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Ask Raw Mom… Your Questions Answered….

Wednesday, December 2nd, 2009 by admin

Q: Dear Raw Mom,

Hi there, I am feeding a 24 week old daughter at the moment as well as running after 3 active boys (homeschooled). I have ordered loads of inspiration, thank you. More specifically though, as I am currently on a 100% RAW Challenge, is there anything I need for myself to keep breast milk at optimal quality?

I do not want to get run down.

Thanks Renee

A: Dear Renee,

Wow Mama! You do have A LOT on your plate… please take good solid care of yourself.
I cannot give medical advice but if you could stay current with yourself and attune to what your body and spirit needs to keep you well and contented, you will probably be able to intuit what you need.
REST, high NUTRITION, and pure WATER are all a must.
And if you feel you need some supplements or superfoods, read-up and see what resonates for you.
I trust you have a good support system with a good health-care provider like a open-minded doctor or Naturopath… just in case you ever feel ‘not right’…

Blissings,

Shannon Shakaya Breeze

Q: Hello Raw Mom

I have an 8 year old daughter and a 6 year old step daughter. My stepdaughter is 100% raw and I am finding it difficult at times finding a happy medium at meal time. My daughter eats about 80% raw and I would like to eventually have her 100% with the odd time for bday cake etc if at a bday because none of my family nor her friends eat raw. She is worried she will be made fun of. Any suggestions on how I can gradually get my daughter to convert to a raw diet? She has had many tummy problems and since eating more raw she has noticed a difference which helps.

Also, I am coming into my second month of pregnancy! And I want to provide myself and my baby with the very best. Again, any suggestions!?

I am new to the raw diet and am very eager to learn and begin my conversion as well but don’t want to shock my system while pregnant. I am about 80% raw as well. But mostly just salads, soups etc.

Thank you so much,

Your Canadian friend

A: Hello Dear One,

Hold the space for what you want; children LIVE into it. A baby kitten who falls into the water will drown if the mother cat senses the situation is hopeless - but the kitten will not give up and will strive to survive if it senses the mother is striving to rescue her.
We need to deal with our own emotions and limitations inside of us rather than approach the situation from without if we aren’t in alignment. Are YOU worried that your daughter will be made fun of, or are you feeling anxious about her ability to handle it if that happen…?
What fears do you have around your daughter’s eating all raw…?
Start there.

We are the transmitters and our young children are the receivers of so much of this unconscious dilemmas and drama.
It is natural to have questions and concerns about eating all raw especially when you are so new to it, so do not feel bad you have some unconscious reservations that your daughter may be picking up on…just take your time, there is no rush. You are doing amazing! Your daughters are amazing.

Allow everyone’s process to unfold with love and faith. Perhaps a 100% raw diet will one day be right for your daughter…perhaps where she has landed for now is perfect for her.
True food and sustenance comes from the support and acceptance and enjoyment that we receive as much as what we eat.

Continue to grow and celebrate yourselves and every step of your journey can be bringing you all a strong sense of self and sense of rightness and joy. Read and research to help combat any lingering doubts - Shazzie’s EVIE’S KITCHEN is a great place to start for supporting yourself in just staying in tune with yourself and your children moment by moment, my manual and DVD RAISING CHILDREN RAISES US, is inspiring and reinforcement, and Dr Cousen’s at www.treeoflife.nu has great resources for pregnant raw moms to be.

I hope that helps.

I am so proud of you!

Blissings,
Shakaya Breeze

***Send in YOUR questions to info@rawmom.com and we will feature them on Ask *Raw Mom*….

Posted in Ask Raw Mom, Breastfeeding, Communication in the Family, Family, Food for Thought, Health and Wellness, Inspiring Families, Organics, Pregnancy, Raw Food Recipes, Raw food, Tips for Moms | No Comments »

“Say Yes to Maca for More Mojo!”

Monday, 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 Family, Food for Thought, Natural Fertility, Organics, Pregnancy, Raw food | No Comments »

Are You Getting Enough Iron on Raw Food?

Friday, July 17th, 2009 by admin

This article was contributed by Joanna Steven

When I first told my doctor that I planned on getting pregnant some time this year, she immediately prescribed a multivitamin. Since I am aware of the fact that many raw women cannot stomach leafy greens and other super nutritious foods in the early months of their pregnancy, I decided to go ahead and take them. But when I noticed that each pill contained twice the daily requirement of iron, I was a little concerned.

According to the MedlinePlus Encyclopedia, iron overdoses can cause anything from dehydration to liver damage. When I told her that my hemoglobin level was already 44 (with 37 being the limit between normal levels and anemia, and 47 the limit between normal and excessive levels) without even taking a supplement, she stated that as a vegetarian, taking iron supplements wouldn’t hurt, and that pregnant women need more iron anyway.

In an article on the www.drspock.com website, Dr Elisa Ross, MD, mentioned the fact that women are often anemic in the last months of pregnancy, and this could possibly cause “low birth-weight and preterm babies”. As a result, while the recommended daily intake of iron is about 18 mg for an adult, it increases to about 30 mg if you are pregnant to build hemoglobin and a healthy placenta.

Still, I wasn’t convinced that I needed the synthetic prenatal. If my iron level is so good without me even paying attention to it, I should be able to eat enough iron rich food to get me through my pregnancy without difficulty. I was also able to find plenty of studies showing the adverse effect of iron supplementation during pregnancy. For example, a study conducted at the University of Turin, Italy, showed that “Iron supplementation is associated with glucose impairment and hypertension in midpregnancy”. Basically, women who take iron supplements have a significantly higher risk of developing hypertension and gestational diabetes; they also had lower levels of high density (good) cholesterol.

I started incorporating various iron rich ingredients into my daily recipes, and realized that really, when we eat healthy, nutritious raw foods, we should get all the iron we need without taking supplements.

Few SA dieters are aware of the fact that raw vegan ingredients contain more than enough iron for good health, more so than red meat and other supposedly iron rich foods.
For example, let’s look at hemp’s nutritional profile. A quarter of a cup of hemp contains 40% of our daily iron requirement. By contrast, a serving of red meat contains only about 10 to 15%. We would need to eat 10 steaks a day to get enough iron, while a little more than ½ a cup of hemp is more than enough!

L Avi

Another super iron rich food is parsley. Some people like to juice it, or add it to green smoothies. I personally find it a bit strong in smoothies, and there is evidence that parsley juice isn’t recommended during pregnancies (while eating parsley as a whole food is healthful, massive quantities such as in parsley oil can be detrimental). My favorite way of eating it is simply in tabbouleh. And since I substitute the traditional bulgur wheat with hemp, my tabbouleh really becomes an iron powerhouse!

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In the nuts and seed department, pumpkin seed and unhulled sesame seeds really shine. Just an ounce of either seed provide nearly ¼ of our daily iron requirement. I love sprinkling pumpkin seeds on salad, or adding them to flax crackers. And sesame seeds can be slipped into nearly anything as they are so small, or they can be a dish’s main attraction if you use tahini (sesame butter) as part of a salad or kale chips dressing. In general, other nuts and seeds such as sunflower, cashew or flax will provide around 10% of our iron needs per ounce. If using tahini, either make your own using unhulled sesame, or buy ready made tahini made with whole seeds. Hulled seeds contain significantly less iron and calcium.

Eating an iron rich raw vegan diet is really easy, and here are a few recipes to get you started!

Protein & Iron Strawberry Banana Shake (serves 2)

This recipe provides 30% of the FDA’s protein and iron requirement, as well as more than 300% of our daily vitamin C requirement, thus enhancing our body’s ability to absorb iron. It also provides 25% of our folate requirement, an important nutrient during pregnancy.

4 cup sliced, strawberries
2 large bananas, frozen*
¼ cup hemp seeds
½ to 1 cup water

Agave or honey to taste, depending on the fruits’ sweetness

Directions:

Blend all the ingredients until smooth.

* If using fresh bananas, add a few ice cubes for a cool, refreshing smoothie.

Parsley & Hemp Tabbouleh

I often look at ethnic recipes for nutrition. Often, the ingredients within them have been combined, consciously or not, to ensure maximum nutrition absorption while tasting wonderful. This salad supplies more than 50% of our iron requirement for the day, as well as a generous 20 grams of protein.

It is believed that parsley is an herb that facilitates abortions. However, pregnant women in many cultures have eaten generous amounts of parsley and carried their pregnancy to term. The problem seems to be with parsley oil, which amounts to massive quantities of parsley, but the herb itself is actually healthful and rich in vitamins and minerals that are very pregnancy friendly, such as folate and vitamin K.

Ingredients:

2 ounces parsley, chopped
1 Roma tomato, diced finely
1 T fresh mint, chopped
3 T hemp seeds
1 green onion, diced
1 T olive oil
1 T fresh lemon juice
Pinch salt

Directions:

Toss all ingredients together except for the tomatoes. Refrigerate until ready to use, and add the tomatoes just before serving. If the tabbouleh stays in the fridge for too long, it might start to dry out. Simply add a little more olive oil and toss one more time.

Quick & Easy Morning Cereal

This cereal is so quick and easy, and my husband likes it more than all the really complicated ones that need lots of dehydrating and prep time. Adding nut milk make the mix even more nutritious.

Ingredients:

1 T pumpkin seeds, soaked
1 T sunflower seeds, soaked
1 T raisins
1 T dry apricots, finely diced
1 T prepared raw chocolate chips, chopped (or a few cacao nibs)

Anything you want to add! Berries, fresh fruits cut into small cubes etc. are especially good

Directions:

Toss all the ingredients together into a bowl, add some nut milk, and enjoy!

Tags: children, Food, Living Food, parenting, Raw food, raw kids
Posted in Family, Food for Thought, Inspiring Families, Pregnancy, Tips for Moms, Uncategorized | 2 Comments »

Getting Candid With Mama Diva: Veronika Robinson

Monday, May 18th, 2009 by Jamie Abrams

I have been familiar with Veronika Robinson’s motherly handiwork for quite some time. She is a vivacious wife to Paul and mama to Bethany (13) and Eliza (11), based in Cumbria, UK. However, her integrity and loving commitment to raising children surpasses any of her other worldly achievements. Veronika has even been labelled as an “Extraordinary Breastfeeder” in the UK. She is author of several books including The Drinks Are On Me : Everything your mother never told you about breastfeeding, which is a superb read. But I think Veronika is most popular for her international-selling magazine The Mother, the ethos of which is one of supporting a holistic attachment parenting style (fertility awareness, conscious conception, peaceful pregnancy, ecstatic birthing, natural immunity and more!). Without further adieux I introduce you to Veronika Robinson ~ Über Mama.

Veronika, briefly how did you come to embrace your Earth-loving lifestyle?

As a toddler, I could be found playing among the plants in our garden. We lived at the edge of a city in the suburbs, and my older siblings would take me to a place called Dead Horse creek (awful name, beautiful place), and we’d spend hours jumping from the trees into the pond. Our garden had a large passion fruit vine and I would literally spend hours sitting there, breaking each fruit open with my teeth, and sucking the seeds out.

At six, my parents moved us to a 700 hundred acre property (on the Darling Downs, Queensland, Australia), and my love affair with Mother Earth became my life. I was always up trees, riding horses high into the mountains and camping overnight, swimming in creeks, picking fruits and herbs from our huge garden, sucking the end of honeysuckle flowers. My mother’s love of the Earth was pivotal in shaping me. She spent every day outside ~ easy to do in sunny Australia! ~ nurturing our garden. She fed us foods she’d grown, tended any ailments naturally, and never took us to doctors.

Becoming a parent meant drawing upon a lifetime of Earth wisdom passed to me from my mother. I’m always learning, and have so much more I’d like to learn, but on a day to day basis, being able to get outside and just ‘be’ with my plants, soil and the visiting wildlife is sustenance to my soul.

In your book you mention that you eat a plant-based diet, but don’t say whether your two beautiful girls and hunky hub go along the same approach. Can you elaborate on this? How long have you nourished yourself / family in this manner? How easy/difficult have you found it?

Yes, they do. Just before I met my husband, I’d drawn up a long list of what Mr Right would be like, and near the top of the list was ‘vegetarian’. You can imagine how thrilled I was when I discovered he didn’t eat animals. Over the years I’ve alternated between being vegan and having the odd egg or cheese, and although I was vegan for my pregnancy with Bethany, the second the sperm and egg collided at Eliza’s conception, I couldn’t eat enough eggs and cheese.

We’re all vegan. There’s no difficulty in eating this way at home, but when we go travelling it requires a lot of forethought, in either looking for places online before we leave or taking plenty of our own food. We love to make food in this house, and eating out is increasingly becoming a disappointment.

Nutritional supplements tend to be in hot debate in the health field. Which do you and your family use – if any?

No doubt it’s hotly debated because it raises the issue of the awfully unnatural lives we lead, and beggars the question: why don’t you attend to the root, rather than the symptom?

We start our day (breakfast) with a smoothie made from E3 Renew Me. It’s ridiculously expensive, and I always breathe deeply when I buy it, but it’s both a short and long term investment in my family’s health. I’m constantly disappointed by the quality of fruit and veg in this country. We’ve a great organic fruit and vegetable farmers’ market in our local town, but even there I find myself not buying things because I doubt they’ll ripen fully. When you’ve been raised in the sub-tropics and actually know what ripe fruit tastes like, it’s instinctual to decline certain fruits in the UK. I don’t know why, but I’m still shocked that the English can think a rock hard green mango is ripe! No, a ripe mango is yellow/orange, can be smelt from several paces away, and is so lush and juicy that the only place you can eat it is naked in the bathtub. Anything that doesn’t involve such measures is not ripe. Unfortunately, mangoes are my favourite food in the world ~ and a pleasure I rarely have.

Who inspired your plant-based diet?

I chose to become vegetarian when I was five. One morning I woke up and declared that I was no longer going to eat animals.
Although we had cooked food growing up, my mum squeezed us a fresh orange juice every morning, and we always came home from school to a large plate of salad.

Who do you especially admire in the gastronomic realm?

Sadly, very few, including the raw food world, as some of them really don’t walk the talk. They tell their admiring public one thing, and live lives that are at odds with that information. I do, however, feel that Gabriel Cousins (author of Conscious Eating) is authentic and always enjoy his writings.

What does your family eat on a typical day?

There’s no typical day, and it depends on the day of week. The further away it is from Tuesday (fruit and veg market day) the fewer greens there are, for example, though I plan to have plenty in the garden from June to October. I really dislike buying fruit and veg from a supermarket, even the organic ones ~ laden in plastic.

This morning we started the day with blueberries and strawberries, and had our breakfast smoothie (algae) for morning tea instead. At lunch the family had a plate of various dark leafy greens, grated carrot, yellow pepper, tomato, cucumber, grated broccoli and alfalfa sprouts. I had a juice with greens, ginger, carrot, apple and pear.

I’ve got my eye on a lovely ripe avocado, which I’ll include in tonight’s salad, and we’ll have grilled aubergine to accompany it.

No pun intended, but how do you nurse your spirit and keep motivated? What spiritual disciplines do you practice – if any?

There’s no typical day, and like life, disciplines and practices change.
I start the day with about half an hour’s quiet, contemplative time. This morning I wrote Morning Pages (3 foolscap pages based on the Artist’s Way to unleash one’s creativity), I went for a brisk one hour walk with the family, did 70 minutes of Yin yoga, and had a vegetable juice for lunch to give my digestive tract a bit of space. During the rest of the day, I’ve got to find the time and space to do a full-time job (editing The Mother magazine ~ answering emails is a full-time job in itself!), there are home educated children to nurture, a husband to smile at from time to time, and I’d like to visit a friend up the road. She has two toddlers and I know how very long the day can seem when you’re ‘home alone’ with children. In the evening, I will most definitely read a book to keep me inspired, such as Romancing the Ordinary.

My family and I have fortnightly chiropractic. This is to keep the nervous system open and responsive.

Music is one of the greatest foods for my soul, as well as solitude.

I love to learn more about others and myself through the Enneagram and psychological astrology. It’s made an extraordinary difference to how I see others. Rather than putting people into a box, it allows us to step out of the boxes we create for ourselves: in short, to take responsibility for how we act.
As a child, I practised yoga with my mother, and again when I was pregnant. It’s a recent addition to my life, and I regret not having kept it up after my pregnancy. I was ‘forced’ into yoga because my body increasingly ‘yelled’ at me to do something to compensate for all the computer hours I’m required to do for my job. Day after day I’d come to the computer chair and my body said ‘no’. I’ve ignored this for so long, and ended up in excruciating pain for most of the past seven years.

The beautiful side-effect of yoga is that although the benefits to my back are immeasurable, it’s also brought a deep calmness to me and in the way I see things. Every mother deserves this in her life, especially when her children are young.

How would you best describe your life philosophy?

Live simply, so that others may simply live.

Veronika, you whole-heartedly embody attachment parenting. What are your thoughts on the disconnected parenting that has become so prevalent in our Western society?

It breaks my heart. Every time I go to town and hear a baby crying, or see a toddler being slapped or bullied by a parent, I die inside. The vast majority of people have no concept that the way we parent our children is the foundation of the society we live in. If you don’t have the time to love, cherish, nurture and meet the biological needs of your children, then you should leave population growth to someone else. It may sound black and white, but the bottom line is: disconnected parenting is EVERYONE’S problem. We all pay the price for such abuse and neglect.

The trouble is, in such an emotionally backward country like Britain, you can leave your baby in a pram or car seat all day with a dummy in the mouth, and topped up with formula milk and no one says a word. Put the focus on a woman who naturally nurtures her child with full-term breastfeeding, and the whole country cries ‘paedophile!!’ How we begin to put back the pieces to creating whole, happy human beings happens one baby at a time, one mother at a time. It’s like starting to build humanity all over again ~ dismantling prejudices and ignorance.

What are your feelings / thoughts on dummy/pacifier use?

Agggh. Do I really have to answer that? They’re called dummies for a reason. They ‘dummify’ us. It’s not just the baby who has to ‘shut up’ (AND CLOSE DOWN) ~ it’s also the mother.

There’s an amazing circuit of energy that disintegrates between mother and child when we start using artificial substitutes.

Dummies take 750 years to decompose. If a mother isn’t moved by the impact of that on this Earth, she’s pretty unlikely to be connected to her baby either. Cultures which hold the mother and child bond as sacred, also hold the Earth as sacred.

Sometimes even breastfeeding mothers will say that their child needed a dummy because s/he wanted to ‘suck all day’. Yeah, that’s what little babies do! I find that the more connected a mother is to her baby (i.e. emotionally and physically present), the less likely babe will want to suckle all the time (unless the baby is teething, in which case they’ll seek out this natural analgaesic). Babies have their own ways of seeking attachment, and learning to surrender to the art of conscious mothering makes the job a whole lot easier.

How would you best describe the link between breastfeeding and sexuality?

Cor, the last time I attempted to answer something like this I was shot down in flames. People don’t want to hear that breastfeeding is linked to sexuality, because they think it means ‘sex’ and that you want to have sex with your baby/child or partner.

We are sexual beings, from top to toe. There’s no denying it, though most people sabotage, abuse or denigrate it in all sorts of ways. We have a ‘creative energy’ into something with evil, deadly or dangerous dimensions.
Breastfeeding is designed to be pleasurable ~ for mum and baby. That it’s not for so many women is a good indication of how warped we are, culturally, when it comes to body pleasure.

Michel Odent’s book The Functions of Orgasms is vital reading. He thoroughly explains the ‘orgasm’ of breastfeeding ~ the beautiful, biological ability to experience climactic transcendence due to the hormonal surges of breastfeeding. These words, powerful and true as they are, are unlikely to fall on listening ears for many years.

What words of wisdom you would share with moms who are going raw and raising families in the area of breastfeeding and attachment parenting?

Always listen to your own instincts. They’re there, they’re powerful, and they’ll always guide you if you get your ego out of the way, and blank out our culture’s messages.

In terms of how much raw food you bring into your life, remember it’s not a religion and it’s certainly not a competition. Some of the biggest names in the raw food world are not ‘all raw’ behind the scenes, either in their own diet or what they feed their children, so don’t use them as your yard stick.
Always make your decisions on what feels right for you and your family, and never because of what someone else might think.

We’re all human, and there are times when our hunger goes way beyond food and into old, old emotional wounds. These are the times we seek out less than nourishing products and habits. Nurture yourself lovingly through these times. This can be especially true as a parent, because our children bring up all our childhood wounds for healing.

Beware of gurus, especially those within the attachment parenting field, e.g. proponents of Aware Parenting, who espouse controlled crying but within a mother’s arms. This is biologically wrong and very harmful to the baby.

Any recipes or food tips you can share with us?

I love salads, and shy away from raw foods that are sitting in dehydrators for days on end ~ which have me drinking water for Britain ~ or require industrial strength food processors. I love leafy green salads, and like to play with them by adding something unexpected, like strawberries or borage flowers. Often when we have visitors, even if there’s cooked food on offer, they’ll always comment on the salads, probably because most people think of iceberg and cucumber.

We had a potluck last night at a friend’s house, and the salad contained lots of rocket, baby pak choi, red bartlett pear, strawberry, and sunflower seeds.
I love variety and different textures, such as thinly sliced cucumber, lemon juice, fresh spearmint leaves and a sprinkle of sesame seeds or grated carrot, sultanas, sprouted chickpeas, and a dash of pineapple juice.

Lastly, what new projects are in the pipeline that you would like to share with us?

I’m working on a few books at the moment. One is our home educating journey as a family, particularly the aspect of autonomy and freedom in learning. Another book is on natural weaning (child-led weaning and biological expectations) and the third is on the spirituality of breastfeeding. There are some other books I’m plodding along on, such as holistic menstruation, natural remedies and living with the continuum-concept in the modern world. Now, where was that 48 hour day?

Veronika, thank you so much for taking time out of your busy schedule to get candid on topics that are so important to us as mothers.

For more information or to keep up with this hardworking Mama’s luscious work visit: www.veronikarobinson.com or www.themothermagazine.co.uk

Tags: children, conscious parenting, Family, Food for Thought, Homeschooling, Life, organic, Yoga
Posted in Breastfeeding, Communication in the Family, Family, Food for Thought, Inspiring Families, Interviews, Pregnancy, Yoga | 10 Comments »

Pointing South Anyone?

Wednesday, May 6th, 2009 by Jamie Abrams

Raise your hand if you feel like your breasts have headed south since:
A) Giving birth
B) Breastfeeding
C) Losing weight from eating a raw food diet
D) Your age
E) All of the above or a combination of the above

I would like to say I still have the teenage girl perk to my bosoms, but growing a baby and boobs, then shrinking down in weight to an even smaller pre-pregnancy size has definitely created a little hooters havoc.

For years I loved my breasts. They were just the right size, shape and really delicious. It has only been in the last few months, since Zenchai weaned himself, that I have had the space to notice and reclaim my breasts. Wow, what a difference pre- and post-pregnancy!

I know 100% that breastfeeding is not what causes saggy knockers, but rather the growth and hormones involved with pregnancy that change a woman’s bust line. Unfortunately breastfeeding has been wrongly accused of creating pendulous breasts – the real culprit is pregnancy. Uber-mother and author Veronika Robinson bluntly states that if you want to keep perky boobs don’t have babies and adopt instead.

However, chances are if you are reading articles on this website you have given birth, may have breastfed or are breastfeeding, are eating or trying to eat raw foods and could possibly be dealing with droopy dingleboppers. But there is a perky light at the end of the tunnel.

Since I am on a myth-busting campaign, let’s first understand that the breasts are comprised of connective tissue, ligaments and fat cells. They contain no muscle! Many mamas that rapidly loose weight from breastfeeding and/or eating a raw food diet can create flaccid breasts (as was my case). Losing weight too quickly (however glamorous that may sound) actually doesn’t give our skin and ligaments enough time to adjust, which results in the deflated boobie look.

The best way to prevent your melons from tickling your waist is to loose weight slowly - that might mean not eating 100% raw straight away. Hopefully you can learn from my mistake. Even though I wasn’t overweight pre-raw or pre/post-pregnancy, I still had a luscious chest curve, but when I combined full-on breastfeeding with near 100% raw food it literally sucked all the fat from my chest.

Some important factors to consider in lifting your bust naturally are proper exercise (remember to wear a very supportive bra for any exercises that jiggle your babas – ie running), yoga (we’ll come back to this in a moment), positive affirmations (I approve of myself and love myself. I am beautiful.) and high-quality nutrition that maintains your skin elasticity from the inside out (you can’t get any better than raw foods!!).

The ultra-sexy Tonya Zavasta reckons that you need at least 2-3 years to see the miracle transformations of a raw food diet on the bust line. She also mentions that if you are older this will likely take longer, but patience and persistence are of utmost importance – that goes for all of us. Tonya also has a “Hollywood Secret” breast-firming masque: Mash a ripe banana with just enough raw honey to make a soft pulp, and smear over your entire breast area, even inside of an old bra if you choose, and leave it on for about a half hour. Rinse and then apply a light natural moisturizer.

Okay, so since our breasts aren’t made of muscle we’ll need to strengthen the muscles around the breasts. Doing these yoga poses alongside raw foods is a surefire way to create dynamic breasts. But you have to be realistic, too. I don’t think any amount of yoga or proper nutrition will give us a Pamela Anderson look!

Here are my recommended yoga poses to get your jugs looking buoyant. All yoga postures are fantastic for sculpting our bodies, improving our posture and our health in general. But the following poses are specific to building chest muscle, which will help give our racks a lift without surgery:

Cobra – Bhujangasana

Shoulder Socket Rotation – Skandha Chakra

Cow’s Face Pose – Gomukhasana

Camel – Ushtrasana

Bow Pose – Dhanurasana

Full Locust – Poorna Salabhasana

Fish – Matsyasana

Standing Head to Knee – Uttanasana

Standing Half Moon – Arda Chandrasana

King Dancer – Natarajasana

Wheel - Chakrasana

Any inverted poses such as head or hand stands*

Swinging Pose – Lolasana*

Sleeping Thunderbolt – Supta Vajrasana*

Locked Lotus – Baddha Padmasana*

*As with any yoga postures, proceed with care, listen to your body and if you are a complete newbie seek the advice of a qualified yoga instructor. The poses marked with an asterisk* are advanced poses.

Be sure to let me know how you get on with your ta-ta erecting crusade. I am off to do some yoga now!

Psst…Go to www.yogajournal.com if want to see visuals of the above yoga asanas.

Tags: Breastfeeding, Jamie's Musings, Raw food, Tips for Moms, Yoga
Posted in Breastfeeding, Jamie's Musings, Pregnancy, Tips for Moms, Yoga | 3 Comments »

This is Our Year to SHINE in 2009 with Carolyn Dean, ND, MD

Thursday, January 8th, 2009 by Lisa

By Shannon Leone

shannon-with-dr-carolyn-dean Here at RawMom, we have grown in ONE year to 10,000 readers! This year, we are powerfully moving forward, with some exciting little surprises sprinkled in all over the place! As usual, we want to offer our readers fresh and exciting perspectives on HEALTH, RAW FOODS, DIET, PARENTING, all in a holistic, and empowering way. AND, to spice things up I will be posting up interviews and articles with the movers and the shakers who inspires us all; rawsome BEAUTY expert, TONYA ZAVASTA, Master Herbalist BRIGITTE MARS, Raw veteran RHIO, Green Smoothie Queen VICTORIA BOUTENKO, Raw Restaraunteurs KAREN CALABRESE and SARMA MENGALIS, Water expert DANIEL VITALIS, IBS author and coach and publisher DAVE KLIEN, Yoga Dvd goddess RAINBEAU MARS, ANGELA STOKES and MANY MORE.

TODAY I am thrilled to tell you about a personal SHERO of mine, who is a fabulous expert to have in your toolkit… For those of you who have read my manual RAISING CHILDREN RAISING US that accompanies my documentary Dvd by the same name, you already know of Carelyn. Her name is actually spelled CarOlyn, but to me, her name says it all about the energetic quality of her life. She is a medical doctor, a Homeopathic doctor and a Naturopathic doctor, but she is so much more, a living legend. Her CV is so extensive, literally pages and pages long of credits and accomplishments. She has written a dozen books, my personal favourites are : WHEN YOU CAN’T REACH YOUR DOCTOR, DEATH BY MODERN MEDICINE, IBS FOR DUMMIES, THE COMPLETE NATURAL GUIDE TO WOMEN’S HEALTH and THE MAGNESIUM MIRACLE. Carelyn has written countless articles, and appeared on zillions of panels like CODEX trying to keep our rights to supplements and natural foods in our hands, and has appeared on the VIEW with Barbara Walters, and been asked to appear on OPRAH (which didn’t pan out when the producers discovered Carelyn’s mostly anti-drug stance which contradicted the commercials that they run during that time slot by their sponsors- yep, there is a connection) not to mention radio and magazines all over the world. She is in the same circles as DEEPAK CHOPRA, CHRISTINE NORTHROP and DR OZ, yet remains true to form and refuses to go commercial and dilute her views on sugar as a drug, the importance of a natural diet and supplementing with magnesium or other nutrients when needed. Currently, a 5-star medical SPA is being built for her in Costa Rica of which Carelyn will be the director, which will be THE place to go for the cutting edge in optimal health and happiness. I will be living there part-time teaching raw food there as Carelyn LOVES my recipes! care-and-boys

When I met Carelyn, my single mom had suddenly died and I was just 16. I became her patient as my health was frail and my psyche even weaker. She offered to become my legal guardian to ’sign legal stuff for school’ as she put it, but we she did more than that. Although I lived on my own and took care of myself financially, Carelyn helped so much by offering me a job as a MEDICAL SECRETARY in her office, which included doing editing of her research. I learned TONS form this position- it was a huge key in the unfolding of my health journey. Also, I noticed EVERYWHERE we went together, people would stop her to HUG her and THANK her for something she had done for them or a family member- just like in her office, LOVE was all around her! Unlike most doctors, Carelyn always spent hours counseling her patients on diet, always educating them to empower themselves- and she didn’t get paid for the majority of this time as our health care system OHIP doesn’t cover more than about 15 minutes per visit. Using homeopathy, and acupuncture, two ancient health modalities that most doctors here in the West shun, Carelyn helped thousands of people regain their health without prescribing drugs whenever possible. Over the years, I noticed her habits, her disciplines, her ways, and I can say she is the wisest person I know.

Sooooo, I am very happy to have her contribute her broad knowledge on the topics of children and women’s health here at RawMom! Here is an article she wrote on the importance of magnesium on a women’s overall well-being, which definitely has helped my nerves and sleep (and next time one on children’s health):

carolyn-dean-pic WOMEN NEED MAGNESIUM-by Carolyn Dean, MD, ND

Even though magnesium is the most important mineral in our body, farming practices have depleted the soil of magnesium, making our food and our bodies magnesium-deficient. Farmers do not remineralize their soil and fertilizers mainly replace nitrogen and potassium. We are told that medicine has advanced to the stage of miracle cures, yet it’s not technology that we’re lacking but basic nutrients that power our bodies and give us health.

Magnesium regulates more than 325 enzymes in the body, the most important of which produce, transport, store, and utilize energy. Many crucial aspects of cell metabolism are regulated by magnesium, such as DNA and RNA synthesis, cell growth, and cell reproduction. Magnesium’s numerous physiological roles include nerve action, heart activity, neuromuscular transmission, muscular contraction, vascular tone, blood pressure, and peripheral blood ﬂow. Magnesium modulates and controls the entry and release of calcium from the cell, which determines muscular activity. If you have too much calcium and not enough magnesium your muscles and nerves go into spasm. Excess calcium seems to be the norm today with women taking enormous doses of poorly absorbed calcium and hardly any magnesium. Instead of two parts calcium to one part magnesium, many researchers are finding that two parts of magnesium to one part calcium is a healthier balance.

I know magnesium works, it works for me and it works for my readers. After taking magnesium supplements, many women have contacted me describing the reversal of their PMS, painful periods, improvement in symptoms of chronic fatigue and fibromyalgia, depression, anxiety, muscle spasms, and greater enjoyment of sexual activity.

When I wrote The Magnesium Miracle, I was fortunate to have it forwarded by Drs. Burton and Bella Altura, two magnesium researchers who have produced over 1,000 research papers on magnesium. The Alturas are scientists who had never written a forward for a popular press book. However, when I approached them, they said that in spite of their enormous body of research, the message about rampant magnesium deficiency in the population was never translated into clinical application and they wanted the message to get out. They especially wanted to alert women to the dangers of magnesium deficiency that can begin in the womb.

Although I knew about the need for magnesium in our diet even before I entered medical school, I received a very dramatic lesson in my second year. I was observing in the obstetrics ward when a young woman in the final stage of labor developed rapidly elevating blood pressure and began convulsing. This was a true medical emergency. Already skeptical about the antihypertensive and anticonvulsant drugs, which have so many side effects and variable results, I wondered what could possibly work that would not be dangerous for the baby. Clearly, this woman needed something both powerful and effective.

The attending physician called out for an ampule of magnesium sulfate and immediately injected it into the patient’s IV. Within minutes the woman’s convulsions had ceased and her blood pressure was returning to normal. I was amazed, and I’ve never forgotten that miracle of magnesium, which also reinforced my belief that there are safe, effective alternatives to prescription drugs for pain and chronic disease.

Having enough magnesium during pregnancy can improve the health of our children. Magnesium can prevent premature contractions, eclampsia and greatly reduce the risk of a child suffering cerebral palsy and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). Magnesium in effective dosages should be a required supplement for pregnant women. Because there are magnesium deficiency symptoms in pregnancy and childbirth means that these women are not being given enough magnesium. Magnesium can even help women with fertility problems because it relieves fallopian tube spasm that can prevent egg implantation!

The following list of conditions that are associated with magnesium deficiency affect men and women but women seem to carry the greater burden of its lack.

1. Anxiety and panic attacks 2. Asthma 3. Blood clots 4. Bowel disease 5. Cystitis 6. Depression 7. Detoxiﬁcation 8. Diabetes 9. Fatigue 10. Heart disease 11. Hypertension 12. Hypoglycemia 13. Insomnia 14. Kidney disease 15. Migraine 16. Musculoskeletal conditions 17. Nerve problems 18. Obstetrical and gynecological problems 19. Osteoporosis 20. Raynaud’s syndrome 21. Tooth decay

It is very important for women to assess their need for magnesium. The following 100 factors in 68 categories can help you recognize a possible magnesium deﬁciency. If you have any additions to this list, please let me know. A client recently told me that her chronic hiccoughs went away when she started supplementing with magnesium. There’s no way of knowing how many factors correlate with any one person’s magnesium deﬁciency, but if you ﬁnd yourself ticking off a few dozen, you may want see how many of your symptoms improve when you take magnesium supplements.

1. Alcohol intake-more than seven drinks per week 2. Anger 3. Angina 4. Anxiety 5. Apathy 6. Arrhythmia of the heart 7. Asthma 8. Blood tests a. Low calcium b. Low potassium c. Low magnesium 9. Bowel problems a. Undigested fat in stool b. Constipation c. Diarrhea d. Alternating constipation and diarrhea e. IBS f. Crohn’s g. Colitis 10. Brain trauma 11. Bronchitis, chronic 12. Caffeine (coffee, tea, chocolate), more than three servings per day 13. Chronic fatigue syndrome 14. Cold extremities 15. Concentration difﬁculties 16. Confusion 17. Convulsions 18. Depression 19. Diabetes a. Type I b. Type II c. Gestational diabetes 20. Fibromyalgia 21. Food intake imbalances a. Limited in green leafy vegetables, seeds, and fresh fruit b. High protein 22. Food cravings a. Carbohydrates b. Chocolate c. Salt d. Junk food 23. Gagging or choking on food 24. Headaches 25. Heart disease 26. Heart-rapid rate 27. High blood pressure 28. Homocysteinuria 29. Hyperactivity 30. Hyperventilation 31. Infertility 32. Insomnia 33. Irritability 34. Kidney stones 35. Medications a. Digitalis b. Diuretics c. Antibiotics d. Steroids e. Oral contraceptives f. Indomethacin g. Cisplatin h. Amphotericin B i.Cholestyramine j. Synthetic estrogens 36. Memory impairment 37. Mercury amalgam dental ﬁllings 38. Menstrual pain and cramps 39. Migraines 40. Mineral supplements a. Take calcium without magnesium b. Take zinc without magnesium c. Take iron without magnesium 41. Mitral valve prolapse 42. Muscle cramps or spasms 43. Muscle twitching or tics 44. Muscle weakness 45. Numbness of hands or feet 46. Osteoporosis 47. Paranoia 48. Parathyroid hyperactivity 49. PMS 50. Polycystic ovarian disease 51. Pregnancy a. Currently pregnant b. Pregnant within one year c. History of preeclampsia or eclampsia d. Postpartum depression e. Have a child with cerebral palsy 52. Radiation therapy, recent 53. Raynaud’s syndrome 54. Restlessness 55. Sexual energy diminished 56. Shortness of breath 57. Smoking 58. Startled easily by noise 59. Stressful life or circumstances 60. Stroke 61. Sugar, high intake daily 62. Syndrome X 63. Thyroid hyperactivity 64. Tingling of hands or feet 65. Transplants a. Kidney b. Liver 66. Tremor of the hands 67. Water that contains the following a. Fluoride b. Chlorine c. Calcium 68. Wheezing

When asked why doctors don’t know more about magnesium and recommend it for all the conditions I talk about, it’s because doctors only learn how to diagnose disease and treat with drugs. We don’t learn about nutrients in medical school, presumably because drug companies support medical education and patented drugs, not unpatented nutrients. Also, magnesium is it’s own worst enemy because it’s found in such low concentration in the blood that it’s hard to get an accurate measurement of total body magnesium. Only 1 percent of the body’s magnesium is in the blood and that crucial level must be maintained at all costs -stripping magnesium from bones and tissues. Therefore, when doctors do a magnesium blood test, they can get a “normal” reading while the rest of the body may be starving for this important nutrient. Without a “test” to show doctors that magnesium is necessary, the whole topic is shelved, patients’ symptoms are shelved, and patients suffer the consequences. care-and-luke

The Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) for magnesium is between 350 and 400 milligrams per day, which is just enough to ward off outright deficiency. But for optimal health and for the twenty-one conditions that are triggered by magnesium deficiency, perhaps twice as much magnesium is needed. One hundred years ago we obtained 500 mg of magnesium in our diet, now we are lucky to get 150 mg. We can eat more nuts, seeds, seaweed, dark leafy vegetable but we still don’t get enough magnesium from out diet so we have to rely on magnesium supplements.

Forms of Magnesium
Magnesium oxide is the cheapest form of magnesium but it’s only 4 percent absorbed, the rest goes through the intestines making it a great laxative. Magnesium citrate is powder form is the most commonly used and the least expensive. Magnesium glycinate, magnesium taurate, magnesium malate, dimagnesium malate are taken for their less laxative effect.

Magnesium oil is a form that can be sprayed on the body and is used by those who want no laxative effect whatsoever. Actually, the laxative effect of magnesium is your guide to how much to take. Anything above the amount needed by the body will be eliminated through the bowels, kidneys, or through sweat.

Since the last edition of The Magnesium Miracle, I found a form of magnesium that is 100% absorbed. It’s called angstrom minerals. Since the cell-ion channels that allow entry of minerals into the cell are 4-5 angstroms in diameter, the size of mineral molecules must be at the angstrom level for complete absorption. The dose for this form of magnesium is about 10 times lower than most other minerals because of its high absorption. People who suffer from IBS-diarrhea, Crohn’s and colitis can use angstrom magnesium without affecting their bowels.

The only contraindications to magnesium are for people with outright kidney failure, bowel obstruction, Myasthenia gravis, or heart block. Also, if you have a heart condition you may find that taking magnesium can lessen the need for heart medication and you should be under doctor’s supervision to guide this process. If you are on medication of any kind, in The Magnesium Miracle you will find hundreds of reference that you can show your doctor to emphasize the fact that you need to be taking magnesium. Good luck on your magnesium journey!

Carolyn Dean MD ND has been in the forefront of health issues for 30 years. She graduated from Dalhousie Medical School in 1978, holds a medical license in California, and is a graduate of the Ontario Naturopathic College, now the Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine in Toronto. She is the author/coauthor of 15 health books and Medical Director of VidaCosta Spa el Puente, a health spa in Costa Rica opening in 2010. Dr. Dean President of Hallmark-Dean Academy, U.S. a licensed school that trains Laboratory Technicians and Wellness Guides in a unique, licensed, functional, computerized, urinalysis lab test. Her book titles include ebooks and print books that can be viewed on her site www.drcarolyndean.com. Dr. Dean assists individuals with all types of illness at any stage or degree of severity through her Telephone Wellness Consulting practice.

Posted in Breastfeeding, Natural Fertility, Natural alternative to drugs, Pregnancy, Shannon's Thoughts, Uncategorized | 4 Comments »

Shazzle Dazzle Holiday Hangover

Tuesday, January 6th, 2009 by Lisa

By Shannon Leone

HAPPY NEW YEAR, DARLINGS! I wish you all the BEAUTY, and WONDER, and BLISS of a FRESH START, a NEW BEGINNING, and a whole new CHAPTER that will be 2009!

How were your holidays? Hectic? Harmonious? Filled with memories or just a blur? master1

For me, a lot of everything…

My husband painted our kitchen, then when I decided the color wasn’t right, we painted it again! We also replaced our counter tops and I did a major pre-new year cleaning! If you recall in my last post I mentioned a MEMORY BOX that I had created for a special person in my family’s life- our TaeKwonDo instructor, Master Morrison- so we presented him with his gift over the holidays with his beautiful wife, my friend Leokadia (7 mos pregnant) at his side and it was a special moment for us all. Then we enjoyed a quiet Christmas Eve- WE ALL FASTED! My family and I drank fresh green veggie juice and toasted each other in between outdoor ice skating, tobogganing, snowmobiling and snowshoeing.

liam1

I KNEW that with all the parties and celebrations that were upcoming (we were invited out on BOXING DAY, had a friend’s birthday on the 29^th, and we threw a big NEW YEAR’S EVE BASHOLA with 22 people, and then on Jan 2 was my son Landon’s 11^th-how did THAT happen?– BLISS-DAY celebration so we had another 2 dozen people dinner-party- more about how that all-and my raw cake, etc.–went next time), there was nooooo way I was going to be able to ‘control’ everything, so I decided to at least start off on the right foot- sort of setting the TONE. Christmas day was ALL-RAW. I made a little FEAST of beautiful fresh PAPAYA boats, and NORI SHEETS to make little AVOCADO and TOMATO rolls, raw dip and crudite. (see photo) Together we had made little almond-ginger Christmas cookies for Santa, and there were lots of lovely POMEGRANATES (nothing says FESTIVE more to me than those crimson jewels) olives, nuts and dates, and of course, green smoothies.

christmas1 SHAZZIE had gifted me a copy of her new book EVIE’S KITCHEN, and as I was ecstatically reading it, noticing every loving detail, I came across something that absolutely FLOORED ME! In the acknowledgements section, she thanked some raw families, and included MY NAME! She used my bliss-name which some of you are familiar with which came out of a moment years ago when I asked my children if they could choose their name, a spirit name, what would it be? Since then, my family has our ‘normal’ names and our ‘bliss’ names. And when I saw mine, RAWQWEEN SHAKAYA BREEZE, that Shazzie had personally thanked me, well, it was the most BLISSTASTIC gift I received for Christmas. The entire book is filled with surprises. Shazzie is the most open-hearted, uninhibited, revolutionary, loving voice in Raw right now. She talks about painful things she has been dealing with like rejection by Evie’s father, the tragic loss of her lover and soul-mate, food and supplement compromises. There are tons of amazing pictures and images throughout the entire book, including her full-term breastfeeding her lovely Evie right up to age 4. She has some tips and strategies in there that you WON’T hear in any other book out there that are pure genius! Her respect and insight into raising children comes from a well of love so big and deep that she is literally GUIDED. Some snazzy Shazzie insights from the book:

START out by going at least 51% raw

MAXIMIZE your children’s instincts by NOT making them eat smelly sulphur-bearing cooked veggies that they naturally disdain, and give them fresh GREEN JUICE instead- mixing it in with their fave regular juice at first if necessary

PLAY fun and silly little games with your kids around raw food themes, ie doing the unexpected like putting food on dolly plates and eating out of them, or making little picnics on a blanket on the floor indoors (I used to do this with my boys UNDER the kitchen table!) or hiding little food packets around the house and going on a TREASURE HUNT

HOLD your toddler on your lap facing you when you feed her so it’s as bonding as breastfeeding

ECSTATIC BIRTHING, CO-SLEEPING, BABY-WEARING and UN-SCHOOLING are all discussed in a positive light.

Shazzie has researched the subject of NUTRTION, especially raw vegan, and has come to the conclusion that certain supplements ARE needed for optimum development. Her science is compelling, especially around Vit D, B 12, and K1 and K2. Oddly, she has received CRITICISM for her findings by other ‘purist’ raw vegans who shun all supplementation. Interestingly, she has noticed they either don’t have CHILDREN, or their children don’t look as healthy as her daughter.

ONE great tip she gave is to make baby’s first solid meal of a fruit like papaya AND BREASTMILK mixed-in as it will be familiar and make the transition even smoother. Also, she recommends pre-chewing your toddler’s food to aid digestion and avoid potential of choking hazard.

She has soooo many more wonderful offerings in this very special book which is so much more than a recipe book. I have been so caught up in reading and being with her words that I have yet to actually make one of the recipes! I will let you know which ones I make this week in my next post! In the meantime, get yourself a copy of this beautiful, love-filled treasure and enjoy the heart-centered writings and sharing of a woman who has so much support and honour to offer us all, and may your heart be filled with joyful calm as we come into as Shazzie says, ‘2000 and mine’. xo

Posted in Breastfeeding, Family, Pregnancy, Shannon's Thoughts | No Comments »

Introducing…

Monday, December 15th, 2008 by Shannon

Joseph Beausoleil. He was born Monday, November 17, 2008, exactly one day before his “due” date. My entire labor took less than 4 hours - fast and furious - we barely made it to the birth center in time! I’m happy to report that we are all healthy and doing well.

However, sorry for the late announcement, but this whole two-kids-thing is really kicking my butt! I thought I had this parenting thing down but I’ve been thrown a curve ball. Don’t get me wrong: my panic is still, for the most part, interspersed with moments of total bliss.

Baby Joseph (or, as we like to call him, “Joe-Beau”) is an absolute dream. He’s super easy-going and just as sweet as can be. His big brother, John, is just as sweet as can be too, always wanting to hold, kiss, and hug the baby. When the baby cries (which is rare), he rushes to comfort him. John doesn’t seem resentful or jealous towards the baby at all, which is such a relief.

John does get mad at me, however, and has been on a major emotional roller coaster: one minute, he’s his usual, laughing, clowning around self, the next in a puddle of gut-wrenching sobs of despair. Confused by these new feelings of sadness, he would come up to me and ask “what is happening to me, Mommy?” which, given my own plummeting hormones from having just given birth, would leave me bawling too, and wondering, what did I do to my beautifully happy child??

I’ve also had to revise my adamant philosophy to never let a baby/child cry it out, as I’ve only got two hands and it’s inevitable that both boys are sometimes going to need me at the same time. My boyfriend has been absolutely wonderful, stepping up 110%, but he’s still got to work during the day, and some hurts just require a mama’s touch. This has been a hard adjustment, trying to strike a balance between getting everyone’s needs met.

Sleeping has been another issue. I know this is almost universal, but we never had problems with my first baby (when it was just one, that is), but this time around, the sleeping arrangement is having a hard time working itself out. First, that whole sleep-when-the-baby-sleeps thing just doesn’t work when you’ve got a toddler to take care of. Then, Joe-Beau has been having some alert time in the middle of the night where he makes these adorable little cooing sounds. However, this was waking my older one up who would then cry and demand for “boob”, which would then set the baby off and, well, the whole tandem nursing thing has been awkward at best…. This has made for some pretty crazy-making nights.

So, I’ve been putting John to bed in another room (which he has, surprisingly, taken to quite well), and my boyfriend’s been sleeping on the couch since he knows that’s the only way he’ll get any sleep these days! So, for much of the night, it’s just me and the baby and one great, big, gigantic, king-sized bed. Sigh.

Things are getting easier by the day, however; the first two weeks were the hardest, but I do see us all slowly adjusting and am confident that we will soon hit our stride.

Posted in Ardis's Thoughts, Family, Pregnancy | No Comments »

Raw Parenting Creates Healthy Children

Monday, December 15th, 2008 by Tera

In May 1990, our second child was born. The birth was very difficult and there were complications. The main complication was shoulder distosia. My son’s head had already made its entrance into the world, but the midwives became exasperated at their attempts to release his large shoulders, and frantically gave me an episiotomy to help give birth to my child.

Just prior to this pregnancy, I changed from a vegetarian (lacto-ovo) to a vegan diet. I ate mainly whole grains, beans, oils, tofu and other soy products, seaweeds, and cooked vegetables with some processed foods, such as whole grain pastas, breads and rice cakes. I ate a minimum of raw fruits and vegetables, feeling at the time that raw foods were not that important and not as healthy as the protein from cooked grains and beans.

My son’s difficult birth was only the beginning of our problems. At five weeks old, he became very ill with a barking croupy cough and was filled with mucus. We ended up at the hospital for 4 scary days, in which time my son almost died. The doctors turned him over onto his stomach and hit his back while mucus poured out of his nose and mouth. I have never been more frightened in my life. For the next few years our son Marco exhibited asthmatic symptoms and had constant ear and throat infections and fevers. We tried many allopathic and alternative doctors for help: pediatricians, allergists, homeopaths, osteopaths, chiropractors, naturopaths, but to no avail. Many nights I ran to the bathroom with my son so that he could breathe in the steaming shower water for relief as he coughed and cried. I slept with him on top of me for fear that I would lose him at night.

The doctors diagnosed Marco’s condition as “Chronic Allergic Rhinitis” with asthmatic symptoms. I was eating cooked grains and beans as well as a lot of processed whole grain foods while nursing. When Marco began to eat solids between ages 1 and 2, I fed him the same, not realizing that this could be a large part of the problem. I wrote letters and called specialists all over the country for advice regarding Marco’s condition. At this point, I felt stuck and I began to reflect upon my own life. Vegetarianism was not strange to me because I lived in a house with a lifelong vegetarian father. His mother had been very ill with asthma and emphysema in her early 30’s when the doctors gave her only six months to live. She transitioned to a vegetarian and then a predominantly raw food diet, which cured her illnesses. She lived another 45 to 50 years. When I was a ten-year-old child, I recall her explaining why it is crucial to eat a diet primarily of raw, uncooked foods. Suddenly, the experiences of my grandmother made an incredible amount of sense to me and I began to search out people who were living healthfully on a raw food diet. I eventually found a group in New York City called “Coalition on Health Reeducation” (COHR), where I found a support group and access to a wealth of information.

Very soon I became a 100% raw foodist and I transitioned my children to raw foods. That was over 13 years ago. My son was between three and four years old at the time. In under a year, my son’s symptoms of chronic allergic rhinitis and asthma had completely vanished and the ear and throat infections disappeared forever. As my two children grew up on raw foods, they became very aware of their bodies. When either of them felt any sign of illness or detoxification, from fever to coughing or pain or mucus, they knew instinctively what to do. My daughter would drink water and go to bed, sometimes for a couple of days. My son would drink diluted orange juice and do the same. Gabriela and Marco recovered more quickly whenever they didn’t feel well, which was rare.

It is very important to involve children in creating fun raw food recipes and in playing raw food restaurant. Our children sometimes prepared elaborate raw food meals as the chefs, and my husband and I would be the customers, paying them for their special dishes. In February 2000, Gabriela and Marco were interviewed for Nicolodeon News on the topic of “Highlighting Vegetarian Children.” The producers were surprised that the children ate raw foods. They showed great interest in our lifestyle, and filmed Marco and Gabriela creating raw food meals, which were broadcast nationally.

As parents, it is our responsibility to teach our children about the superior foods and give them tender loving care throughout their growing years. We will be teaching them it’s all right to be different, and what is best for them is to listen to their bodies and to understand the laws of nature.

Karen Ranzi

Posted in Family, Natural alternative to drugs, Pregnancy | No Comments »

Nesting Mode Part Two

Tuesday, November 18th, 2008 by Shannon

Wow, I can’t believe it’s been a month since I posted. I am truly sorry for that. I apologize to myself as well as to you, dear readers, since writing for this blog is one of the few things I do just for myself, that gives me a sense of identity, and a lot of personal satisfaction. I’ve tried to keep my weekly postings a top priority as, for the reasons just stated, they really help to keep me grounded and happy. All I can say is, for the last month, I’ve been a bit distracted.

In my last post, I officially declared I was in nesting mode. I used the phrase in the sense that I planned to hole up in my “nest”, kick my feet up, relax, and ease into the final stretch before labor. Well, since then, in addition to my usual routine, I have managed to organize/host 4 parties, attend various meetings, have the kitchen and laundry room painted, and deal with one really scary emergency room trip with my son. Not to mention being completely consumed with all things Election…so much for relaxing!

There is another use of the phrase “nesting mode”, however, that refers to a sort of manic state some expecting women get into, to prepare the “nest” so to speak, for the new arrival. You know, where the mom-to-be gets on her hands and knees to scrub every inch of the floor with a toothbrush, or decides at 2AM she must defrost the freezer or organize all the baby clothes by color, or some such other obsessive-compulsive task.

Well, this didn’t happen at all for me with my first pregnancy (beyond just covering the basics), but this time, I am that crazy woman. I’ve been waking up in the middle of the night and organizing kitchen drawers, preparing meals for my son for two days out with explicit instructions, obsessively keeping on top of laundry, and reading and re-reading all the signs of labor to look for. Oh, and yes, folding and refolding all the baby clothes….My “to-do” list has always been a mile long, but suddenly, frantically, I feel panicked that I won’t get through it all before the baby comes. It’s really quite ridiculous! And all this has made it a wee bit difficult for me to prioritize.

On the flip-side, I feel great, people say I look great and can’t believe I’m “due” in a matter of days. If it weren’t for all the contractions (been having them for weeks now), I’d totally forget I was pregnant, and sometimes do anyway. I am trying to keep my mind off of it too, since my first baby was 12 days late, so I’m not holding my breath that this one will come on time. In fact, I am cherishing every moment I have with my son (and would actually welcome some extra time), as I know we will never have the same relationship again, where it’s just the two of us most of the time. I look forward, and with eager anticipation, to meeting the new baby and expanding our happy little family, but at the same time, a piece of me mourns the loss of the very special dynamic we have right now.

Now that the election is over, my bags are packed for the birthing center, thank you notes are written, the sky is not falling, and I don’t have too much left on my roster, I’m hoping I can finally kick back a bit…but then again, you never know ☺.

Tags: Nesting, Pregnancy
Posted in Ardis's Thoughts, Pregnancy | No Comments »