February 25, 2008

Before we get to day 125, let me take a moment to comment on the recent footage of slaughterhouse mistreatment of downed cows and their continued presence in our beef supply. If you did not see it, words cannot suffice to describe how hard it is to watch. But watch it we must if we are to change the way the livestock industry continues to get away with abusive animal treatment and such blatant disregard for human health and our environment.

As a vegetarian, I am glad I do not have to worry about the potential consequences of consuming the flesh of sick “downer” cows, but I am concerned for others, for the cows and for our planet. According to Anna Lappé, “Among the nation’s top 10 worst polluters of our streams, rivers, lakes, and oceans, half are beef production facilities.” This is from her recent article from the Huffington Post, “143 Million Pounds of Beef Recalled — Will the Industry Finally Change?” http://www.alternet.org/stories/77659/?page=entire

I still maintain that the most radical thing anyone can do these days is to become a vegetarian and grow your own organic food. For more on that, read Michael Pollan’s, “In Defense of Food,” and “The Omnivore’s Dilema.”

October 5, 2006 – Day 125

There’s good news and bad news. The good news is I’m slim now, about the weight I should be; 122 pounds. Twenty-five pounds in 5 months. Yea, me! The bad news is that I’ve become bored with the foods I’ve eaten during this time, so am basically just … not eating. I’d rather starve than eat the non-food most Americans eat. It disgusts me. How horrible to put things in your body that disgust you! Think about the psycho-spiritual damage than can do to a person.

I know I want to continue eating this way—the benefits are too good. I feel happier than I have in years. Energy’s good. The question is how do I combat the dietary boredom? I just need some inspiration. Something similar to the film I watched that initially got me going on this path, “Go Further.” Funny little documentary I stumbled across at the library about Woody Harrelson and a bike tour he took with some of his hippie pals to promote all things green. He’s a raw foodist, so he brought his raw food chef along to fix their meals–in a bus powered by used fast food oil they got for free (how cool is that?).

What really inspired me was the transformation of one of Woody’s friends–a classic junk food junkie–who adopted a raw food lifestyle all due to coming along on this trip. This kid was a total comedian. Hilarious, actually. He was eating all these pure, raw foods made by the chef on the trip, so his detox experience was caught on film. That in itself was interesting. But man, did he catch the fire for raw! He was holding up signs on street corners, telling people about the USDA accepted pus and blood in cow’s milk. And doing it in a funny way.

Food preparation has always been an on again, off again thing for me. Sometimes I truly love making meals, but not right now. When I’d go through this culinary boredom before I began this raw food journey, I’d have relatively healthy, quick food available; frozen meals and the like (which I now consider non-food). Now, my “fast food” is whole fruit and veggies, and I’m sick of the ones I always get. The variety at grocery stores sucks!!

When I lived in Chicago and Seattle, the vegetarian/raw food choices were everywhere. Restaurants, grocery stores, street vendors – it was so cool. But here, in the greater Oklahoma City area, it isn’t so easy. The few healthy shopping choices are spread out to kingdom come. I pray that a Whole Foods store will finally come here…

So what to do? Woman does not live on sprouted pita bread and raw almond butter alone. That’s the kind of food I’ve been eating, other than juicing, which I am thankfully, pretty religious about. I guess what it boils down to is that I’m bored my food preparation – most definitely not with the food itself. So I’m joining a vegetarian group that meets monthly and checking out recipe books. I’m also going to do some searches for online raw foodie groups. That should be fun. Lastly, I will revive my early raw food habit of buying at least one new produce item I’ve never tried before every time I shop.

I love this way of eating, but it does take regular recommitment. I am willing. It’s worth it—my looks and health have booth improved so much in such a short time. Definitely worth it.

Day 86 was written on:

August 26, 2006

I haven’t written in a while for three reasons: 1. I have been really sick, 2. I have not felt good about writing the truth that I’d been not eating well and I didn’t want to lie about it, and 3. I had lost my passion. I am sure that the latter two were caused by the first. I realize that this is not going to be a straight up line to perfect eating and health. And hell, my definition of eating poorly is a universe or two away from what it used to be–still, the parent in me is totally on my case.

Falling off the wagon now means eating sprouted, whole wheat pita spread with homemade almond butter, or packaged (already popped) organic popcorn with sea salt, or skipping my usual juicing routine in the a.m. because I’m sick of washing the damn machine.

The worst slip was eating two very big cookies from a local deli – in one day. Not organic, not whole grain. I got away with the cookies stomach-wise, but on my birthday I had a piece (okay, two pieces) of my mom’s homemade strawberry cake. However, I planned for it beforehand by juicing all day. And I paid for it afterwards – it made me sick as a dog. THE worst stomach cramping way into the night. Talk about self-sabotage.

Overall, for the past two and a half weeks of not writing, I did pretty well. I made an incredible gazpacho blender soup. So easy and tasty! Juicing more this past week is helping tremendously. Still not on target with meat. I’ve eaten fish and chicken about four times (not completely vegetarian yet). Trying to figure out protein substitutes is a hard one now. When I was a vegan for all those years I didn’t worry about it. I just ate at vegetarian restaurants in Chicago where I lived. But when I moved back to Oklahoma City there was only one veggie store/restaurant in town! Then I moved to Seattle and got sick. I went to a napropath who told me I “just wasn’t the type” that could be vegan. He told me to eat meat! So I did. Very reluctantly.

I remember that my return to consuming meat grossed me out so much I purposely numbed myself to it. I had to go into denial in order to eat animals again. I just turned off my moral compass. (I think that is what most people do.) Now, when I do eat flesh, I give thanks for the life and sacrifice of the animal I’m consuming. I know, that sounds completely new agey and nerdy, but I don’t care. I feel good about it. I’ve taught my son, Zack, to do the same.

I am easing back into the vegan lifestyle. I’m learning all kinds of new ways of thinking about and preparing food. I bought stuff to do my own sprouting. I also purchased a dehydrator. That was before I read in Cousen’s book, “Conscious Eating,” that I’m not the type that should eat dried out “wind” foods. Apparently, I’m a Vata, an Indian Dosha type, which is a way of categorizing individual constitutions. (Of course, Vatas are the most screwed up!) I still intend to use the dehydrator. I forked over the 118 bucks, and by god I’m usin’ it.

I’m reading the latest book by Ram Dass. I love how he writes about human foibles with so much heart and humor. Ram says you should give up a desire because the desire to give it up is stronger than the desire itself. But he also said that meditation and prayer are the methods to get that higher kind of desire. So, I’ve been meditating (of course, it’s more like, trying to meditate after so many years of not meditating). I think it’s helping.

The best news is that the gastric problems have cleared up. The aloe vera juice is what did it, primarily. I’ve just kept up with it. Drinking 4 to 20 ounces a day throughout the day. I have also still been taking the bioflora – healthy bioorganisms that help you digest food. No more reflux, as far as I can tell. I am sure that the enzymes and other good stuff from the greens I am juicing almost every day help as well. Cousens says that the body is capable of healing itself, if we give it the right ingredients to work with. I tend to agree.

On the road again.

January 3, 2008

Coming up is my entry chronicling the beginning of my third month of eating raw last year. I am now 16 months into this Raw Food Detox Journal, lifestyle. Quite honestly, I still have some days where I don’t eat as healthily as I’d like, but on the whole I remain about 70% raw. It works just fine for me. During winter months, my body wants grains, so I give it sprouted grains, which are incredibly satisfying. Right now, I’m into sprouting wheat berries. So tasty, so versatile, so crunchy–and easy to grow. I use them as a substitute for cereal (add blueberries, bananas and almond milk or any raw nut milk), on salads, and in rollups and smoothies.

Sprouts are considered a “Super Food,” they have so many benefits. They’re easy to digest, and packed with enzymes, proteins, complex carbohydrates, essential fatty acids, fiber, vitamins, and minerals and they’re economical. What’s not to love? My tummy is never happier than when it is digesting sprouts.

I order wheat berries from my co-op, grown locally and organically. But you can also get them online or at health food stores. Although you can also buy sprouting kits online, I just reuse old pickle jars and the like. You’ll need to poke holes in the lid. Simply soak the wheat berries for 24 hours in the jar and then drain and rinse them once to twice a day for two days. Be sure to leave the jar upside down at a 45 degree angle to properly drain, or they’ll develop nasty gooeyness.

If you want to learn more about sprouting, check out www.sproutman.com

Raw Food Detox Journal, Day 64

August 3, 2006

This was a sunshiny summer day. I just wish I would’ve been conscious for all of it. I had great energy after a peach and almond milk smoothie with raw hemp protein (the hemp protein is made by Nutiva—wonderful stuff). Got a lot done and wrote for several hours. But by 6pm I was dead asleep. I felt so tired I was actually nauseous. Was out for three hours. As I write, it’s 4am. I just don’t seem to have enough fuel to get through one day. I am so ready for the detox demons to give me a break.

‘Course, it might not be the detoxing at all. For me, sugar is at the top of my Do Not Go There list and I’ve been eating it every night in some form for 3 nights. Last night it was raw ice cream. I used raw coconut and fresh strawberries, with dates and ice. It ended up delicious. (Side note: you need a really good blender like a Vita-mix for making raw ice creams. I redecorated my kitchen with organic strawberries. At least it was a less gooey catastrophe than the last blender-inspired raw food attempt—guacamole. Still have a green tinge on my ceiling!)

Don’t get me wrong, the raw ice cream is fine for people who don’t have candida. But I am not one of them. I’ve also been eating raisins and dates with nuts. I can tell a difference already, being so sugar sensitive. The mucous is making a big comeback. It only needs a little fuel, apparently.

Goal for tomorrow: NO SUGAR!!

On July 1^st last year, I made a 180 in my life. After becoming more and more ill during the previous decade with various assaults to my body, I decided it was time to get serious about healing and take matters into my own hands. I knew the first thing that had to go was my diet. I began eating a raw food diet; no meat, no dairy, no soy, nothing from a box. Just fresh, raw fruit, veggies, seeds and nuts. I even grew my own sprouts (and still do). I began a journal detailing the experience. Day 56 follows…

July 26, 2006

I had felt so bad there for the past week that I didn’t even bother to write. I did still keep track of what I ate in a notebook. I realized I was stuck in a rut. Eating almost the same thing every day. But for the past week, I’d say I made pretty good choices with a few exceptions. I’m getting some books from the library on making gourmet raw food. Sick of my usual salad. It does take work to keep it interesting and tasty.

Yesterday my energy was so low after my chiropractic treatment that I stopped and got a diet coke on the way home. Man! It did NOT taste the same. I used to have this weird, nerdy mental habit of silently repeating the mantra, “Elixir of the gods,” as I drank my daily large, easy ice, diet lemon coke from Sonic (a local drive-in). It actually tasted rather bland to me today. Amazing how the taste buds can evolve if given half a chance.

After the chiropractor I went to see Dr. Mary, the napropath I’ve been so excited about. She put me on omega 3’s, a nasty tasting immune enhancing powder, “friendly flora” pills (healthy bioorganisms also called probiotics) to aid my digestion and an “immunoglobin G” combo, which I looked up on the internet. I read on a med site that people with lung problems such as me often have a deficiency of this in their blood. But the whole shebang cost a whopping $288.00! I sure hope it’s worth it. The friendly flora pills have helped a great deal with my stomach pain. Also still drinking aloe vera — it usually gives immediate relief.

I told her that I wanted to try fasting to speed up this hideously long detox, but she said I’ve been too sick and am on too many meds to totally fast. She recommended fasting for half days, instead. This is good, because that’s what I’ve been doing anyway. Juicing apples and greens in the a.m. keeps me going until about 4pm (it’s those enzymes!).

My low energy, poor digestion, difficulty breathing and back and hip pain are the primary problems. What a freakin’ list! I bet the average joe’s detox would be way over by now. This is the 7^th week! The back pain is better, the stomach is slightly better and I think the energy has moved from a 2 to maybe a 3. I am just ready to feel LOTS better now. Any day now…