15 minutes and then taste it. It should be ready.

Garnish with cherry tomatoes (only if they are in season, otherwise they are too acidic) and serve it with brown rice and a limey spinach salad, or snack on it by itself.

Nutritional info: Corn is high in vitamin B1, B5, folate, vitamin C and fiber, phosphorous and manganese. Supports cardiovascular health by providing ample amounts of folate, a B-vitamin needed to prevent birth defects, synthesize and lower levels of the amino acid by product homocysteine. Thiamin (vitamin B1) supports heart function as well as the nervous system, and maintains your energy supplies by being part of an enzyme system that allows the processing of sugar. Cilantro is known to have antimicrobial properties as well as a high content of phytonutrients. Onions are an  HFood, so check out their amazing benefits in that section. Tempeh is very high in protein, with a whopping  24 grams in 1/2 cup (4 oz) with no saturated fats or bad cholesterol. Its fermentation process produces natural antibiotic agents that help fight infections. Tempeh is also very rich in essential minerals like manganese, copper, magnesium, and B vitamin riboflavin (cofactor in regenerating star antioxidant glutathione).  Also, tempeh has been shown to be beneficial for cardiovascular health, regulating blood sugars, and supporting gastrointestinal health.

Too much of a good thing is not so great when it comes to homocysteine. This type of amino acid is a byproduct of protein metabolism found in the blood. The brain and body both need it in order to make two very beneficial substances:

• 1.  Glutathione – the body’s most important antioxidant (anti-aging antioxidant and detoxifying agent)

• 2.  SAMe – an intelligent nutrient for both brain and body (a natural anti-depressant, anti-arthritic and liver-protecting agent in your body)

Ideally, homocysteine should be present in low quantities to accomplish its many roles in the body.  However, if the body is malnourished, homocysteine will not have the nutrients needed for metabolism and this can cause it to accumulate in the blood, which is not a good scenario.  The consequences of having high levels of homocysteine in the blood results in a variety of diseases, like:

● Alzheimer’s
● Stroke
● Certain cancers
● Diabetes
● Heart attacks
● Dementia
● Depression
● Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease

Homocysteine has been the talk of  the heart disease scene. What is commonly referred to as atherosclerosis is also a result of homocysteine buildup in the blood. How does this happen? In order for the synthesis of and therefore balanced (low) levels of homocysteine to be achieved, three very important vitamins are needed: B6, B12 and folic acid. The folate cycle is responsible for the synthesis of methyl groups. Methyl groups are molecules that give the body the ability to turn one thing into another by a process known as methylation. These methyl groups are ultimately utilized by S-adenosyl methionine in innumerable methylation reactions involving nucleoproteins, proteins, neurotransmitters and more, including the metabolism of homeocysteine. But without a good amount of the B vitamins, homocysteine will not get converted into other molecules, and this will cause it to buildup in the bloodstream, an undesired disease-causing situation.  An article in the British Medical Journal confirms that a deficiency of both folic acid and vitamin B12 will impair the methylation processes with the accumulation of homocysteine as only one of various effects. The accumulation of this amino acid increases the formation of the plaques on the blood vessel walls, leading to clogging and hardening of the blood vessels.  Studies show a dramatic decrease in homecysteine when high levels of B6 are present in the blood. Because of all of this, homocysteine levels may be one of the most important indicators of the health and adaptability of your body’s total biochemistry and your risk of degenerative diseases.

The good news is that it is up to you to keep your homocysteine levels stable and in the low quantities requires. Whatever your homocysteine level is, you can lower it with the right combination of nutrients and dietary changes, together with lifestyle changes designed to reduce your risk.  In a study done by the John Hopkins’s Welsh center for prevention, researchers concluded that modifications of dietary patterns could have substantial effects on fasting levels of total serum homocysteine.

Here are some dietary recommendations for lowering your homocysteine levels:

• ● Increase fresh organic fruits and vegetables

Researchers at John Hopkins recommended a well-balanced diet low in fats and rich in fruits and vegetables: It lowers blood levels of homocysteine, thereby reducing the risk of heart disease and other conditions associated with this (see above).  The highest most potent sources of vitamins and minerals needed to regulate and process this chemical will come from organic fruits and vegetables grown in  mineral-rich soil. This way, you are getting a nutrient-rich meal and avoiding the toxic, artificial, harmful chemicals (pesticides, herbicides) that conventional produce may have.  Green leafy vegetables like kale, spinach, broccoli, and chards are rich in the vitamins that are needed to synthesize homocysteine.

• ● Eat less animal protein and more vegetable protein

Vegetable protein like tofu, tempeh, sea veggies (chlorella, spirulina), bee pollen, quinoa, and bean/whole grain combinations contain more absorbable quality protein without the cholesterol and fat that animal meat contains. According to a John Hopkins report, in a population of individuals with high blood pressure or stage 1 hypertension, a control diet that was relatively low in fruits and vegetables with a fat content typical of US consumption raised homocysteine levels.

• ● Make sure you are getting plenty of B vitamins

A plentiful combination of B vitamins is crucial for the metabolism of and consequent low levels of homocystene.  One study  mentions a 60% decrease of homocysteine levels in three weeks from using a combination of folic acid, B12  and B6, while taking these same vitamins alone had a lower percentage of reducing levels of homocysteine.  Foods that are rich in these vitamins are: Spinach, kale, beet greens and even beets, chard, asparagus and broccoli for folic acid. Many fruits also have folic acid: Oranges, cantaloupe, pineapple, banana and many berries, such as boysenberries and strawberries. Remember that folic acid is available from fresh unprocessed food (spinach, sunflower seeds, lentils, turnip greens, black beans), which is why it is commonly deficient in our culture, where processed foods abound. Sea vegetables, seafood and nutritional yeast contain B12. Also fermented foods like tempeh and miso have small amounts of this vitamin, depending on the fermentation process.  Vitamin B6 can be obtained from dark leafy greens, papayas, cantaloupes, whole grains, soybeans, other dry beans, peanuts and walnuts.  Some of the vegetables and fruit sources include bananas, prunes, potatoes, cauliflower, cabbage, garlic, spinach, bell peppers and avocados.