Raw Vs Local and Dealing with Stress

I have been having a mental debate over the benefits of eating local vs eating raw.  Since I live in Arkansas, in a temperate climate, rather than in a tropical region, I began toying with the idea that there may be more virtue in eating what grows locally.  It sort of made sense, as past generations of my family have survived on such foods as dried beans and canned goods that were stored up for the winter during the growing season. They also depended on killing animals in order to eat.  Now there is nothing wrong with survival, in fact, I recommend it, but we are looking for more than survival. We are looking for optimum health, vitality, and mental clarity, are we not?  I experimented a bit.  I made a pot of dried beans and a pan of cornbread using almond milk.  Honestly, I had less energy, and it set of a host of cravings for cooked, energy draining foods. It has taken me several days to get my bearings, again.  My conclusion is that it is better to eat mostly raw local foods when available and imported raw foods when necessary.

Raw Freedom is a book by Frederic Patenaude that offers insight on how to achieve the benefits of the raw food diet in a less restrictive way. There are two benefits we are looking for by eating raw: good energy and avoiding degenerative diseases. Most of us can achieve those benefits with a diet that is 75% raw....maybe even 50%. My personal goal is to be 75-80% raw by having juices, smoothies, fruit, and salads. 

If you intend to eat a combination of raw and cooked foods, then it is better to eat some cooked everyday rather than binging on cooked every now and then. Consistency is key for optimum digestion. We are looking for a balance to receive the benefits of raw while enjoying the celebration of life that takes place around food.

Here is a meal plan that meets the goal of 80% raw:

Mornings:  Lemongrass tea; fresh orange juice or fresh apple juice.  You can get a good centrifugal juicer for about $100.  You can get a good citrus juicer for less. I found my citrus juicer at an estate sale.

Lunch:  Get in your fruit and greens with a green tropical smoothie; other fruit you have available; 1/2 avocado; coconut; maybe an apple with some raw almond butter

Dinner:  Veggie cocktail made by juicing carrots, beets, celery, bell pepper and apple; sauerkraut; a big green salad; a healthy salad dressing; ; some rice crackers; a cooked food if desired...either beans, potatoes, sweet potato, steamed vegetable, or a simple soup...but eat the raw foods first or eat the cooked foods mixed in with the raw.  You can mix some baked potato in with your salad.

Dessert can either be a handful of nuts and dates or a couple of goody balls, or even a Lara Bar.

This week's grocery haul.  I spent $176.00.  Let's see how long we can make this last if we try not to waste any food.

Lesson from the Quintessence of Natural Living:
Still looking at handling stress.  There are practical things we can do to help us deal with stress.  Here are a few:
1. Be realistic. Don't magnify your problems.  Everyone has disappointments in life.  None of us succeed every time we try something.  Even though we face serious problems, the solutions must come through emotional maturity, counseling, and taking control of your own life. Don't complain. Focus on the reward. There are things we can do to make a difference.
2. Don't get into a rut.  One-sidedness is never the answer.
3. Be interested in life and your purpose.
4. Be happy...poised and cheerful.
5. Don't suppress your emotions.  It is better to bring negative emotions to the surface, acknowledge them and let them be defused in healthy ways.  Exercise has been proven to help release emotional tensions.  Assertiveness is a good thing.

Carrot seeds - Purple Sun - Very rare.  I hope they will come up.

I am focusing on getting in my steps....10,000 per day.  I got in 13,000 steps on Monday, and 11,786 steps yesterday!  Yay!

I am planning a trip to Europe in September, so while getting in my steps I am trying to learn French on Duolingo.  Duolingo says I am 40% fluent in French, but there is no way that is correct. I am also, on a less intense scale, trying to learn some Dutch words.  Also, while walking I am listening to an audio book.  Just started A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas.

Food for the day:

Breakfast: Lemongrass tea; fresh apple juice; organic oatmeal, fresh strawberries

Lunch: Green smoothies for 2 (herbs from the garden, coconut water, 2 bananas, 2 kiwi, 1/4 pineapple, 16 strawberries); 1/2 avocado; 1 mango; 1/8 watermelon

Sunbath!!!

Dinner: Veggie cocktails for 2 ( 1/2 beet; 1/2 small bag of carrots; 1 bunch of celery hearts; 2 small tri-color bell peppers; 1 small apple); sauerkraut; green salad) romaine, salad cucumber, green onions, tomato); salad dressing (juice of a lime, apple cider vinegar, water, olive oil, salt, pepper); organic corn chips; purple hull peas, fried onions.

For dessert I had kombucha and a Lara Bar.

Notes on the food:  I feel better without the oatmeal in the mornings, the organic corn chips are too high in salt and fat which makes them quite addictive, and the fried onions are too high in fat.  I should have "fried" them in water instead of coconut oil.

To health and happiness.