DIET IS ONLY HALF THE STORY

Or perhaps it's even only a third.  More and more I'm starting to realize that health is less about what we eat, and more about how we live!

Nutrition is a crucial component to healthy living, of course, but it's even more relevant in the context of lifestyle.  It is equality important what we choose to think, how we feel, and who we surround ourselves with. If you’re eating all the right things (which can vary widely depending on who you ask), but you're holding on to negative or resentful emotion, you may not achieve your desired level of health no matter how "perfect" you believe your diet to be.  Stress, lack of physical movement, emotional pain, spiritual disconnection are just a few factors outside of diet that affect the quality of our health and well-being. 

For this reason, I would love to start shifting the conversation away from just raw foods and recipes, to a broader understanding of what healthy living is all about. You might see me talking more and more about things like joy, and creating a fulfilling spiritual practice.  In fact, if you haven’t visited the Raw Radiance website in a while, you may want to take a look (as it won’t be around for much longer).  I am currently in the midst of rebranding with a new direction and focus.  Stay tuned!  

If you have been following my blog, you may have noticed that I've taken some time off in recent months (more like an entire year).  There are several reasons behind my decision to step away.  Everything from feeling uninspired in my own diet and lifestyle, and wanting to be more fully engaged in my personal life.  But mostly, I think I just simply burned out.  

During my time away from blogging/social media, I have tried to regroup and redefine my vision and direction for my life.  I have spent a lot of time exploring so many other interests like interior design and reading up on parenting.  My hunch is that being a mama is the next big chapter in my life ;)

As far as my lifestyle goes, here's where I am today.  My diet is varied and I'm far more flexible with my eating habits.  I don't care to define myself by any particular lifestyle or diet.  And even though my path began with an interest in raw foods, I no longer feel the need to limit the conversation to just diet and nutrition. There's just so much more to health! 

I still prefer a plant-based approach as the core foundation of my diet, with a strong focus on dark leafy greens and algae (spirulina anyone?).  I have kept the basic principles of the raw food diet (green juices, green smoothies, green salads, etc).  In fact, juicing continues to be a daily foundational practice for me, as it always has been.  But I now enjoy animal products on occasion as well. I find that unpasteurized eggs, raw goat/sheep yogurt, wild-caught sardines, and yes, locally-sourced organic meat have beneficial nutrients harder to come by on a strictly plant-based diet.  

On the other hand, I'm also intrigued with the concept behind Dr Fuhrman's nutritarian diet. His focus is on maximizing the micronutrient concentration in foods per calorie count.  You can read more about that on www.drfuhrman.com.  However, I do feel this approach is a bit too strict for this stage in my life.  Restricted dieting is not exactly something I'm interested in.  My goal is primarily balance and flexibility in all areas of my life, especially diet.  

So here I am, on a quest to redefine my definition and approach to health.  My aim is to deepen my understanding of health and well-being from a broader perspective.  And so the journey continues!