Really Raw Day 10 - I HEART GREENS

I just wanna start out by expressing my gratitude to greens. I love the energy they provide, and all the nutrition they provide. I'm confident that increasing my intake of greens has been incredibly conducive to my healing. Eating more fruit has been a phenomenal switch that has helped so much with cravings. It's so simple I could cry:) People around me are losing the battle to viruses all over the place, And I've managed to avoid getting really sick. I know I'm fighting something right now but I notice it mostly in a sore throat, and I had swollen glands the other morning. That, of course I am willing to attribute to detox, as well as the acne that has 'popped' up here and there. I have been having herb teas at work however. Wonderful, tonic herbs like mint and ginger, dried berries like elder, currant and blueberry, and the odd teaspoon of raw, local honey. It's a beautiful thing, this plant kingdom. It provides us with so much. And this body of mine, that given the right conditions can heal itself!! What a gift.

Really Raw Day 8 - Why didn't I do this a year ago? + refreshing, yummy salad!

Probably because I wasn't ready yet, for whatever reason. But I am truly feeling sooo much better...lighter, more balanced, more motivated! I had a banana for breakfast, cuz I wasn't particularly hungry. I'm just tucking into lunch right now, which is so simple, yet so good: Sprouted quinoa, 1 large grated carrot, 3 green onions over romaine lettuce, with pine nuts (not raw unfortunately, but gonna let that one slide for now!). I juiced one small lemon and added dried basil leaves for dressing. This is what I call intuitive eating. I had no set plans when I went to make lunch, other than in the parameter of fresh and raw, and I weighed out a few other options before birthing this creation:)
I'm feeling a lot more satisfied with simpler foods now. My progress is encouraging, not to mention I've lost 5-6 lbs (my bathroom scale is a tad wonky).

Alright - back to my refreshing, yummy salad! (I'll definitely be making this one again).

Really Raw Day 7 - Truly Amazing!

It's all happening so fast...the green smoothies are a godsend...I can feel my body getting better...less pain...less stomache irritation...less hypoglycemia headaches. Went for 6 hours today between meals and didn't suffer the headaches, stomache pain, irritability or fatigue. Okay, I was a little tired, but I attributed that to me having to get to work by 5:30 am! Irritability...I must admit that there was a bit, but I attribute that mainly to the fact that I don't like what I do for a 'living' (if you can call minimum wage living). But, it is all about to change for the better. I regret not going 100% raw before now. Salut!

Really Raw Day 6 - eventually I plan to stop counting, LOL!

Yeah, I'm feeling really good being raw, though I knew that I would! It's certainly helping me to deal with these stressful times, as I try to work almost full-time and open my new business. Cheers to the future! Feelin' good, lovin' life:)

Sundried Tomato Zucchini Linguine:)

I made...Sundried tomato zucchini linguine tonight...and it rawked! It was my first attempt at such an entree. I pureed pre-soaked sundried tomatoes with a chopped tomato, clove of garlic, 1/2 an avocado, green onions and parsley, and served that over zucchini that I had grated by hand. Man, it was soo good!

Really Raw Day 4

So, end of Day 4, liking the lack of pain I'm feeling (relatively speaking). My energy was a bit lax today, but I've come to realize that I hate what I do, so I figure that's a contributing factor! I'm keen on sticking with raw until at least December. More about my job, since it's my blog: I work at a cafe, started by my friend a few years ago. I was with her BEFORE the beginning, since she brought me on to teach her the ropes of the cafe/book world. I love the cafe, my friend and I are still friends after 3 years of doing this, but I just don't want to serve people animal products anymore. Latte after latte, Do you want whip cream with that? I could scream some days, it makes me crazy to have to make grilled cheeses! Even the smell of many cooked foods turns me off, which I'm hoping isn't permanent:)

Anyhoo, time for a change, and it is on it's way. As of November 15th, I've rented an old Victorian house in my hometown with friends, where I will practice as a herbalist, run my tea company, and run seminars and workshops. I can't wait!

Really Raw Day 3

Great news - I've been completely raw for 2 full days now, and this is the morning of my third day. I've been getting through the cravings for cooked rice and other starches with lots of fruit, and the green smoothies are definitely boosting my energy. I feel pretty darn good - the pain I am accustomed to being in is almost completely gone. I've had the misfortune of being in a couple of car accidents, and had been overweight for most of my life. This has resulted in upper and lower back pain, arthritic hips, neck injury, etc. Not to mention the bunions. These I've had all of my life and made it worse in my teen years and theatre days by jamming my feet into ill-fitting yet stylish shoes:)

I am happy to report that I feel pretty darn good today! Before I decided to commit to raw, I quit coffee so that the first few days of my raw experience wouldn't be too nasty. Now that the worst is over, I know the best is yet to come. What I love about raw from what I've learned is that the results are GUARANTEED if you stick with it, and you can make your food as complicated or as simple as you wish. When I went vegetarian, I had to teach myself a new way of cooking, and I look at raw in a similar light, except that I've got a major headstart! Going vegetarian helped me to lose 75+ lbs, and keep it off for almost 8 years. I can only imagine how much it extended my lifespan! Now, I'm hoping raw will help me to lose that last 25 - 30 lbs, and extend my lifespan even more:)

Abientot!