Raw Bohemian Girl

Lots of Updates!

2012-01-08T06:37:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone,

I'm back and so much has happened since I was last here- both good and bad.

My husband's father lost his battle with cancer January 3, 2011- it was rough on everyone- but I'm glad that he is in heaven and not in pain anymore.

We also finished up our house remodel and it is now officially on the market for sale.

We did buy a camper at auction and lived in it for almost 6 months- then decided to sell it and move to my brother's pool house since we were doing laundry there anyway.

I did lose down to around 134, but Christmas and the stress of finishing the house remodel did a number on me and now I'm back up around 140. I just started back running 2 days ago and trying to eat more raw. I really need something to jump start my weight loss- I may do a 1-2 day juice fast soon. Once I reach my goal weight, my reward is to go on a day shopping spree!!

We have loved moving away from our old town and the negative people that were trying to control us- that is no more and I love the freedom!!

We also plan on clearing off our land and putting it up for sale as well- we are really wanting to move to a different state. I don't like the small town feel and am ready for the big city!

We are now in the process of obtaining a mobile job that my brother is working for and is putting in a good word for us- we are praying about it. It would be a great job because we would get to travel and get per diem as well.

While we are waiting to hear back about the job- we have been selling things on craigslist and ebay so we won't have to move/store so much stuff. Plus I want to simplify life more- having too much stuff stresses me out.

I have so many plans for 2012- lose last 10 lbs, obtain jobs, travel more, have a better blog, grow my nails, move to a different state, sell land & house, buy a kindle, DSLR and a Blendtec.

I will be back later to update- hopefully, I will have good news about my weight progress soon!!

I'm back!!

2011-08-27T08:02:00.000-07:00

Hey guys, I'm back!! Alot has happened since I last posted.

- I left my job at the hospital and have been helping my husband move everything and get the house ready to sell {we are almost done- just lacking a couple of tiny things before we can show it}

- Once we sell our house, we plan on moving forward with building our new home- we plan on building a small house to save on $$ and not have so much maintenance- we want to enjoy life not be tied down to a house mortgage and maintenance.

- We ended up buying a camper at Auction and are staying on my sister's land and are using my brother's pool house as storage and do our laundry there as well- we also have the pool which we swim at almost daily.

- I have lost down to 135-136 {as of last week-hopefully, I have lost some more, I will weigh when I get home} I am planning a HUGE shopping trip once I lose down to my goal weight!!

- We are now living independently and not having to worry about people trying to control us- it's been amazing!!

- We have made new friends and are having so much fun in our new town- it's so much more convenient to the Healthy Food stores like Earthfare and New Leaf Coop, not to mention Costco. We also live closer to the best thrift shops and I've been having a blast going almost every week!!

I'm going shopping on Monday and plan on picking up some raw foods and start back eating high raw again, I need more energy, better skin, more focus and motivation- can't wait to get back to raw!!

Events coming up:

September 5- BIG shopping day with Melissa and Daniel & hubby
October 1- Yardsale with family
October 14- Callaway trip with family
November- Thanksgiving
December - St. Augustine Trip with family

I will be back later to update!!

Weight Loss continues!

2011-02-26T17:30:00.001-08:00

My weight is at 137.5 right now- I'm finally maintaining in the 130's!!! Hopefully, I'll be this skinny soon!

140 lbs and losing!!

2011-02-06T13:27:00.000-08:00

My sister and I had this idea to find some magazine pictures that would motivate us and put our heads on them- this actually does work! My sister is going to have her husband put money/take money from her jar depending on how she does that day on her diet. I decided when I do well- I would like a massage from my husband.

I have been talking to my sister this weekend and we are going to get ourselves together in 2011! We have both been unhappy the last couple of years with our weight and are going to really jumpstart it and get skinny this year. I'm so sick of being unhappy and sabatoging myself with this weight gain- I have the power within myself and know how to eat healthy and lose this weight and I am going to do it and not make anymore excuses! So for the last 2 days I have been eating high- raw and working on drinking more water- tomorrow it's back to the gym every day of the week.

I have so much to look forward to this year, especially after losing these last 10 or so lbs- my sister and I are going to celebrate!

First, we are planning a shopping trip for an entire day- basically, we shop, hit Starbucks, shop some more, act silly- we have the BEST time- I'm so excited for this!

Second, I want us girls to get together and have a spa day- I have a new microdermabrasion kit and an aromatherapy machine. And today, I drug my paraffin bath out of the closet so we can do mani/pedis too!

All I have to do is lose 10 lbs. and be happy with myself- I have some internal things to work on as well- my sister and I talked about how we grew up as perfectionists and that is why we sabatoge ourselves when everything is not going perfectly in our lives, we sabatoge our weight as well and we are going to put a stop to it, right now! We are making ourselves unhappy and that is just ridiculous- to miss out on 2 years of being at our happy weight and having fun shopping and hanging out is sad and we are not going to do it anymore. I feel so motivated right now- I even organized all of the closets and cleaned everything up in the house. I am going to give my dog a bath now and clean my tanning chair for this summer- the sun came out a little bit today- I've got to get ready for bikini weather!! I'll be back to update!

Update- Life changing events.

2011-02-02T04:06:00.000-08:00

Alot has gone on since I last posted in December:

Dad passed away from Lung cancer on January 3- it was hard on everyone, he was a huge part of all of our lives. One good thing was that there were constantly family and friends surrounding him and talking to him. We constantly played beautiful Christian music and God's word- if there was a good way to go on to heaven, his would have been ideal. It has been 1 month and we are all finally moving on and trying to get back to our normal lives. Because of Dad passing alot of things have changed in our lives:

1.) My husband is working his last week trying to finish up a project w/out pay. Next week he should be home and working on the house remodel everyday. I'm very happy about that because everything will get done sooner. He is also on unemployment temporarily and will get his first check this week- it is very tiny, but we are praying over our finances and not worrying about it. We figured up a budget and we will be able to get by for now.
2.) After the house remodel is completed, we will be putting the house up for sale- we also have land in the country and we don't want to have to pay a house mortgage and land payments, so it makes more sense for us to move.
3.) I plan on working at my job until the house sells, then I will find a new job where we move to.
4.) We are going to put a well and septic tank on our land and borrow my brothers camper to stay in while our house is being built. Which is why we have been going through things and selling what we can, so we don't have to move it.
5.) The best thing is that we will be on our own, no more control and puppeteering from the husband's Mom, sister and family. The bible says that a man is to marry and cleave unto his wife- so we will be happy to do so, finally! We will still have them over and visit them, but there will be no more telling us what to do.
6.) As far as my weight, I am up and down about 4 lbs. with stress going on- so I stay between 138 and 141- still better than the 149 that I was up to last year. I am going to try to incorporate more raw starting today!

That's about it for now- be back later for an update!

Update for this year and WEIGHT LOSS!!!

2010-12-27T09:43:00.000-08:00

I wanted to update because a LOT has happened lately and I wanted to update. I bolded and underlined the changes going on in our lives. These are major things in our lives that needed to be changed, excluding the part about my husband's Dad having cancer- that part is not good news.

■I have lost down to 138 lbs as of today- my highest weight this year was at 150 so I am very happy to be at 138! I have 10 lbs to go and I am back to my original weight! I have been eating mostly raw and cutting back on my portions as well and exercising at our gym.
■I am looking at applying for the Medical Transcriptionist Position at the hospital which means eventually (after my training) I would be working from home, which I've always wanted to do! Plus, I should make more pay as well.
■The hubby's Dad was diagnosed with Lung cancer in September this year and it now looks like he may only have a month or so to live- the chemotherapy didn't seem to budge the cancer and just recently as 2 days ago he is now on oxygen. We are just praying if he passes that he does not suffer and is at peace.
■Because of the cancer- the business is being shut down in the next week or so-the family is here so we can all help get everything in order. The hubby not be working for his Dad any longer will be on unemployment for a little while until he finds employment elsewhere. I am happy that we will not be so controlled by his parents anymore and that we will finally have a chance to move out of our small town, but also sad about his Dad going through this cancer- it's such a bad thing- he went from looking and feeling amazing and he has aged and gone downhill so fast.
■House Remodel- we have such a small list of things to do. We have to wrap the patio columns, Paint the front 2 sides of our house (once it warms up), put up shutters, put up interior doors/trim, Window casing, blinds, and finish up the bathroom trim, linen closet and a few pieces of tile. We are SO close to finishing. We are putting the house up for sale Spring 2011.
■Once our house sells- we have plans to probably buy an airstream and live on our land while we put a well and septic tank on our land and build our home. We may also buy my father in laws used suburban to pull the airstream. In addition, we can use it to travel and not have to pay kennel boarding fees and hotel fees- it will be great helping to save money.
■Lastly, we plan on enrolling in college to finish our degrees.
■Next year, we are also going back to Vancouver to have the husband's other part of the Hair Transplant done- his hair looks so amazing now and he looks so much younger and loves it! Plus everyone compliments him on how great he looks! We are also going to make it part vacay trip and do some sightseeing- last time we went to Seattle and had an amazing time!

I think that is about all- I am excited for the new changes in our lives that I have prayed about for years and now it all seems to be happening at once. Merry Christmas to Everyone!

Monday Foods

2010-12-13T15:09:00.001-08:00

Today I had:

Breakfast- 1 cup organic black tea w/cinnamon, stevia, honey, organic milk and 1 navel orange.
2 cups organic green tea w/stevia and honey
Lunch- Big bowl organic brocolli lightly steamed with nutritional yeast and hummus, organic tabbouleh (w/quinoa) on the side
1 cup organic green smoothie with frozen banana, pineapple, orange and spinach
2 cups organic green tea
Dinner- 1 bowl organic red pepper soup w/1 avocado. Couple spoonfuls of tabouleh.
Also had 1 cup organic coffee.

Day 2 or 3 Raw

2010-12-13T15:04:00.001-08:00

Raw has been going great, the only thing is that I am super bloated! Is this normal?

Sunday Foods:
2 cups organic earl grey w/organic milk, stevia and honey
2 cups organic green tea w/stevia and honey
1 banana, 1/2 organic apple, organic raisins, hazelnut butter and honey
Turnip Root Fries- sliced turnip root rolled in organic spices- paprika, spike and garlic, sea salt- warmed in oven- eaten w/organic ketchup(my raw ketchup was a fail)
1 cabbage wrap with mushrooms, bellpeppers w/hazelnut sauce
1 bowl organic redpepper soup (not raw) w/1 avocado
1.5 raw brownie
15-20 slices cucumber with hummus

MOTIVATION to get skinny!!!

2010-12-11T13:19:00.000-08:00

When I need a reminder on how AMAZING I looked while 97% RAW and SKINNY!!

Also, other motivating tips to quit eating cooked and quit coffee!!
I get ignored so much more now that I am heavier- I feel invisible.
My skin looks older and dry.
I feel unhappy.
I have cellulite and am bloated.
I am not focused or motivated when eating cooked and drinking coffee.
I am nervous and am always biting my nails.

Phone Interview, Things are changing- I feel great!

2010-12-11T12:46:00.002-08:00

I had the Phone Interview for the MT Job- I found out that they provide you with all of the training in house (which means NO SCHOOL!! YES!!) and later I would have the option to work from home if I like. The interview went well but I am shy of the 6 months so I may have to reapply later- the girl said she would keep my things on file so I guess we will see. Also, in other news, we may finally be breaking free of the hubby's overly controlling parents! I know that it may sound mean, but we just need to live our life on our own as ADULTS and without being treated like 5 year olds. It looks like the business is going to be closing so the hubby's last day will be on December 31st or so- he may have to apply for unemployment for a few weeks until he finds another job- we are just praying for God to work it all out!

I have been doing amazing on eating Raw!! The only thing is that I had 2 cups of coffee today thinking that it would help me focus more and give me energy and also lift my mood as well (I do deal with being down at times, usually when it's cold and not sunny)- actually it did the opposite- I am so aggravated with coffee right now, I just don't even want it anymore. The only time I will really make an exception is once I lose this weight and if the hubby and I share a coffee at Starbucks and go shopping or something. Other than that, I just don't want it anymore. I am drinking organic green tea right now with stevia and some organic agave and already feel like my mood is better! I have some quinoa cooking right now and just picked some parsley and mint out of my garden and am getting ready to make some tabbouleh- I know the quinoa isn't raw but I am allowing myself to have a tiny amount of cooked foods in my diet- I will make it mostly with tomatoes, parsley and cucumbers and just a small amount of grain. My sister also brought me lots of raw foods yesterday at the Christmas party- she brought me turnip roots, both red and green tomatoes and some purple cabbage- I also already had avocadoes, pineapple, apples, bananas, cucumbers, carrots, etc to eat- so I'm good to go!

Today I had:
breakfast- 1 banana, 1/2 large organic apple mixed with handful of organic raisins, hazelnut butter and agave.
1 cup organic black tea with cinnamon, stevia, agave and some organic milk
1 cup St. John's wort tea with stevia and agave
2 cups organic green tea with agave and stevia
2 cups of organic coffee

Lunch- Cut up 2 turnip roots, battered them with organic spices- paprika, spike, garlic- let warm in oven and had with some organic ketchup (I didn't have my sundried tomatoes soaking, so they weren't ready) I have them soaking now for my next batch! I feel so great right now, I don't want to go back to coffee and eating cooked!

Starting Weight- 144.5
Current Weight- 142
Goal Weight- 128

Phone Interview, Things are changing

2010-12-11T12:46:00.001-08:00

I have some exciting news!!!

2010-12-07T18:28:00.000-08:00

When I got home from work, I had a message on my answering machine- the Hospital called me back about the Medical Transcriptionist Position that I applied for!!! I have to call her back tomorrow because it was after work hours- I am SO excited!!! This would mean I could work from home and be more flexible- less time taking to get ready in the mornings and driving back and forth to work- we would save on gas and time. Plus I am the type of person who needs their own space- sometimes it gets to be too much with so many people at the hospital all day. It's always been a goal of mine to work from home- I hope it all works out!!

I've been doing good on raw- easing into it and eating salads every night, fruit all through the day and drinking mostly hot teas and water instead of coffee.

Back from vacay- going back on raw.

2010-12-05T11:12:00.000-08:00

Hi guys, I'm back again- just returned from a 9-day vacay. I had so much fun- we went on a 5 day cruise and we also did 4 days at a resort/disneyworld. I actually did great on eating/exercising while on vacay. Friday night I weighed in at 139.5 and then this morning I was back up to 143- so I'm not sure if it's the scales or what?? Anyway, I have been trying to eat more salads, fruits, etc. I've also been kind of down lately- alot has been going on in my life- my father in law was diagnosed with lung cancer and it's been such a strain on us- we can't seem to get a break from it- either he's in the ER/hospital or they are calling about things like constipation- I feel like we get leaned on for EVERYTHING (including calling us when he's constipated- I'm not sure if they expect us to drop everything and run over- I mean what can we do??) while the other 2 daughters live hours away and don't have to deal with all of the stress- I'm just so ready for all of this to be over with. As soon as we got back from vacation- they started calling us- it's hard to come home when all they do is dump on us- I literally felt the weight go back on my shoulders- I am sure the stress is what makes me gain weight as well. Then I am still dealing with the house remodel stress, me trying to lose these last 10 or so pounds and trying to get our future together- I can't wait until all of these things pass and we can live life happier. I do like my new job- mostly in the fact that I have room for promotion- I applied for a new job 1.5 weeks ago as a Medical Transcriptionist working from home- I've always wanted to work from home and the pay is better too- I am praying that everything works out! I really could use a break and some hope.

I plan on going to Sam's today and picking up 2 big containers of spinach and spring mix for salads, avocados and pineapple. I'm ready to get back on raw and feel better!!

My goals before this year ends:

Get back on high raw and lose these last 10-12 lbs.
Finish House Remodel
Get hired for the Medical Transcriptionist Position
Grow out nails

BEST Raw mock tuna salad!

2010-08-29T14:44:00.000-07:00

Oh my, I made the best raw mock tuna salad today!! I just kind of made up my own recipe- I put walnuts in the vitamix and blended slightly. Then mixed that together with a squirt of organic lemon juice, a no salt seasoning, some cracked black pepper, organic nasoya soy mayo, and some organic celery- it was amazing! And so filling as well- this will definitely help me on raw- now i have a new dish that I love!

The hubby and I went to the mall today to return some items and I found 3 cute summer dresses- everything was on sale at Belks so I'm glad that I found a few things. I also found a few things at Old Navy- a cute bag, scarf and I found roscoe a toy and 2 shirts to wear- the hubby found 2 hoodies for when it gets cooler. We also went to Home depot and picked up the trim for the garage so the hubby could finish framing it out today. I talked to my Mom and sister today- it was nice to catch up with them- I told my Mom that we would take her to costco, New Leaf and the vitamin store either this upcoming weekend or next and now my sister wants to go too so it should make for a fun trip! We plan on stopping by the bookstore as well and grabbing a coffee and browsing books. It will be nice to see some family- it's been a while because I have been so busy lately. Anyway, I am so excited about losing this weight and getting healthy- I even felt slimmer at the mall when I was trying on clothes so that is a good sign. Well, I guess I better go and do some work now before the work week is back on us! Be back soon!

I can't wait to go to Costco!!!

Still here!

2010-08-28T19:32:00.000-07:00

Hey, I'm back- I did start back on raw, starting with my morning green smoothies first. I haven't posted because our dog, Roscoe had an accident- he was chasing a cat and ran under our bronco and a wire underneath cut open his side- I'm not gonna lie- it was pretty bad. It makes my stomach turn thinking about it. He is okay now, we called the emergency number and the vet got him all stitched up thank God! Just wanted to update and wanted to post that I am back on raw- I've been eating lots of raw fruits, green smoothies, avos- I am trying to eat high raw. I am still drinking my coffee, but I will phase that out as well. I am not sure what my weight is really at because I am on my mensies and it's not a true weight- I hope to weigh within a couple of days to see how I am doing. I need to go to bed now to get some rest but I will be back soon!!

I'm back..

2010-08-14T09:29:00.000-07:00

That must be my most used phrase lately.. "I'm back". Anyway, I've been doing some raw- but not high raw like I want to in order to lose this weight. Basically, I've stayed at the same weight as the last time I was here- I was talking to my sister and telling her how I haven't really been serious about losing this weight- this has been going on for about 1.5 years with the extra weight. I'm at the point to where my weight is really the only thing that is making me unhappy. Our house remodel will be finished this year and we plan on putting it up for sale once we finish, I have a new job working for one of the best and biggest hospitals as a Medical Center Rep- I also get a free membership to the Employee Gym which is one of the nicest I have ever seen in my life! Every Elliptical, treadmill, bike, etc. has it's own personal tv. I also earn points the more that I work out- I have an appt. with them on Monday to do my physical assessment then I can start working out! I also have plans to go back to college Winter Quarter and maybe do a double major in computers and medical terminology/transcription. I am going to make a mini-goal to lose 10 lbs at first so it won't be so overwhelming- I would love to drop about 7 lbs fast without doing an extreme plan like the Master cleanse- if anyone has any ideas let me know. I am going to be eating mostly spinach salads, green smoothies, apples, bananas, oranges- all organic and lots of water!

Weight Loss!!

2010-06-02T09:32:00.000-07:00

I weighed in at 141.5 this morning- yay!!! I've been eating tons of organic cucumbers out of my garden- I have like 15 on the counter waiting for me to eat! I plan on running into town today and picking up 2 more watermelons along with some bananas and apples and anything else organic that I can find. I feel so great being back on raw- to me it's worth eating this way just seeing the difference in my skin, energy and weight!! I can't wait to get back to my perfect weight like in the above picture- that was taken at Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin and I felt great! I think I was at about 125 or maybe less there.

Starting weight- 145
Current Weight- 141.5
Mini Goal weight- 131
Finished Goal weight- 124

Busy as a bee!

2010-05-31T14:34:00.000-07:00

Hey guys, I've been busy this weekend! The hubby and I have been doing some crown moulding, painting trim- interior and exterior, mudding & taping the bathroom. It's been great getting things accomplished! I won't stay long because I have some more trim to paint and I would like to get some more things around the house done. I am going back on raw, although I have been back and forth- I made up a photo album of myself at my smallest weight and I am going to use that for motivation and inspiration or whenever I am tempted with eating chips!! My garden is growing amazing and I have TONS of cucumbers, eggplant, zucchini squash, yellow squash, tomatoes and hopefully, I will have watermelon and canteloupe coming up in a month or two! I've been eating lots of cucumbers and watermelon juice, etc. Even though I haven't really lost any weight, I haven't gained either and that is including me eating cooked foods, chips, etc. I am at the point to where I really want to be skinny again and no matter how yummy the food, it's just not worth it not being able to fit into my clothes and being unhappy- it's just not working for me. Anyway, I plan on coming back here soon and keeping a journal and staying on track. It's been 1.5 years of this yo-yo back and forth with cooked and raw and I am ready to just eat raw and lose this weight! I also made some awesome dairy free, almost sugar free icecream with organic coconut milk, raw sugar, stevia, raw organic cacao and 1 free range egg (I was afraid if I made it without it that it wouldn't turn out- but I am going to take the risk next time to see what happens- it was fabulous!!

I plan on buying some more watermelon and maybe some larabars (or making some) to keep myself on track- this time I want to do whatever it takes to stay on track, even if I have to spend more money on things like raw crackers- it would be worth it to stay raw, in my opinion.

Current weight- 143
Mini-goal weight- 133

Losing weight and prayers answered!!

2010-05-08T05:34:00.000-07:00

Starting Weight- 144-145 (my highest weight this year was 148)
Current weight (as of this morning) -142.5

Oh my gosh, so many great things have been happening and I owe it all to God- I've been praying daily when I go walking in the afternoons! I'm even including the small prayers- God is very mindful of all things- big and small.

1.) My brother in law is going to help us finish our house!
2.) The hubby and I are making plans for our careers- I will tell you more once we find out- but I can tell you that it will include awesome pay and travel!
3.) I won several giveaways lately- starbucks via (20 packs), a restaurant card- also receieved my $100 Belks gift certificate.
4.) I am losing weight- slowly but surely!! (I prayed about this too)
5.) We found the Knock out roses for our front yard for an awesome price and are going to pick them up today!
6.) My other brother in law is going to be clearing our land that we are selling today- hopefully we will get even more calls and get it sold!

I'm so excited for our future! Hopefully this year, we can get our house finished, our land sold, debt paid off and have a new career- wouldn't that be amazing?! I know that God can make it all happen!

Still Raw- going great!

2010-05-07T04:34:00.001-07:00

Still doing raw- it's going great since I've stopped eating breads and dairy- my body doesn't like gluten or dairy. I am going to weigh this morning to see what my weight is- I am at 144 last time I weighed and that was at night-I'm very excited!

And so happy that today is Friday!! My sister and I went to the work luncheon and we did receive our $100 Belk certificate- yes! I also may have some great news- my sister said her husband said he would help us on our house remodel once they get theirs finished- I'm so excited!! I also have a hair appt. set up today after work- we have a few things to run around and get as well- we may rent a couple of movies while we are in town. I will be back later to post some more- I am on my way out the door to work now!!

Raw for 3 days!!

2010-05-01T19:06:00.000-07:00

I've been doing great on raw and have so much more energy and feel better already! I cut out my dairy and wheat because I have food allergies to both. I am on my mensies right now but I'm pretty sure I've already lost at least 3 lbs! Today I did some suntanning for about an hour, took a nice long bath, did some cleaning- loaded the dishwasher, cleaned the kitchen sink, stove and the oven and also completed 1 product review! I also sent my resume in for 18 jobs to work from home- my job right now is so stressful and it's not what I want for my future, so I am doing something about it instead of complaining about it! I've been eating alot of lettuce wraps with mushrooms and kimchi, salads, organic corn, organic broc., organic bananas and organic pineapple. I need to go to the store and restock on everything. Our garden is growing so fast- I can't wait to have all of my raw foods- english peas, corn, sweet onions, garden beans, eggplant, bellpeppers, jalapeno peppers, tomatoes, cucumbers, zucchini squash, yellow squash. I am very excited to be back on raw- I also have a luncheon out of town that is work related and my sister and I are going on Wednesday and we both get a $100 Belks Gift Card from the company just for attending, so I'm really excited about that!

Current weight (on mensies) - 144
Mini Goal weight - 134
Long term goal weight- 124

I'm back

2010-04-24T17:33:00.000-07:00

Okay, I'm back- I know I say that alot, but I really need to start blogging here again. It's hard trying to keep up with work, my other blog and the house remodel-so I'll just have to blog when I can! So last time I posted- I was talking about how puffy I get after eating certain foods- so I've given up dairy and most of the wheat products. I am trying to get back to eating raw- I already drink a green smoothie every morning and a salad for one of my meals, so basically I just need to clean up that one meal- today we went to Costco and New Leaf Coop- and I got Larabars, lots of organic brocolli, organic corn, I have lots of salads, I just need to get some avocados and things now. My weight right now is 144 last time that I weighed- I would love to lose about 15 pounds to start and then I will see how I feel. I went speedwalking today for about an hour after we got back home from Tally. I also bought some organic coconut creamer for my teas/coffee- although I am cutting back on my coffee as well. I also may have some awesome news by next week- I am so excited!!

April Already??!!!

2010-04-02T04:43:00.000-07:00

I can't believe it's April already!! The time is flying by and to be honest I haven't been doing that great on raw and I can certainly tell by the way my body feels. My face is puffy too and my skin isn't as good. I have got to start back eating more raw- I was thinking about going on a juice/smoothie liquid fast for a few days to get my body acclimated. I only have to work 1/2 a day today so I'll be back probably tomorrow and start blogging again- it really helps me alot to have some online support and a journal as well. I'll be back soon!

I'm back- sorry I've been MIA!!

2010-02-21T14:47:00.000-08:00

I'm back- I just haven't been doing that great on raw, but my weight has stayed the same- I think I worry too much about the numbers and how much I weigh and it gets me down sometimes! I need to just allow myself to feel and look better on raw even if I don't lose the weight fast like I want to. I do have some other good news- I have a new full time job working with my sister at an Insurance Agency and I love it!! I also made up with this same sister and we are so close now- it's amazing how prayer can change things!! My boss is the best- he is so laid back and he even gave me a little bonus this Friday to go have my nails done or go out to eat on because of me working hard- so that was awesome!! I'm also starting back school on March 4- I have to meet with my advisor on Feb. 26- next week. I need to get used to being back on raw- I have the green smoothies down- I drink those every morning- and I guess I'll start back eating lots of salads and fruits as well. I just have to do this and stick with it and realize that I am worth it- somehow after hearing so many comments from other people like, how spoiled I am or how my life is perfect and things like that- it has really gotten to me to where now internally deep down I don't feel like I deserve to be skinny and happy but I am going to pray about that and change that thinking. I DO deserve to be happy and lose this weight!!

This weekend I shopped at TJ Maxx with Mom and she bought me a raw bar to eat and I found lots of cute work outfits. I had to buy some new clothes since I have gained weight. I also watched Julie and Julia- loved it! I did some cleaning this weekend, I packed up all of the yardsale items and put them in one room and cleaned our bedroom so it will be more organized. I also helped my husband move branches that he had cut down. Today I layed out in the sun for about 1 hour and talked to my 2 sisters. Anyway, I will be back to update- I will try to come back here daily if I don't get too busy.

12 Day Raw and feeling great!

2010-01-16T14:12:00.000-08:00

Today is my 12th Day Raw and I'm feeling awesome. I've been working out pretty much every day including today (Saturday) for an hour or more each day- elliptical, weights for legs, arms, ab machines. I can tell that I am toning up- my stomach is much flatter- I feel skinnier. Tuesday is my weigh in day- I can't wait!! I've been drinking my green smoothies with spinach, bananas, oranges, maca and carrot freeze dried powder and raw stevia and also eating a TON of salads! I am much more motivated and feel happier overall- I know the exercising daily is also a big help to me as well.

I did have an extremely past 2 stressful days dealing with some drama with my older sister- she has pretty much made it clear that she wants nothing to do with me and she is such a negative drain in my life that I am just going to give her what she wants and let it go and we just aren't going to have a relationship at all. I feel that this is for the best because she doesn't like me and always makes negative comments about me and calls me names- I even tried calling her tons over the weekend, but she refused to pick up the phone- I left her a message saying that if she didn't try to call me back to resolve things, then I was taking it that she was done and our relationship is over-I don't need that negativity in my life so I'm done. I also talked with my Mom about all of the drama and negativity from other family members- my family is extremely judgemental of people and criticizes constantly- it's extremely annoying and I wish sometimes I could just not have to deal with them= I only deal with them when I have to- I am going to start skipping out on some gatherings because I need my space and positivity in my life. My Mom and I did have a good talk- I was able to get out alot of the stress I've been carrying around for years- although I still think my Mom doesn't realize the extent of the hurtful things that have been done to me. It's hard to walk in someone elses shoes and see how it feels- it does take compassion and empathy which my Mom doesn't exactly have alot of- although I love her. Anyway, enough about that- it's done.

I am happy to report that even through all of that stress, I stayed on Raw!!! I'm so proud of myself- the old me would have eating 1/2 a bag of chips- instead I was so upset that I went to the gym w/my hubby and I worked out my anger instead of eating my anger! I feel like I am growing and learning that losing this weight isn't going to be instant but that I am going to take it as a positive journey and lose along and not starve or deprive myself and do it the healthy way. I am accepting who I am for the moment- I only want to lose weight because yes, I am happier at my ideal weight, but I still want to love myself in this moment even though I am out of shape, in the past I would have hated myself and eaten out of depression and sadness, but not anymore! I can't wait to see where else this raw journey takes me, but right now, I am loving every minute of it!!!

Day 9 raw

2010-01-13T07:43:00.000-08:00

So today is Day 9 raw and I feel great- went to bed about 11:30 and woke up at 9:53- wow that's 10.5 hours of sleep or so! I think when Reggie leaves the heat on it knocks me out, plus I've been waking up with a puffy face, I think it's the heat. Honestly, yesterday, for some reason I just felt blah, like not doing anything, unmotivated- this morning I feel better thank goodness! I made myself go to the gym yesterday- hubby would have easily stayed home, but we really need to go to the gym, I don't want to start getting lazy. Our second Tv messed up (in the other room) so Reggie had to switch the DVR into the living room now- so we just have one tv to share, which is fine since I don't watch much Tv anyway.

This morning, my elimination went well, I had one cup of chai green tea- organic and I was good to go (I don't think anyone reads this or know this blog exists anymore so I can pretty much type what I want lol)

We still haven't gone to the store to get groceries, but I really need to go today- I haven't had a green smoothie in 2 days and I like to have those daily so I can make sure I am getting enough vitamins in my diet.

Today's Eats:
Bfast- 1 cup organic green tea w/og. soymilk, stevia, agave, cinnamon & 3 organic oranges
Lunch-
Dinner-

8 Days Raw!

2010-01-12T10:43:00.000-08:00

Okay, so today is FINALLY weigh in day!! I didn't want to weigh in at night with the Biggest Losers because I weighed in my starting weight in the morning, so I wanted a true weight. So guess what???!!! I lost 1.5 lbs!! My current weight is now 142.5- I know it's still high, but I think I probably gained some muscle as well- but I'm hoping with working out 5x per week and eating all raw is going to help me start dropping the weight faster. I've been eating HUGE salads, so I may make my portions a little smaller, so that I don't overwork my liver- maybe eat several smaller meals, instead of 3 big meals. Anyway, I had a feeling this morning that I had lost weight because my stomach was flatter and I am looking more toned. I am really happy about this way of eating because I have been eating all that I want and still have lost weight! I don't feel deprived at all with this way of eating. So now, onto the second week- I am so looking forward to it. And I can't wait to watch the Biggest Loser tonight! We are also going to hit the gym tonight and at least work out for 1 hour. And maybe run by the grocery store as well to pick up some more of the lettuce & celery that they have on Sale before the new ad comes out.

Week 1 Raw
Starting Weight - 144
Current Weight- 142.5
Total Weight Loss- 1.5 lbs!

Today's Eats so far:
Breakfast - 2 organic oranges, 1 cup lemon ginger organic tea w/stevia & agave
Lunch- 1 huge organic salad- celery, pumpkin seeds, carrots, iceburg lettuce, 1 avocado, 1 tbsp. hummus
Snack- 1 cup Detox Tea (milk thistle, dandelion, red clover, etc.) w/og. soymilk, stevia, agave & organic cinnamon
Snack- organic raw cheese, dates
Dinner- 3 organic oranges, 1 cup organic teecino w/organic soymilk, stevia & agave

1 hour at the gym- 20 minutes on elliptical, 40 minutes on weights for legs, arms, etc.

1 week Raw

2010-01-11T13:32:00.000-08:00

I have been extremely busy this weekend!!

Paid Bills
Watched The Bachelor online, since I missed it- I LOVE that Jake is the new Bachelor- he is like the Perfect guy- nice, a gentleman, successful, goodlooking. Some girl is going to be very lucky!
Cleaned the Fridge Exterior, countertops
Laundry
Cleaned out Fire place
Fresh sheets on Bed
Cleaned windows
Dusted
Cleaned out coat closet/put things aside to sell
Cleaned off bookshelf/put books aside to sell
Dishes
Cleaned up the bath remodel debris
Emptied Trash
Updated blogroll
Also, have started on my 2010 Goals this year:

Friday night- visited family
Paid off 1 credit card, working on second one
Organized/minimized clutter (not on list, but one of my goals)
Have been eating really healthy & working out at the gym
Quit coffee- drinking organic teas
Forgave 2 people who have hurt me in the past and continue to hurt me, but I am letting it go. This year I want to not let what other people say and do about me affect me and I’ve realized that it’s a problem within THEM, not my personality- that makes them not like me. I always blame myself if someone doesn’t like me, but not anymore! I’ve learned in life that you will not be loved by everyone- it hurts, but it’s true.
Have been more loving and open with people, not so guarded.
Read a book in an hour- also flipped through some design and organizing books that we have (not on my list either, but I want to read more, I have so many books and love learning new things)

Eats so far today:

Breakfast- 2 organic bananas, 1 organic apple, organic raisins, squirt of agave, 1 cup organic earl grey tea w/stevia & agave, og. soymilk, og cinnamon
Lunch- 2 cups green smoothie- bananas, apple, spinach, orange, maca, stevia- all organic
Dinner- 1 huge organic salad!

Today, on the agenda is-some cleaning around the house, give Roscoe a bath, hit the gym and pick up some more groceries. I have loads more to do, but that not sure how much I can get done. Okay guys, I’m out- hope you are having a fabulous Monday!

Day 6 Raw!

2010-01-10T10:30:00.000-08:00

I've been eating TONS of organic salads and having lots of energy! I got so much accomplished on Saturday- 2 loads of laundry, cleaned up construction debris in bath remodel, swept out fireplace, fed Roscoe, squirrels & birds,vacuumed rooms, stripped and washed bed sheets, dusted and cleaned windows. I also stayed up late and watched The Bachelor online since I missed it when it aired- it was SO good- I love Jake- he is the perfect dream guy! He reminds me alot of my hubby- a gentleman, great morals, reserved somewhat. I've been adding back in my green smoothies. Today, I did alot of research on the health issues I've been having- weight gain, sun spots on skin, depression, spaciness and I'm pretty positive that it is due to a sluggish liver, so apparentally I am on the right path eating a raw diet as that is very cleansing for the liver. The green smoothies will be a great help so that the liver doesn't have to work too hard and thank goodness that I quit the coffee just in time! It's bad on the adrenal glands and the liver. I also started back today putting H202 diluted with filtered water on my sunspots hoping that it will lighten them. I'm also going to work on upping my water intake w/added organic lemon as well as finish off my detox tea that has milk thistle, dandelion, chicory, etc. that helps with the liver.

My Eats so far today:

Breakfast- 1 cup of organic green tea w/raw stevia, raw organic agave & 2 organic bananas mixed with 1/2 organic apple, organic raisins & squirt of agave
Snack- 1 cup of Tazo black tea w/organic soymilk, agave, stevia, organic cinnamon
Lunch- 1.5 cups organic green smoothie- bananas, spinach, stevia, maca, freeze dried carrot powder, 1 organic orange, 1/2 organic apple
3:30 (Dinner?)- big salad with 1/2 avo, greens, celery, herbamare, carrots- all organic except avo
Snack- organic earl grey black tea w/og. cinnamon, og. raw agave, raw stevia

I've been feeling so full of energy- today I am cleaning out the bookshelf and getting rid of books. The hubby is looking at houseplans right now, so I'm happy!!

Watched 1 hour of Gossip Girl and also emptied some construction debris in trash.

Day 4 Raw

2010-01-09T08:14:00.000-08:00

I've been doing great on eating raw- trying to stick to 811, but mostly trying to be 100% raw. I started going back to the gym this week- I got a total of 4.5 hours of working out in this week, I also did the sauna once this week and dry skin brushing- i've got to start that back every day, I miss it! I haven't weighed in yet- I had this great idea since the new Biggest Loser just started to weigh in every Tuesday with them! I love that show- it's great to see this unhealthy people learn how to eat better and exercise and feel better about their lives! I've also started some of my 2010 Goals- one of them was to start using my Fridays to go and visit family and this Friday I went to see my Mom, sister & her husband & son, and my other sister,her husband and 3 children- it was really nice to get out of the house!! I also forgave the people who have hurt me and yes they do continue to do things to hurt me, but I still have to forgive them, but in the same sense I do distance myself from negative people so it doesn't drag me down. And of course I have already started back at the gym and eating raw- so I have already incorporated 3 of my goals-I think that is pretty good!!

Breakfast- 2 organic bananas, 1 organic apple w/squirt of organic raw agave
Lunch- handful steamed veggies (ate out for moms bday), handful of raw vegs with hummus
Snack- 1 organic banana, handful of raw veggies with hummus
Dinner- big organic salad with apples, raw nuts, berries
Snack- 1 cup organic red chai tea w/organic milk, organic cinnamon, stevia & honey

Last night, my sister brought 3 pizzas and I made a huge organic salad- the pizza didn't even tempt me. I'm at the point to where looking good tastes better than bad food lol

Today, I plan on cleaning up around the house, doing some laundry, organizing, helping the hubby on the remodel if he needs it, recording some shows to the DVR,give Roscoe a bath, etc. I also need to give myself a pedicure- my feet are in terrible need of one!!

Raw Day 3!

2010-01-07T15:55:00.002-08:00

Today has been great. I was tired this morning from my workout last night though- whew!

Today's Eats:
Breakfast- 2 organic bananas, 1 organic apple, raw agave & 1 cup organic green tea w/stevia & agave
Lunch- Huge organic spinach salad- og. carrots, 1/2 avo, sprinkling of raw crackers, herbamare, organic toms, tsp. hummus
Snack- 3 small cups of organic red roobios tea w/soysilk & stevia & agave
Snack - 2 oranges
Snack - 4 tiny raw cookies (made some raw cookies to bring to my Moms and ate a few oops! lol)
Dinner- Big organic spinach salad w/og carrots, og cherry toms, 1/2 avo, raw crackers sprinkled on top, tsp hummus, herbamare
Snack- organic roobios red tea

I feel great today!! Had some emotional issues with family- hurtful and untrue things said about me- cried it out, will pray about it. Helped me and my sister become closer- so that's a good thing, also I want to work on opening up this year and be more loving- I'm kind of closed off because of being picked on so much by people- I tend to get bullied alot. Anyway, I am just going to distance myself from the negative people. I'm super excited about tomorrow because I am supposed to be going to Tallahassee to do some shopping and I get to see my Mom and maybe my sister tomorrow night whoop whoop!! And I made some raw cookies to share with them and I told my Mom I would bring some hot teas as well. I was thinking of bringing some salad- My Mom loves my salads- I'm so excited!!! Oh, and I worked out for 1.5 hours at the gym- I really worked some muscles- can't wait to start getting toned up!

Day 2 Raw

2010-01-07T06:51:00.000-08:00

I definitely have plenty of raw foods right now!! Although, the hubby and I may go to Tallahassee and if we do, I will probably stock up some more since they have a better organic selection. I want to go to Big Lots today because they always have lots of organic foods for low prices- I need to get the hubby some soups, me some green tea, plus I need to find some baby shower things for my sister as well.

Last night I felt so awesome after working out at the gym- we worked out for a little over an hour and I felt so motivated and happy!! We ran by Publix really quick and grabbed organic lettuce- it was on sale for $1.99, organic celergy- $1.99 and organic tomatoes- 2 for $4. Yay for sales!!

I was looking at pictures of me from last year and I looked so much better when I was eating high raw- it was definitely very motivating for me to see myself like that- I've made a decision to do this on my own and not mention it to anyone and just lose the weight- I hate talking about doing something- I'd rather just do it!

Today's Eats:

Breakfast- 2 organic bananas, 1 organic apple, squirt of organic raw agave & 1 cup organic green tea w/raw stevia & squirt of agave
Lunch- salad
Dinner- organic lettuce, organic celery, organic toms dipped in hummus

Pictures of me from last year Raw!

2010-01-06T16:26:00.000-08:00

I can't believe I was at this perfect size 1 year ago! I was eating almost 100% raw here and weighed in about 123-125. This is so motivating for me- it makes me want to get back here- it would be awesome to fit back into all of my cute clothes!! I can tell in these pictures that my hips, legs, arms- everything is much slimmer. I can't wait to get back to this!

I'm Back!!!

2010-01-06T09:13:00.000-08:00

Okay, I know I haven't posted on this blog for 1 year because I have a new blog at www.fitandfabulouslife.com/ (if you want to check it out). But I needed somewhere to post my Raw Journey- I am trying to lose these 15-20 lbs that I've gained over the past year and I needed somewhere to post my eats, exercises, etc. So that is what I will be using this blog for- I will be posting before and after pictures, what I eat daily, my exercise, etc. I am definitely going to try to stay on a 100% Raw diet- my hubby's parents bought me the 80/10/10 book for Christmas and I am trying to follow it as much as I can and I have been cutting back on my fats and salt as well. I have posted a recent picture of me above for now, until I can take a good before shot. Last night, the hubby & I picked up some groceries and Publix had organic oranges on sale for $2.99 per bag- I ran back and got 2 more bags in addition to the one that I had -I kept thinking, I should have gotten more! Especially, since none of the organic produce was on sale. I also picked up a huge container of organic spinach, 2 bags of avos- 1 green & 1 ripe bag and 3 bunches of organic bananas and 1 bag of organic granny smith apples. We may be going to Tallahassee tomorrow which means that I can go to our organic coop & costco and load up on more organic fruits and vegs.

I was so motivated by watching the Biggest Loser last night and I'm thinking that I will weigh in on Tuesdays with the Biggest Loser and see how much I have lost and that will make me have to weigh in once per week and no more obsessive daily weighing plus it will make it way more fun! I would love to measure as well if I can find a measuring tape around here. I am really feeling so excited and upbeat today about starting this journey!!

My current weight- 144 lbs. (currently on mensies)
Goal weight- 124
Need to Lose- 20 lbs
Today's Eats:

Breakfast- 2 bananas, 1 organic apple, dash of organic raw agave & 1 cup organic green tea w/raw stevia & agave
Snack- 1 cup organic teecino w/organic soymilk, stevia & agave
Lunch- 1 big organic spinach salad w/half an avocado, 1/2 organic tomato, sprinkling of Raw parma, tsp. of hummus, sprinkle of herbamare seasoning.
Snack- 2 oranges and some yerba mate tea
Snack- 1 cup organic peppermint tea w/agave and stevia
Dinner- big organic spinach salad w/half avo., organic carrots, org. lemon juice, herbamare, tsp. hummus
Snack- another cup of organic peppermint tea
After gym snack- organic lettuce, organic celery, organic cherry toms dipped in hummus

Worked out at gym for 1 hour, 5 minutes- elliptical, weights, stairmaster

Also, here are my 2010 Goals!

Finish House remodel & Put House up for sale
Choose a House plan & hubby draw up plans
Have well installed on Land
Pay off Bills
Spend less,Save More- put money in savings (Sell Bronco, add $ to savings)
Build New Home (stay in brother’s RV until house is finished- that way we have our privacy & can keep an eye on the builders)
Go back to school (go to ABAC since it’s closer)
Get a Job
Travel more!
Hang out with friends & family more- have BBQ’s
Date night with hubby once a week (movies, coffee, etc.)
Be more loving, open up to people (I tend to be guarded), forgive the people who treat me wrong & let it go
Get back in church & pray more
Continue to eat healthy/work out and lose the remaining weight that I gained
Have more spa days, girl days with my sisters, friends
Stress Less!!! Be more laid back about things..
Grow my nails!!!

Sorry I've been MIA

2008-09-06T15:01:00.000-07:00

I've been so busy lately, I haven't blogged in a while. We've been gone to Wisconsin and going constantly. I've been doing great working out 5 days per week for about 1.5-2 hours every day, eating high raw. I haven't quit the coffee yet though, I really need to. I've been doing lots of organizing, redecorating and getting rid of clutter lately- I bought a new bedspread for the guest bedroom and a new picture and it looks so much better! Just doing a lot of working on myself and our house, trying to better my life. Hopefully, we will be finished remodeling and have the house up for sale by January/February 2009 and pay off our 2 lots of land and have money left to build a home. I'm so ready to be finished! I'll blog more later and post some new pictures- the ones I posted are from our Wisconsin trip- unfortunately, most of my tan is gone now.

Raw Veggie Salad Recipe

2008-07-06T20:24:00.001-07:00

I saw this on a raw blog and I want to try it out- yummy!

For the Raw Marinated Vegetable Salad:
mushrooms
red bell pepper
tomatoes
sun dried tomatoes (soaked 1 hour)
red onion
parsley
rosemary
basil

For the marinade:
lemon juice
nama shoyu (or wheat free tamari)
olive oil
minced fresh garlic
thyme.

Chop and combine all salad ingredients in a large bowl. Whisk together the dressing/marinade and pour over the chopped vegetables, working in to coat and cover thoroughly. Allow vegetables to marinade for several hours before serving, or if you have a dehydrator, place veggies on a teflex sheet on a dehydrator tray and leave in for at least an hour to soften and warm.

I love the Summer!!

2008-07-06T19:41:00.000-07:00

Starting back on my wheat grass, spirulina, msm, & bee pollen - I want to see if it helps me with weight loss & toning

Reggie & I went to Target, then Publix to stock up on more organic yogurt and other things, then went to Lowe's and bought some vegetable plants for the garden

Mom called to invite me shopping- we had coffee w/steamed soy milk & raw sugar and looked at magazines for almost an hour- it was the best coffee!

I found lots of cute things!

They had a shoe sale at Dillard's- I found the cutest pair of shoes!

I organized my closet- I am so happy about it!

We found several house plan books at the antique shop- hopefully, we'll find our dream home in one of them!

Things have been going so great and we're loving the summer! The porch/patio is coming along nicely and Reggie is doing his side eBay thing to make extra $$ which is always great- I am going to list some things while I'm at home too- I think it will be fun! I did eat some organic crackers & hummus & organic granola bars over the weekend, but I'm back to eating mostly raw now. Today I had mostly fruit- 1 og banana, small cup cantaloupe w/organic yogurt, og blueberries w/og yogurt & too much coffee to list, but mostly organic. I did another yogurt mask yesterday and tomorrow I plan on doing another, along with a coffee wrap for my legs- it's supposed to tighten and tone the legs. I've noticed that my nails are getting stronger (must be the yogurt) and my hair looks thicker too (although I need to set up a hair appt. tomorrow if possible)- those were both things I prayed about- I did noticed that along with those two prayers, my prayer about me and Reggie being back like when we first met, that amazing chemistry/butterflies- that has come to past too. I know that other things are working, I just can't see them at the moment. I want to listen to some sermons tomorrow too. Well, I guess I am going to bed soon to get some rest. I'll update tomorrow:)

July 4th!

2008-07-05T09:32:00.001-07:00

I was misbehaving and Reggie showed me this sign-He knows how to get me back in line lol

I love this vintage stove, but at $7,000 they can keep it lol

Antique Shopping

Packing for our picnic

Reggie wanted to stop and get boiled peanuts

Taking a break for a healthy snack of organic blueberries & yogurt, cantaloupe

Waiting on the Fireworks- they were awesome! I'll have to upload the video later

Weight Loss Plan

2008-07-02T07:59:00.000-07:00

Okay, so I've been doing really great at the gym- working out 5-8 times per week, 2 hours at the time and I've been eating really healthy and I have been good and haven't had any coffee! And I can tell my body has toned up some, but I'm not really losing like I wanted to, so I've decided to blog everything that I put in my mouth so here goes!

Wednesday

Breakfast- 1 cup hot lemon water w/raw honey & 1 glass raw cantaloupe blended w/raw honey
Lunch- 2 small bowls of organic cabbage soup, 2 glasses water
Snack- 1 cup organic mint tea w/raw honey, 15 medjool dates & 2 handfuls organic raw cashews
Dinner-

I made another huge pot of Organic Cabbage Soup and I also mowed the front & back lawn- it looks so nice outside now- I was thinking about having a cup of mint tea and Roscoe and I going outside to enjoy the sun for a little while. Afterwards, I need to give Roscoe a bath then get ready to go to the gym. Cynthia said that tomorrow we could work out at noon then again in the afternoon, so I'm really excited about burning some extra calories! Friday we go to Callaway so I won't be able to go to the gym that day, then Monday, Reggie & I are going to pick blueberries with my sister and I'll go to the gym early that day so it works out great. I'm really trying hard to get back in shape so I can start wearing the cute clothes that I have and hopefully go shopping at the thrift shops some time.

Slow day

2008-06-29T15:58:00.000-07:00

I started my mensies today and was so exhausted all day- I figured I might as well use my time to do some beauty treatments, so the first thing I did was have some more detox tea and I did a coffee scrub and wrapped my legs in saran wrap to help firm up my skin. I did that for about 20 minutes while I watched Cinderella with Drew Barrymore (great movie!). Later, I took a 2.5 hour nap and then got up and picked some fresh mint out of the herb garden and made me some tea and now I'm getting ready to make up a yogurt mask. A movie called "Nanny McPhee (I've never seen it) is coming on ABC tonight at 8:00 so I am going to watch that soon- I don't think I'll eat anything for dinner- I had watermelon earlier and some tea so I'm not very hungry, plus I'm super puffy right now lol. I'll update later on how the facial mask worked out. Later on in the week, once I feel better, I want to finish weeding my gardens and mowing the grass- Monday, I'm supposed to go pick blueberries and Friday we're going to Callaway all day for a picnic, beach, bike riding, antiquing, to see the flower gardens & fireworks- I'm very excited for that! I'm hoping to hit the thrift shops this weekend- maybe Saturday or Sunday. Anyway, I'm off to do my mask! :-)

Natural Beauty Tips

2008-06-29T15:42:00.000-07:00

Home Remedies for Age and Sun Spots

Skin discolorations resulting from age and sun spots can mar an otherwise perfect complexion. Fortunately, there are a number of home remedies and professional skin care treatments that can make such unsightly spots fade away.
1) The Juice of Lemons

The citric acid in lemons makes this fruit one of the strongest natural skin lightening remedies. After dabbing lemon juice on age spots twice a day for two months, dark spots should begin to fade.
2) The Juice of Onions

Finely chop up an onion, extract its juice, and try applying it to sun spots. The acidity of the onion juice can induce skin peeling, which has a bleaching effect.
3) The Juice of Fresh Garlic

The acid in garlic can also result in the shedding of outer layers of skin; rub fresh garlic directly on your age spots each night, and pigmentation should start to even out in six to eight weeks.
4) Apple Cider Vinegar

Apple cider vinegar is believed to have a number of healing properties and is used as a home remedy to treat a number of ailments. The natural acidity of the vinegar promotes exfoliation of the skin and balances the skin's pH level.
5) Milk Products

Lactic acid is one of the most popular ingredients used in professional skin care products, chemical peels, and other non-invasive cosmetic treatments. It increases the rate of cell turnover, thereby regenerating and revitalizing the skin. Milk, buttermilk, and yogurt are all ingredients in homemade facial recipes because they contain lactic acid.
6) Castor Oil

While castor oil does not contain skin bleaching properties, it can improve skin texture. If age or sun spots are rougher than surrounding skin, try dabbing castor oil on the blemishes. Over time, the castor oil may help smooth out sun and liver spots.
7) Aloe Vera

Aloe vera has healing properties similar to those of Castor oil, and daily application to age spots can help even out your skin's complexion.
8) Vitamin E

A well-known remedy for scars, Vitamin E can also be used on sun spots. Men and women who use vitamin E to help reduce the appearance of age spots recommend applying vitamin E directly on affected areas, in addition to taking a daily vitamin E supplement.
Age Spot Remedy Recipe

Ingredients

* ¼ C. plain organic yogurt
* 1/8 C. organic apple cider vinegar
* Juice of ¼ lemon
* 1 T. aloe Vera

Directions:

1) Mix the ingredients in a bowl. Apply the solution to the entire face and neck and allow it to dry for 10 minutes. Apply another layer to the face and neck and wait about 10 minutes. Repeat.

2) Thoroughly wash the face and neck.

3) Apply a lightening solution (a skin care product containing hydroquinone, lemon juice, etc.) only on age spots and let dry.

4) Moisturize.

The Weekend

2008-06-29T09:54:00.000-07:00

We have been having so much fun lately, I love the Summer! We've been watching movies pretty much every night and last night after a trip to Lowe's and Home Depot, We went running around Meredeth Drive for about 30 minutes- it was great to get out and exercise. I've also been doing pretty good on the no coffee thing- I've had 1 cup of coffee in about 8 days- I've replaced it with lots of tea, water, & Hot water with lemon. Today was really hard not to have a cup though- for some reason I was extremely exhausted- I did weed out my herb garden yesterday and clean the whole house and I went running, so maybe my body is just tired- but I still refused the coffee and had some detox tea with milk thistle and dandelions instead- my body will thank me for it later! I am going to have some fresh organic mint tea later- I was reading about it's great health benefits also- I will put that in another post.

Reggie is working on putting the columns up on the patio- I think I am going to head outside and finish weeding the gardens, then mow the grass. I'll update later!

Getting Rid of Cellulite!

2008-06-28T09:58:00.000-07:00

Natural Steps for Cellulite (check the Evidence rating)
*** Good Evidence of a health benefit.
** Some Evidence of a health benefit.
* Traditionally used with only anecdotal evidence.

Improve these factors in your lifestyle **

* Stress management
* Change your diet
* Cut down on the toxins
* Start exercising

Nutrition
Cut down on the toxins:

* Refined and processed foods.
* Artificial foods that contain sweeteners, additives and chemicals.
* Dairy and high fat products.
* Sugar and high sugar products.

Vitamin/Mineral
These nutrients have been shown to help Cellulite:

* Vitamin C *
* Vitamin E *
* Selenium *
* Vitamin A *

Herbal
The following herbs are normally used for Cellulite:

* Gotu Kola **
* Rooibos *
* Milk thistle *
* Fennel *
* Dandelion *

Alternative/Complementary Therapy
The most commonly used Complementary Approaches to Cellulite are:

* Aromatherapy*
* Acupuncture*
* Massage *
* Alexander Technique*
* Reflexology*
* Meditate*
* Herbal medicine *

Please Note: This natural medicine guide does not replace the assessment and advice of your doctor.

Death, taxes and cellulite…the great equalizers. Cellulite does not discriminate, most women of all ages and sizes (yes, even skinny supermodels) have at least a few embarrassing orange-peel patches of skin.

There are hundreds of theories as to what causes cellulite and even more "miracle" products to combat it, but no one knows for sure what cellulite is caused by or what to do to prevent or treat it.

Many experts believe that cellulite is caused by a combination of factors including one's general lifestyle, diet, lack of exercise, hormonal changes and aging. Some say that the female hormone estrogen is the main culprit and the reason why men don't get the dreaded dimples.

Hormones and aging – partners in crime
Estrogen encourages the storage of excess fat around womens' hips, thighs and bottoms. Some experts believe that womens' bodies store excess toxins in and around these fat cells and that the build-up of these waste products exacerbates the appearance of cellulite.

Aging has also been labeled as a guilty party, as the fibres that tightly hold a young woman's skin together, shrink as one gets older. This causes increased pressure on the skin that squeezes fat, toxins and fluids outwards and around the skin fibres, resulting in the unsightly bulges on the skin's surface that we call cellulite. This effect can be best described as when you flop onto a soft bed – you sink down into the middle of the bed, and the mattress bulges out around you.

Add to this the fact that when you get older, your skin also gets thinner and the "bulges" become more visible.

What we do know however, is that simple lifestyle changes like doing more exercise and eating a healthy diet can make a difference in as little as six weeks. You must however realize that the fight against cellulite requires a personal revolution in how you live you life. Only once you adopt a healthy lifestyle will you really benefit from expensive anti-cellulite potions, lotions and machines.

Natural remedies

What to do

1. Cut down on the toxins
Where does the build-up of waste products in your body come from? Aren't your kidneys, liver, sweat glands and lymphatic system supposed to get rid of them for you? The answer is simply that waste pockets exist because your body is being bombarded with more toxins than it can cope with and eliminate every day.

Many experts believe that the stimulant caffeine (found in coffee, tea, chocolate and fizzy drinks) has a direct and negative effect on lymph flow and blood circulation, because it causes small blood vessels to constrict. This cuts down the amount of essential skin nutrients and oxygen that reach the tissues and hampers effective cell metabolism, resulting in a build-up of waste products.

The solution? Get rid of this harmful excess toxicity by detoxing and cutting down on coffee, alcohol, foods with lots of chemical additives and over-processed foods. This will also help you lose weight.

2. Change your diet
Cellulite looks worse when your skin's connective tissue is weak, because fat cells can protrude through the connective tissues into the layer of skin just beneath the surface. To keep your connective tissue strong, eat loads of antioxidant-rich foods, such as oranges, strawberries, broccoli, tomatoes and peas, which all contain vitamin C – a powerful vitamin when it comes to the restoration of skin structure. Antioxidants get rid of free radicals, molecules that have been linked to cancer and premature ageing.

Eat more apples. Apples are not very acidic, toxins are, so apples tend to balance their pH. The pectin in apples, is a soluble type of fibre that assists in detoxifying the digestive tract by making you go to the toilet more often. Pears, bananas, citrus fruits, carrots and cabbage all contain pectin.

Avoid excess sugar. Not only does too much sugar pack on the pounds, but too much of it, interferes with the way our body metabolises vitamin C - a vitamin that's essential for collagen and elastin formation.

Go for fresh food and raw fruit and veg. Over-processed and refined foods are packed with additives, preservatives, fats and salt which all tax your body's toxin removal system. By eating fruit and vegetables raw, you will get the maximum benefits from the vitamins that they contain.

Onions and garlic contain sulfur compounds that will strengthen your immune system, which in turn, will take pressure off your lymphatic system. They also cleanse the blood and lymph of toxins.

Eat organic food. Organic food is free of pesticides, insecticides, hormones and artificial flavourants that will reduce the number of toxins your body has to deal with.

Feast on bioflavonoids. Include lots of blue and red foods like red grapes, blueberries, cherries and blackberries in your diet. The bioflavonoids present in these foods are packed with anti-aging anthocyanidins. These antioxidants feed your skin and work in conjunction with vitamin C to maintain the strength of the collagen and firm up the skin's overall structure.

Water, water, water. Eight glasses of this excellent detoxifying agent a day, need we say more?

Lemon twist. Start the day off refreshed and revitalized by drinking a glass of hot water with a squeeze of lemon. This will kick start your liver

3. Exercise
Regular exercise is the key to unlocking a new, dimple-free you, Exercise will burn off fat and improve your muscle tone, thus reducing the appearance of cellulite. The less fat in your body, the smaller the fat cells are and the smaller the fat cells are, the less pressure there is on the connective tissue, and the less visible your cellulite will be.

Exercise also improves blood circulation in the skin, making connective tissue more elastic and stimulating lymph flow. The result is that the body's toxin removal system is more effective and the appearance of cellulite is reduced.

Squat, step-up and lunge your way to less cellulite as these exercises are the best way to firm up cellulite-inflicted thighs and bottoms.

Blood, sweat and tears. After sweating it out in the gym, hop into the sauna. It will not only relax aching muscles, but will help detoxify your body by opening up your sweat pores thereby increasing the elimination of toxins. At home, turn your bathroom into a steam room every few weeks, by running a really hot bath or shower and shutting all windows and doors.

4. Natural therapies

Take up yoga,it's a great way to stretch and tone your muscles, which will make your skin look smoother.

Afraid of needles? You shouldn't be, because acupuncture is a great way to unblock the body's energy and clear out any unwanted toxins. Acupuncturists help the body to heal itself and restore balance. This, accompanied by a diet change and an exercise regime, will help eliminate toxins from congested systems.

Stand up straight. A good posture, not only makes you look slimmer, but will also improve your breathing, which results in better circulation. Try manual therapy or bodywork techniques like Rolfing, massage and the Alexander Technique, if you want to correct your posture, realign your body and improve the overall functioning of your body.

Reflexology. Boost energy flow to the rest of your body by having regular therapeutic reflexology sessions. Reflexology is said to stimulate the release of stored toxins into the blood circulation and the lymphatic system, from where it is then eliminated.

Meditate. Relax! Stress causes the release of adrenaline, which redirects blood away from the skin to the muscles to prepare for "fight or flight". Tense muscles also stop the free flow of blood, and therefore oxygen and nutrients, to the skin. When you're stressed, you're also more likely to indulge in toxin-forming substances, like alcohol, coffee and high-sugar foods and cigarettes. Learning how to meditate or taking up yoga will help you to de-stress.

Aromatherapy for your cellulite. Aromatherapy massage with essential oils like black pepper, juniper berry and grapefruit are believed to encourage the elimination of toxins, while sage and rosemary warm the skin, increasing circulation.

5. Other things to do

Breathe in, breathe out. Practice some deep breathing, this will not only relax you, but will improve your circulation. Also try to get some fresh air every day, as the pollutants from traffic fumes and secondary cigarette smoke add to our body's toxin load.

Don't wear tight clothes. Anything that restricts blood flow is a no-no when it comes to cellulite because you don't want to congest the flow of fluid and toxins.

Cover up. Fat, dimpled thighs look better with a tan right? That may be the case, but in the long run, skin damage caused by the sun will lead to premature ageing. Damaged collagen and elastin fibres can contribute to cellulite, so slather on that sun block.

Stub out that cigarette. Smoking is a dangerous source of toxic chemicals, the most well-known one being nicotine. These toxins contribute to the breakdown of collagen (supportive tissue), resulting in premature wrinkles and cellulite. The cigarette toxins also put a heavy burden on your body's main detoxer, the liver.

If you can't stand the heat, get out of the…bath. Too many excessively hot baths can damage your skin tone, making cellulite more visible. If you do indulge in a hot tub, every now and again, compensate for lost elasticity by applying a rich, vitamin E-packed body cream afterward.

Have a regular Epsom salts bath. Take a detoxifying soak in a sea salt or Epsom salts bath. Epsom salt makes you sweat out toxins, while simultaneously relieving aching muscles. For an aromatherapy and salt bath: Add a cup full of Epsom salts to a bath with 10 drops of detoxifying rosemary or cypress essential oils, which have first been diluted in 10ml of carrier oil.

Early morning wake up call. A cold shower first thing in the morning will boost your circulation and get your lymph moving. Alternate with hot and cold water.

Brush up on skincare. Dry-skin brushing with a hard, natural bristle brush, before a bath or a shower has long been known as one of the best ways to reduce cellulite. It will break down fatty tissues, while gradually eliminating toxins by channelling them to the blood, sweat and lymph. Using circular strokes, brush, up your body, towards the heart, but brush in a circular direction on your bottom.

6. What not to do

Don't go down electric avenue. High-tech cellulite vacuums and strange machines that pass electric currents into your bottom may help increase circulation and tone muscles, but they are very expensive and at the end of the day, these machines might not have the lasting effects of a healthy lifestyle.

Try and avoid using painkillers, unless they are prescribed by your doctor, as they only add to the toxin overload in your body.

Beware of "miracle" cellulite cures. Even the more expensive lotions and potions are not necessarily effective. The best investment you can make is in adopting a healthy lifestyle. When you do this, only then might the magic creams start to work. Instead of tossing hundreds of rands down the drain, why not mix up your own natural cellulite potion by blending two tablespoons of sweet almond oil with one tablespoon of oatmeal. Massage this into the skin, using small, circular movements to stimulate blood and lymph flow. The grittiness of the oatmeal will help to break down your cellulite.

What to take

1. Herbal help: Gotu Kola (centella asiatica) is believed to help strengthen the skin's connective tissue, while grape seed extract is used in a lot of anti-cellulite creams. You can also benefit from grape seed extract's powerful antioxidant content by taking it as a daily supplement.

Drink herbal teas instead of caffeinated tea or coffee. Dandelion tea is will help detoxify the liver, while Rooibos Tea is renowned for its antioxidant properties. Other liver "tonics" include fennel tea, milk thistle supplement and garlic.

2. Supplements: Vitamin A, C and E contain antioxidants that fight the harmful free radicals found in amongst other things, alcohol, fried and smoked food and cigarette smoke. You can also find these nutrients in fruit and vegetables.

Exercise, Exercise & more Exercise!

2008-06-28T06:47:00.000-07:00

Friday, Cynthia and I worked out at the gym for about 2.5 hours, then she invited me to lunch at Ruby Tuesdays. I was starving! I had 2 plates of salad and ordered Reggie the Veggie Burger & fries- which he had for dinner when I got home. I had a few bites of some organic strawberry yogurt. I found out that Reggie & I are going to Wisconsin in August to visit his sister and kids, so I'm super excited about that- we are staying for 1 week. Mom & Dad are supposed to be getting out tickets soon! I'm going to do some research to see what kind of fun things we can do! Later on Friday night, Reggie and I went back to the gym to work out and then we went swimming- in total, we worked out for 2 hours. For dinner, I didn't eat much- handful of organic raw cashews, a few organic pumpkin seeds, some organic red wine, an apple & a small square of organic dark chocolate. I was still hungry 30 minutes later, so I had a small bowl of homemade organic soup and that filled me up. Reggie and I watched a movie, then I gave Roscoe a bath and we all went to bed.

Oh, and I did some research on the book- "French Women Don't get Fat" and I found lots of things that I have already been doing in my life. Although, I want to try the Leek Soup- next time at the market I need to get some.

- Apparently, they eat yogurt 1-2 times per day- but the kind that is ONLY Milk & culture, no dyes or additives.
- The French sit down to eat at the table- not in front of the T.V.
- The French eat slowly and for pleasure, not in a rush or standing up ever.
- They drink lots of water!
- They eat way smaller portions than Americans- the first 3 bites is all that you need to really taste your food.
- They really only eat 3 meals a day, no snacking, but if you do- eat some yogurt or almonds.
- They also eat Leek Soup to lose weight- it's a diuretic- they do this for a couple of days.
- They eat locally and organic
- They don't diet- they use self-control by eating small doses of different things like wine, dark chocolate, bread & olive oil, pasta, cheese- everything is high quality product- not like Kraft and carton orange juice- everything is FRESH!

Magical Leek Soup (Broth)

Serves 1 for the weekend

Ingredients

2 pounds leeks

1. Clean the leeks and rinse well to get rid of sand and soil. Cut off the ends of the dark green parts, leaving all the white parts plus a suggestion of pale green. (Reserve the extra greens for soup stock.)

2. Put the leeks in a large pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer uncovered for 20 to 30 minutes. Pour off the liquid and reserve. Place the leeks in a bowl.

The juice is to be drunk (reheated or at room temperature to taste) every 2 to 3 hours, 1 cup at a time. For meals, or whenever hungry, have some of the leeks themselves, 1/2 cup at a time. Drizzle with a few drops of extra-virgin olive oil and lemon juice. Season sparingly with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with chopped parsley if you wish.

This will be your nourishment for both days, until Sunday dinner, when you can have a small piece of meat or fish (4 to 6 ounces -- don't lose that scale yet!), with 2 vegetables, steamed with a bit of butter or olive oil, and a piece of fruit.

Beautiful Songs on You Tube

2008-06-26T12:45:00.001-07:00

Beautiful Song- how I'm feeling right now. GOD is so awesome- I love Him so much, He sent His only Son so that I could live!! I love Jesus!!!

Size I want to be- I have lots more working out to do!

2008-06-26T08:26:00.000-07:00

I don't plan on wearing those shorty shorts- but I do want to be this size- I was a little smaller than this when I was about 23. I miss how I could try anything on and it would look great!

I have really been wanting to go Thrift Shopping lately but haven't because I want to lose some weight first. I love the leggings look and the vintage high waisted pants and skirts but with a pooch, it just doesn't look good- so once I get toned, a trip to the Thrift store is the first thing on my list! For a while it seemed like I was gaining weight and I feel like God showed me it was the coffee that was making me gain, so today is day 4.5 days with no coffee and my weight has gone down and my legs look better, so I hope it stays that way after the fast,when I go back to normal eating. I've decided to go back 100% raw when I come off the fast, I think the granola, rice, yogurt, eggs- even though it's all organic- it's still bulking my body up instead of helping me lose weight. So that's my plan- today I am going to make some sesame Asian dressing for my Kale Salad, so when I'm ready to eat my first meal, it will be all raw!

Raw juices

2008-06-26T08:03:00.001-07:00

Dessert- I only had 1 square of chocolate

First meal after the fast- 100% Raw Organic Kale Salad

I had about 3 glasses of these last night- Roscoe loved it too I gave him alot of it!

Lately, I've been drinking lots of watermelons juiced, raw V8 juices, Cantaloupe blended, organic green tea w/lemon but this morning I am having fresh organic wheat grass with grapefruit- it's actually pretty good. Hopefully, it will help me detox- I've been having some headaches and I've been really tired- although, I think it's from combining fasting with extreme exercising. The great thing is that my friend had several prayers answered almost immediately that we had both prayed about- that was really encouraging! Here are some of the different things that I prayed about for Me & my family (this is great because I can look back and see how God answers them later!) I also prayed for other people during my fast. I was going to end the fast yesterday, but after hearing Cynthia's breakthroughs from our fasting & praying, I decided to fast at least for another day or so. I look forward to everything that GOD is going to do!! I also went to the gym today and worked out for 2.5 hours and sat in the sauna/dry skin brushed for about 30 minutes.

1.) Money & Physical Labor, Motivation to complete the House we are in so we can sell it.
2.) New Home with more room & Bigger closets
3.) Reggie's Career - promotion
4.) These are appearance things- My hair to grow thicker, so I can grow it out long- also, deliverance from nail biting and deliverance from unhealthy eating.
5.) Guidance & Wisdom for Situation in my family regarding brother's girlfriend and what I need to do or not do to bless the situation. Also, Darkness to come to the Light so everyone can see what is going on behind closed doors- for the truth to come out.
6.) Roscoe to be more friendly- mainly with children- he can be very distrusting of them (from when he was little, the kids next door threw sticks at him and other kids in my family picked on him)
7.) Deuteronomy blessings to come upon me and Reggie- prayers for our land, job, food, household, in the city, etc.
8.) Heal Reggie's relationship with his parents completely so it will be a healthy relationship.
9.) Continue to renew and even further improve mine & Reggie's relationship- even more love, closeness, attraction, patience, understanding, etc.
10.) Lost souls in my family who need GOD.
11.) For me to clean out my heart even more and do God's will so others can see Jesus in me.

My new favorite thing!

2008-06-24T12:03:00.000-07:00

I bought this New organic seasoning at New Leaf and I love it in my V8 Juices- yummy! Can't wait to try it in other recipes!

Made from Pure certified organic ingredients. Certified by QAI
Herbamare Ingredients: Sea Salt, celery leaves, leek, watercress, garden cress, onions, chives, parsley, lovage, garlic, basil, marjoram, rosemary, thyme and kelp(with trace iodine).

Apparently, this is very popular in Europe also, where they are known for their organic eating habits. My V8 drink is made up of 2 organic tomatoes, fresh organic parsley, organic celery, herbamare, fresh dried red pepper, 1 avocado & filtered water. And also, today has been 2.5 days since I quit coffee- I've decided to ONLY have it on special occasions- i.e. shopping day with the girls, while we travel- to try out new coffees. I like it better when I limit my coffee take- and I think I've noticed that my legs look less dimply- I'll notice more progress as I get around day 6 or so.

Facial Exercises for firming the face

2008-06-23T12:49:00.001-07:00

1. Scrunch up your whole face for a few seconds so that your is wrinkled, your forehead furrowed, and your eyes and mouth are tightly closed.

2. Do the opposite: open your mouth and eyes as wide as you can (as if you are silently screaming) to release your throat muscles.

3. Close your mouth again, purse your lips, and push your mouth up to the left, then to the right.

4. Grin-as if from ear to ear - open your eyes wide again.

5. Hold and repeat the grin, but this time, tuck in your chin to tighten your neck muscles.

First Day of Fast

2008-06-23T09:10:00.002-07:00

I have already had 3 cups of green tea w/lemon & raw honey today

I had 1.5 glasses of cantaloupe juice- very good!

This wax really works, BUT, I'm not sure if I would buy it again- it was TORTURE to peel off the wax- I'd much rather snatch the strips and get it over with! lol
I wouldn't recommend it if you have a low tolerance for pain like me

I had a nice hot bath with salts, organic bubble bath & a Lush bath bomb- I used my seaweed soap which smelled so good! Not quite like this bath pictured, but it was enjoyable.

Okay, so today is the first day of the fast that my sister and I are embarking upon- I am really going in this ready to see bondages being broken off, relationships being restored, broken hearts being healed, deliverance in all kinds of areas and for God to reveal to us what we need to do next! I was really tired this morning- I didn't get up until around 10:30- we got home pretty late yesterday from Tallahassee, but we had fun.

This morning is my first morning also without coffee, to be honest, giving up coffee for me is almost harder than giving up food- but I know that drinking coffee every day, twice per day is not good for me. I'm thinking that it may be what has been causing me to not lose weight and not to tone as fast as I've wanted to- so I'll be updating my progress and how I feel as I go. So right now, I am having my green tea with lemon & raw honey while I am listening to a sermon- I can tell I have a headache from not having coffee, but I know it will pass soon.

Also, my Mom wants to come up on Friday- she has the day off, so I need to get the house in order and decide on something to cook. Then Saturday morning, I'm going to pick blueberries with my sister and friend-so I have several things going on.

First Day of Fast

2008-06-23T09:10:00.001-07:00

Wonderful Sunday!!

2008-06-23T08:44:00.000-07:00

I love the small towns like this- it seems so peaceful in the country

At Carabbas for Dinner

At New Leaf Shopping

I found some organic seaweed soap- I've been looking for some. I also got a wax kit which I've been looking for also- I'll try them both today.

Dad called us Sunday and asked if Reggie would do some measuring in Havana and get paid overtime- so we packed up and headed to Havana. Dad also said as a bonus that he would pay for our New Leaf Purchases, another blessing! It seems like every time we turn around- God is blessing us! I was reading to Reggie yesterday about the blessings and curses in Deuteronomy and how if you follow God's teachings that you will receive blessings and how if you disobey God's teachings, you receive LOTS of curses and I for one want to receive the blessings! I want to become more and more like Jesus and have my heart pure- I have been so hungry to hear sermons, read God's word, talking about God- I just can't get enough of it! That's one reason that I am really excited about our fast- I can't wait to see the blessings break through!! Reggie & I also had such a wonderful conversation about how when people mistreat us, talk bad about us & persecute us whether it be outwardly or inwardly- how we have to still be like Jesus and say Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do- we have to feel compassion for them and pray for them regardless of how they treat us- we talked about how much easier it is to be mean back and reject people like they reject us and talk bad about them- but that's Satan's way and that's nothing but death and I can't sleep at night knowing I've intentionally hurt people, I'd rather them persecute me and me kill them with kindness and love- that's the only way that people will see Jesus in us, is for us to love them anyway.

Switching from Organic Coffee to Organic Green Tea!

2008-06-22T10:50:00.000-07:00

Okay, that's it, I'm quitting coffee and starting back on my Organic Green Tea. I am going to see if these facts are true (i.e. coffee causes cellulite, anxiety, headaches, nausea, weight gain, dark circles, bad skin, accelerated aging, decreasing good vitamins)This could be why I keep working out and still can't seem to lose weight and tone down my legs!

Your Morning Cup of Coffee May Cause Cellulite
By Cherry Maslen and Linda Bird

OK, most of us tend to find that a little caffeine fix makes us feel more alert, better able to concentrate and less tired. But too much caffeine can lead to anxiousness, restlessness, leave you feeling jittery and unable to sleep—and give you headaches, nausea or palpitations.

So what does caffeine have to do with cellulite and more importantly why will your behind thank you for cutting back on the cappuccino?

First, caffeine can contribute to weight gain. (And there we were, thinking our little black cup was helping us get into our little black dress! Au contraire.) Apparently drinking two cups of coffee is enough to raise the levels of the stress hormone cortisol and insulin in your body, which is thought to accelerate aging and encourage the body to store fat. Studies have shown that when coffee drinkers reduce their coffee intake, they lose weight, although it’s not yet understood why this happens.

Plus, when our blood sugar levels are raised and our insulin levels are disrupted, we’re more likely to be tempted by sugary treats—that espresso may lead to a chocolate croissant or two.

Caffeine is also bad for your skin because it impedes your blood circulations. Skin requires a regular blood supply to stay looking young and healthy. A lack of oxygen can lead to dark circles, puffiness, fine lines, poor color. You know how your face looks after to many espressos and a few late nights … well, the skin on your behind is also being robbed of vital nutrients, too, which means it’s going to look dry and dehydrated—and that will make your cellulite worse.

Caffeine also contributes to water retention; as it’s a diuretic, it can dehydrate your body. When you’re dehydrated, cells hold on to water—and your fat cells hold on to fluids, which, on your bottom and thighs, makes your skin bulge out and look puffier and more dimply.

And if that hasn’t put you off the black stuff, bear in mind that it’s also no friend if you’re a PMS sufferer. That’s because caffeine increases sleeplessness, anxiety and tension, which are symptoms of PMS. A study of over 200 college-age women found severe PMS symptoms in 60 percent of those who drank more than four cups of caffeinated drinks a day. Coffee also causes your body to get rid of important nutrients, especially B vitamins, which are needed for energy, good skin and hair, healthy growth, and mood.
It gets worse. Caffeine also destroys calcium—one cup of coffee removes about six milligrams of calcium form your body’s stores. Experts have found that calcium is important in weight loss because it’s thought to help prevent fat storage and boost metabolism.

So how much is too much? How much caffeine are you drinking?
About 300 milligrams of caffeine a day is a “moderate” intake. One cup of instant coffee contains about 100 milligrams, tea has 30 to 60 milligrams per cup, and cola around 50 milligrams per can. So three mugs of tea per day plus one cup of coffee would give you almost your daily “allowance.”

Best advice, then, is to cut down as much as you can—don’t drink more than one or two cups a day—and instead look for healthy alternatives.

Bear in mind that chocolate also contains caffeine; in fact there’s about 10 milligrams of caffeine in 50 grams of milk chocolate—dark chocolate contains 28 milligrams per 50 grams. There’s more caffeine in a 4 ounce bar of dark chocolate than in a cup of instant coffee … so if you’re serious about getting rid of cellulite, go easy on the chocolate.

Shopping!

2008-06-22T06:18:00.000-07:00

My latest weakness- french pressed organic coffee- yum!

Yesterday, Reggie worked on the house pretty much all day. I watered the flowers & did some laundry, but didn't get much done because I felt dizzy, so I ate something and layed down to take a nap. Once I got up I felt better, I think it's from eating so much cooked food and not as much raw foods- but Monday I start my Juice Fast- it's a spiritual fast- but my body could also use some rest. Around 5:00, we headed to the gym to work out- we worked out for about 1.5 hours (Reggie really enjoyed working out there- I gave him a 7-day pass, so he has until next Saturday to work out there- he said we may start running in the early a.m. around the park, because I really need something to help me lose in my legs) and then headed to the mall and Reggie got a coffee at Books A Million- I didn't want any because they don't make it like Starbucks does- the girl wanted to charge me about $1 extra just for steaming the soymilk in, so I passed (I didn't need it anyway lol). We looked at some house remodeling books, me- some fashion magazines, then we headed to American Eagle- they had nothing on sale really, so we went to Aeropostale where we found TONS of things on sale! I found lots of shirts for $3, $4, & $5 was the most I paid for a shirt- I only bought shirts because I have so much weight to lose on my bottom half. Reggie found a few things, but not as much as me. We got all of our items for about $118 w/tax- which I thought was great! I have to take back the pink bag and the tank top- they both rang up wrong, so that is about $14 off. Today we are going to church, so I am going to wear one of my new shirts- I'm so excited about going to church!

Homemade Ice Cream & Veggie Soup!

2008-06-21T13:00:00.000-07:00

Ingredients for Homemade Ice Cream

Making the ice cream mixture (organic milk, eggs & raw sugar)- those are fresh blended strawberries

Mom had this brand new Krups Ice Cream Maker in the garage- so I put it to good use!

Reggie went on and on about how this was the best ice cream he had ever had- he wanted to know how I made it- I'll definitely be making homemade ice cream from now on!

Roscoe approved also lol

"Cleaning out the fridge soup"

Brigette Bardot Cat Eye Look

2008-06-20T12:20:00.000-07:00

I just bought 3 of these liquid eyeliners on ebay- I should get them in 2-4 days!

Brigitte Bardot's cat eye look made easy

Okay, minxes. I promised to deliver a how-to on the Brigitte Bardot cat eye and I will not disappoint. But please remember that creating a look takes time and practice. Did Bardot perfect her signature style overnight? Probably not.

I certainly didn't. I have been staring at my mug in the mirror allBardot1_2 weekend and working on my technique. I have a trash can filled with blackened cotton swabs and a few empty bottles of Syrah.

Moving on...
What you will need: 1. A steady hand. Don't even think about trying this at home if you're jacked up on coffee or in a rush. Take deep breaths and relax.

Black eyeliner. I like this Guerlain Divinora Eye-liner ($32, sephora.com) because it looks so elegant and the brush is needle sharp. Liquids rule. Pencils suck, by the way, and smudge.

Gel eyeliners are easier for the newbie. Bobbi Brown's Long-Wear gel is smudge-proof and waterproof, ($19; bobbibrown.com). You will need a brush -- of course -- and I like a bent brush like this one from Smashbox ($20). That way, you can draw a line with more ease.

3. A neutral eyeshadow -- peach or taupe. You don't want to add color to the lid or diffuse the cat eye by blending.

Images14. Tried and true mascara. A cat eye without the proper fringe is like a plate of linguini and no fork. Just bad news. Every makeup artist I have ever interviewed swears by this Maybelline Great Lash.

Let's do it:Cat_makeup_eyeliner
Step one: Brush the neutral shadow on entire lid. Blend this color from your lids softly up to your brow bone, as your base shadow. You may want to add a bit of subtle shimmer under the arch of your eyebrow.

Step two: Starting on the inside of the eye, trace the black liquid eyeliner right along your upper lash line with a steady hand. The line should be ultra-fine. The only way to create a thicker line is to go Brigittebardotpics012back and add another right next to the first one. By doing this, you already have a straight line to follow. (It helps to gently pull the lid out to create a straight lash line.)

I imagine she went back and drew line after line to get a thickness that ain't easy to pull off. You should start thin and add gradually. It's like using spice. Go easy, tiger.

Step three: You want to flip the line upwards at the end toward the temple. This is a very retro look and you can go more subtle and still get some oomph. I advise applying the liner on the UPPER line only, at first. It's more sophisticated. At the outer corner, flick your eyeliner brush upwards and outwards. Be sure to taper it instead of making it a thick, squarish line.

Step five: Clean up any smudges or wayward lines with a damp Q-tip. Be sure that the wings match in shape and size on each eye.

Blueberry pancakes!

2008-06-20T09:39:00.001-07:00

Getting ready to go pick Blueberries!

Cute picture of my sister picking blueberries :-)

My sister, Becky picking blueberries

Lots of organic blueberries- the bushes were even more loaded than this!

Cynthia with her grandson Nicholas-what a precious picture:)

Mom bought me some honey at the Okefenokee Gift shop- I haven't tried it yet, but it's local Georgia honey!

Anne Hathaway

2008-06-18T14:20:00.000-07:00

I love Anne Hathaway- she was great in the Princess Diaries, I have to admit I haven't seen the Devil wears Prada- I'm so behind on movies with the house remodel! I can't wait to see her in Get Smart-I saw the previews and it looked so funny!

Speaking of Shopping - here is some fashion/shopping inspiration!

2008-06-18T14:09:00.001-07:00

I have a bag almost identical to this one

Fruit, Fruit, and more Fruit!!!

2008-06-18T13:57:00.000-07:00

Mom gave me a Krupp ice cream Maker, so I'm planning on making some homemade ice cream this weekend! My friend Cynthia, brought me 2 big watermelons and 6 cantaloupes, and I'm going with my sister and Cynthia tomorrow to pick fresh organic blueberries so it looks like I'll be eating lots of organic ice cream soon! Yummy! I plan on using either my goat's milk or soy milk & organic raw sugar to make the ice cream- that way it will be healthy and guilt free! I've been working out at the gym everyday for 2 or more hours everyday and doing the sauna/dry skin brushing- I can tell I'm toning up little by little. I also gave myself a facial scrub/mask- later I mowed the back lawn, so now all I have to do is weed my flowerbeds and garden. I also did 2 loads of laundry and gave Roscoe a bath. I'll update tomorrow with pictures of our blueberry adventures!

Hopefully, Cynthia and I will get to go shopping soon! She said once we lose down & tone up we should go shopping at Dillard's- they have the cutest clothes! So maybe sometime around late July or early August! I'm ready to go shopping- I haven't been in a while!

Having Fun!

2008-06-17T07:55:00.000-07:00

I've been eating lots of watermelon!

My new flats

TJ Maxx finds

I went to the pool with Mom, JoEllen and the kids and did pool exercise for 1.5 hours

I LOVED Kung Fu Panda!! Mom, Dad, Me, Reggie, his sister & the kids all went- It was so hilarious, I was laughing sooo hard! lol- If you haven't seen it, go and see it!

Okefenokee Trip with Family!:)

2008-06-15T08:55:00.000-07:00

I found this tiny frog- I tried to get a picture but it was blurry

Dad bought me the cute pink shirt & hat at the Souvenir Store- it was so hot out!

Dinner with family:)

2008-06-15T08:45:00.000-07:00

We went to Mom & Dad's for dinner Friday night and JoEllen had made such a nice dinner- grilled zucchini, squash, portabella mushrooms, veggie cabobs w/tomatoes & onions, mashed potatoes, a spring mix salad w/blue cheese & balsamic dressing, French bread & steak. I did have some grilled vegetables & salad along with some fresh muscadine juice made in Georgia. Afterwards, we just kind of hung outside talking while the boys played the Star Wars Game on Xbox that Reggie had brought (they were SO excited about playing!)- his sister kind of put me on the spot about having kids and I told her that right now we didn't want to have any because we want to be in a bigger house and in a nicer neighborhood and with us remodeling, it just isn't the right time, so she seemed to understand- Reggie's parents want us to have kids so bad so they can have grandchildren close by. So, maybe in a couple of years if it's in God's plan- we'll just have to wait and see. Anyway, we really had a nice night and got to bed kind of late lol.

I am sooo going to try this recipe from Rawdorable's Blog!

2008-06-15T08:43:00.001-07:00

"Zucchetti" Salad
3 zucchini, cut or spiralized into "noodles"
1 medium cucumber, chopped
1 medium green pepper, chopped
1 medium tomato, chopped**
2 Tbsp. olive oil
4-6 Tbsp. of your own salad seasoning*

In a large bowl, toss together the zucchini, cucumber, green pepper, tomato and olive oil. Mix in seasonings and adjust amount based on your taste. Enjoy or chill until ready to serve.

*To make your own version of the bottled salad seasoning, combine a mixture of nutritional yeast (the prepackaged stuff contains Romano cheese), sesame seeds, poppy seeds, paprika, celery seed, garlic, black pepper, red pepper and sea salt.

**Due to the tomato recall at the moment, I used diced cooked tomatoes this weekend in the recipe (forgive me). I just wanted to be safe, especially since I was going to be feeding this to others. If you are lucky enough to be growing your own tomatoes (I'm so jealous of those of you who are), please use fresh raw ones in this recipe.

Random

2008-06-13T12:35:00.000-07:00

I'm ready for my slimmer legs-I'll post my after picture when I get them lol

Roscoe getting caught (rolling in the dirt lol)

Feeling Great!!!

2008-06-13T09:53:00.001-07:00

Me & JoEllen (Reggie's sister) played some racing games- she beat me both times lol- I am terrible at car racing lol

My nephew, Jacob at Chucky Cheese- Dad is in the yellow shirt in the background

My nephew, William having fun at Chucky Cheese

At Kohl's getting ready to try on clothes

Update

2008-06-10T08:27:00.000-07:00

The last tint was a nightmare to do and I didn't notice a drastic difference- I wouldn't recommend it. I got the Bio Oil to see if it would clear up my sun spots- I've only been using it 1 week, so we'll see what it does.

Trying to open the box himself lol

Roscoe loves his Milk Bones- I should enter him as their spokes dog lol

Seems like we are always buying groceries lol

New shirt from Target- so cute!

On the way to the gym- no makeup

I've been doing great- working out 5 days per week- I can tell that I've toned up, I'm really trying to not go by weight since I'm gaining muscle, but I've still lost 1.5 lbs. so that's good to know. I've been eating lots of organic bananas, watermelon- juiced & whole, lots of organic kale salads, & organic broccoli & organic carrots- I had chip cravings a couple of times but I successfully ignored the cravings lol. My natural hair coloring came in yesterday- so today I am going to color my hair, I hope it turns out great- I'll say a prayer!:) I've been trying to grow out my nails, but they aren't doing that great- I think I may need to add something in my diet to help my nails- the msm just isn't doing what I thought it would- it may be helping my skin, but not my nails. Last night, after Reggie picked me up from the gym, we went to go get some avocados, grapefruit, cheeses & crepes at Sam's and driving back home- it started hailing, lightning, almost like a tornado/hurricane type winds- the buggy's were flying everywhere-one hit the side of our car- it was so bad that I started praying for protection over Reggie & I and for God to surround our vehicle under the covering of his wings- it got really scary, but it was so amazing how we got home safely and it started slacking off until there was no hail at all- it sure was a nice feeling to know that we are under God's covering- I wouldn't want it any other way:)The good thing was that our garden and grass got the watering that it needed- I still need to get some more veggie plants. Once we got home, I was starving and made myself an avocado salad and I made Reggie some healthy bean burritos with our new Ezekiel organic wraps-he had 2 of them.

Found this recipe on a French Blog- I'm going to make it for Reggie

2008-06-08T13:34:00.000-07:00

An earthy, garlicky Turkish Carrot, Spinach and Rice Stew I found in The Best Recipes in the World by Mark Bittman. The spinach is so perfect right now. I've been buying heaps and heaps at the market every week.
I added some toasted, garlic rubbed and olive oil drizzled baguette croûtons. The more garlic, the better!

CARROT, SPINACH AND RICE STEW
Time: 45 minutes

1/2 pound carrots, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch dice
1/2 cup long-grain rice, like Basmati
Salt and pepper
1 pound fresh spinach, thick stems removed, washed and roughly chopped
3 cloves minced garlic, optional
2 tablespoons butter, optional.

1. Combine carrots with 6 cups of water in a saucepan and turn heat to high. Bring to a boil, then stir in rice and a large pinch of salt. When the mixture returns to the boil, add spinach, then adjust heat so that it simmers gently.

2. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the rice and carrots are very tender, about 1/2 hour, and the mixture takes on the consistency of a thick stew. Stir in garlic or butter (if you're using either or both), and cook another 5 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning and serve.

Yield: 4 servings.

A few of my favorite things that are organic but not raw- I have tiny doses in moderation of course :-)

2008-06-08T10:40:00.000-07:00

All about Kale!

2008-06-07T17:29:00.000-07:00

Kale

The beautiful leaves of the kale plant provide an earthy flavor and more nutritional value for fewer calories than almost any other food around. Although it can be found in markets throughout the year, it is in season from the middle of winter through the beginning of spring when it has a sweeter taste and is more widely available.

Kale is a leafy green vegetable that belongs to the Brassica family, a group of vegetables including cabbage, collards and Brussels sprouts that have gained recent widespread attention due to their health promoting, sulfur-containing phytonutrients. It is easy to grow and can grow in colder temperatures where a light frost will produce especially sweet kale leaves.

Food Chart
This chart graphically details the %DV that a serving of Kale provides for each of the nutrients of which it is a good, very good, or excellent source according to our Food Rating System. Additional information about the amount of these nutrients provided by Kale can be found in the Food Rating System Chart. A link that takes you to the In-Depth Nutritional Profile for Kale, featuring information over 80 nutrients, can be found under the Food Rating System Chart.

* Health Benefits
* Description
* History
* How to Select and Store
* How to Enjoy
* Safety
* Nutritional Profile
* References

Health Benefits

Organosulfur Phytonutrients that Help Prevent Cancer

A member of the Brassica family, kale is a great food if you're looking to protect your health and enjoy a delicious food at the same time. It's the organosulfur compounds in this food that have been main subject of phytonutrient research, and these include the glucosinolates and the methyl cysteine sulfoxides.

Although there are over 100 different glucosinolates in plants, only 10-15 are present in kale and other Brassicas. Yet these 10-15 glucosinolates appear able to lessen the occurrence of a wide variety of cancers, including breast and ovarian cancers.

Exactly how kale's sulfur-containing phytonutrients prevent cancer is not yet fully understood, but several researchers point to the ability of its glucosinolates and cysteine sulfoxides to activate detoxifing enzymes in the liver that help neutralize potentially carcinogenic substances. (These detoxifying enzymes include quinone reductases and glutathione-S-transferases). For example, scientists have found that sulforaphane, a potent glucosinolate phytonutrient found in kale and other Brassica vegetables, boosts the body's detoxification enzymes, potentially by altering gene expression, thus helping to clear potentially carcinogenic substances more quickly.

Sulforaphane, which is formed when cruciferous vegetables such as kale are chopped or chewed, triggers the liver to produce enzymes that detoxify cancer-causing chemicals, inhibits chemically-induced breast cancers in animal studies, induces colon cancer cells to commit suicide.

Sulforaphane may also offer special protection to those with colon cancer-susceptible genes, suggests a study conducted at Rutgers University and published online in the journal Carcinogenesis.

In this study, researchers sought to learn whether sulforaphane could inhibit cancers arising from one's genetic makeup. Rutgers researchers Ernest Mario, Ah-Ng Tony Kong and colleagues used laboratory animals bred with a genetic mutation that switches off the tumor suppressor gene known as APC, the same gene that is inactivated in the majority of human colon cancers. Animals with this mutation spontaneously develop intestinal polyps, the precursors to colon cancer. The study found that animals who were fed sulforaphane had tumors that were smaller, grew more slowly and had higher apoptotic (cell suicide) indices. Additionally, those fed a higher dose of sulforaphane had less risk of developing polyps than those fed a lower dose.

The researchers found that sulforaphane suppressed certain kinase enzymes. Kinases are expressed not only in animals, but also in humans, and the ones suppressed by sulforaphane are involved in activities that promote colon cancer. According to lead researcher, Dr. Kong, "Our study corroborates the notion that sulforaphane has chemopreventive activity…Our research has substantiated the connection between diet and cancer prevention, and it is now clear that the expression of cancer-related genes can be influenced by chemopreventive compounds in the things we eat."

Human population as well as animal studies consistently show that diets high in cruciferous vegetables, such as kale, are associated with lower incidence of a variety of cancers, including lung, colon, breast and ovarian cancer. Now, research published in the International Journal of Cancer (Zhao H, Lin J) suggests that bladder cancer can join the list.

University of Texas researchers analyzed the diets of 697 newly diagnosed bladder cancer cases and 708 healthy controls matched by age, gender and ethnicity. Average daily intake of cruciferous vegetables was significantly lower in those with bladder cancer than in healthy controls.

Those eating the most cruciferous vegetables were found to have a 29% lower risk of bladder cancer compared to participants eating the least of this family of vegetables.

Crucifers' protective benefits were even more pronounced in three groups typically at higher risk for bladder cancer: men, smokers, and older individuals (aged at least 64).

Diagnosed in about 336,000 people every year worldwide, bladder cancer is three times more likely to affect men than women, according to the European School of Oncology.

Crucifers' well known cancer-fighting properties are thought to result from their high levels of active phytochemicals called glucosinolates, which our bodies metabolize into powerful anti-carcinogens called isothiocyanates.

Isothiocyanates offer the bladder, in particular, significant protection, most likely because the majority of compounds produced by isothiocyanate metabolism travel through the bladder en route to excretion in the urine, suggested the researchers.

Kale Protective against Ovarian Cancer

In addition to its glucosinolates, kale is rich in a flavonoid called maempferol. Research calculating flavonoid intake in 66,940 women enrolled in the Nurses Health Study between 1984 and 2002 revealed that women whose diets provided the most kaempferol had a 40% reduction in risk of ovarian cancer, compared to women eating the least kaempferol-rich foods. In addition to kale, foods richest in kaempferol include non-herbal tea (like green tea), onions, broccoli, leeks, spinach, and blueberries.

A significant 34% reduction in ovarian cancer risk was also seen in women with the highest intake of the flavone luteolin (found in citrus).(Gates MA, Tworoger SS, Int J Cancer)

Optimize Your Cells' Detoxification / Cleansing Ability

For about 20 years, we've known that many phytonutrients work as antioxidants to disarm free radicals before they can damage DNA, cell membranes and fat-containing molecules such as cholesterol. Now, new research is revealing that phytonutrients in crucifers, such as kale, work at a much deeper level. These compounds actually signal our genes to increase production of enzymes involved in detoxification, the cleansing process through which our bodies eliminate harmful compounds.

The phytonutrients in cruciferous vegetables initiate an intricate dance inside our cells in which gene response elements direct and balance the steps among dozens of detoxification enzyme partners, each performing its own protective role in perfect balance with the other dancers. The natural synergy that results optimizes our cells' ability to disarm and clear free radicals and toxins, including potential carcinogens, which may be why cruciferous vegetables appear to significantly lower our risk of cancer.

Recent studies show that those eating the most cruciferous vegetables have a much lower risk of prostate, colorectal and lung cancer-even whencompared to those who regularly eat other vegetables:

In a study of over 1,200 men conducted at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle, WA, those eating 28 servings of vegetables a week had a 35% lower risk of prostate cancer, but those consuming just 3 or more servings of cruciferous vegetables each week had a 44% lower prostate cancer risk.

In the Netherlands Cohort Study on Diet and Cancer, in which data was collected on over 100,000 people for more than 6 years, those eating the most vegetables benefited with a 25% lower risk of colorectal cancers, but those eating the most crucifers did almost twice as well with a 49% drop in their colorectal cancer risk.

A study of Chinese women in Singapore, a city in which air pollution levels are often high putting stress on the detoxification capacity of residents' lungs, found that in non-smokers, eating cruciferous vegetables lowered risk of lung cancer by 30%. In smokers, regular cruciferous vegetable consumption reduced lung cancer risk an amazing 69%!

How many weekly servings of cruciferous vegetables do you need to lower your risk of cancer? Just 3 to 5 servings-less than one serving a day! (1 serving = 1 cup)

To get the most benefit from your cruciferous vegetables like kale, be sure to choose organically grown varieties (their phytonutrient levels are higher than conventionally grown), and steam lightly (this method of cooking has been shown to not only retain the most phytonutrients but to maximize their availability).

For a brief overview of the process through which cruciferous vegetables boost our ability to detoxify or cleanse harmful compounds and examples of how specific phytonutrients in crucifers work together to protect us against cancer, see our FAQ: Optimizing Your Cells' Detoxification/Cleansing Ability by Eating Cruciferous Vegetables.

Carotenoids that Lower Cataract Risk

In addition to its unique organosulfur compounds, kale is well known for its carotenoids, especially lutein and zeaxanthin. These carotenoids act like sunglass filters and prevent damage to the eyes from excessive exposure to ultraviolet light. Studies have shown the protective effect of these nutrients against the risk of cataracts, where increased eye cloudiness leads to blurred vision. In one study, people who had a diet history of eating lutein-rich foods like kale had a 50% lower risk for new cataracts.

Kale also emerged from our food ranking system as an excellent source of traditional nutrients, including vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin B6 and manganese. It is also a very good source of dietary fiber, calcium, copper, vitamin B6, and potassium. This combination of vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients makes kale a health superstar!

Kale Gets an A+ for its Pro-vitamin A

Our food ranking system qualified kale as an excellent source of vitamin A on account of its concentrated beta-carotene content. Once inside the body, beta-carotene can be converted into vitamin A, so when you eat kale, it's like getting both these beneficial nutrients at once. One cup of kale contains just 36.4 calories, but provides 192.4% of the daily value for vitamin A.

Both vitamin A and beta-carotene are important vision nutrients. In a study of over 50,000 female nurses aged 45 to 67, women who consumed the highest dietary amount of vitamin A had a 39% reduced risk of developing cataracts.

Beta-carotene has also been the subject of extensive research in relationship to cancer prevention and prevention of oxygen-based damage to cells. Beta-carotene may help to protect against certain forms of cancer since it belongs to the family of phytonutrients known as carotenoids. In population studies, consuming foods high in carotenoids is consistently found to be associated with a lower risk for various epithelial cancers. (The epithelium includes the cells that cover the entire surface of the body and line most of the internal organs.) In one study of 176 Australian men, researchers examined the diets of of a group treated for skin cancer and a group without cancer. The researchers found that men who ate more foods rich in beta-carotene, like kale, had a statistically lower risk of developing skin cancer.

Promotes Lung Health

If you or someone you love is a smoker, or if you are frequently exposed to secondhand smoke, then making vitamin A-rich foods, such as kale, part of your healthy way of eating may save your life, suggests research conducted at Kansas State University.

While studying the relationship between vitamin A, lung inflammation, and emphysema, Richard Baybutt, associate professor of nutrition at Kansas State, made a surprising discovery: a common carcinogen in cigarette smoke, benzo(a)pyrene, induces vitamin A deficiency.

Baybutt's earlier research had shown that laboratory animals fed a vitamin A-deficient diet developed emphysema. His latest animal studies indicate that not only does the benzo(a)pyrene in cigarette smoke cause vitamin A deficiency, but that a diet rich in vitamin A can help counter this effect, thus greatly reducing emphysema.

Baybutt believes vitamin A's protective effects may help explain why some smokers do not develop emphysema. "There are a lot of people who live to be 90 years old and are smokers," he said. "Why? Probably because of their diet…The implications are that those who start smoking at an early age are more likely to become vitamin A deficient and develop complications associated with cancer and emphysema. And if they have a poor diet, forget it."

If you or someone you love smokes, or if your work necessitates exposure to second hand smoke, protect yourself by making sure that at least one of the World's Healthiest Foods that are rich in vitamin A, such as kale, is a daily part of your Healthiest Way of Eating.

A Healthy Dose of Vitamin C for Antioxidant Protection and Immune Support

Kale is an excellent source of vitamin C-just one cup of this cooked vegetable supplies 88.8% of the daily value for vitamin C. Vitamin C is the primary water-soluble antioxidant in the body, disarming free radicals and preventing damage in the aqueous environment both inside and outside cells. Inside cells, a potential result of free radical damage to DNA is cancer. Especially in areas of the body where cellular turnover is especially rapid, such as the digestive system, preventing DNA mutations translates into preventing cancer. This is why a good intake of vitamin C is associated with a reduced risk of colon cancer.

Free radical damage to other cellular structures and other molecules can result in painful inflammation, as the body tries to clear out the damaged parts. Vitamin C, which prevents the free radical damage that triggers the inflammatory cascade, is thus also associated with reduced severity of inflammatory conditions, such as asthma, osteoarthritis, and rheumatoid arthritis.

Free radicals also oxidize cholesterol. Only after being oxidized does cholesterol stick to artery walls, building up in plaques that may eventually grow large enough to impede or fully block blood flow, or rupture to cause a heart attack or stroke. Since vitamin C can neutralize free radicals, it can help prevent the oxidation of cholesterol.

Vitamin C, which is also vital for the proper function of a healthy immune system, is good for preventing colds and may be helpful in preventing recurrent ear infections.

Protection against Rheumatoid Arthritis

While one study suggests that high doses of supplemental vitamin C makes osteoarthritis, a type of degenerative arthritis that occurs with aging, worse in laboratory animals, another indicates that vitamin C-rich foods, such as kale, provide humans with protection against inflammatory polyarthritis, a form of rheumatoid arthritis involving two or more joints.

The findings, presented in the Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases were drawn from a study of more than 20,000 subjects who kept diet diaries and were arthritis-free when the study began, and focused on subjects who developed inflammatory polyarthritis and similar subjects who remained arthritis-free during the follow-up period.

Subjects who consumed the lowest amounts of vitamin C-rich foods were more than three times more likely to develop arthritis than those who consumed the highest amounts.

Manganese-Energy Production Plus Antioxidant Protection

That same cup of kale will also provide you with 27.0% of the day's needs for manganese. This trace mineral helps produce energy from protein and carbohydrates, and is involved in the synthesis of fatty acids that are important for a healthy nervous system and in the production of cholesterol that is used by the body to produce sex hormones. Manganese is also a critical component of an important antioxidant enzyme called superoxide dismutase. Superoxide dismutase (SOD) is found exclusively inside the body's mitochondria (the oxygen-based energy factories inside most of our cells) where it provides protection against damage from the free radicals produced during energy production.

A Very Good Source of Fiber

Kale's health benefits continue with its fiber; a cup of kale provides 10.4% of the daily value for fiber, which has been shown to reduce high cholesterol levels thus helping to prevent atherosclerosis. Fiber can also help out by keeping blood sugar levels under control, so kale is an excellent vegetable for people with diabetes. Kale's fiber binds to cancer-causing chemicals, keeping them away from the cells lining the colon, providing yet another line of protection from colon cancer.

Calcium-For A Lot Less Calories and Minus the Fat in Cow's Milk

Kale is also very good source of calcium. Calcium is one of the nutrients needed to make healthy bones, and dairy products are a heavily promoted source of this nutrient. But unlike dairy products, kale is not a highly allergenic food, nor does it contain any saturated fat-plus, a cup of kale supplies 93.6 mg of calcium (9.4% of the daily value for this mineral) for only 36.4 calories. In contrast, a cup of 2% cow's milk provides 296.7 mg of calcium, but the cost is high: 121.2 calories and 14.6% of the day's suggested limit on saturated fat.

Vitamin E-rich Leafy Greens Slow Loss of Mental Function

Mental performance normally declines with age, but the results of Chicago Health and Aging Project (CHAP) suggest that eating just 3 servings of green leafy, yellow and cruciferous vegetables each day could slow this decline by 40%, suggests a study in the journal Neurology (.Morris MC, Evans DA, et al.) Compared to people who consumed less than one serving of vegetables a day, people who ate at least 2.8 servings of vegetables a day saw their rate of cognitive decline slow by roughly 40%. This decrease is equivalent to about five years of younger age, said lead author Martha Clare Morris, ScD, with Rush University Medical Center in Chicago.

The prospective cohort study, funded by the National Institute of Aging, used dietary data from 3,718 participants (62% female, 60% African American, average age 74). Mental function was assessed with four different tests: the East Boston Tests of immediate memory and delayed recall, the Mini-Mental State Examination, and the Symbol Digit Modalities Test, taken at the start of the study and then again after 3 and 6 years.

After adjusting the results for potential confounders such as age, sex, race, education, and cardiovascular risk factors, the researchers found that consuming an average of 2.8 vegetable servings each day was associated with a 40% decrease in cognitive decline, compared to those who ate an average of less than one (0.9) serving a day. Of the different types of vegetables, green leafy vegetables had the strongest association, said Dr. Morris.

Surprisingly, no relationship was found between fruit consumption and cognitive decline.

Morris hypothesizes that this may be due to the fact that vegetables, but not fruits, contain high amounts of vitamin E, which helps lower the risk of cognitive decline. Also, vegetables, but not fruits, are typically consumed with a little fat, such as olive oil or salad dressing, which increases the body's ability to absorb vitamin E.

The Rush University researchers plan further research to understand why fruit appears to have little effect and to explore the effects of citrus fruit, specifically, on cognitive decline.

Practical Tip: If you remember to enjoy at least 3 servings of leafy greens each day, you are much more likely to remember other things as well!

Cardiovascular Benefits

Consumption of cruciferous vegetables, such as kale, is known to reduce the risk of a number of cancers, especially lung, colon, breast, ovarian and bladder cancer. Now, research reveals that crucifers provide significant cardiovascular benefits as well.

Researchers from the University of Hawaii have shown that, at the tiny concentration of just 100 micromoles per liter, a phytonutrient found in cruciferous vegetables, indole-3-carbinol, lowers liver cells' secretion of the cholesterol transporter, apolipoproteinB-100 by 56%! Apolipoprotein B-100 (apoB) is the main carrier of LDL cholesterol to tissues, and high levels have been linked to plaque formation in the blood vessels.

When liver cells were treated with I-3-C, not only was apoB-100 secretion cut by more than half, but significant decreases also occurred in the synthesis of lipids (fats), including triglycerides and cholesterol esters. (Maiyoh GK, Kuh JE, et al., J Nutr.)

Description

Kale is a leafy green vegetable that belongs to the Brassica family, a group of vegetables including cabbage, collards and Brussels sprouts that have gained recent widespread attention due to their health-promoting, sulfur-containing phytonutrients. There are several varieties of kale known commonly as curly kale, ornamental kale and dinosaur kale, all of which differ in taste, texture and appearance. The scientific name for kale is Brassica oleracea.

Curly kale has ruffled leaves and a fibrous stalk and is usually deep green in color. It has a lively pungent flavor with delicious bitter peppery qualities.

Ornamental kale is a more recently cultivated species that is oftentimes referred to as salad savoy. Its leaves may either be green, white or purple and its stalks coalesce to form a loosely knit head. Ornamental kale has a more mellow flavor and tender texture.

Dinosaur kale is the common name for the kale variety known as Lacinato. It features dark blue-green leaves that have an embossed texture. It has a slightly sweeter and more delicate taste than curly kale.

History

Like broccoli, cauliflower and collards, kale is a descendent of the wild cabbage, a plant thought to have originated in Asia Minor and to have been brought to Europe around 600 B.C. by groups of Celtic wanderers. Curly kale played an important role in early European foodways, having been a significant crop during ancient Roman times and a popular vegetable eaten by peasants in the Middle Ages. English settlers brought kale to the United States in the 17th century.

Both ornamental and dinosaur kale are much more recent varieties. Dinosaur kale was discovered in Italy in the late 19th century. Ornamental kale, originally a decorative garden plant, was first cultivated commercially as in the 1980s in California. Ornamental kale is now better known by the name salad savoy.

How to Select and Store

Look for kale with firm, deeply colored leaves and moist hardy stems. Kale should be displayed in a cool environment since warm temperatures will cause it to wilt and will negatively affect its flavor. The leaves should look fresh, be unwilted, and be free from signs of browning, yellowing and small holes. Choose kale with smaller-sized leaves since these will be more tender and have a more mild flavor than those with larger leaves. Kale is available throughout the year, although it is more widely available, and at its peak, from the middle of winter through the beginning of spring.

Kale should be wrapped in a damp paper towel, placed in a plastic bag and stored in the refrigerator crisper. It should not be washed before storing since this may cause it to become limp. Kale can be kept in the refrigerator for several days, although it is best when eaten within one or two days after purchase since the longer it is stored, the more bitter its flavor becomes.

How to Enjoy

For some of our favorite recipes, click Recipes.

Tips for Preparing Kale:

Before eating or cooking, wash the kale leaves thoroughly under cool running water to remove any sand or dirt that may remain in the leaves. Both the leaves and the stem of kale can be eaten. After removing any roots that remain, you can just cut it into the desired shape and size.

If your recipe calls for the leaves only, they can be easily removed. Just take each leaf in hand, fold it in half lengthwise, hold the folded leaves near the base where they meet the stalk, and with the other hand, gently pull on the stem. You can also use a knife to separate the leaves from the stems.

A Few Quick Serving Ideas:

Healthy sauté kale with fresh garlic and sprinkle with lemon juice and olive oil before serving.

Braise chopped kale and apples. Before serving, sprinkle with balsamic vinegar and chopped walnuts.

Combine chopped kale, pine nuts and feta cheese with whole grain pasta drizzled with olive oil.

The taste and texture of steamed kale makes it a wonderful topping for homemade pizzas.

Safety

Kale and Oxalates

Kale is among a small number of foods that contain measurable amounts of oxalates, naturally-occurring substances found in plants, animals, and human beings. When oxalates become too concentrated in body fluids, they can crystallize and cause health problems. For this reason, individuals with already existing and untreated kidney or gallbladder problems may want to avoid eating kale. Laboratory studies have shown that oxalates may also interfere with absorption of calcium from the body. Yet, in every peer-reviewed research study we've seen, the ability of oxalates to lower calcium absorption is relatively small and definitely does not outweigh the ability of oxalate-containing foods to contribute calcium to the meal plan. If your digestive tract is healthy, and you do a good job of chewing and relaxing while you enjoy your meals, you will get significant benefits - including absorption of calcium - from calcium-rich foods plant foods that also contain oxalic acid. Ordinarily, a healthcare practitioner would not discourage a person focused on ensuring that they are meeting their calcium requirements from eating these nutrient-rich foods because of their oxalate content. For more on this subject, please see "Can you tell me what oxalates are and in which foods they can be found?"

Kale and Goitrogens
Kale contains goitrogens, naturally-occurring substances in certain foods that can interfere with the functioning of the thyroid gland. Individuals with already existing and untreated thyroid problems may want to avoid kale for this reason. Cooking may help to inactivate the goitrogenic compounds found in food. However, it is not clear from the research exactly what percent of goitrogenic compounds get inactivated by cooking, or exactly how much risk is involved with the consumption of kale by individuals with pre-existing and untreated thyroid problems. For more on this subject, please see "What are goitrogens and in which foods are they found?"

Nutritional Profile

Kale is an excellent source of vitamin A, vitamin C and manganese. It is also a very good source of dietary fiber, copper, calcium, vitamin B6 and potassium.

For an in-depth nutritional profile click here: Kale.

In-Depth Nutritional Profile
In addition to the nutrients highlighted in our ratings chart, an in-depth nutritional profile for Kale is also available. This profile includes information on a full array of nutrients, including carbohydrates, sugar, soluble and insoluble fiber, sodium, vitamins, minerals, fatty acids, amino acids and more.

Introduction to Food Rating System Chart
In order to better help you identify foods that feature a high concentration of nutrients for the calories they contain, we created a Food Rating System. This system allows us to highlight the foods that are especially rich in particular nutrients. The following chart shows the nutrients for which this food is either an excellent, very good, or good source (below the chart you will find a table that explains these qualifications). If a nutrient is not listed in the chart, it does not necessarily mean that the food doesn't contain it. It simply means that the nutrient is not provided in a sufficient amount or concentration to meet our rating criteria. (To view this food's in-depth nutritional profile that includes values for dozens of nutrients - not just the ones rated as excellent, very good, or good - please use the link below the chart.) To read this chart accurately, you'll need to glance up in the top left corner where you will find the name of the food and the serving size we used to calculate the food's nutrient composition. This serving size will tell you how much of the food you need to eat to obtain the amount of nutrients found in the chart. Now, returning to the chart itself, you can look next to the nutrient name in order to find the nutrient amount it offers, the percent Daily Value (DV%) that this amount represents, the nutrient density that we calculated for this food and nutrient, and the rating we established in our rating system. For most of our nutrient ratings, we adopted the government standards for food labeling that are found in the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's "Reference Values for Nutrition Labeling." Read more background information and details of our rating system.

Kale, boiled
1.00 cup
130.00 grams
36.40 calories
Nutrient Amount DV
(%) Nutrient
Density World's Healthiest
Foods Rating
vitamin K 1062.10 mcg 1327.6 656.5 excellent
vitamin A 9620.00 IU 192.4 95.1 excellent
vitamin C 53.30 mg 88.8 43.9 excellent
manganese 0.54 mg 27.0 13.4 excellent
dietary fiber 2.60 g 10.4 5.1 very good
copper 0.20 mg 10.0 4.9 very good
tryptophan 0.03 g 9.4 4.6 very good
calcium 93.60 mg 9.4 4.6 very good
vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) 0.18 mg 9.0 4.5 very good
potassium 296.40 mg 8.5 4.2 very good
iron 1.17 mg 6.5 3.2 good
magnesium 23.40 mg 5.8 2.9 good
vitamin E 1.11 mg 5.6 2.7 good
omega 3 fatty acids 0.13 g 5.4 2.7 good
vitamin B2 (riboflavin) 0.09 mg 5.3 2.6 good
protein 2.47 g 4.9 2.4 good
vitamin B1 (thiamin) 0.07 mg 4.7 2.3 good
folate 17.29 mcg 4.3 2.1 good
phosphorus 36.40 mg 3.6 1.8 good
vitamin B3 (niacin) 0.65 mg 3.3 1.6 good
World's Healthiest
Foods Rating Rule
excellent DV>=75% OR Density>=7.6 AND DV>=10%
very good DV>=50% OR Density>=3.4 AND DV>=5%
good DV>=25% OR Density>=1.5 AND DV>=2.5%

I LOVE the weekends!

2008-06-07T14:24:00.000-07:00

I had some juiced watermelon today

Reggie & I both had a huge kale salad for dinner- this is my new favorite salad!

My almost raw chocolate ice cream

This morning we slept in until 10:00- it was sooo nice :-) I kind of relaxed today- made some homemade ice cream, but we ended up drinking some of it as chocolate milk- it had raw og agave, raw og tahini, og cocoa, 1 pt. filtered water, goats milk, og strawberries & og frozen coffee cubes- it was yummy! We'll eat the ice cream later. I also juiced some fresh watermelon, had some organic green tea and I've been drinking lots of water- it is very hot here! I did some laundry & weeding the garden- I think tonight we're going to get some more veggie plants- ours didn't do so well- we may get some peppers, not sure what else yet. Later on for dinner, I want to make a kale salad & a new dressing that I found online- if it turns out good, I'll post the recipe. I really really want to go thrift shopping BUT I'm trying to lose some weight first so I can fit into my clothes better- I really would like to lose about 9 lbs- Reggie said the other night he could tell that I was toning up, which I thought the same thing-next time we go to the gym, I think I am going to stay longer and work out more or either I'm thinking about starting to go in the mornings and do the spin class- that would really burn some calories (but the class is at 5:30 a.m. eeek! We'll see). Reggie has been working on the house all day- so things are getting done, which is always nice. He was hinting around today about how much he enjoyed the time I surprised him with a trip to the mountains- I think he wants a trip to the mountains for his Birthday, so I need to start doing some researching. It would be great to get away from this heat and go hiking, biking, antiquing, etc. I would love to do something new though- I'll have to see what I can find. Anyway, I'm going back out to do some more weeding in my garden, I'll update later:)

Radiant Juices!

2008-06-07T12:30:00.000-07:00

Recipes

Radiant Juice
1 large eating apple, quartered
1 orange, peeled but with some pith
2 large carrots, topped, tailed, and peeled if not organic
1-inch piece of fresh gingerroot, peeled and sliced

Put all ingredients into a blender or food processor and whiz until smooth.

Tomato Juice with Garlic and Green Onions
8 large tomatoes
2 fat bulbs green onions, trimmed
4 large sprigs basil
6 large springs oregano

Roughly chop the tomatoes and green onions and put into a blender or food processor with the leaves from the basil and oregano. Whiz until smooth.

Mango, Kiwi, and Pineapple Juice
1 large ripe mango, pitted
4 kiwifruit, peeled
1 medium pineapple, top removed

Simply put all the ingredients in a blender or food processor and whiz until smooth.

Carrot and Beet Juice
4 carrots, topped and tailed
4 medium beets
3 large sprigs basil

Put the ingredients into a blender or food processor and whiz until smooth.

Radiant Lemonade

Vitamin A is essential for healthy, radiant skin and you’ll get it in abundance from the carrots in this juice. The bonus comes from the radishes—their natural constituents stimulate the cleansing function of the liver, making this the perfect juice when you’ve been a bit overindulgent or your digestive system seems slightly sluggish.

1 large carrot, topped, tailed, and peeled if not organic
10 radishes, topped and tailed
1 apple, quartered
1 beet, topped and tailed
juice and finely grated zest of 2 lemons
up to 1-1/4 cups naturally sparkling mineral water (optional)

Juice the first 4 ingredients. Add the lemon juice and zest. If you want a longer, fizzy drink, add the mineral water.

Friday

2008-06-07T07:59:00.000-07:00

On the way to see my brother:)

A few items from New Leaf

After shopping for 2 hours at my Fave store!

Moe's for dinner- we were starving!

Today was so great- I went to the gym with Cynthia this morning about 8:00 and we worked out for 1.5 hours then we hit the sauna- I did my skin brushing and stayed in there for about 30-40 minutes. Afterwards, I went home and me & Roscoe took a 2.5 hour nap- I was so tired from all of the exercising. Reggie called to wake me up to get ready to go and see my brother, Michael at the Hospital- so I got ready and we headed to see him- which was a 2 hour drive. We ran into Shaun & Amee, Brenda & her 2 girls- I had a great time talking to Amee- she told me that Shelly had told her that I knew all about healthy eating/detox to talk to me- since she was wanting to eat healthier, so I got her email and told her I would help her out. My brother was doing great after getting out of heart surgery- he said he already could tell his energy level was better- they gave him more medicine for the pain and he was talking out of his head some- we had been talking about a free cruise that was given to us and he drifted off talking about a free cruise lol- I was very happy to see that he had come through the surgery so great:) We ended up leaving soon though because the nurse said it would be best for him to rest, so we headed out to World Market to FINALLY (after 5 months) return the 2 coffee presses I got for Christmas- they gave me my $65 back in store credit and I ended up buying 2 bottles of organic, sulfite free wine & 2 organic dark chocolate bars, so used almost $30 there- I guess we'll have to go back and spend the rest another time. Next, we headed to New Leaf Co-op where they have expanded and it was so much nicer and spacier- we were there for 2 hours, no kidding! We loaded up in the bin section- we got organic everything- granola, brazil nuts, pumpkin seeds, raw sugar, black beans, yellow grits- also, we got 4 bags of organic chips for Reggie, organic miso (which I will be trying for the first time), a free carton of goats milk (I had a coupon) which had no antibiotics or growth hormones- Reggie said he would drink it in smoothies or I can make homemade ice cream with it-which I'm thinking about doing this weekend. Reggie also got some organic icecream for now until I make him some- we had such a great time, but we were starving, so we decided to go to Moes to get something to eat- afterwards we headed home- which is where it gets interesting. I popped in a second sermon cd (I listened to 1 on the way up) and I offered to drive about halfway back home since Reggie was tired- this was my first time driving the new company car...wellll needless to say, I have a lead foot and going through one of the small towns, I didn't realize there was a speed zone and I was going 62 in a 45 and when Reggie told me there was a cop it freaked me out and my automatic reaction was to step on the brakes...BIG mistake! I saw the lights go on and I pulled over. It was a young cop and I was explaining to him it was my first time driving the new car, I didn't realize I was going so fast..blah blah.. and when he walked back to run my license I started praying for God to let this guy have mercy on me and not to give us a ticket, and what do you know, he comes back and says Ma'am (it's a southern thing lol), I'm going to let you off this time with a warning, but you need to slow down okay? And I'm like yes, sir, thank you so much- I was so excited, I gave all the glory to God- I was so happy not to get an $80 ticket (which by the way was another trip to New Leaf to get groceries- that's a lot of $$!). Anyway, at that point, I let Reggie drive- I was a little shaken up- plus I normally don't drive anyway. We got home around 12:00 a.m.- I put up the groceries and had 1/2 glass of my new wine and a piece of chocolate and headed to bed where we proceeded to sleep until 10:00 this morning.

Free at Last!!

2008-06-05T08:31:00.000-07:00

My thrift lamps after I painted them- now I just need to find some shades for them- and that's my French settee after I had it recovered- I need some cute pillows now

My breakfast

I went to the gym yesterday with my friend, Cynthia and again I had such a great time- we stayed and worked out for like 1.5 hours then I did the sauna/skin brushing for about 45 minutes. Afterwards, Reggie picked me up and ran me by Sally's to pick up some things. Then we headed home & I started cooking Reggie dinner - homemade veggie lasagna and I made myself some organic rice & beans w/paprika & cayenne pepper- I shared it with Roscoe. I was talking to Cynthia while we were working out, about how I had been so content & happy lately, and that it really didn't matter to me anymore whether we moved to T-ville or stayed where we were, that I was just happy where I am at and that I felt like God would work everything out to our benefit. She was telling me that when you get to that point, that is when God can bless you- so that was very encouraging. I also decided to officially leave my job as of this week- I don't feel needed there and I don't want to sit there and get a paycheck for doing nothing- I just didn't feel right about it and I'm so much happier being home and being able to do the things that I want to do like keep the house clean, make my raw foods, listen to my sermons, go and work out when I like, etc. It's been really great! Yesterday, I was also able to call Vita cost and fix the mistake on my order and I went ahead and ordered some permanent natural hair coloring too, so I can get rid of any blond once and for all! I also found a recipe for making my own wax so I can wax my legs, face, etc. so I'm going to try it out and see how it works. Today, I have been cleaning - doing laundry, dishes, vacuuming, dusting & mopping. I also hand washed my delicates- I'll probably give Roscoe a bath before I go to the gym, then I'll be all caught up on my housework. This weekend, I hope to work in the yards and weed my veggie & herb gardens & mow the grass.

On another note, my brother, Michael is in the hospital where he is going to have to have heart surgery, so we're going up to see him on Friday. I am praying that everything will work out okay- I know God has a reason for everything that happens.

More Fave things!

2008-06-04T07:37:00.000-07:00

More of my Favorite things!

2008-06-04T07:14:00.000-07:00

Favorite things!

2008-06-04T06:55:00.001-07:00

Fashion

2008-06-04T06:38:00.000-07:00

Best Day!

2008-06-03T12:26:00.000-07:00

I had the best time at the gym-that was exactly what I've been missing in my life is exercise. I worked out for 2.5 hours and stayed in the sauna for about 30 minutes and did my deep breathing, drinking lots of h20 and skin brushing. I felt so awesome afterwards, I should have been doing this a long time ago!:) It was great catching up with Cynthia too, she really helped me out with some things spiritually. When I got home last night, I had a nice dinner of grapes, almonds, apples, organic red wine (1 glass) and a small bit of dark chocolate- I'm doing high raw but not always necessarily 100% raw- although I do want to order some raw chocolate. Today, I stayed home and gave myself a lemon peel and then put organic apple cider vinegar then fresh aloe on my skin. Later, I gave myself a wheat grass mask to detoxify my skin and had a cup of fresh mint tea (from my herb garden) w/organic lemon & organic raw agave. I also did a foot soak & Apricot & sugar scrub for my feet. I finally received my pictures in the mail today- all 300 of them and put them in my new photo albums- finally! I did some laundry and listened to a sermon- it's been the best day! In about 1 hour, I am going to head to the gym to meet Cynthia and work out and do the sauna thing again- I know one thing, my mood has improved 100% since starting back exercising- I love it! So far today, I've had 1 apple and a huge salad for lunch, I also had some coffee in the coffee press this morning, 1 glass of water so far, 1 cup of mint tea- I'll drink lots more water later!

Okay, so I'm back home now from the gym feeling awesome! This time I worked out for about 2 hours, then in the sauna/skin brushing for 20 minutes- it was super hot in there! Afterwards, Reggie brought me by Walgreens to pick up some Bio-oil (I researched it online and found out that it is really popular in Europe and is great for sun spots, which I'm trying to get rid of!) and Reggie found some natural popcorn too, then we headed home. I had some hummus and dehydrated raw corn chips with hummus, then later I had some organic red wine and dark chocolate. It's been such a great day- now I'm going to go watch some TV with my baby. Good night:)

Busy!

2008-06-02T11:55:00.000-07:00

Look at the little baby lol- I had to put Roscoe in this onesie because he kept scratching and irritating his skin-I think he likes being babied haha

My thrift shop finds- don't worry the boxers are brand new- I got these for Reggie for only .50 each!

I got 2 of these lamps from the thrift shop and I painted them, but I'm not going to post the after pictures until I buy some new lampshades- they are going to be so gorgeous!

I decided to give Roscoe a trim- he kept scratching so I thought maybe his hair was making him hot..soooo...

Here is Roscoe's new hair cut-he REALLY enjoyed me cutting it because it scratched his back -he kept backing up to the clippers lol

We finally used our French Coffee Press- I liked the coffee much better, Reggie not so much lol

Watermelon for dessert

Recycling

We have been so busy lately, working on the house, trying to get things done. I think we are going to try to head to Tallahassee Friday afternoon to go to the organic coop there to stock up on raw & organic foods- hopefully, we can stop and look at the land on the way there. Anyway, I'm on my way to meet my friend, Cynthia at the gym, I'm so excited to start working out and getting in shape! I'll be posting some before and after pictures soon!

Random stuff

2008-06-01T12:26:00.000-07:00

This watermelon was so sweet and local too!

I cleaned out the fridge!

Today has been a great day- we went to church this morning and afterwards, I went to the church book store and got another 15-20 sermon cds- I can't wait to listen to them all! The sermon today was awesome and as always it was just what I needed to hear- he preached about being out of obedience with God and if we didn't listen, that we wouldn't be blessed but instead stay in the same place- it was really great. We also went to go pick up groceries and some things from Lowe's- I stocked up on lots of raw fruits and veggies so I can be prepared once I get home from the gym every night. I skipped the avocados this time, mainly because the price went up $1.40 per bag and plus, it wouldn't hurt me to skip some fats lol. I weighed in this morning at 129 (I've just started my mensies, so minus 2-4 lbs.)- but mainly I want to measure my progress by how much I tone- I really don't want to go by weight but rather how my body looks and how my clothes fit. I'm very excited to start this new adventure- I need something like this to shake me up! So far today, I've had 2 bananas, 1 navel orange, 4 cups organic green tea (I had bad cramps-which I also took some cayenne- it seemed to help quite a bit)- I may have a salad later. I feel loads better already- I'm thinking tomorrow I'll drop off my Goodwill donations & do some shopping-mostly for shoes, handbags, belts, housewares-I don't want to buy any clothes really since I plan on losing some weight first. For now, I am going to do some work- I need to load up the recycling items in the car so we can drop them off tomorrow at the Recycling center, I also need to pack my gym bag & clean up the yards some. I'll update later:)

Update!:)

2008-05-31T13:33:00.000-07:00

Getting Watermelon and Peaches at the fruit/veggie stand

Mom took me to this Huge furniture outlet store and I just HAD to get a picture in this chair- Bow down! lol

My homemade organic laundry detergent- this smelled soooo clean and fresh! I'm not sure if it's less expensive yet, but I still like it much better than the regular detergents.

I found these organic pasta sauces and bought all of them for $2 each- what a steal!

My cheap $2 flip flops- they came in handy for our tired little feet lol

Mom insisted that she buy me these ice cream cups- aren't they so pretty? I can't wait to use them for company:)

Mom and I went shopping the last couple of days- we've been having so much fun!
Today, we went to eat at a little sandwich cafe-Dad met up with us later and ate with us also- it was really nice. I talked to my friend, Cynthia and I think Monday I am going to sign up for a 3-month gym membership- I really need to tone up and lose about 15 lbs - all of my clothes are fitting too tight and I'm not too happy where I'm at right now, so I need to do something about it. Plus, not exercising makes me kind of moody- and I would love to be smaller because my clothes fit so much better- I liked being around 115 lbs. Cynthia will exercise with me for 2 hours, then I can hit the sauna for 30-45 minutes- I wish I had time to do the pool too, but I like having a swimming partner. I also got some Nail Hardener for my nails so I can grow them out- the MSM and spirulina is working but it helps for me to keep a clear polish on my nails so I won't bite them. Hopefully, I can grow them out by Reggie's Birthday for when we go out to Micatta's. This morning, I cleaned out the guest bedroom that had all of the yard sale items and I boxed everything up and plan on bringing them to the Goodwill tomorrow after church and while I am there, I want to check out the housewares to see if they have anything new in. I also did all of the laundry and put everything up in the closets. I bought a new shower curtain, but I'm cleaning the old one to see if it comes out clean, if not I'll put the new one up- I just feel in the mood for spring cleaning- I would love to mop and dust, but Reggie is remodeling so it keeps getting dusty. My Mom & sister may be coming up in about 2-3 weeks, so maybe most of the remodeling will be finished by then. Oh, and I forgot to mention, today is my 4th or 5th day without coffee- I've been doing organic green tea instead- I haven't really noticed a difference in weight or anything, but I have noticed I am feeling less drained, so that's great!

I talked with my sister, Becky, the other day and we were talking about several of us going on a spiritual fast for this situation that is going on in our family- we want for God to show us how to handle the situation with love but yet be firm- so if you read this, say a prayer for God's will to be done in this situation- it would be great to have our family grow closer together:) I'm a huge believer in prayer!:)

New Goals!

2008-05-28T10:44:00.000-07:00

I talked to my sister yesterday and we decided to both give up coffee together and start an exercise routine together. We are both fed up with not losing weight and being tired and I've only being doing about 80% raw and I can feel the difference- I'm going back to raw because that's when I feel my best! So this morning, Reggie woke me up about 6:30 and I did some running, fast walking, jump roping & some weights- I did about 20 minutes of that and I'll do some more this afternoon. Yesterday evening while I was talking to my sister on the phone I walked for about 1.5 hours and the day before I fast walked for 1 hour, so it's a start! Today, Roscoe and I had to stay in the den again while the a/c people worked on the a/c- after exercising, I took a nap (2 hours?). So far today I've had 1 navel orange, 1 small og apple, some almonds & some og raisins along with my 2 cups of og green tea (breakfast, afternoon tea). Reggie came home for lunch and he had forgotten my shipment from VitaCost that came in so he went back and got it for me- I was so excited! And I also received these awesome prayer books that I found online for free! The website is www.christianword.org/ if anyone would like the free prayer book- it has some great spiritual warfare prayers in it for those serious Spiritual Warriors. I've already prayed several of them over my family- I may put one of these in the car and one for at home. Besides that, not much has been going on today- hopefully these guys will be done soon- I was hoping to have a nice salad and it's almost 2:00 so I may just have it for dinner, then I can do more exercising this afternoon. I'll update later:) Oh, and how could I forget? We got our new company car yesterday! I was telling my sister what a HUGE blessing that was- Dad got us the new company car & a gas card for work- now that's GOD! He is constantly blessing us and I am so thankful to Him!:) Now, we need to get the part for the Bronco and put it up for sale and we can use that money towards our loan payment.

Ready to get to our new land to start building- I hope it's soon!:)

2008-05-27T10:55:00.000-07:00

These photos were taken in August of 2007- I was hoping we'd be building on our new land by now, but we're almost finishing up here on our remodel and hopefully we can sell it soon after we are done. I just want God's will in whatever we do- I don't want my will, His is always better-He knows what is best for us. Sometimes, I just get tired of doing the same thing over and over though-I just want to be done with this house, once and for all- no more remodeling for me, thank you! lol I think the worst thing about living here for me, is that I have no true friends here that I hang out with on a daily or even weekly basis. If I want to go running or shopping, get coffee- then it's me & Reggie- although, I adore spending time with Reggie- I would love to have a girlfriend to hang out with- I really miss that alot:( Anyway, I'm not complaining, God has been really good to me & Reggie-He's truly blessed us abundantly. I do really love our church here, but I know if God's plan is for us to relocate- He will find us a church.

Oh, and by the way, the a/c people finally showed up- so maybe they will be finished today, yeah!!

Tired lately

2008-05-27T06:27:00.000-07:00

I've been so tired lately- partly from not eating as healthy as I should and drinking coffee. Yesterday, I finally did some form of exercise- I fast walked for about an hour, so that was my first real exercise and who knows how long. Today is the second day that I am waiting on the a/c people- Reggie said they had to fire someone and they are short- so I'm not really even sure if they are coming out today or not. I think I'll go back to sleep until someone shows up, if they do. If they would go ahead and come on, I could clean up the yards some- throw away that old concrete and hopefully paint my thrift shop lamps.

On another note, I am really hoping that we will be done with remodeling our house soon-mostly what we have left to do is finishing the patio ceiling, columns and ceiling fan- then we have to redo the existing bathroom, which is re-tiling the floor and putting in new sheet rock and flipping some things around. The only thing left after that is putting in a couple of new doors, ceiling fan, doorknobs, trim, small things like that. I'm really ready to get started on building our new house and being closer to family-it'd be awesome to have someone to exercise with and go shopping, have family that I can invite over for lunch or dinner. Anyway, I'm going to take a nap now-I'll update later when more interesting things are going on.

I love this song!

2008-05-26T16:01:00.001-07:00

Update

2008-05-25T10:52:00.000-07:00

So much has been going on- it's been one busy month! Friday, we went and looked at company cars with Mom & Dad and Dad went ahead and special ordered one- we will get it on Monday, so I'm really excited! Plus it gets great gas mileage- 25, 36- the salesman said it will actually get up to around 43 on the highway so that will be great for trips! Also, Dad has the A/C man coming out on Monday to put in our new air conditioner-so that makes 2 blessings in one day! We went to go hang out with my family to watch old movies and had a good time Saturday- I made some 90% raw hummus with sun dried tomatoes, zucchini, but it did have organic garbanzo beans- it was good though. Reggie took me by the store and I prayed before we got there and we found such great buys! Organic avocados - 3 for $3.99, organic lemons 3 or 4-lb bag for $4.99, Organic spring mix for .99- 8oz., organic oranges for $4.99 for 4 lbs, Organic apples for $4.99 for 3 lbs I think. I haven't been doing that great on raw, I really need to get back to eating healthier and exercising because I've been tired lately - probably from not eating right. Also, I did color my hair (temporary) and I like it sooo much better darker instead of with highlights or even light brown. I need to find a permanent hair coloring so it won't wash out. Anyway, other than that, not too much else exciting is going on - I did finally use the Sam's online photo center and I love it! They will ship photos to your home (2-3 day process) for only .08 per photo- I have lots more that I need to order. Right now I am going to go and try to help Reggie outside- he's digging a trench- getting ready for the A/C man tomorrow. I'll update later.

Graduation Party!

2008-05-24T07:37:00.000-07:00

Jesus is the only True Way

2008-05-22T11:17:00.001-07:00

Is Jesus the only way to Heaven?

Jesus only way

Question: "Is Jesus the only way to Heaven?"

Answer: "I'm basically a good person, so I'll go to heaven." "OK, so I do some bad things, but I do more good things, so I'll go to heaven." "God won't send me to hell just because I don't live by the Bible. Times have changed!" "Only really bad people like child molesters and murderers go to hell."

These are all common rationales among most people, but the truth is, they are all lies. Satan, the ruler of the world, plants these thoughts in our heads. He, and anyone who follows his ways, is an enemy to God (1Pet 5:8). Satan always disguises himself as good (2 Corinthians 11:14), but he has control over all the minds that do not belong to God. "Satan, the god of this evil world, has blinded the minds of those who don't believe, so they are unable to see the glorious light of the Good News that is shining upon them. They don't understand the message about the glory of Christ, who is the exact likeness of God" (2 Corinthians 4:4).

It is a lie to believe that God doesn't care about small sins, and that hell is reserved for "bad people." All sin separates us from God, even a “little white lie”. Everyone has sinned, and no one is good enough to get to heaven on their own (Romans 3:23). Getting into heaven is not based on whether our good outweighs our bad; we will all lose out if that is the case. "And if they are saved by God's kindness, then it is not by their good works. For in that case, God's wonderful kindness would not be what it really is - free and undeserved" (Romans 11:6). We can do nothing good to earn our way to heaven (Titus 3:5).

"You can enter God's Kingdom only through the narrow gate. The highway to hell is broad, and its gate is wide for the many who choose the easy way" (Matthew 7:13). Even if everyone is living a life of sin, and trusting in God is not popular, God will not excuse it. "You used to live just like the rest of the world, full of sin, obeying Satan, the mighty prince of the power of the air. He is the spirit at work in the hearts of those who refuse to obey God" (Ephesians 2:2).

When God created the world, it was perfect. Everything was good. Then he made Adam and Eve, and gave them their own free will, so they would have a choice whether to follow and obey God or not. But Adam and Eve, the very first people God made, were tempted by Satan to disobey God, and they sinned. This separated them (and everyone that came after them, including us) from being able to have a close relationship with God. He is perfect, and holy, and must judge sin. As sinners, we couldn't make it there on our own. So, God made a way that we could be united with Him in heaven. "For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life" (John 3:16). "For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 6:23). Jesus was born so that He could teach us the way and die for our sins so that we would not have to. Three days after His death, He rose from the grave (Romans 4:25), proving Himself victorious over death. He bridged the gap between God and man so that we may have a personal relationship with Him if we would only believe.

"And this is the way to have eternal life - to know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, the one you sent to earth" (John 17:3). Most people believe in God, even Satan does. But to receive salvation, we must turn to God, form a personal relationship, turn away from our sins, and follow Him. We must trust in Jesus with everything we have and everything we do. "We are made right in God's sight when we trust in Jesus Christ to take away our sins. And we all can be saved in this way, no matter who we are or what we have done" (Romans 3:22). The Bible teaches that there is no other way to salvation than through Christ. Jesus says in John 14:6, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me."

Jesus is the only way of salvation because He is the only One who can pay our sin penalty (Romans 6:23). No other religion teaches the depth or seriousness of sin and its consequences. No other religion offers the infinite payment of sin that only Jesus Christ could provide. No other “religious founder” was God become man (John 1:1,14) – the only way an infinite debt could be paid. Jesus had to be God so that He could pay our debt. Jesus had to be man so He could die. Salvation is available only through faith in Jesus Christ! “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12).

Good day!

2008-05-19T13:39:00.001-07:00

I organized my makeup bag finally!

I love this website for ordering natural and organic stuff- Vitacost website- only $4.99 flat rate shipping

Dr. Bronner's 18-in-1 Pure Castile Soap Hemp Almond -- 32 fl oz
Item No. 018787771327
None $8.34 1 $8.34
Ships within 24 hours

Dr. Bronner's Liquid Soap Lavender -- 32 oz
Item No. 018787774328
None $8.34 1 $8.34
Ships within 24 hours

Nature's Herbs Nettle Leaf -- 100 Capsules
Item No. 030054002699
None $3.96 1 $3.96
Ships within 24 hours

Prince of Peace Organic Green Tea -- 100 Tea Bags
Item No. 039278132007
None $4.45 2 $8.90
Ships within 24 hours (ordered me & my sister one)

Arrowhead Mills Organic Buckwheat Flour -- 32 oz
Item No. 074333471363
None $3.49 1 $3.49
Ships within 24 hours (ordered 2 of these for my Mom)

Jason Nail Saver -- .5 oz
Item No. 078522030324
None $3.39 1 $3.39
Ships within 24 hours (to help my nails grow and become stronger)

Alba Botanica Hawaiian Clear Lip Gloss - Coconut Cream -- 0.42 oz
Item No. 724742008765
None $2.92 1 $2.92
Ships within 24 hours

World Organic Chlorophyll -- 60 mg - 100 Capsules
Item No. 726899590476
None $6.49 1 $6.49
Ships within 24 hours

Burt's Bees Super Shiny Shampoo Grapefruit & Sugar Beet -- 12 Fluid Ounce
Item No. 792850805996
None $5.19 1 $5.19
Ships within 24 hours (one for me & my sister)

Burt's Bees Super Shiny Conditioner Grapefruit & Sugar Beet -- 12 Fluid Ounce
Item No. 792850806993
None $5.19 1 $5.19
Ships within 24 hours (one for me & my sister)

NSI Saw Palmetto -- 540 mg - 300 Capsules
Item No. 835003004355
None $9.99 1 $9.99
Ships within 24 hours (one for me & my sister)

NSI Cayenne -- 600 mg - 180 Capsules
Item No. 835003007356
None $4.99 1 $4.99
Ships within 24 hours (great natural pain relief)

Today has been such a good day, I accomplished so much- 2 loads of laundry, mopped up the floors, did the dishes, made my internet order, put up laundry, balanced my checkbook, paid some bills. I still need to exercise, paint my thrift shop lamps, do my online photos at Sam's and make Reggie Quiche for dinner and I wanted to go to the thrift shop but I may wait until tomorrow- that's alot of things to do! lol

More things I love

2008-05-18T19:56:00.000-07:00