SHAMANS IN THE RAW

Carlson's Fish Oil-yummy!

2011-11-07T06:35:00.002-07:00

If you are not into fish oils, or have trouble taking them, try Carlson's fish oil, in the blue glass bottle. It's available at WHOLE FOODS. It's pricey, but well worth it. Get the lemon flavored. My roommate's five year old daughter turned me onto this one!! She loves her 'yummy oil'. That impressed me. So I had to try it too and she's right!

This is how we take it:

Mix 1 TBS Carlson's fish oil (Whole Foods)

1 TBS ground almond flour (Trader Joe's has a great one)

1 TBS ground coconut (Whole Foods and Trader Joe's)

This turns into 2+ portions of yummy raw dough-which is really scrummie!

Try it! Especially if you don't like drinking fish oil.

No after taste at all! Hey, if a five year old likes it, you can too!

I mix two doses and put one in a small container in the fridge for the next day.

The Soup Season - Raw carrot soup with yogurt and dill

2011-11-06T11:25:00.000-07:00

Break out the VITAMIX and start adding raw soups to your daily diet. Raw soups are different from juicing as they include the fiber. Make sure you peel and wash before adding to the blender! These are really satisfying in the winter!

RAW CARROT SOUP with yogurt and dill

5 carrots-washed and peeled, the ends nipped off and cut into 2" pieces
1 onion-peeled and quartered
6+ cloves of roasted garlic with the oil (if you are a purest and want to use raw only, add 2 garlic cloves, or to taste)
2 stalks celery, washed and cut into 2" pieces
1 tsp turmeric
2 tsp chopped basil ( fresh if you have it)
3 cups filtered water
salt and pepper to taste
Splash of olive oil or oil of choice

Add before serving:
Dollup of plain greek yogurt
sprinkle of dill

Put everything in the VITAMIX except the spices and whirl on medium until blended.
Then keep blending for 2 min more and add spices while blending. At the very end, add the oil and whirl it a bit more.

Remember if you blend on high with the VITAMIX it will 'cook' the soup in just 4 minutes, so be careful! The motor is so fast that it will literally take the mixture to a boil!

This makes enough for several portions so I divide it out and stock it in the fridge. Since it's a raw soup it doesn't need to be 'heated' to eat, so it's a great dish to take to work for lunch. This soup is great with Trader Joe's seaweed chips, or more celery stalks, and you can put a dollup of plain yogurt on it to doll it up and a sprinkle of dill.

If you like a thinner soup, just add more water. You can also add some vegetable bullion if you want more flavor but I find it really tasty like this.

GARLIC for life!

2011-10-03T16:21:00.000-06:00

Being Greek, we love garlic. I don't find the smell offensive, I love the taste. But garlic has so many life enhancing, and health enhancing benefits you can't even imagine. I think that if you do nothing else but add garlic daily to your diet you will feel a difference.

But! I just did a radical self healing intervention, with great success and I want to share it.

Some history:

I've always seemed to have a bit of athelete's foot. I watch it, and control it, but it doesn't seem to go. Years and years if you know what I mean. But, since going to the east coast every month, and it being much more humid there than the high desert I am in normally, my feet are where I have noticed it the most!

It's too hot to wear socks or nylons, and we are mandated to wear close toed shoes in the medical office. My feet have gotten so unhappy over this situation that I can't even tell you because it's gross.

In June I spent a month back in Utah, and I systematically tried it all. Aztec clay, bentonite clay masks, MMS multiple times a day, MMS and DMSO. MMS/DMSO and aztec clay. I did oregano oil, I did baking soda, I did epsom salts. I did Vitamin C, vitamin E, I added Alpha lipoic acid. I did sweats with niacin. I did ionic footbaths. I juiced green juice every day. By the end of a month of lots of work, they were clear and lovely.

Then I went back to the east coast and in just 3 weeks, they looked the same! So treating them from the outside, didn't help. I realized too that now my nose, eyes and throat and even inside my ears were feeling itchy. Did I have seasonal allergies? I never usually do, but that means that my immune system is low and the fungus is becoming systemic.

I decided to treat it from the inside. The fungus was a result of an imbalance in my intestinal system. Ok then I would treat my intestines and assist my liver in processing out the toxic buildup. And I only had a week to do it.

This time I did garlic. I was craving it when I got off the plane. I had a dream about garlic. I went to Costco and bought a HUGE container of peeled whole garlic cloves. Then I baked them at 350 degrees, uncovered, for 45 mins. bathed liberally in olive oil, balsamic, and various spices including lots of oregano, basil, thyme, sage, some cayenne, salt and pepper. Yum!

And then: I ate the whole pan over the course of 4 days. It was amazing. It not only tasted wonderful but my body craved it! I couldn't stop eating it. I'm talking about eating like 30 garlic cloves at a time! I wrapped them in leaves of bib lettuce, I ate them plain. I added them to crackers. I ate them and ate them.

Now the downside is you create some amazing gas! This is from the die off of the bad bacteria in the intestinal tract from the allicin. It's a good thing. But wow!

Taking 1/4 - 1/2 tsp of baking soda in a glass of water a couple of hours after a meal will alkalize the intestinal tract that has been overly acid, without neutralizing your stomach acids which need to stay acid. And eating apples will help with smelling like garlic although it is really not bad at all.

Remember: if you are belching: your stomach is too acidy.

If you fart: your intestinal tract is too acidy. And both are helped with a pinch of baking soda in your water. (plop plop fizz fizz) remember?

I had gas, but no diarrhea at all. Interestingly enough-garlic is a CURE for diarrhea.

I also added 2,000 C a few times a day (with no intestinal upset by the way), and at night took 300 alpha lipoic acid to help my body with the release of the toxic die off. I also did a few sweats with niacin. I have done the ionic footbaths, and I don't have a juicer this time around so no juice.

The cooked garlic tastes amazing if I do say so myself! By the 2nd day the gas was down by half. By the 4th day the craving was down and there was no gas. AND the upside is my feet look beautiful! BETTER than before, without my doing anything to them. Yep, no fungal treatments, no medications. Just GARLIC and a lot of it.

You will read in other places that it has to be fresh, it has to be crushed, for the allicin and diallyl sulfides to be active...blah blah blah. I bet those are written by people that haven't actually ever taken it! EAT the real thing. The body knows what to do with the real substance. So don't confuse it. And start slowly and pay attention to your body. I happen to know mine, and I know that garlic agrees with me.

I'm also not afraid of a little gas and a little smell for a short time. I realize it means that there is a biochemical action happening inside my body! I think of it as an exorcism of a foreign invader-the fungus.

GARLIC is a natural antibiotic! It's antiviral, antifungal, antibacterial. It is good for the blood, and the immune system.

All I can tell you-it's great for my FEET! Today, day 4, my feet are beautiful, I've stopped sneezing, my eyes are no longer itchy, I can breathe easier, and while my nose is still a bit itchy, I have about 20 cloves left in the kitchen for tonight!

Magnesium

2011-10-03T14:51:00.002-06:00

Someone recently asked me about Magnesium. The question was which TYPE of Magnesium should we take? It's a great question because there is a plethora of Magnesium at the health food store. Enough to truly and completely confuse us.

I've always thought we needed more Mag than we get, and I remember reading that they reduced the RDA during WW2 because they were afraid there wouldn't be enough Mg to make bombs for the war. They've never changed the rates btw. Guess they were anticipating more wars! How right they were.

It occurred to me however, that since then, almost all of the diseases that have increased since the 1940s seem to have a link to low levels of Magnesium and can be helped by increasing magnesium levels.

Heart disease is now the leading cause of death in women-low magnesium can cause heart arrhythmias. Add magnesium ladies and gentlemen!
Colon cancers, digestive issues and bowel issues have all increased: Add magnesium for colon care. It relaxes the intestinal tract and alkalizes.
Anxiety, depression, PTSD, mood swings, PMS: Add magnesium, because it helps nerves and nerve endings, brain function and balance. Without it, the brain hyper-statics. (My word for how it feels.)
Osteoporosis: more magnesium helps the body use the calcium. We need an 1:1 ratio. But most over the counter selections are HALF the mag to Ca.
Sleep issues: if you are low in Mg your sleep is restless. Add Mg gel to your feet, or Natural Calm before bedtime.
Muscle cramps and restless leg syndrome: yep, magnesium!

"I n a s t u d y o f m o r e t h a n 2 0 0 p a t i e n t s , D r W . Davis used magnesium chloride as a possible means of combatting insomnia. The researcher reported that sleep was induced rapidly and was uninterrupted, and that waking tiredness disappeared in 99 per cent of the patients. In addition, anxiety and tension diminished during the day."

But you know what has happened since WW2? We started creating medical solutions for the symptoms. And some of them are pretty big-pacemakers for the heart, hormone replacement therapies, a ton of pharmacology solutions for depression and moods.

Parkinsons-like tremors have been reduced with Mg.
Sleep issues have been cleared by adding Mg at night.

"If magnesium levels are low, the nerves lose control over muscle activity, respiration and mental processes. Nervous fatigue, tics and twitches, tremors, irritability, h y p e r s e n s i t i v i t y, m u s c l e s p a s m s , r e s t l e s s n e s s , a n x i e t y , confusion, disorientation and irregular heartbeat all respond to increased magnesium intake."

The answer: look for Magnesium chloride.
Don't bother with Magnesium oxide. We only utilize about 4%.

For more on Magnesium, read the article below: fascinating!

http://www.health-science-spirit.com/MagChlor.pdf

Virgin Coconut Oil for Thyroid Health

2011-10-03T09:10:00.003-06:00

Virgin Coconut Oil is composed of primarily medium chain fatty acids, unlike many other vegetable oils that are composed of long chain fatty acids.

Longer chain fatty acids tend to oxidize quickly and become rancid. For this reason, food manufacturers have hydrogenated these types of oils for years to make them more shelf-stable.

But the process of hydrogenating vegetable oils has produced trans fatty acids, which are not readily found within nature, and have now been determined as a danger to our health.

The FDA started requiring food manufacturers to list trans fatty acids in their labels in January of 2006. People concerned about thyroid health should avoid trans fatty acids.

The medium chain fatty acids found in Virgin Coconut Oil, on the other hand, are very stable and not prone to oxidation. Virgin Coconut Oil does not contain trans fatty acids.

The medium chain fatty acids found in Virgin Coconut Oil support:

immune system health

thyroid health

hormone balance

increases the body's metabolism

increases energy levels

normalizes digestion and absorption

Start the Day with Green Juice

2011-06-24T10:38:00.000-06:00

I figured out what my standard green juice runs in calories, ready?

It's pretty cool!

1. spinach 1c = 7 cal

2. romaine 1c = 8 cal

3. celery 1c = 16 cal

4. apple 1 = 55 cal

5. lemon 1 = 61 cal (I use half)

5. cuke 1/2 = 8 cal

6. kale 1c = 34 cal (more than other greens)

if you add carrots, it's 30 calories per. If you add a beet, it's 58 calories.

My big ol green juice is 2c spinach, 2c romaine, 1/2 cucumber, 1c kale, 3c celery, 1 apple, 1/2 a lemon. Slice of ginger is 2 calories.

That means my big green juice is only 207 calories!

Type II Diabetes in Adults and Cinnamon!

2011-02-04T22:54:00.000-07:00

Cinnamon may be the best thing to add to your diet if you are concerned about your blood sugar levels, according to Dr. Wright's Newsletter. Yep, all types of cinnamon have been proven to regulate glucose metabolism in his research team's experiments.

His suggestion is to boil cinnamon in water, pour it through cheescloth to separate off the fat soluble fractions and discard the solids.

You can also use a cinnamon dirivative, MHCP, in supplement form.

Are you prone to type II diabetes?
Possible signs of a tendency towards type II-

1. skin tags
2. weight gain
3. shin spots (brownish red or yellow discolorations on the shins)
4. curling of the fingers towards the palms
5. high blood pressure
6. elevated cholesterol and triglyceride levels
7. a family history

Taking MCHP if on insulin should allow you to take less insulin.
Always consult with your doctor though!

Turtle Rock Farm

2010-10-12T22:34:00.001-06:00

If anyone gets out to Red Rock, Oklahoma, take a rest at this lovely farm that's available for groups, retreats, workshops and for healing work.

www.turtlerockfarmretreat.com

is run by an Energy Kinesiology friend and associate of ours named Ann McFarron and her sister Pat Hoerth, and it's really beautiful! Take a look at their amazing land, farm and their projects including GREEN building. The land has been in their family for 111 years, and Ann and Pat have developed it into an amazing retreat center. This is truly inspiring.

Cabbage Juice

2010-09-28T19:02:00.000-06:00

Cabbage has sinigrin-which is a glucosinolate that has received a lot of attention in cancer prevention research, especially colon, bladder and prostate cancers.

The best way are raw-cooked cabbage failed to really show measurable results. If you must cook, steam it and don't microwave it.

British Scientists at the University of Leicestealso say that eating brussel sprouts and cabbage can kill cancer cells when combined with chemotherapy.

Indole-3-carbinol (13C) could be a powerful cancer fighter and were found to make breast cancer tumors more vulnerable to chemotherapy drugs. They fed cancer cells shopping carts worth of cabbage to get that result-but! JUICING will get more into you than eating.

Remember-cabbage juice will be very strong!

Eating raw vs. Being a raw foodist

2010-09-26T12:11:00.001-06:00

I thought this was interesting and really, who wants labels?

I’ve eaten a mostly live-food/raw food diet for almost 9 years now. I must be honest with you, it has been wonderful and at the same time a
great challenge.

The challenge came from HOW to make it actually work for me and my body.
It turns out that the raw food diet is really NOT for everyone. It took
me a while to really learn this. Like many others, I identified with
BEING a “raw-foodist”.

And that’s where I would like to expose one of the biggest mistakes people make when getting on a raw food diet.

Here it is: You become a ‘Raw Foodist” as opposed to just eating raw foods.

Let me explain. The biggest crutch I see in the raw food community has
nothing to do with food, and everything to do with identity. This
happens in a lot of dietary communities. People identify with their
diets, and what happens is that their diets become a form of religion.

And or course, like any religion, if you question it, if you decide to
try something different, you are seen as if you’re sinning, as if what
you’re doing is just plain wrong.

I know this from experience. If you’re reading this article, I just want
to point this out so you don’t fall into this trap. Yes, this is a
trap. It’s a trap your Ego sets up for you. The Ego thrives on judgment.
If you can eat what is best for you at any given moment, drop the label
and identity that goes with a diet, you will experience more freedom
and inner peace.

Again, the biggest mistake I see people making when eating a raw food
diet is getting identified with BEING a “raw foodist”. I don’t want to
burst your bubble here, but I can assure you…this is NOT who you really
are. You are far beyond and prior to a label.

This is my calling to you, to be free to be WHO you really are.
Eat what is best for you in the moment. Step back from judging so much,
and simply allow. And if you’re criticized for this…it means you’re on
the right track. :)

Create a beautiful day!
Joshua BenAvides
"The High Vibe Coach"

Raw nut butters

2010-09-24T11:32:00.000-06:00

Make your own raw nut butters in a blender or food processor. Buy the raw nuts in the bulk section of your grocery store; make sure the label on the bin states raw. Soak 1 cup of nuts in purified water overnight, drain, and dehydrate until dry (this is easiest to do in a dehydrator set at 105 degrees F, but you can also use your oven on the lowest setting with the door slightly open). Toss into the food processor with 1 teaspoon of Celtic sea salt and 1 tablespoon of raw agave nectar or - if you're not vegan - raw honey. Add as much water as necessary and blend until smooth. A little raw virgin coconut oil will also make it smoother and more spreadable.

from a posting I found: http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/379526/raw_foods_for_the_crayon_crowd.html?cat=25

Living in A Dehydrator

2010-09-08T08:37:00.000-06:00

As I'm getting ready to leave for Las Vegas for a few days I realize that the way the weather is there, and here too-it's like living IN a dehydrator! With raw food, you shouldn't heat the food above 105 degrees. That is the temperature there, even at night! So, leaving the food out overnight would do it really. I remember last year when I went in Oct, it was still 115 degrees at 10pm. I felt like I was inside an oven.

And you know, I was! If that heat is too high to cook in-because it kills the live enzymes-wondering what it does to the human body? To our skin, to our hair, to the outside of us, and what about to the inside of us? Our body has to work harder to maintain a core homeostasis. Fevers KILL viruses and bacteria, and cooking food does the same thing.

I made the raw cranberry cookies last night to take with us on the drive and I left them on the counter with a towel over them simply because I crashed and had to go to bed-and this morning they are absolutely perfect. That tells me if we live in a low humidity climate, dehydrator times may really vary. If the recipe calls for 12 hours perhaps we need to experiment? EVEN with simply covering and leaving out overnight.

Come to think of it, I've always dried my herbs by harvesting, washing and hanging them in bundles upside in my laundry room or laying them on clean window screens in the sunshine.

AND I recently cut the rind off of several lemons before juicing and I just put the peel on a tray in the sunshine and in 2 days it was absolutely dry. Who needs a dehydrator when you live in one!

Cranberry Pecan Raw Cookies

2010-09-07T21:00:00.001-06:00

The dry base:

1 cup oatmeal
1 cup pecans
I/2 cup coconut flakes
2 tbs maca
1/4 cup flax meal
1 tbs cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg

To this add:
20 dried dates - pitted
1 cup fresh cranberries
(if you like it tart, add more)
honey to taste

remember cranberries are tart-so you might want to offset this with agave as well, to taste. Personally, I like the tart taste.

Using the fresh berries, these are wetter than if you would be if using dried.

Coating;
1 cup pecans
1/2 c coconut
grind coarse

Make the dough into balls and then roll them in the coating and flatten. This will help with some of the added moisture if you used fresh cranberries.

You can put these in the dehydrator for 5 hours, or you can use dried cranberries and no dehydrator. AND if you live in Utah or Arizona-who needs a dehydrator! Leave them out overnight...
enjoy!

Buckwheat Crispy Treats

2010-09-07T19:39:00.004-06:00

this is a recipe from Kyoko from San Francisco. She was the winner of The Raw Food Worlds contest of the month.

My essential raw food recipe is the 'Buckwheat Crispy' treats I eat as snacks and on my travels. I'm sure a lot of raw food eaters are familiar with this type of simple recipe.
All the ingredients are organic.

2 cups Hulled Buckwheat
1/2 C. pumpkin seeds
1/2 C. sunflower seeds
1/2 C. each of Golden raisins, Goji berries, and Inca berries
optional: seasonal fruits of your choice

Soak buckwheat and seeds in a bowl over night. Rinse it and drain the water. Let them sprout for a day or two as you rinse a few more times in between.

Soak the raisins and berries in a glass jar.

Put the sprouted mixture in the dehydrator for 5 - 8 hours depending on how dry you'd like. They will come out very crispy and crunchy. Offer a small portion to God (I call him, 'Baba'), and put it back in the big batch. Store the mixture in a glass jar.

For enjoying as a morning cereal or afternoon snack, I add the soaked raisins and berries on top, some protein powder, Chlorella, cinnamon powder (about a teaspoon!), some Himalayan salt, a banana or a ripe avocado (both if I am really in the mood) and some chunks of coconut butter. If I wanted to take more liquid in a day, I put warm water and let everything soak for half an hour or more. I mix everything and it looks like a big green goo which tastes more like an ice cream treat!

Ginger Walnut Raw Cookies

2010-09-05T22:21:00.003-06:00

Make these simple raw cookies to take to lunch with you or have on hand with that afternoon cup of tea. One of the best things about raw food is it is guiltless. You can have that sweet treat because there is no processed sugar and no dairy or wheat.

1 cup oatmeal
1 cup walnuts (if you use almonds, soak them. I don't like to soak walnuts, but that's up to you)
15-20 soaked dates, (drain and reserve the water)
1/2 cup candied ginger slices (I like to use the candied ginger, but you can certainly use fresh ginger)
1/2 cup shredded coconut
2 Tbs maca
2 Tbs ground flax meal
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla

Into the food processor put all the ingredients, except the date water. Grind until it forms a nice dough, coarse, but sticks together. IF it doesn't, add a tsp of the date water at a time unitl the mixture will hold it's shape. Remove and form into cookies. You can roll into balls, or I use my 1 TBS measuring spoon to form the cookies.

I just bought a rubber candy mold from Michael' s that makes square shapes. You can fill the mold and then put in the fridge for awhile so the are firm.

Decorate the top with a sliver of ginger and a sprinkle of cinnamon! You do not need to use the dehydrator for these.

Essential oils

2010-09-05T08:52:00.000-06:00

Okay as many of you know I have been using doTerra Essential Oils since Janurary and I have just been to convention, so naturally you get more motivated. Essential oils are just like the herbs Joy has been talking about. You can use the oils in your cooking you can use the topically, internally and you can defuse them. I will be outing some information together about the oils and posting it, but right now I want to tell you doTerra has now produced a non-chemical shampoo and creme rinse. The concerns we all have for the toxins we put in and on your body, so here is an option I have already tried it and I have to say I loved it. I remember when I eas a kid that my mom said that you know your hair is clean it will squeak, yes, I started to laugh in the shower my hair was squeaking. Oh, my gosh and the smells of the essential oils used..shampoo is citrus blends, creme rinse is peppermint and other oils. It is a aromatherapy treatment just by washing your hair. The bonus is non harmful ingredients.
I tried a wonderful stomach wake up this morning. I have read in aryvedic literature to drink warm water with raw honey first thing in the morning so I tried it today along with a few drops of lemon oil and a new oil lime, wow I think I could drink this all day long.
Lemon is a good internal cleanser as well as lime which also is good for the joints and for seasonal flu's.
I don't want to sound like a commercial but the new oils that doTerra has developed are huge for fighting virus's and it getting to be that time of year her is an alternative to staying healthy. Also skin issues, cuts, burns wounds.
The bug arsenal:
Melissa - kills virus's, elevates moods, and helps with stomach discomforts.
Lime - seasonal bugs

Skin issues:
Patchouli - wounds, tissue repair inside and out.
Clear Skin - facial blemishes, itchy scalp, unsightly nail beds

I have to say that a lady had two cuts on her finger at conference and they put the Clear Skin on and before then end of the day the cut they used the Clear Skin on was almost healed.

Just one short story - two year old child having seizures, the doctors loaded her up with meds. Child then couldn't hardly walk or talk. The family was introduced to Frankincense, they began liberally applying it to her feet, within a short amount of time the child could once again walk and talk and no longer has seizures.
There is now tons of research on what Frankincense can do for Cancer, now we see that it can renew cells and change peoples lives. This is an oil that has been with us since ancient times and now science is proving the ancients knew what they were doing.

Cumin

2010-09-01T15:19:00.000-06:00

I was curious about cumin since it isn't a spice I'm used to using. I DID have it in my cupboard though, in two forms; ground and whole seeds. I also have 3 different curry powders.

The ancient Egyptians used cumin as did the Greeks, Lebanese and Romans. It's mentioned in the Bible, both old and new testaments and you could use it to pay your taxes!

*Cumin contains iron, calcium, phosphorus, potassium, thiamine, sodium, riboflavin, niacin, C and A.
*Cumin is good for: digestive issues.
*Here's a recipe for insomnia: mix a tsp of cumin powder with mashed banana and take at bedtime.
*Take cumin and ginger for sore throats.
*Cumin improves the memory so it must be good for the brain.

Tabouleh Salad Recipe

2010-09-01T12:20:00.002-06:00

I like these videos by Rita Heikenfeld. She has 77 of them on line and they are well made.
The quality is good, and although she isn't all raw, she has some great tips and information and recipes.
Here is one that is raw though:

Rinse your bulgar wheat three times, then let it sit until all the water is absorbed.
1 bunch Parsley
1 bunch green onions
fresh chopped tomatoes
bell pepper
radishes
english cucumber
chop them all fine, add wheat
add 2-3 tsp cumin,
fresh basil, fresh spearmint

Go on and watch some of her other videos-she has 77!

Note:
I added chopped garlic, sesame seeds and some chopped pine nuts to mine, and some cumin seeds. This is extremely good-and smells wonderful! Serve with crackers, melba toast rounds, or if you are raw, fill lettuce leaves with it, or sliced cucumbers instead of crackers.

Golden Green Juice

2010-09-01T08:48:00.003-06:00

1 apple

3 carrots

1/2 yellow beetroot (without skin) optional-add greentops

1/2 bunch parsley

1/2 bunch of cilantro

chunk of ginger

This is a great detox juice and pick me up when you are feeling a bit punk. I love beets, and the yellow beetroot is yummy! You can add 1/2 of wheatgrass too if you like.

Green Juice Recipe from Martha Stewart

2010-08-30T19:18:00.001-06:00

Even Martha is on the raw wagon and notice she is mixing fruit and vegetables

1/2 pear
1/2 apple
handful of spinach
handful of parsley
1 celery
1/2 cucumber
little bit of ginger
wedge of papaya

she uses our Breville juicer!

Green Juice with Taylor Wells

2010-08-30T19:13:00.001-06:00

Phoenix is now 3 and Taylor has just had twins! Phoenix is a raw baby, and her twins are also.

Here's her green juice recipe:
cucumber
celery
kale
broccoli
spinach
lemon

then add agave to sweeten (instead of apple)

Prana Cafe-

2010-08-30T19:00:00.001-06:00

Check this out- this is Taylor! And this is her raw food restaurant.

More on SALT

2010-08-30T09:32:00.001-06:00

We watched a documentary on salt the other night-coincidence? There is a restaurant that specializes in salt! I learned a lot. When we call in the information, it shows up in all sorts of ways.

While the spoke of table salt being refined and processed, they didn't mention that it is poisonous to the human body or detrimental in any way. I'm still not convinced that the bad publicity isn't a marketing ploy but hey, I like the taste of sea salt so we are experimenting.

My husband thought Morton's started around the 1930s. Do you know? The Umbrella girl first appeared in 1914-before our time. It's been around a long long time! And everyone knows that little symbol-that's a good one. BTW-it's registered, along with the slogan-when it rains it pours.

Even if you don't use it with your food, it has other uses so don't throw it out:
1. use it to clean. You can put it in your coffee pot with ice and lemon wedges and swish-we used to do this in the restaurants to make our coffee pots gleam.
2. freshen your cutting boards by sprinkling salt on them.
3. put salt in a large plastic bag and put your silk flowers in it. Close the bag and shake for awhile and the flowers will come out fresh!
4. If you are cooking fish and don't like that fish smell on your hands-rub salt on them to remove the smell.
5. Leave small dishes of salt in a room to absorb odors. You can add some essential oil or spice to it.
6. It's great at absorbing-pour it on spilled wine or on a dropped raw egg to make clean up fast and easy.
7. It removes rust-mix salt with lemon juice.
8. Mix with white vinegar to clean hard water deposits out of flower vases (white vinegar alone will do this too but you have to fill it)
9. you can even patch walls with it-mix with cornstarch. fill the hole, sand and paint.
10. we all remember salt dough don't we?
11. add a pinch to your coffee to cut the acid.

Just some of the ideas for what to do with table salt other than sprinkle it on your food.

Stuffed Portabello Mushrooms - Raw Recipe

2010-08-26T20:48:00.003-06:00

I made a cooked version the other night and then thought it could be easily adapted to raw. I was right!

3-4 Large Portabello Mushrooms - stems removed (and reserved for something else)
In a bowl with a lid, layer the mushroom caps with olive oil, balsamic vinegar. Cover and turn every few minutes while making the stuffing. Allow to marinate at least an hour, or overnight.

Stuffing:
Chop baby spinach leaves - a couple of handfuls
6 sprigs of fresh cilantro-chopped
4 leaves of basil - chopped
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup dried cherries
(or you can use raisins)
Balsamic vinegar and olive oil
salt, pepper, sprinkle of red peppers or cayenne to taste
Allow to marinate about an hour
then add:
1/2 cup feta cheese

Stuff the mushroom caps, and add some fresh raspberries to the top and serve!
Yummy
And this is great the next day for a lunch on the go.

Salty Thoughts

2010-08-24T10:10:00.001-06:00

The other day I spilled some salt on the counter. I took a pinch and threw it over my shoulder, to which my husband looked aghast at me and said "WHAT are you doing?" I had done it without thinking, instinctively, reflexively. I always have. I think I have. I can't recall, but I did this time.

I said, "My grandmother always did it. And my mother. Didn't yours?" An old English belief was that spilled salt meant future tears-so you throw a pinch over your shoulder so the tears are behind you. My Grandmother was English. I don't think the Italians have the same belief.

Apparently, because I googled it, the French and Germans think that the spilled salt is the work of the devil so you throw the salt to hit him in the eye. The Norwegians felt it meant you would shed many tears, and most felt that it was bad luck. I'm Greek. The Greeks worshipped salt and used it to make friends by eating salty foods with them. Ok so I'm half Greek. I feed people and I throw it over my shoulder for good measure.

Salt

2010-08-23T19:27:00.000-06:00

Pink Himalayan Salt â€“ 250 million year old salt.

What About Table Salt?

Table salt or sodium chloride is extremely toxic. Some table salt contains aluminum hydroxide (a toxic metal and a known cause of Alzheimer's). Regular table salt is usually iodized. Naturally occurring iodine is essential, but added iodine is considered a toxic metal.

What About Sea Salt?

The problem with sea salt is that many of the oceans waters are polluted with heavy metals like lead, cadmium, arsenic, mercury and more. Oil disasters and leaking tankers pollute our oceans even more. Today sea salt is not as good as it was in the past.

Himalayan Salt Contains Electrolytes

Electrolytes such as sodium, calcium and potassium help restore your bodies' fluids. Electrolytes are what your cells (especially nerve, heart and muscle) use to maintain voltages across cell membranes and to carry nerve impulses and muscle contractions across themselves and to other cells. Electrolytes have to be continually replaced whenever you sweat.

A Healer In Your Spice Rack

2010-08-21T09:40:00.002-06:00

In your spice rack you have an array of healing medicines. They have no harmful side effects and for the most part, will play nicely with others. You can cook with them, make teas and infusions, and you can add them to just about anything to boost your health.

Our Grandmothers were practical. They kept things on hand to take care of minor health imbalances and knew what they had on hand to help ease their children. We've forgotten so much of that simple wisdom. There were practical reasons for spicing foods besides flavor.

1. Bay leaves help with muscle aches and migraines. You can make a simple bay leaf olive oil by steeping 25-30 bay leaves in a small bottle of virgin olive oil and leaving it in a sunny window for a month. Smooth on joints and muscles to relieve pain.

2. Pour hot water over cinnamon sticks to make a medicinal tea to soothe an upset stomach and it aids with diabetes as it lowers blood sugar levels.

3. Garlic can lower cholesterol and is anti viral and anti bacterial.

4. Basil, oregano are powerful antioxidants and anti-parasiticals. They help with digestion, gas and bloating. Basil also benefits the brain and the heart as it increases blood circulation.

5. Turmeric has the ability to detox and support the liver. Turmeric is also a blood thinner. Curcumin is in curry powder and turmeric, and it is being studied for its ability to reduce brain plaque which causes among other things, Alzheimer's.

6. Sage is good for psoriasis. Steep into a tea and then put in a spray bottle and spray on.

7. Ginger can be made into a tea as a remedy for nausea and motion sickness. It's great if you are pregnant.

8. Peppermint is another good herb for indigestion as it soothes and relaxes the stomach. Make peppermint tea for nausea. Peppermint is also good for heartburn and for headaches.

9. Thyme is for coughs as it breaks up mucus. Did you know it's an ingredient in Vick's vapo rub?

10. Honey and cinnamon has so many positive benefits. Best to keep it on hand and use it all the time. Insect bites, blood thinner, arthritis pain, helps the immune system, helps the stomach. Add it to any of the teas above. Let's put it this way-honey is medicinal and white sugar does nothing positive for us.

Explore the world of herbs and understand what you have available at your fingertips. Enjoy learning about this amazing world! And it's so tasty too :)

Nectar of the Gods

2010-08-20T17:49:00.002-06:00

I love this smoothie. I would have one everyday if I could handle that much sugar.

One ripe fresh peach
One frozen ripe banana
One cup homemade almond milk
TBL of sweetener if not sweet enough from banana and peach

Blend until everything is smooth.

Zucchini Chips

2010-08-19T09:53:00.004-06:00

It's the zucchini time of year!
Day before yesterday I made three different recipes with zucchini. So this is why I over planted zucchini this year! Two of them need to be tweaked a bit but these chips were really good.

Zucchini Chips

Slice two or three medium sized zucchinis in thin slices. Thick enough that there is meat all the way through but still quite thin. Spread on dehydrator trays and brush with the following mixture.

Olive oil
cumin
chili powder
small amount of cayenne (leave out for kids BBQ chips)
salt
small amount of sweetener, I used coconut sugar from Essential Living Foods. You can purchase at Whole Foods.

As you can see I don't have the amounts down yet. I cook by feel and that works best for me. Maybe in the future I will get the amounts down.

Dry until crispy and put in an air tight jar or container as soon as they are dry. If you leave them out they will get soggy.

Juicer

2010-08-18T17:47:00.002-06:00

A woman in the raw group did a lot of research on a juicer that would juice fruit, leafy greens and clean up easy. This is her verdict and she loves it.

http://www.amazon.com/Omega-VRT330-Dual-Stage-Single-Auger-Low-Speed/dp/B002JEGCXO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1280845346&sr=8-1

I do like my Green Star but it doesn't do fruit very well and it's a bitch to clean.

Great Green Juice Recipe For Cleansing

2010-08-17T11:03:00.000-06:00

Great Green Juice Recipe

1 whole bunch of celery
1 head of romaine
3 leaves of kale
1 bunch of chinese spinach
1 cucumber
4 lemons with rind cut off
2-3 apples
hunk of ginger

This makes a BIG batch of juice. Drink half and take the other half to work for later.

I make this when I am cleansing, and when I do a juice fast. I'm trying to get in the habit of a juice fast once a week. Problem is as soon as I tell myself I'm going to only have juice, I want food. Old habits die hard.

Enjoy

Sunflower seed recipe

2010-08-13T14:49:00.002-06:00

Health Benefits Of Sunflower Seeds
Sunflower seeds are power-packed with healthy fats, proteins, fibers, minerals, vitamin E, and phytochemicals - all important to the nutritional quality of the diet and of fundamental importance to human health.

I sprouted raw sunflower seeds that had been hulled in a jar for about six hours. Drained, rinse well and dry in dehydrator until dry.

Half of the seeds I coated in coconut syrup, coconut sugar, cinnamon, and a little water.

The other half I put on a little oil, mixed well, and then added salt, cumin, chili power, onion powder, and garlic powder.
Put back in the dehydrator on 108 until very dry.

The kids like the flavored seeds and eat them up.

The spicey seeds can be ground into a "taco meat".

My favorite green juice right now

2010-08-13T12:47:00.003-06:00

I have made this juice a couple of times and enjoy it. This would be a great juice to make in the winter as the hot pepper and ginger heat the body up.

2 apples
1 to 3" piece of ginger
1 lemon
1/2 bunch cilantro
1/2 bunch parsley
1 bunch spinach
1 small hot pepper, no seeds (optional)
1 cucumber

Chia Seeds

2010-08-13T08:46:00.002-06:00

I have been buying a lot of products from: www.therawfoodworld.com Below is what they have posted for chia seeds.

I want to try the chia seeds milk, the recipe is below.

Chia Seeds 1 lb (Chemical Free)

Product 3/26

$6.95

Add to Cart:

No Gluten No Flour

The Chia Seed is an amazing food. For centuries many have used the seeds for a host of different reasons. Native Americans would take a pouch of seeds and a gourd of water on their trips. The seeds were their food source and taken with the water they would hydrate their bodies for endurance. When you hydrate the seeds in water the seeds shell opens up and absorbs up to nine times its volume in water. This then forms a gel, which is called Chia Seed Gel. The gel helps keep your body hydrated. The gel is also 90% soluble fiber, which is beneficial for your digestive track. People use the seeds when they are involved in sports or physical activities for endurance.

The seeds have twice the protein of any other seed or grain, five times the calcium of milk, boron which is trace mineral that helps transfer calcium into your bones, omega 3 and omega 6 which are essential oils for the body. They also have a very long list of valuable nutrients in them naturally. The soluble fiber in the gel forms a wall between carbohydrates and the body, releasing them slowly into the body. This has been found to be very helpful for people who have trouble controlling their sugar levels like Diabetics. Dieters love the seeds because it can be added to any food or drink in a ratio of 75% to the volume of food or drink and will not change the taste. Because the carbohydrates are released slowly you will get the feeling of being full. Many use the seeds as a way to control their appetites. The gel has no taste.

The best way to use the seeds is to take the seeds already hydrated so they will not absorb your own body fluids to hydrate. The seeds may be added to anything from water to juice and any food. Any age bracket could benefit from adding the seeds to their diet. Whether it is for physical activity, added nutrition, controlling weight or sugar levels, the seeds have been known to help all of these The most unique part is that it is only a seed, nothing artificial and the cost is minimal. I have many satisfied customers who swear by the Chia seeds. The seeds speak for themselves. When you receive the seeds, first hydrate them and store them in the refrigerator. They will last for three weeks, just use as needed and add to any food or liquid. They may be taken plain as well. Some of my customers will take the dry seeds to work with them and then add them to their drinks or food if they arenâ€™t able to store the gel. If you take the seeds dry make sure you use some kind of liquid so that you wont use the liquids from your own body. I canâ€™t say enough about the seeds and just how beneficial they can really be. I have seen my customerâ€™s response to the seeds and it has been very overwhelming. Finally, there seems to be a way to help your body stay hydrated, control sugar levels, maintain or lose weight and supply your body with the much-needed nutrients all naturally and at a low cost.

I personally take the seeds to help with hydration and my digestive tract. I also feel better now that I am getting the nutrients my body needs without all the additives it doesnâ€™t need. I hope you will try the seeds for yourself. Once you try them you will be able to judge for yourself the benefits. You do not need too much protein or omega 3 and 6 so the maximum of the gel you will need is three tablespoonfuls three times a day of the gel. Once a day you may substitute one tablespoon of dry seeds in place of the three tablespoons of gel. Along with the seeds you will receive directions on how to make the gel and their nutritional values. Directions for using Chia Seeds

Put 1/3 cup dry seeds into two cups of warm water whisk, wait fifteen mins then whisk again then store gel in refridgerator .Use three tablespoons three times a day of the gel (seeds hydrated). You can mix them into any drink or food and may even just take the gel. Once a day you can take up to one tablespoon of the dry seeds and add them to fluid or sprinkle them on food and drink fluid at the same time so the seeds hydrate from the fluid. Depending on the reason you are taking the seeds you may choose the time to take the one-tablespoon of dry seeds. Either before a workout or meal or in the morning. If you are taking the one-tablespoon daily in fluid you can do what I do with mine. So not to have to mix it every day and wait for the seeds to hydrate I take seven bottles (20oz.Size) of purified water, and seven tablespoons of dry seeds and mix in a bowl. Whisk and then fifteen mins. whisk again. Pour back into bottles and refrigerate. If you want to have juice added to your bottle just add two cans of juice concentrate into the water and seed gel and mix before you place back into bottles. (You will need two empty bottles for the extra due to the juice concentrate) Every day I just take out the bottle already prepared and drink it. The rest of the day I take three tablespoons of gel at lunchtime and at dinnertime. You will know your body and what is right for you. The most you need to take is three tablespoons three times a day of the gel with one serving being replaced with one tablespoon of dry seeds with liquid if wanted.

Uses For Chia Seeds

You can mix the chia gel with: Fruit juices, smoothies, milk, shakes, jams, jellies, preserves, syrups, lemonade, yogurt, nut butters, hot cereal, cold cereal, polenta, grits, pancake and waffle mix (use 1 tablespoon per pancake), mustard, bbq sauce, tarter sauce, dips, soups, mayonnaise, salad dressings, or used instead of oil or shortening in baking. Up to 75%, by weight, of the gel may be added to anything without loss of flavor while enhancing texture and cutting fat calories 30 to 50 percent. Add to anything you wish for reducing calories, saturated fat and sugar amounts without compromising sensory appeal. It is a dieters dream food and its use is limitless.

Digestive aid; Use of 2-3 tablespoons chia gel with each meal for better assimilation of food, increases nutrient absorption and encourages better elimination. It also prevents indigestion and heartburn without risk of harmful side effects. An exceptional food for Diabetics as it slows the conversion of carbohydrates to sugar which stabilizes blood sugar and regulates the bodyâ€™s absorption of fluids, i.e. electrolyte balance, more efficiently.

Incorporating chia seeds into your daily diet will enhance the nutrient absorption of all foods, including nutritional supplements. As an Aid in GERD, Ulcers, Gastritis and Irritable Bowel Syndrome:

I myself have Gerd (Gastro Esophagus Reflux Disease), acute gastritis, a gastric ulcer and IBS. I have dealt with these conditions for almost 20 years. I have taken all the medications from Tagament to Prevacid. In using the Chia Seeds myself, I always told my customers not to use the Chia Seeds without a fluid because it would hydrate from the fluid in your stomach.

One day my stomach was hurting real bad because of the acid. I took one tablespoon of dried seeds with just enough water to get them down. I waited for five minutes and then I drank more water to finish hydrating the seeds. It worked! The seeds hydrated from the acid in my stomach. The pain stopped. :)

The part that impressed me the most was that I was relieving the pain as well as getting all the benefits the seeds have to offer. Now I do recommend taking the Chia Seeds dry only if you have a lot of acid in your stomach. At 10 cents a serving it is a natural alternative to high price prescription drugs. A lot of my customers have used the seeds this way. I also recommend them to my customers who have IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome) because of the high soluble fiber in the Chia Seed gel. Only if you have a lot of acid in your stomach, should you take them dry with no water till five minutes later.

Chia Milk (makes full blender jar â€” 5 cups)

4 Tbsp. Chia seeds 2 Tbsp. Walnuts 2 Tbsp. Raw sesame tahini 2 Tbsp. Unheated, unfiltered honey, dash of vanilla (optional) 5 cups water. In a jar or glass, soak seeds and walnuts overnight in 3 cups of water. Pour into blender jar, add 1 cup of water, and turn on blender, running it at medium speed. With blender running, add tahini, honey, and vanilla, and then add 1 more cup of water. Blend only until smooth.

Chia milk is rich in EFAs and protein. Because of the soaking, it is also particularly rich in enzymes. Because of chia seeds' antioxidants, it will keep well in your refrigerator. Use it within a week as a substitute for other forms of milk. (Maybe you'll decide that chia milk isn't a substitute for anything; rather, other forms of milk are a substitute for chia milk.)

Chia Seeds for pets: I have had many customers also give their pets the Chia seeds and have been approached by companies who sell animal food and snacks with Chia Seeds added. They will do the same for your animals as they do for you. You can take the information to your vet and he will advise you.

Some of our Q&A:
where do you get your chia seed? Mexico
How is it processed? Goes thru a shaking process to clean.
Does it see any heat treatment? no
Is the soil it's farmed on naturally rich or fortified with fertilizers? no fertilizers or chemicals used is naturally rich.
Where did you get the information regarding the nutritional factors in the comparisons you gave in the items description? from supplier. Also ours go thru testing from fda at customs and have coa along with each shipment.

HEMP protein powder to get your protein in

2010-08-12T17:41:00.000-06:00

Nutiva

If you check at Whole Foods, they have a HEMP protein powder now that is pretty darn good by Nutiva, and loaded with protein. If you have trouble with whey protein, try it. I add it to my oatmeal. 2 Tbs equals 15 grams of protein-more than 2 eggs!

And for the record: hemp is not cannabis. Hemp has been cultivated for paper products since the Egyptian days, and the US Constitution was written on Hemp paper. The male cannabis plant has no THC, and it's used for paper. The female plants...those have a different use entirely!

Simple Tip

2010-08-12T16:03:00.000-06:00

I love organic nut butters but I hate having to stir them. Even the tahini has that half inch of separated oil on the top-right? Almond butter, peanut butter they all seem to separate.

Well, store them upside down. Yep. Make sure the top is screwed on tight so it doesn't leak the oil out, then turn them over in the cupboard. When you go to use it, and turn it right side up, it will be stirred! It really works.

And so simple!

Liver Detox and Emotions

2010-07-27T07:45:00.002-06:00

We have such fear of our emotional body. It's just a feeling. Really. It's doesn't mean anything UNLESS we let our mind assign a meaning and that's what the intellect does. It wants to explain everything. Sometimes it just is.

I have been drinking really dark green juice every day for a week now. Two big glasses a day. Yesterday I stood in the shower and felt deep sadness, grief really. I just let it wash over me and down the drain. I almost wanted to cry. I found it interesting, and just noticed it welling up and washing down. I didn't engage, nor did I block it.

Then I found that when I went to pick my clothes for the day, the only things that attracted me were all black. Yes, I felt like I was in mourning! I made myself choose a color instead, in this case soft peach. I felt fake in the peach on the outside when the inside felt so black, but I just noticed it and went on. I didn't assign any great meaning to it-just noticed it.

I couldn't seem to form a smile without conscious effort. It did abate during the day, but it was a pervasive sort of sadness by the afternoon instead of grief. By the evening the feeling was gone and I could mention it in a past tense. "Wow, this morning I felt so sad when I got up, but now it's gone." That was all.

I resisted the trap of "I wonder why?" which would have engaged my mind's energy fruitlessly.

Remember when you are detoxing and juicing, particularly greens you are going to release OLD stuff, old feelings. It's important not to assign meaning, or try and explain it. It's just stuff. If you were sloughing off intestinal stuff you wouldn't analyze it for when and what you'd eaten. (or would you??? Let it go! ) It is just old stuff that got stuck and you are clearing it out! Good bye gunk.

Past is past, and now is now. The mind mixes that up if we let it.

Endocrine Disrupter info

2010-07-21T19:53:00.002-06:00

Why You Can't Lose Those Last 10 Pounds

Last 10 pounds! - I would love to get 10 pounds off! C.A.

by The Staff at wowOwow.com, on Wed Jul 7, 2010 7:24am PDT
53 CommentsPost a CommentRead More from This Author »Report Abuse
by: Stephen Perrine and Heather Hurlock

On May 11, the White House announced it was targeting a new threat to America’s health and security. It wasn’t some rogue nation or terrorist organization, or a newfound disease or environmental threat. It was a class of chemicals that are making Americans fat. They’re called endocrine disrupting chemicals, or EDCs. And chances are you’re eating or drinking them right now.

The White House Task Force on Childhood Obesity released a report called "Solving the Problem of Childhood Obesity Within a Generation." In the report they list endocrine-disrupting chemicals as a possible reason for increased obesity in the country and describe how scientists have coined a new term for these chemicals — "obesogens" — because they "may promote weight gain and obesity."

What does this mean for you? It means that weight gain is not just about calories-in versus calories-out.

No, America’s obesity crisis can’t entirely be blamed on too much fast food and too little exercise. We have to consider a third factor: the obesogens. They’re natural and synthetic compounds, and many of these chemicals work by mimicking estrogen — the very hormone that doctors DON’T want women taking anymore (as a large clinical trial linked hormone therapy to increased risk of heart disease, breast cancer, stroke, blood clots and abnormal mammograms).

Why traditional diets don’t work anymore

Because high school biology was likely a while back, here’s a quick refresher: The endocrine system is made up of all the glands and cells that produce the hormones that regulate our bodies. Growth and development, sexual function, reproductive processes, mood, sleep, hunger, stress, metabolism and the way our bodies use food — it’s all controlled by hormones. So whether you’re tall or short, lean or heavy — that’s all determined in a big way by your endocrine system.

But your endocrine system is a finely tuned instrument that can easily be thrown off-kilter. "Obesogens are thought to act by hijacking the regulatory systems that control body weight," says Frederick vom Saal, Ph.D., curators’ professor of biological sciences at the University of Missouri. That’s why endocrine disruptors are so good at making us fat — and that’s why diet advice doesn’t always work — because even strictly following the smartest traditional advice won’t lower your obesogen exposure. See, an apple a day may have kept the doctor away 250 years ago when Benjamin Franklin included the phrase in his almanac. But if that apple comes loaded with obesity-promoting chemicals — nine of the ten most commonly used pesticides are obesogens, and apples are one of the most pesticide-laden foods out there — then Ben’s advice is way out of date.

The obesogen effect is the reason why traditional diet advice — choose chicken over beef, eat more fish, load up on fruits and vegetables — may not work anymore. This is why we’re calling for a New American Diet.

See, while digging up all of this research on obesogens we’ve discovered some good news: There’s no reason why all of our favorite foods — from steak to burgers, from pasta to ice cream — can’t be part of a reasonable weight-loss program. We just need to get rid of old thinking. We can reverse the obesogen effect if we simply adopt these four simple laws of leanness:

Leanness Law No. 1: Know When to Go Organic
The average American is exposed to 10 to 13 different pesticides through food, beverages and drinking water every day and nine of the ten most common pesticides are EDCs. But according to a recent study in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives, eating an organic diet for just five days can reduce circulating pesticide EDCs to non-detectable or near non-detectable levels.

Of course, organic foods can be expensive. But not all organics are created equal—many foods have such low levels of pesticides that buying organic just isn’t worth it. The Environmental Working Group (EWG) calculated that you can reduce your pesticide exposure nearly 80 percent simply by choosing organic for the 12 fruits and vegetables shown in their tests to contain the highest levels of pesticides. They call them "The Dirty Dozen," and (starting with the worst) they are celery, peaches, strawberries, apples, blueberries (domestic), nectarines, sweet bell peppers, spinach, kale/collard greens, cherries, potatoes and grapes (imported). And you can feel good about buying the following 15 conventionally grown fruits and vegetables that the EWG dubbed "The Clean Fifteen," because they were shown to have little pesticide residue: onions, avocado, sweet corn (frozen), pineapples, mango, sweet peas (frozen), asparagus, kiwi fruit, cabbage, eggplant, cantaloupe (domestic), watermelon, grapefruit, sweet potatoes and honeydew melon.

Leanness Law No. 2: Don’t Eat Plastic
This ought to be a no-brainer. Indeed, you’re probably already thinking, Well, I don’t generally eat plastic. Ah, but you do. Chances are that you’re among the 93 percent of Americans with detectable levels of bisphenol-A (BPA) in their bodies, and that you’re also among the 75 percent of Americans with detectable levels of phthalates. Both are synthetic chemicals found in plastics that mimic estrogen — essentially, artificial female hormones. And like pesticides, these plastic-based chemicals trick our bodies into storing fat and not building or retaining muscle. Decreasing your exposure to plastic-based obesogens will maximize your chances both of losing unwanted flab and of building lean muscle mass. Here’s how: 1) Never heat food in plastic containers or put plastic items in the dishwasher, which can damage them and increase leaching. BPA leaches from polycarbonate sports bottles 55 times faster when exposed to boiling liquids as opposed to cold ones, according to a study in the journal Toxicology Letters. 2) Avoid buying fatty foods like meats that are packaged in plastic wrap because EDCs are stored in fatty tissue. The plastic wrap used at the supermarket is mostly PVC, whereas the plastic wrap you buy to wrap things at home is increasingly made from polyethylene. 3) Cut down on canned goods by choosing tuna in a pouch over canned tuna. And get any canned and jarred foods from Eden Organic, one of the only companies that doesn’t have BPA in its cans.

Leanness Law No. 3: Go Lean
Always choose pasture-raised meats, which, studies show, have less fat than their confined, grain-fed counterparts and none of the weight-promoting hormones. Plus, grass-fed beef contains 60 percent more omega-3s, 200 percent more vitamin E and two to three times more conjugated linoleic acid (CLA, a near-magic nutrient that helps ward off heart disease, cancer and diabetes, and can help you lose weight, according to a study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition) than conventional beef. If you must choose a conventional cut of beef, choose lean cuts top sirloin, 95 percent lean ground beef, bottom round roast, eye round roast, top round roast or sirloin tip steak. Bison burgers and veggie burgers are also great substitutes when grass-fed beef isn’t available. And select sustainable lean fish with low toxic loads (meaning low levels of toxins like mercury and PCBs). A study in the journal Occupational and Environmental Medicine found that even though the pesticide DDT was banned in 1973, the chemical and its breakdown product DDE can still be found today in fatty fish. Bigger fish eat smaller fish, and so carry a much higher toxic load.

Avoid ahi or bigeye tuna, tilefish, swordfish, shark, king mackerel, marlin and orange roughy — and focus on smaller fish like anchovies, Atlantic herring and mackerel, and wild-caught Alaskan salmon. Choose farmed rainbow trout, farmed mussels, anchovies, scallops (bay, farmed), Pacific cod, Pacific Halibut, Tuna (canned light) and mahimahi. Also, when you cook the fish, broil, poach, grill, boil or bake instead of pan-frying — this will allow contaminants from the fatty portions of fish to drain out.

Leanness Law No. 4: Filter Your Water
The best way to eliminate EDCs from your tap water is an activated carbon water filter. Available for faucets and pitchers, and as under-the-sink units, these filters remove most pesticides and industrial pollutants. Check the label to make sure the filter meets the NSF/American National Standards Institute’s standard 53, indicating that it treats water for both health and aesthetic concerns. Try The Brita Aqualux ($28, brita.com), Pur Horizontal faucet filter ($49, purwaterfilter.com) and Kenmore’s under-sink system ($60, kenmore.com). However, if you have perchlorate (a component of rocket fuel!) in your water (you can find out by asking your municipal water supplier for a copy of its most recent water-quality report) you’ll need a reverse osmosis filter. But for every five gallons of treated water they create per day, they discharge 40 to 90 gallons of wastewater, so make sure it’s necessary before purchasing one.

Remember Simplicity

2010-07-15T09:09:00.000-06:00

It's a beautiful cool mountain morning. The air is crisp still and breezy.

I have made my breakfast:: half an avocado that has been drenched in lemon juice and sprinkled with cayenne pepper. I have a glass of hot water and the juice of half a lemon. I have a pile of grapefruit pieces that have also been sprinkled with cayenne pepper. I like to peel the grapefruit and eat it like an orange.

One of the best things for me in switching to raw-ish living was easing up on the way I thought about food, cooking, eating, preparing. I eased up on the way I judged myself. I stopped worrying. The Hawaiians have a term "no worries". Try it.

I look at my plate this morning, fresh, raw and vibrantly alive and think "so am I!"

We are what we eat, just like we are what we think, we are what we do, we are what we express. We are a continual expression in and out of life, and as we exhale we say yes, and as we inhale we say thank you. That's it.

If you can keep it that simple what else is there but 'no worries'? Yes, thank you. Smile.

Colors are brighter, life is cleaner. Slow down, breathe, say thank you and say yes to life. Taste it again. It's pretty good! And it doesn't need fancy sauces, or fancy preparations.

Chop with a sharp knife, tear it apart with your fingers and lick the juice, get into it again, both your food, and your life! Be well and remember "no worries".

Sweetner: Lucuma Powder

2010-07-04T22:12:00.000-06:00

I haven't tried the lucuma powder yet, but I think I will.

Lucuma Powder –

Try "The Gold of the Incas"!!

This is one of the BEST low-glycemic sweeteners we use...

Lucuma Powder (pronounced Loo- Ku- Mah) is a raw, gourmet, organic, low-glycemic sweetener that creates a rich and creamy texture and imparts a subtle maple flavor. A sign of truly raw Lucuma is its brilliant bright yellow color. (Unfortunately not all Lucuma Powder is so radiant in color and nutrients.)

Lucuma is an exotic Peruvian fruit once known as the "Gold of the Incas." The round or ovaloid fruits are green, with a bright yellow flesh that is often fibrous. It has been honored spiritually and culinarily since ancient times. Within the Peruvian culture, lucuma is often part of celebrations and banquet settings because of its distinct and fragrant flavor. Although it grows in other tropical regions, fruits grown in the Peruvian highlands are considered to be of superior flavor, and are culturally revered.

The Peruvians savor the taste of it in ice cream, as it is one of their most popular flavors. We love to use it in raw ice creams. And we are so inspired by the rich, low-glycemic flavor of Lucuma we have created a new flavor of our popular Coconut Créme - Lucuma-Vanilla.

Power of Lucuma:
Lucuma is low in acid, low in sugar and contains an excellent source of carbohydrates, fiber, vitamins, especially B3, and minerals. It is especially abundant in beta-carotene, niacin and iron with significant amounts of calcium and phosphorus.

Suggested Uses:

Use Lucuma Powder in place of agave nectar (which is a highly processed sweetener)
Substitute for maple, butterscotch, or toffee flavors in your favorite desserts.
Mix into tea for a creamy texture and sweet, rich flavor.
Sprinkle on top of your favorite granola.
Also try our Lucuma-Vanilla Coconut Creme!!

Alkaline Food Chart

2010-07-02T09:14:00.000-06:00

Here is a link http://www.tao-garden.com/5elements/Taoist5ElementsNutrition.ABC.html to an amazingly informative chart for those of us that have been wondering about how to raise our alkaline, and it correlates to blood type and to the five elements. It may be more information than some of you want, but on the other hand it's all in one place and you can refer to it as needed.

Of course, when I go to Chipotles, I get the black beans-and right off the bat I see they are the acidic ones!:)

Other People's Rules for Me

2010-06-30T09:46:00.001-06:00

I've never really been very good at following other people's rules for me.
Well, let me take that back.

I'm very good at following rules. I was trained to. I have really had to work hard to let myself break rules and experiment.

But where I have trouble is when there are rules and other people tell me I can't break them, but they do.
THAT gets to me.

I think that goes back to kindergarden. It's not fair! How come you get to tell me when I break the rule, but it's ok for you to break the rule and I can't tell you?

Here's a recent example. I got some homeopathic HCG in a spray. It's supposed to reset your hypothalamus so you burn fat. It comes in shots or drops, or in this case, a homeopathic spray. There were 3 of us that were going to do it together. One of the women IS a homeopath-she lasted 3 days.

Rules were eat alot for the first two days, load up 4000 calories a day, then 500 calories a day for the next 26 days. Spray every day, including the load days.
No sugar, limited fat. 1 small apple a day, and no other fruit.
Smack the bottle against the base of your hand 2x before spraying. That's called sucussing.
Spray 2x a day, am and pm.

So, I am having trouble with the loading, I can't eat that much, because of the surgery, but they are both eating cookies and ice cream and stuff. I say "hey I thought it was no sugar?"
Oh no. You can have sugar. I look down at my notes that say no sugar. Really? Maybe I took the notes wrong?

Then I go to spray and I forget the 2x to sucuss and I hit it 10x which is what we do with the flower essences. It's automatic. One of the women is aghast and says 'what are you DOING?! You can't do that!" I say why not? She launches in to why it has to be just 2x. It makes it stronger the more you sucuss it. I'm thinking that's a good thing but ok. No shaking the bottle more than 2x and put it in the list of rules to not be broken. I did that wrong.

Then I see her pulling out her spray throughout the day, not sucussing at all and spraying 4, 5x and more...more than twice a day like the rules say. I say "hey, I thought it was only 2x a day, and only 2 sprays?"

She says, "oh I'm spraying every time I get hungry." and she sprays again to show me.

I say "it doesn't work that way, It isn't going to make you less hungry." She shrugs and sprays again.

In the morning I see her eating grapefruit. I say "I thought we could only have an apple?" She says "I decided I can have grapefruit to help me with the hunger. I read it on the internet somewhere."

Ok so how come she can make up her own rules and I can't? I petulantly stopped and started this morning now that I am home and no one is telling me what I can't do.

For the record-neither lasted the 26 days, but she did last 10 daysdidn't have that much to lose, but she said she was starving all the time-hence all the spraying. I think she might have lost 8 pounds at 500 calories anyway but I am going to give it a shot.

With my own rules, one being that I am spraying as much as I want and two, I am shaking the bottle 10x. And 3, I may or may not adhere to 500 calories. I am going to add the spray and eat what I normally do-which happens to be about 800 to 1200 calories. And I bought grapefruit-just in case. I want my hypothalamus to get the message to burn. I don't care how much I lose really as long as I start to burn. I'm going to do raw pretty much and see how it goes. I'll keep you posted.

Trusting Ourselves

2010-06-30T08:58:00.000-06:00

Thanks for saying that Catherine Ann because when we started this raw-ish adventure, that was exactly what we were wanting to do. Get down to basics, and get back to trusting ourselves because we all said we were overwhelmed with other people's rules and all the mixed messages.

Sounds like that's beginning to happen in the raw community too.

Why is it so hard to just trust that if we eat natural, organic and whole foods, that our body CAN do what it is designed to?

Why do we seem to have a basic distrust of ourselves?

I hate to point a finger at mom, but I think as a generation we were raised to be (and our parents too)
on a schedule
to be obedient
to ignore and override our natural inclinations, likes and dislikes

we were supposed to poop and pee on demand and not pay attention to need. (the idea of sitting on the toilet for hours waiting? You don't know when you have to poop? But you know, many don't. And if they haven't gone first thing in the morning, they stay home and pace until it happens. Their day is ruined. SO much angst around poops...gotta be the original training imprints!)

we were supposed to eat on schedule and whatever was in front of us and not pay attention to our own wants, likes or desires, and eat it ALL.

we were supposed to sleep on a schedule and not recognize when we are tired or overdone. And every night the same with no variety.

we aren't supposed to ever get sick, need to slow down, or listen to ourselves, and if we do something is seriously wrong. Hey, a cold MEANS you are detoxing. It is a sign of overdone and sometimes it's the only way your body CAN get you to stop)

So is it no wonder that we, as a generation and a nation, are still turning to other people to be the experts of us?

Do you LIKE the green super foods? If you LIKE THEM, and they LIKE YOU your body will let you know.
IF you LIKE, oh, chia seeds for instance, or hemp or sunflower seeds, and they LIKE YOU, then eat them, add them to your food and enjoy,not because they are the new superfood, but because you LIKE THEM. And it agrees with you.

RAW food was and is an effort to get back to nature, back to basics, back to food that isn't over chemicaled and over processed. It was an attempt to simplify, and the posts from other blogs while good information, never seem to say if they LIKE IT. Just what we should be doing and arguing about who has the best super food. I agree, adding them ALL is overkill. And I don't like gogi berries either much, and I don't like INKA berries at all. Ew. I tried them, and regardless of how good they are for me, I don't eat them. But it's good information, and it's worth trying for yourself. Remember when we all tried maca?!

In doing RAWish I discovered the tastes and smells and textures and joy of food again. We can go over intellectual with Raw, and we will miss the benefit. Eating should be a connection to your emotional body. It should satisfy us all the way through. Our body isn't a machine with food being the fuel. If that's what you think you are missing the vital component!

RAWish satisfies me emotionally and nurtures me. It makes me feel good. I feel listened to and I feel full on many levels. I like the cutting and the tasting, the mixing and the smells. It has become a whole process again of feeding myself inside.

I had gotten to a place where I hated to cook. I was overwhelmed with all the no-lists and all the suggested things I was supposed to be doing and I didn't feel good AND I didn't know why.

I was doing the right things and I wasn't feeling it. And I was also doing the wrong things, and worse yet feeling GUILTY about it.

GUILT is a toxic emotion and for many of us it's linked to food. Think about it.

When I started to simplify my foods, adding juicing, and big raw dishes, more vegetables and got back into raw nuts, seeds, grains and away from processed breads and pastas, my body responded. My sleep improved, my skin improved, my energy improved. I stopped worrying about if I was doing the right thing. When I got rid of the rules, and the restrictions and the beliefs that I had to be on a schedule, I got happy.

That concept if something is good for us, MORE is better doesn't apply. With food, less is better. Too much and our digestive system is overwhelmed. But with raw, consistent is good for us. Grazing. But maybe even that-not for everyone.

Eating when we need to, when we feel hungry, isn't something we were generally raised on. The fear of 'being hungry' is what I most often hear people say when they are switching to more raw. Hunger, REAL hunger-most of us have really never known.

A little hungry-good for us! The LDS culture promotes fasting once a week. I'm not mormon, but you know, it's a dang good idea! AND when they have an issue before them, they fast for 24 hours and then pray on it. ALSO a good idea. Get the belly empty to get more insight.

When we do raw, the body doesn't have to work so hard at digesting. We all felt more light, both inside and above. I'm not saying if you want to be spiritual you have to give up meat. LOL Please. If there is one thing we learned, it's the ISH. It all works.

But filling up with more of other people's rules for you isn't what it's about. Finding out what really does work for you is. So, get into yourself. Really learn to listen, Pay attention to what feeds you! Not what they say you should be doing.

Get over doing it wrong, and experiment. For goodness sake folks, PLAY! And stop taking it all so seriously. I'm going to make my raw juice now. Celery, Romaine, cucumber, apple, lemon, ginger and a couple of carrots. That's breakfast for me!

David Wolfe on Superfoods

2010-06-30T08:23:00.003-06:00

On youTube there are several videos of David Wolfe talking about superfoods. I haven't watched them yet, but I am planning on it.

They are David Wolfe at Exotic Superfoods in Queens.

Chia Seeds

2010-06-30T08:11:00.002-06:00

I add chia seeds to my salads and the dressings. It makes the dressings thick and creamy. Look closely at the chia seeds and the design they have. Very shamanic! I keep mine in the frig and bought them in a sealed package from Good Earth. I'm sure you can get them at Whole Foods too.

I took this info from a site that sells chia seeds. There is more info on the site in an article.

http://www.getchia.com/aboutchia.html

Chia Seeds are THE BEST source of
Omega-3 & Omega-6 essential fatty acids!

These seeds are perfect for diabetics &
people watching or trying to lose weight.

Chia Seeds are also very beneficial to the
heart and extremely high in fiber, calcium, high
quality protein, slowly processed carbohydrates
and loaded with vitamins & minerals and antioxidants!

The health benefits of Omega-3
fatty acids are becoming widely known.

What is not as well known is that the
chia seed is THE BEST source of Omega-3.

CHIA SEED IS BETTER THAN
FISH OIL & FLAX SEED!

Chia seed is high in protein
and high in calcium. 5 times the calcium of milk, 631 mg per 100 grams of seed.

Chia seeds are also high in protein,
with 18 grams per 100 grams of seed.

The optimum ratio of Omega-3 to
Omega-6 should be 3:1.
Chia seed provides that ratio.

Chia seed is hydrophilic.
Absorbing up to 14 times
(Mix @ 9-10 times) its weight in water.
This helps extend energy and endurance.

Chia seed is rich in antioxidant oils.
Chia contains chlorogenic acid, and
caffeic acid as well as myricetin,
quercetin, and kaempferol flavonols.
These compounds are both primary and synergistic antioxidants that contribute
to the strong antioxidant activity of chia.

Chia seed is also low in sodium.
Only 19 mg per 100 grams.

Goji Berries

2010-06-29T22:04:00.001-06:00

This is from the Edible Goddess Blog

I personally don't really like the taste of goji berries but if they are mixed in something I can eat them.

Top 24 Health Benefits of Goji Berries
June 24, 2010 by Edible Goddess · Leave a Comment
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Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ve heard about goji berries. They are sweet little red scrumptious berries that comes to us mostly in dried form or in synergistic Superfood powder blends like Fruits of the Earth. If you’re looking for the ultimate complete raw protein that you can nibble on throughout the day, or, a nutrient-dense addition to your smoothie to start your day off Superhero-style, you’ve found it!
For everything you could ever want to know about the legendary goji berries, I suggest you check out the books: GOJI: The Himalayan Health Secret and David Wolfe’s book, Superfoods: The Food and Medicine of the Future!
In preparation for the Radiance and Beauty Superfood Tele-seminar, I read this book + others and feel like it’s my duty to share the top 24 benefits of goji berries (according the this book – and I concur). This is a direct excerpt from the book and just 1 page of reading pleasure about this gorgeous happy berry!
Top 24 Health Benefits of Goji!
1) Extends life, protecting your body from premature aging through its powerful antioxidant action
2) Increases your energy and strength, especially when fighting dis-ease
3) Makes you feel & look younger. Goji stimulates the secretion of hGH (human growth hormone), the ‘youth hormone.’
4) Maintains healthy blood pressure
5) Reduces cholesterol
6) Promotes normal blood sugar in early adult-onset diabetes
7) Enhances sexual function and treats sexual dysfunction
Helps you lose weight
9) Relieves headaches and dizziness
10) Relieves insomnia and improves quality of sleep
11) Supports eye health and improves your vision
12) Strengthens your heart
13) Improves dis-ease resistance
14) Builds strong blood, enhancing production of red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets
15) Supports healthy liver function
16) Treats menopausal symptoms
17) Prevents morning sickness in the first trimester of pregnancy
18) Improves fertility
19) Strengthens your muscles and bones
20) Improves your memory and recall ability
21) Supports normal kidney function
22) Helps chronic dry cough
23) Alleviates anxiety and stress
24) Promotes cheerfulness and brightens your spirit
Now, I’m sure that there is at least 1 of the 24 benefits that resonates with you. Search out products that contain goji berries and be mindful of the sourcing – don’t buy sugar-laden goji berry juice that looks good on the front of the label but actually is just a bunch of concentrate and/or sugars when you check out the fine print. Buy dried goji berries (Ultimate Superfoods or Sunfood Nutrition) or pick them fresh if you are fortunate to do so.
You know, anyone can grow fresh goji berries… even indoors! To the right you’ll find fresh goji berries that I synchronistically found at the farmer’s market for the 1st time ever, just after I posted this blog. Amazing, right?

Spirulina and Chlorella

2010-06-29T20:58:00.000-06:00

Chlorella:

Chlorella has been touted as the perfect whole food. Aside from being a complete protein and containing all the B vitamins, vitamin C, vitamin E, and the major minerals (with zinc and iron in amounts large enough to be considered supplementary), it has been found to improve the immune system, improve digestion, detoxify the body, accelerate healing, protect against radiation, aid in the prevention of degenerative diseases, help in treatment of Candida albicans, relieve arthritis pain and, because of its nutritional content, aid in the success of numerous weight loss programs.
- Earl Mindell's Vitamin Bible
Spirulina:

Spirulina's predigested protein provides building material soon after ingestion, without the energy-draining side effects of meat protein; its mucopolysaccharides relax and strengthen connective tissue while reducing the possibility of inflammation; its simple carbohydrates yield immediate yet sustained energy; its GLA fatty acids improve hormonal balance; and its protein-bonded vitamins and minerals, as found in all whole foods, assimilate better than the synthetic variety. Spirulina can generally be considered an appropriate food for those who exercise vigorously, as evidenced by the many world-class athletes who use it
- Healing With Whole Foods by Paul Pitchford
Chlorella and spirulina have such strong health benefits that even well-known doctors and authors use these products and note their benefits:

It is possible that the GLA found in spirulina and possibly these other products accounts for some of the positive effects that people experience when using them, including decreased appetite, weight loss, and improved energy levels, especially mental energy. I personally have used all of these products and must say I have experienced a subtle increase in mental clarity and alertness (not like a nervous, caffeine-type stimulation). These algae must subtly stimulate our nervous systems or release certain internal neurochemicals that create this "up" feeling.
- Staying Healthy With Nutrition by Elson Haas, M.D.
In all, these two superfoods are effective in not just reversing a long list of serious diseases (discuss in far more detail below), they are powerful health enhancers that demonstrate phenomenal benefits even to people who are in "good" health

Barley Grass

2010-06-29T20:55:00.001-06:00

Dehydrated barley grass powders, tablets and capsules are not multi-vitamin pills - they are a concentrated combination of nutrients. As we have seen, the nutrients found in these foods work together to benefit the body as a whole.

It is interesting, and rather amazing, to see how the variety of nutrients in barley grass work together to support the functions of each other. A closer look at this phenomenon makes a good case for relying on natural foods, rather than artificial vitamin pills, as sources of vitamins and minerals.
For example, vitamin C aids in the absorption of calcium and iron. Iron is required to convert beta-carotene to vitamin A. Calcium and pyridoxine help absorb vitamin B12, which, in turn, is essential for the activation of folic acid. All of these nutrients are found together in barley grass, along with others, which support complimentary functions.

Green foods have been an essential part of the human diet for thousands, perhaps millions, of years. Today, we are able to identify many of the specific nutrients found in green foods, and the reasons why we can't do without them. Even with all of this information, we may only be beginning to understand why green foods are so good for us.

How do you take barley grass?

It's best to sip it slowly on an empty stomach, either 20 minutes before a meal or 2 hours after, so that the nutrients can be assimilated easily without the presence of other foods. Take either cold or room temperature liquid, as hot liquid will break down the live enzymes.

More valuable info from Christian B.

2010-06-23T15:21:00.001-06:00

This was posted on the raw meetup site by Vanessa J.

I love boosting my health through therapeutically nutritious elixirs, superfood drinks, and tonic herbs and occasionally doing a fast or cleanse on them, and I really hope you do to or will start to today.

And yet I see so many people doing the second best thing, which is trying get their trace nutrients from green vegetable juice only.

May I be frank and bold? There are countless raw food healing centers and raw food coaches that are promoting a diet that is basically just fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds, and therapeutic amounts of green vegetable juice. Their primary strategy for mineralization and cleansing comes from doing green vegetable juices. Let me explain why this “old school” method will give you some initial or short term results but will ultimately deprive you of vitality and common sense. In fact, it’s a downright short sighted approach. I will explain…

I have been an “all raw” raw foodist for over 7 years, and at one time I did 18 months of a half gallon of fresh vegetable juice every day. After the first 9 months of this, I hit my first “wall” where I just couldn’t do that much bulk intake of alkaline vegetable minerals. So, I started diluting my juices by putting herbal tea through my juicer after I ran the vegetables so that my juice was about 50% green juice (fresh pressed organic store-bought produce including celery, cucumbers, lemons, limes, parsley, cilantro, dandelion, ginger, grass, etc.) and about 50% tea (a few tonic herbs like reishi mushroom, yerbe mate, YogiTea blends). I did this unconsciously just as a way to help clean my juicer, not really realizing what I was doing and where I was headed with the tonic herbs approach. I also amended my green juices with green powders like Vitamineral Green and Crystal Manna.

After about 9 months of the 50/50 juice, I hit another “wall” where I just could not have more than a few sips before I felt loopy. I kept trying to drink lots of green juice but it only got me “stoned with alkalosis.” Had I continued, I might have developed an allergy to juiced store bought produce. What had happened is that I was putting myself into acute alkalosis: too much alkalinity from the juice lasting about two hours as my body had already become more neutral in pH normally (by detoxing the acids and restoring my alkaline mineral balance).

When you first get into organic styles of cleansing or go raw, you might be coming from a background (and we all come from this background) of eating poor food choices and being exposed to toxins that put an excess of acids in our body. So when we first do lots of green juice (alkaline minerals), we go from acidic to neutral pH for the few hours after having the drink. Our body should be approximately neutral in pH as a normal state of health when we wake up in the morning. If we do effectively detox and bring in the minerals as our long term protocol, then our body will eventually become more neutral in pH, and if we continue to do a lot of green vegetable juice, then eventually we will hit a “wall” like I did, and go from neutral to over-alkaline for the few hours after having the drink. We can see in this case that green juice is medicine, and should not necessarily be a “meal” we have every single day, forever.

The big issue with green vegetable juice is that it is only one “food group” and it is usually hybridized, store bought greens (cultivars that did not exist a thousand years ago) as opposed to wild greens. Therefore a store bought vegetable juicing person is still actively addicted to agriculture and domestication, which majorly lacks virility, certain minerals and immunomodulatory substances.

Enter > Longevity Elixirs. If I had to do the last 7 years all over again, I would have done a lot more longevity elixirs and about a fourth the vegetable juice that I did. These Superfood Beauty Elixirs contain any of the following deeply rejuvenating substances:

Aloe vera (fresh gel), algaes (blue green, chlorella, spirulina), acerola berry, amla berry, camu camu berry, cacao, coconut water kefir, goji berries, HealthForce Nutritionals blends like Vitamineral Green and Vitamineral Earth, maca, marine phytoplankton, medicinal mushroom extracts like Reishi, MSM, noni, sea vegetables like kelp, shilajit, spring water and a variety of tonic herb extracts or teas containing (asparagus root, cat’s claw, dandelion root, ginseng, gynostemma, he shou wu, horse tail, more of the many medicinal mushrooms like chaga, nettles, shizandra berry ~ all available from Mountain Rose Herbs).

These foods have a much richer variety of minerals and nutrients than green juice vegetables and do not have the overly-alkaline kick that green juice has, but do deliver alkaline minerals deep into your body. You will heal your tissues, immune system, nervous system, skin and organs much more profoundly with this “tonic elixir” approach.

To clarify, these foods and herbs that I mention are about a much more refined approach to nourishing each system of the body, and to promote longevity and clarity. If you are already doing a lot of green juice or sweet green smoothies, then consider this a wake up call from someone who has already gone down that road and who sees the capped health results in the “gurus” who promote these “simple raw diet” approaches. I hope you see the love behind my boldness on this issue; no judgement.

I recommend looking at the food you put in your body as something that should be more wild and medicinal. Pretend you are the shamans from each of the worlds multi-thousand-of-herbs ancient herbal systems (African traditions, Amazonian, Ayurvedic, Aboriginal….and that’s just the A’s). As a shaman, what would you advise people to heal themselves with? Juice of California-grown carrots? Not likely. You would prepare for them your top 3 to 7 exotic tonic herbs and foods that together work on the person’s body, mind and spirit.

If you were a Meso-American shaman, you might recommend a drink made from the local tonic goods: fresh aloe vera gel, blended with spring water, acerola berry, stevia to taste, sea salt, spirulina, and vanilla – all of which are foods that one can now easily acquire online and from their local natural food store and prepare in a blender. This drink (and we will unveil many more detailed recipes in our upcoming eBook on Superfood Beauty Elixirs) will restore the youthfulness of your skin and joints, boost your mood, create an outstanding immune system….and can be consumed daily – forever – without going into alkalosis.

In your health quest, keep doing what works for you. Just make sure to keep trying and adding in an evermore top quality variety of superfoods, herbs, wild foods and garden grown salads so that you will always be updating your protocol, staying innovative (which is what we do with everything else in our life, especially technology, and preparing food is a technology). By trying new things and displacing the old, you will never get stuck in health dogma, or be lured for very long by the less-than-healthiest teachers out there. I do support everyone on a raw-related path as our hearts are all in the right place. Let’s just make sure that we eschew last year’s or even last decade’s ideas and stay on the leading edge of health as we discover the secrets of longevity together!

Your Friend in Cutting Edge Health Mastery

This was written by Christian Bates who I met seven years ago at the beggining of his journey.

High Energy/Nutrients rich foods

2010-06-21T17:47:00.000-06:00

[rawfood-387] High Energy Low Density NutrientsSunday, June 20, 2010 9:06 AM
From: "Vanessa Johansson"

How to eat more nutrient dense foods? These are foods with the most nutrients per calorie, which are, according to the ANDI (Aggregate Nutrient Density Index) - Kale, Collards, Boy Choy, Spinach, Arugula, Cabbage, Romaine, Broccoli, Cauliflower, Green Pepper (top 10). The top 10 fruits are: Strawberries, Blueberries, Oranges, Cantaloupes, Apples, Peaches, Cherries, Pineapples, Mangos and Grapes! The top nuts are: Sunflower seeds, Flax seeds, Sesame seeds, Pistachios, Almonds, and Walnuts. Lentils are also really high up on the list. (You can soak orange lentils til they're soft enough to eat, and put them in your salads. They're yummy!)
This list does not address superfoods, such as cacao, noni, acai, spirulina, etc.
We all know that we are what we eat. Those who are eating food that is heavy in matter and density and low in energy, consciousness, and intelligence...well, thats exactly what they look like. If you dont know what I am talking about, go to the State fair this summer. It is terrifying to see what kind of sick and deformed condition most of our species is reducing itself to. Without technology, these humans would surely die.

Those who are eating low density, high energy, and highly conscious and intelligent foods....well, thats what they look like..... and are. Fluid, elastic, strong, disease resitant, and alive! Able to critically think and assess and conclude based on the observations of the obvious.

Is this really organic?

2010-06-20T07:23:00.000-06:00

ABC news ran this rather interesting profile on Organic foods from China and Whole Foods and how they are NOT inspected the way one would think, and not to our standards even though they have the 'stamp of approval'. Buyer beware looms again.

The 365 label at Whole Foods-next time you go turn the packages over and in small print you'll find "product of china".

Thanks Kathy for sending this.

http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=JQ31Ljd9T_Y

Benefits of Conscious Eating

2010-06-17T06:46:00.000-06:00

One of the things that adding more raw to my daily food did was bring me to an awareness of my own eating patterns, and connected me to the language of my body. By that I mean that our body only has the means of physical signals to communicate with 'us' - the conscious self that thinks it knows or can figure out everything. I realized I had used food to numb myself out to that communication forever.

When I began to eat with conscious awareness, I noticed how I felt both before and after I ate. I realized I really did have a reaction to wheat that made me congested and my nose feel swollen. I had NEVER noticed before. I no longer have that reaction with wheat, but I don't much care for it. I have CHOSEN to not eat it, rather than feeling like I can't eat it.

Now for some people that have never had food issues, that may well be normal for them. But, remember I used to weigh 300 pounds, and though it was 20 years ago now, it seems like yesterday sometimes, when I am reminded of what it felt like to be overwhelmed by my own body, and feeling betrayed and confused by it as if it were a stranger to me and I was trapped inside.

I will see someone struggling in an airplane seat and instantly recall the feel of the armrests against my sides as I would attempt to make myself smaller so I didn't invade someone else's space, energetically apologizing for being me.By the same token, I still marvel when I click a seatbelt around me in the airplane now and have to pull it tighter - that it really is me. When the gentleman in the aisle in front asked for a seatbelt extender I instantly remembered having to ask for one myself once and the shame that washed over me as I did. I was 8 months pregnant, but the withering look the flight attendant shot me, shaming to the bone.

So raw food is the first thing that seems to have freed me from so many of the misunderstandings I had about how and why I ate. I thought I was eating to numb out, but really I was eating to fill up a void that was an aching painful emptiness. I was already numb. I was trying to feel. I was trying to wake myself up and bring myself back in by chewing and crunching.

Notice for yourself as you eat more raw, and clear yourself out, and wake yourself up, how you really feel. And if I can suggest one thing: don't be afraid of the feelings. We are feeling beings. That's why we are here. LET yourself feel.

HEMP SEEDS

2010-06-15T19:02:00.000-06:00

If you haven't found hemp seeds yet, go get some on your next trip to Whole Foods. They are high in protein, 65% globulin and have ALL the amino acids. All of them. It's a balanced blend of omega 3 and 6, and the richest known source of polyunsaturated fatty acids. And they taste good too!

2 TBS of hemp seeds packs a whooping 11 grams of protein!

I'm going to try hemp butter next time instead of peanut butter if I can find it.

You can eat them raw, ground, sprouted or turned into milk like you do almond milk.

I made some raw snacks and rolled them in hemp seed for a nutty coating. They turned out great. I would post the recipe but it was a Sunday mess and who could repeat it?

Get out the processor. Put into it any dried fruit and nut combo you want. i added peanut butter to moisten and then after processing it together formed into balls and rolled in hemp seed. Had them all week to take to work and to snack on. Easy!

More and More Rawness

2010-06-15T18:48:00.001-06:00

I'm on the east coast at the moment, and every day someone comes in and says "I'm juicing" or "I'm doing green smoothies" or "I'm eating more organic".

Well well! Bit by bit we are waking up. People are fed up with feeling lousy. We are no longer willing to have low energy and low libido for life!

Truth is I can see it in the glow in their skin and the sparkle in their eyes. They come in lighter, and freer and they are becoming curious about this 'raw' stuff.

I'm enjoying these raw snacks I found at Whole foods. They are similar to what Catherine Ann has made. My favorite is called 'raisin brittle" and is sunflower seeds, raisins, pumpkin seeds and coconut. They are called "Smart Treat" and are vegan, gluten free and dairy free. So if you miss a crunchy something, they fit the bill, although not salty.

I've been doing more raw again while here. Taking lettuce rollups to work, and making various concoctions again. We all wonder why we stop when we do but I think it's because it feels so good when we get back to it again! We come to appreciate it even more.

We are retraining a lifetime of ingrained habits and traditions of generations! Be gentle with yourself.

Allow yourself to eat-and don't guilt. No need to get hungry. Throw out the rules about eating on a schedule and eat when your body tells you to. Trying to eat on a schedule is like trying to poop on a schedule. You poop when your body is done with the the processing, and not before.

By the way-same thing with issues. Just thought I would throw that in. Everything has it's right moment. No use sitting and straining over stuff that isn't ready to come out. Trust your body!

Pay attention to how you feel with every bite so you can let your body teach you what you've missed before! It's doing the best it can with what we were giving it and frankly it's been doing a great job under the toughest of circumstances. Talk about lack of recognition!

It's never too late to be who you've been waiting for!

Info about Sunfoods

2010-05-19T09:21:00.000-06:00

February 25, 2010

Do you Buy From Sunfood.com? Better think
twice!

So I just got this today from my friend on Facebook Chef Believe,
evidently passed on from Vanessa Johansson
http://www.meetup.com/slc-rawfood-superheroes-com/members/5900104/As
I never really trusted Sun Food and their over bloated prices this
comes to my inbox. Please read and repost as much as possible.____________________________________________________________________________
I
have been meaning to post this for a month now and finally have found a
moment to do so.
As
some of you know I have been investigating the raw cacao industry and
raw powder and butter in particular. You heard it here first that
basically every cacao product on the market today is actually cooked,
and as of right now Essential Living Foods, Big Tree Organics and the
paste from Ultimate Superfoods (not the powder) is actually a raw
product.

Well, I have a grand finale to this story. After many
conversations and emails I have discovered some important info about
Sunfood, David Wolfes company.

First of all, it is not David
Wolfes company.

As
of at least 12 months ago, it has been owned by Doug Harbison, a non
raw foodist non superhero cooked wonder bread old school business
executive. David Wolfe makes no money off of Sunfood and owns no stock
in Sunfood. He tried to get Sunfood off of cooked chocolate products
and the owners would not listen to him. In fact, they have over 8
lawsuits against David Wolfe. I spoke to the current owner of
Sunfood...

I spoke to the current owner of Sunfood multiple times and here is
what he told me:
He
does not care if the cacao powder and butter are agave and yacon are
cooked products. He said that I am the only person who has called to
complain so he thinks that people are still satisfied with these
products. Hmmm...
He also told me that he believes that Essential
living Foods is lying about their products being cooked. I asked him
why a company would self destruct like this and he said he didnt know
but he thought they were lying. I asked him why they would lose so many
accounts and jeopardize their own investment and he said he didn't know
but he really thought that their product was raw and they were making
up a story about it being cooked.

Hmmmm....

He finally
said that he was sending his buddy Brian from Sunfood down to
investigate himself. I asked him why he thought that they would be let
in to the manufacturing facility without being a customer, when
Essential Living Foods who is actually a customer was not allowed to
step foot into the facility. He could not answer me.
He promised
to get back to me over month ago with a resolution for one customer,
myself, who has spent a fortune on what I was told and promised was the
best of the best and come to find out it was cooked and fraudulently
sold to me. I havent had any reply.

They knew it was cooked. They
still know it is cooked. He doesn't care!

So,
I have Doug Harbisons private email and cell phone number. I would like
all 286 members on this site to personally call this inflated buffoon
and let hm know that you do in fact care that his products are being
sold fraudulently, that his raw chocolate is not raw, and that you will
no longer support Sunfood nor will you purchase their products anymore.
Let him know that what could be the impetus for the tipping point on
this planet is being turned into a farce by a few corrupt and greedy
individuals such as himself, and that many curious and in need people
are being turned off of the raw food movement as a tool for health and
consciousness because they dont feel that it is trust worthy and
anything other than a hoax. Say whatever you want actually but let this
man know that you are not sheeple and will demand truth, integrity, and
quality ad will vote with your dollars. Lets not let one bad apple
spoil the beauty and truth of this lifestyle choice.

Fill up and
flood this mans email and voicemail with your voices!!!!

In
my opinion, Sunfood has lost the plot, and is completely out of
integrity and should not be supported in any manner and the word should
be spread like wild fire through the Superhero network.
I happily
provide you now with his private contact information.

DOUG
HARBISON
doug@sunfood.com
314-422-0206

Repost this on as
many forums as you can folks. Ready-Set-GO!!!

Fresh Corn Salad

2010-05-05T11:21:00.000-06:00

Fresh corn, taken off the cob. About 6 cobs worth or more.

Put in simmering water for a few minutes only, drain. (optional) I like the corn just a little softer than raw.

Add:

1 bunch cilantro, chopped fine

2 tsp garlic chopped fine, 2-3 cloves

2 peppers, one red, one orange, seeded and chopped fine

3 avocados, chopped chunky

2 limes, juiced

olive oil to taste

This is a lovely fresh salad that a friend just made. We've made it twice now-and it's great the next day for lunch too. You can wash big leaves of spinach and make little rollups if you want to go fancier for a luncheon.

Clearing the Large Intestine

2010-04-27T16:12:00.000-06:00

Many people are encouraging the world to cleanse and detox, and if you decide to do it, be aware that we hold many emotions in our intestinal tract. If you find yourself feeling overwhelmed, angry, sad, or anxious while detoxing, it can be old emotions that are being revealed as you cleanse.

We used to call detoxing 'anger week' and realize that our feelings were not necessarily about anything in current time.

If you decide to cleanse and detox, allow yourself some grace and space. Don't do it on a busy stressful week. Do understand that as you cleanse inside your body, you are also stirring up emotions and feelings that have been buried. Tears and fears may come up. Let them roll through, and don't worry about what they are. Keep going.

You may also want to pay attention to your prescription meds. If you are on high blood pressure meds while juicing or cleansing your blood pressure may drop to normal so if you are taking meds you may then drop to LOW. Check with your doctor, and pay attention to how you feel.

Raw-ish Quinoa salad

2010-04-27T16:05:00.000-06:00

Red Quinoa - prepare whole box as on box

1 orange pepper, chopped

1 yellow pepper chopped

apricots chopped-fresh or dried. Dried will last longer if you want to keep this to use several nights.

currants, raisins or fresh dark grapes, chopped in 4ths-my favorite both for color and freshness

1 bunch cilantro, chopped fine

lime juice-about 5 limes - fresh squeezed or juiced is best!

roasted pine nuts (lightly roasted in olive oil)

roasted sesame seeds (lightly roasted with pine nuts in olive oil)

chopped pecans (best if soaked and dried before chopping)

This is a great salad to make in volume and then put in smaller containers for lunch

Good consistency to use in lettuce rollups. It has a nice nutty flavor and texture.

I also like to use it with a dash of hot chili peppers for zip to the tongue

Juice for Health

2010-04-23T20:16:00.000-06:00

3 carrots
1/2 a lemon
1 apple
(what's so green about this...? just wait)

3 stalks of celery
1/2 a head of lettuce
1/2 cucumber
2 leaves of cabbage
2 leaves of kale
1 cluster of spinach
a handful of cilantro
a twig of rosemary
an inch of ginger

I know this has alot of ingredients-I like variety. You definitely do NOT need all of it. The staples are the first 6 ingredients, and then wing it. It's all about experimenting.

People worry about combining fruit with vegetables: the rule doesn't count when juicing. You are juicing folks-juice all digests at the same rate. I have a friend that made wonderful juice with adding pear to her greens, and another made awesome green juice with mango.

I pour mine into two cups with lids and drink one on the way to work and keep the other on my desk for snacks. At lunch I am still full and have a power bar to snack on when I need a bite. I'm feeling high energy and satisfied and am almost ready to give up my coffee after being back on this for 2 weeks. I do also have two soft boiled eggs for breakfast, so it's not all raw for me. But this is a great way to transition into it. The more you have the more you want. I take a few lettuce leaves and some hummus with me for lunch too if I want more to eat. And I always keep an apple in my desk and some raw almonds. Sometimes they are soaked, sometimes not, but I have them there. Those are the staples.

Tips to starting raw:
keep the food handy
Do not let yourself get hungry
Be prepared
Eat any time you feel the urge. without guilt and without a schedule so you can begin to listen to your own body again

I think I'll go make some carrot juice for bedtime.
Night!

Stevia for panic attacks

2010-04-21T20:46:00.001-06:00

This is from a woman who used Stevia to cure panic attacks.

She stumbled upon this as a cure--she had a friend who had no clue that his symptoms were "panic attacks" (he wasn't raw) and he ended up in the hospital several times with no help from the doctors--many times he was told "we can find nothing wrong with you" and yet he thought he was literally about to die. When my friend (who has been raw for over 8 years) heard my story she thought it sounded so similar. I literally thought I was clinging to my life for hours. I could tell that some weird hormone or chemical was "dumping" itself at an uncontrollable speed and just would not stop. It feels like the same kind of feeling you might have when you experience an allergic reaction--that kind of sick rushing feeling, only it was a hundred times worse and would not stop until I had been lying in the hospital for a couple of hours. Yet the doctors came in and said, "your blood is the most beautiful blood we have seen--it is pristine and we can find nothing wrong with you"...oh yeah? Then why do I feel like I am dying? So my friend said that she thinks there is a physiological sort of panic attack, where your mind seems to not be in any state of panic whatsoever, yet the body goes into a panic. (I had been asleep for an hour when this thing happened to me, not thinking panicky thoughts at all.) She told me to try the stevia and it worked like an absolute miracle! The results were immediate! She also said that when her daughter gets severe PMS symptoms, she gives her 1/2 tsp of stevia with about that much powdered dong quai and it takes the symptoms away quick.

Sweetners

2010-04-21T20:27:00.000-06:00

This was posted on the rawmeetup site.

Coconut Palm Sugar: This is now available as a sweetener. It is usually heat processed, yet unconfirmed reports indicate RAW coconut palm sugar is now available from Balinese sources. (Big Tree Organics and Essential Living Foods sell this) It is processed using lime (chalk) or mangosteen sap to neutralize acidity. Because of the calcification problems associated with eating chalk and the magic associated with the mangosteen tree, mangosteen sap processed coconut palm sugar is preferred.

Erythritol: Erythritol is made by breaking down plant starch into glucose. Then the yeast Moniliella pollinis is added to the glucose. Through fermentation, the glucose breaks down into erythritol. Metabolic, toxicological, and clinical studies covering areas as diverse as cancer, nervous system health, and allergic reactions have found erythritol to be safe. Erythritol has GRAS (generally recognized as safe) status in the United States. Seek out organic erythritol or products containing it.

Honey (raw, organic) is always the natural sweetener of choice. Look for wild honey because it is lower in fructose and higher in trace mineral content. Also, look for richer dark honeys (e.g. NoniLand honey, etc.)

Inulin: A long-chain polysaccharide that is mostly too long a sugar to absorb into the blood stream. Inulin may be isolated from Jerusalem artichoke or properly processed agave. Look for inulin powder or Jerusalem artichoke syrup. Too much inulin intake can cause digestive distress in certain people.

Lo Han Guo: A non-glycemic sweetener from Chinese medicinal tradition made from a type of wild cucumber.

Lucuma: Lucuma’s sugar content is low. The percentage amount present in the dried pulp from mature lucuma fruit is: 8.4% glucose, 4.7% fructose, 1.7% sucrose, and 0.06% inositol (http://www.buywholefoodsonline.co.uk/lucuma-powder).
Maple syrup: this is the only sustainably-harvested, large-scale, forest sweetener in the world. Maple is likely the richest source of minerals found in any sweetener other than dark honeys and molasses. Look for organic maple syrup and maple crystals as an ingredient.
Molasses: Select unsulfured, organic sugarcane molasses because it is fairly rich in vitamins and minerals and has been purported (like fresh sugar cane) to have “anti-stiffness factors” that break down detrimental calcification (see my book The LongevityNOW Program).
Soak water: This is a natural sweetener from dried fruits such as date water, goji water, or dried fig water. Shop for organic dried fruit products and soak them in spring water for several hours to make your own fresh soak water.

Stevia: I recommend dried powdered leaves over extracts. This is a wonderful and easy plant to grow. It contains no real sugar, so therefore it does not feed candida or cancer. Look for organic stevia products.

Xylitol: This could be the sweetener of the future if it could be obtained with certified organic quality. Xylitol does not feed candida or cancer, but tastes normally sweet. Originally isolated from birch syrup; it is now available as a white powder.

Yacon: An extraordinarily easy to obtain and abundant subtropical to tropical tuber, relative to the Jerusalem artichoke. Yacon is commonly available as dehydrated chips and as a syrup. Look for organic products. Yacon syrup is rich in iron and only mildly glycemic. It is not raw.

Other sweeteners to avoid, besides common agave:

Refined white and brown sugars made from beet, sorghum, or sugarcane of all sorts, primarily due to genetically modified crop contamination, including:

Evaporated Cane Juice: Rapadura is one of the many names of this highly processed and highly heated product. This is almost pure sucrose, like maple, but lacks in minerals. Evaporated cane juice is known to aggravate all sugar-sensitive conditions from diabetes to candida to cancer. Evaporated cane juice can be certified organic. This product often sneaks into chocolate products, pre-made smoothies, and lots of vegan treats (because it is not processed with bone char).

Sorbitol: This sweetener is typically made from genetically modified corn starch. It was originally isolated from stone fruits of the genus Sorbus.

Other Considerations

The market is flooded with companies and products using all different kinds of sweeteners. Always select products containing certified organic sweeteners due to potential contamination from genetically modified corn and other crops that may contain glufosinate herbicides that damage your friendly healthy bacteria. Remember that certified organic sweeteners cannot be genetically modified (GMO).

This post was cut from an article recently shared by David Wolfe. Its entire content can be found at Sacred Chocolates website.

To Your health.
Vanessa

It's not about Perfection

2010-04-20T18:49:00.001-06:00

I hear so many people saying "I don't know what to eat!" "I'm so confused!"

Isn't it funny that we don't know what to eat? Imagine that! We have so many choices, such a constant banquet of choices, that we don't know what to eat! It's no longer about 'if' we will eat or where our next meal is going to come from-we have a new problem. Tooooo many choices.

We are bombarded constantly with commercials in print and on the tube, over the waves and in the air-eat eat eat. Diet diet diet. But which one?

When we originally started this blog, way back 3 years ago, we were all feeling that same way. Six of us. We were dietarily confused. Eat six meals a day. Graze. Eat 3 meals a day. Eat breakfast. Fast one day a week. Eat only fruit until noon. Don't eat fruit with anything. Eat meat. Eat chicken. Don't eat fish because of the poisoned oceans. Eat fish for the necessary omegas. Eat organic. Eat eggs. Don't eat yolks. Eat protein. Don't eat protein. Eat vegetarian. Eat vegan. Eat dairy. Don't eat dairy. Eat for health. Don't eat for more health. Eat for your blood type. Eat for your ethnic base. Eat Mediterranean, eat Chinese, eat Ayurvedic. Don't eat pork. Don't drink. Drink red wine. SHEESH.

We sat down and listed all the conflicting messages. We piled the books on the table of all the experts programs.

And then we decided to try raw for thirty days. Just a month, together, with a few rules for our group.

Rule #1. No perfectionism necessary. We figured 50% raw a day was better than what we were doing, 70% raw was amazing, and if we did 100% we were champs.

Rule #2. With lots of room in rule #1 our second rule was still, "no beating ourselves up" No failure, only feedback, write it down, and let everyone learn from it.

Rule #3. Notice. Notice how you feel before you eat. Notice what you really want. Notice how you feel after you eat. Notice what you notice.

Rule #4. Write on the blog so we can do it together and get in touch with our insides. Bloating and belching included.

Rule #5. Eat as much raw as you can, and if you have to eat cooked, don't eat processed if you can help it. We figured it was the chemicals and additives that were the real culprits, and if nothing else we would read labels and learn.

Pretty simple. What happened was pretty cool-by the end of 30 days, we decided to keep going. It was easy. It was remarkably easy. We found that we liked it more than cooking. There was less clean up.
We learned to marinate, soak, dehydrate. We learned to sprout. We played. We began to come back to loving food again.

I fell in love with food again. I delighted in the colors and the smells, the textures. Why had I lost the art of food? And when? Food had become a drudgery. I think there were too many new rules. I got lost

30 days of raw, on a gradually increasing plan taught me to listen to myself again. I cleared the decks. I found that i preferred soaked raw oatmeal with fresh juice on it and a dash of organic honey MORE than cooked oatmeal. I loved sprouts and I would moan over chopped fresh basil.

But we all loved juicing. Raw fresh homemade juice. If you do nothing else raw, buy a good juicer, and start adding a good big glass of raw juice every day.

This morning I made a juice from:
5 stalks of celery
5 carrots
half a head of romaine
a chunk of fresh ginger
half a lemon with the rind
an apple
half a bunch of spinach

I drank half, and took half to work with me for later. I also had 2 soft boiled eggs. I'm a type 0 and I know the controversy out there, but FOR ME I do better with more protein. So, purists out there, this works for me.

Now over the course of 3 years, we fell away, and came back. We would eat cooked and go yuk and when we fell off we would wonder why when we felt so good on the raw? On and off. On and off.
We are coming back to an on cycle and loving it once again and once again marveling that we fell off.

Bottom line-find out what works for YOU!
Find your rules for you. Fall in love with what you eat, bless it and it will bless you.
Whatever you eat, love it. Enjoy it. Relish in it. And if you don't, no matter who has told you it is good for you-it won't serve you until you love it for yourself and make it your choice.

To your health!

Boost Testosterone Naturally

2010-04-19T17:56:00.003-06:00

This is information that I thought some might be interested in. It was posted on the rawfood meetup group by Vanessa Johansson.

[rawfood-387] Boost Natural Testosterone ProductionMonday, April 19, 2010 4:12 PM
From: "Vanessa Johansson" Add sender to Contacts
To: rawfood-387-announce@meetup.com

. What are some plant foods that will support and increase my natural testosterone levels? Peace Love Joy~ Sandy

Protocol ...

1. Playing competitive sports has been shown to trigger testosterone production. In fact, women get a bigger boost than men prior to competition.

2. Making love boosts testosterone production in women.

3. Avoid Hops, Licorice, grapefruit, and flax as these are the highest estrogenic foods.

4. All pesticides herbicides, and plastics are estrogenic so throw out your plastic and stick to glass and organic.

5.Drink nettle root tea every day. You can buy it at Mountain Rose Herbs online and make your own brew wiht it. Nettle root inhibits the transformation of excess testosterone into estrogen.

6. Eat Pine Pollen extract twice a day. It is the highest natural testosterone containing food on the planet. I like Woodland Essence brand.

7. Add passionflower to your nettle root tea or take it as an extract. herb Pharm has a high quality one. Passionflower displaces estrogen out of receptor sites and makes room for testosterone.

8. Add ginseng root to your tea. Boil for at least one hour. very testosterone producing.

9. Eat Lions Mane mushroom extracts from Mushroom Sciences or from Host Defense.

10. Read my all time favorite Author.... Stephen Harrod Buhner. His book " The Natural Testosterone Plan: For Sexual Health and Energy" is a must read for anyone interested in longevity and health. testosterone is a longevity hormone and our society is massively estrogen dominant which leads to passivity, shorter life span, docility, and tons of female cancers, male pattern baldness, fat on the thighs and hips, and much more.

11. Anyone not married to a plant only diet would want to get onto Deer Antler. The best brand out there is Dragon Herbs. Colostrum from Surthrival would also be in order. Rememnber that plant foods are all estrogonic and loaded with phytoestrogens.

Anyone suffering from low libido will benefit greatly from all of these practices as well.

Best of luck to you as you follow the thread of your own Sovereign Authenticity.

To your health.

Vanessa

Crackers

2010-04-09T19:14:00.003-06:00

I made some crackers that I thought were my first successful crackers in several attempts.

Two ears of corn off the cob, small red pepper, wedge of purple onion, clove of garlic, salt, pepper all blended well in the food processor.

Add a cup of flax seeds that have been soaked for about twenty minutes or until they are slimy. Drain the flax seeds and add to processor and mix again.

Place on dehydrator sheets about 1/4" thick and dry on 105 for about 12 hours, turn over and 12 hours more until dry.

Great with raw cheddar cheese and avocado bits.

Foreign fish not safe for consumption

2010-04-06T20:18:00.001-06:00

For those of us that eat fish-take a look at this and be informed.

Nut milks

2010-03-31T18:30:00.003-06:00

I got this off a website and I wish I could remember which one so I could give them credit. but I don't.

RECIPES: Live Nut Milk

Making nut milk is easy and very satisfying. If you drink soy milk or another boxed milk product, you'll never go back after making one of these nut milks.

Live Nut or Seed Milk

For Almond Milk
1 cup soaked almonds

For Hazelnut Milk
1 cup raw hazelnuts (hazelnuts don't contain enzyme inhibitors so you don't have to soak them)

For Brazil Nut Milk
1 cup raw Brazil nuts (Brazil nuts don't contain enzyme inhibitors so you don't have to soak them)

For Hemp Seed Milk
3/4 cup raw hemp seeds

Sweetener: 2-3 dates, or 2 Tbsp honey, maple syrup or agave nectar (optional)

1 tsp vanilla extract (optional)

Soak your almonds in filtered water for 12 hours; drain, rinse, and dry.

Place your drained nuts, seeds or combination of nuts and seeds (almond and hemp are nice together) in your blender.
Add 2-3 cups of filtered water, a pinch of salt, your desired sweetener and vanilla.
Blend on high until the nuts are completely broken down. Don't over-blend as the friction from the blender will create heat. For small batches, I use a Braun hand blender.

Pour your milk through a nut milk bag or strainer and squeeze as much of the liquid out as possible.

You now have a delicious fresh nut milk to enjoy on its own, with granola or in a smoothie in place of dairy.

Note: Unsweetened pulp is delicious added to hummus or baba ganoush. Don't throw it away; freeze it!

Raw Relish for lunch

2010-02-20T22:14:00.000-07:00

This is a favorite raw rollup-and it works great as a take-to-work lunch.

1 mango, peeled and chopped
1 orange, peeled and chopped
1/2 red onion, peeled and chopped
2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
1 stalk celery chopped
1/2 yellow pepper, chopped
10 red grapes, cut in quarters
1 firm roma tomato, chopped fine

add: a pinch of sea salt, a sprinkle of pepper
I like to add cayenne pepper for some kick, of course
if you have some pineapple, that works nicely too.

10 large romaine lettuce leaves, washed and whole.
fill with relish, sprinkle with sesame seeds and eat!

These look so pretty too.

Note: I had a can of organic chopped tomatoes and added these instead of fresh-note: don't do it again.
They are too mushy. Use fresh ingredients.

Vitamin A

2010-02-19T10:28:00.001-07:00

If you suddenly start noticing eye and skin issues that you haven't had before, you might be low in Vitamin A.

Dry eyes, itchy eyes, inflamed eyes, blurred vision, night blindness, dry skin, itchy skin, bumpy skin can all be indications you need to increase your Vitamin A foods for awhile.

Foods high in Vitamin A:

liver
sweet potatos
carrots
mangoes
spinach
cantaloupe
dried apricots
milk
egg yolks
mozzarella cheese

think 'orange' for vitamin A.

Another Reason

2010-02-14T13:41:00.001-07:00

I read that 50% of all the anitbiotics sold in the USA are given to farmers/ranchers for their livestock. Cows, pigs, chickens, so that they grow strong and healthy. Europe already won't take our meat. This is why.

That means that even if we don't medicate ourselves-we are still getting the antibiotics via our non-organic meats.

ANOTHER REASON to buy organic!

I had a funny thought-what if the Judaic mandate to eat kosher and not eat pork is really a message from the future (via the biblical writings) passed down to us so that 2000 years later we don't eat pork and we don't eat non-organic.

Kosher means blessed. Right? Bless our food. Blessing changes the frequency.

So, what if the future bacterial or viral bug that potentially wipes out the human race is a crossover from pigs? All virus's begin in an animal host and mutate to humans. Wow! If we are eating pork that has been given antibiotics, we might potentially be creating an internal system that will be unable to combat the future virus!

Ok-enough of the science fiction for this Sunday morning. Happy Valentine's day everyone.

Of course, if you are doing 'raw' then you are not eating meat...except fish perhaps? Remember to buy organic eggs, for the same reason.

Do we have to eat organic for everything? No. Grapes and Apples are the most heavily pesticided produce.

But anything you can peel, you can buy conventional-unless someone else has a reason ? Let us know your thoughts.

A post from Salt Lake City Raw Group

2009-12-30T23:12:00.003-07:00

This is a post from the message board of the Salt Lake City Raw Superheros group. The title was do you need another reason to buy organic. This so grosses me out.

D.Lindsey Berkson, a bioenvironmentalist educated at Tulane University, adds a chilling note in her must read book " Hormone Deception" in which she cites a shocking Associated press story. It seems that toxic heavy metals such as cadmium, lead, arsenic, along with dioxins and radio active waste from a nearby uranium processing plant is licensed as a commercial fertilizer and sprayed over 9,000 acresof grazing land, where it makes its way into the livestock eating the newly fertilized grass. Although many other industrilaized nations regulate the use of fertilizers, the United States does not, which means that medical, municipal, and industrial waste is routinely spread over the ground where our crops grow and where cattle graze. Municipal sewage systems alone, says berkson, sell some 36 percent of their 11.6 billion pounds of waste materials to farmers looking for fertilizers. Holy nastyness.
So the issue clearly becomes, how do you wnat to pay? Up front wiht the Organic price tag, or aorund the back door with your health, your sanity, the future of our species, and your life in its entirety. Fort me its a no brainer. I am thankful that the option to pay up front even exists, and I encourage you to do the same.
Spread the truth and fight truth decay!!!!!

I found on this site there is another raw store at 389 W 1700 south called Cali's. I haven't checked it out yet. It is a local owner.

Smoked PEPPERED Mackerel

2009-12-29T17:05:00.000-07:00

If you haven't tried this, and you like fish of course, try! It's in Whole Foods, by the meat section, hanging by the coolers. It is peppered and smoked and not raw, but yum!

Have it in lettuce roll ups for the rawish part, with some shredded cabbage and cilantro lime dressing?

I had it with cream cheese-also not raw, and then rolled in big dark leaves of ruffled lettuce. Ok-it's the holidays. I find that I have to break out into wildness every now and then, and smoked fish is so high in omegas that I figure it's only good for us!

Rotate Greens

2009-12-28T08:50:00.004-07:00

I just read about how important it is to rotate greens in Victoria Bountenko's new book, Green Smoothie Revolution. Each green has it's own alkaloids that prevent animals from eating all of an area to keep the species going. These alkaloids are little poisons that can add up if the same greens are eaten over and over again and produce a poisoning effect.

The same alkaloids boost the immune system in small amounts.

I have been eating spinach, kale, and romaine lettuce everyday. Whoops!

Kale Crackers

2009-11-30T00:39:00.000-07:00

I just had some great crackers that are raw! She dipped kale pieces in a mixture of garlic, olive oil and tomatoes that had gone in the blender until smooth.

Lay on trays in the dehydrator and dry for 10 hours.

They are tasty and light and quite healthy! Yet another way to put Kale to good use and a great alternative to fried or baked potato chips.

B-12 and side effects?

2009-11-10T19:06:00.000-07:00

B-12 is a water soluble vitamin vs fat soluble vitamins. That means that we pee out whatever we don't use, so there are no side effects. B-12 is needed to process iron. B-12 is highly valuable to the CNS and to the brain. It helps with general function.

So, when a friend took some liquid B-12 and had almost instant shakes and blood sugar issues, I thought it didn't sound like everything I had been hearing about B-12.

People with MS are more likely to be deficient. She doesn't have MS. And if she was deficient, you would think her body would be lapping it up instead of having a fit about it.

They now have B12 patches-interesting. It causes increased energy. It is recommended for diabetics. Says that the effects on blood sugar should be GOOD, and that they should notice increases in energy. A-yeah!

Methionine is an essential amino acid that we get from protein. Some is turned into homocysteine, and then into methionine with the help of B12. If we are low in B12, homocysteine levels are high because the body can't do the reaction it needs to. Homocysteine is a nerve toxin and vessel toxin-
levels are high in Alz, stroke, cardio disease, eye disorders.

So to prevent high homocysteine, we need B12.
To lower blood pressure, take B12 shots. It's highly unlikely that low B12 is causing high BP though.

It totally doesn't understand the reaction though. Maybe an allergy? Maybe an emotional allergy? We can see. But meanwhile-it defies standard explanations! LIKE WE DIDN'T KNOW THAT!

More fear marketing-hand sanitizers

2009-11-09T08:30:00.000-07:00

I'm amazed at the plethora of hand sanitizers that have sprung up everywhere. You can wipe the handles of everything before you touch it. Heaven forbid you should touch something that someone else has.

Now folks, does this even make sense? Can you REALLY accomplish this? Can you? You are in a world populated by others. So we have automatic doors, automatic flushing toilets, automatic water taps. We have automatic paper dispensers. Pretty interesting. I watch people trying to open doors with their elbows! Good trick if you can do it.

Do you ever watch yourself? Do it for one day. Where is your FEAR?

My son was just telling me that last year in high school they did an experiment: hand sanitizer vs bar soap. He was the test dummy. He scrubbed his hands with soap. They took a skin scraping. He walked around the room for a few minutes, came back and they took another skin scraping. He made sure he touched things, just behaved normally for about 15 minutes. Then a third after another scrub.

Then he used hand sanitizer and did the same thing. Skin scraping right after the sanitizer, then walked around, touched things as normal for 15 minutes, then another skin scraping, a third after that.

While they all knew the ads-hand sanitizer destroys 99.9% of the bacteria, that was not a surprise, or as it turns out, was it a lie. It does kill all the bacteria-including the good that is a protective barrier and meant to stop the majority of bad bacteria from getting further into our system!

We are a symbiotic ecosystem-we are meant to have good bacteria on our skin, just like we are meant to have good bacteria in our intestinal tract. They keep us healthy. Get over the advertising that bacteria is the bad guy. It's not.

Here were their results:
These high school kids discovered that when you use regular soap, you kill the bad bacteria, and you keep the good bacteria. They saw it for themselves under the microscope.

When you use hand sanitizer, you destroy all the bacteria, and then when you touch something else you double the exposure to bad bacteria-with no protective barrier in place to stop them.

He mentioned casually "whoa was there a lot of bad bacteria then!" I smiled.

In other words the more you use hand sanitizers, the more you destroy your own ecosystem, your own defenses. It's like saying because you have soldiers with bows and arrows all around the castle walls, you can open the gates and lower the draw bridge.

I've never been a germ-a-phob. I figure we live in this world. Stuff drops on the floor. I have animals. We live with them. That means our energy mingles, our life force mingles, and our germs mingle. While I don't kiss my dog on the lips, and ew I don't like her to lick my face either, I'm not overly concerned about methodically washing my hands at every contact. With her or with the world. Germs are just germs. And btw, we are an extremely healthy family. Always have been.

Come into right relationship with your world, and you will be fine. Really. You want strong healthy kids-STOP using sanitizer on everything. Let them get dirty for goodness sake. They will strengthen their immune system through everyday life. Being a 'good mom' does not mean making your children live in an antiseptic world. And fanatically scrubbing everything down only gives them the vibrational message that the world is not their friend. Is that the message you want them to have?

Let's look at this another way:
Vaccines are about 'exposure' in order to build up an immunity.
Why would we not get the same benefits from building up our natural immunity to germs? They can't have it both ways. Oh wait. yes they can. It's called fear marketing.

We're getting marketed into the benefits of vaccinations, but we are are being reverse marketed about germs. We aren't in a battle with germs. In many cases, bacteria are our friends. Folks, touch your world. Get into it! You'll get stronger for it.

Raw ish - Fast Breakfast

2009-11-05T09:01:00.000-07:00

1/2 avocado, cubed
1/2 tomato, chunked
1 cup cabbage, fermented overnight in olive oil and balsamic vinegar
1 Tbs sesame seeds
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
s&p

Here's the raw-ish
1 hardboiled egg chopped

Or the vegan option is always cubed tofu.

Add a touch more balsamic and oil if you like it wetter. Toss and eat!
Enjoy!

Liver Detox

2009-10-31T22:17:00.000-06:00

Many of my friends that were in Mexico with me last week have reported they were quite sick when they got home!

I told them my remedy and I will say I didn't get sick. I felt a bit off but I thought it was the traveling.
I also didn't eat the fruit on the beach the last day. Maybe that was it?

Here are my home remedies that I swear by, and I took them while there too.
Alpha Lipoic Acid, Vitamin D, and zinc. I take it all at the first feeling of a bit under the weather. All of these boost our own immune system so that it can do what it needs to do.

I also did the green juice when I got home, and I made some detox soup.
1 can of stewed tomatoes, or 5-8 fresh tomatoes, quartered and mashed
1 can of water
2 tbs chopped garlic
1 large onion, chopped
1 green pepper, seeded and chopped
3-4 stalks celery chopped
1 bumch kale, washed and chopped into 1" pieces
1 bag baby spinach, washed and chopped into 1" pieces
1 good handful of fresh cilantro, washed and chopped

Put it all in a pot and put it on low. Cook until all the vegetables are soft.
Add salt, pepper, cayenne.

This is a great detox. Make it anytime you feel a bit punkish. It will clear your system out!
If you want more flavor, add some bullion. Vegetable miso or chicken work best.

Raw Juice To Start Every Day

2009-09-11T23:27:00.000-06:00

Fresh raw juice is the best, most nutritious, easiest to assimilate food you can have! It feeds you. And it feeds you on multiple levels. It has rich color, flavor, smell, and taste. So why isn't everyone doing it?!

Night time tonic:
2-3 apples, washed and quartered. When it comes to apples, organic is best
5-6 stalks celery
1/2 lemon
1 inch of ginger

Juice it and drink it before bed for a tonic that will improve your sleep and end your day the right way.

Corn Tortillas are a great alternative

2009-09-10T22:35:00.001-06:00

Did you know that a corn tortilla - a little one, only has 32 calories? Or 58. Or 62. It depends on the brand and the size. But overall, if you have a corn tortilla instead of bread, it's a big savings. That's if you are looking for alternatives. You can have raw ingredients with it. Shredded cabbage, fresh salsa, sliced avocado. Yum! My current favorite.

They are great for fish too-if you are doing fish...

Raw-ish Spinach. tomatoes and white beans over pasta

2009-09-08T16:22:00.003-06:00

Fresh ingredients:
Tomatoes-chopped
Spinach-torn into pieces
1 onion-chopped fine
2-4 cloves, chopped fine
1/2 bundle parsley-chopped
4 leaves basil-chopped

salt and pepper
cayenne or hot pepper flakes
I can white beans, rinsed and drained

In a wok pan saute the onion, garlic and tomatoes and spices in a splash of olive oil until soft
Add the beans to warm them
add the fresh spinach and stir until it's wilted

Cook angel hair pasta until soft, and drain
top servings with mixture and add parmesan cheese (unless you're vegan)
and eat!

You can use quinoa pasta or bean pasta if you want to opt out of gluten too.

Raw - Marinated Cucumbers

2009-09-05T09:56:00.003-06:00

Since we are all entering harvest time, here's a fast raw favorite of ours:

Peel and Slice 1-2 cucumbers. Make slices about 1/4"
Add:
1/3 Cup olive oil
1/4 Cup balsamic vinegar
(this are aprox. I splash it in so bare with me on this one)
2 tsp garlic
Juice of one fresh lemon
salt and pepper.
Fresh chopped: basil.

Yes, we use both the vinegar and lemon, but you can use one or the other.
This saves for a few days-if there are any left, so we do usually make extra.
They are great alone as a side dish or add them to the top of any salad.
Take them to work because marinated doesn't need to be refrigerated!
If you take your salad in one container, without dressing, take the cucs in a separate one and add them as the dressing.

Variation:
we add crumbled feta cheese at serving, and sliced olives for a greek flare!

Variation #2:
Add sliced red tomatoes to the cucumbers before marinating so they are both steeped in the dressing

Raw - Stuffed Tomatoes

2009-09-02T11:50:00.004-06:00

6 nice big fat deep red fresh tomatoes! This is the season for them!
Cut off the tops and core them scooping, out the insides so you have tomato cups

save the insides, chop and mix with:
1/3 c each: onion, celery, finely chopped
jalapeno pepper chopped - to taste. If you like it spicy add more.
fresh basil leaves-finely chopped, *I use about 1 big leaf per tomato
I cup chopped fresh parsley
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1/3 cup finely chopped mango
salt and pepper
juice of 1 fresh lemon
a splash or two of olive oil

Mix all ingredients and stuff into the tomatoes until they are heaped full! Garnish with a sprig of parsley and a serve with wedges of fresh lemon or lime and pita bread and more mango!

This is another great on-the-go lunch recipe!

Rawish-salmon spread

2009-08-28T19:35:00.002-06:00

This isn't raw-technically. I use a large can of alaskan salmon...but it IS raw-ish and salmon is chock full of omega 3s for great brain function!

I make this and keep it on hand, sometimes I'll freeze half for another time too. As you can see, the recipe varies with what I have on hand

1 large can alaskan salmon, drained. Flake with a fork and mash so any tiny bones are dissolved up
1/2 onion chopped fine
1/2 gr pepper chopped fine (or red, or yellow)
1/2 c edamame or green peas
chopped fresh: parsley, cilantro, oregano and basil
salt and pepper
2 cloves garlic, chopped fine
parmesan cheese
toasted pine nuts (or leave em raw too)

mix up and add a splash of olive oil, a good swig of red wine vinegar, and the juice of a whole lemon
I don't add mayo but I suppose you could if you like it

ANd we like it hot, so the pepper flakes, jalapeno peppers and a sprinkle of cayenne go in for us.

Toast corn tortillas in oil until crispy and then fill with this mixture, top with shredded cabbage and a squeeze of fresh lime before eating!
You can use lettuce leaves instead of tortillas but of course!

This is one of those "even better the next day" so it's great to make enough for lunch the next day too.

Healthy Lunchtime Eats

2009-08-27T16:29:00.004-06:00

Lima Beans Greco
1 bag dried lima beans-soak overnight in cold water, rinse and drain when time to cook. Boil in water until soft. Drain. Remove any loose skins that have separated.

olive oil
red wine vinegar
fresh lemon juice-at least 1 lemon
oregano, basil, parsley (fresh if you have them in the garden-yum!)
hot chili peppers (if you like hot!)
cayenne
salt, pepper
garlic-as much as you like and we like it

add what you have, and here are some we've liked:
onion-chopped fine
celery-chopped fine
carrot-julienne slices
mushrooms-sliced

parmesan cheese or other dry cheese, grated
sesame seeds, sunflower seeds or even chopped walnuts (whatever you have works!)

Toss it all together and let it steep overnight for great second day flavor.

This holds for days, and gets better and better.

You can: eat it on a salad, put it in lettuce rolls, stuff a tortilla. You can have it as a side dish or all alone. This doesn't last long in our house!

This is a taste and test recipe, so allow yourself to play with the spices and go for color and splash!

Raw-ish

2009-08-16T20:02:00.003-06:00

When we started our journey into raw food land, we decided to do 'raw-ish'. We thought we'd aim at 100% and hit closer to 70% and figured that 70% was still better than what we were doing.

It worked for us, but I don't tend to be an extremist with anything. My motto is pretty tolerant of all views, and walks and usually I say 'try it for yourself' because I do firmly believe that no one thing will work for everyone. That includes raw. That includes vege, and vegan.

It's not true that eating raw or vegan will make you happier, nicer or more spiritual. If someone tells you that you 'have to' do anything special to connect to God, walk on. Eating nothing but raw food can make you feel good, and if you do it long enough without the right additional nutrient support, you can feel drained and not good. it's true. Sorry.

The very very bottom line is LISTEN TO YOURSELF, be your own TRUTH, and come into right relationship with YOU. If your body wants an egg, or a steak or a hunk of liver tonight, it well could be that it is craving the nutrients in those foods. Going with your body instead of villifying the body will do alot for your health in general!

We've been working on identifying our food beliefs, and frankly, thanks to the wonderful world of marketing, we have tons! Did you know that the average American woman is 5'5" tall, and weighs 152 lbs and wears a size 12? Yep. That's the American average. Do you know that the American average in the 1950s was...a size 12? When Lucille Ball was doing her show in black and white, those were the stats. Size 12.

The media has thrown us into a frenzied hype that we are all hopeless hippos but the truth is we are about the same. We have more fears of food than ever before. We have more processing of foods, engineering of foods, food research and interestingly more allergies than ever before.

Eat what you want. Bless it, which means bring your intention and attention to what you are about to eat. Slow down, sit down and make it a special time-not in the car, not on the run. Pay attention to the color, the smell, the taste, and whatever you eat, savor it.

Let whatever you eat really feed you! ALL of you!

It brings up many questions

2009-08-09T21:37:00.002-06:00

In what I am realizing why I eat certain foods and not others. I found when I was on Raw that my body did respond to it. I found it interesting that when I fixed a green juice the other day that my body seemed to give a ahhhh of relief like finally. That same day I had a salad with tuna and again it was like the body thanked me. Of course the Raw was the experiment several years ago and the frustration was it took so long for my body to come around. It was 8 months before my body started to really release the weight. I guess what I want to say is my body really wants the more Raw,and my body responds like less bloating, my rings fit looser my complexion seems to change. This is just after eating a couple of Raw meals. I feel lucky right now because we have a garden full of all kinds of veggies and I can go out and pick fresh Kale and fix a green juice.
I think years ago when I started to be more vegetarian than carnivore, somewhat like what the anonymous person had to say. I read about some of the conditions that the animals were put in and thought eeewww. Then I would look at red meat and think eeewww. So I just would eat fish for protein and the fact that you can't see the blood oozing from the flesh.
I think I was influenced by things I read when I changed my eating habits. But, now I am noticing even more what is pleasing my body when I eat it and what isn't.
So how do we tell whether it is something we have programmed into our head or if it is something the body is saying hey this brings me more into a balance than the other thing I ate. By the by I did eat some beef and some bacon last week and really felt it anticlimatic, haven't missed a thing.

Why do you eat what you eat?

2009-08-09T21:10:00.007-06:00

I'm curious-

What drives us to eat and which foods do we reach for?
How much of what we eat is pure marketing?

Commercials, advertisements, articles, labels.
Friends, memories, unconscious associations.

Do you eat eggs?
Are they organic?
Free range?
Regular?
Are they egg substitute?
Do you do tofu scramblers?
Do you only eat the whites?
Do you limit the number you eat, and why, if you do? In other words - where did you get the belief, and how is that working for ya?

Post a comment-but add why you've chosen it, and how you came to that conclusion.
Hope you will all play!

Slo-food, raw food, is mindful food, coming back to nature is coming back to our minds.

What field of intent do you hold in your mind when it comes to your food?
What field of intent do you hold when you prepare your food?
What field of intent do you hold when you eat your food?
What is your food field, and is there fear, guilt, anger, pain when you eat?

IF so, in any way, you are eating those emotions. Dangerous games - marketing us into obesity and disease.
We have to wake up and notice.

Eat Beans-Red Beans

2009-06-18T14:31:00.002-06:00

Dried beans are better than canned
if you have canned beans, rinse them well
Avoid refried beans

Why beans? They take a long time to digest which means they slow down the release of blood sugar and lower insulin levels.

Master Your Metabolism the no list

2009-06-18T00:37:00.003-06:00

Jillian Michaels is a strength coach from 'the biggest loser' on tv. Anyone watch it? I never really watched it until my son's friend became one of the coaches. Speedy Peterson won an Olympic silver this year at the winter Olympics. I must say that now I am a bit hooked on the show. As a former fatty, I was offended by the title-silly me-because I did an inadvertant diservice to those people that are giving it their all.

Here's Jillian Michael's list:

Eliminate
1. hydrogenated fats
2. unrefined grains - avoid corn and wheat
3. corn syrup
4. artificial sweeteners
5. artificial colorings and preservatives
6. glutamates - flavor enhancers

and then there are the 'less than stellar' foods to avoid
1. starchy root vegetables
2. tropical, dried and canned fruits
3. excess soy
4. excess alcohol (ok I admit to a glass of wine on some nights...ok ... ok...)
5. full fat dairy and fatty meats
6. canned foods
7. caffeine - unless organic coffee

what I noticed is that these were almost all things we eliminated on our 30 day/9 month raw adventure! We did eat Yams, cooked, but not daily, and I did still have my half and half in my one cup of coffee and still do.

Wow~we did it ourselves without an expert. But then-we made ourselves the experts. Girls-give yourselves a hand.

Green Powder

2009-06-16T20:38:00.004-06:00

The 'new' thing is powdered green drinks. They tout 4-6 servings of fresh.
But they aren't?

I still think fresh raw green juice is the best thing-but what's happening is we are worried about chemicals, and toxins and whether it's clean enough when we juice it.

So we would rather do processed, powdered and no longer real or fresh...because it's more convenient and safer?
Isn't that just the marketing pile of sh*# that we are trying to avoid by doing the powder to begin with? Hmmmm

Just thinking about it. I bought some actually, Has stevia in it so you don't 'have to' add apple juice to make it palatable.
I hate stevia. I didn't read the fine print.

It still doesn't taste like fresh-not even close to the real thing. But it's convenient. If I were traveling, or on a plane, or out in the wild and unable to eat something fresh, it would do. But a steady diet of it? I'm thinking we are doing ourselves dis-service again.

Why do we have such an aversion to trusting real fresh food? What is more convenient than cracking a fresh organic egg into your juice shake in the am? Huh? But instead we buy protein powder that tastes like YUK. Oh you can get used to it. That's not the point.

The POINT is that nature made it the best possible way, in the most convenient, beautiful container, and we can't begin to improve on it! Take the apple. Isn't it perfect? Come on. And Strawberries? The color, the shear beauty! THE SMELL!
NOTHING is better than fresh, and clean and raw.

But, I am coming to believe that it is about balance...a right balance for each of us. A % of this an a % of that. All things in right balance. The triad of health-proteins, carbs, grains...not avoiding and negating anything. Even sugar and fat. Yep. No bad guys.

Isn't that what we want in the world too? no bad guys? All things in balanced cooperation? So, how about having some balance and cooperation on our plates? It's a small start, that may make a big difference. Your body is the world, your world. Are you at peace?

Speaking of Subtle Energy

2009-06-10T19:44:00.003-06:00

Did you know that the Chinese don't encourage too much raw? It's harsh on the system. Everything in balance, everything in relationship to everything else, and excess in nothing.

Interesting concept isn't it?

Prayer and mindful intent

2009-05-29T09:00:00.004-06:00

If light feeds us, and light is an energy, then prayer as an energy, also must feed us, yes?

Holding prayer in your heart as you prepare your food, feeds you.

We are subtle beings, energetic in nature and substance. We are a cooperation of fields of intent, and when those fields collide and lose their synchronization and their flow, when there is a misfire-a misplayed note, we have imbalance.

Prayer is an activation of a subtle frequency that feeds us.
When your food is living, it is easier for that food to hold the frequency of your intent.
Cooking doesn't kill the food so much as dull it's ability to hold and even amplify your intent.

The mindless eating is what is killing our spirit.
Slo-food, raw food, is mindful food, coming back to nature is coming back to our minds.

What field of intent do you hold in your mind?
What field of intent do you hold when you prepare your food?
What field of intent do you hold when you eat your food?

Soak Your Almonds

2009-05-24T15:10:00.001-06:00

Soaking your nuts isn't just for nuthin'. (or nuttin' lol)
Soaking and drying enlivens them with living nutrition.
Soaking and drying kills the phytates.
Phytates deplete your body of zinc and iron.

AH HA!

those of us that are low in zinc...ahem...

We can eat noodles!

2009-05-14T07:42:00.002-06:00

miracle noodles

no soy, no wheat, no gluten...makes me wonder what they are...plant bases fiber. Does that mean....???

drain, rinse, dry!
Noodles are a great calorie free, carb free alternative to to pasta.

check it out!

Cucumber Salad

2009-04-10T21:25:00.003-06:00

I made a great salad yesterday. I sliced grape tomatoes in half, and cubed a English cucumber. I made a dressing with rice wine vinegar, a little olive oil, salt, pepper, agave, and basil. It was really refreshing and is good the next day too.

I with you Joy, I enjoy the live foods so much better and revert to cooked foods out of habit.

Spiral Slicer

2009-04-10T19:47:00.002-06:00

Remember the spiral slicer? This is a mainstay in the raw food kitchen. Mine has been collecting dust for awhile. I got it out tonight and spiraled some zucchini. WHY? Raw spaghetti. Yep. And you know, with a marinara it's not half bad. Even raw marinara sauce which is like a raw salsa. I found it refreshing, light and surprisingly satisfying. Again I wonder WHY I stopped the raw food when it tastes so good and satisfys me on so many levels?

Ayervedic cooking

2009-04-05T21:15:00.005-06:00

Looking into a different way of eating--why not?

There are 6 tastes in Ayurvedic cooking, and they should be eaten at each meal...sweet, sour, pungent, astringent, salty and bitter. That's quite a variety to hit with every main meal isn't it? American diets don't touch but maybe 2 or 3. We aren't big on mixing tastes up.

Each of the tastes balance a different energy in us, and if include each of them, we will reduce cravings. We certainly don't come NEAR to covering all these bases in our meals!

They also classify foods into physical types, or doshas: heavy, light, dry, liquid, warm or cool, and we should eat to balance the energy of our dosha.

Vata is rough, hard, cold, dry and light
Pitta is sharp, hot, oily and light
Kapha dosha is cold, liquid, heavy and unctuous.

Find out what your dosha is and then eat to counterbalance it...I think that's how it works? I need some more work on this-it seems confusing to me, but it could just be because it's so different.

They believe we need all foods, all food groups and all food types.
Include lots of spices, colors, and textures so the plate looks appealing.

NOPALTILLAs

2009-03-22T15:26:00.002-06:00

Tortillas made from the prickly pear cactus- Nopaltillas started when Alonzo's business dropped 50% last year, he recreated his business.

FIber, Calcium, lowest calories, no preservatives, no additives, cholesterol free, sodium free, low in fat and help to regulate blood pressure. We don't have it here in UT yet, but you can order them online.
They're a big hit- Sun Valley CA.

Click on their estore link to actually get the product. IF you sign up for the catalog, you just get a pdf. Shall we order some in?
A pkg of a dozen tortillas-1.49
a pkg of a dozen tostadas-2.49

Endorphins and Exercise

2009-03-21T18:13:00.002-06:00

I am sure this has already been done on Shamans In The Raw before but I just felt compeled to revisit Endorphins and Exercise. I think I am doing this more for myself than anything. My exercise ratio is at 0, I truly am in a funk so I thought maybe if I do some research and give some good reasons why we need to push ourselves to get moving. I know this is a little wordy but I am making effort to kick it into gear, if this helps anyone else that that is wonderful

Exercise for Happiness

We've known for a long time about the benefits of exercise as a way to enhance our physical condition and combat disease; but it hasn't been until more recently that exercise is being recognized as an element in maintaining mental fitness. Studies have shown that exercise releases endorphins in the brain, which in turn cause us to have what is commonly know as a "natural high" or a "runners high". You may not realize what caused it, but most of us have felt it. Whether we're engaged in a leisurely swim or an adrenaline-charged rock climb, there is that moment when suddenly pain or discomfort drops away and we are filled with a sense of euphoria. We have endorphins to thank for these moments of bliss.

The Psychological Benefits of Exercise

•Physical activity is increasingly becoming part of the prescription for the treatment of depression and anxiety. Exercise alone is not a cure, but it does have a positive impact.
•Research has found that regular physical activity appears as effective as psychotherapy for treating mild to moderate depression. Therapists also report that patients who exercise regularly simply feel better and are less likely to overeat or abuse alcohol and drugs.
•Exercise can reduce anxiety - many studies have come to this conclusion. People who exercise report feeling less stressed or nervous. Even five minutes of aerobic exercise (exercise which requires oxygen, such as a step class, swimming, walking) can stimulate anti-anxiety effects.
•Physical exercise helps to counteract the withdrawal, inactivity and feelings of hopelessness that characterize depression. Studies show that both aerobic and anaerobic exercise (exercise which does not require oxygen, such as weightlifting) have anti-depressive effects.
•Moods such as tension, fatigue, anger and vigor are all positively affected by exercise.
•Exercising can improve the way you perceive your physical condition, athletic abilities and body image. Enhanced self-esteem is another benefit.
•Last, but not least, exercise brings you into contact with other people in a non-clinical, positive environment. For the length of your walk or workout or aqua-fit class, you engage with people who share your interest in that activity.

Turmeric and man feeding

2009-03-21T17:38:00.002-06:00

I made the turmeric and cauliflower last night. It went over well, but I did saute it in olive oil, and we added some diced leftover chicken and some leftover rice. But he liked it!

Follow the links below for more on turmeric and cauliflower and the benefits of turmeric. We are now adding it to everything we can think of.

Success adding to scrambled eggs, tuna salad, and to salad dressings and marinades. It's wonderful on chicken of course, and any of your stir fry vegetables. I've also sprinkled it on avocados for a tasty change.

Benefits of Turmeric
Turmeric
Turmeric and Cauliflower for prostate cancer