Tags
acne aging anti-aging beauty detox diet exercise fasting healing health healthy lifestyle healthy living healthy recipes inspiration juicing Living la Vida Raw meditation mindfulness Move Your Body Natural Beauty natural cures Natural Cures natural remedies nutrition nutritionist parasites raw raw food Raw Food for Thought raw foods raw girl Raw News raw recipes Raw Spirit Recipes skin spirulina stress vegan vegan lifestyle vegan recipes vegetarian Veggie Love wellness yogaNewsletter Sign-up
Tag Archives: raw food
Taco Bell Fiasco: Fast Food = Fast Death
Hope everyone is staying warm in this crazy DMV weather! It took me three hours to get home yesterday, after leaving my car in a parking lot and hitching a ride with a family member. Then to top it off, got home and internet and power shut down before I could finish this post! Needless to say, I am ecstatic that all’s well now and I will never take lights and heat for granted again.
You may have already heard yesterday about the law suit being filed against Taco Bell. When I heard about it, I really was not surprised. It must have been over ten years ago, that I ventured into Taco Bell to purchase a meal. I remember my mother used to take us there from time to time and we would buy tacos and take them with us to the movies. Back then I always wondered (in my meat-eating, fast food ignorant days), what the heck I was exactly eating, although I didn’t know to ask. Now that I have undergone my complete vegan transformation the thought of consuming one really makes we want to hurl.
According to the lawsuit in addition to the mere 35% beef that is in their tacos, Taco Bell has also included: “water, wheat oats, soy lecithin, maltodextrin, anti-dusting agent and modified corn starch.” Anti-dusting agent? Really? See guys, this is what started to drive me bonkers when I began this journey that lead me to raw foods. When I discovered that products like cottage cheese have bleach in them, and that there are countless chemical laden processed foods with industrial or lab-made materials, I refused to eat any of it. NONE OF THESE THINGS ARE FOOD. Taco Bell, McDonald’s un-chicken nuggets, and all the other fast food chains and processed food manufacturers really should be forced to own up to the fact they are not selling food. If you are going to be allowed to sell me blended animal parts mixed with chemicals, then I should know and it should be labeled as such. So I really hope this lawsuit serves as forewarning to other fast death chains or at best gives Taco Bell a run for their money. –XoXo Raw Girl
To read more about the post check out the link below:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/01/25/taco-bell-beef-lawsuit_n_813185.html
Kick Your Smoking Habit, Naturally…
In this toxic world, unfortunately many of us have conquered healthy diet, but have resorted to polluting our body temple by other means. When it comes to smoking, it doesn’t help that movies and other advertisements continue to verbally promote that smoking is “cool.” Its too bad we never get to see the after effects in these films, because seeing James Dean struggle with lung cancer is definitely not cool.
Unfortunately often times these addictions are then addressed by prescribing stimulants or drugs, that may contribute to the damage in the long-run. Below is an interview with Dr. Yew of Yew360 Wholistic Health & Wellness, discussing how one can overcome nicotine addition the natural way. He has started a support program for those in the DMV interested in kicking their smoking habit naturally. If you or someone you know could benefit from this please see his contact info at the end of this post. -XoXo Raw Girl
What are some of the adverse affects that smoking can have from a holistic perspective?
Smoking on a physical level pollutes the body, congests the liver and lungs with tar, mucous, and a host of known cancer-causing substances. Smoking is linked to approximately 90% of lung cancer incidents and resulting deaths. It can either have an overstimulatory and/or depressant effect on the mind, causing increasing dependency on lighting up to feel good, and in some cases, to even function normally. It also ultimately lowers the spirit, which is reflected in the lapse of willpower a lot of people have with quitting. It’s used as a spiritual crutch, and if you eventually want those legs to get stronger, you have to do some therapeutic work and let those crutches go.
A lot of smokers try a range of things from patches to prescription drugs to break their habits. What are your thoughts on this?
The drugs (including the patches) are designed to lower the physical urges of cigarette smoking by stepping down the level of nicotine or nicotine-like substances smokers would normally take in. Many find these methods to be ineffective because your body is still being supplied with some type of drug or potentially addictive substance, whether it’s still nicotine or a replacement, which is further stored by the body, contributing to its toxicity and congestion, which can have a negative effect on the nervous system. On a correlated note, smoking is primarily caused by psychological and spiritual dis-ease, so if those aspects are not dealt with, relapses are subject to occur.
Have you had any clients successful kick their nicotine addiction naturally? How long can a process like that take?
It’s always a challenge dealing with clients who have a substance abuse addiction, especially with cigarettes, because nicotine can be more addictive than heroin. So just as if I’m dealing with a heroin addict, if the treatment and counseling approach is not very consistent and hands-on, I’ve found that my clients have had trouble with applying the recommendations and following the regimens given. Often, what we need most to make and stick with positive changes in our lives, besides a great practical plan, is motivation and a good support system – something many smokers lack in this stressful and individualistic society. This is one of the reasons I’m starting this 30-Day Smoking Detox program, which will be a group effort. It’s a new venture for me, so I don’t have any success stories to share as of yet, but I’ve been taught by some of the best who do have plenty of successful experiences, so I’m looking forward to some excellent results in making this difference.
What types of foods or lifestyle changes best support efforts to quit smoking?
Partnering with someone who has the same goal is a great start. This way, you can exchange ideas to form a solid and practical approach to quitting, and you can be each other’s support system. Making the effort to start with more easily applicable short-term goals is another way to keep things moving. It helps to drop the discouragement factor by not overwhelming yourself, and therefore helps to build confidence and motivation on this mission – two of your best allies. Highly caffeinated and sugary foods and beverages can be very disruptive agents when your agenda is disposing of addictive substances, so I would recommend avoiding them whenever possible. Some of my clients have found licorice sticks (commonly referred to as chew sticks) to be beneficial in reducing cravings and agitation, while increasing calming and cooling foods such as fresh green lettuces, chards, and cauliflower can work in your favor too by strengthening your body’s natural resistance to stressors.
What types of foods or lifestyle changes best support efforts to quit smoking?
Partnering with someone who has the same goal is a great start. This way, you can exchange ideas to form a solid and practical approach to quitting, and you can be each other’s support system. Making the effort to start with more easily applicable short-term goals is another way to keep things moving. It helps to drop the discouragement factor by not overwhelming yourself, and therefore helps to build confidence and motivation on this mission – two of your best allies. Highly caffeinated and sugary foods and beverages can be very disruptive agents when your agenda is disposing of addictive substances, so I would recommend avoiding them whenever possible. Some of my clients have found licorice sticks (commonly referred to as chew sticks) to be beneficial in reducing cravings and agitation, while increasing calming and cooling foods such as fresh green lettuces, chards, and cauliflower can work in your favor too by strengthening your body’s natural resistance to stressors.
After one has successful quit, are there any foods or herbs that can assist with regenerating the lungs and clearing up any damage done?
There are plenty of foods and herbs that can help to regenerate the lungs. Vitamins A, C, & E, which are abundant in papayas, mangoes, watercress, parsley, and green leafy vegetables across the board are essential to this process. They synergistically help to hunt down free radicals that damage the body, fortify the immune system, and facilitate tissue repair. There are also other herbs such as lungwort and fenugreek, which can tone the lungs and/or work towards removing mucous plaque and tar buildup.
Dr. Yew is looking for approximately five individuals who want to quit smoking here in the DMV to form a support group and complete a 30-day detoxification program with discounted natural products and services. If you are interested, or know of someone who may be, please contact him ASAP. Email is contact@yew360.com and phone # is (202) 413-4581. Sign ups for this group ends January 27th. For more info about his practice visit www.yew360.com
Ban on Traditional Medicines in Europe!
It’s starting my friends. Our freedom to achieve optimal health is slowly but surely being eroded as laws are going into effect that will limit our access to organic foods, high quality supplementation, and natural medicines. This year, beginning in April, many traditional medicines will no longer be available in Europe. The more I read, the more outraged I become.
The FDA in cohorts with major corporations, and individuals/entities concerned with GREED and the control of the worldwide population is not going to stop jeopardizing our freedoms. Products and foods that are natural are being attacked in a real, mafia-like way. Why? Because they are POWERFUL. The more we take our own health in our hands, avoid using pharmaceutical drugs, and become independent beings who consume foods full of life force, the more power we have to exercise our minds and bodies, to create, and to consider opposing a power paradigm that is intent on us becoming dull, lifeless, disease-ridden, and drug dependent puppets for the system. Please read more about this ban, and about CODEX in the links below, and visit the Alliance for Natural Health site to take action on their petitions or donate. If you think we don’t got next, please think again! CODEX guidelines that regulate our food supply and are expected to be implemented in 2012. This may be the last year to stock up on all things herbal, or at the very least learn how to grow them ourselves before the veggie indefinitely hits the fan. -XoXo Raw Girl
To read more about this ban visit:
http://www.anh-usa.org/traditional-medicines-to-become-illegal-in-europe/
To read more about CODEX, visit:
5 Reasons to Drink Green Juice
1. A Large Dose of Chlorophyll. You are what you eat, and chlorophyll is the building block of our bodies. More of it means more oxygen flowing, more vitality, and more energy!
2. Trace Minerals & Enzymes. Boost your digestion, encourage detoxification, and give your body the minerals its been missing out on!
3.More Veggie Bang for Your Buck. Juicing allows you to consume a wider variety of vegetables in larger quantities, and the nutrients are absorbed easily in juice form.
4. It’ll Make You Happy. Green juice and fasting help our bodies and spirits get through the icky stuff and clear the way for divine connection and inner peace. So basically, you’ll get a free dose of Zen with each glass of greens.
5. Keep Your Body Alkaline. Green juice consumption will help you ward off health problems, and fight any imbalances in the body. Disease can only live in an acidic state, and drinking green juice regularly will help to keep your body alkaline.
-XoXo Raw Girl
Anti-Aging SHE-RO #8
My next Anti-Aging She-ro is supermodel Carol Alt. Despite being at the height of her career in her thirties, Carol found herself lethargic, depressed and looking for a road to optimal health. She found raw foods and never turned back. Having a modeling career that has spanned 27 years, and branching out to authoring books, acting and even directing, this raw renaissance woman has manage to retain her vitality and beauty at the age of 50.
Carol is not a vegan, as she does eat animal products, but her diet is raw. Most raw followers avoid meat and dairy, but Carol apparently eats sashimi (raw seafood), carpaccio (thinly sliced raw beef, veal, or tuna), and raw milk cheeses. I think she’s a great example that different bodies require different diets. Incorporating raw foods does promise vitality, but how one goes about it is a unique journey. Carol said in an interview published online that she found out through a holistic doctor, what her “type” was and ate accordingly.
Carol’s venture into the raw lifestyle caused her to branch out with authoring several Raw Food books including: Eating in the Raw and The Raw 50, and most recently launching Raw Essentials, a line of raw skin care products made with absolutely no chemicals (I am definitely going to test out this product). At the age of 48, she posed nude in Playboy, which she called a platform to show how raw foods have kept her body young. In the article she was quoted: “I believe God wants me to speak about this like I’m a born-again Christian…and I needed a platform, which is why I’m in Playboy. Nobody loves the female form like Playboy, and there’s no better way to show women you don’t have to live with getting old.”
In another interview she discussed that her doctor told her that her skin was too thin to ever get a face lift, and since then she’s been committed to keeping her skin youthful naturally. I’ll pass on a bare-it-all shoot in Playboy, but I am definitely down for NEVER going under a knife, so more power to her for being living proof in this age of Botox-fixes-it-all that youthfulness can be achieved at any age through the raw lifestyle. – XoXo Raw Girl
For more about Carol visit her site:
For more about her skin care line, Raw Essentials, visit:
Dear Raw Girl: Fighting Lupus?
Hello Raw Girl! I came across your site after searching for vegan and dermatomyositis…I was diagnosed with Lupus about a year ago…they put me on meds and the symptoms didn’t improve and I got even more sick. By the grace of God I came across Jill Harrington’s Lupus Recovery Diet and became vegan. My symptoms improved and I thought I was *cured*…so I then began eating whatever I wanted. BIG surprise (not) my eyes are swollen and itchy. Turns out, I have this thing…so now I’m in the middle of a fast to get my body back on a fresh start and then STAY on the vegan diet. I’ve even started feeding my kids a more vegetarian diet. Wondering from your opinion…do you think my symptoms will improve again? Or is it too late? – Brittany Clarke
Dear Brittany:
Thank you for sharing this with me and trusting my opinion. First off, I want to say, whatever I express in this post is just that, an OPINION. Not fact, not necessarily the be all end all, just my own biased point of view. I am not a doctor so I cannot give you a specific medical opinion based on your body, but I can share with you my thoughts. Unfortunately there are many doctors with opinions, who speak into people’s lives, and their word is taken as truth. Time and time again, patients with terminal diseases have proven doctors wrong, and have far outlived their diagnosis just based on the power of will and positivity. That said, how bad do you want it? You made yourself well once before, so you clearly have what it takes to do it again if you visualize wellness and stick to your guns. I think you can do it.
I did some research through several natural cures books about Lupus, and diet is definitely key in keeping you well long term and reducing inflammation. They say no one knows the exact cause and conventional medicine usually treats issues that may lead to flare-ups such as medications, birth control pills, any pre-existing viral illnesses, or extreme stress. Attacking your condition from the holistic perspective you need to find out if you have any particular food allergies (apparently some food allergies can mimic lupus or worsen conditions), watch anything that may cause hormonal imbalances, assure that your digestion is optimal, make sure you address any potential nutritional deficiencies, and also that you avoid intake of more toxins and detox from heavy metals. So its important not only that you go vegan, you need to avoid the sugars and carbs that promote an internal acidic environment and inflammation, you also need to focus on really giving your body OPTIMAL nutrition. Here’s some ideas based on my research that may help you.
- Juice Fasting. The juice fast plan is great, 3 days is a good length on green juices, and you can even throw in their some organic herbal teas to help promote detoxification. Try once a month if more seems too much to start.
- Buy organic whole foods. Avoid conventional veggies if possible so you don’t take in more toxins via pesticides etc. Thoroughly wash your veggies.
- Vitamin E . For this you can include wheat germ, watercress (which has three times the amount of Vitamin E in lettuce) and all other leafy greens, nuts and seeds.
- Essential Fatty Acids in ground flaxseed or flaxseed oil will help you reduce inflammation. You can add these to a salad. Or make a yogurt out of fruit and sprinkle ground flaxseeds on top.
- Foods high in sulfur will help repair damage that flareups do to your joint cartilage. Foods such as: onions, garlic, asparagus, arugula, blue green algea (E3 Live would be great), bee pollen, broccoli, kale, maca, spirulina, watercress, cauliflower, and pumpkin seeds are contain a nice amount of sulfur.
- Incorporate a supergreen supplement in your diet, some of which were mention in the sulfur food list above: spirulina, chlorella (which also helps body detoxify from heavy metals), and/or E3 Live (liquid blue green algae supplement).
- Make sure your water is clean! Tap water may expose you to toxins and microorganisms which won’t help because your body is already in a compromised state.
- Probiotics will help with digestion and maintain a healthy digestive environment.
- Natural Pain Relievers. Evening primrose oil and black currant oil can help to reduce joint inflammation. White willow bark is a natural alternative that can be used for join pain. (I can vouch for this one, when I had my accident I took this and valerian root to help ease the pain.)
All that said, the gist of it is that I believe, YOU CAN DO IT. Make sure to listen to your body, seek medical supervision holistic or regular if you need it just to see where you are. Consider going to a holistic practitioner and testing for any food allergies and nutritional deficiencies you may have, and try to organize your life in a way that minimizes your daily stress. I sincerely wish you the health you deserve, and because you did it once before, you should know, you most definitely can do it again! This next time, though, make sure to stick with it. -XoXo Raw Girl
For tips on how to have a stress free fast, check out this previous post:
http://rawgirltoxicworld.com/2009/11/18/tips-for-a-stress-free-fast/
Have a question for the Dear Raw Girl segment?
Email rawgirltoxicworld@gmail.com and your answer will be posted on the blog!
Raw Foodist 109 Years Old & Still Kickin’
Tomorrow, Wednesday January 25th 2012 @ 5pm EST, tune in to hear my interview with Bernando on Newd Radio! Just to refresh your memory, I thought I would repost this entry that features a video on Bernando. Anyone can listen via www.newdradio.com. It is a pre-recorded show, so any comments or questions can be directed to the Raw Girl Facebook page or to rawgirltoxicworld@gmail.com. My show Healthy Living in a Toxic World will only be airing for the next five weeks, so catch it while you can! -XoXo Raw Girl
Can you imagine turning one hundred and nine, and still functioning better than some people in their sixties and seventies? For Bernando LaPallo this is reality. Today I stumbled across several videos and the Fox News interview of him, just after his birthday and was astounded. The man not only still has his health and vigor in tact, (he has never had any terminal diseases or sicknesses that plague our aging population) he is also pursuing goals of authoring additional books and opening a restaurant.
Apparently he has been on a primarily raw diet since before it was even a fad, and continues to maintain a highly raw diet, only eating meat once a year. That, he says has been the key to his longevity. I found some videos of him on you tube showing his morning “superfood” smoothie that consisted of fruit, Echinacea extract, a superfood powder that he helped formulate with essential nutrients, and garlic. If this isn’t proof of how natural foods can enhance the quality of life, I don’t know what is. Check out Bernando’s interview below, it might give you some fuel to jump on the raw bandwagon. As for me, I’m on board for life. -XoXo Raw Girl
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zUDIWxKs7nc]
For more on Bernando LaPallo and a link to his book, “Age Less, Live More” check out his blog:
Making a Green Smoothie!
I am gearing up for my annual fast into the new year! Last year it was 10 days. This year I think I may do 3 days of blended foods, 7 days of liquids/juice only, and 3 days coming off of the fast with blended foods and perhaps veggie broth as well. The target start date is December 23rd, and I will start coming off the fast on January 2nd. Trying to get mentally prepared and incorporating more liquid foods into my diet. Today I made a Tropical Green Smoothie. Ingredients: 2 bananas, 1 date, 1 mango, water from 1 Young Thai Coconut, 3-4 Kale Leaves.
When making green smoothies, it is recommended to use about 60% fresh fruit and 40% green leaves. Take care not to include any starchy vegetables such as: broccoli, cabbage, carrots, beets, cauliflower, pumpkin, corn. These types of vegetables require the body to use different enzymes to break them down, and if mixed improperly can lead to fermentation and gas. Check out the video below and hopefully you’ll be inspired to concoct a green smoothie of your own! -XoXo Raw Girl
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gkN59lkTFeY]
VEGGIE LOVE: Okra
A couple of months ago, we were overwhelmed by the large harvest of okra in the garden. I had to get down and dirty in the garden to help pick all of it, and also put my creative cooking skills to work to whip up new uses for it. Below is the video for my delicious Okra Cobb Salad that I shot awhile back and am just now getting around to releasing. Before you check that out, here’s a few fun facts about okra you may not know that’ll make you think twice when you pass it by in the veggie aisle.
Okra also known as gumbo, lady’s finger, bamia, or bindi, is a member of the mallow plant family and is kin to cotton, hibiscus, and cocoa. It was also discovered in Ethiopia during 12th century B.C and cultivated by ancient Egyptians; Cleopatra of Egypt was known to regularly consume okra, possibly because of its beauty enhancing benefits as it protects from pimples and enhances the skin. The seeds in some regions are toasted, ground and served as a substitute for coffee!
Okra is a mucilaginous vegetable, full of natural fiber which regulates blood sugar levels by curbing the amount of sugar absorbed in the intestinal tract. It helps to relieve constipation and can aid with a host of other ailments including diabetes, asthma, irritable bowel syndrome, ulcers, and acne.
Besides being fat-free, okra is also low in calories it is packed with nutrients including: vitamin A, Thiamin, B6, C, folic acid, riboflavin, calcium, zinc and dietary fiber. In addition, okra feeds good bacteria/probiotics to flourish in the body. What’s not to love about this gooey veggie? If you need some inspiration, below is the raw okra salad recipe that had everyone in my household talking for days. I was surprised at how good it tasted raw; okra is now a staple for me. Hope you’ll give it a try! -XoXo RawGirl
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tDLFWwFVTSQ]
Smoothie of the Day: Acai Mango Rush!
Today’s smoothie was exceptionally exciting and of course tasted divine. I wanted to make use of this brand of organic Acai juice that my cousin found at Walmart of all places—-it is actually Whole Foods quality (all natural fruit puree and acai) and it only costs like five bucks. Great deal if you ask me. So I whipped up this smoothie which was a major energy and immune booster thanks to the spirulina, and got a little antioxidants to boot. -XoXo Raw Girl
Ingredients:
1 banana
1 cup acai berry juice
1 mango
1 Tablespoon Spirulina
Blend & enjoy 🙂 Makes one serving.
The copyright of this recipe is owned by Esosa Edosomwan AKA Raw Girl AKA Chef Eazy E. Permission to republish this recipe in any format must be granted by the author in writing.