Before and After

I felt it was time to break out the dreaded before picture. This one is really hard for me because I was feeling so horrible about myself at the time this picture was taken. It brings back all those memories.
This photo was taken 13 months ago (December 27, 2006) before going raw.


Here I am today. I have been 100% vegan and raw for 13 months and feeling wonderful.
Photo taken (February 27, 2008).

Tuliza

Only 3 more days before the 92 Day Global Juice Feast

I haven't blogged in a few days because I haven't had any major breakthroughs or changes to speak of. I am continuing to feel great and eating raw. I have had a day or two of emotional detoxing, however, it does pass. I have been preparing for the juice feast by getting in the habit of drinking a jar of lemon water with MSM every morning. I have also been busy sprouting my wheatgrass. The process has been quite magical. Check it out.
(Photos by Tuliza, 2008)

Tuliza
Sprigs of this n that

Day 11 And 7 Days To Go Before Juice Feasting

Today are started planning my routine. I get up every morning and I start off with 32 0unces of water with lemon and MSM. Before I shower in the morning, I dry brush my skin. I love it. It is actually very warming. My body tingles when I get into the shower and it is even nicer when I take a hot bath. I haven't figured out the timing for enemas. I'm still having a little difficulty wrapping my brain around that one. when the time comes I guess it will work. I feel as if I am pregnant and I'm about to give birth. Today I found myself eating a lot more nuts than I should. I think it's because it's been such a rainy, chilly day and old comfort eating habits are trying to creep back in. For those who have already started juice feasting, I send you love.

Day 10 And Gathering My Supplements

Today is Day 10(post Master Cleanse). I was out and about today and I went shopping at Wild Oats to get a few of the supplements needed for the Juice feast. As soon as I got home, I couldn't wait to get a spoon full of the bee pollen. It is so sweet. I also purchased MSM, powdered greens and flax seed oil. I wasn't able to find the hemp oil I wanted and I already have coconut oil. I may have to get more coconut oil because I am in the mood for making spirulina bars again. It is all coming together slowly. I haven't been able to post pictures for a few days so I will need to edit some of my previous posts with pics. I haven't had many significant breakthroughs to post about my post Master Cleansing. I have been maintaining my weight release and monitoring my portions. Here is the recipe for Sesame Spirulina Bars.

Sesame Spirulina Bars
(Rawsome, by Brigitte Mars)

1/2 cup coconut oil
1/3 cup honey
1/2 teaspoon Celtic salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional; not a raw product)
1/4 cup spirulina powder
3/4 cup sesame seeds (I use black sesame seeds but regular,
unhulled sesame seeds are fine)
3/4 cup of pine nuts

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix thoroughly. Press the mixture into an 8"x 10" glass pan. Refrigerate the mixture for 1 hour and cut into squares before serving.

Enjoy

Tuliza
Sprigs of this n that

Day 9 And Salads

I'm sorry I don't have a picture today, because I have been making some beautiful salads with the sprouts I displayed on yesterday's blog post. I have also been adding wheat grass to my salad. There is something to be said about living food. I have been experiencing a sense of euphoria after eating them, almost as if I could levitate. David Wolfe says, "If you want to live a magical life, you must eat magical food". He is so right. Raw food is magical. I have started a patio garden and I am growing spinach, lettuce, parsley, lemon balm, rosemary and chamomile. As soon as they are big enough to photograph, I will post them. I would like to add some magical beings in my garden to give it that special touch. I can't wait for the lemon balm to find it's way into my juice. I'm a little hungrier today than I am normally. I think all the different flavors and textures have really awakened my appetite. I am being extra careful to let it get out of control.

Day 8 and Sprouts

I love sprouting. Today I have a couple of jars ready to make a living salad. I'm not sure what raw soup I will have tonight. I have so many recipe books to choose from. I 'm sure I will come up with something luscious. When I started my first Master Cleanse and raw food transition a year ago, I weighed 174 pounds. Today I weigh 143 pounds . I am so happy to be in control of my health and well being. Living raw foods have changed my life.

Blessed be,
Tuliza
Sprigs of this n that

Day 7 And No Orange Juice

I am all done with the orange juice for now. I have been drinking apple juice and water. I have been experimenting with different raw soups. Today I had celery soup (Mmm...good). I am getting ready for the juice feast by not stirring up my appetite too much. Today I read Raw Juices Can Save Your Life, by Sandra Cabot MD. In her book she provides a juice recipe for many diseases and conditions. It's a great book for those who are not sure about juice combinations. I have already started making a habit of dry skin brushing in the morning before a bath or shower. My skin is so smooth after just two days.

Tuliza

Days 5 And 6

It looks like I missed a day of posting, however, these two days are pretty much the same. I'm back to eating normal raw. I love food. I kinda love it too much, so I need to watch myself. Last night I had nori rolls for dinner. They were very very good. I hadn't eaten anything for the entire day. I was a little hungry by 5:00pm. I made some spirulina bars and they were heavenly. For the first time in my life, I also made rejuvelac. I hope I made it correctly. I'm not sure how it's supposed to taste. I'm going to start another batch today. Wish me luck. I only have 12 more days of eating before the 92 Day Juice Feast. I'm getting excited.

Orange Juice Day 4 And More

It is Day 4 and I can start to add more foods. I found these lovely Raw Green Crackers by Lydia's Organics at Whole Foods Market. I love them. I have several recipes for raw crackers, however, I don't have a dehydrator yet. I only have 2 weeks of eating until the March 1st, 92 Day Global Juice Feast, so I am only eating small amounts of food. I need to have some space in the fridge for all my fresh veggies and fruit.

Romantic and Raw

Her is a picture of my Valentine's Day(post cleanse) dinner.

Happy Valentine's Day


Tuliza
Sprigs of this n that

Orange Juice Day 3 And Soup (Happy Valentine's Day)

I had my soup last night and it was so good. It is a recipe That I found in Brigitte Mars book Rawsome. I will be having it again tonight with a small salad for a romantic Valentine's day(post cleanse) dinner (yummy




Spinach Soup
4 cups of chopped spinach
2 cups of water
1 avocado, pitted and peeled
1/2 teaspoon of Celtic sea salt
1 teaspoon of lemon juice
2 tablespoons of chopped basil
1/4 teaspoon of nutmeg

Combined all ingredients in a blender,
puree and serve.

Tuliza
Sprigs of this n that

Orange Juice Day 2 And Soup Tonight

Well, it's Day 2 and I am sipping on my orange juice. Tonight I plan on making a yummy raw soup. I promised myself that I will eat slowly and watch my portions. I'm anticipating goodness. I will let you know how it turns out and I will post the recipe tomorrow.

Tuliza

Orange Juice Day 1(Breaking the Master Cleanse)

Well, today is Day 1 of breaking the Master Cleanse. I am having mixed feelings. I have a history of being an emotional and compulsive eater. I have enjoyed the comfort of not eating. Reintroducing food makes me anxious. Certain food flavors, in the past, would send me into insane eating binges. I don't want to go back to that way of eating, even if it is raw food. I have finally gotten my weight where i am beginning to see the real me again. As I sip my orange juice, I get into the moment. I taste it. I mean really taste it. I feel it go from cool to warm and let the flavor linger on my tongue. I never thought I could enjoy orange juice in this way. What an experience. Today and tomorrow I will drink orange juice and tomorrow evening is soup. I am so looking forward to it.

Tuliza

My Final Day Of The Master Cleanse

Today is Day 20. I did it, although it wasn't very hard this time. I had a lot more support and my own lemon tree full of ripe organic lemons. I have had my share of food cravings from time to time, but not enough to make me break the cleanse. I felt cold for the entire 20 days so I dressed in layers and would wrap myself in blankets. Every evening I would look forward to drinking my laxative tea. It wasn't that I anticipated the elimination effect. It was the warmth that I so much desired. My weight release has been wonderful. I am so proud to say I released 13 pounds. I had put some weight on over the holidays, after slipping back into some old habits. I have managed, until my holiday meltdown, to maintain a 100% vegan raw food lifestyle. Starting the Master Cleanse again this year was my reset button. Starting tomorrow I will be drinking organic orange juice. The next evening I will graduate to a raw soup. Stanley Burrough's book The Master Cleanser provides a post cleanse menu that is very important to follow. How you come off the cleanse is just as important as doing the cleanse itself. The book includes a recipe for a cooked vegetable soup. Since I eat only raw, I will be making a raw soup from one of my raw food books. My Next Journey is to start The 92 Day Global Juice Feast, March 1st, 2008. The Juice feast consists of fresh raw organic green leafy vegetables, fresh raw organic fruit and supplements freshly juiced each day. Special care must be taken to take in a gallon or more of juice each day along with supplements for optimum nutrition. Enemas are also required. Until the start of the juice feast, I will resume raw foods. I will keep you posted on my progress.

Tuliza

About Me

Hi, My name is Tuliza and I am a Certified Herbalist and a 100% Vegan Raw Foodist. Before becoming an herbalist I had many challenges, a chronic illness called Coccidioidomycosis (Valley Fever), a never ending battle with an overeating disorder and stress that resulted in 2 strokes. I was prescribed many different kinds of medications. I had numerous doctor office visits, hospitalization, procedures, surgery and therapies. All of which left me fatigued, bloated, overweight and depressed. While going through such a terrible time in my life, I kept searching for natural remedies and self help books. It wasn't until I went to herbal medicine school and became an herbalist, that I learned how to really take care of my health. It was not long after that I started looking at my diet. I thought I was eating healthy because I claimed to be vegetarian for several years. I didn't realize how many processed foods and junk foods I was taking into my body. It did take long for me to make major changes in my way of eating. I decided that raw was the way for me to go if I wanted to be healthy. It's been a year now that I have been 100% vegan raw and the improvements in my health have been dramatic. I have no desire to return to the cooked, standard american diet(SAD).

Tuliza