One week in paradise down, three to go. Time seems warped here in Costa Rica, and I’m hardly able to believe that my first week at the Epic Fellowship has already passed. The amount I’ve learned during the past week has inspired me to reach high in my personal entrepreneurial pursuits and shown me that the epic life I am consciously creating for myself is absolutely possible. In just one week, I’ve noticed significant shifts in my body, mindset, and goals.
The most dramatic shift I’ve felt thus far has been in my body. For the past three years, I’ve been eating a *mostly* vegan, gluten free diet. I say mostly because, though it was 99% plant based, I ate eggs and had a bit of fish on very far and few between occasions. At the beginning of this year however, I decided to stick to a strictly vegan diet. Before the Fellowship, I had never experimented with a fully raw vegan lifestyle and was excited to see what the effect would be on my body. Unbeknownst to me, my body would feel a massive shift in just one week of eating purely raw, living foods.
Notice how I said raw vegan lifestyle? This way of nourishing the body demands attention to what you choose as your fuel. It is so much more than a diet. It is a way of voting with your money to shift away from the pesticide-ridden mono-culture agricultural system that feeds the majority of the world. When you follow a raw food lifestyle, you’re aware that feeding your body the highest quality of ingredients is of utmost importance. Processed foods are out without a doubt. Though I didn’t eat them very often before the fellowship (a bag of kale chips here, a bar of chocolate there), this raw lifestyle has given me the opportunity to fully step away from any processed ingredients. Eating fresh food that is organic is key — which opens up doorways for connecting with local farmers, community members, and healthy food/environmental advocates.
I’ve gotta say, I’ve got a crush on this lifestyle.
I feel so good when I’m around it, I often find myself daydreaming about it, and it makes my body feel like a queen!
Maybe this is more than just a crush…
The best way for me to convey the way I feel is that the cells in my body feel like they are joyfully dancing and vibrating in my body. My body and mind feel ten times more awake, alert, and alive and I can focus on work for much longer periods of time. I feel more energized than I have ever felt. I’ve got the “it’s-two-in-the-morning-and-I-can’t-sleep-because-I-have-so-much-energy-I-should-go-for-a-run” kind of feeling. Oh, you’ve never experienced that? Yeah, neither had I. Normally, you would have to count me in for a solid eight hours of sleep to feel ready for the day. Not the case with raw foods. I’ve been sleeping an average of 6-7 hours per night and wake up with more spunk than a poodle in a tutu!
For the past few years, I have also worked as a private vegan chef for events and retreats. As someone with a keen curiosity in the kitchen, I couldn’t wait to experiment with and develop new recipes for some of my favorite foods. The first week’s culinary delights have included: pancakes, ice cream sandwiches, chili with cornbread, and pesto pasta to name a few. Don’t get me wrong, I still eat tons of greens every day and have made different types of salads and smoothies each day to spice it up while satiating my daily green nutrient needs.
I didn’t think that there would be that much of a difference transitioning from a vegan to raw diet but boy, was I wrong! It has greatly heightened my body awareness and enhanced my mental clarity and focus. With a clear mind, I have been able to articulate the vision I have for my business and have been able to work diligently every day toward my weekly and monthly goals. Needless to say, I’ve noticed — and loved — the difference between my vegan diet and this new raw food lifestyle. It’s more than a crush…it’s a match made in heaven.
