Jody's Raw City

Blend: 3 medium sized carrots, 1 clove of garlic, 1 green onion, 1 inch piece of ginger, 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar, 2 tbsp olive oil, 2 cups warm water, salt and pepper to taste

Perfect for a lazy Sunday… 

Choosing to be more intentional about your diet and overall health can seem overwhelming. It doesn’t have to be though. There’s no need to wake up one morning and choose to eat 100% raw or 100% vegetarian or label yourself in any way for that matter.

Rather than label or limit yourself, I would suggest just committing to making a few simple changes. The more you experiment with your diet, the better you’ll know the effect it has on your body, and the more naturally you’ll transition to a healthier way of living.

Try one, two, or all of these simple suggestions and see what it feels like to commit to them for a week or maybe a month?

** Enjoy your breakfast- Too often, especially in the city, we get used to running out the door to catch that last bus to work. Commit for some time to waking up just a half hour earlier, every day, and giving yourself the time to sit and eat a meal, the meal that is perhaps your most important of the day. Some of my favorite moments recently have been at my kitchen table, early in the morning, enjoying a large bowl of fresh fruit or a creamy nut shake. 

** Replace processed sugar with natural sweeteners- Have you ever had pecans or walnuts dipped in raw honey? Give it a try and tell me that doesn’t satisfy your sweet tooth! Processed sugar can easily be cut out completely by replacing it with raw honey, raw agave syrup, or stevia. These replacements will give you that sweet fix but will also provide you will a ton of nutrients. 

** Eat a salad every day- To me, the greatest benefits of eating raw come from both cutting out processed foods and eating more greens. The darker the greens the better, the more vegetables and the more colors the better, so start to get creative and mix things up each week. If you don’t find that salads fill you up just make a bigger one! And of course, add an avocado. It’ll do wonders.

** Drink more water- As far as I’m concerned there’s really no need to drink anything but water. Just cutting out sugary drinks, for some people, can make a significant difference in the way they feel. Of course here and there its nice to have something flavored, but most of what is on the shelves, including juices and “vitamin waters”, is full of junk. Carry a water bottle with you and start giving your body the liquid it needs. In the morning and at night try hot water with lemon and ginger. 

Ok, get started with your commitments and remember, it’s not about limiting but about adding healthy replacements and learning to enjoy living well.