Spontaneous Cruise We went to Mexico Celebrate Asparagus Its Good For You Its Time For Spring Cleaning On The Inside A Note From the Queen Dear Subscriber, I am sitting here, out in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, on a cruise ship watching men take off their shirts for the hairy chest contest. It's Majestic's Birthday March 8th, and at the last minute we got this great deal on a trip to Mexico. So we just did it! One of my goals this year was to take fun spontaneous trips with my family. From the ship, we could see hundreds of dolphins and whales migrating to Alaska. I am so glad Majestic got to see them. Saturday, we got off the ship in Mexico and took a taxi ride to La Bufadora, which means "the snorter." The waves would come up through this hole in the side of the hill side and spray all over the place. Also they had locals peddling their goods. I had fun bargaining with them. We then took the taxi to Estero beach where it was low tide, Majestic collected all kinds of sand dollars and shells. That night there was a ping-pong contest on the ship. This 35 year-old man had won twenty-two games. Majestic asked if she could play. This woman asked, if she knew how to play. Majestic said, "Yes, I can play." The game began. Majestic beat him 15-21. After the game, The young woman came up to her and asked her what was her secret. Majestic said, "listen to your body and stay calm." I learn so much from her. Classes Girlfriends all need support in one way or another. We love to talk, share, and help each other. This is what makes us feel strong, independent, and confident. This is where I am going to post classes, and support groups. Let me know the kinds of classes or support groups you are interested in. For example: Learning Feng Shui, relationships, family, career, beauty, diet, healthy cooking, eating raw, wine tasting, to name a few. The sky is the limit; we can have anything we want.healthqueen@fountainofhealth.com Feature Article Celebrate Asparagus Its in Season and Good For You Type "food festival" into a search engine and you'll come up with a long list of mouth-watering local events that take place around the country. We celebrate walnuts in West Virginia, apples in Pennsylvania and onions in Georgia--just to name a few. Asparagus is honored during the last weekend of April when Stockton California throws its harvest party. Although asparagus can be found almost year round in most grocery stores, it is only harvested in the US from March to June or July. Washington, California and Michigan are the largest domestic producers of asparagus. In March, the first shoots are peeking their way out of the soil in California. Asparagus is an amazingly beautiful vegetable. There are two main colors of asparagus--white and green. White asparagus is not a separate variety. It is white because it is grown completely underground so that no chlorophyll develops. Green asparagus, which is either purely green or has green stalks with purple tinged leaves, is sold in a range of sizes from very thin pencil asparagus to thick and juicy jumbo size. When considering which size to purchase, don't get fooled into thinking that thinner asparagus will be more tender. While the skin of smaller asparagus will be slightly more delicate, there is less of the juicy inner core, so the overall effect is that thinner asparagus has a firmer bite to it. >From a nutritional standpoint, asparagus has a lot to offer. It is a good source of vitamin C, thiamin and riboflavin and an excellent source of folic acid. Perhaps, most importantly, asparagus is high in cancer-fighting antioxidants. When purchasing asparagus, always make sure to check out the tips of the spears, if they are wet or mushy at all--choose another bunch. Buy asparagus that is firm and crisp, without any shriveled spears. When you get the asparagus home, keep it fresh and hydrated by refrigerating it standing upright in a tall container with one inch of water in the bottom. Don't store it near fruit. There is some evidence that the ethylene the fruit gives off causes the asparagus stalks to become woody. When you are ready to cook the asparagus, wash it first by soaking it in a cold-water bath. It can be sandy, and allowing it to soak helps insure that your finished dish won't be gritty. Once the asparagus is clean you will need to remove a bit of the bottom part of the stalk, which you can do by simply holding the spear close to the bottom and bending it until the bottom inch or so snaps off. For thicker asparagus, it is best to just cut off the bottom inch. Thick asparagus generally should be peeled starting two inches from the top down to the bottom of the spear. The outer layer contains cellulose fibers, which don't soften when you cook them. Asparagus can be eaten raw, but most people prefer it cooked. It is a very versatile vegetable and tastes great steamed, boiled, sauteed, grilled or roasted. To serve cooked asparagus in a cold salad, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, add the asparagus and cook it for 5 to 8 minutes. It is easy to over-cook asparagus, so stay at the stove and check it frequently. I test it by picking a spear out of the water with tongs. If the spear bends slightly, it's ready. Have a bowl of ice water sitting next to the stove, and when the asparagus is done cooking, immediately plunge it into the ice bath. Leave it in the cold water just long enough to cool it down and then take it out and place it on paper towels to soak up the excess water. Asparagus cooked in this manner can be stored in the refrigerator for two or three days. To grill or roast asparagus, simply toss it in olive oil, salt, pepper, and place on the grill or under the broiler until it is tender, approximately 10 to 15 minutes. About The Queen Teacher-Speaker-Lifestyle Coach. The Health Queen, Dawn Throne, is the founder and owner of Fountain of Health Wellness Center and Day Spa. Her lifestyle coaching, classes, and articles have helped thousands live happier, healthier, and more fulfilling lives. The Queen loves to wade through the maze of health and wellness information and condense it for you in a simple, fun, and enjoyable format. She is passionate about your health and happiness! Learn more today at www.fountainofhealth.com or email us at healthqueen@fountainofhealth.com. (916) 456-4600 (916) 736-9845 fax 2820 "T" Street Sacramento, Ca 95816 The Health Queen and Girlfriends Recommend SPRING CLEANING On the Inside It is spring equinox on March 20th. It is time to do spring cleaning on the inside. I recommend you do a series of five colonics, one each week for five weeks. Along with our Multi-Cleanse formula to cleanse the liver, kidneys, lungs, skin and spleen. You should do a whole body cleanse at least once a year, if not twice, because pockets in the colon build up with poop. If the colon does not fully eliminate, the colon will start to balloon out to adjust to the size of the amount of poop left in the colon. You should eliminate 2 to3 times a day. If you are not, the colon is expanding. Over time, it takes more and more time to get the colon back into maximum operating shape. That's why it is important not to let the colon get out of shape. Do your colonics regularly, at least every month to every three months. Colonics irrigate, hydrate and get the built up plaster off the walls of the colon. Imagine what is going to happen to the colon if you hydrate the walls for a series of five weeks. That plaster is going to loosen and get out of the pockets in the colon. 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