Food is not a religion

"Are you a veg*n?"

Seems like I get that question a lot. It's interesting that when you talk about eating healthy, many people assume you don't eat meat. The funny thing is I want to say that I am a vegetarian. But I'm not. In fact, I'd love to say I'm a vegan or a raw foodie. Although I eat a mainly raw and vegan diet, I'm not fully committed to either of those either. 

Yet, for so many reasons, the aspiration to be meat-free is there. Honestly. Certainly my mind is willing but ... well you know the rest. The thing is, transitioning to vegan eating isn't even a new thing for me. Back in 1977, I was living in Los Angeles when a childhood friend came to visit during college summer break. I was so impressed by her new vegan lifestyle that I adopted it overnight, literally, for 6 years. Thinking back, that summer was full of many firsts ... 

• First trip to a health food market

• First time eating eggplant sandwiches

• First time seeing and using a VitaMix

• First time realizing that my body thrived without meat

• First time making a commitment to eat a plant, nut, seed, and grain-based diet

So why am I wavering now? Perhaps my ancestral meat-eater blood type is holding me hostage? Maybe it's a winter thing? Or am I just feeling insecure about change? Hmm. Even though I set a goal to be 100% vegan in 2010, I don't really believe in New Year's resolutions, so I've already succumbed once (today!) to broiled olive chicken. Don't get me wrong, it was delicious (thanks Shafia!). Yet as soon as I ate it, I knew I could have skipped it and been satisfied with the very tasty offerings of raw kale salad, brown rice, eggplant, pineapples and dates.

It's alright though. The beauty of living is that each day is another opportunity to step back onto your path. Since I've decided that being a vegan is an important goal for me, I'm committed to empower myself through radical self care, including daily self-directed coaching, positive affirmations, Reiki, yoga, walking, focused breathing, drinking water, essential oils, and the support of a holistic health counselor.

In the meantime, what do I say to the 'vegetarian' question? Usually, "No. I'm a vegan who eats meat on rare occasions". LOL!

Hey, as one of my teachers, Joshua Rosenthal, says, "food is not a religion". Thank God!

Stuck in a food mood?

Food boredom, the viscious cycle of eating the same foods over and over and over and over again, happens to each of us from time to time. The mood is characterized by an unenthusiastic attitude about food in general that often leads to skipping meals, bouts of eating packaged or processed foods, all-too-frequent trips to the drive thru, or overindulging in sugary and salty snacks.

If and when you find yourself there, don't despair. There are several things you can do to re-energize your creativity and lift yourself out of the rut:

• Try a one day detox or juice fast to cleanse the palate and jumpstart your digestion

• Browse cookbooks or social media (Instagram, Pinterest, etc) for new recipes or ideas

• Ask a friend for a recipe they enjoy and don't mind sharing with you

• Take a cooking or raw foods preparation class

• Hang out and ask questions in the produce section of a natural foods market

• Visit the farmer's market in search of a new fruit or veggie to take home

• Watch raw food and/or cooking videos on YouTube (there are tons!)

You may discover a new way to add zest with limes, a new flavorful smoothie, a bold sauce recipe, or a new way to prepare leafy greens in less time. Just keep it fun and you're bound to find just the thing to get your creative juices flowing!

And if all else fails, contact a certified holistic health coach who can help you sort through any deeper issues that may be affecting your food mood.

An old school earache remedy

Today, there is more knowledge available about essential oils than our elders ever had access to, yet we still don't know much about using them. I hope to share a bit of info about them here, especially as they relate to common ailments. Please note that essential oils are not a replacement or substitute for medical advice. If you have a persistent condition, please consult your primary care provider for treatment. 

My grandmother was from the south. She grew up with many old school remedies for common ailments. One of them was essential oils. Fortunately for me, she used those same ancestral remedies on her grandchildren. No one really understood why or how this old wisdom worked, it just did.

For an earache, Nana's remedy was to add a drop of eucalyptus oil to a clean cotton ball and place just inside the ear. In addition to oils, we were fed well-balanced warming meals, encouraged to drink only water with lemon and hot tea with honey, get plenty of rest.

If we had to go out for school or church, and it was a particularly windy day, we were instructed to cover our ears with either a hat, ear muffs, or a scarf. Within no time the ear pain would subside and we'd be back to playing outdoors. No big deal. 

Over time, I adapted my grandmother's remedy to include other beneficial oils and added a few notes...

1. NEVER EVER pour or put essential oils directly inside the ear.

2. For best results, be sure to use the pure essential oils (not fragrance oils). They tend to cost more because they are very carefully distilled to keep the healing benefits intact. 

What to do:

• Starting with the eucalyptus, place 1-2 drops of oil on your finger

• Rub the oil lightly behind and below the ear

• Trail the fingers downward along the neck to the center of the throat 

• Repeat on the other side

• Wait a minute or two for the oil to absorb

• Repeat with the rosemary (optional)

• Repeat with the lavender (optional)

Afterwards, it is helpful to wrap or cover the ears, neck and throat to encourage the oils to penetrate deeply.

Did you know?

Essential oils are powerful and as such only small amounts are needed in an application. Anyone using an essential oil for the first time, should do sensitivity testing a small patch of skin prior to general use. Additionally, it's usually best to dilute with a carrier oil (pure jojoba, coconut, olive, etc). For more information, consult a certified aromatherapist (CA), traditional naturopath (TN), or a naturopathic doctor (ND).

Kitchen art

Beyond food and utilitarian devices, color, movement and visual cues tease out our creative talents. So, after realizing that my kitchen is rather bland, and inspired by a recent desire to repurpose treasured items, I may have stumbled upon a fun solution.

Have you seen The Organic Kitchen Garden calendars by Ann Lovejoy (author and Seattle columnist)? Each calendar in the series is a gorgeous work of food and garden art: bold, brilliant, energizing ... perfect for getting through those dreary gray winter days, urging the onset of spring and the return of blossoming life. A small investment (less than $20) yields twelve full color spectacularly arranged professional photographs of fruits, vegetables, edible flowers, dried flowers and garden beds. The mouth-watering monthly recipes and cooking tips are an unexpected bonus!

A pristine 2007 issue (photography by Robin Bachtler Cushman) was recently unearth from beneath a random stack of stuff here at home. So, it's off to seek out creative, sustainable options to display these vibrant beauties in ways that will delight the senses, stimulate the palate, heal the winter blues, and beckon the green thumb. 

For more fun kitchen ideas, check out Spice Up the Kitchen!

Bon Appetit!

Time

I'm just SO busy all the time! I've got a million things to do.

There just don't seem to be enough hours in the day.

I feel like life is passing me by and there's still so much I want to do.

I cannot possibly fit one more thing into my busy schedule.

I'm just trying to hold it all together right now.

Sound familiar? Have these words crossed your lips?

Time is elusive. 'Living in the moment' has been touted as a means of capturing time by fully being present and connected to your life's activities as opposed to just going through the motions meaninglessly.

And it's true. Time spent being present to the warmth of the summer sun, listening to the sounds of early morning bird tweets and afternoon lawnmowers, people watching, taking in the scent of flowers and the sacred earth allows one to connect fully and then store vivid experiences that I can tap into during the sunless, damp northwest winters and feed the soul.

In the 90s a lot of credence was given to finding meaning in the mundane and menial. Washing dishes, for example, takes on whole new meaning when one simply appreciates the experience of the relatively benign act. Such perspective instills a feeling of accomplishment and reverence for necessity. But mostly it allows us to just be, even if for a brief moment.

So, how much time do you give yourself each day? I'm not talking about time spent in the bathroom, grooming, eating. I'm referring to time being present in your life, discovering your path. Now if you're wondering how to harness time to make better use of each day or how to make time if you're already strapped for time, ask yourself "Am I willing to dedicate ten minutes each day to myself ... just me?"

If your answer is YES, let's talk about how to make those ten minutes powerful!