Day 14

THOUGHTS- I can't because....

Think about something that is really important to you. Something that you really want to acheive. Now think about what you're going to do to acheive it.

Now I'm not a psychic or anything but my bet is that the next thought to cross your mind is "I can't because..."

STOP IT!!! Without a doubt the thing you want to do is being done by someone else. Right? What makes them so much better than you? Determination? Luck? Looks? Nothing is unatainable if you want it badly enough.

I want to act and write. That's what excites me. I've always been told it hard and there is no money in it. There are so many other people trying to do it. You'll never make it. The last few years I just went about my way waiting for things to happen and blaming all sorts of things for why I wasn't making it in either of my passions. But now I'm back into it and making things happen. I wasn't getting roles in any film work so I wrote and produced a short film myself. There are people out there who are more than willing to help you out in your chosen feild all you need to do is find out how to do it.

We all know how to lose weight. Eat less excersise more. So why is there such an obesity epidemic? Because people make excuses. I would but....

Well no more. If you really want to be what you say you want to be then be it.

"Don't dream it, Be it," From the Rocky Horror soundtrack. Just the chorus the repetition of that line reminds me everytime I hear it that I need to be it and that's how dreams are reached.

My good friend Liana has a good motto when she is faced with a challenge she asks herself "What would Richard Branson do?" And clearly the answer is don't give up.

So don't give up. If it's just out of your reach stretch a little further and you will find the rewards are amazing.

CHALLENGES- Today I was out all day and under prepared. I also agreed to go out with some people which normally wouldn't have been a problem but they were new vegan friends and we were going to a vegan/vegetarian restaraunt. So of course they were getting heaps of food so that we could all try it. But unfortunately most of it is fried. :(

TRIUMPHS- Tried a few small peices of the food for work purposes so that I know what to reccomend to my own customers. I was so tempted to eat more but I resisted.

WHAT I ATE-

BREAKFAST- Last little bit of packaged Muesli that was in my cupboard, Rice Milk.

Multivitamins and iron tablet.

SNACKS- Mixed nuts and two buckwheat biscuits see yesterdays blog for recipe.

LUNCH- Salad- Cos lettuse, cucumber, snow peas, red onion, 1 shallot, chickpeas and quinoa.

dressing- Flaxseed oil and fresh squeezed lime juice.

SNACKS- 3 strawberries, 1 banana

DINNER- Tofu salad- block of tofu topped with lettuce and seaweed strips, nuts and onion and a soy and sesame oil dressing.

1 peice of spicy calamari and 2 peices of salt and pepper oyster.

Kuan Yin Tea house. Amazing Vegan Vegetarian restaurant.

http://maps.google.com.au/maps/place?hl=en&um=1&ie=UTF-8&q=kuan+yin+tea+house&fb=1&gl=au&hq=kuan+yin+tea+house&hnear=Brisbane+QLD&cid=10866087077276679639

Day 13

THOUGHTS-mmm Popcorn. I thought that there was some process to make popcorn kernels as they are and thus would eliminate them from my diet but upon researching it I have found that it actually grows like that on the cob.
Here is some wiki information on it.
Popcorn or popping corn (Zea mays everta, "corn turned inside out") is a type of corn which explodes from the kernel and puffs up when heated. Corn popping was originally discovered by Native Americans, but became popular as a snack food during the United States Great Depression, especially in movie theaters.Corn is able to pop because, unlike other grains, its kernels have a hard moisture-sealed hull and a dense starchy filling. This allows pressure to build inside the kernel until an explosive "pop" results. Some strains of corn are now cultivated specifically as popping corns.There are many techniques for popping corn. Commercial large-scale popcorn machines were invented by Charles Cretors in the late 19th Century. Many types of small-scale home methods for popping corn also exist, with the most popular in the USA being prepackaged microwavable popcorn.[1]As a snack food, popcorn has both advocates and detractors. Some consider it to be a health food, while others caution against it for a variety of reasons. Popcorn can also have non-food applications, ranging from holiday decorations to packaging materials.
CHALLENGES-Not being able to melt margarine and cover my popcorn with salt.
TRIUMPHS- Created a spic dressing for my popcorn instead and it tasted good.
WHAT I ATE-
BREAKFAST- 4 small buckwheat, soy milk and cinamon pancakes. Left over batter from last night. Covered in rice malt syrup.
SNACK- Mixed nuts
LUNCH- Salad- Chickpeas, avocado, shallot, lettuce and cucumber.
Dressing- Flaxseed oil, dijon mustard, lemon juice and garlic.
SNACK- Air popped popcorn. Tsp canola oil. Coriander powder, oregano powder, tumeric powder and cumin powder. Mix oil and spices together and pour over popcorn.
DINNER- Left over adzuki pasta bolognaise.
DESSERT- Buckwheat biscuit.
Buckwheat flour, oats, soy milk, dessicated coconut and flaked almonds.
Preheat oven to 220 degrees.
Mix together in a bowl.
Line tray with baking paper.
Using a spoon spoon mixture on to baking paper.
Cook until golden brown.
EXCERSICE- Walking to and from the train station.

Day 12

THOUGHTS-
I have a few thoughts to share today. I have been very set in my ways for a long time and if I find a food I like that's all I'll eat. I don't generally try new things but starting the earth diet means that I need to find new flavours and make myself try things that I never used to like in different ways. So I am starting a "Bean of the Week" theme. Since starting at my new job I have discovered that there are so many varieties of beans that I have never tried before so this week it is the "Adzuki bean."The following is a bit about it's health benefitsAdzuki beans are a good source of magnesium, potassium, iron, zinc copper, manganese and B vitamins. As a high-potassium, low-sodium food they can help reduce blood pressure and act as a natural diuretic. When combined with grains, beans supply high quality protein, which provides a healthy alternative to meat or other animal protein. Like most beans, adzuki beans are rich in soluble fibre. This type of fibre provides bulk to the stool and binds to toxins and cholesterol aiding in their elimination from the body. In Japan adzuki beans are known for their healing properties and are used to support kidney and bladder function. Gillian McKeith is a huge fan of the adzuki bean and refers to it as the 'weight loss' bean as it low in calories and fat but high in nutrientshttp://www.knowingfood.com/nutri/adkinfo.htmlMy second thought is that the home grown lettuce and basil I had today were amazing. The lettuce my dad grew but the basil it could have been the worst couple of basil leaves in the world but just knowing that I planted a seed a few weeks ago and now I have this food that I can eat feels great. It's also cutting out the middle men that are part of food production. The farmer, his machines, the transport to the shop and then the transport home. Plus it really does taste good. Better for me and better for the environment. If I wasn't renting I would have the biggest veggie garden.My third thought is in two parts. Today I had pasta and tinned tomatoes. These are not earth diet foods I know. But with pay day a few days away the cupboard was pretty bare. So Firstly pasta-Eating a lot of white pasta will also raise your blood’s levels of the bad LDL cholesterol. This in turn can lead to heart disease, narrowing of, or blockages in the arteries, which can lead to thrombosis (blood clots) and high blood pressure. High blood pressure is a known cause of strokes as well as a plethora of other health problems that need a medical encyclopaedia to do justice to!Thrombosis can lead to heart attacks if blood clots are allowed to form in the arteries and veins that subsequently become mobile in the bloodstream and find their way into the heart muscles.As you can see, there are plenty of very good reasons for excluding this type of pasta from your diet, or at least cutting it down to an infrequent treat. But it’s not all bad news, as there are alternatives to this staple foodstuff of many households.http://hubpages.com/hub/why-white-pasta-is-bad-for-youCanned foods- There is not alot of articles that say that canned food is bad for you. Most simply stated that canned veggies are better than candy. But we all know that fresh is best. Plus if you can avoid all the unessesary packaging and labour and machinary that goes into making one tin of food the planet will love you for it.So I am still making the transition and do have a few things left in the cupboard so until I can afford replacements for all of them there may be an item or two not fitting the Earth Diet requirement but by the end of next week it will be all in. :)CHALLENGES- Really hungry in the evening today. Couldn't help eating more than I had planned.TRIUMPHS- Stayed away from the majority of the bad stuff.WHAT I ATE-BREAKFAST- Mae's Medicine- Carrot, celery, beetroot, lettuce, ginger, cucumber.Tropical smoothie- Banana, soy milk, dessicated coconut and flaxseed meal. Place all ingredients in blender.LUNCH- Salad with slightly asian twist- Daddy's home grown lettuce. Cucumber, shallot, onion capsicum, avocado, sesame seeds, adzuki beans.Dressing- Flaxseed oil, garlic, soy sauce.SNACKS- Apple, mixed nuts and fresh watermelon and grape juice.DINNER- Pasta- Adzuki beans, tinned whole tomatoes, 2 garlic cloves, some onion, capsicum, shallot, my home grown basil. Canola oil.3 small buckwheat piklets- buckwheat flour, soy milk, cinnamon, cooked in canola oil. Topped with rice malt syrup.Glass rice milkQuinoa and chickpeas.

Day 11

THOUGHTS- VEGANISM
So far I have just been touching on individual foods that I have been eating and their benefits but now I'd like to say a little something about the foods I have given up.
I am a Vegan. In some peoples eyes this means that I am weird, hippy, backwards and not respecting the food chain. Whatever others think doesn't matter. But the word respect seems to come up in one persons argument a little. That I don't respect the food chain. What is this? The food chain is an idea that some people came up with and put on paper. How about respecting our planet and the animals that share it with us. My original switch to veganism was purely for the rights of the animals. I am an animal lover and it was when I made the connection that the animals I loved were the very same animals I was eating that made me cease the consumption of animal products. But as time goes on and now I work in a Vegan retail shop and spend more time with vegans I learn more and more reasons why being a vegan is a positive thing.
- There is less impact on the environment.
- There are plenty of health benifits
- Vegans are less likely to be obese
- Animal rights
I will touch more on each of these topics in future blogs.
So what is a vegan? You might still be wondering. A vegan is someone who does not consume any animal products. This includes- meat, fish, eggs, dairy products and honey. They also do not wear leather, fur or wool. There are many different levels to veganism. Some will not consume products that may contain traces of these products but that comes down to personal choice. But the basics of Veganism will always be the same.
CHALLENGES- Heading to the end of the week and running low on good foods. And there are tempting non earthy foods in the cupboard screaming out my name.
TRIUMPHS- Resisting the temptation and planning out the next few days worth of meals with what I have left.
WHAT I ATE-
BREAKFAST- Mae's Magic Medicine- Beetroot, celery, lettuce, ginger, cucumber juice.
Veggie Fritter- Red onion, red capsicum, mushroom, shallot, carrot, snow peas, garlic, chickpeas, buckwheat flour, soy milk and olive oil.
Dice all vegetables finely, mash chickpeas mix together add flour and soy milk until all ingredients blended together. Cook in a little bit of olive oil.
LUNCH- Chickpea curry- Chickpeas, capsicum, onion, carrot, pumpkin, minced ginger, garlic clove, corriander powder, cumin powder, cardamon powder, chilli powder, soy milk. Cook together in a frypan.
With Brown rice.
SNACK- Handful pistachios, Handful of grapes, fresh squeezed watermelon and lime juice.
DINNER- Veggie stir fry with Quinoa- Capsicum, Mushroom, shallot, Onion, Garlic, ginger, snowpeas. Tamari, sesame seeds, canola oil.
Chop all veggies into stir fry strips. Brown garlic and ginger with onion and capsicum and a little oil. Then add other veggies and sauce and lightly fry to you liking. Serve on bed of Quinoa.
EXCERCISE- Walking too and from the train station.

Day 10

THOUGHTS- I love mushrooms. I think they're amazing and lately I haven't been having too many I have been getting my protein from processed packaged veggie sausages and schnitzel. I am at the end of what I brought shopping this week and I am sad to see that I am almost out of mushrooms. I love their tatse and texture and there is so much you can do with them. They are great for breakfast, on salads for lunch or in stir fry for dinner. The all day protein and they taste great. In doing some research into them I found the following information.
This research is just the beginning of what is sure to be an exciting journey into a fuller understanding of mushrooms and your health!Minerals in Mushrooms. The focus on the nutritional value of brightly colored fruits and vegetables has unintentionally left mushrooms in the dark. Mushrooms provide a similar number of nutrients as brightly colored fruits and vegetables.Selenium is a mineral that works as an antioxidant to protect body cells from damage that might lead to heart disease, some cancers and other diseases of aging5. It also has been found to be important for the immune system and fertility in men6. Many foods of animal origin and grains are good sources of selenium, but mushrooms are among the richest sources of selenium in the produce aisle and provide 8-22 mcg per serving1. This is good news for vegetarians, whose sources of selenium are limited.Ergothioneine is a naturally occurring antioxidant that also may help protect the body’s cells. Mushrooms provide 2.8-4.9 mg of ergothioneine per serving of white, Portabella or crimini mushrooms7.Copper helps make red blood cells, which carry oxygen throughout the body. Copper also helps keep bones and nerves healthy1,2,5.Potassium is an important mineral many people do not get enough of. It aids in the maintenance of normal fluid and mineral balance, which helps control blood pressure. It also plays a role in making sure nerves and muscles, including the heart, function properly. Mushrooms have 267- 407 mg of potassium per serving, which is 9 percent of the Daily Value 1,2,5,8.Vitamins in Mushrooms. Mushrooms are one of the few natural sources of vitamin D, which is essential for healthy bones and teeth. One serving of 4-5 mushrooms provides 15 IU of this important nutrient, which many people do not get enough of1,2. Factors affecting your vitamin D intake include your age, skin color, where you live and whether you use sunscreen or not8,9,11. Mushrooms are also a good source of the B vitamins riboflavin (B2), niacin (B3) and pantothenic acid (B5). These vitamins help break down proteins, fats and carbohydrates so they can be used for energy1,5. Mushrooms can be an important source of B-vitamins for people who don’t eat meat. One serving of crimini mushrooms provides nearly one-quarter of the Daily Value for riboflavin, and mushrooms are one of the best plant-based sources of niacin around1,2.Pantothenic acid helps with the production of hormones and also plays an important role in the nervous system5.Riboflavin helps maintain healthy red blood cells5.Niacin promotes healthy skin and makes sure the digestive and nervous systems function properly5.References1 U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. 2006. USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 20. Nutrient Data Laboratory Home Page, http://www.ars.usda.gov/ba/bhnrc/ndl2 U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Center for Food Safety & Applied Nutrition. A Food Labeling Guide. September, 1994 (Editorial revisions, June, 1999) http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/flg-toc.html3 Chang R. Functional Properties of Edible Mushrooms. Nutrition Reviews. 1996; 54:91-934 Borchers AT, et al. Mushrooms, Tumors, and Immunity: An Update. Experimental Biology and Medicine, 2004:393-406.5 Duyff, R. American Dietetic Association's Complete Food and Nutrition Guide. Third addition. Wiley & Sons. NJ. 2006.6 National Institutes of Health. Medline Plus. www.nlm.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/002414.htm7 Dubost, N. J., et al. (2006). Identification and quantification of ergothioneine in cultivated mushrooms by liquid chromatography-mass spectroscopy. International Journal of Medicinal Mushrooms, 8, 215-22.8 U.S. Department of Agriculture and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2005. Chapter 2. http://www.health.gov/dietaryguidelines/dga2005/document/html/chapter2.htm
Full of plenty of nutrients. And with so many different types of mushrooms the flavour will never be boring. Shitake, Oyster, Enoki, Cremini and Portobello. All delicious and all with their own flavours.
CHALLENGES- Getting to the theatre and realising there was no microwave for the corn I had brought along.
TRUIMPHS- Boiling the kettle and pouring it into the container with the corn and cooking it that way.
WHAT I ATE-
BREAKFAST-Mae's Medicine- Beetroot, Carrot, Celery, Ginger, Spinach and cucumber juice.
Tofu, Spinach and Mushroom. Cooked in a non stick pan with sprinkle of olive oil and a small amount of Tamari in the mushrooms.
Fresh Grape and Apple Juice
LUNCH- Salad- Lettuce, cucumber, sprouts, red capsicum, red onion, 1 shallot, 1/4 avocado, tablespoon each of toasted pine nuts and almond slivers
Dressing- olive oil, sesame oil, grushed garlic and soy sauce.
SNACKS- Banana.
Watermelon juice
Organic dairy free dark chocolate with white mint chips
Mixed nuts- Walnuts, cashews, brazil nuts and almonds
1 peice of extra 5 gum
DINNER-(at rehearsal) 1/2 avocado
1/2 corn cob
6 snowpeas
(After rehearsal) Small amount of chickpea curry made up for tomorrows lunch. (Recipe tomorrow)
Glass of Rice Milk
EXCERCISE- Warm ups at rehearsal

Day 9

THOUGHTS- Today I realised things taste different. Things like salad and vegetables that the old me would have turned my nose up at I am finding myself craving and things that I would normally love to eat I am finding difficult to bring myself around to it. It's unual for me to feel like this so early on. Normally I'll do a detox and at least until day 10 I am still craving things like mad. I suppose this time I haven't gone a complete stop on everything. I am weaning off things one at a time insetad of all the nasties at once. I am now 9 days without deep fried food, bread, caffeine and carbonated drinks. I'm 3 days without alcohol. My body is responding so much better to this diet than I ever would have thought. I kept putting it off because I didn't think I could do it. So many other things that I have been putting off as well I have started doing. I am writing a novel. Yes that's right. Me Carolyn Wagner am writing a novel. I have been working on this one for 8 years now and this year it is going to be complete. I never have the time. That's been my excuse for God knows how long now. But yet I was able to master Farmville and yoVille and Vampire Wars and any other facebook application I could find to fill the time. I wasted hours on these. Last night I had my final realisation of one of my biggest time wasters. TRAFFIC. I spend an hour and a half every morning and and hour and a half every evening in traffic to and from work. It stresses me out. Wastes my time and is sure not good for the environment. So today I caught the train. I have only done this once since I have had a car. I had to drive 15 minutes to the station but once I was on the train I pulled out my laptop and added 1497 words to my novel in the hour long train trip. Then I walked 15 minutes to work. I spent the same amount of time. Saved 0.013 tonnes of carbon emissions. And the cost was about the same. The boss noticed the difference when I got to work. She had given me Monday off because I was looking run down. She comments on my lunch every day and sayd how healty and yummy it looks and she is an acredited dietitian. She also agreed that catching the train has lowered my amount of stress and she's right. In just the one day not having to sit through all the garbage on the roads on the way to and from work I was so much more relaxed. I also now have found that time to spend on something that I enjoy doing. Even if you can't catch the train everywhere you should catch it when you can. It's definately making me happier and I know mother earth is feeling better about it as well.
Had some aloe vera juice today and here are some of the benefits-
The health benefits of aloe vera taken internally include: improved circulation, regulation of blood pressure, promotes healing of bones and joints, strengthens the immune system, defends the body against bacteria, heals internal tissue damage, heals ulcers, improves and even eliminates constipation, blood sugar regulation, and reduces itchiness in psoriasis helping it to heal.
http://www.americanchronicle.com/articles/view/29154
Check out the entire article if you would like to read more.
CHALLENGES- Eating chocolate. I tried to eat some chocolate today and couldn't do it. It tasted so bad. Also not going home for dinner and eating out not having anything prepared.
TRIUMPHS- Ordering as healthy as I could from my favourite restaurant when all I wanted to do was eat all the tasty things.
WHAT I ATE-
BREAKFAST- Amaranth, sliced banana and Rice Milk. Water with lemon juice and multivitamins and iron. Mae's Magic medicine- Beetroot, carrot, ginger, celery, spinach.
SNACK- Mixed raw nuts
LUNCH- Salad- Chickpeas, sprouts, 1/4 Avocado, cherry tomatoes, lettuce, spinach, red onion, red capsicum, shallot.
Dressing- flaxseed oil, garlic, dijon mustard and lemon juice.
1 peice of choc. YUK.
Couple of grapes to take away the chocolate taste.
DINNER- At Loving Hut- Vegetable rice paper rolls with soy saucea and an aloe vera juice.
http://mtgravatt.lovinghut.com.au/ My favourite restaurant check it out. Everything is totally vegan. But even if you're not vegan the food is amazing. My ex used to like it and he is not even vegetarian.
EXCERCISE- Walking 30 mins to and from the train station. (15 each way) Plus yoga stretches at work

Day 8

THOUGHTS- HANGOVERS. Last night I took a step away from the Earth Diet and consumed way too much alcohol for my body to control. And this morning I have the mother of all hangovers. I was shaking, pale, my head was pounding and I lost count of how many times I threw up. I was throwing up bile. Which is never a good thing. It's yellow and foamy and smells bad. And the more it comes up everytime I smelt it I threw up again. What a vicious cycle.Bile is produced by the Liver to help break down the fats in foods and to be throwing it up as soon as I woke up meant that I had been throwing up through the night to an extent that my stomach was empty. I had been given a long weekend by work to rest up and I lost an entire day. I was unable to get up off my friends couch until 3pm that afternoon. What did I gain? Nothing really. I had a fun night.... I think. So I was told anyway. Why do we drink? Here's why we shouldn't drink.HEALTH STATUSDrinking heavily over a long period of time can cause harm to a person's brain and liver functioning and contribute to depression, relationship difficulties and hence quality of life. It can also increase the risk of developing cancer, cirrhosis of the liver, cognitive problems, dementia and alcohol dependence (NHMRC 2001).High risk consumption of alcohol is strongly associated with oral, throat and oesophageal cancer (AIHW 2005a).Drinking alcohol increases the risk of breast cancer among females (Ridolfo and Stevenson, 1998).In 2004-05, 16% of males with risky/high risk levels of alcohol consumption reported having hypertension, compared with 13% males with low alcohol consumption levels (after adjusting for age differences).Of those who drank at risky/high risk levels, more people reported high/very high psychological distress compared with those who drank at low risk levels. Those most affected were in the age group 18-24 years, women more so than men (footnote 6).See- http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/mf/4832.0.55.001/for more information.So in my "groups" I am the drinking champion, piss head, chucky. When I arrived last night someone was unable to reckognise me because I wasn't sumbling and slurring. That's not a cool image in the slightest. In a months time I do have a party planned but I am pretty sure until then I won't touch the stuff and perhaps even that night I will have the will to refrain from it. I had a miserable day and would not look forward to repeating it. With all the healthy earthy foods I have been consuming the first two drinks went straight to my head. So now I am on a mission to find alochol free events. I have got a role in a theatre show which I managed to drag myself to rehearsal at 6pm. So that will take up some nights and I'm going to start hanging out with people who don't drink so much. Which isn't too hard in the vegan world as most beers and wines are not vegan. Yes that's correct most of the beer and wine you drink are filtered through fish bladders, egg or dairy products. For more information check out.http://www.vegsoc.org.au/forum_messages.asp?Thread_ID=11105&Topic_ID=1So Carolyn is not drinking tonight or the next night. Nor many more nights to come. Alcohol is a want. We do not need to drink it. But after such a long running relationship We will be taking it step at a time. There is still one bottle of vodka in the house which is still allowed consumption as part of the clean out phase. But do I need it no. I have also heard some wines are earthy. But these should be drunk at a glass a night and not two bottles worth like the old me. Come on this journey with me and learn who you really are without the drink in your hand. You might find people like you better without it. And really only have you around to laugh at when you get too drunk. Plus your body will thank you.CHALLENGES- Everything. Today everything was a challenge and no one to blame but me.TRIUMPHS- When I am usually cured by greasy take away chips I had fruit and oven baked foods.WHAT I ATE-BREAKFAST- A few grapes- Threw them upWater- threw that upsips of apple juice- threw that upLUNCH- A few grapes finally stayed down at 2pm.1 1/2 potatoes oven baked in olive oil cut in chip shapesSNACK- 1/2 avocadoDINNER- Spaghetti with Bar-B-Q sauce.1 house of Biskotta biscuit- Last in the packet. No more packaged bicuits.EXCERCISE- None.