Raederle Phoenix

Health Reform: A Different Opinion

Health Reform: I think it's meaningless either way.

The general medical of the western world doesn't help. Instead, if gives you loads of medications you don't need.

There is a cure for diabetes, a cure for most cancers, a cure for asthma, arthritis, and some people can even repair their vision without surgery, pills or glasses. How come modern medicine says all of this is untrue when there are thousands of testimonials, videos, studies, photos and blogs that say otherwise?

The only thing a doctor's visit is good for is to get antibiotics if you've caught strep throat -- and most wouldn't get it (or similiar illnesses) if their pH levels were alkaline.

My entire life doctors never cured me of my problems, they only gave me pills and often denied that there was anything wrong with me at all. 

You may say, "What about if you need a knee replacement?" Well, you wouldn't, if your diet was balanced and healthy. You may not be ready to believe that. It's hard to swallow for people who already have hip replacements or have had other surgeries that they wouldn't have needed if only they had learned what I know now.

Some think I'm healthy only because I'm young. This is entirely untrue. I knew what it meant to be constipated at the age of six years old.  I had strep throat three or four times a year for the first thirteen years of my life.  I've had more than three uninary track infections, had chickenpox twice, and between the ages of nine and thirteen I had monouclieous four times.

I experienced all of the effects of Candida (something entirely unrecognized by modern medcine that you will not be treated for under the old health plan or the new one) for almost my entire life.  None of the pills or suggested solutions from doctor visits did anything to relieve me of my serious condition.

I experienced severe muscle cramps, migraines, and stomachaches so bad that I just curled up in my bed and cried.  I had a burping issue where I was continually burping (twenty to fifty times in a single minute) problem that lasted for hours a day for over two years.

But all of my problems are gone now, and no doctor can take the credit for my new-found health that I have now for the first time in my life.

I say that health reform is meaningless and not worth debate unless the reform is going to involve genuine health education.  But even if health education were in the bill, it's not going to mean much since it won't include in the information I've learned.

For my full story, read this: http://reallyrawraederle.blogspot.com/p/my-story.html

Active Imagination

I just read an article posted by someone I follow on twitter.  http://tiny.cc/aolsm

The article is about the human response to horror movies.

I used to enjoy horror films as a kid, but I don't anymore. I was just talking about this with my husband last night.  He doesn't like horror movies either. 

The article says; "Those who don’t enjoy scary movies, she hypothesized, may either have a weaker hormonal response that provides less pleasure and doesn’t cancel out the negative images, or a stronger response that pushes everything to the next, very uncomfortable step..."  And then it goes on to explain that the next step is actual fear.

Neither of these explains my husband's dislike, or mine.  For him, I'm quite certain that he doesn't enjoy them for the same reason he doesn't like it when people curse. It's a negative impact that is entirely unnecessary.  He doesn't want to read or hear news about people being hurt or killed, or even read overly graphic books, why would he want to watch movies of those things? (Why would anyone?  The article explains the hormonal response, but still I'm incredulous!)

For me, however, I actually feel those hormonal responses very intensely, even while reading graphic scenes in novels.  And yet I hate the way it feels.  I'm repulsed by how my hormones rage inside my body as I watch or read something that is disgusting or horrific.  It makes me feel as though someone has thrown me into a waste bin and closed the lid.

Horror movies and even things people tell me, can create graphic images in my head that never go away.  I had a nightmare last night (which is what got my husband and I talking about horror movies) that had a really graphic scene of someone I loved being mutilated.  I woke up feeling desolate and not interested in doing anything.  I speculated that I have these dreams because of watching so many really horrible movies in my life.  There is nothing in my personal experience that would cause me to dream of mutilation.

But let's talk about the other thing I mentioned.  Sometimes I get graphic disparaging images in my mind due to someone talking to me.  Even a description of something tragic can cause me to imagine something so vividly that it can stick with me for hours, days, weeks or even years.  It astounds me when people chose to watch the news when the topic is how someone was murdered or something else to that effect. 

I'm guessing this is all because my imagination is highly developed.  I'm a freelance artist (digital painter, graphic designer), a writer, a poet, a continual-blogger, and I even like taking creative photos, making nice food arrangements, putting together unusual and striking outfits, and many other actively creative pass-times.  When something is within my imagination, it's so vivid that I react as though it's real.

Please stop and consider that whenever you're about to call up a friend to tell them about so-and-so who died in some-obscene-and-overly-described way that you just heard about on some-such news station.

Earth's Children

I'm nearly finished rereading the Earth's Children series for -- literally -- the fifth time.  I've gotta say, it's one of the most profoundly excellent stories out there.

The level of vocabulary keeps me on my toes, and I find myself using words I often forget to apply just because of the constant memory jog that reading it causes.

The first time I experienced this wonderful series it was read to me by my mother at the age of twelve (the first four books anyway; the fifth one wasn't out until I was around sixteen.  She read that one aloud to me too before I read it again myself.)  Even though I didn't understand so many of the words and couldn't retain much of rich information, the basic concepts and power of the story still firmly held my attention.

Despite having it read to me and reading it again to myself twice, and reading it aloud once, and then reading them once again now, I'm still learning as I read. There is so much information packed into such a powerful and meaningful story.   So much to learn.

Clan of the Cave Bear

Valley of the Horses

The Mammoth Hunters

Plains of Passage

Shelters of Stone

I can name all five of them off the top of my head.  I can even go through the series event by event and recall the essential story.  And still I enjoy reading it yet again.  I expect to read it to my children.

It may be the best five books I've read, even if I prefer the more poetic and dramatic magical story of the Lighthouse Duet by Carol Berg when I claim my "favorite." But favorite doesn't necessarily imply best... Besides, the Earth's Children shaped many of my world views; that's nothing to blink at.

Letter To A Manufacturer

I've seen "PURE" bars a few times, and each time I see a product that I don't entirely remember I read the ingredients. I have never bought one of your bars because they contain agave nectar. While some people consider this ingredient "raw" -- many raw foodists do not, including myself, my husband and the well-known Markus Rothkranz.  Not only is it processed over 105 degrees, it is highly refined.  

I have a strong physical negative reaction to agave nectar, the exact same way I react to white refined sugar or other sugars.  My husband, who doesn't have an "allergic" reaction to white sugar, does react negatively to agave nectar as well as high fructose corn syrup.  I think this is suspicious.

 My research concludes that agave nectar is not what it's made out to be.  As a raw food educator, I always tell people to steer clear of agave.  

I think it would benefit your company to instead use only naturally dried organic fruits to sweeten your bars.  Using honey, agave, molasses or any sweetener that can be consider "refined" in any way will limit who will buy your product.   Also, customers who react negatively to the product will think that reflects on all "raw" things, which is bad for the raw community.  

Please consider changing your ingredients list to not include agave or any sweetener than isn't a whole raw fruit.

The Power Of One Person

"Nothing would surprise me as the Government has effectively rewritten several contractual agreements that were in effect during the financial meltdown. And of course this would let everyone off the hook and it could be business as usual," says Frank Woodman Jr.

Rob responds; "It’s not just a meltdown of the economic system, but of the society itself. I’m amazed every day as to how quickly America is devolving. It is amazing what fear can accomplish in the hands of an elite intent on control and power"

I join into the conversation and say; "That’s why it’s so vital for each of us to be a part of the solution in every way possible. To not buy from Monsanto, or other large corporations with questionable ethics such as Wal-Mart. To be as self-sufficient, sustainable, healthy and compassionate as we can be."

Rob; "That’s a start, but the problem is systemic. What allows a Monsanto or Wal-Mart to control their economic environment are laws which have been foisted upon us by politicians who cannot run for office without the backing of large corporations.

"The sewer in this system stems from the banking cartels. They create money out of nothing and then attach ‘compound’ interest to it. It creates a type of feudal society that controls governments and its citizens. Until and unless governments begin to create their own currency without the attached interest, we will always remain in servitude.

"We must put a cap on lobby groups and limit political donations. Then perhaps we can take back control of our currency… Something which we did prior to the existence of the Federal Reserve. This is all to say that while individual actions are important, these attacks on democracy require a concerted and collective defense if we are to take back our rights and freedom."

After some consideration, I go on to write:

It's true that the government has it's role in the issues we face today, but that doesn't mean our individual actions are not just as important, if not more important. When you blame others or 'the government' you are feeding your ego (so to speak), and when you blame yourself you are giving yourself reason to strive to be a better person; motivation.

Most of us don't have any way of doing anything about how the government is run, but all of us can make a huge impact by spending each dollar we earn in a wise way.  If you put your entire income into things you believe in -- farmer's markets, organic produce, sustainable organization, local businesses, etc -- then all the thousands of dollars you earn in a year are taken from the hands of corruption and put into the hands of the solution.  Every income-earning individual has that power, and should use it wisely.  

I'm not saying that you don't use yours wisely, or that the government doesn't need to change. I'm saying that we must first fix what is within our immediate and daily control before we go around trying to fix everything/everyone else.

Suggestions, Anyone?

As someone whose gone raw entirely through attending raw potlucks and reading online webpages, I'm curious if there is any raw book out there I should bother buying.   I'm getting pretty-damn-amazing at inventing my own recipes, so a book with many facts, figures and other information would be more valuable and interesting to me than a sheer-recipe-book. 

It's just as easy to find recipes on the web for free, just as I offer free recipes on my site. 

Mainly, having a recipe book is nice just because it's in your kitchen and it's pretty (hopefully.)  For that reason, I've thought about making my own recipe book, but publishing and such...  Of course, e-books don't have that benefit anyway.  Anyway, ramble, ramble, ramble.

I'm wondering if anyone can tell me about what raw recipe books they've bought, or books about the raw diet in general that they've read and what they learned, what the bulk of the information was about, and so forth.  You could even tell me about your own book, if you've written one.  Please comment here, or you can contact me another way, if you wish.

Coconut Cream

I've learned how to make a raw substitute for cream! 

And guess what? It actually is not only healthy, but tastes better than dairy cream.

This is extremely exciting for me because growing up it was heavy rich cream that made a dessert a dessert. 

The raw cream substitute is made from "coconut meat" and soaked cashews. 

Cashews become very creamy after being soaked and blended.  (You know you have soaked them for long enough when they look purple.  No kidding, cashews turn purle when you soak them.)

Coconut meat is the part of the young coconut that sticks to the sides of the coconut after the 'coconut water' has been removed (and readily drunk straight as-is!).  Coconut oil is also added to make it additionally smooth and creamy. 

I also add vanilla extract (with no alcohol or sugar added), a little raw orange juice, a little of the water the cashews were soaked in, and a little of the coconut juice from the coconut. 

After blending until incredibly smooth, put in the freezer for about twenty minutes and....  delicious happens. 

I call it "coconut cream" but other people have similar things they make with different titles.

What's Really Natural

"What is out there that is really natural?"

In response to another raw-foodist's blog post that questioned what was, and wasn't, natural, I wrote:

I invite you to look into "forest gardening."  It's about growing food as nature intended food to be grown.  Instead of planting an acre with one crop, you fill spaces the size of a bed with thirty different things to eat. 

Also, look into what weeds are edible.  Dandilions, for example, are not in the least bit cultivated, and they are extremely good for you (leaf and flower both.) 

The grocery store produce (sadly) only covers less than 1% of all the edible plants in the world.  It's my personal goal to grow as many different things as I can in a small space and eventually grow everything that I eat. 

When you get companion planting going on (plants that leave behind the right soil composition for the plants beside them, or plants that keep away the bugs that plague another plant, etc), you can grow a lot of edibles in a very small space. 

Trying to determine what is and isn't natural is something I've been struggling with too.  I notice that avocados (which I love) give me gas.  I suspect this may be because the avocados come a long way before I eat them.  If I were eating them fresh-picked then the enzyme content would be more than triple what it is when I eat it from the store.  Those enzymes it has fresh picked may be absolutely necessary for an avocado because of the unique oils it contains.  But that's just a guess. 

It is possible that the tomatoes you ate (that made you sick) have come from a GMO strand.  There are so many GMO tomatoes in the world now that it's easier and easier to end up with them in your own backyard without even being aware of it.  Unfortunately tomatoes are going the way of corn.  I rarely get them unless I can find them in odd shapes and colors in addition to being labeled "organic heirloom tomatoes."

Going Raw Is Economical

"Who wouldn't want to eat healthier if it were affordable?" A friend says.

"That's what I said!"

This friend has been telling me that it's simply too expensive to eat the way I do, but then I remembered my husband saying to me, "We spend less now on both of our grocieres than I used to spend on myself..."

I told this friend:

I was thinking about what you said about the cost per day.  We spend $100 a week usually for the both of us, so that's $50 a person per week which is 7 dollars and 14 cents a day -- but, keep in mind, that $25 of that $100 is usually spent on "Raw Snacks" which are pre-package super-expensive things.  (Things that are $10 a pound on average.)  We buy those things because we enjoy them, and we like supporting the people who make them and because they are super high-quality in health and flavor, but they are not required at all.  So if we were not buying them, it would be more like $75 a week, which is $37.50 a person a week: $5.35 cents a day. 

I need to do some careful looking at what we actually buy and the conventional alternatives and what we eat daily to see why it works out that way in more depth.  Part of the critical things to understand is that the more mineral rich your diet, the less food you crave.  I no longer have those moments where I'm like: "Wow, I really must have that [insert addictive food here] right now!!!"  Rather, I just think, "Eating sounds nice right now." 

I used to eat these huge giant bowls of granola and not feel full, but after a bowl not even half the size now I feel extremely satisfied and energized.  While it looks like we're not eating very much, both of us do eat our fill.   Everything is so rich in nutrition that less is required to feel full and satisified.  That probably plays a larger role than people realize. 

Another part of it may be that most people buy large amounts of milk and meat, which are fairly expensive per pound even when they are conventional (and are very expensive per pound when organic/grass fed.)  Since we are not buying any dairy or meat products, that leaves the space for us to indulge on Raw 'Snacks.'

Another aspect may be that we waste very little, if any usually.  The more produce you buy, the better you get at picking out perfectly ripe and best-tasting produce.  It's rare that we pick up something that goes bad before we eat it. 

I notice that my mother buys a lot of things because they are "on sale" or because it's "cheap" and then wastes it.  When you're spending $6.00 a pound on something, and you know it's extremely good for you, and you put effort and love into preparing it just-so, then you really respect it's worth and you make sure that none of it goes to waste one way or another.

I'll try to come up with some hard data about it though, and make an entry on my blog about it within a week or so.  When we move back to Buffalo, NY there will often be a meal before games that you'll be able to participate in, and if you came early enough we could show you what's going into it and how we make it.

*hugs*

~Raederle

Health Means More Than "Not Sick"

Someone recently 'informed' me that they were not unhealthy, and that their excess weight was a result of genetics.

Here is what I said;

Less than .05% of people have a genetic disorder that causes people to be 'overweight' if I recall correctly.  A lot of people spread the myth that weight can't be lost, or that being overweight is healthy because they want to believe it.  I didn't believe I had any excess weight to lose years ago but when I lost the weight simultaneously to healing the damage to my intestines, I learned first hand that the excess weight i didn't even realize I had was directly connected to the overall unwellness I was had been experiencing.  If someone is 'overweight' but doesn't ever experience fatigue, gas, abdominal pains, acne, sleep dysfunction, cravings, muscle cramps, itchy skin, flaking scalp, constipation, irritable bowels, infected cuts and/or hangnails, sticky smelly saliva, ear infections, grogginess, mood swings, extreme cramps, heavy menstrual flow, depression and also does not take any pills whatsoever....  Then I'll believe that overweight person is healthy.  Thus far in my life, the only people I've met who don't experience any of that are raw foodists, very athletic people, or people under the age of twenty whose good genetics so far have preserved them.

Beyond that list of discomfort and misery, a person should also feel happy, inspired, bouncing with energy, optimistic, compassionate and incredibly alert.  If you're not feeling those things, then you're not healthy.  And I can tell you, I did not feel this good a year ago, two years ago, five years ago, or when I was five years old.  I was sick, depressed, and miserable and I thought it was normal.  I thought I couldn't be changed.  I thought I was permanently damaged goods.  I was wrong.