The owner of the house I rent brought me some of her home-made salsa, she uses some of the tiny red hot peppers on the trees in my back-yard. You can eat salsa mixed in with mashed avocado and use it as a dip for veggies, or I love to mix it in my salads as a dressing..so yummy!

If you look around, you can find a dentist that will let you make payments on any work done. I really feel for your tooth pain..such a bother to have that going on while trying to improve your health with raw foods. Please be watchful for any abcessed teeth.

Love,
Prism

I hear you prisim. I have had bad teeth for years now and I think I will have to have dentures. I will look into the dentist this week I can't put this off any longer.

I like my salsa but I would like it to be more spicy. I did'nt put to many seeds from the pepers in it because I did'nt want it way to hot I will have to put some more seeds in it. It is way to watery to I don't know what to do about that I just put a little vineger in it and now it looks like I put several cups of water in it. I dehydrated some ground up fresh corn and made some chips but it hurts to bight down on it. All this time craving a crunchy thing like a chip and now my teeth won't let me eat it.

I like being raw though I will have to make some juices and smootheys. Maybe I will lose more weight. That would be good.

I wonder if you put some pureed mango in if it'd thicken..my smoothies get thick fast if I add in mango or pineapple. I've been wanting to make some tropical type salsa..with pineapple, mango, sweet peppers, corn or something like that.

Today I'm definately having salad with guac and salsa. I can feel I need the greens. Yesterday when I was out handing out flyers to my Neighborhood Watch participants, one guy invited me out to pick some of his cherry tomatoes..so we filled a small bucket up with them, and he gave me valencia oranges for juicing. He said come back often..and I will!

I got to eat my fill of cherry tomatoes and the rest are going in my salad today.

I would love to learn to make flaxseed crackers and corn chips..I don't know if in the long run they are good as raw foods, but for transitioning they sound yummy! I'm so lazy..cooking was never my thing and just learning to prepare complex raw foods seems to me like learning to cook all over again.

Love,
Prism

Every monday I weigh in at my weight loss group. I lost 2 1/2 pounds yea..........

Today I tried to eat my salsa and corn chips but it was to hard to bite down and chew. My tooth is feeling a bit better but I can't put preasure on it much so I just ate three necterines today. I was'nt that hungry today anyway.

I got one of those water pics and used it tonight it seemed to help a bit then I swooshed some oil because I did'nt do it in the morning. I am not sure if the oil pulling is doing any good for the tooth but I will continur for a while just to see what it does do.

I was a bit busy today and just did'nt have much time to juice or prepare the foods. I cooked for the kids and was tempted to take a bite. Cooked foods are tempting but I remind myself how long it has taken me to get here and how eating raw food make me feel so much better. I hang on to the hope for better health and loseing weight to boot. So I did'nt take that bite of casserole even though it smelled good.
Have a good night all.
pam

When you use the water pik add about 1 or 2 capfuls of hydrogen peroxide, that will help with the infection.

Oh..you are really in the right mind place to continue with raw foods, you are doing great in not giving in!

Love,
Prism

pampam...what weight loss group do you attend? I still attend weight watchers even though I am not really following their plan completely. They do have one called the core plan that allows you to eat all the fruits and vegetables you want (in addition to whole wheat pasta and some milk products) but I just "say" that I'm following the core plan, even though I don't do anything but the fruits and veggies. I am almost to the top end of my goal weight (the goal range is 27 pounds from the low end to the top end). I'm shooting for the top end first, just to make goal...and then my ultimate goal is to be at the low end. One of my personal goals is to become a WW leader and to do that you have to be at goal weight. I want to be able to encourage people and help them they way I was encouraged. Even though I can't talk about being "raw" I can encourage others with the benefits of eating more fruits and vegetables, since they have a plan that accomodates that. Anyway...I was just curious about what group you attend. Glad your tooth is feeling some better.

I joined t.o.p.s. They don't have a set plan but encourage the exchange typr of diet. It is a great encouragement group and it is nice to be accountable every week for what you have worked on. There are many encourageing incentives in the group.
My tooth is feeling better it seems to feel bruised around the gums but the pain is tollerable today. This tooth has a gum area that has receded and it hurts around that area. I used the water pik last night and this morning I did a oil pull. I found some burdock tea and had a cup, it was'nt to impressive as the peppermint but I do enjoy a cup of tea in the morning.

I live in washington state and I think our summer is over now. The sky has been consistantly overcast and grey for days now with no sunshine. We had about a week of sun this summer. I am dissapointed with the weather.

Happy eating all
pam

What I ate today

In the morning I did a oil pull
I had a burdock tea. I did'nt like to much not like peppermint
I ate a necterine and an peach
I ate a couple of home dried bananas
Had the sweet tooth attack so I blended some nuts with some dates squeezed a lemon in it and sprinkledsome pumpkin pie spices and cinnamon. blended an apple and stirred it all together. It was not of the consistancy of cookie dough but tasted real good. I put some in my dehydrator and then I blended rolled oats with the rest and ate it as cookie dough.
I blended some of the salsa with an avacado and it turned out creamy I poured it over a simple salad and yum yum ate it up
I ate two more necterines

I ate a lot today I woke up hungry.

Well It seems I am getting depressed again. My life situation does'nt look to great right now and that leaves me with very little options in life. There is no pill that can cure a broken heart. It is so much harder the older we get and the length we life with a loved one. I just don't know what to do any longer.

For a while I felt like I was on top of things and with eating raw foods has helped with my weight problem but that won't change the other things in my life. Even though I feel so down I still will strive to eat raw foods but I am not so chearfull and not even willing to be positive. I will continue to eat raw foods though.

I have ben reading cousins book and I was reminded of something from my past. My mother died of cancer about ten years ago. My dad researched many alternative ways to help her, thats when he met ann wigmore and later took my mother to the liveingston institute. He was able to help her a lot with various juices and vitamons but the cancer was to strong and took her. After she died I couldnt eat because everything that had to do with food made me think of cancer. especially meat products. I tried to eat the raw food diet yet became very week and more unhealthy. finally some friends coaxed me to eat chicken soup. I began to regain my streangth and slowly shoved the thoughts of eating raw to the back of my mind. I just forgot how horrable our food has become How the cancer cells from sick chickens are wrapped up and sold to us in the grocery stores and the remains of the chickens are fed to the cattle and pigs thus infecting them with the sick cancerous chickens. If I ever go off of eating raw I don't ever want to eat another animal again. We can close our eyes and turn away from the inhumane treatment of those animals. I Hope to convince my family of just how unhealthy it is to eat animal flesh.

Good Morning Pam, I'm sorry you're feeling depressed. I have struggled with depression for most of my life. Mine is a chemical imbalance and doesn't really have anything to do with circumstances. For the last 5 years I have taken 5-HTP which helps tremendously. It is a natural supplement made from a griffonia bean. It probably isn't raw, but without it, I can't function. I have tried going off of it a couple of times and the results were not good. In fact, I tried going off of it when I went raw and I realized, at least for now, I need it to function and cope. I take 300 mg a day. I used to take 400mg/day, but after losing weight, I was able to decrease. A safe range is anywhere between 50-500mg a day. Most people start with 50 and gradually increase after 1 week. I take it at night before bed and it helps me sleep...and it is good for weight loss and fibromyalgia too. If you need to/want to talk, you can send me a Private Message. Just remember you're not alone...and this too shall pass so hang in there.

Islandgirl, I think the consious eating book written by cousins explains some about deprssion and he seems to have a handle on helping people with it also. I really need to get a handle on my situation. Life sure is hard.

Thank-you for the advice.

wednesday eating
I forgot to do the oil pull
I juiced two grapefruit and added lots of pulp yum
1/2 avacado with tomatoe and spinach greens with a drizzle of tahini
I could'nt eat it all because the tahini was to much for it and my appitite is down.
I sliced some zuccini and another summer squash and put it in the dehydrator they ended up to be crunchy chips very tasty.
I ate a large spoon full of the cookie dough I made yesterday
and some of the cookies.

I was tempted to smoke, drink coffee and eat non cooked foods, due to feelings of depression. I talked to my oldest daughter a bit about the desire to eat and smoke. I really don't want to fall back on those habits. Its so hard to quit and I am feeling so much better without them. I am feeling so down and depressed and I want to indulge myself and just be more negative on myself in so many ways. I am just getting to old to be beating myself up any more and I want another path in life so I am resisting the very strong impulse which is so deeply engrained in me to be self destructive. I am allowing myself any and everything raw with no restraints due to the other stress factors in my life. I feel it is important for me to have at least something good to hold on to and be proud of.

One good thing is my teeth don't hurt that much now. I can bite down on the sore tooth also which makes it easier to eat raw foods. I don't have to take pain relievers and did'nt have to use ambisil. Now I just have to get some sort of dental work done to get it fixed.

Thanks for all your support and prayers and good thoughts. I really am gratefull for this site and you wonderful people I have met. I don't think I could have continued this far being raw if it was'nt for your support and prayers. I have been raw for seven weeks now

Ahhh..I'm sorry that you are going thru emotional pain and having to cope with your tooth pain at the same time. It seems to come in cycles doesn't it? At least you have a handle on the tooth pain. Tooth pain and infection can have an effect on your body and mind..did I ever mention HOW MUCH I HATE TEETH! Oh..sorry I shouted that out.

You are very wise to keep up with the raw foods..we are all very proud of you!

I've been doing a parasite and worm cleanse. I'll post on my diary what I've been taking..and how it's doing.

Love,
Prism

I'm so proud of you Pam. You are making really good decisions about your health and diet at a terribly difficult time. Can you imagine how great you'll do when the difficulties pass? If you can stay raw during this...you can make it through anything. Keep up the great work!

Yeah..it's Friday and I'm going to shop for fruits and that's all! Just fruits all week-end long! No fat, no nuts or seeds, no avocado..no cheats!

I am going to buy some pumpkin seeds though for the week. They are supposed to help with getting rid of parasites.

You have a terrific week-end Pam!

Love,
Prism

I noticed I have not entered in my diary lately so here goes...........

Thursday
I ate a large carrot juice in the morning
All day I munched on grapes
Took the kids to the fair and watched them down pizza popcorn and all the other fair food It was a bit tempting but I felt good concerning the expense of fair food and I was not gaining weight haha

Friday
I had to drive a distance and while in the car I had a pinch of bee pollen
I ate three necterines
I had a smart monkey bar
some kim chee yum
corn with salsa
watermellon slice


I read a book written by matt monarch very interesting quick reading book. There are some helpful points he made.

My oldest daughter is wanting to try raw foods. yea another raw food eater to identify with. I hope she follows through with it. My family says they are proud of me. My 13 year old daughter says my skin has become real soft. My youngest has been asking lots of questions about different things yesterday she asked me why I don't eat milk or cheese. I am going to the sat market today.

That's great about your daughter! I'm going fruit shopping today too! Have fun at Market!

Love,
Prism

prism, I read Matt Monarch's book too and I want to buy his next one when it comes out. The second half that has the interview with that doctor who is a 40 year raw foodist was definitely interesting.

My 13 year old daughter tried a raw food diet a few times. The longest she stuck with it was one week and she got very sick and threw up bile like stuff a lot. Hopefully she healed something. After listening to Matt at a talk and reading his book I try to discourage her from trying again whenever she mentions it because Matt and Dr. Bisci said it is very hard on our bodies to go back and forth between a 100% raw food diet and then a cooked food diet. I just try to encourage her to include lots of raw food in her diet everyday. For one thing, a raw food diet would just be very tough for her socially right now.

Sounds like you are doing great and everybody is noticing. Keep it up!

karen, When I read matt's book I felta bit discouraged in becoming raw. I am going to have to read it again and get a better understanding on the book. I also talked with a friend who has been to school to be a diatetion and she stressed to get more calcium in my diet. I have not been focused on the types of nutrition I have been eating and have felt a conviction on some food choices I have been making. I am feeling as if I not been eating a round diet and not getting all the nutrients I need in the foods I eat. After reading matts book I have some concerns with being raw. The Book has shaken me a bit, I think mostly because I will be needing oral surgery on my teeth and I wonder now about the pain medication I will have to take for that. I don't think I can have the teeth taken care of without pain meds. I think after being raw for 7 weeks I need to reassess just why I have the desire to be a raw eater. I do enjoy eating raw foods and feel I am reaping some benefitts on it. I will get back later on that thought.

What I ate yesterday sat.

some fruit that was way to sour.
munched some carrots
I drank a hemp shake that I don't think I liked and am not sure if it was all that raw
salad with lettuce and arugula ( the arugula is so tasty ) green onion tomato avacado and a little salsa. real filling
I was at a barbeque and munched on some strawberries and also nibbled on some nuts throughout the day.
I have been feeling like I have not been getting enough food real unsatisfied and craving something but not being satisfied with what I eat. I need to reassess my eating
Be back later
pam

I'll have to take a look at Matt's book, do you have his website..I'll look on my fav list, I might have it.

If you stay raw, and do the oral surgery, you might be suprised about how less pain you have. My dentist told me to take 2 advil and 2 ibuprophen at the same time as that was the best pain reliever. It worked really well too. I can't tolerate the perscription pain meds. They make me very ill.

Love,
Prism

Thanks prisim. My teeth are in real bad shape. some are rotten down to the gums. I dont know how they will be able to get them out. I know you went through a lot with your teeth.

Todays eating

I ground some flax in the coffee grinder and also chopped two apples so they were like a applesauce and mixed the flax with it and ate it like a ceriel.
I nibbled on way to many nuts
ate some graps and about a small handfull of blueberries and some out of the world good strawberries.
For dinner I made a green salad with a small avacado and some really spicy salsa. I discovered arugula greens and am in love with the taste. It has a kind of nutty and spicy flavor.

Thats about all I ate today...........

Well, I realized that I will need to eat a little better. I think I have been eating way to much fruit and not enough greens. I am also going to try to drink at least one vegetable juice a day.

One thing I have noticed is when other people ask about eating raw one of the first things they comment on is about protien and calcium. I understand the thing about protien and I feel we don't really need as much as people think but the calcium is another question I have. I am wondering if I am eating enough to get the calcium. Wheat grass has a little calcium and so does spinach. Some people seem to think that cows milk is the best source of calcium but I personally don't think cows milk is the best for human consumption. I have heard that goats milk is the best option but I really don't want to care for a goat to get unpasturized milk. I think I would be able to find someone who sells goats milk but I am not sure if that would be necessary.

Calcium is a very important thing for a menoposal woman of my age so I will need to find out some more concerning the calcium.

I still desire to eat raw foods and at this time I dont want to deviate from that but after reading Matt monarck's book I am having some concerns and feel the need to reassess my food intake. Lately I have been feeling a little tired and not as energetic as I would like to be. This could be due to the tooth ach and my personal problem. That in itself could really drain a person but I really want more energy than I have had.

One good thing is I have obtained a green house to put on my land and I am very excited about that. Someone posted a add on craigs list giveing away a green house. It is 10 x10 and I am going to fence off an area to have a garden. I know it is clost to the end of summer but I am hopeing to work on the garden and get things started for next summer. It will give me something to look forward to.

Wow..that is so cool you got a free greenhouse! Good luck with that endeavor!

I just don't know about calcium anymore..thought I did when I had read Adelle Davis and her books. I think if you eat nuts and have some green veggies, they have enough protein in them for you. I really don't trust the RDA much. With the beef and dairy industry so strong..you just have to think they have the FDA and other agenices in their pockets.

Love,
Prism

I think we're about the same age. I make sure to get foods rich in calcium, but to be on the safe side, I also take a calcium / magnesium supplement. I don't really like taking supplements, but I think its better than the risks involved in not getting enough of what I need.

Here is my 2 cents on calcium. I am by no means an expert but have been reading nutritional books and newsletters for many years.

One important thing is that we can't absorb calcium without Vitamin D. A lot of recent studies are showing that almost everyone is deficient in Vitamin D (which is really a steroid hormone, not a vitamin). Perhaps because we don't get out in the sun enough. Mercola's website has many articles on this. I excerpted this from another website:

Bioactive vitamin D or calcitriol is a steroid hormone that has long been known for its important role in regulating body levels of calcium and phosphorus, and in mineralization of bone. More recently, it has become clear that receptors for vitamin D are present in a wide variety of cells, and that this hormone has biologic effects which extend far beyond control of mineral metabolism.

My new holistic GP tested me for Vitamin D and said I was very low. She told me to take 2000 units a day of the most natural kind of Vitamin D that I could get for long term. I am taking Dr. Weil's Vitamin D microtabs that I got at the local Vitamin Shoppe. They are very natural and have 1000 units in a very tiny tablet.

Secondly, there is lots of calcium in greens. Where do cows get their calcium and gorillas, for example? They don't drink any milk after they are weaned. In fact, if you put a calf on homogenized, pasteurized milk they will die within 2 months. Grocery store milk causes you to excrete more calcium than you absorb (studies have shown this). There is so much protein in milk that our bodies have to neutralize it with a mineral, and it uses calcium the most because it is readily available to pull from out bones. Raw milk might be better to some extent. Anyway, cows and gorillas get their calcium from greens.

I get the Raw Family's newsletter and Victoria Boutenkos said in the latest newsletter that she just found out that her deteriorated jawbone had healed. It had started deteriorating when she was young because some molars were accidentally pulled. The doctors now say she has the jawbone of a healthy 20 year old, which is amazing since she had previously had a very unhealthy jawbone and she is around 50 years old. She feels she healed it by consuming 1 quart of green smoothies every day and using a jaw exerciser that they sell on their website. Greens have lots of readily absorbable calcium and they need to be a major part of our diet, according to some raw foodists and I tend to agree.

I like Matt's book because it was real and honest. Being a raw food guru is a business to some extent and, unfortunately, many will not admit to running into problems or to the fact that they themselves are not eating 100% raw food because they rely on their sales for a living. Check out this article on a famous fruitarian T.C. Fry [chetday.com] for an example. Frederic Patenaude admitted in a newsletter not too long ago that he wasn't eating 100% raw. I don't know if he is now.

So, I felt like I went into the raw food diet with my eyes open this time with a new determination to really stick with it (instead of going back and forth) and to include lots of greens and colonics. I also made the choice to include some nuts and seeds so I wouldn't get too cleaned out and extra sensitive, based on his book. I am also including, for now, raw chocolate and raw bars. These may be transitional or I may decide to keep them in my diet so I won't get too sensitive also.

Just some of my thoughts that I wanted to share.

Don't get discouraged, pampam. Keep doing your research and decide on the best path for you.

wow! Karen you sure know your stuff....... Thanks so much. In so many ways I believe I am on the right path in eating. I have to be eating much better than 7 weeks ago. I have read about our bodys assimulation of calcium and how cows milk is not that good for us. I never thought about cows and gorrillas calcium intake. I sure dont eat enough greens though.

We can walk into situations thinking we have our eyes wide open yet there are situations that open them wider...............

I think my previous diet was extreemly depleated of good nutrients and now I am just beginning to become aware of the foods I am eating.

On another noat I went to my weight loss support group...I lost 4 3/4 pounds this last week. I am dancing happy with that.


Today I had some flax apples
a handfull of hazel nuts
a 16 oz class of carrot kale juice.


I have realized that I have been eating foods that are most convenient like the fruit and nuts the most. I am going to have to raise my standard and take the time and planning to prepare more juices and increase my greens intake. I do admit I am lazy. I would prefer not to work at the food prep however its not all that hard to clean the juicer.

karen, What kind of raw bars are you eating? and why the chocolate? It sounds good though some chocolate for a change. I have found something called smart monkey bars but they don't really taste that great to me. I like to have them available in my purse in case I need something.

Thanks prisim and island girl for your input............

I like Lara Bars. Most of them are not organic, but they do have a few that are. The chocolate-mint has a very strong flavor, but good. Also, I like the Raw Revolution Raw Food Bar...especially the chocolate-raisin if you need a chocolate fix ( you can't really taste the raisin).

Congrats on the weight loss! You are doing great!!!

life is good...........
Eating raw has been a lift for me, so much better than prescription meds. Today the sun shines outside and I hope to have another great raw day.

pampam, That's what we have to keep in mind, that even if we aren't eating the perfect raw food diet we are eating much better than we used to and much better than most people (although I don't want to feel superior to them).

Congrats on the weight loss! That is great!

I am lazy too. I tend to buy my juices, even though I have a Champion juicer at home. They are a pain to clean up. I do use the blender a lot for green smoothies and make a lot of salads though.

I eat a variety of raw bars, including Lara Bars. I don't always eat organic produce, so I don't worry about my bars always being organic. But my favorite is the Raw Organic Food Bars - especially the chocolatey chocolate chip flavor. Here is a picture of one [www.amazon.com]. I get them at Whole Foods.

Why raw chocolate? Because I like the taste and it helps me when I miss or crave my old chocolate favorites. Also, it is full of antioxidants. David Wolfe, a famous raw foodist, even has a book out about raw chocolate and how good it is for you [www.amazon.com]. Other raw foodists disagree with him. I think it is somewhere in between, not the perfect food but not horrible for you either. It is either my transitional food for now or my long term raw food that will keep me from getting too sensitive.

I haven't seen smart monkey bars. I carry a raw food bar in my purse at all times and it has come in handy for when my blood sugar levels are dropping and I need to quickly eat someething.

Life is good, isn't it? You are doing great!

You are doing great! It's nice to have people that I can relate to for support and to give my support to.

We are all eating better than they way we ate before raw and we've learned a lot! I'm still learning!

Love,
Prism

I do agree, prisim, We are eating much better. The longer I am eating raw the less cravings I have. I still prepare meals for the kids. I feel guilty though about cooking the meat for them. I am a liveing example for them though in a way.


Todays food
I swooshed some oil in the morning

two tablespoons of flax mixed with flax oil and a chopped up peach

some carrot hazelnut thing just to munch on

carrot, cucumber, celery, kale, and spinach juice, about 20oz

some of that spicy saurkrout.

a necterine and some dried bananas

some cantaloup

Thats about all I ate today

I am feeling satisfied with my foods. I had a good bowel movement today maybe the flax and the juice are helping.
Prisim, Islandgirl, karen You three are so great. What would I do without your support. I have'nt met any raw eaters yet I hope some day to find a group of raw eaters.

Have a good evening
pam

A good bm, that is great! I am so glad the flax and juice are working for you and that carrot, cucumber, celery, kale, spinach juice sounds so-o-o healthy. I admire you for going to the hassle of juicing.

You might inspire me to juice this weekend... :-)

The raw food movement is growing, so someday it might be easier to find local groups of raw foodists to meet with. Have you tried www.meetup.com? I think I found a monthly raw food group through there at a nearby town. I haven't gone yet, but maybe someday soon.