Man, how refreshing is it to buy a healthy and plant-based frozen dinner.
It’s very refreshing!
Tag Archives: healthy food
The (Amazing!) Planetary Health Diet
Around Easy Light Sources, we say this a lot : The Earth has everything we need to be healthy and healed.
As human beings, we talk about ourselves a lot… And a majority of us see things from our perspective pretty much exclusively.
However, from the Earth’s perspective, the same quote applies to the health of Planet Earth.
Planet Earth has everything that it/she needs to be healthy and healed. But the practices and industries that human beings have created make it harder for the Earth to heal itself.
Things like factory farming and cutting down trees are violent energies that a lot of people have become desensitized to.
But those are the things that are destroying the Planet.
We all have a choice: help to heal the World OR stay on the same track that you’ve been on, eating the same unhealthy things that you’ve been eating forever and continuing to be addicted to it.
Whatever attachments people have to meat, sugar, and dairy – it doesn’t matter. The Earth is having a harder time to sustain itself as the violence to the Earth, ocean, and the atmosphere continues.
The word violence here is very appropriate. Anyone who thinks it’s too drastic to say that only perpetuates that desensitization is embedded in Earth culture.
Not meaning to get too fussy but it’s important to highlight the importance of giving caring energy to the Earth.
If you care at all about:
- The Health of Future Generations – (Not just the Earth that our children will inherit but the dietary habits as well. Childhood addiction to sugar is how you start your child down a path that is hard to break. And yes, meaty products are “tasty” but they’re also addicting. Teach babies that strawberries (and other fruits) taste good and they’ll be on a healthier path for life. Learn how to cook and season vegetables and it won’t be hard to eat them.)
- The Oceans – ( they are getting to hot and acidic and nautical habitats are dying. And over harvesting creating dead zones all over the natural world under the sea.)
- The Trees (Amazon Rainforests continue to be cut down for mass farming. And seriously, IS THERE ANY RAINFOREST LEFT AT THIS POINT?? Somebody go and take a picture because I need to see something.)
- The Planetary Water Supply (Harvesting animals uses sooo much fresh water. After all this time (70+ years), the Earth is having a hard time maintaining the balance. Especially with trees being torn down. Trees help to maintain balance on the surface of the Earth and below. Is the meat and dairy industry so dumb that they don’t understand the importance of trees, or do they just not care? The answer: they don’t care.)
- The Animals – (Everyone agrees that murder, rape, manipulation, and separating a mom and baby are terrible acts for someone to go through. But that happens to thousands of animals every day. Why is it okay to rape animals? That’s not fair. It happens all the time. Desensitization.)
Okay, this is Easy Light Sources so let’s lighten it up!
The good news? It’s EASY to help the environment!!!
You probably think I’m going to say GO VEGAN because of the mass amount of vegan propaganda but I’m not going there. I don’t even call myself a vegan.
Want to help Planet Earth? Stop eating so many animals and animal products. Stop consuming so much sugar, too! THAT’S IT.
In the case of sugar, make a choice to eat smaller amounts of it. Sugar is in almost everything and in high amounts. It takes effort to be healthy. But laziness has never been very rewarding anyway.
For meat, eat less of it. Make a conscious effort to take a day or a few days and just not eat animals. It’s really not that hard, ESPECIALLY WITH ALL THE VEGETARIAN MEAT AND CHEESE SUBSTITUTES OUT THERE.
Technically, cheese is already vegetarian but you know what I mean. Mother cows are raped for that extra sharp cheddar cheese, too.
It all comes down to better choices. Let’s do it for the Planet!
Here’s an article on why sugar is bad.
And here’s a video about the Planetary Health Diet! https://youtu.be/G0JMZWgmA_o
3 Timeless Principles of Herbalism
Herbalism is one of the oldest sources of healing in the world.
A wide variety of healing plants grow naturally on Planet Earth and we should all take advantage!
Herbalism is a healing practice, no doubt about it.
Here are 3 timeless principles to this ancient art:
1. Herbalism promotes self-care.
The approachable vibe of Herbs are very welcoming to those who have personal health issues that they are interested in treating.
Herbalism encourages people to look into their situations and find out which herbs will be best for them to take. Physical issues can be treated with herbs but also things like anxiety can be alleviated with certain herbs.
2. Herbalism believes in the natural law.
We are all from the Earth. Herbal practitioners understand that the Earth has everything that we need to be healed and thrive on this planet.
When we say One Love, we’re not just talking about people. We are all one with the planet as well.
Accepting the gifts of the Earth allow us to reap health benefits.
3. Herbalism is interested in the root cause.
Modern prescription medicine is often criticized for treating symptoms instead of the root cause of a health issue.
Herbs are also used for alleviating uncomfortable symptoms. However, it goes deeper than that.
Seeking to heal the root cause of an issue is the view that will allow your body to get the most benefits from an herbal supplement.
Quality of Herbs is important. Research natural brands and remember, you do get what you pay for.
Always do your research so you know what you’re putting into your body! And, drink lots of water 🙂
Check out this article about if herbs can be used in place of drugs (recreationally).
When Are Vegetables Better Than Water?
Yes, water is amazing and we should drink a lot every day! But, there are also a lot of people who claim they “don’t like to drink water.” No judgement 🙂 I have some good news if you can relate!
When it comes to long lasting hydration, that can be accomplished with a steady intake of fruits and vegetables!
Yes, you can eat your water. And you should!
Vegetables and fruits are key for lasting hydration in the body because of one key component: FIBER!
The human body is 70-80% water and it’s really good at processing pure water. It goes in and out quickly!
Vegetables, on the other hand, take longer for processing/digestion.
The fiber in fruits and vegetables holds the water inside of us longer.
At least one full serving of fruits and vegetables a day will help your body stay moisturized.
Keep it fresh too! Tin canned fruit and vegetables are not nearly as good for your body system!
Remember, all body organs benefit from proper hydration. đź’§ Stay thirsty, Lighters.
Leek & Potato Gold Soup Goodness
Leeks were an impulsive buy yesterday.
And then I decided to make soup when I got home.
An hour later, the leek soup was ready to eat.
Most times, soup takes a significant time to cook into something tasty. Texture wise, time is a friend to soup. Cooking over a length of time gives time for the ingredients to break down and meld with the flavors. These things make a tasty broth.
However, I had a tasty, filling soup in a short amount of time. How?
We have leeks to thank for that! Leeks cook down quickly and infuse their onion-y flavor.
Leeks are like green onions, just way bigger. Inside each stalk, there are numerous layers. They grow in sand and dirt and all that debris gets nestled between the layers.
The best way to clean the grit out is by slicing them and then soaking in a lot of cold water. The grit falls to the bottom.
While in the water, I manually separated the leek layers to allow the dirt to fall away. Some of the grit required me to actually rub it off.
There will be a lot of sand at the bottom of the bowl after you do this. Don’t make the mistake and dump the whole thing at once! (The dirt will go back onto the leeks.) Instead, use your hands and lift the leeks out of the water.
Anyway, as the leeks were soaking, I sauteed an onion in some oil. While that was cooking, I cleaned these golden babes:
Gold potatoes are my absolute favorite.
After adding some water to the onions, I added a shake of dill seeds and added the chopped potatoes too.
After that began boiling, I added the clean, sliced leeks to the pot, along with a little more water. I didn’t want the soup to be watery, I wanted a broth. It was thick while everything cooked.
I put the lid partially on top of the pot and let it cook for about 20 minutes.
Then, the seasonings came into play:
Not too much pepper was added as Young Legendary complains when there is too much spice. Sea salt was also added.
And then, everything was smelling good and the potatoes cooked fast. Next, I was eating a bowl of this gold soup.
With no doubts, this is one of the tastiest things I’ve made so far in 2019 🙂
Thank you for reading!
How To Get Iron Benefits Into Your Body
The iron mineral is essential to life. That’s because it helps to form the red blood cells that are essential to the functionality of our bodies.
Anemia is a common condition that indicates your body lacks enough iron. As a result, you’re tired and cold all the time because your body is not strong enough to function optimally.
Now, for some reason, plant-based people are more prone to anemia. There’s an assumption that because iron is a blood mineral, flesh and blood would need to be consumed to get iron.
Of course, that’s not true. The Earth has everything we need to be healthy!
As a matter of fact, carnivorous iron consumption is the least effective way to get a dose of iron.
The foods with the highest amounts of iron happen to be certain fruits and vegetables. Surprise surprise!
Some iron rich fruits include:
- Apricots
- Raisins
- Bananas
- Peaches
- Prunes
- Blackberries
Dried fruits have a higher iron content because when the water level is reduced, the other components become more concentrated.
Iron heavy vegetables are easy to spot.
- Leafy greens (spinach, kale, mustard greens, turnip greens, beet greens)
- Beets
- Beans
Beets are definitely on this list. After all, they are the same color as our blood. Don’t think about it too hard!
Other honorable culinary mentions: sesame seeds, molasses, pecans, pumpkin seeds.
Keep this in mind:
To get the most benefits from the above iron sources, consume them with some vitamin C rich foods.
Why Vitamin C?
Vitamin C and Iron are like friends who want to see each other succeed. When a vitamin C molecule senses that an Iron mineral molecule is nearby, it is attracted to it like a magnet. And then once they’re together, the iron is amplified, in a good way.
The body accepts this amplified iron much easier, it’s like the vitamin C reduces any barrier that is up. It’s all good.
Something else about the iron mineral… although it is a mineral that strengthens, also really needs to be protected. Very easily, it seems, iron can be leeched from the body.
The sure way to ensure that iron stays where it’s supposed to be – in Red Blood Cells – is to fortify the cells against free radical attacks. We can do this with vitamin C & also vitamin E.
Free radicals enter the body in various ways, including some cooking techniques and through environmental pollutions.
Antioxidants are good for protecting iron and all of the other minerals that our bodies thrive on.
