Good Day, my Lovelies,
Twice or thrice a year, I have a group of girlfriends that organize a dinner outing for us, just to reconnect. Had this been a year ago or so, I would’ve totally been down for going to the typical outing at one of those bar patios…you know, where you can subject yourself to second-hand smoke as waiters with attitude serve you icy cold beer and deep fried finger foods, and where drunk (not to mention loud) college kids dominate. I even remember one time (a LONG time ago) when I asked the waiter about how their “chicken fried chicken” was (like I really needed to ask?!). From the waiter’s own mouth, it was “a heart attack on a plate”. However, what was most absurd was not the fact that the restaurant’s own employee couldn’t lie about the dish, but that I actually ordered it!!! AND I can testify that it totally lived up to its reputation...I didn’t have a heart attack, but I felt like I was going to!
Getting back on topic, when the girls were deciding where to go, I suggested that we try Raw Aura – it’s a cute, boutique restaurant in the heart of Port Credit – my next entry will be my attempt of a critique of the place. Now, I’m not 100% raw, but when it comes to going out to eat, I’ve been quite skeptical about restaurants these days, both the quality of food and the way it’s prepared. Preparing my body for pregnancy next year, I want to reduce, if not completely eliminate, the amount of chemicals (additives such as food colourings, and MSG and its other flavour inducing relatives), hydrogenated oils (as they’re usually used in deep frying), white refined sugar, and conventionally raised meat (I’ve talked briefly about conventional meat and produce in my Earth Day entry). I’m trying to avoid eating meat that I don’t buy and prepare myself, which leaves me with vegetables, so I figure, if you’re going to eat vegetables, they might as well be organic, and while you’re at it, raw! That way, you keep all those precious and useful enzymes intact, thus getting the most out of what you’re eating. Sounds good right?
Well, the girls were nice enough to entertain the idea, and actually showed up to dinner! I honestly thought they were going to shut it down at first. But they sucked it up, and tried something new….grudgingly, yes, but they at least gave it a shot….right? Well, I’ll give you the scoop, and you can decide for yourself.
I was the last one to arrive, and when I got there I was immediately greeted with snarky remarks and slightly bitter facial expressions. I mean, we didn’t even get our food yet, and they already decided that it wasn’t for them…and that I was to blame for their poor eating experience……that they haven’t even had yet. Anything they ordered would probably be one of the healthiest meals of their lifetime, and in return, they really went out of their way to not enjoy it. I mean, even before we received any food, one girl said “I guess it won’t hurt to try something new…ONCE!” She didn’t try anything yet, and somehow she knew she was never going to try it again? Even the vegetarian, who I thought for sure would’ve appreciated my choice of restaurants, was quite skeptical of the food. She couldn’t be bitter that there was no meat on the menu since, you know, she was a vegetarian. She wasn’t feeling the menu at all because everything was raw. But she eats a salad every time we go out anyways, so I didn’t really get what the real issue was. As the rest of the girls were harping about not knowing what to eat, she kept saying, “just order something that’s similar to what you would order at a ‘normal’ restaurant”. I thought that was very good advice. Then she ordered the mini burgers (may I repeat, she is a vegetarian)….so, you can probably guess how she liked her food.
The other girls seemed to like the taste and texture of their food, but were turned off by the fact that it didn’t come to them piping hot. If you ask me, there were expecting to HATE anything they got, so the fact that they admitted that it was okay equates to a little success.
I just couldn’t understand why there was such controversy with the raw menu. They would’ve gladly went to a sushi restaurant and order raw fish (farmed fish even, the worst fish you can eat due to the high mercury content), and yet, they had a problem with raw vegetables? I suspect if the restaurant was endorsed by Beyonce or Miley Cyrus, it may get a better review from the general public.
In any case, at the end of the night, I was the only one that finished my food, and the only one that ordered dessert (which was AMAZING by the way!). On top of all that, I had boxes upon boxes of raw, organic food packed up from all their leftovers. Moral of the story: take your friends to eat raw organic food, and you’ll come away with a full belly and lots of free, healthy food. And remember – we’re all together now, babies!
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
Thursday, April 22, 2010
Good Afternoon Earth! Don’t you know it’s your day!!!
Happy Earth Day my peoples! Today is the day when people actually stop and think about recycling that can of coke they had for lunch, or turning off the lights in a room that’s not being used, or doing something just completely uncharacteristic of their everyday routine, just so they can feel like they’ve done their part in saving this otherwise decaying world. Yes, everybody, it’s Earth Day!
I know I sound cynical, but it’s only because I mean to. Today marks the 40th Earth Day in history. That’s pretty major, don’t you think? But in 40 years, there has been no evidence that the Earth is a safer place to live…well, in terms of the environment anyway, since that’s what we’re talking about right now. In fact, it is getting more and more polluted by each day that passes.
Please don’t get me wrong, I’m not against Earth Day. I just don’t agree with the fact that people need the news, the paper, Google, and their workplace to remind them one day a year that they should do something to help the environment, because really, one day is definitely not cutting it, considering the damage this planet takes on a daily basis. I understand that we live in a highly commercial and materialistic society now (trust me, I used to sell jewelery for a living), but we really have to stop ignoring the needs of this planet. I can go on and on about all the environmental issues that are present today (and not just greenhouse gases), but instead, I will just offer some suggestions on how you as an individual can make a difference (and not just for one day!).
1. Go organic. Eat as many organic fruits and vegetables, and pasture-raised meat as possible. Big commercial farms are meant to make money, so it’s all about quantity, not quality. Commercially raised fruits and vegetables are covered with so many different types of chemicals that your body and the Earth can’t recognize. Plus, there have been studies showing that organic produce may contain up to 40% more nutrients than conventional produce! .
Eating pasture-raised meat is the only way to go, if you ask me – the animals are able to live happy and healthy lives and they are fed food that they’re meant to be eating. In conventional farms, the animals are practically living on top of each other, they are being fed the cheapest food possible to save on cost, and they are injected with hormones to make them grow bigger at a faster rate. Now when I say bigger, I don’t mean more muscular, like men on steroids, I mean FATTER! Eating animals that have lived happier and healthier lives can only equate to happier and healthier people…makes you wonder why there are so many people out there that are unnecessarily stressed out, doesn’t it? I urge everyone to watch Food Inc…especially if what I’ve said is a shock to you…you owe it to yourself, the family you feed, and the Earth you live on to get all the information you can about the food you’re eating. In short, going organic is better for both you and the environment.
2. Support your local farmers. Find out where there are farmer’s markets in your area – these are a real treat to go to. Take the kids on a sunny day, and sample all that is being offered. You never know, you might come across a real gem. The first time me and my husband went to one, we discovered salty sea asparagus – it was amazing! If you often have a craving for something salty, this is the perfect snack: it it’s crispy and covered with sea salt, not the refined salt that’s really bad for you. It’s a great alternative to eating potato chips! Talk to the farmers and find out how they raise their food. Supporting local farms allows them to grow larger crops, and it cuts down on the costs of importing produce from abroad. If you can’t make it to the farmer’s markets, check the labels on the produce in the grocery store to see where the produce was grown.
3. Get a good quality water filter. Not sure about where you are, but the tap water here in Toronto is absolutely undrinkable, unless your stomach is immune to poison. Though bottled water MAY be a healthier alternative considering what they do to tap water (again, it really depends on where you live), plastic bottles are a big waste, and the corporations that make these bottles emit many chemicals in the process, PLUS there is all the truck fumes to consider when they take it from the manufacturer to the store. I say bottled water MAY be healthier, only because as great as spring water is, chemicals from the plastic bottles are most likely to have seeped into the water, especially if exposed to sunlight, so you’re never really drinking unadulterated spring water. My husband and I bottle as much well water we can every time we go up north to see his parents. Well water is naturally filtered by the ground, and so there’s nothing added. However, if you don’t have the luxury to get well water, I suggest getting a good quality water filter – it’ll help clean the tap water, and it will save on using bottled water.
4. Grow a garden. When you’re out in nature, you can truly appreciate it. It’s spring time, so plant some vegetable seeds…you can’t get any more local than your own yard! Get your bare hands in the soil, runs your fingers through the grass and your crops, really get connected to nature. In our society, we’ve become so disconnected with nature, and so it’s never considered until Earth Day comes along.
5. Stop using perfume. Girls, I know this will be hard, but perfume companies are harsh on the environment. The perfume companies add carcinogenic chemicals (known as carrier molecules) to fragrances so that the guy 10 feet away can smell you coming. High-end perfumes have less than a percent of real fragrance, and the rest is a chemically-concocted filler. Not only are these chemicals all being absorbed into your skin, but they’re being absorbed by everyone that’s around you. During production, the chemical companies also dump these carcinogenic chemicals in the water – hence another reason why getting a good quality filter is essential. If you absolutely need to get a fragrance, I suggest getting a pure, organic volatile oil.
Okay, so these are my five tips for Earth Day. Even if you commit to just one, you’ll be doing this planet a huge favour. As temporary residents of this planet, it is our responsibility to not only find how our actions are affecting the environment, but also what steps we can take to help heal it.
We’re all together now, babies!
I know I sound cynical, but it’s only because I mean to. Today marks the 40th Earth Day in history. That’s pretty major, don’t you think? But in 40 years, there has been no evidence that the Earth is a safer place to live…well, in terms of the environment anyway, since that’s what we’re talking about right now. In fact, it is getting more and more polluted by each day that passes.
Please don’t get me wrong, I’m not against Earth Day. I just don’t agree with the fact that people need the news, the paper, Google, and their workplace to remind them one day a year that they should do something to help the environment, because really, one day is definitely not cutting it, considering the damage this planet takes on a daily basis. I understand that we live in a highly commercial and materialistic society now (trust me, I used to sell jewelery for a living), but we really have to stop ignoring the needs of this planet. I can go on and on about all the environmental issues that are present today (and not just greenhouse gases), but instead, I will just offer some suggestions on how you as an individual can make a difference (and not just for one day!).
1. Go organic. Eat as many organic fruits and vegetables, and pasture-raised meat as possible. Big commercial farms are meant to make money, so it’s all about quantity, not quality. Commercially raised fruits and vegetables are covered with so many different types of chemicals that your body and the Earth can’t recognize. Plus, there have been studies showing that organic produce may contain up to 40% more nutrients than conventional produce! .
Eating pasture-raised meat is the only way to go, if you ask me – the animals are able to live happy and healthy lives and they are fed food that they’re meant to be eating. In conventional farms, the animals are practically living on top of each other, they are being fed the cheapest food possible to save on cost, and they are injected with hormones to make them grow bigger at a faster rate. Now when I say bigger, I don’t mean more muscular, like men on steroids, I mean FATTER! Eating animals that have lived happier and healthier lives can only equate to happier and healthier people…makes you wonder why there are so many people out there that are unnecessarily stressed out, doesn’t it? I urge everyone to watch Food Inc…especially if what I’ve said is a shock to you…you owe it to yourself, the family you feed, and the Earth you live on to get all the information you can about the food you’re eating. In short, going organic is better for both you and the environment.
2. Support your local farmers. Find out where there are farmer’s markets in your area – these are a real treat to go to. Take the kids on a sunny day, and sample all that is being offered. You never know, you might come across a real gem. The first time me and my husband went to one, we discovered salty sea asparagus – it was amazing! If you often have a craving for something salty, this is the perfect snack: it it’s crispy and covered with sea salt, not the refined salt that’s really bad for you. It’s a great alternative to eating potato chips! Talk to the farmers and find out how they raise their food. Supporting local farms allows them to grow larger crops, and it cuts down on the costs of importing produce from abroad. If you can’t make it to the farmer’s markets, check the labels on the produce in the grocery store to see where the produce was grown.
3. Get a good quality water filter. Not sure about where you are, but the tap water here in Toronto is absolutely undrinkable, unless your stomach is immune to poison. Though bottled water MAY be a healthier alternative considering what they do to tap water (again, it really depends on where you live), plastic bottles are a big waste, and the corporations that make these bottles emit many chemicals in the process, PLUS there is all the truck fumes to consider when they take it from the manufacturer to the store. I say bottled water MAY be healthier, only because as great as spring water is, chemicals from the plastic bottles are most likely to have seeped into the water, especially if exposed to sunlight, so you’re never really drinking unadulterated spring water. My husband and I bottle as much well water we can every time we go up north to see his parents. Well water is naturally filtered by the ground, and so there’s nothing added. However, if you don’t have the luxury to get well water, I suggest getting a good quality water filter – it’ll help clean the tap water, and it will save on using bottled water.
4. Grow a garden. When you’re out in nature, you can truly appreciate it. It’s spring time, so plant some vegetable seeds…you can’t get any more local than your own yard! Get your bare hands in the soil, runs your fingers through the grass and your crops, really get connected to nature. In our society, we’ve become so disconnected with nature, and so it’s never considered until Earth Day comes along.
5. Stop using perfume. Girls, I know this will be hard, but perfume companies are harsh on the environment. The perfume companies add carcinogenic chemicals (known as carrier molecules) to fragrances so that the guy 10 feet away can smell you coming. High-end perfumes have less than a percent of real fragrance, and the rest is a chemically-concocted filler. Not only are these chemicals all being absorbed into your skin, but they’re being absorbed by everyone that’s around you. During production, the chemical companies also dump these carcinogenic chemicals in the water – hence another reason why getting a good quality filter is essential. If you absolutely need to get a fragrance, I suggest getting a pure, organic volatile oil.
Okay, so these are my five tips for Earth Day. Even if you commit to just one, you’ll be doing this planet a huge favour. As temporary residents of this planet, it is our responsibility to not only find how our actions are affecting the environment, but also what steps we can take to help heal it.
We’re all together now, babies!
Saturday, April 17, 2010
Welcome Lovers!
Hi! and welcome to my world of healthy eating and vibrant living. Join me as I document the process of shedding my City Diva persona and embrace the inner Nature Goddess that has been itching to come out for years. I apologize in advance if some of my posts seem completely random and out of the blue.
Hmmm, scratch that! I'm random and I'm proud!
I am constantly being told by numerous individuals (people that are close to me and others that hardly know my name) that I apologize too often. And you know what...they're right... I sometimes catch myself apologizing for things that have absolutely nothing to do with me. Like the time I apologized for my friend falling to the ground in front of my house and ruining her brand new boots. I didn’t push her, I didn’t startle her, I wasn’t watching her, in all honesty, I wasn’t even home yet when it all when down. But after she told me, I had this strong sense of guilt, so I apologized profusely and offered to pay for the boots she ruined. And for what? Because she missed a step on her way to the door, and I wasn’t there to do what? Give her a piggyback ride from the car to the house? I think I was suffering from a slight case of insanity.
I'm not claiming to have a degree in psychology, however, I think my "Sorrrrry!" (yes, that’s how I used to say it!) issue stems from the lack of self-esteem I developed as an awkward teenager. It may also be a reflection of being the youngest in a ginormous family, and having every action scrutinized and criticized by an elder. If you were to ask my university philosophy teacher, she’d probably say that I was a result of being an inferior Asian female in a dominating white man’s world (but I’m really not gonna go there). Whatever the case may be, I used to always believe that everything that went wrong in this world was my fault. Talk about dysfunctional: it’s both self-deprecating yet egotistical at the same time.
Throughout the years, I have slowly lost the attachment of blaming myself for everything, because really, it was getting old really fast. This took a lot of honest self reflection, and self-esteem boosting, which I will talk more about in the days to come, I’m sure. But for now, I feel like this blog entry is three times longer than it should be. The only reason I’m not deleting it all and starting all over is because 1) I don’t think I’m alone with the over-apologizing issue; 2) it was important part of my life to face this little demon in order to grow and expand both in the physical and spiritual realms; 3) to feel bad for the length of this blog entry would really set me back in my progress, wouldn’t it?
If you think you have same “Sorrrry!” dysfunction, or if you know anyone else that has it, or if you just want to say “what’s up!” please leave a comment…I think it’s an incredibly cool thing that we can all support each other in gaining self-empowerment, regardless of location and time zone. Even if you don’t want to leave a comment, thanks for reading! Catch you tomorrow!
Peace and love my peoples….
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