Tag Archives: healthy living

Mineral Must-Have: Magnesium

healthy living

So there’s always this talk about superfoods, meat eating vs non meat eating, and all sorts of other philosophical debate over what and how the best way is to eat. Very seldom do we actually break it down to the basics of what specific nutrients there are and how much we actually need. Not only that, even if we do know the names of the many vitamins and minerals essential to maintaining our health…what do they actually do? Well, insufficient amounts of just one mineral, magnesium, can result in anxiety, asthma, anorexia, birth defects, hardened arteries, mental disorders, hyperactivity, hypertension, hypothermia, insomnia, menstrual pain, muscle weakness, tremors, seizures, AND it’s been linked in studies to be associated with increased risk of cancer development. I think its important for you and me and everyone we know to know more about magnesium, where it’s found, and how much we need.

Magnesium is involved in activating hundreds of biochemical actions in the body. Some of these very important functions include food metabolism, adjusting cholesterol levels in the body, reactions that make ATP (energy the body uses), and many more. It is the fourth most abundant mineral in the body. Magnesium is also intrinsically involved in nerve and muscle function. When it is ingested, magnesium is absorbed in the small intestine. Magnesium is attributed with boosting the immune system, keeping heart rhythm steady which makes it in important mineral in maintaining cardiovascular health. The thing about magnesium, is that it is depleted through the kidneys. Meaning, when you urinate, you lose magnesium. This makes it extra important to consume magnesium rich foods frequently. The use of diuretics can speed the depletion of magnesium as well.

From my own personal experience, after discovering just how critical and life changing this mineral is, decided to purchase a magnesium supplement which also had calcium and potassium in it. At the time I was suffering from extreme mood swings, excessive food binges, and just an overall feeling of fatigue. As soon as I starting taking the supplement, I kid you not, the next day my appetite was under control. I then realized that my body urging me to consume consume consume was actually it nutritionally calling out for more of some combination of calcium, potassium, and magnesium. It blew my mind. Remember that it is important to not get so focused on one nutrient whether it be magnesium or protein. Instead we should be focusing on getting a wide range of foods in our diet to ensure we have optimal health. Learning about vitamins and minerals is just one additional tool that can allow us to see earning signs where we may be imbalanced.  -XoXo Nicola, Signing in for Raw Girl

Food Sources of Magnesium

Mustard greens, blackstrap molasses, turnip greens, sea vegetables, green beans and collard greens, spelt, cucumber, bell peppers, celery, kale, cantaloupe, cacao,  brazil nuts, almonds, cashews and a variety of seeds, including sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, and flaxseeds.

 

The Amazing Benefits of Sprouting

benefits of sprouting

So for one of the radio show episodes I got the opportunity to interview Annette Larkins, one of my anti-aging SHE-ROES previously featured on this blog. If you haven’t check out the post on Annette please do, she is a clear, living example of the power of raw foods. While gleaning every nugget of information and longevity secrets from her that I could, I asked her about superfoods. She’s not a fan of superfoods, (You guys know I totally am!), and she said that if I began eating more sprouts, I may feel I need less of those superfood supplements. Well, I’m always one to take the advice that works for me and run with it. I’m keeping my superfoods, but the past week I also started sprouting again in these sprout trays and yielded a couple baggies full of sprouts that I’ve been adding into salads. After doing some research on the benefits of sprouting, I see why Annette considers sprouts a superfood.

Sprouting is literally the process of taking a dormant seed to a live plant. During this germination process, any nutrients in the seed that hinder nutritional advantages of the food are removed. An example of this is something called phytic acid, which binds calcium, magnesium, iron, copper, and zinc and makes it harder for the body to absorb and irritates your digestive system! Sprouting gets rid of this and other nutrient blockers. It also boosts the digestibility of food. If nuts or legumes cause you gas, soaking or sprouting will alleviate that and make them both able to be consumed gas-free. This is due to the fact that when you sprout beans you break down the complex sugars that would cause the gas in the first place. Beyond being easier for the body to assimilate sprouts are superfoods because during the sprouting process their nutritional value skyrockets. More so than even full-grown plants, sprouts have the greatest concentration of vitamins, minerals, proteins, enzymes, and chemo-protectants with fight toxins, stop cells from mutating, and boost immunity.

In addition to all of these jazzy reasons why sprouts are the bomb dot-com, in the 1920’s American Professor Edmond Szekely classified sprouted seeds and baby greens as the most beneficial foods, like on the planet, and recommended that 25% of daily food intake consisted of them. He called them: “life generating ‘bio-genic’ foods that offer the strongest support for cell regeneration.” Indeed sprouts can be a good source of omega-3’s, when grown to later stages when leaves are visible they have been proven to be effective in treating protein deficiency anemia,  and their supply vitamin B complex and vitamin C can be increased by the process of sprouting from 100% to 2000%. Apparently the Chinese used to carry around mung beans, because of just this, and sprout them on long journey’s because the high vitamin C content in a highly absorbable form was enough to prevent scurvy. Sprouting also increases the amounts of carotene, and even just a good handful of sprouts has enough protein to ensure veggie lovers get their required protein intake without the fat, cholesterol, and calories that come with meat protein. Other nutrients available in sprouts include vitamins A,D, E, and K, iron, magnesium, niacin, phosphorus, potassium, ad zinc. If you have never tried sprouting, it is much easier than you think and you can incorporate sprouts into salads, meals, and green smoothies.  You can use a mason jar, with a fancy sprouting lid if you have one, or (ghetto-fab version) use an onion bag or some sort of cheesecloth type of bag and cover top of jar by rubber banding in place. I have sprouting trays, which have various levels and allow the sprouts to be in the dark and holes to drain out water after rinsing. Among all of the options online, I couldn’t decide on a decent sprouting video, so google how to sprout, find one that you like, and get your sprout on! -XoXo Raw Girl

Milk Thistle to Heal Damaging Effects of Alcohol Consumption

alcohol

Dearest Readers: Indeed we live in a toxic world, and most of these toxins are completely legal, widely available, and even celebrated as commonplace or even necessary for social interaction. I met a really cool interesting guy on my way back to DC from NYC last week, and we had a great conversation about health. Whenever I explain why I do not drink alcohol, people tend to look at me cross-eyed, but he seemed to get the logic. If you are committed to truly living a long healthy life and respecting your body temple, it is imperative that you take a look at EVERYTHING you are consuming, not just food. Cigarettes, alcohol, etc, may be legal and widely available, but they do just as much damage as consistently eating processed foods. People may look at you funny now, but years later, your body will thank you for abstaining from these legal poisons. Remember that the liver is the chief detoxifying agent in your body; a healthy liver also keeps toxins from floating around in your blood which can lead to acne or other conditions. Milk Thistle is beneficial for cancer, diabetes, many skin conditions such as eczema and psoriasis, and for acne specifically for that reason. Here’s to discipline, a healthy liver, and vegan swag by any means necessary. -XoXo Raw Girl

Drug addiction in all it’s forms is a chronic illness that we seldom talk about yet is so relevant to the toxic world we live in. Some of the most dangerous drugs are not the illegal street drugs that we hear about on the news, but the many poisons in the legal drugs that are widely available, and foods that you see stacked on shelves in your local “convenience store.” Alcohol addiction is the 4th leading cause of death for males aged 25-44. The degenerating effects that alcohol has on the liver makes this substance a truly damaging vice especially when it becomes a chronic issue. Some studies say that drinking alcohol in moderation may actually have positive benefits on the respiratory system, but this refers more specifically to red wines, and in moderation not excess. Many of the hard liquors and beers that many people consume many times as a go-to in order to wind down and relax can cause serious long term issues like cirrhosis of the liver, liver failure, and eventually premature death. There is however, a powerful herb that mother earth has to offer which is a superhero for reversing and rehabilitating serious damage to the liver, milk thistle.

Milk thistle contains two powerful substances silymarin and silybin, which effect the way in which alcohol is metabolized in the body. For chronic drinkers this is good news because milk thistle is actually more effective in these cases, because milk thistle acts on the enzyme system by neutralizing toxic byproducts. Milk thistle has a hepatoprotective (liver protecting) effect, and numerous studies have reported significant improvements in the liver health of patients which used milk thistle consistently. Not only is milk thistle wonderful for the liver, but it also protects the gall bladder by increasing bile solubility. Milk thistle contains bioflavonoids which not only protect the liver against alcohol but carbon tetrachloride, acetaminophen, and other toxins. Our livers are an extremely important organ which metabolize fat and purifies our blood. If you know someone who has at one point or currently suffers from excessive alcohol consumption, please, please, do them a favor and alert them to this powerful and amazing substance. It’s best to take milk thistle as a dry extract because it is more likely to contain more silymarin than seed powder. You can purchase Look into milk thistle to protect your liver, and remember that mother nature has your back, it’s just up to you to make the lifestyle changes to support your own process! -XoXo Nicola, signing in for Raw Girl

Here’s a brief outline of more of milk thistles amazing abilities:

  • Increases protein synthesis and decreases tumor growth
  • Stabilizes immunologic response
  • Protects regular cellular regulation processes
  • Increases stability of cellular membranes
  • Provide heart benefits by lowering cholesterol levels
  • Help diabetes in people who have type 2 diabetes and cirrhosis
  • Reduce growth of cancer cells in breast, cervical, and prostate cancers
  • Lowers fasting glucose levels
  • Lowers cholesterol levels
  • Supports weight loss
  • Supports anti-aging and protects against free radicals

Vegan Dish: Stuffed Zucchini w/ Brown Rice & Veggies

healthy living

So, I decided to make a vegan dish tonight while eating with the fam. Haven’t had brown rice in a few months, but I’ll live. Too much of it, makes me feel not so great, but little amounts I can handle. I tend to fluctuate between periods of all raw, and then I have cooked things like brown rice, quinoa, and steamed plantains that I love to incorporate every once in a while. I also really wanted to make something yummy to possibly encourage my father to get back on the veg bandwagon. My mothers stayed on as far as I know, but I hear he’s fallen way off since their 40 Day vegan fast. Anyhow, I was toying with doing stuffed bell peppers or zucchini, and stuck with the latter because I have so much from the garden right now. Below is the recipe. Remember that you can modify this any way you like to suit your taste buds. You can make a veggie version w/ no brown rice, or a version with quinoa, which is probably equally as delicious. You can even make a vegan version that includes daiya cheese (vegan cheese) as a topping. When I cook food, I choose to not cook things very long, because I don’t believe in zapping every last ounce of life force from my food, but you can modify the cooking times to suit your preference.

Ingredients:

Cooked brown rice

1-2 Zuchinni

red or green bell pepper

red onion

tomatoes

garlic (diced)

broccoli

Seasonings: Braggs, black pepper, curry powder, pinch of sea salt

Heat oven at 350 degrees. Cut your zucchini in half and scoop/cut out insides without breaking the skin. You can use a spoon and/or knife. Place on a baking pan or foil that has been drizzled with olive oil. Dice up veggies: broccoli, garlic, bell pepper, red onion, and insides of zucchini. Rinse thoroughly, and add all veggies to a wok or frying pan.  Add pinch of sea salt, two dashes of yellow curry, black pepper to taste, and generous amount of Braggs. Cover and let veggies cook/steam for a few minutes then add in brown rice. Heat until rice mixture is warm.  Use a spoon to scoop rice mixture into zucchini halves. Place zucchini in oven and let back for 15-25 minutes, depending on your preference. Serve & enjoy!!! 🙂

Enzymes: Why Raw Foodists Think They Are Better Than You

enzymes
You’re a skeptic. All these bubbly “raw food people” are running around with energy and glowing skin get on your last meat-eating nerve and you just don’t get it. You find yourself wondering more often than not, exactly what’s the big deal with broccoli, carrots, whatever? To you it may look like too much work or just inconvenient to join the cult of those who proclaim that they’ve found the fountain of youth in some sprouts and wheat grass. Yet, something inside you yearns to understand what really makes these high-brow organic-loving hemp-wearing raw foodies believe that their diet is really higher in quality in comparison to cooked, processed foods. Fact is, when you eat raw foods you are consuming all of the light energy, vitamins, minerals and enzymes in their highest form.

You may have heard about the whole “enzyme” thing before,  but you may not know exactly what enzymes are and how can they make you feel and look better? Enzymes are complex proteins that act as catalysts in almost every biochemical process taking place in the body. So, in our bodies they make things happen all around from breathing to talking. To get a little deeper, enzymes are either digestive, metabolic, or food enzymes. Food enzymes, which are what are important to support our argument, are enzymes we get from consuming raw foods that initiate the digestion of food in the mouth and upper stomach. So when you eat a delicious red apple, there are enzymes within that apple that are already intact and ready to help the apple digest itself in your body (predigestion). The digestive enzymes in our body have three main jobs: digesting protein ( protease enzymes), carbohydrates (amylase enzymes), or fats (lipase enzymes).

When food is cooked above 118 Degrees F, the enzymes are destroyed and the body is left to provide all of the enzymes to digest that meal; which depletes your enzyme supply and uses a great deal of energy that could have been conserved. Digestive enzymes are manufactured by the pancreas to break down cooked foods and over time put strain on the body. Think about it this way, if your pancreas has to continuously create enzymes that should have been in your food to break it down, over time this could result in inhibited function of the pancreas! According to Dr. Edward Howell, a pioneer in enzyme research, the result is a shorter life span, illness, and lowered resistance to stress of all kinds. In addition he added that in humans and animals who eat primarily cooked food diets, the pancreas organs are enlarged and other glands and organs including the brain shrink! All of this in tandem with  consumption of the full light energy and nutrition of foods contributes to the reasons why raw foodies  are able to maintain high energy, stay disease-free, and sustain a very youthful appearance for many years.

If you are ever feeling indigestion or bloating, enzymes may be the answer. Important to note, foods that are undigested sit in the intestines, rot, and create a toxic environment in your colon. Add more food on top of that, and you’ve got a recipe for some serious gas. Besides getting enzymes from raw foods there are enzyme supplements you can buy at your local health food store which you can use to optimize your digestion and alleviate unpleasant symptoms. Make sure to get recommendations on enzyme supplements that deliver results. You can also boost your enzyme intake by eating fermented foods where they are found in abundance. Don’t forget, it’s important to also chew your food thoroughly so that your body can better utilize the enzymes in your food and optimize digestion and assimilation.

Now that you know a little more about enzymes, perhaps you can understand why those grass-eating hippie-loving raw vegans think they are better than you flesh lovers. They are playing for team Veggie and we got a whole lot of enzymes and life force going on! *(Neck roll, finger snap!)* It’s up to you whether or not you choose to sit on the sidelines sick and sulking or get in the game of optimal health. –XoXo Raw Girl

Carrot Juice For Glowing Skin & Juice! Spicy Carrot

acne

Just in case you missed the memo, carrot juice is good for you. In the raw vegan world we spend a lot of time talking about green juices and keeping our bodies alkaline, but it’s good to have balance, and not neglect the benefits of juices like carrot and beet, although they are sweeter. This post was sparked by the fact that right now I have something like a 10 lb bag of organic carrots in my refrigerator that I am determined not to waste. Needless to say I’ll be getting my carrot juice fix in for the next week! After doing some more research to remind myself exactly why carrot juice is so good for me, I was not disappointed. Carrot juice is definitely packed with a lovely amount of vitamins and minerals. Beyond that, as I consider myself a life long acne-zapping samurai, I was pleased to learn that carrot juice can help one get that vegan glow and stay acne-free. Rather than give you a long rundown, I’ve picked my top five reasons why carrot juice rocks my world and will boost the beauty of your skin. If you have diabetes, you should stay away from carrots because of their high natural sugar content. Everyone else, if you’ve been ignoring carrot juice, I urge you to get some and get juicing. Remember healthy skin is the result of everything you eat, so make sure to get a wide variety of fruits and veg and not just rely on one magic smoothie, formula, or vegetable. Recipe for my spicy carrot juice below. -XoXo Raw Girl

  1. Vitamin A. Carrot juice has an insane amount of vitamin A which is in the form of beta carotene. If you wanted to O.D. on Vitamin A, this would be the vegetable of choice to get your fix. Vitamin A helps the body to maintain tissue growth, healthy vision, and healthy bones and teeth. All this said,  too much Vitamin A is also not a good thing and can cause problems for you liver and other health issues.
  2. Vitamin C.  Carrots contain a nice amount of this lovely vitamin in highly absorbable form which helps to boost your immunity. Even more importantly for those of us who are vain—(raising my hand)—vitamin C helps the body to produce collagen which is essential for skin elasticity, preventing wrinkles, and slowing signs of aging. Doesn’t drinking carrot juice sound so much better than a collagen injection? Sounds great to me!
  3. Potassium. The potassium in carrots will play a role in the growth of new skin cells, and helping the body maintain the proper electrolyte balance. Getting a regular dose of potassium will reduce acne/blemishes, prevent and cure scars or dark spots on the skin. FYI, If your body is in need of potassium and become deficient this can result in dry skin, acne, or muscle spasms.
  4. Carotenoids. I know it sounds like the name of some sort of carrot wielding alien, but it’s not. I promise. These friendly but powerful antioxidants available in carrot juice/carrots protect your body from free radical damage and boost your immune system. They can also increase your skins immunity to the sun by preventing sun-induced collagen breakdown. Essentially they help to protect the skin against sun damage and sunburn, like an internal sunblock. Beta carotene is one of these carotenoids that prevents cells from degenerating, helps to slow aging, and maintain a youthful appearance.
  5. Cleans Your Liver. When your liver is overworked or overloaded it has to find a way to get rid of toxins. One of the ways it does is through your skin, causing acne. Carrot juice is a great liver cleanser that will help keep things in balance and your skin blemish-free.

Juice! : Spicy Carrot

8-10 carrots, 1 apple, 1 cucumber, 1 big piece of ginger root, (add 1/2 lemon optional)

Juice all ingredients. Strain, serve, enjoy! 🙂

Juice!:Cucumber Lime Cocktail

cucumber

Had fun last weekend using ingredients left in the kitchen and mint from the garden to create this very refreshing summer juice. -XoXo Raw Girl

Ingredients: 2 limes, 2 large cucumbers, 1 carrot, 3 baby apples or 1 1/2 -2 regular sized apples, a couple mint leaves.

Juice everything but the mint. Strain juice into blender and blend juice with mint leaves. Serve & Enjoy!

Got Chlorophyll? The Benefits of Eating Your Greens

chlorophyll

Photo By Briana Monet

A couple weeks ago I stumbled upon a few of those “got milk?” ads and a light bulb went off in my head. I wanted to create an ad that promoted greens and their true healing power. So much of the information that is fed to us by the media has more to do with weight loss fads and corporations meeting their bottom line. Since I was a little girl I’ve been lactose intolerant, so I never felt that milk did my body good. In fact it was quite the opposite. I felt bloated, cramped, lethargic, or even nauseous after drinking milk. Later when I became a vegan and cut out absolutely all dairy, it was like a fog had lifted. My allergies decreased and I felt lighter, clearer, and healthier.

I’m all for each person finding the right diet for them, but we must start championing the power of fresh fruits and vegetables by any means necessary. These are essentials that should be a large part of any diet. Our country is at a crossroads and it’s up to us to take control of our personal health and demand that good wholesome foods be readily available and affordable to anyone willing to consume them. Below are benefits of getting your daily dose of chlorophyll. Just in case you don’t know what chlorophyll is, it’s the molecule that gives green plants their pigment. During the process of photosynthesis chlorophyll absorbs the sunlight. Without this essential ingredient green leafy vegetables would loose their life force and power and wouldn’t be able to convert sunlight into the energy they need to grow.

If you are sold on the benefits, be sure to eat or drink your green leafy vegetables every day if possible. To get a mega-dose of chlorophyll start adding a liquid chlorophyll supplement, chlorella, or spirulina to your diet. Chlorella and spirulina can be bought in pill or powder form and blended into smoothies. Please share this post and the ad, like it, love it, talk about it. Let’s keep pushing the GREEN movement! More to come…-XoXo Raw Girl

Some benefits of chlorophyll found in green vegetables include:

  • Increases the functioning of the heart
  • Improves the health and wellness of the intestines
  • Cleanses the liver
  • Improves the overall health of the vascular system
  • Maintains healthy bones and strong muscles
  • Protein. Yes! Greens have protein
  • Lowers or maintain healthy blood pressure
  • Helps body to detox and cleanse of impurities naturally
  • Improves the quality of your skin
  • Can increase the quality and quantity of your red blood cells because the compound has a chemical composition very similar to hemoglobin
  • Can lower your risk for developing certain types of cancer

***Warning: eating a larger amount of green vegetables may accelerate healing or cause an increase in joie de vivre, sexiness, youthfulness, and overall magnetism. Heed this advice at your own risk.****

Watermelon Does a Body Good : 3 Day Summer Fast

all-natural

Summer is officially here, and if you’re in the DMV, the recent heat advisories have been no joke. Hopefully you’re taking precautions when necessary by hibernating indoors, and staying hydrated. Another great way to beat the heat is have in your arsenal some beverages and foods that can help cool you down. Watermelon will do just that.

Most of us know that watermelon is mostly water, about 92% to be exact, but may not know that 8% of watermelon is lycopene, an antioxidant that protects the heart, prostate, and boosts overall skin health. Watermelon also provides our bodies with almost 25% of the daily recommended value of Vitamin C, and packs in a great serving of Vitamin A.

Not only can watermelon quench your thirst, consuming it can help to stop the inflammation that contributes to diabetes, colon cancer, arthritis, and asthma. Beyond all that, my most shocking discovery was that watermelon may have viagra like effects? Yep. According to Dr. Brahma Patil director of Texas A&M Fruits and Vegetable Improvement Center, consuming watermelon helps to relax the blood vessels and therefore increase blood flow which is necessary for peak sexual performance. Interesting…I’ll take that as more evidence that fruits and veggies most definitely do a body good.

Of course you can eat watermelon the simplest way and chop it up into pieces, but my favorite new thing to do is juice it. You can also blend it and get the same effect. Thanks to a suggestion from John Jai via our Facebook page I am embarking on a 3 Day Watermelon Fast! Starting Monday June 27  and winding down June 30th. Excited to try it, check back for a followup post to see how it went.

Watermelon fasts are great for cleansing the blood, supporting the kidneys, cleaning colon, healing cysts, canker sores, tissue inflammation, and reducing hypertension. You can get a little creative by juicing watermelon or blending with lemon, lime, ginger, and/or other herbs to make a watermelon smoothie. Fasting on watermelon alone is not recommended for people with hypoglycemia or diabetes. Interested in joining the Watermelon Fast? You have the weekend to get those watermelons together and get on the program! Email rawgirltoxicworld@gmail.com or hit me up on Facebook, lets cleanse together! -XoXo Raw Girl

Raw Girl on the Radio!!!

healthy living

Happy March veggie lovers! I’ve been M.I.A. shooting a film, and today is my first day back in blogging mode. Even more exciting…I’m going to be on the radio! That’s right, yours truly, will be launching very soon, a health radio show called “Healthy Living in a Toxic World.” We are recording the pilot episode this weekend focusing on the topic of longevity, and are in need of questions from you.

Please email any general health questions or questions about longevity to rawgirltoxicworld@gmail.com and your question may be answered on the radio show. If I don’t get to it in the first episode, I will include it in later episodes or in the “Dear Raw Girl” segment on the blog. The show will be airing on multiple radio stations  in the DMV area and also will be available to listen to live online. Check the blog for updates! -XoXo Raw Girl