Tag Archives: Living la Vida Raw

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.****

How to Design Your Own Fast

cleansing

“Fast and your light will break forth like morning…[and your] healing shall spring forth speedily.” – Isaiah 58: 6-11 

One of the coolest things I’ve ever learned about fasting I read in Gabriel Cousen’s book Spiritual Nutrition. He mentions that when you fast, your body turns on a “youthing gene,” and that it has been scientifically proven that our genes revert to an earlier expression of themselves when in fasting mode. In other words you begin to get younger, rather than older! Which is why long-term, adding the habit of regular fasting into your lifestyle literally adds years onto your life. Besides living longer, fasting, especially on fresh vegetable juices can speed your healing process, cleanse your body, boost your energy, revive your skin, and enhance your general joie de vivre.

You may be sold on the idea but have no idea where to start? No fear, it’s not as daunting as it seems. Most people like to have a program to follow and a schedule so they can stick to something and not fall off after one day of fasting. The first day and sometimes even the second can be the hardest. Preparation is definitely key when fasting, as well as motivation. You want to be clear on your motivation and fuel it, so that when the going gets rough you can stick with it to the finish line.

I fast for a number of reasons. Sometimes I feel like my skin is looking dull and I’ve had too much cooked food, so I’ll juice fast for a while to cleanse and get my vegan glow back, and other times it’s more of a spiritual thing. I’m sure that other avid fasters can attest to the fact that fasting can also put you in a heightened state of receptivity, and/or force you to listen and be more aware if you are seeking guidance on a major decision or waiting for something awesome to manifest in your life. There’s a reason so many spiritual leaders and sages have engaged in fasting. In the Bible alone there are several stories that are awesome commercials for fasting, from David to Jesus himself, which illustrate how fasting can unleash supernatural power.

There are plenty of fasts you can follow in books or even online, but I highly recommend creating something yourself that works for your personal goals. If you’ve never embarked on a fast I would recommend no more than three days. Also, be sure to consult with a doctor or holistic practitioner if you have any preexisting medical conditions. Below are five simple steps you can take to create your own fast. Hope this post is helpful, if you have more questions feel free to post or message me via Facebook. -XoXo Raw Girl

  1. Find & fuel your motivation. Whether it be for cleansing/detox, clarity, spiritual insight etc. figure out your reason to begin. If you are doing longer fasts up to 10 days, you should be prepared with daily reading, quotes, or whatever works for you to keep you focused on your intention. If it’s a spiritual fast, or even if it is not, you may want to make time daily for prayer, meditation, or just reflection.
  2. Set the parameters.  Decide whether or not this is a 3 day fast or longer. Choose your method: are you fasting on green juices, veggie juices, water, raw foods? Fasting just means that you are committing to abstain from something. You could do a vegan fast or a raw fast. You could even be a meat eater who decides to abstain from meat for awhile. But for cleansing purposes if you want results, juice fasting with mostly if not all green vegetables is definitely the way to go.  If you are incorporating other sweet veggies like carrots and beets make sure you balance it by getting in some green juices daily as well. If you have a specific ailment you are nursing, you can actually look up recipes online or in holistic health books that will cater to that dis-ease. I don’t recommend you do a water fast unless it’s supervised. Make sure whatever method you use that you also consume large amounts of water during your fasting period. There is no set rule to how many juices you consume a day. Make sure you have enough on hand to get your fill. Some days you may need more juice than others. Go with the flow.
  3. Relax your schedule & plan ahead. Make sure you’ve got enough groceries and recipes for juices or whatever method of fast you choose. Even with die-hard commitment when the veggie hits the fan if you are juice fasting and can’t get your fix you may leave yourself vulnerable to eating other foods that happen to be around and breaking your fast the wrong way. Your fridge should be stocked with more than enough veggie ammo to survive your cravings. During this time respect your cleansing process and try to relax your schedule as much as possible. It’s possible to exercise while fasting, but for beginners and even veteran fasters, you may opt for much gentler workouts during your cleansing period. My favorite exercise while fasting (not exactly gentle) is hot yoga, because I get to sweat more toxins out.
  4. Commit to some sort of colon cleansing for the duration of the fast. This is a HUGE must. I recommend you also read my past post Tips For a Stress Free Fast which elaborates on this point even more. Fasting accelerates the bodies process of eliminating toxins, and if you do not support this process you could end up feeling sick during your fast. To avoid this you are going to need to incorporate enemas or colonics in your process. You will feel incredible if you do this. Some people say daily enemas, I say feel out your body and do what works for you, but do not skip this step.
  5. Have a plan for breaking the fast. Alright you made it to Day 3, and you are salivating because you want to bite something! Slow down. Make sure that you spend at least half of the time you fasted coming down off the fast. So for a three day, at least a day and a half coming down off the fast. Introduce solids very slowly. Veggie broths, fruit juices, and raw fruit can be great and not jarring. Eating things like nuts would throw your system into shock and may cause constipation so start with lighter foods.
** Disclaimer: I am not a doctor. Listen to your body, consult w/ yr doc if need be, and take my advice at your own risk. Side effects may include general joie de vire, a spiritual awakening, or an increase in magnetism & overall sexiness.***
Check out this past post Tips for a Stress-Free Fast: http://rawgirltoxicworld.com/2009/11/18/tips-for-a-stress-free-fast/

Raw Girl’s 10 Favorite Snacks On-The-Go

bananas

Thank you to the lovely reader who messaged me via the Facebook page and asked about snacks. When you’re working hard for your money at a nine to five, I know it’s hard sometimes to keep your stomach from grumbling in between breakfast and your lunch break. If you are not well equipped when you leave your home you will definitely be vulnerable to temptations, or just plain hungry and cranky. No one likes a cranky vegan.

I’ve experienced that low blood sugar cranky vegan meltdown, which is why I try as much as possible to plan ahead. The world is getting more conscious and veg friendly but we still have a long way to go. If you’re a vegan and you get caught in the wrong city or rest stop, all you may have is a McDonald’s to run into and God knows any self-respecting veggie lover wouldn’t be caught dead eating a fast food salad. We have needs. We want our greens organic, we want them fresh, and sometimes we want them local. Catch a veggie diva in the wrong town or at work with no snacks, and you could be walking on eggshells.

How do you avoid the meltdown? You prepare. Find some snacks to bring along with you that you love and find satiating. Although nothing can replace a good solid meal, a snack can usually save you from reaching the brink of veggie desperation.  I’m not really a huge snacker except for when I’m on film sets. On a normal day I usually eat only twice a day and maybe have some fruit or handful of nuts in between. If I workout hard I may get the munchies and eat more or add in additional liquid meals. When you start the day with superfood smoothies, veggie juice, or drinks that give you a lot of nutrients, you will definitely feel less hungry later on.

Below are ten “snacks” I like.  Just because I love them doesn’t mean you should eat them! Find snacks that work for you, and prepare in advance when you know you’re going to need that extra energy boost. If you work at an office, leave snacks in bulk, so that you are pleasantly surprised when you need them. Remember you may not be hungry when you think you are. Learn to read your bodies’ signs. Sometimes dehydration is mistaken for hunger. And don’t underestimate, good old, plain fruit. We’ve been programmed to feel like it’s not a snack unless it’s in a package. In this world of lovely  vegan bars and treats, grabbing a piece of fruit may seem old school, but  sometimes it’s the best way to go. – XoXo Raw Girl

  1. Bananas – This is my number one snack on the go. Why? First off they are quick and easy to eat. And if you didn’t already know, bananas are packed with nutrients like potassium, vitamin A, vitamin C, magnesium,  phosphorous, iron, and more. All these lovely ingredients make for a snack that will give you a sufficient energy boost if you have a lag in your day, if you’re on-the-move, or even as a pre-workout meal.
  2. Nori –  I have nori or dulse (another sea vegetable) at least once a day. It’s now a staple in many of my salads. This sea vegetable which can also be eaten alone provides the body with Vitamin A, folate, iron, calcium, and protein.  If you are vitamin or mineral deficient eating more sea vegetables will greatly assist in helping your body get the nutrition it needs to thrive.
  3. Coconut Flakes – My mother got me hooked on this! We found these packages of dried coconut flakes, not  the tiny shredded coconut but larger flakes. They aren’t sweetened or anything but for whatever reason chewing on them can be a bit addictive. They quickly became a staple of mine that I carry around in case I need a snack, if of course they can last long enough in my purse before I eat them all!
  4. Seedless Grapes – I personally think grapes are a severely underrated snack. I love them because you can take them on the go and they are mess-free especially when you compare them to fruits you have to peel.  The other great thing about grapes is that they contain a large number of health boosting phytonutrients. One among these is Resveratrol, which studies have shown to increase expression of genes related to longevity.
  5. Goji Berries, Nuts, Seeds – It’s very rare to hear about a raw foodie who has never taken a raw trail mix on the go with an assortment of nuts and seeds. It’s a great, mess-free snack that can be somewhat filling, but I also always remind myself not to overdose on the nuts. Grab a few of your favorite nuts and seeds, soak them and dehydrate them or you can buy the packs that are already live in the grocery store.  
  6. Raw Bars – There are so many “raw” bars  to choose from nowadays. I won’t name any names because I really don’t like plugging brands too much. Some have nuts and seeds that are not soaked, so make sure you know what kind of bar you are eating, especially if your very sensitive to nuts.
  7. Kale Chips – These are so good, and can satisfy a craving for something chip-like. Be economical and make them yourself in a dehydrator and use nutritional yeast to give it a cheesy kick or buy them in the store.
  8. Raw Chocolate – On rare occasions, I treat myself to some raw chocolate, and I’m never disappointed. You can always make yourself feel better after having chocolate because it has all those lovely antioxidants. Obviously bingeing on chocolate will have you bouncing around, but in moderation every now and then a good cacao high will get you through the day.
  9. Kombucha – I call this a snack because I drink Kombucha very often. It almost feels like a meal to me, because I feel full and energized after I drink it. My favorite kind has spirulina in it, so it’s a great pick me up if I happen to be drowsy.
  10. Raw Macaroons – I heart Macaroons, and they are so incredibly easy to make in a dehydrator.  Besides the fact that they can be a nice light dessert, they are also great on-the-go. You can try vanilla, cacao etc. and there are brands you can purchase in health food stores, but you’ll save a decent amount of cash if you make the time to prepare them yourself.

Vegan #RealTalk: All Vitamin B12 Supplements Are Not Made Equal

B12

Yesterday I went to pick up some supplements from the health food store and got a lesson that all vitamin B12 is not made equal. Standing in front of the B12 section I felt overwhelmed by the many options to choose from.  A kind store clerk saw me trying to weed through the various options (in typical Libra fashion) and offered to save me from my indecision. I had a particular bottle already in my hand to purchase, but after I explained that I was vegan, he picked up another bottle.

The bottle I had in my hand, similar to the majority of brands on the shelf  supplied B12 in cobalamin form. The nice store clerk explained to be that cobalamin usually doesn’t get easily absorbed by the body and what little that does won’t make a big difference. He looked around for another brand and pulled one from the shelf. “You want this one, it’s methylcobalamin. ” I then of course asked what was the difference. Apparently methylcobalamin is the easiest absorbed form of B12 for the body, and it is retained by the body in higher amounts. Upon doing further research I discovered that B12 in the form of cobalamin is not a natural substance occurring in nature. To top that off it contains a cyanide molecule (poisonous substance), which as any dunce would guess, does not do your body good!

B12 is a big MUST for vegans, and whenever I fall off of my supplementation I start to feel a big difference and see changes in my skin. Just in case you forgot, Vitamin B12 is essential for healthy skin, hair, and nails, maintains a healthy digestive system, converts carbs to glucose to boost energy and decrease fatigue, and regulates the nervous system which reduces depression, stress, and brain shrinkage. Who does not need all these things? In addition B12 in the methylcobalamin form can help to normalize your circadian rhythm leading to better sleep, or even needing less sleep.

Most people, even meat-eaters don’t get enough B12, but us veggie lovers are at greater risk. I’ve experienced first hand what B12 depletion feels like and it’s not pretty. I’ve also seen self-proclaimed “health experts” or vegan experts who look like they are dying, probably because they are missing out on some crucial supplementation. Make sure to find the best supplement you can and stay current. It’ll do wonders for keeping onlookers basking in your vegan glow. Shine on! -XoXo Raw Girl

It’s Vday! Making a Love Juice

juicing

Happy Valentines Day veggie lovers! Hope that everyone shares the love with the special people in their lives, and THE most special person, YOU. Remember that choosing to eat foods full of life force is definitely a way to show yourself some love on a regular basis, and can also help you stay in that love vibration. I’m juicing today and will most likely make some Love Juice which includes some red fruits and veggies I have in the kitchen right now, recipe below. Feel free to have fun and make your own versions of love juice! I want to hear about them, post them on the Facebook page or comment right here!  It can be a juice or smoothie. A  smoothie with raw cacao sounds pretty groovy right now…Hmm…perhaps dessert?

Enjoy the rest of your day, and don’t forget to take your lovely self out for some exercise. Walk, run, dance, or perhaps do some yoga, and make sure to get in your greens for the day. I promise it’ll fuel your love fire. -XoXo Raw Girl

Love Juice

1/2  medium-sized beet , 1/2 lemon, 1 red pepper,  2 red apples, 7-8 carrots, ginger

Run all ingredients through a juicer. Strain and serve 🙂

****REMINDER***** that tomorrow, Wed @ 7pm, the next episode of Healthy Living in a Toxic World will air on www.newdradio.com. This episode will be about PARASITES, and I am interviewing an integrative nutrition counselor who has done international research on finding natural cures to kill parasites. You don’t want to miss it.

Blueberry Banana Coconut Smoothie & Yogurt

bananas

Yesterday morning after my super intense weight training class, I came home to make my post-workout smoothie and posted about it on Facebook. Shout out to Brooke on the Raw Girl Facebook page, who wanted the recipe.  So funny thing is, I started out making a smoothie…and I ended up making yogurt which was equally as delish, just a lot thicker. I’m sure you’re wondering how this happened?  Well, I put in the ingredients listed below as usual, but what was different was the coconut. If you pick up a young Thai coconut that is smaller than the others, usually that coconut is more developed. The coconut meat inside is thicker and harder to remove, but it’s totally possible to get out if you put a little extra muscle into it. My coconut yesterday morning had some thick coconut meat going on, so when I blended everything together I got…blueberry banana coconut yogurt. Another way to make this happen, on purpose, is to add an avocado! This works for any fruit smoothie concoction and automatically will give you a creamy yogurt-y consistency if that’s what you’re in the mood for. All that said, recipe below for smoothie. If you want yogurt add an avocado, or get a small young Thai coconut with thick coconut meat inside! Want to up the ante, do like I do and add in some superfood powders.  -XoXo Raw Girl

Ingredients:

1 Young Thai Coconut

2 ripe bananas (1 works as well) 

1/2 cup to 1 cup of blueberries

Put bananas and blueberries in blender. Hack open Thai coconut while keeping your fingers and extremities in tact! (There are a lot of great videos on how to do that. If your interested and have never done so, go to You Tube and search “How to Open a Young Thai Coconut” and tons of videos will pop up to give you an idea.)  Pour coconut water into blender. Scrape the inside of the coconut and add the coconut meat into the blender. Blend, pour, enjoy!

****REMINDER******* My health radio show Healthy Living in a Toxic World airs tonight online at 7pm via www.newdradio.com. Anyone can tune in and listen. Tonight’s episode is on How to Quit Smoking Naturally, and I will be interviewing Holistic Health Counselor and Naturopath, Dr. Yew.

Raw Girl on the Radio!

healthy living in a toxic world

Hey Gang:

Tomorrow, (Friday morning), I will be interviewed on the Newd Radio show “Its the Naked Truth” live @ 10 am! Anyone can tune in via the internet to listen at www.newdradio.com. and beginning next week on January 25th, the pilot episodes of my health radio show “Healthy Living in a Toxic World,” will begin airing on Wednesdays at 5pm. Same place: www.newdradio.com

You don’t want to miss this first episode! I interviewed Bernando LaPallo the 109 year old raw foodist who I previously wrote about on the blog, and got tips from him on living a long healthy life. Feel free to email health questions for future shows to rawgirltoxicworld@gmail.com. -XoXo Raw Girl

The Healing Magic of Epsom Salt Baths

bath

Tomorrow is Day 7 of my Kemetic Detox, and I feel insanely groovy. Brief recap….all was going ok until Day 3. Every morning thus far except for Day 3 I have kept up with my meditation and started the day with fresh coconut water. I slacked on yoga, decided to do hot yoga but not necessarily yoga every day, along with my normal workout regimen of weights and running depending on my energy level. On Day 3, all went haywire. I had a cleansing reaction. In the morning I woke up sweating and with almost fever like symptoms. I don’t panic when this happens because I’ve experienced this before and know exactly what to do. I drank coconut water and pure water all day and by the evening I was feeling great. Strangely enough on Day 4 and 5 I hardly ate anything. I had no desire to eat AND never felt hungry–it was uncanny— but I forced myself to get in a juice or coconut water at least during the day. Today was Day 6.

Part of what happened today in particular that helped me get my groove back was soaking for a half hour in a bath. Someone recently posted a question about a salt bath, so here you go! Baths are magical. You can use them for cleansing physically, clearing your aura (the energy field around you), releasing unwanted energies, or just self-rebirth and setting intentions. When I lived full-time in New York I was a bath taking fiend in order to protect myself from all the chaotic energy in the city. In today’s bath I used the essential oil peppermint, and epsom salts mixed with other dead sea salts. Seriously it was divine, and afterwards I felt like a new woman.

Epsom salt is also known as magnesium sulfate. Why is this cool? Because the majority of humans are deficient in magnesium.  Magnesium deficiency can lead to stroke, heart disease, osteoporosis, arthritis, and joint pain.  Taking Epsom salt baths relieves joint pain (helped me today cause I was sore from a long run), inflammation, and sports injuries. Epsom salts can also help to relieve cold and  flu-like symptoms, and migraines. They literally pull out impurities from the skin, naturally exfoliate–leading to softer skin,  and improve your circulation. After an epsom salt bath I literally have to lay down for 15 -20 minutes afterwards, because my heart is pounding; after some time it subsides. If you have a heart condition you should consult a doctor prior to taking an epsom salt bath. They also provide guaranteed relaxation as the magnesium is absorbed through the skin and then binds with serotonin the brain, putting you in a relaxed, tension-free state. Added bonus, they are cheap compared to fancier bath salts and you can find them at almost any drugstore.

In my baths I always include epsom salt for all of these reasons, and then throw in some other bath salts. Among my favorites are: lavender, eucalyptus, and moldavite (these gangster salts are infused with the energy of moldavite the crystal—divinely intense). Then you can put in a few drops of an essential oil of choice, and when you get bath crazy like I am you do groovy things like toss in flower petals or herbs. Whatever you do make it your own process. Light a candle, do your affirmations, play some music, but first and foremost, take a chill pill. Nowadays with our crazy schedules, technology, and overall hustle and bustle, you may find it lovely to incorporate this ancient ritual into your life to give you a little R&R with some healing to boot. -XoXo Raw Girl

Raw Girl’s 40 Day Kemetic Detox

detox

“The body becomes what the foods are, as the spirit becomes what the thoughts are.” ~Ancient Egyptian Proverb

It’s that time of year again! 2012 is swiftly approaching and the season of new resolutions, intentions, and gift-giving is upon us. Why not bring in this new season by giving yourself the gift of a cleanse? About three years ago I started the ritual of fasting in the New Year. One year it was a 10 Day all vegetable juice fast, another it was 3 Day. This year, I am upping the ante and committing to 40 Days of “fasting” or what I will call my Kemetic Detox. Just in case you don’t know what “kemetic” means, Ancient Egypt was also called “Kemet”, “Land of Blackness”, or “Land of the Burnt People” (referring to the dark skin tone of the Ancient Egyptians). The term “kemetic” can be used to describe anything related to that ancient culture/lifestyle. Why 40 Days? First off, because it is exactly the amount of time leading up to my one woman show, Hatshepsut, about the first female pharaoh, and secondly because many people in the Bible fasted for 40 Days. This fast or detox is designed to rigorously impact me mentally, spiritually, and physically.

The ancient Egyptians had a diet that was incredibly pure and complimented that diet with regular yoga, meditation, working with crystals and essential oils to maintain high vibrations. So I am incorporating all of these principles into my detox. Diet-wise I will be juicing some, and eating raw: salads, smoothies etc. For spirit I am going to get my regular meditation on and do hot yoga—which will also help with detoxing the body. To assist the cleansing process will be take weekly enemas and salt baths. Some of you may be reading this and thinking to yourself that it all sounds groovy but you don’t feel you have the time or energy to invest in some sort of cleanse. In my next post, I’ll go in depth about why you should even bother considering a cleanse.

Check out my regimen and today’s shopping list below and feel free to join me for part or all of my detox! Remember that we are all unique human beings and have differing levels of imbalance on the body, mind, and soul level. So, if you chose to do a cleanse, do you and make it your own! -XoXo Raw Girl

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YC-7nUXw3r4]

Kemetic Detox Guidlines 

  1. 30 minutes to 1 hour minimum of meditation daily
  2. 2-3 salt water baths per week
  3. Daily yoga, hot yoga 2x per week
  4. High alkaline/raw vegan diet (Organic fruits, vegetables, soaked nuts, sprouted grains)
  5. Enema/colonic as needed at least 1 per week
  6. Bentonite Clay mask once a week, daily use of coconut oil, almond oil, and essential oils on skin
  7. Follow the 42 Precepts of Maat (almost like the 10 commandments)

My Shopping List (what I bought today to get started)

  1. 2 bunches of Lacinato Kale, 1 bunch regular kale
  2. Box of organic baby arugula
  3. 4 young Thai coconuts
  4. 4 apples
  5. bag of organic lemons
  6. 3 stalks of ginger
  7. bag of organic avocados
  8. Kombucha
  9. 6 gallons purified water
  10. organic nori sheets
  11. Bag of Organic Carrots
  12. Celery (2)
  13. dandelion root
  14. 2 cucumbers
  15. Things I have at home that I will use: red and yellow bell peppers, Braggs Amino Acids, Nutritional Yeast, Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Dulse Flakes, Sea Salt, Raw Almonds, Raw Pecans, Beets, Garlic

7 Natural Remedies for Vegan B$#@* Syndrome

don quai

Women I meet ask me all the time my secret to surviving the looming time of the month called PMS, or as I like to say, vegan b&%$# syndrome. Yesterday when yet again another friend was struggling, it gave me enough fuel to put pen to paper. PMS used to be the bane of my existence. Cramping, bloating, and then of course the lovely mood swings that turn any peace loving vegan into a raging  b&!%$ and then pass leaving you wondering what is wrong with you. Your boyfriend, your family, your friends, and even your work colleagues around this time wonder why you seem to be creating drama from things that would normally not bother you at all. Trust me, I’ve been there, and unless you want to be that girl who turns into Medusa every month, you might want to take control of your hormones!

The good news is, it is possible to take control of your body. Diet has a HUGE affect on how horrible your symptoms are. When I was 100% raw all the time (I’m not now), I had absolutely no PMS. It was this incredible new world. I was completely astounded that IT could just go away like that. However, when a woman’s body is going through her cycle the body goes into a cleansing mode, so I noticed that when raw and eating no unprocessed foods, my body had no junk to cleanse and my hormones remained even kilter. Beyond diet though, there is much that can be done to keep you from experiencing the horrible symptoms, and avoid vegan b&%$# syndrome altogether. -XoXo Raw Girl

1. Don Quai. For any woman seeking to control her hormones, this root is KEY. Don Quai helps to maintain healthy estrogen levels and promotes emotional balance.  This Chinese herb has been used for thousands of years in China, Japan, and Korea and is mostly used to cure female reproductive issues. Besides giving a vegan B%$@ a run for her money, don quai can treat painful menstruation, infrequent periods, PMS, and menopausal symptoms. When I discovered don quai my life changed, every woman should know about this herb and keep it stocked in her medicine cabinet. I like to take it in pill form and also I found a donquai tea that is the bomb.com, that I take as well. Check it out via this link: http://astore.amazon.com/ragiinatowo-20/detail/B0016BA93A

2. Blackstrap Molasses. If you’ve never heard of blackstrap molasses…it’s basically the byproduct of turning cane sugar into table sugar. When white sugar is made it is stripped of it’s nutrients, and the nutrients are left in this brown syrupy concoction that happens to be full of vitamins including manganese, copper, selenium, iron, calcium, potassium, magnesium,  and B6 which ease menstrual cramping almost instantly. I learned this while staying with my friend who is a homeopath. She brought me a cup of tea with molasses. After one cup f tea with molasses I was strong enough to get up and make myself another cup and within twenty minutes the pain had completely dissipated. I never take any over the counter meds, so this is a quick remedy I love. Blackstrap goes into the bloodstream and works fast. Its an acquired taste, but for the benefits, its worth keeping in your home. Make sure to get the kind that is “organic” and “unsulphered.”

3. Arnica. If you’ve got the vegan b$%#* syndrome with a bad dose of cramping, you may feel like you need pain killers. Rather than running to grab some aspirin or tylenol, try arnica. Arnica is an all natural plant based medicine that comes in pill form and you can find it in various strength levels. If the basic homeopathic does you no justice, try the 3x version which is for muscle trauma.

4. Fem Premenstrual by Metagenics. So I’m not into mentioning products unless I use them and they work. My homeopath put me onto this blend which contains vitamins, and an herbal extract blend of various roots including don quai. This stuff works WONDERS. Apparently if you take it long enough, you’ll stop seeing symptoms altogether. I’ve noticed a marked difference since I began taking it. If you are in NYC you can find it at Wilners Chemists on Park Avenue. If you are elsewhere here’s a link: http://astore.amazon.com/ragiinatowo-20/detail/B004GLEUH8.

5. Cut your soy & tofu intake. I generally stay away from processed soy as much as possible. Back in the day before I was more on the raw side, I used to eat a ridiculous amount of tofu and soy. As soon as I cut them out of my diet, it was like a weight had lifted, and some of my hormonal raging calmed down. Check your diet and if you still consume large amounts of soy, give it try one month cutting it out of your diet and seeing what happens to your cycle. To take control of your body you have to experiment and learn what works for you.

6. Young Living Essential Oil: Dragontime.  Young living essential oils are incredible. I got so into them I became a distributor not too long ago, so that I can buy my oils at a discount. The blends are incredibly pure. This particular blend appropriately named Dragontime because it is meant to be a remedy for PMS, has worked miracles for me. All you need is a couple drops of the oil and you can rub it directly on your tummy where cramping pains reside, and  I kid you not, within minutes the pain will dissipate. I was bugged out the first time I tried it, because I was supposed to be up working and felt horrible. A couple of drops of oil and a little rub, and I was able to stay on my feet and get everything I needed to get done for the day.

7. Practice Yoga. Besides the fact that its good for you in general, yoga cleanses, reinvigorates, and balances out the systems of the body. Incorporating regular practice, will no doubt help you take the edge off. It’s really hard to be a vegan b%$#@ after you’ve said namaste.