Raw Cauliflower Popcorn #40

Yea, so about those 366 days...

In God's infinite knowledge this is a Leap Year. Why is it a Leap Year? Because I can still get in 365 days and still get to participate in the Karamu feast that we are having on January 1 for Kwanzaa. I will be starting on the 2nd although I will be taking a laxative tea that night and an enema the next morning.

Anywhoo, just thought I'd take a moment of honesty with you all.

Nubia Answers Questions on Taking Vitamins, My Daily Food Intake and Why...

Vitamix Blender

First of all I would like to wish you all Heri za Kwanzaa (Happy Kwanzaa)!!! Habari Gani? Umoja!!!

Just wanted to drop in with a quickie. I used my Vitamix for the first time today and honey, that thang is tha troof!!! OMG!!! I love it!!! Of course I'll do more on it later, but I made carrot apple smoothies with cinnamon and my husband had cayenne in his. They were delish and immediately caused a bowel movement. TMI? Well too bad because that's part of good health! lol

6 days 'til 366

Hi family!!! I am so excited about starting my 366 days to health. Now, I will warn you in advance, if you aren't already aware, I am not the most consistent person so this is going to be a BIG lesson in discipline. I am going to make my best effort to apply and try everything I know about health to my own life.

Like many of you I have completely over done it and thrown caution to the wind this holiday season. I have even been eating meat *gasp* and yes I enjoyed it. The results of my negative dietary turn have been as follows:

• Weight gain
• Sluggishness
• Mucus build-up
• Coated tongue
• Stinky poop
• Constipation
• Skin Eruptions
• Headaches
• Painful Periods
• Longer Periods
• Indigestion
• Gas
• Bloating

Although I don't push other people to be vegan I know that my body functions MUCH better when I am a well balanced vegan. The reason I was able to notice all of the symptoms listed above is because they went away on a vegan diet.

My change will start with a cleanse. I'm thinking MC because it is the best for getting fast results. Then I want to move on to a combination of smoothies, juices, teas, and of course water. BTW, my husband bought me a Vitamix blender which I am SO excited about. It comes with a ton of recipes that are SUPER simple. I am SO excited about feeling better. I am also going to add exercise back into my day EVERY day in some way...well that's my goal. I want a rebounder too. They look SO fun.

I will be uploading some vids, pictures, measurements, and updates on how my health is improving.

Yoga for Your Cycle

Fell off...again

Here's the story/excuse. Our children have been involved in this wonderful 10 week program and between the 2 of them they have been taking 3 classes. One of the classes was an acting class. My son LOVES to be seen, thrives off of attention, and has no concept of what it means to be embarrassed. My daughter likes to be seen on her own terms, likes getting attention in familiar settings, and is easily embarrassed. Somehow in this play my son ends up with a non-speaking part and my daughter with a speaking role. He was a munchkin from Munchkin Land and she played the OZ!!! What is the world?! When I found out I went with it. They've seen The Wiz, but never the Wizard of Oz, but they are similar enough that my daughter knew that she had a pretty major role. Last night as we sat in the pews and watched the displays from the other classes my heart began to ache for my daughter. I watched my dichotomous children as one smiled endlessly while the other fought back tears. I wanted to save her. I wanted to sit on the front row and rock her, but I knew that my hug would release a river of tears. Tonight would have to be the night that she learned what kind of women she is birthed from. I, for once, wouldn't be her savior. Well the first time she had to go on stage was for her photography class. To my surprise they had to stand up and read from a card about the various type of photography they'd learned about. Her voice and articulation were AMAZING!!! As of late we have had to ask her to stop mumbling so I was in a state of pure bliss. Not to mention, this child is gorgeous. Beauty AND brains? Um...yea...that's how we grow 'em in our family. Thank ya kindly. Anyway, when she sat down she went back into panic mode and I went back into savior mode. We both fought our respective battles in silence. The play began and when her part came I kept sending her "you-can-do-this-because-you-come-from-strong-women-and-3-of-us-are-here-to-support-you" vibes. Her part began behind a curtain because as you recall The Oz is hidden at first. When her voice boomed through the sanctuary I started to tear up and swell with pride. HONEY!!! That's MY BABY!!! Then in the play when they discovered that The Oz was just a person, I braced myself because now she was in front of the audience. HONEY? She played that part like only a sista could. I thought I was watching The Wiz with a strong female leading role!!! Tears flowing, I look at my husband who is fighting tears too. Y'all don't understand. This child didn't break out of her shell. She melted that that bad boy and was bathed in feminine flyness when she emerged. I was just so amazed my her.

At this point I know you are wondering what all this has to do with me falling off right? Well, as I've told you we eat for every occasion. Don't judge me. We went to Razzoo's and they are NOT known for vegetarian ANYTHING!!! Okay plus, I was ill prepared and was eating out of raw emotion. Shoot, I was crying while I was typing this post. I have got to learn how to separate food and emotion.

Getting started...Again

Don't know if I ever told you, but you should always prep for a cleanse if you don't want to suffer crisis. Now, I'm talking about a "real" cleanse, not just giving up a little something. A cleanse where you are going totally raw, juicing, smoothies, teas, etc. I am doing a 21 day cleanse January 1, but my body was like, "Well, you at least need to get back on track a lil bit first. Don'tcha think?" So I'm doing just that. I'm not making any major promises because we are still in the throws of the Helladay--I mean Holiday season. I don't hate the holidays, I hate how people act during them...and I hate how I eat!

All that to say, I am going to get back on track with my striving for vegan, but settling for vegetarian lifestyle until the cleanse. Wait. Did I forget to tell you that I ate turkey for Native American Holocaust Day--I mean Thanksgiving? Yea, I did. Not only did I eat it, I carved not one, but 2 birds up!!!

This morning I started my day with a double dose of detox tea. About 10am I ate quinoa that I cooked in veggie broth. Toward the end of the quinoa cooking I added some mushrooms that I marinated and dehydrated last night. For my greens I had 2 dishes. I steamed broccoli and carrots that I chopped up last night. I also wilted some kale with sundried tomatoes and green bell pepper. Last but not least, I made a lil dipping sauce for no reason other than I felt like it. It was made of horseradish mustard, Worcestershire sauce, avocado, lemon juice, vinegar (because I didn't have enough lemon juice), cayenne, and a lil salt. DA BOMB!!!!!!!

Please excuse the little smudge on the side of the bowl. I was trying to create a pretty presentation, but I was too hungry.