Raw balance

There are many health benefits  that come with eating foods in their most natural state: we experience an increase in energy levels, our digestion improves, excess weight falls off naturally, we’re happier, less sick, experience fewer hot flashes, and we get a special glow to our skin & sparkle in our eyes.  But let’s face it —being raw (& staying raw) is a challenge for the majority of people.  Social pressures, poor planning, time restraints,  temptations, old habits, cravings, and emotional eating are all too common, and it takes a great deal of commitment and will power to stick with the lifestyle. 

When I began my raw journey in the late 80’s, very few people knew about the lifestyle, and I felt isolated as a result.  Macrobiotics (mostly cooked and heavy on brown rice ) was popular at the time, and I was often criticized for my way of eating. Quite literally, I was going against the grain.  I’ll never forget when I first got internet connection around 1995  - suddenly I had access to a whole new world and I quickly became part of a small community online.  Having social support (even remotely) made all the difference in my raw journey: I was no longer alone!  Finally I was able to share my experiences, challenges, and questions freely and listen to other people’s experiences!  Being the mid 90’s, there were only a few raw websites and groups, and the original yahoo groups had such interesting characters  including Douglas Graham (mono man), Loren Lockman, Rene Beresford, JR Ellis, Karen Knowler, Ruth Allen, John Coleman, Shazzie and many others.  Packaged raw goodies were non-existant at the time so it was a real treat to order the occasional raw product via my computer. I’ll never forget my first jar of raw almond butter sent from rawfood.com - the only online store at the time.  And at $25. CDN per jar, I made sure to dilute my nut butter with water to stretch it out as much as possible. 

Nowadays, packaged raw snacks are readily available not only online but in most local health food stores. These convenient foods offer fun and variety to the lifestyle which in turn makes the lifestyle easier to sustain - especially in the early stages.  Unfortunately, many raw foodists become trapped in over-eating the wrong types of foods (dehydrated crackers, bars, desserts, kale chips, nuts, seeds and of course, chocolate) while overlooking the fresh, unpackaged, true superfoods.  Living foods such as sprouts, wheatgrass, fermented vegetables, leafy greens and algae are the foundation of the lifestyle and should always be an integral part of the diet.  These are the foods rich in the vitamins, minerals, enzymes and oxygen essential for nourishing the body.

The raw lifestyle is about  freshness, and no matter what your current diet is, fresh is always best.  That’s not to say that one shouldn’t indulge now and again - it’s just a matter of balance.

todays food log:

• 4 ozs e3live
• firewater
• chlorella tablets
• bone tea (oat straw, horsetail, comfrey)
• 1 heaping TBSP Schinoussa in 16 ounces of water
• 1 quart green juice (sunflower sprouts, alfalfa, pea shoots, zucchini, celery, jerusalem artichoke)
• 1 quart green smoothie (sunflower, kale, orange, banana, soaked chia, parsley)
• broccoli dipped in tahini sauce
• 1/2 avocado with sauerkraut
• blended green soup
• micro algae superfood

yesterday’s food log:

• 2 ozs e3live
• chlorella tablets
• firewater
• 1 apple
• 1 quart green juice (alfalfa, buckwheat, sunflower sprouts, celery, kale, jerusalem artichoke)
• 1 quart green smoothie (spinach, pear, parsley, soaked chia, flax)
• bone tea (oat straw, comfrey, horsetail)
• 1 heaping TBSP Schinoussa sea veg in 16 ozs. of water
• blended green soup
• cauliflower, wakame salad with tahini dressing
• slice of raspberry lemon cheesecake

Mmmm  …   raspberry cheesecake

(available now at Market Organics, Herb & Spice and Rainbow Foods)

The Women’s Show, a room with a view, and SimplyRaw Desserts (coming soon!)

I took the train down to Toronto to participate in the National Women’s Show which is taking place over the weekend.  Held at the Convention Center, the Women’s show attracts thousands (and I mean thousands!) of women every day, promoting everything from food, skin care, “fat burners”, fitness equipment, bikinis, spa treatments, clothing,  jewelery, makeup, botox (!), as well as lots of food demos and speakers. The lineups start early and wrap around the Convention Center hours before the doors open.  

Out of the hundreds of booths, there are only a few healthy vendors and we tend to know each other: Manitoba Harvest, Vega, Lara Bar and Schinoussa Sea Vegetables – who I am so fortunate to be sharing space with.  John – my very fun & charismatic friend and formulator of Schinoussa brings his large bags of algae (spirulina, AFA, chlorella,  phycomin) and we all dip into his beautiful green stash, sipping his concentrated superfood concoctions throughout the day to keep us flying.  Wow!  Amazing stuff!

I’m staying at the lovely Harborfront Westin Hotel and after 12 hour days on my feet, it’s a real  treat to come in, put my feet up and gaze out at the harbor below. My room is spacious and view spectacular —worth every hard-working penny!  Especially since we got  it at an amazingly low rate  after hearing about Priceline from my good friend Ilze who frequently uses their services.  Priceline auctions off unsold hotel rooms, and provided that you’re flexible, it’s s a great way to save $ when booking hotels.  You select an area in which you’d like to stay, then chose a quality level (I chose 4 star)  and then name your price!  Priceline then lets you know whether your bid has been accepted by hotels that meet your criteria.  This was the first time that we ever bid for a room (& our first bid was denied) but certainly not the last!  I’m so enjoying my view  (I’m on the 22nd floor overlooking Toronto island)  and it’s a pleasure to just hang out in my hotel room!

With an upcoming recipe book, I’m spending less time on the computer and more time in the kitchen -  preparing beautiful and delicious sweets – much to Mark’s content!    My desserts have always been a huge hit – not only with Mark & Mischa, but with non-raw friends and family. When I recently posted a few cheesecake photos on Facebook, it created quite the frenzy, prompting many emails and requests.  And although I personally avoid dense foods (& kitchens!) as much as possible, I’m recognizing the need for decadent but healthy (raw) desserts.  So, if you’re in Ottawa, be on the lookout for SimplyRaw’s luscious, guilt-free desserts and be sure to try a piece! Limited quantities will be available at select health food stores (Market Organics, Rainbow Natural Foods, Herb & Spice) beginning next week! 

today’s food log:

• 4 ozs e3live
• micro algae
• firewater
• Schinoussa Sea Vegetables
• 1 apple
• 1 banana
• fresh green smoothie (orange, Vitamineral green, chia, flax)
• soaked arame with sunflower & alfalfa sprouts
• chlorella tabs
• celery w/almond butter
• more algae!

yesterday’s food log:

• 4 ozs e3live
• micro algae
• chlorella
• firewater
• 2 TBSP Schinoussa Sea Vegetables (in water)
• chlorella/spirulina
• 2 apples
• 1 banana
• avocado with soaked arame and lots of sprouts
• chlorella tablets
• more Schinoussa

I’ve also been busy with various events around Ottawa and Montreal, and quite enjoyed socializing at the Wine Auction- of all things!  Although there was the standard finger foods of smoked salmon, crackers and cheese, people loved my fresh, colorful raw appetizers – including Mayor O’Brien.  Mr O & I met the week before and he is becoming  familiar with the raw lifestyle and The SimplyRaw Detox Manual.  As you may know, he picked up my book a few weeks back and promises to read it through.  Perhaps he’ll take the leap and do my full program!  Who knows?  

Autumn abundance, sea vegetables, and — look who’s reading my book!

Autumn is here: apples, root vegetables and peppers are in full swing , there’s a nip in the air and we’re seeing the beginning of fall colors.  Soon the leaves will fall to the ground and only the silhouette of trees will remain …   As much as I love this time of year, I find autumn a difficult season to acclimatize to with the shorter days, crisp nights and premonition of winter.  Canadian summers are too brief (& cool) for my liking but on a positive note, the fruit flies are finally taking leave!

I’m pretty much back to my normal routine although at a slightly slower pace, teaching classes again (check out the new workshops), going to the gym more frequently and making my way without a cast or crutches!  According to the surgeon, my bones are 100 percent healed and with some regular physio for my ligaments/tendons/muscles, I will to be running in no time! I have a lot of catching up to do and I’m counting on my new bionic leg to take me further faster!    Ah, it feels so good to be active and somewhat social again – to ride my bike, stroll in the Glebe, connect with friends and be part of the community is just so rewarding!

Recently, I’ve been busy with shows including this weekend’s popular Women’s Show.  The event was non-stop jam-packed. Many thanks to lovely Martine who offered to help with my booth and hang out with me both days. And, such a treat to be directly next to my friend John, formulator of Schinoussa Sea Vegetables. Schinoussa sea vegetables are a blend of the most powerful raw superfoods – algaes!  Sea vegetables are extremely high in vitamins and minerals, offering great nutritional value to the body. They should be part of one’s daily diet. Schinoussa’s formulas purify and pump up your energy, immune system, as well as naturally repairs damaged cells.  As you can see, John travels with big bags of  powerful manna which he generously shared with me – my kind of friend and green powder.    We dipped in to his stash throughout the day, and boy oh boy, our energy and mood levels soared to extraordinary heights despite being on our feet 10 hours straight every day!

We spoke to thousands of people over the course of the weekend, many who were genuinely interested in healthy living, the raw lifestyle, detoxification, and my book. The SimplyRaw Living Foods Detox Manual is not just a temporary detox program but teaches healthy lifestyle guidelines that can be integrated into anyone’s life.  Let’s face it — we can ALL improve our health by eating more fresh raw fruits and vegetables.

Everyone including …

Ottawa’s Mayor O’Brien!

FYI, Mr. O’Brien is holding both my book and a bottle of Schinoussa sea vegetables.

Today’s food log:

• 2 ozs. e3live
• firewater
• Bio Superfood formula
• 1 heaping tsp. Schinoussa Sea vegetables mixed with water
• 1 apple
• 1 liter green juice (pea shoots, sunflower sprouts, cucumber, celery, broccoli)
• 1 bowl of Energy Soup
• bowl of concord grapes
• sprouted cereal with chia, apple and soaked raisins

yesterday’s food log:

• 4 ozs E3live
• biosuperfood (BSF) formula 3
• chlorella tablets
• firewater
• Schinoussa sea vegetables with purified water
• 1 liter fresh green smoothie (pea shoots, spinach, banana, sunflower sprouts, chia, water)
• bowl of concord grapes
• handful of soaked brazil nuts
• a few soaked apricots
• Schinoussa sea vegetables w/purified water
• large mixed green salad w/lots of sprouts and garlic
• 1 avocado

Our next SimplyRaw Festival volunteer meeting is on Tuesday, October 13 @ 6pm.  We need your help to make this free community event possible.  Please contact us at 613-234-0806 or email us at festival@simplyraw.ca

2010 SimplyRaw Festival Planning

On Wednesday September 16th at 7pm we’ll be having our first planning meeting for the 2010 SimplyRaw Festival.

The festivals have continued to grow from year-to-year, starting in 2006 with a small 1/2 day pie contest; to a full day festival in 2007; and a 2-day festival in 2008.

We’ve been thankful to have some great help in the past, and again hope that lots of people will join us to help in planning the festival. There’s so much work that goes into it, that we really need the help from a core group of people to tackle some of the planning tasks.

If you would like to be involved with (or lead) working groups for any of the following, please join us this Wed for the first planning meeting.

2010 SimplyRaw Festival planning workgroups:
- speakers
- vendors
- sponsors
- prizes/product donations
- pie contest
- celebrity judges

We’ll be discussing the details of each of these core tasks during our planning meeting, so please try to join us if you can, or let us know asap if you’re interested in leading or helping with any of the above tasks.

Touring Vermont & Roger’s Daytime Show!

August is turning into an eventful month and it feels so good to be back on my feet & into the swing of things. I’m making great strides with my leg and am very pleased to be walking without crutches. A few more weeks and I ditch the air cast…

The month started off with one of my favorite green shows – the 3 day Project Ecosphere where I gave a food demo and had a booth under the large tent. I’m ever grateful to friends Peter, Zora, Hal, Marcia, Claire, Cecile, Kristin, Joanna & Susan who helped with the SimplyRaw booth and made the weekend possible.  Mark was off in the woods so Icouldn’t have done it without all of your help. Thank you so much, I appreciate it!

We shared lots of laugh, sprouts and entertainment!

The following weekend, Mark & I spent 4 beautiful, sunny days in my favorite  neighboring green mountain state.

Vermont holds a dear place in my heart.  My European parents used to take my siblings and I to Stowe in the early 70’s and I have fond memories of hiking up the mountain, cooling off in the bubbling stream and eating at the Trapp family restaurant.

I didn’t hike this time round (still have the cast on), but while Mark explored lush green mountains, I had my own fun signing books at various locations in the Burlington area. Burlington is lovely city full of art, music, theater and summer festivals — it also has a great natural food coop and farmer’s market-  the ideal town to play around in!

It was very cool to see my books on the US shelves! 

We saw dozens of them displayed in Border’s window!

We also dropped in on Vermont’s  raw potluck hosted by lovely Geniel and her husband in their gorgeous country home. It was a treat for us to meet others in the raw community and we thoroughly enjoyed chatting with friendly, like-minded people over a  meal of life-giving foods. A great big thanks to Geniel, Linda and Josh for helping promote the  event.  Mark & I made many new friends — and we were very impressed with everyone’s warmth and openness.  Joyce & Scott brought a delicious raspberry lemon pie which everyone raved about.  Apparently Joyce loves spending time in the kitchen and you sure can tell!  Hopefully she’ll enter the SimplyRaw pie contest next year!

It was also great to  finally see my friend, Linda after 4 years –and to meet her beautiful family. Linda runs VT fiddle and is very connected in the VT community.  She teaches workshops & classes, and her & hubby Matt make nutmilk bags as well as decadent chocolate truffles and other raw yummies. They’re working on getting a raw cafe underway so if you’re in the Vermont area, be sure to stop by!

Good friends, new & old (Joyce, me, Linda) and not enough time to really hang out.  Hopefully next time!

Sunflowers everywhere 

Today’s food log:

• 4 ozs e3live
• Biosuperfood formula 13
• E3live RenewMe
• bowl of fresh raspberries
• quart of green juice
• bowl of grapes
• watermelon slices

yesterday’s log:

• 4 ozs e3live
• firewater
• chlorella tablets
• 4 ozs e3live
• green juice (parsley, kale, cucumber, celery)
• tomato-sprout- cucumber salad
• piece of raw carrot cake ( recipe from my book, The SimplyRaw Living Foods detox Manual)

Yesterday,  I joined TV hosts TL & Derick on their Daytime show.  As always, we had a fun &  rawlicious time discussing my book, making my famous carrot cake — and tasting it, of course!   Here’s my mom (&  food stylist) decorating the cake in the studio moments before going on air.

We’re off to Ithaca tomorrow with the kids for another book tour and hiking trip — more fun!

Balance = Healing

Excellent news — I’ve just had new x-rays taken today and I’m elated to say that my bones are mending exceptionally well!

What a massive improvement since my last x-rays 2 months ago,  check out my spiffy bionic leg with the new titanium rod and screws!!! The surgeon is impressed with my progress and I am extremely relieved…

Since breaking my leg (nearly 3 months ago!), I’ve been doing as much as possible to help my body along; consuming copious amounts of herbs (comfrey-horsetail-oatstraw) and algae to aid knit my bones, eating/juicing extra sprouts and greens, and exercising my very stiff leg each day, no matter how painful.  And I recently discovered a salt pool and jacuzzi at the Jewish Community Center so I am happily doing laps & stretches in the warm water which really helps loosen up my joints and tendons.  Ah, it feels wonderful to move my body after such a long hiatus away. Thank you, Jason, for informing me of this salt pool, I so appreciate it!

I’ve also been enjoying time with family and friends, young and old, at the Blues fest again, and although it was a rainy year, it was a awesome to get outdoors, listen to some tunes, share laughs and exercise my leg, walking from stage to stage! Very good for the emotional body

The human body is a marvelous self-healing mechanism. It  is self-repairing on a continual basis, always striving to bring itself back to balance. We all possess this built-in ability – it is our body’s basic nature. And, if we give it what we needs, the body will almost always heal itself of whatever ails it. Even the greatest surgeon can’t heal a broken leg – he may  insert a titanium rod into the bone to provide a structure or place the leg in a cast, but all he can do is stand by and give the body time to work its own innate healing processes.

Providing the body with key ingredients are essential in building the immune system, organs and the miraculous self healing mechanism. Eating well, exercising regularly, getting adequate fresh air, pure water, sunlight,  rest, and managing stress are the building materials in keeping the body’s cells strong and healthy.  Never underestimate the human body – it WILL heal itself – if we allow it!  To learn how to integrate healthier lifestyle habits, check out my book, “The SimplyRaw Living Foods Detox Manual” and do my group or private detox for a life-changing experience!

Today’s food log:

• 2 ozs E3live
• chlorella
• firewater
• bowl of cherries
• 1 quart green juice (sunflower, alfalfa, pea sprouts, romaine, cucumber, celery)
• 16 ozs. smoothie (orange, banana,maca, shinoussa algae)
• biosuperfood micro algae
• 2 ozs wheatgrass juice
• green salad
• bowl of homemade gazpacho soup
• homemade peach crumble

Yesterday’s food log:

• 3 ozs E3live
• chlorella tablets
• E3Renew Me
• firewater
• biosuperfood micro algae
• 3 ozs. wheatgrass juice
• 1 quart green juice (sunflower sprouts, alfalfa, cucumber, celery, broccoli)
• 16 oz green smoothie (hemp, maca, banana, shinoussa algae powder)
• bowl of gazpacho soup
• bowl of cherries

I will be at the Ecosphere Show next weekend on Aug 1, 2 & 3 and am looking for volunteers to help with my booth.  Mark will be off playing in the woods again so I’ll be on my own 1 foot.  Any help would be greatly appreciated. If interested in spending time with me in a fun environment, please email me directly at natasha@simplyraw.ca.  I will be giving 2 talks and demos: 11:30 am on Saturday and 2:30pm on Sunday.  Hope to see you there!

Toronto book tour

This past week has been quite the whirlwind and the action hasn’t stopped since arriving! Until yesterday, I was staying with Patti, creator of Essene bread and organizer of the North York Region raw meetup group. Patti is also my dear, energetic friend and gracious host who not only drove me to my signings but juiced and blended greens for us every day. Being on crutches, I couldn’t have done this tour without her assistance, and I’m very grateful for all her help and company. By the way, Patti (in picture below with Francesco) will be joining us at our July potluck with her famous sprouted bread and other prepared raw snack foods (croutons, kale chips, crackers, banana brittle!) so don’t miss this one.  If you wish to order her hand-crafted Essene loaves, please contact her at rawfood@rogers.com.

The best part of doing a book tour is truly meeting all the wonderful people along the way.  Since being in the Toronto area, I’ve made some lovely new friends including Wendy from Wendy’s Organic Wheatgrass, Connie of SecondNatureNutrition (see pic below), the hipsters from Rawlicious, Master Sprouter Elizabeth (check out her beautiful sprouts at the Saturday Waldorf Market), and the dashing Francesco – raw chef extraordinaire and owner of MakeItRaw. Franceso makes stellar pies, crackers, cookies and a raw burger that comes complete with lettuce and tomato in a dehydrated bun – just like the cooked version – only so much better!

I did a signing at Live Cafe the other night and it was such a treat to share a fabulous meal with new and old friends. As always, the conversation was lively and inspiring, and the food stimulating to the senses. Everything on the menu was incredibly tempting (it’s been so long!) and I had a difficult time deciding what to order, so Patti &  I shared a dish of “spaghetti with neat balls” and “pizza” – both incredibly flavorful.  I also had a green juice (very pricey for such a tiny glass!) and ordered take-out: a  delectable, creamy piece of tiramisu to indulge in later on at my hotel. Wow.  If you haven’t yet tried Live, please do so – the culinary experience is totally worth the drive to Toronto. 

Although it’s nice to indulge once in awhile — my body always feels best when eating a simple diet of oxygen-rich living foods. Sprouts, wheatgrass juice, algaes, fermented foods and greens are my staples and the longer I live this way, the less I am inclined to compromise even if traveling or inconvenienced by crutches.  In fact, since staying at the hotel, I’ve been taking the subway up to Noah’s on Bloor St. for my daily liter of fresh green juice which certainly hasn’t been easy to access while on crutches.  Getting around the big city with a broken leg has been an exhausting, eye-opening experience and my burning palms and throbbing leg can attest to that!

today’s food log:

• 6 ozs E3live
• 1 liter green juice (cucumber, kale, celery)
• chlorella
• 2 TBSP bee pollen
• Bio Superfood Micro Algae, X-cell-R8
• dark cherries
• smoothie (fresh orange juice, banana & Quantum Superfood)
• chicory salad with hijike, alfalfa, sunflower greens, azuki and mung sprouts
• raw coconut banana pie 

yesterday’s log:

• 4 ozs E3live
• 2 TBSP bee pollen
• chlorella tablets
• green smoothie (mango, sunflower greens, bok choi, chia)
• bowl of cherries
• Bio Superfood Micro Algae
• green juice (kale, dandelion, cucumber))
• Live Spaghetti with neat balls/Raw Pizza
• piece of tiramisu

So, tonight was the final part of my tour: a talk and signing at McNally Robinson, the lovely new book store located at Lawrence and Don Mills.  The group was very receptive, with lots of questions and keen interest in detoxification & the living foods lifestyle.  Thanks to Indra for hosting the event, and to Peter who was kind enough to go out of his way – driving me all the way there and back!

Cheers!

(Who needs room service?  )

Baby steps

Many of you know by now that I recently broke my leg. It happened on a kid’s scooter – of all things – coming home from a family gathering late one night with my son. No, I wasn’t drunk but high (a natural one), having just launched my book and all pumped up for a tour across Canada and the U.S. To this day I’m unsure exactly what transpired that night except that I was babbling away when the scooter hit the curb.

Breaking a bone (let alone 2) is not a fun thing. In fact, it has been the most painful experience I have ever gone through in my entire life. Bone pain is a big shock to the entire body and compared to this, natural childbirth was an absolute breeze. I mean it.  So, that night in ER they cut my favorite pair of stretch Levi jeans off of me to take countless x-rays which indicated 2 complete breaks in my left tib and fibula. The doctors immediately suggested surgery but I refused, instead choosing to take the route of a cast – plaster all the way up to my thigh. I thought I could heal naturally, however, after 2 weeks of relentless pain, new x-rays showed that my bones were not coming together but rather separating. Surgery was quickly scheduled and after a 2 hour procedure, my bones were held together by an assortment of titanium hardware.

Landing in the hospital was a new experience for me and to be honest, I couldn’t get out of there fast enough. Not to say that the hospital was  incompetent, it just doesn’t feel empowering being confined to a bed in the orthopedic ward with dozens of other patients suffering from traumatic bone fractures. Sadly, most of them elderly, in pain and very vocal. (Another reason to take control of our health while we still can!) Fortunately, the staff warmed up to me after the initial shock about my diet, lifestyle and stance on things  such as hospital food (jello!), meat, blood thinners and enemas - a whole new blog post altogether…Because I only drank the green juices and smoothies that Mark brought to me every day, this raised a lot of attention and before I knew it, a very concerned dietitian dropped by to discuss calories and nutrition with me. Yes, she got an earful  Barely out of anesthesia and unable to stand, I quickly clarified what does and doesn’t constitute a “balanced diet”, and within no time at all, simple raw meals of fruits and vegetable crudites were served to me in bed. Wow. Talk about trailblazing. (video soon to come)

Being out of commission can be isolating and quite humbling. Basic things we take for granted such as getting out of bed, going to the bathroom, bathing, answering the phone or making a simple smoothie (let alone fetching a glass of water!) suddenly becomes the impossible without the helping hand of a loved one. And it’s not easy having to ask for everything – especially for someone who’s independent and enjoys doing things their way! Nor is it easy to be sedentary, cooped up indoors day in, day out, alone with a hot water bottle and bed sores just as hiking season is at its peak. Or, for that matter, to be able to understand the lessons in such a difficult challenge. But really, there’s no choice other than to accept the situation as it is, surrender and see this experience as an opportunity to learn and grow. Of course, some days are easier than others.

I’m grateful to my boys Mischa & Mark for both being there and goofing off (see photo) during this time, as well as my loving 81 year young mother who insisted on moving in with us that first month, and who gave everything that special, female touch. I’m also blessed to have a few dear friends check in on me regularly to refill my hot water bottle, make green juice, chat, listen, and bring endless bouquets of fresh cut lilacs to my bed.  Many thanks and blessings, I so appreciate it!

today’s food log:

• 4 ozs e3live
• chlorella tablets
• MSN
• E3 Renew Me
• 5 cups of “bone tea” (comfrey, oatstraw, horsetail, boneset)
• 1 quart green smoothie (made by Mark, not sure of ingredients but most likely sprouts, nettle, banana and collard)
• bowl of dark juicy cherries
• 1 TBSP schinoussa superfood
• chlorella
• chia-maca-lucuma-vanilla pudding
• green juice (alfalfa, sunflower, kale, celery, cucumber)

yesterday’s log:

• 4 ozs e3live
• chlorella tablets, MSN, E3live Renew Me
• 1 quart green smoothie (mango, spinach, sprouts, brazil nuts)
• 1 bowl of home made kale chips (delish!)
• chia- sesame-tahini-banana-maca pudding
• large glass of green juice (sprouts, kale, cucumber, celery)
• 5 cups of “bone” tea (comfrey, oat straw, horsetail, bone knit

I’m slowly on the mend, learning to walk in my new air cast and making steady progress with every day. Unfortunately my left leg’s muscles have atrophied (& my right leg’s muscles grown!) so I am trying to rebuild by stretching and moving my foot as much as possible. I’m also eating lots of foods rich in calcium and minerals  (kale, collards, nettle, sesame, maca & tons of algaes) and making sure to drink cups of “bone set” tea – a concoction of various herb for strengthening the bones. My goal is to be off the crutches by June 24 when I’m hopping on the train to Toronto on my own for a week of book signings. I definitely need to step it up a touch – especially since I’ll be hobbling around the big city in search of a new pair of Levi’s!

I’m getting there!

Green Juice for Getting better

In my ongoing quest to help Natasha recover from her broken leg, I’ve been making her some delicious fresh green juices everyday (lucky her!) … well lucky me too, I make lots – and they taste so alive & fresh – the energy and vibrance from each glass is so uplifting, healing and energizing.

Here’s Natasha enjoying a glass today:

The recipe changes day to day depending on what we have, but typically contains: carrots; celery; cucumber; sprouts, sprouts, sprouts; kale or other leafy greens; and sometimes a bit of ginger & other veggie goodness. We use an Omega Juicer – does a nice job.

Green Juice for Good Health

Since Natasha broke her leg on the weekend I’ve been trying to help her get as many fresh raw healing foods as possible. Today I show one of the green juices I’ve been making, which includes the following:

Cucumber, Carrots, Celery, Ginger, Dill, Parsley, Kale, Broccoli stems, Nettle, Sunflower Sprouts, and some other sprouts.