Am I alone or is there anyone else out there whose good eating habits went out the window beginning around Thanksgiving time? The nearly five weeks of holiday season can be brutal in terms of the naughty food temptations. And it’s tradition, right? Heavier eating is expected during the holiday season. And of course, there are a LOT more sweets. And it doesn’t help that sugar depresses the immune system. It raises the insulin level, which inhibits the release of growth hormones, which in turn depresses the immune system.

More info on sugar here: http://www.healingdaily.com/detoxification-diet/sugar.htm

So, is it any wonder that so many people get sick this time of year. Unhealthy foods, more time indoors with recycled air and the extra energy the body takes to stay warm, at least in some geographic regions. (In Sarasota today, it’s 66 degress with winds gusting up to 18 mph. That feels cold to my acclimatized self. But last week in Boston, I got chilled to the bone).

I’ve been feeling “under the weather” since my Boston trip. So, I’m going to do something about it. Instead of continuing to submit to crazy holiday eating habits, I’m going to start juice feasting today. I juice feasted exclusively for 60 days starting back in March of this year. I felt fantastic & looked the best I had since I started college. And I’m 43 now. Who would have thought that it was possible to turn the hands of time back so far? The best news was that large cysts I’d had in my chest for more than 20 years almost completely disappeared. Here’s a photo of me celebrating Cinco de Mayo with green juice on Sarasota’s beautiful Lido Beach on my 50th day on juice.

Jenna Norwood 50 Days on Juice, Cinco de Mayo

I want to feel that good again. Not sure whether I’ll do 100% juice all the time, or just mostly juice. But the Copenhagen Climate Change Conference kicked this off with their Challenge of a water fast for 24-hours. That’s 5 C’s! I can do this! In honor of the 5 C’s, my first juice will be Cucumber, Cabbage, Collards, Carrots & Celery. Sounds yummy! And I feel so fortunate to have a great resource in the very knowledgeable juice feasting couple, David & Katrina Rainoshek:

http://www.juicefeasting.com/

On my way to the Farmer’s Market to stock up on fresh, organic & locally-grown produce. Hope to find an abundance of greens to juice. So alkalizing.

To your radiant health!

Jenna : )

P.S. Get your very own copy of my award-winning documentary, “Supercharge Me! 30 Days Raw.” It’s entertaining, educational & inspiring. And film sales fund my life mission of spreading the good word about the power of getting back to nature. http://www.JennaNorwood.com

Last night in Sarasota, I attended a presentation by John Mackey, Co-Founder & CEO of Whole Foods Market. Whole Foods started with one small store in Austin, Texas & now has more than 270 stores in North America & the UK. As a shareholder in WFMI, as well as a frequent customer & raw foods instructor there for the past several years, I was very interested in hearing what Mackey had to say. There was a very good crowd for the event, with a few hundred in attendance. They blocked off half of the store’s parking garage & turned it into a theater. Good thing as it was a windy night.

As much as I love Whole Foods as my trusted source for organic produce, I still expected to have to wade through some rhetoric from the man with such fiscal responsibility on his shoulders. And of course I expected it to be all pro-Whole Foods. What I got was a very pleasant shock. Mackey actually spoke out against most of the products in his stores, including meat, dairy, all processed foods and supplements. His talk was a leading-edge nutritional lecture focused on the beneficial effects of eating fresh, raw foods. In his modified food chart, fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds & beans were heavily weighted. He used the term “nutritarian” to describe people who seek the most nutrient-dense foods. It all makes perfect sense.

He also discouraged the use of all oils, including olive oil, because of their high fat content and artery-clogging tendencies. He said studies on the Mediterranean diet were flawed because many of the subjects died of heart disease shortly after the four-year study. He recommended salad dressings made with blended nuts or seeds & fresh fruit.

He encouraged buying produce in season for freshness and cost-savings.

He said he himself has been mostly vegan for many years.

Mackey also pledged to offer more health education for his customers and staff. He expects to see an improvement in the health of his staff (team) members. And that will help his bottom line.

After the talk, Mackey took several questions from audience members. Most were about the practical aspects of adopting a vegan lifestyle. And he answered the questions competently.

So, it turns out Mackey & I are singing the same tune. I had no idea he was so pro-raw. That makes me very happy, even as a shareholder, in spite of the fact that he’s discouraging the purchase of most of his products. Because I believe in karma. And if you do the right thing, good things will come back to you.

I’ve been very grateful for the presence of Whole Foods for many years. As much as one might criticize Mackey or his business, he has brought much healthier options to 270 communities. So, it was an honor to meet him and have a little chat after his talk. I gave him a copy of my film, “Supercharge Me!” & he seemed interested in it. I’m aiming to have the film in all Whole Foods stores. Fingers are crossed…

Meanwhile, you can get your copy here now!

http://www.jennanorwood.com/

I know what you’re thinking & I promise I’m not kissing up to Mackey just because I want his stores to carry my film. I was genuinely impressed by the uncommon integrity he exhibited at his presentation last night.

Have you ever seen the film, “The Corporation?” It’s very enlightening and gives some powerful insights about the challenges the heads of corporations face when they’re held legally accountable to be solely motivated by profit for their shareholders. Also details the story about how a study was kept from the public that showed dairy tainted by Monsanto chemicals was causing cancer in laboratory animals.

I jotted down Mackey’s recommended reading list. And here it is:

The China Study by Dr. Colin Cambell

Prevent & Reverse Heart Disease by Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn

Eat to Live & Eat for Health by Dr. Joel Fuhrman

The Engine 2 Diet by Rip Esselstyn

The McDougall Program by Dr. John McDougall

Healthy at 100 & The Food Revolution by John Robbins

Dr. Neal Barnard’s Program for Preventing & Reversing Dianetes & Food for Life by Dr. Neal Barnard

The Pleasure Trap by Doug Lisle

Healing Cancer from the Inside Out by Mike Anderson

To your radiant health!
Jenna

Today is the last day of the UN Climate Conference in Copenhagen. Did the suggested 24-hour water fast in honor of those in the world who starve because of climate change. Was even presented with a little challenge. Met two groups of friends in the evening. One at dinner & the other after John Mackey’s (Whole Foods CEO) talk. (More about that later…)

Ordered glass-bottled water both times. I feel great & definitely more hydrated. I’m considering doing a 24-hour water fast once a week. It’s a great way to give the digestive system a break so the body can work on its other important tasks, like cleansing the liver & kidneys and fighting cancer cells. Thank you for inspiring that, Copenhagen!

Let’s hope some all-around positive things come from the conference. Here’s a bit of current news from the trenches:

http://www.alternet.org/rss/the_wire_provided_by_huffington_post/100843/may_jeong:_copenhagen_climate_change_marathon:_leaders_and_lawmakers_negotiate_in_the_final_hours/