Lakapáti – a guide to toothsome food, history, pets and life

today’s lunch

My personal journey to wellness is indeed a long trek in a path that continuously evolves; it required singeing of eyebrows—hardcore study—and a sprinkling of deep love from a whole lotta people. I answered this call with a holistic approach in late 2009. As a person broken in many pieces, it was all too difficult to shed years’ worth of misaligned perspectives on what to eat, how to live and how to love (it may sound like that famous book turned to a movie played by Julia Roberts but not a single sentence was pilfered from that book)

In almost two years, I:

• am smoke-free
• consumed as much organic produce I can get my hands on
• turned to integrative medicine and treated PREVENTION as the highest form of medicine and TREATMENT, last
• am elbows deep in continuous study about nutrition and the Doctor of all ailments
• am 25 pounds lighter
• started going back to a REGULAR yoga practice—so I hope
• exorcised my home from conventional personal care products and domestic cleaning paraphernalia; and reached for natural alternatives
• am composting. Still amateurish but, composting nonetheless
• adopted 3 cats
• met awesome friends and people who brought a lot of light and flavor to my life
• married a great friend whom a lot of my other friends thought was gay (no he isn’t and I am a walking and breathing testimony of it!)
• am starting to create awareness

The last two years being outstandingly eventful is certainly an understatement yet it barely scratched the surface. I’ve yet to kick out at least 30 pounds worth of toxins which became so comfortable hanging around and plastered to my midsection; build muscle, stop dangerous sarcopenia and osteoporosis dead on its tracks; and get a blood panel done to check cholesterol and sugar levels.

Although I made a major headway in the way I eat, still my body clings to the toxins inside my adipose tissues as it does the Macarena. Not only that, my cholesterol level is dangerously flush to 200 mg/dL (based on my blood test months back) even with limited meat intake, it’s just awful. My body appears to have gone on a standstill—the serious lack of exercise and a being a chocoholic and a dairy-phile certainly put more coals into the fire—so I decided to push it all a couple of notches higher.

A MONTH IN THE RAW

Last December, I took one of Asha Peri’s raw food workshop in Pasig along with my husband and BFF, Lornadahl. I was deeply intrigued by the green smoothie concoction made from the lowly pechay, pineapple, bananas and buko which tasted so much like summer even if it looked like the grass of spring…surprisingly good.

I started integrating the green smoothie in my diet and it replaced one of my daily meals. At that point, I started to feel great and even prevented pimple breakouts. But, last Monday was different. I woke up and started preparing my food as closely as it was before it was plucked from the ground. At some point I found it liberating because I don’t have to simmer anything for so long or endure hot oil splatters when frying. “Cooking” without minding if anything will burn or explode is really something new and I am relishing every second of it. My food prep these days are confined to chopping, blitzing everything in the blender or food processor and peeling. For someone who enjoys cooking so much but at times doesn’t like the attention it demands, this is a welcome vacation.

Less time in the kitchen is only a bonus. Eight days in a 70% high raw diet gave a whole lot more.

1. My skin looks a LOT better. No pimples. Even in the scarcity of shuteye hours, there is an absence of that pasty gray complexion.
2. I became so aware of my body needs. There were days I felt a little sick from eating spaghetti pomodoro and raw mushrooms–marinated or otherwise–didn’t sit well in my gut.
3. I felt much lighter, never sluggish. It’s easier to move.
4. I lost 8 pounds. Water? Perhaps but I wouldn’t exactly know until I’m done with my 30-day experiment.
5. My sugar and meat cravings disappeared. I don’t know why but it just went away.

Oh yes, I miss my daily staples and I do miss cooked food but I still have a little of it everyday. Someone asked me how do I rate myself as “70% raw”, and my answer is simple. I eat with one plate each meal, I make sure only a fourth of it is cooked and the rest is raw. It isn’t so difficult going on a mostly raw plant-based diet. All it takes is a bit of commitment and an open mind.

Twenty two days to go before the next weigh in. Wish me luck!

Oh, and just in case you like what I had for lunch today, here’s the recipe:

• two bunches of chopped mixed greens (I had romaine, lollo rossa, baby arugula)
• 3 chopped tomatoes
• alfalfa sprouts
• a handful of dried cranberries
• sundried tomato pesto
• garlic dressing (Gourmet’s is really good)
• grated cheese or nutritional yeast
• lemon juice
• fine sea salt and freshly cracked pepper to taste
• Crunchmaster’s Multi-Seed Crackers (this is the best cracker ever!)

Pile everything and toss. Don’t go crazy on the dressing and the cheese, a little goes a long way. Get your fork and enjoy.