Ch-Ch-CHIA!!!

AS many of you know, it is really important to adopt a balanced nutrient-saturated diet in order to achieve and maintain optimum health...along with exercise and things that relieve stress and create FUN of course!

For me, eliminating all animal products is what brought my body to a state of BLISS. I am not going to tell you that that is the only way for EVERYone so please honor YOUR own body, it speaks very loudly if you just listen!

Radical diets that consist of one type of food, one drink, severely low-cal, low or no-carb (there are good carbs that are absolutely VITAL), blah, blah, blah (unless you are juice fasting for a few days to give your system a rest or doing the Master Cleanse to eliminate KIDNEY STONES, not starve yourself) - have been scientifically proven to create major health opportunities. These DIE-ts primarily appeal to those who would rather lose weight (water) quickly while unknowingly starting a path of destruction consisting of starvation, quick weight loss and quick weight gain back and then some. It's exhausting even talking about it.

The single most effective thing that I have learned after decades of trying everything:

If you eat a variety of WHOLE foods and moderately exercise, your "need" to diet will cease to exist. It is truly that simple. Not to say that it is easy at first, (preservatives, dead, modified foods are indeed addictive but I promise you, your taste-buds WILL change and thank you) but once you get it, you will know a new FREEDOM.

And then you can be happy, as will everyone else around you who is probably pretty concerned and/or exhausted about your food (or lack of) obsession. I've been there, I get it.

When I declared myself a vegetarian at the tender age of 16, my "food" consumption consisted of New York's finest: pretzels, bagels, pizza with the cheese removed (shout out to Gino's in Long Beach, NY) and my favorite, canned french green beans loaded with sodium. C'mon, a girl needs her "veggies."

I became plagued with anemia, electrolyte imbalance and aspartame poisoning (from an occasional diet soda and daily sugarless gum!) over the next several years. I did what the medical community suggested - I was ordered to eat chicken and fish for "protein" (red meat was never an option for me) and told that artificial sweeteners were my friend, that sugar was poison - I truly believed they were educated about nutrition, I mean, they were doctors after all!! I continued to suffer digestive issues, endometriosis, cystic acne, panic attacks and the list goes on...

Fast forward to the last several years of finding a perfect balance of 80 percent raw, 100 percent vegan, and my otherwise mostly-balanced lifestyle (no, I am not perfect) made even easier for me by having Sunrider plant-based whole food shakes and live-enzyme teas to round it out.

So as I often mention, I go to the Optimum Health Institute annually and just spent 3 consecutive weeks this past January/February. As always, I learned some very valuable new information, this time from the darling Executive Chef Paul. I shared with him that I had been indulging in the Sesame Tofu from Whole Foods in an alarmingly addictive fashion for the 2 months prior to my OHI "reset the system" retreat and while I knew tofu was not so great, I was concerned that my menstrual cycle was completely out of whack during these 2 months and was pretty sure there was a connection...

Processed soy is a big "AVOID" food. It is genetically engineered (that even sounds so wrong). Yes, I knew this, but wasn't it "better than?"... maybe for some, but not this lightweight. Truth is, for me, if I am going out of my way to get something which is not making me feel amazing, I should probably STOP. My endocrine system was not a happy camper. Hormones gone awry.

So the subject of CHIA came up. Chia is incredible for everyone, and for women, CHIA is a hormonal balancing DREAM. PMS, Peri and Post Menopause symptoms, BE GONE!!

CHIA!! Yes, the very same seed that creates your Chia Pets. Except, the infomercials never mentioned what a superfood CHIA truly is.

Let's just say, it is changing me on so many levels and I use it daily and in everything now. So here's a list of the benefits of CHIA.

Oh my favorite fun fact before we get this party started: Chia is organic no matter what. It naturally repels pests (as does QUINOA fyi) so you do not need to specifically buy organic. It just is. So there. Moving on:

Chia is LOADED with Omega-3's, Fiber, Antioxidants. YAY!!

Chia is the richest PLANT-source of Omega-3 oil...by weight, chia contains more Omega-3 than salmon which is uber-important for heart and cholesterol health. And you don't have to worry about mercury poisoning or eating something with a face to get your Omegas!! It even has more Omega-3 then flax seed.

Chia's unique gelling action keeps you full for hours! Once it is exposed to water, it forms a coating of gel, increasing it's size up to 12 times it's weight in water! Soothing to the digestive tract and beneficial in keeping the body hydrated and maintaining electrolyte balance. For those who want to release weight, this is a DREAM!!

Provides LOTS of ENERGY!! Great for athletes!! Great for EVERYbody!! Chia is one of nature's highest plant-based sources of COMPLETE protein (which raises your energy levels). The combination of complete protein, vitamins, minerals and blood-sugar balancing gel all work together to make sure you have steady energy. Marathon runners: Chia down the hatch works wonders when you are losing steam!! ZING!!

Balances Blood Sugar - important for both health and energy levels (not to mention eliminating vicious food binging to try to bring your body into a balanced state). By balancing your blood sugar, you not only lower your risk of Type 2 Diabetes, you also ensure steady, constant energy throughout your day. If you eat chia with a meal, it will help you turn your food into constant, steady energy rather then ups and downs, highs and lows...

Full of fiber!! Each seed is coated with soluble fibers. The exterior of the seed is protected by insoluble fiber. The insoluble fiber is unable to be digested so instead it keeps the food moving through the digestive process. Soluble fibers and the gel coating of the seed keep the colon hydrated and ensures easy movement of food.

Extremely high in antioxidants. At room temperature, they'll stay fresh and ready to eat for over 2 years WITHOUT a SINGLE CHEMICAL or preservative! Antioxidants help prevent free-radical damage in your body. Fight free radical damage with nature's POWERHOUSE...Ch-Ch Chia!

Add CALCIUM to your food by sprinkling on the Chia. By weight, it has more calcium than whole milk (BARF)! It also has magnesium and boron, essential trace minerals used in the absorption of calcium and other vitamins. Helps CURB CRAVINGS that might tempt you.

Chia has no taste of it's own and will never cover up or add flavor to your food. They take on the taste of your own delicious recipes and magnify the taste of whatever they are added to when they hydrate! Put them in soup, pudding, smoothies, on salads, in lemonade, dressings, dips, salsas, sauces and virtually everything!

I add Chia to my smoothies to bring it to a pudding-like consistency. It is so filling with ZERO extra calories or fat. I add it to my fresh-squeezed lemonade with a little squirt of stevia for a refreshing, filling fresca...I recently added it to my vegan muffin recipe and the list goes on...experiment and enjoy the BENEFITS!!

So more than a pet, CHIA could be your best new friend...let me know your favorite recipes and have FUN!!

xo

WHY RAW VEGAN?

WOW, it's been quite some time since I felt the desire to openly share my thoughts and blog. However, there is no time like NOW.

I just completed 3 weeks at my home away from home - the Optimum Health Institute in San Diego. I feel recharged, re-inspired and truly EXCITED!!

Let's just say that the last 2 years of my life has been an emotional whirlwind. Although I pride myself in taking care of my body through movement and a primarily raw vegan lifestyle, the daily stresses of life, death, moving, financial challenges, etc is enough to send one's otherwise perfectly-honed machine (otherwise known as your body) into an adrenal-fatigued, acidic shockwave. Yep, that was me 23 days ago. I can only say that at that time I felt a great sense of nothingness. I was disconnected and unconscious and kind of on an auto-pilot setting. And it scared me. Whew, glad that's over with and forever grateful to have experienced it because:

I thankfully know where to go to detox my god-given flesh temple and achieve a state of ZEN.

Sooooo...I have to admit, my first week at OHI was quite the week...I loaded up the Mini with my creature comforts including my fuzzy blue blanky and my forever love, Pooh Bear - and enough clothes to last for weeks (since my intention was only 1 week which turned into 3, it actually worked out divinely)! As I bid my loving, supportive boyfriend goodbye, I motored off into much-needed alone time. I arrived on Sunday and finally started to BREATHE. By Monday, I was in a full on DETOX. Not unlike a drug or alcohol-addicted humanoid, I detoxed HARD. And I do not drink or do drugs EVER. Thankfully I had my own room and my bear. And my best friend on the other end of the phone when needed. And silence. And presence of self.

By Wednesday I knew I needed another week because I didn't want to stop the detox and was not even close to my usual state of being. Mind you, between detox-inducing raw food (in other words bland), 3 days of juicing per week, WHEATGRASS everywhere and in every place and daily colon hydrotherapy, we exercise twice a day (not intensely but a small driveway feels like Mt. Everest in this state) and attend classes - basically every minute of the day is full if you so desire. I, the over-achiever also felt a need to walk an additional 2.4 miles around Lake Cholla daily and check out the local beaches. Not necessarily wise, but nevertheless..

So I booked a second week which was an early birthday present from my sweetest heart. And my best friend forever joined me. JOY!! Except for the brain ruminating on shockingly unimportant things, I finally reached a state of BLISS. And the people one meets at OHI, as always, remind me that there is a whole world of beauty, generosity and LOVE.

We are all there on a mission at OHI. To be our BEST selves in body, mind and spirit. Only in a safe-haven such as this, do paths that would NEVER cross, not only cross but actually MELD together.

One of the beautiful spirits floating around "campus" quietly gifted me my 3rd week... she truly gets as much joy in giving as I did in receiving such a priceless gesture. I have never experienced such unconditional love and generosity on all levels from so many people.

Side note: I gave a woman I met my first week my Tarzana Whole Foods recyclable .99 cent shopping bag because she loved the colors. She wrote me a thank-you note as if I just gave her a diamond ring. RANDOM ACTS OF KINDNESS do matter...no matter how large or small!!

And yes, there is always a handful of colorfully strange, sometimes intrusive folks there as well but you go where the love is and practice "cancel cancel" and loving acceptance as needed.

So the point of my blog is that the HEALING POWER OF PLANT BASED FOODS is by FAR more effective then ANY drug, drink or processed poison you can get your hands on. I wanted to share some "side effects" of ingesting things that have one whole ingredient and no eyeballs or faces:

improved vision and hearing

increased endurance and energy

weight normalizes naturally

elimination of allergies

high resistance to sunburn (but the best tan ever!)

strong growth of hair and nails

sharper sense to smell

CLARITY

fresh breath

decreased body odor

less sleep required

elimination of insomnia

vivid dreams

increased flexibility

greater concentration, mental focus and memory

increased LOVE for self and others

decreased stress

less anger in general

increased sex drive

greater awareness of your self as a spiritual being

increased sense of individuality

frequent moments of pure joy

positive body image

releasing weight (we don't lose weight if we don't want to find it!!)

MOST IMPORTANTLY, your body achieves BALANCE and Optimum Health!

In closing, I urge you to do whatever it takes to promote true HEALTH CARE. While the medical community is absolutely essential, it would be safe to say that most doctors are taught to administer medicine and receive very little education in nutrition and alternative healing (unless that is their specialty and thank goodness for those types of doctors!). I will not ever put down doctors for they DO save lives. And YOU too can truly save and extend your own life EVERY day with the right tools. Listen to your body. It speaks very loudly. It wants to be NOURISHED and CLEANSED so it can achieve BALANCE. True story.

If you had a Ferrari would you give it the best gasoline available or put a diet soda in the tank? You get the picture.

Love YourSELF, Love Each Other and Love Our Gorgeous Planet xoxo