This is the Greek version of pork belly, as we prepare it in the Epirus department of Greece. I consider it a more Paleo and healthier alternative to bacon (which is actually processed). My French husband loves it too!

Ingredients (for 2)
* 1 lb (~0.5 kg) of pork belly
* 2 tbspoons of olive oil for frying
* Juice of a large lemon
* 1 tbspoon oregano
* Sea salt & black pepper to taste

Method
1. Wash the pork belly. Using a sharp knife, remove the thick pork skin on the one side (if it was sold as such).
2. Cut the pork belly into 1 inch cubes.
3. Heat the olive oil under medium heat, and add the pork cubes. Fry until cooked-through and golden brown, about 10 minutes. Stir a few times.
4. One minute before they’re ready, add the salt & pepper, oregano, and lemon juice. Stir.
5. Turn off the heat, remove the cubes to a plate (without taking much of the oil with you). Serve hot with fries (and tzatziki, if you do dairy).

Disclaimer

Let me start by saying outright that I’m not a cosmologist or a physicist. I’m an artist. As such, all I have to get me going is my imagination. So I present nothing more, or less than just that.

The question

I’ve searched long and hard on both science and mystical religions to find out more about the universe and God. Buddhism, Kabbalah and New Age spirituality got me closer to understand this “consciousness” that exists behind all this infinite possibility, that most people call “God”. They claim that One is All, and All is One. Science on the other hand, gave me a more concrete, rational picture of the laws that govern the universe we live in, and offered hypothesis about other universes too.

In my personal view, spirituality and science don’t collide. It’s just that we’re neither spiritually or scientifically evolved-enough to see some of the connections.

However, neither spirituality, nor science, was able to give me any answer to my question: “why?“. Why did creation of this or other universes happens at all? Is it some random act of cosmic chance? Is it God doing some art or math for the fun of it? Is God trying to “experience itself”, as newer schools of spiritual thought suggest?

But the question again is “why”. Why does God want to have fun? Why God wants to even experience itself? And why something random could happen on such a cosmic scale?

So this question of “why” kept coming back to my mind for weeks now. Last night, while watching a very nice speech by a Kabbalah rabbi, he said something that set off in my head a series of thoughts that helped me put together this theory. He said: “we don’t know why God created the universe, we can’t be in the mind of God“.

And then it hit me.

What if this is exactly where we are situated? In the very “mind” and “brains” of God?

A potential answer

Step 1:

Picture this universe of our own, living in its own container box. The box is just a visualization to make this theory more comprehensible.

Now picture that in this universe there are infinite number of dimensions or densities, most of them, invisible to us. In spiritual teachings, these are called vibrations, or frequencies.

Now picture that this universe generates an infinite number of parallel universes, based on our own, branching out in every cosmic moment. Modern quantum physics call this phenomena “many-worlds interpretation”, which manifests when there’s an interaction at quantum level. Each of these parallel universes also branches out the set of dimensions/densities as well when they clone-out.

All of these (almost?) infinite “planes of existence” exist in the same box, it’s just that they’re invisible to each other.

Step 2:

Now picture the Multiverse theory, which says that next to our own universe box with everything it contains, there are an (almost?) infinite number of other universe boxes, which are completely different than that of our own. Even their natural laws could be different.

Each one of these universe boxes, have their own dimensions, densities, and parallel universes, which also extends them almost infinitely inside their own box.

So now picture all these infinite amount of universe boxes that could exist, situated next to each other. It extends forever up and down, and it looks like a matrix, doesn’t it?

Step 3:

Each one of these universes is evolving. There are epochs where they are just made of gases, then they have solid matter, then have mostly dark energy etc. During these epochs, its own natural laws might shift a bit, as itself (and all of their parallel universe branches, independently) evolve. In the same way, galaxies and planets within, also evolve, in some abstract way.

According to a new theory, each universe expands up to a point, and then it stops doing so. During the time of its life, the universe generates more energy (gravity does, in a sense). But as time goes by, mass becomes heavier, because gravity becomes increased (as this new theory also predicts).

In my opinion, gravity is nothing but a force generated by the “weight” of all other parallel universes and densities living in the same box space as we are. As more and more parallel universes are created (with planets & galaxies often manifesting on the same coordinates within the box), each one adds a tiny bit of “felt” weight in the box.

Eventually, after a few billion years of universe life, the universe collapses onto itself because of the immense gravity generated inside that “box”. It’s possible that the “matter” of that universe gets recycled afterwards. More on all this later.

Step 4:

Let’s have an intermission here, using some spiritual ideas for a moment that will come handy in the overall theory.

I was never taught real religion at school. The version of religion I was taught, is the same type of “pop” religion that 99.9% of the religious population gets taught too: nice little moral stories of deities or prophets doing some miraculous stuff, and a judgmental God that generates fear. Each one of these religions tell these stories a little bit differently. Wars have been fought over that, millions of lives perished.

What I found though, when I did my own research on the field of spirituality and mysticism (which I separate from “religion”) is that there is no true division between these traditions! From Sufism to Judaism and from Buddhism to Zen, Hinduism and now New Age, the mystical parts of these traditions are 95% in agreement! You will have to understand my surprise to learn that Kabbalah (an Abrahamic tradition) believes in reincarnation! I could not believe my eyes when I read that!

First it was surprise, but then it was anger. Why the heck was I never taught about the true essence of these philosophies at high school? Why was I subjected to silly little stories of “pop” religion instead? But that’s an article for another time.

So basically, what I found is that these traditions agree on all the main points of “what’s really is going on”:
– We are all One.
– We, ourselves are too what folks call “God”. Others call it “Source” or “Supreme Being”.
– We are Creator Beings. Whatever we think, it manifests. Either in this reality, or as a parallel universe branch-off. And more.
– Lose the Ego, and you will unite with Everything.
– There are other dimensions/densities (“realms”) within our own universe.
– There are carrier waves and portals everywhere in the universe (wormholes).
– The chakra points can do a lot of things, including instantly transport you to other realms or places within the “box”.
– The meaning of life is life itself! To experience, to learn, to be happy! To live with the goodness of your own heart as a moral compass, is the same thing as “serving God”. You need no preachers or laws to know right from wrong. You’re your own compass.
– The “soul” is nothing but a small part of God’s conscious energy, gifted to you. Our essence is made of God, and so we’re always connected to the Source.
– God’s essence is Love. There is no “good and evil” or duality in its realm.
– We and everything else in this box are here in order to learn and evolve. This includes inanimate things, not just biological ones.

This last point is important. Evolving means doing something that hasn’t been done before. And I believe that this is what Source is after from all these universes it spins off in every moment of its Existence: Novelty.

Step 5:

Remember that God is after novelty. Also remember that we, ourselves are Creator Beings. We and everything else are connected to Source at all times, exchanging information with it at every level.

The only way for God to achieve creation and novelty in its vast multi-dimensional matrix of “boxes”, is by mixing and matching every little detail that manifests in a universe (and/or its parallel universes) with at least one of the other universes that are.

Bam! A new universe was just created!

The new universe was created either on a new box, or by occupying the “space” of a “dead” universe that had collapsed itself earlier. The new universe has traits that no other universe ever had (novelty). It’s the embodiment of evolution of some, or all of the universes that ever existed before it. The data of this new universe flow withing the matrix structure immediately, and as the new universe creates novelty, and it mixes and matches, even newer universes are created. And this repeats forever and ever, ad infinitum.

Prime Creator said to these extensions of itself, “Go out and create and bring all things back to me.” — (supposedly) Pleiadian scripture

Step 6:

What all this means is that God itself, the Source, evolves. Not accepting that God evolves, is like thinking that God is “static”, and that’s like calling it “dead”. It surely isn’t dead, in fact, God is the very definition of Life. Sure, it is All that ever Was, Is, and ever Will Be, since there’s no time from its point of view. However, from our point of view in linear space/time, it evolves. God is essentially Perfect, but Incomplete from our limited standpoint (since in our own time of reference, it hasn’t exhausted all possibilities and combinations just yet).

So far, I think all this takes care of the explanation of how things work in general terms on my theory. The following is my proposed “why”.

Step 7:

Now picture that immense, infinite, multi-dimensional matrix of universe “boxes”, full of light. Now imagine a universe box collapsing onto itself, it has reached its end of life. The box transmits its last data, sends its matter to recycle, and it goes dark.

Since we’re talking about immensely many universe boxes, and a “time” where the life of a whole universe feels like a nanosecond, now imagine this whole matrix of boxes lighting ON and OFF real fast, seemingly at a random order.

What does this picture of on/off screens reminds you of?

Exactly! A computer! Or a biological brain! If you want to call that ON/OFF signal “bits” or “neurons”, is up to you! The point is: WE (everything in every universe) are making God able to THINK.

So not only we put ideas into “his head”, not only we are these ideas, not only it experiences them through us, but we provide this Entity its very Consciousness.

“God is consciousness” mystics say. “Science must take consciousness into account” a Stanford professor suggests.

Step 8:

And it goes further than that. Not only God is a Mind (Consciousness) that evolves, but it also generates more energy than the energy it originally put into creating a new Universe box. During the life of a Universe box, its increasing gravity creates energy.

In other words, God is a perpetual Entity, in every conceivable way possibly. It grows in every conceivable way possibly (intellectually, energetically etc). We are part of it, and it’s part of us. We are One and yet, at times, we have to take part in the illusion of Separation through the manifestation of these “materialized” Universes, in order to allow both to grow. It’s a symbiotic relationship with ourself!

Conclusion

So this is my explanation of the “why” creation(s) happened. In its most fundamental level, it’s because of self-preservation. If the seeds of creation didn’t exist in God’s virgin, original version, this Entity would not survive (exist). It’s the ultimate law that every living thing follows in our own realm too. As above, so below.

The wars continue on. There are these who say there’s a God, these who say that there isn’t one, and everything in between. I spent many years as a Christian Orthodox, then an Atheist, and now I identify with New Age Spirituality.

The problem with spirituality is that atheists see it as religion, and religious people see it either as atheism, or as something heretic and distorted. However, I don’t consider this type of Spirituality to be a religion. I don’t even consider it strictly a “belief” either, because there’s at least some degree of proof in it. Neither I consider it atheism. To me, it’s just the natural order of things in the universe.

What is Spirituality

To me, Spirituality is like saying that “the keyboard that I type this in right now exists, not because I believe it does, but because it I can see it with my own eyes”. In my opinion, Spirituality exists somewhere in between traditional religion and atheism, and it’s on the opposite site of agnosticism. In short:

Religion: I believe that this keyboard exists. I was told it does, and I have faith that it does.
Atheism: The keyboard doesn’t exist. End of story.
Agnosticism: I don’t know if the keyboard exists or not, there’s no proof of any kind.
Spirituality: The keyboard exists. I can see it with my own eyes, so I have personal proof.

Why it’s not a “traditional” religion

Religion in the modern times seems to be prescribed as anything that is unattainable and mystical. It’s all a mystery. God did this, God did that, God said this or that, you should fear God, you can’t understand God. This is the crux of all “pop” religions, as I call them. Be it Abrahamic religions, or the “pop” versions of Eastern religions, it’s all about fear, silly ritual, and organized endeavors. The few that do get these religions right are usually only monks and mystics. The rest of the population, is simply controlled by religion, they live in fear, and in blind superstition.

Spirituality on the other hand, is freedom. There is no organized cult behind it, and there is no fear. There is no control, or dogmas. There is only one teaching: LOVE. Everything else, is secondary. Spirituality proves to the individual by his/her personal experience that everything is One. That there is a loving consciousness where everything interconnects, making us all part of this same Source Being. Some would call this “God”, and that’s ok. Others could even call it simply, just “everything”. But as I said, Unconditional Love is the main teaching.

Why it’s not atheism

Atheists do not believe that anything apart from themselves and the visible or scientifically-understandable universe exists. While they’re usually open to ideas of parallel universes and such (as proposed by math or quantum physics), the idea they resist the most is that that there’s a God. There are atheists who just in need of proof, and there are atheists simply because they hate what religions have become and they see no point in believing in a ruthless God (nor do I, for that matter).

Obviously, spirituality is not atheism per se, since it accepts that there are realms beyond the visible, and of course, it accepts that a person can attain knowledge that we’re all part of the same Source Being/Consciousness.

Personal proof

The difference with both religion and atheism is that with Spirituality you can have personal proof that God exists. You can feel, and see “God” right in front of your eyes. This is not something that the vast majority of traditionally religious people can claim. Most of these believers live in the dark ages of “blind faith”.

Of course, personal proof is not scientific proof, but that’s just because science hasn’t reached that level yet, being able to detect higher frequencies of Being, which are also full of life. But the point is, that these realms are real enough for the person experiencing them to transform him/her. Why do you need an experiment to tell you that what you see in front of you is real or not? If it looks like a duck, walks like a duck, and quacks like a duck, it’s probably a duck. Even if it ends up being a powerful hallucination, it’s real-enough to the person who experienced it. What is “real” anyway? Physics haven’t even answered that yet!

“A human being is a part of a whole, called by us ‘universe’, a part limited in time and space. He experiences himself, his thoughts and feelings as something separated from the rest… a kind of optical delusion of his consciousness.” — Albert Einstein

How To

Experiences range from astral projection to other planets, to other realms that live in different frequencies, to time travel, to parallel timelines, to different universe bubbles, but the ultimate destination is to be connected with Source. When you do, then all the knowledge of what has ever been, is, and ever will be, is yours (although, you’re not “you” anymore, as you will also experience what is called “ego death” in order to connect with All). While One with the One, you will feel unconditional love for all, a type of divine ecstasy and acceptance that it can’t be felt while on your human body. It’s a type of feeling that is not analogous to the feelings we can experience while in our 3rd density/dimension body.

There are two ways to connect to the Source:
1. The easiest ways are via DMT/Ayahuasca, or high doses of magic mushrooms, LSD, and possibly mescaline (I’d avoid Salvia, it transports you to lower densities instead of higher ones).

The public has been conditioned to believe that these “drugs” produce hallucinations, or that they’re dangerous. I believe that the government is just myopic on that respect. If you start reading DMT trip reports, you will find yourself puzzled about the similarity of reports on the various realms. There is a plethora of aliens or higher beings contacted via DMT, but some have canning similarities between reports. For example, the “machine elfs”, or the beings of Pure Light. The lower astral parasites that feed on your energy, and the “demons” (possibly life forms that simply evolved to ingest life force from souls in order to survive). These drug trips, especially on DMT, look more real than real to the user. With LSD and mushrooms, which are less intense and don’t always transport you to other realms, you can experience telepathy and literally see the fractals that constitute our “holographic reality”.

I mean, it’s surely of wonder how when high on some of these substances you can see an entity flying around your room that you never noticed before, only to have your dog chasing and barking at it at the same time. Makes you wonder.

A small amount of people on hallucinogenics have connected with Source. They don’t always attain its high frequency, most of the time they end up somewhere in the middle of all things. It’s a crapshoot.

2. Meditation. This is the harder way, but also the best way in both astral safety, and navigating through the higher realms, to eventually reach Source. It might take years before you do, but when you do, you’re truly Enlightened, and the connection doesn’t get severed (as it does with hallucinogens, that simply offer a glimpse of what is).

Conclusion

At the end, no matter what I write, atheists will break apart this article picking on words and sentences, and the religious people would do exactly the same thing. But it doesn’t matter. Personal proof is all I need. I need neither our existing (limited) science, nor blind faith. The middle road works for me for now. If anything, I continue to live a type of life that is more akin to an atheist (in terms of not interfering with other people’s freedoms as some Christians/Muslims do). My day to day life hasn’t changed one bit when I became Spiritual. All it changed was the way I viewed the Cosmos. I do not feel alone anymore, there’s life everywhere. I now don’t fear death because I’m Eternal.

About fifteen years ago I had a number of past life regression sessions done with a friend of mine. I only touched on the subject on this blog over the years, but never went into describing all of them because of fear of ridicule. Plus, I wasn’t sure I believed these self-hypnosis regression results anyway. I always thought they were fun, be it real or not. I still do not know if they’re real, but soon I will, as specific meditation is able to provide me with such answers.

Anyways, the point is that I’m not afraid anymore to share these stories, so here they are:

– This life: Born in Athens, Greece, 1973. You know parts of this story.

– Previous life: I don’t remember much about that specific regression, only that I was male, probably worked as a watch-maker or something like that. I do remember very clearly my death though: I was in a hospital, in Lyon, France, in the 1930s (I think). I died in peace, possibly with some fever, but this life was all loneliness. I died all alone.

– Pre-previous life: East Coast, USA, in the mid-1800s. I was a female, and I was repressed by my old-fashioned father (same father I have in this life). After becoming an adult, I left home in secret, and moved to Philadelphia, working as a stitcher in a big factory. I met someone whom I fell in love (it felt like this soul is my brother in this current life), but it didn’t go far at that point. Shortly after I met this person, in my mid-20s, I decided to go back to the town I came from, to try and reconcile with the family. A few days later, I found myself abducted at night, thrown into a pit that my father and his brothers had dug, shot, and burned alive.

– 1500s: I was a Spanish seaman, a homosexual male. Very religious too. Had an affair with the captain. I don’t know much about this life, because this came through the regressions of my friend, and not via my own.

– ~1400s: I was a local Duke of some sort (male), somewhere in Europe, with lots of land. This life was overall normal, I seemed to be having everything I needed, except one little thing that was ruining my life: frequent alien abductions by the Greys.

– ~1300s: Italy, female. Very normal life. Grew up, got married, had a few children. Nothing extraordinary to report about this life. I guess that’s what someone could call it as taking a “life vacation”.

– ~30: Israel, female. At the age of 15 I started working as a janitor at the place where the local Roman high command was situated. I fell in love with a young soldier. We were crazy for each other. This soul, I realized years later upon meeting him, it was the soul of my current husband. But soon he was re-posted East, and he had to leave. I never saw him again. So much pain from this separation, that it still breaks my hurt when I remember it. Some time after that, I was extremely unhappy that I missed the visitation of the prophet Yeshua in my town, because I was held back at work. I remember running in the tiny streets of my town to maybe catch a glimpse of him, but to no avail. A few years later, I was a full blown Christian, one of the very first. I was married to the soul that today is my father. I wanted him to be a Christian like I was, and in fact, he DID believe, but he didn’t want to join all this officially because he was afraid of “what other people might say about it”. So our relationship was strained because of this. After many years, I decided to get baptized on a nearby river. The moment the baptism happened, I had an extremely strong feeling of divine acceptance. It felt amazing. One of the purest feelings I have ever felt, that compares to nothing that I have experienced in this current life so far.

Out of known time:

– Male engineer of a new propulsion system of a pyramid-shaped spaceship. This is the only life that I have detailed previously on my blog. The only thing that I wasn’t brave-enough to share was that this place was what we today think of as “Atlantis”. That life was one of my most interesting lives: space exploration and such.

– Male, in another planet. We look lizard-like (walking on two feet though). This planet has darkness on the one side, and sunlight on the other all the time. We live on the dark side. I don’t think we grow up among parents. It’s a totalitarian society. We get educated, we grow up, and we start working. Our only aspiration is that after our life-long service, the State will place us on the light side of the planet, to live leisurely for the remaining of our lives. That’s the promise. We live our lives craving for some sunlight. Before I start working on the job that will take over my life, I fall in love with a female. We have an egg together! Soon after I find myself working on one of the space stations that orbits the planet. We have anti-gravity, but our technology is not very advanced, we are probably just about 100 years ahead of what we’re now on Earth. There, over the course of several years, we meet 2-3 other alien races. We are barred from talking about it, disclosure hasn’t happened yet. I died because of a fire/explosion that happens to the space station at some point. My soul, wandering, then visits the light side of the planet. It is a total desert, and it’s not livable. Everyone that got dumped there has died shortly afterwards. We offered our life-long service to the State over a lie.

I don’t know if anyone still reads my blog, I haven’t updated for a while. But if you’re one of my older readers, you probably remember my atheism posts. For over 10 years now, I was an atheist. For the last 4-5 years, I was one of these Reddit-style atheists too, getting easily upset with organized religion and its followers.

I’m no longer an atheist (at least, not with the common definition of the word).

And no, I’m not religious either (again, with the common definition of the word). I still despise organized religion as much as I always have. And neither I’m an agnostic.

I simply feel enlightened. I guess, if you had to categorize me, you’d probably call me “spiritual”, but even that word doesn’t truly capture my state of thought.

I usually philosophize a lot during the day, and it was for a long time now that I had decided that the meaning of life is simply to “experience”. Nothing more or less than that, but experience with the full definition of the word (meaning, both good and bad experiences — every possible combination).

But it wasn’t until recently that was I able to put this realization in context.

Demeter and Persephone admire each other’s mushrooms at Eleusinian Mysteries

I realized that there has only being a single religion in the planet: mysticism. If you take the explanation of “what is” from all major mystical religions (from Kabbalah, to Theosophy, to Buddhism, to Shamanism, to Eleusinian Mysteries etc), these mystical religions have all claimed that “God” is YOU.

“God” is all there is (if you want to call this “God”). Everything around us, is God, and it’s alive! From human beings, to plants, to rocks, to planets, to galaxies. All matter and anti-matter in this Universe and other Universes, is part of God.

All is One, and One is All there is. It’s infinite in all directions.

We are droplets of God’s existence. We are grains in the sand. But as insignificant as a grain of sand is, the more powerful it is when it realizes that it’s made of Love. This knowledge is Freedom!

Why do we exist? To experience. You see, “all there is”, is lonely. Every possible combination, must be experienced, in several planes of existence, each with its own rules. We experience on its behalf. There is no “Good” and “Evil”. There just IS.

God is made of unconditional love and we can tap-in to it when we let go of our ego. Our separateness is artificial, but it’s also needed, in order to function in this physical plane of existence. The problem is that we have emphasized in our separateness (individualism), and that separateness is all more pronounced today than it was 100 or 10,000 years ago. We lost our way.

“Net of Being” (aka “GodSelf”), artwork by Alex Grey

Organized religions (“pop religions” as I call them) have existed only for one reason alone: control of their subjects. The Truth (and all the possible combinations of Truth that you might discover yourself) doesn’t need priests, for you are your own God. If you can’t realize your true Nature and you need others to sell you dogma, you’re ending up more separate and more enslaved than you could ever be. No, don’t take this blog post as dogma either, learn the truth yourself.

As to how to realize the Truth by yourself, there are various methods. Buddhism has some cool tricks, e.g. meditation, fasting, African tribes have drumming and dance, Amazonian tribes have Ayahuasca. The fastest way to witness enlightenment in the West is via illegally-obtained tryptamines (particularly DMT, although mushrooms, mescalin, LSD have their uses too). That’s right, these substances that our confused legal system calls “dangerous drugs”. They’re dangerous only to the System, for they can show you how SILLY and ARTIFICIAL culture, political systems, truly are. I’ve never felt more prosecuted in my life for not being allowed to experience my own consciousness.

But make no mistake. Tryptamines will only show you how things really are. What you do from then on, and how you change your life to line up yourself with Harmony, is the difficult part. “Knowing” is only the beginning. It barely gets you to a baseline.

UPDATE: Just found these two videos online, completely randomly. That’s exactly what I’m talking about. It’s just that the guy on these two videos can definitely say it better than I ever could express myself.

Η παλαιολιθική δίαιτα, πιο συντονισμενη στα Ελληνικα δεδομενα και παραδοσεις.

ΑΠΑΓΟΡΕΥΟΝΤΑΙ:

1. Τα δημητριακα (“κόκκοι”) ολων των ειδων: σιταρι*, σικαλη*, κριθαρι*, βρωμη*, καλαμποκι, καστανο ρυζι, κινόα, teff, sorghum, millet, buckwheat κλπ. Επισης, και τα υπο-προιοντα των: κορν φλαουρ, αλευρια, ψωμια, μακαρονια, πιτσα, νιφαδες και κορν-φλεικς ολων των ειδων, κλπ. Για τα ειδη δημητριακων τα οποια περιεχουν γλουτενη*, ουτε ενα μικροσκοπικο κομματι δεν πρεπει να φαγωθει απο αυτα για να δουλεψει αυτη η διαιτα σωστα για την υγεια σας. Θα πρεπει να διαβαζετε ολες τις ετικετες απο τροφιμα οταν αγοραζετε κατι, για να ειστε σιγουροι οτι δεν περιεχουν σιτηρά (ή αν τρωτε σε ταβερνες, οι τηγανιτες πατατες να μην εχουν τηγανιστει στο ιδιο λαδι με αλευρωμενα φαγητα, πχ αλευρωμενο κοτοπουλο). Απαγορευεται επισης η μπύρα, αφου γινεται με σιτηρα! ΜΟΝΑΔΙΚΗ ΕΞΑΙΡΕΣΗ: το ασπρο, και αγριο, μαυρο ρυζι (οχι το καστανό) ειναι σχεδον ενταξει για καταναλωση, αλλα οχι πανω απο 2-3 φορες τον μήνα.

2. Τα βιομηχανικα λαδια (πχ καλαμποκελαιο, σογιελαιο, κανολα, ηλιελαιο, μαργαρινη κλπ). Διαβαστε παρακατω ποια λαδια ακριβως μπορειτε να χρησιμοποιήσετε.

3. Ζαχαρη. Απαγορευονται ολες οι ζαχαρες, οι ζαχαρινες, τα αναψυκτικά, οι χυμοι, τα γλυκα, και ολα τα επεξεργασμενα βιομηχανικα προιοντα. Οταν νιωθετε οτι χρειαζεσθε κατι με ζαχαρη, θα τρωτε φρουτα, και λιγο τοπικο, ΩΜΟ μελι (ρωτηστε τους μελισσο-παραγωγους στην περιοχη σας για ωμο και ατατεργαστο μελι). Με το μελι μπορειτε επισης να κανετε σπιτικα ωμά γλυκα 2-3 φορες τον μηνα.

4. Απαγορευονται μερικα οσπρια. Φατε ασπρα φασολια (φασολαδα, γίγαντες), φακες, πρασινο αρακας, φασολακια. Αποφευγετε ολα τα αλλα φασολια οσο μπορειτε (περιεχουν επικυνδινες λεκτίνες). Μαγειρεψετε τον αρακα και φασολακια οπως παντα, αλλά υπαρχουν οροι για το πως θα πρεπει να προετοιμασθουν τα ασπρα φασολια ΚΑΙ οι φακες. Θα πρεπει να καθαρισετε τις φακες καλα (συνηθως περιεχουν κοκκους κριθαριου), Θα πρεπει να βαλετε τα φασολια στο νερο για 24 ωρες (οχι μονο αποβραδυς, αλλα για μια ολοκληρη μερα & νυχτα). Αλλαξατε το νερο 2-3 φορες. Ακομα και με αυτην την ειδικη προετοιμασια που σκοτωνει τις περισσοτερες λεκτινες, τα ασπρα φασολια και οι φακες δεν πρεπει να τρωγονται πανω απο 1 φορα την εβδομαδα! Απαγορευται η σογια και τα φυστικια (τα οποια ειναι οσπρια στην πραγματικοτητα). Σαλτσα σογιας ειναι ενταξει μονο να δεν περιεχει γλουτενη/σιταρι (δυσκολο να βρεθει στην Ελλαδα).

ΕΠΙΤΡΕΠΟΝΤΑΙ:

1. Ολα τα κρεατα, εντοσθια, ψαρια, και οστρακοειδη. Αποφευγετε τα κοτοπουλα της μηχανης, και ψαρια εκτροφειου. Παντα προσπαθηστε να αγοραζετε υγειη ζωα και άγρια ψαρια (ειδικα σαρδελλες, και αγριο σολωμο – δυσκολο να βρεθει στην Ελλαδα). Δωστε ειδικη μνεια στα εντοσθια (φάτε τουλάχιστον μια φορά την εβδομαδα), και στα οστρακοειδη (ειδικα στα στρειδια και μυδια).

2. Ολα τα λαχανικα, αγρια λάχανα, κονδυλους, ριζες και βολβους. Δωστε ιδιαιτερη μνεια στα πρασινα. Παντα να καθαριζετε την φλουδα απο τις πατατες (τοξινες). Δυστυχως, οι περισσοτεροι Ελληνες τρωνε μονο 9-10 διαφορετικα ειδη λαχανικων. Προσπαθηστε να φυτεψετε ή να αγορασετε και αλλα ειδη, οπως πχ. παστινάκι, γογγυλι, ρεβα, γουλι, λαχανιδες, γλυκοπατατα, κοκκινογουλό-φυλλα, βρουβες, γλυστριδα, σελινοριζα, διαφορετικων ειδων κολοκυθων, και πολλα αλλα. Επισης σημαντικο ειναι να τρωτε “σάουερκραουτ”, “κίμτσι”, και τουρσί (δηλαδη, λαχανικα τα οποια εχουν υποστει ζυμωση). Χρησιμοπειηστε την σπαγκέτι-σκουάς κολοκύθα, ή κολοκυθακια κομμενα σαν μακαρονια για ενα ειδος “μακαρονάδας” (υπαρχουν εργαλεια και συνταγες για αυτα στο ιντερνετ).

3. Φρουτα. Ολα τα φρουτα ειναι ενταξει, ιδιαιτερα αγρια φρουτα με λιγοτερη περιεκτικοτητα ζαχαρης, και τα μουρα. Επισης, τοπικο, ακατεργαστο, ωμό μελι ειναι ενταξει με μετρο.

4. Φυσικα λαδια. Μην φοβαστε τα λιπαρα. Σε αυτην την διαιτα, τα λιπαρά κανουν καλο! Φατε λιπη απο τα κρεατα, και μαγειρεψετε με παρθενο ελαιολαδο απο λιοτριβι που εμπιστευεσθε (τα τελευταια χρονια, τα αγοραστά, εμφιαλωμενα ελαιολαδα ειναι νοθευμενα με φτηνο-λαδια). Επισης χρεισιμοποιηστε αληθινο βούτυρο, και ΕΑΝ τα βρειτε στην αγορά: λαδι ινδικης καρυδας (το καλυτερο λαδι για μαγειρεμα), λαρδί, γκί, και λίπος απο προβατο, κατσικα, αγελαδα, ή παπια.

5. Αυγά (καλης ποιοτητας, απο ελευθερης βοσκης κοτες). Τρωτε 1-2 αυγα την ημερα για πρωινο. Τρωτε πρωινο καθημερινα (το ιωδιουχο θαλασσινό αλατι ειναι καλο επισης). Προσπαθηστε να μειωσετε τους καφεδες στον εναν την ημερα αν πινετε, και να πινετε χαμομηλι, και βουνισιο, Ελληνικο τσαι (το πιο υγiεινο τσαι στον κοσμο). Καλο ειναι και το δικταμο!

6. Ξηροι καρποι, και σπορια (με μετρο). Τον μοναδικο καρπο που θα πρεπει να αποφυγετε παντελως ειναι τα φυστικια (βοτανικώς, ειναι επικινδυνο οσπριο, και οχι ξηρος καρπος).

7. Γαλακτοκομικα. Τα γαλακτοκομικα επιτρεπονται, αλλα υπαρχουν οροι: τρωτε γαλακτοκομικα κυριως απο αιγω-προβατα και βουβαλια (αποφευγεται απο κανονικες αγελαδες, λογω της Α1 κασεινης τους), και τρωτε γαλακτοκομικα που εχουν υποστει ζυμωση (πχ το τυρι, σαουρ-κριμ, γιαουρτι, κεφίρ περιεχουν πολυ λιγη λακτοζη). Μην πινετε σκέτο γάλα, λόγω της λακτόζης του. Το ιδανικο θα ηταν να αγορασετε απο το Ιντερνετ “κόκκους κεφίρ”, και να κανετε το δικο σας κεφιρ στο σπιτι απο γίδινο γαλα. Το σπιτισιο, γιδινο κεφιρ ειναι 10 φορες πιο υγεινο απο το γιαουρτι. Αν ο οργανισμός σας δεν αντέχει τα γαλακτοκομικά καθόλου, μπορείτε να κάνετε κεφίρ με νερό και ζάχαρη (αυτοι είναι ειδικοί κόκκοι, για κεφίρ σε νερό). Μπορειτε επισης να πιειτε “γάλα αμυγδαλου”, γάλα ινδικης καρυδας, αλλά ΟΧΙ γαλα σογιας (η σογια ειναι επικινδυνο οσπριο).

8. Πιειτε πολυ λιγο αλκοολ. Ολα τα κρασια, ουζο, ο μηλιτης και τα περισσοτερα αλκοολουχα ποτα ειναι ενταξει, με μετρο. Μονο τα ποτα που γινονται απο σιτηρα απαγορευονται παντελως, πχ η μπυρα.

ΣΗΜΕΙΩΣΕΙΣ:

1. Παντα να διαβαζετε ετικετες! Το ξερατε οτι τα περισσοτερα λουκάνικα εχουν σιταρι για να ριξουν την τιμη;
2. Μην φοβαστε να δοκιμασετε νεα ειδη λαχανικων, μανιταριων, μπαχαρικών, οστρακοειδη κλπ.
3. Στο Ιντερνετ θα βρειτε συνταγες για το πως να “ζυμωσετε” λαχανικα. Επισεις, εκει θα βρειτε πως να μαγειρεψετε ολα αυτα τα νεα φαγωσιμα. Ιστοσελιδα συνταγων: http://chowstalker.com και Pinterest.
4. Μπορειτε να χρησιμοπιεισετε αλευρι αμυγδαλου, ινδικης καρυδας, και ταπιοκας, αλλα σπανίως μονο (πχ να αλευρωσετε κάποιο ψάρι, να κάνετε ενα γλυκο για καμια γιορτή). Ξεχαστε τα ψωμιά, μακαρόνια, πίτσες — ακόμα και αυτά με χωρίς γλουτενη!
5. Να σας βλεπει ο ηλιος χειμωνα-καλοκαιρι. Αν μπορείτε, περπατηστε καθημερινά, ή αλλιώς, κάνετε λιγες επι-τοπου ασκήσεις. Μην πολυ-αναβετε καλοριφέρ! Ετσι πιανονται οι γρίπες!
6. Να τρωτε πιο πολυ οστρακοειδη και (αγρια) θαλασσινα, απο κρέατα! Στρείδια μια φορά την εβδομαδα αν τα βρείτε στην αγορα (δεν είναι αναγκη να είναι παντα φρεσκα/ωμά).
7. Να δοκιμασετε ειδικα θαλασσινα “φυκια”, τα οποια περιεχουν ιωδιο. Μπορειτε να βρειτε αυτα τα ειδικα φυκια που τρωγονται σε μερικα Ασιατικά καταστηματα.
8. Μην κοιμαστε αργα το βραδυ. Κοιμηθητε >8 ωρες απο τις ~11 το βραδυ μεχρι τις ~7 το πρωι.
9. Προσπαθηστε το 40% με 50% των συστατικών της διαιτα σας να ειναι ωμά!
10. Πιειτε και μαγειρεψτε με σπιτισιο ζωμό από κόκκαλα σχεδον καθημερινα! Μην αμελήσετε!
11. Μπορείτε να φάτε ενα μικρο κομματι σοκολάτα την ημερα, αλλά μονο απο αυτές που έχουν πανω απο 80% κακάο (παντα διαβάστε ετικέτες). Οι σοκολάτες υγειας Παυλίδης είναι της πλάκας, έχουν μονο 43% κακάο. Το σουπερ-μαρκετ Lidl έχει μια με 81%.
12. Αν δουλευετε χειρονακτική εργασία που χρειαζετε περισσότερους υδατάνθρακες για να ανταπεξελθετε, φάτε λιγο πιο πολυ άσπρο ρύζι και λιγο ποιο πολλές πατάτες, στις αρχές μονο. Μετα απο 3-4 μηνες στην δίαιτα αυτή, όταν συνηθίσει ο οργανισμός σας, θα πέρνετε την ενέργεια σας απο το λίπος (απο καλες πηγες) και αλλά υγειεινα έλαια, όχι τους πολλους υδατάνθρακες. Μην φοβείσθε το λίπος! Και μη φοβασθε τα αυγά (προτιμηστε χωριάτικα αυγά).
13. Αν είστε ηδη άρρωστος, θα χρειαστεί να πάρετε βιταμίνες. Αν δεν σας βλέπει ο ήλιος κάθε μέρα για τουλαχιστον μισή ωρα σε όλος σας το σωμα σχεδόν, τοτε πάρτε 2000 με 3000 IU βιταμινη D3 κάθε πρωί (γράφει το κουτί πανω ποσά IU έχει το κάθε χαπι). Πάρτε Μαγνήσιο 3-4 φορες την εβδομάδα, μισή ώρα πριν κοιμηθείτε. Επισης, πάρτε 100mg coQ10 Ubiquinol (όχι Ubiquinone) καθημερινά, το μεσημερι, στην μέση του φαγητού. Αν δεν τρώτε πολλά ζυμωμένα φαγητά (πχ σαυερκραουτ, κιμτσι, κεφίρ), πάρτε Κ2-ΜΚ4 μονο 2-3 φορές την εβδομαδα (όχι απλή Κ βιταμίνη, και όχι ΜΚ7). Εαν και μονο εάν δεν τρώτε ψάρια ή οστρακοειδή για κάποιο λογο, θα πρεπει να πάρετε επισης και καλης ποιοτητας omega-3 fish oil, καθημερινά. Αν δεν τρωτε στρείδια μια φορά την εβδομαδα, πάρτε Zinc 2-3 φορές την εβδομάδα.
14. Αν πασχετε απο κάποια βαριά μορφή ασθένειας θα πρεπει να μαγειρευετε και με παρθενο λάδι ινδικής καρύδας (δυστυχως, πολύ δύσκολο να το βρείτε στην Ελλάδα).
15. Μια κούπα απο πράσινα φύλλα παντζαριού, έχει πιο πολύ κάλλιο απο οποιοδήποτε άλλο φαγητο. Μαγειρεψτε τα όπως τα βλητα, συχνως.
16. Αν είστε άρρωστος, τουλαχιστον μια φορά την ημερα θα πρεπει να τρώτε τριων ειδών λαχανικων. Παράδειγμα, ενα πιάτο θα εχει: 1/4 πράσινα φύλλα (με τα ήμερα υπαρχουν και τουλαχιστον 10 αγρια ειδη που φυτρώνουν στα χωράφια μόνα τους και τρωγωνται), 1/4 χρωματιστά λαχανικά (πχ τομάτα, πιπεριά, κολοκυθες), 1/4 λαχανο/παντζάρια/σπαραγγια/αγγιναρες κλπ, και 1/4 κρέας/εντόσθια ή αγριο ψάρι/οστρακοειδή. Δηλαδη, τουλαχιστον 3 κουπες απο 3 ειδων λαχανικα, και όσο πρωτειινη θελετε. Τα λαχανικά προτίμηστε τα πιο λίγο βραζμενα απο συνήθως, για να μην καταστραφούν οι βιταμίνες τους.
17 Αν είστε πολύ άρρωστος, αποφύγετε τον ρύζι, άσπρα φασόλια και φακές παντελώς, και πιείτε μονο σπιτικό, γιδινο κεφίρ απο τα γαλακτοκομικά. Αν τα προβλήματα υγείας συνεχιζονται με την ίδια ενταση μετα απο 3 μηνες, κοψτε και το κεφίρ για εναν μήνα, για να δείτε αν τα γαλακτομικα σας πειραζουν. Αν το πρόβλημα συνεχίζεται, κοψτε αυγά, τομάτες/πατάτες/πιπεριές, και ξηρούς καρπούς για ενα μήνα. Σαν τελευταια λύση, αν το πρόβλημα συνεχιζεται με την ίδια ενταση μετα απο όλα αυτά, κάντε τεστ για παράσιτα και ιούς.
18. Κομμενα τα αναψυκτικά και οι χυμοί, ακόμα και αυτά με ζάχαρινη light. Να αγορασετε ενα blender και να κανετε smoothies (με λιγα πρασινα φυλλα μεσα επισης). Μην παρετε αποχυμωτή, οι αποχυμωτες μονο κρατανε την φρουκτοζη, οχι τα υπολοιπα του φρουτου.
19. Βάλτε κήπο! Πολλά απο τα λαχανικά που γράφονται εδώ, δεν υπαρχουν στα μανάβικα, πχ οι κολοκύθες σπαγκετι. Αυτές οι κολοκύθες βοηθούν πολύ να μην σας λείψουν τα μακαρόνια! Η λαχανιδα kale είναι δύσκολο να βρεθεί στην Ελλάδα επίσης, και όμως, είναι το λαχανικό με τις περισσότερες βιταμίνες απο κάθε άλλο.
20. Τελικώς, πιείτε νερό ΧΩΡΙΣ φθόριο (fluoride), ειδικα αν είστε αρρωστος. Αγοράστε μπουκάλια με νερο φυσική πηγής, χωρίς προσθετο φθοριο. Τα φίλτρα βρυσης δεν βγάζουν το φθόριο. Επισης ψαξτε για οδοντοπαστα χωρις φλουράιντ. Το φθόριο είναι σχεδόν ίδιο με το ποντικοφάρμακο.

Here’s the Paleo recipe for fried Razor Clams. They’re extremely high in B12 (1400% RDA) and iron (132% RDA). I found them at my local Asian supermarket, in their frozen shellfish aisle (wild-caught). I really liked their taste!

Fried Razor Clams

Ingredients for the main recipe (for 2)
* A packet of frozen razor clams (usually 370 gr)
* 1 cup of fine almond flour
* 1/2 cup of tapioca flour (or more almond flour)
* 1 large egg
* Coconut or olive oil for frying
* 1/2 teaspoon of good, mineral salt
* 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
* 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
* 1/2 teaspoon of Hungarian or other paprika
* 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper

Method
1. In a bowl, beat the egg slightly. Add half of the spices. Beat the egg a bit more.
2. In a separate bowl, add the rest of the spices. Add the almond flour and tapioca flour. Mix well.
3. Remove the clams from their packet, and run clean, cold water through them in a colander. Strain them softly.
4. Put the clams in the bowl with the egg and mix well.
5. Add a generous amount of oil on a somewhat deep frying pan, under medium heat.
6. Take a big handful of the clams from the egg bowl, and make sure you strain excess egg liquid. Add them to the flour bowl, and mix well until they’re well-coated.
7. Fry for ~3 minutes, turning them 2-3 times. Don’t overcook them, and make sure they don’t turn very brown. Nut flour oxidizes very easily and becomes toxic when browns too much.
8. Remove the clams when done on a clean plate. Add more oil to replace the one that the clams absorbed. Follow step #6 until all the batches are done. You might need to add more flour if you have lots of clams.
9. Serve hot. Use Sriracha hot sauce, or lemon, to add additional flavor. Goes great with a raw green salad.

In addition to learning that I’m possibly celiac (well, more than possible), I also put braces on my teeth this week. I have a crooked tooth since I was a kid, and now this really needs fixing. My parents were very poor, and could not afford braces for me, while later in life I was hit with more serious health problems, so my teeth took the backseat. Well, now that I’m healthy again overall, it’s time for that overdue fixing. But of course, I’m in pain, and I can’t eat properly. But thinking about it, it has its benefits too:

– It teaches you to cut the food in small portions. I used to gulp down huge pieces.
– It teaches you to chew slowly. I used to chew minimally, and have eating manners that would resemble wild animals.
– It teaches you to brush your teeth after eating. I’d only brush before going to bed.
– It teaches you to floss every night. I used to floss 2-3 times a week usually.
– It teaches you to not snack. Because if you do, you’d have to brush your teeth, again.

My new braces, new glasses, and an old friend

So, that’s how I’m going to learn good manners: by having braces for the next 2 years of my life.

This guide shows how to cook animal and poultry hearts, liver, and gizzards in 4-5 different ways. It’s very easy, and the variation between all the different ways is small.

Pork heart with king trumpet mushrooms a’la creme

Ingredients for the main recipe (for 2)
* 400 gr of hearts or liver (from either lamb, goat, beef, pork)
* 100 gr of Eryngii (king trumpet/oyster) mushrooms OR 1 large onion OR 1 bell pepper
* A handful of fresh spinach [optional]
* 2 tbspoons crème fraîche or European style sour cream (probiotic)
* 1 tbspoon coconut oil
* Salt & black pepper (or Hungarian paprika)

Method
1. Cut the hearts or liver in thin 0.5″ vertical slices. Wash them.
2. Wash and cut the mushrooms in vertical stripes. If you’re using the onion or peppers instead, cut them as you would onion rings, horizontally.
3. If your heart or liver is from beef or pork, consider boiling it for 30 minutes first, and then discard that water. This will make them less smelly. Young goat/sheep offal doesn’t smell bad, so that step is not required.
4. Heat the coconut oil in medium heat, and stir-fry the heart until it’s golden brown and almost cooked through.
5. Add the mushrooms (or onions, or bell peppers), and stir-fry them until they get golden brown too.
6. Add the spinach, and stir for 5-10 seconds.
7. Turn off the heat, remove from hot stove. Add salt and pepper. Add the crème fraîche, stir well. Serve hot!

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Alternative way after step #4 above (Greek style):
5. Add the juice of a lemon, salt, pepper, and 1 tablespoon of oregano.
6. Stir well. Serve with potato, sweet potato, or vegetable fries.

Note: The Greek style version of the recipe is also applicable to pork belly! That’s how we eat it in Greece!

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Alternative way after step #4, for poultry hearts/liver/gizzards:

5. Pour everything into a cooking pan.
6. Chop down a small onion. Stir-fry it for 1 minute.
7. Add 1 cup of tomato sauce (or chopped, fresh tomatoes), and 1 cup of water.
8. Add some chopped parsley, salt, and pepper.
9. Cover, and cook until most liquid has vaporized.
10. Serve with baked spaghetti squash. The picture below shows it with rice, but that’s an old picture of mine, before I stopped eating grains. The rest of the recipe is as described though.

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Finally, an alternative way to do gizzards, as a stew, can be found here.

I’m living in the San Mateo county for over 10 years now. I don’t know why it took Paleo/Primal, 1.5 years ago, to find all this amazing food around me. I was always complaining that I can’t find this or that in my area (usually sheep offal), but now that I’m actually actively searching, I’ve found nearly everything that I want. Here are my weekly stops now in San Mateo:

– 99 Ranch: most types of fish/shellfish (compared to 5-6 kinds in mainstream supermarkets, these guys are kings of wild fish and shellfish), frog legs, rabbit, pheasant, quail, squab, duck, (old) stewing hens, pork rinds (snack), pork belly (way better than bacon), duck gizzards, pork hearts, cheap mushrooms, amaranth greens, dried seaweed, avocado, fresh herbs, non-GMO mung bean sprouts (yes, they’re Paleo).

– Trader Joe’s: kale chips, goat milk for my kefir, organic free-range eggs, cheese, almond meal, organic chicken, berries, cheap bananas, mache salad, nuts, smoked oyster cans in olive oil, grass-fed ground beef, wild salmon cans (go for Alaskan, it’s healthier), 82% dark chocolate, fermented creme-fraiche, European style full-fat yogurt (now, that’s REAL yogurt), organic sweet potatoes, organic ketchup, mustard, grass-fed butter, spring water.

– Mediterranean shop: lamb/goat meat and offal (the butcher there doesn’t know if they’re pastured, but most are), Greek Mountain Tea, feta, chestnuts, canned cod liver, spices.

– San Mateo’s Farmer’s Market: most veggies/fruits, *raw* local honey, pastured beef & bones (pastured offal runs out fast), duck eggs (you must specifically ask for them from the lady there, she has them hidden), French deli, sauerkraut/kimchi, wild forest pig sausage, grass-fed offal/bones from the meat stand.

– Costco: wild sardines cans, seaweed/calamari salads, organic chicken, some wild seafood, coconut oil, (true) olive oil, olives, beef for jerky, gluten-free jerky, bacon, spring water.

– Mollie Stone’s: Cheap prosciuto (in bag), cheap bones for bone broth.

– Dollar Tree: oysters can, mussels can (strain their vegetable seed oil, and use them with olive oil in a salad).

– Whole Foods: buffalo steak, organic Tamari, kelp noodles, and some special-interest things that we might need rarely.

– Piazza’s: calf’s liver (more nutritious than other livers), local soy-free dark chocolate, fruits/veggies on their reduced-price aisle (it’s hidden behind the veggie aisle), European-style sour cream (probiotic). Too expensive for anything else.

– Draeger’s: Fresh crab, deli meat. Too expensive for anything else.

Our pheasant feast last Sunday

The only things that I still *can’t* find in my area are: sorrel, purslane, wild greens, wild (bitter) fruits, some types of berries, pastured offal, Saint-Jacques shellfish, deer, venison, more buffalo meat, horse meat, guinea-fowl, boar, antelope, kangaroo, emu, ostrich, turtle meat, insects, larvae worms.

I did find alligator meat at 99Ranch though. Not interested…