Sick of feeling like crap, moody and no motivation to do anything? i was and i couldn't figure out why. Psychs put me on anti-depressants & the best dermos in nyc put me on serious acne medication (Accutane - the scary stuff that deforms unborn babies) Twice a week i'd get fancy state-of-the-art laser treatments at the dermo office and top notch facials at Haven Spa on Mercer. It took me about 6 years to figure out that this was not working for me. I was numb to everything and could not feel. And to make it worse, i was being turned away from modeling jobs: including a major job that i booked for L'OREAL. They literally called my agent and told me to leave the booking. i was 19 & devastated. This job was something a lot of girls, including myself, dreamed and worked really hard to get!
What was i doing wrong? Well, no one ever asks, "what are you eating?" In the meantime, i was eating nothing but sugar. That was the basis of my diet. Sugar and cigarettes. (i don't recommend it) I was moody, cranky, low-energy, depressed and had very low self-esteem. And my food was the last thing i was willing to look at.
My dermatologist, Dr. Cornbleet, in Chicago had a BIG glass bowl of 'Hershey Miniature Chocolates' on his desk. Every time i would visit his office - i would pick out all of the "Mr. Goodbars" He would say, "Yes, Yes, please help yourself!" He told me diet had NOTHING to do with my acne. And so, i became a VERY loyal patient with hopes of some improvement. And still, no significant changes.
I was willing to go to any lengths to have clear skin & more energy. i started to eat more "healthy" and realized that even the "healthy" packaged foods were loaded with refined sugar and stuff that you can't even pronounce. Even though it says it's "healthy," it's not. That was not working...
I was a lot more sensitive to food than i realized. I decided to take a look at my eating habits a little bit closer. About 2 years ago, i started incorporating green juice, raw organic fruits & vegetables & more water. The results were getting better day by day. And yes, this was probably one of the most challenging things I've ever done - cleaning up my eating habits. It was scary not to have sugar. I was in total withdraw and had to deal with a lot of emotions that alcohol & cigarettes had once covered up. When i couldn't deal, i would go back to the pizza & chocolate as a way to soothe and comfort myself. But as my system was getting cleaner, that stuff made me feel ill afterwards.
Long story short, i found there is no solution in crappy food. These past 2 years, i have made a lot of progress and i finally understand that phrase, "You are what you eat." It seems to be working for me beyond belief. My skin has never been this good. And now, i am looking and feeling more like a model than i ever had in my modeling days. Ha! In fact, i was waiting for the bus earlier today and a guy turned around to take a second look at me and hit his head on the side view mirror of the bus! ouch. watch it dude!
So, check it out - This is what i made for lunch today:
Tender Kale Salad
1 bunch of Kale (any kind - i used curly)
Pinch of Sea Salt (to desired taste)
Generous amount of Olive oil (and/or hemp oil for nutty flavor or flax oil for buttery flavor)
Handful of Dulse (sea vegetable, high in Iron and boosts flavor in everything. kind of like salty beef jerky without the beef.)
3-4 spoons of hemp seeds (the most nutritious seed in the world, 33% protein w/ Omega 3's)
1 Diced Avocado
4-6 Sun-dried tomatoes chopped (i like 'mediterranean organic' packed in olive oil)
1/3 cup chopped olives (i like kalamata. buy the pitted ones)
Wash and remove center stems of Kale. Rip leaves into small pieces or chop them. Massage kale with sea salt and olive oil. The oil & salt soften and tenderize the leaves. Massage is key. Tear Dulse strips into bite size pieces. Toss all your favorites in: i.e. avocado, hemp seeds, olives, tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, red peppers, cucumbers, chopped red cabbage, parsley, onions, sunflower seeds, pine nuts etc... super simple or deluxe. up to you.
You can find all of the ingredients listed above at Whole Foods or any health food store. So, come with your list and you'll know exactly what to get. FYI :: Some of these ingredients may be a bit more expensive than you're used to buying - yeah, i know. it was a shock for me too! BUT i am actually saving money this way. I have not gotten sick in 2 years and i don't have expensive doctor bills or prescriptions to fill anymore. Plus, i feel happier than ever before. This is a deal i can afford!
I know a lot of doctors which is nice because I never have to deal with the expensive medical bills. I do however have to deal with getting into arguments with them eating and health. They try to tell me that detoxes and cleanses don't medically do anything, but how I feel tells me otherwise. One doctor once told me it "was terrible" that I was a vegetarian because there was no way I could get the nutrition I need!
ReplyDeleteMy biggest problem with the current state of medicine is that they treat symptoms instead of causes. Here is a real example - I know someone who is morbidly obese, and as a result she has terrible back pain. I'd have back pain too if I had to carry around an extra 200 lbs all the time. The doctors give her ever increasing strengths of pain pills and recommend back surgery, but they never tell her to change her diet, exercise and lose weight.