Raw Ragamuffins

Ovio at Pure Cuisine!

2011-05-17T20:50:00.000-07:00

I'm excited to announce that Ovio Organico is now at Pure Cuisine in Kamloops! Pure Cuisine is a local RAW Vegan restaurant with amazing green smoothies and gourmet meals. Ovio Organico is RAW and now vegan as I've switched the beeswax for organic Candelilla wax. Pure Cuisine sells the Zeolite Detox Bath Soak, Zeolite Detox Bath Scrub, Raw Cacao and Coconut body butter, Remedy Balm, Jojoba Olio face serum (perfect for oil cleansing!), and the Face Elixir with Argan, Rosehip, Sea Buckthorn, Jojoba and Apricot oils.

Socca

2010-12-14T21:49:00.000-08:00

I'm eager to try this recipe from Eat Drink Better. Socca are French pancakes that also happen to be vegan and gluten free! They are not raw, but a great winter comfort food we need up here in these cold parts!

SOCCA:

One of my favorite ways to get “bread” on the table fast is to make socca, the chickpea pancake that’s a classic in France. It’s fast, easy, and – in it’s simplest form – contains nothing but chickpea flour, water, oil, salt, and pepper.

You can find chickpea flour at health food stores and larger grocery chains or order it online. Bob’s Red Mill is a popular brand (look for their Garbanzo Bean Flour).

Socca is wonderful as an appetizer or as a savory, gluten-free “crepe” (try filling it with braised meats or veggie stews). It’s also great for breakfast with some jam.

Recipe (4-6 servings):

1 1/2 cups room temperature water
1 cup chickpea flour
1 teaspoon salt
1-2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
3-4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil (plus more as needed)

To make the batter, pour the water into a mixing bowl and sift the chickpea flour into it using a fine-mesh sieve or a sifter. Add the salt, black pepper, and 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Whisk the mixture together, cover the bowl with a towel, and let the batter sit on the counter for at least 5 minutes and up to 12 hours.

For smaller pancakes, heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Pour 2-inch circles of batter into the pan and cook until small bubbles appear on the top of the pancakes and the bottoms are browned (1-2 minutes). Flip the pancakes and cook until the other side is browned (about a minute). Serve hot.

To make one large, more traditional pancake, heat the oven to 450 degrees. Pour 2 tablespoons of olive oil into a 12-inch oven-proof skillet or pizza pan. Bake the batter for about 15 minutes, or until the pancake is set. Heat the broiler, brush the top of the pancake with a bit more olive oil, and then set the socca a few inches away from the broiler until it browns a tad (1-2 minutes). Cut into wedges and serve hot.

To make fancier socca, add half of a small, thinly sliced sweet onion and one tablespoon of fresh rosemary to the batter before cooking.

For an Indian version of socca, add half of a small, thinly sliced onion, 1 tablespoon of minced fresh ginger, 2-4 minced hot green chilies (such as jalapeno), 1 tablespoon of minced garlic, 2 tablespoons of shredded coconut, 1/4 teaspoon of ground cumin, 1/4 teaspoon of ground coriander, and 2 tablespoons of chopped fresh cilantro to the batter.

Another great article about Socca by Mark Bittman HERE.

2010-12-08T13:37:00.000-08:00

Green Smoothies

Green Smoothies are the best way to start your morning. Start with making one quart (1 serving) of any of the variations below.

The basic rule of thumb with green smoothies is:

60% fruit – pineapple, apple, papaya, mango, cherry, blueberry and other berries, pear, banana, oranges
40% greens – kale, spinach, parsley, mint, celery, romaine, cilantro, swiss chard, cucumber, aloe vera and any
wild greens you can find
Water to thin – usually 1 – 3 cups

Place all ingredients in a blender and process until smooth. Drink 2 cups – 1 quart every day.

Variations
4 pears – ½ or 1 bunch parsley
2 mangoes – ½ or 1 bunch parsley
2 peaches – ½ bunch parsley
1 cup strawberry – banana – romaine
3 apples – lemon – kale
4 kiwis – 1 banana – 3 stalks celery
2 pears – 5 leaves kale – ½ bunch mint
2 pears – 1 cup raspberries – kale
2 pears – spinach
1 banana – 2 oranges - ½ or 1 bunch parsley
2 cups lambsquarters – 1 banana – 1 mango
1 stalk celery – 2 cups fresh blueberries – 1 banana

These variations were offered by Victoria Boutenko and Elaina Love

(taken from HERE)

Raw goodness

2010-09-30T23:10:00.000-07:00

I am a HUGE fan of eating fresh, local, raw plant foods. I also eat grass fed meat in small amounts, and believe that eating what our great grandparents ate is better for us than eating 100% raw. I live in Canada, and its too cold in the winter to grow fresh, raw foods, therefore i believe that in the winter we are meant to eat more cooked and hearty foods like meat and root vegetables, and in the summer lighter fare such as more fruit and vegetables. I believe that you have to look at where you live, and where you came from to determine what way of eating will work the best for you. Fat soluble vitamins such as A, D, E,and K are very important, so make sure you're getting enough of those. Simple things like mixing carrots and olive oil, will enhance the absorption of the vitamin A in the carrots. I guess thats why us humans like a little fat with our veg :)

Here is some more info on the goodness of fresh!

Benefits of a Raw Food Diet

Phytonutrients, Vitamins & Minerals

Phytonutrients ("phyto" means "plant"), which includes antioxidants, give fruits and vegetables their radiant colors and are important in the prevention of chronic diseases, most notably cancer. These are literally nature's compounds that keep us well. Doctors Hyman and Galland say that phytonutrients help "turn-on" your body's metabolism at the cellular level and regulate hormones that help control appetite. These foods have high levels of antioxidants with health promoting and disease preventing compounds.

Most vitamins and phytonutrients are destroyed or damaged when cooked or processed above 130 degrees so they're less available for assimilation. In short, when you cook your food, you're destroying the nutrients. It's like eating empty foods, or empty calories, that just fill you up temporarily. It's a waste and you'll end up not feeling satiated because there are not any nutrients, and your body needs nutrients.

Eating fresh, organic raw fruits and vegetables will increase the vitamins and micronutrients in your diet and you'll feel the difference immediately. And, unless you're eating organic, it doesn't taste very good.

Making a salad with all the different colors is so pleasing to the eye. Adding color through Raw foods is both healthy and beautiful, and it's one of the easiest things you can do for yourself. The way you plate your food is a key component to being satisfied. And, when you have these beautiful colors available in fresh fruits and vegetables, it's so simple. You're whole family will be excited to sit down at the dinner table to see what palate of colors you've created each time.

Enzymes

Enzymes are the power of life. They are living forces that conduct and direct every activity in your body. Enzymes "digest" or break down raw foods. More and more research suggests eating high-enzyme food helps digestion. Eating an enzyme-rich diet is thought to increase vitality and slow the aging process. According to Dr. Gabriel Cousens, M.D., "Enzymes can even help repair our DNA and RNA." One of the keys for easy weight loss is through the action of enzymes. For example, lipase, a fat splitting enzyme, is found in Raw foods. Lipase helps your body in digestion and fat burning for energy. Protease is another enzyme for keeping a healthy body. Proteases split up proteins into their component amino acid building blocks and help eliminate toxins.

Enzymes are heat sensitive and destroyed at temperatures above 118 degrees. Again, the bottom line here is that when you cook your food, you're destroying the nutrients and enzymes. It's like eating empty foods that just fill you up temporarily. And, you're causing your body to do more work than necessary to digest the cooked food you just ate. It's not only a waste, but it also accelerates aging. One of the reasons your energy skyrockets when you eat Raw foods is that your body doesn't spend as much time digesting the food. Digestion is the #1 energy drainer for people, so if you can help that by decreasing the time your body needs to digest food, you'll automatically experience more pure, real energy.

Proteins

We have been misguided and programmed to believe that the only source of protein is from meat! But in reality, plant-based foods contain plenty of extremely high-quality protein that is actually easier for your body to digest and assimilate.

The reason they are higher quality is simple: Plant proteins are found inside plant cells, the walls of which are made of the rigid material we call fiber. Fiber passes through our system in a nice, orderly fashion, giving us healthy, regular bowel movements. In contrast, animal proteins are inside of animal cells, the walls of which are made of cholesterol, which our bodies aren't well-equipped to break down. It coats our gut with grease, making absorption difficult. It constipates us. And when absorbed into our blood, cholesterol makes our blood thick, clogs our arteries, and kills more Americans than anything else. By eating a variety of plants in your diet, including plenty of greens, it is very easy to get 100% "complete" protein, meaning all 8 essential amino acids are present in abundance.

Furthermore, heat damages proteins, causing the amino acid chains to congeal. Damaged protein is for the most part unusable and can be harmful to your body, causing inflammation and other problems. When food is cooked above 118 F, essential nutrients like vitamins, minerals and enzymes are lost. Amino acids, the building blocks of protein, begin to deteriorate at that temperature and are completely destroyed at 160 F. Too much protein in your body actually causes harm, but you almost never hear about that. It harms your digestive tract, your kidneys and much more by making your system too acidic. For those of you who think eating a high protein diet aids in weight loss, take note: The American Cancer Society conducted a study over a 10-year period with nearly 80,000 people trying to lose weight. Participants who ate meat three times a week or more gained substantially more weight than those who avoided meat and consumed more vegetables. And studies published in the Journal of Clinical Nutrition and the New England Journal of Medicine found that meat-eaters are much more likely to be overweight than vegetarians. Not to mention much less healthy.

It's important to be aware of the dangers when eating a high protein diet. The weight loss that occurs on these diets is caused by bodily distress, not healthy living. Protein derived from animal sources is very acidic to the human body and it causes acids to rise in the blood stream. It's been shown over and over again that excess proteins and acids stress kidneys, too. High protein and fat consumption can contribute to cancer, heart disease, arthritis, kidney and liver problems, and osteoporosis. (Some people ask about eating raw meat. While it's true the enzymes are intact in raw meat, it introduces a whole host of other issues, most notably, parasite susceptibility. This includes raw fish. Fish is also especially dangerous because so many of the heavy metals that we pollute the ocean with end up in fish flesh, making it very toxic.)

But now the great news! Protein can be found in all natural foods. Vegetables and fruits have protein. Nuts, seeds (especially hemp seeds), algae, as well as higher protein greens and sprouts, which have up to 50% of their calories from protein, can satisfy even the higher protein demands of pregnant women, athletes, and people trying to gain lean muscle mass.

More protein is assimilated in Raw foods than in cooked foods. Therefore, the consensus of many leading authorities is that it's not the quantity that's important, it's the quality. When you're eating fresh, Raw protein sources, your body is able to assimilate the amino acids much more efficiently because they're not destroyed or denatured by heat. Therefore, you don't need as much. Raw protein is considered to be more digestible by the human body because the amino acids and digestive enzymes are intact; whereas heavily cooked foods are devoid of these enzymes, making them more likely to sit in the colon and increase the risk of disease. It's beneficial to your body to eat foods full of enzymes and phytonutrients for better digestion as well as making your body healthier. You'll see that you don't have to physically recover from your meals anymore when you're eating a diet that is high in Raw food.

The world's longest living cultures, Okinawans and the Hunzas of Pakistan for example (who frequently live to be over 100), consume small amounts of protein, usually making up 20% or less of their diets. Even non-vegetarians should still also add at least 50% Raw foods to their diets. Non-vegetarians often find that they naturally reduce the amount of animal protein they consume once they start eating more Raw foods.

So how much protein does a person need? According to the FDA, it's about 30 grams per day, depending on your weight and activity level, and even that number is extremely padded. Assume 40-70 grams if you're very active (e.g., weight training, a marathon runner, etc). The bottom line is to see what works for you. You'll be amazed at how much more energy you have when you eat a diet high in Raw organic foods such as fresh fruits and vegetables with nuts and seeds, and you're not bogged down because your body is trying to digest all that cooked and denatured protein.

Fats

Raw fats are extremely helpful in transitioning you to a higher Raw diet, away from cooked foods. As long as you are getting enough green vegetables and fruits, and not overeating all the time, you don't have to worry about limiting your intake of the good fats. The "good fats" include mono-unsaturated fats, which you can find in avocados, almonds, and olives, Omega-3 fatty acids, which are in flax seeds and walnuts. The "good fats" also include polyunsaturated fats, which can bind with toxins, helping to eliminate them from your body. So, these are some of the most healing fats for the body. You can find these in walnuts, flax, hemp, sesame, sunflower and other seeds.

Within reason, you will not get fat by eating avocados, sprouted nuts and seeds, and other plant fats. Everything in moderation of course, but eating this daily is not an issue for most people with respect to weight.

The bad fats people usually encounter include trans-fats, saturated animal fat, and refined polyunsaturated fats, such as refined cooking oils. The good, natural fats (think of avocados and olives, for example) are very sensitive to heat and are easily damaged by it. Heated fats lose their antioxidant qualities and are classified as carcinogenic. The interesting thing is that when you process or cook fats, they lose their nutritional value, so when people think they're getting omegas from cooked salmon, they need to think again, because omegas are among the most heat sensitive.

Now, most nuts and seeds, particularly nuts, can be a little acid forming, so eat these in moderation, and combine with plenty of alkalizing greens or vegetables for enhanced nutrition. For increased digestibility and to make them less acidic, soak your nuts and seeds overnight before using them.

Digestion, Assimilation, and Elimination

If you don't sleep well, lack energy, or simply feel "off," poor digestion is likely the blame. A well-functioning digestive system can help set you up for top physical and emotional well being. Moreover, good digestion aids in assimilation of nutrients, so your body absorbs all of the vitamins and minerals you're eating.

A well-functioning digestive system also has excellent elimination, so you're having regular bowel movements, which are essential to good health. A good rule of thumb: You should be having approximately the number of bowel movements EACH DAY for the number of meals you eat. So, if you eat 3 meals, you should have 2-3 bowel movements. When you're just starting out with eating more Raw foods, it's not unheard of to go to the bathroom as many as 4-5 times a day as you start to clean out your digestive tract! When people realize they should be having more than ONE bowel movement most days, they're usually shocked. In short, you've probably been constipated, to varying degrees, your whole life. The almost immediate transformation to proper elimination is a very dramatic change that people experience when they go Raw. It leads to an immediate feeling of high-energy, the exact opposite of feeling sluggish or bloated. It's extremely empowering to have such extra energy throughout the day, every day!

When you eat a Raw food diet, you digest your foods much faster, which is one of the main reasons it provides so much energy. Digestion can be one of the most energy draining activities for your body, therefore, your goal should be to have quick and easy digestion. The simple carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients available in fruits and vegetables are readily used as fuel for the body. The time difference between eating a cooked meal vs. a Raw meal is significant. When you eat a cooked meal, depending on the food, it can take anywhere from 1-4 days to digest completely and be eliminated. Conversely, when you eat Raw food, your digestion can be anywhere from 20 minutes to 4 hours, depending on how the food is combined.

It's important to know what to expect when transitioning to a diet higher in Raw food. It's possible that you'll eat less because you're assimilating more nutrients. So, your body may not have as many cravings as a result. Additionally, you'll probably experience many changes in the beginning, due to all the fiber you eat. It might cause some digestion difficulties to start, but those will quickly go away. This is because you're beginning to move a lot of the coated toxic sludge stuck to the walls of your intestines and digestive system.

As your body detoxes, you could feel some unpleasant side effects, but they're usually only temporary (lasting anywhere from one day to a week usually). This varies for people. As the lymph unburdens itself of undigested proteins, toxins, chemicals, etc, these substances go into your bloodstream for elimination. It's at this time that you can feel detox symptoms ranging from emotional feelings, cold or hot flashes, headaches, fevers, mucus discharges, bad breath, drowsiness and more. In fact, it can be a very liberating feeling when you're experiencing this, because you realize that you are starting to get rid of all the toxins and poisons that you've accumulated in your body from years of eating unhealthy foods. And once the poisons are gone, they're gone. You immediately feel much better than you've ever felt! — light, glowing, full of energy!

Acidity/Alkalinity

There is a lot of information regarding this subject of blood pH level, that is, acidity versus alkalinity. Here is a very brief overview so you can begin to think about what kind of effect the foods you eat have on the acid/alkaline balance in your body. Acute or chronic diseases thrive in an overly acidic body. Some common symptoms of being overly acidic are: arthritis, depression, fatigue, headaches, unclear thinking, canker sores, muscle stiffness, chest pain, stomach aches, constipation, irritability, anxiety, sinus problems, acid reflux, and restless sleep (just to name a few).

How do our bodies become too acidic? Diet is the primary cause. A diet that is too high in acid-forming food will cause the body to become too acidic. And what are acid forming foods? Sadly, the typical American diet of high protein flesh foods, high sugar, high fat, all contribute to forming acid in your body. Add to the list: dairy, flour products, most cooked grains, most cooked beans, candy, soda, coffee, tobacco, alcohol, chemical additives, preservatives, drugs, and synthetic vitamins — these are all acid forming. The good news is that you can change an acid body to a slightly alkaline body with some adjustments to your diet. We can do this by eliminating acid-producing foods and eating a diet that is high in raw fruits and vegetables. I emphasize "raw" because cooking food makes it more acidic. When you eat a diet that is made up of Raw fruits, vegetables, sprouted nuts, and seeds you will begin to shift that acid state to a more alkaline state. Stress is another major cause in making your body acidic. So, don't stress too much about your diet or you'll do more harm than good.

Eating Organic

Organic refers to the way agricultural products are grown and processed. The goal in organic farming is to maintain and replenish the soil fertility without using toxic pesticides, herbicides, or fertilizers. "Certified Organic" means the item has been grown in accordance with strict uniform standards that are verified by an independent state or private organization.

Dr. Alan Greene of Stanford's Children's Hospital neatly summarizes the argument for organics: "Eat organic produce. Your immune system won't waste energy trying to fight off the toxins that are sprayed on conventional fruits and vegetables." Eating organics frees up your immune system and antioxidants to do their evolutionarily evolved job, which is to fight off pathogens, cancer, and other diseases originating from natural environmental sources. Your body's natural defense mechanisms are incredible strong, but like anything else, they can only handle so much attack. To keep your defensive line from being spread too thin, you should therefore limit exposure to toxins (and stress) as much as possible. It's important to realize that consuming pesticides and herbicides — even if they have not been found to be directly carcinogenic — can, in effect, lead to cancer if they use up your supply of antioxidants, which would otherwise have prevented cancer that was generated from another source.

It's true that organic foods typically cost more than conventional, but this may be true only in the short-term. After you adopt a healthier lifestyle with healthier food choices, including organics, you may find yourself frequenting the doctor's office much less and spending less on medications — over the counter and prescriptions — and not to mention a lower chance of being prematurely dead. It's important to know that organically produced foods have to meet rigorous governing regulations in all aspects of production. It's labor and management-intensive, usually produced on smaller farms, which don't benefit from economies of scale. These factors combine, causing the cost to be higher. But as the saying goes, "you get what you pay for."

Organics typically cost about twice as much as conventionally produced food. To put things in perspective, consider bottled water. I know many people who would just about die of thirst before drinking tap water; for them, it's bottled or nothing. But when you do the math, bottled water is about 300-600 times more expensive than tap water, and for good reason. But, depending on which municipality you live in, your tap water might actually be safer and healthier than eating conventionally produced foods. It really doesn't make sense to spend money on bottled water and then eat foods that are not grown organically.

Some of the many benefits of eating organic foods are:

Superior nutrition: Organics have up to 300% more vitamins and minerals than conventionally grown foods.
They have greater flavor. Many top chefs use only organic foods.
Reduced intake of chemicals and heavy metals.
Decreased exposure to carcinogens.
Better working conditions for farmers and workers.
No genetically modified organisms (GMOs).
Much better for the environment.

For more information on organics, visit www.ota.org

Fruit

As you might already know, fruits are very good for elimination, and they're alkalizing as well. Eating raw fruit promotes steady blood sugar levels, and reduces cravings for sweets after meals. Wrap a banana in a leaf of romaine lettuce is so good and so simple. You have a Raw wrap sandwich right there and it takes less than 60 seconds to make.

You can also add fresh greens to your fruit smoothies (such as Romaine lettuce, celery, kale, or parsley) for a healthy, blood sugar-balancing smoothie. On a High Raw diet, you'll notice that you don't drink as much water as you used to. That's because you're getting so much water in the produce you're eating. Fruit consists mostly of water, just like the human body. Fruit is also very satiating because it raises blood sugar and reduces appetite. Not to mention they're excellent for overall health because of having such a high vitamin content. You're going to find yourself craving fruit, so be prepared. Try to keep a steady supply of fresh organic bananas, apples, grapefruits and oranges, kiwi, mangos, whatever is in season.

Greens

Green leafy vegetables are powerful and have the highest percentage of minerals per calorie of any class of foods. When you're beginning to transition to a High Raw diet, you might want to emphasize the "easy-to-digest" greens and vegetables, such as lettuce, celery, green-leafy sprouts, and non-sweet fruits like cucumbers, tomatoes, summer squash, zucchini, and red bell peppers. (Anything with a seed inside is considered a fruit.)

Dark greens and cruciferous vegetables, such as kale, collards, cabbage, and broccoli are very nutritious (rich in protein and minerals), but can be harder to digest, for some people, if you just start eating a lot of them all at once. One thing you can do is to try shredding them finely and massaging them with a little sea salt, olive oil and lemon juice to soften them. This will not only help in digestion, but it's also a great way to get a "cooked" feeling meal because of the softness the kale or cabbage takes on after doing that.

Another thing you can do to ease digestion when eating dark leafy greens is to drink the greens as juices and blended soups. You can also add your greens to blended fruit smoothies (use 60% fruit, 40% greens, and water to thin). It's so delicious and filling. You'll feel the benefits immediately. Dehydrated green super food powders are convenient supplements for many on-the-go people, especially while traveling. This will ensure that you're always getting your greens.

Dairy

Dairy products can be mucus forming for many people. Dairy products are full of saturated fats and cholesterol. Often the body will develop a cold or "allergies" to fight the dairy invasion. The undigested lactose and the acidic nature of pasteurized milk encourage the growth of bacteria in our intestines. We are the only species on the planet that drinks milk as adults. And, more interesting, we are the only species on the planet that drinks the milk of another species.

The dairy industry is a multi-billion-dollar industry backed by brilliant business tactics and based on the addictive experience of cheese, milk and butter. For people who are concerned about getting enough calcium to prevent osteoporosis and using milk as a means to that end, read this: There is not one study that has found dairy consumption to be a deterrent to osteoporosis! On the contrary, many doctors and experts in the field have clearly shown that the high protein content of dairy actually leaches calcium from the body. It's no surprise that the countries showing the highest consumption of dairy and meat also have a direct correlation to having the highest incidence of osteoporosis. "Milk for good bones" is simply "good marketing," not good science.

Arthritis is another problem for many Americans, and as we enter the age of elderly Baby boomers, you're going to hear about this over and over again. It's shown that you can greatly improve arthritic conditions when you stop consuming dairy. My mom is the perfect testimonial. There was a time when she couldn't get up from sitting or lying down without experiencing pain from her arthritis. But, today, that is non-existent. She not only doesn't feel pain from it anymore, but she has recently taken up running as a form of exercise! I never thought I'd see my mom running! (I bought her her first pair of running shoes this year. I'm so proud of her!)

If you're looking for ways to get calcium, definitely stick to a Raw diet consisting of fresh kale, collard greens, mustard greens, cabbage, kelp, seaweed, watercress, broccoli, nuts and seeds (sesame seeds rate among the highest). You also get much higher levels of manganese, chromium, magnesium and selenium from fresh fruits and vegetables. It's that simple! If you're in need of a substitute for dairy when eating your cereal or Raw granola, then you should try Almond milk. This is a delicious substitute for cow's milk.

Managing the Transition

Things to do to help you during this transition and which are good habits to do always:

Chew your food thoroughly — to a mush.
Don't drink liquids within half an hour before your meal or one hour after your meals. Liquids dilute your digestive enzymes. (The notion of "drinking water right before your meal to fill you up" is nonsense.) The exception is if you're eating a lot of dehydrated foods, because their water has been removed. If you need a little something just to help wash down your food, drink a small amount of water with lemon in it.
Start out doing this diet and lifestyle gradually. Some people jump right into a High Raw diet over night and they do fine. Others find it necessary to ease into it gradually. Do whatever works best for you.
Pay attention to food combining. Some things don't mix optimally with others.
Another great thing to help digestion is to blend or puree some of your foods. Instead of eating two apples for breakfast, put them in a blender with a little water. You can do the same with your salad. Take everything you'd put in your salad, into your blender, and make it a salad smoothie. You'll be amazed at the change you feel when you start drinking more of your foods as juices and blended foods. Your energy will skyrocket!

Overall, it's all about making better choices. There is a continuum on which you'll find yourself. On one end of the continuum you have the typical SAD (Standard American Diet) eater and on the opposite end you have the 100% Raw Food Diet. All along this spectrum you have rungs or steps like along a ladder. With each rung or step being better than the last. It's not expected to go all the way to the top at first because that is too hard for most people. But if you're eating processed bread right now, then switching to a brand such as Genesis Sprouted Grain Bread is that next step along the spectrum of health. It's better than what you were doing before. Then, not much longer after that you might find yourself making your own bread out of sprouted flax seeds, which would be the ultimate choice for your health. However, each step takes you higher or further along the spectrum, and you'll feel better and better as a result.

(taken from HERE )

a light breakfast

2010-06-11T10:29:00.000-07:00

Contrary to popular opinion, a light breakfast of fast exit fruit IS the breakfast of health champions. As your digestive system gears up for the day its best to give your body something nutritious that is easily digested, and then wait until hunger sets in to eat something more. Our digestive juices are optimal in the late afternoon, and so we don't want to stress our system with too much food earlier in the day that cannot be digested properly.
I have been loving my morning routine; getting up and drinking some fresh lemon juice in a cup of warm water (to get the bile flowing), and then waiting until hunger to eat some watermelon or other fresh fruit. As we wait until hunger to eat every time, it gives our bodies a chance to regenerate and clean out cellular debris, instead of always being busy with constant digestion.

Bring on the Nettles!

2010-06-09T16:48:00.000-07:00

My Ragweed allergy has been killing me this past week..watery eyes, tight throat and the sneezing!! So i brought out the dried nettles today and will be using them as an infusion (tea) daily for probably the whole month of June!

I found this tidbit of info on : http://gnowfglins.com/

Nettle Tea and Allergies

I am amazed what an effect drinking nettle leaf tea is having on my allergies. The sneezing, runny nose, itchy throat, and itchy eyes symptoms subside for 2 to 3 hours after drinking a cup. I looked on the web today to find how this could be.

*Histamines, which occur naturally in the body, are the culprits behind allergic reactions, says Stanley W. Beyrle, N.D., a naturopathic doctor at the Kansas Clinic of Traditional Medicine in Wichita. When you are exposed to allergens—substances that cause allergic reactions—your body releases histamines, which in turn cause hives, constrict bronchial vessels, and inflame the skin.

The histamines in nettle attach to histamine receptor sites in your cells and keep your body’s histamines from attaching to those cells during an allergic reaction. Nettle’s action is very similar to that of pharmaceutical antihistamine drugs, says Dr. Beyrle.

– "Nettle" at Health Journal

My Nettle Tea

Fill a big 2" tea ball with as much nettle leaf as possible and put it in a 3 quart pot. Add about 3 lemon zinger tea bags and fill it almost full of filtered water. Bring it all just barely to a boil, turn off the heat and cover, letting it steep for about 15 minutes. Take out the tea ball and tea bags and transfer the liquid to a pitcher. Drink a cup right away, either warm or over ice and sweeten with honey or agave syrup. Keep the remaining tea chilled until needed. Drink as needed for the remainder of the day.

sweetness

2010-05-20T23:02:00.000-07:00

Check out Fit On Raw for a good article on raw sweeteners..which ones to use and which ones to avoid!

Finally!

2010-05-15T00:13:00.000-07:00

Lizzie Miller is a Model that appeared in Glamour back in 2009. How is this for inspirational? Check out the article here.

Eating Alive!

2010-05-02T15:00:00.000-07:00

This book is one of the best health books I've ever read...it's about proper digestion through food combining, juicing and by waiting until hunger before we eat (go figure!). Many raw-foodists have problems with digestion since raw veggies can be really hard to digest (hello cauliflower?), and i've suffered terrible stomach cramps and bloating due to too much roughage in my diet. This book will change your life by educating you on how to heal your digestion. Remember, we don't absorb what we eat, we absorb what we digest.

simple grub

2010-04-24T13:52:00.000-07:00

Today for lunch i made this super easy salad for my kids, they ate every bite and i got to load it up with random "secret" ingredients ;)
-a few cups of shredded carrots
- raisins and dried figs
-sunflower seeds
-apples
-shredded red cabbage
-cubed avocados
-then blend a dash of spirulina, Udo's oil, a little raw honey, tad of sea salt, and freshly squeezed OJ for the dressing

You can also use this for the filling for raw tacos using green leaf lettuce as the "taco".

Children in Gaza

On Whole Healing

2010-04-23T12:54:00.000-07:00

For about 6 years now i have been in the "raw food" culture. I have gone months of only eating 80-100% raw, and then i have gone months of eating whatever i've wanted to, got sick, and came back to a mostly raw, plant based diet. I have had my body healed of so called "incurable" Interstitial Cystitis ( a constant feeling of bladder infection) and my anxiety/depression always goes away when my "brain fog" from stress and bad foods clutter my thinking. Health IS Holistic..meaning that not one magic bullet will heal you completely, you must find the root emotional causes before you can truly get well. I guess that would be the reason why even though i feel better, look better and act nicer on a raw and living foods diet, i still have to battle addiction to unhealthy living & eating habits daily.
I am sick of battling, so instead of doing what i normally do and make a life plan that is even more difficult for me to stick to (black & white thinking patterns), i am working on those emotional issues, one at a time, looking for them in the corners of my heart, soul, and mind; where i didn't know they hid.

Hallelujah!

2010-04-14T23:56:00.000-07:00

Hallelujah Acres is what first brought me into my journey with raw foods. They have excellent teaching and training and often you can find a Health Minister that lives nearby to answer your questions and host raw potlucks. When i was pregnant with my second and third babies, i would often search out info on their site pertaining to raw, whole foods nutrition during pregnancy and lactation. They also have books, films and raw foods available to order. This is a great resource for anyone interested in healing with raw foods. Check it out here!

Herbs for pregnancy

2010-03-25T12:00:00.000-07:00

This article from my other blog; Boho Birth is a great resource for pregnant mothers, it sorts through some of the confusion involved with when to use red raspberry tea, and why some herbs should be avoided.

Artist Alice Neel

Orange you glad i didn't say banana?

2010-03-23T00:11:00.000-07:00

Tonight as i was biting into a sweet and juicy organic orange, i thought about how simple and delicious fruit is. You don't have to dehydrate, soak or blend it to make it into something edible, since it is perfect all on its own. I've had a bit of an orange fetish as of late, so i thought i would share the facts on this beloved circle of goodness.

*nutritional info taken from Juicing For Health

The orange is one of the most common and popular fruit. It is well-liked because of its easy availability all year round, dense nutrition, and it tastes good.

Oranges are round citrus fruits ranging in diameter from about 2 to 3 inches, with finely texturized skins that are orange in color.

Its pulp is also orange in color and very succulent, surrounded by its skin which can vary in thickness depending on its variety.

There are oranges that are sweet, bitter and sour, so you'll need to know the variety you're buying. The sweet variety are usually more fragrant. They include Valencia, Navel and Jaffa oranges which are ideal for making juices.

In the orange family, there are also the Mandarin oranges (with loose skin), Clementine (loose skin and seedless), the tangerine (orange-red Mandarin), the Minneola (cross between tangerine and grapefruit), the blood orange that has dark burgundy colored flesh, kumquat, and a few other lesser known ones.

The Mandarin oranges are especially popular with the Chinese as the word "orange" in Chinese sounds like "gold" or "good luck". Come the Lunar New Year, the Chinese buy oranges by the boxes to be given away to express good wishes for the new year.

Nutritional Benefits:

Oranges are an excellent source of vitamin C and flavonoids. One orange (130 grams) supplies nearly 100 percent of the recommended daily dietary intake of vitamin C.

When you eat a whole orange, it provides good dietary fiber. Leave in the albedo (the white matter under the peel) as much as possible as the albedo contains the highest amount of valuable bioflavonoids and other anti-cancer agents.

In addition, oranges are a good source of vitamin A, the B vitamins, amino acids, beta-carotene, pectin, potassium, folic acid, calcium, iodine, phosphorus, sodium, zinc, manganese, chlorine and iron.

Health Benefits:

An orange packs over 170 different phytonutrients and more than 60 flavonoids, many of which have been shown to have anti-inflammatory, anti-tumour and blood clot inhibiting properties, as well as strong anti-oxidant effects.

The combination of the high amount of anti-oxidant (vitamin C) and flavonoids in oranges makes it one of the best fruits in helping to promote optimal health.

Arteriosclerosis: Regularly consuming vitamin C retards the development of hardening of the arteries.

Cancer prevention: A compound in oranges called liminoid, has been found to help fight cancers of the mouth, skin, lung, breast, stomach and colon. The high vitamin C content also acts as a good anti-oxidant that protects cells from damages by free radicals.

Cholesterol: The alkaloid synephrine found under the orange peel can reduce the liver's production of cholesterol. Whereas the anti-oxidant fights oxidative stress that is the main culprit in oxidizing the LDLs in our blood.

Constipation: Even though the orange "tastes acidic", it actually has an alkaline effect in the digestive system and helps stimulate the digestive juices, relieving constipation.

Damaged sperm, repair: An orange a day is sufficient for a man to keep his sperm healthy. Vitamin C, an anti-oxidant, protects sperm from genetic damage that may cause a birth defect.

Heart disease: A high intake of flavonoids and vitamin C has been known to halve the risk of heart diseases.

High blood pressure: Studies have shown that a flavonoid called hesperidin in oranges can lower high blood pressure.

Immune system: The strong content of vitamin C stimulates white cells to fight infection, naturally building a good immune system.

Kidney stones, prevent: Drinking orange juice daily can significantly drop the risk of formation of calcium oxalate stones in the kidney.

Skin: The anti-oxidant in orange help protect the skin from free radical damage known to cause signs of aging.

Stomach ulcer: Consuming vitamin C rich foods helps to lower the incidence of peptic ulcers and in turn, reduce the risk of stomach cancer.

Viral infections, protection against: The abundance of polyphenols have been shown to provide protection against viral infections.

Loving our bodies at our natural size and weight

2010-03-17T17:54:00.000-07:00

Inspiring article from In The Raw.

Photo taken from In The Raw

comfort food!

2010-03-05T23:26:00.000-08:00

I love this recipe, so easy and SO good :)

RAW LEMON & LIME PIE

Crust:

1 cup sunflower seeds

1/3 cup raisins, soaked for 10 mins or so

teaspoon of vegan liquid sweetner of choice (agave is a good one!)

Filling:

3 bananas, chopped

1/2 avocado

juice of 1 1/2 lemon and 1 lime

Directions:

Make the crust by processing the sunflower seeds, raisins and vegan liquid sweetner in a food processor, add a little water if it needs help to bind together. Line a pie dish and press the mixture into the base.

Place the juice and bananas and avocado into a blender and blend until smooth, pour into the pie dish and put the whole thing into the freezer until it has set, taking care not to freeze as waiting for it to defrost and eat is difficult! (courtesy of http://vegweb.com/ )

Raw Vegan diet and a Healthy Pregnancy

2010-02-24T11:06:00.000-08:00

Which Living Foods Provide Nutrients for Fetal Development?

Prenatal health includes special requirements for proteins, fats, vitamins and minerals. Can a raw food diet support a pregnancy?

Fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds in their natural unprocessed and uncooked state are superior foods for human bodies. For a generation raised to believe in nutritional "food groups" and "pyramids," there is a fear that a vegan raw food diet will not meet the needs of a developing fetus. Mothers on a raw food do not need to worry if they make certain they have an adequate intake of certain nutrients.

Weight Gain During Pregnancy:

Vegan raw foodist mothers tend to have minimal weight gain during pregnancy. Because they normally eat nutrient-rich foods, this is not as great a concern as it would be for women eating a Standard American Diet (SAD). "Raw" mothers do not present with edema, or swelling, that doctors have come to see as "normal" and that adds to weight gain. The products of pregnancy, including the placenta and amniotic fluid, should add approximately 15 pounds to the pre-pregnancy weight of mothers on a living foods diet, while women on a SAD diet are advised to gain an average of 25 lbs.

Omega 3 Essential Fatty Acids for Brain Growth

Development of the brain and spinal cord during fetal life depend on healthy fats. The body does not produce essential fatty acids (EFAs); they have to come from dietary sources. Vegan raw foodists do not eat wildcaught coldwater fish, which are a rich source of EFAs, but they may eat the origin of these EFAs much further down the food chain: blue-green algae. Spirulina is a superfood containing EFAs as well as chlorophyll and all eight essential amino acids. It is a complete protein source that can sustain the needs of fetal growth. Spirulina is rich in folic acid, a vitamin important to prevention of neural tube defects, and vitamin K, which prevents neonatal hemorrhagic disease. Other sources of Omega-3 EFAs include flax and hemp seeds and walnuts. It is important to eat Omega-3 rich foods as well as other foods that contain good fats such as avocados, coconuts, and sunflower seeds which contain primarily Omega-6 EFAs. A pregnant woman on a raw food diet should not restrict her intake of healthy fats.

High Quality Protein Controls Maternal Blood Pressure

Especially for first time mothers, a protein-rich diet supports the added strain on her liver and kidneys. High blood pressure in late pregnancy is one symptom that indicates these important organs are not doing their job and that mother needs to eat more protein.

On a raw foods diet, sprouted seeds and spirulina are excellent protein-rich foods. Nuts can be soaked to make them more digestible and to increase protein availability. Although they are not thought of as high protein foods, dark green leafy vegetables do contain amino acids which are the components of protein. Increase the amount of these vegetables in the diet during pregnancy by eating daily salads and by juicing wheatgrass, spinach, kale, parsley, and romaine or redleaf lettuce. Greens provide calcium and can be added to smoothies as well. Also consider another source of raw protein in supplement form: brewer's yeast. Follow label directions.

Probiotics Fight Infections During Pregnancy

Active cultures of "friendly" bacteria are very important in pregnancy. Because of changing pH and immune responses during the prenatal period, the body is more vulnerable to candida (yeast) infections, which can be made worse by overeating fruit. Another common maternal infection that can cause respiratory disease in infants is group B streptococcus bacteria. High colonies of healthy probiotics in the body fight these infections and make it harder for them to take hold. A raw vegan diet may include fermented foods such as cultured vegetables or kombucha tea. Kefir granules can be added to coconut water to make a potent probiotic drink. Non-dairy supplement forms are also available.

Supplement B-12

All modern diets are deficient in vitamin B-12, which is vital for nerve development. It may be that humans have lost the ability to produce and absorb vitamin B-12 in the intestine due to decades of increasingly poorer diets of highly refined foods. To be on the safe side during pregnancy, a sublingual form of methylcobalamine is recommended. Alternatively, injections may be prescribed by a physician.

A More Efficient Body

A pregnancy nourished on raw foods has the benefit of live enzymes, a wealth of vitamins, minerals and other nutrients that make mothers feel great. A mother who has energy and feels well will be able to labor effectively and have a healthy baby. With just a few considerations to improve dietary intake of essential fatty acids, high quality protein and probiotics, plus a B-12 supplement, a raw food diet can be an optimum diet for pregnancy.

article written by Mary Earhart

Mary Earhart, RN, BSN, is a Licensed Midwife. She has written articles for professional journals and grants for non-profit agencies as well as articles for e-How. Recent publications include Transitions Magazine, Tinylights.com and Tinylights Magazine. She is a contributor to two published WEbooks and Amazon DTP.

Jinjee from http://www.thegardendiet.com/ ten days after giving birth!

This is awesome!!

2010-02-17T14:06:00.000-08:00

How to get your family to eat more raw plant foods!

2010-02-14T21:05:00.000-08:00

I am always searching for more ideas on getting my kids to eat more raw,vegan food...we've been in green smoothie land for quite some time now, and i need a little kick in the pants in being more creative with preparing their raw meals. Simple raw food is better than complicated gourmet any day..easier on digestion, quicker to prepare, and less spendy as well! This article was taken from
http://crazysexylife.com/ and it was written by Kristen Suzanne.

Are you trying to get your family (and kids!) to eat more Raw Vegan foods? Here are 10 fantastic and easy tips to help you accomplish that!

1. Show your family great Raw recipes from books and the internet. Then, let them take turns picking out which recipes you make for them to try. This will really get their taste buds overflowing with anticipation.

2. Make one Raw dish at every dinner (or every other dinner), and don’t even mention it. They probably won’t even realize they are eating so much Raw food. It could be starting the meal with a salad or raw soup that is blended until slightly warm or it could be a side dish of pureed veggies flavored with herbs to go alongside the rest of the meal. And… have a Raw dessert (more on that below)…

3. Introduce your family to Raw with Raw desserts. When kids get to eat dessert after every meal, that is exciting, especially when they can have second helpings of it. Heck… I still get excited about that! Plus, Raw desserts can even be eaten for breakfast! Who wouldn’t get excited to have dessert for breakfast?!

4. Make certain meals all Raw. The easiest way to do this is to make breakfast 100% Raw. You can start by drinking fresh organic smoothies for breakfast or having creamy cinnamon nut milk with crunchy Raw granola. It’ll greatly help if you let your family take part in choosing what flavors to make. So, the night before you make a smoothie, ask your kids which flavors they would like. Make it fun by talking about the different colors, too. I love getting my nephews excited about drinking Green Smoothies. I give it a much cooler name, however: “Dragon Smoothies,” or, make a strawberry and banana smoothie and call it “Pretty-In-Pink Smoothie.” Trust me…these things help! Or… maybe lunch a Raw meal by having big fresh salads loaded with plenty of satisfying fixins (dried fruit, nuts, sprouts, veggies, and a yummy Raw vegan dressing). If the salad isn’t enough… add a Raw soup or some flax crackers with Raw hummus spread on top. Follow the meal with a nice little Raw dessert. Yum!

5. Give your kids choices so they don’t feel forced to eat just one thing. You can do this by offering them something really tasty compared to something that might not be as tasty, thereby making the tasty option seem that much better. For example, offer your kids a choice between blueberries and celery. They will probably pick the blueberries and be happy about it because they had a say in the matter and blueberries taste good (and better than celery). Or, make it a choice between carrots and zucchini. They’ll probably pick the carrots and be happy about it because of the alternative.

6. Another super tip is to cut your children’s fruit and veggies into fun shapes and sizes using inexpensive kitchen tools. They’ll be sure to show these off in school! And… turn veggies into a fun playground (broccoli as trees, tomato slice as the merry go round, etc. Or, make a face on a plate using spiralized zucchini for hair, blueberries for eyes, red bell peppers for lips, etc). Make it fun and let them play with their food!

7. Include your children in the experience of shopping and preparing the food. This helps them feel more connected to the food and it makes them feel proud to have helped. Have fun while you’re doing it and be sure to thank them for their help.

8. Here is another great way to get children excited about eating fruits and vegetables. Tell them that they get to eat a “rainbow of colors” each day. Get a piece of construction paper for every color of the rainbow – red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple. Then, have your children cut out a big, fun shape for each color. On one side of each shape, write the word “DONE” and draw a smiley face. Stick them on the front of your refrigerator door with the word “DONE” side down. Each day, as your children eat a fresh fruit or vegetable that is a color of the rainbow, flip over that color’s shape so the word “DONE” is face up and you can see it. It’s a great way to motivate your kids and get them excited about eating all the colors of the rainbow because they get a challenge and a sense of accomplishment.

9. Always have Raw snacks on hand when you’re out running errands. For example, having a bag of yummy Raw trail mix in your purse can work wonders on growling tummies when waiting in line at the DMV (or where ever else you are). Other ideas are raisins, granola, or taking a cooler with you when you’re out and having fresh fruit in it or yummy fruit smoothies or green smoothies.

10. Keep Raw snacks on your kitchen counter all the time, especially before dinner. Many times family members are hungry for dinner and impatient while waiting for you to prepare the meal. By having a platter of carrots, red bell pepper strips, and other veggies, along with some creamy Raw dip… they’ll start munching on the Raw foods, which will help fill them up (perhaps they won’t even want all the cooked food when it comes to meal time). Keep snacks like dried fruit and nuts in little bowls or cute jars around the house (kitchen counter, your desk, the coffee table) to encourage filling tummies with Raw goodness instead of reaching for something unhealthy.

a super easy peasy recipe that kids love

2010-02-06T17:46:00.000-08:00

My morning shake:

raw hemp butter 1 TBSP
hemp, flax, or coconut oil 1 TBSP
spirulina 1 tspn
a banana or two!
handful of greens (spinach or any spring mix)
cup of berries or mangos (can be frozen)
raw honey or agave (to your liking)
water (fill to cover the ingrediants)
Blend it up!

Note: We usually add some other things like probiotics, Bio-Strath, etc..

This smoothie is chuck full of enzymes, and has the full meal deal of carbs, fats, proteins and greens!

Check out the Manitoba Harvest website for great recipe ideas using Hemp seeds and oil.

Greetings!

2010-02-01T15:54:00.000-08:00

I've decided to put all my learning thus far about nutrition and raw, living foods into one place! I would love for this blog to be a conversation of tried and true ways of becoming healthier, and treating our bodies as the Temple they really are.
Over the next few weeks i will be updating my daily diet, to give you an idea of my journey towards better health and nourishment through raw vegan foods. I am not a 100% raw vegan, and never plan to be. I love learning new ways of making whole foods just as satisfying to the palette as more traditional ingredients (white flour, butter and sugar).
Please join me!