The GMO Experiment

If you've been reading me for a while, you might have read my rants on how aweful GMO (Genetically Modified Organisms) are. Well this video documents what's wrong with our food (the fact that GMO's are in everything!!) very well. I won't write much because the video is pretty detailed about the negative effects and what you can do about getting them out of your diet.

If you like the video, please help them out by voting them as the "Top Transformational Video of 2012". Vote here by Feb 3rd (Sunday)!

It's been a busy week!

But so worth it! I am happy to say that in the past 7 days I finished and launched my eBook (which you can find here), past my final exam for my Holistic Health Coach Certification, and Raw Generation is officially open for business! Go check out our website!

I have to admit, when I'm productive, I'm productive. If only every week was like the past.... I'd rule the world!!! Haha, kidding. 

I also managed to get everything done without ANY anxiety, without getting sick, without giving up my mostly healthy eating habits, and without over exhausting myself. I am thoroughly beat though and need some R&R in my bed with some tea and a book. 

PS... I know I haven't been posting anything lately about cooking and whatnot, but to be honest I haven't been cooking or even preparing much. I've been drinking a lot of juice and eating a lot of eggs. I'll get back into it one of these days. Cooler weather is coming which means I'll be getting into some great comforting soups and such.

How is everyone else's week going?

Some more good news about GMO crops

(Source)

I read a lot of information every day and most of it isn't newsworthy. But when I read something that makes my blood boil, I feel the need to pass it on to all of you so we can all make better food choices. Dr. Mercola puts out a lot of information about a range of topics related to diet and disease prevention. Some of you who have been reading my blog may be familiar with him. I received his latest article via email this morning. I'll just let the article speak for itself.

Decade-Long Feeding Study Reveals Significant Health Hazards of Genetically Engineered Foods

By Dr. Mercola (Original Source)

Scientists in Norway have released results from experimental feeding studies carried out over a 10-year period, and the verdict is in: If you want to avoid obesity, then avoid eating genetically engineered (GE) corn, corn-based products, and animals that are fed a diet of GE grain.

As reported by Cornucopia.org1, the project also looked at the effects on organ changes, and researchers found significant changes that affected weight gain, eating behaviors, and immune function.

How Genetically Engineered Corn and Soy Can Wreak Havoc on Your Health

According to the featured article2:

“The results show a positive link between GE corn and obesity. Animals fed a GE corn diet got fatter quicker and retained the weight compared to animals fed a non-GE grain diet. The studies were performed on rats, mice, pigs and salmon, achieving the same results.

... Researchers found distinct changes to the intestines of animals fed GMOs compared to those fed non-GMOs. This confirms other studies done by US researchers. Significant changes occurred in the digestive systems of the test animals’ major organs including the liver, kidneys, pancreas, genitals and more.”

Their findings (which were published July 11, 2012 in Norway by Forskning.no, an online news source devoted to Norwegian and international research3) showed that animals fed genetically engineered Bt corn ate more, got fatter, and were less able to digest proteins due to alterations in the micro-structure of their intestines.

They also suffered immune system alterations. The impaired ability to digest proteins may be of particular concern as this can have far-reaching implications for your health. If your body cannot digest proteins, your body will be less able to produce amino acids, which are necessary building blocks for proper cell growth and function.

As noted by Cornucopia.org:

“This not only may relate to a rise in obesity, but to increases in many modern diseases. These diseases include diabetes, digestive disorders, inflammatory bowel disease, colitis, autism spectrum disorders (ASD) (ADD), autoimmune diseases, sexual dysfunction, sterility, asthma, COPD and many more.

...[Lead author] Professor Krogdahl explains: “It has often been claimed that the new genes in genetically modified foods can’t do any damage because all genes are broken down beyond recognition in the gut. Our results show the contrary; that genes can be taken up across the intestinal wall, is transferred to the blood and is left in the blood, muscle and liver in large chunks so that they can be easily recognized... The biological impact of this gene transfer is unknown.”

Bt Toxin Found in Blood of Women and Fetuses

This is not the first time scientists have revealed significant biological impacts and related health problems as a result of eating a diet of genetically engineered foods. More often than not, unless the research is tainted by industry ties, studies into the effects of genetically engineered foods demonstrate that it is anything but safe. This isn’t so surprising when you consider that simple logic will tell you it’s probably not wise to consume a plant designed to produce its own pesticide, for example.

So-called “Bt corn” is equipped with a gene from the soil bacteria Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt), which produces Bt-toxin—a pesticide that breaks open the stomach of certain insects and kills them. This pesticide-producing corn entered the food supply in the late 1990's, and over the past decade, the horror stories have started piling up.

Monsanto and the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) swore that the toxin would only affect insects munching on the crop. The Bt-toxin, they claimed, would be completely destroyed in the human digestive system and would not have any impact on animals and humans. The biotech companies have doggedly insisted that Bt-toxin doesn't bind or interact with the intestinal walls of mammals, and therefore humans.

The featured research proves all such claims false.

Prior findings have already shown that Bt corn is anything but innocuous to the human system. Just last year, doctors at Sherbrooke University Hospital in Quebec found Bt-toxin in the blood4 of:

93 percent of pregnant women tested

80 percent of umbilical blood in their babies, and

67 percent of non-pregnant women

Bt-toxin breaks open the stomach of insects. Could it similarly be damaging the integrity of your digestive tract? If Bt-toxins can damage the intestinal walls of newborns and young children, the passage of undigested foods and toxins into the blood from the digestive tract could be devastating to their future health. Scientists speculate that it may lead to autoimmune diseases and food allergies. Furthermore, since the blood-brain barrier is not developed in newborns, toxins may enter the brain causing serious cognitive problems. Some healthcare practitioners and scientists are convinced that this one mechanism for autism.

If Bt genes are colonizing the bacteria living in the digestive tract of North Americans, we might expect to see an increase in gastrointestinal problems, autoimmune diseases, food allergies, and childhood learning disorders since the advent of Bt crops in 1996, and that’s exactly what’s being reported. For example, between 1997 and 2002 the number of hospitalizations related to allergic reactions to food increased by a whopping 265 percent. One out of 17 children now has some form of food allergy and allergy rates are rising.

Genetically Engineered Foods Trigger Adverse Immune System Responses

There’s plenty of evidence showing that the Bt-toxin produced in genetically modified Bt crops like corn and cotton plants is toxic to humans and mammals andtriggers immune system responses. For example, in government-sponsored research in Italy5, mice fed Monsanto's Bt corn showed a wide range of immune responses, such as:

Elevated IgE and IgG antibodies, which are typically associated with allergies and infections

An increase in cytokines, which are associated with allergic and inflammatory responses. The specific cytokines (interleukins) that were found to be elevated are also higher in humans who suffer from a wide range of disorders, from arthritis and inflammatory bowel disease, to MS and cancer

Elevated T cells (gamma delta), which are increased in people with asthma, and in children with food allergies, juvenile arthritis, and connective tissue diseases.

Rats fed another of Monsanto's Bt corn varieties called MON 863, also experienced an activation of their immune systems, showing higher numbers of basophils, lymphocytes, and white blood cells6. These can indicate possible allergies, infections, toxins, and various disease states including cancer. There were also signs of liver and kidney toxicity.

Find the rest of the article here.

When are scientists/Monsanto/governments going to stop playing with people's health? If there is one thing you do for yourself today, get rid of all the products in your pantry that have corn ingredients and soy ingredients in them. The only way these two are not GMO are if they are labeled organic. This is seriously dangerous stuff (in my humble opinion) that needs to be avoided at all costs. It will be an adjustment for sure since most processed foods have corn and soy ingredients in them. Actually, it's mind boggling when you start to really look at labels to see what is really in the food you are eating. But if you have allergies, food allergies, are on the autistic spectrum, are pregnant or trying to become pregnant it is imperative that you eliminate this toxic science experiment from your diet. For everyone else it's still a good idea.

No more GMO's!

Change Happens When You Ask For Help

What does it mean when a butterfly lands on you?
This little guy was very content sitting on my shoe :)

Last week I attended a 3 day conference given by two wonderful women, Carey & Stacey, that are Institute for Integrative Nutrition (IIN) grads and holistic entrepreneurs. I have to be honest when I say I really had no idea what this conference was about or what I would get out of it, all I knew was that there would be a room filled with people from IIN and I could use it as a networking opportunity.

I wasn't even sure if I was going to stay for all three days. I was talking myself out of it before I even got there- something I am pretty good at. I didn't even want to go the morning of, but something inside forced me to get myself there.

Let me preface what I am about to share with you with a fact: they were literally the best 3 days of my life thus far. It has been 3 full days since I left and I am still digesting all that I learned about myself. Here is my one huge revelation that I came away with:

• I did not grow up in a comfortable environment and it was even more uncomfortable when I needed to ask for help. EFFECT: I became very self-sufficient.
• I take on everything because I am uncomfortable asking for help. I think I can do it all until I am totally overloaded and completely stressed out. EFFECT: I don't let myself ask for help until I am reduced to tears and anxiety attacks.
• I have been attracted to people who are incapable of helping me, and in fact they are incapable of taking care of themselves. REASON: I know I can't ask them for help and I don't have to feel uncomfortable.  

This was a HUGE thing for me to realize. I have to be able to ask for help so that I don't get to my breaking point. I can change everything that I put in my mouth and think I am more healthy, but in fact, stress is just as big of an indication in whether people succumb to disease (in my humble opinion). So until I am fully capable of  becoming more comfortable asking for help when I need it, I am not doing everything I can to prevent disease in myself, especially since I am prone to becoming stressed out easily. 

I am making it one of my priorities to ask for help, and surround myself with people who are capable of helping me. And I am asking you for help. I am asking for those of you who are ready to make real improvements in your life to work with me. Whether it be around your health, or love, or breaking through to the life that you want to live, change happens when you ask for help. 

I have struggled through most of the change that I have made for myself, and through that I have figured out the steps necessary to take my life to the next level. You don't have to struggle to figure it out. 

If you are ready to change, make a commitment to yourself and ask me for help. 

With love, Jess

The State of Cancer Research Today

I have thought for a while now that something must be wrong with the underlying research that leads everyone involved in the world of cancer in America to believe that the standard treatment protocol should be chemo, radiation, or surgery. When cancer is ultimately caused by a deficient immune system over a period of time, how then can a treatment that breaks your immune system down even more be a cure?

It's not for a lot of people.

Cancer industry total fraud exposed: Nearly all 'scientific' studies fail to be replicated

Thursday, April 19, 2012 by: Jonathan Benson, staff writer for Natural News (Original Source)

The vast majority of so-called scientific studies focused on cancer research are inaccurate and potentially fraudulent, suggests a new review published in the journal Nature. A shocking 88 percent of 53 "landmark" studies on cancer that have been published in reputable journals over the years cannot be reproduced, according to the review, which means that their conclusions are patently false.

C. Glenn Begley, a former head of global cancer research at drug giant Amgen and author of the review, was unable to replicate the findings of 47 of the 53 studies he examined. It appears as though researchers are simply fabricating findings that will garner attention and headlines rather than publishing what they actually discover, which helps them to maintain a steady stream of grant funding but deceives the public.

"These are the studies the pharmaceutical industry relies on to identify new targets for drug development," said Begley about the false studies. "But if you're going to place a $1 million or $2 million or $5 million bet on an observation, you need to be sure it's true. As we tried to reproduce these papers we became convinced you can't take anything at face value."

Begley says he cannot publish the names of the studies whose findings are false. But since it is now apparent that the vast majority of them are invalid, it only follows that the vast majority of modern approaches to cancer treatment are also invalid.

Back in 2009, researchers from the University of Michigan's Comprehensive Cancer Center also published an analysis that revealed many popular cancer studies to be false. As can be expected, one of the primary causes of false results was determined to be conflicts of interest that tended to favor "findings" that worked out best for drug companies rather than for the people (http://www.naturalnews.com/026314_cancer_research_studies.html).

Published research for other conditions also found to be invalid.

The Nature study also confirms what was previously uncovered by Dr. George Robertson from Dalhousie University, who found the same inconsistencies in published research studies on Parkinson's disease and other neurodegenerative disorders. Just like with cancer, it appears that the foundation upon which drugs for these conditions have been developed is fallacious as a result of phony research.

And scientists working for drug giant Bayer have run into similar problems in other areas as well, which they outlined in a 2011 paper entitled Believe it or not. According to their findings, much of the published data with which they were expected to develop new drugs could not be reproduced, either.

"The scientific community assumes that the claims in a preclinical study can be taken at face value," add Begley and his colleague Dr. Lee Ellis in their review. This published research also assumes that "the main message of [papers] can be relied on [...] Unfortunately, this is not always the case."

Ironically, the only thing all these scientists have been able to successfully reproduce over the years is research showing that much of modern science is unsound. Whether it is funded by drug companies or by agenda-driven federal grants, the so-called "gold standard" of science has been debunked as a greed-driven myth.

I am sure there are many many cases of people who went through the standard course of treatment and came out on the other end cancer-free, but how many of those never had cancer return? I would bet money that it was a small percent of those cancer survivors.

If you look at the statistics of survival (depending on which cancer you are looking at) when using the standard treatment of chemo, radiation, and/or surgery, most often they are not good. Three to six months to 5 years. That's not survival to me. Survival means cancer never comes back and I die at the ripe old age of 97.

What we have here in America is a huge group of people relying on scientifically bogus findings to push the drugs that make pharmaceuticals more money than you and I could fathom each year, while patients are poisoned. It's disgusting really.

So what's the solution? Well, in my humble opinion, prevention, and if I am unfortunate enough to develop cancer, then I would be on the first plane down to the Gerson Institute in Mexico. You may think that 13 fresh pressed juices and coffee enemas every day are extreme. I think sitting in a chair in an Oncologist's office getting pumped with poison and being sent home with no instructions on how I can change my lifestyle to help my situation is extreme.

What do you think? 

I NEED SLEEP

Not right now, but in general. I have always been the type to need a lot of sleep- even back when I was a kid according to my parents. Unfortunately I am the lightest sleeper in this universe.

Several years back when I was in college I was introduced to a white noise maker. I quickly became addicted and have been sleeping with one ever since. More recently I found those foam ear plug things which are literally a life saver and much easier to carry around with you than a white noise maker.

I am especially sunny and bright when someone wakes me up. Kidding. That couldn't be further from the truth. I would hate me if I had to wake me up. I'm sorry to my parents for all of the stink eyes and disdainful comments that were spewed in my half-sleep stupor. 

And since it is spring the birds are back. Normally this is awesome, however this year the noisiest bird that ever existed has decided to make its nest in our gutter. Cute! but noisy. So not only do I hear her squawking at all hours of the day and night, but she gave birth to numerous chicks that are just as noisy as she is. My noisemaker was no match for her last night. This F-ing bird woke me up from a dream w/ her jibber jabber in the middle of the night. All I can say is thank me for keeping those foam ear plugs by my bed. 

On to the point of this story... sleep is so important in staying healthy. And quality sleep is key. During the night when you are dreaming crazy S-H-I-T your body is healing itself, and (hopefully) burning fat. The body's soul purpose at night is to undo all of the damage that had been done to it the previous day. If you are not getting enough sleep or getting pour quality sleep then your body cannot do it's job. And the junk builds up. 

Remember how about 50 words ago I mentioned that your body is supposed to burn fat while you sleep? It's true, BUT only if you go to bed with an empty stomach. The reason your body burns fat if you go to bed with an empty stomach is because fat is your body's energy reserve and guess what? You need energy during your sleep to detox and cleanse. So here's what you do. Eat no later than 4 hours before you go to bed and make it one of your lighter meals of the day. 

Even I (the model of all good habits lol- kidding!) have a hard time with this one ESPECIALLY considering my absolute favorite thing is long, later dinners. I absolutely love going out to dinner and sitting there for 3+ hours eating and drinking wine and talking. Actually if I was super loaded that's probably what I would do every night of the week. 

Anyway the moral of the story here is to try to do anything to get the best quality sleep you can get. Sleep machines, ear plugs, blackout shades. Anything except sleep meds! Should probably put a disclaimer on this one. I'm not advocating sleep meds. 

Nighty night!

Seeing the Forest Through the Trees

Isn't it funny how we can get completely wrapped up in something that goes against who we are, what we believe in, and how we want to live our lives? It's funny now because I'm out of the worst of it. But 2 months ago it was all I could do to figure out how I was going to live without someone I had been in love with for so long.

With distance comes perspective. I know now that I was lying to myself about the whole situation and hoping and waiting for it to get better. All the while, my gut was telling me 'get out...this isn't you...why are you putting up with this S-H-I-T?' There were red flags going back to the beginning, and if I knew then what I know now I definitely would not have entertained the idea of a relationship. Still I loved.

But that's why they say hindsight is 20/20. If only foresight was 20/20.

Over the past two years I have really changed my lifestyle. At the time when we started dating I was concerned with little other than my plans for the weekend. I hadn't been effected by losing anyone to cancer yet; I still thought myself invincible. But more than that has changed. I feel like changing the food that I eat has changed the way I look at things. I learned that if I am to accomplish the things I want to accomplish I am going to have to surround myself with positive people who support me. I am going to have to be diligent about who I give my time and energy to. I am going to have to listen to myself, because deep down I know when something I am doing or someone I am spending time with doesn't agree with me.

Anyway, the reason I am writing to you about this is because I firmly believe that your state of mind and your state of happiness (or unhappiness) effects your health. Arguing is a stress response. Anxiety is a stress response. Crying is a stress response. Frustration is a stress response. All of these negative emotions have a physiological impact on your body and health. The hormones that are released during a stress response negatively impact your immune system which is in charge of keeping you healthy by getting rid of the bad things like bacteria and cancer cells. When you are constantly under stress (either self imposed or from something beyond your control) your immune system can't keep up.

There is already plenty of stressful S-H-I-T that we have to deal with in everyday life. Why is it then that we get stuck dating/marrying/living with/being friends with people who don't make us happy? Who hurt us emotionally and even physically? Who make our lives difficult? Who make you think maybe you are the problem and that you will never find anyone 'as good to you as they are'?

Who we choose to spend our lives with is one of the few things that we have control over, and in my opinion is one of the most important.

It's easy to get sucked into something without thinking about it. I'm sure as hell guilty of that. But this is going to be one of the things that I am aware of from now on, because I want to be totally conscious in choosing someone that is going to be such a huge part of my life- someone who could possibly impact my health. And (for the record) I will find someone who treats me better. That will be easy.

What are your views on peoples' mental state and their health? Do you think that being perpetually angry/sad/frustrated has anything to do with how they feel physically? or how sick they become?

Adventures in LA LA land

I'm back! Sorry to leave you hanging for such a long time. It truly does a body good to get out of town every once and a while. I went to Los Angeles with no set plans other than to relax, explore, and have fun with friends. It was a great weekend- except for the weather. Apparently I brought the rain and wind with me. It was actually nicer in New Jersey than it was out there.

The highlight of my exploring (with some suggestions from Lisa) was eating at a raw food restaurant- my first ever! I figured since I was in the birth place of raw food (so I'm told), I might as well experience it. The restaurant was Planet Raw which is owned by Juliano, a raw food chef. I must say, a year ago I would have scoffed at the idea of paying so much money to eat something that wasn't cooked. But now, I appreciate raw food so much more that it intrigues me to see someone make such beautiful and tasty creations. Albeit a little pricey, Juliano's dishes are more than amazing. He uses flavors that I have never tasted before and exotic ingredients that make the dishes all the more unique.

Spring Roll w/ avocado, kelp noodles, Thai  herbs, in a coconut wrapper w/ no-peanut sauce

I decided to go with a few appetizers instead of ordering an entree just because I wanted to be able to try a bunch of different things. I also made sure I was good and hungry when I got there. The spring roll was my favorite by far. I'm not exactly sure what the Thai spices were, but it had a flavor that I had never tasted before. So amazing! 

The great thing about raw foods is that even though I ate a huge meal and was stuffed by the time I left I didn't get that after-meal sleepiness that so often follows a filling meal. The reason for this is because when you eat raw foods (uncooked fruits, veggies, nuts, seeds) all of the enzymes are present in the food, which mean that your body has to do little work to digest the food. That is the enzymes' job. The more I read and learn the more I am convinced that enzymes are just as important as vitamins and minerals. The concept that uncooked food is capable of digesting itself is very new to me. I didn't start hearing about this until I became interested in all this raw stuff.

Pumpkin Tortellini

One of the many benefits of eating more raw foods is that, because your body doesn't need to stop to work on digesting the food you ate, it can continue to work on repairing what it needs to repair. Your body is constantly repairing damage done by stress, toxins, and physical degeneration. Cells are constantly being replaced. Your immune system is fighting off foreign invaders. So when you eat raw foods, the enzymes present are doing the work for your body. There are still things that your body has to do to deal with the food like produce stomach acid and bile and hormones, etc, but the bulk of the work is done by enzymes. 

Truffle Heirloom Brushetta 

The digestion of cooked/processed foods is much more taxing. The reason being is cooked foods, and therefore processed foods, have no enzymes. This means that your pancreas has to produce enzymes to digest the meal, the enzymes need to figure out what the food is exactly, break the food down into its absorbable form, and then tell the body where to send the nutrients after they have been absorbed. This is a lot of work and can be taxing on the pancreas and other organs involved. 

This becomes really important for people who are seriously ill with cancer or any other terminal illness. You want your body to spend all of it's time fighting the disease and not digesting what you are eating. 

Sliders w/ fresh & sun dried tomatoes, onion, avocado, on flax cracker w/ fig balsamic reduction.

So what do you do if you can't stomach the though of giving up your steak and pizza? Just start eating more fruits and vegetables. There are simple things you can do to start to make the transition to adding more raw foods in your diet. If you eat out a lot you can start by always ordering extra veggies to come with your meal. If you get a pasta, get a salad and a side of veggies. If you can, make fruit & vegetable smoothies for breakfast. Replace lunch with a big salad. Make fruit salads. There are tons of little ways to begin to increase the amount of raw in your diet.

It isn't realistic for all of us raw food lovers to be able to eat gourmet raw food like this all the time. First, unless you are in a big city, or live on the west coast it is very rare to even be able to find a raw food restaurant. Second, it is costly which is fine for a treat, but would be way too much unless you are super loaded (one day!).

Last but not least- pudding made from Irish moss. You would think that's weird, but it was literally AMAZING!
I have no idea what was in it but it vaguely reminded me of a thicker version of key lime pie.

So do what you can! Remember it is all of the baby steps that add up to something tremendous. Often times people think all or nothing, and most of the time that is counter productive to making progress. Life is a journey and a process.

Anyone else have a raw food experience lately? Good? Bad? Indifferent?

Is this a smoothie? or dessert?

I sure couldn't tell. I set out to make a smoothie, but it tasted so much like a creamy sorbet that I felt like I was eating dessert. And it was super simple!

• 2 frozen bananas
• frozen cherries
• frozen strawberries
• fresh blackberries
• plain Greek yogurt (made from raw milk)
• a little bit of water

I just put all of these in a blender, mixed for a minute, and voila! I ate a enough to fill me up, and then split the rest into cups and put in the freezer for later. You could do this with just fruit, or regular yogurt that you find in the grocery store (buy plain organic and add your own honey or agave to sweeten it- so much healthier!).

So technically this is a "RAW" food because the milk used to make the yogurt was unpasteurized. What's the deal with unpasteurized milk? The process of pasteurization rapidly heats the milk which deforms the protein and destroys the enzymes. Enzymes are the worker bees of the body that break food down and tell the body what it is  and what to do with it. The point here is once these deformed proteins are ingested by us, our body has a hell of a time figuring out what they are and what to do with them. Normally the enzymes that are found in raw milk are the ones that do all of the digesting. When raw milk enters the stomach, the enzymes are activated once the stomach reaches a certain pH and they start digesting the milk protein. That means that your body doesn't have to do any work to digest raw milk. 

You know how after you eat a giant meal you get sleepy? It's because all of your energy is being sent to the digestive track to take care of digesting the meal. When you eat enzyme rich food (raw foods) your body doesn't have to do much work because the enzymes present in the food do it for you. That means that your body can continue to work on repairing itself more (think immune system). It doesn't have to stop for hours to go take care of the giant cooked meal you just ate. 

There's your mini lesson for the day... Enjoy!

Lunch with Lisa

just kidding!

TWO WEEKS AGO I got this intense craving for vegetable juice. I mean like celery, kale, brocolli- the real serious stuff. I have never craved vegetable juice EVER in my life. So since I didn't have a juicer handy I started smoothie-ing. It had been a while since I was doing the dark green smoothies but they were easy to get back into.

• kale, handful
• spinach, handful
• celery, 1/2 stalk
• parsley, a couple sprigs 
• 2 green apples
• 2 bananas
• 2 kiwi
• juice of 1 lemon
• 1" piece fresh ginger

ONE WEEK AGO I was just coming off of quite possibly the worst EPISODE (PMS) of my life and went right into a full blown cold. I felt like poop for a full week and spent at least half of that week in bed. I was emotional, fed up, and exhausted. You know when you just hit a wall and you know something has to change? Well that was me over the past two weeks. When I get like that it means that I am not being true to who I really am and everything ends up changing. I end relationships, I change the way that I eat, I do anything I can to stop the madness and re-balance myself. This all happened over the last week.

I started eating a lot more fruits and vegetables because I knew that it would instantly make me feel better. And it did. I stopped lying to myself and waiting for my relationship to get better and magically morph into what I actually want and need. And it ended.

YESTERDAY, one day after the WORST Valentines Day in the history of Valentines Days, I met Lisa for lunch at Whole Foods. What a breath of fresh air! We went to high school together, but sadly were not friends back then. ;(  We only reconnected last summer when I realized that she was a Holistic Nutritional Consultant and I wanted to talk with her about what she and I were doing.

I just finished the book Green For Life by Victoria Boutenko which talks about being raw and specifically green smoothie-ing. In it are a bunch of testimonials from people with a whole range of problems. All of them have been helped if not completely cured by increasing the amount of raw fruits and vegetables in their diet ranging from green smoothies in the morning all the way to going fully 100% raw.

One of the things that Lisa said, which I had read before, is that green vegetables are high in minerals, specifically calcium and magnesium. Well, guess what one of the symptoms of a mineral deficiency is? Really bad periods. Hmph...go figure! So weird that all of a sudden I was craving dark green vegetable juice. Not really, I feel like since I cut out most processed foods my body tells me what it needs now in way of cravings. I don't crave potato chips anymore or Pringles or Oreos. I crave kale and broccoli. Ha, I never thought this would happen.

If you remember I tried this going raw thing a few months ago right when we were going into winter, and for several reasons it was a miserable failure. But I feel like I am ready once again to try, so I asked Lisa if she would be able to make me some dinners that were heavier so it would feel like I am eating "real food". Ha, I say real food like raw food is fake. That's not what I meant. I meant cooked food. 


I feel like this time I am in a better place emotionally and physically. It is a huge motivator when you are sick and tired of being sick and tired. Plus now is a good time, according to Lisa, to transition with the heavier raw foods because shortly we will be in spring and summer and there will be a huge variety of fresh ripe fruits and vegetables.

Wish me luck! 





P.S. If any of you are interested in making any of these changes in your life please contact me!

Finding Inspiration

Winter is beautiful if you can face the cold and wander for a while.

I am home & I am sick. My room is a mess and there are tissues everywhere. The 3 onions and 1 slightly bruised green apple I have in my produce basket do not make for a delicious green smoothie! When I woke up a while ago I had that 'Can't I just fall back asleep?' feeling. But I couldn't, because when I am awake I am awake. So, like every other morning, I turned to my phone to start catching up on the dozen or so blogs that I follow. Sometimes I read all of them and sometimes I just breeze through. Today there was one written by a fellow blogger that I had not read in a while- Gluten Free Girl & the Chef. In her post about collard greens I found the most amazing find EVER! 

La Tartine Gourmande

I have to admit that I am instantly attracted to anything French. I knew nothing about La Tartine Gourmande, other than it was a French name... so I clicked through and found my inspiration for the day (and hopefully many days to come).

Images from La Tartine Gourmand

The French have a way of portraying even the simplest things as elegant. I envy that. Besides the fact that this woman has a beautiful way of photographing her food and an eloquent written voice, the colors and details are impeccable. This is what I strive to be like in my life. Colorful, dainty, & perfectly accessorized.

As for now, I am sniffly, sneezy, and groggy. But I will get better! 

On to finish my tea and start the process of branding our new juice biz...

We need a brand!

As promised, I am writing to you to discuss the development of our green juice company. First task...naming our brand. I am the worst at this. Give me a name and the feeling you are going for and I can whip up some graphics and branding in a flash. But ask me to come up with a name and my mind goes blank, then I start thinking of everything that rhymes with green, and the best I can come up with is mean green juice.

This is not the image we are going for.

We are providing fresh, raw, dark green leafy vegetable juice mailed to your door. We juice it, package it, ship it, and all you have to do is drink it. We take the mess out of juicing. We are developing the highest quality product conveniently delivered to your door.

Here are the benefits in a very big nutshell:

• builds a high red blood cell count
• helps prevent cancer
• provides easily absorbable iron to organs
• makes the body more alkaline
• counteracts toxins eaten
• improves anemic conditions
• cleanses and deodorizes bowel tissues (no one likes a stinky bowel if you know what I mean)
• helps purify the liver
• aids in hepatitis improvement
• regulates menstruation
• aids hemophilia condition
• improves milk production (for all you mommies out there)
• helps sores heal faster
• eliminates body odor
• resists bacteria in wounds
• cleans tooth and gum structure
• eliminates bad breath
• relieves sore throat
• benefits inflamed tonsils 
• soothes ulcer tissues
• soothes painful hemorrhoids and piles
• revitalizes vascular system
• improves varicose veins
• reduces pain caused by inflammation
• improves vision
• boosts immune system
• weight loss aid
• highly concentrated and easily digestible source of vitamins, minerals, anti-oxidants, & phytonutrients
• improves energy levels

So I ask you, loyal blog readers....please help a girl out! If you have any suggestions or creative ideas drop a comment below or email me (jessicageier@gmail.com).


WAIT! There is a prize... if we pick your name for our brand or use your creative idea in our marketing you will get an order of one of our first batches for free.


(Image Source)
Health benefits from Green For Life by Victoria Boutenko

Has cold & flu season hit you yet?

I personally have not been sick in a while. Every so often when I don't get enough sleep I get that run down I'm-about-to-get-sick feeling. Usually I just whole up and sleep it off , but if that is not an option I have a solution that may possibly work for you. I became aware of Dr. John Douillard a few weeks ago when I listened to one of his lectures on Ayurveda. He is big into living in conjunction with nature and using everything that is available from nature to cure sickness.

Here is his explanation of why cold and flu season occurs during winter months:

"In the winter, temperatures drop and the air dries out. The further we go into winter, the drier the air becomes. Even the rain dries out and becomes snow. For ourselves, we further aggravate these dry conditions by pumping dry heat into our homes and offices to stay warm.

"In the case of the common cold, this dryness has become overwhelming to the body. When we become excessively dry, the dryness extends to the mucus membranes in the sinuses and gut. The respiratory tract is lined with ciliated epithelium, skin covered with sweepers called cilia that house part of the immune system. These cilia, much like the villi of the gut, sweep toxins, bacteria and viruses through respiratory mucus membranes into the Mucus Associated Lymphatic Tissue, or MALT, where they are neutralized by the white-blood-cell-rich lymph nodes.  

Nature’s prescription for all this dryness is the seasonal harvest. The winter harvest consists of high-fat, high-protein, insulating foods that antidote the harshness of winter. Think of squirrels eating nuts when the weather begins to cool. See my Winter Tips & Grocery List, which explains how to prevent systemic dehydration and other winter imbalances with seasonal foods. 

He is proposing that to stop a cold from fully forming, you can take a combination of

• Trikatu: an Ayurvedic spice combination made from ginger, black pepper and long pepper that thins mucus, stimulates circulation to the respiratory tract and cervical lymph. 
• Sitopladi: is a traditional Ayurvedic combination of herbs that opens airways and heals and decongests mucus membranes of the sinuses, bronchioles and lungs. 
• Turmeric: is an Indian spice that has many medicinal uses including thins mucus, moves lymph, boosts immunity and heals the mucus membranes.

I know. I was like "what they hell is trikatu, I can't even pronounce it, and where the hell do I get that? Well, Dr. Douillard conveniently sells this stuff on his website which you can find by clicking here. I am buying this stuff and am going to use it as a preventative measure as I'm sure taking a little bit of these spices everyday could not hurt (I will let you know if it does). 

SIDE TRACK: Some of you may have read my post on being anti-vitamin (which I still am) and are confused because these are clearly supplements. Let me explain. These are not individual vitamins that have been plucked from the original source (or synthesized). These are herbs and spices that in their whole form are medicinal to the body. There I said it. I am against taking individual vitamins and minerals, and a multi-vitamin in that case. We don't know what vitamins and minerals our bodies need. Scientists think they know, but we are learning more and more each day about the nutrients in food and I know scientists are not even close to having the complete picture. In my humble opinion it is best to just eat whole foods to get your nutrition. 

What is your view on vitamins & supplements? Yay or nay?

SHOCKING: Paula Deen Has Diabetes

e

(source)

I could have told you 10 years ago that Paula Deen was going to eventually get diabetes. You CANNOT eat the way she cooks and expect to stay healthy. Now I have no idea if she eats everything she makes on her show (and for her cookbooks) but I suspect she dabbles (a lot!).

(source)

My first exposure to Paula Deen was when I moved to Savannah, GA to go to college. Her restaurant, Lady & Sons, was the talk for a while. I never actually ate there mainly because I ate at another "Southern" home cooked barf fest of a restaurant and I couldn't stomach putting myself through that misery again. Especially considering Savannah's weather. You walk out of the restaurant- after eating macaroni & cheese, grits, potatoes au gratin, 4 types of meat, banana pudding, collard greens fried in lard (I think this is thrown in there just so they can make themselves feel better because it started out as a vegetable), and 2 gallons of sweet tea- and the humidity smacks you in the face like an abusive husband. All you want to do is lay down and sleep your over-stuffed guilt away.

A few things:

• these are my humble opinions about this issue
• she said that it took her 3 years to publicly admit she has diabetes because she didn't have all the information...it doesn't take a genius (or 3 years) to Google "causes of diabetes" and put two and two together to come up with the conclusion that the way she eats is effecting her health
• she doesn't seem to be concerned that the empire she built on sugar, white flour, and deep frying is making her sick
• she is now partnering with a company that makes diabetes meds...talk about taking the easy way out!
• she could have tried to partner with Dole, Chiquita Banana, or Sunkist...at least she would've been eating more fruit & vegetables

(source)

Now, if instead of acting like a naive Southern lady, Paula Deen came out and announced publicly that she had diabetes and the reason was because she wasn't eating properly I would definitely have her back. It shows strong character to admit when you've been schooled by mother nature. She is big-time enough where she could have flipped it into a boost for herself and her brand. 

(source)

Maybe she needs to find another Marketing/PR team or maybe she needs to pull her head out of the pharmaceutical company's ass. 

oh Jesus

Type 2 diabetes is 100% reversible with a whole foods, plant-based diet. 100% It really boggles my mind that more people don't know this. Do yourself (and everyone you care about) a favor... if you are overweight or obese or have Type 2 diabetes...put down your giant Italian hoagie, your high fructose corn syrup-laden cereal, your Paula Deen cookies and go read up on eating whole foods (fruit, vegetables, whole grains like rice and quinoa, nuts and seeds) and the positive impact it will have on not only your diabetes, but cholesterol, high blood pressure, allergies, fatigue, depression, etc, etc. It won't take you that long to figure out.

my favorite by far
(source)

It is one thing to eat like this on special occasions, but it is entirely another to eat like this on a day to day basis. One last tidbit of info about Type 2 Diabetes...when you get diagnosed it takes 10-15 years off your life expectancy. 

Shocking, I know, and so simple to avoid.



UPDATE: So obviously after posting this a few minutes ago I found Paula's new website Diabetes In A New Light. Take a look a the video on the homepage. Let me know if you think this lady is ever going to beat it...this is 100% pro-pharmaceutical propaganda. Sorry Paula, you sold out. 

Chicken Soup for the Soul

I have officially been mildly sick the entire month of December. It's more annoying than anything. I am not sick enough to stay home, but just sick enough to make everything that much harder to do. Yesterday I felt better so I went to the gym, today I wake up and am a mucus factory AGAIN! W-T-Hell? I guess I wasn't exaggerating my need for chicken soup when I made a GIANT pot 2 nights ago.

I'm not sure what it is about chicken soup that instantly makes you feel better when you are sick, but it does. And it's pretty simple too. Here's how I do it...

• 1/2 chicken (mine was from the farm)
• 1/2 pot water
• 1 container organic vegetable broth
• 2 onions, cut in half
• carrot tops (if you buy carrots with the tops still on, if not omit)
• spices: thyme, sage, sea salt, black pepper, onion powder, bay leaves (3)

this is what it looks like in the beginning

Put above in pot w/ lid. Boil for 45 minutes. VOILA! Homemade chicken stock! In a second pot, pour contents of first pot THROUGH A STRAINER. This is to separate the liquid from everything else. While the chicken is cooling enough to pick apart, chop up veggies:

• carrots
• celery
• turnips
• onions
• mushrooms

carrot tops can be used in soups and salads

this is what it looks like after 45 minutes

strain out all the stuff

make sure you rinse your grains before you add them in
you can even soak them for 30 minutes if you want

You can also use leeks, potatoes, and/or corn. Put the veggies in with the broth. Pick the meat off the chicken, put back in the soup. Bring soup to boil. Add in 1 cup quinoa. Let boil for 2 minutes and then turn heat down to let simmer for 20. You do not have to use quinoa, you can use brown rice (although it takes longer), egg noodles, or barley. If you are using egg noodles, I would make them separately and add in as you eat the soup, otherwise they absorb too much liquid and get mushy and break apart.

taste it and add in any more salt & pepper if needed

What I usually do is leave some in the refrigerator and freeze some. If you do that with every pot of soup/stew/chili you make, you will have a good stock built up in the freezer for a fast meal. Enjoy! 

My HOT Friday Night Date

Meet Hot Toddie. He is wonderful in a pinch, if you want to let your hair down, or are feeling a little under the weather. A date with him doesn't require you to get all dolled up and freeze your ass off waiting on some line. He is totally unpretentious, warms you up, and relaxes you.

Yesterday, as the day wore on I started to get that 'I think I'm getting sick' feeling, and after dinner I knew it was so. I was hoping I could sleep it off, but unfortunately that was not in the cards for today. I was slow as molasses, and very unfocused but I had to stay at work to get things done and also because I had a much-needed hair appointment tonight that I wouldn't have cancelled even if I was dying.

I thought I was in the clear, but something got through my defenses. I was just thinking this week that I can't remember the last time I was sick (or semi-sick like today). This is one of those instances where if I just suck up my Friday night out it will be gone soon. So here is my 'I-am-getting-sick-and-I-don't-have-time-to-be-sick' routine:

• Get home, take off my clothes and put on sweats & a fuzzy bathrobe w/ cushy socks  
• Take 1500mg of Vitamin C & 50mg of Zinc
• Do the neti pot (if you don't know what that is I will explain below)
• Put a few drops of ear oil in each ear
• Make a Hot Toddie
• 1 cup tea (I used echinacea)
• 1 slice lemon juice
• 1 tbsp honey
• 1 shot of cognac (I didn't have that so I used Jack Daniels- which I think has been on my liquor shelf for at least 2 years...not really sure where it came from)
• Get into bed with a good book (still in your robe) and try to sweat your ass off

I say try to sweat your ass off because I am generally always cold. In the winter it is common for me to sleep in full sweats under 2 blankets with the space heater on. Now on to the neti pot. This thing which was introduced to me by my Nani many years ago is weird but it works. It is this Aladdin's lamp looking thing which you fill with warm water and either salt or the packets they give you (which is basically salt). You stick the spout to one of your nostrils and hang your head sideways over a sink. The water solution runs up one nostril and out the other...I told you it's weird. It kind of feels like you inhaled water, but it doesn't hurt. And if getting salty water in the back of your throat doesn't make you barf (like it does to me) you can tilt your head back so it runs down your throat to clear out the back of your sinuses. I can't do that.

Anyway, time to get into bed and RELAAAAXXXXXX! G-night!

What are your 'I-am-getting-sick-and-I-don't-have-time-to-be-sick' remedies?






12/3 UPDATE: Worked like a charm...I'm ready now to undertake this giant task of catching up on a month of school work, studying for a test and going to a wedding tonight. Have a wonderful Saturday!

Swap soda for KOMBUCHA

I got a call from my good friend Michelle today, who was asking me about B-12 vitamins. A couple of years ago I had a serious fatigue problem so I went to my doctor to get blood work done. It turned out I was seriously deficient in B-12. So I became borderline obsessed with finding out what I could about it. I took a B-12 vitamin orally for over a year before I stopped taking vitamins all together and started relying on food for my vitamins. You can find B-vitamins in green vegetables, meat, dairy, and KOMBUCHA!

If you are not aware of each of the B-vitamins here is a list:

• B-1 or Thiamin 
• B-2 or Riboflavin
• Niacin
• B6 
• B-9 or Folic Acid
• B12
• Biotin
• Pantothenic Acid

B-vitamins as a group are super important. They are all involved in turning food into usable energy for the body. In addition to that they assist the nervous system, heart muscle, and regulate appetite, play a part in mucus membrane and skin formation, help reduce the risk of heart disease, help form brain and spinal cord during fetal development and is involved in cell division and red blood cell formation. 

While I was visiting my sister in Savannah a few months ago, my hairdresser introduced me to Kombucha. (If you are wondering, I lived there for 5 years during college and grad school. I don't normally travel 800 miles to get my hair done. However, I will take advantage every time I visit. If you are ever in Savannah go to her and tell her "Jersey Jessica" sent you. Salon Aqua works miracles.) It had been at least 4 years since I had been to her so I was talking about what I am up to and the book that I am working on. She was like "Jess you need to drink kombucha". In fact everyone in the salon was raving about it and they ran to get me one while I was there getting my hair did. 

Now I do not drink soda because it is garbage, but I love carbonated drinks. This is slightly vinegary, slightly sweet, and tangy. The kind that I have found and love is G.T. Dave's Raw Kombucha that I buy at Whole Foods. You can buy the 100% raw kombucha or the 95% raw with other fresh pressed juices added. In addition to containing a bunch of the B-vitamins, it has live probiotic bacteria cultures in it which are super important for a couple of reasons. First, probiotics keep our intestines healthy. There are billions and billions of different bacteria in our guts that help us digest food, synthesize vitamins, and support our immune system. 

Did you know that immune system cells are located all around our digestive tract? This is because the most common way for invaders to get into our body is through the food we eat. We eat 3+ times a day with our dirty fingers. I guarantee you do not wash your hands and then touch absolutely nothing until you touch your food. Not to mention if you are a nail biter like I am- gross! I try to stop every day...it is a problem sometimes.

Second, is that I learned by accident that they cure yeast infections (gross I know but a real problem for some people). "A friend of mine" was feeling kind of funny down there and happened to drink a bottle of kombucha. A little while later "she" noticed that it wasn't so funny anymore. So "she" drank 2 bottles a day for 3 days and it was gone! That is probably the same price as over the counter meds, but who the hell knows what is in that goo that you are squeezing up into your lady parts. "She" would much rather drink some refreshing kombucha. Here's a quick review:

So, instead of drinking soda (read my post about high fructose corn syrup and aspartame if you aren't aware of these dangerous ingredients that are in sodas) do something great for yourself and start drinking kombucha. It is a little expensive, but in the long run it will make you feel better.

I have no affiliation with G.T. Dave's Raw Kombucha, or Salon Aqua....I just love both of them!