Executive Chef. Rachel_M, Age 24, 7DW Level 1, Introduction

[Rachel_M]

Hi.

Does anyone know how wierd it is to hear an executive chef say the words, "I'm not eating for 7 days"? I do. I said it. My entire staff just stared at me like I was insane. I kind of agreed with them at the time. Thankfully, the 7 days falls into my vacation, so I don't have to be in the kitchen...listening to all the food screaming, "EAT ME!"

I'm the executive chef for a small, private, ecuminical, elementary & junior high school in Santa Barbara, CA. It's my job to introduce the students, staff, & families thereof to gourmet food. I've got a staff of 4 to help with that. We do everything in house - from baking bread to making sausage. I teach cooking classes, integrate cuisine into the students' curriculum, conduct wine & food tastings with the parents, etc etc. We serve breakfast and lunch and incorporate cuisines from around the world into the meals. We buy 95% organic meats, produce, dairy, etc., and try to buy most of our foods from local farmers. We also have an organic garden at school that provides us with some of our produce. Ok, so that is my job. IT KICKS SERIOUS BUTT. It's the most fun i've ever had in which i get paid. yipee!

My fiancee and i live in Camarillo. We Rock climb whenever possible. We like to leave southern CA and go kayaking, camping, wine tasting, etc. We both love to eat.

Ok, but here's the shocker: when I was in culinary school (many many years ago...well, ok, 3 years ago), I got really sick. I'd always had an upset stomach, cold sores, bloating, etc., but this was really bad. My gastrointerologist sent me to the hospital, sedated me, looked into my tummy, woke me up and (this is what i payed the big bucks for) said, "you have IBS." Thanks doc. After an oh so long elimination diet, turns out, i'm intollerant of wheat, potatoes, corn, dairy, ham, sugar, poultry, most nuts, soy, vinegar, beer, wine (bless my soul) must i go on and on? Please note my above profession, and realize that this realization was a complete downer.

(However, I soon had the honor of being the 4th tasting judge for all culinary finals at school. The faculty liked the drama of the students seeing me spit out all of the food they prepared.)

I've been pretty darn good at sticking to my diet of meat, vegetables, more meat, and some rice. Except for drinking wine, I love wine. But i drink less now, and I'm almost willing to send it to the sacraficial waste basket as well. Why? I've got microorganisms living in me that shouldn't be there and they make daily life a living hell. I've tried many prescriptions, lots of homeopatic tinctures, not eating foods they love, dosing myself in tea tree oil. And those little buggers batton down the hatches and ride it out like a real rodeo champ. Screw them. I'm willing to not eat for as many 7 day periods as it takes to evict the devils from my body.

My cleanse will commence August 8, 2003.

Thanks for reading.

[David_T]

heheheh. I loved your post. Welcome to our community Rachel!

I can't wait to see how the new awareness that you gain from the fasting and reading impact your teaching. I can't wait to hear what tasty recipes you develop that are alkaline and friendly towards combining. Yippie!!

BTW, we will all be here for you.

Love and light,

David_T

[Louise_L]

Rachel,

You will be a great addition to our group, and you will discover wonderful things about taking control of your health.

Welcome.

Louise_L

[Rachel_M]

Thanks, you guys.

I, too, am pretty excited about bringing what i learn back to school. It will be great to subtley improve our method of food combining and menu offerings. Maybe i'll notice a change in some of the students and staff. Maybe there are some parents who will recognize that we've made some improvements...

Right now, though, i have to work on myself. New recipes are always welcome! When i make some, of course i'll share!

[Tsang_Y]

Hi Rachel,

You're a god-send to us cleansers who still want taste and kick in healthy food. There should be more of you around in commercial kitchens. Then we won't be fed scrumptious food that are bad for us. I look forward to your starting a new wave in the culinary world that works towards health and wellness. Welcome on board. Look forward to sharing your insights on how to make our pre and post-cleanse diet more interesting.

Tsang

[Rachel_M]

Well, I'll be interested, too.

I am waiting a couple months to start my cleanse, and I need to really look at the food combining literature. I'm very used to eating meat, veggies, lots of chilies, hot sauce, hotter sauce, and some rice. Something tells me that is going to have to be changed - at least a bit - to get onto an alkaline schedule.

It will be very interesting for my fiancee, I'm sure. I cook the dinner around here, and it looks like some things may be changing.

I welcome and appreciate all food suggestions as well. I think i might need as much help as anyone else in this area for a wee bit. we'll see.

[Connie_M]

Welcome Rachel,

What an interesting job! I also love to cook.

I teach in a treatment center for adolescents. I have wondered what proper food combining would do to improve the behavior of my students.

[Elisa_C]

Welcome Rachel !

I own a restaurant and I will not be able to stay completely away during my cleanse. It will be interesting comparing notes with you during and later.

My staff is pretty health conscious and I have been preparing them for the big fast too. Tonight was the first hurdle as I am in pre cleanse . When my bartender asked what I wanted to drink at the end of a busy evening and I answered water (not wine). She was a pro all the way and merely asked me what kind (we have several bottled waters).

But seriously spitting out wine, I've done THAT in my wine importing days, but spitting out food ! Wow, what resolve.

It will be a fun ride,
your cleansing friend,
Elisa_C

[Keisha_P]

Rachel

I can relate to the intense colon probing only to find out something that you already knew.

About four years ago I was set to leave for a new job in Seoul, Korea, I kept having these strange attacks,I thought I was having a heart attack, they first thought I had kidney stones, and the second attack sent me to a hospital in the middle of the night ( my mother thought I was in labor.) they sent me home saying it was a urinary tract infection
My gynocologist did not fall for that result and refered me to another specialist. So now it was three days before my flight my gastrointologist did a colonoscopy only to tell me that I have a lot of GAS. Well I could have told him that.
Since then I have not had any attacks but during my pregnancy gas was the only down fall. I must have went through tums like it was candy.

I too hope to get those nasty bugs out of me and into a new me.

I look forward to communicating with you during our cleansing phase.

Keisha:)

[Michelle_M]

Rachel,

Your humor and enthusiasm to begin the health journey is great! I look forward to reading about your progress. I've been reading that attitude and positive thoughts about being healthy is fundamental to our success of ridding disease. I never realized that it is more important than eating well and exercise. (My point, you've got a great attitude - good for you - and keep it up!

Happy Cleansing,
Michelle_M

[Rachel_M]

Thanks to all of you who have responded lately.

A good attitude goes a lot farther than a bad attitude. I learned that by feeling really sorry for myself after I found out that the world of eating whatever I wanted was over. So What?! I've since realized that this elusive thing called excellent health is the real world I've been searching for.

Please remember everyone that my cleanse is in August...so I'll have to wait a bit before my first shedding of all the crud takes place. In the meantime, I'm REALLY paying attention to my diet...I've stopped drinking alcohol, and I've ordered the Tao book (very important step I believe).

I look forward to reading about all of your journeys to this place full of health and happiness and NO GAS! Whooooopie!

Rachel

[David_T]

Hehe. It is kind of like growing up no? We also complained when we had to go to bed before we wanted to. :)

The TAO book is very good. Good idea getting started with it.

I will be watching for your progress in August.

Love and light,

David

[Rachel_M]

I've been reading The Tao of Health, Sex, and Longevity.
Finally, many of my ailments have been explained. It makes so much sense now, and...

I'm mad as hell. I've been cheated, for I have spent a huge wod of cash on a CULINARY DEGREE that is absolutely worthless. (well, the management, mathematical, and sociology portions of that degree are still very useful, but the purpose of learning all of that stuff was so that i could make a lot of money cooking for a living). Instead, I make a lot of money teaching kids and their parents how to shorten their lives by eating beautiful, fresh, local organic food that has been cooked to hell or combined in such a way that they're gonna get cancer and die by the age of 70.

Let's hear it for the chefs of America! Here, Here! to all of the culinary graduates who will unwittingly poison their already obese customers! Your $40,000 Classical French Cuisine education is absolute crap!

...just as mine is.

I wonder how long it will take for us to understand that just because we can braise, sautee, caramelize, and stew foods does not mean that we should do so. And just because I know how to prepare and serve torchon de foie gras with sour cherry compote, baby watercress dressed with roasted walnut vinaigrette, and canard gelee (all on one plate), does not mean that, from a physiological standpoint, I actually have the slightest idea what I'm doing.

So, professionally, where do I go from here? I'm sensing that an entire elementary & junior high school in Southern California is about to change the way it serves breakfast and lunch.

To be continued.

[Saurabh_D]

LOL! :D

I'm not laughing at you .. really. I feel your pain - but your reaction was classic.

Anyway, I'll tell you right now that if you stick with this program you'll end up making many distinctions - about your life, and how you will go about affecting the lives of others.

Don't be surprised if you come back a few months from now and reread your posts and think to yourself, "Did I really say that?"


Saurabh

[Jos-hua Medicine man]

Originally posted by Rachel_M
I've been reading The Tao of Health, Sex, and Longevity.
Finally, many of my ailments have been explained. It makes so much sense now, and...

I'm mad as hell. I've been cheated, for I have spent a huge wod of cash on a CULINARY DEGREE that is absolutely worthless. (well, the management, mathematical, and sociology portions of that degree are still very useful, but the purpose of learning all of that stuff was so that i could make a lot of money cooking for a living). Instead, I make a lot of money teaching kids and their parents how to shorten their lives by eating beautiful, fresh, local organic food that has been cooked to hell or combined in such a way that they're gonna get cancer and die by the age of 70.

Let's hear it for the chefs of America! Here, Here! to all of the culinary graduates who will unwittingly poison their already obese customers! Your $40,000 Classical French Cuisine education is absolute crap!

...just as mine is.

I wonder how long it will take for us to understand that just because we can braise, sautee, caramelize, and stew foods does not mean that we should do so.



Greetings Rachael,

Welcome to the world of HPS cleansing... anger leads us nowwhere but to more anger, you know that already... try to prepare a cullinary delight with an angry mind :p ... humm, no way, the food ends up tasting and feeling horrible... food filled with anger doesn't taste anywhere as good as food filled with love... does it? you know that from your studies and your own personal experiences,,, isn't it so? ... the only way to succumb anger is with love, not more anger... so here's to some more learning and loving of food and cullinary delights... maybe when this is all over, you will end up changing the methodology of the cullinary delights, while perserving all the other wonderful, and enjoyable facets of it.. including taste, variety, and excitment...

I have been wanting to welcome you to our cleansing community... but decided to wait a bit until things unfold a bit... Sure enough, things are starting to unfold.

It is most nice for you to understand exactly what you have been doing to others until now... and it is going to be most interesting to see what you feed others in the future... I am confident that in both cases your intention and motivation is good... it's just in the first case there was some ignorance... now we start to unravel that... but in fact, you can read all the books in the world, and listen to all the talking in the world (which in both cases I think you have had both already) but in fact, until you see what comes out of your body, and how you through your knowledge, wisdom and own actions can prevent that and transform what was into what is, well, that requires a exitential experience. That is what is going to happen here over the coming months. First hand, hands-on.

So, I wish you a nice peaceful learning cleansing and renewal experience with us... I wish you happiness, and the strength and courage of a warrior... and best of all i wish you the loving kindness and compassion of this community... may you enjoy it, and contribute to it.

Follow the 7 Day Wonder program to the dot.... go through the four levels, by the time all that is over, you will know exactly how best to apply the degrees you earned in the past... and I have a feeling that all of us here are going to be most happy and rejoice in that.

Peace

[David_T]

Thank you

[Elisa_C]

Hey you guys, boy can I relate.

The people coming off of the cruise ships at my restarant are consuming mass quantities of marinated chicken nuggets,
burgers & fries. Meat, Chicken and fish plates garnished with potatoes and rice.
I have become so mindful of each thing I eat and in what combination. Not to mention my body's reaction to it and the delight of having the right formula to feel good everyday.

The problem... do I allow my guests to continue to poison themselves and maintain the commercial appeal of my business ? Albeit there are very healthy choices on the menu. I have alot of vegetarian clients because of this. I love each food element in it's original state. But let's face facts, the other stuff sells.

It will be interesting to see the changes and choices to be made while on the cleansing path. And where my own caring and integrity for others will take me.

Thanks for verbalizing the unfinished thoughts that have been rolling aound in my head Rachel. It will be interesting to see where it takes you too.

Your cleansing friend,

Elisa_C

[Rachel_M]

Thanks to all of you.

Jos-uah, there is a quote i keep on my office wall - just scratched on a sticky note, but nearby - "Whether one believes in a religion or not, and whether one believes in rebirth or not, there isn't anyone who doesn't appreciate kindness and compassion." - the dali lama.

it's written down and right next to my desk because sometimes i cannot remember that thought on my own...but i'm slowly getting there. It's an hour by hour process for me right now.

Re food combining: There are a lot of foods that are not listed in the book - such as fermented black beans. Are there more references on combining foods? More space around the website perhaps? I've still got a month and a few weeks before I start my formal cleanse, but I thought that i'm feeling pretty bad physically; therefore, I started combining food today.
If anyone would like to respond to the combining thought/question, you can also post it on the food forum and I'll see it.

Kindness and compassion. Kindess and compassion. ok.

Elisha, there is a great delima here, isn't there? Do we enlighten oursleves and just leave everyone else to be responsible for themselves? Do we make a major change and educate others? Do we find a special niche market and cater only to them? Do we offer a wide variety of foods and let people choose on their own?

I wonder. One could argue that I'm doing what is required by offering an organic salad option to every lunch. But what about the white flour chibatta bread I'm serving for the panini (or what about the pasteurized mozzarella cheese)? It's not that hard to just switch over to whole grains for bread.

We made whole wheat dough for our pizza today. That was a first step.

I ate a salad with cucumbers, avacado, sesame seeds, spinach, green beans, asparagus, and olive oil. Did I combine that properly?

[Louise_L]

Rachel,

Switching to whole wheat flour is a small step, but the great thing is that you can choose to do it. You are in an enviable position where you can help other people. Make these small changes as you learn. You will also be in a position to share your knowledge. We can all do that to a certain extent, but you have a larger audience.

Don't ever regret your education, even though you don't agree with everything you were taught. You will continue learning for the rest of your life -- hopefully -- and you will change what and how you do things as you learn. Hey, at least you know how to cook. I studied Romance philology, and had to learn to cook and figure out how to make a living after I finished graduate school.

Food combining is an elusive thing if you try to examine it too much. I bought and studied a couple of books and felt no wiser. Some of the authors tell you to just use common sense. Avoid the big problems (protein and carbohydrate in the same meal), eat fruit alone, eat simpler as much as you can, and do whatever you want once a week.

Louise_L

[David_M]

Hi Rachel,

Just thought I'd add my 2 cents. I agree with Louise that using common sense based on experience is probably the best course, because there tends to be conflicting advice 'out there'. I avoid carbs with protein in the same meal and my body likes that. Also fruit alone, and only one type of fruit at a time. There are more rules on the website or in our books, but I haven't made the effort to go into more depth yet.

Elisa mentioned cruise ship cuisine, and that reminded me of an Alaskan cruise I went on about 5 years ago (give or take). About the 3rd day out, one of my feet swelled up so much I could hardly put my shoe on. I figured it was all the salt they added to make the food taste so good. It was the first time my body really told me I was heading for trouble ... but I had no real idea at that time as to what to do about it, other than to limit my salt intake.

Fine cuisine, but at what cost healthwise? Reminds me of using fertilizer and weed killer to make your lawn look like a million dollars, but the runoff into streams is detrimental to all of humanity.

[Tsang_Y]

Hi Rachel,

I think what you learn in 7DW about food combining just add on to what you learnt before about making food tasty. The two are not mutually exclusive. Imagine you make a whole wheat pizza with yummy vegetables but no meat or cheese, that's healthy. Or just a large piece of meat (game perhaps) with exotically spiced salad or vege. That will be a yummy treat and healthy too.

I said before you were a god-send to us cleansers. I think you'll be a god-send to all who want to fill their stomach with yummy healthy food in the right combination if you start putting your imagination into your menu, and make sure your diners understand why you do what you do with the menu. That's compassion and kindness expressed in a very practical way.

When we lived in New Zealand, we came across a few restaurants with menus of alluring dishes in healthy combinations. We can do with a lot more of such restaurants all over the world.

Good luck with your cleanse and your journey of discovery.

Tsang

[Jos-hua Medicine man]

Namaste Rachel and cleansing friends!

Rachel, the dilema's you face, each and every one of us face everyday.... do we chose wholesome postive actions or do we chose negative thoughts, speech and actions... everyone of us make those choices daily, whether in business or not.

Personally my short experience has been, it is very possible and extremely productive for ALL involved, when business is run first on ethical grounds, and not profit motives... doing good, doing postive and wholesome things, usually most of the time will be rewarded... one doesn't think along those lines when creating in ones mind the altruistic intention to help others or do good, but fact is, usually when one is doing good, good comes back... the laws of 'cause and effect' are undeniably at play... ask any practitioner.

So what does one do? make more money poisoning someone or make even more money not poisoning ? Being more creative will make even more money... I don't see the contradiction- if we want to make money, we can make it either in for and by a wholesome way, or not... it is toally our choice... and our responsibilty... re the Dalia Lama there was a daily inspiration just the other day on this chosing and responsibily issue. http://hpscleansing.com/group/showthread.php?s=&threadid=769

He is such a gift to humanity, isn't he?

Friends, re the food combining talk that is exactly how i practice too- mindfulness and awareness.

protien with carbo's- try not to.
meat or chicken or fish with salads, great and filling.
brown rice and salads, yummy.
lots of fruit and nuts during the day... nourishing.

packaged, canned, white flour, processed--- oouuu, i try to stay away and do stay away from it... same with gooey sticky foods... they get gooy and sticky inside of us... we see it in the collander even though we are cleansing for years. gooey sticky foods make gooey sticky intestines.

that's it, simple, common sense, easy to be mindful of, no big deal for me or others around me...

anyway, i try to stay 50-70% live food, so that solves already 50-70% of the food combining problem and the mindfulness practice associated with it, doesn't it? :)

Peace

[Tina_A]

Rachel

Maybe you'll be the next Juliano! Creating incredible meals from totally raw, natural foods. Maybe your school will be the pilot for a "nutrition and it related effects on behavior" study. Dreams! So glad to have you join us and truly wishing you well as you begin your precleanse.

Cheers, Tina A

[David_T]

Hey,

Just another two cents...

Violence comes in all forms. Often we do great violence on ourselves and others under the guise of doing the "Right" thing. How often do you feel the tension that comes from one that has to be right...even when they ARE right?

In the end, there is practice, compassion, kindness. "Right" doesn't belong.

Love and light,

David

[Rachel_M]

Thank you.

Josh-uah - thanks so much for the birthday well wish! What a treat.

to all of you - you have proven in just a few posts that this is about cleansing so much more than one's intestines. You bring light and peace into others' lives. Thank you so very much.

I have been practicing food combining. My skin has cleared up, and much gas has been eliminated. I did not do such a good job combining last week, and my intestines have been very loud and active (yet nothing really coming out) for a few days. I've gone back to combining again.

My PC computer recently took a dive (that's why i usually use MACs!), and the introduction information is no longer available to me. AND i deleted the frirst into email on my mac. This is important mostly because I now need to join the netwonder series. It is that time, my friends.

Can anyone point me in the right direction to sign up for that?

Thank You again.

[Rachel_M]

just a quick note to everyone.
I'm STILL on this thread only. My cleanse will begin August 18th. I thought that was less than 2 weeks away until i realized that i cannot perceive time correctly. I guess i have longer to wait. arg. I suppose that is a good thing. i can eat meat for a whole extra 7 days.
I have been out of town a lot this month on vacations and work trips. leaving tomorrow for seattle, wa for 5 days. then i'll be here in force...and i'll get to move to the precleansing site.

oh, i have a food question. i'll post it there.