random nutritional information that I thought was neat about the food I eat.....

•An avocado has more than twice as much potassium as a banana.
•For a delicious, creamy salad dressing, mix together avocado and fresh carrot juice.
•Don’t eat bananas on an empty stomach; combining them with a bit of protein will help to normalize the insulin response caused by the sugar in the banana
• Because bananas are so popular, rainforests are often destroyed to make way for banana plantations, so maybe skip the banana and go for the avocado
•Broccoli contains twice the vitamin C of an orange
•It has almost as much calcium as whole milk--and the calcium is better absorbed
•Cilantro may be useful to treat urinary tract infections
•Both the leaves and seeds aid digestion, relieve intestinal gas, pain and distention
•They also treat nausea, soothe inflammation, rheumatic pain, headaches, coughs and mental stress
•Cilantro is a member of the carrot family
•Fennel can be useful for indigestion and spasms of the digestive tract
•It also helps expel phlegm from the lung (that part I didn't know, always used it for my belly)
•Kale eases lung congestion and is beneficial to the stomach, liver and immune system
•Onions are an excellent antioxidant, and they contain anti-allergy, antiviral and antihistamine properties.
•Sulfur compounds in onions help to detoxify the body.
•Peanuts contain about the same amount of protein as soy and are low in starchy carbohydrates
•Pumpkin seeds are high in zinc, which is good for the prostate and building the immune system.
•They also contain fatty acids that kill parasites.
•Raw pumpkin seeds contain essential fatty acids and beneficial proteins.
•For maximum nutritional benefits, seeds should be eaten raw.
•Roasted seeds contain damaged fat that can lead to plaque in the arteries
•Sweet potatoes contain calcium, are high in vitamins A and C and contain thiamine
•Be careful: eating too many may cause abdominal swelling and indigestion
•Sweet potatoes are also high in sugar and therefore should be used sparingly
•Sweet potatoes are not related to the potato nor the yam--they are actually a member of the morning glory family
•A tomato grown in a hothouse has half the vitamin C content as a vine-ripened tomato
•Zucchinis can grow as large as baseball bats but have little flavor when they reach this size

I found this information on mercola.com. Enjoy:)

Be Kind to yourself

Oh goodness, I've been so focused on being healthy and eating whats good for my body. Part of my choice in becoming vegan was because I was sick of the unrequitted love relationship I had with dairy. I love dairy, it hated me, we broke up, I'm not sure I'm 100% over the relationship even though I know I am better off without it. So I dove into veganism, and explored all my other options. I think I swam a bit to deep into soy. I've had rash like/eczema/psorasis symptoms on my face for a while, they get better, they get worse. I was pretty sure it was a yeast intolerance, I did a cleanse, it got better...then it came back. Oh body, please stop being sensitive to the things I love.

I had a conversation online with a holistic health practioner wo is a part of the kind life forum, he's pretty sure its a symptom of an intolerance to soy. Its possible he's wrong, he said so, but I have this nagging intuition that he's right. So, it looks like I have a lot more planning into what I eat if I decide to emlinate soy until my immune system stops freaking out. No replacement meats or cheeses or eggs, and pretty much no processed food. With my hours, and working in a mall, this will take some serious planning.

I know that my health is priority, I haven't let it sit at the top of my priority list in years...sad, right? I'm sure after really focusing on everything I will feel amazing, but its really going to take work. I'm a hard worker, but when it comes to myself, I can be lax. I always have the best advice for people and their own health and eating habits, I have the information and the know how...I just seem to allow myself to slip more than I should. I know I shouldn't be too hard on myself, I know I eat a lot healthier than I have in probably my whole life, and better than most people...but I'm a perfectionist. When I feel like I am failing at something, I amlost prefer to give up instead of getting a less than perfect grade in my eyes. (does anyone else feel this way.)

Wish me luck. A fully plant based, whole grain, meat-free, dairy-free and soy-free me soon to arrive...oh the adventures of health.

To end this little ranty blog, I will leave you with a conversation I had recently.

"so Andrea, if you eat this great, and everything is good for you, then why is your skin off and you notice every single time you feel off from eating"
"well, i pay attention, I do myself the favour and I pay attention"

So to all of you struggling with your health, please just pay attention. let's stop ignoring our intolerances, and ignoring our bodies screaming at us to eat what we need to heal us. Be Kind to yourself.
Love, Andrea