Women body image

Women and Body Image

After interviewing well over 100 women about their relationship to food, body image, and their weight~ not one of them said they were completely satisfied with their bodies.

Not one of them.

Granted I do live in Southern California one of the most image driven places on the planet, and Los Angeles at that...I still wished that one of them would have said...'yeah, I love my body'. Just for my own sanity that perhaps we are living in a world of mild health to some degree.

But the women I spoke to most of them professional women, most healthy, none of whom were fanatical or who had breast implants or plastic surgery, so not the extreme situations...but still...not entirely satisfied with hips, wrinkles, cellulite...etc.

It brought me to wonder...is it really that strange to desire to see perfection in the flaws? Or is the Michale Jackson, Cher, Lisa Marie, and Joan Rivers ( the plastic surgery nightmares of the century) going to be the faces of the future?

This my friends, this a cultural pariah nibbling at the toes of almost every women. Subtly nipping away the skin, flesh and blood of our feminine.

How deep does the problem go, and should we consider it an issue?

How does it affect us culturally? Socially?

How does it affect our relationship with our bodies, our nutrition, our children?

Does it end in high school? Or is it ubiquitous?

These are the questions I ponder. I do not claim to have the answers...but do I dare to call women to ask themselves the questions... Can we heal this? Should we make it a priority? And... not...does it affect you but HOW DEEP does it affect you?

Fresh approach to weight loss

Weight loss-Ideas and Tips from a Fresh Approach

By Raquel Reyna from Divine Nutrition


The psychology of eating and weight loss ideas by Divine Nutrition is designed for anyone who eats.

We all have a relationship with food. This relationship changes overtime but is with us throughout our lives. Culturally it is time for us to re-evaluate this relationship. With things like diabetes, obesity, heart disease, binge eating, fast food, and over eating increasing in epidemic proportion asking the question…do we as Americans have a healthy relationship with food…is a valid and transformational investigation.

There is not one program in this country that deals with the psychology of eating unless you are anorexic or bulimic or suffer from severe eating disorders. But the real truth is that we all eat, and most of us think that we would rather be thinner, healthier, or in better shape to some degree. And 150 million people a day across America go on a diet. Only 3% will keep the weight off and this has not changed in 20 years! So we all can grow from becoming sane around our relationship with food!

The study of the average American and their psyche around food…is an enlightening one. So let’s begin with a fresh approach to weight loss.

My focus at Divine Nutrition is developing a healthy psyche around our diet, our self-image, and our relationship with our body.

To begin this investigation we must ask ourselves questions like: do I feel good after I eat, am I happy with my body, do I have cravings that control my day, do I binge at night, do I have indigestion?

These are just a few of the inner investigations needed to discover if we are in a healthy rapport with our bellies.

Feeling bloated after a meal, or constantly wanting to lose that extra 15lbs, or yo yo dieting are not necessarily issues with food or diet or nutrition at all. I am suggesting that all of these symptoms are a calling out from your body to inform you that a deeper relationship with self is needed: that some type of transformation about how you are ingesting life needs to be evaluated.

How to transform your relationship with food, lose weight, and create healthy habits with food begins by stepping out onto the journey of life.

There is not simple answer and as much as I would like to sell one…there is no magic pill or ten step cure. There is a lot of pain and suffering in this relationship with nourishing ourselves and healing our bodies for lasting change is the only answer. There is no need to get rid of or cut off or starve yourself as you go through this process. Perhaps your body is suggesting you move into deeper relationship with it, dive into a process of transformation, and become the vehicle of vital health that is your natural state. So let’s begin with 6 simple steps to Real Weight loss:

1. Learn to love your body. No matter what. If you eat something that made you feel bloated or sick do not go into self-sabotage…forgive yourself right away. We are all human and there is no need to attack or wrong yourself for what you enjoyed or what you ate too much of.

2. Ask yourself deeper questions about what else in your life feels stuck? Are you unhappy at work, in a relationship, with a friend, where do you feel transformation is needed?

3. Are you depriving yourself of basic nourishment due to false ideas about food? Such as to loose weight I must eat close to nothing-Or to loose fat I must eliminate fat in my diet? Both of these things are completely false. Filling yourself up with high dense nutrient rich foods is important to decrease cravings and binging behavior. Fat free foods are false advertising and toxic rich processed foods. Feel free to eat healthy fats like coconut oil, avocados, nuts, omega 3’s.

4. Slow down. Are you eating on the run, stressed out or not carving out time to eat? Your body can not properly digest a meal if you are eating under duress.

5. Listen to your body. Everyday stop do nothing and listen. Is your body telling you information about what it really wants can you nourish it in other ways like a bath, a walk, a meditation before food? Take 10 minutes a day to listen to the needs of your body. Perhaps you need more exercise, less exercise, nature, organic foods, deep stretches, less sugar, more mineralization. Listen to your body everyday.

6. Buy high quality foods. This is the greatest insurance investment there is. Spend the extra money on high-vibe nutrient dense foods. Research the highest quality in food, supplementation, superfoods, and mineral dense ways to eat. Don’t skimp on quality. You will pay triple at the doctor for poor health, medications, mood-assistant drugs, or health bills. Invest in the highest quality food first and save later.

Sometimes our life’s and our bodies need deeper nourishment and food is not doing its job because we are not doing our jobs-in other words we are not taking the time to deepen, change, or transform areas in our life that need attention.

I am saying that most people’s issues around food are issues around life. How you eat is symbolic to how you are nourishing yourself or not nourishing yourself.

Take the time today to give yourself permission to be healthy!

Weight loss from a fresh approach would mean to begin to evaluate from a more genuine prospective your relationship with yourself, your life, your nourishment, your self-care, your attention to the moment.

Reach for your divine health. Your most delicious, healthy, vital, and wondrous bodacious bod awaits you as your realize NOW that divine health is your natural state.

Procrastinating the Raw Food Kitchen

Procrastinating the Raw Food Kitchen...

OK well it is time for me to build my raw kitchen and can you say...procrastination. Well procrastinating is a wonderful way to get things done like: cleaning the closets, buying new clothes, catching up with old friends in long phone conversations. However, the time has it and I am signing up for my first raw cooking class in 10 days! bravo for me!

According to the Raw Diva's the blender to get is the Blendtec blender...which I am going to have to update you on. I am researching the supplies and what I need.

Step one: Procrastinate
Step two: Get some research done on products
Step three: Tell you more tomorrow...

-Raquel

Creating a raw food kitchen

Starting my own raw food kitchen experiment:


After a year of dabbling, experimenting, and spending way too much money on Wholefood's raw food section, I have decided to start my own raw kitchen.

I am not an expert by any standards and I pride myself on:
1. Not being 100% raw
2. Going to friend's houses to eat and allowing myself to enjoy their cooking
3. Not viewing those other non-raw foods as the enemy
4. loving food in general
5. Trusting whatever I am craving is good for me in the moment
6. Still drinking margaritas and mexican food...on occassion...yum!

So basically I am a liberal raw foodist who agrees for the most part I feel better the more raw I am. I am not going to compete or lay down to those 15 year raw foodies...I am going to celebrate all food. No bias.

However, the truth is I like cooking raw. I guess that is an oxymoron...so I love blending, chopping and creating raw dishes. So I am going to begin the transformation of my kitchen from once where cooked foods and ovens reigned supreme to a new unleached dehydrated blending kitchen...one day-one appliance-one receipe-one class- at a time.

My goal here is to update this blog as I go.

Each addition to my kitchen will be talked about here for those interested in trying it too!
Its about feeling good, having fun, and becoming as much raw as you like and that fits into your lifestyle comfortably.
So lets get choppin!

Blissin OUT!!!

Chocolate Bliss
By far my favorite Superfood Product. People feel the bliss of this product immediately! Cravings go down, and energy goes way up!
1 pound - $50.00
5 pounds - $200.00
Your perfect flavor blend of intense, rich Chocolate, Creams, Fruits and Exotic Botanicals from around our world. Overview: Each whole food botanical is optimally cultivated, fair trade and sustainable. Rich in human compatible/absorbable vitamins, minerals, EFA oils and antioxidants, especially vitamins C and E. Low temperature processed. Cold stored as required. Far exceeds Certified Organic standards. Protected from irradiation, X-rays, truck/ship/plane exhaust fumes and overheated warehouses.
Uses: Chocolate Bliss is designed as a daily, core food and was created to assist people desiring to live on Raw Super Foods and women who are pregnant or nursing. The smooth, rich chocolate flavor is enjoyable to most mainstream people, including children. Primary effects are continuous peak mood, energy and beauty.
Chocolate Bliss blend consists of:Mayan Gold Cacao Powder, Hemp Seeds, Whole Coconut Flour, Rhodiola Rosea, Maca, Sun Fire Salt, Bioperine, Carob, Tocotrienols (Vitamin E related Tocopherols, CoQ10, Glutathione), Camu Camu Berries, Acerola Berries, Amla Berries, Manioc Root, Blueberry, Cherry, Raspberry, Cranberry, Buckwheat Berry Sprouts, Rose Hips Fruit, Lemon Peel, Psyllium Seed Powder, MSM, Pure Vanilla Powder.
All ingredients are raw. This is a Certified Pristine product.
The Cacao powder in this product has been fully fermented and has had the majority of the shell debris removed, producing optimal effects without side effects from incomplete fermentation and toxins in shell debris. For more information, read the Raw Super Food Product Quality Guide.
Free of: Excipients (non-nutritive & potentially toxic fillers), animal products, sugar, THC, gluten, chemicals
To make one blender full of Chocolate Bliss drink: Blend till smooth- 2 TBS-Chocolate Bliss, 2 TBS-Agave Nectar (preferably Vanilla Agave Nectar) and 1-1/2 Cups water(or coconut water which is much more flavorful. You can add coconut meat, fruit such as berries or frozen organic strawberries.
Optional additional ingredients include a small chip of Mayan Gold Cacao Butter, 1/2 Tbs Guarana or Rain Forest Rush, 1 tsp Tocotrienols, 1 tsp Bee Pollen, fresh or frozen berries, and/or 1/2-1 Cup activated nuts (especially walnuts). Chill and shake well before drinking.
Chocolate Bliss has enough minerals, proteins, supplementation for the body to live on for 2 out of your three meals a day! Just by drinking this all day long while snacking on your healthy choice meals- See Our Diet Program- for ideas. If you would like to make large amounts here is the recipe:
To make one gallon of Chocolate Bliss drink:
- 3 cups pure water- 1¼ cups Vanilla Agave Nectar- 1½ cups Chocolate Bliss mix
Optional ingredients:(try choosing only 1-2 extra ingredients per batch to maintain Chocolate Bliss' naturally great flavor/consistency) - 1-2 TBS Rain Forest Rush- 1-3 tsp Bee Pollen- 3 TBS Pure Synergy superfood mix- 1 TBS Tocotrienols- 1/4th to 1 square inch of Mayan Gold Cacao Butter

Blend until smooth (works best in a Vita-Mix or other high powered blender), pour into a gallon-sized sealable plastic container, and then fill the rest up with water. Shake well, and then chill.
Sip with gratitude, love, and enjoy the most divine day ever!

Want some bliss?? YUMMhttp://www.emotionaleatinghelpwithrawsuperfoods.com/

more love raw chocolate

I love chocolate and I drink it every day! I make loads of it and I love it!

Try it too- you might like it!

Raw Cacao- a love story!

Oh my god do I love raw cacao.

I am having a secret love affair. It satisfys me on so many levels.
Cacao is still relatively new to the raw food scene and a very welcome addition it is too! It is spreading quickly however and the range of cacao bars, powders, and mixes are growing...thank god. Of course, I think with the discovery of David Favors chocolate bliss i have my finger on the pulse of the best raw cacao mixes on the planet. So, If carob hasn’t quite hit the choc-spot for you, then cacao, or its brother raw cacao powder (raw chocolate powder) very likely will – especially considering that cacao is exactly the same ingrediant that all chocolate bars are made from sinsa the milk, cream, dairy, and other additives.

And while there may be a lot of people in the raw food world thinking/ feeling that raw cacao is just as addictive as the cooked stuff (they may be right.. I have my own suspicions!), for those that want to find a great way to satisfy the chocoholic in them, then this is where it's at - minus the milk, sugar and all the other nasties that most believe is chocolate...

With the right sources you will be minus the caffeine as well!

What is Cacao?

Cacao, also known as “cacao pod”, is the fruit of the cacao tree, a small and handsome evergreen tree growing in South America and the West Indies which grows 12 to 25 feet high (less than 25 feet if being cultivated). In 1753 it was named Theobroma meaning “food of the gods” by Carl von Linnaeus, the 18th-century Swedish scientist who developed the plant and animal Latin categorization system.

Cacao Facts

The cacao tree bears its leaves, flowers and fruit (cacao pods) all the year round.
The cacao pods are usually egg or melon-shaped, measuring 5 to 12 inches long and 3 to 5 inches wide.
The pods start off as golden-red to purple in colour, turning brown at maturity.
The beans rattle inside the pod when shaken also showing that the fruit is ripe.
Each pod generally produces 20 to 40 almond-shaped cacao beans. They are about 1 inch long, reddish-brown on the outside, dark-brown on the inside, and imbedded in a whitish, sweetish, buttery pulp. Rather interestingly, if they are separated from the pod they soon become infertile, but if kept inside they retain their fertility for a long time.
From fertilization to harvesting the fruit requires 5–6 months. Harvest season lasts about 5 months.
Preparation

Once ripe, the pods are cut from the tree, cut open and allowed to mellow on the ground. The beans are allowed to ferment so that they may be more easily separated from the shell. After fermentation the beans are dried in the sun (or sometimes in a steam drying shed) at which time they change from purple to brown. Beans are then bagged and shipped. Further processing includes roasting, crushing, and separating out the kernel, grinding the nibs and extraction of about half of the fat.

Uses

Cocoa is prepared by grinding the beans into a paste between hot rollers and mixing it with sugar and starch, with some of the fat being removed.
Chocolate is prepared in much the same way, but the fat is retained.
Raw cacao is sold as whole beans or as “nibs” which are effectively cacao beans broken down into smaller pieces and with the skin removed. It tastes slightly sweet yet also slightly bitter and is delicious on its own or used in recipes, although some may find the taste overpowering initially if eaten alone.
Nutritional Properties

Raw Cacao Nutritional Facts:
Serving Size: 1 ounce (= ¼ cup or 28g)
Calories 160, Fat 11g (of which Saturated Fat 4g), Sodium 30 mg, Carbohydrate 14g, Fibre 9g, Sugars 3g, Protein 1g, Vitamin C 42mg

Magnesium
Cacao is remarkably rich in magnesium and seems to be the number one source of magnesium of any food. This may very well explain why women crave chocolate before or during their menstrual period. Magnesium balances brain chemistry, builds strong bones, and is associated with creating more happiness. Magnesium is the most deficient major mineral on the Standard American Diet (SAD) - over 80% of Americans are chronically deficient in magnesium.

Stimulant or Superfood?
Cacao contains subtle amounts of caffeine and theobromine. However, experiments have shown that these stimulants are far different when consumed raw than cooked.

They have found that all of the caffeine is contained in the shell of the cacao bean. If the bean is de-shelled as it is in chocolate bliss you are minus the caffeine and plus all the bennefits. Yipee, hurray, and bravo for us-especially us girls late at night right before that time of month!

MAO Inhibitors
Cacao seems to diminish appetite, probably due to its monoamine oxidase enzyme inhibitors (MAO inhibitors) - these are different from digestive enzyme inhibitors found in most nuts and seeds. These rare MAO inhibitors actually produce favourable results when consumed by allowing more serotonin and other neurotransmitters to circulate in the brain. According to Dr. Gabriel Cousens, MAO inhibitors facilitate youthening and rejuvenation.

Phenylethylamine (PEA)
Phenylethylamine (PEA) is found in chocolate. PEA is an adrenal-related chemical that is also created within the brain and released when we are in love. This is one of the reasons why love and chocolate have a deep correlation. PEA also plays a role in increasing focus and alertness.

Anandamide (“The Bliss Chemical”)
A neurotransmitter called anandamide, has been isolated in cacao. Anandamide is also produced naturally in the brain. Anandamide is known as "The Bliss Chemical" because it is released while we are feeling good. Cacao contains enzyme inhibitors that decrease our body’s ability to breakdown anandamide. This means that natural anandamide and/or cacao anandamide may stick around longer, making us feel good longer when we eat cacao.

How to Eat Cacao

Good news for health seekers who are trying to avouch commercial chocolate and the like - cacao is a versatile food and can be used in many delicious ways!

Try eating them straight, a teaspoon at a time. Chew thoroughly and experience the taste extravaganza of raw chocolate.
Add to nut-based smoothies or nut milks to make chocolate shakes and flavoured milks.
Add agave nectar or honey to the raw cacao nibs and chew.
Freeze cacao nibs with sweeteners (agave nectar or honey are fantastic). Eat cold.
Blend cacao nibs into herbal teas with the Peruvian superfood maca.
Add cacao nibs to raw ice-creams for the best chocolate chips in the world.
Chop up a banana, add some but butter and top with cacao nibs for a delicious snack, supper or dessert.
Create a raw chocolate bar! Pour into a mould and freeze. Eat cold and experience the truth

The best is to make a blender full with lots of other superfoods mix with water, berries, activated nuts and agave...yummy!