Thursday, June 3, 2010

Daily Struggles

So yeah, as most of us know, once you're "off the wagon", it's a struggle to get back on. This holiday wknd was one full of fairly unhealthy foods and it's funny how much my body actually feels the difference these days. This week was hard getting back on, but I really am taking it meal by meal, day by day. Today I am getting a green juice from a place near my job.
It's crazy how little options of this sort there are in Times Square. I guess tourists and the like are happy with pizza all of the time.
Luckily I found one place and it's pretty great:
http://www.yelp.com/biz/green-symphony-new-york

Green juices are great for filling you up and flushing out toxins, as well as beginning the process of stopping any cravings all over again. I have high hopes for the future.
I had some ups and downs over the wknd. Personal issues, family health issues, good times, bad times. I went to the beach after nearly a year which was awesome, but the whole bathing suit thing is always tricky. I'm usually okay about all that stuff, but this time I wasn't. Ironically enough, the next day I had a bbq in my s.o.'s backyard and I had some bear friends over. I wore jean shorts and my one friend commented how I was wasting away, lol. Not that wasting away is a good thing, mind you, but it was nice to hear after my beach experience.
More pics to come soon!

Wednesday, May 26, 2010

In Progress :)

March:


May (much more raw starting late April):

Tuesday, April 27, 2010

Hmmm...

Bad habits can age you by 12 years, study suggests

By LINDSEY TANNER, AP Medical Writer Lindsey Tanner, Ap Medical Writer – Mon Apr 26, 9:26 pm ET

CHICAGO – Four common bad habits combined — smoking, drinking too much, inactivity and poor diet — can age you by 12 years, sobering new research suggests.

The findings are from a study that tracked nearly 5,000 British adults for 20 years, and they highlight yet another reason to adopt a healthier lifestyle.

Overall, 314 people studied had all four unhealthy behaviors. Among them, 91 died during the study, or 29 percent. Among the 387 healthiest people with none of the four habits, only 32 died, or about 8 percent.

The risky behaviors were: smoking tobacco; downing more than three alcoholic drinks per day for men and more than two daily for women; getting less than two hours of physical activity per week; and eating fruits and vegetables fewer than three times daily.

These habits combined substantially increased the risk of death and made people who engaged in them seem 12 years older than people in the healthiest group, said lead researcher Elisabeth Kvaavik of the University of Oslo.

The study appears in Monday's Archives of Internal Medicine.

The healthiest group included never-smokers and those who had quit; teetotalers, women who had fewer than two drinks daily and men who had fewer than three; those who got at least two hours of physical activity weekly; and those who ate fruits and vegetables at least three times daily.

"You don't need to be extreme" to be in the healthy category, Kvaavik said. "These behaviors add up, so together it's quite good. It should be possible for most people to manage to do it."

For example, one carrot, one apple and a glass of orange juice would suffice for the fruit and vegetable cutoffs in the study, Kvaavik said, noting that the amounts are pretty modest and less strict than many guidelines.

The U.S. government generally recommends at least 4 cups of fruits or vegetables daily for adults, depending on age and activity level; and about 2 1/2 hours of exercise weekly.

Study participants were 4,886 British adults aged 18 and older, or 44 years old on average. They were randomly selected from participants in a separate nationwide British health survey. Study subjects were asked about various lifestyle habits only once, a potential limitation, but Kvaavik said those habits tend to be fairly stable in adulthood.

Death certificates were checked for the next 20 years. The most common causes of death included heart disease and cancer, both related to unhealthy lifestyles.

Kvaavik said her results are applicable to other westernized nations including the United States.

June Stevens, a University of North Carolina public health researcher, said the results are in line with previous studies that examined the combined effects of health-related habits on longevity.

The findings don't mean that everyone who maintains a healthy lifestyle will live longer than those who don't, but it will increase the odds, Stevens said.

Monday, April 19, 2010

We did it!




So a few days ago, my s.o. and I completed 5 days, by the book, on the 80/10/10 Diet. Now, keep in mind, I have been a vegetarian for 17 yrs (albeit not a very healthy one) and my s.o. is a huge meat eater. So we both experienced a lot of detox symptoms (but his gas smelled like fruit - I know, TMI) but we both started feeling better almost immediately.
On our 6th day, we did have sashimi, and we each had a bit of rice (I had very minimal). It wasn't as cathartic as I thought it would be. At night our big treat was to make a hot n sour soup. We did this from scratch and though it was cooked, it was so healthy and delicious.
Now, days later, we're still eating low fat raw vegan but a bit more loosely so. Miraculous!
Here's some piccys of our soup just cut up and then done and in bowls. ;)
When this becomes what you crave, you know you're getting healthier!

The 80/10/10 Diet



Here are our dinners from last week when my s.o. and I were doing the 80/10/10 Diet to a tee. We ate tons of fruit as it tells you to, but by dinner time, even though the big salad was a needed break, we could hardly finish them! I know they don't look that big in the photos, but keep in mind that the blue bowl is HUGE in reality and the brown wooden one is very large.
Just showing a visual! :P

Friday, April 16, 2010

SOS Posting from Yesterday

This is what I wrote yesterday when I had a stomach ache almost all day. Ugh, thanksfully I feel much better today.

Hi everyone. So I have read the 80/10/10 diet in pieces before, but this last time it really inspired me. I actually got my s.o. to agree to do it with me! So we are on Day 4 of the spring menu.
I have felt a lot of mood changes and feelings of detox, but overall I have felt that this is RIGHT.
The one issue I have today is that I've had a pretty bad stomach ache for a few hours. I don't think it's "my lady parts"; it feels like my stomach. I had 4 cups of OJ this morning and then a couple hrs later felt the stomach ache. I then had my banana/mango smoothie for lunch to see if it would help, but it didn't.
I took a decongestant pill first thing this morning, but I also took one yesterday and was fine. I know I shouldn't be ruining my detox with this pill, but my head and right ear have been very clogged for almost a week.
Anyway, if anyone has any advice or similar experiences, I'd appreciate it!
Thnx.
p.s. I'm drinking a lot of water now to see if that will help.

Monday, April 12, 2010

Day 1

I'm embarking on a five day journey (which will hopefully turn into a 7 day and then longer journey)! My s.o., my darling man, has agreed to do it with me which makes it a lot easier than I thought. We went to our local whole foods and bought pounds and pounds of fruit! It was kind of fun and a lot zanier seeming than I thought.
It's funny how if you step out of the norm just a little, people really notice.
Anyway, we're doing the 80/10/10 spring diet exactly. Let me emphasize here, I have woken up feeling miserable for at least a week. It fades, but I've also had a clogged ear for about 4 days that won't go away. I think that will work itself out naturally. But more importantly, yesterday I felt my worst, emotionally, mentally, and especially physically. The food I've been eating has taken a huge toll on my body, even though I've worked in some healthier choices. It hasn't been enough. So I am truly at my wits end on ALL FRONTS. I don't want to forget that when I start feeling better.
I know I will, and I know we're going to thrive on this diet. I'm a little nervous about sticking to it, particularly during my "snacky" times, but I know I can do it.
This morning on Day 1 I started out by eating a whole huge papaya! Cut into halves, de-seeded, and smothered with blended kiwi "sauce". I feel very full and hopeful.
As for my start photo, that last one is what I look like now, maybe even slightly more bloated. I'll update soon if I see/feel progress before Day 5.
Wish me luck!
p.s. If you haven't read Dr. Graham's 80/10/10 Diet, you really should. It really truly makes a shitload of sense. I kid you not. It is what has inspired me to do this!

Thursday, April 1, 2010

ok, so i might have a problem with bread

Does anyone else have these issues? I'm around baked goods all day and I'm fine. I love cupcakes, but meh, I can leave them alone. But bread, whole different story.
I made a beautiful huge salad today with raw carrot ginger dressing, raisins, and raw cashews. It was so pretty I wanted to take a photo but realized I was a bit late.
Well, I choose to eat...not the big luscious salad...but a little piece of old italian bread and then two slices of wheat toast with earth balance and a bit of strawberry jam. Why? Why? Why?
To think that having one little piece will quelch a craving is ridiculous. It only makes you want more. I used to buy/eat Ezekiel bread but my s.o. doesn't like it so I kind of just stopped. Now we really don't eat bread at home. We occasionally get sourdough loaves, but other than that, not much anymore.
Does anyone have any advice about this? Eat Eonly Ezekiel? Try to indulge just a little every now and then? Or cut it out 100%? Is this last option really an option?
Thanks!

Thursday, March 25, 2010

Interesting Shopping List

Yesterday I went to the drug store with this mantra in my head:
"eggs and enemas"
I was getting eggs for my business and enemas, well, for my netherworld. :)
Most interesting lil shopping list ever.

p.s. I had never used an enema kit before (I'm a scaredy) but I did it today. Although it wasn't comfortable, of course, it was fine. For whatever reason I couldn't empty all the liquid out though. Anyone else had that experience?
(I know, gross, but hey, we have to clean out all the crap, no?)

woohoo

Feeling tingly and pretty great. The fog is clearing from my head. If you know what I mean, you really know what I mean, lol.
This book is really making sense to me and making it so easy to transition. It talks about waste-weight and it's not so much about what you put in your body, but how efficently you elminate it from your body and how you take in the nutrients.
The book is The Raw Food Detox Diet by Natalia Rose.
Man, I hope I follow it, because I feel great already.
Today for lunch I made the apple and raisin salad with the gold elixir dressing. It was sooooooo good. Loved it.
More updates to come!

http://detoxtheworld.com/

Friday, March 19, 2010

migraine hell


Yes, I was in migraine hell yesterday. I've gotten migraines ever since I can remember, and I do believe that they're hormone related, but this time it's not around my menses (there's a word to love - menses). I also felt that it was food related (my body tells me sometimes) but I didn't eat anything that could cause it.
One questionable thing was goddess dressing on my salad (I was in a rush) but that has no preservatives or "natural flavors".
I'm thinking that maybe it was my body's withdrawal from sugar - ?
If so, I can't imagine going through that a lot. Hopefully I won't have to.
Any raw fooders out there who get/have gotten migraines? I'd love some advice.

Wednesday, March 17, 2010

Wow...


I'm proud of myself...but I don't want to get too proud yet. :)
In the past couple weeks I've been an avg of 75% raw and getting more and more raw. I work with baked goods, and I don't have a desire for them! I don't feel that addictive feeling for bread, my weakness, but I also haven't given it up completely. I have a dehydrator now, so I'm hoping that I can make raw breads and the like to make up for it.
Overall though, I am wow-ed at the fact that I am no longer constantly hungry and I actually feel satisfied after I eat something! Before I felt full and then almost directly after, I would want more food. Getting satiated and full of what my body needs was NOT in the equation. It's a such a difference - it's unbelievable!
I'm not sure what analogy to use except to say that i really know why they're called empty calories now. They give you taste and the feeling of eating but that's it.
I feel much more connected to my body already which feels great. I just have to keep it up!
I took this photo about a week ago when I was struggling a bit and it's a real wake up call! Once again, I love bbws but for me, I used to wear these "wife beater shirts" (pardon the expression) and jeans as a staple. After winter and lots of stress, I now realize I can barely squeeeeeze myself in. Ugh!
I look forward to more changes!

Friday, March 12, 2010

weird morning

So after my small epiphany yesterday (both about raw foods and about some eprsonal things - what a day!), I started the day off by waking up freezing. Under the covers with a heater on and still freezing and lethargic and not able to move out of bed. Usually after my partner wakes up, I can go back to sleep for a bit, but not today. I just laid there in a fog for about an hour and a half. I was worried I'd wake with an "agitated head" (what I call a pre-headache head - I get intense migraines, since birth), but Iwhen I finally forced myself up, I felt fine. I did feel kind of stuffed up though which makes me think I have lots of hidden mucus. Scary!
So I had a green lemonade* but my little juicer didn'twork, so again I just blended it up and am finishing it now. I know it's not as good as juiced up, but it's alot better than an english muffin at this point.
I really want to do a juice fast (feast?) for at least 3 days, but I know I need a good juicer. Might get that today if I can find one and if not, maybe get one online. I just had a dehydrator delivered and I can't wait to use it! But anyway, I want to do the juice fast but I know that this weekend will not work for me, and I don't want to set myself up for failure.
Just took the last swig of my lemonade. I swear I feel much better than when I started drinking it. I'm going to try and find some of the herbs to kill parasites today at whole foods. The thought of having that in my body may be just a scare tactic - but it's working!

*By the way, you can find this recipe anywhere, but it's an awesome drink:

Green lemonade

1 head romaine lettuce or celery
5 to 6 stalks kale
1 to 2 apples (as needed for sweetness)
1 whole lemon
1 to 2 inches fresh ginger

(I did not use as much of each thing which maybe I will someday but I used about half and I could barely finish it - I am FULL from this - amazing!)

Thursday, March 11, 2010

This guy is nuts but...

...it really does make me think that I don't know what's in my body and I don't feel great for the majority of the time, or even close. And that's not acceptable for me.
Check it out, some interesting info:
(he kind of reminds me of a male Susan powers, but hey, she was passionate too and lost a ton of weight - it must feel amazing!)
http://www.markusrothkranz.com/

Tuesday, March 9, 2010

Erm...

Haven't been that great and haven't been that raw. Granted, I haven't been going to McDonald's or anything (haven't in about 10 yrs) but I haven't been eating the way I'd like to. But I still have to give myself credit for not completely blowing it.
Plus, I have my lady visitor so of course I feel large and bloated. But I'm doing a lot of research about raw foods online and that always gets me motivated.
Oh, and I ordered a dehydrator some days ago! It should be here any day, and I really think that will help me a lot. Breads and chips are big on my crave list and although I don't eat the unhealthiest ones (doritios, anyone?), I still consume a lot of them. Making them raw will be awesome.
I also want to exercise a lot more and this beautiful weather is great! On Sunday, I took a little break (lots of stress lately), went into NYC, and ended up walking around all day with virtually no sit down breaks. I couldn't believe how much my legs hurt and how tired I was. It really shows me that I'm not at the level where I'd like to be. SO I did something about it and walked even more!
I just have to keep at it, and I'm very excited about things to come!

Wednesday, March 3, 2010

5 Foods You Should Eat Everyday

Interesting Article. Of course, others could bring up other foods, but it's still pretty right on:

#1 Leafy greens
Medical experts call them one of nature's miracle foods. Leafy greens like Swiss chard and kale are high in nutrients like folate and vitamins A and C that can lower your risk of cancer. Just one cup of dark, leafy greens a day could also prevent diabetes and high blood pressure.

#2 Nuts
Many nutritionists recommend nuts like almonds, cashews and walnuts because they're high in natural fiber. Fiber slows your digestive process, keeping hunger and unhealthy mid-afternoon snacks at bay. Goodbye vending machine runs!

#3 Onions
Studies show that consuming onions on a regular basis may reduce symptoms of asthma and the risk of developing stomach cancer. Add them to soups and stir-fry, and just remember -- the stronger the onion, the greater the health benefit.

#4 Whole grains
Refined grains, like white rice and pasta, have lost 90% of their nutritional value through the refining process. As if that weren't reason enough to choose whole grains like brown rice, quinoa and whole oats, a recent study showed that a diet rich in whole grains actually flattens your belly by reducing fat storage in your lower abdominal region.

#5 Yogurt
Making yogurt part of your daily eating routine can improve your digestion -- if you're buying the right stuff. Check that the label lists "active cultures" to make sure you're getting healthy probiotics, and pick a yogurt rich in vitamin D to prevent osteoporosis.

Tuesday, February 23, 2010

First Before Pic

I know Before pics are notoriously bad, so I have decided not to wear a weird flesh colored tube top, or wear my hair slicked back in a weird ponytail, or wear no makeup! Lol, I've often seen that, so I opt to be ME. I like myself and would like to be healthier, dammit! So here we go with the photo. I would like to be glowy in the After. :P
I've been eating 75% with the exception of a piece of wheat bread and two little sweet potato pancakes with my big salad salad today. It was a matter of craving and convenience, and I will try to better next time. I am taking it easy this time so i don't feel denied or crazy. Wish me luck!

Sunday, February 21, 2010

Feel hungover...

... and I didn't even drink alcohol! Energy drinks, coffee, SAD food in the middle of the night, and very little sleep have led me to a feeling I haven't had in a long while -hungover! Man, I need a detox now!
I always wondered this when I was working the night shift - why is it harder to stay raw and healthy when you sleep by day and work/play by night? How do ppl do it?
It really baffles me. Also, that brings up how women stay raw when "aunt flo" is visiting, lol. That seems almost impossible to me, but I know there must be an easy way!

Saturday, February 20, 2010

Alrighty roo

Back here, committing to this blog and having gone through some mental processes, I am going to motivate myself with photos. I see this a lot on blogs, and I think it's a daily/weekly/monthly activity which really requires dedication from the participant. So that's what I shall do. I'm really getting inspiration from this site:
http://raw100.ning.com/group/beforeafter/