1. LEMON WATER - Every morning, the first thing I drink is a glass of room temperature water with half a lemon squeezed into it. It alkalizes my system and helps remove toxins. It makes me feel good and wakes me up.
2. OIL PULLING - This may seem kind of gross. It definitely did to me at first. But, after I drink my glass of lemon water, I put a tablespoon of oil in my mouth (before I've eaten anything), and I swish it around for twenty minutes, and then spit it out. I use organic, cold-pressed oil. I like the flavor of coconut the best, but I cannot find it here, so sometimes I use sunflower oil or olive oil. I started doing this after researching gum inflammation. The last time I went to the dentist, he prodded me with a metal needle and stuck it into each gum pocket to measure the degree of inflammation in my mouth. He was quite worried by the results, and I was horrified. I have genetically terrible teeth. I brush, floss, and use mouthwash everyday...three times a day. It doesn't seem to matter. I had numerous cavities when I was a child, and apparently now I have deep pockets and inflamed gums, which can lead to eroding teeth and bacterial infections. As I said before, I was horrified, but I was also flabbergasted. I eat an anti-inflammation diet. I didn't understand what was going on. So, I researched, and I found the oil pulling method, which is supposed to remove harmful bacteria and toxins from your mouth and body. I haven't been to the dentist again, but I will let you know the results. I'm pretty sure that they will be positive. The skin on my face has even improved since I've started doing the pulling.
2. PLANT-BASED (VEGAN), GLUTEN-FREE, AND HIGHLY RAW DIETS - I love the food I eat, as you can probably tell from previous blog posts. A vegan diet literally saved my life. I don't love the way I eat only for how I feel physically though. I love its compassionate nature, the message that it sends, and the fact that I can actually do some good in the world simply through the way I eat.
3. VEGAN (ALLERGEN-FREE) PROTEIN POWDER (VEGA ONE) - The Vega line of products is my favorite vegan brand. It was developed by a professional vegan triathlete and includes protein powders, energy bars, and electrolyte enhancers. The products use whole-food ingredients and are absolutely delicious. I always put a scoop of Vega One (a protein powder with added whole-food vitamins and minerals) in my smoothies. Vega One has a combination of non-soy protein, including pea, hemp, brown rice, sacha inchi, chlorella, and maca. It has no sugar, but uses stevia instead to make it sweet. I make my smoothies with greens (spinach, lettuce, kale) and frozen fruit (bananas, berries, peaches), so that they come out tasting like ice cream. Vega products are pretty expensive, but they go on sale often, and they are the most worthwhile thing I buy. You can visit the webpage here: myvega.com. The Sunwarrior brand of protein powder is another good option, and I think it is a bit less expensive.
4. COCONUTS (OIL, WATER, BUTTER) - I love coconuts, and they love me. The oil is great for your skin. It's anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, anti-viral, and moisturizing. It is also great for eating. Coconut oil contains medium-chain fatty acids (MCFAs), which are digested differently by your body. The liver converts them almost immediately into energy, instead of storing them in fat cells. Coconut oil is also the only oil you should use to cook. It holds up to high temperatures without converting into trans-fats like other oils. Coconut water is packed with electrolytes, and it is absolutely delicious and hydrating. I also love coconut butter to use in desserts or eat from a spoon.
5. JOAQUIN TORRES-GARCIA - Torres-Garcia is a Latin American artist from Uruguay. When Román and I were in Montevideo, we went to the museum dedicated to him and saw many of his works. My favorite is called America invertida. It shows an outlined map of South America from a different perspective. What we think of as south is north, and what we think of as north is south. You can see an image of it here: http://www.wikipaintings.org/en/joaquin-torres-garcia/inverted-america-1943#close. Even more than the sketch itself, I love the questions that it invokes within me. It makes me question some of my current conceptions and think of things, and the world, from another perspective.
6. NOTICES OF ALTERED IMAGES - In Argentina, Román told me that a law requires all billboards and advertisements that contain computer-modified images of models to have a disclaimer at the bottom noting that they have been digitally enhanced. What is not to love about this law? Why doesn't the US have one too? It always makes me feel so good when I see this disclaimer at the bottom of ads with unnaturally slim women. I think it's at least a step in the right direction in the fight to combat a body-centric culture and enhance the self-esteem of girls and women.
7. MARRIAGE EQUALITY - I like equality in general and marriage equality all the more. But, my least favorite part of the whole issue is the idea that 'marriage should be between a man and a woman.' I don't understand why it 'should.' Why should it not be between two loving people regardless of sexual orientation. Why deny a human right such as this to a certain segment of the population unless it is done out of hate or fear? And, why have such hate and fear in your heart? Why not choose compassion and love?
3. VEGAN (ALLERGEN-FREE) PROTEIN POWDER (VEGA ONE) - The Vega line of products is my favorite vegan brand. It was developed by a professional vegan triathlete and includes protein powders, energy bars, and electrolyte enhancers. The products use whole-food ingredients and are absolutely delicious. I always put a scoop of Vega One (a protein powder with added whole-food vitamins and minerals) in my smoothies. Vega One has a combination of non-soy protein, including pea, hemp, brown rice, sacha inchi, chlorella, and maca. It has no sugar, but uses stevia instead to make it sweet. I make my smoothies with greens (spinach, lettuce, kale) and frozen fruit (bananas, berries, peaches), so that they come out tasting like ice cream. Vega products are pretty expensive, but they go on sale often, and they are the most worthwhile thing I buy. You can visit the webpage here: myvega.com. The Sunwarrior brand of protein powder is another good option, and I think it is a bit less expensive.
4. COCONUTS (OIL, WATER, BUTTER) - I love coconuts, and they love me. The oil is great for your skin. It's anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, anti-viral, and moisturizing. It is also great for eating. Coconut oil contains medium-chain fatty acids (MCFAs), which are digested differently by your body. The liver converts them almost immediately into energy, instead of storing them in fat cells. Coconut oil is also the only oil you should use to cook. It holds up to high temperatures without converting into trans-fats like other oils. Coconut water is packed with electrolytes, and it is absolutely delicious and hydrating. I also love coconut butter to use in desserts or eat from a spoon.
5. JOAQUIN TORRES-GARCIA - Torres-Garcia is a Latin American artist from Uruguay. When Román and I were in Montevideo, we went to the museum dedicated to him and saw many of his works. My favorite is called America invertida. It shows an outlined map of South America from a different perspective. What we think of as south is north, and what we think of as north is south. You can see an image of it here: http://www.wikipaintings.org/en/joaquin-torres-garcia/inverted-america-1943#close. Even more than the sketch itself, I love the questions that it invokes within me. It makes me question some of my current conceptions and think of things, and the world, from another perspective.
6. NOTICES OF ALTERED IMAGES - In Argentina, Román told me that a law requires all billboards and advertisements that contain computer-modified images of models to have a disclaimer at the bottom noting that they have been digitally enhanced. What is not to love about this law? Why doesn't the US have one too? It always makes me feel so good when I see this disclaimer at the bottom of ads with unnaturally slim women. I think it's at least a step in the right direction in the fight to combat a body-centric culture and enhance the self-esteem of girls and women.
7. MARRIAGE EQUALITY - I like equality in general and marriage equality all the more. But, my least favorite part of the whole issue is the idea that 'marriage should be between a man and a woman.' I don't understand why it 'should.' Why should it not be between two loving people regardless of sexual orientation. Why deny a human right such as this to a certain segment of the population unless it is done out of hate or fear? And, why have such hate and fear in your heart? Why not choose compassion and love?
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