Now that Damon and I have been eating a "high raw" diet for over 7 months we've finally figured out what it's all about. Not that we know it all, but we have come to the realization that, it's more than just raw food. I have to admit that I'm starting to feel like a hippie. Why do we associate eating living foods with hippies? In my lifetime the "hippie" meant that you: 1) loved the one your with, 2) ate dandelions out of the garden, 3) breastfed your baby in public, 4) didn't shower or wash your hair, 5) slept in your van at the beach. I have to tell you, that I don't do any of those. Well I guess I do  #1, because I am with the one I love,  I don't eat dandelions (yet), never had a baby, but I do take showers and wash my hair daily, and I guess if I had a van to live on the beach with... I just might! So, being a hippie isn't so bad after all!

It's time for me to rant .....
The basics of our message to you is: We ALL need to re-think food. How and when did we start counting on other people to package our food in easy to cook and serve packages? Why do we trust corporations with our nutrition, especially when it comes to our children? When did the packaged food become bad for us? example: BPA in canned foods, and GMO in almost all foods (before they knew if they were bad for us or not). Why are we so accepting of everything we hear on the news and TV about what we should be eating?

It's more than just raw food. It's about living food and telling the corporations that you don't trust them anymore. It's about going back to the way your grandmother or great grandmother used to cook. Cooking the way our ancestors used to before all the convenience foods were available for our "quick" meals. Did you know frozen foods became popular in 1930 when Birds Eye frozen products become available as a result of the depression? It's about the time that women went to work to earn more income for the family, obviously taking time away from home. Unable to bake homemade bread or roast the chicken all day. Making it necessary to purchase meals that wouldn't take as long to prepare because time in the kitchen was limited. Unfortunately, with that came our trust in the industrial evolution of our food. Who are you going to let influence your food purchases? your peers? your time? the TV? your health? Did you know that only 6% of practicing doctors are trained in nutrition?

The raw food lifestyle is about eating fresh living food. Not purchasing processed foods. What's processed food? Anything that has been changed from it's original form. Even canned corn has been changed from a corn on the cob to: sanitized, separated from the cob corn and placed in a can lined with BPA and put on a shelf to last for approx. 36 months from the time it is processed! (time estimate is according to the USDA). Did you know that Hormel Corned Beef has an indefinite shelf life? A quote from Michael Pollan: "Don't eat anything that doesn't rot".

Do we wonder why we are dying of cancer and 11.3% of the population has diabetes? In one and a half years diabetes went up 10%!! That's 26 million Americans that currently have diabetes! If you want statistics go here: American Diabetes Association.

The soda companies need to be put out of business. High fructose corn syrup and processed sweeteners have been the demise of our culture. They alone have caused more health issues than almost any other additive on the market. Look at the label of the next canned, boxed or bottled product you purchase. Processed sweeteners are in everything! They are listed on labels under many different names. They are hiding it from you in almost all packaged products. All the sweeteners in our foods are making us crave sweeter foods. We can't get enough. Did you know that Aspartame when eaten with MSG can cause seizures, heart failure and brain lesions? That's a diet soda and chips eaten together. Do you give your kids soda and chips? Do you eat them yourself? Read the labels!!! We choose not to purchase these processed packaged products. I take fresh made tea and water to work. Not water packaged in plastic, but water from our faucet that has a filter. Filters are a whole subject in themselves, I can tell you not to trust Brita. Once again, do your research, it's out there.

Living, unprocessed foods are what it's about. It doesn't always have to be raw. Living foods that have been kept under 118 degrees provide a level of nutrition that has yet to be recognized by our FDA and the USDA. That's what makes them raw. It's not about being vegan, it's about eating the best food available. Choosing local products that have been raised using sustainable farming and permaculture techniques whether your a vegan or not. We choose not to eat cheese, milk, canned or processed foods. We DO try to purchase our fruits and vegetables when in season from reliable sources. Did you know you can make cookies without using white sugar, white flour, brown sugar or butter? I have made several excellent desserts without using any processed products... And they taste great!!! That's what we did before processed flour and sugar were available. Why can't we do it now?

It's not more expensive as most people think. If you calculate total cost of groceries by how many meals you can make from fresh food vs canned and packaged products, fresh wins! I could go on and on about it. One good example would be a head of cabbage. One head of organic cabbage makes approx 1/2 gallon of sauerkraut. One pint of organic kraut costs on average $15.00 at the market. The head of organic cabbage $5.00. You do the math, 1/3 the cost and 4 times the product. The kraut is fermented, so it stores well. Cole slaw, sauerkraut,  Kimchi (Korean fermented cabbage salad), cabbage salad, fermented salad, whatever you call it, it's good for your digestion. We all need more. My point was, it's things like this that save you money, and it's really what we need to be eating.

"It's too time consuming"... is what most people think. Again, if you compare the time and energy that goes into well prepared cooked meals, it does not take any longer. I have found that I can prepare large meals that last a couple of days and spend time for preparation on the next days food instead of waiting for food to cook or cleaning pots and pans!

It's not about having to eat salads constantly. It's about eating great food, feeling great, and not eating profit. Why should these multi-million dollar food companies profit from killing us? I refuse to let them get away with it any longer.

It's time to Re-Learn food. Are you ready?