CANDY… we love it (especially us Swedes), but do we stop to think about what it’s made off?

The main ingredients in gummi bears are gelatin (created by boiling connective tissue from combined animal skin, cartilage, and bones), lots and lots of sugar (which will age you quicker), corn syrup (cancer anyone?), and egg whites (yeah we’ve discussed how harmful protein from dairy is for your body).

Here I go with the word ”awareness” again, but just please take a moment to think about what your eating and how your daily food intake will affect you now and in the future. You are what you eat… So do you want your body to be made up of artificial gummi bears or a crisp green apple? Candy canes, or beautiful beets? You get the point…

If you have a sweet tooth, like myself, there is still raw chocolate out there…

(Image: markburgess.com)

Do you remember the PH test strips you used in chemistry class? Also known as Litmus paper. Never thought you’d hear about those again huh… Well you might want to purchase a pack… here is why.

Let’s first discuss the body’s PH.

Human blood PH should be slightly alkaline (7.35-7.45). If blood PH moves below 6.8 or above 7.8, cells stop functioning and the body shuts down. Therefore the body continuously strives to balance PH.

An imbalance diet high in acid-producing foods, such as animal protein, sugar, caffeine, and processed foods puts pressure on the body’s regulating systems. Research shows that unless the body’s PH level is slightly alkaline, the body cannot heal itself. Acidosis will decrease the body’s ability to absorb minerals and other nutrients, decrease it’s ability to repair damaged cells, make tumor cells thrive, etc. Acidity also comes from stress and toxins around us.

Foods are either alkaline or acid forming. Researchers recommend that you should eat 60% alkaline forming foods and 40% acid forming foods.

FOOD GROUPS:

• HIGH ALKALINE: Broccoli, spinach, celery, garlic, raisins, and stevia.
• ALKALINE: Carrots, beets, zucchini, lettuce, grapes, kiwi, berries, apples, pears, almonds, green tea, and maple syrup.
• LOW ALKALINE: Squash, asparagus, fresh corn, mushrooms, onions, cauliflower, tofu, tomatoes, watermelon, avocados, pineapple, peaches, strawberries, lentils, buckwheat, wild rice, goat milk, olive oil, and raw honey.
• LOW ACID: Whole grain bread, brown rice, butter, yogurt, whole milk, sunflower seeds, and white sugar.
• ACID: Canned fruit, white bread, white rice, pastries, pasta, fish, turkey, chicken, lamb, eggs, cashews, pistachios, wine, soda, and ketchup.
• HIGH ACID: Beef, pork, canned tuna, processed cheese, peanuts, walnuts, coffee, beer, artificial sweeteners.

TEST your PH by wetting a Litmus paper with your saliva.

(All information and image from www.trans4mind.com)

Raw Almond Milk

You will need… 1 cup soaked almonds (soak in a bowl in the refrigerator for 4 hours, rinse before using) and 3 cups water

To make raw almond milk, blend the soaked almonds with water until smooth. Then strain the mixture through a sprout bag, cheesecloth, or strainer into a big bowl. Save the almond pulp  in a container and put in the refrigerator for later use (you can make a nice nut pate with this for your salad or nori roll).

Add vanilla, dates, cacao, banana, raspberries or cinnamon for flavor. Yummy! Almond milk is great as a thicker smoothie base, in dressings, and over raw granola.

Need inspiration and will be in Gothenburg (Sweden) on May 29th? Then you should def check out one of my favorite peeps… Erica Palmcrantz! See below for more info…

Raw Food är nu det heta på mathimlen! I Hollywood börjar fler och fler stjärnor övergå till raw food och även här i Sverige börjar den härliga mat och livsstilen raw food uppmärksammas. Raw Food är frukt, grönsaker, rotsaker, nötter, frön och torkade frukter som inte hettas upp över 42 grader. Kallpressade oljor, alger, superfoods, skott och groddar förekommer också inom raw food. Upphettning endast till 42 grader för att bevara maximalt med näring och enzymer.  Raw food sägs vara kosten som bevarar din ungdom, tar fram ditt allra vackraste jag och fyller ditt liv med livskraft.

Erica Palmcrantz Aziz är nu aktuell med en matlagningsdvd som hon har gjort i samarbete med tidningen Hälsa. Hon är även författare till ”Raw Food på svenska”  och ”Raw Delight”. Erica vill inspirera till att äta raw food och på så sätt också öka människors livskvalité. Erica har själv levt med raw food, som inte bara är att sätt att äta utan en livsstil, i sex år.

Du som deltar kommer att få prova på olika superfoods, lära dig tillreda energifyllda frukostar, härliga luncher och middagar, läckra snacks och mumsiga desserter. Du får även lära mer om vad som behövs för att tillämpa raw food i vardagen, om raw food som livsstil och hur det fungerar. Under inspirationsdagen avnjuter vi allt det goda som tillreds!

Böckerna finns att köpas till specialpris på kursen och du får den signerad. Det finns även möjlighet att köpa speciella ”raw food-råvaror”.

Du anmäler dig till info@rawfoodbyerica.se senast den 22 maj.

Plats: House of Win-Win, Tredje Långgatan 13 B, Göteborg
Tid: 29 maj, klockan 10-16.30
Pris: 1300 kr

Need inpiration this week? Well don’t you worry, I got something that will kick you back into healthy shape immediately – author Kris Carr. Read her bio below taken from her website.

I’m Kris Carr, New York Times best-selling author, motivational speaker and wellness warrior. On Valentines Day in 2003, I was diagnosed with a rare and incurable stage 4 cancer. This whiskey tango foxtrot moment (that’s military lingo for WTF?!) sparked a deep desire in me to stop holding back and start living like I mean it! I sold everything and hit the road on deep healing pilgrimage. What I learned transformed my life forever – now it can transform yours. Since then, my journey has ignited a global wellness revolution that’s resonated with thousands of health, spiritual wealth and happiness seekers. CanSer babes and Prevention is HOT cheerleaders alike have flocked to my books and workshops in order to learn how to look and feel better, lose weight, have more energy and nourish their minds, bodies and spirits – even Oprah wanted a piece of the Crazy Sexy action.

My wake-up call encouraged me to make a total lifestyle upgrade inside and out. It brought me back to my authentic self, to nature, the garden and the people and animals who set my heart ablaze. I learned that a nutrient dense, plant-based diet rules, the Standard American Diet kills, stress sucks (all life-force), exercise is non-negotiable, joy is utterly contagious, and having fun must be taken seriously. As a result of all my juicy living and learning, I created the ultimate blueprint for a healthy and happy life, and I want to share my secrets with fabulous you!

My third book: Crazy Sexy Diet (#1 Amazon Best-Seller, NY Times Best-seller) will blow your mind. It’s my bible. Basically, I took all the nutrition and lifestyle tips I gather over the years and tucked it into one handy-dandy book. Let it be your bible too. If you do, you’ll stack the vibrant health odds in your favor by making energy deposits instead of constant withdrawals. Play big. Grab your copy today hot stuff!

Lychee, the Chinese believe, also has the ability to relieve pain and shrink swollen glands. People in China treat these symptoms with the lychee fruit using ancient Chinese medicines and they attest to its powers even though there are currently no studies out there that give scientific weight to this argument.

Along with these health benefits lychee also contains phosphorous, calcium, magnesium and protein.”

(Info from: healthmad.com)

Cannes was fantastic, definitely a trip to remember in terms of the work we did here, the people we met, everything we experienced, etc. BUT I have to say it was literlly impossible to stay raw, and I still prepared, had my suitcase full of  nuts, seeds, bars, even dulse and sundried tomatoes. I’m so excited to get back to New York, and to get back on track. My body is so confused right now… haha. Oh well that’s life.

Don’t be to hard on yourself if you can’t be 100%, it’s not about that. It’s about finding a balance that works for you and living an overall healthy lifestyle that makes you happy.

Snapped this photo of Ali P. and I – she was in Cannes reporting for Us Weekly.

Ok so a typical french hotel breakfast consist of yogurt (hmm yeah scratch that), croissants (can you say no fiber), and drum roll please… coffee (no thanks don’t want to crash after that high). Instead here is what I’m munching on to start the day. Green vibrance (lots of nutrients including probiotics, B12, etc.), a kiwi, fresh squeezed orange juice, and of course, my hot lemon water. Will probably do the same tomorrow – although I can’t wait to get back to my vitamixer in NY (miss you her so much).

Do you have a busy schedule and sometimes forget to eat? Tip of the day is to always have little snacks in your bag. Today was one of those days for me – running around from one thing to another. In the pics above, we’re shooting a segment for TV Guide with Solstice Sunglass Boutique in Cannes. Good thing I had walnuts and a pear in my bag.

What do you plan to put in yours?

Yesterday we finally got the night off to have some fun, left our laptops at home, and enjoyed Kanye West classics and a few Jamie Foxx tunes like ”gold digga” – live at a private concert on the beach. Among the crowd was Naomi Campbell, Leo DiCaprio, Adrien Brody and Vanessa Hudgens.