Radical. Rational. Juiceing and Feasting. Experiment

Taking Responsibility for Your Family's Health

2009-10-30T05:51:00.000-07:00

Dear Readers,

Out of concern for all the fear around the swine flu, and the pro's/con's around the vaccines for it, I thought I would write a post reminding you that there is so much one can do through lifestyle and diet to keep you and your kids immunities up and therefore less vulnerable to the flu and other illnesses. How you decide to fuel your body can make or break your immunity.

Refer to Natalia Rose's website for a bunch of kid friendly recipes that include fruits, veggies and good sources of fat and protein (Yes, dark leafy veggies do have protein in them and unlike processed lunch meats are a clean source of protein, vitamins, minerals, hydration and fiber, wooHoo!).

The major "foods" that tax immune systems greatly as well as drain energy are below in black: (and in blue are good alternatives)

White Foods:

Refined sugar, fake maple syrup, high glucose corn syrup and artificial sweeteners--stevia, agave (in moderation), raw honey, REAL maple syrup (in moderation)
Refined flours and baked goods, ie., white bread, donuts, cakes, cookies, white pasta, buns, rice--sprouted whole wheat breads that only have 3 or four REAL ingredients that you recognize listed; brown rice, quinoa, gluten-free baked goods, whole-wheat or gluten free pasta, sprouted grain buns and wraps.

Processed Foods:

Essentially anything in a package: chips, candies, crackers, cereals, peanut butters, etc. -- raw and unsalted nuts and seeds (not peanuts which have over 20 different kind of fungus on them and are rancid), almond butter, whole grain or gluten free crackers, dark chocolate, agave or honey sweetened candies, natural fruit leathers, brown rice crackers, panda puff cereals and low sugar/high fiber cereals.
Meats: hot dogs, deli meats, pepperoni, beef jerky, hormone injected meats like beef and chicken, eggs, orange and america cheese, frozen foods-- Annie's organic mac and cheese/prepared frozen foods, sulfate-free/hormone free meats, wild caught fish, free range eggs, goats cheese or sheep's cheese rather than cow cheese (mush much easier to digest).

Sugary and diet Drinks:

Soda!!!!!-- natural sodas on OCCASION
Concentrate juices-- fresh squeezed juice, carrot juice, apple cider
Juice boxes-- organic juice boxes on OCCASION, water with fresh lemon, fresh squeezed juice
Flavored waters--real water with fresh lemon juice or a hint of fresh oJ and a few drops of stevia
Chocolate milk--chocolate almond milk
Iced teas/Lemonades--real lemonade sweetened with stevia or agave
instant hot chocolate or anything from those machines at the gas station--real hot coco on OCCASION

Dairy:

Squeeze yogurts or the ones with lots of added sugars and god forbid the candy toppings, yikes! Coconut milk yogurt, organic Keefer (much easier to digest), organic goats or sheep's milk sweetened with honey
Hormone injected milk --best is raw milk from cows or better goats, unsweetened almond or hemp milk
Margarine--real organic butter, olive oil, coconut butter
Plastic and fake cheeses like the orange nacho cheese--real organic cheese, almond cheese, goats/sheep cheese
Ice cream--organic REAL ice cream that should only have 5 max ingredient in them, coconut milk based ice cream.
Whip topping-- Real organic whip cream on occasion

Bad quality salt:

Table salts-Himalayan sea salt or Celtic sea salt
Very salty processed foods (anything in a bag typically)-- unsalted almonds, cashews, walnuts
Soy Sauce-- Tamari, Namo Shoyu

Fats:

Margerine--organic butter, coconut butter
Vegetable Oils-- for cooking always use coconut oil as it does not turned rancid under hight heat. AFTER cooking you can drizzle cold-pressed olive oil and/or flax and hemp oil on your food for a nutty flavor.
Shortenings-- coconut butter, organic butter, apple sauce

Caffeine/Alcohol:

sodas--see above
coffee-- decaf to wean you and then green teas
teas-- rooibos, green, herbal
Hard liquor, beer: occasional organic red wine

In addition to food getting 8+ hours of rest, drinking plenty of water (not flavored waters, sodas or juices other than fresh pressed), dressing warmly, making sure your kids are having regular bowel movements (the colon's health determines over 80% of your over all immunity so if it is sluggish that can make you much more vulnerable to dis-ease. MORE FRESH veggies, fruits and whole grains, please!), connecting to nature and people rather than machines and video games and of course outdoor play is key. If your children are often feeling stressed out or anxious, this can also lower immunity significantly. Daily doses of good quality fish oils, probiotics (I really like the branded "renewed life"), Vit. C (not the chewy gummies please as they are full of other crap), and zinc are great for immunity too.

Here are a few more links from another trusted nutritionist/mother's blog, Natalia Rose:

http://www.detoxtheworld.com/audio/natalia-rose-feeding-and-teaching-kids-051309.mp3

http://www.detoxtheworld.com/blog-detail.php?ID=42

If you are interested in doing a whole foods based cleanse, I highly recommend the book CLEAN by Dr. Alejandro Junger. I have meet and spoken at length with him many times and he is fabulous and knows what he is talking about. A friend of mine who has three boys actually put one of her sons on this cleanse because he was on the brink of being medicated for behavioral issues as well as what the Dr's thought was the beginnings of Crohn's and Colitis. After doing the "elimination" diet portion of this cleanse all the tests came back negative and he is back to being a happy kid! :)

Be well and if there was ever a time in history to do something good for yourself, NOW is the time!

In good health,

Kyle

Summer Reading List

2009-06-02T18:04:00.000-07:00

Lately I have been blessed by so many good reads that I would like to share with you.

Mindset, by Carol Dweck. Dweck explains in this book "why it's not just our abilities and talent that bring us success-- but whether we approach our goals with a fixed or growth mindset."

Eating in the Light of the Moon, by Anita Johnston. "How women can transform their relationships with food through myths, metaphors & storytelling."

A Sugar Addicts Total Recovery Program, by Kathleen DesMaisons. "She explains exactly how you can free your mind and body from the tyranny of sugar and shake off the exhaustion, mental fogginess, and mood swings that sugar dependence causes."

**While I don't totally agree with her dietary approach of a high meat diet, I do think she has many wonderful insights on sugar addiction.**

Breakthrough, by Suzanne Somers. "Discover how to: Balance hormones through bioidentical (not synthetic, cancer-causing) hormone replacement. Fix thyroid problems. Sleep 8 to 9 hours each night without drugs. Improve memory. Detect diabetes early. Prevent and manage cancer. Restore hearing. Preserve eyesight." This is A MUST READ!!

Ina May's Guide to Childbirth, by Ina May Gaskin. "Everything you need to know to have the best birth experience for you-- whether in a hospital, birthing center, or the comfort of home."

Yoga Hotel, by Maura Moynihan. "A charming and delightful book. It offers great insight into the world of India."

Donate Your Weight, by Sheri O. Zampelli. "The stress-free program to stop dieting, get slim and help others while doing it."

Intuitive Eating, by Evelyn Tribole and Elyse Resch. "Make peace with food. Free yourself from chronic dieting forever. Get to the natural weight that fits you."

As summer comes our way, I wish you a lot of relaxation, rejuvenation and fun! If you have books you'd like to share with us, please leave a comment!

Happy Solstice!

Kyle

Tongue Analysis: A window into your internal health

2009-03-08T20:10:00.000-07:00

Your tongue accurately reflects the state of your digestive system- from rectum to esophagus, including the stomach, small intestines, colon (large intestine), pancreas, spleen, liver and gall bladder.

Imagine, you don't need a battery of tests to find out what part of your digestive tract is in stress. You can diagnosis the whole GI tract and corresponding organ integrity all in one easy view- just stick your tongue out and take a good look at it.

As a whole the tongue reflects the condition of the digestive system and the organs associated with blood, nutrient assimilation, and excretion. You can also see how 'hot' or how 'cold' your internal organs are. Therefore it has a high value as a diagnostic tool.

Specific sections of the tongue mirror the condition of particular parts of the digestive system and the digestion related internal organs.

The following correspondences exist in this relationship:

A- the tip area reflects the rectum and the descending colon.

B- the peripheral area reflects the large intestine.

C- the middle region corresponds to the small intestine.

D- the back edge region relates to the liver, gallbladder, duodenum, and pancreas.

E- the near back region corresponds to the stomach.

F- the back region ('the root of the tongue') reflects the esophagus.

G- the underside of the tongue reflects the quality of blood and lymph circulation in each corresponding area.

Structural characteristics

Like each particular area of the body, the tongue can be used to evaluate one's overall condition.

Zetsu Shin as it is called in Japanese, is one of the most important forms of diagnosis used in Chinese medicine. Two main aspects are considered in tongue diagnosis.

First is the structure of the tongue. Is it wide or narrow, thick or thin, pointed or rounded? Such qualities convey information concerning the individuals basic constitution and overall strengths and weaknesses of body and mind.

Width:

a wide tongue reflects an overall balanced physical and psychological disposition.
a narrow tongue reflects a lack of physical adaptability with pronounced strengths and weaknesses. Mentally, thinking may be sharp but tend toward seeing a narrow view.
a very wide tongue reflects a generally loose and expanded physical condition and a tendency toward more psychological concerns.

Tip:

a rounded tip reflects a flexible yet firm physical and mental condition.
a pointed tip reflects a tight, perhaps even rigid physical condition and an aggressive or even offensive mentality.
a very wide tip reflects an overall weakness of the physical body and a flaccid or even "spaced out" mental condition.
a divided tip reflects a tendency toward physical and mental imbalances with the possibility of sharp fluctuations in thinking and mood.

Thickness:

a flat tongue reflects a balanced condition and the ability to flexibly adapt to circumstances.
a thin tongue reflects a more mental orientation, with a tendency to be more gentle and easy going.
a thick tongue reflects a more physical orientation, with the tendency to be assertive or even aggressive.

In comparison to structure, the condition of the tongue is influenced more by daily lifestyle and provides information about an individuals current state of health. Qualities to look for include:

Color:

Dark red: indicates inflammation; lesions or ulceration; and sometimes a degeneration of the related organ.
White: indicates stagnation of blood; fat and mucus deposits; or a weakness in the blood leading to such conditions as anemia.
Yellow: indicates a disorder of the liver and gallbladder, resulting in an excess secretion of bile; deposits of animal fats, especially in the middle organs of the body; and possible inflammation.
Blue or Purple: indicates stagnation of blood circulation and a serious weakening of the part of the digestive system that corresponds to the area of the tongue where the color appears.

The color on the underside of the tongue can also be used to determine the internal condition. In general, the colors and their indications listed above are the same, with the following exceptions:

Blue or Green: In excess, either of these color reflect disorders in the blood vessels and in blood quality and circulation.
Purple: In excess, this color reflects disorders of the lymphatic and circulatory system. It indicates a weakening of the immune ability and of the blood vessels.

Texture:

a swollen or enlarged tongue: indicates a Jitsu, or full state.
a shriveled or withered-looking tongue: indicates a Kyo, or empty state.

Movement:

the flexibility of the tongue also reflects the condition of the digestive system. Characteristics to look for include:
- a flexible, supple, smoothly moving tongue.
- a stiff, tense, or inflexible tongue.
- a loose or lolling tongue.
- a tongue with a pronounced slant to the left or right when it is extended.

Pimples or projections of the tongue's surface indicate the discharge of fat, protein, and sugar. Where in the body this discharge is coming from can be determined by the specific area of the tongue on which it appears. You can find the correlation between the areas of the tongue and the digestive tract.

When cleansing notice how your tongue changes daily. At first it may get worse before it gets better because of the detox and everything dislodging from the tissues and coming to the surface. But over time this will lessen and lessen. Once your tongue is a beautiful pinkish color with little to no coating, you will know that you have done a long enough and thorough cleanse.

Juice Fasting Vs. Master Cleanse

2009-01-25T11:42:00.000-08:00

The debate over whether the Master Cleanse is safe and effective has come up a lot recently in my workshops and consultations, so I thought I would make my thoughts available for all.

The Master Cleanse has gotten so much hype and press in the past couple of years, thanks to celebrity endorsements, it is not surprising that people would think that this is the safest and best cleanse out there. And why not? It is easy in terms of preparation, cheap in terms of supplies and ingredients, makes a refreshing drink that most people find palatable, and you are guaranteed to lose weight and feel relatively good in just a few days. (Note that this is not every ones experience-- the feeling good part)

The Master Cleanse is also a pretty marketable and easy sell for busy people who want to do a cleanse but don't necessarily have the time or desire to put a lot of time into it. But quick, easy, tasty and cheap does not always mean it is good or right for you.

Juice cleanses are in my opinion the better choice, but are a harder sell because they require more time, money and understanding. After using myself as a human experiment, my better inner judgement told me very clearly that flooding my body with 4 quarts of freshly pressed veggie and fruit juices was by far a more effective, cleansing and nurturing cleanse. And here's why.

Freshly made juices, particularly those with at least 50 percent greens in them (kale, spinach, chard, parsley, collards, beet greens, dandelion greens, celery, cucumber, etc) are teeming with a diverse (our bodies just like nature thrives and grows on diversity) amount of nutrients that is quickly absorbed into the blood stream and delivered to the cells. Once in the cells, accumulated toxic matter and gasses begin to awaken and loosen up and are then released into the lymphatic system. The lymphatic system is like our waste disposal system responsible for carrying cellular garbage to one of the many elimination organs, such as our skin, lungs and colon (large intestine).

In addition to the cleansing effects of the cells, these juices also loosen any compacted fecal matter that has been accumulating in our colons. Our colons are like the garbage can of the body and therefore need to be cleaned out every so often otherwise it overflows and reek havoc on our immune systems and our abilities to digest and eliminate.

While on a cleanse, cellular toxins get awakened and dumped into the colon at such a fast rate it is highly recommended that one gets regular gravitational style colonic irrigations to make sure that the toxins get flushed out in a timely manner. In many ways the colonics are the true cleanse, because unless these toxins get flushed out of your body they will just continue to recirculate and become more activated and more damaging the the long run.

So while all this loosening, awakening and elimination of toxins are accruing, the cells and tissues are being rebuilt with organic vitamins, minerals, proteins, and digestive enzymes, making you feel and look younger, more energetic, slimmer and A LIVE! :)

Your body is also getting super hydrated and alkaline from all the naturally distilled water from the vegetables and fruits.

You can also consider juice cleansing as more of a feast than a fast, because the goal is to flood your body with nutrients, while decompressing the cells of toxic material. Why would you want to deprive yourself of that?

The Master Cleanse, on the other hand, is less than ideal for the body because it is not as diverse in terms of ingredients and therefore very nutrient poor. It also has high amounts of sugar from the maple syrup, which is not good for stabilizing blood glucose or for diabetics. While it does do some cleansing of the cells, this cleanse mainly targets dissolving fatty deposits in the tissues and liver. This is good, but the juices do the same and much more! Also, because the Master Cleanse so low in calories and protein it can really slow down a persons metabolism making it harder to keep the weight off once you are back on solid foods.

But do you have choose on or the other?

The answer is yes and no. What I have done in the past is incorporated one or two quarts of spicy lemonade into my mostly juice cleanses, but replaced the maple syrup with stevia, a natural leaf sweetener that does not effect blood sugar but rather helps the body increase its glucose tolerance over time. This way you are getting all the nutrients you need from the juices and getting the best cleansing effects of the master cleanse without any compromises to your health.

Without a doubt, both cleanses give the body a much needed break from digestion so that it can repair any damages that have been done, dissolve nagging aches and pains, dissolve fatty tissues, cleanse the liver and give you more energy. But incorporating the best qualities of each and taking the time to take care of yourself in a way that honors your body, mind and spirit is the true essence of any cleanse.

For more information on both cleanses check out:

www.yourguidetodetox.com/YGD/home.html and www.therawfoodsite.com/mastercleanse.htm

turning Up the Heat eating Raw!

2008-11-21T17:36:00.000-08:00

Raw food and heat? Huh? I know it sounds very counter intuitive, but according to raw food expert, author and researcher, Victoria Boutenko, consistently eating a raw food diet will actually straighten your adrenal glands and improve your circulation over time.

In this excerpt below, she get to the root of why one feels cold in the winter. Believe it or not it is NOT the raw food, it's the cooked stuff!

"Can we eat raw food in the cold climate? I know many persons who quit the raw food lifestyle because they were afraid that they would become too cold during the winter. Let us take a closer look at this situation. Would a quarter pound of rice physically keep a 160lbs body warm? In order to get warmed by it, one would have to fill a bathtub with warm rice and sit in it for 20 mins.

So why do we feel warmer after consuming cooked food? A hot meal, a cup of coffee or ice-cold shots of vodka warm our body in the same manner. When any impure substances get into our blood through the walls of the intestines, they irritate our adrenals, the endocrine glands located above the kidneys. The adrenals immediately begin to produce epinephrine, norepinephine and a variety of steroid hormones. These hormones stimulate our sympathetic nervous system, which is why we feel awake at first. They also force our heart to beat faster and pump larger amounts of blood through our body, which makes us feel warm. This feeling doesn't last long and we pay a high price for it. After 10-15 mins our body gets exhausted from performing extra work, sleepy and even colder than before. However, we remember only the feeling of getting warmer after eating cooked food and repeat such stimulation again and again. This harmful practice wears the body out and by the end of the winter many people feel exhausted and depleted.

Another reason why it is hard for many of us to tolerate cold temperatures us because eating a cooked food diet severely impairs our capillary circulation. According to Dr. Alexander Zalmanoff, author of "Sacred Wisdom of Human Body" 80% of all blood in any human body is located in the capillaries and only 20% in arteries and veins. Tiny capillaries get clogged easily by unnaturally large particles of cooked food, and the blood no longer circulates adequately.

If you truly ant to feel warm during the cold season, a raw food lifestyle is an inevitable choice for you. During your first "raw" winter you may experience some coldness due to your weakened adrenals, so put on an extra sweater, take a hot bath, exercise and do yoga. If you continue being raw, your adrenals will rest and recover, your capillary circulation will improve, your nervous system and your heart will naturally strengthen without any artificial stimulation."

If this is your first raw winter, let these facts help put your mind at ease-- you are doing the right thing so keep on eating those green juices, salads, blends, avocados, nuts and seeds.

But while you wait for your body to clean house here are a few other things that can help keep you warm inside and out.

Add lots of ginger to your juices and blends
Add warming spices to your dressings, blends and meals, such as cinnamon, nutmeg, cayenne pepper, red pepper flakes, curry powders, garlic, onions, ginger.
Put a pinch ( and I mean JUST a pinch) of cayenne pepper in your socks and mittens-- instant hand and foot warmers!
Sauna (Infra-Red is the best) once a week
Get gravitational style colonics. When you cleanse the colon more space is created for your micro channels to release more toxins into. If your colon is clogged so is the rest of you!
Let your food come up to room temperature before eating. Never eat or drink anything straight out of the fridge. Not only will you feel cold on the inside, you are weakening your immune system
Exercise! Get that lymphatic system rocking and rolling and your heart pumping naturally with movement. Yoga, rebounding, walking, pilates, swimming, chi-running, dancing are all great, low-impact ways to increase circulation

Warm blessings to you all!
xokyle

My Rational Raw Truth

2008-09-09T18:50:00.001-07:00

Awwww... it feels really great to be back into the blogging swing of things. After taking a good long sabbatical (got married this summer, yeah!), I am back with more fire and enthusiasm than ever. I have so many juicy ideas to post about, but today, I have decided to confront a recent infuriating experience that involved (and still does) me, my choice in lifestyle and the mainstream media.

To give you some context, a few months ago, I was asked by a co-worker to participate in a raw food support group that she hosts once a month. This is a safe and supportive place for our clients and others that are either raw foodist, in the health industry, or interested in any of the above to come and share/ask/tell and educate one another about the raw food lifestyle. This particular meeting was unique because the ABC show 20/20 was coming to film our group for an upcoming episode on raw foods. Being a health writer for FOX News myself, I thought how wonderful that the mainstream media wants to do a report on raw foods and its healing effects on people like ourselves. How naive of me!

The experience of being taped was pleasant enough and quite comfortable. They let us say what we wanted to say and even bought us a bunch of raw food from a local raw restaurant. The man (I forget his name) who was representing 20/20 even tried some and was pleasantly surprised by how good it was.

Our support group had a wide variety of our clients represented, all of whom have directly benefited from eating raw foods and have even cured themselves of various illnesses such as candida, cancer, cysts, sever digestive issues. They spoke about their recoveries and how raw foods is more than just what they eat, but truly a lifestyle of natural health and personal responsibility.

We also discuss the effort in being a raw foodist, considering that most of the world lives in a fast-food prepared mentality of quarterpounders and fries and considers an "energy bar" or popping vitamins a meal.

I personally talked about how preparing my food each day as a raw foodist can take hours, but in the same breath how it took me about the same amount of time if not more to make my meals when I was eating cooked foods. I mentioned that when one takes control of their health you can feel a bit isolated and at times make you feel aware of your lifestyle choices non-stop.

When I watched the 20/20 episode I was APPALLED by the way in which they construed, manipulated and sensationalized the raw foods lifestyle. Rather than focusing on how raw foods has a healing effect on people, they choose to focus on two individuals that were not our clients, and were extreme cases of what one can experience if they are not educated on how to properly transition to a raw foods diet. These people were very emaciated physically and clearly very sick. Flash back to our group and you see 12 very glowing, strong, athletic happy individuals that look quite "normal." ( I would rather say well above average :)

John Stossel, 20/20's right wing host, compared our healing, well informed and healthy support group to two emaciated individuals that have been coined as "Orthorexics" or people that are so obsessed with health they are unhealthy. He made it seem as though anyone who eats raw food has Orthorexia and is slowly killing themselves due to this kind of modern eating disorders. His comments where misguided and misinformed, his cunning attitude not only made raw foods seem like a "crazy" and dangerous idea.

I felt like I was watching a bad Reality TV show or one of those Entertainment Tonight deals. The quick camera cuts from one person to another, with only half of their thoughts included so that everything is taken out of context and sound outlandish was very effective on Stossel's part. He captured exactly what he wanted: Extremes - consciously creating the response he wanted: Fear.

It has just been a day and a half and already my in-laws in Nebraska have called and said many of their friends saw me on TV and hope I am not ever going to get as ill and skinny as the main guest are. I have had people in NYC that don't even know me see me on the street and ask me about it and what kind of "group" I am apart of as though we are terrorists or something!

Although only about 3 lines of my entire interview made the cut, they were spliced and edited in such a way that made me and my group seem like were were just as mentally and physically as sick as the main featured guest.

This experience is not just my own it is yours too and happening every day, every minute. As soon as we turn on our TVs, radios and open the newspaper, we are getting a very manipulated and consciously construed version of someone with some power's idea of reality to keep the dumb (i.e., you and me) dumber/dazed/confused, and more importantly scared, and the fat rich guy, fatter, richer and more secure at the top.

I find this utterly disgusting, sad and damaging.

But ultimately it is an invitation. It is a invitation for us to get fired up, outraged and to leave our comfort zones and find our voices individually and collectively. One of the beauties of raw foods, when consumed smartly, which of course they did not mention once in the show, is the fact that eating this way gives you mental clarity, does not numb you from seeing and feeling the truth like many cooked processed foods do, and gives you more energy to use than hours in the day.

I invite all raw foodist and non-raw foodist that have a healthy and educated lifestyle they adhere to to get up and take a stand for your rights and lifestyle choices!

The way our civil liberties have been taken away during these past few years, I would not put it passed the current administration to start dictating what one can and can not eat and what is government accepted "food." Trust me it won't be green leafy veggies, ripe fruits, avocados, nuts/seeds, healthy oils and green juices!

Spontaneous Juice Feast

2008-07-08T20:41:00.000-07:00

Yup, 3 days and feeling light and good!

Two friends of mine, one physical (Kim), and one virtual (Sandy), inspired me to get juicy for a few days to kick-start another fun-filled plan of action, so to speak.

LOVED the fruit, but need to give it a break for a little bit as I was starting to find myself feeling a little off balance and falling towards foods that were the complete opposite (salty and cooked).

With the markets in their full glory right now, I am longing for getting my pleasures through a variety of greens and juices.

Essentially, I am going with my intuition these days and if the fruit angles come back and say its time to get extra fruity then I am game! But for now I am going for the greens and some avocado, but no nuts, and oils.

Tomorrow I am very much looking forward to a salad made with fresh greens complements of a beautiful upstate farm, topped with a little avocado, red pepper, tomatoes, celery, garlic, cilantro, and a pinch of sea salt dressing. All to be consumed before 6pm and not after (my newest experiment).

So thank you all, no matter what your food style ways may be for inspiring me to continually try out new things! Whether I stick with it, like it, dislike it-- doesn't matter, it is finding the opportunity that is present in each experience that makes me grow closer and closer to my true nature.

May we all continue to uniquely define what we as individuals need to grow closer and closer to our inner bliss.

Wedding Bells and The Bride's Butt (that's mine!;)

2008-07-05T20:41:00.000-07:00

Well, the good news is that there are only three weeks to go till I get married, the bad news is I have NO time to blog! But, once we settle down from all the festivities I will be back in blogging action, I promise!

Just a little update on what I am doing lifestyle wise these day.

I have been giving the 811rv diet a pretty fair shot this past month and not really feeling like it is 100% right for me. I love feeling so hydrated and fruity, but at the same time I am not experiencing a lot of the benefits other 811rv report feeling. No worries, I am not writing it off all together, but I am going to lay off the fruit for a bit as I am feeling the need to focus more on greens and veggie juices these days.

My new (old) protocol is as follows:

Green juice

Salad with 1/2 avocado, herb, citrus dressing, no oil

Green juice

Salad or blended raw soup for dinner with no fats

NO MORE EATING AFTER 6PM (tough one here in NYC)

And of course TONS of lemon water in between meals.

A good friend of mine followed this diet (per Gil Jacobs -- a raw food and colon therapy expert) for several weeks and found she felt and looked really good and the results were apparent quickly. That is what I need with only three weeks till show time!!

Have a great month everyone...I will keep checking in on your blogs and giving you support from afar.

Riding the Waves

2008-06-25T18:59:00.000-07:00

....of breath and intuition.

This past week has been about stepping back, getting to the essence of what I want and then letting go of my "goal" oriented attitude. I have FINALLY come to realize that although setting goals and creating a direction for myself has served me in many ways, in also has sent me flying in the opposite direction or going round and round the hamster wheel.

This little intuition of mine has always lingered in the back of my head, but it finally came the forefront, after getting some very deep Rolfing work down. My therapist who has seen me transition in to a raw diet, complete my 30 day juice cleanse and then bounce back and forth to every place in between, gave me some very simple and direct advise the other day: "Kyle, you really need to start nurturing yourself, and I am sure all of these little issues and tensions that your body is holding will fade away."

At first, I was really taken aback and thought, "what do you mean I need to START nurturing myself? ALL I DO IS NURTURE MYSELF!!" Or so I thought.

But looking outside myself I discovered he is so right, I just think I nurture myself, when in fact I am so caught up in my head that I have forgotten to just listen to my intuitions, stop micro-managing everything that goes in (and out! haha) of my body, and just be.

Letting go of control has always been a tough one for me. Mostly because I am scared of what I will do if I do. "Will I get enough," "will I be healthy," "will I get fat/skinny," "will I feel accepted?" are just a few of the fear-based thoughts that stream through my head everyday. And yet, being overly controlling is not getting me closer to a bliss-filled life I truly desire either.

I went to a Gil Jabobs lecture the other day (Gil is a radical voice in the raw community and also the best colon therapist in the city, if not the country), and he said something that really stuck with me. In essence he said, if this "life" (which he has a very specific definition for) is causing you more dis-ease than ease of being, then something isn't right. If you are thinking about it every waking moment than a shift needs to happen. He also talked about falling in love with the journey not the end result and embracing all that comes with the process of being the best person you can be within your means.

So my new mantras are " I allow myself...." and " I trust myself...."

It is amazing how each day has proven to be totally different in terms of what I need, want, desire, choose. Some days it eating all fruit feels really natural, little effort or work, satisfying and loving. Other days, just juicing feels like all of those things, or ironically eating some cooked foods and fats.

What's my barometer? What is the quality of my breath and where is it moving to and from? Is it deep or shallow? Is it slow or fast. For me my breath drastically changes depending on my circumstances. By tapping into its subtleties and allowing my breath to guide me, all I have to do is ride on its back and let it carry me with it.

"Where to?", my old voice would have immediately asked. My new voice says, "I don't know. Don't worry about it. Just sit back, relax and enjoy the ride."

Lighten Up Buttercup

2008-06-16T19:25:00.001-07:00

...yumm green juice latte! How could this be anything but good for you?

Well this weekend with my parents was wonderful in the moment, but now I am suffering from post-cooked food dis-ease.

The universe could not make it any CLEARER to me that cooked foods, dense raw foods (we did go to a wonderful raw restaurant with them one night, but I have to say I woke up feeling just as bad overindulging in raw food as I did cooked food!), SALT and fatty foods are not serving me in a healthy way AT ALL! In fact, I have become so sensitive to salt that I swear my ankles and entire body felt swollen and water retained after each meal.

So what's a bloated girl to do? Fast! Today I decided to really lighten things up with mostly juices and a little bit of fruit in it's whole forms to keep my body from going in "OH NO, not again" freak-out mode ( I only drank juice for 30 days straight and now my mind and body flip out every time I consider just juicing for a day.).

And I am already feeling so much lighter, happier and sharper. Thank goodness!

While my parents were here we also went to the Bodies Exhibition. WOW is all I can say. Our bodies are so much more delicate, complex, genius and beautiful than I even knew! It was both fascinating and disturbing to see examples of a healthy organ next to a cancerous or diseased organ. Really affirmed what we are all trying to do...be vibrant and happy beings!

I highly recommend seeing this show. It is a life changer...

Today I had (in order):

7:30 am 20oz water with lemon

1 slice watermelon

16oz green juice with apple and lemon

20oz Tri-Berry smoothie with spirulina and bee pollen

20 oz Watermelon juice

20 oz Green Lemonade

2 nectarines

12 oz Watermelon Juice

4 small bananas (probably only needed one or two)

2 apples (mindless munching at the computer, whoops!)

9:30pm 10oz Green Lemonade (nectar of the gods!)

Seems like a lot documenting it like this, but I did feel light all day! :)

I also did my usual to work and back walks (2 hrs total) and a few spontaneous sprints to get out of the rain!

Plan to do a similar diet tomorrow because I am feeling so good again.

Weekly Observations

2008-06-13T06:25:00.000-07:00

....wow, this image is both fabulous and creepy!

Sorry for being M.I.A, but my folks are in town so here is a quick check in.

Basically this week has been all about trial and error. I have been doing many good things for myself that seem balanced and nourishing, however towards the end of the day there seems to be more of the "error" happening: Overeating and eating too late at night; eating salty foods; staying up too late, eating out and feeling like I don't have many choices and giving in to the social pressures to just be "normal," etc., etc.

The empowering moments have been happening in the mornings starting off with my 45 min to an hour runs along the Hudson River, yoga (at home and in class), elimination (yippy) and eating lots of fruit and green juices.

I am attempting to change my computer work time to the day rather than night as I seem to get super "peckish" for all the wrong things (salty, fatty stuff these days). For some reason doing emails and blogs at night requires "smoke breaks" or rather "snack breaks" in my case, which leaves me heavy and full when going to bed and then sluggish in the mornings.

WATERMELON has done wonders for my running! Being so hydrated makes my recovering time way faster and my muscles far less sore.

I also have been experimenting with when and where to incorporate greens. It seems to vary from day to day, but I *think* (*subject to change every second*) this is what my body likes best:

7am: Run 1 hr
Recovery meal/Breakfast: Citrus or watermelon
Mid Morning snack: Green Juice
1 hr walk to work
Lunch: Mangoes and/or Bananas
Mid Afternoon snack: Green Juice
1 hr walk home
Dinner: Big salad or Big glass of fruit juice
Dessert: Banana or Berry "ice-cream"
Evening stroll

BUT, I definitely crave corn chips and crunchy salty numbers starting in the afternoon. Hoping throwing in a green juice in the afternoon with celery in it will curb that craving. I am SOOOO over it, UGHH! And yet........

Funny how in the past I was always so concerned with controlling my sugar intake, but looks like it is the salt and fats that are causing problems.

Not sure how I am going to fair with my parents in town...but even if I can't put everything I prefer into action, I will be gaining more awareness of what is going on internally and externally! And that is also a gift.

Being cool when it gets hot!

2008-06-09T12:22:00.000-07:00

It has been 90 plus degrees here in NYC for the last few days with over 100 percent humidity. Typically this would really bother me as the heat tends to make me lethargic, aggravated and edgy. But since going mostly raw last summer, I have noticed a shift in my body chemistry that makes me less sensitive to extreme temperatures, especially the heat. From an Ayurvedic point of view (an ancient science from India), raw foods are very cooling for the body, which makes them most appropriate to eat in the summer.

This summer, I am taking that to a whole new level but eating predominately fruit. I can't tell you how great it has felt to lay off the heavy fats and get juicy and hydrated with the fruits. Normally I would be dodging from place to place looking for AC, avoiding going outside and exercise, finding shade whenever possible. But these last few days, I have continued on as normal (except for sweating like mad) with my normal routine of running, walking and working from the house without the AC on, even when sleeping!!

Here are a few tips I have found useful to keep cool, functional and happy this summer when the heat is on:

Eat light during the day focusing on very juicy fruits (sweet and non-sweet) such as watermelon, honey dew, cantaloupe, cucumber, tomatoes, red bell pepper, kiwi, mangoes, papaya, etc.

Add cooling herbs to your fruits and veggies such as, cilantro and mint.

When you start to over heat dip your feet and your head in cool water. These are the two places we loose most of our heat from.

Drink lots of water with lemon or lime, cucumber or mint.

Exercise in the early mornings and early evenings.

Do cooling breathing exercises in the evening before going to bed or to avoid blowing up at someone! Take deep sips of breath through your month. Pretend you are actually breathing through a straw with your lips puckered, then breath out through your nose.

Get all the natural sodium you need through either juicing, blending or chomping on celery.

Carry a small spray bottle of rose water with you. Mist your face and neck when you start to feel like you are wilting. Not only will you feel refreshed but you will smell good too!

Avoid the A/C. It's addictive and hinders your body from being able to regulate its body proper body temperature.

Does anyone else have anything to add to this list?

Today I had:

Breakfast: 20 oz of Cucumber, fennel, lemon and apple. Many slices of watermelon

Lunch: Many slices of watermelon

Snack: Honey dew melon and watermelon

Dinner: 24 oz of cucumber, cilantro, lemon and apple. Mango Gazpacho, small green salad and banana-cocoa nib-mint ice cream. Now that will cool you off! ;)

Exercise:

45 min run by the water so there was a nice breeze

60 min walk to work and a 60 min walk from work

After dinner stroll....feeling very full, ugh -- too much ice cream!

Lots of sun and sweating!

Weight loss since starting 811rv (with a few off days): 3 pounds

Days 10 & 11: Speed Bumps

2008-06-05T21:32:00.000-07:00

It's funny how resistant I am to blog when I feel like I have hit a bump in the road and fallen off the wagon. But here I am ready to face it, and keep it real to myself and you all! This is very much part of my healing process..keeping things in the open and not hidden behind the curtains.

So everything was going really well, which has all to do why things are no longer going well. This is a very typical pattern for me: once the going gets good, I freak out and start back pedaling fast, usually out of fear. When I have perspective on my behavior it seems so silly and I feel uber frustrated, but when I am in the eye of the freak out, there seems to be no other options except fight or flight. I usually fight for a few minutes and then take flight as soon as I can get my hands on the next ticket out of town. But it goes as quickly as it comes. Typically the next day I wake up and feel fine again and in a space to make life affirming decisions for myself. But often there is a lot of post storm damage to clean up, which is a real bummer.

Like clock work, everyday I start off really strong and steadfast -- nothing can stray me off my path. But come 4pm or so, things start to slowly fall apart and foods that won't even tempt me in the morning are starting to taunt me and lure me their way. By 6pm, it's all over and I give in to my cravings with a vengeance. Of course regret soon kicks in and then guilt and then anger and then sadness that it happened, AGAIN! Urgghh

So yes this happened to me today, but I refuse to react with negative feelings towards myself and an "all is lost" attitude. That gets me nowhere good fast.

These bumps that inevitable arise along my journey I now realize are actually opportunities to stop, pause, breath and dive deeper into myself to find the "more-ness" of who I am. I no longer want to reject this part of me, because it is a part of me after all and until I can except ALL of me, I won't be able to fully move into a place of empowerment and happiness.

So what insights have these "bumps" (aka opportunities) blessed me with today?

Each day is new and my body needs different things depending, so you best be listening!
Some days I need more than other days, and that is ok.
There is no one way of doing things, even if that is what "the book" says.
Each day I get to recreate myself, how exciting!
Before eating drink water -- remember thirst can disguise itself as hunger and it distracts me just long enough to let a fleeting weak moment fleet on by.
Love love love thyself!

To end, I have to say I am really enjoying my evening runs. They clear space in my mind and body so that I have more room for compassion.

Looking forward to tomorrow's little blessings!

Days 8 & 9: Amping up the "vigorous" exercise

2008-06-03T19:11:00.000-07:00

...ok, I am not this out of shape but...
Lately I have been feeling like my body wants to be worked out more. I always thought that I was a super physical person -- never taking the subway and always walking to and fro even in bad weather; rebounding in addition to the walking (sometimes up to 8 miles a day, depending) and practicing yoga several times a week. But even so, my heart rate rarely gets pumping and rarely do I break into much of sweat unless it is really hot out. So this week, I have decided to amp it up a few notches and start running again.
I used to be a big runner in high school and college and here and there as a working adult, but gave it up once I found rebounding because I was finding myself really dreading the whole ordeal of outdoor running in the city, plus my body was literally aching for a break from all the pounding. So having had a good year off of it, I have been giving it a go again this week and LOVING IT! I forgot how awesome the endorphin release feels, how quickly your heart gets pumping and the sweat starts pouring. I also love how I feel after getting home, taking a shower and then eating my meal with zero hesitation as to weather or not I should be eating it.

The irony is is that I am LESS hungry now that I am running?!? I thought for sure I would be more ravenous, and me being someone who is hungry even when I am not hungry is perplexed as to how this could be? But, I am NOT complaining and going to dwell in this new found freedom for as long as it and my knees last! ;)

Today I consumed (according to Nutridairy) 1693 calories, burned 844 in additional activities and was left with 858 to play with, I guess?

I am not going to list all that I ate today because it is a bit daunting, but basically it started off with my beloved green juice (yum, I missed you guys), fruit, fruit and more fruit all day, and ended with a big 32oz jar of green soup for dinner: 1 red bell pepper, 2 small oranges, 1 big bunch of spinach and one whole lemon (without the peel). Very tasty!

Tomorrows goals are to have only sweet juicy fruits in the AM, denser sweet fruits in the afternoon and greens and non-sweet acidic fruits at night. Sounds like a naturally good idea, but somehow banana ice cream keeps getting on the dinner menu? hehe

Day Seven: Week 1 Breakdown

2008-06-01T19:49:00.000-07:00

It's that time again...for Bananas!!

Well, folks week one on the fruit has come and gone. Now on to the next!

But first, here is this weeks body/mind&spirit check-in:

Physically, my body feels great. Less sore after workouts, strong and vibrant, less acidic, and maybe a smidge lighter? You don't drop the pounds as quickly as juice feasting, but that's cool. Elimination is AMAZING when I have mangos, otherwise just ok. Wondering if the bananas clog me up a bit?

Mind: Feels good, but still wondering if this is a short term or long term thing? Definitely feels like a diet rather than a lifestyle, but I think I am still getting used to the simplicity of the foods. Not having to be in the kitchen and spending so much time "cooking" and cleaning has been a much welcomed break, BUT, I do miss being creative in the kitchen. To help, I cooked my sweety a yummy ( didn't taste it, but he claims it was) summer pasta meal with lots of fresh produce and herbs from the green marked.

Moods: fairly even, despite the fact that I was PMSing (and didn't know it!), and have had so much going on (like planning my wedding and working more than full time). The only crankiness I really felt was not having access to "numbing" foods, especially at night, which is my numb-out time of choice. I feel like I am weaning off of drugs --pacing up and down, breaking out into cold sweats and fits of rage! haha Ok, well it wasn't that bad, but close! ;)

I have been reading Dr. Graham's 80/10/10 book and left with a few questions:

1) What does he consider "vigorous exercise" and how much does he recommend one do everyday? I walk at a pretty good clip everyday for miles and rebound every other day, both of which feel good, but I certainly don't break much of a sweat, unless it is really hot out, nor get my heart pumping. Perhaps I need to amp my exercise up a bit? But with what and how much?

2) Should I be tracking my caloric intake everyday? I did that for the first couple of days, but it takes me forever and I am not sure how useful it is. Ideally I want to drop a few pounds, but do I need to spend the time really tracking every calorie? Seems that by eating enough fruits and veggies with little to no fat everyday will do the trick on it's own, or is this wishful thinking?

3) I tend to want to graze on fruit rather than stuff myself silly three times a day. Is it really important that I get more disciplined about "meal" times or is grazing ok? And does it effect health and weight loss?

4) Should I get a consultation with Dr. Graham? Will he be able to offer me more than what is already stated in his book? Just wondering if a personal consultation is worth the big bucks?

Any insights veteran 811rv's can offer would be so appreciated!

Today I had a grazing feast of fruits and veggie soups.

9 Bananas (not all at one time, but in whole, whipped and pudding forms)
6 small nectarines (whole)
32 oz tri-berry smoothie with spirulina (I have a big bottle still in the cupboard, so got to use it up)
1 grapefruit
1 apple
Bowl of a tomato, basil, fennel, ramp and lemon soup (tasty flavors, although it was hard for me not to think it would have been better with a dash of salt and pepper and a drizzle of olive oil, but after a few bites I adjusted--well, sort of ;)

I seem to be averaging right around 2,000 calories a day and within the 80/10/10 paradigm, although I am usually more like 90/5/5.

I seem to prefer to save my fat cards up for a real blow out every few days, rather than having just a little everyday, which feels more like a tease than anything.

I look forward to refining this week and maybe following one of the spring menu's in Dr. Graham's book for fun.

Also had an amazing acupuncture session with the one and only Carrie C., and took a long, but more leisure walk. Got some good sun time in too! Love it.

Day Six: Don't Pass The Salt, Please!

2008-05-31T20:14:00.000-07:00

Well kids, week one of being fruity has blessed me with so many digestive and mental freedoms, but now it is time to refine even more. One thing is certain: Fruit feels great, BUT my little salty meal at night with the greens, taste good, but makes me look and feel SO puffy in the morning. I already have a round shaped face, so actively making it rounder by eating salt is no good. Mentally it has been hard for me not to have a BIG salad with lots of avocado and a savory dressing, because that has been my staple evening meal for almost a year. Habits are hard to kick. So going from that to either just fruit or a smaller salad with a sweeter dressing has just not been the same. But I know I will get used to it with time and learn to love my new, no salt routine. Funny, in the past, I have always blamed the sugar for being the source of all my issues, but now that I have really simplified things, it has become very clear that it is the salt that needs to go. So it will.

I also got my period today and didn't feel a thing! I only knew it was coming because of the date, not because of any uncomfortable PMS symptoms! I have never had painful periods, but the week before my body tells me loud and clear that it is on its way, namely with chocolate cravings, mild low back pain, breakouts, etc. This time, nahdah --or at least very mild. SO that is good news.

Other good news is that I went and say the Sex in the City movie today with a gaggle of girlfriends and have a total blast! The movie was shockingly well done and I can't wait to see it again. Feeling very celebratory, we went out to one of my favorite raw food joints and had scrumptious salads with avocado and some nuts (just like old times). Definitely more fat than necessary, but I have not had any fats for a couple of days now, so I didn't sweat it and just savored every bite knowing I would not have something this decadent in a good while. But I suppose better to over indulge in avocados than going out to a bar and drinking cosmopolitans all night ;)

Today I had:

Upon awakening:
Water, water, water

Breakfast:
1/3 Honey Dew Melon

45 Min Run (not sure how many miles)

Lunch:
1/3 Honey Dew Melon

Snack:
3/4 Cantaloupe

2 hours later

4 sm bananas

Dinner:
Lg raw salad with avocado, almonds and a oily dressing! Ekkk...but so yummy!

One observation to close with is that I tend to have a few dry, itchy scalp, which has been a lot less so this week since being on fruit, however, almost immediately after eating dinner with all the fats, its started itching like mad! Not sure if it is coincidental or not, but I have a feeling that it has to do with the fats...hummm....I will keep a close eye on this!

Day Five: Devils and Angles

2008-05-30T19:37:00.000-07:00

..."should I or shouldn't I" (eat my old comfort foods), was the name of the game this week!
Thankfully, the SHOULD NOTS won!

Surprisingly today I did not feel very hungry. I mean I desired food (fruit), but I didn't feel like overindulging myself, which felt freeing. Funny enough though, when I finally walked in the door, totally wiped (I think I had a wave of detox today), I didn't feel hungry, but I did want to numb myself of all the days events and just "veg" on the couch (but not with veggies!;). This is the only time this week that I have seriously craved some of my old nemesis -- but not for their bursting, addictive flavors and textures, but for their numbing effects. I just wanted to turn off for a while, and no matter how much fruit or salad you eat --it ain't going to do it! So I just breathed through it instead of munching through it grumpily, and sure enough it past...phew! I tell you when those feelings hit, it is all I can do to stay out of cupboard.

It is super challenging have junk food in the house, because even though I don't want them in my system any longer, there they are, calling my name and SO accessible! I have to thank the blogging for keeping me on track and accountable. I actually went to reach for the chips, with that little devil voice on my shoulder saying, "it's been a long week, you deserve it" and then the angel on the other countering, "it's up to you, but remember you have to come clean about this on the blog!" Immediately I shut the cupboard and walked away! Guilt+Blogging is a powerful thing! haha

So for sure I am still feeling very much like this is a short term thing..I haven't fully embraced it yet, but my intention is to make this my life's practice so I just need to be patient and SWEET!

Today I had:

Upon awakening:
Lots of water --feeling super puffy and dehydrated from those darn sun dried tomatoes I had last night, which sadly had sulfates in them! Didn't know till after swallowing :(

Breakie:
4 white peaches

90 min yoga class

Lunch:
Peaches-n-Cream (peaches with bananas--yum!)

1 hour brisk walk to work

Snack:
Peaches-n-Cream
Watermelon chunks
1 Orange

45 min brisk walk home

Dinner:
Granny Smith Apple
4 sm bananas
1 med salad with just a smidgen of oil dressing
1 Orange

PS: Better day without the dried fruit!

Day Four: Feeling Bold & Beautiful

2008-05-29T20:04:00.000-07:00

....awww, these guys are so cute I could gobble them up! And how!

So this may come as a surprise to those of you who know me, but strangely enough I have a bit of a phobia with the phone. I get so anxious over calling people. I say strange, because in all other cases I am a super outgoing, socializing, world traveling kind of gal, but for some reason I hate calling people and am always relieved when it goes to voicemail. Anyways, I am bringing this up because today I didn't have any of those usual trepidations?! I woke up this morning and said to my fiance Michael, " today I am calling your sister, your mother and your uncle (whom I have only met in person once a year ago and have not talked to since)!" I just felt like connecting with those that I normally have such resistance calling up.

I don't know if I have the fruit to thank for this shift or what, but I just am feeling so emotionally free this week. Nothing is really bothering me, or if it does it passes very quickly without much thought.

Living in the heart of NYC, feeling this way is a god sent I tell you! In the past I have often felt that half of my energy and most of my youth gets devoured by the constant negotiation of space, the vicious cycles of fight or flight and keeping anger and frustration at bay.

With all this extra energy, I am spending it in more empowered ways (like calling up the people I love) and feeling radiant at the end of the day rather than defeated. Hence blogging at midnight! LOL

Today I had:

Upon awakening: 7:30am Big ol' glass of water

30 min power rebounding (doing a lot more jogging on it than bouncing which really gets me sweating!)

Breakfast: 10:00am
32 oz "Pretty-n-Pink" makeover: grapefruit, blood oranges, strawberries

20 min walk to job #1

Snack: 1pm
12oz coconut water

20 min walk back from job #1 via trader joe's for bananas only to find every single one of them BRIGHT green :(

Lunch: 2:00pm
Banana and celery shake --added one less stock of celery this time which made it much tastier

1 hour walk to job #2
20 mins eating the sunshine

Snack: 4:45pm
3 cups fresh strawberries

Dinner: 6:15
5 champagne mangoes -- I feel like a wild animal eating these guys!

1 hour walk back from job #2, feeling hungry AGAIN!

2nd Dinner: 9pm
Two monster nori rolls stuffed with fresh spinach, kraut, sunflower sprouts with a tomato (fresh), sundried tomato, basil and parsley dipping sauce. I ate the left over sauce like a soup!
Big handful of sugar snap peas fresh from the green market that tasted like candy.
Last bit of dried fruit in the house: persimmons and raisins --won't be getting more of these bad boys for a good while

I do wonder if taking the subway (my other "phobia") rather than walking to and fro (ends up being btw 5 and 6 miles a day) would make me feel less hungry less often? I am sure it would but I can stomach the thought of an underground commute everyday. So I guess eating wins! Whoohoo

Day Three: Got the Book!

2008-05-28T19:26:00.001-07:00

Yippy! Dr. Graham's book finally came in the mail today. I am so excited to read it and absorb all the knowledge I can about what the heck I am doing here. Thankfully Sarah's blog has been super informative as well as some others, but it is always nice to have a reference in hand and in home.

Today went fairly well, although starting this new lifestyle is like starting anything new, mainly feeling a little disoriented despite its simplicity. I think things would have gone a bit smoother had a planed a little more in advanced. For example, half of my fruit was ripe the other half was not, but I didn't have enough of just one kind of fruit to make it a "meal" which is key for mono mealing. Therefore, today was kind of an all day grazing fest which was ok, but hard to keep track of how much I was actually consuming and whether or not I was feeling hungry or peckish.

I am already anticipating that 50 pounds of exposed fruit in our little Manhattan apt is going to attacked all kinds of unwanted critters and things with wings. It's starting to get hot here so you know what that means. I can put some fruit in the fridge, but things like bananas and such that need extra ripening time might be tricky. Humm...any tips anybody?

Was definitely gassier than I would have liked today. Went to bed that way and woke up that way. I think it is the dried fruit...never has really worked for me digestively speaking. Apples might be the culprit too?

According to my scale (mind you is not digital so the numbers are fuzzy and seem to fluctuate depending on how I place my feet) thus far I have lost 2 lbs!? Could that be right?...we shall see what its mood is like tomorrow.

I really am hoping that Dr. D's book with outline how much I am supposed to consume everyday. So far I am just using my intuition and stomach as guides, but I am sure there is a formula to follow.

I have been getting tons of sun lately and people are shocked when they see how tan I am! Everyone can't believe that I didn't go somewhere tropical! haha I have to say since being raw, my sensitivity to the sun has decreased significantly. In the past my skin used to burn, my eyes used to kill when it was bright out,my energy would feel zapped and my mood would be edgy when hot. Now, i love it and can't get enough!! Thankfully every afternoon I nanny for a 7 year old who loves to play outside, so there I am in the park basking in the sun and getting paid to do it! Now that is a great health plan!

Today I had:

Upon Awakening:
Lots of water

Pre-yoga breakie:
20 oz tri-berry smoothie with sprulina

30 min power walk to a
2 hour advance yoga class

Post-yoga breakie:
32oz banana and celery shake (yum!)

30 min leisure walk home via the farmers market--the strawberries are here!

Lunch:
Nori rolls stuffed with tons of fresh spinach, arugula, sunflower sprouts, curry sauerkraut and spring onions

1 hour power walk to work

Afternoon never ending snacking (whoops!-- although I think this happened because there was no fat with lunch and low-calorie greens so I was hungry most of the afternoon):

2 apples
1 lbs cherries ( first of the season!)
1 nectarine
1 mango
1 navel orange

1 hour power walk home

Dinner:
1 avocado with a little seasalt--ate it right out of the shell
Banana/cinnamon/raisin pudding
More raisin noshing....followed by gas, ekkk!

I wasn't going to have the avocado, but it was ripe and I was hankering for something savory and dense, so I went for it. BUT, I am very proud to say that there were my favorite organic tortillas chips in the house that I could have easily devoured ( and would have 3 days ago as they are my cooked-food-junk-food weakness), but I didn't! WHOOHOO!

Day Two: Keeping it Simple

2008-05-27T19:58:00.001-07:00

....Yum, mango smoothies in my tummy!

WOW, what a day. First off, it was long and full, but despite that, food for once took the back burner and was not the main focus for every waking moment. This is MAJOR for me because I can't think of a day when I was not thinking about my next meal, snack, meal, snack, meal (and don't forget one more mid-night snack;). Don't get me wrong, I definitely had a lot of food today, but I ate because I was hungry NOT because I was hankering for and aggravated by yet another ugly craving. Typically before starting the 80/10/10 diet, I would eat a meal and then immediately start craving something sweet, or savory or crunchy or soft. Now, eating mostly fruit and veggies, my cravings are no longer in the equation--all that is left is pure hunger. And after having a day filled with outdoor time and walking, it felt really GOOD to eat food that refueled me not ruled me. Gosh, I am still in disbelief! haha

The other thing that I tried out today was mono meal eating. Meaning that I tried to stick to one fruit and only one fruit for that specific meal. This was super interesting and really affirmed some things I already knew..go figure!

Here are my findings--
1) Mangoes: taste and digest like magic! Can eat many at one time without gas or bloating. Definite keepers!
2) Oranges: Well, taste great, super hydrating, but my belly felt a little acidic after eating 6 small ones. I think juiced or less in one sitting would have felt better. Digest fine, no gas or bloating.
3) Bananas: If SUPER ripe, or nearly black on the outside they are much easier for my body to handle. In this condition they melt in my mouth are VERY sweet and satisfying. Still not sure how many I can handle in one sitting since they are pretty dense.
4) Leafy Greens and Nori: LOVE IT! So nice after mostly sweet all day. Feels and digests like a charm.
5) Dates: So this is the tough one. These little buggers are definitely a hard call. Today I had several when I felt the need for something heavier and denser, but didn't have any riped bananas on me. But, I have to say that they tasted amazing, but did give me gas almost immediately, made me yawn for the first time all day (5:30pm) and give me a bit of a sugar coma. Oh, and my adrenals starting feeling achy too?! So I think these need to go on the "treat" list and be consumed in smaller numbers. :(

Today I had:

Upon Awakening:
Lots of Agua with all the fixings
16oz Green juice with apple and lemon

Breakfast:
Three large Champagne mangoes

Lunch:
16oz Mango/papaya/OJ and Lime juice Smoothie
An hour later: 6 small blood oranges

Snack:
20 oz coconut water
10 dates
2 ripe bananas

Dinner: Nori Rolls (many) stuffed with fresh spinach (divine!), sauerkraut, spring onions and a tomato/smoked dulse/mango chutney
One small bag of sugar snap peas
One small apple

Exercise: 30 min vigorous rebounding, 6 miles of walking(!)

Other: body brushing and colonic (NO candida! yippy!)

Time for rest and rejuvenation, my friends (although I am so energized still!)

Day One: Feeling Zen On Bananas....

2008-05-26T19:25:00.000-07:00

Back on the blog and the bananas!

Well, I can't help myself. Thanks to my friend Carrie's influence (thanks carrie!:), and my continual desires to find a way to "raise the bar" of my health, I am committing myself to yet again another experiment. This one is based on Dr. Douglas Grahams 80/10/10 theories. Rather than going into great detail about what this is exactly, I will refer you to his website which has it all laid out nicely.

Essentially, I am going to be on a low-fat raw food diet for the next number of days (not committing to any specific amount of time, but shooting for at least a month) as opposed to what I have been doing for almost a year now, a high fat raw food diet. I am curious to see if my stubborn food cravings for cooked foods dissipate or go away completely; if I will drop a few of the pounds that I have gained back from Juice Feasting (ideally about 6 to 8 pounds); and if the candida that keeps showing itself in my colonics also goes away. Of course there are a number of other benefits I hope to reap while on this diet: improved hair and skin, more energy, less gas, better elimination, less emotional yo-yoing, and the list goes on and on.....

Basically this diet is ALL about fruit and greens. Sound ironic considering my goals? Yes. BUT, does that make me totally happy? YES!! The idea of killing yeast by forgoing all my beloved fruits and raw sweets sounded like death to me (especially since summer is here), but according to Dr. D, it is not the sugar that is causing the issue it is the FAT. When we eat a lot of fats with sugars (i.e., nuts with dates), the sugar gets bogged down by the fats in the blood and can not exit the body quickly. Therefore it gets trapped in us for much longer than it should and that is when we get candida, cravings, fogginess, lethargy, etc., etc..

Today I had:
16oz water with lemon, probiotics and aloe vera
24oz green juice with apple (yippy!) and lemon
32 oz blueberry, cherry, apple juice (used as a base), banana, spirulina smoothie
6-8 very ripe bananas (lost count)
1 amazing mango
Nori rolls filled with fresh spinach, spicy sauerkraut, sprouts, tomatoes and a mango/tomato/smoked dulse dressing (no oil or avocado)
1 lg salad with more of the same
10 dates

Exercise: 25 mins rebounding, walking 30 mins

Body brushing, sunbathing

Lots of grazing action today..happens when you are sunbathing on the beach! Everything felt pretty good, although some gassiness post dates. Having a colonic tomorrow, which I think will help move some of the old fermenting junk out.

Considering that fruits are highly cleansing little buggers, I am anticipating having a few transition symptoms initially, so I will have to be patient! :)

Let's see what happens my friends!

Never Ending Transformation....

2008-05-04T18:30:00.000-07:00

Dearest Friends,

Big apologies for going underground and out of site for a while, but certainly not out of spirit! Without going into too much detail, I continue to find my way through this maze of what to consume, what not to consume, how and why my body/mind/heart responds the way it does and how to honor this process even when it is not easy or does not seem to be "working" the way I would like it to.

The best news is that I was gifted a brand new, flaming red, 5200 Vita Mix from my beloved, which has been such a blast and a blessing! Instead of blogging I have been blending one master piece after another.

I send everyone much love and gratitude as I discontinue to blog on this blogsite, but am happy to direct your attention to my other health blog site that I post monthly on called Never Absent. This is the translation of the sanskrit word, Nisprapanchaya, which is part of the Anusara Yoga Invocation.

Please be well and blessings to you on your continual health journey.

xxkyle

Rediscovering the Joy

2008-04-13T12:04:00.000-07:00

...A perfect light raw dinner of Red Chard Nori Garden Wraps filled with carrot and daikon radish ribbons, cucumber slices, slivers of avocado, and fresh cilantro leaves, accompanied by a side sprout, cucumber, red onion and shitaki mushroom salad, with a miso/tamari dressing. So light, yet deeply satisfying and springing with so much joy! All served on our lovely paint speckled table in Michael's art studio. I have finally discovered the key to eating smaller portions is to use the little plates, little forks and savor each bite fully -- there is so much being offered don't miss out by swallowing too fast! :)

Since my last post something profound has shifted. My mind and body are finally starting to seamlessly work sweetly in synergy with one another and my spirit could not be happier! I think it all started to finally fall into alignment at yoga class on Friday (go figure), when the Universe so generously placed me right next my dear friend Judy, who also happens to be the most inspirational Yogini and THE BEST yoga partner/assistant ever. If you are ever feeling uncertain about your capabilities and potential, Judy is the person you want to go to, as she has this amazing way to bring out the best in people.

What made the class just that much more in line with where I am at, the theme was all about finding the Lila or Joy in life by relaxing and trusting the inherent order of nature. Essentially, trust the process, both universal and individual, soften and HAVE FUN! I am finally understanding that that the "rules" of whatever you are doing are not there to control you, but rather, to give you a sturdy foundation from which you can twirl and skip and dance like nobody's watching so that you can truly experience life more blissfully. It is one thing to cognitively understand these simple concepts, but another thing to allow yourself to soften and experience it. A lot of this shift for me is directly link to trusting myself. Why is that so challenging some days and so easy others?

So back to yoga, we were asked to do ALL the variations of headstand with the support of a partner, including the variation when you are balancing solely on your head with hands off the ground and arms at your sides so you look like a pencil standing on end. NOT exactly a "comfort zone" pose. But with the support of Judy (whom I trust completely, it was more myself I wasn't so sure about), I applied the alignment principals and took the deepest breath of my life and just went for it! Not only did I go for it, but I LOVED it and had the biggest smile on my face. The joy was beaming out of me even upside down and with "no hands mom"!

Since then, I have been making the most empowered choices without very much effort or feeling left out or like I was sacrificing the joys of life. I am also worrying or getting less uber stressed out about food and what I am taking in. It seems like the more I let go, the better choices I make, naturally. Again, it's all about trusting myself and not critically comparing the decisions I make today with those I made yesterday...ahhhh

Physically, I am feeling pretty good. Definitely not as good as on my best days juicing, but that is a lot to expect, so I am letting go of comparing the juicy world to the solid world. It was just making me depressed and feel like I was always doing something wrong. I am, however, still experiencing some puffiness in the morning, a few skin breakouts, a little weight gain
(about 3 pounds), some bloating and gas after either eating a little too much or bad combining (of course!). But on the positive side, my colon and elimination systems are working like rock stars, especially since having green smoothies everyday for lunch! I can't recommend them enough.

I have tried to keep one day just juice, but I don't think I am ready for it. My body (well, actually I think it is more my mind) is still not ready to be 100% percent on the juice even if it is just for one day. I am trying to be gentle on myself about that and really honor its request.

To conclude this post I want to give a juicy shout out to my friend Juicy Ben in Ottawa for finishing the entire 92 days of his juice feast!! He has inspired me and so many other people and proven with grace and humor that you can work 2/3 jobs, pay all your bills and live only on juice for 3 months and come out on top!! If you haven't already check out his blog, it's a must read! Hip Hip Horray for Ben!!

xxkyle

Softening and Opening to Grace

2008-04-10T18:53:00.000-07:00

...getting fancy with greens from the earth and sea....

After many days of feeling "out at sea," I can see land and the waves of emotion have calmed. I have discovered that JFing's purpose (for me) was not to solve my problems, but to bring to light all the deeply embedded emotions that have accumulated over my 28 plus years on this earth.

During the JF I was so consumed in the physical act of shopping, juicing, drinking, blogging, pooping, and peeing that not much time was left to just sit with myself and listen to all the profound spiritual awakenings that were occurring simultaneously.

Now that I am only a part time juicer, I can't say that I have more time on my hands to meditate, but clearly the Universe has decided that I am in a place to handle the growing pains and pleasures that come with pushing the boundaries of expansion.

I am so grateful that I have been blessed with this opportunity now -- pre-marriage, pre-kids, pre-adulthood (technically does not start till you are 30 in some schools of thought -- I'll gladly be a kid for two more years;)-- so that when I do get married ( in 4 months!!), have kids (TBD), and become an adult I will know myself that much better, be able to love and give that much more, and be truly ready to live this life for more than just myself.

JFing has humbled me in many ways and given me the opportunity to see clearly what my strengths and weaknesses are and how each are equally an asset in this so called life. After all, without my weak points I would never be able to see my strengths and visa versa. Contrast is a blessing not a curse (usually;)

And now the process of trusting myself begins. Trusting that my body and mind know what to do and when to do it, trusting that being healthy and joyful can be one with each other, trusting that I can let go of my survival mechanisms and that I will still be ok. This is such a life long process that I can't expect to vanish in 30 days, 30 weeks or even 30 years! Embracing not rejecting is the real work for me.

Thankfully I like embracing, that's not work that's fun! Hey, where's Michael?!?! ;)

Thank you all for your loving support. Anytime you need a hug, I am here for you: ready, willing and able!

xxkyle

New Beginnings, Same Life Long Proccess

2008-04-07T18:38:00.000-07:00

I am BACK dear friends!

WARNING: You may want to get a juice, go the bathroom, or get a snack-- this is a weeks worth of insights and reflections!

So sorry for the disappearance act kids, but sometimes one has to take time to just be with oneself in order to sort out all that has been stirred up, shuffled around, reawakened and discovered, rejected and then lovingly embraced.

Since eating solid foods again, I feel like I have gone to the moon and back in terms of the emotional and physical ups and downs I have endured.

Essentially, I unfairly have put juice on a throne and convinced myself that by doing a long term feast it would magically "solve all my problems" and I would be trouble free at the "end" of this long hard journey. Well, folks, as much good as it did do, it certainly did not solve all of my problems and all last week I was first very angry at myself and could not stop blaming myself for not "sticking" the landing during my transition, which then spun into complete confusion with what to eat, how to eat and when to eat.

I felt like I was in the middle of a giant million piece puzzle completely overwhelmed with what goes where and what fits with what. Very overwhelming and troubling.

So I had this melt down, which clearly need to happen so that I could get back up and ask for help to gain some perspective.

I am so grateful to my fellow feasters and friends/family for giving me great advise and telling me your human and it is OK not to be perfect! It is ok to enjoy life and enjoy food and enjoy being who you are. Seems easy enough but this is so hard for me...especially in the nutrition realm.

The biggest shift happened just yesterday, when everything that I have been noticing about myself was affirmed by my friend and the very person who inspired me to do this in the first place: Carrie! For those who have not check out her blog yet, GO NOW it is amazing!!

So Carrie is an amazing Acupuncturist (among other things), so I decided it was time for me to try some of her magic out (which I highly recommend you do too!). Shockingly, I have never had acupuncture before and wasn't entirely sure specifically what I was going for, but the more I thought about it and talked to Carrie it became very clear. But first, let me go back a bit.

So many of you have commented on how much my body changed over the course of the feast and the most shocking difference to me was my face. I have always had puffy, water retention and what only can be described as stuck/stagnant energy from my throat up. JFing cleared all that retention out of my face and I could feel energy flowing freely threw that area. But now that I am eating again, it is slowly coming back and I am feeling that foggy, puffy, stuck feeling again.

Carrie explained to me that everything I was describing was linked to my spleen. (She also did a number of other things to determine this including check my pulses and tongue). My spleen I thought? Who would have guessed that this little, very underrated and talked about organ located smack in the middle of some better known power houses like the liver, pancreas and kidneys would be feeling neglected and in need of some serious TLC?

According to Chinese medicine the spleen is considered the "transformer" organ -- one that takes everything including thoughts, food, air, impressions, etc., that comes into our bodies and turns it into something we can actually use ( wisdom, energy).

See I always thought that I had an absorption problem, because it often feels like no matter how "good" or "healthy" I am, my body does not always feel like it is getting the nutrients it needs. But really that is just a symptom of a deeper issue -- transformation. If the spleen is weak and can't transform something into something my body can use, then of course I am not absorbing properly. So it's all connected, of course.

Speaking of which -- bare with me(!)-- the other interesting tidbit about a weak spleen is that it cannot tolerate much sweet in any form. This is another thing I have known about myself but kind of chosen to ignore, especially since being raw because I LOVE fruit, dates, figs, raisins, cookies, cakes, you name it. The spleen does need, however, a very tiny amount of sweet, but in the form of carrots, yams, sweet potatoes, squashes, parsnips, brown rice, quinoa and other whole grains, not concentrated sugars (dried fruit), fruit sugars or sweeteners.

Of course on the juice feast I so very much looked forward to my fruit juices and probably drank: 3 grapefruit, 4 oranges, 6 to 12 apples (depending), a whole small watermelon or pineapple, 4 pears, and 3 kiwis a day!! That is a lot of fruit! Oh, and what about all my coconut water??

Before the feast I would chow down on bags of figs, dates and raisins, which is a ton of concentrated sugars; would not hesitate to indulge in raw treats with tons of agave or raw honey in them and what about the 70 percent or higher chocolate, ahem?? POOR SPLEEN!

Also a weak spleen needs warm, cooked foods and does not like anything too cold or raw. YIKES! So interesting because I actually don't like cold things at all, and have had a hard time with the raw diet this way, because in order for things to warm up to room temp it can take about an hour and often I don't have the foresight or patience to wait that long. This has also lead to cooked food cravings.

Apparently all the yellow vegetables are great for the spleen including cooked root veggies that have some sweetness in them but less than fruit, such as carrots (in moderation), yams, sweet potatoes, squashes as well as whole grains, which I have to say I love and truly miss especially during the winter months.

The spleen also relates to "mother" and relationships to the mother, which is interesting because I definitely have some unresolved issues with my mom that need to be addressed (ughh). The spleen also likes touch, stretching and light exercise. I think that means MORE massages (are you reading this Michael? ;), but to pipe down a bit with the amount of exercise and yoga I do on a daily basis (too much of a good thing).

Carrie lovingly tapped several tiny tiny needles into the meridian points that corresponded to the spleen, kidneys (dark circles under my eyes), and Qi/Yin energy. She also did some points that stopped any bleeding ( we discovered together that the Cats Claw tincture I was putting in my juice was literally clawing my colon and causing some internal bleeding which I was seeing in my colonics and stools at home.), and draw energy up into my head and face. She also put an infrared heating lamp over my middle section which was so soothing and healing.

I felt completely amazing after the session. My bloated face and stomach had subsided substantially and I felt clear and energized yet grounded and at peace with myself and the world.

And this is why I have the courage and enthusiasm to write this post today! Before my treatment I just wanted to hide because I was so ashamed at myself for still feeling confused, making bad food choices and not knowing which puzzle piece fit where in the bigger picture of things. Now I have a focus and a mission: heal my spleen by drinking more spleen friendly juices, really be devoted to following the food combining principals, be very moderate with sugars of all sorts and even cut out fruit entirely for a couple of days and start incorporating small amount of cooked root veggies and grains into my diet at night. I think this is going to help me be a little less ridged, more grounded and be sweeter to myself with out having to actually eat sweets! The sweet qualities come in so many forms and the forms I have been choosing in the past have been holding me back from my true transforming super powers.

Today I had:

AM:

32 oz: water, probiotic, lemon, cayenne pepper, zeolite
2 oz: Aloe vera juice mixed with 8 oz water ( to sooth the belly)
4 Internal movement formula capsules

Lunch:
24 oz carrot, daikon radish, celery, summer squash
24oz cucumber, parsley, celery
32 oz Italian Stallion
24oz Green Lemonade with just one tiny apple (just ONE!)

4pm:

Cucumber, tomato, smoked apple dulse, avocado salad with Nama Shoyu (raw soy-sauce), and raw apple cider vinegar over Mache greens, yum!

8:30pm:

Steamed root vegetable platter over 1/4 cup quinoa with miso/tamari/hempseed oil dressing --deeply satisfying!

10pm:

32 oz: water, probiotic, lemon, cayenne pepper, zeolite
12 oz: Slippery Elm tea (good for soothing a clawed tummy)

NO SWEETS! Wow, this may be a first, EVER!

Other life practices I did today included:

Body/tongue brushing and scraping
Contrast Shower
Rebounding, 30 mins
Light yoga stretches at home
Meditation/Pranayama
Light Walking, 1 hr
Shoulder and neck massage from Michael (now we're talking!;)

So they moral of the story (or epic) is ask for what you need, listen to your intuition and don't place all your eggs in one basket and give it too much power. All the power you need you already have and it is within oneself.

Be flexible and open to change as it occurs because it will and look at your mistakes as blessings and opportunities for growth.

And most importantly try to see and feel the joy in this often fractured life. Within the uniqueness of each of us lies our true beauty. If we were all the same, how boring this world would be. Diversity is a wonderful thing!

Be well and more transformational stories soon.

xxkyle