Sprouting Into Freedom

If I was happy I would drink. Sad, lonely, grab a drink. Best way to meet new people, avoid people but be amongst them…alcohol was my best friend that I was secretly ashamed of. Alcohol fed my silence and my hiding from the Truth. I couldn’t fully step into my true confidence until I chose to start living in coherence with my values.

Even though Ferm Fatale was inspired by a moment of isolation, the true isolation came in my self abandonment every time I neglected my healing by numbing my pain with alcohol. I was using alcohol to cope…out of habit more than anything. I thought alcohol-free meant boring, that I couldn’t function socially without it despite forging a whole new drink category. I was still living in boomer technology IOS.

Alcohol-free living has been anything but boring! The clarity I feel coupled with the genuine attention to my spiritual life and the presence I feel from just eliminating a few glasses of wine a week has been incredibly freeing. As I claim an alcohol-free lifestyle I embrace life more by saying yes to me! I can still go to a bar I love, but what I love most is the fresh inspiration to do new activities at night that I wouldn’t ordinarily wouldn’t be doing as much like biking, sunset beach walking, infrared sauna or going out to dinner to have water with lemon in a wine glass anyway. This has been incredibly empowering for me. I remember what it took to break the habit of smoking in my late twenties after 15 yrs of closet smoking and feeling shame with that behavior that didn’t line up with my values. Truth is just the short period of time I have been alcohol free I already see how just a small amount was limiting me for being present for myself first and foremost. It was like my boundaries and inhibitions went right out the window with just one drink and one around certain people or in a certain mood meant 2-3 which always resulted in hangxiety, candida flareups, and most of all shame, regret, and lack of presence. As I sprout into this newly found sense of freedom I am enthusiastic for showing up for myself in the way only I could to nurture the little girl that was scapegoated and gaslit for so many years by a toxic, abusive, codependent family that has not healed their own trauma so how could I expect them to be compassionate for mine? We need to be our own best friends, advocates, and parents that weren’t able to nurture us the way we deserved to be. All we have is the now. Growth means laying down the old stories so you have your hands free to harness the present moment.

Sprouts are the young greens, typically only days old, whose seeds have just germinated and begun to develop stems and leaves only a couple of inches in length, that already contain a mad amount of vitamins, minerals, and essential amino acids for their age. They are high in vitamin K, many B vitamins like niacin, riboflavin, thiamin, folate, and pantothenic acid, as well as vitamin C and vitamin A. There are a variety of different sprouts, including bean, broccoli, beets, and pea sprouts rich in minerals like zinc, calcium, manganese, and copper.

Sprouting nuts, seeds, and grains makes them not only more bioavailable but it releases certain amino acids that supports the digestion and assimilation of the vitamins and minerals they contain that cannot be absorbed without sprouting.

Health benefits of sprouts

1. Sprouts help you fight illness and are anticancer

2. Sprouts help with hormones, acne, and PMS

3. Sprouts support healthy digestion

4. Sprouts detox the liver.

5. Sprouts improve insulin resistance

6. Sprouts boost the immune system and wart off viruses

How to incorporate sprouts into your diet

Sprouts can be incorporated into meals, and eaten, in a variety of ways. They’re great for adding texture, flavor, and color to different dishes.

Toss broccoli sprouts into a smoothie along with water, banana, and ripe mango for a tropical and nutritious treat in the morning. Amplify it with a scope of raw coconut yogurt! If you are looking for something more savory, try an open-faced sandwich with hummus and avocado topped with a nutty crunch depending on the variety of sprout.

Another quick and healthy lunch: toss a handful of alfalfa sprouts or whatever sprouts you have on hand, along with a fresh bunch of arugula, pistachios, and a sprinkle of pomegranate seeds for antioxidants and color. Dress it with a bit of non filtered apple cider vinegar, olive oil, and lemon juice. And that's it— you’ve got yourself a nutrient-packed salad for lunch. Wash it down with a Shrub-Bucha and 15 minutes of sunshine on your face and boom!—-Move over Popeye!

Facts about sprouted nuts & seeds

• Sprouted nuts and seeds release enzyme inhibitors.
• One of the biggest benefits of sprouting grains, beans, legumes, nuts, and seeds is to decrease the presence of all anti-nutrients meaning they prevent cancer.
• Sprouting seeds helps with digestion and nutrient availability and absorption, but may also reduce the amount of starch they contain and even boost their nutritional value.

How to Sprout Nuts & Seeds

Soak raw nuts in salt and water for at least 12 hrs. Dehydrate them in the oven at a low temperature or use an excalibur dehydrator and toss them with oil, herbs, and spices if you fancy. Soaking then dehydrating them helps break down much of the phytic acid to make the nutrients in the nuts and seeds more available. Sprout nuts, soak seeds like chia in coconut water overnight or add them to coconut milk to make chia pudding. Sprout legumes and grains to unlock the hidden nutrients of these foods to support optimal nutrient absorption.

So, what are you clearing out in your life to make space for new growth this Spring? What are you surrendering? What isn’t serving your personal Truth to fortify the soil of your life’s garden? Need some inspiration? Check out our new online digital course to support living the life you love living while aligning your heart with your mind and gut. Sprout into your own personal freedom. Live Clean, Drink Dirty!

XO,