Whatever your New Year’s Resolutions might be, we of the Center For Natural and Integrative Medicine, hope they will include continuing or adopting a healthy lifestyle. It sounds so easy when you boil all the wellness advice down to a sound bite that we call the Big Four:  You need adequate nutrition, sleep, exercise, and a little time to yourself.

Changing life habits to obtain the Big Four listed above is not easy. That is why the Center has a team approach. If you feel your health is at a crossroads, or if you have concerns about a certain condition, read our special page about a visit to our Center. Perhaps 2014 is your year to consider the natural medicine approach to your health and well being.

In 2014:  Resolve To Try One New, Healthy Flavor Per Week!

A recent cooking show features healthy foods instead of the usual butter, cream and sugar associated with fine cooking. The chefs concentrate on flavors and a popular flavor, said to relieve minor to moderate pain, is gaining more and more attention.

You might have seen it in the news lately: Capsaicin. This is “the ingredient found in different types of hot peppers, such as cayenne peppers, that makes the peppers spicy hot.”

Although the chefs in the cooking show were using it in a powder form, capsaicin can be found easily in raw or cooked peppers. You can add it to food or drinks for a warm, spicy kick.

Amazingly, this same ingredient can be incorporated into a cream for joint, muscle, or nerve pain.

Given this time of year, we thought you might like to try your capsaicin in a special hot drink, to toast your New Year and your healthy resolutions. So, here is the recipe for our favorite Mexican Hot Chocolate drink from Elena’s pantry:

Mexican Hot Chocolate

Your shopping list:  The Ingredients

1 (13.5 ounce) can coconut milk

1 cup water

¼ cup cacao powder

¼ cup agave nectar or honey

20 drops vanilla crème stevia

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1 tablespoon cinnamon

¼ teaspoon chili powder

dash cayenne pepper

dash celtic sea salt

Elana’s Magic:  The Directions 

1. Place coconut milk, water, cacao powder and agave in a vitamix

2. Puree on high speed until smooth

3. Blend in stevia, vanilla, cinnamon, chili, cayenne and salt

4. Heat mixture in a saucepan until warm

5. Top with Whipped Cream (You know that this is optional!)

6. Re-blend and Serve!

Sip and feel the warmth! Happy, Healthy 2014!