Raw Spirit Festival In Sedona, Arizona and I’m there!

by

I’m back in the raw foods again and ahh, it feels so RIGHT! The energy of the cooked foods was ok, and I guess in terms of Traditional Chinese Medicine I was removing excess ‘damp’ by having steamed veggies, but I can honestly say that my overall alive-ness feels so much more ‘alive’ when I am eating the veggies raw, not steamed.

Yum.

And on that note…it’s a perfect lead into talking about the Raw Spirit Festival this year in Sedona, Arizona:

So…guess who’s going?? ME! I’m really excited. In just 1 week I’ll be back in Philadelphia visiting family and friends and enjoying all the love from home. And in just over 2 weeks, I’ll be in Sedona, Arizona celebrating life and raw food living with the best of the best raw foodists from around the globe! What an idea and already the energies of good intention are conspiring to bring good things to me out of this experience and I am not even there yet!!

I’ve met some super people online who are giving me a ride from Phoenix to Sedona, and, if that wasn’t enough, they’ve offered to let me share their hotel room with them for the festival – yeah! Shower and bed, check. I’ve got another friend who is flying all the way from Korea to come to the festival – she’ll be hanging out with some friends who have a van to sleep in…so I’ve got more people to catch up with. Friends, check. Then I’ll be seeing all the latest and freshest information and knowledge from some of the most experienced raw foodists, vegans and vegetarians ever, people like David Wolfe, Doug Graham, Victoria Boutenko, Victoras Kulvinskas, Karen Knowler, Gabriel Cousins and more!! Inspiration, check. Excitement, double check!!

I’ll be keeping you all posted along the way.

Til then, remember, you have everything you need from Mother Nature to heal yourself.

Fall is fast approaching in the Northern Hemisphere. Apples are soon to come out in season. You know what this means? Time for some liver cleansing!!! Make a variety of fresh apple juices every day to help the liver tonify and detoxify. It’s that easy.

Slow down on the caffeine and alcohol for awhile. Give the liver a rest. Eat more GREENS! Try some GREEN SMOOTHIE POWER for yourself!!

Feel how good it feels to be healthy inside! Let GO of any anger or resentment. Live in gratitude in every moment! Feel how lucky we are to be alive and have this experience on this beautiful earth! Now…go and have some FUN!!

Read about my personal experiences and see the pictures from Sedona Raw Spirit here:

Raw Spirit Festival 2008 – Sedona, Arizona – Raw Food Inspiration!

You’ve Gotta Cleanse! by Scott Kalechstein at Sedona Raw Spirit Festival

More on Raw Food:

More on Colon Cleansing:

More on Longevity:

After Your Fast, Cleanse or Detox – Stay Positive, Focused, Determined & Strong!

by
Health, Balance, Love, Bliss

Health, Balance, Love, Bliss

I just completed another fast/cleanse which was fantastic! Overall it went very well for me and I managed to clear a lot of imbalance and build-up that I still had in me even after the previous fast.

As I always say, one can never have an ego with the whole cleansing thing – no matter how many times you have done it, there will always be a new challenge or issue uncovered, whether it be physical, emotional or spiritual.

There is always more to learn about yourself through cleansing.

Feeling Good is Healthy!

Feeling Good is Healthy!

Overall it is so important to stay on track for your LONG-TERM goals. After the fast is where the real work begins. That involves getting rid of bad habits, letting of of any lingering negative emotions and making time for a healthier lifestyle.

Make yourself and your health a priority!!

Exercise every day, meditate every day, send love and positive energy to everyone, be patient and understanding and just imagine how much more enjoyable your life will be!

It is so easy…you can start right here, right now in this very moment.

Focus on Long-Term Goals!

Focus on Long-Term Goals!

Even in the midst of complete chaos around you, it is even more important to remain positive and focused.

Keep your mind focused on the best possible outcome in every circumstance and remember that positive energy works more effectively than negative energy in each and every situation.

My message to you is enjoy every single moment you have – live in gratitude and appreciation…feed your body well and keep your mind and spirit clean!

More on Detox and pH Health:

More on Juicing and Smoothies:

More on Manifestation and Weight Loss:

Green Smoothie Power and Tabouleh Raw Food Salad Recipe

by

I’ve found a new discovery in my healing journey….yes it is the GREEN SMOOTHIE! Wow, I am loving these things – so tasty and so packed with nutrition, and such an easy way to bring more greens into my diet!

Green Smoothie Recipe:

  • Greens
  • Fresh banana, papaya & pineapple
  • The stems from parsley (left over from raw tabouleh salad…see below)
  • 1.5 cups cold water
  • 2 Tbsp. ground flax seed
  • 1 tsp. spirulina
  • 2 probiotics, opened and sprinkled into the blend

High Energy All Day!!!

Green Smoothie Ingredients Before

Green Smoothie Ingredients Before

Green Smoothie Ingredients After

Green Smoothie Ingredients After

Next step...Drink and Enjoy!!

Next step…Drink and Enjoy!!

Another Green Smoothie Recipe

  • Greens (different than yesterday’s but it’s Thailand, so I have no idea what they are – just dark and leafy with little flower buds, all thrown in!!)
  • Fresh banana & pineapple
  • The stems from parsley (nothing goes to waste!)
  • Coconut Oil
  • 2 Tbsp. ground flax seed
  • 1 tsp. spirulina
  • 2 probiotics (same as yesterday)
  • 1.5 cups cold water
Fast, Easy & Delicious TABOULEH!

Fast, Easy & Delicious TABOULEH!

Raw Tabouleh Salad Recipe

I also made a wonderful Raw Tabouleh Salad:

  • 2 bunches fresh parsley, chopped
  • 3 large tomatoes, chopped
  • 1 small red onion, chopped
  • 1/2 white onion, chopped
  • 1 clove garlic, chopped
  • handful of dried goji berries (they soften in the salad after about 2 hours)
  • extra virgin olive oil, cayenne pepper, black pepper & sea salt

All the parsley, what a blast of nutrition!!

Watch out world – I’m on a role now!!!

Now available! My Green Smoothies for Dummies book and Green Smoothie eBooks,including 200 recipes and a Quick Start Guide, so you can learn at home at your own pace. You can become the next Green Smoothie success story!

More on Blenders and pH Health:

More on Juicing and Smoothies:

More on Manifestation and Weight Loss:

How to Deal with Social Pressures on a Raw Food Diet

by

I consider myself very lucky to have a few raw food vegan friends (ok, 2)…but it really helps when you try this new path and way of living to try to find others around you doing it too, mainly just as an avenue to share thoughts or ideas and also to help inspire and motivate.

Often I find if I am in a ‘normal’ group of people, they immediately begin to defend and preach about why they think eating meat is essential or why eating cooked foods is necessary, and I find it, well to be honest, exhausting sometimes. I am never judging others for what they eat or don’t eat, and in that respect I find it quite harsh when I feel people judging me. What’s da dilly guys?? Can’t you just accept me for who I am where I am on my life’s journey? I accept you unconditionally, regardless… so why all the fuss???

What a wonderful world it would be if we all had more love and compassion for each other. Friendship should be about support and acceptance, yes?

Where's the Love??

Where\’s the Love??

One time last year while I was on a 100% raw food diet, I went out with friends for a meal. I mainly went out to appease my one friend – her other 2 friends I didn’t even know…anyway my friend at the time knew I was eating raw foods, but mentioned nothing of it at the meal and I proceeded to order a salad without a hitch, also not mentioning any special dietary requirements myself. All safe and cruisy on the down-low. My friend then ordered a Bailey’s shake made with coconut and banana…when she tried it she said ‘Jennifer you must try this it’s amazing…’ so I said ok, and had a sip. At that VERY moment, her friend immediately commented a ‘Oh, so much for the raw food diet!’ I said’ ‘Excuse me? There isn’t any milk in the shake…’ And she said’ ‘Um, Bailey’s, DAIRY, Hello???’ I mean, can you imagine???? In front of a group of people having this stranger try to humiliate me? If I had any ego whatsoever about the diet, maybe, maybe, I could see that response, but never did I ever mention it to anyone….I was horrified to know that I was being watched like a hawk when I was simply trying to experiment with a healthier way of living.

The whole ‘healthier than thou’ tactic to me is quite elitist, condescending, and ultimately self-defeating.

These are some of the obstacles you may face when transitioning to a better diet and lifestyle.

Celebrate your differences!

Celebrate your differences!

And this is why I mention how wonderful it can be when you meet others who are already on your same journey and who help to uplift, love, support and inspire you – it is very important to find a few people like that on your journey! When you find them, stick together!!

True friends will love and support you no matter what you eat or don’t eat, but they are rare gems in this world today, and when you find them, keep them!

Anyway, my 2 raw food friends had recommended some books for me to read and I am so grateful that I asked because I am now reading them and have learned so much new information already!

Based on the one, I am going to try more green vegetable smoothies and see if I can feel a difference…up to this point I was having my ‘standard’ smoothie but with more fruit mainly and just spirulina as a green…now I see that I must add the whole green veggie as well – spinach, kale, bok choy, etc….today I made my first one and it was great!

Green Smoothie Recipe:

  • Fresh Kale
  • Fresh pineapple, banana, & papaya
  • Ground Flax Seed
  • Probiotics
  • Water

More on Detox and pH Health:

More on Raw Food:

More on Organic Food:

Day 1: Juice Fast Detox at Spa Samui, Thailand & Reasons to Cleanse

by
Fasting makes life better :)

Fasting makes life better 🙂

Today marks the start of another fast for me…only time will tell how long I shall go, but I do hope to do more than 7 days.

Yesterday I did a water fasting day, for no real reason except I wanted to start cleansing but didn’t feel like taking all the pills and drinks just yet.

So I gave myself a day of ‘no schedule’ fasting.

Best always to listen to your own body, and for some unknown reason that is what my body told me to do.

For this fast I will be taking some extra supplements in addition to the Arise and Shine – Cleanse & Purify Thyself Dr. Richard Anderson products – Chomper and Herbal Nutrition. I am taking Black Walnut (in both a tincture and pill form), fresh garlic and Grape Seed Extract – all for any lingering parasites and bacteria; Cayenne Pepper capsules for circulation and the liver; Milk Thistle capsules for the liver; Spirulina for minerals and chlorophyll; Flora Grow and HSO probiotics for natural bacteria and many herbal teas, including Pau D’arco for parasites and Red Raspberry tea for the female system.

Sunset in Lamai, pre-fast bliss!

Sunset in Lamai, pre-fast bliss!

My ‘daily washes’ will consist of one morning enema and one afternoon colema. I used this combination for my last fast and it seemed to work very well for me. For the enema I generally do a few water flushes first and then I take in a proper coffee enema as described by Dr. Richard Anderson, this in an attempt to help cleanse the liver. In the afternoon colema I usually add herbal teas to the water instead of coffee. I ensure obviously that all of my teas and coffee are totally organic; for the teas this time I shall be using Red Raspberry or Pau D’arco or Milk Thistle or even Chamomile if I am feeling any aches or pains. The teas I adjust according to how I feel. I add the tea bags directly to the colema water and usually 4-5 bags seems to be sufficient.

Usually when I am fasting I spend a lot of time on my own, either reading inspirational books or just relaxing and watching health-related videos.

I try to keep my conscious mind focused on good health – this helps me to stay motivated throughout the cleanse.

I also make a concentrated effort to walk every day, meditate every day and always allow time for a massage or an herbal steam if needed. It can be difficult to juggle work on top of all of that, but it is possible and just requires prioritizing.

A lot of people ask me how often do I fast, and my answer to that is ‘it depends.’

If you are feeling well, eating well and living a healthy lifestyle then I would say every 6 months is ideal but once a year is ok too. When you are unwell or out of balance, it takes more work and usually more fasting to get the body to heal, so in that case it would have to be much more frequent. If you smash up your car, it generally will have to be in the shop longer than just getting a maintenance check. Same concept.

So I wish all you fellow fasters and cleansers all the best with your own healing journeys…and perhaps I will see you at the Spa Samui (Lamai Beach) detox counter~!!

More on Skin Cleansing:

More on Liver Cleansing:

Healing – Sharing – Flowering – Transformation – Change

by
Blossoming, Healing, Living

Blossoming, Healing, Living

These were my Tarot cards that came up on the Osho Zen Tarot today (no joke!) and so I knew it must be time to update the website, finally. I’ve been under the radar for awhile, out of touch with updating my websites, but not for lack of content, just lack of a positive perspective perhaps. I’ve had a very rough time in my life the last several months and I have fought hard both physically and emotionally to pull through it. Amazingly enough, I found that I was able to keep to about an 80% raw food diet despite everything, and for that I am so grateful because really, in times of stress, your body needs good nutrition more than any other time. At the moment I am back to about 90% raw, and working to get closer and closer to 100% every day.

We will all face challenges involving pain and suffering in our lives, and we must remember to take care of ourselves and feed our bodies well during those times.

Forgiveness is a Blessing!

Forgiveness is a Blessing!

The transformation and change part stem from the ability to forgive those who have hurt me during this process. It is important to note that forgiveness is not at all a sign of weakness; it is merely part of the ‘letting go’ process. We will never truly heal if we do not find a way to forgive those who have hurt us. And forgiving ourselves is equally as important. I will not lose my faith in human kindness!! There so many more people who have inspired and motivated me through life than those who have disappointed me!

I continue to surround myself with positive energy and kind-hearted souls.

I plan to do another fast/cleanse again soon and hope that I can transition to 100% raw food again after the cleansing. We will see how I go. In the meantime, I have been enjoying a wonderful morning smoothie inspired by my lovely Hawaiian friends Zeoc, Jen and Micah. You should definitely give this one a try…

In a blender combine:

Frozen chopped bananas
Fresh pineapple and papaya
Spirulina powder
Ground flax seeds
Goat’s yogurt
Probiotics (2-3 capsules opened)
Coconut Oil

Blend and enjoy – Yum-bo!

Can also add bee pollen, honey, flax seed oil, hemp oil, or liquid mineral supplements.

More on Blenders and pH Health:

More on Juicing and Smoothies:

Traveling Raw: Raw Food Thailand to Raw Food Australia

by
Raw Food Bliss in Thailand!

Raw Food Bliss in Thailand!

Well it’s time for the test – can I manage to eat an all-raw diet in the ‘real world’? I have been living in Thailand for the last 10 months, and it’s been very easy maintaining a healthy diet there – with the large amount of fresh tropical fruits and veggies, who would want to eat anything else?? I’ve left Thailand for a break from Asia and now only time will tell if I can maintain a healthy lifestyle in a western country…

And the results so far are: GOOD!

Can I be this healthy in Australia?

Can I be this healthy in Australia?

I’ve been in Perth Australia for nearly a week now. And can I just tell you how much I am loving the fresh spinach, peaches and plums?? All of these things you just can’t get in Asia, at least not fresh or at a decent price…and here – wow! Honestly I think I needed a break from the pineapple, watermelon and papaya anyway…although I could never grow tired of durian!!

It’s great to be here and to be exploring having a variety of different fresh foods.

Also I seem to be influencing others around me in a positive way – the friends that I am staying with (thank you!!) are all enjoying my fresh salads each evening. It’s fun to eat healthy foods together – try it – you will feel happy and satiated instead of full and bloated!!!! You will sleep better, feel better and have unlimited energy all day!!!

I’ve got more work to do on this site, so please be patient while the beauty and inspiration unfolds…til then here is to your good health!!!

More on Manifestation and Weight Loss:

More on Healthy Living: