Superhero Antioxidant

Glutathione is considered by many researchers to be the superhero of antioxidants.  Our bodies produce glutathione and it is responsible for fighting off toxins in our bodies.  Because our bodies produce it, it is difficult to take it as a supplement.  Immunocal is a product developed by Dr. Jimmy Gutman.  This product, unlike others, is not a glutathione supplement, but rather promotes the production of glutathione in our bodies. His long standing research is well respected and the results of the product have been life changing for me.

Check out Dr. Oz's video on how glutathione works.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0hufj2AIPxQ

Dr. Gutman will be speaking in Winnipeg, MB this Thursday.  His extensive research on the subject makes him one of the world's most predominant experts on the subject.  Come and check it out.  You can find out more about the company and its products by visiting the Immunotec website or by googling "immunocal testimonials".  You don't want to miss this opportunity to achieve long term health benefits.

Some of the numerous health benefits of regular Immunocal consumption can be found in this article and the research is supported by Health Canada.  The benefits can be summed up by the following acronym:

A – FOR ANTIOXIDANT DEFENSE

I  – FOR IMMUNE FUNCTIONS

D – FOR DETOXIFICATION

Plus

M – FOR MUSCLE FUNCTION

http://www.immunotec.com/IRL/Public/en/CAN/science_research.wcp

If you or your family members are suffering from any diseases, conditions or ailments it is worth doing some research to see if Immunocal will help.  The results speak for themselves.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wC7XqrOn1uw

Yummy Chocolate Mousse Cake

Last night was the first time we entertained since I started The Plan.  We had friends over for dinner and served a plan friendly menu consisting of:

Roasted Vegetables (baby potatoes, beets, carrots, broccoli, zucchini and onions)          Mixed greens with avocado, apple and red onion served with a Lime Vinaigrette    Chicken breasts in a lime marinade served with Mango Cucumber Salsa

I must say the meal turned out well as all of the recipes in the book are very good.  Of course, the dessert was not from The Plan, but I tried to pick something that I thought would have low reactivity and be yummy too.  In the end, I went with one of our family's  favourite recipes and as always, it was delicious.  This chocolate cake is super moist and light.  An absolute must try.  It may look complicated and hard to make, but it is actually super easy and never fails, so worth the effort.

Chocolate Mousse Cake Recipe

7 oz. semi-sweet chocolate                 1/2 cup butter                                                                        7 eggs, separated                                  1 cup sugar                                                                              1 tsp. vanilla                                           1/8 tsp. cream of tartar                                              Preheat oven to 325.  Melt chocolate and butter over very low heat.  In a large bowl, beat egg yolks and 3/4 cup of sugar until light an fluffy.  Gradually beat in chocolate mixture and vanilla.  In another bowl, beat egg whites with cream of tartar until soft peaks form.  Add remaining sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time.  Keep beating until stiff.  Fold whites into the other mixture.  Pour 3/4 of the batter into an ungreased spring form pan and bake for 35 minutes (until top begins to crack and sides begin to peel from edges of pan).  Cover and refrigerate the remaining chocolate batter.  Let the baked cake cool in the pan.  It will shrink, so don't be alarmed.  When cool, remove the sides of the pan.  Stir the remaining batter to soften slightly and spread over the top of the cooled cake.  I usually pop it in the freezer or fridge to set for a bit before icing.

Ice with:

1 cup whipping cream              1/3 cup icing sugar                    1 teaspoon vanilla or Kahlua  In a small bowl, beat the whipping cream until soft peaks form.  Add sugar and vanilla.  Beat until stiff.  Spread frosting over the top (you may want to double if you wish to cover the sides as well).  Garnish with shaved chocolate.  Refrigerate.  This keeps really well in fridge for several hours or even overnight.  It also freezes well for a great make ahead dessert.

I really do enjoy entertaining, but have found that we do so much less than we used to .  It just seems like more work now that we are constantly on the go.  Before kids, it was easy to have friends over often.  The house was always clean and we had less commitments.  Now, it seems like it is hard to juggle it all.  We are busy working full time, running the kids to their activities throughout the week and it seems almost impossible to stay on top of the laundry and house work.  I find that having company over  is now so much more than putting together a great meal.  It always seems like it also involves a top to bottom overall of the house to get it "fit" for company.  I am so excited that we are once again immersing ourselves in a business that has the potential for us to be able to restructure our lives and free up some of our time.  It is so much easier to stay on top of things at home, when you are in charge of your own time and hours.  The resources that we purchased through Empower Network have provided us with limitless potential.  I love that the tools can be used to build our Empower business, but that the information applies to any and all businesses.  The prospect of working from home and creating more time for family and friends is so exciting.   If you think that internet marketing is something that would work for you, follow the link.  It can truly be the best decision you have ever made.

Ready, Set, Go!

My husband and I began our internet marketing business a few weeks ago and have been committed to learning all we can about the business.  I am a teacher and my job is very demanding.  In addition to work, we have two children that are involved in numerous activities throughout the week.  We are indeed, busy, but no busier than the average family with two working parents.  It is amazing how much time you can find in a day when you change your priorities.  There will always be 24 hours a day, but when you become focussed on a dream and a goal, you realize that you need to capitalize on each and every hour of every day, if you truly want to get ahead and make positive changes in your life.  I have learned to turn off the radio during my 30 to 40 minute commute and to plug into some great teachings on how to better myself, our finances and our lives, in general.  I have to drive to work anyways, so why not make the most of my time.  Each day, I am committed to receiving positive life changing messages for a minimum of one hour per day.  Not only does this feed my heart and soul, but it also cuts me off from the “Constant Negative News” we receive through the media.  Win! Win!  I find this improves my attitude and sets me up for a great day at work and then re-energizes me for my time at home with my family at the end of my work day.  Right now, I am totally loving listening to Scott Anderson’s series called “Think Like a Billionaire”.  It is great!  One of the best messages that he weaves into all of his teachings is the power of a 21 day commitment.  Do anything consistently for 21 days and you have got yourself a new habit.  It truly works, and his teachings are all very inspiring and practical.

My husband and I make a great team.  We have taken on many partnerships in our 24 years together.  We were caretakers of an apartment block for a period of 10 years, owned a restaurant and have worked together on many renovation and “upcycling” projects.  Generally, we work really well together and I know this will be no exception.  Our plan is for me to primarily take on the role of blogging.  This is not too much of a stretch for me as I had already started blogging last year.  I love to talk and never seem to run out of ideas or things to say, so my husband figures I am the natural choice for this role. In the past, I primarily used my blog as a personal journal.  I was not interested in traffic or followers, it was more just a way of documenting our life and experiences.  I really just sat down when I felt inclined to write and there really was no level of commitment.   Obviously, I need to be all in, if we are to make this work.  He, on the other hand, is a man of few words.  So, Tim will be doing more of the marketing in our new business.  I am sure we will both dabble in both, but our commitment will definitely be shared.  Prosperity, here we come!

My school year is just winding down and I have been looking so forward to pouring my heart and soul into this business and my blog over the summer months.  Anyone who knows me well, will tell you that I do nothing part way. That is, of course, if I have truly made a commitment.  I am very cautious with what kinds of commitments I make, because once I make a decision, I am all in.  As I begin to share my interests and passions each day, you will see that I am not very good at settling.  I am by no means perfect, but certainly strive to do my best with the skills I have and the time I have available.  Until tomorrow…..

Cindy

My Primal Journey

        It seems that I have always been active and health conscious.  I grew up in a family that strongly believed in eating well and supplementing with high quality vitamins as necessary.  During my early university years, I lived in residence and put on several pounds.  I remember how I felt when the scales reached a 152 pounds.  Although to many this may not seem like a drastic weight gain, I felt uncomfortable in my own skin and began the quest to return to the 128 pounds I weighed in high school.  I am 5'7" tall and have never been a light weight, but have always carried my weight well.  By the time I married at 29, I weighed 134 pounds and actually felt great.  Post kids, I have always hovered between 138 and 143 pounds and have longed to get back to 134.  Over the years, I have tried a few different weight loss programs and several intense exercise regimes.  My weight has consistently bounced within that range and I can never seem to break through and lose those last few pounds, despite my efforts.  For the most part, I eat healthy, regardless of whether I am following a particular program or not, but do admit to having an intense sweet tooth.
        Recently a friend introduced my to The Primal Blueprint and thus began a new and exciting journey.  On January 6, 2013 I cleaned out our cupboards and informed my family that we would be doing Mark's 21 day challenge.  This seemed very drastic and I must say, I was excited and terrified all at the same time.  I emptied my cupboards of all foods containing grains and sugar, according to the recommendations in Mark Sisson's book and proceeded to carry the 6+ box loads of food down to my basement to be stored (and hopefully never returned to my kitchen).  After reading his book and the research on grains and the effect it has on our bodies, I just knew this was something we needed to strive to do.  Our cupboards are bare, but our fridge is stocked with fresh meat and veggies and we are off to a great start 4 days in.
         My 8 year old son has had the most difficult time.  He is an active growing boy and would often snack on toast or a bowl of cereal between meals and before bed.  Giving up bread, toast, cereal, oatmeal, pancakes and waffles transformed him into a vicious monster over the first few days.  I was able to witness the sugar/carb withdrawal symptoms as his body adjusted to the absence of sugar and grains in his diet.  Now, 4 days in, his mood is more consistent throughout the day and we no longer see the melt downs that we used to witness when our kids seemed over hungry (often despite having just eaten).  Our meals are now sustaining us in a way that I have never experienced before.  I am finding that I am not nearly as hungry as I normally am and no longer have the need for snacks between meals.
        I have also experienced the craziest feeling in my stomach.  My husband doesn't believe me, but through the night, when I am not taking in any calories, I can actually feel my body working.  It is almost as if I can feel it using up or burning some of the fat stores in my body.  We are very early into this adventure, but so far I am absolutely loving it.  I can honestly say, my taste buds are changing.  It seems as though my taste buds have become more sensitive and that the healthy foods we are eating have this incredible flavour that it lacked before.  I know this seems really weird, but I think that the sugar embedded in our regular diet actually desensitized my taste buds.  I am now totally satisfied with something that has just a hint of sweetness, as opposed to the sweet tooth I once fought against.  I am so excited!  I weighed in at 140 lbs on Sunday and was already down 2 pounds by Wednesday morning.  I can't wait to see how we will all feel by the end of the 21 days.  I already feel like I have more energy and a very "clear" head.  I have not yet started the recommended exercise program, but I can't believe that I can reduce my chronic workouts and actually make more headway in my quest for a healthy weight.  My family will be home for supper shortly and I am so excited to be serving them 3 completely Primal recipes we have not yet tried.  I will have to let you know how the lasagna, biscuits and banana bread all turn out!