Tree of Life Cafe Photos #31

High and Low Glycemic Sweetener Tricks

Diabetes. Hypoglycemia. Insulin resistance. Candida overgrowth. I've seen enough people come through the Tree of Life with these issues that the benefit of a low-glycemic diet is undeniable in its power to support the body in healing. To see the miracles that happen in a relatively short time period with these ailments is enough incentive to really look at the topic of sugar in one's diet.

I don't eat all low glycemic raw food, but I eat mostly low glycemic raw food. As time has gone on, my body has less of a tolerance for highly sugary foods as well. They more easily throw me off. I don't have any sugar-related health issues on a substantial basis, however.

A great trick I play with is combining low-glycemic and higher-glycemic sweeteners together in creations. Often people tend to go all or nothing with sweeteners - we either cut them out completely and only use the lowest-glycemic sweeteners like stevia and xylitol, or we go crazy and have dates and agave all in the same dish. Ick.

A very, very important disclaimer here: If one has a serious physical imbalance, I agree with Dr. Cousens' research: a no-glycemic diet is what should be eaten. This post is to simply illustrate what I do, as a person with no health issues whatsoever. For more info on Cousens' research on sugar, read Rainbow Green Live Food Cuisine.

Here's what I like to do with my sweet treats:

1. Begin with the low glycemic sweeteners. Start with the "phase 1" (lowest-glycemic) sweeteners such as stevia and xylitol. Add as much as you can of these two without feeling like you're ruining your creation or that you won't like the taste.
   
2. After that, go to your next highest sweeteners. These are your "phase 1.5 sweeteners" (see list of glycemic phased-foods by clicking here) such as mesquite or goji berries.
   
3. Still not enough for you? Go for some of the higher glycemic sweeteners such as coconut products or lucuma.
4. Only use high glycemic sweeteners such as dates or honey if you really feel like you have to, and use as little as possible to "top off" your sweet taste, rather than it being the base sweetener. Perhaps you'll end up putting in dates. But maybe you'll just need two. Or perhaps you'll put in honey, but you'll only need a teaspoon.

Again, to see the complete chart of glycemic phases of foods, click here.

Rather than viewing sweeteners as an all-or-nothing thing (if you don't have physical health imbalances), try just looking at percentages. You don't have to stop using dates or honey if you don't want to yet. Just start with lower glycemic sweeteners and work up the glycemic index, so that by the time you get to your high glycemic sweeteners, you might be able to use 50% less of the higher glycemic ones. Or 75% less. Or 90% less.

Sweetly,

Courtney

Los Angeles Raw Potluck!

Hello Friends!

Myself and Heather Pace of www.SweetlyRaw.com are hosting a raw potluck in Los Angeles on September 4th!

Want to join the epicness? Leave a comment on this post - it automatically gives me your email address and I'll send you details!

My Interviews with Reversing Diabetes Participants

This week, I interviewed two of our participants in the Tree of Life's Reversing Diabetes Naturally program, and just created a newsletter from it.

Inspiring interviews - enjoy!


http://ymlp.com/zPuBXN

Are Raw Foodists Crazy?

Check me out on the Pure Jeevan blog feature, Are Raw Foodists Crazy?

http://purejeevan.com/blog/?p=2638

Take the Red Pill... On to the Leading Edge!

Abraham-Hicks says,

"There is never a crowd on the leading edge."

Being on a spiritual path isn't exactly the most popular thing on the planet. If you're on one, you're the minority, at least at this point in history. I have encountered over and over in my own spiritual path, the test of having the courage to stay 'awake' and continue to wake up further, even if it means leaving the majority behind.

When I have now or have had in the past, a profound spiritual experience or insight, or I learn a very deep spiritual teaching, or I learn something about what is going on in the world, sometimes I think to myself... "Who is going to get this? Who will be able to relate to me now?"

I often feel challenged not to run away and to not be tempted to fall back 'asleep' and forget what I know and have experienced. Experiences that deepen us spiritually leave one with the feeling that there is no turning back. It's like periodically taking the 'red pill' as in the Matrix movies... another pill and the paradigm shifts again... another pill and you're deeper yet.

I've been thinking about the positive roles we can play in the global consciousness shift that is happening right now. What is it to be an instrumental, revolutionary presence in the awakening of consciousness?

I am using terms like "revolutionary presence". I am illustrating that it is not about pushing, preaching or anything of that sort, but by simply being who we are, living our truth, and being transparent with our spiritual lives. Example is always more powerful than talk in any scenario.

It takes courage to go deep into the unknown of consciousness, and even more courage to hold that energy despite what is going on externally in the world and in our lives. Because of ridicule or resistance, it is easy to water down the profundity of our spiritual gifts and shy away from the positive that we can share. It's easy to wait for someone else to be the solid holder of spiritual energy as an inspiration and example for others.

There are a million excuses to not being authentic with our spiritual depths: What will they think of me? Will they think I'm crazy? Hippie? Will my friends accept me? Will my partner accept me? What if I make them uncomfortable? What if I'm wrong? What if I'm no longer appealing to the mainstream? Who am I to think I am important in something as major as a consciousness shift in humanity? And it goes on.

So we don't tell people we meditate. We dilute our enthusiasm when someone asks us to tell them more about why we are on a spiritual path. We censor what we feel inspired to share or to say, or we hide our spiritual practices and lifestyle from people. We don't embark in the first place or we plateau and don't continue to do the work of deepening. There are endless other ways we censor or manipulate or hide our truths.

The reality is, there is a consciousness shift that is happening for humanity right now, and it needs you. If you're reading this still, that means you. Yes, you sitting there. The vast, vast, vast majority of the people in the world are not ready yet to hold the spiritual energy that the world needs so much right now. They aren't aware of it yet, or they're afraid. "There is never a crowd on the leading-edge". Most people won't be on the boat with you. So what?

Tree of Life Cafe Photos #30

All photos creations of Tree of Life Cafe in Patagonia, AZ

Rolling in the Majestics

One of my new favorite activities is biking. As I am temporarily distant from my first loves, which are competitive swimming and water polo, biking has taken next place in enjoyed exercise. Being in nature is required soul nourishment for me, so it's a great double-whammy of deliciousness ;)

I am blessed to live in a place with gorgeous scenery, where all the turns, hills and descents are anywhere from really pretty to breathtaking. I have several routes, and I thought I'd take you on one of them with me! This one goes near the Patagonia Nature Preserve.

A 24 hour Fast and Un-Plug

This Friday at sunset to last night's sunset, I fasted. I fasted from food, from the computer, from my phone, from talking with anyone.

There is great value in unplugging both literally (computer, phone, etc), and metaphorically (not speaking with anyone, not eating, etc). I desired to provide a quiet, simple space for what needed to arise to arise. I didn't have any particular issue I wanted to address, although that's a wonderful reason to do something like this as well. We can all benefit from going into ourselves deeply and coming out with better clarity, direction, and perception.

What did I end up doing? Writing, meditating, a little reading, and spending time outside. Very simple. I moved slowly, mindfully. That seems to happen naturally when you're water fasting ;) Everything just becomes quiet and simple and slow. My meditations were definitely deeper, primarily due to fasting, but I'm sure the other things contributed to a quicker letting go of mental activity as well.

I consider myself a fairly independent person with no problem being alone and quiet, but it was interesting to see that I had some urges to call or text someone, to check my email, and of course... to eat ;) I also noticed my mind pacing about saying all the things I 'should' be doing and lamenting about how unproductive I was being. What did I think I was doing, taking a whole day of doing nothing? Not producing or creating anything? Who I was I to think it was ok to just be?

I noticed a deeper awareness towards the subtleties of my thoughts and feelings throughout the day. It's hard to explain aside, I just noticed more delicate nuances and fluctuations within my being that sometimes resulted in analytical conclusion but most often were just feelings, textures, colors and images that arose. I did a lot of writing and uncovered some great perspective and clarity about various aspects of my life.

It was a great experience in reminding myself that being is enough, and in examining the reasons I think so often that I am not enough just because I exist. I always think I have a lot to add to that fact. So often we say that who we are is enough, but to actually be in the space where all you have is who you are, you aren't doing anything except that: being, we discover we often don't truly believe we are enough just because we exist.

Additionally, it was great to take stock in what I'm up to in my life, how I'm spending time, and how I'm going about projects to re-prioritize, re-focus, and question things. What am I doing? Where am I in my life? Why am I doing these things? What are they for? Is there a way I can do such and such better? How can I upgrade this aspect of my life? And so on.

I definitely recommend doing something like this. You can go longer, or you could go shorter. You could do a whole weekend, or perhaps just an evening. If you can't fast from all the things I did, fast from some. See what comes up.

In addition to all the great things I've already written about, the other wonderful result for me has been one of empowerment. It's empowering to know that I've taken that time for myself. That I've prioritized my inner soul life, my spiritual life, and my harmony and balance enough to take the time to go inward, create the space for perception and transformation, and to connect deeper spiritually. That kind of self love really does carry over into other activities and flush everything we do with a special kind of glow.

Who Are We Showing Up For?

When we make a choice, take an action, perpetuate a pattern, however good or bad or anywhere along that spectrum it seems, who are we doing it for? So often, we do things for reasons that are not our own, and not often for our highest good or for our spiritual path. We make daily, weekly and yearly life choices that are either elevating or deepening for us, or not. Sometimes we choose in a misaligned way because those choices please our parents, our community, our culture, or our partner, our friends, or our own belief systems that control and damage. How often are we actually showing up for ourselves? How often are we doing something for the only reason that it supports our deepest experience? How often are we acting in alignment with our soul’s deepest truth?

Some of the most substantial growth can come from asking ourselves, "Who am I showing up for?" "Am I really showing up for me?" "If I'm not, who am I doing this for, and why?" "If I were to show up for myself, what would that look like? Would I be doing this right now? Or would I be doing something else?" “If it were only me, what would I be choosing?” Questioning the roots of our choices, fears, hesitations, and beliefs is always the first step to re-aligning with ourselves and gaining clarity on the direction we really need to go.

When we're eating well or when we're eating unhealthfully, who are we doing that for? When we are "good" with our diets, are we doing that for us? For someone else? When we start a new project or venture or career, who are we doing that for? When we begin a yoga practice, or a meditation practice, or something else spiritual, why are we doing that? Who are we doing it for?

Spiritual perseverance, or netzach, requires that we, at times, be willing to be alone in our quest. That we’re willing to enter the unknown of the Nothing and the uncomfortable nature of spiritual tests, by ourselves. That we’re willing to make challenging decisions despite protest from those around us or from our own fear, excuse and anxiety filled ego. In fact, choosing our true dharma and aligning with our true path at the protest, resistance, disapproval, or even violent opposition is a spiritual test that comes up in everyone’s path and has been part of the path of all spiritual leaders and groups in history.

Conscious observation about why it is we are doing what we are doing and choosing what we are choosing is not only crucial, but required for a spiritual path and for all aspects of our lives. The constant tests of staying true to the integrity of one’s path and committed to deepening our connection with deep consciousness present themselves in small and big ways, every day of our lives. Choosing our highest aligned path is a choice we make over and over again, every day. Or not. What matters most is simply showing up. Keep showing up. Keep showing up.