While I think it is crucial to keep yourself informed on all the mad events going on in the world - we can never allow ourselves to forget that it is up to US - you and me - to create the world we want to live in.
We need to realize that there is a battle for our minds going on. If we lose that battle, and give in to being manipulated through TV, news and other propaganda, we will not live with peace and harmony in our lives.
Lately I've been so focused on making sure we're informed about what is REALLY going on in the world (not just the smoke in the mirror, main stream media news/propaganda - but the ACTUAL agenda behind it all) that I've almost lost track of the future that I'd rather be a part of creating.
Sure, it's ugly, the game that "they" are playing. It's easy to plummet into despair and give up the battle, but by doing that, we are playing right into their hands.
Happy, free, peaceful and loving people - who care for themselves, their family, their neighbours, the environment and every living being - would not participate in creating a world in chaos.
It is crucial that we are able to remember that WE have the power of our own minds, we are not about to lose that battle. We're powerful creators and WE can make or break events as they, and before they unfold. Focus on war, unrest, disasters, poverty and despair and that is what we get. Shift that focus away from what we don't want, and pay attention to what we DO want - and our reality will respond accordingly.
If, when looking at the world around us, (and since everything is a projection of what's going on inside) we see something we don't like, we need to stand up for ourselves. It is by participating in the things that seem right to us, that seem like loving gestures, by using the words that empower, and the thoughts that feel good, that we are going to break free and win the battle for our minds.
By choosing to respond to the world in the most loving way - with a solution focused mindset -and change what no longer seem right and fair, we will win.
This raw mom is a lot less raw these days.. Not because I feel so great about including more cooked food, but because I gave in to (no not cravings - never had any) the SOCIAL pressure. I was getting really tired of being difficult or demanding, always turning down whatever food people were offering.
I don't feel entirely bad about it either (although I would like to find the ideal way of boosting my health and socialize at the same time) and once my digestive system readjusted, I could do it without obvious consequences. I really love the feeling of community that a shared meal gives me.
Beyond socializing - I never did get my husband or my kids to love raw food (I did my best) - and cooking "regular" vegetarian food (and meat for the two carnivores in the family) as well as raw food prep, turned feeding my family into a nightmare. I've always said that LOVE is the main ingredient in a healthy diet, and there was a lot less love going into my food prep with trying to please all the extremes.
I still hover around 80% raw. I typically stay raw until dinner (fruit, sprouted buckweat, almon mylk for breakfast, large salad or green smoothie for lunch, sprouted nuts and fruit for snacks and raw vegetables (that everyone likes) a dollop of that veggie dish that the others are eating and perhaps a bit of the cooked whole grain to go with that for dinner.
I know there are lots of other moms who also struggle to stay raw with a cooked dad and cooked kids. There are a lot of other moms who struggle to simply eat healthier, let alone raw, when the others in the family are reluctant to change and improve their eating habits. Just getting off the junk and the processed stuff is a huge step for many families.
However, I'm always hopeful that more raw will become more mainstream and I'm planning to take in Raw Mom's "raw mom cooked dad - keeping peace on the plate" program for inspiration and information to help boost my motivation :) It starts October 10th and it's free.
I am hoping that this post will put an end to a longer than usual break between the posts.
What can I say? Life is rich :)
My days are full to the brim of activity - and I go to bed each night feeling just so grateful and at peace with how life is unfolding.
That might seems strange, given things like the oil gushing out in the Gulf, and other news from mainstream media.
I am a firm believer that the only way we can change the world is by changing ourselves.
I want to experience peace and events that bring me into a state of gratitude - not just selfishly so - but in order to create an epidemic of peaceful beings, blissing out in gratitude ;)
Masaro Emoto has created a wonderful prayer for the gulf. Please take a moment to feel the peace in this prayer:
(Dr. Emoto has based his healing on an ancient Huna healing technique - Ho'oponopono)
To hone in on your gratitude skills (gratitude is a habit that can be learned, as many people default into seeing things they don't like and what's wrong, rather than what's right and things to be grateful for) check out some online resources with a quick google. I really like World Gratitude and the ongoing process of 30 days of Gratitude.
I keep telling people (and reminding myself) that we are not moving to another planet - we will be in the neighbor province. Still - emotions flood us. We love our friends here, we have been blessed with numerous happy memories and experiences. We belong to a vibrant Waldorf school, with people who have become our extended family. And still - it is time for us to move on.
Chased away by the harsh winds and the unpredictable climate. As a west coaster Swede, living between the Rocky Mountain Foothills and the prairie, has been an enriching experience, and although beautiful, my eyes long to rest upon more greenery.
In these emotional roller coaster days, while we are selling our house, telling friends that they MUST come to visit, assuring ourselves and others that we will come back lots (in my husband's case, most people won't even know he left) we have found a helper. The Homepathic Remedy; Ignatia.
Thank you, Ignatia, for easing my nerves and helping me to remember that living inside that familiar comfort zone (even though it has become uncomfortable) isn't necessary. Ignatia calms me down enough for me to dare to try out different venues in life and to not stick to what I know out of fear for the unknown.
Yes, our children will have to make new friends (and we do too) get used to a new school, and not see the kids they've grown up along side daily anymore. The fabulous teachers at the CWS, who've lovingly provided care and instructing our children for years, are one of the main reasons we haven't left sooner.
I feel sad when I think about that - and I hope for lots of visitors.
Ignatia is helping me to see right through these emotions. It helps me to keep my eyes on the prize.
Ignatia enables me to live in the state of gratitude. Gratitude for all our wonderful people here, for life and for having the choice to move. That gratitude is so essential to feel, in order to stay in the flow of a happy life.
Best of all - this is a homeopathic remedy. No side effects, in fact scientifically there isn't anything in my remedy to help me feel any different at all. That's ok with me. I know I respond amazingly well to energetically charged medicine. As a family we've had enough encounters with homeopathics to trust the energetic charges with our lives ;)
Food Matters in a BIG, huge way. If you're looking for FUEL - look down at your plate. Your food determines whether or not you will be filled with energy, have a positive outlook on life, good health, glowing beauty, strong bones, and the BEST chance to be ALL that you can be, or if you are going to have to be satisfied with the lack there of.
In all seriousness - WHY do we find the excuses to allow ourselves to slip time and time again?
I've heard them all (and used some of them myself):
My kids are such picky eaters - they just won't eat what I'd like to feed them.
My husband likes his usual food. I can't cook two different types of meals.
Life is just so busy - some days I just HAVE to feed the family fast food.
Healthy food is too expensive, we can't afford it.
I can't cook. It seems to take up too much of my time.
Name your own: ____________
Well - from my own experience (and having believed all of the above myself) I can tell you - NONE of that is true:
Kids eat what they are used to eating. If we consistently offer more of the healthy stuff (unprocessed, unrefined) - WHEN THEY ARE HUNGRY - and have no other choices - they WILL eat. They won't LOVE it over night - but if you love THEM, make this a battle worth fighting 98% of the time. (don't cook complicated healthy recipes - just gradually up the ante, especially with kids- just modernize and healthify their favourite dish one ingredient at a time)
What a load of garbage. Husband can cook his food if he doesn't want you (him and the kids) to experience your best health.
Nope. We have the choice to feed them junk, but we don't have to. With a touch of preplanning such as slow cooker, prepping done ahead of time, left overs, a creative mind with a healthy fast food last resort - ours is spelt pasta with premade tomato sauce, a meal can be provided in minutes. Fruit and veggies are easy to cut up and bring along for snacks if the kids are STAAAARVING on the road.
Healthy food is NOT more expensive. Cut out all the junk/processed food you normally buy and you'll end up saving a lot. Even more savings are to be had if you cook and prepare your food from scratch.
Dis-ease, feeling tired, having unhealthy food cravings, kids with mood swings and sugar rushes, struggling with weight, pms, premature aging and shortened lifespan will take up a lot of our time if we don't choose to invest it in cooking healthy. There might be a wee bit of a learning curve but with easy access to the internet and various healthy recipe sites and cook books for beginners - just DO IT :)
Regardless of the excuse of the day - WE are worth it. Our kids are worth it. Future generations are worth it. They will thank us one day.
There is a movie, that I have mentioned before, that helps us feel so inspired to make the healthy switch, that any fears about change, will evaporate. The movie Food Matters deserves a major motivation alert!!
Jamie Oliver is changing things. He is on a mission to save lives!
This is from the abc website:
"When we first heard the term "Food Revolution," we weren't exactly sure what that meant. Did a lazy Susan suddenly start spinning out of control? Was ketchup attempting a hostile takeover to dethrone salsa as top condiment? But then, with world-renowned chef and best-selling author Jamie Oliver's name attached, we knew it was going to be all about "good food." Enough said.
Yes, Jamie Oliver is here to start a revolution. The impassioned chef is taking on obesity, heart disease and diabetes in the USA, where our nation's children are the first generation NOT expected to live as long as their parents. Now that's scary!
Jamie is inviting viewers to take a stand and change the way America eats, in our home kitchens, schools and workplaces with the thought-provoking new series, Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution, which has a special sneak preview SUNDAY, MARCH 21 10|9c on ABC, followed by a 2-hour premiere on FRIDAY MARCH 26 8|7c.
In the six-part series, Jamie heads to Huntington, West Virginia. Why? Well, Huntington has been called the unhealthiest city in America. Jamie wants to do something about that. Through his efforts in this one town, he hopes to start a chain reaction of positive change across the country.
Jamie says, "There's an incredible community in Huntington, and I want this experience to be a celebration of what we can achieve when people come together." Jamie goes on to say, "Wonderful stories will unfold in Huntington, and hopefully this will inspire the rest of the States." Sounds like a plan!
Needled by local naysayers, challenged by ingrained unhealthy habits and government bureaucracy, and welcomed by some of the most surprising youngsters, families and local leaders, Jamie shows how, in just a few short months, he tried to transform Huntington as a template for the entire country. The stakes? Simply the health of our country's citizens and the legacy for its children.
The series is loosely based on Jamie Oliver's U.K. series, Jamie's Ministry of Food and Jamie's School Dinners, which saw his successful grass-roots efforts improve the school lunches in communities there. For the latter show, it resulted in a total overhaul of the school dinner program in the U.K. In America, he's turning his attention to helping people of all ages eat more balanced meals and cook with fresh ingredients, not only at schools, but also homes, and workplaces.
Jamie's recent television credits include Oprah's Big Give for ABC. He is the author of nine popular cookbooks, including "The Naked Chef", "Cook with Jamie" and "Jamie at Home." Hyperion published his latest cookbook, "Jamie's Food Revolution: Rediscover How to Cook Simple, Delicious, Affordable Meals", in October 2009. Packed with quick, flavorful recipes and step-by-step photos shows beginning and accomplished cooks how to achieve great results with fresh ingredients. You can buy it now!.
We can't wait to see how Jamie makes out in Huntington. We're also curious to see if his efforts there catch on in other places. Let the revolution begin!"
“There is enough water for human need, but not for human greed.” – Mahatama Ghandi
The best-feeling investment we've made to our home lately was the whole home water filtration system. (like this one http://www.aquasanastore.com/aq-whole-house.html) No longer do we waste the amount of treated tap water that it takes enjoy reverse osmosis water, and no longer do we have just one tap that has clean and healthy water. We're also not contributing to the many negative aspects of buying bottled water.
I have mentioned the China Study so many times here on the blog. Yet I don't know of very many people who actually go out and pick up the book to read it for themselves though ;) Including my husband. So while preparing for a road trip last Thanksgiving weekend (October here in Canada) I downloaded the audio from iTunes and had the family captured in the car, listening to 8 hours worth of China Study.
My husband and 6 year old daughter, have chosen to go completely veggie since then, two of the other kids make sure they only eat "good" meat, and 5 out of 7 days they are vegetarians too. (my youngest has never been interested in eating meat, I've offered, but he is very content without).
Maybe you don't have 8 hours to listen to the audio book, but would you have 45 minutes to get the gist of what T. Colin Campbell's research is all about? Check out the youtube below!
This isn't about how "bad" it is to be a carnivore, or that I am convinced that we can't handle eating meat from time to time - this IS about the benefits we'd enjoy, if we would eat MORE greens, veggies and legumes.
This IS about being against excessive cruelty to animals (the slaughter house nightmares, the horrendous quality of life most of our livestock experience).
Join the Meatless Monday movement and enjoy healthy, tasty, yet cheap and environmentally friendly food that also sends a message to meat producers, once a week.
Oh - the discussions about dairy we've had with dear friends and family. My children get accused of bullying, while expressing their (our) view of dairy.
Let's be clear. With milk I am referring to pasteurized and homogenized, big business, dairy farmed milk (the kind you find all over the place). I am NOT including raw, organic, independent local dairy producers and products in this rant, BTW. That is an entirely different topic, with entirely different nutritional value, and environmental impact.
For me, the eye opening research into milk, began with a crying baby, who wasn't gaining weight "properly". At the time, my diet was a pretty standard Swedish (meat, potatoes and LOTS of dairy) diet. This little baby got stomach cramps from what I chose to eat. I began to research alternatives.
Along with finding what I was looking for, I also found a lot of compelling nutritional research that convinced me that my baby's food allergies, were a blessing.
Regular dairy, is simply not good for you. It doesn't build strong bones and it forms a lot of mucous, that makes us susceptible to colds, earaches, candida - you name it.
If you belong to the large group of people who find this information too controversial to believe, and far too alternative to adhere to - or is set in your old ways - I completely understand.
Please allow me my educated opinion, and I allow you yours.
However, if health and nutrition isn't what is going to change your dairy habits - how about watching this youtube:
WARNING!! This isn't something you'll want to watch along with your milky drink.
"Far from leading the carefree lives portrayed in the dairy
industry's "happy cow" commercials, the vast majority of cows used for
dairy production today lead lives of deprivation, confinement, painful
mutilations and cruel handling. These curious and intelligent animals
are denied access to open pasture and treated as mere milk-producing
machines - forced to live on manure-coated concrete floors in
overcrowded sheds.
A new Mercy For Animals investigation is pulling back the
curtains on the largest dairy factory farm in New York State – Willet
Dairy in Locke. In early 2009 an MFA undercover investigator worked at
the mega-dairy, secretly documenting egregious acts of animal cruelty,
including neglect, with a hidden camera.
Evidence gathered during the investigation reveals:
Cows with bloody open wounds, prolapsed uteruses, pus-filled
infections, and swollen joints, apparently left to suffer without
veterinary care
"Downed" cows – those too sick or injured to even stand – left to suffer for weeks before dying or being killed
Workers hitting, kicking, punching, and electric-shocking cows and calves
Calves having their horns burned off without painkillers, as a worker shoved his fingers into the calves' eyes to restrain them
Newborn calves forcibly dragged away from their mothers by their legs, causing emotional distress to both mother and calf
Cows living in overcrowded sheds on manure-coated concrete flooring
Workers injecting cows with a controversial bovine growth hormone, used to increase milk production
In a joint statement, internationally renowned experts, including
Dr. Bernard Rollin, an expert witness on animal welfare issues in the
U.S. and abroad, and Dr. Temple Grandin, a world-renowned cattle
welfare expert and advisor to the USDA, compared the conditions
documented at Willet to the infamous Hallmark slaughterhouse, where
undercover video exposing abuse of downed cows resulted in the largest
beef recall in US history. They state, "This dairy presents at least as
bad a picture of the industry as does Hallmark."
New York veterinarian, Dr. Holly Cheever, bluntly stated, "[I]t
is my professional opinion that the environment that this dairy
provides as well as its cattle-handling techniques are improper,
unhygienic, dangerous, and inhumane."
Despite the overwhelming evidence that the dairy operation repeatedly
violated New York's animal cruelty laws, which was meticulously
compiled by Mercy For Animals and presented to the Cayuga County
District Attorney, the law enforcement agency refuses to uphold the
state's laws to protect animals - allowing abuse to continue at
Willet, unchecked.
Sadly, the inhumane conditions uncovered at this factory farm
are not isolated. Whether raised for meat, dairy or eggs, animals used
in food production are frequently subjected to appalling confinement,
mutilations, brutal handling and slaughter. Because agribusiness values
profit over ethical principles, cruelty to animals continues to run
rampant on factory farms.
Thankfully, compassionate consumers can choose to withdraw their support of these abusive industries by adopting a vegan diet. Each time we eat we can choose kindness over cruelty."
