lesson from me to you #2

The fastest way to knock the “I am sexy and I know it” bone right out of place is to walk on gravel in heels in front of eye candy.

acceptance

From healing to getting over the one that got away, acceptance plays an integral role in moving forward in any given situation. To some, this is an obvious observation, but I find that the action step of acceptance is a hard one to take even when it is the next logical step because it feels like I am giving up. It may be strange to think of “acceptance” as an action step but it is one that can catapult you forward. For me, my mindset and perspective toward a given situation can weigh me down or help me push through. In the context of healing, acceptance was the major game changer move that I took. For the first 4 years of MG, I was in fighter mode. “I am going to beat this disease!” “I am going to take it down.” “There is no way that I can be sick forever.” “I don’t have MG.” The main focus was finding a way to live without MG. But, it wasn’t till I decided to find a way to live with MG that the real healing began. This step took 4 years to really take hold as a constant in my mind. I am not sure if anyone else experiences this but I seem to vacillate from acceptance to denial and back again. For a day, I believe it and then, for a week, I don’t. Ironically, it was when I gave up fighting…gave up hope…that acceptance moved in full time. Simply put, it is hard to know when to keep fighting and when to let go. Even in the realm of love, I struggle to know when to keep fighting for someone or know when to walk away. The fear is that I gave up too soon. “What if I just gave it one more shot?” Taking a page from my healing journey, accepting a situation for what it is makes that decision easier because it forces me to see what is before me right now. I can’t yearn for what could be if I really see what is in front of me. This is not to say that I don’t have hope for the future. When I can live this way (because it is a struggle), I move towards the future with more freedom and joy because stress about what should be is at bay. I can live in the now. Acceptance gives me more room to love, laugh, and just be.

weighing in #2

Since July 2011, the raw vegan life path has helped me knock out a 70 lb weight loss! All the while, I have been maintaining energy. The bonus to eating this way is I don’t ever feel like I am starving. In fact, it is quite the opposite. I feel well nourished. With the added energy in my life, I have been able to add BodyRocking to my exercise regime! BodyRocking has really helped to build my overall strength. I am reclaiming life day by day!

superhero cereal

The main contenders in this cereal:

• Chia seeds: A source of protein, EFAs, and many other amazing benefits. 
• Raw cacao: Top dog superfood, raw cacao is a great source of phenylethylamine, magnesium, and an abundance of good vitamins and minerals.
• Coconut milk: Provides more than just great, creamy flavour with its ability to stimulate weight loss! Coconut milk rocks!

The side kicks who are superheroes in their own right for this cereal:

• Goji berries: A berry that provides protein, EFAs, loads of vitamin C and stimulates longevity.
• Hemp seeds: A source of omega 3, omega 6, and protein.
• Mucuna puriens: Contains l-dopa that is a precursor to dopamine; making this a fabulous way to keep the smiles coming all day and maintaining healthy stress levels in the body.
• Noni extract: A source of antioxidants, selenium, anti-inflammatory,  immune system booster, and more.
• Maca: Helps counteract the caffeine in cacao, balance hormones, and is a good source of protein.

In the morning, the superhero cereal fuels my body with immense energy, vitamins, and nutrients that allows me to have a rockin’ good day! The bonus factor about this cereal is that it tastes superb. You can only win when you dive into this cereal because it will power you up and light up your taste buds. Plus, once you examine what the ingredients give your body, you can easily answer the question that vegans hear all of the time: “Where do you get your protein!?”

The gold star factor for this dish is that it is simple to prepare.

This recipe will  make 6-8 servings.

Ingredients:

1 cup of chia seeds

3 cups of spring water

1 can of coconut milk or your milk of preference like almond or hemp

3 tbsp of raw cacao

1/2 tsp of mucuna pureins

1/2 tsp of noni extract powder

1 tbsp of maca

2 tsp of stevia

raw honey to taste

sprinkle of hemp seed, goji berries, or fresh fruit of your choice

Step 1: Mix water with chia seeds and let it soak for 2 hours on the counter. You can let it sit over night if you would like. At the end, you should see a gelatine like substance.

Step 2: Mix the remaining ingredients except your sprinkling ingredients in with the chia seeds.

Step 3: Refrigerate till you are ready to serve.

Step 4: Sprinkle your cereal just before diving in!

*You can easily make this recipe your own using your favourite ingredients.

weighing in #1

Four months ago, I officially kicked off my self-transformation journey with a 49 day juice feast. Since the juice feast, I have maintained a vegan diet that is roughly 95% raw. I feel stronger mentally and physically than I have since the diagnosis.

As an added bonus to the increase in vitality, I am down 50 lbs and 4 dress sizes!

lessons from me to you #1

Avoid drinking freshly made daikon juice before a date.

reprogramming my subconcious

In a message the other day, Domino quoted Paulo Coehlo to encourage writing as a form of spiritual practice. Her gentle urging sparked an ambition to write again. For the last four years, writing has been an activity that required too much-needed energy. Due to the myasthenia gravis (MG), it is difficult to type for a period of time because the muscles in my fingers, hands and forearms will cease to contract. At which point, I have to rest for a long period of time (during which I can not use my hands for anything) till they are ready to go again. So, this abrupt stop/start/stop/start process is not conducive to writing; at least, this was the case for me. Perhaps due to a shift in perspective or it may be that I am tired of waiting for a change to occur, I want to push through this physical and creative stagnant period. Hence, the birth of this blog.

Domino made another suggestion that inspires my first action step towards self-transformation; I am going to write my story as I wish it to be. What would I do with my time if I were not constrained by failing health and restricted finances? A story that I can read regularly so I can see what it is I am striving for in this life. If my mind knows what is in store, eventually the body will get with the program. This could be considered an act of lunacy, but I am up for anything. When I was a competitive winter bi-athlete, my coach would drill into our minds that the races were 90% mental and 10% physical. Before each race, a lot of time would be spent visualizing the course and a successful race. I would see every bend of the track and know how I would attack each hill. Did this activity really help my success? I helped my team win provincial and national titles in the sport, as well as, achieve personal victories. So, if I think about life as a race, it seems only natural to visualize the successful outcome to really experience it!

When I first considered writing about my fabulous future, it felt like a personal and private venture, but, after some thought, I have decided that I will make it public by posting it here on this blog. Even if no one else ever physically reads it, I feel like I am making a declaration of what is to come. I am inviting “the universe to conspire to help me.” So, when I am vibrant with health and financial concerns have no hold on me, I will lead my life as follows (but is open to future rewrites as I progress through my journey):

By 6 am, my days are already amped up by an invigorating round of  ashtanga yoga. On a day-to-day basis, I fuel this temple of mine with a clean, raw, vegan diet and spring water. These are the little details that keep my life balanced and focused. I have to remain disciplined in my practice so that I can keep up with all of my endeavours.

There are three focuses in my life: education, acting (and with that the film and theatre industry in general), and advocating for unheard voices (raw foods, cruelty towards humans and animals, discrimination, human rights violations, children of war and then some).

In terms of education, I am pursuing my master’s degree that I will follow with a stint at film school. Film school provides a great opportunity to learn the craft of directing and screenwriting extensively and seriously. I pursue higher learning not out of a need for credentials, but out of a genuine love of learning.

In regards to acting and the creative industries, I have been so fortunate to work on independent films that examines the under belly of humanity. The more commercial films that I have been working on are a total riot to do and provide a wonderful opportunity to learn new skills like martial arts, weaponry, combat, and the like. 

When it comes to advocacy, I have not yet partnered with a single organization, but I do speak out on certain issues. My main focus is spreading ideas on health and wellness to people through writing and lectures. A subsidized healing centre is in the works to provide a place for people in need of healing but can not themselves afford the cost of alternative healing. 

When I am not busy with these endeavours, I travel to experience new cultures, new sights, and new languages. All the while, my love for my friends and family is nurtured through quality time spent together.

I have a great life where I am free to pursue all of my ambitions.

“When you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it.” – Paulo Coelho