In actuality, I can’t even take credit for this creation as my business parter came up with the idea. I’m glad he did because they turned out wonderful. Cookies are so simple to make and even simple to make healthfully.

With just a few simple tweaks, a couple add-ins and you’ll have yourself a Bulletproof cookie that promotes a healthy metabolism and optimal digestive function.

Here’s what you’ll need:

• 1/2 cup of organic pumpkin puree (fresh is best)
• 4-6 tbsp. sweet rice flour (This is the most Bulletproof of flours, many flours are acidic and difficult to digest — sweet rice flour is a ‘safe starch’ and is perfectly fine for health people. If you are not in the best health it’s best to avoid starches for the time; regardless, this particular flour is particularly lowest in toxins. Learn more about safe starches here.)
• 4 tbsp. powdered birch xylitol (or raw honey/maple syrup)
• 2 tbsp. sprouted raw almond butter
• 2 pasture-raised eggs
• 2 tbsp. grass-fed ghee
• 2 tbsp. BrainOctane
• 2 tsp. organic pumpkin pie spice
• 1 tsp. Vanillamax
• A pinch of sea salt

Here’s how you make them:

1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
2. In a glass bowl, combine all wet ingredients with an electric mixer or blender on low.
3. Add your dry ingredients and mix until a semi-thick batter forms.
4. Grease baking pan, using a spoon form batter into cookies. This recipe will make 1 dozen medium-sized cookies
5. Bake for 15-20 minutes, checking to see that the tops have firmed and achieved a slight golden color.
6. Remove from oven and let cool, use a spatula to remove from pan and enjoy!

When I gave up sugar some 5 years ago I just assumed that mean’t for the rest of my life I would only be consuming a simple diet of vegetables and healthy proteins and fats. I didn’t really think ice cream would be a possibility.

That was until my short time at Erewhon where I learned about super food ice cream and met Crosby Tailor, who introduced me to the Bulletproof Diet long before it was known.

Fast forward, I am whipping up Bulletproof Ice Creams that everyone should know about. You see, if you didn’t already know sugar is pure poison. It’s actually quite the injustice to me that it is so difficult for someone to treat themselves to a pleasurable eating experience these days without being poisoned.

Thankfully, Dave Asprey came around and brought ‘Get Some’ Ice Cream to the world. An ice cream using traditional ice cream ingredients from whole, nourishing foods with a few swaps. The first thing is that there is no sugar, instead birch xylitol — a plant derived sweetener that tastes like sugar without the disastrous side-effects.

There is also no pasteurized cream and milk involved. Instead, raw grass-fed butter. Throw in a few upgraded ingredients like fresh ground vanilla bean, BrainOctane oil and coconut oil and you have yourself the best ice you’ll ever have!

Once I made my first batch I had 100’s of recipe ideas and ways I could tweak the recipe. Though there is truly no limit to the creations you could come up with using this base recipe, I wanted to show you a few of the Bulletproof friendly ones I made!

Here are some of the most delicious ways to make Bulletproof ‘Get Some’ Ice cream.

(you’ll want to watch the video and learn how to make the base for each recipe)

1. White Chocolate Chunk: For the white chocolate recipe all you need to do is cut the butter and coconut oil amount in half (instead of 7 tbsp. use 3 1/5) then replace with the Bulletproof Cacao Butter. Once the batch is about half way frozen, chop up some chunks of cacao butter and mix into the base. You could also melt down the cacao butter and sweeten with stevia if you wanted. However, the ice cream is sweet enough for me.
2. Mint Chip: Following the original recipe all you will want to do for this one is again, once the ice cream has cooled a bit (if you’re freezing, think 2 hours, if you’re using an ice cream maker, then 15 minutes) you want to add in 2-4 drops of mint essential oil (make sure it’s ingestible like YoungLiving) and 4 tablespoons of raw organic cacao nibs.
3. Strawberry Shortcake: This is my favorite of all of them because it reminds me of the ice cream I would get from the ice cream truck. Little did I know he was selling me crack bars. For a healthier version, what you’ll need addition is about 1/2 cup coconut flakes, 1/4 cup of macadamia nuts and 1 cup of organic freeze-dried strawberries. Add about 1/2 cup of freeze-dried strawberries to the original recipe, blend and freeze. Once finished, top with a mixture of shredded dried coconut, mac nuts and crushed freeze-dried strawberries.
4. Mocha Caramel: This one is amazing for a breakfast. What you’ll want to do is make a cold-brewed shot of Bulletproof coffee. To do this, take 2 tbsp of ground Bulletproof coffee and place in a mason jar of 1/2 cup water, seal then let sit for 12 hours at room temp. This takes time so I just do it overnight so it’s ready in the a.m. Trust me, it’s worth it. You could technically use regular brew but wait for the coffee to cool down then add the coffee to the ice cream mixture while blending. Freeze and when done you are going to top it with the caramel, which is made from mesquite powder. You make this by blending 1/4 cup of soaked cashews, 1/4 cup macadamia nuts, 1/2 tsp vanillamax, 2 tbsp mesquite, 2 tbsp of xylitol, a pinch of real sea salt and a small amount of water.
5. Cashew Cookie: Make the original vanilla recipe then when half way frozen add in 2 crumbled vanilla collagen bars and 1/4 cup of soaked and dried cashews. Super simple and amazing!

Never be afraid to use what you have!

Personally, I have found growing up with modest means that when people have less, they are more creative. This isn’t so say we can’t have nice things, but honestly, how much does one really need when they have creative abilities? I’ve found that there is no such thing as lack to the creative mind. This recipe is the proof!

Not only did this recipe turn out to be delicious to the ridiculous, it inspired me to make my next hit recipe. I think it’ll be a hit at least Stay tuned later in the week for that one…

Until then, butter balls anyone?

White Chocolate Strawberry Truffles

The ingredients here are of course quality as always. However, it might seem strange to you that essentially, you’re eating a strawberry dusted butter ball. It’s okay, my friend was just as shocked.

As I rolled out the truffle filling he expressed his deepest concerns to me, “Yo dude, If you would have tried to tell the young 15 year old Kurtis that i’d be eating butter balls, I’d been fighting”.

Now, no one is quite sure what the hell that even means. But no one ever really knows what Kurt is saying, at the same time, we know exactly what he’s saying. Ya feel?

So if you too are concerned to eat a butter ball, have no fears, once you take one bite you’ll understand that you’re truly safe. Not to mention, the choice of ingredients are to benefit.

We have cultured grass-fed organic butter, which despite all the non-sense is a health food. I’ll spare some words and direct you here, to learn about the health benefits of real butter. Additionally, I load these babies up with Bulletproof ingredients that are particularly crafted to be free of any toxins and nutritionally dense.

I know you want them, so let’s get rolling my good people.

Here’s what you’ll need:

• 4 tbsp. grass-fed organic butter (preferably raw if you can get it!)
• 4 tbsp Upgraded Cacao Butter
• 2 tbsp birch xylitol
• 1 tbsp Brain Octane oil
• 1 pastured egg yolk
• 1 tsp Vanillamax
• 1/2 cup freeze-dried strawberries
• 1/4 cup dried organic shredded coconut

Here’s how you make it:

1. Make the outer coating by crushing your freeze-dried strawberries into a dust or small pieces. The smaller the pieces the easier it will be to apply.
2. Melt your butters over a double boiler until they are soft.
3. Using a whisk or electric mixer, combine the egg yolk, xylitol, brain octane and vanilla. Mix together.
4. Pour into glass dish and refrigerate or freeze until solid again.
5. Using an ice cream scoop or spoon, spoon out small 1×1 inch sized balls (you don’t want them too big as they are rich!).
6. The truffle butter will melt again quickly so run your hands under cold water or hold in the freezer so while rolling them into balls you don’t melt them too much.
7. Once you have your balls formed, you will want to roll them in the strawberry and coconut coating.
8. Place back in fridge to firm back up then eat when ever you desire!

If you’re familiar with Golden Milk then this recipe won’t come as much of a surprise to you. However, I’ve given it even more of a nutritional boost by upgrading the traditional ingredients.

You’ll also notice I don’t use coconut milk like most recipes call for. Though I love coconut milk, I find it difficult to find quality sources of it that do not contain a gum of some sort. Because I am all about optimality I just make my own by blending a tea base with coconut butter or even better, cacao butter!

I also add in a bit of Bulletproof raw cacao powder and mesquite to make it that much tastier. Not to mention, raw cacao serves as a great delivery mechanism for all the healthy constituents you’re about to indulge in.

For 28 ways turmeric benefits your beauty, check out this blog post here.

Here’s what you’ll need:

• 1 cup of Gynostemma tea 
• 1 tablespoon Bulletproof cacao butter
• 1 tablespoon BrainOctane
• 1 tablespoon of grass-fed ghee or
• 1 tsp Bulletproof chocolate powder
• 1 tsp mesquite
• 1 tsp ashwagandha
• 1/2 tsp Ceylon cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
• A pinch of black pepper
• Stevia to sweeten

Here’s how you make it:

1. Bring 1 1/2 cup of spring water to a boil
2. Steep cut licorice root in the hot water for about 5 minutes.
3. Pour finished tea into Blendtec
4. Add your fats
5. Add your powders then blend
6. Garnish with additional cinnamon just to make it look beautiful

Find more delicious, sugar-free and beautifying recipes like this one be sure to check out my new online course Rediscover Your Skin!

My guess, if I were to guess, which I am pretty good at guessing so here I go…

My guess is that it has been way too damn long. But I totally understand why, you grow up learning that marshmallows are a treat and only to be eaten on occasion.

Mostly because they were loaded with sugar and chemicals that parents knew shouldn’t be eaten even on occasion. But, there were no other options, what’s a mom to do?

While I am not suggesting that you replace a balanced diet of fresh veggies and hearty and nutrient-dense sources of fat and protein with marshmallows, I am suggesting that you replace your diet with marshmallows and join me for a mallow fast.

You in?

Just kidding, sort of…

Marshmallows ARE Good For You

Okay, enough jokes.

Here’s the truth, marshmallows, when made with real food ingredients are incredibly good for you! There is not one ingredient in here that could not be tolerated by a healthy human.

Not only that, the ingredients all have medicinal and healing qualities — as all real, whole foods would. The ingredient list is gorgeously appetizing and curing:

Anti-inflammatory, soothing marshmallow root, grass-fed collagen and gelatin from healthy and happy cows, organic and local, immune-boosting raw honey, and aromatic, amative fresh ground vanilla bean. 

All of these ingredients together form a delectable, childhood treat that medicinal works to heal the gut, boost the immune system, repair and rejuvenate skin, joint and muscle tissues, balance blood-sugar, nourish the thyroid and adrenals, and even work as an amazing sleep tonic!

A beauty supplement, health tonic and snack all in one? It sounds too good to be true, but it’s really not. We’re not dealing with chemical kiddy gummy vitamin’s here, These are fresh, real foods from nature with all the intentions of nourishing your body.

Making “Upgraded” Marshmallows

I cannot take full credit for this recipe as both Dave Asprey from the Bulletproof Diet and my amazingly inspiring friends at Three Lily Farm are the ones who inspired me. I can take credit for producing an amazing final product though!

I also like to think I prepared each ingredient with so much love that I can offer you a few new ideas to take with you. Such as letting your self enjoy foods you love! One thing I have been loving doing over the past year is recreating childhood foods and transforming junk-food into health-food.

If you’re up to the miracle, then let me show you how I made mine!

Here’s what you’ll need:

• A electric mixer (doing this by hand won’t work, unless you’re reading to whip for an hour and are down with possible tendentious)
• A 9×12 in. glass pyrex baking dish
• Parchment paper
• 3 cups of water
• 2 cups of raw honey or maple syrup.
• 2 tablespoons organic marshmallow root
• 6 tablespoons grass-fed gelatin
• 1 tsp of fresh, ground Vanillamax
• *Side note- you can add just about anything to these. I made a Bulletproof Coffee flavored batch by swapping the marshmallow tea for fresh brewed Bulletproof Coffee. You could add almond extract, cacao, peppermint, cinnamon or essentially anything you want for a fancy and inventive marshmallow. For now, let’s get you rolling with the traditional!

Here’s how you make them:

1. First things first, take your 3 cups of water and make a tea with the marshmallow root. Simply, bring the water to a boil, add in the marshmallow root then steep on a low simmer for 20 minutes to make a decoction.
2. Next, in a large glass mixing bowl (get a big one because the mixture will grow 3 times it’s size) add 1 cup of the tea mixture to 6 tablespoons of gelatin and your vanilla and mix slowly. Do this until it’s thickened up a bit into a gel.
3. Now with what is left of the tea (should have reduced down to about 1 cup) pour in your sweetener and mix together. If using raw honey, leave it in the mixture just long enough to mix the tea with the honey. If using maple syrup, you will want to reduce it down some. So you will leave it in a bit longer until it’s a thicker consistency. Be sure to stir slowly and continuously through this process.
4. Once the sweetener and tea mixture is ready, while mixing the gelatin and tea, slowly pour the sweetener in.
5. From this point, you will just be mixing for about 5-10 minutes looking to achieve a fluff — what would resemble a sort of marshmallow jet-puff whip.
6. When your mixture is light and fluffy you’re good to go!
7. Finally, line your baking dish with parchment paper, using a rubber spatula, pour the fluff into your glass dish. Store it in the fridge for about 3 hours and boom! Fluffy bunnies.
8. I’ll add one last step, get some roasting sticks, a bon fire and roast those puppies over some acoustic sing a longs! If you’re confused as what to get your father for fathers day, I say make him the friends/fam a big ole batch of these and if you don’t have a fire pit, get one! The best kind’s of gifts are always experiences, the best kind of experiences are usually ones you can eat too

Coming to you tomorrow, homemade BodyEcology style graham crackers! That’s right folks, s’mores! All you’ll need is these marshmallows, some of your finest raw chocolate and the grahams I’ll be whipping up today and posting tomorrow!

Enjoy and stay tuned!

If we look beneath the surface — even beyond what we see in the mirror — there’s a lot going on. Digestion for example, is a phenomenon that takes place beyond what the eyes can see.

Have you ever pondered on how our bodies are capable of eating food and turning it into eye balls? Or how we drink water and it makes blood and urine? It’s rather fascinating and is all done behind closed doors.

THE BRAIN-GUT AXIS

It may seem the digestive process is happening magically all on it’s own, it’s not. At a primordial level, we are doing it. We are digesting food (or not digesting it) based on the silent signals we send to our second brain (the gut) on a momentary basis.

It is through the vagus nerve — a little nerve that connects the tongue to the gut — that the gut is connected to the brain. The vagus nerve is stimulated by the receptors on the back of our tongues. When we eat something, it sends signals to the gut to start the digestive process. This is known as the gut-brain axis — the two are intrinsically connected.

When we are in states of stress; however, we tend to chew poorly, breathe rapidly and send a surge or stress hormones that interfere with the digestive process. Though food may be stimulating the vagus nerve slightly, the process is disrupted. One way it shows up physically is inn the way we chew.

Though simple, you’ll notice you cannot chew thoroughly and properly and be stressed at the same time. As you become more aware of your chewing, your heart rate slows and you become more relaxed. You cannot be relaxed and chew stressfully at the same time.

Therefore, in order to fully heal the gut, you have to; to some degree, heal the brain. Surely, there are supplements you can take that help heal the digestive system; however, they are just supplements — usually making up for what is lost when the brain is broken and digestive system goes hay-wire. When the mind is calm, the body is and all processes are functioning correctly.

IS YOUR BRAIN INFLAMED? 

If the digestive system misses one too many beats we start to accumulate inflammation in the body. In short, undigested food leads to bacterial overgrowth, toxicity and inflammatory responses. When there is any sort of inflammation in the body for long periods, eventually other barrier systems will break down such as the blood-brain barrier.

This causes brain inflammation. I know pretty nuts to think about. Who would have thought all that fast-food actually makes people stupid too!

By taking measures to heal the gut though, one can do numbers for healing the brain — as they are connected. It’s not easy to think your way to healing when your brain is broken and inflamed. This is where working at a physical level becomes very useful.

Here are great tools that will help heal from the body, inward, as you slowly work on the inner-work:

• Broth– Made from the bones of wild or pastured animals, bone broth is one of the most healing foods for the gut next to probiotics. To spare you a novel, bone broth contains every essential nutrient to build a strong and healthy intestinal tract. It also soothes inflammation and has a direct impact on the nervous system. The gut is known as the enteric nervous system or second brain. When sipping broth, it soothes the intestinal tract, which sends the same calming signals to the brain. It’s a wonderful sleep tonic and overall stress-balancing food. Someone with a broken brain-barrier and gut tends to have an overactive sympathetic nervous system, foods like bone broth will stimulate the parasympathetic system, which helps the body relax and chill out. Which is totally essential to good digestion. The parasympathetic nervous system is the “rest and digest” mechanism. Check out my earlier post here to learn how to make your own broth and start sipping on it daily. If this grosses you out too much, or takes too much time, then get your hands on some grass-fed gelatin or collagen. It’s a modern day miracle.
• Glutamine– When we put our bodies through high amounts of stress of any type — physical, mental, emotional — our need for glutamine is increased. When overly stressed, glutamine is one of the first nutrients our bodies use up. Our natural production becomes depleted and our body falls apart in many ways. At this point, which is the point many people are at, glutamine becomes an essential amino acid that we need to get through diet or supplementation. Otherwise, our guts become vulnerable to permeability — aka Leaky Gut. Which again, is caused by stress and poor digestion. By consuming glutamine rich foods (like bone broth or my favorite Vitality SuperGreens) we provide the gut with the exact nutrition it needs to build intestinal lining. It also:
  • Removes metabolic residues from digestion such as ammonia, which can cause leaky gut.
  • Synthesizes proteins
  • Contains gluconeogenesis, which keeps blood sugar stable. Which when out of balance throws hunger hormones out of whack.
  • Processes nucleic acids, which makes up our DNA.
• Probiotic Foods– Without probiotics (healthy gut bacteria) we die. It’s that simple my friends. We are more bacteria than we are human. The good bacteria are our protectors from harmful bacteria, yeast, fungi and parasites. When we kill off these wonderful little micro-organisms our immune system becomes vulnerable and we get sick. People have written entire books on probiotics because of their value and importance. If you’re not in the know on probiotics, please educate yourself. I’d start with the Body Ecology Diet book for an easy read on what is a vast topic. In short, probiotics are what digest our food on a essential level. They are responsible for extracting nutrients and turning them into our hair, skin, nails, tissues, organs and so on. They are the miracle workers! Without them, again, we die. It’s not even a matter of healthy skin and hair or a bloated stomach, it’s a matter of diminishing biological energy to the point of cellular death and disease. So avoid this, and drink kefir regularly.

How quiet time heals the gut

When you meditate, do tai chi, breathe slowly, certain yoga or best of all do these things in nature — you flood your brain with oxygen. In states of chronic stress people don’t breathe well. Their hearts beat rapidly all the time and their breathes are short and shallow.

When the brain is flooded with oxygen and we are breathing deeply, we active the parasympathetic nervous systems. Which tells the body it is okay to relax because we are not in threat. We can get back to building resilient, healthy and beautiful bodies to live our lives fully!

Surely, there are supplements that can help oxygenate your body but nothing like oxygen itself. Also, the supplements only help treat the symptom. Which can be helpful if you are working on healing things at the root; such as learning to relax, enjoy life and be happy again.

To get to the root, we have to learn how to breathe again. In order to accomplish this feat,  we’re going to have to teach our bodies that it is OKAY to relax. That means a bigger task than most want to sign up for. Because it means using your own inner-power to create a sense of well-being each moment. Can you handle the responsibility of creating happiness and serenity each day?

And I will say this, the more you’ve hardwired your brain to fear relaxation, the more you need it. Or die early and diseased, you’re choice…

ARE YOU ADDICTED TO BUSY-NESS?

In physics there are some basic types of energy; potential energy, genetic energy, thermal (heat) energy, work energy and free energy. Looking just at heat and work energy, we find a fundamental difference. Work energy is found by calculating force x distance. Heat energy, there is only force or effort, but not much distance. So, in work, we actually get some where, from point A to point B, but in heat energy, there is a lot going on without any distance being produced (you’re not getting anywhere).

This is the difference between getting something done (productivity) and being busy. Many of us are busy getting nothing doing and it is a waste of energy. So, this is a major obstacle for many of us; were addicted to busyness. And due to the lack of actual productivity, we have difficulty actually resting. If you’ve ever done a hard days work, some manual labor or some sort, where you are actually productive, it is easy to rest.

So, let me just ask you an honest question, what are you being productive in life, or just busy?

Here are some things that can help:

• Set an achievable goal and get it done: Most of us fail to produce something because we set too high of a goal. This is ambition; where our desires exceed our competence and ability. Set easy to achieve goals and finish them each day to get them done. Do things to get them done, not to just look busy.
• Take 10: Just for 10 minutes each night set aside total quiet time before you frantically jump into bed. If you’re an achiever, then use your Type-A traits to your advantage. Make quiet time as important as stressing out over everything else But then when your actually in quiet time, shush our mouth and mind and just be.
• Accept your insanity: Nothing changes until we first accept it. Admit you’re addicted to stimulation and can’t relax. Then accept it. Then laugh about it. Then go for a walk in nature and smell a flower, become fascinated by something beautiful and realize that your problems aren’t “out-there” they are in your mind. And you can leave that thing any time you wish to be happy.
• Breathe: This one is simple and sweet. Just as often as you can, use your mind to your advantage and check in with your breathe. Are you breathing short and shallow from your chest? If so, take a few deep breathes form your belly; feel it relax as we tend to hold a lot of tension there. You don’t need Qigong or Tai Chi to relearn how to breathe, you can do it anywhere and it’s totally free. This is a simple and wonderful place to start becoming self-aware.

Making appointments with yourself to just be is not for everyone. Some people simply lover suffering and stress too much. I know it because I was one of them. I learned to survive by being stressed as if it was actually helpful.

Despite how we’ve been programed to remain busy and stressed at all times in today’s world, I will give you a secret…STOP THINKING AND LOOK. Thinking is condensed energy, its harder to think about something than it is to do it, to feel and to look. Looking, observation, awareness require much less energy and are more effective than thinking.

In regards to relaxing, stop thinking, look around, there’s stillness here, all the data and information in the world is there. So, if you want to know something, just look. You don’t need to give yourself a headache about it. By becoming more observant and aware, you might also find that things are never as bad as we imagine them. So, in order to be free from the trap that is the mind; don’t think, look. After all, it is difficult to truly rest and relax if your mind is still turning when you go to lay down.

For whatever reason, we have this tendency to resist things. We fight bedtimes rather than embrace them with nightly rituals — regardless that we all know a peaceful routine would improve the quality of our sleep and health.

It’s been shown that quality of sleep matters more than the amount of sleep you get, but what are the best ways to our sleep? Better yet, what are we doing that is destroying our sleep?

Here are a few major sleep destroying habits:

• Unhealthy Light Exposure: Before electricity, iPhones, computers and alarms we were entertained and maintained by Mother Nature. Though technology has it’s benefits, most of it doesn’t belong in the bedroom. Blue light from these devices interferes with mitochondrial energy production, slowing the metabolism and increasing stress hormones that rob us of good quality sleep.
• Not having a Routine: Good sleep requires a rhythm. However, many adults will resist having a routine and bedtime in general. This is likely because as kids, we resisted naps because we were being forced to, not free too. Now, because were too busy too nap, we crave them. When we have to do things, we are not free to. However, take a look around, no one is stopping us from enjoying the sweet rewards of a peaceful nights sleep but our own minds. So if you’re resisting having a bedtime cause it makes you feel like an old person, just realize skimping sleep will make you old, faster.
• Keep stimulated- Stimulation is not the same as energy. Hormones like cortisol and adrenaline impair metabolism and increase the stress hormone melatonin, which is not necessary for good sleep but actually impairs sleep by slowing the metabolic rate. Exercising late, taking caffeine in large doses, drinking and smoking amongst other factors that stimulate us are recipes for insomnia.
• Stay up later than the Sun- While the Sun is a great promoter of energy production and good sleep, there is a reason it sets. Staying up late into the evening, especially staring into blue light is a horrible idea if you want to sleep. But don’t take my word for it, just stay up until 3 am for a few nights and see what happens. I wouldn’t recommend it though.
• Think about the next day. Planning is essential for cultivating good luck. We are typically either planning to fail or planning to succeed. However, the time and place is not bedtime. This creates endless thinking that typically yields no actual helpful results considering  your brain is functioning fragmentally because well…it’s bedtime and it’s trying to shut off. Save planning for the morning, when you’re brains actually working. You can do like me and create a “6 impossible things before breakfast” list, where you put down 6 things that if you did that day would produce 80% or more of your desired outcome and happiness. All fueled solely by Bulletproof coffee, before any solid food

My Top Effective Yet Simple Sleep Hacks

Whether or not you currently have trouble sleeping, there are actually quite a bit you can easily do to improve your sleep. These are the most basic yet most critical activities that will help you improve both the quality and quantity of sleep so you can properly rejuvenate every night. Best of all, they cost nothing!

1. Get Daily Sunlight & Use Red Light Before Bed: Real light (from the sun) is essential for ensuring a fast metabolism, which is our best defense against stress and ensuring restorative sleep. In the presence of darkness, our metabolism slows and there is an increase of stress substances that ruin good sleep. In fact, chronic darkness damages the mitochondria, where as Sun Light and Red Light activates them. For example, bight light activates the key enzyme, cytochrome oxidase, which turns on energy production.Now it is important that you avoid Blue Light from electronics; however, one easy thing to do for improving sleep is getting daily sunlight. If you can spend all morning/day in the sun, I bet you will sleep like a baby. Otherwise, if this isn’t possible due to location or season, then try three bright incandescent lights (250 watt BR40 bulb with 10” metal surround) or a Red Light Machine on your skin before bed to turn up the metabolism and turn down the stress hormones.
2. Create a bedtime ritual. Start winding down at least two hours before bed. Most importantly, give yourself permission to relax! The work never ends, let’s face and accept that — there will always be more. Now that we can own that, let’s start getting out of our heads and creating a life worth living. Design a bedtime routine that excites you as much as vacation does. One that starts about 2 hours before bed, filled with essential oils, love making, classical music, massages, candles, writing and good non-fiction books. This is the time to start shutting off the lights. You’d be surprised what little odds and ends you can pick up for a ritual sacred for little to nothing.
3. Eat Sugar Before Bed: Cortisol regulates blood sugar, so when blood sugar is low, cortisol rises, which turns down the body temperature. You can effectively suppress the stress response by eating ripe fruits, fresh orange juice, milk or raw honey before bed. Most of these also contain anti-stress minerals (magnesium, potassium, and calcium) that improve energy production and sleep quality.
4. Go to bed by 10:00 p.m. The body creates an extra surge of cortisol after 11 p.m. to keep you awake if you push it past 10 pm. A good general rule of thumb is to make it to bed before 10 pm. This way you avoid the “wired and tired” syndrome. This is best for restoring our natural rhythms and keeping our immunity at peak. Not to mention, sleeping truly does make you beautiful!
5. Don’t exercise within 2 hours of bedtime: Exercise can be a stress and promote a release of many stress substances. Exercise depletes glycogen, which is used to balance blood sugar while sleeping, to lower cortisol and to prevent the of carbon dioxide. When exercise chronic and exhausting, it can increase cortisol and lower sex hormones that promote sleep quality and lead to hypothyroid.Here’s a tip; exercise is least stressful when the metabolism is at its highest, using in the afternoon from 11 to 3 pm usually. However, if you cannot work out during this time, take 1/4 tsp. baking soda, 50 mg. of niacinamide, with some vitamin k before and after working out to reduce the stress from exercise.
6. Consider These Supplements: While you can address most of the hormonal imbalances that ruin sleep with lifestyle and diet, there are a few clinically proven supplements that address the high stress chemicals. First is l-theanine, this is an amino acid that induces GABA and reduces cortisol. L-gylcine, found in Collagen/Gelatin also works the same, lowering cortisol by 20%. Consuming salt before bed can lower the adrenaline, putting an end to that racing mind.

Honestly, I say this time and time again health is not about what you put in, it is about what we can comfortably and happily take out. This rings true for our sleep as well, it is less about what we do and more about what we don’t do. These are sleep basics that are easy to implement immediately and most cost no money.

More on Food and Sleep

Your brain uses a lot of energy while you’re sleeping for releasing rest and repair hormones.  That being said, adequate nutrition is a powerful tool for improved sleep. We’ve covered a few dietary tips for sleep already, but here are a few more…

Dietary Tips for Great Sleep:

1. Avoid PUFA: Polyunsaturated fats a.ka. PUFA are promoted as the “healthy fats”, yet they are highly toxic to the human physiology. They impair energy production and metabolism, they suppress immune function, lower the body temperature, damage the brain and heart, inhibit protein digestion, increase estrogen and even attribute to cancer, while impairing our detoxification systems.Not to mention, PUFA are the basic breakdown products that make up the inflammatory prostaglandins, isoprostanes, and lipid peroxides. Excess consumption of PUFA will not only ruin good sleep, but they are associated with many diseases including cancer, hair loss and diabetes.

    

2. Eat 1-2 Tbsp. Raw Honey Before Bed. Your brain uses liver glycogen at night, and raw honey replenishes this supply and can create stable glucose levels for hours.
3. Try Grass-fed Collagen Before Bed. This is perhaps one of my favorite’s because it has so many additional benefits other than lowering cortisol and increasing GABA. These supplements improves skin dramatically, thickens hair, and repairs joint and muscle tissue!

Here’s my pro-sleep tonic:

• 1 cup warm, non-homogenized milk
• 2 tbsp. raw honey
• 2 scoops gelatin
• dash of salt

There’s really nothing “wrong” about a cracker. Same with dark chocolate (at least this is what I tell myself). But honestly, what’s gone wrong with food is the processing and preparation of it. We should be able to enjoy delicious foods without the guilt and we can.

The secret? Making them yourself.

That is exactly why I started this blog — to empower you. Whether I am posting a blog about life, spirituality or crackers, it’s all with the same purpose, I want to empower you to be more self reliant. Yes, crackers can do that.

With this simple recipe you will move from cracker consumer to connoisseur in no time. These crackers are incredibly simple to make, quicker than you’d expect, cost-effective and most importantly f*@king delicious.

Savory Sunflower Seed Crackers

The Benefits: 

• Light and Energized– Chia seeds rich in calcium, phosphorus, magnesium and manganese. All of these nutrients help prevent hypertension, maintain ideal weight, and aid metabolism, which is what extracts energy from food.
• Strong and Youthful- Grassfed butter is one of the few sources fat soluable vitamins. Despite the bad reputation of animal products, they provide the most absorbable sources of vitamin K2, vitamin A, and vitamin D. It also comes packed with cholesterol, which is actually a powerful antioxidant and hormone builder. All of these fat soluble nutrients are the building blocks of our hormones. Without cholesterol, saturated fat and these fat soluble vitamins we would age rapidly.
• Relaxed and Calm– Sunflower seeds are a great source of magnesium. This mineral is touted for naturally relaxing the muscles and calming the nerves. It’s a crucial mineral thats used to maintain healthy blood pressure, energy production, balance calcium for strong bones and many many more bodily functions. Got a headache? Magnesium. Constipated? Magnesium. Muscle cramps? Magnesium. Basically, insufficient magnesium levels can cause all sorts of stress-related symptoms. I couldn’t advocate more the important of getting enough of this mineral. The best choices are always food sources; leafy greens, raw cacao, mackerel, avocados, millet, and of course seeds such as sunflower seeds are amongst the highest sources of magnesium. Though these crackers pack a great dosage of this wonderful mineral, it’s also wise to supplement with a quality magnesium supplement, as many farmed soils are lacking it. My favorite is CALM — it’s delicious and highly absorbable.

What you’ll need:

To make these delicious crackers only takes a few simple ingredients. I suggest buying them all in bulk as it is highly cost-effective and you can make so much for so little. These are great to have on hand to keep you from indulging on overpriced manufactured crackers that don’t have any real nutrition.

• 1 lb of raw organic sunflower seeds
• 1/2 cup of organic flax seeds
• 1/4 cup of organic chia seeds
• 2 tbsp of grass-fed butter (preferably raw/cultured) *substitute with ghee for lactose and casein free option
• 1 tsp of thyme
• 1 tsp basil
• 2 gloves of garlic
• 1 tbsp REAL sea salt

To make:

• First, sprout your sunflower seeds the night before you want to bake these. To do this, simply place your sunflower seeds in a big glass bowl, add water to cover and some sea salt. Let sit on the counter overnight. In the morning, strain and rinse them.
• Preheat oven to 350 F
• Let the chia and flax soak in enough water to cover them and no more. Within a few minutes they will have started to gel. Once they do, add in your sunflower seeds — you will need a rather large bowl to mix in.
• Once the seeds are all mixed together, add the seasoning.
• Melt the butter in a pan, mince the garlic and add once the butter is melted. Brown the garlic but careful not to burn.
• Once garlic is browned, strain the butter into the seed mixture. This creates a “garlic butter” that really makes the crackers pop-off like a little part in your mouth. Not to mention, you get the added health benefits of the butter!
• Once the butter is in the mix, you will need to grease a large baking sheet with butter or coconut oil. Pour the seed mixture onto the dish and spread evenly (reference the photo for an idea of what it should look like).
• Bake for 35 minutes or until the top has started to brown. Using another baking dish or cutting board, place it over the dish and flip and bake the other side.
• Once you have flipped the sheet of crackers you should have the softer side up. Use this time to cut the crackers into desired size. Then lower heat to 200 F and bake until desired crispiness.

That’s all folks! Enjoy these delicious, sugar-free, gluten-free, completely guilt-free and nourishing crackers with your favorite guac recipe or however you’d like.

I am a simple man and live a minimalistic life; however, I do small things with big love. Warm lemon water is fantastic because it’s simple and comes fully loaded with an array of health benefits:

• Cleanses the liver
• Detoxifies
• Purifies and beautifies the skin
• Stimulates healthy digestion
• Hydrates the cells
• Provides nourishment for the adrenals
• Energizes without stimulating
• Tastes wonderful

These are all great reasons to start your day off with warm lemon water. Because of my creative, alchemy nature I have taken this simple breakfast tonic and turned it into something majestical.

The good news is the recipe is still very simple. With just a few added ingredients you can have a drink that is truly medicinal and healing. I add only 4 ingredients that take this drink from healthy nourishment to holistic medicine.

If you’re like me and strive for optimal living then this recipe twist might be exactly what you’re looking for to start off your day with inspiration.

Ginger-Lemon-Turmeric Tonic

Here are the ingredients I add to my warm lemon water to take it from great to optimal and why:

1. Ginger- Nature’s all-for-one miracle food; a natural aphrodisiac, immune builder, pain killer and hands down the best digestive aid in town. If you have an ailment, ginger will work to resolve it. Because all disease and all health is manufactured in the gut and mind, ginger is one of the most medicinal foods nature has to offer. There is a phenomenon known as the gut-brain axis, which simply is the correlation between your digestive system and the effects it has on your mentality. To understand this, think of a time of anxiety—most likely you have butterflies in the stomach. Another example of this phenomenon is during stress, when your stomach is tied in knots. This shows you how our minds and the mental states we create affect our digestive health. In contrast, eating poor foods can cause poor mental and emotional states. How this happens is through the neurotransmitters that control our brain. These chemicals, such as dopamine and serotonin, are manufactured a great deal in our stomach. Up to 95% of our serotonin is created in the gut. Because of the calming affects ginger has on the stomach, it can work holistically to calm the mind and rest of the body. If you take care of your gut, you will experience overall health. And ginger is one of the kings of good gut health. Ginger has been used as a digestive tonic for centuries. It has been taken internally for appetite issues, stomach upsets, constipation, diarrhea, colic, gas, bloating, and more. The powerful antioxidants gingerols, shogaols, and zingerones found in ginger have powerful antibacterial and antimicrobial properties making it so effective in healing the digestive system.
2. Turmeric- Turmeric is a member of the ginger family; therefore, by genetics we can trust it is a true super food. Turmeric is actually an incredible source of vitamins and minerals like iron, manganese, potassium, vitamin B6, and even vitamin C. Curcumin is the phytochemical found in turmeric that has been associated with its very strong antioxidant properties. Countless studies and evidence shows that high doses of curcumin are effective in fighting cancer and reducing inflammation — many studies show that curcumin is more effective than any medical drug for combating inflammation. Traditionally and today turmeric can be used for intestinal issues, parasites, bacterial and yeast overgrowths, liver detoxification, ulcers and purifying the blood. A shot of fresh turmeric juice improves digestion immediately by increasing the release of bile and production of stomach acid. Turmeric has been proven to reduce many types of cancer and even work as a natural skin care agent. A paste of turmeric applied to the skin is used by women in India to whiten and purify their skin just before marriage. Like ginger, there really isn’t anything turmeric isn’t good for. It is a holistic, natural medicine that should be in everyone’s kitchen.
3. Apple Cider Vinegar- This medicinal vinegar has been used in a number of surprising ways, including:
   • Relief from heartburn and arthritis
   • To lower blood pressure and cholesterol
   • To aid digestion
   • To treat ear infections
   • To treat yeast infections (candida).
   • Relief for rashes, sunburn and jellyfish stings
   • To clean the house, polish glass and make laundry look brighter
   • To promote weight loss
   • Skin detoxification

   The use of vinegar is not just a folk remedy…vinegar has medicinal properties as well. Research has shown that vinegar can help people with type 2 diabetes or insulin resistance (not diabetic, but high risk) by improving insulin sensitivity. In the study, vinegar was just as effective as drugs (metformin and acarbose) used to treat diabetes. Vinegar may be one of your most useful natural health remedies…if you’re using the right vinegar.

4. Raw Sea Salt- Not all “sea salt” is created equally. Most of the sea salt found in stores is high-heated and essentially dead — lacking any vital trace minerals aside from sodium. Granted it is a step above refined table salt, it’s incomparable to real sea salt. Real salt is full of minerals, such as magnesium, phosphorus, iron, manganese, copper, zinc and over 60 other trace minerals.  It is essential for proper body function.  Salt prevents dehydration, supports brain and nervous system function, and helps with the absorption of potassium.  In the body, salt is as important to humans as water or air. In fact, each of us contain from four to eight ounces of salt. Salt helps maintain the normal volume of blood in the body and also helps keep the correct balance of water in and around the cells and tissues (proper electrolyte balance). Salt is essential in the production of HCL (stomach acid). It is also necessary for the formation and proper function of nerve fibers, which carry impulses to and from the brain, and plays an important part in the digestion of food and is essential in making the heart beat correctly. The sodium found in salt is an essential nutrient. Sodium, together with calcium, magnesium and potassium, helps regulate the body’s metabolism. In combination with potassium, it regulates the acid-alkaline balance in our blood and is also necessary for proper muscle functioning. When we don’t get enough sodium chloride, we experience muscle cramps, dizziness, exhaustion and, in extreme cases, convulsions and death. In conclusion, salt is essential to our well being.

Hopefully you need no further explanation as to why these real food ingredients are so essential to consume. On to the recipe…

Here’s what you’ll need:

• 1 cup of warm spring water (I use one of these fancy, convenient water kettles that boil water in seconds!)
• 1 tbsp Bragg’s Raw Apple Cider Vinegar
• 1 lemon
• 1 inch grated ginger
• 1 tbsp organic Turmeric Powder
• 1 pinch of REAL Sea Salt
• Stevia to sweeten *optional

Here’s how you make it:

1. Warm 1 cup of spring water in kettle (I don’t like to boil it as it gets too hot, so I stop it just before a boil. This way it doesn’t heat the ingredients too hot either and destroy enzymes).
2. Grate fresh ginger (1 inch) onto plate.
3. Cut and juice 1 lemon.
4. When water is done boiling – take the grated ginger in hand and squeeze it over a mesh strainer into the warm water. This is much more effective than any juicer, as it squeezes the ginger dry getting the most juice and is even quicker than running an masticating juicer and having to clean it.
5. Squeeze lemon into water through strainer to avoid getting seeds into the water.
6. Add ACV, a pinch of sea salt then a few drops of stevia to taste if you’d like.
7. Stir everything together with a spoon or whisk and enjoy on an empty stomach first thing in the morning for a hydrating, energizing medicinal drink!

What are some of your favorite breakfast drinks? I’d love to hear and give them a try!