Saturday, December 31, 2011

Basic needs for Juicing & smoothies


If your new to juicing and don't want to spend alot of money or just don't know what to purchase to get started, then here you go. If possible buy organic, otherwise try to buy local produce. The most expensive item on this list are the carrots, but 25lbs is a lot of carrots, and this won't be a weekly purchase. When I did my challenge in August I didn't use juice recipes from books instead I added whatever was on mind at the moment. So, with that said don't forget to check out the "Gone Raw Recipes" tab for juicy and smoothie recipes. 

Juicing Basics
  • Spinach bundles
  • Kale bundles
  • Granny Smith Apples
  • Cucumbers
  • Celery stalks
  • kiwi (optional)
  • Carrots
  • ginger
 Smoothie basics
  • Bananas (lots of bananas)
  • Kale/spinach
  • blueberries (or any other kind of berries)
  • Date
  • Coconut/Organic unsweetened coconut flakes

Snacks
  • Raw nuts (i.e. almonds, cashews, walnuts, and etc)
  • fresh fruits of your choice (I love grapes, apples, pineapple, melons & lots of citrus)
  • chopped carrots
  • cucumber slices
  • dehydrated fruits (no added sugars)

Equipment
  • Juicer (Preferably one that has a large mouth to put large amounts of fruit)
  • Powerful blender (househole blender, Magic bullet, Ninja, Hamilton beach single serve blender, or Oster MyBlend)
  • Mason Jars (sold at Target, Walmart, Old Time Pottery, Big Lots, and etc....)
  • Metal Thermal drinking containers ( 24-40 ozs for when your on the run)


Most important ingredient is to... 










Love, believe, and inspire......

Friday, December 30, 2011

New Year, but are YOU worth it?

Is your New Year Resolution to lose weight, feel more radiant, or just simply remove some of the toxic foods from your normal eating habits?

 After doing and loving the outcome from my 60 days of Raw back in August I decided that I would go strictly raw every month for a few days. However, to welcome 2012 and continue onto the road of natural health I have decided to "Go Raw" for 30 days on Jan 1st. If you want to join me than please let me know. I know that many of us have struggled with losing weight and regaining our health, and many of the fad diet plans work temporary. However, with fad diets you mind as well make a welcome home sign for when the fat comes back. The only diet plan that I would honestly recommend for someone that want to learn how to eat is Weight Watchers because of everything that I have tried that was the only plan that taught me how to eat vs. just telling me what to eat. That is if you want to dish out $40 bucks a month which is money that can be used at your local farmers market or produce store. It could also be because I had a great leader as well. If your like me you have attempted every other quick fix weight-loss plan so why not give Raw a try.....Stick with me during these 30 days, and experience what eating living foods can do for your body and mind. Giving Raw a try back in August was simply the best thing that I have EVER done for my health, and the other prize was me losing almost 40 lbs that til this day I haven't regained. So if you feel that your health is worth it, if staying around long enough to see your children or grandchildren as adults is worth it, or self-worth is worth it then give Raw your everything for 30 days. I could have kept my success to myself, but I know that their is another person out there that feels like nothing works and just wants to give up. PLEASE UNDERSTAND THAT I KNOW THAT FEELING!!!! Oh, and have you noticed that I am not trying sell you something?

 Let 2012 be the last time you lie to yourself about getting healthier, and losing weight. THE ONLY THING  YOU GOT TO LOSE IS THE WEIGHT!!!!




Love, peace, and better health....
Dolicia M. 

Thursday, December 29, 2011

Fad diets....

Fad diets is something that many of you are way to familiar with. If you have tried Atkins, South Beach, HCG Shots, magical weight loss shakes, prepackage meal plans, pills (prescription/non-subscription), or any  other diet than like myself you are very familiar with fad diets. All of these diets promise quick weight-loss, but they lack the education of nutrition. When I say this I am not just speaking of informing us not to eat more than a certain amount of calories, or drink an artificial sweetener vs. a natural sweetener. I don't know about you, but when I take the time to quickly lose weight  I am equally disappointed when it magically appears again. There is nothing about re-gaining all the weight that screams happy person.

In my opinion if  you want to truly be happy, and lose weight for good I suggest that you lose it naturally. We didn't put on the weight overnight, so why do we expect it to disappear overnight? In July I set the date of August 1st to do Raw Vegan for 60 days. During this time-frame I lost about 35-40 pounds, and even after adding healthy cooked foods back since the end of the 60 days I have not gained any of the weight back. This is huge for me because previously on any of the fad diets once I hit a 10-15 pound lost the weight returned while I was sticking to the program. Living life without meat, eggs, dairy, or cheese has literally changed my life for good. I still juice or make a smoothie from fresh fruits and veggies once or twice a day because I love them. The movies that help change my life by shedding a closer light on the food that we eat were "Fat, sick, and nearly dead"," Forks over knives", "Food Matters", "The Gerson Theory", "The beautiful truth", "Food inc", and others that referenced the quality of our food. Another thing that helped me was to learn about the type of foods to eat for  my blood-type by looking up information on "The blood type diet".  Before I would listen to people and eat how they suggested, and today I listen to my body instead and watch the transformation along the way. I love my new eating lifestyle, and I love the weight-loss that I have, and will continue achieve.


The assumption is that Vegans don't get enough protein from their plant based lifestyles. People are so WRONG!!!!!

Peace, Love, and health
Dolicia M. 




Thursday, December 22, 2011

I loved it, and I am sure you will too....

Ok, so I know that I did not make an announcement of any sort, but I have been RAW since Friday December 16th. I did have cooked food for dinner on Saturday evening, but I continued on my focus Sunday morning. Tuesday I skipped the gym because I just didn't have the energy to exercise. I believe that my body was in detox mode which is expected to happen when you go raw only. Yesterday, I had a craving for chips, and lucky for me Wheat Berry bread cafe & raw juice bar came in to save the day. As you can tell by their name they sale raw foods. The great thing about this cafe is that everything is organic, the menu is simple, they sell sandwiches for those who eat meat, and they also have a selection that cater to raw vegans. I have already feel in love with Wheat Berry elixirs, but this time I tried the guacamole w/ flax chips which are raw vegan. Now, normally I am not a fan of guacamole because no one had ever been ever to make it to satisfy my taste, but Wheat Berry changed my outlook about the guac. Yes, I must say "THAT WAS THE BEST GUACAMOLE THAT I HAVE EVER EATEN IN MY LIFE". Oh, and the flax chips were pretty darn delicious as well, but the two combined had my taste buds dancing and singing for hours. After that experience with the Guac & flax chips I couldn't help to think about how delicious the rest of the menu must taste. Oh, and in case your wondering my experience with eating raw foods is going great.

 

Above is a picture of this divine creation that they call Guacamole & Flax chips. If you would like to experience the taste of goodness, and experience healthy eating in the same bite then I highly suggest that you visit my new family at Wheat Berry which is conveniently located right  off the bike trail on Douglas & Commerce Park in Altamonte Springs.

 1150 Douglas Avenue Ste. 1010, Altamonte Springs, FL 32714






If you haven't realized I am very serious about my food. LOL!!!

Peace, Love, Health, and many Blessings to all....
Dolicia M. 

Monday, November 28, 2011

Ask me whatever!!!!!

It's been awhile since I have blogged anything, but I remember back when I was curious about the vegetarian, vegan, and raw vegan lifestyles. I had so many questions, so here is your chance to pick my brain. What do you have questions about? I won't give you a bunch of BS answers, but I will give you answers based on what I have personally experienced if the question fits. So, come one think about some questions that you have about my journey of being a vegetarian, vegan, or how I felt when I used to be a hardcore meat eater. If you don't want to comment on this post feel free to send me an email message at Dolicia@aol.com, and I will answer your questions via a blog post and keep your name a secret. I would love to hear from you so come on, and don't be shy!!!!!!


Saturday, November 12, 2011

Stricky Raw on hold!!!

Ok, I know that I said I was going to do this for 20 days, but last night I decided that I will post-pone this strictly raw adventure and pick it back up after Thanksgiving. I am doing this for a couple of reasons, and one being a competition at work that starts on the 21st through Jan 1st. The second reason is because I am craving cooked food. Like the norm I will continue with juicing twice a day, one cooked meal, and snacking on fruits and nuts throughout the day. I hope that you all have a wonderful weekend, and enjoy the weather where ever you live.


When it comes to eating right and exercising, there is no "I'll start tomorrow."  Tomorrow is disease.  ~Terri Guillemets

Friday, November 11, 2011

Quotes

I love reading quotes, and although this one is not new to me I just read it again and vigorously shook my head in agreement. Read the quotes below and  think about it.....


The... patient should be made to understand that he or she must take charge of his own life.  Don't take your body to the doctor as if he were a repair shop.  ~Quentin Regestein


In minds crammed with thoughts, organs clogged with toxins, and bodies stiffened with neglect, there is just no space for anything else.  ~Alison Rose Levy, "An Ancient Cure for Modern Life," Yoga Journal, Jan/Feb 2002


The hospitals and graveyards are filled with those who refused to acknowledge the virtues of physical morality.  ~Dr Ron Spallone, denverchiropractor.com


Adam and Eve ate the first vitamins, including the package.  ~E.R. Squibb

Sunday, November 6, 2011

Day 4 of Going Raw Phase 2

Day 4 of Going Raw, and we had a pretty cool gloomy as it is going to snow type of day....What I didn't mention is that I love when the temperatures is not scorching hot, and cool enough to enjoy outdoor outside activities for hours. LOL!!! Well today I did pretty good, but I wasn't prepared for lunch. We were at the mall and my inner hunger bitch was quickly approaching, and she only appears when I need food. So, the only place that's has raw food that I normally enjoy is Hovans, but today I wanted something warm and cooked so I went to iSpice which is a Indian restaurant in the food court that sell a variety of vegan food. Yayyyyyy!!!!!!! I purchased the Curried mixed vegetables, and it was delicious.

Curried mixed vegetables from iSpice in Altamonte Springs Mall

Yes, I cheated on Raw foods with cooked foods, but this is not the end of my 20 days of Going Raw. I strongly believe that when you cheat on your food challenge you MUST get back on track with the next meal. I made the choice to eat cooked today, and I did not beat myself over the head about it because I had already said in my mind that this is what I want right now, this is the last time I will have cooked food during this phase of going Raw, and the next meal and thereafter will be RAW. So your probably thinking if I cheated on my challenge I would keep it to myself and not tell anyone. I felt the need to share this on my blog because anyone that follows a diet/food choice challenge need to understand that when you get off track of your plan don't waste time beating yourself up. Instead hop back on your plan and finish it STRONG!!!!!

Today's focus at the mall was strictly for the children because when it comes to clothes they were not prepared for this cooler weather, but they were prepared for any possible flooding. While there we also stopped in Borders and of course I went straight to the Vegetarian section before taking the kids to the kids section.  I know Lindsay Nixon only via FB and she is always posting some tasty sounding recipes so naturally I picked up her book  The Happy Herbivore. I must say that there was not one page that I viewed that I did not say "Wow!!! I have to try that!". I also love that many of her recipes are for vegans, vegetarians, and omnivores (meat eaters) as well without containing any meat. I did not purchase the book from the store, but have decided to order it from Amazon instead. So if your new to the vegetarian lifestyle, looking to try something to new, or searching for healthier recipes for the brownies and other baked goods I highly recommend purchasing her book The Happy Herbivore.

"Don't let the low times get you down. Learn from them and reach for the high times."~D. Wiemers


Wishing you all peace, love, and much success!!!!
Dolicia M.

Thursday, November 3, 2011

Quickie

Today makes day 3 in phase 2 of  Going Raw. I am enjoying every bit of this RAW life, and I realized that I am missing suggestions on my page. With that said sometime today I create another tab so be on the lookout.

Have a Raw-licious evening!!!!!

Tuesday, November 1, 2011

Day 1 of Going Raw Phase 2

As mentioned before I would eat RAW every month on the 1st for 5 days, but because I like to challenge myself I decided that this month I would do 20 days instead. Obviously, I had a good experience with going RAW the first time otherwise I wouldn't be doing it again. I must admit for me today is much easier than I expected, and I look forward to trying so many new recipes. 


Sunday, October 23, 2011

Fun at Central Florida VegFest 2011

Today was a pretty great day!!!! Along with my kids my mother and  I went to the Central Florida Vegfest, and my eyes have been opened even more after tasting some very delicious vegan foods. My mom and kids also enjoyed the food as well. Did I mention that my kids are not easy to please, but still they enjoyed the food. Oh, and vegan cheese!!!!! Extremely healthy, and oh so delicious.  Between eating, and drinking so much water & tea I felt so satisfied when we left. I can't wait til next year!!!! Below are a few pictures from the fest.....

Music (There were actually musicians on both sides of the park)

Cardboard boxes made into a castle, and the kids had a ball playing in it. 

Info guide (visit www.cfvegfest.org for more information)


Look at all the tents

Awesome Vegan Burgers

I had a cookie, and it was sooooooo delicious!!!

OMG!!! Vegan Indian Food. This was so good!!!

Very delicious cookie!!!

These nachos were soooooo delicious. Oh, and that's vegan cheese.

Tuesday, October 18, 2011

Veggie burger #2 recipe


This is an unintended recipe for the Veggie burger that I made tonight. It was better than the previous one, and the flavors were popping. 




Veggie burger #2 ingredients
black beans (cooked)
diced green peppers
diced onions
cooked rice
steal cut oatmeal
organic oatmeal
corn (I cut it off the cob)
sea-saltground peppercorn, ground garlic,ground



Directions: Blend the dry ingredients into a flour, drain beans before blending into a mush), add other ingredients. Mix, and shape into burgers. Pan fry/bake, eat, and enjoy!!!!!











Take care of your body. It's the only place you have to live. ~Jim Rohn

Sunday, October 16, 2011

Homemade Veggie burgers w/ roasted sweet potato and zucchini

Looks like I have been slacking a bit on blogging, so my apologizes if you look forward to what's next on my mind. Especially since you never know what crazy things may free itself from that place.......Before going raw and making the final decision to become a vegetarian one thing I did enjoy was a good veggie burger, but I rather make my own vs. the store brought that has preservatives and excess sodium. So for the first time that is exactly what I did today. I must admit that I added more ingredients than intended, but the burger came out pretty good. Now with that said the next time I will leave out an ingredient because I am not exactly sure about the texture. Next time I would like to play with using oatmeal or lentils in the recipe vs. whole wheat flour. Ok, enough with the long wind, and here is the recipe for today's burger. 

Oh, but first you may want to chop the sweet potato and zucchini, sprinkle with a tablespoon of coconut oil, toss, and roast on 350 degrees for approx 40-45 mins.

Veggie Burger Ingredients:

 Black beans
Onion
Green peppers
Orange pepper
Corn (cut from the cob)
Cilantro
Spinach
Carrot pulp (chopped up carrots will also work)
Rice
Fresh ground pepper (to taste)
Paprika 
Whole wheat flour
Olive oil

Directions:

  • Blend or mash the black beans
  • Blend or chop to your liking the following: Onions, green & orange peppers, cilantro, and spinach
  • Place ingredients into a bowl, add rice,carrot pulp, (or chopped blended carrot), sprinkle approx 2 tablespoons of whole wheat flour, and mix together with a fork
  • Season with fresh ground pepper, and paprika to taste
  • Drizzle with 1/2 spoon of olive oil
  • Mix all ingredients together , and make burger patties.
  • **If they are not sticking together well you can add more mash black beans, rice or sprinkle a little more flour into the mix. 
  • Heat olive oil in pan or oil of your choice, and cook on medium for approx 5 mins on each side. When I cooked the other side I covered the pan with a lid. 

















***I also baked the other two burgers, and I did not like the texture. I think it was because of the flour which is why earlier I stated that next time I will try something other than the flour. Plus, the flavors were not pulled from burgers baked like it did in the pan. Just being honest!!!!




Friday, October 7, 2011

Want to lose weight? Don't diet, and never use the word....

     If your reading this chances are based on the title you think I am nuts, or maybe you were just curious. Like many of you I myself have attempted many diets, and like many of you well.......you know what happened next. Especially, if you are carrying some, all, or more of the weight that was lost while on your diet. Normally when a person says that they are going on a diet they are referring to a temporary change of eating to lose the weight. In many cases, when the weight is gone then the diet goes out the window along with it. Notice I said most people vs. all.... There are many people that continue the diet which for them it becomes a lifestyle change. I don't know many people that diet to lose weight, and are excited about gaining it back. Ask any yo-yo dieter if they enough regaining any of the pounds that they lost, and I am pretty sure the answer would be no. If you want to lose weight and keep it off DO NOT DIET!!!!  Instead make lifestyle changes, and if you know that you can't give up all the trash that you are eating now then don't attempt too. Take it slow because every small change that you make now will have big results in your life later. The S.A.D (Standard American Diet) is comprised of a lot of not so healthy choices. The serving sizes are hug, greasy, and loaded with refined sugars. My personal decision was to become a Vegetarian, and I am not trying to convince you to do the same. However, I would suggest rethinking about how you load your plate. How hard would it be to make your veggies the main item, grains next, and meat into a 2-4 oz serving size. If you get hungry for a snack while out of the home don't grab the candy bare or chips instead grab a piece of fruit, dried fruit or nuts. Now, while you are taking steps to a new you just remember not to use the word diet, but scream and shout LIFESTYLE CHANGES!!!!




Saturday, October 1, 2011

Juice Feasting & Fruit Smashing....Day 1

Today wasn't hard at all, but I also did not expect it to be. Hmmmm.....which makes me think. Can we control our hunger by our thoughts? This morning I made enough juice to last me for breakfast and lunch. Heading to my son's soccer practice I drank one half, and placed the other 2 cups in a mason jar and stored it in the cooler. The serving that was stored in the mason jar was a delicious as the first sip right out of the juicer. After practice we made a stop the Farmers Market in Lake Mary, and I purchased some Green Chai Tea, Quinoa, and peaches. I was really hoping that they had spinach and kale, but none was in site. I guess the early bird truly gets the worm. I also had the chance to stop at Pell's Citrus & Nursery to buy a bushel of white & red navel oranges. The last stop before home was Publix for spinach, milk (for the kids), bread, and bananas, detergent (Tide was on sale), and I forgot the other item. When I arrived I felt kinda of tired, took my Princess to the potty what seemed like a million times, put her to bed, and crashed on the couch as X was playing games on my laptop. Over an hour must have gone by before I work up and realized that it was also his bedtime. After being up for a short period time, I realized that my tongue is slightly coated and I just don't feel well. No Good!!!!! I have no appetite, and have not eaten anything since a banana late this afternoon. Oh, and did I mention that pain on my left side is back. Geez!!!!! Well, right now I am gonna enjoy a glass of Green Chai Tea with honey while watching "Forks over knives". Has anyone realized that the knife is actually a scalpel in the movie. Now how cool is that......

“Extreme remedies are very appropriate for extreme diseases.”~Hippocrates

















My thoughts... 60 days of living a RAWSOME life!!!

     60 days of RAW flew by on a jet plane and I must say that I truly enjoyed the ride. Some people labeled me many things during this journey such as radical, crazy, extreme, and the list goes one. The reason why I began this journey after labeling myself as the yo-yo Queen is strictly for my health. I did not embark on this journey just to lose weight, look good for my husband, not because my doctor has been drilling it in my head for 2 year +, or anyone else.

      On July 27th 2011, I went to my cardiologist for my scheduled echo-cardiogram, and received opposite news from what I expected. I was exercising 4-5 days a week, digging deeper, and was able to physically push myself further. So imagine hearing that the primarily results of the echo was back down to 40%, and  I developed a Bundle Branch Block. Initially, I was very torn, and cried like never before because that was not what I expected. I did not stay in that mindset for long, and by the time I made it home I was developing a plan on healing my body, and living a healthier life. I have always had some knowledge of natural health, but never truly linked it to the foods by removing meats for true healing. I set a date of August 1st to give myself time to prepare for the RAW food lifestyle, and prepped my brain for the journey. Shortly after I finally purchased a medical bracelet and resumed working out. Well, after following up with the Cardiologist and after analyzing the echo-cardiogram he determined that my EF is actually 45%-50%, and he feels that this is a low normal for me. He also mentioned that the Bundle Branch Block will likely be there for life. He set my next appointment for 6 months out which gives me plenty of time to change my health around, and the hope of getting off the heart meds is still there. I want healing vs. patch ups, and I know changing my lifestyle will get me there.



      Now you may think OMG!!! How did she go RAW for 60 days? I am a strong believer that once you set your mind to it you can conquer anything, and that is what I did. Do I enjoy the taste of meats, and meat by products? Of course I do, well at least I used to, but in my mind the success of gaining optimum health taste a helluva lot better. I want great healthy, mentally and physically and the only person that can sabotage that for me is ME!!!! I have full control over any and everything that I eat. The only time that I did not eat raw was towards the very end when I was hospitalized  for 4 days and feed a liquid only diet. I made sure to let the nurse know that I needed a vegan diet though, but either way the most I could have was juice (no added sugars/sweeteners), broth (vegetable), jello, and tea. That Saturday morning they finally moved me to oatmeal which was made with water, and lunch were soft veggies. Once I got out of the hospital I hoped back on track even though the antibiotics stuck me with a reduced appetite. 

      Another great thing that keep me motivated was this blog to hold myself accountable, and then I updated one of my FB pages by changing it to my blog page and gained more followers which meant more people were reading my blog. I went from doing the blog strictly for myself which sounds selfish to learning that others were inspired to start juicing or going RAW full/part time. At that point I felt that the things that I was learning I had to share with others because I felt as if they are counting on me because my FB inbox and messenger had never been so busy. You say that I inspire you, but you guys also inspire me.

    Seriously Dolicia, how did you do it was it easy, was it hard, was it time consuming, did you only juice the whole time? Answers yes, no, no, and no. LOL!!! Others at my job decided to start juicing as well so we all pitched in some money and purchased a juicer for work. Which made life really simple for me on work days because I did not have to wake up earlier to juice before leaving work. During the 60 day period I juiced twice a day. I always juiced for breakfast, and if I had salad for lunch I juiced for dinner, but there were some days that I would juice 3 times. Every time I juice I feel as if my body is having a party and all of my cells are dancing to a beautiful tune. That is how I feel about it, but to truly understand you would have to experience it for yourself. My one meal of the day normally consisted of a salad packed with color or a fruit salad pack with color. The process for me was not hard because I stayed prepared by keeping the items that I needed stocked in my fridge. Going raw was not time consuming for me because it takes a lot less time to put some fruits and veggies in a juicer than it does to thaw, and cook any meal. As time went by I noticed that my hair, and skin became more radiant, my attitude was even more positive, and my mind is clearer. Juicing/Raw foods changed my life, and my body. Ashamed to say I started this journey at 208lbs, and at my 60th day I weighed 176.8. I do feel that if I did not have that 4 day hospital stay being pumped with fluids and meds on top of my heart meds I would have lost more weight. Which is why one October 1st I decided to detox my body of that mess by juicing and eating fruits for 5 days or more. This will be a breeze because it's the two things I love, and I know that I am doing something great for myself by taking care of myself, which enables me to take better care of my family. 

   So at this point you may wonder what's next...After learning so much about the body, self healing, and experiencing RAW/Living foods I have decided to live a Vegetarian lifestyle that is mainly RAW/Plant based. Some people may think this is extreme, but I suggest that they give it a try before they knock my reasoning. I am still learning about the meatless/Raw/Living foods/Vegan lifestyle because the the more knowledgeable I am the easier it will be for me to experience continued success. My focus is healing, and the prize is weight-loss........


No one knows how they will die, but suicide by food is not what I want my cause to be confirmed as. Notice that holistic care/treatments are not covered by insurance companies, but as we know there is no money to be made by the pharmaceutical industry if we were to heal ourselves and stop killing ourselves with medications when health problems arise...Dolicia M.  

"I will not die an unlived life. I will not live in fear of falling or catching fire. I choose to inhabit my days, to allow my living to open me, to make me less afraid, more accessible, to loosen my heart until it becomes a wing, a torch, a promise. I choose to risk my significance; to live so that which comes to me as seed goes to the next as blossom and that which comes to me as blossom, goes on as fruit."~Dawna Markova



"One thing I do know is that anything is possible if you add a dash of discipline, drop of planning, cup of preparation, ounce of will, tsp of motivation, and a whole heap of vision. My vision is clear, and I don't plan on fogging up my own glass." ~Dolicia M.





LOVING & LIVING THIS JUICY LIFE!!!

Dolicia M.


Friday, September 9, 2011

Updates Completed....

Sept 9th, and 40 days of a RAWsome lifestyle experience!!!! I keep saying "time is on a jet-plane, and I am up for the ride."


OK, I have added a new page for videos, and updated others. Check them out and tell me what you think. I am trying to share as much information with you guys as possible to make your transition easy. More changes will come in the future as well, but I can't put a time-stamp on it right now, but one thing I do know is that your illness can be your blessing. As crazy as it may sound I truly believe that heart failure, Thalassemia, and whatever my GI issue may be is a blessing. Had I never experienced any of these problems I would have probably continued to treat my body/permanent residence as an land field. I just have to listen, think, plan, and execute so the other blessings of it will come to life....


Much Love & Goodnight Humans!!!

Wednesday, September 7, 2011

Gone Raw!! Day 38

Sept 7th, and the 38th day of going RAW!!! Today was a good day, but hey isn't everyday......I swear as the days go by I feel better and better as if I can conquer the world. All I know is that this lifestyle is definitely changing my life one digit at a time. Every morning I weigh myself out of habit because I used to easily retain fluids and would monitor daily by weighing myself. Well, now instead of monitoring fluid I am monitoring my weight-loss, and almost everyday I am seeing the digits go down.  As of this morning I have successfully lost 26.4lbs. The best thing about it is that I have done this in a way that is not depriving, and  I feel completely amazing. Now, will I continue to live a completely RAW life after the 60 days? Hmmmmm.....That is not something that has been decided as of yet, but I do at least plan to keep it 80-90% RAW and even possibly remain vegetarian. Right now the smell of meat in the air makes my stomach nauseous. LOL!!! Well, because I do work and need to visit my bed part-time lets get to what landed in my belly today.

Day 38
Plenty of water throughout the day
Breakfast:
Simple Green Morning.....Spinach, 2 granny smith apples, one kiwi, one cucumber, 1 celery stalk, and one squeezed lime.

Snack: Bananas

Snack: Pistachios

Lunch: Organic Salad (standard one that is located on previous post), and Lemonade (water, 1 squeezed lemon, and tbs of raw unfiltered uncooked honey)

Snack: Oops still full from lunch, so no snack

Dinner:
Loving it!....Spinach, zucchini, half kiwi, macintosh & granny-smith apple, and a small light green squash.


Snack: Green Chai tea with honey.

 "A wise man should consider that health is the greatest of human blessings, and learn how by his own thought to derive benefit from his illnesses." Hippocrates


Monday, September 5, 2011

Gone Raw...Day 35!!

Sept 4th, and the 35th day of going RAW!!! Today was a great day as everyday should be. We skipped out on church because the Princess, and my hubby are sick. The good news is that both of them appear to be recovering soon. While out today I found a book on Raw living (they were out of "Soak your nuts" again), Dehydrator at Bed bath & Beyond, Bender ball for my abs at Target, and RAW & unfiltered local from one of Bella's old classmates.  Did I mention that it was a good day for finding things. Now as far as what went into my belly today. Well, I will update the Raw Recipes tab with that info later....Good Night, and Happy Labor Day!!!

Thursday, September 1, 2011

Gone Raw!!! Day 31

August 31st, and the 31st day of going RAW!!!! All I can say is that it feels as if I started this RAW journey yesterday, but in reality as you can see it's been 31 days. You may wonder how did I stick with this plan for so long, and why do it for more than 30 days. Well, when you have experienced what I have with heart health at my young age of 32, then I would hope that you do anything to preserve your health as well. At least anything that is within your control. In my opinion that is one way of showing yourself that you truly love yourself. So far, my experience with going RAW has been good, and I don't see that changing for the worse. One thing that I think of on a regular basis is becoming a full blown vegetarian because honestly I don't miss or have any craving for meat. I still have not made the final decision on that yet, but what I have considered is only eating meat 1 or twice a week sometimes. I guess that truly depends on how my body will respond to it. I need to go back to bed so below is what landed in my belly on this 31st day of going RAW........


Day 31
Plenty of water throughout day
Breakfast:
Fruity Hump.....Spinach, broccoli, kale, pineapple, granny smith apple, ginger, cucumber, and celery

Snack: Pistachios

Snack: Pineapples and plum

Lunch: 
Salad....Mixed greens with green peppers, onions, feta cheese, balsamic dressing, blueberries, tomatoes, and apples

Snack: 1 fig


Dinner:
Unseen Green....Spinach, kale, chard, dandelion, granny smith apple, and carrot

"One thing I do know is that anything is possible if you add a dash of discipline, drop of planning, cup of preparation, ounce of will, tsp of motivation, and a whole heap of vision. My vision is clear, and I don't plan on fogging up my own glass." ~Dolicia M.


Monday, August 29, 2011

Gone Raw!! Day 28

August 28th, and the 28th day of going RAW!!! Today was a great day despite one thing. All I can say is it Friday yet? LOL!!! Right now I should be asleep, but I fell asleep while doing laundry so guess what I am waiting on.....Yep! My son's PE uniform to finish washing. LOL! I will make this quick since the washer is almost done. So, with that said here is what landed in my belly today.....

Day 28
Plenty of water
Breakfast:
Easy Sunday.....Spinach, granny smith apple, red apple, cucumber, carrot, and green pepper.

Snack: Banana

Lunch: Subway Salad....Spinach along with every veggie available, and of course no meat.

Snack: Fresh fruit salad (while hanging out at my neighbors house who is also focusing on her overall health.)

Dinner:
Sunday's lovely feeling.....Spinach, 1 leaf of chard, 2 leafs of kale, 1 small zucchini, 1/4 large cucumber, half green pepper, carrot, plum, granny smith apple, and red apple.
 A wise man should consider that health is the greatest of human blessings, and learn how by his own thought to derive benefit from his illnesses." ~Hippocrates



Thursday, August 25, 2011

Gone Raw!! Day 24

Aug 24th, and the 24th day of going RAW!!!!! Today was my Mommy birthday, and a busy day at work. Today after picking up the kids my mom came over. I cooked dinner for her and brought her a birthday cupcake that my daughter assisted her with eating. LOL!!! The awesome thing is for the third time I have been able to touch a cupcake without eating it because my body is not calling for it. Well, off to bed I need to go back to so here is what landed in my belly today.

Day 24
Plenty of water
Banana
Breakfast:
Sweet Positive O....Spinach, dandelion, kale, cucumber, 1/4 beet, 1 1/2 granny smith apple, 1/4 pineapple, and 4 strawberries.

Snack: Pistachios

Lunch:
Organic salad with green peppers, onions, strawberries, feta cheese, almonds, cucumbers, and tomatoes.

Snack:Apple

Snack: Natural Almond butter, raw honey, and cut up banana....So felling and yummy!!!

Dinner:
Sweet Green Night.....Spinach, kale, celery, 1/2 zucchini, 1/2 green pepper, 1/4 cucumber, granny smith apple, red apple, pineapple, and kiwi


"The first and most important step toward success is the feeling that you can succeed." ~Nelson Boswell




Tuesday, August 23, 2011

Gone Raw!! Day 22

Aug 22nd, and the 22nd day of going Raw!!!!  I am typing and still wondering what happened to the weekend. Today was a pretty good day overall, and boy was it busy at work because of hurricane Irene. The good thing is that time flew by before you know it was the end of my shift. Last night my son woke me up 3 times so I didn't get much sleep, and I was so tired I did not want to drive to the gym. Hopefully, I can go Tuesday because my body is calling for the Precor and some weights. I hope that everyone had a nice Juicy day as well. Now lets see what landed in my belly because my bed is calling me again.

Day 22
Plenty of water

Snack: Banana

Breakfast:
Juicy Mon.....Spinach, Kale, Dandelion, green apple, carrot, half peach, ginger, green pepper, cucumber, and beet.


Snack: Pistachios

Snack: Plum

Lunch:
Salad....Mixed greens, onions, green peppers, feta cheese, carrots, avocado, and natural balsamic dressing

Snack:Pistachios

Snack: Toasted Seaweed (Sea Snax)

Dinner:
Ecto-Cooler (named by my friend Kelley).....Kale, cucumber, celery, granny smith apple, and zucchini.

"Knowing is not enough; we must apply. Willing is not enough; we must do." ~Goethe

Saturday, August 20, 2011

Gone Raw!! Day 20

August 20th, and the 20th day of going RAW!!!! So far so good with this weekend. I drank enough juice in the morning to hold me over for lunch. I also though about how when we were children we would pull the weeds from the yard. Now, I am finding myself purchasing the pesticide free version of it from the store. You will see that tonight I juiced and ate a salad, and it was nice. However, that won't happen often.  Well, I must keep this short because my eyelids have bricks on them. So, lets see what landed in my belly today...

Day 20
Plenty of water
Breakfast:
Garden mix....Dandelion, spinach, bok choy, green tomato, cherry tomatoes, granny smith apple, half cucumber, 2 strawberries, and half beet.


Snack: Banana & Plum

Lunch: Nothing I was still very full.

Snack: Plum

Snack: Banana

Dinner:
Salad....Mixed greens w/ blueberries, strawberries, cucumbers, onions, green peppers, avocado, feta cheese, and a natural balsamic dressing.
Nameless.....Spinach, kale, dandelion, zucchini, cucumber, ginger, orange tomato, yellow pepper, green pepper, green tomato, cherry tomato, granny smith apple, and pineapple.

"Success is the sum of small efforts, repeated day in and day out."~Robert Collier



Gone Raw!! Day 19

      August 19th, and the 19th day of going RAW!!!!  If you follow then you noticed that I missed a couple of days. I was attacked by body-snatchers that caused some strange muscle pains to my whole body, and they did not want to return me in a timely matter to blog. I feel much better now! Well, on Wednesday I went to the Hematologist, and before treatment my hemoglobin was 9.8, and after 3 treatments it's only 9.9.  He stated that the treatments had not kicked in yet, so we will see what happens after the remaining 7.

       One thing I can say is this RAW life is RAWSOME!!! Overall I have had more energy, my skin feels better, and I am always satisfied vs. feeling heavy. I suggest that everyone give their body a break by trying this raw life for at least a week to experience what the rest of us are experiencing. Like I mentioned before I am doing the RAW life for a total of 60 days, and after that RAW meals will make up for the majority of my food consumption. I have been thinking about remaining a vegetarian after the 60 days, but a final decision has not been made. Remember my motivation of this food lifestyle is my heart condition. I have to lose weight, so my heart is not working any harder than needed.  Anyway enough of me let's see what landed in my belly today.....

Day 19
Plenty of water
Breakfast:
Dolicious Elixir.....Spinach, granny smith apple, 2 mint leaves, 1 carrot, cucumber chunk, pineapple chunk, squeezed lime, and ginger

Snack: Pistachios

Snack: Banana

Lunch:
Organic salad with mixed greens, strawberries, almonds, green peppers, onions, tomatoes, and feta cheese

Snack: Plum

Snack: Banana & Pistachios

Dinner:
Green Yum Yum.....Spinach, kale, dandelion, granny smith apple, peach, carrot, 1/2 green pepper, and cucumber.

"The more effort you put into something, the more you get in return." ~D. Rivera


Tuesday, August 16, 2011

Gone Raw!! Day 16

August 16th, and day 16 of going RAW!!!! Not much occurred today. I took the kids to school, then came back home to work on an order and attempt to relax a bit since I felt like I was coming down with something. Working on the order happened, but rest did not as I was focused on bows. After picking up the kids and doing the Mommy thing I continued on the order. I also made a Raw version of ice cream to satisfy a chocolate craving that I was having.  I must say that my version of the ice cream came out pretty darn good. Well, let's see what else made it in my belly today....

Day 16
Plenty of water throughout the day
Breakfast:
Nice & green.....spinach, cucumber, granny smith apple, half kiwi, and ginger.

Lunch:
Avocado Rolls.....Yes, I am hooked. LOL!

Snack: Plum

Dinner:
Raw ice cream....frozen banana, fresh banana, frozen strawberries, cacao powder, and Raw honey. Blend all items into a creamy texture for a bowl of satisfaction.

"You have to know what you want to get it." ~Gloria Stein