I am in the habit of drinking Turkish coffee in the late afternoon. I enjoy the ritual of preparing it. It smells delicious. I love the pretty little cups in which I have it. It tastes delicious. And, three o'clcock seems to be the time I want a pick me up. I enjoy the quiet restful time during which I prepare my coffee. I love talking on the phone with my friend as I drink it or sitting in my wingback chair alone to drink it. I love my chair. I love my friend. I love how the drink is hot, while it is cold here. I love how sharp my mind feels after drinking it.
I would like to find something to substitute for this, and Pero is not cutting it.
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Every time I find a reason not to drink Turkish coffee, I'll write it here:
February 8, 2008 - My teeth are turning yellow!
Postscript- Well on Feb 14 I got sick and so giving up coffee was easy!
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
Wins
A few days ago I whacked my thigh very hard against a modern boxy-style wooden chair. The thing is as solid as a tank. I was expecting a bad bruise. I was in pain, and if I were a cartoon character I would have been seeing stars dancing around my head. I have no bruise or soreness. I credit all the spinach I've been eating with this healing. The body heals itself, and does so quicker if we don't encumber it with toxins.
Also a few nights ago, I awoke from sleep and felt like doing some yoga. I surprised myself by getting much more range of movement and deeper stretches than I have had in years. My body felt quite warm, and I felt deeply peaceful and relaxed before, during and after the yoga. My friend, who was a yoga instructor, said about this amazing experience "Where the mind goes, the body will follow." That day, I had been watching Shazzie, another raw foodist, on a YouTube video practicing yoga.
Also a few nights ago, I awoke from sleep and felt like doing some yoga. I surprised myself by getting much more range of movement and deeper stretches than I have had in years. My body felt quite warm, and I felt deeply peaceful and relaxed before, during and after the yoga. My friend, who was a yoga instructor, said about this amazing experience "Where the mind goes, the body will follow." That day, I had been watching Shazzie, another raw foodist, on a YouTube video practicing yoga.
Friday, January 18, 2008
Ellen G White
When I was a child, my mother had a copy of Counsel on Diet and Foods by Ellen G White. She is one of the founders of the Seventh Day Adventist Church. The book was red leather, embossed, and the lettering was gold. To a six year old, this book was obviously important. It has been more than three decades since I read it.
The fact that I remember reading the book, and think I remember its' message shows what an impression the book made on me. I would like to pick up a copy at the library to check and see if my memories are true.
Let me start with this disclaimer. Recently I did a search on Ms. White and came across several sites calling her a false prophet- and a plagiarist. . An article on her in Wikipedia, quoting AdventistArchives.org, has this to say about those who wish to discredit her by calling her a plagiarist: "Adventists assert that it became increasingly normative to cite sources during her lifetime, and that Ellen G. White subsequently revised her books, changed passages to include quotations from authoritative writers, and at times deleted passages when an author could not be found."
Ms. White was a vegetarian and an advocate of not combining too many types of foods at one meal. She believed it was taxing for the digestive system. She thought most people should eshew milk and eggs. She suggested a breakfast of porridge, a midday meal of vegetables, and a supper of bread and vegetables.
Obviously, one has to consider that reading the book at such a young age impressed my subconscious in a way that has made my new eating habits easier for me. Adventists have strayed from Ms. White's teachings on the subject of diet.
The fact that I remember reading the book, and think I remember its' message shows what an impression the book made on me. I would like to pick up a copy at the library to check and see if my memories are true.
Let me start with this disclaimer. Recently I did a search on Ms. White and came across several sites calling her a false prophet- and a plagiarist. . An article on her in Wikipedia, quoting AdventistArchives.org, has this to say about those who wish to discredit her by calling her a plagiarist: "Adventists assert that it became increasingly normative to cite sources during her lifetime, and that Ellen G. White subsequently revised her books, changed passages to include quotations from authoritative writers, and at times deleted passages when an author could not be found."
Ms. White was a vegetarian and an advocate of not combining too many types of foods at one meal. She believed it was taxing for the digestive system. She thought most people should eshew milk and eggs. She suggested a breakfast of porridge, a midday meal of vegetables, and a supper of bread and vegetables.
Obviously, one has to consider that reading the book at such a young age impressed my subconscious in a way that has made my new eating habits easier for me. Adventists have strayed from Ms. White's teachings on the subject of diet.
Jamie Oliver
Note to self- get a copy of the New York Times article about Jamie Olivers' plea for better treatment of farmed animals in England.
Sample Menu from a Real Day
Breakfast:
1/2 apple with heaping tablespoon raw almond butter
glass of Green Juice
Lunch
diced zuchinni and button mushrooms in ginger soy sauce
1/2 bananna
Snack
espresso cup of coffee
2 small date paste balls, rolled in unsweetened coconut
Second Snack
10 olives
raw coconut, just out of the shell
Dinner
salad with red bell pepper, alfalfa sprouts, ginger tahini drizzle, topped with almond slivers
Cubed tofu (not raw)
1/2 apple with heaping tablespoon raw almond butter
glass of Green Juice
Lunch
diced zuchinni and button mushrooms in ginger soy sauce
1/2 bananna
Snack
espresso cup of coffee
2 small date paste balls, rolled in unsweetened coconut
Second Snack
10 olives
raw coconut, just out of the shell
Dinner
salad with red bell pepper, alfalfa sprouts, ginger tahini drizzle, topped with almond slivers
Cubed tofu (not raw)
Thursday, January 17, 2008
Fruit and Nuts
This morning I woke up wanting to have something other than Green Juice. I had a sixth of a coconut and a sixth of a mango (another breakfaster was having mango and insisted on sharing). Two hours later- I had perfect blood sugar.
I wasn't really hungry at eleven, but sat down and had a lunch after unpacking the groceries. I had a 4oz cup of cherries, one fourth of an avocado sprinkled with a few grains of sea salt. I snacked on the above, and finished with a tablespoon of raw almond butter.
I know that some would consider the above food combination scary. According to food combining theory in the book The Raw Life, by Paul Nisson; the cherries are fruit (and should best be eaten alone), the avocados are considered fat, and the nut butter is considered protein. Either the fat or protein might have been eaten alone or with greens, but not together.
Reasons of health aside, food combining eliminates gassiness. For three weeks I went along fine, eating what I wanted with no problem. Then one night I had a banana, raw hazelnuts, some greens with a little oil and vinegar, and a glass of red wine. My stomach hurt! It was no joke.
Herbert Shelton's book Food Combining Made Easy seems to be the accepted authority on this- so that's on my to-read list. Paul Nisson recommends strongly that you eat mono-meals (just one thing or one kind of thing at a meal, even fruits are divided into sub-groups such as acidic fruits, sweet fruits, etc.) I might add that many of the long-time raw foodists interviewed for his book agreed.
But, I also read in Nisson's book The Raw Life that Morris Krok, said "You might have an apple with your almonds. Although this is not the best food combining practice, the almonds are dry but the apple is juicy." The message I get is to do what works for you and not become obsessed in a way that stops you from continuing on your path .
Also- there are raw food chefs out there making amazing dishes which sometimes combine nuts and fruits. If you don't go wild eating too many different things at once, I think these inspired dishes can bring good health as well as pleasure.
I wasn't really hungry at eleven, but sat down and had a lunch after unpacking the groceries. I had a 4oz cup of cherries, one fourth of an avocado sprinkled with a few grains of sea salt. I snacked on the above, and finished with a tablespoon of raw almond butter.
I know that some would consider the above food combination scary. According to food combining theory in the book The Raw Life, by Paul Nisson; the cherries are fruit (and should best be eaten alone), the avocados are considered fat, and the nut butter is considered protein. Either the fat or protein might have been eaten alone or with greens, but not together.
Reasons of health aside, food combining eliminates gassiness. For three weeks I went along fine, eating what I wanted with no problem. Then one night I had a banana, raw hazelnuts, some greens with a little oil and vinegar, and a glass of red wine. My stomach hurt! It was no joke.
Herbert Shelton's book Food Combining Made Easy seems to be the accepted authority on this- so that's on my to-read list. Paul Nisson recommends strongly that you eat mono-meals (just one thing or one kind of thing at a meal, even fruits are divided into sub-groups such as acidic fruits, sweet fruits, etc.) I might add that many of the long-time raw foodists interviewed for his book agreed.
But, I also read in Nisson's book The Raw Life that Morris Krok, said "You might have an apple with your almonds. Although this is not the best food combining practice, the almonds are dry but the apple is juicy." The message I get is to do what works for you and not become obsessed in a way that stops you from continuing on your path .
Also- there are raw food chefs out there making amazing dishes which sometimes combine nuts and fruits. If you don't go wild eating too many different things at once, I think these inspired dishes can bring good health as well as pleasure.
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