Thursday, November 27, 2008

Food for Thought




Today is marked as a National Day of Mourning, and has been since 1970. (Did you know that?) If I didn't mourn with them, I'd be betraying my lineage. That's not gonna happen.

Food for thought.



Peace...

Tuesday, November 25, 2008

Science: Alkaline vs Acidic Foods

I had posted this on one of my old blogs back in the summer and just remembered that I had it on my SoulVegFolk profile. So thank you Divine for reminding me about this. *smile*

Class is now in session.

Today we're going to discuss pH balance and how it relates to not only your food, but it's effect on your body.

As we know from middle school science class, the pH balance is what determines how much acid or alkaline a living thing contains. On a scale of 14 with 7 obviously being Neutral, the lower the number the more acidic it is, and vice versa.

With that said the foods and it's corresponding pH balance that we consume also dictates our level of well being. And to break it down even further Brothas and Sistas, every single cell that makes up the human body is alkaline. In order for good health and optimum performance we must maintain this level of alkalinity!!!

Foods such as soda, refined sugars, MEAT (uhhduhh), coffee, alcohol, sweetners (including processed honey but excluding agave ), canned fruit, fruit juices, dairy, and processed foods are all acidic and when ingested throws us completely off balance. The more acidity we absorb and the longer we allow this to happen dis-ease and discomfort are imminent. High blood pressure, diabetes, gallstones, kidney disease, cancer, obesity, stress are just a few things that occur when our bodies become acidic. This is unacceptable!

More food for thought: when our pH balance is off our bodies compensate and try to restore its alkalinity by pulling calcium, potassium, and magnesium from our bones. Thus putting you at risk for Osteoporosis! Drinking milk and eating dairy to 'prevent' this is the same as grabbing a shovel and digging that grave just a little bit deeper.

Have you ever run into a Vegetarian or even Vegan that eats a lot of soy and refined processed foods yet are still overweight?? Acidity is to blame.

To be honest I never even heard of this until recently. I would just go to the store and buy whatever, but it makes sense. It's not 'extreme', questionable european medicinal theory, or Hollywood trend-it's simple science.

I've taken the liberty of listing below some Alkaline Foods to focus on. Unforunately depending on who's scientific list you read some of these items may flip flop between acidic and alkaline but for the most part these are the ones that seem consistent. You'll also notice there are hardly any Hybrid Foods on this list. Boh!

Fruits:

Apples, bananas (small variety), berries (except cranberry), cantaloupe, cherries, currants, figs, seeded grapes, papayas, mangoes, limes, seeded melons, peaches, pears, plums, seeded raisins, soft jelly coconuts, soursops, and passionfruit.

Vegetables:

Callaloo (aka Amaranth Greens), Avocados, asparagus, bell peppers, cucumbers, dandelion greens, lettuce (except iceburg) mushrooms (except shiitake), okra, sea veggies (nori, etc), raw spinach, tomato, string beans, onions, turnip greens, tomatillo, celery, and parsley.

Herbs:

Basil, bay leaf, cilantro, dill, marjoram, oregano, sweet basil, tarragon, and thyme.

Spices:

Achiote, cayenne, cumin, coriander, onion powder, and sage.

Nuts:

Almonds

All herbal teas (except Chamomile)

My plan, and I hope you'll consider this to, is to purchase a pH kit to see where I am on the spectrum. Future post on that soon. Now that I know this and have blessed all of you with the same info, I am fully dedicated to living High Alkaline!!!!

Monday, November 24, 2008

Mentally Drained-Day Who Knows


Ok I'm getting tired numbering these Days.

Day=X from now on.


Peace Fam,
I really don't have a topic to discuss today. Not sure why either. I'm so mentally exhausted.

Sigh...the past couple of days have just been draining. Any bit of stress to a Gemini mind is like working double overtime on a never ending project that was due the day before. Today I didn't even eat that much. Just didn't feel like it. I did throw together a quick smoothie (mainly for the baby).

Tonight I'm just going to zone and meditate once the Seed goes to bed with some green tea and some R&B tunes. I didn't even watch Jeopardy tonight! Sigh.

Tomorrow I may try to get creative and make a spinach/parsley pesto to put over some carrot and cucumber 'pasta'. Let's see how that turns out.
*wink* Peace.

Saturday, November 22, 2008

Key Lime Smoothie-Day Fourteen


Sweet Georgia Brown...

I'm in the midst of trying to type this blog and enjoy this amazing Green Smoothie (and share of course with the Seed) but it's proving to be a lil' more difficult than I imagined. I just can't put this drink down!

Ok so today was my first time using Key Limes (and real coconut for that matter) in a recipe. I had seen all the videos YouTube had to offer on how to open a young Thai coconut but I was really trying not to lose a finger. So my weapon of choice for this round was a brand new hammer. I shaved down the top as much as I could and banged the...whatever you call it....fork end thingy into the coconut to crack it open. A tad messy but I got it open. *grin*

The coconut water was so sweet...so pure....

Of course some fam happened to be over and talkin' that 'ilk, yuck' shit again. I was like woman take a damn sip!!!! She took a sip.....SILENCE. Yeah exactly, that's what I thought.

Ok so anyway, I scooped the coconut meat out (and jelly like is the only way I can describe it), and threw that and some other ingredients into the blender:

Key Lime Coconut Green Smoothie

  • water and meat of one young coconut
  • banana
  • 2 pitted dates
  • handful of spinach
  • juice of 2 key limes
  • big spoonful of coconut butter
  • splash of water

I would've used honey (or even agave if I had it) but since babies cannot have honey until 1 or 2 years of age I just threw in the dates (which this is my first time having as well).

Seriously, the coconut water and meat pales in comparison to just relying on the coconut butter in these recipes. It just feels so smooth, so...full of flavor. I wish I had purchased more than 2 coconuts.

Ok that's my post.

Since I haven't dropped any music down in a while, here's a nice one to enjoy.

I'm going to close my eyes (and sip slowly so I don't miss my mouth lol) and kick back.

Enjoy!



Friday, November 21, 2008

Detroit-Day Thirteen?

I have no idea what day it is already. *grin*

Ok I just got back from Detroit not too long ago and I'm totally psyched about what I got from Joe Randazzo's.

  • Key limes
  • Thai coconut
  • Dates
  • Pine Nuts
  • (local) honey
  • Dill
  • Cucumber
  • Parsley
  • Spinach
  • Carrots
  • Mushrooms
I didn't go all out granted I just hit the grocery store a couple of days ago. But I'm still excited to get some coconut and key limes. Let's see what creative vibes flow through me.

Woot!

Busy-Days Eleven and Twelve

*argh*

This will be a quick post, just to touch base and keep you all in the loop (although there's not much of a loop at this particular moment). =^_^=

I've started to paint again (yes yes I am considered a bit of an 'arteeest' *grin*). It's been about 6 months since I've drawn anything and probably a year since I last painted. Feels good, feels good. I'll be starting up an art blog I dunno, in the very near future.

Hmm let's see. My now 8 month old has just cut his first two teeth so his need for attention has skyrocketed. He's even hatin' on my painting by trying to climb on me if I'm laying down and bangin' his shoe into my elbow (he's so salty! lol). That's my Pisces baby though. *smooch*

Tomorrow I'm off to Detroit once again for the day. Anytime I can get to Detroit I keep my fingers crossed that we stop by Joe Randazzo's, which is like my favorite spot to go in the whole state of Michigan. A big ass indoor market with cheap ass produce. It'd be my Utopia if it were Organic, but I haven't found much of that in this state to begin with *pout*. Nevertheless, it's still a spot where I do some major spending. Go Joe's!


Had a fantastic smoothie today with a mixture of Mango Lemonade (Bolthouse Farms...it's like crack I tell ya), banana, strawberry, and coconut butter. My Sun tried to jack it from me as always. You know, one thing I don't understand about that boy; well, he has a milk allergy but people like to feed him things when I'm not around. Last it was pizza dough (that surprise! had milk in it). He hasn't been able to keep down his baby food, but can drink my green juices, smoothies and lil' baby puffy snacks with no problem. He actually ate stuffing today with no problem (not that I'm bragging about that. Damn sure couldn't eat the mashed potatoes *frown*). I also put some fruit or whatever in a Munchkin Food Mesh Feeder and he will dehydrate the hell out of it. But he just cannot keep down Organic baby food. Maybe the allergen is still in his system. (hmmmmmm)

Note to self: Keep hard headed family members away from Seed. Especially with the Holidays rolling around.

*grimace*

Tuesday, November 18, 2008

Blood Glucose Pt II-Days Nine and Ten

*Singing*

I can see clearly now the rain is gone....(I'm rockin' my spectacles!).

(although the rain has transformed into flurries) booooooo!!!

Peace people!!

Ok as promised, I have some information on foods that will help control blood glucose levels.

Due to the economy sucking so bad, I opted to keep this list as simple as possible (ie no fancy supplements or expensive foods).

The Glycemic Index

It's important to reference the Glycemic Index (GI) because this is what I've based my general information off of. The keyword here is 'general' because everyone is different and there are many variables (activity level, age, insulin level, etc) that must be accounted for too.

The Glycemic Index in each food is scored on how your body's sugar level reacts to it. The scale is 0-100. Foods higher on the GI enter your bloodstream quickly and cause your pancreas to pump out insulin in order to assist with digestion. This causes your sugar levels to skyrocket. Not Good. Of course foods that are lower on the scale take longer to enter your bloodstream and digest.

A majority of refined and processed foods will screw you over in the long run.

Medium/High Glycemic Foods:
  • Cereals (corn flakes, rice krispies, etc)
  • Potato Chips
  • Potatoes
  • Parsnips ('wtf is a parsnip?' haha)
  • Dates
  • Rice cakes
  • Doughnuts
  • Waffles
  • Ice cream
  • Soda
  • White breads and baked goods
  • Rice
  • Mangoes (nooooooooooo)
  • Pineapples (double nooooooooo)
  • Popcorn

Low Glycemic Foods [to Embrace]:
  • Beans
  • Tomatoes
  • Zucchini
  • Spinach
  • Peppers
  • Broccoli
  • Cucumber
  • Eggplant
  • Green Beans
  • Lettuce (all varieties)
  • Peanuts
  • Carrots
  • Yam
  • Sweet Potatoes
  • Cherries
  • Grapefruit
  • Apples
  • Oranges
  • Multi-Grain Bread
  • Soymilk

Ok so you get the idea. It's not all the foods I found, but this should give you a foundation on where to begin. Keep in mind too, that exercise and drinking a lot of water (putting it in Kool-Aid or Tang does not count) will help to keep your body in balance. I know it's cold but hit up the mall for some window shopping or see how many laps you can walk around the old people gettin' their strut on early in the morning before the stores open. (lol)

Peace!!!

Saturday, November 15, 2008

Parsley-Day Eight


Peace to all my Righteous Readers!! Today I've keep it real Green. I wasn't in the mood for a lot of cutting, chopping, and washing today so this morning I made a Smoothie and the rest of the day I've been drinking a lot of water and Bolthouse Farms 'Green Goodness' juice (although it's thick like a smoothie as well). And you know I wasn't going to enjoy myself if I didn't share so of course, like always, my Sun had his fill of it too. Funny thing is, I can't pour him a separate serving of the same stuff into his sippy cup. Nope, he thinks he's grown and will only drink it out of my glass. lol Hey, but he's healthy so no complaining here. =^_^=

Today I'm going to briefly touch on Parsley.


Don't sleep on it! It does so much more than just serve as a garnish!!


Parsley is extremely high in Vitamin K; just two tablespoons of this herb contains 153% of your recommended daily dosage. (Without this vitamin, our blood would not clot. It can also help maintain strong bones in the elderly)

If there are any Queens looking to, or are already pregnant, this is a very crucial herb to incorporate into your daily meals (in addition to your pre-natal vitamins) since it is an excellent source of Iron, Folate, Vitamin A as well as Vitamin C.

Get creative with Parsley.


I've always chopped various herbs and threw them into my salads, but you can throw them in smoothies (I personally like the tropical themed smoothies with a small handful of parsley), salad dressings, Pestos, or a sprouted Tabouli.


And just to note, the flat leaf Italian parsley is milder in taste than the curly variety so that may suit your tastes better.


Try some, and let me know what you think!!
Peace.

Friday, November 14, 2008

Unprepared-Day Seven

Initially I thought today was going to be a chill day; get laundry done, go back home and chill until about 6pm and then jet off to serve as 'support' for a semi quasi-relative's youth concert.

WRONG.

I was completely unaware of the schedule the person driving me around town had on her hands and I was gone from noon until 9pm. And the fact that 1. I was left at the laundromat damn near 2 hours longer than I needed to be and 2. she was running so late that I couldn't even go home and change I had to do so at her place. So nothing was prepared ahead of time-hell I didn't even eat breakfast (I'm more of a brunch kind of chica). What was I doing before I left the house? Knocked the hell out while my son took a his mid-morning nap. (!!)

So sadly today's Raw level was not high at all. I won't front; I felt like crap. Very sluggish, anxious, not wanting to even be there. Seriously I had to force myself to show on the outside (to those who weren't paying too much attention) that I was enjoying myself when I was really cussing out the MC under my breath for talking too damn much. =0_0=

Sigh...

So, today is over and I'm ready to bounce back full blast tomorrow. I will probably green smoothie it out all day to cleanse and get on my A game. Pshh, I couldn't even get my glasses today.

rawr.

Thursday, November 13, 2008

Blood Glucose Pt I-Day Six

Peace!

Right now I'm in the process of researching some foods that will help regulate blood glucose levels per the request of a family member. It'll take a lil' longer than normal to expedite since I'm still sans glasses but they should be in tomorrow (whoooo!). After I compile the list, I will post it here for y'all to absorb and share if necessary. =)

I was informed recently by this family member that due to the high levels of stress at work that she has been subjected to (sheit get another job!), her blood glucose levels had skyrocketed, and like all great Doctors in America, what do they choose to do? Rx a stronger medication. Gotta love modern medicine!!!!

Of course after much protesting from me aka bitching and moaning about how that's a bunch of bullshit I was asked to do some research. Coo'....just follow through with it is all I ask. But I can kinda see where this is going because it's not the first time I've provided information and it's never been heeded to. But I guess as long as this information registers with at least one person, it'll be worth it. So check back by the end of the weekend for that Knowledge! =^_^=

Today has been a very very busy day. I'm not a fan of doing errands that take alllllll daaaayyyy looonnng. Especially if they're not my errands at that. I suffer from anxiety so there are times where I am just ready to get home or at least spend a few minutes alone breathing in some fresh air in order to maintain my cool. Oooh and were some of the people urking my nerves today!!! I brought my smoothie with me today (another purple concoction) and someone actually asked me, "what is that today, dingleberry smoothie?"

.....like do you even know what a dingleberry is?


*frown*

To be honest, sometimes I'd prefer to not even reveal my raw foodist lifestyle to people because of the sheer level of stupidity and ignorance they emanate. For truly inquisitive folks, I am always available to build or do research for you but for those who feel above me or view me as Elitist...I'm not the one stuck on stupid. You feel me? =)

And (yay!) I'll be placing an order back at ShopOrganic.com for most likely some Maca Extreme. Got a 15% coupon in my email today. You know a sista loves some coupons!!! lol


Peace!!!

Wednesday, November 12, 2008

Brooklyn-Day Five

Peace!!!

I couldn't wait to drop this post today...This morning I finally got to use the ingredients I received yesterday. Whoooo!!! It was worth the wait, that joint was so good. It tasted like a Creamsicle but ridiculously purple.

  • One spoonful of Purple Corn Powder
  • One spoonful of Coconut Butter
  • One banana
  • Half of one mango (a whole one is fine too)
  • Water
  • Bolthouse Farms Clementine Juice

That yielded about 14 oz or so in my one serving blender. For more, adjust the measurements however you like. In actuality you probably don't need the water; I added it first (not that much maybe 2 oz) and on a whim I added about 4 oz of Clementine Juice last (hey it was on sale and you know Bolthouse Farms juices aint cheap).

Anyways, I'm really contemplating purchasing something this week-maybe bee pollen or Maca...or whatever. Haven't decided yet. After I peep out the health food store here in town I'll make my decision.

Ok so topic of discussin for today is Brooklyn (aka Medina). I was really game to move there a few months ago but I was having difficulty finding a place from 1200 miles away in Florida. Who couldn't love Brooklyn? lol I mean c'mon-there are an abundance of diverse veg*ns and even raw foodists in the area and it's nice to be able to have that network available to you where you're not judged as being an elitist. Plus I feel it's time to receive the knowledge of Self, and have my seeds do the same. I'm not feelin' the idea of them walkin around like drones 'deaf dumb and blind'...and it seems no one else is trying to prevent that from happening to them (cause they obviously don't know any better). Mama can't rock like that.

So next is just getting there-when, and how. Soon my friends, soon.

To end this entry I was readin' a blog by my ace C'BS Alife Allah called Black To Nature and I guess it stuck in my head long enough for me to put a spin on Soul II Soul's 'Back to Life' joint...heehee so that's my joint of the day:



I'm off to make a salad!

Tuesday, November 11, 2008

Silent-Day Four

Today I haven't been bangin' much music like the past few days...I've really been enjoying the silence. No roommates, no family all in my business; just the Seed and I (even though he makes his fair share of noise lol)

I'm happy to announce my shipment came in (yay!). I purchased some Artisana Coconut Butter (raw and organic) as well as raw purple corn powder. By the time it arrived I wasn't in smoothie mood, but it's definitely on standby for tomorrow.

Tonight I'm going to infuse some goji berries in my green tea which will serve as my nightcap (heh). I kept it real simple on the food tip with honeydew melon, an apple, lots of water, walnuts, and a quick salad. Hopefully soon if I can find the time I'd like to experiment and really get creative like my girl Blaq Berry. Love ya Chica!!

Lately, I've been thinking about getting the hell out of here. Like, as soon as possible. Michigan may be cool for some, but it's just not my style at all. Not only am I certain I am the only raw foodist here in town (which can have it's advantages), but there are few places I can go to get the goods I need. There's one health food store in town that I hope to get to later this week, but not a lot of organic foods for me to choose from. Who wants to pay a minimum of $10 for shipping everytime I place an order online? Psshh not I.

The folks here are another thing-culinary wise it's almost 'back woods country'; hot water cornbread, smothered chicken, tacos (don't see a lot of other latinos in town and I find that ironic), kool-aid (3 cups of sugar style)...I'm a City Slicker so that type of food never has been my forte. Not even my fam cooks that way. People will inquire about my food while I'm sitting down minding my own business eating my longans and when I respond the first thing they say is 'ewww'....and yet these are the same people that eat chitlins.
Exactly.

Monday, November 10, 2008

Chillin' (literally)-Days Two and Three

Peace...

Right now I'm still on my Wu-Tang vibe so I'm blastin' Gza as I crank this blog out.

*Head nodding*

Ok yesterday was pretty boring. The weather change up here in Michigan really did a number on my sinuses so I was down for the count. I kept it very simple with some green tea (to ease my headache), pepitas, and a green smoothie.

Today I finally got my grocery shopping done. Whooo! My fridge is busting full of raw foodie goodness. Greens, reds, oranges, yellows, purples is the best way I can describe what I bought. I should be good for about a week and a half. =D

I've been spoiled enjoying such nice weather last week and now it's friggin' cold again. I've read on quite a few forums that many raw foodists incorporate a lot of warm or even hot foods back into their diets to get them through the winter. Of course anything up to 118 degrees Fahrenheit (although that temp seems to vary) is still considered 'raw' but my goal is to keep my food as live as possible.

Tomorrow I hope to have a more detailed entry. I'm expecting a package of more raw food goodies so...to be continued.


Don't say I never gave you anything =)

Saturday, November 8, 2008

Focused-Day One

Today is going to be a hectic day so I'm going to get this entry done while I still have a bit of spare time on my hands. =0_0=

I'm heading off to Detroit this afternoon and not sure when I'll be back so to prevent any temptation I've prepped some raw eats for my lil' trip. I have a salad waiting for me with spinach, green leaf lettuce, dulse, cubanelle peppers, cucumber, carrots, and a dressing I'm going to prepare in a few hours made of lime, orange, garlic, and honey (yes I consume raw honey!)

Right now the Seed and I are sipping on a smoothie with blueberries, mango, strawberries, and banana. When I get back tonight I'm going to end my day with a green smoothie. For snacks I've packed some walnuts, pepitas, goji berries and raisins. I think that will be more than enough.

So today marks Day One and I'm pretty mellow. The past few mornings I have been waking up all phlegmy (yuck) and I'm sure that will increase in the upcoming weeks.

While I'm on this journey I'm going to be focusing a lot on trying to improve my eyesight naturally. My Foods of Focus will be as follows:

  • Blueberries
  • Goji Berries
  • Walnuts
  • Spinach
  • Broccoli
  • Cabbage
  • Almonds
  • Flax Seeds
  • Bilberries (if I can find them)
  • Carrots


I'm going to allow 6 months to pass before I hope to see a significant difference (pardon the pun heh).

I'm vibin' right now to some Neo-Soul on last.fm and I just have to share this joint by Me'Shell NdegéOcello called 'Elliptical'. It's pretty tight.




And if you're wondering, I didn't get to do any of the stuff I wanted to yesterday. Sigh...I'll make due until tomorrow.


Chao for now!

Friday, November 7, 2008

Got my Game Face On...

I decided to push back my initial start date just one day because there are a few things I wanted to have done first before I begin my 100 day challenge. The first is grocery shopping; there are a couple key things that I am without and don't want to rely on substituting with something that isn't completely raw. The second is I would like to have my blood pressure taken so I can compare my changes more accurately. And lastly I realized it's my most recent ex's birthday today and I'd like to have my own day and not 'share' it with anyone else, especially with someone that I want to punch in the face (lol). =^_^=

This past weekend, I had been suffering some headaches and when I sat down that little blood pressure station thingamabob at Sam's Club on Monday, it rang in at 147/93. No way!!! That's too damn high for my liking. And I know what is to blame; the vegan junk I consumed, the soda, and not having any smoothies in my diet. I hadn't had a smoothie since I left Florida which was 2 months ago. It's not that I didn't want them, I just didn't have a blender. The big clunky one I had before is still in Florida and I'm not paying an arm and a leg just to have it shipped and it not even crush ice.

So after I sent myself into frenzy mode, I ran over to Walmart and picked up an adorable one serving blender from Hamilton Beach to hold me until I can get my Blendtec. The first thing I did when I got home was whip up a green smoothie and about 10 minutes after I was done, my headache disappeared and never came back. I've had a smoothie every day since then. Even brought a green smoothie to keep me company while I waited in line to vote.

On an even happier note, yesterday I received my shipment in from Shop Organic. I placed a small order of Goji Berries, Pepitas (pumpkin seeds) and Dulse. The gojis were so delicious (my first time eating them) and I decided to soak some overnight to throw in a smoothie for breakfast. They were so good!! Strawberry, goji and mango smoothie this morning was on point. Of course my son called dibs on my smoothie too so we split it.

So tomorrow I will be here with my game face on, and sharing with you my trials and tribulations of this process., as well as what I'm eating.

*Cheers!*

Thursday, November 6, 2008

Picking Up Where I Left Off...

The premise of this blog is to better document my day to day life rather than use it to primarily drop science on raw foods and natural healing. Not that on occasion I may have to deviate from my regularly scheduled programming, but I'm choosing to lead by example this go round.

I've decided to pick up where I left off; I had strayed away from living Raw back to Vegan for about 2 months. I moved, completely fell out of my element, and off the wagon. Prior to that though, I had been high raw to 100% for 3 months. With some soul searching and transitioning, I feel that I'M ready to keep going on my journey for a minimum of 100 days. Of course I have no intention to end there, but I'd like to share with you my re-transformation as it happens.

So Midnight, November 8th marks Day One, and I'd like to note for the record I can't see a damn thing. My last pair of contacts have decided to rip within a few days of each other and my glasses won't be coming in for a while (anywhere from a week to three...yeah sux right?). I'm all up in my screen right now (lol) and hopefully with the right foods I can improve my vision in the next few months.

My left eye's Rx is -6.00 and my right is -5.50 (dayum! Yeah I know, thanks Mom for the crappy eyesight).

=0_0=

To Be Continued...