Incredible Artistry with Quilts!

Where have I been?

Besides switching careers, diets, learning new languages, and watching many documentaries, I took the time to view spectacular quilts at the International Quilt Festival!  This isn't a "granny pastime" but a display of incredible art, craftsmanship, history, storytelling and technology.

Enjoy my video and pictures below!

Food & Nutrition: 50 Docs Challenge! Finished 20 of 50!

 

I placed myself on a 50 Documentaries/Films/DVD challenge during my transition to raw foods lifestyle.  I'd say this is an excellent general introduction into:  raw foods and plant-based diets, industrial agriculture, preventative health care and disease reversal (cancer, heart disease, diabetes), nutrition basics, the bio-tech industry, gmos, the conventional medical industry, homeopathy and alternative medicine; options in organic and urban farming, government subsidies, and raw food recipes and lifestyle changes.

One of my career goals is to get certified as a health & nutrition coach and minister.

The time I spent watching the first 20 documentaries equals 32.75 hours of work, which isn't too far from a full-time workweek of increased knowledge.  If I were to equate this with a three-hour college course, which totals 45 hours a semester with a minimum of 90 study hours, I will be in my first quarter.

I'm happy to reach my first benchmark goal.

20 List

1. Super Charge Me (Jenna Norwood)
2. Simply Raw: Reversing Diabetes From Within
3. Eating (Mike Anderson)
4. The Future of Foods 
5. Healing Cancer from Inside Out (Mike Anderson)
6. Raw Kitchen Essentials - Dan "The Man" MacDonald
7. Raw Food Made Easy by Jennifer Cornbleet
8. The Beautiful Truth: The Worlds Simplest Cure For Cancer 
9. The Raw Gourmet by Nomi Shannon (3 DVDs)
10. God's Way To Ultimate Health - Seminar (George Malkmus)
11. Forks Over Knives
12. Excitotoxins: The Taste That Kills
13. Sweet Remedy: The World Reacts to an Adulterated Food Supply
14. Breakthrough: A Documentary About A Raw Food Family
15. Breaking The Food Seduction (Modern Manna presentation by Dr. Neal Bernard)
16. King Corn
17. Fat Sick and Nearly Dead
18. Latest In Clinical Nutrition Vol. 8 by Dr. Michael Greger
19. What's Not Cooking In Rhio's Kitchen 
20. Fresh

These videos will inspire you to change your thinking about food, lifestyle choices, the environment, and personal nutrition.  I am happy to sit as a student and complete 40% of my 50 Documentary/DVD/Films challenge.  As a student, I've taken a lot of notes, and have a lot of reviewing to do.  Of course, this has expanded to "100 Docs," which will focus more on nutrition, but 50 is my goal!

Raw Vegan Transition: My First Three Months

Transition To Raw Vegan

What I Learned So Far

• I worry less about proteins because I am getting the most nutrients, antioxidants, and enzymes I've ever received!
• I can't overeat nuts for protein. Nuts are high in fat.
• Rotate your greens; greens have protective qualities and can cause reactions.
• Stop worrying about acquiring the next shiny "kitchen appliance." 

 Things I Have Yet To Do

• Join a COOP or CSA for organic fruits and vegetables
• Finish my container garden (I'm late!)
• Buy "raw vegan" kitchen appliances  (knives, food processor, blender, juicers, dehydrator)
• Start Juicing

New Things I've Tried

• Green Smoothie (Arugula, Mango, Pineapple)
• Medjool Dates
• Papayas 
• Nutmilks
• Lots of Coconut Water
• Soaked & Dried Nuts & Seeds (Almond, Pumpkin, Walnuts)

Docs I've Watched

• Forks Over Knives
• Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead
• Reversing the Irreversible by Victoria Boutenko
• Is Raw Food For You by Victoria Boutenko
• The Ultimate Encyclopedia of Raw Food Lifestyle
• Supercharge Me, 30 Days Raw

Books I've Read

• Wheat Grass by Ann Wigmore
• 80 10 10 by Douglas Graham
• 12 Steps To Raw Food Victoria Boutenko
• Ari's Raw Foods Essentials

More Books To Read

• The China Study - T. Coleman Graham
• Eat To Live by Joel Furman
• Thrive - The Vegan Nutrition Guide To Optimum Performance In Sports

Raw Food People I Like

• John Kohler (Growing Your Greens & OKRaw)
• Karyn Calabrese
• Victoria Boutenko
• Sistah In The Raw
• Evelyn Parham
• Kristina Bucaram - Fully Raw

Green People I Love

• Lola Zabeth

Twist Out Challenge Results

I've hated the twist out since my first failure in September 2011.  I never understood the natural hair hype around this style.  It was a timely style and looked beautiful on everyone else, except me.

After sporadic attempts, I participated in a May 2012 twist out challenge.

I think I found a new love!

Viva to the twist out!

All Black Women Will Have Natural Hair In A Decade (Revise)

In July 2011, I gave six reason why I believed All Black Women Will Have Natural Hair In A Decade.  If I were to compare my feelings in 2012 to last year, nothing has changed.  It appears everything is coming into fruition, but not in the way of mass change, but gradual change in psychological, environmental, workforce, hair care and style possibilities.    I prefer gradual change because it has nothing to do with fads or trends, but growth and acceptance.    

Watch both videos below, and send your opinions!

2012

2011 

The video that started it all

Self Esteem Bootcamp: Love Your Nose!

Self-Image & Confidence 

 My nose is an expression and symbolism of the women I admire.  My mother and my grandmother mean a lot to me, and changing my features would be erasing their images in me.  I believe makeup artists should enhance features instead of changing them.

Raw Vegan Kitchen Tools

This year, I've taken on another life-long challenge.  I want to include more fresh foods in my diet, eventually becoming a raw vegan.  Raw food can be as simple as eating fruit, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and good water!  But, if you want to explore your options, I'd start with a good blender and knife! After reading the beginning of Ani Phyo's book, Raw Food Essentials, I made a collage of vegan kitchen tools.

I collected a long list of books to read and potential products for cooking----starting with a modest blender for green smoothies and greens for daily consumption.  Wish me the best!

Raw Vegan Kitchen Tools

•  FOOD PROCESSOR
• VEGETABLE JUICER
• HIGH-SPEED BLENDER
• TRIBEST PERSONAL BLENDER
• EXCALIBUR DEHYDRATOR
• KNIFE
• MIXING BOWLS
• MEASURING CUPS AND SPOONS

OTHER ITEMS 

• SPIRALIZER
• MANDOLINE SLICER
• WHISK
• GRINDER or MORTAR AND PESTLE
• CITRUS JUICER
• BAKING, PIE, OR TARTLET PAN
• LEMON ZESTER
• GRATER or PLANER
• ICE-CREAM SCOOPER
• STRAINING SIEVE
• RUBBER SPATULA
• MASON JARS
• CHOCOLATE MOULD TRAY
• GLOVES
• COOKIE CUTTERS
• COCKTAIL SHAKER