Way out in the country... ;)

Alrighty then...I moved on again...out in Michigan now, for the amazing Womens' Raw Retreat we're about to start here tomorrow. I am SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO excited. I am so delighted to be out here at Ronora Lodge, in the countryside again - Chicago was wonderful, yet I really resonate with being out here in the greenery and luscious open spaces...this land is BEAUTIFUL...
I am so excited abt this retreat, I am almost bursting with energy right now - yeeeeeeeeeee-HAH ;) A wonderful opportunity to share...

On April the 23rd I had:

500ml water
700ml veggie juice
500ml water
700ml green smoothie (banana, strawberry, spinach, kale)
500ml green smoothie
1 box of organic strawberries
1 apple
1 litre water
flax crackers with seed cheese and arugula
500ml water

My intake is very happily light at the moment...enjoying having almost totally water-rich foods...this feels especially good as we're about to enjoy a 5 day Juice Feast on this retreat - winding down towards a liquid lifestyle...funny, 5 days seems so incredibly manageable now - like a 'drop in the ocean' of juicing compared to...well, 92 days ;) Amazing how much our perspectives can change...prior to my full-on Juice Feast this winter, even 3 days living on just liquids would have seemed like quite a lot...

on April the 24th I had:

750ml water
slice of watermelon
250ml water
1 litre green juice
flax crackers with hemp seed cheese
1 litre water
1 litre green juice
seed cheese with crackers, arugula and carrots
500ml tea
slice of pineapple
handful of goji berries
500ml water

For anyone who has not yet made the 'big leap' into organics, I am really happy to include this info here on ten top reasons why it might be a wise move... ;) Written by the wondeful Ysanne over on OrganicFoodee.com and forwarded to me recently, this is a great piece to share with sceptical rellies in particular, plus the bonus fruit/veggie pesticide-load charts at the end are VERY useful... ;) Enjoy...
One love,
Angela. xxx

10 Organic Reasons
(and there are many, many more!)
by Ysanne Spevack , Editor Organicfoodee.com
1. Organic produce is not covered in a cocktail of poisonous chemicals. The average conventionally-grown apple has 20-30 artificial poisons on its skin, even after rinsing. Trust your instincts, and go organic!
2. Fresh organic produce contains on average 50% more vitamins, minerals, enzymes and other micro-nutrients than intensively farmed produce. Science says that it's good for you.
3. Going organic is the only practical way to avoid eating genetically modified (GM) food. And by buying organic food, you are registering your mistrust of GMO's and doing your bit to protest against them.
4. If you eat dairy or meat products, going organic has never been more essential to safeguard you and your family's health. Intensively-reared dairy cows and farm animals are fed a dangerous cocktail of anti-biotics, growth promoting drugs, anti-parasite drugs and many other medicines on a daily basis, whether they have an illness or not. These drugs are passed directly onto the consumers of their dairy produce or meat., which must be a contributing factor to meat-related diseases like coronaries and high blood pressure.
5. About 99% of non-organic farm animals in the UK are now fed GM soya. And there has never been a reported case of BSE in organic cattle in the UK. Common sense says that organic is safe food.
6. Organic produce simply tastes so much better. Fruit and vegetables full of juice and flavour, and so many different varieties to try! There are about 100 different kinds of organic potatoes in production in the UK, and that's just potatoes!
7. Organic farms support and nurture our beautiful and diverse wildlife. Over the last thirty years, intensive farming in the UK has led to dramatic erosion of the soil, a fall of up to 70% of wild birds in some areas, the destruction of ancient hedgerows, and the near extinction of some of the most beautiful species of butterflies, frogs, grass-snakes and wild mammals.
8. Organic food is not really more expensive than intensively farmed foods, as we pay for conventional foods through our taxes. We spend billion of pounds every year cleaning up the mess that agro-chemicals make to our natural water supply. And the BSE crisis cost us 4 billion pounds. Go organic for a genuine more cost-effective future.
9. Intensive farming can seriously damage farm workers' health. There are much higher instances of cancer, respiratory problems and other major diseases in farm workers from non-organic farms. This is particularly true in developing countries, and for agrochemical farms growing cotton. So go organic if you care about other people.
10. And if you simply like the idea of your children and grandchildren being able to visit the countryside and play in the forests and fields just like we did when we were young, go organic for the sake of all of our futures.

15 Fruits & Veggies with the Highest Pesticides
Peaches
Apples
Sweet Bell Peppers
Celery
Nectarines
Strawberries
Cherries
Pears
Grapes - Imported
Spinach
Lettuce
Potatoes
Carrots
Green Beans
Hot Peppers

15 Fruits & Veggies with the Lowest Pesticides
Watermelon
Winter Squash
Cauliflower
Blueberries
Papaya
Broccoli
Cabbage
Bananas
Kiwi
Sweet peas - frozen
Asparagus
Mango
Pineapples
Sweet Corn - frozen
Avocado
Onions