Spring or Summer?!

                        Watermelon, ginger, lime juice

I remembered talking about setting goals for the new year but I never had the chance to share my little project. It has been a bit crazy lately, too much to do, not much time and can't believe April is for soon!

We are heading of to England in a week, still getting some things organized. I hope you are all well, miss you guys ☺
So, Spring or Summer I don't know anymore?! The temperature is getting quiet high over here and local Watermelon is already in the markets! Yay!!! and I have been juicing it plenty.



Orange Blooms
Shortly after we started our little garden, we planted an orange tree and here are the spring blooms. The garden has been neglected too, the frequent sand storms didn't help. Riyadh is hit often by monsters of sand, if you want a real demo click here. When one of these pass by the city, every little corner is filled with a sandy powder, beds, closets, curtains, drawers...It's a sand nightmare!

Our 1st Tomatoe harvest. Premature?!I know! We couldn't wait anymore☺

Carrot Ginger Juice

Daily juicing has been a real treat with lots of orange and carrot in the morning

Lots of fruits including watermelon and honeydew, Miam!Miam!

Strawberries flavored water

I was glad to get this great pitcher, perfect for this purpose. The fruits, vegetables and spices are placed  in the tube, flavors are released in the water without residu. How cool is that?!

Lemon, cucumber, radish water

Spring Salad
 1 cucumber, 1 tomatoe, 1 red pepper,1 radish, 1 small red oinion.
 1tbs organic olive oil, 2tbs lemon juice, pinch of ginger, oregano and sea salt.

Heroes room

Spring calls always for cleaning. Despite sand storms, I managed to get some decluttering done. I still have unnecessary stuff to give away and some corners to rearrange. It seems like there is always more to do when you think you are done!

Like this corner!

After meditating on my new year resolutions. The one goal that I decided to work on this year is physical stamina. My physical activities were limited to swimming,  Bodybalance and an occasionnal run. I started KickBo few weeks back and joined a BellyDance class which starts in April.

The sweet sweaty jumps

The trainer is really funny, he was telling me how most women start training with small punchs but once they start to feel/be stronger, they wanna basically kick his butt and he is scared ☺  

This guy can knock out a bull

Curious Goerge

The Beautiful ChocolateOrchid surprised me with this beautiful award. Thank you so much♥

Rules for this award

Link back the award to the blogger who gave it to you

List 7 Things about Yourself

Pass it on to 15 Beautiful Bloggers

I am spiritual Neat Freak I love Indian/Asian Furnitures I drink 3 litres of water per day
I eat 1 Large Salad a day for lunch I pray 5 times a day I Floss Everyday.
I am happy to give this award to everyone. I will be back from England in mid April. Stay healthy Beautifuls.
Ps: Posting more on the holistic tools next month.

Chromotherapy

Altearah Organic Chromotherapy

When conventional Medicine failed tremendously to cure my unwellness, I turned to the holistic Medicine.

Back in 2006, as mentionned in a previous post,. Feeling drained and depressed, I started to see a Pranic Healer who was a naturopathic doctor as well, the type of doctor I needed. The Holistic Medicine had just started to spread in the Middle East and The clinic was already packed. Conventional doctors and medicines didn't help in my case, they actually made me feel worse but that's another story.

The powerful post by Bitt was the kick needed for me to share the major healing tool I have been using to bring more awarness to my spirit, stillness to my mind and more energy to my body. I will be sharing more of my holistic tools (if I see an interest in the subject through your comments☺). I feel greater today because of a number of quantum practises combined with a clean diet and sunshine.

My Chromotherapy

Also called Color therapy is the therapy that marked the begining of my healing process. I still apply some of the colour oils and perfumes on certain days. The colour oils, essences and salts are used on the skin and applied on the chakras.

Yellow for joyfulness

Organs: Gallbladder, Stomach, Intestines, Skin

The Yellow frequency is used to restore cheerfulness in sad people. It helps us realise how deep is the effect of our relationship to our emotions. Combined with other colours, the mind breaks free from patterns, fears and addictions. If I wake up with a pessimistic attitude, I would apply some yellow on the solar plexus in a circular motion clockwise, then I would  breath the oil, smell it deeply and let the yellow get absorbed by my senses. It is very important to imagine an image that represents the yellow. It could be the sun or a sunflower, which I think is an ideal visualization. the yellow represents the light and joy. The number of applications and colours depend on the intensity of the pain. They have a balancing effect on the body/mind. Each colour has a specific gorgeous smell and should be applied on a specific area. the chakras spins mostly. Different combinations are given to treat different things.

Royale Purple for Structure, Cosmos, Ancestors,Earth

Organs: Bones, vertebral column, ligaments

The Royale Purple frequency evokes earth. It is related to everything concerning ancestry and family. This colour is the energetic frame work of th entire vibratory system. It is prescribed as a starter in every therapy.

How it works?

Colour is written into the physical body by DNA.It is one of the most personal aspects of being. The human body can therefore be "read" as chromatic frequencies, or color wavelengths.Our genetic make-up gives us a coding system (with the colors in place) which bestows us with talents or difficulties.This chromatic architecture is expressed by natural aptitudes and a number of patent imbalances. Those imbalances represent that part of us which is the hardest to come in terms with, yet their existence I believe is the best means of personal development we can have.

Turquoise for Pacification and stillness

Organs: Heart, Brain

The Turquoise frequency is the colour of pacification.It helps to soothe and detach the mind.  Combined with Royal purple and Indigo, it helped me cure insomnia, which was mainly manifested by great tiredness. The inductive image of this frequency is the Sea, a lagoon or a beach. I still apply it some evenings. Massaging a few drops on the throat chakra helps the mind to shutdown and make your sleep better.

Depending on our codes, our bodies contain all the colours in differing degrees of intensity. The body is a huge field of resonance for these frenquencies.  Every single one of our cells vibrate at a frequency rate which is now scientifically measured at around one or two megahertz. A liver cell does not vibrate on the same frequency as a brain cell. How cool is that?!

Red for daily life, vital energy

Organs: Venous system

The Red manifestes the vital energy, this color acts directly on the production of adrenalin, combined with other colors, It helped me reactivate my vitality and I am not using it anymore. 

Miracles Through Pranic Healing by Master Chao Kok Sui is an excellent book to research the topic.

 Life is very busy right now, I will be back soon, with some food and fitness. Stay tuned ♥

Reference: Colour Perfumes. Perfumes for Health by Daniel Briez.

Juicy Interrupted

800 ml each

My juice adventure got interrupted after a day and a half, a need to chew seemed to be vital. I might need to check myself into a detox retreat to make it last longer?! I realize that I need a certain energy around to be able to go without chewing and crunching. The motivation, the spring breeze,the timing, the desire...were all there. What was missing to make the liquid fast last longer for me is the space...Fasting of any kind comes with some demands like extra time for the self, sleeping when needed or felt.not having kitchen responsabilities....or any responsability.

I used to love  Spa of embarrassing illnesses show, and was seduced by the idea to check in for an intensive detox programme where the fast experience is the whole purpose of the day. I managed through time to drink real juice daily and make it a habit and I might just enjoy this for now before taking it to the next level...

The first day I prepared the juice above early morning and had each bottle as a filling meal☻

Grapefruit

Cucumber, parsley, spinach, ginger, lemon, Fuji apple

Carrot and ginger

By 4 pm my mind already was out of it, a stormy wave of hunger came and went by. I had tea and flavored prune water. I didn't feel (already) like any green juice. I managed to get down some orange. had another peppermint tea and was in bed by 9 pm.

The next day, by 11 am, I broke this impressive fast with aloe vera cubes☺ and mint/lime water

Prickly Pears 

The most interesting hunt this week were this beauties above. I was delighted to bring them back home. They remind me of my childhood.

Simply deliciously scooped with a spoon

I hope my little update will find you all well and happy. The hippie house is in the middle of lots of to do list and my favorite line in this list is our march vacation plan, we will be visiting my sister☺

  

She is waiting for us..I am missing her lots☻

xOxO

Sunshine Award

I received this Sunshine Award from the Lovely Bitt ♥♥♥ much appreciation

♥♥♥Thank you very much♥♥♥

This award is easy peasy. All you need to do is give it to 12 other bloggers who bring you sunshine! And link back to the person who gave it to you.

Many blogs brings sunshine around  ♥ some of you received this award already♥

 I am passing it to

Integral Dynamic and The Healthy Plate

Yoga Addicted

 Aimee's Nasty Fruit Blog

ChocolateOrchid

Girl on Raw

Isle Dance

Rawkstar Diaries

Fresh Local and Best

C'est La Vie

Vert ma Nature

Antony In London

Annies's Kitchen Garden

Light and Sunshine back to you all

♥xOxO♥

The Valentine Arabian Gift Away Winner

Spinach, tomatoe, lettuce,red pepper, green olives, dried raisins

Sesame oil/ lemon/ginger dressing

Thank you all for entering The valentine Arabian gift-away, wishing you all lots of LOVE in its biggest dimensions. The winner iiiissss Hihorosie. Please send me an email with the mailing address. Happy Valentine! If I could send the same gift to everyone who left a comment I really would...thank you all.

I have been making lots of salads, drinking flavored water, carrot/ginger juice, apple/lemon, pineapple/orange juices. Teas with stevia.Green soup. 

Snacked on apples, dried prunes, bananas. Dinner is the usual cooked food moment for me. I steamed cauliflower, brocoli,carrot, green peas, bok choy with garlic, sweet potatoe /carrot soup. I am increasing the lemon and ginger intake. My last days looked something like this:

Morning:

 Flavored water. Cucumber/carrot/mint or Stawberries/lemon or Dried prunes

Wheatgrass shot or Lemon/ginger shot

Flavored water

Big glass Carrot/ginger or Carrot/ginger/cucumber juice with msm

Flavored water. raw vitamins.

Lunch:

Large Salad, green soup, water

Snack:

Apples or prunes, bananas or berries, baby carrots, 70% cacao chocolate, dates or figs

or green smoothies with spirulina and bee pollen

Herbal Tea with stevia

Flavored water

Dinner:

Steamed vegetables with coriander, or parsley,soup or sautee or brown/wild rice/ or millet with Grilled salmon or white fish.

one Chocolate & Tea with raw black seed honey.

Detox rituals:

dry skin brushing, contraste shower or salt bath with lavender, sun salutations and sunshine.

I also juiced beet, lemon and dark greens and put some in ice trays, to freeze. I always freeze citrus in the summer but never experimented with other juices. I always drink my juice right away, oxidation happens quickly, depending on the temperature and the container but usually within 30 minutes the juice is good for the sink.

 Freezing some hard core vegetables to dilute with water is a way to ensure having juice at any moment of the day. I personaly find the juicing process all worth it but sometimes my days looks like a tornado and this is when I will need the forozen cubes..

I am also getting take away juice. the cup is orange. The litre is pineapple, mango, orange. The place is 2 minutes away from our home.Plastic containers, no green juice but it's still practical.

Stay tuned

Peace, love and juice

xOxO

My Raw Story

Everyone has a story, raw or not! I feel the need now to share my rawfood story. Watching a downloaded Avatar☺ made me think about the connection issue. The subject seems to pop everywhere. I feel now connected enough to talk about how I got into this raw train. I didn't imagine that I had (at any point) to moderate the comments. We live in a kind and hurtful world and that's what make, people like me have difficulties to share. stories. I am not into labels and I hate don't like politics, I am just an ordinary mother searching for the optimum wellness, physicaly, emotionaly and spiritualy. I am not a rawfoodist or a cookedfoodist. I can be a monomealer for a day or two because it feels good...I enjoy grilled salmon and goat cheeese and over the years my carnivore persona is not as present. I have a daily high raw intake and enjoy a cooked dish for dinner. 

I  grew up on the mediteranean way of eating, what they called few years back the mediteranean diet. no junk food and even the most heavy meals are quiet healthy.

 Enlarge

In 2001 I moved to the Middle East to share my life with my best friend and husband. The family food gatherings in the Middle East are massive and I realised that how much those peeps eat, mediteraneans eat like birds if we have to compare them with orientals.

 In 2002 I was pregnant with my first boy, and both were voracious! being pregnant was the excuse to binge on oriental foods, explore junk food and discover new flavors and dishes. I never thought of my food choices before so I wasn't really the right timing for me to think this way. I was healthy and pregnant, so why care?!

In 2003 I had my second boy...and another c-section.

So, two pregnancies later, in two years, two c-sections later, breastfeeding, changing eating habits, moving countries..and the usual stress.left me drained at all levels.

2006  Feeling drained and depressed

2010 Everyone thinks they are twins ;-)

I started to look for ways to get well. I started searching the web, I went back to the gym, discovered bodybalance/Taichi and was hooked.
 My  trainer recommended Life force energy and the raw food detox diet. My outlook on the food as nourishment versus stuffing was finally bright clear to me. My eating habits started to change, with the occasional "falling of the wagon". I liked the simplistic approach of Natalia Rose, I joined online communities and I found lots of motivation to stay on track, to make better choices when it comes to nourishing the body.  I discovered pranic healing and understood that whatever you nourish your body, you nourish your soul as well. I had to eat  the foods for good mood...
It was up to me to make the choice, I started craving salads over pizza and felt Ok but not so well. Something was wrong...
 Sometimes no matter what the decision you make, with all your free will. The divine power decides for you. I found myself sitting in the balcony crying because I was pregnant for the third time. I was so drained and couldn't believe what was waiting for me. I sat quietly in the balcony and decided that it was a gift and there were no reason to cry. I woke up the next day ecstatic, full of joy. I continued to eat plenty of raw foods, juicing everyday, walking, got into green smoothies,yoga, chakra healing., It became a passion...
I blamed all my unwellness on the pregnancy.I thought I finally knew what was wrong.
Something was wrong...
while starting the pregnancy check ups, the result from my first gynecological check up came back with some bad results...I had  CIN3, I was 4 months pregnant and had an emegency surgery to remove the bad cells. or the choice was to wait till I deliver with a 98% chance to have cancer any minute of the day or night. The emergency surgey went well for both of us. I kept having a high intake of raw and carried this hero of mine. He was born healthy in jan 2008

"I am not disciplined when it comes to do the necessary medical check ups. If I wasn't pregnant and had to do this tests as part of the pregnancy routine,I would have never gone to do them"
Lesson learned: Do all the necessary tests on time or pray for a miracle to come save you.

2009 Hero of mine

This is when the big questions started to flow in my head, I made it a promise to him to be healthy and look always for optimal wellness.

A year after the delivery, I had a major vitamin D deficency, it took several visits to the doctors to discover the reason for my symptoms. We were living on the beach, sunbathing every week end!! walking under the sun every day!?! The theory was that my hero above took it all for himself!!?

The same year, after constant pain, I landed on the colonoscopy table and disovered that I had a nervous colon, After that I got into Louise Hay holistic explanation of the physical symptoms. the colon pain would never come back, as long as I keep my  eating simple with smart combinations. no stress or harsh spices.

Lecons learned: Check your vitamin D, Take vitamin D, sunshine or not

The colon is a thinking brain, take care of it ;-)

 I feel grateful today for all the people I have met, that led me to this path, without them I would have not made all this discoveries about the vibrational aspect of rawfoods and the healing powers of greens, fresh fruits and vegetables. I am still enjoying the ride and working my way up for a better health and wellness.

Thank's for reading.

xOxO

Spring Restoration Starting

Citrus and Cinnamon Elixir

Ciao Amore! HippieDad is much better, surgery done, back to the office, life is good. I think no matter how old, boys are, they will always find a way to get themselves into accidents.

 Much appreciation for your thoughtful comments.

  I started my spring restoration today, in preparation to the liquid fast starting in a week. The spring season is an inspiring time to do a cleansing fast. The body responds better during the changing seasons. I will be eating much lighter this week in preparation for my first day of the liquid fast on Feb 14.

A 3 days fast helps the body get rid of toxins. A 5 days fast starts the healing process.A 10 days fast completely cleanses and renews the bloodstream, it's all about how far I can /want to go.

It's the best season to bloom and let go of the winter blues, so here I am starting my day with 1 litre of Spring bottled water with lemon/orange rings, fresh ginger cubes, garden mint and a cinammon stick I refill the pitcher throughout the day, ideal to flush the system gently. In this post, my friend blogger ChocolateOrchid has some details on this juicy plan. Much  inspiration from Neeta Bali who is posting her cleansing right now, it's a delight to read...

Simply Carrot Ginger

I am making carrot/ginger juice a daily drink for this week, from saturday, no coffee..! Peppermint /Dandelion/ Anis/ Fennel tea instead. Did I just write 'no coffee'? How fun!?

 This time I will take the simple approach of "no pressure". JuiceFeasting is an extraordinary healing system and I am trying to work my way to 21 days by next summer. Who knows? I might be able to make it.

The reasons behind my desire to do this liquid fast deserves a post on its own. Restoration is the main reason, healing, opening the channels... among other things.

I found Carrie L 'esperance book very helpful on this beautiful time of the year.

I am also inspired by The juicing Bible and Ulimate juicing, fantastic Books. Tons of juice combinations, it's amazing how many colors we can get out of vegetables and fruits!!

Green the healing color

 I will be making Katrina Rainoshek Green Beauty Soup, It is a real delight and can't wait to have it again,

Didn't had any cashews,I used brazil nuts and YUM! but from next week, every soup will turn to a broth.

The liquid fast would give a nice break to the digestif system and all energy would switch to healing mode.I am fascinated by those who can go as far as 92 days or even much less!Ah! The Optimum Restoration.

Berries shake

Drinking Purple in Bluberries, banana, water, bee pollen smoothie.
I will focus on more cleansing goodies like: apples, lemons, lime, cucumbers,ginger, greens, beets...I wish watermelon was around!
 ;-0] My all favorite is watermelon, lime and ginger.

Chocolate still in the menu

This will be my treat for this week. I am keeping them in the fridge and will reach for one when needed.

It is an adaptation from The Sunny Raw Kitchen For the Love of Chocolate.

10 tbs organic coconut oil

10 tbs organic cacao

3 tbs organic dates syrup

Brazil nuts

Mix, put in ice tray, freeze, enjoy

XoXo

My First Arabian Gift-Away

The Arabian Valentine Gift-Away

I finally managed to put together My First Valentine Arabian gift-away, it's a combination of organic soaps, 2 Natural luffas, 500g of Dead Sea salts and 500g of organic green cardamom. YaY!

As mentioned in this post , one of the things that makes me happy is giving something to someone...I am ecstatic right now!!

Don't Be Shy! Enter to Win! Everyone has a chance!

 To Enter Leave a comment and let me know why you want this gift-away. The Winner will be announced friday the 12th of February!

Local Organic hand made Laurel & olive oil soap

The History of Laurel & Olive oil soap originated in Syria over a 1000 years ago, These soaps are organic, hand made and do not contain any additives or artificial perfumes. They smell gorgeous and perfect for the daily shower, to keep your skin nourished and healthy.

Two Organic Natural Luffa to go with the soap!

Those are wonderful for the skin, you can cut them into smaller pieces. Make sure to take out the seeds.

Soak them over night in warm water with white vinegar. Give it a good wash with water only and they are ready for the morning shower.

Check the link for more on the plant.

500 g of Natural Dead Sea Salts with frankincence oil and rose petals

You cand find one of my Dead Sea moments here

500g of Organic Green Cardamom

In the Middle East, green cardamom powder is used as a spice for sweet dishes as well as traditional flavouring in coffee and tea. Cardamom pods are ground together with coffee beans to produce a powdered mixture of the two, which is boiled with water to make coffee. Cardamom is also used in some extent in savoury dishes. In Arabic, cardamom is called al-Hayl

Cardamom has the most amazing intensely aromatic fragrance. enjoy from the second you open the box!

Love & Light to all of you

A Quick Ciao

Picture taken by Christine at OneLuckyDuck

Ciao my dear bloggies! I love real juice and I couldn't help myself asking Christine to borrow this photo for a day! It has all the colors I like to drink. I have been thinking about doing a mini juice feast starting the next new moon. So much inspiration from health seekers and bloggy friends. You can take a look at some of the juices taken on my 1st juicy experience here. I will be sharing my juice intake starting feb 14. 

I have a very good idea for my valentine gift-away but I need to hear your thoughts on the subject: What is the item you would want to have from this part of the world? Don't be shy ;-)

It will be a personal gift...It will make me ( and the lucky winner : ) happy!

 

Unfortunately HippieDad got into a little accident and he broke his right hand! So I have special babysitting duties and will be away for a little while...I just dropped you a line to say Ciao!

XoXo.

A Cured Gift

Hello hello lovely beings! Hope everything is going great with you all. My Sweety mother in law sent me the two jars on the left. It is always nice to receive home made treats. We are still enjoying the gifts from last time, she made sure we get pure raw honey in cute jars, sealed Jordanian green and red Zaatar and some other grandma goodies.
The home cured olives are just a delight! The curing process takes 2 weeks. The organic olives are preserved in their oil with sea salt, lemon juice and quartered whole lemons."They will be just right in 5 days" she said.
The other jar is Makdous, which is cured eggplants, they are stuffed with walnuts, chilli pepper and garlic, fermented in olive oil and sea salt. both olives and eggplants need 2 weeks to be perfectly ready.
Makdous is often eaten in Lebanon with plain yogurt. I will be adding it to tomatoe,greens or pepper salads. The combination of chilli & garlic in this savory condiment will give any salad or sandwich... a nice kick!
 Makdous is an important element of the lebanese Meze and can be enjoyed in many ways.
If you are interested in making it. You can find the recipe here with the exact amount of ingredients needed.

 Lemony olives & choosen eggplants that have been stuffed with chilli peppers, garlic and walnuts! What's not to like about it?!

The two other jars on the right have a different story. It is my attempt to make Kimchee. The magazine Health named it in the list of the top 5 healthiest foods, for being loaded with vitamins and probiotics.

I followed The Live Food Experience recipe to make it. I used a medium green cabbage and adjusted the seasonings amount to the cabbage size, it came out delicious. I didn't manage to fill both jars though!

This picture was taken soon after I made it. The ideal was to fill both jars to the top with no room for air at all. but hey! It's my first experience with fermenting! the half empty/full jar ;-) will not be consumed, it was just a part of the whole experience.

The empty one is just a jar that I like!!

I will be using these condiments in my raw meals. More to come! I am also excited about my first valentine gift-away, to show appreciation to my dear readers and bloggy friends.

Stay happy healthy and tuned.

XOXO