View outside my office window Thursday morning
As I sit here Thursday morning, I am feeling a burst of incredible sense of gratitude that it only made sense for me to write it NOW rather than waiting until later.
I HAVE SO MUCH TO SHARE WITH YOU. Let me start off by saying that for some reason, I’m feeling indescribably clear-headed with full energy coursing throughout my body. While I peck away at the keyboard, I am looking outside and witnessing the emergence of a gorgeous, sunny Fall Day. Nothing compares to looking at crystal blue skies with the sun spilling every-which-way! I’m so grateful that we can be blessed with something equally accessible to everyone – THE SUN! It just amazes me how the sun can be out in full force like that, giving everything life-sustaining energy.
Okay folks, I am so excited about writing this week’s gratitude post because I’ve been blessed in numerous ways. It has me on a natural high – better than smoking a cigar! Let’s get started, shall we?
The Decision to Reconnect with My Inner Self
Vita-Mix Blender 5200
You all know I embarked on a raw food journey on September 9, 2008. Well, GOSH, I’ve learned so much since that day. AND I’M STILL LEARNING.
After reading up on numerous articles online, I went out and plunged down almost $500 for a Vita-Mix Blender that I use almost every day to make my morning green smoothies. A few of you have asked me to share my smoothie recipe, which I’ll give at the end, okay?
I cannot begin to tell you how this has radically changed my life, especially from the inside out. A friend from the area thinks I’ve gone bonkers. I think she’s scared of me now because we haven’t spoken all week. LOL.
While I cannot exactly pinpoint how I began the raw food lifestyle, the more I think about it, the more I realize this is something I felt divinely called to do in order to take my potential to the next level. I believe that God has called me to do something without realizing what it was that I was doing.
Reconnecting with my inner spirit.
Basically, I’ve been on an internal cleanse of sorts. Releasing a whole bunch of toxins stored inside my body, mind and spirit. While I was never “obese,” I did let myself go to the point where I wasn’t caring much about what I was eating. I also let myself subscribe to the ridiculous belief that because I was over 40, it was “normal” to have a potbelly. So, I thought, “Who cares? It’s normal!”
Because of that defeatist attitude, I stopped working out and lost all motivation to exercise. There were days when I would literally drag myself to the gym but then once I got there, I hardly pushed myself. I would just go in for a quickie workout and then murmur to myself, “There, I just visited the gym. That counts for something, right?”
One day at the beginning of the summer, I looked at the mirror and truly didn’t like what I was seeing. I was almost at 180 lbs – not obese but a bit over the edge for my 5′ 7″ frame. That’s when I made a firm decision to do something about it. I discovered the “Tim Ferris Diet” which I experimented with for 30 Days and reported the results here (see “30 Day Experiments” in the sidebar). Little did I know that this experiment was preparing me for something else entirely – the raw food adventure.
Remember my famous quote, “We are life’s perpetual trainees”?? Yep, that’s right. Throughout our life, we are constantly preparing ourselves for what’s to come. You and I are trainees for life. How’s that for a different way of thinking?
So I’m very grateful for this new journey because not only have I witnessed myself eliminating excess body weight (I now weigh 154.5, the lowest in a long time!) but I’ve also noticed that I appear to be much more clear headed. There’s no sense of fogginess or feelings of sluggishness – NONE AT ALL. I feel as if I can tackle the world!
Last week I hinted that I was planning a visit to a local Hydrocolonic Therapist and then tell you about it. Some of you were like, “Nah, leave that one out” while others were egging me on.
Like it or not, here it is ladies and gentlemen!
Take the Garbage Out! – A Visit with a Hydrotherapist
Thanks to Natalia Rose of “The Raw Food Detox Diet” a seed was planted in my head to have a colonic cleansing. In an appropriately titled chapter, “You Need To Take the Garbage Out!”, she outlined different reasons why one might consider a visit with the hydrotherapist.
In that chapter, she gave the new raw foodist a couple of options including getting an over-the-counter enema kit, using a specially designed stool in the bathroom, deep breathing exercises, sweating it out (via physical fitness for example), dry brushing and visiting a specialized colon therapist.
Body Brush (Walmart)
Not only did I get myself a dry body brush (see photo), commenced deep breathing exercises and continued to sweat it out at the gym but I also made an appointment to see a therapist.
Hey, for those who know me, when I am committed, I GO ALL OUT!!! I’m like a locomotive train that cannot stop once it picks up speed. There’s no holding me back when I’m excited about something. That’s how I became very successful on Wall Street, the world’s first deaf instrument rated pilot (Feb 2006) and now a national motivational speaker.
By the way, I found myself laughing and smiling while reading Steve Pavlina’s amusing list: You Know When You Are a Raw Foodist When……. Check it out!
Anyway, because I never had a colonic done, I had no idea where to start looking for one. So I went totally on faith and trusted that I’d be led to the right place. First and foremost was that I wanted a certified hydrotherapist. No way I was going to visit some fly-by-night operation for something like this! I wanted to be administered by someone who knew what he/she was doing.
Colon Hydrotherapy Room at Crossroads Education and Wellness Center
I looked through the colonic network and found a couple of certified therapists in Canton, a 30 to 40 minute drive south of here. To my surprise, there weren’t any listed in my area. After checking out both of their websites, I emailed one of them and called the other.
I ended up speaking to Linda Clifton, a National Board Certified Colon Hydrotherapist at Crossroads Education and Wellness Center (website currently under renovation today). After talking with her for several minutes, I went with my intuition and ended up making an appointment to see her on Monday, October 20, 2008. Interestingly and synchronistically enough, the other therapist never responded to my email.
Let me tell you, it was an incredible, uplifting experience!! The moment I walked into Crossroads, I immediately knew I had done the right thing. The place was warm and inviting. The air was filled with a pleasant scent, reminding me of the incense I used in my own home. The walls were painted soft, relaxing colors and the receptionist was very friendly.
What confirmed my initial feelings was when I met Linda herself. Not only was she full of light and energy but she was super easy to lipread – a big deal to someone like me. She has a soft spoken way of speaking that easily reaches the depth of your heart, instantly putting you at ease. She carried out the procedure with remarkable efficiency and integrity. Not once did I feel my dignity violated.
What was interesting was that she commented several times throughout the procedure that I had one of the cleanest colons she had ever seen. At one point she looked at me and said, “You don’t really need me!”
When she said that, I knew I was in the midst of a genuine person with integrity. Here was someone who could have egged me on and suggested that I have 2 more cleanings and then “I’ll be good as new.” Not her.
She told me of clients who actually clogged her equipment that I was looking pretty darn good in comparison! Although I couldn’t tell immediately whether I benefited from the cleansing (since there was little to clean to begin with!), I did weigh myself the next morning and found that I had lost another pound and a half.
But something strange happened later that night. Around 2 or 3 am, I woke up to find myself sweating profusely – a major detox symptom. I told Linda about it the next morning in an email and she replied that my liver was trying to communicate with me in a state of confusion. There I was, putting my body through a major detoxing program with raw foods and a first-time colonic treatment, yet before I went to bed, I had a cigar! At least that was Linda’s interpretation. Interestingly enough, the next night I lit up another one and did not experience the sweating episode again. Hmm……….
Enjoying a cigar at my brother's house in Virginia a month ago or so...
Despite the liver’s rather profound statement, I’m not ready to give up on cigars. Yes, I know it clashes big time with the new raw food lifestyle but I’m not there yet. I may or may not give it up. One step at a time baby, right?
I’m still evaluating the outcome of my first colonic. The last few days I’ve not only experienced fabulous energy throughout most of the day (which is something I was already experiencing), but I’ve also noticed a surge in clear thinking. I’m hoping that will translate to my writing and speaking endeavors. On top of that, I hope to feel even closer to God, the universe and my angels.
Other people have reported better digestion, sensation of overall well being (like enhanced sense of smell), more energy and additional weight loss, to name a few.
Bottom line? The decision to have a colonic was definitely synchronistic. Not only was I led to the right person (whom I highly recommend for anyone in the Northeastern Ohio area – please go to her website or make an appointment at 330-477-6400) but I have also developed a great friendship with her. Since that day, we’ve been constantly emailing each other back and forth, sharing thoughts, ideas and may even end up partnering in a speaking venture!
God is indeed working wonders in my life and leading me to bigger and better things – for that I AM GRATEFUL!
Interview with Barbara Swafford Generated the Biggest Response EVER!
First, I want to once again thank Sharmaine Hobbs for leading me to Barbara Swafford of Blogging without a Blog. After I visited Barbara’s blog, I knew Adversity University was in for a major treat if she accepted my invitation to be interviewed here.
Not only did she accept but when it aired this past Wednesday, it generated a GIGANTIC RESPONSE from the Internet with over 50 comments and still climbing! That, my fellow friends, is unprecedented at Adversity University! Many of her fans took the time to leave comments about how much Barbara helped them see the light when they were just beginning bloggers.
This whole thing makes me feel great because I listened to my intuition which said to “interview this special lady.” I really enjoy shining the spotlight on those who help others. She left a comment saying after this interview aired and the comments that followed, it made her cry.
For those of you who have not seen Part I, please do so – I guarantee you’ll be uplifted especially when you hear about how her siblings supported her mother when the father died plus how she got a job as an Executive Housekeeper with ZERO experience. It’s not to be missed – see it at the Stephen Hopson Interview with Barbara Swafford of Blogging without a Blog – Part I of II.
You’ll be glad you did.
A Life Changing Comment by Sid Savara
Sid Savara from Hawaii
While I love all of your comments, every once in a while I get one that truly gets my attention, especially before retiring for the night. While I have solicited endorsements for my future book, Obstacle Illusions, I’ve never asked for testimonials for the work I do here.
Here’s what Sid Savara wrote one night:
Hi Stephen,
Congratulations man! I loved reading your stories about advancing, and I’m really happy you won – unlike some other writers out there who talk about improving, they never put themselves out there. You on the other hand, do – you don’t just talk about losing weight, you tried a couple different approaches. And this isn’t another “How To Give a Great Speech” article – it’s a play by play of how you did it.
Amazingly, though we’ve been interacting on your blog and on facebook, somehow I didn’t make the connection until today when a friend forwarded me you Next Best Selling Author video from YouTube that I had seen you before, months ago! I’m of course talking about http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AuqlVivegXg
At the time, I sent emails to dozens of my friends, as I first saw the video right around May or June, and people were talking about how hard it was finding a job out of college etc. I thought it was a great story and hit home the point that if you want it badly enough, you can have it.
Funny what a small world it is, isn’t it? I don’t even remember how I first came upon this site – I think it must have been through one of the other blogs I read no doubt, but now it’s one of my “A-List” blogs – my personal folder in google reader, with a handful of blogs that I always read – I may go on vacation and ignore TechCrunch when I come back, but I always catch up on yours!
WOW. Wouldn’t you be floored with a comment like that? THANK YOU SID! 
Okay, that about wraps up this week’s gratitude post. Now for the recipe you’ve all been waiting for……….
Stephen’s Favorite Green Smoothie Receipe
This morning
2 fistfuls of Spinach leaves (preferably Organic)
1 orange (peeled)
1 fistful (or two) frozen strawberries
1/2 banana
1 tsp flax seeds (any health food store)
1 fistful of ice if desired
8 oz. of water
1 – 2 sticks of celery
1/2 tomato
Put them all in a blender and voila!
The amazing thing is you can mix and match. Green leafy vegetables work well with just about any fruit and vegetable you put in there. This happens to be my favorite but I make them on the fly every single morning. No two smoothies are ever the same. I just listen to my intuition and play.
Some days I’ll take out some things and add mango, apples; while other mornings I’ll mix in blueberries, cranberries or blackberries. Sometimes I’ll add raw honey. Hemp seeds, Chia Seeds, gogi berries and even raw caceo beans (raw chocolate) have found their way in the blender too. The variety is endless!!!
The benefits I’ve experienced include but are not limited to:
- More energy, especially for workouts in the morning
- A sense of calm
- Detox of the body
- Better “waste management”
- Clear head
- Less desire for cooked meat and coffee (a big one since I LOVED coffee and still do but drinking it much less these days – in fact, I didn’t have any coffee this week!!)
- Vivid dreams at night that I can remember the next morning
- Sense of closeness with my inner spirit, God and the universe
You might have other experiences completely different from mine but I’ll tell you this – it has completely changed my mornings!!! In 46 days since I started the raw food journey, I’ve lost a total of 11 additional pounds (remember I started the Tim Ferris Diet earlier in the summer and lost about 7 lbs. from that) plus 3.5 inches off my “belly to belly” measurements.
Food for thought: What about you? What are you grateful for? Go and tell in the comment section! Don’t be shy. We want you to tell us because then you’ll feel better after the telling. Try it and you’ll see what I mean!
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10:39 am on October 24th, 2008 1
Good blog, Stephen! You have a way of expressing with the right words!
When I started the raw detoxing last week, not 100% though, but even so, I noticed that I think more positive as compared to the past. I feel happier inside!
Probably not the immense sheer joy as you are experiencing, but I hope to get there one day soon! 
11:13 am on October 24th, 2008 2
Hey, this recipe is pretty good… I put more orange in it than you suggested and got a nice citrusy taste! Thanks for the post!
11:18 am on October 24th, 2008 3
@ Susan:
Oranges certainly add nice flavor to the smoothie, doesn’t it? Are you on the raw food journey too? Or did you just make the smoothie for the heck of it?
11:20 am on October 24th, 2008 4
@ Nita:
Thanks Nita.
It’s okay if you’re not 100 percent – you don’t even need to be any percentage except what you feel works best for you. According to many of the authors whose books I’ve read, if you’re 50-50, that’s better than not having any raw foods in your diet. At least you’re eating “healthier” and whatever form that takes can only be decided by you.
As for the inner joy, I believe that comes with time. Don’t forget that it took years and years to get to where you are now. So it’ll take some time to shed all of what you accumulated. The key is one day at a time.
1:58 pm on October 24th, 2008 5
Stephen,
I’ve been out of the loop for a while and I’ve missed AU and my family here. Just want to say I’m so glad you interviewed Barbara, a phenomenal woman and that you shared your journey for health with us.
I’ve been profoundly impacted by it, convicted by it and inspired by it. It held up the mirror so to speak and it gave me the encouragement to champion this part of my life. My mother has always said your health is your wealth. So I’m very grateful for your authenticity and for the hidden call to us all to be the very best we can be and go for it with all of our might. I’m truly shedding skin and “coming forth.”
Thank you for being a way shower my friend.
You rock!
Sharmaine
2:32 pm on October 24th, 2008 6
Hi Stephen – How exciting to have your interview with me break your “records”. I have such a great community of loyal readers. It’s a joy to see them here leaving such heartwarming comments. Talk about being humbled. Reading their words made me very emotional. I “feel the love”.
For having all of them in my life, I’m forever grateful.
It sounds like your raw food diet is moving along nicely. I’ve read how Steve Pavlina did the same thing and it’s changed his life. It makes sense. If we keep putting chemicals in our bodies, they are going to have some type of negative effect on us.
4:43 pm on October 24th, 2008 7
@ Barbara Swafford:
Yes, it’s very exciting indeed – can’t wait to see what happens next week!
“If we keep putting chemicals in our bodies, they are going to have some type of negative effect on us” – You are RIGHT about that and I imagine that includes cigars. LOL.
4:45 pm on October 24th, 2008 8
@ Sharmaine:
And we missed you too Sharmaine! It’s so good to have you back in the loop again. You were instrumental in making this interview a reality here. Like you, everyone else was profoundly impacted by this woman who set out on a journey that would, when shared in a public forum such as the interview series, affected those who had an opportunity to learn of it.
4:52 pm on October 24th, 2008 9
Btw, Stephen, in reference to your sweating one night… perhaps it was due to your cigar withdrawal symptom! LOL
1:43 am on October 25th, 2008 10
Thanks for singling me out Stephen, though I’m sure others have been equally inspired!
Regarding your smoothie – I have a Vitamix blender too that I enjoy. I usually make protein shakes with peanut butter, bananas, protein powder, milk and whatever else I feel like. Usually comes out tasting like chocolate banana peanutty goodness.
8:46 am on October 25th, 2008 11
As it usually happens, I wake up feeling a little lost, jump on here and THERE YOU ARE. I have not been feeling at all grateful the past few days. Something tragic (will spare the gorry details) happened to my daughter’s new puppy and we’ve all been very sad. I gave my ex boyfriend another chance and he once again broke my heart. Work has been stressful and I am starting class again today, scared and nervous about this new venture I’m on (body/energy work)…ALAS, I read your blog, am going to make a smoothie for breakfast before I go to class AND I will then journal about how this crisis brought my three kids, myself AND my ex husband closer. How it taught us many lessons. How it made us appreciate every moment as you just don’t know what’s around the corner. And best of all, my friends and Elisa’s friends (my daughter) have shown that although some people in the world can’t nurture, a whole lot can. I was really blue this morning. Thanks for picking me up. I AM grateful…and will continue to be so.
9:41 am on October 25th, 2008 12
I am going to try to adapt that recipe and experiment, but to be honest I feel uneasy at going all raw.
10:49 am on October 25th, 2008 13
Great Gratitude Post! You have definitely inspired me to give this “Raw Food” lifestyle a chance. It would be great to feel as clear headed and as full of energy as you describe in such vivid detail. I am getting ready to start reading ‘The Raw Food Detox Diet’ this weekend.
If I can enjoy even 1/2 of the positive effects that you are I will be thrilled…
12:36 pm on October 25th, 2008 14
Stephen, I just got my book in on Thursday and went shopping for all of the great fruits and veggies that I am going to eat this week. I have gone raw once before for just a short period of time and didn’t stick with it. You have inspired me to do it again. Coffee is my big thing that I am not ready to give up. I can make the switch from regular cheese to goats cheese easier than giving up my coffee. I do like goat cheese. I went to the raw foods website from one of your previous articles and ordered 2 sets of DVD’s to keep me inspired. I have had a problem with my blood sugar levels going high and then slow for about 5 years now so I am definitely looking forward to that changing. I haven’t been on insulin and the glucose medicines made my blood sugar go too low so I have been controling it with diet and exercise for most of that 5 years. My A1C tests every 6 months tell me I am doing great. It would be great to give up all of that just by eating raw. I am encouraged, looking forward to the weight loss too. Thanks for the inspiration.
9:06 pm on October 25th, 2008 15
Good for you! I’ve been mulling the raw food diet for a few months now. I’ve also heard that the average western human has 10 pounds or so of rotting meat in their intestines, so the colonic therapy is probbaly an excellent idea.
8:21 am on October 26th, 2008 16
@ Mark:
The more I continue to educate myself in the area of toxic waste left behind in the body, the more I wouldn’t be surprised to learn that the average American with their SAD Diet (Standard American Diet) has that much waste left behind in their bodies.
This is why a colonic can be a powerful complement to the raw food lifestyle. It just so happened that my colon was cleaner than most (to my therapist’s and my surprise).
8:36 am on October 26th, 2008 17
@ Patricia – Spiritual Journey Of A Lightworker:
AWESOME! I’m so excited to know you’re on the threshold of beginning a new journey for your body, mind and spirit. As I type this, I am feeling incredibly energetic from my morning smoothie. It’s most amazing!
Don’t worry about “giving up” anything. Just listen to your intuition and do what your body tells you to do. I will write an article about this important issue because this is how I’ve managed my new lifestyle. Like you, I was a HUGE coffee lover and I still like it. But a strange thing is happening – I keep “forgetting” to make coffee because after having my green smoothie, I’m usually incredibly energetic. But just the other day I decided to make myself a couple cups and so I did! I did not feel guilty or blame myself. That’s another thing dieters tend to do to themselves.
Which DVDs did you order? I am curious.
Another thing you might want to do is subscribe to Matt Monarch’s newsletter – it’s VERY inspiring and full of energy/enthusiasm. Go to: http://mattmonarch.blogspot.com/ and put your email address in there. I think you’ll be inspired. He has two books that I ordered – haven’t received them yet.
I’m actually trying to get myself over to London the first week of November to meet him but the airfares are staggeringly high at this point. We’ll see.
One last thing – there have been documented results of people going off all kinds of medicine because of the raw food lifestyle, even diabetics. But don’t take my word for it – see for yourself. All it takes is focus, planning and variety. You’ll face some obstacles like other people’s opinions (“she’s weird” or “she’s gone bonkers”, etc). A good friend of mine thinks I’ve gone off the deep end but hey, you can’t argue with results.
More later – I will be writing an article about this very soon – I feel inspired to do so.
8:41 am on October 26th, 2008 18
@ Rhonda James:
I’m delighted and excited to know many people have responded to my new lifestyle enough to want to try it on their own. In fact, I’m so inspired that I actually created a new domain name for a new blog just for raw food folks. I have called it “Stephen Gone Raw dot com” The thing I have to do now is find a WP theme and then get it set up.
Let me know if you liked the Raw Food Detox Diet – I think her words will inspire you. You will find as you journey through this new world that for the most part, other raw foodists out there will not judge you if you’re not 100 percent raw. In fact, many of them I’ve encountered in my readings encourage you to start slow, very slow and work your way through it. Of course, there are those who are “extremists” but we have that in every part of society so nothing new about that.
The key with starting is detoxifying the body and you may experience some unpleasantness at first. As for me, to be honest with you, the only time I remember having any detox symptoms are those times when I felt somewhat gassy, had a slight headache, some diarrhea and sweating in the middle of the night but those were far and few and rather isolated. But nothing major, you know?
8:45 am on October 26th, 2008 19
@ Miguel de Luis:
Don’t worry about going 100 percent raw. Just go slowly and educate yourself along the way. Take your time and stay focused. Basically your goal is to gradually eliminate the stuff you know are bad for you and increase the fruits and vegetables. Buy books, listen to DVDs to keep you inspired along the way.
I understand your hestation to go 100 percent raw but please understand no one is telling you to do that. No one – not even me. Because it is an individual choice. In fact, it is actually recommended you NOT go 100 percent raw right away. Yes, people have done it but I would suggest you start off slowly. My recommendation is you get “The Raw Food Detox Diet” by Natialia Rose. I believe you’ll be inspired by her book – she gives you a little quiz to help you make the transition based on where you are today.
You’ll be okay as long as you don’t freak out and go crazy overnight. Think of it as a lifelong habit change you’re making – gradually.
8:50 am on October 26th, 2008 20
@ Patti:
Wow, how wonderful to know that I gave you the needed boost when you woke up on that day! That means a lot to me because even when I’m sleeping or whatever it is I’m doing, my work continues to inspire people 24/7. I appreciate knowing my words are having a positive, uplifting effect! Thanks for telling me.
I’m very sorry to hear about the loss of your daughter’s new puppy. I love dogs and I know I would have felt tremendous sorry for the lost so I’m there with you.
How cool is it that you decided to start the “shaky day” with a smoothie and move forward with renewed energy, focus, determination and a note of positivity! I don’t know about you but my green smoothies really make me feel good (for the most part). It gives me energy and a sense of excitement (like how I’m feeling this morning as I type this to you). There’s just something magical about a green smoothie – I can’t even begin to describe it to you unless you’ve tried it yourself.
You are on the right track – you are learning how it is up to you to turn things around from an emotional standpoint. You woke up feeling blue yet you made a firm decision to turn that around and head out the door with your head up high and make the most of it. That, my friend, is FRIGGIN POWERFUL.
YOU GO GIRL! I love your spunk.
8:52 am on October 26th, 2008 21
@ Sid Savara:
I smiled big when I got this comment – I had to refrain myself from telling you about this post before it went out to the public because I wanted to surprise you. I love surprising people, especially when I shine the spotlight on them in gratitude.
Cool dude – glad to know you have a Vita-Mix blender too. It’s definitely well worth it. Next on my shopping list is a juicer but I’m in no hurry to get that – my blender serves me fine for now.
And by the way I am a huge lover of peanut butter – always have and always will be.
8:56 am on October 26th, 2008 22
@ Nita:
Hahaha, actually I don’t know if that was a cigar withdrawal symptom because I actually smoked one that night. I think Linda, the colon therapist was right when she said it was my liver communicating with me in confusion. But the next night I lit up another cigar and did not have another sweating episode. Strange.
1:31 pm on October 26th, 2008 23
Stephen, In answer to your question, in addition to buying The Raw Food Detox Diet book, I bought 2 sets of DVD’s. I bought the first one Simply Raw, Reversing Diabetes in 30 Days because of my own problems with diabetes. It is an amazing video about the journey of 6 diabetes on a raw food diet at a place in Arizona. The second DVD is called Raw For Life, The Ultimate Encyclopedia of The Raw Food Lifestyle. I got both of them after I watched the YouTube video that you sent us to in one of your recent articles on Raw Foods. I have already visited and subscribed to the Matt Monarch newsletter. Thanks. By the way, in just 2 days of just halfway eating raw foods, I lost 1 1/4 pounds. I may have to write my own series of articles about this experience. Thanks for the mental boost in this direction.
5:16 pm on October 26th, 2008 24
Green smoothies are such a great addition to any diet. They are filled with so much nutrition and energy. I love them. I love my fresh green juices more though because of the concentrated source of nutrients (I call it Plant Blood for fun) – but I think it’s very important to have both – gotta love that fiber in the smoothies to fill you up and help clean you out
Congrats on your awesome blender
Cheers to your health,
Kristen
11:09 pm on October 26th, 2008 25
I hate breakfast….never eat it. HOWEVER, your green smoothie has changed all that. It’s awesome and I am eternally grateful. I don’t know if I can ever GO RAW but I’m feeling good, ready to conquer MY world and whatever it throws at me.
A cup of encouragement and a smattering of smoothie go a long long way to healthy healing!!!! MJ, if you’re reading this, thanks for introducing me to your cousin!!!
6:10 pm on October 27th, 2008 26
Right now I am enjoying an apple a day to keep the Doctor away, and eating as many green things as I can. I had a mud wrap/80minute massage therapy recently and it took 10 pounds of water weight off my body and that felt so wonderful and joyous to experience. It was a good intuitive move. The problem with this was that it was $300 which I don’t just have sitting around.
So now I am thinking about eating raw and adding that regime to my fabulous exercise routine and yes! Sunshine on a clear fall days walk around the Lake is something to be very grateful for and to celebrate.
I am looking forward to trying the recipe – looks yummy and I love to just “drink” breakfast and get going with my day….I have so much energy in the mornings! Thank you for your post
12:08 pm on October 28th, 2008 27
@ Patricia:
I love hearing about your progress, knowing that I had something to do with it! Thanks!! Keep all of us posted. You touched on something I want to talk about – “intuition.”
This is something I’m relying more and more on, especially with the raw food journey. I’ve been listening more intently on what to eat at any given moment based on what my inner self tells me. Like when I make my smoothies, no two are exactly alike because of this.
More on this later. I leave for Texas tomorrow and then on Sunday I leave for London. Meanwhile I hope to squeeze a few extra posts somehow before I leave the country.
9:09 pm on October 28th, 2008 28
I am relying heavily on intuition these days with the kids out of the house I have more freedom and less demands, but I am not reconciled to my no income status and how much my intuition costs me sometime….I think I need to find a check list to work with my intuition inspiration so that I don’t overload myself and replace the pounds and pre-diabetes with debt.
12:16 pm on October 31st, 2008 29
@ Kristen’s Raw:
I love having fellow raw foodists join in! It feels so lonely without having a raw food buddy. Trying to find them around here in Akron hasn’t been easy but giving it a shot!
p.s. I love my blender – I use it every single day except, of course, when I’m out of town which then requires I “adapt”