Pizza & Salad - Lifestyle Style!!!

The Call of Aseedas

One of my wife's favorite dishes.

Simple Changes >> BIG EFFECTS!!!

So many of the changes that we are making are simple and logical changes. But, the EFFECTS of those changes are MONUMENTAL! The initial change is simply taking on the extra work of reading, asking, talking about and gaining a more complete understanding of how our bodies digest food and use nutrients to aid and fuel the biological processes going on inside of us. Once you inform yourself, it's simply a matter of doing your best within your financial means to shop and eat responsibly. Yes, it's more effort, more work. But by now we know that EVERYTHING worth doing takes work! And putting effort into eating well and consuming healthy foods should naturally be part of our main and daily concerns. It's a matter of responsibility. As I said before, I've never been a "diet person" or quick to jump on health bandwagons as many turn out to be passing fads or marketing gimmick. Still, things have gotten to a point in our culture where it's just irresponsible to sit back and let ourselves and our families grow fatter and more unhealthy, being fed unhealthy products by indifferent and greedy corporations. Besides, I think it's possible to strike a balance between being an uppity, self-righteous, health freak and being a diligent and responsible person and parent in choosing what to consume.

Already, the changes we've made in our approach to what food and drink we buy and consume have pushed us to be more purposeful and organized, less lazy and less indulgent, more disciplined and more proactive. These spiritual changes fall right in line with our other main goals for our life. God, in His infinite wisdom and grace, designed our bodies PERFECTLY for their purpose. It has been nice to get back, not only to the natural function of our own perfectly designed bodies, but also to get back to appreciating the natural and endless variety of foods He provided for us – WITHOUT all the PROCESSING to increase monetary gain. We don't need to live forever. We aren't trying to. But, we can certainly treat our engines better for the time that we are going to be using them. And if making a change to get more responsible about what you eat leads to spiritual growth and progress, and finds you acting more in line with the character and mindset you know is effective and pleasing to Him and those around you, keep it up!

The picture I posted is of our new spice rack in our cupboard. I saw this in my friend's cupboard and loved it. Before, we had all our spices on one level surface. This way, it's much easier to see and choose the spices you need. Simple change. More organized. Good effect:)

One last thing… Cooking is an art and can easily be a great time of fellowship and enjoyment for a family. This change has prompted us to explore this art more and has presented more opportunity for unifying camaraderie in our family. This is yet another piece to the intended and designed puzzle. There is a rejuvenated air of appreciation in our house.

Recent Meals

Here are a few pics of recent meals we've had. I'll post ingredients for them later. (Note: Any pictures on this blog can be clicked on to view a larger image.)

Breakfast, Passion & Creativity

My morning breakfast preparation is looking much different from what it used to. It's great to start my day with an organized, structured, healthy approach to my intake. It sets the tone for my whole day. As my 14-year-old son said on day two, "The great thing about this lifestyle is that it promotes organization!" I totally agree. When you organize and structure one major aspect of your life, it naturally spills over into other aspects. He loves the responsible feeling he has now that he is planning and making his healthy lunches the night before, then being diligent to finish preparing them the next morning before he goes to school. Not only does he love the food we're eating. He is also smart enough to see that this change can be used as a catalyst for faster and stronger improvement in other areas he's been working on, like his studies in school, with sports, and with other important areas he's striving to have discipline and focus in. Starting his day with specific intention and purpose, along with the natural affects of eating more healthy foods, has him in a great state of mind that is carrying over into the rest of his day.



Right next to the front door, we set our "grab n go" tray. While it's been nice to be able to simply filter out all the advertisements and unhealthy things we are prompted to consume at every turn when we're out of the house, it can also be rough when hunger comes and there's nothing healthy to eat. These bars and simple raw almond packs are great. They taste good and are filling enough to hold you over till you get back home for dinner.

So far, I've been feeling great having made this change. I am learning more daily as I read the book, I don't feel bloated after meals, and I feel better spiritually about being disciplined and responsible about my intake. Because she had been exposed by an irresponsible coworker to strep throat, my wife has had a rough first few days. Her initial detox hit her pretty hard. But, after toughing it out and sticking with the meal plans, she woke up today feeling much better.

We've been talking about how thankful we are to our friend/coach for all her help. She's been there to answer any questions we have–and there have been plenty– and she takes our calls and literally walks us through the supermarket via cell phone. We are thankful to God for the blessing of her help and direction as well as for the benefits we are already seeing in our lives. I've never been one to jump quickly into dieting, vitamins programs, or the like. And even when I've wanted to be more healthy, it seems impossible to know who to listen to when it comes to direction on which foods are good for you and which ones aren't. There always seems to be some fad or popular diet that is sure to be debunked in a matter of months. In the end, no matter which path you choose with regard to regulating your food intake, you're going to have to put your trust in someone to guide you. Of course, doing your own research and trying to learn and gain an understanding of some of the biology behind various approaches to eating right is always important. Still, you're bound to follow some advice. And in our case, we have felt really comfortable with taking our friend's advice and that of Christina Avaness in her book. There are two main reasons why. First, we know our friend has tried every diet and approach out there in her quest for answers over the years. Knowing her sincerity in her quest, and that she finally feels fulfilled with this approach, makes us feel confident that it's worth a try. Secondly, the approach presented in Avaness' book simply rings true and logical. And that's frankly one of the most important factors, and often all we have to go on. It feels right.

And so, having decided to sincerely give this "lifestyle" a try, I have been putting my passion and creativity behind it. As I constantly promote with my brand - Visual Syntax (www.VisualSyntaxOutput.com) – EVERY aspect of life requires CREATIVE PASSION in order to thrive. When you believe in something and are sincerely determined to make progress, it is important to be creative in implementing it into your life. So, in addition to being creative in coming up with recipes, we've been getting into the presentation of our dishes and having fun photographing the new food we're eating.





Been eating these red potatoes to help with alkalizing. Here they are drizzled with olive oil and lemon juice, and served with my daily avocado helping.

Day 02 Quesadilla Dinner

My wife prepared this tasty Quesadilla Dinner in about forty minutes on day two. We all loved it!

Ingredients Used: Organic Whole Wheat & Corn Flour Tortillas, Goat's Milk Cheddar Cheese, Goat's Milk Gouda Cheese, Red Onions, Organic Red Kidney Beans, Organic Avocados, Organic Roma Tomatoes, First Cold-Pressed Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Organic Heavy Whipping Cream, Real Salt, Elephant Garlic, Cayenne Pepper, Safflower Oil.


Note: We used Christina Avaness' "Quick Fried Beans" Recipe from her book Living Beyond Organic (Page 184)

For dessert, I made an adjusted version of my old favorite peanut butter bananas. Instead of peanut butter, I used almond butter. Drizzled some honey over them, and then plenty of yummy cinnamon. When we can find it, we will switch over to a healthier honey. This is delicious with a nice glass of goats milk.

First Lifestyle Dinner

Here are some pics from day one of our first lifestyle dinner:)

Steps Toward Change

One of the first steps, after making the decision to commit to a drastic change like following "the lifestyle" is getting rid of those things in your kitchen that are not good for your health: The teflon coated pots and pans, plastic plates, containers, and utensils, etc. And of course, you've got to bite down, go through your refrigerator and cupboards and get rid of all that processed food you've grown to love so much. Since we had been planning to make this switch for several weeks, we had stopped grocery shopping and pretty much got down to bare bones in the cupboard and fridge. This saved us the horror of throwing away a couple hundred dollars worth of groceries. So, our discard pile after "flipping" our kitchen wasn't too bad.



The next step is replacing the items you got rid of. Get STAINLESS STEEL pots, pans, utensils, etc. Using these will get rid of the risk of dangerous particles chipping off from chemical coatings into the food and drink you consume. Of course, it's not always financially feasible to go out and buy new sets of good stainless steel pots and pans, knives and other utensils. Then, on top of this, replacing all those plastic bowls and containers with glass and ceramic sets that won't contaminate your food can be costly. It was time to be resourceful and smart about shopping for new kitchenware.



Already being thrift store shoppers, we knew it was time to visit one of our favorite stores–SAVERS. This store is basically a thrift department store. So, thrift store prices, but with a larger selection that usual. Plus, if you bring a bag of stuff to donate, you get a coupon for 20% off your next purchase. This store, along with the local Goodwill store is perfect for finding glass and ceramic containers, plates, bowls, etc. to replace plastics being tossed. Then, on the advice of our friend/coach, we headed over to the good ol' 99 Cents Only Store where we picked up most of our stainless steel cooking utensils for super cheap. She also pointed us to Ross where we found more lowly priced containers, and kitchen items. Take a look at some of our finds.


We picked up these stainless steel pans at the Goodwill store for around $20 total.


After ordering and picking up our food grade hydrogen peroxide (1.5 fl oz for $4.00 from www.LBOrganic.com), we picked up a bunch of gallon bottles of Crystal Geyser water for just about $1 per bottle and found some stainless steel water canteens at Ross for around $5 each.


Stainless steel colanders to replace our old plastic one at Ross for about $15 total.


$9 total for these two glass cutting boards from Ross.


14 Piece glass bowl set to replace our plastic Tuperware - $18 (Used with parchment paper to keep plastic lids from touching food.)


Groovy glass butter dish to hold our new healthy butter. $4 at Ross.

So, for around $100, we were able to pick up these items to replace what we'd gotten rid of. And the way we're looking at it, paying $100 to make major health-conscious changes to our kitchen, food storage and preparation is worth the many long-term benefits we'll reap ridding ourselves of the toxins and contamination that adds up over the years using unhealthy plastics, etc.

More to come about the changes we're making. That's it for now. My next post will be about the dinner we cooked as our first "lifestyle" meal last night. I'll leave you with the breakfast I made for my wife and daughter in bed this morning…


Cherries & Strawberries, Organic Demi Miche Bread, Goat's Milk Cheddar, Raw Sunflower Seeds, Mandarines & Goats Milk Gouda with 100% Pure Tangerine Juice - No Preservatives.

Acid Acid Acid!!!

I suffer from heartburn. I am excited to see how this lifestyle change will affect this problem.

Here is a simple, short, but informational video about acid reflux or GERD (GERD stands for Gastro Esophageal Reflux Disease. "Gastro" refers to the stomach. Esophageal refers to the esophagus , the tube that carries food from the mouth to the stomach. Reflux means to back-up or flow backwards.)



I have been battling acid and heartburn for years. Growing up and until I was about 25, I fasted (i.e. abstained from food and food-like drinks) from 1 to 2 weeks several times a year. During these times, I experienced the strongest and most painful heartburn. I naturally attributed this to the fact that I was fasting. Still, as the years have gone on and my love for spicy food has continued, my struggle with heartburn became a daily one. I am now 29, and have not fasted but maybe a few times over the past four years. Still, my heartburn has steadily increased to the point where I now take one of the following pills everyday in order to avoid the pain…



This pill is the ONLY pill I have ever taken daily and for this long. I would say I've been taking the pill for about a year now, with some stretches here and there without it. The fact that I take this pill has been weighing on my mind, even though I am VERY GRATEFUL for the relief it has brought from a VERY PAINFUL ailment. I have been uneasy simply because I have never been a pill-popper, and I am skeptical about the non-preventative, treatment based, money-making nature of our healthcare system. I have heard so many stories about "wonder-drugs" that end up turning out to cause major health problems in other areas of the body over time! So, while putting this foreign chemical capsule into my body every morning has been a "life-saver" of sorts, I can't help but wonder if somewhere in a dark corner of my body, there isn't a nice little tumor building up as a side effect!

Well, last night, after doing more shopping and cooking my first "Lifestyle-friendly" meal with my family, it hit me – HEARTBURN! Of course, since it came on a couple hours after I ate my dinner, it was already too late to call my friend/coach to ask her about my delayed release acid pills. Because it was day one of "the lifestyle," and because my friend had strongly encouraged me to cut EVERYTHING out, except those things allowed under this new approach to eating, I had decided not to take my acid pill earlier in the morning. Well, that's all it took – missing one dosage – for my heartburn to return. And what usually adds to the pain of the heartburn is the pressure I end up getting in my head as the acid seems to climb up higher and higher into my esophagus! This leads to an eventual pounding headache and a last-minute dash to the market for my backup plan and instant relief on those days I do forget to take my morning pill…



Fortunately, the heartburn didn't get too bad last night. I went to bed worried that I might wake up with a terrible case of burning and pressure. But, praise God I didn't. I am guessing that a combination of the better, less-acidic ingredients of the meal we ate, and drinking the better water throughout the night sort of was working to counteract the reflux effect. Either way, I was glad that, even though I hadn't taken my daily pill and hadn't popped antacid tablets, I was fine in the morning.

That's it for now. As I said, I am anxious to see how this new approach to eating helps my acid and heartburn problems.

Day 01

The time for major shifts in my lifestyle and input has been overdue. Since my wife, Ro and I had our beautiful baby girl, Eve, I have been more overweight than ever in my life, and feeling the most unhealthy I have ever felt. In light of this and several other factors, I have decided, along with my family, to change, among other things, the food and drink I consume and how I consume it. Today was day one for us. We decided to follow a trustworthy friend's advice and start what is called "The Lifestyle."

Here is the book we are using:



Here is a short blurb about the artist:



As I said, this is only one of a group of changes and shifts I am moving to make in my life and my input. Still, it is a very big and central one, one I intend to build on, and one that I hope will help me gain momentum so that I can move forward in other very important areas. I feel strongly that this blog will be a way for me to not only keep track of my progress, but more importantly to evaluate and appraise my experiences in a more thorough and productive way.

In preparing myself for this big change, knowing it will take much discipline and focus, I have been thinking and reminding myself of what I have been telling my son Isaiah as I teach him how to grow and overcome. – When you're striving hard to grow and better yourself, and you are in the thick of it, it is often very hard to feel like you are making any progress. Your stumbles are magnified in your mind and there is constant pressure to give up and stop trying so you can stop disappointing yourself and others. Still, it takes character, maturity, balance and faith to zoom out and discern that YOU ARE INDEED MAKING PROGRESS, and then to remind yourself to be realistic, rational, and resolute in seeking your goals. It is also a given that giving up is never an option. In order to have a good and productive perspective on your own life, you MUST LEARN TO HAVE BALANCE between acknowledging and correcting your faults, and finding hope, strength and encouragement as you continue to fight through all the obstacles in your way, including yourself. If I follow my own advice, which is really only what I have learned through the grace and teaching of others, I should grow and overcome in my own walk.

With that thought I'll end this first entry. I don't really know exactly how I want to treat this blog/journal I am starting. Knowing me, it is likely to shift and include more than just one theme or topic. Still, this is the way life is – rarely fitting nicely under one theme or topic. I also expect that over time, this blog will become more than merely a journal to go along with my new eating habits. If things go the way I hope and pray they will, this blog will be but one board on the bridge that leads me back to where I need and want to be.

One thing is for sure. This is NOT just a blog for entertainment. I am attempting to do something here…attempting to move forward…to grow.

- Noah Joel