April Challenge

Hello everyone! I am about to begin daily blogging again for the entire month of April! 

This month I am taking on a new 'April Challenge' with The Earth Diet.

The Earth Diet now have Customized Programs designed to suit individual needs for mind, body and health.

On the website you can complete a questionnaire for the category of Exercise, Eating and Mind/Hypnosis. 
The questionnaire is then emailed to the appropriate person for example Patrick who is a Personal Trainer creates the Exercise Programs, Paul Nguyen is a Hypnotist and creates the Customized Hypnosis Sessions and myself along with our Clinical Nutritionist Michele creates the Eating Programs. We all have the same philosophy and that is to focus on the abundance of what the earth provides naturally.

Each program is designed to suit you and every program is completely different. For example you may want to eat meat, work out at the gym and quit smoking for the month of April. Or you may want to do yoga, work out at home, be entirely raw for one month and improve sales motivation. You can be on a budget, you can be traveling, working in an office environment, just wanting to try new foods, lose weight, gain weight, build muscle etc etc The options are limitless and the possibilities are endless with what programs you create with one of our team members! It depends on you and what you want. What do you want?

For the month of April I am committed to eating majority raw, exercising and toning my body (my goal is to be super toned by June for a bikini scene for a new film 'Backwater') and managing overeating. I want to enjoy my foods everyday and also incorporate chocolate into my eating plan ;) That is raw chocolate that is sugar free, dairy free, lactose free, soy free, gluten free - you get the point!

This is what my Eating Plan for the month of April looks like.

Week 1: Transitioning to RAW foods and eating ONLY foods naturally provided by the earth.
Week 2: Only RAW foods (I am choosing only raw because this is the fastest way to lose fat and tone up)
Week 3: Detoxing, Juicing and fasting week.
Week 4: Raw foods and cooked foods.

Week 1 Eating Program looks like this:

Monday: Morning: Water and bentonite clay. Next meal: a beet, carrot, celery, ginger juice. Next meal: A avocado with walnuts. Next meal: sprouted salad with avocado, hemp seeds and lime juice. Next meal: Orange and Grapefruit Juice. Next Meal: Chocolate Balls with almond butter.
Tuesday: Morning: Orange and Grapefruit Juice. Next meal: A avocado. Next Meal: White Rice and Beans with Yucca. Next meal: A ginger tea. Next meal: chocolate balls with almond butter.
Wednesday: Morning: Water with lemon. Next meal: Celery, Lettuce, Spinach and Kale juice. Next meal: Chickpea Curry with Brown Rice. Next meal: Raw apple pie.
Thursday: Morning: Bentonite Clay in water. Next meal: Beet, carrot, celery, ginger juice. Next meal: Honey Rosemary Chicken with salad. Next meal: Chocolate brownie. Next meal: sprouts with lemon juice and hemp seeds.
Friday: Morning: Beet, carrot, celery, ginger juice. Next meal: raw pizza. Next meal: A berry smoothie. Next meal: a ginger tea. Next meal: Prawns with garlic and salad.
Saturday: Morning: Water with lemon. Next meal: A cacao, strawberry, maca and almond butter smoothie. Next meal: a green salad with chia seeds and avocado. Next meal: Peanut Butter and Strawberries. Next meal: walnuts.
Sunday: Morning: Bentonite Clay in water.Next meal: left over green salad. Next meal: Raw cookie dough balls. Next meal: potatoes with onion and garlic and herbs. Next meal: a ginger tea. Next meal: a avocado.

Obviously your program could look completely different depending on what is required to fulfill your needs.

My Exercise Program for week 1 looks like this:

Week 1:Easing into my new exercise program with light weights, cardio, stretching, walking and sweating in the sauna.
Week 2: Increasing cardio activity.
Week 3: Increasing both cardio activity again and weights.
Week 4: Increasing all exercise, exercising longer, lifting slightly more than the previous week, and extending cardio time.

Monday: 20 minute walk. 15 minutes running outside. Sweating and stretching in the sauna.
Tuesday: 20 minute walk outside. Dumbell (for legs, arms and abs) workout 45 mins with trainer Patrick at Big Al's Family Fitness. (This is my most challenging workout for the week). Sweating it out in the sauna.
Wednesday: Cardio on the treadmill at the gym. Walking for 2 minutes and running full speed for 1 minute, 25 minutes total. Boxing and jump rope for 20 minutes. Stretching and sweating in the sauna.
Thursday: Weight training mostly for arms using particular machines at the gym. Patrick created a workout for 30 minutes.
Friday: Dancing to my favourite music at home for 30 minutes. Stretching and yoga.
Saturday: Day off - do whatever I like, a relaxing walk, bike ride or skate board.
Sunday: Sweating and stretching in the sauna. 20 minutes walking outside. 15 minutes Ab exercises designed by Patrick.

My customized hypnosis session is for 'Weight Management' - it is designed for me to listen to for 20 minutes a day for the entire month of April. The idea is that every time I begin to 'overeat' the new neurons created in my brain from listening to the 'Weight Management' will trigger a response that I no longer enjoy overeating and the food tastes yuck at this point and hence I will stop. 

You can also join me in your own personal customized challenge! And you can start whenever you like. The programs are designed for 1 month however you can continue to use them for as long as you like.

Overall the programs are designed to be fulfilled by the participant. My intention is complete what I have set out to do. At the end of the month of April I will be fitter, healthier and stronger mentally.

I will be sharing my daily experience with you guys in this blog - so see you tomorrow for the first day of April!

Check out our Customized Programs direct link: http://www.theearthdiet.org/all-customized-programs.html

With love, Liana ;) 

www.TheEarthDiet.Org

Natural Cures for Radiation Exposure

Natural cures for radiation exposure...

In physics radiation is a process in which energetic particles or energy or waves travel through a medium or space. Radiation can be harmful to organisms and can result in changes to the natural environment.

Radiation contamination is the uncontrolled distribution of radioactive material in a given environment.

You are exposed to higher doses of ionizing radiation if you take x-rays, cancer radiation therapy, if you live at high altitudes, if you fly in airplanes, work in a submarine, live near a coal burning plant, if you’ve worked in uranium mining, worked in weapons manufacturing, live near government radiation testing (Nevada, New Mexico), if you live near a nuclear plant and especially if you live near a nuclear plant leak or explosion, like the people in Japan are experiencing right now.

Ionizing radiation is energetic particles or waves that can ionize an atom or molecule and causes cellular damage. Radiation syndrome, radiation toxicity, radiation illness, radiation damage, radiation sickness and excessive radiation exposure can occur within several months of exposure to high amount of ionizing radiation that can kill the human body.

If we don’t clean our bodies of radiation eventually you we will succumb to symptoms of unexplained illness, fatigue, tumors, lethargy, excess bleeding, a weakened immune system, anemia, genetic damage, cataracts, cancer, leukemia, possibly having children with severe birth defects, blistering, reddening, permanent hair loss and more.

There are many natural cures one can do to support their body's healing processes after radiation damage.

Eat...

• Foods from the ocean like kelp, spirulina, chlorella, blue green algae and seaweed which is loaded with iodine which daciltates the passage of nutrients into mitocghondria (body cells).
• Cilantro (aka Coriander) removes heavy metals from the blood stream.
• Garlic is a natural antibiotic.
• Rosemary is said to be one of the best herbs to protect against radiation poisoning.
• Miso soup – one of the main ingredients in miso is kelp, just make sure the soy is not genetically modified.
• Sunflower seeds contain pectin that cleanses the body from residual radiation.
• Buckwheat which has glucosides.
• Activated charcoal removes toxins and poisons from body (its kept in nearly all emergency rooms to help relive the effects of poisoning) it also lowers cholesterol.

Drink...
• Bentonite clay that binds radioactive particles and helps excrete them.
• Ginseng tea.
• Dandelion has detox abilities and also great for the liver.

Bath...
• In Bentonite clay which is used by Russian nuclear workers before working with nuclear material as it absorbs radiation and removes heavy metals. Bentonite clay is available from our Earth Diet shop, direct link:
http://www.theearthdiet.org/bentonite-clay.html
• Epsom salts generates body circulation.You can purchase epsom salts for a few dollars at a supermarket or pharmacy.

The Earth Diet are taking donations for Japan Red Cross Society until the 8th of April. Donate at least $5 and go in the draw to win one of 28 prizes including bentonite clay, gift vouchers, travel guides, soaps and more! Direct link; 
http://www.theearthdiet.org/japanese-red-cross-society.html
With love, Liana.

www.TheEarthDiet.org

The Mind

Hi Earth Diet peeps, I'm having trouble sticking to eating healthy. I say I'll eat only 'earth foods' for one month but I keep breaking it. It's like my mind keeps finding ways to talk myself out of it and why I should eat junk food. And then when I do break it and eat junk food my mind starts creating more drama and guilt and I stress out. I guess the problem is my mind ... what are your thoughts? - Katherine, Dublin.

Hi Katherine!

The mind can be a powerful tool if we use it. If we allow it to use us, it can go in many directions.

In the past couple of weeks I have written blogs you may find resourceful about the mind and human life.

We are also currently in collaboration with Paul Nguyen who is a Consulting Hypnotist and founder of Moodstreams. Customized down loadable sessions will soon be available on our site for things like health management, weight management, quitting smoking, addictions, overeating etc - stay tuned!

As seen on Stop Stressing Now ...

The human mind is an aggregate of causes and conditions. It is in  constant change. It is forever jumping about, not ceasing for even a  moment.

One must not trust his own mind that is filled with greed, anger and  foolishness. One must not let his mind run free, but must keep it under  strict control.

Those who really seek the path of peace dictate terms to their mind.  Then they proceed with strong determination. Even though they are abused  by some and scorned by others, they go forward undisturbed. They do not  become angry if they are beaten by fists, or hit by stones, or gashed  by swords. Let abuse come, let misfortune come, and yet one should  resolve to remain unmoved and tranquil in mind.

“Oh my mind! Why do you hover so restlessly over the changing  circumstances of life? Why do you make me so confused and restless? Why  do you urge me to collect so many things? You are like a plow; you are  like a rudder that is dismantled just as you are venturing out on the  sea of life and death. Of what use are many rebirths if we do not make  good use of this life?”

To read the full blog, direct link: http://www.stopstressingnow.com/2011/03/how-to-find-peace/

As seen on KORA Organics by Miranda Kerr ...

The nature of an animal is much easier to understand. Still, we can  in a general way classify the nature of man according to four  outstanding differences.

First, there are those who, because of wrong teachings, practice austerities and cause themselves to suffer.

Second, there are those who, by cruelty, by stealing, by killing or by other unkind acts, cause others to suffer.

Third, there are those who cause other people to suffer along with themselves.

Fourth, there are those who do not suffer themselves and save others from suffering.

These people of the last category do not give way to greed, anger or  foolishness, but live peaceful lives of kindness and wisdom without  killing or stealing.

Thus people can be classified in different ways, but nevertheless, man  is tempted in different ways by the desires of his six senses, eyes,  ears, nose, tongue, touch and mind, and is controlled by the predominant  desire.

From these desires comes the body’s love of comfort. Most people, being  influenced by the body’s love of comfort, do not notice the evils that  follow comfort, and they are caught in a painful trap. Indeed, these  desires arising from the senses are the most dangerous traps. When  caught by them people are entangled in wordly passions which lead them  into delusions and sufferings.

Read the full blog that includes five ways to emancipate ourselves from the bond of wordly passions. Direct link:
http://www.koraorganics.com/blog/live-in-my-skin/all-things-organic/organic-certification/human-life%E2%80%A6/

With love, Liana. 

www.TheEarthDiet.org

Hypnosis...

Liana, have you ever been hypnotized? What are your thoughts on hypnosis? Can you do a blog on it. Thanks - Mark, NZ


Hi Mark,

Yes I have been hypnotized. In my experience during hypnosis I am in a very relaxed state and I allow my thoughts to rest. I focus all energy on where I am at that moment. If a thought comes into mind and I lose focus I often wander, and then remember my intention, to be present fully in the moment and I allow that thought to pass.

Others say they get a sense of detachment or extreme relaxation during the hypnotic state, some feel that their actions seem to occur outside of their conscious decision. For example I have a conscious decision to overeat and binge and when I listen to a hypnosis session that is telling me otherwise, my mind begins to program my new way of being.

My Nanna smoked for over 50 years and this January 2011 she went to a hypnosis center for the first time, and now she is a non-smoker! So I am well convinced that it works, and to what level I guess depends on the individual. She is 70 years old ... it's never too late!

What hypnosis is...


In the dictionary Hypnosis is: a mental state or set of attitudes and beliefs usually induced by a procedure known as a hypnotic induction, which is commonly composed of a series of preliminary instructions and suggestions.


American Psychological Association describes hypnosis as a cooperative interaction in which the participants responds to the suggestions of the hypnotist.


According to John Kihlstrom, "The hypnotist does not hypnotize the individual. Rather, the hypnotist serves as a sort of coach or tutor whose job is to help the person become hypnotized"


Experiments by researcher Ernest Hilgard demonstrated how hypnosis can be used to dramatically alter perceptions. After instructing a hypnotized individual to not feel pain in his or her arm, the participant's arm was then placed in ice water. While non-hypnotized individuals had to remove their arm from the water after a few seconds due to the pain, the hypnotized individuals were able to leave their arms in the ice water for several minutes without experiencing pain (psychology.about.com).


Hypnosis has also been clinically proven to provide medical and therapeutic benefits. As I mentioned above my nanna who is 70 years old and has smoked the majority of her life was hypnotized for the first time in January and now she is a non-smoker! It has been used for many things mostly for reducing pain, fear, anxiety and symptoms of dementia.


• Any disease, illness or cancer in the body
• To assist weight loss and reduce overeating and binge eating
• To let go of an addiction like smoking
• To reduce stress
• To let go of limiting and dis-empowering thoughts of fear and live from an abundant mind state
• The treatment of chronic pain conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis
• The treatment and reduction of pain during childbirth
• The reduction of the symptoms of dementia
• Helpful for symptoms of ADHD
• The reduction of nausea and vomiting in cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy
• Control of pain during dental procedures
• Elimination or reduction of skin conditions including warts and psoriasis
• Alleviation of symptoms association with Irritable Bowel Syndrome

For more information I recommend checking out Paul Nguyen who is a Certified Hypnotist with a goal to help people unlock their potential. He is based in Boston, USA and has hypnosis sessions, nature sounds and relaxation tracks available on his site Mood Streams (http://www.moodstreams.com/). We are also currently in collaboration with customized hypnosis sessions for our readers ... stay tuned!

 
With love, Liana.

http://www.theearthdiet.org/

Caravan of Dreams...

Hi Liana! Do you know of some healthy places to eat out in New York ... where do you eat or that you could recommend and why? Thank you! Barry - NY

Hi Barry!

Absolutely, I have included a few of the places I go to....

In Manhattan check out...

Caravan of Dreams does raw and cooked and is entirely vegan and 95% organic. You may have seen it in 'Eat, Pray, Love' in a scene with Julia Roberts!

Everything on the menu is vegan and says 'Our aim is to use only organic produce and ingredients. 95% of our food is organic, and where certain ingredients are not available, we strive to find the best alternative and apply constant pressure on our growers and vendors to make the change to organic. All our water is filtered at least twice. We are kosher certified by OKS under the supervision of Rabbi Harry Cohen.'

I was there last week with Andrew and we ate the 'Live Nachos' (raw chips made with chia seeds, flax seeds, hemp seeds, peppers, cumin, onion!), berry spelt pancakes with maple syrup and roasted hazelnuts, and the Caravan Burrito filled with rice and vegetables - the 'cream' you see in the photo below is actually a nut cream made from cashews. I also drank a super smoothie with ingredients: strawberry, cacao, almond butter, goji, aloe and maca - one of the best smoothies I have had! You could bring your friends who are not vegan to this place and they will still enjoy it. They also have available draft beer, wine and sangria.

 Neal the head chef of Caravan of Dreams has been vegan for 11 years and lost a lot of weight initially and now has more energy living this kind of lifestyle. He enjoys providing this lifestyle to people and says Caravan of Dreams is like a 'community staple' where people come to socialize and eat. If you are hesitant about eating vegan or raw Neal recommends the burrito or veggie burger. If you are up for raw foods he suggests the live pizza. All desserts are made in the house and include Choc Acai Berry Pie and Raw Cacao Fudge mmm!  Neal also said he sources as many ingredients as possible locally from Long Island farmers and upstate. You can trust their integrity on the products being organic and high quality. They are open Sunday through Friday 11am to 11pm and midnight on Saturday. www.caravanofdreams.net

Pure Food and Wine which has entirely a raw menu with divine desserts! Direct link to blog; http://theearthdiet.blogspot.com/2011/02/pure-food-and-wine.html

There are also many juice bars in Manhattan that do juicing and raw organics foods great for on the run or a casual meal.Check out Booster Juice and Life Thyme. 
On Long Island...

Park Avenue Grill has organic options and is in Amityville where I live. Their menu is not entirely organic but they do have organic options as well as regular options. You can order a burger and choose organic. They also have 100% organic breakfast including the Berry Pancakes - which are my favorite! You can also get freshly squeezed orange juice, no added anything. The owner Erin was inspired to go organic after watching the documentary Food Inc! www.parkavenuegrill.net

A new raw cafe in Huntington just opened up ... I'm going to check that out tomorrow!!! :)

With love, Liana.

www.TheEarthDiet,Org

Chocolate's health benefits...

Liana do you eat chocolate? How can I eat it on The Earth Diet .... I crave it everyday! - Roger, NZ

Hey Roger! Good news - yes! I do eat chocolate quite regularly and have made it a part of my lifestyle.

Chocolate is actually healthy - well the cacao in chocolate is what makes chocolate 'chocolate' and also where the health benefits are. It is the processed ingredients in chocolate like lactose, sugar, soy lecithin, PGPR, emulsifier, and artificial flavor that create a chemical impact on our body and clog our digestive system hence gaining weight after eating alot of this kind of chocolate.

If you make your own chocolate without these processed ingredients, and instead use whole ingredients like cacao, nuts, honey/maple/agave, cacao butter - chocolate turns into something healthy to eat and is flavor full as there are no chemical substitutes for flavor! I have found by eating this kind of chocolate that I eat 1/4 of the amount I would usually eat of the store bought chocolate! It is extremely rich and fulfilling - especially the truffles!

Check our website for lots of chocolate recipes like chocolate balls, truffles, brownies, pies and more! Direct link; www.theearthdiet.org/recipes.html

 This week I also wrote a blog for KORA Organics by Miranda Kerr about chocolate and included a recipe for a simple chocolate ball recipe that takes less than 7 minutes to make :) I also write about the health benefits of chocolate and how cacao does good for our bodies!

Enjoy! To read the chocolate blog, direct link; http://www.koraorganics.com/blog/live-in-my-skin/all-things-organic/organic-certification/chocolate/

I am also teaching a raw food class focusing on chocolate next Friday 18th March at The Water Well in NY - see website for more details. 

www.TheEarthDiet.org

For the face...

Hi Liana! I was wondering if you have any tips for home made organic facial cleansers which are gentle enough to use daily? I have heard lemon is good but haven't used it yet... do you have any other tips? Vanessa Humphrey - London.


Hi Vanessa! :)
 
Here are some homemade recipes for facial cleansers that I use:


Silky Face Cleanser  (This one is my favorite cleanser recipe, especially good in the winter for dry skin.)
5 tablespoons Flax Seed Oil
5 tablespoons Olive Oil
10 tablespoons castor oil
30 drop essential oils of your choice (Lavender is quite relaxing and mint is uplifting)

Method:
Add the oils to a clean glass bottle. Add essential oils. Gently shake to blend before each use. Apply a small amount to face and massage to cleanse. Rinse with warm water. The skin always feels very silky and smooth after this cleanse! Store in a cool place or the fridge.

Lemon Baking Soda Exfoliating Cleanser (Great for removing makeup)
1 or 2 Lemons
3 tablespoons Baking Soda

Method:
In a bowl add the baking soda and slowly squeeze the lemon juice into it. The mixture will foam and fizz. Squeeze enough juice to make a thin paste. Apply to your skin in a circular motion for a few minutes and rinse with warm water.

Other quick tips:

1. Mix clay and water and apply to face
2. Let it sit and keep your face as still as possible
3. Leave it as long as possible until it cracks! (natural face-lift!)

• You can use these cleansers on any part of your body not just the face!
• Baking soda is also a great natural teeth whitener. After I brush my teeth I scoop my toothbrush into baking soda and buff shine them! You could do this everyday until your gums or teeth become sensitive, then give it a break. I do this about every 3rd day. People comment on the brightness of my teeth, which costs less than a few dollars!
• I use bentonite clay once a week for a face mask. It draws up toxins from the skin and also gives a natural face lift! It is also great for acne, pimples, pigmentation and cellulite and available at The Earth Diet Shop.
• Rubbing ginger over the face is a great way to reduce and resolve skin pigmentation.
• Aloe vera is extremely refreshing and anti-ageing! If you can access a plant you can directly cut one of it's stems and wipe the gel over your face.I have a plant in my house and cut off a stem every now and then to rub over my face, and then I keep it in the freezer to use whenever I like! It is made up of compounds that are extremely soothing, cooling and rejuvenating for the skin. 

If you want to purchase face products I would recommend Lorna's Naturals which use ONLY ingredients naturally provided by the earth or/and KORA Organics by Miranda Kerr.  


Lorna's Naturals  are organic and natural products for the face, body and hair.  ALL of the ingredients in Lorna's products are naturally provided by the earth and include rosemary, lavender, shea butter, avocado, coconut, castor oil, jojoba oil, olive oil, bees wax, well water from the Catskills, cacao butter, coriander and lemon! One of my favourite product of Lorna's is the Face Kit that contains Almond Oatmeal Face Soap, Facial Scrub with Jojoba Oil and Face Moisturizer. I use these every day and this pack costs $30 for everything! I have had the face moisturizer for over 6 months now and I am not even half way through it. They are the cheapest and most natural products I have come across worldwide and they are available for sale at Farmers Markets throughout New York and also on The Earth Diet Shop site, direct link:
http://www.theearthdiet.org/lornas-naturals.html

KORA Organics by Miranda Kerr is also a organic product line that focus on ingredients that are naturally provided by the earth including; Rose Hip Oil, Noni, Rose Quartz Crystal Energised Water, and macrobiotic salts sourced from the Pacific Ocean in Australia! These ingredients are extremely nourishing for the skin. Visit www.KoraOrganics.com to read and/or purchase. Prices start from $35 Australian :)

www.TheEarthDiet.Org

Go with the flow...

Photo by Roxxe!

Hey guys, this is a blog request from my beautiful and extraordinary sister Nadine aka Papino (I nicknamed her hehe!) Nadine travels the world and shares her experience and advice with fellow travelers on a blog called 'Travel With Papino' and the last I checked in she had traveled to over 100 cities in over 30 different countries!


This is what Nadine wrote on The Earth Diet facebook page ... "I wana read something inspirational! Like about positive thinking etc. that works for the mind :) Something that makes me feel good about TODAY!"


I can relate to this, about wanting to feel good today. I don't want to 'wait' to feel good until tomorrow, or someday or until something else happens. I realize that feeling good is available right now and only now. I am done with feeling bad, and I know that feeling good is our natural birthright. I know I will have moments of 'feeling bad' and I know this is just as temporary feeling. We have a right to feel good, and it is good to feel good. 


Here is a video I watch often to get me into the space of 'going with the flow' and feeling good. Enjoy :) 

I also realize I have a choice in what I think. The thoughts I have create realities. Therefore I should take care of what I think... Where ever there is a negative thought there is also a positive opposite to choose from. For example...


I can’t do it … I can do it.
I’m ugly…I am radiating energy.
I’m poor … I am grateful.
I’m useless … I am powerful.
I’m tired … I am pure energy.
I’m pathetic …I am unstoppable.
I don’t have it … I have what it takes.
No one cares about me …I am loved.
I’m stuck … I can change it at any moment.
I’m not good enough … I am good enough.
No one sees me … I exist in every moment.
I’m nothing … I am nothing and everything.
My body is unhealthy … my body is my temple.
It will never happen to me … it can happen to me.
I can’t do anything … I can choose who I want to be.
I’m trapped in time … time is broken down to moments.
I can’t start again …each moment is filled with new possibilities.
Why did I wake up this morning … I have something to offer today.

This is from a blog 'Create your day' I wrote for Miranda Kerr's KORA Organics. 

To read the full blog visit this link: 
http://www.koraorganics.com/blog/live-in-my-skin/making-a-difference/kora-organic-skincare/create-your-day/

You are all amazing beings, and I love you all regardless of who you think you are, and I am enjoying this experience here with you all on earth. Thank you.


With love, Liana.

 
www.TheEarthDiet.org