Eating at Ann Gentry’s LA restaurant Real Food Daily (RFD) is a little slice of organic vegan heaven. It’s the perfect place to take someone who thinks vegan eating is all about lentils, tofu and a carrot on the side. The fare served up at RFD is anything but bland, rather, it shows how adventurous and downright tasty vegan cuisine really is.

If you can’t get to the City of Angels, you don’t have to miss out on Ann’s delicious veggie masterpieces. The successful restaurant-preneur has just launched a recipe book, Vegan Family Meals, that boasts some of her favourite dishes.

I caught up with Ann to find out more and she kindly offered to share her Super Hippie Granola recipe (see below)…

How did your vegan journey begin?

My food journey began in my 20’s and is still continuing. I’ve been experimenting with various vegetarian and vegan cuisines for three decades, starting as a young actress struggling with my weight and appearance, and today as a working mother and the proprietress of America’s leading organic vegan restaurants, Real Food Daily.  Over the years, I’ve explored the many permutations of a plant-based diet. I spent years as a strict vegan and a macrobiotic, and I experimented with raw foods, food combining, wheat- and gluten-free eating, and other dietary regimes. Today, I know what makes me feel best—a mostly vegan diet.

Congratulations on the book. How much work and preparation went into it?

Over the last few years, I found myself cooking more at home and enjoying re-visiting recipes I hadn’t made in years as well as whipping up new ones. I thought I had something to say as a busy working mother because I struggle with the same day-to-day challenges everyone else has: juggling work, kids, grocery shopping, exercise and trying to squeeze in time for myself.  Food wise, I’ve learned to stick with a plant-based diet, especially when cooking at home. Whole grains and vegetables are relatively simple to prepare, always accessible and very economical.

As I pondered what to say in a second book, I started looking at other cookbooks to see what attracted me and what didn’t.  I also talked to many home cooks about what kind of vegan cookbook they might want to have in their collection.  In looking at books, I got turned off by the ones that pushed and sold the tenet: ‘fast, quick and easy should be the goal in a preparing meals.’  Just as equally, I felt frustrated hearing the misconception that healthy cooking means you spend all day long in the kitchen. I don’t know who started that rumor, as that has never been my experience. Time is precious but even more importantly; your good health is priceless. Spending time in the kitchen preparing good food for yourself is well worth it.

These were the motivators that encouraged me to write a second cookbook.  I spent six intense months about five days a week moving back and forth from my kitchen to my computer. The result is a book that contains simple vegan recipes with approachable ingredients and techniques accessible for all kinds of eaters.

Are any recipes from your restaurant menu included? What are some of your favourites that you think everyone should try at least once?

My first cookbook, The Real Food Daily Cookbook is filled with my restaurant recipes. It is a great book sharing relatively elaborate vegan recipes downsized for home use. Vegan Family Meals has a few recipes you might find at my restaurants as a daily special such as the lentil loaf or pecan and cornmeal crusted tempeh.  I also included a few desserts such as the cupcakes and brownies.

Have you met anyone who transitioned to vegan after discovering your delicious food?

After 18 years with two well-loved organic vegan restaurants, I have heard from many people that yes, indeed, after eating my food and experiencing how delicious and satisfying it was, they became motivated to change their diet to a plant-based one.

Your children are also featured in the book. Can you talk a little bit about what it’s like to bring up vegan children?

At my house, my kids are vegan.  At birthday parties, or other social occasions at their friend’s houses, they eat vegetarian.  We allow them to eat these “non-vegan” foods from time to time, NOT to supplement their vegan diet as there are no supplements to an already ideal diet, but rather allow them joy, comfort and participation in their childhood social settings. My kids get plenty of protein from beans, legumes, nuts and seeds and soy foods. I love it that they prefer Soy Cheese to cow’s cheese any day.

What are some of your favourite vegan foods and why?

I love every kind of vegetable and I am always satisfied eating them.  I especially like any king of squash roasted as this brings out the true sweet flavor of each type of squash.  I love soba noodles (hot or cold) with a spicy peanut sauce.

Time is precious but even more importantly; your good health is priceless. Spending time in the kitchen preparing good food for yourself is well worth it.

What does your typical daily diet look like?

Right now as the weather is warming up, I start my day with a smoothie and my Super Hippie Granola, which is one of my favorite recipes in my new book.  You might say I am obsessed with it.  Most days, I keep it pretty simple by rotating for either lunch or dinner with a freshly squeezed vegetable juice or a soup with a  big salad or I’ll go for a combo of whole grains, beans or tempeh, vegetables and leafy greens.  Every few nights, I’ll make something more exotic like my lasagna rolls or something Tex-Mex such as my Pinto Bean Enchiladas. Every few days, I indulge in a great fabulous vegan dessert. I’m a cake or a cookie girl.

If someone was thinking about becoming vegan, what advice would you give them?

To be patient and kind to themselves. Changing the way you eat is a process. It takes time to really change your diet, because to change your diet, you ultimately have to change your mindset and lifestyle. A plant-based diet encourages creativity in the kitchen. Prepare the best local and seasonal ingredients with a variety of cooking methods, and you’ll come up with more interesting and diverse flavors, textures, and colors on your plate.  Think about balancing your nutrition intake across the week, and don’t get hung up on making every meal a feast. Instead, focus on preparing a few recipes that will keep your cooking simple and your time in the kitchen enjoyable.

Super Hippie Granola

Granola has long been thought of as hippie food. I call my granola “Super Hippie” because it contains superfoods like goji berries and Hunza mulberries, which make it even more nutrition-packed than the original (for more on superfoods, see page 8).

The best granola has just the right amount of sweetness and crunchiness and has been baked to a golden brown. For perfectly balanced sweetness, cut the maple syrup with rice syrup. Rice syrup is also essential to the texture, as it helps create clusters, which granola-lovers know are key to exceptional results (ideally, granolas are equal parts loose ingredients and small clusters).

If you don’t have coconut oil on hand, using an unflavored neutral cooking oil is fine. Granola makes a great snack on its own and is delicious served with any nondairy milk, including homemade nut milk.

Makes 6 cups
1½ cups old-fashioned rolled oats
½ cup raw Brazil nuts, coarsely chopped
½ cup raw shelled sunflower seeds
½ cup raw whole almonds, coarsely chopped
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon fine sea salt
2 tablespoons melted unrefined coconut oil (see Cooking Tip)
½ cup pure maple syrup
¼ cup brown rice syrup
2 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
¼ cup dried apricots, diced
¼ cup dried goji berries
¼ cup dried Hunza mulberries
¼ cup golden raisins

Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat the oven to 300°F. Line a large, heavy baking sheet with parchment paper.

Mix the oats, Brazil nuts, sunflower seeds, almonds, cinnamon, and salt in a large bowl.

Heat the coconut oil in a small, heavy saucepan over low heat. Add the maple syrup, rice syrup, water, and vanilla, and whisk just until blended and heated through.

Drizzle the syrup mixture over the oat mixture, and stir with a whisk to coat. Spoon the granola mixture evenly over the prepared baking sheet.

Bake the granola for about 40 minutes, or until it is golden brown and clusters form. As the granola bakes, gently stir it about every 15 minutes with a fork to ensure it cooks evenly but being careful not to break up the clusters. Add the dried apricots, goji berries, mulberries, and raisins and continue baking for 10 minutes longer.

Set the granola aside to cool (it will become crunchy when cool). The granola can be stored in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

Cooking Tip: You’ll need to melt the coconut oil before measuring it. In a small saucepan, place 2 generous tablespoons of solid coconut oil over the lowest heat and melt. Once it’s liquid, measure to 2 tablespoons of oil.

Variations: It’s fun to experiment with some of the superfoods, but don’t let these unusual ingredients or their unavailability turn you away from making granola: While they are easily found in many areas in natural foods stores, you may choose to substitute dried coconut, cranberries, cherries, dates, or figs. Golden raisins add a beautiful color, but any black raisin or currant will do. Feel free to use your favorite nuts and seeds; I often use walnuts, pecans, or hazelnuts.

—From Vegan Family Meals by Ann Gentry/Andrews McMeel Publishing

Thanks to Roger Ebert for sharing his review of the documentary Forks Over Knives…

Here is a film that could save your life. So you’d better stop reading now, because you don’t want to go to the trouble. You are addicted to fat, salt, sugar and corn syrup. Your body has established a narcotic-like dependence on them, and you’re comfortable with that, just like smokers know why they keep on smoking. If you have to die 10 or 25 years sooner than necessary to smoke, if you need Viagra because your vascular system is compromised, or if you’re overweight, you can live with that.

Hey, I’m not going all holier-than-thou on you. Think how fat I was for years. I knew the solution, I was weak and lazy. Over 12 years I was eventually able to lose about 70 pounds with a proper diet, but my current weight and superb physical condition can be attributed to my illness. I am unable to eat or drink anything, and my (therefore) perfect diet of canned nutrition has given me an ideal weight and incredibly good blood numbers. I don’t recommend that you get sick to get well, however.

What every human being should do is eat a vegetarian diet based on whole foods. Period. That’s it. Animal protein is bad for you. Dairy is bad for you. Forget the ads: Milk and eggs are bad for you. Skim milk is no better, because it contains proportionately more animal protein. What you’re trying to avoid is dietary cholesterol. You also need to cut way down on salt and sugar, and run like hell from high fructose corn syrup.

“Forks Over Knives” is a documentary in which Lee Fulkerson enacts a mirror image of the journey taken by Morgan Spurlock in “Supersize Me.” Instead of eating only at McDonald’s for a month and nearly killing himself, he eats a plant-based whole food diet for six months, gets off all of his cholesterol and blood pressure medications, drops a lot of weight, sleeps better and has more energy.

His film follows three other sick people: one with breast cancer, one given less than a year to live because of heart problems, one with murderously high cholesterol. All are well again after the vegetarian diet. The movie opens with a warning that no one should take such steps without consulting a physician, and I quite agree; I would not have depended on nutrition to cure my cancer, but I’m convinced that I would always have been healthier if I’d eaten correctly.

Over the years I tried vegan and low-protein vegetarian diets, benefited from and enjoyed them. I found by experience that all one needed was a rice cooker, a knife, a chopping block, whole grains and fresh fruits and vegetables. I got all the protein and calcium I needed. I enjoyed it. But I was tempted. I strayed into the elysian fields of pizza, steaks, hamburgers and soft drinks. I once was blind and now I see.

The film hammers us with information. It centers on the work of famed nutritionists Dr. T. Colin Campbell of Cornell and Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn of the Cleveland Clinic. Campbell conducted the awesome China-Oxford-Cor­­nell study, which fol­lowed millions of Chinese over decades and found that increases in their incidence of cancer and heart disease directly paralleled their adoption of a Western diet.

Short term studies show the same thing: When Nazis commandeered all the food animals in Norway and rationing forced Brits away from meat, disease rates plummeted. After the war, they moved up again. In the traditional Japanese diet, breast and prostate cancers are all but unknown.

These facts have long been established, not only by Campbell and Esselstyn but also by Dean Ornish, John McDougall and the researchers at Pritikin. There is a Catch-22. The federal government subsidizes such crops as corn, which is used for lethal corn syrup and to feed animals which we then eat. It puts bad foods in school lunches. The lobbyists of agribusiness control national farm policy. The government spends millions to subsidize an unhealthy diet. We are raising the first generation of children who will not live as long as their parents.

Over the years I tried vegan and low-protein vegetarian diets, benefited from and enjoyed them. I found by experience that all one needed was a rice cooker, a knife, a chopping block, whole grains and fresh fruits and vegetables. I got all the protein and calcium I needed. I enjoyed it. But I was tempted. I strayed into the elysian fields of pizza, steaks, hamburgers and soft drinks. I once was blind and now I see.

“Forks Over Knives” is not subtle. It plays as if it had been made for doctors to see in medical school. Few doctors seem prepared to suggest proper nutrition as an alternative to pills, stents and bypasses. Although regular exercise, especially walking, is invaluable, the film shows only a little exercise and focuses single mindedly on nutrition.

The government spends millions to subsidize an unhealthy diet. We are raising the first generation of children who will not live as long as their parents.

The bottom line: I am convinced this message is true. A plant-based whole foods diet is healthy. Animal protein is not necessary, or should be used sparingly as Asians did, as a flavoring and not a main course. This adds the advantage of allowing us to avoid the chemicals and carcinogens pumped into livestock and poultry. Fast food is lethal. Parents who feed it to their children are helping them get hooked on fat, salt and sugar addiction. The facts are in. Didn’t I warn you to stop reading?

P. S: I have recently decided to ditch my canned nutrition and switch to a liquid diet based on fresh fruits and vegetables. Yes, I consulted my physician.

I love hearing about other people’s journeys to veganism. From their first a-ha moment to details of their day-to-day experiences of better health and spiritual awakenings, living life free of animal meat and by-products.

If the media reports are right, veganism is on the rise, with new blogs, food products and clothing popping up every day. There’s definitely change in the air, and it feels good to know lives are being spared and that kindness and consciousness is taking over.

While we still have a long way to go, there are so many inspiring people out there spreading the message. David Rafter and Amanda Rootsey are two shining examples of veganism in action, having transitioned to the lifestyle about three years ago. Founders of VeganEra.com, the Australian couple are also spreading the message offline via roadside billboards and merchandise that spreads the vegan message.

“Time is starting to become very critical in terms of our environment and the world is showing us that the way we are leading our lives is definitely not in harmony. We have to do something to change,” David says.

I asked him to share their inspiring story…

When did you become vegan?

I began the loving journey about three years ago when I was around 26. For me, it was a transition, initially I went vegetarian then after a couple of months I dropped dairy and soon realised that I had become a vegan!

Why did you decide to become vegan?

Upon reflection, it was a process. When I was 25 I had lead a bit of a party lifestyle and enjoyed the night-lights. I got really sick of how bad I was feeling all the time. So I dropped everything, I remember the point in which I said to myself that I would no longer go out, I would no longer drink and that it was time to drop meat from my diet.

Honestly, at that exact moment I could feel a massive shift take place in my life. It was the conscious decision to stop killing and lean on the side of compassion that I felt a very big lift in my soul.

At this time I was living on the Sunshine Coast in Queensland (Australia), and I had decided to start getting healthier. I was running and surfing, really enjoying being with nature. I had just finished a run through the national park, where I leant on a tree and I could feel the energy of the Earth coming through it. I couldn’t believe it. I was in total shock as I could feel the lungs of the Earth inhale and exhale. At that moment I knew that we were all connected. From the souls of the animals right through to the limbs of this tree. At that moment, I knew that this was my path.

My life has definitely changed; my soul feels so amazing and so light. It is like a massive weight has been lifted and I feel closer to Heaven. When you feel this feeling, there is no turning back – you just want to continue feeling it. I actually get covered in goose bumps talking about it.

Actually, coinciding with this, my father told me to go out and work on his dairy farm for the day. Believe me, I was kicking and screaming the whole way. When I did get there, my worst fears were realised. I could not believe how much pain and suffering existed. Dead calves in the middle of the paddock, their mothers standing over them, screaming in pain. If the calves were alive, they were locked in pens so small that they could barely stand. The pain and suffering in the cries of the mothers was terrifying. I couldn’t bare it any longer – I had to lock myself in the house, turn up the TV and try to block it all out. Clearly when I got back I said in no uncertain terms that I would never return to that place ever again.

Also, my brother had been vegetarian for about 10 years, and had been buggin’ me for ages to drop meat. At the time he was living in America, and I Skyped him and told him the change I had experienced. He was so excited for me. He then sent me a documentary that I watched via you tube in which it showed the whole process of how the meat gets on to your plate. At the end I was in tears, I felt so much sorrow that we could do this to our beautiful animal friends. If it wasn’t sealed in concrete before then, it was now.

How has your life changed since?

My life has definitely changed; my soul feels so amazing and so light. It is like a massive weight has been lifted and I feel closer to Heaven. When you feel this feeling, there is no turning back – you just want to continue feeling it. I actually get covered in goose bumps talking about it. The feeling is indescribable, you feel like you are floating on a cloud the whole day and you want to share that with the world.

Can you tell me about Vegan Era and why you decided to start it?

Vegan Era started in 2009 and has been going strong ever since. Along with my partner Amanda and of course our little staffy girl Trudi, we felt the need to spread this feeling to the world.

Initially we found a lot of information about how much damage the livestock industry has done to our planet. We just couldn’t believe that this information was not out there. We felt a very strong need to create a place where people could come and learn more about the choices they make and the impact their diet can have on reversing climate change.

Then in 2010, Amanda was diagnosed with cancer. In the beginning Amanda was determined not to go down the conventional path as we had done lots of research into the harsh impact chemo has on our bodies. So we did a lot of research on how diets can help heal the body. Again, we couldn’t believe how much information was hidden from us. We came across a great book called The China Study, and from that moment on we wanted to share the health benefits of a Vegan diet.

What are your plans for the site?

The site is constantly evolving and growing. It is like it has a life of its own. At the start we were providing a lot of information about climate issues and relevant articles that were out in the media that people may not have heard. Then when Amanda was diagnosed the site took on more of a health slant.

However, today the site is becoming a portal for all things vegan. It is connecting people, other sites and businesses together to help spread the message to a wider audience. We want people to see that there is a wide range of resources out there, and that we don’t have to feel alone. It feels really good to be connected and to hear people say that they have found helpful information through Vegan Era’s beautiful contributors.

You recently ran some billboards encouraging people to become vegan. Why did you decide to do it and what has the response been like?

We did indeed. It had been a vision that we have had for about a year. Time is starting to become very critical in terms of our environment and the world is showing us that the way we are leading our lives is definitely not in harmony.  We have to do something to change. You only have to look at the past two years and the massive devastation that has crippled our planet. From the earthquakes in Haiti, Chile and New Zealand, to the Tsunamis in Japan and Thailand –  the world is at a critical point. We must turn our backs to killing and nourish a compassionate lifestyle. Through this, our whole beings will change and we will become more loving, and peaceful. When we make this change, the vibration of the planet will change and you will see a calmer environment; we will have Heaven on Earth.

The response has actually been great. We couldn’t believe it. We purposefully have put the billboard in places that are more known for cattle-raising. I actually thought we would have got more complaints, but all of the responses have been beautiful and supportive.

What are your favourite vegan foods?

Oh my, there are soooo many… Amanda is quite the chef and makes up some amazing dishes. Right now, we are loving our  camp fires. So we are having roasted potatoes, pumpkin, corn and beetroot with a dahl. Nothing comes close to a meal cooked over a fire.  Everything tastes so much better.

Some other vegan foods I love….umm, well, I struggle to say no to mum’s vegan chocolate slice and my sister’s vegan Anzac biscuits. My family rock, they always make me food when we catch up for coffee’s. Though I must admit, I take our little staffy girl with us and she ends up getting most of the yummies.

If someone was considering veganism, what advice would you give them?

I will use the old favourtie Nike slogan – ‘Just Do It’. You have nothing to lose, and everything to gain. I must admit that when I started I didn’t tell anyone for about a month because I wasn’t sure how they would react. It is a personal choice and I didn’t want to hear anything negative. I wanted to do it for me and sometimes when you make this choice people can try and bring you down with silly things like how do you get your iron, protein and B12. When you adopt the diet, do your research and I will give you a 100% money back guarantee that you will have zero issues with your iron, protein and B12. Actually you will probably find that you have more!

What are your hopes for the future?

I pray that our planet will live in Peace and Harmony with Mother Nature and our beautiful Animal Friends. I pray that there will be no more killing, and we have Heaven on Earth. It might be a big dream, but why sell yourself short. Why not wish for the best for all of Humanity, for all our Animal Friends and our beautiful trees and lakes?

Join Vegan Era on Facebook and Twitter. Check out the Vegan Era blog here.

I recently launched a new website EcoBeautyEditor.com — a resource of natural, organic beauty and health information, research, interviews, reviews, vegan recipes, expert recommendations and holistic treatments.

For the site’s launch, I interviewed Mimi Kirk, the inspiring 72-year-old woman who just a couple of years ago was named PETA’s Sexiest Vegetarian Over 50. Mimi is about to launch her new book Live Raw: The Natural Way to Good Health and Timeless Beauty, so to celebrate, I wanted to share an excerpt from my interview with Mimi, in which she shares not only an insight into her life, but some great tips on how to embrace life, no matter your age. To read the complete article and see more photos, please click here.

Mimi is offering a special gift for those who buy an autographed copy directly from her site. Visit youngonrawfood.com/live-raw to find out more information and to order your copy.

You’re 72 and yet you look like you’re in your 40s. What’s your secret?

I would place what I eat at the top of my list, a raw vegan diet. Second I think exercise is important. I know that now more than ever before, so I’ve included strength training to my walking, yoga and qigong routine. I think moderate exercise is enough. I would also include to my list of “secrets” a positive attitude, compassion and passion, and of course having a boyfriend 19 years my junior doesn’t hurt.

Do you know any other 72-year-olds who share your youthful vibrancy?

Yes, I think there are many youthful seniors today. The face of aging is changing and those of us who eat healthy can attest to that, but still, I think there is a common agreement amongst advertisers and drug companies pandering to the senior set, that we have to look our chronological age and take a fist full of drugs to combat aging and diseases.

It’s obvious you’ve not had any plastic surgery. What do you tell people who question you about that?

I’m not much concerned with the lines on my face. I’m more concerned with how I feel. I think plastic surgery is a mistake. I’ve seen some really bad surgery, loss of character on the face and even tragedy associated with plastic surgery. I think people can tell I’ve not had surgery when they meet me in person. I have laugh lines and look natural, well my blonde hair is not natural, but I find it fun at my age.

What gets you up in the morning? What are your greatest passions?

I love life, I’m a happy person and certainly passionate about my family. I have a book coming out in May, and I’m thrilled about it. To pass along what I’ve learned about being healthy over the years certainly keeps me passionate. I accept a few coaching clients each month and I’m passionate about seeing their results.

Vegan life is a compassionate one, for the animals, the planet and our own wellbeing. There was a spiritual awakening when I realized I did not have to take part in killing to eat. I love looking at my plate and seeing live food and not a deceased animal.

Did you always know you’d become a vegan? How did your life path lead to it?

I became a vegetarian over 40 years ago. I had an epiphany while eating a slice of roast beef. I realized I was eating flesh. That was it for me. I soon learned of the inhumane treatment of farm animals and although I would occasionally go off course, I would immediately get back on just thinking about where meat comes from. Vegan life is a compassionate one, for the animals, the planet and our own wellbeing. There was a spiritual awakening when I realized I did not have to take part in killing to eat. I love looking at my plate and seeing live food and not a deceased animal. Sorry to be so graphic, but I really do believe this is the humane way to live.

What is it about being vegan that has changed your life?

All the above and more! My health is fantastic. I look at things differently in many ways. Buying organic produce at farmers markets and from farm stands makes me feel I’m eating clean food, and helping farmer who are making a difference by keeping chemicals out of our food chain. One day I realize that wearing leather felt disturbing to me. People say “well, the animal is dead anyway, so why not use the hide.” Well, that is not always true. Some animals are killed for their hides. It took time to realize the connection but now I couldn’t buy leather or even wear any of my old leather goods. I personally prefer finding faux leather, shoes and bags. I think it amusing when I’m stopped so many times with people asking where I bought my leather boots or bag. Of course they are surprised when I tell them they are not leather, and maybe sometimes I can’t help myself and I give them a little education on why I wear faux leather.  I try not to be preachy, as I believe people are ready when they’re ready to make a change and not a moment before. I know this from my own experience.

You’re an author, can you tell me about your book and why you wrote it?

My book contains my thoughts and experiences on health and wellbeing. Over 120 raw food recipes will help those who think that going raw means carrots and celery sticks. When people begin a raw food diet, they are in need of delicious gourmet food. I am a foodie at heart, I love to grow food, shop for food, prepare it, serve it, and needless to say, I love to eat it. I’ve traveled around the world and love international foods; I’ve included some of my favorite dishes in my book LIVE RAW. I have so many recipes I’ve experimented with over the last three years; there was not enough room to include them all. My boyfriend Mike’s beautiful photographs grace the book and everything really looks mouth watering. I wrote the book at the requests of so many of my Facebook friends. I always post recipes on my pages, and then people started saying “why don’t you write a book”. I was inspired to share my recipes, so hence a book was a good idea. I feel lucky to get published, as it’s not easy these days. I feel if my book helps one person create a healthier life, I’m happy.

Visit Mimi’s website at YoungonRawFood.com.

by Jess Ainscough

I was diagnosed with cancer in 2008. And then again in 2009. After weighing up my options and doing a lot of research I decided to put all my faith in my body and employ so-called “radical” natural therapies to heal myself. This meant lots and lots of juicing, a clean plant-based whole food diet, meditation and numerous daily coffee enemas. Yes, coffee enemas. Coffee that goes up your butt.

Once upon a time I wouldn’t even do a number two with my boyfriend in the house. These days, we talk about enemas at the dinner table. As a health and wellness blogger, I love that I have created a safe online space where people can share their bodily concerns with me. But the achievement I am most proud of is that it seems I’ve made conversations about enemas a little less taboo. Questions about rear-end irrigation constantly appear in my comment feeds from people desperate for more information about how to clean out their colons. It seems I’ve started a movement. Sorry, I couldn’t resist. No more toilet puns, I promise.

So why are coffee enemas such a big deal? Why is it that I often say that regular DIY enemas will change your life? Because they offer a helping hand to your poor, over-worked liver! Your liver is easily the hardest working organ in your body. All day long it is busy sifting through everything your body consumes (this includes through your mouth, your nose and your skin). Your liver decides what is good enough to stay in your body and what is toxic and needs to be eliminated. This is no easy feat when you consider the amount of toxins that we consume on a daily basis. There are the cosmetics, chemicalised foods, cleaning products and petrol fumes – just to name a few. This is where enemas come in and work their magic. Coffee enemas help to stimulate the liver and increase bile production to excrete toxins more rapidly. They literally flush it out. They have the amazing ability to rescue people from all kinds of ailments including headaches, hangovers, colds and flu and yes, even cancer. At the end of World War I coffee enemas were employed as effective pain relief for wounded soldiers. Panadol shmanadol.

Coffee enemas help to stimulate the liver and increase bile production to excrete toxins more rapidly. They literally flush it out. They have the amazing ability to rescue people from all kinds of ailments including headaches, hangovers, colds and flu and yes, even cancer.

If you’ve read this far into the post, you must be intrigued by how to actually do a coffee enema, right? Don’t be shy. It is nowhere near as uncomfortable or gross as it may seem. To get things started, you will need to buy an enema kit (search online or ask at your local pharmacy or health store) and some organic ground coffee. Make it fair trade also, just to be nice. Then, once you’ve worked up the courage to give it a crack (I know, broke the promise), follow these instructions:

• Boil enough coffee for two enemas just in case you can’t hold the first one and want to try again. For two enemas, bring one litre of water to the boil in a pot on the stove. Once boiling, remove from the stove and add six tablespoons of coffee. Boil for three minutes, then reduce to simmer for another 15 minutes. Remove from the stove and strain the coffee. Add eight ounces of coffee to your bucket and top it up with 16 ounces of purified water. Once you get used to this amount you can bump it up to 24 ounces of water to make the solution 32 ounces in total.

• Lay a yoga mat or towels on your bathroom floor (for padding).

• Release the clasp and let the liquid run through the tube and drip a bit into the sink. This will remove any air bubbles. Hang or sit the enema bucket on a chair – it needs to be higher than you so that gravity can do its thing. Not too high though or the liquid will go in too fast and you won’t be able to hold it.

• Lie on your right side with your legs pulled up towards your chest. Lube up the end of the tube with a bit of coconut oil and insert about two inches into your bottom.

• Let the solution flow all the way in and tighten the clamp before removing it. Then lie back and relax for 10 to 15 minutes.

See, easy. Contrary to popular belief, regular coffee enemas will not cause your bowel to rupture or your bowel movements to become impaired. I have been doing at least three every day for over a year now and my bowels are still fine and dandy. Enemas can become addictive though. My mum has joined me on the enema bandwagon and now she can’t go a day without her upside down coffee break. They have even helped her get through the horridness of detoxing from her regular coffee habit. Bottoms up!

Jess Ainscough is a writer, blogger, holistic health coach and the founder of The Wellness Warrior. When she’s away from her computer Jess can be found juicing, meditating, practicing yoga or in the bathroom.

Connect with Jess:
Coaching: www.jessicaainscough.com
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When veganism hits the mainstream media, you can almost hear the collective cheer from the global vegan community. Tweeters tweet and Facebookers, well, post. People who hadn’t even considered veganism, will begin, perhaps, to understand why they should. Ellen flies the vegan flag regularly, while Oprah flirts with it every now and again. All the while, their audiences begin to understand why being vegan helps animals, the planet and our health.

The most recent media personality to explore veganism is Martha Stewart, who, only last week, invited some fabulous vegan types onto her show to talk about animals, health and good vegan food.

The woman who takes pride in making animal roasts and other such meals wanted to explore the trend that’s growing in popularity for ethical and health reasons. With Farm Sanctuary president and co-founder Gene Baur, Twitter co-founder Biz Stone and Veganist author Kathy Freston, Martha put on her vegan hat, with the show educating millions as to why being vegan is a very good idea.

I’m excited to bring you a guest post (below) from Farm Sanctuary‘s Gene Baur, who wanted to share his thoughts, post-show, with Diary of a Vegan readers. If you have a question for Gene, please post in the comments…

This week marked an important milestone for farm animals. Martha Stewart, America’s domestic icon and the woman who wrote the book on modern living, devoted an entire hour-long episode of The Martha Stewart Show (Hallmark Channel, 10 AM ET/9 AM C) to the pleasures and benefits of living a compassionate vegan lifestyle. I was honored to be a part of this groundbreaking show, along with my good friends and fellow vegans Twitter Co-Founder Biz Stone, who will serve as the Honorary Chair of Farm Sanctuary’ s 25th Anniversary Gala in Los Angeles on September 24, and health and wellness guru Kathy Freston, author of the New York Times best-seller Veganist.

Millions of viewers watched as Biz showed Martha how to prepare one of his favorite vegan dishes — Seitan Bourguignon — and  told her about how his life changed after visiting the New York Shelter of Farm Sanctuary and looking into the eyes of a cow. They listened as Kathy explained why our bodies are better able to process plant-based foods rather than animal-based ones. With humor, personal anecdotes and factual expertise, Biz and Kathy showed Martha — and the people watching at home across the U.S. — how fun and easy veganism can be.

For my part, viewers were introduced to Persia, the sheep who Martha adopted through our Adopt-A-Farm Animal Project back in February, and the life she’s enjoying at Farm Sanctuary. I talked about the horrific treatment of animals on factory farms and how eating plants instead of animals is the best way people can protect them from this abuse. I told Martha about my dear friend Opie, who I found as a calf dying of hypothermia at a stockyard with a temperature so low it wouldn’t even register on the thermometer. Viewers saw incredible “before” and “after” photos of Opie, who with proper care and support pulled through and grew up to weigh nearly 3,000 pounds and to enjoy a long, happy life at Farm Sanctuary.

When programs like “The Martha Stewart Show” devote valuable air-time to the plight of farm animals and the benefits of veganism, a powerful message is planted in the public consciousness demonstrating that these issues are important and worthy of our consideration.  Stewart has built a media empire based on her uncanny ability to influence the tastes and opinions of consumers. When she speaks about the importance of showing compassion for farm animals, millions of people — many of whom may never have considered these issues before — listen. Some might decide to go vegan right on the spot while others may decide to “lean into” veganism — as Kathy so wisely puts it — by reducing the amount of animal products they consume. All of this is progress and means that less animals will suffer. Martha Stewart’s vegan show was a major event, as a mainstream audience was exposed to compassionate living ideas, and that’s a very good thing.

Gene Baur, pictured above, is the president and co-founder of Farm Sanctuary, the nation’s leading farm animal protection organization. A vegan since 1985, he lives in Washington, D.C. and campaigns to raise awareness about the negative consequences of industrialized factory farming and our cheap food system. He has initiated groundbreaking legislative action to raise awareness and prevent factory farming abuses, and is author of the best-selling book Farm Sanctuary: Changing Hearts and Minds About Animals and Food.

Photo (above): Derek Goodwin/Farm Sanctuary
Main photo: David Russell/The Martha Stewart Show

I’m blessed to be able to share the work of Dr Marilyn Golden, an amazing healer, raw foodist and friend who is a wealth of knowledge and wisdom. Dr Golden, who wrote the following article about how to detoxify safely, has helped many of her patients achieve incredible results. Visit her website at www.marilyngolden.com.au to find out more.

Why detox?

Pollutants pervade our world. Toxins are increasingly common in our modern environment. These include heavy metals such as mercury in amalgam fillings and as an adjuvant in some vaccines, aluminium in antiperspirants and baking powder, arsenic in preserved woods used in playgrounds and even as a border in vegetable patches, cadmium in cigarette smoke, lead in paints and car batteries, food additives such as colourants and preservatives, drugs, medication, pollutants in our water supply and the air we breathe.

The World Health Organisation estimates that 2.4 million people die each year from air pollution. Indoor pollution stems from photocopiers, carpets, cleaning materials, glues, paints and furnishings. Australia tops the per capita greenhouse gas emissions in the developed world (SMH 2004).

Physical phenomena such as electromagnetic radiation and ionising radiation are invisible toxins. Electronic products dumped in landfills contain dangerous chemicals and heavy metals that can leach into the groundwater. According to Choice magazine, many unsafe pesticides passed by the Australian food authorities for use in our foods are banned in Europe. An article in the Sydney Morning Herald on 21st September 2009, written by Kelly Burke, stated that Endosulfan, one of the world’s most toxic crop sprays, is permitted for horticultural control of mites and insects in Australia, whereas Endosulfan is banned in more than 50 countries, including 27 countries of the European Union and in New Zealand since January 2009. Endosulfan has been linked to breast cancer and birth defects. It has long-term effects as it persists in the body and disrupts the endocrine system. It is but one of the many chemicals used in the agricultural industry.

According to the Environmental Working Group, people who consume the 12 most pesticide-contaminated foods, ingest 10 pesticides each day.

Research on the use of multiple pesticides and chemicals acting cumulatively and synergistically in the body is difficult to perform and long-term effects may only become apparent after many years. Multiple long-term exposure to low doses of toxins makes detection in humans difficult and may be a contributing cause to chronic illness in many forms. A frightening scenario was the discovery of two and three-headed fish in the Noosa River in 2009 which was thought to be as a result of the use of Endosulfan in the area. Some toxins such as DDT and Lindane have such a long half-life, that their presence in the soil may persist up to 30 years.

In 2009 in China, the chemical Melamine was found as a contaminant in infant milk powders, causing renal failure and many deaths. There have been concerns that it may have infiltrated vegetables and other crops through pesticides and fertilizers containing the chemical. Sciencebase is a website listing the types of processed food contaminated by melamine found in many other countries outside of China.

Mining and industry wastes pollute agricultural areas, pervading the food we eat at the end of the production chain. Our homes and workplaces generate toxic by-products from paints, glues, building materials, moulds, solvents and adhesives. A study performed by the CSIRO in 2000 showed that new homes generated high amounts of volatile toxins, including formaldehyde for more than a year after construction.

Bisphenol A is a component of plastics including plastic bottles and it is a known endocrine disruptor. Concern has been expressed by the FDA on the effect of Bisphenol A on infant brain development and on early puberty. It may also be implicated in the development of obesity.

Endogenous toxicity arises within our own bodies, generated by hostile bacteria, parasites, yeasts and their by-products in our digestive tracts as well as residues of drugs, food chemicals and free radicals from infection, inflammation, alcohol and medication. In those who are nutrient deficient or who have genetic enzyme deficiencies, toxins accumulate and these individuals are more susceptible to certain illnesses. Toxins can bind to enzymes to inhibit their capacity to detoxify.

Chronic stress may impair digestion and detoxification. Hormonal imbalance or impaired function of liver detoxification enzymes contribute to endogenous toxicity.

HOW DO TOXINS AFFECT OUR HEALTH?

Toxins may cause free radical damage, disrupt the endocrine system, paralyse detoxification enzymes in the body, accumulate in tissues and organs to compromise function, damage the nervous system, mitochondria and DNA and suppress immunity.

WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF TOXICITY?

• Symptoms may be nonspecific and persistent.
• Low energy
• Low mood, anxiety and depression
• Poor concentration, memory problems, headaches
• Frequent infections
• Joint pain, muscle aches
• Allergies
• Weight gain
• Digestive symptoms – diarrhoea, constipation, bloating
• Autoimmune disease
• Chemical and environmental sensitivity
• Infertility and reproductive disorders

WHAT CAN WE DO?

• Limit your toxic load through reducing household and personal use of toxic chemicals.
• Enjoy indoor plants that absorb pollutants – The Areca palm, Bostern ferns, Chrysanthemums, Dwarf Date palms, Striped Dracena
• Filter your water
• Greatly reduce or abstain from alcohol, cigarettes and recreational drugs.
• Practice some form of stress relief and happiness time
• Detoxify under supervision from an experienced health practitioner
• Select your food carefully.

According to the Environmental Working Group, people who consume the 12 most pesticide-contaminated foods, ingest 10 pesticides each day. The list of foods containing higher concentrations of chemicals and pesticides from ewg.org:

• Peaches
• Apples
• Capsicum
• Celery
• Nectarine
• Strawberries
• Cherries
• Kale
• Lettuce
• Grapes
• Carrots
• Pears

As many pesticides do not wash off with rinses, these fruits and vegetables should be organic wherever possible or peeled. It is uncertain whether vegetable rinses remove all pesticide residues.

GROW YOUR OWN

Sprouts and greens are very simple and easy to grow at home, in pots or in sprouters. Examples are kale, parsley, silverbeet, rocket, lettuce and wheatgrass. Sprouts with high detoxification capacity include broccoli sprouts, mustard seed and cress. Sprouts and greens may be used in smoothies or salads. They are powerful packages of antioxidants, proteins and protective phytochemicals such as sulphoraphane which upregulates the genes which code for glutathione detoxification in the cells and in the liver.

DETOXIFICATION BEGINS AT THE CELL

Protect your cells at all times. Support cell nutrition.

Antioxidant support is essential throughout life. We are bombarded with an estimated10,000 hits of free radical assault to our cells and DNA on a daily basis. Free radicals damage our cell membranes and our DNA leading to disease.

Ensure that you have a minimum of seven different coloured fruits and vegetables each day. Supplement with high CAROTENOID containing superfruits such as GAC, SEABUCKTHORN, GOJI, CILI FRUIT. I recommend the blend called G3 juice which is scientifically proven to be bioavailable to the body and to elevate the carotenoid score. FOOD BASED CAROTENOIDS are found in fruits and vegetables containing the red, yellow, orange and dark green pigments. Carotenoids may protect against prostate cancer, macular degeneration, lung cancer and breast cancer by supporting the immune system and promoting proper cell to cell communication.

The GAC fruit contains a high percentage of lipids which makes the carotenoids more bioavailable. It is known as the Fruit from Heaven in Vietnam where it is credited with longevity and many health benefits. Synthetic supplementation with betacarotene has proved to be potentially harmful and of no benefit. It may even reduce the level of natural carotenoids in the bloodstream.
Cholesterol lowering medications may reduce absorption of carotenoids. (www.whfoods.com)

NATURE HEALS

It is time to return to natural foods for detoxification and longer, healthier lives. FRUIT AND GREEN SMOOTHIES blended in a base of water or fresh juice, with added sprouts, acai berry powder, wheatgrass or barley grass powder and spirulina and dulse flakes are a natural way to provide basic antioxidant cover and concentrated phytonutrients to protect the cells. Seaweed alginates bind heavy metals. Chlorophyll from the green smoothies neutralizes toxins in the gut. A high – raw diet , consisting of fresh, organic fruits and vegetables, raw juices, smoothies, fresh leafy greens, sprouts, nuts and seeds can be integrated into any dietary plan with boundless benefits for health.

GUT DETOXIFICATION

• Foods – Soluble fibre from fruit and vegetables plus flax seed, slippery elm and psyllium provide food prebiotics for gut flora and prevent the action of the harmful enzyme called betaglucuronidase which deconjugates toxins and hormones and reactivates them.
• Spices such as cumin, red and black pepper, ginger, fennel, aniseed, coriander and cardamom stimulate bile secretion for fat digestion, pancreatic and intestinal enzymes and reduced food transit time (Platel and Srinivasan Indian journal of Medical Research, May 2004). Reduce meat and saturated fats such as eggs and eliminate dairy products. Increase greens and fruit as mentioned.
• Support digestive enzyme function with vegetarian high potency digestive enzymes
• Probiotics and prebiotics have specific functions – select yours with your health practitioner.
• At least three times each year, ask your health practitioner to prescribe a herbal antimicrobial, antiparasitic and antifungal formula to remove dysbiotic organisms.
• Repair the gut lining with a safe formula containing glutamine, colostrums (note: not vegan), chlorella and spirulina and aloe vera.
• Maintain on probiotics, rotating as needed under supervision.
• Laxatives and enemas are not recommended.

LIVER DETOXIFICATION SUPPORT

There are two main pathways of liver detoxification, namely – Phase 1 (cytochrome P450) which makes the toxins more toxic as an intermediate metabolite in the process and Phase 2 conjugation enzymes which produce a water soluble toxin for excretion.

FOODS

• Cruciferous vegetables, including kale, mustard greens, watercress, radishes, rocket and broccoli sprouts contain sulphoraphane and indole 3 carbinol which stimulate phase 2 liver detoxification to mop up free radicals produces as a result of phase 1 detoxification.
• Sesame seed (sesamin), curcumin (tumeric), garlic, onions and rosemary support phase 2 detox enzymes. Sesame seed (sesamin) also produces enterolactone in the gut which may protect against reproductive cancers and prostate cancer.
• Green tea stimulates phase 1 and is antioxidant, antiiflammatory and anti-cancer.
• Nasturtiums
• Beetroot
• Ginger
• Note that grapefruit juice (Naringenin) slows phase 1 and is contraindicated with certain medications that may build up in the system.
• Iodine in the form of kelp if deficient
• Pomegranates
• Pure water and raw vegetable juices containing the above with the addition of dandelion leaves (homegrown, organic).
• Acupuncture – stimulation of acupuncture points of the liver, stomach, spleen and kidneys
• Herbs – Schisandra, rosemary, St Mary’s thistle.
• Herb teas – Rooibos, dandelion, green tea, lemon in hot water

LYMPHATIC DETOXIFICATION

• Dry brush massage
• Far infrared saunas reduce the body’s chemical burden through sweating
• Lymphatic drainage massage
• Exercise – rebounding, Hypervibe whole body vibration exercise

MATRIX DETOXIFICATION

Under the supervision of a Health Professional trained in homotoxicology, homotoxciological remedies detoxify the Extracellular Matrix, the space between the cells where toxins accumulate.

MIND AND SPIRIT DETOXIFICATION

Meditation, gratitude, qigong, tai chi, yoga help connect body and soul to make detoxification an integrated process of awareness and health.

When celebrities look to a nutritionist for ultimate health advice that will not only give them a toned, slim physique but also radiant, glowing skin, they look to Kimberly Snyder (pictured below). The yoga instructor and clinical nutritionist spends her time between her homes in New York and LA — when she’s not working on set, whipping up organic green smoothies for the likes of Drew Barrymore and Owen Wilson.

I met Kimberly a couple of years ago and was amazed at how present, vibrant and happy she was — a portrait of perfect health thanks to her raw vegan diet, yoga and spiritual practice. Since then, the sought-after wellness expert has been busy working with her high profile clients to help them achieve great health. She has also been working on her book, The Beauty Detox Solution, which is due to hit the shelves this Wednesday (March 30) — it’s an invaluable resource, packed with the very knowledge she passes onto her celebrity clients.

Kimberly is a joy to know and is a wealth of knowledge when it comes to achieving true health and beauty. I asked if she could have a quick chat with me in the lead up to her star-studded book launch…

It has been a few years since we met in LA. What have you been up to since then?
I’ve been pretty busy! For the past few years, my focus has shifted to all things related to my nutritional philosophy and work. I’ve been working and traveling with celebrity actors worldwide, creating customized dietary programs for them, and making specialized meals for quite a few of them on a regular basis. I now have an apartment in LA as well as New York, and well, it’s been an exciting ride!

I know you’ve been working tirelessly on your new book, among your many projects. What’s it all about and why did you decide to write it?
My first book, The Beauty Detox Solution, is launching on March 29th! There’s so much confusing information out there, and being beautiful and reaching your perfect weight isn’t about micromanaging, or complex and confusing calculations that revolve around carbs and calories. My plan is simple, proven, and allows inner beauty to radiate from the inside out. My motivation in writing my plan out was to share the information with women and people everywhere that had helped me and my clients so much.

You’re a nutritionist to the stars now. Can you chat a little bit about how you got started?
Word of my program spread through LA and New York, and I was put in touch with a celebrity to work with. Then it grew to a few and then more and more… the inner circle of Hollywood is extremely tight and small. I didn’t plan to work for the “stars”, but I guess it’s my karma!

Are there any star secrets you’re allowed to reveal?
I respect all my clients’ confidentiality. But I will say that the principals that  I explain in my program are the same ones I explain to everyone,  celebrity or busy mom alike.

What is your definition of beauty?
My philosophy is that beauty and health are synonymous. Healthy skin is beautiful skin. A healthy body is a beautiful body. And no matter how many products we slather on, or diets we follow, true beauty must begin from within.

What pitfalls do you think some people fall into when it comes to trying to maintain and preserve the idealized Western idea of beauty?
There’s so many myths out there and confusing information. The most alarming and common thing I see is that people don’t even realize that the foods they think are healthy are actually aging them at an accelerated rate. I bet if I looked in someone’s fridge, and they had foods like organic yogurt and free range chicken, they would think they were doing pretty good. But when you see their skin, you can see those acidic foods show up on their faces in the form of wrinkles, lines, and dull and sagging skin. It is a vicious cycle. What good is it to be a size 4 or a size 2 if you look 10 years older than you really are?

How can a healthy diet, spiritual practice and positive thoughts help to achieve natural beauty?
Our minds and bodies are intrinsically connected, and therefore loving and peaceful vibrations emanate out of someone’s being in an inexplicable radiance. Mediation is in my opinion, the highest form of union with the infinite, which creates an inner and outer beauty in a way nothing else can.

Who are, in your opinion, some of the most beautiful people and why?
People that have the following characteristics: kindness, cleanliness — externally, in their diet and in their speech and thoughts, compassionate and thoughtful eyes, a genuine smile, a natural, not-overdone style and confidence.

What’s next for you?
Over the next few weeks I’m focusing on all things book launch-related, including a huge launch party hosted by some of my celebrity clients. At the end of this month I head to New Orleans for a few months to work as the nutritionist on a major film. And there are many other exciting projects in the works!

To get your own copy of The Beauty Detox Solution, click here.

For the complete interview with Kimberly, and some of her beauty-fying recipes, sign up for updates at the soon-to-launch EcoBeautyEditor.com

My Journey from Illness to Health and How I Got There

A lot can happen in a year. With the good can come the bad, with the bad also come blessings. About year ago today, I was extremely unwell. I couldn’t get out of bed due to bouts of chronic fatigue and low blood pressure that made me so lightheaded I’d almost topple over every time I tried to stand up. My weight plummeted to a bony 47 kilos. My hair was lifeless, my skin sallow.

It came as a shock to everyone who knew me – I was one of the most healthy people they knew. My diet was spectacularly healthy, to the point of obsession. I walked regularly, I thought positively, I was all about self-growth. So how could someone so healthy become so sick? For those who don’t understand the vegan way of life, for them, it naturally came down to my diet. I could instinctively hear people’s thoughts (or sometimes they’d say it): “being vegan has made you sick”. If I were on the outside looking in at my skeletal frame, I would have put my money on an eating disorder. Something obviously was wrong.

But as any healthy vegan will tell you, it’s just not possible to get sick from some of the most nutritious food on earth. I had to dig deeper, much deeper, to find the root of the illness that had stopped me in my tracks. I stopped blogging, I couldn’t work. My diligence and constant drive for creating new projects had to cease. My body was shouting at me, “no  more, I’m going to make you stop and take check of your life, examine what it is you’ve not dealt with”.

My wise and straight-shooting Reiki Master, Patti Penn, asked a simple question that lead me to the life-changing tool that brought me back, some months later, to better health than ever. She asked me, in no uncertain terms, “What’s eating away at you Shannon? What haven’t you dealt with?”. Having studied through all the Reiki levels to Master, I was stunned to think there could be anything left that I hadn’t sent healing energy to… old stuff that I had sub-consciously swept under the carpet, believing it would be much safer kept there. But what I did know, without a doubt, was that I couldn’t heal others, unless I first healed myself.

“Go tap on it,” Patti advised. And so I did. Then, as if the universe was listening, I received an email just a few days later from someone who had experienced transformation using Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT), or tapping. There was going to be a free, 10-day, online event focused purely on EFT, with practical workshops you could “tap along to”. For the next 10 days, I tapped until I was bruised, and what I uncovered was miraculous (I later heard that 100,000 people had tapped along too).

While I was already familiar with EFT thanks to Patti, who had guided me through routines many times before, I’d not used the technique to dig deep enough – into the caverns that housed all the emotional stuff that had impacted me throughout my life. As I tapped away, my sub-conscious mind took over, telling me in no uncertain terms what was eating me, the stuff that had contributed to years of feeling self-conscious and unsure. While it wasn’t major stuff, perhaps in many people’s eyes, it was related to events that had impacted me deeply enough to cause emotional scarring. I purged so many negative emotions and false beliefs about myself during those 10 days, and for some time after, that a whole new world opened up to me. I felt light, I was gradually regaining my health, my thoughts had even changed, my mind was quieter. A year on from my first fainting episode, I’m healthier than I could have ever imagined.

I was stunned to think there could be anything left that I hadn’t sent healing energy to… old stuff that I had sub-consciously swept under the carpet, believing it would be much safer kept there. But what I did know, without a doubt, was that I couldn’t heal others, unless I first healed myself.

So many people, from Deepak Chopra to Jack Canfield (see video below), recommend this life-changing technique not only because it works, but also because of its simplicity. It’s a modern form of acupuncture, if you will, that stimulates the meridian points to help you release old, limiting patterns that manifest in dis-ease and other negative experiences. As one website states: EFT is a powerful method based on the discovery that emotional trauma contributes greatly to disease. Scientific studies have shown that EFT is able to rapidly reduce the emotional impact of memories and incidents that trigger emotional distress. Once the distress is reduced or removed, the body can often rebalance itself, and accelerate healing.

While I have been wanting to write this blog post for a while, in the hope my experience might inspire others enough to find their own healing path, it hasn’t felt quite right, until now. Yesterday I received an email telling me the Tapping World Summit 2011 is due to start on February 21. If you have even half an hour available each day during the 10 day free online workshop, you may just open your world to incredible healing, and a life free of dis-ease and issues caused from past events or long-held negative beliefs.

Click here to hear Dr Bruce Lipton, author of many books, including bestseller Biology of Belief, explain the workings and life-changing benefits that can be achieved through this simple, yet powerful technique.

You can also sign up for a free tapping workbook here, or check out the film The Tapping Solution, which was put together by Nick, Alex and Jessica Ortner, the same people behind the Tapping World Summit.

Besides the Summit, and if you’re lucky enough to live in or near Los Angeles, I highly recommend my Reiki Master Patti Penn, who has recently opened a healing centre, Pause in Joy, where she teaches Reiki and EFT.

I’ve often thought about why we deem some plants “weeds” and others fit for planting or eating. As I’ve delved into raw food nutrition (I’m studying through The BodyMind Institute) I’ve been amazed at how readily I’d dismissed some of the most healing herbs on the planet as little more than mower clippings.

Now some of the most common weeds take pride of place in my kitchen, ready for use in herbal teas, poultices, raw food recipes, natural beauty preparations and more. Weeds are particularly nutritious because they have had to make it on their own … withstand nature’s elements to remain strong and vibrant. It takes a lot of energy for them to simply live – energy that we directly benefit from when we eat these incredible herbs.

Here are my favourite four:

DANDELION (parts used: leaf and root)
Dandelions are those plants with the fluffy “flower” that, as kids, we likely made a wish or two with. It’s a wonderfully nutritious herb that has been used by ancient cultures, including Chinese and Ayurvedic healers. The leaves are a natural diuretic and are great for relieving the bloated feeling that can come with PMS. The root of the dandelion is a good liver tonic and is brimming with antioxidants such as vitamins A and C.

BURDOCK (parts used: roots)
Known as a blood purifier, and as the most effective herb for treating chronic skin problems. It has been known to ease such conditions as eczema, acne, psoriasis, boils, herpes and syphilitic sores, styes, carbuncles and cankers. It contains polyacetylenes – natural killers of fungi and bacteria. Burdock also expels toxins and promotes urine flow and perspiration (the Chinese use it to calm).

NETTLE (parts used: leaves)

Nettle tea has been widely used to combat intestinal weakness, diarrhea and malnutrition. It also acts as a diuretic and is said to be good for treating kidney weakness and bladder infections. Nettles can help rid the body of excessive fluid, be used topically to treat eczema and rashes, as well as soothe arthritic and rheumatic conditions. It’s also great for bone density.

RED CLOVER (parts used: flowers and leaves)
Red Clover, an anti-cancer herb, is great to use powdered (sprinkle it on salads) and it can also be used as a tea. It’s also a source of nutrients including calcium, chromium,  potassium, thiamine, magnesium, niacin, phosphorus and vitamin C.

Find out more – books that include some valuable information on common edible weeds:

• Herbal Medicine, The Natural Way to Get Well and Stay Well

• The A to Z Guide to Healing Herbal Remedies

• Heinerman’s Encyclopedia of Fruits, Vegetables and Herbs

There are certainly weeds out there that aren’t edible, and those that aren’t are generally very bitter to taste. If you’re keen to go grazing, be sure to take a wildcrafting workshop first or know without a doubt what you’re looking for. Some herbs may look similar, but can be poisonous.