In This Issue:
1) Do You Have the Guts to Be Beautiful?
3) Recipe: Oshitashe — Japanese Spinach Salad
Happy Valentine’s Day, and hello from Seattle! Before I head out onto the road to speak, I wanted to reach out to all of my friends and readers. I’m excited to announce that we have printed, Do You Have the Guts to be Beautiful? The first copies have arrived and they are beautiful! I know that many of you have pre-ordered, and your copies will start shipping out by the Monday February 16th.
Do You Have the Guts to Be Beautiful? is the first in a series of books about guts. Or more accurately, your guts, and how every aspect of your health is affected by what goes on there. Even the way you look! So read on for a brief taste of what’s inside the book. I’ve also included a short 60 second preview of a longer video that Dr. Daniels and I have created showing you how to do your own all-natural wrinkle erasing beauty facial. Click here for the video.
The book is available for shipping NOW and as a special Valentine’s day gift to our readers, we are extending up to a 35% pre-order discount until February 14th. You can order your copy here.
This month, I’ll be traveling and giving workshops on the following dates. Click here for information on how to sign up.
- February 12, Coeur d’Alene, ID
- February 13, Coeur d’Alene, ID
- February 13, Spokane, WA
- February 20, Boise, ID
Thanks so much, and I look forward to connecting with you all in the New Year!
Here’s to your health,
Dr. Mitra Ray
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Do You Have the Guts to Be Beautiful? An excerpt from the new book by Dr. Jennifer Daniels and Dr. Mitra Ray
Reading Do You Have the Guts to be Beautiful? may alter the very way in which you look in the mirror, and provide you with more detail than even your doctor can get from the fanciest and most expensive tests. This doesn’t mean that you no longer need to see a doctor; rather, it means that your face can provide you with a wealth of empowering information. We’ll share some little-known miracles of the body and, specifically, how your face tells a story of what is happening inside you. After reading this book, you’ll be able to unlock the messages your face is giving you; you’ll learn simple, yet effective steps that you can take to look and feel better – sans pills, chemicals, or complicated recipes.
Unfortunately, a trip to the doctor can’t make you look younger or heal you unless you begin to make lifestyle changes. Change is hard. It’s hard for pets and small children, and it’s no different for us. Just try moving to a new house, and you’ll see how much your pet loves that; or displace a wild animal, and chances are that it will die.
Humans also resist change. Nevertheless, what’s the benefit of making changes? If you should choose this book as a guide and adopt the suggested practices, not only will you physically begin to take decades off of your appearance, but you will also feel terrific!
Not too long ago I had the absolute pleasure of meeting Dr. Jennifer Daniels during a health retreat. My introduction to Dr. Daniels and the event s that took place shortly thereafter were a defining and momentous time in my life. Recognizing that I was just as vain as the next person both humbled and excited me at the same time. And I was not the only one excited to hear her beauty secrets. The fact that we are genetically programmed to be concerned with our looks seemed like a natural door-opener in my mission to help educate people about health and nutrition. Our natural concern for our appearance is an inborn survival trait that programs us to listen to the health messages that our looks are sending us.
Our looks are a window to the state of our health. When we pay attention to our appearance and use natural means to improve our looks, those same natural methods improve our health.
Wrinkles, age spots, and acne are just early warning signals from our immune system. When our vanity motivates us to heed these signals with natural remedies, we are rewarded with beauty and improved health. I immediately wanted to tap into the motivation in people. Instead of talking about the prevention of degenerative diseases as I have done for fifteen years, I suddenly had a burst of energy to talk and write about the body’s restorative power to improve our physical appearance. Deep inside we are still programmed to want to look and feel good. After all, it is our birthright.
But something has gone very, very wrong. More and more people are sick, suffering from one or many chronic conditions, and they don’t look so good either. As Dr. Daniels says, our face reveals much about our state of health. Dr. Daniels made me fully aware that the beauty industry is just about as confusing an arena as the healthcare industry. It’s hard to find truthful answers and practical solutions. There are plenty of people ready to have you spend hundreds or even thousands of dollars on lotions and potions, and even surgery, when the simplest solutions are at hand.
This book will show you quick, simple ways to reverse signs of aging – wrinkle, blemishes, gray hair, balding. You may never look eighteen again, and some of the ability to reverse the process will certainly depend on factors such as age and genetics. Still, your dedication to this program can take 5 – 10 years off of your appearance. The huge side effect is that you’ll feel great as well. Think about the far-reaching consequences of that for your family pictures, celebrations, and your ability to enjoy life without feeling self-conscious. Feeling inadequate and unattractive can diminish your enjoyment of life. Perhaps some of you have faced the frustration of spending thousands of dollars on beauty procedures only to find that the mark of time is still visible on your face, and that you’ve not only compromised your pocketbook, but your peace of mind as well. Never again!
I know Dr. Daniels’ beauty secrets to be sound advice because even before I met her, I found that improved diet and hydration had made my wrinkles and gray hair disappear. I’ve also had the pleasure of trying out her remedies and seeing my complexion improve by the day. And I’m excited that even as years go by, I’m still able to keep wrinkles and gray hair at bay by using plants as medicine. Being seriously allergic to hair dyes, the natural solution to gray hair really got me excited.
And it works! And if you think it’s too late for you to reverse the signs of aging, consider what my friend Dr. Paul Williams says: “It’s true that you were never this old before, but you will also never be this young again either. ” In other words, there is always room for improvement.
So let’s get started!
Mitra Ray, Ph.D.
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Vitamin Sunshine
Vitamin D has been referred to as the sunshine vitamin because the way that our bodies create it is through exposure to sunlight. Calling it a vitamin isn’t entirely accurate, however. While D can be found in a few food sources — mostly fatty fish — Vitamin D is actually a hormone that your body produces. When your skin is exposed to the sunlight, your body produces plenty to use, and stores the rest. But here’s the kicker: without proper nutrition, your body can’t synthesize the D that you have stored. And vitamin D deficiency is a serious thing: cancer, diabetes, obesity, infertility, auto-immune diseases, and bone loss are all linked to low levels of vitamin D.
So what’s a sun-phobic guy or gal to do? Although diet is crucial to your ability to make use of the D that you store, you need to first get some sunlight during the summer months in order to store enough for later use. And many of us live in climates that are grey for months out of the year, or have jobs and commitments that make it difficult to get outside.
It’s important to note that our culture’s fear of sunlight has gotten wildly out of proportion. Yes, baking yourself in the sun for hours isn’t good for your skin, and in fact actually diminishes your vitamin D stores. And there are many fair skinned people who burn within minutes of direct sunlight. Still, there are things that you can do to get sun exposure. Wear a wide brimmed hat or visor, but skip the sunscreen when you’re only going to be in the sun for short periods. You can wear loose, light colored clothing to protect your skin, but it will give you a chance to get sunlight on your face and arms. Ideally, white people should get 20 minutes of direct sunlight several times a week. Asians, Indians, and African Americans need more sunlight in order to make D, and should try for 30 – 40 minutes when possible. And the more of your skin that’s exposed, the more D your body will make.
If you live someplace where the sun rarely shines (or shines weakly) in the winter months, then it’s especially important for you to get sunlight during the sunny months. Your body produces huge (but safe) amounts when you get adequate sunlight – more than enough to use during the long, cold, winter.
However, the only way that your body can actually use that stored vitamin D is through proper nutrition. A whole-food plant-based diet will allow your body to create the enzyme needed to convert the vitamin D and make it bio-available.
Good diet = plenty of vitamin D Bad diet = no conversion, not enough D
Finally, it’s important to note that taking a vitamin D supplement can be problematic. It’s not recommended as a long-term solution; only people with critically low levels of D should do it, and it should be done under a physician’s care after having your blood tested.
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Recipe: Oshitashe — Japanese Spinach Salad
I first had this wonderful dish at my favorite sushi restaurant, and I was thrilled to find a recipe that recreates it perfectly. Even people who don’t typically like cooked spinach can enjoy this dish. Remember that spinach shrinks dramatically when cooked, so while a pound of fresh spinach seems like a lot, you’ll be surprised at how little salad this actually yields.
For those of you unfamiliar with Japanese food, sake (pronounce Sah-key) is a Japanese rice wine that you can find at most grocery stores.
The recipe also calls for agave nectar, which is a natural sweetener that’s much better for you than table sugar or brown sugar. It can be found at health food stores, or large specialty stores such as Whole Foods.
Ingredients:
- 1 lb fresh spinach
- 4 T sesame seeds, ground.
- 2 T sake 1 1/2 T soy sauce, or to taste. Some people like a little bit more
- 1 – 2 T agave syrup (start with less and see how you like it. Too sweet, and it overpowers the other flavors)
Directions: Fill a very large stock pot about two thirds of the way with water, and bring to a boil. Add spinach. You’ll need to do this a bit at a time, but work quickly because you don’t want the spinach that hits the water first to cook for too long. Once all of the spinach is in the pot, stir for thirty seconds to one minute.
Drain, and submerge spinach in cold water to cool. Drain again, and squeeze excess water from the spinach. Set aside.
Sesame seeds can be lightly toasted or raw, depending on preference. It’s tasty both ways. Combine sesame seeds, soy sauce, and sake, and agave nectar, and mix thoroughly. Add mixture to cooled spinach, and mix well.
Let marinate in the refrigerator for at least two hours. This can be prepared up to two days in advance since it tastes better the longer it sits.
Serve cold.
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Recipe: Root Delight
This super easy root recipe is good enough that even the kids will eat it! The cinnamon, apple, and yam make it sweet, and it’s hot and hearty – perfect for the winter. It tastes good at room temperature too, so it’s perfect for the lunch box, or for anyone who needs healthy food on-the-go.
Preheat your oven to 375
Ingredients:
- 2 medium sized carrots
- 1 large parsnip
- 1 large yam or sweet potato
- 1 apple, any kind
- Small amount of olive oil (optional)
- Cinnamon
Directions: Cut all vegetables and the apple into bite-sized pieces. Toss lightly with a very small amount of olive oil. Sprinkle a light layer of cinnamon over everything and toss again. Roast for about 40 minutes, stirring once or twice during that time. Test the veggies to make sure that they’re cooked all the way through – sometimes it takes longer.
Remove from oven, stir once more and serve immediately.
Serves 4 – 6
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Closing Credits
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