Getting Powered Up - Power Tea and Superfoods

So for the most part I seem way, way better, but was disappointed to get another lapse into sadness yesterday. I guess thats part of the healing process. I really feel like it's some block being released and am just going with it. And it passed quickly, by mid afternoon I was smooth sailing (think magic carpet riding ; ) again.. I was fortunate to get to hang out with high vibe people and get totally immersed into superfoods.

Last night Paul came into work and made us an incredible tea made from Goji berries, Pau d'Arco, Chuchuhuasi, Chanca Piedra and Cat's Claw.

& then, get this! a girl comes in and requests a smoothie made with just all of the extras and no fruit, just some water and Yacon syrup ..and with flax seeds instead of flax seed oil.

Wow! I looked at Cassandra when she came over with the order and amazed said "Wow! Why didn't I think of that!?!" Our extras are: Maca, Spirulina, Camu, Camu, Hemp protein, Tocotrienols and Bee Pollen, So I made this smoothie and we tasted it. I could drink it but Cassandra wasn't quite going for it..so we added some berries and banana and it tasted a lot better. I thought it tasted great, but I am used to superfoods and herbs.. I like the taste. ..maybe it's cause you know how they'll make you feel & they keep tasting better.

This is Kellan, Alex, Cassandra and Paul.. only Cassandra and I were working, the rest of then were here hanging out, eating (or juicing) and drinking tea.

To make your own Power Tea - Steep 1t - 1 T of each herb and a small handful of goji berries (10-20) with hot water for 10 - 20 minutes.. or longer. The gojis make it taste really good! Strain and pour tea into cup(s). You can pour more water over the herbs and berries to make more tea after that pot is finished.

Goji Berries are mostly cultivated in China, but they also grow in Mongolia,Tibet and Nepal, where they have been eaten for centuries and are nicknamed "happy berries" because of the sense of wellbeing they are said to induce.

Goji's have an incredibly high antioxidant level. Antioxidants destroy free radicals that cause cancer and speed up the aging process. they also contain mega nutrients- amino acids, minerals, many vitamins, incl B1 & B2. They are very high in beta-carotene (their ability to improve vision has been documented for more than 1,500 years in China)
Goji berries are believed, among other things, to strengthen the immune system, help eyesight, protect the liver, boost the sperm count, improve sexual function and circulation and strengthen the legs.
Goji berries are also known to benefit the complexion and it is also claimed that they enhance longevity (a Chinaman, Li Quing Yuen, who ate them every day, is said to have lived to the age of 250).

Pau d'Arco is a natural herb retrieved from the inner bark of the beautiful taheebo tree which grows in Central and South America and also southern Florida. Pau d'Arco has been used for centuries by the ancient Incas and Aztecs.

Pau d'Arco has beneficial effects for cancer victims - from alleviation of chemotherapy symptoms to complete remission of tumors. An article published by Dr. Daniel B. Mowrey on Pau d'Arco stated that it "has produced clinical anti-cancer effects without side effects."
It is also used to treat Candida and acts against unwanted bacteria, fungi and yeast.
It has antiviral properties, is antiparisitic and also an anti-inflammatory.
It is used by many during the cold and flu season, and is a remedy for smoker's cough. it acts as an expectorant and promotes "coughing up" by the lungs in order to free deeply embedded mucus and contaminates.

Chuchuhuasi is a tree found in western Amazonia. The bark, roots, and leaves are a famous ethnomedicine and used for many traditional purposes.

Chuchuhuasi strengthens the immune system and gives adrenal support. & as well as enhancing the immunological system, it has revitalising and antioxidant activities.
Its anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties are taken advantage of in
It is a muscle relaxant, effectively breaking up and dispersing lactic acid.
It is helpful for those with arthritis. Chuchuhuasi helps fight pain due to its analgesic properties. It is an anti-inflammatory, anti-arthritic, helps relieve rheumatic conditions and is valuable in the treatment of Parkinson’s disease, MS and alcoholism.
It helps to rejuvenate the system and revitalise the nervous tissue.
Chuchuhuasi bark is considered to be an effective treatment for diarrhea, menstrual irregularities, and upset stomach.
It enhances virility and the libido

Chanca Piedra is a small plant growing up to 12 to 18 inches in height and is indigenous to the Amazon rainforests and to southern India and China. It has been used for generations by the indigenous peoples of the Amazon to promote the body’s natural elimination of gallstones and kidney stones.

Chanca Piedra is used to clear obstructions throughout the various internal organs of the body by promoting the elimination of mucous and stones. andalthough this is what it is mostly known for it is used for a huge variety of conditions. It is believed to help stimulate the production of bile and to promote healthy liver and gall bladder function. It is also used to treat a wide variety of conditions: edema and excess uric acid, it aids gall bladder, kidney, and bladder function. It is used to treat malaria, typhoid fever, flu, colds, constipation, dysentery, and stomachache. And also for inflammation of the bowels (IBS), pimples, diabetes, and ulcers. It is also used for diabetes, prostate disorders, asthma, fever, tumors, bladder infections, as a diuretic, to remove excess uric acid (as in gout), for painful joints, jaundice, indigestion, constipation, vaginitis, viruses of the reproductive tract, proctitis, poor circulation, excessive phlegm, bronchitis, and coughs. It is also considered an anti-spasmodic and muscle relaxant, specific to the urinary tract system. Traditionally it is also used as an anodyne (pain reliever), apertif (appetite stimulator), a digestive, carminative (helps gas to be expelled from stomach and intestines), and vermifuge (expels worms and other parasites from the intestinal tract), diuretic, and emmenagogue (stimulates menstrual flow).

Cat's Claw is a woody vine native to the Amazon rainforest and other tropical areas of South and Central America. It is named after the hook-like thorns that grow along its vine.

Cat's Claw has been used by South Americans going back to the Inca civilization to treat a variety of health problems including arthritis, stomach ulcers, inflammation, dysentery, and fevers. It was also used as a form of birth control.
Studies indicate that cat's claw may stimulate the immune system, help relax the smooth muscles (such as the intestines), dilate blood vessels (helping lower blood pressure), and act as a diuretic (helping rid the body of excess water). It also has antioxidant properties, helping rid the body of particles known as free radicals that damage cells.
It has also been used traditionally to treat osteoarthritis. One study indicates that it may help relieve pain from oteoarthritis without side effects. Cat's claw has also been suggested as a treatment for rheumatoid arthritis based on its anti-inflammatory properties.

& speaking of cat's claws - I just clipped Zoey's - getting him all ready to go to his new home. He knows already and is ok with it, he's all over me though. We really love each other. Here's a pic of him from when Mom was here & taking pics - and one of me in pj's! Ahh!! ; )