This is your beginning...

What do you buy?

      Look at your last few grocery receipts or save your next few receipts from the grocery store. Circle all of the fresh ingredients…Is it  5%, 10%, 25% or more

Comment below what percent of those items are real?….This is a great exercise in opening your mind or “Awakening” to how you really eat. I know you may be in denial, don’t want to think about it….You know it’s not good. But just do this exercise and share it with me I'll send you a free menu planner.

     This can be your realization period. You don’t have to change anything.   Just think about how you feel. 

Are you mentally foggy and tired and want more energy?      Do you need motivation to do anything? 

      Wouldn't you like to feel great when you get up in the morning?    Want to shed a few pounds but can't?

Acknowledging your connection to food is a great starting point. Get out a notebook and write about your feelings. I did this for many years and it really helped me. I even did a vision board (check out that post too!)

      I’d wait till everyone went to bed then I binged on food I had tucked away…I just wanted to cry all the time, sad, lonely and scared. I needed something and found it. An inner strength grew inside me by writing my feelings down. And answers came to me and guided me to healthier menus. I realize now that I ate very badly and had 2 of my 4 children while eating this way. They are now struggling with their diets and acne and sugar cravings & Candida. There is nothing I can tell them that will help. I feel like I have failed them, & they won’t listen, yet…someday….they will…

 On the other hand, with my 2 younger children, I ate a better diet while pregnant and they are so much more open to eating well and they are healthier. I see this now…hindsight…

I was so intrigued by nutrition between them, I sought out a health food store and purchased books and have not stopped. I even worked at one for a while.

“And the day came when the risk to remain tight in the bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom.~ Anais Nin

The raw foods path is, of course, just one option for transforming our relationship to food. If you are considering a change that is so wonderful! I applaud you!!  Just reducing the quantities or adding more veggies or maybe a macrobiotic diet, or even a detox . I hope you will glean some incite to a better diet through my blog. I feel the most optimal way to eat for physical health in the human body in through raw foods. That is why I love it so much and why I will support others in choosing this path.

Please comment below on your receipts & I will send you a menu planner and just know this is your beginning...

KALE AND SALSA WRAPS

1/3 of a bunch kale

¼ bunch cilantro

2 tomato, quartered

1/8 th bunch green onion

dash cayenne pepper, (optional)

½ teaspoon olive oil

dash Celtic Sea Salt

¼ lemon, juiced

 Mix all ingredients except for kale for two to five seconds in blender.

 Wrap in kale leaves.

Focus on these things......But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.

It just takes a little focus, a little work, to change our habits. And a willingness to try again, and to try again and again to keep trying, when and if we cycle back to unhealthy habits. I'm really excited about my new relationship with food, and excited about my new ability to take care of myself. I've fluctuated alot recently and am trying again. As I hope you do too. Each time I get better and better with my food choices. If I crave chips I try to eat a bit more of a salty food like seaweed, nori wraps..I feel like my body is telling me something. I just have to listen.Holiday aren't as terrifying either. I just load my plate with the salads and veggies and fruits...Just focus on a balanced diet.

If we focus on the goodness, kindness, self control in all we do especially in our eating we can love ourself, be joyful in our life.

This is the season that we need to focus on love and joy and thankfulness for all we have and have been given.

A wonderful idea that I have found is Help Others.org..a wonderful story from there is this:

After many months of illness, the resulting financial troubles and the love and generosity of dear friends, family members and even strangers that helped me and my children through those difficult times, my life regained balance.

On a trip to the grocery store I spotted  a young couple hitchhiking with two puppies. They were obviously tired and discouraged and had made a sign, which simply read, "Just Food." Praying that they would stay put I hurried into the grocery store and bought a bag full of  nutritious foods, puppy chow for the dogs along with items I needed.

To my relief they were still there when I came out. I drove up beside them and the young man approached at my beckoning him. I handed him the bag full of groceries, saying, "this is for you..." then the bag of chow, "this is for your puppies", and then a ten dollar bill, "And here's a little money." His kind young face registered disbelief as he thanked me. I felt close to tears at his reaction. I knew exactly how he felt. And to be able to help! I looked into his eyes and said, "I've had people help me when I was struggling. God bless you."

Can we do this, would we?...I have to say I didn't..On a recent trip to Philly, I came upon a man with a clipboard and tape on his arm where blood was drawn...He was seeking help to get to his car which was in the impound lot. He said he was just released from the military hospital after serving our country and found his car had been towed.. I felt very badly for him and wanted to help but the fear in me stopped me...I thought he could just be scheming me for drug money so I kept walking...This still tugs my heart...I pray for him that, he is safe and got what he needed...I will try to be more open for my next opportunity to help others....

One Day at a Time

 

Try an eating plan…what is that you ask???? Well It is your strategic personal daily guide to nourishing your body with an appropriate portion. You can create structure and approach food in a calm, balanced, rational way by using the information you have gained from your patterns so far, by the lists you’ve created with my earlier blog.

All you do is eat exactly and only what you have planned for that day. No more impulsive buying or snacking on “Only one piece…”

You will have a clearer head so that you can enjoy other things.

Start right now with a note book or on the computer and map out what you are going to eat the rest of today and the next week, if you can or do it each morning for the day. What ever works for you….This is only a suggestion, however it if works for you to keep raw and eat right, then I suggest you stick with it, one day at a time.

 Do not think of this as forever but just today or this week!!

I have explained in detail in this blog my weekly strategy:  http://rawdivinedish.wordpress.com/2010/11/02/, How I plan my weeks, but now I also plan each meal for myself. It is challenging with my family because I plan regular meal for them and mostly raw foods for myself.

You may also want to review your plan at the end of the day and affirm for yourself that you followed through with it, also doing a mental review of whether you felt truly hungry before eating, plus how you felt emotionally before and after each meal. Paying attention to details like this can help us understand more about how our healing is unfolding.

Saucy Solutions:

A fantastic way to stay raw is with a great yummy sauce at the ready… Make up a big batch of something like basil pesto, tomato sauce, a creamy cashew dip or whatever you like. Keep this in the refridge to use as & when require. You might like it for sauce with raw pasta or a salad dressing, a spread on flax crackers, a dip for crudités and so on. You can thin it with more liquid or thicken with ground flax/chia seeds. It is a great way to stay in the game, rather than saying “there’s nothing here to eat, so I’m going to eat these chips instead…” The point is to be prepared.

There is a wonderful chemical free place I get my greens and veggies from and it is great. There is a Pay as you grow program, which help me plan for the week. Check it out here: http://www.facebook.com/jettsproduce.

Versatile Veggie Dip

 

 

This dip can be made thinner to use as a creamy salad dressing or thickened with veggies for a pate to spread on carrots or crackers or to roll up in lettuce leaves or nori seaweed sheets. Take a pint container to work with you along with your favorite veggies and/or lettuce or kale leaves.
Ingredients:

• Water (start with ¼ cup and add more to make it easy to blend the nuts until smooth)
• Cold-pressed olive oil (start with 2-3 Tablespoons and add more to desired creaminess)
• Sweet: raw cashews 7 ounces (or soaked and drained almonds, pecans, etc.)
• Sour: lemon or lime juice
• Spicy: fresh-grated garlic (the longer the garlic is in the mixture the stronger it gets), fresh-grated ginger root, chilies, cayenne pepper, or some sliced jalapeno pepper
• Bitter: fresh cilantro (or your fresh or dried herb of choice), or poultry seasoning
• Salty: Celtic Sea Salt, dulce (a dried, salty seaweed) and soy sauce, tamari or shoyu (These are just three grades of the same thing.)

Mixing:

1. Blend the nuts until finely ground in the food processor or blender.
2. Add a bit of water slowly until a thick "goop" forms.
3. Add a few cloves of fresh garlic and slices of ginger root.
4. Add some olive oil, Nama Shoyu (aged soy sauce), Celtic Sea Salt and blend.
5. Taste. If too sweet, add some lemon or lime juice. If too thick for the blender to handle, add more water.
6. Then make adjustments for sweet, sour, spicy, salty, and bitter using the above ingredients or substitutes. (I found that the chilies, garlic, salt, soy sauce, lemon juice and ginger were key for balancing the sweetness of the cashews or nuts.)
7. For extra spicy, add 1 whole chopped jalapeno pepper or other chili pepper.
8. Blend and at the end, add dried or fresh basil or cilantro or your favorite herb. (If you blend too much at the end, the green herbs will turn it an unappetizing greenish beige.)
9. Serve with raw veggies (carrots, celery, broccoli, cauliflower, radishes, green beans, sliced sweet potatoes, tomatoes, jicama—a Mexican root that is firm like a water chestnut—bell peppers, cabbage, etc.) or with dehydrated flax crackers.

This can also be used as rich, creamy salad dressing. Just add more water and salt, if needed. This dip gets thicker when it sits in the refrigerator. You can always add more water and stir before serving.
Optional ingredients (add to the blended mix or just chop into the dip):
Grated horseradish, chopped spinach, chopped bell peppers (any color), mashed avocado, chopped tomatoes, sliced or diced green onions, or red onions.
Ideas:
Try emphasizing one herb for a dominant flavor (dill, basil, tarragon, etc.).
You can add carrots if you're using a food processor and make it into a paste and use it as a spread on crackers, rolled up in nori seaweed sheets (used for sushi rolls) or on lettuce leaves as a "green burrito."

Diets Don't Work..Use a Vision Board

Have you ever went on a diet? Did it work ? Really? I think that they do not produce any satisfactory or permanent results.Most diets ignore the true problem, the emotional attachment or addiction of food. I had never thought of this before now. I realized that for everything  we celebrate there is food, or in every problem, disappointment, or hurt we use food to soothe. Even crying babies, children etc...are rewarded with food.

The things we eat are largely refined sugars and simple carbs and we could be said to be self medicating with them. 

"The food we eat can be either the safest and most powerful form of medicine, or the slowest form of poison."

Interesting quote, isn't it?  

A very good book on this subject is one by Angela Stokes Monarch called Raw Emotions. I am finding it very enlightening. 

My journey to Raw foods has been a roller coaster ride really. I feel great when I can eat healthy but when I slide and eat SAD foods, boy can I feel it. I do know the difference. I challenge you to try eating at least 50% raw fruits & vegetables in your meals and see and feel the difference. It is so amazing.

I am also writing a journal of foods I eat and the emotions I feel. 

And I'm beginning a vision board!

What is a Vision Board?

A vision board (also called a Treasure Map or a Visual Explorer or Creativity Collage) is typically a poster board on which you paste or collage images that you’ve torn out from various magazines. It’s simple.
The idea behind this is that when you surround yourself with images of who you want to become, what you want to have, where you want to live, or where you want to vacation, your life changes to match those images and those desires.

There are several methods you can use for creating your vision board. I’ve written about each one below. You can choose which one works best for you, depending on where you find yourself on this path of creating your life.

Supplies you’ll need for creating a Vision Board:

- Poster board.
- A big stack of different magazines. (You can get them at libraries, hair salons, dentist offices, the YMCA.) Make sure you find lots of different types like Oprah, Real Simple, Natural Home, Yoga Journal, Dwell, Ode, Parenting, Money,  and an assortment of nature magazines.
- Glue. Not Elmers. (It makes the pages ripple.) Try Yes! Glue or Rubber cement.

Before you begin your vision board:

No matter which method you’re choosing, have a little ritual before you begin your vision board. Sit quietly and set the intent. With lots of kindness and openness, ask yourself what it is you want. Maybe images will come into your head. Just take a moment to be with that. This process makes it a deeper experience. It gives a chance for your ego to step aside just a little, so that you can more clearly create your vision.
Put on soft music.

The Five Steps of Creating a Vision Board:

Step 1: Go through your magazines and tear the images from them. No gluing yet! Just let yourself have lots of fun looking through magazines and pulling out pictures or words or headlines that strike your fancy. Have fun with it. Make a big pile of images and phrases and words.
Step 2: Go through the images and begin to lay your favorites on the board. Eliminate any images that no longer feel right. This step is where your intuition comes in. As you lay the pictures on the board, you’ll get a sense how the board should be laid out. For instance, you might assign a theme to each corner of the board. Health, Job, Spirituality, Relationships, for instance. Or it may just be that the images want to go all over the place. Or you might want to fold the board into a book that tells a story.
Step 3: Glue everything onto the board. Add writing if you want. You can paint on it, or write words with markers.
Step 4: (optional, but powerful) Leave space in the very center of the vision board for a fantastic photo of yourself where you look radiant and happy. Paste yourself in the center of your board.
Step 5: Hang your vision board in a place where you will see it often.

Three Types of Vision Boards:

1 - The “I Know Exactly What I Want” Vision Board
Do this vision board if:
- You’re very clear about your desires.
- You want to change your environment or surroundings.
- There is a specific thing you want to manifest in your life. (i.e. a new home, or starting a business.)
How to create this vision board:
With your clear desire in mind, set out looking for the exact pictures which portray your vision. If you want a house by the water, then get out the Home magazines and start there. If you want to start your own business, find images that capture that idea for you. If you want to learn guitar, then find that picture.
2 – The “Opening and Allowing” Vision Board
Do this vision board if:
- You’re not sure what exactly you want
- You’ve been in a period of depression or grief
- You have a vision of what you want, but are uncertain about it in some way.
- You know you want change but don’t know how it’s possible.
How to create this vision board:
Go through each magazine. Tear out images that delight you. Don’t ask why. Just keep going through the magazines. If it’s a picture of a teddy bear that makes you smile, then pull it out. If it’s a cottage in a misty countryside, then rip it out. Just have fun and be open to whatever calls to you. Then, as you go through Step 2 above, hold that same openness, but ask yourself what this picture might mean. What is it telling you about you? Does it mean you need to take more naps? Does it mean you want to get a dog, or stop hanging out with a particular person who drains you? Most likely you’ll know the answer. If you don’t, but you still love the image, then put it on your vision board anyway. It will have an answer for you soon enough.The Opening and Allowing Vision Board can be a powerful guide for you. I like it better than the first model because sometimes our egos think they know what we want, and lots of times those desires aren’t in alignment with who we really are. This goes deeper than just getting what you want. It can speak to you and teach you a little bit about yourself and your passion.
3 – The “Theme” Vision Board
Do this vision board if:
- It’s your birthday or New Years Eve or some significant event that starts a new cycle.
- If you are working with one particular area of your life. For instance, Work & Career.
How to create this vision board:
The only difference between this vision board and the others is that this one has clear parameters and intent. Before you begin the vision board, take a moment to hold the intent and the theme in mind. When you choose pictures, they will be in alignment with the theme. You can do the Theme Vision Board on smaller pages, like a page in your journal.

Some things to remember about vision boards:

- You can use a combination of all three types of vision boards as you create. Sometimes you might start out doing one kind, and then your intuition takes over and shifts into a whole different mode. That’s called creativity. Just roll with it.
- Your vision board might change as you are making it.  You might find that you have little epiphanies from making a vision board.

Make a Vision Journal

Another option is to use these same principles in a big sketch book. Get a large sketch book and keep an on-going vision journal. This is especially effective if you’re going through many transitions in your life.

I welcome anyone who has created a vision board to write your own experience in the comments…

Raspberry-Avocado Smoothie

 

 

A  creamy avocado makes a surprise appearance in a sweet beverage. The fruit is great for your skin because it contains essential oils and B-complex vitamins, especially niacin. This vitamin is an anti-inflammatory that soothes red, blotchy and irritated skin.

Ingredients:

·                                 1 avocado, peeled and pitted

·                                 3/4 cup orange juice

·                                 3/4 cup raspberry juice

·                                 1/2 cup frozen raspberries, (not thawed)

Preparation:

1.        Puree avocado, orange juice, raspberry juice and raspberries in a blender until smooth.