Mushroom Mania - Part 2

 

Mushroom Mania

Mushrooms in coffee, tea, hot chocolate, shakes, soap… Yes, you heard me right, it’s Mushroom Mania! I chatted about the wonderful world of mushrooms in my previous blog. Today I would like to introduce you to a product line called Organo.

What makes Organo Gold products so interesting, is an ingredient known as Ganoderma Lucidum. As mentioned in my previous blog, this is a mushroom that is used extensively in traditional Asian medicine that has tremendous health benefits, including increased vigor and stamina. I’m sure that all of you will agree that we all need more of that!

The agricultural and food scientists at Organo and its partners start off with organically grown Ganoderma. Using the latest technologies, they gently dry, sterilize and process the mushroom with its tough, wood-like cap into a fine powder. After the mushrooms have been transformed, they are added to create gourmet coffee, tea, hot chocolate and OGFenix shakes for you.

Coffee connoisseurs will appreciate the robust, yet smooth flavour of quality Arabica and Robusta beans, all enhanced with rich Ganoderma Lucidum. From a classic Black, to the King of coffee, Gourmet Latte, Gourmet Mocha with its cocoa-tinged coffee aroma, or a Café Supreme with Ginseng, Ganoderma and Maca.

With its elegant and sophisticated packaging, you will feel like you are royalty. Individually packaged sachets being the only thing that makes these beverages “instant”. This will impress any guest! Remember, the Ganoderma Lucidum or Red Reishi mushrooms were kept for Kings and Emperors in Ancient China. It is available to you!

For those a little more interested in hugs, marshmallows and hot chocolate, then think of indulging in Organo’s Gourmet Hot Cocoa. A rich Dutch cocoa infused with Ganoderma Lucidum to bring comfort, warmth and a silky smooth texture. An added bonus is a very low caffeine content.

How about an invigorating cup of Organic Green Tea? This flavourful tea combines organic green tea leaves and Ganoderma Lucidum mushrooms.

Red Tea is a revitalizing tea blend with red tea leaves, Ganoderma Lucidum and Cordyceps militaris mushrooms. (Please have a look at my previous blog to find out more about this particular mushroom.) This is not rooibos tea leaves, but a refreshing and uplifting Red Tea to enjoy any time of the day.

For those that take their coffee seriously, then make way for their Espresso range. A very stimulating and sophisticated coffee, all containing the Ganoderma mushroom.

Can’t do caffeine or cutting down? Organo catered for you too! Introducing Espresso Zero. A bold, distinctive aroma to give you the coffee experience without the zing of caffeine, or too much of it anyway.

OGFenix is an exclusive protein shake mix that combines a concentrated whey protein along with vitamins, minerals, pre-biotic fibre and Ganoderma Lucidum. Ideal for people that are on the go, short on time or when off to the gym.

Pure Ganoderma Lucidum is also available in “Spore Powder”, “Mycelium/baby” mushroom, or the mature Ganoderma Lucidum form, all with its own unique benefits and selectively placed in a capsule for you.

With 90% of the world consuming some sort of beverage daily, I’m sure you’ll find one that will work for you. Quite a nice thought to sip on your favourite beverage while benefiting from Ganoderma Lucidum’s extensive list of health benefits.

And last but not least, the Organo Essentials Premium Cleansing Soap Bar. A cold pressed, nourishing soap containing apricot seeds, coconut oil, Ganoderma Lucidum mushroom extract, grape seeds and glycerine to name a few. This exclusive cleansing bar also contains glutathione that is an anti-oxidant able to prevent damage caused by free radicals, heavy metals etc. This helps in brightening and lightening your complexion.

Which one sounds like a winner to you, or do you want to go mushroom manic and try all of them!?

Go to healthbaristajaco.myorganogold.com

If you have any questions, need advice or would like to book a consultation with me, you can email me at:

healthamplified@outlook.com

Blessings.

Lizelle

 

Marvelous Mushrooms

 

Marvelous Mushrooms

A very good friend of mine recently made a very special group of ladies the best mushroom risotto ever! A mushroom is a marvelous vegetable, and can elevate any dish.

 

Button mushrooms, Portobello mushrooms, oyster mushrooms, shiitake mushrooms, porcini mushrooms… The list is so varied, each with its own unique taste, property and health benefits. Some people prefer the mild, smooth taste of a button mushroom while others like myself prefer the “meaty,” robust, intense taste of mushrooms that are darker in colour.

 

Our first taste of a truffle was in the Netherlands. It was during a cheese tasting that we could experience the taste of cheese with specks of truffle in. The taste was wonderful, but almost familiar. My husband’s first reaction was, “It tastes like droe wors!” A proudly South African dried meat sausage with spices. I once heard a quote about the truffle being the Mozart of mushrooms. Isn’t that a lovely description!? We’ve had truffle infused olive oil during an olive tasting in Cape Town, South Africa before. But truffle specked cheese was next level for us!

Back home I found a “truffle pesto” at a very affordable price. I think it has more cheese, cashews and olive oil in and about 1% truffle. But it was definitely a step closer to tasting the true truffle. I’m probably unleashing the foodie in you, right!

Let’s get back from foodie heaven into the bare ground…

Ganoderma Lucidum, also known as the “king of herbs”, is seen as the powerhouse of mushrooms. This is a large, dark mushroom with a glossy exterior and a woody texture. The latin word lucidus means “shiny” or “brilliant and refers to the varnished appearance of the surface of the mushroom.

For thousands of years, Ganoderma lucidum has been recognized by practitioners of traditional Asian medicine as the highest ranked mushroom for its potency. In China, the Ganoderma lucidum is also called Lingzhi, whereas Japan the name is Reishi or Mannentake. This mushroom has been used for over 2000 years and was documented in ancient scripts.

Their long brown stems and orange-coloured caps make them a spectacular sight, but because these grow on wood in heavily forested areas, they can be hard to see.

The different components of the Ganoderma mushroom that are used for different benefits are the spores (seeds ready to pollinate), the Mycelium (baby or early harvest) and the lucidum or cap part of the mushroom. This is also known as the mature mushroom and is usually harvested at its peak of maturity, around 8 months of age.

While the mushroom themselves can be eaten fresh, it is also common to use powdered forms of the mushroom or extracts that contain these specific molecules.

Now for my favourite part, the health benefits:

·    Reishi can affect the genes in white blood cells, which are very important for your immune system.

·    May alter inflammation levels.

·    Increases the activity of white blood cells also called natural killer cells.

·    These natural killer cells fight infection and cancer in the body.

·    Improves lymphocyte function, and is an excellent addition for athletes that are exposed to stressful conditions.

·    Improves overall vitality and vigor in both male and female.

Another fantastic beneficial mushroom is the Cordyceps Synensis and -Militaris mushroom. These long slender stemmed mushrooms have been used for centuries to treat fatigue, sickness, kidney disease, low sex drive, aging, asthma and depression. It also helps with improved liver function as well as athletic performance.

Supplements and products containing the Ganoderma lucidum or Red Reishi and Cordyceps extract have become increasingly popular due to their many health benefits.

The actual mushroom is not freely available in the fruit and vegetable section of your local grocery store. That is why it is put in capsule or powder form so that everyone can access it and enjoy the benefits.

There is however not enough reliable information about the safety of taking cordyceps if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.

With mushrooms being kept for emperors, kings and only the elite few in ancient times, why not tap into the full benefits where you can also be able to experience the vigor and vitality that was once reserved for royalty.

Look out for my next blog where I’ll be sharing a bit more on this interesting topic!

You can have a peak at some products containing these mushrooms so long…

healthbaristajaco.organogold.com

Blessings.

Lizelle

 

The link between your emotions and disease part 3

 

THE FINAL TRILOGY

THE LINK BETWEEN YOUR EMOTIONS AND DISEASE
(Part 3)

I will be elaborating a bit further in this final article on the link between your emotions and disease. Yes, it has been a touchy subject for some of you. But you cannot always just cover a sore with a plaster and forget about it. It can become infected and inflamed.

Let's take off the plasters, clean out the wounds, and add a loving touch to it. You don't want a breeding ground for germs. Some of your emotional pains and burdens are buried so deep in an attempt to forget about it and cope. It is time for it to surface, I know you can do it!

You might be reacting in a certain way in situations, only thinking that you were out of line afterwards. Why? An emotion, word, smell, person or something that you saw might have triggered a deep emotion connected to the "sore, infected" spot. Once the wound is cleaned, which can be painful, it won't hurt anymore. The "pussiness" won't surface in the form of rage, anger, resentment or bitterness as soon as it is touched on or triggered anymore. It will change the way that you react to circumstances.

You might be sitting with sickness and disease in your life, not knowing where it came from or why it is manifesting. Even something as small as a rash or as big as eczema. Your body is telling you that something is not right. Are you going to put a plaster on it in the form of cortisone cream, or are you going to dig a little deeper?

Bad memories secrete toxic chemicals in your brain. These can make you sick. Good, healthy memories secrete good chemicals that lead to healing and optimal health. One of the deepest buried memories with the deepest heartache is abuse. This can lead to many sicknesses, allergies and auto immune diseases.

Abuse can come in many different forms:

• Emotional
• Verbal
• Physical
• Sexual

These can all have a massive impact on your behaviour. With this comes feelings of guilt, fear, anxiety, resentment, stress etc. Who broke your heart? Were you covered and loved as a child? Did you feel safe and nurtured?

 

Abuse can lead to perfectionism and obsessive, compulsive disorders. Do you have a drivenness to perform? The underlying issue might be that you only experience love based on achievement. Were you only "seen" and "loved" when you performed well?

The starting point is forgiveness. This is not about the other person, but for you to be set free from a life of  being in prison.    Forgive the other person and yourself. Release the different emotions that you experienced and let it go. Ask God to fill you with His love, joy, peace and Presence. Only God can truly heal your heart, but you need to learn to forgive and release. No heartache is too deep for God to heal, renew and restore.

The person that abused you might have had a similar experience, being left with rage, anger, fear, anxiety, guilt and abandonment that was never dealt with. This can form a vicious cycle. You have the power to break that cycle by forgiving, releasing and receiving healing. You can change a whole bloodline by standing in the gap with forgiveness. Never mind getting freed from whatever disease has been caused by it. How many broken, abusive relationships are in your family line?

Many fathers react in a certain way because of how their fathers treated them. How were their relationships with other fathers? Were they absent, maybe abusive, cold or irritated? Where and how did they receive love? A new framework or mindset needs to be created in order to bring total restoration.

Remove the plasters and clean the wounds through a process of forgiveness, releasing those emotions, and asking God to come and fill you with His love, joy, peace and Presence. Aerate those wounds today and get rid of unnecessary sickness and disease in your life.

Lizelle

RECIPES

"Toffee apple" rings

Red apple slices cored.(leave the skins on.)

-Oven 140 degrees Celsius.
-Pack a single layer on a baking sheet with baking paper on.
-Bake for half an hour, turn apple rings over, continue baking another half an hour until crispy.
-Or spread a thin layer of honey on the rings and dip in cinnamon and chopped nuts halfway through the baking process.
-Place back in the oven.
-Keep a close eye on the apples the last 15 minutes of baking time to prevent burning.
-Remove from the oven and let it cool. It will become a little more crispy and toffee like.
-Store in a container. It might soften a bit like dried apple rings.

Rich dark chocolate ice cream(serves 4)
Avo in ice cream???!!! You will be surprised at the consistency it creates! Try it...

50ml-100ml cocoa powder
1 Cup coconut milk
1 Large avo or 2 smaller ones
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp cinnamon
Sweetener choices vary according to desired sweetness;
option 1: 2 Tbsp coconut sugar and 2 Tbsp raw honey
option 2: Xylitol to taste
option 3:Soaked dates

-Blend until smooth and creamy.
-Place in the freezer overnight in an airtight container.
-Thaw slightly before serving.(about 20 min)
-Garnish with sprinkled nuts. 

Lienke's broccoli pasta
Broccoli is not usually at the top of any child's menu! This one was created when our youngest was helping me with dinner from what was available in the kitchen. And it was a huge hit with her!

 

 

1 Head broccoli broken into florets

1 Large punnet cherry tomatoes
1 Small plastic cup tomato paste
Olive oil
Pink salt
Quarter tsp Paprika
1 tsp wholegrain mustard
Gluten free pasta (we used elbow corn pasta)
Avo to serve.

-Cook the pasta according to packet instructions.
-Place broccoli, tomatoes, tomato paste in an oven pan with the rest of the seasoning.
-Drizzle with olive oil and salt.
-Grill until tomatoes start to shrivel, mix every now and then.
-Remove from the oven and cover with foil.
-Switch oven off and place pan back into the oven for 10 min.
-The broccoli stems will soften as it steams.
-Serve on the pasta with avo on top.

 

Bitterness, unforgiveness, offence and disease - Part 2

 

HEALTH AMPLIFIED

Bitterness, unforgiveness, offence and disease.

Somewhere along your path of life, you are bound to find someone that you don't necessarily get along with. You might find someone that can rub you up the wrong way and offend you. Saying the words; "I am sorry", are some of the hardest words in the world.

What most people don't know is by not forgiving, YOU might be the one to bare the consequences. Yes, unforgiveness can make YOU physically ill. By walking around with unforgiveness in your heart, and not dealing with it, the emotion will roll over into bitterness.

Bitterness and unforgiveness =sickness and disease

Forgiveness helps to break the yoke of sickness and disease, and helps to not give a foothold for the enemy. Many prayers are unanswered due to unforgiveness.

Do you struggle with emotional eating? Are you driven towards the fridge and pantry by those evil emotions of anger, rage, bitterness, loneliness and being defeated? Where are those emotions coming from? Unforgiveness in your heart might just be the root issue of your weight problems. And then you are left with all the feelings of guilt afterwards. What a terrible cycle. Take authority over your life and start working through the process.

The memory part of our brain is made up of tree like structures called dendrons. Good memories literally make flourishing "trees", while bad or toxic memories form thorn like trees with a dark area around it. By dwelling on emotions of unforgiveness and bitterness, you are reinforcing those memories, making the dendrons stronger.

Every time you dwell on those negative emotions and memories of unforgiveness, chemicals are released, and those emotions are basically re-lived. Those toxic chemicals are then released again which can make your body toxic.

Toxic thoughts=toxic chemicals=toxic body

Take some time out this week and keep a piece of paper nearby. Reflect on your life and start recalling memories, situations and people that made your blood boil. Be bold and courageous, start forgiving different people in your life. It is not a weakness. Kick pride in the butt! Release those emotions of bitterness, resentment, unforgiveness, hate, anger etc. It doesn't always have to be in person. Except if you feel led and prompted to forgive and release in person.

There is a reason why God says that you must not let the sun go down and go to sleep while you are still angry or in turmoil with someone. This thing settles in and becomes stronger!

By re-living that situation over and over, writing down and keeping record of what that person has done to you, you are making a breeding ground for toxic waste in your memories and body. It is almost as if decay settles in. What are you meditating on?

Life and death lie in the tongue. Unforgiveness, criticism and judgements can bring death to others and your own body. By living a life of forgiveness, joy, peace, and saying "I am sorry", you can bring back life to your cells.

If sickness and disease have taken a hold of you and doesn't want to let go, what negative emotions have you cultivated? It might just be the root of your disease.

Where have you harboured offence in your heart? It might be something small, but it is biting you in the back. Get rid of it! Overcome evil with good. Let God be the judge. Bless those who curse you.  Get your own heart right with God. Forgiving means giving that person to God to sort out.

And yes, many say it wasn't their fault and I was right and they were in the wrong. It is not about that. Humble yourself before the Lord and take time out for repentance, forgiveness and releasing those emotions. It might just take a turn to better health! Part 3 of this series will follow soon.

 

If you feel like you do need some assistance while dealing with all these emotions etc that will be surfacing after you have read this, then AIM does have the Composure product as mentioned in my previous blog.

 

For some mental alertness and improved vision, then don’t be afraid to use GinkgoSense. It is a combination of ginkgo biloba, curcumin, black pepper, ashwagandha, ginger and carotenoids etc. for overall support for memory health. Remember that black pepper aids absorption of the other ingredients.

 

Mag-nificence by AIM provides readily available magnesium. It is a bath additive, so it will be absorbed through the skin. This is a wonderful additive to enjoy after a long stressful day, or if you are going through a rough patch in your life. It helps you cope with stress a bit better!

 

You can find these products on my AIM store.

myaimstore.com/healthamplified

 

Blessings!

Lizelle

 

The link between your emotions and disease - Updated

The link between your emotions and disease.

 

Many of you are in a stage of looking for deeper answers to your ailments and diseases. It can be very frustrating if certain symptoms and ailments keep on surfacing, with a supplement here and there that just isn’t doing the trick anymore. That is why I have decided to re-post “The link between your emotions and disease” with slight modifications that I wrote about a year ago.

Most of my blogs have been about food related illnesses and irritations, how you can apply changes to your dietary lifestyle, and with hopeful improvement on the horizon.

But the penny is dropping as God is taking us into a deeper revelation of how He has put us together. It is not just about how food can affect our health. I did an in-depth study on "Healing through sanctification of the heart" by Dr. Michelle Strydom, and I’m still learning so much! I have definitely found freedom in a few areas.

Disease, sickness and ailments can be rooted in fear, anxiety and stress, to mention a few. We must be rooted and grounded in God's love for us. Unfortunately, we are not born into a perfect world. As people go through childhood, teenage years, young adulthood and progress through life, our "hearts" get bumped, scratched and bruised, even frightened. People go from one generation to the next, carrying the brokenness and heartache.

These are all captured in the brain, and are stored as memory. Good experiences and memories can make you flourish, while bad experiences and memories can cause a manifestation of many diseases and illnesses that can steal your joy. This can make you a prisoner in your own body. It might have happened in childhood, and only starts manifesting in adulthood.

Some people go through years of searching for answers to their symptoms. Your answer can be an emotion or memory away.

God has created you so intricately. Your brain, emotions and experiences all work together and can have an effect on the body. With your memory almost being the beginning of your health, and having a ripple effect throughout the rest of your body.

Chemicals and hormones are the driving force in your brain. These are constantly being released, enabling different functions in your body. God has made them to be perfectly in balance. But emotions through experiences and circumstances can cause an overproduction or underproduction of these hormones and chemicals, causing your body to be out of sync.

Unforgiveness, rage, rejection, resentment, anger, bitterness, control, fear, anxiety and stress, rebellion, lies and deception, jealousy, loss, fear of abandonment etc. are some of the things that can cause you to be sick with physical and mental illness as a result.

There are many case studies out there where people with debilitating illnesses, sickness and disease were healed as soon as healing was received on an emotional level. The starting point is God. Through a process of repentance and forgiveness, and releasing those situations and emotions back to God, they have been freed from being a prisoner in their own bodies. Then inviting God into that area of your life. 

God does not want us to be heavy burdened for a reason. He does not want His children to be sick!

The following are just some of the sicknesses and diseases that can be rooted in brokenness, fear of abandonment, rejection, fear, anxiety, stress, strife and anger:

• Asthma
• Fibromayalgia
• Osteoporosis
• Cancer
• Allergies
• Acne
• Diabetes
• High blood pressure
• Depression
• Heart disease
• Irritable bowel syndrome
• Weight gain or not being able to lose weight
• Thyroid problems
• Cysts
• Abscesses

These studies are based on research and testimonies by medical doctor, Dr. Michelle Strydom, Dr. Caroline Leaf and pastor Henry Wright. This gentleman wrote an amazing book called “A more excellent way.” This evidence is also backed by years of emotional and inner healing sessions and courses that I have been through.

 

Abandonment and fear can make you sick. Many cases of asthma have been dealt with by addressing and healing the root emotion. Were you or your own children taken to ICU and placed in an incubator straight after birth? Were you left with a day mother/nursery at a very young age? Or were you sent to boarding school at a young age? Many cases were done where children developed asthma after going to boarding school. Forgiveness is key. Remember, many parents didn’t have a choice at that stage. Did your father maybe leave you and your mother? You may have "forgotten" or learnt to cope in the situation, but the "file" with the emotion is still stored in your body. Allergies can even develop as the body goes into a state of stress.

 

A father/child relationship also plays a very important role in many illnesses. Sicknesses can be rooted in how your relationship was with your father.

 

Did you or your mother, while in a fit of rage or in a hurry, maybe say to your children that you were going to leave without them if they don't hurry up? (I was personally guilty of this one on one or two occasions and had to repent.) 

 

Medically, you get three phases of stress. If you are calm and relaxed and loved, your brain gives off- the correct amount of chemicals and hormones. Phase 2 and 3 are when your body goes into a state of stress, or fight and flight mode. Fight and flight mode is a built-in system that God has placed there for short bursts of energy, for when you are in a dangerous situation.

 

If you have long term stress, anxiety and fear in your life, then you are constantly in phase 2 and 3. High levels of cortisol hormone is then constantly released. Overproduction of this hormone end up supressing your immune system. If your immune function goes down, them something else gets out of balance etc. This means inflammation happens due to long term histamine that is being released. Sickness and disease settle in.

 

Many people have learnt to cope with their sickness and disease, controlling it with medication and elimination of certain things. It becomes a way of life. Your identity should not be rooted and based on your sickness. Your identity should be in Christ.

 

If you are currently in a place of great stress, you should maybe consider using the product “Composure” by AIM while you are dealing with all the emotions that are surfacing. It is a blend of whole herbs and extracts that can help soothe and calm the nervous system while you are in your process of healing.

 

Go to myaimstore.com/healthamplified to find AIM’s Composure.

 

I will be elaborating on this topic over the next 2 weeks. Let this be food for thought for this week.

 

Blessings.

 

Lizelle