A Happy, Holistic Green Day

I am greatly disappointed about the divide between ethical Vegans and health Vegans. I hate that there is a battle between the two groups regarding their reasons for being Vegan. Personally, I do not care about the reason why people decide to go Vegan, since their actions have such a positive effect on the world around them. As an ethical Vegan, I find it important to understand the other group's logic, so I can work to close the gap between us. To do so, I attended a lovely "youthful living" health fair at a Holistic health facility called RakSa.

When I first arrived, I was greeted promptly and asked if I wanted to sign up for a free acupuncture session and a facial consultation. I was then directed to a huge buffet of free raw food.

The food was so beautifully presented, with a colorful assortment of luscious berries and grapes, juicy tomatoes and bell peppers and decadent nutty truffles. There was also a smooth, creamy hummus to dip everything into.

I felt so invigorated after eating the fresh food. I found myself going back for several more rounds.

In addition to the amazing spread, the owner of Cafe Gratitude was also on hand sampling some delicious raw caprese bruschetta.

The bread was very crunchy with a slight olive flavor. It was salted perfectly. The cashew cheese was very creamy and mimicked mozzarella very well. The tomato chunk was sweet and juicy and was topped with a lovely garnish, which added a subtle spice. The balsamic reduction took the dish over the top, added an even sweeter, heavenly flavor.

After my stomach felt satisfied, I allowed my mind and body nourishment. I attended various panel discussions which emphasized the importance of a whole foods plant based diet for a complete well-being both emotionally and physically. It was interesting to hear each panelist's view on how our diets affect our health and our beauty. I would have loved to hear more of their perspective about the environmental impact of our diets, as this would have fit into the holistic practice very well.

Lastly, I headed upstairs for my free facial consultation and acupuncture session. Both left my body feeling even more amazing than when I arrived. I was way less stressed and my skin was radiant. The combination of the treatments and raw food left me in a blissful, empowered state. I was even more happy that I did not pay a single cent for this event. I cannot wait to attend another open house. It seems that this organization has them every few months. In addition, they offer yoga and tai chi classes and allow new customers to try one for free!