spring cleaning...day 6

Just when you thought steel cut oats were great! (they're still a touch processed) along comes groats! Meet hulled buckwheat groats. About as close to nature as this grain gets! Half a cup in a bowl of water is pretty mandate for any grain. Sometimes 12-24 hours is recommended. Nuts and grains come protected with inhibitors that UNLESS you soak them and revive them, we'll...let's just say, it's preeeety hard on your digestive system. What you're not digesting, you're NOT absorbing. So if we want all the nifty nutrients from this feed...SOAK!

Probably in the last 6-8 months these 3 books were recommended to me. Awesome and easy reads. Necessary I believe too, especially for you women! We are so hard on our bodies and when it comes to taking care of ourselves...most often...we don't. Put YOU and your body first. Sure, get your sweet ass to the gym BUTT...inner beauty is an 'inside/outside' thing...and not the other way around. Often what ails us on the outside is actually coming from within. There is no beauty remedy or weight routine that is going to have you radiating like TRUE INNER HEALTH. Trust me...kinda why I took the hint with all these books and jumped on the cleanse wagon. ...I just wish the wagon could drive by a Crackbucks!

Notice how I blurred the massive congestion on my desk! Time for an environmental cleanse of the office. Funny how everything needs a little cleaning up?? Not so ironic. Our outer world reflects our inner world. Sometimes all we need is more...space. I really need loads more space. Maybe even a galaxy's worth...

To market to market...again. Cuz I just love it there. I just don't love the produce from Mexico. Nothing against Mexico or Mexican fruits...I'm just a fan of the LOCAL produce at the LOCAL market. And speaking of Mexico! ...ahhh vacay...or how about a workation!?! ariba! (insert sombrero, guac and laptop poolside HERE.) or here...or here.

My new (old) best friends. New cuz...well there's a lot of them in the fridge now, every day...what seems like ALL THE TIME. They've always been a staple in my food frenzy though. Eating as close to nature as possible.

Prep makes everything easier, I swear! So these vivacious vegetables are all washed and ready (almost) to go!
Just chop chop!

Probably the best organic turkey chili I have ever made...or eaten. And I'm totally biased. And I'm still telling you the truth. Now for ethical reasons, I try not to consume a lot of 'animal'...and on this diet, well...consuming enough calories is pretty tough. There is also some debate on 'Eating Animals' - I try to educate myself as much as possible. I bought this at a local farm from the market, hormone + antibiotic free. Really just brown some onions and garlic in olive oil...toss in all the market veg, add turkey, then add spices (cumin, cayenne, paprika, chili, oregano and salt and pepper)...organic tomato paste and stewed tomatoes. Fresh coriander and if you feel up to it, kidney beans.

yep...all of this into the ol juicer. Kale, cucumber, celery and ginger. ALL GREEN. I'm not allowed any sugar and this even means no fruit. Feel sorry for me please do...it actually didn't get bad until yesterday when I almost made a scene at the grocery store. I'm sure at some point I was salivating, looking like a crazy person. Willpower entered gracefully as I reached for baby carrots and pumpkin seed nut butter to: dip. them. in.
(insert stone face because that's about as exciting as...carrots dipped in pumpkin seed nut butter.)...

Seriously what's the deal with green juice? alright...we wake up after a long night of fasting. And the only time your body gets to 'clean up' is when it's not doing any work - aka digesting. So often in the morning we slam our systems with yep, foods that slow down the system! Coffee included (whilst stimulating to start)...think of the cereals and big breakfasts society sacks down and wonders why they need a pick-me-up by noon! Not to mention this is all ACID forming foods (along with dairy, processed foods, sugar, caffeine, alcohol...) To ensure radiant beauty and longevity we might wanna try incorporating ALKALINE forming foods first (and as much as possible) into our morning routines. Nature, ironically enough, makes everything preeeety damn perfect. Giving us EVERYTHING we need.
So I mix things up sometimes having the barn feed (groats) first or sometimes doing the green thang...
green is better jus sayin.

I hear it all the time. Which adds to my own frustration.
I'm the healthiest person you know! that I know...
I make a real conscious effort of taking care of my health, my body and myself because...well.
What else is there?
Health is the only real ticket.
And yet...I've suffered from pesky 'ailments' for YEARS, and years and years.
Chronic.
So my passion stems from (at one point 'fixing' myself) to now just bringing myself into 'wholeness'...
Nourishment, I've realized over the last year especially, comes from what you're truly doing to feed YOU. On every level. And if it's toxic...
Even if it's fun for a while.
A quick fix, or relationship.
A burger or a bad work environment.
It all adds up.

We clean our homes, our cars...everything requires a really good cleaning every so often. So why would the body be any different. IN FACT. We actually clean that stuff MORE than our bodies, which is well...kinda gross.
With all the stuff we consume, we'd hope that MOST of it comes out...and does. Yet your intestinal walls are tissues.
I hate to break it to ya...but not EVERYTHING comes out.
And often the worst stuff...stays in.
So think of a garbage can, never taking the lid off and just a compiling a lot of shit...literally.
Grossed out?
Good!
I could get nittier and grittier here but I'll leave it for now.

...alot more I wanted to write and well, I battle with falling asleep at the keyboard here. I think I've had one good day out of 6 and today wouldn't be it.
Impatience is trying to get the best of me (as usual) AND I will not seek to rush this process.
I'm committed, honouring where I'm at and what my body is going through.
If I can shed a bit of info or inspiration along the way then...
That's kinda why I'm here :)

It's so irritating how much I want coffee.
I even sniffed the bag of fresh grounds for waaaay too long.
...if I can do this, so can you!
going to try to squeeze in some late night yoga...goodnight
love,
jodi renée

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