the REN DAO Wellness Center Blog

For years we have been told that breakfast was the most important meal of the day.
Because most of us do not have the time in the morning to have a good breakfast, a healthy alternative is a nutrition dense protein drink. I would like to share two recipes and explain their benefits.

Why Protein for Breakfast?

• Protein provides the raw material (amino acids) building blocks for most hormones, neurotransmitters, enzymes as well as key factors in our immune system and blood cells.

• Protein is the best nutrient to trigger satiety. With fiber and healthy fats helps reduce cravings and snacking.

• It helps turn up the bodies metabolism in the morning and helps maintain a stable blood sugar level.

• Helps us to concentrate better and think more clearly (great for children with ADD / ADHD). Reduces stress and depression.

Dr Ali’s Breakfast Protein Drink

Those of you who listen to radio station WBAI’s (99.5 fm in New York) health programs, will be familiar with Dr. Majid Ali. You will also know, he cannot help himself from sharing this recipe at least once every show. (The writeup below is part of of Dr. Ali’s diabetes protocol).

Ingredients:

• Protein powder - Two heaping tablespoons

• Flax seed - Two heaping tablespoons

• Lecithin - One heaping tablespoon

• Vegetable juice, organic - 15 ounces

• Water - 15 ounces

• 32 Ounce, wide mouth glass jar

A quality protein, comprising 85 to 90% partially digested proteins, is ideal for maintaining sugar-insulin-adrenaline balance. Flax seed oil is a premium nutrient for the brain. Lecithin is the best nutrient for the liver. Organic Vegetable Juice is great for restoring good bowel functions and to provide vitamins, minerals and enzymes. Abundant water is the nutrient of choice to invigorate every cell and body function of the body.

How to Prepare the Breakfast

Sixteen to thirty two ounces of water can be consumed on waking in the morning while preforming morning prays, mediation or exercise.

Flax seed should be grounded into a powder and then mixed with all other ingredients in 32 ounce glass jar. Breakfast Protein Drink can be consumed in five to eight ounce portions again while doing morning pray, meditation or exercise.

We can have this breakfast four or five times a week and enjoy a breakfast high in protein on other days.

The second recipe is my modification to Dr Ali’s recipe.

Ingredients:

• Protein - Two heaping tablespoons

• Omega 3 EFA Complex - Two tablespoons

• Lecithin - One heaping tablespoon

• Green Powder – One Scoop as directed

• Liquid multivitamin / mineral complex – Two tablespoons as directed

• 15 to 24 Ounces of water.

• 32 Ounce, wide mouth glass jar

How to do Prepare the Breakfast

Add all the ingredients into jar, shake and drink.

I modified the original recipe because I found it hard to find relative inexpensive organic vegetable juice. I replaced this with a green powder (I use Green Magma and Nature’s Plus Source of Life Liquid vitamin / mineral complex). Also for convenience I used liquid EFA verses grinding flaxseed since my grinder is time consuming to clean. I will start to use fresh flaxseed again because of the important fiber flaxseed provides.

Dr Ali believe those who have sugar related health concerns (diabetes, yeast / fungal issues, etc) should stay away from excess fruit consumption. Therefore fruit are not included in the recipes. Ice is not used either as over time will harm the digestions and yang energies of the body.

Try these recipes, see which one fits your taste and lifestyle. Send us your feedback.

The benefits of this Breakfast Drink.

Protein

To quote Paul Pitchford’s Healing with Whole Foods; “Proteins literally mean ‘primary substance’,… all tissue of the body are built and repaired with protein. Amino acids, the building blocks of protein, are the key factors in most of the processes and functions of the body. The antibodies of the immune system, most hormones and neurotransmitters, the hemoglobin of red blood cells and all enzymes have proteins as their basic components.”

A high protein breakfast is satisfying to the body.

Protein is the best nutrient to trigger satiety. It helps turn up the bodies metabolism in the morning, stabling blood sugars and reduces cravings and snacking.

Omega 3 EFAs are anti-inflammatory and an important brain nutrient. With proteins it improves ability to concentrate and focus. The Green powder and vitamin mineral complex (from whole foods) as well as the organic vegetables juice provides a full spectrum of phytonutrients.

10/28, 11/11, 11,25 - Acupuncture Happy Hour - Friday, 5:00pm to 7:30pm

New Class Schedule Available Online

The updated class schedule is on the RDWC website. Please take a look. We have put Qigong meditation back on the schedule as well as added new zumba and yoga classes.

Mailing List consolidation

We are consolidating our mailing list to make it more efficient. If you are receiving duplicate emails or would like to be removed from our list, please reply back to us and let us know. We are also interested in you suggestions and feedback.

Thank you.

Former President Bill Clinton, 65 and former Vice President Dick_Cheney, 69 both survived major heart attacks. Mr Cheney, once a heavy smoker, had five, his first occurring when he was 37. In 2010, he received a partial artificial heart. Bill Clinton, a former junk food junkie, survived one heart attack and a second surgery to place stents in two blocked arteries.

Dick Cheney has dealt with heart issues most of his adult life. He is following a standard medical treatment protocol for heart disease. The high tech pump installed in his chest is usually reserved for patients waiting for a transplant. It will allow Mr Cheney to drive and do light exercise but not without risk. The pump may eventually wear out or fail, requiring more procedures to replace. He will also have to take medication and endure frequent medical examines and blood test for life.

Mr Clinton had bypass surgery on four coronary arteries in 2004, and a second surgery to place stents on two blocked arteries in 2010. Mr Clinton’s turning point occurred after his second surgery. He realized that even though he was receiving the best medical treatment, his arteries where still clogging. He was not getting better. Doing his own research, he discovered close to 82 precent of people with coronary heart disease who switched to a plant based diet were able to unblock their arteries and reverse their disease. Mr Clinton is now a vegetarian. He eats no meat or dairy. He does occasionally eats fish. He has lost about 25 pounds and feels great. He is now a spokesman for this lifestyle and the work of Dr Dean Ornish, Dr Caldwell B. Esselstyn, Jr. and T. Colin Campbell and Thomas M. Campbell II.

We cannot state that switching to a plant based diet will help everyone with heart disease, but there is mounting evidence proving the benefits. The American Dieticians Association reported in 2003, there is evidence suggesting vegetarians have lower rates of obesity, less heart disease, HBP, diabetes and cancer. It is estimated that if everyone simply ate five servings of fruits and vegetables a day there would be 30% less strokes, 20% less cancer and 15% less heart disease in America. That is without reducing or removing meat from the diet.

Anyone with a serious medical condition should always consult with a qualified health care practitioner before making any dietary or lifestyle changes.

Related Links:

Dick Cheney’s Health Problems

Dick Cheney – Tranplanted Permanent Mechanical Heart

Bill Clinton – Weight Loss

Bill Clintons Vegan Weight Loss Secret

8/26, 9/9, 9/23 - Acupuncture Happy Hour - Friday, 5:00pm to 7:30pm
9/1 - A Crude Awakening: A Documentary Film - Thursday, 6:30pm to 8:00pm
9/15 - Reiki Healing Circle with Peter Goldbeck - Thursday, 6:30pm to 8:00pm

9/22 - Healing Birth Stories – with Nubia Bowman - Thursday, 6:30pm to 8:00pm

9/29 - Maximum Nutrition: A How-to Film – Thursday; 6:30pm to 8:30pm

A Crude Awaking: A Documentary Film – September 1, 6:30pm to 8:00pm
A Crude Awakening: The Oil Crash a documentary on the planet’s dwindling oil resources. It explores key historical events, data and predictions regarding the global peak in petroleum production through interviews with petroleum geologists, former OPEC officials, energy analysts, politicians, and political analysts. The documentary focuses on information and testimony that supports the projection of a near-term oil production peak. The documentary also examines our dependence on oil, showing how oil is essential for almost every facet of our modern lifestyle, from driving to work to clothing and clean tap water. A Crude Awakening asks the tough question, “What happens when we run out of cheap oil?” [Adapted from en.wikipedia.org]

This movie provides the backdrop for understanding the current mad rush by the mega Oil & Gas companies to drill for natural gas throughout North America and South America. Next month we will show Gasland, a chilling documentary detailing the potential effect of hydraulic fracturing (fracking) - deep natural gas well drilling, on Americas fresh water supply and Americans health.

Please RSVP early so we can accommodate everyone. For information call 914-548-7585. Cost: Free, donations are welcome.

Reiki Healing Circle – September 15th 6:30pm The RDWC will be holding a Reiki Healing Circle, Thursday September 15. This healing session will be open to both energy practitioners and non-energy practitioners. Anyone interested in a healing session or interested in an introduction to energy work should attend. The healing circle will be facilitated by Peter Goldbeck, master reiki practitioner and instructor. Suggested donation $15.

Healing Birth Stories – September 22^nd 6:30pm to 8:00pm

Birth from the Earth presents a sisters circle: Join us and share your birth story experience! Laugh, learn, love, grow and inspire, through the ancient art of storytelling. We will discuss the Wise Women Traditions perspective of childbirth, the spiritual aspect and the instinctual ways our bodies guide us through the miraculous process. Refreshments will be served.

Facilitated by Nubia Bowman, Birth & Postpartum Doula and Child Birth Educator. Suggested donation: $7

Maximum Nutrition: A How-to Film – September 29^th 6:30pm to 8:30pm

Maximum Nutrition: Transitioning towards a plant based diet, is a nutrition packed, cooking class video. Using humor, this fact filled video helps families use to preparing and eating a typical American diet, easily make the transition towards a plant based diet. The video teaches about cutting edge nutrition, the value of phytonutrients, vegetarian meal planning, and step by step meals you can prepare at home.

We hope to have Chef Alex Chebal back soon to teach his popular, Raw and Organic Cooking Class.

Please RSVP early so we can accommodate everyone. For information call 914-548-7585. Cost: Free, donations are welcome.

The RDWC is now a distributor of Standard Process and Medi-Herb dietary supplements and herbal preparations. Patients come to an Acupuncturist or other healthcare provider for many reasons - stress, fatigue, digestion problems, hormone health… just to name a few. Many of their complaints have a nutritional component. Standard Process offers more than 170 whole food supplements, many with specialized uses to apply to each persons unique health concern. Standard Process’s philosophy is optimal nutrition is achieved by eating whole foods. Their products incorporate certified organic, whole food ingredients instead of singularly synthesized component mixtures. Thus Standard Process’s products contain a full spectrum of phytonutrients as contained in their original food source. They are easy to digest, assimilate and utilize.
Call to schedule a consultation and learn more about whole foods and Standard Process products.

7/22, 8/12, 8/28 - Acupuncture Happy Hour - Friday, 5:00pm to 7:30pm

8/3 - Simply Raw: Reversing Diabetes in 30 Days. - Wednesday, 6:30pm to 8:00pm

8/11 - Reiki Healing Circle with Peter Goldbeck - Thursday, 6:30pm to 8:00pm

Simple Raw – A Documentary Film - August 3^rd, 6:30pm
Simple Raw - Reversing Diabetes in 30 Days is an independent documentary film that chronicles six Americans with diabetes who for 30 days switch to a new diet in order to reverse their symptoms of diabetes.
The film is raw and eye opening. The results are profound. A must see film for anyone affected by diabetes or at risk of getting diabetes
Please RSVP early so we can accommodate everyone. For information call 914-548-7585. Cost: Free, donations are welcome. <Html Flyer> <PDF Flyer>

Reiki Healing Circle – August 11^th 6:30pm

The RDWC will be holding a Reiki Healing Circle, Thursday August 11^th. This healing session will be open to both energy practitioners and non-energy practitioners. Anyone interested in a healing session or interested in an introduction to energy work should attend. The healing circle will be facilitated by Peter Goldbeck, master reiki practitioner and instructor. Suggested donation $15.

New Summer Office Hours

For the summer, Community Acupuncture will held during the following hours:

• Tuesday 12pm to 6:30pm (last appt. 6:00pm)
• Wednesday 10am to 7:00pm (last appt. 6:00pm)
• Thursday 12pm to 8pm (last appt. 7:00pm)
• Saturday 10:00am to 1:00pm.

 We ask that you call to schedule appointments for community acupuncture, private acupuncture sessions or massage sessions. We will try to accommodate same-day appointments if possible.

Take a few minutes out of your day and enjoy Matt dancing around the world badly. Start with the Dance 2006 video.

Additions to  Class Schedule:

Zumba - Tuesdays, 7:00 to 8:00 pm

Total Body Workout Class – (1st and 3rd) Friday, 6:30 pm to 7:30 pm

Yoga – Saturdays, 9:00 am to 10:15 am

Zumba - Saturday, 10:30 am to 11:30 am

Beginners Belly Dancing – Saturday, 2:00 pm to 3:30 pm

The complete class schedule.

Events:

4/1, 4/8, 4/22 Total Body Workout - Friday 6:30 pm to 7:30 pm

4/15 , 4/29 Acupuncture Happy Hour –  Friday, 4:30 pm to 7:30 pm

The Dalai Lama says our purpose in life is to seek happiness, to be happy. Brain Tracy defines success as being happy with what you’ve got. Tracy continues, achieving success comes from a continuous persistent purist of your goals. In Brain Tracy’s model for business success, before you can achieve continuous success, you must take immediate action to control those things that cause you to lose focus on your goals. The Abraham Hicks, Law of Attractions school, teaches the universe is infinitely abundant and is constantly manifesting what we put our attention on.

We are meant to be happy and happiness can be achieved. We just need to maximize our focus on what makes us happy and minimize those thing that cause us resistance. Things that cause us resistance include our internal beliefs and past traumas. These dictate our emotional responses and actions. Resistance also comes from our physical environment, diet and health.

There are wonderful tools to help us stay congruent with our goals There are traditional practices like yoga, qigong, meditation. We can immerse ourselves in the marvels of science, the arts and nature. There are energetic and visualization tools like EFT, reiki and more.

We at the REN DAO Wellness Center would like to help. In the upcoming months we will host workshops with Brett Cotter  creator of the ‘Stress Is Gone’ method (coming mid-late May). We will present workshops on EFT and the Personal Peace method. We are planning a six week Diabetes education workshop (coming in mid June). We will also continue our Raw Organic Cooking classes with Alex Cheblal (of Bella Havana) and other health awareness workshops and lectures.

Drop us a line, let us know what you think. Have an idea for a workshop, a class? Interested in watching and discussing eco-friendly or health oriented videos snacking on Alex’s raw & organic appetizers with a glass of organic wine? Let us know.

• WBAI Radio Show - Science, Health and Healing. Dr Majid Ali interviews Robert Therman PhD, Professor of Indo-Tibetan Buddhist Studies at Columbia University, President of the Tibetan House in NYC, former Tibetan Buddhist Monk and father of actress Uma Thurman. This is part 3 of a three part series (I have not been able to locate the first two parts).
• A little meditation goes a long way – Article on meditation from Yes Magazine
• Stress Is Gone  – Brett Cotter, Stress Reduction and Lifestyle Coach Blog
• EFT Personal Peace Procedure - Another Gary Craig (creator of EFT) gem.

Enjoy

1/7 Total Body Workout Class – Friday, 6:15 pm to 7:15 pm

1/14 1/28 New Years AHH – Friday, 4:30 pm to 7:30 pm

1/18 Organic and Raw Cooking with Chef Alex Cheblal - Tuesday 6:30 pm to 8:00 pm

1/22 Introduction to Belly Dancing – Saturday 2:00 pm to 3:30 pm

Total Body Workout Class - 1/7 Friday, 6:15pm to 7:15pm

Start the New Year off right! Join us for our Total Body Cardio class. Improve your strength, flexibility, coordination and endurance. This class targets the whole body using a variety of calorie burning exercises. This type of workout has been shown to produce fast results without causing muscle and strength gains to plateau.

The class will include exercises using the kettlebell, balance ball, body weight exercises and more. Exercises will target your core powerhouse muscles, stabilizer muscles, as well as your arms, legs and chest.

Video clip

Cost: 15 Dollars . Please call ahead to reserve a space.

Organic and Raw Cooking Class - 1/18 Tuesday, 6:30 pm to 8:00 pm

Join us for our second Organic and Raw cooking class with Chef Alex Chebal. Alex will share with you delicious, easy to make, raw and organic recipes and preparation tips. Bring your questions and appetite. Please plan to join us. Cost $25, RSVP required.

Acupuncture Happy Hour –  1/14 1/28, Friday, 4:30 pm to 7:30 pm

Acupuncture Happy Hour will be back at it’s regular day and time; the second and last Friday of the month. This session is great as an introduction to acupuncture as well as a powerful way to relax, de-stress and detoxify the body. Bring a friend. Suggested donation: $15.

Introduction to Belly Dancing – 1/22, Saturday 2:00 pm to 3:30

Belly dancing is a additively fun exercise with many health benefits. It is a great aerobics exercise, allowing you to burn the same amount of calories you would jogging or cycling, without the boredom. Belly dancing exercises the whole body, especially the abdominal and pelvic areas. It is a low impact exercise that helps improve posture and muscle tone of the back and legs. It helps relieve back and joint pain as well as increasing bone density. The gentle abdominal massage it provides helps improve sluggish digestion. Belly dancing is recommend when preparing for childbirth to make pregnancy easier and ease the birthing process.

Video clip

In this introductory class you will learn some basic movements and see what you can learn after a few weeks of practice. Cost: free.

Events:

12/17 Acupuncture Happy Hour – Friday, 4:30pm to 7:30pm

12 /28 Acupuncture Happy Hour – Tuesday , 4:30pm to 7:30pm

1/7 Total Body Cardio Class – Friday, 6:15pm to 7:15pm

1/14 1/28 New Years AHH – Friday, 4:30pm to 7:30pm

1/18 Organic and Raw Cooking with Chef Alex Cheblal, Tuesday 6:30pm to 9:30pm

Total Body Cardio Class - 1/7 Friday, 6:15pm to 7:15pm

Start the New Year off right! Join us for our Total Body Cardio Fitness class. Improve your strength, flexibility, coordination and endurance. This class targets the whole body using a variety of calorie burning exercises. This type of workout has been shown to produce fast results without causing muscle and strength gains to plateau.

The class will include exercises using the kettlebell, balance ball, body weight exercises and more. Exercises will target your core powerhouse muscles, stabilizer muscles, as well as your arms, legs and chest.

Cost: 10 Dollars . Please call ahead to reserve a space.

Organic and Raw Cooking Class

Our first cooking class with Chef Alex Chebal went very well. Video of the event will air on Alex’s cooking show, Saturday, December 11^th 7:30pm on Yonkers Public Access channel 18. We will make copies of the class available on DVD shortly. All recipes are available on our blog.

The next cooking class will be held Tuesday, January 18^th.. Please plan to join us. Cost $25, RSVP required.

Acupuncture Happy Happy

Due to the up coming holiday seasons, the last acupuncture happy hour of the month will be on Tuesday instead of Friday.

Daylighting the Saw Mill River Project

The Daylighting the Saw Mill River Project gets started December 6^th. The project will involve opening up Larkin Plaza to expose the Saw Mill River. The river currently runs underground from Chicken Island, Getty Square, Larkin Plaza and the Yonkers Metro North Train station. The Saw Mill empties into the Hudson River at the rear of the train station. The project should take approximately two years to complete.

Preparing delicious raw, organic veterinarian meals can be simple and easy. The recipes below where prepared by Chef Alex Chebal during our November Organic and Raw Cooking class. Alex’s regular cooking show airs Saturdays, 7:30 pm on Yonkers public access channel 18.

The menu include:

• Daikon Salad
• Baby Portobello Mushrooms & Ginger Tofu Wrap in Boston Bib Lettuce
• Stuffed Sweet Pepper with Macadamia and Cashew Cheese with Radicchio Slaw
• Coconut Almond Protein Cookies
• Organic Wine Tasting (less sulfide and naturally fermented)

The basic items needed to prepare these recipes include: a good sharp Chef’s knife, couple of metallic mixing bowl and measuring spoons, a food processor and a blender.

Daikon Salad

Ingredients:

One daikon

Three umeboshi plums

Three tbs EVO (Extra Virgin Olive Oil)

One tbs fresh squeeze lime juice

Mint leaves

Preparation:

Peeled daikon and cut 3 inch stick, Mix in a bowl with olive oil.

Chop umeboshi and mint leaves. Mix together with other ingredients.

Baby Portobello & Ginger Tofu Wrap in Boston Bib Lettuce

Ingredients:

½ lb baby portobello mushroom finely slice.

½ lb of firm tofu cut into ½ inch cubes.

3 oz finely grated fresh ginger.

3 tbs EVO.

1 ts sea salt

1 tbs lime juice

1 tbs balsamic vinegar

½ ts fresh ground black pepper

Preparation:

Mix all ingredients except lettuce in a large bowl.

And spoon into the Boston Lettuce bibs

Stuffed Sweet Pepper with Macadamia and Cashew Cheese with Radicchio Slaw

Ingredients:

Two sweet pepper bell cut in half with stems and seeds removed.

Freshly chopped parsley

Radicchio slaw

Ingredients:

½ cup pine nut (soaked)

1 tbs whole grain mustard

1 tbs champagne vinegar

1 tbs EVO

½ ts sea salt

½ head radicchio core and thinly sliced

½ head cabbage core and thinly sliced

2 tbs fresh cilantro roughly chop

½ fresh ground pepper

Preparation:

Place pine nuts, mustard, vinegar, olive oil, salt, in blender and blend until smooth.

Place the rest of the ingredient in a bowl and fold with the pine nut mixture until evenly coated.

Macadamia and cashew cheese

Ingredients:

2 cup macadamia nuts soak (2 hours minimum)

2 cup cashew nuts soak (2 hours minimum)

1/3 cup squeezed lemon juice

2 ts sea salt + optional 2 ts pimento

2 tbs nutritional yeast

¼ cup raw misdo

¼ cup raw tahini

¼ cup filtered water

1/3 cup chive

Preparation:

Blend all items (except the chive) until smooth add water if needed. Then fold in chives. Set aside in the refrigerator for a half hour or until sets and becomes firm.

Stuff the sweet pepper halves with the cheese and served the radicchio slaw on the side.

Coconut Almond Protein Cookie

2 Packets of your favorite protein powder from the health food store.

2 cups of rolled whole oats.

Pasteurized egg whites for more protein.

Raw shaved unsweetened coconut.

Sprinkle of Stevia sweetener to taste.

Hint of either Maple Syrup or honey.

Optional powdered multi vitamins, calcium, etc.

Preparation:

Mix all of the ingredients in a large bowl. Then spoon out dough onto a cookie sheet. Chef Harry used a Dehydrator was used to remove excess water from dough and set the cookies.

Watch Chef Alex and Chef Harry in action preparing these cookies:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wmienRZeT0U

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Ljru3LBAjA

Organic Wine Selection

The organic wine selected by Chef Alex was a 2009 Schloss Gobelsburg Riesling Gobelsburger (Austria, Niederösterreich, Kamptal). Alex tasted the wine and rated it Very Good: Clean aromas of lime and wet stone. Crackling flavors of lime and minerals, with a hint of spritz, and a lingering lime finish. Taut, bone dry, firm structure, wonderful wine.

Pursing Happiness, an invigorating and unpredictable public conversation on happiness, exploring the themes of suffering, beauty, and the nature of the body. Panel includes the Dalai lama, Jonathan Sacks (Chief Rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregations of the Commonwealth), Katharine Jefferts Schori (Presiding Bishop of The Episcopal Church) and Seyyed Hossein Nasr (University Professor of Islamic Studies at George Washington University). Audio and video of conference is available at http://being.publicradio.org.