Tired.

Quote of the day:

"Today I give thanks in my heart for the opportunity to make a difference in the world."
-Dr. Nick Good (Success Ultra Now)

RAW Cheese & Cravings

Just hip hopped outta the shower. My skin is still getting really itchy from the chlorine and fluoride but that will be remedied this weekend. WHOO!

I haven't used any shampoo or conditioner now for 15 days. My hair gets oily still but it stays up and looks great in a pony tail. I'm pretty sure a lot of girls take hours in the morning to make their hair look all poofy in their ponies, but not I. I just don't wash it;-)

The baking soda and apple cider vinegar have been a good cure for the oily-ness so far but sometimes the smell is a little, well, vinegar-esque. So, tonight I grabbed a mini spray bottle and added a few drops of lavender essential oil and filled it with water. Waa-la! My hair smells great and you can't tell any difference between that and normal suds from the shower! I've heard it can take up to 6 months for your hair to normalize and get used to not being dried out by shampoo and conditioner (therefore over-producing oil, causing the oilyness in my hair now)...that's why it's 365 days instead of 30, which I was wishing was my goal today!

Today was really tough with cravings. I wanted bread all day long. Just two nice pieces of sourdough toast lathered with butter. Let's be real, is this really too much to ask? I've also been craving grains and beans.
Normally I would eat some because I would interpret the signal as my body telling me what I need, however, it's been 1 day over 2 weeks. This is usually the point I fall off the wagon. Crash, burn and go to the low place. The drinking Starbucks, eating lots of sugar and not paying attention to my intake at all. So, I've decided to wait it out. If, at the end of the month I'm still craving rice and beans and feel that my body actually NEEDS it and is not trying to trick me with sly cravings, I will reconsider.

Overall though, it was an incredible day!
My boss told us to leave work 5 hours early, so um, I did. I met Jim at South Mountain and we hiked/ran. It was a blast and the sunshine felt so delicious on my skin. Hello Vitamin D! After that, we headed to Whole Foods and I got some RAW cheese and Mana Bread. For me, raw cheese rocks. It's one of the things I forgot to mention in the rules, but once in awhile I will be enjoying it.

On http://www.mercola.com/forms/cheese.htm, Dr. Mercola notes that raw cheese is, "One of the few foods that contains a perfect balance of omega-3 and omega-6 fats, a ratio ideal for your health"

and that

"In terms of nutrition, the difference between organic grass-fed cheese and the cheese from grain-fed cows you find in most stores and restaurants is as opposite as two different forms of the same food gets."

AND raw cheese is so deeee-licious! No weird residue left in your mouth after, which I would deem excellent news!

Now, about this Mana Bread. It is eaten by a lot of raw foodies and here's why. It's cooked at really low temperatures, all of the grains are sprouted (alive), it is totally filling and not the least bit addicting. Welcome to awesome.

After we got our food at WF (including local, organic OH-SO-JUICY tangerines, and raw pistachios) we headed to the IMAX to see Avatar. It was my second time. And I loved it again. More on that movie later.

In other news, my weight is still sitting at 143-145. I haven't been eating enough food so my metabolism has slowed way down. This was not a conscious thing. I've actually become rather bored with the task of eating and totally disinterested in food (unless I'm craving something crazy like bread:-). The beautiful balance is still being worked out.
The balance I'm going for next week is 33% fat, 33%green, 33%fruit and 1%love. Living on love, baby. Wow, if that didn't sound hippie...

They leave that last % out, so I decided it would be love. I found this formula in David Wolfe's "Sunfood Diet Success System" book. TONS OF AmAzInG information in there.

Overall, a great day.

Love. Love.Love.Love.

Dr. Terra...

... I would consider myself a Doctor of my own life but not yours:-) The things I mention here have worked for me, in the most positive way possible. There is a lot of medical research out there. A lot of it is legit. A lot of it is not. What do I mean? You have to be weary of who owns what when looking at research. Who is bribed (engaging in the not-so-honorable side of conflicts of interest), who isn't. There are amazing doctors who mean well. Some are in the dark. Some aren't.

My point? Just use discretion and don't believe everything you hear, read or see. DO WHAT FEELS GOOD, every time. What your intuition is telling you, what your heart is telling you and what your logic makes sense of.

I believe that emergency medical help is one of the most amazing things that exists and is absolutely necessary in our fast paced society. Check it.

For me, energy healing & health (which contains a lot of angles) are the route I choose.

Consider this my one (and probably only) disclaimer (in the sense that I am not telling you what to do, what to eat or how to live your life...just providing my insight darling, because I love you)!!!

Love. Love. Love. Love.

24 Pieces of Great Advice

(NaturalNews) The New Year is upon us, and for many people, it includes a New Year's resolution for achieving improved health and happiness in 2010. Here are twenty-four health-enhancing ideas to help you accomplish that goal.

#1 - Replace sodas or soft drinks with tea or water.

#2 - Commit to eating one raw fruit (or serving of vegetables) at every meal.

#3 - Add just 5 minutes a day to your exercise routine. Don't have an exercise routine? Start with 5 minutes a day!

#4 - Get more sunshine!

#5 - Learn some Pilates. It's probably the #1 exercise system for core strength and flexibility.

#6 - Drink a superfood smoothie every day.

#7 - Buy more indoor plants: They purify the air in your home.

#8 - Take a quality, wild-harvested fish oil supplement that contains vitamin D.

#9 - Eat more quinoa: It's a high-protein, low-carb "grain" that can easily replace rice or couscous.

#10 - When you get out of bed each morning, do five sit-ups first. It sounds simple, but just 5 sit-ups a day can make a difference.

#11 - Instead of trying to find a parking spot so close to the grocery store, park farther away. You'll get a little more walking exercise and a little more sunshine.

#12 - Get a good water filter so you can stop drinking tap water (or bottled water).

#13 - Pick up a "gentle" art like Tai-Qi or Yoga. It will reduce your stress and improve your physical stamina.

#14 - Take a relaxing hot bath with epsom salts and soothing herbs like lavender. It will do wonders for your mind and your muscles.

#15 - Get a professional massage! Massage therapy is really, really healthy, and it's a great way to reward yourself for some of the other accomplishments you're making.

#16 - Grow your own sprouts! With a simple, low-cost sprouting machine, you can grow and eat your own sprouts. Eating just one ounce of sprouts a day still had a huge impact on preventing cancer and boosting immune function.

#17 - Prepare for a Spring garden. Sure, it's cold and snowy right now, but make a commitment to start a garden this Spring, and you'll reap many health benefits in the months ahead.

#18 - Get a mini-trampoline and do some rebounding in your living room. You can even watch movies or documentary DVDs at the same time.

#19 - Make a point to get at least eight hours of sleep for 2-3 nights a week (or more, if you can). Most people are sleep deprived, and the health cost is enormous.

#20 - Start visiting local farmer's markets so that you eat more local food in 2010. You'll be healthier and happier as a result.

#21 - Got a job you don't like? Quit it! Downgrade your lifestyle to live on less money, then pursue what you really enjoy. Being happy in a small house is better than being miserable in a big one.

#22 - Get off those medications! Make a point to learn how to safely and gradually get yourself off all the medications you can by eliminating underlying imbalances or illnesses. The fewer medications you take, the healthier you'll be!

#23 - Throw out your television! Are you still watching cable TV or satellite TV? It's a complete waste of your life (but you already knew that). Disconnect the cable. Read more books and get your information online where news sources are more independent and intelligent.

#24 - Make a decision to think of food as nourishment instead of entertainment. Eat what your body needs, not what your taste buds desire.

Probiotics!

Thank you to another beautiful guest on our blog: Adriane!

Recipe to make your VERY OWN PROBIOTICS!!

Coconut Kefir:

We go to Asian markets and buy cases of them.

• Empty the juice into a giant glass container and add in a packet of kefir mix and let sit in a room for 36 hours (kefir mix available from www.bodyecologydiet.com)
  

• Then we scrape out the meat and blend it also mixing a kefir pack in it. Making both kefir and coconut yogurt!
  

• It's amazing and I bet blending herbs and cacao into the yogurt would rock!
  

Me, etc.

More about my life. :-)

For Work:
*Program Manager at Best Buddies Arizona. Here I manage 17 high school chapters.
*Personal Assistant for Greg Peterson, an environment author, speaker, educator. I am working with Greg to revamp and grow his business.

Other Professional:
*Growing my own business based on healthy living/eating and energy work.
*Developing a nonprofit to eliminate poverty consciousness and help children break out of the drug cycle. We will begin in Juarez, Mexico...just labeled the most dangerous city in the world.

Community:
*Volunteer with the Tigermountain Foundation who plants community gardens in inner cities. It's totally RAD! I'm working on grant writing for them and volunteer in the garden!
*Looking to start gardens in the women's prisons. It's already been done in Oregon and I would LOVE to bring it to AZ!
*Volunteer with the Phoenix Permaculture Guild- Love them!

Personal (Everything I do is actually for me, personally. I love life!)
*Raw Food Certification
*Energy Healing (Bodytalk) Certification
*365 days of raw, of course!
*Run, rebound, dance
*(I plan to get back into mountain biking, kayaking & climbing this year!!!)
*Read. Read. Read.
*Spend time with friends, family & everyone I love!

Spiritual Growth:
*Meditation.
*Service.
*Mastermind training programs.

There is more to me than what is summed up here, however, I think it's a good start. Some people will look at this and think, "she can do more" and others will think "goodness, she takes on too much and shouldn't do all that because this...that and the other...". All I have to say to either response is:

"Thank you for sharing."

I love you and accept your journey just the way it is...and I would care for you to do the same for mine!
--

Today was okay. I had up's and down's in my mood but I am working on leveling those out.

Tomorrow I am going to keep a food log, which of course I will share, to see what I am actually eating all day long and "analyze" (blah, other than the best word ever) what is going into my body.

Love, light, blessings.

The Vegetarian Effect

I have another blog that I started awhile ago called Start Change Inside. I don't know why it never took off in my heart, but I still adore it.

One of the posts I put up was called "The Vegetarian Effect" and was written by Jim. I enjoy it and it seems to explain how the majority of people react to new information, especially when they think it is geared at their personal life.

Here it is for your viewing pleasure darling:

People hate having their comfort zone pushed. So much so that they will take an assumptive leap to enter into a debate on a subject they assume they were challenged on.

For instance: There are two people at dinner. One person casually mentions they are vegetarian. The other immediately jumps into a defensive dialogue about why they eat meat. The vegetarian was in no way challenging the other person.

However merely knowing the person had an alternative standpoint on diet put them in a defensive mode. This is not a unique scenario. You can test this effect yourself. Next time you are in a group of people say that you, for example, believe cell phones cause cancer or brain tumors. It is very likely one person will challenge you on that issue or start talking about how they limit their own cell phone use.

There are four ways that people can respond to information. Passively perceive it (listen but make no comment), actively engage it (inquire objectively for more information), challenge it or bandwagon it (immediately say that they do exactly what you are talking about). I have noticed that in these situations where personal health related issues are brought up, the vast majority of the time people choose the third way of handling information- to dispute.

I am not saying I am the be all end all of health nor am I privy to special information. I am merely wondering why, on issues of personal health, people do not automatically opt to actively engage information. It seems to me that on an issue where most people outsource common sense and intuition to the minds of doctors, people ought to be getting as much information as possible from as many sources as possible- however much what you are hearing may conflict with what you believe and your current habits.

So if you are in a situation and someone says licking a piece of rubber daily improves your immune system rather than saying, "That is stupid, you are wrong," why not say, "that's interesting can you tell me more about how you came to this conclusion."

Then listen as objectively as possible and try to conclude the merit of the information of its own accord, rather than based on how the information conflicts with what you already know, have heard, or just think is true.

Does it resonates with you?

You know more than you think. Does what you hear feel like it is wrong or different? Objecting because it feels wrong to you is admirable, objecting because it feels different is embracing stagnation.

Embrace this method and you will find yourself asking more, better questions and coming to stronger, more universal truths.

Recipes: Tastes to Delight the Palate

Greetings darlings!!

It is so much fun to be gaining momentum and sharing this experience. Thank you for the opportunity!

I wanted to share a really yummy recipe with you today so you can try it at home! Tonight, I will post another one of my favorite recipes: RAW TACOS! Oh my gosh, they are delightful!

Yogurt:
(I made this one up and it has been a HUGE hit with friends!)
1 banana
1 avocado
1 carton of strawberries (Or 1 frozen bag)

1/4 cup water
(You can substitute any fruit in here you like. The key to adding a different fruit is adding a bit at a time and taste testing it as you go.)

Throw all ingredients in the blender and blend well.
Make sure to refrigerate!

This is so delicious mixed with granola! Buy some from the store or stay posted and I will reveal my very favorite recipe!

Support & Lessons

My Inspiration: Mister Hop.

Today I hiked up Camelback. It was good.

I learned 2 things.

First lesson. On the way down, I said "hi" and "good job" to just about everyone! It was so much fun and even if someone didn't respond, I just kept saying hi. One guy was almost to the top and he was obviously tired.

I said, "Hey, great job, you're almost there!" And he just turned around and said, "THANK YOU, that means so much, thank you!"

I kept walking and on the way down, another girl was exahsted so I said again, "Hey, you're doing amazing, keep it up...you're almost there!" She looked at me, realized I was talking to her and said, "THANK YOU SO MUCH, I really needed that."

This reminded me that when you get support, like I do from YOU, it's so important to give support. Some people are not outwardly receptive. Some people hate it. But you never know who you're going to reach. And beyond that, it's keeps your own energy up.

Second lesson. On the way down, I hopped from rock to rock on the high or "pointy" spots. It made the speed of getting down unbelievable. The key was staying on top, focusing on the "peak" part of every move. This was speaking to my life too. Hop on the top because the middle and bottom don't matter: that's not where I want to be...in any capacity. Mister Hop, up on top, is now my inspiration to "stay on top".

A NOTE TO YOU: Thank you for your support, for reading my blog, for the emails, texts and calls. It is spectacular to have you in my life and I am grateful beyond measure.

I feel great today. My mental clarity is improving, although still a little fog. I've had a ton of nutrition by way of fruit, shakes and superfoods. I'm never hungry anymore but the cravings are not totally done. They are VERY mental at this point and have solely to do with association, not actually wanting cooked food. When I actually think about putting something cooked into my mouth, chewing and swallowing, I'm turned off by the way I know it's going to make me feel. The shower I took today burned my skin a little bit. The chlorine made my skin really red and itchy. I'm stoked to get that taken care of within the week.

Love. Love. Love.