Texas, you're doing it wrong

There's something very wrong in Texas. Namely, there's hardly any produce of merit. 

Which is odd because people farm there. All over there, and all kinds of crops, too.

Still, walk into any store in Aubrey or Denton and/or a neighboring town and you will be hard pressed to find a decent and diverse produce section at the market, much less a truly healthy restaurant at which to dine. (I realize that Denton is a college town and therefore there are some vegetarian options -- I heartily endorse this. It is not, however, the norm for the area.)

I was good enough to remember to pack healthy food the day of the trip. Hummus with vegetables on a whole wheat wrap, water, fruit. But that lasted only a day. Once in Texas and after eating the mobile stores, well, I got hungry again. And went out to eat with the family. 


Honestly, and I'm not trying to be elitist --- I was downright shocked. The first restaurant we went to was much like them all, for the most part, with everything fried beyond recognition, battered, buttered, butchered. Inevitably I began getting sick the second day I was there and was in fact sick for the duration of my entire stay. From family meals replete with fried catfish and hushpuppies, to sauce-soaked barbecue and sides of chips and cookies, the parade of bad food never stopped. Water was eschewed for an abundance of sweet tea and soda; what salad there was, was served from a bag and was hard, old and covered in ranch.


When did we forget how to eat? When did we start thinking that chips were better than salads, cookies preferable to whole grains? When did we stop caring about health, stamina, energy, vitality, nutrition and weight? It all seems so unconscious to me, so much eating because it's what we've been eating forever, as opposed to mindful consumption of the foods most likely to improve our health, happiness and life. Apparently the practice of eating well and eating often is a lost philosophy. We need to resurrect it.


People don't want to eat healthfully because by this point they don't like the way real food tastes. They think beans are bland, herbs are weird and fruits are boring. Chips, cookies, battered and fried foods, sugars, fats and processed foods --- these are what people want to eat because it's what they grew up on. That doesn't make it okay and nobody has an excuse anymore. The information is out there. If you're living your life eating this way you are harming yourself. If you do not do whatever it takes to reacquaint yourself with whole, healthy and real foods, you are not only being a bad example, you are shortening your life and quite possibly your family's as well. 


There simply shouldn't be more obese young people walking down the street (hi Amarillo) than fit and healthy ones. Steak should not be the norm but the occasional center of a meal, if that. Vegetables should be at the fore, as well as fruits, seeds, nuts and beans. Period. 


Any other diet is just plain wrong. That's blunt but it's true. If you're eating the way Texas is eating, or most of America is eating, you're not eating right. And you've got to do better.


It's never too late to start. Need to know how to begin?

Meet Dr. Furhman.

Gardening For Health

We installed our new garden.

It was our thought that we should grow as much food for ourselves as we possibly could. I've tried my hand at gardening in the past with mixed results. Results were mixed mainly because there were times I was really into the garden and other times I was non-committal or downright negligent. I didn't have a sense then just how nutritious and satisfying growing food for my kitchen table could be.

These days, with things like genetic modification and rampant use of chemicals and pesticides, it is comforting knowing first-hand the real quality of your lettuce or carrots. Growing your own food also cuts into a great deal of your grocery bill, which of course never hurts.

We decided to loosely follow the tenets of square foot gardening. My partner, handy as he is, was able to effortlessly construct a 4 x 8 raised bed. But this was only our first bed. After planting things like chili peppers, herbs, tomatoes, lettuce and the like, we got the bug for more. He constructed another bed, 4 x 4, and then pulled some untreated wooden boxes from the sheds for use as planters.  We also re-purposed a couple of unused trash cans for potatoes.

It still wasn't enough. He constructed another 4 x 16 bed and pulled out more planters and items for re-purposing from his sheds (things like bookshelves and cabinets). We utilized all of these, planting, in addition to our first bed, the following items:

broccoli
strawberries
Brussels sprouts
leeks
sunflowers
blueberries
red onions
bib lettuce
salad greens
spinach
more tomatoes
and then even more tomatoes
salvia
artichokes
carrots
radishes
all manner of squash
watermelon
a GIANT pumpkin
sweet bell peppers (red, yellow, orange)
...and so much more.

The end result looks like this:

Just look at all the re-purposed items:

Seriously, we used left over wood, makeshift trellises, trashcans, discarded shelves, forgotten planters and a lot more. What we created was a wonderful little urban garden that has the potential -- should we care for it -- to produce a lot of wonderful food. 

Me, I'm looking forward to all the greens. Kohlrabi, kale, arugula, chard ... there's a lot. A good amount of cruciferous vegetables, too, because they are so incredibly nutritious and wonderful for you. We have fruit trees on the land, as well: things like peaches, plums and apples, and I have lots of yummy plans for those. 

Anybody can garden, even apartment dwellers. It really does give you an immense measure of satisfaction when you plant a garden, tend it, watch it grow and harvest. 

I'll keep you posted on the progress of this year's summer gardens. 

Hard Things

It's been a little while since I've posted on this blog. Since last you heard from me I got divorced, moved from Chicago to Denver, entered and left a relationship and just entered a new relationship with, I daresay, the love of my life.

It's been a long road but I am happy. Wiser to be sure, but confident now that I can do the Hard Things, as I've done so many of them already.

How's my eating? Lackluster. Do I still struggle with my eating disorder? Yes, and I do believe I always will. But I'm dealing with it, in therapy and in my own day to day life. I'm writing a book about spiritual nutrition and still believe strongly in the raw way of life, for the most part. I also believe in having fun, which means cocktails, hot chocolate, cake and some barbecue. It's about not being crazy.
It's about moderation.

I'm better. Well. Sleeping and healthy.

I'm happy.

Summer Garden

The sunshine does wonders for me.

I dropped the top and drove around all day, ultimately landing at the garden store. Produce is ridonkulously expensive these days and I prefer to grow my own anyway, where I can. This midwest soil is bananas-good. And so I went and picked up my flats of Roma tomatoes, my sweet basil, my spinach, my (one, for the love of God) cucumber. I'll plant them tomorrow and within weeks will be eating my own harvest. I have to say, there's very little quite so satisfying. I make my own hummus and garnish it with my own cucumbers and tomatoes. I make mounds of bruschetta. I use the basil and Roma tomatoes, add mozzarella and then make tasty paninis . The spinach is new this year (I failed miserably with it last year) and if any of you know me, you know how I love spinach salads. So it's good. It feels and tastes very good.

Sunshine? Also good. You out there reading this? Probably totally vitamin D deficient. Don't feel bad because most of us are. But vitamin D acts as a well-being hormone within us; it actually has the ability to make us feel better, lighter, calmer. Vitamin D deficiency has also been linked to a variety of maladies/conditions. So get your fifteen minutes, people, or supplement if you need to. And eat those veggies. And eat that fruit!

Meanwhile I'll take pictures of my garden and the things I make with my harvest.

Stay tuned.

Each pound, a pound of flesh

I am down nearly ten pounds since this time last month.

It happened pretty quickly, actually, coinciding with a family member's release from the hospital (into my care) as well as the quickly intensifying chaos of my life. Again, and to reiterate, when I feel my life circumstances spinning out of control (i.e., I cannot make it better for my loved one, I cannot stop the inevitable change barreling toward my head) I take it out on my body. And it's not really "taking it out" so much as it is "taking control." My body becomes one of the only things I can control, and this in the form of what I put into my mouth (or do not), how much I move (or do not) or how often I nourish myself.

It's a delicate and ugly dance. Overriding logic forces me to make good choices when I concede to make choices at all. Good choices usually involve lots of vegetables, some fruit and a few lean proteins. It's just that there aren't a lot of them. Choices, that is. Eating, in particular.

I lost five pounds on raw, when I tried it. Since then I've incorporated the raw idea into my meal plans but have not focused on raw so much as whole foods. Good foods. Yet I did lose five pounds eating raw, even when I was stuffing myself with all that good food. And so even eating in that way (something I perceive as quite good for myself), I couldn't keep my weight steady or on. Add stress to that and here I am, I suppose, ten pounds down.

I think ultimately the structure and stricture of eating raw is very, very good for me, because it mimics the control exercised vis-a-vis my eating disorder while still nourishing my body. Having said that, I would give much in order to not need to control anything. To accept life as it is and myself as I am.

That is the work, I guess.

For more information on the truth about eating disorders, please read this article by Carolyn Friedman. I've read through it myself, and while I'd potentially put more emphasis on the media playing a pivotal role in the exacerbation of these diseases, I found it to be extremely insightful and helpful.

Ascending To Someplace

Why yes, I have been off the grid. A family member was diagnosed with a problem and then had to have that problem excised clear from their body. This after what can only be called the detonation of my entire life, which, by the way, I am grateful for. Gratitude is essential to life.

Before going into the hospital this family member said that irrespective of the rubble that is my life, I seem happier now than ever. This is true. I am happy because I have been liberated from things. I don't mean people or even circumstances --- I have been liberated in my mind from preconceived notions of what ought to be. Who I am. I am precisely as I present in this moment and I am fine with that. Sure, I seek to better myself or ascend, but right now beneath blankets and at the very first flash of dawn, I feel better already. I have ascended to someplace, some wonderfully neutral place, and I am grateful.

Breakfast:
Fruit smoothie, emphasis on blueberries.

Lunch:
Vegetable sandwich on sprouted grain bread: romas, cucumbers, spinach, hummus.

Dinner:
Salad: spinach, bleu cheese, raw pecans, dressed with cold pressed EVOO, balsamic and agave nectar.

High Blood Pressure Is Bumming Me Out

Why having an eating disorder led me to raw/nutritarian

Raw food challenge recap

Eat Better

Life's unreasonably tough right now. This is okay; I'm not complaining. It's just hard. I'm really just here to opine on how stress affects my eating. Because it does. Insofar as I don't do much of it. Eating, that is.

I actually feel nauseous a lot. This could have something to do with my basic health; my immune system is not what it should be, as usual. But when you're nauseous you don't much want to eat a bowl of fruit, or anything for that matter. I guess I could stomach some rice but I don't feel motivated or well enough to make it.

Although I don't careen about the world all stressed out, I do think it gets to me in other ways, and this is one way. Food becomes secondary, I don't want to watch shows with beautiful people, I don't want to talk to anyone about anything. I just want to stay in bed and watch Oprah. (This implies Oprah is not beautiful, which is in fact not the case.) Which I obviously cannot do. I have to force myself out of these sweats and go out and buy some food, get a prescription, get something to eat. Just being outside should help.

My friend is coming next week. There will be much culinary debauchery -- I am looking forward to this. I know at the very least she'll make me eat, and I'll be happy to, largely because I'll be happy.

I don't think I'm depressed. I'm just inundated. I want to focus on all the sunshiney aspects of the food I ought to be eating, but it's hard to even acknowledge the sunshine. Last night I had to set boundaries with two people and ended up in tears, bereft, poured out. It's all too much is how it seems. But I'll be all right. I honestly just need a plan. Baby steps to the elevator.

First order of business in reference to this plan: eat better.

Still plugging along -- to the best of my ability

I went away this Labor Day and found out first hand how difficult it is finding ways to eat raw in a cooked world. I couldn't manage it hardly at all, and after becoming so sick after even the smallest (S.A.D.*) meals, I started to stop eating altogether. Seems the body acclimates quite quickly to the raw lifestyle, which is good on a lot of levels, just not when you're forced to transition to another way of eating. Alas. How to go from sixty to zero in just one day!

Am back on raw now, thank God. Fruits, nuts and more fruit. Due to some surgery today (local anesthetic) I'm a bit less-than-motivated to go rummaging for food, but hopefully I ultimately make a healthy choice. It's kind of hard caring about things when you're on narcotics which make you want to hug everybody.

In any event, I will definitely continue with the raw way of life. It'll be curious to see what percentage I ultimately reach and sustain. Irrespective, I know it's a great thing for me right now; it makes me feel good -- like I'm doing something wonderful for my body. Which I am. More fruits, veggies, nuts and seeds never hurt anybody!

*standard American diet

Quick Weight Loss With Raw

Day 12 on Raw: Lose Weight Fast

Day 10 Eating Raw Ya'all

Day 8 Raw

The last three days have been quite hard. Life gets in the way sometimes and mucks up all your great plans. That's okay though. We've got to allow for those things, and then we've got to be able to pick ourselves up and keep moving. I really do think if we can manage that, we're doing all right.

Day 5 Raw

Blueberry Chocolate Smoothie

I made a delicious smoothie today. The base was organic, unfiltered blueberry juice, to which I added frozen pineapple and blueberries and a banana. Yum. A smoothie would be perfect just like that, but no...I then added a heaping teaspoon of organic cacao powder (sooooo good for you) and a teaspoon of raw honey (ditto). The end result was a chocolate-blueberry smoothie, delightfully tasting and truly healthy.

What a great way to start the morning! Next time I make it, I'll take a picture and note the amounts so I can include it here as a recipe. Though it's really about eyeballing it and adjusting to your personal tastes.

I also think I'll substitute the blueberry juice base with something like almond milk, which should make the smoothie more creamy, like a shake.

Day 4 Raw Ya'all

Had some really cool conversations today with people who are on their own nutritional journey. I've thought a lot about why eating raw actually feels like a spiritual thing -- and I think I begin to touch upon this reason toward the end of the following video. Loving our body and treating it well has everything to do with love in general, love as a discipline. I do think we need to love ourselves actively; in doing so we are able to love others more fully.

And what the world needs now? Is love, sweet love!

Day 3 Raw Ya'all

Day 2 Raw Ya'all

I have a surprising amount of energy, for real. Usually by the time I get home I am whacked out and ready for a good hour of zoning in front of the tube. Not these last couple of days. I'm not necessarily attributing it ALL to raw, but it's definitely different. Maybe it's because I'm happy with what I'm doing for myself? Could be. I also think, though, that when we eat living things we actually transfer the energy of that life into our own bodies. That's why fresh picked fruit/veggies are so superior to the veggies that are yes, fresh, but nonetheless have been sitting around on store shelves for awhile. The closer eaten to the time of life? The more of that life energy --- the raw nutrients and goodness --- is transferred to you.

I'm hungry, man. I cannot even DESCRIBE to you the huge salad I had three hours ago (I try to though in the vid below). I'm going to go eat. And eat. And eat. I can eat whatever I want as long as it's raw! That goes for dried fruits and seeds and nuts ... something "regular" dieters might be able to have, but only in limited amounts. Not me. A lot of this food I used to view as special --- treats. Grapes, watermelon, bananas, dried fruit, pecans, etc. Before I'd have a little of them here and there, supplementing my "regular" diet --- but now I can (and do) eat immense amounts of them, and I feel great! And my body is working, I can tell. That's why I'm hungry so soon after I've eaten. My body is burning up the food as fuel, giving me energy, and when it needs more, I give it more.

It's really cool, just observing the changes. I feel pretty good about it. Not deprived at all.