Day 10 - Raw & Alive

Breakfast:

• Grounded Nutrition's Banana Smoothie
• water

Snack:

• carrots & Grounded Nutrition's Dilly Dip

practicing the wrapping!...

Lunch:

• Grounded Nutrition's veggie wrap (pea shoots, carrot, beet, garlic sprout) with Dilly Dip

Snack:

• seaweed (roasted)
• tea

Dinner:

• hubby's Veggie Stew
• Grounded Nutrition veggie wrap (pea shoots, carrot, brown rice, garlic sprout)
• Grounded Nutrition zucchini humus
• brown rice with seaweed
• juice: kale, snow pea, apple, carrot, spinach

snack:

• WINE!  ha!
• Almonds (still looking for raw almonds...)
• Grounded Nutrition Chia Pudding

Notes:

• I made all but two recipes from the Grounded Nutrition workshop.  
• Dinner was a feast!!  We had my lovely sister-in-law staying with us and she loved it too (so she says). 
• Grounded Nutrition recipes = YUM!
• I am so thankful for the interjection of recipes and variation.  Whew!  I needed that. 
• Organic Tradition's Cacao & vanilla bean powder- oh so good!  Cacao powder (a raw food) is super healthy (a source of beta-carotene, amino acids (protein), Omega-3 EFA's, calcium, zinc, iron, copper, sulphur, potassium, and one of the best food sources of muscle relaxing, stress relieving magnesium - more way more antioxidant flavanoids than red wine, green tea or blueberries) and a great add for my daughter who loves chocolate, but does not do well with it (cacao has 1/20th the amount of caffeine of coffee)
• I made the banana smoothie for breakfast, but I think I will save it for later in the day.  I like everything about the juicing routine and how i felt after it that we have been doing the past 10 days.  
• Told hubby about my realization about not being tired.  He thought about it and realized he hasn't been tired either, except when he has 'cheated' and had coffee. 

Day 9 - Raw & Alive

Tonight was stellar!  Here's the list for today first.

Breakfast:

• Juice - kale, cucumber, ginger, apple, snow pea, bean, carrot

Lunch:

• Organic Connections Zaghetti (YUUUUHHMM!!  I am investing in a spiral slicer as my daughter & myself, LOVE pasta)
• veggie sushi
• Smoothie - Blueberries, banana, fresh squeezed orange juice

Snack:

• tried two tea lattes as a cheat and they were so sweet, I couldn't drink either.  yikes!
• peppermint tea
• fig

Dinner:

• Organic Connections (again!) Thai Wrap - Cucumbers, carrot, red pepper, avocado, alfalfa sprouts, seasoned seeds with a spicy almond Thai sauce wrapped in a seasonal green or rice paper.
• Chai Latte (finally tried to get a proper latte to cheat with)

Snack:

• omg...  "Grounded Nutrition" made a feast of things: smoothies, pudding, wraps, dips, sauces... so wonderful.
• came home and made some for hubby too!

Notes:

• My mouth is really icky.  I noticed it before the workshop.  Gummy, furry teeth, plaque.  I know what it is: the two overly sugared tea lattes I had sips of, and the chai latte I had with dinner.  Sugar creates plaque - duh.  But the thing that clicked is what Whitney said as an example she did with a client where they took all packaged foods from the lady's kitchen and looked at the ingredients.  What is in them?  Take a look at your own boxes or packages of processed foods at home: SUGARS!  and whatever else is in there.  yes, there are sugars in veggies and fruits, especially when you juice, but for whatever reason, I haven't been getting that plaquey feeling on the days I don't have processed foods.   Such a significant difference, that it now feels really gross to have this plaquey, gummy feeling.  icchhhh!  There was sweeteners of various kinds (stevia, honey, maple syrup) in some of the samples too, but I'm going to try without, or diminishing it.
• My eczema is flaring up.  Not good.  Two points of view from tonights women:  1. I've spent decades ingesting the crap I have.  It's going to take a while to get rid of it too; letting go of the layers of ick that have built up.  2.  wheat and dairy often have a part in eczema.  Guess what I ate yesterday (that is my usual timeframe of eating certain foods that I realized were triggers, to an increase in eczema)?  Pita & Tzadziki.  
• You know when you are not feeling so hot, when you get better, it's not till you are better and then look back at how not good you were feeling, that you realize how much better you now feel?  I realized tonight that I haven't had moments of feeling tired, or blah.  yes, life gets frustrating, or overwhelming and I had a couple days of headachyiness (due to a cold, or "detoxing"?), but I don't feel the afternoon greys, or fatigued, or exhausted.  
• My cold (headache, stuffed nose, sore throat) came and went pretty darn quick.  I think it is due to my saliva/mucous not being so thick and gummy.
• I worked my tooshie off yesterday and thought I'd be screaming sore today.  Not even.  My calves are completely fine and my quads are lightly stiff.  Yihaw!
• I am noticing a really cool shift mentally and almost spiritually (interesting, huh?).  Not only do I feel more digestively efficient and abundant, I feel more clear in my mind and more intuitive or spiritually grounded.  I feel content and present - even though there are some issues on my plate that are pretty significant, I feel content.  I don't think I've ever felt to this degree before.  Rock n' ROLL baby!!
• Took Grounded Nutrition's "Raw Food On The Go" Workshop tonight hosted by Organic Connections Cafe.  Whitney, the instructor was amazing and the food... I looked at the recipes and thought "Hm...", but every dish she gave us to sample was FANTASTIC - SO delicious!  It gives me huge inspiration in making this a lifestyle choice, rather than a 15 day program.  I plan on taking many more workshops with her and posting about them - yihoo!!   Unreal how good that feels to eat so well with it being so yummy.  I know, I sound like I'm on something...  
• I've done cleanses before, three, I think?  I felt depleted, grumpy, couldn't wait for the days to pass so I could just "GO AND EAT WHAT I WANT TO EAT!"...  This is not the same at all.  The differences I feel are fundamental, innate, like things are just clicking, vibrant yet peaceful, like being "plugged in" or a hard line to Life.  In fact, I'd like to quit counting days if it weren't for in turn supporting my hubby in completing his time. 
• So Day 9 done.  After tonight, I don't see this as so much of a program anymore.  In fact, I'm not sure how I am going to transition back in to what I did before.  I will not transition in to what I did before.  I will still enjoy certain foods, and devour and appreciate meals out, but I know in our home, the shift is already well underway and it is something that is now a part of me.  I want more.  It just feels right!

Day 8 - Raw & Alive

Breakfast:

• Juice - pear, apple, snow pea, spinach, kale, ginger

Lunch:

• Wendell's Greek Salad (& pita and tzakziki) <--yep, I cheated.  if you know their pita and tzadziki, you know why I cheated. 
• peppermint tea

Snack:

• Pear
• almonds

Dinner:

• Brown Rice
• Carrots & humus

Notes:

• feeling really good!
• Calves burning balls of lactic acid(skip rope interval training the past couple days)
• Went to two workouts tonight: Bootcamp and ballet class.  Thought it'd be good to get the lactic acid in calves circulating.  Bootcamp instructor was a calf-Nazi.  She taught ballet too.  Ouch...
• Cold GONE!

Day 7 - Raw & Alive

Ok, I'm in the drivers' seat again...  Must have had my fill in my dreams last night (cut to: me gnawing on my pillow through the night)

Breakfast:

• juice: apple, carrot, strawberry, celery, kale, spinach.  

Snack:

• brown rice and seaweed
• green tea

Lunch:

• big huge salad (leftover from yesterday)
• Carrot sticks
• green tea

Dinner:

• more salad

Snack:

• popcorn
• vanilla honeybush tea

Notes:

• Willpower.  Lunch.  Made my daughter some homemade pasta with meat sauce and Parmesan Cheese.  Didn't.  have.  a.  bite. 
• As you can see, the program has shifted some since the beginning.  In the past few days I've added quinoa and rice.  I did a check in with our scale that shows a number of different readings and it is validating what I'm feeling:  I feel like my body is in deficit (body fat: muscle ratio increasing), especially with training.  So we have added some grains.  
• I am also looking in to the macrobiotic diet which sounds interesting.  Hard to find info on it for our area though.  As with many things in my life, I like to find my own balance from a handful of arenas rather than subscribing to one philosophy.  I will say this: I am really enjoying this evolution in nutrition.  It is something I definitely feel better for and excited to continue.
• much less gummy mouth still.
• Love that our daughter is so experimental with the juices.  
• My eczema is not that great, but that always seems to coincide with hormonal fluctuations
• Juicing is a great way to use up our produce.  We used to waste so much money on uneaten organic produce.  Now, anytime something isn't made in to a meal, it is juiced.  I really value that.  

Day 6.5 - Junk Food Tourette's

It started around 2am.  I was finishing off doing my financial work on my computer.  The thought of a grilled cheese sandwich insidiously crept in to my head.  I even posted it on my social networking site.  Strange yes, but the replies tell me I'm not alone.

My husband and I shut down the house, but on the way upstairs, the flood gates opened:

Me: "a plate of hashbrowns with oregano, lots of ketchup and salt!"  
Hubby: "pardon?"
Me: "When I was younger, I'd put a slab of butter in the frying pan, then basically deep fry hashbrowns until they were golden brown with oregano.  Then I'd sliiide them off the pan, in the round flat shape, right on to the plate and then put ketchup and lots of salt on."
Hubby: "What are you talking about?  You'd feel horrible after you ate that!"
Me:  "FRENCH FRIES WITH VINEGAR & KETCHUP"!
Hubby: "pardon?!"
(My fists clenched and shoulders tight and pulled up to my ears)
Me: "Oh jeez! BIG MAC MEAL!!"
(husband shaking his head)

This has happened a few times in my life.  My sisters totally know what I am talking about.  When I was a kid, when I got hungry, I'd get incredibly anxious and natter and shout out food that I wanted, how I wanted it prepared.  It would overtake my mind and my entire train of thought was one dish of food to the next.  It is unusual.  I think it is along the lines of me swearing when I get embarassed, a few of my friends can attest to that from a Pussycat Dolls Dance class last year.  If you know me, I'm usually quite composed and calm, and not a person of many words...  Not sure if these two things are connected but they don't happen that often.

We were brushing our teeth when I think Hubby realized something out of the ordinary was going on.  "French fries and gravy from the school cafeteria, shreddies with cheese, PACHOS & CHICKEN LIPS! (my body convulsing), Subway BLT, BANNOCK* dipped in butter !"     (*Native Canadian origin, deep fried bread)

These are Pachos, deep fried lattice fries, melted cheddar cheese, a touch of steak salt, and green onions, and  dipped in Emerald Isle sauce.  My favourite junk food EVER.

There we lay in bed, me mumbling about foods.  Hubby occassionally asking what certain foods were and then eagerly, I'd get to explain how the food was made or what it was.  He tried to tell me how horrible I'd feel after I ate whatever it was.  Didn't matter.  The dishes just kept tumbling out of my mouth as if I said them would allow me just a taste. 

He tried to change the topic. He started talking about travel.  My mind when to favourite dishes I'd eaten through the world, the "ISHI YAKI 'BURI BOP'" bowl at Morimoto's in Mexico City, the pizza at The Dromedario in Portugal, the Japanese food at my friends' wife's family restaurant in Tokyo...

Hubby mentioned something about Fiji and somewhere else.  I don't think I even heard what he said.
Me: "I wonder what they eat there..."  
Hubby:  "PACHOS!  They actually have a pacho on their national flag."
Me:  "yes, and they wear pacho hats on their head for their national celebrations"
Hubby:  "You know... you're really not good at cleansing..."
Me:  "No, I'm not"

He helped me get out of my cycle.  That is big because he is on a cleanse/program too, so he could have been really frustrated with me, but he wasn't. 

I was aching, but soooo happy I could go to sleep and dream of eating ANYTHING I WANTED.  Sweet dreams!

Today is a new day.  This morning, I registered for a "Raw Food On The Go" class this Wednesday.  I am direly in need of recipes.  I also am aware that I need to be eating more.  Yesterday's busy schedule and lack of planning was a large contribution to my losing control. 

I'm feeling better today.  Back in control.  Had my juice: apple, carrot, strawberry, celery, kale, spinach.  Had some brown rice and seaweed.  Going to go workout!

Day 6 - Raw & Alive

Breakfast:

• Juice-carrots, apples, ginger, broccoli, celery
• water with lemon

Snack:

• Apple

Lunch:

• Pear
• almonds

Dinner:

• Rice with seaweed
• salad - mixed sprouts, tomato, red onion, apple, carrot, lime (with avocado, lime, garlic, olive oil dressing)
• water

Snack:

• almonds
• Vanilla Honeybush Tea

Notes:

• today was a busy day: work out, clean up house/laundry, take down Christmas decorations, vacuum, wash floors, mother/daughter World War III, clean up, make dinner, make peace with child etc.  then hubby poured me a hot bath with a no-good trash magazine (gotta love those once in a while!). Up until bath, it was a non-stop day and that's where my challenge comes in.  I didn't make the time to eat today, and therefore feel deprived.  Plus, there's no hopping out to the grocery store here, so meal planning is a huge, huge must to make proper eating a must.
• We also did a breakdown of our current financial on eating and eating out so much.  Meal planning definitely a must!!  Huge savings to be had especially since we buy organic, but then have so much go to waste, and eat out on top of that.  Bad habits about to change people!
• I need to be eating more and juicing more and having more water.  
• To keep going with this, though my body loves the feeling of the foods I'm eating, I need more diversity.  I can only take so many apples, almonds, carrot sticks and humus.  I need some great recipes, some inspiration.  I've put out some calls...  wish me luck.  I'll keep you posted with whomever inspires me.
• How do I feel?  Good!  I feel "CLEAN"!   My body is happy.

Day 5 - Raw & Alive

Breakfast:

• apple, blueberry, carrot, beet, parsley, celery & leek (took 2 sips that came right back up)
• coconut water (2 glasses)

Snack:

• Apple

Lunch:

• Carrot sticks & humus

Dinner:

• curried quinoa
• vegetable lentil soup

Snack:

•   Pau D'Arco tea
• almonds

Note:

• Here's my story about our morning Juice:

Me:  "What's in this one hun?"
Him: "apple, blueberry, carrot, beet, parsley, celery & leek"

(gives me the glass - cheers!  We both drink.  hm... wow that leek really is strong at the end...  He looks at me.  I look at him.  We both take another sip and he pours some for our daughter.  "huh."  Not sure she will be a very happy camper if she has this one.  That leek leaves a strong aftertaste...  She hesitates.  He looks at me.  I look at him.)

Me:  "I don't think she'll be too happy...  I don't feel too good... not because of your juice..." (didn't want to be ungrateful for his juice)
Him: "I think I'm going to throw up!" (he runs past me to the main floor bathroom) and I run behind him for the bathroom upstairs.

• lesson - do not juice an entire leek.  I've never had a reaction to anything that fast before.  It was harsh!  & hilarious.  Kinda gross, but jeez...  Maybe a slice of leek, the inside of the leek too, I read.  Not an entire leek.
• Apples and almonds.  I'm bored of them.  Still like 'em, but I'm bored.  Need more options to eat things.  Variety.  Need more variety.

Day 4 - Raw & Alive

Breakfast:

• Juice - 

Snack:

• Apple
• Almonds

Lunch:

• seaweed (ordered a seaweed udon. ok, I ate about 4 udon noodles too...)
• Veggie wrap (in rice paper)

Snack:

• Cheezies & Chips
• veggies

Dinner:

• small piece of lasagna
• Garlic bread
• 1 slice of sushi maki
• edamame

Snack:

• small cinnamon bun
• port

Note:

• So I think I mentioned in the beginning of this that I had a family event tonight.  Yup, I was not on the program tonight, but dind't really feel guilty about it.  Why?  I don't want this 'upgrade' in my eating style to be 15 days.  I want it to be a lifestyle.  So, I ate in moderation, enjoyed it, now on with the program.  
• It was nice because as myself and my hubby just chatted about, he and I really overeat.  I am really getting in touch with eating in moderation i.e. instead of eating a bowl full of chips, I had 6.  I ate probably 25% the size of lasagna I'd usually have had, but at the end of the meal, I felt really good.
• I did notice, that my mouth was more gummy!  Seriously, the plaque build up on my teeth was considerably more.  It irritated me during the evening.  

Day 3 - Raw & Alive

Breakfast:

• Juice (kale, apple, pear, celery
• apple

Snack:

• almonds
• Pear

Lunch:

• carrots & humus

Dinner:

• Went to Organic Connections in White Rock (Specializes in raw, organic food!)
• Green Juice Blend: Cucumber, kale, celeri, apple, pear, lemon and ginger
• Thai Wrap: Cucumbers, carrot, red pepper, avocado, alfalfa sprouts, seasoned seeds with a spicy almond Thai sauce wrapped in a seasonal green or rice paper.
• Spicy Warm Red Quinoa Bowl (Cooked meal):
  Bursting with vitamins and minerals! Notably high in protein, quinoa grain is a near-perfect food. Paired with seasonal steamed veggies in a mild creamy curry sauce! (base of coconut milk)

 Snack:

• Popcorn with butter!

Notes:

• LUUUUV Organic Connections!  So inspiring and nice to see what you can do with whole, raw foods.  They are even hosting a 30 day Raw Food program and a workshop for Raw Food On The Run & Raw Food Basics in January!  and the ambiance there is so mellow and lovely - you can actually have a conversation there - wow!
• My insides feel relief.  I seriously feel like I am in-line with my body.  It feels happy, content, vibrant (aside from a bit of a cold).  I just feel more efficient!  Really enjoying this. 
• Very thankful for my husband as he does so much of the preparing of juice etc.  What a dude!

Day 2 - Raw & Alive

Breakfast:

• juice - apple, pear, carrot, kale, celery

Snack:

• Carrot Sticks & Humus

Lunch:

• Vegetable lentil soup
• green salad with avocado, lemon & garlic dressing
• Water

Snack:

• Pear
• then an hour later: Almonds & Apple
• Vanilla honeybush tea with a bit of manuka honey (my throat was scratchy)

Dinner:

• vegetable lentil soup
• green salad (yes, both soup and salad are THAT good that I would eat it lunch and dinner!)

Snack:

• Ok, here is my "moderation".  I didn't even ask, I swear.  My husband has given me a glass of wine.  It was a long day... and I don't feel an ounce of guilt over it!  Summerhill Ehrenfelser - yum "grapes"

Notes:

• My abdominal/digestive area feels really good!  It feels good in the sense that it is not bloated... that doesn't even do it justice.  I just feel tighter, trim, not carrying food that is slugging through me.
• My digestive system feels very efficient.  I won't say more than that.  Read between the lines.
• Strangely enough my saliva feels not as mucky.  I'm not even drinking more.  It just feels better.
• I have a headache tonight. Not sure if it is a cold onset?
• Other than the headache, I feel really, really good!