To Say the Very Least

Picture = 1000 Words...

Please remember now...I consume NO animal products. NONE. Do you think I am getting enough protein? For anyone out there reading this, the next time someone tells you that they are vegetarians (hopefully they are vegans because milk is REALLY inappropriate for optimal human health)...you will not have to ask them if they are getting enough protein. However, I do have my sources.

They are as follows -

Hemp Seed. Probably my number one source. It contains EDESTIN, which is most likely the most absorbable form of protein. It also contains large quantities of sulfur, the element used for constructing healthy skin, hair, and nails. Hemp seed tastes amazing and adds so much to my salads and smoothies.

Green Superfoods like Spirulina, Blue-Green Algae, and Chlorella. I buy these products usually in one pound bags which last me months and months, so the price is usually about 25 Cents a serving. These algaes have the highest concentration of protein (usually around 60% of total weight) on the entire planet.

Nuts and Seeds. The quintessential source of protein in the standard non-animal diet. Too much of these though and they tend to slow me down. I try to keep it to half a cup each day. The seeds I focus on are again, #1 - Hempseed, #2 - Pumpkin Seed, #3 - Sunflower Seed, and #4 - Flaxseed. My favorite nuts tend to be more fat-dominant instead of protein dominant. A fat dominant nut could be a macadamia, cashew, brazil nut, walnut, or the pine nut. Since I spend $10 a pound on hempseeds, I keep my prices lower by using mostly brazil nuts and walnuts, which are about half the price of macadamias or pine nuts. Cashews are also fairly inexpenive, but the standard raw cashew in the health food store is steam blasted out of the shell, and most have had the life-force taken out of them by this process. Really Raw Cashews are about $13 a pound, Macadamias are about $14 a pound. Once in a while I will buy a half-pound to make some great nut milks or some special occasion, but I focus more on the hempseeds anyways.

Bee Pollen. A complex source of Amino Acids, which are proteins. This is the pollen collected by bees, but does not contain any parts of the animal. The kind I use supports ethical treatment of their bees and harvests a small percentage of the overall hive collection.

And most important...GREEN LEAFY VEGETABLES. Spinach, Kale, Dandelion, Wild Greens, Parsley, Cilantro, Swiss Chard, and Collards. I would have to say that an semi-frequent meat and junk food eater that consumes large quantities of leafy greens is MUCH better off than a vegan that focuses on rice and grains and root vegetables and fruits. MUCH better. Ive even done raw veganism with very little greens, focusing more on fruit and nuts, and I had a very low experience compared to when I added in greens I can't stress this enough. If you can consume 2 bunches each day ( I would recommend one green smoothie with fruit and one large salad...if you cannot juice the greens instead) you will notice SERIOUS results in a week or so. Now that Ive been back on heavy greens since returning from Minnesota and have been drinking lots of water and eating early in the evening, Ive finally returned back to sleeping only 4 hours a night. I stay up till 4am and wake up at 8am, completely refreshed. No naps even.

And remember, I start my day off with an hour on the treadmill, then I ride bike at least one hour around the city every day, I lift weights for an hour, and Im walking around doing castings at least 3 hours a day. This is serious physical activity, all on four hours of sleep and no animal meat or dairy.

AM I SELLING YOU SOMETHING HERE???? JUST IDEAS! IM NOT LOOKING TO LATCH ONTO YOUR WALLET...SO WHY AM I TELLING YOU THIS?

Because it is what I've experienced, and it has helped me evolve and every single level of my life.

Mentally - I am clear headed and quick...my outlook is much more positive. I just feel really good overall, like the universe is looking out for me. I'm constantly listening to success tapes and reading books. Self-study has become a major activity in my life.

Physically - Both strength-wise and with flexibility. My body is JUICY. My muscles are defined, but not knotted up. I am quick and lean. Not some bulky-fool chugging on muscle-milk or protein powders. Seriously...which body type would you rather have??? Where is the definition in the bodies of many of these weight-lifters? They are big and bulky...which means sluggish. However, I don't want to say more negative things, because some of those people are crazy and unevolved enough to want to do serious physical harm to anyone attacking their egos.

Spiritually - I feel connected to the force of the universe like never before. True, Ive been reading more and searching more than ever, but this has coincided with my diet change. Did one cause the other? No matter...now that my mind and body are clear of waste and toxins, the energy of the universe flows through my veins. I realize that I am one with the all, and every single life form on this planet is connected to me, and any harm that I do to it, I do to myself. Anger and violence are so far from my experience now, and it shames me that it is still so prevalent in our society. I think the physiological reason is that toxins and heavy metals are cleared from the brain, and the blood has become alkaline from green leaves and clean water. This has led to moments of pure bliss. Moments where I will just sit and smile because I feel nothing but love and gratitude for where I am and everything occurring in my life. Ive learned to to trust to process, and realize that everything is in fact, perfect. I have even had tears of joy at random moments when this occurs, and that would have been completely...COMPLETELY impossible 2 years ago.

I believe that we need more "Type A's" in this world, and this is the diet to construct that type of person. Focused, healthy, confident, and elated with life. Why live any other way? I see all these sickly people walking around and instead of feeling disgust or contempt (what used to be felt) I now feel a sadness that they are missing out on so much untapped potential and joy. Its so apparent now, and everything I have experienced with this lifestyle has without a doubt proven it for me. We are what we eat, and if you stop eating the poison, your life WILL become better. It may take time, but stop maiming yourself 3+ times a day and things will begin to change.

Remember...Lots of fresh fruit for breakfast, or a nice green smoothie.

For lunch I like the superfood smoothies (water, dates, nuts, hempseeds, coconut oil, berries, green superfoods, bee pollen...etc.) This is my main source of fat and protein for the day.

For Dinner, go with a major gourmet salad. Make it awesome so you love every bite. Add in avocados and sundried tomatoes and olives and hempseeds....all bursting with flavor. Compare that to a piece of flesh and a potato sitting on a plate and there soon becomes no comparison. Its laughable. Or if you are still feeling sweet...go with apples and cranberries and walnuts and shredded beets...add that all in with tons of greens and cucumbers and you will love it. It will take you a half hour to eat, so you can sit down with it and enjoy every bite.

I snack, but its usually something like apples or grapefruits or a superfood fudge that Ive made. (Basically the superfood smoothie without the water...)

This is easy, and you can do it and enjoy it. USE ME for inspiration. Please. Thats what I am doing this for. USE ME! This is what friends are for. My body and life are the products of this diet. Make every bite and every action in your life a moment of positive growth and conscious love. Do it for yourself and for reaching your true potential.

more to come...

Anthony

Yoga and the DIY Ethic

Yoga, and the DIY Ethic...

I've been occupied with alot lately. For not having a real job, I seem to keep myself wonderfully busy. Whether its picking berries in Central Park, working out at the gym, riding my bicycle through one of the best cities in the world, and lately even learning yoga...there is always something Im up to. And lets not mention tinkering around with food.

Ive been in overdrive making living food snack bars lately. Cacao Mint, Spicy Mango, Banana Bread, and Apple Pie are some of my latest creations. Ive been making samples for friends and the feedback is great.

The Yoga Ive been doing is at the Laughing Lotus Yoga Center on 21st St and 6th Ave. Such a lovely atmosphere and the teachers are really nice. Its much more spiritual than a regular gym yoga class, and I enjoy that aspect as well. I have to admit though, my body was soooo sore after two sessions. I was wrecked. Plus I was riding bike all the time and still going to the gym 3 hours a day, but still....that yoga worked parts of my body that hadn't been used in a long time. My legs especially, very sore.

I have a one week pass there, and to do an unlimited month there its $148. Since my do-it-yourself ethic is very strong, I think I'm going to learn the positions some more, and do alot of it at home. I purchased the Raw Yoga video from David Wolfe's online store, and I think that will get me through the day. $148? I could get a full month at Equinox Gym (the best in NYC probably) for that, and that would include pool and sauna. I'm making money, but I'm no fool. And I dont need the classes to keep up with it like alot of people.

Thats the funny thing about personal trainers. How people believe that they need them to stay motivated. That they need someone looking over their shoulder in order to stay productive. Sad and pathetic. These are the people that have to have a job or otherwise they would just sit on the couch all day. To be active without someone cracking the whip is a foreign concept to them. Be your own coach. Buy a book, learn it yourself, and do it yourself. Stop wasting money because you don't have the discipline to take care of yourself.

Just go to the gym on a regular basis and DO IT. By DO IT, I mean don't just sit around, actually work out. You will learn as you go. And if you get on the treadmill everyday, and start eating consciously, there is no way you won't be looking great in less than a month. To pay a trainer (who probably isn't even in great shape anyways) is a joke and an insult to your intelligence. You have a workout question? Ask someone in shape, or contact me. Take your money and buy some organic food or a success audio cd instead.

The Yoga is amazing though, and I would HIGHLY recommend adding into the daily routine of anyone. I would do yoga in the morning (if you don't lift weights) and then do an hour of treadmill after dinner. Or an hour of running in place or air-boxing in front of the TV if the gym is out of reach that late at night. If you lift weights, I would do the yoga either right before in the morning, or try to fit it in during the evening if you can. Or ROTATE....YES! Day 1,3,5, and 7 do Yoga, and 2,4,6 do Weights. That would be great. If you have the time do yoga everyday though.

Ok....long post. Get those greens in and just be active. Use the stairs, park a bit away from the supermarket and get that extra walk in...and always get that activity in after dinner. Air-boxing is your best bet, along with the standing stomach twists. Do these for 2 min and I guarantee you will feel your heart beating faster.

And just watch a movie while doing it, so you associate pleasure with working out, instead of pain. THIS IS KEY. This is the major reason for change. Connect feelings of pleasure to working out, any way you can. Either by listening to great music or audiobooks, or watching programs or movies you like. This will help so much.

Lots of support for all of you...

Anthony

Our Bodies are the Temples for Our Souls

Our Bodies are the Temples of Our Soul

Souls are tricky business. Are they real? Are we merely our brain and body? Or is our identity something more...something deeper and older than that?

I used to be a materialist, and by that I don't mean that I liked to go shopping all the time. I mean that I used to believe that all that there was, was physical...material. Nothing deeper. What we see is what we get. The idea that our minds hold our sense of self, and our bodies are the vehicles we use to live and reproduce.

But after studying more about quantum physics and energy, and experiencing very deep feelings of wonder and emotion while I was in nature or doing something I loved, I came to believe that who I am is timeless. That who I really am, and who we really are, is something unrestricted by time and space. I now believe that we choose a temporary vessel to experience physical life and to define who we really are, and that we can keep doing this as many times as we desire. We can choose to be a part of "The One" on the metaphysical plane, or we can have another go at it and return to the physical level to play the game yet again.

To get to the point, this lead to the conclusion that our bodies house our spiritual essence. They are temporary carbon units that we choose to inhabit in order to experience existence here in the physical world. The body is the temple that houses you and me. While we are here, we are limited in many ways by what this "body suit" can do for us. So by our actions, we must do whatever we can to open up all chances for reaching optimum potential. For the time, we are Triune beings....Mind-Body-Soul. So why would we treat any part of us with less care than a new automobile?

Would you throw trash into a temple? Would you knowingly do this? I had the excuse of ignorance up until a few years ago, but now that I know, I can't consciously harm myself anymore. Now to me, damaging myself on the inside is equal to purposely damaging myself on the outside - Completely out of the Question.

The healthier the body is, the freer you are to live and create and to define yourself. Every bite you take is a definition of how you feel about yourself and who you really are. And to say that you can't have a fun time without eating bad food is laughable. If we lived in a society where we all ate juicy tropical fruits and defined it as "fun" that would be the definition we would still carry with us to this day. Our idea of "fun foods" in this society is processed candy, cakes, bread, hot dogs, and soda. So we go through life, trying to be healthy but keep getting pulled back into bad eating habits because we "WANT TO LIVE A LITTLE". Ironic, right?

But the question is, now that we are more mature and can think beyond what we were taught as children, will we still associate those fun and loving feelings with those foods? Or can we finally break free and make new definitions? Will reaching peak potential with our bodies and mind become the #1 priority? And know this without a doubt..the mind is controlled by the food as much as the body. I feel tired and mentally fuzzy when I went back to bad foods after being on a diet of living plant foods. I could really tell. I would walk down the street and feel like styrofoam was lining the inside of my skull. Memory, mental stamina, and learning have all been directly connected to diet.

Despite all the digressions in this post, the main point is that we must love every part of ourself and rise above the conditioning we have been subjected to by the junk food industries all of our lives. Realizing that our bodies are the temple of God (or the life-force, or whatever you wish to call it) leads to feelings of gratefulness and love, and we realize that we must cherish our gift and use it wisely...otherwise we (our souls) will depart much sooner and look for something better to do, because with a tired and sick body, there really isn't much time for creating and LIVING.

And tell me that eating the Chocolate Mint Pudding pictured above (which is, by the way, Raw...Vegan...and Organic) wouldn't be fun. Its time to truly love ourselves on a deeper level. Every second we define who we are. Every waking moment each morning is a chance for re-definition and re-creation. You can be and do what you did yesterday, or if you choose (and it is YOUR choice) to be something new. Something more advanced. Something further evolved. Its time to take the next step and make that choice, and diet is a major part of it, because we are what we eat. Eat foods that are free of poison and factory residues...free of greed and murder. Eat foods that vibrate on a higher frequency and soon you will be vibrating on a higher frequency.

"For of the fruits of the trees and the seeds of the earth alone do I partake, and these are changed by the Spirit into my flesh and my blood. Of these alone and their like shall ye eat who believe in me, and are my disciples, for of these, in the Spirit, come life and health and healing unto man." - Jesus of Nazareth as quoted from the Essene Gospel of Peace

I am Here, I am Now.

I am Here...I am Now.

Lately my thoughts have been getting the best of my attention. Normally I would say this is great, but it has kept me from fully being in the present. My mind is always off somewhere contemplating my latest interest. Instead, I should be fully involved in whatever I'm participating in at the current moment. We have to be here in the now, because the past and the future are merely constructions of our minds. All we have, and all we will ever have, is the present moment. So why not be fully involved in it?

Im wondering how I will tie this into ideas about diet. Maybe it will drift that way, perhaps it wont. I feel like writing about focus. Being fully conscious and aware...compared to being off in la-la land while life is passing before our eyes.

I was listening to my French audio lessons last night on the way back from Miami, and my thoughts kept drifting off to this new business that I would like to create soon. I was completely missing the French lesson. Then it occurred to me: I said, "While I'm listening to French, I will focus on nothing but French. Otherwise I shouldn't be wasting my time." It would simply be better to turn off the iPod and give my mind the focus that it desires. Otherwise I should make the choice to save these thoughts for when I'm laying in bed or walking around, or sitting at my desk with a pen in hand. THEN I will focus on the business ideas. Another example - While I'm reading, I shouldn't be thinking about what kind of smoothie I'm going to make for lunch....contemplating whether to use mango or peaches...what is that?

FOCUS. We have to be loyal to what we decide to participate in, and by doing so we reap so much more from our efforts. If something is worth doing, or reading, or paying attention to, its worth doing it right.

A big problem of the modern age that I've noticed is multi-tasking. In small efficient doses this is great. But when we juggle all these different tasks, we tend to do them all with mediocrity instead of doing a few select things, and pursuing them with excellence.

"Do Few Things, But Do Them Well" - St. Francis of Assisi

We just end up distracting ourselves while we are trying to do all these things at once. Spreading ourselves way too thin. The people we admire most usually are good at a select few things. Of course its good to be well rounded, but thats no excuse not to be exceptional in a few areas. And anyone that has a passion for learning and is in good physical shape can obviously be well-rounded.

Focus, Concentrate. Don't water yourself down, or clog your mind with mindless chatter. Take control of your thoughts, and observe them from a different viewpoint. Notice them entering your mind, like clouds floating over the horizon. Then choose to entertain those thoughts, or select to move on to something else. Something more positive and worthwhile. Your mind is a garden to cultivate. Pull out the weeds of distraction and negativity.

Another thought - french fries and soda might be vegan foods, but that doesn't mean they are healthy. Just because something is lacking animal products doesn't mean that they are all right. I would stay away from cooked oils and cooked starches (fried potatoes) and the toxic cocktail of soda much more than I would stay away from a piece of fish. The former foods are pure man-made nastiness. I think eating flesh supports cruelty, and fish do have a great deal of stored toxins in their bodies now, but at least its more natural than drinking carbonic acid and corn syrup.

The lovely dish pictured above is a hemp-coconut-cacao soup decorated with bee pollen. Here's how you make it.

1 Thai coconut, purchased from health food stores or preferably an asian market. (support the smaller vendors) Use the water and the white "meat" inside.

1 tbsp of Agave Nectar, or Raw Honey, or Preferably Yacon Root Syrup.

1/4 cup of Hempseed

1/4 cup of cacao nibs

Blend blend blend....easy easy easy.

Throw a healthy pinch of bee pollen and some whole cacao beans on top for extra flare and a rich blend of amino acids. The taste of the pollen goes quite well with the cacao.

More to come...I'll talk about food more next time, and some exercise tips...I promise!

A Lifestyle of Pure Peace

A Lifestyle of Pure Peace

Peace is the child of Love. And when I realized that if I am to be a true practitioner of peace, I must extend it to all corners of my life. A since I practice my eating habits at least 3 times a day, this was something that had to be included.

I am completely against war and aggression. In the end, it will only bring more of the same. Wars cannot bring true peace. In the 20th Century and now still in the 21st Century, we have been shown this example. So if I am against violence and war and murder, how could I consciously support the extreme merciless violence against innocent animals?

As humans, shouldn't we have the compassion to see that killing innocent creatures and eating their flesh is somewhat wrong? Somehow grotesque and destructive? Especially since we have so many alternatives now, and that we are free from the bondage of our parent's culture?

And we are doing ourselves no favors by eating these animals. Before we become their tombs by eating their carcasses, they are drugged, fed horrible food, stressed beyond belief, then destroyed. And since we are what we eat, we consume all of that death and pain and fear. Not to mention all the toxins stored in their flesh from the food and drugs they are given.

Do we not love ourselves enough to nourish our bodies in the best possible way? Who fooled us into poisoning ourselves and supporting the death of millions of creatures everyday? Who? Is it not time for us to wake up from this nightmare and stop supporting this madness?

If you believe in PEACE, practice it on all levels. To pick and choose on what suits our habits is quite convenient, but when it comes to peace, we should be hardliners. Peace or War. Life or Death. Will you choose to eat death? Will you choose to eat cooked flesh? No matter how it is packaged, it has a history and that history is not pleasant. Love yourself enough to avoid this.

We are the Planet Earth. What is good for us, is good for the planet. When we eat a diet of living plant foods, we are promoting efficient resource use and peace towards all sentient beings on this planet. No chicken had its beak cut off to make my papaya-granola-blackberry breakfast. No veal calf was tied up in a box for a month to make my coconut smoothie.

Look deeper, and consciously act in a way that speaks of love and peace and life. Its one thing to be against war, but its completely another to live for pure peace. Would you eat your dog? In Korea and parts of China dogs are eaten. It is a part of the CULTURE. Same here...eating pigs and poultry and cows are a part of our CULTURE. FREE YOURSELF from the mindset you were raised in. Would you eat a dog? WHY NOT? Then why would you eat another animal? Spend days with a farm animal and you will realize that they are extremely sensitive and intelligent, especially pigs. (That is Ham and Bacon...to most of you out there). Would you eat dog bacon? Ask yourself - "Why do I believe the things that I believe?" Was it how you were raised? Old habits are hard to break, but once the truth is made clear, one cannot live happily against it.

The Rawmodel