Habits and How It Changed Me

HERE ARE SOME THINGS I'm working on to improve my life.

"What you do everyday matters more than what you do every once in a while."- Gretchen Rubin

In San Francisco's Alexander Bookstore, I saw Charles Duhigg's book, "The Power Of Habits." It's a yellow, hard bound book that discussed why habits exist and how we can change them. According to Duhigg, successful people and organizations simply ingrained good mental and physical habits unto their systems. This is the beginning of my fascination with the subject.

Human beings have finite energy and attention everyday. This is why President Barack Obama only wears blue and black suits; why Haruki Murakami, one of the most prolific modern writers, wakes up, eats and writes at the same time; why the military and medical field have SOP's; why Tiger Woods instantly goes on a intuitive mode on clutch putts. Habits eliminate choice - so you go on default. This way you don't waste any little of willpower you have.

When I was training international-levels of golf, I practiced with full intent and purpose for six to eight hours a day. I did this - every single day - for ten years until I was offered a US scholarship. Even though I wasn't aware, I was already cultivating habits that propelled me to a good life.

From reading, I learned that humans are creatures of habit and the brain is a "pleasure-seeker" (hello, behavioral finance). Therefore, applying good habits could make me a better person. Not only for golf when I needed it, but to other areas of my life too. But be careful: It's easy to get into something but hard to get out of it. Sneaking a bag of potato chips everyday or trying cigarettes for the first time could easily spiral downwards...

Anyway, these are some of the habits that I've learned for the nine months I've been living in San Diego:

1. Exercise As A Habit

Gym was easy as a student-athlete because it's scheduled. But now that I'm out of school and working, I needed to make sure that exercise is a choice I don't have to make. I just do it.

My routine varies: sprinting, walking, lifiting, G-Flex, hiking, yoga and HIIT's. 

My motivation for working this hard is so I can be free and proud - to wear a bikini without being self-conscious, to eat decadent foods without guilt, and to fuel my mental and physical capacity so I can enrich my life. When my legs are strong, I can hike for five hours. When I'm oxygenated, I can read and write all day long. That's why exercise is important -- aside from looking great, it allows you to accomplish more.

2. Healthy Eating As The Norm

I got into food by studying Paleo. Even today, I still think dairy-free, gluten-free, wheat-free as the cleanest way of eating. But is it sustainable for the resources and culture of a Filipino? No.

Pulled Pork with sautéed veggies, guacamole and lettuce

Sweet (bananas+bacon+honey) and savory (poached egg+avocado+cilantro) homemade waffles

Now I prefer a low-carb diet. My meals are 90% home-cooked, fresh,whole foods. I make sure my plate is balanced with proteins and vegetables. For snacks, I have smoothies or nuts. Here's a secret with healthy eating: once that becomes a habit, your palate changes. You stop craving for salt and sweet. You respect ingredients (cooks know this) and think of food as nourishment.

3. Enriching My Mind Through Reading

I curate my books and summarize each one. This is a snapshot of my bedside table.

I've made a habit of borrowing from the library. So even if I don't feel like reading, I have six stacks of books on my bedside table. Just the sight triggers me to pick them up.

On my way to work, I listen to podcasts such as Splendid Table, Harvard Business School, Unstuckable, Travel With Rick Steves and John Greene's "The Fault In Our Stars'" audiobook. At least my daily 50-minute commute is not wasted by looping radio songs and DJ's talking nonsense. The more I read, the more my mind is primed to learn more.

4. Guiltless Self-care

When I discovered the homemade skincare is just as good - or maybe even better - than synthetic ones, I never looked back. I advocate for Apple Cider Vinegar (1:2 vinegar to water ratio) as a toner, ridding me of whiteheads and open pores. Coconut oil is my all-in-one product - my hair mask, moisturizer and lotion.

As a habit, I do a weekly turmeric mask, lemon scrub, and a hot detox bath with Epsom Salt and Baking Soda. That might seem like an overkill for other people - but I care about the way I look and feel. I see people running around making money and taking care of others, but the real investment is in our own bodies. As Dr. Aris Latham of Sunfired Food would say:

"Where do you live? Country, city, or house? No. You live in your body. Take care of the only one you have."

5. Household Chores On Auto

This is where I habits get the most mileage. My Saturdays are 'cleaning day' defaults. For bigger tasks like chores, I anchor or "stack" all my habits.

First, I load the washer. In the 30 minutes while that's washing, I scrub the kitchen and bath floors, wipe the tub, mirrors, and tables, and change bed sheets. Second, I come back to the laundry and transfer clothes into the drier. The last and final step is laying all those clothes on the bed so I can pick work outfits for the next seven days. It just takes half a day to clean my house. I love this little system as much as I love coming home to an orderly and fresh-smelling abode.

How Habits Have Improved My Life

Truth to be told, I need time every so often to take a "break" from intense habit-forming. There are times, like whenever I enrol in a MOOC like Coursera that I decide to drop-out. Or some days I just watch three-hours worth of Grey's Anatomy on Netflix. I still feel inadequate in my career, sleep, social media management, and networking skills. But as Jim Collins said, "Good is the enemy of great."

My good version of habits have helped me best by saving time. I no longer waste gas driving in circles. The house is always clean. I'm proud of my monthly food budget, considering my lavish, healthy meals. My body looks and feels strong, so much so that Bikram is now just a moderate exercise for me. Best of all, I know this all preparation for a stronger and smarter version of me.

As an additional resource, here are three excellent blogs that discuss habits:

1. Gretchen Rubin's "A Happiness Project" ;
2. Daniel Coyle's "The Talent Code";

3. Steven Covey's "7 Habits Of Highly Effective People."

What's one habit that you can start changing today? Share in the comments section below.

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Why Do People Get Married?

I read a lot about science and faith, but this Christian book on marriage taught me many things about myself and how to treat others. Coincidentally, now is Holy Week, a ripe time to reflect on permanent lessons from the Bible.

I'm getting married soon. I've always believed that what I lack in experience, I can learn from books. Considering the trend of my Millennial generation, 44% of which claims that marriage is becoming obsolete, I’m still ‘young’ to settle down. Another trend is loss of trust in religion. Many of my peers blatantly claim being atheists or in the least, personalized their approach to faith. 

Dr. Gary Chapman's "The Marriage You've Always Wanted," hit many good points about relationships. If you’re in one, looking for one, or getting out of one - we will all benefit to reflect on many his wise, humbling advice.

What is the purpose of Marriage? 

Why can't people just co-habitate? 

Marriage was God’s answer for humankind’s deepest human need — union of life with another. This unity is to encompass all of life — the total union of two lives on the intellectual, social, physical, emotional and spiritual needs.

In other words, marriage is beyond the economic benefits or having children/companion. Marriage means the  blessing of two lives in the deepest possible way into a new unit that will both satisfy the individuals involved and serve the purposes of God.

My future husband, Jovi, is not my dumping ground. Our romantic phase will fade. We will fight bitterly. We will encounter tragedy. We will have to work on showing love both in words and actions every single day. Proving you love someone is like a second job.

But a husband's and wife's partnership signifies a higher purpose - oneness intellectually, physically, socially, emotionally and spiritually. That is a lot to ask, but has an eternal uptake if it works. 

Oneness is attained only as we are willing to confide failures as well as successes. 

Fighting

There are four communication qualities that can always predict a break-up:

1. Criticism
2. Defensiveness
3. Contempt
4. Stonewalling

Truthfully, I am guilty of #4. It's just that I'd rather be quiet than say hurtful words. Which, by the way, Dr. Chapman warns us as "high, heavy walls that develop." When a friend betrays my trust, I know that a wall is slowly emerging. This is even aggravated by our loved ones, especially since they are so close to us. Life is too short to let heavy walls exist around you. So don't. Discuss, be open, and move forward. 

Decision-Making

In 1793, Olympe de Gouges wrote a manifesto about women's right. She was beheaded a few months later. We've come a long way in our expression of gender equality today. In fact, marriages are treated as partnerships between the male and female.

But who makes a decision in a marriage?

The first rule is to wait. Almost all major discussions can, and will benefit, from waiting. After much discussion and if nothing surfaces, according to the Bible, the default decider is the husband. 

I was appalled. No way in the world. Right? 

"A wife may feel the challenge of submission, but she should also feel the security of a responsible husband, one who will make decisions when he must." - Dr. Chapman

It makes sense. Part of Jovi's attitude about decision-making is to let me do whatever I wanted. He had never, not even once, imposed on me. What a remarkable gift for a young woman such as myself. But as we enter in a marriage, I will have to yield to him. Not because I'm inferior, but because he has proven to make sound decisions in our last eight years together. And if he makes a mistake, here's a mantra of a wise wife:  “We goofed, but we’re together, and we’ll make it.”

I think now I know why Kris Aquino, in all of her wisdom and prowess, always had trouble with men.

What is the purpose of sex in a marriage? 

1. To procreate
2. To meet physical and emotional needs
3. To provide pleasure

According to Deuteronomy 24:5:

“If a man has recently married, he must not be sent to war or have any other duty laid on him. For one year, he is to be free to stay home and bring happiness to the wife he has married. The word translated “happiness” is elsewhere translated “pleasure” and is the same word that is used for sexual gratification. He is to stay home and pleasure his wife for one year."

Talk about a honeymoon!

Leaving Parents

“Honor your mother and father.” It’s the original commandment, a guideline from birth to death, and it stands forever. God’s pattern for marriage involves the “leaving” of parents and “cleaving” to one’s mate. It involves a change of allegiance. Psychologists call this “cutting the psychological apron strings.” If there is conflict, the husband is to lean to his wife. 

Money

Jovi and I are both under-buyers. We are on the same page about frugality, which as my financial adviser colleagues say, "is the best investment strategy." I'm so thankful that we are starting our marriage 100% debt-free, with even a little bit of savings to build our first household. 

“A prudent man foresees the difficulties ahead and prepares for them; the simpleton goes blindly on and suffer the consequences.” -Proverbs 22:33

All in all, these six points are the highlights of Dr. Chapman's book. They are not just sourced quotes, but have practical implications. Lessons so pragmatic, they apply outside marriage - even simply in how we treat other people. 

What have you learned in your own relationship? What can you advice Jovi and I as we enter marriage?

-C. 

God himself said to Adam: “It is not good for man to be alone” (Genesis 2:18) His answer to a man’s need is a woman.

Source:

Gary Chapman's, "The Marriage You've Always Wanted"

College Survival Tips (and Living in San Francisco)

In 2009, Academy of Art University in San Francisco offered me a golf scholarship. From a meager 18-year old Filipina girl, to now a well-equipped, working woman, I was transformed by learning about production, culture, art education and survival skills. In four years I spent there, I’ve been awarded three All-American honors for my golf performance and high grades. 

Life as a student-athlete in art school: 5AM workouts, three-hour long classes, 18 holes in the afternoon, art projects at night. All in one day.

As a way to reciprocate all the blessings in my time there, I'm sharing tips on the many important points I've learned. Those generic, “How to Survive College” or “Guide to Freshman Year” teaches you nothing else beside keep your head down and study. I, on the other hand, crafted this survival guide on how to flourish in college / live in the city of San Francisco / study art.

1. Explore the City

I only got out to explore the city during sophomore year. I should have started earlier, because there’s so much to see! Even though going out usually means spending money, it doesn’t have to be. San Francisco Walking Tours is an organization by volunteers, who are assigned to each neighborhood and will expertly walk you through it. I went a little crazy and have done about fifteen of them... but hey. (insert img-2. Caption: Shameless photo collage of all my SF Walking Tour adventures.)

My favorite is Linda’s tour called, “Taste and Tales of North Beach.” Every Wednesday, she will come out and meet you with a bag of food: dark chocolate, Bruschetta bread, salami, etc. These are all samples from the several food, coffee, library, and secret spots you’ll discover on her tour. I love her so much that once, I had to ask my teacher if I could leave class early and go to her tour instead.

Another site I always check is Fun Cheap SF. It is always constantly updated and genuinely fun to peruse. Once, I watched Shakespeare’s “Othello” play for free. They post so many parties... Anyway, it’s like the sophisticated Craigslists version of every event happening in the city. Click away!


2. Apartment MUST-haves:

a. Rice Cooker - saved me $$$ from eating out and/or getting fat. I bought brown rice by the kilos, and ate everything with rice. Eggs, ham, Filipino dishes, dim sum, chicken strips. I use my own small rice cooker everyday, and it’s one of the best investments in the four years I’ve lived here.

b. Airtight Containers - Think of cheeses: delicious, useful. Then think of them rotting in a few days because, First: you cannot finish the whole chunk. Second, you simply forget about them. Here enters the air tight containers. Coming in different sizes, this is one of the few things that assured me I’ll be fed. During my nine-hour class days, I have several of them filled to the brim with beef steak and rice, buttered potatoes or pasta. Bonus: You will save Earth from wasteful food-throwing.

c. Baking Soda - The ultimate everything-er. From whitening teeth, to cleaning out burned microwaves, baking soda is the most powerful weapon for your naturalist/cheap/noob-expert needs. Yesterday, I cleaned out tea stains from my porcelain cups. In a minute, it’s whiter than new. I also add baking soda to my laundry, making my bleached socks even whiter when it dries. For cleaning floors, you’ll notice clarity most industrial cleaning solutions can’t even try. Baking soda is a MUST in your kitchen.

3. Call 311

I’m an international student from the Philippines, so I needed time to adhere to US road maps. That, and I’m also always getting lost. Calling 311 from your phone is the direct line to the MUNI bus lines.

Advance tip: After dialing 311, type in 112 on your phone and it will take you to a real person. He will answer questions on how to get a destination or bus stop or nearest everything that will take you back to humanity. The 311 line has saved me from paying for expensive cab rides, and it’s an assurance that wherever you are in SF, there’s a helping hand (voice).

4. Kinda Avoid the Tenderloin

Before I even came to the city, a sophomore volleyball girl toured me around. In a sudden serious tone, she said: “I walk to the buildings even past midnight, it’s safe here. But there are areas you need to avoid, like O’Farell. Never walk there at night.” It’s an advice I took by heart, and I believe served me well all these years.

In San Francisco, there’s an area called the ‘Tenderloin’, which unfortunately covers a big part of downtown. Virtual Tourist highlights those areas for you. (Disclaimer: Like all else, the Tenderloin can be okay -- especially housing there is cheap -- but caution is always needed.)

I avoided the streets inside the red marks, also known by locals as "the Tenderloin."

5. Watch This Video About Productivity

My friends, art school is boot camp. Every class syllabus states that we are to spend ten hours for each homework every week. If you have the typical four classes, multiply that by four and you have an average of 40 hours per week of assignments. How do you balance school, social life, and a fulfilling experience altogether?

What have always served me well are productivity techniques. 99u is an excellent site with so much to share. From them, I found this comprehensive and concise explanation about how to manage time better. Bet you that will help.

The Science Of Productivity - http://www.youtube.com/watch?list=UUC552Sd-3nyi_tk2BudLUzA&v=lHfjvYzr-3g&feature=player_embedded



6. Learn About What Our School Is Offering

One faculty member once revealed to me that we have the most extensive system for help in and outside of classes. We have ARC tutoring, the ESL Department, Career Services, etc. If you’ll ever need someone to look over your paper, send them 500 words and they’ll correct it for you. Even one-on-one tutoring on any type of subject or software is available.

Academy of Art is extremely generous in providing us whatever we need. Recently, that is the free CS6 Adobe Master Suite Collection. Go to the Industrial Design lab and you’ll have dozens of Cintiqs. The MPT department has a RED camera and the Fashion department free subscription to top magazines. Did you know that you can borrow free DVDs from our library? I just rented Black Swan and Dark Knight. If you’re looking for a book that’s not catalogued, they’ll order one for you. Find out what your department -- what our school -- is giving away for free. That is a lot to be said for those who continue to be ignorant and miss out.

Advance Tip: AAU students get discounts all over the city! Ask first before you purchase. Examples are every art and supply store, most restaurants and eating establishments, even movies. Check out this list to find out more.

7. And Moreover

Piggy-backing on the fact that our school goes out and beyond to support us, these are top two of my favorite departments:

1. Campus Life - They organize out-of-town trips, such as this upcoming Yosemite one. For $100, you’ll get three days and two nights stay at a cabin and get free food, transportation and park tickets. I’ve gone twice, and met enduring friendships along the way. The other past trips included Las Vegas, Monterey Bay, Tahoe and Disneyland.

2. Recreation - is this website! I take advantage of them the most, because I think it’s important for a term called, “Productive Pause.”  I go to Leila Swenson’s yoga classes at least once a week. I’m somewhere here in this picture. 

AAU Recreation classes have Aikido, Hip hop, Belly Dancing, Swimming, Rock Climbing, etc. They even have midterms and finals massages and expert online chats about wellness, all either very cheap or free. Just check their facebook page for the different class schedules.

It all boils down to my self-promise of work + life balance. It should be great that you’re in an art school, or living in one of the most geographically beautiful cities in the world, and at the same time, come home knowing proper work is done. These are nuggets of wisdom and hope the list guides you as it did mine. 

Genuine happiness is knowing how good things are.” - Marianne Williamson

MAX life.
Love,
-C.

5 Reasons Why I Like Paleo

"All human beings agree that there are three necessities to survive: Food, Clothing, Shelter. And in that order. Food first." -Dr. Aris Latham

Food is a debatable topic because it's highly subjective and personal. I recently started cooking, and have been slowly learning about smell, flavors, and textures. A problem came up one day while I was baking. The cook book said: "Add three cups of vegetable oil." Three cups? I certainly won't sit down and eat that in one gulp. How is it possible to have so much sugar and oil in what we eat? 

I began my research and experimented in the kitchen for hundreds of hours. My goal was to search for a practical diet that will solve my need in losing body fat percentage. I've always wondered how I couldn't rid of adipose fat in spite of hardcore gym training. I discovered the best, most logical approach to my own need:

The Paleo Diet mimics what our Paleolithic ancestors ate -- mainly meat, plants, nuts and seeds. In other words, it's a grain-free, gluten-free, dairy-free. I was one of those who raised my eyebrow when a friend said, "I don't eat bread." How could you, when people from Third World countries don't even have food at all?  I'm Filipino, born and raised in the culture of white rice, oil frying and social functions where people eat way more than they should.

Let me tell you that I was one of those that questioned everything this diet was all about, only to be turned in a short period of time (although I still enjoy occasional non-paleo treats.)

Here are my top 5 reasons for loving Paleo:

5. More energy, Less hunger 

Being a competitive golfer all my life, I'd eat two cups of white rice with meat right after the round. I know that pure salad cannot satisfy me after five hours of walking under the sun. That's obvious, and the main reason why I would  never be vegetarian. It just would never fill me up. But Paleo taught me to replace all the grains I was eating with vegetables, making them the main staples of my diet.

The biggest lesson in avoiding grains -- even whole-grains -- is that they contain anti-nutrients called, "phytate" or "phytic acids." Dr. Cordain, one of the founders of the Paleo diet, warns about anti-nutrients binding calcium, zinc and magnesium, making them harder for our digestive tract to absorb. The more grains you consume, the more deficient you are in these valuable nutrients. 

A friend of mine, Q, loves beans. One time he cooked massive amounts and he consumed them day and night for weeks. After a while, his achilles tendon started swelling. He couldn't walk for days. I suspect the pinto beans caused it, because they contain lectins which leak out of the gut and get into the blood system. Most of it affects the tendons. As soon as I warned Q about the beans and he stopped eating them, his swelling stopped. 

Like beans, rice and bread are grains, which means they quickly transform from fructose (table sugar) to sucrose (sugar inside the body). When we digest sucrose, half of it goes to our intestines, and stays there. If you have stubborn belly fat, that's from all the sugar you consume. Sugar is a silent, modern-day killing machine, aging you, making you fat and sluggish. Nobody wants that, yet people are malinformed.

Back to the salad. I learned that I only needed to get some chicken or steak in there, and that would probably sustain me for longer hours without rising my glucose levels. Fat is what satiates hunger. The diet craze of the 90's told us fat is bad -- but it's only common sense that saturated fat from pizza and cheese are very different from fat obtained from avocado and butter. Paleo is a diet that encourages lean meats, chicken and seafood. Yes, why not?


4. Perfect mix of carbs, proteins, fats, vitamins and minerals on a plate

The more colorful the plate, the more pleasing it is to the eye. All good cooks know that. The book, "What color is your smoothie?" talks extensively on how the various colors of fruits and vegetables have corresponding vitamins and minerals. But if you eat a lot of grains like rice, bread and pasta, your plate would look like this.

Pesto Pasta

Compared to this:

Kale salad with steak, Banana-Pecan Pancakes, Homemade Ice Cream, Strawberry Blueberry Jam

What do you think tastes better?


Paleo is automatic food fancy. I've recently discovered kale, a leafy vegetable that has more calcium than milk and more zinc than beef liver (superfood!) Tomatoes are bright red and juicy, and if you add pesto sauce in there, your mouth would literally fizzle.  Butternut squash is delicious when roasted, but also versatile as a soup dish. Just in that menu, you have the color green, red and yellow. All representing calcium, zinc, iron; vitamin A and C; magnesium and manganese, respectively. Now you ask: Is there a need for multivitamin supplements if we eat this whole? 

3. Food is Cure For Disease

I had a rude awakening about this fact. Dr. Cordain in her book "Paleo Answer" has a chapter on her book about Paleo curing auto-immune diseases. She has good reasons, but first, one must always reflect on how any data is applicable to oneself -- to how that information is related to your own personal convictions, experiences and practical day-to-day living. At least that we can all agree on.

I have hyperhidrosis, a sweating condition that started as a teenager. I've lived with it most of my life, to the point of getting anxious in holding a microphone, to bringing extra clothes during interviews and shoots. In the two months of eating real, fresh foods cooked from scratch -- I stopped sweating. This is the first time in eight years that I can wear a solid-colored cotton shirt without any problem. My hands stopped sweating, so are the symptoms of shakiness and cold feet. Apparently, humans sweat to release toxins. I was simply sweating out all the bad food I was eating. So when I started eating healthy, naturally, I my sweating ceased.

If me, a relatively healthy 22-year old woman can be cured my Paleo, what more about sick and overweight people?  

Again in her book, Dr. Cordain explains in detail why Paleo is a no dairy (milk, cheese) and no grain (bread, pasta, rice) diet. First, let's examine dairy. She said milk is filtered cow's blood. It's linked to anemia, heart attacks, cramps, diarrhea, acne, etc. The same hormones we thought could make child grow taller, are also hormones that encourage cancer cells to grow. Plus, any dairy product has too much saturated fat for the poor nutrient ratio they contain. 

Take her example:

If you wanted 2,000 IU levels, as recommended by the world's Vitamin D experts, you'd have to drink twenty glasses of milk a day. That's 5,600 calories.

Crazy, when you simply could have gone out for some sunshine. The sun is the best source of Vitamin D!

Moreover, dairy causes calcium-magnesium imbalance. Magnesium is generally protective against heart disease. There's a story about the Sippy Diet, for which ulcer patients were prescribed to drink milk and dairy constantly, everyday, as a cure. Well, have of those ulcer patients in the study died of heart attacks.

I'm lactose-intolerant anyway, so I never consumed whole milk. I did like powdered milk, but after reading this, I'm saying good bye. 

2. Paleo teaches you to value fresh vegetables and fruit, and to honor slow-cooking

Slow Cooking

Barefoot Contessa's Ina Garten isn't Paleo. If you read her recipes you'd see an average cooking time of 30-minutes to sometimes even 18-hours. In a logical mind, why would anyone do that when you can simply buy a $4 McBurger or a $9 Chipotle meal? It's faster and cheaper, isn't it?

My super idol, Food Goddess Ina Garten

Well, if you know Ina, you'd know her recipes are sent from heaven above. Tears from my eyes fell after making her Sole Muniere. There's magic in her cooking -- slow-cooking, specifically. Why? Because of AGE's.

AGE (Advance Glycation end-products), especially in concentrated amounts in the body is linked to damage in all organs and tissue, causing chronic diseases common in the Western World. If you slow-cook -- steam, poach, slow roast -- you lessen the amount of AGE in your food.

What this means: Cut to the rare inside of your steak to avoid eating overcooked parts of the meat. Cook with lots of lemon because that lowers AGE amounts significantly. The worst ways of cooking is searing, broiling, frying or high-tempeature roasting. Limit those. Plus, slow cooking beautifully mends all the flavors.

Valuing Fresh Food

If you gather all the most famous chefs and cook books in the world, this what they would all agree on:

Make use of the freshest ingredients available to you.

It's so obvious, but hard to practice. In fact, fresh, organic foods disintegrate faster than waxed ones we buy at the grocery store. This is where Paleo shines -- they encourage mixing spices to create homemade sauces. To use real stuff instead of substitute. Like parsley, a cheap and common garnish to get. 

One day our neighbor, Mr. Moore, kindly shared with us his Italian parsley that grew in his backyard. I shook my head in disbelief. It was aromatic, strong in flavor, chewy, just like what parsley should be in all the chef books. I'm never using parsley-in-a-plastic-bottle again. But that's real food does to you. Once you taste buds get acclimated, even dark chocolate with salted caramel tastes like a block, compare to banana-pecan pancakes made from scratch.

All of this brings us to the number 1 reason why I love Paleo...

1. Paleo is DELICIOUS

Never in my life did I know that veggies are a cannonade of flavors. You eat like a queen. Chicken lettuce wrap sautéed in garlic-onion, sesame oil/seeds, fish sauce, and almonds? OMG. I ate this once while on a 9,700 altitude hike and felt like I'm on top of the world. (I was near the top of California, actually, so close). 

Zuchinni with paprika. Roasted sweet potatoes. Cauliflower fried rice. Roasted broccoli with lemon juice. It's a bonanza for the belly, without getting fat. (Hint: Secret of Life)

Paleo taught me to balance my plate with fat, carbs and protein. It taught me what Bok Choy or safflower actually looks like, that lavender pepper exists, or how to cut a large butternut squash with all my fingers in tact. Now, I honor the process of cooking. When I sit down on the table, I turn off all my devices to fully take in the delicate flavors of my hard work. I love food now, eating it, cooking it and sharing it. Food is universal, everybody has to eat. It's also our TOP need: FOOD, shelter and clothing. It's always food first.

What about you: When was the last time you enjoyed the freshest dish made from scratch?