Yeah! Going to do the Master Cleanse!

Dwain just bought me all the stuff I need to do the Master Cleanse!  We ordered it over the weekend and as soon as it gets here, I'm going to start on my 10-day journey.  Wish me luck!  I'll keep ya posted...

Raw Sprouted Lentil Cauliflower Curry w/Sprouted Quinoa

Don't ya just love when you wake up in the morning and your mind is all ready creating something fabulous?  Well, that's how my morning started.  I came up with this recipe just as I was waking up this morning.  I rushed over to my computer and quickly typed it into notepad so I wouldn't forget all the ingredients.  I can't wait to try it.

   Raw Sprouted Lentil Cauliflower Curry w/Sprouted Quinoa

    Ingredients:
        * 1 tablespoon first cold press olive oil
        * 1 cup soaked/dried macadamia nuts
        * pinch of sea salt
        * 1 small/med. onion, chopped
        * 1" piece ginger
        * 2 cloves garlic
         * 2 cups coconut water
        * 1 tablespoon curry powder
        * 1 teaspoon turmeric
        * 1/2 teaspoon cumin
        * pinch of cayenne pepper (if you like it spicy)
        * 2 cups lentil sprouts
        * 2 cups cauliflower florets in small pieces
        * 3 carrots, peeled and roughly chopped
        * 2 cups arugula, chopped (spinach can be substituted)
        * 1/2 cup cilantro, chopped

        Procedure:
       1. Put the oil and macadamias in your blender and blend till it turns into a paste.
       2. Puree the garlic, ginger, onion and coconut water in a blender. Add all of the spices.
       3. In a bowl pour the sauce over the lentils, cauliflower and carrots. 
       4. Place in refrigerator for at least 1 hour or longer for spices to combine.
       5. Add the arugula and stir to combine.  Taste and add salt, if needed.  Top with cilantro.
       6. Serve 1 scoop of curry with 1 scoop of sprouted quinoa side by side on a plate.

Master Cleanse

To heck with it! I'm just sick and tired of being sick and tired. Can't juice, cuz the juicer is crap.  Can't make smoothies cuz the blender is crap. Making that soup idea was crap cuz it just doesn't have any good backing.  I've heard too many bad things about it.  The water fast looks like it's going to be out because I don't think Dwain will let me do that for such a long time.  But, I think I can get away with doing the master cleanse.  (www.themastercleanse.org) It definitely looks like something I can do.  Since being on a raw food diet for a couple weeks then craving hot foods and getting sick from them, I've decided I need to start all over again. I've been doing some reading on the Master Cleanse.  It looks so doable.  Going to buy some lemons and maple the first chance I get.  Then after the cleanse, I'm going to stick to the raw organics as much as possible. 

Let me tell you how sick I got...  2 days ago I decided I wanted a cooked meal.  So, I made a spaghetti with fresh steamed broccoli, kidney beans, mushrooms and spinach with a garden vegetable spaghetti sauce on angel hair pasta.  It was really yummy.  But... yesterday, every time I ate, I got a stomach ache and a headache.  I still had it this morning when I ate.  It didn't start to calm down till I found some ginger tablets hiding in the medicine cabinet and I took those a couple hours ago.  I finally was able to eat some of the leftover pasta without feeling sick.  Once it's gone, (I don't like wasting food and throwing stuff away if it's not bad) I'm starting the Master Cleanse and getting back in order.  I just GOTTA do it!

The last few days of the cleanse, I'll start a new batch of sprouts that I can start eating once I ease out of the cleanse.  Back to sprouts and salads for me!

Peace & Namaste

Juice Feast Weekend!

I just got back from my friends home in Fort Lauderdale. It was a wonderful weekend. Steve went crazy in the produce department and bought all kinds of wonderful fruits.  We were making smoothies all weekend. It was fantastic. It made me feel so great that it inspired me to create this awesome t-shirt design! Man, I want a Vitamix blender! I told Steve he'd better guard his well cuz I may just come over and steal it! LOL Thanks, Steve and Chuck for putting up with me and also feeding me so well! I had a great time experimenting and tasting all that wonderful living food.

Doing the Dive

Hi y'all.  Time's a wasting and I'm not getting any younger that's for dang sure.  If I'm ever going to bike cross-country or tune out like I've written in this blog before, it's going to be THIS year.  I've still going to keep working on all my other things; mainly completing a fast.  But, I've also started to really downsize my possessions, too.  I've been selling books on Amazon and now started selling my CDs and DVDs online to get rid of those.  About the only things I am going to take with me is my drawing supplies and essentials.  This summer is going to be the summer of freedom.  I may never come back. LOL.  I am going to have my cell phone on hand to blog and keep in touch with family but that's about it.  I _have_ to do this.  I _have_ to take this leap and get back out into the world.  The preparations have begun.

Ok. Nobody Kicked My Butt!

Hey, it's the 22nd of January and I didn't get one single kick in the butt.  And... I didn't start my fast as planned again.  I wonder why I keep buying food.  Not even good food at that.  Junk.  This is just awful.  I'm defeating myself before I start.  I really need a personal motivator like "Dan the Man: The Life Regenerator."  He's fantastic.  But, he's not here, he's not kicking my butt and I know he'll just say, "It's all up to you, man.  Can you dig it?"  Should I even bother setting a new goal date?  I think I should.  Let's make it January 25th.  Now remember KICK MY BUTT if I don't start on time!!!

Later Than I Expected

Well, it's early Monday morning on the 17th of January.  I haven't started my fast as planned on the 15th simply because I still have food left in the apartment.  I'm feeling so terrible about that.  My justification is that I don't want anything to go to waste and I also don't want to have anything here available for me to readily snack on.  The whole point of this fast in the first place is to break my oral addictions and to cleanse my body.  I don't know if I'm ever going to really start now or not.  I'm doubting myself.  But, I really, REALLY need to do this for my state of mind, for my health and for my over-all well-being.  I'm never going to feel good about myself if I can't get over this addiction to food and to having things in my mouth.  I have got to start SOON.  The way my pantry looks at the moment, I think I'll be starting on the 20th of January now.  Kick me in the butt if I don't write and start this fast on the 20th, okay???

Lifestyles of the Enriched & Fasting

Welcome to Lifestyles of the Enriched and Fasting.  This blog will someday lead to a book I'm planning to write on the subject of water fasting and making it a lifestyle choice.  Let me tell you, before you start anything like this, the best thing to do for your health, wellness and emotional being is to do research, research, research!  Never, ever undertake this major change unless you know what you're doing and why you're doing it.

I have been watching videos of normal everyday people who've water fasted, videos of downright kooks who've vlogged about water fasting and also professionals who talk about water fasting and let me tell you... Everyone has something different to say.  I've read website after website on the do's and don'ts of water fasting.  There is no "one" right way to do this.  Doing a fast is a very personal thing.  Everyone's body is different and requires different ways to heal itself. 

My personal healing time is going to begin on January 15th.  I plan on going as long as my body will let me.  I'm hoping I can go for a full 30 days.  I wanted to start off slow, but the closer I get to my starting day, the more and more I want to extend my fast so that I can heal as much as possible. 

I have 46 years of the Standard American Diet to clean out of my system.  Not to mention, 35 years of cigarette damage and of course my mastication disorder.  I most want to be healed of that.  Not being able to go even an hour with something in my mouth to chew on is one of the reasons I believe I weigh so much today.  That is going to be the toughest part of the fast for me, I think.  Not being able to put anything in my mouth but clean, clear water.

Water Fasting

Since my last post about wanting to change my eating lifestyle, I've been doing a lot more thinking.  I have been eating healthy 75-80% of the time.  But, I want to really make a major life change.  Well, gosh, I've been trying to make a major life change all my life! LOL  Somehow, my goals are never realized.

Then, I started thinking about it some more.  Why have I not been able to reach my goals and maintain the progress I'd all ready made?  I've come to a couple of conclusions.  First off, I've had an oral fixation problem since I was a young child.  I constantly have to have something in my mouth or be doing something.  My mom used to buy me a box of 25 pieces of Bazooka Bubble Gum every day and I would go through it.  I really do mean every day.  Then of course there was 35+ years of smoking cigarettes.  I am thankful I was able to successfully quit and am proud to say I've been smoke-free for a whole year!  Secondly, I'm depressed.  I've been in a depressive state for nearly 20 or more years.  There are a few small times, when I've broken through and not had to deal with my depression, but it doesn't last long.

So, an excellent solution to these problems and several more that I experience on a day-to-day basis would be to start water fasting.  I have watched numerous videos (over 20 vloggs) from beginning fasts to ending them and what happens in between.  I've also read many, many blogs and websites on the issue and 100% of them say that water fasting will dramatically improve my symptoms.  I need to completely break free of my oral fixation.  I think a fast might just do that.  Fasting also relieves depression and reduces swelling in the joints and muscles.

My next paycheck, in preparation of starting a fast, I'm going to buy this amazing product called Konsyl.  It's a bit pricey but well worth it.  This high-fiber drink that will start the cleansing process of my system.  I've used it before and it's absolutely fabulous.  It has very little flavor but it kind of reminds me of drinking water with paper pulp in it more or less.  It's tolerable to me and I like what it does. (Plus, it's Vegan) Doing this will also help lessen the symptoms of the detox my body will be going through.

I'm going to start small.  At first, a 1-day fasting, 2-days healthy eating (vegetarian and raw) for maybe 2 weeks.  Then I'll try a 3-day fast, then a 5-day fast, gradually working up to longer and longer fasts.  Ultimately, I would love to do a complete 30-day fast because that seems to have the greatest results I've seen and read.

I'm not even going to mention, except in passing, the weight-loss and energy benefits.  I think those are a given.  But, I do want to mention that this will also be economically fiscal for me and will help me to save for the holy grail of blenders, The Vitamix. (big grin)

More to come!

P.S.
Now, if only I could get my diabetic partner to partake of the fast.  I think it would help him so much.  He's 67 years old and dead set in his ways.  I'm going to be 47 in a couple of weeks.

Viable Solution?

So, if ANYONE has been reading this blog, they know by now my dietary dilemma.  I think I might have come up with a solution! I was thinking of making this cabbage soup, but then adding a twist at the end hehe.

    * 6 large green onions (1 bunch)
    * 2 green bell peppers
    * 1 or 2 cans of tomatoes (14.5 ounce size, diced or whole)
    * 1 bunch celery, sliced
    * 1 head cabbage, chopped
    * 1 package (Lipton) onion soup mix
    * 2-3 cubes vegetable bouillon
    * 6 cups water 
    * Season to taste with salt, pepper, parsley, curry, garlic powder, etc.*
    * Don't forget a little cayenne!
    * 1 Bag of spinach leaves or 1 bunch of kale (de-stemmed) or whatever dark leafy green is on sale or in season.

Preparation:
Simmer or slow cook all until soup is done. *If slow cooking, add seasonings about an hour before done. Eat all the soup you want, whenever you want. (here's my twist) Let cool till it's about 110-116 degrees then throw in a bag of fresh spinach/greens and stir till nicely wilted.  Put it all in a blender and drink throughout the day.

What do you think?  Could I use this as a juice feast?  There's be no pulp waste, I'd still be getting a bunch of raw greens and I don't have to worry about cost because most of this stuff is pretty inexpensive. My goal is to try and stay under $5 a day. I figure a batch of soup would last for 2 days possibly 3.

Almost the New Year

Well, 2010 has come and gone and it's time to start a new year.  Last year I was vegetarian for 10 months then slacked and started eating meat again.  Time to buckle down and get serious once more!  This year not only do I want to get back on track eating vegetarian, but I'd also like to go vegan.  I'm working towards eventually going completely raw for a while, too.  I've heard so many good things about it.

Main problem though is I don't have the proper equipment for a raw lifestyle.  My blender/food processor really sucks bad.  It's noisy and it has very little power.  It doesn't do a good job of making smoothies at all.  And, I don't have a dehydrator at all.  You need a job for those things and of course, I'm not working again.  Trying to at least find something part-time but even that is hard since I don't want to have to work more than 4-6 hours on my feet.

My "kick-start" to all this would optimally be a juice feast, but again, no proper equipment.  I have a Jack Lelane juicer, but all the pulp is such a waste.  If I had the dehydrator, I could use the pulp in that to make crackers or something.  Till then, it would be a wasteful ambition to go on a juice feast.  I just can't justify throwing away all that nutritious pulp product.

I wish someone would read this blog and give me some suggestions.  Thanks.  (oh and using the pulp in baked goods is out, too since our oven is crappy. Every time you turn it on, our room fills with gas and gives me a migraine.)

100% Raw New Year!

Ok, I'm hoping for the highly improbable, but I'm going to make an honest effort.  I'm truly wanting to go raw vegan in 2011.  It's going to be an uphill climb living with Dwain and also not having a decent blender or dehydrator.  I'm thinking I'll still be able to make nut cheeses with the grinder attachment on my food processor just not sure how well it'll work.  Gonna have to wait and see. 

I highly recommend and commend Kevin and Annamarie Guilanni who create the Renegade Health Show (http://renegadehealth.com/blog/).  I've been watching them all throughout 2010 and they have been an inspiration to me.

So, here's to the new year, new health and new life!

I... Cry...

I'm not one of those people who get emotional. At least, I pretend to be. I hold my emotions inside most of the time but then, there's just some things I can't help crying over.  For instance, the sound of a church choir, no matter how hard I try, I start crying like I just lost the most important thing to me in my whole life.  Watching a couple, whether straight or gay or in between who are truly completely in love with each other makes me cry.  It feels like I'm so very happy for them and yet, I'm crying for myself because I don't think I'll ever really know a love that deep and if I ever had it, I couldn't see the forest through the trees.  I cry over the smallest of things sometimes and I'm sad all the time.  I have so many great friends and yet, I'm so alone with myself.  I cry out the loneliness, I cry out, I cry out and no one hears me. No one really knows the pain I feel inside. No one knows because I'm walled up in a tiny room with no where to run, no where to go to, no one who cares enough about me to really notice that I don't think I'm well.

It amazes me how I go on from day to day just existing. I just have no motivation to do anything different. If I was miraculously gone tomorrow, I wouldn't even be missed for long. It's so sad thinking how alone I am in this world. I won't even be remembered for even a simple achievement. But, I'll continue to exist for another day, and another day and another day and...

I'll...

cry.

I Just Realized...

That I've completely lost interest in doing anything. LOL O.k. I think I'm getting rather weird or maybe weird-er. I have a stack of projects started and none finished.  I haven't picked up a pencil in almost a week.  Motivation... need... motivation!  Where is that going to come from?

Faithless

Ok, I've been thinking about this for a long, long time.  I live with a man who is atheist.  I've been with him for 15+ years.  In that time,  I've listened to his arguments and facts about life.  (over and over and over again... we are just animals and when we die, well, we'll just be dead)  I tried to go back to church, really I did.  In fact, I tried going to several different churches of various denominations.  It's weird, but the only emotion I feel when I go there is sadness.  Like, I've lost something I'll never have again.  I cry a lot of the time if I go into a church service.  It doesn't make me happy or fill me with joy.

I've also tried mediation, yoga, long walks in the park.  I made rosaries for a while thinking that the process will help me return to faith.  I donated over 100 rosaries to a charity for homeless people in New York City.  Still, I feel the same, like there is no point to it.

I remember reading a bible quote once (can't tell you what book, etc.) that said something to the effect that you can lose your faith and regain it back, but there comes a point when your heart turns to stone and no amount of help is available for you.  You are forever lost.  This is how I feel.  Forever lost.  I rarely see the beauty of life anymore and prayer, well, it's just a bunch of words that fly into the air dispelled by the wind. 

But, I don't want to be this way.  I used to love to go to church.  I can remember feeling the presence of God when I was there.  Well, I can remember it happened, but I can't remember how it really felt.  Was it really His presence or was it just a gathering of emotional people?

You see?  I can't stop questioning now.  Is it hopeless?  Am I truly forever lost?  How can I possibly become around full-circle back to God's home?

My Biggest Dream in Life

I've been doing some thinking...
What have I most wanted to do in my life?
It's always been one form of escape or another.
When I was younger, I wanted to ride my bicycle across the United States. Then, it was to climb the hills to Machu Picchu.  Now, it's much more simple.  I just want to detach.  Maybe get a bicycle with a basket on the back with my things and some pencils and paper.  I want to just wander from place to place away from telephones, tv, computers and the internet.  I want to be alone with my thoughts and with my hands and create something.  No job, no commitments.  I want to be free to explore myself and my world.  I want to live the homeless hobo life.  I'd sell my drawings for food, each one a masterpiece for the person who helped pave my way.  I'd sleep in a tent and eat when I'm hungry.  No coffee, no tea, drinking the water of the earth.  I want to be a modern flower child of the 21st century.  I want to be like a modern Timothy Leary I want to "turn on, tune in and drop out."  But of course, never with drugs.  I'm still against drugs and drinking and any kind of altering substances that man and God created.  I just want to BE.  Simply just BE.  Why is that such a hard thing to do?

Me.

I have no faith.
I have no charity.
I have no goals.
I have no hope.
I have no willpower.
I have no capacity to truly love.
I have no life.
I am selfish.
I am greedy.
I am overweight.
I'm underpaid.
I am needy.
I am depressed.
I don't care about anyone.
I don't care about anything.
I have impossible dreams.
I have impossible nightmares.
How do I make myself wake up and smell the coffee?
When do I open my mind and my heart?
When will I change?
When will I become the person I can never be?

Plum Blossom I-Ching Reading

Will I get a new job soon?
Expect beginnings to be difficult and arduous.
Progress is not possible. Wait for the right time.
Avoid confusion by clarifying boundaries. Know your limits.
Strip away the dead wood. Eliminate outmoded elements.
Your situation is being undermined in small ways.
Provide nourishment. Allow yourself to be nourished.

Any thoughts or comments on this reading? Any would be appreciated.

Again With the Lagging

Sorry it's been so long. Life is hard without a job. And it's definitely hard when you can't afford good food. I haven't lost any weight at all. The only thing I have done in the last few months is stretch my ears. I've gone from a 12 gauge to a 6 gauge. Planning on stopping at 4 when I can stretch again in a month.

Been Some Months, Hasn't It?

Hi Everyone!

I know it's been a long time since my last post, but I kinda got away from it. It's January 1st and you know what that means... it's DIET TIME!

That's right! I'm a whopping 276 lbs. right now! I feel like that woman swimming in that picture, "Thar she blows!" It's disgusting. The one thing I said I would never become, I am. Ewww. So, this year, I'm taking a whole new approach. No more slimfast.

Honestly, I think slimfast is one of the worst products out there. It's made me who I am today. How, you ask? Sure it works great. You loose weight fast. You feel full. You don't get lethargic. BUT... Once you stop... You end up gaining double back what you lost. That has happened to me every single time. I loose five, I gain ten. I loose ten, I gain twenty. I loose twenty, I gain forty.

IT ENDS THIS YEAR!!! I've already cut down my meat intake considerably over the past year, so now, I'm going vegan. I found this WONDERFUL website that sells whole food products Whole Food Farmacy, and I'm doing their weight loss plan. The first 13 days is a liquithon detox. Then, after that, eating only whole foods. I think I'm going to do the liquithon, then the tri decathalon, and alternate. I've read such good things with this company. I'm excited!

In other news...
I start school on January 8th. I'm taking 2 classes, Photography 101 and Photographic Materials & Processing. I'm really excited about that, too!

Sooo, it looks like I'm starting off brand new in the new year. I'm off to a running start! I'll keep you posted on progress like I did before and maybe even post a couple of the pictures from class.
Till next time, "Keep your stick on the ice!"