There are two videos embedded below, hosted by the infamous (or famous), certainly high energized, Kevin Gianni (also hosting this year’s Cancer Summit starting this Halloween)… that… while are not specifically on the topic of Vitamin C and say the EXACT opposite thing about Vitamin C deficiencies, albeit in a “matter-of-fact, I KNOW the truth” sorta way… there is one Vitamin C takeaway from both videos…. Stop wasting money on Vitamin C supplements… grab an organic orange or suck on a lemon will ya [or do a Google search for "more Vitamin C than an orange", with quotes, to find the numerous plant foods that contain more easily digested Vit C than well, an orange ]

Raw vegans often supplement on Vegan DHA, K2, D and B12, or they sneak a chunk of meat and don’t tell anyone

Video Title: Is Chaga a Super Antioxidant

Video Title: Daniel Vitalis on the Raw Vegan Diet

Image Credit: http://www.thirdage.com/image/orange-lime-and-lemon

Diapers are expensive (primarily because they are “consumables” that need to be replaced after every single use), they don’t break down well (at the “dump”), and it’s questionable whether they are even appropriate or necessary. My son is 3 and still wearing diapers throughout the day on occasion and all the time at night.

I don’t like the idea of diapers for health reasons. I think that urine can transfer back to the body transdermally and although some say it is sterile I don’t like it sitting on my kid’s skin. Plus, I think diapers are too “restrictive”.. too tight. I think there should be some “breathing room” for all areas of the body.

My son does really well with going to the bathroom, dropping his pants and underwear, and hopping on the big potty (I didn’t even get a “kid’s toilet seat”), taking care of business, flushing, bidding farewell to his “pee pee” and washing his hands after. However, sometimes he seems to forget he doesn’t have a diaper on, or he has the desire for the “warm sensation” that follows peeing on himself.

Well, we can’t actually say “stop with the diapers will ya”, because as some point out, it was our decision to put them in diapers in the first place, so now it is our responsibility to get them out. It could take a little bit of work.

I find there are zero accidents, some extra “breathing room”, and potentially other health advantages, when my son just wears his shirts and socks and little (or nothing) else. Whatever saves a few bucks on diapers, encourages more independent trips to the “potty” and less pee drenched clothes to throw in the hamper.

There’s no doubt to me that the raw vegan diet is effective at bringing people “back to health”. It’s really about the foods that are “taken away” during the “healing” though as some long term raw dieters may or may not admit to. Sure, you feel like a million bucks because you no longer have the “sluggish” and “unresponsive” system… you are cleaner, have more energy and you feel phenomenal… but for those of you who have noticed (I sure did), this feeling goes away even though you are keeping up with everything.

The decision to supplement

Staying at peak health when on a raw foods diet, most discover… is that they need not overdo certain foods… such as nuts. Raw foodists, in general, eat too many nuts, and are they even soaking them and drying them properly to remove the “mineral blocking” anti-nutrients?

Additionally, long term “raw folk” often see the need to supplement. “Wild foods” can, in a lot of cases, fill in some nutritional gaps, and allow people to stay raw AND vegan. Some foods like the “chaga” are bolstering immunity and others like dandelion flowers are providing much needed Vitamin D.

There is a certain amount of education necessary to go “wild” and gather up “nature’s medicine” because while there are plants that can save lives, others that cure what ails you, others that pack a nutrition punch… there are also some that can kill you!

So… many-a-raw-foodist will supplement. Vitamin D3, Vitamin K2, Vitamin B12 and DHA from algae are common supplements taken by vegans.

Some will argue though, that what is being “supplemented” from hopefully “natural” sources and not synthetic, can be achieved with animal foods. But wait! Isn’t that what raw foodists are suggesting caused our “sicknesses” in the first damn place! Yes, and it seems reasonable. You stop eating meat and you start to feel better. But there’s more to it than meets the eye. People, when “going raw” usually eliminate all sorts of things, including processed foods. And, the body will “do it’s thing” after removing the “bad” stuff and plus the job is much easier when eliminating the foods that take longer to digest (i.e. meat). Further, if you were/are a processed food eater, the likelihood that your meat was raised in a healthful way (without the use of antibiotics and hormones) is slim. Meat, provides valuable nutrients and is a perfect “supplement” to an otherwise raw vegan diet. Healthy animal fats and protein can be important building blocks to great health. But there’s the other side of the coin.

There are folks that aren’t cool with the “slaughtering” of animals, and I get that. I really do. Out of sight, out of mind kept me eating meat for a long time growing up, but it wears on your conscience I know. So what to do?

Nutritionally dense animal foods harvested sustainably and ethically

I think that most would agree that “mother’s milk” is a very nutritious food. That food comes from a “mammal”, our mom’s. Realistically, we can not get that milk any longer. What’s better than raw milk straight from the teet? Colostrum. Colostrum is packed with nutrients, has all the essential fats, sugars (that communicate with white blood cells to bolster immunity and prevent auto-immune), and protein (amino acids). It has been discovered that bovine colostrum is an appropriate option for getting all of this nutrition in the diet in one easy to use powder. See what Danny V has to say about it in the vid below.

This goes against “conventional wisdom” in many ways… beautifying, regrowth, nutrition, immunity…

Surthrival offers a source of bovine colostrum that was only taken from the “mom” after the “babies” had their share, built their immunity and set the stage for healthy lives. The “moms” are raised well and healthfully, and ethically. I feel comfortable personally, with including this colostrum in my diet. It gives me the peace of mind to not have to “worry so much” about whether I am getting “all I need” in my diet. Some say that this is a food you can live on because it has all the “right stuff”. The taste is exceptional when consumed alone dry or mixed with water. We also add it to smoothies. It has a delicious creamy taste to it. Adding a little bit of raw sweetener makes it a favourite for the kids.

Further, as pointed out in the video above, there are no concerns for overdose, it allows for maximum absorption, and it doesn’t give the user the same sensitivities milk does (in terms of lactose). See in the picture how they really pack it in the container.. you are not paying for “air” like I find is the case with a lot of other powdered food products.

Featured Image Credit: http://www.adoration.com/2012/balancing-on-the-tightrope-of-life/

I’ve been “learning raw” for a LONG time now. I bought more “raw education products” (in terms of courses, ebooks, books, etc.) then any other topic I have ever studied. I get daily email alerts any time the word “raw food” is used on the Web. There is something in the raw universe that covers everything from breastfeeding on raw, to raising kids raw, to going on a raw alkaline diet, to learning how to be a raw food coach and on and on. I reviewed several in most every “raw” category. But something that never came across my desk was a solution with an active raw community that offers real information about “what’s raw where I live”, and with organized “conversation” on one unique “thing”…

I decided to make a no-cost “raw product” for all of you called “Raw in Your Area” which leverages geotargeting (automatic location detection) technology and the power of Facebook to get connected with people where you live that share a “common thread” in relation to “raw”, whether it be that you have information about raw events going on, or you want to find raw events, or see if there are any tickets for sale for a particular event, or event opinions and reviews. Maybe you just want to see what others are saying about the raw restaurants in town or what street they’re on… well, “there’s a thread for that”. I figured out a way to tie a narrow topic to the “city you’re currently in” with just one Facebook communication thread per topic. And in an instant, when a new topic is created, a new thread starts for every city in the world. Stay tuned for it or have a sneak peek at the “pilot” here.

Please check out our raw lifestyle resources and any purchase made from the list of recommendations will contribute to this project. We are truly grateful!

I have been giving a lot of thought about animal cruelty and also “back to nature” type of stuff lately, so I started looking into a couple of things, and I came across this web site here: EarthRangers.com.

I like the idea of it. They educate kids (i.e. Earth’s future leaders and decision makers), about ways to reverse the loss of animal habitats… you know.. some of the important high-impact stuff we all should pay attention to to some extent. The children can choose an animal to sponsor, put up an avatar, and they will get “rewards” and “badges” and other “pats on the back” for their accomplishments (i.e. money raised).

Since I would like to assume the best, I am going to say that the money is going towards something real, and this represents what I would call a very good cause. It’s also a great way to get involved in something nice with the kiddos.

I thought that I would post this because, as they say, if you’re not part of the solution, you’re part of the problem. This is my way of helping in a way that makes sense to me, and using my abilities wisely.

Feel free to weigh in on what other’s are saying, or share your reaction to this post in the comments area below. The comment boxes are pulled in from Facebook, so your response will show up on your timeline. Not a big deal, just letting ya know :)

[ About the author: Keith is roughly a 2-week each month raw vegan consuming primarily green smoothies, wild food (pollens, mushroom extracts, seaweeds), green juices and high fat plant foods... and a roughly 2-week 1/2 raw vegan, the rest healthily raised eggs, small amount of healthily raised beef, and sustainable colostrum all month as his nutrition safety net. He occasionally uses sardines to "supplement", also occasionally takes B12, Vitamin D, and DHA from algae. ]

This story is very fitting in light of the coming (starts tomorrow) free Cancer Summit 2012 discussing protocols for natural cancer treatment without excessive use of drugs, surgery, radiation and chemo.

Dr. Hamm remembers where it all began, with an 85 year old lady with aggressive leukemia and a very high white blood count of 130, the normal being 12. “I said to her, ‘There’s not much I could do. I could give you a pill to control it for a while.’ She said to me, ‘Don’t worry about me, I’ll take care of myself.’” Three months later, the old lady returned for a check-up. Surprisingly, her white blood count had dropped to 10. Her explanation – dandelion root tea.

The dandelion, widely regarded as nothing more than a common weed, may hold the key to curing cancer, according to a team of doctors from the Canadian city of Windsor.

Health Canada has just approved the first phase in a series of clinical trials aimed at testing the cancer-fighting properties of dandelion root extract. The research is led by Dr. Caroline Hamm, from the Windsor Regional Cancer Centre, and University of Windsor biochemist Siyaram Pandey, who is confident that we’re looking at a new medical breakthrough. (First cancer clinical trial approved for Windsor)

Earlier this year, the research team conducted a lab trial which showed that dandelion root extract can kill cancer cells in controlled environments. The next step was finding out whether or not dandelion root extract works on humans, without harming healthy cells.

Dr. Pandey explained that this natural extract can trigger “a special kind of suicide” in cancerous cells only, marking a vast improvement over current chemotherapy treatments, which don’t distinguish between healthy and malignant cells. (Dandelion root extract – a cancer killer)

The idea for the lab trial emerged in 2009, when Pandey’s colleague, Dr. Caroline Hamm, noticed that leukemia patients responded positively to dandelion-root tea. Hamm talked about the initial slow progress of the research, and the lack of sufficient funding due to skepticism. With the success of the lab trial, and because natural dandelion root extract is not toxic, the research team was able to secure a $157,000 grant and receive approval for research on actual cancer patients.

Dr. Hamm explained that the first phase of the trial will help doctors determine what dose of dandelion root extract should be used to obtain the best results. “We’ll be escalating the dose with every cohort of patients. So every three patients, we will be giving them a little bit higher dose. The goal is to see what the best tolerated dose will be”, she said.

Fearing that dandelion tea could be interfering with traditional cancer treatments, Dr. Hamm released a statement in February 2012, urging patients not to mix dandelion tea with other treatments until further research had been conducted. Because of a lack of relevant scientific literature, Dr. Pandey resorted to brewing a home-made dandelion root extract and began doing lab tests with the help of his graduate students. Much to their surprise, they found that the dandelion concoction induced apopotosis (or programmed cellular death) in cancer cells. (Dandelion tea research grant)

The first phase of the clinical trial involves recruiting thirty Windsorites suffering from cancers of the blood or lymph nodes. These will also be terminally ill patients who have already tried out all other alternatives, including chemotherapy. In spite of the promising lab results, Dr. Pandey has expressed both hope and concern. “We are keeping our fingers crossed”, he said.

“There is something there… There’s no question that I saw improvements in patients when they took this drug”, concluded Dr. Caroline Hamm, determined not to get discouraged by a potential failure of the clinical trial. (http://blogs.windsorstar.com/2012/11/04/first-cancer-clinical-trial-approved-for-windsor/)

Dandelions have been used for their medicinal properties, in herbal medicines around the world, for thousands of years. Used mainly as a diuretic, dandelions have also been known to help relieve afflictions of the bile and liver, as well as treat various infections. (http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0378874106003576)

Chemical substances can be put into 3 categories, with acidic and basic being two extremes, just like hot and cold are used to refer to temperature. When a substance is neither acidic nor basic, we say it is neutral.

pH is the measurement of how acidic or basic a substance is. For example, the pH level of pure water is 7, which is considered neutral because it represents the exact middle of the acidic to basic range. Anything with a pH of less than 7 is acidic, while having a pH above 7 makes that substance basic. pH values can range from 0 to 14, and each pH value under 7 is 10 times more acidic than the immediately previous value. The same is true for values above 7, only we usually call them alkaline (another way of saying basic). So a substance with a pH of 9 is 10 times more alkaline than a substance with a pH of 8.

Humans encounter acidic and alkaline substances in their daily lives all the time. Ammonia and detergents are considered alkaline, while vinegar and lemon juice are acidic. Basic chemistry tells us that combining alkaline and acidic substances will cancel out many of their extreme effects, though the extent at which that happens depends on how much of each substance is used. Neutral substances, however, can be made more alkaline or more acidic when combined with an acid or a base.

Is your diet too acidic? Cancer thrives in acidic environments

According to several laboratory studies, cancerous cells thrive in acidic environments, while they do not fare as well in alkaline conditions. Based on these findings, many natural doctors believe that controlling the intake of acidic foods can help decrease the overall acidity of the body and promote a healthy internal environment, free of cancerous cells.

In the book “Hidden Truth of Cancer”, Japanese doctor Keiichi Morishita explains that cancerous cells result from acidic deposits within the body. While normal cells die in acidic environments, abnormal cells can survive and become malignant. These malignant cells will then start growing indefinitely, becoming cancer.

Foods that can alkalize the body include a variety of fruits, nuts, legumes and green vegetables, such as celery, lettuce, eggplant, spinach, tomatoes, parsley, avocado, seaweed, bananas, grapes, pears, peaches, bee pollen, probiotic beverages, almonds and chestnuts.

Conversely, foods that increase internal acidity include olives, blueberries, cranberries, grain products, beans, lentils, dairy, meat, sugar, soft drinks and alcoholic beverages.

How to reduce the acidity of foods

Acidic foods don’t only affect the body on a microscopic level, they can also aggravate conditions like gastroesophageal reflux disease (or heartburn). However, thanks to a few chemistry tricks, there are ways to reduce the acidity of foods even when naturally acidic ingredients are used. One simple way is adding a pinch of baking soda to foods while cooking, which will reduce acidity without altering the flavor of the meal.

Cooking foods for shorter periods of time and consuming more raw or semi-raw fruits and vegetables can help lower overall acid intake. Prolonged cooking, however, concentrates the acid in foods by eliminating water.

As we’ve previously established, acid and base substances tend to cancel each other out. Adding more alkalizing ingredients into your diet will counter the effects of the acidic foods you are eating. For example, if you are preparing beans or fish, adding carrots and greens to the mix will lower the overall acidity of the dish.

Sources for this article include:
http://www.acidalkalinediet.com/
http://rense.com/1.mpicons/acidalka.htm
http://www.cancerfightingstrategies.com/ph-and-cancer.html
http://www.epa.gov/acidrain/measure/ph.html
http://www.livestrong.com/article/337339-how-to-reduce-acidity-in-foods/
http://www.livestrong.com/article/321217-foods-that-reduce-acidity-in-your-body/

I take advantage of an “organic delivery program” in my city, and I primarily get “living” greens and sprouts, which are things like kale, pea tenders, sunflower sprouts, spinach, etc. with the root ball still in tact, hence the descriptor “living”. The grower is Slegers, you can see the conversation that I had with Jo Slegers near the end of this post.

Anyway, I’ve noticed some “gold flakes” in the dirt ball and decided yesterday to look into what they were. I’ve always just thought that when you want to grow something you dig up some dirt and plant the seed. Clearly there’s much more to it than that. There are pH levels, soil “type”, little critters, compost, hemp.. and so on.. lots to learn when creating “healthy soil”. I trust that organic farmers that grow my food are on top of their game with this stuff, but sometimes things need a little further investigating. And like anything else that should be “natural” there are lots of products out there to “make things easier”, but at what cost?

Apparently these “gold flakes” are vermiculite. From what I understand, it is a mineral, that when heated to extreme temperatures expands like a tiny accordion creating little tiny “pockets”. When used in soil they perform all sorts of functions, such as creating “air” throughout the soil and retaining some water and nutrition for the plants. I might be way off base there so I linked to a Wiki page above.

Well, upon researching, I discovered that the largest production of this mined material contained asbestos and that there are warnings to avoid the use of vermiculite altogether, in all industries! Ugh, just when I thought I was doing right by my family by choosing organic produce! The story doesn’t end so bad though. I contacted Slegers and Jo quickly and kindly responded sharing his experience on the topic. The email thread (unchanged) is presented below (with Jo’s permission).

———————

On Fri, Nov 9, 2012 at 10:17 PM, Keith Lock wrote:
Hi there,

I buy your greens all the time. My children drink them in smoothies daily. I have a question that I was hoping you could address. I just noticed today about the “gold flakes” vermiculite in the soil. I wanted to show you this ( http://www.carollsmith.com/pdf/EPAwarns.pdf ) and ask for your feedback in regards to the asbestos.

Thanks,
Keith

———————

On Fri, Nov 9, 2012 at 11:39 PM, Jo Slegers wrote:

Hi, Keith. I read the whole article. Zonolite sounds like a packaging material that would benefit from being moisture resistant. I always understood that Asbestos, especially as an insulation requires great levels of moisture resistence. Formica rock (vermiculite) being a cheap, abundant, lightweight and easy to process mined material would probably lend itself well for asbestos fortifying.

I am speculating that Zenolite and other types in garden centres are always using generic blends to improve bottom lines especially when toxic waste is free. I source my Horticultural grade vermiculite only from my long time suppliers which at this time use the “Holiday”brand which is mined out of northern Ontario and Quebec. These sources also continue to increase in price. The ability of this vermiculite continues to absorb moisture immediately every time I use it every week. In addition, I notice benefits of some mould suppresion. Perhaps this is environmental zoning.

I do ask my suppliers once a year at most on this topic of distinguishing these similar products and they tell me that there is no asbestos present. I cannot at this time prove anything other than observing it’s phsical properties. I guese a lab report may help.

I also think this lady is very reckless in her delivery of this topic and has abused her position. I wish she could have offerred valid intgrity of probable sources of real vermiculite with more work on her end instead of declaring all inadequate.

I use vermiculite to improve germination of seed without rotting or drying up too fast. I find the close ratio of air to moisture ideal. It also decreases the risk of water bourne health risks that are usually prominant with water bathed sprouts. Some of my Micro greens do not require vermiculite. This is because the smaller seed does good on it’s own on my mud dirt. When sprouted, the grow dirt is already starting to dry. I find larger seed more at risk of failure.

Please give me your thoughts and let me know if I need to do more to earn your trust.

Jo Slegers

———————

On Sat, Nov 10, 2012 at 12:04 AM, Keith Lock wrote:

OK, that’s interesting. I appreciate the response. I do have a couple more questions in relation to the greens. From what it sounds like, if anything at all from the “dirt clump” finds its way into the blender, there is no need for any concern in your opinion? I’m guessing if it’s OK to “grow” in, it won’t hurt if we digested some accidentally?

Also, being that the dirt clump is very damp and it sometimes takes a few days before I get, it ends up in and out of cold environments, is mould a concern? What’s the best way to store it? I usually leave them in the box a few hours and they find their way to the fridge eventually. Starting next week we will be getting 20 or so of them each week and I just want to make certain we are storing them correctly. Do you recommend washing the greens before use? I ask because I can’t help but walk by, rip off some leaves and eat them.

Thanks very much for your time.
Keith

———————

On Sat, Nov 10, 2012 at 12:24 AM, Jo Slegers wrote:

The dirt clump is harmless and natural. Mould would be a concern if you have enough to make cotton swab. it robs alot of nutrients. Some peoplw are allergic to mould. The best sorage place is in the fridge crisper where there is not a fan dehyrating greens. When cold, the root does not allow water transfer unless it warms up first.

Washing is never wrong only just before eating. I hardly ever do myself.

Jo Slegers

———————

On Sat, Nov 10, 2012 at 12:30 AM, Keith Lock wrote:

Thanks Jo,

Can I share this email thread as a blog post on my web site RawFoodHealthWatch.com? I will be sure to include a link back to your web site.

Thanks again,
Keith

———————

Yes. Thank-you for your support.

Jo

1. Reduced risk of cancer. A review of medical literature from 1994 to 2003 concluded that the increased consumption of raw vegetables reduced the risk of cancer by a greater degree than the consumption of cooked vegetables. (http://cebp.aacrjournals.org/content/13/9/1422.full)

2. Decreased bad cholesterol levels. A 2005 study found that consuming a lot of raw fruits and vegetables (about 70% of the diet) notably reduced the blood concentration of LDL cholesterol and trygicerides, which promote health problems and cardiovascular disease. (http://jn.nutrition.org/content/135/10/2372.long)

3. Increased beta-carotene levels. Beta-carotene is a powerful antioxidant that boosts immunity and protects our cells. A German study from 2007 found that a strict raw food diet increases beta-carotene blood levels considerably. (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18028575)

4. Reduced obesity and hypertension. A study on the impact of raw food diets on obesity and hypertension found that high raw food consumption can help people lose weight and lower their blood pressure. (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/4012382?dopt=Abstract)

5. Less pain. Low salt, raw vegan diets were found to reduce the symptoms of fibromyalgia, which refers to long-term body-wide pain and tenderness. (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11093597)

6. Lessened symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis. In a 1998 study, raw vegan probiotic rich diets were shown to have positive effects on the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis, while returning to an omnivorous diet aggravated these symptoms. (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9566667)

7. Reduced vulnerability to allergies. Based on the premise that farmers’ children are less susceptible to allergies, a 2006 study found that the consumption of raw milk greatly reduced allergic sensitivity in children. (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16751000)

8. Enzymes help digestion. Weston-Price Foundation research concluded that enzymes that are released by chewing raw vegetables can assist digestion by staying in the upper stomach for about 30 minutes, before being moved to the lower stomach where they are destroyed. (http://www.realmilk.com/enzyme.html)

9. Supports women’s health. A 2003 study from Germany found a positive correlation between raw vegetable based diets and a reduced incidence of breast cancer. These effects were not observed in cooked vegetable diets. The scientists speculated that phytonutrients that are vulnerable to heat may be responsible for the health benefits. (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/14690788)

10. Happier, longer life. A pilot study at a raw vegan institute found that people tend feel happier and more emotionally stable after consuming raw foods and associating with other healthy raw vegans. (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18534324)

Black Friday is only a few days away, and while so many popular retailers are planning to offer tons of discounts on everything ranging from electronics to toys, clothes, and jewelry, are there any noteworthy sales for the environmentally friendly bargain hunters? Thanks to Mother Earth News, over 100 “green” deals are available as part of a huge Black Friday gift sale that lasts from Friday through Monday, November 26.

Some of the highlights of the event include 50% off on all natural household products (for example a 9-piece cookware set, made with 50% recycled content, can be bought for $84.99), as well as up to 35% off on a wide range of best-selling books that focus on simple living, recycling, family farms, improving eating habits, self care and affordable housing.

Other “green” deals to look into are the Mother Earth News Archives on DVD or CD for only $25 (which incorporates dozens of do-it-yourself projects, and more than 12,000 articles and web posts spanning 42 years and compiled into an easy to navigate format), and for only $10, you can also get the the Wiser Living Resource Set that can help teach you a few simple tricks about living a more self-sufficient lifestyle, including how to properly grow and maintain a garden.

Sources for this article include:
http://www.motherearthnews.com/shopping/home.aspx
http://www.motherearthnews.com/shopping/detail.aspx?itemnumber=5745
http://www.motherearthnews.com/shopping/detail.aspx?itemnumber=6479
http://www.motherearthnews.com/shopping/detail.aspx?itemnumber=5851

For the winner of this contest, I will purchase for you one of Tony Robbins Health, Energy & Fitness Coaching Programs.

The winner will choose between:

• Living Health – 10 Steps to Creating the Health, Vitality and Energy You Deserve
• The Body You Deserve – Weight Loss Strategies for a Vital Life
• The Path to Permanent Weight Loss – How to Stop the Cycle of Emotional Eating and Reclaim the Body You Deserve

More info: http://www.tonyrobbins.com/products/health-fitness/

Enter Below:

The winner will be announced in my Raw Food Blogging newsletter. Sign up below.

We created a page with a couple of chia recipes awhile back, and although we still love and use those recipes, we wanted to add additional concoctions, plus devote a page specifically to chia bread.

Here is a recap of some of the benefits of consuming chia…

Chia is said to:

• have triple the antioxidant levels of blueberries
• have double the protein of any other seeds or grains
• be a rich source of calcium
• contain the mineral boron, which aids in the absorption and utilization of calcium in our bodies
• have double the potassium than a banana
• have triple the iron found in spinach
• be a great source of essential fatty acids (the ‘good’ fats)

People use 1/4 cup of chia gel (made from soaking seeds in water for about 10-15 minutes) as a direct replacement for eggs in recipes.

Included below are recipes for Chia Shortbread, Banana-Chia-Nut Bread, as well as Onion-Chia Bread.

Chia Shortbread

Equipment Needed:

• Juicer (if preparing fresh apple juice)

Ingredients:

• 5 tablespoons of chia seeds
• 2 cups of freshly juiced organic apple juice
• 2 tablespoons of lucuma powder (or other sweetener)
• 1/4 cup of dried mulberries or 1/8 cup of dried goji berries
• 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds

Directions:

1. Put the chia seeds in the apple juice and let soak for about 10 minutes.
2. Stir in the remaining ingredients.
3. Leave to soak for at least 10 more minutes.
4. Enjoy!

Banana-Chia-Nut Bread

Equipment Needed:

• Juicer
• Food Processor (or blender)
• Personal Blender (optional for “ground” ingredients)

Ingredients:

• 2 cups of fresh vegetable juice pulp (just grab what comes out of the ‘other’ side of the juicer)
• 8 tablespoons of ground chia seeds
• 3/4 cup of walnuts (or other nut)
• 3/4 cup of raisins
• 5 bananas

Directions:

1. In a food processor, or possibly even a blender, mix together the vegetable pulp and bananas.
2. Next, mix in the seeds.
3. In a bowl, mix in the walnuts and raisins with a spoon or by hand.
4. Shape into a loaf, or whatever shape you want.
5. Eat it up!

Onion-Chia Bread

Equipment Needed:

• Dehydrator
• Food Processor (or blender)
• Personal Blender (optional for “ground” ingredients)

Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 pounds of sweet onions, peeled
• 1 cup of ground, soaked sunflower seeds
• 1 cup of ground chia seeds
• 1/4 of an avocado
• 2-3 tablespoons of coconut oil
• 1/2 cup of water
• 1-3 ounces of Nama Shoyu

Directions:

1. In a food processor, using the ‘S’ blade, cut onions into small chunks.
2. Transfer onions to mixing bowl and add in other ingredients, mixing thoroughly.
3. Smooth out (1/4″ thick) onto teflex sheets or unbleached parchment paper.
4. Dehydrate for 2 hours at 115 degrees.
5. Transfer to mesh and continue to dehydrate at 105 degrees overnight (or until crispy).
6. Break into pieces.
7. Eat right away or store in fridge (air tight container).

Now, there are of course baked versions of chia bread, but why not keep all the nutrients in tact, rather than destroy them with heat when you have these yummy raw recipes to choose from?

I’m still a fan of water kefir, but after introducing clean meats and some dairy back into my diet, I started to appreciate milk kefir more. If you don’t know about kefir, in short, it introduces “good bacteria” into your gut stream which is important for a strong immune system among other things.

Maybe you want to replace “standard” sour cream with home made or farm bought milk kefir, resulting in a double health benefit in one transaction, but for me, I add this stuff into foods that I might not have felt comfortable adding sour cream. So rather than slough this stuff on a heaping of my older sisters amazing, albeit sadly missed, perogies, I have started experimenting with it in chia gel.

Chia seeds have many health benefits and a ridiculous amount of healthy fats even when compared to salmon. The gel is formed when soaking chia seeds in water. This “soaking” is done to remove any anti-nutrients. These anti-nutrients are found in nuts, seeds, and beans. One of these so-called anti-nutrients will bind with minerals from the same meal and pull them straight through, i.e. no mineral gains from that particular meal which could lead to deficiencies, which we don’t want to encourage when looking to achieve higher states of health right?

Now, I eat chia gel often. I buy a bag of organic chia, dump it into a mason jar, add water, put the lid on and store it in the fridge and scoop as needed. It offers sustained energy and the much needed healthy fat as I pointed out. I add it to smoothies and I combine it to other foods to make a “cereal” of sorts. Today I am enjoying a bowlful of chia gel with some local milk kefir and local honey. It’s tasty and I feel good about my food choice. So far there hasn’t been any issues for me combining these foods.

I currently use honey as a sweetener to replace the unhealthy sugar choices. Other “sugar alternatives” for me include dry fruit (raisins, shredded coconut), raw agave syrup and coconut sugar. I also feed coconut sugar to my kefir grains when making the kefir beverages. Honey, from what I understand is slightly alkaline, and for an explanation of why alkalinity is important in the diet do a Google search for “acidic +cancer” without the quotes. It might look like an ugly picture but it doesn’t have to. There are plenty of alkaline forming foods that are tasty and nutritious, plus, acidic foods are encouraged in many a health regime so I imagine if not going overboard, your high alkaline diet will keep them in check. This 2-week diet plan (for cleansing with raw foods) puts high focus towards alkaline foods, a focus some say, is the difference between having cancer and not.

Img src: http://boldvegan.com/chia-seeds-little-seeds-that-pack-a-punch-and-then-some/

There’s power in simplicity. Pin hole glasses are simple. You put them on and they make you look a little funny, or in my case ‘fly’, or is it ‘like a fly’… anyway… I don’t wear prescription glasses so I can’t know what they do to improve vision first hand!

They did make the font on the computer to appear bolder for me, but that’s not necessarily something I was after.

Video source: The pinhole glasses arrived – I am the fly man coo coo ca choo

Potential benefits of pin hole glasses according to the leaflet

The leaflet that cam with the glasses tells me that these glasses:

• Help the wearer see clearly – near and far
• Eliminate stress and strain caused by eyeglasses
• Prevent progressive myopia, presbyopia and astigmatism
• Break dependency from eyeglasses
• Activate natural vision ability to see clearly
• Promote good vision habits
• Help improve eyesight naturally

You can watch a video by Angela Stokes-Monarch here which discusses these glasses even more in depth.

Click the button below for a direct link to purchase the product.

Video source: They want to sandpaper my dad’s eyes!

See what other’s have to say about these glasses! – CLICK HERE

Hey everyone,

I am doing a little something unique, I’m not sure how it’s going to pan out.

I’ve dabbled with this idea for some time, and now I’m finally set in my intention…

I am letting go of my raw food network and put it in the hands of someone with a deep passion for natural health and raw foods at a low low price! i.e. This offer is not for a marketer looking to make a buck, it’s for a passionate natural health researcher and promoter, who ALSO wants to make money from his or her passions!

Why $25 and why am I selling?

I’ve considered selling for some time. I’m not 100% raw vegan and not that that really matters I’d like to contribute to a site or blog that is 100% what I’m about.

Also, I am balancing too much right now and I can’t give all my businesses and web sites the attention they deserve.

I chose a low price because I want anyone to be able to have the opportunity. Why $25 though? I started a new venture mid-December, which is a highly-leveraged blogging venture, and my cost was $25. My final decision to sell my raw food network of sites and content is largely due to my devotion to this new venture, therefore I was inspired by the $25 price and chose that for this package.

Is it really just $25?

Yes and no. I decided to do this as a 3-day raffle that ends Monday January 28th, 2013 at 5:45 pm EST.

To enter:

1) You must be legal participating age in your country.

2) You must be passionate about natural health or stepping into this area of education for reasons other than profit.

3) You must submit a payment of $25 by PayPal to participate.

Very Important – Please Read!!!

How it works:

1) When I receive your contribution, I will add your first name and last initial to the “in the running” table at the top off this page.

2) If this page get’s a minimum of 500 tweets on Twitter, a minimum of 500 +1′s on Google+ AND a a minimum of 500 ‘likes’ on Facebook (all legitimately) by the draw date then I will randomly select (on video) an individual from the “in the running” table as the winner. No refunds will be awarded for non-winners in this case.

3) If by chance the minimum number of tweets, +1′s and likes are not reached, I will provided refunds (immediately) to everyone who has entered. Only one entry per person. Regardless of the number of entries, the prize will still be awarded. It is only the social shares mentioned in #2 that have minimums.

The “Pay Now” button below allows you to make a payment for the raffle of the Raw Food Health Watch Network of sites and content. Only ONE entry per person please!

What do you get when you win?

Put simply, A LOT!!

More specifically:

1) The domain, web site, and content of this site that you are on: http://rawfoodhealthwatch.com/v2/

2) The underlying content of this site, which you can see here: http://rawfoodhealthwatch.com/site-map/

3) The blog attached to this site: http://rawfoodhealthwatch.com/blog/

4) The newsletter archives site: http://rawfoodhealthwatch.com/archive/

5) The mailing list for this site: hosted through AWeber which as of this writing (Jan 25, 2013 at 3:31 PM EST) has 4,956 subscribers.

6) The Raw Food Health Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/rawfoodhealth which as of this writing (Jan 25, 2013 at 3:31 PM EST) has 3,758 fans.

7) The Raw Michelle Twitter account: http://twitter.com/rawmichelle

8) The Raw Food Blog: http://rawfoodblog.info/

9) The Raw Food Tumblr blog: http://www.tumblr.com/blog/rawfoodhealth

10) B12 Mini site: http://superiorb12.com/

11) eZine article account: http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Michelle_Bosmier

12) half a dozen other article directory and PDF sharing accounts

Marketing and promotion of the delicious, green avocado fruit, is costing the avocado industry around $37 million a year. That’s right, marketing created the guacamole and avocado connection around the time of the big game.

The first challenge the marketing groups faced was getting grocery stores to stock large amounts of avocados during Super Bowl time. After that was achieved, they put serious effort into encouraging avocado consumption to Super Bowl partiers.

With promos at tailgate parties, running sweepstakes and recipe contests, creating partnerships with sports television and athletes, plus tweeting, liking, sharing and posting on social circles, avocados and guacamole soon became the rage surrounding football’s biggest event.

The hype-up began “in 2002 [when] the Hass Avocado Board was formed to promote the dominant avocado variety sold in the U.S.”

With the marketing efforts described above, coupled with getting celebrity chefs like Tyler Florence and Curtis Stone to feed the avocado buzz, consumption jumped from 8 million pounds to around 79 million today which equates to about 158 million avocados.

Largest snacking day of the year

More than just an athletic event, the Snack Foods Association refers to the Super Bowl as the “biggest snacking day of the year.”

Other popular snack foods enjoyed around game time: the National Chicken Council‘s 2013 Wing Report claims that Americans will consume more than 1.23 billion chick wings, and Pizza Today says almost 15 million pizzas will be eaten.

While those trying to encourage more hummus and therefore chickpeas to be devoured at game time, their $100k annual budget isn’t allowing them to compete like they want, but Ali McDaniel, food marketing manager for the USA Dry Pea & Lentil Council says “Hummus is definitely on the rise”.

Healthy raw food Super Bowl recipes

From The Rawtarian’s Simple raw guacamole recipe

One avocado
One small tomato (or 1/2 large tomato)
1 tablespoon white onion (or a little less)
1/4 cup of fresh cilantro
Small splash of lemon juice
Tiny pinch of sea salt

Get directions here

From Raw Hummus recipe on AllRecipes.com

1 1/2 cups dry garbanzo beans
2 tablespoons tahini
1 teaspoon sea salt
2 lemons, juiced
4 cloves garlic, crushed or to taste
1 cup filtered or spring water
1 pinch paprika

Get directions here

Sources for this article include:
http://www.windsorstar.com/life/avocado+marvel+marketing+muscle/7901000/story.html
Featured image source: http://mrg.bz/BzTZgw

While fascinating and potentially life saving, especially for those who intend to hand over their health to the system, because they are focused in other areas, the idea presented by some, that change in food habits is the key to keeping breast cancer in check, is even more fascinating to me. Let’s keep the algo as a backup though.

Researchers at Moffitt Cancer Center and colleagues at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., have developed a novel computer algorithm to easily quantify a major risk factor for breast cancer based on analysis of a screening mammogram.”

Have you heard it stated: “disease is all the same”? Is this true? Is it a matter of opinion? How has breast cancer treatment changed over the years?

Breast Cancer & Shelley Abegg’s Solution in Raw Food

Shelley Abegg was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2001. She went on a raw food diet, instead of chemotherapy and beat it.

Dr. Kristine Nolfi, in her 1995 book, Raw Food Treatment of Cancer suggests that “breast cancer disappears on a raw food diet.” according to statements made here.

I have many women in my life that I care deeply for. With the staggering statistics regarding breast cancer, it makes me hopeful that people are bold enough to let others know what has worked for them.

BestHealthMag.ca: 10 foods that fight breast cancer

• Mushrooms (like reishi, chaga, maitake)
• Broccoli sprouts
• Pomegranates
• Lentils
• Walnuts
• Blueberries
• Spinach
• Eggs (free range, if any)
• Salmon (I say “chia”, they say “salmon”)
• Rye bread (I disagree)

Now, I find most people, health minded or not, for one reason or another are of the mindset of: I can switch to a healthier diet when the time comes that I need to. Well, as Tony Robbins points out, and an obvious statement, it’s better to slay the beast when it’s small and not when it’s pretty much taken over the city!

I think the people that are making the outrageous claims, whether true or not, that they cured disease in x number of days! are doing a bit of harm and should take it down a peg. There are other ways to attract eye balls to book titles, essays, articles and reports.

These outrageous, and perhaps true, claims, have the feeling attached of “too good to be true”, because many people are still conditioned that “doctor knows best” and they may forget that their is “power in simplicity”. And for those that do believe the bold statement might buy the book or report and shelve it until they get sick or are dying, at which point they have a giant beast to slay.

Even the idea that “prevention is the best medicine” is rather boring for people. Then there is the concept of you will get sicker (detox) before you get healthier. I’ll tell you, that doesn’t sound that exciting to people that already feel OK.

So, I ask you… what can motivate people to eat healthier before the apparent “need” arises? With detox symptoms and dropping favourite foods, plus the fact processed foods are creating disease in the long (or short) term, people may be of the mindset: “damned if you do, damned if you don’t”.

How do we remove the “damned if you do” from the mindset? I’m interested in your thoughts.

I like the idea of a short commitment on subtle dietary changes and further education. This not only provides a light introduction to healthy foods, it shows they are enjoyable, and you don’t have to feel like you are taking on a ginormous challenge.

This 3-day detox here, for example, is a mix of raw and cooked foods so the detox is minimal, plus it provides a good understanding of the good you are doing for your body. I challenge you to try. There IS power in simplicity, and often even making one change can awaken power or energy or feelings you never knew were there previous.

Sources of inspiration for this article include:
[Science Daily] Automated breast density test identifies women at high cancer risk
[Herald Extra] Breast cancer patient foregoes traditional treatment for raw diet
[Raw Foods Witch] Breast Cancer: Our Emotional Reactions and a Glimmer of Hope
[Natural News] Can raw foods aid breast cancer treatments and prevention?
[Bel Marra Health] Raw foods for breast cancer prevention
[Moffit] Heine breast density study
[We Like It Raw] Breast cancer and raw food
[Best Health Mag] 10 foods that fight breast cancer
Img src: http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Guardian/Pix/pictures/2008/08/09/mammogram10s.jpg

I have been juicing daily lately as just one part of my core health committments. Recently though I have been working with singular foods for my juice, as part of a mono-eating experiment.

While you can really get creative with juicing like with this green chocolate milk recipe found here, I will list off foods that I plan to, or already am juicing, by themselves… mono-recipes if you will. Combine any to come up with your own multi-fruit or multi-veg juice recipes.

Make fresh fruit juice with these delicious fruits of the Earth:

1) Tomato juice contains lycopene, beta-carotene and Vitamin E. It is said to help reduce inflammation and to lower blood pressure.

2) Apple, mango or orange juice are all of course great sources of Vitamin C. Apples are said to help lower bad cholesterol.

The mango is a very delicious food. Being tropical though, like the banana, it gets the bad rap of very high sugar content, and of course with most of the fiber carried away from juicing, it could spike it even more. Perhaps experiment with very little if sugar is of concern. They’re yummy!

Orange juice tastes wonderful and is simple to juice even without a juicing machine. I use a small hand held device to juice oranges.

3) Blueberries are high in antioxidants and are said to be anti-inflammatory.

These are just a few of the delicious fruits that can be juiced. Experiment with any and all of them. Heed the “sugar” warning though. Studies have indicated that when removing the bulk of the fiber, as a result of juicing, the sugar could have more of an effect on the body. In general, berries are low-glycemic, and tropical fruits are on the higher end.

Consider green smoothies if sugar is a concern (or even if it isn’t), because the fiber is left in tact.

Considering a vegetable juice fast diet? Try these:

1) Carrot juice being a root vegetable has the higher sugar content as well as calories, but it packs a nutritious punch if you can look past that for your diet. They contain many nutrients including vitamins A, C, D, E, K, B1 and B6, as well as the minerals: calcium, magnesium, potassium and phosphorus.

2) Juicing cabbage will get you vitamins A, B1, B2, B6, C, E, K, and other nutrients such as: folic acid, calcium, iron and phosphorus.

3) Dark leafy greens and grasses are a great addition to a health regimen, especially when juiced. Like all “juices” it is suggested that the body more readily absorbs the properties of the food you are consuming (which is why the warnings being given for high sugar foods).

Great “green” choices for juicing include kale, spinach, parsley and wheat grass.

High amounts of chlorophyll from the greens can have detox effects which are great, but are the reasons why many people do “shots” or combine the greens with one of the veggies mentioned below (cukes for example).

4) Juicing cucumbers, zucchini and celery are popular choices because, unlike the dark leafy greens, they produce a lot of juice. More bang for your buck. Alone or together they taste great.

Sources for this article include:

Following some raw foodies on Twitter led me to the Juice Machine site, which inspired this article. While the content on Juice Machine is a little sparse right now, it seems they just launched recently.

[Raw Food Health Watch] Superbugs like E. coli, in the past have been called “antibiotic-resistant,” but that may no longer be an appropriate adjective.

Reported on January 4th, 2013 in Nature Biotechnology, science has determined how to make these bugs weaker by interfering with their metabolism (specifically what is called “reactive oxygen species” or ROS production) when faced with existing antibiotics.

Leveraging biotechnology and sophisticated computer modeling, the teams at Harvard’s Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering and Boston University used the “kick ‘em when they’re down” approach for overtaking these so called “superbugs.”

Having few antibiotics coming into existence that could potentially do the job, “we are finding new ways to harness and exploit certain aspects of bacterial physiology,” explains Jim Collins, Ph.D. Collins the William F. Warren Distinguished Professor at Boston University, where he leads the Center for BioDynamics, and is also senior author and Wyss Core Faculty member.

A few years ago Collins’ team revealed what antibiotics do, which is ramp up ROS production, thereby damaging or killing the bacterial cell. ROS includes molecules (which include superoxide and hydrogen peroxide) that are natural byproducts of regular metabolic activity, and when too much is present, that is when cell damage and death can occur. The decided to leverage this fact.

Collins explained that one challenge was determining “if increasing the ROS production by the cell itself would render it more susceptible to death by oxidative, ergo, antibiotic attack,” and they found that antibiotics and biocides were even more lethal to cells, once bacterial metabolism was interfered with.

Misuse of antibiotics and bacterial resistance

Antibiotics can be lifesavers, but misuse has increased the number of drug-resistant germs.

Because of the ability for infectious organisms to quickly adapt, and therefore become more resistant to antibiotics, using antibiotics wisely, or in some cases, not at all, is important for preventing their spread.

One main contribution to antibiotic resistance, the killing of good bacteria, and the blatant misuse of antibiotics, is taking the drugs for viral infections, as they are meant for bacterial infections. Then why do doctors prescribe them? To shut patients up and give them a placebo affect? To line their pockets by pushing out more drugs? Lack of knowledge? Other reasons? Who knows?

Additionally, not taking antibiotics for the full course against bacteria, is what “strengthens” the bacteria, allowing it to mutate and “overpower” the drug, then spread to other people.

One approach is to learn what falls under the bacterial infection category and what falls under the viral infection category, then challenge your doctor when he attempts to prescribe antibiotics for viral infections. Here is a chart pulled from Mayo Clinic.

Bacterial infections – bladder infections, many wound and skin infections (such as staph infections), severe sinus infections that last longer than 2 weeks, some ear infections, strep throat

Viral infections – bronchitis, colds, flu (influenza), most coughs, most ear infections, most sore throats, stomach flu (viral gastroenteritis)

Maybe there is something to contributing to the beneficial gut flora (the good bacteria) that will overcome any of the bad bacteria, eliminating the need for the drug altogether?

Increase probiotics naturally with raw foods

Water kefir – Fermented water beverage made from water kefir grains that are fed sugar and soaked for several days.

Sauerkraut or other fermented veggies – Sauerkraut is fermented cabbage that creates a beneficial bacteria that when consumed can implant into the gut. Other veggies can be fermented or “pickled” in the same or similar manner.

Ani Phyo’s Raw Food Essentials: Water Kefir

Chaga mushroom immunity builder

But rather than dealing with the bacteria when it is present, should we not be contributing to our immunity daily to prevent these “superbugs” from wreaking havoc in our systems at all?

There is evidence that the majority of weak or auto-immune disorders are as a result of missing vital nutrients, called glyconutrients. When the nutrients are properly “attached” to white blood cells they are said to “smarten” them up and as a result, build immunity.

The chaga mushroom and it’s healing potential for auto-immune

Sources for this article include:
[Science Daily] Scientists Notch a Win in War Against Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria
[Mayo Clinic] Antibiotics: Misuse puts you and others at risk
Image source for this article:
[How Stuff Works] MRSA 101

When the body is given the tools that it needs, and less of what it doesn’t need, it will perform “maintenance”. This maintenance, it’s normal daily function, is in the form of a cleanse or detox. The body wants to rid itself of foreign matter but the “machine” can get overwhelmed.

Changing the diet and staying consistent with the change even for just three, seven, fourteen, or thirty days can have tremendous results, and for many it has. Change can occur immediately. Just keep in mind the Power of Consistency, and the Power of Simplicity of the consistent behaviour.

When a body is rid of “toxins”, its natural beauty shines through in areas such as:

1) Weight loss – Expect to lose some weight, not necessarily because of less calories alone, but often as a result of impacted waste from being released from the colon. Additionally fatty stores can be depleted.

2) Increased energy – Physical energy comes as a direct result of increasing proper nutrition in the body and releasing built up toxicity. Mental energy spikes can occur as your brain is fed properly and reduced of any toxicity.

3) Improved digestion – With less waste impacted on the inner walls of the colon, which is the bodies largest detoxification organ next to the skin, the villi are free to pull in nutrition from the food being consumed.

4) Improved immunity – Scientific evidence has shown that the strength of immunity is in direct relation to foods that are consumed. In fact, it has been noted that weakened immunity occurs in minutes after processed sugar is consumed. In contrast, there is evidence indicating that Beta Glucans, longer chain sugars, have opposite results. Beta Glucans are present in foods that aren’t typically part of a standard diet, healthy or not (medicinal mushrooms like the chaga mushroom for example).

5) Improved clarity – Mental clarity and focus often comes as a result of a cleanse as the body fuels the brain with proper nutrition and rids it of any toxicity.

6) Enhanced beauty – As the body becomes cleaner on the inside it becomes evident on the outside. Many people have reported shiny fuller hair, stronger nails, brighter eyes, fresher breath and clearer complexion.

7) Improved rest – A fresher mind and a fresher body goes a long way in having a good night’s sleep. There’s a lot more at work when it comes to better sleep as a result of improved nutrition, as science points out, but suffice it to say, the food you consume can affect the sleep you get, or do not get.

Inspiration for this article came from:

A “buddy system” style 7 day raw food cleanse is coming up and will go from Sunday, February 10th to Saturday, February 16th. I stumbled across the page after reading a press release, and the raw food cleanse benefits shown in the sidebar inspired me to write this post.

I hope that in turn, anyone who reads this becomes inspired to include more “healthy” foods in the diet, and perhaps leave out one or two that aren’t so healthy!