We all know that eating more fresh Raw vegan foods will help in the departments of being happier, healthier and reducing stress. But, here are 6 other ways that can help:
1. Gardening & Greenery
According to Patricia Farrell, PhD., author of How to Be Your Own Therapist, surrounding yourself with nature’s greenery can increase oxygen levels and help you experience more peace. In fact, one British study found that gardening can actually be as effective as pyschotherapy – and I suspect that anybody who gardens will agree!
2. Journaling
Turning to pen and paper is a great way to reduce stress. The simple act of putting your feelings and experiences down on paper and getting them out of your system can be cathartic. I’ve been journaling for years (and I’ve saved them all and they make for great reads years later!).
3. Painting, Drawing, Sewing, Knitting
These activities require concentration and can help you take your mind off issues that might be causing stress. It can become almost meditative, forcing you to be mindfully present.
4. Singing
This is one of my favorites! Singing has been shown to help boost your health by raising immunity-boosting white blood cells. Now, you might need to keep in mind the people you’re around if your singing voice isn’t so good or you might actually increase their stress – ha ha! – even though you’re helping yours. Any one watch American Idol? You know what I mean.
5. Dancing
Oh yeah! This is another favorite of mine… that’s a picture of me dancing in the produce department at Whole Foods (they haven’t kicked me out yet so I guess they don’t mind!). Dancing can release those awesome, high-inducing, feel-good endorphins. Dancing is exercise so it helps you lose weight, lower blood pressure and boost the flow of oxygen to your brain. Next time you want to boost your mood and health, put on some fun tunes (disco music for me) and shake your groove thing!
6. Nature
Spending time in nature can be such a calming experience. One of my favorite things to do is go on long nature walks or take short road trips (like when we went to the Mogollon Rim where I can just sit, relax, and breathe). I find such peace, and my mind opens up to new ideas and inspiration. Taking time to do this is important, so be sure to make it at least a semi-regular ritual, such as once a month, if not more, depending on where you live.
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I know that when most people hear that I love sprouts, they automatically presume that I don’t shave my legs and that I hug trees in my spare time. And, when people learn that I grow my own…look out, because I might as well be from another planet – haha. But, when people learn how easy, fun, nutritious and inexpensive it is, they’re all too eager to ask me how to do it. Right now, I have alfalfa, radish, broccoli, and mung sprouts growing in mason jars on my counter. They’re adorable. (Oh yeah, and I “do” shave my legs!)
“Sprouting” is when you cultivate seeds in a non-soil environment just long enough for them to “wake up” from their dormant stage, burst into life, and sprout little, tiny stems and tiny leaves… and then you gobble ‘em up! Sprouting is one of the best tools you can use to helping you stay on the Raw lifestyle path. I’m going to let you in on a little secret (the gardeners among you might know this already)… aside from the physical/health benefits of eating sprouts (which many people speak about) few people recognize sprouting for what it does to your mental outlook. The process of growing your own sprouts is simply amazing! When I walk into my kitchen every day and see these little babies growing from seed to fresh sprout, it makes me smile and I’m reminded about the pure, “living” lifestyle I lead… it’s impossible to miss it, because these little foods are growing and sprouting before my eyes. It inspires me and I reflect on the clean, pure, fresh, and green lifestyle I’ve chosen for myself. It imbues a kind of energy, like warm sunlight shining on me, that is hard to describe, but every bit as real as their food/nutritional benefits. And, if you have kids…this is one of the best activities that you can do together. It’s an awesome way to get kids excited about eating sprouts.
My week has been filled with enjoying many salads comprised mostly of sprouts. They’re delicate, hearty by the handful, and bursting with delicious and nutritious juicy flavor in every bite. There is no doubt that sprouts are one of the healthiest foods you can consume because they’re considered a “pre-digested” food, making them more easily assimilated by your body. It’s during the sprouting process that the seeds’ protein transforms into amino acids, and the starch converts to simple sugars, making these optimal for digestion. They are a good source of vitamins A, C, E and B-vitamins; hence, they are a source of anti-oxidants. Plus, they contain chlorophyll. See? Gone are the days of pushing sprouts to the side. They are a staple in my lifestyle.
Get this! Researchers at John Hopkins University found that broccoli sprouts can have as much as 30-50 times the concentration of protective chemicals found in the mature broccoli plants. Even though they can be a little stinky, they taste delicious so don’t let a little stench put you off. And, alfalfa sprouts have saponins in them, which have been found to bind to cholesterol to help prevent it from being absorbed into the body. The University of Toronto shows that dietary sources of saponins may lower the risk of human cancers, too. Pretty bad-ass, huh?
I enjoy sprouts in many different ways. I eat them in salads, juice them, add them to my smoothies and simply snack on them by the handful all by themselves (before I leave the house, I throw a few handfuls of them into a baggie, squeeze a little fresh lemon, lime or orange juice on them, and toss it into my cooler for the day, along with my mason jars full of fresh green juice and green smoothie). They’re such a light and refreshing snack. If you’re signed up for my next class on April 26 (Weight Loss & High Energy), get excited because I’ll be teaching you how to easily grow your own! If you’re not signed up, you better do it today because I only have a few seats left.
Cheers! I’m off to munch on some more sprouts.
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We all know that eating more fresh Raw vegan foods will help in the departments of being happier, healthier and reducing stress. But, here are 6 other ways that can help:
I'm Kristen, and welcome to my blog. I'm a wife, mom, author, and I love to eat so food is usually the topic of my blog posts. I'm a former (almost decade long) vegan turned back omnivore who enjoys reading, rebounding, coffee, and dark chocolate. 
