Dry Brushing update:

It's been a couple weeks of following the dry brushing method and thought I should post an update. Sadly... there is not much to update but I still felt obligated to at least write SOMETHING.

The research I have done on this method states that there are not any major visible changes for a good 5 months. I am only rounding up on month one BUT... I have noticed little things. My skin in general is smoother due to me exfoliating everyday and thats always nice. The first couple times I did it was strange for I actually felt my skin tingle from the brushing sensation. I have always had poor circulation so I believe my skin was long waiting for a good daily massage.

The process as a whole takes me nearly 45 minutes which can get on my nerves a bit but I have managed to make it a rather extravagant evening for myself. I now light a couple candles, light up my oil incense burner for a bit of aromatherapy and put on my favorite 'Chill' playlist that includes music by Thievery Corporation, Massive Attack, Tricky and others of the liking. It is now incredibly soothing. It's as if I have a day spa in my house! So while it is somewhat of a process.. I have made the best of it.

Some people believe it is best to do it first thing in the morning but I do mine in the evening time after I have gone to the gym and gone about my business. Makes me feel cleaner. I don't believe it would make much of a difference either way and feel if people are going to take the time out of their busy days to include a 45 minute regimen then they should do it at the time they feel best so they enjoy it!

I wish I had better results to report but it is early on still. I will however keep updating of course but most likely on a monthly basis. My results so far are more calming and 'taking time for myself' which may or may not be worth it for some people to try.

Cheers!

Feeling great!

I wanted to document how amazing I feel at this very moment. I think its important to write down in some kind of journaling fashion when you feel good. Some kind of resource you can go back to for proof that whatever it is your doing (eating good, exercising) is working! I am sitting in bed drinking my Carrot/Apple/Celery/Ginger juice I just squeezed  and I just felt compelled to document this very moment.

My body feels amazing. I feel light and powerful with this incredible amount of pure energy. My moods are fantastic and I am in a constant state of just bliss. You can imagine what this does for not only myself but the people around me as well. My relationship is great and thriving due to the incredibly positive attitudes we both have. While he is not Raw, I do like to make sure he eats healthier than he did in his previous days (while he was vegetarian,he ate the equivalent of the S.A.D, nothing but processed soy garbage). If it hasn't been made apparent, I DO NOT like soy products in the least. They are just another processed food that is, in my opinion, horrible for your body. I believe such products should be limited as much as possible, say, for holidays and such!  We do ALOT of fresh cooking and I am opening him up to new possibilities! We also work out regularly together which is just yet another form of us taking care of ourselves. It is remarkable how what we put in our bodies effects every aspect in our lives. Even when stresses come along, we can handle them better.

When we are feeling blue or upset at outside conditions we can have something to read back on. A moment when we felt so great its as if nothing can bring us down. We can then remind ourselves that things will be good again and that we are just at a fork in the road. I want to come back to this post sometime and say "I want to be 'There' again. Then I'll take the steps necessary to do so. Life will forever give us obstacles but if we create resources along the way we are setting ourselves up for future success!

Cheers and good health!

Kombucha Instructions

I am a BIG fan of Kombucha tea and have been for roughly 4 years. I believed it helped my transition into raw foods significantly easier. Personally speaking, it sped up my metabolism pretty significantly as well helped control my appetite. Being the 'Do It Yourself-er' that I am, it is really no wonder why I started brewing it myself. I have been brewing on my own now for about 4 months and am having a blast doing it!


Kombucha is one of those products that I believe takes a good while to master. I am still in those stages! I am really just trying to find the perfect tea for my personal palate as well as the perfect brew strength. I have a couple different batches going on right now testing those exact areas. I am excited for the results.

This upcoming batch I plan on experimenting more with flavorings like Ginger, Mango and Strawberry. My favorites to juice (which you'll see me mention in almost all my favorite Juices) are Pineapples and Oranges but I will leave those out due to their naturally acidic properties. The three flavorings above are also popular flavorings of commercially purchased teas. I also enjoy making Kombucha smoothies in which I blend a half bottle of Kombucha in with some fresh fruit. This may be a great way for anyone new to Kombucha to drink their tea since the fresh fruits tend to take the bite out of the drink.

Top 10 Noticeable Benefits of Drinking Kombucha Tea Daily

+ Prevents Acid Reflux

+ Assists With Weight Loss

+ Aids in Digestion of Heavy Meals

+ Strengthens Hair, Restores Hair

+ More Energy in the Morning

+ Helps With Sleep

+ Relives Constipation

+ Post Work Out Recovery Drink (Cardiovascular and Resistance Training)

+ Reduces Severity of Hangovers

+ Better Skin Complexion, Tighter Skin Tone

I have listed the instructions that I recommend below as well as all materials needed immediately following my personal pictures from my last batch brewed on September 2nd.








*I would like to mention the importance of cleanliness. Please wipe all surfaces down thoroughly prior to brewing and wash hands with an antibacterial soap or wear powder free surgical gloves!You will be dealing with a LIVE culture and it is vulnerable to outside bacteria... and not the good kind we want!*
The Basics
1 kombucha culture (or scoby)
2 litres of water
3 or 4 tea bags or 3 or 4 teaspoons of tea (green, white, or black tea)
1/2 cup to 1 cup Agave nectar
200 ml of kombucha from a previous batch as a starter or 2 tablespoons of cider vinegar if you don't have any kombucha.
The Equipment
A large glass jar (roughly a gallon)
A bandanna or a thin enough cloth to allow the brew to breath.
A rubber band or piece of elastic to secure the cloth
A teapot or saucepan to brew the tea in
A strainer (if you go with loose leaf tea, which I would recommend)
Some bottles for storing the finished drink
The Method
Make a pot of tea with the tea bags and leave it to brew for 5 to 10 minutes. I find that over brewing the tea, especially black, leave a bitter taste to the final product. Alternatively, add your tea to a saucepan and simmer it gently for 5 minutes (I use a loose leaf tea so a saucepan is my method)

Strain the tea into your large glass jar, add the nectar and stir it until it dissolves. Now add cold filtered water to bring the tea up to 2 litres. Hot tea can kill the culture! It should be no more than blood heat before you add your culture, so if it’s still too warm then let it cool down before you add it to the jar.

Making the brew
Into the large glass jar, put the starter liquid from the previous batch of kombucha. If this is your first batch then use 2 tablespoons of cider vinegar as your starter, (It adds the acid environment the culture likes) or some commercial kombucha if you have some. Once you’ve made your first batch you’ll have your own kombucha to use as a starter on the next batch.

At this point you should have your brewed tea, nectar and starter liquid in the large glass jar!

Add the kombucha scoby.
Pick up your scoby and slide it into the bowl. I find that the younger the scoby, the more likely it is to sink and the older they are, the more they will float at the top. I have no idea if this is true for everyone but for me it has been common. If the scoby has a 'dirty' side where it's darker in colour and has beard like brown bits sticking to it then put that side facing down into the tea. The brown bits are yeasts.

Cover it and leave it to ferment
Put your cloth over the bowl and secure it with a rubber band or a piece of elastic. This keeps contamination out of your culture so it’s important to cover it properly!

Put the bowl in a warm dark place (23°-30°C or 70°-86°F) like a corner on the kitchen counter. I must stress that it is crucial to not disrupt the process so place it in an area where it can go undisturbed for its full process! I have had to move brews in the middle of their run (I was moving) and BOTH scoby's were ruined!


I hope this helps anyone with their Kombucha journey! There are also some good videos on YouTube although you may have to sort through a bit!

Cheers and good health!

Raw UN-Cooking machine today!

Today has been an incredibly productive day. I love those days where I make some new things that I fall in love with. Things that make me think to myself 'Holy Sh*!, this is now a new staple in my kitchen'. I think almost any raw foodist explodes with joy when they discover a new food that they get to enjoy.
I have been making some amazing foods over the last couple days I have to say and it fills me with an amazing feeling of accomplishment. While living in Seattle, I had many resources that allowed me to be raw for nearly a solid year. I am now in a situation where I am being forced to be my own resource. I'm learning to fish if you will. I think its important to the success of any raw foodist to gain a broad spectrum and understanding of raw foods.
Gaining that broad understanding takes dedication, time and PATIENCE. We are re-learning an entirely new way to function within a society that is so incredibly focused on 'Fast and Easy' (Thats what she said). It's no wonder why we have such a hard time with this lifestyle and why so many of us feel like we are failing. Our modern society is simply not designed for people like us who require actual cooking tools to prepare each of our meals. Luckily for us, however, I see things moving in a more positive direction. I can go to Whole Foods and have an isle dedicated to my lifestyle. How amazing is that? I know 3 years ago when I was raw that that was not the case. I cant speak for everywhere however, but in Seattle I know it wasn't something prominent in grocery stores.
With that said, I would like to state that I have been feeling amazing lately. I had a brief period with major bloating and discomfort due to a new supplement added to my diet, but with that aside, I feel excellent. My mind is clearer, my skin is glowing, and my body is getting down to what should be my natural slender size. Granted the weight loss process could be happening sooner but I do have a love of highly fatty foods such as nuts,oils and avocados! My hair and nails are also reaping the benefits from the raw food and are starting to grow and look amazing! Overall, I feel like I am doing wonderful. My body feels as if it's getting back to what is right for MY body! For the first time in a very long time, I am able to truly read my body and understand what it needs and when it needs it. It's an amazing feeling. I'm glad to be back.
Today I have conjured up some tasty 'Cashew Hummus' that I used a bit as a vegetable dip as well as a Mediterranean lettuce wraps with fresh onion, tomato and cucumber. Remarkable! All the mediterranean flavors were present minus the carb loaded, refined flour and processed flat bread. I will include a recipe shortly. For now though, I have included a picture to show just how creamy this hummus really is. This picture honestly does it no justice.


Here is some super addictive cheesy Kale chips that I made and are due out of the dehydrator in the morning, ready for me to eat as my afternoon snack! This is hands down the most addictive snack food I have ever had. I will make sure I post this recipe as well!



Tomorrow I will be posting pictures and describing in detail the process in which I brew my Kombucha Tea! Yet another process I had my head buried in!

Cheers and good health!