Chocolate Covered Spiced Figs, Apricots & Pecans

While shopping at the local farmer's market a few weeks back, I tasted a delicious sample of a chocolate covered spiced apricot and fell in love. It contained the perfect mix of seasonal flavors and inspired me to do a little bit of my own experimenting in the kitchen this weekend. I picked up some dried black mission figs, Turkish dried apricots and pecans and developed the recipe below. Hope you enjoy!


Ingredients:

2 cups mixture of dried black mission figs, Turkish dried apricots and pecans
2 tbsp water
2 tbsp butter
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp cayenne
1/4 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup brown sugar
8 oz semi-sweet dark chocolate callets (chips)


Supplies:

Skillet
Baking Sheet
Aluminum foil
Parchment paper
Fork
Double-broiler


Recipe:

Mix the spices, salt and brown sugar in a bowl and set aside.

In a dry skillet, heat nuts on medium, stirring frequently, until they begin to toast, 3-4 minutes.

Transfer the nuts to a bowl and reserve.

Halve the figs and apricots and reserve.

Add the butter, water and spice mix to the hot skillet and cook, stirring, until a glaze forms, about 1 minute.

Add the nuts and dried fruit to the skillet and toss to combine with the glaze. Stir for about 1 to 2 minutes.

Transfer the glazed nuts and dried fruit to a baking sheet lined with foil and separate them with a fork. Allow to cool for 10 minutes.

In a double-broiler add chocolate and melt, stirring, until smooth.

Using a fork, dip each glazed item into the chocolate, allow excess chocolate to fall and then place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

Place the baking sheet in the fridge, allowing the chocolate-dipped items to cool before serving.

What You Need to Know About Mineral Makeup

Mineral Makeup is not a new concept -- in fact it dates back many centuries. Ancient Egyptians, used natural minerals from the earth for decorative face painting and natural sun protection. Today, mineral makeup has made a long overdue comeback in our contemporary consumer marketplace, due to consumer awareness and demand for safe cosmetics. Mineral makeup can serve as a natural, effective, and safe alternative to other cosmetic products, but it is important to note that not all mineral makeup is created equal.

Organic mineral makeup offers many benefits, the most visible being that it provides excellent coverage. But perhaps the most valuable property of mineral makeup is that it functions as a protective layer against the sun’s harmful UV-rays and other environmental factors. However, when it comes to the benefits of mineral makeup ‘organic’ is the keyword. Many products claiming to use natural minerals also contain the same harmful ingredients that we’ve been fighting to eradicate, such as parabens, artificial fragrances and chemical preservatives.

Natural minerals can also be processed in a way that makes them no longer safe for daily human use. These processed natural minerals are turned into nano-particles, or micronized particles, which alters their scale to one-billionth of a meter, making them small enough to penetrate our bodily systems. Research has shown that nano-particles can build up inside our bodies, posing significant health risks.

As consumers we need to always look beyond slick branding and discover the truth behind the products that we use on our families and ourselves. Below is a list of beneficial ingredients to look for and a list of harmful ingredients to avoid when selecting a mineral makeup product.



Beneficial Ingredients

These are some of the healing ingredients in mineral makeup that treat and protect our skin:

• Titanium dioxide (non-nano particle form) - provides broad spectrum UV protection.
• Zinc Oxide (non-nano particle form) - provides broad spectrum UV protection.
• Kaolin Clay - has healing and anti-inflammatory properties, absorbs excess oil, refines pores, and prevents breakouts.
• Rice Starch - is a natural emollient that smoothes skin.

Harmful Ingredients to Avoid

• Artificial Fragrance – is considered highly hazardous because of its ambiguity. Companies and the government have made information pertaining to the ingredient(s) unavailable.
• Chemical Preservatives
• Parabens – are chemicals widely used as preservatives in the cosmetic industry. They have become controversial due to studies linking them to cancer and other potential health risks.
• Phthalates – are used in a variety of products from personal care products to pesticides. Exposure to phythalates has been linked to cancer, endocrine disruption, reproductive problems, asthma, allergies and obesity.
• Ferric Ferrocyanide – is an inorganic salt and known human respiratory toxicant.
• Bismuth Oxychloride – is an inorganic colorant that can cause allergic reactions, breakouts, skin irritations and itchiness.
• Nano particles – are one-billionth of a meter and can easily penetrate our bodily systems, posing significant health risks.

Recommended Brand

• Afterglow Cosmetics: Organic, mineral cosmetics offered in a broad range of colors for all ages and skin tones.
  
  Check out Afterglow's safety ratings at Skin Deep: Cosmetic Safety Database
  

Meditation for Treating Seasonal Blues & Depression

The practice of mindfulness, also known as insight meditation, can have a profound effect on those who suffer from seasonal blues, depression or are coping with a difficult life situation. I am not a mental health professional, but I have experienced my own bouts of depression and insight meditation has proven to be an invaluable life tool that can be used anywhere, anytime.


How Meditation Works

In daily life we are often consumed by memories of the past and fantasies of the future -- very few of us take time in our busy lives to appreciate and learn from the present moment. Meditation helps us bring awareness to the now and encourages us to notice the chaotic patterns of our thoughts, feelings and emotions. For example, let's do a quick exercise: close your eyes and bring your attention to the breath, focusing on the inhalation and exhalation. Continue this for five minutes.

By doing this exercise, many of us will quickly realize how difficult it is to keep our attention on the breath. Meditation teaches us how little control we actually have over our thought patterns, and we learn that they quickly come and go like weather conditions.

Over time, a daily meditation practice trains us to observe, with relaxed attention, whatever pleasant or unpleasant experience is arising, and we begin to develop a deeper understanding of how our mind operates. This deeper understanding helps us to acknowledge difficult situations when they arise without getting consumed by the negative feeling tones that accompany them.

Within the practice of insight meditation the acronym RAIN is used to help release emotional suffering. Keep this acronym with you, on and off the meditation cushion.

RAIN stand for*:

• Recognize - notice what is arising (fear, hurt, etc.)
• Allow - accept and agree to “be with it,” to “let it be.”
• Investigate - in a non-analytic way, get to know how the body, heart and mind experiences these energies. You might inquire by asking yourself one or more of the following questions: “What is happening?” “Where am I feeling this in my body?” “What wants attention?” “What wants acceptance?” The “I” is also Intimacy: experiencing difficult sensations and emotions with a direct, gentle, kind attention; and offering compassion to the place of vulnerability.
• Non-identification - or not having your sense of Being defined by, possessed by or linked to any emotion. In other words, not taking it personally! The “N” is also Natural Presence, a homecoming to the loving awareness that is our essence.

(*Source: Insight Meditation Community of Washington, www.imcw.org)



Insight Meditation Instructions
(Adapted from Matthew Flickstein's, The Meditator's Workbook)

Sit on a mediation cushion with legs crossed, keeping your spine straight with hands gently folded in your lap or sit in a chair with your back straight (away from the chair back) and feet flat on the floor with hands gently folded in your lap.

Close your eyes.

Close your mouth and breath through your nose.

Bring attention to the sensation of your breath as it flows in and out of your nostrils.

Bring attention to the beginning, middle and end of every in-breath, and the beginning, middle and end of every out-breath.

Allow your breath to flow naturally, let the breath breathe itself.

Continue to focus on your breath.

When your attention moves away from the breath, gently draw your attention back to the breath.

Continue practicing until the end of your meditation session.

Beginners should sit for 15-30 minutes. It is helpful to set a timer, I downloaded this one onto my mac dock: Meditation Timer Widget

You can also simply set a watch timer or purchase a meditation timer.



Recommended Reading

Article: Mindfulness meditation found to be as effective as antidepressant medication in prevention of depression relapse, Center of Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) December 7, 2010

The Meditator's Workbook by Matthew Flickstein

Mindfulness in Plain English by Bhante Gunaratana

Pocket Peace: Effective Practices for Enlightened Living by Allan Lokos

Stepping Out of Self-Deception by Rodney Smith



Online Resources

Insight Meditation Community of Washington: www.imcw.org

New York Insight Meditation Center: www.nyimc.org

Seattle Insight Meditation Society: www.seattleinsight.org

Barre, MA Insight Meditation Society: www.dharma.org

San Francisco Insight Meditation Community: www.sfinsight.org



We hope you enjoyed post #3 from our Sound Mind Series. Read post #2 Aromatherapy for Treating Seasonal Blues and Depression.

Boost Your Immune System with Essential Oils

The holiday season brings festivities and cheer, but it also contributes to poor diet, lack of sleep, stress, and exposure to harmful germs and bacteria. Those that are familiar with alternative medicine may use immune boosting herbs like echinacea for extra support, but because essential oils have a concentrated potency, it takes only a small amount to support the body systems and improve immune health. Using a wide variety of essential oils with antibacterial and immune boosting properties (like lemon, oregano and thyme essential oils) will help strengthen the immune system and purify the home and work environments.

Here are some of my favorite essential oils and essential oil products for immune support:


1. Young Living's Inner Defense Essential Oil Supplement

Inner Defense contains potent essential oils like oregano, thyme and cloves. Young Living's Inner Defense softgels are designed to support well-being when the body is stressed by strengthening the immune system, protecting bioterrain and energizing systemic defense.*

Primary Benefits:

• Reinforces systemic defenses*
• Creates unfriendly terrain for yeast and fungus*
• Promotes healthy respiratory function*
• Rich in thymol, carvacrol and eugenol for immune support*

Contains: Clove (syzygium aromaticum), Lemon (citrus limon), Eucalyptus radiata (eucalypptus radiata), Rosemary (rosmarinus officinalis), Cinnamon (cinnamon verum), Oregano (origanum minutiflorum), Oregano (origanum majorana), Oregano (origanum onites), Oregano (origanum vulgare), Thyme (thymus vulgaris), Thyme (thyme zygis), Lemongrass (cymbopogon flexuosus).


Order Here



2. Thieves Essential Oil Blend

Thieves was created based on research about four thieves in France who covered themselves with cloves, rosemary and other aromatics while robbing plague victims. This proprietary essential oil blend was university tested for its cleansing abilities. It is highly effective in supporting the immune system and good health.*


How to Use: For dietary, aromatic or topical use. When using as a supplement, dilute one drop in 4 fl.oz of liquid such as goat's or rice milk. Diffuse using an essential oil diffuser for short periods of time (1/2 hour or less) in the work or home environment.


Order Here



3. Lemon Essential Oil

Lemon (citrus limon) has a strong, purifying, citrus scent that is revitalizing and uplifting. Lemon consists of 68 percent d-limonene, a powerful antioxidant.


How to Use:

For Dietary: When using as a supplement, put one drop in a capsule or in 4 fl. oz. of soy or rice milk. Only pure essential oils, proven safe and labeled as dietary supplements, should be used internally. Young Living Essential Oils are labeled as dietary supplements.

For a therapeutic bath: Add 4-8 drops of essential oil to bath water.

For self-massage: Add 15-30 drops of essential oil to 2 ounces of a carrier oil (i.e. jojoba oil, almond oil, grapeseed oil) and massage the body in clock-wise, circular motions.

For essential oil diffusers: add 10-20 drops of essential oil to water and vaporize using an essential oil diffuser.


Order Here



4. Oregano Essential Oil

Oregano is one of the most powerful and versatile essential oils. It is rich in the phenolic of carvacrol, which is known to support well-being when the body is distressed.


How to Use:

For Dietary: When using as a supplement, put one drop in a capsule or in 4 fl. oz. of soy or rice milk. Only pure essential oils, proven safe and labeled as dietary supplements, should be used internally. Young Living Essential Oils are labeled as dietary supplements.

For a therapeutic bath: Add 4-8 drops of essential oil to bath water.

For self-massage: Add 15-30 drops of essential oil to 2 ounces of a carrier oil (i.e. jojoba oil, almond oil, grapeseed oil) and massage the body in clock-wise, circular motions.

For essential oil diffusers: add 10-20 drops of essential oil to water and vaporize using an essential oil diffuser.


Order Here



5. Eucalyptus Globulus Essential Oil

Eucalyptus globulus has a fresh, penetrating scent. It contains a high percentage of the constituent eucalyptol, a key ingredient in many mouth rinses. Applied topically, it is often used to support the respiratory system* and to sooth muscles after exercise.


How to Use:

For Dietary: When using as a supplement, put one drop in a capsule or in 4 fl. oz. of soy or rice milk. Only pure essential oils, proven safe and labeled as dietary supplements, should be used internally. Young Living Essential Oils are labeled as dietary supplements.

For a therapeutic bath: Add 4-8 drops of essential oil to bath water.

For self-massage: Add 15-30 drops of essential oil to 2 ounces of a carrier oil (i.e. jojoba oil, almond oil, grapeseed oil) and massage the body in clock-wise, circular motions.

For essential oil diffusers: add 10-20 drops of essential oil to water and vaporize using an essential oil diffuser.


Order Here



6. Thyme Essential Oil

Thyme (thymus vulgaris) has a spicy, warm, herbaceous aroma that is both powerful and penetrating. It is a rich source of the phenol called thymol, a substance known to create an unfriendly environment for yeast and fungus.* It has been used as a purifying agent in the dental industry for many years.


How to Use:

For Dietary: When using as a supplement, put one drop in a capsule or in 4 fl. oz. of soy or rice milk. Only pure essential oils, proven safe and labeled as dietary supplements, should be used internally. Young Living Essential Oils are labeled as dietary supplements.

For a therapeutic bath: Add 4-8 drops of essential oil to bath water.

For self-massage: Add 15-30 drops of essential oil to 2 ounces of a carrier oil (i.e. jojoba oil, almond oil, grapeseed oil) and massage the body in clock-wise, circular motions.

For essential oil diffusers: add 10-20 drops of essential oil to water and vaporize using an essential oil diffuser.


Order Here


* These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

Aromatherapy for Treating Seasonal Blues & Depression

Aromatherapy is the therapeutic use of essential oils that have been extracted from plant matter. These oils contain natural chemicals that have a wide range of medicinal properties, and have been used in health remedies and beauty products throughout human history.

Aromatherapy is an effective supplemental treatment for depression, because the sense of smell is closely associated with emotional centers in the brain. Natural chemicals found in plants such as esters (equilibrating and antispasmodic) and aldehydes (sedative) affect different areas of the brain when inhaled and help reduce stress, moderate emotions, boost confidence and restore balance to the body and mind.

This post provides a list of 10 essential oils that have proven to be very effective at relieving the symptoms of depression. Below this list are some recommendations on how to use essential oils.



10 Essential Oils for Treating Depression:


1. Lavender lavandula augustifolia


Psychological & Emotional Effects:

• Balances the central nervous system
• Relieves anxiety, anger and stress
• Relaxes the mind and helps promote sleep

Note: Lavender essential oil is very effective for those that suffer from mood swings and manic depression. It is gentle and excellent for children suffering from anxiety, nervousness and/or stress.

Caution: Avoid during early months of pregnancy.



2. Clary Sage salvia sclarea


Psychological & Emotional Effects:

• Balances the central nervous system
  
• Soothes nervous tension
  
• Relieves stress, anxiety and tension
  

Note: Clary Sage essential oil may be applied neat to the wrist and temples to induce relaxation. It has a light euphoric effect.

Caution: Do not use during pregnancy. Clary Sage is a sedative and has a mild euphoric effect so do not use before driving.



3. Lime citrus aurantifolia


Psychological & Emotional Effects:

• Restores optimism and confidence
  
• Uplifting and refreshing, revitalizes the mind
  
• Relieves stress, apathy and depression
  

Caution: May irritate sensitive skin. May be mildly phototoxic, so avoid direct sunlight if you've applied it to your skin.



4. Mandarin citrus reticulata


Psychological & Emotional Effects:

• Calms the central nervous system
• Relieves anxiety and depression
• Uplifting and refreshing
• A natural sedative, helps promote sleep

Note: Mandarin essential oil is gentle and excellent for children suffering from anxiety, nervousness and/or stress. It is also very safe to use during pregnancy.

Caution: May be mildly phototoxic, so avoid direct sunlight if you've applied it to your skin.



5. Lemon Verbena lippia citriodora


Psychological & Emotional Effects:

• Restores optimism and confidence
  
• Uplifting and refreshing, revitalizes the mind
  
• Relieves stress, anxiety and tension
  

Note: Lemon Verbena essential oil works strongly on the psycho-hormonal level and is effective at treating symptoms of depression.

Caution: May be mildly phototoxic, so avoid direct sunlight if you've applied it to your skin.



6. Geranium pelargonium graveolens


Psychological & Emotional Effects:

• Uplifting and refreshing, revitalizes the mind
• Soothes nervous tension
  
• Relieves stress, anxiety and tension

Note: Geranium essential oil is very safe for home use.



7. Bergamot citrus bergamia


Psychological & Emotional Effects:

• Calms the central nervous system
  
• Re-energizes and promotes confidence
  
• Relieves feelings of anxiety, grief and depression
• Relaxes the mind and helps promote sleep

Caution: May be mildly phototoxic, so avoid direct sunlight if you've applied it to your skin.



8. Ylang Ylang cananga odorata


Psychological & Emotional Effects:

• Regulates adrenaline
  
• Relieves fear, irritation and anxiety
  
• Relaxes and soothes the mind
  

Note: Ylang Ylang essential oil is very effective for those who suffer from panic attacks and postnatal depression. It is also an aphrodisiac and has a hypnotic and euphoric effect.

Caution: Do not use on inflamed skin.



9. Roman Chamomile chamaemelum nobilis


Psychological & Emotional Effects:

• Calms the central nervous system
  
• Reduces anxiety, fear, nervousness and tension
  
• Relaxes the mind and helps promote sleep

Note: Beneficial for those who suffer insomnia.

Caution: Avoid in the first four months of pregnancy. It is gentle and excellent for children suffering from anxiety, nervousness and/or stress.



10. Jasmine jasminum officinale


Psychological & Emotional Effects:

• Calms the central nervous system
  
• Very effective at relieving depression
  
• Restores optimism and confidence
• Relaxes the mind and helps promote sleep

Note: Jasmine essential oil is beneficial for combating postnatal blues.

Caution: Do not use during pregnancy.


Recommendations for Essential Oil Use:


Therapeutic Baths
Add 4-8 drops of essential oil to bath water.

Self-massage
Add 15-30 drops of essential oil to 2 ounces of a carrier oil (i.e. jojoba oil, almond oil, grapeseed oil) and massage the body in clock-wise, circular motions. Different essential oils can also be blended together to create more complex aromas and enhance medicinal benefits, for example, Geranium, Lavender, and Bergamot make a nice blend.

Steam Inhalation
Add 2-3 drops of essential oil to a bowl of hot water, lean your face over the steam (about 10 inches above the water) and breath deeply for 1-2 minutes.

Essential Oil Diffusers
Add essential oils to water and burn using an oil diffuser -- read more about creating therapeutic environments with essential oils.

Scented Pillows
Place a few drops of essential oil on a tissue and put it in your pillow case before you go to sleep. Mandarin, lavender, and roman chamomile are excellent choices to help induce sleep.


Purchase Essential Oils

Aromatherapyroots.com: Learn more about aromatherapy and purchase therapeutic-grade essential oils.

Taking a Holistic Approach to Treating Seasonal Blues & Depression

Every year more than 21 million Americans are affected by some form of depression. In fact, depression is the leading cause of disability in the United States for individuals ages 15 to 44 (Ranking America's Mental Health: An Analysis of Depression Across the States, Published by Mental Health America).

People suffering from depression often turn to pharmaceutical drugs, but there are safer holistic treatment options available. The Holistic Beauty blog will be presenting a special series on holistic approaches to treating depression. The purpose of this series is to bring awareness to the mental health crisis in America and to help make people more familiar and comfortable with alternative treatments.


About Depression

Feelings of anxiety, irritability, stress, nervousness, fear and fatigue that accompany depression are caused by chemical imbalances in the body. A chemical imbalance can be caused by many things including: gland or organ malfunction, allergy to food, vitamin deficiency, seasonal changes, chronic pain, past trauma, and/or difficulty with a current life situation.

It is important to visit a doctor in order to uncover any underlying issues that may be causing your depression. For example, if a person is unaware of an allergy to gluten and eats a diet rich in wheat and processed foods, this can cause a chemical imbalance and they may feel symptoms of depression. If the person becomes aware of their allergy they can avoid gluten and restore balance to their bodily systems.

If a person's depression is not the result of a medical issue that can easily be treated, therapy is often a good treatment option. The key to getting over depression is to understand the underlying issues that are causing the chemical imbalance in your body, and talking with a professional can help you uncover those issues. If you do decide to visit a psychiatrist, it is important to be aware and skeptical of the drugs they may want to prescribe you. An alarming number of Americans are taking pharmaceutical drugs -- in some cases drugs are an appropriate treatment option, but for many patients they are not. Anti-depressants have negative side effects and they often only mask the underlying causes of ones depression. The patient becomes dependent on the drug, because if they stop talking it the original cause of their depression will resurface -- this is great for the pharmaceutical companies, but not for the patient. Taking a holistic approach to depression treatment is essential to long-term, successful results.


Taking a Holistic Approach to Treatment

Taking a holistic approach to treating depression involves making a commitment to understand the underlying cause/s of your chemical imbalance. The first steps you should take are to meet with a doctor and a therapist. Once you have ruled out any underlying medical issues and are undergoing therapy sessions it is important to supplement your therapy with natural treatments that have little to no side effects, such as aromatherapy, meditation, Chinese Herbology, acupuncture, Ayurveda, yoga and exercise. These treatment options are safe, and effectively help reduce stress, moderate emotions, boost confidence, and restore balance to the body and mind. These treatments are also useful life tools and will help you stay balanced and healthy throughout your life.

In the next few weeks I will be writing about each of the prior natural therapies, how they are effective at treating depression and how you can incorporate them into your life.

The next post in this series is Aromatherapy for Treating Seasonal Blues & Depression

Air-drying Summer Herbs for Winter Use

This past weekend I took some time to dry the fresh herbs from my garden. The cool weather is about to kick in, so now is the time to harvest these plants. I have tarragon, spearmint, sage, thyme, lemon verbena and oregano to dry.

When I first started drying my own herbs I quickly noticed that some air-dried more successfully than others. The lemon verbena would dry perfectly, but the tarragon would start to mold. I learned that some herbs naturally contain more moisture than others, and therefore need to be dried in a different manner. A few of these tender (high moisture content) herbs are tarragon, oregano, basil, and spearmint. Examples of less tender (low moisture content) herbs are lemon verbena, rosemary, parsley, thyme and sage. The less tender herbs can be gently rinsed and dried, tied into small bundles, and hung to air-dry, but the tender herbs require one more step.

To successfully air-dry tender herbs you need to place the bundles in hole-punched, paper bags before hanging them to dry. The paper bags absorb excess moisture, which helps prevent the herbs from molding. It is also important that you punch holes in the sides of the bags, so that air can easily pass through. Below are some images of my set up at home:





A few helpful tips:

• Harvest herbs in the morning, after the dew has evaporated, to minimize wilting.

• Rinse the herbs to make sure that all dirt and insects are removed. Thoroughly and gently dry them so that there is no excess moisture.

• Tie small bundles of herbs together to ensure that air can easily circulate around all the leaves.

• Use a hole-punch, rather than tearing holes in the paper bags. It is faster, but also more effective. The hole-punch creates perfect size holes that will allow air to easily pass through the bag.

• Hang your herbs to dry in a well-ventilated, shaded area. Avoid drying herbs in direct sunlight -- the sun evaporates the essential oils in the plant and the herb will lose its flavor.

• Most herbs take about one week to fully dry. It's a good idea to check on them periodically.

• The herbs are ready to be packaged when the leaves are crispy and can be easily crumbled.

• Package your herbs in airtight jars or zip lock bags and label them.

• Do not crumble the herb before you package it, keep the leaves whole. This will help preserve the flavor.