The Earth Diet-ee : Sarah Mae

Video Blog Day Sixty One

2011-04-28T06:25:00.000-07:00

THANKYOU SO MUCH TO EVERYONE WHO HAS GIVEN FEEDBACK OR SUPPORT! Please keep the comments and questions coming...I am so driven to bring this information to people who have NO CLUE about the crap that goes into most packaged foods!

Love Love Love xoxoxoxox

Video Blog Day Sixty

2011-04-28T05:44:00.000-07:00

Here is what I nourished my body with today:

BREAKFAST: Lemon Water, An Apple, A Banana and A Lemon, Ginger and Honey Tea

LUNCH: Sweet Potato Chilli and Black Beans :) Ingredients: Sweet Potato Boiled, Onion, Garlic, Chilli, Coconut Oil, Black Beans) Yummmy!

DINNER: More Sweet Potato Chilli and Black Beans...SO hot but SO yummy!

DESSERT: None

EXERCISE: A Run and Dancing around in my room to music for half an hour with weights

I hope you give the Sweet Potato dish a try!
Love Love Love
xoxoxoxoxox

Two Month Video Blog

2011-04-27T05:39:00.000-07:00

Here is what I nourished my body with today:

BREAKFAST: Lemon Water, an Apple, a Banana and a Lemon, Ginger and honey Tea

LUNCH: A Coconut and Coconut milk :)

DINNER: Pumpkin Soup (Pumpkin steamed, Coconut Oil, onion, garlic and salt in a saucepan, add water and the pumpkin. Mash and add pepper if you like. Cook until think and creamy! Delicious!)

DESSERT: None

EXERCISE: None

Cooking and preparing food is so much fun! Be creative, and you could just come up with something AMAZING!

Love Love Love
xoxxoxoxoxox

Video Blog Day Forty One

2011-04-07T03:52:00.000-07:00

So here it is, the first Superfood featured in the incredible documentary 'Food Matters'...

BEE POLLEN! :)

Okay, so here is some info that I have found during my hours of research:

Bee Pollen - Bee pollen is collected by bees from flowering plants and formed into granules. Bee pollen is the most complete food found in nature and has five to seven times more protein than beef. It is especially beneficial for the extra nutritional and energy needs of athletes and those recovering from illness. It is a natural antidote for fighting allergies particulary hayfever and sinusitus. Research shows that pollen counteracts the signs of aging and increases both mental and physical capability.

Bee pollen has been shown to help people:

lose weight
increase energy, vitality and stamina
enhance the immune system
relieve allergy and asthma symptoms
improve sexual function
correct digestion problems
slow the aging process
prevent cancer and other diseases

Bee Pollen for Weight Loss and Skin

Bee pollen is the ancient Chinese secret to staying healthy and thin. It is a powerful extracted nutrient that gives the body everything it needs to heal itself, thrive and survive. With over 1000 successful clinical trial patients under its belt, Chinese research groups can enjoy the solid truth that bee pollen is an effective solution for weight loss. The product is available in a variety of forms including a dietary supplement, powder, seeds and added to items such as jam and honey.
The benefits of bee pollen are almost too good to be true. For starters, the average participant in an extensive clinical trial experienced between 15 and 35 pounds of weight loss over the course of one month when taking bee pollen supplements. These results are accumulated from people who did not maintain a special diet and did not workout. It is safe to say that combining bee pollen capsules with a steady diet and exercise routine will drastically increase the workout results for the average person.
There is often a negative side effect or â€œcatchâ€ when it comes to weight loss supplements that promise as positive results as bee pollen, but in this case there is none. Traditional diet pills are often filled with placebos or heavily processed nutrients that are bad for the body. Bee pollen is 100% natural and organic in its derived state. It contains a full spectrum of vitamins, minerals and amino acids that cannot be found in even the most complete multi-vitamin. A person could essentially survive for a few days on bee pollen capsules alone because of all the nutrients that are inside of it.
Bee pollen is carefully derived from plants by scientists. The extraction technique is designed to keep the pollen from being chemically altered in any way. This allows the product to be highly effective. As with many dietary products, there are copycats all over the market. One of the best ways to ensure you are getting high quality bee pollen products is to check the manufacturer for GMP compliance and a certificate of analysis. These small factors will ensure you are consuming pharmaceutical grade nutrients and not a sugar filled alternative to the real thing.
There are many natural moisturizers in bee pollen as well. This allows it to nourish the skin and increase the elasticity of skin. The end result is youthful looking skin around the entire body. Many patients have also reported a drastic decrease in problematic skin conditions especially acne. Because bee pollen acts as a natural detoxifying agent it is able to suck out and flush out the waste that is trapped within skin and fat cells. Other patients noticed an increase in overall energy. On the inside of your body the real magic is happening. Bee pollen flushes out the fat that is trapped inside your cells. During the process the endocrine system is able to function at optimum levels and blood flow and circulation is increased. For this reason, bee pollen can help decrease the risk of numerous health problems if taken daily over time. Each product offers its own recommended dosage. It is important to speak with a doctor before hand to ensure you are not allergic to pollen that is found in the supplement. Signs of allergies include itchy throat, swelled throat and chronic coughing.

I hope you found this information helpful, and an incentive to give it a go :)
Also, I highly recommend watching Food Matters....because it does!

I will see you tomorrow for Day One of my One week raw cleanse :)
Love Love Love
xoxooxoxoxox

Video Blog Day Thirty Nine

2011-04-07T03:39:00.000-07:00

WE ARE ALL NUTS!

When you compare an almond to a pecan, or a brasil nut to a cashew, or a macadamia to a hazel nut...you may very well find tiny similarities...but they are all yummy and completely different in their own way.
Last night I came up with a theory, that we are all nuts.
Why do we constantly compare ourselves to one another looking for reasons to get down on ourselves because her butt may be 'firmer/slimmer/more bootylicious than mine' ?????

It doesn't make sense!!!!!!!!!!!!
From now on when you find yourself comparing yourself to someone else...STOP, IN THE NAME OF LOVE ;) and think about how rediculous you're being. YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL! EVERY SCAR, STRETCH MARK OR BIRTH MARK MAKES YOU UNIQUE!
If you had the option, would you really want to look exactly the same as someone else?

Think about that :)

Anyway beautiful people, I'm off.
I will see you soooon with some info about BEE POLLEN! :D

Love Love Love
xoxoxoxoxox

Video Blog Day Thirty Three

2011-04-05T03:36:00.000-07:00

Coconut Oil is purely AMAZING!

After being introduced to Coconut Oil by Therese Kerr (One of this world most incredible and beautiful human beings), I have become addicted!

The different health benefits include:

May healp you lose weight and boost metabolism

Helps prevent dry and itchy skin and give you thicker, healthier hair

Provides an immediate, ready to use energy source

May help balance cholesterol

May help prevent and protect again viruses and infections

Here is a deatiled list of benefits:

http://www.healthy-oil-planet.com/health-benefits-of-coconut-oil.html

If you want the most health benefits from this Oil then be sure to use an unrefined, virgin, organic, cold pressed oil. Be sure to check for these on the label.

I hope this Oil changes you life like its changed mine :)

Love Love Love

xoxoxox

Video Blog Day Thirty Two

2011-03-29T01:44:00.000-07:00

Here are symptoms of Iron Deficiency: SYMPTOMS: -Lack of energy, feeling tired and weak -Pale skin on the lining of the eyes, inner mouth gums and nails -Rapid and forceful heart beat -Finger nails become thin, brittle and white -Low blood pressure with position change (from sitting to standing) -Severe menstural pain and bleeding -Tongue may become sore, smooth, shiny and reddened -Decreased appetite (especially in children) -Frontal headache -Shortness of breath during exercise (even during a simple exercise like walking) -Brittle hair -Reduction in immunity and increased vulnerability to infection -The condition called 'Pica' (the strong desire to eat non foods like ice, paint and dirt) -Distrubed Sleep -Abdominal Pain These symptoms are general and could also indicate other health problems or blood disorders. Stay tuned for future blogs where I will test natural cures for Iron Deficiency and let you know which ones had the best results for me. I hope that this helps! Love Love Love xoxoxox

Video Blog Day Twenty Seven

2011-03-28T04:08:00.000-07:00

Follow your passion and stay true to what you love :) I feel like I am slowly starting to get my passion back for myself again. It's so hard to forget to give yourself time for you in the commotion of day to day life. We really need to remember to do the things that we love, and that we enjoy every now and again. Also, I found that when I was blogging every day and blogging about my meals, I found it easier to stay on track...so I will also be blogging what I eat from now on :) Another rather important note, make sure that you keep it fun when taking part in this lifestyle. If you get lazy with it, it can get very boring...and most of the fun of this lifestyle is experimenting with all that the Earth has naturally provided :) Anyway, see you in a couple of days :) Love Love Love xoxoxoxox

Video Blog Day Twenty Five

2011-03-23T19:19:00.000-07:00

Today was really hard for me.
I need to change my mind set, and stop feeling like I am missing out on anything.
This is a transition, and I hope that my journey helps you with yours.

Here is what I chose to put into my body today:

BREAKFAST: Coffee with Cows Milk, Toast with Hommus

LUNCH: Sandwich with Nutella and Chocolate Wafers

SNACK: Mentos

DINNER: Not burgers on Bread with sauce and baked veges

DESSERT: Pineapple juice and Malibu

In the past, this is what a typical day of meals looked like.
Usually I would binge alot more, however today after the amount of sugar I had, I felt soooo sick...I just can't eat that much anymore.

I'm looking forward to tomorrow. It will be hard but I'm working on changing my attitude...woohoo :)

See you in a couple of days!
Love Love Love
xoxoxoxoxo

Video Blog Day Twenty Four

2011-03-22T02:24:00.000-07:00

Day Twenty Four:

In the last week since I filmed the blog for Day Sixteen, I have experienced so many breakdowns, and have been put in positions where I have been unprepared, with no access to Earth Foods which has left me with the option of eating preservative filled foods making me feel gross...or skipping meals. Here is what I have expereced and learnt in the last week.

Firstly, my laptop died, and I had no other way of filming my blog every three days like I had said, this is where my week started going down hill. I always seem to get very down on myself when I don't stick to my word...and for some reason whenever I feel like I have failed...in whatever it is, I get really really hard on myself and my self sabotage starts.

Whenever I feel like I am doing well at something, it's like my mind freaks out and over thinks it...this is when I start to notice that I do anything I can to stop the success, and prove to myself that I can't do amazing things. I have no idea why I do this, but it's something that I have noticed alot in the past week, especially when it comes to diet and exercise! I noticed myself making excuses and making justifications for why I should eat a certain CRAP Food just because people around me were eating them. (CRAP is a word I use to describe foods containing Colours, that are Refined, Artifical and filled with Preservatives) I have also been making excuses not to exercise...which is so rediculous! About 4 months ago I went through a stage where I was so committed to exercising rain, hail or shine and I felt so good about myself! Lately however, I use any excuse to get out of exercise like the weather, or a headache or having a big day and being 'too tired'.

I feel like the last month has been a test of my character, determination and will power. I have been challenged with health problems, physical problems, emotional confrontations and mental challenges. I honestly thought that I was stronger than what I am, but after reflecting on how I've handled myself after a breakdown in the last month, I feel I have a long way to go.
For some reason it takes me a long time to pick myself up and make a breakthrough when I've had a fall.
I am so determined to keep getting back up after a fall...and I have promised myself that I will look back in 5 months time and say 'Wow, look how far you've come...how strong you are. Good girl, you did me proud.'

In the last week I have been eating about 50% Earth foods, and have not been prepared when I've gone out. I have alot to blog about when my video is back online!

Also, I would love you to write in to sarah@theearthdiet.org with suggestions on future blogs, questions or even advice.
Hopefully you will see my next blog in a day or two, and I'll be back to documenting what I eat, along with physical and mental effects.

No matter how bad things get, things always work out.
Remember to be grateful for everything you have, and everything you don't have.
Thankyou for taking the time to read/watch my blog :)

Love Love Love
xoxoxoxox

Video Blog Day Sixteen

2011-03-13T05:25:00.000-07:00

Here is what my preservative filled day looked like:

BREAKFAST: Eggs on White Toast with hommus, Sweet Chilli and Chives

LUNCH: Hot Chips with Chicken Salt and Tomato Sauce

SNACK: Loads of chocolate!!!

DINNER: Migoreng Noodles with ALL of the MSG filled flavourings

DESSERT: A Warm Lemon Water

EXERCISE: None

After all of this CRAP Food (Crap for me stands for Coloured, Refined, Additives and Preservatives), I always feel disgusting, and question why I continue to eat this food EVEN THO I know how bad it is for my body, with no nutritional value at all. I honestly didn't think that being sick would make me resort back to my old binge eating ways with food...it made me really interested in healing your body with foods when you're sick...look out for future blogs with natural remedies for certain illness's.

For now, stay grateful and remember that your health is your wealth.
Love Love Love
xoxoxox

Video Blog Day Five

2011-03-03T01:46:00.000-08:00

Okay, so I've been doing my research on Acidophilus and how else you can source it other than in dairy products.
I found out that what it actually is, is live cultures that are added to foods like yoghurt to maintain a healthy gut.
Other than in dairy products, you can find Acidophilus in capsules and in powder form.
I just found a YUMMY sounding vegan recipie for Vegan Young Cocnut Yoghurt with Acidophilus :)
I will post a blog with my attempt at making this yoghurt sooooon!

Here is what I nourished my body with today:

BREAKFAST: A Lemon and Bentonite Clay Water, Almonds, Walnuts and Dates

LUNCH: Peanuts, Pot set yoghurt with peanuts mixed in

SNACK: Organic Corn Chips (Corn, Oil and Salt) and Organice Hommus with no bad stuff!!!

DINNER: Salad, Bean and Herb Patties and Sweet Potato on the BBQ

DESSERT: Pineapple juice

I am still in the stage where I am craving non earthy foods and feel like I am missing out on something by avoiding eating them. Part of this transition is not only the body, but the mind. There will be alot of future blogs about changing my mindset.
Love Love Love
xoxoxoxo

Video Blog Day Four

2011-03-03T00:51:00.000-08:00

(To everyone watching...I am aware of the typo in this video haha.)
I have tried to add a link to some information about the benefits of Bentonite Clay but it's not working :(
I will do the research for you and get all of the facts and bring them to you in another blog :)

Here is what I nourished myself with today:

BREAKFAST: A Banana Smoothie

LUNCH: A Fruit Salad

SNACK: Dates

DINNER: Moroccan Chickpeas and Rice with Organic Soy Sauce

DESSERT: None

I highly recommend using Bentonite Clay for drawing all of the toxins out of your skin! It felt amazing to feel it tighten up...I could literally feel all of the toxins being drawn to the surface. After it'd all been washed off, it was really shocking to feel how soft it actually was! I will be using Bentonite Clay as a Face Mask VERY often!

Love Love Love
xoxoxoxox

Video Blog Day Three

2011-02-28T02:33:00.000-08:00

Here is what I nourished my body with today...I am so grateful:

BREAKFAST: A Lemon and Bentonite Clay Water, A Rice Milk Banana Smoothie

LUNCH: Walnuts, Pecans Nuts, Dates and an Orange

SNACK: More Walnuts, Pecans and Dates

DINNER: A beautiful home cooked meal consisting of Lentils, Mushrooms, Spring Onion, Mint, Basil, Sweet Potato. It was so delicious!

DESSERT: None

Tomorrows blog will be showing how to apply and use Bentonite Clay as a face mask :)
Be grateful for everything you are, and everything you are not.
Life is beautiful when seen through grateful eyes.
Love Love Love
xoxoxoxox

Video Blog Day Two

2011-02-27T03:23:00.000-08:00

Day Two on the Detox Cleanse...No Chemicals, No Preservatives, No Binge Eating...tired and cranky.
Day Two for me was about cleansing my body with cleansing drinks and protein.
Here is what that consisted of today:

BREAKFAST: Lemon Water and Bentonite Clay, Almonds

LUNCH: Walnuts, Pecans

SNACK: Macadamias

DINNER: Pecans and a Warm Lemon Drink with A hint of Agarve Nectar

DESSERT: Dates

I am off to bed, I have been looking forward to this moment all day!
Goodnight, and remember to be grateful :)
Love Love Love
xoxoxoxox

Video Blog Day One

2011-02-26T17:46:00.000-08:00

Today was about fulfilling cravings whilst drinking detoxing drinks like Lemon Water, Bentonite Clay Drink and Ginger Tea. Here is what I consumed today:

BREAKFAST: Detoxing Lemon Water and Almonds

LUNCH: Almonds, Walnuts, Dates, Carrot and Hummus

SNACK: Cheddar Cheese Grain Waves

DINNER: Chickpeas in an Onion Sauce with Rice

DESSERT: Salted, buttered popcorn, Starburst Loliies, Pineaple Lumps and KitKat

I noticed that after I had my binge at dessert, I felt SO SO SO full, bloated and really irritable. It put me in a bad mood actually, after the sugar high died, I was grumpy and not very good company.

Stay tuned for tomorrows blog about Detoxing the Day Aftert the Night Before...Yummy.

Love Love Love
xoxoxoxox

One Month

2011-02-22T19:23:00.000-08:00

Today is the end. I committed to this challenge one month ago, having no idea what I would go through.
Originally I thought it would be all about the food...but I have learnt so much about myself in the last month.
So many metal and emotional issues have come up, and quite honestly, they have all caught me off guard. I had no idea that I had such a twisted relationship with food! so much so that my mind literally started to sabotage my challenge and justify why I should eat a certain food filled with additives and preservatives!
Absolutely crazy!!!!
I emailed The Earth Diet Guru Liana Werner-Gray today...I have found that I tend to struggle when I don't surround myself with high frequency, positive and amazing people. I find that I get really exhausted alot, and I've realised it's because I give so much of myself to people putting out all of my high frequency vibes...and when it's not returned, after a while I get really tired. That is one of the big things that I have learnt from this challenge....along with

Sticking to my word: I committed to this challenge with everything I had. In our society, I found that there were ALOT of tempting factors. At times, the easiest thing to do would be to give in to temptation and binge out on all of the foods that were so familiar to me, but I know that I would have been so cranky with myself if I had given up. Towards the end of my challenge, if you read back on the last 5 blogs, you will see that my motivation, attitude and will power all collapsed in the afternoons as I started to resort back to my old ways and binge out on preservative filled foods. I didn't even really enjoy them when I was eating...ESPECIALLY when I finished them so quickly and was left feeling disgusting! It is definitely a process you go through, and I feel that one month was not long enough for my body to accept the change.
Being at peace with my body: I have had a very dysfunctional view of my body for the last couple of years. After I lost about 15kg's the year I graduated, it's like my body transformed, but my mind was still stuck in the 75kg body...I still saw myself a very chubby, wobbly and quite unattractive. I thought coming into this challenge that transitioning from chemical filler, preservative ridden foods would also help me to transition the way I saw myself...but now that I sit here reflecting on the last month, I realise that it doesn't just 'happen', you need to actually sit down and put effort into that. I noticed my body changing after about 3 days of being on Earth Foods. My skin started to glow, my eyes became so bright and I felt so energised and light. That feeling was incredible. I am committed to changing my twisted view of myself, it will be a process, and I'm sure very confronting...but having peace with yourself is such an important element of having balance and TRUE happiness.
'Missing out': After the first three weeks, I started getting into the frame of mind that I was 'missing out' on the other foods that I had cut out of my diet...which is so crazy! This mainly happened after I went out to lunch or coffee with my partner or friends...even just going into the supermarket! When you go on The Earth Diet, you have to change your shopping habits, and you realise that there are SO MANY isles that you no longer need to go down, because they are all filled with processed foods. I found myself getting so overwhelmed at how much crap is sold at the supermarket! About 90% of the supermarket was now off limits to me, and I felt really restricted when I would walk down the fruit and veg section. One day I was having such a 'poor me day' and I had to sit down and figure out exactly the reason for me feeling like this! It hit me like a broccoli to the face! I felt so restricted because I had only ever tried about 40% of the fruit and veg sold in the supermarket! There were things that I had never even noticed before like Grapefruit and Rhubarb! That made me so much more excited! My goal in my next challenge is to try more of a variety of foods :)
Researching: Previous to this diet, I was soooo naive and disconnected with what I was putting into my body. I remember when I was younger, my Mum would take me grocery shopping and always look on the label for different numbers. She never let us get things like Rollups and packets of Chicken Chips etc because of these 'numbers'. I used to complain and whinge in the middle of the supermarket because I wanted what all the 'cool' kids were eating like LCM's and Space Bars...but "Ohhh Nooo, we can't get them because of the stupid numbersss". Mum would always tell me to" get over it Sarah, I'm not buying any of it. When you are old enough to decide whether you really want to poison your body with all of those additives, then go ahead." I used to get so cranky with her! Looking back now, I think she is so amazing. She always stuck to her guns no matter how much me, my brother or sister would carry on. I have since apologised haha. Now that I am old enough to decide what I put into my body, I am so fussy! Researching certain additives and preservatives has opened my eyes up to quite a horrible reality. Majority of companies making the foods that are sold everyday to unsuspecting families are just plain CRAP! They are only concerned about the profit they will make, so they use the cheapest, nastiest ingredients...with no care in the world about our health! If I could get any message out there with my blogs, it would be to research! Don't just accept and trust that what you are feeding yourself or your families is 'good for you' or 'healthy' 99% of the time...IT'S NOT! Set aside some time, get acquainted with Google, and start searching :)
You can heal yourself naturally: I am a big believed in natural healing. Any problem in you life, was attracted by you (The Law Of Attraction). You create your good and bad times with your thoughts and attitude. I find that I am so much more connected with myself when I am eating food naturally provided by the Earth. I especially notice that if I don't get my body moving sometime in the day...I have such a horrid sleep. I need to expel energy, get my blood pumping, my heart racing, the dopamine flowing through my brain and a big fat smile on my face :) I honestly believe that if I never exercised, that I would have depression. I would have no motivation in life, no drive to be amazing and to do amazing things...I would be a big ball of unused energy getting resentful, cranky and just plain depressed. I believe that you can cure most cases of depression with exercise and a diet consisting of 'live' foods. Also, there are so many natural cures for health problems that require no man made quick fixes. Go down to your locally fruit and veg store, stock up on your vitamins and minerals, get at least 2 fruit 5 veg and protein in your daily diet, get up offa that thing and shake it...and you WILL feel better :)
Gratitude: One of the things that I started filling myself with when I felt I was missing out on anything was gratitude. It was more than just saying thankyou for this meal, thankyou for my car blah blah blah, I would actually be completely present, in the moment and feel the gratitude with my whole body. Breathe it in, taste it, let it flow through every part of me. I would appreciate the incredible aspects of nature, the sensations and textures of the different plants, the incredible view from the top of a hill etc. Life is so beautiful when you can be grateful for all of the non-materialistic things. When you can understand that the best things in life REALLY ARE free...you don't NEED anything else. How amazing :)
Happiness ALWAYS comes from you: In my life, I have been known to look for happiness in anything I could. I thought that expensive clothes, perfect make up and hair, the latest everything would make me happy. I was always a people pleaser, and everything that I did was always to make 'someone else' happy. I often found myself going crazy because I would try to make 3 different people happy in one situation...and I never could. This would leave me feeling incredibly miserable and the opposite of what I'd set out to achieve...Happiness. It wasn't until I started this challenge, that I really started to feel happy in a different way than I'd ever experienced it before. It was coming from me, I was walking differently, talking differently, smiling more than ever and people commented that I was literally glowing. My gratitude for everything that I had and did not have, the delicious food that was naturally provided to me by the Earth, the beautiful beaches that I was running on and swimming in, and the pride for changing my ways...it all came through in my demeanor. Gratitude defiantly was the first step to all of this. Not feeling like you 'need' something else to make you happy, but accepting what you have and feeling grateful. It really helps if you have a notepad and write down a couple of things everyday that you were grateful for. Start with 3 and work your way up :)

As you can see, I have learnt ALOT in the last month. I have has success, failures, fun times, not so fun times, good emotions, bad emotions and everything in between.
I have decided that I am going to continue to eat Earth foods...this time for 6 months.
This time I will video my blogs :) That way I can make them so much more fun and entertaining :)
I will be able to video the beautiful places I go for runs, cooking and preparing beautiful Earthy meals, writing music to help me to heal myself after certain events, visits to my local organic grocer and so much more!!!!

ALSO, another thing that I am very excited to capture on camera, is introducing my mummy to Earth Foods. We are so close, yet polar opposites. I am a vegetarian, mum is definitely not, I LOVE Earth foods, mum loves EVERY FOOD etc.
For those of you who have partners who are hesitant to giving Earth foods a go, get them to watch the videos where I make an Earth meal for mum, and it may give them inspiration to try something new :)

I look forward to starting my 6 month challenge and getting to let you see what goes on in my life :)
See you when I film the video blog for Day One!!!
Love Love Love
xoxoxox

Day Thirty One

2011-02-19T15:10:00.000-08:00

In the last couple of days, I have been resorting back to my old habits and binge eating.
I always feel so gross and irritated after I have filled myself with the artificial crap, and although I have done some research into what is in these addicitve foods...I feel I need to investigate further.

Todays additive is Aspartame.
Aspartame is such a common additive used as an artificial sweetener. I stumbled across this article yesterday while I was researching for my additive blog. Thankyou to http://www.jons-weight-loss-secrets.com/dangersofaspartame.html for this amazing article!!! :)

If you haven't heard about the numerous dangers of aspartame yet, I would like to welcome you to planet earth!
For decades research has been continuously accumulating, showing the dangers of this chemical. Yet it remains approved by government agencies, and millions of people consume this chemical every day.
If you think that government agencies actually look out for people's health, click here. It just simply isn't true.
As we talk about here and here, aspartame does you harm by "tricking" your pancreas into thinking that sugar is coming (sweetness sensation in your mouth, but no actual sugar delivered). This "trickery" causes a metabolic slow-down and makes it harder to lose weight.
But of course, this is just the beginning of the dangers of aspartame. And on this page, we'll go into more depth (and hopefully cause you to never want it ever again).

Russell Blaylock, M.D., in his book, Excitotoxins: The Taste That Kills, said:

"It is my opinion, after reviewing an enormous amount of medical and research literature, that monosodium glutamate, aspartame, and other excitotoxin dietary additives pose an enormous hazard to our health and to the development and normal functioning of the brain. To continue to add enormous amounts of excitotoxins to our food is unconscionable and will lead to suffering and ruined lives for generations to come. The civilized world, especially the United States, has become the largest experimental laboratory in history."

And I believe that we are now living in a time when these words are becoming fulfilled. It's just that many of us still aren't recognizing these chemicals to be possible contributors.
Carol Simontacchi, in her book The Crazy Makers, said:

"Before long, the FDA was flooded with health complaints from aspartame. More than 7,000 complaints of adverse reactions to aspartame have been filed with the FDA. This accounts for around 75 percent of all reactions to food substances received by the FDA. It's astounding: a single ingredient accounts for 3/4 of all the complaints received by the agency, and yet Americans continue to consume aspartame in alarming quantities: more than 17 pounds per person per year at present.
Of the thousands for adverse reactions [to aspartame] reported to the FDA, most concerned abnormal brain function, i.e., depression, fatigue, irritability, insomnia, vision problems, hearing loss, anxiety attacks, slurred speech, loss of the sense of taste, tinnitus, vertigo, and memory loss. Also included were a number of chronic illnesses, including brain tumors, multiple sclerosis, epilepsy, chronic fatigue syndrome, Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's, mental retardation, lymphoma, birth defects, fibromyalgia, and diabetes."

And Mike Adams, in his book, Grocery Warning, said:

"But why does aspartame potentially cause these brain cancers and other neurological disorders? The answer rests in the byproducts of aspartame consumption. During the process of digestion in the human body, aspartame breaks down into methanol (an alcohol) and aspartic acid. The methanol, in turn, poses a severe health risk to humans (page 44).

So what's the main point here? The problem with aspartame is what your body does with it after you've digested it. Aspartame is converted into methyl alcohol, and then methyl alcohol is converted in the cells to formaldehyde and formic acid, and both of these are potent toxins. Is it any wonder we're all so sick, fat, and mentally unstable?
And how about blindness?
Russell Blaylock, M.D., in his book Health and Nutrition Secrets that Can Save Your Life, said:

"Diabetics who drink large amounts of aspartame-sweetened drinks are more likely to go blind. Aspartame is composed of the excitotoxin, aspartic acid, as well as methanol (also a known eye toxin) and the amino acid, phenylalanine."

So how about that diet coke? Or that diet pepsi?
If these dangers of aspartame aren't enough to make you think twice, I don't know what will. If you haven't watched this video yet, I would recommend it:

So here's your action step. Avoid all products (food and beverage) sweetened with Aspartame ("Nutrasweet").

Today I had an incredible day with nature :)
I started my day with a run...it was so hard! I have lost so much fitness recently, so it was such a struggle to climb the hill...but when I got to the top, this was my reward :) How grateful I am!!!

Here is what the beautiful earth provided me with today...(until I drank ALOT of straight alcohol in the evening and binged out, yet again :( )

BREAKFAST: Almonds and an Apple

LUNCH: An Egg and Salad dish

SNACK: Grapes

DINNER: A Chocolate Smoothie with Almonds

DESSERT: Straight, home made Malibu with frozen pineapple pieces as ice

BINGE: Rice chips, Chocolate Wheatbix and Grain Waves.

Tomorrow is a month of this challenge...after everything I have experienced, every successful day, every failure...I have decided that I am going to continue my challenge...this time, I will NOT give in to that sneaky little voice in my head that justifies why I should binge out on preservative filled foods.

Sleep tight, be grateful for our amazing, beautiful earth and let the people you love know that you love them every single day :)

Love Love Love

xoxoxoxx

Day Thirty

2011-02-18T03:04:00.000-08:00

Today started off with good intentions...however like the last couple of days, in the afternoon came the preservatives and chemicals.

I've been questioning why I keep consuming this CRAP!
Day after day, I say I will eat Earth Foods again...and then I just give in.
Could I be addicted?
Is it even possible to be addicted to preservatives and sugar?
I had to do some research to see if I could find some explanations...
Here is what I found:

Dangerous Food Additives and Preservatives

Drugged up, sick and fat.
Unfortunately, that sums up North America pretty good. And the dangerous food additives and preservatives that are used by the Food Matrix are a huge part of why we are all this way.

Here's how this works. The major "food" distributors for the Food Matrix profit greatly off of our addictions. But in order to get us addicted and keep us addicted, they have to overcome many obstacles.

First off, in order for us to be drawn to their "food", and to be drawn away from real food, they need to use chemicals (dangerous food additives) to sweeten their foods more than foods were ever designed to be. In the same way that heroine gives the addict a high that, as humans, we were never meant to experience, so also these chemicals give us a sweetness high that we were never meant to experience.
And so when they give us this "high", we become addicted and want more. Moreover the rush that we get from eating their "food" causes us to lose interest in real food as well.
This further compounds the problem for the addict, but makes sure that the Food Corporations profit handsomely (ensuring repeat business until the addict gets cancer or heart disease, and dies).

And another problem that the Food Matrix has to overcome is that of shelf-life. You see the Matrix understands that, if the food they provide never spoils, odds are it will be easier to distribute their "food" further and further, and by so doing addict more people.
You see, the major food corporations ending up wanting you to lose interest in local producers (farmers who actually produce and raise real food). And the only way they can do this is by making sure that the food doesn't spoil on it's way to you (because it often has to travel thousands of miles to get to wherever you are).
And so, to make sure that it gets to you (to distract you from real food), not only do they put chemicals in it to sweeten it to abnormally high levels, but they also must use chemical preservatives, so that, even if it takes weeks or months for someone to actually eat it, it will still taste ok when they finally do (ensures the profitability of these corporations by making sure food is returned for credit because it expired).
This is essential viewing:

So basically, they add dangerous food additives and preservatives for two main reasons:

The additives, so they can addict you by creating a "taste sensation" in your mouth that you were never meant to experience by eating food.
The preservatives, so their food will never perish, thus making sure their products can travel thousands of miles, and then sit on the shelf for very long periods, all without going bad... thus ensuring corporate profitability.

And this section will be devoted to exposing these toxic chemicals, so that you can become aware and educate yourself, so that you can avoid these toxic chemicals and help others do the same.
(http://www.jons-weight-loss-secrets.com/dangerousfoodadditives.html)

This is crazy. I knew about this, but this is the first time I had actually researched into the addictive side.

I have been dreading writing this bit all day!!! :(
Here is what I poisoned my body with today:

BREAKFAST: Grapes, Blueberries, Walnuts and Almonds

LUNCH: An Orange with Sunflower Seeds

SNACK: A Protein Chocolate Smoothie and Carob Licorice Sticks

DINNER: Organic Spicy BBQ Corn Chips, Home made Fried Rice

DESSERT: Pineapple Juice with frozen Pineapple, Malibu and Ice

EXERCISE: A Run along the water, up a hill and along the beach...followed by an amazing swim.

I also think that I eat when I am bored, I switch off and unconsciously eat crap foods.
I will be determined to find helpful distractions to stop myself from binging out.
I can't wait to write tomorrows blog...it is all about Aspartame, I'm sure that will turn me off crap foods again!

Sleep tight, be grateful for clean, healthy and delicious foods :)
Love Love Love
xoxoxoxoxoxo

Day Twenty Nine

2011-02-18T03:02:00.000-08:00

I have sabotaged myself.
Each day I wake up so determined to get 'back on the wagon' and be as motivated as I was on day one however for some reason...by the afternoon I binge out on crappy preservative filled foods! EVEN THO I know how bad they are for me!
After I did the blog about coffee I started drinking it again. It started with one a day then two then three...and I found myself going back to my old ways. I used to drink coffee and eat hardly any food in attempt to lose weight. I always knew that coffee wasn't good for me but one I started relying on coffee as opposed to food for energy I saw the weight drop off and got really excited. Although I lost alot of weight, I also lost alot of health. My skin went really pasty and I would bruise really easily. I would go for an hour run every day and do loads of sit ups, push ups and dips. After a while of doing this I would get sick and be in bed for a couple of days. When I started eating again, I put on weight so quickly, and my mood was like an avalanche...from being on top of a mountain, to rapidly sliding down seeming like nothing or no one could stop me from reaching rock bottom.

For some reason when I look at my history with food, there seems to be a pattern, and although when I get to rock bottom and change my habits to much healthier/happier one...for some reason I always end up back at rock bottom questioning my will power.

Something I feel is important to write about (even tho I am dreading even mentioning this) is that I used to be so obsessed with my weight. I would start the day without breakfast and opt for coffee and distract myself from being hungry. I would then be starving by the end of the day, so I would binge, and binge and binge and binge!!! I would then feel so gross so I would get on google and look at pictures of skinny celebrities. I would compare them with myself and get really critical of what I didn't look like. Then I would go for a late night run, and go to bed with extremely low self esteem. The pattern would repeat itself over and over...then I would get so sick of living like that so I would dedicate one day to lay in bed and go without food for a whole day, thinking that it would empty me out and make me skinny...then I would exercise like crazy and eat hardly a thing for as long as I could sustain it. I would normally get sick and repeat the whole pattern.

I don't know what to say to explain this...but I am looking into the addictive qualities of preservatives to see if I could have an addiction to preservatives.
I am so not proud to be typing this right now, but I hope that at least one person can relate to what I've been through and want to make a change like I do.

Here is what I consumed today:

BREAKFAST: Grapes, Blueberries, Dates and Walnuts and a Coffee with Rice Milk

LUNCH: Dates and A Chocolate Smoothie

SNACK: Organic Yoghurt and processed vegetarian protein snack.

DINNER: Peanut Butter and Honey on Organic Soy Lin Bread

DESSERT: Grapes, Blueberries, Dates and Walnuts

EXERCISE: A Beach run with an incredible swim!!! Such a beautiful day!

As you can tell, my attitude AND my diet are spiraling down.
I'm nearly at one month...and I have broken the Earth Diet a couple of times.
This is such a powerful challenge for me...it is really showing me that my will power, gratitude, research and living in the present moment all need to be improved dramatically.
Tomorrows blog will be about addictions to preservatives.

Sleep tight, be grateful for amazing beaches and clean, crisp and fresh air :)
Love Love Love
xoxoxoxo

Day Twenty Eight

2011-02-17T01:15:00.000-08:00

Ever heard of 'The Deadly Night Shade Family?"
I hadn't either until just recently.
Allow me to introduce you :)
This family has four main members...you will know them as Potato, Tomato, Capsicum and Eggplant.
These four foods are staples in alot of peoples diets, and they each contain many vitamins, minerals and have some nice health benefits...but there is something that so many people do know know about them.
8% of the worlds population react to these foods. Each of them contain nicotine in some form, and giving up these foods is similar to giving up smoking...especially if you were raised on them.

Potatoes are a major staple in so many peoples diets. With potato chips, baked potato, mashed potato and potato bake being consumed nearly every family on a daily basis...its hard to imagine how many people are consuming potatoes, completely unaware that they are the reason they are feeling symptoms of inflammation and arthritis.
It's only been in the last 600 years that we have been introduced to potatoes. Christopher Columbus discovered them in North America. Although 600 years seems like a long time...in terms of evolution it really is not. Our bodies still have not had time to evolve and processes these foods, hence the reaction.
Raw potatoes should not be consumed as this is when they are most toxic, along with when they are green. If you were to ask you Grandma about cooking Potatoes, she would tell you that back in the day, they would always remove the skin, and NEVER eat them if they were green.
The same goes with Tomato...if you see any green on or in the tomato, make sure you remove it as it contains high doses of the toxin.
If you are part of the 8%, make sure you avoid Eggplant all together. Inflammation will be evident almost immediately. If you are part of the 92% however, be sure to cook thoroughly and avoid eating the skin.

It is a shame that we are not informed about this these days, so as I have found out that I am one of the 8%...I feel it is important to get this information out. The best way to test to see if you are affected is to avoid the food for about a month, and then eat them again...you will notice like I did that the symptoms instantly show themselves.

If you google 'The Deadly Nightshade Family' you will find so much information to further your knowledge about this.
HOPE IT HELPS!!!

Here is what I consumed today:

BREAKFAST: Grapes, Blueberries, Dates, Walnuts and Almonds

LUNCH: Salad and Sweet Potato Peanut Satay

SNACK: A Chocolate Smoothie

DINNER: Sweet and Curried Lentils with Rice

DESSERT: Peanut Butter and Honey on Organic Soy Lin Bread

EXERCISE: A Stroll to look at the beautiful sun set behind the mountains

Sleep tight, Embrace your health :)
Love Love Love
xoxoxoxox

Day Twenty Seven

2011-02-15T04:59:00.000-08:00

A new start can happen whenever you choose. Every day, minute and second is an opportunity to start over.
You have the power to control your thoughts, actions, reactions, attitude and opinions...the only person responsible for your life is you.
For some people, there comes a moment in their life where they realise this, and take control. They stop victimising themselves and realise how amazing their life can be after they've dropped the 'poor me' act and live completely in the present moment.

Today I realised I need to regain control of my life. I committed to this challenge, and yet let myself down a couple of times by giving in the the little voice inside myself that justifies all of the reasons I should eat that food filled with crap.

Two days ago I was so lucky that such a sweet girl moved into the house I'm currently living in. We went for a drive today and I showed her around her new town, took her to see an amazing view and of course to the 100% vegetarian cafe :) When you meet someone new, you know how you do that whole 'About Me' spiel, your family, friends, likes, dislikes, hobbies, foods, relationships etc...and it makes you remember all of the things that make you who you are.

When I left high school, I assessed who I wanted to be, what I wanted to do, and what I represent.
Reputation is such an important thing in our society. Have you ever noticed after you've been in the presence of someone who is contently negative...you walk away feeling down and quite exhausted? That's because it takes so much more energy to be down. You literally exert your body with the feelings of anxiousness, anger, depression and negativity. Suppressing these destructive feelings and treating yourself like a victim, eventually takes a toll on your health only leading to disease.

So what are steps you can take to progress to positivity?
Firstly, learning perspective.
Have you ever noticed yourself so easily judging someone else's flaws and negative habits...yet when it comes to looking at your own faults, you seem so close to perfect you could marry yourself?
Next time you notice yourself pointing out someone elses bad points, literally look at your hand. You'll see that you are pointing at the other person with one finger right? Well then take a look at how many you are pointing back at yourself...that's right...3!
We often tend to pick on habits we see in other people, that we really can't stand about ourselves. Take note of this, then understand and don't dwell on it. Soooo many problems are blown out of perspective because people can't take a step back and look at the situation from a neutral point of view; thus they dwell on their opinion...making the other person wrong, and them a victim...and the negativity flows.

Gratitude always helps me to break out of my negative bubble. Listing the people, experiences, opportunities and everything in between that I am grateful for seems to reinforce how lucky I am, and that everything will always be okay...because I choose to see it that way.

Another thing I have noticed is that my bedroom seems to mirror my life. When I have no routine, no structure, no motivation and no organisation in my life...my room is messy with stuff all over the floor, the bed is unmade and I honestly have no motivation to change it; all of this chaos adds to my frustrations.
It tends to take me a couple of days in wallowing in my own self pitty to get motivated to change.
I wake up one morning and dedicate the whole day to cleaning my room, doing my washing and making my bed. I crank up the music, dance, sing and move my body to get my endorphins flowing. If you get up offa that thing and shake it...you will feel better! Crazy! I also nourish my body with lots of water and delicious nourishing earth foods.

After writing this blog, I am SO motivated to wake up and do this tomorrow morning. I have decided to make tomorrows blog a video blog :) I'm getting excited already!!!

Here is what I nourished my body with today:

BREAKFAST: A Warm Lemon Water, A Chocolate Almond Smoothie and Grapes

LUNCH: A Rice Milk Coffee, Home made Laksa Soup

SNACK: Dates

DINNER: Home made Laksa soup and Organic Peanut Butter, Honey on Organic Soy Lin Bread

DESSERT: Grapes, Dates Walnuts

Sleep tight, stay positive and remember to be grateful for everything you do or don't have :)
Love Love Love
xoxoxox

Day Twenty Six

2011-02-14T04:41:00.000-08:00

Goodevening Lovers :)
HAPPY VALENTINES DAY!!! :)
I hope you had an incredible day enjoying and being grateful for all of the people that surround you with love :)
Todays topic is one that has had my brain turning to mush since I started this challenge, and that topic is...
"When on the Earth Diet, do you accept a loving cooked meal even tho its made using ingredients filled with preservatives and chemicals? Or do you stick to you word and reject the meal...only to offend and disappoint?"
I have been faced with this decision so many times since I began this challenge, and every time I have chosen to accept and break my word over being rude, even tho I've always been left feeling horrible/rude and cranky at myself because I broke my word. I have found that I am a people pleaser, so I always seem to choose making someone else happy over myself.
I'm sure alot of people go through this when they have decided to begin this challenge, and quite honestly, I don't know the answer to the question.
There are different pros and cons for both answers, and they all include feelings of content along with disappointment. So the moment of truth...which answer supplies the less disappointment and most content?
I HAVE NO IDEA!
So I guess I will use this blog to vent my thoughts, opinions and frustrations and bring up this topic for everyone to think about and hopefully relate to...(Also, in hope that Queen of the Earth Diet Liana Werner-Gray will comment with all of her knowledge and inspiring words to shed some light on the dos and don'ts when faced with this decision, which I will put into a blog for EVERYONE to learn from)

Also!!! I would like to send out big cuddles and kisses to all of the people celebrating the most amazing wonder of this world today...Love :) It is such an amazing, free, fulfilling feeling that is universal, felt and spoken in every culture/language and shown with every cuddle, kiss and smile...how lucky we all are to experience the best thing that life has to offer!!! :)
My incredible boyfriend took me out to lunch today to one of the BEST cafes I have been to in my life! It was 100% Vegetarian, with all meals made from 100% natural ingredients which are all locally grown and DELICIOUS!!! AND!!! They sell organic fruit, veges and other delicious earthy foods :) Heaven you ask??? It just may be! :)

Here is what the BEAUTIFUL LOVING EARTH provided me with...(plus some very preservative filled but yet lovingly supplied foods also...AHHH, it's got me in such a conflict with opinion!)

BREAKFAST: Grapes

LUNCH: Chickpea Salad with a Brown Rice Salad

SNACK: Organic Sweet Potato Chips, Organic Corn Chips and Grapes

DINNER: Homemade Laksa with Tofu, Rice Noodles, Coconut Cream, Snow Peas, Shallots, Coriander, Lime Juice, Vege Stock and Coconut Oil

DESSERT: (Very shamefully admitting this one) Grain Waves with Roast Garlic Hommus...ALL FILLED WITH PRESERVATIVES!!!
AND, straight Malibu over ice.

EXERCISE: None

One thing that I feel I should add to this blog is that I have found that the more sugar, preservative and chemical filled foods you poison you body with...the more you honestly crave them!!! I need to detox my body from these foods again (even if that means to be rude and reject a lovingly cooked meal).
I guess tomorrow will count as another day one for me as I take a stand for my health and well being no matter how hard. This is me, completely exposed and vulnerable...I hope that at least one person can relate and be inspired to change their habits. I knew that this would be a challenge, and that is exactly what it is!!!

I am declaring right now, that I am tomorrow going to regain structure, inspiration and routine to my life, and blog about things that are vital to keeping good health and a happy spirit. I honestly did not think that I would be going through all of this in less than a month, but I promised I would be honest which is vital to personal success :)

Anyway, Sleep tight, be grateful for the choice to be healthy and for lots of LOVE!
Happy Valentines Day!
Love Love Love
xoxoxoxox

Day Twenty Five

2011-02-13T03:35:00.000-08:00

Today has been my most challenging day ever. I officially moved out of home, all of my furniture and everything. It has been really hard because I have been living in the same house for my whole life.
I had a very emotional day, and quite honestly I am exhausted. I am also really disappointed in myself because I binged on Potato chips filled with preservatives and chemical crap. I 'also had a lovingly cooked vegetarian meal made for me and I didn't know whether to eat it and break my diet, or be rude and stay on track (This is the topic of tomorrows blog)

I am sorry tonight is a short one, but I am being such a jerk to myself and everyone...and I don't want to read back on this post with shame and humiliation thinking 'How trivial, negative and horrible!'

Here is what I filled myself with today:

BREAKFAST: Mixed Nuts and Grapes

LUNCH: Egg Pasta, Vegetarian mince with veges and Pasta sauce from a jar. Also a side salad of lettuce, feta, olives and cucumber.

DINNER: A Red Rock Deli Dijon Honey Mustard Potato Chip Binge

DESSERT: Grapes

EXERCISE: A big long walk appreciating the company of my amazing mummy :)

Sleep tight, be grateful for Love and Happiness :)
Love Love Love
xoxoxoxox

Day Twenty Four

2011-02-12T03:33:00.000-08:00

Foods on the go. It was another day of travel for me today :) I have found that I rely on snacks like nuts and fruit to keep me going when I'm travelling. I have been eating ALOT of Almonds, Dates and Walnuts in the last couple of days while I have been moving out...
I have done some research on Almonds and here is what I found :)

Nutrition of Almonds

Consumers have new reasons to enjoy almonds as researchers have recently announced that nuts not only taste good, but they're also good for you.

Almonds are one of the most nutritious of all nuts. As more and more consumers become dedicated to healthy life-styles, experts have found that adding natural foods, such as almonds, to your diet may be the prescription for physical wellness in the 21st century. See this!

Cancer Prevention - Almonds are low in saturated fat and contain many other protective nutrients - calcium and magnesium - for strong bones, vitamin E and compounds called phytochemicals, which may help protect against cardiovascular disease and even cancer.

Phytochemical Powerhouse - Leading nutrition scientists presented their research findings in a symposium entitled "Nuts in a Healthful Diet", as a part of the 1998 Experimental Biology annual meeting. Dr. Gary Beecher, of the USDA-ARS, has analyzed the phytochemical content of almonds and states, "I have never seen this diversity of phytochemicals in a single food source."

Reduce Heart Attack Risk - A Loma Linda School of Public Health study showed those who consumed nuts five times a week had a 50% reduction in risk of heart attack.

Lower Cholesterol - In one clinical study, Dr. Gene Spiller, Director of the Health Research and Studies Center, Inc., showed that almonds added to the diet had a favorable effect on blood cholesterol levels and that none of the study groups experienced weight gain in the study.

Some nuts contain rhizveritrol, the anti-inflammatory agent found in red wines and thought to be responsible for the "French paradox". Many scientists have pointed to the French consumption of red wine as one factor in the lower rate of heart disease despite their diets rich in cream sauces and buttery pastries. The fat in nuts is unsaturated, or the "good" fat and there is no cholesterol in these fats.

If you think almonds are just for satisfying your mid-afternoon munchies, you're in for a surprise! These tasty tidbits pack a nutritional punch, combining tons of essential nutrients in one very delicious package.

One teeny ounce of almonds contains 12 percent of your daily allowance of protein. And absolutely no cholesterol, of course. You'll also get 35 percent of your daily allowance of vitamin E, that valuable antioxidant with so many cancer-fighting qualities. And most of the fat in almonds is monounsaturated, also known as the "good" fat.

This little nut is also loaded with minerals like magnesium, phosphorus and zinc, as well as lots of healthy fiber. And don't forget calcium and folic acid - they're in there too!

When you get right down to the details, it's no wonder so may people go nuts for almonds!

20-25 almonds (approximately one ounce) contain as much calcium as 1/4 cup of milk, a valuable tool in preventing osteoporosis.

Almonds are the best whole food source of vitamin E, in the form of alpha-tocopherol, which may help prevent cancer.

If you're pregnant, or thinking about it, almonds are a great source of the folic acid you need!

Almonds contain more magnesium than oatmeal or even spinach. Are you listening, Popeye?

Build strong bones and teeth with the phosphorus in almonds.

Want to see it all? We've got a complete list of all the nutrients in almonds. Go Here!

The facts are in, and they're fabulous! This impressive list shows you exactly how many great nutrients almonds have to offer. Your daily three ounces of almonds have the important vitamins and minerals you need to improve your diet and fight disease. Including 105 percent of your recommended daily allowance of vitamin E. And don't forget, they taste great, too!

Nutrient Values of Almonds:		Single Serving (1 ounce)
Food Component		% Daily Value	% Daily Value in 3 oz.
Macronutrients
Calories	170.0
Protein	6.0 g	12%	36%
Carbohydrate	6.0 g	2%	6%
Fat	15.0 g	23%	66%
Alcohol	0.000 g

Fats
Cholesterol	0.000 mg	0%
Saturated Fat	1.5 g	8%	24%
Mono Fat	10.0 g
Poly Fat	3.0 g

Carbohydrates
Dietary Fiber	3.0 g	12%	36%
Soluble Fiber	0.057 g
Insoluble Fiber	2.436 g
Sugar	2.0 g

Vitamins
Vitamin A	0.0 IU	0%
Vitamin E	10.0 IU	35%	105%
Thiamin	0.06 mg	4%	12%
Riboflavin	0.22 mg	4%	12%
Niacin	0.95 mg	4%	12%
Vitamin B6	0.03 mg	2%	6%
Folate	17.0 mcg	4%	12%
Vitamin B12	0.000 mcg	0%
Pantothenic Acid	0.0 mg	0%
Biotin	6.0 mcg	2%	6%
Vitamin C	0.0 mg	0%
Vitamin D	0.0 IU	0%

Minerals
Sodium	0.0 mg	0%
Potassium	207.0 mg	6%	18%
Iron	1.0 mg	6%	12%
Calcium	75.0 mg	8%	24%
Magnesium	84.0 mg	20%	60%
Phosphorous	147.0 mg	14%	42%
Zinc	1.0 mg	6%	18%
Copper	0.27 mg	14%	42%

It may look like a humble nut, but almonds are an effective weapon in the battle against heart disease. In fact, you may decrease your risk by as much as 50 percent just by eating almonds five times a week!

A recent study showed that including almonds in a diet that’s already low in saturated fat and cholesterol helps knock your cholesterol down even more. And that lowers your risk for heart disease.

You’ve already heard that a low-fat diet and regular exercise are key to living a long and healthy life. Problem is, many people took that low-fat message to mean no-fat. And while too much fat certainly isn’t good for you, all fats are not created equal. Some are actually good for you. The American Heart Association has recently eased up on its recommendation that no more than 30 percent of our calories come from fat. They now say additional fat is okay, as long as it’s unsaturated – like the good fat found in almonds!

Other Almond Attributes

Almonds are rich in the vitamins and minerals that help build a healthy heart, especially vitamin E. And these little nutrient nuggets are cholesterol free. Since cholesterol is a major risk factor for heart disease, adding almonds to your diet is a great way to keep that risk under control.

For many women, the first sign of heart disease is a heart attack. But a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol, and rich in the monounsaturated fat found in almonds can help reduce your risk for heart disease. And that means the only surprise is how easy it is!

Of all the newly discovered benefits of almonds, one of the most exciting is the potential they may have to reduce cancer risks. Many of the nutrients found in almonds are believed to have positive effects on several different types of cancer.

Dr. Paul Davis, Ph.D, of the University of California, Davis, has studied the potential effects of whole almonds on an array of colon cancer variables. Dr. Davis concluded that the monounsaturated fat in almonds may have a positive impact in the reduction of colon cancer.

Other research, conducted at Penn State, showed that the phytochemicals in almonds inhibited tumor cell growth. A one-ounce serving of almonds provides more than 35 percent of your Daily Value of vitamin E. Many studies suggest this powerful antioxidant may protect against prostate and cervical cancers.

The calcium found in almonds may lower risks of colon and rectal cancers. Almonds’ fiber content may also help protect against colon cancer. The folic acid in almonds may help reduce the risk of cervical cancers. Researchers in Finland have even linked almonds to a reduction in risk of lung cancers.

While there is still much to learn, the preliminary findings are very encouraging. The Almond Board of California is supporting research into the nutritional benefits of almonds, and nuts in general. We’re learning that nutrition may be one of our most powerful weapons against this deadly disease.

With all this great news about almonds how can you not make them a part of your daily diet!

(As I am pressed for time tonight, all of the above information was found on http://www.nutsforalmonds.com/nutrition.htm)

Here is what the Earth naturally provided for me today:

BREAKFAST: A Warm Lemon Water, Almonds, Walnuts and Dates

LUNCH: Chickpea Maehem

SNACK: Mixed Nuts

DINNER: Soymeat, Snow Peas, Green Beans, Carrot.

DESSERT: Chocolate Balls, Grapes

EXERCISE: A Run with my Mummy :)

Sleep tight, be grateful for healthy nutritious snacks like Almonds :)

Love Love Love

xoxoxox

Day Twenty Three

2011-02-11T03:49:00.000-08:00

Today was full of fruit and nuts for me :)
I have been really busy in the last two days and found it hard to get my daily dose of two fruit five veg. I have realised how prepared you have to be on The Earth Diet, especially when you know you're going to be really busy! I have also realised that it's okay to miss a meal, instead of overloading on junk when there is nothing else. Another part of life that keeps me in balance and grounded is my family :)
I have heard the saying 'Friends will come and go, but your family will stand by you forever', and it is soooo true! Tonight is my last official night of living at home. I have been living away from home for the last month or so, but today me and the fam packed up the van with all of my furniture to make the official move tomorrow. I am spending tonight with my Mum, Dad, Brother and Sister having a family game night, so tonight's blog will be a short one :)

I'd just like to quickly dedicate this blog to my family. They have helped to shape who I am, and I love them all to bits :)

Another quick topic I'd like to touch on is drinking alcohol on The Earth Diet.
Liana has shared with me that you CAN drink alcohol while committing to this lifestyle :)
I made a drink tonight which had home made Malibu in it, along with pineapple, agarve and Ice :)
SO DELICIOUS! It makes me so happy to know that I can enjoy a healthy, scrummy alcoholic beverage and not feel guilty!

OH! Also, today my Mum and I (Mother Maehem) managed to write a song for all of the people affected by natural disasters recently. Here is a little video that we made tonight :) We would LOVE to know what you think! Watch here

Here is what our beautiful Earth provided me with today:

BREAKFAST: A Warm Lemon Water, Almonds and Grapes

LUNCH: Carrots and Dates :) SO SCRUMMY!

SNACK: Dates And Walnuts

DINNER: A Chocolate Smoothie (With Almonds)

DESSERT: Home Made Malibu Cocktail

EXERCISE: A Run :)

Sleep tight, be grateful for family and Love :)
Love Love Love
xoxoxoxox

Here is what

Day Twenty Two

2011-02-10T03:46:00.000-08:00

Today was purely amazing. For those of you who don't know...I count as one half of a singing/songwriting duo...the other half is my Mum :) We call ourselves 'Mother Maehem'. She is the Mother and I am the Maehem (although sometimes I beg to differ!) She is my best friend in the whole world, and we have been singing together for as long as I can remember. I love her to bits and when we're together, we spend most of our time singing/writing songs/talking about music or chatting. I recently moved out of home to another state, so I only ever get to see my Mum every so often. I have noticed after living out of home that singing makes up at least 50% of who I am. I am passionate about Earth Foods and exercise, and I love alot of other thing of course...however I feel I am only being 100% my complete self when I am putting aside some time everyday to sing. (Click here to have a listen)

(My best friend xo)

Today I had a thought..."What makes me complete?"

There are so many aspects of a persons life that all tie in together to define who that person is...eg:

Personal Beliefs

Family Values
Religion
Diet/Exercise
Music Taste
Hobbies
Physical Appearance
Job
Aspirations etc

Something that I assume everyone strives for is balance. To be able to juggle between work, home, family, hobbies, passions etc. I may be 19, but I feel a very strong urge to seek my life balance.
Lately I have felt my life has been quite chaotic with no plan, structure or organisation. It wasn't until I committed to this blog that I have realised that I would like to create goals for myself and strive to reach them. In the past I haven't really had goals...actually, I have had a rough idea of what I want to achieve, but have never put it into a time perspective etc. For the first time in my life, I have made a plan for a years time. To be honest, I struggled at first...but I was determined to come up with a clear and practical idea of what/where/who I want to be one year from now. What helped me the most was actually doing it in reverse.
Firstly I pictured myself in a year from today. Who I will be, what will I have achieved, where in the world I will be? I then worked my way back from that and took little steps, all the way back to today.
I believe that everyone on this earth was put here with a gift of some kind, and that ideally it would be amazing if every single one of us knew our gift, and lived their life making a living and a difference by using their natural talents.

I hope this blog brings up a couple of self analysing questions.
Who are you?
What are the aspects of your life that define who you are?
Do you have balance? (If not, what could you change to bring about balance?)
Where do you see yourself a year from today?
What is YOUR talent?

I have written my answers to these questions down on a piece of paper and plan to look at them on February 10th next year...I think it will be wonderful to look and see what has changed, whats the same and what I can add.

I had a full on day today with lots of travel, meetings and reunions.
Here's what I managed to get down in between all of the running around:

BREAKFAST: A Warm Lemon Water and A Soy Organic Coffee (on the road)

LUNCH: Almonds and Grapes

SNACK: None

DINNER: Walnuts and Dates

DESSERT: None

EXERCISE: None

If you cannot tell, I'm in a very self analytical mood tonight, so I'm off to listening to some music that relates to the mood I'm in :)
Sleep tight, be grateful to be able to step back, re-assess yourself and start fresh...oh, and for MUSIC! :)
Love Love Love
xoxoxoxoxoxo

Day Twenty One

2011-02-09T01:55:00.000-08:00

COFFEE!!! (WARNING: You will hear this word ALOT during this blog.)
I know that so many people (like myself) absolutely love coffee! I used to drink coffee every single day, and I found that when I stopped...I had withdrawal symptoms like headaches and fatigue.
Being on the Earth Diet, I find that sometimes I miss coffee, mostly when I'm catching up with a friend via 'Coffee'. I struggle sitting with my cold water when I can smell the aroma of coffee drifting through the air.

I've heard so many rumours about coffee...it's good, then it's bad and I find it overwhelming not knowing the truth. So, once again I spent alot of time with my good friend google today discussing the in's and out's of coffee. This one's a long one so go and make yourself a cup of coffee...(or don't, I'm not too sure yet haha) and enjoy some very interesting information :)

Coffee “beans” are actually the dried berries of the coffee plant. They are naturally very high in antioxidants, BUT!!! you can only benefit from drinking regular coffee since the antioxidants are washed away when the beans are decaffeinated. Coffee is a diuretic, and will cause frequent urination, so if you are already a heavy coffee drinker, then make sure you have a couple of extra glasses of water a day.

Here are some pros and cons about Coffee:
PRO'S:
A growing body of research shows that coffee drinkers, compared to nondrinkers, are:
Less likely to have type 2 diabetes, Parkinson's disease, and dementia
have fewer cases of certain cancers, heart rhythm problems, and strokes
“There is certainly much more good news than bad news, in terms of coffee and health,” says Frank Hu, MD, MPH, PhD, nutrition and epidemiology professor at the Harvard School of Public Health.
(BUT, please remember that coffee isn't proven to prevent these diseases)

Cut the Pain
Two cups of coffee can cut post-workout muscle pain by up to 48%. From the Journal of Pain, March 2007 (link).
Increase your fiber intake
A cup of brewed coffee represents a contribution of up to 1.8 grams of fiber of the recommended intake of 20-38 grams. From the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry (link).
Protection against cirrhosis of the liver
Of course you could just cut down on the alcohol intake. From the Archives of Internal Medicine (link).
Lowered risk of Type 2 Diabetes
Those who consumed 6 or more cups per day had a 22% lower risk of diabetes. From the Archives of Internal Medicine (link).
Lowered risk of Alzheimer’s disease
There is considerable evidence that caffeine may protect against Alzheimer’s disease. From the European Journal of Neurology (link).
Reduces suicide risk
10 year study of 86,000 female nurses show a reduced risk of suicide in the coffee drinkers. From the Archives of Internal Medicine (link).
Protection against Parkinson’sPeople with Parkinson’s disease are less likely to be smokers and coffee drinkers than their healthy siblings. Just make sure you don’t get lung cancer on the way. From the Archives of Neurology (link). (http://www.energyfiend.com/2007/04/7-good-reasons-to-drink-coffee)

CON'S:

Liver damage: If you don't think coffee is doing damage to your liver, think again. Jennifer Zartarian, N.D., the Wellness and Research Coordinator at Long Island College Hospital of Brooklyn explains, "Caffeine is broken down by the liver through the use of enzymes. The more these enzymes are involved in breaking down caffeine, the less available they are for breaking down other chemicals in the bloodstream. Excessive caffeine use, therefore, causes the liver to work less efficiently at its job of detoxifying the body." While one to two cups each day seems normal, anything above that amount may seem excessive. Experts recommend replacing those additional cups of coffee with water instead.
Sleep disruption: "We should get eight hours of sleep every night," says Edward F. Group III, D.C., N.D., DACBN, of TheHolisticOption.com. When you combine stress, anxiety and coffee, the eight hours start dwindling and become easily interrupted. "Put coffee on top of that [stress and anxiety] and you'll wake up during the night, wake up too early in the morning and experience insomnia." Dr. Group mentions the body heals itself at night, so additional coffee may disrupt this normal cycle. Plus, a morning cup of java may interrupt your bodily cycle for the day. Zartarian explains, "We have a natural rise in cortisol in the morning to help us get out of bed and perform our daily tasks. However, if you are drinking coffee all day, then this cycle becomes disrupted, and your higher cortisol and adrenaline levels may interrupt a restful night of sleep."
Yellow teeth: If you'd like your pearly whites to stay that way, stop drinking coffee, or at least cut back. According Zartarian, coffee is not friendly to teeth. "The dark brown color of coffee that develops when it is roasted via a biochemical reaction, called the Maillard reaction, causes a stubborn stain -- which is difficult enough to remove from your clothes or living room rug, so just think of what it is doing to your teeth!"
Got acid?: Zartarian explains that caffeinated beverages like coffee have an acidic and astringent effect on the tissues of the body. "This prevents optimal absorption and assimilation of nutrients and fluids in the digestive tract in particular," she says. In fact, acid interferes with the absorption of magnesium and can cause stomach problems. "Acid can run into the intestine and can cause ulcers, it can burn the tissue, contribute to bowel problems. Increased acidity is a precursor to degenerative diseases," adds Dr. Group.
Overall health issues: According to a University of Scranton study, while coffee is a top antioxidant in the American diet, it's most beneficial when people consume a variety of antioxidants, not just coffee. Although there are positive aspects of drinking java, to prevent the negative health risks people should drink the beverage in moderation. Coffee contains volatile oils (seen as a film at the top of each cup), which disturb the function of the blood vessels. It contains a lot of pesticides, which can cause the body to accumulate too many toxins; it damages the immune system; it may cause osteoporosis as it depletes calcium levels in the body; and there's an overall increased risk of cardiovascular disease. "Are you drinking toxic or organic coffee?" asks Dr. Group. The organic, eco-friendly processing (i.e., grown without using chemicals in good, clean soil conditions) is the better choice. "Most pesticides are chemicals and cancer-causing agents. The chemicals can be stored in tissues for years." His advice? According to the Mayo Clinic, drinking a moderate amount of coffee -- two to three cups per day -- is key, but ultimately you should try to go with good ol' H2O. "That's what the body wants and needs." (http://gblsharing.app.aol.com/pop-up/)

So...there we go. The average consensus is that coffee is a mild diuretic so you will need more water than normal, it can help in preventing some diseases, it causes yellow teeth if drank in excess and it is acidic.
I guess that everything in moderation is the key to a balanced life.
Although I did get a comment from one of my Mamma's dearest friend Sarah, who said:
" Coffee is a poison that exhausted people rely on to get through the day ... Second most traded commodity after gold ... Increases anxiousness ... Prescribed to doctors in qld so they can work longer hours ... Need more let me know!!"Well, I just might ask her to write about a little something on my blog about coffee :)

Here is what the Earth naturally provided me today :)

BREAKFAST: A Warm Lemon Water, A Coffee and Plums

LUNCH: Chickpea Maehem

SNACK: Another Plum

DINNER: Lots of Almonds

DESSERT: None

EXERCISE: 2 Short runs, sit ups, dips on the bath, push ups, lunges and squats.

Sleep tight, be grateful for Love. It is omnipresent and can be manifested by you at any time! How incredible :)
Love Love Love!!!
xoxoxoxoxox

Day Twenty

2011-02-08T03:58:00.000-08:00

Oooooh! It's Additive Alert time! :)
Okay, so...just a warning here, the information that you are about to read is both confronting, eye-opening and could save your life....Here is a list of additives found in everyday packaged foods, and the health problems that they have been linked to: (Numbers are the ones found on the labels in the section stating ingredients)

102 - Tartrazine - Linked to Hyperactivity, skin rashes, migraines, behavioural problems, thyroid problems and chromosome damage. Banned in Norway and Austria.
123 - Amaranth - Suspected carcinogen, mutagen, linked to hyperactivity, asthma and eczema. Banned in USA (1976), Russia, Austria, Norway and others.
133 - Brilliant Blue - Suspected carcinogen, linked to hyperactivity, asthmatics should avoid. Banned in Belgium, France, Germany, Switzerland, Sweden, Austria and Norway.
150a - Caramel i (Plain Caramel) - Linked to gastro intestinal problems, hypersensitivity. Safety suspect. (150(i) seems the safest)
172 - Iron Oxide - Possible Kidney damage. Suspected neurotoxin. Blindness found in dog studies (ps: I don not condone animal testing...just relaying the facts found by Julie's research)
222 - Sodium Bisulphite - Asthmatics should avoid, gastric irritation, nausea, nettle rash and swelling, behavioural problems.
218 - Methylparaben or methyl-p-hydroxy-benzoate - Allergic reactions possible - skin and mouth
235 - Natamycin or Pimaricin - Can cause nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, skin irritation.
249 - Potassium Nitrite - Behavioural problems, asthma, breathing difficulties, headaches, dizziness, possible carcinogen. Prohibited in foods for infants and young children.
296 - Malic acid - Not suitable for children as unknown if they can digest it fully, allergic reactions, skin irritations.
319 - tert-Butylhydroquinone - Linked to cancer, birth defects, can cause nausea, vomiting, delirium, collapse, dermatitis. Dose of 5g is fatal - avoid it
320 - Butylated Hydroxyanisole - Serious concerns about carcinogenic and estrogenic effects, asthmatics and aspirin sensitive people should avoid, causes metabolic changes and accumulates in body fat. Banned in Japan in 1958 - Not permitted in foods for infants and young children.
338 - Phosphoric acid - Neurotoxicity, eye and skin irritant, large doses can lead to acidosis and hypocalcaemia
407a - Processed eucheuma seaweed - Suspected carcinogen, linked to ulcerative colitis, damage to the immune system, concern about birth defects. New to standards - don't give to infants and young children.
422 - Glycerin or glycerol - Headaches, high blood sugar levels, eye and skin irritation in sensitive people.
507 - Hydrocloric acid - Stomach and mouth irritant - some sources list as possible teratogen
508 - Potassium chloride - Associated with gastric ulcers, circulatory collapse, nausea, livery toxicity. Should not be given to children.

These are only a select few from the massive list of additives and their health effects featured in Julie Eady's book 'Additive Alert'. Reading this book opened my eyes to so many naivety's that I have towards packaged foods. For example: I thought the word 'Potassium was always a good word to read. Little did I know that it can have a completely different definition when placed next to another word haha.
It is so scary to know that these harmful chemicals are going into out foods, and are promoted as an essential part of our daily diet! I strongly advise everyone to read this book any way that you can, and spread the word...as you can see in the facts above, it is really a life and death decision that you're making when you are choosing what to eat for your next meal.
Hopefully some of this information helps!
ALSO!!! You don't have to buy a book to find out what goes into your food. If you're curious, the best thing you can do is to grab a packaged food out of your cupboard/fridge/freezer, read the ingredients panel, get onto trusty google and start to research what these big long scientific words and numbers are! Get involved and inspired about your health...it is the one thing that so many people take for granted.
Oh! I forgot to add that you can google any of the additives from above to find out what foods that they appear in...it's really quite interesting :)

Over the last 24hours I have also been documenting the effects that the additive filled foods had on my body from last night.
I noticed the effects straight away, literally! I started to get incredibly irritable and frustrated, also itchy!
I was soooo full all night and found it really hard to get up in the morning! (I guess my body had been working extra hard during the night to try and process the crap!) I craved more additives this morning for breakfast...which I didn't like one bit! I went all day with cravings and stayed on my raw earthy foods. By the afternoon my cravings peaked and all I wanted to do was eat. I couldn't take my mind off crap food! I was thinking of all of the foods I used to eat, and actually started to feel deprived! How ridiculous! I over indulged on earth foods to try to get rid of the cravings. What I SHOULD have done was sit down, let my body know the situation and then done some exercise.
By the evening, I was getting really depressed. I was feeling fat, bloated, pimply and really self loathing. I ate feeling like this. It is such a waste of time and energy...but it seems to be a re occurring issue for me. My old habits in moments like these were simple. Drink lots of water, go to bed, get up early, have a coffee, go for a big run, eat barely anything, drink a coffee instead of eat and run again in the evening.
I can honestly say that I am finding it really difficult to not turn back to my old ways...even tho I know how bad it is for my poor body. I also used to look in the mirror and pick at every single flaw, and then go onto my computer and look at pictures of skinny, perfect looking celebrities and tell myself that I am not good enough or happy enough until that is what I look like.
Tonight has been a definite struggle in that way. I found myself looking at skinny celebrities and comparing myself. If it wasn't for this blog that I am committed to, then I honestly would be waking up tomorrow to a day of full on exercise and only coffee...but I am determined to change my eating habits, and hopefully prove to everyone that sticking to eating foods naturally provided by the earth, that my body will make slow, but permanent changes. (I am used to doing radical diets and exercise programs that give me my goal in a week, but are impossible to maintain. I then get cranky at myself and binge eat and start back at square one)

Here is what I put into my body today:

BREAKFAST: Warm Lemon Water. Meusli with Coconut Oil and a plum

LUNCH: A wierd simple salad of carrot, snow peas, grapes and almonds

SNACK: Grapes, mixed nuts, a caro (hot drink)

DINNER: Cous Cous with mushrooms and lentils. A Chocolate smoothie

DESSERT: Another Chocolate Smoothie, a plum, chocolate balls.

I feel as tho I need to get more green leafy veges into my diet, more exercise and stretching, and more breathing. I need to be more grateful for the things I have and focus on my inner beauty, instead of everything superficial like I have been focusing on today.

Tomorrow I will blog about coffee. This shall be an interesting one!

Sleep tight, be grateful for natural foods from the earth that don't need additives to be delicious!
Love Love Love
xoxoxoxoxox

Thankyou to Julie Eady who has written an AMAZING book called 'Additive Alert'. Here is the link to her website...Additive Alert
Please send her some love :)

Day Nineteen

2011-02-07T03:13:00.000-08:00

I have been researching today about additives in foods.
I've gone on a bit of a journey with this book. I was so happy when I started reading it.
It was so good to have a book written by mum of two, Perth based Julie Eady who started researching the link between illness and food after her first child was born. Julie has a family history of allergies and asthma. What began as a personal project to identify better choices in food for her family, turned into a much bigger adventure as she started to peel back the cover ups and discover the shocking truths about serious health concerns associated with many additives used in food. (Just want to clarify that her research was on Australian foods)

As I started reading, I was so overwhelmed at how much information Julie had collected to put into this book. She spells everything out! No getting confused here! (Too much information put into big, long, boring sentences make my monkey mind go haywire!) It is all so interesting, she lists the functions of additives, additive numbers and health concerns related to additives. It makes me so happy when some one who lives a normal life makes a stand for their health and takes action.

After reading the first couple of chapters it started all clicking into place, and the harsh truth of what actually goes into some of my now 'ex-favourite' foods hit me in the face like a bag of artificially flavoured, additive filled chips!!! After listing Australia's regulations, the testing and approval systems, how to understand labels and the labelling licence...it started to get serious.

Chapter 9: The ones to look out for.

There are soooo many! What is scarier than the long list of additives, is the longer list of what foods they are in. I'm not exactly sure what I can and cannot share with you from this book. I would love to share with you every single word, but after reading how much effort has gone into this book, I understand that Julie Eady needs to be recognised for her amazing work...so I will give you this http://www.additivealert.com.au/index.php?hid=1, please have a look...I highly recommend buying this one, it's pretty much life and death!

I will contact Julie tomorrow and see if I can get the all clear to post a section of her book on my blog.

So after all of this research I decided to be a guinea pig for the afternoon. It meant that I had to eat additive filled foods (which I actually was really dreading), but hopefully it was for a good cause.

I documented the affect that additives had on my body and how my emotions even plummeted along with my energy etc. I will continue to document these things for 24hours.

Stay tuned for tomorrows blog where I will post my findings :)

Here is what I put into my body today:

BREAKFAST: A Warm Lemon Water, a Caro and an Avocado

LUNCH: Another Avo :) and some Almonds

SNACK: (Start of my experiment) Sushi and Nari (Both bought already made)

DINNER: Homemade Pizza with Tomato Paste, Canned Vege Mince and Cheese

DESSERT: None, Yuk, could NOT eat another thing so full and feel disgusting

EXERCISE: None

Well, I'm off for the night.

I can tell you that I already feel irritable and gross, yay for being my own guinea pig! Haha

Goodnight, Be Grateful for having the opportunity to learn and develop :)

Love Love Love

xoxoxox

Day Eighteen

2011-02-06T03:43:00.000-08:00

Tonight I went to the movies and watched Sanctum in 3D. It was such an incredible film, with such beautiful landscape shots and in my opinion, really great acting. It features alot of life and death situations, which really got me thinking...'what would I do if I was faced with that challenge?' All of a sudden it hit me...slapped me in the face...we literally face life and death situations every day! When it comes to what we put in and on our bodies, we really are playing life or death. The choice you make in the now may not affect you in the now, but it definitely affects your longevity.

When you take a look at certain foods and the affects they have on your body, you need to realise that your body is crying out for you to change to a healthier option. The fatigue, mucus build up in your nose, sluggishness, irritability and all of the other horrible symptoms that come along with crap food are your body's warning signs Your organs are being strained and are trying to keep up with your bad choice in dietary intake.

I bet if alot of people saw exactly what went into some of the foods that they eat every day, they would never put them into their mouth again! I've been reading a book about food additives in the last month, it's so crazy what they put into some foods! What's worse is that they promote their product like it's so amazing and you're missing out on something if you haven't yet tried it!

Tomorrows blog will feature a list of additives with what foods they can be found in, and what health problems they cause.

I'm off for now to keep researching!!!
Here is what I was so grateful to put into my body today:

BREAKFAST: A Choconana Smoothie

LUNCH: Rice and Vege's with Soymeat

SNACK: None

DINNER: None

DESSERT: None

EXERCISE: None

Sleep tight, be grateful for health and the power to chose what you eat :)
Love Love Love
xoxoxoxox

Day Seventeen

2011-02-05T03:45:00.000-08:00

I have been dreading writing this blog all day. I've thought of ways to avoid it and tried to come up with so many excuses on why I shouldn't write a blog for day seventeen. Basically I've thought of every way out of doing this, but then I remembered the promise I made in my first blog...that I would blog about my failures and successes. No more beating around the bush...what I'm trying to shamefully admit is that...
Today, I broke the Earth Diet in a BIG FAT way!
I am disappointed in myself, but at the same time have to keep reminding myself that I am human, and one bad day doesn't end my challenge...I guess when I step out of making this mean I'm a failure, I see that I have good intentions and am heading in the right direction.

This blog for me was about alot of things. I knew there would be ups and downs, and I can honestly say that if I wasn't committed to writing this blog everyday, then today would have been the start of my decent back down to eating chemical ridden, preservative filled foods.

After today I am even more determined to change my ways.
I know that I am really passionate and committed to eating Earth Foods when I am feeling healthy and energetic, however after being sick for 4 days, it took a toll on my determination and inspiration. I think the taste of fruits, vegetables and nuts made my stomach curdle because they reminded my body of the feeling of running back and forth from the toilet lol. Also, I did some research and I found that very simple, refined foods are best to eat when your tummy is sensitive, like bread (hence I had so much today)
In the next week I will look into earth foods that are gentle on the stomach.

For now, I am off to bed and to do some breathing to prepare myself for a new, earth filled day.

Here is what I shamefully polluted my body with today, and didn't even really enjoy:

BREAKFAST: Yoghurt

LUNCH: Hommus on toast

SNACK: A Vege Patty On Bread with Japanese Mayo and Mustard

DINNER: An Indian Meal with Rice. Soy Meat, Tika Masala Sauce, Coconut Cream, Green Beans, Carrot, Broccoli, Zucchini, Snow Peas and Ginger.

DESSERT: Shapes Biscuits with Homemade Avocado Dip

EXERCISE: None

Be grateful, don't be too hard on yourself, ever second is a new start.
Love Love Love
xoxoxo

Day 'Sick'teen

2011-02-04T03:21:00.000-08:00

So today I was still getting over my heat stroke from yesterday. I was up and down from the toilet all night, and today I felt weak and tired.
I didn't have much of an appetite today, and once again could not bring myself to eat a grapefruit.
I thought I would dedicate this blog to investigating Sports Drinks.
I had to go and do grocery shopping today, even tho I did not want to be more than 5 metres away from a bed or a toilet. I had to rely on drinking Gatorade to make me feel better, and after that...surprisingly I did.

I know that they are not classified as Earth Foods as they are riddled with colours, flavours, sugars and goodness knows what else, so I thought I would do some investigating and see if I could find a natural alternative, which does an equal job at re hydrating :)
Here is what I found...

http://www.cptips.com/hmdesnk.htm On this website I found a recipe that sounded really yummy!
I have made 2 changes which appear in the brackets, these are healthier options:

4 tablespoons sugar (Instead use Agarve Syrup or honey)

1/4 teaspoon salt (Himalayan Salt has ALOT more minerals than normal table salt)

1/4 cup boiling water

1/4 cup orange juice (not concentrate) or 2 tablespoons lemon juice (Make sure you juice the ACTUAL fruit. Fruit juices normally have alot of added sugar and preservatives...sometimes even colours!!!)

3-3/4 cups cold water

1. In the bottom of a pitcher, dissolve the sugar and salt in the hot water.
2. Add the juice and the remaining water; chill.

CONTAINS APPROX:

Calories - 50
carbohydrate 12 grams
sodium 110 milligrams
potassium 30 milligrams

I also found this site:
http://www.squidoo.com/homemade-sports-drink
It is great! They show you how to make 100% natural herbal sports drinks :)
They explain everything on the website and even offer ingredients you can buy online.

After drinking powdered sports drinks today I felt the refined sugar surge through my body, and it wasn't happy about that at all.
It has now been over 24hours that I have been back and forth from the toilet, and my tummy is extremely sensitive right now! I just ate some yoghurt, which was 100% dairy...and also wasn't what I committed to when I decided to take on this challenge. The biggest challenge so far has been staying on Earth Foods while I am really sick. If anyone/Liana has advice I am all ears!!!!!!!!!
Here is what I barely managed to eat/drink today:

BREAKFAST: A chocolate smoothie with lots of ice

LUNCH: Grapes and more Grapes

SNACK: A Choconana Smoothie

DINNER: More Grapes and a Caro Tea (Derived from Barley and Chicory)

DESSERT: Yoghurt.

Well, I am once again off to the toilet!
Be grateful for a good nights sleep, good health and hydration :)
Love Love Love
xoxoxoxoxo

Day Fifteen

2011-02-04T02:16:00.000-08:00

Heat Stroke. What a doozie! I was so sick with heat stroke! Exhausting and horrible.
Where I live in Australia is having a massive heat wave at the moment. It's been going for about 4 days now, and as I found out today...too much exposure to this kind of heat without enough intake of food and water leaves you very ill!

I learnt a couple of lessons today.
Lesson One: ALWAYS keep hydrated, especially in the heat.
Lesson Two: If you know you are going to be out all day, be prepared. Think ahead and pack lots of Earth foods to fill your body with energy and nutrition.
Lesson Three: Stay in the shade as much as possible when your country is going through a heat wave!!! Haha.

I encountered a Earth Diet conflict today.
I was so sick that I could not stand for more than a minute at a time. I had to rely on other people to prepare my food. I am a lucky girl because I live with people who care alot about me and my health, and tonight made sure I ate a big, nutrition packed meal to replenish any nutrients, vitamins and/or minerals I had lost during the day. The only downfall was that it wasn't 100% Earth Foods. It contained tomato paste, coconut cream and canned soy mince. Although the rest of the meal was all vegetables, I felt a little disappointed in myself that I had to eat a meal containing preservatives.
Even tho I was in no state to cook, I know that the foods was cooked with 120% love, so I guess that cancels out the bad bits :)

I didn't manage to eat a Grapefruit today :(
After yesterdays experience which triggered my gag reflex, I could not stand to even look at a Grapefruit let alone eat one!

I am rapidly losing energy again, so I'm off to bed.
Here is what the Earth naturally provided my body with today:

BREAKFAST: Muesli (Coconut Oil, Almonds, Oats, Chia Seeds and Quinoa)

LUNCH: Carrot Sticks with Basil Pesto

SNACK: A Chocolate Ball

DINNER: A Cooked Meal containing Tomato Paste, Coconut Cream, Soy Mince, Mushrooms, Green Beans, Salt, Carrot and Zucchini

EXERCISE: None.

Be grateful, especially for good health, water and nourishing food.
Love Love Love
xoxoxoxoxoxo

Day Fourteen

2011-02-02T04:04:00.000-08:00

Today was the first day of my 'try something new a week challenge'.
My Experiment: Try a Grapefruit
My Mission: Blog about different health benefits and new recipes featuring the grapefruit.

So...I did it today. It was my first time and I was nervous!
I sliced it up into pieces, put it on a plate, sat down and prepared myself.
The first bite was tense...I bit in with hesitation. It was nothing like I had expected.
SOUR!!!! I think I must have picked up the most unripe Grapefruit from the shelf!
It was really disappointing to be honest, and I'm actually dreading eating another one!
Liana, if you're reading this...please oh please give me some advice, tips on knowing ripe from unripe.
Although tonight the thought of being creative with a Grapefruit (in a complete non sexual way!) for the next week is so unappealing, I have done some research and come up with some interesting facts and health benefits the Grapefruit offers.

The Grapefruit: Varieties
Grapefruit comes in many varieties, determinable by color, which is caused by the pigmentation of the fruit in respect of both its state of ripeness.The most popular varieties cultivated today are red, white, and pink hues, referring to the internal pulp color of the fruit. The family of flavors range from highly acidic and somewhat bitter to sweet and tart. Grapefruit mercaptan, a sulfur-containing terpene, is one of the substances which has a strong influence on the taste and odor of grapefruit, compared with other citrus fruits.

Health Benefits:

Grapefruit is a delicious fruit with health benefits that range from anti-cancer to weight loss-boosting properties.

When it comes to a triple serving of health benefits, grapefruit packs a tri-power punch that's hard to beat. Researchers in Israel recently found that red and white grapefruit contain powerful antioxidants that may help reduce the risk of heart disease. Published in the February 2006 issue of the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, scientists found that serving heart by-pass patients the equivalent of one grapefruit a day significantly reduced cholesterol levels. The study included 57 patients, both men and women, who recently had coronary bypass surgery and failed to respond to cholesterol-lowering medication. Red grapefruit was especially effective, reducing cholesterol by 15 per cent and triglycerides (a type of fat that increases the risk of heart disease) by 17 per cent.

Grapefruit has many micronutrients that are beneficial to one’s health. Grapefruit contains vitamin C, vitamin A, calcium, iron, manganese, potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, folate and many B-vitamins.
One of the many health benefits of grapefruit is that it aids in weight loss. Grapefruit is low in sodium, high in fat burning enzymes and has a high water content. All these things combined speed up the metabolism. Therefore, grapefruit is a powerful fruit to eat for people trying to get rid of that fatty bulge. In fact, people trying to lose weight after holiday seasons should consider eating more grapefruit. Detoxing the body by eating more vegetables, proteins, smaller portions and fruits like grapefruit that speed up the metabolism is a good way to eat to lose weight after the holidays.

Sweet vs Sour:
In Costa Rica, especially in Atenas, grapefruits are often cooked to remove their sourness, rendering them as sweets; they are also stuffed with dulce de leche, resulting in a dessert called toronja rellena (stuffed grapefruit).

I guess I was expecting the Grapefruit to be really sweet, sweeter than an Orange...so when I bit into the red SOUR flesh, I was let down. I will push through and try another one tomorrow. Wish me luck!

I did experience alot of other delicious Earthy foods today, this is what it looked like:

BREAKFAST: Warm Lemon Water and A Beetroot, Carrot, Celery and Ginger Juice

LUNCH: Basil Pesto with Carrot Sticks and Macadamias

SNACK: A Grapefruit, and then chocolate balls to get rid of the taste haha

DINNER: Cabbage, Green Beans, Cucumber, Ginger, Lemon, Agarve and Garlic...Interesting

DESSERT: Chocolate Balls

EXERCISE: A Run, Push ups, Dips on the bath, Squats and a beautiful swim at the beach.

Well, goodnight :)
Sending out positive vibrations and safe thoughts to everyone yet to be affected by Cyclone YASI.
Be strong, and as much negative that this disaster will bring, afterwards there will be an overwhelming amount of positivity and amazing human spirit. Stay as safe as possible.

Love Love Love
xoxoxoxoxoxo

Thankyou to
http://healthmad.com/nutrition/health-benefits-of-grapefruit/ and
http://happynutritionist.com/grapefruit.html for your information. I am grateful :)

Day Thriteen

2011-02-01T03:14:00.000-08:00

I absolutely loved everything about today! I started the day with a warm lemon water which always kicks my day off nicely, and then I had a Skype date with the queen of the Earth Diet, Liana :)

It was so refreshing to talk to such a positive, beautiful spirit :) It was such a positive and inspiring conversation...Thankyou sweetie!

One thing we spoke about was the fact that when you start the Earth Diet, you cut out alot of foods that you usually incorporate into your daily diet. The first time you go shopping with your 'Earth Eyes', you realise that at least 80% of a supermarket is filled with processed, preservative filled, sugary, salty CRAP! And soooo many chemicals! In the last couple of days, I've been to the shops a couple of times to restock on earthy goods...but have left every time feeling unsatisfied. I feel like I've been getting bored with the fruits and vegetables thing. However today I realised, that I have hardly tried 20% of the varieties of fruit and veg! I have grown up on the popular foods like Bananas, Apples, Oranges, Grapes, Berries, Broccoli, Carrot, Potato etc. There are so many options that are undiscovered by my taste buds! I tried a coconut for the first time the other day, and it was so exciting! I decided today that I would try a new food every week and blog about its different health benefits, and different recipes or ways to eat it :)

As of tomorrow my food of the week will be the Grapefruit. I am a grapefruit virgin, and I'm so excited to see what it tastes like! Wooohoo!!!

Also, I will start posting photos on the difference in my legs from using my Tonewalkers. They're going well :) They are a completely different leg workout compared to normal runners, and the first couple of runs leave your muscles aching...but now I am starting to notice a difference in my legs, and I haven't been working out for very long. It's a bit exciting.

I would also like to look into Yoga and Pilates. If anyone reading this blog has some advice on how to start, or even what poses work for different areas of the body, I would LOVE to hear from you, and I would share your advice on my blog for everyone else to see and learn too! :) Thankyou thankyou thankyou!!!

Here is what our beautiful Earth provided me with...I am such a lucky girl!

BREAKFAST: Mixed Nuts and an Orange

LUNCH: A Choconana Smoothie

SNACK: Macadamias

DINNER: Chickpea Maehem

DESSERT: A Choconana Smoothie

EXERCISE: A run, push ups, sit ups, dips on the bath and squats.

Anyway, Sleep tight, don't be scared to try new delicious Earth Foods, and Love :)

Love Love Love

xoxoxoxo

Day Twelve

2011-01-31T04:21:00.000-08:00

Well, today was an interesting one.
I went through a lot of emotional ups and downs, faced a lot of insecurities. I'm not really in the head space right now to blog about anything positive...so I thought I'd make this one a picture blog.
These are all photo's I've taken of nature in the last week :)

I absolutely love watching the sun go down behind the hills at this lookout :)

I took this picture to capture the beautiful, glowing green of the plants contrasting with the rocks :)

I swam in this creek on Australia Day. Its really deep, and crystal clear...and at the bottom are turtles!!!

What a stunning drive! Such a hot, crisp, beautiful day...Australia knows how to put on a show :)

This is the creek with the turtles. We swam over to that bank and skimmed stones across the water :)

The little island looking thing on the left is where I go for my runs. It's such an amazing view from the top :)

This is such a magical place. My boyfriend took me on a date here and we ate dinner while watching the ocean :)

This picture I took while I was going for a run near where I live. It was just about to rain, and so pretty :)

This is such a magical place. I go here when I need to put life into perspective...here there is no such thing as a problem :)

I absolutely love this photo. I would love to venture down there and discover all of the sea life living in the rocks :)

This is the creek with the turtles...again. I love how clean the air is out there. It's so perfect :)

Here is what else the beautiful earth provided me today:
BREAKFAST: Warm Lemon Water and a Banana Smoothie

LUNCH: Chickpea Maehem

SNACK: Macadamias and An Orange

DINNER: Macadamias

DESSERT: A Choconana Smoothie

EXERCISE: None

Whenever I'm feeling negative, I turn to nature, which is always a positive for me.
Take more time to look around at how amazing nature really is. The natural brilliant-ness ( I think I may have made this word up haha) of flowers, how they blossom with exquisite colours. Or the shapes, shades and ambiance of a cloud, how every single one is different. Or the perfection of a lake, the beach, a waterfall. Breathe in deeply, especially in beautiful places like the ones in my photos...appreciate the clean air, and how lucky you are to witness this beauty :)

Sleep tight, be grateful for nature and breathe deep :)
Love Love Love
xoxoxox

Day Eleven

2011-01-30T05:11:00.000-08:00

Today I was really sick. I think I over worked myself yesterday on my run, and I felt it as soon as I woke up this morning. Every single muscle in my body was aching, I had a throbbing headache and I had a bit of a fever. It was even so painful to walk, so I spent most of the day on the couch. I guess it was nice for a change, but it definitely made me miss being able to go for a run. I am so grateful that I know I will be better in the next day or two. My deepest sympathies go out to people with the knowledge that their health will only decline. I feel for you and I'm terribly sorry. Look at all of the positives in your life and do whatever it is that makes you happy :)

I just got a message from an old school friend.
It was such a lovely surprise :) We had such a good friendship in our early high school life, and as we got older, we sadly drifted apart. She shared with me that she went through alot of the self esteem and self confidence issues that I did. Its crazy that such a beautiful, sweet, kind-hearted girl had these issues! It makes me feel like I was so naive to think that I was the only person in the world going through these issues! It makes me think about all of the teenagers all over the world who go through issues like this and don't have anyone to talk to. Even worse, they also think that they're the only person in the world who is going through this! I wonder what my life would have been like had I never changed my eating and exercise habits. I was lucky enough to cross paths with Liana...someone so amazing and inspiring, and was able to learn from everything that she was going through. I can't even imagine how many other people she has inspired, and that they've inspired etc. It excites me so much to think that one persons curiosity and desire to better herself, can spark a global change in diet and knowledge. I highly recommend to anyone who is reading this blog to make a start. The hardest part about change is making a start, especially when you feel like the change is so drastic.
Taking the first step is hard, but it at least gives you some direction. I am here for advice and as a place to vent your frustrations :)

One thing I would like to confess is that tonight I ate soy sauce and soy meat.
I'm not sure if they're Earth Foods or not (Liana, I may need your help on this one).
Because I was sick, I had to rely on someone else to make dinner, it was cooked (I'd said I'd do raw for this week) and I couldn't control exactly what went in it...so I was really confronted with 'not wanting to fail'.

What I have realised tonight is that there really is no such thing as a 'failure'. We tend to set goals with the intention that we will do exactly what we intended to do, and put all of these conditions on what our success will look like...that when we slip up or do something unexpected, we get so disappointed with ourselves and throw it all away. We sabotage ourselves and call it a failure. Then we give up, go into a downward spiral and end up back at sad, depressing square one.
There really is no such thing as a failure, and guilt does more damage to your health than one slip up.
Stay positive and remember that everything happens for a reason. Learn from your mistakes and exercise your will power :)

Here is what our beautiful planet provided me to eat today:

BREAKFAST: Almonds, Macadamias and Blueberries

LUNCH: Basil Pesto and Green Beans, Chocolate Balls and an Orange

SNACK: Blueberries

DINNER: Vegetable Stir Fry with Rice

DESSERT: Macadamia's and Blueberries

EXERCISE: None.

I would love to hear from the beautiful people that read my blog. I really have no idea who reads my posts, but I would LOVE you to say hello! I am very excited to meet new people who have the same health concerns and love for the earth as I do :)

Sleep tight, be grateful, nourish yourself and Love.
Love Love Love
xoxoxoxo

Day Ten

2011-01-29T04:44:00.000-08:00

Supersize vs Superskinny.
I watched a show today called supersize vs superskinny, it takes two people, both with extreme diets (either way too much or not enough) and put them in a house together for a week. During the entirety of the week, they swap diets. As you can imagine it's a massive wake up call for both participants. After their week in the house, they are sent out to learn to regulate their eating patterns with the knowledge they gained in the house. Six weeks later they come back for a weigh in and health check up. It was quite a fascinating concept, and it got my thinking about my own eating habits. I have swayed from eating way too much to not enough numerous times, and I never seem to be able to find a happy medium.
Today was such a ying yang day between craving my old lazy, unhealthy, unmotivated attitude and lifestyle, and being inspired, healthy, active and happy.
My day started with a plan to go for a run...and that didn't happen. I kept making excuses and procrastinating and then I looked at the time and it was 2 o'clock. I kept looking at myself in the mirror and noticing all of the negatives, and thinking 'what is the point of being healthy? I still look fat, and I know how much exercise I will have to do to get the body I want...could I really be bothered?" Previous to the Earth Diet, I would go on health binges and do really well for the first week, sometimes two...only to have one lazy, doubtful, negative morning and write the day off with ridiculous amounts of preservative, sugar filled foods. I would never really enjoy what I was shoving in my mouth, but just ending up zoning out to the television. Then the by the time the evening would come, I'd get a rush of energy from all of the crap I'd consumed during the day, and end up balling my eyes out because yet again, I've failed. I knew that this morning, I could have gone one of two ways.
Option One: Resort to my old ways and sabotage myself, have a night of crying and self pitty and being ashamed as I blog about my big fat failure. Or...Option Two: Re-read my blog from last night, stop procrastinating, go for a run, make someone's day with kindness, dance like no one's watching, sing loudly and just give up the self pitty act and get on with it!!! The easy thing for me to do would be to lay around all day and eat crap...but the hardest choice is usually the best one...so I chose option two, because I really want to change, so I will :)how to open it.

I ended up going to the shops and buying more of a variety of raw delicious foods to keep my excited about eating raw. I bought this delicious baby coconut! It was the first time I'd ever tired one, and I was very impressed! (I had to once again go to my old friend google for help on how to crack it open haha)

I also went for a really strenuous run, and it was such a beautiful day :) I ended it with an incredible swim in the icy cold water :) I am so grateful for this amazing planet we live on. It offers so much Love, Beauty, Nutrition and Fun.

Here is what nutritious, delicious foods it provided me with today:

BREAKFAST: Almonds and Half of a MASSIVE Banana

LUNCH: Carrot Sticks and home made Basil Pesto (Macadamia Nuts, Olive Oil, Basil and Himalayan Salt)

SNACK: Chocolate Balls

DINNER: Chickpea Maehem and Some Green Beans with Basil Pesto

DESSERT: None

EXERCISE: A massive Run, a Beach swim, squats, push ups, dips on the bath :)

Well, I'd better get some sleep :)

Sleep tight, Be grateful and Love Deeply
Love Love Love
xoxoxoxox

Day Nine

2011-01-28T01:31:00.000-08:00

After I posted my blog last night, I thought I would sit up and inspire myself by reading through Liana's 365 blog. I was feeling bloated, fat, ugly, worthless and quite simply like a nobody. All day when I would catch my reflection, I would think the most horrible thoughts about myself. Stupid I know...but they were there, and I was thinking them. I needed some inspiration, and after coming across day 110, I absolutely found it!
Here is what Liana wrote on day 110:

"I'm not ok with how I am being today. I am being selfish and self absorbed, I am in my own tiny little world...not present to have much I have to be thankful for, and then making myself wrong for not being grateful when I know I really should, I am being such a jerk.

I have this voice saying "I am fat and ugly and my legs are so gross and so wobbly and I hate them and they will never bee good enough, and I will never be skinny enough or pretty enough, or I will never have the body I want because I really can't have the body I want, that would be crazy, and no matter how hard I work out and how healthy I eat, because lets face It I eat immaculate, how can I even look like this when I eat so immaculate? Its so frustrating and annoying and I am so jealous of fit and skinny people because I just dont understand how they do it and why I cant have it, like I know my body is ok but its just not good enough or toned enough or hott enough. I had a great hott body once but now I can never have it again because Im just too old, im 22 and its too late i ruined my body now and i even eat raw foods and noting happens i dont tone up i still hold onto the fat around my butt and my legs and my stomach and its just such waste of time like i have been working out flat out for like 6 weeks and i reckon i look worse than before, i must have been doing something wrong, this is so crap. I'ts so unfair. like i believe i create everything in my life but i just cant see how i create this because i really really dont like the body im in i hate it. Im uncomfortable. I feel like everything I eat makes me fat and bloated and bla bla bla"...I COULDN'T BELIEVE WHAT I WAS READING!!! HOW COULD SOMEONE SO BEAUTIFUL HONESTLY EVER HAVE THESE FEELINGS TOWARDS HERSELF?
That's when I had my, as Oprah likes to call it, 'Aha moment'.
So many times I have been down on myself and in a really soppy, angry, bad mood all day because I've felt like I was hideously ugly, and fat, and had too many pimples, and wasn't pretty enough etc, only to get comment from the people around me telling me that I'm crazy and seeing things. People have been telling me for so long that I am beautiful and talented, and I shrug it off taking them as pitty comments.

It wasn't until my boyfriend sat me down and put it to me straight, that I started to get it.
He asked me if when I went grocery shopping today, do I remember anyone specific?
I didn't. He asked if anyone impacted my day because of how they presented themselves? Again, no they didn't. He asked if I could remember what any of the people I passed even looked like? Yet again, I couldn't. He asked if I thought that I impacted anyones day because of how fat or skinny I was, how much makeup I put on, how neat my hair looked or how nice my clothes were? I thought about it for a bit, and honestly, my answer was no. He explained "No one cares if you're having an 'ugly' day, or a bad hair day, or feeling a bit bloated! They don't even notice! Why? Because they're all too busy thinking about how they look and feel, or how they have to get home to hang out the washing, or what they're going to say in their job interview, or what they forgot to put on their grocery list! Everyone is too pre occupied with their own lives to notice that you have a new pimple on your chin! The only person who cares about that is YOU! If you loved yourself as much as I love you, you would have so much more time to spare that wasn't spent on worrying about shallow crap like that, and all worry does is cause disease. Open your eyes. The only impact you can make on someone else's day/life is through love and kindness. Work on your making your spirit beautiful, that's when people will notice you." (Yes, I know I have struck gold with him...he has such a kind heart, generous spirit and is such a beautiful human being)

So after all of that, I went to sleep with the intention to work on waking up and working on making my spirit beautiful, nourishing and exercising my body and hopefully making a positive impact on someone elses's day.

I was such a great day, an as opposed to yesterday, it was so effortless to exercise and to eat Earth Foods. Better still, I ate 100% raw vegan foods today! Woohoo! I feel so ALIVE! I got a chance to experiment with some new recipes.

I made some pesto using basil from the herb garden, and I made the yummiest chocolate balls I have made to date!!! (Even my boyfriend liked them! And he doesn't even like chocolate!)

Here is what delicious, raw, vegan foods nourished my beautiful body today:

BREAKFAST: Some Almonds and An Apple

LUNCH: Basil Pesto (Basil, mixed nuts, olive oil and Himalayan salt) with carrot sticks :) SCRUMMY!

SNACK: No snack

DINNER: Chickpea Maehem...AGAIN! It is so delicious!!!

DESSERT: Chocolate Balls! (Cacao powder, Agarve Syrup, Mixed Nuts, Organic Peanut Butter, Oats, Water and Olive Oil)

EXERCISE: Firstly I danced with my ipod, Then I used my muscles to lift 3kg weights (they're vintage weights from the 80's!!! So cool!) Then I went for a run/walk, and finished with some lunges, squats, dips against the bath ad push ups :)

I am very motivated after today. I also started to write a new song that came to me while I was running. I would LOVE to reach people and help Liana to get word out about this amazing way to live! I believe that music is a universal language, and that I was given a talent with music for a reason...I'm realising that this may be the very reason :)

I would like to dedicate this blog to my amazing boyfriend Will :) He is so supportive of anything that makes me happy, and I feel so blessed to have such an incredible human being to share my life with at such a young age. I'm learning alot and I love you :)

Sleep tight, be grateful for your talents, make someones day, and LOVE EVERYTHING!
Love Love Love
xoxoxoxox

Day Eight

2011-01-27T03:25:00.000-08:00

Okay, so...where do I start?
I promised in my first blog that I would blog about EVERYTHING that comes with this challenge. Not only will I blog about my success's and triumphs, but I will be 100% honest and upfront about my failures.
The reason I started this blog was to better myself, stick to my word, have a daily goal and commitment, and most importantly supply my body with foods naturally provided from the earth.
In saying that, I have to confess that last night, I chose to have alcohol.
I know that alcohol is alcohol, not earth foods, and after being on earth foods for the past week I actually didn't really feel like it...I guess I just put unnecessary pressure to drink in the company of my mates.
(Pre Earth foods, I was drinking nearly every weekend and feeling horrible when I would wake up.
I wouldn't just drink straight alcohol, which is the healthiest way (not saying drinking is healthy) to drink. I would mix it with juices filled with sugar, or soft drinks, also loaded with sugar and preservatives. I would then have a late night binge before I went to bed (usually toasties with loads of cheese and mayo))

So after last night, it's obvious that another part of myself that I need to work on is my will power :)
A wise lady told me today that the most permanent change is one made over time; learning first hand what works and doesn't work for you. I look at myself how I am now, as a 19 year old. I asked myself a question at the beginning of this challenge..."Who do I want to be?" I plan on answering this question throughout my Earth Diet journey :)

After last night, I really struggled with my challenge today. I was unmotivated, tired and craving crappy food.
What I should have done was go for a run at some point to get some motivation back. Every time I caught my reflection in the mirror, I was disappointed with what I saw which HAS to change.
No more giving in to my cravings. I'm trying not be too hard on myself, and admitting this in my blog today is helping me.
I did have a completely different blog planned for today, but I wanted to get all of this out, not only for myself, but in the hopes that maybe someone who keeps giving up on themselves because of little slip ups will read this, and maybe realise that every second is a new chance to start again :)

So there we go.
I am happy to say that as hard as it was to stick to Earth Foods today, I did it and it feels good.
Here is what delicious foods the Earth provided me with today :)

BREAKFAST: A Banana Smoothie

LUNCH: Sweet Potato Peanut Satay with Basmati Rice

SNACK: Grapes

DINNER: Chickpea Maehem

DESSERT: A Banana Smoothie

Tomorrow is a new day :)
I am promising myself right now, that I will wake up and start my day with a run :)
There it's said...no turning back! I will have photo evidence in tomorrows blog!
For now, sleep tight, be grateful for everything you have, give love and receive love.
Love Love Love
xoxoxoxox

Day Seven

2011-01-26T02:23:00.000-08:00

HAPPY AUSTRALIA DAY EVERYONE!!!!!!
Hope you've had an amazing day celebrating this amazing country :)

I only have 5 minutes to write today's blog, sorry!

I had such a great day spending most of it appreciating the beautiful landscapes Australia has to offer. It was the perfect day :)

Here is what I ate:

BREAKFAST: Mixed Nuts and an Orange

SNACK: Grapes

LUNCH: Organic Corn chips (Corn, Olive Oil, Salt)

DINNER: A Banana Smoothie

DESSERT: Grapes

EXERCISE: A morning jog, backyard cricket and lots of running around :)

Sorry for the short blog, I have a good one in store for tomorrow
But for now, Gives your mates a hug/pat on the back and enjoy the aussie company :)
Love Love Love
xoxoxoxox

Day 'Sixercise'

2011-01-25T04:48:00.000-08:00

Woooha! Today it was soooo hot! A gorgeous blue sky, a hint of a breeze and wow, the sun put on quite a show :) I am so grateful for living in such an amazing country and being able to experience such beautiful weather!

In yesterdays blog, I claimed that today would be Day 'Sixercise', the day that I start to incorporate exercise into my Earth Diet Lifestyle :)
About a week ago I bought a new pair of runners to help get me motivated. They look like space shoes and are called Tonewalkers :)
They claim to tone your thighs, calves and your bum, to stimulate muscle activity and improve focus on your posture. I am very intrigued to keep a photo log of my process and reveal the results in a later blog :)
Stay tuned!
So today is Day One of my exercise adventure, although the word 'exercise' doesn't really motivate me...therefore, I have instead decided to change the word to 'SEXYCISE' Wooooha! That's more like it!
The exercises that I would like to incorporate into my lifestyle are running, pilates, yoga, cycling and a bit of swimming here and there. As I look into each one, I will blog about every little detail from benefits, health concerns, styles, origins etc.
I decided to ease into things today, so I started with a half hour walk. I know it's nothing extreme, but it seemed like a mission on this humid 35 degree day haha.

Exercise One: WALKING

The origin of aerobic exercise:
Both the term and the specific exercise method were developed by Kenneth H. Cooper, M.D., an exercise physiologist, and Col. Pauline Potts, a physical therapist, both in the United States Air Force. Dr. Cooper, an avowed exercise enthusiast, was personally and professionally puzzled about why some people with excellent muscular strength were still prone to poor performance at tasks such as long-distance running, swimming, and bicycling. He began measuring systematic human performance using a bicycle ergometer, and began measuring sustained performance in terms of a person's ability to use oxygen. His groundbreaking book, Aerobics, was published in 1968, and included scientific exercise programs using running, walking, swimming and bicycling. The book came at a fortuitous historical moment, when increasing weakness and inactivity in the general population was causing a perceived need for increased exercise.

Health Benefits of walking:

Walkers have less incidence of cancer, heart disease, stroke, diabetes and other killer diseases. They live longer and get mental health and spiritual benefits. Find out about the many health benefits of walking.

Basic changes in diet and exercise can lead to a dramatic drop in a person's risk for chronic illnesses in as little as six weeks. Although the notion that proper nutrition and exercise is good for you is not revolutionary, it’s important that people know that major health benefits can come quickly.

Burn Babay Burn!
Let's talk about burning fat vs. burning carbohydrates. Many people are confused about this and are making some erroneous exercise choices based on their goals (weight loss, building muscle, etc.).
When you burn fat, your body reacts to the sudden loss of fat by replenishing the fat that has been lost, so that you still have those reserves to pull from. You are training your body to replace the fat that you are burning.
When you burn carbohydrates, the body first burns the carbohydrates stored in muscle tissue before it starts burning fat. Therefore, your body doesn't tell itself to replenish the fat, but to replenish the carbs.
What does this mean?
Walking - a low-intensity workout - will allow your body to burn carbohydrates first, and then fat. If you are looking to lose weight and build muscle, walking is a much better option that jogging or aerobic activity.
30 Minutes of Walking a Day Adds 1.3 Healthy Years :)

So there we are...combine a healthy diet plus half an hour of walking a day and you will live to be 101.3 years old as opposed to just 100 haha. I'm in!!!

This is how foods naturally provided me with a delicious day:

BREAKFAST: Warm Lemon Water, Half an Avocado and Dates

LUNCH: A Ginger Tea and a Banana Smoothie

SNACK: A Chickpea Maehem Salad

DINNER: Mixed Nuts and Blueberries

DESSERT: An Orange :)

So, to everyone reading this blog...if I can do it, trust me, I'm sure you can too :)
Strap on those sexy runners, make sure you've got some sun protection, and get up off of that thing, and walk it you'll feel better :)

Keep hydrated, ease into things, be grateful for a healthy body and Love.
Love Love Love
xoxoxxoxo

Day Five

2011-01-24T04:32:00.000-08:00

If you had of told me one year ago that there is a fruit that has so many health benefits, is naturally provided by the earth and is absolutely DELICIOUS, I would have laughed and asked you to pass me the chocolate.

Today I was having my sweet tooth day. I get them every now and then and I absolutely crave sweets :)
As I am committed to eating only foods naturally provided by the earth, I have been forced to (in the last 5 days) find a quick, easy, sweet and delicious snack that satisfies my cravings.
My answer...DATES :) I could go on and on about dates at the moment, they are so scrummy! I must admit, I probably have been over indulging in the date department but for now I am not too phased.
Although I'm happy to indulge, I am also quite interested to know if this snack actually is too good to be true.

So, I went to my wisest friend Google and asked a couple of questions :) Here's what I asked and here's what I learnt:

Where do dates originate?
Dates come from the Date palm tree. These trees are primarily found in Persia, Palestine, Arabia and northern Africa. The date palm is currently being introduced into California.

Nutritional Profile for Dates?
Energy value (calories per serving): High
Protein: Low
Fat: Low
Saturated fat: Low
Cholesterol: None
Carbohydrates: High
Fiber: Very high
Sodium: Low (fresh or dried fruit); High (dried fruit treated with sodium sulfur compounds)
Major vitamin contribution: B vitamins
Major mineral contribution: Iron, potassium

Nutrients in Dates?
Dates are a high-carbohydrate food, rich in fiber and packed with sugar (as much as 70 percent of the total weight of the fruit). Dates are also a good source of non-heme iron, the inorganic iron found in plant foods, plus potassium, niacin, thiamin, and riboflavin, but they are an unusual fruit because they have no vitamin C at all. A serving of 10 whole pitted dates has 7 g dietary fiber, and 0.95 mg iron (6 percent of the RDA for a woman of childbearing age).

Health Benefits of Dates?
Health benefits of dates are uncountable, as this fruit is affluent in natural fibres. Dates are even rich in several vitamins and minerals. These natural products contain oil, calcium, sulphur, iron, potassium, phosphorous, manganese, copper and magnesium which are advantageous for health. It is said that consumption of one date daily is necessary for a balanced and healthy diet. Dates help in fighting constipation, intestinal disorders, weight gain, heart problems, sexual weakness, diarrhoea and abdominal cancer.
Health benefits of dates have made them the best nourishment for muscles development. People consume dates in several ways, like mixing the paste of the dates with milk, yoghurt or with bread or butter to make the food tasty and healthy. This paste is beneficial for both adults and children, especially during the time of recovery. According to the modern medicine survey, it is known that dates are useful in preventing abdominal cancer. It is also seen that many Muslims break their fast by eating dates and water according to their traditions. Breaking fast with eating dates helps us to avoid overeating of the food after the fast. When the body absorbs the nutritional value of the dates, the feeling of hunger gets pacified.

Adverse Health Effects Associated with Dates?
Sulfite sensitivity. Dates contain polyphenoloxidase, an enzyme that oxidizes phenols in the fruit to brown compounds that turn its flesh dark in the presence of air. To keep dates from darkening when they are dried, they may be treated with sulfur compounds called sulfites (sulfur dioxide, sodium bisulfite, or sodium metabisulfite). Treated dates may trigger serious allergic reactions, including potentially fatal anaphylactic shock, in people sensitive to sulfites.

So there we go. To all of you sweet lovers who like usually like to munch on preservative filled lollies and chocolate, I highly recommend giving dates a try. As you can see, they are very good for you...maybe not by the kilo like I have been having them haha, but for a quick, sweet pick me up energy snack, dates are your answer :)

Here is what my date filled day looked like today:

BREAKFAST: Warm Lemon Water and a Banana Smootie (Banana, Ice, Rice Milk, Almonds, Agarve)

LUNCH: Mixed Nuts, Blueberries and DATES

SNACK: DATES

DINNER: Chickpea Maehem (Chickpeas, Lemon, Coriander, Mint, Parsley, Agarve, Himalayan Salt, Coconut Oil)

DESSERT: Some Chocolate Balls (Cacao Powder, Agarve, Mixed Nuts, Oats and Water)and...DATES :)

A Date filled day it was :)
Tomorrow I am planning on inventing a scrummy Salad with lots of herbs, and I think I may start to have ginger tea...YUMMY :)
Also, I haven't done any exercise so far on my earth diet, so tomorrow I think it's time to put on my new runners and make Day Six...Day Sixercise :)

Sleep well, Sleep deep, Visualize every possibility of what you want in life, Be grateful for what you already have, and Love :)
Love Love Love
xoxoxoxo

Day Four

2011-01-23T01:43:00.000-08:00

Hello :)
Today I did a bit of research on water bottles. I like to drink 2 to 3 Litres of water per day, especially when I'm exercising, and I usually buy water when I'm out, or reuse a previous plastic bottle. I have known for quite some time that plastic bottles are not only bad for you, but bad for the environment.
Here is some interesting information on where they come from, how we get them, and all of the other things you probably didn't know presented in a cute little videoWatch here.

After I watched this video, I decided to look into other ways to carry water around with me which are better for myself and the environment. I discovered an Australian company called Cheeki. They make Stainless Steel water bottles :) They come in various sizes, and have a range of different colours and patterns to choose from. They are also very switched on to the damaging health and environmental affects that plastic bottles bring. Here is a little snippet of info from their website:

"About BPA: Bisphenol A is extremely widespread among many household plastics such as baby bottles and food storage containers. BPA is a chemical used in the manufacture of plastics and epoxy resins and is a known carcinogen that has been linked to brain synapse, reproductive and developmental impairments. Canada announced in 2008 it’s intent to ban the sale of baby bottles containing BPA’s.

Furthermore, repeated use of common disposable bottles (PET) can cause the plastic to break down and carcinogens to leach into your drinking water. Try leaving a full plastic bottle (re-used) and a full Cheeki bottle overnight and next morning take a sip from each – the difference in taste is incredible. Cheeki Lids are made from BPA-free non-leaching polypropylene."

It is so scary to think that so many people are unaware of this!!!
Furthermore:

"Environmental Concerns - Unless disposable plastic bottles are incinerated, they will be around in landfills, oceans and parks for hundreds of years. Most of us nowadays like to think that we are environmentally conscious, yet take a look at how many people are buying, carrying around and throwing out plastic bottles on a daily basis! Its mind-boggling. (not to mention the health risk, the taste or the expense). Millions of plastic bottles are thrown out – it’s really one of modern life ’s most ludicrous “developments” (not to mention the energy consumed in transportation and refrigeration)"
On top of all of this, can you imagine how much money you would save by purchasing one of these babies!?!?! Well Cheeki can, and they lay it out for you on there website: Cheeki Stainless Steel Bottles.

Here is my 750ml bottle featuring a beautiful little peacock feather :)

Please send this blog to everyone you know, and hopefully we can all keep making a positive difference to our Beautiful World :)

Here is what the Earth naturally provided for me today (with the help of some cooking utensils)

BREAKFAST: A Choconana Smoothie

SNACK: Leftover Choconana Smoothie, Blueberries and Dates

LUNCH: Chickpea Maehem (Chickpeas, Lemon, Ginger, Parsley, Mint, Coriander, Coconut Oil, Himalayan Salt, Honey and Love)

SNACK: Dates, Blueberries and Mixed Nuts

DINNER: Another Sweet Potato Peanut Satay with Rice :) YUMM!

DESSERT: Dates :)

EXERCISE: None

Please help me to share this message however you can :)

Love and be Loveable :)

Love Love Love

xoxoxoxo

Day Three

2011-01-22T04:57:00.000-08:00

Day Three. 11:40pm. Just got home from a night out.

I'm proud to say that I stuck to my Earth Food Diet :)

I was the designated driver, and drank water.

I'm sorry that I can't make this blog a long one.

I'm incredibly tired.

I came up with a new recipe today...See below:

Sweet Potato Peanut Satay

BREAKFAST: Warm Lemon Water and a Choconana Smoothie

LUNCH: 'Chickpea Maehem' (Chickpeas, Lemon, Coconut Oil, Ginger, Coriander, Parsley, Basil, Agarve and Cabbage.) Grapes.

SNACK: Choconana Smoothie

DINNER: Sweet Potato Peanut Satay with Rice.
(Sweet Potato, Spinach, Garlic, Ginger, Organic Peanut Butter, Chilli, Satay Powder{100% Natural Ingredients}, Coconut Oil, Rice)

DESSERT: None

EXERCISE: None

Another successful, chemical free day.

Hopefully tomorrow I will be able to put up my interview with Liana :)

Until then, goodnight and sweet dreams.

Be grateful.

Love Love Love

xoxoxox

Day Two

2011-01-21T03:25:00.000-08:00

Wow, what a rollercoaster of emotions Day Two of my Earth Diet turned out to be!

I was expecting some detoxing symptoms like sweating, feeling a bit off and being a little more tired than normal. I definitely was not expecting to detox negative emotions. (no boyfriends were harmed in the making of this blog)

Apparently, when bringing out the best in yourself you must first experience the worst qualities you have to offer.

The day started fine enough...up bright and early, did some washing, sang a little, spent some time on the computer, and then...a tsunami of negative emotions flooded every single part of my being.

I was so angry, resentful and just pissed off. The hilarious part (not at the time) is that I didn't even know why.

Usually when I would get this negative I would go and find something high in sugar/preservatives/chemicals, go and find a comfy place to sit (preferably in front of a television) and absolutely BINGE OUT!

So today, I had to actually sit down, look my emotions right in the eye and say "Look, I understand you feel this way...tell me whats going on. Everything's okay, no matter what it is. I'm here for you, and I love you."

It made SUCH a difference! I still don't know what my problem even was...but tonight I go to bed feeling very happy and content. I faced my problems and I stuck to my word :)

Here's what that looked like today:

BREAKFAST: A glass of warm water with half a lemon and
A Banana Smoothie :)

LUNCH: Mixed Nuts and Dates

SNACK: Dates

DINNER:   A Zesty, High Protein, High Fibre Taste Sensation...introducing 'Chickpea Maehem'
          Chichkpeas, Coconut Oil, Parsley, Basil, Mint, Ginger, Coriander, Lemon, Agarve, Himalayan Salt,
          Spinach and A Cabbage leaf.
          Mash the Chickpeas, Coconut Oil, Parsley, Basil, Mint, Ginger, Coriander, Lemon, Agarve
          and salt together.
          Finely chop up some spinach and add it to the mash. Finally, pour all of your ingredients into
          a cabbage leaf, and there you go!
          A delicious, nutritious, completely raw, vegan, vegetarian dish...VERY FILLING :)

DESSERT: An Apple, Choconana Smoothie (Banana, cacao powder, agarve, ice, rice milk), Mixed Nuts.

For now I'm looking forward to a good sleep, and a new day :)

Love Love Love

xoxoxox

D Day...Day One

2011-01-20T03:41:00.000-08:00

Day One:

It's coming to the end of day one, and I'm laying on my bed with a glass of water.

Wow, what a very sweet (pun intended) first day of my Earth Diet Challenge :)

When I woke up this morning, everything that I had planned to do/feel the night before...was completely the opposite of what I expected.

Firstly, I had planned to start today with a run...and then the rain came...it poured. I spent some time laying in bed listening to that magical sound and made a decision...I am going to slowly ease into this...one step at a time.

STEP ONE: Eliminate chemical/preservative/suagr ridden foods.

STEP TWO: Eat my 2 fruit 5 veg servings every day.

STEP THREE: Start incorporating cardio and strength exercises.

As decided, I faced day one by using step one :)

Here is how it looked in food terms:

(I had planned to start the day with a glass of warm lemon water...WE WERE OUT OF LEMONS!)

BREAKFAST: A Banana Smoothie

(Rice Milk, Banana, Ice, Agarve Syrup, Mixed Nuts)

LUNCH: Mixed Nuts, Dates and an Apple

SNACK: Carrot sticks with 100% Organic Peanut Butter (100% Peanuts!)

DINNER: Snow Peas, Ginger, Garlic, Green Beans, Shallots, Mushrooms, Spinch and Onion (Cooked)

DESSERT: Lychees and Chocolate Balls

(Cacao Powder, Agarve Syrup, Dates, Mixed Nuts, Organic Peanut Butter) Yummy! :)

EXCERISE: None :(

It was all about satisfying my sweet tooth today.

I noticed that I felt tired and around lunch time I got a bit of a headache...I knew that these detoxing symptoms would show up...and I am expecting them for another day or two.

I could have drank more water than I did, so I will add that to the checklist for tomorrow.

One thing that I noticed today after a visit to my local Woolies, is how much food is processed, full of chemicals, full of preservatives, full of sugar and so incredibly bad for you!

Its crazy to think that majority of our diet consists of this kind of food! I am kind of disgusted to think that I have been so disconnected to where my food comes from and what is actually in it. I am guilty of ducking down to Woolies and getting a quick frozen meal to microwave, or getting a vege burger at Hungry Jacks, or ordering pizza and having it delivered...completely unaware of where all of the ingredients came from, who transported them to where they were prepared, how they were prepared etc.
I will for sure be looking further into these issues. I know after being a regular reader of Liana's posts, that she has some extremely informative articles, so you can be sure to see some re-appearing on here :)

My final thought before I head off to sleep is that, I usually go to bed feeling full, bloated and irritable...however tonight I feel none of those things, which is nice for a change :)

Anyway, sleep tight, list 3 things you are grateful for and have a wonderful tomorrow :)

Love Love Love
xoxoxox

My Earth Diet Challenge...Preparation Day

2011-01-19T02:53:00.000-08:00

Okay, I guess before I go too in depth I should introduce myself...
My name is Sarah. I'm 19. I am a singer/songwriter. I am a vegetarian, AND I am also a serial binge eater!!!!!
As I grew up, I always envied those girls who seemed to have it all...the figure, the clear skin, the perfect life etc. Once I hit the age of 14, my weight started to creep up and up and up until I was in my final year at high school, completely unhappy, 75kg , prone to acne and struggling with binge eating. Couple this with the stresses of being a high school student (exams, pressure to look good, pressure to fit in etc), suffice it to say, my acne blew way out of control.
Now I'm assuming that some people reading this blog will think that 75kg is not alot of weight...I would like to clarify that I was always known as the little stick figure girl growing up, so going from 54kg's to 75kg's was a big change...pardon the pun haha)

It wasn't until I graduated that I started to assess my health, and start to look into health eating, exercise and natural medicine. I then found out that I had PCOS (Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome) which is basically cysts on the ovaries. This essentially was the cause of my acne.

Since then, investigating health has been a big interest of mine...which lead me to The Earth Diet.
I was fortunate enough to meet Liana Werner - Gray in 2009. It wasn't until that we contacted each other online I started reading her Earth Diet Blog.
The articles, facts and recipes posted on her blogs were so interesting to me, and after becoming a regular reader, I decided to give it a go. I would always fail, and then resort back to binge eating on chemically ridden foods.
Each time I would be 'on' Earth Foods, my health would improve, my mood would improve, my skin would glow and all in all would feel amazing. I couldn't understand why I would keep resorting back to my old ways...so I asked the original Earth Dieter herself, and this is what she had to say....

"Wow well Sarah i can absolutely say you are on the path to health. Your experience sounds very similar to mine - battling with an act or sabotaging personality. I totally get how you declare one thing for your health and then do another and binge eat. This may help you as it did me - how long have you been binge eating? Or eating to self sabotage? This can be like a fast spinning wheel in action and eventually with the light of your presence and fulfilling of your word, the wheel will slow down and eventually stop. One of the IL said 'you create a habit that took years and then expect it to be gone tomorrow!' It sounds like yours has slowed down, and is even freaking out and threatened and so it convinced you to identify with it and indulge in it all over the holidays. I know it is easier said then done but don't be hard on yourself - this is years of thought processes and cemented personality you are up against. If you steer off track to what you want you can always recommit at any moment and jump back on. I NEVER thought i could change or stop over eating and eventually it happened and i am still challenged by it! :) so keep the end in mind Sarah Mae - visualize you and your dream health :) there may be more bumps along the way - all the better to look at it, and recreate who we are. I believe it is absolutely who we are in the face of it that matters :) and the more opportunities we get to reinvent ourselves the more depth we have as a human :) also a thought that really moved things for me was 'i could die any moment and i really don't want to go being unfulfilled and bloated' Hehe :)"

So...there you go.
I am determined to push forward and stick to my word :) From tomorrow (January 20th 2011), I will endeavour to only eat foods that are naturally provided from the earth and look into using natural alternatives for the everyday chemical products that I currently use.

Unlike Liana, I have not set a goal of 365 days, instead I will aim for one month at a time, and document all of my thoughts, feelings, failures and success :)
Should be one interesting blog!!!

I declared today as my last day of chemicals, preservatives and anything 'unearthy'.
I thought I would send the day day off with a bang so here is what that looked like:

BREAKFAST: Banana Smoothie
LUNCH: An Indian dish with paneer cheese, two pieces of toast with hummus
SNACK: Chocolate Ice cream
DINNER: A vege sub from Subway
DESSERT: More Chocolate Ice Cream
EXERCISE: NONE...

So that's that.
I have prepared a busy day tomorrow to keep me distracted from food cravings and have purchased a new pair of runners to get me back into exercise.

Sleep tight for an early start with lemon water and a run.

Love Love Love
Sarah.
xoxoxox