Should I give up my Soy Chia Tea?

[57guy]

Been eating 100% Raw for two months. Lost 34 lbs so far.

My BP is down from 190/140 to 135/82 and I have twice the energy I had before.

So far its been great, but I have a few problems.

1. My prostate has enlarged and its hard to completely empty my blatter.

2. My weight loss has stopped at 183 for the last two weeks. This may be because I've got hooked on soy Chia tea at Starbucks (3-4 a day). I've given up alcohol, coffee and diet coke 3 months ago and now all cooked foods .

Since I've given up everything I like except sex, my body needs something to enjoy.
Any suggestions on the Prostate and how to start loosing weight again

Glenn
__________________
MY GOAL: To be as good a person as my dog thinks I am.

[Revvell]

Yes, I'd say give up the chai.

There are LOTS of other things to do besides soy tea and sex. I'm sure you can find them.

Weight loss? Are you getting out and moving? Or, have more sex. There ya go. That'll do it.

[Aleesha Sattva]

how about changing it to an herbal tea instead? i would definitely cut it out or at the very least cut down.

and... move your body!

[katacykls]

Why don't you replace it with an alternative cost effective version you can brew at home yourself and have as much of it as you want without affecting your pocket or your health ?

Chai blend:

3T Black pepper
5T whole cinnamon
2t cloves
4T Cardammon Pods
3T Raw or Dehydrated Ginger

* optional: 1.5 T Black Tea

You can warm these spices up with hot water and strain them or place them in a little tea pot and let them brew and then take the tea and combine it with some almond,cashew, or sesame mylk with a nice Tspoon of agave,yacon, stevia or honey :)

[Mary Kay]

Doesn't chai have caffeine in it?

I would definitely not do caffeine. I am also not familiar with the soy you say is in it, and would assume it may be a highly processed soy, which even though I DO rarely/occasionally consume a few other soy things, will not do highly processed ones. This is only off the top of my head, as I'm not familiar with it as I said.

I researched hormones a while back and can tell you the following;

The highly processed soy as well as the caffeine can be estrogenic
- caffeine, because it suppresses progesterone (even in men) causing more "bad estrogen." The bad type of estrogen in men turns to dihydrotestosterone ---which enlarges the prostate and can also cause some baldness in those with the right genes.

High zinc can help enlarged prostates . Zinc especially, but so can other minerals. I remember researching stinging nettles (high in minerals) and everywhere it talked about being good for the prostate....as are all minerals.
So try juicing those, as well as wheatgrass, kamut grass, barley grass, oats, etc.

You may also want to try angstrom minerals and go heavy on the zinc.

Eating lots of cruciferous veggies also helps suppress the bad conversion of estrogen.

Soaked and dried pumpkin seeds with a little Celtic/Himalayan salt are also high in zinc. Two handfuls a day supposedly help the prostates of men.

All I can think of. Sorry I don't know about that tea but all the other stuff is pertinent to your situation, I'd think.

You might even want to try juice fasting (feasting - whatever), or a green smoothie cleanse for that prostate....

HTH....

And congrats on the weigh loss - release and the BP! Way to go!

Mary Kay

[katchmoleen]

One chai latte (http://www.starbucks.com/retail/nutrition_beverage_detail.asp?selProducts=%7B3BE4F 762-1FCD-4E13-8700-39E5582B7746%7D&strAction=GETDEFAULT&x=16&y=1)has about 250 calories, so if you are drinking 3-4 a day that is 750-1000 extra calories a day, so it is no wonder your weight loss stopped. I know how hard it is to give those things up. For me it was English Breakfast tea with real cream. But I haven't had it for 6 months now.

[Mary Kay]

Katchmoleen, I've just gotta tell you...the way you say things, like the above post is so....so, what's the word?...understanding/compassionate, nonjudgmental....You know like talking about how hard it was for you....

Just wanted to let you know, you sound like a sweetie...

Mary Kay, the Mushy Mush

[katchmoleen]

Wow, that is so sweet! Thank you!

[VeGenesis]

Since I've given up everything I like except sex, my body needs something to enjoy.
Any suggestions on the Prostate and how to start loosing weight again

Glenn

Hi Glenn, I am almost 56 and for more than 4 years I accepted as fact that my sex life was over! I am glad I was wrong! This is going to get a little messy but if you really want help, here it is...

First of all - STOP GIVING UP THINGS!

There are many things I have stopped eating, but when you say you have "...given up everything..." you are telling your mind you regret what you are doing... I do not regret losing 238 pounds, losing an enlarged heart nor losing an enlarged prostate. I did not LOSE anything...

Every week I gain weight - that is, I add weight to the total I am not carrying around anymore!

I gained a normal sized heart! That beats regularly and doesn't skip beats (my Honeybun loves listening to it now!).

I gained a normal sized and functioning prostate! Believe me - that is a huge gain that my Honeybun seems to enjoy also!

Raw food is Not about what you give up or what you lose... It is about what you get and what you gain!

I stopped eating poison - who would give that up!

Ok, now that you are ready to receive and gain - here we go...

Most people stop losing for a while - you body is adjusting... So should you! Time to reassess your next move in your raw food journey!

Try a mental adjustment. For me, it helped to define what is food. Then ask what is the opposite of food. For me, the opposite of food is poison. Therefore anything that is not food, is poison!

Anything that is over 118 degrees is not food!
Food never passes 118 degrees.
Poison has reached over 118 degrees.

Does that help?
Most people never think to give up poison - but most people would not drink what they know is poison!

I feel for you - it is all about social patterns... Coffee cup in hand - sip - so how are you today - sip - what are we going to do today - sip!

Until I found Tibicos Buko - I had the same problem. Now I have gained a new drink - Tibicos Buko! Coffee and tea I no longer desire. I added - I gained - I made my life better!

I didn't give up anything, I just added Tibicos Buko and stopped drinking poison!

Ok, Prostate...

Good
1) Green Smoothies - the more the better. Try 118 days of only green smoothies. Try to get AT LEAST 500 grams of greens a day!
2) Three Walnuts (six halves) - reduce to three halves after you recover.
3) Prunes - you know your grandma and your mother told you to eat them...
4) Broccoli
5) Tomatoes - enjoy them - I eat a couple red ripe roma's daily - or more!

Bad
Caffeine - consider it poison while you have an enlarged prostate. (That includes cacao!)

Maybe
Pumpkin Seeds - I don't eat seeds!

And the messy part (it is not really that messy) consider manual prostatic massage with your partner or very best friend! It only takes a couple minutes, as the prostate shrinks it feels good - but there is a huge mental block. Just Google prostate massage (http://www.google.com/search?q=prostate+massage&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a) and prepare to be grossed out a little.

Once a day for three to six weeks and then once a week will greatly improve your sex life - and we all know (cause you told us!) that you enjoy that!

[VeGenesis]

One chai latte has about 250 calories, so if you are drinking 3-4 a day that is 750-1000 extra calories a day, so it is no wonder your weight loss stopped.

Wow Katch, at 4000 per pound, that could be nearly 2 pounds of loss a week!

You made me feel really good that I do not even look at starbucks anymore!

I'm on my way to the mall to get B-12, will pass starbucks today and will smile just thinking about you Ketch. Compassion and good info too - great job Ketch! :)

[katchmoleen]

I'm on my way to the mall to get B-12, will pass starbucks today and will smile just thinking about you Ketch.


Y'all are making me blush! :o Glad you are smiling, and it makes me laugh to think that Sparbucks has made it all the way to the Phillipines!

[VeGenesis]

Katchmoleen,

Just wanted to let you know, you sound like a sweetie...

Mary Kay, the Mushy Mush

Mary Kay - You have got that right. Katch is one of the most helpful posters also. It makes me want to go to Montana and break a law so I can be in the jail where she works as a nurse! On second thought, maybe that is too far from here! :D

Nonetheless, Ketch is one of my favorite posters!

Lan

[katchmoleen]

It makes me want to go to Montana and break a law so I can be in the jail where she works as a nurse!
Lan

Hahahahahaha! Well, it is supposed to get to twenty below here tonight and our jail has uninsulated concrete block walls. You definitely would NOT want to spend the night there tonight! Just come and visit me at my house, ok? Better yet, I will come and visit YOU and Honeybun and sleep under a palm tree. Ooooooooh yeah that is sounding great about now (especially after getting stuck in a ditch full of snow yesterday).

[VeGenesis]

it makes me laugh to think that Sparbucks has made it all the way to the Phillipines!

You don't know about eating SAD? - That is the Standard Asian Diet!

We have imported almost all of the American Poison. KFC, Pizza Hut, Shakeys, McDo, Taco Bell, 7/11 Hot Dogs too! Wendy's, Dunkin Donuts, Mr. Donuts, Carl's Jr., Greenwich Pizza - any large fast poison place in the States is likely here as well.

Plus we have worse ones like Jollibee. When Jollibee was exported to San Francisco - it was shut down for a while because the food didn't meet the California health standards! Gee I wish that was a joke! I can only imagine what they serve here, where the health standards are so much less!

Think about what advertisers say about fast food and how "healthy" it is! If Daniel Webster were alive today and trying to define the word "healthy" based on fast food claims, he would likely write...

"Healthy - Poison that makes you sick and die young!"

[VeGenesis]

getting stuck in a ditch full of snow yesterday).

You know you are welcome here Katch - it is a little cool today - what you would call about 76 degrees!

Just finishing my lunch (a beautiful salad my Honeybun fixed me - time check 22 minutes past noon PHT). Then it is off to walk past Starbucks, Pizza Hut, Shakeys and McDo - they are all at the mall entrance!

Maybe I should get a photo! Say "No Cheese!" :D

PS: Snow? Nearly forgot what that was!

[57guy]

Thanks, everyone for your input. I agree with what you are saying. I don't really feel sad or look at my changes in lifestyle as giving everything up that I like.
I feel great and want to stay that way, Steaks, hamburgers, ice cream, coffee, alcohol, etc don't bother me.

What I'm having more trouble with , is the social aspect of life. My wife and I are not homebodies. We always like to be on the move. We go to a bookstore 3-4 times a week. Both of us love to set in the coffee shop, sip a hot drink, talk and read.
We have lunch with a couple (usually different people) everyday for the past 5 years.
We eat out a lot at night with different people. So if I fall off the wagon, its not going to be the smell of steaks or any other cooked food that gets me.

It will be setting in street corner cafe in a unique little town is Europe and give in to a glass of wine and some french pastries.

Thanks again
Glenn

PS; Thanks also for the info on my prostrate. Dr Doug Graham suggested that I eat only watermelon for two weeks. I tried it for 7 days and when I saw no change, added some green smoothies.

[VeGenesis]

Idea - start a raw food cafe!

[57guy]

I would, but my wife and I move around too much. We are retired and like to travel. This weekend , we are driving our motorhome to Mexico for two months. Should be good for my 80 10 10 diet. There is a lot of fruit in Mexico.
Glenn

[katchmoleen]

I know what you mean about holding a warm cup and chatting....I never miss coffee unless I am with someone who is drinking it. But I do drink both herbal and regular tea on occasion. They are not raw but I do not believe they are harmful either as long as they are not loaded up with soy or dairy and sugar.

[lovenlife]

Kathch is the best!

I love the thoughts about what I gave up.

Sickness
Brain fog
Pain
Body fat
Lack of confidence
Stale skin
Lots of toxins
Liver stones (lots of them)
Oh my the list could go on all night

This is not a "what I gave up" life to me...
It is a "all I added to my life" plan....yip!

[57guy]

Katchmoleen

What part on Mt are you from. We have a home in Bigfork,MT Beautiful state, too cold up there right now.

I agree, I've gained a lot, but in my mind, I've given up stuff.

I'm trying to sort out in my mind, what really matters.
I've stayed 100% Raw for over two months. To the best of my knowledge, I haven't put one thing in my mouth that was cooked.

Would one or two servings of wild baked fish over a period of two Months cause me to feel worse or had an impact on my overall health? Probably not.

I think all of us have to decide for the best way to live happily and healthy in the society and life style we choose.

If I decided to live on a deserted Island with a lot of fruit trees, gardens, etc, I could live healthy, but not happily.

By the same token, if I am happyer living around a lot of people with a lot of social interaction, business lunches, parties, dancing, etc. at night. I may have to compromise a small amount.

I will never go back to drinking, eating meat, etc. But a cup of decaf hot tea, maybe!!!

Glenn

[katchmoleen]

We are in the central part of the state. It ws -26 this morning! I have been to Bigfork many times as my parents used to live near St. Ignatius and we passed Bigfork on our way there.

[Mary Kay]

Glenn,

Seems like there are more women on these boards than men...How cool is that? - That you get one who has decreased the size of his prostate....and that's good to know about the massage.

Katchmoleen,

I'd suppose that most women in jail are there cuz of drugs....Imagine if all those women could somehow grow wheatgrass, or grow stuff in jail and then make green smoothies ---to get those neurotransmitters working right.....How cool would that be?

A few yrs back, I remember reading about a raw foodie vegan who was in jail and was practically starving because she wouldn't eat the crap they were feeding the inmates.....Wonder whatever happened to her.....

Mary Kay

[Tsurugi_Oni]

The social aspect of food is one of the hardest adjustments.... food is culture.

So the question would be how to integrate the new with the old?

Maybe you could bring tasty fruit smoothies to the bookstore, and let your friends try em out. Something fruity that will please the pallattes of any stranger. Nothing makes an intellectual statement like breaking the norm.

Could you possibly host dinner? Or would they be interested in doing a little grocery shopping with you? I don't know what you guys usually talk about , but going to stores and lookin at food is always a good way to talk about anything diet/lifestyle/philosophies/etc.

[57guy]

My wife and I were talking about how nice it woud be to find other Raw fooders in the Palm Springs, CA area to have potluck dinners once or twice a Month.
Glenn

[katchmoleen]

Here ya go:
http://www.meetup.com/The-Temecula-Raw-Food-Meetup-Group/

There might be others, I just stopped looking when I found this one. Nothing right in Palm Springs.

[circle]

soy is the most mucus forming food!

gross!!