Related
- Gateways to Now, by Eckhart Tolle (also on itunes)
- Sarano Kelley
« April 2008 | Main | June 2008 »
May 2008
Back on solids again, and it feels so good
The break down.
- Day 1: Prunes
- Day 2: Prunes
- Day 3: Fruit
- Day 4: Fruit
- Day 5: Sprouts
- Day 6: Sprouts
Product Review Corner
Sproutliving
I received a beautiful box of sprouts from Alex and Mark at Sproutliving.com. I got them just in time for day 6 after breaking my juice feast. You might remember Alex, he is the owner of Rawguru.com.
As I opened the box I was delighted to find everything was neatly packed and kept cold with plenty of ice packs. There were a dozen boxes in all, with a wide variety of sprouts including sunflower, cilantro, red Russian kale, celery, broccoli, pea shoots, onion, wasabi, citrus mixes and edible blossoms. If you check out their site you will find about another 20 varieties, all organic, all amazing. Also, stay tuned as their newly formulated sprout powder line is launched. And if that is not enough, Rawguru sells USDA organic coconuts…. that’s right, ORGANIC COCONUTS.
I think you will be able to figure out my impression of the sprouts from my video below.
O.N.E Natural Experience
When O.N.E. contacted me to review their ready-to-drink coconut water, I must admit, I was a little hesitant. I knew they were pasteurized, and since I have never been anything other than 100% raw, I wasn’t sure how I felt about that. But then I came to the conclusion… how many people are actually 100% raw. Maybe 5%, maybe 10%. Some people drink coffee, some beer, and some just don’t have access to good coconut water, so why not at least review something amazing, even if it is heated. Besides, who is counting percentages anyway… well, except me?
So I gave a case away to some friends to try, both raw foodists and non-raw foodists alike. The consensus was anonymous that the 100% pure coconut water was delicious and refreshing. So if you’re not a purist and looking for a nice treat, check it out. They also have Amazon Acai and Cashew Juice.
Reversing the Irreversible DVD
Valya Boutenko just released a 90-minute DVD with nothing but testimonies of raw foodists who improved their health naturally, and overcame dis-ease. Everything from weight loss to cancer is covered, including yours truly. Check out a preview of the movie. So if you have some friends or family members with less than stellar health, and just won’t pick up a book, get a DVD and show them its possible with raw!
Keep Sprouting,
Philip @ Lovingraw
PS. Be sure to stop by my event if your in the London area on the 20th.
PSS. Stay tuned for my upcoming review on new rawfood recipe books.
My Scoop on Cosmetics
If there is one question I get asked more often than any others, it is this:
"What kind of beauty care products do you use?"
Ironically enough, I guess I would have to say..."Just my diet".
Make-up artists and hairstylists always tell me how easy I make their job, and they ask me what I use as well. I tell them that I am a raw vegan, and they just don't believe that it could be the answer. IT IS.
Even in the realms of the organic beauty industry, I believe there is one fundamental piece missing.
As long as you put poor foods INTO your body, nothing that you put ONTO your body will really matter.
No cremes or lotions or magic potions ever made a difference for me. It was not until I cut out dairy and cooked oils that my acne cleared up. Everyone talks about putting cucumbers on their eyes to reduce puffiness...how about EATING the cucumbers? I try to eat at least 1 cucumber a day, maybe 2.
I do believe the external products can help a little. But if we're feeding our skin, hair, and nails nothing but nasty foods, no topical raw, organic or vegan product will help us.
When we get into the cycle of using products, its hard to get off. Here is an example. We take lots of showers and usually always wash our hair. We strip out the natural oils by doing this. Then we have to re-condition our hair. Same with facial products. We use cremes to help with acne but by doing so, dry our skin out, and then we have to buy expensive moisturizers. Let the body do its thing... know what I mean?!
A big "Ah-ha!" moment about this subject happened before I went raw. I was eating healthier at that point, but was not quite there yet. I was on a road trip out to Oregon and lived on mostly peanut butter and honey sandwiches, and some carrot juice. Probably 32 oz of carrot juice a day. My feet, hands, and face started to turn orange.
Simple logic demonstrated that what I was consuming through my mouth was showing up on the surface of my skin. At last, I made the connection. So what happened when I drank 32 oz of milk a day? Oily, pimply skin.
When I was a teenager, my dermatologist told me not to take my acne medication with milk because another patient of his drank milk with his medicine, and the doctor figured that the milk was blocking the medicine from being absorbed, therefore halting any progress he would have made.
When I look back, I think just drinking the milk in general was keeping him from the clear skin. Not the simple fact that he was taking it with his medicine. An interesting thought.
For some it may be a little more complex. I
know hormones affect the skin as well, especially in estrogen
imbalances (high estrogen increases sebum production and taxes the
liver). The roots of imbalances can be caused when taking oral birth
control (though it works, the body doesn't understand what it is and
what to do with it), eating soy products (gmo + high in estrogen), and
a overworked liver which detoxifies everything (support your liver with
dandelion, artichoke, milk thistle- when your liver is over worked-
your body will use the skin as organ of elimination). Also, for women
as they age they tend not to drop an egg every month- which also is a
culprit of throwing the hormones out of whack (when an egg is dropped a corpus luteum is formed which is the natural progesterone to balance
out the estrogen).
So yes, it can be a little more complex, but on the whole, the use of beauty foods will consistently make a strong
difference, much more than a bad diet coupled with beauty products ever
could in my opinion.
So, what to eat?
Like I mentioned before, cucumbers seem to do wonders for me, and there are many female actresses that swear by them as well. I would also recommend awesome raw plant fats that will moisturize from the inside out.
Coconuts and avocados are amazing, and I'm big fan of hemp products too. Every so often I put coconut oil on my face and in my hair for some extra shine, maybe once every 2 weeks.
Any spicy greens like arugula and mustard greens. We are looking for sulfur. Sulfur is the element that is mainly responsible for building hair, skin, and nails. That is why taking MSM is so helpful for people with joint and skin issues.
And believe it or not, anything with fiber is good. It helps you eliminate more which will push toxins out through your colon instead of out through your skin. If you can get to the point of 3 eliminations a day, there should be some big changes happening in your outside appearance by then.
Beauty must come from the inside out. You have to cultivate beauty, just like you have to cultivate disease. We choose our path, whether consciously or not. When you realize that you are beautiful, you will treat yourself that way and eat that way.
We are beautiful, and beauty must be how we define ourselves. We are beauty. Make it your mantra. Cultivate it from the inside-out, and use some external products for "icing on the cake".
Just remember... it comes from within...
Peace and Love,
Anthony the Raw Model
Model for Living: Anthony's Master Project
Our home boy Anthony (the Raw Model) just finished up his first first week in Minnesota working on his master project - a totally off the grid, eco effective, modern sanctuary.
Here's a little about this Model for Living:
- It yields fruits
- It yields vegetables
- It yields wild greens
- It yields edible flowers
- It collects rain water
- It has a green house for colder months
- It houses hens to eat insects and produce fertilizer
- It has a bee hive to pollinate
- It has multiple sleeping spaces
- It has a yoga platform
- It has an herb garden
And best of all, it's real because Anthony got started.
Here's a photo of Anthony making the invisible visible - planting his first tree during ground breaking.
Many people in the world of raw/eco have great intentions and powerful ideas to bring good things to this planet, but identification with old insecurities and fears prevents them from moving forward and taking the first step. These old fears and insecurities are nothing but a collection of tricks the ego uses to blame others and in turn, suppress the real you - the you that can't be defined with words. When we take an opportunity to bring stillness into our lives, we have a chance to let all those fears melt away and realize that in the present moment anything is possible.
Anthony knew that building his eco sanctuary was going to be a challenge, so he put the spotlight on himself by publicly blogging about the journey. There was no place to hide. Sharing his idea online also allowed Anthony to take baby steps, get feedback and get support along the way. Now his idea, which started off as a simple sketch, is literally coming to fruit.
Congratulations Anthony. I wish you all the best in this project that you've put so much love into. I know you'll stay present and enjoy the journey just as much as you do the final product.
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