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How I Discovered Maca Being In The Amazonian Jungle with a Shaman
In 2010, I made a trip that changed my life forever. I was 27 years old and I felt I needed a revealing experience in my life. A friend had told me about a magic plant that allowed you to connect with the spirit world and find answers to life's deep questions; the Ayahuasca, which immediately caught my attention. My friend told me that a shaman of his confidence would come to my city to spend a few days and perform some ceremonies with this master plant and if I wanted to participate in a "take", to which I said yes immediately. The experience was so impressive, that I decided to buy a ticket and travel directly to Pucallpa, the Amazonian city where this shaman lived. Until that moment in my life, I had never given a real importance to food and its role in the health of the body, mind and soul. Anyway, arriving in Pucallpa, I found myself in a very busy city, full of "motocars" (mototaxis), a humid heat and a beautiful Amazon river (the Ucayali). I got on one of these mototaxis and went to the house of the Shaman, who supposedly was waiting for me and who lived at the other end of the city, in a place called Yarinacocha. On the way, i realized immediately that the main way of feeding was based on natural products of the area. I saw stalls of fresh juices and fruits and vegetables from the station everywhere; Cocona juice (yes, I did not know it either), pineapple, orange, camu camu and many more. Already in the house of the Shaman (a very humble and simple house), we talked for a while about details of the trip and then he informed me that we would take Ayahuasca that same night, so i should not eat anything after lunch, specially nothing with salt or pork. I went to the hotel and on the way I bought a cocona juice, which I kept drinking almost daily for the 4 months I was there ... Simply exquisite! Well ... again I had an incredible experience with Ayahuasca and the next day in the morning I accompanied my shaman to a local fair to eat something. I followed him to a juice stand and there he asked the girl at the bar for "2 smoothies with Maca" ... "Maca?" I thought ... "What is that?" ... The girl gave us 2 glasses of about 500CC of a thick shake. When I tried it, I found it really tasty and when I finished it, I felt very satisfied ... that was our breakfast. When walking back, I asked my shaman what "Maca" was and he told me that it was an extremely powerful Andean root and that he took it for its energetic power and for its ability to stimulate the libido and that it was especially good for periods in which one takes Ayahuasca, as its nutritional value helps replenish and maintain energy after the strenuous sessions. I will not bore you by detailing what Maca is or what its composition is. If you search on Google you can find thousands of sites with information about it. I will only tell you my personal experience with this wonderful superfood. Since that time in my life, I frequently use Maca Powder and among the main benefits I experience every day are: A feeling of extraordinary energy: I get up refreshed and I lie quiet, never exhausted. A true and notorious increase in libido: It is simply impressive ... ask my wife! Greater clarity in my thoughts: my capacity for concentration and resolution have increased markedly. Obviously this is not only Maca. I have also changed my eating habits and in fact, it has been almost 8 years since I have consumed meat. So fruits, vegetables, seeds, superfoods and supplements have become an essential part of my diet. Nowadays, you can find Maca in many formats and varieties, processed in many different ways, but in my experience, I would recommend that you try it in the raw powder and cold processed format. My favorite is the Navitas brand ... when you open the container you smell the power of Maca !. The flavor is very powerful so you have to find the perfect mix so you can take it in a rich smoothie. I also prefer it in powder because to feel a true effect, you have to consume a good amount and the tablets bring very little. I would recommend you this simple shake as a first step to start looking your own flavors: Ingredients: -3 oranges -3 carrots -1 banana -1 tablespoon of honey -1 teaspoon (of tea) filled to the brim with maca Preparation: 1.-extract the juice of oranges and carrots with an extractor 2.-Pour the juice in the blender, along with the banana, honey and Maca 3.-Beat until well blended and drink. If you plan to incorporate Maca into your diet on a frequent basis, it would be convenient to buy in packages ... Here I leave you my recommended options, all sold bykkdu Sprout Market at really good prices, free and fast shipping. Also, if you get a membership (they are free to try) you can schedule your deliveries so you can get your packs when you´re running out: Navitas Naturals Maca Powder - Organic - 4 Oz - Pack Of 12: This is really good for individual daily servings. Each pack should last about a week so this 12 Pack can last 3 months. Navitas Naturals Maca Powder - Organic - Gelatinized - 8 Oz - Pack Of 12: Perfect for couples who want to try it togheter!...should last for about 3 months taking two servings on a daily basis. Navitas Naturals 100% Organic Maca Powder - Pack Of 6 - 16 Oz: Same amount as the previous option… just pick your favorite format or go for the better price. Some Interesting Info If you are interested in knowing a little bit more about Ayahuasca, you can start by checking these Youtube Documentaries wich i found very good and accureate: Metamorphosis- Ayahuasca Documentary AYAHUASCA: Into The Dark Abyss | Documentary If you know already Ayahuasca and have heard it´s beatuiful "icaros" comming out of a shaman, you can hear some more here: Cantos de Medicina, canciones medicina, ayahuasca If you are serious about having the experience, check blue morpho! https://www.bluemorphotours.com/ ...read more
By kkdumarket December 17, 2018
The Magic Benefits Of Maqui Berry, A Truly Generous Fruit
I grew up in Chile, a land of natural contrasts; great lakes, torrential rivers, immense forests and, on the other hand, the driest desert in the world (Atacama). As a child, we used to go on summer vacations to the south of the country, to a lake called "Ranco", where my parents had (still have) a cabin. It was a magical place full of native forests and wild vegetation. One of our entertainments there was eating Maqui; a little fruit, of the size of a pea, that grew like weed all around. It was very sweet and it left your mouth and hands dyed purple, which was very funny (still is). At that time Maqui was not known anywhere, not even in Chile. Only the local indigenous people knew their attributes and consumed it frequently. Today, after much research, we know that it is one of the foods richest in antioxidants and other amazing benefits. I'm glad I had the opportunity to eat so much Maqui in my childhood. Without a doubt it has had a great impact in my good health as an adult. Also, it is one of my favorite memories of those times. So...lets dig a little bit deeper in to this Magic Berry´s background; What is Maqui? The maqui (aristotelia chilensis) is a small wild plant, whose fruits have been used for hundreds of years by the Mapuches (Chilean native indigenous people) thanks to its medicinal and nutritional benefits. Originally from the Chilean Patagonia, it is considered one of the fruits with greater antioxidant power in the world, could prevent cancer and slow down cell aging. It has a high content of vitamin C, therefore strengthens the immune system, it is also a regulator of blood glucose, so people with diabetes can benefit from the consumption of this superfood. This fruit grows wildly only between the months of January and February, so the harvesting and processing must be carried out very efficiently to keep its properties intact and be able to use the most of the harvest. What are its benefits? Its high ORAC value would reside in its high polyphenolic concentration. Although its fruits contain some alkaloids of the indole and quinolinic type (Céspedes et al., 1993), studies by Escribano-Builon et al. (2006), realize that its composition is particularly rich in anthocyanins (where 34% would correspond to delphinidin-3-sambubioside-5-glucoside). A more detailed description of the phytochemical profile of the maqui was recently reported by Céspedes et al. (2010a). Regarding the bioactive potential of this fruit, in vitro studies carried out early by Miranda-Rottmann et al. (2002), show the capacity of maqui polyphenols (extracts) to protect against the oxidation of LDL (low density lipoprotein) and against oxidative damage to vascular endothelial cells, thus suggesting an anti-atherogenic potential of the polyphenols of this fruit. In the same direction, Céspedes et al. reported an anti-inflammatory effect (2010b) in rats in which edema with carrageenin was induced, and a cardioprotective effect in rats subjected to oxidative stress due to ischemia-reperfusion (2008). Complementing such activities, recently, Schreckinger et al. (2010) presented in vitro evidence suggesting an anti-inflammatory and inhibitory activity of the adipogenesis of maqui polyphenols. On the other hand, maqui polyphenols could also promote an action of interest on digestive enzymes. Indeed, recent in vitro studies conducted by Rubilar et al. (2011) realize that crude extracts of maqui would be able to inhibit the activity of the enzymes alpha-glucosidase and alpha-amylase, responsible for the degradation of carbohydrates in glucose. Such activity could suppose a potential of some maqui polyphenols to "modulate" the postprandial glycemia. However, although most of the activities described above represent a clear application potential for maqui polyphenols, the real implications of each of these activities on human health have yet to be established. In simpler words, the main benefits of this fruit are: Maqui is a powerful antioxidant, because it contains high concentrations of polyphenols, anthocyanins and vitamin C, which helps prevent cancer and slow the premature aging of cells. Due to these same antioxidant properties that help protect neurons, the maqui can prevent and treat neurodegenerative problems such as Alzheimer's. It is also an excellent anti-inflammatory and natural analgesic. It has thermogenic properties, that is, it increases body temperature, allowing to burn fat. Because it helps regulate the metabolism of blood sugar, it is highly recommended for diabetics. This fruit is a purifier of the intestine, since it contains a lot of fiber. Cleans the kidneys and urinary tract. Burns can be treated with maqui leaves. An infusion of leaves is used for tumors, wounds, inflamed throat, fever, diarrhea, or as an analgesic. How can it be consumed? Undoubtedly, the best way to consume Maqui is in its natural state, but since this is unlikely possible, it is ideal to consume it in powder obtained under a lyophilization process, which allows to keep its active ingredients almost intact. Its flavor is sweet, so it combines very well with all kinds of smoothies. Here i leave you the one i think is the best; Navitas Maqui Powder. It comes in a 6 pack so you can take it on a daily basis and use it for a period of time so you can feel the benefits. Navitas Maqui Powder 3oz/unit - 6 pack - by kkdumarket.com If you don´t know where to start, you can check out this delicious Smoothie: INGREDIENTS 150 cc almond milk 1/2 banana 1 tsp. Coconut 1 tsp. Cocoa without sugar 2 tbsp Of oats 1/2 tsp From Maqui 100 cc. Of water Sweetener (optional) PREPARATION Everything to the blender for a few minutes and ready, if you want to sweeten it you can add the one you like, personally I did not use any since the oatmeal I used came sweetened with honey. ...read more
By kkdumarket December 17, 2018
Kangen Water for Athletic Peak Performance
Kangen water has been tested by top professional athletes in the fields of baseball, football, body building, weight lifting and more, and found to be the most hydrating water. It helps reduce lactic acid build up which causes muscle soreness and cramping, and enriches the cells with oxygen, giving more energy and endurance. You don't have to be a professional athlete to benefit from proper hydration with Kangen water! Water has many functions in our body. It cushions our joints, lubricates our nasal passages and intestines, helps in digestion and elimination, improves blood circulation and more. Drink the best water for your health - drink Kangen water! ...read more
By Kangen Waters of Health November 13, 2012
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