Green smoothies

When I started to blog I knew it was going to be difficult to find time to update regularly, but this has been the longest blog post draught so far! I just feel exhausted when I get home after long day at work, and many days I don't even open the laptop. When I get home, my evening is filled with juicing, making dinner and Maya's food for next day, playing with Maya and by the time she's gone to bed and I have a chance to sit down and take a breath, I just want to go to bed myself with a good book. And of course I fall asleep within 5 minutes instead of reading that book... 

As for my food intake, it's been up and down again. I'm failing to find a method that really works for me, Rose's levels 5 raw transition diet worked for a while, but somehow it didn't appeal to me for longer than a month. It seems to be same with any changes I try to make to my diet, it lasts about 6-8 weeks after which I really need help to stay on track. So I'm now going to try something else to help my journey towards raw food - green smoothies. I had my first one today - green smoothie with romaine lettuce and watermelon. It wasn't as good as it could be as the watermelon I had was one of those pale ones without seeds, probably genetically modified to become seedless and therefore also tasteless. Have you noticed that only watermelons with lots of dark brown seeds have rich, red flesh with lots of flavour? So note to myself - check that the watermelon I buy is NOT seedless. Or any other fruit for that matter. 

Anyway, my latest plan is to add green smoothies to my fairly healthy, semi-vegetarian diet and see if this helps me to switch more towards raw food. Victoria Bountenko says in her book Green for Life that adding a litre of green smoothie to your diet will help with various health problems and also helps to curb your cravings. I've been having bad cheese toast cravings, I hope to get rid of these with help of green smoothies. 

Here are some recipes:

Blend well following:

8 leaves romaine lettuce leaves

1/3 of watermelon

200-250 ml water and some ice

Blend well following:

2 handfuls of kale

1/2 ripe pineapple

200-250 ml water and some ice 

Blend well following:

6-8 romain lettuce leaves 

1/2 medium honeydew melon

300-400 ml water and some ice

Many raw food books originate from USA and one problem for me has been their different measurements they use in their cook books. One of the most common measurement is a cup. What is 1 cup? If a recipe says 2 cups of water, do you know how much it is? I didn't before but my friend Google helped me:

1 cup = 240 ml = 8 fl oz = 1/2 pint (liq) = 16 tbsp = 48 tsp

Another one is a quart, which I've never heard of before. It's almost 1 litre (0.95 l), so luckily easy to remember. 

I'm now going to look into various greens I can get hold of here in UK (selection seems tiny, at least in supermarkets). Besides the "usual suspects" spinach, kale, broccoli, pok choi, celery and romaine lettuce Victoria mentions greens I've never heard of: arugula, escarole, mizuna, lambsquaters (wild weed) and so on. From now on I'm also going to use beet and carrot tops, mustard greens, collard greens, radicchio and green herbs such as dill, basil, coriander (cilantro in US), fennel, mint and parsley in my green smoothies. Amongst more unusual greens are the wild weeds such as chickweed, clover, dandelion and stinging nettles. On my next walk to park I'll check out these super-greens! 

As always I'm full of enthusiasm when embarking on a new culinary path, I sooo hope this will last. Wish me luck!

Why so tired?

I haven't blogged about food lately, and I must confess it's mainly because it's not going very well at the moment. As you know I started with Natalie Rose's level 5 raw food transition nearly 3 weeks ago, and first week went well. My typical food intake was as I wrote in my post couple of weeks ago, almost exactly as level 5 should be. But then by the end of week 2 I started to feel absolutely exhausted, I started to fall asleep on the train on the way to work which never has happened before! I slept more than usual and quite well at nights so when I felt so drained I just couldn't understand why. Didn't have energy nor motivation to go to gym either. And I was absolutely puzzled - I was supposed have heaps of energy - I was drinking 1,5 litres of green juice every day, eating lot's of raw vegetables and even taking supplements in form of chlorella, Siberian ginseng, milk thistle among others. The whole thing resulted in me going almost back to my "old" eating habits - whole meal toast with cheese for breakfast, coffee a bit later, cooked vegetarian meal for lunch and another cooked meal for dinner. To my further puzzlement I started to feel better.

I started transition diet again on Monday, but by Wednesday I was feeling tired again, yawning throughout the day. I did force myself to gym and felt much better after but I don't get it. What is going on? Is this toxins leaving my body and draining all my energy? If this is the case, then I should just try to hold out a bit longer and it will go over. Me falling back to oldish habits is just going to prolong the whole process, but it's hard. Wonder if any other raw foodists have experienced anything like this, so far I've just read that many have got almost instant energy kick when transforming from cooked to raw and specially when adding green juices and smoothies to the diet. I do hope it's not only me...

Today I had gazpacho for dinner, so delicious! It's hot and muggy tonight and cold soup was exactly what I needed. I must admit that I cheated though, instead of blending it together myself (it's dead easy!) I went down the lazy lane and bought New Covent Gardens fresh soup.

One more day before the weekend, hoping to go to Farmers market on Saturday to top up my fruits and veggies. Now it's time to sleep!

Meet the nasties!

Just a quick post about the synthetic cosmetic ingredients you should avoid in your skin care products. This means reading lot's of small print on back of your products, as some of the products that call themselves "natural" still contain these chemicals, because the manufacturers get away with this if they have even 1 natural ingredient. Following list is produced by Aubrey Hampton:

METHYL, PROPYL, BUTYL AND ETHYL PARABENS

Used as inhibitors of microbial growth and to extend shelf life of products. Can cause allergic reactions and skin rash. Some studies have shown that these ingredients are slightly estrogenic and can be absorbed to the body through skin. 

DIETHANOLAMINE (DEA) AND TRIETHONALAMINE (TEA)

Often used in cosmetic as emulsifiers and foaming agents. They can cause allergic reactions, eye irritation and dryness of hair and skin. DEA and TEA are ammonia compounds and can form cancer-causing nitrosamines when they come in contact with nitrates. Toxic when absorbed into the body over a long period of time.

DIAZOLIDINYL UREA AND IMIDAZOLIDINYL UREA 

Widely used preservatives, works best as biocide in combination with parabens. Can cause contact dermatitis and release formaldehyde which can be toxic. 

SODIUM LAURYL/LAURETH SULFATE (SLS)

A cheap and nasty detergent used in shampoos for it's cleansing and foam-building properties. Often derived from petroleum, it's sometimes disguised in pseudo-natural cosmetics with the phrase "from coconuts". It causes eye irritation, scalp scurf similar to dandruff, skin rashes and allergic reactions. 

PETROLATUM

Also known as petroleum jelly, this mineral oil derivative is used for its emollient properties in cosmetics. It can interfere with skins own moisturising mechanism, causing dry skin - often creating the very conditions it claims to alleviate! It's used widely as it's incredibly cheap.

PROPYLENE GLYCOL

This should be a vegetable glycerin mixed with grain alcohol, both natural. In reality it's a synthetic petrochemical mix used as humectant in cosmetics and even in food (retains moisture, makes firmer creams). It can cause allergic reactions, hives and eczema. PEG (polyethylene glycol) and PPG (polypropylene glycol) are related synthetics, watch out for these on labels!

PVP/VA COPOLYMER

A petroleum-derived chemical used in hair sprays, styling aids and other cosmetics. It can be considered toxic  as inhaled particles can damage the lungs of sensitive persons. So no spraying nasty hair sprays around little children!

STEARALKONIUM CHLORIDE

An ammonium compound used in hair conditioners and creams. Developed by fabric industry as a fabric softener, it is a lot cheaper and easier to use in hair conditioning formulas than proteins and herbals,which are beneficial to the hair.Can be toxic.

SYNTHETIC COLOURS

Used to make cosmetic products to look "pretty", these should be avoided completely. Many synthetic colours can be carcinogenic, so if a cosmetic contains them, don't use it!

SYNTHETIC FRAGRANCES

Some of these fragrances can contain up to 200 different chemicals, which are not listed on products. Some issues caused by these chemicals include headaches, dizziness, rash, skin irritation and even vomiting. If the cosmetics has Fragrance as listed on the label, don't buy it!

The list goes on, but these are the main ones that you should try to avoid. The thumb rule is if you can't pronounce it, avoid it! Do go and have a look now if your shampoo or body lotion contains any of these ingredients. If so, would you still use it? Note that the worst offenders are the most expensive brands - Dior, Clarins, Clinique, Chanel, Lancome etc. There is absolutely nothing good in their products, you only pay for the name. If you want to splash out on your skin care, spend it on natural products (some listed in my previous blog post). 

Time for snooze now!

Be nice to your skin

I have been without Internet for few days, as our modem decided to die, so no blogging for me. But now I'm back and ready to blog some more!

When I was writing about eating organic food, I also remembered that it’s not only what you put into your body that’s important but also what you put ON your body. I have been using body care products that contain only natural ingredients for years now, but there are few products that I have not been able to switch, probably because I haven’t found the right one yet. 

Cleansing 

I’ve been using different natural cleansing products, but my current favourite is Madara Deep Purifying Foam. Madara is produced in Latvia, one the 3 Baltic Countries. It doesn’t contain any harsh ingredients, but is still very effective in cleaning away the dirt and oil from your face and doesn't dry it. 

Toner and Moisturiser 

I've been using Origins Oil Refiner Toner and Matte Scientist Oil Controlling Lotion for over a year now, and I love it. My skin is prone for some shine, but using both the Toner and Lotion have helped a lot, my skin has much less outbreaks and is not that shiny anymore. The toner contains Phlorogine, and algea extract that stops excess oils surfacing on skin. It also contains White China Clay which leaves matte finish. It's pricey, but lasts forever!

Foundation 

I've never been much for foundation, as it feels like it just clogs up my pores. But since I’ve found Lily Lolo Mineral Cosmetics, I use their mineral loose powder on daily bases. It’s silky and smooth and gives natural complexion. It also hides minor spots and redness, and has even UV protection. And no nasties in their products at all! Don’t forget to buy kabuki brush with your mineral powder, it’s a must. 

Hair and body care 

I must admit I haven’t found my favourite shampoo and conditioner yet. I’ve been using Burt's Bees, Aveda, Green People and Lavera. They are all good, natural products, but for some reason I haven’t stuck to any of these. At the moment I’m using semi-natural hair care products from Ojon, and I like them! Their Thickening range makes my hair thicker and shiny, and it smells wonderful. Now I just have to decide if I want to keep using this brand, it’s not 100% natural, but it doesn’t have too many nasties.  And I use Dr Organics  Lavender shower gel and body lotion, smells lovely and 100% organic!

Deodorant 

This is one of the items I have not been able to switch yet. I have been using Dove’s antiperspirant since I was 19, almost every day as I’ve been very aware of my underarm odour. I tried several natural products few years ago during my Big Switch (when I threw out all skin care products containing any nasties and bought natural ones instead) , but I usually started sweating ans smelling before I was even out from my front door! The sweating is of course important, it’s how our body gets rid of toxins and waste and cools our body. What antiperspirants do is to block the sweating itself, which is not good, as the toxins get trapped in our bodies and can cause bad health issues. Antiperspirants also contain heavy metals such as aluminium and other harmful chemicals, so I defiantly want to get them out from my bathroom! 

So what causes the smell? The common explanation seems to be that the bad underarm smell is caused by bacteria living on our skin. But there is also a different line of thought – that the real reason for armpit odour is the intentional excretion of toxins that your body is trying to get rid of! So if you smell bad, then you need to think what you eat. Apparently red meat is the main cause of bad body odour. As our digestive system is long, the meat stagnates and putrefies in our system, releasing toxins in to our blood stream via large intestine, and out through your eliminative organs, such as skin. Other food groups increasing body odour is refined, processed foods such as white wheat products, sugary products, products that contain saturated and hydrogenated fats. So do get rid of bad body odour you need to – good guess! – switch to Raw Food Lifestyle! So as I’ve been following higher raw food diet (no red meat) for a while now, I though I should do a trial and I stopped using my beloved Dove for a week. I’ve been using Crystal Spring Natural Deodorant and I must say – no smell! I even asked my hubby to testify after a day at work and he confirmed! So switching my diet to raw food might have solved my life-long battle of armpit (and foot!) odour. 

Toothpaste 

Here is another product type that I have not been able to switch. I’ve been using Oral-B Rembrant for years, and I like it. But I had a look in their ingredients, and there are quite few nasties inside the paste, so I need to find a natural tooth paste that cleans well and preferably has some sort of whitening effect. I’ve tried few organic ones, but they either tasted vial or didn’t clean my teeth properly. But I keep looking, if you have any tips, please let me know! I've been looking at So Organic for some ideas, Green People and Lavera seem to be worth trying.

Mascara 

Again, I haven’t found one yet, but then again, I haven’t really been looking. I’m very picky about the brush my mascara must have (I like rubbery brushes as they separate the lashes better, no clumps). I’ve yet to find a natural mascara with good brush, but I’ll keep looking. So Organic  has few mascaras I might want to try, either Nvey or Green People.

Eyes, cheeks and lips 

I'm using one product for all three! Nvey Powder Blush in Peach Pink is my current favourite and can be applied on eye lids, cheeks and lips, I use it on top of my Lavera lip balm. Nvey Eco Organic Make-up is Australian high quality make-up that only contains certified organic plant and mineral ingredients. No chemicals and completely organic!

And of course I use only natural products on Maya - at the moment we have Green Babies range from Green People and for sun protection I'm using Korres Sunscreen Emulsion for children. I haven't managed to "turn" my hubby completely, he's been using his Head&Shoulders forever and seems to have no intention to switch. But I'm not giving up!

Last but not least I'd like to recommend a natural skin care and spa products from my country of birth, Estonia: Joik Spa. My good friend introduced me to their products and I'm loving them! Imagine using Gin and Tonic Soap or Chocolate Face Mask!

Robyn's give-away

A fellow raw food blogger Robyn is giving away few spiralisers and a mandoline on her blog, have a look:

Girl on Raw

Wish me luck!

I'm in process of writing a new post about organic body care, just need to finish it. It's another busy weekend, but I'm hoping to steal a bit of blogging time on Sunday.