30 day raw food challenge!

So I was browsing the rawfoodtalk forums, and I decided it's time that I try the 30 day raw food challenge, for February (which is only 29 days but ya). I think that I am prepared enough that I can go 100% for 1 month. I want to do it so I can know that I can! Although I already eat mostly raw, it would be a good way to force myself to learn how to sprout grains and beans, instead of cook them, and I think it will also help me stay on track when it comes to raw so that I don't give up after 1 month again. The forums are great! You can chat with other people who are going for the same goals, and share success stories and recipes. So, February 1st is the day! I think that if I was to try the challenge for January I would have failed, but I feel like I have a solid foundation now, and I really think I can do it...I should say, I know I can do it! I'm going to have to be very strict on myself though, and make sure that I am uber prepared with recipes and food. Wish me luck (or I should say, wish me willpower)!

*It's also going to be very important that I eat enough so I can get complete protein, but I am confident I can do it (I also have the plasma center to regulate it).

Oh and I still haven't got what I need for the pizza bread, because I can't afford to buy any sundried tomatoes until next week :(. Boo for only getting paid once a month!

An interesting day

I am in kind of a rambling mood so I apologize/warn in advance! Well, over the weekend I went shopping with my cute little sis, and I needed some new pants, so I was having a dilemma: which size pants to buy? I am dedicated to raw food now, and I know that consequently I will shed inches, so I bought some pants that are 1 size too small. This will give me something to look forward to! One of the pairs is "skinny jeans" which I've never worn, but I know that when I can fit into them that I'll look proportionate and less like an orange on 2 toothpicks.

I had a craving all day for a pizza bread wrap stuffed with veggies, and covered in Caesar dressing...omg yum. Luckily, Alissa Cohen has great raw recipes in her book for this. I can't wait to make it! I wish I had thought of it earlier though, because today I had nothing to bring with me to work, and I was starving, so I went to the grocery store on my break. I must say, sometimes I do stupid things for no good reason and I don't know why. Example: wandering around the store on my break and choosing, of all things, microwaveable macaroni and cheese, just because it was $1. It seems as if the part of me who used to eat that junk surfaced for a moment and it "seemed like a good idea at the time". Nevermind that the ingredients list was a mile long and included, among chemicals I'd never heard of, palm oil. To me, if mac and cheese contains palm oil, well then something isn't right. Anyway maybe it's mostly because I've been eating mostly raw, whole food for 3 weeks, but I could only eat a few bites of the mac and cheese (which was bland, totally not worth it) and I felt like I was going to hurl. It was weird, I've never had a reaction like that to any food before (the flu is the exception). I swear the only thing that kept me from being sick was my heavenly Jonagold apple. It was the antidote to my poison.

So I've come to the conclusion that some days are really good raw food days, where every recipe turns out scrumptious, and then other days the raw food gods like to point and laugh, and play a few jokes. Today was one of the latter. Being as I have a sick sense of humor, I've decided to document it with pictures too! Anyway, tonight was supposed to be wheat crackers (not raw, but I'm working on making my own) topped with slices of tomato and avocado, and 1 olive. So I thought while I was at Smiths that I'd try one of their organic avocados...ya that was my first mistake. I took it home, all eager for it's deliciousness, and then disaster struck. Let this be a lesson - never and I repeat, never, eat an avocado that looks like this, or you just might...well, die. I'm serious. :)
Needless to say I will not be going to Smiths again for my organic produce...that is just gnarly. So, sans the avocado I still managed to make some pretty little tomato sandwiches, that I was greatly excited to eat...
...that was until my cat decided that she needed to sit on my lap, and then proceed to jump on the table with my beautiful creations. Sadly, I watched my dinner transform into this, right before my eyes:And it saddened me. Luckily, however, I still had a bit of tomato left over, so I just made a few more sandwiches and ate them along with a small bag of raw sweet potato chips.

Tomorrow I am going to the store to grab everything I'll need to make pizza bread and wraps. I hope they are good!

Cheesy Chips

I adapted this recipe for cheesy chips from Alissa Cohen's book:

1 sweet potato
2 Tbs olive oil
salt
nutritional yeast



Slice the sweet potato paper thin using a spiral slicer (or I just used my food processor). Brush on some olive oil, sprinkle salt and nutritional yeast. Dehydrate at 105 degrees for 8-10 hrs. Leave off the nutritional yeast if you just want a classic salty chip!

I'm not gonna lie, these are really good. The greenish stuff you see is the nutritional yeast, which really does taste cheesy. I could snack on these during a movie and not even miss popcorn or white, fatty potato chips! The best thing is (and I know that I shouldn't be thinking of calories but you can't beat this), 1 potato makes a ton of chips and the whole batch only has about 350 calories. A bag of lays would have that many in a small bag!

Some fun facts on the sweet potato:

Nutritionally, sweet potatoes are an excellent source of vitamin A and a good source of potassium and vitamin C, B6, riboflavin, copper, pantothetic acid and folic acid. Despite their "sweetness" they have been shown to stabilize blood sugar levels and lower insulin resistance, making them a beneficial food for diabetics. The sweet potato is not in the yam family, nor is it closely related to the common white potato. Therefore, it is not included as part of the nightshade family and does not contain the toxin solanine. Because of this, sweet potatoes pose no risk when eaten raw! However, they should probably be eaten in moderation, or with other foods, because raw sweet potatoes contain a trypsin inhibitor that can make them hard to digest.

Raw Balls, and Eggless Deviled Eggs

Ok, so "raw balls" sounds kinda funny, and there are many different versions, but I invented my own! I guess pretty much everything could be considered a "raw ball" as long as it's raw, and shaped into a ball, but I wanted to make something that would be a good dessert, and also help me get enough calories for the day. So I made chocolate and vanilla treats, and they were scrumptious!
Rachael's Raw Balls (tee hee):

base:
2/3 C macadamia nuts (can use walnuts for less fat)
2/3 C cashews
2/3 C shredded, dried coconut

chocolate sauce:
1/8 C honey
1/8 C carob powder
salt
bit of water to blend

vanilla mix:
2 Tbs raw almond butter, heaping
1 Tbs vanilla extract
salt for zing
bit of water for thinning

Put all the base ingredients in a food processor and blend until slightly chunky. Add to either chocolate or vanilla sauce, mix in a bowl, and form into balls. Refrigerate or freeze to harden. Enjoy!

~~~~~~

This next recipe was taken from Raw Baby Alex, and it's Egg-less Deviled Eggs:

Hollowed out cucumber pieces, filled with the following:

2 cups cashews - (Ground fine in the coffee grinder, or food processor)
Celery diced fine
1 Green onion diced fine
Garlic powder to taste
Mustard powder
Ground black pepper to taste
2 Tablespoons pure water

I placed all the ingredients into a bowl and stirred until it was all incorporated. Add more water for blending if necessary. Spoon mixture into the hollowed out cucumber pieces. Sprinkle the tops with paprika. Serve chilled.

Ok, so mine don't look very "egglike", but I was in a hurry! Still, they were tasty! I actually recommend going easy on the mustard powder, and maybe only using either the garlic powder or the onion, depending on how spicy you like them! I also imagine they would taste good with some chopped black olives thrown in for more zing, but I didn't try it so don't take my word for it! This recipe also inspired me to come up with one of my own, so I will be sure to make it soon, and share it if it's good!

Measurements - 1/24/08

Neck - 13 3/4 (no change)
Bust - 40 (lost 3/4 inch)
under- 34 (no change)
Waist - 36 1/2 (lost 3/4 inch)
Hips - 40 (lost 1/2 in)
Butt - 40 1/2 (no change)
Bicep - 11 1/4 (lost 1/4 in)
Forearm - same
Wrist - 6 1/2 (same)
Thigh - 19 1/2 (same)
Calf - 15 (lost 3/4 in)
mid calf - 12 (same)
Ankle - 9 1/4 (lost 1/4 in)

Total: 3 1/4 inches lost this past week

I'll post an updated picture next week! That will mark 1 month! Also, I think that I am going to start giving my measurements monthly as well, because I think I'm past the stage of rapid weight loss, so my measurements might not change much from week to week.

Snacks!! and an update..

My goodness, I haven't written in nearly a week because I've been so busy! I did feel that it was important for me to address something though, in regards to calories. On one of my past posts I mentioned I was only getting about half the calories I should have been eating...and that's bad! I would never encourage anyone to eat that little of food, but I wasn't feeling very well that week, so I wasn't very hungry. I think that it's hard for a lot of raw foodists to get in the daily nutrients/calories (unless you're eating cocao butter pie), so I thought I might post some snacks that are easy and tasty, to help meet those needs. I should say, however, that when we're eating the foods that are the best for our bodies, calories shouldn't be first on our minds, rather, we should be focusing more on eating enough of these good foods.

Good snacks!: (these calorie counts are all approximate)

Stalk of celery, or 6 baby carrots with 2 TBS raw almond butter - 210-230 calories

6 average whole wheat crackers w/ 2 TBS almond butter - 310 calories
(if you choose to eat raw crackers I don't know the calorie count, but it won't matter much because they are healthier)

6 whole wheat crackers with slice of tomato, avocado, and 1 olive - 160 calories

Sweet potato chips (1 sweet potato, sliced thin, dehydrated with 1 Tbs olive oil and salt) - 180 calories

1 sliced apple with 2 Tbs almond butter - 250 calories

1 tangerine with handful of walnuts - 360 calories

~~~~~~~

I also invented 2 new recipes today! I know, me invent recipes? That's unpossible! I will test them and share if they end up good!

Anyway, an update on how things are....well, I wanted to list some benefits that I've noticed so far, after being mostly raw for 3 weeks:
- Skin is softer and more supple
- No insomnia
- I am not depressed, my mood is balanced (even despite the fact that it's mid-winter!)
- digestive upsets are gone, no gas or indigestion
- eyes are brighter, teeth and gums healthier
- not tired during the day
- improved memory
- not stuffy when I wake up

Also, 2 strange things happened to me yesterday. First, I actually got a "happy buzz" off eating a carrot! Usually I only feel that way after eating chocolate chip cookies, but I swear, when I was eating my salad my body had the same "yay!" reaction. It was odd! Another strange thing is that I found out I really truly like spinach! Who would have thunk it? I am starting to crave vegetables, and I want them more than fruit even. I haven't even thought about chocolate lately, my carob powder keeps me satisfied! It's so weird because I used to be able to eat a bucketfull of sugar every day, but now even sweetener like honey is too strong sometimes. I've found that as much as I love fruit, I really can't eat a ton of it without feeling way bloated. Also, I don't like eating it past lunchtime either, it just doesn't seem appetizing. Weird! Lots of weird (I like that word) things seem to be happening to me, when I really think about it, but overall I still feel pretty much normal!

I feel like my body is cycling through my addictions, getting rid of each, one at a time. My first one was caffeine, which wasn't too hard to get over, and I really don't miss soda at ALL. It's much, much too sweet for me, and I won't touch aspartame. Next was sugar, which wasn't as hard as I thought it would be, thanks to natural sweeteners, fruit, and my friend carob, lol. Now that my need for sugar has pretty much passed, I think my body has moved on to salt. It seems like I still have to put salt on most everything just for it to taste good, and not bland. I am going to try experimenting with herbs and spices so that I can get lots of flavor without the need for salt. I've already avoided much of it by not eating packaged and processed food. I wonder if there is such thing as a fat addiction? I read somewhere that when people crave meat they are most always just craving fat, so maybe there is such a thing. I wonder if that's next for me?

Measurements 1/17/08

These are late, but here are my latest weekly measurements as of yesterday!

Neck - 13 3/4 (no change)
Bust - 40 3/4 (3/4 inch lost)
under - 34 (inch lost)
Waist- 37 (no change)
Hips - 40 1/2 (3/4 lost)
Butt - 40 1/2 (inch)
Thigh - 19 1/2 (1/2 lost)
Calf - 15 3/4 (3/4 lost)
mid - 12 (1/4 lost)
ankle - 9 1/2 (no change)
Bicep - 11 1/2 (1/4 lost)
Forearm - 9 1/4 (no change)
Wrist - 6 1/2 (1/4 lost)

So if I did my math right that is a total of 5 1/2 inches lost this week! That means my grand total is 14 1/2 inches so far! That makes me feel a lot better because my weight went up around 7 lbs when I was last weighed at the plasma center, which drives home the point that while weight fluctuates, measurements are more accurate.

Today I feel pretty good, and hungry like I thought I would! Yesterday I was only able to eat bananas because I had acid reflux SO bad. I wonder if acid reflux is a detox symptom or if I just had it for some other reason? Who knows. Today I'm going to the library to pick up some books on raw food, as well as other inspirational books. Namely I am interested in reading something by Gabriel Cousens. I'll try to be back later with a new recipe!

Food Pyramids and Disease

I thought it would be interesting to compare the American food pyramid, with the Asian pyramid that I found, to see how our priorities lie in regards to nutrition. First we have the American food pyramid:

This pyramid advocates eating 2-3 servings of dairy, and 2-3 servings of meat daily. Fats and oils are "use sparingly", which shows how stuck on "low fat" we still are. Also, maybe it's just me, but 6-11 servings of grain seems a little much to eat in 1 day. This doesn't even specify whole grain, but mentions pasta, and bread. It also mentions nothing about the beverages we should be consuming. Still, if Americans actually ate this way, I think we'd still be tons healthier than we are now.

Lets move on to the Asian Diet food pyramid that I found:

Wow, if Americans ate like this imagine the health benefits! First off, this pyramid includes daily physical activity which is something most of us obviously don't get. It also specifies noodles and breads, but adds & other whole grains, which is very important. Notice how there are no serving sizes, and how grains, fruits, legumes, nuts, seeds, veggies, and veggie oils are the only things that should be eaten daily. Notice how the oils is not placed at the top to be used "sparingly", probably because this diet is naturally low in fat, so there is no problem with oil. Also in the "optional daily" is fish and shelfish or dairy. Red mead is ranked as monthly (which is even less than sweets!), and poultry and eggs weekly. I also like how beverages are included.

There is no question in my mind which one is healthier, but it seems like it all comes down to mentality. We as Americans have the mentality that dairy and meat are healthy, good foods, that are pretty much ranked equally with fruits and veggies (according to the serving sizes on the pyramid), and I believe this is wrong. If our pyramid looked more like the Asian pyramid, and we actually ate that way (and we incorporated exercise!) I think that as a society we'd be so much healthier, and could avoid many of the diseases that are so commonplace.

On the subject of disease, why are we so resigned to it? Should we just accept it as inevitable? Chalk it up to bad luck or genetics? I say no. While there are many conflicting theories as to what causes disease, I believe the biggest reason is toxicity of the body, especially the glandular system. I also believe that our bodies can heal themselves of disease when they are functioning optimally. Now what can we do to ensure that our bodies are functioning optimally? That is the billion dollar question! It is what I'm in search for, and right now, the closest I've come to an answer is "eat more whole foods, especially raw ones". They contain everything the body needs, and in the exact amounts and compositions that nature intended!

Beans, the wonder food

If you are like me and want a good source of protein besides animal, where can you turn? BEANS! Beans are a great source of iron, B vitamins, folic acid, potassium, selenium, magnesium, and even some calcium. They are also a good source for soluble and insoluble fiber! Beans provide little fat and absolutely no cholesterol. A serving of beans provides about 120 calories, and the carbs are low on the glycemic index, which means they do not cause a steep rise in blood sugar, as do many other carbs. With as much protein (7 grams) in a 1/2 cup of beans as in an ounce of meat, legumes can provide many tasty options for meatless meals. However, beans are not considered a complete protein, because they lack the amino acid methionine. Including grain products such as corn, rice, and wheat (these all contain methionine) as part of a balanced diet, within 24 hours, will complete the set of essential amino acids.To reduce the explosive properties of dry beans, it is necessary to soak them for 2-4 hours, drain the soak water, and then let them simmer and cook for another 2 or so hours, depending on the type of bean. Once they are done cooking, if you again discard the water and rinse they will lose much of the indigestible sugars that cause their musical-ness!

However, and this is VERY important, there are only a few types of beans that I would suggest eating raw, as most raw, dry beans are very toxic.

Beans that can be eaten fresh:
- Green, string beans
- Lima beans
- Edamame
(maybe more but this is all I've found that is healthy)

Beans that can be eaten raw but sprouted:
- mung beans
- chickpeas (garbanzo)
- lentils
(maybe more but this is all I've found)

Beans that SHOULD NOT be eaten RAW:
- kidney beans (these are extremely toxic even after as little as 5 beans)
- soy
- pretty much every other dried bean (besides those above)

Some raw foodists would say "if a food can't be eaten raw then that means it shouldn't be eaten at all", but I disagree with that theory. I believe that beans, as well as grains, are essential cooked foods! So break out your favorite bean recipe and enjoy these little gems, because they pack a nutritional punch!

A weak day

Today I woke up feeling very weak and kind of nauseous. My heart is racing every time I even walk across the room, and when I tried to eat my orange I could only eat half of it. This same thing happened to me around the same time (2 weeks in) when I last went raw for a month. It's like I am repeating the pattern. I believe it comes from not eating very much lately. I have probably been taking in around 500-700 calories per day, for the past week, which is about half of what I need...but the odd thing is, I don't feel hungry at all. If my predictions prove right, however, then tomorrow I will be famished. When I look back on my old food journal, I was doing the same thing before; not eating a lot, not being hungry, then having a weak day where all I wanted to do was rest, then starting to feel much hungrier and eat normally. I wrote down a big shopping list of essentials that I can eat every day, as well as enough stuff to create at least 7 raw recipes for this coming week. I can't wait to make my raw pizza!! I am going to start adding in a lot more nuts and seeds, and other oils, so I can make up my calories that way (since fruits and veggies don't offer many). I was supposed to go to the plasma center today, but I get tired and weak as it is after I donate, so I knew to donate today would not be a smart choice. I was going to measure myself today, but couldn't find the tape measurer, so I'll do that tomorrow, along with the PC. Well, I'm off to Carlos' Produce to see what I can find there. I wonder if they have any organic produce? I am sooo craving cherries! However, I think that to buy fruit in season will not only save me tons of money, but also assure me better quality. I have been researching farmer's markets around here too, but they are mostly seasonal, July-Oct or so. Adios for now!

An update....I felt much better later in the day. I need to start eating a lot more!

My thyroid

So I was doing yoga today, and they have some specific exercises that are supposed to stimulate your thyroid, and help balance out your metabolism. At first I thought, "ok, whatever, they are probably just saying that", but then after doing them I could feel the glands in my neck getting a little sore, like they were swelling! When that happens it means your glands are too toxic and are releasing junk. Yoga says that your glands are the guardians of your physical and mental health, and I really believe that. They also have specific exercises that help cleanse the liver and kidneys. I was skeptical about that too, but since I felt immediate results from the thyroid exercises I can only assume those ones work as well. In fact, a clean liver is the key to beautiful skin, and my skin always looks more glowy after I do yoga (not flushed), and I often have to pee, which maybe means my kidneys are releasing junk? Who knows. All I do know is that I feel sooo good after doing yoga, and feel strong and poised. The kind of yoga I do, kundalini, relies on breath techniques to cleanse the blood. I feel like kundalini yoga and raw food are the perfect match, because they are each so cleansing, and they magnify each other when combined. I like to say that my yoga "teachers" are my DVDs, since I've never actually taken a class (I prob should), and my absolute favorite DVDs are the ones by Ravi Singh and Ana Bret. Check them out on Amazon! They get consistent 5 star reviews, and the DVDs are so fun that you'll want to collect them all. My favorite is Yoga Beauty Body, which is geared toward women.
Sometimes this makes me feel so happy that I get teary eyed. I know, sounds lame, but it's true! This is the DVD that made me feel like I was floating once, lol. If I had lots o' money I'd buy all their DVDs and rotate them. I have 4 so far but I want to add more! :)

Food/Caffeine addiction, and Milk

I found an answer to my problem yesterday. Why couldn't I stop eating Papa Johns? I found this great site Freedomyou.com, and copied some of their articles on food and caffeine addiction. It is so interesting!

Food Addiction
Excerpt from FOUNDATION TO ALL FREEDOM
by: Ron Lagerquist

Eating raw and whole foods assist the body in maintaining a healthy homeostasis, resulting in the natural reaction of hunger. Processed foods disturb homeostasis, saturated animal fats, refined oils, sugar, salt and additives upset the homeostatic balance. Hunger becomes distorted into cravings.

Consumption of massive amounts of sugar, salt, caffeine and fried foods have a drastic effect on homeostasis. The body reacts as it would to any addiction, powerful cravings override the body’s natural needs. Also food allergies can cause addiction due to homeostatic disturbance. You usually feel better when eating the food you are addicted to, however you may exhibit symptoms of feeling irritable, gas, nausea, depression or headache the next day, even in a few hours or minutes after you have eaten the food.

Milk, wheat and eggs are the most common allergic foods. Each contain large protein molecules with strong glue-like bonds. Many food allergens are the undigested protein fragments of meat, dairy products, wheat and eggs. If the appropriate enzyme necessary for digestion of these protein molecules is not present, they enter the blood undigested. In the bloodstream these protein fragments cause the immune system to respond, attacking these fragments as if they were invaders. Homeostasis has been imbalance and if these foods are continually eaten, the body will become dependant for homeostatic balance causing an allergen-based food addiction.

The brain also maintains homeostatic balance. Eating natural food allows the brain chemistry to function normally. Sugar, alcohol, caffeine, and chocolate cause imbalances in the brain’s normal chemistry. Neurotransmitters are proteins that electrically connect the nerve cells of the brain. In certain people, chocolate induces a neurotransmitter high creating daily cravings for chocolate. Some binge on sweets and starches for the serotonin effect, which acts as a mild sedative. Just like drugs, these experiences are short-lived, resulting in the need for more of the substance that caused the imbalance in the first place.

Caffeine Addiction
Excerpt from FOUNDATION TO ALL FREEDOM
By: Ron Lagerquist

There are more coffee drug addicts in the US than drug addicts of any other kind.
Charles F. Withal

Caffeine is highly addictive. Quitting coffee can cause withdrawal symptoms such as headaches, sleepiness and irritability. The acidic nature of coffee can lead to stomach ulcers. When the excess acid enters the bloodstream, it also increases calcium loss in urine. Both coffee and tea have no nutritional value. Tannin, the substance that makes tea cups brown and coats tea pots, is used for tanning leather. Imagine the stomach after twenty years of tea drinking.

Coca Cola put cocaine in their drink at the turn of the century. It sold extremely well. Some consumers succumbed to the addictive quality of cocaine and started to drink undiluted Cola syrup. When cocaine was banned for use in soft drink the bottlers switched to caffeine. The top selling soft drinks are loaded with caffeine: Coca Cola, 62 mg; Mountain Dew, 49 mg; and TAB, 45 mg. Similarly, instant coffee contains 66 mg per cup.

On those warm summer days, young children can drink large amounts of caffeinated pop. Children with half the adult weight and three times the sensitivity. One can of cola for them is equivalent to 3 cups of instant coffee for an adult. Caffeine, combined with sugar, salt, and a diet high in synthetic food, creates one unmanageable youngster.

Caffeine is also be found in cold remedies, diet pills, wake-up pills, chocolate, and pain killers. Over the counter and prescription pain killers will add to your caffeine quota: Excedrin, 65 mg; Midol, 32 mg; Anacin, 32 mg; Darvon Compound, 32 mg; and Fiorinal, 32 mg. Instead of healing the cold, caffeine slows down the elimination of mucus and destroys vitamin C.

In a survey, the four top reasons for people quitting coffee were: central nervous system disorders, 39%; gastrointestinal problems, 37%; to break the addiction, 19%; and fibrocystic breast tumors, 15%.

Monkeys are sensitive creatures. During the Boer War, the enemies of the British often poisoned their food supplies. Soldiers used monkeys to test the food. They chose what to eat by holding the food to their lower jaw and if the food was poisoned, the monkey would throw it away. A natural health practitioner, fascinated by the account, decided to test baboons to see if they had a similar ability. An apple was injected with strong coffee by a hypodermic needle. Two apples were given, the untouched apple was eaten hungrily by one baboon, a second baboon received the injected apple. He held it to his jaw, let out an angry screeching sound then tried to attack the experimenter. When he was given a good apple he went off to the corner and ate happily.

Caffeine is able to penetrate deep into vital tissue. Evidence shows that it may be linked to male infertility and also birth defects by passing through the placenta. Drinking coffee during breast feeding will cause caffeine to be present in mothers' milk.

Caffeine has a powerful effect on coronary arteries and the pulmonary and systemic vessels, causing a greater flow of blood to the heart muscle, but decreasing the flow of blood to the brain by constricting cerebral blood vessels. Caffeine can cause abnormally fast, abnormally slow and irregular heart beats. It also wreaks havoc on blood pressure, commonly producing hypertension. Coffee has been linked to heart disease, pancreas and bladder cancer, and hypoglycemia.

Here is also a great article on the lies we have all been told about cow's milk and calcium

http://www.freedomyou.com/nut

rition_book/Milk%20and%20Cookies.htm

A unique way to enjoy art

I feel blah

I feel very blah today. I woke up with a stuffy nose, and a sore throat. I don't know if it's because I just have allergies, or if it was because I ate like 100% cooked yesterday. I did ok until my hubby and his friend ordered Papa Johns, and I had just HAD to have 1 bread stick. But of course, 1 bread stick turned into 3, and then I had to eat a piece of pizza just cause, and some chicken wings (because I didn't want them to go to waste). Why is it that with cooked food I can just eat and eat and eat, but with raw I get filled up so fast? I'm not really mad at myself because of the food I ate, more like why I ate it. I didn't really need it, I wasn't that hungry even. I've decided food is seriously almost a drug to me. If it's there, in front of me, I have a really hard time resisting...it's almost impossible at this point. Then once I start I can't stop. It's weird because, take for instance the chicken wings...I wasn't craving them, I didn't particularly want them, but it was almost like my body was telling me I had to have them. It's not like this with raw food though, which is part of the reason why I think it's so good for me. I have a destructive relationship with cooked food, but a healthy one with raw. I am hoping that eating mostly raw will help me get over my destructive relationship, so that I can eat some cooked food once in awhile with self control, and a clear head. Oh well I am going to the store again today to buy some fresh food for the coming days, so I'll be prepared and ready the next time pizza comes my way!

It's another day, another chance at a clean start and good choices!

Raw burritos!

I STOLE THIS!! Just wanna throw that out there! It's not mine...obviously...I found it on YouTube, but the recipe looks so yummy! I will try it someday.


Ok, so I admit it tonight wasn't a very raw night. I needed to use up my veggies so I could buy some newer, fresher ones, so I threw everything in a stir-fry with olive oil and some nama shoyu, and also cooked some black beans. It was way tasty, but I should have just done it raw...oh well...at least I kept it whole foods. SO, I really do feel like I'm making progress finding good recipes, and I still have SO many more to try. It's funny, because when I first thought about going raw I was thinking "this is going to be SO boring...salads at every meal?!"...but I couldn't have been more wrong. There are endless possibilities!

Pasta!

Today I got a Santa Fe salad From Arbys (I know, "bad" huh :P), and it had chicken it in, which was weird because I haven't had meat in 1 1/2 weeks. A strange thing happened to me too...I found that my taste buds are sharpening, and the taste of the chicken was too strong and not too tasty. In fact, Aust ended up eating half of it. The rest was good though, although I could make my own almost raw version at home, if I could find the right sauce for it. That seems to be the key to making a good dish...the sauce. This experience has shown me that I'm really not craving meat, because I have no desire to eat it again for awhile, especially hamburger. My pasta primavera was good, but the sauce wasn't the best. It was pretty watery. I don't know if I should attempt to make anything creamy w/ nuts until I can get a VitaMix, because they end up grainy and gross. Maybe I'll try boxed almond milk in my next alfredo sauce, with more spice and less lemon. It just needs to be thicker/creamier. The zucchini noodles as "pasta" ended up being really tasty, and I've never been a fan of zucchini. They sort of absorb the flavor of whatever sauce is put on them. They also look just like pasta (but have a crunchier texture of course). I had a beautiful pic of them but lost it!!

Pasta Primavera

Wide zucchini noodles (just use the veg peeler)
Fresh garden peas
Chopped red pepper
Small chopped carrot
Baby tomatoes, halved
Fresh shredded basil
Fresh chopped parsley
Lemon zest


Alfredo Sauce
Adapted from Rawvolution’s recipe

¾ cup water
½ tsp honey
1 clove garlic
¼-1/3 cup lemon juice (unless you like a lot of lemon I'd go easy on it)
1 tsp sea salt
1 ¼ cup cashews

Blend all ingredients until smooth.

I feel grateful because I'm getting to the point where I can appreciate the smell and look of cooked treats, but I don't really crave them or even have a desire to eat them when I see others eating. I am still in an exploratory stage with raw recipes, so maybe when that dies down a little I'll start craving the cooked more...who knows. Or maybe by then I'll have amassed so many scrumptious raw recipes that I'll be satisfied. I hope so! I am no natural born cook so for me it's all about trial and error.

Philosophical blather

I have this annoying little habit of turning anything and everything to a philosophical discussion inside my head. I guess it's just my nature to think too much and dissect every little thing, but the only cure is to write it down! So, I've decided to torture other people as well by sharing it! Plus, I figure if anyone reads it they might understand a little bit more of why I think the way I do. That being said, my philosophical blather is always subject to change, and can really only reflect what I am feeling at the moment. If I were to know everything and solidify all my beliefs by age 25 then I'd be a fool for sure! And of course, all the stuff I spout off really only pertains to me, so I don't want to come across as preachy or force any of my beliefs on anyone...I just like to share!

The biggest snowstorm of the year!!









So, the other day I stumbled upon a dilemma, but I think I've found the answer. I asked myself the other night, "why does cooked food taste so yummy and a lot of raw food taste so icky? If God wanted us to only eat raw foods then why would he give us the knowledge to create blueberry cheesecake, or onion rings, or stuffed chicken marsala? :)" But, then that begs the question, did God give us that knowledge? I have a hard time believing Satan would, but then again, I do believe Satan is behind the fast food industry...but that's a whole other can o' worms, so lets not go there...anwyay...so, let's be hypothetical and assume that God did give us all this knowledge regarding yummy food that isn't so good for us. That leads me to 2 conclusions. Firstly, that my original question is wrong in its entirety, because most of our taste buds have our priorities wrong. It could be that cooked food is supposed to taste icky, and the raw food the yummiest. Still, I have a hard time with that because let's face it, there are some cooked things that taste good, because they just taste good. Such as refined cane sugar, mashed potatoes, macaroni and cheese, etc. Even if I was able to go 100% raw for my whole life I couldn't deny that those things DO taste yummy (to me, anyway). So the second conclusion (the one that I agree most with) is that God gave us these yummy cooked foods as treats, as things that should be eaten sparingly. First off, I need to clarify between what I believe are essential cooked foods, and cooked treats. Essential cooked foods, things that I believe we need lots of, would be grains and beans, maybe potatoes once in awhile. Cooked treats would pretty much be everything else. That being said, I am making sense of my conclusion about cooked food in 2 ways. 1. I have gone on an epic quest to find raw recipes that are great substitutes to the cooked food I'm used to (not an exact match in taste per-say, but yummy in their own way). 2. I believe that all the food out there, raw and cooked, is for use to enjoy. The problem is that most people, especially Americans, eat the cooked foods in so much excess that we throw our bodies way out of whack. We indulge in things that should be eaten sparingly, every day, as if eating mac n' cheese is good for us, and normal. To me it is not normal. It used to be, but now it is just a treat. Now if I go the other way, and say I eat only 100% raw 100% of the time, then I look back and say "gee, there was this cooked dish that I absolutely would sell my soul for...too bad I can't eat it because it's 'bad' or 'poisonous'...", then how sad is that for me?! I believe everything on this earth can do us good, and God put everything here for a reason. Granted, some things should be taken in moderation, like cooked treats, and some other things very moderately (like drugs), but to deny myself something I LoVe forever is cruel and unusual punishment. So if it's my birthday, and I want pineapple, I will be quite content. But if instead I am craving some cake and fetucchini alfredo , I'm going to eat it, and then thank God and ask him to bless my delish treat. Now, there may come a time when I no longer want certain cooked treats, and that's fine...more power to me. In fact, I expect that to happen as my tastes change. But, I'm not going to lie to myself and say "I don't like that" when I really still do. Hopefully I live longer and healthier by eating mostly raw, but life is still too short to deny myself molten chocolate lava cake...for my whole life - because let's face it, no raw creation will ever taste as good as that original! Give me something that does and I'll eat my hat (and the whole cake :))!

Another thing that baffles me is why I'm so into this raw thing, since I am a very analytical person, and there is SO much information about nutrition floating out there...more than anyone like me will be able to grasp. It's like I'm going on 10% research and 90% intuition...but I consider myself a very intuitive person and have learned to trust that. Still, I feel like the more I learn the more I don't know, like I'm running on faith with this whole thing. It's not entirely faith however, because I have felt the positive effects firsthand, and I wish I hadn't stopped for 3 months. I couldn't help but go back to raw though. It's something I can't deny anymore because it just makes too much sense to me. If I ever end up denying it in practice I still won't be able to deny it in my heart! I feel finally freed from food (say that 10x fast). I am no longer anxious about how I'll get healthy and stay healthy...I am no longer afraid of the journey. I know now that all I need to do is take care of my body, feed it the purest things, exercise my heart, mind and soul, and everything will fall into place. It's such a calm, peaceful, free feeling! I know that God answers prayers and that he will make all things known unto those who ask. Each one of us may get different answers about some things, but they will always be the right answers for each of us unique beings!

So yesterday...

So, yesterday I got an OK at the plasma center. I am amazed! I have been eating an essentially vegan diet for 1 week now and my protein and iron weren't even low. Afterwards though, I chose a not so healthy bag of potato chips to eat. I could only make it to 7-11 before work so I didn't have many choices. I guess a convenience store is "convenient" only for junk! Why can't fruit be more convenient? I thought the quick rise in blood sugar from the potatoes would keep me from feeling dizzy afterwards, but I got dizzy anyway. I'm sure an apple would have been better. Oh well, I drank some juice too and felt better.

I have noticed that the puffiness under my eyes is starting to smooth out. This has been my #1 aging concern because all the women on my mom's side got really puffy eyes, and all of them had surgery to fix it. I will never get plastic surgery on my face (unless of course I got maimed and disfigured), but I also don't want to look older than I am. I think part of this diminishing puffiness is due to less sodium intake. I also use an eye cream from Aloette (my FAVE skincare system) which has a lot of aloe in it to help with swelling. Maybe when I start to lose fat in my face I will lose it from my eyes too? Lol. Still, I think a big part of it is genetics. Once again, I am finding that (and this also happened when I went raw for a month awhile back) my teeth and gums look so much better. This sounds gross but at the end of the day I hardly have any plaque on them at all. They also seem whiter. Because of this I have started brushing more often and flossing every night. If my teeth look nice I should probably be ensuring their health as well. I used to use Listerine a lot, but I heard that the mouth can actually get more germy because Listerine kills 99.9% of good and bad bacteria. If that .1% left just happens to be bad bacteria, there will be nothing to stop it's growth.

My mood is lifted today also, despite the fact that we had the biggest snowstorm of the winter 2 nights ago, so I'm grateful to feel happy. I also lost 4 lbs. since last time I donated at the PC. I am not too concerned with this week's sudden, rapid weight loss, because for one, most of it is probably water weight, and for two, I have been yo-yoing with the same 30 lbs. or so for the past few years, so my body loses it fast (but gains it back fast as well). The last 10-15 lbs. I'm sure will be much more stubborn. But hey, as long as I can get down to my ideal size of 3-5 I won't pay much heed to my weight. After all, I hope to get more muscular with yoga and muscle weighs more than fat..

Chocolate Turtles

Wow I am actually up early today. Actually, I woke up not tired around 7:45, but lay in bed for awhile because my mind hasn't decided that 7:45 is "decent" yet. It's like I couldn't believe that I wasn't tired. I've been able to fall asleep a lot faster lately, and wake up easier. Anyway, I promised I'd post a recipe! The chocolate turtles are yummy, they were just very sticky.



Chocolate Turtles

1/2 C carob powder (i suppose you could use cacao too)
1 C raw honey
1/8 tsp vanilla (or more if you like the vanilla taste)
2 C walnut pieces

Mix the carob, honey, and vanilla together in a medium sized bowl. Stir in the walnuts until well coated with the carob-honey mixture. Place spoonfuls of the combination onto Teflex sheets (or wax paper or cellophane) on top of a mesh dehydrator screen. Dehydrate for 24 hours at 105 degrees. You may have to place in freezer to cool so you can peel them off without them being too sticky.

If you have an extra mixture, feel free to drizzle it over some apples or other fruit! It's so good you'll feel like you're cheating...but you're not!

measurements 1/10/08

Well, my chocolate turtles turned out tasty. Sadly, I can't find the cord to my camera so I can't post any pictures until I have more time to figure it out! I go to the plasma center today so I will know if I've lost any weight, and if I'm getting enough protein and iron so far. I know that I originally said I would post my measurements monthly, but I'm too curious so I'm going to post them weekly (the pic will still be monthly though).

In inches -
Neck: 13 1/4 (3/4 inches lost)
Bust: 41 1/2 (1 1/2 lost)
under - 35 (1 1/2 lost)
Waist: 37 ( 2 in lost)
Hips: 41 1/4 (1/4 in lost)
Butt: 41 1/2 (1/2 lost)
Thigh: 21 (1 in lost)
Calf: 16 1/2 (1 in lost)
mid - 12 1/4(1/4 lost)
Ankle: 9 1/2 (same)
Bicep: 11 3/4 (grew? 1/2 in)
Forearm: 9 1/4(1/4 lost)
Wrist: 6 3/4 (1/2 lost)

I tried to measure in the same spots as last time, but some of these maybe a little off. Still, this makes me feel so much better! I don't feel very light right now, but I can see that I am making some progress! So far I've lost 9 inches all over my body. And maybe gained muscle in my bicep (dunno that could be a fluke). Well, off to the PC!

Ugh, snow!

Today is not a fun day so far. I planned to wake up around 9:00, make a couple yummy raw dishes to take with me today, and do some yoga. But, last night I stayed up much too late reading Shazzie's food diaries, lol. Then I dreamed I went to England and saw her house with the messed up lawn that her neighbor mowed accidentally (I'm sure it was somewhere in that journal). And my cousin Rebecca was there too, for some odd reason. I also dreamed that I went clothes shopping in England but there was nothing cute and all the sizes were measured in "stones" lol! So, I slept in much too late, and I only have 1 hour before I have to leave for work, so I have nothing prepared and no time to do yoga. To top it off, it's freaking SNOWING like a mother outside.

The weatherman grossly underestimated this storm. He said it was supposed to stop at 5:00AM, but it's 11:00 now and it's still going strong. The roads are horrible, the weather is horrible, I feel like doing absolutely nothing. I don't even feel hungry. I hate snow , I honestly do. Ok, so it's good for about 1 week, the week of Christmas, then after that there really is no point. Last year I self diagnosed myself (I have all the symptoms, why go to a doctor?) with SAD - seasonal affective disorder. I am 99.9% sure I have it. It's better this year than it was last year however. It is the lack of sunlight that just totally saps my energy. My house is always a mess in the winter, it sucks, but I can only clean for short intervals before I get exhausted. Even eating raw isn't helping me a lot so far in this department (but it's only been 1 week so...). I know Austin would never want to move some place where it didn't snow, he loves it for some bizarre reason. I guess it was the fact that I grew up in California, and all my best, happiest memories are from my childhood. I was outside a lot and I think I've learned to associate happiness with the sun. In fact, weather is pretty much the #1 factor that effects my mood. A week ago or so it was really warm for 1 day, like 40 degrees. The wind was blowing and the sun was out...I felt elated that day, like I was on a serotonin buzz! I was happier than I'd been the past month. Most of the time during the winter I feel flatlined, I feel nothing. My mood is neither happy or sad, just nothing. Then, when I start to get the first whiff of spring, I feel my soul come alive again! Only a couple more months...

Anywho, on a side note I made some chocolate turtles last night, so they should be done dehydrating tonight! I had some extra mixture and I didn't want to start another tray so I just drizzled some chocolate over my precious Jonagold apple (the tastiest, juciest apple in the world), and made my own fruit and walnut salad! Eat that McDonalds...you with your bitter dry apples, and candied cooked walnuts...meh! Needless to say it was quite sweet and I could only eat half of it. My sweet tooth must be diminishing, yay! I'll put up some pics and a recipe tonight.

Yacon and Honey

A friend of mine and I were talking about natural sweetners the other day, such as honey and agave syrup , and he suggested I try yacon syrup instead, as a great tasting, raw sweetner. Curious, I googled yacon, and now I am intrigued! Here is a little info on this tasty tuber:







How Sweet It Is…and Healthy too!

Fresh Yacon tubers are crisp and juicy with a delicate flavor reminiscent of apple or melon and a surprising sweetness that increases in storage. They can be eaten raw, (fresh or dried) steamed, baked, roasted, or juiced. The somewhat bitter skin can be scrubbed off with a stiff brush, peeled with a vegetable peeler, or removed after baking.

While satisfyingly sweet and flavorful, Yacon remains low in calories. This is due to the fact that the sugar contains high levels of oligofructose (inulin), a form of sugar that is not metabolized readily by the human body. For this reason, Yacon shows much promise as a food for diabetics and as a base for a low calorie sweetener. Even a tea made from dried Yacon leaves is purported to have the ability to level out blood sugar levels. Research on the benefits of Yacon for diabetics is being carried out in Argentina and Japan. Oligofructose is known to aid digestion and promote beneficial bacteria in the colon, so it may also help prevent colon cancer. High in fiber, low in fat, and rich in oligofructose, Yacon is considered by many to be a superfood of the future.

Apparently it also grows well in North America (it's from Bolivia/Peru). It's too bad the syrup costs around $30 for 16 oz. or so! Someday I want to have my own garden where I can grow lots of exotic things, like yacon and goji berries.

However, going the cheaper route, raw honey is also an amazing natural sweetner. Sometimes it gets a bad rap because many people are unaware of its benefits. For instance, raw honey aids the stomach and digestion. It is good for allergies, healing ulcers and burns, and has anti-cancer properties. It is also an antiseptic, antibiotic, antifungal and antibacterial. Sounds to me like a much better choice than refined cane sugar!

Withdrawal

So either my cooked food withdrawal symptoms haven't hit me yet, or I've transitioned very easily this time around! I haven't even felt tired. There was only one night, while I was sleeping, that I had a splitting headache, probably from lack of sugar. I knew I had a headache because I kept waking up slightly and it felt like someone had just hit me over the head with a hammer. When I woke up it was gone...good timing eh?! So, that's really the only symptom I've felt so far. I haven't even had any strong cravings like I did the first go. No more desire for chili cheese dogs or onion rings, although I did crave a cupcake for about 2 minutes last night. I think part of what is making this transition easier is that I am not going 100% raw like I was last time. I'm just not stressing as much about it. If someday I could get to 100% that would be great, but until then I'm just going to do my best and eat the best foods possible. I also am not super rich right now, so I can't get down on myself if I can't buy expensive things like raw honey, lots of raw nuts, or cacao powder. I bought some vanilla almond milk in a box, because I can't afford to make my own almond milk...it's probably not raw, but ya know, at least it's better than cow's milk! Breakfast today was a banana carob shake..yum!! Here's how ya make one:

One ripe banana (the sweeter the yummier)
One cup vanilla almond milk (or reg)
As much raw carob powder as desired (I sprinkled in prob 1 TBS)

Blend and drink immediately! This tastes like a banana split in a glass!

I also did yoga today again, it's been months! I really shouldn't ever wait that long in between workouts, because yoga really is a work in progress and my muscles tend to tighten up really fast if I stop. Still, that is what I love about yoga...it's an exercise that compares you and your progress to no one but you. It's really a lifetime goal to just get stronger and more flexible. I forgot how good it makes me feel inside. I know this sounds cheesy but sometimes it makes me teary eyed because I feel so happy! So, once again I am going to try to do yoga every morning before work, because the benefits are just too good to pass up.

Here is lunch!! Raw corn chowder and lime pepper crackers (taken from Ms. Cohen's book)

The crackers are very tart and yummy! A little too thin though, I will know better next time.

Tostada!

This is my attempt at making a tostada. The corn tortilla was a little bland, so I think I need to add more spice or salt to it next time. Also the beans could have used some spicing up. I just used the recipe for nachos in Alissa Cohen's cookbook. Yum! But filling...

Before/measurements 12/30/07

Ok, so I'm posting a "before picture" of me on here...as butt ugly as it is. It's very small for good reason. I guess people are supposed to look really bad in their before pictures, and then the after is a sexy bikini shot :P. I am also posting my measurements so that I can document my progress more accurately, and not rely on just weight change. I think this will also give me some sense of accountability...to myself, and to maybe the 2 other people who read this blog :P. I will post a new pic and new measurements near the first of each month following, until I get down to my ideal.

Measurements: (as of 12/30/07)
Neck: 14 in.
Bust: across - 43
under - 36 1/2
Waist: 39
Hips: 41 1/2
Butt: 42
Bicep: 11 1/2
Forearm: 9 1/2
Wrist: 7 1/4
Thigh: 22
Calf: 15 1/2
Mid-calf: 12 1/2
Ankle: 9 1/2

Lol, I measured like every single part of my body :)

Food

I got enough food tonight to be about 98% raw this weekend. Going to try to make corn tortillas (so I can make burritos) and lime pepper crackers in my dehydrator. Can't wait! I also discovered that I can buy organic food at Smith's. Although, there isn't much of a selection, so I'll probably have to go to Good Earth for most things. Right now I am not eating organic however, because I am short on funds. Tomorrow I'll compare some of the prices at GE to what I payed at Smith's today for my supermarket produce. I know I should eat organic, so I might have to just budget that in. I can certainly taste a difference. I hope that GE sells raw buckwheat, but I'm not sure if they do. I hope they sell raw flax seeds! Two appliances I am saving up for are a spiral slicer, and a coffee grinder (for seeds). I also really wish I had enough to buy a juicer...someday! If I can convince my hubby that I am serious about raw food, then he might even let me buy a VitaMix for next Christmas. Maybe even for my birthday. We'll see!

Vitamin B12

One of my biggest concerns with my new diet is that I'm not getting enough vitamins and minerals, especially vitamin B12. I did a lot of research on the best plant sources of calcium, protein, and iron, and I am confident I can reach my needs there, but there really isn't a true reliable source of B12 that comes from plants. Some people claim that you can get it from nori and such, but I read that those forms aren't efficiently used by humans. So, I decided that I would eat eggs to get my B12, which is better than meat. However, upon further reading, there are some studies that say that there is enough B12 in 2 eggs to last us 3 years without a deficiency...therefore, our bodies need very little B12 to function properly. I could always take a supplement, but I don't like the idea of them for some reason, don't really know why. So the other day I discovered Life Water by Sobe, and it is fortified with B12. That's kinda supplemental, and it's in the form of a sugary drink, but I'd rather drink that than take a pill. Also, Propel Calcium water is fortified with B12. Those drinks do have carbs in them from the sugar, but they also supplement with vitamin C, E, calcium, and a few other things. So, I am wondering which is better between those flavored waters, or pure water and an egg once in awhile? The pure water and egg are actually natural, and the flavored water is manufactured, but flavored water comes without all the egg's extra fat and cholesterol. I am confused on this!

So I seem to be doing just fine so far, it's not nearly as hard to adjust as it was the first time. I've got lots of yummy recipes lined up, just need to go to the store tonight and stock up for the weekend. I think I have lost 3 lbs, but that's probably water weight. I also woke up very happy today, I think my winter depression is lifting. Sometimes I wonder what my "ideal" weight actually is, because I honestly can't remember what it's like to be in impeccable shape. I do know that I have a lot of crap stored up that my body needs to release, a lot of old junk from years past. It's like my body is an old, dingy closet that needs to be de-cluttered and repainted. It could take awhile for me to completely detox...anywhere from a few months to 2 years. Oh, btw if you are looking for raw recipes, the best place I've found to find great ideas is the raw food talk forums on alissacohen.com. Someone on there found raw pasta! They are 100% raw kelp noodles. The website is www.kelpnoodles.com, and the brand is Sea Tangle. I wonder if I can find them at my health food store so that I don't have to order them by the case. I'll have to do some hunting. I hope they would taste good, because I could make the yummiest pasta primavera with them.

My Dehydrator

So I used my dehydrator for the first time today. I made salt and vinegar potato chips, and onion rings. The potato chips would have been better if I hadn't used so much vinegar, and if I had sliced them thinner, but they weren't SO bad. I haven't tried my crispy onions yet, I am going to save them for salads. I have so many yummy things I can make, but not much money right now, so my budget is squeezed. Lately, like tonight, I have had insomnia. As I lay in bed all I can think about are raw food creations, it's really odd. Like I am craving good food. Tonight I couldn't stop thinking of watermelon/mango soup. I am also craving a salad made of sliced oranges, raisins, carrots, apples and pineapples, with apple nut cream. Yum! So, this sounds kinda pathetic, but I figured I should make a list of all the things that are "wrong" with me, so that I'll know how to make myself better. Thankfully it's not a very long or serious list, but some of the things have a potential to progress badly if left unchecked. I won't share this list though, for fear of TMI!

I think that right now most of the bad things about me are psychological, especially anxiety. I have learned to control the attacks, but it still runs my life in a lot of ways. I have heard many people say that a change in diet has changed their mental as well as physical health. I hope that it will for me! On the plus side I have a strong immune system, and strong muscles and bones, and I know that I can be healed quickly if I give my body what it needs. As the weeks go along I will observe how I feel and see if any of these "bad" things go away. The last time I tried eating this way for 1 month I felt that many of them did. Well, I'll keep you updated if anything actually interesting happens!

Trees are Celestial!