Dill Takeover

Organic Rainbow Chard, Eggplant, Mushrooms, Onions, Garlic, Fennel, and Dill

Sautéed with Organic Olive Oil, topped with Herbs Spice Blend and Pink Himalayan Salt

Wild Alaskan Salmon

Brain time

Organic rainbow chard, broccoli, mushrooms, eggplant, parsley, cilantro, fennel, onions, garlic, and dill
Sautéed with organic olive oil and red wine vinegar
Topped with herbs and spices and Himalayan salt
Added wild Alaskan salmon lightly cooked with herbs and spice blend

Yummy Rainbow

Organic beets, broccoli, eggplant, mushrooms, onions, garlic, kale, rainbow chard, fennel, parsley, and cilantro

Sautéed organic olive oil and red wine vinegar

Organic herbs, spices, and Himalayan salt

Can't Get Enough Greens

Organic Bananas, Mangoes, Strawberries, Spinach, Greens Plus, Hemp Milk, and Raw Almond Butter

Sleep Deprivation

Sleep is vital to optimum health. Sleep helps to build up the immune system, fights off illness while sleeping, helps re-boot your metabolism, and strengthens memory and mind functions. With extreme amounts of sleep lost whether it’s a week or a month, it decreases your body’s melatonin that helps to fight off cancer. Sleep also helps to rejuvenate your body and allow you to grow properly. Our bodies follow a natural system called the circadian rhythm. The circadian rhythm is what allows the body to adjust to light and darkness, basically the bodies’ internal clock for day and night. When the body gets off a healthy, natural circadian rhythm it can cause stress-related disorders like stomach ulcers, or mood disorders. Those that choose sleep last instead of first have a higher risk of being diagnosed with depression or other mental disorders. Another risk of inability to sleep for the optimum hours, which is six to eight, is the risk of gaining weight. The body tells the mind that it’s hungry and needs food for energy when in reality an extra couple of hours a night helps create a healthy food relationship with the body and mind. Asking the Seattle Pacific University student body what prevents them from getting the optimum six to eight hours, the largest answer was homework, with trying to find time to relax and get quality time with friends as a close second. Although time management with homework is the best answer, homework can still be consuming nights where we should have our heads to the pillows and be in a deep sleep. So how do we take advantage of the hours we do have to be beneficial for our bodies and cleansing for our minds? First off, allow your room to be completely dark, close the shades to allow little to no light in. This will allow you to take advantage of the body’s natural tendency to fall asleep when it is dark, increasing the body’s response to the circadian rhythm. Make sure to turn off all electronics at least an hour before you fall asleep, allowing your eyes and the mind to slowly calm down from the day of being around cell phones, laptops, etc. It’s often the idea of being “wired” from sun up to sundown that can keep the body tossing and turning all night. Try light reading, journaling, or reviewing from hand written notes before bed. This also benefits your memory in helping the mind be prepared for class for the next day. Keep the room temperature no higher than seventy degrees, this allows the body to stay in a natural state instead of over heating that can cause stress on the body. Try and avoid water a couple hours before bed, allowing your body to not have to get up during the night. If you are feeling hungry before bed eat a high protein snack or a small piece of fruit rather than a high in sugar or carbs snack. The high protein or small piece of fruit can help increase L-tryptophan that is the chemical needed for the bodies ability to make and maintain melatonin and serotonin levels, it also acts as a blood to brain barrier that can cause restless nights. Lastly take a warm to hot shower before bed, as the body steps out from the heat it causes the mind to mentally calm down and prepare for sleep. Remember to avoid electronics within a few hours before bed and to create your bed to be a sanctuary that is used only for sleep. Calm your mind and body before bed by listening to soft music and mentally slowing down your system with yoga or deep breathing. Enjoy the time that is allowed for sleep and don’t deprive the body of the most vital way of healing. Sweet dreams. (:

Juice Fasting

The food you eat can be either the safest and most powerful form of medicine or the slowest form of poison.” Dr. Ann Wigmore, was a nutritionist and whole foods advocate that believed that what is put into your body can either benefit you majorly or have a negative effect on your body. You are what you drink. Juicing is a beneficial form of detox. Juicing takes fresh and organic vegetables and fruits and makes the form of nutrients almost instant to your body. It takes within fifteen minutes for our bodies to digest and absorb the nutrients into our cells. The difference between juicing and eating a regular meal is not only the amount of nutrients your body absorbs, but also the time factor, it takes around five to six hours for your body to absorb anytime of chewed food, meat always being the hardest and toughest for our digestive systems. So think of juicing as a vacation for your digestive system and start a rejuvenation process for your body. First, buy a juicer; the best brands are the Hurom slow juicer or the Omega Vert juicer. When purchasing a juicer whether it is these brands or another, you want to make sure to that it is a slow processing juicer, the slower it is the more nutrients that stays in your juice. Second pick out some fresh and organic vegetables to juice, now this is the fun part! Some beneficial vegetables to start out with are carrots, kale, beets, parsley, and celery. Carrots are high in vitamin A that is key in healthy bone growth and aids in vision; it is also high in vitamin E that supports your immune system. Carrots produce a sweet juice that is a good basic staple to start your taste buds on their juicing adventure. Kale is high in Vitamin K that supports your brain and nervous system; it also helps your body to build up a stronger inflammatory response. Beets are high in Vitamin B that not only helps metabolize your fats, proteins, and carbohydrates, but is also considered a “brain food” especially vital for women. Beets are also rich in anthocyanin that protects and repairs your DNA that can be harmed by Genetically Modified foods and chemicals in the environment. Parsley is a good add in that helps your digestive system process the nutrients to its optimum level of potency. Celery is high in calcium that helps calm the nervous system and lower blood pressure. After you have picked your vegetables choose one or two fruits to add in to your juice. Try and keep a 3 to 1 ratio of vegetables to fruit. Fruits are high in sugar and while it is natural sugar it is still harmful to your body if it is not maintained. Remember everything in moderation. Pick out three vegetables and then add one fruit such as apples, ginger, or melon. Apples are high in Vitamin C that aids in your immune system function and helps prevent cancer. These are a good fruit to juice with because they help to conceal the “leafy” taste that you get from juicing kale and other greens. Ginger fights against oncoming illness and aids in digestion. Melon is a sweeter tasting fruit that is high in potassium and zinc. After you have juiced your vegetables and fruit take a sip, put your mind at ease knowing that you are taking the first step to a healthier life and enjoy how alive your body feels. (: 

Green Machine

Organic Mangoes, Strawberries, Vegan Greens Plus, Maca Powder, Hemp Milk, Raw Almond Butter

Broccoli and Beet BOMB!

Organic beets, broccoli, kale, parsley, cilantro, onions, garlic, mushrooms, and eggplant
Sautéed with Organic olive oil and red wine vinegar

Kale Attack!

Organic kale, eggplant, mushrooms, onions, garlic, parsley, cilantro, and fennel
Sautéed with organic olive oil
Topped with organic herbs and spices

"A Lifestyle to Change the World"

Peganism:
A vegan diet of no dairy, eggs, and no chicken, steak, pork, animals
Exception is fish (Ex. wild alaskan salmon has lowest quality of mercury)

*You get certain vitamins that can be lacking from a vegan diet from salmon that is high in vitamin A, B, and folate (works with digesting and absorbing vitamin)*

Trying to obtain and consume as much Organic produce possible.
Allow your body to consume as many oils, nuts, legumes, and gluten-free grains (quinoa, buckwheat, etc.) as needed
Listen to your body. Adjust to YOUR body, we are all created unique.

You Don't have to be Perfect to BE Wonderful. (:

Good Morning Glowing

Organic Spinach (Handfuls), Mangoes, Strawberries, and Banana 

Liquid: Good Belly Greens (Vegan Probiotic Drink)

My college meal plan(:

Organic Beets, Onions, Kale, Garlic, Fennel, and Bok Choy

Sautéed with Olive Oil and Red Wine Vinegar

*Cook in an Iron Skillet for extra Iron in your food!(: