Raw Food, Right Now Radio!

Tera and I are proud to announce that we are the very first episode of the Raw Food, Right Now! Podcast series.  We are honored and excited and we hope you enjoy the interview.  Heidi and Justin are great and they’ve done an amazing job.  Thank you Heidi and Justin!  You are a credit to the growing raw world and we thank you for asking us to do this interview with you.  It was a lot of fun!

Listen to our very first interview here!

Do Grains, Breads and Cereals Have a Place in the Natural Human Diet?

Unfortunately, humans have been so far removed from their natural environment and living conditions for such a long time, that most people have a hard time determining what the natural human diet would include.

We know that humans can survive on all kinds of different foods, but the valuable thing to consider is to what degree are humans surviving and with what quality of life? The rates of cancer, heart disease, arthritis and blood sugar disease are clear indicators that something has gone awry where human nutrition is considered. The Kleenex box has become a standard household item, but it doesn?t mean it’s supposed to be this way.

Taking a stroll through the local ?natural health food? store doesn?t bring us much closer to understanding either, because you?ll quickly realize that the majority of the foods are no different than the kinds of things you find in your average grocery store. They?ve just come up with more ?wholesome? or ?organic? versions of standard fare, but the aisles are as littered with packaged foods as any supermarket.

An astounding proportion of the foods that pack these shelves are breads, crackers, cereals, granola bars and other grain products. But do these foods have a place in the natural human diet?

Whether we?re talking about grains or any other element of the human diet, it serves us to ask these three very important questions to determine whether a food is ?natural? for human consumption.

1. Does it make sense?

2. Is it enjoyable in its natural state?

3. Does it bring positive results when we apply it as a diet?

Put yourself in a field of wheat and just try and make a meal out of what you find around you. Chances are you?ve never actually seen wheat in its unrefined state, but unless you?ve got a gizzard, it’s going to be an awfully hard thing to eat! It would take you hours to produce a handful of grains, and then once you had them, what would you do with them? They?re not naturally very tasty. Nor would you, surrounded by wheat plants, be naturally drawn to chomping on the stalks and spitting out the hulls.

Grains in their natural state are completely indigestible to humans, and while we have managed to do all manner of magnificent works of art with grains, it doesn?t make it any more naturally a part of the human diet.

1. Does it make sense? No!

2. Is it enjoyable in its natural state?

Well, if the above mentioned chewing on stalks got you salivating, then you may be in luck. For the rest of us however, chances are good that grains and cereals in their natural state leave MUCH to be desired.

Even when grains have been stripped of the hulls and stalks we find them with in nature, most grain meals are drenched in salted and spiced sauces to make them more palatable.

So again, a resounding ?No!? to question number two!

Which brings us to question number three:

3. Does it bring positive results when we apply it as a diet?

“Grain Damage”, by Dr. Doug Graham, is a helpful booklet on the subject of grains and the human diet. In it, he identifies over 12 chemicals in grains that behave similar to opiates in the human body. These chemicals are undoubtedly the cause for the very addictive quality of breads and cereals. Further proof lies in the fact that many people experience relief from chronic irritability and mood ?disorders? when grains and breads are eliminated from the diet.

Could it be worse?

Well, YES!

Phytic acid is found in grains and is known to bind with existing calcium in the body during the digestive process. It does this as a means of reducing the acidity that is caused by consuming grains in the body. To what degree the consumption of grains can contribute to conditions like osteoporosis would be very hard to determine because of the fact that there have never been any long term nutritional studies that have eliminated grains and cereals as a variable.

We know that they?re not particularly high in nutritional value, being very low in Vitamins A, B and C. They are a solid source of carbohydrate, and we need carbohydrates, but we can get them in sufficient quantity and much greater quality in fresh, ripe fruits!

Though we?ve been taught that whole grains are a great source of fiber, the fact is that the fiber found in grains is very irritating to the intestines. Many sufferers of Irritable Bowel Syndrome know this intimately, and the prevalence of grain consumption in our society is likely one of the major contributing causes of IBS.

Many children who suffer from concentration difficulties and irritability have experienced tremendous relief by eliminating these foods from their diet. Tonya Kay is a perfect example of someone who suffered with severe forms of ?bipolar disorder? for 7 years and simply by switching to a raw food diet completely ?cured? herself of the need to continue consuming toxic medications.

Are Sprouted Grains Any Better?

Well, as far as I?m concerned, NO! First of all, I could never imagine myself foraging for sprouted grains to make my daily meals.

While some people claim that the release of enzymes and digestion of natural sugars and vitamins makes grains more digestible, I don?t believe it makes them any more naturally adapted to the human diet.

We see the effects that these foods can have on people with eating disorders, emotional instability and obesity. I don?t believe it serves us to keep them in the diet. In fact, I believe it?s one of the very first things that should be eliminated from the diet of a person who wishes to improve their health, energy and general mood and outlook on life.

“What?! No Breads, Cereals or Pasta!!! What Am I Going To DO?!!”

Naturally, for people who are used to eating cereal for breakfast, a sandwich for lunch and pasta for supper, the idea of eliminating grains from the diet can seem nearly impossible and definitely a bit frightening!

Relax. No ones going to make you give up your noodles until you?re ready. But in the meantime, here is a valuable Step-By-Step approach to helping you made that happen:

A Step-by-Step Approach To Eliminating Grains from Your Diet

In order to start yourself on a progressive gradient of eliminating these foods from your diet, consider the following steps.

1. Start by eliminating the glutinous grains.
If you?re not ready to make the jump to a full fledged raw food diet that is high in fresh, ripe fruits and vegetables, then at least start to move toward the grains that do not contain gluten. Because of the prevalence of gluten-intolerance in our society now (Celiac?s Disease) it is quite easy to find rice pasta in most food stores.

Gluten contains a chemical that behaves much like morphine, and frankly PMS will become a mysterious thing of the past when you get these nasty little niblets out of your diet for once and for all!

Eliminating glutinous grains from the diet does wonders for that ?little rounded belly? most women tend to develop after a while. That lump of indigestible guck in the intestines virtually disappears after 3 days of eliminating grains and cereals from the diet!

2. Eat more sweet potatoes, and cooked starchy vegetables.

Fall in love with different kinds of starchy vegetables that have far fewer negative consequences to their consumption. The chances of finding a finding some potatoes in nature and sparking up a primitive fire are not impossible for me to imagine. While it?s certainly not as easy, practical or nearly as tasty as plucking a fresh mango from a tree and losing myself in its sweetness, I can still imagine the possibility. Cauliflower and celery root make wonderfully creamy soups (without the cream, of course)!

So if you?re not quite ready to eliminate cooked foods and go for the juicy trail of fruits and veggies, well, at least get off the grain train by transitioning yourself to more cooked, starchy vegetables.

3. Continue to increase the quantity of fresh fruits and veg in your diet.

It?s not hard to substitute a breakfast of cereal or toast for a fruit smoothie packed with bananas. Instead of pasta at supper, go for a baked potato with a BIG salad! Continue with this gradient and you will immediately start to experience the benefits of a diet that is higher in fresh fruits and veg. That little bread belly will disappear, your moods will stabilize and you?ll just start feeling better and better all the time!

Who knows, before long you’ll be signing yourself up for the 30 Day Body Enlightenment System and declaring yourself a Raw Foodist for LIFE!

One Reason Raw Can be Challenging

Well hello there!  Yes, it’s me, Amy!  Surprise!  I’m sorry for not writing for such a long time.  Thank goodness Tera has been keeping things lively.  I’ve been so busy trying to get treats ready for all of The Divas, that blogging became a luxury I just didn’t have time to partake in!

Moving on… I, recently I posted a bunch of goals on my personal blog, that I had for recommitting myself to my own health and well being (something that easily falls through the cracks when I’m so focused on helping other people with theirs)!  Today I read over them and was pleasantly surprised by how many of those goals I’ve been achieving.  Yay me!  It feels good to know that putting them in writing and becoming accountable for them seems to have been enough to get me started!

At the same time, this goal setting and success got me thinking about one of the main reasons I’ve been challenged by keeping my commitments to my raw diet goals in the past 2 years.  Essentially, the short version of the story is that when I got pregnant with my now 2 year old daughter, I relaxed my raw diet somewhat.  I still stuck with a very high percentage of whole fruits and vegetables, but I wasn’t exclusively raw, or even vegan through those 9 months.  Once Telly was born, I got the craziest sugar cravings for pop (soda to you Americans).  I think this was because of breast feeding, but I sure wish it had been fruit cravings instead!

Anyway, this was pretty much the first time in my life that my eating habits got out of control, and I didn’t know how to get a handle on it.  I took me a year and a half to get out of the soda habit, but getting back on high to full raw has been a roller coaster and I know many people can relate to that problem!

Over the past couple of months, I’ve come to realize that for one reason or another, food has become highly wrapped up with emotions for me.  Like most people, I have several ongoing situations going on in my life that are stressful and emotionally trying, and apart from removing myself from them completely, feel otherwise out of my control (Tera would have her own thoughts on that).  I am starting to make the connection between the stressful situations in my life and the urge to eat foods I don’t want in my diet as a way of suppressing the feelings of stress. 

Of course, it doesn’t really work… eating to submerge stress just delays the feelings – which snowball in the meantime and eventually turn into an avalanche, tipped over the edge by the last 5 pounds you gained…

What I’ve realized in the last few weeks (I knew this already, but only just recently really “realized” it at a cellular (or something) level), is that the reason it’s hard to stay raw in these situations isn’t because we can’t turn down those cooked temptations.  We can.  We know we should for our health and our vitality and our energy levels, and even our mood.  The problem is that we haven’t decided to face the triggers of our stress yet, and on some level, we know that eating raw is going to force us to do just that.

The thing is, you can’t hide behind a raw diet.  The raw diet not only removes the “comfort” food factor, but it also makes us more attuned to our emotions and to both the positive and negative factors in our lives.  This is a good thing, but can also be a scary thing when you are in the midst of it all. 

When you’re raw, you can’t just ignore the problems you can ignore pretty easily (albeit unhappily) with cooked food.  If I could count the number of raw food converts who ended up leaving that relationship, or quitting that job, or starting that new business, or ending that outgrown friendship… really, there’s no denying the power of raw to pick us up and get us on to our true path, and that’s a good thing because every one of those people in every one of those situation is always transformed for the better -  but you’ve got to be ready to take that leap of faith.

So I’m stating it for the world, over the bullhorn… for all who read this to hold me to it… I’m ready!  Are you?

6 Great Reasons To Get In Shape

As the chilly season approaches, many of us are heading into hibernation mode. Extra layers of sweaters seems to have a tendency to bring a seasonal sort of lethargy with it.

If you want to avoid the winter blues, and that extra 5 lbs of insulation, The Raw Divas have some great reasons and simple tips to keep you hot through the winter.

1. You Feel Sexier

There?s nothing that can compare to the swing and style you put in your step when you?re feeling your best. The ray of light and confidence from within is a bigger head turner than any makeup, hair product, or expensive outfit.

Getting in shape makes the BIGGEST difference to your overall sex appeal, because it has the biggest impact on how you feel. It?s not that you need to be a certain size, it?s just that using your body gets it strong and toned, and sends those endorphins racing, so you look and FEEL empowered and confident. Now THAT?S sexy!

Your body is an adventure! Discover it, use it, feel it, and enjoy the process!!

2. You Sleep Better

There?s nothing like a good workout to make for a GREAT night?s sleep. The satisfaction at the end of the day of really knowing you?ve worked that body can feel soooo good. Those muscles are made for moving and the whole body gets excited about it when you make it happen.

If you?re having trouble sleeping, USE your energy and you?ll sleep like a baby!

3. Elimination of Toxins

Few things can clean out the system like a good sweat-session! When you really get running and moving, so do the toxins, and they are released through your skin with perspiration. Many people use saunas and steam rooms and spend a small fortune on spas to induce sweating for the elimination of toxins. If you?re strapped for cash, just go for a jog! It costs nothing but a pair of sneakers, and the results are amazing!

4. Your Mood Improves

Few things can change your general mood and outlook on life than an hour of vigorous exercise. If you can?t fit in that, then even a 15 minute walk can make a world of difference. The way life is these days, we work, sleep, eat and pass most of our time indoors. When it?s time to exercise, GET OUT of the house. Run, stretch, dance, take up space and watch how your mood and general outlook improves!

We know that exercise is a way of releasing endorphins in the body! These are happiness boosters, and people who exercise regularly are remarkably more positive and enjoy greater stability of moods than those who do not.

You can?t work out and be miserable. You just can?t do it. It?s virtually impossible! This step alone can help a person who is introverted and unwell, to turn things totally around for themselves.

5. You Digest Your Foods Better

Those of us who love fruits know that the best way to get those fruits well digested and being used by the body is by having an active lifestyle. Burn those calories and earn your meal.

There?s something almost primal and satisfying about the sensation of real, genuine hunger that one experiences after a good long workout! You truly will be optimizing your digestion and assimilation when you are maintaining an active lifestyle at the same time.

Being active also helps to avoid overeating caused by boredom!

6. You Stimulate Creative Thought

Have you ever been out for a stroll in the park when you suddenly have the greatest idea of ALL TIME? These ?epiphanies? while jogging in the park, or out on a walk are not uncommon. When you get your muscles and bones in motion, the whole machine just flows, and the greatest revelations and inspirations follow.

Of course, we all know that there are a dozen other medical and physiological reasons to be in good shape as well. Put them all together and there?s no shortage of good reasons to get fit and get moving.

Whatever you decide to do, make it fun!

Ultimately, the form of fitness you choose should be inspiring and fun! Whatever you do, you?ve got to enjoy it. If pounding the pavement doesn?t interest you, maybe dancing does. Fitness that allows for your creative expression is twice as enriching as the standard jogging routine.

What do you like? What inspires you? What would you enjoy doing? And even more importantly, what did you love to do or aspire to do when you were young? It?s never too late to fulfill some childhood fantasies, come out of your shell and take a dance class or discover a new form of expression through movement.

We recently did an interview with Tonya Kay, an accomplished professional dancer and performer. She spoke to us all about one of her favorite forms of expression through movement called ?poi spinning.? Listening to her was so inspiring that we bought her professionally produced DVD and poi set and got started!

Well, I would never have imagined how much I would enjoy this form of exercise, and I?m so excited about improving at it and finding new ways to express myself. The thing I liked most is that it?s something I can do with my children we have had so much fun sharing this togehter.

So as fall approaches, find something that inspires you! You can always resort to doing the old classics, but there?s something to be said for the thrill of discovery. Try something new. Register for a dance class, a new winter sport, or try poi with the whole family!

It?s one of the easiest things in the world we can do to do to make our lives better. Instead of investing in supplements and spending hours reading self-development books, slaving over the kitchen counters preparing elaborate meals, etc.,?

Just strap on your shoes, get outside and embark on an adventure!

Start your day off right!

 It makes SUCH a difference when I start my day off with a bit of fresh air and some frisky exercise.

Your food tastes better after a workout.

Getting outside just connects you with life, and the world around you!

This morning I stayed inside until almost 4:00 just trying to get things done on the computer. Now, finally, i’m off for a jog and some fresh air. But, I’m going to make a commitment from here on out to start my day with the jog, because I know it makes a huge difference in my clarity, overall mood and productivity level!

So, tomorrow morning! A jog in the park to start the day.
Care to join me?

xo
Tera

Oooh! Monday is full of exciting things!

i did it! i did it! I DID IT!!!!!

I finally finished writing the ebook for the cravings and emotional eating program that Amy and I have been working on! I’m soooooo happy and really excited about what we’re putting together. We just have a few more steps to put in place and it will be READY!

I am really excited about this, because I’ve never seen anything else like it out there and I know it’s going to make such a big difference for a lot of people who struggle with cravings, over-eating and emotional eating.

Anyway, besides that, I’m getting settled into my new place and love the fact that it’s a bit further away from the center of action. Means I’ve been getting more exercise and that’s always a treat!

Soooo EXCITED about this week’s Sisterhood Guest, Patty Contenta! I invited her to my home about this time last year and my 6 year old daughter just fell instantly in love with this woman!

if you’ve ever wondered what a diva moves like, talks like and how she makes her presence felt in the world, then DEFINITELY sign up and join us for this call with Patty Contenta!

She’s got the Diva Moves MASTERED!

Anyway, that’s it for starting off this week!

Love and hugs,

Tera

My new digs!

It’s almost hard to believe, but I’ve just moved AGAIN!

That would explain the extended silence from the blog! I love coming here for regular self-expression and adventure, but I’ve had some offline adventures to handle.

Officially, that makes 5 times in one year that I’ve moved. I don’t even dare to predict anymore what life has in store for me next month. At this stage, every day is an adventure–though admittedly, I wouldn’t mind putting down some roots, or something. When it’s time, I’m sure things will fall in place!

It’s Saturday and the house is BILLOWING with fresh figs, ripe bananas, melons and piles of organic spinach!

This is just a quick message to get the flow going again, but I’ll be back in full swing soon!
xoxox

Love and hugs,

Tera

Roe Gallo: The Age-Defying Diva

I’m so excited about the Sisterhood program that Amy and I have put together. It’s given me the opportunity to connect with some pretty incredible people as I organize our special guests for the teleseminars we’ll be doing! I’m totally excited about the fact that in the Sisterhood, our theme this month is Sensuality and Passion we’ve got some amazing guests lined up.

We had a FANTASTIC interview with Karen Knowler that was very inspiring and we’ll be making that available to non-members in the near future.

The next call we have is Roe Gallo, Ph.D. who will be joining us for a conversation on sensuality, sex appeal and defying the myths of aging!! The call with Dr. Gallo will be in tonight: Monday September 17th.

If you haven’t checked out Roe’s stuff, she’s the QUEEN of defying the myths of aging and is a fiesty example of someone who lives what she teaches–a real inspiration to ALL divas! She’ll be joining us with oodles of energy and inspiration next Monday!!

If you’re not familiar with her work, you can check her out here:

http://www.roegallo.com

Love and hugs,
Tera

p.s.
If you haven’t signed up for the Sisterhood yet, NOW would be a good time to do that, as the membership price will likely be going up in October!

The 3 Biggest Obstacles to Succeeding on the Raw Food Diet, and How to Overcome Them

The First Obstacle: Fear & Overwhelm

Anytime we start something new, it can be overwhelming. When this “something” is related to food habits, then it’s a whole other level of overwhelm altogether. The problem is, we have years and years of history tied to our eating habits. Therefore, when you start making changes to your diet, it naturally has a ripple effect on many other areas of your life too.

Just think of all the festivities, celebrations, and memories you have that are associated with food. Sometimes when people first encounter the idea of the raw food diet, they almost shut down, just because of the fear factor.

Then the nutritional indoctrination syndrome comes into effect: What about protein? Calcium? Where do I get my Omega Fats, etc. ad infinitum??

Lastly of course, there?s the confusion that comes when you realize just how much conflicting information there is out there on the raw food diet!

High fat or low fat?
High fruit or no fruit?
Supplements?
Superfoods?
Dehydrators?
Juice extractors?

? and a whole lot of thing-a-majiggers that can add up to sheer OVERWHELM for the raw food newcomer. It’s an information tug-of-war out there and who should you believe??!

What’s the Solution?

Often the best way to get started with raw food information, is to just get out there and see what you’re attracted to. What kind of language does the ‘expert’ use? How do their resources make you FEEL? These two factors alone will tell you a lot about where you’ll be the most successful with raw food. If you’re naturally attracted to the people providing the information, and the information they’re giving, you’ll be much more likely to enjoy the process and thus, much more likely to stick with it.

The next best thing you can do, is to find a support program. For many people, the raw food lifestyle is new territory, and getting a full-support program where there are specific tools and steps to help you along the process can make the whole thing seem a lot more manageable. The Raw Divas offer The Body Enlightenment System, a full-support diet, exercise, and personal development system to guide people into a very simple, effective, and most of all, sustainable raw food lifestyle.

Now, just because it’s ?normal? to feel a bit of apprehension and fear when approaching a new way of eating, doesn’t mean it’s a valid reason to hold you back from having the very best health possible. Let the words of these famous divas drive home the message about fear!

Feisty Women and Their Thoughts about Fear

You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. -You must do the thing which you think you cannot do.
-Eleanor Roosevelt

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.
-Marianne Williamson

Nothing in life is to be feared. It is only to be understood.
-Marie Curie

Ultimately we know deeply that the other side of every fear is a freedom.
-Marilyn Ferguson

?and one man sums it all up rather nicely in terms we can really understand:

Don’t be afraid to go out on a limb. That’s where the fruit is.
-H. Jackson Browne

The Second Obstacle: Digestive Disasters

As raw newcomers adjust from a cooked food diet that is low on water content and high in calories, to the raw food diet, which is very high in water content and low in calories, there are two common problems that arise that create a lot of problems:

1. People under eat. Raw newcomers, especially those who are committed to the low-fat path, simply do not manage to eat ENOUGH calories. While this can go on for a few days without any significant problem, eventually hunger sets in with a vengeance and the cravings can be more than your average health-seeker can stand up against.

What’s the Solution?

Be sure to eat enough fruit and greens, and monitor the consumption of your calories using a tool like www.fitday.com, or www.nutridiary.com.

2. The other thing that can happen, is that in the search to replace the “heaviness” of raw foods, many newcomers will go straight for the avocados, nut bucket and dried fruit bin. This brings on a host of problems with blood sugar, tooth decay, energy-loss, and once again accounts for some nasty cravings.

What’s the Solution?

Stick to simple foods when you’re starting out. This will help you to get accustomed to how certain foods react in your body. Also, be sure to eat ENOUGH so that you avoid the uncomfortable cravings which often arrive after a few days on raw. Lastly, be prepared for the raw food diet’s famous feeling of lightness! It might fool you into thinking you need to keep eating, but be aware that raw food just doesn’t feel as heavy as cooked fare, and filling the gap with a lot of fat and heavy, dried foods, can easily make your raw journey a tough one.

Save nuts and dried fruits for rare occasions, and even then, in very small quantities, and be sure your fat intake stays reasonable.

The Third Obstacle: Not Enough Support

While the Raw Food Diet is rapidly gaining popularity, it’s true that many of us are still lone carrot munchers in a sea of burger-eaters! It’s true that bravery has its rewards, but we know it’s not easy to be the trail blazer in your home or your community. While you may not have all the support you need in your local environment, there are plenty of tools and support online that can help you to achieve your health goals with confidence.

Being a part of a community like The Raw Divas is a great place to start. Of course, when you are enrolled in one of our programs, like the Body Enlightenment System, then community takes on a whole new look.

If you have community, camaraderie and support, then all the other obstacles in your path can seem to simply melt away.

Here’s the bottom line:

If you’re struggling to approach or succeed with the raw food diet, then just take one day at a time. Trust your intuition, find a community or program that will offer the tools and support you need, and above all trust the process.

I am one lucky woman…

…in a sea of divas!!

Tonight we had a fantastic call with divas who are preparing to take the Body Enlightenment System. It was soooo wonderful to connect with such fantastic women (and Bob! ) who joined us from all parts of the globe.

But you know, it doesn’t matter how far we are, when we join forces for something like the Body Enlightenment System, or the Sisterhood, or even the 7 Day Diva Detox, there is something magical that happens.

It’s the power of community…

It’s the strength found in numbers…

It’s knowing that someone else cares and supports your progress, or is struggling along beside you, but working towards a brighter, stronger place just the same.

I have said often and say it again that the gift of all we do here is in the calls like the one we had tonight!

http://instantTeleseminar.com/?eventid=718545

If you didn’t manage to join us, then feel free to listen to the recording and soak in a bit of Sisterhood. We’re all in this marvelous adventure together.

Don’t be shy. If you’re feeling isolated, come out of your shell, and know that the pieces of your puzzle may be just one another woman needs to resolve her struggles. How will any of us every know unless you step up to the stage and share your wins and experiences, your struggles and fears.

To EVERY Diva out there… THANK YOU! For being here and making this community grow. We’re going to have a ripple impact on our families, friends and by golly, we can do a lot to make this planet a marvelous place to be.

But it starts here. And it starts with us.

So thanks for being here and sending your ripples out into the world.

Smile lots, giggle, munch and bask in the freshness of YOU!!

Love and hugs,

Tera