When I was about 17 – and yes – began to get concerned about the way I looked and felt – I remember my mother always checking into my eating habits and once came up with a her final observation of me “I am not worried that you would ever have an eating disorder.” “Why? ” I asked “Because you love food too much.” she answered with a smile and said the same thing a few years later when she would check in on me in my Los Angeles residence.
Thank goodness I had some knowledge at fingerstips, because if I learned anything about the process of life it’s that we expand and contract and expand again and without either being good or bad for both are necessary, we wake up, go to sleep and wake up again – remember, forget and remember again. The entire ra’yoKa system has this philosophy at the core – we must move to strengthen ourselves and we mustn’t attach to any one of the sides, but to become better at the movement, to become a scientist/OBSERVER of fluctuation and change. Even when we expand can we stay just a little contracted or a better word is integrated and even when we are integrating/contracting can we stay a little open? In yoga I could say, can you keep some of the elements of the inhale when you exhale and some of the elements of the exhale when you inhale?
Here are the ways that I indulge and yet stay present with myself in doing so.
A. What we do most of the time is most important. therefore – rather then having a cooked food dessert ever day – I usually – stick with what makes me feel the very best and then-when I am ready- I absolutely go wild, let go, have fun and indulge – I GO FOR IT, while maintaining the healthy choices I will go into further detail about below.
B. I like things in 3’s – (I often teach in multiples of 3’s) So even though I am observing these habits and agree with the philosophy of balance and moderation – I usually am able to stay super committed to a total health plan for a 3 week period at least (it takes 21 days to break a pattern). Its a plan that always gives me a reference point to feeling so darn clear, energized and healthy that I always know its best to stay there and come back to as soon as possible if I have fallen off track. I figure, if I indulge for one day, one meal – or love myself, by not resisting to my sensations for few days, (cuz we know usually there is a day to counterbalance the first day) then its okay. I immediately notice, how “out of it” I feel, the cravings come back, the inability to wake up turned on, the decreased balance and focus and the increase of body odor… Yup… all of that… 
and I think – okay – that was fun… and… well… “NOTHING TASTES AS GOOD AS FEELING GOOD FEELS” but at least I know that stuff is there for me any old time I want it. I also feel that there is only so much that the body is going to absorb if you do it all at once- but thats just my belief.
I stay totally committed to doing everything I know that will support my intention of feeling, smelling, tasting and looking my best – thats right friends – all of these are equally important. ***3 Weeks at a time, no matter how much I want something – if I know it will not absolutely support my optimal health and beauty – I just say yes – to my commitment. Then – it happens- undoubtedly with me – I love food too much – I love to indulge – and after all – I was always and am still a lover of roller coasters far more then ferris wheels. Maybe one day this will change, but as of right now – I have found a ride that works for me somewhat – other then- my secret wish that I could eat all the Dolmas, croissants, falafel’s or pizzas and still wake up with a perfect scorpion – but unfortunately, I have not found that to be reality no matter how much I work on my thoughts, as of yet.
1. If I am craving something – I look at the following things – If its salty – I need minerals – sweet – more protein – fatty – well more fat. Same goes for you – thats one of the way the body is talking. We do need to feed our bodies the things that it requires and the more use to eating food and keeping our fire stoked, then the easier we can handle these occasional indulgences.
For me, it’s when I am working hard, on a deadline – stuck in front of the computer (I respect writers immensely and think its pure mastery when they stay and maintain a great shape) I just have to give in to my craving to be able to get through the deadline and complete the task ahead.
- I do have healthy snacks around – but never junk-food – (the kind where you cannot even read or understand the label) as I think we need food – the kind that is created by nature and not a lab. Delectable but allowable occasional indulgences *This will include, soy cuties, raw ice cream, gluten free waffles, rice chips, cereal and lots of chocolate(raw cuz its really just as good as the other stuff). Of course when I am on my game, I go for dates, with almond butter, kale chips, dehydrated onion rings and nut milk cheese – To be honest 0 it really is just as fun, without the food hangover.
Sticking to the total integrity and health side – eating foods that can be eaten raw like veggies and fruits, only cooking them with nice spices usually works for me – its the rice, potatoes, pasta, bread and chips that are really not edible raw, that well my body doesn’t love so much, while my taste buds an comfort food, memory place in my brain say YES, lets go back to what we knew.
2. I do my best to stick to “Gluten Free – and or Dairy Free” most of the time, if possible now matter how far I go… * Cooked foods and grains can cause mucus in the body – but dairy – well – thats pretty much known to be a very hard to digest food for most people. Same goes for wheat and or gluten.
*One of the ways to observe this is an issue for you is to first eliminate all these foods and then one by one reintroduce them and notice how you feel, itchy eyes, runny knows, fatigue?
WE USUALLY CRAVE WHAT WE ALLERGIC TOO… Little by little after too many times of feeling awful, the addictions kind of fall away – but like me – we are human and will want what we want. Here is how to stay connected even in your indulgences.
When you do it – do it right – a meal with a friend (or friends)- sitting down – give thanks -or a party, a celebration dinner.
3. Deep fried is probably also the most toxic – is there grilled – or baked? I don’t ever think of fast foods places (thats not true – I still remember the taco bell days of my youth) but if you read whats in alot of the stuff, and how rarely they switch their oil or find out whats really in those fries… honestly – hopefully you will just say no. try Sweet Potatoe fries at home or try to create that which you are craving out and make a healthier version at home.
4. Steamed is of course the healthiest – (non – dairy) Soups are always great. Have a great organic, whole grain bread and use coconut oil, instead of butter. _ or stick with flax and or buckwheat bread.
I go from eating all live food for a few weeks to vegan (no meat and dairy) – and even the vegan when eating enough chips of dough (remember gluten is glue) throws me off, just enough to satisfy my indulgences and make me come back on track once again. If I want fries – I would make sweet potato fries, grilled in coconut oil or olive oil and celtic salt. Its never a good idea to have MSG, chemical sweeteners and or deeply fried food (Japanese sometimes so this the cleanest) which are all considered cancer causing agents.
5. Avoid chemicals and synthetic colors and preservatives – have a healthier soda made with real ingredients or baked chips – I like rice chips-but I am now realizing they are fried in safflower oil. We love all those seaweed snacks. they are roasted in oil, but its always important to make sure we are getting as many nutrients, vitamins and minerals as much as possible, or we will continue to eat, until there is no more food. Cooking kills enzymes (the sparks of life) but you can still get some of the minerals and vitamins from the food.
6. When eating Mexican food - Ask for Cabbage instead of chips – and enjoy fresh salsa and lots of guacamole.(even on a impeccable commitment) but other days – go for vegetarian fajitas and get corn (not fried) rather then four tortillas – have a burrito and have the rice, veggies and black beans.
* Garlic and all spicy food is considered thermogenic and speeds up the metabolism, helping to digest the food as well as too many toxins in the body.
7. When eating Thai food (LOVE IT) and its usually super clean as well as yummy – Get the spring rolls with the rice paper that is fresh, rather then fried, try a lemongrass soup and get a good stir fry of vegetable with some garlic or curry sauce (which has coconut milk- try to avoid dairy) – We had the dessert the other day after jumping off a 15 foot waterfall 10 times and it was the grilled roti (we asked them to make it without dairy) still dough though- but so warm and guey and yummy and we ate it with mango sorbet.
8. When eating rice – wild is the best – black is the second best – or any other darker colors, then green pear, brown, jasmine, stick and suchi rice being the most devoid of nutrients. * Always go for the highest amount of nutrients – same when purchasing produce – offer the things with the darkest color is the richest in vitamins.
9. When eating at Japanese places (YUM)- I am sure to always have miso soup which is a greta digestive and plenty of ginger. A good place will always have a great seaweed salad. Sea Vegetable are high in iodine which supports are Thyroid and therefore metabolism. Things like daikon and seaweed helps to support the metabolism of fat. I usually choose great avocado sushi and marinated vegetables and if I was going on a limb, might be the one place I had a vegetable tempura roll, that I rolled in sesame seeds and put lots of wasabi in my soy sauce to help aid my metabolism and digestion.
**When eating cooked food take enzymes – especially if you are over 20 or 30 years of age. TAKE THEM EACH AND EVERY TIME.
- Note I do consider myself a “flexitarian” and if my body was craving flesh – non stop and I was super depleted – I have on occassion (I could count the times), give mucho thanks and have had grass fed buffalo burger or lamb. These are animals that are not being mistreated or pumped with hormones and antibiotics and if they really eat grass then I am getting iron. But people- please note- most of the meat out there these days, is not raised on the right food to give your body the nutrients its craving. If eating fresh fish I usually choose salmon or yellowtail – Tuna is exceedingly very high in Mercury (even before its placed in can) and well – the ocean it is unfortunately, not the safest refrigerator anymore (and well thats another blog). * On the most part I feel that I not only do better without eating animals, but would be so much better for the planet if we limited or even stopped this very imbalanced consumption. The carbon footprint is much too high and if we want to lead the change we want to see, starting by what we put in your mouth is something we could all do to make a difference. There are totally ausome – indulgent vegan restaurants that totally taste and feel if you are eating the real thing but will ultimately be far easier the planet and therefore ourselves.
When cooking at home – I use coconut instead of olive oil (it is more stable) – i tell people if they can make one change – this is the one. Olive oil is very unstable and have free radicals at a very low heat.
I always buy organic, from the ketchup, to the eggs, to the jam- We spend so much time getting chemicals and preservatives out of our bodies, why just ingest more? Note – there are some crops that are less sprayed, but know that strawberries, grapes and berries are the most highly sprayed.
We buy rice pasta over wheat – organic pasta sauce – braggs (amino acids) over soy sauce, rice english muffins and good dark breads (always gluten and yeast free)- It has to be refrigerated – because its not just a totally dead refined food. I feel that everyone can look at what they are already doing and find ways to step one a little more closer to nature.
We make food – we create recipes I have the dehydrator going, we give it love, we feed people, we make things up, we use whole foods, we use yummy spices and we check out other peoples good food. After all it really is the kitchen that is the center of the home and the other stuff is just an extension.
I make amazing chocolates with raw cacao, cacao and coconut butter and agave – that simple – But there are tons and tons of raw delectable desserts (that are totally healthy for us) so we just have to look out.
SO I indulge- I indulge – I indulge – and ultimate I come back to my senses pretty quickly – being grateful that I have the tools to restore me back to my handstands. After indulging I usually feel like I need caffeine – So I drink Yerba mater – rather then coffee – rice milk over soy or dairy and I come home.
Oh yeah -and start right into my three week commitment to myself – the lemon kick (see beauty disciplines when you sign up for our newsletter) or maybe some water, lemon and apple cider vinegar in the morning – at the minimum vegan in the morning o if not totally live foods – eating lots of flax seeds and whatever is yummy to help me get there – organic jams, raw honeys and coconut butter of flax is what I am having this morning.
Kisses, laughter and a whole lot of good meals together. I hope to see you soon at my ausome mothers Holistic Living workshop or maybe a teacher training.
Bon Apetit my friends.
Bless.
Rainbeau
