Working It

I wrote a post for Monday, but something happened and the computer ate it. I was busy and didn't feel like rewriting it....so no Monday post. However I did have a great weekend....one of learning lessons....coming round to change. Saturday was a rainy rainy day til the evening....I saw everyone off on their camping trip...me I have no vacation time...so can't go...which is good and bad....then went back to bed til around 11. Got up, made some Master Cleanse lemonade...then went out. The plan was to get socks for everyone, get some soap, maybe some seeds and potting soil for starting the garden stuff.....go to Lowe's, Target, maybe Kohl's......as I approached the shopping area I thought I would just check out TJ Maxx.......yah. I never made it any further. Ended up doing something that I love to do....kind of like turning up good music loud....and that is indulge in things. Not useless things, but lots of 'things' none-the-less. Things like soaps....I love buying good bath soaps,and found some lovely soaps from Italy, some Caswell-Massey Freesia soaps, these nicely scented "Flamingo" soaps...big thing in their favor is that they weren't colored flamingo pink or anything like that....I dislike unnaturally colored soaps, and also a large bar of a lovely coconut soap. I also found some nice liquid hand soaps for the boys to use....they are much more likely to actually wash with soap on their hands when there is liquid soap than bar soap which if they touch it they think they've used it. Ok. So far so good....soaps are necessary things....not a bad little indulgence. Then I found 3 nesting baskets woven someplace in Indonesia...nice for helping to keep a handle on the clutter in our house, reasonably priced for my budget though probably not for the true cost of having them shipped here....or the labor involved in making them. I also found some really cool smallish oval plates made in Italy (I love good Italian things...) they're called 'Veggie Notes' and have nice veggies wrapped up in sheet music on them..clever and there were 4 different ones...carrots, red onions, tomatoes and asparagus...had to get them for my sister and her husband who is a professional cellist.....and I found Italian pasta in 5 different natural colors, red, orange, yellow, green and black...the black being done with squid ink...I bought 2 packages of different shapes....very cool....thinking of using them at a dinner party to make this wonderful recipe from Matthew Kenny's Mediterranean Cookbook....and I found organic ginger cookies with a dark chocolate coating around the bottoms...and a bag of Lindt dark chocolate truffles for a song, and these wonderful condiments...roasted red peppers, roasted yellow peppers, large green olives, small kalamata olives, a Vidalia onion relish, and Maury Island jam. Maury Island jam is the best....I bought 3 jars of marionberry, 2 jars of strawberry rhubarb and 2 of raspberry, and then a datebook from teNeues....flowers....need it to alert myself to key meetings at work, seeing as the calendar system we use is retarded....lovely water color paintings of beautiful flowers....only $3...and last but not least...socks. 6 packages of socks for 'the boys'.....they should be happy. And that was my shopping extravaganza. While I am very happy with what I got....I do have buyer's remorse. I spent very nearly our week's food budget (and it is a generous one) in one afternoon. I indulged. Kind of like fiddling while Rome is burning, kind of doing it while I still can....but while I like having the things I bought...(I wouldn't return any of it...) I feel guilty for having spent the money. Dakota needs new glasses, we just bought 2 tires for the van, I want to buy stuff for the garden...compost, potting soil to start seeds.....maybe rent a rototiller to till the soil..... but enough about that. Sunday was as sunny as Saturday was rainy...a glorious day to be outside. I spent much of Sunday working in our garden area....pulling up the old dead plants and putting them in a pile....digging up the weeds...the wet earth made it very easy to get out even the most deeply rooted weeds....I left in a few things that looked interesting....a couple of mullen plants, something I have no idea what it is....just a beautiful dark green rosette of leaves, the parsley, cilantro and chives...what looked to be a few lettuce plants and some tiny things growing possibly tomato plants..not sure what they are. What I did not leave were any sunflower sprouts, I apologized to them as I pulled them up but I unfortunately am very allergic to them. Will have to try some other flowers this year. Got a bit of sun doing that....but no lobster face.....and got to hang out with my sweet kitty who loves it when we are outside. Later in the day I went and spent sometime doing some more seedling transplanting for our garden coop....that was very nice. In the evening my oldest son came over for dinner and some movies. It was good to see him...and to feed him. He is living on a shoestring....a rather frayed shoestring....needs to find a better job....so I feed him whenever I can get him over. I cooked a whole chicken....and let him have it all...what he didn't eat at dinner I sent home with him. I have been mostly drinking the Master Cleanse lemonade....but eating some in the evenings. Yesterday was the first day I didn't eat. I did have 4 of the Lindt dark chocolate truffles...but that's all. Today...I hope to not even have those. I very much would like to get rid of this pillow around my middle....not to mention do some serious cleansing. Hope to do this through Sunday.....one day down....6 to go.
7 days is a decent fast. Also went to hear Bill McKibben speak last night...he has a book out called Deep Economy....about what is happening and going to be happening.....and learned about a citizen action sponsored by his group...Step It Up....ie step up what we are doing to reverse global warming...unless it's okay that sealevel rises 25 ft...polar bears have no place to live, large mountains have no snow, all glaciers melt out of existence etc.
Think of all coastal cities being under water. Please google...stepitup2007.org....and find an action in your area...APRIL 14th....fun things...but serious things...need to get our government moving on this. (Not to mention ourselves......)
ciao bellas
Alessandra
ps Bill McKibben has written many excellent books......check them out.....and support your local independent bookstore!!!

A Welcome Shift

Today feels like a good day. Not any easier, but something has shifted in me and I think I can do this again. However, I am doing it a bit differently as I had gotten tired of the work of juicing, the time involved to make it and clean the machine...twice a day......so today I am just having Master Cleanse lemonade. So far so good...it's the evening that will tell the tale, and what can I say? Nothing til the story's been writ. Hold fast, hold firm. I feel and look much better today than yesterday. I think I can, I think I can, I think I can, I think I can..........
til the morning...
ciao bellas!
Alessandra

If at first you don't succeed

I can't believe I didn't post yesterday....but then, I do wonder if I even have any readers. If you are reading this, will you at least say hello, so I know if even one single solitary soul cares to read this? Yesterday was another one of those days, filled with good intentions, which didn't last. Noooooo....didn't last. Ate a small bag of pretzels from the vending machine, then had a piece of chocolate decadence cake while food shopping, then finished off the chocolate part sans way too much icing, left from my husband's birthday cake, then a bit of guac and chips. And of course I went to bed with a pounding heart, and wide awake head, all worked up. I did take a handful of Primal Defense as an antidote....probably did help, but I lay in bed, feeling blue.....but it got all worked out by morning. I just really hate modern life...living so far from all of my family, not being able to afford to go see them, feel like a virtual person in a virtual world, can't afford to go anywhere, upset with myself for not doing better with this juice feast, feeling at a loss as to direction....but as I said. It all felt sorted out by morning. I do want to move from our house. It is larger than we need, more expensive than we can afford and still have a life, and I want to live in an area where it feels more like a community instead of the modern suburbia where we are...sterile, etc. I mean our neighbors are friendly enough, but we hardly ever connect with any of them. No kids for our kids to play with, old folks and babies live around us.....etc. So, got up, made more juice this morning.....didn't wash my hair or clean the juicer......tired, but determined. Something's gotta give here.....and it's going to be the bad habits not the good. Today, I will do 100% juice. Will I really? I will let you know tomorrow. It is the plan. I used to journal on Michelle's FromSadtoRaw website...then dropped off. Even Michelle seems to have dropped off. I hope she is doing well.......she has not posted for herself in over 3 months, and rarely updates the site anymore. I wouldn't be surprised to find it gone one day. I don't want it to leave, but I think it's over. sigh.
But this here, is far from over. So I don't do 13 weeks and a day...I can still do 10 weeks and 2 days.....okay, stop laughing at me. I can do it!!!

Starting over

I was going to start over on Sunday, but I had too much to do, so didn't get my juice all made, I got it half made, then had to go to the community gardening gathering, so had to put it in the fridge and make the other half this morning. So, my juice today isn't as fresh as normal, but it is still good, and I couldn't let it go to waste. It's a lovely combo with beets and daikon, lots of dandelion and parsley, kale, apples, carrots. No cucumber. or maybe, and definitely celery. A bit on the sweet side, but I am doing the beets for my liver....wanting to help it out as much as possible. The garden gathering starts out with a potluck, so I made my reknowned lentil soup. Started out with some organic turkey broth made from last Thanksgiving's turkey....then cut up and put in a whole butternut squash, a cup of green lentils and a cup of red lentils, let that cook until soft, then added the veggies. A large yellow onion, lots of celery, kale, leftover fresh cilantro and parsley, it was so yummy just like this, but then I added curry, fresh grated ginger (a fair bit) one jar of Seeds of Change garlic, cilantro salsa, spicy, then a large can of crushed tomatoes...needed only a small can with the salsa in there as well, so it got a bit tomatoey, but it all balanced out in the end, and was declared truly delicious by all. Also added many many cloves of fresh garlic. This was a get well, stay well soup, as I gave some to our oldest son who is suffering from that very nasty cold that is going around.
So, I ate that plus half an avocado with salsa and chips, and then one pita pizza and a med bowl of Clifford Crunch. I sometimes feel I should be a purist, as I really am into raw, but I am never going to be. I may on occasion eat some meat, still eat some dairy, still eat some cooked foods. I know myself. I will. But for now, I am recommitted to juice feasting. I know I have not done well with it recently, but I also know that if I feel hungry, all I need to do is ignore it, it will go away. If I feel temptation, just put the 30 minute rule into effect. See how I feel in 30 minutes. I want to give the juice feasting a go for many reasons. Getting healthier, losing weight, and seeing something through. Even if I have not been 100% with it, doing all of this juicing has definitely changed me. I have lost weight and kept it off (7 pounds), when I do eat, I don't want or need as much. And the more I do it, the more I want to do it. My body wants and needs it. Which is not to say I will be able to do a 92 day stretch. I am not on a beach in a warm climate, sans kids, etc. However, I know others with more in their lives than I have done it....so...I will give no excuses for my lapses. None needed. I am also changed in my awareness, my consciousness. Much more aware of how rough I have gotten around the edges.....trying to bring myself to a state of grace where I am always happy with my actions. While I am sometimes dismayed with myself, mostly I am just so grateful to be on this journey. I am learning so much.
ciao bellas
Alessandra

Me Against Me

So...still juicing, and still eating food in the evenings. I am very annoyed with myself, as on juice I feel great, high, wonderful and after I eat I feel dull, blah, fat, annoyed. But rather than beat myself up about this, I have decided it's actually rather interesting.....I keep on trying...keep on juicing and one of these days I am going to just get tired of the back and forth, tired of finding myself disappointing myself yet again, and get with the program. I am going to just do it. I ate mostly very good food...a bit of mango, some guacamole and chips, 1/2 of a pita with cucumber, tomato and carrots in it.....and some jalapeno ranch dressing and spicy salsa that I spiced up even more with some dried chipotle I had ground up. But damn. I didn't need to do it. I didn't NEED to do it. I didn't even WANT to do it. I just did it. Went against myself and did it. I do not like how that feels. Going against myself....doing what I KNOW I do not want. It makes me feel icky. It is icky. And dumb. I am not going to do it anymore. So.....after a wonderful juice start, I went out and checked out the Recycle Yard...they have lots of doors, counters, light fixtures, mirrors, etc. I found a new plastic toilet seat, and some ceramic tiles...got them all for only $2. The tiles turned out to be the wrong size, but the toilet seat should make a nice back up...I don't like it that our plastic toilet seats broke a little...nothing serious...and actually I would like to replace them with wooden or other toilet seats..not cheapo plastic...don't ask me why I bought it. Then I went to the Salvation Army Thrift Shop, saw a free standing armoire type thing....all pressed board...heavy...but nice looking, but in the end decided no. Glad I did. But I did get some brass pots, and terra cotta shallow dishes to put under pots....and then went to home depot and mcguckins and got some flowers to put in the pots. Tomorrow my son and I are going to help out at a community garden...can't wait the people seem really nice...really good. The weather will be awesome as well. Saw my neighbor across the street out tonight...he was wearing a green tshirt, and was just slightly inebriated...lol...I told him my pheasant story...he enjoyed that...and told me to go put on some green. I wore mostly white and light yellow today. So...feeling fat and bleah...must do only juice tomorrow. It has been 17 days...and I am soon heading for less than a 50% ratio. No No No. 75 days left. I have wasted almost an entire week. at least. Time to get with the program or at least sort out what it is I want to do. ai yi yi.
time for bed.

Magic in the Air

The best laid plans often go astray. Yesterday was to have been the easy, no cheat day, then events conspired (and I conspired against myself) for it not to be. I conspired against myself by finding a website with lots of yummy recipes, and made myself very hungry looking and copying the ones that I found to be especially good. I was looking for something special to make for a hike were are doing with some friends tomorrow....and got carried away. So made myself very hungry, even though I had very good juice yesterday. and ate 6 shortbread girlscout cookies. Bad Bad Bad..And my juice was especially yummy...made with the ususal plus lots of dandelion greens and granny smith apples for a wonderful flavor, but I still felt hungry silly me. I used to ignore that feeling. Today's juice is the same only I used half granny smith and half fuji....and added daikon back in after seeing it work it's magic on the beasties inside. There was a clump of 'spaghetti' in the toilet...could only be critters. Dead critters now. So made sure to remember the daikon today, along with lots more dandelion greens......
Second event which totally threw me off track was a wonderous encounter with a male ringnecked pheasant, a youngish one I think. I was driving home on the small back road, and saw it in the middle of the road. I slowed down, honked at it, stopped and opened my door to shoo it away, but it was in a daze....so I pulled over and parked my car on the side of the road, and gently picked it up. It was in a state of shock, obviously from a close encounter with a vehicle, but otherwise had no sign of injury. Another woman had also stopped, and she helped me put it in my van. I was initially thinking to put it in a box or something, but it has the longest longest tail feathers so that was not possible, and probably for the best. Instead I just set it gently on the back seat, and drove home. My husband was there, as well as our realtor. I told them I have a pheasant in my car and I need to take it to the Humane Society. They came out, tried to take a look but the windows are tinted so the view isn't that great, plus the bird was feeling better and getting a bit jumpy. So I drove off, the bird was very quiet while I drove, went to the Humane Society,to see what they thought.......they weren't sure, but after I told them how long it was, went and got a large dog carrier to put it in. We went out, they decided it probably was wild, and as it was starting to seem like it was okay, said it would be best to release it back where it had been found. Since that was out by where I live, and needed to go, I said I would do it. So, we put the bird in the carrier (it let me pick it up, this time with some vocalization, but still fairly calm) we put it in the dog carrier and I drove it to the exact spot where I had found it, took it off the road aways, to an area with lots of brush and tall grass and opened the carrier. The bird looked around for a few seconds and then shot off into the brush. It was such a beautiful beautiful bird, I was thrilled to have had the opportunity to hold it, to see it up close, and equally thrilled that it wasn't seriously injured and got to go back home. That gave me a wonderful high which I still feel.......what an interesting week for bird encounters. Since my evening was taken over by this event and I still had chorus to get to, juicing for dinner just wasn't possible so I had an avocado with the salsa I had made (oh it was so good!) along with some white corn chips for my dinner. Not such a bad dinner. Had a bit more when I got home, which I didn't exactly need, but oh it was so yum!
Today is back to juice....and the 64 million dollar question is....can I stay committed and strong to only juice?
I think I can, if I make myself a fruit juice treat as soon as I get home. Mind over matter. I can do it!
I want to talk about colon and liver health in one of my next posts....signs of sluggish tired liver, as well as how to heal, restore the liver and colon to health and why it is so imperative to do so if you want to stay healthy and have energy, and not get the typical diseases that befall us as we continue on into the second half century of our lives.
ciao bellas!
Alessandra

Gratitude

It is so amazing to me to see how true it is, that when you take actions to move towards your goals the universe is right there with you, supporting you.....giving you all that you need, putting things into motion, bringing things into play before you consciously are aware you even want or need them. That is what is happening to me today, and I am feeling so joyous and grateful for it all....it gives me the strength and courage to go on. I am feeling my emotions quite a lot today, and my insecurities are all ganging up on my like the monsters under Calvin's bed (of Calvin & Hobbes comics) but I know them for what they are, so they aren't getting very far in their attempts to bring me down. (Not that I haven't cried a few tears this morning...but they have been cleansing tears.) This has been partly because of the juice feasting, even though I have not been able to refrain from eating a bit these past 4 days, any kind of fasting, brings emotional cleansing and healing as well as physical. It's all good. My juice yesterday and the evening before has had a fair amount of beet in it....which works on the liver....and I know my liver has issues....don't know exactly what they are...but between my past extremes of high chocolate consumption...(would that I could live on bread and chocolates and wine) and alcohol consumption....not often, but at times way too much at one time, which is so very hard on the body (though it feels so very good at the time.....)...and my two periods of high emotional stress last year over employment issues......as well as just being past that half century mark, and having it all adding up....even though I mainly eat and have eaten all of my life, a very good diet.....so. To make a long story short, I realized last night, early this morning, that my liver still needs alot of tlc....and so I am recommitted to juice feasting and not cheating, and will be having more beets (and daikon) in my juice. I think beet and daikon balance each other out quite well. This morning I didn't have any beet left, but I did buy a large bunch of dandelion greens yesterday (before beet consciousness) so put a ton of them in this mornings juice. So...today's juice is pretty much the ususal, parsley, kale, celery, dandelion greens, cucumber, grannysmith apples, and carrots. I want to get more beets and beet greens......maybe tomorrow as I don't think I will have time today...I have chorus tonight which is a blessing as I will be busy all evening and not cheating will be very easy to accomplish, so hopefully with new liver awareness, and one good day under my belt I will be able to continue on with just juice for another good stretch. I do want to do it for at least a solid month if not an entire 92 days....it is such a wonderful thing, and as Angela Stokes said just today on her blog, taking in just juice is sooo sooooo nice. I am missing my wonderful all juice high and my body so loves the juice. Speaking of the universe stepping in, here is what happened that I am so happy and excited as I have found and will soon be connecting up with some lovely wonderful people who are doing things that will feed my soul. My so hungry soul, which has been longing for this kind of connection....see below

Welcome to all the potential new gardening community friends!

You are getting this email because you have expressed interest in our Sunday afternoon garden “Happenings”. Here is more information about them, as they are evolving:

WHO:

Initially conceived as an opportunity for advanced and hands-on training in gardening and food production technology, the group has morphed into somewhat of a ‘village’ concept of gardening, grounded in a few locations. Neighbors are sharing resources and land, plans are forming, and those more experienced in gardening are helping those with less experience.
WHAT:

We start off with a potluck at noon. Around 1 or 1:30, we move into the “Do-Shop” of gardening activities for the day. There may be some folks who branch off into more technological and/or landscape design directions, while others want to involve themselves in the actual food crops themselves and how to produce them in our region. There are so many things to learn about this process and while some are learning the basics, others are pushing the envelope towards creating a sustainable neighborhood-based food production model that honors many natural, theoretical and spiritual systems. At the end of our work, we meet for a gratitude circle, and gather for more in-depth learning about what we just experienced, as well as related issues. The “satsang”, as we are calling it, is open to anyone who wishes to share and/or wishes to learn in a more focused manner.

This is so great!!!!!
!
blessings to all
ciao bellas!
Alessandra

Ebb and Flow

All things ebb and flow. The weather, our emotions, events, energy....life. Today is an ebb day. The energy is more pulled in, more reserved. Which is good. Need to have balance. I love the highs, I can see why people who have bi-polar issues hate to be medicated. The highs feel so good, but they are too high, too out there to make connections with other more grounded realities, but I can imagine it is hard to find the right thing to bring you back in, but not dull you. I sometimes get a bit out there with my energy, but I don't have the extreme downward swing. I have the ebb and the flow...... Yesterday was only partially successful. I drank my green juice all day, didn't touch the lemonade, wasn't really wanting it, it was just in case, and went home and made more juice, but also made more delicious yummy food....and had to taste it. I also was feeling hunger during the day as I am not totally in 'feasting' mode, and I had to meet the pizza delivery person to receive the pizza that was ordered for a meeting, it smelled so good, but I knew the reality of eating it so didn't. I ate a chocolate truffle instead. And later, when I knew there was still pizza and it was still calling my name, though I did not want to eat it....I had another chocolate truffle. Not terrible to my way of thinking, while it may mess up cleansing it messes up fasting less than even a bite of pizza would. At home I have been cooking like I work at a restaurant...my 10 year old told me at dinner that I should open a restaurant...which was a nice compliment. Dinner was brown rice, and bean burritos. I took a can of Rosarita refried jalapeno salsa pinto beans, and a can of Rosarita green chili with lime pinto beans, added diced red onions, garlic, cilantro, oregano and cumin plus some of this wonderful organic lime marinade I found on the clearance shelf at Target. I am so glad I got all they had as it is wonderful. Then I took the grape tomatoes that were needing to be used, cut them in half, put them in the blended with some canned green chilies I had already pureed, chopped those up pretty good, put them back in the pan, added red onion, garlic, cilantro, oregano, cumin, a can of organic crushed roasted tomatoes, a bit of crushed dried chipotle pepper, and a touch of ketchup to take the edge off...and made salsa. And I made fresh guacamole again. Organic avos have been a real deal at 99 cents each so we have quite a few around the house. I put a large flour tortilla in the skillet, put a light sprinkling of pepper jack cheese on it, some beans, rice and a little salsa, folded it over from each direction so it looked kind of like a flattened cannoli (if you can picture that....) browned the tortilla slightly on both sides and put on a plate. Served with the guacamole and white corn chips...dinner was a hit. I had to taste everything esp the salsa and the guacamole...I didn't eat alot, but it does have an effect. I don't know what I am going to do about this bad habit I have gotten into......need to really bite the bullet. So, as the saying goes, if at first you don't succeed, try try again. Maybe I need to make myself another treat juice. It truly is just a matter of discipline, of mind over matter.....and truly being determined, serious, dedicated, committed. And I have not been. I say I want to be, but I don't follow through. That's okay and it's not okay. I mean, what is it I really want? What I want is great health and that lovely juice feasting high energy. I won't get the great health benefit if I don't tighten up, as the cleansing process cannot resume til I stop eating. Cheating. Okay. Word up.
There is a lovely blog online... rawketscience.blogspot.com I love this blog. Lots of wonderful things shared there. Here, all you get is me, and some nice photos......I would love to give you more,...have to work on that. My cooking spree has given me the idea of bartering my cooking for services, goods. I am quite a good cook...I love to do it, and have really gotten into the flow of it. I can come up with something yummy and creative with almost any ingredients......just whatever is lying around, and recipes don't throw me at all....I don't sweat doing them exact..I use them for ideas, for a jumping off point. Some obviously need to be followed more closely than others and I love love love fresh food..fresh veggies...fresh fruits. We have in the house right now, pears, kiwi, mango, apples, bananas, lovely red bell peppers, lacinato kale, parsley, cilantro, red onions, yellow onions, garlic, avocados, carrots, yukon gold potatoes, rice milk, dairy fresh whole milk, butter, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, apple cider vinegar, rice vinegar, raspberry vinegar, pine nuts, almonds, macadamia nuts, walnuts, pecans, pumpkin seeds, dried sour cherries, frozen apricots and raspberries, bought fresh and organic last summer,grated reggiano parmesan cheese, laura chenel goat cheese, irish cheddar cheese, pepperjack cheese, roma tomatoes, couscous, tortillas, sourdough bread, whole wheat bread, pita bread, hummus, raw tahini, miso, earth salt (it's pink), fresh ground black pepper, old bay seasoning, nutritional yeast, raisins, currents, red lentils, green lentils, butternut squash, daikon root, celery, cucumber, broccoli, dried chipotle chilies, ginger root, nama shoyu,mayo, horseradish mustard, canned tuna, baked chicken breasts in mediterranean sauce, baked turkey tenderloin (my husband and boys are currently meat eaters....me I will still eat a little....) cocoa powder, raw cocoa nibs, almond extract, vanilla extract, raw honey, raw agave nectar, dried cane juice sugar, brown sugar, eggs, whole and white spelt flour, oats, brown rice, jasmine rice, all kinds of spices, salsa, white corn chips, blue corn chips and on and on....99% of all foodstuffs in our house are organic, .I love having all of this stuff and more. It's magically delicious!! And of course I have lots of cookbooks, Rawsome by Brigitte Mars, Real Food Real World by Sarma Mellingelis and Matthew Kenny, Living Cuisine by Renee Loux Underkoffler, the new Gourmet cookbook, Joy of Cooking, Fit for Life Cookbook, Moosewood, Field of Greens, Tassajara, and quite a few others. My new favorite is Matthew Kenny's Mediterranean Cooking....got it from the library, really need to buy my own copy....as I love almost every recipe in there. Also like Jeremy Saffron's raw cookbook......have from the library also....and lots of printed out raw recipes I find online.........no wonder I find it hard not to cheat...I do love food......good food....
Today's juice is parsley, kale, celery, beet, daikon, carrot, broccoli, apple. It's quite good, not too anything.
And on that lovely note I will say ciao bella per oggi.....and promise you I will not cheat today. Promise myself.
Alessandra

Juice Glorious Juice

Ahhh...juice. I have missed my juice. Only went without it one day, but it was clear to me that I want my juice, I need my juice. I tried doing the easy route, ie the master cleanse lemonade, but it just seemed too sweet and unbalanced to me, lacking in essential somethings.... So today, I forewent (past tense of forego?) my shower to make time for juice. Yes I could have gotten up earlier, but I like my, need my, sleep. It does take a bit of time as well, to adjust to the time change. Love it at 4 in the afternoon, but hate it at 6 in the morning. So, I have not been 100% juice these past two days. I was going to be good yesterday, but I wasn't. I ate bread, that lovely sourdough levain that is so good, with sauteed red bell peppers and onions, by itself, with a little bit of goat cheese (spanish, very bitter), with a little bit of butter, dunked in my lemonade, and also a small bowl of cereal with milk. (Clifford Crunch....yum). This morning, I made my yummy parsley, kale, sm bit of dandelion greens, cucumber, celery, carrot, apple juice. Would have put in daikon but forgot about it til I was cleaning the machine. It tastes and feels so good to my body to have this juice. I only made 2 bottles worth so brought a leftover bottle of lemonade for the 3rd, but as soon as I get back home I am making more green juice.....it is marvelous. I have recommitted to just juice for another spell...of hopefully at least 10 days if not longer, with zero cheats. My body is making some great changes with all of this juicing and I really want to support it in that. I also took another swig of the Gaia Vitex Elixir this morning, I think that is helping with my mellow mood. I was very proud of myself as I flowed with the traffic this morning, I was nearly perfect, not stressing anything, driving just right...in the zone. Yesterday was a good day as well, cleaned the kitchen up thoroughly after dinner as well as this one table that collects everything. Got it pretty well cleared off and sorted out. I put a call into our realtor yesterday to get an idea of what we need to do to sell our house, to get the process started. I know I will definitely be cleaning everything with a fine toothbrush, as the previous owners were not big on cleaning the details, cooked alot with oil so oil was coating the ceiling and cabinets in the kitchen near it, (icky sticky oil residue), as well as all of the baseboard tops were coated with grime. The wife wasn't well for a while and had an elderly mother to look after, but they could have afforded to have someone come in and clean...they sort of did when they were leaving, but they went cheap and hired a handyman type whose forte was not cleaning. And wierdest of all, there were fine flecks of blood on the walls all over the house. Not lots but they were in almost every room. You would see a speck on the wall, a small spot, go to wipe it and it was dried blood. Wierd. Was it a ritual thing (they were India Indian) or an illness thing? I am not worried about germs, just thought it strange to find it all over. Hoping to see the owl again today. We have an owl or two near our house, and last night I heard it hooting after we got in bed. Feel like it's a sign of some kind....not a bad sign. Just a sign of paying attention to the subtle energies that are out there....my tarot reading reinforced that as well....seems like I am right where I should be, in a good place, and definitely should be doing everything that I am doing...going forward into the unknown....staying aware, alert.....
ciao bellas
Alessandra

Spring has Sprung!*!*!*!

It is definitely spring here....maybe a bit earlier than some parts of the country, but spring is showing up all over the place. The weather, the animals, the plants. Last weekend when we went out walking we saw crocuses.....pretty purple and saffron and white crocuses....this weekend there were more crocuses and daffodils and violets as well!! And the birds are getting active with nesting and the larger plants are focusing their energy getting ready to burst forth in fine displays of vibrant greenery. And we have daylight savings time. As much as I love my sleep and hate losing an hour of it in the mornings I love the sunlight of the day and rejoice as every afternoon and evening seem to last that much longer. We had a wonderful weekend. On Saturday I went to an all day workshop about the coming financial crises and it gave me much to think about. I have to do alot more research in this area as I just cannot accept some of the doomsday scenarios I am hearing. Still know we do have to sell our house. That is one point my husband and I can agree upon, but the big question is, and do what? That is a point that needs some serious investigation as well as just alot of trusting and faith that the universe will show us the way, that if we ask, we will receive. I am not a church going religious person, but I was brought up in the church and am a spiritual person. Much more earth and nature oriented, a pagan if you would, but not in any formal sense. It was a good day to be indoors all day as it was cloudly, cool and even rainy for a part of it. And at home, everyone was content, the boys had a friend over for nearly the entire day and had a very good time. Sunday the opposite of Saturday, warm and sunny, blue blue skies.....we went downtown, dropped off a ton of books at the library, then took a long walk along the creek, then back up through some interesting old neighborhoods, cool old houses, cut over to the food co-op, got some mangoes, kiwis, avocados, tomatoes, tea and a couple of beautiful stone bowls, tannish, green and cream one med soup bowl sized, one smaller condiment sized. I am going to give them to my oldest son for his birthday next month. Today is my closest brother's birthday. Closest in age, if not in fact, but I am reasonably close to 2 of my brothers, and hardly at all to the 3rd. Have to figure out how to reconcile myself with his religious and political beliefs which are antithical to my own. But that is not the point of love is it? If I love my brother I love him. No matter what. And I do love my brother, but I still need to progress in my ability to love unconditionally...to grow my heart. I love this juice feasting as it keeps me closer to truth. And to be truthful, I will own up (as I always have with you) to the fact that I have not done this juice feasting 100%, I have had days where I have eaten small amounts of food, anywhere from finger licking while preparing dinner for my family, to eating small amounts of foods I just had to have, to yesterday, where I ate what ended up being a proper meal. But the food was good. And I was hungry. It was a wonderful tomato/bread 'salad' that was made with truly delicious red red tomatoes, some very good sourdough bread, fresh basil, garlic and raspberry vinegar with olive oil, and generous amount of finely sliced sweet onion. Oh such a treat. My 12 yr old liked it so well he wanted some in his lunch today. And then there was more yummy guacamole, which I ate with my fingers, no chips, and the sauce that I made for the chicken breasts that I baked. It was sour cream (in lieu of yogurt which I did not have) with raw tahini, lemon juice, honey, cumin, garlic (lots), cayenne (lots), salt and pepper...oh it was soo good, and the chicken turned out so good with it, I did cut a tiny piece off of the end of one chicken breast and ate it. And I put thin slices of the rest of the sweet onion on top of the sauce covered chicken breasts as they baked. Yum. I almost went further, as I was giving my oldest son (soon to be 24) some of the 3 cakes my husband had gotten because of his birthday, but my husband who had not seen me eating the tomato salad earlier (though I am sure he suspected) caught me and said, no! You are juice feasting, you can't eat cake!!! So he did not allow me to...which is good, for I would have. Today, I am back on juice and hope to be strictly good for the entire week...cannot cheat today or all is lost...and I have seen some wierd, needed to leave the body, gunk in my poo. So, must tighten up again. Today I am drinking the master cleanser lemonade, it is allowed on this juice feast and was quicker to prepare than my usual juice. I am going to do green juices etc. tomorrow as I have alot of produce that I need to use up, but then I am going to do the master cleanser for at least a week, to accelerate weight loss, give myself a break as far as juice preparation and clean up as well as the expense of all of the produce. I may alternate weekly between the two. And I plan to continue this indefinitely as I do love the juice feasting aspect and feeling and even if I have small times of eating food, mostly all raw, I am still benefitting from it all tremendously, both physically, mentally and emotionally. I was feeling quite emotional last night at bedtime, got up and went down and found my sweet kitty and cried into his fur, but then went and drank my Gaia Vitex Elixir as I knew it was just hormonal imbalance making me feel so blue, and it fixed me right up and I went to sleep. However I did not sleep great, I had an ache in an area that has ached before, not sure what is up with that, but I do know this juice feasting is a good thing for me, as I suspect body imbalances are lurking to catch me off guard, except that I am on guard and I am chasing them out of my system. I don't need to examine these things under a microscope with endless doctor visits and tests as I take notice of them far sooner than a doctor would be able to find them without either being a rare doctor indeed, or a psychic....but I listen to my body, I know that I am not immortal, that I have created imbalances that need to be rebalanced. As I am doing.......

Poo Wonderful Poo or...Until I Went (met) Poo

Poo is so wonderful, so lovely. I love to poo as when I do.....woo woo.. I feel so new....I was feeling very crabby this morning getting all fussed up with my computer because it wasn't working properly etc. but then, I went poo, my second time today already.....and felt much better. Felt light and good and happy. My pants are fitting better now, my jeans are comfortable where they used to be tight. Have no idea what my weight is at the moment, will have to weigh myself soon as I am curious, but while I am losing some weight it isn't just falling off, as it shouldn't be. This is a juice FEAST, not a fast, the calorie intake is still around normal. So, doing well, though when I am feeling out of sorts I start to weaken..... and I am having food cravings...but those will pass...I won't let them get the best of me...also wondering how much my ever so slight 'cheating' is affecting this all. I only do things like juice fruits that are too dense like mango and plum...yum yum...I had plum in my juice last night, made a yummy treat juice of plum, strawberry, kiwi and orange with just enough carrot to push it all through...strained it twice.....it was still rather thick and oh so yum and then I had to go and mix it with a green juice, though it did make the green juice more yum. The green juice was cilantro,a whole large head of red leaf lettuce, some carrots, kale and collards. That with the fruit yum juice was my evenings juice. For part of the evening I felt great, for part I felt very sleepy, then I felt hungry. I came home and juiced 2 oranges, oh my they were sweet, so had a pinch of salt, then a small small spoonful of raw honey, then a taste of a salty tart teriyaki sauce packet....not much just a taste. Then I went to bed. This morning's juice is parley, kale, collards, carrot, orange, apple. I have one plum, probably will have it tonight. Am going to treat myself to a juice from the coop this afternoon....can't wait. I have a friend who has trouble with her poo, I sent her a 3 month supply of Dr. Natura's Colonix program...she went poo 3 times this morning...a record for her and is feeling much better. She usually goes days between poos which is not good, not good at all.... I have another friend who was in the same boat only worse and her situation got worse instead of better. If she had known about and used the Dr. Natura years ago, she might be just fine now...hard to say though...her's is a very difficult stubborn case. So...if you have issues with constipation...trust me when I say that death begins, all dis-ease begins in the colon and do something about it today. Dr. Natura is the best program I know of, he has the best fiber blend....really easy to take, great flavor, great ingredients..works so well, only thing I would add are Ultra Colon Clenz capsules...one or two each evening right before bed. On this juice feast I take 2 scoops of the Colonix fiber daily and one Ultra Colon Clenz capsule every evening right before bed and I am pooing great! So don't hesitate....order your Dr. Natura today!! This is not a paid ad, I just love Dr. Natura.

Daikon Radish

DAY EIGHT..............
I have started putting daikon radish in my juice. This is very brave of me as I don't really like the taste of radish, but I know that other creatures, those hiding inside of you nasty beasty creatures, ie parasites, really don't like it either. I will tell you a story. A true story of what happened a couple of years ago after I got my juicer and started making juice with daikon in it. Daikon radishes are kind of cool, they look like giant carrots that have been attacked by Bunnicula...all the color drained as they are white. I had been on Dr. Natura's colon cleanse which is not a fasting cleanse but an eat well, take the daily fiber along with anti-parasite capsules and senna tea, everyday for 2-3 months or more. I was nearing the end of my second month of this, and while the colon cleansing results were just great, I hadn't seen anything remotely like a parasite (and on the website people report seeing them in the first month). So, I was thinking, either I don't have any or they are too small to see. But near the end of my second month of this, I got a new juicer, my Greenstar 1000 (which I love) so was juicing everyday, and was doing daikon in my juice everyday. After about 5 days or so of this, I felt a wierd faloomp in my stomach...not painful but it felt like something in there had turned a big somersault. OK....there was nothing much after that, but two days later...omg.
There it was...the beastie itself, the one that had caused that wierd sensation, it was 15-18 inches long, half inch wide, flat, whitish, dead. A tapeworm. Ai yi yi! Whoever would have thought. So, wow. And I am just your average eats well, have eaten well for all my life (save a love for sweets) person. So it is true. We all have parasites. Everyone. It is just a fact of life. Your cat has them your dog, your horse....all living creatures have them. So taking anti-beastie herbs etcetera is definitely a good thing to do occasionally. I am gearing up to do an all out attack on them, as I am sure there are more of those beasties in me. What will I use? I have some great antiparasite capsules from Mt. Capra....Caprasite...I will take those as directed and have the daikon in my juice as that was the thing that finally drove that big beastie over the edge....that wierd feeling was it's death throe...interesting. So...I will keep you posted (whether you like or not) as to when I start this all out assault (maybe I have already started it) and what the results are. I have a whole large bag of daikon root which I need to use up...and the Caprasite...so what better time...and trust me....I am just as reluctant about this whole affair as you are....but it must be done.
I am looking good, though still having minor kidney issues so going to take the Primal Defense regularly for a while, as I wake up still a bit tired and with some circles under my eyes, but not too bad..I was just in the bathroom and looked at myself in the mirror...expected to look tired or something as I had been sitting at my desk for a good half hour ignoring a desperate need to pee....which is a stressor and was feeling it a bit...but it's not reflected in my face. My face is looking clear, bright, good. On my good days when nothing is stressing me, I dare say I look younger again....I generally do, but last year was a tough year for that. Lots of physical and emotional stress which happily are things of the past. So, no longer making 'treat' juices, though last night I made a smoothie of frozen raspberries, fresh banana and oranges with a bit of canned pineapple to balance the tartness of the oranges and raspberries, and water , so and had a bit. I did strain it first...and it was yum. Then I went back to my regular juice....a balance of greens and fruit. Dinner for the family was a repeat of last nights, the raw hummus etc. only with a fresh guacamole instead of the carrot soup. It was a yummy guacamole with lots of chopped cilantro in it, some finely chopped red onion, fresh tomato, lemon juice and a bit of Pace Mild Chunky Salsa to give it that something extra. It was very very good....would love to have done more than licked it off of my fingers. I am so happy that the kids really like the raw hummus. Even snuck some sunflower sprouts into their pitas. I used the hummus and rice and some avo and cucumber to make a nori roll of sorts for my husband. It was okay if a bit soft, and I haven't figured out how to get the nori not to be all rubbery. I have untoasted nori sheets, so toasted one on the stove to see if that would help. I think I am just getting them too wet. I did spread the hummus on first instead of the rice. Will experiment with these. Also need to get a bamboo rolling mat so they come out better. Renee Loux Underkoffler, (now just Renee Loux) has some great recipes for these and other yummy raw foods in her Living Cuisine cookbook. I have a nice assortment of raw cook books, Rawsome by Brigitte Mars, Real World, Real Food by Sarma Melengilis and Matthew Kenny, Living Cuisine by Renee, and possibly another not sure..also collecting whatever good looking recipes I find online. I love making these raw things for my family and can't wait til I am eating again so I can enjoy them for myself.
Enjoy the day!
ciao bellas
Alessandra

Sweet juice vs Green juice

oh I am having a very frustrating day at work today. Trying to schedule meetings with a group of people who are located all over the country and in Europe, and having the time always be messed up needing to be changed for this reason or that, trying to get everyone on the same page in time to save that spot....I am about ready to tell them to figure out a time as I am tired of messing with it. Must be feeling liverish today as my patience is very thin today. Also annoyed that I am not feeling better on this juice feast. Part of it is that last night I had alot of a very sweet juice, too many carrots in it. And my body did not like that sugar overdose. So, all of my juices will have to totally balanced with lots and lots of greens to keep this body happy. I made my family a mostly raw dinner last night. I made a very delicious raw hummus with soaked almonds, not soaked pinenuts, raw tahini, lemon juice, garlic, parsley, cumin to taste, bit of cayenne and enough water to get the consistency right. It was very yum, I did lick my fingers a few times, and then there were thin slices of peeled cucumber, thin slices of roma tomato, grated carrot, sunflower sprouts and brown rice to put in white pita pockets. I don't like whole wheat pita. I also made a carrot coriander soup from Renee Loux Underkoffler's Living Cuisine cookbook. Didn't have any coriander to put in, but put in the fresh parsley and cilantro, and too much ginger. I like lots of ginger but also forgot that you don't taste it right away...the longer it sits the stronger the flavor comes through. My kids don't like that much ginger. My husband liked it fine, one kid liked it ok, one not at all. I thought it was yum also. Proud of myself and of them. Hoping to prepare lots more raw foods for them. So, all of this juicing is a bit of a pain when you have kids and work too.....takes alot of time, lots of produce. Which does not mean I am thinking of throwing in the towel, heck no. I really really want to do this. It's just that kind of day.....feel like I am in one of those dreams where you are running and running and not getting anywhere. Momma told me there would be days like this. So.....everything really is quite fine, it is a gorgeous warm blue blue no clouds in the sky day, let my kitty out this morning, too nice of a day to keep him in. He's hungry, and I didn't feed him, so he should come home early. Last night's disaster juice was orange, tangelo, fuji apple, a small bit of greens and carrots. It was so sweet I had to add the juice of one lemon to make it better. This mornings was the usual parsley, kale, dandelion greens, braeburn apple, orange, tangelo, carrot. Fine and dandy. I guess this is just going to be my basic juice. No more unbalanced juices. I also keep forgetting that I have some collards I can juice, and need to get more lettuce etc. Trying to have a variety of greens....but have to watch the budget as well. Our spending on food or at food stores has averaged $80 plus dollars per day for the first 5 days of this month. Not sure how much of that has been my produce....need to keep an eye on it. Gotta go....I am a working girl
ciao bellas
Alessandra

Celereee Celera Celereee Celera-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha

Silly me, re:celery....it's gotta be.....sillereeeee...okay. I told you I was going to find out what was up with the juicing a whole head of celery in the juice each day and this is it. Celery is high in sodium and other minerals and helps keep you hydrated while juice feasting ie, it helps keep you from having to run to the bathroom every 10 minutes to pee. Seems to work. So, this is day 6 and I am doing great! Feeling great, though a little hungry at the moment, nothing I can't deal with but I have now put myself on high alert for when I leave work as eating will be so tempting.... gasp ack help, gotta get me some juice quick. So, poo has been good...working itself out, fine and dandy....you so wanted to know that. Can't talk about it at all with my husband...he is not quite as taken with the topic as I am. I find it fascinating. To see what the day's poo is like....what interesting gunk is leaving my body. Yesterday 's included the added bonus of yellow pea sized globules....rubbery and slippery....somekind of fat....squished like that....lol... okay...you liked that, I can tell. I am wondering if it's from my liver which must be very happy as I have been doing mondo dandelion greens in my juices and I am not feeling the least bit liverish today....au contraire. So, it's either gunk from my used to be fatty liver or the hemp oil. I have laid off of the hemp oil for the last 2 days, will take more tomorrow....so we shall see...the proof is in the poo-ding. Last night's juice treat was a so yummy fresh organic (everything I eat is organic) pint of strawberries with a mango, some oranges and tangelos and some carrots and a nice thumbsized piece of ginger. It was yum. I do strain it (twice) to get excess fiber out. Through a medium and a med. fine strainer. I have a really fine one, but it is too small takes too long, and I don't really care to go to that much trouble. Later I had a very green chock full of parsley, kale and dandelion juice ameliorated with apples but no carrots as I only had just enough for my morning juice today. That one was very green and tart. Gotta go buy a produce farm!!!! Need more parsley, more oranges and tangelos, more cucumbers, more celery, more lettuce...more more more. This mornings juice was a yummy parsley, kale, dandelion, carrot, orange, tangelo, apple feast. Tastes green and orangey...very delish. But I was rushing, didn't get up quite as early as I meant to, so didn't have time to take my supergreen foods, so am hungry. But will take my fiber soon, that will help fill me up til I get my next juice fix. I love buying fresh fruits and vegetables..it is all so wonderful and delicious. I think I am going to love this juice feast.. I already do.
fruity love light and laughter to y'all
ciao bellas
Alessandra

Liverish......

Today is the 5th day of my juice feast!!! It is going quite well. I did have a little slip on day 2 as it was my husband's birthday and I ate a small small slice of his cake. But no more. I am very proud of myself, as last night we went to some friend's for dinner, they wanted to do something for Liam in honor of his birthday, and they went all out, making a Mexican meal. They made yummy looking fresh guacamole along with freshly fried corn tortilla chips, then there were hand made taquitos, (chicken,rolled up in a corn tortilla and fried), and a delicious looking marinated chicken dish, they had marinated the chicken thighs overnight in a ton of garlic and a bit of salt, then cooked them in olive oil and red wine vinegar with marjoram and oregano and cut up potatoes. While I would rather not eat like that, I can still appreciate it's deliciousness (though I think I may have passed on the taquitos). For dessert there was a lucious looking lemon cake with lemon curd in the middle and on top and cream cheese icing around the sides. I had the teeniest taste of the lemon curd. Very lemony and delicious. But overall, I was not at all tempted by the food. I was enjoying the wonderful aromas, and the whole cooking show, but I had my juice, and really did not desire to eat anything. I was curious about the guacamole as I love a good guacamole, and of course, the cake was lovely, but I know if I had eaten any of it I would have been very displeased with myself. I have started adding dandelion greens to my juices.....and they do indeed work on the liver, and until the liver releases everything they prompt it to, one tends to feel a bit 'liverish' or irritable. On my way to work, I definitely got into high liverishness....not as bad as sometimes, but just impatient with slow drivers, baby drivers, with the traffic in general....it is rather intense getting to work, I really should just relax and go with the flow, I do tell myself that every day, and some days I can do that, but today was definitely not one of them. I probably sent my blood pressure up 20 points. Will have to relax...but I did put alot of dandelion in my juice this morning. I didn't sleep great again, more kidney aching. sigh. I have to figure out which thing it is that is causing this as usually I don't get it. Apples and carrots don't seem to cause it, it may be the pears. Even though they are still quite green, it could be that the type of fructose they have is one that wakes up the beast. Something is and I hope I figure it out soon as I need my sleep. This too is making me irritable. I just received the most wonderful reply from a woman I emailed about her raw foods bus-y-ness. She is teaching classes, giving talks etc. And she was very helpful and open to sharing all about what she is doing etc. Her situation is different than mine, she has more time and money but that doesn't mean I couldn't do it too...just have to take it a little slower. One thing I'd like to find out from her is if she has gotten any type of certifications. I have many raw cook books, and have David Wolfes Sunfood Diet System as well as other books, plus have fasted, cleansed, and studied this type of thing for years and years, so I feel somewhat qualified in the area of raw foods and after this fast I think I will be even more so. Not that it is the same as eating a raw diet, but I just don't see myself going back to cooked foods. I don't want to......I want this to be the end. Trying to think of ways to make yummy equivalents to things like lemon cake, etc. I am sure it;s not that hard. But I can't eat raw agave nectar......it really makes me feel like my body has taken quite a hit when I eat it. Not sure why. Probably another candida mystery. Who knows. So very happy to be here on Day 5, I do think the time will just fly by. I did have 2 scoops of my Tonic Alchemy greens, felt I probably could use them. I also had 2 scoops of fiber in lots of water yesterday, and then took an Ultra Colon Clenz herbal laxative capsule before I went to bed last night, which resulted in a nice big poo this morning. So, must do that everyday. Very beneficial, and if I do that, then I won't need to do enemas. I went to the library yesterday and got 6-7 books on the upcoming financial collapse...due to peak oil. I have Jarad Diamond's book "Collapse"... and some others that looked very good including one by James Howard Kunstler, which was specifically recommended to me by the local group where I live that is looking at the same scenario. Their focus is more community concerned, which is good, but if individuals can't survive it, the community can't either. We need to support our local businesses and come together, but we also need to have the resources to take care of our basic needs, such as shelter, food, transportation etc. I haven't had a chance to look at them yet, but can't wait to do so. There is also a film being shown this coming Friday evening, and a workshop on Saturday. Liam wants to go to Santa Fe, but I am hoping he can be pursuaded to postpone the trip. Have been having possibly light detox symptoms but overall feeling great. I know I would be feeling even better if my kidneys were not acting up. I did take some more Yeast Fighters which may be helping, I definitely felt them working on other candida hotspot areas (my sinuses). I am going to get more Primal Defense today as I know that definitely takes care of it and hope that if I leave pears out of my juice I no longer have this issue. This mornings juice has lots of parsley, fair bit of kale, large head of celery, lots of dandelion greens, 6-8 small apples, lots of carrots and an orange and a tangelo. Very tasty and balanced. And now I have to pee. Have an awesome day.
ciao bellas
Alessandra

Mango Bliss

It is a beautiful blue sky day today......and finally warming up a bit. I let my kitty out this morning (he only gets to go out a couple of days a week) with a stern reminder that he is not to fight. Yesterday I had to bring him back in, plucking him all growling and hissing off of the top of the fence as he was going after Lily. He and Lily seem to love to fight with each other, I once found them in the garden, Desert Sky standing over Lily, he had her fur in his mouth and she had his fur in her mouth and there was fur all over the ground. She will come over on the days he doesn't get to go out and sit on the deck in front of the glass (we have a sunroom with large glass windows and entire side of floor to ceiling glass), just to taunt him. I chase her away when I am around, which isn't as easy as it might be. Lily is one of those white cats with blue/green and yellow eyes who are deaf. She is a beautiful cat, reminds me of a ballerina, but she is also a brat. So, I sometimes throw soft handfuls of dirt at her, as yelling at her doesn't work. Desert Sky was in love with her when they first met, but she is a true ice queen and doesn't hang out with other cats of any kind. She lives with other cats, but does not hang out with them nor allow them to hang out with her. So, when I saw them yesterday at a stand off in the yard, I went out and luckily was able to get Desert Sky before he went all of the way over the fence and into the neighbor's yard. Even though he was quite worked up, he is my cat, and we have an understanding. I know how to handle him. I put my hand firmly on the scruff of his neck, letting him know I had no intentions of letting him go, he growled and hissed, not so much at me, but just letting off steam, then I picked him up and held him with his claws away from me, and carried him into the house. Where he was sweet as pie. He is a great cat, but being a Siamese breed (you could call him a long haired Siamese (chocolate point) but he is actually truly known as a Traditional Balinese. Not those strange looking modern Balinese that you will find in cat books, he is a large cat, with soft soft fur, not unlike a Himalayan, but his fur isn't quite as dense or easily matted and his face isn't like theirs. Himalayans faces range from Siamese looking to Persian looking. As I was saying, being a Siamese breed he is not afraid of very much (except for strangers luckily), and thinks, even though he has been neutered, that he is king of the neighborhood. He has beautiful blue eyes, a very friendly and intelligent personality. I named him Desert Sky because I love the Sonoran desert, because he is brown and cream, and has beautiful blue eyes like the sky.
Today is the 4th day of my juice feasting. Yesterday went well, and I treated myself to a yummy orange, carrot, lemon and ginger juice while we were out, then came home and made a juice of all fruit. It was one large mango, 4 large green pears, 4 valencia oranges, 4 tangelos, fresh ginger and some carrots. I strained it twice to get out excess pulp and it was so so so good. However, I have that lovely candida in my kidneys and this woke it up, so I had aching kidneys in the night and when I woke up. sigh. Not as bad as sometimes, but still bad enough. My loving husband, in an amorous mood, gave me a wonderful massage of my back and kidney area before moving on to more interesting spots. It definitely helped quite a bit, then later on when I got up I took 4 Primal Defense and 6 Yeast Fighters (twinlabs) to make sure everything stayed calmed down. It is strange how candida works as it behaves differently with different sugars. I once went through a phase where I couldn't eat honey, as it turned me into a "Momster" really and truly. I was irritable and crabby and mean and couldn't be nice no matter how aware I was of it. Until, I put a teaspoon of regular sugar in my mouth, which would act like a chemical switch and turn it off. And this, with my kidneys. Raisins also cause the kidneys to ache. Didn't used to, but they do now. And now, I can eat honey just fine, doesn't bother my kidneys or turn me into a "Momster". Luckily that phase didn't last too long. It is just typical of candida...acting in unbelievable ways, unless they happen to you. This morning's juice is parsley, asparagus, a whole head of red leaf lettuce, a smallish head of celery, some dandelion greens, a valencia orange and a tangelo, 6 small pink lady apples and lots of carrots. It is quite tasty, with the bitterness of the dandelion greens providing a nice background note to the sweetness of the carrots and fruit. I can never drink green juices without some apple in them. Makes them ever so much more palatable. I shudder when I think of others enduring the green taste without something to ameliorate their flavor. If you have wheatgrass in your green juice, then maybe it's better, but ugh. Plain greens are hard to swallow for me. I had a very successful day yesterday and expect to be fine from here on out. However, that doesn't mean that I didn't still have the desire to eat. I love to eat, I love the tastes and textures of food, so yes, I had that desire. But it was much easier to ignore. The key is to be drinking enough juice so that you aren't so hungry you can't stand it. I was definitely well sated yesterday, especially with the fruit juice. I don't know what I will do for my juice treat today, but will have to probably keep it more balanced. My body seemed to find yesterday's fruit juice too sweet for it....besides the kidney aches I just felt overall like it was too much. So today, I will have my treat but I may have greens with it. Need to get some more cucumbers and kale. Oh, just remembered that I bought some collards. Collards are amazing light and sweet to eat. Not heavy like dandelion or mustard greens. Looking forward to lambs quarter in the spring. Very good for the liver etc.
Also thinking about gardening, producing food to eat or just for pleasure. There is a wonderful family who has an organic farm that we'd love to do a CSA with, this being the first year we can afford to do so. I am also wanting to speak with them about the coming crash. I want to prepare for it. I would much rather prepare for it and find it not to be as bad as I fear, than for it to happen, and find ourselves brought down by it completely. I wish I didn't have to think like this, feel like this. It makes me very angry to think that those in 'power' have not cared to protect the planet or it's people. That they only care for themselves. I would like not to be angry, but I don't know how else to feel about this. I care. I care deeply. But I have not done much to show it. I have not fought or worked or lobbied against their callous lack of caring. I still don't know if I will, at least not in the sense of going up against them. What I am choosing to do is to withdraw from them. To get solar panels for my house, a bio-diesel car, stop shopping at their stores, buying their products, acting locally, supporting local actions and businesses and community. That seems much more productive to me. Meanwhile, I mourn the ruin of the oceans, the loss of all wildlife, wolves, tigers, field mice, all of it. Need to buy land with a large group to make a place for at least some of these......
so....light....love......beauty.....happiness.......may peace and beauty be upon you as you go through your day.
Alessandra

A Piece of Cake

Day Two of my Juice Feast was a piece of cake. Literally and figuratively. I made it through the main part of my day just fine, with my usual 64 plus ounces of parsley, kale, apple, carrot, celery, juice. I may have also added the last zucchini. All was fine and good until I got off of work and had to go out shopping for a birthday cake for my husband. I went to Wild Oats, and while they did not have what I was looking for, they did have samples of carrot cake set out in small cups. I had two. sigh. Then later on at home, after I had made the rest of my juice for the evening, I had a small small slice of my husband's birthday cake. Chocolate cake with some white fatty icing all over it, (at least it was good and didn't taste like sweet axel grease). He didn't notice me eat that, but when I was eating crumbs of the cake, he said don't! He said he was proud of me for doing this juice feast and didn't want me to mess it up. I knew he was supportive, but I didn't realize he was PROUD of me...cool. So, now I am even more motivated to do this, and recommitted to doing it 100%. From now on if I get the desire to eat, which hopefully will diminish as time goes on, I will leave the danger zone, have more juice, go do something, but I won't eat. It only affected me a little bit, I did notice my face in the mirror wasn't as bright and glowing as it had seemed to be only an hour earlier. But I drank the rest of my juice (which was apple, pear, parsley, a whole head of red leaf lettuce and maybe some kale, to which I then added the juice of a not quite ripe mango...and drank it down. It was good, better with the mango, but a bit green for me. You are advised not to juice mangos for this feast, but I have a very good juicer and mango is just so good. I figure a little every now and then will be just fine. My pears are still a bit green as well, but good change and since the grapefruit was irritating to my bladder I don't think I will be having anymore of that. I meant to buy some oranges and more tangelos and make orange juice...will have to get some today. Also, I did an enema this morning. Haven't really felt the need to prior to this morning, but as my usual morning activity did not take place I knew it was the time to start. Oh, my so very wonderful husband just brought me some more of my juice. I am down in our basement study, typing this, and feeling quite hungry from lack of juice....so he went back upstairs and got it for me. He is a sweetheart. (And he cleans and does laundry too!) ok. So there exists another story entitled
"A Piece of Cake". It is a book written by a woman, Cupcake Brown, about her life. She has lived more in her one lifetime than most people, hard things, but now, she has a good life. This is her story and it is very well written and very readable as she is witty and intelligent, and amazing. I loved her story and found it very inspiring, even though my life hasn't been anything close to hers. What it is I think, is just relating to the truth of it all, and to what everyone needs to do to get beyond whatever it is that is holding them back from making their dreams come true. I also just love reading people's life stories. Have since I was a child. Today's juice so far is around 75 ounces of a variation on a theme...parsley, kale, whole head of celery, half of a bunch of wonderful young organic asparagus, so would love to just gently steam it and eat it, it's lovely asparagus, but I am not eating now am I, also put in lots of apples and carrots, more kale than usual, and a whole cucumber. It is yum. Later on will have some yummy fruit juice, probably orange and tangelo, and then perhaps some more green juice. So happy that my husband is behind me all the way in this. Thank you. Thank you. peace, love and laughter to all.
Alessandra

Drifting..................

Today is the second day of my 92 day juice feast. At home I have written the numbers 92,91,90 etc. on the calendar and am drawing a large X through them as I move onto the next day. I like that way of counting things down. I also made some little purple post-its marked 13 on down, as the juice feast is 13 weeks plus one day. These I am going to put on the wall....and remove as each week is done. I had very little trouble with the feasting yesterday. A few momentary hunger pangs, and I did have one item not on the juice feast menu, which was the last 4 small squares of some dark chocolate. Needed a bit to carry me over as I had been eating so much of it the previous two days. I don't have any today, though I know where I can find some, but I doubt I will have any. If I feel the need for an energy lift, I have some hoodia capsules that have green tea and theobromine in them which I just open up and wash down. That will do the trick and be less of a disturbance to my system. I finished off yesterday with 32 oz of red grapefruit juice, followed by a green juice made from apples, carrots and a whole head of romaine lettuce.
I had chorus last night, so was rushing around to get my juice made, feed the cat, get my music together, and at the last minute remembered my hemp oil, so opened the bottle, and had a few large gulps. Probably more than 2 tablespoons, and I don't recommend this method at all, but I didn't want to wait til 10pm to have it, so just did it.
It was fine, the flavor is not unlike chewing on cannibis seeds.....which can be very tasty. My stomach did have a slight issue with it, but it was more of a raised eyebrow type of reaction which quickly passed. The red grapefruit juice was delicious, but it seemed to irritate my bladder. Not surprising, as I have candida, and one of the places it has found it's way to is my bladder. Candida is a scourge, and I have dealt with it for over 25 years. I am fine mostly, but it has also found it's way to my kidneys and I will occasionally have awful aching kidneys, but it's not an 'infection' so no fever, just that awful aching that makes it impossible to sleep and robs my energy. Luckily I figured out that it was candida causing this so for me, taking Primal Defense tablets takes care of it. Unlucky thing is that it happened to me for the first time on a special trip to San Francisco with my husband and really kind of ruined the trip as I was crabby and irritable and tired nearly the whole time. (Not to mention in serious discomfort.) I have taken weeks of very high amounts of threelac....and while it is beneficial, it has not seriously fazed the candida that is in my system. So, hoping to just crowd it out by doing this juice feast and taking lots of probiotics, and other good things to encourage the good bacteria to prevail. So......to get to the theme of today's blog. Drifting.......as I drove to work today I realized I was sad. Sad I think because my body is in flux, it is changing because of the juicing, and sad, because I am sad. Sad with good reason. I was having a discussion about the mess being made of the world, and I was lamenting the fact that those with money and power don't want to do what is right, what is good for everyone and the planet. She was saying what is right is subjective, which it is, but I was arguing that there are certain things that are just truths, unarguable, but she said truth was also subjective, and while I see her point, I don't entirely agree. These people just cannot possibly think that their selfish actions are for anyone's good, except possibly their own. Destroying another country, lying about why you are doing it, ruining people's lives, in horrific ways, this cannot be justified. Destroying the electric car...the oil companies pushed to do this, these kinds of things cannot be justified. While I cannot write that they are 'wrong' (for some reason, though I really would like to say that they are so totally completely wrong actions), I am coming to the place where I know the futility of judging anything....anything at all....I am trying to get the big picture here, be at one with the universe. Just be. So....Drifting.....as in the Jimi Hendrix song which goes (I believe.....) something like this....'drifting.....on a sea of forgotten tear drops...." It is a beautiful song, one which I have listenened to many many times. I first heard it when I was in college....I had bought the album and played it everyday for weeks on end. It is still one of my favorites. The album with his head and large hair on the cover......
My juice today is nearly 90 ounces of parsley, kale, a whole head of celery, (still don't know why it's needed, but will heed and obey), 8 small pinklady apples, around 3 pounds of carrots, 2 tangelos, and a med smallish zucchini. All mixed together it tastes delicious....and as I drink it my body goes ah.....relaxing and tensing at the same time. The tensing will ease as my body gets cleaner.
I brought up the topic of peak oil with my husband, and as I knew, he does know quite a bit about it, has read quite a few books on it, he is a professor of sociology, so he is up on these types of things....it falls in his area of interest (environmental justice, and other similar issues). I told him what I thought, about selling the house, etc and he wasn't opposed. He didn't say we should do it, but he definitely agrees with the need to seriously think about it. That makes me feel somewhat better. So good to be in agreement on this. So...I would love to pretty up my blog, but I am an absolute novice at this, and haven't the time at the moment to play around with it. If you are reading this and have any tips, I'd love to hear them.
ciao bellas!
Alessandra

Light Nourishment

I am starting this blog because I am starting a new phase of my life....one that will be very interesting I think. I have been reading alot of different raw websites over the past couple of years (ie every one I find) and have played with being raw....going 100% raw for 16 and 23 days at a time, but never taking it all of the way. So now, inspired by Angela Stokes and wanting to make a quantum shift in my diet and my health, I have started, today, a 92 day juice feast. I have some questions that I don't see answered in Angela's e-book or the DenseNutrition website, (though I am sure if I asked them they would tell me,) but I don't know what is the significance of having a full head of celery in your juice each day. However, I will comply, and I will try and find out the answer to that question and let you know here. My juice for this first part of my day is a 64 ounce batch of parsley, kale,small bit of celery, (all that I had) 8 small pink lady apples, 4-6 large carrots, 4 tangelos, 1 med zuchini, 1 large head of broccoli (not much stem, already juiced the stem), 1 large cucumber. It tastes quite delicious, a bit tart, and goes down easily. I put it in 3 San Pelligrino bottles to take to work. They are great for putting juice in, are dark green and glass and hold a decent amount. I have a Greenstar Juicer which is supposed to make good quality juice that keeps well. It seems to, I am very please with it. So far, I have yet to drink much of my juice, but it's nearly 9 am, so I will start on it soon. Before I left the house I had a large glass of water with 2 scoops of Tonic Alchemy Greens from Ron Teeguarden/Dragon Herbs in it. I meant to also take some hemp oil, as I bought a bottle of the Nutiva, but was rushing and forgot. I didnt' sleep all that well last night, I have been bingeing on chocolate the past two days, eating an entire 4 ounce bar of good quality dark chocolate each day. This is too much for me...today I have a headache of sorts...feel like I have a chocolate hangover. I also ate quite a large quantity of food yesterday, had 2 bananas, a deluxe breakfast burrito made by yours truly which contained refried pinto beans, scrambled eggs, sauteed mushrooms with garlic, fried potatoes with cumin, oregano,chopped green chilies and lime juice, sauteed red and yellow bell peppers with onion and balsamic vinegar, and a touch of grated pepper jack cheese in them. Nice and filling. Then I also finished off the rest of a bag of blue corn chips, then came home and made a kung pao noodle bowl with leftover mushrooms, and sauteed peppers and onions added, plus a couple of tablespoons of peanut butter.....then some small slices of sourdough bread with butter and a small bowl of the tuna pasta with peas that I made everyone else for dinner. My plan was to just have juice for after work/dinner, but my neurotic meter was on high, so that went out the window completely. I slept well most of the night, but then woke up early in the morning thinking about a website I had looked at yesterday which was about Peak Oil, and the coming fall of civilization as even a 5% drop in available oil would have deep, widespread consequences. The website was about being prepared to live off of the grid, when your lights and power go out, when the water goes out, when the disaster, manmade or natural, strikes. It talked about how this is highly likely to happen in the next 5 years...and I found it rather upsetting. Upsetting because their arguments and information made sense to me....and scared me. I didn't know what to do......most people do not believe anything like this will happen. I don't want to believe it, but I do. As I lay there thinking on this, my mind and emotions very much in turmoil, I realized that it does all make sense, and it explains why Bush et al are pushing this war no matter what anyone says, are pushing against Iran though it makes no sense....they want control of Iraq's oil, are damn serious about getting it, and do not want anyone, including Iran getting in the way. They say it's because of 'terrorists', but that's just a bullshit cover story. It's about oil, peak oil, and them getting all they can before it's gone, stealing it (as they want to do from Iraq), and using our citizens to fight and die for it, but not sharing any of the wealth with those who help them get it. The whole army needs to revolt, the whole country needs to revolt.....the whole situation is revolting. And thinking about this, realizing exactly what is going down, made it clear to me that another thing to do to get prepared is to sell our house. Why sell our house? Because we just 'bought' it, still owe a ton of money on it, and that is a debt, a liability we do not need. Far better to sell it, get out from under that debt, rent or buy a nice doublewide trailer, and save our money while we can, while getting it together with other like minded folks as to how we can survive when the shit hits the fan. Be prepared. I know this sounds so far out, but if you pay attention....if you take everything that is happening....everything everything....it makes a hell of alot of sense. Much more so than anything you will see or hear on tv or in the large media. And I apologize. This is not what I want my website to be about, and I am not into fear or pandering to fear....but I just see this as the truth of what is happening, and what is to come. But enough. After I came to this realization, I felt at peace, then fell into a light sleep and had dreams of my oldest son's father, someone who lives outside of society....on family land, in a cabin he built with his own hands. In my dream this place was considerably larger than it is in real life, and I was visiting/seeing him for the first time in nearly 20 years, with my middle son (who is 12). He didn't seem overjoyed to see me, a bit uncomfortable, we hugged, then he went off somewhere, and I looked around, saw a couple of cats, a couple of younger women....wondered if one of them was his girlfriend....then there were a bunch more alternative type people all milling around, and I decided to just leave, as I wasn't going to really be able to connect with him, esp not with all of these people around, so I got my stuff (somehow I had a lot of stuff, all of it mine, old baby shoes, different things,) tried to take it to my van, kept dropping things, got to the van, which was now in a room (strange) was worried there were steps or other vehicles blocking me...but saw a way clear....but the dream ended before I actually left, before there was any resolution....... As I lay there I started feeling rather ill, just bad .....probably from eating too much chocolate.....but rather than worry about this, I just started repeating that I was taking in light and love, being nourished by light and love, and I started feeling better. This not feeling well feeling is still there, but much more of an undercurrent, than a dominant feeling. I need to take care of myself, not go all neurotic from boredom at work, from the world at large, etc.....
So....Light Nourishment.....definitely a double entendre.....and not what I offer today. I read other blogs, they are so wonderful with spiritual words of wisdom, wise sayings, beautiful pictures. I would like my blog to contain all that.....and more....but this at least is a start. I will make it more beautiful and nourishing as I go forward.
ciao bellos!
Alessandra