The Fruits of my Labours

The thing about going raw is that the whole instant gratification thing is forced to fly right out of the window. If you are one of those awe inspiring individuals who are totally up with delayed gratification and actually plan your life around exercising for 3 hours before the chocolate cake,  then there is no need for you to read further. However, if you are like me and now means RIGHT THIS BLOODY MINUTE, then you could probably do with a quick going over. Of this blog, I mean.
So this is particularly for the snackers. (Please note that I do know what is important and my priorities are clearly in the right place!) A raw food lifestyle lends itself to endless snacking and continuous munching without any problems.
But every now and then there comes a time when a banana is just not going to do it. If you are serious about being raw, this is the time to watch out for.  The day has been long, the kids have redefined Oxford's version of cranky, the cat is producing an entire range of furballs and your mother-in-law is at the door.
Because I know myself so well, I know that when comfort eating is an absolute necessity, a good raw fooder ( and a good raw fooder wannabee like me) will have a back up plan.
The advantages more than make up for the little bit of advance preparation which you will have to go through. Another highlight of the comfort snacks and sweets which I am showing you today, is that non-raw fooders love them as well. Which is great if you are pleased at how blithely your kids are wolfing them down, totally unaware of all the vitamins and goodness they are consuming, but it's another story altogether when it's your non-raw friends who are throwing them back. And believe me, they will! 

These are the Spicy Pumpkin Seeds I was bragging about earlier. They are unbelievably good and are particularly soul satisfying, which I find rather odd. I've always thought that sweet was the best soul soother. Pumpkin seeds contain L-tryptophan, which is a natural anti-depressant and so perhaps this explains the soothing qualitites of these Spicy Pumpkin Seeds.

I've always had a thing for chocolate and never in my wildest dreams would I have thought that Chocolate Pumpkin Seeds would work. Bearing in mind that the chocolate is made up of a mixture of carob and dates and you are really astounded at how good these are. My kids, who are not raw foodies - yet - can't get enough of them and will choose them over real chocolate. I know, it's gobsmacking isn't it?

The thing about these snacks is that pumpkin seeds are so good for you! They've got enormous amounts of magnesium, they help lower cholestrol, they are a natural anti-inflammatory and Ladies, if your husband eats a few - you're the one who's getting the treat!

These are Apricot Almond Truffles. They are like little cakes with jam on top, except there is nothing remotely resembling flour, eggs, sugar, wheat, milk etc etc. These are totally raw and totally good for you. The truffle is a mixture of almonds, apple and various spices, while the jam is a mixture of apricots and dates.

With these snacks to resort to in times of need, you will stay on the straight and raw!

Stress Kills.

Stress kills. Unfortunately, it really does.

From heart attacks, diabetes and certain cancers to a myriad of psychosomatic illnesses, a close examination of personality type and lifestyle, will show an individual who is unable to cope with the various stressors in his or her life.

Like the finely tuned machines that they are, if we do not make changes to enable ourselves to deal with our stress, our bodies will.

The busy executive who won’t slow down long enough to smell the roses? Bang! A heart attack for you. The wife who turns a blind eye to her husband’s infidelities? A dose of cancer is just what you’ve ordered The mother who tries to be super mom, a career woman, a friend and a lover too – how about a side helping of depression?

Learning how to manage, cope and remove stress is not a simple process. Taking a pill can help initially, but for real and lasting relief you need to undergo a Lifestyle Assessment. However, that is another topic for another time.

Alleviating stress is not a single approach, rather it is a multi-pronged approach that will have the greatest benefit. In an ideal world we would quit the job we hate, start a regular exercise routine and never allow a glass of wine or that dreaded nicotine to ever cross our lips or lungs again! Yeah right. No doubt we will win the lotto next week too!

So for many of us the problem is that we are human. And fallible. So maybe we try. We tell ourselves that this week we’re going to go for a walk at least three times. We make it twice and then something happens. It doesn’t have to be a big thing. If you’re anything like me a little bit of rain will do it.  And then we stop trying because we have failed. But really, the only time we have actually failed is when we stop trying

 I believe that every little bit helps and regardless of whether your effort is directed at your diet, exercise, or lifestyle changes you are to be commended for making the effort!

So let me show you the effort I made today. All sorts of raw goodies! Because they are raw they contain no eggs, flour sugar or anything else that is toxic to your body and your emotions. They do contain a lot of love! This is what they look liked before going into the dehydrator – I’ll add pics of what they look like when they are ready for tummies!

These are pumpkin seeds which have been soaked and have been covered in a carob and date mixture. They are going into the dehydrator and when they come out they are going to be a chocolatey snack that kids and adults will love! And of course it is super healthy! The health benefits of pumpkin seeds are so vast that they should be a staple part of your daily diet. The chocolate disguises them beautifully!

These are definitely adults only! They are spicy, hot and will bite you!

These are Jam Bites. Totally raw cookies with a totally raw jam filling. They are absolutely delish!

At last, a decision is made!

The hardest part of a difficult situation is making the decision. The fear of making the wrong decision keeps us trapped in the situation we are desperate to escape. So if you can be brave enough to go ahead and make the decision - you are half way there. I certainly hope that that little adage of sound advice is true, because today I have made the decision. I have been flirting with the whole raw food thing for quiet a while now and actually did 3 whole weeks of just raw food. It was great. I felt wonderful and lost 10 kilograms. Winter got me and now I have put the kgs back on and am feeling terrible. Oh the aches and the pains! So today I have decide to Love Myself. And part of that is going raw.
So I'll be updating you regularly about my journey, showing you some of the foods I am eating and the things I am doing to stay sane and focussed.
To give you an idea of the starting point, this photo was taken on Friday 28th October in Port Alfred after an Effective Report Writing Workshop I facilitated.

LET'S GO RAW!