day five

This is day FIVE! We are half-way through!

I am feeling great. My coffee cravings have diminished and I'm feeling much more grounded and centered. I have been sleeping really well at night, focusing better at work, and finding more energy to get up and move. As you know, I try to eat a completely raw vegan diet already, but I have been very lax about that lately and have been eating some non-raw meals and lots of vegan desserts (which are high fat). I've also been drinking coffee daily and really needed to get off of that. This cleanse has helped me kick-start my health and food habits as we head into the fall season. It has also helped me stop emotionally eating and overeating desserts. Like I said before, eating for your health, not your comfort, is what will really satisfy you.

For breakfast, I made the chocolate spinach smoothie again! So tasty. 2 bananas, 1-2 cups spinach, coconut water, 2 tbsp. raw cacao, 1 tbsp. flax seed.

My salad at lunch was made of arugula, chopped zucchini, chopped red bell pepper, red onion, cherry tomatoes, and an apple. I topped it with some apple cider vinegar and lemon juice.

I was very fortunate to get to attend the International Justice Mission benefit dinner tonight and sit at the Blood:Water Mission table. My friend Jena started Blood:Water Mission nearly ten years ago with the goal of building fresh water wells and proving HIV/AIDS care in Africa. It is an incredible organization that I'd really encourage you to learn about and support!

Knowing that raw food choices would be slim, I decided to eat another big salad late in the afternoon so I wouldn't be so hungry at night. This salad is 2 cups of chopped romaine, cucumbers, sprouts, and tomatoes - topped with some green onions and vinegar. The vegetarian meal at the banquet looked delicious, but it was not raw. I ate some of the veggie mash (squash, peas, broccoli, potato, and tomatoes) and was really glad I ate this big salad before going.

The International Justice Mission is an amazing organization dedicated to ending slavery worldwide. Their staff of investigators, social workers, and lawyers work to rescue children and adults from slavery while prosecuting the offenders. Their work is incredibly difficult and they work tirelessly to accomplish their goals. They believe in a love that is willing to be stronger than fear. Very inspirational. To learn more and to support this organization, click here. 

I hope you all are having a great week. We are half-way through this cleanse, but I hope you're learning about your health in ways that will change the way you live your life even after the cleanse in done. I almost feel shallow talking about food in conjunction with the rest of today's events, except that I strongly believe that taking care of your health will lead you to being a more disciplined, more centered, and more capable person. I also believe that many of the food systems in America are unethical, unbalanced, and perpetuating the chronic illnesses that most Americans deal with. With all of that in mind, the reason for this blog is to help encourage you in your health for yourself, your family, and your community. Today, I'd really like to encourage you to also learn more about Blood:Water Mission and International Justice Mission. These organizations are doing huge things in the world. The love that drives these organizations is powerful and effective. As Americans, we are fortunate that even the smallest portion of our resources can accomplish big things overseas.

* To learn more about this cleanse, visit CleanseAmerica.com *

"For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline." 2 Timothy 1:7