ARTWORK FOR SALE!!!

by Coley b.

By Coley b.

By Coley b.

by Coley b.

by Coley b.

by Coley b.

Grungy Art!

My sense of style is grungy art that is multi-layered and messy and has a sense of flare.I don’t like to paint with brushes and like experimenting with palate knives. The artwork is abstract & colourful while still maintaining some form.

Painting is an expression that is free forming, moving, and alive. It flows onto the canvas with wonderful colours and excitement.
Each painting is completely customized and each colour is painted with feelings which I hope sparks something and touches those that see my art.
Art is a passion which glows inside me and I hope translates with in all my artwork.
A new passion of mine is to paint with a grungy style that is expressive.Art allows me to see and feel what others want to see – I believe I bring a piece of that person’s imagination to life.
I have always been very spiritual and this is a new gateway for me to express myself through art and colour.
If you are interested in purchasing a painting or havinga piece made please call Nicole Bloomberg at 416.809.8104 to book an appointment.
Love & Light,
Nicole Bloomberg of Coley b.deZigns.

Nicole Bloomberg

e:cb@livreal.com

t:416.809.8104

Love & Light: www.coleybdeZigns.com

Vegan Goddess in 30 days and Glowing!

Sat Nam. Before giving any other introductions, I’d like to present myself to you as Truth. Sat=Truth, Nam=Identity/Name.

Okay, now we can continue… Nicole Bloomberg here!

Loving you, honoring all you beautiful souls out there that are connecting to yourself and feeling Gorgeous.

This diet has allowed me to feel light, airy, and radiant. My skin is glowing and I have lost 8 pounds.

I became vegan for 30 days and it was not that hard. Well, maybe on Passover when I could not eat bread.

But, it is all little changes that are healthier for your body and you will start to feel amazing inside and out.

I had profound changes like a love for animals and dogs, being more in tune with my self, and conscious of

what was going into my body and becoming more green. It make you a better person and happier also.

I chose to do it for 30 days as a detox however, I do not think I will eat meat or dairy again. As for now, I am

eating fish a few times a week and will see how I feel. You need to do what is good for you and you can

always start small and flirt with the idea.Try “Meatless Mondays” and ease into the lifestyle. You will be

healthier and help save the environment. I am excited to start growing my own veggies in my backyard.

Things I changed:

1). COOK AT HOME!!! Divide you plate so that 1/2 is veggies, 1/4 is grains, and then pick your protein.

2). Earth Balance butter-vegan and tastes the same as butter

3) Toffuti cream cheese –If you are kosher it is parve. It tastes like temptee cream cheese

4). Veggie Cheese- when melted tastes the same. If you want to lose weight great choice and good on Ezekiel bread or baked potato.

5). Macrobiotic cooking.

6). Milk:Soy, Rice, or Almond Milk.

7). Eating out:When going out to eat choose healthy choices like tofu, veggies, and brown rice.Eating in international restaurants will make it easy to find something.

8). Explore new foods.

Here are categories of Vegetarians:

What do Vegetarians eat?

The PASSIONATE VEGETARIAN approach avoids labeling people, suggesting that ways of eating, and other people, be considered more fluidly. Besides, labeling so often leads to filing away, writing off, and just generally diminishing others).

BUT, particularly when individuals are starting to nose around ways of eating which may be new to them, they often want definitions and a way to think in categories. This is concomitant with the “What do vegetarians eat?” question.

So, here are the commonly defined “types” of vegetarians:

Vegans	Vegans eat only foods of plant origin, no foods of animal origin; that means, no eggs, dairy products, or honey. Soyfoods, legumes, nuts and seitan form the protein building blocks, and are rounded out by grains, fruits, and vegetables.
Lacto-Vegetarians Ovo-Vegetarians Lacto-Ovo Vegetarians	Lacto-ovo vegetarians eat as above with the addition of dairy products (lacto) and/or eggs (ovo). This, in common parlance, is the style of eating most often meant in America when people refer to “vegetarian.” Lacto-ovo food choices, in other words, do contain some foods of animal origin, but no foods composed of the animal’s actual flesh, or products thereof (for instance, if rice was cooked in chicken stock, it would not be acceptable to your typical lacto-ovo vegetarian).
Pesce-Vegetarians (sometimes called Pescetarians)	In addition to the foods above, pesce-vegetarians eat fish. (Most vegans and lacto-ovo vegetarians do not, by the way, consider those who eat fish “real” vegetarians — you see why definitions can create divisions between people?)
“Vegetarian Sympathizers”	Folks who do eat meat, fish, and chicken — but perhaps much less than they once did, and perhaps more carefully (they may choose organically raised meats). They lean somewhat towards a low- or no-meat way in their thinking. Frequently Sympathizers and Pesces are on the continuum towards a lacto-ovo or vegan way of eating.
Passionate Vegetarian	As given on this site and in the book PASSIONATE VEGETARIAN, PV recipes are lacto-ovo, with plenty of vegan options, but always, always sensually pleasing regardless of how you define your way of eating. The recipes are frequently seasonal, not afraid of big flavors, and borrow notes from regional cuisines from all over the world. But PV attitude is just as important. It is inclusive, welcoming, non-proselytizing, and absolutely respectful of anyone’s food choices. PV’s know that just as you don’t have to “be” Italian to love Italian food, you don’t have to “be” a vegetarian to love vegetarian food. PV’s set a generous, delicious table — and everyone is welcome

I took the next step from Vegetarian to Vegan after reading the Kind Diet by Alicia Silverstone.Her website, thekindlife.com, features her dishy blog, networking with like-minded users, and tons of info about her fave cruelty-free designers, products and restaurants. Check out her book and her yummy recipes.

Love and Light,

Coley B.

Why should we detox?

Check out this recent article I read on the website Food Matters: http://www.foodmatters.tv/_webapp/Why%20Detox

Why Detox?

Our bodies naturally detoxify everyday as part of a normal body process. Detoxification is one of the body’s most basic automatic functions of eliminating and neutralizing toxins through the colon, liver, kidneys, lungs, lymph and skin. Unfortunately in this day and age, with the pollution found in the air, water and food we eat, our bodies have a hard time keeping up. Our chemicalized diet with too much animal protein, too much saturated and trans fats, too much caffeine and alcohol radically changes our internal ecosystem.

Body systems and organs that were once capable of cleaning out unwanted substances are now completely over-loaded to the point where toxic material remains inside our tissues. Our bodies try to protect us from dangerous substances by setting it aside, surrounding it with mucous and fat so that it will not cause an imbalance or trigger an immune response (some people carry up to 15 extra pounds of mucous that harbors this waste)

Detoxification through special cleansing diets and colonics is the best way to assist your body’s natural self-cleaning system. It is especially important for immune-compromised diseases like cancer, arthritis, diabetes and chronic fatigue. However, even if your diet is good, a spring cleanse can revitalize your system and rid your body of harmful bacteria, viruses and parasites. It is a simple three step process.

Personally, I did not have the best experience with a colonic. I was backed up for 10 days and it was the only solution I could think of. It sure was the right answer and cleaned me out! But, it takes out the good bacteria so make sure that you take a probiotic or something that will put the good flora back in to your system so you are not depleted!

Check out their detox and rejuvination guide-http://www.foodmatters.tv/_webapp/Detox%20and%20Rejuvenation%20Guide

What you will get out of this Guide:

• Break up and remove toxins
• Rebuild your immune system as you replenish the nutrients
• Raise your body’s energy levels
• Eliminate gas and bloating
• Reach your optimal weight, flatten your stomach
• Look and feel better
• Overcome allergies and illness
• Know how to prepare nutritious meals for you and your family
• Understand the principles of healing foods

We believe that your body is worthy of good care and that no one is more suitably qualified to care for it than yourself. Many of us are unknowingly suffering from food sensitivities and allergies which are preventing us from reaching optimal health and our ideal body weight.

I am not promoting their e-book because I have never read it but, look into detox diets and colonics for yourself and let me know your thoughts. I would love to hear them. You can email me at cb@livreal.com.

Love,

xoxo

Coley b.- Nicole Bloomberg

W:Check out http://www.coleybdezigns.com/ http://www.livreal.com

E:cb@livreal.com

HOW TO BE A HEALTHY VEGETARIAN & TIPS TO MAKE THE TRANSITION TO A HEALTHIER YOU!

Why did I become Vegan is the question I am asked by all my friends recently. Well, the answer to that question is two-fold: 1). I started as a vegetarian when I saw a nutritionist. She explained I can still eat meat if I crave it but, it is healthier not to eat meat. Personally, I eliminate food quicker  by cutting out the meat.So, I started flirting with the idea and looked for meat substitutes like Gardein burgers, veggie burgers, tofu, and I still ate fish. 2). I bought the book The Kind Diet, by Alicia Silverstone and it got me thinking maybe I should eliminate all animal products and try it for 30 days. So my 30 day challenge began and now I am on day 22. I feel great, I lost weight, and my skin is glowing! If you approach the diet the right way, it can be a world of adventure. Don’t label yourself instead just celebrate being healthy and adopting a healthier lifestyle. We need to re-train ourselves on how to eat right for our body and how to avoid overly processed food and meat that contains antibiotics. Diversify you diet and take the leap. Look at it like I am eating veggies and then pick a protein like fish, tofu, veggie burgers, gardein burgers, beans, and meatless patties. Go small and soon you will want healthier food and grains.

Enough about me!  Lets, get down to how you can be a healthy vegetarian. There’s no question that a mainly plant-based diet is better for us and for the planet. But it presents so many herbivore’s dilemmas: Am I getting enough protein? Plenty of nutrients? And what do I make for dinner? Here are the strategies, recipes, and cookbooks that will help you eat right.

1. Switch from milk to Almond Milk, Soy, or Rice Milk

2. Stop eating cheese- replace with veggie cheese. When it is melted tastes the same. You can eat soy yogurt. Cheese is fattening and makes you break out. Goodbye allergies and lose weight!

3. Cut out anything White: Buy whole grain bread, rye bread, Ezekiel bread,  gluten-free bread, brown rice, and Quinoa.

4. Eat more veggies &  fruit- Buy a cheap juicer and start juicing. You will feel great trust me!

5. TRY IT: Try something new and pick up vegetables you’ve never tried before: ivory eggplants, Tuscan kale, Jerusalem artichoke.

6. Don’t be radical: Do it in baby steps try by doing steps 1-4 that I suggested and then slowly start eliminating

7. Build your meals: Start by building around vegetable and give grains equal real-estate on your plate.

8. Eat out at Ethnic Restaurants: Mexican, Thai, Chinese, Indian where vegetarian dishes are standard.

9.Consider transitioning with meat substitutes: Look for products made without additives, like Gardein. Ronnen, worked on the development of Gardein products, says, ” You are more likely to succeed with your family if you replicate flavours like chicken pot pie instead of just springing a quinoa pilaf on them out fo the blue.”

10. Make sure you have meals that are well-rounded: Make hearty foods using beans, grains, and other ingredients that will keep you full and nourished.

11. Use strong flavours: Buy smoky paprika, turmeric, carmelized onions, and garlic.

Did you know?

1. The price of meat: Cows expel methane, a greenhouse gas that is 23 more potent than CO2.

2. 77% of U.S. soy beans and 46% percent of U.S. corn feed farm animals. That is a lot of land.

3. Going Vegan saves 1 1/2 tone of CO2 eq, compared to the average American Diet.

4. Raising livestock for food is one of the largest contributors to global warming, accounting for 20% of man-made greenhouse gases emitted each year.

5. 16 times more fossil fuels are needed to create one steak than to produce a plate of broccoli, eggplant, cauliflower, and rice

6. 28% of the world’s assessed fishery stocks are ” overexploited or depleted,” according to a 2008 estimate from the Food and Agriculture Organization.

7. About 98 pounds of beef, 67 pounds of pork, and 102 pounds of chicken are produced for each American Annually.

8.*** “People don’t know that you can get all of your proteins from a good mix of grains, legumes, fruits, and veggies,” says T. Collin Campbell, professor  of nutritional biochemistry at Cornell University. We require about half a gram of protein for each pound of body weight.

For Vegetarians who eat eggs & dairy: ( lacto-ovo vegetarians)

Note: Eggs increase inflammation

PROTEIN:

1 percent milk ( 1 c) ………8g

Yogurt ( 6 oz)……………..6g

Large boiled egg…………..7.5g

Cheddar Cheese ( 1 oz)………. 7g

For Strict Vegans: Do not eat animal products.

Lentils ( 1 c cooked)……………………18g

Black Beans ( 1 c cooked)……………..15g

Veggie Burger…………………….approx 13g

Chickpeas ( 1 c. cooked)………………12g

Quinoa ( 1 c cooked)………………….8g

Peanut Butter ( 2 tbsp)……………….8g

Almonds ( 1 oz) ……………………6g

Soy Milk ( 1 c.)………………..8g

Bulgur ( 1c cooked)……………5.5g

Wheat bread (2 slices)…………7g

Cooked Spinach ( 1c)………….5g

Cooked Broccoli ( 1c)…………4g

Tempeh ( 4oz)………………..41g

Seitan ( 3oz)……………………..31g

Veggie Bookshelf:

1. THE KIND DIET, by Alicia Silverstone

2. Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone by Deborah Madison

3. World Vegetarian by Madhur Jaffrey

4. Super Natural Cooking by Heidi Swanson

5. Vegan Soul Kitchen by Bryant Terry

6. The Enchanted Broccoli Forest by Mollie Katzen

7. The Conscious Cook by Tal Ronnen

8. Moosewood Cookbook by Mollie Katzen

9. Licking you Chops by Kim O’donnel

10. Hot Sour Salty Sweet by Jeffey Alford and Naomi Duguid

11. Chez Panisse Vegetables by Alice Waters

TRY MEATLESS MONDAY’S:

The Meatless Monday movement, an intiative in association with the Bloomberg John Hopkins School of Public Health, states that if Americans skipped their daily eight ounces of meat one day per week, we could save more emissions over the course of a year than if we gave up travelling by cars, trains, planes, and ships combined!

Health Benefits of giving up meat- HUGE!

People who consume a plant-based diet weigh less, have lower incidence of heart disease, diabetes, and many cancers, on average live longer than meat eaters.

Note: Check with your Doc before making any big dietary changes or check out the blood type diet!

GO VEG! SAVE THE PLANET & YOURSELF LOVE, NICOLE xoxo

Hot Stone Massage & Aroma Therapy

HOT STONE MASSAGE- DO IT YOURSELF!

Spring has sprung and so has all the aches and pains. It seems that everyone is in full swing and is busier then ever and so are their stress levels.Along with stress comes muscle tension and pain.

Here are some ways to relieve pain, stress, and arthritis:

Arthritis is a condition in which there is painful inflammation around the joints, most commonly in the hands, wrists, elbows, and knees, although it can be present in any joint. There are a number of kinds of arthritis, from osteoarthritis to rheumatoid arthritis. All forms of arthritis can see relief through the use of aromatherapy.

My hubby needed some chilax time so I treated him to a hot stone massage and just used stones that I collected from the beach. You can purchase hot stones from local stores to use.

I took a metal mixing bowl and dropped the stones in the bowl. Next, I filled the bowl with hot water and left the stones inside. I also used a hot compresses, you can add a few drops of essential oil to a bowl of hot (not scalding) water, submerge a cloth in the water, wring it out and place it around the affected area until the cloth cools to room temperature. Repeat several times. It is also very relaxing and helps to relieve stress.

Hot stone massage is an ancient technique that can be traced back to its roots in India, which is also the home of the Ayurvedic tradition. In order to fully understand the benefits of hot stone massage, a brief background on Ayurvedic principles will be helpful.

Ayurveda means “science of life,” and holds that the five elements – ether, air, fire, water, and earth – are all at play in any given human. Any healing tradition, it follows, will come from one of these five elements. As for the personal constitutions of each person, there are three doshas. Doshas are the way the elements manifest in any given person. Most people are stronger in one dosha than another, but have aspects of all three. If a person’s doshas are out of alignment with one another, this can manifest in energetic, mental, or physical illness.

In the case of hot stone massage, the vata dosha is balanced. The vata dosha is associated with air and movement, and is considered very important to keep in balance as it can cause the other two doshas, pitta and kapha will become unbalanced.

When you give the  hot stone massage, you can drape as in any other massage or just lay a towel on the floor and let the person your giving the massage to conenct with the ground.  I suggest  lighting some candles, soft music, and oil for mood. Stones may be placed on the torso, limbs, and face. Hot and cool stones will not be used at the same time except on the face. The hot stones may simply be placed on the body, or they may be used to massage muscles in order to help muscles relax and release. Both the heat and the smoothness of the stone are effective in releasing muscle tension. You can click the stones together before applying them to the body – this is said to activate the stones and also lets the person know that the stones are about to be applied.

So what’s your aroma – Astrology and Aromatherapy

Fire Signs: – Aries, Leo and Sagittarius.

Aries

1. Rose
   The raw energy of Aries and a fully blossomed rose may not seem to go together, but imagine the intense blood red of the bloom and the its presence in this list is fitting. The rose’s therapeutic fragrance in addition to calming the mind and getting the body into a state of harmony, is a very strong love perfume
2. Pine
   Pine and my promotion of its clean fragrance may be getting a little too familiar for my readers. Keeping it short and sweet, pine’s fragrance characteristic of freshness and vitality, makes its frequent appearance well derved, indeed!
3. Lemon
   Lemon – Not a stranger to us, be it in terms of its refreshing flavour, both to the tongue and to the nose. Since we are more concerned about the latter here, it has an interesting combination of being energizing as well as calming on the mind and body. Not only does the humble lemon work as a stimulant, it doubles up as a blood purifier too.
4. Cinnamon
   As I mentioned with pine, Cinnamon pops in here again with the fire sign of Aries. Its spicy and stimulating fragrance works on you as energizing tonic and a heady aprodisiac

Leo

1. Rose
2. Patchouli
   Patchouli does lend itself to the flamboyance of a Leo, both in terms of its colour (either of a light golden yellow or of a deep golden brown depending on the distillation method) and its rejuvenating fragrance.
3. Musk
   Musk is something I can very distinctly relate to a Leo’s sense of ’sweep-you-off-your-feet’ – intoxicating, exhilirating and extremely exciting. A very physical perfume, affecting your instinct deeply.
4. Lemon

Sagittarius

1. Pine
   (As I promised earlier, no more words from me on Pine, look up at Aries)
2. Musk
   Musk is as becoming on a fiery Sagittarius as it on a flamboyant Leo.
3. Muguet
   Relatively unknown and unheard of, muguet is a variation of the very famous lily of the valley. Its extremely rare, because it apparently grows only in a small area in France. As with anything rare, its priceless in its virtue. Think French, think sensuality and that is exactly what this embodies.
4. Myrrh
   Fiery Sagittarius and musty Myrrh go together awakening spiritual zeal within.
5. Hyacinth
   Sprouting from the blood of the ill-fated Hyacinthus, a lasting tribute to love and youth, the hyacinth works as a sedative curing insomnia and calming.

Air Signs

Now, getting down to the air signs – Gemini, Libra and Aquarius

Gemini

1. Violet
   Produced from both the leaf and the violet flower itself, the oil affects the body as much or even more than it affects the mind, which makes it an oil to be reckoned with. In addition to its calming properties, it is interestingly used to draw out introverts!
2. Lavender
   Calming, relaxing and balancing, lavender is essentially Gemini!
3. Heliotrope
   Marvelous in its distinct blend of scents, heliotrope is derived from Heliotropium arborescens, a flower originally from Peru. Heliotrope’s fragrance combines in itself a dash of the woody with the fruity and a hint of vanilla, exuding a unparalleled smell!
4. Mimosa
   Mimosa reminds me of a cocktail I had of the same name . Dreamy and ethereal, a fragrance leading to a starry world, rich in imagination. The perfume truly gets the creative juices flowing , what with all the imagination spurring and artistic thought awakening!
5. Frankincense
   Frankincense is prepared from the resin obtained from the bark of a boswellia tree. Frankincense is of supreme importance in religion (The three wise men in the Bible carried gold, frankincense and myrrh.) The perfume is clarifying and promotes a sense of awareness, which is of extreme importance in spiritual pursuits.

Libra

Calm, gentle and fresh – Just as these words personify Librans in all their glory, the 3L-oils manifest the same.

1. Lily of the valley
   Floral and fresh, Lily of the valley is a very soothing fragrance.
2. Lavender
3. Lemon

Aquarius

1. Jasmine
   Well known and well loved fragrances the world across, Jasmine’s stimulant and aphrodisiacal properties are not new to us.
2. Lavender
3. Patchouli
4. Lemon

Earth Signs

Taurus

1. Ambergris
   Ambergris is a gray waxy substance produced naturally by sperm whales and is present in this list due to sweet and earthy odor. It acts a tonic and stimulant, strengthening the brain and the heart.
2. Patchouli
   There are a couple of essential oils that are associated with more than one sign, and patchouli is one of those many . If you remember from my earlier post on water signs, patchouli is used as a tonic and a body-mind balancing oil, in addition to it being used widely as a skin restorative and rejuvenating agent.
3. Musk
   Musk – The very word triggers off a heady, earthy and a sweep-you-off-your-feet fragrance. It essentially awakens your instinct and spurs on your body’s capacity for self healing.
4. Jasmine
   As I mentioned with Patchouli, Jasmine makes it entry again with the earth sign of Taurus. Stimulating and emotionally healing effects makes Jasmine very essential indeed

Virgo

1. Rose
   Extremely becoming of a very feminine Virgo, the rose is rightly popular for its use in matters of the heart. Calming and powerful at the same time, without being a sedative, rose either as an oil application or a body gel would set the mood for your day as well as your night right!
2. Lavender
   Lavender’s therapeutic properties of soothing and calming the body and mind make its reappearance in this list justifiable.
3. Patchouli
4. Honeysuckle
   Honeysuckle evokes in my mind memories of the sweet and earthy fragrance of the yellow and white tiny blossoms. This oil works more on your emotions than your body making it a very nostalgic perfume.
5. Wintergreen
   The name itself, in my opinion lets us on in its refreshing properties. Used to relieve muscle pain and for general wellness, wintergreen’s energising and rejuvenating properties are put to good use in general medicine.
6. Bay
   A staple in your kitchen, bay is known for its stimulating and tonic properties, enhanced by its intoxicating fragrance.

Capricorn

1. Carnation
   Carnation too makes a renetry here, due to its uplifting and stimulating effects on the body.
2. Pine
   The clean fragrance of pine again is something I have already talked about.Not only does it promote a clarity in the thought process, its refreshing and revitalizing effects on the brain reflect instantaneously on the body too.

You can use the oils and burn in a candle and put it in your office, bath, or room to get your creative juices flowing or just to relax.

xoxo,

Nicole ( Coley B.)

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups ( VEGAN)

This recipe is from Alicia Silverstone’s book the Kind Diet. It is the most amazing dessert ever!

Here is here healthy version. Look for graham crackers that are naturally sweetened or low in sugar ( Health Valley).

Makes 12

1/2 cup Earth Balance Butter

3/4 crunchy peanut butter ( preferably unsweetened

and unsalted) Note: I used peanut butter and cashew butter

3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs or 10 graham cracker squares

1/4 maple sugar or other granulated sweetener ( I used Rice Syrup)

1 cup grain-sweetened, nondairy chocolate or carob chips

1/4 cup soy, rice, or nut milk

1/4 cup chopped pecans, almonds, or peanuts

Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners. ( If you care makes unbleached liners made from recycled paper.) set aside.

Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the peanut butter, graham cracker crumbs, and maple sugar and mix well. Remove the mixture from the heat. Evenly divide the mixture, approximately 2 tablespoons per cup, among the muffin cups.

Combine the chocolate and milk in another pan. Stir over medium heat until the chocolate has melted. Spoon the chocolate over the peanut butter mixture. Top with chopped nuts. Place in refrigerator to set for at least 2 hours before serving.

Note: I burned mine a bit and they still came out fab!! YUMMY:)

Water. Who owns it?

I believe that many of  us are so busy with our daily lives that we do not stop to think about the world around us. I think that the world is scary if you do think about it. The saying ignorance is bliss is fitting.

My husband recently asked, Are you a hippy tree hugger now? Well, I am alot of things and one is a person who cares about things like medicine for my future children, clean water, and fresh air. All of which is dimishing before our eyes and we just do not give a damn because we can’t make a differnce and we are selfish.

I used to be that person that was critical, living in a bubble, and selfish. The world is in an awakening and we must awaken because I feel like we are all being shaken until we do something.

I can’t sit here and say that because I don’t eat meat or I try not to flush to many times I am saving the planet but, at least I know I am a good person and trying!

That is all we can do is educate ourselves, try, and teach!

There is a great documentary called FLOW that I want to share with you all.  FLOW‘s focus is the world water crisis, and the privatization of the world’s water supply.

Not really news to anyone, but the world’s water supply is quickly diminishing… and this is scary! Do you ever think about where your water comes from or how much water you’re actually using up?  It’s always readily available to us.  But can you imagine other places in the world where they do not have this luxury?

The main theme of the movie, “Can anyone really own water?”.  The film shows a lot of people and corporations that are making the situation with water worse… but it also highlights many people and institutions that are trying to provide a solution to the problem as well.

Take a look at the trailer (above).  I hope you will all see this film!  It is so moving, inspiring, and informative!   I just learned about this film and will be running out to watch it.

Please send me comments or add them below.

Jonathan safran foer on ellen it is eye opening!

Check out this clip of Ellen DeGeneres interviewing Jonathan Safran Foer, the man who wrote Eating Animals.

Jonathan Safran Foer Interview On Ellen Show 11/04/2009:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YYZ7IlWo3BM&feature=related

Jonathan Safran Foer Talks About Our Health with Ellen 10´03´2010

Jonathan Safran Foer is a really respected and successful author.  Before Eating Animals, he wrote Everything Is Illuminated in 2002, and Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close in 2005, and has won lots of awards for both of those books.
I think that the information he gives is eye opening. At least it has been to me. I have been organic and eating healthy for the past two years but, after going vegetarian and now deciding to go vegan might have been the best decision of my life. The more you learn the more you want to learn like the fact about how if everyone gave up meat for 1 meal a week, it’s the equivalent of 5 MILLION cars being taken off the roads.

I am not trying to make all my friends and family into vegetarians or vegans but, I think that little changes will help the environment and your health. I think if you start by trying to not eat meat one day on a week. Try Meatless Mondays! It is an individual choice and everyone needs to do what is best for them.

After he and his wife had their first child, Jonathan went vegetarian, and decided he was going to raise his kids vegetarian too.  That’s where the inspiration for Eating Animals came from.

Here are two website he said to go to: http://www.eatinganimals.com, which is his site and

www. farmforward.com, you can look up where to buy local meat that does not have anti-biotics.

Love,

Nicole Bloomberg of Coley b. deZigns

e:cb@livreal.com

Love & Light: www.coleybdeZigns.com / www.livreal.com

Kukicha Tea & Alicia’s Cure-All Tea Recipe!

Where to find Ingredients for Cure All Tea:

You can find Umbeboshi plums, shoyu/Light Tamari Soy Sauce, and Kukicha Tea bags at your local Whole Foods store.

1 Kukicha tea bag, 1/4-1/2 umeboshi plum ( pit removed and finely chopped), 3-5 drops of Shoyu ( light tamari soy sauce). This tea is suggested for hangovers, when you’ve eaten alot of white sugar, soothe digetion and release trapped gas, reduce heartburn, for nausea, if you are weak or spacey.

Kukicha Green Tea: A Healthy and Satisfying Choice for Internally and External Wellness

Also known as Twig Tea, Kukicha Green Tea is a Japanese tea prepared from the stems and stalks of the tea shrub, Camellia sinensi. The twigs are pruned from the shrub, steamed and dried, and then aged and roasted.
Kukicha Green Tea is rich in many healthy properties that include minerals such as Zinc, Selenium, Copper, Selenium, Manganese, and Fluoride. This tea also contains Vitamins C, B1, B2, Niacin, Vitamin A, Theanine, Catechins (polyphenols), Flavonoids, and Amino Acids.
There are many health benefits to drinking Kukicha Green Tea. They include:

• Contains six times more calcium than cows milk thereby helping to build bone density
• Contains  2 1/2 times more Vitamin C than oranges
• Reduces high blood pressure.
• Helps with digestion.
• Combats fatigue
• Benefits people suffering from bladder infection and heart diseases
• Reduces the risk of certain types of cancer.
• Fluoride helps reduce plaque and bacterial infection
• Helps lower cholesterol levels.
• Low in Caffeine
• Burns fat

Kukicha Green Tea and Skin Care

Free radicals are atoms which are formed when oxygen interacts with certain molecules. Free radicals can damage cell membranes and tissues. Antioxidants called polyphenols (Catechins) are able to reduce the effect of free radicals before they can harm the skin. Kukicha Green Tea is rich in antioxidants which protect cell tissues from the damaging effects of oxygen thus aiding in achieving healthy skin. The catechin known as epigallocatechin (EGCG) contains 25-100 times more antioxidants than Vitamins C and E.

There have been many studies showing Kukicha Green Tea skin care benefits that include:

• Protection from skin cancer.
• Reduce sun damage when used in addition to a sunscreen.
• Slow the signs of the aging process
• Moisturizes and nourishes the skin
• Helps aid in skin healing
• Helps protect against a variety of skin conditions that include acne, psoriasis, and rashes.
• Rejuvenates and refreshes the skin
• Vitamins and minerals enrich and replenish damaged skin

Because it is very low in caffeine, Kukicha Green Tea is a popular choice for Vegans and those limiting caffeine in their diet. This inexpensive and satisfying tea is full of wide ranging health benefits which has created a surge in worldwide popularity.