OneHealthyGirl.com - Carla Golden's Get Healthier! Blog

The Deal with Uricase and the Warning Sign that You Don't Have Enough

What I am about to share with you may be shocking. I know it surprised me!

Uricase, or urate oxidase, is an enzyme which metabolizes uric acid in flesh. Uric acid is a by-product of the metabolic breakdown of purines.

Stay with me...

Purines are found in high concentration in meat and meat products, especially internal organs like liver and kidney. Examples of high-purine sources include sweetbreads, anchovies, sardines, liver, beef kidneys, brains, meat extracts, herring, mackerel, scallops, game meats, beer (yes, beer) and gravy.

A moderate amount of purine is also contained in beef, pork, poultry, other fish and seafood, asparagus, cauliflower, spinach, mushrooms, green peas, lentils, dried peas, beans, oatmeal, wheat bran, wheat germ and hawthorn.

When you ingest purine-containing food and drink, uric acid is produced during digestion. Uricase is needed to metabolize that uric acid.

If uric acid is not metabolized, urate crystals are formed and situations like the following may, over time, occur:

• kidney stones
• gout (a type of arthritis)
• type 2 diabetes 
• cardiovascular disease 
• metabolic syndrome 

So how do you know if you're deficient in uricase? Well, look in the mirror. Are you human? If yes, then you don't produce ANY uricase. All humans have a non-functional gene for uricase.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Say what? So how does your body manage to breakdown uric acid? 

Uric acid passes through the kidneys at a very slow rate causing it to build up in the blood stream. The uric acid it can't pee out, your body must neutralize with alkalizing minerals, primarily calcium. The result is calcium urate crystals which can, over time, give rise to:

• gout
• arthritis
• rheumatism
• bursitis 
• kidney stones
• high blood pressure 
• varicose veins & Phlebitis 

The top 10 alkalizing calcium-containing foods are:

• sesame seeds - 351 mg per cup, tahini (sesame seed butter - 126 mg per tablespoon)
• chia seeds
• dark leafy greens (collards, kelp, kale, turnip greens, arugula, mustard greens)
• flax seeds - 52 mg per two tablespoons
• quinoa
• blackstrap molasses - 137 mg per tablespoon
• oranges - 52 mg per one medium orange
• beans
• broccoli - 124 mg per two cups
• nuts - (brazil nuts, almonds. almond butter)
• dried herbs
• celery - 81 mg per two cups 
• papaya - 73 mg per medium papaya 
• sunflower seeds 
• okra - 172 mg per one cup 

Ramp up those calcium-rich foods and dial down those purine-rich foods to avoid a painful & avoidable health crisis. And don't look up gout on Google Images. Trust me!

Be well, Almost Purine-free Carla.

1. Are you motivated to reduce your purine intake starting today? If so let me know what one step you'll take (hint: more oranges, less beer) by commenting on this post or on Facebook. Forward & share this blog post with friends & family so they can get in on the purine liberation too. Click those cute social media buttons below to spread the message. 

2. IT STARTS TOMORROW!!! Did you sign up for The Brilliant Body Health Summit in order to learn about the benefits of eating an 80/10/10 diet from over 25 experts who have re-mastered their health? I'll be there! Starts July 24th online!

3. Find a Nutrition Counselor or 68 other types of therapists where you live on WellnessDestinationsCentral.com.

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The Best Minimalist Kitchen Ever!

I don't know about you, but clutter makes me claustrophobic. Uncomfortable. Edgy. Itchy. Wiggy. Are you with me on this one? I am a fan of minimalism, however I can not say that I'm an absolute devotee. It would be more accurate to say that I'm a devoted fan of simplicity and organization which are key tenants of minimalism. 

As a child I labeled my own toys shelves, so it's evident that I arrived this way and the ability to stay organized has served me well, personally and professionally, over the years. However the dark side of being organized is, when confronted with a creative opportunity, I immediately and habitually size up the time required to undo the creative mess before I decide whether to participate. If the creative project is happening in my house, oftentimes the answer is "no." Which brings me to the kitchen....

"I only have a kitchen because it came with the house."

While I LOVE food and I know a lot about food, cooking has never been a forte of mine. But this has never frustrated me (um, that's a lie). The times that it has frustrated me were times when I wanted to move my family to a more vegetarian or vegan diet and I was not skilled enough to assemble the impressive gourmet type dishes that even meat and potato eaters enjoy. You know...the food processor, the dehydrator, the blender, the mandolin and at least four hours to get dinner ready. Never happened in my house! Well, maybe once and that's all it took to turn me off. 

So when I discovered the 80/10/10 diet (what's that? click here) and we began converting our kitchen to accommodate the low-fat, raw vegan lifestyle, I realized that I had discovered organizational and simplicity nirvana. We already have a small galley style kitchen in our small home, but we could literally cut it in half and we'd have all the space we need to eat 80/10/10.

• Our food prep centers around the sink. The juicer is positioned on one side and the blender on the other. We wash produce, cut it and either eat it as is, juice it or blend it. The rest of the counter-top goes unused.
• The oven or stove is turned on maybe once a day for our child's meal. While she is eating much more fruit, she is not as 80/10/10 as we are. A toaster oven and a hotplate would be adequate. (Say no to the microwave!)
• We are able to shop every day or every other day to bring home fresh produce and the only things that really need refrigeration are berries. But if you eat those right away, one could eliminate the need for a refrigerator. Food can be beautifully displayed stored about the living space in multi-purpose bowls, trays, vases or on window sills.

 

Clever Fruit Storage

 

• A blender and juicer are not essential to the 80/10/10 diet. The bare minimal utensils needed are a good knife, a cutting board, a bowl and a fork. Actually most 80/10/10 foods could be eaten with hands, pulled apart with fingers, cut with teeth....hence why this is the natural human diet.
• The pantry: not needed

Can you see how a minimalism purist could eat a supremely healthful diet and eliminate the need for a kitchen? A rolling cart with utensils, cutting board and perhaps a blender or juicer could be wheeled around the living space, stopping near the bathroom sink for a quick rinse of the veggies and fruit. And the 80/10/10 diet would be ideal for anyone traveling in a car, camping, RV'ing or boating. Got fruit box...er, cooler...will travel!

Now there's a fruit cart!

Most articles I've read regarding the creation of or conversion to a minimalist kitchen still serve a complex diet and still require a fair amount of equipment. Even the smallest kitchens are sporting pans, pots, bowls, various utensils, measuring cups, etc. A true minimalist would perhaps opt to investigate his or her diet and see that it itself is not minimal. A truly minimalist diet would manifest a naturally minimal kitchen, and explore if a dedicated kitchen space were even necessary. 

Leo Babauta, the King of Minimalism blogging, wrote "Minimalism says that what’s unnecessary is a luxury, and a waste. Why be wasteful when the unnecessary isn’t needed for happiness? When it just gets in the way of happiness, of peace? By eliminating the unnecessary, we make room for the essential, and give ourselves more breathing space."

I could not agree more, especially when it comes to food. The 80/10/10 way of eating is a veritable minimalist diet. It speaks to the core tenants of minimalism: liberate time, money, and space in order to live in direct experience with the essence of life.

And of course, for all those creative types, there is a world of unlimited food preparations just waiting for your self-expression. Kristina Carrillo-Bucaram of FullyRaw.com and Megan Elizabeth of MeganElizabeth.com are two young, brilliant advocates of the 80/10/10 lifestyle who create amazing recipes. Food prep can still be a creative outlet while eating the 80/10/10 way. It's just not for me!

Be well, Almost Minimalist Carla.

1. Are you motivated to reduce your kitchen today? If so let me know what one step you'll take (hint: donate the rice cooker or the panini maker) by commenting on this post or on Facebook. Forward & share this blog post with friends & family so they can get in on the de-clutter liberation too. Click those cute social media buttons below to spread the message. 

2. Did you sign up for The Brilliant Body Health Summit in order to learn about the benefits of eating an 80/10/10 diet from over 25 experts who have re-mastered their health? I'll be there! Starts July 24th online!

3. Find a Nutrition Counselor or 68 other types of therapists where you live on WellnessDestinationsCentral.com.

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The Blog Post That Starbucks Doesn't Want You to Read

(Warning: You're going to either love me or love your coffee by the end of this post, probably not both. That's ok. I'll still love you.)

Here's something profound that you need to understand for excellent health: Fuel vs. Energy.

Huh?

What'? 

They're not the same thing?

Nope! And it's important to your health to understand just how very different fuel is from energy and then I'll explain why drinking coffee is not in your best interest...even though it tastes so yummy, wakes you up, and keeps you regular. Ah-hem.

Think of a car: energy is generated by the car battery and fuel goes in the gas tank. To operate correctly a car needs both energy and fuel. We humans have vital nerve energy which is the low-grade electrical current generated by the brain (our head battery) and innervates the body so that all functions are performed within their normal and healthful parameters. Fuel for humans goes in the mouth in the form of food with calories. We need both, just like a car.

Innervation = good.

When we are tired (low energy) there is no amount or type of food (fuel) that can make us authentically un-tired. Only sleep, rest, fasting, meditation or prayer can recharge the brain. Energy drinks and energy bars can not give you energy, only fuel at best.

What does this have to do with your beloved cup of coffee?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

First, did you know that 300 million Americans drink about 400 million cups of coffee every day? And 1.7 million cups of coffee are consumed every day worldwide? Coffee is one of the highest traded commodities in the world, second only to oil. Hmmm.....

Coffee contains caffeine which is a stimulant, on that we can agree. The primary, but temporary, effect of caffeine stimulates the body into a heightened, but false, sense of well-being. However, the second and longer lasting effect produces weakness and exhaustion, otherwise known as enervation (as in "you're on my last nerve at this point, Carla!"). Caffeine squanders vital nerve energy.

Enervation = bad.

Caffeine is a bodily poison. The body speeds up the metabolic process (enervation) to rid the body of the caffeine poison as quickly and efficiently as possible: increased heart rate, increased urination & defecation, and increased muscle contractions and activity (ie: the jitters). This is a survival step but one which exhausts vital nerve energy, hence the crash after the caffeine has successfully been eliminated.

Did you get that? The body wants caffeine out of the system as quickly as possible because of the chemical danger, but we tend to like this rush of "energy," and, in fact, erroneously depend on it.

Caffeine is an addictive drug. Any substance not required for survival that is addictive is not beneficial to the body, especially drugs that squander vital nerve energy for elimination while providing no nutritional gain (fuel). If you do not believe that caffeine is addictive, quit cold turkey and let me know how you feel.

I know coffee lovers probably hate me at this point (if you're still reading), but let me continue...

The caffeine in coffee robs your body of vital nerve energy. This is now clear. It needlessly wears down your battery creating less energy available for basic eliminative tasks at the cellular level. When cells are not regularly cleansed well, toxemia ensues, inflammation occurs and the descent into disease begins.

If coffee is your one and only drug of choice - no cigarettes, alcohol, prescriptive or recreational substances, or sugar - and you eat a predominantly plant based diet, then you can probably get away with minimal coffee consumption. If this is not your dietary landscape then I recommend weaning off coffee - 1/2 decaf to decaf to black tea to green tea to water - especially if you have episodes of acid reflux, bad breath, insomnia, anxiety, dehydration, acidosis, adrenal fatigue or tell-tale yellow-brown teeth.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Oh, and make no mistake, all this goes for caffeinated energy drinks and soda too!

I drink green matcha tea daily (LOVE the chlorophyll, though it comes with a bit of caffeine) and coffee on road trips (because arriving alive is worth the enervation) so I'm not there yet either. During phases of injury or health crisis I would forgo the matcha in order to free up all vital nerve energy for recovery.

By God, if coffee is your one true love in life then cling to it, however if you want true health freedom consider weaning off the bean and reclaiming your vitality.

Be well, Almost Caffeine-Free Carla.

1. Are you motivated to scale back on the coffee starting today? If so let me know by commenting on this post or on Facebook. Forward & share this blog post with friends & family so they can too. Click those cute social media buttons below to spread the message. 

2. Did you sign up for The Brilliant Body Health Summit in order to learn about the benefits of eating an 80/10/10 diet from over 25 experts who have re-mastered their health? I'll be there!

3. Find a Nutrition Counselor or 68 other types of therapists where you live on WellnessDestinationsCentral.com.

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LEFT...LEFT...LEFT, RIGHT, Mango!

I'm going to share something with you that I've not told many people.

It's a little embarrassing. Ready?

Back when I was flunking out of my first year at George Tech (yeah, that's not even the embarrassing part!), I desperately took one of those career assessment tests in the Student Affairs Office, trying to find a path, ANY path, to follow because I was seriously lost and aimless.

Do you know what that test told me? 

Can you guess? Brace yourself.

Well, it said that, based on my answers, that I should be a....ready?....

Drill Sergeant!

I mean really. Seriously? I'm flunking out of college, in the midst of battling a raging eating disorder, spending way too much time in college bars and otherwise floundering through my young-adult life and this test has the nerve to tell me that I ought to order other people around and tell them what to do???

So you can imagine my frustration, confusion and disgust. 

But this experience has never left me because deep down I think it was accurate. WHAT?

(DROP AND GIVE ME 20!)

Now you're not going to catch me signing up for the military any time soon. I don't even like exercise Boot Camps! I truly am a peace hippie at heart, but when it comes to food and the discipline required to eating optimally most of the time...well now, I'm your girl!

Optimal wellness is not easy, but it's simple. With knowledge, dedication and desire you can live your best and healthiest life possible. 

It is only when you are feeding yourself an optimal diet and exercising adequately can you discern what ailments are truly genetic or otherwise "locked in" and which are symptoms of lifestyle choices. I guarantee that most are of the later category but the average person doesn't take the necessary steps to determine this.

I know this much...YOU are not average. You are amazing! And I know some of you reading have gotten curious about this 80/10/10 way of eating that I've been mentioning but are not ready to take the plunge yet. Well, guess what? I've got a surprise for you!

Starting July 24th The Brilliant Body Health Summit begins! So what? you say. Well, here is your chance to learn online FREE from 25 health pioneers of all ages and backgrounds who have been living the 80/10/10 lifestyle. Learn what ailments and challenges motivated them to take the plunge, see what incredible athletes many of these people have become and observe the downright mind-blowing transformations their bodies have made. No Photoshop here!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I'm still a newbie at 80/10/10 so I'll definitely be listening to the calls which are FREE. The recordings will also be available to listen to for free for 48 hours afterward, so no worries if you can't make the live call.

ATTEN....TION! Froot Camp starts July 24th! BE THERE! AND THAT'S AN ORDER! (Not really love, but you can do this!!)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Seriously, how cute are those boots? Be well, Carla.

PS - I eventually did graduate from college!

1. Did you sign up for The Brilliant Body Health Summit? Forward & share this blog post with friends & family so they can too! Click those cute social media buttons below also to spread the good fruity word.

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How Much Water Do You Have to Drink to "Undo" a Cola?

Living in the South during the summer, one of my favorite sites is the array of hydrangea bushes, from their deep, grape purples to their bright, festive pinks and the powdery blue periwinkles. I don't know much about growing flowers, but I do know that there is a trick to changing the color of the hydrangea blossoms by changing the pH of the soil. Thinking about this lead me to ponder the pH of our bodies and how it impacts the color of our health. Grasping pH is not the easiest subject, so I've done my best to explain it as simply as possible so that we can all take full advantage of nature's healthful ways.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Inner body environment pH (a measurement of the concentration of hydrogen ions; pH = potential of Hydrogen) is important and, in fact, crucial to human life and wellbeing. The pH scale slides from zero to 14. Neutral is 7, higher than 7 is alkaline, lower than 7 is acidic. For optimal health our bodies need a pH between 7.365 and 7.45...just slightly alkaline.

Why and How?

An acidic pH (a low ability to attract Hydrogen ions) can occur from acid forming foods, emotional stress, toxic overload or any process that deprives the cells of oxygen. The body's ability to absorb minerals and other nutrients, the energy production of the cells, the ability to repair damaged cells, and the ability to detox heavy metals will all decline in an acidic environment. Tumor cells will thrive and the body will become more susceptible to fatigue, illness, bone weakness, increased rate of blood clotting, heart disease, and a suppressed immune response in an acidic environment. 

To restore and maintain optimal health with an alkalizing (a high ability to attract Hydrogen ions) diet, a minimum ratio of 80% alkalizing foods to 20% acid forming foods is ideal. The mineral content of a food is the primary determining factor as to whether the food produces an alkaline or an acidic reaction in the body. Here is a VERY simplified chart:

You are able to find many acid and alkalizing food charts online and they will vary to a degree as food and body interaction is not an exact science, however most charts will show that raw fruits and vegetables - foods naturally abundant with the alkalizing minerals calcium, magnesium, sodium, and potassium intact -and most waters fall under the 7-10 (alkaline) range. Most grains, processed sugar, animal foods, nuts, fruit juices, coffee, drugs and alcohol fall in the 6-0 (acidic) range.

Interesting Facts:

• To neutralize a glass of cola with a pH of 2.5, it would take 32 glasses of alkaline water with a pH of 10.
• Human blood has a pH between 7.35 and 7.45 and even a tenth of a variation outside this range can result in death.
• Eating a diet high in meat creates an acidic internal environment. To alkalize the blood, the body will leach calcium from the bones, leaving the skeleton calcium deficient. Taking concentrated, isolated calcium in the form of supplements acidifies the blood and has been shown to increase heart attack risk.
• Cancer cells thrive in an anaerobic environment, meaning one where oxygen content is very low. Cancer cells starve in an alkaline environment.

By the way, the 80/10/10 Diet is naturally an alkalizing diet. I hope I've explained the concept of pH well for you. Please leave comment below this post on the blog if you have any pH tidbits or stories to add. I'd love to hear what alkalizing foods you'll be adding to (or acidic foods subtracting from) your diet after reading this post.

Be well, Carla.

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Bonus Side Effects of Going 80/10/10 & Photos!

Besides feeling in body, mind and spirit like God's favorite child, there are many bonus side effects to eating the 80/10/10 way.

1. I love the beautiful fruit arrangements that are stashed around my house...in the kitchen, living room, and dining room. They smell sweet, look amazing and are positioned near the window based on stage of ripening. They are truly living, edible displays!

2. Less time spent in the kitchen! Can I get a Hallelujah? The kitchen and I have never been tight buddies. so this is perfect, however, the time spent in the kitchen is more sticky than usual based on the fruit sugars that love to ooze and drip. Fewer dishes to wash though...mostly knives and bowls.

3. Less energy consumed by the stovetop, oven & dehydrator which are rarely turned on now. The juicer and blender live out on the counter now.

4. Our daughter is eating more fruit! After 10 years of turning up her nose, she's now a banana fan. She also learned to like grapes. I've eaten fruit & veggies around her all her life, but it wasn't until we went 80/10/10 did she consider fruit (besides apples, watermelon & carrots) worthy of her mouth. She's a "texture" kid and I pray she'll totally outgrow it. Signs are improving!!

5. With less time spent in the kitchen, I now have more time for other activities, which at the moment consist of my work and my studies with B-School and the University of Natural Health.

6. Less packaging trash, more recycling and MORE COMPOST! Our bugs love living in our compost bin and you know I love sparing the planet of garbage!

7. Quicker stops at the grocery store! No need to cruise the aisles anymore because we buy really only from one department. Can you guess which one? However, shopping trips are more frequent because we eat A LOT of fruit and timing is everything when doing so.

8. Our dog, Coco, loves fresh produce, namely bananas, red bell peppers, lettuce and mango and it's so good for her too! She seven years old and looks and acts like a puppy.

9. I didn't have to learn all those complicated, time-consuming, beautiful raw-food recipes that I had been contemplating undertaking to try to convert my family to mostly-vegan. These recipes tend to be high in fat (lots of nuts, avocados, oil and coconut) so it's just as well that I skipped this step, albeit unintentionally.

10. Overall simplicity! I mean, how hard is it to peel a banana...5, 10, 15, 20 times a day?

11. No more shopping lists! We go in, we see what is available, looks good and ripe and then we decide what to eat.

12. And the best for last...nothing to burn on the stove! Not only did I cause 2nd & 3rd degree burns on my arm from a kitchen fire in 1989, but, as my husband can contest, I am notorious for getting distracted when food is on the stove. It takes so long and is so boring and cooking has never been a creative outlet for me. Methinks I'm a natural born raw foodist!

Here are some photos to enjoy of our new, sweet life....

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Above: Fruit stashed around the house.  

       

 

 

 

 

 

 

Above: compost! The compost bowl sits in our sink and sleeps in the fridge, the black backyard compost bin, with lid off and close-up of contents. Ohh, it's so good & smelly!

   

 

 

 

 

 

 

Above: our fridge stocked with fresh fruit, veggies and nuts (and lots of ignored bread & condiments) and our freezer with frozen grapes, raspberries, bananas, strawberries, soup (and ignored pie crusts, bread and tortillas).

  

   

 

 

 

 

 

 

Above: Raw Macho Taco salad (SO GOOD!) for dinner, breakfast of matcha & organic cherries, and what my kitchen looked like this morning. Fruit, glorious fruit!

Be well, Carla.

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The Reality of Incorporating 80/10/10 Into Actual Life

Earlier today my brain and eyeballs sort of felt like they were jostling behind my skull, the bones of which felt like they were being unkindly squeezed. It was not a good feeling...very disorienting and distracting. This is one of the many new feelings I get when I don't eat the 80/10/10 way. Low and behold I had snacked on some wheat/buckwheat waffles after enjoying two fried local farm eggs (in ghee) with two slices of toasted California Bread and then my daughter made some homemade oatmeal banana chocolate chip cookies. Tastes great, feels not so great.

When embarking upon the 80/10/10 journey my husband Chad and I discussed whether we could actually live and eat the 80/10/10 way for the rest of our lives. We believe the good and smart reasons for doing so and we had already felt the benefits from doing so, however, it saddened us to think that we wouldn't eat out again or be able to socialize over food with friends and family. So we decided that we'd eat 80/10/10 during the week and then starting Friday night through Saturday night we'd go back to our old way of eating which meant foods like homemade Caesar salad, restaurant salads, sushi, eggs and other relatively healthful, whole foods. Nothing radical, for sure.

The foods that have been hardest for me to forgo during the week are seaweed paper (I'm currently hooked...SeaSnax or Annie Chun's) and hard boiled eggs. For me, eggs are my go-to comfort food. They fill me up, I especially like them warm (just boiled) with sea salt and I have fond memories of coddled eggs, scrambled eggs, omelets and egg salad sandwiches growing up. They are totally not vegan and they are completely off the 80/10/10 radar. 

So, has 80/10/10 been easy? Pretty much. Have we been doing it 100% perfectly. Nope. And that's ok with me. It's a self-correcting method and requires patience during transition.

(Here's an amazing Before & After of a woman who started following 80/10/10 in March 2009.)

I love the way I feel after eating copious amounts of fruit. I feel like I'm fasting, but yet I'm never hungry. My skin and eyes glow, my mind is clear, my energy is off the charts and my whole body is at peace. If I take in the occasional egg, seaweed or my friend's awesome veg nutritious and delicious gourmet soup, I'm ok with that. These foods digest easily and don't make me feel all that much different than when I eat just fruit.

If I were to come down with a cold, illness or injury, I would NO DOUBT do 80/10/10 completely 100% until the issue cleared. Doing mostly 80/10/10 on a regular basis would make that so easy to accomplish.

So how would I describe how we are currently eating? We're 80/10/10 low-fat raw-vegan high-fruit 80% of the time. The other 20% of the time we are eating a very limited/restricted Pescetarian (including raw parmesan cheese, organic ghee, anchovies, sashimi, clams, farm eggs...no other dairy or meat) diet. It won't surprise me if over time the weekend foods slowly fade away naturally as one can eat foods that lead to discord only so many times before one isn't motivated to continue eating those foods. 

Chad and I are inspired to avoid the ravages of illness, especially cancer, heart disease, osteoporosis and cardiovascular disease. Recently watching the movie Forks Over Knives profoundly emphasized how diet is directly correlated to these ailments. We love youthful living and aging gracefully and believe the 80/10/10 approach will help provide this.

GRAINS: I never thought that I had a grain or gluten issue but now that I've stopped eating these foods regularly (brown rice, whole grain waffles, cereal, etc.) I have noticed that my lower belly "pooch" aka Wheat Belly has dissipated. I've heard it said that we really all have a gluten (and lactose) issue, we just don't know it because we rarely give the body a break from eating grains and dairy. I believe it's the grains that send my body, especially head, into a fury of discomfort. *

SUSHI: I ate sushi (actually sashimi w/o the rice) for the first time in years about two weeks ago. Oddly enough I am more open to eating raw fish than common restaurant cooked vegetarian food. Unless you go to a restaurant which specializes in and/or understands vegetarian or vegan food, it's just not worth the hassle in most cases. (And can I tell you how tired I am of paying full price for salads that have had their meat & cheese removed? If I don't want the chicken or bacon, I certainly don't want to pay for it. Add chicken? Charged extra. Remove chicken? No price cut.)

EGGS: We eat only local farm-fresh eggs. There is concern in the vegan world for B12 deficiency and some vegans supplement with B12 pills. I'd rather supplement with an egg. Between eggs and avocados, I'm certain I'm getting more than 10% of my calories from fat, however overall it's less than I was eating. My blood cholesterol went from 113 to 134 recently (too much EVOO!) and since going mostly 80/10/10 it's come back down to 119.

WATER: It's been Chad's amazement how his desire for a glass of water has faded. I anticipated this change because Dr. Graham's book mentioned it. Water filtered through fruit is more perfect than any water bottled, distilled or mechanically filtered. Eating high water content fruit, the need to add water to the diet becomes unnecessary. Also our overall salt intake has reduced whereby requiring less supplemental water. We've noticed during our weekend food mode (cooked meals!) and increased salt intake (anchovies! parmesan!) that we are more dehydrated and desire additional water. 

Eating the 80/10/10 way is an ideal and a goal. Being unable or unwilling to follow this method 100% does not lessen the worth in starting a dietary shift. It is still to one's advantage to embark on the journey towards this ideal because the body will recalibrate along the way, sending messages that lead one toward higher and cleaner nutrition. Eat more fruit, reduce protein and fat and listen to your body. Watch it change, heed its signals and delight in the results. 

Be well, Carla.

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* "Many research studies link diets high in complex carbohydrates to negative health conditions. The gluten-containing grains (primarily wheat, but also rye, barley, and oats) contain at least fifteen opioid sequences, which are strongly addictive, morphine-like substances that have potent psychoactive properties and produce serious neurological disorders, constipation, urinary retention, nausea, vomiting, cough suppression, and other symptoms." Dr. Douglas Graham

The Not-So-Sexy Road to Wellness

My journey to wellness and gaining an understanding of the healing power of food has been without radical personal illness or crisis to stimulate individual change, however, without dramatic healing from obesity, cancer or injury, a subtle and gradual journey to wellness for anyone can still be an amazing, yet covert, feat. 

I first became aware of nutrition in high school when my body was growing and changing rapidly during a time when my diet had changed severely due to a shift in parental households in 1983. My body screamed silently for sound nutrition while my distraught teenage eyes saw undesired height and weight gains. Combined with the general angst of youth and pressures for which I was unprepared, I developed a case of violent and daily bulimia which lasted five solid years. I made a feeble attempt to understand nutrition from the front introductory pages of The Joy of Cooking original cookbook...probably not the best resource, but it was what available.

In college I eventually overcame bulimia after working with a doctor who placed me on Prozac. The drug worked a miracle for me and freed me from the enslavement of absolute self-torture and addiction. Within the year I knew that I did not want to rely on medication to be stable, so I weaned myself off the anti-depressant. I gave myself permission to eat whatever my body craved and I subsequently gained the most weight I had ever carried....about 30 pounds more than I carry now.

Cravings to binge and purge began to creep back into my dominant thoughts which absolutely frightened me and I attempted to get placed back on Prozac which failed. I was desparate to find an alternate solution to prevent the bulimia from returning so naturally I went to the bookstore. I read about Prozac and serotonin. I learned that Vitamin B6 was a precursor to naturally produced serotonin in the body so I started self-medicating with copious amounts of B6 which helped me to feel like I was again on Prozac.

Knowing that this was not a permanent solution, I began to learn which foods were naturally abundant with Vitamin B6. This was my first real attempt to heal myself with nutriton. However, I was still smoking cigarettes (we had a 16 year love affair), drinking coffee, taking The Pill, ingesting artificial foods and drinking alcohol...all habits that leach vitamins and minerals from the body. At one point my facial complexion became so bad - a sign of such toxic overload and inefficient elimination - that I received a prescription for Accutane. It was during this time I was also fitted for prescription eyeglasses.

In my late 20's I knew that medication was not the answer and that there had to be a better way so I slowly started making changes. It wasn't until I was nearly 31 did I stop smoking. I had already stopped taking all prescription medications and regularly consumed dietary supplements. My diet was not ideal, but slowly improved over time. In 2001 I became pregnant and enjoyed nine months of the worst diet of my life. I ate and craved greasy cheeseburgers, candy bars and soda. I suffered from nausea and a tortorous case of low blood sugar. I had regular near-fainting spells while working and driving due to the weak nutritional support for a body hard at creation.

As so often happens, after the baby was born and I was now in charge of her diet, I began to look at food with very different eyes. I nursed her for 25 months which took its toll from the resources of my already compromised body. I began reading cookbooks for children's food which naturally lead to preparing these foods for the whole family: whole grain waffles, wholesome cookies, whole wheat pasta with basil pesto, freshly squeezed juice and the like. We shifted into a less-processed food diet yet we were eating from the full spectrum of foods and drink. My favorite meal came to be a grilled ribeye steak with a glass of Jack Daniels and flat Coca Cola. 

When the baby was around two, I discovered the yoga community which influenced some healthier food choice awareness. When she was three and a half, I entered a massage school community which further exposed me to new and healthier food options. I opened my massage practice in 2006 and starting blogging on OneHealthyGirl.com in 2007. I am forever indebted to books, newsletters, people and classes who helped me learn the vital importance of personal food choices for wellbeing and longevity.

Today I am more fit and nourished than I've been since 1983. I've lived 29 typical years of struggling with food choices and understanding nutrition while suffering the consequences of ignorance. I've released excess weight, overcome bulimia, cleared my complexion, retired my eyeglasses and I avoid artificial and substandard foods, coffee, alcohol, soda, prescription medications and all supplements. At age 42 I am 5' 7" and roughly 130 pounds (I don't weigh myself so this is a good guess actually 129.6 - I got out the scale and weighed myself after 4 cups of matcha tea and a banana or two..good guess!) and wear a size 6. These numbers are meaningless alone and only have significance only in their relativity: at age 22 I was 5' 7", 160 pounds, wearing size 10 and ingesting three different medications and eating and drinking anything available without discretion.

I have no amazing "before and after" photos to share or miracle healings to report, only stories and knowledge from everyday living. But neither are there reports of cancer, diabetes, heart disease or obesity in this tale because personal prevention and awakening occured. I will continue to share my passion for the healing and preventive power of foods because I know this knowledge can spare pain, illness, chronic disease and unnecessary stress and expense for others. Good food can help anyone to have the body, health, and comfort that they desire.

Currently I am enjoying the benefits of eating the 80/10/10 way which has been nothing short of nutritional enlightenment for the body, mind and soul. I discovered Dr. Douglas Graham's book while recently studying for my PhD in Holistic Health and Healing with the University of Natural Health (a school of Natural Hygiene). For now, I believe it to be the pinnacle of eating ideally for the optimal health of the human body.

Be well, Carla.

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Feel. Eat. Choose One.

One of the subjects that stopped me in my tracks while reading Dr. Douglas Graham's 80/10/10 was Emotional Eating. Not so much the fact that often times we eat because we want to feel something different (numb, full, indulged, safe, comforted, happy, etc.) even when we're not hungry, but rather the physiology behind this habit or crutch. 

Dr. Graham writes "the digestion of food and the conduction of emotions each demand so much energy that they cannot be performed simultaneously."

WOW!

So we can eat or we can feel. Most of the time we do a bit of both: not eat too much and not feel too little. However when we are distraught or manic, we turn in one of two directions: we either eat copious amounts of comfort food (generally high fat) to stop the ability to feel intensely, or we can not eat even if we try. While experiencing extreme emotions we turn to extreme eating practices, however this generally is not our everyday mode, yet emotions and eating take place to varying degrees daily which cumulatively affect us profoundly.

As we go and grow through life sorting out the pieces of our existential puzzle, oftentimes we want to get to a new place within ourselves but we are stuck. Eating a clean diet not only cleanses the physical cells and helps metabolic and dietary waste leave our bodies, but we also cleanse our emotional and spiritual bodies of waste. 

I am reminded of a post I wrote back in November of 2008 titled Emotional McDonald's and I reflect on how my dietary and emotional life has changed dramatically since then by "upping" my game with the way I eat. I eat to nourish my body but equally I eat cleanly in order to keep my mind and heart clear. I have sorted through so much emotional and spiritual congestion in the past few years and I know that my diet has played an integral and supportive part. 

If you want to get unstuck from where you are and can't figure out how to do it emotionally or spiritually, then start with your diet. Increase the amount of fresh, raw fruit and vegetables you consume, reduce the amount of animal products and watch your body, mind and spirit transform. It will amaze you! Eating fresh, raw fruit is as close to fasting as one can get while eating and staying satiated because the fruit sugars (fructose) are digested easily and absorbed by the body through the intestinal lining with minimal effort or demand.*

An apple a day (rather 2,3, or 4!) keeps the doctor....general physician and psychiatrist both...away! When eating from God's Kitchen, you tap into a divine source that will support your authentic growth and take you to new heights within yourself. 

"As we lighten our diets to vegetarian, vegan and eventually raw, we quite commonly become more aware of our emotional selves...As one lightens the digestive load by switching to raw foods, the body suddenly has more nerve energy to conduct emotions, and emotions suppressed over the years begin to emerge." Dr. Douglas Graham

Be well, Carla.

Would you like to find a nutritional coach in your area? Search WellnessDestinationsCentral.com for this and 68 other types of alternative healthcare practitioners.

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* "Before our cells can utilize any food for fuel, whether it contains primarily carbohydrate, protein, or fat, it must first be converted into simple sugars. Carbohydrates are by far the easiest to convert to useful sugars. Glucose (a simple sugar, like fructose) is the primary, preferred source of fuel for every tissue and cell of our bodies. In fact, some of our cells (the brain, red blood cells, and some nervous tissue, for example) depend almost exclusively on glucose as their fuel source...As a category, fruits are our least toxic food choice. They digest cleanly, leaving only water as residue, which is easily expelled from the body." Dr. Douglas Graham 80/10/10

It's Time to Start Writing Again!

My nutritional world has been rocked yet again. It's funny how passions can turn into never ending journeys and one interest can alter many aspects of life. This quest of mine to eat well, live well and avoid disease has been just that. 

I started this blog on September 28, 2007 after I attended a Young Living annual convention. As a licensed massage therapist, I love using Young Living's therapeutic essential oils at work and home. However, at this particular convention, I became intrigued with the supplements and meal replacement shakes and started the OneHealthyGirl.com blog to showcase what I had learned. 

On March 10, 2008 I wrote about reading The Omnivore's Dilemma by Michael Pollan. This book gave me a quantum leap forward in understanding how mainstream meat, dairy and eggs in grocery stores and restaurants are from diseased, abused and chemically infused animals. Hence, Big Change #1: I stopped eating most conventional animal products. 

On May 3, 2009 I had the opportunity to hear Dr. Will Tuttle, the author of The World Peace Diet, speak at a local church. It was at this point that I became the annoying vegan who posted slaughterhouse videos. (I know, I know...sorry!) Veganism made sense to me on so many levels: human nutrition, animal welfare, environmentalism and spirituality. It was around this time that we bought a juicer. Big Change #2: I became mostly vegan.

An then on December 29, 2009 I retired my OneHealthyGirl.com blog because I felt that I was treading in dogmatic waters with my veganism and I didn't want to evangelize so much. Veganism became a very personal choice and I turned inward. Big Change #3: Veganism became my spiritual practice.

Today, May 23, 2012 I am writing to share my Big Change #4 and to revive my blog. Having just finished reading Dr. Douglas Graham's 80/10/10 Diet - Balancing Your Health, Your Weight, and Your Life, One Luscious Bit at a Time I am forever changed...again. This time it's not about the environment, the animals, spirituality or veganism for that matter because it's about serving YOU!

I have so much to say about this book and I'm not sure where to begin. Let's start here:

I wish to convince anyone who is suffering from any bodily discomfort or disease to consider what this book has to offer. The body knows how to heal itself and we simply need to get out of its way and to rightfully support its healing mechanisms. Food choices are critical in this endeavor but, of course, not the only factor in wellness. One must sleep well, exercise well, manage life responsibilities and emotions well, feel joy well in addition to eat well in order to live a healthful and pain-free life. 

Logic would have it that if the right food can support the body in healing and reverse disease, then eating well can also prevent illness from taking hold in the first place. Keeping the interior body clean helps the body to resist disease. An acidic, inflamed, constipated and otherwise toxic body invites and creates disease. 

I've been talking with many people who have assorted ailments that I know, yes KNOW, can be helped if not reversed by following the guidelines in this book. (That's a pretty bold statement, eh?) 

Here's my caveat: if you have illness or disease in your body and/or if you're on any medication and you've not given the cleanest and most pure diet humanly possible a chance, then you've NOT done everything in your power to help assist your body's natural healing potential. If you'd like to be free of your ailment, if you'd like to stop taking medication, then get this book ASAP and start reading. You need to educate yourself to understand how the body works with the food you give it. Change in diet may not be easy for you, but it is THE ONE THING that can radically liberate you from the confines of what pains you. 

Simply put, if you don't give your body the chance to work it's miracle of self-healing and self-cleansing, then you are saying that you want to keep the disease that currently plagues you. I know this sounds stern, however I'm not going to mince words when it comes to wellbeing. If you are sick, then what you are currently doing is not working. If you are well, I trust that you want to stay that way. Don't just survive, thrive!

Stick with me. Get the book. It won't be easy, but it will be the best choice you've made to heal your body because it works, it's simple, no special foods, supplements or appliances are necessary and this lifestyle diet only needs a grocery store. You've got one of those, right? Ok then...NO EXCUSES!!

Be well, Carla.

Want to find a nutritional coach in your area? Search WellnessDestinationsCentral.com for this and 68 other types of alternative healthcare practitioners.

If you like what you've read, please share it with friends. New subscribers are good! Thx!

6 June 2012 adendum: I am now an affiliate bookseller with Ada's Technical Books which is an independent bookstore in Seattle, WA. Please support your indy bookstores. The books linked above can be purchased online through Ada's.