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    Raw Food Diet in Four Steps

    Photo by Tristan Glinski 

    Here is an article I originally wrote for Planet Organic. I am still getting questions and love notes popping up in my inbox from those who've read it, so I decided to repost it here for my tribe also...


    Raw Food is not just for Hollywood celebrities trying to preserve their superstar looks, slim down fast and have loads of energy, clarity and patience on a movie set. Raw Food is not a diet. Raw Food is not a phase.

    It is a way of living and it’s taking the UK by storm (or a heat wave, which we've all experienced here during summer)!

    The English are a careful bunch when it comes to making any changes to their diet and like to take on any new info -especially as radical sounding as ‘raw foods’- with a grain of salt. And rightfully so…

    It would’ve taken me forever and a half to come around to the idea of eating this way if it wasn’t what healed my bruised and damaged organs in a near fatal car accident many years ago.

    No doubt you’ve heard enough buzz on this 'diet' to want hot tips on getting started right away. If you are wondering where to begin with it or need a reminder, here are my top strategies on going raw in four easy steps:


    ONE | KNOW YOUR WHY

    Let’s face it- we don’t accomplish a thing without a reason. Even when we do a good deed ‘for no reason’, it is either to make ourselves feel good, to pay off some spiritual debts or maybe to clear your conscience. It may not be obvious right now, but you are reading this for a reason. So figure out why you want to go raw (or more raw) before you even attempt it, because this will be your drive. If you are suffering from an illness, your WHY may seem like a no-brainer, but ask yourself not how you can heal, but why you’d want to. Is it to live pain-free and have the energy to play with your children? Is it to be there for your grandchild’s wedding? Is it to be a good example to those you love? Your real reasons -those that will keep you motivated to stay on track- come from far deeper within.

    TWO | MASTER ONE DAILY MEAL

    It’s easy to add raw foods to your meals and you probably already have salad with your potatoes, fresh fruit with your yoghurt or raw snack bars with your coffee. But what about having a full meal per day, which is 100% raw? Food combining can be tricky for the body, as different nutrients require different parts of your digestive tract to be properly broken down. That’s why even when you add raw foods to your meals, they don’t necessary go well together and some people experience indigestion or bloating. When you have a meal that is totally raw, the benefits are pretty impressive and in most cases immediate. I suggest mastering your breakfast. It’s usually super easy and there are so many options of what you can make, like green smoothies, veggie juices, living chia seed porridge, nut milk and granola, coconut yoghurt with blueberries, dehydrated energy/muesli bars, superfood shakes, fruit salads and more. If you are struggling to come up with recipes, there hundreds right here on the blog, just enter a key word you are after in the search box on the right. When you master your breakfast, it will set the tone for the rest of the day.

    THREE | DE-CLUTTER YOUR HOME

    When your environment is supportive of your aspired eating habits, it becomes super easy to make healthy choices and stay on track. So clear out your cupboards, get rid of anything in your kitchen that is processed or contains fake ingredients (rule of thumb: if you can’t pronounce it, you shouldn’t be consuming it), keep your blender or juicer where you can easily reach it, so it never feels like an effort, tidy up your spice rack, clean out the fridge and de-clutter your work station. You will notice how all the energy within your home transforms to a place of where wellness belongs.

    FOUR | DO A MINI SEVEN DAY DETOX

    When you master the daily meal and start to enjoy your morning green juices regularly, your taste buds will begin to change, your cells will start to rejuvenate, your energy will shift and your body will get begging for more. It is now ready for a proper cleanse. My bestselling eBook ‘Purified- Your 7 Day Detox Program’ is so popular not only because every raw food breakfast, lunch and dinner recipe is clearly outlined for your successful cleanse, but I also explain why the ingredients of each meal are there on that particular day and in that combination and give you an option of two menu plans- one for a budget detoxer and one for a luxury detoxer. When you complete a week, you are going to be feeling so transformed from inside out, that you’ll likely not want to stop there, so most people carry on and complete both weeks. But aside from all the health benefits and the momentum you’ll gain, the best thing about doing this for seven days in a row is that you will come out having learned 21 brand new recipes in just a single week. What a pro you’ll become!





    Did this article resonate with you? You are more than welcome to share it! Please simply add this blurb at the end:

    Tanya Maher (pronounced Marr) is a leading pioneer in the world of ultra-nutritious and energising plant-based foods for the whole family. Tanya co-founded 'Tanya's,’ a high-end raw cafe in 2014 and merged it with her established wellness company 'Better Raw' in 2017. She is the creator of the Amazon #1 best selling DVD 'Raw Food 101' and author of Hay House's 'The Uncook Book' (available to purchase worldwide, here). Born in Russia, raised in New Zealand and now raising her own family in London, Tanya has been hailed as one of the most recognised experts in the world of gourmet raw food by the likes of Vogue, Daily Mail and Women's Health. www.tanyasliving.com



    Would you prefer to hear these strategies LIVE and taste all the raw food goodness for real?

    I am running my final Raw Food 101 workshop for 2013 and would love to meet you! Join me on Saturday 28th September in Regent's Park, London for my signature class! Very few spots left, book here>>

    8 reasons why you need a Stinging Nettle in your life



    Mother Nature is miraculously wise. I will never stop learning from her and I never want to stop either. If there was one thing that I'm certain she'd want me to know for sure, it would be the language of her babies. Her babies that possess her wisdom. The plants of the earth. Wild edibles.

    These greens that we are so quick to dismiss as weeds and name-call as invaders to our gardens are actually nature's fast growing babies, screaming for attention, trying to tell us something...

    I used to go berserk over a weed which had reappeared just days after I've ripped it out of the ground, but I know better now. 

    I am fascinated by how quick it grows back because I know that its roots extend deeply into the earth- a clue to become grounded for when I choose to eat it. 
    I am amazed by how it doesn't only survive through any weather, it thrives during changing temperatures that fuel its cells- a clue to become energised for when I choose to eat it. 
    I am intrigued by how a weed could burn or sting us when touched- a clue that if it is that good at protecting itself, it will be that good at protecting and immunising us also.

    Not every weed is the same and not every weed is edible of course, but you'd be happy to know that a plant growing in abundance all around the UK, Asia, USA and Europe is one that's not only safe for consumption, but is a proven panacea to pretty much any ache and ill. Introducing... Stinging Nettles!

    Benefits of nettles are endless, but here are my top 8 reasons to add them into your diet:

    DIGESTION AID
    The fresh juice of stinging nettles stimulates digestion, enhances the excretion of wastes via kidneys and gently cleanses your entire system.

    EFFECTIVE ASTRINGENT
    Nettle teas have been used for centuries to stop urinary tract bleeding, slow down excessive menstrual flow and inhibit haemorrhoids.

    CURE FOR ARTHRITIS
    The chlorophyll in the cells of nettles is highly alkalising, which works to release the uric acid from the joints of gout patients. As the pH levels begin to rise, pain decreases along with any symptoms of gout, arthritis, fibromyalgia and other joint and tissue conditions.

    DE-WORMER
    As a powerful tonic and cleanser, it works hard to shake up the internal system, promote appetite, and distress and eliminate intestinal worms.

    ENERGISER
    The leaves of nettles, which you can use in teas, juice through a juicer or flavour salads with are packed with iron, hence making it an effective treatment for building blood, anaemia and chronic fatigue.

    HAIR GROWTH STIMULANT
    Applied topically, nettles stimulate the scalp, increase hair growth, strengthen the hair and prevent baldness. It's been proven to restore greying hairs to their original pigment and relieve dandruff too.

    PERFECT SKIN REMEDY
    Used as a wash, a nettle decoction will rejuvenate the skin and eliminate warts. A nettle tea, taken internally and applied externally at the same time is a great relief for eczema and acne.

    ALLERGY TREATMENT
    This is one of the amazing [and once realised, obvious] clues that Mother Nature provides us. As a way of making you react with nettle allergies, like hay fever, asthma and hives, it is trying to bring our attention to what is missing in our system. In this case stinging nettle leaves used as a herbal treatment are usually the remedy to such allergies, being full of biologically active compounds which reduce inflammation.


    If that's not enough reasons to start adding these babies into your diet, check out the great articles from Mother Earth News, Herbal LegacyNatural News and Herb Wisdom

    Otherwise, go for it, get some gloves on and start picking your own nettles! If you can get them from a forest, growing away from pollution- even better, no need to wash! Here I'm sharing some pictures with you of my recent trip to my dear client's holiday home in Le Touquet, France, where nettles grew like they were in a race and we were only happy to pick them for our juice...


    Just 2 hours from busy London city and you are in the most serene country side and a different country!

    We found a tractor!

    I am blown away by this image, as I took it without a person in sight, but looks like nothing stops an angel.

    Geri's  country house has literally every sporting equipment and game imaginable.  Fun!

    I love to fly. I love to jump. And I don't mind a bit of trampolining action. Not one bit!

    Who needs a caption, when you can see this with your eyes.

    I think I may have taken about 100 shots of every angle and still I could take 100 more.

    Nights are for movie watching by the fire.

    The house has 7 bedrooms and sleeps 15 people, you can rent it! Ask me for Geri's contact details.

    The room that saw the most action- we juiced our wild edibles, ate dehydrated snacks and chatted for hours.

    Country side meets Nature meets France. All in one cosy, beautiful house.

    Some friends saying hello.

    Paris Plage is just over an hour drive away!

    Apart from NZ, this is by far the most active beach of kite surfing, biking, swimming, running, playing and horse riding I've ever seen.

    And something equally as fascinating in my books was this! Our ride back home... under water, through the ocean from France to England, inside EuroTunnel. Incredible!


    And because I can't just list a heap of reasons to take nettles, but not leave you with a way to do just that, here is a recipe, which is both easy and tasty...


    SWEET NETTLE JUICE
    serves 2


    Large bowl of nettles (or a mix of wild edibles)
    2 beetroots
    2 pears
    1 celery sprig
    1/2 lemon

    -Pick the nettles using gloves so they don't sting you and use either tongs or gloves to transfer them into your juicer with.
    -Slice the rest of the ingredients and feed them, including the rind of the lemon, through a juicing chute.
    -Stir and enjoy.

    If you are looking for a juicer, check out my recommendations here: www.betterraw.com/p/store.html . If you are looking for the very best juicer to get the most out of your greens, look no further than the GreenStar Elite>>


    are you mostly acidic and prone to disease? here's how to find out and what you can do to change that...



    Would you like to know:

    1. why your weight won't budge even if you are doing loads of exercise?
    2. what is making you acid? (it's not just about food).
    3. whether you are mostly acid or alkaline?
    4. what pH even means & how you can measure yours?
    5. what tiny changes you can make right away to not only look younger, weigh less, look more radiant, but to feel better, more vibrant and more alive than you have in years?

    Then, watch this video I made to answer your questions. 

    For more incredible insights into what acidic deadly poisons are in most of our diets and to hear simple strategies to cleanse and alkalise your body, I'm holding a brand new webinar happening 8PM GMT Tuesday 28th May

    Make sure you are registered, I believe this is the information everyone must know. 


    eating budapest | raw food style | mannatural review

    I can now tick Budapest off my must-see-while-in-Europe list! As true as that may be, there is so much more to this majestic city, than simply ticking it off however. It is a destination which deserves to be on everybody's list of places to visit. 

    I was blown away by how much there was to see and do, even when taking a stroll along the river. Its Prague-like layout, Rome-like greatness and Russia-like feel brought a mix of emotions for me and I felt like the luckiest girl to have Elliot there to experience this city with.   

    We arrived on Saturday night and left on Monday (today!), but the sun cracked up its rays enough to inspire and fuel me enough to return home and blog about it right away. Here's our Budapest in 1,5 days...



    We felt like we arrived in Disneyland, when we got to the Vajdahunyad Castle. It had such a magical feeling to it. I bet it will be amazing in winter too, when the water freezers over for iceskating here.



    Heroes Square was quite a site to marvel at. It was outside the hall of arts and surrounded by art and gold museums. 



    A bit of fun in the park next to the Time Wheel, which we somehow managed to miss. Maybe less fun next time.



    The Szechenyi Spa Baths! I've never seen anything like this- everyone takes advantage of the city's thermal system while soaking up the rays outdoors.



    A travelling tradition- why not do a few push-ups? When in Budapest...



    At the top of the National Gallery looking down at the Funicular (I just love it how this name has 'fun' at the front of it) and the Chain Bridge.



    Here's a closer look at the legendary Chain Bridge. It's one of many bridges linking the Buda and the Pest sides of the city, but tends to be the most well known.



    We took a boat tour along the Danube River and here is the Hungarian Parliament. It's 500 metres long and is apparently the 2nd largest parliament building in Europe. Impressive! But which is the largest?



    This bridge is called the Freedom Bridge. Elliot was certainly feeling free on it.



    Just as I thought the city baths were the most fascinating thing I've seen, here is a Chapel in the Rock, which we decided to visit because it looked cool from outside. It was such an amazing experience! It also happened to be a Sunday, when a church service was on. Singing and praying right inside low ceiling caves with hundreds of people spread around various corners- it was a sight to remember.



    One of the awesome looking Hungarian restaurants on Vaci Street. The Great Market is at the end of the street and I wish we had more time to check it out. We initially ended up on the street because someone recommended that we visit 1000TEA, a little tea house, but it was also closed on Sunday.



    A very Hungarian dish- everyone seems to be into their pickles. So I joined them. Happily.



    Chain Bridge and Royal Palace lit up at night. This city really knows how to look its best at all times of the day (and night).



    One of the ruins on Margaret Island. Wish we brought our running shoes- the entire island had a soft cushy rubber track along its circumference for runners. Everybody's needs considered. 



    And the final stop during our flying visit definitely had to be Budapest's only raw food cafe! Mannatural is conveniently located right by the Parliament building. I marked it on the map even before I found our hotel.


    When we made our way down the steps, the first impression wasn't the fact that it was in a windowless cellar, but rather the funky whiff of cabbage, which is the smell you had no way of escaping. If you like cabbage, you'll be in heaven. There's cabbage of every kind- picked cabbage, creamy cabbage, red cabbage with beetroot, curried cabbage, coleslaw, spiced cabbage, mixed cabbage salad, cabbage and cabbage. As much as I do love my cabbage and sauerkraut, I also love Elliot, and Elliot was not enjoying the smell or the vibe.



    All the smoothies were pre-made and sitting in jugs ready for the Monday lunch rush. I was fascinated with the flavour combinations of blends such as beetroot and kiwifruit, also black sesame, poppy seed and dates, but went for the non-adventurous option of berry, apple and orange. I would've definitely gone for the poppy seed option if the milk was strained without all the bits.



    The cakes looked far too good to pass on and even though both Elliot and I weren't ready for them, we opted for the take-out option and unwrapped them at the airport to have with a cup of peppermint tea, prior to departure. The lovely girl at Mannatural recommended her favourite, which was a lemon cake, so I went for that, but for Elliot it was only ever going to be chocolate. I loved the fact that all the cakes were nut-free and they just used dates and coconut oil for the top with added flavour depending on the cake. The bottom was made of coconut, dates, fruit and physillium husks. The texture was gorgeous, but as much we both enjoyed the 'lemon' cake, it tasted nothing like lemon, rather toffee-like due to all the dates. The chocolate cake was unfortunately left very much untouched once we sampled a helping of what tasted like a 'healthy combo' of bananas and raisins mixed in cacao. 

    Hats off to Mannatural for taking the risk and leading the way on the raw food front in Budapest. It was amazing to see a queue of people waiting to be served lunch and I hope your efforts and talents continue to spread. Perhaps when we return next time, the raw food scene would've evolved and I'll be writing an entirely different review with a big shame-on-me cross all over this one. For now however, it is fair to say, that we were left... Hungry in Hungary.


    onions worth your tears don't have to make you cry

    Image source>

    You've already heard how good the onions are for you.

    Onions are a great detoxification aid for your blood and liver and the sulphur-containing amino acids (methionine and cystine) in them actually help remove heavy metals, as well as protect against mercury, cadmium and lead toxicity. That's pretty powerful stuff. When you come across foods like onions and garlic, which can fight heavy metals, you can be sure they are capable of protecting you from virtually anything. Including cancer. The antioxidants in onions help reduce your cells' DNA damage caused by free-radicals and work to kill tumour cells even when they are already present. In addition to that, just one medium onion is an excellent source of your daily needs for Vitamin C, B6, B1, K, biotin, chromium, calcium, dietary fibre and folic acid- everything you need for clean, clot-free blood with lowered sugar levels. It's not by chance that cut into halves, the onion rings look like blood cells under a microscope. Nature provides all the clues. Source: Foods Healing Power


    But why do they have to make you cry?

    As you chop up an onion, it releases lachrymatory-factor synthase enzymes, which then react with the sulfoxides. More chemical reaction occurs and as it enters the air and travels towards our eyes, it triggers nerve endings in the cornea to communicate with the brain stem. The brain registers the irritation in the eye then alerts the lachrymal gland to stimulate tear production to flush away the invader. Here comes the 'waaaaaaa'. This is in no way a bad thing, as it's another way for the onion to act as a cleanser and flush out our eyes. Source: How Stuff Works


    I don't care about the WHY, just make it stop.

    I've recently read the news about a genetically modified onion, which won't cause tears. Scientists in New Zealand (oh why NZ, why?) have developed a way to isolate and handicap the lachrymatory enzyme, which won't undergo the chemical reaction when you cut the onion, producing tear-free chopping freedom. You'd never guess what the trick is to this 'invention'! It's all about making the soil it grows in low in sulphur! The exact stuff mentioned above, which prevents cancer and protects you agains heavy metals has to be taken out of the soil for what now seems to be no longer an onion, but a by-product of it. Source: How Stuff Works


    That's not cool with me...

    So I asked you guys on Facebook to share your tricks to stop the tears, when you cut 'real' onions. Some answers made me crack up, but hey, they do make sense! And if they work, why not put on some goggles, clench a spoon between your teeth and cut the onions in a swimming pool of water? :)



    I don't want to cry over onions anymore! What is your trick to stop the eyes from watering when you cut your onions?
    346Like ·  · Share



    And the winners are...


    Do you have a special trick of your own?