Food is Spiritual

There are certain things in life you wish you could wish upon those you love; like the day you found/understood/accepted the love of Christ, or how much different you feel being vegan, or happiness or peace of mind. But like political and social views one cannot do such things. Certain things can only be experienced and we are all at different points in this journey of life.

Nina and Savi

You wish you could recommend wonderful experiences like you recommend a favorite restaurant or a shoe or a dress because you know them and kinda' know they might enjoy it too. But food like most things is a spiritual thing and spiritual things are emotional things and emotional things are personal. At the end of the day you have to face yourself and hope you sleep well at night with the decisions you've made. You may be asking what this has to do with food but it has everything to do with food.

Our great dinner

We are our belief system. Our belief system controls how we act and react. What we eat, who we date and how we behave are all based on what we believe to be true. Your belief system can either make or break you because it determines your thoughts and your thoughts determine your words and action. Am I getting very philosophical? I hope so. If we want to be a well balanced people and stay Forever Young, all aspects of our lives have to be in harmony.

My beautiful friend Wanneh, her daughter Savi and our Nina

Sometimes starting a new lifestyle can be very scary and isolating but thank God for friends and family who understand and for great support from communities of people who are practicing the same lifestyle. Don't be surprised if you feel a little sad, almost like a separation anxiety, it is normal and it will pass. Nothing beats eating consciously, healthy and mostly raw; more greens,more nutrient dense and high water content foods--our bodies are made of over 70% of water. I was talking to my friend Alexa and we both agreed that the reason why people over-eat is because they are feeding their bodies empty, nutrient-deficient foods.


I remember back when I used to eat like a pig. I would find myself going to the fridge almost every hour to find something to eat. I felt like I was possessed, I couldn't stop eating and I couldn't feel satisfied with anything I ate, now I know why. When you eat mostly raw your body gets satisfied with even a single stuffed bell pepper and this is because you are giving your body the right nutrients it needs to function. If you looked at a SAD (oh, I love this so much. My favorite Acronym so far) person's plate, most of the times the only veggie is maybe a sprig of kale or parsley that was used to garnish the food.

Alexa's delicious Miso dressing

3 tsp white mellow miso

1 tsp Tahini

1 Tbsp freshly grated ginger

dash of black pepper

1.5 cup of olive oil

Then may be a little fruit bowl to have after the improperly combined food. To add fruit to this is a practice most of us learned from when we were little. Fruits should always be eaten on an empty stomach for proper digestion or 30 to 60 minutes after a meal (depending on what kind of meal it was, a flesh meal usually takes over 48 hours to digest at which time it has already begun o putrefy). When fruits get in contact with a meal it ferments (fermentation is an anaerobic conversion of sugar to carbon dioxide and alcohol by yeast)

My Rick, Wanneh, Savi & our Nina
One thing that ties all men: Love.

My husband once said to me "Never change who you are. Never compromise who you are for anyone not even for me." At the core of each one of us there is a shinny person waiting to emerge. Somethings are very logical, some things are very true, some things are very basic and uncomplicated like eating right and eating to live. Live foods make for live people, dead foods make for dead or dying people. Let your food be as alive as you can have it be. There is a vast difference in the way you feel and view the world when you eat a more natural/raw diet. Spiritually there is also a vast difference. You cannot be at a certain level of spirituality with your body still haboring tons of toxins, we are all connected and I think what separates us--if we have to get down to the nitty-gritty-- has everything to do with they way we view food.

My Yummy Salad with Alexa's Miso Dressing

I still say one of my worst foods on the SAD list is milk. There are quite a few others on the list but Milk has been so glamorized--as long as a celebrity has a milk mustache it must be good for you--and popularized by all the big shots who control the money in the government. What difference is there from drinking a rat or a horse's milk? or even worse how controversial would it be to have lactating mums fill out gallons of their milk for sale by inducing them way past their lactating period? what is the difference from doing that to cows? I don't know about you but I love the green mustaches from my green smoothies better, plus it is environmentally friendly :-)

Raise your carrot juice and let's make a toast...CHEERS!

Day 35 (30-Day Green Smoothie Challenge)

My Rich Fudge Brownies with Hazelnut Sauce

Can you believe it's day -35? Well, there is something I must say, cooked food is very addictive. The other night I tried some of my husband's vegan baked-zitti and after two spoonfuls I found myself wanting more. I had to restrain myself, because I realized what was happening; cooked food is addictive! and I, Bernice, definitely don't want to go back to that. I also realized that the food tasted different on my tongue. It felt like, well, it didn't give me the great taste that raw foods, especially my greens, gives me. It is almost as if I could feel the lack of nutrient whereas with raw foods every time I eat I feel like I am adding oxygen to my body, there is a freshness in the chlorophyll that leaves you very satisfied and quenched, lol, ok I know that didn't help but that is as close as I can describe the feeling.
Yesterday I had a whole oatmeal for breakfast, the recipe for this delicious raw breakfast is on a previous day, feel free to cruise around. I made a big bowl of my kale salad for lunch, I think I am addicted to this salad, it is just that good and the pine nuts make it very tasty. Today am going to make my Asian cabbage salad or maybe a tasty raw coleslaw, yes, why nut? lol, did you see that? I wrote "why nut?". Nuts are wonderful and very versatile. I still have some cheesecake and that will be my desert for tonight. I am still waiting for the raw cacao butter I ordered so I can do a white chocolate cheesecake and invent some more recipes for you all to try.
I also wanted to point out that I have added some affiliate sites to my blog and if you need to order something you can do it from the link here, it will help me make some spare change, lol. I am hoping to add more as time goes on. Eventually there will be some FYR apparel for those who'll like to support the blog and all FYR efforts.

I am also happy to announce that I donated a a poem to the children's orphanage in Haiti. The kids made the banana leaf cards by hand and every card you buy (I wrote all the words to the card) will be a double gift as the profits will go back to support the children in the orphanage. If you feel inclined to give, please do so by clicking on this link :http://web2.accureg.com/PiggyInk/ProjCur.aspx

Here's the recipe for the famous Rich Chocolate Brownie I promised you:

Chocolate Fudge Brownie:
1 cup walnut
5 mejool dates, pitted
1/2 cup raw cacao powder
1 tsp vanilla extract
pinch of salt

Blend all ingredients in a food processor with an 'S' blade till it's fine and start to ball up. Press into a square pan and freeze for 1 hour. Cut into desired squares and enjoy with a fresh glass of raw almond milk. YYYYYYYUUUUUUUMMM. This is the easiest desert recipe. i added some chopped macadamias to half of mine to give it a white chocolate speckled illusion.

Have a blessed day.

~B.

Day 7 (30-Day Green Smoothie Challenge)

FROM MY KITCHEN TO YOURS: MY CuCuMbER Smoothie

Rise and shine, rise and shine! Hello world, I hope you are feeling just as wonderful this woman typing these words, lol. I feel FABULOUS :-)
Today is a great day for a great cucumber smoothie don't you think? I am amazed that I don't feel hungry at all. Did you know that when you're feeling hungry 90% of the times you are just really thirsty and that a glass of fresh water with slices of lemon would do the trick? Talking of water, I think it is fair to say many of us take water for granted. What I mean is if you're not loving your water and hydrating your body, you are taking water for granted. Someone once told me that they went a week without drinking water because they don't like water. Some people feel the need to add powdered, sugar-packed substances to their water to give it a zest.

Think about those who would do anything just for a glass of water to quench their thirst. For many of them that would be a great breakfast, lunch or supper. They definitely don't take water for granted, they value it like the air they breathe. So when next you shy away from water, think about those children who have none--your gratitude will multiply. You can enhance your water in a healthy way by adding some slices of lemons, oranges or even slices of your favorite fruits. If that is not enough add a dash of stevia (www.sweetleaf.com)to sweeten it.
Before we delve into how important your poop is, here is my cucumber smoothie recipe.

Bernice's cucumber Smoothie

2 bananas
2 golden brown Asian pears (you can use any other type of pears you have)
2 cucumbers
2 kale leaves
2 cups of water

This smoothie is thick and slightly gritty, you will definitely enjoy it even if you're not a cucumber lover.

Did you know your stool can tell you all you need to know about your health? People who are healthy generally don't have offensive smelling stools or gas. When your stool has an offensive smell it usually means your food was not properly or completely digested and so it putrefied and fermented in in your gut. Putrefied and fermented food emits poisonous and very corrosive gases which erode the lining of your stomach and intestines. These gases are strong enough to eat through concrete pipes, think about the damage they do to you. The solution to this is proper food combining. The two common problems with stools are either constipation (compact stools) or diarrhea.

Diarrhea is the body's way of eliminating toxins from the body, so don't try to suppress it with medications unless it is severe. All you need is lots of rest, water and fresh fruit juices.

Constipation is a sign of eating improperly. Your diet may be too low in fiber, water and/or you're eating too many fatty and starchy foods. You can reverse this by doing just the opposite.

The colon is a great health indicator, a clean colon makes a happy person and an unclean colon is breeding ground for disease. Again, like water, do not take your colon for granted. Don't take your health for granted make it your personal business to see that you're doing the best to live an abundant life free of illness and disease.

Arrivederci!

~B

Day 3 (30-Day Green smoothie challenge)

PICTURE OF Bernice's Kale-Panana. FROM MY KITCHEN TO YOURS.

Good morning, rise and shine! You can tell I feel great right? Well, I do. When I woke up this morning I didn't feel groggy, it was almost like switching on a light bulb and click my eyes snapped open. After my usual glass of water first thing in the morning, I went walking in the early morning sun. I did circuit training with Jillian Michael's for 20 minutes and then I invented one of the best tasting smoothies ever.

Before I give you that recipe I want to tell you about a few changes I've noticed since day one. Day one and two I woke up with a little stuffiness and on day two especially I noticed a lot of mucus being expelled(from my nose, catarrh). Today I woke up not stuffed at all. You will realize as you go along with this challenge that you will sneeze and have a runny nose at times, sometimes even slight chest pains and headaches. Rest assured that your body is doing what it needs to be doing, these are detox symptoms and they will go away so don't throw in the towel yet. Even hunger pangs or cravings are detox symptoms, you might just want to drink more water or another smoothie.

When you've had a habit of eating all the time, it is hard for your body to not be constantly fed so you have to remember this the next time you feel hungry (especially after you've just had a smoothie). The reason for constantly wanting food is due to the body not having the nutrients its need, so when you keep feeding it those empty calories guess what it will still 'need' more food so that it can get what it needs from somewhere.

When you do green smoothies, your body starts to sing, yes, you feel full and energized. I hate feeling tired in the middle of the day but when you're constantly feeding your body the right nutrients you will notice a surge of energy. Here's my AWESOME recipe:

Bernice's Kale-Panana (nice huh?)

2 bananas
2 golden ripe pears
6 kale leaves
1 Tbsp Flax seeds
2 cups of water

This is so delicious and filling. Kale is one of my favorite veggies to use because it if packed with nutrients. It is high in Vitamins A and C and it's a powerful antioxidant and has high cancer-fighting properties. The benefits of kale are numerous. Just know that a cup of kale a day keeps sickness away.

Day 1 (30-day green smoothie challenge)

PICTURE OF RAW DESERT FROM COURANT.COM

...Of course today was a breeze, it's only day one! I did do my 20 minutes of brisk walking and basking in the beautiful sunlight. This is my green smoothie for the day. Somdays I make more than one kind of green smoothie, this usually depends on how many servings I get out of a batch. Rick and Nina also do the green smoothies with me everyday (they still eat their regular vegan diet with cooked food included). We all have at least 3 glasses of green smoothie everyday.

Honeydew Melon Dream:

1/2 medium honeydew melon
1 small banana
1/2 cup of red seedless grapes
3 hand fulls of baby spinach or arugula (I used spinach today)
2 cups of water. For more thickness use just one cup of water. You can also add a few pieces of ice or just use slightly cold water. Blend all together and enjoy! I will drink this throughout the day and eat a banana or two for snacks and later a big green salad for dinner.

As I mentioned the last time there are some great benefits to doing a raw detox. Here are a few:

1) Energy: since your body has less to digest and a very small amount of energy is used for digestion of these simple sugars and enzymes, your energy bank is not depleted.

2)Digestion: Since your food already contains living enzymes it takes less time for you food to digest and so it passes through the body quickly and doesn't stay for days in your intestines where they can rot and putrefy.

3)Detox: It is easier for your body to detox on raw uncooked food. The raw food has tons of fiber which acts like a sponge and carries away mucus, toxins and waste materials from your body thereby helping you to lose weight faster.

4)Weight loss: It's very normal to lose weight on a raw food diet because your body is not accumulating junk and empty calories.

5)Nutritional Content: Raw, organic food retains all its nutritional value whereas cooked food loses most of its nutritional value. Enzymes and amino acids are denatured under high temperatures of more than 118 degrees Fahrenheit.

6)Anti-aging foods: If you want to turn back the hands of time and prevent premature aging, raw foods (you can still eat some cooked but let most of your foods be raw food) is rich in anti-oxidants and live enzymes which keep cells looking young and healthy by eliminating damages done free radicals in your body.

The Over-drugged America

When you hear a nurse say "There's no difference between inorganic and organic food, they all do thesame thing in the body." makes me wonder what people are learning nowadays. There is a vast difference between organic and inorganic. Organic means certain standards have been used to produce a certain food. In organic the use of on organic pesticides, insecticides and herbicides are strictly prohibited. Most non-organic foods have been grown with the above plus dyes, homornes and additives have been added to them to make them palatable.

I watched a PBS show some nights ago and it broke my heart to see this mother hearing these words from her child's pediatrician "That's the only way to go, we have to get him on these meds quickly. This is what he needs." and he pushed a tray of five prescription drugs infrot of her. Her son must have been no more than five or six years old. The mother had asked the doctor if there were other therapies her newly diagnosed child could try. The tears in her eyes broke my heart as I am a mother too and we always want the best for our children. I wanted to reach through the TV and say "Let me tell you a therapy you can try. Try a vegan diet on your child for sometime and see the difference it makes it his life." Her son had been diagnosed with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) and I'm thinking, he's just five, he should be hyperactive, he's a child, he's not yet a zombie like the rest of us.


'Tis not enough that kids and adults are on drugs even the animals and the fruits are on drugs too...what an abomination!

We have become a society that is so quick to medicate because we lack patience and are so preoccupied with making money that we would sell the life of a child for extra bonuses from the pharmaceutical industry. Everyday there is a new medication being advertised on Tv, actually, most commercials alternate between the gross food commercials and the extremely-disadvantageous medications. It's almost as if we have been brainwashed to believe any of them is good for us. On one hand they are making you sick with unhealthy food and then when you get sick they give you these "death sentence" or what they call them today, "Pills" to get you even sicker.

I am not saying discard all drugs, but most of them are really unecessary if we only ate right and ate the whole foods our bodies need. My mother, who is 50 years old has NEVER had a cavity! She lives in a world where everything is grown organically. I remember my grandmother making a little garden in the back of our house in Cameroon. She would enrich the soil with manure (peels of bananas, shells of eggs, peels of fruits etc) our trash was our wealth, we reinvested into our garden which later flourished with veggies and fruits that we used to cook.

The trash here is mostly cardboard, plastics and bottles, I don't think those can make for good manure. I want to leave a great world for the next generation so that my children's children can still see trees and animals and enjoy the sun without fear of cancer. It is the voices of reason that keep getting quietted but those who just want to make a profit at the expense of a human life, thrive. Our crime: greed. You can make a difference. Start with you. Love yourself a little differently.

WHAT ARE LIFE FOODS?

Life foods are foods that are in their natural state. Foods that have not been processed, destroyed by overheating. Foods that are free of pesticides and antibiotics. Life foods give you energy; they heal and repair rather than make you tired and sluggish. If you can only remember this :Life foods are alive and dead foods are dead. At FYR, anything that can grow when planted into the soil is alive. Can you plant chicken? can you plant a spoon? yes, but will they grow? no. but you can plant wheat and apple seeds. The best kinds of foods are those that are organic and wholesome. It may take a while to introduce these into your diet but it is worth it. Sometimes I go to the farmer's market and I wonder if the soil the produce was grown in was healthy to begin with. If it was not a healthy soil then eating all the fruits and veggies in the world would not benefit me in anyway. All fruits and veggies are life foods. At FYR we encourage you to incorporate as much of these life foods into your diet as possible. FYR is far from boring, we have looked into every diet out there and realized you cannot ask people to starve themselves without getting a consequence; that consequence is yo-yo- dieting.