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 :)

Rawsome Happenings

Has been been over a week since last posting. Many wonderful moments, results of raw detox . The raw detox is going fantastic. Not my first time going this path, but finding the second time even better than the first. I know that many do not agree or find this way of eating possible for them, believe me it is not easy everyday for me. But as each day goes by, I find it easier to do than not . If  I take the easier path and revert to a non raw food item, my body tells me right off that it much prefers raw:)
I won't say that I will eat 100% raw for the rest of my life, but truly feel that I will never go back to the foods that left my body crying out for better treatment. I truly can say that I have no desire to eat out or run , the food just taste over processed, too much salt and lacking energy. For sometime now I have been feeling blah, finding it hard to get going in the morning and running out of energy by 5 P.M. ..But since I have started eating raw again , I feel so full of energy, lighter, happier and ready to make more positive changes in my life.. Can food really make such a big difference? YES ..it can :)
I'm taking my raw food life style a step further ! Tomorrow I will attend a class to become certified in preparing Raw Food. I want to learn more and more, to teach others how to meal plan, grocery shop, and prepare raw foods for theme selves and family. To lose weight , to feel more energy, to really take charge of their food choices and health...My husband and I lost over 20 pounds each over a year ago when we went raw.. The weight came off without worrying about calories, hunger or becoming bored with food choices.. It was fun and meals were always different .
After my class tomorrow I will post on here daily, food ideas etc... so excited !!!
Simple Changes you can make : pick one a week and see the difference :)
1.Drink 2 green smoothies a day
2.Make your own milk ( almond milk)
3.Eat Tempeh in place of meat
4.Eat your veggies raw ...

Till next time: Rawsome Healing to You ...and get out there and enjoy the day!!!

When you rise in the morning, look out your window , nature is best enjoyed in its raw form and so is food !!!

Raw Detox : Day #1 ... Grocery List, Detoxing Kitchen, Mindfulness

Hmmmm......... Did I really broadcast to the world that I was going to start a 21 day Raw Food Detox? Yup! Unless I want to feel really bad about myself, then guess I'd better get started.
To start out , I have been detoxing my kitchen. Taking inventory of my ref and cupboards, surprised to see that it's not as bad as I thought it would be. As I looked over my counter tops, I felt the beginnings of a panic attack coming on as my eyes fell upon the coffee pot. I love my coffee and would be lying if I told you I was giving it up. But I am going to make some big changes in that area. First, coffee pot is going into storage and French Press is taking its place. It will make it more time consuming to make the coffee , which I hope will cut down the amount that I drink. Second, will not allow myself to drink that first cup of the day until I drink hot water with lemon...http://www.lookgreat-loseweight-savemoney.com/lemon-water.html . Drinking warm water with lemon is known to help with caffeine withdrawal, weight-loss, healthier skin and liver..
Grocery List to get Started :
Bananas, Granny Smith Apples, Kale, Carrots, Almonds, Oatmeal, Flax seed, Celery, Cucumbers, Red Cabbage, Bragg's Vinegar, Green Peppers, Garlic, Onions, Broccoli, Cauliflower,Watermelon, Grapefruit, Oranges,Lemons,Medjool Dates, Grapes,Romaine and Red Leaf Lettuce , Parsnips and Celery Root...Ginger Root.... there are other ingred you will need as time goes on but these are ones that will help get me started ...
Below is Menu for Tuesday Morning (real first day of detox)
2 cups of hot water with lemon
1 cup organic oats ( this I will cook, my husband doesn't , but I just can't do raw oats yet :)
1/4 cup almond milk ( for oatmeal)
fruit smoothie ( 2 banana, 3 kale leaves, grated ginger, drop of organic raw honey) add water as needed to get blender going ...

Lunch

Large Glass of carrot juice ( 6 carrots, 1 granny smith apple, grated ginger )
Rawsome Salad.... ( broccoli, cauliflower, onion, green pepper, romaine lettuce mix, celery, walnuts, cabbage, carrot...with garlic rosemary vinegar.. ( just grate garlic, add dried rosemary to Bragg's vinegar ) Oh yes make sure you add Flax Seeds to your salads daily !!!!

Dinner

Large Rawsome Salad ( as above)
Carrot Juice ( as above)
Bowl of Oatmeal w/ almond milk

Evening Snack

Fruit Smoothie  ( after I get beyond the first few days of raw diet, I will start to add flax seed crackers, hummus, raw cake etc..but want to keep simple to get started....

Please, if at all possible use only organic fruits and veggies!!! The idea here is to become healthy ! I purchase most of my groceries from Square Root in Poland, Axis is Auburn or Fair Share in Norway... you certainly can purchase from chain grocery store, but please be careful as they may say organic but have found non- organic items in the organic fruit and veggie bins...:( http://fruitsticker.com/ ... print off this and carry in pocketbook so you can check code to make sure organic ....

If you don't have a juicer, then you can buy carrot juice put in blender and add peeled , diced apple... there are many kinds to choose from in store...organic and free of added fruits is best... it is expensive this way, but until you decide if you want to juice daily then this will work for you....  You also can buy organic almond milk ( very inexpensive to use for oatmeal or smoothies ) ... I will post demo on face book group showing how to make almond milk very soon ( as soon as I figure out how to do it ...lol )

Mindfulness Tip

Think of your food the way you want to think of your body !
Take time to display your meals in pleasing way... I am going to use one bowl, plate and my wooden silverware for the next 21 days....
Turn off the TV, turn on music to your liking ...light a candle , use special placemat ...what ever will bring you more mindfulness to the fact that your eating for health not just to eat! We all eat far more than our bodies require and for most of us we don't even remember the meal we ate..other than how we feel after, or the scales...that is not what this is about... It's about changing the way we look at food, how , when and why we eat.... and how we FEEL!!!
For those of you with children, meal times together are so important, but a healthy mom is even more important so enjoy your rawsome meal while eating with them and maybe even getting them to eat some of it too.... HINT for Children !!! Give them there own special place setting, plate and silverware...cut veggies and place on plate to look like a happy face :)

Rawsome Day to You !!!

New Year, New Day, Same Hope, Faith and Dreams !

Can't believe that  last date I posted on this blog was June . So many memories been made, days of laughter and tears since then. I stopped blogging for few different reasons. But, the main reason being that I just didn't know how to put into words all the jumbled feelings that I was having. I would sit and stare at the computer screen, wanting so badly to pour out my heart , then would get angry at myself . What did I have to feel sad about..I was not the one in pain, the one that had to endure the terrible healing process of liver surgery. Not the one to once again struggle with the horrors of cancer ! I didn't want to take one moment away from Kylee's healing journey...she is the one that has had to endure it. But my sister said something to me last night that really hit home...She said but Deb, you have a different story to tell. Yes, I do have a story, we all do. Mine is a story of a mother's pain and fear of seeing her child go through the past 2 years battling cancer. ..It's a long story and to many emotions to go into at this time. This blog post is just to give reason to why I have not blogged for months and to encourage all to tell their story. To share is human, we all suffer in one way or another. Sharing makes the suffering easier some how...we all need to believe that we matter. That someone cares, understands or can relate to our lives.
Many people suffer in silence, behind closed doors, alone. They get up in the morning, put on their happy face and lead others to believe that their lives are prefect..Well no ones life is prefect, no person is prefect and we all feel sadness, fear and alone at times... I don't want to feel that way, I don't want you to feel that way..If I open my door , let you see my imperfections, my humanness than maybe it will help others to do the same...
So starting tomorrow, I will be blogging about my 21 day Raw Food Detox journey, fears, sadness, happiness or other emotions that I encounter through my day.. Well maybe not everything :) I am so far from prefect that at times I lose myself in the imperfections!
I'm 52 years old, raised two beautiful daughters, been married for 32 years...Been at my oldest daughters side for past 2 years while she has battled cancer...been too far away from my youngest daughter, lost a job that provided much needed income to my household....which has led to many other changes in my life..BUT...guess what .... I still laugh, love, dream !! Have hope, faith and believe that my story is worth writing...regardless if others read, learn, or dare to tell their story.. I've paid my dues..I am woman now here me Roar :)