We were high on happiness for exactly three days. Then my significant other's twin sister passed away and we started grieving. Our beloved Zippy, our 16 year old English Springer Spaniel, had to be put down. Three weeks later my favorite cousin's mother passed away. My cousin, her fiance and his son stayed with us for two weeks. My cousin stayed on for another two weeks to take care of her mother's affairs while trying to make her wedding plans. Then her older brother passed away, her surviving younger brother served her with papers because he didn't like the results of the will and her fiance cancelled the wedding.

Being naturally optimistic and upbeat, this was a new world of getting knocked down and getting back up, over and over again in a short amount of time. These unfortunate incidents resulting in a whole lot of stress, emotional and entertaining eating. What do we do when we don't know what to do? Eat, of course.

Twenty five pounds later, I cried.  I couldn't stop the sugar roller coaster and the late night cravings. Weight Watchers did not help. Exercise did not work. I didn't know what to do.

Then I read a magazine article about a book, "Eat to Live" by Joel Fuhrman, MD. I picked it up and started to follow the vegan diet he suggested. Four weeks later, I have only lost 6 lbs and I feel a world of difference! The sugar and late night cravings are gone, my strength is fine and I feel great! My mind is clear, I have energy and power. By controlling my eating, I feel like I can do anything. My family is eating more fruits and vegetables and trying the new tastes and dishes I'm preparing. My optimism is back and I am very grateful.

Not many people are willing to make the leap thinking they will be missing. To me, my life has just become much easier as well as the choices. I choose life, health and happiness. Whatever happens, I'll deal with it better without it being about food.

This program also emphasizes vegetarianism and you will get an opportunity to taste some of the healthiest vegetarian recipes.

The Inner Engineering program will be offered at Rennaisance Agoura Hills Hotel from Feb 10th - Feb 16th, 2010. Please click on the link for more details. http://www.ishafoundation.org/component/option,com_program/program_id,3148/task,details/

By Victoria Toussie Arnstein

I will admit, I have not been 100% Raw these past few weeks. But I wanted to allow myself the opportunity to become at least vegan cooked before continuing onto my raw food path(as I went straight from SAD to 811) and it was posing some difficult obstacles of cravings and emotions I was not prepared to handle..(or so it seemed) As I allowed myself some cooked foods(and I say some because I remained 90% raw and low fat vegan to be sure) I would have these so called tasty and addictive cooked foods with one exception...To eat them Naked!!! What I mean by naked is that I would not allow them to be disguised of their so called natural tastes and what I found was, they were not so great on their own...They needed a makeover and then some. Their glamour was diminished to say the least. Allow me to explain. It turns out that the cooked foods that I was always addicted to for some reason or another were rather boring and tasteless in my mouth and to my taste buds. I can't imagine anyone feeling differently(which is why salt is such a huge seller) I did not shake salt on my white rice, nor did I pour any oil or sauce that I so loved onto it either. So what did I get in return? Not a whole lot of cravings for that rice the next day, I assure you that. I realize Dr. Doug Graham talks about cooked foods being tasteless without any condiments to put on them, but one must try it for themselves to get the real true experience! What was coffee to me a few months ago (when I needed to quit for yet my 10th time) without it's beloved coat of milk and sugar? It turns out, it was nothing more than a cup of mud or sludge to me or my tastes buds. What was past without it's rich red tomato sauce to dress it in full swing , turning out to be nothing more than an unsatisfactory limp noodle? So, in my effort to finally stay 100% raw without having to have the "willpower" to do so, I am seeing first hand how cooked foods are not all they are cracked up to be! Mind you, I still have an affection to cooked sweet potato without having to put anything on it and brown rice is kind of sweet too...so for these foods I may need a bit more time. But for now, I am seeing the truth about the foods I really thought I loved once upon a time. Maybe you will too! It turns out, it was the fashion or their dressings I was more addicted to and those were all toxic! Toxic is not the kind of place I feel like staying for a long visit, and so, I will not want to have those foods anymore. I needed to Get sick, get bored and get the truth to finally realize how these foods did nothing for me mentally as well as physically! I see that now. I hope it could stay in my mind and serve me well for future reference. It is a great thing to expose the truth and be liberated and know that you are in control! Bravo for anyone else who could do the same. I got rid of salt and condiments and oils that have been my downfall for too long and now that they are out of my house, it is easy to not eat them. It is too hard to have to leave with 3 children at night to go out and get my "fix" Did I mention the bloat and side order of guilt to go with that? Did I mention the nasty feeling I get upon waking up and the coma like sleep that I seem to fall into? Of course the sickness that follow are not to great either. Exercise is not too pleasant with all those side effects either and no body wants that if they are trying to stay healthy! Making it all harder to get to and putting your pots and pans in storage or the donation box is what will make things a bit harder to keep those addictions to cooked foods going..Going to a restaurant will only cost you more than a "Home Cooked Meal" and that won't be something that you love to do when your wallet is empty at the end of the week and 3 kids want to eat all of the time, from lack of good nutrition. I think you get my point when you see what the cons are verses the pros. We are all seeking health and we need to expose what has been taken away from us over generations of bad habits and processing and greed has done to us. We have the right to be healthy and we know so much now! That is why we are on these websites. To get healthy and stay there! We are chosen from knowing the truth. We are half way there with that alone. and knowing what it takes is the other half, which is always asking and knowing who to really listen to, like Douglas Graham and his wife Rozi. They have done their research and if that is not enough for you , do more. Find out more and experience more. I

f you are struggling like myself, try to do what I am doing and maybe you will get to 811. Maybe it will take longer and maybe you will jump there instanly! Just know the goal of Optimal health would be 811 or anything near it. Eventually, it will be normal to eat only fruits and veggies and really look forward to the way they taste. Honestly, Fruit and veggies in their raw state don't need anything to make them taste good. They are perfect the way they are and they are so much tastier than their poor cooked long lost relatives, who never really had a chance. Poor things. Good luck and be well and take care of yourselves now so nobody will have to in the future!

Sincerely, Victoria Arnstein

But does it really matter to you body, mind or soul WHY you practice? The benefits are the same, are they not?

Personally, I believe that your body doesn't really care why you choose to do yoga, it's just happy that you do. I also feel that you get out of your practice what you put into it. If you are seeking a physical benefit, that's what you will achieve, etc. I also know that when I miss a few days of my yoga, my mind and spirit begin to feel out of shape, along with my body.

Do you have a regular yoga practice? If so, why?

I like this new format, I haven't been to any other website where I can blog about my two favorite passions, yoga and veganism.