Radiant on Raw Blog: Raw and Living Foods, Holistic Health, Latest News and Reviews

Radiant on Raw Beauty Secret #2 - Refreshing Morning Routine

Here’s a beauty secret that I learned from my grandmother. She has been doing it for as long as I can remember (at least 20 years) and her skin still looks great, even though my grandmother is turning 80 this year!

So here it is: wash your face with ice cubes in the morning. You can freeze mineral water, green tea, chamomile, mint or rose petals infusion, or just purified water.

Washing with ice cubes stimulates blood circulation to your skin, improves the skin tone, reduces pores, gives you a fresh feeling, and definitely wakes you up J Just massage your face with ice cubes in circular motion, avoiding the eyes area, for a couple of minutes (the time of contact between skin and ice should not last more than 5 seconds, so don't just put ice on your face, keep moving!).

It’s a great, simple, and totally inexpensive way to keep your skin looking young and fresh. I dare you, try it for yourself!

Are you in touch with your food?

One of our most important connections is actually with our food. Not only do we get everything our bodies need from food – from essential minerals to amino acids, from vitamins to energy - but we also get a lot of emotional satisfaction from it. Food was how our mothers showed their love for us, we connect with our family and friends over a meal, and we eat when we are stressed or depressed.  For many the closest relationship is with food and quite often it’s quite dysfunctional.

In the past 100 years our relationship with food deteriorated.  The birth of agriculture almost destroyed organic farming, turned meat and dairy industry into greedy murderous conglomerate whose sole purpose is to make profit, most of our food now comes from boxes, cans, and bottles.  Most people these days have no idea where they food is coming from, how it’s made, and how it actually affects their bodies. If you are curious about the “dirty secrets” behind food processing, I recently stumbled upon a really good article on the subject.

 If we desire to be healthy and live a long and happy life, we need to re-think our relationship with food. Not only do we need to move past our food obsessions and addictions, but we also have to create a new healthy relationship with food, based on love, care, and respect. So how can we do it?

1. When you shop at a supermarket, spend a little more time in the fresh produce section. Don’t rush, walk around, see if you can find a fruit, vegetable, or herb that you haven’t tried before.  When buying your weekly staples (like tomatoes, cucumbers, salads) pay more attention to what you are picking up.  Imagine if you were in nature hunting for the best food, how would you find it? Would you smell it, hold it in your hand, squeeze it, and pay attention to how deep and rich the colors are?

2. If you are lucky to have a farmers market nearby then get to know the local farmers there. Not only will you be supporting local economy but you also will be sure to get the freshest food that is in season. Most supermarket foods are picked unripe, travel thousands of miles (and have to be waxed and sprayed for protection), and stay on shelves for days and weeks, therefore losing up to 40% of their nutrients by the time you buy them.

Small time farmers sometimes can’t afford an organic license but they may still grow their crops organically and with love. Talk to them, get to know how they grow what they sell, and you may develop new appreciation for a wonderful selection of food on your dinner table.

3. Do you want to know a secret to adding more nutritious and delicious greens to your diet? Grow your own herbs and sprouts! This is a very easy and inexpensive way to add variety to your diet, and you also become in control of your food – you know what you put in the soil and what kind of water you use; your sprouts will be organic, super fresh, and grown with love and care and in return they will enrich your diet and bring you great health.

 And if you would like to learn how to prepare delicious and healthy recipes and how to sprout and grow indoor greens, you can do that at my upcoming Raw Food for Beginners class on August 9^th. 

Say Goodbye to Dental Problems!

Whether you are new to the raw food diet or have been following it for some time, it's never too early or too late to address the issue of dental care.

Of course dental problems are not limited to raw foodists; most people on a Standard American Diet suffer from a range of dental issues because their diet is very mineral deficient and loaded with processed sugar, the rules of proper food combining are thrown out of the window, and good dental habits are not implemented on a regular basis.

But as health seekers, we have to be more conscious of our daily routines. After all, the raw food diet is all about optimum health and it would be a shame to be healthy but have no teeth to show for it!  However, quite a few raw foodists think that if they eat all natural diet they do not have to worry about their teeth. That is a huge misconception and most people who believe it end up paying a high price with bad teeth and high dental bills.  Therefore, you need to follow certain steps (and they are not that complicated) to make sure that your teeth are in good shape and your dental bill is kept to a minimum.

Here are 10 easy steps to take to help you have perfect teeth and gums for life:

1. Rinse your mouth with water after every meal (especially acid foods like citrus, sodas, etc.) to neutralize the acidic environment in your mouth.

2. Ideally, floss after every meal. If you cannot do that, it is absolutely crucial you brush and floss every morning upon waking up and every evening prior to going to bed.  No excuses!

3. Stop using fluoride toothpastes. Fluoride is a severe biological poison and destroyed 83 enzymes in the body!  It does not help your teeth - if this were true, dentists would have been out of business. There is a much healthier option available on the market right now - called Toothsoap. I've been using it for over 6 months with very good results.

4. Use an ultra soft toothbrush when you brush your teeth and change it every 4-6 weeks.

5. When brushing, make sure you spend at least 2 minutes brushing thoroughly around every tooth (most people brush less than a minute thinking toothpaste foam is good enough to get rid of bacteria - it is not!).

6. Minimize snacking.

7. Avoid eating too much dried fruit and unsoaked nuts/seeds.

8. Eat more organic green leafy vegetables  - they are rich in vital nutrients that are essential to maintaining healthy gums and re-building teeth enamel.

9. Chew on celery, apple or other crunchy raw foods daily - not only are they excellent teeth cleaners but they also give your teeth and jaw a good exercise (keeping them strong).

10. Visit a dentist once a year to make sure your teeth are in good shape (and they should be if you do all the other steps!)

Take good care of your teeth and you will enjoy a lifetime free of toothaches, drills, and massive dental bills.

© 2008 Radiant on Raw

WOULD YOU LIKE TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR EZINE OR ON YOUR WEBSITE?  You can, as long as you include this complete blurb with it: Alina Vladimirova, Raw Food and Lifestyle Coach, publishes "Radiant on Raw" - a free bi-weekly eZine for anyone who is ready to look great, feel amazing, and rediscover passion for living. Interested? Then sign up at www.RadiantonRaw.com".

Eating in Season – Don’t Overlook Cucumbers!

What a simple, unassuming, and yet fabulous fruit a cucumber is! (yes, technically it’s a fruit although most consider it a veggie)

Cucumber is a member of the melon family and has been cultivated as a food for over 3,000 years!  This marvelous fruit is very high in water content (mostly water, in fact) yet brings lots of value to our daily diet. 

Cucumbers have cooling quality (perfect for hot summer days); they are refreshing, low in calories, alkaline, and it takes very little energy for our body to digest them.

Cucumbers are well known as the best kidney cleanser: they prevent bloating due to water retention and help to wash kidneys of stones and debris.

Eating 2 cucumbers a day is a great way to add health and beauty to our bodies.  Cucumber juice is a great facial tonic (just put it on your skin, let it dry and wash off later).

My most favorite juice in the summer is this:

2 cucumbers

1 big apple

4 celery ribs

Amazingly yummy, very simple and refreshing!

Cucumbers should be chosen ripe, when they are firm, plump, and medium green in color. I always suggest buying them organic to avoid those pesky pesticides and also so we can eat the skin, which contains silicon (an essential mineral necessary for maintaining strong nails, beautiful skin, hair, and teeth, strong bones and so much more).

So I invite you to eat more cucumbers this summer (at least 2) and enjoy the wonderful benefits of this common and lovely vegetable-fruit!

10 Steps to Natural Beauty

Television, magazines, billboards – everywhere we look we are bombarded with messages: “You have to be young, you have to be thin, you have to be beautiful”. Natural beauty, embracing diversity of shapes and forms and aging gracefully seem no longer to be an option for us.

Our society became obsessed with exterior looks, particular body shapes and looking young so no wonder the plastic surgery industry is at its pick having performed 11.7 MILLION surgeries in 2007.  Interestingly enough, liposuction and botox are leading the race. So, women (and men, increasingly so now) want to be slim and have a young-looking face; there’s nothing wrong with it, but, unfortunately, they go about it the wrong way.

Of course surgery is a quick way out for those lazy enough or unwilling to take good care of themselves. But it’s risky and doesn’t always bring the expected results.  The internet is flooded with plastic surgery horror stories and frankly, I can’t see why someone would put their life in danger when there are simple steps that can be taken to keep ourselves healthy and youthful without going under the knife.

So here are my simple Radiantly Raw Steps to Natural Beauty:

1. Get plenty of sleep.
2. Exercise regularly.
3. Eat a balanced diet rich in organic raw fruit, vegetables, sea vegetables, nuts, seeds, and sprouts.
4. Take breaks to boost your energy – meditate, relax, take a walk outside, spend time in nature.
5. Use good quality sun protection.
6. Brush and floss your teeth regularly.
7. Drink plenty of water – at least 8 glasses a day.
8. Give yourself a monthly total body treatment.
9. Use natural beauty products only (just because it says organic, doesn’t necessarily mean it’s all natural – read labels!).
10. Stay positive – nothing ages a woman faster than stress and negativity.

Honestly, how hard can this be?  And notice - most of these steps are absolutely free!  Plastic surgery is an expensive and only temporary solution, but these steps will guarantee that you are healthy, radiant, and youthful for many years to come (and not broke!).

Natural beauty is not about how tight our face is or how skinny we get, it’s about embracing our God-given body and taking the best possible care of it. To me, true beauty is that light that radiates from within; it’s a glow of a person who is healthy, happy, and comfortable in her/his own skin.

Radiant on Raw Guide to Self-Care - Connection

Among many tools that my raw food coach Karen Knowler developed, The Wheel of Natural Beauty, Glowing Health & Dazzling Radiance is my favorite.

Although the raw food diet is crucial to optimum health, just eating right is not enough. There are many other factors contributing to one’s overall well-being and if we only concentrate on food we are setting ourselves up for a failure.

Karen’s Wheel of Radiance consists of 12 spokes, each indicating an area of a well-rounded lifestyle.  When all 12 areas are addressed and at least one corresponding practice is implemented, our life becomes one of balance, radiance, and joy.

So every Friday I will address one area (“spoke”) and will explore it in greater detail and offer you easy practices that you can bring into your life.  I encourage you to choose at least one simple practice, implement it and see how it works and then report back to me.

Connection

Feeling connected is one of the basic human needs.  We are social beings and need to feel like we belong, like we are a part of something (a family, a group, a nation, the Universe). The yogic texts teach us that in reality there is no separation, that we are one with the Universe, God, the world around us, each other.  The separation exists only in our minds created by our egos.

Centuries ago humans were much more in touch with their true nature and more connected with the world. Religious beliefs were less rigid, everything in nature had divine qualities and was worshiped – the Gods of Wind, Earth, Fire, Water, and many more. Men had much more reverence for the world around them. Healers used such natural remedies as herbs, flowers, mushrooms, sounds, colors, and body’s natural healing abilities, to cure diseases.  People ate more naturally, locally, and according to season.  Even when animals were killed for food, there were rituals performed and the animals were thanked for sacrificing their life.  Nothing was used to access, nature was preserved, and the animals were not mass-murdered.

But the more “civilized” we became, the more disconnected we got from everything.  These days we have reached the heights of separation, in my opinion: neighbors barely speak to each other, children kill each other at schools, animals are killed in massive numbers and are treated most cruelly, wars are ragging everywhere, environment is destroyed in record speed.

It didn’t happen overnight, of course: hundreds of years of religious brainwashing, social programming, consumption of heavily processed and de-natured foods - no wonder the world is in such sad condition.

So re-birthing of the raw food diet (aka natural way of eating) is indicating a change coming. I believe people are slowly beginning waking up, coming to see that the old ways of living no longer work.  People are getting tired of being sick, miserable, living in fear and limitations.  The raw food offers them a change to awaken, restore health and bring positive change into their lives.  Eating naturally gives us a change to re-connect with nature, re-discover the abundance of tastes, colors, and shapes available to us.  When we stop clogging our brains with harmful substances we begin to think clearly, we become more aware of our choices and are more capable of making decisions that not only benefit ourselves but the world around us (hence eating raw goes hand in hand with green living and spiritual practices).

Here are three simple ways to experience connection:

Eating in Season – Lychee

 

One of my firm beliefs is that the raw food diet is not a diet of limitations and restrictions but a lifestyle of abundance and exploration.  I believe that the raw food lifestyle is superior to most because we really get a chance to get in touch with Mother Nature’s abundance and explore new fruits and vegetables on continuous basis. Eating in season allows us to bring more new foods into our diet and create variety and unending excitement.

Now that we are in the summer months and the farmers markets are overflowing with berries, fruit, and vegetables of all kinds we really get a chance to play and explore and try new things.

Today I was pleased to see lychee fruit being sold at my local produce store and I ate them with great pleasure. This is a wonderful fruit and I hope you enjoy reading about it and soon trying it for yourself.

Lychee is a tropical fruit that is native to China, Vietnam, the Philippines and the Northern part of India. Lychee fruit is red on the outside and juicy white on the inside. The skin of a lychee fruit is a little bumpy and rough and you cannot eat the skin - you peal the skin off and eat the juicy white “meat” on the inside. The big seed on the inside of a lychee fruit is not edible.

At 72mg of vitamin C per 100 grams of flesh, lychees are a very good source for this essential vitamin. Three lychee fruits would meet a third of an adult’s daily vitamin C requirement. Lychees are rich in potassium and are also a good source of riboflavin and copper. They are low in calories (one lychee has about 7 calories), saturated fat, cholesterol and sodium. The nutritional value and health benefits of lychees make them suitable for maintaining optimum health, and weight loss.

Lychee fruit is good for overall health and wellness. It is particularly good for gastrointestinal health. Research has also shown that lychee fruit may provide impressive anti-breast cancer properties. A study published in Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology shows that lychee fruit slows the formation and progression of breast cancer through several mechanisms including apoptosis.

Enjoy!

Radiant on Raw Beauty Secret #1

I’ve been doing some de-cluttering this weekend and I stumbled upon a notebook I used to keep years ago with natural beauty tips. For centuries Russian women relied on natural products to keep their youthful looks and I feel like it’s time to tap back into those resources.

So, I am beginning a new regular feature on my blog – Radiant on Raw Beauty Secrets. Every week I will post a new beauty recipe that only uses raw organic natural products.

Here’s my first one:

Grape Juice Facial Toner

Grape juice stimulates the skin and helps to keep it hydrated. Make fresh grape juice (preferably use grapes with seeds), dip a cotton ball into it, spread the juice over your face. Leave it on your skin for 10 minutes and wash off with warm water. Do it for 15 days in a raw to see the results (skin cells renew every 15 days that is why it takes at least 15 days to see the results of a new facial cream of a mask).

And while we on a subject of grapes, they are also an excellent blood tonic and help with anemia; they benefit kidneys and liver and strengthen the bones; grapes are used to treat rheumatism and arthritis, also treat painful urination. Grape juice is a valuable remedy for liver malfunctions.

Nature is, indeed, a true mother and provides us with everything we need to maintain perfect health!

Eating in Season - Berries

July is the best time to be a raw foodist. Why? Because of the abundance of berries, of course! Berries are an excellent source of many essential vitamins and minerals; they are high in fiber and low in calories, which makes them a perfect food for those trying to lose weight.  So here are some of my personal favorites:

Gooseberry – these large, tart berries grow on bushes and come in many varieties including green, white, yellow and red, their skin can be smooth or fuzzy.  They are rich in Vitamin C, Vitamin A, Potassium, Manganese, and fiber; they are low in cholesterol, sodium, and calories (a cup of 150 g contains only 66 calories).

Black Currant – this is an amazing berry. A cup of 112 grams contains a whopping 338% of Daily Value of Vitamin C!  Black currants are high in Vitamin A, Iron, and Calcium.  This lovely berry helps reduce alcohol cravings and restore liver and brain functions in alcoholics.

Raspberry – another excellent berry high in Vitamin C (54% of daily value), Iron, Calcium, and Vitamin A. It is also a great source of Vitamin K, Magnesium, Manganese, and Potassium. Raspberry benefits the liver and kidneys, enriches and cleanses the blood of toxins, regulates menstrual cycle, treats anemia and excessive urination.

Blueberry – my favorite berry, just love these little black balls of heaven!  Blueberries are excellent for improving eyesight.  They are very high in antioxidants, and are considered beneficial for improving kidney yin in Chinese medicine – the energy used by the liver, heart, and lungs.

Strawberry - it is considered a cooling wind reducer in Chinese medicine (for people with heart conditions) and also liver stimulant. It benefits spleen, pancreas and improves appetite (so eat strawberries before meals). High in silicon, strawberries are great for rebuilding connective tissues and the arterial and skeletal systems. To strengthen the teeth and gums and help remove tartar, cut a strawberry in half and rub onto the teeth and gums, leave for 45 minutes and rinse.  If rubbed on the skin (as a natural mask), strawberry stimulates the skin and helps reduce wrinkles.

Of course there are many more berries available right now so go out and explore! And remember to always buy organic – conventional berries are heavily sprayed with pesticides and since berries are 90% water they absorb it all through their skins. Plus, organic berries always taste much better and are richer in flavor!

Eating in Season - Figs

July is here and that means figs are in season! I am in heaven J

Fig is one of the most nutritious fruits in the world. It is a densely mineralized sweet fruit; it contains one of the highest concentrations of calcium of any food (5 figs provide about 250 mg of calcium). Figs are also a rich source of iron, magnesium, B6, and potassium.  They are low in fat and high in fiber. Figs are also highly alkaline.

Figs have many health benefits.  They contain tryptophan, a nutrient that promotes good sleep and helps the brain use glucose property.  Figs are high in natural sugar (60%) and water (80%), which makes them a wonderful source of energy and stimulant for the brain.  Figs are a great laxative, the tiny seeds in figs are not only packed with nutrients, but they help draw out and dissolve waste and mucus in the intestines.  This wonderful fruit contains Pectin, which lowers cholesterol, and is highly beneficial for people suffering from high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease, and hypertension.  Figs are also great for anemic people because they contain a high level of iron.

Figs come in all colors from yellow, brown, red to purple, black and others! So you need to know what color the ripe fig is. The most commonly grown figs, Brown Turkey and Celeste are golden yellow and dark brown/purple. Fresh figs should be soft and as tree-ripened as possible. They become soft like a peach when ripe, but they should not be mush or fall apart. 

Fresh figs do not keep well and can be stored in the refrigerator for only 2 - 3 days. Some fig varieties are delicious when dried. They take 4 - 5 days to dry in the sun and 10 -12 hours in a dehydrator. Dried figs can be stored for six to eight months. They can be blended in smoothies in order to add more flavor and zest.

Figs are in season from July until about September, so enjoy this amazing superfood while you can!