Be Green , When You Spring Clean

Spring is here.
Birds, flowers, songs in the air.
Time to dis-robe the windows.
Leaving them sparkling and bare.



This is the only thing I use to clean my windows.

Just use enough water to make cloth damp,wipe and be done :

This is the only thing I use to polish my furniture.

My woodwork and walls get a once over with

Just add cap full to warm water, use soft cloth .

Spring Cleaning be done.

This Nana's, going out and have some fun !

Green Cleaning the Rawsome Nana Way

Until three years ago, this Nana was a Chemical Cleaning, Fast Food Junky Queen. I would see a cleaning product on T.V. that promised my house would be so clean that my grandchildren could eat off the floors. What mother or grandmother wouldn't want a house that clean? I would run to the nearest grocery store, purchase the wonder cleaner, return home and scrub and spray all those nasty little germs away. Then I would plug in those cute little air fresheners in everyroom..to disguise the smell of bleach and lysol. But, Nana couldn't stop there, had to have cookies, candy ( Nana Treats ) for my little angels. I never was much of a baker, so off to the store to buy those yummy sweet Little Debbie's.


I would anxiouxly wait at the door for my little visitors..So proud of my clean home and the plate of yummy Nana Treats displayed oh so cute on the kitchen table... This is how my childen were raised , in a home of chemicals and processed yummy food, so it had to be ok for my grandchildren

 Stop !! Turn back the clock!! Something went wrong, what had I done? Chemicals, processed food , toxins ? Its April 2009, sitting in doctors office with my 30 year old daughter. One word spoken changed our familys life forever, CANCER ! To make a long story short, over the past three years I have spend hours upon hours reseaching the different causes of cancer and hundreds of other ailments that are attacking our children and grandchilden.. What I discovered was that Nana was never going to use chemicals to clean her home again, and Nana Treats have changed a lot as well ! I can never be sure what caused my daughters cancer, but I do know that many of the products we eat and clean with are full of cancer causing ingredients. I can't turn back the clock, nor beat myself up over what I didn't know then. But I can and have made huge changes in my food and cleaning habits , because now I do know !

My desire and hope is that ,each of you will find my chemical free cleaning ideas helpful. The thought process most of us grew up with is, a clean house smells like bleach. Well you won't smell bleach in my house, but you will smell lemon, lavender, orange and lemon grass , now that smells like a clean house to me.

Nana's Soap Scum be Gone
1 cup Baking Soda
1 cup White Vinegar
2 Tablespoons Peppermint Castile Soap
You can make up batches of this in store in glass containers or purchase good spray bottles ( I don't purchase any thing I don't need, and find that saving glass jars works great ) I simply make it as needed.
For toilet, just pour mixture in , let set then scrub with brush and flush ( easy on septic too)
For sink and tub: I fill tub and sink with enough water to make lather with all above ingredients..use a old face cloth to scrub , then I use old t-shirts to dry..if you really want extra shine... put little bit of lemon juice on clean rag and shine away ... Smells awsome too :)

Organic Castile Soap
Dishes
Laundry
Shampoo, Body soap
Cleaning counter

Seriously that is all I use to clean all the above..
Almond Castile for hair
Hemp for Dishes
Peppermint for Laundry, and counters..
They also make in unscented, baby foremula, orange and lavender !!

For Cleaning my floors: I purchased a stream cleaner ( Shark ) over two years ago and I love it!!
I make a spray of lemon and water, spray on floor as I stream clean ... Talk about smeling good !! Now those are floors grandchildren would be safe eating off ( I use organic lemons even in my cleaning )

Got Ants in your house? This works like magic.. 3 Tablespoons Borax, 1/2 cup sugar ..1/4 cup hot water to dissolve borax, mix well.. dip cotton balls in mixture and set them around areas that ants appear to be.

This is only a few ideas, ones that work very well for me. I believe in keeping it simple.. I want a clean house, but its so much more important to me now to have a safe house for my loved ones. If I miss a germ or two , those germs can't cause as much havoc as the many chemicals we bring into our homes everyday. Not to mention the money I have saved. I used to spend close to $50.00 aweek just on cleaning supplies, paper towels, toxic air fresheners etc.. I haven't purchased a roll of paper towels in over a year.. Now I spend $20.00 dollars a month! Just think you save health, money and the enviroment!

I  hope you have found this blog helpful. That it has encouraged you to become more aware of the products that you bring into your home. Home is our haven, the place we feel safe, loved and protected... Say I Love You with Lemons, not Lysol !!

 I 'm a mother, wife, grandmother, sister, daughter, friend . My life was turned upside down with one word, in less than a minute.All that I knew and believed to be true, was changed forever. I went from go with the flow, wanting what ever one else had, buying into all the newest fads, fashions, must haves.. too Momma Lion , questioning, reseaching , trying to find an answer to all my why's. What I found is not meant to scare you, but to make you question and do your own reseach.Prevention is the Cure..You are your own master, your home is your palace..you get to choose who you invite in.. Hang a Not Welcome Sign to chemicals and toxins. Remember , babysteps, are how we all learn to walk in a different enviroment then we are used to. When you walk in your home , breath, smile and know that you are Momma Lion and you are the protector of your domain :)

There are many sites that you can find list of harmful chemicals in everyday products .I urge you to take a moment and just read .Simple actions can have Big Reactions ...

You can find out more about me, my story and my mission at rawsomenana.blogspot.com
You can find more of my cleaning tips there as well.

You can also view my story on utube... seach Debbie Berry A Mothers Story .. An interview by A Healthy And Clean Maine Allaince..




Wishing you Happy Green Smoothie sipping in your Lemon Scented , chemical free home !

Rawsome Nana's Detox Group News In Re-View

Rawsome Nana's News Letter

Wow!! Can't believe it has been over a month since Rawsome Detox for Health Facebook Group was formed !!

We are now up to 34 members, some very active, many in the background reading but not posting. Which is all wonderful, as I feel that our group may be small in size but it is making huge impact on many. In a word this group is "Fantastic." All of you are my very special FB family and support, and I can't thank you enough..

Going to try to cover as much as possible the past months happenings, if I miss something that you would like to have posted again , recipe, link etc. just let me know.

The reason for forming this group was to share my love for Raw Food Living: To give people support and encouragement in their desire to make healthy changes in their life. Be it changing to 100% Raw Diet or making Baby steps. To offer informational links , book lists, recipes and to post my daily Rawsome Journey. But most of all to create a community that shares, and motivates each other ... Guess what ??? We have that community !!! So amazed at how this group has grown, shared and cares..

So here we go !!! Re-view ....for you :)

What is Raw? It means eating foods un-cooked, not processed. Eating lots of fruits, veggies,nuts ,grains and juices. No meat, fish, chicken, eggs or dairy. Eating foods that give us pure vibrant energy . Chemical and Toxin Free ...

The motto of the group : Just for Today ...from the Reiki Principles ...

Information shared : Making Almond Milk

Raw Cauliflower Popcorn

Almond Ice Cream

How to use pulp from making almond milk

Lemon in Water and the amazing health benefits

Girl Gone Raw Green Smoothie Challenge: Of which as been a great hit, and has created many more healthy people :)

My niece Sarah began her blogspot... monthofraw.blogspot.com

I received my Alissa Cohen Level I - Chef Certification ( of which has changed my life in so many ways)

Nutritional Yeast

Oil Pulling for Health

How to Make Wild Rice Salad, Sprout, Yummy Raw Desserts...

Dry Skin Brushing

Chia Seeds

Wheat Grass

Many started a Rawsome Mason Jar Wish List

The benefits of buying Organic

Many wonderful pictures and stories shared :)

My niece Kerri 's 7 Day Detox Journey

 The list goes on and on :)

Many requests for recipes of which I will post as a Doc on Facebook Group...

Links below to some of the best rawfood blogs and web-sites ..

www.foodsforlonglife.blogspot.com

www.bestofrawfood.com

www.girlgoneraw.com

http://www.raw-food-dietinspiration.com/

www.visionboard.com

AND the most inspirational blog of all ...my daughters blogspot... and the reason I'm praying for her health and for all of yours ..!!!

You are making a difference in your lives, my families and people everywhere feel your Heart Echo's !!

Heart Echos

Does your heart echo ? Had never really thought of my spiritual heart in quite this way before. A wonderful woman on  Facebook.. posted a picture of a heart and waves of energy surrounding it that was called ( Heart Echo's.) That picture has stayed with me, prompting me to explore the echo's of my heart.

I'm not talking about the physical beating , of blood pumping through to keep us alive, but ,of the gentle waves of energy surrounding and protecting the spiritual heart beat that resonates through all of us. Most never think of our heart in this way. I have been paying close attention to the echo's of my heart the past few days, and those echo's are telling me a lot about myself, the good as well ,as not so good.

Question that I find myself asking is : If my heart echo's the feeling of love, do others feel it? Can the people I love so much feel the loving energy that is coming from my heart, even when days go by without us speaking? Do my daughters and husband feel the echo's of my heart connecting with their heart echo's? Do they feel deep within the unconditional never wavering love that I feel for them? Yes!

This blog has taken many twists and turns since I began it many months ago...It began with the bus hitting our family with the big C word...and as I write this...the C word is back , actually once again the double C word... Cancer& Chemo... Since the very first day of Kylee's diagnosis our family has explored many different alternative healing paths..changing our way of looking at the food we eat, the water we drink, and the thoughts we feel...and most of all the higher power that guides all of us on our journey. I can't even begin to know or speak of the echo's of my loved ones hearts, as we do what humans do best and that is to hold those echo's close to us, covering them up, keeping them hidden. Why? Because we are afraid to let others feel or see all that resides in our hearts. Words not spoken, feelings not shared..but yet in our family there is always , always a knowing, a strong bond that connects the echo's of our hearts . For that I'm so very grateful!

Now, this may seem even stranger to many of you, but I will share with you anyway:) When I eat more organic green vegetables, and vibrant juicy colorful fruits, nuts and grains...I feel energy pumping through my body, mind and spirit..Seriously I do !! This Rawsome Adventure is changing my life!! The way I feel when my feet touch the floor in the morning till I lay my head back down on my pillow at night!! I feel lighter, not just pound wise, but heart wise... I feel more alive, refreshed, calm, centered, whole and creative... To put it in words is hard to fully explain..but here is what I believe ... ( a year ago not so much ) .. I believe that this is my true God given spirit coming alive..pulsing love and faith through my heart ,of which is emitting echo's into the universe to others. In the past month I have met amazing new people, reconnecting with people from my past, understanding and forgiving people that I was unable to do before..I've become more excepting of differences in others, less judgemental, and finding myself aching to reach out and help others .

I know that there is more to this then consuming a healthy organic raw diet. But it certainly is detoxing not only my body, but my mind and spirit... Freeing my heart , releasing the echo's , filling my days with energy and LOVE!!!  I believe that we are what we eat!! That what we eat not only effects the body, but the mind and spirit... Well there is Rawsome Nana's strange but honest raw feelings :):)

May all of you feel the Echo's of  your Heart!!!
And may you feel the love that echo's from mine !!!

Paying Tribute to Women of Natural Healing

               
The books you see here in this blog are of women that have had a strong influence in my life over the past few years.  If you are interested in stories of strong, vibrant women who've had a major impact on the Raw, Living Food Movement, then these books are a must read. All are long gone from this earth, but their love, passion and belief in the properties of healing foods lives on each and everyday by those who's lives have been touched and even saved by their work. The mark they made has led to the makings of  Raw Food Warriors that we follow and admire today.These woman  of course meet with more eye rolling. Accused of being strange,  witch's and even chastised for speaking of their beliefs that food in its natural form could heal.

Rene Caisse treated thousands of terminal cancer victims for over 50 years with wheat grass. People came from all over the world for her help. She worked with well know Doctors of the time, many of whom assisted her by allowing her to use the hospital labs for her research and to document her reports. But because of her alternative cures that worked, she was forbidden to continue her healing or go to prison. Her battle to fight the powers of greed and medical establishment left her broken and turning away the ones she so believed she could help. Her story is one of courage, unwavering belief in her treatments and love for man kind.. I highly recommend reading her story in " The Essiac Report." If you can not find or afford to purchase I will gladly lend you my copy. Her story is too special to not share... Thank you Rene Caisse for giving all you had to give to a society that now believes and practice's your healing treatments.


Ann Wigmore, founded the Hippocrates Health Institute in Boston. She cured herself of cancer and taught many to do the same.. She traveled the world teaching about the beauty of Living Foods...She was a small woman in size , but a giant in my eyes ! She also embraced Rene Caisse's Wheat Grass healing.. Her story is beyond inspiring, and I also pay tribute to you Ann Wigmore and to the difference you have made in my life. I have her book and a set of DVDS that shows her before her passing giving instruction on how to sprout, make almond milk and much much more... The DVD"S are hard to hear because of the poor quality of equipment at the time of taping, but I too will lend these .

Oh how Helen Nearing effect me!!! She was one tough, brilliant, funny and loving woman. The love of her life was Scott Nearing of whom was much older than she. Their story from beginning to the peaceful loving end will leave you desiring to be a better person. They lived together for 53 years, in Maine since 1953, where they built with blood , sweat and no tears The Good Life Homestead that still remains. Joe and I took a trip to see this remarkable homestead a few years ago...it is amazing.. You could almost feel Helen's presence as you looked in the kitchen window where she and Scott ate only raw living foods , that they grew themselves. I would love to sit at that old wooden table, hear them as they discussed Thoreau, Walden and reading to each other books they were writing. Please reward yourself and buy " Loving and Leaving the Good Life ." It certainly is not like reading about all the Hollywood relationships  we hear about in the news or read about in Star Magazine..I promise the reading is much more meaningful:) Another great book is "Simple Food For The Good Life" by Helen Nearing. This book is hard to find, but if you go to www.goodlife.org you can purchase this book as well as other books written by them.. Helen, thank you !!!! There is a Good Life to be lived for all of us..

My Rawsome journey has been inspired by these women, women who lived with grace, strength, hope, and the passion to continue their healing path , regardless of what society said or how hard they had to fight for a right that should be all of ours by birth... I wonder what they would say now to the ever growing chemicals, drugs and processed foods that our children are eating ...?? I know , and so will you after you read their stories :)

You can go to utube , enter Rene Caisse and you can listen to stories about her..her story is free to download on many sites... There are also lots of information on Ann Wigmore and the Nearings online... The world is an oyster, open it to reap the pearl...!!!!

Healing can Happen in the Kitchen

Have you ever walked into a kitchen , felt your heart lighten, your spirit soar and your energy level increase?
I know to many those words may sound corny, out there or make them go hmmm? But, that is exactly what I felt the moment Elizabeth ( Girl Gone Raw ) opened the door to to welcome me to my Alissa Cohen Level 1 Class. Her smile was as bright as the brightly colored walls of her enchanting studio. The warmth of her heart could be felt on the coldest of days. I felt home, alive and so very happy to be on this Rawsome Journey.
Her kitchen smelled of spices, earthy , rich and so very healthy. The low soothing hum of the dehydrator contained the most awesome raw pizza that would make even a meat an tater man drool for.
Warm Herbal Tea offered, introductions to three enchanting, beautiful women..stories of how, why and when we began our interest in the Raw Food world. There is nothing more healing , than the sharing of our stories. I was blessed today to be apart of some amazing stories from some amazing women.
Elizabeth proceeded creating art out of food that was as beautiful as the art hanging on her walls ( that she painted). We feasted like Goddess's !!!! Tropical Green Smoothie,Zucchini Hummus,Spaghetti ( Angel Hair Pasta) with marinara sauce and Girl Gone Raw Parmesan Cheese . As our palette's were singing with joy, Elizabeth is smiling while moving on to Stuffed Portobello Mushroom Caps, topped with her Guacamole. When I saw those mushrooms my heart started beating a little faster, and my mind racing..I REALLY DISLIKE MUSHROOMS!!! I took a deep breath and told myself get over it, your 52 years old and you've waited a long time to take this class..you are going to try them ! So, with the loving support of all in the room, I lifted the fork, opened my mouth and .................wow...not as bad as I thought... I tell you Elizabeth has some magic going on in that kitchen, as now I can say , I may just eat mushrooms again.:) Never , never to old to teach an old dog new tricks :)
Purple Pockets, Broccoli Soup, Fudge Balls, Chocolate Mocha Milkshake..oh my!!! The energy from all that wonderful healing food is still with me this evening. I feel like I could stay up all night. I want to create all those foods in my kitchen tonight, but will refrain from doing so till tomorrow:) The mirror tells me I'm a middle aged woman, but my body is telling me I'm young, wild and raw :) :)
The three hours flew by, an abundance of wonderful food, laughter, conversations and memories made to last in my heart for years to come.
What a Wonderful Day!!!!!!!!!!! I am proud to say I received my Alissa Cohen's Level 1 Certification ..No stopping me now :)