Prayers please

Please think of me as I go in for my dental appt. next Tuesday. I've had a lot of anxiety over it, 2 nights poor sleep, and so nauseas I haven't eaten much (which has led to a detox and more weakness!)

 

One of my concerns going raw was that I would become so sensitive, that what would I do if I needed hospitalization--how would I react to the meds? So on a smaller scale, I am a bit concerned about getting sick from the novacaine. I am also worried because we don't know exactly what is happening, he couldn't tell from the X-ray if the cavity is bad enough for a root canal because it's so close. But I told him if that's the case, pull the tooth. So there is a chance that I will be losing the tooth. He also said there is a different technique he could TRY which would not result in a lost tooth. But experimentation makes me nervous too. I have also worried myself as I do research because apparently dentists can mess up and actually make things worse or set the stage for future problems.

 

Please pray for my dentist to be wise and do a good job, for me to have peace, and for the cavity to be small enough for a filling!! Thank you for keeping me in mind.

 

p.s. Take better care of your teeth than I did, LOL!

Energy vs. Breastfeeding

I feel good and have a lot more energy than I did on cooked vegan whole foods, but I am not AS energetic as I was when I was all raw 2 years ago. I think the difference is breastfeeding. Two years ago, I was comfort nursing a 2-year-old several times a day--frequent but not great quantities ingested. And I had so much energy, I wanted to workout 2-3 times a day. I was sleeping 6 hours at night, jumping out of bed wide awake at 5 or 6 am, and felt great.

 

Eating half raw, half cooked vegan (recently), I didn't even have energy to workout. (The main difference for me besides energy was I was IRRITABLE all the time, especially after I ate and the meal just sat in my stomach or made me bloated) And I was sleeping 10-11 hours at night.

 

Now, eating mostly all raw (I think I've had 3 cooked meals in the past 40 days), I am sleeping about 7-8 hours at night (but NOT waking up as refreshed as before) and I have good energy to workout IF I can get myself started. I have good energy to do all my normal daily activities (which I didn't, before).

 

I miss having enough energy where your body is ASKING you to work-out. You just can't help it, and it feels so great. The past month or so, I workout probably 3 times a week but I always have to make myself start. Well, sometimes in the morning I feel good and turn on some music to dance to, but that's all. It's a good thing I have my friend coming over twice a week--that routine makes all the difference. If she wasn't coming over, I wouldn't be doing it. (I am doing strength-training workouts mostly, trying to get some tone and build up a bit.)  I have the opportunity to jog any afternoon I want to, and I would like to (for competitive reasons!), but by afternoon I am just sapped of energy for workouts. I really only workout in the morning (or evening if its cool and I've eaten lightly).

I am breastfeeding Elisabeth now for about 90-100% of her calories, depending on the day. (I figure 1 banana would be 10% at least) So for an ACTIVE nearly 1-year-old, I figure that's 800-1000 calories. So, yeah, that would make a difference! Why don't I give her more solids? I'm not against it for pro-breastfeeding reasons. It's more just the inconvenience and mess, etc. She inisists on feeding herself, so it's all messy, it takes a long time to get any real substance down her. I could try giving her some almond butter though. Any other ideas for high-calorie, RAW foods, that don't make a big mess? Maybe soaked raisins, I wonder if they would digest.

 

(BTW we recently gained an appreciation for apricots. They aren't juicy or sticky! No drip = no cleanup. A great kid fruit.)

My dentist visit

After that free consult, I went to my friend to get he exam. We only x-rayed my left side. He says I have 1 large cavity, 1 small one which is under a filling so is close to the nerve, a small one in the wisdom tooth, and lots of enamel wear. (That's only on the left side!!!!!) 

 

Ugh I got so nervous, of course I should be staying on top of my visits (It's been 3 1/2 years) but I have been in denial. I was living in La-La Land, hoping that eating my way would cure everything. So I have a new commitment to dental hygiene and more regular visits.

 

However let me tell you, I have been weak and nauseas since then, and could not sleep last night. I can only hope my symptoms are due to lack of sleep and anxiety, not the x-rays. That is exactly why I avoid dentists, you all know I am afraid of toxins and being sick. But I guess I have to accept it. I already told my husband, when I go in for the fillings (and possible extraction) I am going to be out of commission the rest of the day! My head will be numb, I will be nauseas, cranky. I hate feeling like that, unable to take care of my kids. Even nursing bothers me when I feel like that (including when I am having a bad detox). So I am starting to plan how I can be on top of it... We're going to do minimal pain relief, and I think I should eat a heavy meal before-hand. Any other ideas? Sympathy? :-)

Weston Price Foundation

Here's some contradictory information for you. The Weston Price Foundation and book "Nourishing Traditions" by Sally Fallon is a popular movement for eating whole, organic foods, including lots of animal products. There is some debate, of course--check out these two links.

 

Interview with Sally Fallon  "versus"

Article about Weston Price

I have some friends who are really into the Nourishing Traditions diet. I personally read Dr. Price's book Nutrition and Physical Degeneration a few years ago when I had a disappointing visit to the dentist and was looking for some nutritional cures for tooth decay. This is what they claim. So I tried it, got into raw animal products along with Cod Liver oil supplementation. I didn't stick with it long enough to make a judgment though. I can't remember why I didn't keep it up, probably because I got candida and switched to the pH miracle diet.

 

It sounds too good to be true, and yet it sounds too crazy to be true. Here's why.

- The recommended foods for the fat-soluble vitamins are so minimal and specific - cod liver oil, liver, butter.

- The conclusions from Dr. Price's research seem way too generalized to me. All he did was find a common factor among societies who didn't have tooth decay. I could just as easily say "None of them had dentists" or "None of them had TV" or for that matter, I am pretty sure none of them were urban and ate processed food. Why can't that be the conclusion? (actually the "article about Weston Price" above does say more about whole grains than Sally Fallon cares to admit. It may seem his diet was based on whole plant foods but being sure to include some grass-fed animal foods, not the other way around)

- And finally, because Sally Fallon never says that Americans have tried this with success. I guess I could google it and see what everyday people on the diet are saying about the dental visits.

 

Anyway, this strikes a chord with me because I don't have great dental health (I've also never had good dental hygiene habits, unfortunately). So when I first found this Sally Fallon article, I admit I felt a bit sick and worried about whether I am on the wrong diet. But my skepticism brings me comfort.

 

If these fat-soluble vitamins from animal foods were that essential to dental health and the absorption of minerals in general, vegans everywhere would be collapsing from osteoporosis and other deficiency problems. And raw vegans would have serious dental issues as well. But neither of these is the case. Perhaps there is more than one answer to dental health. Personally, I would prefer to employ the one that doesn't lead to candida, indigestion, and fatigue. On the (partly) raw foods/mostly vegan diet, I may have had some struggles with dental health, but everything else is fantastic for me (provided I don't overeat).  So I guess I should be grateful and stick with it.

 

yay!

A friend of mine just called to say She served her family a raw dinner last night (alfredo zucchini noodles) and it was the first time in 8 years she didn't crave sweets later on that evening. Hooray!!

Juice!

It's pretty hot outside, and Elisabeth isn't nursing often enough to calm my concerns about dehydration. So I went out and bought a sippy cup for my first time ever (Rychen didn't ever use one). Here she is sipping dandelion/carrot lemonade.

 

Also, a picture of me and the kids at the beach (see previous post) and the kids enjoying some fresh-picked plums.

Rychen doing "school"

 

Trust and value

We have a dentist friend who is willing to do a free exam and filling for me. But I wanted to check around for alternatives first, so I had a free consult with this more progressive dentist in town. I found him on google, as he's the only dentist here who does air for small cavities, and laser treatments. They have this paste to put on surface wear that remineralizes, without needing to do fillings. They also have digital x-rays which are minimal radiation, but apparently this is more common now anyway. So I went in for my consult, pretty nervous. Remember my worldview is that doctors are all evil and think I'm kooky for wanting to stay natural. I didn't know what he'd think of me keeping my wisdom teeth, not wanting flouride, keep the medication minimal, minimal invasiveness, etc. But this dentist was SO COOL about all of that. He gave me 30 minutes of his time, free. He listened to all my concerns respectfully and agreed with me on much of it. He was even willing to do as much as he could with no x-rays and no meds. I actually felt valued, and confident in my wishes.

 

Then I got a quote from the front desk on what the first visit would cost. Over $400. Holy cow! So I was thinking back to my friend who could do this for free. I called his office and found out they use digital x-rays also, and since this is most likely a big enough cavity to need drilling, I'd rather get it from my friend.

 

I really like this other office though, and will want to use their treatments for small cavities. But mainly I am just so grateful for the visit because of what I learned spiritually from it.

 

When my friend's office said their x-rays are digital, I felt this HUGE RELIEF, and got emotional. I had felt like I would have to sell myself short, and choose either a toxic wasteland OR a huge bill. But it occured to me, I also had felt like God wasn't looking out for me. I guess that's why I get so nervous with my teeth. I have been able to avoid doctors when birthing, baby check-ups, well adult visits, and not getting sick, that I felt really in control and independent. But it has always driven me nuts that I can't seem to keep my teeth impervious, that I still have this weakness where I need help. I have been in denial of it, trying to make miracles happen on my own. So anyway, I was just so surprised that my friend's office isn't so bad after all, I think a damn broke and I just had to cry... I felt the strong impression that God is actually looking out for me, and He needs me to go through this. He needs me to learn to TRUST a health professional and put a piece of my health into somebody else's hands, and just let them do their thing, happily, without being a control freak about it. So that's what I'm going to do! I won't avoid dentists anymore, that's silly. That is a good way to end up with extensive dental work later on. Or I can see a friendly dentist often enough to catch cavities when they are small.

 

I am going to start using xylitol daily. I did some research online and found out some great stats on it, preventing tooth decay mostly but also allowing teeth to remineralize. It works by increasing the pH of the saliva, so there is no acidity to support the bad bacteria in the mouth. Xylitol is a natural sweetener made from bark, so you can use it as a sugar substitute. But you can also brush/rinse with it, and there is xylitol gum for after-meals also. There is research showing that the children of moms who use xylitol are cavity-free. I hope so, at least.

 

P.S. I forgot to mention this, which may be good news to some of you. My son, who is now 4, has had brown stains along his 4 top teeth since he was 1 year old. When he was 2 I got stressed over it, wondering what to do. A friend who is a dental hygienist said it was probably just enamel wear, which can happen in utero I think, and that conversation just gave me the confidence I needed to ignore it and not see a dentist. Well here we are 2 years down the road, the brown has lightened up on its own and is no longer so obvious. The surface area hasn't increased at all. So they will be just fine, we didn't have to do anything.

Dental health follow-up

Here's what Dr. Doug Graham of the 80/10/10 diet has to say about dental health and diet.

 

Here's an interview with Dr. Hal Huggins who explains the toxicity of mercury and which dental procedures to avoid (thanks, Ramona!)

 

However, I haven't found anything yet about what to do with a cavity to stop it from progressing, and what other options there are besides dental treatment. I have always been prove to cavities, and my husband says he hasn't had any in many years. Well it no doubt has to do with eating habits, and I am always stuffing my face and don't have good hygiene.

 

This particular cavity I believe I have, is in a spot that food always gets stuck when I eat. So I guess it makes sense. I've had issues with food getting stuck between these 2 teeth ever since I had a filling done on one of them, 3 years ago. Afterward I told my dentist that food was getting stuck and he offered to sand it down, but I never took him up on it. Ooops. I guess I will get that done now and be mindful of any spaces that are getting food stuck in them. And not stuff my face so much....

unschool update

I've been having some really exciting conversations with my son. This is the essence of homeschool--he initiates these concepts by asking me questions. A lot of times he has been teaching himself something, and just tells me about it. He tells me "Mom, 3 and 4 make 7 because 3 and 3 make 6, and one more is 7." Wow! I am so proud of him!! He is really taking to math. He isn't as interested in reading as he is math, although he asks me a lot what something says. But I don't think he's ever sounded out a word on his own without me asking him what something says. So I'd say he's on first grade math but still kindergarten reading level.

We got a "Human Body" book from the library that is just plain awesome. I think every household needs some sort of human body book! Kids love it. I had one growing up that had 3D pictures, like you turn the page and the rib cage pops out at you, and you can see the heart inside of it. Really cool for kids to learn. I was pretty impressed with this book, I might have to buy it. So we've been talking a lot about the body. One day my son asked me, "What's the tickly thing at the back of my mouth?" and I jumped up and said "Let's look it up in the Human Body book!" So we learned about the uvula. Yes, WE learned. I didn't know it's purpose, and now I do. One of the reasons I wanted to homeschool was for me to learn too!

As we read the book we also learned what a title page is, and what information it contains. That naturally led us to talk about the 5 question words. So we invented our own game:

"I'm going to say a question word, and you ask me a question about the book.
"Who."
"Who wrote the book?"
"What."
"What is the book made out of?"
etc.

We didn't get through all 5, but that doesn't matter. Because it isn't a unit study and there is no test. There is no deadline or pressure to learn this NOW. We are simply having a conversation, on a topic we're sure to come back to several times in the next week or 2, and I'm sure by the end of that second week he'll be an expert on the topic. Without ever doing a worksheet or taking a test, without ever feeling pressured, without ever feeling that my love is conditional upon his performance. That is the essence of unschooling.

Exercise

How much exercise do you need? Wow! http://www.vegsource.com/articles2/media_gordon3.htm

"Two hours a day - and you'll be surprised how much you can do with the other 22 hours."

I guess I don't have to be as concerned about my husband exercising so much.

Dentistry

As a branch of modern medicine, dentistry is the over-looked, mystery area of science where natural health hasn't quite addressed. There isn't much information on raw foods helping with tooth decay, and when there is tooth decay, there is no information about alternatives and what to do. Here's everything I have heard... (different sources, I can cite upon request)

-Sergei Boutenko had some fillings fall out when they started their raw food diet (the cavities healed).
-Frederek Pateneude sells a book about "a proven way" to ensure dental health
-Lots of other raw foodists say still get cavities, even Dr. Graham says see a dentist
-Fasting will take care of a toothache
-Cavities can be lessened dramatically by eating an alkaline diet (same cause as osteoporosis - minerals buffering acidity)
-Small cavities won't necessarily grow, and do not have to be filled
-It is claimed to be possible for teeth to regenerate and remineralize, with the right mineral-rich diet
-X-rays are very toxic and cannot be recovered from
-There is a new alternative to diagnositc x-rays
-Pain meds are toxic
-Laser dental treatments can minimize the pain meds used
-Root canals affect the meridian balance of your entire body, and it would be better just to pull the tooth
-Amalgams are highly toxic and the heavy metals are continually absorbed into your body through time, affecting your neurology and CNS
-Holistic dentists don't use mercury or flouride

There also is a bit of information about how x-rays can actually be invalid: because they're energetic in nature, the shadows in your teeth are not necesarily a physical cavity, but could represent an energetic pathway that is not quite balanced.

Also, on flouride: We've all been duped. And this is a simple explanation from Chem 101! Yes, we need fluoride. The same way we need hydrogen. But would hydrogen treatments help anybody? Of course not, it needs to be paired appropriately to form an organic molecule. Hydrogen PLUS oxygen is the life-giving nutrient we cannot live without. So back to flouride--our teeth use CALCIUM FLOURIDE, which is an organic molecule, found in plant foods. Meanwhile, the cities are pumping our water full of toxic SODIUM FLOURIDE and the dentists are putting this into our teeth, as part of an arrangement because industrial plants needed something to do with their toxic waste (Sodium flouride is toxic waste and is very difficult to dispose of. But then if you brainwash the American public, you can very easily sell it to dentists and toothpaste manufacturers. Problem solved!)

I need to do more research and decide what I am going to do with my mouth and how to raise my kids. I am a bit bothered by the experience of dentistry: the patient has ZERO symptoms, and goes in for a check-up. The doctor says "You have problem x and I am going to do procedure y, so give me money." And we do it. We feel the exact same after the procedure because we had zero symptoms to begin with (I'm mainly thinking cavities here). So how do we know if we're in a better state or not? We could be in a worse state, after the repeated X-rays, drug injections, not to mention the physical trauma of drilling!!

I last saw a dentist 3 years ago and had this experience. Zero symptoms. And yet "A very serious cavity, almost a root canal." A miniscule hole I could not even see, and yet we drilled away half my tooth just so we could cement it right back. So we got the filling done. I was so sensitive to the pain meds that my head was numb up to my hairline!!!! (Also, this dentist really dumbed me down and wouldn't tell me the procedure before-hand, and told me he put "medicine" in my tooth. I had to ask outright, "You mean Flouride?" Oh, thanks, for asking me if I wanted that....)

Anyhow. So currently, I am pretty sure I have some small cavities on the sides of my molars because there is some sensitivity when I floss. Also, of note: I never had my wisdom teeth pulled. They are in my mouth. After many years of off/on soreness and swellling, they came in just fine. Although some may say I'm setting myself up for decay because they are hard to clean, so far back there.

So I do feel some pressure to get some research done and at least find a holistic dentist that can act as a consultant, if nothing else. I'd like to get check-ups without using x-rays, but mainly I would like some supervision as I make what feels to be a risky decision right now.

QUICK ANALOGY ....
1. Everybody has their babies in hopsitals.
2. They think I'm crazy for not.
3. The doctors say my baby will die if I don't.
4. Babies used to die, and thanks to hospitals, they don't anymore.

Is that logical? Of course, we homebirthers know all the answers to those concerns. It's just a matter of familiarity and perspective. But check this out:
1. Everybody sees a dentist. Everybody gets cavities filled.
2. I am crazy if I don't.
3. If I don't, my teeth will rot and fall out.
4. Homeless people who don't see dentists have rotting teeth. Evidence that dentists prevent rotting teeth.

So, it is logical? Is this true? My fear is that dentistry is simply ridiculous, inane practice, and yet we just lack the information to set it aside. We lack the familiarity with an alternative, and we lack the perspective of the body as a self-healing organism.

Natural Hygiene states that the body is self-healing and doctors are unnecessary! Inside of me I really want to believe that dentistry is no different.

If the earth has been around for millions of years, I'd say we got along just fine without dentists. Obviously we didn't lose our teeth, or we couldn't have survived.

Training & Recovery low-fat vegan style

My husband has recently gotten into running, completed a 5K easily, is planning a 10K in a couple weeks, and is looking at a long-term goal of running a marathon. Before the 5K I told him about how a low-fat diet helps athletic performance and recovery, so he tried it. He ran so much easier and said he had plenty energy to keep going. Last night though, we had some desserts with some friends, and so he had a bowl of ice cream. He said he really felt the difference and had a very uncomfortable run this morning, so I think he is serious about cutting out fats and doing pretty much a vegan diet for his marathon training.

This will be lots of fun for us both! We have both been doing a lot of research. I am just going through as much information as I can, mainly from Dr. Graham's website www.foodnsport.com (under the "blog" tab, there are lots of articles) and then I'll go onto other fruitarian fitness or vegan fitness pages. Come to think of it, there is a vegan body-builder in our area, who is my Myspace friend and who I saw in a video about it. I should talk to him.

My husband had been eating animal foods once a week or less, and so now maybe it will be less than monthly. Except we still eat eggs occasionally, but that would be within the 10%. And he will have a handful of nuts a few times a week (he won't eat avocado). What he does eat is lots of bananas, strawberries, occasionally other fruits, salads, and a lot of cooked starch, mostly whole wheat pasta, beans, and then if I make him a gluten-free pizza. He eats mostly raw during the day (bananas) and then one main meal for dinner. This diet has been working pretty well for him, he saw big changes when we stopped eating animal foods and processed foods at home.

But still, now that he's training as an athlete, I wonder about the acidity in his diet. I am really proud of him for dedicating himself to something and getting passionate, but I know how much toil that can take on an unhealthy body. Fitness is NOT good for the body if you're in a state of acidity where it just eats away at your bone marrow, and you are unable to recover from the physiological stress. But then again, my husband is really simple, and really cool. He is just reasonable. So if he tries to eat better and sees the results, I am sure he'd stick with it. Or if he starts to feel unwell, that's when he asks me what to do, and how to eat. He is very smart like that. He just doesn't want to be pushed into something before he's ready. But I think his pace is great, going at his own timing. It's been 4 years since we made the change to vegan whole foods, and about a year since he's been focusing on bananas. Now we can make a few more baby steps. I think our future looks super! I am really excited to raise raw kids!

mourning those who won't hear

I felt sad today as I read a relative's blog about her colicy baby. My first impulse is always to hit "comment" and Share The Great News!!!!! How simply some answers are, if only people would LISTEN. But this time I didn't even bother (to tell her how many, many moms have gotten rid of colic by eliminating dairy products). I am sick of people making fun of me, rolling their eyes whenever I have something to say, stereotyping me as a health-nut, obsessed with natural healing, always trying to preach about healthy foods. Yeah yeah, I give tips for people to improve their lives and make their health problems disappear! So sue me!

 

Anyway... I randomly opened my Book of Mormon this afternoon and read this verse:

 

I am left to mourn because of the unbelief, and the ignorance, and the stiffneckedness of men; for they will not search knowledge, nor understand great knowledge, when it is given unto them in plainness, even as plain as word can be. (2 Nephi 32:7)

 

I feel this way 100%, nothing could say it better. All I want is to help people and they won't even consider my words, as plain and easy as the answer is. I am left just feeling so sorrowful. But it is always comforting to me to read the words of prophets and know I stand in good company. Unfortunately though, most of the time they were persecuted, slain, stoned, (tarred and feathered) and otherwise snubbed. But that is the universal pattern, when you have something profound. It is mocked. We all, who are different, know that.

P.S. Cleansing

I wanted to add another note, following-up on that last post on being emotional while cleansing.

I remember when I did juice feasting 2 years ago (before my pregnancy) I was this way, and sorted through a lot of emotions. I did a lot of praying and mostly just pondering over these new sensations that I was feeling. A lot comes up, when you stop using food to stuff the feelings down. You learn more about yourself. Well anyway, I realized that is when I got over my bitterness at my mom, and also my negativity toward my father-in-law. I used to despise him, and after exploring my feelings and cleansing, I was able to find peace and respect him. Now I really admire him and appreciate him (It also helped for me to identify him as somewhat Aspergers - and understand him that way, knowing he has good intentions even though he comes across really harsh).

So I welcome this month as a time of much juicing and cleansing, exploring some feelings and moving further along my road of self-improvement.

Ultimately, I hope to release the feelings that are behind my compulsive eating, and become a whole person again. I pray that through Christ I will be healed.

Beach day

We went to the beach today with my husband's family. It was supposed to be a gorgeous day, but instead was cold and very foggy! But we still enjoyed ourselves, at least for a while. First my husband and I took a long walk, as Elisabeth slept in the Ergo. It felt great to walk in the sand, pushing with my calves every step of the way. When Elisabeth woke up, I introduced her to the sand for her first time--it was very sweet! I also spent some time with Rychen, teaching him about how sea creatures get washed up and eaten my the seagulls, so that's why there are shells and crab limbs strewn all over the sand.

Then my SIL and I wanted to be a bit crazy, so we went for a jog knee-deep in the water, as the waves rolled in and out. This is so surreal, you have to try it sometime. Watching the water makes you really dizzy, or as my 14-year-old SIL puts it, "It really messes with your mind!" That in combination with the pressure of the waves hitting you makes it really difficult to run straight. So I said to her, "You win if you can do it without falling over!" and not more than 2 mintues later, I was down!! Yes, I fell face-first into the water.

Let me remind you, this was a COLD, foggy day. And this is the OREGON beach, which is never warm water, even on the sunniest day of the year! But that's the adventure in it. And to be honest, I really wasn't trying THAT hard NOT to fall down. Everytime we go to the beach, I love getting myself numb and running like a crazy woman through the cold water. My in-laws think I am crazy, no doubt. (Between that, and eating an entire watermelon for lunch, and what they saw me eat for dinner, and then "depriving" my child of ONE bite of spaghetti simply because "We're happier when we don't eat gluten," I am quite the loony that married into their family!)

By the way, I had my leftover raw spaghetti for dinner. It's always a bit awkward doing food with them.... Mostly we avoid meals together and do other activities between meals, so it doesn't happen very often. But when my kids go over there, we pack snacks, so they get plenty of exposure to what we eat. It's probably some sort of weird anticipation to see what gross food we're going to be eating next.

Also noteworthy - for breakfast I had watermelon rind juice, and a few hours later had another bowl (yes I drink my juice out of a bowl--that's how my juicer works and I don't want to pour it into a cup). I didn't eat any solids until 12:30. This is so out of the ordinary for me that I could feel the detox today. I wasn't very hungry all day, just really sleepy. Then after dinner, riding home, I got a headache and was very nauseas. Also I have been really emotional today, which happens when I do cleanses. It's this weird sort of emotional, when there isn't much thought to accompany it, just a general feeling of sadness within me. It's good to detox and work through some feelings. I have been thinking a lot about my son, before we went off gluten, how crazy he was, and how frustrated I would get with him and treat him poorly. I carry a lot of sadness from that time of our life. I need to pray on this and release it.

But it's good to know I can do a cleanse just by juicing for half the day, and eating normally the other half. I think I'll stick with this. It seems if I wake up and eat before I am truly hungry, it sets the stage and I keep eating all day when I'm not hungry. It's good to take it slower and listen to my body.

So today I ate...
B - 2 bowls of juice
snack - a bunch of grapes, a cucumber
L - shared a big watermelon with my son
D - raw spaghetti and handful of walnuts
snack - several prunes, salad leftovers

Gotta juice

Ack, I keep stuffing myself and getting a tummy ache and gas... why do I keep doing this to myself... and today is was SALAD of all things! Then eating a big dinner when I was still full from lunch, because my friend brought me over some raw portobella mushroom pizzas (we trade meals twice a week). Well gosh I am putting my foot down! I can't keep doing this, I am going to get a horrible gut disease.... My body really needs a vacation. I think I will do a juice feast for a few days, at least I will try my hardest tomorrow and see what we can do.

Raw religion?

I was happy to read this on the Daily Raw Inspiration today:

Sometimes I feel strange doing my raw work, because the only thing that has really ever worked for me with certainty with my overall health and sanity is prayer. - Things are so much more complicated and deep than diet. I have almost total faith and belief in the raw diet, but I don't know for sure if it is always right for everyone. It seems almost impossible to have that same certainty about diet, as one can have about totally spiritual matters.

 A lot of times people think raw food will make them happy, and make a religion out of it. Well it can make you happier, if having more energy or mental clarity makes you happy, yes. It can help you feel more alive and connected to the earth, certainly. But it cannot make you know God. It's not going to tell you the meaning of life, who you are, where you're going after this life. Those are essential questions that all of us ask, and most pastors can't even answer. The answer to those questions have been revealed though, and I do know that God talks to man. I do know that God has prophets and a Living Church to lead us. And THAT will make you happier beyond comprehension - no, not a "high," energetic happiness, but a PEACE within your soul, that lasts. I just wanted to bear this witness publicly, since you guys see so much of me intimately, but if I can't tell you this, then you really don't know me at all. (You can find out more about my faith at www.mormon.org.)

Limits

I know a lot of raw food families struggle with budget. It's one thing to plan meals for yourself, but it's a whole different story when you buy a cart full of fruit and your kids just go through it! Of course we love fruit and it's so tempting to buy tons of it, especially when it's a great sale and when there is so much variety to choose from in the summer. But we had to start setting some limits - to my buying and to our eating. We went to Costco and said "We are here to buy a box of bananas and ONE other thing." So we talked about choices, and I let him choose. (With some persuasion) He chose my favorite--figs!

 

I sat down with my son and we made a list of our "unlimited" foods, the cheap foods that we can get full on - bananas, sprouts, carrots, cucumbers, zucchini, etc. And we made a list of foods that we just eat some of. The main point I was trying to get across is that we base our diet on bananas, and the other yummy juicy fruits we need to have just one meal per day.

 

We drew a pictures of our 5 meals and hung it on the fridge.

-One meal every day needs to be veggie juice

-One meal every day of bananas

-One meal veggies (a recipe would go here, like spaghetti)

-One meal other fruit

-One meal smoothie or another recipe, like sprout salad or buckwheat

Baby Mama

Have you seen the movie Baby Mama? Were you offended by it? What did you think of the portrayal of natural, hippie, and "crunchy" lifestyles?

I asked myself these questions. I was not offended, and I have to say I really like that movie actually. But when I do see a movie like that, I kind of stop to ask myself, "Should I be offended? What's their motive here, why are they even including this?"

I don't think it was the writers' objective to make fun of hippies, because it was pretty balanced with the "making fun" of white lower-class people, black people, overly-conscientious people, etc. Actually I think it is a fantastic film for portraying all of these things with the moral that all these people are good, worthy people, and nobody is better than another person, and that people from different backgrounds can appreciate each other and be friends. Also that it's OK to laugh at ourselves and make jokes about our own lifestyles.

I would say for sure in the natural birth class scene, the joke is on those who use epidurals--it portrays Angie as a selfish, irresponsible airhead. But that joke is very common, and moms who choose epidurals seem to be quick to laugh at themselves and take no offense at being "weak." So, kudos to these moms for being so cool with themselves and secure in their choice that they don't need to take offense! Why do natural birthers get offended so easily when they get called names such as "martyr" ? I guess it's like the "nigger" thing-- it's OK to laugh if the joke is by your own people, but coming from the other camp, it's offensive.

Anyhow, I do want to say that I appreciate all the references to hippie stuff, because it increases awareness, even if it's done in a laughable way. People who have never heard of these concepts before are now somewhat familiar with them, and can go look them up if they want to. Concepts such as...

-reading auras
-transfer of energy through the 3rd eye
-eye gazing
-eating the afterbirth
-yeast cakes and algae
-veganism
-raw vegan lifestyle

I was happy to hear the reference to the "raw vegan lifestyle" just for publicity! Although I have to admit, the line about eating the placenta made me cringe because I bet 0.5% of the audiences found this interesting, and 99.5% exclaimed "EWWWWW!" as loud as they could. Nevertheless, I do appreciate it, and I'm not offended.

I'm just glad I wasn't watching the movie with my in-laws. People can react how they want to, but I don't want to be in the room :)

Thick spaghetti sauce recipe

I usually don't post pictures of my food or give detailed recipes. But this was SO GOOD, and SO MUCH LIKE COOKED SPAGHETTI SAUCE, I just have to share it! So I am going to tell you exactly what I did.


Fill a quart mason jar 50% with sundried tomatoes and 25% dehydrated red bell pepper (Azure Standard sells it). Add 1 clove garlic, half bunch green onions, a few kelp tablets, and several shakes of dried basil. The jar should be full.

Pour water over it and let soak for a few hours. Then pour all the contents into blender, and puree. It will be a bit watery.

Meanwhile, get your noodles ready on the mandolin or spiral slicer. When you have grated your squash down to a stump, throw it (the stump) into the blender and mix. The mixture should now be very thick and dark red, just like a jar of Prego!


This was the yummiest marinara I have ever made. I usually follow a very similar recipe, but I have recently added the dehydrated bell peppers. You can use fresh basil, or add oil, etc. but it will always be a slight variation. My usual problem is having it be too watery because I've blended it. So adding the squash stump solves this problem. Having a thick, rich sauce really makes all the difference when it comes to feeling comfortable with unfamiliar food. So this would be a great starter recipe for somebody who hasn't tried much raw food. The only change I would make in that case would be to peel my zucchini first, so the green parts don't turn them off. White zucchini noodles are so similar to pasta, especially if you soak them in salt water so they are more chewy.

Jar Recipe gifts

There is a trend right now (especially among LDS women) to give a jar-recipe as a gift: You put all the dry ingredients of a yummy treats into a pretty jar, with instructions to add the wet ingredients and how to bake.

Here is the most raw-some idea... RAW recipe jars! You could take most any raw dessert recipe because they use shelf-stable foods like nuts and dates. And if they have to be soaked, you just add water into the jar! (unsoaked ingredients would have to be separate)

For instance, here is my jar of marinara ingredients pre-soak:

I would give this away and enclose a card saying "Fill jar with water and let soak 3 hours. Then pour mixture into blender and blend until smooth. Pour over pasta noodles or bruschetta."

Picnic today

Today we had a "picnic" lunch to eat up some leftovers. (A picnic around here means we're not at the table.) Various raw veggies dipped in marinara sauce or guacamole.

While we were eating, Elisabeth went exploring the yard on her own. As we watched her, she suddenly stood up and walked about 4-5 steps! So we grabbed the camera but she wouldn't do it again.

 

Later on we went to visit some friends who have a big garden and raise chickens. It was great for Rychen to learn about how the plants and chickens are raised. His favorite part was the big cherry tree--he picked his lunch! We came home with a bucket full of squash, lettuce, chard, and green beans. So grateful to these new friends! It seems the universe it just leading me right to people who can help feed us.

low-fat pudding

The traditional way of raw vegan pudding is to use a base of avocado or even nuts, but here's a low-fat alternative. I discovered this on accident, and I'm surprised none of the books tell you this amazing thing about blueberries. If you blend them up and let them sit, they form a solid gel. So mix in any flavor you like and you've got a pudding. Here's what we made today -

 

4 bananas

handful blueberries

bunch of swiss chard

1 c. carob (or less, mine was pretty strong)

1/4 c. cacao

1/3 c. honey

- blend it all up and serve into bowls, and THEN let them each sit in the fridge at least 30 mins.

 

Makes a great "chocolate" pudding. You can't taste the greens at all! We sliced bananas and sprinkled shredded coconut over the top.

If you don't like the carob taste, you could use baking cocoa, which isn't really raw but at least it's plain, cheap cocoa.

Blueberries

 

Make friends with a farmer!

Saskia, don't read this post, you are going to have a heart attack. Okay so I asked my CSA farmer if we could have the stuff they throw away - like stems and other boring materials. Well guess what? I came away from the conversation with much much more... we can basically have all their extras for free. Like the surplus zucchini when all the shareholders are sick of it, all the beet greens, all the veggies that are not pretty and can't be sold, and even extra fruit! HOORAY! SCORE!!!!

Theory 4: Dizziness

How do kids go around and around the Merry-go-Round without getting too dizzy? And even swinging, when I was pregnant, made me feel nauseas. I think these motions have an affect on the lymphatic system and help to detox. I usually can't ride the Merry-go-Round but today I played with the kids and went round and round, it was really fun! Funny how I can handle it better now, so I wanted to propose this theory in addition to my other ones.

Here's what I eat

Tuesday...
B. (grazed) a whole medium watermelon
L. green smoothie (banana, mango, kale)
D. steamed broccoli and sauerkraut, avocado

Wednesday...
B. 1 bowl watermelon rind juice
1/2 cantaloupe
L. Baja Fresh - salad, 1 1/2 avocado
D. lots of snap peas and sauerkraut

Thursday...
B. 1 1/2 cantaloupes, 4 spoonfuls of honey (preworkout)
s. bowl banana ice cream
L. 2 avocados, tomatoes, cucumbers, carrots
D. will be carrot juice or broccoli

...and the next few days will be a lot of carrot juice, blueberry/banana shakes, and veggies, because that's all we have right now!

Raw-Foodist

It's been a great month eating raw, and I am thinking realistically about being a permanent raw foodist. One question is, how will the winter be? I tend to get cold and I like warm foods. The lack of variety of fresh produce is a challenge (so I mostly eat imported bananas, oranges in the winter) and also, I just feel less motivated when there isn't sunshine.

So doing some winter cleansing would take care of that issue, and just getting over the mental block of lack-of-variety. And taking lots of hot showers :) Should only be an issue the first year; from what I've heard, the cold feeling goes away. And maybe I will do fruitarian (80/10/10) more so in the summer, but in the winter be more lenient with the fats. That's for 2 reasons - one, for warmth, and two, for the mental perk of variety and excitement of making raw treats.

For long-term success, I think I will keep steamed veggies in my diet for quite a bit longer. This is after all, my transition phase. I think I have been on/off because I switch too quickly and go too extreme, then invite cravings. But I am finding that keeping steamed veggies in my diet keeps me focused and not missing cooked foods.

Perhaps I will be ready to take the next step after that when I am pregnant again. I had a fantastic pregnancy/delivery with Elisabeth and couldn't really top it, but I want to eat as raw as possible each time.

Also, as far as cravings go, it has helped tremendously to be feeding my son the same way I eat. My husband doesn't really eat in front of me (he eats dinner when I'm laying down with the kids for bed) so I haven't had to face the temptation of being around cooked foods. When I am going somewhere in public I just make sure to pack food, even if I don't think I'll be hungry, because I need something ready-to-go when cravings strike.

I think cravings and giving-in happens because when eating raw, I feel so great that I actually FORGET what it is like not to feel good. I forget what health problems I had, and what it feels like to have cooked food in your stomach. So you think it's no big deal, I will eat some. And then after a time of that I get all yucked-up again and realize what happened. Maybe it would be beneficial to keep a list of how yucky I feel, and what foods do to me. Then when I am tempted I have to read it. Some sort of message to myself, a reminder, and asking me not to give in.

Cleansing/Working out

I ordered "Super Cleanse" and was going to do a juice feast with them. I've been looking forward to summer for all the great things to juice. I wanted to work up to it, and I am juicing about twice daily now. But I don't feel that I can go forward right now, I just feel too hungry. I was wondering why this is, and it must be that I am working out now. Cleansing requires a lot of rest, and it makes sense that I can't do both at the same time. I would rather do a lot of workouts during the summer months (for vanity reasons, I admit*) so perhaps I can cleanse on winter foods. Like a carrot juice feast, or the master cleanse with lemon/honey for a few days.

Although I could mention, when I did a juice feast 2 years ago, I was tired for just one day and then I got the most amazing energy ever. I had so much MORE energy by not eating foods, just juicing everything.

* Okay, working out... It's my long-term dream to be a fruitarian body builder! Well not like a competitive muscle-woman, but just to be muscular enough that it kind of proves something. I want my body to say "Wow, I did this on FRUIT" the way Richard Blackman and Doug Graham do. I want to amaze people. If I am going to be a public fruitarian, then I need the body to go with it, to show that yes, I am getting enough nutrients. Obviously I am eating enough protein because look at me. Know what I mean? :) I just think being a muscular fruitarian makes it so much easier to be a "missionary" and just demonstrate physically the health benefits and the potential of a pure diet. So, that is one reason I want to get buff!

Saving money on produce

Here are some quick ideas to save money on a high-produce diet.

- pick wild berries (around here this is realistic, even for a daily meal!)
- wild edibles, like dandelion, lambsquarter
- buy in bulk...ask farmers for a discount if you order large quantities
- ask local farmers for their edible weeds, or root crop tops, or other stems they'd throw out (you can juice these)
- plant fruit trees in your yard. They are the easiest, highest-yielding crop per dollar invested.
- ask your local grocer if you can have a discount on ripe fruit (they'd usually toss)
- ask your local grocer if you can have a discount on a case
- also ask if you can get wholesale price if you buy the item every week (like a case of bananas or oranges)
- Costco membership - significantly better prices on bananas, organic spinach, organic carrots, medjool dates, and good prices on everything else.
- SPROUT! Sprout your sunflower seeds to make them go further.
- Sprout grains and beans to take advantage of those cheap shelf-stable items.
- Azure Standard - save big when buying large orders of grains, beans, produce, condiments
-JUICE! Use up those things you'd normally throw out. You can get A LOT of extra meals out of watermelon rinds by juicing them. If you are in the habit of eating watermelon every day, save the rinds and that will cover your breakfast for the next day.

Those little things

Another thing I liked about that raw athlete article was how she mentioned not getting B.O., and other "little things." I forget about those perks and start thinking "Well I'm not that better than everybody else, so I want to eat like them......" Until I go back to cooked/processed foods and feel NASTY, get congested, B.O., dry skin, etc. There are other little things I am not thinking of right now, but B.O. is the perfect example. C'mon, it's the middle of SUMMER here, and I went JOGGING, and I still didn't stink. That is just awesome. No, I don't wear deodorant, I even stopped using baking soda. I shower probably 2-3 a week, usually because my smoothies in the morning make me cold! I just don't get that dirty or stinky. I wake up in the morning with zero mucous--no eye boogies, no congestion, no mucous in my throat (I used to spit a lot every morning), my face is clear and doesn't require make-up--I can just put on my clothes and get going with my day. It really gives you more freedom, and more time, that way.

The only thing for me is that I used to bounce off my pillow in the morning, like wake up at 5:30 "rarring to go" (in the past 2 summers) but now, my kids wake me up at 7:30-ish and I still wish I could keep sleeping. I don't know why this is, but I miss being able to jump out of bed, feeling alive, ready to do yoga, etc. I think it will come, I am just cleansing. Or maybe it's something to do with breastfeeding (the past 2 summers I wasn't nursing as much as I am now).

Cacao p.s.

It did feel like the cacao was affecting my nervous system. Like I was exhausted and hyper at the same time, and sleepy but difficulty going to sleep. It was weird, so I decided to cut it out, and today I am back to my sleepy, non-zingy self. LOL... But I still did my jogging and did have sufficient energy once I got started. Just not bouncing off the walls, fake energy. But anyway, the funny thing is my son is doing better than ever, and I wonder if that is the cacao for him? The past 4 days he doesn't need a nap, he can go all day and not get whiny or grouchy. He has been cheerful and wonderful to be around!

80/10/10 athletes

I just have to share this article, I LOVE IT!  I am so awed by athletes who eat low-fat, raw vegan. The difference it makes in their performance is simply unbelieveable. And it's so good for me to read these things to keep motivated as we transition. I really feel persuaded that this is the ideal diet for man, but it takes some motivation to keep it up and learn to do it right. There is so much to get used to ... shopping, the volume and weight of your food, eating more frequently, being different, trying to escape monotony, etc. And these are real issues that can be challenging to a marriage or family.

 

For example one issue is this conditioning that we need a huge variety in our diet, that say, a diet of bananas, oranges, spinach and little else, will leave us deficient. I have to remind myself often that (a) animals in the wild eat this way, and have great health, and (b) the typical diet of any ethnic group is basically the same way - mostly 3-4 species. For instance, in America, you get lots of "variety" but mostly we just eat dairy products, wheat, and flesh. There are hundreds of ways people eat wheat, but it's all just wheat. They eat wheat for breakfast and lunch and dinner, and nobody ever says "Hmm, you need more variety" the way they do to somebody who eats bananas for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

 

The more I learn about raw foods, the more amazed I am. Deficiencies are so rare because when your nutrients are LIVING, they are absorbed at a much higher rate and RE-USED. Also, nutrients can be broken down into molecules are re-arranged to form other nutrients! It's true! But not when your food is dead. And finally, the most important nutrient is LIFE, something mainstream nutritionists have overlooked alltogether, at the detriment of our entire society, which lacks just that.

My precious kidlets

Family Bed (there are five of us, including Lion)


Classic underwear shot!

Yes!

This is the most popular I've ever been. When I say "Do you need some nursies?" I hear three people shout "Yes!!" (the reply from my husband is more of an agonized, "When will it be MY turn???")

More energy

I like this article too, on how to feel more energized

Better digestion

Here are some tips for better digestion from The Body Ecology Diet.

Raw Fire!

If there is such a thing as a raw fire, I've got it. I am ON FIRE today. On Fire with energy, and On Fire with DREAMS! I have felt good lately as I've been so much more active the past week, building my muscles, dancing in the sun, being YOUTHFUL! This morning I took some kids to the park and we all played tag together. Then I taught them some cartwheels, and that led to me trying some backbends, which I haven't done in years..... One of my goals now is to do gymnastics again (I was trained back in 5-6th grade) so I put up on my family blog that I will be doing walkovers by the end of the month. Well, all it took was a burst of energy and a few warm up backbends, and then I had it back! Also, we've been watching So You Think You Can Dance lately and darn it, I don't care how old I am, I want to be a dancer!! We turned on The Nutcracker and pretended to be ballerinas. Later on, while my kids were sleeping, I did some make-believe dancing... No, I don't know what I am doing, but I'm not half-bad! Of course I have no endurance and no flexibility, but darn it, I WANT TO BE A DANCER!! And I am going to teach myself this summer. I am going to keep trying, and learning different things, until I can put together a routine. Maybe I will make a deal with myself... if I can get committed to stretching and practicing and doing all sorts of workouts ... if I can get flexible in my hamstrings and get enough cardio fitness to be able to dance for 30 minutes, then I get to enroll in classes!

 

When I eat raw, I just come ALIVE... and with DREAMS! I was feeling all this rush, and nursing Elisabeth, and thinking, "Baby, I want the world for you!! I want you to live your destiny and do it all!" No, we don't have time for government institutions 8 hours a day! That is simply ridiculous! There has got to be a way to get educated while we seek out our dreams, dance, play, and learn whatever skills they want to learn! My kids are not going to be stifled in their potential just so they can do workbooks for 8 hours a day! And no, they are not going to be stupid. They are going to be well-read, well-spoken, well-socialized, confident, and talented. Because, gosh darn it, there IS time for all of that. If we have high energy, minimize meal time, be efficient with our schooling time, eliminate useless entertainment time, then YES, WE CAN. We can live our dreams! My kids can live their fullest potential and I myself am going to catch up too. There is no reason I can't be a full-time mom and learn some talents too.

 

I have caught this vision before but it always goes away the minute I put cooked food in my mouth.... I never keep this sight long enough to make something of it. Well now I don't have time to waste. I have one year before getting pregnant again, and I tell you I will be a dancer by the time that year is up. I am sick of wasting my energy, I'm sick of complaining my time away and letting life happen to me while I sit on the sidelines and wishing for something else. I am going to make something out of my life. I am going to be somebody, and that doesn't mean anybody else has to even know about it. I don't want to be famous, I want to be something for ME. Actually set a goal and make my dream come true. It's a small dream, really -- taking dance classes -- but that is a big step for me. Actually I have big goals, and I know I can only do it if I take care of myself physically. I want to homeschool my kids, nurse on demand, sleep with my kids, cloth-diaper, run a moderate home-based business, take dance classes, workout every day, and seek out, prepare, and eat fresh, raw foods. That is a lot of stuff. But I do believe Jinjee does all those things, plus she is a musician. She sets the standard-- You CAN run a home-based business while AP'ing and feeding your family raw foods. It takes a lot of time but the only way to get those "extra hours" in your day is to avoid junk food so your machine is running more efficiently! I can do it! It's been a month now on raw foods, and I am going to go the rest of the summer......and then some......!!!!!

Successful Raw Holiday!

I had a great 4th of July/family reunion two-day adventure, which necessitated packing our own raw foods and eating them instead of the pizza and bar-be-que that was served. I did it, Yay! I realized I think this is my first 100% raw holiday. In the past I have contributed raw side-dishes, and I usually make our own desserts, but never have I passed up what was served as the main course. At Bar-be-que's I have usually brought our own veggie burgers, and at other "carnivore" meals, we usually just eat the potatoes or side dishes. But now we brought our own food and stuck to it.

I am happy for myself, but also delightfully surprised that Rychen did it too! And wouldn't you know, this kid threw a tantrum about ten other stupid things, but not about the food! That means HE IS GETTING IT. All the repetition is becoming second-nature to him, and the longer he's on raw, the less he even CARES about food. It used to be we'd get together with friends and he would rather eat than play. He'd sit there eating the snack foods and I'd have to nag him to GO PLAY with the kids!! But now he has been too busy playing that I have to remind him to eat. He has been playing basketball and biking or riding scooter for hours every day. We don't do "lunch time" and only sometimes "dinner time." Mostly we just eat as our appetite dictates, and I trust him to eat when he is hungry. So I am so happy to see him freed of the bonds of blood sugar and addicting substances. He can actually enjoy himself now!

It's fun to let kids follow their natural appetite (not talking french fries here) and watch their food preferences. If you give them several choices of fruits, veggies, and nuts, they will select their favorites for a reason. We naturally choose what our bodies need. Rychen almost always prefers cantaloupe. He also loves berries. A lot of other fruit he goes through phases with--will eat a ton of bananas, and then won't have an appetite for them for a few weeks, same with citris and mangoes. But this boy has never turned down a cantaloupe.

One snack he has always looked forward to it the pretzels he gets at church. I gave his teacher a bag of gluten-free pretzels to give him for snack every week, instead of the SAD snacks she brings for the other kids. That was a success in itself (I admit I was glad to be gluten-free because it gave me an excuse to avoid refined foods like crackers and baked goods without sounding like a health nut) but now - guess what he said? "Mom, is it Okay if I don't eat my pretzels at church since I love fruit so much better?" ...Is it OK if you don't eat your favorite processed snack food? FINE BY ME!!!!! Yay!

As a matter of fact, he has been eating higher raw than me. He's been eating mostly fruit, and then bites of my entrees, and sometimes nuts. I have been eating steamed veggies a few times a week, though. But other than that, all raw for me. It's been almost a month. Hooray!

Theory 3: Sweating

Of course you know sweating is a method of detoxification. That's why we use saunas and epsom-salt baths for healing. But I would like to extend this theory even to the sweating that happens when you exercise. I venture to say that the more toxic you are, the more sweaty (and foul-smelling) you will be when you workout. I can say this because I used to sweat severely and I no longer sweat, hardly at all. If I workout hard, I breathe heavily, but I really don't sweat much.

Also, I don't usually wear deodorant and don't need to -- unless I eat something worse than I usually eat, I always notice B.O. the next day. That is my body releasing the junk from what I ate.

While on the subject of exercising, this is also why you tend to cough up phlem while running, or get a runny nose. The exercise is moving your lymph and assisting in detoxification. One reason I know this is because it always feels GOOD to get it out of your system, and you have no other symptoms of un-wellness. The cleaner your diet is, the less this will occur.

Food Combining & Stomach Acid

I have said how sensitive I am to food combining. If I eat fruit with nuts, I will bloat severely. Also, I can't pull that off more than 1-2 days without getting candida symptoms.

UNLESS..... I am taking my HCl supplement correctly. Lately I have been enjoying a higher-fat raw diet, with neither bloating or candida! If the food digests quickly and efficiently, there is little waste or residue to encourage microform growth.

When I eat a cooked 80/10/10 diet, the cooked starch gives me candida. For a long time I was very frustrated with this, since I was eating ZERO overt fats. I would be eating beans, whole grains, fruits, and veggies. But I would bloat VERY easily. It's finally dawned on me that because of my difficulty in digesting cooked starch, there is excessive residue in my stomach and un-broken-down carbohydrates that feed microforms and create disorder in my gut.

I've been taking HCl for a couple years, since my naturepath diagnosed me with a deficiency. But I wasn't consistent with it, and I didn't understand how I need it mostly for the STARCH, not the proteins. It even helps with large fruit meals to prevent bloating. I love the stuff. But I do hope I can somehow get back to producing my own in the future.

Another thing I wanted to note was all this time I thought my bloating was candida, when it could also be bad bacteria growth, which happens with undigested food particles. So it's my new focus to make sure meals get through in a timely manner! That means so overeating, and plenty of veggies for roughage to push it through.

Theory 2: Allergies

My other theory is that seasonal allergies are NOT a paranoia of the white-blood cells responding to perceived attackers, but instead a wonderful opportunity for nature to assist us in cleansing. The natural plant pollens and other "helpers" encourage us to release the stored-mucous which has been holding our toxins, keeping them away from vital organs.

In the springtime, there are lots of fresh blossoms and lots of great stuff in the air. Some people don't respond to them, but most do. Again, I think that's just a matter of constitution. I find that with me, I get allergies for about 2 weeks, and if I don't do anything to suppress the symptoms, it will be done and over with. Also, my allergy symptoms run a typical course of healing - starts with itchy eyes, progresses to a runny nose, and turns into a "cold." These "moving" words tell me that it's a natural cleansing cycle.

Another interesting this is that I get these symptoms when I am eating cleansing foods, like fruit. If I am eating a low-fruit raw diet, they go away. People on very toxic diets get allergies because they've gotta slough some out. And people who eat a very clean diet don't experience it any longer. Hmmm see a pattern? It's the same pattern as most other "diseases" and varying signs of detoxification.

But with any detoxification, whether it be called flu, cold, or allergies, you gotta let the stuff come out. If you suppress the symptoms, you are pushing the toxins back it, only to try again later. You see this repeatedly because people who use OTC meds get sick over and over and over, and those who let the cleanse run its course usually just have one period of detoxification that season or year.

The Sun, Burns, & Toxicity

"We like the sun."

That's what we say when people ask why we're not putting on sunscreen. I love the sun, I think it's a GOOD thing, and I am not afraid of it. I am not going to sheild my skin from it. We don't burn much (me, my family growing up, my kids) but I admit, we have olive skin. We might get pink while we're out there, but it's not painful, and the next day we're tan. So I have never thought too much about how long we've been in the sun, where our sunscreen is, etc.

The research says your sunscreen is more toxic than the sun, and that skin cancer is caused by toxins, not the sun. Don't forget your skin is the most absorbent organ and will suck in all those chemicals the same way as if you were to drink your skin-care products (For this reason, I have purchased toxin-free sunscreen for my husband to use.)

In addition to that research, it is my personal theory that the more toxic you are, the more likely you are to burn. I believe the sun is a great detoxifier and will draw toxins through your skin, hence the burning. If there aren't many toxins underneath your skin, you won't burn. This rule will vary, depending on if the skin is your constitutionally preferred organ of detox. (some people are more likely to detox through their sinuses, or their sweat, etc. - I think that is a constitutional thing)

Another fact to back-up my theory that sunburn is detoxification is that you don't burn over and over, repeatedly. You usually burn at the beginning of the summer, and then not for a while after that, until you have a great deal of sun exposure more than normal. So you were able to release those toxins, and so long as you don't re-intoxicate yourself, you are less likely to burn.

So anyway, here is our experience this weekend. We had 2 good days in the sun, several hours (7+) worth. Rychen and I have olive skin, we both got red. This morning I still had a mild burn, just on my shoulders (which I treated with lavendar oil) and he was all tan. But Elisabeth is the most interesting to note--she does NOT have olive skin. She is very fair. Being the "irresponsible parent" I am, I did not put sunscreen on my baby. She did get pink. But there is no burn. Today she is a lovely brown color. Interesting!

Do you have any experierence or evidence to support or reject my theory?

A great day today!

I had a super day today, my energy stayed up throughout the day, and I was mentally balanced and not irritable. We were outdoors most of the day, and didn't get exhausted! I attribute this to 2 things - (a) eating lightly, and (b) starting my day with a workout.

(a) I think my problem usually is just overeating. I always feel so stuffed and that makes me tired and grouchy. But I do this every day! I eat out of boredom. When I am busy with activities, or when I start my day with green juice, I don't gorge on fruit all day. I think I had a good, healthy amount of food and didn't over-do it - Breakfast was green/carrot juice, late morning snack of 4 bananas, Lunch was probably 1 lb. of cherries and half a watermelon, and then dinner was lots of brownies, 2 heads of broccoli, and some buckwheat.

(b) Yes, I RAN this morning and it felt awesome! My husband has been running, and after overhearing all this talk about miles and times, I was just curious how I measured up. So he's been "training" for a few weeks and his mile is right around 8 minutes. So I go out there, my first day jogging at all in TWO YEARS, haven't exercised in at least 2 weeks, and my legs shorter than his - my mile was 9:30. Yeah!! Not bad for my first day!! I am excited to run again and see how quickly I can get to 8 minutes. The competition is on!

(I have never been much of a jogger, but 2 years ago I got into it a little bit. This was when I was eating all raw with a lot of juice, and I always have a ton of energy on that diet. Anyway, I really improved dramatically, quickly. My first run I jogged 3 minutes straight, the second day 7 minutes straight, and the third day 20 minutes straight. I was only measuring how long I could go before I had to walk. So this time, I am actually seeing how quickly I can run a mile, but that just goes to show how quickly you get "fit" and improve your fitness on raw foods. So I seriously think I could do an 8 minute mile in just a few more workouts.

Running this morning was also good to test my fitness level. Like for instance, running usually stirs up a ton of mucous. But this time I only spit once, when I was done. So it shows I am pretty clear! Good achievement. Also, the fact that I could run that quick shows me that my fatigue lately is only detox and I don't have anything wrong with me. (Because once I get off my duff and get going, I can actually do something!) Good to know :)

Rychen's birthday/Cacao

Here's what we made for my son's 4th birthday party.

He asked for an apple pie. I made a frozen apple-pie ice cream cake. Take a regular raw date/nut crust, and add a mixture of half banana ice cream, half applesauce, with cinnamon and nutmeg. YUM!

I also made another one, banana ice cream with half a lemon (including peel) = lemon ice cream cake.

And finally, we had some leftover crust mixture so I mixed in some cacao and extra honey and served brownies. THESE WERE THE BEST!! I only taste-tested them though, because I was nervous about eating cacao again. But tonight we had the leftovers for dinner, with some broccoli. (Good dinner combo by the way, it digested marvelously) I sort of gorged on brownies, and no symptoms at all!! I don't know how much cacao it really was, it was actually mostly flax, but it had sufficient chocolate flavor. Really really scrumptious, gooey brownie consistency.

This crust and then brownie mix actually was already a leftover! Earlier in the week I made "Lara bars" using sprouts, and it was a bit strong so they weren't getting eaten. So I re-blended them, adding almonds and more honey. It's fun how you can take raw food and just re-do it like that! And tonight, with the leftover brownies, I re-blended them AGAIN with some chia seeds, and stirred in some liquid coconut oil and buckwheat groats. So it will harden in the fridge and be crunchy chocolate bars. Coconut oil is AWESOME because it is liquid at room temperature, so good for stirring in, and then it solidifies, so you will get a hard, crunchy dessert.

Another thing I want to try with my cacao is chocolate-dipped strawberries. Just mix the cacao with the liquid coconut oil, dip strawberries, and put in fridge to harden.

Yummy 4th of July

Here is what July 4th means to me, as a raw foodist.

July 4th is the day we have the annual family reunion at Grandma's house.
Grandma has 2 huge cherry trees.
July 4th is the day the cherries are ripe.
The house is full of people, but they only munch here and there on the cherries (they're there for the hamburgers, you know)
Thus, July 4th is the day Annalise & children get all the cherries to themselves :-)

Straight off the tree, into the mouth!! The freshest, best way to eat. We don't pack hardly any food because it's right there waiting for us :-)

We're just getting started!

Quick conversation with a cashier today...

me: (saying how I haven't shopped for a dress in a long time because I nurse my baby)
cashier: Oh, how old is she?
me: ten months
cashier: Wow, congrats for nursing that long! I breastfed mine, but not that long.

Oh lady, we are just getting started! How funny, it never even occured to me to think of ten months as an achievement. It would be, if we had had challenges that we had to overcome, but its been pretty much smooth sailing. I didn't mention that my now 4-year-old has been nursing again as well :-)

It's funny how there is an assumption about baby's eating development. A friend of mine asked if Elisabeth is eating foods. I said "yeah, a little...." And she asked how old she is. When I said ten months, she quickly said "Oh yeah, OK then she's doing a lot more than cereal now then." -- a statement, not even a question anymore - and AFTER I had already answered that she's only eating a little. It's as if what I say doesn't matter, because just a baby's age will give you all the information they need to know. Just funny because as a matter of fact, Elisabeth only eats solid foods here and there. She goes several days at a time on only breastmilk. And I don't even think anything of it...... I don't notice. I mean, that is her diet. She may have snacks here and there, like people have a cookie here and there, but they don't ever stop and think "Did I have a cookie today?" You know?