Listening in

In anything that we do we should always listen to our body. It tell us when we are tired, when we are thirsty, when we are weak and what foods we should eat and not eat. Listen carefully. It is telling you this for a reason.

An example: if you crave a banana, maybe your body is telling you that it needs potassium or some other nutrient that a banana can provide.  I am finding that the more I listen to this inner voice the better I feel. Now, that doesn't mean when my body craves a Dairy Free Newman O that I run to the store for a bag of Newman O's. I know that there is really no nutritional value in a Newman O, I am just having a sugar craving.  So, I eat a banana or an apple to cause that urge to subside. If it doesn't, then I will have a square of Enjoy Life chocolate and leave it at that.

Lately my body has been telling me that all it wants to eat is lima beans, brown rice and asparagus. I decided to listen to it. Although that combo might seem bland to probably everyone, every time I eat it I find it to be absolutely delicious. I feel refreshed and today I dropped down to a weight I have been trying to reach for quite awhile now. So, if you are not already doing so, listen to your body and see what happens.

Directions:

• For the lima beans, bring 2 cups water and 1 cup lima beans to a boil. Add a dash of salt while cooking. Cook for 20 minutes.
• For the asparagus, toss with olive oil and garlic powder and cook on 375F for ~17 minutes.
• For the rice, bring 2 cups water, 1 cup rice and a 2x2 inch piece of Kombu (seaweed) to a boil, then  reduce it to low temp and cook until the rice has soaked up the water in the bottom of the pan (approx. 25 minutes on simmer). 

Note: I add shoyu to the rice to give it some more flavor and I eat the seaweed for pure delight.

In the beginning...

I guess my first post should be about how I began this journey.

The Kind Diet
Six months ago my inner self was telling me that I needed to make a change.  I wasn't sure what that change was but I new it must be a change that would better my health.  I am not sure exactly how it happened but I bought Alicia Silverstone's book The Kind Diet. I started reading it and couldn't put it down.  It took me all of a day to read it and decide that this was the change that I was looking for.  I think that it was so easy for me to start this way of living because I was open to the change and excited about it.  I have never been the most healthy of a person.  I ate what I wanted to and had the usual health problems that come with that.  Since this was going to be such a large change for me I decided to go full out and not only give up animal products but also give up refined sugars, flours and most all processed foods.

The first three weeks were awful!
I went through an awful detox.  I broke out all over my face and scalp, I was constipated like crazy and sometimes my skin would give off this horrible odor.  I fought through it though because I knew that I was just cleaning out years of horrible toxins from my system.

I was right!
The fourth week everything stopped.  I began to show signs of weight loss, my face cleared up, I was no longer constipated and I smelled normal.  From  that moment on I have felt great. My family and friends can hear a change in my voice when I talk to them, no more doom and gloom.  My cats hang out with me more than they ever have.  I am just happy overall.  My body is telling me that what I am eating is right for me, FINALLY.


6 Months
Tomorrow is my 6 month mark, Dec 22, 2010. To celebrate this, I have created this blog.  I want to share what I know with you.  Becoming a vegan was in no way easy for me. In giving up most all processed foods (all but Earth Balance butter, Vegenaise, Blue Diamond Almond milk, Boca Chicken Patties and some other dressings) this process was very difficult. Most recipes I came across wanted to make vegan food taste like some kind of meat or dairy and included fake cheese or fake meat in every recipe. As I am not one who can just eat brown rice, a veggie and beans for dinner every night, I had to come up with my own recipes. So, as I come up with recipes or find new brands I will share them with you.