RawPresence

How do I Begin A Raw Diet?

2012-02-13T22:00:00.000-06:00

February 13, 20112

First, you need to open your cabinet and take out and throw away every box, bag, can and bottle of food! What you say? Scary isn't it? I'm here to tell you its going to be fun, exciting, different, hard, frustrating and all kinds of other emotions! But be patient with yourselves. Rome was not built in a day! :). Just think of it as a new adventure! Aren't you just a little bit curious about this so called Raw Food Diet? I mean people talk like its the cure all for everything! There has been talk that some really scary diseases have been cured! But is it going to work for you? I cant say it will but I can tell you you will feel freer, more energized than you have ever felt before!! Will you get the same reaction, will it cure all your diseases?

I'm not going to say it cures all but I will say you WILL notice the changes! My advice is just take it slow. Each day or week add more and more raw fruits and veggies. And eat until you are full. If you still have to have some cooked food that's fine. It gets easier once you incorporate more and more raw food into your diet. You will have some cravings, I will tell you in a later post what you can do for those cravings.

I am going to promise that you will notice a change once you stop eating cooked food. You will go through highs and lows, some days may be worse than others. Remember, you have been eating dead lifeless food for a very long time and its going to take some time to rid your body of all those toxins.

You will go through a period of detox. Some people detox right away, others it takes a few months, for me it took 6 months, and some people are lucky and don't go through much at all. As I said before you need to be patient and take it slow.

Get a spiral notebook and start a journal. Write down everything, what you ate that day, how much, when and how it made you feel. Write down what you were doing when you ate that peace of pie, cake or whatever. Know your triggers and what to stay away from. Like for me the TV was the problem, if I sat down in front of the TV and my hands were idle, nothing in them, then that is when I started thinking about food and a typical reaction was to head straight for the frig! And once I got started it was hard to quit!

Don't beat yourself up this is all new to you! Make a smoothie! Take a handful of spinach, or kale or turnip greens, 1 cup of water, a banana, blueberries or fresh pineapple slices and put them on in a blender! Yes the color is yucky, but oh does it taste good! An orange in place of the water is really good. Make a fruit smoothie out of oranges, bananas and strawberries! This is so yummy! If you get hungry eat! But reach for those veggies or an apple or something along that line.

Cracker! Cracker! Crackers!

2012-02-13T12:58:00.002-06:00

If you have ever wanted to learn to make crackers come to the Raw Food get together on February 26, 2012 at 3 pm. The address is: 3426 Gifford Dr, Shreveport, LA (map).

A lot of the members from our Raw Food group wanted to learn how to make flax crackers. So that is just what we are going to do! Bring a bag of flax seeds and any spices or herbs to compliment it! We are also going to snack so if you prefer to watch and learn bring along some veggies and or any raw dish you would like.

Check the discussion board on meetup.com for recipes! I hope to see you there! While your there sign up to be a member!

Raw Blessings!
Gwen

Living Proof Vitamin C Works!!!!!

2011-11-07T22:39:00.000-06:00

This is the story of a farmer that came back from the dead. A must see video!!!

A Miracle of Vitamin C

Trader Joe's

2011-11-07T15:23:00.000-06:00

My husband and I visited a organic grocery store today in Seattle and was pleasantly surprised at the quality of the foods and the prices. I was so relieved when I could buy my nuts and nut butters. I didn't find any carob or cacao, or tahini. But for the most part all the organics were there and fruit. I was happy. Even my husband found the meat inexpensive there. It would be nice to have a store in the east Texas area with most if not all the foods I need in one area and not have to run to twenty different stores!

Trader Joe's was the name of the store. I've never heard of the place except online but I would love to get them down in East Texas! Wish I knew who to talk to......

Amazing!

2011-11-05T23:20:00.000-05:00

Even more of those pretty flowers found in Seattle in 48-51 degree weather!

2011-11-05T23:09:00.000-05:00

Gorgeous Flowers!

2011-11-05T23:07:00.000-05:00

Seattle

2011-11-05T10:15:00.000-05:00

Good morning from Seattle!

My husband and I are in Seattle for a little over a month and we are enjoying the cool clean air. Everything up here is geared for a cleaner environment, more like sustainable living. A lot of the people ride bikes or buses and some drive.

What I find amazing is how green everything is and its 47-51 degrees! The produce at the Farmer's Market is truly remarkable! You will see what I mean when you look at the pictures I will be posting!

Summer Recipes

2011-08-01T23:14:00.003-05:00

August 1, 2011

Summer Sorbet

4-6 frozen Bananas (peeled)
2 fresh bananas
1 box frozen blueberries
1/2 box fresh blueberries
fresh ground nutmeg
1 tsp. lemon zest
fresh spearmint leaves (for garnishing)

In a food processor with 'S' blade, process 1/2 of the fresh and frozen bananas with a bit of lemon juice until blended as sorbet. Stir in lemon zest to taste at end. Put into a parfait glass.

Repeat process in food processor with the remainder of the fresh and frozen bananas, add the fresh and frozen blueberries (keep some fresh out for decorating) garnish with fresh fruit and spearmint leaves and fresh ground nutmeg on top.

8-12 hours to freeze fruit
20 minutes to prepare
4-6 servings

Watermelon Sorbet

4 Cups watermelon - deseeded, removed from rind and cubed
Juice of 2 limes

Pour the lime juice over the watermelon. Freeze for 8 hours and then put through the juicer. Serve on a hot day with a good book / friend.

Melon Sherbet

CUT UP
flesh of 1 medium cantaloupe into chunks and freeze until solid in a plastic bag.

BLEND or FOOD PROCESS
the melon chunks, 1 tsp grated lime peel, and 2 Tbsp honey (or to taste). Continue blending until the sherbet becomes smooth and fluffy.

Place the mixture in chilled sherbet glasses (or any bowl you prefer) and serve immediately. If necessary, this sherbet can be made just before the meal, then returned to the freezer to keep until dessert time.

Serves 4.

Carob Avocado Ice Cream

1 Avocado
1 Banana
Juice from 2 oranges
1 Tbs raw carob (should be a very light brown)

Blend all and freeze. Take out of freezer and re-blend (or eat as is if you just can't wait!)

Vegan Strawberry Ice Cream

from the book Vice Cream by Jeff Rogers

August 6,2011

What You Need:

1-1/4 pounds fresh strawberries, hulled
1 cup young coconut water
1/2 cup raw cashews or cashew pieces
3/4 cup organic pitted honey dates

What You Do:

1. Run the strawberries through a juicer* to make 2 cups of juice.
2. Combine the coconut water and cashews in a blender and process
on high for at least one minute or until silky smooth. With the
motor running, gradually add the strawberry juice and dates and
blend until smooth. Place the blender in the freezer for 40 minutes
to 1 hour or in the refrigerator for a minimum of 1 hour or up to
overnight.
3. Once the mixture is well-chilled, pour into an ice cream maker
and freeze according to the manufacturer's instructions. Serve
immediately or transfer to an airtight container and store in the
freezer until ready to serve.

* If you don't have a juicer you can blend the strawberries in the blender and then strain the mixture through a nylon sprout bag.

Did you Know?

2011-08-01T22:15:00.000-05:00

August 1, 2011

Almost every family uses the herb peppermint simply because it tastes good. Most people would assume, anything that tastes that good couldn’t be something that heals, but they’re wrong.

Peppermint is loaded with volatile oils that act as a mild anesthetic to the stomach wall, causing the nauseated person to not feel his discomfort so intensely. It also has a substance that checks the formation of gas and helps dispel gas that has already formed by relaxing the muscles of the digestive system and stimulating bile and digestive juices to flow. This is why restaurants have the tradition of providing mints at the end of meals. Peppermint’s ability to relax the smooth muscles makes it a nervine herb, thus useful in herbal combinations for easing anxiety and tension.

All this means, a cup of peppermint tea can help bring relief from morning sickness, menstrual cramps, baby’s colic, stomach flu, stomach gas and cramps, ulcerative condition of the bowels, upset stomach due to tension, etc. And stomach pain is not all that it relieves. Peppermint has warming properties that can be used to raise the body’s temperature, to encourage sweating, causing it to be used in treatment of fevers, colds, and influenza. When someone in the family has a stuffy nose, I pack dried peppermint leaves into a small baby food jar, add cotton wool and a little water before I put the lid on, and set it to stay warm on the wood burning stove. We use it like the old smelling salts of bygone days. The fumes actually bring healing and relief as they open your nasal passage.

You will notice I have written only about peppermint. The other mints are nice, but they lack the strong volatile oils and therefore lack some of the healing properties.

Peppermint is sterile, so you must start with a plant, but it will spread faster than weeds. Plant it around a water spicket or ditch so it will get tall enough to harvest several times each summer. Cut before it flowers, or plant it under your clothes line and mow it down each week for the sweetest smelling clothes and yard anywhere.

This article was written by Debi Pearl at Bulkherbstore.com. This is a fantastic website full of interesting articles, recipes, herbs, spices and other things. This is my FAVORITE store that I buy all my herbs from!

A Car Made Of Mushroom?

2011-07-27T04:47:00.000-05:00

Two young men are about to change the world they are out to give us cars that we shall be able to compost,this is the dream come true for the green enthusiasts!
Mushroom Car

Beware of "Sea salt" Labels

2011-07-27T01:26:00.000-05:00

On the labels of many packaged food, in supermarkets as well as health food stores the name "sea salt" appears often. Reading this, we feel safe and reassured, thinking that when it comes to the salt part of the ingredients, all is fine...
But All Is Not Fine!
This supermarket or health food store "sea salt" has been totally refined. At its origin, it may have come from the sea, but:

1.It has been harvested mechanically from dirt or concrete basins with bulldozers and piped through metal conduits;
2.put through many degrading artificial processes;
3.heated under extreme heat levels in order to crack its molecular structure;
4.robbed of all of its essential minerals that are essential to our physiology;
These elements are extracted and sold separately to industry. Precious and highly prized by the salt refiners, these bring more profits than the salt itself.
5. further adulterated by chemical additives to make it free- flowing, bleached, and iodized.
To call what remains "sea salt" would be quite misleading.

Long-term Storable Superfoods

2011-07-27T01:03:00.001-05:00

July 27, 2011

Wouldn't it be nice to be able to store/or buy raw foods that would keep? I believe at the rate this nation is going that a need for storable food is essential. I have friends that don't eat raw that are buying extra cans of veges and meat for this very reason.

No really, think about it. With the high price of gas and food its abundantly clear to me that sooner or later we will need to have our own food supplies and grow our own food just to survive! Your going to need organic superfoods that can withstand long term shelf life.

Some people might think I'm over reacting, but I'm only being realistic. I don't like other people being in control of every aspect of my life. Yes, at this moment the high gas prices seem to be going down but for how long? The prediction that gas would be at $5.00 a gallon in some places almost came to pass.

Think about this, most of our produce is shipped from other countries and states. Around here its California and Florida for our fruits. Our veges come from as far away as Chile and Mexico. Who knows what their growing practices are. And what about the nutrients? Are we getting any?

So don't you think we should start thinking of our future? Who knows what it will bring. Besides wouldn't it be nice for the future race to be able to open a can of Chia seeds or Spirulina?

Being very concerned about this for a while I've researched it and only just found a website! You can go to this website and check it out for yourselves. Don't forget to really read how they store the items in steel cans and what they do to protect you from the harmful BPA enamel in the cans. Storable Organics

Barbara inspired us in Boise!

2011-07-26T08:30:00.001-05:00

Here's a video about a lady in Boise, Idaho that started the raw food lifestyle and lost 20 lbs, eliminated a pre-diabetes condition, allergies and other things. And she just started! How awesome is that!

Check this out Green Smoothie Girl

List of Blogs

2011-07-25T15:23:00.005-05:00

Blogdoctor
RawPresence
rawfoodist
allrawdirectory
Make Money Online With Dosh Dosh
A Viral Garden
Connected Internet
Blog-Op
Can I Make Big Money Online
Blogtrepreneur
Blogging to Fame
Million Dollar Experiment heads Down Under
Kumiko’s Cash Quest
Calico Monkey
Internet Bazaar

Shotgun Marketing Blog
BrandSizzle
bizsolutionsplus
Customers Rock!
Being Peter Kim
Pow! Right Between The Eyes!
Billions With Zero Knowledge
Working at Home on the Internet
MapleLeaf 2.0
Two Hat Marketing
darrenbarefoot.com
The Emerging Brand
One Reader at a Time
One blogger’s experiment in building and engaging with online communities.
Ruminate this site
Reviews blogs and sites so that we don’t have to.
SMogger Social Media Blog
The ethical use of social media for bloggers and other web users.
SuccessCREEations
Blog Consultant bringing the twin passions of business and blogging together.
Successful Blog
The legendary Liz Strauss, blogger extraordinaire and creator of the SOB award.
Troy Worman's Blog
Focus on writing, ideas and connections
Copywriter's Crucible
The importance of copy in corporate blogging
Copywriting Tuneups
How to measure reading effectiveness and why it is important in the blogosphere
Dipping into the Blogpond
Blogging about starting an Internet company in the Sutherland Shire.
BrandSizzle
Broad and deep insight into the branding process.
Own Your Brand!
Blog to help businesses re-imagine their brands.
The Emerging Brand
Corporate branding blog focused on leadership.
The Engaging Brand
Using technology and marketing knowledge to improve business communications.
What is Brand?
Japanese readers/speakers? Anyone?
Presentation Zen
(Site in English) Tips for great presentations, marketing, and business communications.
Dummies Guide to Google Blogger Beta
Complete help on the new blogger. Blogger Hacks, Blogger templates. Adsense. Search engine Optimization.
Bob Sutton
Discussions of “jerks” in business.
Perspective
Health, wealth and the freedom to choose. Archived blog. New one is jugaad (http://www.nitibhan.com/jugaad).
Ramblings from a Glass Half Full
Views on business life.
Simplicity Mary’s Blog
Business development, marketing troubleshooting
Funny Business
Wide ranging discussion on business with a funny and pictorial approach.
Creative Think
Fun Ideas to stimulate your creativity.
The Copywriting Maven
Marketing and SEO copywriting tips.
Brain Based Biz
Tips for stirring creativity in business.
Experienceology
How to create great customer experiences on the web and in the “real” world.
Creating Passionate Users

raving lunacy
Anne 2.0
Emily Chang - eHub
Darren Barefoot - Vancouver Technologist, Writer, Raconteur, Miscellanist
Liz Strauss at Successful Blog - Thinking, writing, business ideas ...
ALLIED by Jeneane Sessum
Presentation Zen
good to know
Logic+Emotion
gillianic tendencies
Steve's 2 Cents
Listics - Frank Paynter's Voice and Vision
Escape from Cubicle Nation
Blog Sisters: Where men can link, but they can't touch
Designers who Blog
E-Commerce Blog by Solid Cactus
Brand Autopsy
Unconventional Thinking
The Boomer Chronicles
Renovate Your Life with Craig
I Dream of Kimchee
The Moronosphere
SYLVIA HUBBARD'S STORIES
Paula Mooney
Inspiration Lane
me,myself & me
A Gota de Ran Tan Plan
How Can I do That
Bonnie Writes

Flee the CubeStarting up a small business in web design.
Community Guy
Online and offline community building tips and tricks.
A Free and Decent Blog Host
Technology news focusing on blogs and blog software
Billions With Zero Knowledge
Changing the world with little bits of knowledge
Connected Internet
All things to do with technology, mobile phones and gaming.
darrenbarefoot.com
Tech news, writing and marketing
Deepak
Focuses on the technology of the Internet and loves Google.
MapleLeaf 2.0
Tech news stories relating to Canada
Scott Burkett's Pothole on the Infobahn
Musings on technology, IT management, and online community.
Small Surfaces
Interaction design, user interface design, user experience, usability and social trends related to mobile devices.
TechBuzz
Tech new and reviews written by 17 year old in India. Awesome.
Masey.com
Design and photography blog.
Through the Lenses
Travel/photography blog includes stunning shots and photography tips.
Travel And Vacation On Blog
Lightweight travel guide/destination information on selected cities. Needs more.
The Best Guides to eCommerce with Favor
Viral marketing tools, memes and SEO tips.
Web Metrics Guru
Web analytics, in particular for blogs
The Future of the Web
Use of new technologies for the web.
Social Media on the fly

health

Services Offered

2011-07-24T03:15:00.001-05:00

July 24,2011

RAW FOOD LIFESTYLE COACH

I will come to your home, prepare your meals and teach you how to live the raw food lifestyle. You will be surprised to learn how easy it can be to convert from the Standard American Diet (SAD) to the Living diet.
I am a 6-year raw-foodist. Prior to this I had to use Singulair and a nebulizar 2xs a week plus a Preventol inhaler for asthma, Alegra D, Flonase and Claritin for allergies, Synthroid for thyroid, and had just been ordered to add a medication for my high cholesterol. I chose to use the raw food lifestyle and discontinued all medications as well as lost 60 pounds. I continue to share my experience and knowledge.
Experience: Taught raw food classes at A Light Touch offices in Bossier City, Louisiana. Experience with in-home coaching. Please email me for references.
Education: Certified Raw Food Chef through the Alissa Cohen program. Continual self-education.

The Benefits of Aloe Vera

2011-07-23T20:47:00.001-05:00

July 23, 2011

• Halts the growth of cancer tumors.
• Lowers high cholesterol.
• Repairs "sludge blood" and reverses "sticky blood".
• Boosts the oxygenation of your blood.
• Eases inflammation and soothes arthritis pain.
• Protects the body from oxidative stress.
• Prevents kidney stones and protects the body from oxalates in coffee and tea.
• Alkalizes the body, helping to balance overly acidic dietary habits.
• Cures ulcers, IBS, Crohn's disease and other digestive disorders.
• Reduces high blood pressure natural, by treating the cause, not just the symptoms.
• Nourishes the body with minerals, vitamins, enzymes and glyconutrients.
• Accelerates healing from physical burns and radiation burns.
• Replaces dozens of first aid products, makes bandages and antibacterial sprays obsolete.
• Halts colon cancer, heals the intestines and lubricates the digestive tract.
• Ends constipation.
• Stabilizes blood sugar and reduces triglycerides in diabetics.
• Prevents and treats candida infections.
• Protects the kidneys from disease.
• Functions as nature's own "sports drink" for electrolyte balance, making common sports drinks obsolete.
• Boosts cardiovascular performance and physical endurance.
• Speeds recovery from injury or physical exertion.
• Hydrates the skin, accelerates skin repair. :)

Where On Earth Do You Get Your Protein From?

2011-07-21T08:31:00.003-05:00

July 21 2011

While in the checkout line one day at our local grocery store I was having a conversation with the cashier about what I eat. And the lady standing behind me asked "Where On earth do you get your protein from?".

You won't believe how many times I get asked this question! Nutritionist say the only way you can get protein is through animal meat.
This is an old myth! Because....

Broccoli has 33.6 grams
Cauliflower has 27.34
Peas consist of 27.34
Green beans deliver 18.1
Cantaloupe has 11.24
watermelon has 10 grams
Almonds are 25 grams
Spinach 2.8g
Kale has 2.58 grams
Romain lettuce has 1.81

The list goes on!! They say women need 30% grams of protein a day. A man needs only 40 grams per day. So if I eat broccoli in my smoothie for breakfast, and in my salad at lunch, and then add it as a side dish at supper, I have more than met these requirements, right?

Here's the thing, these ratios are based on the Standard American Diet(SAD).On the Raw Food Diet you only need a small amount of protein because it goes straight to the areas where it is needed. When you cook, all those precious vitamins and minerals go right out with the bath water! So then all you have is gunk that takes days to digest,fills your intestines and clogs your arteries!

Think about this, the animals that you eat consume raw plants and grains, even they know not to cook! :)

Why Eat Raw Food?

2011-07-19T11:34:00.000-05:00

The raw food diet benefits are endless. The major benefits are weight loss and better overall health.

When your diet consist of more than 75% raw foods, here are just some of the improvements likely to happen to you.

More energy
Up to 3 hours less sleep
Weight loss
More beautiful skin
Clarity of mind and better memory
Improved immune system
Improved fertility
Prevent or even reverse diabetes

Just imagine what could happen if you were 100% raw!

Raw BBQ Shish Kabobs!

2011-07-17T14:16:00.002-05:00

Did you Know?

2011-07-17T13:42:00.004-05:00

Almost one year later I am ready to post again. Isn't it funny just how life tends to take us in so many different directions?

I find myself this summer with time on my hands because of not having a job. I've been looking and nothing is available at the moment. But a friend and I have decided that sitting with the elderly would be a good fit for the both of us. I enjoy being around any age but I especially love the older people!

I have applied at several websites online and will be making a lot of calls for those websites that have the form to be submitted, but by some force of who knows what it will not go through! Anyway, I am hoping that the last one I submitted on Friday will be the lucky one! :-)

I have a new Raw Food meetup website. The old one had to come down because of financial reasons. But this time I have decided to get help from the members. If you would like to check it out go to: Raw Food Connection

I have loads of recipes and tips and some really nice photos. I will however be placing some of those same photos on my blog.

Until next time......

Grandkids

2010-07-21T11:28:00.003-05:00

I find myself wondering what the kids of today would do if we took all their DS's, laptops,and game consoles away from them. And while we are at it take the TV out of the home. Now lets see how they entertain themselves.

I have my four grandsons here with me this week and for the most part they have been able to find something to do. We had a ABC scavenger hunt two days ago and they enjoyed that. I have a air hockey/pool game table that they play on. And then there is the four wheeler that they hound me to ride constantly. I must admit I love the four wheeler just as much as they do!They have watched more TV this time than anything and today I turned it off and said go find something to do. They are now in their room playing with their DS's.

I have water paint, colors, puzzles and card games but their attraction is the DS. Last couple of times I told them they could not bring any electronics with them. This time I said OK but they could not play it all the time.

I live in Texas and we are getting to the hottest part of the year...so I don't blame them if they don't want to go out. It is very hot and humid right now and no rain in sight. .... :P

Comfrey

2010-07-19T11:44:00.003-05:00

Yesterday while trying to get my cherry tomatoes off their precious vines I fell on the fence and the metal pole put a nice gouge in my thigh. It was not deep enough for stitches but very painful and starting to bleed. I first put a banana peel on it and wrapped it with saran wrap. Banana peels are very good for any kind of scrape or cuts and bruises you have. If you put it on shortly after it happens it will keep you from getting bruised. As a matter of a fact any kind of vegetable scraps or peels would be good to have on hand.

Trying to figure out the right course of action I pulled out my trusty herbal book. There were several herbs I could have used, Golden Seal is good for any type of infection and is a natural antibiotic. But not having that I went on looking. I use Comfrey for everything. So I figured it would be good in this instance.Comfrey is called the "bone knitter", it mends wounds and broken bones. Once you put it on it relieves pain and starts mending on contact. It also helps grow new flesh and bones.

Putting the leaves (about a 1/2 cup) in my grinder I turned it into powder. Once it was powder I added spring water( mineral water) to moisten it then added olive oil to bind it. Next I took a nice size piece of saran wrap put the herb mix on it and then placed the herb on my wound and wrapped the saran wrap around my leg. I kept it on all night and then this morning I put more on.

It already looks better! Then I made my green smoothie full of parsley,Napa cabbage,romaine lettuce,broccoli, sprirulina, and two bananas to fully get those mending vitamins and minerals to work!

Its always good to have a handy herbal book at home for emergencies. The one I have is called "The How to Herb Book". But there are many available all which have easy to read information with recipes for poultices,tinctures, herbal teas, and many more. Your home will be happier for it!

Food today

2010-07-18T18:05:00.003-05:00

Green Smoothie-several leaves romaine,handful of alfalfa sprouts, 1/2 Tbsp spirulina 1 frozen banana and one fresh
5 bottles of water(Eco friendly bottles)
salad with mung bean and alfalfa sprouts, sliced avocado, green onions and fresh cherry tomatoes from my garden spiced with garlic.
two apples
two bananas

All Natural

2010-07-18T10:25:00.005-05:00

Once you have made the decision to go all raw or preservative free not only do you need to clean the inside out but you need to clean the outside. What I mean by this is the products that you put on your body are just as damaging as the food you eat.

I don't use any inorganic products on my body and I'm working on the inside of my house as well. I make my own soap,which I'm needing to do now as I am running seriously low. But I use a shampoo that is all natural no preservatives or added ingredients in it. Lotions I use Aloe Vera plant, it also makes a great rinse for your hair. Did you know that juicing an orange and putting it in a spray bottle makes a great hair spray?

For years my head would itch, no matter what shampoo I was using. I switched shampoos constantly and I even tried the more expensive ones to no avail! Then I tried some of the organic ones from my local health food store, they worked for a little while....

Then after doing some research I found that Laural Sulfate was in every product and that it can be VERY damaging to your health. The first time I tried Miracle II it made my head itch (till this day don't know what that was about). I thought at the time it was a little expensive but I was desperate! Believe it or not I still have my first bottle! I bought it a year ago and I have a little less than a half a bottle! Your wondering how can that be? Well you'll find when you stop using all those chemicals in and out of your body your hair does not need washing as much. And this shampoo is pretty concentrated...a little goes a long way!

Basics

2010-07-17T23:08:00.004-05:00

This morning I had a green smoothie with two handfuls of spinach, 1 Tbsp of Spirulina, a little less than a T of Bee Pollen and two bananas. I didn't know what was happening until I snapped once too many times at my husband in a short period of time.

I've been doing that a lot lately...trying new things that are foreign to my body. I read that MSM is good for you it replaces sulfur in your body that you can get in some foods, as you get older you loose this. Its good for joints, cartilage, skin, hair and nails. Its suppose to be harmless. It taste terrible and I have been putting it in juice and drinking it in the morning. All I know is is if I take too much my nose tingles and I get a headache. I also need to drink a lot of water.

Bee pollen is an energy substance and I think I found out this morning that too much is not good for me.

So here I sit thinking that I need to start over and go back to basics. I have way too much gas and I'm tired of that. I've also been really tired lately. Too many fats have I eaten, gained weight and clothes are really tight. Its time to start over.....

2010-07-17T19:03:00.003-05:00

My husband and I went on an all day ride today. We went down through Henderson and Jacksonville and on to Palestine. It was hot but just a really enjoyable ride. On our way back we went through Rusk and stopped in at Golden Coral in Henderson for lunch.

While my husband was off getting his dead food I of course hit the salad bar. Everything looked fresh and colorful! I must say that was the best salad I have had in a long time, it was so good I had another plate. First time around they didn't have spinach or spring mix, but I had romaine, green peppers,onions, shredded carrots, cherry tomatoes, broccoli, almonds, raisins, black olives,sprinkled with vinegar and olive oil on top. It was just so good! My second time around I put spinach and spring mix and all the other veges but this time I added some watermelon and cantaloupe. And I don't know if it was because I was hungry or what but the taste was sensual! :>)

Re-Vamping

2010-06-12T16:05:00.003-05:00

Here it is almost a year later from the last time I posted and I need to update everything.

I now live in Marshall, Texas. My husband and I found 4 1/2 acres in the country and snatched it up! We love it here...only draw back is the loop. The loop runs in front of our homestead and at times the traffic drowns out the tranquility....

Native Healing Circle

2009-07-19T15:31:00.001-05:00

Rachel is a friend of mine and a memer of our Raw Food group. So I thought I would share with you some of the things that she is doing. Rachel and her husand hold Native Healing Circles and have Sweat Lodges.

They have a weekly gathering for emotional/energetic release, unlike any other.

Any AUTHENTIC approach, based on Huichol tradition, that uses your creative power to bring about true holistic health, personal growth & change.

When: Every Thursday evening

For further information or location, please contact Rachel at 903-504-9303 or rachel@livingmom.net.

Continuing Dry Brushing

2009-07-17T15:27:00.000-05:00

If you ever had a lymphatic drainage massage you know how good you felt afterwards. If not, you might just want to make an appointment with your massage therapist and experience the lightness after such an treatment.

Every skin brushing needs to be followed up with a shower to clean away the debris. Natural soaps are the best. Please avoid those fancy shower gels, shampoos and whatnot. Have you read the labels lately? Chemical concoctions at their best. My motto is: If I can’t pronounce it I don’t want it on my skin or to ingest it.

The skin is a two-way road. What you put on your skin gets into your body. Likewise, what is in your body comes out via the skin. I am really careful with skin care products. Often, the best skin care products are right in your raw kitchen such as an avocado, coconut oil or the moist skin of a peeled cucumber.

Avocado helps to ease dry skin on your heels, organic coconut oil gives your whole body a luxurious, tropical richness, and the peeled cucumber skin feels cooling on your face, especially for us in the south experiencing the 100 degree heat.

Dry Skin Brushing

2009-07-15T15:16:00.005-05:00

The skin is actually the largest elimination organ of the body. On average it weighs about 9 pounds.

Considering the skin’s importance we can give it a little help to make its life easier and its appearance radiant and healthy with hardly any financial expenditure. It takes only a simple natural brush and a mere few minutes a day to brush your skin towards the exuberant glow. By removing the dead skin cells, you will facilitate the opening of the pores for an easy exit of the toxins such as uric acid crystals.

Be gentle with yourself in the beginning, you have the rest of your life to practice this detox regimen. Start at the bottom of your feet, proceed to the legs, arms (lift them) and brush towards your colon in a circular fashion. Back, abdomen and chest need your loving attention as well. The women want to brush around their breasts. The procedure takes about 2 -5 minutes and will highly increase the efficiency of your lymphatic system.

Renata Dorner
renata@chiDiet.com

2009-07-10T06:01:00.000-05:00

Rabbits!!!

2009-07-06T08:01:00.002-05:00

In the past week I have been noticing missing vegetables on my plants. Like my strawberry plant. Every time I get a couple strawberries they come up missing. And YES that upsets me!

Then one morning last week I went out to water my garden and found a whole tomato plant gone... the pot was empty! And digging around in the pot I found a stump that had been gnawed on. First thing that came to my mind was rabbits! Honestly, somewhere I had read that wild rabbits love anything green! I rearranged my pots so the tomatoes were closer to the house (thinking this would hide the plants I guess). The next morning I found a tomato plant with 4 stalks on it chopped down! Boy was I ever mad!

So I got online to find out what I could do about it and found a lot of organic sprays you can use. But not having money I looked for herbal remedies. I found one that uses jalapeno pepper plants. This is interesting. So with that in mind I thought maybe if I used organic Cayenne pepper in a spray bottle with water that this may work. Who knows I can only try!

It rained yesterday and its raining today so I haven't had a chance to use it yet. I will however let you know if it worked or not. I did manage to put all my tomato and pepper pots on my porch. If that durn rabbit wants to climb my steps so be it! :)

WOW!!!

2009-07-02T09:56:00.002-05:00

Fibromyalgia is considered by Dr. Hulda Clark in her book "The Cure for All Diseases". Please read it.

Dr. T. Colin Campbell: 7/18/07: Professor Emeritus of Nutritional Biochemistry at Cornell University, who has published The China Study concerning the Chinese lack of cancers because they don't use dairy in many places. "I started out wanting to learn more about how to get higher levels of protein from animals. Then, I saw children under the age of 4 coming up with liver cancer and wanted to know why. In India, rats being experimented on for the same kind of cancers, came up with that cancer with increased intake of animal protein. Then I went to VA tech for 27 years to find the answer to the question “Was it really true that extra protein intake would turn on this type of cancer?” The animals were exposed to chemical carcinogens. Could it have been that? When fed an amount of protein in excess than what is needed for good nutrition, cancer followed. Nutrition had a dramatic effect on cancer. When higher levels of protein were fed, cancers were turned on.

Principles - The major discovery was that we could turn on cancer by feeding milk protein. The effect of cow's milk protein on initiating cancer was greater than any other kind of protein's effect, even though there were multiple mechanisms that turned it on. It was a question of plant-based protein turning cancer off. Animal protein turning cancer on.

We were involved in a large nationwide survey in the People's Republic of China. For about a dozen different kinds of cancers, the people were consuming too much protein. Lower protein intake, less cancer. We explored all manner of diseases. We explored dietary introduction of relatively small amounts of animal protein and found that it would increase heart disease, cancer and other diseases. Plant based diets - vegetables, fruits, whole grain foods - really reversed heart disease. I can't overemphasize how important a plant based diet is. For our health, use whole vegetables. Don't add salt, sugar, and fat. The closer we get to a plant based diet, the healthier we get. Health care calls are rising, mental health costs are rising. We need to promote the use of a plant based diet.

The Chinese caloric intake is high, but many generally don't eat any animal protein.

There was a question about the chemistry of animal protein. Its sulfate makes the ph of the body too acid. John MacDougall knows about this more than I. We don't need fish. Comment of listener: Dr. Mercola indicated that “EPA/DHA conversion is only made with fish oil, not with plants.” Fish have no antioxidants. No fiber. It's better to use flax seed, walnuts.

This is from Dr Flora's wesite

Dr. Flora

2009-06-30T07:55:00.003-05:00

Please Google Braggs Liquid Aminos and look past the 1st page to the conversations of various users with Patricia Braggs. I personally was crippled by using it and it nearly ruined my kidneys. I wrote to Patricia about it twice and she never answered me. You will find a great letter written by a woman who worked for her. See what happens when you quit using it. Your legs will open back up. Your veins and arteries will come back to life as the capillaries begin to flow again.

Please read "The No Dairy Anti-Breast Cancer Program" by Dr. Jane Plant of England, who lost a breast, had chemo and radiation 5 times when it appeared in the other breast and spread all over her trunk, and who got involved with the China Study. Women don't have cancer in China who have never used dairy. She threw away her ghee and yogurt and that was 2 decades ago with no return.

Dr. Flora

Bug Bites!

2009-06-25T06:04:00.003-05:00

To get relief from itching peppermint bath is highly beneficial.

Mix equal amounts of honey and cinnamon powder and make a fine paste. Apply this paste on affected areas to stop itching. This is very good home remedy for Itching.

Put 2 cups of oatmeal in a tub with Luke warm water. This is one of the effective natural remedies for itching.

Make a solution by adding ¼ parts of apple cider vinegar and ½ parts of water and wash the affected skin with this water as it provides relief. This is one of the effective home remedies for itching.

Pour a cupful of white vinegar in bath water and soak the body in it for 5-10 minutes. This is one of the effective natural remedies for itching.

Application of cod liver oil or Aloe Vera to the affected area is also beneficial.

To avoid itching of dry skin, it’s always better to use moisturizer after every wash.

Cover the affected area with a light paste of coconut oil and limejuice. This is one of the effective home remedies for Itching.

A salt free diet is the best when suffering from itchy skin. It is the best diet for itchy skin.

Application of vitamin E oil is also effective.

Make a mixture using Aloe Vera, cod liver oil, lemon juice, vitamin E oil and wheat germ oil. Apply this mixture on the affected area. This is a good and effective home remedy for itching.

A hot water application to the affected area will provide immediate relief. This is a good and effective itching treatment.

Application of paste made my mixing baking soda with water is also effective home remedy for itching.

Neem is an effective remedy for all types of skin problems. Application of neem oil to the affected areas gives relief from itching. Neem bath can also be taken by boiling the neem leaves in bath water. Morpheme Neem Veg Capsules contains pure Neem extract.

Testimonial - Throat & Pancreas Cancer

2009-06-24T08:53:00.002-05:00

A 70 year old guest that went to Creative Health Institute in mid-April ('05) with throat & a suspected pancreatic cancer diagnosis called this week to say that she just had a CAT scan. The results show that she no longer has any cancer!

Furthermore, she no longer needs to take medication for high blood pressure or diabetes. She applied at home what she learned at Creative Health and this was her result.

A Banana a Day!

2009-06-23T14:49:00.001-05:00

Bananas contain three natural sugars - sucrose, fructose and glucose - combined with fiber. A banana gives an instant, sustained and substantial boost of energy. Research has proved that just two bananas provide enough energy for a strenuous 90-minute workout. No wonder the banana is the number one fruit with the world's leading athletes.

A banana can help overcome or prevent a substantial number of illnesses and conditions, making it a must for our daily diet....Read More

Mother Earth News

2009-06-22T08:03:00.001-05:00

Herbal Insect Repellent

2 1/2 teaspoons total of any combination of the following essential oils: basil, cedarwood, citronella, juniper, lemon, myrrh, palmarosa, pine, rose geranium and/or rosemary (available at health food stores)

1 cup 190-proof grain alcohol (available in liquor stores)

Place ingredients in a jar with a tight-fitting lid and shake vigorously. Transfer to small bottles for storage. To use, rub a small amount on any exposed skin (test first to be sure your skin will not be adversely affected by the repellent) or dab it on clothing.

Experiment a little to find which essential oils work best with your body chemistry. If you’re lucky, you also will like the way they smell; otherwise, add a few drops of peppermint oil to fine-tune the fragrance.

If you are bitten, follow this advice from James Duke, Ph.D., author of The Green Pharmacy. Plantain (Plantago, various species) is one of the best herbs to treat bug bites.

You probably won’t need to plant this home remedy because it is a very common weed, often growing in compacted soil along sidewalks and driveways. To use the plant as first aid for a mosquito bite, crush a few leaves and rub them on the bite. Visit the University of California’s Weed Photo Gallery for help identifying plantain.

Spotlight on West 70th Street

2009-06-19T20:45:00.004-05:00

Our next spotlight is on the corner of West 70th and Pines Road. A farmer, Felix McDaniel is selling cucumbers, red and green tomatoes, yellow squash and beans out of the back of his truck. He will be there Tuesdays and Fridays from 9-6pm. I purchased a basket of cucumbers for five dollars with 9 cucs of all sizes. I have tried 3 of them and all were very tasty! Go out and support our local farmers!

Burgers Anyone?

2009-06-19T17:08:00.004-05:00

Tomorrow, my Raw Passion group will be having our potluck and I suggested summer foods. For instance, "burger and fries, chips and dips, coleslaw and potato salad". And if your a newcomer and don't know what to bring cut up tomatoes,onions,and lettuce always works. And then watermelon is always a good choice as well as any other kind of fruit.

Now you know of course we don't eat cooked food so putting together ingredients that mimic SAD foods is not as hard as it seems...

Equipment

2009-06-08T12:42:00.011-05:00

Blender

You will need a good quality blender, the cheaper ones have a tendency to leave chunks of fruit and vegetables in your soups and smoothies.

Food Processor

I have a Big Mouth Hamilton Beach, the shoot is wider and it grinds almonds really well. I've had several different kinds and I like this one the best.

Dehydrator

On my wish list is the Excalibur or one simular. I have a American Harvest, its round and its been a good one. I would just like the square ones so I can make pizza and heat up soups and such other things. And it will definately be a 9 tray!
But these are good for crackers, breads,dried fruit and vegetables and chips. I don't use this all the time but it really comes in handy when you want to warm something.

Vegetable Spiralizer

These are great for making lasagna noodles and spaghetti. with chunky vegetables like carrots, zucchini, potatoes.

Juicer

I had a high speed centrifugal juicer and it worked great but it heated up the food. Then I found a juicer similar to the Champion called Lexen that has served me very well for 5 years now. I don't use it as much because I am into blended smoothies and soups.

Coffee Grinder

This is a must have. You can purchase one at Walmart for 10.00 dollars. It is great for grinding up your nuts and seeds and grains.

Knives

You will need a good set of quality knives. I have two sets that have to be sharpened all the time and aren't very good. Recently, I got a good set of stainless steel knives that do not need sharpening and I love them! They can cut through wood and steel. So if you can start out with a better quality you will thank yourself in the long run!

Bowls

I have several ceramic and glass bowls. I really prefer the ceramic. But then I also have stainless steel bowls too.

Tea Strainers/Nut bags

For straining nut milk or for bulk teas.

Recipe books

These come in handy and you'll find that you don't always follow the recipe exactly. Soon you will be making up your own! One of my favorite sites to buy used books is at Half.com.

These are not a necessity. But so much fun!

Gadgets

My husband says I'm a Gadget Queen, we have all sorts of gadgets. He hates when I hit the garage sells or Goodwill because most likely I will find something I can not live without!
I have a apple corer, apple slicer, two gadgets that you put into an orange or lemon and the juice runs out. I found a mandolin for 3 bucks at the Dollar Store and it works just as good as the high dollar one! I'm looking into getting a corn shucker and I also want a pineapple peeler. I have several different sizes of funnels for pouring liquids into bottles. Hey they make life easier!

Mortar and Pedestal

I use this for grinding up garlic or spices. Not a must but comes in handy.

Salad Spinner

To spin green leaves to get the water off or you can just pat them between two unbleached paper towels.

Thermos/Quart Jars

To put smoothies and soups in.

Spotlight on Haughton

2009-06-05T22:08:00.005-05:00

Each week I will be putting the Spotlight on farmers selling fruits and veges around town. What I need from you is information. When you spot a roadside produce stand let me know and I will post it on this blog!

Today's Spotlight is on the guy sellng Watermelon and Tomatoes on Hwy 80 across from Louisiana Downs. Today I bought a watermelon and two baskets of tomatoes. Unfortunately, they are not local but out of Texas. However, the watermelon is VERY good and the tomatoes are not Hot House!

Lets talk about blenders...

2009-06-04T06:29:00.009-05:00

I think its about time we talked about blenders!

When I first started on this Raw Food journey I didn't even have a blender to my name much less a food processor! And according to all the books I read and the websites I had researched you needed a Vitamix and Excalibur to do anything! OK so where was I going to get that kind of money?

Not all of us can rush right out and get either of those, so what I did was ask my relatives first. No one at the time had anything of the sort or they were using them and afraid to give them up. So now what?

I went to our neighborhood Goodwill and found my first blender! It was a Hamilton Beach! Really good blender! I honestly put it to the test on many a smoothie! I eventually gave it to a friend and according to her its still working! Since that Hamilton Beach I have had many a cheap blender! I've had a Black & Decker which did not hold up to the pounding I gave it, a Proctor Silex, and another off brand. Then I got a 10 speed Oster! Wow what a machine! When the cap broke and I couldn't find a replacement I went back to the cheap blenders until I acquired the Kitchen Aid Osterizer (a friend of my moms gave it to her and she gave it to me). Now that is a full kitchen appliance. It is a blender, food processor, shredder, meat grinder, and mixer all in one! Sweet!! Unfortunately, the motor finally gave up and I almost had a funeral for it :(. Such a sad state of affairs...

Until... I realized the blender jar from the Kitchen aid Oster fit the 10 speed Oster!! Hallelujah!!!

Anyway, the lesson here is NOT to buy any old cheap thing make sure it is a quality appliance.

Check out this website!

2009-06-03T22:14:00.005-05:00

YOU CAN GROW! Information about Sustainable Organic Gardening and Personal Growth, Soil Building, Composting, Biodiversity and Genetic Engineering, Seed Starting Guide, Companion and Intensive Planting,Organic Pest Control, Garden Design, Permaculture, Xeriscape, Workshops,Newsletter Archives, Virtual Photo Tours, Resources and more!
Avant-Gardening: Creative Organic Gardening

My Garden

2009-06-02T09:50:00.021-05:00

Every year I have it in my head what kind of garden I want. Usually it involves having raised beds. Which I must admit I never get around to building. It is so much easier to use POTS! So this year I have planted 5 tomatoes, 2 peppers, 1 strawberry, aloe vera and several herbs in pots. We also have a Kumquat and Lime tree which we purchased 3 years ago, the lime still has not produced any fruit but the kumquat has fruit on it every year.

My husband planted some parsley out in the dirt and its growing like crazy. So the cantaloupe, watermelon and cucumbers are planted in the ground. The herbs I have are: basil, sage, parsley,lemon balm, rosemary, dill, lavendar, mint, thyme, marjoram, and they are all doing well.

I'm not stopping here! Depending on how the plants do in the ground will determine whether I plant greens there too. Who knows I may get that raised bed after all! I'll just have to see how it goes.

Where to Buy Fresh Fruits and Veges

2009-06-01T22:06:00.001-05:00

Shreveport Farmers' Market will reopen on June 13, with an expanded market featuring more vendors than ever before. The market will take place on Saturdays, June 13 through September 5, from 7:00 a.m. to noon. On Tuesdays in the months of June and July, there will also be a Tuesday market from 3 to 6 each afternoon featuring live music. The market was originally to open May 30, but after a late freeze and wet fields, our farmers are running a bit behind this year. By June 13, the choices will be plentiful!

The market takes place under the East Pavilion in Festival Plaza, located at 101 Crockett Street, is covered, has ample on-site parking, and public restroom facilities. Dogs are welcome as long as they are attended, controlled and cleaned-up after.

Did You know?

2009-05-27T20:00:00.000-05:00

Parsley contains three times as much vitamin C as oranges, twice as much iron as spinach, is rich in vitamin A and contains folate, potassium and calcium. What's more, parsley is also recognized for its cancer-fighting potential.

Fruitarians

2009-05-25T13:01:00.003-05:00

I had at one point considered eating all fruit, and when you think about it you think of sweet and sour fruits. But there are other fruits to consider, for instance, avocados,tomatoes, cucumbers, bell peppers, squash. I know what you are thinking, if these are fruits what are veges?

The dictionary says this about fruit: Fruits are the means by which flowering plants disseminate seeds, and the presence of seeds indicates that a structure is most likely a fruit, though not all seeds come from fruits.[1]

We have Tree fruits, berries, year round fruits, tropical and exotic fruits and of course dried fruits. So there is a wide spectrum of so called fruits.

Olives are considered a fruit because of the seed. So getting the necessary vitamins and minerals would not be hard at all. I have found a woman named Anne Osborne online that has been a fruitarian for a long time, in fact her son has been raised on fruit. You can go to her website here: Anne Osborne

Raw Baby Food

2009-05-24T11:01:00.004-05:00

Raw food is extremely beneficial in a baby's early years. Instead of the processed baby food sold in stores that are mass produced with no nutritional value why not make some of your own?

Its really quite easy here are a few simple recipes from Jingee at The Garden Diet

Some raw baby foods my kids loved....

- bananas and avocados mashed - quick and easy
- coconut water - has a flavor a lot like breast-milk
- blend up an avocado, a 1/2 pear, and a piece of romaine lettuce with a few tablespoons of water and voila - baby food!

In Joy!
Jinjee

Plant Sources of Protein Calcium, Iron, Omega 3, and Vitamins A, B12, and D

2009-05-21T22:27:00.000-05:00

Protein: spirulina, chlorella, sprouts, beans (especially lentils, soybeans, and soy products), blue green algae, amaranth, quinoa, nuts (almonds, pine nuts, cashews), seeds (pumpkin, sunflower, sesame, flax, squash).

Foods with all 8 essential amino acids. Each is followed by the percentage of protein it contains: Almonds (19%), brazil nuts (14%), brussels sprouts (5%), coconut (3%), corn (3%), flax seed (22%), Hazelnut (13%), kale (6%), pecan (9%), pumpkin seed (24%), squash seed (24%), sunflower seed (24%), black walnut (21%), English walnut (15%). Source: The Happy Truth About Protein by Hannah Allen, Life Science, Yorktown, TX.

Calcium: broccoli, green leafy vegetables (esp. collards and kale), Brussels sprouts, butternut squash, beans, figs, raw unhulled sesame seeds. Best eaten with magnesium.

Iron: seeds (pumpkin, squash, sesame, sunflower), tahini, beans (soy, white, red kidney, mung, lima, lentils), pine nuts, tomatoes, tofu prepared with calcium sulfate. To enhance absorption, eat these foods with vitamin C foods. Some foods are naturally rich in both iron and vitamin C, such as broccoli, Swiss chard, and other dark green leafy vegetables. See http://www.soystache.com/iron.htm

B-12: it comes from bacteria, so you can find it in algae, miso, tempeh, fortified brewer’s yeast, sea weed, seed cheese. and sprouted wheat berries (or “rejuvelac” which is the leftover soaking water).

Omega 3 – Flax seeds/oil, hemp seeds/oil, and algae-based DHA seem to be the best vegetarian sources. A single serving of fresh purslane leaves (a little less than a cup) provides the minimum daily requirement of alpha-linolenic acid, a type of omega-3 fatty acid; however, it’s high in oxalic acid. If you want to eat fish, know that fish liver the more mercury than fish flesh. Fish oil may be more bio-available than flax oil. But fish get Omega 3 from algae.

Vitamin A – It takes 4-6 units of beta carotene to make one unit of vitamin A, and the conversion can only take place in the presence of bile salts, so eat fat with carotene foods. Beta carotene is in dark green and orange-yellow vegetables (apricots, carrots, papaya, cantaloupe, spinach, pumpkin, sweet potatoes, mangoes, kale, spinach, turnip greens, winter squash, collard greens, cilantro and fresh thyme.

Vitamin D – Nettle leaf, alfalfa, chickweed, kelp, dandelion greens, The (ADA) states that “Sun exposure to hands, arms, and face for 5 to 15 minutes per day is adequate to provide sufficient amounts of vitamin D.” But you need more sun during winter months, especially in northern latitudes. Many non-dairy beverage makers add vitamin D as well as calcium, vitamin B12, and riboflavin to their products. If you’re vegan, just make sure the plant-based milks have vegan vitamin D (derived from torula yeast, and not from lanolin from sheep’s wool.

Are you eating enough salads?

2009-05-20T15:19:00.009-05:00

Are you one of those people who can be completely
satisfied to munch on raw lettuce, or do you sometimes miss
a good, tasty salad dressing?

Are you aware of all of the "bad stuff" that's in commercial
AND natural food store dressings, and would you like to know
some alternatives?

Or do you get bored with those taste-less "home made
dressings"?

I just wanted to let you know about a new recipe ebook on "Healthy Salad Dressings -- The Top 70 Salad Dressings You Can Make in Less Than 2 Minutes".

I think it's exactly what you've been looking for.

The next orders will get the discount. Go to:

Healthy Salad Dressings

Note: This is a very unique collection of recipes -- not your
average balsamic vinegar/olive oil dressings! And the book
is digital, so you'll receive your copy as soon as you
order, with no shipping charges.

Drenched

2009-05-12T07:32:00.002-05:00

Well it looks as though we will not see many May flowers this month as April showers are still continuing! It poured down rain Sunday night and all day Monday. The chances of rain the remainder of the week is very high! We will be under water by then!

The Raw Food picnic is scheduled for Sunday May 17th so we can work on the garden, I only hope there is sunshine!

Still waiting on a job for today.....

More Really Good Information

2009-05-10T19:56:00.000-05:00

Conversely, researchers have found that a diet rich in raw vegetables lowers your risk of breast cancer. Eating lots of fruit reduces your risk for colon cancer, according to a study published in 1998 in the journal Epidemiology. And including fresh fruit as part of your daily diet has been associated with fewer deaths from heart attacks and related problems, by as much as 24 percent, according to a study published in the British Medical Journal in 1996.

However, there is some research to indicate that some of the phytochemicals, such as lycopene in tomatoes and carotenoids in carrots, are more easily absorbed by the body when the vegetable has been cooked. So supplementation of those nutrients might be wise. It has also been suggested that a raw foods diet could be low in iron and calcium. But a study published in Archives of Internal Medicine found although bones were lighter on a raw diet, osteoporosis wasn’t a threat. The lower bone mass that researchers discovered in raw food eaters was apparently due to their being thinner than the general population, due to their reduced caloric intake.

We Continue..

2009-05-08T17:00:00.000-05:00

Scientists have continued to study cooked versus raw food diets. A Finnish study published in the journal Nutrition in 1992, for example, confirmed that raw vegan diets decrease toxic products in the colon. Results suggest that a raw food uncooked extreme vegan diet causes a decrease in bacterial enzymes and certain toxic products that have been implicated in colon cancer risk.

According to research performed by Dr. Bruce Ames, professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at University of California, Berkeley, various groups of chemicals from cooked food can cause tumors. For instance, nitrosamines are created from fish, poultry or meat cooked in gas ovens and barbecues, as nitrogen oxides within gas flames interact with fat residues; hetrocyclic amines form from heating proteins and amino acids; polycyclic hydrocarbons are created by charring meat.

Researchers Say...

2009-05-07T08:00:00.001-05:00

We do know that cooking food denatures protein, which means that its molecular structure is modified, making it unusable or less usable by our bodies. When proteins are subjected to high heat during cooking, enzyme-resistant linkages are formed between the amino acid chains. The body cannot separate these amino acids and the indigestible, coagulated protein molecules become a source of toxicity.

Swiss research from the 1930s suggests that, when cooked food is ingested, the immune system sends armies of white blood cells to the digestive tract to fight what it perceives to be a threat. Absorption of un- or partially-digested proteins into the bloodstream can cause allergic reactions and toxicity of the immune system. This immune reaction is called Leukocytosis. In a nutshell, this process throws the body into shock, acting in self-defense by pumping out its own enzymes to digest the foreign substances that were ingested.

2009-05-06T07:41:00.001-05:00

from Natural Life Magazine, September/October, 2007
Go Raw - Switch to a Raw Foods Diet
by Wendy Priesnitz
pea pods

Food fads and trends come and go. But one that seems to be increasing in popularity is already thousands of years old. And that’s the raw food diet, which is defined as being based on eating unprocessed, organic, whole, vegan foods, at least 75 percent of which should be uncooked. A variety of techniques are used to prepare these foods, including sprouting seeds, grains and beans; soaking nuts and dried fruits; and blending and juicing fruits and vegetables. Dehydration is also used, because it doesn’t require much heat.

The growing number of adherents to what is sometimes called a “living foods diet” – which include celebrity devotees like Demi Moore, Bryan Adams and Woody Harrelson – believe that eating uncooked food prolongs youth and fights disease. The raw diet tends to be dense with nutrients that are easily absorbed into your blood, and contains little or no saturated fat. It is low in sodium, high in potassium and fiber. These factors are important in helping to reduce the risk of certain diseases such as heart disease and some cancers.

Are Raw Smoothies Good for Your Pets?

2009-05-06T04:49:00.005-05:00

If raw foods are nutritional good for you are they enough for your pets? Well, thats a very good question. I've had several people ask me if my pet also eats raw. In answer to that no not completely. My dog will only eat grated carrots and tomatoes. I haven't tried very many other things but would like to experiment with him and see how he would tolerate smoothies!

So this summer I'm going to experiment with him, showing pictures of before and after to see just how easy or hard it is. If I could get him to drink a green smoothie at least twice a week I would be happy! Time will tell...

Intense Workout!

2009-05-04T06:59:00.000-05:00

My husband just asked me why do I get up so early and I told him so I can exercise! I'm actually enjoying my yoga and that is the way it should be. You should enjoy your exercise routine. Regardless of what diet you are on you still need to exercise so why not find one you really like and have fun with it!

For those of you that think you cannot get a cardio workout from yoga think again! It is very intense!

Well I'm off to school...

Addiction to Cacao

2009-05-03T08:04:00.009-05:00

One of the newest things I have found that is leading all the news is the addiction to Cacao. I myself have had problems. It causes my hands to shake, heart palpitations, irritability and headaches. And that is only after just a little bite! I was on Jingee and Storms website today when I read what they had to say about it:

8/31/08

20 Ways to tell if you are addicted to raw cacao:

1. You have raw cacao every day, sometimes more than once.

2. You blog and twitter about raw cacao daily.

3. You think you aren't addicted but you can't stop eating it because it gives you energy.

4. On days when you don't have raw cacao, you feel tired and lethargic.

5. On days when you don't have raw cacao, you feel foggy-brained.

6. You eat more and more raw cacao all the time.

7. After eating raw cacao you experience heart palpitations, increased heart rate or a pounding heart, and continue to eat it.

8. You can't sleep at night when you've eaten raw cacao that day.

9. You stay awake on raw cacao all night more than once a week.

10. You stay awake on raw cacao two or more nights in a row.

11. You feel dizzy after eating raw cacao, but continue to eat it.

12. You get migraine headaches from raw cacao, but continue to eat it.

13. You will leave your house just to buy raw cacao.

14. You eat raw cacao regularly and are gaining weight in tummy region for no good reason.

15. You eat raw cacao regularly and have lost interest in greens.

16. You kick raw cacao and then feel like its OK to eat it again.

17. You eat more than two tablespoons of raw cacao at one sitting.

18. You look depleted after eating raw cacao, and continue to eat it.

19. Your emotions become topsy turvy when you eat raw cacao, but you don't stop.

20. You realize raw cacao is bad for your body, but feel that you should be allowed one addiction, if its raw.

To visit Storm's website go here: thegardendiet

To understand addiction, check out this awesome HBO special website including excellent and inspiring videos by scientists....... Addiction is a chronic relapsing brain disease.

Day 7

2009-05-02T08:00:00.000-05:00

Its here at last! Day 7 has arrived! and it is a very busy day. I am making Mock Tuna Salad, Corn and Green chips and Spaghetti size zucchini. The Tuna I have already made before and it is so good. Alas I will not be eating it but I am sure there will be fruit!

I have not mentioned much about Frederic Patenaude throughout this whole 7 day cleanse but I want you to know that he sent emails everyday for encouragement and some really great recipes. If you haven't already go to his website and sign up for his newsletters. I promise you you won't regret it, he is very knowledgeable.

This information I am about to post is about Candida from Frederic Patenaude's website. This is what changed my mind about Candida. It is the fats, I just proved it! I haven't had problems for four days and I have been battling this for years and this is the first relief I have had! I could just kiss this man!

Fruit is not the cause of candida, so avoiding it is not the answer. Candida really comes from eating a high-fat diet and then eating a bunch of sugar (natural or not) on top of it. To overcome candida you should go on a very low-fat diet (such
as this cleanse) for several weeks. If your candida is bad, you can skip breakfast, focus on low-sugar fruits at first, eat plenty of greens, enjoy lots of green smoothies and stick with avoiding fat for as long as possible. It generally takes only a few weeks for many people to solve life-long candida on such a program. Make sure you read my special report on the fruit controversy.

Day 6

2009-05-01T17:03:00.001-05:00

Wow, I can't believe the week is almost over! Its been great on this cleanse and I have learned a lot about my body. I can feel the difference! I can tell you I am ready for something different, but my resolve is to continue for another week.

Felt really good this morning yoga went well and I was ready to go! I'm subbing in the same class today and looking forward to it!

After school had to go to Sam's to get groceries, but first stopped in at Kroger's. Tomorrow some of the Raw Passion group and I are making our favorite dishes for a welcome home party at Better Virginia Park for some friends. And I need supplies! I picked up dates, avocados, organic celery, red bell pepper, green onions, parsley and mangoes, apple cider vinegar and almond butter. I was almost able to get it all at Kroger's but at last I have to get almonds and spinach at Sam's.

Kroger now has an olive bar!

I did not get home until 5:28 and boy was I exhausted!

Day 5

2009-04-30T16:18:00.000-05:00

I'm loosing weight enough that my clothes are not tight. Since being back I have been eating a lot more oils, olive to be exact than I usually do. Plus a lot of salt. So this cleanse has helped get rid of those cravings. Olive oil has always been heavy for me I usually use coconut oil or flax, but since being out of both I have substituted olive oil knowing full well what it does to me. But no more!

Set alarm this morning for 4:50 so to get a little more sleep. My husband kept me awake last night with his snoring, I should be very tired tonight so sleep will be easy. Yoga went well, I'm loosening up and getting stronger.

Its getting easier and easier eating without all the other stuff. I do miss my seaweed though. My stomach seems to be doing better and I think I will continue this another week to make sure the Candida is completely gone. After that I'll need to watch my fat intake.

I made a salad with romaine, herbs, then cleaned some green beans and blackberries to take with me. I really have a great opportunity at work to share my knowledge. I've been sharing what I bring with the other teachers. I get some looks but they are all willing to try it. One of the ladies could not believe how sweet the green beans were raw. In also made some green chips for them and they loved them. Next week I'll take some flax crackers.

Day 4

2009-04-29T04:30:00.002-05:00

I'm up at 4;30 AM this morn, have a little time before I do yoga. Feeling light today which is good. Stomach is not as swollen as has been, not as gassy. Now its time for yoga!

Day went rather well. Kids were good. But its good to be home. Had a great smoothie this morning, my mouth is watering just thinking about it! I put a 1 cup of water with about a splash of rejuvelac, handful of spinach, 1 banana, and 3/4 cup of blueberries. Yum Yum!!

At lunch I had my usual salad with sliced bell peppers, shredded turnip and basil and strawberries for dessert.

This evening I had a plate full of sliced veges, corn on the cob, carrots, lettuce, radishes and celery. Everyday this week I have made it a point to be finished by 6pm and it has worked out well!

Day 3

2009-04-28T16:10:00.002-05:00

I have been keeping a journal during this cleanse so if I miss blogging I can add it later. Sleep was not good, I had a hard time getting to sleep and then getting up several times during the night did not help. So I am really tired! Thank goodness I got a job today! Hopefully I can keep my mind off food and how tired I am. Wow! Just noticed Oxygen on cable tv has yoga from 5-6am. I should be able to do that before getting ready for work. Lets get moving!!!!

Ok! Barely got through that.... A little more advanced than I'm use to but it will be fine. I feel good, however, I can tell I am going to be really sore!

Took a shower and then made breakfast smoothie of just greens. Just finished making my lunch for school of mixed salad greens and mung sprouts with fresh herbs, no dressing also bagged some strawberries. Gotta go...

4:30 pm
Whoa! What a day! Its good to be home. I'm tired but feeling good. I've eaten 3 bananas, 1 turnip, 3 stalks of celery, and 2 green onions since getting home. Its nice to just kick back watch the boob tube and relax! Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

Day 2

2009-04-27T17:30:00.000-05:00

Didn't work today so it made it harder to stay away from food. I made a green smoothie this morning without fruit and without any lemon or lime, but still put a little rejevalac in it. Citrus fruits are diuretics and will make you run to the restroom or bathroom frequently! And I thought I would be going to school today so I maybe that would not be a good idea!

I was sooo hungry, I swear I ate all day! The good thing was it was fruits and veges. I can't have any spices,no salt, seaweed,no fats. Just fruits and veges. I'm glad I was able to eat salad and fruit, not just juice and blend. Its almost over, to tell you the truth I am looking forward to sleeping! :0)

2009-04-26T11:53:00.001-05:00

Well, so far so good I'm starving but as long as I keep busy I don't think about it. This is the best way to get your house clean! So far the house is really looking good!
Today, I have to be at the garden at 3pm a friend from our Raw Passion group is meeting me there. Its pretty hot so what I think is I'll blend an all green smoothie so I can manage the heat.

Just made a green smoothie of spinach,alfalfa sprouts,rejuvelac,and ginger, very tasty! And now I am ready to leave.

Spring Cleanse

2009-04-25T11:38:00.002-05:00

Today we are suppose to fast for 24 hours starting at 6pm and ending Sunday at 6pm. He has suggested that we eat fruits and salads during the day, then drink water during the 24 hour fast. I may have to break the fast earlier than 6pm as I will be working in the garden in the heat.

Detox

2009-04-21T18:00:00.001-05:00

I got a email from Frederic Patenaude today about his 7 day Spring Cleanse that he is doing starting April 26. And have decided that maybe this is just what I need to get my Candida under control. If anyone is interested you can go to Spring Cleanse and sign up.
Once you sign up you will be sent another email with instructions on what to buy and anything else he thinks you should know. Give it a try what do you have to loose.

Candidia

2009-04-19T08:36:00.000-05:00

I have been having a lot of trouble with my stomach since returning back to Louisiana. At first I thought it was because I am not able to find enough organic foods here as I was in Texas. Now this could be part of it, but I'm finding that even after eating only organic greens and some fruit that I am still having major problems. One of the problems I have is Candida. My stomach swells up with gas and anything I eat produces this.
Some may not know or understand what Candida is and I will try to explain. Wikipedia explains it like this: Candida is a genus of yeasts, which can cause infections (called candidiasis or thrush) in humans. About explains it better: Candida albicans is a yeast that normally resides in the body in the digestive tract and vagina. Candida levels are kept in check by the immune system and beneficial probiotic bacteria in the body.Some alternative practitioners believe that overgrowth of candida albicans yeast in the intestines is responsible for a yeast syndrome that results in symptoms such as fatigue, headache, mood swings, sinus congestion, depression, poor memory and concentration, and cravings for sweets.

I had always thought that sweets caused this to rear its ugly head but since reading Frederic Patenaude's thoughts on this I have reconsidered.

2009-04-17T16:00:00.002-05:00

I don't pretend to know everything about Raw Food, but what I'm trying to do with this blog is to get the word out to all those in Louisiana that the Raw Food lifestyle is local now. And if we band together as a community to share what we know with our friends and family on how to live healthy and eat right we can maybe cut the rate of cancer, diabetes, high blood pressure and other diseases down or eradicate them altogether.

2009-04-12T06:07:00.001-05:00

Six arguments for a greener diet

A meticulously researched examination of scientific studies that finds that eating more plant foods and fewer fatty animal products can lead to extra years of healthy living.

Happily, explains lead author and CSPI executive director Michael F. Jacobson, that same diet also leads to much less food poisoning, water pollution, air pollution, global warming, and animal suffering.

Ultimately, a diet rich in fatty animal products and poor in whole grains, fruits, and vegetables consumes the consumer: Higher rates of heart disease, stroke, certain cancers, diabetes, and obesity cause hundreds of thousands of premature deaths each year.

Six Arguments for a Greener Diet exposes those, and other under-reported facts, and carefully connects the dots between a healthy diet and a healthy planet: http://cspinet.org/new/200608011.html.

What is Sustainable Living?

2009-04-08T19:31:00.003-05:00

Simply stated, sustainable living is a lifestyle that could, in theory, be continued without depleting any natural resources. Adherents to this concept are willing to make trade offs in lifestyle in order to practice the philosophy. Numerous individuals, communities, cults and religious sects have attempted to practice the strict concept of sustainable living over the years. Examples include Henry David Thoreau, Rachel Carson, Wendall Berry and their adherents.

What Would It Look Like?

2009-04-01T12:22:00.007-05:00

A revolution is on the horizon that will change the way we live and alter the equation of wealth and power. The next, new thing is being created at the nexus of science, technology and venture capital?bold, creative solutions to address our energy needs for a sustainable and thriving global economy. In labs and garages all over the world unlikely teams of scientists, engineers, brilliant thinkers and financiers are finding new hope and solutions. Among them: -a former bus driver on the trans-Alaska pipeline whose keeps his ice hotel frozen all summer long with the energy of hot springs -a utility engineer who feeds smokestack gasses from coal-fired plants to voracious algae, then turns them into fuel -a tribe of Native Americans in the Pacific Northwest who have turned from fishing to harnessing the power of the waves These entrepreneurs are poised to remake the world?s biggest business and save the planet, too-but only if we can give them a fair chance to compete. Watch this video:

I'm Back...

2009-04-01T06:32:00.004-05:00

I'm sorry I haven't posted in a while,its been crazy. I have been subbing at the near by public schools as well as running around trying to get other things done. I recently took a trip down to San Antonio, Texas to get the remainder of my things out of storage. So it is offical I am back in Louisiana!

Founder of Hippocrates Health Institute

2009-03-14T21:31:00.001-05:00

Going Green Save Money

2009-03-10T12:05:00.008-05:00

2009-03-08T13:17:00.048-05:00

What is Rejuvelac? I have been asked this on several occasions so today I am going to explain what it is and how to make it.

Rejuvelac is a fermented drink full of B vitamins,E and K vitamins, protein, enzymes and good flora. It helps improve digestion by replacing the good bacteria back into our bodies by the constant use of antibiotics and other things.

Rejuvelac is made from grains like wheat, rye, oats, millet or Triticale. Soft pastry wheatberries are normally used but other varieties are ok as long as they are organic. Both wheat and rye are very tasty with a sour lemony flavor.

It can be used as a drink or added to nut and seed sauces, cheeses and essence bread. A sweet refreshing drink can be made by adding a squeeze of lemon and a touch of honey. I have used it as a drink and added it to my cheese to speed up the fermentation process.

Here is the step by step on..

How To Make Rejuvelac!

You will need a 1 gallon Jar.

1 cup

Wheatberries

And Filtered Water

Add 1 cup of wheatberries to..

1 gallon jar.

This is about 1/4 in bottom of jar.

Fill jar with filtered water and cover with either cheesecloth, unbleached paper towel/napkin or coffee filter and rubber band.

Let soak for 8 hours.

After 8 hours strain water from jar.

Be sure to drain off all water.

Place towel and rubber band back on jar.

Invert jar to completely drain. You can put in sink, dish drainer or where ever it can drain well and sprout.

Wheatberries need to sprout for 2 days, rinsing 2-3 times a day.

Day 1-Over night berries have already begun to sprout!

Now rinse berries with filtered water. Some people use tap water to rinse I prefer filtered water to keep chlorine off the berries.

After you fill jar with filtered water swish jar to make sure every berry is rinsed. Drain and put towel and rubber band back on jar. Be sure to rinse berries 2 more times during the day, if possible. Invert to sprout for one more day.

Day 2 sprouts. Do not rinse.

Fill with filtered water to top then add towel & rubber band.

Place in dark place to ferment for 48 hours.

After 48 hours, notice liquid is cloudy.

Drain off liquid into pitcher or another jar.

Fill jar back up with filtered water for 24 hours. You can make 3 batches total. Last two are 24 hours.

Ready to go!

Sixth Day

2009-03-06T14:32:00.004-06:00

I decide to post pictures of how I juice this morning and from now on I will show pictures of whatever I make.

I wish I could get a new location, location, location

2009-03-05T07:08:00.001-06:00

I would change my living situation because I want to live in the country! Grow my own food, and make my own electricity,save rain water etc!

2009-03-05T06:54:00.006-06:00

Fifth Day

This morning I got up at 4am, I use to get up at this time everyday. It felt really good! I just sat in the recliner listening to the world around me before I did anything. I made some spearment tea and just sipped on it and relaxed. Its so peaceful this time in the morning....wish life was like this all the time.

8:30-made my first juice only this time I used the blender. I used the rest of the kale-3-4 leaves, with green apple, green pepper, 1/2 cuc and a squeeze of lime. I'm feeling good, very light, I feel as though I could clean seven houses and still have the energy to clean seven more!

If your thinking of loosing weight this is the best way to do it! Not only does it revitalize you but your skin will glow! No wrinkles, your skin will be smooth!

11:30-I made a carrot and beet juice was kinda craving it, has a really smooth taste. Well, I'm out of greens and almost out of fruit, its time to make my rounds again. I've got to run some errands this afternoon so I'll hit some of the stores on my way home.

3:30-I just went to Super1 and got turnip roots and greens,collards,parsley,cucs,zucchini. Tomorrow I'll get out to other stores. Can't wait until we can start our garden. I am so needing homegrown food! We have a community garden for our potluck group and have been having trouble finding someone with a tiller. However, we finally hit pay dirt and now we have one! Made a juice of everything I bought plus a sqeeeze of lemon.

Fourth Day

2009-03-04T20:15:00.008-06:00

I woke up at 5am this morning let the dog out and then went into the living room and turned on the tv. And picked up the computer..... It was 11:49 before I had my first juice! Spinach,1 green pepper,2 kiwis and Rejuvalac. A little tart but still good!

I drank water most of the day, while I cleaned house. Didn't eat until 3:30 and that was 4 carrots, 1 beet with 1/2 inch ginger. This is a really good juice for cleansing.

6:30-herb tea

That's about it for the day. I imagine I'll be really hungry tomorrow or maybe not. The more I drink green juice the less hungry I get. This is all green without sweet or much of it. I have found that when I add too much fruit in my juices that it makes me hungrier. So thats why I stuff as many greens down that hopper as I can!

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Questions Answered:

One of the Questions I get from people when I give my classes is "How do you afford all that equipment? I can't afford a Vita Mix or a Champion.

I couldn't either. But what I found was there are a 1/2 dozen places where you can get really good buys on blenders, juicers, grinders, and dehydrators.

First, you could check with relatives. Chances are they have a blender stashed under their cabinet that they haven't used in years. My daughter-in-law let me use her grandmothers dehydrator that she was not using. It was my first dehydrator without a temperature control on it.

Second, garage sales and flea markets are good for finding kitchen equipment. You could even bid for that perfect price!

Third, newspaper want ads.

Fourth, Goodwill, Salvation Army and Consignment Stores. This is where I found my first blender and a electric citrus juicer.

Fifth, Craigslist! They actually have a free site where people are giving things away!

Sixth, Auction sites like EBay or Amazon.

Birthdays are a good way to get a dehydrator or juicer. My friends bought me a American Harvester for my birthday.

Walmart and Kmart have good prices on everything for the kitchen.

I am a gadget queen! I love gadgets! So whenever I go to a dollar store or a department store I look for their clearance isles. Even Walgreen's, Rite Aid and CVS have clearance isles or baskets. You can pick up funnels, strainers, teaspoons and cups.

Next Question I always get is "How long does it take you to prepare your food?" I don't have that much time.

Its like with every new thing you try, it takes getting use to a new routine! After you have made several recipes it will get easier each time. And you will be able to experiment and make your own dishes!

Second & Third Day

2009-03-03T12:57:00.002-06:00

Unfortunately, I was unable to post yesterdays account of my juicing. But I'll post it along with today's.

Yesterday, I got up at 6 which was early considering I didn't get to bed until 1:30am. I piddle either in the bedroom or in the kitchen until I get woke up. At 8:01 I drank some warm lemon water. If you notice on my blog I have a slide show. I decided to try to show how I juice. So I set the laptop on the counter and set it up where everything was visible. The hardest part was trying not to look down when I took the picture but all in all I thought it went well. Next time I will try some other things.

I put together 8 turnip leaves, 6 Kale leaves, 4 carrots, 1 beet, handful parsley, 1 green apple and 1 inch ginger root. This is what I am juicing on the slide show. It made about 28 oz of juice. So officially my first 8 oz was at 10:06.

12:16- I drank 8 oz of juice and 1 cup of Rejuvalac. In case you are not familiar with Rejuvalac this is made from fermented wheatberries. Then I followed that with herb tea about 12:45.

Its really fun combining veges to see what works with what. I have had some really bitter ones and no matter what I added it was still yuk but I drank it anyway. You just have to be willing to experiment.

2:o1-Finished up the remainder of the juice and had 1 bottle water.

4:07- spearmint tea

6:00- 1 orange,1 grapefruit,1 turnip, 1 tomarillo,1/2 yellow and red sweet pepper, 2 stalks of Bok
Choy, this made 16 oz of juice.

7:30- herb tea

March 3, 2009

I had an appointment this morning at 7:30am so I was out of the house early. Only took a bottle of water with me. The appointment took longer than expected so I did not eat until 10:56. But this didn't seem to bother me much. However I must admit once I got that juice in me I felt so good!

2:15-I didn't get hungry to around 2pm and this is what I juiced: 3 leaves Kale, 1/2 green pepper, 3 leaves Romaine, handful parsley, 1/2 cuc, 3 leaves collards, 1 lime. Oooh, this was so good!!

3:20- glass rejuvalac

4:00-bottle of water, I'm not posting every time I drink water but I do this throughout the day.

6pm-3 leaves of kale, 1 turnip, 2 tomarillo, 1 clove garlic, 1/2 cuc, 1/2 lemon. This was extremely good and was my last juice of the evening.

First Day

2009-03-01T22:08:00.000-06:00

This morning I got up late at 6 am, I'm usually up at 4. It was cold, so laying in the bed longer was really nice. After I got up the first thing I did was drink a cup of warm water with 1/2 lemon squeezed in it. Lemon tea gets your digestive juices flowing. Didn't have my first glass of juice until 8:55 which consisted of 4 carrots, 2 turnip leaves, and a handful of parsley. It made about 8 0z of juice. This was very tasty!

My first glass of juice was very powerful in Nutrients. Carrots have vitamin A, B complex, and includes calcium, copper, magnesium, potassium, sodium, phosphorus, chlorine, sulfur, and iron.

Turnips leaves also have vitamin A, C, E, B6, folate, copper, calcium, and dietary fiber. And Parsley is no slouch with beta carotene, vitamin B12, folate, chlorophyll, calcium, more vitamin C than citrus fruits!

10:06-I had the second glass with 3 Kale leaves, 1 small green apple, 10-15 red grapes,and handful of parsley. This was very sweet, next time I'll add more greens!

I was drinking water all day and herbal teas but ended cheating when my husband started eating an orange! So I ate 2 oranges and a grapefruit! The good thing was I was able to get 4 green juices down today! I'll just continue on tomorrow... When things like this go wrong don't despair just start anew the next day!

Juicing

2009-02-28T21:37:00.001-06:00

I have Challenged my Raw Food Group Raw Passion to a 1 week juice fast and I will be starting tomorrow March 1, 2009. I have fasted several times before but this is new to all of them. To encourage them I will be posting my favorite recipes here.

This is a great way to jump start your Raw Food Journey! You know when it is time to clear out the clutter in your closets but do you know when its time to clean out your body? Juicing is designed to mop up pollutants, chemicals, dietary waste, and even unwanted pounds—which can actually do you some good. Do this to feel better about yourself and your life.

Some of you have been asking where I buy my food, so I'm going to give you a run down of where I go.

When I shop I usually go to several different stores. I start with Sams because they have Organic spinach and carrots in bigger sizes at a lower price. You can get most of your organic fruit here plus your Walnuts, Almonds, Pecans, and Pinenuts. However, I have since found an online store in Texas where you can get these nuts at a better price. Check with me later.

Kroger has remodeled their store to make room for a bigger and better Organic section, which is great for us! Check the paper to see what is on special and make sure you have a Kroger card. You really do save money with one.

Drug Emporium is where I buy my staples, they also have fresh veges and fruit but they are a little pricey. This is where you get the: Raw Apple Cider Vinegar, Shoyu, Nut Butters, spices, and agave.

Super 1, where I can find unusual veges and Aloe Vera leaves.

Asian Stores are next, I pick up Green Seaweed here like Wakame, kelp and Raw Nori and Sesame Oil. There are 3 stores, one on Shreveport-Barksdale across from Super 1, and 2 on Airline before you get to Patricia. Then on my way back home I may stop at Walmart.

Some of the food I get are:

Kale
spinach
romaine lettuce
green leaf lettuce
collards, parsley
alfalfa sprouts
vegetables
beets
turnips
cabbage
cucumbers
zucchini
tomatoes
carrots
green pepper
celery
organic apples
oranges
kiwi
pineapple
grapes
pears
blueberries
lemon
limes

If you can't get organic get the freshest greens and wash them real good in Raw Apple Cider Vinegar in water in the sink.

Ever Greening

2009-02-28T11:50:00.000-06:00

Once I started on a Raw Food Journey I found that the better I felt the more I wanted to keep the Toxins from EVER invading my body or life again. So I started eliminating ALL the TOXINS from my home. You would be surprised at how easy it is. I have found that once you go Raw you want to carry this into every part of your life. There are toxins everywhere! What do you brush your teeth with, or what is in that shampoo or conditioner? What do you clean your dishes with, or wash your clothes, or dust your furniture with? If your not using Green products then you are putting those toxins right back in your body.

My head used to itch all the time, it drove me nuts! I changed shampoo several times a month, nothing helped. Then I started looking at the ingredients in all the shampoos that I was using and found the same substance was in each one; Sodium Lauryl Sulfate. After a little research I found it could cause all sorts of problems. But what is REALLY interesting is they use this in EVERYTHING from food to toxic chemicals nothing is safe. Once I stopped using commercial shampoos the itching went away. I now use homemade shampoo soaps.

My husband loves bleach! Not only in the washing machine for his whites but in the cabinets and refrigerator he says the bleach gets rid of bacteria. I have explained to him that there are safer methods but he still believes the only way to truly clean is to use bleach. My body is so sensitive now that I have to leave the house when he uses it. There are loads of products out there to whiten clothes and get rid of bacteria and mold than using toxic bleach! You can make your own.

Bleach Substitute:

Measure out equal parts of Hydrogen Peroxide and water put in clean container, shake to mix. Make sure you label the bottle correctly and keep out of reach of children.

For the cabinets you can use Hydrogen Peroxide and White Vinegar. To use this, put Hydrogen Peroxide in one bottle and White Vinegar in the other and spray each one separately. This does the trick! I use Vinegar in the rinse tray for my dishwasher very effective for getting those spots off the glasses. To clean mirrors and windows put 3 tbs. vinegar per 1 qt. water in a spray bottle.

Baking soda can be used for a number of things and since this is a natural substance you know that it is safe. To clean my sinks and bathroom I use a paste of baking soda and Green dishwashing liquid and a little water.

When buying your commercial detergent, it is better to use a biodegradable, less toxic, phosphate free brand. If you put 1/2 cup of baking soda in the washing machine before you wash clothes you won't have to use so much commercial detergent. Also putting baking soda in the rinse cycle will soften the water.

I use baking soda to clean my teeth. To whiten my teeth I use lemon juice and baking soda, this may take longer but at least I know that there is no bleach in it. Use it to clean your oven, make a paste with just water and use it as a scrub. Sprinkle baking soda in the toilet bowl and then use toilet brush to clean with.

If you would prefer to buy your Green products, there are several online stores like: http://www.greenhome.com/products/kitchen/, http://www.thegreenguide.com/, http://www.seventhgeneration.com/.

Also locally stores like Sams, Walmart, Kroger, Super1 are stocking more and more Green products. Some Home Depot and Lowe's have Green items also.

What is a Name?

2009-02-28T09:01:00.001-06:00

When I chose the name for my blog I wanted something that depicted how I was feeling. The Webster dictionary describes presence as "a noteworthy quality of poise and effectiveness or something(as a spirit) felt or believed to be present".

Since I have been on this journey of enlightenment, spiritual awakening, and freedom from debilitating diseases I have found myself feeling in the moment or in the Presence, the here and now. Every emotion or feeling has come to the surface and I am ALIVE.

This is what Raw Food has done for me, before I lived in Darkness now I've come to the Light! Its brought me closer to God, nature, family, friends, it has brought me to the PRESENT.

Gwen's Green Juices & Smoothies

2009-01-01T13:19:00.002-06:00

Spinach Blast!

1 bunch of spinach
3 Kale leaves
1/2 cucumber
1/2 organic green pepper
1/2 lemon

Put all ingredients through juicer. Drink and enjoy!

Veggie Delight

3 leaves of Kale
1 turnip
2 Tomarillo
1 clove garlic
1/2 cucumber
1/2 lemon

Put greens in with juicy vegetables. Pour into glass and drink up!

Extreme Cleansing

2 carrots
1 beet
1 inch ginger root

Juice carrots & beet with ginger. What a punch!

Green Machine

1 bunch of spinach
2 slices of pineapple
handful of alfalfa sprouts

Juice and Drink!

Power Punch

3 leaves of Kale
1 organic green pepper
1 peeled lime
4 leaves of Romaine
handful of parsley
1/2 cucumber
3 collard leaves

Juice greens with green pepper,lime and cucumbers. Mix and enjoy!

Eye Opener

4 Carrots
2 Turnip Leaves
handful of parsley

Juice greens with carrots!

Juicy Juice

3 leaves of Kale
1 small organic green apple
10-15 grapes
handful of parsley

Juice grapes and greens together then add green apple. Very sweet!

Green Boost

8 Turnip Leaves
6 Kale Leaves
4 carrots
1 beet
1 green apple
handful of parsley
1 inch ginger root

Juice greens with carrots,apple,ginger and beet.

Smoothies

Everyone needs to eat more greens, but most Americans do not get enough. And we all know how hard it is to get your kids to eat the green yucky stuff! Just the taste alone will turn up a nose. This is a sure fire way to add more greens to your diet without the yucky taste!

Spinach Smoothie

1 cup Rejuvelac or filtered water
handful of Spinach
1/2-1 cup blueberries (to your taste)
1 banana

Blend Spinach first with Rejuvelac then add blueberries. After well blended add banana.

Kale Bomb

3-4 leaves of Kale
1 cup of Rejuvelac or filtered water
2-3 rings of fresh pineapple
1 banana

Blend Kale and Rejuvelac until well blended, add pineapple. Last add the banana until smooth. Drink up!

Tip: Kale and turnip greens are bitter so make sure you add your sweetest fruits to the smoothie.

Real Green Smoothie

1 cup of filtered water
1 cup of Rejuvelac (or filtered water)
3-4 leaves of kale
handful of mung beans sprouts
handful of alfalfa sprouts
2 organic celery stalks
1/4 clove of garlic
1 tsp basil
1/2 lime
1/2 large avocado (or 1 small)

To liquid add Kale leaves and blend well. Next add your sprouts and then celery, garlic and basil. Juice lime and add to the mixture. Blend in the avocado until smooth and creamy.

Cleansing Greens

3-4 leaves of Kale
2 cups of liquid(rejuvelac/filtered water)
handful of sprouts(your choice)
1 inch Aloe Vera leaf gel
handful cilantro
1 tsp basil
1 garlic clove
1/2 lemon, juiced
1/2 avocado

Blend kale with sprouts in liquid. Add cilantro and Aloe Vera, then add basil,garlic and lemon juice. Blend in avocado until smooth.

Tip: Cut off green part of Aloe Vera leaf to get to gel. Scrape gel and add to smoothie.

Information about Aloe Vera leaves www.globalherbalsupplies.com/herb_information/aloe_vera

Keep it Coming Smoothie

handful of spinach
1 cup of filtered water
splash of rejuvelac
1 endive
1/4 organic red bell pepper
1 tsp dried dill
1/2 lemon juiced
1/2 avocado

Blend spinach with liquid add endive. Mix in red bell pepper,dill and juiced lemon. Add avocado at end for a really smooth taste!

One day in December it was really cold, that day I could not stay warm. So I decided I would make a warm smoothie. I had already infused some peppermint tea so I used this and added other ingredients and boy was this ever tasty and warming!

Warm Peppermint Smoothie

1 cup of warm infused peppermint tea
1/4 cup Rejuvelac or Kombucha
2 tsp Spirulina
handful of spinach
3 Kale leaves only
2 bananas

Blend leaves from kale and Spirulina with liquid. Add spinach and blend really well. Add the 2 bananas until smooth and creamy. This is very tasty!

Blue Smoothie

1 3/4 Rejuvelac
1/4 filtered water
handful of spinach
alfalfa sprouts
1/2 cup blueberries(or more if needed)
2 bananas

Blend well. Drink and enjoy!

Green Punch

2 cups of Rejuvelac
1 cup filtered water
handful of spinach
2-3 leaves of Kale
2 collard leaves
1/2 inch ginger root
1/2 lemon or lime,juiced
1/2 avocado

Add greens to liquid and blend well. Next mix in ginger and lemon. Cream in avocado for a great taste!

Before and After Pictures

2008-12-30T08:41:00.000-06:00

Recipes

2008-11-08T07:37:00.005-06:00

Who says you can't have Potato Salad!

The ultimate raw food guide! Everything you need to know to go raw and stay raw! 600 pages! 300 recipes, a four week plan, menus and shopping lists, 15 compelling success stories, Q&A’s and more!

Raw "Potato" Salad (Jicama Salad)
By Alissa Cohen

A 2lb. jicama, peeled and cubed small
2 ears of organic corn, cut off the cob
2 stalks organic celery, diced
1 med. organic onion, diced
1 avocado, diced
½ C. tahini
2 cloves of garlic
? C. lemon juice (less if desired)
1 Tbsp. cilantro
½ teaspoon -1 cumin
½ teaspoon chili powder
4 teaspoons fresh dill (or 1-2 tsp. dried dill)
2 teaspoons celtic sea salt.

Mix all ingredients well and chill before serving.

RAW POTATO SALAD
By Karen Knowler

SERVES: 4-6

INGREDIENTS

For the potato salad:

5 large sweet potatoes
1 bunch of spring/green onions
1 handful of fresh chives

For the mayo:

1 cup of water
1 cup of macadamia nuts
1 cup of pine nuts
1½ cups of cashew nuts
½ teaspoon of Himalayan crystal salt
1 Tablespoon of apple cider vinegar
2 Tablespoons of lemon juice

DIRECTIONS

Chop the sweet potato into bite sized pieces and place in a bowl.
Finely slice the chives and spring onion and add to the potato pieces, stirring around to mix things up.
Prepare the mayo by blending all of the mayo ingredients in a blender (makes approx. 4 cups).
Add the mayo to your potatoes stirring in as you go. Stop adding when you feel your potato salad is gloopy enough!

Raw Coach Top Tips:

Enjoy your potato salad on its own or served with a big juicy salad. Makes a great main meal side dish or a quick snack if you want something grounding but filling.
Add in any other fresh herbs, garlic, fresh chopped onion or even curry powder for something a little bit different.

Will keep in the fridge for up to 5 days.

*Karen Knowler, The Raw Food Coach publishes "Successfully Raw" - a free weekly eZine for raw food lovers everywhere. If you're ready to look good, feel great and create a raw life you love get your FREE tips, tools and recipes now at www.TheRawFoodCoach.com.

Garden Pictures

2008-05-30T22:55:00.005-05:00

I took these pictures with my lap top because my camera doesn't work. So you may find the pictures are a little sideways. I was trying to fight the light of the morning sun and in doing so I took several pictures from the rail of my front porch looking down into the pots.

This is Tarragon and I swear within 1 day it grew! So easy...

We bought this Lime tree about three years ago and still it has not produced fruit. I don't know if it takes longer or it needs to be planted in the ground. But I'm not giving up yet!

Lemonbalm has a really pleasant smell. It contains citronella and can be used as a mosquito repellant by rubbing the leaves on your exposed skin. Lemonbalm is also used as a tea for insomnia or as a soothing relaxant. Take about a handful of leaves place them in a jar filled with water and put it in the sun. And there you have it, Sun Tea!

This is my favorite herb basil! I use basil in just about everything..

Dill is an easy to grow plant and grows well in partial shade.

Birds eye view!

Another shot of the basil.

Aloe Vera..wish I had several of these plants. These are well known for their theraputic properties. Especially in the case of burns. It is also good for indigestion and helps with a damaged immune system. I use Aloe Vera in my green smoothies.

Updated Pictures 6/15/09

I'm beginning to see more crops! Now this is where the fun comes in watching them grow!

Can you tell I'm a little excited!

My first red tomato!

And here is number two! :)

And this is my first pepper!

A better shot of that first pepper!

This is the watermelon that I planted in the ground, they seem to be doing ok. But time will tell!

Breakfast

2008-04-01T07:28:00.001-05:00

Ann Wigmore’s Sprouted Wheat Cereal

Ingredients:
2 cups sprouted wheat
4 cups spring or filtered water
1/2 cup raisins
1 large apple, peeled, cored or
1 banana peeled and sliced
Directions:
Soak raisins in one cup of the spring or filtered water for one hour or until soft. Reserve the
water used in soaking the raisins. In a blender, blend wheat with fruit, water and raisin soakwater
at medium speed for about two minutes. Use warm filtered water if a warm cereal is
desired. The sprouted wheat cereal should have a soupy consistency. Sprouted (hulled)
buckwheat, sunflower seeds, or sesame seeds may be substituted for the wheat. (All seeds
should be soaked at least 6 hours or overnight.)

Raw Granola

INGREDIENTS:

• 6 cups raw oat groats,ground
• 1 cup sesame seeds
• 1 cup sunflower seeds
• 1 cup chopped dates
• 1 cup pumpkin seeds
• 1 cup shredded coconut
• 1 cup pecans
• ½ cup ground flax seeds
• 1 ½ teaspoon grated orange rind or ½ teaspoon ground anise (optional)

DIRECTIONS:
Mix together. Store in jars. Keep cool. Serve dry (chew thoroughly) or with nut milk. Add a little honey if needed.

Related Feature

2007-09-17T07:29:00.000-05:00

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