If you've been to this blog a few times, you know how much I enjoy Dan McDonald aka Dan the Man...and this video chat was his Thanksgiving Gift to us...he shares so much knowledge...
HIGHEST LEVELS OF HEALTH AND HEALING ~ OPTIMIZING ENDOCRINE GLAND FUNCTION
Showing posts with label Dan the Man. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Dan the Man. Show all posts
Friday, November 25, 2011
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
How-To Raw
Diet changes don't happen over night... my diet struggles have been ongoing since my twenties (although there was a brief 15 year period of veganism that seemed magical and it is that experience that leads my current journey) ...and food addiction is still my number one issue. I've spent so many years limiting my food intake, forbidding foods, doing maniacally disgusting "tricks" to not hurt (like chewing the Oreo and spitting it out) because the bottom line for me and always has been... pain.
When I eat too much... regardless of the what... bread, dairy, meat, veggies, sweets... my guts hurt.
I hurt less when I'm vegan.
I really hurt less when I fast.
And now, on a mostly raw diet, it seems like I've figure out a way to eat as much as I want, grazing all day, and not having any pain. The hardest lesson I'm learning is that a few weeks/months of raw is not going to "cure me" as evidenced by the pain flair I'm still in the midst of days later because of some chicken and spaghetti Sunday night. So, if I could stay raw every day for the rest of my life, would I never have gut pain again? And is raw every day forever even a possibility? Even the major raw food experts don't agree on that.
I'm going to let my body decide.
Yesterday I was raw all day...I'm on a raw path today, so far just orange juice and watermelon...
I've decided to not count the number of days raw to try to get to ten, or twenty, or a hundred and twenty... or even five. It seems numbers set me up for failure.
What I need is simple, easy to follow meal plans without a lot of prep time...no days of dehydrating... because that sets me up for failure too.
I've heard a lot of raw foodist experts claim that all the gourmet recipes and rituals are necessary for newbies because it makes them feel like they're cooking...and I felt that way for about a minute last week... and I stirred and mixed and dehydrated and tried to create meals that "seemed" like a real meal...and all that happened was I REALLY WANTED A REAL MEAL...and caved...and ate chicken and spaghetti.
That isn't the answer...at least not for me.
I need that super easy. When I went vegan it was easy... I answered one question: Did /this/ have a heart beat? If the answer was yes...I didn't eat it.
There has to be a similar question for raw...and just asking: "Was this cooked?" isn't enough. I need "unprocessed" as well to avoid all of the additives that are making my food-life a nightmare. I've heard: "If it has more than five ingredients, don't eat it." That may or may not work.
I keep going back to Dan the Man... most of what he says really resonates and he doesn't have a recipe for everything. And no, you cannot start with a mango and end up with mayonnaise as another youtube raw food personality suggests. And don't get me started on turning nuts into everything from aioli to cheese. With Dan McDonald, there's a cut right to the bottom line. Eat simple foods. Yes, there's a bunch of smoothies thrown in, and a lot of dvd's he's promoting, but when I listen to what he's saying in between... it makes sense. Like this video of Juicing. It's now suddenly more simple:
When I eat too much... regardless of the what... bread, dairy, meat, veggies, sweets... my guts hurt.
I hurt less when I'm vegan.
I really hurt less when I fast.
And now, on a mostly raw diet, it seems like I've figure out a way to eat as much as I want, grazing all day, and not having any pain. The hardest lesson I'm learning is that a few weeks/months of raw is not going to "cure me" as evidenced by the pain flair I'm still in the midst of days later because of some chicken and spaghetti Sunday night. So, if I could stay raw every day for the rest of my life, would I never have gut pain again? And is raw every day forever even a possibility? Even the major raw food experts don't agree on that.
I'm going to let my body decide.
Yesterday I was raw all day...I'm on a raw path today, so far just orange juice and watermelon...
I've decided to not count the number of days raw to try to get to ten, or twenty, or a hundred and twenty... or even five. It seems numbers set me up for failure.
What I need is simple, easy to follow meal plans without a lot of prep time...no days of dehydrating... because that sets me up for failure too.
I've heard a lot of raw foodist experts claim that all the gourmet recipes and rituals are necessary for newbies because it makes them feel like they're cooking...and I felt that way for about a minute last week... and I stirred and mixed and dehydrated and tried to create meals that "seemed" like a real meal...and all that happened was I REALLY WANTED A REAL MEAL...and caved...and ate chicken and spaghetti.
That isn't the answer...at least not for me.
I need that super easy. When I went vegan it was easy... I answered one question: Did /this/ have a heart beat? If the answer was yes...I didn't eat it.
There has to be a similar question for raw...and just asking: "Was this cooked?" isn't enough. I need "unprocessed" as well to avoid all of the additives that are making my food-life a nightmare. I've heard: "If it has more than five ingredients, don't eat it." That may or may not work.
I keep going back to Dan the Man... most of what he says really resonates and he doesn't have a recipe for everything. And no, you cannot start with a mango and end up with mayonnaise as another youtube raw food personality suggests. And don't get me started on turning nuts into everything from aioli to cheese. With Dan McDonald, there's a cut right to the bottom line. Eat simple foods. Yes, there's a bunch of smoothies thrown in, and a lot of dvd's he's promoting, but when I listen to what he's saying in between... it makes sense. Like this video of Juicing. It's now suddenly more simple:
Thursday, September 8, 2011
Rewind: DAY ONE!
So, after completely blowing my Raw diet Sunday and Monday after only three days success. I sat and thought for a few days, toyed with my food, keeping at about 80% raw, and basically feeling like a complete and utter failure.
I didn't fail.
I learned my limitations.
I know staying RAW during Ohio's extreme's in weather is going to be difficult. I wasn't prepared for just how difficult. I think warm liquids are the answer and so have spent my time searching for raw drinks and soups to warm my body and soul. I am fairly anxious to try some of them...
But that will have to wait until I finish eating all of the mangoes, tomatoes, and melons, I bought for the next week or so...
Today I am going RAW...AGAIN! I am Meditating, Visualizing Success, and still watching Motivational YouTube Videos. I love Dan the Man...he struck a cord with me...he may or may not move you. Here is one of his videos:
How To Start A Raw Food Diet Today
I like Dan's simplistic approach.
In other news, HUBBY is now COMPLETELY ON BOARD!!!!!!
He isn't promising 100% raw, but he is willing to eat all-raw meals with me, and after sitting and holding my hand while I cried for two days over being such a pathetic loser (I know I'm not really...now) I think he's relieved I'm giving it one more go-around. I also asked him to be my raw-police in addition to being my MSG-police, since he does such an awesome job protecting me from MSG. Now he's being entrusted to protect me all forms of cooked food. Wish Me/Us Luck!!!
Today's Food Breakdown:
Breakfast: 150 Cal, 5.0 fat
Banana
8 Almonds
Hot Tea - an English Breakfast blend (I'll limit this one because it does have caffeine, but as far as warming the soul goes...this one is nice:)
24 ounces water - after, not during the meal
Lunch: 45 Cal, 0.8 fat
Heirloom Tomatoes
3 Ginger Carrot Crackers
24 ounces water - after, not during the meal
Snack: 115 cal, 0.1 fat
Orange Juice
Dinner: 250 Cal, 16.8 fat
Stuffed and Dehydrated Spicy Portabella Mushrooms and Mimi Kirk's Raw Caesar Salad
24 ounces water - after, not during the meal
Total: 560 cal, 22.7 fat or 39%
Food Summary:
The fat intake today is a disaster. Even when I was eating meat and cheese I never topped 28%. So this is bad. How am I ever going to maintain a less than 10% fat diet if every raw recipe calls for a bazillion nuts?
Time to do some nut research and see if the types of fat in nuts will make my RA go as crazy as the fat in meat and cheese...
I didn't fail.
I learned my limitations.
I know staying RAW during Ohio's extreme's in weather is going to be difficult. I wasn't prepared for just how difficult. I think warm liquids are the answer and so have spent my time searching for raw drinks and soups to warm my body and soul. I am fairly anxious to try some of them...
But that will have to wait until I finish eating all of the mangoes, tomatoes, and melons, I bought for the next week or so...
Today I am going RAW...AGAIN! I am Meditating, Visualizing Success, and still watching Motivational YouTube Videos. I love Dan the Man...he struck a cord with me...he may or may not move you. Here is one of his videos:
How To Start A Raw Food Diet Today
I like Dan's simplistic approach.
In other news, HUBBY is now COMPLETELY ON BOARD!!!!!!
He isn't promising 100% raw, but he is willing to eat all-raw meals with me, and after sitting and holding my hand while I cried for two days over being such a pathetic loser (I know I'm not really...now) I think he's relieved I'm giving it one more go-around. I also asked him to be my raw-police in addition to being my MSG-police, since he does such an awesome job protecting me from MSG. Now he's being entrusted to protect me all forms of cooked food. Wish Me/Us Luck!!!
Today's Food Breakdown:
Breakfast: 150 Cal, 5.0 fat
Banana
8 Almonds
Hot Tea - an English Breakfast blend (I'll limit this one because it does have caffeine, but as far as warming the soul goes...this one is nice:)
24 ounces water - after, not during the meal
Lunch: 45 Cal, 0.8 fat
Heirloom Tomatoes
3 Ginger Carrot Crackers
24 ounces water - after, not during the meal
Snack: 115 cal, 0.1 fat
Orange Juice
Dinner: 250 Cal, 16.8 fat
Stuffed and Dehydrated Spicy Portabella Mushrooms and Mimi Kirk's Raw Caesar Salad
24 ounces water - after, not during the meal
Total: 560 cal, 22.7 fat or 39%
Food Summary:
The fat intake today is a disaster. Even when I was eating meat and cheese I never topped 28%. So this is bad. How am I ever going to maintain a less than 10% fat diet if every raw recipe calls for a bazillion nuts?
Time to do some nut research and see if the types of fat in nuts will make my RA go as crazy as the fat in meat and cheese...
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