Vol. 1, Issue 15: October 4, 2007 From The Desk of The Divas
Canadian Thanksgiving is right around the corner, and we know how hard it can be to stick with a new health regime in the midst of holiday traditions of less than ideal foods especially when they are combined with the emotional ties to family and childhood. It is a challenging time for a budding raw foodie! During this time, we encourage you to keep your committments to yourself, and also, not to beat yourself up over any indulgences. One step at a time! The Raw Food Diet is a process, and positive thinking is so much more productive than focusing on slips. This week's article talks about that process and we hope it will offer you some new thoughts and ideas for succeeding with your raw journey. For some extra help, we invite everyone to join us in The Raw Divas Sisterhood. The support of a community of like-minded individuals at all stages in their raw transformations can be just the holiday life-line you need to keep going strong! This is the perfect time, because the price is going to go up on October 6th, so don't miss out! For those who really want to go for the gold over the holiday season, our Cravings Program is almost ready to be unveiled! If you'd like to be the first to know when it is available, click here. In the meantime, we've responded to your requests for a 7 Day Detox Menu Planner. 7 days of low-fat, fun and detox friendly recipes await you!
Juicy Treats: Simple Lettuce Wrap
Diced tomato, cuke and sweet onion with a squirt from half a lime. Nice big crisp romaine outer leaves and a little avocado. I smear the avocado on the leaf and then spoon on the chopped salad and roll the leaf up. This is a juicy mess...but pure bliss.
Save the liquid from soaked sun-dried tomatoes or dates. When you need water for your recipe use the soaked water for added flavor.
Feature Article: 5 Simple Steps to Transition to a Raw Food Diet
Ultimately, we believe that the best way to judge the value of anything is by the results that it gives when you APPLY it to YOUR life. That means moving beyond testimonials and taking your own action to get first-hand experience on the subject. Here are five simple steps to transition you toward a Raw Food Diet and allow you to start experiencing some of the proclaimed benefits of this way of life right now, without having to worry about embracing the extremes of the raw food diet before you're ready. Step One: Start Your Morning Off With a Simple Fruit Breakfast
It’s even better if you wait until you feel genuinely hungry before you eat your first meal. You’ll be able to recognize your true hunger, because it’s got a pulling and persistent character to it. You’ll salivate and be hungry for ANYTHING! Most people mistake detox symptoms of headache, stomach rumblings and irritability for hunger, but this is not natural hunger. It’s detox! A simple breakfast of fresh fruit, eaten only when you’re actually hungry, is the first step. With this one simple step, you should immediately start to notice a big difference in your health and energy! Step Two: A Feast of Greens
We’re not talking about a little side-dish, here! We’re talking about a satisfying meal! You can put the ENTIRE head of lettuce in, and load it with sprouts, veggies, cherry tomatoes, fruits, seeds, or whatever else tickles your taste buds. You might even want to go out and get yourself some big new bowls that defy the standard proportions of a salad. Try this green feast as your evening meal. A lighter evening meal makes for a more restful sleep and easier weight loss. Step 3: Choose Simpler Cooked Foods
Chances are, you're only having one or two cooked meals a day at this point. All you need to do for step 3 is gradually improve the quality of the foods you choose at these meals. Try to choose cooked foods that are close to their natural state. For example, instead of pizza or a dish of pasta and sauce, go for steamed broccoli or baked potatoes! Try having a meal of just simply cooked vegetables and gradually eliminate cheeses, grains, meats and processed foods from your diet. (To learn more about why grains aren’t recommended as part of the natural human diet see our previous article.) An easy way to figure out which foods are best, start asking yourself if the food you're putting on your plate makes sense in terms of a natural human diet. We’re not talking about nutritional analysis, just basic anatomy and common sense. Ask yourself: “What would I have to do in nature to get this food on my plate?”
And while I say that, I do think that the idea of catching a fish, or a bird and cooking it over a primitive fire isn’t unrealistic. So if you’re choosing between a piece of grilled meat and steamed veggies, or a plate of vegetarian lasagna… I’d have to say skip the lasagna. It just makes sense! (Just remember, if you are going to choose meats, than please take into consideration the ethical issues surrounding excessive consumption of animal products and support ethical producers.) Whatever you’re eating, start to choose cooked foods that makes sense in terms of human consumption. If you can commit to this, you will experience a dramatic difference in the way you feel eating them. Step Four: Eliminate Seasonings, Heavy Sauces and Spices At this stage, you will likely already be experiencing tremendous health benefits and you may even decide to stick with eating a fruit breakfast, a big salad meal and one cooked meal of healthy foods. What you may already have noticed, is that most of the cooked foods we eat require a significant amount of seasonings, sauces and spices for them to be tasty to us. Now is the time to rehabilitate your natural sense of taste and open up a whole new world of flavor sensations and perceptions by eliminating salt, spices, and heavily seasoned sauces. If you’ve been drenching your salads in oils and dressings, why not look into some healthy raw dressings, or even just stick to citrus juice and something light. Start reducing your fat intake, and avoiding too many nuts, avocados and oils on your salads. You may need to increase your consumption of some fruits and sprouts to feel satisfied, and that is a great way to get even more nutrients in your diet! At this stage in the game, you’re likely to naturally become less interested in cooked foods, realizing how sweet, juicy, succulent, colorful, and fresh raw foods are, and how good you feel eating more of them. Once you manage to liberate your plate and body from excessive spices, sauces and salts, then you’re ready for Step Five! Step Five: GO RAW!
Take the plunge! Just wake up, look at yourself in the mirror and say, “This is the day I GO RAW!” It’s really that easy. It’s just a decision. You just decide and then do what it takes to make it happen. Of course, we know that it’s much easier and enjoyable to do this in the company of good friends and with the support and guidance of others. You can read dozens of stories of people who transformed their lives and their health on our 30 Body Enlightenment System here! A Final Word of Advice Whatever you do, however you do it, walk your own path and walk it with pride! Only you know what feels best for you. Take one step at a time and trust the process. Most of us have eating habits and food issues that trace back a long time. While some people may have overnight transformations, the rest of us are engaged in a process of constantly working towards new and improved levels of health, energy, and personal awareness! Walk your own path and have a wonderful time doing it!
The Divas Recommend:
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If you would like to send The Raw Divas feedback, suggest a "Health in High Heels Newsletter" topic, or ask a question that could be featured in a future issue of "Health in High Heels", please do not hesitate to send us a message customerservice@therawdivas.com. Please note that we are unable to offer medical advice.
Missed an issue? See the archives! |
Welcome to the latest issue of Health in High Heels! As our subscribers keep growing, we are proud to welcome nearly 2000 Raw Divas to our community. Thank you to everyone who has introduced their friends and family to what we are doing. With so many positive testimonials coming our way, we are thrilled to be making a positive difference in the health of so many!
I fell in love with a simple lettuce wrap: 
Kitchen Tips: Waste Not, Want Not #1
We know how amazing it is to read and be inspired by the stories of those who have transformed their health and their lives by applying the principles of the raw food diet. People have enjoyed everything from liberation of degenerative diseases and chronic illness, to weight loss, increased energy, and an increasingly endless list of perks and benefits. If you’ve just stumbled upon the Raw Food Diet, and are inspired, but don’t know where to start, then this article is for you!
Skip the croissant and pastries, forget the bacon and eggs, and just stick with some simple, cleansing fruit to start your day. It’s a great way to hydrate your body in the morning, and the cleansing nature of the fruit allows you to continue the detox that happens during the night while you sleep.
Once you’ve successfully incorporated your fruit breakfast into your routine and lifestyle, then it’s time for the Mega-Salad Meal!
At this stage, if you’ve been implementing a fruit breakfast and a giant salad once a day, then you’re two thirds of the way there! Now all you have to do is start observing your cooked food choices and taking a few steps to simplify and improve them.
Personally we’d forage for fruits, berries and likely chew on a whole lot of grasses before I got hungry or desperate enough to chase down a cow and steal her milk, or stick my teeth into a rabbit or a slimy fish. I’d never, EVER bother wasting my time getting a handful of edible foodstuffs from a field of grains.
That’s right! Just DO IT!
You know the 7 Day Diva Detox,
