Is All Organic Coconut Oil, Good for You?

Coconut Oil has many health benefits and it is used, in many of my favorite homemade snacks and since I share those, snack recipes with you and I am always emphasising the need for Cold Pressed Coconut Oil.
I figured I would detail, real quickly, WHY, Unrefined Cold Pressed is the only way you should buy your oil.

1. Refined or Unrefined.

Unrefined is always your Best option and here is why; not only does unrefined have a delicious, clean flavor but the oil is minimally processed and also processed with low heat, which results in the oil having a  much higher nutrient content (proteins, vitamins and anti-oxidants).

While Refined oils are tasteless and odorless. The reason being for this is, the oil goes through an intensive process that deodorizes and bleaches the oil; many times causing the oil to become hydrogenated or partially-hydrogenated, (aka becoming an unhealthy fat) which results in the creation of trans-fats. Refined oil, is the most processed coconut oil on the store shelf. Stay away as much as possible! 

2. Cold Pressed or Expeller Pressed

Cold-Pressing involves pressing the coconut milk out of the coconut meat at low temperatures, usually below 60°C. The Cold Press method allows for the greatest amount of nutrients are preserved.

Expeller-Pressing involves squeezing the coconut oil out of the coconut meat with a screw-like machine. The pressure and friction in the expeller can lead to temperatures of around 99°C. At this temperature there are some / minimal, nutrient lost.

In sum your best option is Unrefined Cold Pressed, although Unrefined Expeller Pressing is a close second (unrefined expeller pressed is actually whats featured in the feature photo). However, Unrefined Cold Press will provide, the most optimal nutrition and optimal overall flavor!

Additionally be sure to eat your healthy fats! Healthy fats are excellent for the health of our hair, skin, nails and not to mention, excellent for overall brain function and the prevention of Alzheimer; and this is simply because each cell in our body (and we are basically made up of trillions and trillions of cells) has a protective layer called the cell membrane, and in order for our cell membranes to stay healthy and function at optimum level, we need to eat these omegas and fatty acids aka "healthy fats"

And since our bodies don't produce these healthy fats naturally, it's important we eat them and eat the right ones!

Here's a throw back classic video, I made on this topic :) 

Have a specific health question or goal? Leave a comment below or personally message me. I would be happy to address, your questions, goals &/or concerns.

Shanellekunz@gmail.com


xo
Shanelle

Love Is Everything

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Love Is Everything. 

It is the single thing, that makes all other things occur. Love is why we are here on this earth. God loved us, so we are here, to experience, progress, evolve and grow. Two people, in a moment of love or lust, brought, you here, so you're able to read this article.
Love is what gets us up, every day; it gets us up and moving to work, to work out, to LIVE.
Whether, you are working to create your "love child" your very own work baby, that you are laboring over day in and day out; or if it is the physical child, you bore into this world and whom, you are doing your very best, to be sure, they are brought up, in the most ideal circumstances possible.

Love is Everything.

Love is the reason we eat well and exercise and Love is the reason we stick to ANYTHING we start.

This is what I have come to the conclusion of, most recently. I have also come to the conclusion that I have a character flaw and I'm going to lay it out here for you to read...

When times get hard, I want to quit and I begin to think of all the ways I can quit and all my safe "outs."

But the thing is I don't quit, I just let those, distracting thoughts, take space in my mind and distract my focus for some time. 

And maybe I don't quit because perhaps I don't have the guts to, but then again, maybe I have Too Much Guts To, to not see what I've started to the end.

I'm gunna go with the latter, only because it's a more empowering thought, to think I am too brave to quit. 

The thing is, I became frustrated this last week, with work (not school, or nutrition but my every day job, in the Solar industry) I got to thinking, gosh, this isn't even what I love, why am I doing this. I have a love of money, because money to me, means freedom and benevolence, but the thought of money alone is not what keeps me motivated and focused.

What, instead, does keep me motivated and focused, dispite "set backs" is what I will do with this money. 

How the money feeds into my Love, my family, community, my passion, & my "love children." 

My career "love children" and the ones I will create with my spouse ;D

And that's where my focus should always be, not on these mild bumps in the road, that sometimes make me so furious, I want to quit, but rather, taking the bumps for what they are: Learning, Growing, Stretching, Strengthening mild bumps and just keep focused.

The same can be said for a marriage-Anything we commit to, It's important to stick to.

Ofcourse there are always exceptions. But if we make sure, we start with Love and our goal is always Love. We can have everything.

We get married for love, we have babies for love, we start a business to share our love, or to have more love to give and if we keep that focus of love, we can achieve all that we set out for.

So if you've commited Yourself to something new, whether it be exercise for more self love, the birth of a new child, the start of a business, or you're working a JOB to pay for What You Love, write down first, why you have begun this new commitment and review it daily, add to it regularly and stay focused, so when times get rough and at times they will, you will be reminded of why you started and where you are going.

AND on one more note, no one "awes" over a 3 year marriage, other than "awe newlyweds", the real Awe is captured and felt, with people who have been married 40 plus years and have endured it all together.

This can also be paralleled with all/ any goals.

"Stick to your goal til it sticks to you and all your dreams will come True!"

Love is Everything.

Love you guys and your feedback! Feel free to leave some experiences or comments below!

xo
Shanelle

Almond Coconut Energy Balls

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These guys are my obsession. 

Confession: I am a snacker. I love snackin all day and will unfortunately reach for an unhealthy snack, if I don't have some healthy ones on hand, so I keep these babies on non-stop stock!

Ready for this simple recipe?! K!

Ingrediants:

3/4 cup buckwheat groats (these are low on the glycemic index, as well as high in fiber and protein. I have only found bags of buckwheat groats at whole foods)

1/4 heaping scoop of Almond Butter

1/4 cup Cold Press Coconut Oil

1/2 capful of alcohol-free Vanilla Extract

1 packet of Stevia (check out the label of your stevia box, make sure there are no additional additives. Just pure stevia.)

Directions:

Add all ingrediants into a blender or a food processor. Blend until nice and smooth.

Place parchment paper on a plate, roll contents into about 12 heaping Tablespoon size balls. 

Place in freezer for 15 mins.

I like them just as they are but if you would like to drizzle chocolate on top, here are two different methods.

Chocolate Coating: (there are 1 of 2 ways to make the chocolate drizzle) 

1. Get a 80% cacao bar, melt, add one packet of stevia, drizzle over balls.

2. Take one heaping tablespoon of Coco Powder, I heaping tablespoon of Coconut Oil and one packet of Stevia. Mix together and drizzle over almond butter coconut balls.

Nutritional Content (servings 12): 

(workout chocolate drizzle)

Calories/Energy: 81 

Protein : 2 grams

Fat : 8 grams 

Fiber : 0.6 grams 

Carbs : 3 grams 

Yumminess : 9! ☺️

These guys are rich in healthy fats, which is phenomenal for our hair skin and nails and not to mention, healthy fats, like almond butter and coconut oil are excellent sources of Brain Food; which is fuel for mental energy, stamina and focus, as well as happiness and the prevention of Alzheimer's. 

Enjoy these and if you make em' I wanna see! Tag Me on IG! Instagram - Twitter

Xo

Shanelle

Women and PMS

A Must Watch.

Certainly the onslaught of messages that women receive from books, TV, movies, the Internet, that everyone gets PMS go a long way in convincing them it must be true. Research tells us that the more a woman believes that everyone gets PMS, the more likely she is to erroneously report that she has it. Let me tell you what I mean by "erroneously." You might ask her, "Do you have PMS?" and she says yes, but then, when you have her keep a daily log of psychological symptoms for two months, no correlation is found between her symptoms and time of the month.

This is one of my favorite parts-- And while this can be a useful tool, it serves to invalidate women's emotions. When people respond to a woman's anger with the thought, "Oh, it's just that time of the month," her ability to be taken seriously or effect change is severely limited.---

Psychologists know that the moods of men and women are more similar than different. One study followed men and women for four to six months and found that the number of mood swings they experienced and the severity of those mood swings were no different. And finally, the PMS myth keeps women from dealing with the actual issues causing them emotional upset. Individual issues like quality of relationship or work conditions or societal issues like racism or sexism or the daily grind of poverty are all strongly related to daily mood. Sweeping emotions under the rug of PMS keeps women from understanding the source of their negative emotions, but it also takes away the opportunity to take any action to change them.

Facebook can mold your world.

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Dream boards. You've either heard of them or have one, they are wildly popular in the personal development/ personal achievement world. The basic premise behind them, is that if you can physically see and feel your goals, day in and day out, your mind, body, spirit, will find a way to make those goals a real, true reality.

Again that is, if you physically take time, each day, to examine that board every day. Now the biggest distraction, from the visualization of our goals, could quite possibly be Facebook and before you write me off, hear me out, as to why and I'll share with you a personal experience...

All my friends have kids, just about every single one. Do I want kids, YES, a Huge Resounding YES, I think about them just about daily, my life, the life I am creating, revolves around them and they are not even here yet, nor do I plan to conceive within this year. 

However, have you heard that phrase, we are the sum of our 5 closest friends. Well when you work as much as I do and move as much as I do, it has been challenging to create the sturdy base of friends.  So I find myself on Facebook for social interaction, I also did promote my YouTube Videos and blogs, there for over a year but I have recently deleted Facebook from my phone, as it is a major distraction and mental deterrent from my goals.

If I want the life I imagine, if I want to truly make the impact, I envision. I need to keep that vision board; my written goals, my affirmations, at the forefront of my mind, at all times.

I can't be constantly distracted by what my friends or acquaintances are doing and by all these pics of their gorgeous babes because it only makes me think, "am I missing out"...in which I have to remind myself NO! 

"I am not a sheep to be prodded" I have a vision for my life and just because I don't live it like you, nor do you live it like me, does not mean that one, way of life, is superior to the other, they are Just Different. 

Beautifully, Irreversibly Different. 

Therefore, if you have goals in your mind. 1st - write them down. 2. Look at them daily. Multiple times a day. 3. Get the ef off Facebook..(okay I still go on and share, like once or twice a day) But when I am standing in line at a grocery store, all by myself. I am not on Facebook, I am instead in a Real Book, enlightening and empowering my mind and spirit. 

Facebook is an excellent place to stay in touch with far away friends and family, to share memories and moments with them. But just like all good things, when done, in excess it is never good for us.

Limit your use, stalk people on occasion ;) and keep your goals, affirmations, dreams and aspirations at the forefront of your mind instead. "YOU are not a sheep to be prodded" Define your own goals, create your own life. Do not allow Facebook, take the place of where your Visions for your actual reality should be.

:) Love you guys mucho. Conneting with all of you, makes my heart so full and carries my on day in and day out. Hope my mild epiphany/ rant was helpful to you. Feel free to share it.

xoxox

-Shanelle

Life Update! Arizona, Elvis, Holistic Nutrition, ND & 29 Days Sugar Free Cleanse

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Hey Gorgeous!!

I miss connecting with all of you!! I'll be back on the regular blog creating and video creating circuit in no time! I did however wanna keep you in the loop with what's going on in our my life!

Here's What's New:



Stay tuned for more Super Yummy, Super Nutrient Dense, Healthy Recipes, Mind-Hacks and Everything, that I learn in school and other books and life experiences, that I feel compelled to share with YOU!

If you want to hear more about the sugar free cleanse, leave me a comment and let me know! :)

xoxox

Shanelle
Facebook - Instagram - Twitter

P.S. my hope is that AZ is our last move and that we will be here a super long time! I love the work I am doing and they have some Stellar Naturopathic Medicine schools out here! Oh! and I love this weather and being so close to family!!

How To Make Cauliflower Rice!

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Hey Gorgeous!

Oh my goodness! I am so grateful, for so many reasons!

But I'll just share 3 reasons here.

1. Sunsets. Desert Sunsets are so beautiful, I'd say, equally as beautiful as beach sunsets. Check this out..and yes, there is #nofilter 😋

Oh my goodness! Stuff like this, just makes me exceedingly happy! Haha

2. I'm so grateful you're reading this! I'm so sorry, I couldn't film before I left and my computer, doesn't like me right now! haha! I will get back to filming soon and am seriously debating filming some of my cooking from my Extended Stay.

3. I'm sooo grateful for Extended Stays! Haha! They are the same price as a regular hotel, except they have a kitchen, fridge and room cleaning amenities. It makes eating, the way that is best for my body, so much easier and much more possible!

This is my Cauliflower Rice with Broccoli chunks from one of the meals, I cooked, while in my hotel, here in Mesa, AZ.

It's very simple and quick to make and quite delicious!

Warning! Cauliflower is a part of the cruciferous family of vegetables. It's a complex carb, that takes more effort for our bodies to digest and may initially cause gassing and bloating, until your body acclimates. 

But your body, will adjust and it is in turn an excellent and delicious source of soluble fiber.

Ingrediants: 

-1 and 1/4 cup Cauliflower Florets

-1 tablespoon Olive Oil

-1 Yellow Onion chopped

-2 cloves Garlic

-1/4 cup Water

Directions: 

Place cauliflower in blender or food processor and pulse until broken up, into little rice size looking pieces. 

Take a large sauté pan, place in 1 tablespoon Olive Oil, spread along the bottom of pan, add chopped Yellow Onion, let onion summer for 3 mins, til their color is a darker yellow.

Then place in the 2 freshly minced pieces of Garlic.

Let simmer together another 30 seconds to a minute and then add the pulsed Cauliflower to the pan. Stir everything together. 

Let simmer 2 minutes.

Add 1/4 cup water and a pinch of Salt and Pepper. Stir and Cover.

Let steam for 5-7 minutes. And Wa La! You're done and it's ready to serve!

You can turn this into a stir fry or just serve with chicken, veggies and the Zucchini-Tahini hummus, that I shared with you a few days ago and like I had for dinner the other night ☺️

It was Sooo YuM!!

Nutritional Value for the Cauliflower Rice:

(Servings 1)

Calories/ Energy: 170 grams

Protein: 4 grams

Carbs: 11 grams

Healthy Fat: 14 grams 

Fiber: 5 grams (daily recommended amount of fiber is 25-30 grams---while drinking, at least 2 liters of water. Daily)

Enjoy! Feel Good! Have Energy! 

When you make this too! I wanna see!

Share with me on:

Facebook - Instagram - Twitter

Thanks for reading! 

Xoxox Shanelle