We’re back home again after an awesome vacation and some much needed quality time spent with family. Unfortunately, it will probably be the last time we fly for awhile. It seems the whole experience was spent in a ‘hurry up and wait’ mode, and all the extra charges and security checks pretty much took the fun out of flying.

You are allowed to bring your own food aboard the plane, but not your own water bottle, or any other liquid unless you purchased it inside security for an inflated charge. So we drank our water, guzzled the last of our Verve then ditched our bottles before security check in. Fortunately, we had plenty of fresh fruit and trail mix to munch on until we got back home. I think next time we’ll drive out to California to see our family.

So I got to thinking about the best ways to staying raw on a road trip. I figured I’d post something here for those of you still getting ready for your vacation, whether it’s to see family, go to Disney World, or fly to another country. It’s important to know ahead of time and plan your meals so that you aren’t forced to eat food you don’t want in your system. Keep in mind that if you are spending any mealtimes with your family, you’re going to be in for quite a bit of scrutiny, questioning and ridicule.

As you can imagine, traveling is one of the biggest obstacles to maintaining a diet high in living foods. And you are much more likely to stay raw if you pack accordingly, and are prepared. I can’t emphasize enough how important this is. Traveling with little preparation and then left to eat what is provided or available makes it difficult to get the support you need to stay raw while on the road. Good intentions are basically useless if you aren’t physically prepared with all your raw goodies to stay mostly raw. It simply does not matter how long you’ve been following the raw path - if you go somewhere without your raw food snacks you’ll find yourself being compromised!

Maintaining a live food diet while traveling can be easy if you have the right information. Once you’ve made the decision to go raw, the small inconveniences of your new lifestyle are quickly outweighed by renewed energy, rapid weight loss, and improved health. After a month or so, you should have an exciting repertoire of new foods to enjoy—some that involve more or less work than others, and some recipes that require special equipment like a dehydrator, a Vitamix, or a food processor.

So what should a “raw foodie” do when it’s time to hit the road? You can’t very well pack a five screen dehydrator and Vitamix in your overnight bag, can you? Fortunately, there are many quick solutions that will enable you to stay 100% raw and feeling great. I will say that I did pack my BlendTec blender and had fun making some raw food dishes, as well as smoothies to share with our family. But for most people, it is not realistic to pack a blender, unless you have a small portable one, like this one: Elite Cuisine Mini-blender.

So it goes without saying that you are much more likely to stay raw if you are prepared and pack accordingly. I can’t emphasize enough how important this is. I found out the hard way myself when I showed up as a guest at someone’s house and I didn’t bring some of my own raw food. Good intentions are basically useless if you aren’t physically prepared to stay mostly raw. It doesn’t matter how long you’ve been eating raw…if you go somewhere unprepared you’ll find yourself in a tough situation.

Grocery and Health Food Stores
Be sure to do your research before leaving to locate hotels with organic grocery stores within walking distance of your hotel. A simple search, for example, for “organic stores, Boston” provides a Google map of the city with about 15 choices. Find one you like, and then do another search for a nearby hotel.

What to buy:
• Salad in bulk (if there’s a big organic salad bar)
• Pre-packaged guacamole (make sure it’s dairy free), salsa, or olive tapenade to for dipping with carrot sticks or the crackers you made at home
• Lots of fresh fruit to keep around your hotel room in case you get hungry
• Buy a bag of pre-washed baby greens, some olive oil and raw nuts, and mix up a salad right in the bag!

Room Service
Room service is usually NOT what you want to eat, so don’t bother even looking at the menu…. Unless you need to order fresh fruit – but generally it’s best to get outside, get some exercise and find a fresh fruit stand (no, not a bakery or deli!)

Even if you are in a remote location sans organic food stores, order plenty of fresh fruit for breakfast, double portions of salad for dinner, and request olive oil and vinegar or a light vinaigrette dressing. Eat until you’re full—and stay away from the bread basket!

In Case You get Stuck in Timbuktu!
Always remember to pack a Live Greens type of supplement no matter where you’re going. You never know you might be out in TimbukTu and not a grocery store for miles. In case you end up in some far-flung place and no grocery store in sight, and unable to get any fresh produce—organic or otherwise—you can still travel stay raw. With a small mason jar, and filtered water, you can shake-shake-shake to health!

You might want to consider purchasing a battery-operated portable blender to pack in your suitcase. Throw in a banana and distilled or filtered water, mix with your organic green powder like Live Greens, and you will survive!

Keep up the Greens
A big challenge will be maintaining your daily consumption of greens at a proper level. I always travel with a big bottle of Live Greens, and bring along little mason jars for easy mixing while on day trips. It’s easy to simply add your green powder to filtered water and shake it up.

Remember the experience is more important than the food!
It seems when you travel, either to some exotic location or just to visit family, it always turns into a big eating fest. Shopping, planning and preparing the next meal before finishing the plate in front of you seems to become a time consuming endeavor. When you haven’t brought along any of your own food, it’s easy to become concerned about where your next meal will be coming from, or your hosts are concerned about having enough food available to feed you and your family. It would be great to learn to enjoy the vacation experience, sights, sounds, and smells of new and different places. Packing your own raw food makes this possible, because no longer are you concerned about your meals, restaurants, etc. And it puts less pressure on your hosts if you are staying with friends or family.

Also, the benefit of taking the pressure of meal planning and preparation away from your hosts is that you can prepare some of your favorite raw food dishes and introduce them to new flavors, and share the benefits of a raw food lifestyle.

When your vacation is no longer just about the food anymore, it provides you with time and opportunity to explore the area, such as historical museums, art, theater, festivals, shopping, and day to day life.

Travel with Raw Food Partner or Friends
It definitely helps to have a raw foodie partner or friend who shares and enjoys the same meals as you do. It makes the experience so much easier and definitely more fun. Together you can enjoy the raw food journey while traveling to exotic locations or simply visiting family. It also helps to have the support and encouragement that you can give each other. Larry and I enjoyed our raw food snacks together, and I helped him to stay strong when dealing with pressure to eat this or that from his family members.

If your friend or partner is not a raw foodist, then you’ll be able to share and example with them why raw food is important to you. Make time to sit down with them, go over menu ideas, food preparation suggestions, and really set the intention for what’s to come. Getting them excited will get you excited too, and you’ll be able to support each other along the way.

What to pack
Below are some suggestions to pack for your trip:
• Green Superfood: Live Greens are my favorite, but also Vitamineral Green, Sun is Shining, Pure Synergy
• Raw Honey or Agave: Only good quality dark agave or organic honey, forget about the cheap stuff, you deserve the best.
• Bee Pollen (some vegan purists don’t do honey or bee pollen)
• Goji Berries and/or Cacao Nibs
• Dried fruits and nuts: take it easy on these and always try to soak them the evening before consumption.
• It’s very important to pack a variety of easy snacks in your carryon bag in the event that you can’t find healthy snacks in the airport, train station, or hotel when you arrive. It’s easy to forget just how many options there are:
• Fresh veggies: carrot sticks, celery, broccoli and cauliflower.
• Dehydrated vegetables: sweet potatoes, white potatoes with salt and vinegar, zucchini, and yellow squash.
• Fresh fruits: a banana and grapes for the plane/train/car; apples, oranges, and pears packed in your bag.
• Dried fruits: dried apricots, apples, and pears; raisins, prunes, figs and dates.
• Raw cookies or snack bars: made in your dehydrator at home, last 3-5 days in Ziploc bags.
• Raw crackers: a huge variety can be made, a wonderful, crunchy treat when you’re craving salt.
• Granola: make a big batch in your dehydrator before you leave
Many organic grocery stores are beginning to carry prepackaged raw food bars. They’re a bit expensive ($3-5 US dollars each), so it’s best to make your own if you can, but some great brands are:
• Raw Organic Food Bars: cinnamon raisin is a favorite
• Raw Revolution bars: cashew is terrific
• Pure Bars: ginger snap—yum!
• Smart Monkey Bars: chocolate brownie
• Think! Organic: apricot coconut

Many of these brands can be pre-ordered by the case. Stock up before you leave. Note that international flights may not allow perishable items in carryon bags. Find out the rules before you leave.

Be on the lookout
Be alert for exotic fruits and try everything. Check the local paper for farmer’s markets, fresh fruit stands, and organic restaurants and shops. Don’t be discouraged, more and more towns and cities are providing organic and fresh vegetable shops. Don’t be shy, ask the locals where to find the organic food stores.

If you’re traveling overseas, you may want to look into the services of a local guide, who can be hired for as little as $1 an hour to show you around and help you locate organic foods by asking detailed questions to vendors like…”Are pesticides used? Do you have raw honey? Do you give discounts?” and so on.

Restaurants and Juice Bars
United States
• Atlanta: (live food truck that will deliver meals to your hotel or office)
• Boston: Grezzo (Alissa Cohen’s new restaurant, open 2/1/08)
• Miami: Tree of Zion (raw-friendly, fresh juices)
• New York: Pure Food and Wine (amazing gourmet raw food), Jubbs Longevity LifeFood Store (take-out live food)
• San Francisco: Alive! La Vie Cafe
International
• Amsterdam: Unlimited Health
• London: VitaOrganic
• Rio de Janeiro: Universo Organico (first live food restaurant in Brazil, great juice bar and raw food with local flavor, won Best of Brazil)
• Toronto: Live (affordable, delicious raw food), SuperSprouts and Remedy Café
• Vancouver: Eternal Abundance (organic produce, raw food in the back of the store)

Traveling Overseas
Traveling for pleasure overseas is a luxury for most, and if you’re going to a foreign country, remember to be a positive example of your home country…(The USA needs all the help it can in that area right now) … get a foreign language phrasebook or go online and write down some key phrases, like:

• Thank you
• Please
• Hello & Goodbye
• How much?
• Yes & No
• and of course, “cheaper?”

I think you get the point, a little goes a long way!

Needless to say a little planning definitely goes a long way. Kind of like the Boy Scouts’ motto: Be Prepared. Remember to pack your essentials, and your chances of having the best trip ever will skyrocket.
Safe travels…and never stop exploring. You will always discover more of yourself in the process.

Well, summer’s here and the living is easy… or that’s what they all say, right? We’re vacationing here in San Luis Obispo, California, our hometown. Came out for a family reunion, and it has been fun although VERY hot… record breaking heat of 110 degrees so far. Extremely unusual heat for this part of California. We thought we’d be out here cooling off from the heat and storms in the midwest!

So how do we stay on our raw vegan food lifestyle while on vacation? Well, to put it bluntly, it’s not easy!! Seeing our family is more important than our food, so we have to relax a little bit about what we eat. But our first challenge started on the airplane!! Going through security was no picnic (no pun intended) and we were not allowed to bring in our own water, only water that was bought inside security (for about $3!) so we waited until they offered beverages to get some water. Of course, they don’t serve meals anymore unless you want to cough up $6 for something that looks like it was rolled over by a freight train first then slopped on a plastic plate. We brought fresh fruit, raw trail mix, and my Raw4Healing Energy bars. That worked out just fine for us… but it’s important to remember when traveling by air or car to keep meals light. The stress of traveling causes my system to tighten up, and so I just have to live with the gas and bloating for awhile. I learned that this is true for most people. Trying hard to avoid IBS issues, we both kept it pretty light, but I still had to deal with some IBS that took a couple of days to pass.

Needless to say, keeping true to our raw vegan food diet has it’s moments and challenges while staying with my in-laws, who love food, and love to eat. Thankfully, they are very supportive of our healthier food choices, and have given us both lots of opportunities to share the benefits of a raw food lifestyle. There are quite a few family members here who are not yet ready to give up their favorite foods. I brought my blender and make green smoothies, which everyone enjoys. And I’ve also made a few dishes that have been well received, but it’s always a side dish, they still like their main meat or chicken dish and other cooked foods, and that’s fine. We didn’t come out here to force our healthy beliefs down everyone’s throat, because it’s a personal choice. Each person has to do what they feel is right for them. What’s more important is our precious time with our beloved family and friends, and catching up on all the new members (lots of marriages lately) and new babies. We can only try to be an example and let them decide. After all, as I always say, it’s your body, and it’s your choice. I just know what works for me.

Larry, of course, is surrounded by Mom’s cooking, in the house he grew up in. Kind of hard to break that tradition. He knows he’ll have some detox to deal with when we get home, and of course he doesn’t want to be rude either. I’m glad to say that he has been more disciplined about cutting back on his portions and filling up on salads and fresh fruit. He also told me that his system is starting to ‘bark’ at him a little due to eating more cooked and processed foods. Oh well, it’s only for a couple weeks… he’ll be back on track when we return home.

I made some really yummy raw cacao balls for our reunion potluck. I’m trying to think of a better name for them. Sounds like ‘cow balls’ which doesn’t quite sound right LOL! Maybe Cacao Coconut Balls? That’s better… here’s the recipe I made up:

2 cups soaked cashews and almonds
6 large dates, soaked
1/4 cup raw honey
2 tbsp raw agave
2 heaping tbsp raw cacao
1 cup raw shredded coconut
1 tsp vanilla

Drain the water from the nuts and dates. Blend the dates and some of the nuts in a high speed blender til the dates are all pureed. Add the rest of the nuts, honey, agave, cacao, coconut, and vanilla and blend on high, stopping it to push everything down towards the blades. This takes a while, just keep blending on short spurts of high speed, and pushing it back onto the blades until it’s all blended well. It should be stiff and sticky. Empty into a bowl and begin rolling into balls. Dip the balls in shredded coconut and finely chopped almond. Refrigerate for a few hours. Eat and enjoy!! I like this because it is quick and very simple, and very good too! A big hit!

It’s always easy to share raw food desserts since they are so good, and people cannot believe that there is no sugar, no flour, no unhealthy fats, etc. And it tastes delicious! I have heard that some of the raw food gurus were introduced to this lifestyle from trying the raw desserts first. We were invited to Larry’s brother’s house for dinner later this week, and he asked if I would bring a salad… sure I said. Then he was asking if rootbeer floats were okay, and I’m like, uh, no, don’t do soda, don’t do dairy, and I saw this didn’t help him at all… I said we don’t have to do dessert, but that didn’t fly, after all, Larry’s folks ALWAYS do dessert!! So I said, hey, instead of me bringing the salad, I’ll bring dessert. So I get to decide what to make. Thinking about my triple layer Raspberry Cacao NutCheese Pie with walnut crust? It’s so good… Here’s the recipe, you decide!

Raspberry Cacao NutCheese Pie
Crust:
2 cups walnuts soaked several hours and rinsed
1 ripe banana
1 cup raisin
1 Tbs. orange juice

Blend in the food processor until you get a sticky ball consistency. Press into your pie plate with wet fingers.

Candy layer:
2 Tbs. raw cacao powder
1 Tbs. coconut oil
1 Tbs. flax oil
1/2 tsp. raw honey
1/4 tsp. vanilla

Mix well until smooth by hand and pour onto your pie crust. Place in the freezer while making the fillings.

Cashew layer:
2 cups cashews soaked 1 hour and rinsed.
1 tsp. vanilla
3 Tbs. coconut oil
1 Tbs. raw honey
1/2 tsp. salt

Blend ingredients in your vitamix or high speed blender only adding water if needed to blend smooth. You want this thick and creamy. Pour and spread over the candy layer.

Raspberry layer:
1 pint Mashed raspberries.

Spread over cashew layer.

Chocolate cream layer:
2 small avocados
1 tsp. vanilla
3 Tbs. raw cacao powder
2-3 Tbs. raw honey
2 Tbs. coconut oil
Just enough nut milk to blend (use your favorite)

Blend in the Vitamix until creamy and smooth. Spread chocolate cream over the raspberry layer and refrigerate the pie for several hours or until set up. You can also freeze it for 30 minutes for a quicker serve time. Do not totally freeze this pie because it will killl some of the enzymes.

Eating a dessert this rich may feel like a dietary sin, but it is ALL good! Eat, drink, and be truly merry!

Well, I don’t know if you have heard of Bill Maher, but he’s very vocal about how our food and water supply are deteriorating, and the increase of sickness and disease, along with rise of pharmaceutical use. This YouTube video has been around since September, but watching it again made me realize how right on he is. Hopefully it will help others recognize their dependencies on the pharmaceutical drug system, and make an effort to break free by changing to a healthier diet and lifestyle.

And to continue the topic about the medical and pharmaceutical industries, I came across this excellent video by Olivia Hadassah based upon her own personal experience. She studied to be a nurse and graduated with honors in 1990. In her profile on YouTube she writes: In 1990 I graduated from one of the top 10 nursing schools in the US with honors. Now I refuse to medicate patients and my blog exposes the Illuminati’s use of modern medicine to drug, poison and control millions in their pursuit of a New World Order.

Discover the truth about dangerous prescriptions, tainted vaccines, fluoride and chemtrails, and how to reclaim your health. Below is her expose on pharmaceutical drugs vs. nutrition and healing.

Check out her blog here: http://redpillreich.blogspot.com/

Recently, I was asked “What is a raw foodist?” Larry and I are both what is considered ‘high raw’ foodists. Which means, that we are vegan, in that we don’t eat any animal products which includes all dairy, eggs, yogurt, cheese, etc. And about 80-90% of our diet is raw vegan food. I enjoy creating dishes that taste like some of our favorites such as raw tacos, raw pizza, raw lasagna, all made with nuts and vegetables, and other ingredients that pull it all together. You’ll find these recipes and more when you subscribe to my my weekly Raw4Healing recipes.

Now some raw foodists will disagree with me on this point: I do not feel it is necessary to be 100% raw all the time, in fact, often times it simply is not realistic for most people. But I definitely feel that the benefits of an 80% to 100% raw food lifestyle far outweigh any other dietary choices out there. We enjoy some things cooked, like yams, brown rice, black beans, Lima beans, whole grains, etc. Larry still enjoys eggs occasionally and I’m not super strict about what he eats.

Basically, after having gone through detox, colon cleanses, etc. it’s okay to ‘fall off the wagon’ so to speak once in a while. Sometimes it can’t be helped, like when we go to the kids’ house for dinner, or family and friends get together. And if that’s the case, we’ll bring something from our kitchen to share. People have to do what is right for them, what works best for their lifestyle, and their families. But bottom line, it is important to look seriously at what is in our food, the quality of it, the chemicals, pesticides, preservatives, food colorings, artificial flavorings, MSG, GMO, hormones, etc., etc., and how it affects our health after eating this way for 10 - 20 years. That’s why so many chronic diseases occur in the 40 and over age group. We’ve been programmed to eat this way, and society constantly tells us to eat these processed foods. It’s on TV, newspapers, billboards, magazines, everywhere.

I’ve been a health nut all my life, I learned a lot from my grandparents, who took vitamins and were considered ’strange’ in their day. They became vegetarians back in the ’70s after my grandfather read about how animals are inhumanely treated and slaughtered, and the hormones, and pesticides that are in the beef and chicken. This all ends up on the table or in a restaurant. He immediately became a vegetarian, I remember it vividly. I was in my 20’s and it was pretty radical for our family that always had traditional turkey for thanksgiving and roast beef for Christmas, and ham for Easter!!

But they both lived to be 93 and 94 and would have lived longer if the doctors and prescriptions had left them alone, thanks to medical intervention.

Both my parents died from medical intervention, my dad of leukemia, and my mom from a rare debilitating paralyzing disease. My dad’s cancer went into remission when he started doing some natural treatments, holistic and nutritional therapy. But his doctor said it wasn’t going to work and insisted he go back for radiation and chemo… he died soon after that. My mom had a stiff neck, and some tingling in her legs, and the doctor wanted to do exploratory surgery on her neck at the famous Stanford Univ. hospital. She almost died on the table there twice. When they sent her home, she couldn’t walk, was paralyzed on her left side, and suffered that way the rest of her life. She was only 30 at the time, and lived to be 71, much longer than any of us kids expected.

After my grandparents and parents died, I started to do a lot of research. I didn’t want to be another statistic… and I knew I had some genes to fight against. This was back in 2005 right after my mom died, and I became a full blown vegan, having already been vegetarian most of my life. Last year, in researching for one of my other health sites, I learned that raw food was the next best step toward optimum health and healing. Thus, raw4healing.com was born.

Since then, my husband has lost over 40 pounds, and I have lost 20 pounds… and so many little health issues that we generally attribute to getting old are gone. Gone are migraines, hypoglycemia, arthritis, skin rashes, sleep disorders, mood swings, went through menopause without a hitch, constipation, joint pain and stiffness, all gone… we both have increased energy, and feel like we’re in our late 20’s.

Before attempting a food switch, it is important to find some books to read about it, or articles, but I like Dr. Mercola’s books. I also like David Wolfe’s, and my other favorite is Gabriel Cousens, “Conscious Eating”. The internet is LOADED with tons of free info, testimonies, etc., just Google ‘raw food’ and you’ll find all you need to know, plus what I have too, but don’t stop there. Plus, I should add it is best to check with your doctor, preferably a holistic practitioner, or a nutritionist who knows you and your health requirements.

Also, most people eat the SAD (standard American diet) and as a result, need to first go through a detox program. If constipation is a common health challenge, then ‘juice feasting’ helps to regulate elimination. This is what killed my mother. She was always constipated, trying all kinds of laxatives and in time, the toxins in her blood reduced her immune system, causing her heart to work harder, and she died of a heart attack. Part of it was because she was unable to be active due to her partial paralysis… but she almost always complained of constipation and I didn’t know enough at the time to help her.

So I started my detox program with fresh wheatgrass juice and carrot juice several times a day. This was before I learned about ‘juice feasting’ (consisting of fresh fruits and greens, like spinach, kale, romaine lettuce), which I also recommend but it requires a high speed blender, OR a food processor, then transferred to a regular blender. Two quarts a day for a week, to two weeks, or more and drink plenty of filtered water. Some people are very toxic and during the detox will experience headaches, cramps, dizziness, nausea, diarrhea, but usually for only a few days… Then transition over to solid food, but only organic all natural fresh fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and whole grains. Preferably 100% raw for a few months… after that, it becomes a personal thing, you learn what works for your own body. Like I can tell right away if something I ate is going to agree with me or not.

People complain that it is hard to give up the foods we grew up with, often times considered comfort foods. Dietary changes are a personal thing, each person needs to do their own research, and do what works best for them. Many people cannot or will not give up their favorite foods, but refuse to face the fact that they may actually be addicted to them. Thanks to scientific food engineering, they have done an excellent job of brainwashing and hooking the masses for profit, and certainly not for health!

What keeps me on the natural, vegan and raw path are the major conspiracies in our government and secret world organizations that control the quality of our food and water, and that our food is processed without any regard at all for our health, in fact it is designed to make us want it all the time, with artificial flavorings, colorings, etc., (consequently we have an extremely HIGH obesity rate nowadays) and also designed to destroy our health so that the medical INDUSTRY and pharmaceutical industries, and the major food corporations (yes, they are all in this together), can stay in business - stay rich… because if people get healthy, then they don’t make any money… and our government, the FDA, etc. all support this scheme. I urge people to do their own research about what is really happening behind the scenes with regard to the deliberate contamination of our food and water supply.

Many people reject what I say about our food being ‘designed’ to make us sick, either because they trust their government (after all we’ve been programmed to believe them, right?), or they feel helpless and powerless, which isn’t true. There are many activist groups that are more public and out in the open about these issues, marching in the streets with signs to protect our health freedom, before the cops come and take them away… and you won’t hear about it on your evening news.

A long time ago, I studied to become a nurse, only to drop out after learning that much of the training is about how to treat with drugs, etc. No nutritional training, and that is true for doctors, too. My sister in law is a charge nurse in a hospital, and she agrees with me 100% - we have great discussions. She said it is true that pharma reps come in with stacks of pizzas for the doctors and nurses, and they are trying to ’sell’ their drugs and literature to the nurses - and if that doctor or hospital ’sells’ enough of their drugs, they get kickbacks and dinners, and vacations, etc.

Needless to say, the raw vegan lifestyle is so much more than a dietary change. First, I feel it is following what God ordained in the beginning, in Genesis 1:29: “And God said, “See, I have given you every herb (vegetables) that yields seed which is on the face of all the earth, and every tree whose fruit yields seed; to you it shall be for food.” And second, it’s more than just improving our health; it involves every aspect of our lives, our relationships, our families, our environment, and what is going on behind the scenes that is never allowed to be made public. News and information that never makes it to the national TV networks, or newspapers. If you want to know, you have to dig, and be ready for surprises.

I think of John Lennon’s famous song: “Imagine”. Imagine world peace. Imagine global health. Imagine if everyone followed a high raw vegan diet. There would be no sickness and disease. No need for doctors and pharmaceutical drugs. Babies would be born healthy and grow up to be healthy and high functioning adults. People would be at peace with each other, there would be no wars because they would not be consuming foods that contain excitotoxins and high amounts of sugar and other chemicals that cause mood swings, aggressive behavior or mental health issues. There would be no need for raising beef and chicken, or for slaughterhouses, or dairies. The land would be cared for and fed organic natural compost fertilizer and used for growing crops that feed people, not cows or other animals. Our air quality would improve if we didn’t have methane gas that come from cattle farms. There are at least a hundred human and environmental benefits if everyone followed a high raw, vegan lifestyle. Maybe someday I can research that aspect of it and post it here.

Blessings!
Larry and Lauren

Normally, a raw food vegan diet does not endorse the consumption of eggs in any form. But you can’t bypass some of nature’s own nutrients directly from the farm that help us to build strong bones, prevent osteoporosis, and be able to move without pain. Especially when nutritional supplements are getting more and more expensive, and perhaps we are not able to obtain enough calcium from our greens, like spinach and kale, beans, nuts and other raw food sources.

Eggshells present healthy, balanced calcium due to trace amounts of other minerals contained in it. Eggshell calcium is probably the best natural source of calcium, and it is easier for your body to digest and absorb. Dutch researchers have reported recently a highly positive effect of eggshell calcium (with added magnesium and vitamin D) on bone mineral density in a scientific study (double blind, placebo-controlled). Laboratory test and measures of bone density were carefully made in these studies. The eggshell supplemented group had measurable increases in bone density in their hip bones, after one year.

The ideal bone-building combination of eggshell calcium and vitamin D3 was also well documented in Japanese studies. Researchers at the Japan Women’s University, Tokyo studied a combination of vitamin D3 and eggshell powder in animals with osteoporosis. Not only was the eggshell powder with vitamin D3 able to improve bone mineral density, but it did it without significantly increasing blood calcium levels.

You can use any kind of egg (chicken, goose, duck), but it is best to use organic or certified organic eggs from free-range birds. If the bird does not get proper nutrients the eggshells won’t contain the nutrients we need.

How much to take?

One whole medium sized eggshell makes about one teaspoon of powder, which yields about 750 - 800 mgs of elemental* calcium plus other microelements, i.e. magnesium, boron, copper, iron, manganese, molybdenum, sulfur, silicon, zinc, etc. There are 27 elements in total. The composition of an eggshell is very similar to that of our bones and teeth.

*Elemental amounts are the amounts absorbable.

Most people require a minimum of 400 mgs per day of calcium, in addition to calcium from other food sources, so you would take 1/2 teaspoon of the powder per day. Also take 400 mgs of magnesium citrate at the same time. Calcium and magnesium need to be taken in at least equal amounts, and some people require more magnesium than calcium depending upon how much they obtain from their diet.

If you are getting muscle cramps take extra magnesium (about 150 mgs). If that doesn’t alleviate the cramps within an hour take another 150 mgs, and so on. If you get unusual joint pain and you do not have arthritis, take an additional 150 mgs of calcium. Do not take more than 500 mgs of calcium at one time because your body cannot handle it. If you need more than 400 mgs per day split up the doses during the day.

It is best to take calcium and magnesium with foods to help absorb them.

Don’t forget that vitamin D is very important for absorbing minerals, so take cod liver oil in the winter and get into the sun in the summer! In addition, all of the trace minerals, sodium and chloride are important for mineral absorption and to keep minerals balanced so do take a lemon juice and ocean sea salt drink every day (the juice of 1/2 lemon and 1/4 teaspoon of ocean sea salt mixed into 6 ounces of filtered water 6 times a day; 3 with meals to aid digestion).

How to Make Powdered Eggshells:

1. Wash empty eggshells in warm water until all of the egg white is removed, but do not remove the membrane because it contains important nutrients for the joints which helps arthritis.
2. Lay broken pieces out on paper towels and allow them to air dry thoroughly.
3. Break the eggshells up into small pieces, and grind them to into a fine powder in a food processor, blender, coffee grinder, or a nut mill, or put them in a plastic bag and use a rolling pin to grind them. Please note that some blenders will not grind the eggshell into a fine enough powder. A coffee grinder works the best.
4. Store powdered eggshells in a covered glass jar or container. Keep it in a dry place, like the kitchen cupboard.

How to take eggshell calcium (this forms calcium citrate) — takes 3 hours:

1. Put 1/2 teaspoon of powdered eggshell into a small dish (approximately 4 1/2 to 5 1/2 inches across) — 1/2 teaspoon equals approximately 400 mgs of elemental calcium.
2. Add the juice of 1/2 a lemon (freshly squeezed), and mix well — it will start to bubble and foam, which is what is supposed to happen.
3. Leave it at room temperature for 6 hours — the longer you leave it the less gritty it will be, but do not leave it longer than 12 hours.
4. It can be taken by the spoonfuls, followed by mouthfuls of water to wash it down. It is not sour tasting. In fact the taste is quite pleasant.
5. Also take 400 mgs of magnesium citrate at the same time.

Other Eggshell Recipes — here are some other ways to make eggshell calcium citrate:

# 1 Lemon Eggshell:

1. Place one whole, clean, uncooked egg into a clean, wide-mouth jar and cover it with freshly squeezed lemon juice.
2. Cover the jar loosely and place it in the refrigerator.
3. A few times a day, gently agitate the jar — the mixture will bubble.
4. After 48 hours, when the bubbling stops, carefully remove the egg.
5. The recipe says to take 1/2 teaspoon of this mixture daily, but with the added lemon 1/2 teaspoon would not equal 400 mgs of calcium, so it is hard to judge how much of the mixture to take in order to get enough calcium.

# 2 Lemon Eggshell:

1. Fill a wide mouth jar with 3 clean, whole, uncracked eggs.
2. Cover the eggs with freshly squeezed lemon juice — it important that the lemons are very fresh or this mixture will not work right.
3. Clove the jar tightly and place it in the refrigerator. You should start to see bubbles forming on the eggshells. That means the eggshells are being dissolved into the lemon juice. The mixture will gradually turn white.
4. Gently agitate the jar a few minutes about 3 times a day.
5. As soon as the bubbling stops it is ready to take. It should not take any longer than 36-48 hours. If you leave the mixture longer it will tend to get thick and the eggs will begin to absorb more of the lemon juice, or the eggs may split and leak into the mixture. Occasionally this mixture doesn’t work when the lemons are not fresh enough.
6. Carefully remove the eggs without breaking the membrane, and use them as you would normally, i.e. in your raw egg drink, cooking, etc. There will not be any shell left on the egg because it has been totally dissolved into the lemon juice, which is calcium citrate.
7. Place a tight lid on the mixture that remains after the eggs have been removed, and shake it well.
8. Take no more than one teaspoon per day initially because it can be very powerful. Start slowly. The amount may be gradually increased over time.

Bee’s note: The amount of this mixture to take is not easy to figure out. One eggshell (size is not stated) yields approximately 1,800 mgs of elemental calcium (amount that will be absorbed). Therefore 3 eggs would contain 5,400 mgs, divided by 400 mgs = approximately 13.5 doses.

About the Author…

Bee Wilder has a wealth of knowledge and experience both as a former sufferer of candida and convenor of the candida support group. Since the 1980s when Bee could eat only a few types of foods and was so sensitive to yeasts she had to administer herself an allergy shot every day, she has not only fully recovered but now is more robust than ever. Bee lives in Calgary, Alberta, Canada and continues to research natural health and nutrition.

Larry writes: Hey everyone, thanks so much for hookin’ up with our Raw4Healing blog. I wouldn’t be here today sharing my personal testimony if it weren’t for my wife, Lauren. She is not only the best personal trainer, coach, and health advocate a guy could have, but also inspires me because of her passion for a raw vegan food lifestyle. I personally have been fighting the battle of the bulge in excess weight of around 30 plus pounds for several years now. It has been very hard and nearly impossible to accomplish this weight loss.

But today, is my day! I am proud to share with you that I have not only lost the weight, but feel healthier than I ever have ever felt before! I have a secret I want to share with you: raw vegan food is sustainable energy and good energy equals good health! It’s really that simple.

I want to start by saying click to read more…

Greetings!

The following is a must read article/interview regarding a groundbreaking lawsuit exposing the conspiracy of toxic mercury fillings. Do take a few minutes to read it.

Groundbreaking, Explosive, Tell-All Interview

Mike Adams conducted an exclusive interview with Charles Brown from Consumers for Dental Choice, and in this groundbreaking, explosive, tell-all interview you will read how he names names at the FDA, exposing the fraud and criminality of top FDA decision makers who have conspired with the American Dental Association to poison our children and protect mercury filling profits.

Read this interview to learn shocking facts about the dental industry that will cause your jaw to drop right to the floor. You have no idea just how evil modern dentistry has become, and how willing these people are to harm you and your children so that they can earn obscene profits! Click the link in red below to read it now.

Click here…

- A MUST READ HEALTH ALERT -

(NaturalNews) The FDA has, for decades, ridiculously insisted that mercury fillings pose no health threat whatsoever to children.

While dismissing hundreds of studies showing a clear link between mercury amalgam fillings (”silver fillings”) and disastrous neurological effects in the human body, the FDA denied the truth about mercury and effectively protected the mercury filling racket that has brought so much harm to so many people.

Read More

Remember to get your Buy One, get One Tooth Soap® F*ree
because this special ends June 10, 2008 at midnight EST.

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web: http://www.toothsoap.com

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5. This offer will end June 10, 2008 at midnight EST.

Food Matters is a documentary film informing you on the best choices you can make for you and your family’s health. Helping you save time, money and effort.

In this day and age with so many companies interested in profiting from your misfortune and ill health this film will help keep your money in your pocket and your health in your hands.

We all know someone with Cancer, Heart Disease, Stroke, Diabetes, Obesity, Mental Illness, Depression, Asthma, Arthritis, Osteoporosis, Chronic Fatigue, Allergies and on and on…

Knowing what to do and where to turn has become unbelievably complex.

We invite you to join the World’s Leading Authorities on Nutrition and Natural Healing as they uncover the true cause of disease. Find out what really works, what doesn’t and what’s killing you.

Becoming informed about the choices you have for your health and wellbeing can save your life! Click here to check out the Food Matters DVD!

	A sliced Carrot looks like the human eye The pupil, iris and radiating lines look just like the human eye…and YES science now shows that carrots greatly enhance blood flow to and function of the eyes.
	A Tomato has four chambers and is red. The heart is red and has four chambers. All of the research shows tomatoes are indeed pure heart and blood food.
	Grapes hang in a cluster that has the shape of the heart. Each grape looks like a blood cell and all of the research today shows that grapes are also profound heart and blood vitalizing food.
	A Walnut looks like a little brain, a left and right hemisphere, upper cerebrums and lower cerebellums. Even the wrinkles or folds are on the nut just like the neo-cortex. We now know that walnuts help develop over 3 dozen neuron-transmitters for brain function.
	Kidney Beans actually heal and help maintain kidney function and yes, they look exactly like the human kidneys.
	Celery, Bok Choy, Rhubarb and more look just like bones. These foods specifically target bone strength. Bones are 23% sodium and these foods are 23% sodium. If you don’t have enough sodium in your diet the body pulls it from the bones, making them weak. These foods replenish the skeletal needs of the body.
	Eggplant, Avocadoes and Pears target the health and function of the womb and cervix of the female - they look just like these organs. Today’s research shows that when a woman eats 1 avocado a week, it balances hormones, sheds unwanted birth weight and prevents cervical cancers. And how profound is this? …. It takes exactly 9 months to grow an avocado from blossom to ripened fruit. There are over 14,000 photolytic chemical �constituents of nutrition in each one of these foods (modern science has only studied and named about 141 of them).
	Figs are full of seeds and hang in twos when they grow. Figs increase the motility of male sperm and increase the numbers of Sperm cells to overcome male sterility.
	Sweet Potatoes look like the pancreas and actually balance the glycemic index of diabetics.
	Olives assist the health and function of the ovaries
	Grapefruits, Oranges, and other Citrus fruits look just like the mammary glands of the female and actually assist the health of the breasts and the movement of lymph in and out of the breasts.
	Onions look like body cells. Today’s research shows that onions help clear waste materials from all of the body cells. They even produce tears which wash the epithelial layers of the eyes.

From Maria Treben’s Book:
Health Through God’s Pharmacy (English Edition)

As a vegan raw foodist, one of the hardest things to do is find high quality, organic supplements to enhance our existing diet of fresh organic fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds and whole grains. There are so many products available, all of them touting their benefits to your health, etc. Personally, I think the only one that really benefits are the manufacturers and distributors that sell these products. Sure, many companies offer affiliate opportunities with their products, but they generally only pay about 5 - 10%, and requires the marketing person to continuously sell that same product over and over again.

Recently, as part of my business, I’ve aligned myself with a company that endeavors to produce only very high quality and organic nutritional supplements. Since I’ve done extensive research and have seen almost everything that is out there, I am proud to represent their products here on Raw4Healing.

BioGenX Global offers several nutritional products, but I am only going to feature just one of them here today. “Live Greens” is a nutritional raw greens powder that can be mixed with water, juice or added into your smoothie. Below are the ingredients of Live Greens.

Q: What makes the BIOGENX GLOBAL’s Live Greens so nutritious?

A: Each individual ingredient in the BIOGENX GLOBAL Live Greens are in themselves, nutrient rich, superfoods. When the ingredients were combined by our Master Formulator, he scrutinized each potential ingredient, to be sure that nutritionally, every need was met. Not only were they met, but they were exceeded. This is because each ingredient chosen to go into the Live Greens formula was nutrient dense, and had multifaceted nutritional value. Look at wheatgrass alone, it is considered to be a complete food in itself. The fact is that one pound of fresh wheatgrass is equivalent in nutritional value to 23 pounds of choice garden vegetables! Wheatgrass, Kamut grass, barley grass, and oat grass are just the beginning of this amazing formula. Besides the grasses, grains and seeds, we have included highly nutritious micro-algae, like cracked cell chlorella, and spirulina, which contain many B vitamins, chlorophyll, and minerals such as calcium and iron. Live Greens also contain seaweeds like Kombu and Wakame which are not only extremely nutritious, but also help to rid the body of toxins and heavy metals, while boosting immunity. The fruits and vegetables contained in this super nutritious formula were chosen because of their high antioxidant level, and their ability to provide many vitamins and minerals. Our Master Formulator also created a unique herbal formula, to support the assimilation of the nutrients. BIOGENX GLOBALs’ Live Greens contain many nutrition packed herbs, such as ginseng and olive leaf, to help the body heal and to boost the immune system. Last, but not least, included in the formula are enzymes, Omega fatty acids and probiotics to ensure that the body is able to assimilate the nutrition provided.

Q: Why are BIOGENX GLOBAL’s Live Greens So Unique and Powerful compared to similar products on the market?

A: Again, it is because of the structure of the formula. BIOGENX GLOBAL has gone out of our way to bring the most nutritious ingredients along with the most powerful herbs, and fruits and vegetables, regardless of cost to us. Many other Green products are made with the majority of the ingredient being the cheapest ingredients, such as alfalfa, which is a very cost efficient, and nutritious, but not as nutritious alone as it is when combined with many other nutrition dense foods, which over-lap each other nutritionally, guaranteeing you the most nutrition possible, per tablespoon, of whole food goodness.

For more information about Live Greens, click here.

Hints for Creating Raw Foods ‘on the fly’

Sometimes, when I haven’t made time to plan my raw food meals, make a list and shop for the ingredients, and ‘have it all together’, I find it hard to throw something together that’s quick, satisfying, and still 100% raw. I’m tired, hungry, and don’t feel like thinking, let alone, preparing a time intensive gourmet feast. Sometimes, it’s easier to just rely on the same old boring recipes we’re used to and grew up with. Do you ever feel that way? Yet, for me, I almost would rather go hungry or just have my juice instead of eating the ‘old way.’

There are so many great, yet simple, recipe ideas that make a lot of difference in helping us to stay on our raw path. I’m sure many of you have a full collection of recipe books that produce wonderful and tasty meals, but require many ingredients, days of preparation and aren’t very helpful when you want something quick and fast.

I’ve heard that most people really only use about 7 to 10 recipes on a regular basis! I raise my hand, that’s true for me. I have my favorites, like raw enchiladas, raw lasagna, raw tacos, etc.

The beauty of raw food, is that it can be as simple as it can be complex. It’s always easy to put together a few ingredients and have a lovely meal. We just need to think outside the box, and look at what’s in our vegetable/fruit bins, in our freezer and pantry to come up with quick, simple ideas and yet taste delicious and satisfying.

So here are 6 quick and easy recipe ideas that work for a snack or a meal.

Zesty Orange Smoothie

I love fresh-squeezed orange juice. Have you ever just peeled the oranges and dropped them into your blender? It makes for a delicious and very satisfying quick snack. Of course, use organic Navel oranges, they are the sweetest.
Simply peel the oranges with your knife, keeping some of the “white” pith, cut into quarters and blend them whole in your blender. If necessary, add a little water.

This drink tastes milky and sweet. And you can add other fruit too, if you want. But sometimes it’s best to just keep it ‘mono’ fruit. Orange ‘smoothies’ like this are more nutritious that way too! You get all the fiber and all the goodies in the white pith. That’s where all the calcium is. Orange juice is a joke, in comparison, in terms of taste, satisfaction, and nutrition.
Note: if this drink tastes too bitter, then it means you’ve not cut the oranges properly. Avoid any of the peel. Also, find the juiciest, sweetest seedless oranges you can find.

Frozen Berries

I always make sure that I have some frozen strawberries and blueberries. You can make any smoothie taste amazing by throwing in some berries. Especially my favorite: blueberries!

I generally use frozen berries all year round, but when seasonally available, you can use organic fresh berries, if they are not too expensive! Check out your local farmer’s market for a great deal on organic berries, you can freeze them to use in your smoothies. Or simply buy frozen berries (or even frozen wild blueberries) at your market or health food store.
Keep in mind, I recommend buying fresh organic berries, because you have to remember that berries are often the most sprayed fruits, so by buying organic frozen berries, or freezing them yourself, or buying wild berries, you avoid that pesticide exposure.

Berries are also the richest fruits in natural anti-oxidants, which are compounds that protect against cell damage inflicted by molecules called oxygen-free radicals, major causes of disease and aging. It’s been found that most berries rank higher in antioxidant activities when compared to other cultivated fruits and vegetables. The USDA Human Nutrition Center ranked blueberries the #1most antioxidant rich berry. Strawberries came second on the list. The antioxidants are usually found in the pigment that give berries their color. They help protect us from cancer naturally.

Berries also contain a higher amount of phytochemicals than most other fruits. Phytochemicals are components of plants that have been shown to help prevent certain diseases, or at least influence our health in a positive sense.

Berries are generally high in vitamin C. For example, a cup of strawberries contains as much vitamin C as a cup of orange juice. Without having to go through the list, let’s just remember that berries, especially wild ones, contain plenty of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and other phytochemicals, more than most cultivated fruits.

A quick word about freezing: although freezing is not ideal, it’s still better than cooking or drying, and preserves most nutrients. Some people experience problems when eating frozen fruits ice cold. So you may want to thaw your frozen berries before adding them to smoothies.

A Berry Good Smoothie:

1 cup water
2-3 bananas
1 1/2 cups blueberries
A big handful of greens, or 1-3 stalks of celery

Blend an enjoy!

Need a Quick Salad Dressing?

It’s easy to get stuck when trying to come up with a quick and easy salad dressing, because we grew up with making the dressings with oils or artificial ingredients.

Try this delicious salad dressing from whole foods.

Raw French Dressing:

Start with tomatoes. Take 1 - 2 tomatoes, and put them in your blender, with the juice of half a lemon or some apple cider vinegar. Add in some sort of fatty food such as avocado. Then throw in some herbs of your choice (dill, chives, etc.), and some of your favorite seasonings (if desired).

This makes for an incredibly tasty dressing that only took all of about 2-1/2 minutes to prepare!

Here’s another quick salad dressing recipe.

Mango Tango Dressing:

In your blender, blend 1 cup of tomato (in chunks), 1 cup of mango (flesh only), 1/4 cup of water, and 2-3 Tablespoons of balsamic vinegar.
Let me know how you liked it!

And I have one more dressing for you…. My favorite quick and easy salad dressing:

Avocado Dream Dressing:

I never really measure anything, just kind of ‘eyeball’ it - that’s the beauty of raw food preparations, it’s all based on taste, not exact scientific measurements!
1 – 2 avocadoes
2 tbsp of fresh lemon juice or Apple cider vinegar
2 tsp minced garlic
Dash of sea salt
1 2 tsp Italian Seasoning (to taste)
Enough water to smooth it out
Blend and enjoy on your salad. Keeps refrigerated for a couple days.

Most raw foodists always keep plenty of bananas on hand, and if they don’t get used up before they start turn black, peel them and freeze them for delicious smoothies. Bananas and chocolate (or cacao) are just about one of my most favorite combinations. It’s always so satisfying and very yummy!

Banana Cacao Shake

1 ripe banana, peeled
½ cup raw coconut flakes (soak until softened)
2 tsp raw chocolate powder (crushed cacao beans or nibs)
4 tsp cold-pressed hemp seeds
1 tsp of cold-pressed hemp oil or flax seed oil
1 tbsp raw honey or raw agave (I prefer honey, tastes better)
handful of ice cubes
Blend and enjoy!

In Summary
I’ve just given you some of my easiest and quickest recipe ideas. I love simple recipes because when our days get full of other obligations, sometimes there just isn’t enough time to plan ahead. Most of us are busy and having some easy recipes up your sleeve to whip up will help to us to stay on the raw path!

Look for raw food books that offer recipes that are easy to prepare, ready to eat in a few minutes, and use simple, easy to find ingredients. Steer clear of recipe books that only end up gathering dust on your top bookshelf somewhere in your home!