Welcome to the Raw Mom Blog

Colonics to Cleansings…

November 20th, 2009 by admin

Aloha Moms!

8416_141760047749_670257749_3107253_1927503_n1 I am Suki, your friendly colonic hydrotherapist & cleansing guru. In the last 12 years it’s been my delight & privilege to work with 9 mothers and 11 babies throughout their pregnancies [2 mothers with both of their children]. And each one has been different - there is no accounting for cravings & seasons! There is much misconception about when it is safe to cleanse during pregnancy & breast feeding. What you want to avoid is excess toxins entering your blood stream & that of your baby. Removing toxins from your body = a very good thing. I am happy to give colonics past 14 weeks* gestation: 1st trimester + 2 weeks for good measure [*a history of problems notwithstanding]. If I doubted for a minute that it wasn’t suitable [i.e. poor diet could create more stress than benefit] I would talk to my client about other cleansing options.

Receiving colonics, colemas or enemas during pregnancy helps enormously with Mom’s energy, digestion, cravings, sleep & mobility. Because Baby isn’t surrounded by yucky you-know-what, this means a calmer newborn, better sleep & zero cradle cap. And the colon cleansing doesn’t need to stop just because you’ve given birth & are busy being Mom. Your health still matters, the quality of your energy, sleep (don’t laugh) and breast-milk are all related to what is lurking in your bowel. Many clients have taken Colosan (OxyMag) safely during pregnancy & breast feeding. The typical cleansing herbs are best avoided - as usual, thoroughly investigate what you consume at this precious time.

Cultures vary so greatly when it comes to kids and poop. My friends from Korea had theirs inspected by their Mothers each morning & their diets adjusted accordingly. Indian & West Indian children are/were brought up fasting annually & drinking heinous cleansing liquids. If you’re already on the raw cleansing path, your children will grow up used to your interesting predilections for poop; the enema bags in the bathroom & your colon hydrotherapist’s waiting room. If you’re embracing this lifestyle now, with older children, let them try what you’re doing, encourage them to do an enema [they may need some help, or have them together]. All ideal preparation for their own path of happy bowels…

**Suki Zoë dances between photography sukizoephotography.com & colon hydrotherapy qito.wordpress.com, as well as enjoying one-on-one work as a cleansing facilitator deeptissuecleansing.com. A passionate raw chocolatier & tea drinker, when not documenting festivals & retreats behind the lens, Suki is throwing cacao parties & straightening her pencils

Posted in Food for Thought, Inspiring Families, Natural alternative to drugs, Organics, raw food | No Comments »

Can It be? Yes, It Can!

November 19th, 2009 by admin

by Jess Leonard

It can be very stressful to transition to Raw. As a mother of three and wife to one. . . None of whom are as enthusiastic as I am about going Raw, I can tell you that every day at meal time I get a headache. As the mom I want to lead by example, not force, and definitely not have to fight every step of the way. I want my kids to be healthy, and healthy. For my husband and I, we want to feel young and full of energy, weight loss and clear glowing skin would be the bonuses for us.

We have bounced back and forth for over two years now. If asked we would say that we eat predominately vegetarian, a lot of Raw, and a lot of SAD. Some weeks we are good, the recipes I present at meal times are accepted and devoured. Other times, the craving for sugars and processed foods is too great for my family to fend off.

People in the United States go every day to special places to help them overcome alcohol, drugs, and other addictions. I know there are places out there were people can go to overcome their cooked food/junk food addictions. But in reality, not everyone can afford to go and stay at these places. Though I do wish it were possible!

Wouldn’t that be grand! Being able to go somewhere and have people prepare Raw meals for you and your family, with teachers there to give information and mini classes during the afternoons on the whys and how’s and what for’s of nutrition and Raw. Having that support system in place and at one’s beck and call for long enough time for you to become stronger than that craving for ‘rocky road’ is priceless and something we all would benefit from. Your armor hard as a rock against that sweet potato pie with the marshmallow top that your mom has made for you, because it is your childhood favorite.

Eating with family and friends who do not follow the same diet would be a breeze because you would be solid in your raw foundation. Impenetrable and secure in your choices and knowledge of what you were doing being the best for you and your family. I don’t think I am the only one who gets headaches at meal times. I’m pretty sure, OK I hope, there are others out there who like me, are struggling to do better, want to do better.

I find great comfort and support in visiting the websites of the Raw Divas, and visiting with my raw friends on the forums. It may not be a 30 day rehab, but it does help make one day at a time a little easier. So if you’re in the same spot as I am… take a few breathes. Make a plan, make a menu, and write out the steps to accomplish that plan. Stick to it! I know it’s hard, believe me you, I know.

But it is POSSIBLE! It CAN be done, and if you just hang in there, push forward, it will get done. You will wake up one morning, vibrant and healthy, feeling strong and beautiful. You will have accomplished your goals and you will be happy.

And that’s what it’s about.

** Jess is one of the newer members of our Blogging Team.

Posted in Communication in the Family, Food for Thought, Health and Wellness, Inspiring Families, Organics, family | No Comments »

Ask Raw Mom…. Hayfever

November 18th, 2009 by admin

Q: Dear *Raw Mom*,

I am currently suffering really bad hayfever and I have been trying to find a solution. I have been on antihistamines and others to help dry up and heal the symptoms but they are losing their effect.
I know there is another answer, my diet. So I have cut out dairy which I have an intolerance to anyway!

But I just wanted to know about any other foods that I could eat to heal and cure my symptoms. I have been listening to my body and keeping to the fresh fruit and veges and just the odd piece of toast, etc.
I have heard acupuncture is a great help so I am going to try next week.

But I would like some other guidance please.

Thanks for being you!

Keep smiling,

Sheryl Miller

A: Hi Sheryl,

I used to be right where you are!
What worked for me was understanding that the symptoms were really all part of the bigger picture and underneath it all was an exhausted and depleted immune system.

Before I went raw I wasn’t very in tune with my body or even my emotions…and I used to push myself to my limit and beyond constantly. I always felt in high survival mode. This stressful physiology put my entire system under strain.

After going raw, I noticed subtle shifts in my awareness that brought me back into a more balanced state. It was like suddenly, progressively, I was inhabiting my body more and more. This naturally started to guide me to better habits all-round. The diet is what triggered a whole chain reaction. I needed more sleep. More fresh air. Less worry. More water. Really simple things like that.

I noticed in my 2nd or 3rd year of raw, I never had hay fever again. I know I never will, because my immune system is working.

A quick-trick which may not even appeal to you but I have read and heard works miracles for any immune system eficiencies is to try urine therapy. Apparently even homeopathic doses of a few drops under the tongue daily can do wonders…
I personally haven’t needed to try that, however, when my hayfever was at its all time worst, I would get such itchy eyes that I wanted to scratch right out. I did use to put urine drops into my eyes and the relief was immediate and effective.
I hope all this helps and just continue to allow yourself to be guided to find your answers.

Blissings,

Posted in Food for Thought, Health and Wellness, Organics, Tips for Moms | No Comments »

The Day Daniel Vitalis Came To My House

November 17th, 2009 by admin

by Lisa Marie Lindenschmidt

molm I host a raw vegan potluck at my home each month. To shake things up a bit, I’ve been trying to schedule speakers to come and give talks on subjects that are a bit on the outskirts of the raw vegan community. As my first speaker, I thought it would be appropriate to invite Daniel Vitalis to come and speak about elixirs. It was fitting, of course, given that he often gets touted as “the bad boy of the raw food world.” Outskirts seems to be his forte.

We first got turned onto Daniel’s work in April when my daughter and I attended the Superhero Seminar in York, ME. Daniel was one of the featured speakers alongside David Wolfe and LivingStone. At the time, he was talking about spring water and I was convinced: OK, that’s logical. We need to get on spring water. But during the event, I was tooling around, checking out the booths. One of my friends came up to me and pointed to Daniel’s ElixirCraft course that was for sale, said, “totally worth it,” and then walked away. I stared at the CD – a course that explained how to make tinctures and cordials, among other things – and realized that I came here for this. Kind of one of those weird loopy moments where you think something that you already knew. So, I bought the course, listened to all of it… and began making our own homeopathic medicines. Within a month, Jim quit his asthma meds, I cleared out the medicine cabinet of all conventional medications, and we converted to homeopathy 100%.

Since then, we’ve found a local spring and have been drinking only spring water, have taken Daniel’s other course, Invincible Health Mastery, and have watched all his videos on YouTube. I’m making him sound like a guru, aren’t I? Either that or I’m one of his most fanatical followers. Well, he’s not and neither am I. But you have to really listen to what he’s saying and watch how he presents this information. He’s not saying anything we don’t already know (again… that weird loopy feeling): the reason we’ve forgotten our ancient wisdoms (and, yes, there are more than one) is because we’ve allowed ourselves to become domesticated, to become disempowered.

Which brings me back to the potluck. You have to know Daniel’s work on the four Elements (Air, Earth, Fire, Water) to appreciate Jim’s wanting to have him do his talk out in our Grove’s fire pit in the backyard. My husband is a Reiki Master and one of the most powerfully magickal men I know. He really resonated with Daniel’s concepts of the Elements and how each play into who we are and how we relate to the world. Jim intuited that Daniel would be into giving a talk by a fire out in the middle of the woods in the dark… and he was right.

I found that when you ask for a talk about elixirs from Daniel, you’re not going to just get some bits and bobs about how cool elixirs are. There’s a journey involved. He has to show you the starting point – which has absolutely nothing to do with elixirs – and the end point – which is really not the end of anything. All of us had gathered around the fire. Some of us sat perched on the beautiful benches Jim had made, some were squatting on the sides, and the smaller ones played in the dirt around the fire ring. After a brief introduction, Daniel, in Vibram Five Fingers, a kilt, and a Hobbit cloak, started talking.

What you immediately sense from Daniel is that while he’s talking, he’s listening. This was odd for me. I couldn’t quite figure it out at first, but then I started to see that he was listening to something deep within himself, listening to the forest around him, and listening to all the people feeding back at the fire. Everything was of equal value, everything was information that could be assimilated. What was happening here? I tried listening to what he was saying while employing “bigger listening” – to the energies around the fire, the environment around me – and got bombarded with too much information. Is this what Daniel keeps referring to as domestication? Was it possible that this type of tuning in was a common thing in the past? I don’t believe that Daniel has any special superhuman powers, but I do believe that he’s tuned in or more “awake.” I want that.

There has been a lot to unpack from his talk – things he said, things he didn’t say, things I felt – that I need to incorporate. It felt like he simply showed me that I had a key for a door I didn’t know existed. And I’m not so sure that I would have been able to appreciate his talk had I not done all my introspective work over the years. I don’t believe in gurus; I believe in people coming into your life because you’ve called them there to point you in the direction you intuitively know you need to go.

**Lisa Marie Lindenschmidt is a raw foods chef and teacher and owner of Rite Food and Company, which offers workshops on intentional and joyful eating. Lisa Marie and her homeschooled daughter, Mo, record a weekly podcast – called Sweet Peas Podcast – chronicling their raw foods journey together.

Posted in Events, Food for Thought, Homeschooling, Inspiring Families, Interviews, Organics, Raw Food Recipes, Transitioning from Cooked to Raw!, raw food | 1 Comment »

Raw Food Class, Melbourne

November 12th, 2009 by admin

by Joanne Newell

For a little while now, I’ve been dabbling with the idea of holding raw food classes.

istock_000009438283small-3 The idea of being able to help those who’ve had their conscious sparked, who know there must be a better way to live, who want a big improvement in their health, and who want inspiration for phenomenal living… the very thought of being able to do this for others is so exciting. How fulfilling to be able to serve in such a direct way!

Earlier this year, the universe popped just such an opportunity into my lap, with my aunt feeling drawn to introducing me to a local personal trainer/motivational speaker called Andrew Jobling. Andrew often joins up with others to create life-transforming workshops, and he asked me whether I’d like to introduce people to raw food by creating an event with him.

So I said yes! We’ve set a date for Saturday, November 28th, and in the class Andrew will be revealing strategies for making long-term, effective change (I’ve been to one of his classes before – he’s really good!), while I introduce the concept of living foods, explain my raw-food journey, answer any questions thrown my way, and demonstrate how to whip up a few scrumptious raw delights (with samples, of course!).

If you live in Victoria, Australia, and would love to come, here’s a link to the flyer: A Fresh Taste For Life!

Or perhaps you know someone who might be interested? Feel free to pass the link along to them – this class might be just what they’re looking for.

I had a little “taste” of raw-food teaching in person this week, when I did a green smoothie demo for my children’s class at school. Bella and Evie have been asking me to do this for months, but I wasn’t sure whether the teacher would be OK with it, whether it would be covered under the curriculum. But she said that it followed “procedural” learning, with kids following steps in a recipe, so she was more than happy for me to come in.

The kids all know me anyway, because I help out with reading and writing every Wednesday morning, but they were pretty excited (and curious) to see me setting up the blender, popping on an apron, and getting out fruits and greens. I explained to them about green smoothies, and then they excitedly read out the ingredients, equipment, and steps for the recipe on the interactive whiteboard while I carried out the steps. Most kids at least tried the smoothie (bless ’em – I think the green color scared a couple of kids), and most came back for seconds, thirds and fourths!

Even the teacher admitted that she’d been a bit skeptical about greens working in a smoothie, but she is absolutely in love with the recipe I’d created for the class – in fact, that recipe worked so well that I’ve decided that I’ll demonstrate it in the raw-food class on November 28th. If you want the recipe, you’ll just have to come, won’t you?! (Tease? Moi?)

I created a little handout for the kids to take home, with green smoothie basics and ingredient suggestions, a copy of the recipe I’d created for the class, and a copy of the “Alien Slime Smoothie” recipe from my recently released Monkey Mike’s Raw Food Kitchen: An Un-Cookbook for Kids! (If you haven’t heard of Mike and want to know more – head here!).

My girls had asked whether I could give a copy of the Monkey Mike book to the class, and when I suggested this to the teacher, she said that it would be great to have it in the school library, so that all of the children in the school can read it – what a fantastic idea! So I’m going to print out a copy, pop it in a binder, and donate it to the school library.

I love being able to make a difference to lives on a global level – through this blog and through the Monkey Mike recipe book – but I also love helping my local community. If the idea of doing that calls to you, maybe you could think of ways to help your community – maybe an elderly neighbor is suffering with a degenerative illness and has shown that she’s open to trying new healing modalities? Maybe she’d be interested in a green smoothie demo in her kitchen? Or what about holding raw-food classes for curious friends, in your own home?

You just never know how someone’s life can be changed, when they’re ready for that change.

If you’re able to come to my class in Melbourne, then I can’t wait to meet you!

Till next week

Love Raw Mom Jo

Posted in Communication in the Family, Food for Thought, Inspiring Families, Organics, Transitioning from Cooked to Raw!, raw food | No Comments »

Ask Raw Mom… Meet Raw Dad!

November 11th, 2009 by admin

**Each Wednesday we will be answering questions from our readers. If you have a question for *Raw Mom* send it to Ask *Raw Mom*

Q: Dear *Raw Mom*

My name is Roy, I’m not a Raw Mom, I’m an aspiring Raw Dad to be. I’m the leader in my family when comes to health. I was introduced to raw food just last year from my friend, Linda, who is a full-time raw for years.
I was totally blown away by this new way of eating and I see the endless bounds of energy, vatality, and of course the fact she looks 10 years younger now.
I was a full-time vegan for 2 years around 7 years back. Because of peer pressure from family and friends, I switch back to the normal food and diets. I am very conscious of eating more vegetables and fruits since then, and less meat. However, in the place where I live in, Singapore, it’s a food haven.

I was introduced to your website by my friend Linda too. I am spending a lot of hours browsing around your products, articles, videos and all your writing on your website. I am seriously wanting to get some of your products, and also ask you some questions too… I’m recently trying out a 3 day full raw detox diet. For 3 full days, I would do coffee enema, drink green smoothies, eat raw nuts, and essential oil (UDO Oil) I love it, and it gives me a lot of energy, I can work whole day… BUT…

I feel very hungry throughout the day.

At first, I only had green smoothies, and I gave up easily. On top of that, I eat salad with fruits too, and I feel hungry, and I tried nuts, like almond, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds and UDO Oil. I managed to do it for 3 days 2 weeks ago. Just recently, for the last try, I felt very hungry again.I knew something was very wrong, and I decided to stop and email you to ask you what went wrong?
I know that a raw food should be and must be good feeling, and filling to my hunger, and not make me feel hungry. I am aware that it’s my emotion at play to crave for food like rice, noodles and comfort food that I had since young. So, any advice or what book to get would be great…

I’m really striving to be the next raw testimonials to myself, my family, (wife and 1 year old son), and of course to you too.Thank you,

Roy

A: Hi Roy!

My husband had the same challenge as you, and actually so do a lot of people. Feeling hungry is very common whenever someone changes their diet. The body doesn’t like fast changes…it takes time to adjust and prefers a gentle pace.

I have coached people and found a trick that worked which is to get the raw food in first, but allow yourself to eat what you are used to as well. This way you aren’t depriving yourself of what you are used to so you aren’t psychologically stressing yourself out. This in itself cuts down on wild cravings and emotional eating. Secondly, once you get the raw food and juices into your body, you become more hydrated and mineralized and the nutrition starts to balance your moods and blood sugar so you feel calm and satisfied.

You will think at first that you will just be eating everything in sight i.e. raw food and cooked, but over a period of a couple weeks, you will balance it out and rely more on the raw food and less of what you are used to. You will slowly but surely become truly satiated as you become well-nourished physically and emotionally.

Do not deny yourself. Nourish yourself. Use nutritionally dense foods like smoothies and juices, nut mylks and pates/burgers etc and superfoods like Spirulina/bee pollen/ hemp seeds/ coconut butter and eat enough food to satisfy you. Then if you are still ‘feeling hungry’ which is probably more emotional than physiological at that point, some of your filling food for comfort- just try to go with whole grain rice and make choices that are better as you progress.

Congratulations on being a leader in your family and for your committment to a healthy and happy life!

Blissings,

Shannon

Posted in Ask Raw Mom, Communication in the Family, Food for Thought, Inspiring Families, Organics, Recipes, Transitioning from Cooked to Raw!, family, raw food | No Comments »

Meet Debra Tau!

November 6th, 2009 by admin

by Debra Tau
A big hello and hugs to all the Raw Moms out there!
thaddeus-debra I have been eating raw foods for two and a half years and have had the honor of being a new Mama to my son, Thaddeus, for eight months now!
My entry into motherhood has been a roller coaster of rude awakenings and sacred journeys… but then again… looking back, so was my entry into the world of raw foods!
Probably like most other Moms, I was in shock initially at just how hard those newborn days are! Nothing had prepared me for them… at least nothing I could find from the American culture I was raised in… and yet I found that when I connected with myself intuitively, I was already all-knowing as a woman and as a Mother… I just needed to remember
what I already knew!

Tapping into my higher self and the natural mother within me was easier than I realized it would be. I credit a lot of that to the higher vibration of my living foods diet! Thankfully, I had “figured out” the raw food diet before I gave birth to my son… but it was definitely a process that evolved over time… and like most raw fooders, I experienced a number of shifts in the diet before I landed at what works for me.
I certainly haven’t “arrived,” but I am in tune with my body and feel like I have found a way of eating raw foods that will go beyond fads and actually continue to work for me in the long run!

And so now as a full-time exclusively breast-feeding Mama… with only an occasional green juice to supplement… I can say that I find the energy to feed my Plump-a-licious Cream-Puff, aka, Little Buddha, by grateful consumption of a diet rich in organic, plant-based whole foods!

I draw most of my energy during the morning and afternoon from drinking lots of ionized alkaline water and exclusively eating fruit that is ripe and raw. It’s simple, easy to prepare, quick to digest, and doesn’t slow me down! For dinner, I start with a raw green soup and finish with a raw salad of leafy greens, sprouts, and veggies.

I eat seasonally for the most part and use different herbs and spices to keep the meals varied. I do a lot of mono-eating with my fruit, but do occasionally mix a few fruits together in a smoothie. With the fruit smoothies, as well as with the green soup and salads, I try to keep the ingredient list to five foods. This makes the prep quick and simple, as well as make digestion that much easier by not combining too many different foods. I also keep my fat intake low by consuming only a little bit of avocado or nuts with my dinner. I do this because fats take much longer to digest and tend to slow me down… which is okay in the evenings as I’m winding down for the day anyways!

This is my “norm” to be 100% raw vegan for about five days out of the week. Usually one or two nights a week, I go out to dinner with my family or friends and will indulge in a non-organic salad with some vegetarian cooked food, which may sometimes include cooked grains!

I find that giving myself this break allows me the freedom to be social with my food, and keeps me on track and enjoying what I’m doing the rest of the time! I also give myself a Juice Feast one day a week, consisting of freshly juiced fruit in the morning and afternoon, green juices in the late afternoon, and green soup for dinner! I also enjoy preparing gourmet raw food recipes on occasion to share with friends!

I plan to raise Thaddeus and all my future children to eat a living foods diet… and I will probably keep it simple by having them eat whatever I’m eating! In the meantime, I will continue to predominantly breastfeed my son until he has all his teeth, and thus has all the enzymes he needs to properly digest solid food. As he continues to grow, I will occasionally, and probably more regularly, supplement with liquid nourishment, such as green juices, nut milks, and coconut water.

In keeping in line with eating a healthy diet, I have a great desire, like every Mom, to raise a healthy child – physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually, and socially! I have read a number of books, talked to a lot of other moms, and searched deep within myself to practice natural ways of raising my baby. I also have had the benefit of working at Hippocrates Health Institute, where I have gained a wealth of knowledge on the raw food lifestyle and natural ways of living. Furthermore, I listened to the majority of the interviews on the Raw Mom Summit, and was blessed tremendously with some new ideas as well as received confirmation on a lot of the things I was already doing as a Mom!
thaddeus One of the most important aspects of mothering for me so far has been to live out the Continuum Concept, as described in Jean Liedloff’s book. I finished reading her book just a few weeks before I heard her interview on the Raw Mom Summit! I instantly knew that I wanted to put into practice the Continuum Concept, especially giving my baby the adequate time to be “in arms” before he became more independent through crawling and eventually walking. I have found it challenging in American culture, since the concept is based on a mother-baby-village relationship.
Most Americans are not living in villages, but rather in isolated single-family units. Without having someone near by all the time whom I could pass my baby to when I need a break, makes carrying my baby around a bit tiring at times. But I have realized that I can only do the best that I can do!

Beyond the “in arms” aspect of the Continuum Concept, is the need for the mother to be in her continuum of being amongst her peers, contributing to her community. I know that for me, being home alone with my baby is isolating and sometimes even depressing. It is much easier for me emotionally to get through my day when I am with other moms and children!

Having a great desire to live out the Continuum Concept and be with my baby while also being with other women working to contribute financially to our families has been the inspiration to my latest vision of starting a “Day Village.” I would like to bring together like-minded Mamas with their babies and children to go through our day together. I want to plant a garden together that would provide food for us to eat a living foods diet, as well as to sell to the community as a co-op. Furthermore, I would like us each to develop a “craft” that we can enjoy the process of creating, that we can sell.

My ideas are to make earth-friendly products that serve a purpose to help Moms, children, and families live a natural and healthy life. The point is to be TOGETHER during the day, so we can support each other as mothers, help each other with our babies, and be productive in ways that add income to our families! And at the end of the day, we go home to our husbands, partners, and families feeling happier and healthier because we are living in the continuum!!!

I look forward to sharing more details in the future on various subjects that I have discussed here in my debut, as well as other natural ways of raising my baby that are close to my heart! A glimpse at just a few of those other things are cloth diapering and Elimination Communication, organic baby clothes and reusing / recycling clothes, conscious ways of communication, being in nature, and eventually plans to home-school / un-school my children.

All the best to all the Raw Moms out there!

Be Well!

Cheers,
Debra

Posted in Ask Raw Mom, Breastfeeding, Communication in the Family, Food for Thought, Inspiring Families, Organics, Tips for Moms, family, raw food | 4 Comments »

Ask Raw Mom… Your Questions Answered!

November 4th, 2009 by admin

Ask *Raw Mom* introduces our newest member to the team, Debra Tau

Q: Dear Raw Mom

I’m so excited to have found your site. I have been on and off raw for the past year. I gave birth to my 3rd child 1 month ago, and just moved 2 months ago to a whole new city. With the economy I have found it difficult lately to eat raw, however I feel a depression coming on (after a gorge session of pancakes last night) and know eating raw and feeling good about myself is exactly what I need.

I am breastfeeding my son and was wondering what a daily raw breastfeeding day would look like. I don’t have a juicer and am on a budget. I’d also like to get the last 10 lbs off.

Any suggestions? Too much to ask???

Thanks so much

Kelley

A: Hi Kelly,
I decided to get some help on this one so asked another raw mom to speak to this and here is what she said, love, Shannon:

First off, there are so many versions of the raw food diet out there. And so, while I am happy to share what I have found to work for me, I still think it’s important that everyone learn to be in tune with their own body to find out what is optimal for them. As raw moms who are breastfeeding our babies, I think we have probably all been there when it comes to hormonal fluctuations that are natural in the postpartum phase and breastfeeding years… You know, the ones that send you on an emotional roller coaster at meal times (and in between times too!).

A living foods diet can certainly help to balance the hormones, but if you are consuming the wrong kinds of raw foods at the wrong times, it can be counter productive. I have found that keeping it simple works for my body, and also works for my wallet!

water A daily raw food diet for a breastfeeding mom should always begin with drinking a glass of water every time you nurse your baby. (Preferably breastfeed every two to three hours during daylight… As the more frequent you breastfeed, the higher the fat content of the milk, which is needed for optimal brain development).
Drinking plenty of water is crucial to you staying hydrated and keeping your milk supply up! After you finish each feeding during the morning and afternoon, if you consume a meal of raw ripe fruit only, you will find yourself with far more energy, than if you chose heavier raw food recipes at this time of day. This is because fruit is made up of mostly simple carbohydrates, which digest very quickly, giving you nearly instant energy, rather than spending your energy on the digestion of fattier raw foods. Then in the late afternoon to early evening times, consume a raw green soup and/or salad consisting of lots of leafy greens, sprouts, vegetables, and avocado or nuts and seeds. This will meet your mineral and fat requirements, needed not only for your own body, but for producing a higher fat milk for your baby. The fat content of avocados, nuts and seeds does take longer to digest, so your body has to put more of its energy into the process. Harder working digestion means less energy for you as a mom. So while the fats are essential, so is balance; don’t overdo the fats! I find that reserving the fattier foods that tend to slow me down for later in the day works well for me since I’m winding down to go to sleep before too long anyways.

Here’s an example of my diet and nursing routine:

7:30AM - Drink 8-16 oz. of water while nursing.

8:00AM - Banana smoothie (Bananas & water blended… or just bananas for extra simple on-the-go!)

10:30AM - Drink 8-16 oz. of water while nursing.

11:00AM - Mono* fruit salad (Cut up 4-5 apples of different varieties and eat them together.)

(Or you could do 4-5 pears… or berries… or citrus… or tropical fruits like mangos and pineapples.)

(*Mono eating of one food at a time is easiest on digestion, but combining similar foods works well too.)

(Obviously, the fewer foods you add to the mix, the shorter the prep and easier it is on you!)

1:30PM - Drink 8-16 oz. of water while nursing.

2:00PM - Fruit salad / smoothie / juice (You can add leafy greens to this if you desire.)

4:30PM - Drink 8-16 oz. of water while nursing.

5:00PM - Green Soup (Blended salad of cucumber, celery, leafy green, green herb, & avocado or soaked nuts.)

angelapasta Followed by a chopped salad of the same ingredients, which I like to rotate for variety.

I also like to add in a vegetable of color, such as red bell pepper, and rotate those as well.

You can also add various spices and dried herbs for variety of flavor if you like.

6:30PM - Nurse, but don’t drink yet, b/c still digesting…

(Note, this breastfeeding was after 2 hours instead of 3.)

8:30PM - Nurse and drink 8 oz. of herbal tea to help promote lactation.

(I also like to drink this tea once in the very early morning when I’m nursing before the sun comes up.)

I find that by eating every few hours when my baby eats, that it helps to regulate my hormones, as well as blood sugar levels. It also keeps my energy levels stable, which I find to keep me more positive, and thus more likely to stick with the raw foods! (Essentially, I only add in one extra meal a day, for a total of four meals.) I also find it key to eat only during daylight hours, and save the slower digesting foods, like fats and any cooked food, for the end of the day, so they don’t slow me down during the key times that I need my energy.

By keeping the cooked food to a minimum (no more than twice a week) then I am not feeding myself unnecessary calories, and thus the last pounds of extra baby weight fall right off!

For those who like to juice, but just can’t seem to find the time to do it every day, I can relate!!! Juicing is something I used to do 1-2 times a day before I had my baby… but with a busier life now, I find that for me it’s simpler to just dedicate one day a week for a Juice Feast! So one day a week, I juice soup_broccoli just fruits throughout the morning and afternoon; greens, sprouts, and veggies in the late afternoon; and end the feast with a blended salad / green soup.

I would like to share one final note on balancing hormones and overcoming baby-blues or postpartum depression, because I believe it may be a tremendous help to many raw moms! I have personally found it to be extremely beneficial to balance my hormones (and my emotions) by taking an herbal extract of Vitex, also known as Chaste Berry. A bonus on Vitex is that it also helps nursing moms with their milk supply! I put a couple of drops under my tongue each morning, and find that’s all I need, as the herb is very potent. Consult an Herbalist or Naturopathic Physician to guide you in finding the right dose for you. Most important, empower yourself by learning about the herb and deciding for yourself if it’s something you want to try!

EAT WELL & BE WELL!

-Debra Tau

Posted in Breastfeeding, Food for Thought, Inspiring Families, Organics, Raw Food Recipes, Recipes, Tips for Moms, Uncategorized, family, raw food | No Comments »

“Say Yes to Maca for More Mojo!”

November 2nd, 2009 by admin

by Joanna L Steven

Photo Author: pr_raven

Many of us love the South American root vegetable Maca for its malty flavor in shakes, its complementary taste to raw chocolate, and its ability to repair our adrenal glands after too much stress or caffeine intake. But what few people know is that maca is an extraordinary food for enhancing fertility in women, increasing sperm count in men, and balancing hormones.

In women, Maca is thought to regulate cycles and cause an earlier than usual LH surge, the surge of hormones which triggers ovulation after an average of 24 hours. For this reason, women with very long or irregular cycle can benefit from taking a teaspoon of maca every day at any point during their cycle and might even prefer this natural alternative to invasive procedures or pharmaceutical drugs with bothersome side effects.

In men, Maca is thought to significantly increase sperm count and has been found to do so in studies on rats. According to Ray Sahelian, M.D., “treatment [of 9 men over a 4 month period] with maca resulted in increased seminal volume, sperm count per ejaculation, and sperm motility, which would indicate positive effects on fertility.”

While it may surprise some, even published studies on the benefits of Maca can easily be found.

A study from the Department of Urology in Forli, Italy, has found that after treating 50 men suffering of erectile dysfunction with Maca, those who took maca versus the placebo group did experience better sexual health. “Only Maca-treated patients experienced a significant improvement in physical and social performance-related SAT-P score compared with the baseline (+7 +/- 6 and +7 +/- 6, both P < 0.05). In conclusion, our data support a small but significant effect of Maca supplementation on subjective perception of general and sexual well-being in adult patients with mild ED.”

A study at the Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston found that “Maca root may alleviate SSRI-induced sexual dysfunction(…). Maca may also have a beneficial effect on libido.”

And a study from the Biomedical Sciences Department in Modena, Italy, found that oral administration of Maca “significantly improved sexual performance parameters in male rats.”

For best results, Maca should be eaten daily. Some people have found that they do not like its taste, and find it very hard to get enough of it without using pills. I personally love to add Maca to my fruit shakes, to my chocolates and to my nut milk blends. My husband and I use Maca to reduce the harmful effects of every day stress, but while I love its taste, my husband does not. Because of this, whenever I make a shake, I hide about 2 teaspoons of maca in it and my husband cannot even notice it is there. If your shake is flavorful enough, Maca will go unnoticed.

Also, try blending 2 parts strawberries with 1 part bananas in a little water, and boost the smoothie with 1 T Maca and 2 T hemp seeds. Or, try blending bananas in Brazil nut milk (rich in selenium for a healthy prostate) with 2 T cacao and 1 T maca, and enjoy phenomenal energy levels!

As with every food (especially many superfoods), it is recommended to take regular “breaks” from Maca. If you are using it to regulate your cycle, you can stop using it for a few days after your ovulation has taken place.

Posted in Food for Thought, Natural Fertility, Organics, Pregnancy, family, raw food | No Comments »

Like Mother, Like Daughter. . .

October 30th, 2009 by admin

by Karen Schachter

baking We moms have a tough path to walk as we help our daughters navigate the sometimes choppy waters of growing up girl. It’s our job to protect our children and do our best to keep them safe and healthy, yet we also have to allow them to grow, stretch and learn from their own mistakes. It’s a fine line between letting them be who they are and wanting to “tweak” them just a little bit so they don’t suffer from the same mistakes or struggles that we did.

When it comes to healthy eating and a positive body image, this fine line can feel fragile and confusing, particularly if you struggle with these issues yourself.

When I teach workshops or work individually with moms, I am always asked some of the same questions: Should I let my kids have desert every day? How do I deal with their love of sweets? How can I help her stop eating when she’s not hungry anymore? How can I help her lose weight without making her feel bad about her body? How can I help her feel good about her body, no matter what its size? How can I help her feel good about herself and treat herself with respect?

Although I can give concrete “answers” to many of these questions, the truth is, there is no one “right” answer that works for everyone, all the time. There is no “magic bullet” to self-esteem, to body confidence, to self-care, and to inspiring good health in our daughter.

However, there is one piece of the puzzle that is so important, one KEY asset that is SO valuable, and one action that IS within our control…that is more powerful than anything we can say or anything we can feed them.

YOU.

As her mom, the only thing you really have control over (especially as she gets older) is who YOU are BEING and how YOU are negotiating your own health, your own eating, your own body image and your own self –esteem. Are you embodying the actions and feelings that you want her to learn?

Here’s a little food for thought to get you going:

Next time you notice yourself betwixt and between about an eating habit of your daughter’s, go ahead and check in with yourself: Is there something about that behavior that reminds you of one of your own struggles? (Go ahead and address it in YOURSELF first).
Imagine that your daughter develops a delicious, nourishing and healthy relationship to food, eating and her body – what will that look like? Go ahead and try out some of those self-nourishing actions for YOURSELF.
What if food, eating and body image weren’t a concern, for you or for your daughter? What if you had true freedom and peace with these things? What would your energy and attention be focused on instead? (Go ahead and give it a try).

Here’s the thing: Our daughters learn how to live in their bodies and care for themselves with food and in their lives from MANY sources, including the media, their peers, their families, and from all the women in their lives.

I am on a mission – and I invite you to join me – to help change the “face” of what the next generation of girls are learning – and I believe we must first BE THE CHANGE we wish to see in them. (When moms set their minds to something, there is no telling what could happen…)

*** Karen Schachter is a licensed clinical social worker, certified health counselor, and founder of “Dishing With Your Daughter ,” which offers a variety of programs for girls and women. As a psychology of eating expert, Karen is especially passionate about helping the next generation of girls experience nourishment, peace and deliciousness in food, eating and their bodies so they can live a healthy, authentic life. Enough of the angst and struggle! Karen believes in the value of the mom-daughter relationship as a powerful vehicle for creating this change.

Tags: children, conscious parenting, family, Food for Thought, Homeschooling, Life, love, nature, parenthood, raw kids, raw mom
Posted in Communication in the Family, Food for Thought, Tips for Moms, family | No Comments »