No sleep for you!

Oh, man did I have a hard time opening my eyes this morning! I got about 4 hours of sleep and am still walking around like a zombie-woman. That aside, I had a glorious day yesterday. Not that there were any extraordinary events, but I just felt so friggin joyful all day. I have to admit that I look & feel fab!

I'm working on a website where I will talk about my journey and share recipes and such. I know I need to blog more even tho no one is reading at this point! Haha! I could say anything I want! Of course I am semi-closeted about my lifestyle. Well, I mean I haven't even told one person about this blog. I will tho when I get my site up and running.

I've been using Fitday software religiously. I log in my foods for the day and I can see how I'm doing as far as my nutrient percentages and even an average over time. This is extremely important to me especially since I stopped taking vitamins. Plus, I'm just interested. I want total, complete nutrition from the foods I eat.

Speaking of the food I eat......holy cow have I been making some goooooood stuff! Chocolate Love (tastes like chocolate milk), Vanilla Peach Cheezcake, Nut Cheez, Portabella Sandwiches, Almond Halva, Shake Yer Booty Gazpacho.... YUM!!! Recipes to come!

Misc.

I had a hard time waking up this morning even though I got almost 9 hours of sleep. I keep reading about how raw fooders don't need as much sleep...I look forward to that. Had a dull headache too, but I am starting to feel better after lunch.

Today's Delicacies....

Yummy. Today I had:

grapes
1/2 banana
peach
dates and brazil nuts
salad with everything on it
soup made from oranges, cucumber and tahini (SOOOOO GOOD)
chocolate pudding

Everything was so delicious. I'm so lucky to eat this food!

Back on the Wagon

Well, I reverted to my old, horrible ways after some serious stress entered my life. I just wasn't prepared to handle myself and gained back all the weight I'd lost on raw food. I'm back at it and going strong and hoping that if I commit to this blog....hopefully it will keep me accountable. It doesn't even matter that no one is reading it! It's my journal.

I have already had some healing in just a week or so! I had developed this unsightly bulge-hump type thing where my neck and shoulders meet. I just noticed today that it is gone! Also, I am a liscensed massage therapist and bodyworker and have had BIG trouble with one of my thumbs popping out of joint alot. OUCH! I also had some major pain in that same wrist. That is ALL GONE! Already! I know I am detoxing. I have a boil on my leg and have been having headaches and random skin breakouts. It's all good though. I look forward to the days when my hormones are balanced, my thyroid in functioning properly and I have shed this "false" body and claimed my "true" one!

Raw-Vegan Alfredo Sauce recipe

The other day I was really wanting some creamy alfredo sauce type of thing. This is what I came up with:

1 cup pine nuts (soaked at least 4 hours)
1 cup fresh young coconut meat
1 clove garlic
1 Tbsp nutritional yeast
small slice of onion
salt to taste
water to thin

Blend all ingredients until super creamy. Add the water until desired consistency is reached. If you add 1-2 Tbsp lemon juice you have a delicious ranch-type of salad dressing. If you make it thicker, it is a delicious cream cheese-ish spread for manna bread or veggie dip! Delicious!

Cha de Bugre

I have to share my newest love with you! Cha de bugre is a rainforest herb that is extremely helpful for those of us who battle the bulge or are trying to maintain our current weight. It is very new to the U.S. and is being marketed as "the new ephedra". Of course, unlike ephedra, it doesn't seem to have any health risks at all...only benefits. This is the info I have found:

appetite depressant
stimulates circulation
heart tonic
fights cellulite
anti-viral properties
fever reducer
diuretic

I drink it as a tea, but I think it can be found in a tincture and in capsules. I LOVE it! This is where I get mine. Even though I eat mostly fruit, veggies, nuts and seeds, I still need help to maintain my weight. When I work long hours, have clients back to back and don't have the opportunity to eat a meal, this stuff really holds me off unitil I can get home and have a proper healthy meal.

It's not a cult!

When I first began this lifestyle, my husband was very concerned. Whenever I uttered the words "raw vegan" he would cringe. He didn't relax until I read him an excerpt from the wonderful book Raw Food Real World: 100 recipes to get the glow. It said something about the fact that raw foodism is not a religion or a cult. I will reiterate by saying that one does not need to live in a commune or a tent to enjoy the benefits of raw foods. You are not required to stop wearing deodorant. Thank God! I like to step outside of all those limiting labels and ego-driven nonsense. It's not about martyrdom for me. It's about self-love and feeling good. Amen!
I will note here that I am the only person I know that follows this way of eating to any real degree. Actually, most of the people who know me have no idea. The only time I really talk about it is when someone asks me how I lost all this weight, or what's different about me (they usually comment on my skin which looked terrible before this life change).
I have always been interested in and exposed to alternative health methods and nutrition. I rebelled for awhile, but I must admit that I've gathered some fantastic information over the years. I've had the privelidge of meeting many people who have healed their bodies with food and a change in their mind-set. I hope to meet more people through this blog and hear their stories!