By Guest Blogger on February 18, 2010
JodyLynn Stuppy (on right) & Mom
By JodyLynn Stuppy
It all began with a click of my mouse…
I was surfing the Internet desperately looking for a “new lease on life,” and the search engines were zealously buzzing with hits to a countless number of sites. Crazy Sexy Life stood out like a sore “green” thumb, and with a simple click, I entered the CSL Community! The rest would become history, or shall I say, “my story.”
Kris Carr was starting ACT (the Adventure Cleanse Tune-Up) in less than a week, then May 2009, and I signed up. Thanks to all the “Pre-Tune Up” blog posts, I was ready to roll.
Prior to starting ACT, I was partaking in the Standard American Diet (SAD), not exercising, experiencing increased weight gain, increased stress, and digestive problems. I was often tired and achy, and I grew less and less social. In 1999, I was diagnosed with Hypothyroidism and informed that there was no cure; I would have to take prescription medicine for the rest of my life. I was at the end of my rope, spiraling downward, and desperate to get my life back. After months of feeling horrible, unable to find relief or get answers from doctors as to why I felt so poorly, I knew I had to do something. I was living a “non-presence” life, and it felt as though I was dying inside. I was depressed, I had no zest for life, I was not happy with myself, and I felt like “my person” was simply deteriorating. I was functioning on auto-pilot, going through the motions, and watching life pass me. I was not sure how I got there, but wanted out fast! I had to become my own advocate.
On Day One of ACT, I was excited and hopeful for a cure to my “funk,” and by the end of the first week, I could see the light at the end of the tunnel. With each blog post, inspiration and giggle that Kris had to offer, each day was a new “adventure,” and the CSL Community’s support was awesome. By the end of the 28 days, I had become a new person—body, mind and soul! Basically, by eliminating all meat, dairy, and refined foods and incorporating a raw vegan diet and lifestyle, coupled with daily booty shakin’, I was reborn! I am a new person, and I spring out of bed each morning vibrating with energy and ready to take on the day. Just call me Crazy Sexy!
As a result of ACT, I shed 30 pounds (which, I am proud to say, haven’t returned) and feel the happiest and healthiest I have EVER felt in my life. The following have been incorporated into my “new life”:
-Beginning each day with PRAYER.
-Drinking Daily Green Smoothies! I splurge (smartly!) on raw organic vitals.
-Shaking my booty for at least 35 minutes a day.
-Dry brushing.
-Kicking “fake” out the door—I only welcome what is real.
-Cut-and-pasting my way to good health by staying focused with a vision board.
-Laughing at least once a day!
-Ending my day with journaling and PRAYER.
During and after my 28 days on ACT, family, friends and co-workers bombarded me with questions. Most wondered where I was getting my protein from because I had eliminated meat and dairy from my diet. Others said, “Oh, I could NEVER do that!” I’m here to tell you that it can be done, and it is pretty simple. Either you want to live a happy, healthy life and are willing to go for it, or not. It is your choice. What was unique about following ACT was its gradual nature: learning and being introduced to something new each day made it fun and doable.
The Crazy Sexy Life website is a fountain of knowledge, and knowledge is power! Read everything you can on raw foods and the body’s ability to heal itself. YOU can take control and set the proper conditions for healing to take place. Not everyone has the same illnesses, so not everyone will take the same path. Empower yourself with information and see what works for you. I am a firm believer that you are what you eat, and I know the food I was eating on a daily basis directly effected both my sickness and, ultimately, my health. Amazingly, I no longer have to take thyroid medicine because of how I have altered my diet and lifestyle. While there are many paths of raw foodism, anyone can benefit from consuming more raw vegan foods and eliminating refined food, fast food, caffeine, sugar, and salt.
I am now internally driven and emotionally charged with a double shot of GUSTO! When I feel like being naughty, I ACT up. It’s as simple as that!
JodyLynn lives in Valparaiso, IN with her wonderful husband and 4 beloved Dalmatians. She grew up and lived in Southern California most of her life and finds herself on many a day “California Dreamin’.”
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By Guest Blogger on July 2, 2009
Inder Bedi, Founder of Matt & Nat
I’ve always thought of my dad as a modern day hippie with an old soul. It came as no surprise that growing up, one of Dad’s good friends was the head priest of the Hare Krishna temple in Montreal. What did come as a surprise was when said priest asked me at the age of 18 to go vegetarian for 30 days. I didn’t understand why he chose me versus other family members (including my Dad) and he would give me no reason except that it was important that I began this path.
Out of respect I obliged and this led to what would be a life altering experience. Digging beyond diet issues and into animal rights, I eventually gave up leather as well. In university I majored in marketing and minored in corporate law. During my last semester I was preparing for law school when I reluctantly took a required course called Entrepreneurship. For this course we had to start a make believe business and try to raise funding for it. Being a vegetarian who also had a taste for all things design and felt frustrated at the lack of fashion accessories that were vegan yet still sexy, I based my business plan on a company that would balance design and social responsibility. My project received no funding and earned me a 77%! That was the fall of 1995 and the basis for MATT & NAT.
The rest as they say is history and it’s been quite the ride! Today M&N is sold around the world in mainstream stores such as SAKS, Bloomingdales, Kitson and Fred Segal as well as boutiques across Europe and Japan. We have exciting plans for the future including other design categories as well as retail stores. This year we were voted as one of the 100 fastest growing companies in Canada.
Since 1995 I have tried to show people that you can be both design centric yet still socially responsible. It’s nice to see over the last couple of years that there has been a general consensus amongst many major corporations to go in this direction as well. We have stepped up our commitment with our new entry level brand, SAM-SARA.ORG which actually walks the walk by allowing consumers to vote for charities with their dollars.
I am honored to be asked by Crazy Sexy Life to write a blog, thank you. I hope people find inspiration in our story the same way your stories and community has inspired so many others and has reminded me again, 14 years later, to always live in the moment.
Matt & Nat Bag Raffle!
Juno Bag (100% Vegan!)
We want to share your inspiring stories with the CSL community, which means we need testimonials! In case you needed a little extra nudge, Inder has donated a fabulous 100% vegan, stylin’ Matt & Nat bag as the raffle prize for one lucky winner. We will pull a name out of our magical hat once we’ve received 50 testimonials. The testimonial can relate to your ACT experience and/or the effect that the Crazy Sexy Lifestyle has had on your life. Email your (approximately 250 word) testimonial to info@crazysexylife.com. Check out the prize!
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By Kris Carr on June 3, 2009
Hola vegola,
A big Crazy Sexy congrats to the super-talented Cynthia Palm and Katherine Pennington of www.be-n-balance.com. These creative ladies really know how to make their blenders sing. Check out the DELICIOUS smoothie potions they sent in!
Cynthia’s Green Mudslide!!
1 cup of nut mylk: Almond, brazil, hazelnut, sesame – whatever you like!
2 frozen bananas
2 to 3 handfuls of organic baby spinach
1 1/2 to 2 tbsp of cacao or carob powder
1 to 2 tbsps of agave, if using cacao you might want a little more! Or use sweeter of your choice.
2 capfuls of vanilla extract (try Frontier Brand)
6 to 8 ice cubes
Put all ingredients in a high power blender and blend until smooth ( do not blend too long or it will not be thick). If the blender gets stuck just add a little more mylk to get it going.
Kat’s Green “Power me Up” Smoothie
1/2 head kale (lacinato and dinosaur kale are my favorites!)
Juice from a Thai Coconut (you can cheat and use the small “One” containers if you need to)
Unsweetened almond milk
Frozen bananas and/or berries
1 tbsp coconut butter
1 tsp maca
1 tsp flax seed oil (for brain power, focus, overall well being…)
Pumpkin seeds (if making for my hubby since it’s good for prostrate cancer prevention)
Put all of this in the Vitamix and blend! This is my favorite, favorite, favorite morning smoothie and I usually make it the night before and then send it in a bottle for my hubby to take to work in the morning!
Thank you gals! Cynthia will be getting a copy of my gal Rory Freedman’s Skinny Bastard while Katherine will receive Ani’s Raw Food Desserts by the lovely Ani Phyo.
June=salad dressing month! In order to stay on track with the alkaline diet I recommend, it’s really important to have an arsenal of dressings at your disposal. Help your fellow wellness warriors and win an awesome-bo-bosome prize by sending your favorite dressing recipe to info@crazysexylife.com!
Guess what? The Adventure Cleanse Tune-up (ACT) is almost over! Just 4 more days to go. Some of the testimonials rolling in are wicked inspiring and Amen. As expected, folks on the forum are starting to get a wee bit nervous. For the past 28 days I’ve been posting daily inspiration and apparently the community has really loved and relied on it. For all you coming off the cleanse (why the heck would you do that? Keep going!), we’ll create a group for continued support. If you haven’t already checked out the ACT recipes, please do. There are so many tasty and creative combos for you to choose from. Clearly we have to make a community cook/prep book! Don’t ya think?
Peace & veggies,
Kris
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By Kris Carr on May 13, 2009
Pioneers,
As I mentioned on the forum yesterday, what you choose to focus on in life is extremely important. Your focus is the team captain of vibrant health, spiritual wealth and happiness. Decades ago, Ram Dass introduced us to the saying Be Here Now, with his spiritual eye-opener of a book by the same title. Yeah, yeah…be in the moment…blah blah blah…Ugh. Right?
I don’t know about you, but sometimes I wanna give the “moment” the bird. When the now is sucky, mean and painful nobody in their right mind is gonna wanna sit in it. Well, maybe some red robed monk who gets off on mental torture and back pain would but not me. Yet I often wonder about my pain ratio. How much of it do I create and how much is real? Is it too hard to make my juice in the morning? Is there really no time for me? My husband, does he stink at communication when we fight or am I the one getting tongue tied? What’s the reality of my money situation? Will I always fear it or will there be flow? And then of course there is “the cansa”. Ohhhh, the scary, scary, spookie “cansa”. Poor me, whoa is whoa. I was given 10 years to live (by some jackass doctor) 6 years ago. How should I view that? 4 years left OR plenty o’ time sassy cat. That douchy was dead wrong. He’ll be dirt napping way sooner than me fiesty, firey, ALKALINE me!
I bring this up because lately I’ve read so many comments about fearing the Adventure Cleanse Tune-up. In my mind, those of you who are scared of changing the food on your plate are not sacred of changing the food on your plate. The real issue is changing your focus. Letting the light in. Half empty is comforting. It ensures that since you won’t be reaching you won’t be falling. There will be no scrapes that need tending and stingy alcohol. They call it “cruise control” for a reason. But I ask you this, is it breezy and warm inside your own personal city limits or deep down does it feel like prison?
This is no time to be beige. You are a glitter soaked wellness warrior and your thighs need you! Your liver will deep bow thank you. You will poop like a heavy weight champion. Your spirit will shake it off and stamp it down as you will rise out of the hole and shift your perception from lack to plenty.
If you are following my 28 day cleanse (today is day 3!) I ask that you focus on the positive rather than the negative. Instead of “I didn’t do it right”, please notice, acknowledge and bless all that you have accomplished. In order to do this you really need to think about the language you use. We all talk to ourselves (especially in the car). Pay attention to what you are saying and remember that your cells have ears! They are listening…
Ok, I’m gonna keep this one short today so that I can go sit on my meditation cushion and try and corral the mind mustangs. Perhaps I’ll start with a little prayer. “Please help me to see the cardinals through the clouds”.
Peace and focus,
Kris
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By Kris Carr on May 4, 2009
HOT Peppers!
This time next week we’ll be kicking off our on-line tune-up for over 600 people. Yup, that’s the number we’ve calculated but god/dess knows who’s lurking in secret. Just so we’re all on the same page, I will be blogging about ACT 1-2 times per week. The majority of the information will be on the forum. Each day for 28 days I’ll post a prayer, affirmation, some information and a recipe. You’ll have a chance to get tons of support and encouragement from the BEST on-line community on the planet! No, I’m not modest. What are you waiting for? There will never be a “right time” and as many of us know, “time” isn’t guaranteed to anyone. So dump the gunk and shine with me!
Now the best way to ensure the shine is to plan ahead. When my pantry is stocked I’m stacked. If I open the fridge and see a jar of pickles and moldy bread – later gator, “we’re going out!” On the other hand, when I get home at a reasonable time and my kitchen is brimming with the basics, I browse my cookbooks and play! I love those nights. Brian and I dine on a healthy (candle-lit) homemade meal brimming with Crazy Sexy love. Note: always, always light candles. Your meals are sacred fuel for the shizzazzle temple.
Some of you may already have what it takes to whip up magic. If so, good for you. You’ve made the initial investment and therefore your weekly shopping bills cost less. Others may be starting from scratch. I’ll be honest, it’s gonna cost more than you think to get started but you don’t need everything at once.
Crazy Sexy Shopping List
Here’s a short list of foods you’ll find in my personal cache. Some are healing staples, while others are transitional foods. All are a diet upgrade. Again, you DO NOT need everything! This is just a guide, a snap shot of my kitchen. Especially with the produce, shop a few times a week so that your chow stays fresh. Debbie Meyer Green Bags save my life. As soon as I get home I wash my greens and veggies, let them dry, and then place them in those emerald green life-savers. Brian likes to prep the juice ahead of time – these bags make it really easy. Wash and reuse them to cut down on planet waste.
Grains and noodles: Millet, quinoa, buckwheat, brown rice, wild rice, amaranth and teff grains or pastas, %100 buckwheat soba noodles (most brands contain wheat), Tinkyada rice pasta, Ancient Harvest quinoa pasta. Rice Milk is a good substitute for dairy. Oats are kinda on this list but in our gluten post (coming next week) you’ll see why I hesitate to add them flat out.
Raw nuts and seeds: Always buy fresh raw nuts; roasted nuts are rancid. Almonds, pecans, walnuts, macadamia nuts, hazelnuts, pine nuts, pumpkin seeds, flaxseeds (either buy a small grinder for these or buy them already ground), sesame seeds, hemp seeds, chia seeds (make yummy cereal and puddings), and sunflower seeds. Also raw almond butter and tahini—it’s like peanut butter, only made with sesame seeds. You can make your own nut milks too. Yum! Note: Soaking nuts makes them more digestible; it removes the enzyme inhibitors that keep them from spoiling.
Superfoods: Blue Green Algae from Klamath lake – E3Live is a great brand. BGA’s provide energy boost, mental clarity, rebuild cells, bind free radicals, and are HIGH in vitamins and mineral. Green powders – use as a supplement NOT in place of juicing. Spirulina/Chlorella – Spirulina is high in chlorophyll and protein. Chlorella normalizes bowel function, builds immune system, binds radiation. Hemp Powder (high in Protein), Raw cacao (MODERATION).
Beans: Chickpeas, lentils, white beans, black beans, lima, pinto. These are the easiest to digest. Soak beans overnight and add a half inch strip of kombu (seaweed) to soaking water. This helps cut down on your methane! Eden brand canned beans are also good – they’re the only canned beans I use. Other brands contain preservatives. Eden uses beans, kombu, salt and water.
Soups: A staple for people transitioning to a mostly raw healing diet are fresh warm soups. Make them tasty and hearty by using beans and a variety of veggies, especially root veggies. Add fresh herbs, garlic, onion (chive, scallions), a little olive oil and Celtic or Himalayan sea salt. Don’t worry about recipes. Throw everything in a pot and season to taste. I love to add Pacific Foods organic vegetable broth.
Seaweed: Nori, dulse, arame, hijiki, wakame (for miso soup)
Veggies: veggies, and more veggies. Cucumbers, broccoli, kale, collards, celery, parsley, cabbage, romaine and green lettuce, spinach, peppers, zucchini, asparagus, red peppers, chard, green beans, alfalfa sprouts, lentil sprouts, mung bean sprouts, sweet pea and sunflower sprouts, onions, garlic, leeks, cauliflower, fresh herbs, eggplant, winter squash, carrots, arugula, bok choy, tat soi, sweet potatoes . . . the list is endless!
Daily Green Juice….Nothing is better for your immune system and vitality than fresh-made, organic, raw green juices and green smoothies. Not only will you be amazed at the highly charged energy you have, but your body will be thanking you for the super-nourishment, the balancing of blood sugars, the plant protein, and the loads of toxins being purged from their hiding places. Consume a minimum of 16 ounces of green juice/smoothie per day. Oh, and store-bought juices don’t count; unless they’re made fresh in front of you they are pasteurized and lifeless. If you can, add 1-2 ounces of wheatgrass into your daily routine.
For Juicing: Celery, cucumber base. Add any combination of leafy greens like spinach, kale, chard, collards, water cress, parsley, dandelion, cabbage, beet greens, tomato, bell pepper (yellow, red or orange) radish, ginger, SPROUTS (especially sweet pea and sunflower), broccoli stems, carrot and beet (in moderation). If you need more sweetness increase the cucumber content, use bell pepper or add one piece of low-glycemic fruit. Buy a wide VARIETY of veggies and fruits that are local, fresh, organic (when possible) and in the case of fruits – RIPE. Note: Limit sweet fruit if you are healing from cancer, diabetes, or bacterial and yeast infections.
For Smoothies: Keep them GREEN. As a general guideline, I like to build my smoothies with a 3:1 ratio of veggies to fruit. For example, one of my favorite morning power shakes consist of one cucumber, a large handful of romaine, avocado and one pear – if I have sweet pea, or sunflower sprouts I’ll add them too. Coconut water with a little stevia adds lovely flavor and nutrition. When I don’t have romaine I use spinach, kale and any other greens. Hemp powder adds a nutty flavor and tons of protein. I also like Vega products – another great source of protein. Lemon or lime adds a nice alkalizing kick to smoothies. Stevia, yacon and agave are my favorite sweetners. Stevia and yacon are the safest if facing a health challenge. A pinch of cinnamon helps to balance blood sugar and cacao is a great treat for those transitioning from coffee.
Fruits: Avocados and tomatoes (yes, they are technically fruits), green apples, lemons, limes, grapefruit, watermelon, pears, grapes, and berries. Low-glycemic fruits (those that are less sweet, like blueberries) are generally better than high-glycemic fruits (such as bananas) while you’re healing and cleansing. Remember to consume fruit in moderation. Glycemic index.
Breads: My favorite company period is Food for Life. They make gluten-free breads and wraps (for the cleanse we’re tossing gluten). They also make yummy sprouted breads and cereals (NOT for the cleanse). Check out Mauk Farms Crusts and Love Force raw breads – tres yum.
Sweetener: Stevia, a powerful herb with no sugar, comes in packets. Let me tell you, a little goes a long way. Yacon is another great alternative that doesn’t effect your glycemic index. A small amount of agave can also be used, although it’s very sweet.
Oils for salad dressing: Udo’s Choice oil blends, avocado oil, flax seed oil, cold-pressed olive oil, macadamia nut oil, walnut oil, hemp seed oil.
Oils for light cooking: Coconut oil (the most stable of all oils), sesame, grapeseed oil, and cold-pressed olive oil. It’s best to buy oils packaged in dark bottles and to store them in a cool dark place. Please avoid, Teflon, microwaves, char-grilled, blackened.
Seasonings: Get creative and experiment with different herbs. Fresh and organic is better, but if you can’t get them fresh then dried herbs are just fine. Use Celtic or Himalayan sea salt, gomasio, herbamare, dulse flakes, wheat-free tamari, Bragg’s Liquid Aminos. The staples I have on hand are pretty simple: Ginger powder, garlic powder, celery seed, basil, parsley, cilantro, mint, dill, rosemary, thyme, black pepper, curry, tumeric, cinnamon (lowers blood sugar), cayenne (promotes circulation), mustard seeds, wasabi. Spice Hunter makes a great, peppy spice called Zip. You can get really creative with easy spice blends like, Mexican seasoning & pizza seasoning. Also, pumpkin spice and apple pie seasoning, vanilla bean or vanilla extract (Frontier brand alcohol-free) are fun to add to smoothies.
Fermented foods: Bragg’s Apple Cider Vinegar, tempeh, raw sauerkraut (great for digestion), unpasteurized white miso (awesome in dressings and soup).
Drinks: Purified lemon water, water with a splash of fresh fruit juice (for flavor), herbal teas, green tea, white tea, yerba mate, chai, kombucha, coconut water. A great way to make fruit water is to put purified water in the blender with one piece of fruit and a dash of stevia. Blend and strain. Add ice. YUM!
Other good snacks and quick foods: Brown rice cakes, flax crackers, San-J crackers, Edward & Sons crackers, Mary’s Gone Crackers, Grainaissance Mochi, Lydia’s raw crackers and cereals, fresh salsa (made with lemon or lime juice), hummus, guacamole, oil-cured olives, Sunshine brand veggie burgers (wheat, gluten and soy free) Amy’s gluten-free organic pizza, air-popped popcorn, Just Veggies dehydrated snacks ( I love making raw soups with these), LaraBars (great for travel), Dr. Cows “cheese”. Ruth’s Chia Goodness cereals. Check out Glutino brand snacks as well. Oh! Glaser Farms. LOVE their products.
Other companies to familiarize yourself with..
Gold Mine Natural
Diamond Organics
Jaffe Bros
Living Tree Community Foods
Remember, don’t get overwhelmed by this list – you don’t need everything. This is just a gentle guide.
Peace and pantries,
Kris
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