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10 Day Water Fasting – My Experience

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10 Day Water Fast – My Experience

Disclaimer: I DO NOT RECOMMEND THAT EVERYONE WATER FAST. I ALSO DO NOT RECOMMEND TO EVER WATER FAST ALONE BY YOURSELF. PLEASE CONSULT YOUR PHYSICIAN AND ONLY FAST UNDER COMPETENT AND GUIDED SUPERVISION. SOME INDIVIDUALS ARE JUST TOO ILL TO FAST SAFELY AND UNDER THE WRONG CIRCUMSTANCES MANY HAVE INJURED THEMSELVES, DEVELOPED INFECTIONS OR EVEN DIED DUE TO THEIR OWN OR CARE TAKER’S NEGLIGENCE.

Back in December 2010 (when I was 25), I decided to do a 10 day water fast while I was visiting Bali. I had 1 hotel room for 2 weeks (well it was more of a suite with 2 bedrooms) and I was going to spend most of the time inside anyways. Please note that I did not have any serious health problems and was young and “fit” and may have been in a completely different situation than yourself. This is not advice. This is my experience and what I learned through my actions and my environment.


So I thought having 14 days in one place in Bali would work as I could have a few days to recover before going on to my next Destination: The Philippines.



I had done several 1 day water fasts and 3 day water fasts, both on my own, so I was not too worried.  I had a friend (who had undergone a multiweek fast previously who also was well read on Natural Hygiene and Dr. Shelton) watching me during this 10 day fast.  I have read some works by Shelton on fasting myself.

I had been feeling kind of crappy and blah a little in Thailand and Singapore because we were inside a lot, doing the same thing every day (being on the computer), I felt tired and not really hungry and I wanted to have more energy and feel better.  Also my skin was getting a little crazy with hormones, the constant A/C but then humidity outside and it was dry and oily and at the same time.

I had never gone into ketosis before doing shorter fasts, so I was not sure what to expect.  Friends told me I’d probably have low energy and not feel so great and probably be really bored, but I could try for a week and see how it went.

My goal was to try and get to 10 days.  At 7 days I would see how I felt and then decide if I could keep going.  Since I was kind of on vacation and did not really have to go anywhere or be capable of anything it seemed like a good time.

***Again I do not recommend ever doing a water fast of more than 3 days on your own, unsupervised.  Especially if you have to drive, work, walk very far, take care of others or have existing health conditions that could put you at risk, it’s just unwise. If your physician agrees you are healthy enough, you may consider doing a series of 1 day or even 3 day fasts if you are unable to take time off to go to a fasting center for dedicated long term care.



If you do a water fast on your own your friends and family are likely to be afraid for you, worry you or talk you out of it, or even worse call an ambulance on you or take you to the hospital because they think something is wrong. Don’t put yourself in a situation where you have unsupportive people around you and you are in a weakened state! That is very dangerous and they won’t know that fasting is less harmful than taking you to the hospital or putting you on medication.

During my fast I stayed inside my hotel room almost the entire time, I drank water when I was thirsty and I booked an in hotel massage once a day for the first 8 days of fasting. Partly because I wanted something to look forward to each day, and partly because I wanted to see if it would help my lymph while fasting.

So here is my fasting journal for my 10 day fast and the few days recovering after the fast. I was writing this on an ipad in short quick notes so I wouldn’t forget later but I did not always have great energy or clarity to go in depth. It was a lot of sitting and laying around and monotony.

Fasting Day One

I have no hunger. I’m feeling a good amount of energy. No light headedness. Did a few exercises and felt fine.
Did not really think of food at all. No cravings. I’m glad I mentally prepared myself that I won’t be eating for a while.

Later on in the evening I have a little headache from artificial light. I was watching some tv and on my computer.  It’s pretty dark in this hotel room, so not a lot of natural light.  So that’s probably why.

Fasting 36 hours

I’ve been sitting up in bed resting. My lower back a little sore. I’ve been going to bed late and sleeping in because it’s a little boring here. I have a slight sensitivity to light. Not hungry or dizzy. Slight mouth fuzziness, even though I’m still brushing my teeth twice a day. I have dry lips, probably the a/c is not helping. Itchy skin on my face.

My weight today is 130 lbs/59 kg.

Fasting 61 hours

I feel headachey, and a little weak. Not hungry though. I do feel a little out of it. I keep sleeping 9 hours a night like I usually do. I wanted to keep sleeping as long as possible because then there is less time to sit here and be awake. Resting in bed mostly. Waiting for the hours to crawl by.  A little bored. My breathing is much slower I think.



I still weigh 130 lbs/ 59 kg this morning.

Fasting 65 hours

I feel much better this morning. Less of a headache. I feel a little hungry now. I have a sensation in my throat and stomach feels really empty. I remember when I fasted for 3 days before I felt like I had a vacuum in my stomach, but it doesn’t feel like that this time.  I just feel like my heart is beating in my stomach, it feels stronger than in my chest and is weird.

Fasting 69 hours

I got a blood glucose meter. So I checked myself for the first time.  My Blood glucose is 3.4 mmol/L. Looking it up from the chart it’s within normal ranges.  I do feel a little light headed though.  I make sure that I sit up and then wait a few seconds before standing up so I don’t get that black out feeling from lower blood pressure.

Fasting 84 hours

I slept another 9 hours last night. Today I feel hungover, even though I have not had any alcohol for about 3 years now. It totally reminds me of being destroyed and hungover. I’m very nauseous and dizzy. I don’t want to move it makes me feel really bad. Even typing this is making me feel sick.



I feel a little better after resting an hour and then having some water. My massage felt good, I feel much better after it and feel more myself. My ankles keep hurting though, they are throbbing like I cracked them too much. I don’t know if it’s from lying down… maybe.

Fasting 88 hours

I have a little energy and have lots of thoughts and conversing is really easy. I really don’t feel much different or like when some people say their minds are racing and so clear when they fast. Unless I’m tired I always feel like that, it’s easy to think and focus. Other than my ankles and lower back hurting a little I feel ok.

Fasting 90 hours

I feel like all the energy has been sucked out of me. I feel dizzy and weak. My ankles and my back are throbbing and it’s pretty annoying and sore. I feel an acidic feeling in my throat and drinking water makes me burp. My intestines are rumbling and I feel kind of like when I start to get cramps. I kinda feel like my ovaries and lower back ache. I feel tired like I need to nap even though I just woke up. I’m not hungry. My mouth feels a little fuzzy and sticky even though I am brushing twice a day. I feel thirsty but the water does not taste good it tastes like glass and metal. I have to make myself drink a few glasses today.

Weight: 127.8 lbs/ 58 kg



Fasting 96 hours

My throat feels all acidic still. I cannot sleep. My ankles still throbbing. Why won’t they stop? Something below my stomach is hurting really badly. It feels like it’s being ripped apart inside and it really hurts. I have never had this feeling before ever. It’s like tissue being torn away from my abdominal wall or something. It makes me want to eat just to try stop the pain. I feel like my insides are being eaten. My feet are so cold they feel like ice. Its hard to warm them up. Even under the covers of my bed they are freezing.

Fasting 108 hours

I don’t feel like I slept much. I wasn’t really tired and i just laid in bed with my eyes closed all night. I must have slept a little this morning because i had a dream. I was fighting with my mom and sister. My mom wouldn’t listen to me and she just left. I was so angry with her. I don’t really feel tired or nauseous or sick this morning. I feel ok. Not like yesterday when i felt so terrible it was hard to move from the pain. My ankles hurt a little still. No throbbing and lots of pain like yesterday. My lower back is a little sore. I wonder if it is my kidneys or something.

Weight 126.7 lbs/ 57.5 kg

Fasting Day 6

I’m going to stop counting the hours now that I’m fasting. It’s too confusing to keep track. I couldn’t sleep last night. I went to bed at 9 pm the night before and only slept until 2:30 am. Then my lower back hurt and I was restless so I read till 4 am. I tried to do a 24 hour dry fast because I was reading that it’s even more cleansing than a water fast and I hoped it would help my lower back, but only lasted 12 hours. I felt nauseous and thirsty at 8 am. I had to drink water, it took me a while to get out of bed because I felt so terrible. I went to the bathroom and then drank 3 glasses of water and went back to bed for 4 hours. Surprisingly I did not need to pee again, which is odd because I usually have to soon after drinking any water, let alone that much. Must have been the dry fast.



I got up at noon and my back was really killing me. I think I also strained it from slouching in bed and the mattress padding being way to soft, so it put my back out and I felt like my organs were hurting. I cried it hurt so bad. My tongue is white and mouth is sticky and and my throat has acid reflux. Its been there since day 4 and drives me crazy. I felt terrible so I lay in bed for another 2 hours. Then I had a massage even though i felt so nauseous I didn’t know if i could make it. Just getting up and going to the other room was hard, I felt very ill. Lying down and relaxing helped. My back felt a little better after the massage. When I sat up after it was done I felt like I had to pull it together to not be sick and I felt dizzy. I had to talk to the massage therapist for a bit and act normal. Immediately after I needed to go to bed again and lie in the dark, the artificial light made me feel terrible. My back is still killing me, I don’t know what to do.  I pulled off the mattress padding and laid a little flatter on the bed so it didn’t put my back out so much. Then I decided to try my electric massager and i used that on the sore parts of my back for a while and i felt so much better. I don’t know why I didn’t think of that sooner. Maybe my muscles are spasming. I had this stabbing feeling in my left ovary that was really hurting. A few minutes of using it and it went away. I feel much better now, but sitting in my bed with my legs out is causing me pain. So I sit in an upright chair and feel much better keeping my back supported. I use my massager though out the day, the pain comes and goes depending on my posture. Poor posture brings the pain back. My throat is driving me crazy i keep feeling like I’m going to throw up bile because its so acidic in my throat and burns. Even drinking water doesn’t help it, I just burp a little and it keep burning.
My pain is back. I’m trying to sit upright in a chair and hold myself together but it’s hard. I just want it to end. This has been the worst day, I just want to lie down in the dark, but it hurts my back. I feel really cold still too. Even covering myself head to toe and wearing wool socks I’m still cold. I get the chills a few times a day now and its hard to warm up. My feet are always freezing and I feel cold inside my body.



Fasting Day 7

I feel better today, but I was only able to sleep in 3 to 4 hour blocks so I had to keep getting up for a while and then going back to bed. Finally at 8 am (I have been getting up at noon, because I couldn’t sleep)  I got up and drank some water and went outside to get about 20 minutes of sun and that made me feel better too. This a/c is nasty, but it’s so noisy outside I can’t just leave my window open to sleep. My back hurts less. I need to keep making sure it’s straight and not slouching or it hurts. I’m still not hungry, not thinking about food. I don’t get dizzy or have to worry about getting up too fast anymore, I think my body has adapted to the low blood pressure. So that was really great.

I threw up after brushing my teeth today though accidentally. My toothbrush made me gag when I brushed my tongue and I threw up all this foam and then lots of yellow bile and then there was trickles of blood in it. I’m not sure what from, maybe my throat which has had acid on it for the past few days? Right after I drank some water and felt a million times better. I feel much better than all the days before just like on day one of my fast. It’s getting easier. :) I will aim for 10 days now, I’m almost there.

Weight 124.3 lbs/56.4 kg

Fasting Day 8

I took the mattress padding off my bed and slept on it like that. I was sleeping on the tile floor, but it was hurting my neck and making my legs hurt. I was able to sleep for about 9 and a half hours last night. I felt good this morning, but my neck and head are killing me. I put too much strain on it probably from lying with my head to the side while getting massaged. The hotel does not have massage tables so getting massages on a bed really sucks. It makes me feel better, but my neck is just hurting me and giving me a throbbing headache at the base of my head. Ive never hurt my neck so badly before. Maybe its just me but I always seem to hurt myself from sleeping or laying down and don’t generally hurt myself any other way. I think the next 2 days will be easier. I just keep thinking of the days in 12 hour blocks and sleeping when I feel low energy.  Surprisingly the only ketosis symptoms I have are a white tongue and strong smelling urine, my body does not smell at all.  I had a little athletes foot on my right foot and it went away (as a kid I always got that and some warts, it’s gotten better)  and my skin is getting clearer. I’m hoping in the next 2 days it clears up even more. I’ve been careful to try and not touch my face while sleeping and keep it moisturized with coconut oil so it doesn’t dry out from the a/c. My throat does not feel as acidy anymore, I hope its getting better. I have had headaches on and off today from my sore neck. Massages help it for a few hours but my head starts throbbing and feels heavy later. I had a BM today, it was small and spontaneous. I felt better after. Nothing strange. I really don’t think colonics or enemas are necessary when fasting since the body can obviously take care of itself without them.

Weight 123.2 lbs/55.9 kg



Fasting Day 9

I tried to go to bed early around 10pm and only slept for a few hours before I was woken up by noise outside of the hotel. People are always talking, banging or laughing in the middle of the night and it wakes me up. I got up at 1 am because I couldn’t sleep. I listened to some music and then watched some shows, but am still not really tired. I’m trying to have proper posture in my sleep to keep my back and neck from hurting, it just gets boring when I can’t sleep. I don’t get chills anymore in bed, I just get hot really fast, so its hard to not feel like I’m roasting inside this thick comforter. But turning the a/c on too high just dries out my lips and makes them cracked.

4 am and I’m still not tired. The hardest part about fasting is being bored and waiting  for time to pass. Just a day and a half more. Not having food cravings or feeling hungry, just more thinking what I’d like to eat in the future and what I will be happy to enjoy. I want to eat slower and enjoy it more. I think having juicy fruits will be very pleasant. I went back to bed after 4 and slept for almost 8 hours. I feel much better. My neck is still sore, but not giving me a headache like yesterday. Other than that I feel pretty fine, just the rest of the day and tomorrow to go.

Weight: 122.2 lbs/55.4 kg

Fasting Day 10

I feel fine today other than my neck still being sore. I’ll have something later on today. I want to go outside today and get some sun. So we went to the beach, but it’s cloudy and super windy so we walk around instead. I feel really really thirsty. We walk around town a little. I feel ok, I just can’t walk really fast and keep needing to drink water. I think about what I want to eat. Maybe some juice. The juice bar we go to is closed because of a holiday. It seems almost every day is a holiday in Bali. Literally. We walk around to an internet cafe and get the address of a vegetarian restaurant and take a taxi there.  They have a few juices, mostly strong vegetable juices with herbs or ginger, I don’t want that. I get an orange, mango, papaya, pineapple smoothie and sip on it really slowly. I don’t feel hungry or even want to gulp it down. I just chew the fiber. It takes me about half an hour to slowly sip and chew about a cup of it. My stomach is full and the pineapple made my tongue burn. Its really acidic in Bali, that was a bad idea. I give up the rest of my smoothie and I go home. A few hours later I snack on a handful of black grapes and remove the seeds. Later on I cut up a pear and chew it slowly through a movie. I still feel ok. My insides are gurgling though and it feels really weird.
At night when I try to go to sleep, I can’t. I feel like my insides are an empty water slide and the fruit juices are whooshing through back and forth and up and down every few seconds. I’ve never felt anything like it before. It continues all the way until morning. I pass out for a few hours in the morning finally.

Weight: 121 lbs/54.9 kg



After The Fast Day 1

I’m really tired. I felt like I was kept awake all night and just want to lay in bed. I have a few little pieces of watermelon and I eat it. I’m still not really hungry. We’re going to go and meet someone today and get a juice, so I get ready and we go to a different location of the same vegetarian restaurant. I order the same juice but without the pineapple this time as it is so acidic. We sit there for a while and I feel ok and I drink my smoothie. A while after drinking it though I feel really nauseas and weak. I just want to lay down and its hard to concentrate and listen while they talk. I’m thinking maybe the mango was too sweet? I didn’t feel sick from pears apples or watermelon, so we have to leave immediately and when I get home I feel much better. I lay down for a while.

Later on that night I get hungry but I don’t know what to do. I read online that some natural hygienists suggest steamed vegetables and broth as to not excite the body from fruit sugar and trigger intense hunger. I get some green beans and cauliflower and steam it. I drink the cooking water and have some vegetables and feel much better afterwards. What a relief. I actually feel better eating that then the fruit after fasting… hmm.

My mouth is still pretty dry and my tongue is white, I can’t wait for that to go away. I try to sleep but I can’t. I’m wide awake and all these noises, honking, backfiring and buzzing sounds are driving me crazy. I lay awake half the night with my eyes closed waiting to be tired. Finally I pass out just before morning.

After The Fast Day 2

I feel tired, I can’t seem to feel ok if I get up before noon. I can’t make myself fall asleep earlier and I get migraines if I wake up without enough sleep. The artificial lights hurt my eyes. I get some fresh apple juice from the hotel. Its good, but its mostly foam so it’s pretty small. I wish we had a blender or juicer! My mouth feels a little better this morning. I’m still thirsty. I still don’t like light. I had to sleep with no pillow last night and it helped my neck a bit, it was feeling strained.



Conclusion:

This was a good learning experience for me. I learned what not to do in a few areas like:

-Don’t sit in bed all day with your feet up, it puts out your lower back!

-Don’t stay inside all the time under artificial lights, it is unnatural and gives you headaches!

-Don’t stay inside with a/c because it dries out your skin and lips and you need fresh air.

-Don’t go to bed late because it messes up your sleep schedule and is really hard to break after fasting.

-Don’t break your fast with mangoes, they are too sweet.

-Don’t sleep on really soft beds, it really strains your back.

-Don’t use really soft pillows it strains your neck.

-Don’t eat pineapple after fasting, your mouth is very sensitive and it will burn it very easily. (Shelton also noted this as well)

-Colonics, enemas and laxatives are not necessary. The body is totally capable of having bm on its own when ready and during a fast nothing is going to be sitting inside you forever poisoning you, so don’t worry about it.

Some things I learned that are ok:

– Eating steamed vegetables or vegetable cook water does not make you feel sick or bad after a fast. – This is interesting.

– Walking around a bit while fasting is fine as long as you don’t make yourself walk to fast.

-Getting sunshine and fresh air really helps!

-It’s ok to not sit in the dark day and night resting. If you do this your circadian rhythms are all messed up and you can have major problems sleeping and be very sensitive to light migraines.



Next time I fast I will take care to be in a better environment where I can go outside, get fresh air and sun and not spend all the time inside laying in bed.  If I didn’t do that I would not have put my back out so badly.  I even started googling it and it seemed VERY common after the first 4 or 5 days in fasters. Most people attributed it to kidney pain or toxins being released, but I SERIOUSLY doubt that. There has to be a link between lower back pain and bad posture sitting in bed all day, it puts a huge strain on it.  Then if you are also sleeping on your side at night and laying that way during the day you put even MORE strain on your back from resting. So posture is very very important when you are resting for extended periods to prevent yourself from getting injured!

After the fast I decided to eat smaller meals, and chew slower and enjoy the food more.  I lost over 9 lbs.  It did not creep back up within a few days like a lot of people say happens in fasting. But overall I am happy with my experience.  I have noticed my digestion is MUCH much better, my skin is better and my mouth seems healthier too. I don’t have any more pain in my ovaries/intestines area so it’s possible my body did some healing on that area.

I think next time I do a water fast it will be even easier because I will be better at it and know what to expect!

Update:

The not eating was probably the easiest part.  I thought it would be hard because I really look forward to meals and like deciding what to buy and eat.  But I mentally prepared myself.  I enjoyed my last meal and said no more eating again for 10 days. You can look forward to eating delicious fruit when you’re done, and it was really easy since I wasn’t actually hungry the first 3 days.  I have water fasted before and felt hungry/sick on the 3rd day but this time I didn’t.

But the boredom and waiting for time to pass was the most persistent and then hurting myself from laying and sitting on a bed all day was the worst I experienced.

I really feel like I healed some problems with my digestion and possibly my ovaries.  I always had this pain in my left side that would come and go and some healers told me there was something wrong there but doctors could never find anything.  Anyways it doesn’t hurt anymore so that’s good.



Also the constant a/c and darkness are killer.  We need fresh air, sun and light. Artificial light makes me so headachey in prolonged periods.

I could have gone longer because I was definitely not hungry and by day 10 everything was so much better and easier.  I had to stop because I needed time to refeed before we traveled.  I was not hungry and had to make myself eat some fruit a few times.  I think my body would have been fine eating a few pieces of fruit once a day for the first few days.

I definitely don’t think it’s wise to break a fast with sweet tropical fruit though I felt so sick and drunk off of it, unlike anything I’ve ever experienced before.  I had no problems with apples and pears and a little watermelon.  So I would stay away from mangoes, pineapple and banana next time I break a fast.

I know it will be easy for me to go longer next time, given that my surroundings weren’t that great. Our hotel was on the side of a highway so it wasn’t safe to be walking around down there by myself. (No shoulders or sidewalks)



I talked to my friend who is a Doc and found a lot of interesting info why I had problems with fruit after breaking the fast.

Pancreatic function takes about 4 days to return to normal if you are eating low sugar, small amounts of food and taking it easy, if you eat too much fruit, and too much it can take 2 weeks and wreak havoc on your blood sugar. Your pancreas has basically turned off while fasting and being in a ketatonic state, you can’t just expect it will turn on because you put fruit in your mouth!

The cooked veggies made me feel fine because they were partially broken down and easy to digest and low sugar.  It was easy on my pancreas.  Also since you are fasting you have a low amount of enzymes available for digesting, so eating blended or cooked vegetables is much easier on the body as it takes a few days to bring them back up to your pre fast levels.

Again please do not water fast on your own unsupervised. If you’d like to consider a reputable fasting retreat centre you might want to check out TrueNorth.


Eating Plant-Based, Vegan and Vegetarian in Italy – Venice, Florence, Rome and Sicily

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Florence Italy – by Veronica Grace

(originally written for another blog of my journey’s in summer of 2010)

Italy is a wonderful and diverse country with with an abundance of fresh home grown Italian produce and cuisines that vary from region to region.

I spent a few days in a number of cities checking out the sights and enjoying some delicious Italian fruits that summer.  So much so that I definitely plan on returning for a few months in the near future!

The Italians are very proud of their country, their heritage, their cars, name brand designers, their cuisine and the quality of their produce. Going to Italy is really stepping into a whole new world where everyone expects the best and only buys the best even if it’s a little outside their means. Most of the main cities seem to host locals who look like they just stepped out of a designer catalogue! The tourists of course are the easiest to spot, they’re the ones in shorts and a hat with a camera wrapped around their neck and their mouths gaping open .



In Italy the Italians have a reputation of driving VERY fast, often on winding and narrow single lane roads (that are in fact two way roads) and drive fast cars or high-end scooters like Vespas.  They also do not seem to obey traffic lights right away or crosswalks.  Almost all of the crosswalks in large cities like Florence or Rome are not used, you must simply find a relatively “safe” time to cross, take a deep breath and FIRMLY walk out onto the street and have traffic stop all around you and just get across. If you panic or run you will be in more danger than if you deliberately just cross the street calmly and confidently.  Italians don’t like to be slowed down, cities have a lot of traffic and crosswalk lights only impede traffic further so it seems they are not used hardly ever! If you’re from New York you may find this fact a little less intimidating than if you are from a small rural town!

Trevi Fountain, Rome – by Veronica Grace

Most of the people I met anywhere (outside of hotels and taxis) spoke very good English, a lot better than I anticipated and I’m sure it’s due to the large amount of tourists they receive from all over the world every year.  Some of the top sights in the world are in Italy so it’s no wonder they cater to English speaking travelers all over Europe, North America and Australia.

Deciphering Italian Menus

You will likely come across chalkboard signs or menus that have sections like Antipasti (starters), Insalata (salads), Primi piatti/il Primo (small first course), Secondi piatti/ il Secondo (main dish), Contorni/il Contorno (side dish) and Dolce (dessert).



If you plan on eating out, you will likely be ordering from the Antipasti section things like bruschette, caprese salad (without the cheese if you’re vegan/plant-based) , olive tapenades etc. From the Primo: small portions of spaghetti, risotto or gnocchi, nothing from the the Secondo section, possibly something from the Contorno section if they have white beans, grilled vegetables, steamed asparagus, roasted potatoes, french fries, or long beans and you will probably be too full to have Dolce (dessert). 🙂

If you plan on avoiding the restaurants entirely then it will be a bit easier since you will be certain there aren’t any added things like butter, cream or cheese.

Eating raw vegan in Italy is fairly easy when the produce is so fresh and delicious. If you have a market to go to and can wash and prepare some fruit and salads in your room you will have no problem.  The only issue is salad dressing.  There is no such thing in the Mediterranean! Italians use lots of olive oil and vinegar or lemon for salad dressing.  Perhaps bringing some with you or making it in a travel blender would be best for low fat salads. Avocado is not fresh and abundant here.

Bruschetta, Eggplant dip and Beans, Tuscany Vineyard Tour – by Veronica Grace

Eating vegan or plant-based in Italy is fairly easy, but only if you include bread and pasta at restaurants since no one in Italy would really understand why you would choose to not eat meat, fish, dairy AND pasta.  They love their pasta and fresh bread. You will find spaghetti and gnocchi everywhere.  There is also quite often minestrone soup on the menu, which is basically just vegetable soup in a tomato broth, sometimes white beans in sauce or grilled vegetables.  But predominantly vegan food served at restaurants is dried pasta and bread. (Fresh pasta is made with eggs, it is against Italian law to use eggs in dried pasta). For those who are gluten free, Italy is quite gluten free friendly, and now all children are tested for celiac disease since their culture relies on pasta and bread so much. Just ask.



You can also ask for risottos to be made plant-based with no cheese, if you find a vegetable based one like mushroom or asparagus. Seafood risotto is the most common so stay away from that.  Cafe’s will likely have it premade, sit down restaurants will make it to order so you can always inquire if they will make it without the parmesan. Pizza can be made to order in many places without cheese, but is not as common at the tourist ready made pizza places (except in Rome). Pizza marinara (just tomato sauce and oregano) can be ordered almost anywhere pizza is made fresh, pizza bianca is dough brushed with olive oil and sprinkled with herbs, or you can make your own with tomato sauce and mushrooms, zucchini, eggplant, mushrooms, peppers, tomatoes, olives etc. without cheese.

If you’re a vegetarian you will likely have zero problem eating in Italy, since you can basically eat any pasta with cream or cheese, mushroom risotto, bruschette, minestrone soup, salads, vegetarian pizza etc.

Simple Italian Phrases

If you can, learn some basic phrases like this to get by:

“Sono vegetariano” I’m vegetarian
“Vorrei un piatto di frutta” I would like a fruit plate
“Vorrei un’insalata” I would like a salad
“Posso ordinare questo senza carne o formaggio” Can I order this without meat or cheese?
“ma senze pesci” but without fish
“ma senza formaggio” but without cheese
“Ha delle verdure grigliate?” Do you have any grilled vegetables?
“Vorrei  un piatto di pasta secca, non frescha” I want to order some dried pasta, not fresh (because fresh pasta has eggs in it)
“Vorrei della minestra di verdure, per favore” I want to order the vegetable soup, please
“Una pizza vegetariana senza formaggio, per favore” A vegetable pizza without cheese, please

Like I said most people speak English, but maybe if you are eating at a small mom and pop restaurant, or in the country side it might be useful to know some basic Italian if you plan or ordering at restaurants.

Campo Di Fiori Market, Rome – by Veronica Grace

Italian Markets

You should be able to find fruit markets or produce stands in every city you visit in Italy.  All the locals buy their produce here, and there are always vendors selling pre made items to tourists, such as fresh juice, cut up fruit in cups and possibly some meat or fish items. The markets open early so make sure you head there before 1pm, preferably before noon for better quality produce and a good selection.

Italian Grocery Stores

Like most of Europe there are not many “large” grocery stores or supermarkets.  Most are fairly small, selling essential dried and canned items with milk and meat products, a few vegetables and fruits to tide people over or for tourists who want to get everything in one place.

Italian Restaurants

*A special note about Italian restaurants. A lot of them charge a “cover charge” per person for eating at their restaurant.  I guess this could be like an extra automatic gratuity. Sometimes 3 to 4 Euros per person.  Often you will see menu chalkboards advertising: “No cover charge!” this is a good sign.  If it does not say this it will be added to your bill. Also menu items include taxes and gratuity of 10%, only tip extra if you feel it necessary.

Most cafes will be open continuously from breakfast to lunch, serving various things like English breakfast, Italian espressos, pastries, panini, pizza, and premade pasta dishes.




For dinner most restaurants are not open until 7pm (19:00) unless they are on a tourist street and are a cafe, then they will be open earlier but they sell basic low quality tourist food.

Italian Juice/Smoothie Bars

You will find a few places selling fresh squeezed juice whether it’s on the street or in a proper shop. Juice bars will have everything listed in Italian so it would be good to learn the Italian words of the fruits you like so you can look at their combinations and see what you want.  They usually offer smoothies with yogurt or milk, so make sure to mention if you want it plant-based/vegan without dairy.  You can usually find at least one smoothie without dairy, like apple, orange and banana or with berries.  They seem to use blenders to make juices and not juicers as often. So don’t expect juices to be exactly the same as you’d find somewhere in the USA.

Gelato in Tuscany – by Veronica Grace

Italian Sweets Vendors

In the Mediterranean you will find that a lot of people eat fruit for dessert or a snack so you will usually see cups of cut up fruit being sold for a few Euros.  Things like cantaloupe, pineapple and grapes together or just watermelon.  Very easy to find in large cities and especially on hot days! They will usually sell other types of desserts as well.

*Traveler’s Tip For Sight Seeing*

Buy ALL of your museum passes or tour tickets online before you go to Italy. There can be huge lines at places like St Mark’s Basilica in Venice, The Colosseum in Rome and the Ufizzi Museum in Florence. The Italian sun can be hot and standing in huge lines to buy a ticket and then enter is no way to spend your holiday.  We skipped the line at EVERY major attraction and it was awesome! You just google the ticket you want, find a website that sells it, pick the date and entry time you want to go to the site and purchase it online.  Print the ticket and bring it with you to exchange for a real ticket at the ticket office upon arrival. They are a little lenient in time too, so 15-20 min before or after your time seems to be no problem either.


Eating Plant-Based, Vegan and Vegetarian in Venice, Italy

Venice at Dawn by Veronica Grace

Venice was the first city I went to in Italy and I had spectacular weather, low humidity and pure sunshine.  Make sure you get a map and have your hotel tell you how to get to and from San Marco’s Square as basically you will be going there every day for tours, shopping or restaurants.  Better yet, picking a hotel that is within a 10 minute walk to San Marco’s would be good too.  Mine was about 20 minutes away walking and going back and forth several times a day was a good workout dodging the masses of tourists on narrow streets!

Burano island, Venice Italy – by Veronica Grace

Tours in Venice

Murano, Burano and Torcello: boat tour was well worth it. Inexpensive and a good way to see some little islands outside of Venice and get some beautiful photos of their painted houses. Stops for 40 minutes on each island to look around. 20 Euros each: https://www.venetoinside.com/tours-activities-in-veneto/tour/half-day-excursion-murano-burano-torcello/

Torcello Island, Venice, Italy – by Veronica Grace

Walking Tour of Venice was not very exciting, but it came with a semi private canal tour  https://ca.viator.com/Venice-tours/Walking-Tours/d522-g16-c56 San Marco’s Basilica was packed, you cannot take photos, you must cover up your shoulders and legs (ladies) and was pretty quick. Personally I think it’s overrated. The Grand Canal Boat tour was great, the guide was excellent and it covered much more ground than a gondola tour simply because the boat can go faster.

Doge’s Palace: really nice to walk through, not very packed and you can skip the line and buy a ticket online in advance. 18 euros each http://www.tickitaly.com/galleries/doges-palace-venice.php This ticket also gets you into all the other museums in San Marco’s Square and can be used within 3 months, only once at each other museum.  Your time for Doge’s Palace must be reserved ahead of time though.  Well worth it.

Venice Vegan/Vegetarian Restaurants

None!

Just modify menu items, no meat or cheese on salad, no cream/cheese in mushroom risotto, no cheese on pizza (although I heard pizza in Venice is not that great and of the low tourist quality variety) spaghetti pomodoro or marinara, and fresh orange juice or watermelon are a few things you can find almost anywhere. Sometimes cafes will have premade risotto or gnocchi that has cheese in it, so opt for a more sit down restaurant if you want made to order food.

Eating Plant-Based, Vegan and Vegetarian in Florence, Italy

Statue of David – by Veronica Grace



I spent 2 lovely days in Florence and wish I had had more time! The city is very walkable, so find a hotel within a few minutes of the Duomo and you will be near most of the attractions you want and all the shops and restaurants. The Duomo is free admission too, so that’s a huge plus and if you want to take some photos without all the tourists standing outside go around sunrise or 7am to get some great shots.

Florence Tours

Tuscany by Vespa – this was the most exciting tour I did in Europe. Learn how to ride a scooter and tour Tuscany.  Not for the feint of heart or those unexperienced with cycling or riding things like atvs, jet skis or scooters.  It is safe, but Italian drivers can be crazy so you need to keep your cool when they pass you on little country roads. No city driving at all and very fun.  120 euros each: http://www.florencetown.com/eng/tuscany-tours/single-day-tours/77/tuscany-by-vespa–original-1-day-tour.html

Museums in Florence

Pitti Palace – the Boboli Gardens were well worth it and you get some great shots of Tuscany, Florence and the palace. There are 2 tickets, 1 for the minor exhibits and the gardens and one for the art gallery inside the palace.  You will likely not be able to do both in one day, it’s a lot of time walking, if you want both come on 2 separate days. You can buy tickets on site no problem.

Galleria de Accademia – really good smaller museum who’s star attraction is the Statue of David. It is very impressive in person and in immaculate condition. You can spend about an hour or two here.  Buy your tickets online in advance to skip the line.

Ufuzzi Gallery – I did not have time to go to, but it is very crowded and busy all the time much like the Louvre.  Buy your tickets in advance and plan to spend most of a day here. Researching what you want to see in advance would be helpful too.

Florence Grocery Stores

They are a little harder to find in Florence, and fruit shops are scarce in the tourist areas. You will have to walk around on some side streets and find a vendor selling a few items or find the weekly market.

Florence Vegetarian Restaurants

Il Vegetariano 
Via delle Ruote, 30 R (if you’re at the grocery store on this street you’ve gone too far)
39-055-475030
Vegetarian and Vegan friendly, has a raw and cooked veggie salad bar and vegan dressings
Closed Mondays, opens for dinner at 7pm.

This restaurant is really lovely, lots of space, affordable and a great vegan friendly salad bar you can load up your bowl with. No cover charge to eat here.  I think they are open for lunch too but may close around 2pm. Definitely my pick.

La Fonte 
Via Lucignano 15, Montespertoli (FI 50025)
+39-0571-609514
Vegan-friendly, Macrobiotic, Organic, Beer/Wine

Serves dinner only except on Sunday which is open lunch and dinner. Closed Mon-Tuesday.

Eating Plant-Based, Vegan and Vegetarian in Rome, Italy

Colosseum by Veronica Grace

I spent 3 days in Rome in the Campo De Fiori area, I really recommend finding an apartment in this area. (The hotels in Rome are very pricey so I opted for a vacation rental apartment with a kitchen.) You can walk to the market every day in this campo and get all kinds of local fresh fruits and vegetables until about 1pm when they close down. You get a much better selection here than at any corner store or grocery store. They are closed on Sundays.

Campo Di Fiori, Rome by Veronica Grace

When In Rome, Drink From The Fountains

A man shows me how to drink from the fountains in Rome

You will find fountains EVERYWHERE in Rome. On the sidewalks, near churches, in parking lots, in monument complexes. All of it is free and completely drinkable. So bring your own water bottle and you can fill it up with cold water wherever you are and save money on buying bottled water. The locals assure us the water is very clean and Rome is proud to still be a city of water and marble after over a thousand years.

It was easy enough to just walk to most places from here, Piazza Navona, Trevi Fountain, the Pantheon, Spanish Steps, Vittorio Emanuele monument, Colosseum, Roman Forum, and Palatine Hill are all within a reasonable walking distance from here.  If you get tired you can always take a cab or transit back. If you see 3 or 4 places each day you will have lots of time to take photos, enjoy the scenery and shop.

Free Audio Tours in Rome

I saved some money in Rome by buying tickets online in advance for the Colosseum and downloading Rick Steve’s free audio tours for Rome and listening to them on my iPod. Click here to download them. It’s really worth it for the Roman Forum especially, otherwise you won’t enjoy it as much and won’t be sure what ruins you’re looking at! Most of the other monuments are free to look at and you can come back again and again to avoid some of the crowds.

Rome Taxis

Do not take taxis from tourist places, you will pay a ridiculous price. (So ignore the guys standing outside the Colosseum!) If you get taxis that are on the go or at a taxi stand in the middle of the city it will be much cheaper than ones at any piazzas or monuments.

Rome Grocery Stores

They are available, you will find some things like apples, bananas, oranges and some vegetables, but the Campo Di Fiori market has a much better selection.

Rome Vegetarian Restaurants

REWILD Cruelty-Free Club 
Via Giovannipoli 18 (at Via Cristoforo Colombo)
39-06-97613910, 380-3279309
Vegan, Organic, Italian, Western, Fast food, Beer/Wine

All vegan menu includes sandwiches, burgers, hot dogs, crèpes, ice cream, pizza, bruschette, piadine, pudding and custard, hot and cold chocolate, smoothies, Italian tap beers, and more. Has wi-fi, live music and shows. Lunch is possible by advance booking. Cash only. Open Mon-Sun 8pm-2am.

Bibliothe 
Via Celsa 4, Roma (00186) (at near Piazza del Gesu and Pantheon)
066781427
Lacto, Indian, Ayurvedic, Italian

Rome veggie restaurant serving Ayurvedic food, whole grain organic pasta, and dosa. Offers a vegan meal-of-the-day consisting of 4 courses. Desserts may contain dairy. English speaking and will accommodate special dietary requests.

Pugliamonti 
Via Urbana, 104
346-321-83-76
Vegan-friendly, Ovo, Lacto, Italian

Vegetarian and vegan food.  All reservations with arrival before 20.30, will receive 50% discount (excluding drinks). Call to confirm open hours as hours may fluctuate. Open Mon-Sat 19:30-23:00, closed Sun.

Eating Plant-Based Vegan and Vegetarian in Sicily, Italy

Taormina Sicily – by Veronica Grace

I spent a short 3 days in Sicily, seeing Taormina on the East and Palermo (where the Mafia is from apparently!) on the West.  My advice would be to spend at least a week here if you want to see a few of the towns in between and enjoy some of the beaches.




Taormina is quaint town, but interesting as it’s built into the upper cliffs and has very beautiful views of the bays and beaches below.  It’s pretty touristy with lots of high end shops and restaurants.  There are two things that will frustrate you here. The first, driving can be stressful, even with a GPS the roads go off in all directions and if you miss your turn you have to drive a while to be able to turn around because the roads are on cliffs. The roads here are unlike any you have likely ever seen and they seem to build roads out of thin air supported from beams underneath. Parking is a nightmare, so you need to find one of the large parking garages before you get to the pedestrian walking street in the heart of old Taormina. The second thing is that grocery stores are really small and often only have 3 or 4 types of fruit, so you will have to try a few to get enough of what you want. It’s not that big and you can walk to them, but bring backpacks so you can carry your groceries back with you.

Driving out of Taormina on the highway is fine around Sicily, the roads are not as narrow, there are 2 lanes, and if you just stay in the slow lane and let the crazy drivers pass you, you will be fine.

Palermo Sicily 

Palermo on the other hand is like Taormina’s disfigured ugly cousin… and I mean that in the most literal sense. The area around Palermo is pretty and has some nice views, but being in Palermo you will ask yourself how you entered a third world country without even knowing it. Driving here will push your nerves to the limits.  Traffic lights are scarce, traffic signs are only suggestions, and people will park 2 or 3 deep on the sides of busy roads and you will have to be careful not to hit other side view mirrors while you weave in and out. Make sure you know where your hotel is and how you will get there, street signs are poor here and you can go in circles if you’re in the downtown area as a lot of roads are only one way.  Hotels also don’t really have parking so you need to find a parking garage.  They will take your keys and cram your car in along with the rest of the lot, but at least your car is safer there than on the street. (From being scratched or hit). Tuck your side mirrors in once parking as well!

Aside from the chaos and unpleasantries of how Palermo looks physically, the people are very nice and you can find street food everywhere! Everyone has a fruit shop and sits on the street in a chair with their fruit and vegetable displays until late at night.  There’s a great selection of local produce for cheap.  There is so much fruit in Sicily just rotting on the trees because they cannot afford to pay people to pick all of it because the profits are so low when they sell it.

You won’t need to find grocery stores here, you’ll see fruit being sold everywhere you walk in the down town area.  There are also some vendors selling vegetables like boiled potatoes and corn in big tubs, but these are not good, they are cooked in really salted water and will not meet your expectations, so stay away!



You can also drive around Mt Etna and see a lot of people have fruit trees or orchards off the road, often with fruit sitting on them.  You can take a few pieces of fruit or possibly even go and ask to pick some for a fee.  It seems that they have so much fruit they don’t know what to do with it, and they don’t even eat much of it either.  Heaven forbid they do not get their pasta and fish intake!

Tours and Attractions in Taormina, Sicily

Mt Etna – by Veronica Grace

Taormina – Legendary Sicily

This was an excellent tour. The owner, Eddie has a Ph.D in Geology and is an expert on volcanoes and history. He will tell you some amazing stories and show you things you’ve never seen before. He’s probably the best tour guide I’ve ever had, and he’s a tour guide second and geological expert first!

Alcantara Gorge – by Veronica Grace

I went on the Etna-Alcantara off-road tour. This is a great full day tour, so be sure to pack your tupperware of fruit or make a sandwich! Check out his website http://www.legendarysicily.it/escursioni-naturalistiche-inglese.php

Well that’s all for my in depth report on traveling to Italy.  I hope you enjoyed it.  Let me know what you think and if you’ve had any adventures in Italy.

Shaved Asparagus and Spring Vegetable Salad With Basil, Mandarins and Pine nuts

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I have to tell you… I am totally loving my new (but used) camera I just got! As you can see, I have some more delicious photos  to share with you. This is a shaved asparagus salad I’ve been wanting to try for a while and I just happened to have asparagus in the fridge this week so I was very excited! I’ve had many many raw dishes using shaved or spiralized zucchini (summer squash) and the asparagus can be shaved with a vegetable peeler in the same way.

This shaved spring vegetable salad is absolutely delicious and will definitely shake up your boring entree or side salad routine. You can even make this salad go even farther by incorporating baby spinach or mixed greens to make it lighter and less “noodley”.

You’ll be surprised how delicious shaved raw asparagus is, it’s quite mild and has a nice flavor to it. There’s no cooking required when you shave vegetables this thin, just like shaved or shredded beets or carrots it’s quite easy to eat.

I also added some fresh basil and red onion to kick up the flavors and am definitely going to add basil to more of my salads. It’s just wonderful! Even better if you pick it fresh from the garden. 🙂

I know you’re going to love this shaved asparagus salad as much as I did, so let’s check out the recipe!

Shaved Asparagus and Spring Vegetable Salad with Basil, Mandarins and Pine nuts

Serves 2 entrees or 4 side salads

Ingredients:

1 lb asparagus
3 small/medium zucchini
1/2 red onion
2 handfuls of fresh basil (60g)
2 mandarins, peeled or sliced and sectioned
2 tbsp pine nuts
2 cups baby spinach/spring mix *optional

Dressing:
1 cup fresh mandarin orange juice (about 5 mandarins)
1 tbsp champagne vinegar
1/4 cup pine nuts
1-2 medjool dates, pitted and chopped
5 medium fresh basil leaves
pinch of salt
dash fresh ground pepper

Directions:

Optional: toast pine nuts dry in a non stick pan over medium low heat until golden brown and set aside.

1. Hold the stem of each asparagus and lay it down on a cutting board. Shave thin ribbons of asparagus by using a vegetable peeler. (Use a sharp one! Dull ones will make this difficult.) Add tops and ribbons of asparagus to a bowl.

2. Do the same to the zucchini, lay flat on a cutting board and shave into ribbons using a vegetable peeler. Rotate zucchini to a new side once you reach the inner seeded section. Peel until all 4 sides are done. Add to bowl.

3. Slice red onion into thin slivers. Add to bowl.

4. De-stem the basil and slice into thin strips. Add to bowl.

5. Peel or slice off skin of mandarins and add mandarin sections and pine nuts to bowl.

6. Prepare dressing: combine orange juice, vinegar, pine nuts and dates in a blender and blend until smooth.

7. Pour dressing over salad ingredients and toss to combine. Refrigerate before serving if desired.

8. Serve as is, or atop baby spinach or mixed greens in bowls or plates.

Enjoy!

Variations:

If you can’t find champagne vinegar use another fruit vinegar of choice.

If asparagus is out of season, too expensive, or too time consuming to shave you can substitute more zucchini (about 3-4 more). You can use yellow and green zucchini/squash for variety.

If you can’t find pine nuts you can try pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds and toast them if desired.

 Have you ever eaten raw asparagus or added fresh basil to a salad? What did you think? 

Whole Food Rainbow Watermelon Fruitsicles (Popsicles)

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I’m really excited to share this watermelon popsicle recipe with you today. It’s been a long time since I made popsicles (I think the last time I did, I was a kid) and they turned out so pretty! I also just got a new (used) camera to play with and am really impressed with the quality of photos it produces (and the much faster shutter speed).

I had a heck of a time finding some popsicle molds here in Canada. I happened to see a small basic set for at Canadian Tire, but just as I was checking out I found 4 sets of these cute larger style popsicles and quickly snapped them up. I haven’t been able to find the exact popsicle molds I have online, but there are similar types with drip catches and straws available here.

I also got to try out a new natural product. I received some samples of Habitall – All Natural Sugar Replacement, which is aspartame-free, sugar-free, and calorie-free. It’s made with monk fruit, erythritol and polydextrose. Normally I never use sugar replacements such as Splenda or aspartame as they give me headaches and I don’t feel so well after. But for those looking for a calorie free sweetener (that doesn’t have the awful aftertaste of stevia) I think Habitall can be quite useful and best of all there’s no negative side effects. I added a little bit to my all fruit popsicles just to enhance the watermelon flavor, as when they’re frozen it can taste really icy and less fruity.

My watermelon popsicles actually turned out really yummy! Habitall can be used cup for cup as a sugar replacement so I can also see other uses for it such as lemonade, muffins, cupcakes or cookies for those who are looking to reduce calories, are diabetic or are trying to get off sugar in general.

Want A Free Bag of Habitall To Try?

The company also gave me some samples to give away to 2 lucky people. So if you’re interested in receiving a bag to try, just comment below and let me know what you’d like to use it for and 2 comments will be randomly selected to win.

Right now they are doing an Indiegogo campaign to raise funds to help get Habitall into stores at an affordable price for everyone. You can only get it through the campaign for now, but if enough funds are raised in the next few weeks you might see Habitall available soon near you.

Whole food watermelon popsicles are really easy to make and you can use pretty much any fruit juice or puree as the base and diced fruit for added color and texture. Next I think I might try mango puree popsicles with sliced strawberries!

Whole Food Rainbow Watermelon Fruitsicles (Popsicles)

Makes 16-20 popsicles (depending on size) I made 16 90 ml popsicles.

Ingredients:

4 cups blended watermelon puree (about 1/4 medium watermelon) You can also use cantaloupe if desired
1 tbsp Habitall natural sweetener or cane sugar *optional
1 medium ripe ataulfo mango, diced or 2 ripe peaches peeled and diced
1 cup pitted cherries, sliced in half (I used frozen) or raspberries
1/2 cup blueberries (I used wild blueberries)

Directions:

1. Prepare the watermelon puree for the popsicles. Seedless watermelon works best. Blend watermelon and optional Habitall natural sweetener or sugar in a Vitamix or food processor on high until smooth. Set aside. (You can leave out the sweetener if desired.)
2. Dice the mango or peaches (make sure they are ripe or they will be too sour)
3. Portion out the cherries and the blueberries.
4. Assemble watermelon popsicles. Place mango or peach in bottom of popsicle molds, next layer in the cherries halves (or raspberries) and then blueberries.
5. Pour the watermelon puree into the popsicle molds until they are full. Place popsicle sticks on top.
6. Freeze for 6-7 hours.
7. Before serving run the popsicle try under warm to hot water to loosen popsicles from mold.

Enjoy!

Disclosure: I was not paid or given any compensation to promote Habitall. I received free samples to review and to give away to blog readers. I paid for shipping myself. 

What is your favorite flavor of popsicle or what combination would you like to try?

Contest is closed! Winners were Lavisha and Brooke. Congratulations!

Is Your Skincare Toxic? What About Natural Alterneratives?

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Is Your Skincare Toxic?

 

When it’s hot in the summer, The LAST thing you want in this kind
of heat is some sticky sweaty moisturizer melting off your face and
irritating your skin. But you also want to protect it by staying out
of direct sunlight for long periods of time to prevent burning.Luckily for me, I have some AMAZING skin care products to treat my
skin while dealing with this heat after coming from the dry dry
climate of the Rocky Mountains where the humidity level is next
to nothing. Frequent climate changes can wreak havoc on your skin
when going from humid to dry weather all the time.

I have grown up in the dry climate of Calgary, AB where all of the
moisture seems to have been sucked dry from the air. My skin has
always tended to be dry and flakey in this climate and feel rather
uncomfortable. Going without chapstick for a day is just not possible
either in that climate.


I’m sure I’m not alone here in my quest to find the best skin care
products to protect, hydrate and improve my skin tone. I have bought
and tried almost every product line of cleansers, moisturizers, toners,
scrubs, masks etc. And what did I get from this? The same results.
Often dry, irritated itchy skin with a huge pile of bottles and
containers filling up my bathroom drawers and medicine cabinets.

Most products are a total WASTE of money. And what’s more
they’re actually very TOXIC to you as well.Your skin is your
body’s largest organ and it both absorbs and excretes water,
oils and toxins from your body and your environment. It’s why
hormone and nicotine patches work “so well” to deliver drugs
right to your blood stream. Many beauticians and companies
selling beauty products want to tell you that their products
are safe and that you cannot possibly absorb any of the chemicals
present in their products directly into your body.

But they are WRONG.

Dead WRONG.
I used to actually sell beauty products with an MLM named
brand company. It’s one of the biggest direct sales beauty
product companies in the world. You probably have an idea
who I’m talking about… “Think Pink” and you’ll be up
to speed.I noticed at first my skin seemed to not react to these
products and thought it was getting smoother and more
refined, but 6 months later I noticed that I seemed to be
REALLY allergic to something. Patches of skin began to
flake and turn red and peel, especially on my lips. So I
started looking at the ingredients of my products and I was
in shock at what I saw.


PETROLEUM as a main ingredient for my lip balm, hand cream
AND face cream. I was now certain that I was allergic to
this and it was definitely not something my body needed to
come in contact with.

I started googling some of my other beauty products and came
accross this website: www.cosmeticsdatabase.com/. What a
help this was! Now I could simply type in the brand and name
of my products and it would give me a break down of the
ingredients and how safe or toxic they were. You can also
search through all of their products to find which ones are
the safest and read customer reviews on them.

I immediately emailed my company’s head office to talk to
them about this shocking discovery, surely they should know
that most of their products were rating high on the toxicity
scale.

The answer I received really sealed my fate at this company.
“We know about that website and do not endorse its
findings. Skin care products are not absorbed into the skin
past the top layer and are therefore not toxic or dangerous
to use. I hope this helps.”

No it certainly did not help! Immediately after I decided to
quit the company, stop using all products, and send back my
unused inventory. I could not continue to sell products to
my family and customers that were irritating and toxic and
most likely HARMFUL to their health with continued daily
use.

So I began searching again at the health food store this
time, for new products to replace my old ones. But I kept
seeing the same kinds of chemicals on products being labeled
“natural” or “organic”. As far as I’m concerned if I
cannot understand an ingredient on a label I should not be
eating it or wearing it!

Dissappointed, I settled for some plain 100% shea butter and
a high thread count soft washcloth, which helped a little,
waiting for a product like to really stand out to me.

Top 12 Ingredients to Avoid in Shampoo, Makeup and Skin Care Products

Then I met Annmarie Gianni in 2009, while at an Expo in
California along with her husband Kevin Gianni from the
Renegade Health Show. She had brought samples of a new skin
care line she was developing. She had me smell them at first
and asked what I thought. One smelled like honey and
coconut! Mmm. Then she smiled as said, “Guess what? It’s
actually edible too!”

Even Kevin, her husband started telling me how much he loved
using the facial scrub and daily moisturizer. He actually
enjoyed pampering his skin!

I asked her to tell me when these products would be
available for sale because I definitely wanted to purchase
the whole line.

Well, guess what? It’s all available now. For you, for me,
for your loved ones, for everyone!

I have tried Annmarie’s skin care and even tested it in
multiple climates. Whether I’m in hot tropical
climates or dry arrid climates like the mid west, these
products stand the test.

-They’re practically edible
-Great for all skin types
-Using small amounts goes a long way
-Have no hidden preservatives or toxins (they disclose every
ingredient, unlike most companies)
-Feel great
-And smell absolutely delicious

It’s hard for me to pick just one as my absolute favorite.
I love using the daily cleanser, the toning mist, the anti
aging serum, the facial scrub, the coconut body/face oil and
the honey coconut mask.

So my suggestion to you would be to just get it all! It will
seriously improve your skin and rekindle your love for
pampering yourself, all in a safe and natural way.

If the whole package is not for you, then I would at the
VERY least get the cleanser, toner, anti aging serum and the
honey coconut mask. You cannot miss out on that one. You
will love giving yourself facials every week. (and your
partner will love you for smelling so delicious all the time
too!)

Remember to go to www.cosmeticsdatabase.com to check out
your current skin care line to see just how “natural” it
is, and if you could be doing better.

To order Annmarie’s AMAZING Skin Care, click the image

below:

$10 Sample Kits with FREE shipping ANYWHERE in the world!

 

10 Tips For Eating Out Raw At Restaurants

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Depending where you live, you might be more or less able to continue your raw eating habits when dining out with friends and family.

Just because you are a raw foodist, it does not mean that you have to eat all of your meals alone or at home (unless you want to). Some people in your life might even be put off with the fact that you no longer socialize the way they do. Although you are living a healthier (and hopefully happier) life than some of your friends with unhealthy eating habits, there’s no reason to make an outcast of yourself.

Many times your friends and family just don’t understand, they think it’s too hard to stop eating the foods they grew up with and have come to love. They think what you are doing is hard work, unsatisfying, isolating etc.

Well, why not show them they are wrong? You’re still the same person, you just have a more informed view on food and health. So find a compromise and demystify these negative attitudes they have about raw food being “rabbit food” and “not people food”.

With vegan and vegetarian restaurants popping up all over the world, it’s no longer unheard of, and vegan diets are gaining ground.

Now, you might not have access to a raw food restaurant full of imitation SAD comfort food dishes, but here are some tips on how you can still socialize and eat out once in a while.

 

10 Tips for Eating Raw at a Regular Restaurant

1. Call the restaurant ahead of time to see if they can accommodate any special raw meal request, many restaurants have a large supply of vegetables and in season fruits. A larger restaurant or chain might accommodate you better as small vegan restaurants often have less produce and offer primarily cooked meat replacement dishes.

2. Find a restaurant that has an all you can eat salad bar or buffet style restaurant with a salad bar.

3. Order a fresh fruit smoothie or juice to start (if available), or bring your own in a travel container.

4. Let your waiter know of you dietary needs and ensure they understand what uncooked, and vegan food means.

5. Ask your waiter for suggestions of salads or appetizers on the menu that can be modified. Also ask about any cold soups available that are made with raw ingredients.

6. Bring your own low fat salad dressing. Restaurant dressings are riddled with preservatives and excitotoxins. The standard olive oil and balsamic vinegar might be ok once in a while, but know that any oil served in a clear glass container becomes rancid when exposed to light and is not very fresh.

7. Ask if the restaurant has fresh avocado or seeds for your salad, or bring your own.

8. Ask the waiter to talk to the kitchen to see what raw fruits and vegetables they have available and be creative to make a dish not on the menu. A lot of restaurants serve fruit cups for breakfast, so check if they have any left.

9. If your friends want to order an appetizer and you’d like to eat with them, bring your own raw hummus and ask the waiter to cut fresh carrot and cucumber slices for *chips* so everyone can try it.

10. If you’re feeling tempted by desserts at the end of your meal, bring some dates and have a few to satisfy your sweet tooth (if you haven’t eaten enough fruit before the meal).

If you have access to a raw food restaurant, or perhaps have some friends that are interested or used to this type of fare, here are some tips for eating out at a raw food restaurant and not compromising your taste buds or digestion.

10 Tips for Eating Out at a Gourmet Raw Food Restaurant:

1. Check out Happy Cow or yelp.com for restaurants in your area.

2. Look at the restaurant menu in advance (either in person or online) and analyze the menu for healthier options. Most raw restaurants base all entrees around oil and nuts and can be very hard to digest.

3. Order a fresh juice or smoothie to start (or several if they are tiny!).

4. Talk to the waiter to find out what dishes can be made without added oils or salt (if you’re concerned).

5. Order a salad or salad roll for an appetizer and don’t mix oils, nuts/seeds, or avocado in the same meal, choose 1 type of fat (for best digestion and low fat lifestyle).

6. Try to fill up mostly on fruit and salad before ordering a tempting dinner entree.

7. Look for dishes that contain vegetables or fruits for the base of the meal instead of flax crackers or nut breads. Or ask for a hummus or dip to come out with carrot and cucumber slices instead of the bread and crackers.

8. Plan ahead of time to use this meal as your higher fat meal to balance out your overall fat intake for the week. i.e Try having a no fat day the day before or after this treat day.

9. Share an entree item with a friend if you just want a taste and not the whole heavy meal.

10. Ideally, say no to dessert, (or at least no to the pie crust portion or nut “cheesecake”). Ask if they have raw sorbet or banana ice-cream instead for a healthier treat.

If you keep in mind your overall health goals and observe your energy and digestion after having a higher fat meal or treat you will be better in tune with your body’s needs. Maybe you have no problem digesting raw gourmet meals, maybe only once in a while. Try to give your body a break after these days and stick to fruit meals, juices and smoothies to get enough hydration and fiber back into your body after a dehydrated gourmet treat.

You can eat out with friends and family and have fun being social, but make sure you select food that you will be glad you ate (as a treat) and not regret afterwards. Keep your experience positive and stick to your healthy lifestyle.

It will be worth it in the end.

The Fruitarian Restaurant: A Decadent Fantasy on Rarotonga, The Cook Islands

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A friend of mine just came back from a trip to an exotic island in the Pacific called Rarotonga in the Cook Islands and was raving about this “amazing” restaurant he had discovered there.

It’s called “The Frutarian”, and truly, it’s the most amazing place I have ever heard of. Apparently the owners have been raw for over 20 years, and have decided to open this place in this remote island, and in spite of all expectations, it’s doing great!

Beach on Rarotonga - by Veronica Grace

I was a little curious because I have yet to find a restaurant that truly blew me away with the type of cuisine I enjoy on a regular basis: low fat raw vegan. Every vegetarian restaurant, let alone raw food restaurant I’ve been to featured the same staples of fatty salads and or nuts as the base of every dish.

So my friend went on describing this place as the new “it” restaurant in the Pacific, it was drawing in lots of tourists among vegetarians, raw foodists and other various health seekers.

It had a breathtaking view of the ocean and an open air sitting room for about 25 people, they were open from 8-5pm and always had a steady flow of satiated patrons. “What did you order there that was so amazing?” I asked my friend. “Fruit and salad!” He exclaimed. I raised my eyebrow in curiosity and he went to elaborate.

Sunset on Rarotonga - by Veronica Grace

Apparently this place had combined all the great things about a juice bar, a smoothie bar, a salad bar and a sit down restaurant and rolled it all into one. He pulled out a To Go menu from his pocket to satisfy my skepticism. I transcribed it for you below:

Breakfast:

All-You-Can-Eat Mono Fruit Plate (banana, mango, papaya, pineapple or watermelon) $10.99
Sunrise Pudding (blend of sweet papaya and bananas garnished with chopped fruit) $7.99
Green Goddess Smoothie (bananas, fresh lettuce) Regular $5.99 Large $7.99
Wake Me Up Mango Smoothie (fresh orange juice, mangos) $5.99 Large $7.99
Going Bananas Smoothie (3 kinds of bananas) $5.99 Large $7.99
Vitality Vegetable Juice (tomato, cucumber, celery, lettuce, carrot, beet) $6.99 Large $8.99

Lunch/Dinner:

All-You-Can-Eat Mono Meal Fruit Plate (banana, mango, papaya, pineapple or watermelon) $10.99
Banana Sandwiches (bunch of bananas served with fresh lettuce) $6.99
Guacamole Wrap (avocado, cherry tomatoes, and lime served with fresh lettuce) $8.99
Veggie Wraps (shredded carrot, cucumber, beet, zuchinni served with avocado and lettuce) $7.99
Island Tacos (guacamole and salsa served with lettuce and cabbage leaves) $9.99
Going Greek Salad (cucumber, tomatoes, fresh herbs, and Greek dressing) $7.99
Mango Love Salad (mangos and sweet oranges on spinach leaves) 8.99
Super Size Me Salad Style (build your own: lettuce, tomatoes, cucumber, carrot, green onions, red onions, sprouts, snap peas, celery, heart of palm, fresh herbs, apple, raisins, mango) Reg. $10.99 Sumo Size $15.99
Fresh dressings: light guac, sundried tomato, Greek, summer dill, mangolicious, Reg. $1.99 Large $2.99

Appetizers:

Gigantic Fruit Plate *serves 3-4 (banana, mango, papaya, pineapple, apple, kiwi) $15.99
Skewer Me Fruity (pineapple, mango, papaya fruit skewers) $9.99
Mini Pizzas (zuchinini rounds topped with sundried tomato sauce and cherry tomatoes) $8.99
Little Dippers (celery, cucumber and zucchini dippers served with guacamole and salsa) $9.99

Juices:

Fresh Green Coconut $3.99
Pressed Cane Juice $4.99
Orange Juice $4.99 Lg. $6.99
Apple Juice $4.99 Lg. $6.99
Watermelon Juice $3.99 Lg. $5.99
Vitality Vegetable Juice $6.99 Lg. $8.99
Build Your Own Juice $6.99 Lg. $8.99

Smoothies:
Reg. $5.99 Lg. $7.99

Going Bananas Smoothie (3 kinds of bananas)
Wake Me Up Mango Smoothie (mango, orange juice)
Green Goddess Smoothie (banana, lettuce)
Banana Loves Papaya (banana, papaya)
Island Love (coconut water, pineapple, passionfruit)
Workout Buster (coconut water, banana, celery, lettuce)
Green and Lovin’ It (Coconut water, kiwi, dates)
Build Your Own Smoothie

Desserts:

Coconut Cream (Coconut water, jelly and dates) $5.99
Banana Icecream (frozen bananas and vanilla made into softserve) $4.99
Glazed Fruit (fruit plate glazed with date sauce) $6.99
Fresh Dates (seasonal) $6.99

Rocks on Rarotonga by Veronica Grace

This menu looks amazing, I thought. It has everything that a raw food restaurant is missing, fruit and healthy low fat recipes. I couldn’t wait to check out this place and try it for myself. I asked my friend, do you know who owns this place? He flipped over the back of the menu and showed it to me. It read, “Owned and Operated by Veronica Grace”.

Sadly, I woke up at just that moment and realized that this amazing place was purely a figment of my imagination. Yet it had seemed so real. I could actually picture this place existing from the description I was given and this menu flowed out of me with some items I’ve never even made before! It got me thinking though, wouldn’t it be nice if someone somewhere had the same dream as me and was looking for a fresh new edge on the raw restaurant scene?

Muri Lagoon, Rarotonga by Veronica Grace

Maybe one day… but hey until then feel free to reference this imaginary menu to get creative in your kitchen and try some amazingly tasty low fat raw vegan cuisine! You’d be surprised how great your food can taste with only a few ingredients and some simple tools like a mandolin and blender.

This is the menu I dream of and have yet to see anywhere in the Raw Food World!

I actually have visited Rarotonga and Aitutaki in the Cook Islands and unfortunately it was not the fruit paradise I dreamed of, but it was still gorgeous nonetheless so I’ve included some beautiful photos I took on my travels there in 2011. Hope you enjoy my menu suggestions and my island shots!

Muri Lagoon, Rarotonga by Veronica Grace

Eating Plant-Based, Vegan and Vegetarian in Miami, Florida

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Eating Plant-Based, Vegan and Vegetarian in Miami and Southern Florida

by Veronica Grace

Back In April 2010 I spent 10 lovely days in Miami, Florida. What a treat it was to have a little mini vacation from my “tropical paradise” I was living in at the time in Costa Rica.

I have to say it was a little shocking though to go from a tropical third world town to a subtropical first world mega city!

Suddenly certain frustrations like poor internet reception, poor road quality, lack of sidewalks and pedestrian crossings were a thing of the past.

For my first impression of Miami and the surrounding area, I only have great things to say!

Using an iPhone it was more than easy to google health food stores, juice bars, vegan restaurants and even raw restaurants.

I rented a car of course because the city can be a little daunting to a first timer with such a large city to explore with so many options.

I stayed in the Coral Gables area and it was a nice central location to grocery stores and farmers markets.


Here are my picks for Miami area grocery shopping for raw foodists and vegans:

#1. Glaser Farms farmers market

From 10 am to 7 pm. every Saturday, ?3300 Grand Avenue ?Coconut Grove, FL 33133

This is by far the “craziest” raw food market I have EVER seen. You want it? They’ve got it.:

Unpasteurized juices
Raw gourmet salads
Cashew ice cream
Frozen durian
Fresh fruit “pies”
Organic Greens
Tropical fruits
Raw crackers
Nuts
Seeds
Sprouts
Dried fruits
and more!

Basically we went there to grab some fresh juice, a slice of all fruit pie and people watched.  I have never seen such a crazy lineup of people buying prepared gourmet raw foods. It is kind of a novel idea being able to go to a farmers market and eat almost anything you want because it’s almost entirely vegan.  I have to say the cashew ice-cream and the avocado “salad” were the most popular items being purchased.  Instead we enjoyed juices like cantaloupe and honeydew melon that were simply delicious and  picked up a few random items to take back home, like frozen durian and a few pieces of fruit. All in all, it is definitely a must see farmers market but definitely not necessarily the best deal to purchase all of your food. Raw treats are expensive!

#2. Josh’s Organic Garden

Hollywood Beach Boardwalk
Ste 169, 101 North Ocean Drive, Hollywood, FL?
(954) 251-1631?
Sunday 9am – 5:30pm

Josh’s Organic Garden is a great place to grab some fresh produce or spend the afternoon hanging out with friends at the Juice and Smoothie Bar.
We came early in the morning and found parking and walked along the boardwalk until we found it. Josh’s definitely has a great amount of greens and vegetables and fruits seasonally throughout the year.  He’ll even suggest to you what is worth buying each week if you ask! We purchased some mangoes, oranges and greens and then relaxed by the Juice and Smoothie bar and met up with local raw foodists throughout the day. The frozen durian being sold was a real treat, very delicious and reasonably priced.  The wait times for juices can be quite long so be sure to go really early or have some time to kill because everything is hand made on the spot and the juice bar team are busy all day.

#3. Robert Is Here Fruit Stand

19200 SW 344th St
Homestead, FL 33034
Ph: 305-246-1592
http://www.robertishere.com/
8 AM – 7 PM Daily including Holidays.

We drove down to Homestead Florida on our way to the Florida Keys and stopped in at Robert Is Here to see what the hype was all about. Everyone we talked to told us to check it out while we were in Florida.  Robert was on site of course and very friendly and cordial, we chatted a bit about his oranges and I told him it was my first time in Florida. We ended up buying a few delicious jumbo mamey sapotes, grapefruits, valencia oranges and some organic dates. This place is a great option to get some good deals on bulk citrus and other seasonal fruits.  They also carry a wide array of vegetables too.

#4. Whole Foods Market

6701 Red Rd, Coral Gables Florida (33143)
305-421-9421
8am to 10pm 7 days a week


This Whole Foods Market was absolutely amazing compared to the smaller WF stores we’ve seen in the past. There was a lot of organic produce, the navel oranges were pricey but to die for, raw prepared sauces, dressings, desserts all of course from Glaser Farms, and an enormous salad bar and hot food bar with a lot of vegetarian and vegan options. This was our favourite WF in the Miami area, we checked out the one in Miami Beach too but it was smaller and did not have as large of a selection.  I recommend WF to people who want to pick up a few items they cannot get anywhere else, or a quick treat once in a while. The prices are often steep but the quality and selection of foods is top notch.

#5. 4th Generation Organic Market

4th Generation Organic Market 75 SE 3rd Street Boca Raton, FL 33432  ph: 561.338.9920
http://www.4thgenerationmarket.com/

Mon-Sat 9-7 Sun 10-6

We stopped in at 4th Generation on our way back from Hippocrates Health Institute at the suggestion of Andrea Page-Nison as a cute organic health store we had tocheck out.  While it was a lot smaller than similar stores like Whole Foods, it definitely had a lot of raw items to offer.  A good portion of the deli section had raw pasta salads, mock tuna pate and crackers.  They also had fresh juices and frozen smoothies.  We picked up some all fruit smoothies and they were absolutely delicious, unlike most places that have bitter real fruit smoothies or artificial sweeteners added. Come here if you are in the Boca Raton area for some essentials or a quick bite to eat.

Raw Restaurants

Om Garden <- Best bet!

(unfortunately now closed, I am not sure why!)

379 SW 15th Rd, Miami Florida (33129) (at Broadway)
ph: 305-856-4433
Monday – Saturday 11:30am – 9:30pm, Sundays 11:30am – 3:30pm

Om Garden was our favorite restaurant by far in Miami.  We liked that they had a good mix of raw and cooked vegan items on the menu, which will ensure they stay open for a long time.  They were always busy and open later than other vegetarian restaurants so this is a good sign as well. The Rainbow Roll was amazing with flavours I would have never thought of combining and the fresh dressings for their salads were delicious too. Unfortunately they did not have any for sale, it would have been great to take home. The cooked vegan section also had a nice selection of healthy dishes offering lightly steamed vegetables, rice, quinoa, sweet and baked potatoes. All in all I liked the vibe here, the staff were friendly and it was definitely a place I’d visit again.

Lifefood Gourmet

1248 SW 22 St, Miami Florida (33145)
Monday to Saturday 12pm to 7pm & Sunday 12pm to 4pm

At the suggestion of a few raw friends in the area we checked out this all raw restaurant.  It was pretty quiet here, not many people attending for dinner as it closes early.  We ordered some apple juice, zucchini rolls, caesar salad and a raw pizza. The food was all right, we really liked the caesar dressing and a few of the dressings on the zucchini rolls, but there were a few things that seemed odd about the restaurant.  They don’t have a juicer, they have to blend the apples and then strain them for juice, the offer paper cups and plastic cutlery for dine in guests and there isn’t really any fruit on the menu. The staff were very kind and friendly but I can’t say this was a place we’d come back to try again.

Other Plant-Based and Vegan Restaurants in the Area:

Garden Of Eatin’

136 NW 62nd St, Miami Florida (33150) (at Martin Luther King Blvd)
305-754-8050
Vegan, Organic, International food, Juice bar, Take-out
Mon-Sat 11 a.m. – 9 p.m.

Jugos Naturales – 100% Natural Juices

115B SW 107th Ave, Miami, Florida (33174) (at Holiday Shopping Plaza)
305-220-3430
Vegan-friendly, Fast food, Juice bar, Take-out
Mon-Sat 10am-6pm, Closed Sundays

El Mana Health Food

10676 Fontainebleau Blvd, Miami, Florida (33172) (at 107 Ave)
305-554-4448
Vegan, American food, Raw, Juice bar
Sun-Fri 11am-7pm

All in all, Miami and the Southern Florida area are all very raw and vegan friendly compared to a lot of places that I’ve seen. So no matter where you are you should be able to find a juice bar or a health food store to pick up a quick snack or meal and be on your way. The Florida Navel orange juice is also to die for and a must try if you’re from out of state!

I will definitely keep Miami in mind for future winters to soak up some sun and get some great tropical fruit!

Have you ever been to Miami or Florida? What did you find?

Eating Plant-Based, Vegan and Vegetarian in Banff, Canada

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Eating Plant-Based, Vegan and Vegetarian in Banff, Canada

by Veronica Grace (originally written in 2010 for an old blog)

The mountain town of Banff, Canada is one of my all-time favorite places to visit (and get a delicious vegan meal). The Rocky Mountains surround you from every side, the smell of crisp mountain air and the abundance of the glacier lakes and rivers give rich green landscapes as far as the eye can see.

Growing up in nearby Calgary, my family and I would often take trips to Banff during the winter and summer for things like camping, Christmas shopping, family day trips.

My favorite thing to do in Banff National park is to hike. My top recommendations for sight seeing would be:

Johnston Canyon Falls and Ink Pots (north of Banff)

Time: To Ink Pots – 4 hours return, to falls- 1 hour return
Distance: 5.8 km (3.6 miles)
Level of Difficulty: Easy
Elevation Gain: 215 metres (700 feet)

A truly beautiful leisurely hike for the whole family to enjoy!

Lake Agnes Teahouse (at Lake Louise)

Time: Half-day (approx. 4-hour return trip slow, 2 hours fast)
Distance: 7 km (4.5 miles) return
Level of Difficulty: Moderate
Elevation Gain: 367 m (1,204 feet)

This was the loveliest surprise, after seeing the beautiful Lake Louise, you get the pleasure of viewing Mirror Lake, Lake Agnes and and the Chateau Lake Louise from the top of the mountain.



The Plain of Six Glaciers (at Lake Louise)
Time: 1.5 – 2 hr one way, 4 hour return
Distance: 5.5 km (3.4 mi) – Lake Louise to Plain of Six Glaciers teahouse.
Elevation Gain: 370 m (1215 ft)
Maximum Elevation: 2100 m (6890 ft)

If you have a full day and a picnic lunch, head on out to Lake Louise for this longer hike. The elevation gain is quite a bit at the start, but definitely worth the rewards. The paths are well beaten and fairly safe as well.

Eating Vegan and Vegetarian in Banff

 
Now eating vegan, the town of Banff has a few challenges for me while visiting: few grocery stores, lack of fridge space in hotel rooms and very meat centred dining options.

Banff thrives on its tourism and one thing that is a little slow to catch on is vegan and vegetarianism. In places like California and British Columbia most restaurants have at least 1 vegetarian option or will cater to your needs, but all of the high end establishments in Banff offer gourmet meat based courses.

So what’s a vegetarian, let alone a vegan to do? Well you could go to the local Safeway and pick up some fruit (it will be more expensive than the nearby city of Calgary), but what if you’d like to enjoy a special night out on the town or you’re traveling with non vegan friends who still want to eat out? Well then you can check out these options below!



Nourish Half Portion of Roasted Red Pepper with Daiya Cheese

Nourish Shepherd's Pie

Nourish Bistro – The Only and Absolute Best Vegetarian Restaurant Around

Vegetarian, Vegan and Raw Food

2nd foor, Sundance Mall
215 Banff Avenue, Banff, AB, Canada
(403) 760-3933
Check out the menu here

After July 1, 2013 Address:

211 Bear Street, Banff, AB, Canada

(They are moving soon so check the website for details)

This restaurant is the most inventive restaurant I’ve ever seen with a large palate pleasing menu, most items are vegan, some vegetarian and they even have gluten free and raw options as well. Talk about covering all of your bases in this niche market!

Every time I have visited the owner has greeted me with a smile and we’ve chatted about the restaurant, menu and clientele in Banff. I just find it very fascinating that such a dietary specific restaurant is able to keep busy year round in a province like Alberta which has few and far between vegetarian restaurants even in the big cities.

The meals are served “tapas style” which basically means sharing, and there is always enough to share between 2 people or 3 if you order a few items. Ordering an appetizer and an entree will be enough for 2 people, and add another appetizer or entree per person dining with you. They are famous for their tropical pineapple strawberry salsa which gets added to quite a few dishes that really adds a lot of flavor. Almost all items can be customized for allergies or personal preference, just ask and they will be happy to accommodate!



They just recently increased their portion sizes as well, so although the prices may not look like a deal for vegetarian food, split the price in half and you’ll get an idea for how much it costs per person.

I had mentioned on one of my first visits that I was into raw food and inquired if they ever thought of adding raw food to their menu, citing that there is a lot of raw interest in nearby Calgary with some restaurants having raw options. Well, wish granted! Now even a strict raw vegan can enjoy a night out at this lovely restaurant.

Some of the raw menu items include: Gazpacho, Zughetti and marinara and a large raw sharing platter of fruits, vegetables, crackers and dips. You can also get them to make you a large all raw salad at any time. Check out their juice and smoothie section for delightful fruit concoctions.

Some of the vegan items include: yam tenders (a house specialty), portobello melts, beautiful burrito (with over 20 flavourful ingredients), falafel and stuffed roasted red pepper, just to name a few.

Items from the juice and smoothie menu: raw apple juice, lemonade, cranberry blackberry, strawberry banana and pomegranate blueberry. All without the typical additives like coconut cream, hemp seeds or cacao!

They also serve some raw desserts and tea for after dinner delights. (I’ve always been much to full to even consider getting dessert).

If you’re in the area, I highly recommend you check this place out, whether you’re with raw, vegan or vegan curious friends there will be something for everyone. I know we’ll be back every time we’re even remotely in the area. I enjoy keeping places I love in business while we’re traveling. Nourish is probably hands down my favorite vegetarian restaurant in the world… and that’s saying a lot because I’ve been to over 30 different countries in the past few years as well as all over Canada and the USA. They’re food is amazing!


Other Plant-Based and Vegetarian Options in Banff

If you’re out and about with a non vegan crowd who isn’t up for trying some vegan fare, you can also check out the following restaurants in Banff that do have a vegetarian/vegan option or two:

Vegetarian/Vegan-friendly

Magpie & Stump (Tex-Mex)

203 Caribou street
Banff, Alberta, Canada
Phone: (403) 762-4067
Check out the menu here:

Almost all items can be made vegetarian with no meat, and vegan with no cheese. They use a lot of cheese in there menu in general, so be sure to tell your waiter.

Items include: Casa Gringo Salad, guacamole and chips, refried beans and chips, bean and vegetable quesadilla, vegetable enchilada, bean and vegetable tostadas, bean and vegetable tacos, and homemade salsa.

Timber’s Food Co.

204 Wolf street,
Banff, Alberta, Canada, T1L 1A9
Phone: 403-762-8987
Fax: 403-760-8775
Check out the menu here:

Timber’s Food Co offers a typical Banff style menu with steak, burger, pasta and fish options. There are a few notable Vegan/Vegetarian option: vegetable spring rolls, Gazpacho, Salads (can be modified) Portobello stack burger. A salad would be the best bet for a raw option.

Pad Thai (Thai)

at the back of the ClockTower Mall
110 Banff Avenue,
Banff, AB, Canada
Check out the menu here:

They have a wide selection of inexpensive Thai food, including vegetarian options.

Silver Dragon (Chinese )

3rd floor Park Mall
211 Banff Avenue
Banff, AB, Canada
Check out the menu here (vegetarian menu available at restaurant)

Silver dragon has a very wide selection of vegetable dishes on the main menu. Request the vegetarian menu if you’d like to see all the dishes available.

Coyotes Deli & Grill (American)

206 Caribou Street
Banff, AB, Canada
Check out the menu here

This restaurant has a mix of American, Mexican and Pacific menu options. Vegetarian options include: roasted vegetable pizza, spicy black bean burrito, Mediterranean pasta, mixed greens and roasted pepper salad. For vegan options ask for no cheese on the above items.

Masala (Indian)

229 Bear St.
Banff, Alberta, Canada
403-760-8270

This restaurant gets average reviews for food and service. There is no online menu, but they do mention that they offer vegetarian options.

Grocery Stores in Banff:
Chances are you’ll probably need to hit the grocery store at some point in your trip, whether for a quick snack or to make a meal on the go. While prices are not cheap in Banff for grocery items, at least they’re available in the middle of a National Park. Stores are open early to late to serve you at any time of day. Check the store flyer for weekly produce specials as well.

Safeway

318 Marten Street
PO Box 1450
Banff, AB T1L 1B4
Phone: (403) 762-5378
8am-11pm daily

Nester’s Market

122 Bear St
Banff, AB
(403) 762-3663
8am-11pm daily

Chalet Grocery (grocery delivery)

located at Douglas Fir Resort
800 Tunnel Mountain Road
Banff, Alberta , T1L1C4
(403) 762-5447

http://www.banffgrocery.ca/

So there you have it, tons of resources for your vegan or vegetarian stay in Banff Canada one of my favorite places near by! Enjoy 🙂

Win A Copy Of Fat, Sick And Nearly Dead DVD

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(Watch trailer above)

I have some awesome prize packs to share with you today! It comes from the team behind Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead (the movie).

Synopsis: Joe Coss is a man who was fed up with being overweight and feeling terrible. He knew there was something really wrong with feeling this way. He realized that he was eating the wrong foods and if he didn’t change his lifestyle, processed foods were going to be the end of him. He left his home country of Australia and decided to embark on a healing journey in the land of the USA and find out what was wrong with the Western Diet. He found amazing benefits from going on a 60 day juice fast and drank nothing but fresh pressed juice every day!

To date, the audience of Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead has lost more than 6 million pounds and consumed more than 93 million glasses of fresh juice. I watched this documentary for the first time on Netflix back In January 2013, but I had heard a lot of positive reviews about it previously. And while the title might make you wonder what kind of documentary this is, let me tell you it is a great story and has a very positive message. There’s nothing scary or graphic in it at all. It shows the amazing journey of not just one, but two men through juicing themselves back to health.

Congratulations to Stacey and Stephanie who won the 2 prize packs!

For the 2nd Anniversary Celebration, the team at Reboot With Joe has given me some goodies to share with you!

First off, if someone you know (or even yourself) are in need of a life changing intervention, Joe and his team are offering 2 scholarships to his 6 Day Reboot at CAMP REBOOT. All you have to do is nominate someone in need (or even yourself) here for a chance to be selected.

Secondly, I have 2 DVD Prize Packs to offer my readers from Joe that you can enter to win right here on the blog! Just tell me why you should be selected for 1 of the 2 prize packs including the DVD and if you’re selected I will ship it out to you FREE!

How exciting is that?

Prize Pack 1

Prize Pack 1 contains: Fat, Sick & Nearly Dead The Book, Reboot Your Life Guide, Fat Sick & Nearly Dead DVD

Prize Pack 2

Prize Pack 2 contains: Fat, Sick & Nearly Dead DVD and Reboot With Joe Traveling Juice Cup

So let’s celebrate with Joe and congratulate him on creating this amazing life changing documentary and spreading the plant-strong message!

How to Get More Information and Stay In Touch With Joe:

More 2nd Anniversary Freebies and Contests From Joe

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Like Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead on Facebook

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Contest Ended How To Win 1 of 2 Reboot With Joe Prize Packs:

Just comment on this blog post below and tell me why you should win a prize pack. Winners will be selected from all entries by Thursday June 13, 2013 11 PM EST. 1 entry per person. Contest Ended.  Winners were Stacey and Stephanie.

*FYI I was not paid for this promotional post nor do I receive any personal compensation from the company, but the prizes were provided free of charge for the contest winners of my blog. I paid for shipping myself.