Need to Overcome Serious Food Cravings?

I certainly do. I have proven in the past 7 months to myself that there is definitely a deep connection between the mind and body and what we eat and how we feel. This slight struggle is interesting to me because the 1st year raw I absolutely coasted - I ate entirely raw without giving it much thought. And then came the stress, unexpected emotions, and life changes... and one not-so-good food choice in February has cascaded into a pool of more, and of course with that, the emotions (the 'I know better' feelings) that come with it - at least for me. I know when I feel my best.

Eating raw has for the most part been pretty effortless in these past 2 years (w/ the exceptions I'm referring to) and I give the credit to Superfoods because they've been the foundation of my diet. Yet, when I am tempted by something, or have a craving (in times of comfort), AND GIVE IN, I must say I feel like crap for days.. and this, if not halted with full force, can lead into over-eating (even raw food) and produce feelings of guilt and heaviness (mentally and literally). For me, these choices have repercussions much worse than the actual physical ramifications (although I have to admit that I ONLY gain weight when I don't eat 100% raw, and very easily). I have much less clarity (re: life, decisions, daily living), energy (way more of a dragging feeling and sluggishness), and an attitude that could use some improvement.

Is this how the mainstream lives every day? Ugh... I can hardly stand it for a day.

My answer has been to do more green Superfoods powders (you already know if you read my blog regularly that I'm obsessed with Vitamineral Green and ReVitaPhi) to eliminate nutrient deficiencies that result in cravings (greens = alkalize the body). But sometimes, intense times have a way of pushing your good intentions aside and we consume food that we may not otherwise. I'm guilty and am taking on a personal challenge to see what I can do about it. I'm done with this feeling! I want to be back to effortless raw, easy choices, and not swayed for any reason because life gets in the way. Can anyone relate to this?!

As I write this I'm wondering what I should commit to in terms of a personal cleansing challenge. It's obvious to me that I need to do a cleanse - I've actually been craving a juice cleanse (in between mac n' cheese cravings) all summer but I've been happily eating so much raw chocolate that I couldn't imagine my world without it. I know my problems are tough, but a few days (or a week or two?!) without cacao? Sigh. What could be worse? Well, for me the cheese and mac n' cheese cravings are and I have to get rid of them. Now. Well, tomorrow to be exact...

I think what I'll do is have half my usual cacao Superfood (I put double the green powder in it than cacao powder) blendie in the morning (I'll do 16 oz or something) and green vegetable juice and/or smoothie the whole day until I have a small Superfood salad (half my usual) for dinner. But... is that really a 'cleanse'? For me, no. Hmmm. Why am I so hesitant? Because of plans I have, this is what I'll do this week, and beginning next Sunday I'm cutting out the blendies and salads and doing only green juices and green smoothies. Oh my, I have to click 'publish post' NOW before I change my mind.

Juicing Greens = Raw Beauty

What nutrients are found in green plant foods and how will you benefit by juicing them? The #1 nutrient in all green plant foods, especially the glorious dark leafy greens, is chlorophyll. Chlorophyll is an amazing blood purifier, and when you detoxify your blood, you remove toxins that have built up in your system and manifest as unsightly skin troubles. Dark leafy greens are excellent for the liver, and a cleansed liver will directly result in clearer, more vibrant skin.

What are some of the best greens (and green veggies) to juice for that irresistible raw glow? Kale, spinach, parsley, cilantro, and celery top the list.

KALE is rich in calcium, iron, beta-carotene, and chlorophyll
SPINACH is high in calcium and iron, and builds the blood
PARSLEY is rich in beta-carotene, vitamin C, chlorophyll, and iron (highest iron content of any green leafy vegetable) - great blood cleanser & diuretic
CILANTRO is a heavy metal chelator, removing heavy metals (mercury, lead, cadmium, arsenic) from the body (1 of only 2 foods that removes heavy metals from the blood, brain, and the bones - the other is CHLORELLA)
CELERY builds and sooths the nervous system and is rich in potassium (not a leafy green, but excellent base for a juice)

Throw some chard, romaine lettuce & watercress in there while you're at it.

I recently listened to Cherie Calbom's interview on Raw Vegan Radio and she claimed we should 'Eat Your Fruit, Juice Your Vegetables'! Why is this? Well, according to David Wolfe in his best book ever, the Sunfood Diet Success System, chlorophyll and the alkaline compounds in green-leafy vegetables combine with heavy metals and foreign chemicals in the body to form salts, allowing the body to eliminate them from the system. This deep detoxification brings the body to a higher level of functioning, purifying the entire system, and youthfulness to the skin. Who doesn't want some of that?

Beauty Spa Express (excerpted from Juicing for Life):

small handful parsley
handful spinach
4-5 carrots, (you can juice some of the carrot greens, knowing ahead of time that they have quite a flavor presence)
1/2 apple, seeded

Juice this colorful combo and drink it slowly, knowing the abundant goodness that you're infusing your body with. I don't follow recipes when it comes to juicing and just juice intuitively, but this one can be a good foundation from which you can make adjustments as desired. Play with it, have fun, and the most important thing is to get something green in there! Balance it with something sweet (carrot or apple), and a lighter green flavor like celery or cucumber, and you're off and running.

Freshly Juiced, Green Vegetable Juice is really where it's at. Make friends with all that's green and you'll come to realize we have our dear friend Chlorophyll to thank for Life, Nature, and Beauty!

Juicing: Benefits Outweigh the Clean-up

It seems everywhere I turn lately, I'm coming across more and more reasons to embark on another juice fast. I haven't done one in several months and seeing as though Spring is peaking its way through the Seattle clouds, it may just be the perfect time. I've been trapped in the thinking that it just hasn't been the right time due to life circumstances, but really, isn't that precisely the best time ever to push the limits and treat yourself to this kind of feasting?

Let's clarify the difference between juice extracting and whole food juicing (as with the Vita-Mix). With a juice extractor, you are removing the pulp and fiber from the fruit and/or veggie and just drinking the juice. Ideally, you will find a way to use the pulp to eliminate excess waste. When I make a fresh juice in my Breville juicer, my sweet dog, Java, benefits too - he gets the pulp mixed right into his free range raw meat and vegetables, and absolutely loves it. If you don't have a ravenous dog like I do, then keep the pulp anyway (store in fridge for a few days) and add to other raw food recipes. I'd love to hear the ways you've found to use the pulp - please post your recipes in the comments section and share with the rest of us! If you have an abundance of pulp (and no furry friend or raw recipe ideas), you can add it to your food waste container and use it as compost (or dispose of it) - yet another awesome way to reuse and recycle, and reduce waste.

Whole food juicing is what you do in your high speed blender / Vita-Mix. When you juice in this way, technically it's not really a juice, more like a thin smoothie, but nevertheless, it's a super healthy way to begin your day and feel and look your best. You can add the entire fruit or vegetable into the VM and not have to worry about messy clean-up or wasting at all. Because the VM totally liquefies the food making it entirely bio-available, you absorb all those life-giving nutrients (vitamins, minerals, enzymes, phytonutrients, and anti-oxidants) since it's in a form your body recognizes. Blended food is the easiest food for your body to digest without question. With a blended juice, you get to keep the fiber, something we all know is necessary for digestive health. The processing and clean-up time is minimal in the Vita-Mix according to both me, and the Encyclopedia of Healing Juices :o) - so no matter what way you choose to juice (I suggest both), you're in for a level of health that is just far beyond your wildest expectations.

Check out Jason Vale, aka The Juice Master (www.juicemaster.com) and Jay Kordich, the father of juicing (www.juicedaddy.com) if you want to learn from the best. Jay is responsible for bringing Juice to the world as we know it - his story is incredible (view it here). Maybe I'll dedicate the remainder of April to blogging about juicing - my experiences and the upcoming juice cleanse, specific juice blends for beauty, recipes (juices & smoothies - with freshly made juice as the base), and resources to get some Spring in your step!

Intentions and Opportunities (Part 2)

Here I go ready to publicly announce more intentions for the year 2009. Continuation from last post:

6) By this Spring, I plan to be a regular vendor at the Sunday Farmer's Market in Ballard. I would like to be already, but have run into an unexpected snafu. Upon handing over my filled out paperwork, I learned that the Dept. of Agriculture sometimes makes visits to the markets to make sure everyone is abiding by the rules/regulations. Because the name of my skincare line is currently Organic Healing Skincare, I may run into problems if they see me and all my marketing materials, without an organic certification (even though the ingredients are certified organic themselves). I have some choices: I could chance it (they and other vendors recommend this) - and if they show, tell them I have begun the certification process and cover up everything that says 'organic', I could change the skincare name (ugh, headache, but still a big possibility), or I could not be a vendor at the markets. I have no idea what's in the cards for this one. Ah, a crossroads. I would love to to build local support for the skincare line and jump through this one hurdle. I'm open to receiving feedback on this one, and if you have any name ideas, forward them along!

7) I will be exhibiting at the Seattle Green Festivals on March 28-29 and have secured a wonderful booth because I signed up so early. I'll post the booth # as the event gets closer, but you can expect to see me right next to the Festival Sponsors! You'll be able to experience Organic Healing as 2 Raw Spirit Festivals this year: Santa Barbara, CA (June 5-7) and Prescott, AZ (Sept 26-27). These events are definitely the best gatherings in existence - an absolute must if you feel drawn by the living foods and superfoods movement (which I gather you are if you're reading my blog!). At all 3 festivals (and maybe even more), you'll get to sample (and purchase) the recent talk of the town - Elements for Life products. This way, you can beautify internally and externally - the best remedy for flawless stunning skin.

8) Last month I did a Special Skincare Offer and it was wildly successful. I will now take some time to refine a few of my handcrafted products and will not be doing the Special Offer this month as I expected. I received really wonderful constructive feedback (except for the 1 person who took advantage of the offer and broke the mutual agreement - shame on you, that's really bad karma) and will be working as always to refine, re-formulate, and perfect, making the very best healing skincare creations ever. I intend to have a similar Special Offer again and will make the announcement when the time is right!

9) Bumping up the frequency that I do self-guided detoxification programs (juice cleanses, 1 day a week liquid/blended food only fasts, the HealthForce Healing Cleanse) and routine activity (for the winter, it's all about Bikram hot yoga, running, and hiking). I have been wanting to do weekly juice fasts, and will be starting this week! My healthy eating habits come naturally; I do believe we all have the innate knowing of what to consume for superior health.

10) The last intention I'll list here is to continue to passionately spread the word of Superfoods, raw foods, cleansing, juicing, and medicinal herbs - all to heal the body, inside and out. My raw food classes and workshops will be starting up in the coming months in Seattle (and maybe even beyond).

I hope you've created a list for yourself as I have and are ready to jump on board to an enlightened way of living. Don't let anything stop you, and please, don't compromise yourself.

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!

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!