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
Things You Can Eliminate to #StayAgeless!
You can still enroll in our class, Staying Ageless 30+! To find out more and preview the curriculum click HERE.
How to Create a Self-Care Plan
Self-care is completely essential to thriving and feeling at your best. Some people think of self-care as selfish, but it really is not. In order for you to be out in the world at your best, and also give to others, you must do that from a full place. Self-care helps us to fill “our well” so that we are not showing up for others from a depleted place, which can lead to resentment and anger. Before we take care of our kids, jobs, work, we must take care of ourselves.
Self-care involves areas such as the need to connect with our tribe or closest friends and family; taking care of our physical and psychological health; managing and reducing stress; intuitively listening for and honoring our emotional and spiritual needs; sustaining healthy relationships; and achieving balance across personal, school, and work commitments.
Each and every one of us is different, so it’s important that our self-care be tailored to our unique needs, wants, and preferences! Below is a template with some sample answers that you can use to create your own self-care plan with a few minutes of reflection. Once you go through this process, schedule into your calendar a few of the tasks you would like to try that will feed your mind, body, or spirit. If you don’t already have a plan I encourage you to sit down and create one today. So much ends up on our to-do list from day-to-day so if you fail to plan, you will fail at taking care of the most important person in your life, YOU. –Xo Raw Girl
SECTION ONE:
| Self-Care Dimension
|
Current Practices
(List all that you currently do) |
Frequency |
| Physical | · Gym/ Exercise with Trainer
|
· At least three times per week |
| Intellectual | · Reading a new book
· Social media fast
|
· Weekly
· Once a week I shut down all social media |
| Emotional |
· Meditation |
· Daily meditation |
| Spiritual |
· Meditation · Prayer · Church
|
· Daily meditation & prayer, Church once sometimes twice per week
|
| Social | · Church Group
|
· Once every two weeks and ongoing |
SECTION TWO:
| Self-Care Dimension
|
New Practices
(List all practice you are COMMITTING to doing on a regular basis) |
Frequency
(How often do you commit to doing these) |
| Physical | · Try Capoeira as a new form of movement
|
· Once a week |
| Intellectual | · Write in my journal
· Listen to my favorite music · Schedule regular thinking time
|
· 2-3 times per week
· at least twice a week · at least once per week |
| Emotional | · go for reflective walk
· Connect with a good friend |
· once a week
· at least once a week |
| Spiritual | · go for reflective walk
|
· once a week |
| Social | · Call one friend and schedule something fun
|
· Once per week |
| SECTION THREE: | |
| What can you let go of? What is no longer serving you?
|
|
| What do you do now for self-care or to manage your stress that no longer serves you? Answer in the space to the right.
|
|
|
SECTION FOUR: |
|
| How will you eliminate obstacles to your self-care plan? Answer in the space below.
|
|
|
|
|
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Have you checked out my new online classes yet? In my new course, Staying Ageless 30+ you will learn about Diet Basics, Lifestyle Factors, and elements of Longevity that promote an ageless way of life. Over the course of three modules you learn what to eliminate from your diet to stay ageless, how to ensure your body is receiving adequate nutrition, powerful detox rituals you can incorporate to increase your longevity, beauty remedies that will leave you glowing, and how to exercise effectively and get results. In addition you will learn health lessons directly from renowned longevity and health experts that will equip you to transform your lifestyle. You can still enroll! Check out the class HERE to preview the curriculum our save your seat! -Xo
FREE Webinar: 7 Tips That Will Boost Your Beauty in 30 Days or Less!
Don’t you have it when you try beauty remedies that give you ZERO results, or take forever to see progress? I do too! THIS WEEK! On June 29th at 11 AM PST or 1 PM EST I will be hosting a free webinar with my Ageless partner in crime Khaleeqa of Paparoxi called : 7 Tips to Boost Your Beauty in 30 Days or Less; where you can get some tips about staying ageless and learn what the E-Course is all about. We are excited about giving you some of the best tips in our beauty arsenals that will give you tangible results! Sign up HERE to reserve your seat! XO Raw Girl
____________________________
In Staying Ageless 30+ @paparoxi and I have teamed up to give you the information and techniques you need to preserve your health, look flawless, and drop it like its hot for decades to come. 😉 Preview the curriculum or sign up for the course today on www.rawbeautyinabox.com.
Food for Thought: Living in the Challenge Zone!
A couple years ago, I remembered a quote from Steve Harvey, the comedian, who signed off his daily radio show with a powerful message: “Never, ever think you have arrived,” he said forcefully. “When you believe you have arrived, you’ve reached a dangerous place, because you stop growing.” He then emphasized that there are different “zones” one can inhabit. The Challenge Zone, the Comfort Zone, and the Coasting Zone.
People in the Challenge Zone, are men and women with visions, who continue to strive for their dreams, attack new obstacles, and have the faith to step out and take action in spite of fear. We all know too well, the Comfort Zone, this is where you go day to day doing only what you’ve already done and fully know you are capable of. No risks, no surprises. The last zone, the Coasting Zone, is where a lot of people live, and don’t even realize it. People in this zone, don’t even do what they know that they can do or have done in the past. This is the zone, where you gave up or didn’t follow through even through you knew you had talent or an exciting prospect, but you convinced yourself it was too hard to try and have settled comfortably into giving the bare minimum.
This conversation was incredibly powerful to me, because I have seen it at work in my life. It is astounding that when I do something that scares the living crap out of me, it always leads to greater and greater success. Success is most definitely NOT a destination, it is more like a dynamic evolution. Nothing about true success is static…yes, positive habits can be formed to make success a way of life, but at the end of the day true success is being willing to truly live your life on the edge. That means taking risks, jumping full-fledged into your passions, having the grace to be a beginner again and again, and harnessing the power of a vision.
Food for thought today: What zone are you living in?
-XO Raw Girl
AYIBA Magazine Feature!
Thank you so much to @ayibamag for including me in their print issue to chat health and my creative projects Check it out here: http://bit.ly/AyibaPrint
-XO Raw Girl
Preparing for Expansion – Spring Cleaning for Body, Mind, & Spirit
Spring is here and summer is right around the corner! We all associate spring with new life, beautiful buds beginning to bloom in the trees, and better weather. I’m sure you have also heard of the term “spring cleaning.” The thing about any kind of growth or new life is that is requires that we get rid of the old to make room for the new. As we move into this approaching new season, make some time to take stock in your own life.
Ask yourself: what personal objects are you holding onto that you no longer need? What associations whether personal or business should be release or transformed? Are there habits that are getting in the way of your success that you need to change? Take some time alone with yourself to journal about these things.
My background is primarily in the world of health and diet, but I believe that how we treat our bodies very much affects our mind and spirit. The equivalent of “spring cleaning” for the body is to take on a detox. Are you feeling sluggish or low energy? Is your skin dull or are you experiencing breakouts? It may be time for a detox. To cleanse the body there are many things you can try including 1) Juice Fasting, 2) Parasite Cleanse, 3) Partial Fast. With Juice Fasting or feasting you would consume fresh vegetable juice for 1-3 days maximum if you are a newbie to fasting in order to give the digestive system a break and allow the body to flush out toxins. A Parasite Cleanse involves taking herbs that you can find over the counter to rid the body of worms that may be sapping your nutrition, energy, and causing other health complications. Everyone should do regular yearly parasite cleansing as you can pick them up from contaminated water, pets, travel etc. On a partial fast, you can choose what food items you want to leave out of your diet and the duration. You could use the mornings to do juices or smoothies, and eliminate all meat or processed foods for a few days. It’s up to you.
I encourage you to think about it because as you release waste or toxins from body, your aura can open up. There’s a lightness that occurs and allows you to think clearer, receive Divine insight, and live your best, most energized life. When you combine a toxin-free body with the power of positive intention, magic can happen. Here’s to your incredible spring-cleaning experience and to all the amazing things that flood your life once you have the courage to release the old! -XO Raw Girl
Dope Homemade Trail Mix That Will Save You $
Please raise your hand in solidarity if you are over buying seven dollar bags of kale chips from health food stores. If your hand is in the air like mine, this trail mix will change your life. If you have a dehydrator it’s always more efficient and cost effective to make your own raw snacks to carry with you on-the-go. I know it seems like it could be time consuming but it really is not. Why? Because you prep, stick it in the dehydrator, let’s say in the evening, and by the time you wake up abra cadabra! You got snacks! Warning: these don’t last long in kitchens so you may need to make more than one batch. Enjoy & Your Welcome! – XO
Ingredients:
1 bunch green kale, 1/2 cup hemp seeds, 3/4 cup walnuts, 6 raw nori sheets, 1/2 cup sunflower seeds, 1 tablespoon agave, 2 teaspoons sesame oil, 2 tablespoons of Braggs liquid Aminos, 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar, 1/2 teaspoon or dash of ginger powder.
Massage everything together into a bowl and dehydrate until crispy at least 3-5 hours or overnight.
Why You Should Soak Your Nuts
As someone who eats a great deal of raw food, for me soaking my nuts before I eat them is imperative. When I get busy, lazy, or careless I sometimes forget, but my digestion always pays for neglecting that essential step. Adopting a high raw diet is about trying to consume foods with as much life force as possible. Nuts and seeds are full of enzymes while in their raw, natural forms but when they are toasted, roasted, fried, or boiled the enzymes are destroyed. Raw nuts and seeds are plant foods which also contain the ingestible substance phytic acid, which acts as an inhibitor developed to form a protective barrier from bugs or insects, but in humans can block enzyme function. Nuts and seeds will not break down into their simplest forms during digestion when protein inhibitors are present. Phytic acid also prevents us from using and maintaining key micronutrients as the molecular structure causes essential minerals (including calcium, zinc, niacin, copper, iron and magnesium) to bind to it, thereby preventing their absorption. Soaking nuts releases phytase, allowing the phytic acid to be neutralized and making the nuts easier for our bodies’ to digest. If you are feeling lazy or pressed for time, soaking your nuts overnight is a great way to prep for the morning especially if you are making nut milk. If you want to take your nuts as a snack on-the-go and want them crunchier, pop them in the dehydrator and go about your business for the day. For extra fun add spices or even maple syrup to your nuts when dehydrating. -XO Raw Girl
References:
Gupta, R. K., Gangoliya, S. S., & Singh, N. K. (2015). Reduction of phytic acid and enhancement of bioavailable micronutrients in food grains. Journal of Food Science and Technology, 52(2), 676–684. http://doi.org/10.1007/s13197-013-0978-y
Raw Nuts & Seeds High in Enzymes. (n.d.). Retrieved February 02, 2017, from http://healthyeating.sfgate.com/raw-nuts-seeds-high-enzymes-1213.html
Kornfeld, M. (2017). Review of preparing nuts. [Lecture Slides]. Retrieved January 30, 2017 from MUIH NUTR 684 module 2.
Nagel, R. (2010, March 26). Living With Phytic Acid. Retrieved January 29, 2017, from http://www.westonaprice.org/health-topics/living-with-phytic-acid/
Mineral Monday : Iodine
What mineral is required for thyroid hormone synthesis, regulates cortisol and immune function, and is a powerful antioxidant? Iodine, which may seem like an insignificant mineral is required for all of those things and more. Currently the world is using less and less iodized salt for preparation in food, and this places many of us in danger of becoming iodine deficient. Deficiency in iodine causes abnormal swelling of the neck or goiter, lethargy, fatigue, weakness of the immune system, slow metabolism, autism, weight gain, depression, and in women, iodine is essential for maintaining breast health. Breast cancer incidences in Japan are virtually nonexistent because women consume twenty five times the amount of iodine that American women do. Iodine deficiency is also the most preventable cause of brain damage. Pregnant women who are deficient are at higher risk for having a stillborn child or one with birth defects. For veggie lovers who are vegetarian or vegan, if you are not including seaweed in your diet, you are putting yourself at greater risk for deficiency. Is it me, or did seaweed all of sudden get really sexy? Keep in mind you can add seaweed to soups, make nori wraps or veggie sushi, sprinkle dulse flakes on your salads, and more to ensure you get your iodine in.
The recommended daily allowance for adults over 19 years of age iodine is 150 micrograms daily. It’s important to not consume too much iodine because toxicity can also cause health problems such as gastrointestinal upset, acne, increased salivation, fever, nausea, vomiting, and elevated levels of thyroid hormone. The best way to boost your iodine intake on a vegetarian diet is to incorporate sea vegetables into your diet such as: kelp, dulse, nori, wakame, arame, hiziki, kombu, irish moss. Black eye peas and navy beans also have a decent amount of iodine, strawberries, cranberries, organic yogurt, navy beans, cheese, and potatoes.
Most minerals have inhibitors, or nutrients that can block the proper absorption and uptake by the body. In the case of iodine, goitrogens are substances in chemicals, foods or drugs that can interfere with iron uptake in the thyroid gland. Goitrogens are found in soy products, cassava, sweet potato, peanuts, pine nuts, raw cruciferous vegetables such as cabbage, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, turnips etc. Don’t get spooked about consuming these foods, which have other nutrients that are beneficial to the body; just take care especially if focused on increasing iodine intake to not consume meals with these foods at the same time of iodine supplementation.
Ensuring that your iodine intake is optimal can prevent radiation induced thyroid cancer, decrease the pain of fibrocystic breasts, and also prevent mental retardation, which is a direct result of iodine deficiency. Although it is not always the first mineral that comes to mind are essential, clearly the lack of iodine can have a drastic impact on health. Hope this article inspires you to do a double take when you pass the seaweed in the grocery store! Just make sure that the seaweed you choose to consume is organic and free of heavy metals. -XO Raw Girl
References:
-
7 Foods Rich in Iodine. (2015, February 25). Retrieved January 30, 2017, from http://www.globalhealingcenter.com/natural-health/iodine-foods/
- National Institute of Health. Iodine. Office of Dietary Supplements. Fact Sheet for Health Professionals.
- Gastaldi R, Muraca M, Beltramo A, Poggi E. Iodine deficiency and its consequences for cognitive and psychomotor development of children. Italian Journal of Pediatrics. 2014;40(Suppl 1):A15. doi:10.1186/1824-7288-40-S1-A15.
- Zimmermann MB, Boelaert K. Iodine deficiency and thyroid disorders. Lancet Diabetes Endocrinol. 2015 Apr;3(4):286-95. doi: 10.1016/S2213-8587(14)70225-6. Epub 2015 Jan 13.
- Ross, A. C., Caballero, B. , Cousins, R. J., Tucker, K.L. & Ziegler, T. R. (2014). Modern Nutrition in Health and Disease. (11th ed.). Baltimore, MD: Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins.
- Zimmerman, M. (2001). Burgerstein’s Handbook of Nutrition. Micronutrients in the Prevention and Therapy of Disease. New York, NY: Thieme.
Mineral Monday: IRON
For the next couple of months I’m completely immersed in the study of micronutrients, also known as the yummy minerals and vitamins your body needs to function optimally. So I’ll be posting some articles to shed a little more light on micronutrients, and perhaps get you thinking about supplementing with food or at the very least ensuring you are getting in your daily multivitamin. Macronutrients are the essential dietary staples the average person worries about ie: fats, carbs, and protein. However micronutrients are so incredibly essential that deficiency in certain ones can literally stop hundreds of necessary chemical reactions in the body! The danger of talking about micronutrients in isolation is that we tend to lose sight of the bigger picture. Your body needs a wide-range of nutritional goodies to keep you functioning at your best, so please do not take the focus of these articles as a sign to start supplementing in excess one particular nutrient. It’s important to get regular blood testing with a doctor to ensure you are not deficient in key minerals or vitamins your body needs.
Are you aware that iron deficiency is not only the most common deficiency in the United States, it’s actually the most common deficiency worldwide? Which means most of the people you know including the man in the mirror, may be iron deficient. Iron serves as a catalyst for many redox reactions in the body, is important for energy metabolism, oxygen delivery, oxygen transport and storage, and even DNA synthesis. It is essential for exercise and athletic endurance/performance because of its role in oxygen delivery. Female athletes or those that are endurance runners or participate in a mix of anaerobic and aerobic activities are more likely to need additional iron because of menstruation. Sorry ladies! Unfortunately because “Aunt Flow” comes to visit us every month we lose more iron than our male counterparts. The recommended daily allowance (RDA) for iron for men 19-50 years of age is 8 mg and for women in the same age range is 18 mg. If you are vegan or vegetarian you also may need 1.8 times more iron than your meat-eating friends.
How do you know if you should supplement? Symptoms of iron deficiency can include: fatigue, increased heart rate, palpitations, impaired exercise and work capacity, pica (you know those people who love to chew on ice?), spoon shaped nails, and more. The thing about iron supplementation as you may well know is that it can cause constipation, nausea, abdominal pain and host of uncomfortable side effects. So for those that are physically active it may be best to ensure you are getting more iron from your diet and not from an over the counter supplement. When you increase iron consumption also keep in mind that vitamin C actually helps to increase iron absorption, while oxalates (found beets, spinach, etc.), calcium, and manganese can inhibit or decrease the absorption of iron. This is what makes pomegranates an iron supplying superfood, they have a rich source of vitamin C and iron the perfect combination to make sure the iron is absorbed by your body. Below are some great food sources of iron. If you are anemic, you should consult your doctor and ensure you supplement but do not overdose on the amount you need to get your levels back up to normal. -XO Raw Girl
Some great VEG food sources of (non-heme) iron include: quinoa, legumes: lentils, kidney beans, garbanzo, pinto, tofu, soybeans, soy milk, tempeh, fortified cereals, cacao, Nuts and seeds: cashews, pumpkin, pistachio, almonds, peanuts, sunflower, sesame, tomatoes, swiss chard, collard greens, kale, spinach, black strap molasses, dried figs, raisins, pomegranates, whole grains, cacao.
References
Zimmerman, M. (2001). Burgerstein’s Handbook of Nutrition. Micronutrients in the Prevention and Therapy of Disease. New York, NY: Thieme.
Alauntye, I., Stojceska, V. & Plunkett, A. (2015). Iron and the female athlete: a review of dietary treatment methods for improving iron status and exercise performance. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 12, 38. doi: 10.1249/JSR.0b013e31829a6f6b.
WebMD: Foods High in Oxalates