Agua de Pipa: Nature's Sports Drink

Back in 1996, I lived in Costa Rica for 5 months.  It was wonderful.  It was awful.  I have stories that consistently make people, including myself, cry laughing, seethe with jealousy, or gasp in horror.  Two of those stories involve the two most wonderful, natural drinks I've EVER had the pleasure of sipping: fresh jugo de sandia (watermelon juice) and agua de pipa (coconut water).  I'll save my watermelon juice story for another time, but I will tell you that it involves 5-foot long iguanas, excruciating heat, Pacific coast sunsets, and a glorious hammock.

So, what about the coconut water?  While in Costa Rica, I went to a school for Latin American students studying sustainable agriculture and natural resources.  We spent many days out in the fields cutting back weed plants with machetes (organic farming).  It was hot and so we took frequent agua de pipa breaks to refresh ourselves.  We drank a lot of coconut water!  We would grab some pipas (coconuts), cut off the end of the pipa with a machete, and drink straight from the pipa.  At the time, I thought it was fun, tasty, and a novelty....except for that day I watched as one of the Guatemalan students cut off his thumb while opening his pipa!  No, I'm not kidding.  

As is true of many traditional practices, drinking the coconut water during our breaks from working in the hot sun was very smart.  I learned 10+ years later that coconut water is truly Nature's sports drink.  Coconut water is isotonic, which means that it has the normal salt concentration that occurs in the cells of the body and blood, and so it can replace the fluid and minerals lost during physical activity.  Unlike its manufactured competitors (e.g., Gatorade, Vitamin Water, Propel, etc.), coconut water is free from refined and artificial sugars, artificial colors, and really anything other than, you guessed it....agua de pipa.  Now that's the way to hydrate and revitalize!

In Sanskrit, the coconut palm has been called kalpa vriksha, which means "tree that gives all that is necessary for living".  So, other than electrolytes, what all does it have to give?  As for food, the coconut palm provides coconut water, coconut milk, coconut meat, coconut palm sugar (one of the lowest glycemic index sugars out there), and coconut oil.  But that's way too much to cover in this post.  For now, let's keep our attention on the awesomeness of coconut water.  In addition to its isotonic hydrating properties, coconut water has been said to raise metabolism, control diabetes, cleanse and detoxify, fight viruses (because of its high lauric acid content), ease digestive problems and heartburn during pregnancy, help fight fatigue, serve as a substitute for IV hydration fluids, and improve HDL cholesterol levels.  Not too shabby.

Though sipping some coconut water may not evoke your own memories of good times, machetes, and lost thumbs in Costa Rica, it certainly won't disappoint.  Next time you're looking for a refreshing and healthy drink, a high dose of electrolytes, or a hangover cure, try some coconut water.

What's your favorite food/drink from the coconut palm plant?  Are you willing to try some nice healthy coconut water in place of your (current) favorite energy or sports drink?  (I'm drinking some right now!)

Eat Well.  Live Well.  Be Well.  Hydrate Well.

We Are How We Eat: Let's Make Some Food-Mood Connections

As you know from previous posts, I did a 10-day spring detoxification cleanse back in April.  As part of that process, I kept a detailed food-mood log.  I wrote down everything I ate and drank, what kind of activity I did, how I slept, how I felt (foggy, energetic, sad, focused, etc.), digestive problems, congestion, allergies, acupuncture appointments, everything.  This is a really powerful (and simple!) tool. 

Most people I know would call me a "healthy eater", but what does that mean?  Yes, I cook the majority of my own food, I eat whole foods and avoid processed foods at least 90 percent of the time, but I still experience undesired symptoms sometimes.  For me that can mean headaches, congestion, poor sleep, and intense food cravings.  The problem with stepping back too far is that it's hard to see the connection between your symptoms and your lifestyle.  You end up thinking: "What's wrong?  This is so frustrating.  I eat healthy.  I live healthy.  But I still have all these symptoms." 

When you write down everything (everything!) and then review it, you really do see the patterns, and often the direct connections, between foods you eat and how you feel.  For instance, I have discovered over the past month or so that for me, right now, nuts make me crazy (or "nuts", if you will).  When I reintroduced nuts (organic, raw almonds and cashews -- healthy, right?) after my cleanse, I started experiencing hunger, cravings, and mild anxiety.  Because I was paying attention and tracking everything in my food-mood log, I took nuts back out of my diet after a few days and I lost all those symptoms.  There are reasons for this connection and it is also likely that the reaction is only temporary, but for now, for me, I've learned something very important to make me feel healthier and happier.

Although each of us is an individual and we need to pay attention to our own unique reactions and patterns (yet another reason to keep a food-mood journal), here are a few common food-mood connections to consider...

Do you feel spaced out, sad, overly sensitive, or hyper?  Hmmnn....where do sugar, chocolate, alcohol, fruit, and caffeine fit into your diet? 

Do you feel impatient, frustrated, stubborn, stuck, aggressive, or controlling?  If so, think about how much salt (not just table salt, but processed foods), meat, cheese and eggs are in your diet. 

I encourage you to get a notebook or set up a spreadsheet on your computer and begin keeping a food-mood journal. 

At the very least, record the following information: date, what you ate (everything you eat at meals, snacks, grazing), what you drank and how much (tea, coffee, soda, juice, water), physical activity, any comments about how you feel emotionally and physically, any cravings.  This is one of my first exercises for my health counseling clients.  I guarantee that by doing this you will: (1) learn something profound about your own food-mood connections; (2) have some accountability for your food and activity choices; and (3) increase your awareness of how much water you drink daily. 

Have you tried keeping a food-mood journal before?  Was it useful for you?  Are you ready to try it, or try it again?

Eat Well.  Live Well.  Be Well.

Healthy Junk Food?

I have been doing a Spring Greens Cleanse since last week, and the food on this cleanse mostly comprises greens and spring veggies (kale, arugula, fennel, watercress, asparagus) and some lighter grains (quinoa and millet). I love all that stuff, so it’s been really fun and I feel great eating all this seasonal food.

But this morning I cheated (sshhhhhhhh!) and enjoyed a bowl of junk food: some leftover quinoa reheated with stewed apples and cranberries, and topped with cinnamon, cloves, and sunflower seeds. I just started laughing out loud because of how guilty I feel that eating this food was cheating. Now don’t get me wrong. My version of cheating is not always this annoying… I LOVE chocolate (here’s one place to get your lovely raw chocolate) and I’ve been known to indulge in a bison burger with bacon and bleu cheese from time to time as well.

Since this morning, I've been thinking about how subjective the concept of “junk food” is, and that it is certainly relative to what our normal diet is at any given time. Even though when I say “junk food” you may instantly think about pizza, chips, and candy bars, I bet we all have a few healthy favorites that feel like junk food. (If not, I'll begin writing some recipe posts soon, so stay tuned for those!)

What’s your healthy “junk food”?  Can this healthy treat of yours become your “go-to junk food”?

I’m not sure that we can (or should) do it all the time, but if every once in a while we can substitute one of those bacon-bleu burgers for a nice home-cooked meal and one of those candy bars for a homemade whole fruit-based dessert, then I think we’re headed in the right direction.

Final thought:  If you’ve just got to have that junk food you’re craving, then what about this… Consider making your junk food at home. Homemade food is always better for us than whatever we might buy at the gas station or fast food restaurant -- at least you know what’s in there! And, if you have to make it yourself, you’re less likely to give in to that junk food craving every time it rears its ugly head. But if you do give in every once in a while and indulge in that pizza or candy bar, then be sure to take your time and enjoy it without guilt -- otherwise, it's just not worth it.

Eat Well.  Live Well.  Be Well.