These are my confessions (+ my advice for parents)
1. I’m addicted to eggs - To me, they are the perfect food. They are super easy to make, nutritious, keep me full for hours, and are cheap! Win-win-win! Love me some eggs.2. I eat a ton of fat - High quality, good-for-you fat that is (sorry, Krispy Kreme donuts are not what I'm talking about here): Coconut oil, butter, avocado, nuts, egg yolks, cod liver oil, grass-fed meats, olives & olive oil.3. I was a vegetarian for 7 years before learning the truth about what my body needs to operate at its highest potential.4. I have a weird relationship with the song, Colors of the Wind - You know, as in the Disney movie Pocahontas. I sang that song in 6th, 7th, & 8th grade when I tried out for the school play. I didn't even make it into the play but that song touched a deep part of my soul.In the most simple way, it highlights the truth behind the interconnectedness of all people and things in our beautiful world.
"You think you own whatever land you land onThe Earth is just a dead thing you can claimBut I know every rock and tree and creatureHas a life, has a spirit, has a name"
5. I haven't been to a doctor in years. I don't subscribe to the conventional medical model of "sick-care." I believe in whole body & mind wellness and utilize herbal medicine, yoga, meditation, whole food supplements, diet & exercise to stay strong and healthy.6. I’m a free spirit who loves routine. I want to feel every single ounce of being present & alive. I want to run, play, jump, cry, love, hurt, dream, talk, pray, respect, explore, discover, and learn.What I have discovered over time is that unless my free-spirited nature is organized and structured, I become disconnected. The routine is what allows me to be as free as I am - spiritually and emotionally free to dream, create, and feel.7. Two years ago, the death of someone very close to me rocked my world and shifted my perspective on life.On September 16, 2011 Ryan passed away in a car accident. I hadn’t seen him since I left San Diego to go travel, it had been just about a year. I remember looking at my mom saying well this is it, I enjoyed my life but I won’t be able to put the pieces together after this. I spent some time in bed, many hours crying, even more praying and talking – a lot to Ryan and a lot to God. Something happened to me during that time of grieving and it was very similar to what happened to me when I first met Ryan - I became alive, again.I began to truly treasure, appreciate and consciously take in my surroundings, my choices, my fears, aspirations and dreams. I began to LIVE everything that I knew in my body but wasn’t acting on. Ryan’s passing reminded me just how fragile our lives are and that at any single moment things can end, just like that.And at any single moment, they can explode – into beauty, our dreams, desires and goals.What are you WAITING to do? When would NOW be the time to get to it?
“I look up at the night sky, and I know that, yes, we are part of this Universe, we are in this Universe, but perhaps more important than both of those facts is that the Universe is in us. When I reflect on that fact, I look up—many people feel small, because they’re small and the Universe is big, but I feel big, because my atoms came from those stars.”
- Neil deGrasse Tyson
8. I love the band, Hanson - It's true, I do. I love them so much that I've seen them over 20 times in concert. Want to know the most recent show I saw of theirs? LAST NIGHT!!And it was simply incredible - I was buzzing for a while after the show until I collapsed blissfully into a restful sleep grateful for the good vibes they bring into my world. My love and appreciation for Hanson is what set my love for music in motion in 1997 and I haven't looked back since.
Music speaks to my soul in a way nothing else can.
9. My first experience with life-changing health was through a 10-day cleanse. I battled with acne for years and after 2 rounds of a 10-day cleanse, my skin began to glow! It was unreal. I experienced first-hand the power of nutrition on my physical & mental health, and that is exactly why I now offer my own improved 12-day whole food detox for you to experience the same results I did back then.The next group detox begins October 1st. Will you join us?10. At age 13, I spoke this statement, "Mom, just give me the regular, hormone and antibiotic filled milk just like everyone else. I don't want to be different." The funny thing is that I didn't have a choice, I was born different, and for that, I am grateful. Here's the thing - when my mom decided to switch my house over to all REAL food, my brothers & sister & I definitely put up a fight.It's hard because as a child, you are really working to fit in. To all the parents out there, I want to remind you that you are laying the groundwork for the REST of their lives. While I didn't always follow what my mom taught me and I would sneak "bad" food outside the house, I remembered EACH & EVERY word she said and was able to make a CONSCIOUS decision about how I want to live my life as an adult.Now, I regularly thank her for fighting for our health and wellness and equipping us with the knowledge that we have today - it has shifted everything for me.So, in those moments of frustration when you feel like your kids aren't listening or this is all just a waste of time, I can tell you, it's oh so worth it. You may not see it now, in a week or month or even a year - but you are teaching your children how to use food (our greatest resource and source of fuel) to be radiant, empowered beings.Thank you for raising children who will blaze a path of health & wellness for themselves and future generations to come.
These are my confessions - a little look into what makes me, me.*Please SHARE & COMMENT* With love & gratitude,Carly