http://www.rawspiritfest.com/
I'm excited about this weekend! We are staying there from Thursday - Tuesday morning to volunteer. I'll be working in the Children's area so I can have my kids there with me.
Keep posted next week for some photos...
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Monday, August 24, 2009
70-100% Raw Decision
I have been struggling with this for sometime now, but I am going to try to be at least 70% raw.
1. I LOVE being 100% raw. Love the way I feel, love the way I look and think it's the best thing for me and most people. Never had cravings I couldn't satisfy with raw food.
2. Either the whole family has to be 100% raw, or me be 70%. It's hard living around cooked food.
3. Recently, I've learned more about kid's nutrition. As vegetarians, my kids ate a lot of veggie burgers and other processed soy foods, frozen and micro-wave foods, and anything that was already prepared so I wouldn't have to cook and taste food. Now I've decided that my kids health is important to me too. So I need to cook and taste healthy whole food/vegetarian foods for them.
4. Kids should not be 100% raw. Not that you can't raise healthy 100% raw kids, but kids are going to go to places and eat cooked food. Sudden changes in their diet, I believe is not healthy.
5. During pregnancy, you should maintain a healthy diet, without sudden changes. "Falling of the wagon" while pregnant could have caused my two miscarriages. Tanya Zavasta said at her lecture that a 100% raw foodist's blood has a very low white blood cell count. When cooked food is introduced, the white blood cell count increases significantly, indicating the body reacts to cooked food as a foreign intruder it needs to fight off. While many doctors may not agree with this statement, all would agree that pregnancy is not a time to make drastic changes to your diet. This also applies to any detoxing side-effect that becoming 100% raw while pregnant could have.
6. So, until I decide that I'm done with having more kids, I'm going to try to maintain a balance in my life. Losing weight and looking my best can't be my #1 priority right now. But there is always time for that later. Right now, staying healthy is a priority. A diet and exercise routine I can maintain consistently through out pregnancy is my #1 priority, while not sacrificing my children's health.
7. I'm scared to death to have a 3rd miscarriage! I have to eliminate the possibility of "falling of the wagon" as being a cause for miscarrying a 3rd time. My first miscarriage I exercised too much; so on the second, I barely exercised. But at least I know that too much exercise wasn't the cause!
So, there it all is. I am very reluctant to "announce" decisions like this. Some may see it as weakness and lack of discipline. But most people I know are not raw foodist and may think that I'm admitting to a deficiency in raw food. And that is not the case! Also, I will eat only whole foods; no frozen/pre-prepared foods, can foods, additives, white flour, or white sugar; so I don't want them thinking that I'm going to eat just anything now.
Raw Dairy products:
I also now get raw (organic and free-range/pastured) dairy products (milk, cream, etc.) I've enjoyed making raw cheese, butter, ice cream, etc., from raw milk. While I'm still a vegan at heart (believe that humans don't NEED to drink milk from other animals, and in the ethical treatment of animals) I think that raw dairy is a fun and easy way to add living enzymes and nutrition to children and pregnant women's diets. However, it should be kept in moderation. Natalie Rose in her book, the Raw Food Detox, says that milk draws magnesium from your body. She recommends using raw dairy in moderation and in conjunction with other raw foods. For example, a salad with a little raw cheese sprinkled on top. The greens will balance this out.
So, please comment if you have any thoughts.
Thanks!
1. I LOVE being 100% raw. Love the way I feel, love the way I look and think it's the best thing for me and most people. Never had cravings I couldn't satisfy with raw food.
2. Either the whole family has to be 100% raw, or me be 70%. It's hard living around cooked food.
3. Recently, I've learned more about kid's nutrition. As vegetarians, my kids ate a lot of veggie burgers and other processed soy foods, frozen and micro-wave foods, and anything that was already prepared so I wouldn't have to cook and taste food. Now I've decided that my kids health is important to me too. So I need to cook and taste healthy whole food/vegetarian foods for them.
4. Kids should not be 100% raw. Not that you can't raise healthy 100% raw kids, but kids are going to go to places and eat cooked food. Sudden changes in their diet, I believe is not healthy.
5. During pregnancy, you should maintain a healthy diet, without sudden changes. "Falling of the wagon" while pregnant could have caused my two miscarriages. Tanya Zavasta said at her lecture that a 100% raw foodist's blood has a very low white blood cell count. When cooked food is introduced, the white blood cell count increases significantly, indicating the body reacts to cooked food as a foreign intruder it needs to fight off. While many doctors may not agree with this statement, all would agree that pregnancy is not a time to make drastic changes to your diet. This also applies to any detoxing side-effect that becoming 100% raw while pregnant could have.
6. So, until I decide that I'm done with having more kids, I'm going to try to maintain a balance in my life. Losing weight and looking my best can't be my #1 priority right now. But there is always time for that later. Right now, staying healthy is a priority. A diet and exercise routine I can maintain consistently through out pregnancy is my #1 priority, while not sacrificing my children's health.
7. I'm scared to death to have a 3rd miscarriage! I have to eliminate the possibility of "falling of the wagon" as being a cause for miscarrying a 3rd time. My first miscarriage I exercised too much; so on the second, I barely exercised. But at least I know that too much exercise wasn't the cause!
So, there it all is. I am very reluctant to "announce" decisions like this. Some may see it as weakness and lack of discipline. But most people I know are not raw foodist and may think that I'm admitting to a deficiency in raw food. And that is not the case! Also, I will eat only whole foods; no frozen/pre-prepared foods, can foods, additives, white flour, or white sugar; so I don't want them thinking that I'm going to eat just anything now.
Raw Dairy products:
I also now get raw (organic and free-range/pastured) dairy products (milk, cream, etc.) I've enjoyed making raw cheese, butter, ice cream, etc., from raw milk. While I'm still a vegan at heart (believe that humans don't NEED to drink milk from other animals, and in the ethical treatment of animals) I think that raw dairy is a fun and easy way to add living enzymes and nutrition to children and pregnant women's diets. However, it should be kept in moderation. Natalie Rose in her book, the Raw Food Detox, says that milk draws magnesium from your body. She recommends using raw dairy in moderation and in conjunction with other raw foods. For example, a salad with a little raw cheese sprinkled on top. The greens will balance this out.
So, please comment if you have any thoughts.
Thanks!
Saturday, August 8, 2009
Gifts from God
In a community that would not allow me to plant a community garden, this tree stands on our common area. Jordan, my 6 year old, enjoys climbing very high in it and either picking or shaking down apples. Near the end of tonight's raw food potluck, Jordan offered to pick apples for everybody. Kids love to be involved with raw food. He then helped make apple juice.
When you pick FREE food, you can feel very thankful how God can supply all our needs. The food he gives is GOOD. The food we make ourselves does not give us life. God is the true LIFE giver!
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
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