Suck It In

So many men and women, go through life sucking in their gut.  I have seen countless women doing it, sometimes joking about it before photographs are taken. One, two there...suck it in!  Ladies, you know what I mean, admit it please.  I have seen men do it too, though they are often able to make jokes about it.  No joking where women are concerned though.  A huge part of the problem with all this sucking in is the fact that we are not breathing.  It is impossible to breathe deeply and inhale deeply while holding and sucking in you gut!  Trying to anyway.  Out of habit, I still find myself sucking it in!  Terrible, I need to breathe, deeply, often.
I understand, i get it now.  Raw Food has shown me what a flat tummy is really like. So easy to achieve being Raw.  I lost over 30lbs in two months being RAW!   Of course there have been great outfits that I have selected for my wardrobe, that flatter my appearance. But none without the careful consideration of certain body parts that may have needed covering up at times in my life.
The dreaded FLABBY tummy after a baby or the big hard beer belly that men get.  Women get a big flabby beer belly, but get it just the same.    All kinds of fat in the middle right!  What a pleasure it is to just wear anything in your closet, with no consideration to how it will fit around the middle.  Or people tell you that you are tiny...tiny, me????  I have never been tiny!  Size 6!!  When people ask what size I am and I say 6, they don't believe me.  They think I have to be a size 2 or a 4.  I have not been that since I was 13 years old running track with Craig and Debbie at Andrew Jackson HS!  I have been a size 10 & 12 very recently.  Not fat, but fluffy for sure!
With such a loving husband that enjoys fluff, it is easy to become complacent.  Not anymore.  Since being over 80% raw and mostly sick for the other 20%,  there is not much fluff left.  Cheffing has been great for me.  Today alone, I made Raw Sweet Potato Chips, Raw Tortilla Chips, Curry Crackers, Broccoli with Sheeze Sauce and two different Raw Chocolate desserts!  So doable when motivate by the entire new wardrobe that I HAD to buy when we were in Los Angeles recently!  NONE of my clothes fit.  They were all sent to Haiti.  I had 4 outfits altered that I could not part with and I am INTO my new clothes.  Try a flat RAW tummy, you will never want to go back.  get with me on facebook, twitter, or comment to this post with  your best questions!

Raw Food Reviews

Recently I went to Los Angeles.  I love going on vacation.  I packed my best looks.  It is all about the looks  being Raw (the health too!).  It is a sexy feeling especially when I am "dressed"  I did eat at "Follow Your Heart" a cooked vegan spot that has been around since 1970.  Original owner still in place too!  I could not wait to eat in a city that had Raw and Vegan restaurants all over the place.  We even discovered a Raw Ice Cream Store.  Spent $80 in there and bought Ice Cream for days.  Best Raw Ice Cream I ever had.  The variety of flavors and the consistency were great!  The best part about it has to be the consistency after I took it home and put it in the freezer.  The next 2 days, it was still great tastin. , Straight out the freezer,  it was hot!
Planet Raw.  If you never heard of it, it is Juliano's restaurant.  He wrote a book called Raw years ago and it was one of my first.  I loved his flare then and I appreciate it more now.  His food is sexy.  Stylish, not boring. Interesting textures.  Feels good all over.  He knows what people want.  Great skill!  We had the Mac n Cheese with broccoli...my goodness it was goodness.  Also had jalepeno poppers and the best on the menu for me was the Tom Kha Soup. OMG!  Satisfying to my soul.  Coconut Cheesecake and Apple Pie.  I had only one bite of each, but Spencer demolished both easily.
I was surprised at how down to earth the vibe and owner were.  He said he comes to Florida and will visit, cant wait!  Check out the pics of his food below!

Garlic Toast and Jalapeno Poppers

Spencer & Juliano @ Planet Raw

Coconut Cheesecake

Raw Food Chef and Wellness Coach

Please ask the next "Raw Food Chef or Wellness Coach" that you come across...."How did you become a Wellness Coach?"  I would love for you to tell me what kind of answers you get!  I am amazed at how many  Self proclaimed Raw Food Wellness Coaches and Raw Food Chefs, are popping up, literally everywhere.  Lets break it down.  First ask...Are you even a Raw Foodist?   My questions for them could get a lot more complex than just that.  Like food combining and a high fat, low fiber junk food raw diet.  Gourmet garbage I like to call it.

After 6 years and owning 3 restaurants, developing menus, talking to thousands of customers, hosting guest speakers, teaching workshops, coordinating events and cheffing in my kitchens, I am still a little uncomfortable calling myself a Raw Food Chef.  

Not coaching or consulting, but listening and helping.  Explaining and guiding.  Sharing and caring, I have learned much.  My customers have taught me, from their experience.  I hope that I have taught them by my example.  Through my doors have walked many on the path to optimal health. I have seen Stage 4 breast to prostate, melanoma to sarcoma. 17 years old to 87 years old. I have also seen incredible recovery, face to face.  I have been asked and tasked to answer their most heartfelt questions from the soul, about the healing power of the raw food diet and lifestyle.  I have researched and consulted with an incredible array of resources available to me.  Learned what I did not know by talking to Directors of Institutes of healing and learning, Doctors that specialize in natural therapies, my personal natropathic physicians, acupuncture physicians, herbalists and more. Those warriors slash survivors, that have healed themselves and speak to me from their personal experiences.  (they are the best) They have shared their journeys with me.  There have been too many.  I pick the brain of yes, traditional doctors (even they have something to contribute here :))

I am not a wellness coach.  I am not trying to certify anyone to prepare or chef raw foods.  I listen and try to understand where you are coming from and then I just try to help.  What is it they say.  My words are not intended to cure, diagnose, treat or prevent any illness, but I know what I know.  Raw Food heals.  Can I help you integrate raw food into your life....Yes, and I am really good at it!  Email me sometime, if you want to talk more.  

Never having been trained classically as a chef, I humbly accept thanks and praise from the guests of Grass Root that love our food and I know that there is a difference between myself and traditional chefs that trained under master chefs etc.  I do not know all the cuts and cremes, sauces and fancy names.  I will never handle meat and birds while preparing a tasty meal for guests at my restaurants.  Diary is another separation.  I love to cook vegan food and perfect raw food recipes.   I believe in what I do and know that there is healing for all of us.

Enjoy Vegetable YOUR way!

Inflammation Nation

Doing the work of making Grass Root run, encompasses many different experiences. I have been exposed to many different people that have blessed us with their support over the years. But more importantly for this blog is the many different illness I have come across. Talking to folks about their health, diet, nutrition, options, families, babies, parents and the list goes on. Very few times in all those great conversations (that I totally learn from) did I hear the word inflammation. Hardly ever.

During our New Years Eve Party, I had less than a half glass of wine FYI, but for some reason my body went into crisis. I almost passed out from the pain (I am a bit of a weakling) and my husband had to take me to the Emergency. My arms were immobilized, I could not walk and I was in so much pain, I could not stand it. I was crying and my family's heart was breaking. We did not know what was strong. My legs began to give out. I have never even broken a bone, let alone almost pass out.

To make a long painful story short, they told me I had inflammation. Spence and I did crazy research on inflammation and the findings were unbelievable. I found out, SPence already knew, that inflammation is the underlying cause of most diseases. The list is as follows and I list it so you realize that we are truly living in an Inflammation Nation here.

• acid reflux/heartburn
• acne
• allergies and sensitivities
• Alzheimer’s disease
• asthma
• atherosclerosis
• bronchitis
• cancer
• carditis
• celiac disease
• chronic pain
• Crohn’s disease
• cirrhosis
• colitis
• dementia
• dermatitis
• diabetes
• dry eyes
• edema
• emphysema
• eczema
• fibromyalgia
• gastroenteritis
• gingivitis
• heart disease
• hepatitis
• high blood pressure
• insulin resistance
• interstitial cystitis
• joint pain/arthritis/rheumatoid arthritis
• metabolic syndrome (syndrome X)
• myositis
• nephritis
• obesity
• osteopenia
• osteoporosis
• Parkinson’s disease
• periodontal disease
• polyarteritis
• polychondritis
• psoriasis
• scleroderma
• sinusitis
• Sjögren’s syndrome
• spastic colon
• systemic candidiasis
• tendonitis
• UTI’s
• vaginitis

I cut out any and all sugar, soy, dairy, nuts, oils except olive and flax and ate tons of greens. I still had inflammation. i only drink water also. Never coffee, never soda, no fake juice from the grocery store, nothing. Well I finally conceded and went to the doctor and found out that I have a Gluten Allergy. OMG, I could not believe. I have maintained the dietary restrictions that i started on Jan 1, 2010 and am sooo much the wiser knowing all about inflammation. I don't think there is a website that I did not read. I bought two books on inflammation and read them both. I will probably always talk about inflammation now as a result of this helpful, amazing new discovery. It will surly be one of the first things that I mention when someone tells me that they are ailing.

So for all you Gluten and Celiac friends out there, Grass Root will soon be more Celiac and non-Gluten friendly. Our Raw Food Menu has and always will be gluten and wheat free:)