Momday Musings

Well, I came here to write my message about pampering and taking time for you, but I have to be honest.

Momdays are the only day of the week that I don’t have my children with me. Which means, it’s the only day of the week that I can work like a maniac without interruption.

And so every time I came here to consider what bits of inspiration I could write, I was sent away by my own quitly knowingness that I, on Momday, would be choosing not to do ANYTHING for myself other than GET STUFF DONE.

And sometimes that, too, is a part of how we look after ourselves. The peaceful state of being when things are in order is awfully therapeutic. Some say production is the basis of morale. I agree. I mean, it’s not that I need a day at the spa to feel pampered.

You want to know the truth?

Yesterday the only time I got up from this crazy little fold up computer I carry around with me was to pee and to eat. Even then, most times I’d bring the fruit back here to eat.

But, at a certain point, I actually decided that I should take a few moments for myself. Just a few. And so what I did, was I peeked at something I’d been putting off reading. My super spunky friend Ellen Atkin, recently treated me to an astrology chart. All I had to do what submit the day, place and time of my birth. I received an 8 page report, and I haven’t read it all yet, but what I did read, just about FLOORED ME!

I couldn’t BELIEVE it.

If I could cut and paste, I would, and you’d say, “Oh my GOSH! That is SO you!!”

I’m totally going to get my other charts done, and I’ve figure out a new technique for internet dating! First message I’m just going to ask what time they were born, send the info in to Ellen for my compatibility chart and take it from there.

Hehe…

Seriously, though, treat yourself to an adventure. It costs less than a chocolate addiction and it’s calorie free! What’s more, it really makes you look up at the stars in a whole new way.

Even though the time I took “for myself” yesterday was a matter of minutes and even then I didn’t leave this work corner, I took it. Like I said, I’m easy to please. Sometimes it’s enough to just have a change of perspective and I’m smiling.

Besides, today when I go outside and feel the sun on my face and take my kids in my arms, how much more will I appreciate the warmth and tender smiles?

Oh Gee! 5 Things About Me?

Okay… well, first of all, that little bundle of Sunshine, Charissa, is the one who tagged Amy and I. But I know Amy’s packing and preparing to move today, so her turn to post might have to wait a day or two. Anyway, thanks, Charissa. We appreciate all your kind words and playful support.

Here goes…

1. My Dad is one of the most inspirational entrepreneurs I’ve ever met.

This picture was his great idea, along with a bunch of other special shaped hot air balloons like a flying cow and a house.

At one point he held the World Record for long distance flight in a hot air balloon. Now, he’s given up hot air balloons for inflatable shelters and hospitals and stuff. It’s pretty intense compared to floating around in the sky with a giant dinosaur.

2. I almost exclusively wear skirts. It’s rare, rare, rare that I’ll wear pants.

3. My survival kit includes: a curling iron, waterproof mascara, lip liner, lip stick, lip gloss, eyebrow tweezers and eyebrow curlers. If I have those, I’m a happy diva no matter where I go. Oh, and a razor, because even if it is natural, nature untamed can be ugly.

4. I had a spaghetti eating hamster named “Lint” that escaped through a hole in the wall of my apartment when I was in university. And every once in a while, I kinda wonder how he might have ended up. Dried? Fried? Lost and alone? Yuck.

5. My mom’s real name is Gertruida Jocoba Maria Hof. She’s “mom” in The Powder Room. And for every project I ever did, I never had a better supporter than her. I loooove you, Mom!

If we have to tag people… I’m going to wait for Amy to finish hers, first.

Mmmmuah!

Renée Loux’s Top 10 Tips for a Green Home

Tomorrow night I have the honor of connecting with a woman who has been named, “The Queen of Green,” Renée Loux. Not only does this inspiring raw diva have a prominent voice in the media for Organics, Green Living and Sustainability, she’s also well known for her a voice her incredible raw food recipes.

On her website she lists 1o simple, approachable steps people can take to start Living Green. I’ll list them briefly here, because whenever I get ready to interview a new guest, I always spend time learning as much about them as I can. I highly recommend you visit Renee’s site and avail yourself to all there is in terms of support for green living, organic awareness.

So here’s what she suggests as 10 steps to a Green Home. The following is largely an excerpt from her site, with a few of my own comments included when I found myself having something clever to say about it.

1. Use Green Cleaning Products

Aside from the fact that cancer, reproductive disorders, lung and skin damage, are some of the lovely side effects of inhaling toxic chemicals, don’t forget that kids are especially vulnerable!!

HEY! What about starting up community awareness programs and bringing non-toxic cleansers into schools, day cares, etc. Somebody should do that!

The destroy our eco-systems and contaminate water. It’s just YUCK and the solutions are so simple. Check out Renée’s Green Cleaning Solution Chart for the full picture.

2. Install a Water Filter

I was surprised that this was number two, but thrilled as well. I’ve recently been studying quite a lot about the ionization water filtration systems and I can testify to the fact that this is the evolution in water filtration systems. Taking the idea of just having clean water to making your water your medicine.

Very Exciting stuff, and I strongly encourage you to read more water ionization filtration systems.

3. Use of Energy Efficient Light Bulbs

Renée says, “Energy-efficient bulbs produce the same amount of light using about 1/4 of the energy.”

Compact fluorescent, full-spectrum, color-corrected. All of them will save energy and money. Though some of the bulbs are more expensive than standard bulbs, their extended life and low draw of energy makes them cost-effective and eco-friendly. How about a light bulb that lasts 20,000 hours— that’s 5 hours a day for 11 years!— just one of them will replace 26 store — bought light bulbs. So smart!

4. Use Recycled Paper Products (Unbleached or Naturally Bleached Recycled paper just makes sense.)

Here are a few stats that’ll shock you! (You can read more on Renee’s site!)

Every year, more than 900 million trees are cut down for US paper and pulp mills!

We throw away enough paper to build a 12-foot wall from New York to California (every year!).
More than 40% of landfill is paper— office and residential paper dominates it.

Recycled paper:

Generates 95% less air pollution
Uses 80% less water
Requires 65% less energy

than virgin paper. Sheesh! And we haven’t even started to discuss the effects of Bleach! Here’s what Renée says:

“Virtually all paper (unless otherwise stated) is bleached with toxic chlorine-based chemicals. The by-products are devastating to the ecosystem and exact a horrible toll on human health- cancer, birth defects, reproductive and developmental damage.

Think: coffee filters, toilet paper and feminine products especially!”

5. Purify Air with Houseplants!

If you ever needed a reason to start your indoor garden, now you’ve got 6 MORE!

1. Produce fresh air and oxygen
2. Reduce carbon dioxide in air
3. Reduce and remove chemical vapors emitted from synthetic materials, like formaldehyde, benzene, and ammonia
4. Offer healthy, microbe-free humidity to dry indoor air
5. Reduce airborne bacteria, mold spores, and mildew
6. Foster a calm, peaceful environments, with measurable benefits including reduced stress more productivity in the workplace and quicker recovery time for hospital patients.

Just so you know, all these facts and figures are meticulously sourced on Renée’s site!

6. Go for Natural Natural Lawn Care — Stop Using Pesticides & Synthetic Fertilizers

Here’s one to chew on:

“90 million pounds of pesticides are used on lawns in the US alone- per foot, this is more chemicals than commercial agriculture! These terrible poisons are devastating to our ecosystem. Many of them will never break down, contaminating fresh water and causing serious harm to humans and animals.” And as Renée repeatedly points out, kids are the most vulnerable!”

7. Choose “Green Energy” Options through your Electric Utility

“For a small premium, you can elect to get your electricity from renewable sources such as wind, solar, or biomass. This is a direct way to personally get off fossil fuels. Very cool. And will keep our planet from melting. Sign up and save the world!”

8. Favor Cloth over Paper

“Each of us uses an average of 700 pounds of paper products per year (which makes up a third of what goes into landfills).”

Use cloth towels, instead of paper towels. Cloth napkins instead of paper napkins, and rags instead of disposable substitutes. My Grandpa used to carry a handkerchief for occasional sniffles and in Thailand, well, they don’t even USE toilet paper! And neither does any other creature on earth, but I’m not going to get into that conversation here.

9. Be Wise with Laundry

“USE BIODEGRADABLE DETERGENT AND OXYGEN BLEACH— free of chemicals, toxins, irritants and harmful substances that do not break down. Better for you, your kids and the environment.

WASH CLOTHES ON COLD — washing machines perform just as well with cold water as with warm or hot. It will save energy and money and extend the life of your threads.

WASH FULL LOADS, BUT DON’T OVERFILL — it takes the same amount of energy for a small load as a large load. Of course, large loads use more water, but an overfilled machine won’t perform as well and may need a longer wash/rinse cycle. Pre-soaking gets clothes cleaner with a shorter cycles.

HANG DRY WHAT YOU CAN — Nothing is better than fresh, line-dried clothes. It will save energy, money on electric (dryers are a huge draw of power), and smells wonderful. Your clothes will thank you too- the dryer is rough on fabric, elastic and wears out colors quickly. Even in cold moths (or sans yard), some laundry can be hung indoors- socks, under-ware and lightweight clothing such as tee shirts will dry quickly. A folding rack can be stashed away without taking up much room. If you like clothes fluffy, tumble drying for a few minutes will do the trick.

CLEAN THE LINT SCREEN— every time the dryer is used. Simple. Air will flow more freely for efficient drying time. Ch-ching.

BUY AN ENERGY EFFICIENT WASHER AND DRYER WHEN THE TIME COMES — they use 50% less energy and 35-50% less water for the same washing and drying action. Look for the Energy Star* models, which meet strict guidelines by the Department of Energy and the EPA.

10. Get Off Junk Mail Lists/ Recycle Paper

“More than 62 billion pieces of unsolicited junk mail arrives in American mailboxes every year. Each of us receives about 41 pounds of junk mail- annually 44% of it ends up in the landfill unopened. That is more than 4 million tons of wasted paper!”

“There are ways to get off unsolicited and junk mail lists and reduce the hemorrhage of waste. It takes a little time and effort- so be persistent! Our planet is worth it.”

“Avoid having your name sold to advertisers by specifically requesting that your name not be lent, sold or traded to any other organization for their mailing lists whenever you send a check for donations, for mail order purchases, to renew subscriptions or when returning a warranty card.”

WHEEW! I can’t help reading after all that stuff that I’m an environmental terrorist. I mean, compared to most people out there, I’m an eco-extremist. There’s so much we can do to make a difference.

Each of us is responsible for assessing our own actions and being accountable to ourselves. Those of us who hold the interests of humanity to heart don’t sleep well at night knowing they’ve dropped the ball and done less than they could.

We’ve got to keep evolving toward a more conscious way of life. It’s the only way things will really change. It’s the only way the masses will finally say “NO!” loud enough to stand up to the handful of people who do not care, who do not want to make things go right.

As you can imagine, I’ve got loads of questions to ask her and am so, so excited about getting the chance to connect one on one tomorrow night. If you’re already a member of the Sisterhood, then be sure to join us for the call tomorrow night at 10:30pm EDT.

Of course, if you’re not in the Sisterhood, then…

…well, then, why the heck not? C’mon already! Sign up. It’s cheaper than chocolate cravings and much lower in calories and an entirely GREEN program!

Mmmuah!

Food and Memories

One of my favorite memories as a very young girl, is visiting my grandparents and sitting at the bar in the kitchen next to ‘Pepaw,’ reading the newspaper with him (i.e. looking at the pictures and reading the titles) and drinking ‘coffee milk,’ (milk with a tiny splash of coffee). I started very young with this little addiction! I felt so grown up, sitting there early in the morning reading very grown up news and drinking a ‘for-grown-ups-only’ drink.

Coffee has another very strong memory association for me, in a way that makes me feel very close to my mother. I used to wake up in the wee hours of the morning and sit with her in the bathroom while she got ready for work. I would get her coffee (with lots of milk and sugar…just the way I like it now!) and pretend to put on make-up and curl my hair.

It is easy to picture different times in life when you think of a certain food, meal, smell, or song, event, etc… Sometimes a memory can feel very real, as if you are actually there reliving it.

That is how coffee became a comfort food for me. It wasn’t my past habit of drinking a pot of coffee while pulling in an all-nighter study session in college. I let go of the caffeine habit long ago. It was the memory of what coffee means to me, that kept me coming back for more.

Decaf coffee was my new thing (yeah…I know it still has some caffeine…). I wasn’t drinking it in the morning for a pick-me-up. I was drinking it in the afternoon for my special quiet time during nap/homework hour. It was hot, sweet, and the perfect calming, soothing, special drink.

Food is a social and emotional thing. No matter how we try to make it a purely physical, nutritional experience, it still holds other, much greater powers over many of us. This does not mean that enjoying it is a negative experience, but simply that trying to avoid emotional ties to food is almost impossible. The little traditions that revolve around our food can create very strong bonds to certain foods by memory association. Being too restrictive about food can create emotional bingeing on ‘no-no’ items.

Eventually, I successfully gave up the coffee habit for good. I gave away my machine and tossed everything that went with it. It feels great now, but it was a long, hard struggle.

I want to create positive emotions and memories around healthy food choices for my children. I want them to remember great things about the way we eat and not dwell on the fact that they can’t have all the other stuff that they used to get and that everyone else still does.

For my son with sensory processing disorder (SPD) and ADHD, (problems on the autism spectrum), this diet is not a choice that we want for him simply because it is healthier. It has become a saving grace for us. There is no room for special treats, one time cheats, or eating the junk that the nice neighbors/relatives give the kids.

Literally, one time to eat ‘something special’ (meaning the non-raw foods that we avoid) will send him off on a minimum of 3 days, if not a week, of the old symptoms we used to see in him. That is not acceptable for us or him. He knows the difference. He feels the difference. He doesn’t want to eat it…most of the time. So, how do I set up a positive attitude toward food restriction?

• First, educate! The more the kids know about the effects poor food choices have on their bodies, the stronger their desire is to not choose it.
• Second, make it fun! Get them in on the process of preparing food. Present it in a fun way. Make it look good, in a kid-kind of way!
• Last, but most importantly, make great memories by setting up new traditions and special things surrounding healthy foods. For instance, when I go grocery shopping with the kids, I let them choose a new fruit or vegetable to try. They can read about what it is, how you eat it, where it came from, and what it has inside that does a body good! That’s lots of good learning to go along with trying and experiencing new foods.

Since my son has sensory issues that make him a very picky eater, this has been a great way to get him to try more types of food and go beyond what he thinks he likes. When he chooses it, he is excited about trying something new. Now, he might not like it, but he is at least trying. He has even started trying things a second or third time around, realizing that he has learned to like other foods that he didn’t before.

Another little tradition we have started is looking for a new raw dessert recipe to make. The kids get to think of an old non-raw favorite and we think of ways to “rawify” it, or we look online and see if someone else already has. We do it all together of course, and sometimes the end product is a great success, and sometimes not. The fun part was doing it together and trying something new.

We also have a ‘Make Your Own Smoothie’ night, where everyone gets to choose what their ingredients, and they get to do the blending, too! We have come up with some interesting combos that I never would have tried without their imagination!

We have competitions to see who wins the gold medal for finishing their carrot juice. That one started during the last summer Olympics when we were introducing the juice to them for the first time. The game that started as a way to get them to drink it is now a tradition to our almost daily carrot juice, after we get past the fight over who gets to make it!

The kids have also started some new things all on their own that have taken root. Thanks to Daddy’s one-time joke, every time we drive by a McDonald’s, they all start chanting, “Yuck-Donald’s, Yuck-Donald’s” and giggle about how they will NEVER eat there again!

Some things I have to quickly pull the plug on, like the time when they made a game of finding things in other people’s shopping carts that were unhealthy and exclaiming it in the loudest, most-impulsive voice possible! Yep, ‘I Spy Junk in that Cart’ game came to a very sudden and quick end.

Can you imagine? Child 1 (ADHD, who still talks loudly without thinking): “Look at that guy! – while pointing – check out the load in his basket!” Child 2 (Innocent, Younger, but just as loud in response): “Where? Oh, I see! Look at how much Coke he has in that basket! Mommy, why does he drink that junk? Doesn’t he know it is BAD for you?” Child 1 (even louder now): “He probably doesn’t care how much coke he drinks. Look at how much junk FOOD he has! – sing song loud voice – chocolate bars, sausage, cheese, chips, canned food, frozen pizza…where is the fruit? Mommy, maybe he doesn’t know better. You should talk to him….” All while I race the other direction and once around the corner, quietly tell them not to talk about other people’s food choices while we are right in front of them!

Of course, special memories can and should be made revolving around many things, not just food. There is the ‘first snow’ snowman building and snowball fight that we have every year. Or the planting of the garden with each child getting their own section and choosing what to plant and doing it on their own. (Ok, so that one does relate to healthy food!)

Since this is Easter weekend, we will be eating ‘Bunny Food’ (carrots, greens, and other bunny favorites), and making raw brownies in easter egg shapes in a pre-formed pan. The baskets full of ‘junk’ that the kids bring home from the elderly neighbor’s yearly invitation to hunting eggs and candy in her yard will be eagerly traded in for acceptable treats or money.

Here is my last thought to you on making healthy food fun and memorable: We offer these trades to make it easier for the kids to give up the stuff that they can no longer eat. Most often, my son trades for the money as he has learned its value and is saving up for a great toy. (His thoughts… “I only get to taste the junk food once, but I can play with a toy forever!”)

What fun, healthy memories will you be adding to your list this year?

HAPPY EASTER!

Let’s Do Shots!

Shots of wheatgrass, that is ?

We’ve all heard stories of the amazing regenerative and curative powers of consuming wheatgrass – from restoring gray hair to its natural color to overcoming cancer – but did you also know that wheatgrass has a profound impact on fertility?

In fact, what we know about wheatgrass today all started back in the 1920’s when a food chemist by the name of Charles Schnabel conducted a search for a “blood building” substance that could be fed to chickens to increase their egg production and decrease their mortality rate. Here are some fascinating discoveries of his and subsequent research on the effect of grass consumption on fertility :

• Schnabel found that feeding hens a mere 10% ration of young wheat and oat grasses increased egg production from 38% to 94% in one winter! Moreover, the eggs’ shells were stronger and more likely to hatch healthy young chicks.

• Dr. George Kohler, in the mid 1930’s, discovered that rats and guinea pigs did well on the summer milk of cows, when the cows were eating a lot of grass, and failed to thrive on the non-grass fed cow’s milk of the winter. This gave rise to a search for a “grass juice factor” that would explain this impact of grass on fertility and growth.

• In a 1935 study, it was shown that when human nursing mothers consumed milk from grass-fed cows, their children developed more quickly and were healthier than when they consumed milk from non grass-fed cows. This suggests that this “grass juice factor” holds true for humans as well.

• In the 1940’s, scientists in several labs isolated a substance present in green plant food that, when injected directly into rabbits, induced ovulation! This substance proved effective on cats and ferrets as well. Whatever this “factor” was, it tended to be most effective in the Spring and Summer and seemed to act like a hormone, stimulating the pituitary gland to secrete another hormone to induce ovulation.

• Later, two more researchers, Spitzer and Phillips, demonstrated that another substance in green supplements, when fed to rats, increased both fertility and lactation.

• Cattle farmers in the Midwest continue to use wheatgrass therapy on sterile cows and bulls today .

While it is still unclear what exactly this “ grass juice factor” is that has such an impact on animal reproduction and wellbeing, it has been theorized that perhaps it is vitamin K that helps jump-start ovulation. Or perhaps the high magnesium content in cereal grass is responsible for generating enzymes that boost the sex hormones. Or that it is high in folic acid, calcium, iron, protein and fiber, and other key nutrients needed for pregnancy…. However, these nutrients do not in themselves sufficiently account for the amazing benefits of wheatgrass so there must be other unidentified factors contributing to them. Regardless, here are some of the things wheatgrass does do to possibly increase fertility:

• It is a great detoxifier and removes heavy metals from the body. It has been proved that a reduction in heavy metal body load increases the chance of spontaneous conception in infertile women and decreases the odds of miscarriage.

• Grass juices have been successfully used in the treatment of cervical inflammation.

• Chlorophyll, particularly the concentrated kind found in grass juices alkalinizes the body and restores PH balance. An acidic vaginal environment is extremely hostile to sperm and an alkaline uterine environment is necessary for implantation and may prevent miscarriage.

• Chlorophyll improves problems with blood sugar metabolism. According to a recent Harvard study, elevated blood sugar and insulin levels are directly related to ovulatory infertility.

So, ladies, with that I say “Bottoms up” and cheers to your fertility!

~Ardis

______________________

References:

1. Chavarro, Jorge E., M.D., Willett, Walter C., M.D., and Skerrett, Patrick J. “Fat, Carbs, and the Science of Conception”. www.newsweek.com. NEWSWEEK, Dec.10, 2007 Issue.
2. Gallagher, Melissa. “Wheat Grass Shots – Benefiting Fatigue to Fertility”. www.ezinearticles.com.
3. Gerard, I., Monga, B., Waldbrenner, A., and Runnebaum, B. “Heavy Metals and Fertility”. www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov. PubMed – Indexed for MEDLINE. PMID: 972682.
4. Lewis, Dr. Randine. “The Infertility Cure – How Nutrition Makes a Difference”. www.parenting.ivillage.com. Little Brown & Company, 2004.
5. Seibold, Ronald L. 1990. Cereal Grass – What it can do for You! Chapter 2.
6. “Wheatgrass”. www.falconblanco.com

Reconsider the Roasted Ham! Ham-Free Raw Food Holiday Feast!

Well, our friends Heidi and Justin Ohlander have done it again!

Seems they’ve just got the celebration bug in their veins, because every time festivities roll around they surprise us with another recipe book!
Click here to view more details

If you haven’t already defrosted your poultry for a mega-Easter feast, then it’s not too late.

It’s not JUST the fact that you’ll know you’re feeding everyone healthy foods!!

Think of the sticky, grimy dishes that most people have to deal with after your aver

No nasty pots and pans. Just a rinse and a wipe and away she goes!

And you’ve got to admit, this tasty loaf looks better than a roasted ham! Every time we mention Heidi’s holiday feasts, we always get back rave reviews!

Skip the ham, buy the book, and keep us posted on the family’s reactions when Aunt Gertie raves about your deviled eggs, only to find out that they’re NOT EGGS and they’re certainly not “deviled!”

Why try and “resist” the cooked food at the Easter banquet when you can just bring the good stuff to them!

At least a couple appetizers to change the scenery!

Happy Easter! and Happy Snacking…

Muah!

Better than Roast Ham for Easter Sunday!

Well, our friends Heidi and Justin Ohlander have done it again!

Seems they’ve just got the celebration bug in their veins, because every time festivities roll around they surprise us with another recipe book!

If you haven’t already defrosted your poultry for a mega-Easter feast, then it’s not too late.

It’s not JUST the fact that you’ll know you’re feeding everyone healthy foods!!

Think of the sticky, grimy dishes that most people have to deal with after your aver

No nasty pots and pans. Just a rinse and a wipe and away she goes!

And you’ve got to admit, this tasty loaf looks better than a roasted ham! Every time we mention Heidi’s holiday feasts, we always get back rave reviews!

Skip the ham, buy the book, and keep us posted on the family’s reactions when Aunt Gertie raves about your deviled eggs, only to find out that they’re NOT EGGS and they’re certainly not “deviled!”

Why try and “resist” the cooked food at the Easter banquet when you can just bring the good stuff to them!

At least a couple appetizers to change the scenery! Click here to view more details!

Happy Easter! and Happy Snacking…

Muah!

Monique Speaks on Sulphur Allergies and MSM

Here is the Question:

Hi Monique! I have an allergy to sulphur, so unfortunately MSM is not an option for me. I drink at least one quart of green smoothies every day (kale or collards with fruit, spirulina, and flax seeds). I am having some of the same symptoms I experience when I ingest sulphur, although more mild, but uncomfortable nonetheless. It makes sense that some whole foods would naturally be higher in sulphur content than others. Which ones should I avoid or eliminate entirely? I love them all, but will do what I have to do. Thanks in advance for your response!

Best Regards,
Julie Keefe

Answer:

Hi Julie,

First I’d like to ask you, what are your symptoms? Also have you seen a doctor to confirm that you have a sulphur allergy and not something else? The reason why I’m asking this is that symptoms can be very similar sometimes, but be caused by different things all together. It sounds like your daily green smoothie might be too much, too often for your body to handle, but remember that sulphur is a constituent of protein and other biomolecules that you obtain from food and are required in trace amounts in your diet to sustain your health.

So, because you need sulfur, as long as you’re getting adequate protein each day, you should be fine. For myself, I have problems with the sulfur in onions if I have too much. When I have small amounts less often, I’m fine.

The following is a list of foods that have sulfur, but instead of omitting these foods altogether, try consuming them in smaller amounts. Your body might be able to handle this better, because if you eliminate certain foods, like Kale for example, you will be losing other important nutrients as well. If you decide to eliminate foods, make sure that you’re getting the nutrients that you’ll be missing from other foods.

You will ultimately have to be the judge on what you decide to do. Listen to your body and talk to your doctor.

Remember, a diet adequate in protein commonly contains enough sulphur.

The main sulphur-containing foods are:

raspberries
brussels sprouts
leaf lettuce (all types)
cabbage
onions (leeks-onion family)
carrots
parsley
celery
radishes
dandelion
snap beans
garlic
string beans
horsetail (herb)
wheatgrass
watercress
nuts (almonds, filberts, walnuts)
kale
kelp
alfalfa sprouts
turnips

Important note: sulfa, sulphur, sulfer are all the same substance. Sulfa and sulfer are American spellings and sulphur is apparently British.

If you’re not eating a strictly raw/vegan diet, you will have to check labels and avoid the following: alcohol, and certain medical drugs.

For more information you can check out : www.diagnose-me.com

Hope this helps.

Take Care
Monique

You Have Just Been Tagged and Now You're IT!

HAPPY FRIDAY!

Today is PURIM, GOOD FRIDAY, Day 20 of my JUICE FEAST…

…and just a perfect day to CELEBRATE anything. I can just hear the refrain: ‘celebrate? celebrate what? I have no time, no money, no energy, blah, blah BLAHHHH.’

That is HYSTERICAL! That is simply a ‘conversation’ a ‘head-space’ a HABIT. C’mon, you can remember when you were a kid… I know that seems like ancient history sometimes LOL! You CAN remember being a kid, and how EVERYTHING was BIG, full of POSSIBILITY, an opportunity for FUN, and your IMAGINATION was in over-drive all the time, and life was incredibly amped-up in techno-color and soooooooooo exciting!!? There was MAGIC in the air and every day was full of POSSIBILITY. Remember having tea-parties with your dolls, or making costumes out of scarves, or creating beautiful art out of a piece of paper and a box of crayons…Oh the magic was EVERYWHERE. Where has it gone..? Like the SUN that is always shining, but is sometimes temporarily hidden by white fluffy clouds, the magic is still HERE- but maybe it is hiding. Maybe it is playing ‘Hide-N-Go Seek’ with you, and you are IT!

I am guessing that everyone who is reading this is living with real life magicians – their kids! Therefore, if the magic in your life seems to be missing, just face the facts- It’s NOT that life has gotten any less magical, it’s that YOU are getting OLD. Yep. Leathery, musty, cranky, stale.

Me too…hrrumph!

Let’s take a look at those precious blossoms of ours. Look at their rosy complexions (sans rouge), their sparkling eyes (sans champagne), their lusterous hair (sans Loreal), their lithe bodies that move in ways that defy gravity- always running and bouncing and crawling and rolling and singing and shaking and PLAYING! Every moment seems like a new opportunity to LAUGH, JOKE, BE SILLY and HAVE FUN! What an adventure…

I know, WE have responsibilities! Creaky knees! Bills! In-laws!!!! But guess what? WE need FUN, as much, if not more now, than ever! I am a Capricorn, and we goats are serious, stoic, responsible, count-on-able, hard-working yawn-fests at the best of times, because we are so earnest about everything. But, I am the Master of my Destiny, the QUEEN of my Castle, the GODDESS of my Life, and I say “LET THE FUN AND GAMES BEGIN!” I have chosen my Spirit name ‘Breeze’ perfectly and am finding it a pleasure to ‘live into’. Our boys have also chosen their own names years ago: ‘Life’ and ‘Beauty Beast’. Luke’s is KingSun.

We are taking a cue from our BABY BUDDHAS, and are actually laughing at mis-haps, playing with our food, making forts out of blankets, taking baths with food coloring, having snowball fights, and other fun times that involve coconut butter, vinyl French Maid, and Butler outfits- but I’ll leave that one to your imagination.

Then there are the kids. Right now, as I write this, I am giggling as they are roaring and galloping around playing ‘dinosaurs’. So ALIVE in their make-belief WORLD. I yell out, “Hey kids, what color is ‘IMAGINATION’?” and without hesitation someone calls out ‘RAINBOW’. “Of course!” I yell back. “Why are some people bad?’ a little more thoughtful, someone replies “…they aren’t bad, they’re just lost”. “Why is the sky blue?” “because God likes peaceful colors.” Wow.

Try it yourself, ask children anything and they will give an answer that is usually deeper, richer, and more nourishing than what we parents would have come up with. It’s so fun to see through their eyes.

This week, Luke tapped our Maple Trees so we could drink the crystal clear sap that people usually boil down to make maple syrup. What an AWESOME, RAWSOME supplement to my JFeast! We had so much fun picking out the trees together and going back to collect the living waters. It was MAGICAL. The boys were soooo excited and happy- we were all in a WINTER WONDERLAND, and drinking this elixir was DIVINE. One of my sons said these are truly ‘giving trees’ which reminded us all of that wonderful story by Shel Silverstein called The Giving Tree. One of our all-time faves! (I still cannot read it without crying). So we all sat there, in the snow, around our little forest, and took turns re-telling the story!

When we were done, everything looked brighter, clearer, more in-focus. We felt some kind of GRACE come over us and just sat their hugging and smiling. Then one of the boys started eating snow, and the other took some sap and poured it into a snow ball,. Suddenly we were all activated again and eating SNOW CONES!

I hope some of you, no- ALL of you, because you all deserve it -take some time to infuse your homelife with color, and magic, and silliness this week. I’d love to hear at least ONE thing you did to create joy and freshness for yourself and your clan!

With luv & laughter,

Shannon ‘Shakaya Breeze’Leone

Raw Food Nutrition: On Raw Pregnancy

I was online tonight, googling “raw vegan pregnancy”, and found my way to your site. Looks very interesting. I’ll be perusing here for awhile.

Anyway, …a couple of days ago I found out that I’m expecting another little one (I’m so excited!). I had just started (about three weeks ago) going for 30 days raw. I haven’t been 100 percent, mainly because I’m still figuring out my options for eating, and sometimes I just eat what is available…like when I cook for my family. Adding to that, my husband and I went on a cruise last week and 100% wasn’t going to happen.

That said, I’d say I’ve been 75% raw and I’ve been feeling amazing.

Here’s my question…I know that one of the biggest concerns about a vegetarian, vegan, or a raw diet during pregnancy, is that the mama gets enough protein. I also have learned that getting all of the protein from plant foods is possible but hard. I really want to keep up what I’m doing, but I don’t want to be extreme and put the baby’s development or my own health at risk.

Also, I’m not looking to lose weight while pregnant, but I only want to gain what I HAVE to. I’m starting out like 40 pounds overweight (at least – 5’5″ & 189 lbs). I started the raw diet because I needed to reset my system, taste buds, and habits. Also, I did this because I knew losing weight would be a side effect. I’ve lost about 7 pounds already. Glad to be pregnant but I’m freaking out about the weight gain.

Now I’m a little lost in the sea of “opinions” of whether eating raw, partially raw, vegetarian, etc…makes sense while pregnant. I keep hearing about the need for protein and the essential amino acids that we can’t make sure that we get from eating raw foods…

Ok…I’m through rambling. I’d appreciate anything that you can share that would illumine my way The bottom line is that I only want to eat what I HAVE to so that I don’t put on any excess weight

THX,

Chrystal Hurst

Answer:

Hi Chrystal,

Congratulations on your pregnancy. Sounds like you’re doing great.

First thing, if you eat whole fruits, veggies, nuts, seeds, beans, etc. every day you’ll be getting plenty of protein and it’s not hard. You’d basically have to stop eating to get a protein deficiency. Protein is the building block of life (amino acids), and is found in all living things. There are so many myths and lies about protein out there floating around. Don’t buy into it. The only ones who will benefit if you do are the BIG businesses that push these myths.

I have eaten a strict vegan diet for going on 18 years. Thirteen of which was also 70-80% raw. I have raised three of our four children on this way of eating since conception (my oldest since he was almost 2), and still feed them this way today. They are all very healthy and never get sick.

5 years ago we went 100% raw. My children love raw food, but are not 100%, as they missed some of the meals I used to make them. In all, they are healthy. It’s their journey, and we as parents need only guide them and give them the best foods we can.

You should check the other diva newsletters or other posts on the divas blog for information that I have given in the past on pregnancy and raw/vegan foods.

As far as your weight, as long as you are eating healthy foods, (NO JUNK) then you will have nothing to worry about. By healthy, I mean fresh whole fruits, veggies, nuts, seeds, whole sprouted grains, and legumes. No processed stuff or other junk.

If you would like to know more, you are welcome to call me for a consultation, let Tera know and she’ll give you my number.

Take Care and warm wishes for a happy pregnancy,
Monique

p.s.

Once baby comes, you’ll definitely want to check out these raw food recipes for toddlers!