Nurturing Ourselves - the hardest lesson we may ever learn!

Hi Everyone,

I've been offline for about a month!  I've been in Palm Springs soaking in the mineral springs hot tubs and swimming, catching some sunshine (Vitamin D) and relaxing.

I believe the hardest lesson we all have to learn is "how to nurture ourselves!"  I don't know about you, but I have been putting in too much time away from nature and exercise.  How about you?

Too much time with computer technology and social media is frying us all, and we know that frying is not healthy.

When I'm in the kitchen I love to prepare all of the lush greens, making certain that I have a good amount of them daily.  When I prepare the food, I am thinking about their therapeutic benefits for good health and making my meal choices around those thoughts.  Since an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, I am cutting down on adding oils to my meals.  My mother always taught me that if I was really hungry I would enjoy a simple meal.

As chefs we are all naturally trying to add unique flavors to the food, often it is with oils, and many high fat, rich foods as ingredients.  This will eventually take its toll on the body, so be certain that you are balancing your meals with lots of raw vegetables and also simply prepared cooked veggies.

Good health is the one thing that money cannot buy, so we have to guard it by taking the time to nurture ourselves.  Are we drinking enough water?  Are we properly exercising?  Are we eating a plant-based diet?  Are we cutting down on all processed foods?  Are we careful about the restaurants we eat out in and whether they are using healthy ingredients? Are we buying organic, making certain there are no GMO's in our foods?  Are we spending time in nature?
Are we getting adequate sleep?  Do we keep ourselves distracted so that we forget our creator?

Health is not only on a physical level.  There is physical, spiritual and emotional, and environmental health, and if we are out of balance on any one of these levels than we best examine our priorities.

My goal as an author of Vegan Bite By Bite is to educate the readers about health, so I carry this subject of nurturing into the kitchen.  Health is not a matter of luck, it is a matter of education and awareness, while doing the best we can to discipline ourselves to keep a healthy lifestyle.

Watermelon Juice Fast (Day 8)

After a good night's sleep, and waking at 4:00 AM for meditation, I went back to bed at 6:30 for another couple of hours.

So far, my focus is on the liver detox and taking those herbs three times a day.  This morning I had some flatulence, a bit of feeling achy in my body, and lots of sneezing.  

After taking the herbs this morning, I drank some water.  Before I left the house I ate a few cut oranges knowing that fruit juice would not be enough substance for the day.  I am feeling like the only way I could continue this fast would be if I just stayed in bed and rested, not because I am so tired but because it is the best for healing.  Instead, I will be going to a friend's house for a massage.

Great natural morning elimination!  An awesome massage at my friend's house too, except that it was very exhausting just being out in the day and driving, etc.  At my friend's house I ate a nectarine and drank water until dinner.  On the way home I stopped at Whole Foods market and ordered the only vegetable juice that could be verified "guaranteed" organic produce of carrots, parsley and kale.

Then I stopped at my daughter's house to drop something off and by the time I got home I was so hungry that I intuitively knew that it was time for me to break the fast.  One of those times, where in spite of discipline, I knew that it was time to start my raw food diet.  I also had previous business plans the next day that kept reminding me to end the fast.

I will continue the liver detox for another 1 or 2 days more, and instead of juicing I plan on eating solid food and modify the detox to raw foods.

For dinner I ate plain (no dressing) Romaine lettuce, tomatoes, and cucumber.  About 2 hours later I was so hungry again, I repeated the same meal only this time I added a no-oil sesame seed dressing.

It felt good to take a hot shower and go to sleep early.

Watermelon Juice Fast (Day 7)

After having a good night's sleep, I woke refreshed and feeling very energetic.  I've started thinking more about the time I switch to another type of juice, and ultimately when I begin to break the fast.

I had great elimination today, which is somewhat surprising since I've had only juices for the past week..

I spent part of the day working on the raw mushroom veggie burgers and putting the mixture onto the dehydrator trays from the bowl in the refrigerator. At least if I am not eating, as I said before, I enjoy working with food while I fast.  It seems to satisfy me in ways.

A friend came over this afternoon who I'm coaching through the watermelon fast, and we talked about the fast while we went for a walk.

This afternoon I switched to orange juice, diluted with water.  I was feeling so full from liquids and still hungry, and began to feel that because of my increased work schedule commitments I should transition to solid fruits if the hunger continued.  Later in the evening I cut up a few chunks of watermelon and a few chunks of cantaloupe, and chewed it slowly, while we watched another movie.

I made my husband an Amy's burger for dinner, and I didn't feel any temptation, as my determination and focus is on my goal.



 

Watermelon Juice Fast (Day 6)

After having a good night's sleep, I woke refreshed, but with a slight headache, which passed very quickly.  We went to a spiritual discourse early in the morning where I made my juice into a "to go" bottle to carry with me, and brought lots of Kangen water. to drink.

I had some more hiccups a couple of times today (my mom taught me that hiccups were a form of gas) and my nose was slightly running.  I still wasn't too hungry for the juice, so I mostly focused on drinking water.

I started the liver detox early this morning.  Almost immediately I could feel a diminishing of my nervousness and twitching.  I found this to be amazing!  I'm having a lot of insightful clarity about my body and my life!  I am now starting to love the way I am feeling,  especially because of these visible results. The benefits of the fast are also showing less puffiness and darkness around the eyes.

My body feels MUCH CLEANER and my mind MUCH CLEARER!  Naturally, my mind is still trying to tempt me into eating, but I know that is the job of the mind and the senses.  I'm going for "the gold ring" for health's sake.

I decided I am going to go deeper into the cleanse by continuing on vegan raw foods, when I gradually do break this juicing fast.  Because of this decision, I started preparations for it by getting the raw food diet organized so I will be ready when the time comes. I made 10 trays of onion crackers and 10 trays of mushroom-veggie burgers in the dehydrator which will have a great future shelf life. at a time when I am no longer fasting.

I also really enjoy being in the kitchen preparing food when I fast.  I savor the aromas and since I love cooking, it's fun for me to handle the food,  Besides, I have a husband to care for, and a panty and refrigerator to manage.

I allowed myself to get overtired with all of my kitchen work so I asked my husband to give me a "Raindrop Therapy" massage, with essential oils. Then he read me a few short  spiritual stories.
I did not take any Melatonin and I drifted off to sleep.

Watermelon Juice Fast (Day 5)

I woke today feeling good and rested.  I had some major sneezing this morning.  In the morning I had a masseur come to the house and give me a massage, and of course it was wonderful to nurture myself this way.  I had a good steady energy and decided to go out and see the movie "The Butler".

I can feel the withdrawal  of this fast creating some physical tightness in my body, which is obviously coming from my mind!  Other than thinking about food, I am having less and less cravings for it. In fact, I am not always even hungry for the juice, so I am drinking a lot of water, which seems to be more appealing for me.

Today I also started on an herbal detox.  I took what I had left in the bottle from previous times, for detoxing the kidneys. Now I've finished with the herbal kidney supply, so I'll have to buy some more.  However, I plan on starting the liver detox tomorrow.

I'm still having a lot of nervousness and facial twitching, which feels draining to me, but it's making me go deeper into the cleanse.

My mind was not as active and anxious tonight as it has been, but I still took Melatonin to get to sleep.

Watermelon Juice Fast (Day 4)

Today I have mostly been feeling good, although I started feeling some detox symptoms towards the early evening.  I continue to have great energy, with no soreness in my shoulder area.  I'm noticing that my skin has good color and it's looking tighter and my buttocks feels firmer.  I'm drinking as much water fluids as I can.  In fact, right now, between the watermelon juice and the water, I feel like floating away!

I've been doing some intermittent sneezing, and two rounds of hiccups.  Some puffiness underneath my eyes seem to be going down, yet I can see some darker circles around my eyes.  Probably with this fast I'll include Dr. Richard Schulze's Kidney dexox, and possibly if I have the stamina I'll add Liver dexox, but I'm not sure when and at what point.  https://www.google.com/webhp?source=search_app#bav=on.2,or.r_cp.r_qf.&fp=1782dd863d06f61c&q=dr.+richard+schulze

Symptoms that I experienced were nervousness, manifesting in face twitching that I found bothersome, but I realize that these are all of the poisons being stirred up and coming to a head, before they dump.
After I went to bed I felt some nausea, some flatulence, and lots of anxiety from my restless mind while wondering if the nausea was going to get worse. In spite of some discomfort,  I look forward to the symptoms because it lets me know that the toxins are releasing!  I took some Melatonin and eventually fell off to sleep.

While I think of it I want to mention that the white part of the watermelon called the rind, is also valuable for the body, so when you cut your melon, add it to your blender. Watermelon is a diuretic, good for flushing toxins from the kidneys.

A USDA study found that the tart white rind offers a high dose of citrulline, an amino acid that helps dilate blood vessels to improve circulation. (In this article it mentions adding sugar to the juice, but of course this is a No-No, fasting or not!

Read more: http://www.oprah.com/health/Nutritional-Benefits-of-Eating-Peels-Stems-and-Rinds/5#ixzz2cAd2eXt2

Watermelon Juice Fast (Day 3)

Well, day three was a bit uncomfortable feeling the withdrawal of eating and enjoying the sensual taste pleasures.  I had less soreness in my upper shoulder area than the day before. I also had some flatulence. I felt myself feeling nervous and anxious. I could feel some slight irritability (toxins circulating through the system before they leave) which manifested in a lack of patience and restlessness.

Naturally, my mind was trying to tell me that if I ate food I wouldn't feel the way I was feeling, but knowing the tricks of the mind and the senses and watching for it's tricks, is a huge support for someone attempting to juice fast.

I'm grateful that the watermelons that the farmer picked out for me so far have been sweet, so I am enjoying drinking the juice.  Today I drank a lot of juice, and although I felt full, my mind and tastebuds conjured up images of romaine lettuce leaves, with no dressing and other simple food fantasies.  My mind was tempting me to slide from my commitment, but I kept drinking the juice.

It helped me to remember that the first 3 days of a fast are the most challenging, in spite of the mind's silent pleas for food, but since I am looking for physical changes in appearance and how I feel, I am focusing on continuing to nurture myself with the discipline of focus on the goal - Detox!

I recall that after the 3rd day, the body no longer calls for food in the same way, because it gets the message, and the mind calms to a relaxed state. The first 3 days of a fast the mind is usually over-active, especially at night and then calms down to a very relaxed state. (This is an aside) When people remove coffee from their diets, there is usually some headaches from the withdrawal. Toxins being released promote this effect.

My energy level was high all day long, and my thinking clear.  I went to a spiritual discourse (lecture) and came home, took a hot shower and some Melatonin and fell right off to a great night's sleep.

This morning I made breakfast for my husband, and I  enjoyed the aromas of the meal.  It takes me a few minutes to prepare the watermelon for juicing each time I'm hungry and it's guaranteed fresh!

Watermelon Juice Fast Diary (Day 2)

Yesterday I posted a blog about "Detoxing for Energy" which you can archive and read, which accounts for my first day on the fast.  Basically, the first day I was busy shopping at Farmer's Market preparing for the fast.  Since I have a husband who I'll be cooking for, I had to stock the kitchen with groceries.

This may sound crazy but when I fast, I have no problem cooking for my husband.  I feel some pleasure and satisfaction from the aromas of the flavors, without being tempted to taste the food.

I've done a fair amount of fasting throughout the years, and each time the results are worth the discipline of giving digestion a rest!   I've gone as many as 30 days on organic, fresh juices and continued working during these fasts.

During one of my previous fasts, I was very fortunate to have had access to a powerful commercial juicer in our work kitchen, so I could juice easily and abundantly whenever I got hungry.  I remember that I worked 10 hours one of those days without a 5 minute break off my feet (we were so busy)  and my energy level was soaring. I don't say that working like this is ideal, but one does the best one can do, right?

Below, is my first glass of watermelon juice today, fresh from the blender!

In between drinking the juice I will be drinking as much water as I can.  Guess where I'll be visiting frequently? You guessed it, the bathroom.  This is all a part of the detoxifying process.

I felt satisfied with the watermelon juice last night and wasn't craving anything other than the juice.  I had color in my cheeks and soreness in my back and shoulders.  I'm not sure if it was my positioning on the computer, but that's the way I felt.  Although I was tired from a busy day, my mind was active and I ended up taking some Melatonin to help me sleep.  I woke refreshed with lots of energy, raring to go!

The Value of Detox for Energy (Day 1)

While juicing today it occurred to to me to write this blog because so many of us take our energy for granted, until there are days when the supply seems exhausted.  Unfortunately, if we don't heed this signal, more and more days begin to show up where energy is depleted.  As children there is an unlimited amount of energy, yet as we grow older, that storehouse gets depleted.

Intuitively, when I get a day or two like this, I know that my body is giving me a signal to detox. I could rationalize and make excuses by telling myself that I've been working too much and too hard, or that life at this time is too stressful.  We all have spurts of varying indicators that gives us messages to slow down and relax, but we don't always listen.  If we take the time to listen to our bodies, it is our best guide to a healthy quality of life.

I'm convinced that learning to nurture ourselves is one of the hardest lessons that many of us are in the process of learning.  I find that when I do a detox, I am nurturing myself.  My goal is to take the best possible care of myself and ward off sickness or disease.  I would rather make my OWN car payments instead of helping to make car payments for the doctor.

I went shopping today at Farmer's Market in Santa Monica (I have the farmer pick out the watermelons and guarantee that they are sweet or they will replace them for me) and bought 4 beautiful, very large watermelons for a juice fast for the next few days.  I cut up the watermelon and put sections of the melon in the Vitamix blender.  (You do not need to have a special kind of blender)   Whenever I get hungry, I'll cut a section of the watermelon and blend it and drink it.

I've also prepared for when I break the juice fast.  I may prepare other fruit juices afterwards, or if the spirit moves me, I'll gradually start back eating fruits.  The important thing about fasting is that when the fast is over, there should be a gradual starting of solid foods, such as fruits for 1-2 days and then vegetables and slowly introduce simple foods back into the diet.

I know from my past experiences with watermelon fasting, that after a few days a relaxed and steady energy is back with me, and my body is thanking me!

I'll keep you posted about how I am feeling on this detox.

Unlabeled GMO products! Become a conscious shopper!

The fight is not over until we win "our right to know" what's in our food!

It has become a real challenge to know what products to buy since GMO's are not labeled.  Yes, we CAN look for USDA organic labels and also non-GMO certified icons (images below) on packages or products.

What is safe these days is to shop at a Farmer's Market where organic is lush, reasonable and plentiful. Or order from an organic farm that delivers.  It also helps to have a relationship with the farmer you trust.  Most farmers are happy to answer any of your questions about their growing methods. When you have a relationship with your farmer, if something you purchase doesn't taste right or spoils quickly, and you are not happy, they will do their best to keep a good customer relationship by gladly replacing your purchase.

I find that although I'm a chef, it is best nowadays to prepare simpler, healthier meals.  For instance there are staple products I know are vegan and organic, so I don't prepare the processed dishes any longer because they are not marked organic.  I rather choose good health over gourmet dishes.

Not everyone may be a "stickler" like me, but this non-labeling of products, I am taking seriously. Knowing that all organic produce is still plentiful (although I notice that Whole Foods has plenty of conventional produce, as well as a lot of organic produce from Mexico.  Why can't the store buy locally and support independent, local farmers?

So rather than mess up my health with GMO ingredients, I would rather simplify my meals. Besides, I don't want to give any business to the manufacturers that don't support our health.

How To Make Collard Wraps

Collards are very rich in calcium and a good source of vitamin A and C.  Collards are good for the respiratory system, the digestive system, the skeletal system, the lymphatic system the eliminative and urinary system, and the nervous system.  This vegetable is invaluable to nearly every part of the body.
- Foods That Heal by Dr. Bernard Jensen

Dr. Jensen was my family doctor, and we worked together professionally later in life.  He gave me an endorsement for my book, Vegan Bite By Bite, "I believe that Marilyn Peterson's work should be taken to heart, and that one should think about shat she says.  Marilyn is touching on things that are worth investigating and worth living.  Everyone she serves will receive a blessing and the knowledge to make their family and their bodies healthier. Marilyn has a sincere desire to produce the best there is in nutrition.  I feel that her work is the finest I have come across.  She's a master at what she does"

Collards are also very high in calcium. These collard wraps make up a raw, delicious and healthy meal.

Wash collards, and remove the main spine on the leaf.  This will give you two leaves to work with. Line the inside of the leaf (the shiny part of the leaf facing down) with a large green lettuce leaf.

You can choose about 1-2 tablespoons of  any filling to be placed inside, like a hummus or pate. Roll the filled leaf into a wrap.  See picture below:

Collard Spines:
Cut the spines of the collards finely, and store them in a plastic bag in the refrigerator.
The next time you make a stir fry, or steam any vegetables, add the left-overs so that you have no waste of this super healthy vegetable.

Most everyone thinks of wealth, but remember "health is wealth!"

Isn't Life Sweet?

A friend of mine recently asked me "what inspires you in the kitchen?" After giving it some thought, I realized that my answer to that question could be that I feel I have a special relationship with plants and  food.  I love nature, and the abundant bounty of lush fruits and vegetables that I find at Farmer's Market's inspires me to want to create magical dishes.  For me, being in the kitchen is like a form of therapy.  It  quiets my mind, and allows me to trust my intuition while preparing some awesome dishes.

It all started this morning when my husband asked me to make another cheesecake. This morning turned out to be a dessert morning, creating a Banana-Strawberry Cheesecake, Chocolate Mint Mousse and an Apple Fruitcake.

I can only include the pictures, since I still have to document the recipes.  Check my blog "Simple, Healthy Recipes" at a future date to see postings of the recipes. For those of you that have my book Vegan Bite By Bite  www.veganbitebybite.com Click on purple link "Recipe blogs" and then click on the yellow link "In the Kitchen with Marilyn".
 I have a Chocolate Mint Mousse recipe in my book on page 194. Check it out.

                                                       

Apple Fruitcake

Chocolate Mint Mousse

                                                             


         

Banana-Strawberry Cheesecake

I LOVE SALADS!

I can remember the time, when I was a child, that my mother gave me a blue lucite bowl filled with salad to eat for my meal.  I must have been around 6 years old.  I told my mom "I'm done".  She said, where is the bowl?  Red faced, I then had to take her to the closet where I was foolish enough to think I could get away with hiding my bowl underneath a stack of blankets. I never had a clue my mother would discover my dirty deed! I can remember that I had to then finish eating my salad before I would be allowed to go out and play!!

Too many mothers give their power away by asking the child what they want to eat.  How does a child know the difference between what's healthy and what's unhealthy?  I believe that parents have the responsibility to teach good health to their children so that they grow up with a strong, healthy foundation.  First the parents have to learn about good health themselves.

I don't know quite remember when my love and appreciation for salads began, but I believe that it is because I was trained as a child to eat what was healthy for me, or I had to come back to the table (to eat the same food) when I was REALLY hungry.  Salads are one of my very favorite meals! I generally eat a variety of two salads a day with whatever else I fix. 

I love making up varieties of salads.  Watercress salad, Cabbage Salad, Escarole Salad, Dandelion Salad, Seaweed Salads, and so on.

Below is a picture of today's lunch: Dandelion-Cilantro Salad, Sliced Tomatoes, olives and Daiya Cheese (non-dairy) with Thousand Island Dressing and crackers.  For the dressing I just mixed together  Vegenaise, ketchup and lemon juice.

Happiness or unhappiness - Your choice!

Being happy is a reflection of our food choices. Some people feel that being happy is determined by their taste buds, therefore they are resistant to change.  Don’t they realize how super delicious vegan dishes are?  Do you think that anyone can possibly be happy if their sub-conscious minds know that they are contributing to the suffering and slaughter of animals for their food?  Especially, when there is a choice to get a higher, healthier quality of food and also avoid contributing to the animal’s pain by making a transition to a plant-based diet?

All proteins, vitamins and minerals necessary for human health, have their roots in plants (pun intended) and can be easily sourced.

All of us are searching for happiness so therefore we have to build on those things that not only make us happy, but also ito consider the happiness of other living beings.  No cow can be contended or happy that doesn’t bond with their offspring.  It is the natural maternal instinct in all of us.  Can you imagine their anguish to have their newborns violently taken away from them at birth, without bonding and nursing their young? Then confining them to misery for the rest of their lives?  The better brand name description for dairy is “Anxiety and Anguish”.

No one has ever been able to build happiness on other’s un-happiness and this includes happiness for the animals.

Dairy’s menu is made up of insecticides, pesticides, GMO’s, Bovine Growth Hormones, manure, protein supplements made up from “other animals”, including euthanized pets and road kill.  Remember that grass is nature’s way of feeding a cow, not GMO corn and soy and the above menu!  Surely there is no sacrifice in giving these animal and dairy products up!!!

How can dairy taste good after knowing this, without shutting off improved health, sensitivity and compassion? There are so many awesome dairy alternatives on the market today.  So many non-dairy milks, cheeses, yogurts and ice creams are reasonably priced.  The experienced chef can make up many of these non-dairy treats in their own kitchens. The in-experienced chef can easily learn how to make up these tasty alternatives.

Check out http://www.notmilk.com/

"The best part of being a vegan is the purity and peace of mind one experiences and the strong connection felt to the animal kingdom."

-Uri Geller

Recipe and product tips

I've been buying some awesome raw olives from Good Faith Farm
OMG!  Introducing a producer of olives with healthy, super-delicious ingredients, flavors and integrity I trust.  They also produce the best, delicious olive oil.  You'll have to contact them to find out about where you can purchase their products.

http://www.goodfaithfarm.com/

I particularly like the way this company is processing their olives, using no lye or ripening agents, which is something that is unique and healthy. They are raw, certified organic, slow cured natural  and very flavorsome olives.

There are various types of olives and flavors to choose from, such as Cheviano olives that have different marinades like garlic and oregano or un-seasoned, using only sea salt and also a flavored marinade of brown rice vinegar and thyme and also Moroccan Spice. The types of olive varieties are Sevillano, Kalamata and a French style, called Lucques.  Below is a pic of Kalamata olives.

I finished a half-gallon jar of the Moroccan Spice olives this morning and the juice marinating the olives was so tasty and delicious I decided to use the marinade as the base of a salad dressing.

I used the liquid of the marinade from the Moroccan Spice, added fresh garlic, fresh lemon juice and added raw cashews and put everything in the blender. I also added a small amount of pure water for consistency. After blending the mixture, I folded in some finely cut fresh basil.  The salad dressing came out awesome tasting!!  When I'm in the kitchen playing with recipes, I just use my intuition, so I don't have a documented recipe to share with you.  I encourage you to try different ideas of preparing your recipes.
                                                       
                                                         Cashew Olive-Basil Dressing

Strawberries n' Cream

This week at the Hollywood Farmer's Market the price of strawberries was $8.00 for a 3-pack! I bought  2 - 3 packs of sweet, lush looking berries!  The prices determine my menu design.  What I'll do is build my menu around the less expensive ingredients, and create awesome dishes from the best price selection.

For breakfast we enjoyed strawberries, bananas and cream (cashew) (above) and as you can see, my appetite isn't quite as big as my husband's appetite.

Also below, is this Strawberry-Banana Cheesecake included in the menu.  I'll also be making some Strawberry Ice Cream.  Blend your berries, cashews, agave & coconut oil and freeze the mixture.

Playing in the Kitchen

                                                              Barley Potato Soup

Today I wanted to feel productive, but I didn’t feel like making it a work day.  I decided to go “play” in the kitchen and create some recipes.  I went shopping in Santa Monica this past Wednesday, since they had their 10% discount day at the Co-op.  First I went to Farmer’s Market and bought some organic lush vegetables and fruits, and then off shopping at the Co-op.

I find that if I don’t circulate the food in my frige after shopping days, it can be wasteful, so I thought it would be a good idea to get the food moving into some dishes that I could freeze for during the week.  Spirit doesn't always move me in the direction of the kitchen and cooking and there are days I just don't feel like being in the kitchen, where I would rather go to the beach or shop at my favorite clothing stores!

I made up a few dishes.  I prepared a week's amount of Salad (ziplock bag) a pot of Barley-Potato Soup, Babaganoush, (Mediterranean dish) and an Eggplant Minestrone Stew.  I also made a raw Banana Lemon Creme Pie and Tangerine Ice Cream. 

Especially on weekends, most times my husband will do the dishes when I'm on a cooking spree, when he feels that I would appreciate his help.

Does it take time for me to be in the kitchen like this? YES!  The good news is that I hardly have to be in the kitchen during the week because I have a bunch of pre-prepped dishes that I can either pull from the refrigerator or the freezer. In this way I don't have to give it a bunch of thought about meals and "what's for dinner?" 

MAKE OUR VOICES HEARD!

In India the cow is honored and revered.  Many teachings of the Indian cultures reflect the cow as the second highest in consciousness to human life. Human beings are the highest in consciousness as they have the elements of fire, earth, water, air and ether.  The cow has similar elements, lacking ether (discrimination). Besides this, the cow is an amazingly sensitive and intelligent sentient being, bonding with their calves and other cows, just like humans bond. The law of karma is the same law that Jesus taught, “As you sow, so shall you reap”. Taking life of any living being results in the boomerang of suffering. We see this in the degenerative diseases caused by the Standard American Diet.

I came across this picture of a cow in the pasture.  

This is a reminder of the natural contentment and beauty of cows grazing on grass, their natural nutrient source for their species. This looks nothing like the pictures of factory farmed cows and how they are raised.  

This conditioned idyllic image that the meat and dairy industry would like for us to believe, does not exist!  Whether a cow is raised on a grass fed farm or an industrial farm, humane slaughter is not possible.  Slaughter is slaughter and it incurs a karmic debt, which must be paid.  As much as the meat and diary industry would like us to think of “Old McDonald’s Farm”, this image is not realistic with animal farming, known as CAFO. Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFO) are referred to as “The Tragedy of Industrial Animal Factories.”  They are also known as Cow Concentration Camps and Poultry Prisons, etc.

Besides the farm animal’s inhumane treatment, what really concerns me is the feeding of these animals.  It is thoroughly documented that these cows are fed insecticides, pesticides, synthetic hormones, protein supplements (food pellets made up from rendered and diseased animals), antibiotics, manure, gravel, euthanized pets and road kill.  For seasoning add in the horrific, heart-wrenching physical animal abuse. Now, added to this grueling mess called “feed” is GMO corn and GMO soy, a diet NEVER intended for a cow, and is foreign to its digestive system. How can a sick cow produce healthy protein? The diet today for a cow is a formula for DISEASE.  Is there any question about why meat and dairy is linked with so many degenerative health conditions?

Check out John Robbins new book  No Happy Cows: Dispatches from the Frontlines of The Food Revolution “There are no happy cows in modern industrialized agriculture.”  --John Robbins

If your computer mail inbox looks anything like mine, please take the time to sign these petitions to stop the cruelty of animals. We must protest and block Monsanto’s continued pressure on our lawmakers, congressmen, etc. to monopolize the seed industry and penalize farmers as well as degrade our health. We must continue to demand labeling for ‘our right to know’ what is in our food! 

Lettuce support our organic farmers and growers, as well as organizations like Organic Consumers Association (OCA) and Institute for Responsible Technology (IRT). These groups are continually in the front lines and trenches, providing ammunition, fighting for our health rights. This violation of nature and lack of compassion needs to be addressed and fought by all of us. All organizations, including environmental, animal rights and health groups need to bond strongly in this fight to MAKE OUR VOICES HEARD!

Earth Day

HAPPY AND HEALTHY EARTH DAY TO EVERYONE!

Earth Day is an annual day, April 22, where worldwide events are held to demonstrate support for environmental protection.
This year Earth Day is falling on Meatless Monday.  The universe is speaking out for Mother Nature  the animals and the environment loudly and clearly!
Supreme Master Cheng Hai says that the most powerful step we can take for the environment to prevent global warming, is to abstain from animal products and dairy and to become vegan.

Becoming vegan is good for the health of the body, the spirit and the environment.  FACTORY FARMING erodes and poisons the land, it poisons the body with all of its GMO corn and soy, hormones, etc. fed to the animals, and the karma involved in this inhumane raising and killing of the animals adds to human suffering, according to the teachings of Spiritual Masters.

Below is an excerpt from my book Vegan Bite By Bite.

"A diet based on animal foods is a primary driving force behind the most serious environmental problems we face".  Will Tuttle - Author World Peace Diet

Lettuce all keep in mind the healthy benefits of eating organic and local produce!  Knowledge of the growing methods of our food is especially important these days.  Explore your LOCAL Farmer's Markets.  Save money during these economic times and cut the fuel expenses of transportation being added to your produce costs.

Here are some coming events of Earth Day celebrations, according to the earliest dates:

Topanga Earth Day
April 20 and 21, 2013

Burbank Recycle Center
500 S. Flower St.
Burbank, CA 91502
(818) 238-3900
Date: April 20, 2013

Children’s Earth Day

April 21, 2003   10:00 – 4:00 PM

10117 Jefferson Blvd. Culver City, CA 90232

310 – 842-8060

VEGFEST

Sunday, May 19, 2013  Woodley Park, Lake Balboa, California

10 top environmental sites: http://www.world.org/weo/environment

Tell me, what fun things do you have planned for Earth Day this year? I would love to hear from you!

More Scary Comes To Dairy!

It seems the dairy industry is at it again, looking to thwart the health interests of its consumers to generate higher profits.
 

The newest in their long trend of withholding information to consumers revolves around their use of artificial sweeteners, aspartame in particular. The dairy industry has recently petitioned the FDA to have the current requirement that milk and other dairy products be labeled as “artificially sweetened” be removed when containing such ingredients as aspartame, so that the label says nothing of the sort.

 

 

The petition, which was filed in 2009 was acknowledged by the FDA last week, which then asked for consumer responses. As you all can imagine, the responses were not positive. A counter-petition has been started by SumOfUs (petition can be found here), and already has over 93,000 signatures. 

As said by SumOfUs campaign manager, Kaytee Riek, in a press release “Hyper-sweet additives like aspartame rewire children’s brains so that they always want sugary foods, turning the kids into tiny consumption machines. This constant craving fattens up the food companies’ bottom lines as it fattens up their customers, leading to our current obesity epidemic. ... [The] industry has moved into formerly healthy foods, pumping them up with sugar, salt, and fat until they, too become part of the problem.”
 

As most educated vegans know, dairy has can cause a host of health risks, even without added ingredients. Aspartame has been linked with brain tumors. Here is a link from Dr. Mercola’s article, which I recommend you read in full.

The move on the part of the dairy industry, to block consumer knowledge of their additives, only goes to show the lengths they are willing to go to make a quick buck, at the expense of their own consumer's health. 
 

I encourage you all to become more aware of this petition, and to sign the counter-petition in the link above. It is important to spread awareness to those who may not know, be they vegan or not. It is especially a problem as a number of children are allergic to aspartame, and their parents may not know about this petition, or it's effects, until their children are already sick. 

Another good option is to write (with regular letters, as they are taken more seriously than email) the FDA, and let them know your thoughts on the dairy industry's current actions.
 

Although as vegans, we do not consume dairy, I for one am against all of this deceitful, fraudulent non-labeling of the truth of how dairy is masqueraded as healthy, and how children are encouraged to consume it, regardless of the unhealthy consequences! 

 

 

 

Please send the above petition to your friends, and be sure to sign it yourself! 

FAST HEALTHY FOODS

MANAGING A HEALTHY KITCHEN

Today and I was washing some lush Watercress I bought at the Hollywood Farmer’s Market, I thought to myself – wow, it takes a lot of time to manage a healthy kitchen!

This thought came to me, after I juiced the organic oranges I bought and put the juice in the freezer, because I got a good buy on a case.  After, making flaxseed-onion crackers in the dehydrator and making up some green salads for the week.

Often the variety of kitchen duties vary, but it does take being able to stay on top of the organization of a kitchen to manage it, without waste.  These times it is especially wise to keep as organized as possible.

A couple of afternoons a week I usually do some cooking in quantity and then freeze the dish in portions.  This way I never stress over “what’s for dinner?”  I stock a variety of either prepared soups or entrees in the freezer to choose from.  When I have stock in my freezer, I can then spend a minimum of time in the kitchen.  When the freezer stock gets low with variety, I start cooking again to build it up.

I like circulating what I have in the freezer, without keeping it too long. This is a picture of an older freezer, but I liked it because it shows the containers and how they can be efficiently stored.  Glass is best to store, but plastic containers stack nicely also.

Some Good News on the GMO Front!

Things are progressing!

As we all know, a good amount of Californians were duped, with completely false ads and propaganda, into voting no on Prop 37 last year. This is not a good state of things, as we all know, but some good has come out of it.
 

The Non-GMO Project, a non-profit group that verifies the lack of genetically modified ingredients in food, is reporting that now more than ever, people are starting to be aware of their food choices, and are asking their favorite food manufacturers to not use GMO's in their products. Trader Joe's and Whole Foods Market already exclude GMO's from the brand products, and it looks like more are starting to do the same.
 

The director of the Non-GMO Project is stating that the amount of inquiries about GMO's in food nearly doubled in October, due to Proposition 37 being on the ballot. November was also a very busy month. This is great news indeed, as it shows awareness has grown immensely since the proposition was put on the ballot.
 

The non-profit has so far verified 6,100 products to be GMO-free, with more than 2,500 others being looked at. There's even a free mobile app, ShopNoGMO (available on itunes or the google play store), now available to help consumers make healthier choices. Many conventional manufacturers are now looking to label products as Non-GMO, as they find that is what their consumers want.

So, let's keep this fight going! Spread more awareness (and share this blog)! We are on the way.

 

More info on this can be found here: http://www.ocregister.com/articles/gmo-382949-non-labeling.html