Getting through Emotional Detox and Eating Carbs

A gracious young woman on RFT (www.rawfoodtalk.com) is going through a really tough time at 3 weeks into raw food. She is sad and depressed and also wanting some more carbohydrates (other than just fruit). I won't name her here out of respect, but I think the information I posted to her could be useful to someone else:

First, I'm sending a hug out to you! You are most definitely going through detox. When we hold in emotions or stuff them down/protect ourselves (even subconsciously) by having a glass of wine or munching on chips, pretzels, cheese and crackers, etc... our body honors our actions by not letting us feel the entirety of the emotions. But then they're stuck until our body is ready to let go of them. Eating raw is so cleansing and healing that you're at a point of cleaning out the old emotions too.

Emotional detox is very real and sometimes painful. Trust your body. Love yourself. You will get through this an (emotionally) healthier person and certainly happier too. If you are a religious person, ask your higher power for the strength to get you through. If you are not, tell yourself OUT LOUD, "This is temporary. I will get through this. I deserve to be truly happy." And that is what will happen. You will find that, if you allow the healing, you will probably be happier than you've felt in many years. For no reason!

As for your desire for carbohydrates, I have an answer for you! Do you have Alissa's book? If you do, look up the burger bun recipe. (If you don't have it, feel free to send me an email by clicking on my name. I'll send it to you rather than posting it here.) It has sprouted buckwheat groats in it. If you have not already tried it, it is very filling.

You can use the burger buns as a pizza crust, a bread, burger bun, it's even the calzone recipe's outside! As well, I sometimes sprout buckwheat (takes less than 24 hours and is the easiest sprouting process!), then add some oil, spices and salt (not a lot!), then dehydrate. BAM! Popcorn! It's filling in the say way as eating bread or other carbs and can also be added on top of salads for a crunch, etc.

Did I mention that you're going to get through this?! You are!

The Basic Green Smoothie

The Drink of Champions


In the raw food circles, green smoothies are pretty well known. For the rest of the world, green + smoothie = Whaaat?!

Anyways, Victoria Boutenko has a book called "Green for Life" that talks about nothing BUT green smoothies and their benefits: www.rawfamily.com. I'll do a quickie of summarizing the whole book. Green smoothies are GREAT to add into your diet. Tossing your greens into a blender does all the chewing we do not have time to do (and more) so that the body is ready to use it. And mixing it with fruit tricks our taste buds into not minding all the greens.

This isn't just about getting big muscles like Popeye, either. The minerals in green smoothies can help rebuild our whole bodies so that we are strong from the inside out. And also --- well --- erm -- our bowels become much healthier to boot (it's like a healthy Drain-o for the body).

So here is the basic recipe:
--1-3 frozen bananas
--Some greens
--Maybe some water
--Maybe some ice

Other options:
For a fresh taste: basil, mint, parsley
The greens: spinach, kale, ANY green leaf... Use less in the beginning, more as you get used to it. Heck, you can even start with ONE LEAF if you hate greens and want to get into it slooooowwwwwwly.
Other great fruits to add: All of 'em
To make it like a mylkshake: Use almond (or another nut/seed) mylk, some soaked dates
To make it "savory": Instead of sweet fruit, use tomatoes, a couple soaked dates and some herbs.

Recipe for the smoothie in my picture:
-1.5 frozen bananas
-5-6 strawberries
-a few sprigs of mint
-6 oz. (about 2-3 c) spinach
-.5 c water
And BLEND!

Happy Blending!

Starting the Adventures Right NOW!

Today has been a magical day. I figured out how to use my pretty inexpensive camera to create a video, uploaded it to my computer, then created an account on YouTube and uploaded it there.

I edited some photos Carlos and I took out and about on the island.

I created some email addresses to go along with some web sites I've been toying with lately.

Wowee, the magic of the internet still astounds me!

But, that's not why I'm writing here. I'm writing because I'd like to share my journey and record it. My journey is not about raw food or travel, but it will include a lot of both. I will be lucky enough to move from Martha's Vineyard to Budapest in just one month, and I plan to use these fun toys of modern day to record my adventures.

So, Cheers! -- Here's to Adventures and Good Health!