Living Girl ☆ Living Foods

Simply Delicious Living Plant Based Juices & Soup <3

Living Girl Living Foods — Thu, 23 May 2013 00:31:48 +0000

Once in a while a reader or friend will share an image of a juice with me or a recipe. It always hurts a little if they say, “but it’s so simple not like your great juice/soup/salad.”

Simple is one of the hardest things in life in general to be comfortable with, to enjoy. Yet it can be the most beneficial thing! Keeping recipes on the simple side gives us a chance to “wow” people by just how simple it is. Sometimes it can ever be easier to digest, more affordable, quicker to prepare and healthier.

I have a few recipes that I would like to share that are simple, just a few ingredients and nothing too wild. They look, taste, and feel yummy, delicious, radiant and I would truly make them again.

Simple Beet Lemonade

1 small beet (peeled)

1 lemon, rind removed

1/2 cup spring water

Juice & enjoy!

This drink is sweet, tart and stunning. In the past I have shared a Beetiful Lemonade Recipe using the above ingredients plus pomegranate and ginger

Basic Green Juice

2 kale leaves (add two more pieces of kale if you would prefer this to not be so lemonade like)

1 lemon, rind removed

1/2-inch or more of ginger (peeled)

4 celery stalks

A little water if you would like to create more juice

Juice & Enjoy <3!

This juice is alkalizing, beautiful, energy packed and aids in digestion & cleansing.

Strawberry Fields Soup

This can also be modified to make a smoothie by using frozen strawberries instead of fresh strawberries! It can also be used as a dressing if fresh strawberries are used with a little apple cider vinegar or your preferred oil if it’s not fancy enough

1 cup fresh strawberries, cut in quarters, if you are using organic keep the greens on they are totally edible

1 cup alfalfa sprouts or your preferred sprouts

1 tablespoon parsley

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Blend and enjoy as a dressing, soup or smoothie!

This actually has more of a pink color in person, it was a fairly dark day out today so it’s hard to see in this photo sadly. This is wonderful as a snack, small lunch, dressing and smoothie. The flavors have a great juggling balance of sweet, bitter and pungent.

Just a little reminder, the Cuppow giveaway is coming close to an end so please enter now before it’s over! I hope this post gives you all some ideas on concoctions of your own. Thank you truly for taking the time to stop by my site and read all my jibber jabber. Much love <3 and raw power

Jess

Finished Fruity Pops <3

Living Girl Living Foods — Wed, 22 May 2013 00:26:32 +0000

Well I somehow managed to not eat all over my fruit pops over the weekend! I am very proud of myself

Today I finished the last one and I want to share which flavors I noticed worked best, why they worked and why I think the flavors that didn’t taste that wonderful didn’t work out.

My absolute favorite was the Grapefruit Orange Juice Fruit Pop. This one had the most flavor, there was hardly any white ice looking sections and the appearance was calming for me personally.

I think these citrus fruits complimented each other well, neither one took over in flavor and they both happen to be high water content fruits.

A different high water content fruit that wasn’t as bold in flavor or appearance was my watermelon pop which I showed in my previous fruit pops post. I think because watermelons have such a higher water content and do not have a strong taste like acidic/citrus fruits the watermelon pop should be made using a blender and not a juicer.

My Rooibos Cranberry Ginger Pop tasted a little tart at first, then the rooibos flavor took over. I think next time I would do this pop with strawberries instead of cranberries, but I was working with what I had around. The tea based pops were a little tricky to assume how powerful they would taste. The Rooibos had more of a licorice taste than I had predicted it would have. But I still enjoyed it! I think the color is absolutely stunning

My Green Tea Matcha Lemon Mint Pop was far too bitter! I would add a sweetener to this like dates, coconut nectar or fruit. For those who love bananas, banana would probably be excellent in this.

The Simply Orange Juice Pop was super yummy, simple, and since I had to squeeze the slice into the mold it ended up staying in place beautifully. I liked the taste of this one a lot but for some odd reason the very tippity top of the pop just tasted like water. This could be because the oranges I used were a bit dry, I haven’t been having the best of luck getting super juicy oranges and grapefruits lately I am pretty sure they are in season right now too so it seems odd.

The Grapefruit Juice Pop With Grapefruit Triangles was also amazing. Like the orange pop it did have a water top to it, but the rest of the fruit pop was wonderful. I enjoyed the abundance of slices, they are really tasty to suck on just for a change of pace and texture.

Out of all of the pops, the Green Tea one and this lemon juice with citrus slices and lemon balm were my least favorites. This Lemon Juice Pop ended up not tasting like it had much lemon in it at all. It felt a little chaotic to bite into yet it’s funny because to me it probably looks the prettiest out of all of the fruit pops I made this time around.

I hope recording my adventure helps anyone out who wants to make their own truly juicy fruity pops at home! I have more flavors I am working on and plan on sharing them in a week or so. I would love to hear from anyone on a flavor they are interested in! I didn’t grow up having Popsicles around so I have been just noticing flavors in grocery stores in what not. I like the flavors I use in my pops more but I can totally give something more traditional a go too!

Sorry for keeping this post short, there is a storm making its way through and I want to shut down my computer

Wishing you all an excellent week. Thank you dearly for taking the time to stop by my site. Much love <3 and raw power

Jess

3 Days Left To Enter The Giveaway To Win Cuppow! Lids <3

Living Girl Living Foods — Sun, 19 May 2013 23:45:07 +0000

Hi everyone <3,

I just wanted to give you all a friendly reminder that there are just three days left to enter the giveaway to win some truly amazing Cuppow! lids.

This is the time of year where we all are doing some spring cleaning or may be hitting up yard sales. Cuppow! lids fit easily over glass jars such as a Ball Jar or Mason Jar. Having an item like this around the house is an investment, you are investing in the environment, your health, and becoming a more conscious compassionate being.

Typically these lids are $7.99 plus shipping and handling. Some may be missing the point and finding this to be expensive. In the long run YOU will be saving more cups and lids from being produced (pollution), sold, trashed, eaten by animals and sitting in a landfill.

Here are some more facts…

58 billion paper cups are thrown away (not recycled) every year
20 million trees are cut down in the process of manufacturing paper cups
Amount of water used in the process is approximately 12 billion gallons

According to the Environmental Defense Organization, we could power 53,000 homes with the energy we consume through our paper cup consumption.

So why not just recycle this cups? They are not recyclable! The paper cups used at coffee shops and so on are laminated with a plastic resin called polyethylene. Polyethylene keeps our drinks warm while also preventing leaks.

Once in a landfill, the paper will begin to decompose. This process releases methane, a greenhouse gas with 23 times the heat trapping power of carbon dioxide!

For me personally I have always disliked called myself a “raw vegan.” I prefer to call myself if anything at all a compassionate living plant based lifestyle. Part of being a compassionate being, who cherishes this plant and all it has provided is to also support reusable products and awareness. In my posts I share how to use more of the fruits, vegetables, herbs and etc that we buy so almost nothing is wasted.

Using a reusable mug and lid with save the planet, support your health, leave more money in your pocket and at least for me personally it makes me feel like I appreciate this planet. It makes me feel good to love and care.

I am not trying to say that anyone selling a product is a bad person because they are using packaging. But I do think it is our responsibility to look into refill options, try to make more foods at home so we do not loss the connection with what is fueling our bodies, and sometimes we purchase things in stores out of boredom or a compulsive feeling.

Let’s be more conscious beings <3!

The New York Magazine recently wrote a wonderful article about paper cups and foam cups for anyone who is interested in hearing more about this topic.

I have a previous post discussing Cuppow! lids specifically, any information one may have about the product or this slamtastic giveaway. I have two images I would like to share with the two types of lids that will be given to the winner <3

The jar on the left is the regular lid and the one on the right is the wide lid. The wide lid fits perfect on asparagus jars. I like to use this one for water, this way I consume more water throughout my day since it is convenient and already near me. The juice on the left is watermelon juice with cayenne pepper

These jars fit perfect in the cup holders in my car and even in work out equipment!

I hope more people consider what they can do to help lessen their pollution, packaging, and trash impact. We only have this one life and one planet to cherish <3 Let’s not regret a thing. Thank you all dearly for taking the time to stop by my site and read my jibber jabber. Much love <3 and raw power

Here is where and how to enter the giveaway one more time just in case!

Jess

Juicy Fruity Pops <3! Pesky Ingredients, Your Store Bought Fruit Pop Has No Fruit :-X!

Living Girl Living Foods — Fri, 17 May 2013 19:33:18 +0000

Ditch your mystery “Fruit Juice” freeze pops and try your hand at your own living fruity pops <3!

I found this mold at TJ Maxx but have seen lots of molds around at grocery stores, Christmas Tree Shop, Amazon, and so on. You can even use plastic cups, silicone cups with a craft stick and some tin foil to cover it if you do not have a lid.

Play in your kitchen and make your own fun fruity tutti concoctions. Share them with friends, spread the power of fruits and vegetables!

Mystery ingredients? Yes my sweets! For example check out the ingredients from the company Popsicle The Original Brand. Below are the ingredients in their orange, cherry, grape pops. There is also sugar alcohol in these suckers :-/

Ingredients: water, glycerine, maltodextrin*, guar gum, citric acid, aspartame, natural and artificial flavors, acesulfame potassium, locust bean gum, ascorbic acid, red 40, yellow 6, blue 1
*Adds a trivial amount of sugar
Phenylketonurics contain phenylalanine

As we know from my previous pesky ingredients posts, natural flavors means some not so natural things. Also, food coloring have numerous harmful effects on our body. Isn’t it odd that not one single ingredient is an actual fruit, juice or natural sugar like fruit.

My juicy fruity pops are ingredients even your children will be able to pronounce and can point to things in your produce section to make them.

Here is a watermelon juice pop I made a few days ago! This was such a treat after heated power yoga and running <3

Today I made this line up of pops mostly citrus juice inspired. I made; Limeade with slices of grapefruit, orange and lemon balm leaves. Grapefruit with grapefruit slices. Rainbow rooibos tea with freshly juiced cranberry and ginger. Green tea (PLEASE do not give caffeine to your child, even green tea, they are much more sensitive to caffeine) with lemon balm and matcha. Grapefruit orange juice. Simply delicious orange with a huge orange slice!

Here is a close up of the sliced ones since my friends at least have been more attracted to these ones

I didn’t use any fancy gadgets for these citrus pops. Just my citrus juicer, you can use a hand press lemon juicer if you do not have a machine.

I added slices of fruit for appearance, an extra burst of flavor, some personality, and so I don’t forget what is in each one !

These can be made with more flavor by using a blender! I personally find these to be awesome with just juice but my taste buds I have been told are a little more “sensitive” than others.

I hope this gives you all some fun, easy, affordable, juicy and all natural ideas for the summertime! Thank you all for taking the time out of your day to stop by my site. Much love <3 and raw power

Jess

Q & A Post <3

Living Girl Living Foods — Tue, 14 May 2013 23:40:58 +0000

I am always grateful and honored whenever someone asks for my opinion on a matter. On the internet because of this site I am far more social than I am in person, I’m rather shy, awkward and giggly. With clients, teaching, during events I get into some sort of groove and any nerves or tension seem to disappear.

I’d like to share some questions that I have been asked lately. The questions I’ve been asked lately have no been as serious as normal but even so I appreciate that people are taking the time to ask!

Q: Are you planning on raising your children as raw vegans?

A: Technically speaking vegans do not consume any animal products, I completely support breastfeeding. So in a really exact sense no. If/when I have children they will live a compassionate living plant-based foods lifestyle. I do intend to teach them about farming, vegetables, fruits, herbs, nuts, seeds, animal rights, compassion towards all living creatures, the importance of taking care of our environment and so on.

Q: Is every day the perfect day, do you ever have bad days? I feel like a lot of raw vegans only talk about feeling great all the time.

A: Oh heck ya I have my off-ish days! Eating raw foods does not “solve” everything or put me on cloud nine 24/7. But even if I am having an off day I consider it to just be that. I try not to dwell on it as much, see what lessons I can learn and understand that there is obviously something going on that was meant to happen. It’s all about perspective! I may not like where the winds are going, or how rough they feel but I have control of the sails. I have some of the control.

Q: Do you ever go through phases with vegetables or fruits where you just crave that for a while?

A: YES! Big time, I am the worse with fruits especially when they come in season it’s all I want. I’ve gone through phases before with beet juices, any sort of kale concoction and right now all I’ve been wanting lately is citrus fruits and melons.

Q: What do you do when you have to eat at a “regular” restaurant?

A: Usually I pre-load on food before going out and almost always have some sort of fruit in my purse. But for the sake of answering the question, I would order a salad and ask for extra toppings. I usually have my own dressing, or ask for some lime and or lemon slices to squeeze juice over the greens. At some restaurants they make their own fresh salsa or guacamole that depending on my mood I might ask about. Or I can always pack my own homemade dressing and toppings!

Q: What have you noticed with clients or people who ask for your assistance with food? Like, is there anything they struggle to grasp or not believe?

A: Wow, really great question! So something I have noticed is that people are either aware that the food industry does not have our health on their mind or this is an idea that sounds completely paranoid and unbelievable to people. There does not seem to be a grey area on the matter. Another subject that people either agree with me or do not is about consuming wheat, rice and beans. I personally do not consume them and find these foods to be extremely acidic, difficult to digest and should not be consumed or ones intact should be very small. This idea of foods that are acidic are active in causing illnesses and harm to our body I think it was really surprises people. We are brought up believe these foods are great for our heart, the fiber is essential for our body and so on. This is all just a marketing platform, the same nutrition facts that are on boxes are made-up by a marketing group. There aren’t a group of doctors, nurses or nutritionists coming up with these “facts.”

Thank you for taking the time to stop by my site! I would like to send a huge thank you to everyone who sends or asks me questions. This is a fantastic way to help others too, every question is an awesome question. Much love <3 and raw power

Jess

Ulcers. What Are They? How Do They Occur? Prevention? Acid? Food/Juices/Herbs? <3

Living Girl Living Foods — Sun, 12 May 2013 20:21:59 +0000

There is typically a trend I notice with ailments, we all seem to suffer with specific pains, allergies, mental jibber jabber and so on around the same time.

I like to try to share any information I give in conversations with people with hopes that it may be helpful, healing, and if I can wrap it up simply enough it usually works well as a post.

Lately I have been hearing a lot of people sharing ulcer pains, health problems and concerns. I would like to share my thoughts on what ulcers are, what foods and juices are helpful and I think we all should consider eating or drinking these produce items regularly.

An ulcer is an open sore on an external or internal surface of the body, caused by a break in the skin or mucous membrane that fails to heal. Acid in the stomach then gets through to the sensitive tissues lining the digestive system underneath.

For roughly 100 years, doctors believed that stress, spicy foods, and alcohol caused most ulcers. Now we know that most peptic ulcers are caused by a particular bacterial infection in the stomach and upper intestine, by certain medications, or by smoking. Ulcers do of course relate to what we eat, by eating acidic foods our skin is harmed both inside and out.

Acidic foods are; processed foods, processed sugar and salts, dairy, meat, gluten, wheat, rice, beans, nuts (in moderation they are not as acidic), caffeine, alcohol and numerous preservatives/mystery ingredients in packaged foods.

Some medicines that can create ulcers are; regular use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as aspirin or ibuprofen, that fight inflammation in the body and are used to treat long-term painful conditions like arthritis. If taken in high daily doses over a long period of time, NSAIDs can cause ulcers in some people.

Smoking increases one’s risk of an ulcer because the nicotine in cigarettes causes the stomach to produce more acid. Drinking a lot of alcohol each day for a period of time can also increase a person’s risk of ulcers, over time alcohol can wear down the lining of the stomach and intestines.

In certain circumstances stress can help cause ulcers. This is far more rare of a reason why ulcers can occur but of course it is worth mentioning. Usually this only happens when illness involving severe emotional or physical stress is involved — such as when someone too sick to eat for a long period of time.

The symptoms of ulcers happen to be the symptoms of many other stomach, intestinal and bacterial illnesses. Please please please consult your physician if you think you may have an ulcer. Untreated ulcers grow larger and deeper and can lead to other problems, such as bleeding in the digestive system or a hole in the wall of the stomach or duodenum

Stomach pain is the most common symptom of an ulcer. It is typically described as a sharp ache between the breastbone and the belly button. This pain often comes a few hours after eating. It can also happen during the night or early in the morning, when the stomach is empty. Eating something or taking an antacid medication sometimes makes the pain go away for a while.

Other symptoms of ulcers can include:

loss of appetite
sudden and sharp stomach pains
nausea
frequent burping or hiccups
weight loss
vomiting (if blood is in the vomit or the vomit looks like coffee grounds, which only happens with severe ulcers, call a doctor right away)
bloody or blackish bowel movements (this could indicate a serious problem, so call a doctor right away if you see this)

There are several options your doctor may provide to get tested if you both are concerned.

One option is an upper gastrointestinal (GI) series. This is a type of X-ray of the stomach, duodenum, and esophagus, the muscular tube that links the mouth to the stomach. A person drinks a whitish liquid called barium while getting an X-ray, and if he/she has an ulcer, it should be outlined on the X-ray.

Another option is an endoscopy. During this test, the doctor uses an endoscope, a skinny, lighted tube with a special camera on the end. A person getting an endoscopy is given anesthesia and will have no memory of the procedure. The doctor gently guides the endoscope into the throat and down into the esophagus, and finally into the stomach and upper intestines. The doctor is able to look at the inner lining of these organs from the camera on a television screen and can even take pictures. Tissue can be removed during an endoscopy and then tested for H. pyloribacteria.

A blood test is another great option on how to get tested since this way one can check the upper GI series.

Some wonderful produce items to eat or juice for preventing or healing ulcers are…

Cabbage

Apple

Carrot

Ginger

Lemon

Parsley

Celery

Watercress

Red Grapes

Papaya

Cucumber

Cantaloupe

Pear

Mango

Leafy Greens (spinach, kale, lettuce)

Avocado

Blueberries

Broccoli

Garlic

I made cabbage, celery and apple in bold because they making one of the most delicious combinations for a juice that also happens to provide amazing results. If you ever decide to Google search “ulcers juicing” or anything along those lines these ingredients will almost always be mentioned. Most people get amazing results with this combo! Here is a wonderful article by Jay Kordich the Juicing Man himself on how amazing cabbage is, especially for ulcers.

Another combination that I have been hearing consistently positive results is a fireball shot of; lemon, cayenne, apple cider vinegar, warm water and garlic. This combo provides amazing relief for anyone struggling with allergies as well <3 For the best results it is recommended to make a variation of this shot every morning before having your morning tea, juice or so on.

If eating or juicing cabbage doesn’t sound all that appetizing please feel free to swim around my archive section! I have loads of ideas, recipes and so on to share. Red cabbage happens to be much sweeter and the juice looks & tastes amazing. I highly recommend it if consuming cabbage has always bored you In the photograph above is a rather dirty head of napa cabbage, which is very tasty in soups and salads but doesn’t have that sweetness that red cabbage has.

Here is a link to one of my favorite detox juices using watercress since I have a feeling this might be an ingredient not too many people are used to consuming raw.

In general, if ulcers are a concern or not these are all foods we should consider consuming on a regular basis to keep our body happy and healthy

There are herbs that are helpful with ulcers too of course!

Althea root is generally used for digestive and skin problems, specifically inflammations of the mouth, gastritis, peptic ulcer, enteritidis, colitis, constipation and irritable bowel syndrome. I personally have only seen this produce online.

Marshmallow root in herbalism is used as a gargle to treat sore throat, mouth and throat ulcers, gastric ulcers. This can usually be found in a dried tea form as co-ops and all natural & organic shops.

Thank you so much for stopping by and taking the time to read my site. Wishing you all a wonderful Mother’s Day and Sunday. Much love <3 and raw power

Jess

Health Benefits of Melons, Juicing, Digestion, and Ideas On How To Consume Them If You Aren’t A Fan :)

Living Girl Living Foods — Thu, 09 May 2013 22:25:02 +0000

Cantaloupe…sorry I’m too busy I can’t elope

(cantaloupe juice with a dash of cayenne pepper)

Besides the color and smell alone being satisfying and attractive, cantaloupes are an orange food. Orange foods are typically great for eye health, they have been found to be even more beneficial for the eyes than carrots!

Cantaloupes are packed with vitamins A and C. Per pound, this melons has 15,000 I.U. of vitamin A and three times the vitamin C content of apples. They are an excellent source of; potassium, vitamin B6 (pyridoxine), vitamin B3 (niacin), folate, and fiber when eaten.

A study published in the Archives of Ophthalmology indicates that simply eating three or more fruit servings a day could lower the risk of degeneration by 36%.

Cantaloupes contain myo-inositol, a lipid that helps with anxiety, insomnia, and hardening of the arteries. Cantaloupes contain the greatest amount of digestive enzymes.

With all of this in mind, of course consuming cantaloupes is healthy! I love juicing them so their health benefits can heal my body faster and like most melons they work wonders on the digestive system.

If you are finding it difficult to enjoy cantaloupes or other melons, let’s say the texture bothers you, than may be juicing it would be an easy solution.

Or may be you can blend it, and freeze it to make melon pops or frozen melon balls. Some people prefer to eat them as cubes, others as slices on the rind and if you are like me pretty much any way is a great way!

Sometimes adding a herb, or citrus (orange, lime, lemon) helps cut back on some of the sweetness that may be lacking if you have a not so tasty melon. With food combining in mind, it’s easiest to digest melons if they are eaten or juiced alone.

I personally enjoy eating melons on an empty stomach, I’ve noticed that they do not mix well with others foods in my stomach. Some other people are not as sensitive but it’s worth experimenting with. Try eating melon on an empty stomach or a meal of its own, then try eating some right after eating something else. Usually this causes discomfort, gas, or bloating. Melons take roughly 4 hours to digest, longer than many other fruits and foods. Thus, when they are battling with other items in our digestion fermentation can be created causing some not so lady-like results

Honeydew

(honeydew with fresh lemon mint from my yard, juiced with a few leaves for decoration)

I’m sorry but I was never a mega fan of Honeydew melons until I juiced them. The color is rather calming for me personally and it does have the highest sugar content out of all melons. So when it is juiced it’s like Hulk Sugar O_O just kidding but honestly it’s highly sweet and sugary when juiced!

Honeydew is a good source of; vitamin C, potassium, vitamin B6 (pyridoxine), thiamine, niacin, copper, and folate. One cup of honeydew has as much potassium as a medium banana and only half the calories.

Consuming copper may sound a little off, but it feeds the skin more effectively than any expensive anti-aging cream. Both vitamin C and copper are vital components to collagen production and skin repair. So honeydew is great for your immune health (vitamin c) and for a healthy complexion!

All melons are excellent for digestion, cooling/soothing, asthma (nutrients reduce airway spasms), reduces the risk of colon, breast, lung, prostate, colorectal and endometrial centers.

All melon juices are deliciously rich in antioxidants such as lycopene, beta-carotene (where it gets that orange color), lutein, neurosporene, phytoene and phytofluene. Woop woop might be what your thinking, a bunch of words that mean nothing, these antioxidants boost ones stamina, metabolism and aid in protecting the body from numerous diseases and disorders.

All of these melon rinds can be juiced or fermented too ! They make wonderful fruit bowls, baskets, and serving dishes.

In previous posts I have gone into great depth about watermelons and the rinds. I do like to do watermelon cleanses They are my favorite melon taste wise too.

I hope this gets people inspired and ready for melon season! Get your juicers ready Melon juice is such a treat at the beach, after working out, a great breakfast option and the sugary juice dripping down my face even feels good. Thank you all so much for taking the time to stop by my site. I am forever grateful for all of you <3

Much love <3 and raw power

Jess

My Compassionate Living Plant-Based Foods Journey <3

Living Girl Living Foods — Tue, 07 May 2013 19:59:46 +0000

There has been a wave of people finding raw/living plant-based foods and freshly pressed juices as a way to loss weight. May be a documentary inspired them or they read an article online. Living foods, vegetables, fruits, herbs, seeds, and nuts have a pure and healing power when consumed in a clean state.

I can’t say my story is of losing weight, defeating cancer or diabetes, nothing along those lines. But I do have my own demons.

This usually surprises people but I gained weight eating living plant-based foods. I actually gained the energy to work out, eventually it wasn’t painful to run and I wanted to be active.

I have always been a rather healthy looking person, no issues with being overweight or anything of the sorts. But I had permanent circulation damage to both big toes. I have broken every finger several times. Twice I have slipped, fallen on my back, and blacked out.

My compassionate living plant-based foods lifestyle has given me the strength to take care of myself. I am more aware of the days where I can kick it up a notch and take it to eleven or have a more calm restful day. Exercise, rest, food, mental health, finding your inner most true self it is all healing. Life feels and looks different, it’s easier to see what I truly need. I can figure out my cravings or desires, get straight to the root.

For years I struggled with sleeping problems, anxiety, depression, and the amount of bullying I was faced with in school gave me a rather paranoid perspective. There was almost one whole entire school year where I did not show up. I was physically in so much pain from being depressed that I stayed in bed or played video games. I don’t remember showering, changing out of pajamas or even leaving the house. I’m not sure if that was because of my mental state that I do not remember these things, or if it really was like that. I do remember forgetting to put water in a pot to cook food and burning it. Little random things I can remember. I think the brain slightly goes into a protective mode to help us forget or move on from situations.

When I was around 12 years old my father was diagnosed with leukemia and when I was 13 he passed away. This was already a very awkward age for me, “turning into a woman” and all.

It also was becoming apparent that people were not familiar with leukemia, I had friends who didn’t want to come over my house because they thought it was contagious and get it from sitting on my couch or something. Classmates who hated me were forced by their parents to send me condolence cards and letters asking if I wanted to hang out. When I would go to school, I could hear those people saying how their parents made them do it and prayed that I would not speak to them.

From there my life had become more and more horrifying. Bullying in school was worse, and when my dad passed away that’s when I just stopped showing up to school. Even now sharing this with all of you is scary for me, my finger tips are having a battle with me and are running away from the keys.

Almost right after my father became ill I needed glasses to see things from far away plus I have a stigma in my left eye. I personally believe this was all stress related. Over the years my eyes have become better, and starting this year I stopped wearing my glasses all together.

There became a point where I was fed up with feeling sick, tired, miserable, and weak. I very gradually started to change the way I ate, became more interested in yoga, biking, hiking, and actually making a point to be outside more.

I can not stress enough how eating habits can not just be a “diet,” that means it is something just temporary. For me I found a lifestyle, a way of being that opened up my body and spirit for so much more. I became hungry for knowledge, answers, change, and movement in general. I hope everyone finds a lifestyle that makes them truly happy, aids in them finding their most authentic self and healing can occur.

When I started feeling better, I began to have more respect for myself. I wouldn’t take anymore shiitake from people being mean or manipulative. I had the energy to work out, to feel and understand how movement is essential for a moving living body.

Eating living foods is more than just food. This is our fuel, it starts up our hearts, eyes, movements, everything gradually becomes different.

Below is a photograph of me in 2006, when I was just starting to realize how sick and tired I was of feeling sick and tired. I would occasionally have acne not just on my face but on my chest and back. Stomach pains were extremely common and more or less a daily thing. This was still when I was having sleeping problems but they were not as intense as before. I would still wake up some nights to my own voice screaming and crying. My temperament was unbearable I would say I was an overly passive aggressive person. I didn’t like myself, and overall I usually didn’t like anyone. I did not believe I could trust anyone, my social skills were completely off and even now I can admit I say or do things that reflect this. My social awkwardness currently is better, not rude at least, but just weird

Like I said before I have actually gained weight going raw but I gained lots of muscle. My sleeping problems are scarce, now every other month or so I can not sleep for about a week. But typically I go to sleep now around 9:30pm and am up and ready to rock n’ roll at 7am. I think my body still has some healing and work to do! So I am making up for years of lost sleep.

I would like to think I am a kind, compassionate, and goofy person who loves to help others. Somehow I now have a massive laugh that can typically be heard from outside buildings or opposite ends of the grocery store. I think I am on my way to finding my most inner, true self. Here is a photograph of me from just a few days ago, making the time to go outside for a bit! I never use to care about getting sunshine, but on this journey I have noticed how much better I feel, energy, sleep, mood when I get around 20-30 minutes of sunshine a day. With yoga and continuing my living plant-based foods lifestyle my circulation issues create no pain. I have practiced strengthening my balance and understanding of focusing on the present moment. Breathing changed how my body felt, my mind wasn’t unbearable to be in.

Taking out processed foods took a whole physical weight of hate off me. My thoughts and life with time became easier, happier and enjoyable. It’s hard for me to believe that I was ever the miserable person I was before. That layer of me peeled off such a long time ago, once in a while there are little reminders like anything that gets drifted away into the air. I have grown to appreciate it and forgive.

I was bullied from the 5th grade until I graduated high school, my whole middle school to high school career. It’s been taking me much longer than I ever expected to forget what happened, to forgive and see the real truth. I try to remind myself that it helped mold me into the person that I am today. I can’t even watch horror movies because I cringe and leave the room, I don’t want to see anyone hurt.

I forgive myself for not taking action sooner, for letting bullies bully me, and I accept it as wisdom now.

I gradually went from vegetarian, to vegan to a compassionate living plant-based foods lifestyle. It was the new skin that grew on me and as terribly Hollywood movies as it sounds it helped me stay alive & thrive.

So here is to looking for knowledge and gaining wisdom. For everyone to find their own food morals or lifestyle that becomes their own skin, air, and life.

Thank you all so much for stopping by my site and taking the time out of your day. It’s honestly extremely difficult for me to share this chunk of my life but it’s important for me to have this community where I can share my journey. Much love <3 and raw power

Jess

Artificial Coloring, The Great Mock Food Artist. Pesky Ingredient Day <3

Living Girl Living Foods — Sun, 05 May 2013 01:23:52 +0000

I’ve had such wonderful feedback on discussing ingredients in processed foods that have alarming side effects or for the most part, people are unaware of where/how the ingredient is made. Today I would like to discuss artificial coloring. This is the time a year where more parties occur, graduation, birthdays, vacations, religious events, retirement, award ceremonies, and so many more activities!

Artificial coloring is use in lots of different items such as; candies, sprinkles, ice creams, cakes, cookies, dressings/condiments, meats, yogurt, pasta, granola bars, farmed salmon, chips, drinks, gelatin, cereals yup you name the processed food and it is probably in there. It is also used in make-up, toothpaste, medical devices and almost anything crafts related.

Over the years there has been a massive increase of people who are allergic to artificial coloring. Other potential side effects are; sinus congestion, headaches, hyperactivity in children, rash or other allergic reactions, and more commonly reported it worsens symptoms of ADD and ADHD.

Artificial coloring makes food look more attractive. It enhances colors that have lost their allure from exposure to temperature, light and air. Pretty much it’s to make food look “fun,” which personally scares me a bit because food shouldn’t have to have a “special” ingredient to make it enjoyable. There shouldn’t be a magic trick or scientists in a lab brewing up these things.

Artificial food coloring is made up of coal-tar and petroleum. For me, when I learned what is was actually made of lights went off in my head and I had ideas of my own on reactions living beings would have consuming something like this.

Let’s chat more about these actual dyes and get a little specific.

Citrus Red 2, Red 3, Red 40, Yellow 5, Yellow 6, Blue 1, Blue 2 and Green 3, some of the most commonly used in artificial food coloring have all been linked as being, or being contaminated with potential cancer-causing chemicals, according to the Center for Science in the Public Interest. And Blue 1, Red 40, Yellow 5, and Yellow 6 are known to trigger reactions in those with allergies.

Chalk (animal bones) has been used to whiten bread, some candy companies use vermilion (which contains mercury), red lead, white lead, verdigris (which is a copper salt), blue vitriol (which contains copper) and Scheele’s green (which contains both copper and arsenic). Yup, lots of food coloring are not even vegetarian/vegan.

The British Government has discouraged companies to use food dyes and the European Union requires warning labels of most dyed foods. Is this something you would like to see?

The New York Times has a great article on using warning labels with these food items. What do you think?

My recommendation is buying little to zero processed foods. If you are going to by these items, please consider choosing an all natural or organic brand. Read the labels on what you buy, if you don’t know what an ingredient is look it up! Why put a mystery ingredient into your amazing body?! If you don’t know what it means that’s most likely a sign that it isn’t an actual food ingredient but a science experiment.

Thank you all so much for stopping by and taking the time out of your day! I’ve been working away for a catering event tomorrow afternoon so I probably will not have time to post anything on Sunday. So please have an excellent weekend! Much love <3 and raw power

P.S: Don’t forget about the current giveaway with Cuppow! !

Jess

Cuppow! Lids Giveaway <3

Living Girl Living Foods — Thu, 02 May 2013 22:57:56 +0000

I’ve been so excited to do this giveaway with Cuppow! lids, I absolutely love this product and sent the company an e-mail asking them to please giveaway some lids on my site.

Cuppow! will be giving the winner two wide mouth lids and two regular lids. (photo above shows giveaway items) Each lid is sold for $7.99 each, you do need to provide your own jar & band.

The company is based out of Somerville, Massachusetts and I happen to live in Rhode Island plus went to college in Massachusetts. So to me this feels like a local company and they are providing us with a fun, eco-friendly, and wonderful product.

Cuppow! lids are both phthalate and BPA free plus are recyclable.

These lids are heat resistant, so you can use it for your hot water with lemons, tea, coffee, or your favorite warm tonic. They are super duper easy to wash by hand but are machine safe too!

I love how easy it is for me to take a sip at anytime. Even in yoga class this saves me from pouring my drink down my face or spilling it all over the floor. The regular fit can easily have a straw in the opening and it is easier to take bigger sips or gulps I love the wide lid for juices, it helps me control how much I sip at once since I like to chew my liquids especially while cleansing because it helps me feel more satiated.

It’s a travel mug styled top that we are all familiar with but with a reusable and innovative twist. I’ve mentioned before how travel cups and lids from coffee shops for example actually are amazingly harmful (Bag It! Review). The plastic coating within the cup and lid are reheated, we are literally drinking plastic and whatever mystery ingredients used to make these products.

Let’s be the change our world needs.

Use mason jars from home and fill them up with water before leaving for the day.

May be keep extra jars in your car or bag in case you go to a juice bar, coffee shop or so on.

I feel that this will prevent us, companies and the world from wasting our natural resources.

You can cut back the amount of paper and plastic companies buy and produce.

If you can use a BPA free band for your jar & lid, metal ones may eventually rust.

This is a great option if you have a toddler also who is use to drinking out of glass/something heavier.

It’s an adult sippy cup! Come on! What’s not to like!?

There are several options on how you can enter the giveaway. Each action you do, you get your name entered!

You can “like” Living Girl Living Foods on FaceBook, “like” Cuppow!, become a fan of my page or Cuppow!’s page, share the giveaway on your FaceBook page, enter your email address, and there is an image you can pin on Pinterest!

Here is the link to my FaceBook Page to start entering.

The winner will be announced May 24th and the giveaway ends at midnight on May 23rd at midnight. Best of luck everyone!

Much love <3 and raw power

Jess