Sistas in the Raw!

2009-06-03T14:54:00.000-04:00

GaBrilla's Green Intake:

GSE Eve: Spinach (More than 4 cups)

Day 1: Collards (more than 4 cups)

Day 2: Kale (more than 4 cups)

Day 3: Chard (4 cups)

I will also add that my 3-year-old son has been drinking 1-2 cups of Green Smoothie daily as well!

Please email you GSE updates to gabrilla@rocketmail.com, so that I can post them here.

2009-06-03T14:52:00.001-04:00

The Green Smoothie Experiment Guidelines:

Welcome to this fun and easy experiment/ experience I have been re-inspired to do. This is my second time drinking green smoothies in this capacity since I started drinking them two years ago. I’ll usually have at least 1-2 cups of GS a day, but I usually alternate between kale and spinach.

Now, I am back on the wagon because I want to get in different kinds of greens on a regular basis and what better to way to stay motivated to get my drink on than to bring some friends in.

Guidelines:

· Drink one quart or 4 cups of green smoothie daily (you don’t have to drink the whole thing at once. I usually drink my quart over the course of a day

· Diversify your green through rotation: one thing you will learn if you are drinking the same greens everyday, is that you will get tired of GS within the first week or so. The body has a way of letting us know it needs diversity, by developing an aversion or boredom to what is already being consumed. So why not start out by rotating your greens for example: kale, spinach, collards, chard, romaine, watercress-a different green for each day and do that all over again the following week. However you go at it, remember to diversify your greens.

· The smoothies are in addition to your current diet. This is not a substitute for your current meals, although I find that when I am drinking GS on this level, I am fully easier and for longer on GS.

One book that I love and that inspired me to drink Green Smoothies is “Green For Life” by Victoria Boutenko. In “Green for Life” Boutenko breaks down the science behind green smoothies and why they are so important and beneficial to our health. I HIGHLY recommend it.

Here are some recipes I have tried:

(these measurements are approximate. You can add more or less according to your taste.)

Green Smoothie 1

½ bunch kale

1 banana

one mango

1 tablespoon of flax seed or coconut oil (optional)

2 cups water or coconut water

Green Smoothie 2 (contributed by Brandi)

½-1 bunch (or more…the more the better) swiss chard

1 apple

1 cup berries (mixed or your choice)

1 mango or 1 banana

Things I like to add to my smoothies:

Nuts and Seeds

Raisins

Dates

Goji berries

Maca

Vanilla

Bee Pollen

To add more sweetness to your smoothie (if you’re like me ) I would recommend that you use either raw honey or agave nectar. If you don’t have either of these, maple syrup would be your next best option.

Enjoy!

GaBrilla

2008-07-30T19:45:00.000-04:00

Raw 100-day Challenge: Starting this Friday!

Greetings World:

I am embarking upon a 100 day Living Foods Challenge staring Friday August 1. I have seined to www.rawfu. com to be in concert with other people who are embarking upon this journey with me.

Why am I doing this? I have been on and off this Living Foods Journey for a little over a year now and I am moving into a space where I aspire to maximize my potential and have my life be created from a space of conscious intention. I believe that eating amazing, healthy living foods, coupled with high vibratory thoughts and actions will bring forth an abundant and thrilling life.

I believe the old saying that we are what we eat (consume, ingest) physically, spiritually and emotionally. So why not consume the best.

I have decided that this will be my course of action for those 100 days:

I will consume 80% Raw living foods.

I will have a 100% raw day once a week.

I will drink green smoothies daily. (Something I already do)

I will drink fresh fruit/vegetable juices daily

I will post my menu.

The 20% foods that will not be living foods will be un-processed and whole grains.

I will periodically post videos and pics for your viewing pleasure.

Anyone else out there up for the challenge? Check out rawfu.com.

All the best to you on this perfect journey,

GaBrilla

www.urbanmamasong.blogspot.com

2008-07-13T21:31:00.000-04:00

Where has GaBe been?

Hey all. No excuses here. A lot has occurred in the past few months. I am glad that our blog hasn't gone completely neglected. Brandi so lovingly shared her experiences being back in the bay area and her love affair with strawberries and please know that I am extremely jealous right now:-(

Anyway, as for me, aside from my musical adventures, I have been harvesting some of the seeds that I planted earlier in the summer. I planted french beans, corn, basil, lavender, purple sage, rosemary, and okra. The mint I planted last year it trying to take over one part of the "baby farm", but I give a lot of of it away, which keeps it under control.

I have been working very hard preparing other areas of the yard. Inspired by my need to have the healthiest food possible in my body and the bodies of my family members and by the Dervaes family (go www.pathtofreedom,com) I am working to cultivate as much of our yard as possible and our yard is HUGE. It is not easy when it is me most of the time pulling up grass, turning over soil, transferring compost, planning and reading and observing and baking in New Orleans heat. But I know there will be fruit to this labor, so I persevere.

I'll post pictures in the next post.

In Greatness,

GaBrilla

2008-05-21T00:29:00.001-04:00

Hi all,

I am now in California for the summer. I am still doing graduate school research, but just taking a break from Pennsylvania. Today is a glorious day! This glorious afternoon I went to the Berkeley Farmer’s Market. This was the first time I have been able to visit the market since I have been in California, so I am extremely happy to write this posting. I want to share with the world all the wonderful foods I bought.

First of all, I bought strawberries, strawberries, strawberries! These are really my first strawberries of the year, so I am very excited. They taste amazing!

And I brought one of my most favorite fruits…loquats! Loquat trees are a local tree in Oakland…it is crazy that a lot of people don’t eat this fruit. I also picked up some delectable peaches, cheerful spring onions, awesome red leaf lettuce (my favorite), fragrant cilantro, and beautiful arugula. I am in love…so in love. And finally, on the way home, I stopped at Berkeley Bowl and brought mangoes, blueberries, tomatoes, and a cherimoya. What a blessing!

And when I got home I made this awesome salad. And I topped it with pistachios, pumpkin seeds, and hemp seeds! Yum!!! What a blessed day!

-Brandi

Oh, and here is a picture of me!!!

2008-04-20T20:50:00.000-04:00

Hello world,

It has been months since I posted anything. Life has been busy, but that is no excuse. So here is an update:

First and foremost, I am still raw. Still pushing along and waiting for the sun and earth to provide me with fresh fruits. From these Pennsylvania winters, I have learned that although I love, love-love-love vegetables, I really need some fruit in my life. Mmmmm, some mango, strawberries, blueberries, all the berries…wow, just the thought of fruit has me dancing in my chair. Oooo, pomegranates…I’m currently passing out.

I am currently finishing my 2nd year of graduate school, and interestingly-enough I think this semester has been more difficult than the first. I don’t think I have ever stressed so much in my life. A few weeks ago, I actually had an allergic reaction to some cashews. I couldn’t believe it! I had hives for a WEEK AND A HALF. I still have marks on my skin from all the scratching. Since I have a history of eating cashews, I am pretty sure that it was not the cause. After reading up on a few things, I realized that the reaction was due to stress. Since then I have accepted the fact that I have been stressed, which is a big step since I tend to deny that I am stressed when I am stressed. Yeah….issues. I also began to realize that a lot of my current bodily issues are probably related to stress. I find it amazing that even though I have been raw for almost 2 years that I still have some issues. Here is a list:

1. Psoriasis on my scalp
2. Sleeping 9-10-11 hours a night
3. Now, I take forever to get out of bed. I can lay in bed for 1-2 hours when I wake up. This is a good sign that my adrenals are overtaxed.
4. I have gained 5-10 pounds this semester…which is crazy since I am like 40 pounds overweight.
5. Ever-changing moods…just ask my roommates
6. Gas…just ask my roommates
7. Tired all the time
8. Bloated and puffy
9. And, just not as happy ☹

So, I have been working on ways to decrease my stress. Luckily, I have some amazing people around me who are helping me find ways to de-stress, experience joyfulness, and give my mind peace. Lucky girl! I have actually started to meditate…this is day 2. A new, inspiring friend (see ) gave me some pointers and so far so good. I have stopped working as much, and duh…that has really helped. And lastly, I started bellydancing and going to bed early again. And just as a side note, since I have been taking it easy in the past week, I have lost about 5 pounds.

So, I thought I would update you all with a picture. Unfortunately, I lost my camera in New Orleans, but someone took a picture of me recently at a wedding shower.

I am in the middle, Joche my roommate is on the left, and my friend Lavona is on the right.

Oh, I now have a myspace page. It took me forever but I have finally succumbed. Go to myspace.com/rawblackgirl

Have a wonderful, awesome, stupendous, enlightening, and joyful day!

-Brandi

2008-02-09T00:38:00.000-05:00

Greetings People,

It has been a while since there have been any updates from the rawsistas. Due to busy lives, all of us have not been able to post as much as we thought we would, when we first started. But I/we do promise to keep updating as much as possible. Even if we don't write something about what we are personally doing, we will post a video, a website/blog; article or book that we think you would find interesting.

Updates

For the past week or so, while some of my fellow New Orleanians were out at parades in celebration of Mardi Gras, I have been transplating my greens that have been struggling for survival in this inconsistent weather patterns. I have made a commitment to working/ being with the Earth in some way every day. I have a new obsession that I will talk about in my next post. Until then, please enjoy these pics. it.

....Notice how much concentration Omer has while watering the mint.

Here are our Collard greens and Green eaf lettuce. I am affirming their recovery and giving them lots of compost and loving thoughts.

Oh, I forgot to add that I build the garden boxes myself (smile). I felt really empowered.

Youth and Raw Foods

In February, I started teaching a workshop that I created called "Vibrant U-- A journey into Wellness" to youth at a High School in New Orleans. The workshop merges body awareness exercises, nutrition education and the arts in a fun and exciting way. Initially, the students had the expected questions like "What is the class about?" and "What are we going to learn?" and the like. Based on my own experience and focus on creating Wellness in my own life, I have learned that Wellness is dynamic and individualized, so giving them one answer didn't work, becasue it always brought me to another question, so I just allowed the action and work/play answer their questions. There were a few times when their a little bit of resistance to some of the philosophies that I present in the class, but overall, these youth are amazingly receptive to the information. I love it when I hear them say " Oh, Miss Gabrilla, I can't wait to tell my mother /aunt/ father about this!"

This past week, (which was the first day of food preparation), we had a blast, we made a Mexican-inspired salad with a nut cheese and a berry/banana smoothie. The food was so good. They loved it!

Our Mexican-inspired Salad

Notice the smiles of pure raw goodness.

One of my students called me on the phone after leaving class, telling me that her mother really enjoyed some of the salad that we prepared. It feels really good when I see how cooperative they are. How willing they are to learn how to prepare healthy wholesome food and live healthy loves. I did not get one complaint. They would taste the corn and really just light up. They make me love coming there.

Before we prepared the meal, we watched a clip from the video "Raw for Life". They were shocked to know that a person could heal their bodies of conditions such as cancer, diabetes and high blood presssure by eating a raw foods diet. One of my students asked "Why don't the doctors tell us this?" Sharp. They don't miss a beat.

Just amazing kids. I will post more about the workshops as the week go by. We have 11 more weeks.

In Greatness,
GaBrilla

2008-01-16T14:12:00.001-05:00

Here is an E! Entertainment clip on The Raw Living Foods Lifestyle. Enjoy!!!!

2007-11-19T00:38:00.000-05:00

Greetings people,

It has been a while since any of us has entered anything new on our blog. I have been visiting a lot of other people's blogs and realized that I have not been committing to the things that I am passionate about in regards to wellness, writing, sharing information with you beautiful people out there. So here we are...A new day...A new light...A new opportunity.

The Update:

Brandi is still going strong raw. I am still working to find that balance in my tranisition into raw living. But I continue to have my green smoothies daily and now my morning Mate tea. I also started adding strength training to my morning exercises. Push-ups, crunches and curls (10 lb). It nice to feel strong in my body.

Next post, I'll have some pics of some of the veggies that I have started growing. Til then.

In Greatness and Greens,
GaBrilla

2007-09-12T23:07:00.000-04:00

Tomorrow starts the Holy Month of Ramadan and since I am still nursing my son, I am unable to fast. Instead, I will eat only raw foods for the next month. This I know will be very challenging and very rewarding. I know I am surrounded by resources. And the best of all, I know how to take care of myself in my highs and lows. I look forward tot he insights that come from this journey. I will write what I eat daily, as well as some of the insights that I have.

Here are a list of ailments and discomforts that I am experiencing:

- Irritable Moods (short tempered, especially on the road)
- Scatter-brained
- Mild Skin Irritation
- Toe fungus
- Insomnia
- Sjogren's Syndrome
- Mild Achy Joints

Here is my before picture, as I finish off a pint of soy cookies and cream ice cream (yes I said it)

In Greatness,
GaBrilla

2007-08-31T00:04:00.000-04:00

Here is an interview Brandi did with HerManna TV (GaBrilla's New Vlog) Enjoy!

2007-08-30T23:57:00.000-04:00

2007-08-30T18:20:00.001-04:00

A moment worth its weight in gold...

Today, I was in one of my courses. It was the first class and everyone spent a minute introducing themselves and their research interests. I knew several of the students well since they are in my graduate cohort. And as these specific students introduced themselves, I found myself feeling exquisitely happy because I was so proud of their accomplishments, vocal ability, and just their undeniable passion for their work. As they talked, I did not compare myself with them. Actually, I felt abundant. I felt that there is so much opportunity to do well and be recognized. So, I quieted my mind and gave them that moment. I listened, and this allowed me to be truly proud and happy for them.

I have decided to work on my habit of comparing myself to others so that I may have more moments like this. They are indeed glorious.

(Picture: A floating tomato in my garden. It doesn't really float, but this is how my camera took the picture. And I can't really argue with that.)

-Brandi

2007-08-25T15:25:00.000-04:00

Today, I was reading Alissa Cohen’s book “Living on Live Foods.” I was inspired by the stories of people successfully changing their lives and living the life they could have only dreamed about before becoming raw. Something she said in the book truly inspired me, “you must have a clearly defined image of what you want to look like, feel like, and be. If you don’t know what you are trying to create, how can you create it?” This is a very simple statement, but for me in this period of my life, it means so much. There are things that I would like to do and qualities that I would like to become, however, I am not there yet and I am not quite sure how to get there. So, it seems that the first step is to write down what I would like to be, feel like, and look like.

I want to be in a state of unruly, contagious, and supreme happiness.
I want to be in love with my being. I want to be in love with the presence of God that is in all of us and the nature that surrounds us.
I want to feel that who I am is enough; that I am worthy of amazing friendships, love, and living the light.
I want a beautiful body that is feminine, strong, and prolific (i.e., babies of course).
I want to sing, dance, paint, write, and be bold in my creativity. Be bold in my experience of the world.
I want to be fun, spontaneous, and not afraid of trying the ideas that pop-up in my mind. I want confidence.
I want to be a health educator who helps individuals and families lead happy healthy lives. I want to excel in helping the community.
I want to be a wonderful mother, wife, and friend to my future husband and children. I want a raw family.
I want to be an example of possibilities, happiness, and personal growth.

So this is what I want. The next step is to begin making these apart of my reality through daily action, meditation, and visualization. I will let you know what happens.

Picture: I am on the left, and Phyllis is on the right (she is one of my favorite people in the whole-wide world).

-Brandi

2007-08-12T18:18:00.000-04:00

This was my journal entry to mark my 1-year anniversary of being raw.

7/20/07

Today is the 366^th day that I have been raw. It has been a year since I made a commitment to fulfill my potential. A few days ago a friend said that this was a testament to who I am. And she is right. It is a testament of my commitment to bettering myself so that I can create a healthy environment for my future children, so that they too can fulfill their potential.

So much has happened in the last year. Graduate school is going well. I don’t think it would have gone this well without me being raw. I have so much to look back on and appreciate and so much to look forward to. There is so much to achieve and work for. This is the beginning of a new year where I will move further to achieving my full potential.

These are the changes that I noticed in the last year because of the raw diet:

I have lost weight. Probably 30 pounds or so, I am not sure. It happened slower than when I was raw the 1^st time. I think because of the stress from graduate school. I still have some weight too loose. But one thing that I love about being raw is that my body gets this amazing shape. It’s very feminine. I can move mountains with these hips.
My eyes are clearer. They kinda sparkle. My vision is still the same. Hopefully that will improve a little over time.
My menstruation cycle is 1 day shorter and I feel less discomfort. Now I can feel it coming about 2 days prior, and a few minutes before it actually starts.
My skin glows. It is pretty amazing. I just have this glow. My face is also becoming clearer and smoother.
My BO is horrific. Its means that I am detoxing, but my sweat is like cologne.
My temperament is pretty stable. However, the stress from graduate school keeps my mood slightly fluctuating. Especially on the first day of my cycle. My body goes into hibernation, and if I don’t have time to sleep, it can be a dangerous situation (just kidding!). But overall, I am happy pretty much all of the time.
In terms of sleeping, nothing has changed. I still like 8.5 hours. However, there was a period of time when 9-9.5 hours was good. So maybe I need less sleep.
My stool is very regular. At least once a day, if you wanted to know. And all floaters!

I would like to commit the next year to bringing my mind to the present state. I want to present so that I can truly experience life, be there for others, and experience how I truly am. I want that. I want that patience and happiness in my life.

Here are some before and after pictures.

My first day raw

1st month raw

2.5 months raw

3.5 months raw

4.5 months raw

7 months raw

10 months raw

11 months raw

11.5 months raw

1 YEAR RAW!

-Brandi

2007-07-12T19:41:00.001-04:00

Here is a cute picture of my friend Joche enjoying a grapefruit!

-Brandi

2007-07-12T19:19:00.000-04:00

Brandi's Container Garden (an update!)

Hello everyone. I thought I would update everyone on my garden. My plants have been home for 3 weeks and they must love me because they have grown like crazy. Well maybe not like a beanstalk, but more than what I expected. Those peppers that looked raggedy are now almost 3 feet tall and still growing. I have about 4 of them and I still don’t know what kind of peppers they are. Oh, I hope they are cayenne. My tomato plants are starting to fruit. And it is crazy because some of the containers are not deep. They have grown larger than expected.

What I have learned so far in terms of gardening is that plants need love, encouragement, discipline when required, and sun, fertilizer and water. I am using this fish organic fertilizer that is doing an amazing job. If anyone wants the name let me know. I have used organic soil and seeds, so my plants are organic. Pretty cool. Also, I have learned that certain plants need more room while others do well in smaller pots. Like summer squash. They like deep pots, but peppers can do well in medium pots. Interesting.

By the way, I have now added basil and oregano to the garden. How fantastic!

Here are pictures:

These are my tomato fruits!

Here is some pretty looking mint.

And, here is my entire container garden. It has become a jungle of tomato and pepper plants.

By the way, my grape vine has been growing a lot. It has probably grown 2 feet in the last 3 weeks. And my blueberry bush is going strong. It is still producing fruit, which the chipmunks love to eat. The yield is very small, but because it is doing so well I expect a better yield next year.

Isn't abundance wonderful!

-Brandi

2007-06-25T16:28:00.000-04:00

My Morning prayer (6/25/07)

This is the prayer that I wrote last night to say this morning:

"Today is a welcome of abundance. I welcome abundance. I will recognize my blessings. Every moment is abundance. So much can be achieved in a moment. Whether it is checking your email or driving to work. A single moment allows you to move to a place you weren't before. So many possibilities. So much abundance! Treasure these moments. They are the source of abundance. Have a wonderful and blessed day. Be a blessing for others."

-Brandi

2007-06-23T12:08:00.000-04:00

Good morning everyone,

Today is such a wonderful day. This is the second day of my menstruation cycle and I feel wonderful. I am almost 1 year raw. According to my journal, only 26 more days to go. I woke up this morning, took a shower, and worked on my garden. Most of you don’t know this, but I have a small container garden. I started it over spring break from seedlings, not knowing what to expect. I planted summer squash, basil, sugar peas, parsley, melon, lemon cucumbers, and sunflowers. I also brought 2 grape plants and 2 blueberry trees. I left my plants in my friends care while I was in California for 4 weeks in May, and unfortunately some plants didn’t make it. No fault of theirs, they just needed my love, patience, and fertilizer. So now they are back home and doing very well. Here is a picture of my garden:

I staked my peas and now they look healthier.

My grape vines are still doing well (the one I brought from the farm is doing better than the one I bought from Lowe’s).

One of my blueberry trees is producing small blueberries, which suggest that I will have a good harvest next year. The plant from Lowe’s is not doing as well as the one from the farm (duh!).

I replanted my squash because the container was too small. Also I think that because there wasn’t enough fertilizer, the plant kept producing roots, and the plant became root bound.

Also, there is good news. When I transplanted my plants from their small trays to their pots a few months ago, I used compost from the farm where I pick up my farmshare. Well, the compost had all kinds of seeds in them. Now I have peppers growing, all types of tomatoes, and lettuce. All of which, I did not plant. I can't wait for the fruit to come in (see below).

Also this morning, I made some juice. I juiced rhubarb (no leaves or roots) with lemon and strawberries. I was careful to make sure that I cut off enough of the bottom of the stalk so that it had no roots. Rhubarb contains a lot of oxalates, and the roots and leaves are toxic.

After I made the juice, I mixed in agave and lecithin. I wanted to make a sauce to pour over peaches and strawberries. My peaches weren’t ripe yet, so I poured it over strawberries and it was gooooood. It was tart and sweet. Here is the recipe if you want to make it:

3 stalks of rhubarb

1/2 c. strawberries

1 lemon (meyer preferred)

Agave to sweeten

1 1/2 tbsp lecithin

Juice all the ingredients. I juiced the lemon rind, but you don’t have to. Pour the juice into a bowl. Now add the lecithin and stir until dissolved. Now it is ready to pour over any sweet fruit. Berries work the best with this.

Lastly, I wanted to make mention of my menstruation cycle this month. It was different. I bled more on the first day (can we say a river). I even bled heavy during the night, which is when I usually bleed lighter. I didn’t feel tired like I usually do, or discomfort. I was bloated for the first half of the day and then it went away. And, I had more energy and more patience.

Good times.

-Brandi

2007-06-18T21:56:00.001-04:00

Curry Flax Crackers

by Brandi Rollins

This recipe makes a spicy flax cracker. However, if you like strong flavors (like me), you can decrease the amount of flax seeds, water, and oil in half.

2 cups Flax Seeds (soaked 6 hours in 3 cups of water)
2 cloves
4 cardamom pod
1 tsp coriander seeds (a heaping teaspoon)
3 garlic cloves
2 roma tomatoes cubed (or 1 medium sized tomato)
1 tbsp cumin
1 red jalapeno (if green, you may need two)
2 tbsp honey
2 tbsp ginger, minced
1/3 cup water
2 tsp salt
2.5 tbsp Curry seasoning
1/2 cup Sesame seed oil or sunflower seed oil (try not to use olive oil)
Soy sauce or salt to taste

You will need a dehydrator and 2 Teflex sheets.

After soaking the flax seeds for 6 hours, remove them to a large bowl. In a small blender combine the remaining ingredients except the oil. It should form a paste. Now add the paste to the soaked flax seeds and then add the oil. Mix the mixture well. Pour half the mixture onto one Teflex sheet and spread to 1/8-inch thickness. Pour the remaining mixture onto another Teflex sheet. Place both in the dehydrator. Dehydrate the flax crackers at 145-degress for 1 hour, and then decrease the temperature to 105-degrees. When the top of the crackers are dry, flip onto the grid and peel away Teflex sheet. Dehydrate until dry.

The crackers will keep for a week in a dry container.

2007-06-18T21:40:00.000-04:00

Green Tea Ice Cream

----------------
This stuff is amazing! The cinnamon is a nice touch. This is my roommate’s recipe. All the ingredient measurements are estimates. Enjoy!

-Brandi

2-3tsp Green Tea powder
1 banana
1/2c. coconut milk (may need a little extra)
1c. ice cubes (can add more to thicken)
1-2tsp cinnamon
1-1½ vanilla extract
2-4tsp honey

Blend all ingredients in a strong blender. You may need to add more coconut milk to blend the ingredients. If you want a more solid ice cream, place in the freezer.

Note that bananas can be substituted by the fruit of your choice. My roommate has also made this with mangos and peach. They are both very good with the green tea powder.

Note that the fruit can also be frozen. If you use frozen fruit use ½ the amount of ice or no ice, depending on the amount of fruit you add.

2007-06-18T01:12:00.001-04:00

A Morning Prayer (read 6/17/07)

Last night, I wrote in my journal a prayer to say in the morning. I thought I would share it with everyone because it is about celebrating your work. I thought it was a wonderful way to start the day and it really helped me stay focused on the day’s tasks. So here it is:

"Today I will work. I will celebrate that work because it is my vocation. It is where I put my time, therefore, it's work that I love and is a reflection of myself. Through this work I will cultivate my power, and gain the skills and experiences needed to serve, further, and commune with the spirit. The spirit of my ancestors, the universe, and the present time me. Thank you for the gift of today. So many opportunities to further the spirit. So, be present, be apart of the living, and just be."

-Brandi

2007-06-18T00:09:00.000-04:00

Meeting of the Minds
May 2007

Last month, the raw sistas (plus 2: Shaneca and Omer) got together for the 2nd quarterly Meeting of the Minds. If you don’t already know, this is a meeting where we share our goals and achievements to inspire, support, and encourage one another. This was a special meeting because we were all in the same city at the same time. What a blessing! We met at Café Gratitude in Berkeley, CA. A one-hour breakfast turned into a 3-hour sharing of stories, life plans, and wonderful food (although some ended up on the table thanks to Omer and Shaneca dipped out for some roasted chicken at a nearby restaurant).

We were all in a place of new beginnings: GaBrilla was beginning a new stage in her life as prepared to move to New Orleans. She shared the introduction to her book, and her accomplishments as a mother and an artist. She is such a fantastic mother! Rufiena spoke of her new job as coordinator at EF in Los Angeles, her successful six-month stay in Thailand, and recent certification as an international ESL instructor. Alicia celebrated her induction into the honors society at Columbia University, and looks forward to starting the first year of graduate studies. Shaneca shared her goals of graduating High School, improvement of her grades, and her experiences as a dancer. She plans to study dance at college. Lastly, Brandi talked of her many achievements in Graduate School, including her main accomplishment for being 100% raw for almost a year. She plans to submit 5 publications and attend 2 conferences in the fall.

Here is a picture from the meeting.

In picture: (left to right) Rufiena, Brandi, Alicia, Shaneca, Gabrilla, and Omer (he's eating))

-Brandi and Alicia (our new raw sista)

2007-06-13T15:35:00.000-04:00

Greetings everyone,

From here on out I will be breaking my entries into three sections, Gardening, Food and my weekly reading. They are all so connected in my life, that it would not make much since to not include them.

Garden: A Sista Gotta eat

Like I posted last week, we (my son and I ) have moved forward to New Orleans. As soon as I got here, I dove full fledged into my goals, one of which happens to be to grow food for me and my family. At first I thought that it would be more of a way for me to prep myself for my future dream farm, but once I saw the prices of the food here, I knew that planting and growing produce will have to become much more of a priority than it ever was. I have lived in the bay area for the past five years and I have never paid these prices for food before--ever. And the bay area is one of the most expensive places to live in the country. I guess this was to be expected post-Katrina, but how are people who are still not getting a living wage, to find healthy affordable food? This is one of many examples of the inequities that so many locals are faced with. But I’ll rant later. And if ya’ll know me, you know that I am not one to stop at a wall. There are a few organizations in the city who are addressing the problem. Here are a few:

As far as the progress on the garden, I came back to see that I had a lot of baby carrots that grew and tons of mint. See below.

I had to pull all the weeds up and lots overgrown grass. I turned the dirt over and knew that there was some other things that I needed to do to the soil since it is so clay like. See below.

I did some research on the current status of the land post Katrina and I was advised to get the soil tested, so I will be holding off on any planting, growing seedlings indoors and growing compost until I get the results of the test back.

Here’s the beginning of my garden. I can’t to see what it looks like six months from now.

Although it is a major blow to have to pay 2.99 for a bunch of organic kale, half the size it is supposed to be, I intend to maintain a healthy diet, comprised of lots of vegetable and fruits. And speaking of food, here is a “living” date torte that I made with a cashew butter frosting--Heaven!!!
Date Nut torte:

(from Living-foods.com)

Base of Tort:
2 cups raisins
2 cups walnuts
Frosting:
1 cup dates, pitted and soaked
1/2 lemon, juiced
For Base:1. In a food processor, combine raisins and walnuts and blend until well blended and moist. (This will take a few minutes and you may see it forming a ball. Just make sure the raisins come out looking like a fudgey mixture and are not still grainy)2. Remove from processor and mold onto a plate in a round circle about 1 1/2 inches thick.For Frosting:1. In a food processor, combine dates and lemon juice until smooth and creamy.2. Spread the frosting on top of the torte

Cashew Butter Frosting:

2 tbl raw cashew butter

1 tbl agave nectar

a dash vanilla

a few dashes of water until smooth and creamy

Note: I like this served at room temperature as the frosting and torte are still sticky, but if you want a firmer texture that will be easier to slice, refrigerate it for a few hours.

GaBrilla’s Weekly Reading

Moving forward to New Orleans, and close to my family, having grown and learned so much, I feel a need to approach my relationships differently. My relationship with my family, my community and the city that I was born and raised in has changed, because I have changed, yet I feel as if I am approaching some things in that same reactionary emotional way that I did five years ago. Some friends of mine and I had a conversation about the thing that kept us coming back to the bay and I thought about it for a while. I realized that we all “grew up” in the Bay. Yes we went there as “legal” adults, but many of us got our first apartments, paid our own bills and had our first children in the Bay. So for the Bay I will always be thankful for all the experiences and all the wisdom gained. I will always consider Oakland my second home. But how does one return home grown and stand in your wisdom and growth without apology or regret?

I said all that to talk about the book (s) that I am reading. As usual, there is always a health book that I have my hands on. This week I have been referencing a gem I picked up called “The Essene Science of Life” by Edmond Szekely (same author of “The Essene Gospel of Peace--Book 1)

But the book that is challenging me the most to grow in ways I assumed I had, is "Nonviolent Communication: a language of life" by Marshall Rosenberg, with the workbook (by Lucy Leu)that goes with it. It is both an empowering book and one that breaks everything I thought I knew about communication fall to pieces. If you practice NVC than you are ahead of most, but if you are like me, I am being broke down, are at least the illusions that I believed in are. And I give thanks for it. It is making me re-evaluate how I communicate with my son, the messages I tell myself and others who are close to me. It makes it very hard to judge and makes me get very clear on how I am feeling. I feel really good when I can hold myself back from raising my voice at my son and get on eye level with him and ask him to something in a loving, but firm tone. Sometimes then yelling slips out, but I am conscious of it and I go back to NVC and he responds so well.

My bedtime book is “Conversations with God” by Neale Donald Walsch. I can’t and won’t explain. Read it for yourself.

Next week, I will give you all the results of my soil test. And some more pics of the great raw and some cooked foods that I have been making.

2007-06-06T12:10:00.000-04:00

Greeting People,

We have arrived safely in New Orleans. I was pleased to pull up carrots from the garden that I started last fall. I also have mint growing all over the place (Lots of cacao mint smoothies!!!) I will be posting some a new blogs in a few days. I will also be including my adventures in gardening. In the meantime, here are a few pics of some smoothies that I have been trying out for size.

Oh, the baby with the Green mustache is my son, Omer. He loves green smoothies.

In Wellness,

GaBrilla

2007-05-31T22:20:00.000-04:00

This is the journal I kept while at the Ojai raw retreat organized by Storm and Jinjee, and hosted by Wyn and Cynthia (http://www.therawretreat.com/). Enjoy!

Day 1

This is the end of my first day here at the raw retreat. I have arrived at what I hope to be a wonderful experience. From this retreat, I hope to gain a foothold on my cravings for dried fruit. They are definitely my junk food. Also I hope to relax and have a place where I don’t have to worry about access to great food. Not only do they provide a room, they provide raw meals.

When I arrived to the retreat, I met the hosts: Wyn and Cynthia. They are fantastic. I talked with Cynthia for a while and we shared our backgrounds. She has been a massage therapist for 30 years and reads bodies to reveal ancestral patterns of unresolved troubles. She shared some of her stories and in one she helped a Baptist church in Brooklyn. The pastor asked her “I found your book, Bodies Unbound, in a Denver bookstore three years ago. The title intrigued me. Upon reading it I was fascinated about what people discovered about their lives when you massaged them. When we were slaves we left our bodies. We are still living outside of our bodies. I’ve asked you here to find out where we went” (from the book Bodies Unbound). She provides her services her at the retreat so I will definitely take advantage of them.

Wyn has been practicing raw foods for 2-5 years at a time for 30 years. He has so much knowledge on raw foods preparation, sprouting, and is a wealth of nutrition info. Tonight he guided a 15 minute mediation where you listen to the body, allow yourself the feel sensations in the body, and truly experience them.

For dinner, we ate a wrap consisting of a nut pate and chopped vegetables, with a miso dip and kale salad, which I brought with me from Oakland. Below is a picture of us at the dinner table. The meal was fantastic. After the meal we went for a walk on a trail by the house. The weather was beautiful. There were gray clouds in the sky and the city had this mystic feel to it. A picture is below.

The house also has a nice library with books on raw foods, body movement such as chi gong, etc. I read the “Raw Family” book in one sitting and was inspired. This book is amazing. You should read it if you get a chance.

Day 2

This morning I woke up at 6:15am in the most comfortable bed. I wanted to take advantage of this bed so I went back to sleep for a little bit more. At 7:30am I finally got out of bed and turned on my Carolyn Myss cd’s and prepared for the day. When I left the room, a small cup of wheatgrass was waiting for me. I didn’t really want to drink it but I knew that if I want to realize my full potential I needed to drink it. So I did, slowly. Afterwards we went on a 4-mile walk on the same trail as last night, only this time we went farther. I picked an orange from the orange trees along the path. It was fabulous.

When we returned back to the house we experimented and made a smoothie with strawberries, peaches, and red kale. It had a very interesting weird tasted, so I added some honey to make it drinkable. I knew that it was healthy and that is why I am here.

Tonight we went to see David Wolfe speak in Santa Barbara. It was pretty awesome to see him in person. Wyn actually won the raffle gift basket. I can’t wait to taste the raw cashews from the basket.

Day 3

This was the most wonderful day I think I have had all year. So many things happened. I woke up early to watch the sunrise, however, the sky had this haze. Instead, I finished Cynthia’s book. It was amazing. She is such a wonderful writer. From that moment I decided that I would pay the $120 and have a session with her. When I left my room, a cup of wheatgrass and celery was waiting for me. This time it was easier to drink. A little later, I made myself a smoothie with 2 peaches, 2 cacao beans, 3 Brazil nuts, water, and honey. It was amazing. I loved that it had a little crunchiness. I have decided since hearing David Wolfe to try including more juices into my diet. So we will see how it goes. After my amazing smoothie I went on a 4 mile hike and it was fabulous. I tried my best at being present during the walk so that I could appreciate the beauty of Ojai.

After the walk, I juiced amount a ton of oranges to drink during the day. I also ate the soup we prepared for dinner last night. It was fantastic. It was surreal to be on the deck looking over Ojai, drinking a glass of fresh orange juice, and eating the BEST SOUP EVER (my tribute to David Wolfe). Here is a picture of the view.

Soon after, I had my session with Cynthia. It was amazing. We mainly talked about my father and I learned about how I really felt about him and that I still need to learn what a father truly is. It was worth the money and I am so thankful for the opportunity to release these emotions. After the session I felt lighter and happier, and Cynthia noticed it too. Later that night we did a ritual where I wrote a list of all the things I have chosen to forgive my father for and we burned the list underneath the stars and moon.

Today was also very eventful because I met Storm, Jingee, and their family. It was amazing. There were also 2 girls staying with them. We had dinner and talked for a while. We talked about graduate school and how we could possibly work together in the future. The kids are as beautiful as they are in the film. I am so inspired by them all. Here are some pictures.

And to end the day, I talked to my friend Rufiena. And it was so fantastic to hear about her life and what she has been up to. Tomorrow, instead of going home I will drive to LA and spend some time with her. We will drive back to Oakland together.

Day 4

Today I slept in. After a very eventful day, I needed my rest. I woke up this morning and had my cup of wheatgrass and celery juice. I updated my journal and snacked on brazil nuts and gogi berries. Today I really wanted to relax and be lazy, however, thanks to Wyn I was able to fight it and go for a hike. The hike was just what my body needed. It was uphill and challenging. I haven’t sweated like this in a long time.

Here are pictures:
I ended my retreat with Wyn at a raw food restaurant in Ventura. The food was wonderful. I drunk a drink called ‘Mother’s Milk’ and ate raw ravioli. A picture is below.

I must say that this retreat was the best decision I have made in the last few months. It gave me an environment where I can relax and engage with others who are incorporating a raw food diet into their lifestyle, and a way to deal with the emotional issues I have been holding on to. Thank you Wyn, Cynthia, Jinjee and Storm for this amazing gift.

2007-04-11T00:12:00.000-04:00

Getting my Greens
posted by Gabrilla Ballard

It has been a long time since any of us has written anything. Partly because of changes in local and lifestyle. I am making a commitment to blog at least once a week to keep the blog fresh and to have a log of my own progress in living a holistically healthy life.

For the past week or so, I have making a lot of fresh fruit smoothies, in an attempt to get more fruit in my diet. I often go to the website http://thesunnyrawkitchen.blogspot.com. Afew weeks back, I found that they had a whole piece on greens. I was immediately inspired by the information. I also realized that I could not remember the last time I had raw greens. I assumed that I was getting enough by adding green powders to my drinks. But I was not. So on the greems I went. Being that I had recently bought a bunch of organic kale, I decided to add about a cup to my fruit smoothies and see how it came out... I loved it. I wanted to know more about green smoothies and their health benefits, so I went out and bought a copy of the book “Green For Life” by Victoria Boutenko. This book is really opening up a new world for me in regards to how I look at what I am consuming, especially greens. I have always thought that I was a pretty conscious eater, but I am learning that I have been way off track, eating a diet that was vegetarian, but largely carbs and refined ingredients. I can honestly say that I have consumed more greens this week than I have in years and I am already experiencing results. I am a recovering sugar addict and this past few days, my cravings have decreased substantially. It does not take as much will power. Which is a HUGE thing for me.

What I love is that, it is such a simple thing to add greens to my smoothies, I ofetn ask myself why had I not done it before? Now I leave the farmers market with an armful of beautiful, fresh, organic greens. My son even likes them.My mother is in town right, visiting and she is hooked. Here are a couple of recipes that I have been working with this past week.

Gabe’s green smoothie 1

1 banana
1 apple or pear peeled
3-4 kale leaves
enough coconut wtaer to fill half way (about one cup) or water
agave nectar or unrefined sweetener (optional)

Blend until smooth and enjoy

Gabe’s green smoothie 1

1 banana
1 mango
1 handful of spinach
1 cup freshsqueezed orange juice or water
agave nectar or unrefined sweetener to taste (optional)
1 tablespoon goji berries (optional)

Blend until smooth and enjoy.

For those of you out there who may not have been consming as many greens as you would like, try these, they are both delicious and good for you. And here are a few resources to check out that I have found extremely helpful:

“ Green for Life” by Victoria Boutenko
http://thesunnyrawkitchen.blogspot.com

Next week: Alkalizing my body

2007-01-30T20:48:00.000-05:00

Peace and Sunshine People,

It has been a while since any of us has posted any entries. It has been a series of transitions for all of us. Brandi has just celebrated her sixth month of being raw, I am constantly celebrating my improvements in my diet. I have not quite met my 80/20 goal of being raw, but I am making some headway in regards to eliminating refined sugar from my diet. More on that later.

While you all wait for our next entry, here are some books and websites that you all should check out in the meantime:

www.freshtopia.net
www.rawfoodmedia.com
www.rawyogi.blogspot.com
www.rawveganradio.podomatic.com

Books:
" Rainbow Green Live-Food Cuisine" by Dr. Gabriel Cousens
" Baby Greens- a live-food approach for Children of all ages" by Micheala Lynn and Michael Chrisemer

GaBrilla
Raw Sistas

My First Experiment with Raw Butternut Squash

2006-11-13T11:39:00.000-05:00

November 13, 2006

Now that I am on the east coast, I am opening myself up to new winter foods. I have fell in love with radish, Chinese cabbage, and bokchoy. Who would have thought you could get so much bokchoy on the east coast. The good news is that bokchoy has more calcium than Kale, so the more I can eat it the better.

Anyhow, this morning I made raw butternut squash soup. It was a lot different than I expected. When I tasted it, my initial response was "I can't eat this..." In the soup was butternut squash, an avocado, a whole can of coconut milk, 3 carrots, cinnamon, and maple syrup. I blended these ingredients in my blender for a long time. The texture of it is what threw me. I expected it to be a little more creamy, and it wasn't. It wasn't horrible, just weird. So I warmed the soup a little in a clay plot, and the heat definitely helped.

I ate the soup for lunch and I must say that I am looking forward to eating the rest when I get home. I will share more recipes as my butternut squash techniques improve.

-Brandi

2006-11-10T06:52:00.000-05:00

After being in Thailand for two months, I'm sick again for the second time.

The first time was exactly one month ago. It was on a Thursday, October 12th to be exact. I had made plans to go out to dinner with the other 9 Americans, but suddenly and awfully I was feeling sick, a lingering irritation that let me know something was in my body and doing things that my system did not like. It went on for days in fact, including an eight-hour Saturday bus ride to Chiang Mai. Yeah, I had motion sickness and nausea, but not enough to throw up. My greatess symptoms which were emphasized by the bug were irritation and a BAD MOOD. It lasted until Tuesday, but by then I had decided I was going to pass this bug on. I said "I'm not leaving the house today. I'm going to go ahead and be sick and get it over with." And that's what happened. I went to the bathroom, didn't stick anything in my mouth, I just started coughing and there it came. For hours, I alternated sleep and vomiting sessions, and when I didn't have anything in my stomack, then came the diarehea. It was not pretty, but I was happy just to get it out. By the night time, I couldn't hold anything down, not even juice, so the doctor gave me some meds for that and to stop the diarrea. I slept the next day and was fine.

So where did it come from? Obviously the food. It's weird, people tell you not to buy food from street vendors because it's unsanitary, but street food is like 65% of the experience here in Thailand. Tourists eat it, Thais eat it, I figure there's no way I'm not going to eat it since I'm here for six months. But somethings like an exposed mound of noodles sitting under a lamp in on a crowded street with everything from bugs, people and unsmoged cars coughing passed it... I will not be eating. And the gorgeous looking papaya and pineapple sliced with knives that you shouldn't expected have even been rinsed in the last hour, and sitting in ice that has traveled on the back of open pick up trucks and swung in who knows how many directions on the way to that glass case which has been sitting in the sun for hours holding those gorgeous papaya and pineapple slices...I've learned to buy only fruit that is sliced before my eyes. But after one month of trying to figure out when to ignore the Center for Disease Control (CDC) warnings to find the best Pad Thai in Bangkok, and when and where to look for signs of healthy rats and daddy roaches, I inevitably got sick. It happened to most of us within that first month.

No, this time, after adjusting to the move up north to Chiang Mai, the locations of food I like and am willing to try, I'm sick again. But this time, I think it's more related to the lack of nutrients I'm getting in my food. My diet here hasn't varied much partly because once I decide I like something, I eat that dish for days at a time. I also haven't been eating much because it's been hard to get used to seeing bugs in my food. Here, people don't mind too much if there's an ant, or gnat, mosquito, or other insect in your food but I'm looking through everything, and at almost every meal, there's a bug. Now, I've given in enough to just take it out, or not eat that part of my plate, but it has defintely limited my intake. I've also been warned against eating fruits that don't have a protective shell which could prevent any bugs or pests from getting inside. And living in a house with no kitchen and no cookware has made it impossible to cook my own food. Which means I haven't been eating much.

The bright side is that I will buy a blender this weekend, I just bought a knife and cutting board last night, my school just hooked me and my roommate up with a sink, and some ladies from my school have given up a hot water machine and a hot plate. I'm all over the web looking for "protein" resources for vegetarians, and I've got my vitamin supplements on hand. It's on. I'll keep you posted.

Surrounded by pizza faces...

2006-11-07T12:51:00.000-05:00

Right now, I am sitting in my class surrounded by 16 people consuming 6 boxes of pizza. Talk about feeling awkward and little disturbed.

-Brandi

2006-11-06T00:07:00.000-05:00

November 5, 2006

It has been 3 whole months since I wrote anything in my journal. Many things have happened. I have moved to State College, PA and started graduate school. I have also been 100% raw since my last post. So, as of today, I have been 3.5 months raw. This is pretty cool because this is the longest that I have been raw. However, the last few months have been difficult. It has actually been more difficult than the first time I was raw.

But during the last 2 months I have come to one main conclusion: I am addicted to cooked foods. Although I haven’t eaten cooked foods in a while, I have eaten a lot of dehydrated foods. Mainly raisins, and I tend to eat them with nuts. The result is that I am not eating foods with high water content. I think that this why my experience being raw this time has been more difficult than the first time. The first time I was raw, I really connected with the life-force in foods and hardly ate anything that was not fresh and juicy. Now I crave texture, taste, and the need to feel full. I also eat a lot less fruit than before. Being in State College has limited my access to winter fruits, so it has been a little difficult. However, as the season progresses, organic fruits are popping up in the grocery store.

Also I think that my high consumption of dried foods has left me feeling stuffed up and blocked inside. I don’t feel like I have detoxed consistently. I also haven’t lost much weight. I am thirsty a lot because I am not getting water from my foods. I am also eating less than I should be. Overall, I feel that dehydrated foods have caused more problems than benefits.

Now that I know what I am missing, I am determined to eliminate my cravings for dried foods by eating more fruits and vegetables. There is nothing more frustrating than looking at a fridge full of foods and not knowing what I want to eat.

I want to love foods the way I used to love foods. I want to see the life-force in foods. I want to experience divine happiness. I want to be happy all the time. I want to fall in love with myself again. This is what motivates me to eat high energy foods. Maybe the energy has been in the water all along.

By the way, here is a picture of me 2.5 months raw.

This is a picture of me now, 3.5 months raw.

Also, I just came back from my 5 year college reunion, and I was told that I have a glow. Apparently, it looks like I am in love. Pretty cool!

-Brandi

2006-08-15T18:52:00.000-04:00

Brandi:

Today is my 27th day being raw. Wow, this is hard. I have been thinking of cooked food like crazy. Today when I was walking down the street, I smelled hamburgers and even though I think hamburgers are disgusting, I was wishing I had one. But I soon proceeded to eat some fantastic grapes and drink some fresh apple juice with ginger (which I juiced this morning), and all was well with the world. Even though I have been craving cooked food, I have been loving the lightness of the meals, and the flavors of fresh food. I made a soup with fennel root in it, and there is no cooked soup that can taste like that.

I wanted to do a 'before' and 'after' picture for my 1 month, 3rd month, 6th month, and so on, anniversary. Here is a picture I took around my 1st day being raw.

Now here is a picture that I took yesterday. Although, this is not my 1-month anniversary (5 more days to go), I thought I would attach a picture just in case I forgot.

Keep in mind that in the old picture I was in tree shade and in the new picture, I am in the bathroom. I don't want it to appear that my skin color has changed that much. Although, I have notice some differences:

1. I have lost some weight. This is nice since I am at an unhealthy body weight that doesn't feel comfortable.

2. My face does have more of a glow to it.

3. I have more energy; yet, I sleep more than I did before. I assume this can be attributed to detox.

4. My body odor is more persistent. I will literally take a shower and I can still smell BO in my armpits.

5. I eat less and have a better eating schedule. I don't eat too much in the morning or at night. I eat heavier in the afternoon, which is great because that is when my body can focus more on digestion.

6. I am peeing like crazy and my bowel movements have increased in amount. (just in case you wanted to know)

So this is all. Take care. And good luck on all your ventures.

If you have questions, just post a comment.

-Brandi

2006-08-12T16:27:00.000-04:00

Brandi:

I have been keeping a written journal the last few weeks to document my experience. Here are the entries so far:

July 20, 2006

I ate all raw today. I felt pretty good. Especially since I ate walnuts and raisins and dates. I think I really needed that nutrition. Tonight I talked to a good friend and she told me she had an 8-inch parasite that came out of her yesterday. She showed me a picture and everything. It freaked me out for a while because the parasite was real. It was not this white thing; it looked like an earthworm. But the benefit is that she took responsibility and decided that she “does not want that”! She has been juicing and will be juicing for a while. She wants to get a colonic next month. The doctor said that this type of parasite is usually obtained via non-properly washed fruits and vegetables. Although, a typical person’s response would be to be careful and wash all fruits and vegetables, my question is what type of environment did you create in your body that would allow the parasite to thrive. Parasites are everywhere, and our bodies (if healthy) are made to withstand them.

Anyhow, now I am thinking maybe I have a parasite too (the power of suggestion). My bowels have been irregular and I have been fatigued. Only time will tell. I just hope I won’t get freaked out every time I use the bathroom. Also I have had some of the worst gas tonight. Even I had to leave the room.

I was reading the “Sunfood Success Diet System” (by David Wolfe), and I am trying to go raw again. I want to be able to do all things I WANT TO DO. I want to do well in school, publish papers, research, read fiction, run, garden, crochet, dance (a lot), backpack, walk, hike, sew, and do many other things (as well as be happy). I want to have children that are raw. I want them to fulfill their potential. I want to be pregnant raw. I want to be able to say that for 10 years I have been raw. So, I have concluded that in order to do these things (especially the latter), I must be raw.

(Questions I asked myself)

“What type of person do I have to become to experience radiant health?”

“How do I become that type of person as quickly as possible while still enjoying the process?”

(My answer)

I need to be raw. I need variety. I will take it one day at a time. I am fully responsible for my own great health. My daily habits create my great health.

July 21, 2006

This is my second day being raw. I have been craving eggs, nuts, and raisins all day. I don’t care for too much for meat right now. Today’s meals were pretty good. Maybe my body is getting used to a change in protein source. I should start soaking my nuts.

July 27, 2006

Today is my eighth day being raw. So far the only thing non-raw that I have eaten was a few spoonfuls of white rice. I had fixed a meal for Pedro a few nights ago. But so far, being raw is easier than I thought. I have only had a few dreams about food. I do miss the spices found in sausages. Once in a while I will get a whiff of some ginger and I will think of sausage links. Weird.

I do feel happier and more alive. The vegetables are so yummy. I am crazy about lettuce, cucumbers, and parsley. I made some amazing chocolate sesame seed milk today. I put mint in it and it is divine. I also juiced some plums today. It came out as this amazing nectar. I couldn’t believe it. It was beautiful. I also ate 2/3 of a pound of olives. Today, I was craving them like crazy. Maybe it was the fat or other fabulous nutrients in the olives. They were these raw organic olives from Greece that I bought at Rainbow grocery in San Francisco.

So far I don’t miss cooked food so much. It is still hard, but I have been spending the time to prepare food.

Also I have been having these strange bowel movements. They burn when they come out. I had to stop in the middle today because it hurt so much. I guess it will pass. I am positive it will pass. And a lot of seeds came out. They look like sesame seeds. Interesting. Good night.

July 28, 2006

Today is my 9th day as raw. So far so good. I chopped some peaches and nectarines, and poured some plum nectar on it (I made yesterday). It was amazing. I finished the cocoa mint milkshake this afternoon. I love the food I have been eating so far. It makes me feel really good. I also ate watermelon, and zucchini with sesame seed sauce. It was delicious. Today I did not prepare enough food, so I ate a raw cookie to tie me over (bought at the store). Plus my kitchen was dirty. Tomorrow will be a revival: I will clean the kitchen, take out the trash, and clean my space.

Tonight I ate at Café Gratitude (a raw foods restaurant in Berkeley). I ate the Caesar salad with some added kale. It had Brazil nuts on it as the Parmesan cheese. It was amazing. I also had the chocolate fudge sundae. I am so full. I wonder when I will stop being so full after I eat. I wonder if I am digesting my food all the way. Maybe I should start taking some cayenne pepper before I eat for a while.

August 4, 2006

The last few days have been crazy. My move is finally done (I moved out of my apartment), and now I can start my vacation. I have eaten less in the last 2 days than I usually eat in 1 day. However, I have remained raw. Today was very lovely. I am eating a spinach pie and Italian salad as I write. It is amazing. I bought the “Rainbow Green Live-Food Cuisine” book (by Gabriel Cousens) and I really like it. I also ate at Café Gratitude. I had spaghetti (the noodles were zucchini). It definitely inspired me to get a vegetable spiraler. Although, I am a fan of raw food cuisine, I don’t want to make it a dominant entry in my diet.

I haven’t been able to be active since I have been raw. Tomorrow, I will start to incorporate movements into my daily routine.

Nevertheless, I have started to detox. I can tell by my body order. It is not as stinky as it was last time I was raw, but it is pretty powerful. I feel like I have lost weight. I do feel a little bit tighter…maybe because I am not as bloated as I used to be.

This week I had my cycle. I didn’t have any cramps, just some discomfort. Unfortunately, I had to work on the first day of my cycle (it was my last day at work), so I couldn’t rest as usual. I was pretty tired. I did sleep 9-10 hours that night though. I did bleed more than usual though (same thing happened last time I was raw). I felt like a fountain.

Also some good news: I no longer feel pain when I boo-boo. I have been having lovely regular bowl movements. About 1 bowel movement a day.

August 8, 2006

Today my raw experience was good. I haven’t missed cooked foods today or during the last few days. I have been feeling good, but not full of energy. I have been sleeping a lot, but I have also been depressed because of my current relationship. But I have also been thinking do I want to be in a relationship with someone not raw?

2006-08-11T14:35:00.000-04:00

Hello everyone. My name is Brandi. This is my first entry into our journal. I am originally from San Francisco, and have lived in the east bay since I was 14 (except for a 4 year hiatus at college). I am Black female and 26.

Ever since I was a kid, I have been interested in food. I think it stems from my mother’s yo-yo dieting. I can remember sneaking slim-fast to elementary school. So since she was interested in nutrition, so was I. However, as I got older, my idea of “nutrition” changed. Throughout my childhood, adolescence, and early adulthood I have thought that a low-fat diet was the ideal diet. In college, my diet consisted of tons of sugar (bread, cereal, juice, milk-chocolate, and other junk). I did love vegetables; I just didn’t eat very fresh ones. A few months after I graduated from college (in 2001), a good friend gave me a good talkin’-too about my high carbohydrate intake. After that, I started eating a low-carbohydrate diet. I read Dr. Atkin’s Age defying book and I was really impressed with his research. My diet consisted mainly of salads, broccoli, cauliflower, other vegetables, berries, and a few low-carb products. I ate very little meat and dairy at first. Although, I was a big fan of cream. I would buy it by the quart. Later on I started eating more dairy and I discover that it was not for me. I felt groggy and like crap. I never really went through a heavy meat phase. I think the people who eat mostly meat and dairy on a low-carb diet really haven’t read his books. Dr. Atkins advocated more fruits and vegetables than anything.

(2003-2004)

While I was still low-carb, I keep reading books. I changed my eating to incorporate more vegetables after I read “Natural Eating” (by Goeff Bond). This book was what I was looking for. A book that utilizes anthropological research in designing an eating lifestyle. This was the first book that I read that thought of food in-terms of pounds. I would think how much pounds of fruits and vegetables I was eating everyday. The book also advocated walking 3-5 miles a day; which, I did. Every night I went to 24 hour fitness to walk my 5 miles. This diet helped me focus more on fruits and vegetables, and walking.

(Fall 2004)

I think it was at this point that I discovered the raw diet. Keep in mind that I was eating mostly fruits and vegetables (mostly raw) and I cut out dairy and meat. I was pretty much vegan, I just didn’t call myself that. My diet was probably 70-80% produce and more than half of it was raw. My first raw book was “Raw Power” by David Wolfe. I was amazed at how much it made sense. If I cooked food, it became less nutritional. Made sense, so I began eating raw. I ate mostly whole foods (that is, I didn’t blend, dehydrate, or process them). My favorite thing was going for a walk and taking a few Asian pears to eat (I had a great Asian pear guy at the farmer’s market). I ate pears, apples, berries, nuts, salads, cucumbers, peppers, and anything else that was easy to eat. I learned that if it was difficult to eat then it most likely isn’t supposed to be eaten. I didn’t sprout or soak. Keep in mind that I am not preaching, this is just what I learned. Although I had read that it is hard to be raw in the winter, I started being raw in September. Keep in mind that I was in California, so I am assuming that it is more difficult in colder climates (or is it?). I was raw for 3 months. The only times I ate un-raw food was on Thanksgiving and Christmas.

I learned many things from being raw:

Your stomach actually shrinks. Once I started eating cooked food again, I could only eat so much. While everyone would still be eating I would be done.

I learned that I had food allergies. When I was raw I lost 50 pounds. However, it didn’t feel like I had lost weight. It just felt like I had become un-swollen. I later learned that having a sugar/wheat allergy can make you bloated/inflamed.

Being raw improved my eyesight. For the first time that I could remember I was seeing the world in 3-D. I can’t really explain it, but trees looked different.

I had tons of energy. I would jump out of bed and start my day. There was no lying in bed once I was awake. I would get up, make my bed, and go. This was great, because I was working from 7am until 9pm at 2 jobs.

You can be happy 24 hours a day. I could not get mad. I would sing in traffic. When something happened that in the past would have made me mad, I would say damn it and try to stay mad out of spite, but I would be happy 30 seconds later. It was actually hard for me to stay mad.

I learned that I didn’t have to have cramps. My menstrual cycled changed. Instead of bleeding heavy for 3 days and 2 days of spotting, I bled for 2 days and barely spotted for 3 days. I would have happy cycles; I couldn’t believe it.

My sexual drive was more focused, intense, and controlled. I would have more intense, clear orgasms.

You can thrive off of fruits and vegetables. I did so well on this diet.

Why did I stop eating raw? Life and dating caught up with me. I started eating Indian foods, Chinese food, and other stuff. Although I ate mostly fruits and vegetables, I slowly started cooking them. Plus, I burned myself out on salads. My concept of salads always involved lettuce, so once I got tired of lettuce, I stopped eating salads. This continued for 2 years. Now I am 40 pounds heavier, my eyesight and hearing had worsened, and I am fatigued. Keep in mind that I feel this way even though I eat no dairy, red meat, non-organic food, wheat or sugar, little grains, and mostly vegetables, fruits, and seeds.

The good news is that I have been raw for 2 weeks now. It has been hard. I have dreamed of hamburgers (I haven’t eaten a hamburger in 4 years) and chicken sausage (from Berkeley Bowl). I think I got used to the spices and texture of the meat. However, the thought of eating meat doesn’t sit very well right now. It just looks disgusting (all dead and lifeless like). I have had bad body odor, a sign of detox. However, I have been too busy to be active. Now that I am on vacation, I can start to incorporate movement into my life again. I miss Brazilian dance class. I have been sleeping more than usual (another good sign of detox). During the day I have been mostly craving fruits and vegetables and little seeds. The thought of eating seeds right now doesn’t sound too good. However, putting them in salads and drinking nut milks is okay. And I am in love with watermelon. It has been my main water source since I started eating raw. This is very interesting since I don’t really care for watermelon.

My raw experience will be different this time because I have different goals. Before I was just trying to find the ideal diet. Now, I know that there is no ideal diet and that the goal of a diet is to try to promote a person’s ideal lifestyle. In a month, I will be starting a graduate program at Penn State. While I study I want to dance, excel academically, grow my own foods, crochet, database consult, and be raw. I have learned that I cannot do this eating the way I was 2 weeks ago. After watching “Breakthrough” (a movie about a raw family) and observing how active their family was, I am confident that I can I do all the things I want to do if I am raw.

So for me, this journal will document the process of me actualizing the lifestyle I want for myself.