The Cardinal Foods

WE HAVE MOVED

2010-12-30T19:21:00.000-08:00

PLEASE JOIN US AT OUR NEW SITE:

MAMA IN THE KITCHEN, but she ain't cookin'!

www.MamaInTheKitchen.com

For more information:

info (at)MamaInTheKitchen (dot) com

803.702.0073

Pastillas de Coco: Raw Pastillas de Leche

2010-12-22T09:50:00.000-08:00

I recently read an e-mail from someone who visited the Philippines. He wrote: "I now know why so few tourists visit the Philippines. I will never go there again." It saddened me because I have so many fond memories of the Philippines: the kind happy people, the beautiful islands and its unique fusion of food with Malay, Chinese and Spanish influences.

As I think about these negative comments during this holiday season, I have began to yearn for one of my favourite candies from the Philippines called Pastillas de Leche, a candy traditionally made from reduced carabao's (water buffalo) milk and sugar. So, I have created my own raw candy that I call Pastillas de Coco, because its main ingredient is coconut. These taste very similar to the carabao milk version . The recipe is so easy and quick - not to mention dairy free, unprocessed and healthier.

Place in a Vitamix or other high speed blender and blend just until it becomes buttery. The shredded coconut will first become powdery, then it will become a paste. The paste is what you want. Do not over blend as the 'butter' may separate:

6 oz dry shredded coconut

Place in a bowl and mix with:

a pinch of sea salt

3 oz raw honey or agave syrup

Roll into small cylinders and cover with dry shredded coconut or powdered coconut (place dry shredded coconut in Vitamix and process until you have a powder), or even raw cacao powder. Wrap with wax paper and cellophane, if desired. You can also just roll them into balls to make Coconut Truffles. Keep refrigerated.

Raw Bombay Mix

2010-12-13T22:21:00.000-08:00

Who can resist Bombay Mix? I know I can't. It's absolutely addictive.

The first time I ever tasted Bombay Mix or chevda was in India. My friend Aashti sent me home packing with a huge 2 foot plastic container filled to the brim with this snack mix. I looked puzzled at the size of the package upon receiving it, but realised soon after tasting my first handful that it was just the right size.

My raw version does not contain fried lentils or chickpea flour noodles - but the texture and flavour are all here. Enjoy!

Mix all together in a bowl:

1 teaspoon turmeric

1 teaspoon curry

1 teaspoon cinnamon

2 teaspoons honey or agave syrup

1 tablespoons salt

2 tablespoons coriander

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1/2 cup raisins

1/2 cup sunflower seeds

1 cup buckwheat groats (soaked overnight, rinsed, drained, dehydrated until dry)

2 cups raw coconut chips

Guess Who Wrote The Latest Raw Mom Club Menu Planner?

2010-12-03T16:58:00.000-08:00

Yours truly.

Check it out on RawMom.com!!!

Holiday Smoothies

2010-11-29T22:49:00.000-08:00

Our favourites this season:

Pineapple Julius

Delicious!

1/2 a pineapple, 2 cups freshly squeezed orange juice

Pink Smoothie

We were surprised at how yummy this was. Strain for kids or the texture sensitive.

3 bananas, 3 pomegranates seeds, 1 cup water

Tastes Just Like Honey

My son says this tastes just like honey.

3 bananas, 2 pears, 2 dates, 4 cups leafy greens, 2 cups water

Apple Almond Yoghurt

2010-11-29T22:31:00.000-08:00

I have recently debated adding some raw dairy into my diet. But, I created this yummy breakfast instead! So, why debate further? (For today anyway.)

For yoghurt, puree together:

Pinch sea salt

½ teaspoon probiotics

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 cup almonds, soaked overnight, rinsed and drained

1 cup water

Mix in:

3-4 apples, diced (you can change the fruit here for different flavors)

Agave nectar or honey, to taste

Vanilla beans or extract, optional

Holiday Pecans

2010-11-29T22:23:00.000-08:00

My cousin Ami served her father's Christmas Butter Garlic Pecans a few years ago and it was delicious and addictive. I think I kept pestering her to make it since then because I never knew Pecans could taste so good. In the past few years, I have discovered other recipes for Pecans. Here is a Holiday Raw Pecan recipe with rosemary and cinnamon. People never guess this is raw. Enjoy!

Mix together:

¼ teaspoon cinnamon

¼ teaspoon pepper

1 teaspoon chilli powder

2 teaspoons sea salt

2 teaspoons paprika

2 teaspoons Bragg’s Amino

2 tablespoons fresh rosemary

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons agave syrup

2 cups pecans

Saffron Spiced Sweet Potato Soup

2010-11-29T22:12:00.000-08:00

One thing that my family and I have had difficulty finding is good raw sweet potato soup recipe. So, I created one. This is smooth and subtle. We love it.

Let saffron steep in citrus juices for 10 minutes:

Pinch of saffron

2 limes, juiced

4 oranges, juiced

Puree citrus mix with the rest of ingredients:

4 teaspoons sea salt

1 tablespoons honey

2 cloves garlic

2 scallions, white and green parts

4 fennel stalks (or celery)

1 avocado

2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped (around 7 cups)

Garnish with:

Pecans coated in honey

Fennel leaves

Curry In A Hurry

2010-11-29T22:02:00.000-08:00

People think going 'raw' is difficult because they often think that prep is going to take more time than cooked food. This is further from the truth. I can whip up a raw meal in 15 minutes and it can look and taste amazing.

If you are craving Indian spices, this is my Raw Curry in a Hurry!

Place all in a bowl and mix with curry sauce:

Cauliflower, cut into bite sized pieces

Mung bean sprouts

Pineapple, diced (optional)

Raisins (optional)

Puree together Coconut Curry Sauce:

½ teaspoon coriander

½ teaspoon cumin

2 teaspoon curry

2 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons coconut oil

¼ cup raisins

½ cup macadamia nut

1 coconut, meat and water about 1 ¼ cup

Enjoy!

Now wasn't that so easy and quick? By the way, my non-raw family ate it all up when I served it at a dinner and my husband thinks it is better than my cooked curry. That makes me smile.

Our Hair Tells All... and we eat better because of it

2010-10-26T11:04:00.000-07:00

Even if we eat well and exercise regularly, we wanted to know if we are doing a good job at maintaining our health. Our naturopath suggested we take a Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis. It was easy and simple. We filled in the form, enclosed a bit of hair from the nape of our necks, mailed the test in and in 2 weeks, got our results.

We discovered that we all needed to increase our Magnesium, Phosphorus, Chromium, Zinc and Iron intakes to ideal levels. I immediately decided to feed my family the minerals our bodies so needed. So, I came up with our Healthy Vegan Pesto. When my son looked at it, he said: "YUCK! Green pasta!" But after the first bite, he said "Yum!" with a surprised smile on his face and ate everything up.

I love that we use food as medicine! Here is our Healthy Vegan Pesto packed with minerals. It makes 2 cups.

Process in the blender and serve with pasta, veggie noodles or raw crackers:

2 cups of lightly packed basil

2 cloves garlic, peeled

1 tbspn salt

1/4 cup sunflower seeds

1/4 cup pumpkin seeds

1/2 cup Nutritional Yeast (we need vitamin Bs too!)

1 cup extra virgin olive oil

How I Inspire My Family In My Pursuit of Health

2010-10-26T00:39:00.000-07:00

My son picking blueberries towards the end of summer

My cousin sent me this message today and it made me smile:

"I was just thinking how you may not realize it but your example has changed/influenced a lot of people in our family. I mean my mom headed a wellness retreat (of all people*) and your brother and I always end up talking about raw diets and being healthy. All that from your roost. Think what you can do if you were full force into it. Don't underestimate the power of the wings of a butterfly fluttering in Costa Rica :)"

* My aunt loves Velveeta, Spam and canned corned beef hash.

My Grandmother's Love For Food

2010-10-26T00:21:00.000-07:00

This article was featured in the Holistic Moms Network Magazine,

The Wise Mom: December 2010 Issue page 30 and 31.

As a young girl, I would look forward to seeing the look on my Chinese grandmother's face at meal times. I could eat seven bowls of salted fish fried rice and one whole order of sweet and sour pork (yes, including the last bits of peppers and pineapples) in one sitting. 'Mama' would beam at me. That look she gave me made me feel proud because it was the one thing I did that pleased her. My older cousin Snow White was her favourite, with her white complexion, dark thick hair and red lips. Her second favourite was my younger brother because he too was fair and well... he is a boy, the favoured gender for the Chinese. Snow White's younger sister, Tomboy, and I were at the bottom of Mama's fave list - probably because we were the darker ones of the brood. Still, I did make Mama proud when I ate a meal for three! And I loved to please her.

Then I went off the college. I gained my freshman 30, turned vegetarian and while trying to lose weight, I started dreading meal times with Mama. I dreaded sitting next to her the most because that meant having to eat everything she put on my plate, non-vegetarian items included. She would pile my plate high with food. And when dessert came and I declined, she would say: "Why? It's good for you!" My college I-know-it-all attitude would speak up "THAT is good for me? Are you kidding? I don't think so! I need to lose weight! Besides, I don't eat meat or fish." Mama wouldn't beam at me anymore. Her looks across the table (I'd choose to sit far away) would be a contorted grimace my way. Sigh. I was definitely at the bottom of her list now.

Recently, my husband, son and I visited my grandmother. She is quieter and more timid these days, but food still is the most important part of her day. Food brings her closer to others. It is during mealtimes that she takes pleasure in sharing experiences and thoughts and feelings with friends and family. It also pleases her to watch others enjoy food. During our first dinner together while visiting Mama, my son was sound asleep. Mama fretted that he wouldn't have enough food to eat afterward. Then, just as we were about to leave the restaurant, my 3 year old son woke up and devoured the leftover pineapple slices on the table and quickly asked "More please!" From the corner of my eye, I saw Mama's body suddenly come alive. I glanced at her and saw her face transform into that familiar beam. Was it to me? Or was that beam for my son? I'm not sure. I watched as Mama's smile seemed to grow wider every second as she watched my son eat four more orders of pineapple slices. She was obviously so proud of watching her great grandson enjoy his food.

Mama and I may have very different views on nutrition. Although she has accepted that I am a raw foodie, I don't think she would ever agree with my diet choice. She loves canned Vienna Sausage, candy and fried pork rinds too much. But when I see my grandmother's eyes sparkle, her cheeks glowing full of pride and her whole body bursting with energy and delight at watching my son eat pineapple, I realize we are more alike than I thought.

(Hmmm, now I wonder if having a son who loves to eat increases my ranking power with Mama?)

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Recently, our CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) gave us a pound of peanuts. I don't like raw peanuts, so I cooked them - just the way Mama used to eat peanuts when I was growing up. She would sometimes sit at the table in the late afternoon, shelling and eating boiled peanuts.

Although boiled peanuts are clearly not raw, they are a local, in-season, unprocessed and unrefined cooked food. Yesterday, my son asked to eat cake for breakfast instead of the usual raw fare (we were at a sugar filled birthday party the night before). He stopped asking for cake as soon as I brought out these boiled peanuts. I don't know about you, but I would prefer my son to eat this than a piece of processed cake! This recipe is simple, easy and truly addictive. Enjoy!

Place in the slow cooker on high for at least 8 hours until tender:

1 pound raw unshelled peanuts, clean well

1/4 cup sea salt

4 cups water

Keep checking water level to make sure there is enough to just cover the peanuts. Serve hot or cold.

My Boys will eat up their RAW Avocado, Tomato and Corn

2010-10-18T21:58:00.000-07:00

One of the easiest ways to get my husband and son to eat raw is by serving up raw corn and guacamole!

My local CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) program has sent me fresh corn for the pass few weeks. My son will eat the fresh raw corn on the cobb. My husband likes his raw off the cobb with garlic.

Mix together:

corn off the cobb

garlic powder

sea salt

extra virgin olive oil

cilantro, optional

Fresh corn eaten in moderate quantities balances all constitutional types according to Ayurveda. It is a warming food that strengthens the body and aids in kidney and bladder functions.

At the same meal, I will serve a simple guacamole with homemade raw chips. It is a great way to get younger kids active in the kitchen - especially when they get to mash avocado with a mortar and pestle!

Have your child mash with mortar and pestle:
1 garlic clove, first then

2 avocados

Chop and add:

1 tomato, diced
1 jalapeno, diced

1 lime, juiced
1 small bunch of cilantro, chopped

salt, to taste
scallions, to garnish

Serve with homemade flax seed chips.

Avocados strengthen the body and restore the liver, lungs, plasma and skin. They are considered a heavy food, however, and therefore must be eaten in small amounts.

What's in our Medicine Cabinet? Essential Oils!

2010-09-20T22:59:00.000-07:00

Did you know that essential oils are:

- so potent, you only need a couple of drops

- 70 x more effective than dried? 1 drop of peppermint oil is equivalent to the potency of 28 cups of peppermint tea!

- in their most usable form: 30 seconds after applying them to the bottom of your feet, they are already in your bloodstream doing their 'work'?

I never liked smelling essential oils for the immediate headache I would get. I've since learned that most oils are SYNTHETIC and not all natural (this includes oils that are therapeutic grade!). So, healing with essential oils never attracted me - until my NAET doctor introduced me to dōTERRA products. Now they ARE my medicine cabinet (along with food of course!) because of their profound benefits to our health and well being. dōTERRA essential oils are the highest grade of essential oils available today. In fact, they have created a new standard of Certified Pure Therapeutic Grade Essential Oils.

As the company explains:

"dōTERRA (CPTG) Certified Pure Therapeutic Grade^® essential oils represent the safest, purest, and most beneficial essential oils available today. They are gently and skillfully distilled from plants that have been patiently harvested at the perfect moment by experienced growers from around the world for ideal extract composition and efficacy. Experienced essential oil users will immediately recognize dōTERRA's superior quality standard for naturally safe, purely effective therapeutic-grade essential oils."

doTERRA essential oils can be diffused aromatically into the air, applied topically on the skin, or taken internally as dietary supplements. We have the Family Physician Single Kit and the Aroma-Touch kit in our medicine cabinet and we use them mostly as topical 'medicine'.

The 3 most used essential oils for us, a family with a rambunctious little boy, are Lavender, Melaleuca and Peppermint. Although we use Lavender a lot for relaxation during the night (and sleeping through it), Malaleuca for disinfecting and Peppermint for breathing, they are mostly used for when we get insect bites, wounds and mixed into our Jojoba Oil which we use as our moisturizer. We use Lemon for dry skin, I use Frankincense with my facial moisturizer (for wrinkles!), we use Breath-Ease when there is a cough or cold and we drop On Guard in our soap dispensers filled with Dr. Bronner's soap. Just this week, we used Deep Blue on my husband's aching back and the usual week's worth of pain was gone in 2 days. The Aroma-Touch kit can be used with special techniques to rid pains and discomfort.

We love dōTERRA products. They are high-grade, natural, SAFE, non-toxic for everyone in the family and, very simply and most importantly, they WORK!!! These essential oils are a MUST everyday resource for a family who wants to take control over their overall health.

Raw Oat & Nut Balls

2010-09-20T21:50:00.000-07:00

My son said, "This is so good! I want more!" Too bad my husband doesn't like chocolate. He keeps looking inside our sorry looking 'snack' cabinet. It is almost empty and clearly without ready-to-eat snacks. He peaks in the fridge next... no snacks in there too but for these yummy bites. Yikes, I better make some snacks for him before he wastes away.

In the meantime, here's this recipe. Combine all ingredients and process in a food processor:

2 cups raw cold rolled oats (YES! There's such a thing apparently!)

1/2 cup raw almond butter

1/2 cup honey

1/2 cup nuts or seeds

1/2 cup raw cacao butter

1/3 cup cranberries

1 tbspn raw cacao powder

1 vanilla bean, scraped

1 tsp cinnamon

Roll into balls and drop in more raw cacao powder to cover the ball. Note - raw cacao powder is a little on the bitter side, so don't overdo. Refrigerate.

Raw Mom Cooked Dad Program (FREE!)

2010-09-20T18:41:00.003-07:00

He likes beef. You like broccoli sprouts. He likes French fries. You like Swiss chard.

Sounds familiar? Polarity can be a beautiful thing, but when it comes to healthy nutrition and feeding our families, then well… improperly said, polarity can wind up being a royal PAIN!!!

There are a lot of women out there, and a few courageous men, trying to increase the percentage of carrot sticks and broccoli stalks in their family's diet, but they are met with resistance, resentment and flat out protest!!

In the battle against an army of processed "cheese" slices, sandwich meats and soda pops, we need more than will power and nutritional pyramids to win!

We need wit, wisdom and gluten-free waffle mix!

I'm sure you'll agree that there's never been a better chance at bringing salad-eating mamas and their steak-eating men together to the table for some healthy discussions about food in the family!

Over 40 of the world leaders in health, nutrition and raw food have come together to find solutions to the "Raw Mom, Cooked Dad" dilemma, and you can listen to all of them for fr*ee if you sign up before October 10th, 2010.

Click Here for the Raw Mom, Cooked Dad Program!

I think after this event is over, there will be a lot more BarBQ's grilling vegetables instead of beef patties out there.

P.S. Most people wait until their loved ones are sick or diagnosed with a terminal disease before they really step up to the challenge of improving their health. With the information in this event, you won't need to wait to get your family on board the healthy living bandwagon.

Raw Mom Cooked Dad: The Guide to Creating Harmony in Your Home & Bringing Peace to the Plate

2010-09-17T22:24:00.000-07:00

Healthy Harmony in the Home by Fiona Hills

With a growing awareness of the impact our food choices have on the environment and our health - many mothers desire a healthier family diet, but are unsure how to garner their families’ support.

Honesty, acceptance and respect for those around you is key to any healthy relationship.

Raw Mom Cooked Dad aims to provide balanced advice to raw moms and cooked dads to help massage any tension out of the family kitchen - and sprinkle inspiration, vitality and increased health into your family diet. A little attitude therapy is thrown in for good measure - to make sure raw moms aren’t falling into the trap of being controlling under the guise of best intentions.

RMCD will feature well-known Raw Vegan speakers.

Obesity Understood

2010-09-06T18:54:00.000-07:00

Last week Karen Ranzi shared her thoughts with us on Baby's First Food. This week she discusses obesity.

Obesity Understood—Now and Forever Impossible on Fresh Fruits and Vegetables

by Karen Ranzi

Whereas diets don’t work in the long run, lifestyle improvement detailed throughout Creating Healthy Children offers lifelong health benefits. The life in our foods communicates with the life in us, but, unfortunately, this vital aspect is lost once foods are processed. White, refined foods are addictive—we always want more in an effort to find that spark of life that has been removed from these foods, ironically to give them shelf life.

Parents reading Creating Healthy Children are most likely not to have obese children because they are already aware of the health promoting aspects of fresh fruits and vegetables. When food is whole, ripe, fresh and organic, it not only contains vitamins and minerals that satisfy us, in addition to the essential fiber that keeps us full, but it isn’t an incapacitating full feeling as after the standard Thanksgiving dinner. Feeling full on fresh foods is being free of hunger and satisfied—energetic.

The fiber in all fresh vegan foods (animal foods have none) has powerful cleansing benefits. When food is refined, processed, denatured in packages, it no longer has the above characteristics in tact, and the eater will not be satisfied in the long run, but remains hungry. In an attempt to obtain the essential nutrients, there will always be a craving for more, but refined foods will always lack what the body needs, and overeating of nutritionally empty foods ensues.

The results of such “empty” eating habits are vitamin and mineral deficiencies, and obesity, which is not only unaesthetic but lays the groundwork for myriad diseases.

Whenever there is excess body fat, there is an accumulation of toxins in the fat cells that must be diluted in water. The fat cells thus become bloated, heavy, and all bodily functions become more difficult, resulting in diseases based solely on eating disorders; in reality, the disorder is the empty food that has been destroyed by heat, chemicals, and other processing techniques before it could be eaten. Ironically, the obesity victim is really starving for nutrients found only in fresh vegan foods.

Animal products contain cholesterol which clogs the blood vessels. Fruits and vegetables are 100% cholesterol-free—our livers make all we need. There is no dietary requirement for cholesterol. Animal fat is solid at body temperature whereas fruit and vegetable fat is liquid. Unfortunately, obese children are clogging their arteries, building the cause for future diseases that are unknown in countries where people are, fortunately, too poor to eat animals and their byproducts.

Even vegan children risk obesity when white foods are eaten: white flour, refined sugar, salt, white potatoes, starchy, sugary refined cereals, white rice, crackers, breads, rolls, cookies, cakes, etc. Baking and frying are done at high temperatures. Not only are the heated oils and shortening toxic to the point of becoming carcinogenic, the resultant acrylamide (a deadly golden brown plastic), albeit crunchy to taste, becomes another toxin that gets stored in the fat cells and has to be diluted with water held in solution—hence obesity. When the precepts of Creating Healthy Children are lived, obesity will no longer be an epidemic but an impossibility.

Baby's First Food

2010-08-30T15:18:00.000-07:00

After reading Karen Ranzi's bok Creating Healthy Children: Through Attachment Parenting and Raw Foods, I recommended the book to everyone interested. I am delighted that she has allowed me to publish her article on Baby's First Food - a topic many friends have asked me about. Here it is!

The type of food given to baby is dependant on the age of weaning. All babies require mother's milk for at least the first year of life to create the strong immunity and bonding necessary for baby's physical, mental, emotional and spiritual development. The fat and protein in mother's milk is sufficient for baby's growth well into the second year. I encourage you to nurse as long as possible. Humans are the latest to mature of all mammals therefore our young require the longest nursing periods. I recommend a minimum of two years. If a mother is unable to nurse for at least the first year of baby's life, then alternatives could be a wet nurse or milk bank. A last alternative could be raw (unpasteurized) goat milk. The combination of half raw goat milk and half celery/carrot juice has been done successfully for those who were unable to nurse and unable to obtain milk from a human mother. We must remember that human mother’s milk will always be best for the human baby.

Toward the end of the first year, and no sooner, if baby is equipped with teeth to chew, then bite-sized pieces of fresh, ripe, organic fruits can be given one at a time. Observe any reaction, as some babies are not ready to eat until well into their second year of life. I recommend that as soon as baby is accustomed to digesting a variety of fresh fruits given individually for chewing, that you begin to introduce green leafy vegetables in delicious green smoothies to provide additional minerals. It is best to start with the milder greens such as Romaine lettuce or spinach.

Remember that for each child the progression will be a little different depending on dentition and real desire and readiness to eat. Some children are simply curious about foods but not yet ready to eat. The mother must be observant of her baby to predict the right timing for introduction of foods. Into the second year, baby can have diluted nut and seed milks and avocado for their fat and protein contents, but solid soaked nuts and seeds should not be given until later to avoid the development of a nut allergy as nuts require a greater digestive capacity.

All of this is described in much detail in my book Creating Healthy Children: Through Attachment Parenting and Raw Foods which is available at www.superhealthychildren.com, www.amazon.com and many raw food websites.

Karen Ranzi, Author, Lecturer, Raw Food Consultant

www.superhealthychildren.com

http://www.Facebook.com/CreatingHealthyChildren.com

Creating Healthy Children

2010-08-30T15:02:00.000-07:00

I have loved carrying our son on my back everywhere we go. Not only do we love the closeness of being together, but he can see what I'm seeing and we can talk about it. It is much the same in our everyday life. My husband and I love showing the beauty of our world to our son. When he was born, we wanted a non-violent birth to welcome him home. We chose to follow the principles of attachment parenting (Hold On To Your Kids and Why Attachment Parenting is Increasingly Important Today). We make sure to limit the chemicals in our home (Building a Safe Home, I love Baking Soda, More Cleaning Tips) and we use natural products on our skin (Jojoba Oil). We have made the decision to homeschool with a lot of time dedicated to nature study. And because my passion is health and nutrition, we have been trying to transition our family into more raw vegan foods. We want to create a HEALTHY CHILD: not only physically, but mentally and spiritually as well.

Admittedly, we have chosen to create a HEALTHY CHILD through alternative choices, unlike our own upbringing, unlike most friends' and family's choices for their children. This is why I love Karen Ranzi's book Creating Healthy Children: Through Attachment Parenting and Raw Foods. It discusses everything I have tried to research on my own: home birth, circumcision, pregnancy, breastfeeding, attachment parenting, teaching your child how to eat, personal care products for children, exercise and outdoor time, nutrition, homeschooling, nonviolent communication, vaccination and, of course, the raw foods diet. T. Colin Campbell, author of The China Study, praises her book. As do Victoria Boutenko (author of Green Smoothie Revolution), David Klein (Vibrance Magazine), Susan Smith Jones (The Healing Power of Naturefoods), Matthew Grace (A Way Out), Paul Nison (The Raw Life), Rhio (Hooked on Raw), Tonya Zavasta (Your Right to Be Beautiful) and Elson M. Haas (Staying Healthy with Nutrition), among others. In reading her book, I feel supported in what we have been practicing at home and I feel encouraged to know that it can all be done.

Karen Ranzi's book can help many families create HEALTHY CHILDREN: not only physically, but mentally and spiritually as well. Here are a few excerpts from the book, which is full of supporting research and recommendations:

"What a pregnant woman consumes while growing a baby can lay down the health and genetic code for that new human being, predisposing that person to ailments such as heart disease in later life. The health of our children is of great concern today as we are exposed to an ever more toxic environment.

We don't always have control over much that goes on in our physical world. Water and air pollution affect us every day, and the daily stresses of life are detriments to our health. The only things we have complete control over are what food we choose to put into our bodies, what we use on our skin, the amounts of sleep and exercise we get, and the love and emotional support we give ourselves and our children... Over the years, I've learned focusing on food alone is not sufficient. Time outdoors each day, a relaxed positive attitude, plenty of exercise and enough sleep should also be top priorities in a healthy lifestyle.

The real cause of infections is not germs. Instead, it is because of an internally unclean body.

... to avoid health problems, the vegan diet should be low in fat... applied to fresh raw vegan foods, focusing on lower consumption of nuts, seeds and avocados.

Not only do meat-eaters fall ill, vegetarians, vegans and raw foodists can also get sick. Many vegetarians and vegans consume too much starchy food; processed starches are particularly problematic. The problems a raw foodist can develop are often due to poor food combining, improper acid/alkaline balance, lack of variety of foods and too much fat."

P.S. The other night, before bedtime, our son said with a big smile and a twinkle in his eye: "Mama, let's look outside the window at how beautiful the world is!" Be still my heart! The world is beautiful and my son knows it. I may not be able to carry my son on my back for longer, but I know there is a way to create a healthy child. I already have one.

How To Transition The Family Into More Raw Vegan Foods

2010-08-21T22:08:00.000-07:00

I have been a raw vegan for over a year. During this time, my meat and carb craving husband and son have been able to transition from 100% cooked foods to more and more raw vegan meals. On a very good day at home, breakfast, snacks, drinks and lunch are 100% raw and dinner is about 50% raw. As I write this, I am reminded of how far we have come in the past year. But it is a struggle sometimes. On what I call bad days, the boys consume almost 0% raw but for their drinks.

We recently visited Alabama and I was shocked to discover that in one restaurant the only fruit or vegetable (cooked or raw) on the menu was a side order of 2 slices of tomato!!! I couldn't believe it. Needless to say, we didn't eat there. We were appalled! But, what incensed me the most was the quality of food my husband and son were eating - rather what they chose to eat when dining out: non-organic meats, Krispy Kreme doughnuts (at a buffet in a museum), highly processed preservative filled pancakes and muffins (I would have chosen better restaurants if there were options), fried coconut shrimp (probably saturated fat and mercury filled), lemonade no doubt made with high fructose corn syrup... I could go on. I cringed at their choices. I cringed at the toxins they were eating. I cringed because I had a quick vision of myself giving up on them and serving them what they obviously so enjoyed.

Where we didn't eat: A Cafe in Gadsden, AL

Then it struck me... as it always does, that it is OK. It is OK for them to make their own choices for themselves. It is OK for them to discover how these awful foods affect their bodies - for themselves. It can be a learning experience for them - and for me too. When we returned home, they were exhausted and had outbreaks of pimples on their bodies. I, on the other hand, was as healthy and full of energy as I was at the beginning of the trip.

Now at home, I have bravely decided that (like all raw moms), I needed to do a better job at properly empowering my family to make better food choices. But how? HOW?!? Although we homeschool, bring our lunch boxes everywhere and eat at home for most meals, we want to be part of the community and in doing so, we are exposed to what other people eat a few times a week. Although our friends know how careful I am about our family's diet, it is inevitable that our son will want what all the other kids or adults are having. In a recent birthday party, there was a pinata and our son just devoured all the candy he picked up. It didn't stop there of course because he ate all of his mainstream cupcake, some ice cream AND he wanted a lollipop. Needless to say, a watermelon cube at the end of a toothpick just wouldn't do. (Did I already mention that we even made sure we fed him before we arrived at the party?) Of course, the very next day, he had a bit of a runny nose...

Although I do explain the difference between processed and fresh foods - does my son really care? Does he understand? But will he choose to eat that junk anyway? Hmmm... if given a choice, probably yes. Ditto for my husband if we're out of the house.

Before this summer, it was easier to get our 3 year old son to eat more raw and he loved the green smoothies and sprouted salads. But as he has become more social and more attentive to how other kids (or adults) eat and attuned to their negative views on vegetables, he has said: "I don't like greens." "No green smoothie for me!" "I just want bread!" "This is Almond Butter, not Peanut Butter. Yuck!" He has taken the lettuce out of a raw sandwich (so lovingly put together), refused to drink freshly made juice or smoothies and declared "I am not hungry!" after surveying the table.

OH DEAR! This is HARD.

How can you fight a culture that loves and exhaults bad food???

How can you fight the Standard American Diet when it is constantly in your family's face???

Ummm... perseverance, I guess? Let me see... what other mantras do I recite in my head while I cringe at my family's food choices: force not, educate constantly, provide healthy food options at home and while traveling... and geez... you gotta just RELAX. It's not the end of the world. So what do I do? I keep at it because at the end of the day, I know I've done my best for my family's health and well-being. This thought alone motivates, encourages and inspires me to keep serving up more raw vegan fare at home.

Many friends have asked me HOW I have come this far in transitioning my family's meals at home. Most are daunted by the task of introducing raw foods, especially if their husbands and children love meats and cooked foods. So, here is my 'plan'. I wish we were 80% raw now, but I believe in 'the slower the better' method especially for those who may resist change.

1. GO SLOW

Make a list. Start by changing one habit at a time - the easiest ones first. Once that becomes comfortable, move on to the next item on your list.

2. EDUCATE THE FAMILY AND GET SUPPORT

For my husband, documentaries are important in getting his support, such as:

- The Cove (let's just say we don't go to Sushi restaurants as much anymore, and if we do - he chooses his fish carefully)

- Blue Vinyl (this has diminished his craving for more animal products)

- Food Matters (he now wants to add Superfoods into his food and suggested more meals consisting of his favourite raw vegan foods - YEAH!)

- Food Inc (I don't have to argue why organic, local food is better)

For my son, he looks at what Daddy eats. So, if Daddy is on board, it is much easier getting the child to change diet.

For me, I read and contribute to the Raw Mom Blog, I found a local raw vegan community, I keep reading books on nutrition and health, and keep sharing what I've learned with others.

Bring the whole family along to:

- nutrition talks and meetings. After one meeting, my son looked at me and said "We need to eat a RAINBOW of colours Mama!"

- shop at health food stores and let them choose produce for the week

- when shopping at grocery stores, teach them about the different aisles, food labels, sale items, conventional versus organic, etc

- go to local farms and support them. My son has eaten freshly picked okra.

3. GET RID OF EVERYTHING PROCESSED IN THE KITCHEN AND IN THE PANTRY THAT WON'T BE MISSED

- I did this in one day and it felt really good to get rid of the junk!

- going forward, substitute ingredients for raw, i.e. use local honey instead of sugar, raw almond butter instead of peanut butter, coconut butter/oil instead of butter, use more whole grain products instead of refined (make raw oatmeal instead of cooked)

Buy In Season and Local and Organic (if you can!)

Here's a recipe for raw 'pickled'okra.

- buy organic or local!

4. DETERMINE FOODS THAT THE FAMILY CAN EASILY SUBSTITUTE WITH RAW

Once again, start by changing one habit at a time - start easy. Once that becomes comfortable, move on to the next item on your list.

This is how we progressed:

a. drinks

In the summer, we enjoy Fresh Raw Lemonade:

1 cup fresh lemon juice, 5 cups water, 3/4 cup honey.

Mix all together.

Add fresh mint sprigs and citrus slices, as you wish.

- We bought a filter for our drinking water.

- I started juicing and making more green smoothies. I would make these in bulk to last at most 3 days. Live enzymes and the nutrients would be depleted by then, but it is a far better option than store bought.

- Our son had some nut allergies in the beginning, so we opted for raw goat's milk for him for a while. Now we alternate between raw goat's milk and raw homemade almond milk, but plan to stick to more of the latter.

- Use a straw or a thermos to mask the taste/texture/colour of some green smoothies... it works!

- Try adding raw green powder to fruit smoothies.

b. snacks/desserts

Our Homemade Raw Chocolate filled with Raw Local Honey

- fresh fruits, nut balls, spinach chips, raw cookies, raw ice cream, apple with almond butter, banana with chocolate fudge, raw popsicles (blend fruit with some veggies and freeze), tomatoes eaten freshly picked from the vine, goji berries, dates with filling, raw applesauce, raw pies and cakes, etc.

c. breakfast

Our homemade dehydrated cereal

with sliced bananas and fresh almond milk

- fresh fruit, breakfast fruit pudding topped with flax seeds and berries, raw oatmeal, 'buckwhix' (our dehydrated cereal version of Wheetabix, which the boys used to love), applesauce, etc.

d. appetizers

- anything with dips and sauces, like flax seed crackers with spinach avocado dip, spring rolls with mung bean sprouts, raw hummus

- soups served in spoons

- anything bite size

e. the main course

Asian Noodles:

1/2 cooked (pasta) and 1/2 raw (sauce and veggies)

- start 'easy' by serving up 1/2 cooked and 1/2 raw items together

Carrot Noodles

- move on to substitute the cooked pasta with vegetable 'pasta' made from carrots, zucchini...

- experiment with dehydrated breads and 'wraps' to create sandwich-like items (puree spinach with flax meal, salt, tomatoes, spices and dehydrate)

- salads or fillings with tomato, corn or avocado are always a success in our house

- avocado sushi (nori wrapped avocado)

5. HAVE RAW CHOICES AT EVERY MEAL

- ASK: do you want to drink your raw vegan foods (smoothie/juice) or eat it (salad) today?

- make sure to have lots of fresh fruits around for desserts/snacks

- make foods and drinks to last at least 2 days (less work for you!)

- organize and plan your meals!

6. KEEP TRYING NEW RAW FOOD CHOICES AND DON'T GIVE UP

use greens as 'wraps'

- if the family doesn't like something, keep at it to discover the raw foods that they do like

- keep the raw foods that they like around

7. ALLOW SOME OLD TREATS DURING THE WEEKEND OR SPECIAL OCCASSIONS

- remember, enjoying the food also helps the body digest it better!

8. HAVE FUN AND DON'T GET SO WORKED UP OVER IT!

- make the food fun and appealing (use straws, make edible food art together, make it bite size, give it a striking name - we've had Jedi power, Jawa juice, etc)

- understand that transitioning takes time and people's cravings change

- plan and organize a weekly menu

- write down every raw vegan food item that the family liked and put it on a list under breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks and dessert -- so you don't have to think next time you go food shopping or plan for next week's meals

- if plans fail today, there's always tomorrow!

9. INVEST IN GOOD APPLIANCES and READ LOTS OF BOOKS when you have the chance

- juicer, like Champion

- high speed blender, like Vita-mix

- dehydrator, like Excalibur (one that you can control the temperature)

- raw vegan recipes books, etc

10. LEAD BY EXAMPLE

- those little eyes are always watching! Something is going to rub off sooner or later.

Need support? Join The Raw Mom Cooked Dad Program!

Food Matters

2010-08-21T19:21:00.000-07:00

My husband and I watched Food Matters tonight. I loved it because of the information. I loved it because my husband now wants to add Superfoods into our meals. I loved it because I have an ally in my work to provide our family with a healthier diet.

WHAT I LEARNED

Did you know:

- The Number 3 killer in America is Errors in Modern Medicine? (#1 is heart disease, #2 cancer)
In the UK, 10,000 people die/year from drug side effects (compared to 3,500 from car accidents and 9,000 from prostate cancer). In the US, 106,000 people die from prescribed drugs/year, not including overdose and misuse of the drugs. That's around 2.5 M people in 23 years.

- 25% of commercials on TV are about drugs

- Drug Industry makes $1/2 Trillion/year in the USA

- if you eat more than 51% cooked food, your body's immune system sends a false alarm because it reacts to cooked foods as if they were a foreign organism

- less than 6% of graduating physicians in the USA spend time studying nutrition

- Western Medicine's solution for Cancer (chemo, radiation, surgery, drug) results in less than 30% survival in 5 years. Dr. Max Gerson's Therapy of fresh vegetable juices and organic foods has a 50% cure rate with the TERMINALLY ILL!

Important Issues to Think About:

- how old is your food?
If 5 days old, you will have 40% of the nutrients of that freshly picked. Imagine canned and processed foods.

- the problem is in our SOIL.
Fertilizers are composed usually of 3 minerals: Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Potassium. But the soil really needs 52 minerals, like iron. Because the soil is deficient, our plants are weak and susceptible to disease, bugs, fungus and die. The solution is often pesticides and fungicides.

- Conventional Food is therefore DEFICIENT and TOXIC. Even commercial vegetarian food.

- COOKING destroys enzymes needed for digestion. Even LIGHTLY STEAMED vegetables are recognized by the body as foreign objects because the cooking has changed its natural food structure.

- You cannot heal the body selectively. You cannot treat just 1 of the illnesses. All problems will disappear when the body heals properly.

- We need to boost health, not use a pill for every ill. We need to change the root cause of the illness, not treat symptoms.

- We need to get toxins out of the cells first before nutrients can get into them.

WE NEED TO CHANGE THE WAY WE EAT, DRINK AND LIVE. It is SAFE, CHEAP and WORKS WELL.

Foods to note:

- super foods: like spirulina and cacao bean
- spirulina = 50% protein, has been consumed in Mexico for 5000 years, completely absorbable by cells
- cacao bean = could be highest food with anti-oxidant and mineral content: magnesium, chromium, iron, manganese, zinc, copper, vitamin C, which protects from DNA damage and cancer

- vitamins to prevent and treat illness:
- vitamin C to cure viral disease, the common cold, stress
- 30,000mg/day up to 200,000mg/day of vitamin C given in I.V. for 24 hours so that it enters directly into the blood stream KILLS CANCER with NO side effects such as nausea, just thirst and wooziness

- organic vegetarian diet and stress reduction arrests and reverses cardiovascular disease without surgery

- Niacin (3,000mg/day) has been proved to improve severe depression

- 2 handfuls of cashews has the same therapeutic effects of Prozac

Jojoba Oil, our new body lotion

2010-07-31T07:08:00.000-07:00

It has been a while since we used store-bought body lotions. We had become die hard coconut oil users. We used it in the kitchen as a food and in the bathroom as our everyday lotion. Recently though, our friend presented us with a bottle of pure Egyptian Jojoba (ho-ho-ba) Oil.

"How do I use it?" I asked.

Our friend who is a professional massage therapist said "It is wonderful for your skin because it acts like human skin oil and will balance your skin oil production. It won't clog your pores and it's hypoallergenic."

"Hmmm... really?"

I decided to try Jojoba Oil for a week and there is no turning back! Admittedly, coconut oil is very greasy and whether you like it or not, it smells strongly of coconut. If you use it, you will smell of coconut, as will your clothes and your bed. The bugs seemed to gravitate to me more easily. Jojoba Oil, on the other hand, is odorless, lighter and not as greasy. The morning after our son used it, we could tell immediately that his skin was much silkier and smoother than usual. After a few days, my skin too was silkier and smoother than usual. I don't think our skin ever felt this good! Although, there is still a jar of coconut oil in our son's bathroom for his bedtime snack, Jojoba Oil has definitely taken over as our new household body lotion.

Other characteristics of Jojoba Oil:

- LOCAL plant native to southwestern USA
- actually a liquid wax

- a fungicide
- does not stain
- does not go rancid easily
- natural antioxidant
- natural carrier of Vitamin E
- does not break down when exposed to water or oxygen

- not digestible and when eaten will cause steatorrhea

Other uses for Jojoba Oil:
- moisturizer
- cleanser
- make-up remover
- base for toiletries and cosmetics

- homemade deodorant

Homemade Deodorant?!?

Believe me, I was never into all this DIY stuff but then I became a Mother and everything changed. YES this deodorant works! It also has never stained any of my clothes. A friend once sent me this deodorant recipe using coconut oil. I've since substituted it with Jojoba Oil with great results.

Place some baking soda in the palm of your hand. Add a few drops of Jojoba oil and optional oil essence. Mix in well. Apply under your arms. It is that simple!

Raw 'Pickled' Okra

2010-07-29T22:25:00.000-07:00

Raw Green and Purple 'Pickled' Okra

We visited a dear friend yesterday and she invited us to pick some of her tomatoes, cucumbers and okra. What a treat! My vegetable garden was not so successful this year, so it was very nice to be able to taste her array of fresh homegrown produce. Our son couldn't get enough of the cherry tomatoes and loved his bite of raw plain okra! I devoured my okra. My friend couldn't believe I would eat okra raw. But young okra, when not over 4 inches, is not stringy and deliciously crunchy. She said when she was pregnant, she couldn't get enough of pickled okra! For some reason, I couldn't get that off my mind. I went by our local produce farm today and bought some young okra to 'pickle'. This is so addictive!

Mix together in a bowl:

1/4 - 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

2 tsp cumin seeds, crushed

2 tsp yellow mustard seeds

2 tsp sea salt

1 big clove garlic, thinly sliced

1 tbsp honey

1 1/2 tbsp dried dill

1/4 cup raw apple cider vinegar

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

Add:

1 pound small okra, remove stems, leave caps on

Mix thoroughly and allow to marinate at least 15 minutes.

Okra is highly nutritious. The daily values from just 1 cup of raw okra are 35% Vitamin C, 66% Vitamin K, 13% Thiamin, 11% Vitamin B6, 22% Folate, 14% Magnesium, 50% Manganese. And in Ayurveda, okra is considered an aphrodisiac.

The Art of Proper Eating

2010-07-05T20:54:00.000-07:00

We all basically know WHAT to eat, but we rarely hear about HOW to eat. So, I've come up with a few fun Questions and Answers based on Ayurveda Nutrition to see how much we all know about HOW to properly eat. Here it is!

Our Son lovingly handpicks our tomatoes, will it make a difference to our digestive system?

We all love our nutritionally rich raw green smoothies, but which would better feed our bodies? A raw green smoothie prepared by:

a. a loving child on Mother's Day

b. a mother who woke up in a bad mood and was upset we had spilled the first smoothie she made

c. either a or b because it doesn't make a difference - the smoothie will feed our bodies the same way.

Answer is (a). The act of ENJOYING as we prepare and eat our food is essential in the process of eating. A raw green smoothie prepared in a loving manner will feed not only our body nutritionally, but also feed us with love which affects how we digest and metabolize the food. Dr. Emoto has successfully shown how emotions affect water (and therefore everything that contains water) through his photographs of water crystals. Being loving, being grateful toward, saying thank you to water creates beautiful crystals, but saying "I hate you", and worse, ignoring creates ugly images in the water crystals. What would our bodies feel when beautiful crystals entered our digestive system? And how would our bodies feel when we consume foods full of negative energy? The energy of the food would affect us differently. Prepare food with love and care. Be grateful at mealtimes. Love does make a difference!

Does it really matter where and with whom you have a meal?

a. yes

b. no

Answer is (a). The Environment and the Company we keep certainly determines our state of mind and our state of health. Our digestive system works well when calm and in enjoyment. Eating in the car while running errands, while watching a suspense thriller, while in intense negotiation are not optimum times to have a meal. Stress prevents proper digestion: instead of assimilating nutrients efficiently and effectively, toxins are produced in the body - even if the best kinds foods are eaten. Being at ease and eating with people you love does make a difference!

We didn't bless our food with prayer growing up, but my mother taught me to thank the food on my plate for nourishing me - to thank the meat for giving up its life for me, to thank the vegetables for the same. Do you think prayer or being grateful for our meal makes a difference in their digestibility?

a. yes

b. no

c. it doesn't make a difference.

Answer is (a). Giving our full focus and attention to our food helps enhance proper digestion and assimilation of nutrients in the body. Our thoughts, although sometimes subtle and sometimes unconscious, impact our physical bodies greatly.

Which food is best eaten on a daily basis to boost your immune system:

a. local in-season foods

b. organic foods.

This may come as a surprise, but the answer is (a). It is true that we need to avoid anything processed and we need to eat more foods that are organic, high in greens and free of chemicals. We need organic foods because they are pure, natural and unadulterated foods that contain higher levels of fiber, vitamins and minerals than conventional ones. Organic foods also do not contain chemicals that inhibit natural cellular processes and they do not create toxic matter in the body that cause imbalance, disorders and diseases.

A South Carolina Farmer's Sign

But what about local foods? We always hear about local foods lessening our carbon footprint. But we never really hear about the health benefits. Local and in-season foods are in fact best for our immune system and enzyme function. Just like local honey is best for people with pollen allergies, local food is also best for our health. If we are healthy, we can eat a small amount of foods from other locations. However, if our diet is based solely on foods from elsewhere, it can cause disease: weak immune systems, allergies, digestive problems and weight issues. Our bodies change depending on seasons and therefore so do our digestive enzymes. Foods from other regions do not provide our bodies with the nutrients appropriate for our own climate and season. Local foods, on the other hand, provide us with the nutrients we naturally need to live well where we live.

What is the best solution? Buy from local farmers who choose to grow organically. Find them on Local Harvest. If you miss the diversity in your food, at least choose to eat foods in their correct seasons.

Vegetables are the best foods and need to form the majority of our diet. True. But do some vegetables cause disturbances in the body?

a. yes

b. no.

This too may come as a surprise. The answer is (a). It is important to listen to how your own body responds to certain foods. In the West, people assume if a certain food is full of wonderful nutritional properties, it must be a good food for everyone. In the East, this is not the case. Nutrition and diet is more individualistic because foods have different properties and therefore affect people differently. If there is a lot of 'air' in one's system, cabbage will cause bloating and gas. If there is an excess of 'fire', then garlic can exacerbate skin inflammation, ulcers and burning sensations. If there is an excess of 'water', then fruits with high water content like watermelon, will aid in weight gain.

According to Ayurveda, raw food requires more energy to digest than cooked food.

a. true

b. false.

The answer is (a). However, there is such a thing as 'antidotes' for foods to help make them more digestible. For raw foods, the antidotes are juicing, pureeing, using spices and oil.

Raw Mushroom Soup

If I eat a raw foods diet, I can eat as much food as I want. I can stuff myself with healthy food whenever I want.

a. true

b. false

Recommended Quantity of Food Stomach

Red = solid food, Yellow = liquids, purple = empty

The answer is (b). Indeed, stuffing oneself with raw foods is healthier than stuffing oneself with processed foods. However, according to Ayurveda, a complete and effective digestion cannot be possible on a full stomach. It is best to train our stomach to be satisfied in thirds: 1/3 solid food, 1/3 liquid, and 1/3 empty. An easier way to start is to fill the stomach with 1/2 solids, 1/4 liquid, and 1/4 empty.

How many times does food need to be chewed before swallowing?

a. 5 times

b. 15 times

c. 32 times

The answer is (c)! Chewing that much allows us to taste our food, begin the digestion process in our mouth and prepare our stomach for the meal to come.

How to mix Ayurveda Principles with a Raw Foods Diet?

Gabriel Cousens is the founder of Tree of Life and he uses Ayurvedic principles in explaining a raw foods diet. His 2 books are very interesting reads: Conscious Eating and Rainbow Green Live Food Cuisine. In the latter, he cites the 10 worst foods to eat.

I Scream, You Scream, We All Scream for ICE CREAM!

2010-06-12T18:52:00.000-07:00

Use the Vanilla Ice Milk Recipe below as a base for other flavors such as chocolate and strawberries!

I know our whole family thinks I'm pretty alternative where food is concerned but I do think they understand my concerns and reasons. But sometimes, it still is a little difficult without more support. Just recently, after dinner, the extended family decided to go for ice cream. The preschoolers were excited. The crying and whining suddenly stopped when they heard 'ice cream' and they cheerily walked themselves to the ice cream parlor a block away.

In the ice cream parlor, our Uncle chided me from across the shop: "You may make delicious vegetables, but they [the ice cream parlor] make better ice cream! Nothing is more American than ice cream!" I didn't know how to respond. I was thinking: WOW. This is exactly why people have health problems. We dare not give a child a pack of cigarettes to smoke - but we think that treating a child to an over-sized ice cream on a cone filled with toxins (high fructose corn syrup, preservatives, artificial coloring, genetically modified ingredients, I could go on) is grand. But what came sheepishly out of my mouth instead was: "Well, I guess I have to make an even better RAW ice cream."

As the mother of my son, I knew my son could possibly have sensitivities to the ice cream. As his mother, I knew I wouldn't sleep well that night because my son would probably not be feeling well. He would probably feel sick for a few days, if not more. Do I want my son to have the ice cream everyone else in our party was having? NO! I did want to say NO. But I didn't. Would our son want the ice cream? Probably YES. Would he want it even if we told him he would probably feel sick for the next few days. YES. So, I let it be and our son eagerly ordered a vanilla ice cream on a cone and BOY! did he look like a poster boy for an ice cream commercial.

Our son digging into his Ice Cream Parlor Vanilla Ice Cream

Before we left the shop, our Uncle said, "I know these kids are going to have a good night's sleep!" That night, our son woke up 4 times with a cold and runny nose. The day after, his eyes were watery and he felt sick for most of the day.

"Mama," he said, "we won't have that ice cream again. It makes me feel bad."

"Yes it does. I'll make you some raw ice cream. OK?"

"It won't make me feel bad?"

"No sweetheart."

A week later he was still gunky.

Despite the cold, cough and fever, it was a good thing to let our son make his own choice - because he has learned something. Instead of us, the parents, dictating constantly, our son was allowed more control over his choices. This freedom to choose comes with more responsibility for the consequences that result. And with this comes more knowledge and understanding about his own future choices.

Needless to say, I was motivated to create some yummy and nutritious raw ice cream as soon as we returned home from holiday. Our son is allergic to cashews and most raw ice creams are cashew based. I first experimented with frozen bananas. Our son likes them, but the 'ice cream' just tasted like banana to me and my husband. So, I moved on to an almond cream base, sans dates because dates do have a certain taste. I really just wanted a solid Vanilla Ice Cream. This recipe is ultra simple for any Mama without much time on her hands and it tastes wonderful. It is a hit at our house. My husband really likes it and he's hard to please. When our son tasted this raw vanilla ice cream for the first time, he said: "Mama! This tastes better than the ice cream from the shop! Thank you for making it for me... I love you!"

I don't have to tell you that I think I have the best job in the world!!!

Raw Vanilla Ice Milk

Vanilla Ice Milk
The consistency of this ice cream is somewhere between a sorbet and ice cream, which is why I call it Ice Milk. The flavor is light and subtle.

Puree all together in a high speed blender:
2 cups raw organic almonds, soaked overnight, drained and rinsed
1 vanilla bean, ground in a coffee grinder
2 1/2 cups water
3/4 cups raw organic agave syrup (this product is new to me, produced at temperatures lower than 118F)
Place in a nut bag and squeeze out all the liquid. Mix with other flavors if desired (1 pint of strawberries or tablespoons of carob to taste, etc). Pour it in an ice cream maker. Chill and churn for about 1 hour.

What is Ayurveda?

2010-06-10T21:41:00.000-07:00

What is Ayurveda?

Ayurveda is the ancient medical system of India. It is considered by scholars to be the oldest healing science. Literally translated, Ayurveda means life science: ‘ayur’ for life and ‘ved’ for science or knowledge. It is more than 5,000 years old and has influenced Greek and Chinese philosophy and medicine. It is also the basis for many different and popular healing therapies today, such as yoga, homeopathy, nutrition, polarity, psychiatry, surgery, just to name a few. It is based on the wholeness of a person. Physical, mental and emotional natures of an individual are important for the whole system to work properly and well. Most importantly, Ayurveda does not compare people as an entirety, but sees people as individuals. What may be a great success for one person in one situation, may be disastrous for another given the exact same situation.

What is Ayurvedic Nutrition?

Ayurvedic Nutrition is a branch of Ayurveda Life Science. It takes into account the relationship between an individual’s nature, environment and diet. If we can understand such a relationship, we can avoid imbalance in the system and health can be maintained. In Ayurvedic Nutrition, individual metabolism is very important to determine a person’s unique profile. This uniqueness will help determine the foods, the daily routine, the spices and herbs that are especially beneficial to an individual’s body and mind. With Ayurvedic Nutrition Therapy, one learns how to be better equipped to properly choose an individually and constitutionally supportive diet that will prevent illness and promote balance to the body and mind.

Resources:

Ayurvedic Institute - on-line resources to find out your constitution, food guidelines, and more.

A 3 year old's take on RAW

2010-06-02T11:10:00.000-07:00

Our son digging into Zucchini Chips today.

Same recipe as my Spinach Chips without the oil. I prefer the spinach version, but he seems to prefer this.

It was fun to hear a 10 year old talk about eating RAW foods. I wondered what my 3 year old would say. Click here to listen!

Mama: How old are you?
Son: 3 1/2.
Mama: And do you like eating raw food?
Son: I like salad.
Mama (I must be dreaming!): How about fruit smoothies?
Son: Yes! Of course I do... lots of times.
Mama: How about green smoothies? Do you like green smoothies sometimes?
Son: Yes...sometimes, just in all places.
Mama: What's your favourite breakfast?
Son: You know! You guess it!
Mama: You like fruit?
Son: Yes.
Mama: You liked the raw oatmeal you had this morning?
Son: No I don't!
Mama: You don't? How about when you have salads with sprouts?
Son: Yeah! I like lots and lots of salads in different places we go.
Mama: How about when I make you raw chips? Do you like those?
Son: Some of those are pretty.
Mama: What other raw do you like?
Son: Kind of...
Mama: Do you like raw cookies I make for you?
Son: No! I just like salad and potatoes. (We hardly have potatoes, so I think he means sweet potatoes.)
Mama: OK. Thank you so much for talking to me today.
Son: I'll now talk on a different line. Thank You!

The Importance of Sprouts

2010-06-01T07:01:00.000-07:00

Sprouted Quinoa Salad with Tomatoes, Scallions, Broccoli Stems

and Lemon Vinaigrette (1 tsp sea salt, 1 tbspn lemon juice, 4 tbspn extra virgin olive oil)

Our son ASKED if he could eat some... something about the colour and size perhaps attracted him?

In any case, he ate a whole cup and more.

Someone asked me the other day which vegan food had the most protein. I answered quickly: sprouts. Sprouts that are 1/4 inches in length are especially chock full of vitamins, minerals, enzymes, amino acids and bioelectrical energy, and I try to incorporate more sprouts in our diet. It seems breakfast is when it is easiest for us to eat sprouted grains, but salads for lunch and dinner are working too (as above). I have been re-reading Living Foods for Optimum Health by Dr. Brian Clement, in particular the chapter on Sprouts. Here are some excerpts:

"Researchers at Purdue University found that bean sprouts contain extraordinarily high levels of good-quality protein. Mung bean sprouts, for example, contain more than 25% of their calories as protein, which is a higher proportion than in T-bone steak. And soybean sprouts have an even greater percentage. Because of their high levels of amino acids (the building blocks of protein), vitamins, and minerals, sprouts are considered to be one of the most perfect foods known to man.

Dr. Burkholder of Yale University showed that when oats are sprouted, the vitamin B2 (riboflavin) content increases by 1,300%, vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) by 500%, and folic acid by 600%.

Research in the late 1970s at the University of Puget Sound found that six cups of sprouted lentils contain the full recommended daily allowance of protein (about 60g) in a fully digestible form. Scientists concluded that lentil sprouts could provide a significant portion of daily protein needs in a safe and inexpensive form.

Pound for pound, lentils and other bean sprouts contain as much protein as red meat, yet are totally digestible and have none of the fat, cholesterol, hormones, or antibiotics found in most present-day meats."

Needless to say, I think I will try to incorporate sprouts more in our daily diets.

Resources:
Basics of Sprouting
Raw Vietnamese Spring Rolls - I would use all mung bean sprouts instead of using kelp noodles

Inspire Kids To Make Their Own Smoothie!!!

2010-05-28T12:02:00.001-07:00

Here's the video from The Raw Family!

Mercury in Fish - Resources

2010-05-25T13:47:00.000-07:00

After watching The Cove, I wanted to research more on mercury for my fish and sushi loving and mercury intoxicated father. So here they are for you too.

Mercury in Fish Resources:

Diagnosis Mercury - from a doctor's perspective

Got Mercury?

Mercury and Fish: The Facts

Mercury Policy Project - Promoting policies to eliminate mercury use and reduce mercury exposure

Natural Resources Defense Council - mercury contamination in fish

Take Part - Social Action for The Cove

Fish high in mercury levels: bluefish, blue crab, grouper, mackerel (King, Spanish, Gulf), marlin, orange roughy, salmon (farmed, Atlantic), seabass (Chilean), shark, swordfish, tilefish, tuna (Ahi, Yellowfin, Bigeye, Blue, Canned Albacore).

Fish low in mercury levels: Arctic cod, anchovies, butterfish, catfish, clam, crab (domestic), crawfish/crayfish, croaker (Atlantic), flounder, haddock (Atlantic), hake, herring, mackerel (N. Atlantic, Chub), mullet, oyster, perch (ocean), plaice, pollock, salmon (canned, fresh, wild), sardine, scallop, shad, shrimp, sole, squid, tilapia, trout, whitefish, whiting.

Why I Am All For Changing The Way We Eat

2010-05-25T13:44:00.000-07:00

I love good documentaries, especially the ones about food. It saves me time and energy on explaining or negotiating with people who just want to eat what they're used to eating. My husband and I watched Blue Vinyl a few weeks ago and just recently The Cove, which both gave us both some food for thought. The best part of it all is I don't have to be the nag in the house about eating well anymore. My husband understands that it is best to eat more raw fruits and vegetables, more organic, fruits then vegetables before the main meal... And because my husband supports me in our efforts to lead a healthy lifestyle, our son is learning it naturally and easily. But everyday is a learning process. The more effort we put into our health and eating habits, the more they will change for the better.

I hope more people watch Blue Vinyl and The Cove. Blue Vinyl discusses why our meats, fish and dairy contain dioxins which is a great cancer risk for EVERYONE in the world. The Cove discusses the issue of killing dolphins, selling the meat as fish, as well as the increasing mercury content in fish EVERYWHERE in the world. Traditionalists want to eat the foods they are used to, the foods that are comforting, the foods that they grew up with. Unfortunately, the world is changing. The hot dog of today is not the same hot dog it was 50 years ago. In watching The Cove, you'll understand why the fish we are eating today is not the same fish our parents were eating. Processed food is full of refined foods our bodies cannot recognise. Doctors bombard our bodies with toxic filled vaccines that include animal DNA, MSG, aborted fetal tissue, formaldehyde, etc. Organic food is also affected. And as our NAET doctor always says, "The air we breathe in one day has more toxins than our grandparents would have breathed in their lifetime." It is time to CHANGE the way we eat and USE FOOD AS OUR MEDICINE because fresh organic fruits and vegetables have the phytonutrients we need to combat toxicity in our bodies or become victims of disease.

Seven Principles of a Climate-Friendly Diet

2010-05-25T11:02:00.000-07:00

Check the 7 principles out!

Yoga Improves Sleep, Quality of Life for Cancer Survivors

2010-05-24T22:16:00.000-07:00

University of Rochester Medical Center found:

"Participants in the yoga group reported improved sleep quality and less fatigue, and a better quality of life while reducing the use of sleeping medications following the four-week program. The control group showed increased use of the sleep medications and reported reduced sleep quality, greater fatigue and a poorer quality of life."

Crispy Breakfast Cereal

2010-05-22T08:39:00.000-07:00

Before I married my husband, I think he could have survived eating boxed cereal for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Even now, I think he misses it - albeit secretly. My son is more vocal and he does ask for Wheetabix sometimes and I cringe. I cringe because I used to buy it. I cringe because I cannot believe I once thought that Wheetabix was a healthy choice. I cringe because my son and husband loved it so much. I cringe because I feel I am taking something away from them that they like and enjoy. But when I cringe, I am also determined to create something healthier and something they will enjoy - so the boxed cereal is not missed. We have eaten full raw breakfasts - but they wanted more variety: we couldn't have raw green smoothies, raw pudding, raw oatmeal and raw yoghurt everyday. So, I've come up with a master raw crispy breakfast cereal recipe using fresh whole organic grains. Fresh organic whole grains provide vitamins and minerals, unlike the refined, GMO ridden and over-processed grains and cereals which cause toxins in the body.

Place in a food processor until mixed well:

3 1/2 cups of soaked grains (3 hours for buckwheat, overnight for oat groats, overnight for wheat berries, overnight for barley groats, 3 hours for quinoa and sprouted if desired...)

2 pieces fruit like apple, optional

3/4 cup honey or other syrup or 1 1/2 cup dates or other dried fruit (common sense required here - we want a porridge like batter, e.g. for the quinoa use the dried fruits, for buckwheat use the syrup)

2 tsp sea salt

1 vanilla bean, scraped

1 tsp ground cinnamon

add enough water to make a pourable consistency

Place on a texflex sheet and spread well. Dehydrate at 105F until crispy. Store in fridge for several weeks. Serve with dried fruit or banana and nut milk.

Genetically Modified Ingredients - New Research

2010-05-22T07:48:00.000-07:00

GMO (Genetically Modified) Foods have been so drastically changed from their natural state that the body does not recognize them. Ayurvedically speaking, when foods are unrecognizable, they are viewed in the body as toxins. Very simplistically, these toxins accumulate in the body, attack weak organs, change the cell structure and thus cause irreversible disease. Recent research shows that GMO products cause sterility. In Ayurveda, the health of one's reproductive system speaks for the health of a person. If all parts of the body are being fed well and are healthy, then the reproductive system works well. Apparently, GMO products fail to feed the body well. GMO products causes sterility, change of color in reproductive organs, 40% more death in babies, slower growth and more. For more information, take a look at the article: GMO causes devastating offspring defects in new research study in Mercola.com.

These GMO findings remind me of the Pottinger Cat Experiment, which found that processed milk was detrimental to the health of 3rd generation cats.

How Living Foods Can Prevent and Treat Cancer

2010-05-16T19:54:00.000-07:00

Of course there is the book I wrote with my yoga teacher: Yoga for Cancer. But here is a recent interview with Dr. Brian Clement of the Hippocrates Institute. He suggests fresh wheatgrass juice, greens, sprouts, minimizing fruits and sugars, a vegan diet, minimizing electromagnetic frequencies and heavy metals, exercising, going outside for sun and clean air and reading The China Study and Living Foods for Optimal Health.

Resources:
Government Panel: Americans bombarded with Cancer Causes
Environmental Cancer Risk 'Grossly Underestimated'
Reducing Environmental Cancer Risk - The Report

10 Green Smoothie Recipes

2010-05-14T11:50:00.000-07:00

Click here for Victoria Boutenko's 10 Green Smoothie Recipes!!

Coconut Gazpacho

2010-05-12T20:51:00.000-07:00

We always hear about Tomato Gazpacho. What about Ajo Blanco? The Andalusian Ajo Blanco is a white gazpacho that is traditionally prepared with bread, almonds, garlic, water, olive oil, salt and vinegar. In my raw Coconut Gazpacho recipe, I substitute the bread with ground flax seeds and the water with raw coconut milk. Aside from being the highest plant source of omega-3 fatty acids, flax seeds are an excellent laxative and anti-carcinogen. They remove toxins from the blood and intestines. Coconut is a cooling diuretic. It soothes and protects internal membranes and the skin. It is also anti-viral, anti-bacterial and anti-fungal. The benefits are numerous. This soup is more filling than its Tomato counterpart, but just as refreshing. This was a success at our house! We all enjoyed it very much. We hope you do too!

Puree in a high powered blender:

2 cups raw coconut milk (puree together flesh and juice of raw fresh Thai coconut)

1/2 cup freshly ground flax seeds

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/4 cup raw almond butter

3 tbspn raw apple cider vinegar

1 tbspn raw honey

2 tsp sea salt

1 clove garlic (if you like it less pungent, use only 1/2 a clove)

Place soups in bowls and garnish with:

slices of fresh raw Thai coconut meat

slices of red grapes

raw honey

Note: I learned the other day from The Raw Gourmet that it is most beneficial to consume less than 4 tbspn of flax seeds a day, more would be toxic. Flax seed oils, on the other hand, are not toxic over 4 tbspns.

Apple Salad Dressing

2010-05-10T11:18:00.000-07:00

I think my boys are getting tired of anything green that is pureed: smoothies, breakfast puddings... So my new way to entice them to eat raw vegetables is through salads. This is a particularly kid-friendly dressing for those who prefer their salads sweet.

Blend together:

3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

3/4 cup raw apple cider vinegar

1/2 cup honey

1/2 an apple, peeled - and water, so together they make 3/4 cup

1 1/2 tsp sea salt

1/4 tsp celery seed

Mix with any salad ingredients your children enjoy. We have used the dressing with lots of lettuce, carrot, apple, beets, raisins, sunflower seeds...

Banana Date Cookies or Raw Banana Muffins

2010-05-06T14:20:00.000-07:00

I saw a recipe like this for a flour free cookie in a city brochure and thought to myself - wow, people are really trying to be healthy. I wanted to see if it tasted good. My son and husband don't really like it a whole lot - but I brought it to a meeting where there were some kids and they ate it all up (and asked for seconds)! I love it raw, a little cold from the fridge and eaten with Artisana's Cacao Bliss.

3 large bananas
1 cup dates, chopped
2 cups oats (buy raw oat flakes, or if you can't get them, rolled oats will do)
1/3 cup coconut oil (place it in warm water for a little while)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp salt

Place all in food processor. Scoop onto greased cookie sheets and bake at 350F for 20 minutes or scoop on to Texflex sheets and dehydrate at 105F till you get the consistency you like.

Vinyl Chloride (aka PVC) in the Food We Eat

2010-05-06T12:17:00.000-07:00

I just watched Blue Vinyl last night. I thought I was going to be very disappointed with my film choice 5 minutes into the documentary that started with a Mickey Mouse voice narration and some folks changing the wood outside their house into blue vinyl - but after 10 minutes, I ran to get my pen and paper. This was an excellent documentary about PVC.

PVC is everywhere - in our houses, in our children's toys, in the air and most concerning- in our food. Low exposures to dioxins from the manufacture and disposal of PVC cause mutations thus tumors in our bodies. Any molecule that is present in our bodies poses a risk of cancer. As a doctor from Columbia University said on the film: "Zero exposure is best". Dioxins affect EVERYONE - not only those who live near the factories that create PVC (i.e. Lake Charles, Louisiana and Venice, Italy). "PVC is the worst plastic from an environmental health perspective, posing great environmental and health hazards in its manufacture, product life and disposal. " - MyHouseIsYourHouse.org (My House is Your House is the consumer education and advocacy campaign tied to Blue Vinyl.)

So how do we avoid dioxin exposure? The response is just up my alley - besides choosing not to buy anything PVC, it is to CHANGE OUR DIET. According to the National Academy of Sciences:

"A North American eating a typical North American diet will receive 93% of their dioxin exposure from meat and dairy products (23% is from milk and dairy alone; the other large sources of exposure are beef, fish, pork, poultry and eggs). In fish, these toxins bioaccumulate up the food chain so that dioxin levels in fish are 100,000 times that of the surrounding environment. The best way to avoid dioxin exposure is to reduce or eliminate your consumption of meat and dairy products by adopting a vegan diet. "

Raw Vietnamese Spring Rolls

2010-05-03T22:38:00.000-07:00

Ooh, this looks yummy!

I really do love Asian food for kids because vegetables are so easily hidden in something enticing, like in sushi or this Raw Vietnamese Spring Roll, which is filled with mung bean sprouts, lettuce and mint leaves. Not only that, but the rice paper has been substituted by dehydrated coconut milk. The mix of the sweetness in the coconut and the slightly spicy sauce makes for a really refreshing appetizer on a hot day.

The Coconut Paper: I discovered the idea of using coconut as the wrap from The Farm.

Puree together the fresh juice and the fresh meat until you get coconut milk. Pour these in rounds on a Texflex sheet and dehyrdate at 105F till dry, about 6-8 hours. Carefully lift the coconut paper and set aside.

The Filling:

lettuce

kelp noodles, rinsed and soaked for 1 hour to soften, optional (I have heard this isn't really raw - but I'm not sure, you can just use more mung beans if you don't have any kelp noodles)

mung beans sprouts

fresh mint leaves

Place coconut paper down, followed by lettuce. Add the rest of the filling on top. Wrap. Serve with the sauce and garnish with mint sprig.

The Sauce:

Blend together in a food processor:

2 pieces chili, like jalapeno, seeded (optional if your kids don't like them)

2 cloves garlic

1/4 cup honey

1/2 cup water

1/4 cup lime juice

1/4 cup sweet miso paste

1 tbspn carrot

Resources:

Mung Bean Sprouts are very cleansing but also nutritious and therefore great for detoxification.

The Value of Sprouts

Key Lime Pie

2010-05-03T21:59:00.000-07:00

Avocados were on sale so I bought 10. I was debating what to do with them when my husband asked for my old Avocado Cheesecake Recipe. I decided to make a raw cake instead. I looked at my I Am Grateful book and found a Key Lime Pie recipe - but it required lecithin, agave syrup and cashews. We didn't have lecithin, we don't use agave syrup - and our son has an adverse reaction to cashews. So I just adapted the recipe and it turned out just fine. It is really silky and light - not like the heaviness of cream cheese. It is also much much better the day after you make it!

Note: My husband liked it, but my son only liked the 'green' part. I love it when my kid asks for food that is 'green'. I also love that this Key Lime Pie contains Avocados and Coconut.

The Crust

In the food processor, process until it resembles crumbs:

1 1/4 cup macadamia nuts

1 1/4 cup pecans

1/4 cup dates (seed and soak them if yours are hard)

1/4 of vanilla bean, scraped

1/8 tsp salt

Press onto a greased (use coconut oil) 9" pie pan.

The Filling

Place all in a Vita-mix or other blender and puree well:

3/4 cup lime juice

8 oz avocado

1/2 cup + 1 tbspn honey

1/4 cup + 2 tbspn coconut milk (puree fresh coconut juice and fresh coconut meat together)

1/2 of vanilla bean, scraped

1/8 tsp salt

1/2 cup + 1 tbspn coconut oil

Pour into prepared pie crust and refrigerate.

The Top

Puree in a Vita-Mix or other blender well:

1/2 cup coconut oil

1 cup coconut milk

6 tbspn Artisana coconut butter

1/4 cup honey

1 tsp lemon juice

1/4 of vanilla bean, scraped

pinch of salt

When filling is set, top with this mixture and place in refrigerator. Top with lime, if you desire. Allow flavours to come together at least overnight.

Fresh Cantaloupe Smoothie

2010-05-03T21:25:00.000-07:00

When I was growing up, one of my favourite drinks was cantaloupe melon milk. I just loved it! Melon milk was delicious. But these days, we really love just plain pureed cantaloupe. No added water or milk - just cut up the cantaloupe and puree in the blender. Enjoy!

Resources:

Besides an abundance of vitamin A and C, did you know cantaloupe has a lot more vitamin Bs than other fruits? And they are best eaten alone or before other foods so that the body can digest them easily and quickly. If combined with other foods, the body will have difficulty breaking it down, causing toxins in the system.

Cantaloupe facts

New Dirty Dozen List

2010-05-02T07:46:00.000-07:00

The new dirty dozen list:

1. celery
2. peaches
3. strawberries
4. apples
5. blueberries (my friends are really surprised about this!)
6. nectarines
7. bell peppers
8. spinach
9. kale
10. cherries
11. potatoes
12. grapes (imported)

The clean 15:

1. onions
2. avocado
3. sweet corn
4. pineapple
5. mangoes
6. sweet peas
7. asparagus
8. kiwi
9. cabbage
10. eggplant
11. cantaloupe
12. watermelon
13. grapefruit
14. sweet potato
15. honeydew melon

Download your own shopper's guide here.

Roasted Cauliflower

2010-04-28T09:12:00.000-07:00

My dear friend Maria and I agree. Roasted cauliflower tastes like popcorn and are better than fries in taste and nutrition. Make sure they are really roasted and browned at the tips - it adds to the overall taste.

Mix together in a bowl:
1 head organic cauliflower, break into bite size pieces
1 tbspn grated fresh ginger
1 tbspn ground coriander
sea salt, to taste (1 1/2 tspn to 1 1/2 pounds of cauliflower pieces)
olive oil, just enough to coat
Roast at 400F about 30 minutes or more. Garnish with cilantro (fresh coriander), if you wish.

*NOTE: Cauliflower detoxifies carcinogens!

Almond Butter for Kids

2010-04-28T09:05:00.000-07:00

After tasting some raw almond butter on bread, I overheard a little 2 year old say, "Mama! I don't like this!" My own son says in dismay (when I try to substitute raw almond butter for peanut butter): "I don't think this is peanut butter!" No fooling them! Kids who have tasted PBJs know their PBJs and know when peanut butter isn't used. So, how about trying something else?

For a snack, I have been very successful at serving these Apple Sandwiches. Nothing to it:

Simply slice apples thinly. Spread a thin layer of raw organic almond butter between two apple slices to make a sandwich.

Why Food Matters

2010-04-27T19:04:00.000-07:00

We are what we eat.
Take a look at the trailer for this documentary called Food Matters.
And if you are interested in Cancer, take a look at Healing Cancer From Inside Out.

Simply Raw: Reversing Diabetes in 30 Days

2010-04-27T17:05:00.000-07:00

Simply Raw: Reversing Diabetes in 30 Days is a new independent film that documents 6 diabetics making striking medical, physical and emotional transformations by changing their diet into a raw food diet for 30 days. Who's in the film? Tony Robbins, Woody Harrelson, Morgan Spurlock, Victoria Buotenko, Gabriel Cousens, among others.

What kind of animal milk should my family be drinking?

2010-04-27T15:14:00.000-07:00

After our transition into more raw breakfast foods, I discovered my son and my husband's love for raw homemade yoghurt. Today, our NAET doctor brought up Mercola's new article on raw milk. I immediately looked for my newsletter in my inbox as soon as we were home.

So what is the reportedly best animal milk to drink? The quick answer: raw, unpasteurized, un-homogenized, organic milk from goat or sheep or from Jersey, Guernsey, Asian and/or African cows. These animals do not have a mutated amino acid which causes not only more productive phlegm in the body but also potentially: Type 1 diabetes, Neurological impairment, impaired immune function, Autoimmune disease and Heart disease.

Other articles on raw milk:
Mercola - interview with Mark McAfee founder of Organic Pastures

Transitioning into Raw Breakfast

2010-04-26T10:52:00.000-07:00

I read somewhere that some families transition into raw by eating raw meals for breakfast and lunch and then eat comfort foods for dinner. It has not worked that way for us. I always offered something raw in each meal, but we never shared a raw meal together. I have been preparing raw juices and raw green smoothies (the latter at least once a day) for my family for almost a year now. Yet, it is only this week that as a whole family we have shared a purely raw meal for breakfast - and everyday this week! What made this week a success? I made a concerted effort to really think WHAT my husband and son would love to eat for breakfast. Favourite non-raw items would be pancakes, waffles, Wheetabix boxed cereal (yuck), oatmeal, juices and fruits. How could I convert that these to raw?

Here is the breakfast plan that I pulled off last week with success. "Success" means that my son and husband actually enjoyed it with no complaints AND for a whole week.

What was on the menu? Green smoothies daily with one or two of the following raw foods: applesauce, banana with chocolate fudge, breakfast pudding, oatmeal or "muesli" and homemade raw yoghurt with fruit. Never mind the rules about food combining and drinking greens before the meal or having fruits first... I'll 'teach' them that later on, but for now I am pleased that they are satisfied with their raw breakfasts.

Our substitution for Wheetabix: pudding with ground flax seeds

Breakfast Papaya Pudding with Flax Seeds

Puree in a blender together:

2 small papayas

3 medium bananas

2 tbspn raw tahini

Top with:

golden flax seeds, ground in a coffee grinder (amount varies according to who is eating it and you can substitute this with other seeds or nuts)

berries

Breakfast Mango Pudding with Flax Seeds
Puree in a blender together:
2 mangoes
1 banana
1 tspn raw tahini

Top with:

golden flax seeds, ground in a coffee grinder (amount varies according to who is eating it and you can substitute this with other seeds or nuts)

berries

Our raw oatmeal or "muesli"

Raw Oatmeal or "Muesli"
Soak overnight, rinse and drain well:
2 cups raw oat groats (if you can't find whole oat groats, you can use steel cut or rolled oats but these are not raw)
Blend in food processor with:
3 apples, cored, no need to peel
1 cup dates, seeded (you can soak these overnight if you wish)
1 tbspn lemon juice
1 tsp cinnamon
1 cup raw nuts, soaked overnight, rinsed and drained (optional)
Top with honey and raw yoghurt if desired.

Raw Homemade Yoghurt topped with Raw Local Honey

I have been debating in my mind about raw dairy for the last few years. In Ayurveda, dairy is best consumed if raw. Some naturepaths, on the other hand, believe dairy in any form is not good for the body. In my view, whatever is processed and whatever causes harm to an animal is bad. Both cause toxins in our body because adulterated milk changes its natural state, making it more difficult for us to assimilate and digest AND inhumane treatment of animals for our benefit brings negative energy into the food we eat, which causes toxins in our body. I don't agree with consuming too much soy, so soy yoghurt and milk are out of the question. (Click here for The Dark Side of Soy and Is Soy Healthy?) I have bought packaged organic rice milk - but really, it is 'dead' food, unless I make my own. I could make fresh almond milk and try to make some kind of nut yoghurt but would my family eat it? They haven't enjoyed almond milk but admittedly, I'll have to try harder at it. So, that brings me down to raw dairy. What is raw milk? It comes from cow, goat or sheep and is unadulterated pure milk. Rawmilk.com and Rawmilk.org are full of information. And after 2 weeks of trying raw dairy out, my son and husband are sold on it.

Raw Yoghurt
Mix together:
1 quart raw milk (we use goat's or cow's, but prefer goat's)
culture (1/2 cup of fresh live yoghurt or 1 packet of culture)
You can use your dehydrator and leave the mixture there for 48 hours until thick. Or you can use a yoghurt machine (but this will heat your yoghurt over 115F and kill enzymes). Or find another warm place in your house - we used to use our oven with the light on.

Resources:
Dairy Connection - I have heard they sell the best pure cultures.
More on different methods of making yoghurt.

How about failures last week?

Raw Coconut Banana 'Pancakes' My boys are not into eating fruit leather, which these tasted like. BUT with banana filling, they are delicious... at least I thought so.
Puree together:
2 bananas
2 fresh coconuts, juice and meat
Place on Tex-flex sheets in dehydrators for about 6 hours until dry but still pliable. Fill with bananas and chocolate fudge.

Raw Spinach Chips

2010-04-23T21:17:00.000-07:00

A Spinach Chip

We went grocery shopping the other day and my husband bought 2 big bags of Sun Chips. UGH! Yes, the one in the really loud compostable bag. I couldn't believe it and moreover, one whole bag was finished the day after we brought them home. Here I am a die-hard raw foodie and my husband's choice of food was junk. But, I figured 2 things:

1. the bad - I wasn't providing my husband's taste buds with something he wanted

2. the good - I was motivated to find something healthy that he actually likes to eat.

I have made kale chips before - but it took forever just to clean them, dry them, dress them and then place them orderly in my dehydrator. I don't have much time. I have a preschooler at home who just wants to play with me - and I really want to play with him. So, the easier, the faster, the less time I spend in the kitchen, the funner for my family life. I looked in my fridge yesterday and I saw a huge salad box of clean, washed spinach. Hmmm... I grew up eating an appetizer of fried spinach leaves that were delicious. Could I make a raw version?

Here it is. And I am happy to say, my husband ate them all! Thank goodness it wasn't Sun Chips tonight!

Mix together:
8 oz organic spinach
3 tbspn ground golden flax seeds (use a coffee grinder to grind whole seeds)
3/4 tsp sea salt

extra virgin olive oil, just enough to coat the spinach leaves enough for the flax seeds and salt to stick

Place on texflex sheets and dehydrate at 110F until crispy, about a day.

Fennel and Orange Salad

2010-04-21T17:19:00.000-07:00

I just bought the book Clean Food: A Seasonal Guide to Eating Close to the Source with more than 200 recipes for a healthy and sustainable you. With a title like that, of course it jumped out at me. Alice Waters' recommendation was: "Clean Food is a must-have for any advocate of good, clean, and fair." Mario Batali says: "Clean Food is the most exciting book based on fresh produce and simple recipes I have used in years.

Well, I just had to have it.

The book is divided into seasons and the recipes are easy and created with nutrition in mind. The author uses more tofu and canola oil than I would like, but these are easy to substitute. Recipes do not use dairy, eggs and wheat. Cream is also created from cashews, which is very much a raw foods method. The 2 Spring recipes I have so far tried are the Carrot Raisin Salad and the Fennel and Orange Salad. I tweaked both recipes and the latter was a success with our son. This salad is full of vitamin C.

Mix together in a bowl:

4 navel oranges, segment, reserving any juices from segmenting and from the cut skins

1/2 small red onion, very thinly sliced, cover with boiling water for 30 seconds, drain well

1 fennel bulb, cored and sliced thinly

a bunch fresh mint leaves, chopped

Mix together in another bowl:

1 tsp ground coriander

all the reserved orange juice

2 tbsp red wine vinegar

1/2 tsp sea salt or more for taste

3 tbspn extra virgin olive oil

Mix the dressing into the vegetables.

Lunch Box Avocado Sushi

2010-04-21T11:31:00.000-07:00

Don't take a photo of my sushi, Mama!

If it isn't a PBJ, then Avocado Sushi is our son's favourite lunch box meal. Avocado is excellent for children as it is a nutritious fruit particularly for the brain and blood. It also restores the liver, lungs, plasma and skin. We still use sushi rice but use untoasted nori seaweed and Nama Shoyu (unpasteurized soy sauce) as the sauce. Served with a green smoothie, the meal is at least 50% raw with this sushi. The next step is to add raw spinach and carrots in there and see if my boys eat it happily.

For the rice:

2 cups sushi rice, cook as directed

Season rice with a mixture of (heat until sucanat melts):

1/4 cup rice vinegar

2 1/2 tbspn sucanat

1 tbspn mirin

Cool rice a little. Cover bamboo sushi mat with plastic wrap (this is the only way I can keep my mat clean!). Place 1 untoasted nori sheet on mat. Place some rice on nori sheet. Add long narrow slices of avocado. Wet nori end with some water. Roll. Cut with a clean sharp knife. Serve with nama shoyu.

Resources:
Make My Sushi and Sushi University

Coconut Snowballs

2010-04-21T08:23:00.000-07:00

I really enjoy Sarma Melngailis' book Living Raw Food. I love her outlook on food. She is not strict raw herself and neither are her chefs in her restaurant - yet her mission is to introduce people to raw food and hope that they enjoy it. I was lucky enough to eat at Pure Foods and Wine for my last birthday and delighted in her raw Peppermint-Cacao Ice Cream (the recipe is in her book). It was the most delicious chocolate mint ice cream I have ever eaten - raw or otherwise. For the next month after that, I enjoyed my own quick version at home: cashew butter, coconut oil, raw chocolate, honey, mint leaves, sea salt and a little water. Yum.

I recently tried her Coconut Snowballs. They taste like a mix of marzipan and/or condensed milk - and therefore, a hit with kids as well. I love raw sweets because they are nutritious and satisfy your sweet tooth at the same time. I have adapted the recipe as we prefer to use honey instead of agave syrup, because honey in its raw form is high in enzymes, contains minerals and helps our immune system. Agave syrup, like maple syrup, is a cooked sweetener, which despite its preparation is consumed by a lot of raw foodies. Raw local honey is a better option, in my opinion.

Process until finely ground in food processor:
2 cups Brazil nuts, soaked overnight and drained
Add and process until you have a thick sticky dough:
2 cups shredded coconut
1 cup local raw honey
1/4 cup raw coconut oil
2 tsp vanilla extract (without alcohol)
1/4 tsp sea salt
Form into balls and dip and roll in more shredded coconut. We have stored these in the freezer and we simply take it out as we wish.

Peanut Butter Anyone?

2010-04-14T11:42:00.000-07:00

"Let's go have lunch. We're having Peanut Butter Jelly sandwiches today!" I tell my son who is dilly dallying in the public toilet. My son smiles and eagerly makes his way to the exit. His friend overhears us and says exuberantly "We are having Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwiches too!!!!" He also hurries to head out for his lunch. Yes, kids love their all American PBJ! All the children in our playgroup have PBJs for lunch when we meet twice a week. But with allergies to peanuts increasing and schools banning anything with peanuts and other tree nuts, I want to know if peanut butter is healthy for those who can eat them. Am I offering my son a healthy lunch twice a week?

Mainstream Perspective

The Good:

- high in monounsaturated fat

- high in polyphenols and antioxidants

- high in Vitamins A, C, E

- helps prevent cholesterol, Type 2 diabetes, lose weight

- more from World's Healthiest Foods: Peanuts

Ayurveda Perspective

In Ayurveda, organic peanuts in their shells are considered a nutritious food especially for Vata types (characteristics of Vata children: thin, dry skin, gassy, difficulty gaining weight). It is particularly helpful to eat them when one is weak, when getting better from an illness, for cleaning out the red blood cells, for skin diseases, for diabetes and during lactation. It must be avoided however if there is any allergy, congestion, autoimmune disorder, yeast infection and cancer. Peanut butter is considered too heavy and oily for Kapha types (characteristics of Kapha children: thick lustrous hair, fair/pale complexion, oily skin, gains weight easily, slower in movement than other kids). Is my child Vata, Pitta or Kapha type?

Natural Health/Alternative Perspective

The Bad: from Mercola

- one of the most pesticide laden foods

- heavy in omega 6, which distorts the proper omega 3:6 ratio

- often contaminated with carcinogen aflatoxin

What to do? also from Mercola

- buy organic (pesticide free)

- throw top oil out and stir in olive oil or macadamia nut oil instead (so you don't distort your child's omega ratio)

- buy Arrowhead Mills Organic Peanut Butter. (They are produced with Valencia peanuts in New Mexico, where there is apparently no mold due to their dry weather conditions.)

Raw Perspective
- buy raw, organic peanuts - these can be sprouted or blended to make butter, but I hear it does not taste so good
- eat raw nut and seed butters instead, there are so many like Raw Almond Butter, Tahini, Pecan, Coconut, Macadamia, Pumpkin and Cashew. Raw Almond Butter tastes most like peanut butter. Sometimes, for children who don't particularly like the taste, they will eat it if there is some coconut and honey with it.

Raw Chocolate Fudge: one of our son's favourite snacks

Mix together:
1 tbsp raw almond butter
1 tbsp raw coconut oil
1 tbsp local organic honey
1 tbsp of raw cacao powder or carob powder

Serve with banana or other fruit.

Healthy 'Cupcakes'?

2010-04-14T02:54:00.000-07:00

We baked these after visiting a Pirate Exhibit.

Our son so enjoys baking with me and he loved decorating these.

Our son used to be singled out at birthday parties because of his allergies. All the other kids would get the standard cupcake and juice in a carton, while our son looked on suspiciously while eating something homemade his mother brought to the party. And yes, no ice cream please. Our son can now eat almost anything thanks to NAET, but we still would prefer to eat healthily. On occasion, he asks for a REAL NOT RAW cupcake or muffin.

This is the healthiest recipe I have come up with so far and one that he and my husband actually truly enjoy. I add the recipe here because it contains (click on ingredients for their benefits) sprouted flour, coconut oil, Sucanat, flax seeds and blueberries. Some people would consider this healthy. Raw foodies would seriously consider it 'junk''. I consider it healthy junk - no greens, but I don't feel guilty for serving it to my family. It's a whole lot better than having them get Krispy Kream or eating a cupcake or cereal from a box! Sometimes the middle road is easier to take, sometimes it is better in the long run - to win my son's taste buds one day at a time. What do you think?

Blueberry Muffins

Mix together in a bowl:

2 cups sprouted flour

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp sea salt

In another bowl, cream:

1/2 cup coconut oil (I think one day I'll try to substitute this with raw applesauce and see how it works)

1 cup Sucanat

Slowly add in:

2 tbsp flax seed meal mixed with 6 tbsp water (leave for 5 minutes) or if you eat eggs, 2 eggs

Add alternating with:

1/3 cup your choice of milk (rice, coconut, almond, raw milk)

and flour mixture from above

Fold in:

2 cups blueberries (or mixed berries)

Sprinkle top with Sucanat. Bake at 375F for 30-35 minutes.

Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution

2010-04-12T02:12:00.000-07:00

It is mind boggling how some people don't understand or have not learned what good, fresh foods are.

It is inspiring how others are able to educate them and change this view.

Watch Jamie Oliver try to change America's lunch fare here!

Raw Green Powder in Fruit Smoothies

2010-04-11T08:34:00.000-07:00

Sometimes we need a break from our raw Green Smoothies. So the next best thing for us is a Fruit Smoothie with some green powder. The flavor is not overpowering and the color of the smoothie does not change - so our son and my husband easily consume these fruit smoothies when they are tired of seeing pure green drinks in their glasses. We use 2 types of powders. One is Products for Life Multivitamin Formulas Perfect Food™ Raw. It is raw green powder from greens, sprouts, vegetables, with chlorophyll, trace minerals, antioxidants, enzymes and probiotics. The other is Barley Max, which is high in enzymes, essential amino acids, protein, vitamins A and E, folate, zinc, manganese and potassium. Note: we used to use another brand but it contained maltodextrin, which none of us agreed with. So check your labels!

One of our favourite fruit smoothies is the old favourite Straw-Anna. Ours is raw of course.

Puree in a Vita-Mix:

10 oz frozen organic strawberries

2 fresh organic bananas, peeled

1 - 1 1/2 cups water (depending on how thin/thick you want it)

1 - 2 tablespoons raw organic coconut butter/oil, like Artisana or Wilderness Family Naturals

1 tablespoons raw local honey

1 - 2 servings of any green powder

My husband and son love Acai drinks - but these are really 'dead'. When they crave their purple juice, I try to make Cherry Smoothies and add some green powder instead.

Blend together:
2 cups organic frozen cherries
1 cup water
1 serving raw green powder

Cholesterol Level and Raw Food

2010-04-10T03:15:00.000-07:00

So I was just curious. What would my cholesterol level be after almost a year of a mainly raw foods diet?

In 2002 it was 207. In 2003 it was 232. I just expected it to increase as I grow older. The doctors said that high cholesterol levels were normal in my family. And, if cholesterol levels are more than 200, then it is advisable to have a test every 5 years. Well, I'm 2 years late, but I am proud to announce that last night my total cholesterol level is 176 mg/dl! A decrease of over 50 mg/dl!

Wow, that makes me feel good.

Resources:

CholesTrak Home Cholesterol Test - takes about 20 minutes, is as accurate as laboratory tests and very easy to use (that is if you are not squirmy about pricking your finger)

Raw 'Taboule'

2010-04-02T08:25:00.000-07:00

I love taking this salad with us on picnics! It smells delicious and is perfect on a sunny spring day outside.

Mix together:
a bunch of parsley, chopped
a bunch of mint, chopped
a bunch of dill, chopped
a bunch of scallions, sliced
a cup or so of dried tomatoes, soaked till softened, chopped - or use fresh
a handful of raw buckwheat groats, soaked overnight, rinsed, drained and dehydrated till dry around 3-5 hours
a handful of raw pine nuts, optional
Note: the last 2 ingredients are to add some crunch because we are not using bulgur wheat in this raw recipe.

Mix dressing:
juice 1 lemon
1 teaspoon of salt
1/4 cup or more of extra virgin olive oil
some oregano

ENJOY!

Cancer Policy for Everyone - Why is it important?

2010-03-29T20:03:00.000-07:00

Did you know:

1 in 2 American Males and 1 in 3 American Females

will probably develop invasive cancer in their lifetime.

- American Cancer Society, Surveillance and Health Policy Research, 2009 -

I couldn't believe it when I heard it. 1 in 2 men. 1 in 3 women. Get cancer. My disbelief was so much that I had to look up the statistic for myself. I still cannot believe it. With facts like this, I would have thought more people would be actively doing something about it. The doctors tell us we need to exercise 5 days a week and eat more fruits and vegetables. Are they any more specific than that? Are people following this advice? And even if you do all you can to prevent it through exercise and diet, is there anything else we could do?

PREVENTION POLICY:

What happens when the thought of cancer hits home? Full scale 'war' on the possibility of the 'C' word.

Our son's hospital socks turned into puppets

Last year, we were led to the CT scan room and after a quick explanation of the procedures, our son was sedated so quickly in my arms that I wasn't prepared for it and we were asked to leave him with the unfamiliar doctors in the CT scan room. The reality of what was happening hit me - or maybe the reality of the possibilities hit me. And as my husband and I turned our back on the door, behind which our son lay asleep in the hands of strangers, my heart sank completely. I felt an absolute loss of control and the tears that I held back for the previous 3 hours in a private hospital room just gushed out in a crowded corridor. I just prayed the results would be normal.

After a few nerve racking days, the results came back: NORMAL. But I promised myself from then on that I would fight as hard as I could against any of those negative possibilities that raced through my head that day in the hospital. Knowing full well that there are risks to CT scans, I was going to prepare our son's body (and at the same time my husband's and mine) for whatever illness everybody else seems to be getting. I was going to do it in the same way we approached his homebirth - like a marathon runner preparing for a race.

As life would have it, at around the same time, my yoga teacher was in the process of writing her book, Yoga For Cancer, with a huge part dedicated to the Curative Cancer Diet. In a gist, the Curative Cancer Diet is a limited raw food diet: salads, sprouts and sweet fruits. Acidifying foods are not allowed. Any sweetener, fat and salt are also restricted in type and amount. Because of this book, I was beginning to understand the power of RAW food and the importance of FRESH vegetables and fruit in our bodies. As I read more on the subject of raw foods, I also found Gabriel Cousens' books. His work combines both the living foods diet and Ayurveda principles to create a very specific raw diet, which intrigued me.

So, I began to think: if raw food is powerful enough to heal cancer cells, then would it not benefit as a preventative diet? Yes! I decided on our new menu plan with my husband’s vote of confidence (it wouldn’t work otherwise):

For one, I had become largely raw vegan, which therefore changed most of our usual eating patterns. There were much more fresh fruit and fresh vegetables at each meal. And besides our usual unrefined, made-fresh-from-scratch everyday food, I started serving my husband and son raw green smoothies for breakfast, fresh fruits as snacks (raw applesauce is our favourite these days) and a salad a day (that they liked) along with their usual cooked vegetables. There is no way my boys would turn vegetarian, so I tried to minimize the foods that contribute to the development of cancer in one’s body (The China Study): meat, poultry, dairy and eggs (also Mad Cowboy). I added a little more fish instead and minimized any refined foods. We added more vegetarian foods (Food Revolution and Diet for a New America) and vegetables have become the main attraction of each meal – that is on days when I am an inspired cook.

Results: Well, our son does love his fruits and artichokes with dip, broccoli with garlic, roasted cauliflower, baked sweet potato, fresh tomato salad, asparagus with dressing, Japanese salad with ginger dressing, raw kale salad… That he has found a love for fruits and vegetables makes me feel we've done something right.

WHAT MORE CAN WE DO?

We decided to get a Cancer Policy for our family (thank you Sherri for that recommendation!). Children are free until they are married or in their mid-20's. Premiums don't change from the day your policy starts. And, basically it provides you with cash benefits during any potential cancer treatment. Your medical insurance pays the hospital bills, but the cancer insurance pays for living expenses when you cannot work. The most popular individual cancer policy is from Aflac. I believe they were the first company to introduce this type of policy.

WHAT ELSE?

My yoga teacher also recommends exercise, de-stressing and meditation. As a family, we exercise a couple of times a week. We love being one with nature: we go on nature walks, have lunch outdoors, play outdoors together. We talk to each other every day. We enjoy each other every day. But most of all, we love each other every day.

With 1 in 2 men and 1 in 3 women getting cancer in their lifetime – it is worth having a REAL Cancer Policy. For us this means not only an insurance policy, but a more difficult and proactive policy – that of a preventative regime.

Kale Salad

2010-03-29T19:59:00.000-07:00

I love this salad and so do all my meat-eating family and friends who come over for a meal with us. It's really delicious - not to mention easy! Maybe that's why I highly recommend Ani Phyo's books to friends interested in raw food - most of her recipes are easy and yummy. In fact, one reason I became hooked on raw food was because of this salad dressing.

Puree in blender:
2 tablespoons fresh thyme
1 clove garlic
2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 sunflower seeds, soaked overnight, rinsed and drained (if you don't have time, it will work dry too)
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1 teaspoon salt

Toss with a bunch of kale or collards.

Broccoli with Garlic

2010-03-29T19:45:00.000-07:00

Boil for 5 minutes until just tender and drain:
1 # broccoli flowers

While broccoli is cooking, simmer very gently (you don't want it to burn):
1/2 c extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon sea salt
2 cloves garlic, minced
a pinch of crushed red pepper, optional

Mix together the broccoli and the garlic oil.

* If your family likes crunchy versus soft broccoli, this is a wonderful variation: Broccoli Strascinati - the broccoli here is crunchy because it is browned all over before adding the garlic and red pepper. Word of warning, I prefer my recipe because the oil is not denatured from overcooking.

Boiled Artichokes

2010-03-29T19:38:00.000-07:00

Our son loves the heart of the artichoke.

He can eat 3 whole ones for dinner.

Chop off artichoke stem. Chop off about 1" of the top of the artichoke. With a pair of scissors, cut of the sharp tips of the artichoke leaves. Place in boiling water and simmer for about 1 hour until tender. Serve with lemon butter. Enjoy!

Resources:
How to eat an artichoke - with pictures.

Say No to Dinner in a Can

2010-03-07T17:50:00.000-08:00

Andy Warhol used themes from popular America in his Pop Art.

As this Cream of Mushroom Soup work of art suggests, dinner from a can is very popular!

I know of family recipes that are based solely on canned soups and vegetables. And growing up, I remember enjoying Pork and Beans, Corned Beef Hash and Cream of 'X' Soup. Today, I make our family's food fresh from scratch. The only canned goods I have in the pantry right now are canned tomatoes for our Easy Tomato Sauce, beans and coconut milk for curries. I now have switched to using glass bottled tomatoes during the winter months - and fresh when tomatoes are in season and I will have to try and make coconut milk from scratch.

Healthy Child Healthy World recently cited the top 10 toxic products we don't need:

1. Air fresheners

2. Drain, oven and toilet bowl cleaners

3. Canned food

4. Pesticides

5. Dry-cleaning

6. Bottled water

7. Rubber duckies

8. Couch cushions

9. Perfume and cologne

10. Oil-based paints and finishes

And yes - canned food is #3 on the list - foods that are acidic and high in fat in particular, like tomatoes and coconut - oh dear, contain high levels of BPA which leach from the epoxy lining of the can. (Yikes... thinking about tomatoes, how about bottled ketchup then? After researching, if we cannot buy it bottled in glass , we can make our own raw or cooked with bottled tomato paste or make sure that the ketchup plastic bottle we buy is not # 3, 6 or 7. )

If you are like me and worry about BPA levels, GREENS could completely block the negative effects of BPA, especially spinach and whole soy products. Our solution = GREEN SMOOTHIES! We love Green Smoothie Revolution, especially the chapter on Green Smoothies for Kids. Our son's (and my husband's) favourite green smoothies are:

1. 1 pineapple + 4 cups spinach

2. 6 pitted dates + 5 cups of lettuce + 2 cups of water

2. 1 cup strawberries + 2 bananas + 1/2 bunch romaine + 2 cups water

More recipes here.

We will now say NO to anything canned! (But we still love Andy Warhol's Campbell Soups!)

More Than An Apple A Day "Applesauce"

2010-02-27T17:43:00.000-08:00

Raw Applesauce

I hardly used to buy packaged applesauce unless I used it as a butter substitute in baking because nobody here would really eat it. And, I have tried to limit any processed foods at home. So when I read a recipe for raw applesauce, I just turned the page of the recipe book. But last week, we had just too many apples leftover and I didn't want them to go to waste. I made RAW applesauce for myself, but served my son and husband some. Well, they loved it! Best of all, their bowls came back to me empty. They have both asked to have some more since. I am glad because I know I'm giving them more than a day's worth of apples to keep the doctor away!

This recipe is adapted from Living On Live Food:

4 apples, seeded and chopped (no need to peel - love this part because I'm not wasting time or fruit)

2 tablespoons raw honey

1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

just enough water to enable you to puree well

Place all in a food processor (I use our Vita-mix) and process till smooth. YUM!!!

Food = Power

2010-01-29T12:50:00.000-08:00

While I am a vegan, my husband and son are not - but I try to cook 2 vegan or vegetarian meals for them out of 3 each day. I make sure we enjoy green smoothies each morning and a delicious vegetable dish at each meal. Most of our meals are cooked fresh from scratch and while I work in the kitchen - sometimes happily, sometimes hurriedly - my only wish for all my trouble is for my family's health. But as I read more about changing diets in our world today, I realise that there are other bonuses: a more vegetarian diet does a lot of good for the health of the earth and for the health of others.

Our Son's Favourite Salad (click here for recipe)

We love that our son has a favourite salad!

We use grapeseed oil, maple syrup and no added salt or pepper in this simple and quick Japanese dressing.

Others Use Food To Control Us

We were on a long haul plane trip and a stewardess stops by our row, smiles at my 3 year old son, looks at the banana and grapes on his table and whispers secretively to him but loud enough for me to hear: "Don't tell your mum, but I'm bringing you 2 bags of crisps and a big fat cheese roll. It will be our little secret, ok?"

In my mind I was shouting: "Excuse me!" (It almost reminded me of the time my grandmother served us cake for breakfast because CAKE IS HEALTHY!) There were 4 big problems with this stewardess and this scenario: 1. her underhanded manner, 2. this is exactly why so many children are unhealthy these days, 3. she was assuming it was OK by my son, and 4. she was assuming it was OK by his parents. But instead of reacting to her, in a rare Zen moment I just let it go.

The stewardess returned and playfully displayed the 2 bags of crisps and 2 cheese rolls in front of my son's face: "Which one would you like, sweetie? Mmmmm... yummy!". I grit my teeth. My young son looked at the junk food and then looked at her in the eye and shook his head. He firmly said, "No. Do you have some grapes?" The stewardess was taken aback and really looked quite hurt. She left with the crisps but placed the cheese rolls on the table. My son continued to eat all the bananas and grapes on his table and left the cheese rolls untouched. Needless to say, I was ecstatic! This 'food challenge' experience made me realise that our son can hold his own. It also affirmed the importance of education at home.

We All Can Control Our Own Food Intake To Help Others and The Earth in A Big Way

I usually sift through Forbes magazine quickly, but last November an article called Drop That Burger caught my eye. The article gave reasons why Patrick O. Brown, a Stanford University Biochemist, a member of the National Academy of Sciences, an investigator of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute and a vegan, wants to eliminate animal farming on planet earth. He "notes that while livestock accounts for only 9% of human-caused carbon dioxide emissions, it accounts for 37% of human-caused methane (most of it emanating from the animals' digestive systems) and 65% of human-caused nitrous oxide, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Both are far better at trapping heat than carbon dioxide, meaning that cows, chickens and their ilk have a larger greenhouse effect than all the cars, trucks and planes in the world." In addition, a well-known economist and professor at London School Economics, Lord Stern, suggests we could fight global warming by changing our diet into a more vegetarian one.

A few months later, I picked up The Futurist magazine (click here for subscription) and was engrossed by the article called How To Feed 8 Billion People. It discusses record global grain shortages and how we can all manage these now limited resources: "Shifting to less grain-intensive forms of animal protein such as poultry or certain types of fish can also reduce pressure on the earth's land and water resources... When considering how much animal protein to consume, it is useful to distinguish between grass-fed and grain-fed products... If we cannot quickly cut carbon emissions, the world will face crop-shrinking heat waves that can massively and unpredictably reduce harvests. A hotter world will mean melting ice sheets, rising sea levels, and the inundation of the highly productive rice-growing river deltas of Asia. The loss of glaciers in the Himalayas and on the Tibetan Plateau will shrink wheat and rice harvests in both India and China, the world's most populous countries. Both are already facing water shortages driven by aquifer depletion and melting glaciers...Since hunger is almost always the result of poverty, eradicating hunger depends on eradicating poverty... If we are living high on the food-consumption chain, we can move down, improving our health while helping to stabilize climate. Food security is something in which we all have a stake -- and a responsibility."

I hope in my small way I am really improving my family's health and thereby helping others too.

The Basics of Food for Cancer

2009-12-06T23:48:00.000-08:00

The raw food diet for cancer patients is not the same as any raw vegan diet. The raw food diet for cancer patients is more restricted and limited. The recommended curative diet by Bijoylaxmi Hota in Yoga for Cancer basically consists mainly of raw vegetable salads and sprouts. Fat is used sparingly and, if used, is limited to two types. Any sweetener and salt is also restricted in type and amount. And acidifying foods are not allowed at all. With these limitations in mind, I created recipes which are presented in Yoga for Cancer.

The China Study

2009-10-05T17:58:00.000-07:00

Despite its reputation for pies, BBQ pork, lard and fried foods,
the South is a great place for local and organic fresh produce!
The China Study diet is possible anywhere!

I was disappointed with the book called Catching Fire: How Cooking Made Us Human and I now know why after reading The China Study (click here for book). A deeper discussion in Catching Fire about the unhealthiness of human beings today was missing. Such a discussion and more importantly proof that even if 'cooking made us human', what we eat today has led us to numerous diseases. In The China Study, we are introduced to, as the New York Times called, "the most comprehensive large study ever undertaken of the relationship between diet and the risk of developing disease". In his book, Dr. T. Colin Campbell clearly states that certain foods cause certain diseases and he suggests a proper diet and nutrition for all.

Although I am a raw vegan, my family still wants to eat meat, poultry, dairy and eggs. Although I buy organic, grass-fed, no antibiotics/hormones, no rGBH, free range, etc... for them, according to The China Study this makes little difference as the animal-based proteins are the cause for many diseases. Furthermore, diseases like cancer can actually be turned off and on according to how much animal-based proteins one consumes! Not the only book out there, but certainly a relatively new book and with hefty credentials, The China Study gives me the scientific proof I need to work on my family's diet and persuade them why there is a healthier way to eat. As Dr. Campbell quotes Hippocrates: There are, in effect, two things: to know and to believe one knows. To know is science. To believe one knows is ignorance. One would think everyone would prefer to know and act on what they know.

Did you know that half of Americans have health problems that require taking a prescription drug every week and that authors of a major review on diet and cancer, prepared for the

U.S.

congress in 1981, estimated that genetics only determines about 2 – 3% of the total cancer risk? WOW - anyway, read on please... this information is astounding.

Some excerpts from the book:

… you deserve to know that many of the common notions you have been told about food, health and disease are wrong:

- Synthetic chemicals in the environment and in your food, as problematic as they may be, are not the main cause of cancer.

- The genes that you inherit from your parents are not the most important factors in determining whether you fall prey to any of the ten leading causes of death.

- The hope that genetic research will eventually lead to drug cures for diseases ignores more powerful solutions that can be employed today.

- Obsessively controlling your intake of any one nutrient, such as carbohydrates, fat, cholesterol or omega-3 fats, will not result in long-term health.

- Vitamins and nutrient supplements do not give you long-term protection against disease.

- Drugs and surgery don’t cure the diseases that kill most Americans

- Your doctor probably does not know what you need to do to be the healthiest you can be.

There are over 750 references in this book, and the vast majority of them are primary sources of information, including hundreds of scientific publications from other researchers that point the way to less cancer, less heart disease, fewer strokes, less obesity, less diabetes, less autoimmune disease, less osteoporosis, less Alzheimer’s, less kidney stones and less blindness.

Some of the findings, published in the most reputable scientific journals, show that:

- Dietary change can enable diabetic patients to go off their medication.

- Heart disease can be reversed with diet alone.

- Breast cancer is related to levels of female hormones in the blood, which are determined by the foods we eat.

- Consuming dairy foods can increase the risk of prostrate cancer.

- Antioxidants, found in fruits and vegetables, are linked to better mental performance in old age.

- Kidney stones can be prevented by a healthy diet.

- Type 1 diabetes, one of the most devastating diseases that can befall a child, is convincingly linked to infant feeding practices.

(Solutions to) these issues all come down to three things: breakfast, lunch and dinner.

It was widely thought that much of the childhood malnutrition in the world was caused by a lack of protein, especially from animal based foods. Universities and governments around the world were working to alleviate a perceived “protein gap” in the developing world.

... In this (Philippine) project, however, I uncovered a dark secret. Children who ate the highest-protein diets were the ones most likely to get liver cancer! They were the children of the wealthiest families.

I then noticed a research report from India… Indian researchers had studied two groups of rats. In one group, they administered the cancer-causing aflatoxin, then fed a diet that was composed of 20% protein, a level near what many of us consume in the West. In the other group, they administered the same amount of aflatoxin, but then fed a diet that was only composed of 5% protein. Incredibly, every single animal that consumed the 20% protein diet had evidence of liver cancer, and every single animal that consumed a 5% protein diet avoided liver cancer. It was a 100 to 0 score, leaving no doubt that nutrition trumped chemical carcinogens, even very potent carcinogens, in controlling cancer.

… I decided to start an in-depth laboratory program that would investigate the role of nutrition, especially protein, in the development of cancer… What we found was shocking. Low-protein diets inhibited the initiation of cancer by aflatoxin, regardless of how much of this carcinogen was administered to these animals. After cancer initiation was completed, low-protein diets also dramatically blocked subsequent cancer growth. In other words, the cancer-producing effects of this highly carcinogenic chemical were rendered insignificant by a low-protein diet. In fact, dietary protein proved to be so powerful in ts effect that we could turn on and turn off cancer growth simply by changing the level consumed.

…But that’s not all… What protein consistently and strongly promoted cancer? Casein, which makes up 87% of cow’s milk protein, promoted all stages of the cancer process. What type of protein did not promote cancer, even at high levels of intake? The safe proteins were from plants, including wheat and soy.

… people who ate the most animal-based foods got the most chronic disease. Even relatively small intakes of animal-based food were associated with adverse effects. People who ate the most plant-based foods were the healthiest and tended to avoid chronic disease… The findings are consistent.

So, what is my prescription for good health? In short, it is about the multiple health benefits of consuming plant-based foods, and the largely unappreciated health dangers of consuming animal-based foods, including all types of meat, dairy and eggs.

One of the more exciting benefits of good nutrition is the prevention of diseases that are thought to be due to genetic predisposition. WE now know that we can largely avoid these “genetic” diseases even though we may harbor the gene (or genes) that is (are) responsible for the disease.

… Furthermore, a pattern was beginning to emerge: nutrients from animal-based foods increased tumor development while nutrients from plant-based foods decreased tumor development.

…despite any short-term caloric restriction regimes we may follow, our body, through many mechanisms, will ultimately choose how many calories to take in and what to do with them. Our attempts to limit calorie intake is short-lived and imprecise, whether we do it by limiting carbohydrates or fat.

… But what if you want to become bigger? A desire to be as big as possible is pervasive in most cultures… Body size seems to be a mark of prowess, manliness and dominance.

Most people think they can be bigger and stronger by eating protein-rich animal-based foods. This belief stems from the idea that consuming protein (aka meat) is needed for physical power. This has been a common notion the world over for a long time… There is, however, a problem with the idea that consuming animal-based foods is a good way of becoming bigger. The people who eat the most animal protein have the most heart disease, cancer and diabetes… Furthermore, body weight, associated with animal protein intake, was associated with more cancer and more coronary heart disease. It seems that being bigger, and presumably better, comes with very high costs. But might it be possible for us to achieve our full growth potential, while simultaneously minimizing disease risk?

Childhood growth rates were not measured in the China Study but adult height and weight were. This information proved surprising. Consuming more protein was associated with greater body size (for men and women). However, this effect was primarily attributed to plant protein, because it makes up 90% of the total Chinese protein intake… But the good news is this: Greater plant protein intake was closely linked to greater height and body weight. Body growth is linked to protein in general and both animal and plant proteins were effective!

… So why is it that people in developing nations, who consume little or no animal-based foods, are consistently smaller than Western people? This is because…of… insufficient variety, inadequate quantity and quality and are associated with poor public health conditions…

So there is a solution to the weight-gain problem. But how can you apply it to your own life?

First of all, throw away ideas about counting calories… Secondly… feeling hungry is a sign that something is wrong, and prolonged hunger causes your body to slow the overall rate of metabolism in defense. Moreover, there are mechanisms in our bodies that naturally allow the right kind of plant-based foods to nourish us, without our having to think about every morsel of food we put in our mouths. It is a worry free way to eat. Give your body the right food and it will do the right thing… studies document the fact that vegetarians consume the same amount or even significantly more calories than their meat-eating counterparts, and yet are still slimmer.

A plant-based diet operates on calorie balance to keep body weight under control in two ways. First, it discharges calories as body heat instead of storing them as body fat… Second, a plant-based diet encourages more physical activity. And, as body weight goes down, it becomes easier to be physically active.

~ ~ ~

Eating Right: Eight Principles of Food Health

#1 Nutrition represents the combined activities of countless food substances. The whole is greater than the sum of its parts.

#2 Vitamin supplements are not a panacea for good health. (Except daily B12 supplements for vegetarians and vitamin D for those who spend most time indoors or live in the northern climates.)

#3 There are virtually no nutrients in animal-based foods that are not better provided by plants.

#4 Genes do not determine disease on their own. Genes function only by being activated, or expressed, and nutrition plays a critical role in determining which gens, good and bad, are expressed.

#5 Nutrition can substantially control the adverse effects of noxious chemicals.

#6 The same nutrition that prevents disease in its early stages (before diagnosis) can also halt or reverse disease in its later stages (after diagnosis)

#7 Nutrition that is truly beneficial for one chronic disease will support health across the board.

#8 Good nutrition creates health in all areas of our existence. All parts are interconnected.

Eat All You Want (While Getting Lots of Variety) of Any Whole, Unrefined Plant-Based Food: FRUITS, VEGETABLES (including flowers, stems and leaves, roots, legumes, mushrooms, nuts) and WHOLE GRAINS.

Minimize: refined carbohydrates, added vegetable oils, fish.

Avoid: meat, poultry, dairy and eggs.

Cooking Made Us Human?

2009-09-25T12:42:00.000-07:00

I recently read a book Catching Fire: How Cooking Made Us Human by Richard Wrangham. It was an interesting read in that Wrangham vehemently opposes the raw living food diet. I was disappointed with the book however. I thought it would veer me to 'the other side' and I would toss my raw food diet up in the air - instead I found it lacked some 'oomph'. I am not a doctor - but here are my common sense thoughts:

1. He agrees that people need to eat whole, unprocessed foods. What are the best whole unprocessed foods? RAW organic food!!!

2. He agrees that cooking itself has evolved into an unhealthy passion for many human beings causing obesity and other greater health issues - not to mention I think children and pets are also suffering the same ills. Why? Because they are consuming foods that are genetically modified, foods that the body cannot recognize like high fructose corn syrup, foods that are so far removed from their natural state through... COOKING! So how can humans begin to get healthy again? Add more raw foods into their diet! Look at #1!

3. He does not take into account that the environment we live in has also evolved - so we too must evolve! There are so many toxins today - pollution, pesticides in our food, allergies in children have risen, countless vaccinations are bodies have to adjust to, so many people are suffering from degenerative diseases such as cancer... How to we help are body detoxify? Raw living food! Look at #1!

4. If cooking includes pasteurization and canning - then we must all look into the Pottinger Cat Experiment. By the 4th generation, cats who consumed pasteurized and canned milk had difficulty reproducing and had many health issues (versus cats who ate raw meat or drank raw milk). Aren't we now the 4th generation of human beings that have had the pleasure of cooking and consuming pasteurized food? And aren't a lot of young human beings having fertility issues today - which in Ayurveda is a sign of an unhealthy person? How do we reverse this trend? Go back to #1!

I am not against cooking - I cook for my family. His scientific research is interesting - but it does not convince me that we are 'humans' because we cook, that we are better animals for eating cooked food. What I find upsetting about the book is that it criticises the raw food movement without giving it decent credit. It does not discuss the possibility of adding more raw into one's diet. Sure there are people who are 100% raw - but there are also others who are 80% raw or 50% raw who are very healthy human beings. The book also does not discuss studies of people who have cured themselves of illness through the raw diet. The raw food diet can do a lot of good for people who are suffering from degenerative diseases, for people who need to detoxify, for people who suffer from multiple allergies, for people who want to boost their immune system... and the list can go on. Of course, these would not support Wrangham's hypothesis - but perhaps it would have given us a better understanding of the way we eat. If cooking helped evolve us into 'humans' - then eating RAW (or adding more raw into our diets) will help us get our health back. And we need our health for without it, we would not be.

Why Spend On Food?

2009-08-26T18:03:00.000-07:00

Raw Sushi made with parsnip 'rice', recipe from the fantastic Get Fresh! Magazine

This evening, our 2 year old son asked for and finished

a whole bowl of salad with carrot-ginger dressing!

Someone told me the other day that she believes it is the Mother who holds the family in the palm of her hand. When the mother educates herself on making wiser health choices, it spills over to the rest of the family. What she forgot to mention was that it spills over to the rest of the world too. 4 months as a raw vegan and I still clearly see the reasons behind it: for my health, for the health of my family and friends, for the health of the environment. Although only 1 friend is now as passionate as I am about raw foods, I cannot count with my 10 fingers alone the diets I, my husband and my son have changed. Family and friends have increased their raw food intake, are making and drinking fresh green smoothies or juices daily and supplementing with barley and green powder (Amazing Superfood or the raw BarleyMax). We hope they have felt the difference by changing their diets.

The only down side to adding more organic vegetables and fruits into your diet is the price you pay at your grocer's. From Getting Real About the High Price of Cheap Food:

"A study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that a dollar could buy 1,200 calories of potato chips or 875 calories of soda but just 250 calories of vegetables or 170 calories of fresh fruit. With the backing of the government, farmers are producing more calories — some 500 more per person per day since the 1970s — but too many are unhealthy calories. Given that, it's no surprise we're so fat; it simply costs too much to be thin."

But isn't our health worth the price?

I Can Have My Cake And Eat It Too!!!

2009-08-04T18:12:00.000-07:00

There are just some days I crave for chocolate. Last week, I was just in the mood for chocolate cake. Ani Phyo's new cookbook boasted a beautiful chocolate cake slice. I just had to have it. I quickly looked at the ingredients... WOW! Walnuts, Medjool dates, avocado, raspberries, honey and cacao powder - can a cake be any healthier? In less than 30 minutes, I had my cake. Not only was it beautiful to look at, but it tasted great. A friend came over for a visit. He eats mainstream food, but asked for 2 servings of my raw chocolate cake. We topped it with either Mango Sorbet (2 cups frozen fresh mango, 1/3 cup raw honey and 1 cup water pureed) or Strawberry Sauce (2 cups fresh strawberries pureed with 1/2 cup honey) - it was delicious! Here's the recipe!

The Cake:
3 cups dry walnuts
2/3 cup raw cacao powder
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1 c pitted Medjool dates
In the food processor, mix walnuts, cacao and salt together until coarsley mixed. Add dates and mix well. The consistency has to be moist enough to hold. Make 2 cakes (I used my 4" cake pans).

The Frosting:
1/3 cup pitted Medjool dates
1/4 cup honey (or agave syrup)
1 medium avocado, flesh only
1/3 cup cacao powder
Combine dates and honey in processor until smooth. Add avocado and mix until smooth. Add cacao powder finally and process until smooth.

Filling
1/2 cup raspberries

Frost top of one of the cakes and top with raspberries. Stack second cake on top and frost top and sides. Cake will keep for up to 3 days.

Not Our Beef!

2009-06-11T17:45:00.000-07:00

We had our friends Peter and Stacey over for the weekend. And although I am very much a raw vegan these days, my family is only partially. My husband and son love Marzella Hazan's Spaghetti Bolognese and I was going to actually make it (why??? I ask myself now. Oh yeah, to make them happy... then I woke up). We buy either the grass fed beef at the health shop or we buy Greenwise products at Publix - but after reading the first page of Mad Cowboy : Plain Truth From The Cattle Rancher Who Won't Eat Meat (buy book here) by Howard F. Lyman, I suddenly did not have the energy to cook it... so everyone ate raw Marinara and raw Alfredo sauces instead. I don't know if they liked it - but at least I felt guiltless about poisoning their bodies.

All I have the energy for these days is reading up on vegetarian options for my boys who love beef. I had my husband read the same first page of Mad Cowboy and when I asked him what he wanted me to buy at the grocery for next week's meals, he said: 'tofu, not chicekn just eggs...' I turned around to write my grocery list with a very big smile on my face - it's a start.

Some excerpts:

I am a fourth-generation dairy farmer and cattle rancer. I grew up on a dairy farm in Montana, and I ran a feedlot operation there for twenty years. I know firsthand how cattle are raised and how meat is produced in this country.
Today I am president of the International Vegetarian Union...
If you're a meat-eater in America, you have a right to know that you have something in common with most of the cows you've eaten. They've eaten meat, too.
When a cow is slaughtered, about half of it by weight is not eaten by humans: the intestines and their contents, the head, hooves, and horns, as well as bones and blood. These are dumped into giant grinders at rendering plants, as are the entire bodies of cows and other farm animals known to be diseased. Rendering is a $2.4-billion-a-year industry, processing forty billion pounds of dead animals a year. There is simply no such thing in America as an animal too ravaged by disease, too cancerous, or too putrid to be welcomed by the all-embracing arms of the renderer. Another staple of the renderer's diet, in addition to farm animals, is euthanized pets - the six or seven million dogs and cats that are killed in animal shelters every year... Added to the blend are the euthanized catch of animal control agencies, and roadkill... When this gruesome mix is ground and steam-cooked, the lighter, fatty material floating to the top gets refined for use in such products as cosmetics, lubricants, soaps, candles and waxes. The heavier protein material is dried and pulverized into a brown powder - about a quarter of which consists of fecal material. The powder is used as an additive to almost all pet food as well as to livestock feed. Farmers call it "protein concentrates"...
In August 1997, in response to growing concern about... Mad Cow disease, the FDA issued a new regulation that bans the feeding of ruminant protein (protein from cud-chewing animals) to ruminants; therefore, to the extent that the regulation is actually enforced, cattle are no longer quite the cannibals that we had made them into. They are no longer eating solid parts of other cattle, or sheep, or goats. They still much, however, on ground-up dead horses, dogs, cats, pigs, chickens and turkeys, as well as blood and fecal material of their own species and that of chickens. About 75% of the ninety million beef cattle in America are routinely given feed that has been 'enriched' with rendered animal parts.

Nearly all meat in America is contaminated with such man-made carcinogens as dioxins, a family of chemicals related to Agent Orange, and DDT, the notorious chemical that was banned domestically over 25 yeras ago but that remains in the ground (and will remain there, unfortunately, for thousands of years to come) and therefore in the crops fed to animals. Crops grown for cattle feed are permitted, and almost always do, contain far higher levels of pesticides than crops grown for human consumption. About 80% of pesticides used in America are targeted on 4 specific crops - corn, soybeans, cotton and wheat - that are the major constituents of livestock feed. Since animals store pesticides and other toxic substances in their fat, they get their most concentrated doses of these carcinogens when they eat other animals. And we in turn get even more concentrated doses of carcinogens when we eat them.

Many people concerned about the health risks of a meat-based diet have adopted the half-measure of cutting down on red meat and eating more chicken and fish... Unfortunately for them, chicken and fish are not plants, and they are not health foods. It is not even clear that they are lesser evils than read meat... Substituting chicken and fish for red meat will not help you avoid any of the health risks associated with the meat of mammals. It will not save you from heart disease, strokes, diabetes, cancer, high blood pressure, or osteoporosis. Chicken and fish will in fact contribute to the danger of developing those conditions... A 3.5 oz serving of beef contains 85 mg of cholesterol. The same size serving of chicken (white meat, skinned) also has 85 mg of cholesterol. With equivalent servings of pork, trout, and turkey, you can clog your arteries with 90, 73 and 82 mg of cholesterol, respectively.

What fish does have that those other foods don't are high cholesterol content and a wide assortment of such chemical toxins as mercury, lead, pesticides and PCBs. The municipal wastes and agricultural chemicals that we flush into our waters become absorbed in the tissues of fish and shellfish and thus into most of the items on the menu at your favourite seafood restaurant. The Consumer Reports study found PCBs in 43% of salmon and 25% of swordfish. Catfish had significant levels of DDT, clams had high levels of lead, and 90% of swordfish contained mercury. The study concluded that for "pregnant women or women who expect to become pregnant, there's little choice by to avoid many popular types of fish. Salmon, swordfish, and lake whitefish may well contain polycholorinated biphenyls... which can accumulated in the body to the point where they pose a risk to the developing fetus."

Just as the tobacco industry survives by keeping millions of people addicted to its murderous product, which it until recently claimed was harmless, so the meat and dairy industries thrive by keeping the general population too confused or misinformed to change their destructive eating habits.

In Silent Spring by Rachel Carson: "This pollution is for the most part irrecoverable; the chain of evil it initiates not only in the world that must support life but in living tissues is for the most part irreversible."

When the dairy farmers were confronted with the fact that rBGH was overstraining and destroying their cow herds, an ingenious solution was found: create super cows. Feed them a diet rich in protein from animal sources - such as ground-up dead cows.

A study at Ohio State University comparing various types of meat with various types of plant foods found that even the least efficient plant food is nearly ten times as efficient as the most efficient animal food. There is almost always an unseen pollution cost to the production of energy. Lowering the energy requirements of our nutrition would thus help us reduce our dependence on foreign oil and nuclear power plants.

We often hear about water shortages in areas such as Southern California, where citizens are recurrently requested not to wash their cars, not to overwater their lawns and to use low-flow showers and toilets. Good ideas, all. But you never hear city, county or state governments combating drought by urging their citizens to cut down on meat consumption, even though the water required to produce just 10 pounds of steak equals the water consumption of the average househould for a year.... Well, you may say, so much for grain-fed beef. Clearly the environmental and energy costs of growing sixteen pounds of grain to get one pound of beef are luxuries humanity can no longer afford. But what about steers that are fed more naturally on grass, not grain...?

Ranch-raised beef is probably even more environmentally destructive than feedlot beef, though from the Earth's point of view, that's little like comparing Hitler to Stalin... Public lands ranching... results in extraordinary destruction of native vegetation and wildlife, causes widespread flooding, soil erosion and water pollution, costs the American treasury $1 billion or more annually - and produces only 3 % of American beef!

The bovine is truly a formidable and resourceful killer in the disguise of an innocent, melancholy, big-eyed grass-eater. All kinds of animals have suffered under its domination of the West. Rabbits are endangered by the lack of vegetative cover for shelter and food; frogs, toads and insects miss the rich, moist soil that livestock have dried and hardened; wild pigs are deprived of grasses, nuts and berries; fish go belly-up in the cow-polluted streams and rivers; elk and antelope perish from diseases borne by livestock-spread bacteria; people get heart attacks, diabetes and cancer.

Make no mistake: there are other factors that aggravate flooding. Logging, mining, road-building, and overdevelopment certainly play their part. But nothing compares in impact with the widespread crew-cutting of the earth by cattle.

...humans were meant to be meat-eaters, some plead. We evolved as hunters. We have canine teeth. You can't fight Nature - we have blood lust.
The reality, thankfully, is otherwise. We are not inexplicably doomed by Nature to a diet that destroys our bodies. Evolution created many carnivores, such as the lion, dog, wolf, and cat. They all have a short digestive system, roughly 3 times the length of their bodies, to facilitate the speedy removal of decaying flesh, which can poison the bloodstream if it lingers too long in the body. Carnivores also differ from herbivores in having acidic saliva and stomachs with large amounts of hydrochloric acid-useful in digesting flesh and bones. Animals that hunt at night and sleep by day don't need sweat glands and so don't perspire through their skin; instead, they sweat through their tongues. And carnivores of course have claws, powerful jaws, and long, sharp 'canine' teeth to tear living flesh. They do not possess molars needed for grinding their food, or the enzyme ptyalin for predigesting grain...
Plutarch... pointed out that man "has no curved beak, no sharp talons or claws, no pointed teeth... on the contrary, by the smoothness of his teeth, the small capacity of his mouth, the softness of his tongue and the sluggishness of his digestive system, Nature sternly forbids him to feed on flesh."

How Toxic Can Food Be?

2009-06-03T12:58:00.000-07:00

Let Thy Food Be Thy Medicine,
And Medicine Thy Food.
- Hippocrates -

Having studied Ayurveda Nutrition, I am fully aware that foods we consume must be in the form our bodies readily accept them - organic, chemically free, non-genetically modified and REAL not powdered/boxed/bottled). If we consume too many boxed, powdered, bottled or 'dead' foods, our body turns these into toxins as our enzymes are not able to break them down and assimilate them into energy. Instead, they putrefy in the body, create toxins that fill our system and search for weak spots in our body. Once they find a weak organ, the toxins infiltrate cells there, which is how degenerative diseases begin. Once a symptom shows up, it is too late to reverse the destruction on the body.

Last year, I read a Wall Street Journal article that cattle were being fed factory 'junk' like Hersheys, cereal full of sugar, cookies, licorice, and tater tots as the price of corn rose. And as we all know, it is already unnatural for cows to eat corn, and now they were beginning to eat junk food too. Little did I know, there were other foreign matter in the feed (read below). Worst of all, people readily buy, prepare and feed toxin filled beef to themselves and their loved ones. This creates a bigger problem for human health - eating toxic meat that will only cause disease. It boggles my mind to think what FOOD has come to - our most basic need has been made so complicated.

Needless to say, we are looking forward to watching Food Inc. this sumer. What is the movie about? Click here for a summary.

While I struggle sometimes to come up with ingenious substitutes to cook and feed my beef loving husband and son, I have found more proof that I must try harder to introduce them to alternatives. I wish it were compulsory for this book to be read by everyone! Here are some eye-opening excerpts from The Food Revolution: How Your Diet Can Help Save Your Life and The World by John Robbins:

Studies indicate that vegetarians often have lower morbidity and mortality rates... Not only is mortality from coronary artery disease lower in vegetarians than in nonvegetarians, but vegetarian diets have also been successful in arresting coronary artery disease. Scientific data suggest positive relationships between a vegetarian diet and reduced risk for... obesity, coronary artery disease, hypertenstion, diabetes mellitus and some types of cancer. - American Dietic Association Position Paper on Vegetarian Diets

Drop in heart disease risk for every 1% decrease in blood cholesterol: 3-4%
Blood cholesterol levels of vegetarians compared to non-vegetarians: 14% lower
Risk of death from heart disease for vegetarians compared to nonvegetarians: 1/2
Blood cholesterol levels of vegans (vegetarians who eat no meat, eggs, or dairy products) compared to non-vegetarians: 35% lower

Vegetarians have the best diet; the have the lowest rates of coronary heart disease of any group in the country. - William Castelli

Intake of cholesterol for non-vegetarians: 300 - 500 mg/day
Intake of cholesterol for lacto-ovo vegetarians: 150 - 300 mg/day
Intake of cholesterol for vegans: 0 mg/day
Average cholesterol level in the US: 210
Average cholesterol level in US vegetarians: 161
Average cholesterol level in US vegans: 133

It is true that a small percentage of patients have a hereditary form of arteriosclerosis... but that only constitutes about 5 % of the cases. Most people (have develop heart disease) don't realy have a hereditary disease. - Michael Debakey

25 yeasr ago, the region of the world with the worst heart disease problem was North Karelia, in Eastern Finland. Today, the region of the world with the fastest dropping rates of heart disease is the very same North Karelia. What happened? The area adopted a "get fit" program, based on reducing cholesterol and smoking through government-sponsored media campaigns, labeling meats and other foods as to their saturated fat and cholesterol levels, and converting farms that had been producing animal products to growing vitamin-rich fruits and vegetables. How much difference did it make? In the past 25 years, heart disease deaths in North Karelia have been reduced by an astonishing 65%.

Most common problem for which people go to doctors in the US: high blood pressure
Ideal blood pressure: 110/70 or less without medication
Average blood pressure of vegetarians: 112/69
Average blood pressure of non-vegetarians: 121/77
Incidence of high blood pressure in meat eaters compared to vegetarians: nearly triple
Incidence of very high blood pressure in meat eaters compared to vegetarians: 13 x higher
Patients with high blood pressure who achieve substantial improvement by switching to a vegetarian diet: 30 - 75%
What patients are typically told when prescribed medications for high blood pressure: You'll probably need to take these for the rest of your life.
Patients with high blood pressure who are able to completely discontinue use of medications after adopting a low-sodium, low-fat, high-fiber vegetarian diet: 58%
Incidence of high blood pressure among senior citizens in US: more than 50%
Incidence of high blood pressure among senior citizens in countries eating traditional low-fat plant based diets: virtually none

Eating healthfully raises your odds of being well. It greatly reduces your risk of many diseases, and it opens the door to experiencing new levels of joy and passion and purpose in your body. But it can not guarantee that you won't become ill....

Now some people scoff at vegetarians, but they have only 40% of our cancer rate. They outlive us. On average they outlive other men by about 6 years now. - William Castelli

Death rate from breast cancer in the US: 22.4/100,000
Death rate from breast cancer in Japan: 6.3/100,000
Death rate from breast cancer in China: 4.6/100,000
People in Japan and China eat more fruits and vegetables, les animal products, weigh less, drink less alcohol, and get more exercise than people in US.

Most common cause of cancer mortality worldwide: lung cancer
Impact of risk of lung cancer for people who frequently eat green, orange and yellow vegetables: 20 - 60 %
The vegetable with the strongest protective effect: carrot
Impact on risk of lung cancer among people who consume a lot of apples, bananas and grapes: 40%
Rate of lung cancer in British vegetarian men compared to the general British population: 27%
Rate of lung cancer in British vegetarian women compared to the general British population: 37%

A low-fat plant-based diet would not only lower the heart attack rate about 85%, but would lower the cancer rate 60%. - William Castelli

Most common cancer among American men: prostate cancer
Risk of prostate cancer for men who consume high amounts of dairy products: 70% increase
Risk of prostate cancer for men who consume soy milk daily: 70% reduction
Risk of prostate cancer for men with low blood levels of beta-carotene: 45% increase
Best sources of beta-carotene: carrots, sweet potatoes, yams
Risk of prostate cancer for men whose diet is abundant with lycopene-rich foods: 45% reduction
Best sources of lycopene: tomatoes
Amount of beta-carotene and lycopene in meats, dairy products and eggs: none
Risk of prostate cancer for men whose intake of cruciferous vegetables is high: 41% reduction

If you step back and look at the data (on beef and cancer), the optimum amount of red meat you eat should be zero. - Walter Willett

Risk of colon cancer for women who eat red meat daily compared to those who eat it less than once a month: 250% greater
Risk of colon cancer for people who eat red meat once a week compared to those who abstain: 38% greater
Risk of colon cancer for people who eat poultry once a wek compared to those who abstain: 55% greater
Risk of colon cancer for people who eat poultry four times a week compared to those who abstain: 200 - 300 % greater
Risk of colon cancer for people who eat beans, peas or lentils at least 2x a week compared to people who avoid these foods: 50% lower
Impact on risk for colon cancer when diets are rich in the B vitamin folic acid: 75% lower

5 - 10 % of all cancers are caused by inherited genetic mutations. By contrast, 70 - 80% have been linked to (diet and other) behavioral factors. - Karen Emmons

The beef industry has contributed to more more deaths than all the wars of this century, all natural disasters, and all automobile accidents combined. If beef is your idea of 'real food for real people', you'd better live real close to a real good hospital. - Neal Barnard

Obesity rate among the US general population: 18%
Obesity rate among vegetarians: 6%
Obesity rate among vegans: 2%
Average weight of vegan adults compared to non-vegetarian adults: 10 - 20 pounds lighter
US children who are overweight or obese: 25%
US vegetarian children who are overweight or obese: 8%
US children who eat the recomended levels of fruits, vegetables and grains: 1%
US vegan children who eat the recommended levels of fruits, vegetables and grains: 50%

Fat ina Burger King Whopper: 40 g
Fat in a Double Whopper with cheese: 67 g
Fat in the average veggie burger found in US supermarkets and natural food stores: 3 grams

Atkins and other advocates of high-protein, high-fat, low-carbohydrate diets claim: high-protein diets improve all aspects of our lives
Scientific realtiy (published in the International Journal of Obesity Related Metabolic Disorders): High-protein diets impair mental functioning

Protein in human mother's breast milk: 5% ( as % of total calories)
Human minimum protein requirement (according to WHO): 5% of total calories
US Recommended Dietary Allowance for adult protein intake: 10 % of total calories
WHO International Guidelines for optimum protein intake: 10-15% of calories

Nothing will benefit human health and increase the chances for survival of life on earth as much as the evolution to a vegetarian diet. - Albert Einstein

Some people say, well, if a vegan diet is a healthful one, and if it's in keeping with our natural relationship to the Earth, how com vitamin B12 , which is necessary for health, is only found in animal products? It's a good question, and the answer is simple.
Animal products have vitamin B12 because animals ingest plants and/or drink water that are carrying the microorganisms that produce the vitamin. Vitamin B12 is constantly being produced throughout the environment by bacteria. If you were living in the wild, as your ancestors did, you'd almost certainly get plenty of B12 in the water you drank. Nowadays, though, it is usually not safe to drink from rivers, streams and ponds, as they are often contaminated, and most of us drink water that has been chlorinated. If you were living the way your ancestors did, you'd probably be ingesting B12 along with the bits of dirt in the little grooves of your carrots, and on the peels of potatoes and other foods that didn't get absolutely clean. But today our soils have been sprayed with chemical fertilizers and pesticides, with the result that they are devoid of B12 that once was abundant.

Annual medical costs in the US directly attributable to smoking: $65 billion
Annual medical costs in the US directly attributable to meat consumption: $60-120 billion

Countries with the highest consumption of dairy products: Finland, Sweden, US, England
Countries with the highest rates of osteoporosis: Finland, Sweden, US, England
Calcium intake in rural China: 1/2 that of people in US
Bone fracture rate in rural China" 1/5 that of people in US
Foods that when eaten produce calcium loss through urinary excretion: animal protein, salt, coffee

Antibiotics allowed in US cow's milk: 80
Antibiotics found in soy milk: none
Children with chronic constipation so intractable that it can't be treated successfully by laxatives, who are cured by switching from cow's milk to soy milk: 44%
Actual number of adults worldwide who do not drink milk: 65%

Food irradiation causes a host of unnatural and sometimes unidentifiable chemicals to be formed within the irradiated foods. Our ignorance about these foreign compounds makes it simply a fraud to tell the public that 'we know' irradiated foods would be safe to eat. It is dishonorable to trick people into buying irradiated foods. - John W. Gofman

The prevalence of E. Coli 015:H7 is very low. - National Cattlemen's Beef Association
A report by the United States Department of Agriculture estimates that 89% of US beef ground into patties contains traces of the deadly E. Coli strain. -Reuters News Service

Antibiotics administered to people in US annually to treat diseases: 3 million pounds
Antibiotics administered to livestock in US annually for purposes other than treating disease: 24.6 million pounds

The infectious agent of Mad Cow disease remains infectious even after exposure for an hour to a temperature of 680 degrees - enough to melt lead - and can withstand antibiotics, boiling water, bleach, formaldehyde, and a variety of solvents, detergents, and enzymes known to destroy most know bacteria and viruses.

One of the best things modern animal agriculture has going for it is that most people... haven't a clue how animals are raised and processed... If most urban meat-eaters were to visit an industrial broiler house, to see how the birds are raised, and could see the birds being 'harvested' and then being 'processed' in a poultry processing plant, some, perhaps many of them, would swear off eating chicken and perhaps all meat. - Peter R. Cheeke

Traditionally, it took a broiler 21 weeks to reach 4-pound market weight. But today, with the birds having been systemically bred for obesity, it takes only seven weeks for them to reach the same weight.

US pigs raised for meat: 90 million
US pigs raised in total confinement factories where they never see the light of day until being trucked to slaughter: 65 million
US pigs who have pneumonia at time of slaughter: 70%

Current FDA regulations allow dead pigs and dead horses to be rendered into cattle feed, along with dead poultry. The regulations not only allow cattle to be fed dead poultry, they allow poultry to be fed to dead cattle. Americans who spent more than six months in the UK during the 1980s are now forbidden to donate blood, in order to prevent the spread of BSE's human variant. But cattle blood is still put into the feed given to American cattle. - Eric Schlosser

Water required to produce 1 pound of California foods, according to Soil and Water specialists, University of California Agricultural Extension, working with livestock farm advisors:
1 pound of lettuce: 23 gallons
1 pound of tomatoes: 23 gallons
1 pound of potatoes: 24 gallons
1 pound of wheat: 25 gallons
1 pound of carrots: 33 gallons
1 pound of apples: 49 gallons
1 pound of chicken: 815 gallons
1 pound of pork: 1,630 gallons
1 pound of beef: 5, 214 gallons

American feed (for livestock) takes so much energy to grow that it might as well be a petroleum byproduct. - Worldwatch Institute

Livestock account for 15 to 20 % of (overall) global methane emissions. - Worldwatch Institute

Global warming has emerged as the most serious environmental threat of the 21st century... Only by taking action now can we insure that future generations will not be put at risk. - Letter to the president from 49 Nobl Prize winning scientists

Click here to read 1992 World Scientists' Warning to Humanity

By doing nothing, we are choosing a world of pollution and extinctions, of widening chasms and deepening despair, a world where humanity moves ever farther from achieving its highest aspirations and ever nearer to living its darkest fears.
Our other choice is to actively engage with the living world. On this path we work responsibly and joyfully to make our lives, and our societies, into expressions of love for ourselves, for each other, and for the living Earth. In this direction we honor our longing to give our children, and all children, a world with clean air and water, with blue skies and abundant wildlife, with a stable climate and a healthy environment.

In a world where an estimated one in every six people goes hungry every day, the politics of meat consumption are increasingly heated, since meat production is an inefficient use of grain - the grain is used more efficiently when consumed directly by humans. Continued growth in meat output is dependent on feeding grains to animals, creating competition for grain between affluent meat eaters and the world's poor. - Worldwatch Institute

Two thirds of agriculturally productive land in Central America is devoted to livestock production, yet the poor majority cannot afford the meat, which is eaten by the well-to-do or exported. - Frances Moore Lappe

Number of underfed and malnourished people in the world: 1.2 billion
Number of overfed and malnourished people in the world: 1.2 billion

US corn eaten by people: 2%
US corn eaten by livestock: 77%
US farmland producing vegetables: 4 million acres
US farmland producing hay for livestock: 56 million acres
US grain and cereals fed to livestock: 70%
Human beings who could be fed by the grain and soybeans eaten by US livestock: 1.4 billion
World's population living in the US: 4%
World's beef eaten in the US: 23%

Number of people whose food energy needs can be met by the food produced on 2.5 acres of land, if land is producing:
cabbage - 23 people
potatoes - 22 people
rice - 19 people
corn - 17 people
wheat - 15 people
chicken - 2 people
milk - 2 people
eggs - 1 person
beef - 1person

Grain needed to adequately feed every one of the people on the entire planet who die of hunger and hunger-caused disease annually: 12 million tons
Amount Americans would have to reduce their beef consumption to save 12 millions tons of grain: 10%

The law, in its majestic equality, forbids the rich as well as the poor to sleep under bridges, to beg in the streets, and to steal bread. - Anatole France

It is increasingly obvious that environmentally sustainable solutions to world hunger can only emerge as people eat more plant foods and fewer animal products. To me it is deeply moving that the same food choices that give us the best chances to eliminate world hunger are also those that take the least toll on the environment, contribute the most to our long term health, are the safest, and are also far and away the most compassionate toward our fellow creatures.

Neither Monsanto nor any of the other genetic engineering companies appears to be developing genetically engineered crops that might solve global food shortage. Quite the opposite. - Rachel's Environment and Health Weekly, 1999

You would never allow a new drug to be produced without a clear label, without knowing what company producted it, without knowing exactly where it was produced and even under what conditions, what batch it came from and so on. Genetically modified foods ought to be put in the same category as drugs because of their potential harm. They're actually even more dangerous than drugs, because after all, we eat a lot more food during the course of our lifetime than we take drugs. Even if there are small effects, they can accumulate over years. And therefore people should have the right to say, 'I'm not going to eat genetically modified food because I have no confidence that this is going to be safe for the whole of my lifetime. - Biologist Brian Goodwin

At present time in the US, the only sure way to avoid eating genetically engineered food is to eat organically grown food... But since it is not possible for most of us to eat only organic foods, the next best thing is to read labels carefully... Here's what to watch out for...
- soybeans - most Genetically Modified crop
- corn - 2nd most GM crop
- canola oil -except organic canola oil
- potatoes - esp Burbank Russet, potato starch and flour
- papaya - most non-organic grown in Hawaii are GM
- cottonseed oil - more than 1/2 of cotton crop in US are GM
- squash - some crooknecked squash and zucchini in stores now have been GM
For more information, check out http://safe-food.org/
Also did you know that several types of animals including cows, pigs, elk, deer, raccoon, squirrels, rats and mice, avoid eating GM food?

The USDA has, without telling the public, been allowing into slaughterhouses and into the food chain, animals that have been involved in experiments making them transgenic. These are animals that have foreign genes in every one of their cells, and that have been part of experiments by major... corporations... These are animals with human genes; these are animals that have a variety of viruses in them. They did this without consulting Congress. They did this without making it public. These animals have been in the food chain now since 1995. -Andy Kimbrell

Amount of minerals in organic foods compared to conventional food:
calcium - 63% higher
chromium - 78% higher
iodine - 73% higher
iron - 59% higher
magnesium - 138% higher
potassium - 125 % higher
selenium - 390% higher
zinc - 60% higher

-----

My husband points out that the book is almost a decade old.

Obesity rate in the US is higher than you show. In 2007 it was 27% of US adults according to the CDC. Not 18%.
Also 32 per cent of US children are overweight and 16 per cent are obese. Not the listed 25%

Raw and Ayurveda Principles Combined in Rainbow Green Live Food Cuisine

2009-05-30T18:29:00.000-07:00

Finally, I found a bridge between RAW and AYURVEDA in Gabriel Cousens' work. Conscious Eating was he first book. Rainbow Green Live-Food Cuisine discusses the theory behind a live-food diet, how to develop the best diet for yourself, the reasons for eating organic vegetables and the health secrets of live-foods. The book also contains chapters on how to raise babies on raw and live foods, how to travel in the raw, how to prevent jet stress. A big part of the book is dedicated to recipes... my favourite part!

Before reading on, I wanted to say that although Ayurveda recommends a proper daily schedule and a proper diet for optimum health, it is also recommended that any rigid schedule and rigid diet be broken once in a while.

Here are some excerpts:

Foods that disrupt our biological terrain, creating toxins in the body which contribute to an acidic system and therefore making the body very susceptible to chronic degenerative disease:

1. SUGAR - white sugar, but also fruits that contain a high amount of sugar or have a high glycemic index, includes processed beet and corn sugar, sorbitol, fructose, maple syrup, dried and sweet fruits, melons and all refined carbohydrates (white flour, white sugar, white rice, rice cakes, some grains and white potatoes) --> use STEVIA (a holistic doctor once told me that sugar in a bottle of Coke decreases the immune system by 30%)

Low Glycemic Levels --> most vegetables, grapefruit, lemon, lime, cherries, strawberries, cranberries, raspberries, goji berries, blueberries

Moderate Glycemic Levels --> carrots, oranges, peaches, pears, apples, pomegranate, plums, some berries, peas, yams, sweet potatoes, raw parsnip, raw rutabaga, raw pumpkin, raw squash, raw beet

High Glycemic Levels --> apricot, melons, kiwi, mango, papaya, pineapple, banana, date, fig, raisins, grapes, most dried fruit, cooked parsnip, cooked rutabaga, cooked pumpkin, cooked squash, cooked beet, white potato

2. GRAINS - stored grains ferment in 90 days, are filled with mold and fungus and contain a high amount of mycotoxins, correlation to different cancers --> use SPELT, AMARANTH, QUINOA, MILLET, BUCKWHEAT, WILD RICE, buckwheat and quinoa especially can be sprouted and are considered live foods

3. FLESH AND DAIRY FOODS - also associated with mycotoxins, animals heavily affected by their fungally infected feed (i.e. grains that have been stored for a long time), also acidifying to the system

4. YEAST - baker's yeast, nutritional yeast and brewer's yeast, wheat itself has a high mycotoxic level so baked goods have an increased mycotoxic level by adding yeast to it, brewer's yeast has been associated with breast and prostate cancer and liver problems, as well as Crohn's disease, colitis, heart and kidney disease, cirrhosis and osteoarthritis, Japanese research has linked breast cancer with ingestion of baked goods, breast secretions in breast cancer patients are high in mycotoxins

5. ALCOHOL - a primary mycotoxin

6. SOY SAUCE - also because of mycosis, MSG is naturally created byproduct of any soy product, this includes nama shoyu

7. EDIBLE MUSHROOMS - highly mycotic and acid-forming, Dr. B Toth found mushrooms associated with cancer in lungs, liver, thyroid, nasal cavity, stomach, colon and gallbladder in mice

8. COFFEE AND CAFFEINE - create acidification of the tissues

9. TOBACCO - commercial companies use sugar and yeast in curing process, very high levels of yeast, fungus and mycotoxins go directly into lungs

10. HEATED OILS - being disorganised from their original, biological, natural state, loaded with mycotoxins --> non-heated, virgin olive oil does not seem to have mycotoxins in it

Foods with a notably high mycotoxin and fungal count are corn, peanuts, cottonseed, cashews, barley, oats, wheat and malted products. Peanuts have been associated with liver cancer. Corn with esophagus and gastric cancers. Mycotoxins are not affected or diminished by cooking.

Foods that are ANTI-MYCOTIC --> vegetables, grasses, sea vegetables, nuts, seeds, low-glycemic fruits and algae, these are alkalinizing and do not have yeast in them. Greens are low-calorie, low-sugar and high nutrient-rich food. The vegetables and grasses contain high fiber and no sugar

Cooking foods destroy 50% of the protein, 60-70% of assimilable vitamins and minerals, up to 96% of B12 and 100% of enzymes and phytonutrients.

On a healthy live-food regime one automatically gets the anti-aging calorie-restriction effect without having to diet.

It becomes rather obvious that by eating live foods, we are able to get complete nutrition with eating 50-80% less food. This is why, when we become sensitive to what we are eating, people on a live-food diet naturally reach an optimum diet and weight. This is one reason a live-food diet is optimal for extending life, preventing chronic degenerative disease and increasing vitality, energy and youthfulness.

Something To Think About:

Here are 2 excerpts from Dr. Robbins' article on why eating raw foods prevents disease: how the gene pool is weakened by eating the wrong foods and changes of food consumption in the US in the 1900s.
Genetic Potential
Diseases are not inherited; rather the tendency or potential of a disease is passed on from parents to offspring.
The disease tendency is transferred via the genetic code. A genetic tendency is just that: a potential disease. A genetic weakness does not have to manifest as a disease unless the laws of nature are violated.
Only then will the weakness manifest.
E.g.: The father has a heart problem. He will pass on to his child(ren) genetically weak heart tissue. This does not necessarily mean the child is born with a heart problem. Nor does it mean the child ever has to have a heart problem; however, should the child violate the laws of nature, the violations will take their toll in the weakest tissue(s) of the body - in this case the heart.
Genetic weaknesses or tendencies grow weaker with each succeeding generation if the parents are engaged in a stressful lifestyle, including toxic diet. Thus the amount of wrong doing that is required for a genetic weakness to become clinical (manifest) grows less and less as the genetic tendencies become weaker. As a result, a child on a toxic diet may manifest a heart condition passes on to him genetically at a very early age as compared to the age of his father developing a heart condition. It is even possible that the child could develop the clinical manifestation of the weakness before the father does.
Likewise, a grandparent may live all of his life, violating the laws of nature and never manifest a problem in the particular area that his offspring do. This is because either:
The grand parent's weakness was so minor that he died of other causes before this weakness became clinical; or,
The grandparent did not actually have a genetic weakness, but due to his stressful lifestyle, passed on a genetic weakness to his offspring
The Pottinger Cat Experiments illustrate the genetic tendency principles. In the 1940's, a medical doctor, Francis M. Pottinger, made an experiment using 900 cats to determine what effects processed foods have on the body. The cats were divided into five groups. Two of the groups were fed whole foods-raw milk and meat - real foods for cats. The other three groups were given denatured foods pasteurized, evaporated and condensed milk. All the groups were fed the same minimal basic diet to sustain life. However, the predominant portion of the diets were either real foods or denatured foods as listed above. The cats were observed over a four generation period and the following results were documented by Dr. Pottinger:

POTTINGER CAT EXPERIMENT SUMMARY

GROUP	A	B	C	D	E
Food Fed	raw meat	raw milk	pasterized milk	evaporated milk	condensed milk
1st Generation	remained healthy	remained healthy	developed diseases and illnesses near end of life
2nd Generation	remained healthy	remained healthy	developed diseases and illnesses near end of life
3rd Generation	remained healthy	remained healthy	developed diseases and ilinessess in beginning of life; many died before six months of age;
4th Generation	remained healthy	remained healthy	no fourth generation was produced: either third generation parents were sterile, or fourth generation cats were aborted before birth

Source: Pottinger's Cats, a Study in Nutrition
Food Consumption in the U.S.A.
Between 1900 and 1980
Fresh fruit and vegetable consumption decreased from 40% to less than 5%
Butter consumption decreased 75%
Lard consumption decreased 66%
Unprocessed potato and sweet potato consumption decreased 40%
Processed potatoes comprise 33% of all white potatoes consumed
The majority of these are in the form of french fries
The fast food industry sells 75% of all french fries eaten
Whole grain consumption decreased 50%
Beef consumption increased 75%
Dairy product consumption (other than bufter) increased 25%
Cheese consumption increased 400%
Fat and oil consumption increased 150%
Margarine consumption increased 800%
Corn syrup consumption increased 400%
Sugar consumption increased 50% (the average person consumes 150 pounds of REFINED WHITE SUGAR per year)
Processed fruit and vegetable consumption (other than citrus fruit)
Between 1910 and 1980
Poultry consumption increased 350%
Fresh apple consumption decreased 70%
Fresh fruit consumption decreased 33%
Between 1930 and 1980
Processed citrus fruit consumption increased 2500%
Fresh citrus fruit consumption decreased 50%
Between 1940 and 1980
Egg consumption decreased 25%
Food coloring consumption increased 90%
Between 1960 and 1980
Soft drink consumption increased 300%
Each person consumes 38 gallons of soft drinks annually (one fifth of our sugar intake is in soft drinks)
*Statistics compiled by the United States Department of Agriculture