The top of the day to you.

When I accept a new client, one of the conditions is that they begin right then to stop poisoning themselves as we can never poison ourselves into health. We can only be healthy when we do healthy things.

And there are 3 Foods to Avoid at all cost along with 3 Commandments of Eating which can be found in our "Defeating Bad Eating" series

One of the 3 Foods to Avoid is anything that's WHITE which includes sugar, salt, flour, white rice and the worst of them all = MILK! But there are so many who like the stuff and I have to tell you when you grow up drinking it for so many years that it's a bit of a challenge trying to find alternatives when so many of the recipes you know like the back of your hand call for Milk.

And since I started a healthy lifestyle, I knew from all the information that was out there and how bad it is for you I decided to see if I could quit the stuff. A good friend, Robert Cohen has a site www.notmilk.com that will blow you away about that health robbing (contrary to most of our beliefs about milk) foodstuff so many millions are drinking everyday thinking it's a Perfect Food!

I've been drinking fresh Coconut Milk for years because it's so natural with minimum preparation to it other than just getting into the dadgum thing. But let's first of all know how to pick on when we go to the store.

Look for the one with the deepest richest darkest color. And make sure there is no mold around the eyes (I call them the eyes. If anyone knows the right name for them I would appreciate hearing about it. And I will give you a gift when you do.)! Now set aside as many of them up that fit that requirement as you like and when you shake each one, choose the ones that have the most Coconut Water in them. I usually select about 2-3 a week when they're in season and immediately put them in the fridge.

OK now, how do I get into them with absolutely no hassle? I was at a Labor Day Party on the beach last weekend and they had 2 BUSHELS of Coconuts. I never saw that many in my life at one time so I was really taken aback with it.

Mary bought them so she could put all the Rum (Several Gallons of it) into them and she had several people in the garage with hammers and mallets all to no avail. I laughed and told Mary, "you guys have been out here for over an hour trying to figure this one out. How would you like to get into them and be drinking the Coconut Milk & Rum in less than 15 seconds?" She was thrilled but full of doubt until she was drinking Rum & Coconut Milk in 15 Seconds.

I have to tell you that all the healthful persuasion I could muster up would be futile at this point not to spoil the Coconut Milk with the Rum, so I must 'fess' up, I succumbed to it. I even had the nerve to try a mouth full. It had a better than I can remember flavor about the gallons of booze I drank before I came to my senses over the years but boy did it burn my stomach. I said the heck with this so I just kept turning out coconut after coconut.

Well to say I was the hit of the party would be a mild expression. Here's how you get into them in less than 15 seconds. Put the Coconut in the sink so the drain will hold it steady. Put it where the eyes are facing you. There are 3 eyes. One of them is always very soft and easy to get into. But open that one last as the milk will come flying out when you are hammering the screwdriver into the hard eye. So do the hard eye first and then pick up the Coconut up and mash the screwdriver into the soft eye and pivot the screwdriver in such a way that you make the hole bigger.

It so happens Mary had a uniquely small funnel so putting the Rum in the hundred or so Coconuts was no problem. Keeping up with the demand was the problem. But I actually had a blast doing it.

Now some of them wanted to eat some fresh Coconut. So here's the trick of the century. After you drain the Coconut Milk from the Coconut (I usually put in into my Vita-Mix or Thermomix = HIGH-POWERED Blenders for later), put the whole Coconut into one of those plastic bags they give you when you go to the grocery store that you are always trying to save to recycle. Wrap it up and them put it into another bag and wrap it up and then one more time.

Now go outside in the garage or the front porch and throw it on the concrete floor several times until it's broken into several pieces. Come back in the kitchen and open the bags up and presto all the shell is separated from the Coconut Meat. I was elated several years ago when I discovered how to do that. It makes the Coconut a pleasure to look forward to getting into. And what a great way to get rid of some frustrations when you are throwing it on the concrete floor.

Now how to make the milk which will be a staple in your home I'll grant you. We know that cow's milk is a no-no. It's an honest to goodness poison to your body and when I get all my clients off the junk, lo and behold all their breathing problems disappear and the sinus totally clears up along with a host of other digestive disorders. But you are thinking that it would still be nice to have a glass of milk knowing it's great for you and I'll really guarantee that the kids will love it.

A few of the Coconut pieces will still be loosely hanging onto the shell. Just take a butter knife and squeeze them off.

Now just rinse a bit of water over the pieces to get the little coconut stems and such off the meat. Now remember when I said I put the Coconut Milk into the Vita-Mix or Thermomix = HIGH-POWERED Blenders for later. Well now is the time to use it to make the best Coconut Milk you ever drank had. Put one half the Coconut pieces into the Vita-Mix or Thermomix along with one pint of Distilled Water. Blend it up for 1-2 minutes.

Then pour the entire mixture into a colander and let drain in a cooking pot and enjoy a glass of pure nectar. Now do the same with the other half of the Coconut pieces with one pint of just plain Distilled Water and let it blend for 1-2 minutes. When it's done then do the same as you did with the first half. Pour the entire Coconut Milk into a one half-gallon glass bottle and it will keep very well in the fridge for at least 3 days.

An awesome treat fit for a king and nutritious as you can get. I know this is a longer than normal message, but I wanted to get the entire picture of Coconuts out of the way for you once and for all so you can finally enjoy them with ease.

Although your character is formed by circumstances, your own desires can do much to shape those circumstances. What is truly ennobling in the doctrine of free will is the conviction that you have the power over the formation of your own character.

Nature is at work around you. Character and destiny are her handiwork.
She gives you love and hate, jealousy and reverence. Yours is the power to choose which impulse you will follow.

You can at any time decide to alter the course of your life, no one can take that away from you. You are the master or your joys and your sorrows. The greatest power you possess is the power to choose. So my encouragement for you this week is to choose to eat good stuff so you'll always be tough. Best to you.

Wayne "The Mango Man" Pickering

PS I must give credit to someone who is a remarkable purposeful man and wife. Ron Sweet and Nancy MacDonald in Clearwater, FL for so many of their positive aphorisms they've shared with me over the years. For this I dedicated this message to them.

Finally, a lot of folks tell me they don't have the time to do this. Well I like to do 2-3 things at once and this is a perfect time to do that. I listen to educational tapes everyday of the week and this is a perfect time to do that. I put my Sony Walkman on my side and listen to something very positive for the marketing of my business. Doesn't hurt to learn while you earn your nutrition.

I was listening to our "Defeating Bad Eating" Series again today and am excited to give you the sale of the century.

Here's what you can expect when you adhere to the message in the series.

• At last, Relief from Heartburn, Indigestion & Upset Stomach
  
• Boost your Immunity & Feel GREAT once again increasing your VITALITY.
• Enjoy Sleeping MORE SOUNDLY and notice a remarkable IMPROVEMENT in your Circulation.
  
• Embrace Constipation becoming a THING OF THE PAST.
  
• Your www.notmilk.com & you'll have SWEETER smelling Breath
  
• Savor Guilt Free Desserts, Healthy Pastas and Irresistible Fruit Pies!
  
• Eat lots of Delicious Ice Cream - Here's the Scoop!
  
• Have More Energy, Less Stress and a Better Mood

• The 3 Commandments of Eating?
  
• The 3 Foods to Avoid at all cost?
  
• The best ways to burn fat and calories?
  
• How we combat the 3:00 late afternoon energy low?
  
• When we go out and eat in a restaurant, or even McDonalds, what should
• we do?
  
• Why some Foods EXPLODE in your stomach.
  
• Where we get our Calcium? Protein? B-12?
  
• If we supplement our diet with vitamins and minerals or not?
  
• What's actually for Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner?

Copyright © 2003 Center for Nutrition, Inc