Cheers for stopping by bek.... You have done so well Bek...you just don't give yourself that credit.

You got to give your self that big pat on your back and say well done! yeh!

The fact is you jumped in do do RAw..how many people did????..the fact is you tried to eat as much raw food you can eat....the fact is you were not afraid to say i will try....the fact is you have learned more than you would have if you didn't participate in this challenge....the fact is you have done brought your receipies to the challenge

That not all....you jumped in to support me and this team...how grrret is that!

So thats only a few things I can think of ...right now I am sure i will have lot more to think about once i finish this comment :)

Well I think what I found with Raw Challenge...is that it made me go out and look for thing I never would have bothered.

I was looking and looking and still looking for exciting things that I can bring into my life.

We are doing another Raw food challenge with A difference....the challenge will be to challenge yourself....be whoever you wwant to be...add 50% Raw or 5% RAw....How's that?

Ofcourse you don't have to jump in! I know we all have a our share of chores and what have you!

But what I find with TOOLS is that the more I stay connected to my budddies , somehow they get me through the challenging days and Like Doll ...you know she is so amazing....when she first said yes to RAW...she said to me ...I will watch you do RAw......then she did Raw while having a stomach flu...then she says to me"shall we do another RAW FOOD CHALLENGE???? what do I say to that!

So yes DOLL you are just amazing! I have no words for you other than....THANK You...you are a star....just coz you are you!

thats what make all of us amazing...just coz we are who we are!

Enjoy celebrating YOU!

Thank you

Love all lots

PJ :)

Last summer I had some herbs that grew in a small container.  These were lavendar, lemon thyme, and lemon balm.  We lived in an apartment that got very little sun but the herbs did well inside!

Perhaps this is something you could try?

Thanks for your kind words.

Doll 

Hey, PJ want to start a new challenge?

I'm definitely in if you do.

Had a great smoothie this morning.  the weight is still going down...about 2oz each day.  How's that? lol

Sure makes me smile.

After this weekend I'm going to take some time, go to my fav. health food stores and see what new and different I can come up with.

Enjoy this wonderful day!

Doll 

Please excuse my typo...my goodness how do guys ever read my comments I don't know. I must reread what I type.

Anyhow, such a beautiful day here in MA. Started my day with running and breakfast was 2 nanas and 1pear.

Lunch huge salad with whole lot of fruits and veg...today the speciality is beets...yeh what you do is grate beets on a chhese grater and add lime and bit of salt a bit of pepper...absolutely...heaven...if u like beets that is!I love and adore beets!

dinner I am planning on a wicked treat....you know this spring roll wraps...japanease ones...its transparent....very thin....hardly any starch..I bought it in whole food stores...you can buy it in asian shops too....anyways all I have to do is throw that in the hot water to make it soft...then I am going to steam some shrimps(3 shrimps per person) with ginger. Shread lettuce and chop shrimps. make wraps...serve with wasabie and soy sause and may be a tobasco.....all served in a japanease style china platter.....feaSting for the eyes and taste buds...all at the same time

CARE TO JOIN ME FOR DINNER :)

Thank you for checking up on us....you are just fab! Just Fab!...always a pleasure to read your comments.

What a genuine article you are...an inspiration to me everyday! Thank you

Must say I had just a fab weekend like you too!

My hubby's cousin visited from Toronto! And she is raw raw raw...can you believe that...we made abcolutely fantastic salads....just divine....I thougfh two words "thank GOD"  all the driving sorund to pick her up was paid 100 times more my her sheer presence.

a leaf looks almost like watercree...but its a indian leafy thing called "methi" its actually comes from fenugreek....you throw fenugreek in soil...and out come methi leafs...Now the indians throw this stuff in all sorts of curries.....but what we did was ate it raw...my goodness the flavour was amazing...we obvious ly added watercree too to this salad....and made a lime dressing(lime juice plus all the other stuff you chuck in adressing).....also we had a apple and wanut sald to die for...then avacado and tomatos and what have yopu salad...but the great thing was...just having someone who is in love with Raw....just what the doctor ordered!

I can can go on as you can tell.....but I will let you guys in peace!

cheers

PJ :)

I've had a pretty busy weekend, almost normal for me right now. lol

The last 2 days I've had all but my evening meals raw.  The lure of the bbq got me. lol

Today will be back to raw for me.

At least this time when I went back to eating "normal" food I didn't gain the weight back.  That's possibly because I'm still not including processed food items and I've kept my calories down to a good range for me.

Have a terrific Sunday everyone! 

I've been making it a point to eat more raw throughout the day.  Breakfast usually consists of 2 fruits, toast and a protein drink.  Before it was 4 pieces of toast and a protein drink.  Lunch always includes a side of raw veggies (salads, carrots, cucumber, celery, tomatos) and protein.  Supper is a regular meal and I make the effort to cut up veggies and include those.

Now to get my kids to eat better lunches...we have been lazy with them and do the microwave stuff.

And PJ, it was great to see Dr. Carlos write about that....I would have liked to seen the look on your face when you saw it.

Glowing even more..I bet.

Regards

Thursday Apr 17 2008

The Raw Food Buzz

We are made to persist. That's how we find out who we are.    -Tobias Wolff

I was motivated to write this piece after learning of a recent raw food challenge posted by one of our Tools members. How happy was I to hear of her already impressive results – better energy, healthier skin, improved sleep, fewer food cravings, and even improved night vision; all just a few weeks into the program! Way to go! So what’s all this raw food talk about, anyway?

‘Raw foodists’ base their practices on the theory that cooking can destroy most of a food's nutritional value, making it less healthy for the body. Raw foods have large amounts of enzymes, which are important for health and digestion, not to mention thousands of other processes in the body. These vital substances are destroyed when food is heated to above 116 degrees Fahrenheit.

 Some people believe that many chronic diseases such as cancer, heart disease and diabetes are directly linked to the consumption of cooked foods. One chemical called acryl amide, which is found in plastics and known to be cancer causing, is high in many baked and fried foods, like French fries, cold cuts, and chips, while raw foods show little to no traces of the chemical. Meat cooked at high temperatures is contaminated by heterocyclic amines, or HCAs, which are also known to be carcinogenic.

Are there drawbacks to an all-raw food diet? The answer is yes – for some people. No one diet can be good for everyone, and so it is important to always take into account your individual needs. Do most people feel incredibly well on going raw? You bet.  Any time you start eating healthier, more wholesome foods in place of processed, depleted, fast foods, you’re going to feel better. The question is, does healthier eating need to mean going 100% raw? I doubt it, but in general it’s a great start. Some people might have a harder time digesting raw greens, or root vegetables, and could likely benefit from lightly steaming, sautéing, blanching (quick boiling), or baking their foods.  If you’re just starting out, try some of these strategies for a few weeks until your body has had the chance to adapt to a fully raw diet.

For those of you interested in starting a raw food lifestyle, keep an eye out for a raw food support group that’s just forming on Tools as we speak! Let me also introduce you to a wonderful group called the Raw Food Network, an online organization that will provide you with a host of resources, information, and opportunities for local group meetings in your area.

Healthiest regards,

So far today I've had some tea, coffee, watermelon, veggie soup and a cookie (made by a dear friend)

I've just received my organic veggies.  Put them all in the fridge then remembered that I wanted to take a pic.  In this weeks basket is the following:

mixed greens

bok choy

pea shoots

radish shoots (nice and hot)

carrots

onion

sweet potato

zucchini

red potatoes

turnip

This is a delivery for the week.  With the amount of salads we're eating here the mixed greens won't go far but the rest looks good for amounts.

I'll let you all know how it goes.

Enjoy your day! 

Just Fab. Me too will check out your snack suggestions. I am so lloking forward to learning more and educating myself on the benefits of raw.

Just Fab

Laterz

PJ :)