Running Mishaps, New Shoes and My Love for SUMOS!

Hello Readers – Hello Bloggers – Hello Runners and Yogis!

How does this fine day find you?  I hope you are well!  Remember to drink some fresh juice and take a series of long breathes!  It can do a world of good for your psyche and you blood!

How am I?  Alright.  I have this wonderful new season to make discoveries about myself and the world!

Races are WERE coming along fine….

I registred for a race, showed up on the wrong day and still ran the course.  I have no idea why I thought the March Mardi Gras Madness was on Sunday when it was on Saturday. 

Ugh!  Santa Clarita/Valencia is about 45 minutes away from home!   I was a bit pissed!  A REAL BUMMER!  I still ran the course and clocked it in as a day of running rather than a day of racing.  The only regret about this is…I looked forward to this race ALL YEAR!  It was my fastest 5k time last year! UGH! So now I have to wait until NEXT year to see my performance on THAT course! Which breaks me into a PR time ramble

PR Times

I have an issue when I hear people say they hit a PR. 

My opinion —> You can really only have a PR per race/course. 

For example: If you have been running races that are hilly and clocking in @ let’s say 30 minutes…

You run another race and you clock in at 27 minutes.  Some may say this is their PR since it is the fastest time.  But what if the race was a flat straight course or you were able to take advantage of a downhill.  Then you really don’t have a PR, you just have a faster time based on the course.

However the next year you run the initial 30 minute race again and you do it in 22 minutes. Well then you have a PR for THAT SPECIFIC RACE.  Right?

Back to races… 

I also forfeited running the “Grunion Run” this year. While I did and do enjoy races at the beach, I just could not see driving an hour or more to Dana Point this year.  My taste tester has been on a bit of a roller coaster ride regarding his health, I stayed home with him and we had great meals, laughs and a surprising but restful time change this year.

NEW SHOES

I took a MUCH NEEDED day off from the shop on Monday!

After running some errands and attempting to figure out what move I needed to make about my digital camera at our local BEST BUY, I ended up with no camera and some new running shoes!

I was about to purchase the Lunar Eclipse Model by Nike, when my taste tester appeared with some pretty light (weight wise) and VERY Happening (color wise) shoes called the Saucouny Kinvara 2′s.  He also had a pair of the Shadow Gensis in his hand and told me to try them on. 

Now prior I had been VERY skeptical about Saucony as a brand.  I had a pair about 10+ years back and absolutly them.  Since then I haven’t even looked in the direction of a Saucony display. My mind changed on Monday.

Saucony Kinvara 2

These shoes are some nice light and comfortable shoes.  They feel like I can run right out the door!  No fussing with breaking them in, etc!  They feel fast!

The next pair of shoes I bought are called..

Saucony – Shadow Genesis

Although these are not the shoes I purchase re: COLOR, this is the style.  I chose these specificaly for hill work.  i am feeling the need to do hill work.  I notice that there are always hills in a race. Granted some more than others.  Anyway, as I was saying I notice that most people slow down in a race when the hills arise…so that seems the moment to take it to the next level in the race and come in strong! I feel that I need to take my running a bit more seriously.  Even if it means I need to wake up earlier.  (Cringe) 

I am sure if I was a an athelete and that is ALL I had to do I would be just fine.  But the reality is that I am a runner on the side and small business owner by day.  I am not complaining, just saying.  Got to organize my schedule and life for what arises. Just be better.  More mature! Adulthood comes with it’s own growing pains I think!

Latest Running Food…

The SUMO Tangerine!

This delectable treat had done wonders for me! Eating it makes me happy happy happy. It is so sweet and bright! ALL NATURAL and absolutely divine. These babies are only available until the end of March here in California! Enjoy them alone or in a Citurs and Avocado smoothie!

YUMMMMMM!

For more information about this WONDERFUL FRUIT visit sippitysup!

Thanks for Reading!

SHOUT OUT TO DESIREE DAVILA!  Desiree will be running the NYC Half Marathon this weekend! Send her WINNING ENERGY!  This wonderful woman is prepping for her Olympic Debut in London this summer!  Desiree if you ever read this – Remember: YOU ARE THE BOMB!

Namaste!

Races Coming Up: Santa Anita Derby Day 5k, CATS 10k @ Lake Balboa and hopefully 2 more are in my near future! Know of an LA based race?  Let me know!

ingredients, catfish, kale chips and mental stimulation

Hello Longevity Seekers!

I am hoping you are well this wonderful week in April! Southern California has been absolutely BEAUTIFUL this week! Warm and Breezy ~ Palm Trees dancing!

Ingredients

I acquired a DVD called “INGREDIENTS”. I am unsure if anyone has seen this DVD, but it is a wonderful film made to explore the SLOW FOOD MOVEMENT and Support of the LOCAL CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) in your area.

The DVD informs us of some rather shocking facts upon it’s opening and features some really wonderful community efforts in Oregon, NY and and few other stops along the way.

There is a wonderful quote I wrote down from the beginning of the documentary…

“I started growing vegetables with my husband…to recreate what we think is our duty. Our taste buds are there for a reason. They are there to guide us to BETTER NUTRITION. It isn’t greed or gluttony to like the taste of food. It is a natural drive to nourish ourselves.” Carol Boutard, Ayers Creek Farm

Did you know…

• 17,000+ foods are introduced to the American Public each year.
• Most Children born during the year 2000
• will have a shorter life expectancy than their parents
• An overabundance of processed foods has put our children at risk for Type 2 Diabetes
• There is no culture in the world that spends less money on their food that the US.

How do we change this? With our Forks!

Local Food systems are available and need to be intergrated into your life! Biodynamic Farms, CSA Farmers Markets and growing our own vegetables is really the best way to change things!

Fresh Food is ABSOLUTLY out there!

The Veg888 Kitchen will begin attending local Farmers Markets and BEGIN growing it’s own lettuce/greens! I am part of the fossil fuel consumption. We all are! As a society we really have to Reduce ~ Reuse ~ Recycle!

It’s like I always tell myself – “BE ABOUT IT – DON’T JUST TALK ABOUT IT!

Catfish

I will only cover this documentary very briefly.

I had wanted to see this DOCUMENTARY for a VERY LONG TIME! It is difficult to find certain movies at various times and I was finally able to “seize the moment” and buy this Documentary.

The story begins with communication between an 8 year old artist and a young film maker name Yul Shulmen. The story begins to spiral from there and the end will have you absolutly astonished and the path everything follows. Even to THIS DAY.

In case you see this movie, I will not go into detail. However I will say this. The places our minds can take us the moment someone reaches out to us is amazing and very clear in this Documentary.(?) I place this question mark there since it left me feeling like it was all a planned/staged setting. If you see it, I would love to see what you think!

And finally…KALE CHIPS!

When I went completely Raw for the Parasite Cleanse I kept seeing recipes for KALE CHIPS!

Although I wanted to try them, something always happened and I just never did.

Last week, I decided I would like to try adding them into my diet. Why? RAW Lacinto KALE has protein, calcium and if you add nutritional yeast to your mix – you get B12! Very important for us as Vegans/Vegetarians!

So here we go!

KALE CHIPS

For 1 Bunch of Kale…

1 C Sunflower Seeds (Soaked)

1/4 C Nutritional Yeast

1/3 C Water

2 T Olive Oil

2 Cloves Garlic

1/2 tsp Paprika

1/4 tsp Chipotle

1 pinch salt

Place all ingredients into a Food Processor or Blender until it is a thick paste.

Once the paste is made, place over the kale and massage the paste onto the kale.  Once all of the kale is covered it is ready to place onto a teflex sheet and place in the dehydrator.

These will be in the dehydrator for 5-6 hours.  I made 4 trays worth! They were delicious!

Here they are all in a jar ready to be eaten!  I enjoyed them quite a bit! In fact my taste tester ate the ENTIRE JAR in one sitting!  I will make more this weekend.  I will try another flavor of course! Something spicy maybe.

Thanks for reading!

Love and Light!

Namaste

Derby 5k, WWWP5k & The Jericho Mile

This weekend I successfully finished my 8th race! Woo Hoo!

The race this weekend coincided with the (Automatic) World Wide WordPress 5k and my goal to run a race a month this entire year! LOVELY!

Santa Anita Derby 5k

This race was quite an experience!  The race started in the parking lot of the Westfield Shopping Center in Arcadia, Ca.  The race then took you toward the Los Angeles Arboretum and on the grounds of this wonderful property for most of the 5k.  The last 3/4 mile takes you back toward the mall and ultimately into the world famous SANTA ANITA RACE TRACK.

Sunday was an ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL day in Arcadia!

Here are some pictures of the mountains!

Walking up to the start line!

The race receives 8 stars out of 10

Our beautiful mountains!

PROS

• There were over 5,000 participants who woke up and RAN / WALKED
• The wonderful course through the Arboretum!
• LOTS and LOTS of trash cans for the water cups!

CONS

• The walkers that walk in a row of 3+ wide!!!  Runners usually have to somehow get past the WALL of walkers!  Walkers – stick to the right and allow the runners to pass you on the left!  (I suppose I understand ALOT better why the chracter in SPANGLISH (a movie with Adam Sandler) would yell LEFT when she was running up along side someone or about to pass someone!

• The last 3/4 of a mile was a bit more challenging that any part of the race. The last leg of the race takes you into the Race Track.  The last 1/4 mile or so takes you onto clay! THIS WAS CHALLENGING! WHEW! Actually threw me for a loop and stopped me from my kick at the end!  The only negative feelings are a personal one and in no way at fault of the race coordinators!  I will be prepared next time!

Horses at the RACE TRACK!

I finished the 5k slower than the Mardis Gras Race in Valencia by 1+ minute.  Faster than the Venice Christmas Fun Run 5k by 2+ minutes and 7+ minutes faster than the Chinatown 5k!  I have enjoyed taking the time to run and focus on my body.

Last night was the first time in a long time I went through my entire set of Yoga Poses to awaken the body.  Intergrating Yoga back into my life will only strengthen my running abilities.  At the moment I am dealing with a knee issue.  I have read and mentioned in a past posting that many knee issues arise out of TIGHT HIPS!  Well, let me tell ya…there is A LOT MORE THAN TIGHT HIPS HAPPENING RIGHT NOW!  Hamstrings, calves, and various other muscles!

My knee only bothers me when I step down!  As I went through my poses I noticed I was holding some emotion there.  I cannot put my finger on it…YET!  I kept having to remind myself to open my mind and focus on an “OPEN KNEE”!  I had to really be aware of not constricting the knee while I moved in and out of various poses.  Strange.

Today the knee FELT ALOT better.  My taste tester usually puts tiger balm on my knee for me, but I think I am going to make my own version of a rub since I noticed there are petroleum products in it.

Jericho Mile

Great Running Movie!

In my ever expanding collection of movies, I recently added a running film called The Jericho Mile.

Rain Murphy is a man sentenced to life in prison, choosing to do his time in near-isolation, and engages in distance running when given the opportunity for free-time. While his form and speed capture the attention of prison officials who believe he could be competitive for the Olympics, Murphy expresses disinterest. But when the one man he has befriended is taken advantage of by political groups within the prison, Murphy decides to pursue the opportunity presented to him in his memory. This action not only has profound changes on him, but also on the atmosphere of the inmates in the prison and their outlook on the accomplishments he can make. Written by Tara Ragatz

This film is a must see.  I had no idea it would be as inspiring as it is 20+ years later!  Anyone interested in a GREAT movie should see this movie!  At first I didn’t know what to expect.  I had been told it took place in a prison, and quite honestly I’m not into prison flicks.  It generally doesn’t seem like they would be positive! HOWEVER, this MOVIE WAS UPLIFTING, POSITIVE and leaves you wanting to see it again and again!

Thanks for reading!

Go Lickity Split!

Love and Light!

Namaste!

Fresh Fuel, Love and Success

I enjoyed a wonderful salad for lunch yesterday…

“Fattoush” - Cucumbers, Radishes, Sumac, Lemon Juice, Fresh Mint, Olive Oil and LOVE!:)

Wonderful Salad in all it's GLORY!

RULE #1

Eat as many greens as you possibly can!

I made up the above stated rule after reading a “blip” out of the THRIVE fitness book by Brendan Brazier!

Leafy vegetables are a rich source of chlorophyll, important in offsetting stress by alkalizing the body.  Chlorophyll also cleanses and oxygenates the blood, making it an essential “modern world” food and a true performance enhancer.  Having more oxygen available in the blood translates to better endurance and an overall reduction in fatigue.  In their raw state, chlorophyll-containing plants possess an abundance of live enzymes that promote the quick rejuvenation of our cells.  The consumption of chlorophyll-rich, leafy green vegetables combines with moderate exercise is the best way to create a biologically younger body.

Makes you think, huh?  I am totally down with the “younger body” and better performance vibe! What about you readers???

RULE #2 & RULE #3

#2 Drink Chia and #3 Drink Rejuvelac DAILY!

I shared my last Chia recipe with you HERE.  Last night I made another elixr that combines both Rule #2 and Rule #3!

CHIA – BANG!

6 Strawberries

6 Dates

2 cups Rejuvelac

1/2 cup Chia Gel

Directions: Place all ingredients in blender and drink!

In all of the research I read about the chia, many of the complaints were about the consistency and taste.  TASTE / FLAVOR don’t matter IF you are taking this into your body for nutritional benefits.  Luckily the seed is open to many many additions!  It mixes pretty easily with just about EVERYTHING!  I haven’t found anything it is bad with.  I have even taken shots of it by itself.  I must say say this – While it is not something that has flavor (bad or good), I am guessing it is the gel consistency that makes people not like it…drink it! Nutrition! NUTRITION! Nutrition!

As far as rejuvelac…I am still brewing this wonderful elixr.  Definite difference with this one – It can be a bit difficult to get down the “hatch” so to speak.  Not the flavor.  NEVER the flavor.  It actually tastes REALLY REFRESHING!  It is usually the smell that can keep me at bay for about 15 minutes.  Once I am drinking it, I usually just DOWN IT!  I usually take in approximately 20oz a day.  I would like to get to 32oz.

This wonderful sprout finds itself turning GREEN these days!  Even the Chia has been sprouting in the kitchen!  I love life and the definite presence it has in the VEG888 kitchen!

I was reviewing an Anne Wigmore book the other day and found this “blip” about REJUVELAC!

Rejuvelac – The Enzyme Drink

Rejuvelac is rich in proteins, carbohydrates, dextrines, phosphates, saccharines, lactobacilli, saccharamyces, aspergillus oryzae and they have the faculty of breaking down large molecules of glucose , starch, and glycogens.  This is the reason rejuvelac is an aid to your digestion.

The natural lactic acid and fermentive enzymes which are produced during the fermentation process have a beneficial effect on the metabolism and a curative  effect on disease.

Thanks for reading!

Love and Light!

Namaste!

Questions, Experiences and Life!

Hey guys!  How are you this week?

I didn’t want this week to pass without sharing some pictures, experiences and articles!

Saturday – March 26, 2011

Saturday evening, my taste tester and I attended a concert.  Closed the store early and drove to UCLA.  The college was hosting an event called “Acoustic Africa”.

Each artist brought their own flavor to the performance.  I don’t know if you are familiar with the Putumayo company, but most CD’s produced by this company are GREAT.  The company itself was established to introduce people to the music of the world’s cultures. It is nice to have a compilation of world music when you are relaxing alone or spending time in a social setting.  I really enjoy music from ALL OVER THE WORLD!  What about you?  Do you like world music?  Do you get out to see performances of any kind? TELL ME!

The artists received a standing ovation.  I was hypnotized by the performance!  There was so much talent on stage!  Whew!

My taste tester and I drove to our FAVORITE late night spot – PURE LUCK!  To my extreme dismay they closed at 11:00!  They are usually open until midnight!>:( BOO!!!!

We got back in the car and headed home.  On the way home we saw a CRAZY 1 car accident!  Scary!  People were definitely driving drunk! Another BOO!  Don’t get me wrong, I am open to a wonderful cocktail or two but NEVER EVER DRIVE DRUNK!  Know what I mean???

SUNDAY – March 27, 2011

Sunday was the Buena Park Knott’s Berry Farm 10k Snoopy Run.  The race started at 7:00 am which meant we needed to leave by 5:30am.

Something happened between midnight and 6am…My taste tester and I were watching a movie, talking and laughing.

I got up to grab some water.

My taste tester asked “What time we needed to be out of the house?”

I responded 5:30 a.m  Why?  You don’t want to run anymore?

No, I do.  But it’s a little after 6am…

Needless to say we didn’t run!  We still needed to register and there would not have been enough time.  We went to bed after realizing the time.

We took advantage of being at home and I cleaned the fridge, he did laundry and I rode the bike 11 miles.  It was nice day!

~FAST FORWARD 7 Days~

FRIDAY – April 1,2011

Kept the store open until 9pm.  We headed to Whole Foods for pre race/post race goodies!

I wanted to maintain a light and ALL RAW theme until after the race.  We have been drinking rejuvelac and maintaining out rythem in that aspect. I also made a drink that helps us feel really energetic!

Here is our Salad we had for dinner the evening prior to the race!

The next morning we got up at 5am and began our usual stretching, morning elixr and “The Spirit of the Marathon” DVD playing.  I think I am ready for a new RUNNING DVD.  Any suggestions out there???

About 30 minutes before we left I made this MAGIC POTION!

CHIA-FIRE-LOBO

1/2 cup soaked Chia

16 oz FRESHLY SQUEEZED LEMON JUICE

2 tbs Agave Syrup

2 tbs Cayenne Pepper

Directions:  Place all ingredients in a glass jar.  Make sure the jar you use has a lid.  Once all ingredients are in the jar, Cover it and shake it up. This makes (2) servings. (NOTE: To make the Chia gel – 2 tbs + 1/2 cup water – Allow to soak for 1 hr.)

SATURDAY – April 2, 2010

I attended the RUN SEAL BEACH 5k/10k.

The course receives 2 stars out of 10

PROS:

• Everyone out there got up to exercise and experience fitness!
• The course had A LOT of women show up today!  I always find that SOOOO positive.  I love to see women taking care of themselves, being social, and just pretty much happy!  Women are beautiful and I think it is important to be supportive and kind to each other!  To many people are negative toward other in life.  Let’s all be positive forces during these rather trying times in life and earthwise.
• A 15 year old holds the course record for the 5k as of today!

CONS:

• Horrible course.  We ran along the street and there were STRONG FUMES from all of the vehicles.
• All of the trash I saw along the way!  Especially the cups! Please runners hold your cup/stash your cup in your pocket! Something! PLEASE DO NOT THROW THE CUP ON THE GROUND! Better yet-come with water in a RECYCLABLE CONTAINER!
• GROUCHY SEAL BEACH OFFICERS!

This successfully makes the 7th race I have run since December! YEAH!

This weekend is the ARCADIA DERBY 5k – Saturday April 9,2011!  So exciting!  I am also hoping to do the Lake Balboa 10k on Sunday!

I will continue to eat superfoods, chia, and RAW this week!

Check in with you later!

Love and Light!

Namaste!

Kind Love

Hello Longevity Seekers!

How are you today?  Long Living? Living Long?

The week is easing into SUNSHINE and I am easing into the week pretty nicely.  What about you?  What is the weather like today?

Have you meditated? Visualized?  Even just 5 min – Do it!  It will help immensely!

This Weekend in L.A…

SATURDAY

My taste testers kids were in town this weekend!

One of them – the youngest – performed at the California Metal Fest!

Pretty cool for a kid that is only 14 years old!  EXTREMELY cool to be a ROCK STAR at 14! GO IZZY!

What made it even better was his older brother graced us with the pleasure of spending the night!

This is always nice!  I get to cook veggie food for kids and feed a wonderful appetite – healthfully and mindfully!

Ever since these kids were born my taste tester made sure to put instruments in their hands.  They both seem to be quite successful at keeping music in their lives.  Positive things, positive things!

We have made plenty of “Late Night Craigslist missions” for these guys!  I am happy to see that it is all paying off! Drum pedals, amps, bass cases, etc.  you name it – we have probably gotten it!

Growing up with a supportive parent is one of THE KEY TO SUCCESS! Don’t you think?

So that was Saturday and when Sunday arrived it was time for him to go!  Always seems – just a blink of an eye and the kids are gone…but we will see them soon.  I am hoping they will come and experience a race with us!

Although I planned on attending the Claremont Red Cross 10k – that thought was quickly out of my mind once I saw the rain! Heavy Rains!

Since I didn’t attend the race it gave me the opportunity to cook for “Nitro Roc” one last time.

SUNDAY

RAW Smoothie attack!!!

Here is my RAW date strawberry banana RAINY SUNDAY smoothie prior to blending!

2 bananas

2 tbl RAW almond butter

8 dates

6 strawberries

1 bottle OXYGIZER water

Directions: Blend ALL INGREDIENTS until smooth!

Why OXYGIZER?

OXYGIZER improves measurably performance during periods of high physical stress and the resulting regeneration phase. Univ. Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Marktl (Head of Science at the Institute of Medical Physiology at Vienna University) and his research team have completed their scientific ergometry tests. Using a randomised double-blind study, these tests have proven the effective infl uence and effect of OXYGIZER on the body’s performance capability.

Additionally, Sunday was the Los Angeles Marathon!

CHEERS ETHIOPIA!

Ethiopia dominated the Los Angeles Marathon on Sunday!

WINNERS

Men’s Division

Markos Geneti ran the 26.2 miles in 2hrs 6mins 35 seconds!

Coming in shortly after Geneti was Nicholas Kamakaya in 2hrs 9min 26sec!

Womens Division

Buzunesh Deba ran the marathon in 2hrs 26mins 34 secs.

Coming in shortly after Deba was Amy Hastings from the USA.  This was her debut in the marathon. She completed the marathon in 2hrs 27min 3sec!

Great going ladies! YOU RULE!

Those are CRAZY times! The male winner also broke the LA Marathon record!

There were a total of 19,626 finishers on Sunday.  11,896 were men and 7,730 were women.

UPDATE MARCH 24, 2011: 19866 Finishers – 12045 M / 7821 F

Exciting stuff!

Depending on the weather I may run a 10k Sunday.  We’ll see.  I will monitor the weather and figure it out by Saturday evening.

Stay tuned for more Musical Meditations, Race Reviews and Recipes!

I thought I would leave you with this image…

 

Kind Love ~ Love Kind!

Love and Light!

Namaste!

2 Jars Full of Sunshine

As noted in the past my wonderful customers bestow ALL kinds of fruits, vegetables and other NATURAL delights!

A few weeks back I was able to fill a few large mason jars with FRESHLY SQUEEZED Orange Juice! Delicious! That was the beginning of my JARS FULL OF SUNSHINE!

A customer stopped by to bring me a bag of oranges and a bag of grapefruits! YEAH! I was able to have 2 more Jars of Sunshine! Very EXCITING!

Jar with GRAPEFRUIT JUICE!

This has made adding Chia Seed to liquid a WONDERFUL ADVENTURE!!!

I am hoping to do another 10k in Claremont this weeked and would like a better time than the previous Sunday.  Fingers Crossed!

Since the CHIA was used by the Aztecs BEFORE they were going to face ANY ENDURANCE CHALLENGE – I figured THAT’S WHAT I NEEDED!!!

Went for a run last night.  Whew.  I only ran 2.75 miles and at about the 2.5 mile mark I felt a challenge to finish.

While running there can be any one thought going through my mind.  I usually use my runs as THERAPY for the week and/or day.  The challenge to finish is ALWAYS THERE in life – It could be any given situation!  So I just listened to my breath and concentrated on what the problem was.  Was I mildly dehydrated?  Were my fuel tanks low/empty?  What was it???

I drank Chia on Tuesday, I also drank the Chia with my orange/grapefruit mix Wednesday.  Do I need to incorporate into my diet longer? Do I need to have MORE Chia then I am having now? Tonight I plan on taking it in right before my run.  Test it on myself.

I must admit I felt a bit rickity upon the initial 15 minutes of my run. That was a concern!  Usually I get out there and get it done on RACE DAY. What was this pain about??? My initial opinion was I am ACIDIC as oppose to ALKALINE.  It is also my opinion that I may have been MILDLY DEHYDRATED and not as ALKALINE as I was on Sunday AM. I’ll get out there and get it done this evening and see where this takes me. Maybe the run was too short.  In retrospect, I don’t usually feel warmed up until mile 4 or 5.  I feel like endurance in the mind isn’t the hard part about this latest adventure in life I have decided to adapt.

The challenge of THIS equation is what is difficult —>

NUTRITION + RUNNING = SUCCESSFUL RACE

I have taken in more Cacao the last few months than ever before.  Mostly because I know it is a bit of a stimulant and was said to help with endurance.  I usually add it to my smoothies.

While researching the EXACT REASON the Cacao is called a SUPERFOOD, I came across a few articles that were extremely NEGATIVE about this RAW food product.

As I read the theories regarding RAW Cocoa, I began thinking about it’s origin.  Back to the Aztecs and beyond!

Notations of cocoa in History is difficult since many of the codices were destroyed by the early church and conquistadors.

However, the information still available indicates the Aztecs drank chocolate with chili peppers NOT sugar or anything sweet.

I wondered IF the chili’s were added for a reason.  Most people today equate chocolate with sweet rather than hot.  That is unless you are lucky enough to have a mother that made mole – pronounced <MO-LE>.

Growing up my mother made spicy BROWN mole, spicy GREEN mole and other times a beautiful RED HOT HOT HOT mole.  It just depended on what she was feeling.

I digress…sorry!  So I looked up one of the MAJOR ingredients of a CHILI pepper – CAPSICUM! The results I found are interesting!

Capsicum (Digestive, Circulatory), aptly described as the plant that bites back, is a common condiment in certain diets. The plant grows in warm climates and is added to many herbal formulas as a catalyst for the other herbs.

It’s red color is partly due to its high vitamin A content. Capsicum has been used for decades as a catalyst for other herbs. Because Capsicum stimulants circulation and enhances blood flow, it is considered food for the circulatory system, a common condiment to the diet.

As a cardiovascular stimulant, Capsicum assists in lowering blood pressure and breaking down cholesterol buildup. The warming properties of Capsicum are useful for people suffering from poor circulation to the hands and feet and other related conditions.

Capsicum has been used as a digestive aid to ease intestinal inflammation, stimulate protective mucus membranes of the stomach, and also relieve pain caused by ulcers.

Capsicum is commonly used to buffer pain from other ailments, including arthritis, varicose veins, headaches, menstrual cramps and respiratory conditions such as asthma.

Since Capsicum is used as a catalyst in Herbal Medicine.  Why would it not be reasonable the chili’s were added to the drink as the catalyst? In addition to Chia and Cocoa, Spirulina was used the Aztec empire for endurance as well.

All of these endurance foods had to have worked wonders.  I believe they were being taken into the body in all of their NATURAL RAW states. The Chia, Cocoa and the Spirulina.  Corn is also mentioned as an endurance food.  I will test this fact on my body!

Thanks for reading.

I will update my finding!

Love and Light!

Namaste!

(As I am typing this post a customer just brought me 2 more bags of oranges and grapefruits! YES! The universe must be telling me I need to be taking in Vitamin C)

10k Grunion Run + A RAW Refresca :)

Greetings from the Garden of

Veg888 Love & Kindness!

Hello Longevity Seekers!

As promised here I am with another race tale, a RAW food Recipe & a REVIEW

THE RACE

The 10k Grunion Run adventure began Saturday March 12 with a drive that would last  1 1/2 hrs! The drive on Saturday was nice and easy.  A bit slow.  My taste tester and I left about 10 am and arrived in Dana Point at about 11:20-ish.  I had NO IDEA it would take us that long to get there, but we needed to register and pick up our bibs for Sunday.

Since the drive took about an hour and a half on Saturday and the race was at 7am Sunday – I knew we had to be out of the house no later than 5:15 am.

We left and began our drive.  Sunday, as you all know, was the first day of the time change! Whew!  We woke up at 4:20 am and did our usual ritual before a race.  Took the Yoga mat out and stretched, had our kick start elixr in the a.m. and played our “Spirit of the Marathon” DVD.

My taste tester is usually the one who pops in the DVD before the races and usually has a small area set up for me to WAKE UP!  Thank Goodness for the love and understanding a 10 yr relationship can bring you! Whew!

It was still quite dark when we left. As we drove to the race, my taste tester had to use the bathroom.  As we pulled into a parking lot we saw a small bunny go prancing by.  He was so cute with his little cotton tail and brown coat.  I thought to myself, maybe this is a sign we would do this race quickly…

This was the second 10k challenge!  The 10k Pepperdine race had taught me that I needed hydration during a longer run.  I also didn’t like holding the bottle throughout the race.  Again, the benefits of a 10 yr relationship - by mile 4 to the FINISH LINE my taste tester held my bottle for me!  Yeah!

Since I wasn’t totally convinced he would stick with me this race, I wanted a hydration belt.  So what does someone do when they need reviews and info about any one subject?  Go online and research the hydration belts that are out there!

A REVIEW

I found a hydration belt that seemed to suit what I wanted by a company called AMPHIPOD.

I was introduced to this company by my sister and her new husband around X-mas time, when they gifted me a this really cool pouch I could carry my keys, ID and phone in while I run.  It clipped right onto my waist band. The really cool part about the product was that it didn’t bounce around AT ALL!  I figured since it was a good product and all of the reviews stated their belt was the best.  So I thought  I would try their hydration belt.

The belt itself was quite cool.  Initially it was difficult to put the bottle back into the clip and I struggled a bit while I ran, but mid race I moved the bottle to the front and it was ALL smooth sailing after that.  The next 10k race I run, I think I will try one of those bottles that has a grip on it.

What about you readers???  Do you have any thoughts or insights about this???

I filled the bottles with 10 pH water and was sooo happy I did!  Whew! I got thirsty.  I ended up leaving one of the bottles in the car and took one for the run.

Each bottle holds 10 oz of liquid.

The day before I drank a 1/2 gallon of the 10 pH water, had a spirulina shake, a really delicious Chia Drink and ate VERY LIGHTLY.  Veggies mostly.

Here is the Chia Drink

Mamma Chia

A close up…

Arriving at the Race…

We arrived at the beach about 6:00 am.  It was still dark and there was a very calm vibration in the air.  Most of the people running the 10k were in their 30 years plus.  VERY COOL!

Walking toward the Start Line!

THE COURSE

This was a fast – mostly FLAT course.  I really enjoyed this run and would like to do it next year. The course was clearly marked.

Miles 1-4 were nice and easy.  I didn’t really hit my “warm up level” until about mile 5.  I did however enjoy the fact that we ended up running more than a 10k!  We ran a total of 6.56 miles.  I felt as though I could have run another 3 miles!  As to if I really could have – well I will have to try that at another time! (15k here I come!)

Mile 5

The ocean was so CALM.  This was the first time in a little while that I stopped and took a picture during the race.  At this point I saw I was a bit over an hour.

Sorry for the blurry picture…

I wanted to finish the 10k at 1hr 15min or no more than my last 10k -

I ended up finishing the 10k in the same amount of time, however once I looked down at my Garmin it read 6.56 miles instead of 6.2 miles.  That brought my pace to a 12 min 11 sec mile.  Faster than the Pepperdine which was a 13 min 54 sec mile.  I’ll keep working and working and working!

RAW FOOD

After the race I had a wonderful Date and RAW Cocoa shake! YUM!

For the next 4 hours I wanted nothing but ALKALINE foods in my system! I figured it was a FABULOUS recovery method!

I made a Mineral Rich Crust Pizza with Avocado and Jalepeno Hummus! Served it with salad and little tomatoes!

Mineral Rich Crusts…

Topped with Avocado and Hummus…

And finally…

We drank a lot of water and went to bed pretty early!!!

TODAY

I made my first CHIA drink to enjoy.  This miracle seed is said to help with staying hydrated AND endurance.  How could I not drink this wonderful SUPERFOOD???

CHIA REFRESCA

CHIA STRAWBERRY DRINK

1 cup Chia Gel(*)

7-12 Strawberries

Directions:  Place strawberries in blender and blend.  Pour into a mason jar and/or container with a lid.  Shake and Pour!

(*) To make Chia Gel – 2 TBS + 1 CUP WATER = Allow to soak overnight.

*PLEASE NOTE:  You can add agave, date sugar, stevia or any other natural sweetner if you wish.  I liked it au natural*

Thanks for reading!

Love & Light!

Namaste!

A Jar Full of Sunshine!

Hello Longevity Seekers!!!

I hope you are well!

Hope you have had a GREAT week and have some fun HEALTHY meals and activities planned for the weekend!!!

As for me I am planning on running another 5k this weekend!  The Mardi Gras 5k!  I am hoping for a better time AND better pace.  All of the money raised for this event is being donated to the SOAR (Students Off and Running) program in Santa Clarita, CA.

Admittedly I haven’t been running/training as much as I should be. Now that I have noted this fact on my blog and in my brain – things should get better!

I am really excited to have 4 races DONE and it is only MARCH! Totally trying to stick to my goal and run 1+ race a month in 2011!!

At some point I am hoping to change from only road races to road races AND trail races!!!

Have you been meditating out there?  If possible at this moment take at least 5 minutes to calm your mind.  It could mean the difference of snapping or not snapping at an individual throughout the course of your day!!!

Here is my jar full of sunshine!

100% RAW SWEET ORANGE JUICE WITH THE PULP!

The universe continues to reward me with the most divine gifts of avocados, lemons, grapefruits, (2) tangerines and LOTS of oranges!! So spectacular!

My taste tester and I have primarily eaten salads and soup this entire week!  The avocados have been so wonderful!!!  It feels nice on my tummy!  LOVE SALAD! FRESH! RAW! POWER!

I have also been enjoying better sleep.  I ‘m not one to have trouble – generally, however with all the emotion I was expending while my cousin was ill and his untimely death – I couldn’t sleep.  Things are ALOT better now!

In other news…

Cafe Gratitude opened it’s doors to Southern California this week!  For those of you in the BAY AREA you have been quite LUCKY for some time to have this restaurant in your area!  It is GREAT to see more and more restaurants opening in Southern California that support RAW &  VEGAN LIFESTYLES!!!  YEAH! A visit and taste test SURE to come!!!

California is “organic land of opportunity” according to an article by Food Navigator-usa.com  You can catch the article by clicking on California!  The article indicates a 10% growth for the demand of organic foods and notes that the demand (at the moment) far exceeds the supply.  This sounds great for the state of California, but I am curious what your thoughts are as readers?

And to end this post in a positive note…this is a GREAT article about a Healing Center in BC.  Not only does this article outline what is being offered at the Center BUT it also add some REALLY GREAT ADVICE!  You can read this article HERE – Eat Raw, Breathe and Sweat!

Thanks for READING THIS BLOG!  I love you even if I don’t know YA!

Love and Light!

Namaste!

~Taste the LOVE~ Love Love Here We Come!

Hello Longevity Seekers!

Monday proved to be a positive day! YEAH!!!

Opened the store as usual, however I did close early to CELEBRATE VALENTINES DAY in a Macrobiotic Culinary Style!!!

In a city that goes to bed A LOT earlier than… oh let’s say – San Francisco, NY and beyond; it is becoming increasingly easy to find VEGAN Tastings  and restaurants to enjoy after 9pm.

Definitely a positive thing!!!

The Vegan movement in Los Angeles is GROWING!! I am happy to see the youth embracing a kinder way of  living and MUCH HEALTHIER EATING HABITS!  The youth of today will take on the responsibilities of the next generations to come. So, the healthier they are – THE MORE MINDFUL THEY WILL BE! (At least I hope…:))

Closed the store at 8:00 and headed to a Vegan Macrobiotic Tasting held at a restaurant named Shojin.  You can read about our other culinary delights from Shojin HERE.

Little Tokyo is just a hop skip and a jump from our shop.  There were so many choices for A VEGAN Valentines Day Food Feast.  My taste tester and I decided to pick Shojin since it is SO CLOSE to the store and we LOVED our Thanksgiving Tasting Menu!

This restaurant is a wonderful addition to the culinary delights located in the City of Los Angeles!  If you are local try this restaurant!  If you aren’t – the next time you happen to find yourself in Los Angeles – TRY SHOJIN!

We arrived a little early and enjoyed the solitude of the mini mall.

As we waited, we talked about some new goals we have as a couple, some changes we would like to make concerning our lifestyle, and some great ideas about our next Vegan function!

Although we waited 10-15 minutes to be seated – it was nice to sit and relax and just take in the calmness of the vibrations!

We were seated and the ambiance was absolutely DELIGHTFUL!!!  The staff was so kind!

APPETIZER

Crispy Pink Maitake Mushroom & Bruschetta served with onion crisps

Roasted Cauliflower with Green Pesto

Sweet Balsamic Marinated Orange Pepper &

Dried fruits with creamy cashew sauce

SOUP

Leek  Consomme

Look at how beautiful this presentation is!

My taste tester and I couldn’t help but toast spoons!

SALAD

Love Salad with Blood Orange Vinaigrette

My Love Salad…

My Taste Testers Love Salad…

ENTREES

Savory Vegetable pie with Pink Velvet Sauce

Lemony Winter Greens

Penne Pomodoro

While we waited for dessert to be served I took the opportunity to snap this picture!

DESSERT

Raspberry Chocolate Cake

The food was EXCELLENT!  Great place to share with the one you love!

Before we left the staff gave us a Valentines Day Balloon and 3 Great Smiles!!!

Thanks Shojin for a WONDERFUL EVENING!!!