The Raw Food Revelation

There's something special about the above bowl of pasta (besides the fact that it was made my yours truly). Believe it or not this heaping bowl of deliciousness is 100% RAW! That's right. Moi, who was skeptical that I could even be vegan have slid down that slippery healthy nutrition slope to the world of raw food.

After my juice fast - which I now prefer to call a juice FEAST - I tip toed back into eating solid foods, as advised. This included staying on a completely raw diet plain fruits and simple veggie salads for 3 days after the feast. What I didn't anticipate (especially a few days in when I was dreaming of chicken nachos) was that I'd continue the raw food thing past the 3 days without even missing cooked food. In fact, when I finally did have a cooked meal I ended up feeling completely worn out within a couple hours. Wow! Raw food really does make a difference in your energy levels.

So I still have no plans to be 100% raw (not yet, anyway), but I'm definitely enjoying incorporating much more raw and living foods into my diet. I've learned a lot about the lifestyle (thanks, YouTube) and have tried a few recipes that have turned out pretty nice. Check them out below.

Raw Vegan Stuffed Peppers with Kale Chips.

Chia "pudding" (more on Chia seeds later!)

And of course, green juice!

Balance Beauty Birthday!

31. Wow. I could of sworn I just turned 21 a couple years ago. Yet here I am: officially thirty-something.

I can't remember what I did for my 21st birthday, but I can remember what I wanted, roughly. If I'd treated myself, it probably would have been to some new shoes, a handbag, or some clothes. The celebration portion would, I'm guessing, have involved a club and too much alcohol. A decade later, things are a little different...

I did go on a shopping spree for my birthday this year, but instead of bags & baubles I came home with heaps of beautifully plump & delicious produce. And what you see below is only the fruit! In the refrigerator kale, spinach, chard, fennel, celery, carrots, cucumbers, basil & more are piled up in all their chlorophyll-filled glory.

The New Disease in Town: Orthorexia

Apparently there's a brand new nervosa to join anorexia in the eat disorders family of illnesses. Orthorexics are, according to researchers at UNC, those that obsess over healthy foods. The disease is described as a phobia of "impure" food.

This obsession with organic or biologically pure foods prompts rigid and restrictive eating patterns. Foods that get categorized as unsafe, bad, or wrong, are both avoided and removed from meal plans. If these foods are ever consumed, the person experiences guilt, shame and anger towards self. He/she is likely to self-punish for breaking their food rule and become stricter with their dietary plans. Because these obsessions are real and hold meaning, individuals struggling with orthorexia have a difficult time enjoying social activities or family gatherings where a variety of food (unsafe food) is present.

Source

Hmm... sounds to me like this is just OCD that happens to manifest itself in a person's dietary habits. Of course it has to have it's own name - so it can also have it's own pill, perhaps?

Taco Tuesday!

Feast your eyes on my awesome dinner from today - and I assure you the pictures don't do it justice! I'm a big fan of simple and an even bigger fan of delicious and these tacos were both :) Here a quick ingredients list, with some notes about my choices.

• Food for Life sprouted corn tortillas: Sprouting grains allows the human body to better assimilate the protein and fiber in a whole grain. They are easier to digest then their unsprouted, processed (flour - even the whole grain variety) counterparts and have higher vitamin and mineral content. The sprouting process also decreases the carbohydrate and calorie content of a grain.The ingredients list of this product is so wonderfully elegant: organic sprouted corn, filtered water, sea salt, lime.

Don't Fake the Sweet.

I love ExerciseTV. It's such a convenient and comprehensive tool for staying active in your very own home. The site has a large library of workout videos for purchase, but also plenty that you can stream for free. As always, free content comes with the requisite advertisements. I don't begrudge that, but I wish that the trainers in the videos weren't constantly pushing Powerade Zero. Sure, it's got almost no calories and it does have some beneficial minerals, like potassium. However, it also has artificial sweeteners sucrulose and acesulfame K. For those of us seeking over fitness these substance are a huge no-no. Here's why:

An Apple Cider Vinegar a Day Keeps the Doctor Away

 

Like ginger and ginseng before it apple cider vinegar seems to be the latest super cure-all food. I've read it proclaimed to cure an assortment of common ailments, including acne, body odor, high cholesterol, and constipation. It's also reported to boost metabolism and strengthen the metabolism. Like other natural remedies the reasons for ACV's curative properties is something of a mystery. But one easy to understand attribute is that the fermentation process creates a liquid full of glorious enzymes (you'll be hearing more about those on this blog... stay tuned). Enzymes help us with proper digestion, which is key when the average modern diet is so devoid of enzyme-rich foods, and full of foods that actually inhibit the ones found naturally in your belly. Another easily IDable factor is that ACV supports a healthy body pH (more on this later, too), and guards against acidosis - a condition which is frighteningly common.