24. June 2009 by admin.

I’ve finally admitted to myself that I have some food sensitivities, and have joined the ranks of people working to re-work the love triangle between mind, food and body.  Today, I’d like to simply throw out some tips that I have discovered, that have helped me avoid the dairy, yeast and eggs that have come up as questionable suspects in this journey.

I’d like to come back to this post, and comment, as I discover new helpful tips - however brief.  My hope is that by recording them here, in writing, they will be further solidified in my brain and in my life.  If you have tips that others could benefit from, please comment to this post.

Okay, here goes:

- Asian food - especially when going out to eat, I am finding the Asian food menus much less restrictive than those that feature cheeses and breads.

- Purely Decadent Coconut Milk Ice Creams - this non-dairy, soy free, coconut milk ice cream is incredible.  It’s available at Safeway (I’d guess New Seasons, too).  And although it is not cheap, it is worth every creamy, incredible bite.  I think I like it better than regular ice cream - no joke.

- Vegan cakes & pastries - I’ve tried some fantastic cakes recently - at New Seasons & Piece of Cake Bakery in Sellwood neighborhood of Portland: www.pieceofcakebakery.net.  I also heard that there’s a little vegan strip of businesses down on SE 12th & Stark, including Sweet Pea Bakery.

- Avodacos -are a fantastic substitute for the creamy & cheesy of the world, particularly in Mexican food.  I keep lots of avocados on hand & make guacamole often!

- Tortillas & flat bread make a nice yeast bread substitute.  The pita at Trader Joes’s is fluffy & wonderful.

- Having foods ready to eat is key.  I’m a mother of two, and many others in my house don’t share my dietary preferences.  So, I find that it’s worth it to have some convenience foods in easy reach, so that I’m tempted by something that will support my body, not work against my goals.  So, whether it’s a tub of cut-up fruit, a banana, chocolate covered almonds, frozen chinese dumplings, or candied ginger  - I need convenient treats!

- Large selection of teas - herbal, green & black.  A hot or cold cup of tea can be really satisfying.  When I want the milk-tea bit, I use Silk soy creamer, or non-fat, non-dairy Coffee Mate.  And I LOVE Portland’s own, Stash Tea - particularly Double Spiced Chai.   When I want to get really crazy, I make it DOUBLE strong! 

- Exploration of local beers can be replaced by exploration of local wines & spirits.  Of course, alcohol doesn’t really support a healthy body & mind…. but I’m going to take one step at a time, here.

- Coffee, both decaf and regular, are on the outs for me.  Don’t even get me started on this.  It’s another entry, or series of entries.  I’ll just say that it gives me a lot to think of regarding the subject of attachment.

- Focused blogs… two blogs you might check out: Dr. Amanda Anderson’s http://naturopathic.wordpress.com/ .  She’s my Naturopath & my partner in this food/body journey.  And, Chow Vegan: http://chowvegan.com.

I wish you a healthy tummy, heart and head!  Please let me know if you have ideas to share.

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1. June 2009 by admin.

I’ve woken up this morning with a new resolution… that is, to take the time to organize my email filters, so that not all my emails come up during my work day.  Some friends recently suggested this, when I asked about how to feel more organized and less distracted during the day.

Maybe I’m late to come to this realization, but it occurs to me that this is a good yoga practice.  In yoga, we work to train our minds to support us in our quest for happiness.  For me, getting emails from the many corners of my life throughout the day does not contribute to my sense of calm.  It may make me feel connected, to lots of people and things, but that doesn’t help me be 100% connected to what I’m doing in each moment.

So, I’m taking the extra minutes, to learn the filters in my email program.  Hoping that this small investment of time, will help me with the tapas, or discipline, of being present with whatever I’ve set my mind to in each moment.  I also want to have my calendar send me reminders of “to do’s,” but that might have to wait for another day.  I’m concentrating on this for now.

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