Fund and Food Raiser a Success!

Thank you neighbors and friends! Our joined effort collected 100 pounds of produce, $75 in Target Gift Cards and a bounty of pantry goods. We received 40 eggs from our friends with back yard chickens. We “sold” a handful of them which reaped $50 in cash donations, leaving many more organic eggs to share with House of Hope.

For me personally, today was one of the best days I have had in since the lock-down. Leading up to today, I kept telling my 8 year old daughter and 10 year old son all about the House of Hope and how I wanted to help.  We worked on making and posting signs together, and told neighbors to prepare donations. From 12-3’oclock today, we played out in the front yard and waited for the donations to roll in. It was incredible to watch the continuous stream of friendly faces stop over with fruit and pantry goods. What a treat to see friends, neighbors and complete strangers with donations in hand. It was more joy than I had felt in a while.

Seeing the need and doing something by calling out to friends and neighbors led me feel like I was participating in a solution. What nice change from the feeling of hopelessness that has haunted me for the past month!  Let’s continue to band together to #dosomething. There is no other way to conquor this than with love! Let’s keep going. We’ve got this!

What can you do today to be part of a solution?

“Food and Fund Raiser” for House of Hope Los Gatos

We need YOU to help donate food and funds!

On Saturday, April 18th, Health Bear Food Co will be hosting our first “Food and Fund Raiser”. We welcome your donation of any food item we can sell- Fruits from your trees, herbs cut and tied from your garden, cookies baked and wrapped, snipped roses from your rose bushes- whatever Spring bounty you are able to share will be sold and 100% of the proceeds will be given to House of Hope.  If you do not have anything along these lines to contribute, consider bring canned foods and we will donate them, along with the cash from the sale, to House of Hope. Health Bear will donate 50 cups of Coconut Cardamon Oat Porridge!!

House of Hope typically serves 70 families per week. With the COVID-19 crisis raging, they now serve 110 families per week. House of Hope needs our help. Families in need are requesting: Peanut Butter, Cereal, Rice, Toilet Paper and Grocery Store gift cards. All non perishable pantry items are welcome. Social distancing and sterilization measures will be taken very seriously. Donations will be received ‘touch free’ for your protection.

More heartbreaking stories are circulating amongst our friend circles about people out there without work and in need of food. We hear stories on the news of people lining up at food banks and the cupboards are becoming bare. Lets join together and DO SOMETHING!

See you on April 18th, 12-3 pm at 18368 Twin Creeks Road. Monte Sereno, CA 95030

For friends out of the area who are unable to participate in person, donations are welcome at Venmo:  @Lisa-Matar

For more information on the House of Hope:

4 Ingredients for Weight Loss in 2020

GET LIGHTER THIS YEAR

Looking for a new trick to achieve your weight loss goals this year? I researched the powerhouse health ingredients I put in Oat Porridge when I designed it and found 4 ingredients in particular that will help achieve your weight goals for 2020.

Each flavor of Oat Porridge contains what I have called, “The Omega Mix”… Chia Seeds, Flax Seeds, Hemp Hearts and Oats- then I flavored each with fruits, spices, seeds or nuts. The Omega Mix is a blend of superfoods that help you achieve healthy weight loss with FIBER. Diets high in fiber have been linked to weight loss.

INGREDIENTS

Chia Seeds contain a lot of fiber. Fiber is known to stabilize blood sugar, helping your achieve a healthy weight.

Flax Seeds are another ingredient rich in fiber. Feeling fuller longer suppresses the appetite- which leads to a reduction of over-all calorie intake.

Hemp Seeds are also rich in fiber and a known natural appetite suppressant- again, helping you feel fuller longer and reduce hunger pangs.

Oats Controlling your weight with the fiber in oats is a winning bet. The fiber content of oats keep your digestive system firing efficiently, aiding in your weight loss efforts.

A word of wisdom, while enjoying the benefits of a high fiber diet, please remember to drink plenty of water. Without proper hydration, you may find your body having difficulty processing the fiber and can result in cramps and constipation.

Health Bear wishes all of you a HAPPY and HEALTHY new year! We are honored to be part of your wellness journey, bringing Oat Porridge to you in 2020. We are excited to show up for you with a breakfast that gets you out the door with a hot meal in hand… keeping you humming along at full speed and a full tummy until lunch. Give us a try www.healthbearfood.com https://healthbearfood.com

A new year begins and renewed proclamations of health and wellness are made. Not only a new year, but a new decade is before us, an opportunity to turn the page and progress towards better versions of ourselves.

Magical Magnesium

I recently hit the spa for a much needed massage. My back was feeling like poured cement after a nasty episode of my back being ‘thrown out’. The massage therapist recommended a Magnesium massage for my condition… and it helped tremendously. As I was laying on the massage table, I began to think about this miraculous mineral. I recalled learning about the health benefits of each of the ingredients of Health Bear Oat Porridge and Magnesium kept popping up.

Magnesium Aids the Body With…purple and pink plasma ball

  • Converting food into energy
  • Creating new proteins from amino acids
  • Creating and repair DNA and RNA
  • Contraction and relaxation of muscles
  • Regulating Neurotransmitters, which sends messages throughout your brain and nervous system.
  • Exercise Performance 
  • Brain Function and Mood 
  • Type 2 Diabetes 
  • Lowering Blood Pressure 
  • Chronic Inflammation, which is one of the drivers of aging, obesity and chronic disease.
  • Managing Migraines 
  • Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS), which is one of the most common disorders among women of childbearing age.

Here is a quick list of our ingredients that have a substantial source of Magnesium and even more health benefits:

  • Dark Chocolate: Improves blood flow and lowers blood pressure

chopped chocolate

  • Almonds: Natural Anti-Inflammatory

almonds nuts in jar

  • Oats: Naturally gluten free, lowers cholesterol

bowl of cereal

  • Flax, Pepita, Chia Seeds: Sources of Iron & Omega 3; Antioxidants, lowers cholesterol

black and gray pebbles

You may be experiencing a Magnesium deficiency if you are experiencing…

  • Fatigue, Aches and pains, Mood problems, Muscle cramps, Migraines, Irregular sleep patterns and insomnia, Heart irregularities, Muscle twitches and spasms, Anxiety, Digestive trouble, Lack of appetite, Constipation, Memory problems, Depression

 

Pick up some HealthBear Oat Porridge for your next breakfast to ensure you are giving your body a brilliant start to the day!

Clearing The Linguistic Confusion Around The Hot Hot Hot World of Hemp

CBD and Hemp Summit

Clearing the Linguistic Confusion Around the Hot Hot Hot world of Hemp

Hemp. CBD. THC. Cannabinoid…. Oh My! What is this whole new language!?

I continue to search out information for my readers to further enhance their knowledge behind healthful ingredients that can bring greater wellness to their lives. This time, my quest took me to the Natural Foods Expo East in Baltimore, Maryland.

While attending the ‘Hemp and CBD Summit’ at the Natural Foods Expo, I learned a lot about this contemporary subject matter. While professionals took the stage to create awareness around the modern world of cannabis, scientists, farmers, lawyers, educators and doctors shared their knowledge on the incredible health benefits surrounding this ancient plant.

The top take-away I got from the summit was simply learning the basics of cannabis vocabulary. This fundamental knowledge will help you understand what all of the buzz is about.

Agricultural Hemp: Agricultural Hemp is part of the cannabis plant family. And by definition contains less than 0.3% THC. It must be registered, inspected and certified by the Respective state program in which it is grown and harvested.  (Cannabis plants with higher amounts of THC are classified as marijuana).

CBD: CBD is the abbreviation for Cannabidiol, one of many cannabinoids found predominantly in hemp. CBD is non-psychoactive (does not make you ‘high’). It is considered to be very safe and beneficial.

Cannabinoids: Cannabinoids are a diverse class of chemical compounds that occur naturally in the body (endocannabinoids) and in several plants, including cannabis. In contrast, phytocannabinoids are the primary chemical compounds found in all cannabis plants.

Cannabis: Properly known as cannabis sativa, cannabis is the ‘parent’ plant of both marijuana and agricultural hemp, which are two very different plants cultivated and utilized in very different ways.

Efficacy: In terms of products, efficacy means that a product has the ability to produce its intended effect. For example, dish soap is efficacious if it cleans dishes well.

Endocannabinoid System, (ECS).: The ECS is a biological system that helps regulate homeostasis (balance) in the body. It is composed of endocannabinoids (cannabinoids natural produced in the body), enzymes and cannabinoid receptors (primarily CB1 and CB2) found on cells in the central and peripheral nervous systems and immune system.

Full Spectrum: True full-spectrum hemp oil is made with the whole hemp plant (Nota CBD isolate or concentrate) and contains high levels of both. Cannabinoids and other beneficial phytonutrients, including terpens (beta-caryopyllene, humulene and limonene) flavonoids, polyphenols and others.  In contrast, “broad-spectrum” hemp oil is primarily a CBD isolate or concentrate with very small amounts of the other phytonutrients.

TCH is the abbreviation for Tetrahydocannabinol, a psychoactive cannabinoid (one that gets you ‘high’) found predominantly in marijuana.

OK friends… this is a lot to absorb. I believe many of these words, if not all of them will become main stream in the near future and you will be smug to know you were one the first to have the knowledge. Well done my friend! Share this with another cool and hip change maker like yourself. Understanding the language is the first step in truly understanding this emerging category.

Two Wellness Practices to Add to Your Life

Ladies, we need to talk… about “wellness”. How about the wellness that comes with ‘vegan’ ‘gluten free’, ‘yoga’, ‘organic”sugar free’ ‘BS-free’ and other varieties of self care? All super cool, right? Now stop and think about what makes us-well. We all know what to do to feel good, and we all know we are all guilty of making the choice to NOT do those wonderful things. Let’s shine the light on what is upsetting our souls and what we do to actually deal with it.

California Vegetarian Food Festival and Symposium

Opportunity knocks for all of our plant based eating friends- The California Vegetarian (Vegan) Food Festival and Symposium will be held in just a few short weeks from now. On September 21st from 11am-6pm, join like minded individuals to learn about plant based foods. Mingle with chefs, nutritionists, animal rights friends, farmers among other influencers in San Francisco’s Palace of Fine Arts.

Award winning speakers, athletes, nutritionists, physicians and advocates will present on all subjects related to the eco-friendly lifestyle. We will all be reminded the plant based lifestyle that has found itself in the mainstream spotlight is not a trend, it is a movement.

HealthBear will be attending. We are looking froward to meeting the industry experts who are moving the plant-based industry forward. We love opportunities like these so that we can continue to bring you current news in the veg world!

https://www.cavegfoodfest.com/index.php

This Common Spice Will Spice Up Your Health

A spice that has seen its glory celebrated in everything from ancient Egyptian ceremonies to modern-day Snickerdoodles:

CINNAMON!

brown textile on white surface

Cinnamon… What a marvelous spice! Just the smell of cinnamon has a way of taking you back in time- memories of Cinnamon spiced apple pies and toasty apple cider in the winter. Growing up in California, what summer was complete without a cinnamon Chiro at an outdoor festival or a cinnamon toast on a lazy Sunday morning? There is a popular culture club around world which celebrates the annual reemerging of the ‘Pumpkin Spice Latte’ from Starbucks never quits. It seems there are endless foods and beverages with cinnamon that take the center stage: Cinnamon Rolls, Bananas Foster, Cinnamon Raisin Bread or Monkey Bread, French Toast. We have all experienced a variety of cinnamon goodness. Around the world, cinnamon has ben a part of human food and medicine culture for thousands of years.

 

Aside from cinnamon being unbelievably yummy, there is a tremendous amount of good news that comes in that little jar inside everyone’s spice cabinet. Cinnamon has health benefits that are impressive. Here are 8 good reasons as to why you should incorporate this magical spice into your life more often.

  1. Cinnamon is loaded with Antioxidants: out doing popular spices such as garlic and oregano.
  2. Cinnamon is a powerful anti-inflammatory, which helps your body to combat infection and repair tissue damage.
  3. Cinnamon may reduce the risk of heart disease and diabetes. Research shows cinnamon reduces blood sugar, blood pressure and cholesterol.
  4. Cinnamon improves insulin resistance.
  5. Cinnamon may have beneficial effects for people suffering from Neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s Disease.
  6. Cinnamon helps in preventing Cancer.
  7. Cinnamon fights bacterial infections.
  8. Using cinnamon and other spices in lieu of salt is a great strategy to cook healthier.
 

HealthBear is proud to include cinnamon in our beloved oat porridge flavor Coconut Cardamom, available now!

Follow this link for more detailed information on health benefits.

Help Your Body with this One Tiny Seed

GIVE YOUR BODY THE GIFT OF FLAX SEEDS!

With all the interest in plant based eating that has drawn so much attention in the past few years, we went on a mission to find a plant based grain to recommend to our readers. Looking for something easy to incorporate into all meals, Flax Seeds are a great addition to your diet. Our research has uncovered just how big of a punch these little seeds pack. To get all of the benefits of Flax, be sure to always grind before eating!! This is exactly why we at HealthBear use ground flax in all of our Pure Porridges. See, we love you!! Now, on to the amazing benefits of FLAX.

3 REASONS TO ADD FLAX TO YOUR DIET

  • FEEDING YOUR DIGESTIVE SYSTEM A FIBER FAVOR
    • Two tablespoons of flax seeds provides 20% of the fiber intake you want to aim for per day. This digestive treat curbs common digestive issues like diarrhea and constipation. Additionally, soluble fiber feeds the beneficial bacteria in your stomach, turning your tummy a pre-biotic all you can eat buffet for the good guys. Besides gut health, the soluble fiber found in Flax is key in helping regulate blood sugar and cholesterol. Win!
  • BLESS YOUR HEART!
    • Flax seeds boast high rankings in Amino Acids that makes your heart sing. Phytosterols, a cholesterol lowering compound is found in Flax, has been shown to have a cholesterol-lowering effect. One study indicates regularly consuming flax seeds may lower cholesterol by 6-11%. Then there are the antioxidants! One antioxidant in particular, Lingnans are plentiful in Flax. This antioxidant has been linked to deceased risk of heart disease as they reduce levels of fats in the blood. YES.

 

  • DON’T ROLL THE DICE ON CHRONIC DISEASE.
    • Omega-3 Fatty Acids are essential for keeping your heart in the best health. Consuming Omega-3 rich flax seeds feeds your body while decreases the risk of heart disease and chronic kidney disease. Flax also shows to lower blood pressure, lowering your risk for stroke. Diabetes concern? Studies show that supplementing with 10-2- grams of ground flax a day for 2 months reduces fasting blood sugar by up to 19.7%.

Keep your eye on the blog for ways to incorporate Flax into your diet. We will continue to search for creative ideas. In the meantime, eat a daily serving of HealthBear Porridge for a hefty serving of this power grain your body will thank you for :):).

Add This to Your Daily Gratitude Reflection

LIVING IN GRATITUDE

BY HEALTH COACH TAMMY PARKINSON


I love beginning my day with my morning ritual. I’ve been creating a special routine by journaling my gratitude and attractions of the day for over 15 years. I added in meditation and intention setting about 5 years ago, which were the missing pieces to my morning. I can’t imagine starting my day without this special process of appreciation. It is my anchor to living in gratitude.

About 9 months ago, I started to “bookend my day” with a reflection of something special—something significant that happened in my day. I take time to close my eyes and I begin scanning my day in my mind. I will start with the morning time, reflect on what conversations I had, what activities I did, beautiful things I saw, what inspired me, and I search for something extra special which stood out more than anything else. It’s as if I’m having my Godiva chocolate at night and I’m savoring my day. It’s a date with my memories. While in this process I always find something amazing that occurred—often many amazing things! It’s even been interesting to try and choose just one; but I always do. It’s always a little something that pulled at my heart strings. I write it down in my journal.


 
What’s unfolded is a thread throughout the months, showing me where my joy is day after day. I can then ask myself if I’m doing all I can to keep these moments, conversations, activities & friendships in my life consistently. I’ve found that, in my day, I now start looking for these special moments & begin to anticipate them. I live more presently.
 
This nighttime ritual is still new, but it’s one of the best gifts I’ve offered myself. I don’t miss a night—it’s fun and feels right!
 
I imagine that in years to come, I can look back at any day in my past and recall these special moments I’ve written about, and it will always bring my peace.
 
I encourage you to try this… play with it… let it be fun. Let yourself unfold into the memory of your day.

About the author: Tammy Parkinson

For most of my life I struggled with my weight and nutrition. Through years of constant battling with my weight, I turned a corner when I finally understood what it takes to drop body fat and stay on a healthy nutritional track for life…without compromising my lifestyle. I gave up a career in the corporate field and dedicated my life to helping others turn their corner. From starting Body Firm over 19 years ago, I have grown, sold Body Firm to a wonderful colleague and dedicated my life to Lifestyle and Nutritional coaching solely… one client at a time.  The individuals I’ve been blessed to guide had a ripple effect and are inspiring others towards their goals too.

Learn more about Tammy on her website: https://www.mybodyfirm.c