Living Raw with Natural Insect Repellants

Summer is here and the mosquitoes are feeding!  In the midst of itching and scratching it is really tempting to spray on poisonous DEET laden insect repellents.  However, what if I told you that CINNAMON (yes, that delicious spice) could save you from being the focus of a mosquitoes feeding frenzy.

In fact, a study published in the the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry reported that the compounds in cinnamon oil are more potent in killing mosquitoes than DEET. The researchers tested eleven compounds found in cinnamon leaf oil for their capacity to kill the larvae of Aedes aegypti, the mosquito that carries yellow fever. Further, the researchers went on to explain that the cinnamon oil prove similarly lethal against larvae of other types of mosquitoes, providing a safe, natural, pleasant-smelling alternative to other pesticides.

Different essential oils have been found to be effective against different insects.  For instance, below are some that work against biting insects:

• cinnamon oil (mosquitoes)
• lemon eucalyptus or regular eucalyptus oil (mosquitoes, ticks, and lice)
• citronella oil (mosquitoes and biting flies)
• castor oil (mosquitoes)
• orange oil (fleas)
• rose geranium (ticks and lice)

Since different insects respond to different chemicals you can combine a few of these oils to customize the "insect repellent blend" you need.

The basic recipe for insect repellents are 1 part essential oil to 15 parts carrier oil.  Safe carrier oils and alcohols include:

• olive oil
• sunflower oil
• any other cooking oil
• witch hazel
• vodka

Example:

• 10-25 drops (total) of essential oils
• 2 tablespoons of a carrier oil or alcohol

Mix the essential oil with the carrier oil or alcohol. Rub or spray the natural insect repellent onto skin or clothing, using care to avoid the sensitive eye area. You'll need to re-apply the natural product after about an hour or after swimming or exercise. Unused natural insect repellent may be stored in a dark bottle, away from heat or sunlight. If you wish, you may combine the oil with aloe vera gel to change the consistency of the product.

Hope this helps you enjoy a bite and itch free summer!

Exercising my Fungi Thumb!

How much RAW-er can you get than growing your own food?  As many of you know, I recently completely an edible landscaping class and learned a great deal about using creating my own "grocery store" right outside the door of my house!   

One particular class that caught my attention involved the cultivation of fungi (a.k.a. Mushrooms).  See the steps I took below to inoculate logs to grow my own Shitakes and Chicken of the Wood!!

The networking of the mushroom is quite incredible and mushrooms share many characteristics with humans.  Here are just a few fun factoids on mushrooms:

• Just like us, mushrooms take in oxygen for their digestion and metabolism and "exhale" carbon dioxide as a waste product.  Fungal proteins are similar in many ways to animal proteins.
• Penicillin and streptomycin are examples of potent antibiotics derived from fungi.  New classes of antibacterial and antiviral agents continue to be discovered in the fungal kingdom. 
• Mushrooms are considered to be "immuno-modulators".  When consumed, bioactive compounds (particularly protein-bound polysaccharides) in mushrooms have strong effects on our immune system. 
• Just like humans, Mushrooms can produce Vitamin D upon exposure to sunlight and UV radiation. 

So how does one cultivate mushrooms safely?  Quite easily!!  Here's what you'll need:

• Hardwood logs (the fresher cut the better).  You can also use a tree stump.
• Drill
• Mushroom Spore - I ordered mine from www.MushroomMountain.com
• Rubber Mallet
• Beeswax and Brush

Step 1:

We cut down a poplar tree from our backyard (which we are replacing with a fruiting tree) and cut the trunk into approx 3 foot pieces.

Step 2:

Drill holes for the inoculate approximately 1" deep leaving a few inches between each hole with staggering rows.

Step 3:

Position the inoculate dowels and pound into holes using a rubber mallet.  Continue until all the holes are filled.  I keep the two different species of mushrooms that I was working with separate.

Step 4: Cover each plug of inoculate with a dab of melted beeswax.

TIPS:

• Stack your inoculate logs loosely to allow for the spawn to colonize.  Keep the logs from ground contamination by using a pallet or other wood to stack your logs on top of.
• Keep logs protected from excessive wind and sun but ensure adequate ventilation to prevent mold from forming
• During the dry season, sprinkle the logs with water
• Be patient - it can take up to a year for spawn to colonize. Logs inoculated between Dec and May could produce a few caps by autumn.
• Harvest when caps are 70-90% open
• Let your log rest for a couple of months in between fruiting cycles and it will continue to produce for about 3 years!

Are you inpatient and can't wait for nature to take it's course?  You can "force fruit" you logs by creating a 20 degree dip in temperature which tricks the log into fruiting.   Here's how to tips from Lost Creek Mushroom Farm:

 

1. Examine your log. Handle it gently. Look for signs of fruiting such as mushrooms, stems, stem holes, and pins. Pins are buds. They're all white or white with brown tips and look like "outie" belly buttons.
2. Shock your log to trigger fruiting.  With the log in a tray or other container, pour very cold nonchlorinated water over the log until it floats. Soak it for 24 hours. Empty the water, stand the log upright in you tray or saucer.
3. Increase humidity, if needed : If you have low humidity, cover it with a paper or plastic bag and leave 2" of water in the tray. (If you have high humidity or see white mycelia or green mold, DO NOT USE THE BAG.)  Do not leave the bag on for more than 5 days.
4. Watch for pins: They like more moisture and may dry out, so misting will help during pinning. If pins begin to dry out, soak the log in nonchlorinated water for 30-60 minutes and the mushrooms will keep growing. Pinning. In 1-3 days, little white nubs will break through the bark. Remove the bag when the pins begin to look like mushrooms. If the pins start to dry out, soak again for 20-30 minutes or mist often.  
5.  Fruiting. In 3-6 days, you will have a "flush" of fresh, clean, delicious mushrooms.
   If you don't get mushrooms, don't get discouraged. Remember that a log may not fruit after shipping. If you don't get mushrooms on your first shocking cycle, wait 3-4 weeks and shock it again. In dry or hot climates, soak overnight after two weeks. If you don't get mushrooms with the second shock, shock it every 2 weeks for 12 hours until it starts fruiting (try those 12 hrs in the fridge). If you have no mushrooms after the second round of 12 hour ice-water soaks (2 months from your original soaking)

Hurray for Shea Butter!

Embracing a raw lifestyle should be about more than what you eat.  Toxins creep into our lives and wreck havoc on our health through the chemicals that we surround us everday.   Although we can't control some of the environmental onslaught of modern society, we can choose alternative beauty products and household cleaners. The question continues to beg, "Why do we choose chemicals when readily available natural, safe alternatives exists?"  More on an exciting natural alternative later...........but here's a sneak preview:



Can You Guess What These Are?


For decades now we have been told that slathering chemical laden sunscreens onto our skin is critical for reducing the risk of skin cancer.  These recommendations are made by cosmetic companies and vocal dermatologist despite the lack of testing of the chemicals in sunscreen which include:

• Benzophenones (dixoybenzone, oxybenzone)
• PABA and PABA esters (ethyl dihydroxy propyl PAB,  glyceryl PABA, p-aminobenzoic acid, padimate-O or octyl dimethyl PABA)
• Cinnamates (cinoxate, ethylhexyl p-methoxycinnamate, octocrylene, octyl methoxycinnamate) Salicylates (ethylhexyl salicylate, homosalate, octyl salicylate)
• Digalloyl trioleate
• Menthyl anthranilate
• Avobenzone [butyl-methyoxydibenzoylmethane; Parsol 1789] - This is the only chemical sunscreen currently allowed by the European Community.

Since we have been "sold" by our government, the AMA, dermatologists, cosmetic companies and other interested parties that sunscreen is vital to reducing cancer risks let see how we are doing:

• Worldwide, the greatest rise in melanoma has been experienced in countries where chemical sunscreens have been heavily promoted   (Garland, Cedric F., et al. Could sunscreens increase melanoma risk? American Journal of Public Health, Vol. 82, No. 4, April 1992, pp. 614-15).
• Dr. Gordon Ainsleigh in California believes that the use of sunscreens causes more cancer deaths than it prevents. He estimates that the 17% increase in breast cancer observed between 1981 and 1992 may be the result of the pervasive use of sunscreens over the past decade (Ainsleigh, H. Gordon. Beneficial effects of sun exposure on cancer mortality. Preventive Medicine, Vol. 22, February 1993, pp. 132-40).
• Recent studies have also shown a higher rate of melanoma among men who regularly use sunscreens and a higher rate of basal cell carcinoma among women using sunscreens (Garland, Cedric F. et al. Effect of sunscreens on UV radiation-induced enhancement of melanoma growth in mice. Journal of the National Cancer Institute, Vol. 86, No. 10, May 18, 1994, pp. 798-801 :Larsen, H.R. "Sunscreens: do they cause skin cancer." International Journal of Alternative & Complementary Medicine, 1994; 12(12): 17-19; Farmer K.C. & Naylor, M.F. "Sun exposure, sunscreens, and skin cancer prevention: a year-round concern." Ann Pharmacother, 1996; 30(6):662-73)
• Drs. Cedric and Frank Garland of the University of California have pointed out that while sunscreens do protect against sunburn, there is no scientific proof that they protect against melanoma or basal cell carcinoma in humans (Garland, C.F., et al. "Could sunscreens increase melanoma risk?" American Journal of Public Health, 1992; 82(4): 614-615.)
• In February 1998, epidemiologist Marianne Berwick of Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York presented a careful analysis of data which concluded, "We don't really know whether sunscreens prevent skin cancer," said Berwick. (Source: Science News, Vol. 153, No. 23, June 6, 1998, p. 360).

The other issue with sunscreen is that it blocks sun rays vital to the body's production of Vitamin D. If fact, Dr. Michael Holick (Boston University Medical Center) states that Vitamin D helps prevent a number of diseases including high blood pressure, diabetes, arthritis, some infectious diseases, and even cancer. “If you put a sunscreen on with a sun protection factor of 30, which is what they typically recommend, it reduces the ability to make vitamin d in your skin, by 95-99 percent. So if you’re always wearing sun protection all the time, and you’ve depended on sun for your vitamin d requirement, you’re at increased risk for vitamin d deficiency,” Dr. Holick says.

 

So what are we to do?  PURE, UNREFINED SHEA BUTTER!  Shea butter is harvested from the fruit of shea trees (typically grown in Africa).  In its pure state, shea butter contains skin soothing vitamins (E & F), minterals, and a unique fatty acid profile that is crucial to rejuvenating and moisturizing the skin.  This balance of vitamins, minerals and fatty acid also make shea butter an excellent natural sunscreen.



I wanted to put shea butter to the test as a sunscreen so yesterday I spent from 10am to 4pm outside gardening in full sun (spending only 1 hour in the shade for lunch).  As a blonde haired, blue eyed, fair skinned chick, I am the perfect candidate for a burn.  Much to my surprise, at the end of the day I had no signs of sunburn (I applied the shea butter at 8am and never reapplied).  Needless to say, I'm sold.

Here's some shea butter tips for you:

1. Make sure your product is raw and unrefined - if its white, it's refined.  If it is a chunky yellow mess, it's pure.

2. It's a little hard to apply out of the container so I took a glop and whipped it with a stand mixer.

3. If you don't care for the smell, add a few drops of essensial oils.

4.  I "melted" it by rubbing it in my hands and then applying. This made it go on smoothly.

Other cosmetic uses for shea include treating eczema and burns, pain relief from arthritis, muscle relaxation, fading dark spots, treating stretch markes, reducing wrinkles and blemishes, hair conditioning treatment, and diaper rash.

What You Don't Know About Your Doctor Can Kill You

I spent over a decade working in the pharmaceutical and medical device industry. Although I believe many physicians enter the profession with a desire to help their fellow man, the health care industry is designed to drive dollars.  Here are some interesting facts on the "sickcare" industry:

• Nearly 20 percent of American doctors get paid by drug companies to be consultants or speakers.
• On the drug companies' payrolls, nearly 200 Georgia doctors, pulled in over $2.2 million last year.
• In 2009, seven reporting pharmaceutical companies paid $109 billion dollars to doctors to promote their drugs at peer-to-peer meetings.
• A recent review found that about two-thirds of academic medical centers hold equity interest in companies that sponsor research within the same institution (JAMA 2008).
• A study of medical school department chairs found that two-thirds received departmental income from drug companies and three-fifths received personal income (JAMA, Sep 2008)
• A study of 200 panels that issued practice guidelines found that more than one third of the authors acknowledged that they had some financial interest in the drugs they recommended.
• Many members of the FDA’s 16 standing committees that advise the FDA on drug approvals also have financial ties to drug companies.
• Over half of Continuing Medical Education seminars are funded by the drug industry.
• Go here to find out if your doctor receives money from drug companies: http://projects.propublica.org/docdollars/

This little summation is not to put all the blame on the doctor but, let's face it, you are suppose to be in a "trusting relationship" with your doctor.  The drug companies did not take an oath to keep you safe and healthy.  Further, they have never hidden the fact that they are a BUSINESS that is FOR PROFIT with strategies designed to deliver results to shareholders.

Clearly, this is not a system designed to cure disease as there is no money to be made from healthy people.

Now consider these facts:

• Less than 6% of doctors get adequate nutritional training during medical school. They are trained to treat disease with pharmaceuticals.
• Our healthcare system is the THIRD largest killer in America claiming over 250,000 deaths per year.

12,000 due to unnecessary surgery

7,000 due to medication error in the hospital

20,000 due to other hospital errors

80,000 due to hospital based infections

106,000 due to adverse events from prescription drugs

• Degenerative diseases are nearly non existent in wild animals unless their raw food supply has been altered.
• Commonalities of people who live in Blue Zones (unique places where people live long without disease) are gardening, primarily plant based diets, lots of sunshine, and consumption of superfoods.
• Doctors such as Dr. Gabriel Cousens, MD, boast a 90% cure rate of Type II diabeties when patients follow a raw, plant based diet (no person has been cured with pharmaceuticals).

As much as we'd like to point the finger at doctors, drug companies, insurance companies, and the whole health care system - it's time to take a serious look at OUR responsibility in our health.  You CAN take CONTROL of your wellbeing!

I've never sold a drug that cured anything, but I have seen miracles happen with food.

www.rawkstarlivingfoods.com
http://rawkstar.kajabi.com

Corporate Sponsors and Medical Associations: Don't Bite the Hand that Feeds You or Your Patients

There is a lot of finger pointing in our health care system.  Fingers are often pointed at the pharmaceutical industry, the managed care organization, medical teaching institutions, etc.  Rarely does the finger land on the doctor or their organizations such as the AMA or the AAFP.  Recently the American Academy of Family Practitioners announced a corporate partnership with The Coca-Cola Co., in which the beverage giant will provide a grant for the Academy to develop consumer education content related to beverages and sweeteners for the AAFP's award-winning consumer health and wellness Web site, FamilyDoctor.org.  Having spent over a decade in the medical industry I can assure you that Coca Cola will not casually stand by and have sweeteners (high calorie or low calorie) tarnished in any fashion.  Partnerships do not happen in any business unless there is a mutually beneficial outcome.

These partnerships are nothing new.  In March 2008 that American Diabetes Association (check out the press release) proudly declaring: American Dietetic Association Welcomes The Coca-Cola Company as an ADA Partner! Is this a conflict of interest or a case of don't bite the hand that feed you?

Several months ago I published a blog quoted research from University of Texas in regards to the metabolism and storage of aspartame in the liver.  The results of the study were not good and indicated that aspartame is metabolised into formaldehyde and then stored in the fatty tissues of the liver as an unrecognizable compound.  The long term implications of this were fatty liver disease.  I wonder if this will be part of the alleged consumer education funded by the Coca Cola grant.

Most people understand what happens when people consume too much sugar - weight gain, insulin fluctuations, etc.  Most think they are safe to consume artificial sweeteners which is absolutely false. Below is a compilation of different sweeteners and their potential sides effects as indicated by studies:

Aspartame (NutraSweet & Equal)Used in: Diet sodas, breath mints, sugar-free gums, frozen yogurt
What is it: Aspartic acid and phenylalanine
Tastes like: Chemical tasting
Strength: 150-200 times stronger than sugar
Calories: 0 calories
Possible side effects: Unless you have a rare genetic condition that does not allow your body to process phenylalanine (phenylketonuria), you should be fine. Although, some studies are trying link a multitude of illnesses such as headaches/migraines, dizziness, nausea, weight gain, muscle spasms, depression, fatigue, insomnia, heart palpitations, vision and hearing problems, anxiety attacks, vertigo, memory loss and joint pain, Emotional Disorders, Multiple Sclerosis, Lupus, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, brain tumors, brain cancer, diabetes, Alzheimer's Disease, Parkinson's Disease, Epilepsy, birth defects, and diabetes to the overuse of aspartame.
Saccharin (Sweet ‘N Low)Used in: Some toothpaste like Crest and Colgate, as well as diet sodas
What is it: Sulfur dioxide, chlorine, ammonia, and biochemical acids
Tastes like: Bitter with a metallic finish
Strength: 400-500 times stronger than sugar
Calories: 1/8 calorie per teaspoon
Possible side effects: In 1977, the FDA made all products containing saccharin 
add a warning label stating that it was determined to cause cancer in laboratory 
animals. In May of 2000, it was removed from the National Toxicology Report on 
Carcinogens.
Sugar Alcohols (Low Carb Products)Used in: Low carbohydrate products
What is it: sugar with an added hydrogen molecule
Tastes like: Similar to sweetness of sugar
Strength: Similar to sugar, but with less impact on blood glucose levels
Calories: 25% less calories than sugar
Possible side effects: Deleterious effects such as bloating, gas, diarrhea, vomiting
Sucralose (Splenda)Used in: Numerous low carb or sugar-free products
What is it: Sugar bonded with chlorine atoms
Tastes like: Slightly chemical tasting
Strength: 600 times sweeter than sugar
Calories: 0
Possible side effects: Although there are many accusations, no side effects have been confirmed in 113 studies over 20 years. The upper limit is considered to be 1,500 12 once diet sodas a day. It’s important to note that although splenda contains chlorine atoms, it differs in the way it is structured and therefore does not resemble household chlorine. The human body also contains its own natural chlorine in the form of KC1 and NaC1.  However, Spenda is a chemical substance, not inherent to the body, and should be treated as such.

Meat vs. Plant: Arguments for a Plant Based Diet

Ask 20 vegans at a dinner party why they choose to abstain from consuming animal protein and you are likely to get 20 different answers.  Way back in June of 1989, the New York Times published an article called "How to Win An Argument with a Meat Eater" which compiled every argument from every angle available to support a plant based diet. The facts below are still relevant event though the numbers may be UNDERESTIMATED given this was written over 20 years ago!  Additionally, when you put this data into context with new research (i.e. The China Study) the arguments are even more compelling.

* Number of people worldwide who will die of starvation this year: 60 million

* Number of people who could be adequately fed with the grain saved if Americans reduced their intake of meat by 10%: 60 million

* Human beings in America: 243 million

‎* Number of people who could be fed with grain and soybeans now eaten by U.S. livestock: 1.3 billion

* Percentage of corn grown in the U. S. eaten by people: 20

* Percentage of corn grown in the U. S. eaten by livestock: 80

* Percentage of oats grown in the U. S. eaten by livestock: 95

* Percentage of protein waste by cycling grain through livestock: 99
* How frequently a child starves to death: every two seconds
* Pounds of potatoes that can be grow on an acre: 20,000
* Percentage of beef produced on an acre: 165
* Percentage of U. S. farmland devoted to beef production: 56
* Pounds of grain and soybeans needed to produce a pound of beef: 16

The Environmental Argument
* Cause of global warming: greenhouse effect
* Primary cause of Greenhouse effect: carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuels
* Fossil fuels needed to produce a meat-centered diet vs. a meat-free diet: 50 times more
* Percentage of U.S. topsoil lost to date: 75
* Percentage of U.S. topsoil loss directly related to livestock raising: 85
* Number of acres of U.S. forest cleared for cropland to produce meat-centered diet: 260 million
* Amount of meat U. S. imports annually from Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Panama: 200 million pounds
* Average per capita meat consumption in Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Panama: less than eaten by average U. S. housecat
* Area of tropical rainforest consumed in evey quarter-pound hamburger: 55 sq. ft.
* Current rate of species extinction due to destruction of tropical rainforests for meat grazing and other uses: 1,000 per year

The Cancer Argument
* Increased risk of breast cancer for women who eat meat 4 times a week vs. less than once a week: 4 times.
* For women who eat eggs daily vs. less than once a week: 3 times
* Increased risk of fatal ovarian cancer for women who eat eggs 3 or more times a week vs. less than once a week: 3 times.
* Increased risk of fatal prostate cancer for men who eat meat daily vs. sparingly or not at all: 3.6 times

The Natural Resources Argument
* Use of more than half of all water used for all purposes in the U.S.: livestock portion
* Amount of water used in production of the average steer: sufficient to float a destroyer
* Gallons to produce a pound of wheat: 25
* Gallons to produce a pound of meat: 2,500
* Cost of common hamburger if water used by meat industry was not subsidized by the U. S. taxpayer: $35 a pound.
* Current cost of pound of protein from beefsteak, if water was no longer subsidized: $89
* Years the world's known oil reserves would last if every human ate a meat-centered diet: 13
* Years they would last if human beings no longer ate meat: 260
* Barrels of oil imported into U.S. daily: 6.8 million
* Percentage of fossil fuel returned as food energy by most efficient factory farming of meat: 34.5
* Percentage returned from least efficient plant food: 32.8
* Percentage of raw materials consumed by U. S. to produce present meat-centered diet: 33

The Cholesterol Argument
* Number of U.S. medical schools
* Number requiring a course in nutrition: 30
* Nutrition training received by average U.S. Physician during four years of medical school: 25 hours.
* Most common cause of death in U.S.: heart attack
* How frequently a heart attach kills in the US: every 45 seconds.
* Average US man's risk of death from heart attack: 50%.
* Risk for average U.S. man who avoids the meat-centered diet: 15%
* Meat industry claims you should not be concerned about your blood cholesterol of it is: normal.
* Your risk of dying of a disease caused by clogged arteries if your blood cholesterol is "normal": over 50%.

The Antibiotic Argument
* Percentage of U.S. antibiotics fed to livestock: 55
* Percentage of staphylococci infections resistant to penicillin in 1960: 13; percentage resistant in 1997: 99
* Response of European Economic Community to routine feeding of antibiotics to livestock: ban
* Response of U.S. meat and pharmaceutical industries to routine feeding of antibiotics to livestock: full and complete support.

The Pesticide Argument
* Percentage of pesticide residues in the U. S. diet supplied by grains: 1
* Percentage of pesticide residues in the U. S. diet supplied by fruits: 4
* Percentage of pesticide residues in the U. S. diet supplied by dairy products: 23
* Percentage of pesticide residues in the U. S. diet supplied by meat: 55
* Pesticide contamination of breast milk from meat-eating mothers vs. non-meat eating: 35 times higher.
* What U.S.D.A. tells us: meat is inspected.
* Percentage of slaughtered animals inspected for residues of toxic chemicals including dioxin and DDT: less than 0.00004

The Ethical Argument
* Number of animal killed for meat per hour in U. S.: 500,000
* Occupation with highest turnover rate in U.S.: slaughterhouse worker.
* Occupation with highest rate of on-the-job injury in U.S.: slaughterhouse worker.
* Cost to render animal unconscious with 'captive bolt pistol" before slaughter: $0.01
* Reason given by meat industry for not using 'captive bolt pistol': too expensive.

The Survival Argument
* Athlete to win Ironman Triathlon more than twice: Dave Scott (6 time winner).
* Food choice of Dave Scott: Vegetarian
* Largest meat eater that ever lived: Tyrannosaurus Rex
* Last sighting of Tyrannosaurus Rex: 100,000,000 B. C.

Costa Rica - Tips and Treasures

Our View

Hola!  I've been out of the blogging space for a bit as I was giving thanks and celebrating life in Costa Rica.  What a beautiful country.  This was my second trip to this eco-conscious, splendid gem in Central America.  As always, Costa Rica has left me breathless and taught me some wonderful life lessons.  As many of my readers know, I am constantly in a tug-of-war with my life's balance between what I do for a living and what I hold true as my core beliefs.  Visiting Costa Rica not only provided me with a relaxing vacation but a time to reflect on what is important and where my future should be.  Who wouldn't be able to find clarity and focus when this was the view every evening? More on my developing future in coming blogs...........How's that for a cliff hanger?

As I mentioned, Costa Rica is a special place so I wanted to take this blog and dedicate it to some of the wonderful business and people that you may be interested in should you decide to visit. The eco consciousness of the country is remarkable - recycling bins are common at bus stops and other areas of the cities where you would normally just see a trash can. The beaches are clean, the air is fresh, and their is a true respect for nature that can be felt by the locals.

I like to stay in the Guanacaste area on the Pacific side of the country.  We stay in Playa Hermosa which is a great little beach town offering good scuba diving but my future ventures will definitely settle further south into the Nicoya peninsula.  We travelled by car over many miles on unpaved roads down what would be equivalent to California's Pacific Coast Highway.  In between dodging cows, horses, and holes we were treated to unbelievable views of the Pacific Ocean.

As I grew up on the west coast I have

Nature, Pure, Untouched

seen the Pacific is all her glory from many great vantage points but nothing could have prepared me for what I saw in Costa Rica - unspoiled, uncrowded, natural, and pristine.





Urban Eclectic



We travelled down to Tamarindo. Tamarindo is a surfer, tourist town.  For travellers who don't want to be too remote, Tamarindo offers great restaurants, surf camps, and tons of shopping. In fact I came across a wonderful jewelry artist named Tricia.   A Los Angeles transplant, she creates really unique pieces that are one of a kind.  You can check out her stuff at Urbaneclectic.etsy.com.   I wanted to buy everything in her store!

I was right at home with all the Californians in Tamarindo.  We had some great Cali-Rican food at Eat at Joe's.  Joe is a real guy who runs Witch's Rock Surf Camp. A common theme among the transplanted people I met all over Costa Rica, Joe came down to Costa Rica ten years ago, fell in love with it and move down from Cali.  They have the only surf camp in Tamarindo with accommodations on the beach.  I knew I was suppose to "Eat at Joes" when I saw that "parking was reserved for Chargers fans"!

We continued our drive from Tamarindo to Nosara to visit my friend Joy, her hunny Marco, and their beautiful new baby girl.  I met Joy when she was hosting a yoga/raw food retreat.  Her company, Inward Bound, is dedicated to providing retreats focusing on yoga, food, and awareness.  Whether you are looking for yoga, yoga/surf, yoga/surf/raw, raw cleanse, or any other combination of retreat look no further than Inward Bound.  Joy, true to her name, is a joyful yoga instructor and a wealth of knowledge in terms of nutrition, raw and otherwise.  Once you attend one of her retreats you will be spoiled for all others!!!  Joy has a wonderful way of sharing her gifts through yoga. It's hard to describe but she has such a calming and welcoming nature that is contagious. You'll feel like your are doing yoga and learning about raw food with friends rather than feeling the structure of a typical retreat.  When passing through Costa Rica also be sure to check out The Yoga House which Joy is involved in.  And, if you are looking to improve your espanol definitely check Nosara Spanish Institute run by our friend Marco.  Believe me, after visiting the Nosara area you will want to move so you'll need to know your Spanish!

Don't let anyone find out that the surf is off the chain in Playa Guiones!

Playa Guiones is one of the most gorgeous beaches and villages in the Nosara area. I hesitate to even advertise how great it is because I never want it to become crowded!!  A true raw paradise I was overwhelmed at the amount of raw offering in the area.  As we drove through, people were walking around with their yoga mats and sipping juice.  The whole village looked like a self contained retreat center!  One really cool place we ate at was The Harmony Hotel.  What a sacred space - from the restaurant to the gardens this place exhumed the definition of peacefulness. They offer more than just a hotel room. The boast a full menu of healing services including spa, massage, yoga, and more in an eco-friendly environment.

Heather conquering Rio Colorado

For adventure, we took part in white water kayaking on the Rio Colorado.  This was our second trip on the river and both times we use the outfitters through Haciendda Guachipeli.  There are amazing views all up and down the river.  It's hard to paddle because the scenery is so great you just want to look around!  The scuba diving is best if you are an experienced diver and can go out to some of the "rougher" seas to witness the whale sharks and the manta rays (who have a wing span of 20 feet!!).  My oldest daughter was diving with us so we chose shallower reef dives as this was her first big ocean dive experience.  Still beautiful we saw moray eels, eagle rays, tropical fish, lobsters, sea urchins, and lots of needle fish!

As our Costa Rica adventure came to an end we were sad to be leaving this incredible place and already formulating our plans to return and possibly buy a home there so we can go back whenever we need the renewing and healing power that CR offers. Pura Vida!

Heather diving at Los Meadows





Veganism hits the elite!!

Heavy hitting politicians, movie types, and rock stars are finally getting on board with the wonderful world of veganism.  With Bill Clinton's recent CNN appearance and now a hard hitting article in Bloomberg Business Weekly, veganism is well on the way to mainstream acceptance.

The real question is what this translates into in terms of policy change.  Hopefully this will create political awareness around unethical, earth rapers such as Monsanto.  Below is a list of some of the fines Monsanto has had to pay in the past which are nothing compared to the price we are all going to pay in the future for their unscrupulous activities.

• As recently as 2005, the Justice Department ordered Monsanto to pay a $1.5 million fine for bribing Indonesian officials in order to get its Bollgard cotton seeds approved without having to prove their environmental safety.
• Monsanto's biggest individual fine to date was a $100 million settlement to the family of Wilbur Jack Skeen in 1986. The company was found to be negligent in exposing Mr. Skeen, a worker in the companies Texas plant, to benzene. The exposure eventually led to his death from leukemia.
• Monsanto was one of the companies named in a $180 million suit for Vietnam War vets exposed to “Agent Orange”. Monsanto manufactured the herbicide from 1965 to 1969.
  The settlement did not include the 400,000 disabilities and deaths that the population of Vietnam suffered from the toxic herbicide.
• In 1995, Monsanto was forced to pay a Texas Waste Management company $41.1 million for hazardous waste concerns.
• In 1996, New York's Attorney General hit the company with a $50,000 fine for false advertising of its flagship pesticide Roundup. Claims in question included “Remember that environmentally friendly Roundup herbicide is biodegradable. It won't build up in the soil so you can use Roundup with confidence along customers' driveways, sidewalks and fences... ”

Additionally, will change come to our school lunch programs?  With the "high profilers" now recognizing the importance of a vegan and whole foods diet I hope that this translates into real change for our children.  These are stats from 2000 but still relevant:

• 18.2% = The percentage of schools where nutrition specific staff worked with physical education staff on nutrition activities.

• 2.1% of elementary schools, 6.7% of middle schools, and 24.0% of high schools  = Schools who sell deep-fried foods at lunch.

• 22.8 minutes = The average time all kids in this country are given to eat lunch.

• 32.7% of elementary schools, 71.3% of middle schools, and 89.4% of high schools = Schools who offer vending machines or a school store, canteen, or snack bar where students can purchase foods or beverages.

• 30% = Schools who rarely, if ever offer a vegetable that’s NOT a potato.

• 26.1% = Amount of school districts that prohibit using food as a reward.

• 38.9% = School districts and states that DO prohibit junk food sold during breakfast and lunch.

• 5.5% = States and districts that prohibit offering junk food at concession stands.

• 18.9% = States and districts that prohibit offering junk food at school stores, canteens, or snack bars.

• 11.8% states 57.1% districts = Amount of schools that are required to provide elementary schools students with regularly scheduled recess.

• 6.6% = Amount of school districts requiring that schools make fruits or vegetables available to students whenever food was offered or sold.

• 18.4% of states + 17.0% of districts = States and districts that require schools to offer healthful beverages such as bottled water or low-fat milk, whenever beverages were offered or sold.

• 38.8% = Number of districts that require that schools implement food safety practices school wide.

• 75.8% = Amount of districts that allow advertising for candy, fast food restaurants, or soft drinks on school property.

• 11.7% of elementary schools, 19.0% of middle schools, and 23.5% of high schools = Amount of schools who offer fast foods from companies such as Pizza Hut, Taco Bell, or Subway. This frankly could be worse, but fast food doesn’t belong in schools at all IMO.

• 76.8% = Amount of high schools with access to soda pop or sugar-based fruit drinks in vending machines or elsewhere in the school.

So why all the hype lately?  The Bloomberg article offers these reasons, "It affords them the opportunity to control their own health with the same manic id with which they control everything else. Wynn says his new diet has allowed him to get off Lipitor. Clinton's diet made him a fashion darling at his daughter's wedding this summer. "It's probably a good thing in a CEO," says Freston about veganism. "At least they won't be toppling over like those McDonald's CEOs."   Whatever the reasons, only good can come of this!

Raw Food.........The Answer to World Peace???

‎"Imagine all the people living life in peace. You may say I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one. I hope someday you'll join us, and the world will live as one." —John Lennon

In reflecting over the last few years of my raw journey I have had several remarkable things happen to me - my battle with insomnia ended, I have unbelievable energy, and my overall health has increased several fold.  I also had some thing happen to me that was very unexpected. In short, I became a nicer person. 

Now, I know what you're thinking - how in the heck can raw food make you a nicer person?  I too was baffled at my sudden urges to help my fellow man, take care of animals, and be a better steward to the planet.  The only rationale I could find for my new consciousness was that I was finally in touch with real lifeforce.  When you handle food with such care and appreciate it in its natural form you become increasingly aware of the cycle of life. I suddenly felt overwhelming gratitude to the farmers who tended the soil, the sun for energy giving life, the water to provide a catalyst for growth, and all those involved in the harvesting of the food I would consume.  These feeling of gratitude and appreciate started to spill over into anything and everything I was involved with.  When driving down the road I became full of thankfulness for everyone involved in planning and building the roads. If I happened to look at a tree, I could get completely lost in the wonder of a leaf.  Even when people disappointed me, were rude to me, or cut me off in traffic I was able to find compassion and empathy for whatever they may have been experiencing in their own lives. Even with the bad drivers, I would mindfully send "good vibes" in their direction so that they would get to their destination safety.  I would also hope for them to find time to relax and enjoy.  

WAS I STONED????  DID SOMEONE SLIP ME A MICKIE???  Nope, it was the raw food.  I was experiencing such strange phenomenons that I was prompted to look deeper into this issue and actually found a study of over 500 raw foodists.  After following these people for two years the investigators found some startling correlations between mental wellbeing and raw food.  Overwhelmingly, raw foodists had a greater sense of patience, optimism, joy, intuition, overall goodness and more (see study below).

Given this data, can you imagine what would happen if the whole world suddenly became raw vegan?  Would there be an end to war, starvation, hatred, bigotry, and discrimination????  Like John Lennon so poetically sang, Imagine............................... 

Raw Food Diet Study

An Investigation of Over 500 People Who Have Eaten a Raw Food Diet for Over 2 Years

In 2006 a raw food diet study was made by Lenka J. Zajic, who went on to obtain a Masters in Vegan and Live Food Nutrition, where she conducted an in-depth 500-participant survey of raw food eaters. The study showed that people who ate 80-90 percent raw foods showed significant improvements in immunity, digestion, allergies, weight, disease, energy, and mental and emotional well-being. "There seems to be no question that, at least initially, eating a raw food diet can reduce or cure many health complaints," Said Zajic.

#1 - Energy
Eating raw foods increases your energy. There are a few reasons for this; one is that your body doesn`t have to spend as much energy digesting your food. Raw foods contain enzymes, and these enzymes help your body break down food. Cardiovascular endurance improved for 67 percent of respondents. A dramatic increase in energy levels were reported since transitioning to raw foods, specifically 31 percent to 88 percent of the respondents who said they had "good" or "excellent" energy levels.

#2 - Cleansing
Elimination improved dramatically on a raw food diet. People who reported having two or more bowel movements per day increased from 25 percent to 78 percent. The number of respondents experiencing constipation decreased from 73 percent to 30 percent. Having a properly functioning digestive tract is vital to maintaining optimal health.

#3 - More Time
Preparing raw foods takes a lot less time, compared to cooked foods. Raw food eaters also reported needing less sleep. Those who reported needing over 8 hours of sleep per night dropped from 59 percent to 19 percent. Sleep quality also improved; those who reported no insomnia rose from 40 to 59 percent since transitioning to a raw food diet.

#4 - Weight
According to a raw food diet study that contained 864 self-reported two-year plus raw food eaters, 82.5 percent lost weight after switching to a raw food diet. 75 percent of those not already at their ideal weight said they were successful in reaching it after transitioning to a raw food diet.

#5 - Environment
Producing meat costs an incredible amount of energy and food. This food could be used to feed starving nations and let nature recuperate. Did you know that livestock produce more climate change gasses than all the vehicles in the world? It`s true; a report by the United Nations Food & Agriculture Organization proves it. A meat-based diet also requires 7 times more land than a plant-based diet.

#6 - Mental Health
One of the most dramatic and encouraging areas of improvement occurred in mental, emotional and spiritual health. Overall, the majority of respondents (87.5 percent) reported an improved mental, emotional and/or spiritual state after the transition. The percentage of respondents that reported a "good" or "excellent" mental state after transitioning to raw foods rose in all categories surveyed including:

1. Optimism (43% to 91%)
2. Patience (29% to 84%)
3. Self-Sufficiency (54% to 88%)
4. Memory, Focus & Clarity (36% to 82%)
5. Creativity (48% to 82%)
6. Efficiency (53% to 82%)
7. Passion (53% to 88%)
8. Intuition (52% to 91%)
9. Dept of Meditation (28% to 68%)
10. Quietness of Mind (25% to 74%)
11. Contentment (30% to 80%)
12. Joy (31% to 79%)

Summary
This study was more subjective than objective, but that doesn`t mean that it can be dismissed. Clearly, the respondents got significant improvements in many areas, which show that an increased consumption of raw foods is beneficial.

Luna's Living Kitchen - MUY BUENO!!

I had the absolute pleasure of trying Charlotte's newest (and only!) raw restaurant today - Luna's Living Kitchen.  To say that I was stoked on my experience is an understatement.  Luna's is in a great, trendy location nestled between Evolution Fitness and the Atherton Mill Farmer's Market.  The atmosphere is casual, tres cool, and comfy. 

Andy, one of Luna's fab culinary squad, recommended the Lunasagna which was artfully constructed with layers of zucchini, sundried tomato sauce, green cashew cheese, and topped with marinaded cucumber slices.  This was pared up with some fresh greens and clover sprouts. Crazy delicious!!!  The sundried tomato sauce was richly flavored with a slight sweetness which was great against the cashew cheese and the coolness of the zucchini.   I rounded my meal out with some Popeye Juice which is a blend of spinach, pineapple, papaya, and hemp protein.

As I was getting ready to leave, a customer at a neighboring table received her meal - the Sprouted Quinoa-Kalmut Veggie Burger.  I was going to ask her how it was but all I needed to see was her taking one bite.  Her eye went half closed, she slumped in her chair, and just nodded her head yes while she smiled and chewed.  No need to ask - that said it all...................................

If you are in Charlotte, definately cruise to 2120 South Blvd and check them out. 

Present Moment Cafe

I soooooo dig the North Florida raw scene!!!  Check out this dish that I ate at Present Moment Cafe this afternoon. This was one of the Specials - Nachos!  The raw corn tortilla chips were piled high with Romaine lettuce, guacamole, cashew sour cream, cashew cheese, nut pate, salsa and sprouts. I'll be spending the next several days trying to "crack the code" on how I can prepare this dish in my own kitchen!!  My only regret with this dish is that it was so good that I ate the whole thing and didn't have room to get desserts!

According to Travel Adivsor, Present Moment Cafe is ranked #7 out of 266 restaurants in St. Augustine which should give you an idea of the quality of the food.  Raw restaurants normally have a small menu but theirs is large in comparison - lots of variety!

The restaurant itself is funky, eclectic, and cool.  It's got a great vibe that is matched by their awesome, friendly staff.  Since I'm only in the area on business I'm a single diner. However, eating at Present Moment Cafe makes me feel like I'm just hanging out at a cool restaurant with good friends - I could have stayed all day and shot the you-know-what with the bartendar (he's hilarious)!  If you are in the area definitely check them out.

Why Do People Do This?

The journey of a rawist (especially in my profession) is always an adventure.  People waiver between fascination, repulsion, and borderline obsession with what, why, how, when, and where I eat.  I'm asked a tons of questions about it but people often argue with my answers with their personal objections of why they can't do it.  When I first began this journey and started to have quite amazing results in regards to my blood chemistry. I even had someone from work ask if I was overly religious.  As if my cholesterol and hormone profile had changed because I was having some sort of religious experience!!!  What am I - some sort of reverse stigmata????

This always amazes me because I don't care or judge if someone chooses to eat whatever they want.  I did not become a raw vegan because of social or political reasons so I don't have an urge to "convert" others.  I do it because I believe the science and research that I've read and have witness first hand the incredible results in myself, my family, and friends.  My "social softening" and increase connection to the planet has been a surprising after effect of my change.

At a function just last night I was met with the same things I hear all the time:

"My grandfather lived to be 95 and he ate meat, potatoes, smoked and drank alcohol everyday"
Just because granddaddy lived to be 95 doesn't mean you will be saved of any disease. Grandaddy probably had a small benefit of being raised on a farm eating significantly more vegetables as a child and young man.  Our portions of meat and dairy have progressively grown larger over the years.  Grandaddy probably had several periods in his young life where meat was a luxury not  the main course.  Some researchers say our early years are vital to establishing healthy cells and immunity.

"Well, disease is in my genes so there will be nothing I can do about it"
WHAT????  In the China Study and others gene predisposition makes up a very, very, very small part of whether we get disease or not.  This says more about someone character if they are willing to throw in the towel in the face of potential disease.  This also goes for the reserve of "My genes are great so I can do what ever I want".

"I may be a little overweight but my doctor says my cholesterol is good"
Americans have this backwards approach to health that goes like this - do everything you can to destroy your body until your sick then freak out.  Many don't care if they get sick because they see medicine as a way out. Waiting until you get sick to start a healthy life makes no sense.  Medication does not cure disease it simply puts a mask on the symptoms.

"I think everything in moderation is really the way to go"
Moderation will kill you.  If the mainstream was better educated on health and wellness they would see the mediocre never do well.  I heard Dr. Dean Ornish speak a few weeks ago and he pinpointed the "moderation approch" as being extremely detrimental.  Mainstream doctors regularly give "moderate" diet recommendations.  To a diabetic a doctor will say "Try to cut down on your sugars".  A diabetic needs to make a drastic change to receive drastic results.

"Why should I eat that way? I'm not sick."
Again, why do people wait until a crisis to do anything?

"You sound like a liberal"
Really????  The republicans constantly harp on taking responsibility for yourself, don't give handouts, etc.  I would argue that I am taking the most republican stance possible.  I am taking complete responsibility for maintaining optimal health without draining our health care system. I feed my body in the intended manner and don't rely on medications, doctors, or unneeded surgeries to "bail me out" when I've eaten myself into diabetes, cancer, or CVD.

The common demonimator is that these are really just excuses not to take responsibility for their health and the planet.  They want to "justify" why it is OK to eat a crappy diet.  I think it's also a little bit of "misery loves company" as well.  Secretly, I think many people don't want others to get well or take responsibility for their health because it highlights the damage they are doing to themselves.  It makes them face the fact that change is neccessary.  It's also extremely important to "pharmaceutical types" because we want to believe that medication is the ONLY answer.  How can it be food?  That would be way to easy.............

The Protein and Calcium Debate.......

I had the unbelieveable honor of hearing Dr. Colin Campbell speak on The China Study last night.  This book encompasses decades of research on nutrition and degenerative diseases.  The evidence is overwhelming, comprehensive, and compelling.  In a nutshell, to hedge your bet against degenerative disease we, as Americans, need to reduce or eliminate our reliance on animal protein.  Countries with the best health are generally getting the majority of their protein from a whole food, plant based diet.  Plus, in America we severly overestimate the amount of protein we require.  The rest of the world doesn't do this. In fact, the World Health Organization conservatively puts our dietary protein needs at about half of what the US Government minimimum is.  Why is the infamous American Food Pyramid screwed up? As always it comes back to deep pockets.  Six of the 11 advisory committee members who devised the US guidelines have explicit links to the meat or dairy industries. Specifically, the committee chairman and at least five other committee members have had links to the National Dairy Board, the National Dairy Council, the American Egg Board, the National Cattlemen's Beef Association, the American Meat Institute, the Dannon Research Institute and other similar groups.  This is why Americans are OBSESSED with drinking milk and eating large amounts of animal proteins.  It is literally and figuratively shoved down our throats by our own government.  I find it very ironically that breast milk contains 6-10% protein.  6-10% protein to grow an infant's brain, bones, tissues, nerve function, etc.  Why would adults (who aren't growing anything but larger pockets of fat) need absurd levels of protein????

American's insistance on drinking milk is equally scary.  In the China Study, Dr. Campbell looked at hip fractures in various countries vs. calcium intake.  America again takes the prize for having the most hip fractures while also having one of the highest calcium intakes.  The answer lies in.........ding ding....the fact that we are getting calcium from animal sources.  Simplistically, meat and dairy both cause an acid environment in our bodies which causes calcium to be robbed from bone to address the excess acid.  Humans are the ONLY species who drinks milk from another species.  Cow's milk is a perfect food for a calf, not a human.

Bottom line..................calcium and protein needs are overestimated in America and all the needs we have can be supplied by a whole food, plant based diet. 

Don't think you can get enough protein from plant sources?  Think again. Below are how a few plant items stack up to animal sources. Remember........the amount or protein we think we need has been told to us by our government and is not necessarily our actual need.
 

Foods	Protein Content
Beef	7 grams/ounce
Poultry	7 grams/ounce
Fish	7 grams/ounce
Vegetables	2 grams/ 1/2 cup
Soybeans (dry)	10 grams/ounce
Lentils (dry)	6.5 grams/ounce
Cashews	5 grams/ounce
Almonds	6 grams/ounce
Hemp Seeds	6.5grams/ounce
Pumpkin Seeds	8grams/ounce