Know Any Literary Animal Lovers?
Hi there PureJeevan readers! We wanted to let you know that Jim's new novel CHROO is available on Amazon. It's a crazy adventure involving a billionaire heiress, her Chihuahua BFF ("Chroo") and a host of human and animal characters. Find out more on Amazon! Here are some links:
Announcing: Pure Jeevan's Halloween Raw Pot Luck - A Costume Party for All Ages!!
When:? October 31, 2009, 6:00 p.m. - ? ?
Read more: Pure Jeevan's Raw Halloween Bash -- You're Invited!
For many people, a change in diet is largely a mental issue. You *decide* that you're going to do something different, and then commit to it. You may shop a little differently than before, but quite often that is the extent of any action taken (other than preparing and eating the new foods rather than the old ones).For many, the commitment aspect is the trickiest part. ?Books could be written on this subject alone (and we're sure we've discussed this at length here on the blog).
Today we want to share a super-easy tip to help with the commitment side of this: Keep your fruits and vegetables VISIBLE.
Jim here...Well, something awful happened today at Pure Jeevan, something utterly shocking to any raw foodie on the planet -- our Vitamix container broke! I know, I know... breathe with me: Deep breath in... deep breath out. There, that's better. It's going to be okay, I just know it!
Here's what happened:? The agitator assembly (the metal part at the bottom that connects to the blades inside the container) wore out. It blew some kind of bearing or something, lost its internal oil, and started making an infernal noise when we blended our morning smoothie. It was pretty clear we'd blended up our last elixir in that container.
Here's an older post, from August 2008, about modifying one's diet to experiment with attaining even greater health. ?I know the before/after pics, alone, are inspirational enough to live a raw vegan lifestyle!
*blows kisses to everyone*
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Wow, it's been four months since we've run an article in our "Produce Buying Tips" series! Well, in today's installment, we want to remind you that our tips don't stop at the grocery store; you want to make sure you store your produce properly once it is at home to keep it fresh for as long as possible. After all, what good is your amazing organic produce going to do you if it goes bad? (That would be some super-expensive compost!)
Since Wendi has a difficult time right now with many motions involving her shoulders and wrists, I've taken over the responsibility of putting our groceries into the refrigerator. (I'm usually the "carry it all into the house" person, and then she likes to put away the refrigerated stuff.) But, wow, who knew so much went into storing vegetables and fruits I had no idea some things required air circulation, while others needed to be kept in sealed bags. Over the years, Wendi has fine tuned a system for keeping our fridge produce as fresh as possible and for maximizing storage time.
Read more: Pure Jeevan's "Produce Buying Tips" Series, #3: Produce Storage
It's time for a little Phun Phriday Philosophy. (I hope you don't mind a little levity as we end this glorious week ) It just occurred to me that philosophers and self-development gurus commonly admonish against "attachments." Isn't that true ?We're attached to our egos, our possessions, our relationships. All attachments are bad, it is said. I believe one of the primary tenets (Noble Truths) of Buddhism centers on this very thing -- that our attachments cause suffering.
Well, all of that may be food for thought. But, when it comes to food for your body, I'm here to tell you that attachments are GOOD -- especially, when we're talking about the shredder attachment for your food processor!? Oh, don't lie to me, fellow raw foodie (or raw aspirant, as the case may be): You know you've neglected this wonderful tool, haven't you? -- relegated it to some unimportant place in the back of a kitchen drawer somewhere, right ! Well, it's time to rediscover the shredder blade! Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to reconnect with this delightful food processor attachment.
Read more: Are You 'Shred Up' With Your Food? If Not, Maybe You *Should* Be!
The raw food movement isn't creeping along anymore! Just recently I wrote that Angela Stokes was interviewed by CNN about her miraculous weight loss on the raw food diet. Well, today the shining star for the raw food community is none other than Philip McCluskey! He was a guest on CBS's nationally syndicated show called "The Doctors." Philip, if you don't already know, is down 200 pounds and his entire life has changed on raw foods. Like so many others, he is actively spreading the word about raw foods and health.
I don't watch TV, but we do have a television set for watching occasional DVDs. So, I planned on turning the set on and actually watching TV for the first time in I don't remember how long! However, I turned it on and realized I don't even know on what channel CBS is located. I tried to flip through the channels, but our TV doesn't automatically let you scan through channels for some reason. So, I was manually pressing and entering numbers into the remote control, but never found the correct channel. I'm sure I didn't miss it, however. In this community, we're all about supporting each other and spreading the word about raw foods and health. I am certain that within a few hours there will be a video up on YouTube of Philip's shining moment on CBS. Once it's available, I'll edit this post and include the video!
Read more: Philip McCluskey and Raw Food Diet on CBS's "The Doctors"
Last night I dreamed of meandering through an unfamiliar cityscape, following some lonely sidewalk next to a river at night, feeling particularly sad and miserable beneath dim yellow street lights. I wore a black suit, carried a highball glass, and was absolutely drunk!
Having crossed the river, I soon realized (even in my dream-drunken state) that I'd been wandering aimlessly. Feeling rather pathetic, I decided to walk back across the river and sober up in a casino that I knew was there. Drunk and depressed, I figured I'd just sit in front of a slot machine for a few hours.
Rawbin brings healing laughter and an unusual gift to unwell Wendi Dee.
Are raw foodists invincible to the common cold? I have to admit that I kind of assumed that was the case. If it's true, at what point does the invincibility kick in? I've been raw for over three years (over two at 100%) and yet the past few days have found me overcome with sneezing, sore throat, runny nose, and fatigue.
My first thought, once my throat started to hurt, was: "Did I eat anything different recently that I'm reacting to in a negative way " But, nothing had changed.My diet is relatively clean, with the exception of the times when I consume too much nut dip. So, when the sneezing and runny nose were added to the sore throat, I knew something else was going on. I had to admit it: "I'm not invincible."
Wendi's initial observation about Santa Rosa was that, at first glance, it seemed similar to many of the places they'd visited in Oregon. However, once the sun came out, she said you could feel that California sunshine starting to warm up your body. This is Northern CA, so it's not overly hot; it is, however, much sunnier and a bit warmer than the parts of Oregon they visited.
Wendi and KDcat were hosted by a lovely couple, Shea Lynn Baird and Stephen Barlow (and their adorable dog, Bella, pictured above). You might be familiarwith Shea already, as she and her husband launched the popular Monday Night Live series, broadcast Monday nights from Cafe Gratitude. Shea is a long-term raw foodist, so Wendi interviewed her and asked some questions about what she's been doing. It's a really great, highly interesting interview. Wendi also asked Shea to offer some helpful advice for our Pure Jeevan family members. I think everyone will enjoy the video:
Read more: Santa Rosa with Shea Lynn Baird, Stephen Barlow, and Bella -- And More!
The diets of raw foodists are as varied as those of individuals consuming the Standard American Diet. The majority of raw foodists are either: 1) gourmet raw foodists, who consume dishes that are usually heavy in fat from nuts (Pure Jeevan started out this way); 2) basics raw foodists, who don't process their fruits and veggies in blenders, food processors, or dehydrators; 3) mono raw foodists, who consume single foods for each meal (i.e., a meal of only apples for breakfast, romaine lettuce for lunch); 4) low fat raw foodists, who consume processed meals at times, but prefer to keep their fat intake below 20% of their calories (Pure Jeevan is working toward this); and
Take the time to meet #5 ...