But she did express her ire – or maybe sadness or regret – that she often feels like a canary in a coal mine, as she just seems much more sensitive to some/most foods than your typical American. And, like me, eating gluten, dairy, etc. often leads her to experience extreme physical discomfort, as well as psychological distress, and – you guessed it – cravings, binge eating, etc.

When I sat down to write her back, I just dove in. I thought it might be worth sharing that response here:

Hello!

I absolutely feel the same (being a canary in the coal mine, that is)!

And congratulations on the weight loss and improved health; that’s great!

Sometimes I just sit around in amazement at what other people put in their bodies and get by it!

That’s the rub. But then I think, I used to eat that way, give or take. And it didn’t kill me. I just didn’t know that you could feel better! And chances are, they don’t either.

The thing that is always shocking to me is to see young women who are super thin eating junk food walking around with their mothers, who are obviously unhealthy, and not to mention morbidly obese.

I just have to wonder, don’t they see the connection at all between what they’re putting in their mouths and what they’re going to feel like 20 years from now? What they’re going to look like? Don’t they realize? Don’t they care? I truly do believe that the effects of the typical SAD are exponential…not to mention inescapable for more people than realize it.

I do, however, think that the cleaner that you get (in terms of your diet), the more these things affect you.

Wine, for instance, doesn’t even taste good to me right now (and 1/2 a glass kills me). But if I continued to drink it, I’m sure I’d be just as inured to it as I was two years ago. And chances are I’d be craving it again on a weekly, if not daily, basis. And even more likely, I’d be depressed and about 15 pounds heavier – because I’ve been there and I’ve watched it over and over with other people who have these types of allergies but can’t seem to stick with it.

Take more for example. I am totally addicted/allergic to sugar. It’s deadly for me and I can feel it the minute it goes into my body. It takes me three days of fighting against serious cravings before I’m over it, so I have to really want it in order to have it. The weirdest thing that sets me off is bananas. Bananas! Can you imagine?

And you’re right about my cabinets being stocked with things people wouldn’t recognize as food. My new favorite things are chia seeds (this is my second go around with them), kale chips, this phenomenal seed bread that I make topped with avocado slices, etc. My cabinets are overflowing with goji berries, mulberries, goldenberries, chia seeds, hemp, hemp seeds, nuts, sesame seeds, maca, green powders, spirulina, raw cacao, cacao nibs, buckwheat grouts… It’s crazy.

We are also members of a local organic farm CSA so we are also overrun with all kinds of fabulous veggies (at least right now – now that it’s still summer).

I wish when I had done Weight Watchers all those years ago that they hadn’t been so profit based – hence their reliance on processed food. I can’t remember what your diet was like in school, but I’m pretty sure that I did a lot of damage to mine since I did the whole WW thing when I was a teen and drank Diet Coke and used artificial sweetners for years. Not to mention all of the processed cakes and cookies and chips and fried food and ice cream that I ate PRIOR to WW!

Dairy is something else that I’ve had to eliminate. It’s funny, I used to say, I could never be vegan. But then when I went raw, someone said, “Wow, you’re vegan too?” And I realized, yeah, I guess I am. I hadn’t even realized it!

So, I am curious, why did you start going to naturopathic doctor? I’d love to hear about your journey into alternative health, as well as what kind of feedback/pushback you’ve gotten from family and friends.

In terms of my weight – last time I was on a scale, I was at 132, which is the smallest I’ve ever been. I’m up from there – but I’m still in my size 4s (most days and my girls’ 16 (which I bought because I could never wear girls sizes when I WAS a girl).

I’m at the point now where I am battling my emotional/identity issues more than my physiology. Believe it or not, the latter is a much more sneaky and talented opponent.

I’ve got a great coach, because I think it’s really important to get these underlying issues under control so that I don’t fall off the healthy path. I can’t imagine it, really, because I feel so crappy and out of control when I’m not eating right, but it does seem like it could happen fast.

I think the biggest thing for me is that two years ago I went on antidepressants for what I thought was situational anxiety and depression. It started off a cascade of other symptoms, some of which were worse (in my mind) than the depression, which led to more meds, which led to more symptoms, which led to the OFFER of even more meds.

Talk about being overly sensitive!

I tried to go off the antidepressants and couldn’t do it.

At that time, I had bought an on-line information product from this women I met in L.A. and she was talking about gluten and dairy allergies. It sounded so familiar that I decided to eliminate them – them and processed sugar and all processed food.

Within ONE month I was off the antidepressants. So it wasn’t situational depression per se, it was food allergies!

For some people – me, apparently – gluten intolerance manifests itself as depression, in addition to cravings, bloating, weight gain, inflammation, etc.

Anyway, I could talk about this forever (and would be happy too).

I’m glad you found your way as well and, seriously, I would love to hear your story!

KJ

If any of YOU are thinking about going raw (or anything else similar) or if you have done so already, I’d love to hear from you as well!

How cool is that?

I hope she’s ready to settle in for a good long read!

This summer I decided to follow a couple of different HIIT exercise programs and while they were okay, for a while, I eventually felt like I was losing ground cardio-vascularly. Maybe it the fact that I was panting on the Nordic Track after just five minutes that gave it away – can anyone say, “Former Spinning Instructor”?

Since HIIT is all the rage, I decided that I simply must not be doing it right. Right?

Well, I logged into the members area for the program that I was doing on-line and all of the women that it was working for were using it as a supplement to their other cardio workouts! One woman in particular, was bragging about how it had really improved her training.

What training, you ask?

The training she was doing for her upcoming marathon!

No wonder it was working for her! Jeez!

I expressed my dismay about my less than optimal hit rate with my then current HIIT program to my personal coach (who is not, btw, my fitness coach) and she said, oh yeah, I do HIIT – it’s great. I’ll send you a workout and a mix tape. Make sure you do a 15 minute power walking a couple times a day in addition to these more bursty-type exercises.

Okay. Why not? I’ve tried everything else this summer….

So, I start with 15 minutes on the Nordic Track (HIIT style; 30:30 sec interval ratio) as a warm up.

The new HIIT workout (6 different exercises on a 60:60 second interval ratio)

Then 10 minutes cool down, back on the Nordic Track

I just about died.

Did I mention that twice a week, I’m supposed to do this not once a day, but twice?!

I feel bad about switching horses in midstream, so to speak, but that’s life!

Maybe I’ll mix in the other routines on the days that I’m supposed to do two sets.

Regardless, in just three days, I can already feel a big difference – and this time, in the right direction – in my body!

Go me!

I’ll keep you posted!

I had tried a couple of other kale chip recipes and wasn’t a fan.

So, last night, I decided to make my own:

KJ’s Kickin’ Kale Chips

1 massive bunch of organic Kale (the big curly kind)
5 Tbs of olive oil (I am actually trying to increase my intake here, so it’s okay)
1 Tb agave nectar
1 tsp of sea salt
freshly ground black pepper to taste
ground cumin, to taste
cayenne, a pinch or less, to taste
Braggs Amino Acids, a couple of shakes, to taste

Cut the stems out of your kale, then tear into bite sized pieces. Place in a large stainless steel mixing bowl.

Then add all of the other ingredients, massaging them into the kale. The more massage, the better your flavor will eventually be!

Toss into the dehydrator, directly onto the screens and dehydrate for 8 hours at 105 degrees (or until nice and crispy). I put mine in and left them overnight so I’m assuming it was about 8 hours!

Enjoy!

I looked good (always important). I felt thin, strong, and sexy (which was surprising, but fun nonetheless).

I felt healthy and food was my friend.

Then I started being asked out to dinner, to weddings, attending conferences, etc.

I started with some cooked food here and a little meat there. I had a couple of glasses of wine at a friend’s house. Then a couple of sips somewhere else.

I had some gluten-free cake at a wedding, then I had some more at a restaurant a few weeks later.

I started noshing on tabouli with cooked quinoa….heck, I even posted a recipe last week, where the main ingredient (black beans) were, you guessed it, cooked.

And underlying all of this was sugar and fat cravings that would not stop. I mean, constant. Not a day passed that you didn’t find me eating straight out of the peanut butter jar.

When you look at all this stuff, you might be thinking – tabouli and black bean and corn salad? Gluten free cake? Peanut butter? How bad is that?

Well, in my case, it reminded me just how slippery even the slightest slope can be.

Then, night before last, I totally freaked out – binged on tahini, seed bread, homemade chocolate, mulberries, etc. Seriously, if wasn’t nailed down or meowing it was in my mouth!

When it was over, I fell asleep in my partner’s arms, crying. Scared and frustrated because somehow I had fallen off my healthy path and it seemed, in that dark hour, that getting up was going to require heck of a lot more effort, energy, and willpower than I currently had at my disposal.

The next morning (yesterday) I recommitted to raw. 100% for one week (give or take a couple of percents, since I’m too lazy to make my own almond milk)!

And the only allowable snacks: chia seeds (in the form of a pudding or shake), fresh veggies, or raw fermented veggies.

Feeling pretty confident, I got to work with my homemade seed bread, avocado, raw fermented kimchi, and chia pudding, only to find that my office was holding a BBQ for our majors who were taking summer courses: pulled pork, ribs, chicken, cornbread with bacon, coleslaw (which was the only thing on the table that was not at all tempting), cookies, crack brownies, and dark chocolate.

I literally thought I was going to die.

The smell – or rather, the aroma – was overwhelming.

I doubt that I’ve ever written about it here, but I love BBQ. I think it must have something to do with growing up in the south. Importantly, the smell and taste of BBQ is not only tied up with my memories of home, but also of my recently departed grandparents.

I literally had to leave the room, go into the women’s bathroom and call Michael J for a little support on this one. I then went outside and took a much needed deep breath – not only to clear my nostrils, but also my mind.

I decided that if I still wanted it tomorrow (today), after it had been sitting in the fridge and all of the succulent juices had congealed into white blobs of animal fat, I could have it. But I had to eat it cold.

It’s amazing how much that image cooled the appetite.

And, fortunately, just as I was kicking myself for not bringing crunch veggies to munch on during this near reboot fiasco, one of my colleagues showed up with a pint of golden cherry/grape tomatoes. (I think I pretty much at the whole pint, give or take a few).

Focusing on the clean, crisp tanginess of the water based tomatoes and really dialing into the conversations around me, I made it out with my integrity and my waistline in tact.

And, if you’re wondering, I decided to work at home today – just in case the cold white blobs of fat decorating the pulled pork isn’t quite as off-putting in real life as they are in my imagination.

Maybe I should offer to cater the next student event; because after years of attending these things, I’ve noticed that the students, many of whom are athletes, are much less likely to make pigs of themselves – no pun intended – than the much more sedentary faculty and staff who are in charge of ordering the food!

2 cups almond milk (I used Almond Breeze, Unsweetened Chocolate)
1 Tbs soaked chia seeds
1 Tbs maca
1 Tbs ground flax seeds
cinnamon, to taste
2 teaspoons of agave nectar (or 5 drops chocolate stevia and 1 tsp of agave nectar).
8 ice cubes

Throw all ingredients into a blender and blend!

I drank one for my morning snack and will have the other as my afternoon snack. Yum-my!

2 cups almond milk (I used Almond Breeze, Unsweetened Chocolate)
1/2 cup chia seeds
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 Tbs raw cacao
cinnamon, to taste
liquid Stevia, to taste (I used chocolate)

Mix all ingredients in a mason jar, then put on the lid tightly and shake.

Let sit in the fridge for a couple of hours until nice and thick.

I think I waited about 4-5 hours, though a lot of recipes suggest that you let it sit overnight.

It stays good in the fridge, so I think there’s some wiggle-room.

If you’ve never had chia seeds before, they make a nice tapioca like pudding, and they are incredibly nutritious.

p.s. I’m sure you could make it with Vanilla milk, vanilla stevia, and without the cacao, but why would you want to?

I refuse to believe that it’s a sign.

I also realized I had a ton of fresh corn in the fridge, thanks to the local CSA.

Given that black beans are really good for you and I hate to waste food, I found myself dusting off my cookbooks – you know, the ones where you actually cook – and pouring over the pages until I found something that I thought might do the trick.

The winner: Anne Lindsay’s Black Bean and Corn Salad (slightly modified, of course)!

1 can organic black beans, drained and rinsed
1 sweet red bell pepper
2 cups raw corn kernels
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/4 cup chopped green onions
4 tbs chopped fresh coriander (cilantro)

Dressing:

3 Tbs rice or cider vinegar
1 1/2 tsp organic brown mustard (or Dijon)
1/4 tsp each of agave nectar, sea salt, freshly ground pepper
1 tsp each of water and vegetable oil (I actually forgot this part and didn’t notice until I was typing it up, so that leads me to believe that it’s optional!)

1. In a bowl, combine beans, red pepper, corn, celery, onions, and coriander.
2. Dressing. In a small bowl, whisk together vinegar, mustard, agave, sea salt, and pepper; whisk in water and oil. Pour over salad and stir to mix.

Makes 8 servings

calories: 117
protein: 6 grams
total fat: 2 grams (unless, of course, you forget the oil, like I did!)
saturated fat: trace
carbohydrates: 21 grams
fiber: 4 grams
sodium: 204 milligrams

This was quite tasty and I’m sure that I’ll make it again. I mean, after all, I still have 34 cans of beans in the basement!

Regardless, I served it with fresh tomato and cucumber slices. Water-based. Easy. Beautiful. and Tasty! An all around win.

Enjoy!

So, as always – and even a little more so than always – I am packing my own food. And, as per usual, it looks like I’m going to be bringing more food than clothes!

The list, so far:

Susan’s Kale Chips 2.0
1 bag of Organic Baby Spinach
1 box of cherry tomatoes
1 gallon sized bag of chopped veggies: broccoli, carrots, turnips, and zucchini
Enough Chocolate Rice and Protein Powder for at least 4 shakes
3-4 avocados
Energy bars
Psyllium Husk
Spirulina
Almond butter

Kitchen utensils:
1 spoon
1 travel sponge
1 large cup
1 travel-sized Magic Bullet Blender

I’m sure I’m forgetting something; as I almost always do!

So, why am I bringing all of this food – particularly since I have lunch and dinner dates planned every day that I am there?

The powders, the spinach, and the avocados (or maybe the almond butter, depending on my mood) are all for breakfast. If I don’t have MY breakfast, the day is pretty much shot for food for me. If I don’t start off with my regular 60+ gram protein BOMB, I can pretty much count on a bad eating day. When I do start the day off with a shake, no matter where I am, I am more sated, I am more grounded, and I am much more likely to be in control of my eating (as opposed to the other way around).

And as someone who is 85% (more or less) raw vegan, it’s hard to get a satisfying meal out. Most restaurants’ idea of a big salad (see earlier post on this topic) wouldn’t feed a rabbit! So instead of being all weird about it, I’ve decided to just go and order a salad (where possible) and eat it. Even if it’s not particularly satisfying, I know that I have PLENTY of nutrition in my room to fall back on. Using this approach, “eating out” with friends will really be more like “hanging out.” Eat a little salad, drink a little water – then go back to my room for my real lunch or, as the case may be, dinner.

Now, even though Atlanta – at least the part I am going to me in – is not that diet friendly, there is a Legal Sea Food, which does have a pretty generous Gluten-Free Menu. Given that gluten-free is the mandatory condition and the raw/vegan is just the preference, I should be in pretty good shape on Saturday night – as that’s where my very understanding friend made reservations. And, believe it or not, Atlanta also has a Raw Restaurant! It’s not downtown, but it’s only a MARTA ride away. As it turns out, I have a chunk of time available on Saturday, so I’ll definitely be checking that out for lunch! And as a service to raw aficionados everywhere, I’ll be sure to let you know!