Amazingly, Delicioso Raw Tacos

I am so excited to share this recipe!!! Everyone will love these wraps!  Even your meat eaters will surprise themselves and ask for more.  These little wraps are full of texture and flavor in a surprisingly blend that will tickle your taste buds.  They are gluten and dairy free and chock full of nutrients. The walnuts, when pulsed, have the texture of meat.  All you will need is a food processor. A really good blender can do the trick as well.

This recipe makes 3 wraps

            Serves 1-2

(I can easily eat this all by myself at one sitting)

1/2 Cup walnut pieces

1 Tablespoon chili powder
2 Tablespoon cumin
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/8 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 of a red onion sliced
1 Tablespoon Braggs Amino

1/2 chopped tomato
1/4 ripe mango sliced
1/2 avocado sliced
1/2 red or yellow bell pepper
3 Tablespoons chopped cilantro
3 lime wedges

3 collard green leaves with stems broken off (they make a wonderful wrap and are chock full of

Pulse the walnuts and spices about 3-4 times.  Then add onions and Braggs and pulse 4-5 times.  It's very important to not over pulse.  You don't want to make a spread but keep the nuts chunky.

To make the wrap; Take a whole collard green leaf with the tough stem cut off.  Lay it down length wise.  Spoon 1/2 of the nut mixture on one side of the stem running through the center the leaf.  Add a couple slices of mango, avocado, and bell pepper, 1 T. tomato and about 1 T. chopped cilantro.  Squeeze a little bit of lime on top then get ready to roll into your wrap.  Roll the long end of the leaf completely over the mixture 1 time + and then fold both outside ends in and continue to roll the long end until it is compleley rolled up.  Cut the wrap in half and enjoy!!!

Moody Men-It's a hormone thing

When most people think of hormone imbalances they think of the raging, chocolate craving, moody PMSing still ovulating woman or the hot flashing menopausal woman but hormone imbalances can occur in men as well.  And they can be just as devastating as a woman's imbalance and are, unfortunately most often undetected.  Andropause which is the male form of hormonal imbalance is the imbalance of estrogen (too high) and testosterone( too low) in men and can hit as early as age 30 to age 70. It is usually precipitated by stress, bad diet, and lifestyle which can also causes elevated cortisol levels which influence hormone production.  There can also be a genetic component that can predisposed a man to an imbalance.

In men, both testosterone levels and estrogen levels need to be measured but estrogen levels are often overlooked and not measured.  Many doctors have not realized the delicate necessity of testosterone and estrogen to be in balance.  If there is too little estrogen then men are predisposed to osteoporosis and bone fracture. If there is too much then there is a bigger predisposition to prostate cancer and colon cancer.

Low testosterone and elevated estrogen levels are associated with  moodiness, low libido, Heart disease, osteoporosis, muscle wasting, chronic inflammation, depression, reduced sexual desire and a loss of sense of well-being.  Excess abdominal fat, low energy, loss of insulin sensitivity, atherosclerosis, prostate and colorectal cancers, elevated cholesterol levels are all signs of a possible hormonal imbalance as well.  It would be an understatement to say that these little chemicals have a far reaching influence on how we feel and our overall general health as well. Some doctors feel that as many as 50-70% of adult Americans could benefit from hormone testing

There is some disagreement amongst the health care profession as to the best way to test hormones-salivary vs blood. I feel that the best way to test cortisol levels and sex hormones is by salivary testing. Salivary testing is measuring the amount of hormone in the tissue while blood measures the amount circulating in the blood.  And since our hormone levels fluctuate throughout day, the salivary collection allows for that fluctuation as it is taken at 4 different times throughout the day.  The diurnal rhythm of cortisol levels, which is very important, can easily be measure with the saliva collection where collection of blood four times a day would be very difficult.  The salivary test is kit made easy to do at home/office and is easy to pop in the mail in the self addressed and prepaid envelope.

Men, if you are  or have experienced any of the above symptoms and would like to test to see if your testosterone, estradiol, DHEA, and or cortisol levels are in the correct ranges please contact my office at  949-370-9843.  Women, these same test are also available to you.

Just a note here, I have found that it is very important to test cortisol levels whenever testing sex hormones as the health of the adrenal glands influences the output of progesterone, estrogen, testosterone and DHEA.

In Health and well being,

Cindy