Great post by Karen Knowler - Eating Raw at Christmas

The picture left is of the raw food pizza I make in all my classes (and that everyone gets to eat too!). It's also the same pizza recipe that was once seen by six million viewers live on TV being sampled by Lorraine Kelly, and it's also the same meal that I have been known to eat as my main course Christmas Day!

Yes, pizza for Christmas lunch - quite a concept!

But of course there are no end of possibilities about what we could eat this Christmas Day, however, what my concern is, in this article, is Should *You* Be Eating Raw This Christmas? Read on to discover why my question is as layered as the festive trifle!

"A Raw Christmas".

Now what's the first thing you think about when you hear those words? Be honest!

If it sounds like music to your ears then that would suggest that to have a Raw Christmas this year is what's right for you, both at the below surface level and ideally in real life. If, on the other hand, it makes you think of isolation and standing out like a sore thumb from your companions, then it will be worth reading on. And if it sounds like something truly awful that really isn't on your agenda, then you're definitely in the wrong place (at least as far as this article goes) and I congratulate you on your clarity! Happy Christmas, now go and have your fun!!

So this article is really for those of you who *think* that you'd like to be raw, but at the moment are yo-yoing all over the place between being ruled by your heart, your head, your eyes, your beliefs, your worries, and your belly! Which I think, if I know you at all, beloved readers, is where most of you are going to be right now...

Let's start at the very beginning.

What is Christmas Dinner really all about?

Well, for may people it's seen as a time to feast and celebrate the birth of Jesus and all that goes with it, isn't it? But what it has become for most of us, is a yearly habit that typically involves spending lots of money on rich foods (and drinks) that we only eat once per year and sharing the experience with family or friends - often in large groups. Going on this basis, what we have here is therefore an environment where:

a) We are surrounded (usually) by un-likeminded people

b) We are surrounded by foods that we might not have eaten or might not want to eat (intellectually speaking) in our usual every day lives

c) We know that if we do not "partake" at least to 50% of the "deal", we are going to stand out big time and that might not feel good.

Bearing all of the above in mind, then add to this the fact that by our very (human) nature, we want to be included, part of the crowd, loved completely for who we are and to share in the communal Christmas "glow" that can come with that, is it any wonder that the temptation to not eat raw is going to be stronger than most of us can bear?

My purpose in writing this article today is not to advise, map out, coach or anything else of a "prescriptive" nature. No, not at all. Today I want to pass on to you the message that, if this all sounds like where you're at, then you are definitely not alone. In fact, even I, as I go into year 16 of being into raw foods, still had "issues" with eating raw at Christmas until as recently as last year, even when I was among my closest family. Yes, most of them (if not all), STILL think I'm "extreme", and yes, it did used to make me feel uncomfortable in their presence because of it, but what feels the most uncomfortable of all is what I'm about to share with you now, and this extends way beyond Christmas Day as will become clear as you read on...

It's All About The Energy
If I have learned anything about raw foods and eating habits over the past 15 years it is that energy is at the heart and soul of what food is about. Yes, we can wax lyrical about nutrition, enzymes and calories, or talk about what's "good", "bad", "healthy" and "unhealthy", but as far as I have come to see it, this hits the dartboard but it doesn't come even close to the bulls eye.

And the fact is this: When you take food in, you take in the energy that comes with it. All matter is comprised of energy - that means you, the chair you're sitting on, the table you're eating from and the food itself as well as everything else you can see right now. Therefore when you eat, your own personal energy will automatically shift accordingly; so when you eat "unhealthy" foods you will feel worse - your vital energy will dip, and when you eat "healthy" or "good" foods you will feel better, and ultimately even more energised.

The further you go with raw foods, the more of this energy you start to feel, and the more sensitive you become to it. You really "get" that you're not just what you eat, but your experience of life is, to a larger degree than many of us even realise, a reflection of what you eat too! This means that as soon as you eat something "unhealthy" or "bad" you know it. And I don't just mean in your mind and your heart, I mean that you feel it in your body also - you sense your own shift, often startlingly so!

And so what you learn, whether it's consciously or unconsciously, is that when you eat raw foods your energy increases (and to be clear I don't necessarily mean the "jump-up-and-down" kind of energy, but mostly your sensitivity and overall vital energy shifts) and when you eat cooked foods you feel your energy go down.

Translate this information into the Christmas Day scenario we discussed earlier and let's see what we have here if you choose to eat raw:

On the surface level you have the predictable comments, questions and quite possibly the sense of isolation/ difference that comes with that. Some people thrive on this, they love being different - which is obviously a bonus! - but most people don't, and I'm one of them! Now bear in mind, that all that's JUST on the surface level. On a deeper level, energetically speaking, when you eat your raw dinner and maybe have a juice, we have your energy rising, and it's rising fast. And likely it is starting to rise in an environment where everyone is laying chilled out on the sofa, with the obligatory glass of wine or sherry in hand, watching TV and/or aren't really doing all that much! And your energy continues to rise. And their energy continues to fall.

So not only do we have your energy as raw as ever (which can be tricky even in normal everyday situations), but we have their energy dipping even lower at the same time. The gap widens even further. Big Difference.

Now what happens is that naturally you either want to go outside and burn up some of that energy (and you might if only it wasn't so damn cold!), or you want to put your energy into something productive or inspiring like fiddling with your favourite new toy, enjoying more enlightened conversations, or, quite frankly, being at home (or alone) doing what you want to do!

This becomes the reality. And whether this is conscious or not, it becomes clear pretty quickly to us now as to why it feels so tough.

So is it any wonder that the temptation to just go with the flow (now we have a better understanding of what this really means, right?!), just for this one day of the year, is one that's too hard to resist? No, not at all! And, as I said a few moments ago, I am definitely not here to tell you what to do and I won't, but what I am here to do is to help you see the reality of the situation more clearly so that you can drop any guilt that may be plaguing you, either now in the lead up, or on the actual day, and know this:

"When you dabble with raw foods you are playing at being an advanced alchemist. You can change your state in ways that others don't, and also don't understand. Trying to do this among those people is possible but not always pleasurable. When you fully get this, you can base your decision on a positive understanding of the situation and your own needs and values, rather than seeing yourself as a failure or a hypocrite.. which is completely inaccurate."

So... as I said at the beginning, this article may not be relevant to all of you, but I have a very strong feeling it will be relevant to most of you, which is why I wrote it. For my part, the year before last I took my own raw Christmas Dinner and let my parents know ahead of time that this would be the case. They were fine with it, but still I had the questions "Does that really fill you up?" and more... However, I did have game plan! I arrived at 10am and left at 3pm! This was manageable : ) And then I drove back home and did what I wanted to do - things on my terms, and followed where my energy most wanted to go (which actually translated into a lovely walk in the fresh air, playing with Luke and rolling around on the floor tickling, cuddling and laughing!). But I can tell you that there have been MANY times in my past, and my recent past too, where I have really felt this "energy gap" so massively that I have realised absolutely two things: The reality of "energy" among foods and people (and the multitudes of ways that all this can show up), and the importance of environment. Where you place yourself is absolutely key - and this comes up again and again in all fields of personal development, not just with food, and it also comes up with just about every client I work with, all of whom are usually in the wrong place, quite literally, for where their energy is trying to go.

So, if you are fortunate to be able to control your environment this Christmas and to shape your day and surroundings to the way you would like them, and eat raw, then a big hurrah for you! I expect nothing less than post-Xmas reports of "I had such a great day" and lots of smiles! But, on the other hand, if you are like me - and many thousands of other raw foodies around the globe who are doing the family thing this year - then please, be compassionate with yourself and recognise that this is the one day where things are different in so many ways (and as we have seen, not always the obvious ones) and do what you need to do - without guilt. Come from a place of knowledge and you come from a place of power.

One day is one day, and in coming weeks I'll be sharing with you some great ideas for how you can get rid of whatever you took in over the Christmas period and start 2009 all shiny and new which is I think where you'd like to be, right?

For the short term however, think energy and think compassion and hopefully this will be enough to help you make your decision, which, as always, you are entirely free to change depending on what actually happens on the day! Either way, have fun and watch how this energy thing works! It will stand you in good stead not just for Christmas, but for the rest of your entire food-conscious life.

© 2008 Karen Knowler
Karen Knowler, The Raw Food Coach publishes "Successfully Raw" - a free weekly eZine for raw food lovers everywhere. If you're ready to look good, feel great and create a raw life you love get your FREE tips, tools and recipes now at www.TheRawFoodCoach.com.

Blueberries 'reverse memory loss'

Blueberries 'reverse memory loss'

Eating blueberries can reverse memory loss and may have implications in the treatment of diseases like Alzheimer's, University of Reading scientists claim.

Scientists found adding foods like blueberries to a regular diet, resulted in improvements in memory.

The foods, known as flavonoids, were historically believed to act as antioxidants in human bodies.

But the study indicates they also activate the part of the brain which controls learning and memory.

Dr Jeremy Spencer, from the department of food biosciences at the university, said: "Scientists have known of the potential health benefits of diets rich in fresh fruits for a long time.

"Our research provides scientific evidence to show that blueberries are good for you and supports the idea that a diet-based approach could potentially be used to increase memory capacity.

"We will be taking these findings to the next level by investigating the effects of diets rich in flavonoids on individuals suffering from cognitive impairment and possibly Alzheimer's disease."

The research has been published in the Free Radical Biology and Medicine journal.
Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/health/7450032.stm

Rich "NO" Chocolate Mousse

6oz walnuts (soaked in water overnight)

4oz pine nuts (soaked in water overnight)

6oz dates (soaked in water to just cover dates)

2tbs carob powder

1/2 soft avacado (if available)

1/2 lemon (freshly juiced)

Throw away water from nuts and rinse - drain. Process walnuts and pinenuts in food processor.
Add dates, carb powder, acacado and lemon. Place in dish.
Leave in refrigerator for 2 hours or overnight.
Decorate with rasberries, strawberries or edible flowers - ENJOY!!

www.aliveraw.com

Ben Vereen on the importance of being at least 70% raw

Watch This Today!!!

This Guy is absolutely amazing. He went raw and has lost 200 lbs. I have been following his story for quite some time now and I am so proud of him. Now he is going to be on a national tv show today to tell his story. I have no doubt that many people will be inspired to make a healthy change in their lives after seeing what Philip has been able to do.
Before: 400 lb Currently: 205 lbs
http://thedoctorstv.com/main/show_page/43

Man Loses 200 lbs on Raw Food

A Medford man goes on a raw-foods diet, and now 170 local people have signed up to follow his leadBy Sarah Lemon
Mail Tribune

Clent Manich's new diet likely sounds familiar to anyone who's tried to lose weight: Eat mostly fruits and vegetables and replace one or more meal with a shake or smoothie.

The regimen seems sensible enough until Manich gets to the part about not cooking, as in consuming everything entirely raw.

"I'm never going to eat cooked food again," says the 39-year-old Medford resident.

Losing almost 200 pounds, overcoming type-2 diabetes and enjoying the best health of his life are the only reasons Manich needs to continue on a raw-food diet that includes copious quantities of "green smoothies." Manich's dramatic transformation has convinced 170 Rogue Valley residents that they, too, can benefit from consuming blended cocktails of raw leafy greens, fruit and water during a six-week "challenge."

"I wanted to feel better," says Shirley Taylor, who works with Manich at Medford's Costco store.

Since consuming green smoothies and other raw foods five days per week over the past four months and consuming only very small portions of cooked food on the weekends, the 63-year-old Grants Pass resident says she's lost 32 pounds and no longer needs thyroid-regulating medication. It's a diet she considers long-term, not just a quick fix.

"I've tried every diet in the world and always gained it back," she says.

Because it's low in calories, a raw-food diet leads to weight loss, proponents say. They point to enzymes, however, as the diet's distinguishing factor. For food to be "raw," it can't be heated above 115 degrees, which is thought to leave vital enzymes intact. Entirely plant-based, a raw-food diet includes — in addition to fruits and vegetables — nuts, seeds, sprouted legumes and grains, cold-pressed olive oil, raw honey, apple-cider vinegar, herbs, spices and some types of salt. Most raw foods are prepared using a Vita-Mix or heavy-duty blender, a food processor, dehydrator and juicer.

His everyday diet previously consisting of Costco pizza and hotdogs, all-you-can-eat buffets and gallons of diet soda, Manich first heard the raw-food doctrine from licensed physical therapist and chiropractor Miven Donato. Manich ended up at Donato's Dophin Health and Education Center in Medford after he injured himself trying to walk off excess weight. At almost 450 pounds, Manich suffered a bout of pancreatitis in 2006, leading doctors to prescribe insulin for type-2 diabetes. He knew he needed to exercise, but suffered extreme pain in his feet and a pinched nerve in his back.

Donato thought Manich was a perfect candidate for his "healthy boot camp" with its diet of 15 percent cooked food and 85 percent raw. Within two months, Manich lost 52 pounds and stopped taking insulin. But a cruise-ship vacation with his wife, Misty, led Manich into temptation. He packed the pounds back on.

After returning to Medford, Manich received an e-mail from Donato that featured the testimonial of a woman who lost more than 100 pounds on a diet of green smoothies. This time, Manich decided to go totally raw, the only way he saw to avoid unhealthful foods. His first 100 pounds virtually melted off in a little over three months, during which he hardly exercised. Although he was hungry at first, his cravings for cooked food quickly subsided, Manich says.

"The first three weeks were horrible, and I hung in there because I knew they were just detox symptoms."

Once Manich reduced his girth to under 300 pounds, he started weight-training with Donato. In September, the two climbed California's Mount Whitney, the highest peak in the lower 48 U.S. states. Believing there's no health goal he can't accomplish, Manich says he's determined to weigh 170 pounds by Christmas, which an endocrinologist told him would never happen simply because he's too old.

"He's proven quite an amazing feat," says local health educator Linda Willis, who likens weight loss to mountain-climbing.

"Very few people can climb Mount Everest."

While fruits, vegetables, legumes and whole grains are the base of a healthy diet, there is no scientific evidence that cooking these foods destroys nutrients, Willis says. There are so many more interesting ways to consume fruits and vegetables than to blend them up, she says, adding that it's a waste of time to try to concentrate mega doses of vitamins and minerals in a beverage.

"As soon as you start drinking your meals, you're getting off base a little bit," she says. "It doesn't work in the real world."

Willis does agree with raw-food enthusiasts, however, that one can obtain the body's required protein from plant foods. She says she also believes a proper diet can control some serious health conditions, often without the assistance of medication. Holding a doctorate degree in health education, Willis has been teaching her program "The Balanced Weigh" for the past 20 years.

"I constantly am warning people about fads and fallacies out there," she says. "He (Manich) stopped eating all the junk food ... and that's why he lost weight."

Passing trends are plenty familiar to Manich.

"I've always had these fad diets left and right," he says. "I did the Slim-Fast thing ... that was garbage.

"I did South Beach.

"I went to Weight Watchers, and it just reminded me too much of an AA program."

Although Manich acknowledges that raw-food has somewhat of a cult following — even in Medford where he frequently attends raw-food potlucks — the diet's adherents have been more interested in his health achievements than any notion of spiritual discovery, he says. Raw-food author and lecturer Victoria Boutenko, of Ashland, has appeared with Manich on a teleconference and created a Web site for the six-week "green-smoothie challenge" at www.greensmoothierevolution.com.

Confident he's found not a fad but the route to wellness, Manich nevertheless cautions emulators to consult a physician first and undergo the necessary tests to get a clear picture of their health.

"What I did may not work for everybody else."

Reach reporter Sarah Lemon at 776-4487, or e-mail slemon@mailtribune.com.
www.mailtribune.com
Brought to my attention by Steve Pavlina via Facebook :)Thanks Steve!!!

Fall Is Beautiful

Mama chicken with her new babies out foraging on a warm fall day.


This tree is in our driveway