Feeling Grounded with Vitamineral Earth

As I sit here warm and cozy with my warm Earth soup, it seems appropriate that I write all about it and how it makes me feel.

No matter what kind of nutritional program you follow, as a human being, we all yearn for the feeling of balance. Some of us work to achieve it through the food we are eat, some take herbs or nutritional supplements to fill in deficiencies (possibly leading to feeling more balanced), others practice various kinds of yoga or meditate. All methods are very much worth incorporating into your life and have their role in the wellness circle. There's always more we can do, and you may find the sacred Superfood described below to be the one thing that really tips you in the right direction and fully supports your new healing lifestyle. For me, feeling grounded is one of the best feelings ever and absolutely worth the time and thought needed to fine tune your individual approach to fulfill this basic human need.

I am so much more productive, confident, and comfortable with the decisions I make when I start the day with a sense of balance. Balance means something different to each of us, but generally, we can say that when we are at an even keel, nothing is spiraling out of control and the emotional roller coaster ride has stopped. Do you find the same thing to be true for you? So then, now that we can relate even more, how do we work to make this happen every single day from here forward? It may seem like the question with the unknown answer, but actually, there is a solution that will provide peace from within and generously flow throughout our mind and body. Can you imagine?

This is where the powerful and transformative nature of Superfoods come into play. Superfoods are an exceptional source of nutrients (vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients, anti-oxidants, amino acids, essential fatty acids) and can evoke a real sense of well-being. Consuming these foods that are so abundantly rich in life-giving nutrients will take you to an entirely different level of health. Guaranteed.

Now .. I introduce to you Earth, so appropriately named, the best Superfood blend on this planet that will provide the actual real (meaning deep from within, not flighting) feelings of being balanced. Earth is a roots and barks blend brought to us by Jameth Sheridan, of HealthForce Nutritionals. His standards for the products he creates are exceptionally high, and only he, as a Naturopathic Physician and creator of these blends, can explain the intricate detail and thought that goes into the production process and beyond (absurdly superior). In terms of what it contains, Vitamineral Earth consists of Earth below, Earth above, Earth seeds, Earth broth, Earthbiotics, actual food nutrient array, and energetics. It provides excellent fiber, essential fatty acids (VEGAN OMEGA 3s), massive amounts of probiotics, and is specific to the colon for detoxification. The ingredients: astragalus root, burdock root, nettle root, marshmallow root, yacon root, dandelion root, carrot, ginger, rhubarb root, red clover blossoms, slippery elm bark, watercress, white oak bark, cornsilk, kelp, cinnamon bark, blessed thistle, sheep sorrel, sprouted flax seeds, sprouted chia seeds, milk thistle seeds, miso, chili powder, paprika, sage leaf, massive amount of probiotics (43 billion per each tablespoon), and actual food nutrient array: chromium, selenium, molydbenum, manganese, B-vitamins, beta-glucans, and all necessary co-factors, plus, energetics: shilajit, magnetic, homeopathic, energetic and vibrational enhancements. AWESOME!

I see people benefit on a physical level all the time, but for me I notice a difference emotionally and psychologically - big time. It's the healthy fats (essential fatty acids) at work; I am feeling such a dramatic effect because of the 100% bio-availability of the product (there are no binders, fillers, additives, toxins, heavy metals, or unknown contaminants within Earth). I have no need for an additional fish oil supplement, but that's not my thing anyway. If I were to go with a fishy one, I'd choose Moxxor based upon the high personal recommendation by Mike Adams with www.NaturalNews.com.

Earth is a sacred healing food without question. Earth is for those who want to bring it all together in one tasty bowl of broth. My method of taking it is to mix 2 tbsp (start with just 1 tsp and work your way up over several weeks) with clean pure water in a shaker jar. It blends amazingly well after just a few shakes. My winter favorite and another killer way to have it (brought to you by Jameth himself) is:

WARM EARTH SOUP:
4 cups of purified water.
2-4 heaping tablespoons Earth version 3.
In pan, bring to a boil. Turn off and let sit for 30 or more minutes.

I add a spoonful of millet miso, a spoonful of nutritional yeast, and dulse - and it tastes heavenly. You can add gluten (wheat) - free tamari to taste in place of the miso (I really like the miso addition though). Try it and see what your taste buds prefer.
Put in glass (or to-go mug) and drink warm!

Tastes and feels very resonate, very earthy, deep and healing, and it is! Warm soup to feel cozy on a chilly winter day. Sounds nice right?

It is true: a spoonful or two a day will extend must past the physical balance and bring inner peace, calm, mental clarity, and that feeling of balance that each and every one of us strives for every single day. And, that's just the icing on the raw cake. Keep your feet rooted on the ground and order Vitamineral Earth, and then send in your amazing testimonial later via email (I want to hear!). Don't just start the New Year in balance, start every day with it!

Winter wonderland survival

Although many would believe that eating raw foods in the winter is a hard choice to make, I like to prove otherwise. Actually, my full commitment to raw and living foods kicked off in the middle of last year's cold blustery winter. The reasons many 'go raw' didn't apply to me at this time: the need to lose weight, regain health, increase energy, eliminate sickness .. the list goes on. For me, it was a deep emotional pull that blew me away; however, my body literally wouldn't allow anything else to enter it (doesn't it always know best?) during this time of deep emotional and life transition. I remember thinking what odd timing it was for my body to drag me into this (it was very much an unconscious decision). And so the journey began.

I really prefer not to focus on the percentage of food I, or anyone else, is eating raw, because from what I've observed (and mutually shared in conversation with many other women), is that this can create a sense of not doing enough, among feelings of guilt, frustration, and failure. Percentages, numbers, and counting anything in regard to food can also possibly lead to disordered eating, especially with women. You need to read labels for one reason only: know and understand the source of your food (what is in it?). The more you focus on a number, the more you become disconnected with your body (because it then becomes about something else), and it's innate wisdom of guiding you to the best choice. I've wondered how one arrives at a percentage anyway? For me, I just know that I eat mostly raw and living organic food, with some exceptions (so is that 95% .. 99%?!). It seems absurd to claim a percentage and feel obligation to stick to it. Rules need to go out the window; we need to be flexible and do what FEELS best - doesn't that make sense? I suppose it's easier to know your percentage of raw the closer you are to 100%, but that number scares a lot of non-raw foodists away, and I believe this may be a reason they don't embark on the raw roller coaster ride in the first place (this was one factor back in the old days that made me hesitant - it was a perception that if I didn't do 100% all the time, I wouldn't receive the powerful transformation). Now that I know otherwise, I like to share my opinion.

I've always been one of those people that feels cold, especially on my hands and feet. I could be on a warm sunny beach, the wind could blow, and I'll feel cold - that's just how it's always been. I've read this has to do with circulation and/or the thyroid, but I disregarded this because my weight is ideal and there's no reason to believe my circulation is suffering. If you are an expert reading this and are thinking, 'I know what that's all about!' - please get in touch. I've heard a few raw food teachers and well-known advocates talk about how after a few years on raw they were able to get through a cold winter very well adapted to the extremes, but I never heard an actual explanation as to why. It's simple really: the cleaner you are internally, the better your circulation, and the less you need heavy food to insulate you - thus allowing a raw food diet to be an easy lifestyle in all seasons. It seems that time is what's needed to walk around comfortably barefoot. I am still cold this winter though (it's in the upper 20s with recent snow storms) and I look forward to having such stellar circulation next winter that this temperature doesn't faze me.

So, how do I survive eating a raw food diet in a winter wonderland? The attempt to keep my diet the same has been mostly successful, with the most noticeable shift in breakfast, from fruit smoothies to superfood fresh green vegetable juices (Rainbow Magic). Here's how I've wrapped up 2008:

❅ Primarily raw and living foods, with a shift toward more more avocados, root vegetables, nuts, seeds, heavier sauces and hummus

❅ Organic and wildcrafted superfoods - can't survive any season without them

❅ Fresh green vegetable juices - seriously the best way to start the day (the rest of your food choices throughout the day will be more in alignment with your raw approach)

❅ Naval oranges! My cravings have often been for citrus .. bringing me an abundance of vitamin C (from real food - never ascorbic acid!); pieces of fruit as a snack replacing the morning fruit smoothie; Truly Vitamin C powder from HealthForce

❅ Chocolate (green) superfood blendies - ridiculously nutritious and filling

❅ Green additions to most concoctions (juices, blendies, hummus, salad dressings, cacao desserts) - again, bumping up the greens and lessening the fruit

❅ Warm Earth soup (I'll post in more detail very soon) / miso soup with dulse and nutritional yeast

❅ Baked yams or squash - bite here, bite there (with cinnamon, agave, nutr yeast, or naked)

❅ Bikram hot yoga - there is nothing like heating your body at the core for 1.5 hours, especially during the chilly season

❅ Hiking (outdoors, yes in the snowy cold weather) - you really do warm up after just 15 minutes in the elements, and you get to feel so connected to the season vs. staying inside; go experience the cycles of nature!

Fear, self-sabotage, and unlimited potential

When I do demos for HealthForce Nutritionals, there's a wide range of jaw-dropping experiences that happen throughout the day. I see all extremes, from hope, inspiration, serious positivity and excitement, to overwhelming doubt, desperation, and paralyzing fear. I watch like a bystander, observing the way people speak, carry themselves, and live their lives. I must look like a deer in headlights some of the time because the things people share with me can be absolutely shocking. What I find most interesting is that fear is typically the overriding emotion, second to those who are so jazzed about the hard-core offerings, that they want to drink up all the goodness AND take it home with them. That's the bright side of the rainbow .. we'll talk more about fear for now.

Have you ever been put in a situation and been forced to wonder, what are people so afraid of? Is it fear of living to their fullest potential, fear of failing, fear of succeeding, fear of improving their health and all that will have to change as a result? What this leads to is self-sabotage, whether it's intentional or not. Limiting the abundant possibilities because the secure comfort of routine, sickness, and misery are much too difficult to stray from.

The people I witness who are most fearful and furthest from living the pure, green, clean, organic way, are much more dramatic, and certainly less tactful in conversations. It's obvious to those around - even quite comical as they make hugely expressive faces and loud obnoxious noises and comments. I get curious if they saw themselves on a video playback, would they be embarrassed with how they handles themselves? Fear makes people do things they would 'normally' never do, but it is such a strong feeling that it takes control over all else, even good intentions. Some need is being met when this occurs, and it allows them to be 'right' and you be different, weird, crazy and gasp .. healthy! I get people who are SO concerned with my living foods lifestyle; they are so concerned that I'm seriously deprived, nutritionally deficient, and majorly mis-educated and confused .. but who is the certified holistic nutrition educator here? Yet, they ask dozens of prying questions, appear in awe at my energy and vitality, and want to know what on earth do I eat?! I think people honestly do want it for themselves, their just full of fear for what all that would entail and what would it really mean for them?

As I've mentioned in prior posts, it's a life theme of mine to want to really help and improve the lives of others, particularly those who are suffering unnecessarily and severely (why do I choose them? Or do they choose me?). On the days I do superfood demos, I come home knowing that it is indeed ONLY MYSELF for whom I have complete control over, no matter how much I have positively influenced everyone throughout the day. I can only make life changing, self-betterment choices for myself, as often as I want, and reap the abundant benefits. There is such a desire to share with others the potential for living and showing how good they can feel. Of course it's more complicated than that, but I wanted to try and put it into just one sentence. No matter how dark, down, sick, tired, hopeless, diseased, or negative someone is, if they are not ready or genuinely desiring change for themselves, I can do nothing (except the lesson below). That is near impossible for me to accept, but it's showing up every time I turn around, maybe to remind me of its' truth. The lesson: live your best life ever, share with others how you do it, and feel deep gratitude and good feelings as they come on board. This is what it's all about, for me anyway!

This post is really just an acknowledgement of the state in which Americans live. Check out www.NaturalNews.com for more enlightening information.

Rainbow Magic Juice w/ Superfoods to boot

The best way to start the day is with this phenomenal superfood juice. I had to share it!

Rainbow Magic

Juice:
3 apples
1 lemon
lots of kale
2 stalks of celery
1 moderate size beet
small chunk of ginger
stalk & head of broccoli

Rainbow Magic keeps your blood sugar stable, is stimulating to the liver, cleansing on a cellular level, works as a diuretic (eliminating bloat, excess water), enhances digestion, absorption, and utilization of nutrients (allowing the nutrients you're consuming to get into those cells, detoxify, and rebuild the body from scratch - and begin to eliminate nutrient deficiencies by doing so), and according to Mike Adams, the Health Ranger with the super popular www.NaturalNews.com, happens to contain the most anti-cancer juice: broccoli (juice broccoli? YES, and you will LOVE it! You actually won't even taste it :) Just an ounce a day (or whenever you make the Rainbow Magic or any other juice).

Then, add: 1 spoonful (1 tbsp) of Vitamineral Green, Pure Synergy Superfood Formula, and Spirulina Azteca.
Add 1-2 tsp of Truly Vitamin C (by HealthForce) or Pure Radiance Vitamin C (by The Synergy Co.), and 1 tsp of E3 Live/Total Body Blend.

Juicing is easy and seriously fun; the hardest part about juicing is the prep ... washing and rinsing, over and over. However, I try not to over wash and my reason is for the B12. Am I making this up? I don't know, but according to David Wolfe, who we all know knows his stuff, he has admittedly eaten bugs and insects (not for dinner or anything) and confidently claims that they are a source of the depleted nutrient B12. So, I leave my farmer's market greens and veggies clean, but not squeaky clean. I never understood the idea of buying produce wash and cleaners. Maybe if it's conventional, then absolutely, but I only buy organic and never compromise on this. To answer those next questions you maybe asking, I prefer to buy local, organic, and seasonal produce (not an either/or situation). There's nothing challenging about it (shop at a farmer's market & you can easily have cheap access to local, organic and seasonal); it's a commitment to consuming the highest quality, highest energy, most nutrient-dense food available. And, I have no reason to compromise my values when they bring me to such euphoria.

I'm going to do the tedious, yet exciting task of listing every single ingredient you'll be consuming if you make this juice, so you can really see the abundant amount of nutrients that will be flooding your cells with goodness - it's really over the top!

Vitamineral Green: nettle leaf, barley grass, wheat grass, horsetail, moringa leaf, alfalfa leaf juice, dandelion leaf juice, barley grass juice, oat grass juice, nopal cactus, chickweed, ginger root, yacon root, beet root juice, broccoli juice, kale juice, spinach juice, parsley juice, amla berry, spirulina, chlorella, Icelandic kelp, dulse, laver, bladderwrack, alaria, nori, Irish moss, enzymes: protease, amylase, lipase, cellulase, bromelain, papain, alpha-galactosidase, 43 billion different strains of probiotic cultures (equalling 43 billion probiotic cultures per tablespoon), shilajit, magnetic, homeopathic, energetic, and vibrational energies. WOW!

Pure Synergy: Synergized algae: pure spirulina crystals, pure Klamath crystals, pure chlorella, dunaliella, wakame, dumontiaceae, Synergized phytonutrients & enzymes: fresh freeze-dried enzymatically active sprouts of millet, quinoa, broccoli, apple fruit, fresh freeze-dried blueberry, raspberry, green papaya fruit, natural plant enzymes, Synergized Chinese Mushrooms & Herbal Extracts: reishi, shiitake, maitake, agaricus, cordyceps, herbal extracts of astragalus root, eleuthero root, lycium (wolfberry) fruit, tang-kuei root, schizandra fruit, atractylodes macrocephala root, fo-ti root, paeonia lactiflora root, rehmannia root, codonopsis root, licorice root, jujube fruit, poria, ginger rhizome, tangerine peel, polygala root, ligusticum wallichii root, Synergized Green Juices: wheat grass barley grass, oat grass, alfalfa grass, parsley grass, spinach leaf, kale leaf, collard leaf, Synergized Western Herbs: nettle leaf, red clover flower, burdock root, yellow dock root, skullcap flower and leaf, dandelion leaf, ginkgo leaf, rose hips, rosemary leaf, clove bud, sage leaf, natural vitamin E (sunflower). WOW!

E3 Live Total Body Blend: MSM, spirulina (more spirulina! - can you believe people say not eating animals will leave you protein deficient?!), camu camu, vitamin E tocopherol/tocotrienols, organic cayenne, organic blue green algae, organic AFAMend and BrainOn, PEA (blue green sea extracts), crystalloid electrolyte sea minerals (organic copper, iodine, manganese, zinc, potassium, cobalt, sodium, selenium, chromium, silica, and boron). WOW!

Now, imagine what you will feel like after consuming ALL this, in just 1 tasty glass of fresh juice! Be prepared to feel better than ever .. you may reach paradise. Try it and let me know what YOU think!

Creamy Dreamy Green Goddess Dressing

I really like to find recipes that are so nutrient-dense it's ridiculous, and so green, but sooo tasty that all you want is more. This is an ideal salad dressing for achieving smooth, silky, and radiant skin: it's packed full of healthy Omega 3 fatty acids (olive oil, hemp seeds, and avocado) & immense amounts of cleansing chlorophyll. Certainly a dream combo for your skin if you ask me: purifying, replenishing, and deeply nourishing!

Try saying Creamy Dreamy Green Dressing 5 times in a row.. you won't be able to do it without smiling and laughing at how silly it sounds - but it's so appropriate for this killer dressing! I took some time to name this one :) I got a basic idea for a new salad dressing from this lady I met at a HealthForce demo last week in Olympia; it was called 'Yummy Dressing' but was pretty simple and without much 'oomph' to it. I expanded on it and decided I wanted to green it up with superfoods ... this is the divine result:

1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
2 small cloves garlic
2 T hemp seeds
1 T Azteca Spirulina
1/2 ripe avocado
4 T nutritional yeast (optional)

Optional: toss some cilantro in there! Remove those heavy metals from your blood, brain, and bones! Cilantro and chlorella are the only 2 foods which draw out and remove heavy metals from these areas of your body, so when you combine Vitamineral Green (which contains chlorella) and add cilantro, you're golden.

Blend well & serve over a green salad, with chopped veggie sticks, in collard wraps, or add another 1/2 avocado for a super creamy dreamy green pudding. You can add more VMG and less Spirulina if you like, but if you get your hands on the Azteca Spirulina, even if you've never liked Spirulina ever before like me, you'll want to add it to everything (shocking!) ... it adds an element of taste that is dramatically different compared to any you've had before! The green magical powder so finely ground and mixes exceptionally well, which we all know is not a common trait for the clumpy Spirulina.

Super Special Superfood Skincare Offer!

I'll cut right to it folks~ I am looking for 5 lucky individuals to try out some of the products I handcraft and provide me with your honest opinions. You will receive some samples in the mail, and I'll send you a short survey via email, and I'll take your responses to heart and continue to refine my super pure offerings.

If you want to participate, please send me your request to HealingOrganically@gmail.com and provide me with your name, email, mailing address, and the reason you want to receive all this amazing goodness without paying hardly anything. There's no 'catch' - I just want to generously share what I create and get your feedback based upon your experience with all aspects of the transaction (packing, shipping, 1st impression, consistency, aroma, application, results, etc). You pay the shipping, and that's it. I'll send you the details of when you'll receive these presents in the email I send to you with confirmation that you've been accepted. I AM OFFERING THIS TO THE FIRST 5 PEOPLE WHO CONTACT ME this week.

Plus, just for being so quick to act on this and because you obviously have a desire for stunning skin and a flawless appearance, I'll include a FREE TRIAL size of my absolute favorite superfood blend that I couldn't possibly live without (any guesses?). If you want a perfect combination of internal and external healing, then send me an email today and I'll be in touch tomorrow.

The gift of giving is really what the holiday season is all about, right?

Emotional detox ... hitting rawck bottom

We all come to a point in our lives where we can either take a gigantic leap forward, blindly and requiring faith in the unknown, or we stand still, doing hardly anything to move toward a brighter, more enlightened future. Worse yet, there are those of us that whether consciously or not, take steps backward, moving away from their ultimate purpose and giving in to an 'easier' life without accountability or responsibility. This blog entry is an impromptu subject yet based upon someone else's real, very recent experience and I am just the messenger of this message that must be shared. I know there are many out there who've gone through a similar roller coaster ride.

The raw foods lifestyle, as you may have read elsewhere, is not just about eating raw and living foods. Yes, it is about treating your body like the temple it is and your choices then reflect that, but it goes much deeper than that. If any of you are Get Fresh! magazine subscribers (my favorite reading raw for pleasure source), there is a fabulous article in the new Fall issue with Karen Knowler coaching a client through her delayed decision to be successfully raw. This particular article is quite relevant to my discussion here, and it's definitely worth reading if you have ever struggled with eating raw, were ever your own roadblock to success, or you made excuses that slowed the manifestation of your life's goals. ... Is anyone still reading THIS, or have you already zipped over to the article?! If we are honest with ourselves, I think we can ALL relate to this.

When you begin to eat clean, fresh, raw, ripe with life, living foods, the natural thing that happens can sometimes be unexpected. We shed layers of our previous 'self' because it no longer serves us. We still have the same values, interests, hobbies, etc., but everything else starts to shift (or does EVERYTHING shift?). Are we really happy with the work we are doing? Do we really know WHO we are .. and where are we going? And what exactly does that mean to someone who has felt mis-guided, unknowing, and uncertain most of their life? An emotional detox happens to the best of us, no matter our intention in wanting to avoid dealing with baggage that comes up. This breakthrough way of eating is what has kick started a dramatic shift in a good friend's perspective and attitude. He got on quite innocently and unknowing of the outcome, yet it's proven to be the craziest, yet most beautiful ride ... (and is still riding) ..

Sometimes we need to let go of where we've been (possibly a childhood incident or the failures in between then and adulthood) in order to move forward and embrace wholeheartedly where we are going, even if we have no idea where that will lead us. In unknowing, there is knowing; it's moving away from the past and into a life that we had no idea existed for us in the first place ... but it was there all along, and we did need the past to happen in order to bring us to where we stand today. For me, allowing only the best foods ever to enter my mouth has raised the standards for all that surrounds me. This is all about creating the life you dream of and want for yourself. I have found that eating this way has given me a solid foundation to which all else rests upon.

So, what does one do in the meantime? You tie yourself to the mast and let your ship guide itself through tumultuous waters, instead of being crazy in the mind and reckless at the wheel. In other words, wrap your arms around the living foods approach and let it be your guiding force. Have faith in the food you are putting into your body, and the mind will ultimately become more clear. A deep peace from within will find you.

HealthForce Healing Cleanse

Ah yes, I've embarked on another nutritional cleanse - yet this one is Jameth Sheridan's style: hard-core and truly powerful. Mike and I are doing the intestinal and parasite cleanse, a program we've decided to do for 5 days. We take some capsules and binding powders throughout the day, drink fresh fruit and vegetable juices, superfood loaded smoothies (I have decided cacao in minimal amounts is okay on this cleanse), and have a normal green infused living dinner.

I have to share this recipe that I got from the Chocolate! Superfoods! Raw! Cosmic Cacao! group I joined through facebook; you must try it, it tastes like a mint chocolate chip ice cream mylkshake. Totally amazing and you'll wonder how you lived without.

2-3 T cacao nibs
1 T cacao butter (melted) or cacao powder
1 oz soaked gojis (I didn't have any, so I went without)
1 T raw almond butter or soaked almonds (I used almond butter)
1 T coconut oil or 1/2 cup coconut water (I used coconut oil)
1.5 T ground flax or hemp seeds (I used hemp seeds)
2 tsp maca force (I used 1 tsp vanilla spice and 1 tsp carob peppermint)
2 tsp wildharvested bee pollen (I use Mountain Rose Herbs)
1 vanilla bean (split open and scrap the insides into smoothie)
1 T dark agave
2 frozen bananas (the recipe said use just a 1/2 frozen banana, but I felt it needed more)
1-2 cups homemade Brazil nut mylk (the recipe called for water, but how can you not use freshly homemade nut mylk when you have it?)

Blend Well.

I am so happy on this cleanse already. The first day has been a breeze - and I will keep you posted.

A superfood smoothie cleanse that nutritionally supports nourishing, soothing, and lubrication (of the colon), plus drawing action, absorption and elimination of poisons and toxins from the entire intestinal tract (Intestinal Drawing Formula - powder). Then you have the Intestinal Movement Formula (capsules) - the supportive herbal components in this formula support digestion, the immune system, blood sugar balance and reduction of harmful microbes (maximum colon cleansing = better health). And lastly, but certainly not least, you've got the Internal Parasite Formula (capsules) - this formulation uses therapeutically effective quantities of cloves, black walnut, and wormwood to kill parasites. Milk thistle extract and wasabi extract are added to support the liver and help control die-off reactions from parasites and harmful microbes. It's all about getting the bad guys out. This formula is highly anti-candida too!

Raw Chocolate Dream Fudge

I used to make an incredible vegan fudge made with tofutti's soy cream cheese (which now I cringe at) and powdered sugar - there were only 4 ingredients and it was so easy to make. But, I've found the perfect raw replacement and I know you will absolutely love it. It takes minutes to make from start to finish and there's no heat or anything complicated about it. You can make it in a food processor (as I did tonight) or a high-speed blender (like the Vitamix).

Confession: I made a batch just two days ago, filled up an entire ice cube tray (which makes perfect BIG bite size pieces), and needed (yes, NEEDED), to make another batch tonight because we (I do share these indulgences however difficult it may be) plowed through the first within 48 hours.

I am currently living on fresh green juices, collard wraps w/ the best hummus ever (recipe coming soon), super plump goji berries, macadamia nuts, and a different raw cacao dessert every other day. I'm finding this to be quite balanced. Actually, when have you ever had fudge that is super packed with super-nutrition? As a nutrition educator, I can tell you this is likely the healthiest fudge you'll ever eat, and you'll feel fabulous and guilt-free afterward, as you should. And now...

Raw Chocolate Dream Fudge
1/3 cup raw organic almond butter (Maranatha)
1/4 cup organic coconut oil
2 T raw cacao powder
small handful raw cacao nibs
1/4 cup agave (I prefer Sunfood Nutrition)
1 T maca force (HealthForce Nutritionals)
1 tsp raw lucuma powder (makes everything sweeter & smoother)
1 tsp - 1 T of E3Live (how good do you really want to feel?)
1 tsp vit E tocotrienols
drizzle of angstrom calcium (for mineral balance - see note below)

Whip this up into a creamy dessert in your food processor or blender, pour into ice cube trays, and freeze or refrigerate to store.

If you don't have every single ingredient, make it anyway! You can still make this even if you only have the almond butter, coconut oil, cacao powder, and agave - the remaining ingredients boost the nutrition, but I certainly don't want you to postpone making this just because your cupboards aren't filled with every superfood out there. I just started using lucuma powder this week and am experimenting with it in these desserts. Coincidence? I've eaten more chocolate desserts this past week than... - could it be that I'm still celebrating my birthday (yes, 4 days later), or, my body is craving sweets after the 3.5 day green smoothie challenge of deprivation (just kidding), or, is there something addicting about lucuma?

Angstom calcium is the most bioavailable form of calcium. Raw chocolate is exceptionally high in magnesium and the body needs calcium to balance this out, hence the addition of angstrom calcium. I get it mine from Sunfood Nutrition or Raw Vegan Source).

I'm throwing a Spa Party this coming Sunday, at the Beauty Bar Spa and Boutique in West Seattle and will be making this raw fudge as a decadent addition to the other sweet indulgences during this very special evening. Contact me if you'd like to join us - all are welcome!
Details: Sunday, November 16 from 5 - 9pm.

Day 3: Green Smoothie Challenge

Is it possible to feel worse on a post-raw detox than on a pre-raw detox? This is what's happened to me these last few days and I'm trying to understand the 'how' and 'why' of it all. I LOVE cleansing and do so relatively regularly, specifically in warmer weather. This time however, I was freezing cold the entire time, spacey, disconnected, with a lack of focus and concentration and coordination - and at times felt like I was about to lift off like a balloon. I'm not usually one to experience these severe cleansing crisis', and it proved challenging to continue the program, which I did for 3.5 days. It was so odd and I'm working on getting back into my groove now. I also experienced more pain, stiffness, and aches than ever before. Could it be due to eating cold smoothies in weather that requires winter gear? Maybe so, but it's been frustrating to see how my body reacted this time. I know it's not the Green Smoothie Challenge itself - this I think is an amazing idea and absolutely recommend it to my friends and clients, but maybe I had bad timing this time around. I will certainly do this challenge again, but will wait until the Spring to try again.

For those that have been raw for longer than me (more than 1 year): Is it possible that I've loosened up deep rooted old toxins? This was my first cleanse since being mostly raw, and feel I have been experiencing a more difficult detox, flooding the system with the old b/c of the power of eating cleansing living foods for the past several months. Even when I was eating cooked vegan/some raw fare, my cleanses were never this intense. Has anyone had an experience similar to this? Please share!

Anyway, today (Nov 6) is my 31st birthday and I started the day with my favorite chocolate ever - Sacred Chocolate, the milk chocolate variety - so scrumptious! I know, chocolate for breakfast is clearly the best way to celebrate! An impromptu visit to the bookstore later in the day resulted in finding Matt Amsden's book, Raw Revolution, and a killer recipe in there that was pulled together for dinner. Raw ice cream will follow :)

RAWSTA ALFREDO:

2-3 zucchinis - use spiralizer to make spaghetti

For Sauce:
3/4 cup coconut water (used packaged for convenience)
1.5 cups raw cashews (I plan to try pine nuts or macadamia nuts)
2 cloves garlic
1/4 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
1 tsp Pink Himalayan salt
1/2 tsp nutmeg
2 T nutritional yeast (not raw)
1 avocado
Bundle of fresh arugula
Handful of Sunfood Nutrition kalamata olives

Day 2: Green Smoothie Challenge

Ok, so Day 2 wasn't as wonderful as Day 1: I felt light-headed, spacey, unmotivated, fatigued, and uncoordinated. My mistake may have been making smaller portions of the smoothies & eating them every few hours, because I seemed to have a killer appetite from the moment I awoke. I should have made fewer smoothies, in larger amounts, because after splitting each smoothie w/ Mike, the amount that was left wasn't satisfying my hunger. I don't do well w/ low blood sugar & was trying something different from Day 1 - it's an experiment & I'm still learning the recipes (and best approach) I like with so many greens!

This is a picture of the #1 Smoothie~

#1 Smoothie (pretty good):
2 cups red grapes
2 cups frozen blueberries
1 apple
1 banana
1 bundle romaine lettuce

#2 Smoothie (this was fabulous):
3 bananas
1 mango
1/2 pineapple
1 bundle kale
1/2 cup coconut water

#3 Smoothie (LOVED this):
2 bananas
1.5 cups frozen blueberries
1 heaping handful spinach
1 T Azteca Spirulina
spoonful raw, local honey

#4 Smoothie (YUM):
Fresh squeezed apple juice
few bananas
bundle of kale

#5 Smoothie (I didn't measure a thing & was putting whatever was within reach into this concoction ... low blood sugar frenzy):
2 handfuls frozen blueberries
2 handfuls frozen strawberries
3 bananas
2 handfuls spinach
1 bundle kale
1 T Fruits of the Earth
spoonful raw, local honey

Day 1: Green Smoothie Challenge

Smoothie on the left is Smoother than a Brazilian and on the right is Cotton Candy. YUMMY!

My dessert last night was raw macadamia nuts (I'm hooked) and raw cacao maca ice cream - it was divine! These foods will be the hardest for me to part from at this time, as I've slowly become dependent upon knowing they'll be eaten by me every day in some form. The culprits are: raw nuts (specifically Brazil nuts, macadamia nuts, and cashews), cacao in any form (nibs or powder for me), and dates. I've grown an addiction.

We (my brave green lover and I) started the morning in a dash to the farmer's market to pack as many greens as possible into our reusable bags. To keep things relatively simple here, I'll just list off the green leafy vegetable that I included in the recipe, as we grabbed many different kinds of kale, chard, and lettuces (plus bags full of perfectly gorgeous spinach) - and I don't remember all their individual names. I'm using pears, apples, plums, and other greens and veggies from our weekly CSA delivery. The market was a great start to rev the green glory engine!

Green Wreck (Morning Smoothie):

1/2 cup purified water
4 bananas
1 large ripe mango
1 pear
1 apple
1/2 bundle dandelion greens
1/3 bundle parsley
1 big handful spinach
1 T Vitamineral Greens
1 T Azteca Spirulina

At first, my green smoothie let me down. This was likely because there were not any dates anywhere near as far as I could see. But, I realized why I am doing this (I KNOW I need it) and that the stringy green things that hang over your mouth as you gobble it up are what it's all about. So get over it, right? And I did. Green magic started to happen.

I've snacked on an apple, half a pear, and a few nibs of (No, not cacao!) kale today, and have drank my green superfood powder (Vitamineral Greens) in purified water throughout the day - but not much because I feel so hydrated w/ out this!

Smoother than a Brazilian (Afternoon Smoothie): taken from one of the recipes given in this challenge by the raw divas - although I did change it somewhat by using Brazil nut mylk instead of water as the base (nut mylk is part of this program, at least for Day 1 & 2). Oh, and a small spoonful of local, raw honey :) Believe me, if you saw this morning's smoothie you would treat yourself to some healing honey too!

2 cups homemade Brazil nut mylk
2 cups red grapes
1 cup frozen blueberries
4 bananas
One handful of kale
One handful of spinach
spoonful of local, raw honey

Cotton Candy (Evening Smoothie):
1.5 cups homemade Brazil nut mylk
3 bananas
2 cups frozen strawberries
1/2 pineapple
2 handfuls of spinach
spoonful of local, raw honey

And so, we have ourselves a delightful dinner and dessert, all in one! I'm looking forward to tomorrow - whereas last night all I could think about was how I was going to miss my 'favorites' and rationalizing my way out of this 5 day commitment. This challenge is typically 3 days, but I like to be extreme and add my own spin to it. Life has gone on temporarily without them ... and I've survived ... and thrived!

Green Smoothies = Energy, Vitality, Radiance

I must admit, I am a smoothie snob. Somewhat equivalent to royalty thinking in that I think the smoothies I make are better than most others I've tried. In fact I have yet to try someone else's and think, 'wow, why don't I do that?' I've been making Superfood smoothies loaded with special ingredients (medicinal herbal teas, potent extracts, raw cacao, goji berries, acai, MSM, vitamin E tocotrienols and virtually all of HealthForce's superfood powders), for breakfast for several years (and not really recognizing this as a staple of the living foods community) and gladly share my tasty recipes. My weakness is creating excellent Green Smoothies. I've always felt I have enough of a variety and enough green in my repertoire already - but I'm so wrong! There can always be more. Although there is some 'green' in ALL my smoothies (typically 2 T Vitamineral Green and 1 T Spirulina - all by HealthForce), I rarely, until recently have gotten into the making of green vegetable smoothies. Although, I do occasionally add parsley, romaine and spinach, it's usually a green powder, more often than not. I have been inspired by the Green Smoothie Blog (see favorites to your right) and dashed out today to get everything I'd need to whip one up when I returned. Here's what I made, and enjoy yourself!

2 small mangos
2 bananas
7 fresh strawberries
2 handfuls of fresh spinach
1 pitted medjool date
1 T Azteca Spirulina (HealthForce)
splash of water to blend easily

This is a beginner's version. I got excited about spinach today but I do make these wonderful green concoctions with rainbow chard and kale a lot of the time. I still like to add the green powders because they are a staple to my way of living. All of this has gotten me so revved up that I am starting to plan a Green Smoothie Cleanse. My main reason is that I really haven't been as hungry as I usually am (how could that be? I'm Italian always ready to munch on something - aahhh, but that's all changing these days!) and I can tell my body is ready for a break. I've also been eating way too many nuts and reach for these when prepared living dishes seem too complex to make and I have 'nothing' handy, even though there's plenty of food in the fridge (comfort in a time of stress anyone?). With this change of season and a green partner in prevention (of all things 'bad'), there's no better time. I'm shooting for a 5 day break from anything unless it's GREEN, from Nov 1 - 5. My birthday is on the 6th (I'll be 31), and I'm looking forward to making an apple crisp with crumble topping and vanilla creme and cacao maca ice cream on top, so the cleanse must end before this indulgence. Birthdays are for celebrating - and it will be my first raw birthday! I was going to say, first living birthday' - because I like that term somewhat better - but that sounds really funny!

Note: I have never done an all-green smoothie cleanse, and will be blogging daily about my experience and what I'm eating!

Cacao withdrawals and conscious language

I took a break from cacao and goji berries the last 5 days and all I could think about that entire time was how much I missed them! It was an involuntary break- I ran out and was waiting to purchase them locally from Raw Vegan Source, the largest raw and vegan superstore in the U.S., which fortunately for me is just a short drive away. My boyfriend Mike and I took a class there last night on Conscious Language and spent hundreds of dollars on foods that I wish every single person on the planet ate. He wanted to participate in the class (as did I), but all I could think about on the way and once there was grabbing every product off the shelf as if I had been living on an island without access to fresh foods and superfoods for years and this was my reuniting with them.

Some of the fascinating phrases and thoughts we heard last night (really think about these!):

Genes have nothing to do with you.
It's the Biology of Belief, not genes.
Do you choose to be conscious?
The illusion is about ready to be transformed.
Battle the darkness.
100% of what is going on in our current world is agreed to.
What are we going to wake up to & what are we going to do with it?
Our greater self is right here, right now!
Be in your consciousness of grace.
My greatest weakness is becoming my greatest strength.
Inspire each other to accept your authority and genius.
If you know the truth of something, you have the power over it.
Pain happens, hurt is optional.
What is it going to take for me to be consistently successful every time?

What to say to yourself on a DAILY BASIS?
I AM living my life!
I reclaim my own life!

Say what your new choice is until you FEEL IT IN YOUR BODY!

VOTE VICTORY for others! See perfection in others and this will support them in seeing it themselves.

Getting back to chocolate...

I am convinced that cacao is an appetite suppressant and slimming for the body, and chocolate expert David Wolfe could explain much better why this is, but I know it to be true. It's not that I gained weight in these last 5 days, but I definitely felt a difference in my body and craved much more food than I usually do, and cooked food, which is rare (pasta, pizza). When I 'give in' I realize just how much it just doesn't work for me anymore! The pleasure and taste is nothing like it used to be. I do admit to eating raw chocolate every day and it's just part of the routine, nothing I put much thought into until it's gone, and I'm suffering (could I be addicted?!) and feeling more bloated and puffy as a result of the choices I've made in this short time.

This is the super delicious smoothie I've made this morning that keeps me feeling great until later in the day. For dinner we'll have fresh greens (maybe even w/out washing them to get some needed B12) that we picked from Raw Vegan Source (they have an amazing permaculture garden) and who knows what else. Please try this at home!

4 cups water (half of which could be coconut water)
2 T raw cacao powder
2 T raw cacao nibs
1 T pine nuts
1 cup raw cashews
6 dates, pitted
2 tsp hemp seeds
2 tsp chia seeds
1 tsp local bee pollen
1 tsp coconut oil
1/2 cup blueberries or 3/4 cups blackberries (experiment w/ local fruits)
1/4 cup dark agave
1/4 tsp Himalayan pink crystal salt
1 T Vitamineral Greens
2 tsp MSM powder
2 tsp Maca Force
1 tsp Truly Vitamin C
small handful goji berries
small handful Incan berries
1 tsp angstrom calcium
1 droppersful Ocean's Alive Marine Phytoplankton

Blend really well. If you don't have every single ingredient, make it anyway!

I also added a droppersful of a tonic called RenewU - from The Herbalist, a local apothecary with excellent formulations (RenewU contains: milk thistle, Oregon grape, dandelion root, burdock root, yellow dock, cleavers, wild indigo, fennel, ginger).

CHILL and serve cold. YUMMY!

When it rains, it pours, and superfoods save the day

Have you ever been confronted with wondering if things happen for a reason? When it’s a dark moment and you can’t imagine it getting much worse .. can goji berries really make you happy?

When it rains, it pours, really downpours. That's a wrap-up of the last few weeks. Will superfoods save the day? If life gets out of control, do superfoods make a difference and bring you (and all your problems) back into balance? Goji berries, maca, acai, greens, raw chocolate? I certainly can’t fathom what it would be like to be under these circumstances and not be eating the way I am: full of fresh, live, organic, goodness and lots of supercharged superfoods. They strengthen my resilience and allow dilemmas to be more manageable, although I must admit the storms of life are still present. Does that sound crazy? Well, who is more likely to resort to emotional eating, overeating, and falling back into the trap of eating heavy, cooked, 'comfort' foods - the nutritionally depleted, adrenal exhausted, nervous wreck, or the raw superfood fueled, powered and energized, super-woman?

Here’s a shortened version of the current scenario. I woke up a couple days after leaving Sedona to a complete nightmare. I came to understand that my entire website was down, deleted, gone - where was it? No content was on the site, just a blank white page with some short coding about text not being found. And, to make matters even better, I was on the road driving back home to Seattle with varied cell reception from the Mojave Desert to Mount Shasta - thereby making it extremely difficult to deal with via phone (and can't do it on a laptop that has multiple viruses and the internet is shot), although critically urgent (feel like my world is ending kind of urgency). Remember this exact fear I had of this happening when I was transferring hosting companies weeks ago (what would I do if my website were all of a sudden gone - is that even possible - yes, it is, I am here to demonstrate this for you)? Yes, believe me, I've already thought, did I bring this on myself? Am I applying the Law of Attraction that well in my life? I've always had to learn lessons 'the hard way'. NEVER the easy way - that's just not my life plan. Oh, and not to mention, my website traffic has soared as a result of Raw Spirit, which is AMAZING, but only when you have a live working website for your potential and current customers to view!

Several days ago, I woke up to this issue happening AGAIN. How could this be? It is some horrible practical joke that went awry? After completely re-securing my site and database... we/they still have no idea how it occurred in the first place. My computer/tech team tell me they've never seen this in all the years they have been doing what their doing. That made me feel fabulous. My answer then, seeing as though I am getting no assistance from them, is to do it all myself - completely redesign and recreate an entire new website - in a matter of days on my own. But how do I do that without the content from the previous site? There are sooo many information-filled pages... (sniff, sniff). It feels quite overwhelming and it's been somewhat challenging at times to stay positive. My 'previous' site took months to build and once it went live, I slaved over it for several more months so it would give the essence of healing when you arrived. Believe me, it's been devastating, and there's really no better word to describe it than that.

I am one of those people that believes things happen for a reason. There is a silver lining: I've been wanting to make some changes to my site but have been having difficulties with accessing to do so, and therefore outsourcing work to a 'professional' who could do it for me (needless waste of $$$). As an entrepreneur, especially as a woman, we want to do everything all on our own, because really, who is going to do it better, or at least exactly how you want and need it to get done? Now, I will have complete control of my site, editing, designing, ... and everything else from start to finish - and I can do it without sending detailed emails back and forth to someone who has no idea of what I'm trying to embody.

I want to emphasize the power of food and its' effects on attitude and perspective. These few weeks have brought on stress that would make the Standard American come close to giving up in one way or another. Powered by superfoods and live foods, I've become more of a bull-dozer, knocking obstacles out of the way. Live foods now equal hope for me, whereas I had not really made this connection much before. That is something to really think about.

To look at the bright side of things, I want to share with you a recipe that got pulled together quite randomly and is now an evening staple!

everything is raw and organic with no official measurements:

few handfuls of sunflower seeds
hemp seeds (couple tbsp or so)
squeeze of lemon
small chunk of fresh ginger
clove of garlic
few pieces of dulse
nama shoyu
nutritional yeast
little water - just enough to get the processor moving and mixing into a creamy pate

Add a red pepper for flavor

Mix in food processor until it's well-blended. Spread with Lydia's Organics green crackers, in romaine lettuce boats, nori rolls, collard wraps and as a dip with fresh market veggies. Delicious!

IF YOU WANT TO PLACE AN ORGANIC HEALING SKINCARE ORDER, PLEASE CALL: 206.362.0520 or email me: HealingOrganically@gmail.com. Thank you so much for your understanding while I resolve this issue quickly.

Raw Spirit Festival 2008 - Sedona, AZ

Hello Friends! I've returned home from the long journey to Sedona from Seattle and have been swamped (in a good way) with filling orders, so I haven't had a chance to journal in the blog yet! But a moment now allows me that, and I feel so proud and fulfilled after making tons of scrubs and silks today, packaging them up, and getting them ready to ship tomorrow.

I'm one to bring all my comforts with me when I travel and that's exactly what we did (my boyfriend and I) for this 1500 mile road trip. The cooler was packed with a huge bag of brazil nuts, raw cashews, goji berries, raw cacao nibs, walnuts, and dates. I made one of my all-time favorite recipes ever, the Cinnamon Rolls (found in David Wolfe & Shazzie's Naked Chocolate book) and had to regulate how much we could savor each day, otherwise these unbelievably tasty morsels would be gone in the first day and we'd be longing for them for the rest of the trip. The remainder of the cooler was packed with a nice big glass jar of homemade brazil nut mylk, a homemade chocolate blendie, the contents of that week's CSA bag (which included lots of squash, greens, apples, melons, and juicy nectarines, plums, pluots, and peaches), and Lydia's Organics dehydrated Spirulina and Crystal Manna bars, and 2 flavors of her crackers: the green and luna nori ones. Daily we made a delicious simple combination I found on We Like it Raw: a creamy mash, we call it 'Nana Mash', of avocado, banana, and dates - mix them together (add a touch of agave & Pink Himilayan Crystal Salt if you make it at home or have these extras with you during travels), and you won't want to each anything else I promise. I eat these three foods often, really often - why hadn't I combined them all together before? We thrived on all this for 3 days on the road. And you can't forget about the VMG (Vitamineral Greens), Earth, Fruits of the Earth, MSM powder, and the Ocean's Alive Marine Phytoplankton that I brought along, too. I don't let a day pass without enjoying all of these.

I did a search on www.happycow.net (healthier options for international travelers) and found a great raw food cafe in Salt Lake City: Omar's Living Cuisine; we stopped in and relaxed for 2 hours while ordering raw, living, organic item after item off the mouth-watering menu. It turns out the cafe was heading down the following day for Sedona, so we were able to enjoy their food throughout the entire weekend as well. Food really has this tendency to make a vacation (or work trip) really memorable, and when you live on superfoods and such yummy combinations of living foods, it's makes everything that's happening that much lighter and brighter, because you're happy when you eat, and you feel excellent after you eat!

The response to the Organic Healing Skincare line completely blew me away; in fact I had to step away several times throughout the weekend once the reality of its success caught up with me. To say I am grateful and appreciative doesn't really explain how much it means to me to have people love what I'm doing. Whether there's a purchase or not, to see responses in person was absolutely the most treasured part of the weekend. It's really magical when you put your heart into creating something and others drink it up as you do. People were actually giving me hugs and thanking ME! I still have a hard time piecing together the words that describe that 3 day phenomenal event. I can't wait to get to the Raw Spirit Festival in early June 2009, near Santa Barbara!

There were so many connections made, amazing conversations, and uplifting talks, but one stands out and replays often in my head. Tom and Susan from Raw Vegan Source, in Redmond, WA (my neighbors just over the water and east of Seattle) really put my experience into place - standing in line for one of our delicious nightly dinners, I made the comment that so far everything had been so incredible, and that I had a hard time finding the words to put to it. Susan said, 'take that word out of your vocabulary. It's not incredible, it is credible, and you deserve it. Get used to it because this is your new reality.' It was so matter of fact; it is my new truth and I knew it in that moment. Chills go through me every time I recall that part of our conversation because it reminds me that I am on the right path, I am pursuing my dreams, and living, to some extent, quite the fantasy.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart to everyone who expressed their gratitude for my effort, mission, and deep passion, to revolutionize the skincare industry!

Searching.. wandering.. discovering

As I make batch after batch of skincare products this week in preparation for the grandest celebration ever, I have much time to ponder all these random thoughts that come to mind. It just came to me, that I've always been searching in one way or another. Whether for thinner thighs, more pure energy, friends who understood, a true purpose in life, an enriching career that would change the lives of others, a community of people where I felt I belonged, or the next breakthrough idea that brings this line of products together, bringing it to the next level. I'm that girl that has always asked 'Why?'. I remember when I was younger that my family would get fed up with me constantly wondering 'why, why, why?'. I needed an answer for the reasons why everything was the way it was. I feel as though I'm finally getting the answers to not only these deep life questions, but to the ones I've longed for in regard to myself - and my greatest longings are gradually becoming my new reality.

This has only come about the more I purify my body from the toxins of the past. Isn't that fascinating?! We're discovering ourselves from the time we're young, but I've been gifted the opportunity to really get to discover who I really am, as the most recent years pass. That's also because of the age I am I suppose, but I strongly believe it also has much to do with this past year's innate knowing that eating mostly raw would support me through a very trying personal situation. I did not consciously make this decision, my body gravitated toward it, and I'm thankful of this because there are so many unhealthy habits I could have picked up in the meantime as many of us have done in the past - but it didn't go that way. My body told me exactly what I needed. The more I seriously listened (is this cliche?), the more resilent I became; less crying episodes, a real feeling of stability, confidence in myself, anxiety was eliminated - no more walking on shaky ground for me.

The motto that was passed on to me incessantly from my youth, that FINALLY really resonates with me, is 'BELIEVE IN YOURSELF'. I finally get it. The search is not over, nor will it ever be, but I'm better equipped now; it feels like I've got the flashlight and compass and no matter what direction I go it will lead me to the life that has always been just ahead.

Manifest your dreams into reality

My website (www.OrganicHealing.net) is up and running after the successful hosting transfer, so thanks for your patience while it was temporarily down.

I have so many dreams it seems as though I'll be writing forever if I were to write them all down. I'm a powerful manifester, I know this, and really believe we all are if we are to actually listen to ourselves and take honest action based upon those thoughts. We make our own dreams happen, am I right?

For those of you who have placed orders this month taking advantage of the recession discount of 15% off all skincare orders, thank you! There are just a few days remaining to utilize this discount, good until Aug 31. But.. another discount is coming, for those fortunate souls who I'll connect with at the Raw Spirit Festival in just a few weeks! I leave in 11 days to road trip down to Sedona and am in major production mode now. I've never made this large quantity before and I'm making it as always with such pure love and goodness and I hope others will feel and experience what we (myself and fellow users) do. Due to the incredibly pure nature of my products, I have waited to make all products within 2 weeks of leaving so they are absolutely super fresh when purchased at the fest. I don't ever have inventory just hanging around, so this is crunch time, and thankfully I work really well under stress and pressure! I'm bringing some of the Healing Body Scrubs and we'll be giving free hand/arm massage and exfoliation treatments at my booth (Organic Healing Skincare). I could say I'm excited, but seriously, I'm bursting with anticipation, super joy and ridiculous excitement! This is the biggest event of the year and I will post while I'm away with pictures to keep you in the loop. Thanks for the support, my friends!

Off to make a batch of Ocean Beauty and drink a serious green smoothie while I'm at it. I got my Sunfood order yesterday and have eaten mostly gojis, raw cacao nibs, and raw cashews, plus a fresh fruit salad, today. YUM! Oh, and I made raw brownies last night; very randomly realized I had all the ingredients for this recipe, and they turned out heavenly!

Letting go ... lacking control

Hi Friends.

First I must say that if you've tried to access my website, www.OrganicHealing.net, it is temporarily down as I'm switching hosting companies. I'm using ThinkHost now, and they are a sustainable, earth-friendly, carbon neutral company. It's been important for me to align myself with these like-minded companies. A bit of worry hangs over though, that this situation of my site being down is out of my control. I realize these people are professionals and experienced at what they do, but this small part of me is thinking up worst-case scenarios (What if the site is lost? Is this even possible? What on earth would I do?). I've tended to this baby of mine for a long time now and created something I'm quite proud of. I just don't want anything to happen to it. Hmmmmmm ..... my website, and all the people around me whom I care deeply about.

This brings me to a theme that's been so relevant these past couple weeks, and honestly, the past several years. I'm realizing much of it stems from fear, and I can't stand the idea of limiting my potential because of fear! Admitting there's a lack of control of certain future situations really is the power of letting go. In my carefree life, the law of attraction resonates with me and I see it happening all around me. So, turn off the fear and think positive thoughts! Oh, okay - that sounds so easy!

One of the primary contributing factors to dedicating my life to sharing what I know and have experienced comes from a place of seeing the quality of other's life dissipate right before my eyes and not being able to do a thing about it. It all began years ago when the closest person to me lost their life to 'terminal' cancer. I say that in quotes because now I believe that illness and chronic disease is preventable, whereas then I unfortunately didn't know anything of what I know now. Without giving away too many personal details, these circumstances were different; there was an exposure to something which did cause the cancer to be terminal, however, it was the unhealthy lifestyle of this person which ultimately determined that outcome.

Suffering is not inevitable; compromise is not acceptable; lifestyle and what you put into your body is everything. I spent a ridiculous amount of time researching, reading, and immersing myself in natural health information. My first encounter with a wellness center was during this time and I thought I struck gold. All that I came to know was too late to help the one person I desperately wanted to save, and now, nothing stops my path of helping others achieve outstanding, vibrant health. The catch: this all goes to plan providing they want this for themselves, too. I'm an intense person anyway, and add to it this intensely driven nature to shift the mindset of the world (ambitious, I know), and do so in honor of the woman who gave me life.

I see this pattern with those closest to me. I recognize that no matter how much I want them to want the best for themselves, it really just comes down to each individual genuinely wanting it for themselves. This passion decides whether they take action. I can provide all the information, motivation, and inspiration they need, but if it doesn't come from within, then the changes made simply won't last. Some are fortunate to not go through these life-altering experiences, and the rest of us are lucky enough to have persevered, and survived them.

Personal loss makes you want to give away and share everything you learned from that experience, to prevent others from unnecessarily shortening their life too. This was the pivotal point that ignited my passion for all things living.

The beginning of my story

I've felt really compelled to tell my story of how and why I am where I am. More specific than that, why am I so passionate about my work and how I am living? Simply stated, because I FEEL deeply that it's just the way it needs to be, and should be, for me - at least. This 'story' will happen over the course of several blogs. I want you to get to know me!

David Wolfe has said that you should only listen to those who are achieving the results that you desire. That sounds obvious, but people do not practice this. If someone gives you a health or nutrition suggestion, but they don't visually appear radiantly healthy, why would you listen? We must take it upon ourselves to do the research and to educate ourselves. Yes, make the effort to delve into the world of mis-information about health and wellness. You will soon be able to understand what is legit and what is worthless information. Try it; what's the worst that could happen? We must look at information as powerful, although it can certainly feel like a curse at times. I'm being honest here. Sometimes I want to just move away to an island with my loved ones with what I know because the resistance and acceptance of others is overwhelming. Enter: the raw community! Self-education is the best way to inform us of the choices that lie ahead for our (potentially) very bright future.

I wonder why some of us are so driven to know more and to do whatever it takes to reach our potential. I'm on this crazy mission to share with everyone that WE HAVE THE POWER; WE MAINTAIN CONTROL OVER OUR HEALTH. Most don't want to take on what's necessary to truly make a difference in the way they feel... they make excuses and come up with every reason why it's too much to change or too much effort. Then what I have to say is, your health is not a priority if you are not willing to do everything it takes to seriously prevent degenerative disease, among all these other ridiculous ailments that cause so much suffering - and on a daily basis! I can't ever imagine living and dealing with all those common ailments and side effects (headaches, aches/pains, gas/bloating/indigestion, skin rashes/eczema/puffiness, pudgyness, emotional rollercoasters/depression/anxiety/panic attacks). I continue to be blown away when I see how people compromise themselves unknowingly - allowing your own health to dwindle right before you and do little to reverse or change it. It's in your hands. Do something about it! I think something inside each and every one of us knows, like really knows - as if it were innate.

SPECIAL RECESSION DISCOUNT: All Organic Healing skincare orders are 15% off until August 31! The discount will automatically show up during the checkout process. You're supporting Bethanne's mission of revolutionizing the skincare industry! All products have been recently reformulated and are more amazing than ever! www.OrganicHealing.net

Summer Raw Cucumber Soup

I unexpectedly came across this recipe and it just so happens that it uses many of my CSA items from this week. I've adapted the recipe; it's not something I ever would have made unless I was presented with the 'stress' of using as much cucumber and squash as possible.

Raw Cucumber Soup

2 cups very hot water or veggie broth
1/2 cup chopped cucumber
1/2 cup shredded/diced summer squash or zucchini
1/2 cup avocado
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp fresh squeezed lemon juice
1/2 tsp dill
1 clove garlic
cayenne to taste (don't skimp - this is what makes this recipe!)
Himalayan Pink Crystal Salt (use generously)

Blend until smooth. This is so unusually tasty. I'm pleasantly surprised that I was able to use all these summer veggies in a soup that is super refreshing with a spicy kick.

Boundless energy continues

There's dozens of reasons why eating raw, living, fresh & organic foods resonates with me so well, and I'll get more in to that in future posts. But I find it quite ironic that it was just until this past year that I was somewhat resistant to the whole idea. The approach sounded complicated, impractical, inconvenient and unsatisfying, and EXTREME! Now I smile and reflect on that; it's been a gradual process that differs greatly with each one of us. I'm so passionate about this pure way of living that I spend a majority of my spare time soaking up as much reading material as possible. I swear I read every word of the Get Fresh! magazine and absolutely LOVE it! If you haven't checked it out, it's a must.

I certainly didn't ever envision a night like tonight where I have endless energy and decide to make a fresh Brazil nut mylk & another version of my chocolate blendie, at 10pm. These nights are more and more common and I love them! I'm bursting with the joy of feeling fantastic & my life path continues to become more crystal clear - can anyone relate?!

Super Creamy Mylkshake - ingredients are always organic

1 handful (about 1/2 cup) raw cashews
1 banana
1.5 cups purified water
4-6 dates - (this is dessert, it should be sweet)
2 tbsp raw chocolate powder
1 tsp MSM powder
1 tsp angstrom sulfur (beauty mineral)

Blend, chill and revel in the supreme taste!

Yet another version of chocolate goodness blended up together.

Organic Healing's raw chocolate blendie

For the launch of my Healing Raw blog, I thought I'd give you something that I'm constantly asked about: my crazy creations of super delicious smoothies and what I call, blendies. Usually when people try them, they gasp, as if shocked that such a creamy shake could exist (not having a clue as to what's in it) - but it does, and I'm here to share with you all about it! If there's an interest, I'll keep posting these scrumptious recipes that I've gathered over time as well as nutritional skooshes (sk-O-shiz) - (a silly way to describe advice, tidbits, info., fascinating facts) of all things related...

Chocolate Blendie - ingredients are always organic

* 1.5 cups coconut water
* 2 small/medium bananas
* 3-5 pitted dates
* 1/2 cup nuts (raw cashews are ideal for that creamy texture, then Brazil nuts/macadamia nuts)
* 2 tbsp raw chocolate powder / cocoa nibs (ok, you may use up to a couple handfuls if need be..)
* Optional: Vanilla pod, maca, 1 tbsp coconut oil, MSM powder (see below), tocotrienols/rice bran solubes (raw super vitamin E)

Blend like crazy in a high powered machine (Vitamix if available) until it's super creamy & well-blended. Resist the temptation to inhale this concoction, and put it in the fridge for an hour (or until it becomes all you can think about). Blendies taste best when their super cold.

Note: I'm not one to follow recipes exactly, esp w/ something that potentially has so many variations. Adjust to your liking (more banana to thicken, more dates to sweeten, more nuts for texture, more chocolate, for... more chocolate :)

Next time, use freshly made almond milk (insanely easy to prepare - I know, it first sounded waaaay too complicated, but now there's just no other option & you'll see why if you ever get around to doing it too), instead of the coconut water (which by the way, you can find at any natural health food store - Whole Foodies, PCC, etc - in the refridg. section in mini milk size cartons) - or crack open a real coconut (same stores or Asian markets)! You can source the best raw chocolate, truly raw cashews, MSM, and tocotrienols from Sunfood Nutrition (you may link from my site: http://organichealing.net/content.php?pid=7)

You can add a vanilla bean pod (slice open & scrape insides from the vanilla bean - found in the bulk section), maca extract or powder, and/or MSM powder (a beauty mineral - check my website http://www.organichealing.net/ for more info) - all of these which I typically do to enhance the taste/health-giving properties. The recipe here is just the start, and I must say I vary it each time for that surprising melt-in-your-mouth ('I can't believe how good this is'..) milkshake taste - yet, in the cold, dairy-free kind of way.

Tip: pour into ice cube trays and freeze for a tasty treat later.