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

VITASHAKE & NUPLUS...I LOVE WHAT THEY DO FOR MY BODY!

Being a RAW food Vegan, I am thoroughly convinced that my body would not get everything it needed if not for my precious Sunrider foods. I have 2 to 3 Vitashakes and 1 NuPlus EVERY day, no matter what. As I have mentioned in before, I cannot tolerate anything that is a soy ISOLATE. Vitashakes are made up of 5 different fermented (aids digestion) WHOLE soybeans which address the systems in the body and create BALANCE. My body LOVES soy in this whole food form and I know I am completely nourished on a cellular level...

Suggestion: before you write soy off, make sure you are not consuming genetically modified isolated soy protein (read your labels, particularly your "protein" shakes...soy isolate, whey isolate, ANY isolate = TROUBLE!). The body reacts as if it is a chemical and cannot properly assimilate it. This form of soy has been known to cause cancer markers in women and food intolerances thus creating a fear and controversy of soy...which based on how many soy products are GMO, is totally understandable!

Soy, in it's whole bean form is actually highly beneficial and a wonderful source of protein! Just be AWARE of where you are getting it from.

If you still have an issue, NuPlus makes a no-bean formula which I usually recommend for babies, the elderly and those with serious health opportunities or those who are TRULY allergic to soy.

Some benefits are:

1. Feeds every cell in your body
2. Helps balance blood sugar
3. Provides nutrients for calm peaceful energy
4. Diminishes cravings for foods which cause energy loss and mood swing
5. Nourishes joints and muscles
6. Nourishes defense system
7. Gives energy to brain (promoting mental and emotional stability)
8. Relaxes for better sleep
9. Helps improve muscle tone
10. Promotes healthy cholesterol levels and helps burn fat
11. Helps the body regulate metabolism
12. Contains all 5 flavors and 5 colors of food (balance)

NUPLUS recipe is over 3,000 years old. It was originally called “Angels Porridge.” It was known to be a potent body tonic for strength, longevity, and beauty. This porridge was revered by the Emperors of China for its potent strengthening and adapting properties. Nuplus comes in 5 flavors: Simply Herbs, Naturally Plain, Pina Banana, Mixed Berry, Apple-Cinnamon and "Regular" (Regular contains no beans and is used for babies under 3 months and people with extremely weak digestion).

VITASHAKE is an Americanized or "super-sized" version of Nuplus. Dr. Chen uses Nuplus and then chelates vitamins and minerals to the original formula. It also has FOS which assists the body in growing healthy probiotics (good bacteria) in the intestines. He also added more protein rich whole food and fiber to this formula. It is a bit more filling then Nuplus and stays with you longer. It comes in 2 flavors, Strawberry and Cocoa.

Consume them every day and experience positive changes in your body!!

These simple to use foods can be mixed in water or made into a decadent shake. Coconut juice, cocoa Vitashake with a little bit of banana and ice is my personal favorite!!

Don't forget to "chew" your Shake. Digestion begins in the mouth. If you do not "chew" your shake you could experience bloating as this whole food needs the alkaline saliva in your mouth to be fully digested and metabolized. Also never eat anything in a rush or under stress. Take 5-10 deep breaths before eating. You will experience better energy, digestion and metabolism of ALL of your food. This is key to fat loss!!

NuPlus

The name means nutrition plus. It is not an isolated protein powder. To the contrary, it is a very concentrated blend of Coix Lachryma-jobi, Soybean Seed, Chinese Yam, Fox Nut, Lotus Seed, Lotus Root, Waterlily Bulb, Green Bean, Red Bean, Black Bean, White Bean and Imperate Root. This is a balanced blend of complex carbohydrates that combine concentrated herbs with soybeans, other legumes, and natural freeze dried fruit. The ancient Chinese developed this as a very unique combination to feed all the body systems and keep the body healthy. It contains naturally occurring bioflavonoids, antioxidants, amino acids, and other beneficial phytochemicals. Below is some information from pharmacological research on various ingredients.

Coix Lachryma-jobi

Pharmacological research shows that Coix Fruit, reduces spasms, inhibits tumors, lowers blood sugar, stimulates general immunity, reduces inflammation, reduce muscle tension and lowers cholesterol. The components of Coix Fruit includes glycerides of palmitic acid, myriatic acid, 8-octadecenoid acid, coixenolide, and phytin, help maintain a healthy immune system, nervous system, and normal cholesterol levels. In Japan, Coix Fruit is known as a natural treatment for arthritis and joint disease.

Soybean Seed

Pharmacological research shows that Soybean decreases hot flashes during menopause, inhibits the growth of some tumors, reduces harmful cholesterols without effecting beneficial cholesterols, lowers blood pressure, and reduces fatigue, obesity, and hypoglycemia.

Chinese Yam

Pharmacological research shows that Chinese Yam exerts a general nutritive effect. The constituents of Chinese Yam – starches, proteins, choline, mucine, and allantoin, sugars such as glucose, fructose, and sucrose, as well as amino acids such as phenylalanine-help regulate metabolism and digestion.

Lotus Seed/Root

Pharmacological research shows that Lotus Root inhibits bleeding. It also shows that Lotus Seed relaxes smooth muscles, neutralizes toxicity and inhibits infection. The seeds contain asparagin, fats, proteins and some starches, and trace elements of calcium, magnesium, zinc and iron. They are taken to tonify the spleen, reinforce the kidneys and nourish the blood. Other conditions treated with Lotus Seeds include palpitations, insomnia and irritability.

Possible benefits of eating NuPlus

Easily digestable, improved fat metabolism, help build lean muscle tissue, increase stamina and energy, promotes general feeling of well-being, reduced cravings for unwholesome food, enhanced concentration, better sleep, and many other great results!

LoveLoveLove and Optimum Health ALL-ways xo

FINE TUNING...

We are not our bodies.

HOWEVER, if we do not take care of our fabulous "temple" of the soul, our life here on Planet Earth may be less than divine.

I don't know about you, but I am a VERY active 40-something year youngling. I love to HIKE, take YOGA almost daily, POLE DANCE (as in class, not profession), HOOP (as in HULA...just joined) and the list goes on.

I am hard on my body and I love trying new things. For me, the highlight of EVERY day, is getting this girl's body MOVING...nothing like an endorphin high!! That being said, things start to "happen" not only as we age, but if we don't eat nutrient dense "living" foods that nourish, balance and cleanse our bodies. Every day. What do you think happens when you eat "dead" acidic food? Insert shudder.

Those who know me know that I am a fanatic of SUNRIDER plant based products. Nutrient- dense ALKALINE foods that feed the body on a cellular level based on the Philosophy of REGENERATION. Dis-ease does not like an alkaline environment, thus the body gets the rest it needs to restore itself back to health. It's that simple. It also takes time and discipline to undo the damage of decades of abuse and "unconscious" eating so when I say simple, I'm not saying easy. It does however, get VERY easy when you start feeling AWESOME and bouncy and like you can do ANYTHING!! My very first "side effect" was no more brain FOG...yuck, who needs that? CLARITY is a beautiful thing.

Most people see changes immediately and continue to get better while others stop once they feel better (I never understood this - if I feel good, please give me MORE!!) only to start up again when their symptoms start to reappear. It's like exercise my lovelies...you basically have to do it until you die. You don't get to a point where you look and feel your best, stop, and your body remains the same. Unfair I know, but that's LIFE. This is the point where commitment and discipline are your new best friend!

I am living proof that the body has the ability to HEAL itself if given proper nutrition. I had to prove it to myself as I am very skeptical of all things until I have reason not to be. I will not share something I do not believe in yet I do feel responsible for sharing things that have proven to be life-changing or FUN for that matter...

Here's a link to some more Sunrider information that focuses on FINE TUNING your gorgeous body...work it, own it!!

http://www.shelleymerkt.com/files/Fine_Tuning_with_Sunrider.pdf

And ask lots of questions!! If I can't answer, I will find out from my Naturopath who led me on this path of health and freedom...

Love, Sheri xoxo