Yesterday Daniel and I went to see the Time Traveler’s Wife. It’s one of my favorite books, so I knew I had to see the movie. Daniel so kindly obliged me. We really enjoyed the movie and it sparked a lot of emotion in us. If you don’t know the plot, the movie is based on a man who travels through time and how his time travel causes challenges in the day to day life of him & his wife. It was all about the unknown, but also the known, since he gets to go forward and see things in the future.

After the movie Daniel asked me if I could go back in time to my younger self and tell myself some really important things that I should know today, what would they be? It took me a while to come up with an answer, as I don’t feel that I have many regrets in my life and I didn’t want to change anything that would make me a different person today. I feel that regrets are a waste of energy and mind space, but the one strong thought that came to me was to tell myself not to be so afraid of the “Unknown”.

For so many years as I was growing into an adult I had so many fears about what lay ahead and NOT KNOWING what lay ahead. These fears stopped me from doing many things like traveling, visiting new places, seeing friends across the country, moving, quitting a job, etc, etc. I’m sure you get the picture. Over the years, I have learned to let go more and more and even though I still fear the unknown, I KNOW that I have to step into it every day. And when I do step into it, so many beautiful and wonderful events happen. I grow and change, I become a better person and I get to experience life instead of hiding from it! That’s how I came to move to California from good old Lawrenceville, New Jersey over 12 years ago. I was scared to death, but I knew from the tender age of 12 that I would one day live in California and enjoy the lifestyle that so many healthy Californians live. 

This cleanse has brought up a lot of “unknown” for me. Especially since I have suffered from an eating disorder off and on, which will always be looming in the lurches. It’s been laying dormant now for a while, but I know it’s there at any moment to bare it’s teeth whenever I am feeling low, lonely or stressed. Not being able to eat all the fresh fruit I want is challenging. Not being able to eat my staple Greens + bars is challenging. Not knowing how I am going to come off the cleanse is challenging. Will I overeat? Will I go crazy? All of these things are making me dig deep every day to find that place of safety within..to know I will be ok. I am stepping into the unknown every day, yet I also realize that we are ALL stepping into the Unknown every moment. We can make a plan and set goals, yes, but every moment is still unknown until you are in it. I love that Woody Allen saying, “If you want to make God laugh, tell him about your plans”. Yet I also realize that I am the one creating my destiny and I get to choose. I get to choose the fear, the happiness, the pain, the love…all of it. I get to step into the unknown and create new moments for myself. I get to experience whatever happens in that moment, and if it’s hard or uncomfortable I get to stand front and center with ME and make a positive choice for myself.

So, what I am trying to say is I think that most of us are afraid of the unknown, but we can’t stop living because of this. We need to move forward and to have experiences that are rich and that make a difference. We need to take care of ourselves by eating healthy and exercising. We need to have a spiritual practice of some sort that will keep us grounded when we are floating. We need to have good friends, lots of love in our life and people who show up and support us!

Do you have those things? If not, are you willing to step into the unknown to find them???

Pensively yours,
The Ambivalent Cleanser!

Today is day 10 and I am feeling really good, albeit very tired. I haven’t been doing much exercise on this cleanse, and I know that’s not totally good, but my body is whooped. I get so tired just walking up a flight of stairs or cruising on the strand with Miss Sadie (my darling pit bull). There are a lot of toxins being released and a lots of little guys sweeping up inside, so I need to be gentle with myself. I know that I need to just take it easy and take it day by day. Maybe one day I will wake up with a boat-load of energy and go for a run!! wow, that would be a miracle!

It’s been a very mellow week for me work-wise, which has been quite a blessing. Summer is a little slow for Karma Chow due to so many of my clients traveling with their families. I am gearing up for September to kick in and to head back to Colorado for a Healthy Table “ITALIAN FOOD” Event on the 26th! I will post the information for this class on Facebook if you are in the CO/Denver area! I am also going to be hosting a Candida Cooking Class on September 10th in LA, so check out the event page on my site to get updates!

Anyway, I am at a loss as to what to cook lately. I am feeling bored with what we are eating. I asked Daniel if he felt bored with the food, and he said “no”, so I guess it’s alright. It’s just that my options are SO limited and I am searching my cookbooks for new ideas and ways I can substitute certain foods for the recipes I find with “Candida Friendly” foods. It proves to be a bit challenging. I am ready to give up and say….well, you know.

I did this cleanse before and I am having all those memories flood back in when I eat the food and taste the same tastes that I did a few years back. Honestly, it’s making me not want to eat at all!!! Did you ever smell something or taste something that took you right back to a time in your childhood and you can feel and see that memory so vividly? I think they are called Associative memories?? Well anyway, that’s what’s happening with me. I am not liking it, but I know that I am doing this for my health and I need to push through. I tell you what, if Daniel wasn’t by my side doing this with me, I would’ve given up after 1 week. I want my Peanut Butter High Protein Greens + bar. Yes, I’m still craving those darn things! Can you believe it? It’s more of a texture thing now. There is nothing gooey, creamy, dreamy and delectably sweet on this cleanse, it’s straight veggies, grains and protein from animal sources. I have a hard time eating anything with a face, as I mentioned in a previous blog! But, I can handle the eggs from time to time, so I am going to stick to what works. And although I am still craving something sweet and gooey, I know that will pass over time, so I just have to hang in there. Even just one bite of my Raw Vegan “Cheeze”cake!! PLEASE!!!

Anyway, back to cooking. I have a spaghetti squash in the oven right now baking and it’s smells so good! When it’s done I am going to scrape it out and saute it in a pan with coconut oil, shallots, cinnamon and cardamom. I think it will be like having dessert! I am so excited. I am also going to make some green beans and am hoping to spice them up Indian style, but since I can’t use coconut milk or coconut, I’m not sure if just cumin or curry will cut it. I guess I will have to play around and experiment.

If you haven’t already noticed, I am addicted to shallots. These little garlic/onion hybrids are oh so sweet when you saute them up! I also put them in salad dressing and they give off such an amazing flavor that isn’t as biting as garlic and a little sweeter than onion. I must put them in everything; scrambled eggs, green bean salad, lemon vinaigrette, cole slaw. You name it, they are in there. I think it’s a bit of an addiction, but not the type of Greens + Bar addiction, it’s a much healthier one!

Today I really wanted to taste coffee, again! What is it with me and the flavor of coffee? My mouth is watering as I write this. I even went into Whole foods and picked up a jar of water processed, organic DECAF, fairtrade coffee and thought..hmmmm…could I do it? And then I thought, NO WAY! I would just set myself back and not because of the caffeine, but because of the flavor… Just tasting it and swirling it’s earthy goodness in my mouth would leave me wanting MORE and would put me on that slippery slope!!! And, Daniel and I really need to stay off it for a while….maybe not forever, but we are committed to staying caffeine clean for hopefully a long time.

We have both realized how depleted our Adrenal glands are and that is the reason why we have are lacking the natural energy right now. We have been on the caffeine kick for so long, we’ve worked our adrenals to the bone and now we need to rebuild them to get back our natural vitality that is our birthright!! I know it will come, but sometimes it’s hard to fathom that I will ever have energy without my morning cup. Daniel went for a run yesterday totally caffeine-free and he said he struggled immensely. It was a huge wake up call for him and he got to feel how depleted he has become. I think it even scared him a bit to not have his good old buddy Red Bull to pull him through! He had to rely completely on himself and who he was in the present, even though the guy running with him had just had a redbull and vodka..go figure! But I asked him, “Don’t you want to live a lot longer and be healthier than that guy???” I think he got it.

Ok, well I think my squash is almost done. I can smell the sweetness. I am going to go give it the fork prick to test it’s tenderness. I hope it doesn’t get mad at me! All in all, I am feeling really good and happy I am doing this. There are times I am not so happy, but I can’t imagine going back to my old ways, even though I did open the kitchen drawer and saw a menu for Pizza Fusion, which is a NEW organic pizzeria that just opened here in LA. They offer gluten free crust and dairy free cheese on their pizzas…TORTURE!!! Maybe someday…I will dream about it but until then….

As promised, here is the recipe for the Almond Mayo compliments of Donna Gates and The Body Ecology Diet Book

1/2 cup Raw Almonds
1/2 c to 3/4 c filtered water
1/4 tsp. garlic or onion powder (or 1 raw clove garlic, minced)
3/4 tsp. sea salt
1 c. organic, unrefined flax or pumpkin seed oil
3 Tbsp. lemon juice, freshly squeezed
1/2 tsp. raw, organic apple cider vinegar

Cover almonds with boiling water. Allow to cool slightly and then slip off skins.
Place almonds in a blender or food processor and grind to a fine powder. Add half the water along with garlic/onion powder and sea salt. Blend well, then add remaining water to form a smooth cream.
With blender running on low, drizzle in the oil in a thin stream from the top until mixture is thick. Keep blender running and add lemon juice & vinegar. Blend on low 1 minute longer to allow mixture to thicken.
Scrape into a jar with a screw top or tightly fitting lid and refrigerate.
This mixture will keep for 10 days to 2 weeks.

Enjoy! This is great to mix into Cole Slaw or Red Bliss Potato salad, or just use as a dip!

Yours in health,
The Ambivalent Cleanser

To many of us, Vegetarianism is a mystery. Becoming a vegetarian is usually a choice that people make for health reasons, ethical reasons or environmental reasons. But most vegetarians and not particularly healthy, per se.

Being a vegetarian takes work. It takes commitment. It takes dedication and it also takes creativity and knowledge. It’s easy to be an unhealthy vegetarian, but most people have no idea that they are being unhealthy. The reason is usually due to lack of knowledge. If you go to any grocery store today, there is an array of supposedly “healthy” vegetarian foods, but most of these foods are over processed and contain high amounts of soy, gluten, sodium and other ingredients that wreak havoc on our digestive system.

There are many types of vegetarians according to today’s society. But I believe that a true & healthy vegetarian is a person who eats a diet consisting of unprocssed whole foods. Whole foods are fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, seeds, legumes, healthy fats and the occasional egg. If you think you are doing your body good by becoming a vegetarian while still eating cheese, yogurt, any kind of dairy, white flour, white sugar and processed “vegetarian” foods, you aren’t. You might as well still eat meat and chicken for that matter. Those choices are better than most of the heart clogging, high cholesterol cheeses and yogurts or the acidifying processed foods that will cause heart disease and a whole other ilk of health problems down the line.

If it’s an ethical issue to you, and you don’t care about health, than so be it. Yet anyone who does not care about their health and what they put in their mouth is looking for trouble in the long term. Your body is a temple and the only one you have while you are here. It’s important that you treat it with respect so that it works optimally to assist you in a long, happy and healthy life.

Ok, let’s talk about the different kinds of “vegetarians” (remember, a true vegetarian does not eat any animal flesh at all). A vegan on the other hand, eats absolutely NO animal products including eggs, honey, white sugar & dairy.

Vegetarian: Eats a plant based diet and does not eat red meat, chicken, pork or any other meat from an animal
Pescetarian: A vegetarian who eats fish
Lacto-Ovo Vegetarian: A vegetarian who eats dairy & eggs
Flexitarian (this is a newer type of Vegetarian): one who is a vegetarian but will occasionally eat fish or chicken
Total Vegetarian: does not eat any animal products including eggs, dairy, honey and sometime white sugar (some white sugar is processed with the ash of cow bones so it is not considered vegetarian)
Vegan: Eliminates all animal products from their life even clothing & shoes made from leather, wool or silk.

As I said earlier, many vegetarians can be extremely unhealthy and sometimes it takes a lot of planning to have this type of lifestyle. Eating pizza, nachos, or any other greasy foods that don’t contain meat is not the path to being a healthy vegetarian. Yes, sometimes those foods are easy to grab on the go, but these foods will leave you feeling bloated & tired, along with an array of other possible health problems. And, you will not get the necessary nutrients you need for your body as you would from eating whole foods.

If you are thinking about becoming a vegetarian or already are one, please remember that what you put into your mouth is the most important thing you can do for your body other than exercise. Be mindful of your choices. Eat lots of fresh veggies and fruit. Eat minimal amounts of processed foods. Take baby steps. Cut out one unhealthy food per week and add in a healthy one. If you are used to the Soy chicken nuggets or the frozen pizza from the freezer section, I urge you to rethink those choices and choose foods that are minimally processed. Make time each week to plan your meals.

Remember, having a healthy lifestyle takes work. It’s an investment in your health. You are worth the effort and commitment it takes to be healthy. Before you know it, it will become old hat and you will be feeling and looking better than you ever have in your life! The key to your success is Baby Steps! Have fun!!!

Eating Raw? What’s it all about? Is this some crazy fad or is it here to stay? Raw Foodists around the country believe that Raw food is the way; the way to healing, health, happiness, vitality and a long life. Can this really be true? Or are they pulling our celery stalks??

Many studies have been done over the years on the raw food way of life and it’s benefits. Most recently, a documentary was made called Raw for 30 Days. This film documents the lives of 6 participants with “incurable” Diabetes who go away to a Raw Food “camp” for 30 days to change their health and their life. Many of these participants are grossly overweight and in turn, have contracted diabetes and many other illnesses that prevent them from living their best life. At the end of these 30 days mostly all the participants diabetes was reversed and many were able to stop their insulin shots. All this from eating Raw food?? YES! It’s not to say that it was easy, but did it work? The results prove that it does.

Raw foods are ALIVE! These foods still contain all the live enzymes that your body needs to digest your food properly and use it optimally. When you are ingesting raw vegetables, nuts, seeds, fruits, beans, etc. your body is receiving peak nutritional value from your food. All the nutrients from these foods are still alive, because they haven’t been cooked away by heat or fire. In turn, your body uses this food as energy instead of storing it away as fat. You will feel lighter, lose weight and your skin will be clear and vibrant.

I know that this all sounds great, but is it easy? In my experience, the raw food way of eating can sometimes be a challenge. It does take time, thought & energy to eat this way. Eating cooked food is certainly the “norm” in our society and not many restaurants you go to have raw food choices. But that’s not to say that you can’t find them. This type of lifestyle is a choice that many make when they are ready, or if they have a severe health problem that needs addressing.

My school of thought is everything in moderation. I have gone 100% raw before, and I’ve felt the best I have ever felt in my life, but I realized that 100% raw does not work for me. I love HOT food. I love soup on a cold winters night, I love hot tea while sitting in front of a fire. My body is made up in such a way that it needs warmth and comfort from cooked whole foods, such as grains, steamed veggies, hearty vegetable stews, etc. So, I decided to adapt a diet with a combination of raw and cooked foods. I eat about 40-50% raw depending on the time of year and the season. In the spring and summer, I find it much easier to eat raw due to the abundance of fresh fruits (which I LOVE) and veggies that I can find at the Farmer’s markets.

Ultimately, this type of eating is up to you. I say give it a try, but know that it’s a choice and an investment in your health. Take baby steps. Introduce new, raw foods into your diet every week, and see how you feel. You don’t want to set yourself up for failure by giving up all cooked food and going 100% raw to start. Your body will also probably rebel by giving you digestive problems, flatulence, etc until you can adjust to this lifestyle. Every time you change your way of eating, your body will react, so it’s best to go slow, do what works for you, but most importantly know that you are making a positive choice for your health and happiness.

For more on eating a whole foods diet, visit Missy’s web site at www.karmachow.com