Eat smaller meals than you might usually, but eat every three hours — even if it’s just something small like a glass of milk or a yogurt
Don’t chew gum and don’t talk while you eat. If you smoke, stop for the day — swallowed or gulped air is the biggest single cause of bloating.
Avoid any drinks with extra air in them — fizzy drinks are a no-no, but so are cappuccinos or anything that contains frothy milk.Eat smaller meals than you might usually, but eat every three hours — even if it’s just something small like a glass of milk or a yogurt
Don’t chew gum and don’t talk while you eat. If you smoke, stop for the day — swallowed or gulped air is the biggest single cause of bloating.
Avoid any drinks with extra air in them — fizzy drinks are a no-no, but so are cappuccinos or anything that contains frothy milk.
Stick rigidly to the diet plan below — all the foods have been chosen because they’re low fibre and won’t bloat you. A single cereal bar or a handful of nuts can ruin everything.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-1342583/Lose-TWO-INCHES-festive-flab-tomorrow--look-svelte-New-Year.html#ixzz19bl9zzMf
Stick rigidly to the diet plan below — all the foods have been chosen because they’re low fibre and won’t bloat you. A single cereal bar or a handful of nuts can ruin everything.
Thursday, 30 December 2010
Monday, 4 October 2010
Monday!
October 4th Balance
Do not make unimportant things important, nor concentrate on trifles at the expense of vital matters, or you will hamper your progress. Impulsive actions that are not in keeping with one's duties are undesirable. --Paramahansa Yogananda, in a "Para-gram"
Do not make unimportant things important, nor concentrate on trifles at the expense of vital matters, or you will hamper your progress. Impulsive actions that are not in keeping with one's duties are undesirable. --Paramahansa Yogananda, in a "Para-gram"
Sunday, 3 October 2010
Saturday, 2 October 2010
Cooked Food Binge:(
Nectarine
Lge platter of chickpeas and LG brown rice followed by another one:(
COOKED / PROCESSED FOOD IS POISON FOR THIS INDIVIDUAL ie thrives on living and deliously-nourushing green smoothies, fresh fruit, sprouted nuts / seeds, asanas and solar power energy.............
Lge platter of chickpeas and LG brown rice followed by another one:(
COOKED / PROCESSED FOOD IS POISON FOR THIS INDIVIDUAL ie thrives on living and deliously-nourushing green smoothies, fresh fruit, sprouted nuts / seeds, asanas and solar power energy.............
Tuesday, 21 September 2010
Wednesday, 22nd September 2010 Spiritual Diary
September 22nd Perfection
You are punishing the soul by keeping it buried, slumbering in matter life after life, frightened by nightmares of suffering and death. Realize that you are the soul. Remember that the Feeling behind your feeling, the Will behind your will, the Power behind your power, the Wisdom behind your wisdom is the Infinite Lord. Unite the heart’s feeling and the mind’s reason in a perfect balance. In the castle of calmness, again and again cast off identification with earthly titles, and plunge into deep meditation to realize your divine kingship.
—Sri Sri Paramahansa Yogananda, “Man’s Eternal Quest”
You are punishing the soul by keeping it buried, slumbering in matter life after life, frightened by nightmares of suffering and death. Realize that you are the soul. Remember that the Feeling behind your feeling, the Will behind your will, the Power behind your power, the Wisdom behind your wisdom is the Infinite Lord. Unite the heart’s feeling and the mind’s reason in a perfect balance. In the castle of calmness, again and again cast off identification with earthly titles, and plunge into deep meditation to realize your divine kingship.
—Sri Sri Paramahansa Yogananda, “Man’s Eternal Quest”
Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr......................!
I've been blogging for quite some time now and therefore quite established as a blogger. What peeves me is that newbie bloggers have only just settled and they get recognition and a pat and the back in the form of a blog award for minimum commitment and effort. I'm also quite tired of reading of bloggers boasts of all the freebies they get sent left, right and centre to review. Jealous moi? too right I am! As a mature blogger I'm past it as far as paid, contractual employment is concerned(I've lost count of the number of CVs and covering letters I've sent out during the past 5 years or so. As a child(even as a adult) one was the target of bullies and often ostracised and excluded by peers something you never quite get over. I'm sounding quite sad and pathetic.
Tuesday, 14 September 2010
Grrrrrrrrrrrr
12:00 noon: Brown rice, creamed coconut, kidney beans and chili(huge platter:()
18:00 approx same as above:(
01:00 Wednesday am Huge platter of white spaghetti, tomato, olive oil and chili:(
MH done:)
18:00 approx same as above:(
01:00 Wednesday am Huge platter of white spaghetti, tomato, olive oil and chili:(
MH done:)
Monday, 13 September 2010
Grrrrrrrrrrr!
14:00 Huge platter of kidney beans, chili, creamed coconut and brown rice.
19:00 See above
19:00 See above
Sunday, 12 September 2010
Time to Heal?!
It is well-known now that the opiates in complex carbohydrates ie brown rice are highly addictive in the same way drugs are. As predicted I stuffed my fat face with another huge, heaping platter of *brown rice, kidney beans and mung bean sprouts. I wish X would support me by letting me create healthy and nourishing, living fuel for us both. I feel I'm taking backward steps,pushing me further away from my dreams. The phrase Living * comes to mind. My thought patterns today are well out of kilter as you would expect.
Nurture Nurture Nurture is the key word.
Despite this setback that is one thing I'm eternally-grateful for is this awesome resource space on the net. I blog for therapeutic reasons alone!
* That's bad enough but I still have lots left and I detest waste:(
Nurture Nurture Nurture is the key word.
Despite this setback that is one thing I'm eternally-grateful for is this awesome resource space on the net. I blog for therapeutic reasons alone!
* That's bad enough but I still have lots left and I detest waste:(
Look!
Myth: Eating junk food will affect your skin
Verdict: True
The truth: Dermatologists have been arguing over this topic for many years, but most now agree that there is a connection between diet and skin quality. Studies have shown that carbohydrates and sugar can cause insulin levels to skyrocket, increasing the oil production in your skin. So next time you have a burger urge, think about your skin and opt for fruits, vegetables and a lean protein instead.
Verdict: True
The truth: Dermatologists have been arguing over this topic for many years, but most now agree that there is a connection between diet and skin quality. Studies have shown that carbohydrates and sugar can cause insulin levels to skyrocket, increasing the oil production in your skin. So next time you have a burger urge, think about your skin and opt for fruits, vegetables and a lean protein instead.
I admit I am powerless of cooked food ie brown rice etc.:(
Following on from yesterday's brown rice 'binge'(not so much as a binge as one didn't feel guilty as I do today). Around midday(I was up reasonably early for a Sunday but didn't eat until then) I felt the trigger food left behind by X was all too much of a temptation for me to see so let's eat this instead of my yummiest strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, figs, watermelon, cantaloupe, energising green smoothies etc. Big mistake! Not only did I have huge platter of brown rice and creamed coconut I had two(which was from enjoyable).The worst thing is I got more in the pot plus half a kilo packet to get through(I so wish x realize one has a disease and thus supports me by not having this within my view; pasta rice, bread spuds etc. are all TOXIC for me. I can see myself getting rid of this *highly-addictive Toxic substance by the only reason I know how, putting on extra lardy roll as a result. That's it for me, 'I'm powerless of cooked food.....' I'm off to an OA tomorrow, there's one at 13:00 near where I am. After this / next week's brown rice BINGE is RAW VEGAN FOR LIFE, for the sake of my health, the Planet's health and of course my beautiful and intelligent furry friends:) Yep, I'm still quite VULNERABLE at the best of times, we all are:)
Thursday, 9 September 2010
Say, Goodbye to Cellulite Forever!
Some weight loss targets are easier to achieve than others.
Shedding pounds and building up lean muscle is relatively simple, provided you have the willpower to stick with your exercise and healthy eating regime.
Getting rid of cellulite, on the other hand, can be much, much harder.
Nutritionists and health experts believe this build up of fat and water deposits under the skin is caused by toxins in the food we eat, so banishing the undesirable orange peel look from your thighs and butt will involve transforming your diet and giving your body a chance to cleanse itself of the toxins that cause cellulite.
Here is our list of the foods you that will help to detoxify your body and keep cellulite at bay.
Whole grains
Whole grain products, such as brown rice and granary bread, are a much better option for your thighs than refined grains like white rice and bread. Why?
Nutritionists say refined grains cause a spike in insulin levels, which can act as a signal to your body to store fat - thus contributing to cellulite. Whole grains are also high in fibre and low in fat (a winning combination in the battle against the orange peel), which will help cleanse your system and fill you up quicker, so you won't eat as much.
Raw foods
Sticking to a raw food diet is not as brutal as it sounds, and some experts claim it is one of the most effective ways to eliminate cellulite.
Eating around half your food raw (mostly fruit and vegetables) will certainly make it easier for your body to purge itself of the toxins that are thought to cause cellulite in the first place (cooking foods destroys many of their vitamins and nutrients).
And, if you make sure the other 50% of your diet is low in fat and calories, then the inevitable weight loss will make it even harder for that cellulite to cling on to your body.
Water
Looking for easy ways to fight cellulite? Well, you can't get much simpler than drinking seven or eight glasses of water a day.
Insufficient water intake is one of the prime culprits when it comes to cellulite, especially when you substitute water for fattier beverages like fizzy drinks, alcohol and caffeine.
Water keeps your body's waste system ticking over, which in turn helps to flush all those nasty toxins from your system, so give yourself a daily target, and make sure you stick to it.
Citrus fruits
We already know that citrus fruits like lemons, limes, oranges and grapefruits are great natural cleansers, but did you know that they are also excellent at banishing cellulite?
This is because they are rich in bioflavonoids, which experts say help strengthen capillaries (small blood vessels in your body tissue) and thus prevent the dreaded orange peel.
Tomatoes
Another great source of bioflavonoids, tomatoes are also bursting with vitamin A, which is thought to play a vital role in keeping your skin looking vibrant and healthy. Tomatoes are also a great source of antioxidants like carotene, which fight off the toxins known as free radicals.
The build-up of these toxins, which enter the body from cigarette smoke, smog and other pollutants, is thought to be a contributing factor to cellulite, so packing your diet with antioxidant-rich foods like tomatoes, dark green leafy vegetables, carrots and peppers is essential.
Herbal teas
Giving up your daily latte is anathema to some, but bear in mind that the build up of toxins in your system is a primary cause of cellulite, and it might not sound like such a bad idea after all.
Instead of coffee and regular tea, flush out your system with a hot herbal beverage like green tea, dandelion tea or, if you can find it, lemon verbena tea, which is thought to promote the smooth running of the digestive system.
Nuts and seeds
Not all fats are bad, remember. While foods heavily laden with saturated fat (sausages, pastry, cakes, biscuits and fast food) are a one way ticket to cellulite city, foods that are rich in unsaturated fats are a vital source of vitamins and minerals that will actually help you to get rid of those unwanted lumps and bumps.
Walnuts, almonds, sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds are full of healthy fats and vitamin E, which is known to improve circulation and keep skin looking healthy. Small handfuls of nuts instead of chocolate or other unhealthy treats will keep you feeling full throughout the day, meaning you are less likely to put on weight in the first place.
Natural diuretics
Mmm, delicious! Nevertheless, water retention is thought to be one of the causes of cellulite, so eating foods with diuretic properties will boost the body's ability to flush out toxins and break down fat.
Celery, leafy green vegetables, carrots, onions, parsley, peppers will all help to expel all that unwanted fluid. Fruits high in potassium (such as bananas), are also thought to be adept at maintaining your body's fluid balance.
The worst foods for cellulite:
Salt
Refined food
Full-fat dairy and animal products.
Spicy Food
Alcohol
Shedding pounds and building up lean muscle is relatively simple, provided you have the willpower to stick with your exercise and healthy eating regime.
Getting rid of cellulite, on the other hand, can be much, much harder.
Nutritionists and health experts believe this build up of fat and water deposits under the skin is caused by toxins in the food we eat, so banishing the undesirable orange peel look from your thighs and butt will involve transforming your diet and giving your body a chance to cleanse itself of the toxins that cause cellulite.
Here is our list of the foods you that will help to detoxify your body and keep cellulite at bay.
Whole grains
Whole grain products, such as brown rice and granary bread, are a much better option for your thighs than refined grains like white rice and bread. Why?
Nutritionists say refined grains cause a spike in insulin levels, which can act as a signal to your body to store fat - thus contributing to cellulite. Whole grains are also high in fibre and low in fat (a winning combination in the battle against the orange peel), which will help cleanse your system and fill you up quicker, so you won't eat as much.
Raw foods
Sticking to a raw food diet is not as brutal as it sounds, and some experts claim it is one of the most effective ways to eliminate cellulite.
Eating around half your food raw (mostly fruit and vegetables) will certainly make it easier for your body to purge itself of the toxins that are thought to cause cellulite in the first place (cooking foods destroys many of their vitamins and nutrients).
And, if you make sure the other 50% of your diet is low in fat and calories, then the inevitable weight loss will make it even harder for that cellulite to cling on to your body.
Water
Looking for easy ways to fight cellulite? Well, you can't get much simpler than drinking seven or eight glasses of water a day.
Insufficient water intake is one of the prime culprits when it comes to cellulite, especially when you substitute water for fattier beverages like fizzy drinks, alcohol and caffeine.
Water keeps your body's waste system ticking over, which in turn helps to flush all those nasty toxins from your system, so give yourself a daily target, and make sure you stick to it.
Citrus fruits
We already know that citrus fruits like lemons, limes, oranges and grapefruits are great natural cleansers, but did you know that they are also excellent at banishing cellulite?
This is because they are rich in bioflavonoids, which experts say help strengthen capillaries (small blood vessels in your body tissue) and thus prevent the dreaded orange peel.
Tomatoes
Another great source of bioflavonoids, tomatoes are also bursting with vitamin A, which is thought to play a vital role in keeping your skin looking vibrant and healthy. Tomatoes are also a great source of antioxidants like carotene, which fight off the toxins known as free radicals.
The build-up of these toxins, which enter the body from cigarette smoke, smog and other pollutants, is thought to be a contributing factor to cellulite, so packing your diet with antioxidant-rich foods like tomatoes, dark green leafy vegetables, carrots and peppers is essential.
Herbal teas
Giving up your daily latte is anathema to some, but bear in mind that the build up of toxins in your system is a primary cause of cellulite, and it might not sound like such a bad idea after all.
Instead of coffee and regular tea, flush out your system with a hot herbal beverage like green tea, dandelion tea or, if you can find it, lemon verbena tea, which is thought to promote the smooth running of the digestive system.
Nuts and seeds
Not all fats are bad, remember. While foods heavily laden with saturated fat (sausages, pastry, cakes, biscuits and fast food) are a one way ticket to cellulite city, foods that are rich in unsaturated fats are a vital source of vitamins and minerals that will actually help you to get rid of those unwanted lumps and bumps.
Walnuts, almonds, sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds are full of healthy fats and vitamin E, which is known to improve circulation and keep skin looking healthy. Small handfuls of nuts instead of chocolate or other unhealthy treats will keep you feeling full throughout the day, meaning you are less likely to put on weight in the first place.
Natural diuretics
Mmm, delicious! Nevertheless, water retention is thought to be one of the causes of cellulite, so eating foods with diuretic properties will boost the body's ability to flush out toxins and break down fat.
Celery, leafy green vegetables, carrots, onions, parsley, peppers will all help to expel all that unwanted fluid. Fruits high in potassium (such as bananas), are also thought to be adept at maintaining your body's fluid balance.
The worst foods for cellulite:
Salt
Refined food
Full-fat dairy and animal products.
Spicy Food
Alcohol
Tuesday, 31 August 2010
Food Diary: Binge Brunch:( !
Brunch: 12 Patterson's Cracked Black Pepper Oatcakes(they were good despite the binge:0) and canned veggie soup(It's my last day for consuming junk:).
18:00 Overly-sweet(Bit too sweet for my palate)Concoction of apples, raw nut butters, cinnamon and tiny bit of stem ginger(Quite nice but too sweet).
MH, Tibetans to do!
18:00 Overly-sweet(Bit too sweet for my palate)Concoction of apples, raw nut butters, cinnamon and tiny bit of stem ginger(Quite nice but too sweet).
MH, Tibetans to do!
Monday, 30 August 2010
Thought of the Day!
One purpose in discovering your own personality is to know how you affect others.
Consciously, or unconsciously, people feel your personality, and their reaction is a clue."
- Paramhansa Yogananda
Consciously, or unconsciously, people feel your personality, and their reaction is a clue."
- Paramhansa Yogananda
Food Diary!
00:30 + 12 Patterson's Oatcakes with cracked black pepper(so close to bedtime too).
Brunch
Bowl of Buckwheat groats, peaches, raw cacao, and raw nut butters!
Brunch
Bowl of Buckwheat groats, peaches, raw cacao, and raw nut butters!
Yesterday's Food Diary!
Little bowl od jumbo Oats and water
Walnuts
Tomatoes and Avocados
Fresh Peaches
Walnuts
Tomatoes and Avocados
Fresh Peaches
Sunday, 29 August 2010
Brunch!
Around noon ish!
Jumbo oats with rest of organic skimmed milk and a rather yummy 'Maple & Peanut protein snack bar made by Pulsin' in Gloucester!
Later I will probably appreciating something containing parsley, tomatoes and kale.
Jumbo oats with rest of organic skimmed milk and a rather yummy 'Maple & Peanut protein snack bar made by Pulsin' in Gloucester!
Later I will probably appreciating something containing parsley, tomatoes and kale.
Saturday, 28 August 2010
Binge Week(lesson learned:)!
Monday, 23rd August 2010
All-day binge ended with a huge mash potato, olive oil, chili, pink salt and eek! CHEESE(never eat cheese) so close to bedtime too.
Tuesday, 24th August 2010
13:00 Enjoyed, savoured and appreciated a yummy mono meal of the freshest and tastiest vine tomatoes on my way to work(Blissed out:)!
Approx 18:00-19:00 Generous serving of naughty nibbles(corn chips and bread sticks) with chili dip and olive oil(Free:)
21:00 Watermelon chunks(yum:)
Wednesday, 25th August 2010
Pineapple and organic Dlb cream:(
15:00 eek! instant noodles, rice dahl, canned sag veg curry regret eating this as it was far from tasty, really yucky:(
19:50 indulgent concoction of frozen bananas, organic dlb cream, stem ginger, little oats and cardamon seeds(Quite enjoyed this despite consuming dairy:)followed by rest of dahl.
Thursday, 26th August 2010
MH, Tibetans and Asanas:) yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay!
Saturday, 28th August 2010
3 small bananas
1 ripe mango followed by a generous serving of walnuts:)
MH
Naughty nibbles(corn chips and dip) at Wholefoods(again:()
20:00 Watermelon chunks (yum:)
21:00 2 small glasses of organic skimmed milk(needed the cacium)
All-day binge ended with a huge mash potato, olive oil, chili, pink salt and eek! CHEESE(never eat cheese) so close to bedtime too.
Tuesday, 24th August 2010
13:00 Enjoyed, savoured and appreciated a yummy mono meal of the freshest and tastiest vine tomatoes on my way to work(Blissed out:)!
Approx 18:00-19:00 Generous serving of naughty nibbles(corn chips and bread sticks) with chili dip and olive oil(Free:)
21:00 Watermelon chunks(yum:)
Wednesday, 25th August 2010
Pineapple and organic Dlb cream:(
15:00 eek! instant noodles, rice dahl, canned sag veg curry regret eating this as it was far from tasty, really yucky:(
19:50 indulgent concoction of frozen bananas, organic dlb cream, stem ginger, little oats and cardamon seeds(Quite enjoyed this despite consuming dairy:)followed by rest of dahl.
Thursday, 26th August 2010
MH, Tibetans and Asanas:) yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay!
Saturday, 28th August 2010
3 small bananas
1 ripe mango followed by a generous serving of walnuts:)
MH
Naughty nibbles(corn chips and dip) at Wholefoods(again:()
20:00 Watermelon chunks (yum:)
21:00 2 small glasses of organic skimmed milk(needed the cacium)
Friday, 27 August 2010
Sound Advice from Rhonda!
just a tiny piece of friendly advice, don't compare what you're doing to what anyone else is doing. You and your family are unique and you'll set your own systems. Don't think that everything we do here in our home is something you should aspire to - we are two people just trying to do our best and make ourselves happy with what we have. You must do the same. We are all different and that difference is just one of the things to be celebrated in living this way. Be kind to yourself and to others. Forget perfection. It's over rated and it will burst your balloon every time. Treat everyone as you want to be treated yourself. Smile. Expect to make mistakes, you will learn more from a gigantic mistake than from anything else. And draw your family and friends close - that little circle of people will be your shelter in bad times and celebrate the good times with you. Honour and respect all of them and try to be a role model, even when no one is looking.
Thursday, 26 August 2010
Matcha Tea, Anyone?
Matcha tea is a powdered green tea that is unique to Japan, and which plays a central part in the traditional Japanese tea ceremony. Matcha is made from the tips of budding tea bushes that have been shaded with bamboo mats for three weeks. This keeps the caffeine content high, increases the production of amino acids which makes the tea sweeter and preserves the chlorophyll, as the sunless leaves cannot undergo photosynthesis. The leaves are then stone-ground to an ultra-fine powder. There are two ways of preparing matcha, koicha (thick) and usucha (thin), which is dependent on the amount of tea and water used to make it.
Matcha tea is high in antioxidants, chlorophyll and fibre. It's also sugar free, which makes it perfect for diabetics and those who want to reduce their sugar intake. Unlike usual teas, the whole leaf is drunk, not just the water, which increases the health benefits further. One glass of Matcha is the equivalent of 10 glasses of green tea in terms of nutritional value and antioxidant content and has nine times the beta carotene of a serving of spinach.
Buy from TeaPigs online!
Matcha tea is high in antioxidants, chlorophyll and fibre. It's also sugar free, which makes it perfect for diabetics and those who want to reduce their sugar intake. Unlike usual teas, the whole leaf is drunk, not just the water, which increases the health benefits further. One glass of Matcha is the equivalent of 10 glasses of green tea in terms of nutritional value and antioxidant content and has nine times the beta carotene of a serving of spinach.
Buy from TeaPigs online!
Tuesday, 24 August 2010
Guilty!
Had a binge yesterday and experiencing the not so undesirable repercussions. Maybe I should take a leaf from one lovely blogger who has discovered the beauty and simplicity of a simple mono fruit meal? Three weeks on Banana Island or Tomato Islands sounds like pure bliss to me!
I, ................... have lost control of my life and need to get back on track and pronto!
Come and join me!
I, ................... have lost control of my life and need to get back on track and pronto!
Come and join me!
Sunday, 22 August 2010
Healthy, good fuel!
It might seem like a random combination, but papaya, spinach and kale all provide a phytochemical called lutein, which according to experts from the Department of Dermatology at the University of Naples helps to boost the skin's antioxidant capacity thereby protecting against damage from free radicals.
Brazil nuts(source of selenium:) are good too!
By focusing on good fuel / carbs like leafy greens and fresh fruit and avoiding processed carbs(enemy of the big stomach;bread, pasta etc.)you'll be happy, active and healthy as a bunny!
Brazil nuts(source of selenium:) are good too!
By focusing on good fuel / carbs like leafy greens and fresh fruit and avoiding processed carbs(enemy of the big stomach;bread, pasta etc.)you'll be happy, active and healthy as a bunny!
Treating Thy Self Like a Precious Object Will Keep Us Strong!
Or so they say! In reality I'm still ever so so vulnerable. Have you met anyone with a overwhelming profound sense of guilt, contempt and self-hatred?!!! I'm far from living one's heart-felt dreams as the challenges continue to rear their ugly head(And I'm no spring chicken). Been bingeing today and yesterday etc. and feel like garbage. It seems any cooked / processed 'food' is strictly off limits for food addicts for life. Personally, one does tend to thrive on a water-based plant lifestyle and of course the taste of seasonally, fresh produce at it's peak is sublime compared with dead food. Yes, I'm wasting a valuable life away procrastinating and bingeing / compulsive overeating. What a fool!
Forget the Past, the past is History!
Feel so defeated after BINGEING on COOKED / PROCESSED FOOD, a huge PLATTER of BEANS, ROOT CARBS and avocado. Swiftly followed by a vast HUNK OF PROCESSED BREAD:(
Forget the Past, the past is History!
Feel so defeated after BINGEING on COOKED / PROCESSED FOOD, a huge PLATTER of BEANS, ROOT CARBS and avocado. Swiftly followed by a vast HUNK OF PROCESSED BREAD:(
Friday, 20 August 2010
August 20th
August 20th Meditation
By meditation we connect the little joy of the soul with the vast joy of the Spirit. Meditation should not be confused with ordinary concentration. Concentration consists in freeing the attention from distractions and in focusing it on any thought in which one may be interested. Meditation is that special form of concentration in which the attention has been liberated from restlessness and is focused on God. Meditation, therefore, is concentration used to know God. --Paramahansa Yogananda, SRF Lessons
© 1968,1982 Self-Realization Fellowship - All Rights Reserved
By meditation we connect the little joy of the soul with the vast joy of the Spirit. Meditation should not be confused with ordinary concentration. Concentration consists in freeing the attention from distractions and in focusing it on any thought in which one may be interested. Meditation is that special form of concentration in which the attention has been liberated from restlessness and is focused on God. Meditation, therefore, is concentration used to know God. --Paramahansa Yogananda, SRF Lessons
© 1968,1982 Self-Realization Fellowship - All Rights Reserved
Thursday, 19 August 2010
Small, but not to frequent meals!
If anyone wants to lose the tendency to put on weight, my advice would be don’t snack throughout the day, not even on fruit or things we think of as ‘good’. The body can’t burn fat if you keep providing carbs all day long.
Saturday, 14 August 2010
Friday, 13 August 2010
Clean Burn
It is not uncommon for me to hear people say, "I do feel better on raw food, but I don't feel quite as amazing as I expected to feel. Where is all this energy I'm supposed to have?"
There can, of course, be a multitude of reasons for not feeling as good as you could, and way more than we can go into in one article, but today I'm going to discuss one of the most common: Over- eating.
Whether we eat cooked foods or raw - or a mixture of both, eating more food than we need quite simply overtaxes the body. Digestion takes more energy than any other activity we do - in fact sometimes it can even exhaust us completely (think Christmas Dinner, and your half-comatose relatives asleep in the chair!). It's incredible that food can make or break our energy in this way, but it really does, and sometimes this can be subtly undermining (which all adds up) and other times blatantly obvious.
When we eat raw foods, generally speaking, our digestive demands lessen. Our foods are more simple, we are eating enzymes rather than needing to find them from our existing stores, and, unless our diet is fat-dense (i.e. eating lots of nuts and seeds) then typically our load is much lighter and much faster to transit through than the average diet.
It is estimated that one in three people in the doctor's waiting room is there for a colon-related issue. A shocking statistic don't you think? But hardly surprising when we consider what passes for "food" today and what extremes some people will go to in terms of diversity, quantity and frequency. Of course, most people in this bracket don't necessarily eat in a way we could consider to be healthy, but there's so much more to it than just what we eat...
So how is it that some people on raw foods don't get the amazing energy that myself or others rave about? Especially if you are eating low-fat?
As far as I can see, a lot of it comes down to making sure that when you eat you are genuinely hungry.
My own research over hundreds of clients shows that at least 95% of people I survey either do not know what true hunger feels like and/or do not wait until they are hungry to eat.
What this means is this:
If you are eating when you're not hungry then you are essentially putting in more food than your body needs. When this is the case, your body will use its precious energy to digest (or "burn" as I like to call it) your food rather than have the energy available to use for something more productive (like feeling good!).
One of my greatest lessons on my own food journey has been to wait until I am truly hungry before I eat. This doesn't, by the way, mean that I wait until I feel "starving", just that I know that even if a plain bowl of lettuce leaves was placed in front of me, then I would eat them and genuinely enjoy them because I am that ready to consume.
Why this example?
Because of all the things that we can eat on this planet, green leaves are the least addictive foods of all, and the among the most nutritious for us... and if we feel drawn to eating them un-dressed and unaccompanied then that's a great sign that we really are hungry - because as you know our taste buds and bodies can appear so fickle and easily persuaded!
It took me many years to get to the point where I only when hungry, but I have to say it really is one of the most enjoyable aspects of the way I eat/ live my life. There is nothing more gratifying than going to eat a meal that you are really and truly ready for. I'm sure I love my food ten times more because of this. It tastes and feels so much better! In fact, I really do find that now if someone places food in front of me or offers me something - even if it's just a single piece of fruit - if I'm not hungry I get very strong signals from my body not to eat it and I find myself actually physically repulsed by it. Now that's incredible!
Considering my extensive junk food background, I really do believe that if I can reach this place then anyone can, although I appreciate we all have different issues to overcome in order to get to here.
I call this place of genuine hunger the place of "The Clean Burn". That's because I know that when I'm in this place I feel as if whatever I eat is really enjoyed from the moment I start preparing it to the moment it starts its journey down my throat and into my stomach. From this moment on I feel as if the food is being digested and utilised immediately. No hanging around waiting for breakfast to pass through or "falling" on top of last night's supper and - wait for it - fermenting and rotting. Eugh! It feels as if it is being welcomed with open arms and that my entire body is ready for it and loving it. Now that's worth waiting for!
It's rather ironic that throughout our entire childhood and typically, adulthood, we are never taught how to eat properly. Whether we use a knife and fork from an early age seems to be of more importance than whether we are actually ready to eat! It's no wonder we have the weight issues that we do - a lean body is often a clean body, and a clean body is one that really knows and experiences the feeling of The Clean Burn on a regular basis.
As I sit here writing this article it is 12:33pm. Today so far all I have consumed is one pint of watermelon juice, which I had as soon as I felt some hunger around about 10:00am. I am just starting to get that Clean Burn feeling now, but I know I'm not quite there yet, so I will wait a little longer before I go downstairs to eat. There is an art in detecting what stage you're at, and after years of practice and awareness I know now that although what I'm feeling right now would be considered "really hungry" by some people, to me it is a sign that, if I were away from home, I should start looking for food in order to secure it, but if I already have it to not yet eat it as the Clean Burn is not yet fully upon me!
Are these the words of a closet anorexic? No, I can assure you they're not! I am most definitely not into deprivation at any price, and least of all when it comes to food! No, what I describe here is a way of feeling and being around food that feels quite the opposite to deprivation - if I were to eat now before I got fully hungry and could fully appreciate every ounce of my meal - now THAT would feel like deprivation.
On that note I'm going to ask that you really pay attention to your hunger signals over the next few days and see how far you can go with this. This means ignoring the clock, getting all the "shoulds" out of your head about what, when and how you "should" be eating, and really paying attention to the different degrees of hunger as they unfurl. And yes, of course, waiting until you are FULLY hungry before you begin.
Yes, I know this may sound or feel like advanced stuff and even a little scary for some people, but if you can start to put even a little of this into practice in your daily life then I'd be very surprised if you didn't start to lose any excess weight you have, gain a lot more energy overall and generally start falling in love with your food - and your body - even more than you ever thought possible.
Oh yes, and did I mention that your food bills may very well go down?!
Enjoy the pursuit of The Clean Burn, a few more minutes wait for your food is a VERY small price to pay for such huge and multifaceted rewards, believe me!
© 2010 Karen Knowler WOULD YOU LIKE TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR EZINE OR ON YOUR WEB SITE? You can, as long as you include this complete blurb with it: Karen Knowler, The Raw Food Coach publishes "Successfully Raw" - a free weekly eZine for raw food lovers everywhere. If you're ready to look good, feel great and create a raw life you love get your FREE tips, tools and recipes now at www.TheRawFoodCoach.com.
This Week's Recipe
Karen's Super-Sexy Olive Cream
This delicious dip is so-called because when a friend first tried this recipe she gasped and went, "Ohhh, that's SO sexy!" - and it kind of stuck. Well, there is a certain something about it...
Ingredients
* 1 avocado
* 1 fresh tomato
* 5-6 pitted black olives
* Garlic to taste
Directions
1) Simply process all ingredients together until a thick creamy consistency is achieved.
2) Taste-test. Adapt as desired.
3) Serve with crudités, as a dip or spread on sprouted bread or crackers. Sex-y!
RAW COACH'S TOP TIPS:
* Feel free to try adding a little juice to this such as lemon, orange or pineapple - you never know what you might create!
If you liked this recipe, how about 49 more?
Where's Karen?
August 31st: Raw Food Coach Training Call More info coming soon...
September 11th - 15th: Business Retreat, Miami Beach, Florida
September 21st - 27th: Business Retreat, Scottsdale, Arizona
October 23rd: "Fall into Raw" Autumn raw food class with Nina Dench. More info >>
November 1st - 5th: SHINE Event with Ali Brown, Las Vegas, Nevada
November 20th - 21st: Raw Food Weekend, London. More info coming soon...
Karen's World
What I've Been Up To This Week
A little detour from the usual format, but I hope you'll enjoy a peek into Karen's World from a different perspective. Over recent weeks I've been making a conscious effort to bring more fun, play and "other things I love" into my life. It's been easy, simple and fun... And needless to day, has made all the difference.
* Spent a great weekend in York with Katie, my office manager - Raw Bombshell workshop, a night of dinner and dancing, hotel stay and Sunday shopping. A very memorable weekend indeed.
* Had a wardrobe weeding session in preparation for Autumn with personal stylist Sue Donnelly - over half my clothes are gone - eek!
* Dinner date in town with "someone nice" ; )
* Watching season two of "The Swan" on DVD - not everyone's cup-of-tea, but I find it incredibly inspiring...
* Preparing my home for my new PA, Sue, to move into. Just one more week to go until I get the home and office help I need. Can't wait!
And this weekend I'm off to a party where everyone has to wear either all pink or all purple posh frocks. I've gone for purple - of course! - (the one pictured), but it wasn't easy to find something I liked. Definitely not a dress I could have happily worn pre-raw!
And on Sunday - my boy Luke (8 next month) returns. He's been away for four weeks visiting with daddy. It's the longest we've ever been apart but we've been speaking every day and have lots of great things to look forward to before he goes back to school in September.
Enjoy your weekend!
What Is Successfully Raw?
Successfully Raw is a weekly eZine for raw food fans who want to look, feel and live their very best.
Delivered at the end of every week for weekend inspiration, it's packed with quality tips, tools, resources, recipes, news and inspiration and is authored and published by Karen Knowler, The Raw Food Coach.
Successfully Raw means eating raw on your own terms - which means eating the amount of raw food YOU wish to eat, for wherever you are in your life right now and according your own unique wants and needs. The Successfully Raw Philosophy is that more is not better unless you want more! No deprivation, striving or sacrificing here!
Happy comes first, raw (and healthy) comes second, and if you can marry the two together, then that's Successfully Raw!
Successfully Raw: All of the fun, none of the fanaticism : )
About Karen
Karen Knowler is The Raw Food Coach, former Managing Director of The Fresh Network, the UK's Raw and Living Foods organisation, creator and former editor of Get Fresh! magazine and creator of TheRawFoodDirectory.com, the ultimate one-stop international raw food resource centre online.
With over 17 years of personal experience of eating a raw food diet, Karen has been teaching, writing and coaching professionally on raw foods for over a decade. Owing to her groundbreaking work in the field of raw foods and human potential and dubbed "The world's premier raw food coach", Karen has stepped increasingly in to her role of "train the traine" training 84 raw food coaches worldwide to date and hundreds of others how to teach life- changing raw food classes via her trainings and home study program.
Karen lives in Cambridgeshire, England with her son Luke, 7. Her passions include raw food, human potential, metaphysics, high heels, dancing, flowers, creativity, organising, business coaching, helping others achieve their dreams and creating and pursuing her own "squealicious" goals and visions.
Find Karen online at:
Twitter
Facebook Fan Page
YouTube (Raw recipe demos and more)
Would you like to pass this on or reprint elsewhere?
Please do! You can forward this newsletter to your friends, family, partner and colleagues. If you know someone who would benefit from reading this, go ahead and spread the word!
Karen Knowler, The Raw Food Coach 2010, www.TheRawFoodCoach.com, and let people know that they can join the list at www.therawfoodcoach.com
I appreciated some lovely tiny(yet ULTRA DELICOUS:)fresh peaches followed by some addictive organic green leaves(Cavelo Nero)from Langridge Farm in Crediton(A Mandala Organic Grower's Partner:0)
There can, of course, be a multitude of reasons for not feeling as good as you could, and way more than we can go into in one article, but today I'm going to discuss one of the most common: Over- eating.
Whether we eat cooked foods or raw - or a mixture of both, eating more food than we need quite simply overtaxes the body. Digestion takes more energy than any other activity we do - in fact sometimes it can even exhaust us completely (think Christmas Dinner, and your half-comatose relatives asleep in the chair!). It's incredible that food can make or break our energy in this way, but it really does, and sometimes this can be subtly undermining (which all adds up) and other times blatantly obvious.
When we eat raw foods, generally speaking, our digestive demands lessen. Our foods are more simple, we are eating enzymes rather than needing to find them from our existing stores, and, unless our diet is fat-dense (i.e. eating lots of nuts and seeds) then typically our load is much lighter and much faster to transit through than the average diet.
It is estimated that one in three people in the doctor's waiting room is there for a colon-related issue. A shocking statistic don't you think? But hardly surprising when we consider what passes for "food" today and what extremes some people will go to in terms of diversity, quantity and frequency. Of course, most people in this bracket don't necessarily eat in a way we could consider to be healthy, but there's so much more to it than just what we eat...
So how is it that some people on raw foods don't get the amazing energy that myself or others rave about? Especially if you are eating low-fat?
As far as I can see, a lot of it comes down to making sure that when you eat you are genuinely hungry.
My own research over hundreds of clients shows that at least 95% of people I survey either do not know what true hunger feels like and/or do not wait until they are hungry to eat.
What this means is this:
If you are eating when you're not hungry then you are essentially putting in more food than your body needs. When this is the case, your body will use its precious energy to digest (or "burn" as I like to call it) your food rather than have the energy available to use for something more productive (like feeling good!).
One of my greatest lessons on my own food journey has been to wait until I am truly hungry before I eat. This doesn't, by the way, mean that I wait until I feel "starving", just that I know that even if a plain bowl of lettuce leaves was placed in front of me, then I would eat them and genuinely enjoy them because I am that ready to consume.
Why this example?
Because of all the things that we can eat on this planet, green leaves are the least addictive foods of all, and the among the most nutritious for us... and if we feel drawn to eating them un-dressed and unaccompanied then that's a great sign that we really are hungry - because as you know our taste buds and bodies can appear so fickle and easily persuaded!
It took me many years to get to the point where I only when hungry, but I have to say it really is one of the most enjoyable aspects of the way I eat/ live my life. There is nothing more gratifying than going to eat a meal that you are really and truly ready for. I'm sure I love my food ten times more because of this. It tastes and feels so much better! In fact, I really do find that now if someone places food in front of me or offers me something - even if it's just a single piece of fruit - if I'm not hungry I get very strong signals from my body not to eat it and I find myself actually physically repulsed by it. Now that's incredible!
Considering my extensive junk food background, I really do believe that if I can reach this place then anyone can, although I appreciate we all have different issues to overcome in order to get to here.
I call this place of genuine hunger the place of "The Clean Burn". That's because I know that when I'm in this place I feel as if whatever I eat is really enjoyed from the moment I start preparing it to the moment it starts its journey down my throat and into my stomach. From this moment on I feel as if the food is being digested and utilised immediately. No hanging around waiting for breakfast to pass through or "falling" on top of last night's supper and - wait for it - fermenting and rotting. Eugh! It feels as if it is being welcomed with open arms and that my entire body is ready for it and loving it. Now that's worth waiting for!
It's rather ironic that throughout our entire childhood and typically, adulthood, we are never taught how to eat properly. Whether we use a knife and fork from an early age seems to be of more importance than whether we are actually ready to eat! It's no wonder we have the weight issues that we do - a lean body is often a clean body, and a clean body is one that really knows and experiences the feeling of The Clean Burn on a regular basis.
As I sit here writing this article it is 12:33pm. Today so far all I have consumed is one pint of watermelon juice, which I had as soon as I felt some hunger around about 10:00am. I am just starting to get that Clean Burn feeling now, but I know I'm not quite there yet, so I will wait a little longer before I go downstairs to eat. There is an art in detecting what stage you're at, and after years of practice and awareness I know now that although what I'm feeling right now would be considered "really hungry" by some people, to me it is a sign that, if I were away from home, I should start looking for food in order to secure it, but if I already have it to not yet eat it as the Clean Burn is not yet fully upon me!
Are these the words of a closet anorexic? No, I can assure you they're not! I am most definitely not into deprivation at any price, and least of all when it comes to food! No, what I describe here is a way of feeling and being around food that feels quite the opposite to deprivation - if I were to eat now before I got fully hungry and could fully appreciate every ounce of my meal - now THAT would feel like deprivation.
On that note I'm going to ask that you really pay attention to your hunger signals over the next few days and see how far you can go with this. This means ignoring the clock, getting all the "shoulds" out of your head about what, when and how you "should" be eating, and really paying attention to the different degrees of hunger as they unfurl. And yes, of course, waiting until you are FULLY hungry before you begin.
Yes, I know this may sound or feel like advanced stuff and even a little scary for some people, but if you can start to put even a little of this into practice in your daily life then I'd be very surprised if you didn't start to lose any excess weight you have, gain a lot more energy overall and generally start falling in love with your food - and your body - even more than you ever thought possible.
Oh yes, and did I mention that your food bills may very well go down?!
Enjoy the pursuit of The Clean Burn, a few more minutes wait for your food is a VERY small price to pay for such huge and multifaceted rewards, believe me!
© 2010 Karen Knowler WOULD YOU LIKE TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR EZINE OR ON YOUR WEB SITE? You can, as long as you include this complete blurb with it: Karen Knowler, The Raw Food Coach publishes "Successfully Raw" - a free weekly eZine for raw food lovers everywhere. If you're ready to look good, feel great and create a raw life you love get your FREE tips, tools and recipes now at www.TheRawFoodCoach.com.
This Week's Recipe
Karen's Super-Sexy Olive Cream
This delicious dip is so-called because when a friend first tried this recipe she gasped and went, "Ohhh, that's SO sexy!" - and it kind of stuck. Well, there is a certain something about it...
Ingredients
* 1 avocado
* 1 fresh tomato
* 5-6 pitted black olives
* Garlic to taste
Directions
1) Simply process all ingredients together until a thick creamy consistency is achieved.
2) Taste-test. Adapt as desired.
3) Serve with crudités, as a dip or spread on sprouted bread or crackers. Sex-y!
RAW COACH'S TOP TIPS:
* Feel free to try adding a little juice to this such as lemon, orange or pineapple - you never know what you might create!
If you liked this recipe, how about 49 more?
Where's Karen?
August 31st: Raw Food Coach Training Call More info coming soon...
September 11th - 15th: Business Retreat, Miami Beach, Florida
September 21st - 27th: Business Retreat, Scottsdale, Arizona
October 23rd: "Fall into Raw" Autumn raw food class with Nina Dench. More info >>
November 1st - 5th: SHINE Event with Ali Brown, Las Vegas, Nevada
November 20th - 21st: Raw Food Weekend, London. More info coming soon...
Karen's World
What I've Been Up To This Week
A little detour from the usual format, but I hope you'll enjoy a peek into Karen's World from a different perspective. Over recent weeks I've been making a conscious effort to bring more fun, play and "other things I love" into my life. It's been easy, simple and fun... And needless to day, has made all the difference.
* Spent a great weekend in York with Katie, my office manager - Raw Bombshell workshop, a night of dinner and dancing, hotel stay and Sunday shopping. A very memorable weekend indeed.
* Had a wardrobe weeding session in preparation for Autumn with personal stylist Sue Donnelly - over half my clothes are gone - eek!
* Dinner date in town with "someone nice" ; )
* Watching season two of "The Swan" on DVD - not everyone's cup-of-tea, but I find it incredibly inspiring...
* Preparing my home for my new PA, Sue, to move into. Just one more week to go until I get the home and office help I need. Can't wait!
And this weekend I'm off to a party where everyone has to wear either all pink or all purple posh frocks. I've gone for purple - of course! - (the one pictured), but it wasn't easy to find something I liked. Definitely not a dress I could have happily worn pre-raw!
And on Sunday - my boy Luke (8 next month) returns. He's been away for four weeks visiting with daddy. It's the longest we've ever been apart but we've been speaking every day and have lots of great things to look forward to before he goes back to school in September.
Enjoy your weekend!
What Is Successfully Raw?
Successfully Raw is a weekly eZine for raw food fans who want to look, feel and live their very best.
Delivered at the end of every week for weekend inspiration, it's packed with quality tips, tools, resources, recipes, news and inspiration and is authored and published by Karen Knowler, The Raw Food Coach.
Successfully Raw means eating raw on your own terms - which means eating the amount of raw food YOU wish to eat, for wherever you are in your life right now and according your own unique wants and needs. The Successfully Raw Philosophy is that more is not better unless you want more! No deprivation, striving or sacrificing here!
Happy comes first, raw (and healthy) comes second, and if you can marry the two together, then that's Successfully Raw!
Successfully Raw: All of the fun, none of the fanaticism : )
About Karen
Karen Knowler is The Raw Food Coach, former Managing Director of The Fresh Network, the UK's Raw and Living Foods organisation, creator and former editor of Get Fresh! magazine and creator of TheRawFoodDirectory.com, the ultimate one-stop international raw food resource centre online.
With over 17 years of personal experience of eating a raw food diet, Karen has been teaching, writing and coaching professionally on raw foods for over a decade. Owing to her groundbreaking work in the field of raw foods and human potential and dubbed "The world's premier raw food coach", Karen has stepped increasingly in to her role of "train the traine" training 84 raw food coaches worldwide to date and hundreds of others how to teach life- changing raw food classes via her trainings and home study program.
Karen lives in Cambridgeshire, England with her son Luke, 7. Her passions include raw food, human potential, metaphysics, high heels, dancing, flowers, creativity, organising, business coaching, helping others achieve their dreams and creating and pursuing her own "squealicious" goals and visions.
Find Karen online at:
Facebook Fan Page
YouTube (Raw recipe demos and more)
Would you like to pass this on or reprint elsewhere?
Please do! You can forward this newsletter to your friends, family, partner and colleagues. If you know someone who would benefit from reading this, go ahead and spread the word!
Karen Knowler, The Raw Food Coach 2010, www.TheRawFoodCoach.com, and let people know that they can join the list at www.therawfoodcoach.com
I appreciated some lovely tiny(yet ULTRA DELICOUS:)fresh peaches followed by some addictive organic green leaves(Cavelo Nero)from Langridge Farm in Crediton(A Mandala Organic Grower's Partner:0)
Tuesday, 10 August 2010
Motivation to get fit if any!
'I’m also finding it gets harder to stay slim and fit as I get older,' she admits. 'I have to watch what I eat more these days. I keep carbs to a minimum and try not to drink much as there are so many empty calories in wine. You hold back the years if you look after yourself.
'My weight fluctuates between 8st and 9st and I’ve never been any heavier,' says Anthea, who’s 5ft 6in.
'I’m a real chocoholic and I love pasta, but I can’t really eat them any more. I just put on weight too easily..
I know the feeling only too well, love!
Fact: Apple-shaped women(that's us) are statistically prone to die earlier then their pear-shaped counterparts. Got to get over one's 'Obesity issues' and pronto!
Wish me well!
'My weight fluctuates between 8st and 9st and I’ve never been any heavier,' says Anthea, who’s 5ft 6in.
'I’m a real chocoholic and I love pasta, but I can’t really eat them any more. I just put on weight too easily..
I know the feeling only too well, love!
Fact: Apple-shaped women(that's us) are statistically prone to die earlier then their pear-shaped counterparts. Got to get over one's 'Obesity issues' and pronto!
Wish me well!
Monday, 9 August 2010
Treating thy Self like a precious object will keep us strong!
Or so they say! In reality I'm still ever so so vulnerable. Have you met anyone with a overwhelming profound sense of guilt, contempt and self-hatred?!!! I'm far from living one's heart-felt dreams as the challenges continue to rear their ugly head(And I'm no spring chicken). Been bingeing today and yesterday etc. and feel like garbage. It seems any cooked / processed 'food' is strictly off limits for food addicts for life. Personally, one does tend to thrive on a water-based plant lifestyle and of course the taste of seasonally, fresh produce at it's peak is sublime compared with dead food. Yes, I'm wasting a valuable life away procrastinating and bingeing / compulsive overeating. What a fool!
Forget the Past, the past is History!
Forget the Past, the past is History!
Saturday, 7 August 2010
Raw Choccie Bliss!
As you may be aware I'm not all hemp and Hessian and thus I too love to indulge in the finer things in life! I've been appreciating some yummy raw Cacao confectionery most recently and therefore feel obliged to share these delightful discoveries with y'all.
What am I?
‘Cacao Kapow’ is a sugar free, dairy free, raw cacao bar. Made from the same plant that brings you chocolate, but unlike chocolate, this bar maintains all the nutritional qualities of the most complex plant on earth, the amazing Cacao plant.
What’s in me?
‘Cacao Kapow’ is a raw living food; gentle processing of ingredients never reaches temperatures above 42 degrees to ensure the nutritional qualities are maintained.
All the ingredients we use are either certified organic or are wild-crafted, free from agrochemicals and pesticides. All the ingredients listed below are ethically and sustainably sourced.
• Cold Pressed Virgin Cacao Oil/Butter.
Cacao butter won't raise your cholesterol levels like other fats, is less likely to cause weight gain compared to refined or hydrogenated oils, and also provides essential fatty acids.
• Creative Nature’s Award Winning Organic Cacao Nibs.
Contain more than 300 nutritional compounds, antioxidants, essential minerals and feel-good neurotransmitters like serotonin.
• Xylitol (Birch Tree Sugar)
Despite its chemical sounding name, Xylitol is in fact a completely naturally occurring sweetner found in many fruits, particularly strawberries. The name Xylitol is derived from the Latin for ‘from wood’ as in Xylophone (a wooden instrument).
It has approximately half the calories of sugar and is safe for both diabetics and individuals with hyperglycaemia.
• Rice Powder
• Algarroba (South American variety of Carob) renowned for its soothing effect on the digestive system as well as a high mineral content.
• And a pinch of Ground vanilla pod
What can I be used for?
‘Cacao Kapow’ can be used in the same way you would use a chocolate bar, to be enjoyed wherever and whenever the mood takes you!
How much of me should you take?
Unlike synthetic chocolate, where you will often eat a whole bar and still crave more, many people report that 4 or 5 squares of ‘Cacao Kapow’ is normally enough to satisfy ones needs. This is because ‘Cacao Kapow’ doesn’t contain synthetic sugar which unbalances blood sugar levels causing a dip and therefore a craving for more.
It is also likely that the live enzymes contained in raw food which enhance digestion help the body to feel satisfied more quickly.
Having said that, for true ‘Kapowaholics’ one bar is never enough!! There’s nothing bad in ‘Cacao Kapow’ so you can eat it till the Ca-Cows come home!!
Contraindications
None reported. (Not suitable for animals)
This is raw confectionery at it's very best and a pure delight to eat, so decadent, luxurious and the meltingly-smooth mouth feel of a standard(not so virtuous or healthy chocolate bar)chocolate bar. The taste is sublimely-perfect(Not cloyingly-sickly sweet as conventional choccie can be:). Go on treat yourself today!
Other good bars that are worth a mention are:
* Om Bars: Probotic Coconut and Acai and Blueberry(ORAC224/g)- I've yet to try the Probotic Strawberry
* Vanoffie Lovingly-created by the Raw Chocolate Company in Sussex!
Enjoyed a delicious brunch-breakfast of buckwheat, fresh blueberries and OmBar: Acai and Blueberry raw chocolate:0)
Happy Eating!
What am I?
‘Cacao Kapow’ is a sugar free, dairy free, raw cacao bar. Made from the same plant that brings you chocolate, but unlike chocolate, this bar maintains all the nutritional qualities of the most complex plant on earth, the amazing Cacao plant.
What’s in me?
‘Cacao Kapow’ is a raw living food; gentle processing of ingredients never reaches temperatures above 42 degrees to ensure the nutritional qualities are maintained.
All the ingredients we use are either certified organic or are wild-crafted, free from agrochemicals and pesticides. All the ingredients listed below are ethically and sustainably sourced.
• Cold Pressed Virgin Cacao Oil/Butter.
Cacao butter won't raise your cholesterol levels like other fats, is less likely to cause weight gain compared to refined or hydrogenated oils, and also provides essential fatty acids.
• Creative Nature’s Award Winning Organic Cacao Nibs.
Contain more than 300 nutritional compounds, antioxidants, essential minerals and feel-good neurotransmitters like serotonin.
• Xylitol (Birch Tree Sugar)
Despite its chemical sounding name, Xylitol is in fact a completely naturally occurring sweetner found in many fruits, particularly strawberries. The name Xylitol is derived from the Latin for ‘from wood’ as in Xylophone (a wooden instrument).
It has approximately half the calories of sugar and is safe for both diabetics and individuals with hyperglycaemia.
• Rice Powder
• Algarroba (South American variety of Carob) renowned for its soothing effect on the digestive system as well as a high mineral content.
• And a pinch of Ground vanilla pod
What can I be used for?
‘Cacao Kapow’ can be used in the same way you would use a chocolate bar, to be enjoyed wherever and whenever the mood takes you!
How much of me should you take?
Unlike synthetic chocolate, where you will often eat a whole bar and still crave more, many people report that 4 or 5 squares of ‘Cacao Kapow’ is normally enough to satisfy ones needs. This is because ‘Cacao Kapow’ doesn’t contain synthetic sugar which unbalances blood sugar levels causing a dip and therefore a craving for more.
It is also likely that the live enzymes contained in raw food which enhance digestion help the body to feel satisfied more quickly.
Having said that, for true ‘Kapowaholics’ one bar is never enough!! There’s nothing bad in ‘Cacao Kapow’ so you can eat it till the Ca-Cows come home!!
Contraindications
None reported. (Not suitable for animals)
This is raw confectionery at it's very best and a pure delight to eat, so decadent, luxurious and the meltingly-smooth mouth feel of a standard(not so virtuous or healthy chocolate bar)chocolate bar. The taste is sublimely-perfect(Not cloyingly-sickly sweet as conventional choccie can be:). Go on treat yourself today!
Other good bars that are worth a mention are:
* Om Bars: Probotic Coconut and Acai and Blueberry(ORAC224/g)- I've yet to try the Probotic Strawberry
* Vanoffie Lovingly-created by the Raw Chocolate Company in Sussex!
Enjoyed a delicious brunch-breakfast of buckwheat, fresh blueberries and OmBar: Acai and Blueberry raw chocolate:0)
Happy Eating!
Tuesday, 6 July 2010
Super, Eco-delicous, Brown-sprouted Lentils!
Lentil sprouts pack a punch of powerhouse of nutrients that delivers quality nourishment in a ecolicious, convenient form!
Lentil sprouts are so easy to make and are so good for you! Lentil sprouts contain Vitamins: A, B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B12, B15, B17, C, K, choline, folic acid, inositol, PABA Minerals: boron, calcium, chlorine, copper, iron, magnesium, molybdenum, phosphorus, potassium, selenium, sodium, sulphur, zinc The amounts are loosely given. I love them over salads, but are good snacks on their own. Cook time is sprouting time.
As a long-term naturalist and natural health enthusiast I've been sprouting on and off for years. My favourite sprouts include: sunflower, buckwheat, mung bean, chia, and now brown lentil(Not too keen on the green thought).
To the brown lentil sprouts I dressed it with:
*Chilli powder
*Fresh garlic
*Pink salt
*Fresh lime juice
*Extra Virgin Olive oil
to this one added a couple of red / yellow / orange bell pepper and serve it with some crisp organic cucumber or any healthy salad!
Sprouting Tip!
Never get the sprouted tails(white)bigger then the lentil itself(once lentils have sprouted ie with white tails refrigerate for freshness.
So quick, so easy and fast-food at it's very best!
Lentil sprouts are so easy to make and are so good for you! Lentil sprouts contain Vitamins: A, B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B12, B15, B17, C, K, choline, folic acid, inositol, PABA Minerals: boron, calcium, chlorine, copper, iron, magnesium, molybdenum, phosphorus, potassium, selenium, sodium, sulphur, zinc The amounts are loosely given. I love them over salads, but are good snacks on their own. Cook time is sprouting time.
As a long-term naturalist and natural health enthusiast I've been sprouting on and off for years. My favourite sprouts include: sunflower, buckwheat, mung bean, chia, and now brown lentil(Not too keen on the green thought).
To the brown lentil sprouts I dressed it with:
*Chilli powder
*Fresh garlic
*Pink salt
*Fresh lime juice
*Extra Virgin Olive oil
to this one added a couple of red / yellow / orange bell pepper and serve it with some crisp organic cucumber or any healthy salad!
Sprouting Tip!
Never get the sprouted tails(white)bigger then the lentil itself(once lentils have sprouted ie with white tails refrigerate for freshness.
So quick, so easy and fast-food at it's very best!
Monday, 5 July 2010
Luscious Lemony Delight!
Appreciated a rather healthy and scrummy concoction(raw vegan cereal:) of sprouted buckwheat, ripe bananas and the juice of 1 lemon. This was especially sublime as this was a experiential dish full of bioflavonoids, amino acids, calcium, rutin, b vitamins, vitamin c and would make an ideal healthy fuel start for all the family(I'm sure growing children would appreciate this:). I was soo exited that I had to share this yummy recipe with ya all!
Namaste!
Namaste!
Sunday, 4 July 2010
Sunday, 4th July 2010
Oh, I wish! I wish! I wish! I was one of those peeps who loses their appetite when they they ave things on the mind. Unfortunately for me I'm the complete opposite! From October 2009(I had a horrendous miscarriage at 12 weeks)I've been pretty good with daily Tibetans and asana practice. This week I've been a bit slack, yesterday's binge, tonight's binge has developed into a very bloated stomach(as well as the scares to one's disordered eating / lifestyle patterns ie I'm talking unsightly stretch marks and cellulite and I've yet to produce a baby. It's soo disheartening to be short and fat(I'm 5' 1' and a bit). I ate(binged) so late I only managed to do the MH and so disappointed that food is controlling me. I feel so useless. I need to create my life, my wonderful sustainable life, me potting around my forest garden, campaigning against Global pollution and the degradation and destruction of mother Earth and all that surround her. What a useless waste of space I am today.
Buckwheat Heaven!
Enjoying a lovely 'cereal' of germinated buckwheat, goji berries, bananas and cinnamon!
Binge alert!
I must, I must learn the art of conscious / mindful eating! I must slow down and really take time to savour the experience:)
Thursday, 1 July 2010
Happy Birthday Diana!
Today would of been Princess Diana's 49th birthday! I feel humbled that we are both fellow watery, astrological sign, early Cancer(we're early crabs:)I still cannot comprehend that she's left her earthly body so soon. This is a tribute on how one would like to remember her; the lovingly-devoted mother and compassionate soul that she was.
Wednesday, 30 June 2010
I am Blessed!
I am Blessed!
I appreciated a scrummy kale salad(I adore kale and determined to grow it in my garden forest when circumstances allow:) with the most deliciously-juicy sweet cherry tomatoes on the vine, garlic, pink salt, lime juice, rocket, red bell pepper, chili and olive oil dressing. It has to be one's favourite balanced meal in the Universe!
I appreciated a scrummy kale salad(I adore kale and determined to grow it in my garden forest when circumstances allow:) with the most deliciously-juicy sweet cherry tomatoes on the vine, garlic, pink salt, lime juice, rocket, red bell pepper, chili and olive oil dressing. It has to be one's favourite balanced meal in the Universe!
Monday, 28 June 2010
Positive News!
Inspired by this month's Yoga and Health magazine, one took advantage of the glorious sunny weather we've been blessed with lately, here in Blighty and took myself to the local park to for some restorative healing in the form of the Tibetan Rites and ancient asanas. I got over one's self-consciousness and just got on with it!
Just like to share with you a inspiring corporate business story that one read in the UK press recently(I loved it soo much I had to share with you all:):
Grocer's Organic Rooftop Allotment
'A London supermarket is sourcing organic vegetables - from it's roof. Lettuce, Curly Kale, Beets and Tomatoes are sprouting at Budgens in the Broadway, Crouch End, in what is believed to be the first supermarket garden. Food in the Sky was devised by store owner Andrew Thornton and designer Azul-Valerie Thome'.
Source: ES June 2010
It was soo refreshing to read that supermarket employees can really make a difference to the community(Good work, Guys:)may this be a positive start of many supermarket / corporate rooftop gardens!
Just like to share with you a inspiring corporate business story that one read in the UK press recently(I loved it soo much I had to share with you all:):
Grocer's Organic Rooftop Allotment
'A London supermarket is sourcing organic vegetables - from it's roof. Lettuce, Curly Kale, Beets and Tomatoes are sprouting at Budgens in the Broadway, Crouch End, in what is believed to be the first supermarket garden. Food in the Sky was devised by store owner Andrew Thornton and designer Azul-Valerie Thome'.
Source: ES June 2010
It was soo refreshing to read that supermarket employees can really make a difference to the community(Good work, Guys:)may this be a positive start of many supermarket / corporate rooftop gardens!
Saturday, 26 June 2010
Hemp Power!
Why Hemp?
The humble hemp seed is the most sustainable crop on earth! It's versatility is just mind-blowing! Unlike cotton production which poisons agriculture workers, uses up resources and contaminates water supplies, hemp grows abundantly without the use of fertilises and vast amounts of water.
*As a food it's a complete protein source as well as being a powerhouse of omega 3 essential fatty acids(essential for a healthy brain and heart:). These good fats help you to release excess weight unlike the undesirable trans fats in processed foods.
* As a clean fuel source unlike fossil fuels(oils, coal, tar etc.) that pollute and contaminate land and rivers significantly contributing to global warming and the mess we're in now.
* Hemp makes an excellent and durable fabric for clothes(bags, diapers etc.) and has far superior tensell strengh to cotton and repels more ultra violet rays then any other fabric.
*Hemp makes excellent ethical, skincare preparations(moisturizers etc.) it must be down to all the nourishing omega 3 essential fatty acids(I especially love the UK-made Yeoh brand:)
* Hemp makes a ethically-sourced paper unlike tree paper!
*The oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico was a disaster waiting to happen Oil is far from ethical and ultimate kills many lives on land and sea. People go to war over oil, fueling the ego and greed mentality. It plays a huge contribution to the deforestation of the rainforests(whether for animal production, industry or paper production) is wide-spread pollution and environmental degradation on a global scale. We can't plant enough trees, they're our lifeblood! I'm scared for our children's future. Ultimately, all this is down to is unnecessary irresponsible human behaviour. Time to mend our ways perhaps?
* Reuse, Recycle, Reduce
* Eat and wear Hemp(Go vegan, eat a plant-based high-water fuelled diet:)!
* Pratise Yoga / Meditation
The humble hemp seed is the most sustainable crop on earth! It's versatility is just mind-blowing! Unlike cotton production which poisons agriculture workers, uses up resources and contaminates water supplies, hemp grows abundantly without the use of fertilises and vast amounts of water.
*As a food it's a complete protein source as well as being a powerhouse of omega 3 essential fatty acids(essential for a healthy brain and heart:). These good fats help you to release excess weight unlike the undesirable trans fats in processed foods.
* As a clean fuel source unlike fossil fuels(oils, coal, tar etc.) that pollute and contaminate land and rivers significantly contributing to global warming and the mess we're in now.
* Hemp makes an excellent and durable fabric for clothes(bags, diapers etc.) and has far superior tensell strengh to cotton and repels more ultra violet rays then any other fabric.
*Hemp makes excellent ethical, skincare preparations(moisturizers etc.) it must be down to all the nourishing omega 3 essential fatty acids(I especially love the UK-made Yeoh brand:)
* Hemp makes a ethically-sourced paper unlike tree paper!
*The oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico was a disaster waiting to happen Oil is far from ethical and ultimate kills many lives on land and sea. People go to war over oil, fueling the ego and greed mentality. It plays a huge contribution to the deforestation of the rainforests(whether for animal production, industry or paper production) is wide-spread pollution and environmental degradation on a global scale. We can't plant enough trees, they're our lifeblood! I'm scared for our children's future. Ultimately, all this is down to is unnecessary irresponsible human behaviour. Time to mend our ways perhaps?
* Reuse, Recycle, Reduce
* Eat and wear Hemp(Go vegan, eat a plant-based high-water fuelled diet:)!
* Pratise Yoga / Meditation
Friday, 25 June 2010
Sunny Daze!
I appreciated a lovely, light and hydrating breakfast of organic cucumbers, Granny Smith / green apple and fresh strawberries making us feel wonderfully-light and energetically-vibrant like a child!
Eating high-water foods will change your life. Your eyes will sparkle, your skin will clear, your elimination will be easy, in fact, most everything will change, including how many times a day you need to go pee! :)
That's okay! Getting to know the nearest bathrooms is not always a bad thing.
If you are already a intuitive eater, then you are probably ahead of the pack in this area provided you are avoiding salt that will cause us to retain water. Salt (sodium chloride) is a poison that the body needs to dilute with retaining water to keep it away from the delicate tissues of the body.
We need natural sodium found in coconuts, celery, greens and some melons to keep us hydrated. Normal Walker, author of the book "What's Missing in Your Body" about Vegetable and fruit juices said that celery juice is the perfect solution to hot weather and keeps us cool. Intuitive eaters in general have body temperatures about 5degrees less than SAD eaters due to the fact that the body does not have to create a fever to "burn" up the heavier concentrated foods like starches, proteins and fats. These foods "sludge up" the circulation of the body and make it have to work harder.
Juicy fruits and veggies are the best for weight-loss. The reason for this is their cleansing ability. Also, in the book "Your Body's Many Cries for Water" it tells us that many cravings we get are because we are mistake thirst for hunger(If in doubt drink some water:0).
I'm no physician but in my humble opinion the best hydration natural drink solution to consume is pure coconut water(Perfect balance of hydrating electrolytes for the human body and therefore perfect for sports enthusiasts, mums-to-be, children and elderly alike:). Closely followed by awesome combo of organic celery and bananas. This is also great after a workout or strenuous activity. Let's no forget the humble fruit tomato, full of lycopene makes it a natural sun preventative measure too! This does not mean to disregard the slip, slop, slap(slip on a shirt, slop on some sunscreen, slap on a hat)mantra. Common sense still prevails!
Eating high-water foods will change your life. Your eyes will sparkle, your skin will clear, your elimination will be easy, in fact, most everything will change, including how many times a day you need to go pee! :)
That's okay! Getting to know the nearest bathrooms is not always a bad thing.
If you are already a intuitive eater, then you are probably ahead of the pack in this area provided you are avoiding salt that will cause us to retain water. Salt (sodium chloride) is a poison that the body needs to dilute with retaining water to keep it away from the delicate tissues of the body.
We need natural sodium found in coconuts, celery, greens and some melons to keep us hydrated. Normal Walker, author of the book "What's Missing in Your Body" about Vegetable and fruit juices said that celery juice is the perfect solution to hot weather and keeps us cool. Intuitive eaters in general have body temperatures about 5degrees less than SAD eaters due to the fact that the body does not have to create a fever to "burn" up the heavier concentrated foods like starches, proteins and fats. These foods "sludge up" the circulation of the body and make it have to work harder.
Juicy fruits and veggies are the best for weight-loss. The reason for this is their cleansing ability. Also, in the book "Your Body's Many Cries for Water" it tells us that many cravings we get are because we are mistake thirst for hunger(If in doubt drink some water:0).
I'm no physician but in my humble opinion the best hydration natural drink solution to consume is pure coconut water(Perfect balance of hydrating electrolytes for the human body and therefore perfect for sports enthusiasts, mums-to-be, children and elderly alike:). Closely followed by awesome combo of organic celery and bananas. This is also great after a workout or strenuous activity. Let's no forget the humble fruit tomato, full of lycopene makes it a natural sun preventative measure too! This does not mean to disregard the slip, slop, slap(slip on a shirt, slop on some sunscreen, slap on a hat)mantra. Common sense still prevails!
Friday, 18 June 2010
Food for Thought!
Nothing will benefit human health and increase the chances for survival of life on Earth as much as the evolution to a vegetarian diet.
~ Albert Einstein
We get old because we stop playing?
Sub-atomically we are one. We are all particles. Under a microscope you are a vibrating string theory, energy!
The soul never dies.
There is only one book: the book of nature
There is only one caste:the caste of humanity
There is only one religion: the religion of love
~ Albert Einstein
We get old because we stop playing?
Sub-atomically we are one. We are all particles. Under a microscope you are a vibrating string theory, energy!
The soul never dies.
There is only one book: the book of nature
There is only one caste:the caste of humanity
There is only one religion: the religion of love
Pre-birthday Treat!
Indulged in a rather decadent raw carob cake(haverawcakeandeatit.co.uk)with buckwheaties with no guilt whatsoever(A turning point for us with one's track record of emotional binge eating etc, etc, enough said there).
For the recipe and a whole lot more besides do check out the website, it's a great resource for all!
I purchased the raw carob making kit!
Ingredients: Cacao butter, carob powder, coconut butter, dried apricots, lacuma, purple corn flour, hemp seeds and almonds.
I loved this specific cake recipe simple because this decadent treat has a subtle sweetness unlike conventional cakes wish I find unpalatable(so, so sweet with tonnes of processed sugar). Thank-you Annette!
For the recipe and a whole lot more besides do check out the website, it's a great resource for all!
I purchased the raw carob making kit!
Ingredients: Cacao butter, carob powder, coconut butter, dried apricots, lacuma, purple corn flour, hemp seeds and almonds.
I loved this specific cake recipe simple because this decadent treat has a subtle sweetness unlike conventional cakes wish I find unpalatable(so, so sweet with tonnes of processed sugar). Thank-you Annette!
Saturday, 5 June 2010
Worth Remembering!
MEDITATING ON "Before we can achieve success, we have to expect it of ourselves." Is that ever true. And the truth is, nobody can do it for you. YOU have to want success and believe you deserve it. I do.
Sunday, 30 May 2010
Wondrous Fermented Foods!
We all know the benefits of fermented foods, so why make up some beneficial healthy bacteria from something good from your larder?
Oat Yogurt is Easy to Make
First, Take Some Oats…
You can make oat yogurt from either raw or cooked oats. You can use oat groats, rolled oats or steel-cut oats, or oat flour, whatever you've got.
For the best flavor and nutrition, start with unprocessed raw whole oat groats. Groats is just another word for grains. For some reason, buckwheat grains and oat grains are called that. Start with either unprocessed oats or milled oats, then let them ferment.
Put the oat groats in a ceramic or glass bowl, or a glass jar. Add some water, enough to get them moist, with a little extra water covering them. After a few hours, or overnight, put the soaked oats and the soaking water in a blender or food processor or mortar and pestle. Blend until smooth. Pour back into bowl.
Oat Yogurt from Milled Oats
Put dry whole oat groats through a grain mill or food processor. Either grind them into flour, or roll them into flakes, depending on the capabilities of your machine. Or use rolled oats or steel-cut oats from the bulk bins at a store. Put the flour or flakes or whatever in a bowl with water.
…Next, Let the Oats Ferment
Use a ceramic bowl, since healthy fermentation produces acids that could interact with a metal container. You can cover the bowl with a plate or a cloth to keep out dust, and to keep the oats from drying. If you use a plate, it doesn't need to be a tight fit, in fact it's better to let some air in, and to let carbon dioxide out. Leave the oats in a warm sunny place, on your kitchen counter or windowsill. If you have a gas stove with a pilot light, you can leave them on top of that.
Stir them once in a while. If they have absorbed all the water, add a little. There should be a little water on top, or around the edges. After a few days, taste them to see if they're sour yet. Then taste them once a day. When they are as sour as you want, either use the yogurt, or put it into the refrigerator if you don't want them to get more sour.
You Don't Need to Buy a Special Starter Culture
Friendly micro-organisms called Lactobacilli are everywhere. They're related to the friendly bacteria that naturally live in your colon, and the ones in dairy yogurt. They like starch and fiber, and will reproduce happily if you give them a culture medium of water, starch and fiber. The kind of bacteria that grow is dependent on what food you provide them. Micro-organisms produce substances that help them and suppress their rivals, so the good lactobacilli produce acids that suppress fungi, yeasts, bad bacteria, etc.
Oat Yogurt or Oat Sour Cream
Oats are creamy, because of their high fat content, so the result comes out resembling dairy yogurt or sour cream. If you make it thicker, and let it get more sour, it will be more like sour cream.
Save Some Starter for Next Time
To make oat yogurt more quickly next time, save some to use as starter. If you're going traveling, keep the starter in a ceramic bowl with a plate on top, in the refrigerator until you're ready to use it. Cold slows down the growth of the lactobacilli, warmth speeds it up.
Health Benefits of Fermented Foods
The sour flavor comes from lactic acid, just like in dairy yogurt, sauerkraut, kim chi, kefir, sourdough bread, etc. Beneficial bacteria produce acids that suppress yeasts, including candida. Eating fermented foods helps promote the growth of the good bacteria that live in your colon, and reduces the growth of candida and other problematic organisms.
You Can Ferment Other Grains
You could ferment any grain, just as people make sourdough from wheat, rye, etc. For pleasant recipes, oats are nice, since the result resembles yogurt. For more anti-candida activity, other grains with more carbohydrate and less fat would be good, since the healthy lactobacilli live on starch and fiber.
Unmilled Oats Are Raw
Some people have heard that all oats you buy are cooked. Only the rolled oats are pre-cooked. Whole unmilled oat groats are raw, and alive. Those are the ones that look similar to grains of brown rice. Steel-cut oats are raw, but they are not alive and fresh.
Oat Yogurt Doesn't Go Bad if It Ferments Longer
It just gets stronger. If you let it ferment a long time, it gets more sour. That just means there are more of the beneficial bacteria. If it's more sour than you like, just mix it with some un-fermented oats and some water, until you get the taste you want.
Oat Yogurt from Oat Groats
Oat Yogurt is Easy to Make
First, Take Some Oats…
You can make oat yogurt from either raw or cooked oats. You can use oat groats, rolled oats or steel-cut oats, or oat flour, whatever you've got.
For the best flavor and nutrition, start with unprocessed raw whole oat groats. Groats is just another word for grains. For some reason, buckwheat grains and oat grains are called that. Start with either unprocessed oats or milled oats, then let them ferment.
Put the oat groats in a ceramic or glass bowl, or a glass jar. Add some water, enough to get them moist, with a little extra water covering them. After a few hours, or overnight, put the soaked oats and the soaking water in a blender or food processor or mortar and pestle. Blend until smooth. Pour back into bowl.
Oat Yogurt from Milled Oats
Put dry whole oat groats through a grain mill or food processor. Either grind them into flour, or roll them into flakes, depending on the capabilities of your machine. Or use rolled oats or steel-cut oats from the bulk bins at a store. Put the flour or flakes or whatever in a bowl with water.
…Next, Let the Oats Ferment
Use a ceramic bowl, since healthy fermentation produces acids that could interact with a metal container. You can cover the bowl with a plate or a cloth to keep out dust, and to keep the oats from drying. If you use a plate, it doesn't need to be a tight fit, in fact it's better to let some air in, and to let carbon dioxide out. Leave the oats in a warm sunny place, on your kitchen counter or windowsill. If you have a gas stove with a pilot light, you can leave them on top of that.
Stir them once in a while. If they have absorbed all the water, add a little. There should be a little water on top, or around the edges. After a few days, taste them to see if they're sour yet. Then taste them once a day. When they are as sour as you want, either use the yogurt, or put it into the refrigerator if you don't want them to get more sour.
You Don't Need to Buy a Special Starter Culture
Friendly micro-organisms called Lactobacilli are everywhere. They're related to the friendly bacteria that naturally live in your colon, and the ones in dairy yogurt. They like starch and fiber, and will reproduce happily if you give them a culture medium of water, starch and fiber. The kind of bacteria that grow is dependent on what food you provide them. Micro-organisms produce substances that help them and suppress their rivals, so the good lactobacilli produce acids that suppress fungi, yeasts, bad bacteria, etc.
Oat Yogurt or Oat Sour Cream
Oats are creamy, because of their high fat content, so the result comes out resembling dairy yogurt or sour cream. If you make it thicker, and let it get more sour, it will be more like sour cream.
Save Some Starter for Next Time
To make oat yogurt more quickly next time, save some to use as starter. If you're going traveling, keep the starter in a ceramic bowl with a plate on top, in the refrigerator until you're ready to use it. Cold slows down the growth of the lactobacilli, warmth speeds it up.
Health Benefits of Fermented Foods
The sour flavor comes from lactic acid, just like in dairy yogurt, sauerkraut, kim chi, kefir, sourdough bread, etc. Beneficial bacteria produce acids that suppress yeasts, including candida. Eating fermented foods helps promote the growth of the good bacteria that live in your colon, and reduces the growth of candida and other problematic organisms.
You Can Ferment Other Grains
You could ferment any grain, just as people make sourdough from wheat, rye, etc. For pleasant recipes, oats are nice, since the result resembles yogurt. For more anti-candida activity, other grains with more carbohydrate and less fat would be good, since the healthy lactobacilli live on starch and fiber.
Unmilled Oats Are Raw
Some people have heard that all oats you buy are cooked. Only the rolled oats are pre-cooked. Whole unmilled oat groats are raw, and alive. Those are the ones that look similar to grains of brown rice. Steel-cut oats are raw, but they are not alive and fresh.
Oat Yogurt Doesn't Go Bad if It Ferments Longer
It just gets stronger. If you let it ferment a long time, it gets more sour. That just means there are more of the beneficial bacteria. If it's more sour than you like, just mix it with some un-fermented oats and some water, until you get the taste you want.
Oat Yogurt from Oat Groats
Friday, 28 May 2010
You really can't get enough fresh produce!
An acid build up in the walls of your skin cells makes them thicken up, wrinkle and dry up. The cells then struggle to receive nutrients and the oxygen they need to be healthy. Because raw fruit and vegetables can be considered living, they still carry lots of oxygen in their cells, providing your bloodstream with a healthy boost. Babies’ bodies are alkaline yet anyone over 60 yr old is acidic.
Saturday, 22 May 2010
Inspirational Mama!
You can visit Anne's website at www.fruitgod.com and buy her book "Fruitarianism Path to Paradise"
Okay, as I was writing these out, I realized I had the most questions for you since you've been raw the longest. :) You are a fascinating person with a wealth of experience, thanks for doing this:
Thank you for this interview Michele;
it is a pleasure to answer your questions.
1) You were raw fruitarian when you got pregnant with Cappi--
Did you get any cravings? If so, how did you deal with them?
I did not get any cravings for cooked or processed food when I was pregnant with Cappi, but I did find that I had an attraction for the more savoury fruits; and I ate more Tomatoes, Cucumbers, and Avocados than I normally do.
Did you get any morning sickness or any other pregnancy-related sicknesses?
I was not sick, nor did I get any backache when pregnant. Certain smells did made me feel a bit queasy though. I felt very well and healthy and full of energy during my pregnancy, and I really enjoyed the nine months; it was a very special time in my life.
I worked as a massage therapist until I was eight months pregnant, and my bump was small so many of my clients did not even know I was pregnant.
How was the delivery?
I had a long second stage, and I did have some pain, but this was all managed with deep conscious breathing, and a wonderful midwife. I did not have any drugs and needed no stitches
I think that as we are physically formed in the womb (including our reproductive organs) genetics and the lifestyles and diets of our parents and grandparents will affect our own birth experiences.
I feel that we can do much with our own diets and lifestyles in order to have the best birth possible within our circumstances. But I do feel that 'The Sins of the Fathers' (or our forebears' lifestyles) will genetically affect our birth experiences.
How quickly did you recover from the birth?
Very quickly, I was back to my pre-pregnancy weight within a few days, and my stomach was back to flat the next day. This was a very pleasant surprise for me as after my first pregnancy (on a transition diet) my stomach took months to get back to flat.
I had good energy the next day and was out walking with one-day-old Cappi.
Did you eat more during the pregnancy? What did a typical day's food look like for you?
I did eat slightly more, and I really enjoyed my fruit.
I only put on 10kg(22lbs) during the pregnancy.
During the pregnancy, I was eating more Avocado and non-sweet fruits than I usually did.
I would have a seasonal juicy fruit for breakfast, maybe Orange Melon, Watermelon, Pineapple, or Passion Fruit.
I would have more juicy fruit mid-morning (unless I was working)
Lunch would usually be Avocado.
Mid afternoon would be more seasonal juicy sweet fruit.
Then in the evening I would sit down to dinner with Camlo, my elder son. We would have Avocado, Tomatoes, Cucumber and Bell Peppers.
I usually eat mono fruit meals, but I would often have a mixture of non-sweet fruits at dinner.
Was Cappi normal weight/height when born/growing up?
Cappi was in the 'normal' percentiles at birth and growing up, but at the lower end.
However, I personally think that it does not make sense to try to fit children who are on a simple raw diet into data charts based on children on a SAD diet.
Raw children, I feel, will have an endocrine system that is well-balanced, and therefore they will develop and grow at the appropriate time.
So many children have an endocrine system that is imbalanced, due to their diet containing processed food, growth hormones, and a large amount of animal products. As a result, many children, in Western society, are experiencing precocious puberty, and I think that this may affect lifespan, because for many mammals the longer the species takes to reach puberty, the longer is their lifespan.
Because hormones are responsible for growth and development, I would expect the growth and development of a raw child to be significantly different to a child on a highly processed diet that also contains animal products.
So I feel that standard height and weight charts are not really of much use to me and my children.
My elder boy was always, by Western society standards, a 'late developer' but he is now taller than anyone else in the family!
How was your nursing experience? How was your milk? How long did you nurse Cappi?
I loved nursing, one reason being that you have to take time out from everything else to sit and nurse; and for me, especially during the first weeks, it became a time where the World stopped turning and all that I needed to do was to take time to enjoy and focus on feeding my baby — nothing else mattered during that time.
I always had a good milk supply, and Cappi self-weaned at four years old.
How do you feel about home births?
I think that if the mother feels happy with birthing at home, then it needs to be an easy option for her. It seems that in Western society that option can be difficult to obtain.
If there are no complications, then, to me, home seems to be a wonderful place to give birth.
Cappi was born at home, under water, and it was so nice to be able to snuggle up with him in my own bed straight after giving birth.
It was also special to have my elder son present at the birth.
Did Cappi have any "childhood" diseases?
Cappi has had none of the 'usual' childhood illnesses such as mumps, measles or chicken pox. His elder brother has never had any either.
Both have not been immunised, and both have been in contact with other children with these diseases.
Cappi has had a few minor 'colds' which I see as elimination. I think that although his diet is good and has a Hygienic lifestyle, environmental pollutants cannot be avoided. We live near many Pineapple and Avocado farms where pesticides are frequently used.
What was his first food? What is his favorite food?
I cannot remember exactly what Cappi's first food was, it was probably some soft fruit such as mashed Banana or Papaya. Cappi showed an interest in fruit at a very early age. At three and a half months he started to reach out for my fruit — we were in Bali, and the fruit was just wonderful.
I have just asked Cappi what his fave fruit is; he called out "Durian!"
2) What do you feed your pets?
Our cat has BARF raw cat food, he also loves Avocado and will come running up at full speed if he spots anyone eating an Avo. I have heard that Avos can be toxic for cats and dogs, but I know of many pets who seem very healthy eating them. I also add nutritional yeast to the cat's diet.
3) Do you grow your own food? If so, what do you grow?
I love fruit trees and bushes and we have several young ones in our garden. Cappi really enjoys being able to pick his own fruit; and home-grown always tastes so wonderful.
Most of our baby fruit trees have yet to produce, but in the past year we have harvested Tomatoes, Mangoes, Blueberries, Mulberries, Strawberries, Passion Fruit, Youngberries and a lone (but very delicious) Fig from a very young Fig Tree.
4) How much do you spend each week on food?
For Cappi and I, Our food bill probably averages at around AU $160–$180.
If we are getting a lot of our fruit from fruit-growing friends, it will be less than this, and also if I am on a mono diet then I will spend less.
5) Tell us about the benefits of massage. How often do you get massages? How does massage fit into Natural Hygiene in your opinion?
I love Massage. Whilst I do not think massage heals the body, I certainly think that it can aid healing and increase a feeling of well-being by reducing stress and increasing blood and lymph flow.
I also find reflexology an amazing tool for diagnosis of imbalances and weaknesses in the body.
Therefore, I feel that massage can aid the body in its own healing; and so like sunshine and relaxation, massage can fit nicely into a Hygienic lifestyle.
I self-massage most days. I got lots of massages when I was pregnant, but have not had a professional massage since I gave birth to Cappi.
6) What made you turn into eating vegan? How old were you? What made you then want to go fruitarian?
As soon as I left home, I adopted a vegetarian diet, a year later when I was 19 I became a vegan. Becoming vegetarian and then vegan were purely for ethical reasons. I had been fortunate enough to have pretty good health as a child and teenager. However, when I went on a vegan diet, I immediately noticed a great improvement in my health. This discovery was totally unexpected, but it led me to make the connection between how I felt and what I put into my mouth; and this started me off on a quest to find the optimal diet for myself.
This quest led me to attend a talk by David Shelley, a local fruitarian author, at my local Animal Rights group. I was immediately impressed with David's glow, fitness, happiness, and energy.
I read David's book, and then along with a group of vegan friends I started to transition to a fruit diet.
8) Could you describe what you feel "overeating" is?
To me, overeating is when an individual eats an amount that is greater than the optimal quantity that the body requires at that specific point in time.
9) Where do you see yourself in 50 years?
Living in a Beautiful World, still raving over fruit, and going on foraging adventures with the great grandchildren.
10) What are some of your hobbies outside of health?
I love drawing, dancing, listening to live music, playing with Cappi, walking along beaches, spending time in rainforests, sewing, and collecting old or unusual fruity objects.
11) What is your favorite fruit?
Charentais Melon.
12) Where do you find all your interesting fruit research that you include in your blogs?
I love finding old books about health and fruit, they really inspire me. I love old copies of books, they seem to have a real history and a nice feel inside their covers. I also love researching on the internet. The internet has really helped me to find rare fruit and Natural Hygiene books; although, it is always exciting to me to scour second-hand bookshops.
13) How many meals a day do you consume?
Usually 3 or 4. If I mono diet, it is often 2 meals.
14) What time do you wake up in the morning? What time do you go to bed?
In the Summer I usually wake up between 4 and 4.30am, in the Winter usually between 5 and 6am.
I usually go to bed between 9 and 10 pm in the Summer and between 8 and 9pm in the Winter.
15) Were you tempted by cooked foods when you went raw? How did you deal with that? Do you ever get tempted now? If you don't, when did the cravings go away?
How did you keep your resolve?
I had a year transition to a fruit diet, and so I eased gently into a fruit diet, which, I feel, helped with cravings. I did not get big cravings for cooked food after this time. Except for a period of about 36 hours a few years into my raw diet when I got an intense craving for cooked eggs. I had not eaten eggs for about 8 years, and had never missed them when I became a vegan. I think if I had not been an ethical vegan, I would have caved in and had some.
The craving went away after 36 hours, never to return. I think that I may have been eliminating some toxins from cooked eggs I had eaten in the past, and this led to the craving.
Also, when I started out on the fruit diet, I had a new baby, and because I wanted to raise my child on a fruit diet, I did not want to be eating any cooked food myself; so I think having a child helped my resolve to be consistent on my fruit diet.
16) What advice would you give young people today?
Have fun, aim to be happy and positive, and enjoy your life in a way that will benefit both yourself and the planet.
Be aware that the choices that we make at any age will affect all the future ages of our lives.
Plant fruit seeds when you are young and you will have trees that grow up with you.
17) What is the most important element to health in your opinion?
Love, combined with natural food and clean air.
18) Did you have a hard time with being raw in the cold weather in the UK? If so, how did you deal with it?
Not really, as I was born in a cold climate. I found it important to exercise more to warm my body, especially if I was on a Melon mono diet.
I loved running in the cold, and would run in a vest and shorts to fruit shops, even at freezing temperatures. I have very fond memories of running in the cold.
19) What difference to you notice between Cappi's health and that of his friends? Does his diet cause any social challenges? If so, how do you handle it?
I notice that Cappi has a different kind of energy compared to children who are on SAD diets. His energy is bright and vibrant without being 'hyper', and it seems that his energy is more sustained than the 'up and down' energy of many young children. Also he never gets that thick green mucus that is so often being discharged from many children's noses!
Cappi also has a great attention span, and will spend ages engrossed on a project; I think that attention span can be greatly affected by chemicals and highly processed foods.
I have never found any real social challenges with both my children. I have found most people to be supportive and interested.
I feel that if one has confidence and faith in one's diet then this is mirrored back in how other people's responses to one's diet.
One special memory for me was during Camlo's (my elder child) first year in school; At Christmas the staff gave stockings full of sweets to the children, and they made a special fruit-filled stocking for Camlo. I was very touched by their thoughtfulness.
I have been blessed with great friends who have specially catered for my children when my children went to their birthday parties or played at their homes.
20) Do you ever have dinner guests over? If so, what do you serve them? What do you do when invited over as a dinner guest to someone else's house?
I sometimes make a fruitarian dinner, whilst at other times I have cooked a vegan meal for them.
Most people know about my diet, and I have been beautifully catered for at other people's homes. I am very grateful for the energies that friends and family have put into providing for my sons and I.
21) What kind of exercise do you do and how often?
I usually do a 40 minute workout first thing in the morning.
As I do not drive, I get to do plenty of walking most days, which I love.
I also dance for more intense exercise. I used to do a bit of running, but as I am homeschooling Cappi and care for him all day, I tend to dance instead as this fits in better with our lifestyle.
22) Describe your most challenging situation you've dealt with as a raw foodist.
I have been fortunate to have had a very happy and positive time since adopting a raw food diet.
I do feel, as I mentioned earlier, that if I have faith in my diet and lifestyle then that faith will be mirrored back to me both in how people react to my diet and also how I react to situations.
I have always found a great supply of fresh fruit wherever I have been. Sometimes great fruit seems to manifest in the most unlikely situations.
23) You've been on TV and have had magazine articles featuring you and your diet. Do you get recognized in public now? What do people say to you? Are they receptive? How do you handle the pressure? What do you say to those who tend to not be supportive?
I got recognised quite a bit after I was on 'Today, Tonight' on Aussie T.V.
I find most people to be interested and if not open to the diet themselves at least curious and wanting to know more.
I do not tend to get unsupportive comments in person, but I would hope that I would deal with them using Non-violent Communication.
I have had some negative comments on the internet, and I feel that it is often more challenging to communicate via the internet as there is a lack of personal contact. I try to use Non-violent Communication, and I try not take the comments too personally.
Generally, I do not feel any pressure, as the vast majority of my interaction with others is positive.
24) What does your extended family like your parents and siblings eat? Are they supportive of your diet? If not, how do you handle it? If so, how have you positively impacted them?
My family are on traditional Western diets. My late mother became vegetarian in her mid sixties after being raised in a Butcher's shop! She even had a quote by George Bernard Shaw taped to her fridge door. My mother was wonderful with Camlo, always taking care, and making time, to source and give him lovely fruit. My mum was the least judgemental person I have ever met and she always respected my decisions and never judged them. I am very thankful for having such a great mum.
My sister has also been supportive of my diet, and she really takes time to give Camlo and Cappi fruit to eat when they visit her. I really appreciate this.
When I spend time with my niece and nephew, they get to eat a lot of fruit. When I used to go and visit my sister and her family, I would usually take a Melon with me; the one time I arrived Melonless, my niece just looked at me and said "Where's the Melon Aunty Nan?"
25) What motivates you?
The wonderful inimitable feeling from being on a light fruit diet surpasses anything I have ever felt, and it is the desire to continue to feel great that motivates me.
I am also motivated by other raw foodists I have had the pleasure to meet, both in the fruity flesh and via the internet. I am inspired by the way people have transformed their health by changing their diets and lifestyles.
I am also motivated to exercise and keep my body in good condition when I watch Erwan Le Corre's videos.
Thank You Michele for the interview
Okay, as I was writing these out, I realized I had the most questions for you since you've been raw the longest. :) You are a fascinating person with a wealth of experience, thanks for doing this:
Thank you for this interview Michele;
it is a pleasure to answer your questions.
1) You were raw fruitarian when you got pregnant with Cappi--
Did you get any cravings? If so, how did you deal with them?
I did not get any cravings for cooked or processed food when I was pregnant with Cappi, but I did find that I had an attraction for the more savoury fruits; and I ate more Tomatoes, Cucumbers, and Avocados than I normally do.
Did you get any morning sickness or any other pregnancy-related sicknesses?
I was not sick, nor did I get any backache when pregnant. Certain smells did made me feel a bit queasy though. I felt very well and healthy and full of energy during my pregnancy, and I really enjoyed the nine months; it was a very special time in my life.
I worked as a massage therapist until I was eight months pregnant, and my bump was small so many of my clients did not even know I was pregnant.
How was the delivery?
I had a long second stage, and I did have some pain, but this was all managed with deep conscious breathing, and a wonderful midwife. I did not have any drugs and needed no stitches
I think that as we are physically formed in the womb (including our reproductive organs) genetics and the lifestyles and diets of our parents and grandparents will affect our own birth experiences.
I feel that we can do much with our own diets and lifestyles in order to have the best birth possible within our circumstances. But I do feel that 'The Sins of the Fathers' (or our forebears' lifestyles) will genetically affect our birth experiences.
How quickly did you recover from the birth?
Very quickly, I was back to my pre-pregnancy weight within a few days, and my stomach was back to flat the next day. This was a very pleasant surprise for me as after my first pregnancy (on a transition diet) my stomach took months to get back to flat.
I had good energy the next day and was out walking with one-day-old Cappi.
Did you eat more during the pregnancy? What did a typical day's food look like for you?
I did eat slightly more, and I really enjoyed my fruit.
I only put on 10kg(22lbs) during the pregnancy.
During the pregnancy, I was eating more Avocado and non-sweet fruits than I usually did.
I would have a seasonal juicy fruit for breakfast, maybe Orange Melon, Watermelon, Pineapple, or Passion Fruit.
I would have more juicy fruit mid-morning (unless I was working)
Lunch would usually be Avocado.
Mid afternoon would be more seasonal juicy sweet fruit.
Then in the evening I would sit down to dinner with Camlo, my elder son. We would have Avocado, Tomatoes, Cucumber and Bell Peppers.
I usually eat mono fruit meals, but I would often have a mixture of non-sweet fruits at dinner.
Was Cappi normal weight/height when born/growing up?
Cappi was in the 'normal' percentiles at birth and growing up, but at the lower end.
However, I personally think that it does not make sense to try to fit children who are on a simple raw diet into data charts based on children on a SAD diet.
Raw children, I feel, will have an endocrine system that is well-balanced, and therefore they will develop and grow at the appropriate time.
So many children have an endocrine system that is imbalanced, due to their diet containing processed food, growth hormones, and a large amount of animal products. As a result, many children, in Western society, are experiencing precocious puberty, and I think that this may affect lifespan, because for many mammals the longer the species takes to reach puberty, the longer is their lifespan.
Because hormones are responsible for growth and development, I would expect the growth and development of a raw child to be significantly different to a child on a highly processed diet that also contains animal products.
So I feel that standard height and weight charts are not really of much use to me and my children.
My elder boy was always, by Western society standards, a 'late developer' but he is now taller than anyone else in the family!
How was your nursing experience? How was your milk? How long did you nurse Cappi?
I loved nursing, one reason being that you have to take time out from everything else to sit and nurse; and for me, especially during the first weeks, it became a time where the World stopped turning and all that I needed to do was to take time to enjoy and focus on feeding my baby — nothing else mattered during that time.
I always had a good milk supply, and Cappi self-weaned at four years old.
How do you feel about home births?
I think that if the mother feels happy with birthing at home, then it needs to be an easy option for her. It seems that in Western society that option can be difficult to obtain.
If there are no complications, then, to me, home seems to be a wonderful place to give birth.
Cappi was born at home, under water, and it was so nice to be able to snuggle up with him in my own bed straight after giving birth.
It was also special to have my elder son present at the birth.
Did Cappi have any "childhood" diseases?
Cappi has had none of the 'usual' childhood illnesses such as mumps, measles or chicken pox. His elder brother has never had any either.
Both have not been immunised, and both have been in contact with other children with these diseases.
Cappi has had a few minor 'colds' which I see as elimination. I think that although his diet is good and has a Hygienic lifestyle, environmental pollutants cannot be avoided. We live near many Pineapple and Avocado farms where pesticides are frequently used.
What was his first food? What is his favorite food?
I cannot remember exactly what Cappi's first food was, it was probably some soft fruit such as mashed Banana or Papaya. Cappi showed an interest in fruit at a very early age. At three and a half months he started to reach out for my fruit — we were in Bali, and the fruit was just wonderful.
I have just asked Cappi what his fave fruit is; he called out "Durian!"
2) What do you feed your pets?
Our cat has BARF raw cat food, he also loves Avocado and will come running up at full speed if he spots anyone eating an Avo. I have heard that Avos can be toxic for cats and dogs, but I know of many pets who seem very healthy eating them. I also add nutritional yeast to the cat's diet.
3) Do you grow your own food? If so, what do you grow?
I love fruit trees and bushes and we have several young ones in our garden. Cappi really enjoys being able to pick his own fruit; and home-grown always tastes so wonderful.
Most of our baby fruit trees have yet to produce, but in the past year we have harvested Tomatoes, Mangoes, Blueberries, Mulberries, Strawberries, Passion Fruit, Youngberries and a lone (but very delicious) Fig from a very young Fig Tree.
4) How much do you spend each week on food?
For Cappi and I, Our food bill probably averages at around AU $160–$180.
If we are getting a lot of our fruit from fruit-growing friends, it will be less than this, and also if I am on a mono diet then I will spend less.
5) Tell us about the benefits of massage. How often do you get massages? How does massage fit into Natural Hygiene in your opinion?
I love Massage. Whilst I do not think massage heals the body, I certainly think that it can aid healing and increase a feeling of well-being by reducing stress and increasing blood and lymph flow.
I also find reflexology an amazing tool for diagnosis of imbalances and weaknesses in the body.
Therefore, I feel that massage can aid the body in its own healing; and so like sunshine and relaxation, massage can fit nicely into a Hygienic lifestyle.
I self-massage most days. I got lots of massages when I was pregnant, but have not had a professional massage since I gave birth to Cappi.
6) What made you turn into eating vegan? How old were you? What made you then want to go fruitarian?
As soon as I left home, I adopted a vegetarian diet, a year later when I was 19 I became a vegan. Becoming vegetarian and then vegan were purely for ethical reasons. I had been fortunate enough to have pretty good health as a child and teenager. However, when I went on a vegan diet, I immediately noticed a great improvement in my health. This discovery was totally unexpected, but it led me to make the connection between how I felt and what I put into my mouth; and this started me off on a quest to find the optimal diet for myself.
This quest led me to attend a talk by David Shelley, a local fruitarian author, at my local Animal Rights group. I was immediately impressed with David's glow, fitness, happiness, and energy.
I read David's book, and then along with a group of vegan friends I started to transition to a fruit diet.
8) Could you describe what you feel "overeating" is?
To me, overeating is when an individual eats an amount that is greater than the optimal quantity that the body requires at that specific point in time.
9) Where do you see yourself in 50 years?
Living in a Beautiful World, still raving over fruit, and going on foraging adventures with the great grandchildren.
10) What are some of your hobbies outside of health?
I love drawing, dancing, listening to live music, playing with Cappi, walking along beaches, spending time in rainforests, sewing, and collecting old or unusual fruity objects.
11) What is your favorite fruit?
Charentais Melon.
12) Where do you find all your interesting fruit research that you include in your blogs?
I love finding old books about health and fruit, they really inspire me. I love old copies of books, they seem to have a real history and a nice feel inside their covers. I also love researching on the internet. The internet has really helped me to find rare fruit and Natural Hygiene books; although, it is always exciting to me to scour second-hand bookshops.
13) How many meals a day do you consume?
Usually 3 or 4. If I mono diet, it is often 2 meals.
14) What time do you wake up in the morning? What time do you go to bed?
In the Summer I usually wake up between 4 and 4.30am, in the Winter usually between 5 and 6am.
I usually go to bed between 9 and 10 pm in the Summer and between 8 and 9pm in the Winter.
15) Were you tempted by cooked foods when you went raw? How did you deal with that? Do you ever get tempted now? If you don't, when did the cravings go away?
How did you keep your resolve?
I had a year transition to a fruit diet, and so I eased gently into a fruit diet, which, I feel, helped with cravings. I did not get big cravings for cooked food after this time. Except for a period of about 36 hours a few years into my raw diet when I got an intense craving for cooked eggs. I had not eaten eggs for about 8 years, and had never missed them when I became a vegan. I think if I had not been an ethical vegan, I would have caved in and had some.
The craving went away after 36 hours, never to return. I think that I may have been eliminating some toxins from cooked eggs I had eaten in the past, and this led to the craving.
Also, when I started out on the fruit diet, I had a new baby, and because I wanted to raise my child on a fruit diet, I did not want to be eating any cooked food myself; so I think having a child helped my resolve to be consistent on my fruit diet.
16) What advice would you give young people today?
Have fun, aim to be happy and positive, and enjoy your life in a way that will benefit both yourself and the planet.
Be aware that the choices that we make at any age will affect all the future ages of our lives.
Plant fruit seeds when you are young and you will have trees that grow up with you.
17) What is the most important element to health in your opinion?
Love, combined with natural food and clean air.
18) Did you have a hard time with being raw in the cold weather in the UK? If so, how did you deal with it?
Not really, as I was born in a cold climate. I found it important to exercise more to warm my body, especially if I was on a Melon mono diet.
I loved running in the cold, and would run in a vest and shorts to fruit shops, even at freezing temperatures. I have very fond memories of running in the cold.
19) What difference to you notice between Cappi's health and that of his friends? Does his diet cause any social challenges? If so, how do you handle it?
I notice that Cappi has a different kind of energy compared to children who are on SAD diets. His energy is bright and vibrant without being 'hyper', and it seems that his energy is more sustained than the 'up and down' energy of many young children. Also he never gets that thick green mucus that is so often being discharged from many children's noses!
Cappi also has a great attention span, and will spend ages engrossed on a project; I think that attention span can be greatly affected by chemicals and highly processed foods.
I have never found any real social challenges with both my children. I have found most people to be supportive and interested.
I feel that if one has confidence and faith in one's diet then this is mirrored back in how other people's responses to one's diet.
One special memory for me was during Camlo's (my elder child) first year in school; At Christmas the staff gave stockings full of sweets to the children, and they made a special fruit-filled stocking for Camlo. I was very touched by their thoughtfulness.
I have been blessed with great friends who have specially catered for my children when my children went to their birthday parties or played at their homes.
20) Do you ever have dinner guests over? If so, what do you serve them? What do you do when invited over as a dinner guest to someone else's house?
I sometimes make a fruitarian dinner, whilst at other times I have cooked a vegan meal for them.
Most people know about my diet, and I have been beautifully catered for at other people's homes. I am very grateful for the energies that friends and family have put into providing for my sons and I.
21) What kind of exercise do you do and how often?
I usually do a 40 minute workout first thing in the morning.
As I do not drive, I get to do plenty of walking most days, which I love.
I also dance for more intense exercise. I used to do a bit of running, but as I am homeschooling Cappi and care for him all day, I tend to dance instead as this fits in better with our lifestyle.
22) Describe your most challenging situation you've dealt with as a raw foodist.
I have been fortunate to have had a very happy and positive time since adopting a raw food diet.
I do feel, as I mentioned earlier, that if I have faith in my diet and lifestyle then that faith will be mirrored back to me both in how people react to my diet and also how I react to situations.
I have always found a great supply of fresh fruit wherever I have been. Sometimes great fruit seems to manifest in the most unlikely situations.
23) You've been on TV and have had magazine articles featuring you and your diet. Do you get recognized in public now? What do people say to you? Are they receptive? How do you handle the pressure? What do you say to those who tend to not be supportive?
I got recognised quite a bit after I was on 'Today, Tonight' on Aussie T.V.
I find most people to be interested and if not open to the diet themselves at least curious and wanting to know more.
I do not tend to get unsupportive comments in person, but I would hope that I would deal with them using Non-violent Communication.
I have had some negative comments on the internet, and I feel that it is often more challenging to communicate via the internet as there is a lack of personal contact. I try to use Non-violent Communication, and I try not take the comments too personally.
Generally, I do not feel any pressure, as the vast majority of my interaction with others is positive.
24) What does your extended family like your parents and siblings eat? Are they supportive of your diet? If not, how do you handle it? If so, how have you positively impacted them?
My family are on traditional Western diets. My late mother became vegetarian in her mid sixties after being raised in a Butcher's shop! She even had a quote by George Bernard Shaw taped to her fridge door. My mother was wonderful with Camlo, always taking care, and making time, to source and give him lovely fruit. My mum was the least judgemental person I have ever met and she always respected my decisions and never judged them. I am very thankful for having such a great mum.
My sister has also been supportive of my diet, and she really takes time to give Camlo and Cappi fruit to eat when they visit her. I really appreciate this.
When I spend time with my niece and nephew, they get to eat a lot of fruit. When I used to go and visit my sister and her family, I would usually take a Melon with me; the one time I arrived Melonless, my niece just looked at me and said "Where's the Melon Aunty Nan?"
25) What motivates you?
The wonderful inimitable feeling from being on a light fruit diet surpasses anything I have ever felt, and it is the desire to continue to feel great that motivates me.
I am also motivated by other raw foodists I have had the pleasure to meet, both in the fruity flesh and via the internet. I am inspired by the way people have transformed their health by changing their diets and lifestyles.
I am also motivated to exercise and keep my body in good condition when I watch Erwan Le Corre's videos.
Thank You Michele for the interview
Friday, 7 May 2010
Phew, It's over for a little while at least!
For a so called democratic nation our political system is way out of sync and desperately needs electoral reform at the very least. Only in the UK people are turned away at the polling stations. Again our lack of infrastructure let us down, this is reflected in the result; we have a hung Parliament. By the way I voted for the Green party(Not that they ever had a chance?!) as one definitely can't trust Brown or Cameron to run the country(Enough said there).
Monday, 3 May 2010
Wondrous Living Food Ideas!
•Super Berry Smoothie with Goji Berries and MSM Powder
(berries, bananas, agave nectar, goji berries, MSM powder)
•Hawaiian Pizza
(sunflower seeds, flaxseed, olive oil, nama shoyu, red onion, pineapple, red pepper, cucumber, fresh coriander, carrot, chilli)
•Sprouted Salad with Nori Sprinkles and Balsamic Dressing
(tomato, cucumber, red pepper, sprouts, balsamic vinegar, olive oil, nama shoyu, cider vinegar, garlic)
Tuesday,
11 May 2010
•Green Smoothie with Chlorella and Spirulina
(kiwi, banana, spinach, chlorella and spirulina)
•Mushroom Almond Burgers with Avocado Salsa
(avocado, almond, pine nuts, sunflower seeds, pistachios, mushroom, garlic, onion, red pepper, lemon juice, salt, pepper)
•Greek Horiatiki Salad with Sunflower Greens and Lemon Tahini Dressing
(tomato, cucumber, olives, red onion, red pepper, tahini, lemon juice, cider vinegar, garlic, olive oil, green leaves)
•Thai Cabbage in Romaine Lettuce Wrap
(white cabbage, carrot, romaine lettuce, cashews, ginger, red chilli, agave nectar, lemon juice, olive oil, nama shoyu)
Wednesday,
12 May 2010
•Prune and Pear Smoothie with MSM Powder
(prunes, pear, agave nectar, banana, msm powder)
•Sicilian Burger in 2 Seed Red Onion Bread
(sunflower seeds, flaxseed, olive oil, nama shoyu, red onions, carrot, red pepper, black olives, tomato, cucumber, cashews)
•Turnip and Apple Salad
(turnip, apple, sprouted lentils, apricots, carrot, poppy seeds, olive oil, lemon juice, salt)
•Seaweed, Cucumber and Beetroot Salad with Sweet Miso Ginger Dressing
(beetroot, cucumber, white miso, cider vinegar, seaweed, ginger, agave nectar, lemon juice)
Thursday,
13 May 2010
•Green Smoothie with Chlorella and Spirulina
(banana, spinach, chlorella, spirulina, kiwi)
•Sunflower Seed Burrito with Salsa, Guacamole and Cashew Sour Cream
(sunflower seeds, sun dried tomatoes, tomatoes, cumin, chilli, red onion, coriander, lime juice, avocado, cashews)
•Courgette, Mango and Avocado Salad with Lime Chilli Dressing
(courgette, avocado, mango, lime juice, lime zest, chilli, lemon juice, nama shoyu, olive oil, maple syrup)
•Waldorf Salad with Lemon Tahini Dressing
(celery, apple, carrot, raisins, walnuts, lemon juice, tahini, garlic, agave nectar)
Friday,
14 May 2010
•Forest Fruit Smoothie with Purple Corn Powder
(forest fruits, banana and purple corn powder)
•Forest Fruit Smoothie with Purple Corn Powder
(forest fruits, banana and purple corn powder)
•Red Pepper and Courgette Quiche
(red pepper, courgette, cashews, white miso, red onion, walnuts, flaxseed, olive oil)
•Celeriac and Pecan Salad with Sweet Thai Dressing
(celeriac, apple, pecans, cashews, ginger, chilli, lemon juice, agave nectar)
•Sprouted Lentil Salad
(sprouted lentils, pineapple, carrot, courgette, coriander,chilli, turmeric, cumin,lime juice olive oil)
(berries, bananas, agave nectar, goji berries, MSM powder)
•Hawaiian Pizza
(sunflower seeds, flaxseed, olive oil, nama shoyu, red onion, pineapple, red pepper, cucumber, fresh coriander, carrot, chilli)
•Sprouted Salad with Nori Sprinkles and Balsamic Dressing
(tomato, cucumber, red pepper, sprouts, balsamic vinegar, olive oil, nama shoyu, cider vinegar, garlic)
Tuesday,
11 May 2010
•Green Smoothie with Chlorella and Spirulina
(kiwi, banana, spinach, chlorella and spirulina)
•Mushroom Almond Burgers with Avocado Salsa
(avocado, almond, pine nuts, sunflower seeds, pistachios, mushroom, garlic, onion, red pepper, lemon juice, salt, pepper)
•Greek Horiatiki Salad with Sunflower Greens and Lemon Tahini Dressing
(tomato, cucumber, olives, red onion, red pepper, tahini, lemon juice, cider vinegar, garlic, olive oil, green leaves)
•Thai Cabbage in Romaine Lettuce Wrap
(white cabbage, carrot, romaine lettuce, cashews, ginger, red chilli, agave nectar, lemon juice, olive oil, nama shoyu)
Wednesday,
12 May 2010
•Prune and Pear Smoothie with MSM Powder
(prunes, pear, agave nectar, banana, msm powder)
•Sicilian Burger in 2 Seed Red Onion Bread
(sunflower seeds, flaxseed, olive oil, nama shoyu, red onions, carrot, red pepper, black olives, tomato, cucumber, cashews)
•Turnip and Apple Salad
(turnip, apple, sprouted lentils, apricots, carrot, poppy seeds, olive oil, lemon juice, salt)
•Seaweed, Cucumber and Beetroot Salad with Sweet Miso Ginger Dressing
(beetroot, cucumber, white miso, cider vinegar, seaweed, ginger, agave nectar, lemon juice)
Thursday,
13 May 2010
•Green Smoothie with Chlorella and Spirulina
(banana, spinach, chlorella, spirulina, kiwi)
•Sunflower Seed Burrito with Salsa, Guacamole and Cashew Sour Cream
(sunflower seeds, sun dried tomatoes, tomatoes, cumin, chilli, red onion, coriander, lime juice, avocado, cashews)
•Courgette, Mango and Avocado Salad with Lime Chilli Dressing
(courgette, avocado, mango, lime juice, lime zest, chilli, lemon juice, nama shoyu, olive oil, maple syrup)
•Waldorf Salad with Lemon Tahini Dressing
(celery, apple, carrot, raisins, walnuts, lemon juice, tahini, garlic, agave nectar)
Friday,
14 May 2010
•Forest Fruit Smoothie with Purple Corn Powder
(forest fruits, banana and purple corn powder)
•Forest Fruit Smoothie with Purple Corn Powder
(forest fruits, banana and purple corn powder)
•Red Pepper and Courgette Quiche
(red pepper, courgette, cashews, white miso, red onion, walnuts, flaxseed, olive oil)
•Celeriac and Pecan Salad with Sweet Thai Dressing
(celeriac, apple, pecans, cashews, ginger, chilli, lemon juice, agave nectar)
•Sprouted Lentil Salad
(sprouted lentils, pineapple, carrot, courgette, coriander,chilli, turmeric, cumin,lime juice olive oil)
Thursday, 29 April 2010
Yaaay Kelly Osbourne!
I've always admired Kelly O and feel she's a great role-model for young women / people. I'm far from surprised to hear she has been voted one of the most beautiful people in the world. As we all know it takes little more than superficial perfection to be beautiful. She's confident, sassy, sexy, savvy and loves her parents what's not to love!
'I still have things that I don't like, like my upper arms, but it's so nice not to hate yourself'.
I for one can relate to her quote after a lifetime of exclusion(Often being ostracized and bullied by one's peer) and rebuked, the mental scares take some time to heal.
Kelly you're an inspiration1
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-1269714/Kelly-Osbourne-goes-casual-shopping-trip-named-Worlds-Most-Beautiful-People.html#ixzz0mUlIsC9R
'I still have things that I don't like, like my upper arms, but it's so nice not to hate yourself'.
I for one can relate to her quote after a lifetime of exclusion(Often being ostracized and bullied by one's peer) and rebuked, the mental scares take some time to heal.
Kelly you're an inspiration1
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-1269714/Kelly-Osbourne-goes-casual-shopping-trip-named-Worlds-Most-Beautiful-People.html#ixzz0mUlIsC9R
Thursday, 22 April 2010
Worth Remembering!
it's the same foods that lead to muffin tops in the first place. "Avoid dairy, wheat-based products, foods that are high in sugar and fat and anything processed, which means most fast food, bread, pasta and anything else similarly beige."
Tuesday, 13 April 2010
Wake Up!
Our health equals the health of wildlife and Earth. We are all connected. What you do each day impacts wildlife thousands of miles away. People should recognize that and adjust their lives accordingly to be a part of the solution rather than carry on being part of the disease we are calling global warming.
Wednesday, 20 January 2010
Thusday, 14th January 2010
10:00 Jumbo oats, tahini and tsp molasses
14:00 Kidney beans, toasted sesame oil, chili on a slice of rye
20:00 Tibetans / Asanas :)
22:30 popcorn flavoured with H.salt and chili powder
Friday, 15th January 2010
12 noon Small bowl of jumbo oats, tahini, molasses in water
Green lentils with garlic, turmeric, chili and olive oil
14:00 Cherry Tomatoes
Green lentils(as above) on a slice of rye
20:00 banana
Bloating / flatulence
Tibetan Rites / Asanas:)
Saturday, 16th January 2010
13:00 Small bowl of raw buckwheat groats / sprouts with tahini and creamed coconut
17:00 Chickpea, kidney beans, carrot, red onion , chili served with basmati brown rice
Smallish orange citrus fruit
Tibetan Rites / Asanas:)
Sunday, 17th January 2010
13:00 Aduki bean stew with b. sprouts, carrots and 2 lge baking spuds
!8:00 - 19:00 5 fresh pears :)
Redbush Tea
Severe Bloating:(
Asanas / Tibetan Rites:)
Monday, 18th January 2010
13:00 Aduki beans with basmati brown rice(toased sesame oil, chilli and garlic)
17:00 Banana
Aduki beans in far too rich sauce;(
3 Fresh Pears:)
Tibetans / Asanas:)
Tuesday, 19th January 2010
10:30 half veggie haggis, b. sprouts and spuds
15:30 240g yoghurt
16:00 Jumbo oats, creamed coconut and water:0)
19:30 Fresh pears:)
Tibetans / Asanas:)
Today
12:30 noon Kidney beans, brussel sprouts served with brown basmati rice(Toasted sesame seed oil, garlic and chili). This kind of cooked meal has a tendency to make one overeat(nuff said:).
Sunday, 10th January 2010
Fresh Pineapple:) :)
14:00 Kidney beans, toasted sesame oil, chili on a slice of rye
20:00 Tibetans / Asanas :)
22:30 popcorn flavoured with H.salt and chili powder
Friday, 15th January 2010
12 noon Small bowl of jumbo oats, tahini, molasses in water
Green lentils with garlic, turmeric, chili and olive oil
14:00 Cherry Tomatoes
Green lentils(as above) on a slice of rye
20:00 banana
Bloating / flatulence
Tibetan Rites / Asanas:)
Saturday, 16th January 2010
13:00 Small bowl of raw buckwheat groats / sprouts with tahini and creamed coconut
17:00 Chickpea, kidney beans, carrot, red onion , chili served with basmati brown rice
Smallish orange citrus fruit
Tibetan Rites / Asanas:)
Sunday, 17th January 2010
13:00 Aduki bean stew with b. sprouts, carrots and 2 lge baking spuds
!8:00 - 19:00 5 fresh pears :)
Redbush Tea
Severe Bloating:(
Asanas / Tibetan Rites:)
Monday, 18th January 2010
13:00 Aduki beans with basmati brown rice(toased sesame oil, chilli and garlic)
17:00 Banana
Aduki beans in far too rich sauce;(
3 Fresh Pears:)
Tibetans / Asanas:)
Tuesday, 19th January 2010
10:30 half veggie haggis, b. sprouts and spuds
15:30 240g yoghurt
16:00 Jumbo oats, creamed coconut and water:0)
19:30 Fresh pears:)
Tibetans / Asanas:)
Today
12:30 noon Kidney beans, brussel sprouts served with brown basmati rice(Toasted sesame seed oil, garlic and chili). This kind of cooked meal has a tendency to make one overeat(nuff said:).
Sunday, 10th January 2010
Fresh Pineapple:) :)
Wednesday, 13 January 2010
Friday, 8th January 2010
Fiery gazpacho made with watermelon rind, tomatoes, olive oil and kidney beans.
Avocado, fresh cherries
Fresh blueberries
G. Rana's spinach and Ricotta Tortellini, broccoli and olive oil
Tibetan Rites / Asanas :)
Saturday, 9th January 2010
Juice of 1 lemon and water, fresh blueberries
Banana, avocado
3 pink grapefruits
Avocado on a slice of rye bread
Raw sprouted peanuts / cobnuts
Tibetan Rites / Asanas:)
Sunday, 10th January 2010
Juice of 1 lemon / water 10:00
Quinoa with lime, chilli and garlic 13:30(Binge alert)
Oat flakes, water and molasses
Avocado 20:00
Tibetans / Asanas:)
Monday, 11th January 2010(Mega binge day)
Oat flakes, cobnut milk, tsp molasses 10:00
Quinoa(binge:() 15:00
5 / 6 Fresh 'yummy' plums 17:00
Quinoa
Ice-cream (made from frozen ripe 'nanas)
Banana
Tuesday, 12th January 2010
14:00 5 fresh oranges
16:30 5 fresh oranges
18:00 Quinoa, carob pod
Tibetan Rites / Asanas:)
22:00 G. Rana's Spinach and Ricotta Tortellini
Fresh plums
Today:
10:00 Jumbo oats and organic milk
15:00 Home-made houmous on 2 slices of rye bread:(
This mindless destructive behaviour stops here!
Avocado, fresh cherries
Fresh blueberries
G. Rana's spinach and Ricotta Tortellini, broccoli and olive oil
Tibetan Rites / Asanas :)
Saturday, 9th January 2010
Juice of 1 lemon and water, fresh blueberries
Banana, avocado
3 pink grapefruits
Avocado on a slice of rye bread
Raw sprouted peanuts / cobnuts
Tibetan Rites / Asanas:)
Sunday, 10th January 2010
Juice of 1 lemon / water 10:00
Quinoa with lime, chilli and garlic 13:30(Binge alert)
Oat flakes, water and molasses
Avocado 20:00
Tibetans / Asanas:)
Monday, 11th January 2010(Mega binge day)
Oat flakes, cobnut milk, tsp molasses 10:00
Quinoa(binge:() 15:00
5 / 6 Fresh 'yummy' plums 17:00
Quinoa
Ice-cream (made from frozen ripe 'nanas)
Banana
Tuesday, 12th January 2010
14:00 5 fresh oranges
16:30 5 fresh oranges
18:00 Quinoa, carob pod
Tibetan Rites / Asanas:)
22:00 G. Rana's Spinach and Ricotta Tortellini
Fresh plums
Today:
10:00 Jumbo oats and organic milk
15:00 Home-made houmous on 2 slices of rye bread:(
This mindless destructive behaviour stops here!
Thursday, 7 January 2010
Feeling Blue......................
I'm having bit of a fat day today(I feel short and fat:( ). My former highly-destructive behavioural habits have had a significant impact on one's body and self-image. No matter what one does I look short, fat and unattractive. Have I lost my fairly-decent figure for good? As one is not quite 5' 2' fitting in the smaller dress sizes balances my petite frame(UK sizes: 6, 8, 10:). I feel like a freak, help(If I had the resources to hire a personal Trainer I would:)? I don't want to live through another summer covered up(feeling fat).
:(
:(
Today's menu!
* Dried Mango
* Cup of Redbush tea
* Watermelon flesh and or Tomato soup
* 5 Tibetan Rites / Asana:)
* Cup of Redbush tea
* Watermelon flesh and or Tomato soup
* 5 Tibetan Rites / Asana:)
Today's Menu!
* Left-overs from yesterday!
* 5 Tibetan Rites / Asanas to do:)
* Refreshing Watermelon, sun-dried mango etc. when hungry!
* 5 Tibetan Rites / Asanas to do:)
* Refreshing Watermelon, sun-dried mango etc. when hungry!
Tuesday, 5th January 2010( Paramahansa Yogananda's Birthday:)
Rules of Raw January:
- I will eat primarily raw fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds for 30 days.
- Heated and boiling water will be allowed for teas, herbs and miso only.
- I will be allowed to eat fermented foods only if I make them from absolute scratch, to ensure the least amount of processing possible.
22:00 Jumbo Oats with water
Wednesday, 6th January 2010
* 5 Tibetan Rites / Asanas:0)
* flesh of watermelon:)
* South-East Asian inspired creative concoction made from leftover watermelon rind(yes, you heard right, resourceful that's my name:), hemp seeds, garlic, hemp seeds, chili and toasted sesame oil.
* Banana
* Jumbo Oats and water
- I will eat primarily raw fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds for 30 days.
- Heated and boiling water will be allowed for teas, herbs and miso only.
- I will be allowed to eat fermented foods only if I make them from absolute scratch, to ensure the least amount of processing possible.
22:00 Jumbo Oats with water
Wednesday, 6th January 2010
* 5 Tibetan Rites / Asanas:0)
* flesh of watermelon:)
* South-East Asian inspired creative concoction made from leftover watermelon rind(yes, you heard right, resourceful that's my name:), hemp seeds, garlic, hemp seeds, chili and toasted sesame oil.
* Banana
* Jumbo Oats and water
Tuesday, 5 January 2010
Monday, 4th January 2010
* 3 or 4 Cox's Apples
* bunch of celery(Yes, a whole bunch and suffered the dire consequences too. I must exercise some portion control as last night's feast felt similarly like one's former binges / overeating sessions. I don't particularly wish to walk that path again).
Today!
* Lovely 5 Tibetan Rite / Asana session
* a couple of Cox's Apples(I probably eat mono today with perhaps some yummy watermelon or lemon / lime juice if hungry later:).
* bunch of celery(Yes, a whole bunch and suffered the dire consequences too. I must exercise some portion control as last night's feast felt similarly like one's former binges / overeating sessions. I don't particularly wish to walk that path again).
Today!
* Lovely 5 Tibetan Rite / Asana session
* a couple of Cox's Apples(I probably eat mono today with perhaps some yummy watermelon or lemon / lime juice if hungry later:).
Monday, 4 January 2010
Sunday, 3rd January 2010....................
* Hearty raw mixed Kale dish
* 2 more small Cox's Apples
Today!
* 5 Tibetan Rites plus basic asana session
* Jumbo Oats(not raw) and hemp seeds
* celery stalks and or apples
* 2 more small Cox's Apples
Today!
* 5 Tibetan Rites plus basic asana session
* Jumbo Oats(not raw) and hemp seeds
* celery stalks and or apples
Sunday, 3 January 2010
Making Wise Choices / Health is the Greatest Wealth............
* 5 Small Cox's Apples(I probably will be having a scrummy mixed kale salad dish with hemp seeds and tomatoes in a olive oil, chili and lemon juice dressing later:).
* 5 Tibetan Rites / Basic asana session(loving this and the simple dietary choices:)
I've been dipping into David Wolfe's book: The Sun food Success System and I keep forgetting how brilliant it is(why hasn't one gone through it yet in it's entirety one will never know?!!) I wholly believe in this simple and sustainable lifestyle choice and there fore watch this space!
Namste:)
xoxoxoxoxo
* 5 Tibetan Rites / Basic asana session(loving this and the simple dietary choices:)
I've been dipping into David Wolfe's book: The Sun food Success System and I keep forgetting how brilliant it is(why hasn't one gone through it yet in it's entirety one will never know?!!) I wholly believe in this simple and sustainable lifestyle choice and there fore watch this space!
Namste:)
xoxoxoxoxo
Saturday, 2nd January 2010
* 2 Cox's Apples
* rest of celery
* Due to limited resources one was so famished I naughtily consumed a couple of sarnies(and I'm sensitive to processed wheat and yeast), but I can assure you this incident is strictly a one off.
* rest of celery
* Due to limited resources one was so famished I naughtily consumed a couple of sarnies(and I'm sensitive to processed wheat and yeast), but I can assure you this incident is strictly a one off.
Saturday, 2 January 2010
Sirasana Tip!
An excellent tip from Avery's blog: 'loveveggiesandyoga.blogspot.com
Yoga Today is Ardha Sirasana (Half Headstand). Go into full headstand and then carefully lower so that your legs are parallel with the floor. Abs anyone? Holding your legs 90 degrees from your body while fighting gravity is a sure-fire way to help increase your core strength. Core strength is so important for everything from balance to remaining injury-free and as a benefit, your abs will look better too!
Namaste:)
xoxoxoxoxo
Yoga Today is Ardha Sirasana (Half Headstand). Go into full headstand and then carefully lower so that your legs are parallel with the floor. Abs anyone? Holding your legs 90 degrees from your body while fighting gravity is a sure-fire way to help increase your core strength. Core strength is so important for everything from balance to remaining injury-free and as a benefit, your abs will look better too!
Namaste:)
xoxoxoxoxo
What I'm doing to drop a dress size or two(fool-proof methods:)...................
* Do cardio before breakfast at least three times per week. Cardio on an empty stomach is the best for burning unwanted body fat. The reason for this is that our body burns carbohydrates before it burns fat. Exercising on an empty stomach allows us to start burning fat immediately, without spending the first 30 minutes burning carbohydrates (sugars).
* Keeping a food diary
* Nutrition! Nutrition! Nutrition!
1st January 2010
I enjoyed:
* 5 Tibetan Rites / Basic Asana session prior to eating
* Fresh juicy apriots
* A couple of juicy Granny Smith apples
* Bunch of celery(All yum:)
Today:
* 5 Tibetan Rites / Basic Asana session prior to food
* 4 Cox's Apples
* 3 crunchy celery sticks (once again all yum:)
I feel greeeeeeeeeeeat!!!
Namaste:)
* Keeping a food diary
* Nutrition! Nutrition! Nutrition!
1st January 2010
I enjoyed:
* 5 Tibetan Rites / Basic Asana session prior to eating
* Fresh juicy apriots
* A couple of juicy Granny Smith apples
* Bunch of celery(All yum:)
Today:
* 5 Tibetan Rites / Basic Asana session prior to food
* 4 Cox's Apples
* 3 crunchy celery sticks (once again all yum:)
I feel greeeeeeeeeeeat!!!
Namaste:)
Friday, 1 January 2010
Old habits die hard.........
I can't think of a truer saying then this! Only last night(final hour of 2009:) I succumb to the temptations of a 100g packet of rice cakes, 150g(12)oatcakes and brussel sprouts(I can binge on anything). Yes, one binged(ie gorging when not hungry)and I vowed to be more mindful in future. One would suggest it would be easy, being a passionate enthusiast of an ancient Indian discipline and the fresh and natural fruity stuff that not consuming proccessed / cooked foods would be easy, but when you've been using food as an emotional crutch for decades old habits are indeed hard to break. Nonetheless the following day I dutifully practiced this wonderfully uplifting dicipline, breaking my fast with some lovely, fresh juicy apricots and a couple my favourite green apples(all good:)!
Happy New Year, Happy New Decade!
Happy New Year, Happy New Decade!
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