Prancing, Bending, Moving Freely Without Pain -- There's a Party Tonight

Feeling so happy today and excited, for there is a party tonight, and I like to dance with my whole body -- going down to the floor and coming back up with a smile and not pain.  My knee stopped hurting after the fourth day on my raw / live food diet.  Let me tell everyone that that was reason enough to continue.  It is my commitment to myself to never accept pain as a natural, must live with phenomenon.  I view pain as a messenger and vow to always listen to it as such and then take on the challenge of doing or not doing what is needed to take care of the cause of the pain.

For those with joint pain, this article may prove very helpful.  Perusing it, I excitedly see that I am not eating or drinking the items that are said to lead to joint pain and injury  and that I am eating pretty much all the foods that are said to aid in healing.  Yay me!   Click to read FOODS FOR JOINT HEALTH.

 

Broccoli Delight

Today was the first time I decided I didn't want to eat "cold" food.  I am a room temperature kind of person when it comes to eating and drinking -- not hot or cold; just right.  After I first started this raw food journey, I realized that I had chosen the coldest time of the year.  "I'm gonna freeze my __ hind off, "I said.  Actually, I've been fine.  It has been colder too.  I am still in the snow blizzard of 2014.  Snow has still not melted on the ground.  I've been fine.  So glad I did not delay.  And, no I have not missed hot soup.  I can always make mine a little bit warm and be fine.  Usually, I take my food out of the refrigerator in the early part of the morning, and by lunchtime, it is just like I want it -- at room temperature.  Not today.  So, the broccoli was really cold.  What I did to warm it was put a little water into the bottom of a pan and put the heat almost down to the pilot light  and just let it sit there for maybe about 5 minutes.  It was then at room temperature.  I was really clear that I was not attempting to cook the broccoli.  I am eating raw / live food right not -- food not heated past 115 degrees.

Okay, so how did I make my Broccoli Delight.  I was thinking Asian flavors.  Oh, the olives?  I put them into almost everything.

I chopped up onion, garlic and ginger, broccoli, olives, and finely chopped carrots in the food processor.  When I put it into the pan to warm it a little, I threw in some braggs liquid aminos (soy sauce will work too).  I also put in a little toasted sesame oil (remember, I was thinking Asian).  Oh, incidentally toasted sesame is not considered raw.  I mixed it all up a little and put everything into the bowl.  Then, I chopped up some papaya and avocado for good measure.  I am loving it right now. 

Detoxing Continues -- The Peeling of the Onion

My detoxing this time around has really not been so bad, especially from the beginning.  I was thinking that I'd get out pretty lucky this time.  These first symptoms I did not have

• Skin breakouts
• Bloating, stomach pains
• Headaches
• Food cravings
• Trouble sleeping, nightmares

Starting late Saturday night, I started these:

• Fatigue, drowsiness, low energy levels
• Irritability
• Congestion or Mucus that feels like a cold

"Oh, no, I don't have time to slow down.  I have EVERYTHING to do.  Not, now, please.  I started this lifestyle of eating so I could go full-swing all the time."  My body clearly said, "NO."

Okay, what's a smart girl to do?  I decided to tune in and listen to my body.  This is what I heard and subsequently did.

1.)  The first message:  "It aint ova." I would not be getting out so easily, and this would not be the last time that my body would go into this DETOX mode.  "It's like peeling away an onion layer, and then another and then another.  My body sees an opportunity to do some good cleansing, and it is taking it.  Some schools of thought say, "Slow down the detox process by eating some cooked food or whatever you have cut out of your diet."  I decided against this, as I don't want to give my body mixed signals.

2.)  "Don't feed me right now."  One reason that I knew I was into some kind of phase/zone is that I was not hungry at all.  Nothing appealed to me:  raw or cooked.  Didn't even miss Wekesa's popcorn anymore.  Didn't want papaya (one of my favorite foods).  I forced a fruit smoothie and later on that night my body seemed to want four oranges and some water.  Today, I have been drinking water and young coconut water.  The coconut water is soothing to my tummy.  I will wait for my body to tell me to eat again.

3.)  "Rest.  Yes, stop the presses and rest."  "Yes, I know tax season is on; I know your Algebra students need you.  Yes, so much else is expected from you, and you will rest for awhile."  This is hardest for me.  I am never sick.  Folks who know me best don't know me taking days off sick.  I remember reading that our ancestors' wisdom taught:  "give energy to a fast, and eventually you will get back abundant energy."  This is my prayer, and it helps to know that I will benefit greatly.  I have made myself warm and comfortable and focused on the goodness of what is going on.  Also, as I came back to work today (moving ever so slowly), I kept reminding myself that one of the most important things in life I can focus on is my health and well-being.  With that reminder, I continue pulling back one more onion layer.

Are you Black-Owned? Yes and Christian Too

I saw the sign and said, "Let me check this one out.  Hopefully they're Black-owned."  "Yes," the sister employee said, and then smiled and said, "The owner is Christian too."

I thought to myself, I don't think your competition is with Muslims or Buddhists, etc.  I think your challenge is to draw our people from mostly white-owned establishments who choose them especially because they are white.  Anyway, I laughingly said to myself.  I am not going to hold either against you.  In fact, that you are Black-owned pushes me to you today.

Yes, I am pushing myself more to buy Black, and not just when it is comfortable or feels right, especially when it feels not-so-right. 

The market of thrift is mine.  I consider myself an excellent, seasoned shopper.  I know how to shop this market and get what I want at the best price.  I don't buy items that I must repair or that I will use when I lose weight, retire or when the Lord comes, etc.  I get what I want and need and most often feel very fulfilled in my purchases.  So, I already have shops in mind, online stops, bartering options, etc.  Not one of them is a Black-owned business. I push myself to find yard sales in my community --  no regular businesses though.  The few that I have patronized in the past have closed.  Why?  Probably because I did not support enough, and enough of my kind did not. 

So, I looked with eyes that said, "There are items in here for me."  I was happy to hear about the 24% discount, and I pushed myself to pay a little more if needed.  I found two beautiful vases.  I love fresh cut flowers and was in the market for a beautiful vase as a wedding gift for our (AYA's) science teacher.  She is going to love it, and she will love it more knowing that I purchased it from a Black-owned business. 

Ringing me up, the sister must have added 25% to the sale price.  I helped her figure it all out, and she expressed sincere gratitude.  I also suggested that she get herself onto the Around the Way app so more of us can find her.  It's a smart phone app that will let you know our businesses that are closest to you.  Go to:  http://aroundthewayapp.com/.

Also, join me in Buying from only Black-owned establishments during the month of February, 2014. 
My daughter Ife and some comrades of hers at Bennett College are kicking this out.  28 Days of Black.

Reaching for Popcorn -- Not

Energy waning fast.  In my recent past, I would head to the kitchen for some hot-air popped popcorn with some drizzling olive oil, nutritional yeast and good herbs and spices -- sea salt of course.  Some of you know of my husband Wekesa's special concoction.  It's the food that folks usually ask for first at our house.  This is one thing I have given up for now.

I miss it.  I am feeling my sadness.  What is my loss:  it tasted so good.  Gave good instant energy.  I could even justify that it was made as healthily as I could imagine.  Yes, it was an old trusted friend that has moved away; changed her/his number. No, actually:  a good friend to whom I have said, "Let's take a break."  She understands that I need to get on down my raw road and maybe hook up with her from time to time down the line. 

I'm good.  Now, will it be a good ripened banana or pear?

Tomato Basil with Hemp (Marijuana's Cousin or maybe Sister): Raw Soup #2

I have been saying that if I can master three soups to my taste satisfaction -- that I will be good to stay with this raw food lifestyle.  Wekesa saved last week with his raw broccoli soup.  It is delish.  Trust me -- so good.

One of my favorite soups has been a tomato basil.  I love the stuff.  I had been working hard to avoid the white girl (milk and cheese -- dairy).  The soup is best when it is creamy.  So, today, I kept thinking HEMP SEEDS.

Hemp seeds have been my fascination lately.  At the farmer's market, when purchasing for the first time, a sister quietly warmed up to me to ask a very serious question.  She said, "I am embarrased to ask this question, but I gotta ask somebody."  "Is this marijuana?" I told her the little I knew:  "No; it is in the same family though.  I think it's in how it's grown."

Back at home, I'm running for google.  Marijuana is the flowering tops and leaves of psychoactive varieties of Cannabis that are grown for their high THC content.
Industrial hemp has a low THC content compared to its CBD content. THC is typically less than 1 percent. Okay, good to get that clarity.  I have a fund memory of a sister creating raw brownies and carrot cake using hemp.  While I am not big on desserts, I'll be playing in that direction too.

Anyway, I have soup #2:

sundried tomatoes (fresh ones if you can get them)
garlic
semi-hot water (in winter)
basil (I used the Asian variety)
couple tbs of hemp seed
a dab of chickpea miso
sea salt
grounded black pepper

Twigs of rosemary were added to take the photo.  They smelled delicious.  I'll throw some in next time.  So grateful that I have played enough with creating food (cooked and raw) that I feel confident to play like that.  Sorry that my recipes are not so exact.  If you want/need more exactness, just google and get plenty of other folks' quantitative directions to lead you to something wonderful. 

Soup #2 in the bag.

Gourmet Raw Food - Not!

This time around on raw / live foods, I am very excited about my resolve to not go gourmet.  In times past, I couldn't wait to try the raw pizza and lasagna and fettuccine.  Oh, and raw cheesecake, right?  I love Italian food, so naturally I resonated with these menu items.  This time around, I'm good for more simple selections.  Also, since I have a good sense for making these items, I feel confident to let my nose and eyes for Italian food inspire me from time to time.  I don't stick with these type items for some good reasons.  First, they don't taste exactly like the cooked choice.  Actually, after awhile on raw foods, they taste better to me.  They are definitely apples to oranges, though.  Second, it takes too much time to prepare.  Very often, the prep time for these dishes is quite prohibitive for me.  Third, I don't need such choices to feel satisfied.  For instance, last night I did make Afiya's version of raw tacos.  Instead of making the taco shell from corn, though, I used romaine lettuce leaves.  I made some quick filling from some pecans I had already soaked and dehydrated earlier anyway.  Just threw them in the blender and added garlic, onion, seasalt, cumin, chili powder and cilantro, sun-dried tomatoes and a little olive.  I spread this onto my lettuce leaf, some sprouted alfalfa, some quick salsa I zipped up and sliced some avocado and olives, and I was good to go.  Talk about good.  I was cooing like some of the raw food gurus when they demonstrate their recipes.  I was like, "Wow, I usually say they are just a little bit over the top."  Well, I was happy with my creation.