This post isn’t about our children per se, but I have found what is good for Mom, IS good for child.  We moms do everything for everyone, often running ourselves ragged!  Of course this seems necessary when we have small children and EVERY MOMENT is an event practically- we barely have time to use the bathroom.  But a time must come when we women bring more balance into our life, and reclaim our womanhood.  We will still be moms, but we must be women first.  I am talking about being ’self-centered’ or centering-in-self.  This isn’t selfish, it is smart.  Because we simply cannot give what we do not have.  How can we be soft, patient, receptive when we are with our children if we are running on empty?  As women, our emotional and spiritual gifts run deep, but WE must replenish that well from time to time.  Our beauty is just one component of our wholeness.

I met Tonya when she gave a talk in Toronto last year.  What really struck me besides her dynamic presentation (she is a force of nature!) is her TRANSLUCENT, LUMINESCENT BEAUTIFUL SKIN.  She absolutely GLOWS.  Her hair looked strong and silky.  She is a radiant being- THAT says health to me. What I love about TONYA ZAVASTA, is she is a mother, she is 100% raw, and she understands a woman’s needs to feel beautiful.  This ISN’T about vanity.  It’s more about real, true HEALTH, and well-being.  We just FEEL better when we look our best!  Tonya’s diet seems intense, but she backs everything up scientifically in her book QUANTUM EATING.  She does not eat after 2pm.  Wow!  I am still struggling with not eating past 10pm!  She has another book called  RAWSOME FLEX which teaches facial exercises.  I have been doing it and will post BEFORE and AFTER pics soon!  In the meantime, let’s enjoy Tonya’s expert advice.

Tonya Zavasta is a raw food expert, speaker and the author of 4 books on the 100% raw food lifestyle. With a math/science background, Tonya’s comfort zone reaches from quantum physics to cellular metabolism to the salad bowl.  Confronted with the necessity of extensive hip surgeries to enable her to walk normally, Tonya sought a lifestyle that would support her recovery and offset the ravages of multiple operations.

Her tireless research led her to the beautifying powers of raw foods and since the age of 39 Tonya has been following a 100% raw food lifestyle. Twelve years later, she is walking testimony to the power of the raw foods to bring out the natural beauty within all of us. Her books, Your Right to Be Beautiful and Beautiful On Raw are about how to radically improve your life, health and appearance through the raw food lifestyle. Her latest book Quantum Eating: The Ultimate Elixir of Youth is an exploration of the most advanced anti-aging practices.

Now in her 50’s she radiates health in every sense of the word, and teaches “raw eating” all across the world.

TONYA, you are a Mom, wife, author, businesswoman, so you understand how busy moms are today.  What is your biggest tip for moms who wish to become more rawesomely beautiful, but have very little spare time?

“Do not eat at night!” Not only will this save you time and energy, but it is one of the most effective things you can do to deter aging, detoxify the body at a deeper level, and wake up feeling terrific; ready to meet the challenges of the day. Your body performs different functions while you sleep, of course, than when you are awake, and you are healthiest when you live in harmony with these rhythms. You should try to eat closer to between the hours of 7-3, approximately, and stop eating about 6 hours before going to sleep, whether you eat an all raw diet or not. This cannot be done all at once, but is a very worthwhile goal to gradually strive for. I call this Quantum Eating and I have practiced it for years, consuming my second and last meal at about 2pm each day.

How long have you been raw and are you 100%?

I have been eating 100% raw since 1997. Before that I had moved from vegetarian to vegan in my attempts to find the best possible diet for health and beauty. Hate cooking? I do too. What if I promise you that you do not have to cook ever again?

It is a well-known fact that the less food has been processed, the more sound it is nutritionally. So why process at all? Why not trust the Creator of human life with food as well? Why not recognize the laws of nature instead of looking for a way to go against them? To process food is an arrogant notion - we seem to be saying that God’s menu needs improvement.

Human beings cannot create life and yet we assume that we can manufacture better foodstuffs. The only food fit for human beings is raw plant food from God’s table such as fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds. But we replace this ample and nutritious diet with the cook’s concoctions.

By cooking our food we are killing nutrients that keep us alive and healthy. Cooking removes the goodness of food. Fresh fruits and vegetables have a life force that is carried by enzymes, the biochemical catalysts that constitute the difference between life and death.

Nature’s plan calls for food to deliver its own enzymes to assist the body with its digestion. But enzymes are killed when temperature rises above 118° Fahrenheit. Cooked food depletes the body’s own enzyme reserve and curtails its rejuvenating power that has to keep you healthy, youthful and beautiful.

How fast would a woman notice changes in her appearance if she followed your advice?

Within the first two weeks. Of course, it all depends on where you are starting from. The key is consistency. When you start with one thing, and gradually add others, as long as you maintain the progress you have made, you will begin to see startling changes rather quickly. When you combine the raw foods diet with a consistent beauty regimen, the results will be even more dramatic!

Can you share a favorite beauty secret of yours with our readers today?

Dry brushing of your skin! Exfoliation is the most important element in all skin care. It literally ‘unglues’ the dead skin cells and removes them, revealing the fresh new cells underneath. It helps with everything: acne, dry skin, even aging skin. It increases circulation and gives your skin a silky, rosy glow.

You need a different brush for your face than you use on your body, and I offer these on my website. This is something you can do in the free time you now have in the evening while you are not eating!

Please share a favorite recipe with our moms!

My RUSSIAN BORSCHT!

Step 1:

JUICE enough tomatoes to make 1 1/2 C TOMATO JUICE, plus 1 C CARROT JUICE, ½ C CUCUMBER JUICE, ½ C CELERY JUICE, ½ C LEMON JUICE

Step 2:

Pour the juices in a bowl and add 1 C shredded beet 1 C minced red pepper, 1 med cucumber chopped, 3 scallions minced, 1 large avocado cubed, 2 tomatoes diced, ¼ c parsley chopped, dash of cumin and salt and cayenne pepper to taste- ENJOY!

Any last words to our moms?

Be a RAWSOME mom! You’ll be glad you did, and your kids will, too. The momentum you build now, as a new mom or the mother of younger children, will carry you to and through the years when your children are grown. You’ll be setting a great example for them to follow, even if they don’t choose to be 100% raw.

Choosing a raw foods lifestyle now, you’re giving your children of any age a precious gift-a vibrant, beautiful mom who can truly be there for them.

Whatever challenges you face, whatever adjustments you have to make, once you have the basics down, you’ll always know what to come back to as your core way of life. Should your children decide to follow a healthy raw lifestyle when they’re older, they’ll be light years ahead. A sensible raw foods lifestyle is truly a lasting legacy to pass on to the next generation

Lately I’ve had the pleasure of getting  to know a reader, and I really wanted to give her the opportunity to share her experiences…

Katie Mae is my name, and I am the mama to a young girl named Radley.
Together we are tough, feminine, passionate Scorpios, connected to
each other and to the earth we are made of. She prefers going up and
down inclines, sitting on dogs, and pushing things. I prefer long
quiet walks, journal writing, and hand stitching. We both enjoy eating
apples and bananas.

I was never much of a cook, so going raw has been such a relief! My
philosophy during this transition is to be practical and gentle. So
far our favorites are green smoothies, flax crackers, raw hummus, and
salads with sprouts. There is so much to learn and so many new foods
to try, I am determined not to get overwhelmed and am comforted by
simple-sweet carrots. Our greatest challenge has been dad buying corn
chips and cheese slices, but even he gets down with my kale smoothies!

Raw food is just one ingredient in my recipe towards happiness, peace,
and enlightenment. I am an artist, a dreamer, a reader, and a critical
thinker. Instead of being satisfied with my right handedness I am
teaching my left hand to print and sew. I am learning how to open my
body and release old tension. Someday I will remove television from my living room and really really live there. Radley teaches me everyday how to be patient and to act in the name of love. Love life, this curious, amazing, rhythmic moment.

Bare Bottomed Baby by Katie Mae

My daughter is 14 months old and diaper-free!

Our method is very simple: when my daughter needs to eliminate, I am there to assist her so that she does not have to soil herself. Sometimes she likes the big toilet, and other times a small potty. Usually she enjoys squatting outside because she prefers to do everything outside. At night and in the mornings I hold her over a small bowl held between my legs. There are many ways that I can tell she has to go. We use timing, hand signals, a little language, and intuition. For example, she will always produce the goods upon waking (most babes do). Then, if she hasn’t already told me by patting herself or walking to the bathroom, I’ll check the time. Usually it’s about forty five minutes between each pee.  Sometimes I’ll just sense it. All day, everyday, we do this potty dance, and it is as routine as eating or napping.

Elimination Communication (EC), is the formal name for infant pottying. There is a lot of literature on the web and in books that cover this topic in detail. Many families are finding that it compliments other facets of natural parenting like co-sleeping, breastfeeding, and babywearing. That is why I want to share my knowledge with all the raw moms out there! EC is economical, ecologically sensitive, and empowering! My family has saved hundreds of dollars on diapers, buying only a small quantity of cloth that we still use as rags. Do you know how many tons of diapers (along with the waste inside of them) are dumped in our landfills? Using this method greatly reduces the amount of waste your family will toss in the dumpster. Most of all, I love infant pottying because I am encouraging my daughter to be engaged with and aware of her body. We talk about pee and poop without shame. She understands the sensations associated with her need to eliminate and can act on them. It is truly amazing to see her sit on her little potty and pee-all on her own.

If you find any of my story interesting I encourage you to give EC a try. Start upon waking or after nap time. Hold your babe over some type of container and make a sound that your little one will associate with eliminating. “Psssst” or “SSsss” are common “cues” but you can choose any simple sound that comes to you. Try letting your tot go diaper free for a while, and communicate with them when they have gone. Try not to get discouraged, and always stay positive. Remember this is not traditional toilet training, but a practice of communication.

I read Christine Gross-Loh’s Diaper-Free Baby while I was pregnant. This book takes on a very practical, non-threatening approach to EC. Check out diaperfreebaby.org for links, gear, literature and support. There are many blogs, youtube videos, and web groups that also discuss infant pottying. Do some research, catch some pees, and most of all: have fun!

Thank you Katie Mae, that was so wonderful!  YOU are so wonderful! Xo Shannon

By Shannon Leone

Kate is the most experienced raw food promoter in the UK. She has sixteen years of experience of raw eating, and is raising a family of three boys on a predominantly raw diet. She is the author of ‘Eat Smart, Eat Raw’, the UK’s best selling raw food recipe book; and ‘Raw Living’, a recipe book and guide to the raw lifestyle. Her third book, ‘Raw Magic’, a ground-breaking book of superfood recipes, another UK first, was published by Rawcreation in 2008, and is receiving rave reviews. She is a Managing Director of the Raw Living website which offers advice and information on the raw diet, as well as an online shop, and she is the proud parent of the Raw Living range of chocolate bars and cakes. She was the editor of Get Fresh magazine, the world’s most popular raw food magazine, for three years. She currently divides her time between being with her children, private consultations, public speaking, and working on her next books “Ecstatic Beings” (co-authored with Shazzie) and “88 - the Untold Story of a Revolution” (about the original London acid house scene).

Kate has been featured in most of the UK’s national press including The Independent, The Guardian, The Sunday Times, The Daily Express, Metro, Vogue, Marie Claire, Cosmopolitan, Red, Zest , Closer, Reveal, The Green Parent, Lifescape, Juno, Get Fresh, and Funky Raw. She has made a number of national media appearances including BBC TV and radio, ITV, Channel 4, Passion for the Planet digital radio, and Radio Reverb. She has spoken at numerous festivals and events around the country, primarily on raw foods but also on superfoods and on natural parenting.

Kate is driven by a passionate desire for change in this world. Everything she does is fuelled by her vision of humanity living together in peace and unity, and restoring our mother earth to a garden paradise. She believes raw foods and superfoods to be an important tool to unlocking our inner potential and empowering ourselves as individuals to create the revolution that is so urgently needed at this time.

I personally enjoy her sense of FUN!  I actually painted a portrait of her  and the astonishing thing was that I LATER discovered she had dyed her hair the same fuscia pink like in my painting, though neither one of us was aware of this synchronicity!  But mostly, what I really admire in Kate is her connectedness to her self, and to her kids.  She makes up her own rules, which probably means no rules- just tuning-in to herself, and her kids. What a great living lesson for her children. Teaching by example isn’t the best way to teach your kids…It’s the ONLY way!

Tell us about your first experience of hearing about raw.  Who inspired you?  How raw are you, and how do you maintain it (ESPECIALLY with kids)?

I was a vegan eating a lot of fruit and salads, and a friend said to me, “You’re like a raw fooder.”  So I found out what a raw fooder was, and it all made sense to me!  I think the first book I read was Viktoras Kulvinskas Survival into the 21^st century, and then Leslie Kenton’s Raw Energy.  This was in 1993, so there wasn’t the Internet to look everything up on.  There weren’t David Wolfe lectures to download.  There weren’t classy raw restaurants to visit.  It was very hard finding things out.  There wasn’t even Amazon to order books off!  So really, for me it was all about listening to my body’s wisdom, I didn’t have any role models, it was about learning to trust the voice within.

I don’t like to say I am 100 % raw.  Nature doesn’t like perfection, there are no straight lines in nature, you have to have the yin & the yang!  So I am 99 % raw.  I never consciously eat cooked food, but I allow for real life to happen.  I never crave cooked foods now, have no desire for them at all, but it took many years to get to that point.

Would you share a few of your favorite recipes with us?

I can do better than that.  Here is a link to my website recipe archive where you will find dozens!

Why have you chosen to homeschool your kids?  How does it work?  Do you think the kids would ever choose to go to school in the future?  What about bedtime, do you have an evening ritual?  What do you think is so important for moms to know about kids?

Well I could write a book here!  I think homeschooling chose me!

We wake up naturally, and have cuddles and giggles.  We have breakfast,  get dressed, and do our tidying up and household chores together.  That can take all morning!  Any mother will tell you, everything takes twice as long with a child around.  And with three, it takes three or four times as long.  The mundane aspects of sleeping, shopping, preparing food and eating it, playing with friends, reading, walking along the beach, going for bike rides, swimming, keeping our space clean and tidy, drawing & writing cards to send to friends and family; laughing, cuddling, watching a little YouTube or Dr Who, asking questions about life, challenging the perceived boundaries, falling over, crying, and picking ourselves up again - all these things fill our days in a natural and fulfilling way.  How would we ever fit school in?

Having said that, Reuben is 11 now and he’s just gone back into a Steiner School.  He was in Steiner kindergarten when he was younger.  He’s loving it.  At 11, I did feel he’d got to a point where I couldn’t offer him enough stimulation, and he was ready for something else.  And I totally trust him to go out into the world making the right choices and being a good person, because we’ve had so much quality time together.  I value him as a person, and I know he values himself because of that.  He has a lot of self-awareness, he’s very in touch with his inner wisdom.

What tricks or tricks do you have for moms trying to get their kids to eat more raw foods?

Don’t give up!  It may take years to get them to eat greens, but don’t give up.  All of my boys have gone through fussy periods, but I’ve persisted and now they all eat an exemplary diet.

Bartering is my number one tip. They can have what they want if they eat what you want first e.g. if you eat your cucumber sticks, you can have some chips.  Just make sure they are eating more cucumber than chips and you’re winning!

Any advice for women trying to entice their men to go raw?

There’s a whole chapter on this subject in my book Raw Living.   Let him eat what he likes.  Just keep feeding him raw alongside whatever else he’s having.  Your food tastes much better, he’ll soon work it out for himself. And one day you’ll hear those famous last words, “I don’t want cooked food anymore” !!

Any raw beauty secrets?

Cold baths!  I love cold baths and showers.  I’ve been having cold showers everyday for 16 years, and cold baths once a week for about 8 years.  They are great for the skin and the circulation.  And the mind!

How much sleep do you get, and what hours do you keep?

I average about 6 hours a night.  I’m a night person, I don’t go to bed till after 2 am usually, and don’t get up before 8 am.  I like working at night, it’s better for me as a creative person because it’s quieter and I can tune in easier.

How much water do you drink daily?

2-3 litres.  Water is very important, I think.

What is a typical breakfast like for you?  Lunch?  Dinner?  Snack?

I’m really happy with my routine right now.  Breakfast is a litre of chia milk. I usually have a wheatgrass or aloe shot in the morning too.  Lunch happens about 2 or 3 pm.  It’s invariably very green, heavy on the seaweeds, and involves a spicy creamy dressing.  Next pit-stop is a nori roll crammed with alfalfa sprouts and a mayonnaise mixed with green powders like barleygrass and spirulina.  Evening meal is around a litre of green juice.  I drink lots of herbal teas that I make in the pot.  Snacks are usually raw chocolate or cake.  I eat tons of algae, tons of seaweeds, tons of flax and hemp, drink loads of liquids, and a little chocolate, and that sorts me out!

How late in the evening do you feel it is okay to eat?

I try not to eat after 8 pm, just liquids. We usually have dinner around 6 pm.

Who do you admire most (or who most inspires you) in the raw food movement today?

You!  All the mums who live it, day in, day out, despite sleepless nights and endless breastfeeding.  Not the gurus standing on stage getting their egos massaged, but all the women at home, who, in their own quiet and humble ways, are building solid foundations for the next generation.

Would you care to share anything about your spiritual practice?

I try to meditate every day, which in reality means about four or five times a week.  I do a 16 minute kundalini yoga meditation for loving yourself and the world at the same time.  I also do 11 rounds of sun salutations and a headstand.  I’ve been practicing yoga for 18 years; it’s as important a part of my life as raw foods.  I try and do a full session once or twice a week, either at home or at a local class.

What projects or interests are currently inspiring you?

I’ve just finished my fifth book, which is called “88 - the untold story of a revolution.”  It’s primarily about the acid house scene in London in 1988, but also about the power of dance music to change people’s lives.  It’s about trying to encapsulate the feeling of dancing at a party or in a club or in a field with people you love and feeling like everything is possible, and heaven on earth is real.  It’s about what you do with that feeling, how it changes you as a person, and how you try to translate it into everyday life.   Now I’m sharpening up my DJ skills, I’ve always done a little DJ-ing here and there, but I want to take it out more, get more professional work, not just friends’ parties and my living room!

Anything else you’d care to share, dear?

I believe this is a tremendously exciting time to be alive.  I believe if we look and listen with our hearts, we can see very clearly now the emerging new paradigm based on love, unity, peace, prosperity, abundance, hope, change, harmony, sustainability.  All we have to do is keep that vision clear, not fall prey to the fears and worries that easily beset us in these tumultuous times.  I’m bringing my children up for a world that is going to be unimaginably different from the one I grew up in.  Really, how could I know what to teach them, what skills they will need?  So all I can do is to empower them to be themselves, to teach them self-knowledge, self-awareness, and self-responsibility.  To trust that they have all the answers they need inside of themselves.  Or in their words, to become Jedi Knights!!

(My kids want to be Jedi Knights too!  Gosh, maybe I should see the movie…)

WONDERFUL interview, thanks Kate!

xoShannon

By Shannon Leone

I MET CAROLINE MARIE DUPONT at a Raw Festival 3 years ago and was instantly inspired by her beauty and grace.  She has been 100% raw, and has settled into a regime of high-raw that feels peaceful.  Her raw diet is balanced by a dedication to her inner life.  She has learned to attune to her emotions which are so tied to our eating, and now she teaches others to do the same.  Otherwise, she admits, most people will not succeed on a high-raw path without this inner work.  Caroline is the mother of 2 children, both university students and elite athletes, raised as vegetarians from birth. She is a holistic nutritionist, meditation and yoga teacher and author of the book Enlightened Eating and the soon-to-be released DVD by the same name, as well as 3 meditation CDs. In addition to her private practice and lecture schedule, she teaches for the Canadian School of Natural Nutrition. See www.carolinedupont.com

Caroline’s recipe book is great for everyone because it is balanced with raw and nutritious cooked recipes.  I was happy to give a testimony and have shared this book with my grateful clients.

Here are some of the sections that you will find in Enlightened Eating:

• Nutritional Guidelines That Apply to Everyone
• Digestion: Differentiating Diet and Nutrition
• Supplementing a Whole Foods Diet
• Detoxification
• Vegetarianism
• Living Foods
• Enlightened Eating: A Self-Realization Diet
• Making Changes: Practical Advice on How to Start
• Dietary Transitions
• Stocking Your kitchen
• Meal Ideas
• Sample Menus
• 200 Recipes (half are raw)

What others have to say:

This is more than a cookbook, or a collection of amazing recipes with thought provoking quotes. It’s a loving, inspiring gift. Caroline’s spirit shines through on every page. -Sandra Entwistle

Her practical approach to vegetarian and raw food is contagious and her recipes can be easily replicated - no fuss required! -Evelyne Gharibian

It contains healthy cooked and raw food choices, which distinguishes it from nearly any other recipe book out there. -Shannon Leone

The sincere and absolute commitment she has to being an example of aliveness and total health is an inspiration to us all. -Jill Hewlett

Here are 2 of my favourite winter recipes featured in ENLIGHTENED EATING:

EARTH BOWL

This is a versatile and satisfying winter breakfast or light lunch or dinner. So simply but it works!

1 apple or pear, cubed directly into a good sized soup bowl

2 celery stalks, cubed and placed in the same bowl

couple TBS dried fruit (raisins, chopped apricots, figs, cranberries, dried blueberries, etc.)

chopped nuts or seeds to taste (walnuts, pecans, almonds, cashews, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, hemp seeds, etc.)

juice (from an orange)

Great Earth Bowls I have loved:

• apple - celery - walnut - raisins - apple juice
• apple - celery - pecan - chopped apricots - orange juice
• pear - celery - pecan - fig - cherry juice concentrate (diluted)
• pear - celery - almond - cranberries - apple juice

CABBAGE DELIGHT

This salad is basic fare but very special in its own right, and has become one of my personal favourite raw salad meals.  It can be made with winter vegetables that most of us have on hand all the time. Serves 4 to 6. Notice the six flavours that make up a satisfying combination.   Sweet:  carrot, honey, apple, currants.  Sour:  apple, vinegar.  Salt: celery, Celtic sea salt, cheese.  Bitter:  broccoli, cabbage, parsley.  Astringent:  apple, broccoli, cabbage, walnuts. Pungent:  onion, cabbage.

2 Tbs apple cider vinegar

1 1/2 Tbs olive oil

1 1/2 Tbs hemp or flax oil

1 Tbs honey

1 -2 tsp Celtic sea salt

1/2 tsp ground fennel

2 cups green cabbage or broccoli, chopped medium fine

3/4 cup red cabbage

1/4 cup sweet onion, chopped fine

1 rib celery, sliced fine

1 carrot, quartered lengthwise and sliced

1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped

1 apple, cored and diced small

1/2 cup currants or raisins

1/2 cup pecans or walnuts, chopped, or 3 Tbs pumpkin seeds

1/2 cup raw cheese, diced small (optional)

Combine dressing ingredients in the bottom of a large salad bowl.  Add vegetables and toss to combine.  Keeps well in the fridge for a couple of days.

TELL US ABOUT YOUR FIRST EXPERIENCE OF HEARING ABOUT RAW, AND WHO INSPIRED YOU AND HOW RAW DID YOU GO?

I first heard about raw when I started studying nutrition 20 years ago. I was immediately drawn to vegetarianism and along the way came across a book by Ann Wigmore which had some of the first raw recipes that I tried (aside from the usual salads and fruit). I was very inspired by the living food principles. However, at the time I had just become a vegetarian, was a new mother to 2 little ones and for me it was quite a stretch to raise my children without meat and dairy and eggs (remember this was 1990) let alone cooked food. And so although I was impressed enough to include alot of raw in our diets it felt most comfortable to also include cooked grains, legumes and vegetables, as well as high quality dairy products. Later, as my kids got older and I adjusted to a plant-based diet, I started including mroe and more raw. Although I have gone over 6 months on 100% raw, today, I eat anywhere from 60 - 100% raw. I tend to listen to my body rather than impose a particular percentage. In addition to loads of living food, I enjoy steamed vegetables and gluten free grains like brown rice, millet and quinoa. Occasionally I crave legumes in the form of dahl or in a soup. I am committed to doing my emotional work through a disciplined spiritual practice and can easily say that I feel more balanced, and am more content with my eating choices, than ever.than ever as a result.

YOU ALREADY GAVE ME 2 OF YOUR FAVE RECIPES…ANY MORE? (I know I’m greedy! Haha)

Lately I’ve been making alot of cultured vegetables, both the traditional way in a crock pot and also the ‘quick’ way as outlined in Donna Gate’s Book The Body Ecology Diet. One of my favorite simple salads is mixing a cubed avocado with a cup or so of cultured veggies, plus sunflower sprouts. Tonight I mashed shredded kale into the avocado and then added the cultured veggies, some halved cherry tomatoes and some sliced red pepper. Yum! I had a side of steamed Brussels spouts wth this and Mineral Broth with miso. Another recent favourite is Cacaochia Pudding. Make almond milk, using 1 cup of soaked almonds to 4 cups of water, and add cacao or carob to the blender as well as 6 fresh pitted dates and honey or agave to taste. Blend and strain. For one cup of almond milk add 3 Tbs Salba (chia seeds) and let sit for 1/2 hour in a bowl. Voila - it’s like tapioca except that it’s completely raw and so satisfying.

WHAT TRICKS OR TIPS DO YOU HAVE FOR MOMS TRYING TO GET THEIR KIDS TO EAT MORE RAW?

My kids are now both away but when they were home I would always cut up fruit for breakfast (sometimes that was enough, other times they would want toast or cereal as well). In their lunches in addition to the ‘main course’ which was often primarily cooked (soup, stew, rice and bean salad, sandwich, healthy pizza), there was always an apple, a container of raw veggies, and a container of raw fruit (grapes, pineapple, pomegranate seeds, melon, etc.). When they got home from school, again I would make plates of raw veggies, fruit and nuts for them to snack on. Nut butters are great to dip the fruit or veggies into. Of course hummus or baba ganouj  are great raw veggie enticers. Fresh juice, citrus or vegetable, is also a favorite of my children’s and I always add a little apple and lemon so that they really enjoy it. Also, green smoothies of course are a great to way to pack a lot of raw goodness into them. So spinach, kale, pear, banana, juice, blueberries, spirulina or wheatgrass powder, ground chia seed are the ingredients of a typical smoothie.

ANY ADVICE FOR WIVES TRYING TO ENTICE THEIR MEN TO GO RAW?

All of the things that I mentioned in the last answer would be great for husbands. Mostly, I think it’s important to enjoy what you’re doing and let the rest of the family come along at their own pace.

A RAW BEAUTY SECRET OF YOURS?

There’s nothing like regular fresh pressed green juice to brighten up and clear the complexion. Also avoiding dairy, flour products, coffee and alcohol. I don’t drink coffee or alcohol but if I have the rare dairy product - (depending how much and  what type - I do enjoy raw goat or sheep cheese occasionally) or flour products, I notice it on my face the next day as pastiness and fatigue.

HOW MUCH SLEEP DO YOU GET, FROM WHAT TIME TO WHAT TIME?

I tend to get 7 to 8 hours sleep every night. I like to go to bed before 10 and get up around 6. I also nap for 12 minutes every afternoon. I don’t time it, it just happens - I love my naps and feel quite refreshed after!

HOW MUCH WATER DO YOU DRINK DAILY?

I drink 4 glasses of water or so plus a few cups of herbal tea, plus a fresh juice, and maybe a cup of mineral broth (which I make by boiling ‘older’ vegetables in water for a couple of hours and then draining.

WHAT IS A TYPICAL BREAKFAST LIKE FOR YOU, AND AT WHAT TIME?

I might eat my first food anywhere form 9 to 11 in the morning. It’s almost always fruit. Today it was a glass of fresh orange juice and later a cut up grapefruit. I eat the Earth Bowl every few days or so as well. Sometimes when I want something hardier, I eat Buckwheat Grawnola (the recipe is in my book). Often, I will make a green smoothie for a little later in the morning.

HOW LATE IN THE EVENING DO YOU FEEL IS OK TO EAT?

I sleep best when I stop eating a few hours before I go to sleep. It doesn’t always work out that way but that’s what I try to do. Sometimes I crave something sweet in the evening so I might add honey to my tea, or make almond chai,

WHO DO YOU ADMIRE MOST OR ARE INSPIRED BY MOST IN THE RAW MOVEMENT TODAY?

I admire Victoria Boutenko for her sincerity and Gabriel Cousens for his spiritual depth.

WOULD YOU CARE TO SHARE ANYTHING ABOUT YOUR SPIRITUAL PRACTICE?

Thanks for asking about that, Shannon - it is a cherished part of my days. If I’m know I’m not taking a yoga class that day, I will do a yin-style (postures held for a long time with a meditative attitude) practice first thing in the morning lately while listening to recordings of Adyashanti, an important spiritual teacher of mine. I follow that with 30 to 45 minutes of meditation. I walk in nature 4 or so times/week and I consider this to be part of my spiritual practice. Singing/chanting with my guitar often works its way into my day as well.  I usually meditate again in the late afternoon or early evening. When my kids were home I would send them off to school and then do my practice before going to work myself. I would often meditate in the car while waiting for them at their various activities. Where there’s a will there’s a way!

UPCOMING PROJECTS?

Besides my book and meditation CDs, I am just about to release my first DVD ‘Enlightened Eating - Easy Eating for the Body, Spirit and Planet’ This is a very personal project, shot in my home with the collaboration of family and friends  that highlights my holistic approach to nutrition that has evolved over the past 20 years of living, teaching and loving the natural lifestyle. Also I’ve recently started offering Silent Retreats which I’ve found so valuable for my own deepening. In the early summer I’ll be offering a Silent Retreat and Cleanse which will include a lot of raw food. Food and silence are such a powerful combination!

WHAT ELSE WOULD YOU LOVE TO TELL RAW MOMS?

In my journeys, I have met many raw food experts and advocates, as well a people who aspire to adopt this lifestyle for various reasons, and have attended and lectured at raw food events. I have taught dozens of raw food preparation classes in my home. So all of this is to say that I love my vegetarian and mostly raw food diet.  But I do not recommend people go too fast when transitioning to a raw food diet.  I should also add that, although I don’t like to speak in terms of ‘percentages’, I am currently 60 to 100% raw on any given day. At one point I maintained 100% raw for seven months and for a couple of years was 90% raw. I’ve been a vegetarian for 20 years.

All foods are made up of energy of varying levels of vibration. The lower vibration foods would be processed foods, foods that contain chemicals, foods that contain elements of human or animal suffering, or that damage the planet in their production. The highest vibration foods are unprocessed, raw in many cases, whole, organic, locally grown, prepared and eaten with love and gratitude. If we have been used to eating low vibration foods (which the vast majority of people have) and switch too rapidly to a high vibration diet (say 100% raw) we are in for some intense physical and emotional detoxification to the extent that it can do more harm than good, and set us back in our soul growth.

Here’s why: emotions also hold a vibration in our bodies. We all store emotional imprints in our bodies from the multitude of experiences we have encountered since birth and absorbed on our journeys. These emotional imprints can be seen and felt as dense pockets of energy in the human energy field. If we adopt a high frequency diet too quickly the lightness in the body causes the dense emotions to rise to the surface into our awareness, through diffusion, at a pace that can be beyond our current ability to deal with. Also, it’s pretty clear that most people’s dietary choices come from an emotional place rather than true need. On adopting a raw foods diet, many, if not most of our food-based emotional crutches have been taken away. How will we now deal with these emotions? Don’t get me wrong, it’s a beautiful process to unearth old emotions, to move through them and let them go, in the process revealing more and more of our shining authentic beauty. But, for most it takes time, and by that I mean years, to develop the grounding, the spiritual practice and the emotional stamina to both maintain a very high vibration diet and stay balanced.

When I work with clients my recommendation is to start with 30 to 50% raw and gradually increase, while developing a steady daily meditation and spiritual practice. I encourage them to let their level of balance and joy be the gauge. Rather than imposing a certain amount of raw on ourselves or our children, we can let the process be fluid and joyful. Our bodies will surely tell us when to increase raw foods, and also when we need more cooked or dense food because we may be going through particularly accelerated spiritual growth which always includes emotional letting go. We need to give our children this same trust in their body’s ability to choose appropriate and health supporting-foods.

A few other things I’d like to mention …

• A living food and vegetarian diet makes us far more sensitive to surrounding energies which is why many raw foodists seem to live in the country. If you live in the city this needs to be considered. Again, it takes time to strengthen the energy field through spiritual practice to be able to withstand the effects or artificial lighting, electricity, radiation, traffic, noise, etc.
• I love eating primarily local foods and one of the reasons I eat less raw in the winter is that it doesn’t feel right to consume so much imported, unripe, irradiated foods.
• Raw vegetables can be hard to digest for many people. In that case steamed vegetables and gluten free grains are a wonderful choice.
• Given the questionable quality of many foods nowadays, even organic, I think it’s wise to give children some denser cooked foods to help them to feel grounded and satisfied.

Our food choices are supporting the soul on this incredible journey called life … may we trust and let joy be our guide!

By Shannon Leone

As moms, nothing seems to tug on our heart-strings, or simply irk us more than when our kids won’t eat the nutritious food we are trying to get into them!  As a RAW MOM, I think it is even harder for us because we are so well-educated in the importance of good nutrition and feel completely at loose ends if our kids eat less than healthy choices.  I was always very into making sure my kids ‘ate healthy’.  But when we all went raw, I realised the rice and steamed asparagus or broccoli actually wasn’t as healthy as I had thought. It was a finer distinction.  Everything went to another level- a whole other level!  And I KNOW you moms feel the pressure just as I did to give your young family the best start possible in life.  And we know for the most part, that means RAW.

My family and I sat down together the other night to watch a video called THE 11^TH HOUR.  It showcased everything that is wrong with our world today- chemical pollution in our air, water, and land (they didn’t even touch on our FOOD!) the extinction of thousands of species per year, the climate change crisis, top-soil erosion, deforestation, corporate greed, etc etc.  It was an eye opener especially for those who may not already realise these things.  My children and husband were quite moved and were very thoughtful after.  I realised if people would just GO RAW, soooooooooooo much of these problems would effortlessly, naturally reverse.  I told my kids that just the methane gas from the cows farts (sorry, is there a technical name?) that are raised for meat are contributing to global warming, and if people just went vegetarian…And they GOT THAT!  They saw the connection.  I went further (the grosser, the better the boys liked it) and I mentioned the excrement produced by this livestock has no sewage system in place and the toxic waste goes into the water bed and eventually ends up in human drinking water supply. They just couldn’t believe that human waste isn’t allowed to be dumped into the environment like the billion tons of feedlot waste is.

Cooking is a major reason for deforestation. In Africa, for example, the tropical forests are being cut and cleared for cooking wood. This is happening on nearly every continent.

Then we talked about the packaging and disposal crisis, the landfills, the plastic containers that make their way into the oceans.  Those juice-boxes all their friends use in school at lunch are used for 5 minutes then last practically FOREVER as garbage. When one eats raw food, these things all become non-issues to a great extent.

I know it is true that some of the raw foodists in our community talk in ways that turn off the masses i.e. ‘COOKED FOOD IS POISON’ or ‘YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT’.  I realise people are turned-off when their choices to eat meat or junk food are questioned or under scrutiny.  It is also clear that for the majority of people who are so numbed-out from a lifetime of stress, emotional dysfunction,  lack of support or resources and even mis-education about how to actually be healthy, that going high-raw just isn’t doable, especially right off the bat.  But still, I am convinced that whoever has the awareness, the clarity to see through all the confusion and destruction, and can go raw will benefit and contribute to the solution instead of the problem.

Moms write in all the time asking me how to deal with ‘picky eaters’, or husbands who are sabotaging there efforts, or even their own cravings.  (I am addressing all this and more in my upcoming book RAW MOM/COOKED DAD) There really is no easy answer.  No quick fix.  For me, it comes down to ‘What is your level of commitment?’ and also, to EDUCATE yourself and your family so THEY can see with THEIR OWN EYES how their choices will affect them, their future, and their planet, everything they care about.

When they are really small, under 5, I kept it light and matter-of-factly with my kids and food: this is how we do it was my attitude. They through the powers of their strong imitative force, perhaps noticed others eating differently, like relatives and friends, but they followed mommy. When they needed more, I included them in the things I was constantly learning.  I would show them videos, read them snippets from articles, ask them why they think their friends got sick, etc.  In short, I got them thinking.  Now, they make up their own conclusions about things.  After the movie they said, “Mom, we don’t need anymore toys- well… not until next Christmas” responding to what must have hit them hard in the movie about all the consumerism.  They both declared eating animals was something they felt was very wrong and when they were old enough they would be vegetarians or vegans (right now I insist on a little raw dairy sporadically and some fish a few times per year as of last year due to one of my son losing so much weight and developing very dry skin that even all the EFA’s he was getting in his raw diet- flax ground, hemp seeds, almond mylk, avocados, coconut butter in green smoothies, durian, and green juices etc- didn’t seem to help- yet within weeks of one glass of raw milk a day his skin was all better)  they also declared they would live on a piece of land in the country where they could go even 100% raw without all the temptation and distraction they face in the city. (Before this movie they used to always say that when they grew up they would STAY 80% and NO MORE! Lol!)

Life is process, a journey.  Nothing stays the same.  Your kids will move in and out of phases and conditions.  Do your best.  Do what you can.  Do what you want.  Do what feels right.  Determine your own level of commitment, and then act accordingly.  No guilt, fear, or shame.  And no pressure to do more!  Next month may be different.  Or next year.  Just keep moving in the direction that inspires and uplifts you.  Make compromises when necessary.  Record favourite raw recipes that work and you keep making those, and steadily build on them.  Keep coming back here for support and information, and honour yourself for being an incredible mom for doing all this!

You are making progress, even if it is only internally at first.  First the roots, then the fruits. I’ll give some concrete suggestions and ideas in an upcoming post that may be very helpful.  But in the meantime, cultivate your mindset.  Be proud of what YOU are doing.  Appreciate and radiate gratitude for even knowing about the power of RAW and for having the CHOICE of raw and being a PIONEER for the sake of your family.  You are beautiful, Mom! xo Shannon

By Shannon Leone

Ok kids, today is going to be pure fun because you are going to get some AMAZING raw recipes!  I am IN LOVE with Shazzie’s new book, EVIE’S KITCHEN as you already know, and several of you have written me personally to tell me that you just HAD TO HAVE IT and are loving it too!  I tried several of her recipes and I have to say they are all FANTASTIC because they are sooo EASY-PEASY and yet delicious!  First I made JOE’S FAKE BEANS that she gave us all in her interview (see pic).  I really like it and will definitely make it again.  It took no time at all to make.  Then I made her NECTARINE PORRIDGE only I used ripe pears instead to a great result COMBINED with her SALBIOCA- I just knew my kids who don’t usually like CHIA much would go for it if I combined these two recipes together, and it worked! All I did was take about1/2 cup of CHIA seeds and blend into a fine powder, then add 2 ripe pears, and 1 cup of water with a drop of agave (you could use raisins instead) and blend until creamy then I added a couple dried apricots chopped up and some more pear slices and a handful of more chia seeds, let the whole thing set and sprinkled in some cinnamon and cardamon- YUMMY!   I also made her BUTTERNUT TORILLA out of dehydrated seasoned butternut squash- it is awesome served up with fresh guacamole or just plain avocados and tomatoes, what a wonderful tasting and healthy bread/cracker/tortilla! So clever.

As you know from the interview, Shazzie is turning 40 at the end of the month, and to celebrate, she is GIVING AWAY a TON of FREE GIFTS that YOU will love to receive!  She asked a few of her friends to help her and so we all pitched-in with gleeeeee!  Go to http://shazzie.com/40.shtml and GET YOURS NOW.

Next, I am delighted to share about a woman who is a Master Herbalist and author, Brigitte Mars.

Here is an excerpt from her book RAWSOME including some wonderful recipes (she was soooo generous!) that you will want to make tonight.  I interviewed her too and will be sharing more of her amazing insights in an upcoming post, but for now, you can check her out at brigittemars.com. What a WEALTH of experience and wisdom she embodies…Enjoy!

EATING RAW WITH FAMILY

By Brigitte Mars
You might be ready for the raw life, but perhaps not everyone in your family is. When you begin, ask your family members for—and thank them for—their support. Let them know that you are not expecting them to join you in your new diet, but you look forward to having more raw foods available at meals, so that you all can still eat together. If raw is a new thing in the household, slowly increase the amount of raw food on the table. Serve salad before anything cooked. Find out what kind of foods family members enjoy, and make raw versions of them.

Most important, let go of the need to change others. You will impress people more with your health and vitality than you ever will with preaching. Be a living example of what you represent.

Living Raw with Children

Children can enjoy a raw foods diet from the moment of birth. Breast milk is, after all, the supreme raw food. It is safe, fresh, free of contamination, and always the right temperature, and it comes in lovely containers! Breast milk is ideal for first six months to one year of age. The World Health Organization is currently encouraging women to nurse for at least two years. AND MANY MOTHERS ARE EVEN NURSING LONGER.

Diluted carrot juice can be introduced between four and six months of age. After six months, diluted non citrus fruit juices can be given on occasion. For nursing babies, limit juice intake to three to four ounces daily, so they focus on breast milk. Green vegetable drinks can be given between six to nine months of age; they can be mixed with apple or carrot and diluted 50 percent with water. Nut and seed milks can be introduced around eight months. Smoothies can be given from age nine months and up. Coconut water is excellent AFTER SIX MONTHS. Citrus fruits and juices can be given when the child is at least one year of age.

Solid foods can be started around six months, when the baby is able to hold its head up on is own or has doubled his or her birth weight. A blender or grinder can be used to mash up suitable baby fare. It is wisest to introduce only one new food a week. Try mixing a bit of the new food with a food the child is already familiar with. Bananas are an ideal first food. Other excellent raw blended baby foods include:

*Apple
*Apricot
*Avocado
*Berries
*Cherimoya
*Cherry
*Green beans
*Mango
*Melon
*Papaya
*Peaches
*Pear
*Peas
*Plum
*Sapodilla
*Sapote
*Spinach
*Sweet potatoes
*Winter squash
*Yellow squash
*Zucchini
If any of these foods need to be sweetened, mix them with soaked raisins or dates. Blend fresh young coconut meat with dates AS A DELICIOUS NOURISHING FOOD.

When the child reaches toddlerhood, he or she will appreciate solid finger food BUT MUST ALWAYS BE SUPERVISED AS BABIES CAN CHOKE EASILY. Good finger foods include:
( note: PEELING CAN HELP PREVENT CHOKING)
Peeled apple
Peeled peach
Peeled pear
Plum
Mango
Banana
Melon
Berries
Summer squash

Spirulina can be given in small amounts, about 1/4 teaspoon daily, starting around two years old.Do not give honey to babies under 2 years of age, as there is a slight danger of botulism. Children over the age of two will not be susceptible to it. Use soaked date, apricots or fig for sweetening, if needed. Better yet is to offer unsweetened foods that are naturally delicious.

At about what age can a child eat whatever an adult can? WHEN CHILDREN HAVE ADEQUATE TEETH TO CHEW AND AN INTEREST IN FOOD, THEY CAN JOIN IN WHAT THE ADULTS ARE HEALTHFULLY EATING.  One way to encourage your child to eat more vegetables is to serve them with a tasty dip for them. Tahini, which is made from ground sesame seeds, is rich in protein and calcium, tastes pleasant, and makes a good vegetable dip. Ground sunflower and pumpkin seeds are rich in the mineral zinc and are excellent for kids that are slow to grow. Sea vegetables are a great source of minerals for developing bones. Use kelp or dulse in dressings and as seasonings.

If your child is a picky eater, ask him or her for suggestions. Rather than announcing that broccoli is on the dinner menu, try asking the child if he or she would rather have broccoli or zucchini, and honour his or her preference. If your child is quick to assert that they hate broccoli, remind them that they might have disliked it when they were four (for example), and now that they are six, and much bigger, they might find that they like it now. Children appreciate the opportunity to show their maturity.

Invite young ones into the kitchen to help with a meal. Even simple techniques like stirring, pouring or decorating can give a child a sense of having contributed to the family’s meal.

Humour! Delight your kids by making food in shapes such as their initials, hearts or flowers. Use raisins, nuts or sliced fruit to design a happy face or mandala on a salad, bowl of sprouted cereal, or even an open faced sprouted almond butter sandwich.

Give kids a variety of textures. Often it is the texture of a vegetable they dislike, not the vegetable flavour. Create theme meals: a jungle meal, for example, or a meal from a particular country.Almost all children like sweets and to deny them will only cause arguments. Be sure to provide homemade raw sweet treats. Make fresh frozen treats from mashed watermelon, orange juice, or apple juice. Freeze some carob almond milk for “fudgey sicles.” Use fruit and dried fruit in place of candy.

Rather than forbidding kids to eat certain foods, explain to them why these are foods your family chooses to avoid. But don’t expect your children to be totally raw their entire lives. They’ll have friends, school lunches, and restaurants to tempt them with non-raw food, and they’ll want to try it. It’s not worth a big argument if your kids decide to eat unraw; in fact, you’re likely to turn them off the raw foods diet if you are maniacal about it. Just make sure your kids have healthy, raw food available at all times, so that they have a choice. When dealing with children and nutrition, humour and sincerity are the best approach. If you lay the groundwork for a healthy lifestyle early, your kids will return to eating healthy foods when they are old enough to make their own decisions.

BANANA RAMA SMOOTHIE
Great for young children.

1/2 cup water
1 ripe banana
1 tablespoon raw tahini

Combine all the ingredients in a blender. Blend and enjoy.
Makes 1 serving.

WINTER WALDORF SALAD

1 apple, chopped fine
2 stalks celery, chopped fine
2 cups grated carrots
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup walnuts, soaked overnight, then dehydrated until crunchy, about 12 hours

Toss together all ingredients and serve.
Makes 2-4 servings.

HONEY LEMON DRESSING

This is a favorite with kids.

1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup raw honey
1/4 teaspoon Celtic salt

Combine ingredients in a blender

CARROT GINGER SOUP
This soup is premier food and great for building lung strength.

1 1/2 cups chopped carrots
1 tablespoon white miso
1 teaspoon minced ginger
1 clove garlic
2 cups water

Place 3/4 cup of the carrots in a bowl. Combine the remaining carrots and the rest of the ingredients in a blender and pulse until they form a smooth mixture. Pour the blended ingredients over the carrots in the bowl and serve.
Makes 3 servings.

APPLESAUCE
Kids of all ages love this.

6 large apples, cored
Juice of 1 lemon
8 dates, pitted and soaked 20 minutes
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Puree all ingredients in food processor.
Makes 4 servings.

“BUTTERED NOODLES”
Simple summer squash pasta garnished with fine olive oil and spices makes a satisfying repast

4 cups zucchini “pasta” (zucchini cut into very thin strips)
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 teaspoon Celtic salt
1/4 cup pine nuts
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and toss well.
Makes 2-4 servings.

PRESTO PESTO

3 cups fresh basil leaves (washed, packed and leaves removed) (Can substitute cilantro, rosemary, oregano or stinging nettle.
5 cloves garlic
1-cup pine nuts or walnuts
3/4 cup washed chopped fresh parsley
1-cup olive oil
1 teaspoon Celtic salt

Purée everything in a blender. Can be served over spiralized zucchini or spread on flax crackers. Serves 4-6.

By Shannon Leone

So here we are on the beautiful shore of a brand new year…Being RAW is such a gift when I realize how AMAZING it is to be CLEAR, SOBER, VIBRANT and INSPIRED as I rang in 2009 with my family and close friends.

I have a little ritual too that I have been doing for decades which never fails to bring closure to the year’s end while opening up possibility for the year ahead…as I have mentioned before, I am not much of a Christmas person, as the true meaning of the season gets so lost in the commercial and materialistic aspect…but NEW YEAR’S, I’m all over it like white on rice! 

First comes the tying up loose ends of the year: clean all drawers and cupboards that have started to take on a life of their own; let go of unwanted and not needed items in my wardrobe or around the house and give to charity, call around to see who has old coats/mitts/scarfs/hats and gather them up to donate to the homeless, do a financial reckoning and make sure all records and bills are up to date, schedule a CPX which is an annual check-up for the whole fam which we do every 3 years including dentist 1x a year,  call old friends to catch up, buy a new agenda and write in important names and numbers, going over each relationship to see if any have ‘expired’ and allow myself not to carry them into the new agenda, I go back over the year month by month, and note all my accomplishments, and finally, my very favourite part: MAKE NEW YEAR RESOLUTIONS and set goals.

I see a beautiful, clean blank slate, all fresh and sparkling with potential to set my intentions upon. Last year was a break-out year for me.  After 10 years of devoting myself 1000% to being a SACRED HOMEMAKER, I began working part-time as a writer for several magazines, including rawmom blog.  Although this one is not a ‘paid position’ the rewards are rich indeed…I, not unlike many of you reading this, had felt at times isolated, lonely and frustrated trying to do the raw thing in a vacuum.  It has been 7 years for my family, and for the most part, it has been a day-in and day-out sacred task with no outside support or acknowledgment- and often criticism from family.  This has not been easy or fun.  This is why I feel so committed to being HERE!  I have found an outlet for myself, a network of love and support, and a purpose.

I know this is why Tera lovingly, brilliantly, created this site, and I share in her vision to SUPPORT ALL YOU BEAUTIFUL MOMS out there too!  You are NOT alone, not anymore!  Many of you have written your letters of gratitude for the support you find here, and we love you for it.  I also get several letters each week with little questions or niggling concerns and I know how much you love your families and I appreciate knowing my being here makes a difference to you, thank you for letting me know!

What I want to know from you all is WHAT RESOLUTIONS are YOU making this year, and HOW CAN I SUPPORT YOU?  I envision us all supporting EACH OTHER.  For myself, I have made a resolution to cut out my late night eating.  I typically stay up far too late and therefore enjoy a midnight or later snack.  Paul Nison and Tonya Zavasta (more about them in upcoming blogs) have both inspired me to really conquer this habit, but so far I have cut back to 10pm!  A definite improvement, but not my goal of 7pm…Please share with me and everyone your intentions for the new year so we can all hold a space for each other.

In the meantime, I wanted to share with you all my son Landon’s 11^th birthday which happened on Jan 2^nd!  It is a wonderful challenge to create a birthday party which includes mostly cooked guests.

What I did was create a gorgeous raw table loaded with fresh fruit, nuts and dates, crisp veggie crudite and raw dip, raw cookies) and had a Thai theme, mostly raw, with a couple cooked options: raw coconut soup, raw thai mango salad (see photo) brown rice and steamed asparagus with a homemade thai curry made from coconut mylk and lemongrass, and a beautiful raw cake.   I don’t drink alcohol, but I hear wine is raw, so my husband served that to whoever wished. This wasn’t easy to pull-off after doing Christmas and New Year’s parties, but my feeling about children’s birthdays is very special and I always go out of my way to make them memorable. (Landon also was honoured at our TaeKwonDo club and got to do a ‘board break’ in front of the class for his birthday). All round, Landon had a great Blissday!

In the past, I used to mostly only invite family.  However, after all these years of not receiving support for the choices I am making in my family life, we decided this year to ’shake things up’ a bit, and actually only invited people who are loving and positive!  I was amazed at how much less stress and more FUN I had!  I know my little clan felt the same on some level.  That is actually another of my resolutions for this year- to surround myself only with people who sincerely have GOODWILL towards me and my aspirations, and as difficult as it seems with all the fall-out it must and shall be done.  SHANNON HAS LEFT THE TRIBE. And I look forward to creating a new ‘Circle of Friends and Family’, perhaps with some of YOU!

Blissings!

By Shannon Leone

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!

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):

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.

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.