I lost weight.

I’ve been so busy trying to make sure that Ryan gets what he needs during this detox, that I have suddenly found my tight jeans a bit loose.  Don’t take me wrong, this is not a bad thing, I like being lean, it gives me tons of energy.  I’m really pleased.  Ryan has lost weight too.  He keeps talking about his skin feeling tighter, and I never really thought about it like that, but he’s right.  My skin is tighter too.  I think I’m liking this little challenge we are doing- both of us benefit.

On that note…I want to share this little tidbit that happened in my pilates class today.  I was working my 500th pike of the day, feeling a bit fatigued and the trainer says to me, ” there is no reason you shouldn’t be able to do all of these…”  and I said jokingly, “The reason is  I’m old”  She replied ” come on D, you are the same age as me ”  and  I give her a funny look as she asks”I’m 38, how old are you? ” I respond, “almost 47″.  She then announces to the class with pride that I am the result of great fitness. Haha, I giggle to myself.  We all know the truth, I am the result of “Getting Naked”…..

But, enough about me…  Lets talk about Day 6 and Ryan.

It was a cold rainy Sunday, we woke up looking groggy,  Nothing a Green juice wouldn’t cure, so we quickly drank our fair share of liquid love.

I left Ryan on his own today with a refrigerator full of produce he concocted the largest bowl of greens anyone has ever seen.If you remember, he did about 4 hours of workout yesterday, so his body was screaming for food.  I had soaked some almonds for fresh almond milk the night before and found Ryan in the kitchen creating some male oriented device to milk the nut milk bag effortlessly.

I can’t really make fun of his invention, it was working for a bit, until he had to squeeze the last bit of milk out of the bag.

When I got home from a walk, Ryan seemed to have created a juice out of whatever was left in the refrigerator.  Beets, Beet Greens, carrots, ginger and kale.  He was surprised at how s”spicy” the ginger was, but drank it anyway.  It helped warm him up on this cold day.

As I was experimenting with some recipes for “The Naked Zone” my exclusive members site , Ryan benefitted from seeing how easy it is to make a hearty delicious meal that won’t weigh you down.  Watch Ryan HERE as he closes his day 6.

In health and Love,

Diana

As mid day at the office usually meant a cup of coffee, he realized the desire came out of boredom, not a need- for speed…

I met Ryan to buy groceries for the weekend ahead. Watch Ryan HERE
We planned green juices and smoothies and a couple hearty grain bowls to fill a few of days.
I’m a very proud big sister right now…

Stay tuned for more of Farrowtone as he takes The Naked Challenge

In health and Love,

Diana

If you want to get started on the naked Challenge,  BUY GET NAKED FAST- today or Join http://www.livefoodmembers.com  for $1 and get both of my books for FREE.

Getting Started-  It’s not as hard as you may think-  But it’s not as easy as you may hope.

Ryan came downstairs looking groggy, he was saddened at the thought of a coffee-less morning.

So I surprised him with a Kava/almond Smoothie, what I call my Morning Glory.  Watch Ryan HERE . He was happy to discover that it was his morning glory as well.  Buzzing with lightness and excitement he took off on his day.  When he returned, he didn’t know what to eat, and I was on the phone, so he chose to eat the quinoa and vegetables that were left over from the night before.  What’s a guy to do- he was hungry.  He was satisfied, but it felt like a normal meal.

I explained to him that he still hadn’t had any greens , which is the premise of healing, detox and rejuvenation.  So, we got busy in the kitchen as he made his first green smoothie .  He called this his nutrition injection.

Ryan said the Greens stirred something in him that made him feel invigorated. But his head hurt, it felt like toxins were coming out of his eyes and his head-  amazing the power of greens.

After a walk on the beach Soup and Salad was in order… he concocted some veggies, squeezed meyer lemon and olive oil with some sea salt and went head first into this large bowl of greens.  I  had a chill from the walk and was craving something warm, so butternut squash soup was on my menu.  At first Ryan snubbed his nose at it, but after one bite he was hooked.  He garnished with some red onion and fresh corn and said it was amazing.

This is what Ryan wrote: “I woke up this morning a little groggy with a little bit of a headache, but not a tension headache more like you know something is working. Had no idea how toxic I was, and that just one day of “Naked Nourishment” would have such an effect. I feel so….just like my body is correcting itself. I gotta admit I’m a little gassy…LOL, but I know it’s part of the detox. I’m all in and ready to begin the new me, new lifestyle, new outlook, new projects, music career, and just start being the me I should be and always wanted to be.”

Me and my Brother Ryan aka "Farrowtone"

When is the right time to take your health into your own hands?

The ONLY time to make a healthy change in your life is when you are ready. There is nobody or nothing that is going to convince you that you are not at your optimal health except YOU.

Some people wait for disease to kick in and when all western medicine and therapy has failed them, they resort to diet, meditation, yoga, and natural health. For some, it is too little too late.

Some people recognize that their physical appearance is not what they wish for or they have weight issues, premature aging, skin problems, or loose skin. Only then do they embark on a “diet” to lose weight and get fit. It may only be a quick fix — there are many who do not learn a new lifestyle because their goals were only superficial.

My baby brother came to me a couple of days ago and asked me to help him from his yoyo lifestyle — cycling between ultimate fitness and health to complete debauchery. He asked me to document his transformation to help inspire himself and others to stay on task. With an iPhone camera and a one-day-at-a-time approach, we begin our journey.

Watch Day 1 of  The Naked Challenge   HERE

When I coach for healthy lifestyle, it is only one part of the equation. As we dive deeper into the emotional body, we uncover the psychology behind our behavior.

More to come ☺

Funny question for a girl like me, because I am anything but typical.
I will call my “typical diet”, my home diet, my routine that keeps me glowing.
Because when I’m out and about, my routine is anything but typical.

Upon waking, I drink about 20 ounces of water- every morning! (even/especially when I’m traveling)

***If I don’t make a super sludge drink, it’s because I’m taking a break, but generally my super- sludge drink consist, of  green superfoods, minerals, and whole earthen herbs that help to balance and alkalize the body.

I usually mix that with coconut water, or plain water with a splash of apple juice for flavor.

Within a half hour, I make an almond milk smoothie, today it has fresh almond milk, a little cold pressed coffee, stevia, maca, brown rice protein powder and a half of a frozen banana.

This is my favorite breakfast, I call it my “morning glory smoothie”, and you can just imagine why.

I go for a walk- usually about an hour- hour and a half at a fast pace to get the blood moving, I swing my arms very hard to get maximum movement. It’s important to break a sweat to aid the body of releasing toxins.

After my walk, I will drink a big glass of water, followed by a quart of green juice- (see GNF for recipe, pg. 38). If I don’t drink the whole thing, I will save some for later and sip it throughout the day.  This green juice can be very satisfying and filling.  It usually gives me an abundance of energy to go about my day.

1pm, I get a little hunger for munchie food, I’ll nibble on a piece of fruit, have some Kale chips, or make another superfood smoothie. Lately my superfood smoothie consist of coconut water, almond milk, raspberries , strawberries or blueberries, 1/2 of a frozen banana, a dash of stevia and a heaping tablespoon of Spirulina Azteca from Healthforce Nutritionals.

I’m not a big daytime eater, because I like to keep my energy light throughout the day.

If it’s cold out, I will have some tea, with almond milk creamer.  

It’s 4pm, thats when hunger strikes for me- I crave, want and dive into a BIG SALAD, with everything on it, depending on my mood that day.  (I can’t always eat a big one- that can change each day) Sometimes, it’s a wrap, but there is always a lot of greens present.
One of my favorite things to add to my salad is raw sauerkraut, it is so good for the tummy, and adds a tartness to the salad that I love. I have fresh lettuce, carrots, beets, avocado, sometimes cranberries and pecans, sometimes ground flax seed, sometimes I use a totally raw dressing, and sometimes I cave and have something “not so great” because if the worse thing I do that day is pour a naughty dressing on my salad, then I’m golden.  (Note, I’m not talking Good Seasons or Hidden Valley Ranch, I’m talking really yummy, organic stuff)

***Even though I like to eat at 4, my family does not get home until 6pm, so sometimes I wait for them, but if not, I have to make dinner for them, and I will make something cooked or raw for them- Quinoa, veggies, salad, and sometimes fish, really depending. (my husband and boys are fisherman, so, we are covered in fresh wild fish) In the fall, I make a soup and salad dinner most nights. Butternut squash, or cream of any vegetable as I call it. Always a salad, much to my older sons chagrin. I love warm soups, and will sometimes have that mid-day as well.

On a good day, I will pick at some more fruit and go to bed with a fairly empty tummy. I love waking up empty, and the only way to ensure this, is to go to bed empty. But, when my body wants something, I eat it.              I usually have some chia pudding in the fridge,( I will post that recipe Nov. 3rd) and a couple bites of that will fill me and satiate my sweet tooth. But other times, perhaps another smoothie- My next book is about “Naked Bliss” Shakes, made with coconut ice cream, keep your eyes peeled for it when that comes out in the next couple months- yum!

If I feel like I need something heavy in my tummy, and there are times when I do, I will make a spelt wrap or toast a half of ezekiel english muffin and put almond butter and a date on it. It really depends on my mood and my hunger that day.

I wouldn’t place a timeline on my body, it’s best to honor your natural rhythm. However, for optimal health I believe it’s best to start the day slowly and gently, drinking mostly liquids, then feed and fuel it mid day for maximum digestive strength and then wean down before bed so as not to overwhelm the system while it’s resting. Thats what works best for me.

In health and love,

Diana

Dehydrated cauliflower popcorn

Part of summertime fun is seeing lots of blockbuster movies, having friends over for a swim and then relaxing in front of the television for a comedy or action packed flick.  Well, I don’t know about you, but when we were little my mother would pop fresh popcorn, place it in a huge bowl in the middle of the room, and we would lay on the floor and munch away with friends and family while we were enjoying our show. Little has changed in my house since I was a kid, and the summertime fun still looks much the same, but with a raw twist:  Now I make Cauliflower popcorn, and we are all the better for it.

Promise me that  you aren’t still making microwave popcorn…   It’s not that I’m passing judgment, I mean,  I used to buy the large cases of microwave popcorn from my discount warehouse store, and pop a few bags in a week.  I mean, how convenient was that, a minute and 30 seconds away from munchy fun.

However…

Microwaving anything, even water (especially water) is an extremely toxic and overall damaging process to your body, mind and the world.  But microwave popcorn takes the danger to an even more serious degree.  The chemical coating used in microwave popcorn bags is so toxic, as it breaks down when heated, it turns into a substance called perfluorooctanoic (PFOA),  a major carcinogen.  The butter flavoring that we all love, even causes more damage. The fake butter flavor is actually an FDA approved chemical called diacetyl that causes debilitating respiratory disease, affectionately known as “popcorn workers lungs”.  The medical name for this condition is “bronchiolitis obliterans”, suffered by those who work in the factory which packages microwave popcorn.  Although since discovering the butter flavored disease, many companies have discontinued  the product.  But, many have not.  So if you want to make popcorn, air pop it or jostle it over a hot kettle and enjoy it the old fashioned way.

If you want to try something new and RAW, adding great health benefits as well as a cheesy delight, try making cauliflower popcorn.  I promise you won’t be dissapointed.

Live cauliflower popcorn

Chipotle Cheese Popcorn

I always make a few batches at a time, as they are gobbled up so fast.

Ingredients

• 1 heads of cauliflower, broken into 1 “ florets
• 1-2 tablespoons Olive Oil
• 1/4  cup walnuts, or sunflower seeds
• 1/4  cup nutritional yeast
• 1 teaspoon sea salt

Directions:

Place cauliflower florets into a large ziplock bag and coat with olive oil. In food processor, blender or nut and spice grinder, add nuts or seeds, nutritional yeast and sea salt and process until finely ground. Pour over florets and close top.  Shake bag until cauliflower is well coated. Cauliflower may be eaten RAW, or place on dehydrator rack on a grid and paraflexx sheet.

Dehydrate at 110 degrees for 2 hours or moist, 6 hours for slightly crunchy, and 10 hours plus for harder consistency. If fully dehydrated, it will have a week shelf life!

I added them to my Green Cleanse Juice (pg.38 of GNF) for a delicate taste along with a ‘power punch’ of Vitamin A which is also called retinol.  It helps keep your eyes and skin moist. Vitamin A also has antioxidant properties that neutralize free radicals in the body that cause tissue and cellular damage.

I’ve also been adding the beet leaves to smoothies, soups and salads.  Beets belong to the same family as chard and spinach.and is rich in chlorophyll.  What I have discovered about these lovely “chard like” greens is that they are as mild and delicious and can be used in place of fresh spinach in nearly every recipe.  With only  21 calories per a 2.5 cup serving,  beet greens contain  4grams of  dietary Fiber and 2grams of Protein. It also provides 120% Vitamin A, 48% Vitamin C , 11% calcium, and 14% Iron.  Beet Greens also contain vitamins B-complex as well as notable amounts of magnesium and phosphorus.

I will be adding a few new beet green recipes this summer, so keep your eyes open, and “Just Beet It”.

In health and Love,

Are you stressed?

I had a reflexology session a couple days ago, and the therapist said that my adrenals were taxed. He said, “you are stressed”, as if I should feel some great big change in my life that I am aware of.  Nope, nothing, life is as usual. I searched deep into my being to find the source of stress, but I felt pretty normal. He pointed out how hard I have been working, and again, I thought, life as usual.  I shrugged my shoulders with an attitude of dismissal, I mean, if I were stressed, wouldn’t I know it?   The therapist then suggested I take Adaptogenic herbs to help my adrenals. Well, I sell such herbs, why have I not been taking them? I quickly re-introduced them into my daily routine, and proceed to research why I feel more grounded today then I did a few days ago.

What does stress look like?

If I am walking around in a constant state of stress, how do I recognize it, and how do I know to deal with it?  The feelings of irritability, anxiety, and impatience are all signs of stress that can cause distinct behavioral patterns in people. Stress can be caused by environmental or mental assaults, chemical toxins, lack of sleep, poor diet, or a mere survival technique that is embedded in our DNA.

Our bodies are at a constant state of readiness, this is due to our ancestry of once being regularly attacked by wild animals or hostile people. Although we have since evolved, our bodies still respond to threats by secreting hormones that change our physiology and enhance our ability to run and defend ourselves. This is called a “flight or fight” response that causes intense stimulation of the sympathetic nervous system and the adrenal glands. Signs of such responses are high blood pressure, increase in blood sugar levels, increased heart rate, and slowed digestive secretions. Cortisol is released and our lymphatic system swells to protect our organs from the poisons streaming in our body. At this point, illness and disease are eminent.

The calming of the nerves, can be as simple as adding adaptogenic herbs to our diets to reduce the impacts of stress on the body mind and spirit.

Adaptogenic herbs:

The term adaptogen is used by herbalists to refer to natural herb product that is proposed to increase the body’s resistance to stress, trauma, anxiety and fatigue.

The concept of adaptogens dates back thousands of years to ancient India and China, but modern study did not begin until the late 1940s. In 1947, Nikolai Lazarev defined an adaptogen as an agent that allows the body to counter adverse physical, chemical, or biological stressors by raising nonspecific resistance toward such stress, allowing the organism to “adapt” to the stressful circumstances.

Adaptogenic herbs demonstrate a nonspecific enhancement of the body’s ability to resist stress, by normalizing the over-stimulation that inhibits normal, or natural bodily functions. Adaptogenic herbs have a tonifying effect on such uphevels of stress related effects.

At the core of an adaptogen’s scope of actions is the ability to help the body cope more effectively with stress. Specifically, adaptogens recharge the adrenal glands, which are the body’s nominal mechanism for responding to stress and emotional changes. The adrenals, which cover the upper surface of each kidney, synthesize and store dopamine, norepinephrine and epinephrine. These compounds are responsible for the changes that occur during the fight-or-flight reaction. The question is, if adaptogens normalize the body and enable energy to be used more productively when stressors are not physical threats, can they be used to enhance general health and performance? Several studies indicate they can.

The list of plants with Adaptogenic properties is large due to it’s broad definition (to name of few):

• Codonopsis is one of the most widely used Chinese tonic herbs. It is very mild yet it invigorates the spleen and lung function so that chi is replenished and it promotes the production of bodily fluids. It is also an excellent blood tonic and major immune system tonic
• Astragalus is said to tonify the blood and spleen and aid defensive chi. It is added in formulations to strengthen weak constitutions. It is used to enhance recovery following illness or prolonged stress and to boost vitality
• Licorice root is said to tonify the spleen and strengthen chi. Licorice is the only herb claimed to benefit 12 meridians.
• Ormalite opens the heart and nourishes the soul. It is a remarkable clay, straight from nature and is a secret to a calm state of well being. It contains a broad spectrum of macro minerals, trace minerals resulting in an overall balanced influence on the body
• Ashwaganda is often called Indian Ginseng, though unrelated, shares many of ginsengs properties. It is considered a tonic, an alterative, an astringent, a nervine and a sedative. It is an aid to soothe anxiety and psychological complaints
• Suma is relatively new to western medicine. Suma contains vitamins A, E, B1 and B12: 19 amino acids, including lysine, histidine, arginine, and glycine: along with small amounts of calcium, iron, potassium and sodium
• Eleuthero Root, formerly known as Siberian Ginseng, it helps the body prevent “adrenal burnout”. It boosts concentration and focus along with immunity.
• Reishi Mushroom regulates the immunological responses, calms the mind and soothes nerves

Vitality Herbs and Clay is an exclusive product on my site that I am very proud to be carrying. I began taking the Adaptogen and Mushroom Blend herbal capsules the minute I arrived home from my reflexology appointment, and I am astounded at the balanced state of being that has overtaken me. I am able to cope with the demands of my life with calm and ease. Nothing has changed in my daily routine but the incorporation of these herbs.

“The National Academy of Sciences (NAS) has set the daily Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDAs) of protein for males, 19 years old and older, at 56 grams and for females, 14 years old and older, at 46 grams.  Pregnant and lactating women require an additional 25 grams of protein per day for a total of 71 grams.  Though not proven, athletes who are doing strenuous aerobic exercises may need extra protein. If you’re doing regular, strenuous resistant or weight-lifting exercises, your body is actually producing more of its own protein so you don’t really need to be eating an extra amount.”

However, this is mostly disregarded as a standard because the theory is that you need a a certain amount of protein in direct relation to your body weight.  Of course this number varies depending on who you are talking too   The basic formula is the number of grams of protein you need is your body weight (in pounds) multiplied by 0.37.   So, if you weigh in at 170 pounds, you need to eat 63 grams of protein a day (170 x 0.37 = 62.9).  Here is a handy chart to help you get the gist of how to plan your next meal:

Body Weight Proteins (Grams)

My Big Fat Greek Salad

• 110            41
• 120            44
• 130            48
• 140            52
• 150            55
• 160            59
• 170            63
• 180            67
• 190            70
• 200            74
• 210            78
• 220            81
• 230            85
• 240            89

But, what is a gram of protein and how do we measure that in pounds?

There are 454 grams in a pound.

The average cut of beef (T-Bone, Filet, Porterhouse, etc.) is about 25% protein.  So, if you require 70 grams of protein a day, a 10-ounce steak will take care of all of this. (454/16=28 x 10 = 280 x 0.25 = 70)  The fact is, anyone who eats meat, chicken or fish on a daily basis is probably getting enough protein when you add all the other sources and there are many.

A 10 ounce cut Top Sirloin has approximately 575 calories, 39.4grams of saturated fat, 191 mg of cholesterol, not to mention the addictive qualities, the difficulty in digesting, the inability to digest the proteins completely for lack of enzymatic activity, unless of course it is rare and all natural, then you may still have some live activity in the beef.  But our discussion is solely on Protein, so let’s focus!

Now, if you were to rely solely on spinach, which has 49 % bio-available protein,  you’d need to eat 12 cups of spinach to get your 70 gram requirement.  That would only be about 84 calories, no fat, with the added benefit of about 800mg of potassium. Many vegetables contain protein, but just eating a variety of them as your only source will probably not add up to the minimum requirement.  Add in some beans, lentils, nuts, and whole grains though, and things start adding up.  Here’s a list of protein rich foods not including meat, chicken or fish, I also excluded dairy products, to stay true to my discussion:

Spicy Lentil Tostadas

• Food                            Serving Size        Amount Protein
• Avocado                           1                                5 grams
• Spirulina                         1 Tbsp                   10 grams
• Soybeans                         1 cup cooked         29 grams
• Shitake mushrooms      8 ounces                  5 grams
• Sesame seeds                  1 ounce                     5 grams
• Black beans                     1 cup                      15 grams
• Lima beans                      1 cup                      14 grams
• Lentils                               1 cup                      17 grams
• Kidney beans                   1 cup                      15 grams
• Pinto beans                      1 cup                      14 grams
• Navy beans                      1 cup                      15 grams
• Tempeh                            4 ounces                 20 grams
• Tofu                                   4 ounces                   9 grams
• Oats cooked                    1 cup                        6 grams
• Tomato                              1                            1.5 grams
• Pumpkin seeds               ¼ cup                     8.5 grams
• Peanuts                            ¼ cup                    9.5 grams
• Almonds                           ¼ cup                      7 grams
• Kale                                    1 cup                       2.2 grams
• Mustard greens               1 cup                        3 grams
• Spinach                             1 cup                        5 grams
• Romaine lettuce              2 cups                       2 grams
• Mushrooms                     5 ounces                  4 grams
• Asparagus                        1 cup                    4.5 grams
• Broccoli                            1 cup                    4.5 grams
• Swiss chard                      1 cup                       3 grams
• Collard greens                 1 cup                       4 grams
• Cauliflower                       1 cup                       2 grams
• Brussel sprouts                1 cup                       4 grams
• Miso                                   1 ounce                   4 grams
• Turnip greens                  1 cup                    1.5 grams
• Green beans                     1 cup                    2.5 grams
• Cabbage                            1 cup                   1.5 grams
• Squash                              1 cup                    1.5 grams
• Garlic                               1 ounce                 1.5 grams

Fresh Almond Milk

If you’re a vegan,or just getting Naked  it’s fairly easy to get enough protein listed on the chart above—2 cup spinach (Popeyes passion-12 grams), 1 cup lentils, tomato, avocado (Lentil tostadas in Get Naked Fast -26 grams), 1 quart green juice (18 grams), ¼ cup almonds (almond Milk-7 grams) 1 cup romaine lettuce, 1 oz sesame seeds (My Big fat greek Salad- Get Naked Fast-7 grams), and of course in these recipes are other sources of protein as well.

This being said,  it is all more complicated than you may think.  Protein is a complex molecule comprised of a combination of different amino acids, and not all proteins contain all of the amino acids.  Eight of these are refered to as “essential” because your body cannot manufacture them on its own.  The others are “nonessential” for the opposite reason. The menu that I have comprised above contains most if not all essential amino acids, based on the variety of vegetables, grains , seeds and nuts.  These plant-based proteins are bio-available for your body and easily digestible.

Now, we just ate a menu for a full grown man of 190 pounds, based on suggested protein- if the chart above feels accurate to you, modify for your body size.  Most important is quality of protein grams over quantity, for losing weight, maintaining healthy tissue, and keeping metabolism functioning at full potential.  If you are really interested in the most usable source of a complete protein, add fresh sprouts to every meal you eat.  Nothing promotes health and healing or contains more life force energy than fresh live sprouts!

And Bon appetite-  nothing tastes better than healthy food!