I'm Going Over the Deep Edge

OK, so I'm obsessing about raw food lately.  I lie awake in bed thinking about how I can turn my favorite "junk food"(pizza, fries, mashed potatoes, cupcakes, donuts...) into a raw version, so I can eat them and still stick to my experiment of "can I lose weight on a raw food diet, without regulating how much I eat".  So far, I'm relying on the raw food experts who've been at this for many years because I don't have a clue how to mimic cooked foods.

Thank goodness, I added raw chef Juliano's dvds to my growing raw food library because he has a very simple and delicious mashed potato recipe.  He also has a mashed potato recipe in his "cook"book (RAW) that gave me an instant tummy ache (they call for 1/2 a cup of lemon juice and a tablespoon of garlic!) The NEW mashed potato recipe is crazy good and very simple.  2 cups of raw cauliflower (it doesn't have to be exact, I used about  2 1/2 cups), 2 cups of macadamia nuts (I used half cashew nuts...macadamias are VERY expensive!) and sea salt and pepper to taste (about a teaspoon of each).  The 2nd time I made them I didn't have macadamias on hand, so I used Brazil nuts and cashews (half and half).  They turned out, not as creamy, tasted more nutty, but still satisfying and good.  All you do is blend the nuts until smooth in a food processor, then put them in a bowl.  Chop up the cauliflower a little and whip that in the food processor, too.  Then mix the two together in a bowl and add the salt and pepper.  Drizzle with a little olive oil, swap out some of the nuts with pinenuts, add your favorite seasoning...experiment and have fun!  They taste even better the 2nd day and will last about 5 days in the fridge.

What I cannot get over is how quickly I get filled up with raw food AND how satisfying the food is (remember, I'm a devoted foodie, I love food and I have to enjoy most of my meals or ennui sets in quickly!).  Word on the street about raw food is that it delivers such deep nutrition that it satisfies more quickly and it extinguishes cravings and addictions over time (I find that I don't have any desire to forage for snacks at midnight and I did this frequently).  I will put a doll-sized portion of Juliano's marvelous mashed potatoes on my plate (2 or 3 rounded tablespoons) and I get very full from this weeny amount.  If they were real mashed potatoes, I could easily eat 2 cups...possibly more and not feel as sated as I do with the raw version.  Cauliflower is so good for you that I'm going to keep these magical raw "mashed potatoes" in my fridge as a quick snack.  Cauliflower is one of those amazing cruciferous vegetables and is known to be a good cancer preventative.  It is also high in antioxidants (C and manganese) and is excellent at reducing inflammation (high in K and omega-3 fatty acids), so make it a weekly staple!

Some of you might be wondering, hey what about all the fat in the nuts!  This is a controversial  topic for many.  Nuts are loaded with fat and some say they should be used sparingly.  Others say, as long as the nuts stay in their natural state (raw) and aren't roasted/cooked (changing the structure of the fat) your body can assimilate the fat way more easily, so enjoy your nuts!  And this is one of the very reasons I'm doing a weight loss experiment on myself, to get to the bottom of this nut mystery.  I'm eating nuts every day--nuts in my mashed potatoes, nuts in my lattes (better than half and half and any fake creamer on the market), nuts in my soups, and burgers, and wraps.  And so far the experiment seems to be working.  I'm not losing weight like Miss America right before the pageant, but I've lost 2 pounds in 3 weeks.  And this is a good thing.  My weekly weigh in is coming soon, stay tuned!

Go Raw, Lose Weight?

Like many people, I'm strolling around with unwanted pounds and like many of those same people, I LOATHE DIETS AND I LOATHE BEING HUNGRY & DEPRIVED!  So I've decided to be my own experiment on a brand new "diet" and I have the glowing redhead Judita Wignall to thank for being the catalyst.  I just ordered her colorful book, "Going Raw" and she says that simply by going 100% raw she dropped 15 unwanted pounds in 30 days.  Sign me up!

I realize that it is a crazy, outlandish amount to lose in such a short period of time, but who would be bothered by losing weight fast?  I chalk a portion of this rapid loss up to water weight and another portion to toxins being flushed out of the body quickly after being introduced to nutrient rich whole foods like raw cauliflower and the like.  The more I read about raw food, the more sense it makes to me.  The very least, I think, it is great to incorporate a jumbo size portion of raw into your diet and you'll start feeling the difference.  I do!

Also, worthy of mentioning—the founder of Planet Raw and the amazing raw chef, Juliano swears that you can eat until your heart's content, as long as it is raw, vegan, and hopefully organic.  He says you cannot get enough of the good stuff, and for him, that ranges from raw olive oil to raw macadamia nuts.  He's watched people lose weight by eating only his raw cheesecake all day.  I love this man!

At first, I thought a raw diet sounded like an alien endeavor, something not for me as I conjured up images of cold, uninviting salads of turnips and cabbage.  But oh, how wrong I am!  Judita's "cookbook" is filled with delightful and enticing recipes.  Some are a challenge to make and others are quick and easy and satisfying.  Juliano also has a brilliant cookbook (RAW), but the list of ingredients in many of his recipes would make any ambitious kitchen-dweller faint.

Where was I going with all this?  Oh, yeah....my new diet!  So far, I've been eating about 75% raw per day for about 3 weeks and I've lost 2 pounds.  OK, I'm WAY behind Judita, but I'm also enjoying wine with dinner ( I'm not sure if that factors into her day), I'm not 100% raw (yet!),  and I've rebelled a few times and have had mac n' cheese from a box.  Judita does not mention what she ate during those 30 days or how much she exercised, BUT none of this matters since she simply states that after "one month of eating 100 percent raw I lost 15 pounds, eliminated arthritis, and lifted my depression."  And that's good enough for me!

I have to admit that I've made my raw journey a bit easier by investing in a Vitamix high-speed blender and Excalibur dehydrator.  These are two great pieces of equipment, essential, in my opinion, to do a lot of yummy raw food, but totally not necessary, especially if you're really creative in the kitchen.  For weeks, I was without these items and I did fine with my Kitchenaid blender (sauces to smoothies to soups), a sharp knife, and lots of imagination.  I'd whip up a raw cheese with cashews, slice up an avocado and throw this into a cabbage leaf with a variety of chopped veggies and herbs and voila, I had a "burrito".  In thought, the cabbage leaf sounded awful to me, but it was shockingly satisfying and not the least bit cabbagey.  I also have to remind myself that to poo-poo something before I try it is silly and short-sighted, potentially robbing me of new great possibilities.

I hope to go 100% raw in the next few weeks (eating whatever I desire, as long as it is raw, vegan, and mostly organic) and really put Judita's weight-loss statement to the test, but for now after 3 weeks of spring rolls and banana deserts with raw cacao and never once feeling deprived, I'm pretty happy with my 2 pound weight loss.

'Tis the Season to Plant a Garden

One of my only experiences with gardening was a few years ago when I planted a variety of organic, heirloom vegetables, from swiss chard to cauliflower.  I nursed and cherished my garden like a baby and just when the little sprouts started to look like real veggies, a mysterious collection of  beetles descended upon them--covering every inch of green; they remained until there was barely anything left.  You'd think this would make me avoid planting a garden like I avoid doing my taxes, but I feel compelled to try again because I know how soul-enriching it will be to have an intimate connection to some of my food.  Also, my mom just bought me several varieties of collard green plants, so I must start planting!  I'm hoping if I plant enough, there will be plenty for both me and the bugs!  Sure, I could spray my garden with chemicals and keep the bugs at bay, but this goes against everything I stand for.  I don't believe in killing other beings, no matter how annoying they might be and  I certainly don't want to be ingesting toxic chemicals.  There are already enough in our air and water, so we all get plenty involuntarily!

In addition to my variety of collards in my platning bed, I'm going to try some container gardening.  A friend of mine grows herbs and lettuce in cute little pots and it's the easiest thing to maintain and gives her a surprisingly large harvest for the season.  The one successful stint at gardening I had was a few potted pepper plants that gave us an abundance of hot peppers all summer long and into the fall last year.  Gardening on this scale is manageable for everyone and it can be done almost anywhere.  Container gardening is also easy on your back!

OK, so I planted my collards a few weeks ago when they were only 2 inches tall and like magic they have trippled in size.  The only chore, which I don't even consider a chore, is to water them and to pull a weed or two that is growing near them  I also have a secret weapon this time around, Mycorrhizal fungi!  The following is an excerpt from the amazingly magical website:  Fungi Perfecti. If you want incredible vegetables and plants then read on!  "Mycorrhizal fungi are fungi that have developed a symbiotic (mutually beneficial) relationship with the root systems of living plants, from garden vegetables all the way up to Old Growth trees. Networks of mycorrhizal filaments envelop the seedling's root structure, greatly extending and enhancing (by a factor of several hundred to several thousand times) the growing plant's water- and nutrient-gathering abilities and protecting the plant from disease.  Sadly, modern techniques for clearing and developing land for human use destroy mycorrhizal fungi, reducing the ability of plants to thrive in man-made environments and forcing us to resort to fertilizers and other artificial means of promoting plant growth."  So buy some MycoGrow from Fungi Perfecti and watch your plants truly thrive.  I guarantee my collards are shooting up twice as fast because of this wonderful little helper.

"When the world wearies and society ceases to satisfy, there is always the garden.”

 --Minnie Aumonie

We Are All Connected

With great relief I finished the Penguin Lives' book, Julia Child last night. Relief because I knew Julia had a pension for eating animals(she was the French Chef!), but I was amazed by her conscious disregard for them her entire life.  Towards the end of the book the author shares that Julia relished hacking up a whole chicken, timing herself while doing it, and with pragmatic glee would nail an eel to a board, so she could skin it more easily.  At this point I was reading with only one eye open and praying, hoping, assuming that the eel was not alive while this was taking place.   After reading the last page, I put the book down and marveled at Julia's unbelievable disconnect with other sentient beings.  Unintentionally, this book makes her seem like a barbarian and unlike other biographies that I have read and that have endeared me to the person more, this one makes me want to say "shame on you" to Julia when I stroll into heaven.

I picked the book up one day because Julia seemed like an interesting person and like Julia, I too have a passion for food even if we split at the fork in the road that divides carnivores and vegetarians (I must confess, I'm not 100% vegetarian.  Occasionally I go bonkers and need a little fish, but this may even change soon after I read the article my mother just gave me about Red Snappers and how clever they are).

Now, I'm not going to jam anything down anyone's throat—I did this enough in my early twenties as a vegan animal activist, alienating family during the holidays, and sporting, very often, my "I don't have any spare ribs" piggy peta t-shirt—but I just have to say that I'm totally astounded when people continue to liberally eat meat today knowing what we all know (or should know) about the horrific cruelty and greed of factory farming.  It is so wrong on so many levels and with the movies, Fast Food Nation and Food Inc. readily available, there is little room for excuse for not cutting back or cutting meat out of our diet all together.

Now, my husband loves meat and he's not alone, just watch the food channel for 20 minutes—meat, meat, meat—I love meat too, as a matter of fact, but its just that I prefer it intact on a live animal more than I want it on my plate.  My husband rescues sickly squirrels and other wildlife with me and we chase down stray dogs,  but he draws the line when it comes to his burgers and I am OK with it as long as we get the meat at our local, humanely raised, organic butcher (personally I think the "humane" part stops at the slaughter bit, but apparently there are more humane ways to do this part of the dirty work).

I actually prepare his meat for him and my vegan friends are astonished, but I've mellowed a bit as I have gotten older and I don't think this is a bad thing because I've noticed this mellowing has inspired more change in the ones around me than the angry vegan activist in me ever did.

What am I trying to say with all this?  It's as simple as the title says—we are all connected and this should be tucked closely to our hearts when we make decisions in our lives, from ordering the chicken salad to buying the bargain price shoes that perhaps a little girl assembled in Tawain.  Conscious choices make the world a better place and I'm going to strive to make more of them and I hope you do, too!

Forget the Grout and Sing with the Birds!

My sanity is being challenged these days...well, not really, but I like to be dramatic. I don't know about you, but I have a "to do list" that I need to start calling the "neverending-will-not-all-get-done-in-one-lifetime list." I have mountains of laundry, kitchen grout that needs to be scrubbed, letters that need to be written, yoga poses that need to be drawn and oh, yeah performed, and old relatives to visit before they die.

But as Spring starts to peek around the corner and I see buds appearing on the trees, I'm reminded of the beauty in this world and slowing down to enjoy it is key. But how, with my never-ending-to-do-list? Easy I say, just stop giving a hoot! I admit, I don't always achieve this state, but when I do a weight lifts off my shoulders and there's a spring in my step—who cares if the grout is grey? Who cares if I wear dirty socks?

I've also discovered invaluable timesavers. "Like with Like" and "Blender Soups." How many times do you look for something and cannot find it? I have saved myself hours by following one simple rule—keep everything together that is in the same category. Cameras go with albums and frames and camera straps and bags and photo corners. Mailing stuff from stamps to envelopes to pens to confetti to tape all go together. This might seem obvious to many of you (bravo for you!), but for me it was a lifesaver.

I also like to eat healthy, most of the time, but don't always like to cook, so I make blender soups. I bung everything from onions to kale to frozen lima beans to carrots into a pot of simmering water and bouillon cubes (Rapunzell are my favorite) and when the flavors have mingled and the veggies softened just a bit,  I whip it in the blender. To make the soup seem less naked, I lay a thinly sliced piece of toasted peasant bread on top. It is quite satisfying. And what makes it heaven for me is how quick it is to make—I can sloppily cut up all of my ingredients because at the end of cooking, the oddly shaped, tangled mess gets thrown into a blender and transforms into a fine puréed soup.

Happy Spring to everyone and please do ignore the dirty grout and get out in nature and sing with the birds!

"Climb the mountains and get their good tidings. Nature's peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees. The winds will blow their own freshness into you and the storms their energy, while cares will drop off like autumn leaves."

—John Muir

Do Yoga—Be Happy! Be Happy—Do Yoga!

Where does the time go? Why doesn't it sit quietly and patiently next to us until we have finished what we set out to do? ONLY 17 DAYS LEFT for my Rescuegirl giveaway (see post below). Also, please do consider donating a wee bit o' gold to http://causecommandos.com and you'll get a FREE yoga deck for a $50 donation! (Image from new iPhone app, YogaBeauty ©2010Amy Luwis)

Yoga on the Go iPhone Apps!

26 days left for my fabulously awesome giveaway--Yoga to the Rescue yoga decks to over-sized organic Rescuegirl totes to my new YogaBeauty app (see photo) that will make you more beautiful, inside and out. Just become a facebook fan. Already a fan? Send me a message--easy peasy details in last post!

The Greatest Contest in the Galaxy...and the Easiest!

What do women love almost as much as chocolate? FREEBIES!
RescueGirl is celebrating the new decade with a fabulous giveaway...

Here's the nifty loot that will be given away!!!

3 copies of RescueGirl's bestselling yoga deck, Yoga to the Rescue ($19.95srp)
3 RescueGirl organic boat totes ($36srp)
3 RescueGirl NEW YogaBeauty iPhone Apps ($3.99srp)
3 RescueMe! Flashcard Sets ($9.95srp)

Contest Details:
1. Become a Rescuegirl Fan on Facebook, it's simple, costs nothing, and has no calories: http://www.facebook.com/OriginalRescuegirl and click "Become a Fan." If you are already a fan, just send me a message and you'll be included in the contest!
2. Contest expires: February 28, 2010.
3. Random Drawing and Winners announced March 1, 2010.
4. Prizes will ship as soon as the winners spill the beans or send us their address.

Namaste and Good Luck!

Simple, Fun Tarot

I just bought the niftiest tarot card set by Kat Black (can that really be her real name?). I've wanted to buy a set for years after a friend did a reading for me; I finally got around to it yesterday (I always need a little extra "kick" to do something and the "kick" this time was an article about Tarot in my local Pathways magazine (Metaphysical Tarot and the Law of Gratitude by Geraldine Amaral). This is what caught my eye: "NO KNOWLEDGE OF TAROT REQUIRED." OK, I'm in!

Geraldine shares a simple and fun game called "Gifts & Gratitude." You can play this with 2 people, but 3 or more is ideal. Using 1 Tarot deck, shuffle the deck and then give each person 5 cards, including the dealer (face down). Look at all 5 cards. One person starts and the rest follow, one at a time for each card:

Card 1: Pull 1 card and let the imagery guide you, ask yourself, "what am I currently grateful for in my life?" Explain what you are grateful for to the group (group can add their thoughts too). Place card in front of you. Player 2, 3, and so on...take their turn.

Card 2 (wild card): Focus your energy inward and shuffle your remaining 4 cards. Pick one card with eyes closed and show it to the group (you don't look at it). The group then tells you what they see in regards to your life.

Card 3: Give one of your remaining cards to anyone (even someone you don't know) in the group (using your intuition) tell them how this card reflects their gifts and talents and why you appreciate and admire them.

Card 4: Pick one of your two remaining cards and give this to someone in the group and explain why you are giving it to them—something you wish for them? a gift you intuit for them? something you think they need in their life at this moment?

Card 5: Choose any of your 5 cards. Let it guide you to answer this question, "how can I best use my gifts to contribute something positive to the world?". Other players can add their comments.

Last bit: Once everyone has had a turn with their five cards, lay all your cards in front of you (the first card you kept at the beginning and the cards that were given to you); see which one draws you in and speaks to you the most. This one card should suggest an affirmation that will keep you focused on gratitude in your life. Consider this your tarot reading for the day!

Just have to share....
Eckhart Tolle said, "If the only prayer you ever utter is 'thank you,' that will be enough."

"As a person thinks, so she is. Negative thoughts will draw in negative experiences. All that you accomplish or fail to accomplish with your life is the direct result of your thoughts." —James Allen
Illustration, Queen of Wands by rockin' Kat Black from her Golden Tarot Deck which took 1500 hours to complete!

Who Needs CarrotsWhen You Have Donuts?

Carrot or Donut? This will be the big question as I crawl toward 2010 in a sugar coma, hopefully soon my kale salads will beckon me once again (kale, cut very finely is amazingly delicious in salads and packed with magical goodness). Happy, super nova New Year to everyone!

This is the Season of Giving.

Let's give these shelter dogs a second chance...
URGENT - Foster Homes NEEDED!! (If you live anywhere near Virginia)

We've visited the shelter. The shelter is not only full, but cages are overflowing with dogs.

Hard decisions will have to be made that shouldn't have to be made at this time of year.....

Please share this information with ANYONE who can help with fostering

ANY BREED of dog as this will open up one of our kennels for a pit bull or another dog.

Please contact us IMMEDIATELY if you can foster or know someone who can.

Bully Paws and Rescuegirl thanks you in advance for considering opening your home to a dog in need.

www.bullypaws.org

bullypawsrescue@gmail.com

Legs up the Wall Pose for Sanity & Serenity!
(I'm going to be doing this pose a lot through the stressful holidays & I cannot recommend it enough).

I love my life, I love my family, I love my snowflake earrings (but already lost one), and my smashing new nail color (gunmetal grey), and my bills are paid (sort of), but somehow stress seems to always creep into the picture this time of year. I thought I could bypass it by getting gifts early and writing holiday
cards in November, but the universe still ushered in heaps of chaos and
stress. William James said the most profound thing he ever learned is that if you change your outlook, then you can change your world. So, I am determined to do Legs up the Wall Pose for at least 20 minutes a day until January 2010 and this will transform my stress into serenity.

I need this pose now more than ever, holiday stress coupled with pitch black darkness by 5pm and frost on the end of my nose beckons fatigue, anxiety, and sadness all of which will be alleviated with this simple pose. Exhausted? Freaked? Sad? Overwhelmed? Go upside-down I say and melt this stuff away!

This pose has such profound restorative qualities that it has gained the nickname "fountain of youth" and few poses actually have the dual magical effects of soothing and energizing like this pose does.

Use a bolster or several folded blankets on top of a sticky mat for this pose (your derriere should hang off the support a tiny bit, but if you have any tension in your tummy or lower back you are hanging off the support too much). The sticky mat is key because you can tuck your shoulders a little underneath your back and relax without them sliding out of position—this action will help open your chest which is key to diminishing depression.

It helps to strap a belt around your thighs just above your knees before getting into the pose—this allows you to surrender more fully into the pose and relax more completely rather than focusing on keeping your legs together.

While in this pose:

• Eyes closed.
• Release any tension in your face.
• Release any tension in your body.
• Lengthen your spine.
• Sink into the floor.
• Calm and even breathing.
• Point heels toward the sky.
• Let go of anger and worry.
• Only loving, kind thoughts.

May your holidays be full of laughter and joy and Legs up the Wall posing!
(Illustrations from my new iPhone app, YogaBeauty...coming soon)

EXFOLIATE! DETOX! GLOW!

I'm a voracious reader of self-improvement books. At the moment I have a stack of books next to my bed that, if toppled, could break my nose. I'm reading about everything from, cholesterol and the heart (I'm starting to believe statin drugs are just another slick pharmaceutical campaign--more on that later) to growing my own pharmacy (I started with wormwood, not sure why...maybe I should figure out how to make my own absinthe?).

Anyway, when I read the same thing 3 or more times from different reputable sources, I start to really prick up my ears. Recently, dry brushing kept cropping up all over the place, so I bought myself a Sisal body brush and have been religiously dry brushing my body for more than 30 days every morning. At first, I thought I was just imagining all the great benefits, but after 30 days of observation, I'm a believer and I'm hooked! Dry brushing my body is like brushing my teeth now; it energizes me in the morning, makes my skin über soft, my leg hair grows more slowly and comes in more soft AND the best part, my jiggly bits are a bit firmer.

I now refer to my Sisal brush as my magic wand and I plan to travel with it!

Dry brushing (not to be confused with wet brushing and scrubbing in the shower) stimulates your lymphatic system (the system responsible for eliminating toxins) and it encourages new cell growth.

Skin brushing 101:
Economical spa treatement—you can get a good quality body brush for under $10 dollars.Dry brush in the morning before getting dressed.

Start at your toes—brush with firm, sweeping strokes toward your heart. Always brush toward your heart which encourages blood and lymphatic flow.

Spend a little extra time brushing over your lymphnodes (located at the back of your knees, the groin area, your armpits and your neck).

Also spend a little extra time on your jiggly bits (if you have any)—brush in a circular motion on these parts. I pretty much attack these areas like I'm scrubbing a burnt, greasy pot or pan. The experts say over-brushing causes skin to turn red and become irritated, but I'm not one to ever do something carefully or in moderation and I have sensitive, fair skin, and I brush like a maniac and my skin is fine. I don't, however, brush my neck or face which need a softer brush.

Unless you get a brush with a handle or enlist your partner, reaching your whole back will take some limber arms. I could ask my husband to brush the wee bit of my back that I miss, but there is something a bit too geriatric about it, so I don't.

When I feel like skipping a day because I'm in a rush or just plain lazy, I remind myself that my dear, little lymph nodes filter out all the dead bacteria, viruses, and other dead tissue from the lymphatic fluid and eliminate it from my body, so stimulating them with a dry brush is the least I can do. And it will only take you about 2 or 3 minutes.

Brush shown is the one I have—the bristles are a bit more stiff than other brushes, so I can get a good scrub!

HOLIDAY HELPER!  

We all need a boost of energy and sanity during the holiday season....

I don't know about you, but my mom has been baking cookies like a Keebler elf (only much better tasting) and I'm finding my energy dropping like a lead balloon because I'm tasting each one of them more than once!  Thank goodness for the Spinal Roll, doing this simple yoga movement is a good morning wake up and also a good nightcap for relaxing before bed.  It is also a cheap way to get a massage on your spine...perfect for a recession.

I love the fact that it is so simple a child or gorilla could do it (and they often do!).  It is also great for keeping our bodies youthful, a must for those of us pushing 40 or past it. 

Here is how to do it:

1.  Sit at the end of a well padded surface (thick carpet, exercise pad, folded blankets, a bed of marshmellows-anything to cushion your spine).  

2.  Bend your knees and clasp your hands under them.

3.  Bend your head forward.

4.  Keep your spine rounded and gently roll back and forth (straighten your legs a bit as you swing back and then bend them again as you swing forward--this will keep you rolling!).

Don't roll back too far on your neck and don't rock too slowly.

Do the spinal roll 4 to 6 times, then stop and lie down on your back and take a few deep breaths.  Notice how invigorated your spine feels.

Here are a few of the Benefits from this marvelous and fun exercise:

• Massages ALL the vertebrae in your neck and spine.
  
• Makes the spine more flexible, lively, and youthful.
  
• Washes away morning drowsiness and stiffness.
  
• Relaxes the whole nervous system-great for insomnia!
  

Illustrations from my upcoming Christmas iphone app, YogaBeauty.

'TIS THE SEASON TO STOP PUPPY PIMPS!!!
NYC residents please download/print this flyer and give to anyone planning on buying a puppy this holiday season-ADOPTION is the only way to go!!! Don't live in NYC? I can customize this flyer, please contact me.

Holiday Madness!!! In the spirit of one of my most favorite holidays (truth be told I love any holiday), Rescuegirl.com is offering limited edition Life is Messy & Magical pins FREE (and you get a bunch, not just one or two!) with any purchase and all of my greeting cards are 1/2 price.

Yahooooo! An award!
RescueGirl iPhone / iPod Touch Apps receive "Hottest" medal award on iPhone Apps Plus!

"Hottest" medal is awarded to applications which are of good quality and are major topic of discussion in a certain period of time.

Got Facebook? Click the little "become a fan" button to connect with RescueGirl here:
RescueGirl on Facebook


I've also updated the sidebar to include all of the fabulous RescueGirl apps available on iTunes, to make them easier for you to find! You can also check them out directly on iTunes here!

OK, so it has been 30 days between posts, but I've been lost in the world of the Natalia Rose program. I juice a lot, but not as much as Natalia says you should (she suggests you start each day with fresh pressed veggie juice which would be fine if I lived on a farm). I start each day with hot lemon water and manage to start a few days of the week with fresh veggie juice. I've never been one to follow anyone's program to the letter and Natalia is no exception to my stubborn rule. She inspired me to think a lot more about what I put into my body even though my diet was already pretty healthy. I now eat vegetables for breakfast, have eliminated coffee (I thought this would be near impossible and it wasn't) and have swapped copious amounts of brown rice and breads for more vegetables! I've lost weight, but that isn't the thrilling part, the thrilling part is my new super-sized energy and zippy, positive outlook. I now look at people who drink coffee and quietly think "poor souls just wait for the 4pm crash"; I want to slap those cups of coffee out of their hands and urge them to see the light or at least see the herbal tea bag at the end of the tunnel.

I also love the fact that I can eat all I want of certain things (yes, I'm a foodie!). This recipe requires a juicer, but if you don't have a juicer buy some pre-made carrot juice. It is called Pumpkin Pie in a Bowl and Natalia says it is her customers' favorite and I see why (my husband loves it too). Put 4 cups of carrot juice into a blender along with 1/2 an avocado, 1 medium sized peeled, chopped sweet potato, 4 pitted dates, 1/2 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice. Blend until thoroughly mixed. It tastes divine and you can eat as much as you want...jackpot! It is loaded with fiber and enzymes and so much goodness. But wait!!! Since I don't follow anything to the letter, that means I also don't follow recipes, so to the above I add about 2 Tablespoons of ginger (I juice it but you could mince it and put it into the blender). I also add a whole avocado because I know the other half will sit in my fridge and get brown (it gives the soup a real creaminess). Also, I think Natalia has a major sweet tooth (she puts stevia in EVERYTHING which is insane), so you don't need 4 dates, (I thought it was too sweet with four), so I only add 3. And if you are wondering, it really does taste like pumpkin pie without the crust! Sprinkle graham crackers or ginger snaps on top if you want more of a pumpkin pie taste!

Hello fabulous Rescuegirls! As I stare at this blank screen and watch the flashing cursor, I realize that I have not written in so long and I just don't know where to begin!!

I've been working on Yoga to the Rescue II and helping my brother revamp his website; he founded a nonprofit children's adoption organization, so it is hard to say "no" to him even though I'm so busy and often tired.

But I have a new plan and this is where I will start! Saying "no" to amazing things like helping my brother and trying to find homes for rescue dogs would break my heart, but I'm totally nackered (British for being f-----g tired as hell), soooooo I need to supersize my energy throughout the day in order to accomplish more--brilliant! After researching and reading for weeks, I stumbled upon the "guru" that is going to truly turn me into superwoman. Her name is Natalia Rose, a clinical nutritionist with a great spirit and a pretty awesome approach to food and living: www.detoxtheworld.com. I just bought her book, Raw Food Life Force Energy, and I'm going to start her 21 day plan on Friday.

What I love about her approach is she's laid back. Unlike other raw foodies who think cooked food is toxic garbage, Natalia incorporates sprouted breads, baked yams, lovely dark chocolate and even goat cheese! But this isn't the only reason I will be worshipping at the alter of Natalia for the next 21 days, Natalia also has this food combining thing that makes so much sense. She combines food to make it easily digestible, as well as PH balanced. I didn't realize that most of our diets are highly acidic (sugars, processed foods, animal products) and acid is a breeding ground for disease! So Natalia keeps you nice and alkalized, keeping your PH happy! She also makes sense with food combining. I always wondered why I would feel tired or bloated eating certain foods together and now I know why! Yesterday, I did as much of her suggestions as I could and for the first time I was not tired by 5pm. She does have a fondness for the scary "colonics", but hey, she makes a lot of good points, so many in fact that one day I may just go get one....maybe.

One last awesome thing, is you eat your biggest meal at night. I have always tried and failed to make my evening meal light like many experts say, but to me, dinner is a celebration, a time to unwind and share with loved ones....I cannot see doing this over breakfast. So that bit makes me really happy too.

On another note, my hubby won a shredding contest (I'm so proud!) and thank goodness he's abandoned the acoustic for the electric because it's much cooler:

I wish everyone a happy, healthy, magical Fall and I'll check in after a few days on Natalia's program!