Saturday, October 22, 2011

Beach Body: Faster and Easier than a Boot Camp.

There's a sign on the side of a local road here advertising a Boot Camp for a Beach Body.

Following a high raw life can get you the Beach Body you'd like without the hard yards and going without. There's very little raw food can't replace in conventional food (okay, there's a few things that can't be
done, like pavlova!) so there's no need to feel deprived to obtain your desired 'Summer Look'.

What is more, high Raw eating habits will give you fast results whilst eating real food that tastes good and is satisfying. Sheesh! Some of these weight loss programs and big multinational companies seem to make it harder than it needs to be...and more expensive.

Take a good look at the ingredient information on their packets – you will find artificial sweeteners, preservatives, flavourings, emulsifiers and names that cannot be pronounced. If you can’t pronounce it, that is a good sign you shouldn’t eat it either. Anything that has this stuff in it and then passes itself off as food and to weight-watcher-wanna-bees is a product of very savvy marketing of hope and precious little else.

I’m sure some of these companies started with good intentions but many have been sold for big bucks by their creators and the program has morphed into a mission to keep you trapped and believing you need them. The maddening thing is that to some, they actually work. But wouldn’t you rather eat real food that is genuinely meeting your body’s needs, sets you free from a ‘program’ and equips you to make good eating habits for the rest of your life?

You could start with a detox program lasting from one week to 21 days or so (with food, please, not one of these lemon, maple syrup and cayenne pepper things). A detox will give you faster weight loss that will encourage you to keep going, adding more raw food and leaving behind the processed, high fat, sugar 'foods' that make up a large chunk of the western diet.

If you don’t want to start with a detox, fine! You don’t have to. Just start eating more fresh fruit, increase your salad options and learn more about Raw.  You will still get fast results that will thrill you! Then bit by bit you improve, fall off the wagon a few times, climb back up and find a raw/cooked ratio that suits you. You should enjoy a life-style (not a temporary diet) of permanent weight loss, energy and better health than you imagined.

I realise there will be a few special cases that need guidance and will have to work harder at it but for most of you, this is doable and so much easier than most other options. No clubs to join, points to count, special meals, packets, shakes, supplements or portions to weigh. Breathe a sigh of relief at your freedom!

This might be the right time to invest in a Vita-Mix now that there has been such a good price drop. $1295 for the Red, White or Black model and $1450 for the Stainless Steel model

So, Go More Raw!

Christine
www.gomoreraw.com
email: christine@gomoreraw.com

____________________________________________________

The Anglo-Far East Company
The Original Private Gold and Silver Bullion Custodian
Your reference: an-001
____________________________________________________

YOUnique Gold and Silver

Buy small, affordable physical gold and silver or start a savings program towards physical gold or silver grams for as little as US$25 per month.
Blog : www.goldsilver-money.blogspot.com
____________________________________________________

Tuesday, October 18, 2011

Reflections on a Seven Day Detox

Just before I comment on the Detox I want to remind you about the wonderful price reduction for the Vita-Mix (NZ readers only). $1295 for the Red, White or Black model and $1450 for the Stainless Steel model. If you pay by cash/internet banking I will reduce the price by a further 3%. And as an extra sweetener, I will pay the $25 courier fee for your Vita-Mix to be delivered to your door. What are you waiting for?

One week on after the Seven Day Detox I have some thoughts that I'd like to share with you. Namely, what would I do different next time or more pointedly, what would I include if I wrote my own
Program?

The first thing I'd say include as "ok" would be tea and coffee. I like tea and coffee - they're one of my 'cheats'. You all know what happens if you suddenly stop drinking caffeine. That dreaded headache kicks in. I don't like headaches, so I chose to keep my breakfast cup of tea going and some evenings I had my traditional night-time cuppa, too. Besides I'm not actually convinced that tea and coffee is all that bad;there are now known advantages to drinking the stuff. It comes down to personal choice.

It's highly likely the headache that afflicts most detoxers is actually withdrawal and not necessarily a detox headache. It's not so much a detox headache as much as a withdrawal symtom.

If the thought of a headache for two or three days is too hard - some of us have to keep working - then by all means keep a cup of tea or coffee going. It's not going to ruin your week of detox.

Better to keep a cuppa on the program than fall off the wagon completely because it all gets too much.

Alternatively, go ahead and take a panadol to break the headache cycle - obviously that's contentious but heck, if that's the difference between you 'making' it or not then have the panadol. The chemicals will get ditched pretty quickly with your detox anyway.

There were little to no fats in the program. I'm not sure what a nutritionist would say about that. Possibly no big deal for a week but that is the real reason you drop weight quickly. Definitely not to be done longer than a week except under professional supervision; you can do yourself long-term damage with not enough fats in your diet.

The weight loss obtained over the week can inspire you to keep building good habits once your detox has finished. For me, I was pleased to feel my jeans a little looser as little bit by little bit I'd put on some weight over the Winter.

That's one of the good things about the discipline a detox enforces on you - it's a good kick-start to doing better than you were before. The Seven Day Detox has now been taken down but there is a 21 Day Program available for those of you wishing to still do a detox. And in case you're wondering why I'm sending my blog mid week instead of the weekend when I was supposed to, that's because I'm working on my own Seven Day Program! So exciting! It's not a detox ( I will write on later) but a program designed for those who've either been to one of my workshops, gone home all inspired and enthused only to have life get in the way, and good intentions fading with that pesky guilt feeling hovering around. You know who you are! and this is going to be just what you need to get you onto an increased raw life style. Watch this space!

Christine
www.gomoreraw.com
email: christine@gomoreraw.com

____________________________________________________

The Anglo-Far East Company
The Original Private Gold and Silver Bullion Custodian
Your reference: an-001
____________________________________________________ 

YOUnique Gold and Silver

Buy small, affordable physical gold and silver or start a savings program towards physical gold or silver grams for as little as US$25 per month.
____________________________________________________

Saturday, October 8, 2011

Why Do I Eat Mostly Raw Food?


Why do I eat mostly raw food? The answer to this question is based on a simple equation rather than a philosophy or conviction. By that I mean I am not high raw because I am vegan or vegetarian; I suspect most who choose those food paths do so due to animal rights issues.*

When I looked more studiously at the bio/clinical differences between raw and cooked I found these things: the higher water content, why enzymes are important, how omegas work in our brain and body and why they are important for pre-born babies, young children and adults, why a wide range of as many vitamins and minerals as possible are essential. The more I read, the more I could see that if I ate and drank in pursuit of these things then I needed to be consuming as much as possible unheated or raw. In order to enjoy optimum health, hopefully avoid degenerative disease, look younger for longer (who doesn't?), maintain a trim figure then eating high raw is what I need to do. Food + action = consequences. My choice, your choice. I suspect it's a bit like a law of physics, E=Mc2

Of course it helps that the tastes are and can be great, I love the crunchy textures, the sweet options are guilt free and healthy, and there are no preservatives (read labels carefully), colourings, artificial sweeteners & other chemicals or transfats. What is there not to like here?

It still seems to be easier for me than weighing food, endless supplements (some may still be helpful at times), counting calories and points,and joining clubs with regular fees. Cheaper, too.

If you're struggling with including more raw in your life and changing habits, then stop and think what it is that you want for the rest of your life. This will help determine your actions more reliably than depending on how you feel at any given time. Just do yourself and others around you a favour and try not to get obsessive about it! Trust me when I say that you're no fun to be around when you start to become a member of the Food Police :-)

* If you're assuming I "don't care about animals/insects", please don't. Almost 30 years ago I read about battery chickens and felt ill. I had no idea. Since then I have never knowingly bought battery eggs again. Even if there was no nutritional difference between battery and free range eggs, I would still pay more for the latter. The only chicken meat I buy is free range. Organic would be nice but for now price makes it prohibitive. When eating out and I am considering a chicken dish, I ask if it is free range, if not, another item is chosen. When buying bacon I scour the deli shelves looking for free range and preferably preservative-free. A Christmas Ham is also free-range. Red meat in New Zealand is invariably  free range and I favour organic, if finances allow, for both animal welfare, nutritional & soil issues. Ditto milk. (Please note that I never query what I'm offered when at at friend or family members house.) Our honey comes from an organic farm, harvested sustainably and is raw. My cosmetic and body care is Miessence who do not test on animals and where honey is used it is sourced sustainably (vegan friendly). You can read their policy here. Although it's not so much animal rights as 'people rights', I buy Trade Aid/Fair Trade items whenever I can.

When I was a little girl my father showed me how to rescue an exhausted bee by taking her a wee bit of honey on a teaspoon. It was fascinating watching her long tongue take what would give her the strength to (hopefully) return to her hive. I have done this all my life and showed our children how to do the same. It taught them the up close beauty of the bee, the wonder of creation and led them to understand the crucial importance of bees in our food cycles. They are my favourite insect.

May you more thoughtfully enjoy your health this week.

Christine
www.gomoreraw.com
email: christine@gomoreraw.com


____________________________________________________

The Anglo-Far East Company
The Original Private Gold and Silver Bullion Custodian
Your reference: an-001
____________________________________________________

Sunday, October 2, 2011

Pad Thai - Raw


My DS (24) and DD (22) have been raving about their latest food love: Pad Thai. Since I'm not a regular restaurant attendee I had no idea, so I went browsing through my raw books and sites to see if there is a raw version of this salivating dish. It took me a good hour to come up with a version that I thought I liked and had the ingredients on hand or suitable replacements. So to save you the bother of reinventing the wheel here are the two versions I created this week.

Pad Thai - Take One
The family-that-resides-at-home all approved so I thought I was on to a good thing.

4T peanut butter
scant 1t ground coriander seeds
1T grated ginger
1t olive oil
1T cider vinegar
blackpepper
juice of one lemon

Mix above and add water if you want it thinner. Mix through your choice of julienned or spiralised courgettes and carrots. Add thinly sliced cucumber, capsicum or what ever you have available. Top with Avocado Sauce: 1 avocado, 3T raw honey, 1/4t chilli powder, juice of one lemon.

Pad Thai - Take Two Thursday night is our Family Dinner when our above DS and DD come home for the evening and sup with us. So I had been shopping to buy the 'proper' ingredients to see if I could wow them, too. This time I used the recipe (almost) exactly and all who had it the previous night preferred Take One. My adult son found the flavours too strong so gave thumbs down but he's not overly fond of raw food (except what he calls normal salads and the yummy cheesecake and ice cream). My daughter rather liked it but said it needed more lime. That I can fix.

I said I used the almost exact recipe...I used peanut butter* instead of chopping peanuts I didn't have, and lessened the oil. This probably makes it a little too peanutty; next time I'll use less and taste/add as I go. Also, I'll try roasted sesame seed oil. I didn't add the mint because I didn't see where I'd scribbled it down as I wrote down the recipe. Hmm... this could broaden and freshen the flavour.  Again, I'll try this next time.

The 'proper' recipe:
8T chopped peanuts (I used peanut butter)
1 T coriander leaves, chopped
2T grated ginger
2T chopped mint
2T olive oil
2T cider vinegar
black pepper
2 juiced limes

Mix as first recipe and top with Avocado Sauce but use 1/2 fresh chilli instead of powder and lime juice instead of lemon.

Pile on plates or fill lettuce leaves and enjoy.

* This peanut butter (100% Nutz Ltd) is my latest find in the supermarkets. Made in New Zealand with Australian peanuts. No added sugar, salt, emulsifyers or oils. I love using NZ products that are great.

How about emailing me if you're doing the Seven Day Detox this week? (christine@gomoreraw.com) and we can be our own Cheer Team!

And last but not least...Go the All Blacks!!! Yay!!!

Until next time, take care of yourself and those you love
Christine

www.gomoreraw.com
christine@gomoreraw.com


____________________________________________________

The Anglo-Far East Company
The Original Private Gold and Silver Bullion Custodian
Your reference: an-001
____________________________________________________