It was the eve before juicing
And all through the fridge
Not a solid was stirring..
Er. Nevermind, I'm not that talented to cleverly rewrite a classic.
So, I picked the first of the month to start my juice feast. Yay! I'll admit, I'm a little anxious. I probably picked the WORST day to do it. I have three appointments tomorrow, including a walk-through by the Department of Children and Families so José can come live with us..
PLUS, my godson is staying with us for two weeks...
PLUS, I have a one year old and a one month old coming to stay the night tomorrow.
Maybe it's the best day? I'll be so busy, it's PERFECT! I won't need to eat, just grab some juice and go! Yay, perspective. Phew. I needed that.
I had a 'last meal' tonight of vegetable fajitas. It wasn't raw, but it was vegan and super nummy. I enjoyed my time with my family! One of the things I will be focusing on over the next ten days is to find more ways to spend quality time with my family without the presence of food. Supper time is a HUGE deal for us; we enjoy sitting at the table sharing, laughing, and enjoying each other. I don't know that I will want to sit with them while they are eating supper, even though I will enjoy preparing it for them.
We'll see.
Anyways, wish me luck!
<3
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Friday, June 26, 2009
Juicing Update!
I.
GOT.
MY.
JUICER.
Wooooooooo! (Yes, I'm a woo girl.) My precious baby is a Super Angel Juicer. There are many advantages of the SAJ. The two main ones that inspired me to save my pennies were the easy cleanup of the twin stainless steel gears and the enzyme-protecting low rpm's. This juicer costs 800-900ish dollars: it is not inexpensive, but my health is worth it.
Luckily, I have been saving since first being introduced to the idea of juicing. Also, I've been watching Ebay and Craig's Lists for a deal. Most of the 'deals' I saw were around 100 dollars off a used juicer; well, that is cheaper, but I would just buy a new one with the warranty rather than save an extra 100 dollars.
Then, it happend! (Cue the angelic choir.)
On We Like It Raw, I noticed an advertisement for an Angel Juicer. It was being sold for $520. Best of all, the young lady selling the juicer lived in NYC! I immediately emailed her, and she graciously returned my email. I decided to pick up the juicer to cut down on shipping costs and also sneak in a visit to a new raw food restaurant in Brooklyn, Rockin' Raw.
We had to change our original pick up date, but it ended up being perfect. We were able to find a sitter for Ester and head out to Brooklyn the day before my birthday. Since that beautiful day, we have been JUICY.
I started out with simple juices. Mmm, honeydew melon.
I started getting fancy. Mmm, watermelon and ginger.
I started getting fancier still! Celery, cucumber, and watermelon. OMG GOOD.
Today, my husband and I are enjoying celery-cucumber-honeydew-carrot. I cannot get Jeremy to drink a green smoothie for the life of me, but he loveloveloves fresh juice. This week, I am going to purchase more greens and start experimenting with green juice. I plan to start my juice feastfast on July 1.
It will last 10 days. Because, yanno, I have ten fingers and ten toes. (Thanks, Anthony!)
I'll be sure to take lots of pictures!
<3
GOT.
MY.
JUICER.
Wooooooooo! (Yes, I'm a woo girl.) My precious baby is a Super Angel Juicer. There are many advantages of the SAJ. The two main ones that inspired me to save my pennies were the easy cleanup of the twin stainless steel gears and the enzyme-protecting low rpm's. This juicer costs 800-900ish dollars: it is not inexpensive, but my health is worth it.
Luckily, I have been saving since first being introduced to the idea of juicing. Also, I've been watching Ebay and Craig's Lists for a deal. Most of the 'deals' I saw were around 100 dollars off a used juicer; well, that is cheaper, but I would just buy a new one with the warranty rather than save an extra 100 dollars.
Then, it happend! (Cue the angelic choir.)
On We Like It Raw, I noticed an advertisement for an Angel Juicer. It was being sold for $520. Best of all, the young lady selling the juicer lived in NYC! I immediately emailed her, and she graciously returned my email. I decided to pick up the juicer to cut down on shipping costs and also sneak in a visit to a new raw food restaurant in Brooklyn, Rockin' Raw.
We had to change our original pick up date, but it ended up being perfect. We were able to find a sitter for Ester and head out to Brooklyn the day before my birthday. Since that beautiful day, we have been JUICY.
I started out with simple juices. Mmm, honeydew melon.
I started getting fancy. Mmm, watermelon and ginger.
I started getting fancier still! Celery, cucumber, and watermelon. OMG GOOD.
Today, my husband and I are enjoying celery-cucumber-honeydew-carrot. I cannot get Jeremy to drink a green smoothie for the life of me, but he loveloveloves fresh juice. This week, I am going to purchase more greens and start experimenting with green juice. I plan to start my juice feastfast on July 1.
It will last 10 days. Because, yanno, I have ten fingers and ten toes. (Thanks, Anthony!)
I'll be sure to take lots of pictures!
<3
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Bananas about bananas!
I thought this article was neat and worth sharing!
Bananas contain three natural sugars - sucrose, fructose and glucose - combined with fiber. A banana gives an instant, sustained and substantial boost of energy. Research has proved that just two bananas provide enough energy for a strenuous 90-minute workout. No wonder the banana is the number one fruit with the world's leading athletes.
A banana can help overcome or prevent a substantial number of illnesses and conditions, making it a must for our daily diet.
Depression: According to a recent survey undertaken by MIND among people suffering from depression, many felt much better after eating a banana. This is because bananas contain tryptophan, one of the twenty common "amino acids" that make up all proteins that the body converts into serotonin, known to make you relax, improve your mood and generally make you feel happier.
PMS: Forget the pills - eat a banana. The vitamin B6 it contains regulates blood glucose levels, which can affect your mood.
Anemia: High in iron, bananas can stimulate the production of hemoglobin in the blood and so helps in cases of anemia.
Blood Pressure: This unique tropical fruit is extremely high in potassium yet low in salt, making it the perfect to beat blood pressure. So much so, the US Food and Drug Administration has just allowed the banana industry to make official claims for the fruit's ability to reduce the risk of blood pressure and stroke.
Brain Power: 200 students at a Twickenham (Middlesex) school were helped through their exams this year by eating bananas at breakfast, break, and lunch in a bid to boost their brain power. Research has shown that the potassium-packed fruit can assist learning by making pupils more alert.
Constipation: High in fiber, including bananas in the diet can help restore normal bowel action, helping to overcome the problem without resorting to laxatives.
Hangovers: One of the quickest ways of curing a hangover is to make a banana milkshake, sweetened with honey. The banana calms the stomach and, with the help of the honey, builds up depleted blood sugar levels, while the milk soothes and re-hydrates your system.
Heartburn: Bananas have a natural antacid effect in the body, so if you suffer from heartburn, try eating a banana for soothing relief.
Morning Sickness: Snacking on bananas between meals helps to keep blood sugar levels up and avoid morning sickness.
Mosquito bites: Before reaching for the insect bite cream, try rubbing the affected area with the inside of a banana skin. Many people find it amazingly successful at reducing swelling and irritation.
Nerves: Bananas are high in B vitamins that help calm the nervous system.
Overweight and at work: Studies at the Institute of Psychology in Austria found pressure at work leads to gorging on comfort food like chocolate and crisps. Looking at 5,000 hospital patients, researchers found the most obese were more likely to be in high-pressure jobs. The report concluded that, to avoid panic-induced food cravings, we need to control our blood sugar levels by snacking on high carbohydrate foods every two hours to keep levels steady.
Ulcers: The banana is used as the dietary food against intestinal disorders because of its soft texture and smoothness. It is the only raw fruit that can be eaten without distress in over-chronic ulcer cases. It also neutralizes over-acidity and reduces irritation by coating the lining of the stomach.
Temperature control: Many other cultures see bananas as a "cooling" fruit that can lower both the physical and emotional temperature of expectant mothers. In Thailand, for example, pregnant women eat bananas to ensure their baby is born with a cool temperature.
Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD): Bananas can help SAD sufferers because they contain the natural mood enhancer, tryptophan.
Smoking: Bananas can also help people trying to give up smoking. The B6, B12 they contain, as well as the potassium and magnesium found in them, help the body recover from the effects of nicotine withdrawal.
Stress: Potassium is a vital mineral, which helps normalize the heartbeat, sends oxygen to the brain and regulates your body's water balance. When we are stressed, our metabolic rate rises, thereby reducing our potassium levels. These can be re-balanced with the help of a high-potassium banana snack.
Strokes: According to research in "The New England Journal of Medicine", eating bananas as part of a regular diet can cut the risk of death by strokes by as much as 40%"
Warts: Those keen on natural alternatives swear that if you want to kill off a wart, take a piece of banana skin and place it on the wart, with the yellow side out. Carefully hold the skin in place with a plaster or surgical tape!
When the nomnom's go too far.
binge
noun
2. to have a binge
I have an addiction to binging. Last week, every day for lunch, I ate Wendy's. As my child would leave for afternoon kindgergarten, I'd get in my car and drive-through my secret sin and order something. This something started out being a single slab of beef and, through the week, upgraded to a triple slab. Oh, and large. Always large.
I went, I devoured, I came home. But it was more the method that bothered me. I've attended many AA meetings with my mother, so I know the sneaky habits employed to hide your addiction.
First, I charged it on my debit card.
Then, I started doing grocery runs for neighbors. I would take their cash, charge their necessities on my debit card, then use the cash at Wendy's.
I would ALWAYS eat in the car, and throw my trash out in either an outdoor bin at some random store or in a neighbor's trash. Gotta hide that trail, yo.
My husband would not have cared, really. He's super supportive. He might have given me that 'aww Sarah' look, or briefly reminded me how good I feel when I'm not eating meat and cheese. He's not pushy about it, and loves the heck out of me regardless of my booty size. I still felt compelled to hide it from him, and my friends, and my family.
In an effort not to hate myself, I tried to become the watcher instead of a self-loathing fat woman in these situations. Then, I realized something:
Binging is nothing more than a transference of pain.
For years, I have dealt with depression. For me, I get very lethargic and everything hurts. It's a battle to care about anything. I have been off all medication since November, and doing very, very well. Then, two weeks ago, it started. I was sleepier than normal and, eventually, even my ELBOWS hurt. This made little sense to me as I had nothing going on in my life that should depress me, but I knew the signs and symptoms and realized what was happening.
And there, in the middle of the Wal-Mart parking lot I was hiding in to shove dead crap into my mouth, I realized that I didn't want to feel the pain anymore in my head and body so I was cramming my stomach full in order to bring the focus there. I have control over this. If I feel like shit, it's MY FAULT, not some silly chemical imbalance. For hours, I'd feel bloated and angry and lethargic and fat and dead and it was MY FAULT. So, ha! Ha to you depression! I can beat you!
...sort of. Uh, okay - not really.
I imagine a lot of people do this, and don't realize it. We just can't help ourselves, after all. It's an addiction, we need to do eat and eat and eat. However, I think our addictions are little more than personal power plays to assert a perverted control over our lives.
This is my life and I choose to live it vibrantly.
This is your life, and you can choose to live it vibrantly, too.
I love you.
noun
- a period or bout, usually brief, of excessive indulgence
2. to have a binge
I have an addiction to binging. Last week, every day for lunch, I ate Wendy's. As my child would leave for afternoon kindgergarten, I'd get in my car and drive-through my secret sin and order something. This something started out being a single slab of beef and, through the week, upgraded to a triple slab. Oh, and large. Always large.
I went, I devoured, I came home. But it was more the method that bothered me. I've attended many AA meetings with my mother, so I know the sneaky habits employed to hide your addiction.
First, I charged it on my debit card.
Then, I started doing grocery runs for neighbors. I would take their cash, charge their necessities on my debit card, then use the cash at Wendy's.
I would ALWAYS eat in the car, and throw my trash out in either an outdoor bin at some random store or in a neighbor's trash. Gotta hide that trail, yo.
My husband would not have cared, really. He's super supportive. He might have given me that 'aww Sarah' look, or briefly reminded me how good I feel when I'm not eating meat and cheese. He's not pushy about it, and loves the heck out of me regardless of my booty size. I still felt compelled to hide it from him, and my friends, and my family.
In an effort not to hate myself, I tried to become the watcher instead of a self-loathing fat woman in these situations. Then, I realized something:
Binging is nothing more than a transference of pain.
For years, I have dealt with depression. For me, I get very lethargic and everything hurts. It's a battle to care about anything. I have been off all medication since November, and doing very, very well. Then, two weeks ago, it started. I was sleepier than normal and, eventually, even my ELBOWS hurt. This made little sense to me as I had nothing going on in my life that should depress me, but I knew the signs and symptoms and realized what was happening.
And there, in the middle of the Wal-Mart parking lot I was hiding in to shove dead crap into my mouth, I realized that I didn't want to feel the pain anymore in my head and body so I was cramming my stomach full in order to bring the focus there. I have control over this. If I feel like shit, it's MY FAULT, not some silly chemical imbalance. For hours, I'd feel bloated and angry and lethargic and fat and dead and it was MY FAULT. So, ha! Ha to you depression! I can beat you!
...sort of. Uh, okay - not really.
I imagine a lot of people do this, and don't realize it. We just can't help ourselves, after all. It's an addiction, we need to do eat and eat and eat. However, I think our addictions are little more than personal power plays to assert a perverted control over our lives.
This is my life and I choose to live it vibrantly.
This is your life, and you can choose to live it vibrantly, too.
I love you.
Sunday, June 7, 2009
Juicing: The Update
So. Sadness.
My precious, beautiful juicer is still tucked away at its original owner's house. Miss Simona had a charity event that demanded her attention and was unable to meet us at the predetermined time. We will be getting together this week sometimes to swap greens for my greens machine, and my juicing will commence!
Until then, I will collect recipes and dream of drops of green juice pitter-patting on my face!
Mmmmm, green juice.
My precious, beautiful juicer is still tucked away at its original owner's house. Miss Simona had a charity event that demanded her attention and was unable to meet us at the predetermined time. We will be getting together this week sometimes to swap greens for my greens machine, and my juicing will commence!
Until then, I will collect recipes and dream of drops of green juice pitter-patting on my face!
Mmmmm, green juice.
Thursday, June 4, 2009
The plan, Stan!
So, when embarking on any new and shiny journey, I like to make a plan. Yes, I totally am one of those people that like to have a to-do list for everything from packing to brushing my teeth. I find a lot of security in preparation, which is immensely important when deciding to do something like NOT EAT for ten whole days.
Oddly, I am not really nervous about my feast. I thought I'd be freaking out about my avocadolessness, but I'm honestly tingling with excitement. I can't wait to pick up my juicer on Saturday. I can't wait to make my first juice. I can't wait to TASTE it! Mmm!
Today, I went to Whole Foods and went BERSERK in the produce section. It amuses me to no end that I used to abhor that side of the store, and now I never leave it. In Connecticut, it is the season o' greens! All sorts of gorgeous lettuce and kale and..and..
..well, I bought a lot. Everything looked so fresh and pretty. I actually had an urge to lay down in the lettuce. They grow lettuce in beds, right? Lettuce beds?! Why not!
So, here are a few recipes I've collected that I will be making over my juice feast:
Green Juices:
1 cup packed spinach leaves
1/2 cup flat-leaf parsley leaves
1 rib celery
1/2 cucumber
1 apple
1 piece (1 inch) ginger
1 lemon
1/2 cup parsley
1 rib of celery
2 big handfuls of Spinach
1 piece of peeled ginger
1 medium cucumber
2 apples
1 green or red apple
1/2 head of Romaine lettuce
1 cucumber
3 stalks of celery
Handful of parsley
1/2 large carrot
Fruit:
Honeydew Melon
Orange
Apple
Obviously, the amounts will fluctuate because I need to sneak in a generous amount of greens. There are a few more websites that I am going to collect green juice recipes from, too. HOLY MACKEREL I AM SO EXCITED!
Oddly, I am not really nervous about my feast. I thought I'd be freaking out about my avocadolessness, but I'm honestly tingling with excitement. I can't wait to pick up my juicer on Saturday. I can't wait to make my first juice. I can't wait to TASTE it! Mmm!
Today, I went to Whole Foods and went BERSERK in the produce section. It amuses me to no end that I used to abhor that side of the store, and now I never leave it. In Connecticut, it is the season o' greens! All sorts of gorgeous lettuce and kale and..and..
..well, I bought a lot. Everything looked so fresh and pretty. I actually had an urge to lay down in the lettuce. They grow lettuce in beds, right? Lettuce beds?! Why not!
So, here are a few recipes I've collected that I will be making over my juice feast:
Green Juices:
1 cup packed spinach leaves
1/2 cup flat-leaf parsley leaves
1 rib celery
1/2 cucumber
1 apple
1 piece (1 inch) ginger
1 lemon
1/2 cup parsley
1 rib of celery
2 big handfuls of Spinach
1 piece of peeled ginger
1 medium cucumber
2 apples
1 green or red apple
1/2 head of Romaine lettuce
1 cucumber
3 stalks of celery
Handful of parsley
1/2 large carrot
Fruit:
Honeydew Melon
Orange
Apple
Obviously, the amounts will fluctuate because I need to sneak in a generous amount of greens. There are a few more websites that I am going to collect green juice recipes from, too. HOLY MACKEREL I AM SO EXCITED!
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
The Year in Review
As I've been preparing for my juice feast, I find myself reflecting on the things I do differently since going raw. I went raw vegan on Memorial Day 2008. It took me a long time to feel comfortable applying the word 'vegan' to my lifestyle because, in many ways, I was the exact opposite of what I imagined a vegan would be. I am fairly conservative, I have no issues with my husband's desire to hunt, I did not recycle, and generally vote for Republicans. I felt like I was lying to myself using 'vegan' to describe my lifestyle. I felt that some of the things done by the vegan community were 'weird' and resolved never to become that 'hippie'.
Mostly, the lifestyle scared me. If you've even dabbled as a 'raw vegan', you'll know that it's more than just eating foods in their raw, natural state. The idea of purity begins to encompass more than just the food you put into your body. You begin to realize that everything and everyone is connected, and the energy you put out will be the energy that comes in. Suddenly, the casual choices you made yesterday hold a significant weight. It can be pretty overwhelming. I almost quit before I began simply because I could not fathom all the changes I thought necessary to truly be a raw vegan.
Thankfully, I pushed past that anxiety and forged ahead. I wanted to share with you who I am today. It may change tomorrow, it may change in ten years, but I'm not so concerned about that. I love who I am in the moment because that's all I'm supposed to be.
Carrying on! Here are some things that I've learned, some things that I've changed, and some things that are the same since MD '08:
Politics
I am still fairly conservative, but mostly in regards to the government's role in our lives. I am loathe to allow them a say in everything from the way I garden to who I choose to marry. The marriage issue is probably the most polarizing issue for me with a 'typical' conservative. I support gay marriage because, frankly, it's fair. If you do not want to grant the right to marry to all citizens, then take away the incentives of marriage.
I feel that the states should have more rights, and choosing my local representative should bear more weight than the President. I believe we should be responsible for ourselves, from health care to education choices. We would never need a nationalized health care system if people incorporated more raw foods and naturopathic remedies. I believe that our sense of responsibility should extend to the community, and that it does not need to be a federal mandate to help our neighbors.
The "Weird" Things I Do
Oil Pulling - I do this every morning. I'll likely do an article on it later, but let me go over the personal benefits I've found. Last summer, I had my wisdom teeth removed. After the surgery, my teeth were painfully sensitive and I had a dull pain in my lower lip from nerve damage. These symptoms have never gone away. I started oil pulling, which is basically swishing sesame oil in your mouth for 20 minutes and rinsing twice with hydrogen peroxide. I no longer have sensitivity or the dull pain in my lip.
Essential Oils - I use essential oils daily. I put lemon in my water, lavender in my baths, and peppermint on my tongue. Peppermint oil is my salvation from migraines! I also exclusively clean my household with essential oils.
Recycling - I actually recycle now! It is my responsibility to be a good steward of the land I live upon, and recycling is extremely important.
Composting - I built my very own compost pile outside with chicken wire, cardboard, and an old carpet. I am cutting down on my municipal waste as well as creating a rich, beautiful source of nutrients for my garden next year.
Gardening - I expanded my garden this year. I hope to save quite a bit of money this year, as well as broaden my knowledge to one day be able to grow most of my family's food. This year, I planted cucumbers, yellow summer squash, zucchini, 4 types of tomatoes, peppers, strawberries, and heirloom SEEDED watermelon. I started some of these seeds myself, sprouting them in ocean water dilute.
Meditation - This is key for me. I usually meditate in the bathtub.
Sunshine - I never understood how important sunshine is, and how heavily it affects my mood. I sunbathe for at least 20 minutes a day, and do not use soap on my body (except in my armpits and nethers) while showering to preserve the Vitamin D on my skin.
No more deodorant! - I use a salt stone instead.
I have several HUGE FUN OMG WOOHOO things on the horizon for me, like my juice feast. I love that this lifestyle continuously encourages me to challenge my perspective. I can't wait to share with you next year!
<3,
Sarah
Mostly, the lifestyle scared me. If you've even dabbled as a 'raw vegan', you'll know that it's more than just eating foods in their raw, natural state. The idea of purity begins to encompass more than just the food you put into your body. You begin to realize that everything and everyone is connected, and the energy you put out will be the energy that comes in. Suddenly, the casual choices you made yesterday hold a significant weight. It can be pretty overwhelming. I almost quit before I began simply because I could not fathom all the changes I thought necessary to truly be a raw vegan.
Thankfully, I pushed past that anxiety and forged ahead. I wanted to share with you who I am today. It may change tomorrow, it may change in ten years, but I'm not so concerned about that. I love who I am in the moment because that's all I'm supposed to be.
Carrying on! Here are some things that I've learned, some things that I've changed, and some things that are the same since MD '08:
Politics
I am still fairly conservative, but mostly in regards to the government's role in our lives. I am loathe to allow them a say in everything from the way I garden to who I choose to marry. The marriage issue is probably the most polarizing issue for me with a 'typical' conservative. I support gay marriage because, frankly, it's fair. If you do not want to grant the right to marry to all citizens, then take away the incentives of marriage.
I feel that the states should have more rights, and choosing my local representative should bear more weight than the President. I believe we should be responsible for ourselves, from health care to education choices. We would never need a nationalized health care system if people incorporated more raw foods and naturopathic remedies. I believe that our sense of responsibility should extend to the community, and that it does not need to be a federal mandate to help our neighbors.
The "Weird" Things I Do
Oil Pulling - I do this every morning. I'll likely do an article on it later, but let me go over the personal benefits I've found. Last summer, I had my wisdom teeth removed. After the surgery, my teeth were painfully sensitive and I had a dull pain in my lower lip from nerve damage. These symptoms have never gone away. I started oil pulling, which is basically swishing sesame oil in your mouth for 20 minutes and rinsing twice with hydrogen peroxide. I no longer have sensitivity or the dull pain in my lip.
Essential Oils - I use essential oils daily. I put lemon in my water, lavender in my baths, and peppermint on my tongue. Peppermint oil is my salvation from migraines! I also exclusively clean my household with essential oils.
Recycling - I actually recycle now! It is my responsibility to be a good steward of the land I live upon, and recycling is extremely important.
Composting - I built my very own compost pile outside with chicken wire, cardboard, and an old carpet. I am cutting down on my municipal waste as well as creating a rich, beautiful source of nutrients for my garden next year.
Gardening - I expanded my garden this year. I hope to save quite a bit of money this year, as well as broaden my knowledge to one day be able to grow most of my family's food. This year, I planted cucumbers, yellow summer squash, zucchini, 4 types of tomatoes, peppers, strawberries, and heirloom SEEDED watermelon. I started some of these seeds myself, sprouting them in ocean water dilute.
Meditation - This is key for me. I usually meditate in the bathtub.
Sunshine - I never understood how important sunshine is, and how heavily it affects my mood. I sunbathe for at least 20 minutes a day, and do not use soap on my body (except in my armpits and nethers) while showering to preserve the Vitamin D on my skin.
No more deodorant! - I use a salt stone instead.
I have several HUGE FUN OMG WOOHOO things on the horizon for me, like my juice feast. I love that this lifestyle continuously encourages me to challenge my perspective. I can't wait to share with you next year!
<3,
Sarah
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