Archive for the ‘Lifestyle Tips’ Category

Learning to Love and Accept Yourself

Happy Valentines Day to our raw food and holistic health family! To continue with our celebration of our Love Your Body Month, we would like to talk about learning to love and accept yourself. You are all beautiful. magnificent beings and we are so happy to have you be a part of our family. Often times we associate love with other people (such as family members, friends, or a significant other), animals (your pet) and experiences (how you felt when…..). When we say “I love you,” we’re always saying it to another person. How often do we express our love for ourselves?

Let’s take a look within for a moment. Many of us have lifelong goals and aspirations that we hope to acquire, maybe it’s finding your true soul mate, getting a new job that excites you, or taking an adventurous vacation. No matter what it is, in the end, it all comes down to the basic need to be happy, being accepted and feeling loved. We all achieve this state through different paths (new career, new partner, new beginning, new adventures). But one way to catapult yourself onto the path of happiness, being accepted and feeling loved is to love yourself.

In order to truly love yourself (and in return share that love with others) you have to accept and love yourself unconditionally. Even if there are parts about you (physically, mentally, spiritually) that you are still working on, love those parts anyway. They are apart of you, a forever changing and evolving being. We would like to share with you 5 tips to help you love and accept you, for the person you are right now, and the person you are going to be.

5 Tips to Love and Accept Yourself

1. Show The Mirror Love. Often times when we look at ourselves in the mirror, our eyes are immediately drawn to what we consider to be our flaws or things we would like to change. Some of us get up in the mirror, not to gaze into our eyes, but to examine the size of our pores (yes ladies, we said it!). We think about “I wish my [fill in the blank] was [fill in the blank].” Well, if all you look for are flaws, then that is all you will see. So instead look for beauty. Next time you look in the mirror, give yourself a compliment (“hey there good lookin’!” “wow you’re looking great today!” “I love those bright eyes of yours!” etc). Say it out loud and with a smile. It may seem silly, but its guaranteed to put you in a good mood and stir up some positive energy. Remember too, as you gaze at yourself, see your whole self (the whole amazing package of everything that you are); this really puts love and acceptance into perspective.

2. Make A List. What do you LOVE about yourself? I mean absolutely LOVE!!! Make a list of 10 things that you absolutely adore about yourself. This list can be a combination of physical and personality traits! And be sure to write this down as we believe there is power and energy in the written word. This can be a really fun and positive exercise for yourself, a chance for you to brag about what makes you so awesome! You can put this list a couple different places. It can be a post-it note on your bathroom mirror or a journal entry in your diary. Or, you can hide a couple copies in a book, binder, wallet or purse, so you’ll find the sweet surprise later. What an excellent way to continuously send love your way.

3. Say “I LOVE YOU.” How often do we look into the eyes of someone (a romantic partner, spouse, friend, family member) and say “I love you.” We say it, we mean it, and we look into their eyes. We see that person for exactly who they are, and we LOVE them for it. Why not treat yourself to that same love? Let’s go back to the mirror. Let’s look into your own eyes, call out your name, and genuinely say “I love you.” It may be a gentle whisper at first but we guarantee that you will get louder and more convicted each time you do it! You’ll probably incorporate a little dance and maybe a wink after a couple weeks of this. Have fun! You are so worth it!

4. Beauty Is A State of Mind. If you are happy with yourself. If you think of yourself as beautiful and sexy, then others people will think that way about you too. It’s about confidence. What can you do to be m ore confident? Aside from these fabulous tips, wear clothes that make you feel good. That’s right, clothes carry energy too. If you love it, and it looks great on you, you will exude that confidence and others will notice. Take care of yourself physically. Working out in any shape or form releases endorphins and good energy. You feel awesome because you accomplished something and you are working towards a goal. Eat right! Eating the right foods that give you proper nutrients is another way to heighten the level of positive energy you have in your life. When you eat right, trust us, it shows. Be kind and compassionate with yourself, through taking care of your mind, body and spirit, you are showing yourself love and acceptance.

5. See The Whole Person. We live in a society that is way to judgmental. We see someone and based on their appearance we make judgments. We make preconceived notions about who a person is, based on how they look. Change the way you think, change the way you see the world around you, and ultimately you will change yourself and bring more love into your life. Next time you are out and about, or even if you are in the office, try to remove your blindfold of just seeing a physical person, and instead see the whole person. See what makes them so unique, see what their amazing traits are. What makes them who they are, unlike anyone else? What makes them so special? You don’t want to be judged by superficial standards, so shift your mindset to not view others in this light.

LOVE. LOVE. LOVE. Love is in the air. Whether or not you’re celebrating with someone else, make sure you show some love to yourself, for our Love Your Body Month, and beyond.

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Inspirational Quotes on Love

Looking for that perfect quote to put in a card? Or perhaps some inspirational words to get you in the mood? Let us inspire you with some wonderful words of love. Enjoy! If you have a quote you would like to share, leave a comment.

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“Love is not love that alters when it alteration finds.”
-Shakespeare

“If I could reach up and hold a star for every time you’ve made me smile, the entire evening sky would be in the palm of my hand.”
-Unknown

“You don’t marry someone you can live with – you marry the person who you cannot live without.”
-Unknown

“Life has taught us that love does not consist in gazing at each other but in looking outward together in the same direction.”
-Saint-Exupery

“A kiss is a lovely trick designed by nature to stop speech when words become superfluous.”
-Ingrid Bergman

“True love is like ghosts, which everybody talks about and few have seen.”
-La Rochefoucauld

“Love is but the discovery of ourselves in others, and the delight in the recognition.”
-Alexander Smith

“The richest love is that which submits to the arbitration of time.”
-Lawrence Durrell

“There is no remedy for love but to love more.”
-Thoreau

“Love cures people – both the ones who give it and the ones who receive it.”
-Dr. Karl Menninger

“To love and win is the best thing. To love and lose, the next best.”
-William M. Thackeray

“Who says love never lives? Maybe we’ve never lived.”
-Unknown

“Some love lasts a lifetime. True love lasts forever.”
-Unknown

“If love is great, and there are no greater things, then what I feel for you must be the greatest.”
-Unknown

“The Eskimos have 52 words for snow because it is so special to them; there ought to be as many for love!”
-Margaret Atwood

“Love is like playing the piano. First you must learn to play by the rules, then you must forget the rules and play from your heart.”
-Unknown

“Within you, I lose myself. Without you, I find myself wanting to be lost again.”
-Unknown

How To Love Your Body Raw

This month we are going to LOVE our body RAW.  What better time to do this than during the month of Valentines… the month of Love. Whether you are all raw, eat partially raw or trying to go all or more raw, these tips will help you to show more love to yourself for the month of February and beyond.

1. Eat More Chocolate. What is a better way to start these tips that to say that this month we can use the excuse to eat more chocolate…Raw Cacao.   Chocolate in its raw form is high extremely high in anti-oxidants, magnesium (why do you women think you crave chocolate before that time of the month) and helps suppress and satisfy those cravings.  What makes this a perfect food for loving our body raw this month is that it contains the neuron-peptides that are similar to those we produce when we are in Love.  How many of you LOVE chocolate…there is something to it.

2. Add More Maca. In addition to the Chocolate, how about adding in some MACA, the root that acts as an aphrodisiac So now you are having the love producing cacao and the libido increasing Maca and what do you have… an amazing and extremely tasty combination that’s high in nutrients.  Maca great for rebuilding the adrenals, strength, stamina, endurance, is loaded in vitamins and minerals and is a great source of Protein containing over 20 amino acids.

3. Eat More Red Foods. And then third, let’s add more red foods in this month.  How about some amazing Goji Berries that are known for longevity.  These berries are also very high in anti-oxidant, …  February is a cold month for many of us, soaking goji’s in some warm water can make a wonderful tea.  To top it off there is nothing better than the combination of the Goji’s with Maca and Cacao.  So before we continue, let me give you a recipe.

Let the Goji Berries steep in some hot (not boiling) water for 20 min, then use the Goji water, add a TBSP of Maca, a TBSP of Cacao, a handful of cashews some agave and blend well.  You will have an amazing and highly nutritious Raw Hot Chocolate that will have a malty flavor from the Maca and a hint of berry with all kinds of health benefits.

4. Love Your Skin Too! Get on-line, or look around, there are some companies that carry skin care that is completely chemical free and contain many ingredients that will really help nourish your skin.  My favorite is Simply Divine Botanicals. You will notice a huge difference over the conventional soaps.  Not to mention our skin is a huge absorber of toxins and chemicals, we may be trying to avoid eating them but try not putting them on your skin either and see the difference.  I personally like using products that contain MSM.  Taking pure MSM internally will do amazing things for your skin also.  And try rubbing yourself down in coconut oil, it completely absorbs and your skin will feel amazing and softJ  Maybe on Valentine’s Day, have a jar of coconut oil by the bed…

5. Make Time For You. Most people are living high paced and high stress lifestyles.  The continued excuse “I don’t have time” for anything that involves taking time for ourselves…  Taking time for you is the MOST IMPORTANT thing you can do.  Without thinking, there IS something that would come immediately to mind that you would love to do for yourself…maybe it’s get a massage or acupuncture treatment, go for a hike or bike ride, read that book that has been sitting on your night stand for months.  All you have to do is just do it.  ‘Ask yourself’ for a little time this month to do some things you want to do and see what happens.  All you have to do is ‘’ask”.  It is actually really simple and there is always time, it’s just whether you chose to do it or not.

6. Eat More Raw. By eating more raw foods and especially greens, we keep our bodies in balance.  When I say balance I am also talking from a pH standpoint and the internal biological terrain of our entire system.  When we chose to eat more raw foods, it eliminates the foods that turn our internal biological terrain into an environment for all the unwanted bacteria’s, viruses, yeasts, fungus, mold, dis-ease causing agents, etc.  We want to love our body, not waste it, which is what we do when we eat process, refined, pasteurized, homogenized, pesticide, genetically modified, hormone induced food. Think of your body as a garden, would you dump trash in it and expect it to flourish or would you love it and tend to it, watering it regularly so that it grows into beautiful plants that are going to nourish.   Would you water your garden with soda and other drinks…do you think the plants would grow or would they die?   Would you put bread in your soil or veggies to help nourish the soil and fertilize it? Think about your internal body as that garden and the more you care for it with natural and raw sources, the more it will flourish into that beautiful garden that will nourish you from the inside out.   The more alive the food you eat, the more vibrant you will feel!  I always like to say, what color is our planet, GREEN, so what do you think are the best foods to eat to live a healthy life…

7. Eat Healthy Snacks. Try substituting raw flax crackers for your regular processed crackers, eat more greens and sea veggies, add some avocados and raw Olives (yum).  Snack on more nuts and seeds, some Goji berries mixed with Cacao nibs, is a great snack!!  And just keep drinking more smoothies.   This is the best way to get all those nutrients in and it tastes great!

Kendell Reichhart is a Certified Holistic Health Counselor and Integrative Nutritional Consultant.  Specializing in healing through raw and whole foods.  Nutritional Microscopy.  Towson, MD.   443-250-9335  www.naturalvibranthealth.net

“When the body is properly nourished, it then has the ability to function optimally.”

3 Yoga Poses to Relieve Stress in Just 20 Minutes A Day

Piera Bonventre is a Homeopathic Practitioner, raw food connoisseur and a travelling yogi. She also tweets energy healing and daily yoga instructions- encouraging you to include yoga anytime of day. Piera will be our in-house yoga instructor, providing insight and direction into this unifying form of movement. Here’s what she has to say:

I know time is valuable.  Time is now a precious commodity.  Sometimes there isn’t time to breath it seems. And some of us really aren’t breathing much at all.    How you breath sets  your whole mental, emotional and physical state for the day!

Deep lower belly or diaphragmatic breathing is the most beneficial way you can regain your focus and calm during harried times and circumstances.  So when the kids are screaming, deadlines have to be met and your mother in law is coming over for the weekend, get on the mat to stay sane and your best amazing self.

YOU don’t need hours of YOGA to gain benefits!

MAKING time for Yoga should be a no brainer.  Yoga will encourage you to breath in PURE  energy enhancing PRANA.  Yoga will “reset” your whole state so you are BALANCED, FOCUSED and CLEAR.  And you don’t need hours of Yoga to gain the benefits! You actually will be more efficient and therefore need less time to do all those “must do” tasks.

Actually a good 20 minute session will do you a world of a difference when life gets really hairy and you feel tied up in knots. So lets get those knots unraveled, that breath flowing and your JOYFUL heart brimming with energy.

3 POSES + 20 MINUTES +AWESOME INTENTION= A STRESS BUSTING PRACTICE

Here are the three poses I believe are some of the best for receiving the most out of a yoga practice in a short amount of time. These poses are often considered foundational to any Yoga practice.  You will gain strength, increase flexibility and encourage cleansing of the whole system.

Pose  #1 Warrior Pose:

Any warrior pose can be implemented and choose to do all three for maximum benefits.  Warrior poses are standing poses and as such encourage the building of strength and stamina.  They also nurture INTERNAL strength and are excellent to improve self esteem.

In Warrior poses be very conscious of the alignment of your hips, you want to direct them so that they remain equal and not off center.  If your right leg is forward for example, encourage the left hip to come forward, and not sway back putting the lower torso out of proper alignment. Hips are huge in this pose!  Keep them squared and equally balanced.  Also remember to keep shoulders relaxed, and not hunching up to your ears.  Think of lowering the shoulders, yet keeping them engaged inwardly.

Pose # 2  :   Parivrtta Parsvakonasana Or Revolved Side Angle Pose

This is a twist type of asana.  Twists are very beneficial for the health of the spine and organs.  Twists encourage spinal circulation and help relieve blocked energy channels to the spine.  Twists also DETOXIFY organ systems.  Digestive organs get massaged and are helped to digest, assimilate and eliminate food.  Also the whole LYMPHATIC system is stimulated and encouraged to release toxins and waste products.

Again be conscious of the hips in this pose.  Keep them aligned and the spine long and straight.  Open the heart center as you twist to the side and keep the shoulders balanced with the hips.

Pose #3   Sarvangasana  or Shoulder Stand:

I’ve included this particular pose because its a very effective nerve and glandular balancing inversion.  It helps in so many ways to detoxify and re balance the whole system.  Shoulder stand will help you release toxins from the organs and lymph system.  In addition to this it has a very healthy effect on the hormonal system because it helps to regulate the thyroid.  A very special gland that regulates the metabolism and hormonal system of the body.  Shoulder stand also calms the nervous system, encourages SLEEP and tranquility.  Don’t we all need a great night sleep?

If you just do these three poses,  you have a well rounded practice you can do in just 2o minutes!  Even if you only have 15-20 minutes, THE EFFECTS are amazing.

Get on your mat! 5 minutes becomes 10 minutes.  10 minutes becomes 30 minutes, and 30 minutes becomes  a life time!

It did for me

keep walking lightly,

Namaste

Piera

A Truly Thankful Thursday

There is a calmness to a life lived in Gratitude, a quiet joy. — Ralph H. Blum

Being thankful is an amazing quality to add to your life. The simple act of gratitude and acknowledgment can generate an array of positive energy in your life and completely change your outlook. Really, just the simple act of being thankful. Every Thursday through our Twitter community we host #ThankfulThursday, where we simply ask our followers to let us know what they are thankful for and then we re-post their gratitude for everyone to see. It is a simple act, but the responses are always so fabulous to read. We tell them to let us know the little things they are thankful for, because sometimes its the little things that make the biggest difference. The responses range from God and spirituality, to friends and family, to mangos and avocados, and just the mere fact that the sun is shining. Let’s take this notion of being thankful to the next level.

There is always, always, always something to be thankful for. — Author Unknown

Being thankful opens us up to receiving a plethora of wonderful blessings. When we are in a state of gratefulness, we acknowledge our true selves and radiate this energy to others. You suddenly become a generator of positive energy, you have an aura about you. Perhaps it might be a good idea to keep a “Thankful Journal.” It doesn’t have to be anything spectacular and can simply be a notepad of paper. But each day, you should challenge yourself to write the 5 things you are thankful for. They can be big or small, there are no limitations. Doing this in the morning can allow you the opportunity to reflect upon it throughout the day. You could also write your gratitude list on a sticky note and then put it somewhere where you will see it and run into it. Let it serve as a constant reminder of the goodness that you’ve got going on in your life.

Perhaps the biggest gift that humankind has been given is the choice to decide the thoughts and attitudes we put in our minds. –from the book “Change Your Mind, Change Your Life”

You cannot welcome more abundance into your life until you have acknowledged that you are thankful for what you do have. You can also find yourself in a better mood and more optimistic when you shift your thoughts to ones of gratitude. Choosing to focus your thoughts on the good in your life rather than things you may not yet be satisfied with is sure to invite some positive energies in. Being grateful is the best way to attract additional blessings and means of abundance into your life.

Things turn out best for people who make the best of the way things turn out. — John Wooden

So let me ask you right now, what are you thankful for? This question will get easier to answer the more you do it, so don’t fret if you are having some trouble coming up with your list. Remember anything big or small, it doesn’t matter, is worth mentioning on your list. You can be thankful for ladybugs because they always make you smile. If you need some additional suggestions to help get you thinking, here’s where you can start:

• You can be thankful for friends, relatives, your lover/partner, or anyone that truly appreciates your company (including pets if you have them!).
• You can be thankful for possessions that you have, that you have worked hard for, or that mean something to you. It can be your home, your car, your comfortable bed.
• And what about your source of income? That’s something to be thankful for as it provides some of the fuel you need to build your life.
• Your health. By this we don’t mean for you to think about the problems you might have or the things you want to change about yourself/your body. We mean, look at you gorgeous! You are alive, you are breathing, and you are able to log on and read this article! That’s totally something to be thankful for!

We think this should be enough to get you going. Trust us on this, you can start inviting positive energy and altering your mood for the better with this simple shift in focus and thought. Just by the simple notion of gratitude, you can change your life.  And now we are more than curious to find out what you are most thankful for. Reply to this article to let us know!

Fall into the Season of Change

Upon gazing out into any landscape, whether you are strolling down the a winding path in the park or taking a drive through a road bordered with trees, take note of your surroundings. The leaves are changing colors, being lifted up by the wind and carried swiftly to the earth where they will break down and prepare for something new. The palette of colors dances across the scene, a treat for your eyes as bright oranges, reds, yellows and browns come alive. Isn’t nature beautiful? How magnificent is it that the  process of renewal can be displayed so vividly and in perfect harmony?

Here we are at the brink of a new season, the leaves are becoming one with the ground, and yet this is not a process that brings sadness, it is one that brings about a burst of energy, of excitement, and great anticipation of what is yet to come. Winter wonderlands, cool breezes, scarves and mittens are on the horizon. We welcome change as it comes with nature, we embrace it, we love it. If only we could think of change in the same light when it comes to our lives.

Change is necessary, change is constant, and change can be held in such a positive light. Why is then that when we think about making changes in our own lives, we are often met with feelings of fear and apprehension? Fear of the unknown, fear of leaping and not growing that set of wings on the way down, fear of falling, fear of failing, fear of being hurt. These types of negative emotions can hinder our growth and our development, and can halt our steps forward down various different avenues in our lives. Maybe it is love, maybe it is your job, your living arrangements, or your financial situation.

Sometimes we can get so caught up in our day to day routine, in the early rising, in the must be in the office by this time, must take lunch break here, that we forget to live. We forget to LIVE. We forget that our purpose in life is so much more than the day to day nuances that we effortlessly go through each day. So much so that we don’t even think about the what ifs anymore or contemplate what our next steps will be. And yet, these leaves, which were once green and so full of life, change to even more vibrant colors. Then, almost without warning, they let go of the branches and limbs that they once held onto for support and life, and they let the wind carry them carelessly to their next destination.

Some of these leaves land in streams and get taken with the current to reside elsewhere. Others end up in someone’s yard where no doubt the children will pile many together and dive right in (when was the last time you did that?). Then there are those that will be picked up by admirers who simply want to gaze further at their beauty. And some will be seemingly forgotten, but not really because they all return to the earth, breakdown and then become something new. Such is the cycle of life.

So as you watch the changes happening all around you in nature, and as you take note of their beauty, think about the changes that you want to make in your life. Perhaps it is something big (like you want a new job or a new apartment) and then perhaps it is something small (like you would love to take a long weekend getaway and simply explore a new destination). Then take that change that looks so big and scary, and break it down into smaller tasks that you can easily handle. For example, if you are looking for a new apartment, one goal might be “this week, I will spend one of my lunch breaks doing an online search for apartments in the new area I want to live,” and then your next goal would be “2 weeks from now, I will make an appointment to visit an apartment that I found online and get the grand tour.”

Suddenly, even if you are unaware of it at the time, you are leaving the comfort of the tree, you are gliding and becoming one with the wind, adrift and gracefully floating towards your new destination. You’ve let go and you didn’t even realize it. You are willing yourself to another level, to something different, to something more. And look at those beautiful colors radiating from your being! Simply magnificent!

Leaves change. Seasons change. And people change too. What kinds of things can change inside you?

Surviving Halloween in the Raw

So, you’ve got your costume ready, and you’ve been invited to the most fabulous Halloween party! How often does this holiday fall on a Saturday night, with an extra hour built in for daylights savings time (for all our US readers)? But, you are on your raw food journey and you really don’t want to lose it all and trip up on one night of fun! What do you do?

Oh many of us raw food enthusiasts have been there before! We want to go out and have a good time, but the options for nourishment that meet our high quality standards can be quite lacking! How do you still have a good time with friends all while staying raw and not getting weird faces from others? We have some tips that we think will be of some help.

• As always, preparation and proper planning are key. You know when and where the party is and what time you are planning to arrive (of coarse the party doesn’t start without you!!). So, make sure you have a hearty raw meal before you go. We suggest raw tacos with a side salad, or Vincent’s Kale Salad 3.0. You should never go to a party where you are unsure of the food situation on an empty stomach. This puts you in a desperate situation to be tempted when it can easily be avoidable. If you are going to be out and about prior to going to the party, perhaps dinner out at a raw or vegan spot would also be ideal.
• Make a trip to the grocery store some time this week to pick up a couple LARABARS. They are raw and small enough to fit in a purse, bag, or pocket (not the back pocket or you will smush them!). You can also make a raw trail mix consisting of raw nuts, seeds, dried fruits and cacao. Have small portions of these items on you and if you feel uncomfortable reaching for them while hanging out, excuse yourself to go outside for some fresh air, take in the breeze and chow down.
• Bring water with you if you can. It can be a small bottle that you carry in your bag, or one that you leave in your car for when you go outside for fresh air. You never want to be at one of these parties without water, as it is very important for you to stay hydrated and depending on the affair, sometimes the availability of water is overlooked.
• If this is a house party where you know the hosts, offer to bring a spectacular dish of your own (or two). Then check out our Raw Halloween Recipe Round Up for some great tips and links to give you ideas of what to bring. What’s so great about these recipes is that they look so amazing and festive that no one will even think they are raw, let alone good for them! You will really impress your friends.
• Planning on having a drink? How about bringing your own bottle or two of organic wine so you can pass on the jungle juice? Make a toast with the friends you came with, or if you know the hosts of the party, ask them to hold the wine aside for you (like maybe store it somewhere safe or in the refrigerator).
• As you are mixing and mingling and checking out the goodies at the party, if you should happen upon a fruit or veggie tray, hover! This party tray is your new best friend and don’t feel guilty for loading up your plate or going back for seconds. If you don’t think there will be a fruit and veggie tray there and its a house party, bring one yourself. Afterall, in many situations it is customary for a house guest to show up with something to contribute to the party, and this guarantees that you’ll have something to eat.
• Again if it is a house party, if you are comfortable doing this and know the hosts you might want to let them know of your dietary needs and ask if it is possible for fruit/veggies to be available. A good host/hostess is usually more than willing to accommodate.
• Do your best to avoid temptation! This may mean not hanging around the alcohol table/bartender but enjoying the dancefloor or lounge area instead.
• Above all, have fun and enjoy yourself! Don’t be too hard on yourself if you happen to slip. Do your best to be prepared: this includes costume, good company, and that your nutritional needs are taken care of.

You can totally survive this Halloween while staying on course with your raw food journey. If you have any questions or additional tips that you would like to share, they are much appreciated so feel free to post them below.

Surviving the Cold in the Raw

Many have the understanding that it is super easy to maintain the raw food lifestyle during the warmer months, there are plenty of local fruits and veggies in season, you can grow your own, and try several new dishes too. But once the seasons start to change, the leaves start to fall, and the temperatures start to drop, we are often left with the dilemma of how to make this lifestyle work in the winter. When the average person thinks of what to eat during a snowy day, automatically hot soups and mugs of cocoa come to mind, and maybe some of the dishes that are automatically associated with the holidays, such as turkey or ham. How does a raw foodist compete with that? And further more, how do we have that feeling of warmth and satisfaction after a meal?

Karen Knowler, a raw food coach, says that from her personal experience and that of others, “it entirely depends on how new you are to raw foods. Eating raw in winter is a bit like training for a marathon — you can’t expect to run the whole way your first time out; your body has to adjust and it has to adjust incrementally over a period of time.” Take a moment to reflect on where you are in your holistic journey. Get in touch with your body and your reasons for transitioning into a raw food lifestyle. What is important to you?

The best way to approach this is to ease yourself into the winter months with your mind, body and spirit aligned. If you are very new or up to a couple years in (or somewhere in between) perhaps your goal isn’t so much that you are 100% raw but that you are making healthy decisions. Do what feels right. So if you have been raw all day and your body says “hey gorgeous, this raw food is amazingly awesome, but it is wicked cold outside, let’s have some vegetable soup tonight,” then we think you should make yourself the healthiest vegetable soup. Do what feels right. It is so important to work with your body here, to weed out temptations for bad food decisions (greasy foods, etc) and make each decision one that will provide the most benefit to your  body. It is also important to recognize cravings, where they come from, and what emotion you attach to them (you may even have to write down when cravings occur to recognize the pattern). Surviving the winter in the raw does require a bit of will power, but overall it requires a sense of self and a knowledge of your purpose in this journey.

Let’s say you’ve been raw for quite some time now. How do you survive the winter? Perhaps you are more focused on “I want to be 100% raw all the time,” or whatever your personal goal may be. How do you achieve this? Well, if you are a seasoned raw foodist, you should still listen to your body and get in touch with yourself and your needs. Over time (and this time period is different for everyone), your body will adjust so much to raw foods that you will find yourself not craving the psychological comforts of cooked foods. A lot of our attachments to warm cooked foods are both psychological and habitual, whereas overtime your body has developed these new, healthier eating habits and will respond to your lifestyle accordingly. Even still, when you have reached this stage in your journey, it is something that personally you will know as you walk your own path to wellness.

No matter what stage in your journey you are in, here are some practical tips we hope will be most helpful to you in your journey:

• Take your food out of the refrigerator ahead of time, so it can warm to room temperature.
• Freeze fruits and vegetables in the summer for use during the winter. You can then put these in smoothies or to make raw ice creams.
• If you don’t have a dehydrator yet and have been on the fence about whether or not to purchase one, now might be a good time to strongly consider it. We have an article here on what to look for in a dehydrator (along with other raw equipment). Dehydrators are great taking the “chill” off of your meals.
• Warm raw soups in your dehydrator or improvise using your stove, as long as it’s below 118F it’s still considered raw!
• If you feel you need to, eat heartier raw meals during the winter. Perhaps salads may not be as appealing to you when its snowing outside than when it’s sunny and warm. We will be providing some more hearty, easy raw food recipes in the days to come to get you started.

Really use this season as time to reflect upon yourself and observe your own patterns and habits. You’ll stay on path more if you are able to identify certain feelings and cravings up front. Identify them  and put them in their place. Do not beat yourself up if you happen to stumble, trip or fall. There is a great quote that says “when you stumble, make it part of the dance.” Remember how magnificent and radiant you are, and give yourself the pep talk you need to get through.

References
Winter in the Raw by Karen Knowler (click here to view article)
Karen Knowler, The Raw Food Coach publishes “Successfully Raw” – a free weekly eZine for raw food lovers everywhere. If you’re ready to look good, feel great and create a raw life you love get your FREE tips, tools and recipes now atwww.TheRawFoodCoach.com.

Winter Health Survival Guide http://www.rawbc.org/articles/winter.html

Eating Raw Foods in The Winter http://www.rawfoodswitch.com/tag/eating-raw-food-in-the-winter/

Wellness Weds: Power of Positive Thinking

“Perhaps the biggest gift that humankind has been given is the choice to decide what thoughts and attitudes we put in our minds.” -quoted from the book Change Your Mind, Change Your Life by Gerald G. Jampolsky, M.D., and Diane V. Cirincione. How often have you heard the words you are what you think? So many motivational quotes and words of wisdom are based upon the notion that in order to enjoy life you need only to simply change your thoughts.

Is it really that easy? Indeed it is! Positive thinking does more than just lift your mood, it can also affect your overall health and well being, as well as play a key role in stress management. Let’s get some questions answered about positive thinking and how it can benefit you, and then also provide you with some helpful suggestions to get you well on your way to being a radiant being of sunshine, no matter what.

What is positive thinking?

Positive thinking is a mental attitude that admits into the mind thoughts, words and images that are conductive  to growth, expansion and success. It is a mental attitude that expects good and favorable results. A positive mind anticipates happiness, joy, health, and a successful outcome of every situation and action. Whatever the mind expects, it finds. Positive thinking doesn’t necessarily mean that you fully ignore life’s less pleasant situations, it just means that you approach the unpleasantness in a more positive and productive way.

What is self-talk?

Self-talk is the endless stream of thoughts that run through your mind everyday. You know those thoughts very well! You probably experience them the most while you are in commute to somewhere (such as driving in your car or sitting on the bus/train), or you experience them while you are daydreaming at work. Some of your self-talk comes from logic and reason. Other self-talk may arise from misconceptions that you create because of lack of information. Take a brief moment to reflect on your thoughts. Are they mostly negative or positive? How does this effect your outlook on life?

What are the health benefits of positive thinking?

• Better psychological and physical well-being. Being a healthy person is more than what you eat. It’s mind, body and spirit. Positive thinking is a large component of that “mind” portion of this equation. Having a positive outlook shifts your personal experience of life and the world around you.
• Lower rates of depression and distress. There is a quote by Lou Holtz that says “life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you respond to it.” Through positive thinking you recognize that you are in control of your response and your view of each and every situation you are in. Then you can shape these situations and your response to be in your favor.
• Achieved balance and awareness. As you dive deeper into holistic health and get more in touch with yourself, positive thinking will help to further align your mind, body and spirit with your purpose in life and role in the universe. Suddenly, a potentially stressful situation at work just rolls off your shoulder. You are not focused on one grain of sand, because you know there is an ocean in all its entirety and splendor that awaits you at the shore.
• Significantly reduced stress. This benefit partners up with the two bullet points above. There is a quote by Anthony Robbins that says “you can’t always control the wind, but you can control the sails.” Having a different view of various circumstances and then recognizing your ability to choose the outcome is a direct benefit of positive thinking.

How do you identify negative thoughts?

Below are some common forms of negative self-talk. Take a moment to check yourself and see if any of your thoughts identify with the categories below. Do not fret if they do, awareness is the first step.

• Filtering: You allow the seemingly negative aspects of a situation to outweigh the positive ones. For example, you gave an excellent presentation at work. Your boss and coworkers are very impressed and they let you know with compliments to your work. But later on that day a fellow colleague points out a flaw in a statement that you presented. Later that evening, instead of remembering all the great compliments you received, you focus on that one flaw in your statement.
• Personalizing: This is when you make seemingly negative situations that occur about you, when really they are not. For example, you would love to get your friend’s together to go see a movie. But unfortunately, everyone you contacted has plans already or will be out of town. Instead of chalking it up to coincidence, you assume that no one wants to go out with you.
• Catastrophizing: You automatically anticipate the worst. For example, you are driving in your car to a location you haven’t been to before. You are attempting to follow the directions but you make one wrong turn and you automatically assume that you will be horribly lost and won’t be able to find your way to your destination.
• Polarizing: You see things as either good or bad; everything is either black or white. There is no middle ground. You feel you either have to be absolutely perfect or the only other option is that you have failed.

How do you shift into positive thinking?

It is a learning process. The process is quite simple, but you must be patient with yourself, as you are creating a new habit and that takes time. Below are some tips to help you improve your self-talk and aide you in your positive thinking.

• Check yourself. Periodically throughout your day, stop and evaluate what you’re thinking. If you notice that your thoughts are negative, come up with a way to put a positive spin on them.
• Laugh! Laughter is the best medicine, but you must be open to it. Give yourself permission to smile and laugh, especially in difficult times. Seek humor in your everyday.
• Be healthy. Doing things like eating the right foods and exercising regularly will provide your body with the boost of energy it needs to help foster that positive outlook on life.
• Surround yourself with positive people. We have a great article on this, The Dream Team, where we talk about the importance of having the right people in your life and seeking out these people. Having a lot of negative people in your life can increase your stress level, and may make you doubt yourself and your abilities. Take some time to evaluate the people in your life and your relationships. Are they helping to foster your positive outlook on life?
• Practice makes perfect. Be patient with yourself as making this change will take time. If in any given situation a negative thought enters your head, acknowledge it, evaluate it, and then respond with affirmations about how amazing you are and what makes you so special.

How do you turn a negative into a positive picture?

Check out these examples of how to turn a negative thought into a positive one.

Instead of saying “I’ve never done this before,” say “this is an opportunity to learn something new.” Instead of saying “This is too complicated,” say “I’ll tackle this from a different angle.” Instead of saying “there is no way this will work,” say “I can totally find a way to make this happen.” Instead of saying “I’m not getting any better at this,” say “I think I will give this another try.”

Simple reinforcing positive thoughts like this can easily counter the negative thoughts you have in your mind. Keeping positive images and motivational quotes in your space as a quick visual reference can also be helpful in refocusing your mind on the good. Always remember, you are in control. Take this one step at a time, and watch how quickly your reality changes with just the thoughts you have in your mind.

References

The Power of Positive Thinking http://www.successconsciousness.com/index_000009.htm
Mind Your Thoughts http://www.lifepositive.com/mind/psychology/positive-thinking/thoughts.asp
Positive Thinking: Reduce Stress, Enjoy Life More http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/positive-thinking/SR00009
Rational Positive Thinking http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newTCS_06.htm

Photo credit: Sirisak Chaiyasook http://saki09.multiply.com/

Wellness Weds: The Dream Team

This Wellness Wednesday post is from the mind of Jessica, the visionary behind Raw Food Nation:

I was surfing around the many facets of cyberspace when I happened upon a really great quote by Naomi Watson, a DC based model-to-be on the rise, shooting for the moon and landing amongst the stars. She says “if I say it’s my dream to live on the moon, I want my true friends to suggest fashionable spacesuits!” WOW! Immediately I knew I loved these words, so simple, with a twist of humor; so practical, and yet the underlying message is quite clear. You are the company that you keep. Are you surrounded by people who mutually support and uplift each other in their endeavors? When you tell your friends about your hopes and dreams or what you would like to accomplish, do they provide words of encouragement, or do they tell you the many reasons why it might not work out and can’t be done?

In a world full of challenges, obstacles and adversity, it is more important now than ever before to have your friends behind you and supporting your endeavors. Positive people help your self confidence because they tend to see the potential in you, even when you might not see it in yourself. Those with negative view points, on the other hand, will hinder your self confidence because they tend to reinforce your self doubt and any negative thoughts you may have.

Surround yourself with positive people and you’ll become more positive and self confident. The good vibes and energy that is exchanged between you will stay with you and help you to carry out your personal goals and aspirations. Surround yourself also with people who will hold you accountable for what you want to do. For example, if you say “I would really like to buy a house in a year,” you need to have someone you trust who can gently or firmly remind you to start researching local real estate agents in your area.

When I think about the people that I have or want to have in my corner, I immediately think of creating my own dream team, my own posse, or for our readers who are into sports, my own fantasy football team. Take a moment to contemplate and ask yourself: if I could choose the people I want in my inner circle who will motivate me, inspire me, and hold me accountable, who would they be? If I could choose people where there would be a constant, mutual exchange of positive energy and reinforcement, who would those people be? If you do not have these people in your life in one form or another already, seek them out. If you do have them in your life, bring them closer into your circle of trust. You want people who will accept you for who you are, but are willing to challenge you, in a positive and constructive manner, to excel and to become successful.

Then make it your responsibility to create those situations that will foster that special dose of positive energy that you need. By that I mean, perhaps once a month (or more) meet up with a couple of those people over dinner for conversation and catching up with each others lives. Be proactive about making plans to hang out with these people, not always for serious conversation but just for the sheer joy of enjoying their company. Remember your mood and attitude are your responsibility, just as last week we said your happiness is your responsibility. With that in mind, what steps can you take to make sure you get ample exposure to good energy?

And then the more challenging question is: are you love people with negative outlooks any less? No, in fact some of them maybe in your immediate circle of friends or in your immediate family. However, we must acknowledge the roles that people play in our lives and then be proactive about what we do with that knowledge. For example, you should take note of how you feel after interacting with certain people. As you start out with this self evaluation technique, you should consider setting boundaries and limiting your time around negative people. You should also consider what you say around people with negative outlooks (for example, you wouldn’t tell a person with a negative outlook that your dream is to one day own your own business, they will certainly tell you how it cannot be done). In several instances, they are thinking about their own personal experiences and situations and not yours.

Others may tell you to end these relationships immediately, but we have a more compassionate approach. In the long run, as you bring more positive people into your circle and you become more positive, you will surely attract positive people into your life. Good energy attracts good energy, and the further along the path of enlightenment you go, you’ll find just the right people crossing paths with you.

Now it’s your turn. What steps can you take to be a positive person who radiates good energy throughout her/his aura, and then what steps can you take to develop your own dream team? We send out good vibes all the time on Twitter, and would be more than happy to be a part of your crew. Be sure to join our nation.

Resources:
Surround Yourself With Positive People in 2009 http://www.fastcompany.com/blog/bud-bilanich/success-common-sense/surround-yourself-positive-people-2009