Practically Raw

Soda Vie...

2009-10-01T03:59:00.000-07:00

We are CLOSE.... So Close... to releasing a truly Raw, Real Food Soda.

It is brewed. It is NOT Kombucha, nor is it Kefir. It uses only food, not any manufactured flavorings or man made ingredients. It is not alocoholic, and it IS potentially good for you.

We have some wonderful flavors, from sweet and classic, to dry and herbal. Perfect for pairing with foods like you might with a good Wine, Champagne, or Beer.

In partnership with GetReal Food Company, we are going to market handmade Raw Soda to our local area on a direct basis through delivery, as well as via the classic Farmers Market type scenario. Soon we will have some tastings as well as events for you to come try it.

But dont look for this at your local store. We arent interested in mass market, boring, 3rd party, anonymous, corporate paradigms... We make real food, and we want to have a connection with our customers.

More to come soon....

Food Hacking

2009-09-23T07:57:00.001-07:00

http://foodhacking.blogspot.com/

Going to go deeper into the whys and hows of making food.

More Raw....

2009-08-26T04:04:00.000-07:00

So far, 2009 has been a good start for me personally. I have slowly converted to a far more Raw, Plant Based diet, but in a sustainable way that works well for the long term. Im not "on a diet", I have changed my eating habits, which will eventually make long term gains in health and well being.

But the reality is, unless I am making intentional choices to increase my health, I end up sliding back into patterns 39 years of compulsive eating helped create. I can feel the slide starting, and need to take action. Here are some things I have observed:

My desire for fried foods has increased since I let up on my EFA intake (Essential Fatty Acids). We ran low on AimMega, our preferred supplement for this. I require an unusual amount due to my brain chemistry, and just dont get enough yet in foods, so I supplement. When I take less, my cravings for fats goes up considerably, as well as cooked food.
My behavior, as well as overall brain function, is not as clear as I like it. This is due to my strong tendency to ADHD symptoms, and the less EFA intake, the more I get stuck, obsessive, hyper, aggressive, etc... It goes down NOTICEABLY when Im eating right.
Im gaining weight. Some of it is water, some is constipation, some is more fat. Im eating foods that lack enzymes, with higher sugar contents, and lower nutrition. My body is responding.
My blood pressure isnt continuing to go down. I am on 1/2 of 1 med, and while my BP is slightly high, Im trying to push through that. Eating more cooked food isnt where I have been successful in lowering my BP.

So while Im happy with my progress, and confident Im on a lifestyle change that is sustainable, and long term, I need to engage more for a time to bring the overall level of health up. I imagine this is a necessary periodic technique to overcome the resistance to changing.

We are going to go Raw for 30 days from 9/8/09-10/8/09. We are considering a cooked meal with the family once a week, but even then it will be vegan, with loads of veggies. Historically, this has resulted in some good momentum to click into the "next gear". We will be doing weekly food demos to keep us engaged, and connect with all the people who want to find ways to incorporate more Raw Food without turning their lives into an eating disorder!

This Weeks PracticallyRaw Food Trade

2009-08-10T09:50:00.001-07:00

Each week (or more often if we can) we will give you an idea of foods you can make, how to make them, and how to trade them for the more cooked products in your current diet.

This week: Guacamole

This is a classic favorite, and it works great as a replacement for Mayonnaise, as well as a handy dip for Raw Veggies. It is a great food for babies as well as anyone needing lots of good fats in their diet.

The thing to remember is that even though it is a recipe, all these products are variable. One time you use some avocados, they are more watery, or less. The limes are more sour, or less. So it is more a guideline than a recipe…. It is like colors, they are richer or lighter and it changes the way you use them.

Guacamole Basic: Avocados are primarily a Fat. They are rich, and need salt and an acid to make the creamy fats brighter and savory. We are getting lots of GOOD fats here, along with fiber, and lots of nutrition.

2 Avocados with a little give to them. If it feels like there re air gaps under the skin, or they are extremely soft, don’t use them, or at least avoid the obvious brown or yuck parts. The fats can become rancid, and then they are no long good tasting, or good for you.

1 Large Lime

½ to 1 tablespoon Ground Cumin

¼ to ½ teaspoon Garlic powder

Salt to taste.

Scoop it out and mix it up! I like to cut cross cuts in the Avocado before I scoop it out with a spoon, and mix it in with an already mixed avocado to combine the textures.

Advanced: Add any or all of the following

Chopped Cilantro

Chopped Onion

Chopped Cucumber

Salsa

It is really this simple....

2009-08-07T09:22:00.000-07:00

God Made Food = Raw Fruits, Vegetables, Nuts, and Seeds. You can eat Raw Meat if you want, but I wouldn't unless I ever had a true hunger fr it, knew the source, and knew how it was processed.

A word about Dairy...

Raw Dairy, especially cultured Dairy is popular too, but it is not as optimal as the other foods. Take some simple investigation into dairy practice, and it will soon be clear it is not in the Creators design to keep taking milk away from young animals, nor forcing animals to continue producing Milk after the cycle of weaning is complete. It wears out the animals, as well as deprives the young ones of essential nutrition.

1. Eat more God Made Food.
2. Eliminate Man Made Food.

I know, it sounds over simplified, but it is this simple. Want some examples?

1. Eat your first meal of the day made up exclusively of Raw Fruits.
2. Eat as much green salad as you want, and use God Made Oils and such for dressings.
3. Eat a handful of raw nuts as snack.
4. Eat Guacamole. Use it as a Mayonnaise.
5. Use nutritional supplements tat are food based, Raw, and Organic. We reccommend AIM products. Read here for Danielles take on this.

Replace man made food. Avoid these things:

1. High Fructose Corn Syrup, Sugar, and refined Flours. Minimize these in every way possible while being realistic with your life. However, do have fun and treat yourselves. I LOVE Dark Chcolate, and will eat it occasionaly. I love bread, and will amke it, and I do use some white flours, but I try to minimize it.
2. Trans Fats: NEVER eat them if you can avoid it.
3. Preservatives, and man made flavored products. MSG, Sodium Benzoate, Blah Blah Blah... you will find that when you eat more food you make yourself, you will automatically avoid these. However, most manufactured food must have preservatives in them, and added flavorings to compensate for their processing.

By attempting these things above, you will see dramatic improvements in your diet over time. You will also see changes in your appetites, your taste buds, and our energy levels. Do this Slowly (I mean slowly unless you are sick or dealing with a serious medical condition). It take time. The goal is long term sustainability, not more compulsive changes.

Why is it so hard?

2009-08-07T09:04:00.000-07:00

It is REALLY simple, just not easy. The previous posts used a few ideas to lay my case for why it is so simple, and so hard.

1. You are programmed to eat Man Made food.

If there ever was a matrixesque scenario, it is us and food. We have been programmed and marketed by people who make, process, sell, or otherwise profit off of food (including all the cool diets, books, and nutritional products).

The first step in all recovery is to accept Truth, and reject Lies. Find the Truth, and you will see the Lies dissolve. Admit you are programmed, and reject it.

2. You are acclimated to the false flavors, and apparent convenience of Food Babylon.

You are so used to this, you might not have a cue what reality is. When a piece of ripe, fresh well grown fruit doesn't catch your taste buds attention, you can be sure you are so far away from your original design something is clearly out of balance. I still LOVE Pringles potato chips, and have a weakness for french fired potatoes. At times I have to avoid them entirely just to put myself back into line.

You also believe that it is easier to make and eat pre-made food. The perceived convenience is a trick, and is not real. Fresh, Raw, God Made Food is ready to eat. You can always make it more sophisticated, but it isn't needed.

3. You are used to eating way too much, because your body doesn't get enough nutrition from your diet.

This is one of my biggest ideas I try t communicate. Lets take Meat...

100 grams of protein from meat versus 50 grams of protein from Raw Almonds.

I eat the meat, and by the time my body digests it, deal with the effects of digesting it, and processes the amino acids, I might get 20-30% of the protein. Lets say I got 30 grams of amino acids total net gain. I did that at a cost to the rest of my system, and for some people, a cost to the planet and living beings.

I eat the almonds, and by the time my body digests them I have not had to deal with the by products of acid forming products, unhealthy fats, and similar products not found in the plant kingdom. I end up with a net gain of 90% of the protein (a made up a number here), or 45 grams. There are little to no byproducts of strain on my system in general.

Net gain is similar, if not more for the raw food, with less damage. It is far more EFFICIENT. If were to eat the meat constantly, I would not be eating (and more importantly assimilating) protein in as much quantity, and would need more intake, with less output.

These are just some simple ideas that are a part of any struggle to get off Man Made Food and into God Made Food.

Next.... the simple idea....

The FUN in Fundementals of Nutrition...

2009-08-07T08:20:00.001-07:00

Mary-Ann Shearer said it best when she came to do a seminar wit us...

"People ask me "Are you Vegan?", "Are you Raw?", "Are you Vegetarian". And I simply say "I listen to my body. I put God made food into my God made body"."

That has got to be the simplest, most distilled statement about health, nutrition, and diet. I'm going to go a step further, and say it this way:

"If I want God Made Health, I will but God Made Food into my God Made Body!"

and conversely

"If I want Man Made Health, I will put Man Made Food into my God Made Body!"

I have my own convictions about Who/What God is, and that's fine if you disagree, but the concept makes a lot of sense. Bear with me if you have a different take on God/Creator etc... and translate for yourself.

1. The Creator made All Life, and made the Food for them.

The relationship between Animals and Food is astonishing. The interactions between something simple like and Orange and a Human being are so tightly coupled it is a miracle.

An Orange has everything in itself to be digested, processed, and incorporated into a human being. It has many micro and macro nutrients, along with its own mechanism for processing itself. It has enzymes, sugars, vitamins, and even the substances required to digest those vitamin, fiber etc...

Yet, if you extract those substances from the Orange, they will not work as well when taken separately. Lets say fructose, a sugar. If you eat it within an Orange, different compounds, as well as fiber slow down the process of conversion to Glucose in your system, and your body is able to take it correctly without releasing massive amounts of insulin and stressing your pancreas, as well as the other systems affected.

If you eat the fructose alone, you are going to create a MASSIVE blood sugar episode. Your body will struggle to balance your blood sugar, and you will end up in the long run with damage as ell as possible disorders.

There are other similar concepts, such as Vitamin A and Carrots. Taking straight Vitamin A (or better yet, Beta Carotene, a precursor to Vitamin A) without a fat, let alone taking a synthetic form, will not integrate itself in your body, and possibly even damage itself. Curiously, Creator put just the right kind, and the right amount of fat in a carrot to extract Vitamin A, a hugely beneficial antioxidant and nutrient.

2. This was a perfect situation, that can never be improved upon.

This one is obvious. It is very difficult to improve upon the Designer of something so complex as living beings. Let alone the fact it is super developed, lets all admit we don't have a comprehensive enough understanding of Life, to even put ourselves it hat position. There are constant revelations and discoveries daily about Life and Living Beings to make the case we simply cannot yet improve on it. I'm betting we never will.

3. The more we stay within the Created Order, the better we will be.

This is a clear principle, and just general common sense. If the origin was superior, and design specifically, any deviation from it is detrimental.

4. The more we stray from the Created Order, the worse we will be.

With me so far?

Taking back the mental from Nurtition Fundementals

2009-08-06T10:26:00.000-07:00

Or making me mental.....

Having several recent talks with folks about basic nutrition, I realized it is far easier than it sounds, yet is daunting for some very compelling reasons...

1. Food is a business.

Everything you know, or think you know about food is delivered to you via channels of information where the main motive is profit. Think about the process from growing (or manufacturing in most cases) through delivery, logistics, and retail. No one in that chain cares one bit about you, only your money.

2. Food is not presented with actual nutritional merit, only marketable nutritional merit.

There are ideas communicated to you about food that contain information about nutrition. However only those bits of information that actually create a marketing opportunity are presented, and they are only presented in forms in which the ancillary information is controlled. "Milk does a body good" is one of the silliest statements ever. It may, or it may not. Prove it. It is a completely unqualified statement. Almost every word in the sentence is suspect. Which Milk? What Body? What do you mean by Good? How "does" it.

Do you seriously think anyone but the Milk Advisory Board has a vested interest in you drinking milk? Do you think they care about your health, or their product?

3. Food is the dominant supply system for control.

You can control the guns, money, etc... but when you control the food, you control everything else. Check this out if you don't think there is a tremendous battle right now for control of the food supply. Monsanto, ADM, Cargill, anyone with a vested interest in keeping Food using their products and services hope that this legislation, under the idea of "food safety" will pass. And it is a great first step to set an even broader net to regulate any aspect of food production, distribution, and sale.

The above being my personal, unqualified opinions.... I will post next about the basics of nutrition.

Up for AIR

2009-07-31T09:34:00.001-07:00

Took a long break, overwhelmed and too many other things got our attention. Time to refocus.

2 encouraging things happened.

Bliss Fest was quite a kick, and reminded me about all the dynamics of improving health and using Raw Foods as the primary source of nutrition.

Simply Raw, a DVD about treating diabetes with Raw Food, was mind blowing. It reminded me of a) how bad things can get, and b) how simple and fundamental diet is to health. Watching people on 9 different medications go off them in a matter of days was proof enough.

Curing Autism with Nutrition

2009-04-26T07:46:00.000-07:00

I found some info on curing autism though nutrition last night while reading a newsletter that I get every week. I found it interesting, so I clicked on the link. Wow! I was really surprised to find what I did. Here's one of the videos that I found.

For some reason I can't imbed the image, so you'll have to go check it out yourself here.

Bordom + Extra Nuts and Seeds = Creativity

2009-04-20T06:44:00.000-07:00

Last week I realized that we had some extra nuts and seeds and some strawberries that were ripe. So here's what I did....

Chopped Strawberries

Blended Nuts and Seeds (soaked: pecans, sunflower seeds, cashews, flax seeds and almonds - really whatever I could toss in) with a bit of agave, a few dates, a dash of salt and a splash of vanilla

Dehydrated and viola

The mix of nuts and seeds was so great. You don't have to have a dehydrator. You can just enjoy the mixture as an occasional snack. Did you know that about a 1/4 cup of nuts meets your protein needs for the day? I'll save the facts on that one for another post.

Here's a video of Havah and Sean enjoying them.

And the Winner Is...

2009-04-13T15:56:00.001-07:00

Jennifer James! We hope you enjoy your raw sunflax bread!

Thanks for everyone who signed up for the mailing list.

We'll have another Free Food Friday in the coming weeks, so be sure to check back.

It's Not That Hard

2009-04-13T07:16:00.000-07:00

Sean and I were talking this morning about what we eat in a day. We will often have something fun from the Raw Pantry that makes our raw food a bit more interesting, but for the most part what we eat is pretty simple.

To start our day today we juiced. Nothing fancy, just went through the fridge and the fruit bowl to find things to include.

Here's what we found: Carrots, Mango and Coconut

Sean juiced the carrots, you don't need a fancy juicer. A simple juiceman will do the trick (although we do LOVE our Green Star that we got from Paul Nison's Raw Life Store).

Then he opened the mango and cracked the coconut.

Then put it all in the Vitamix (any blender will do, but we love our vitamix).

It only took a few minutes and we had a very nutritious, great tasting breakfast. Havah (my one year old daughter) was snoozing or I would have had to share. She LOVES fresh juice.

Free Food Friday

2009-04-10T06:53:00.000-07:00

On our first Free Food Friday we'll be giving away an order of our Sunflax Bread. Sunflax is a raw bread that is savory and delicious. It's great with a raw spread and veggies!

So in order to win head over to our website and sign up for our mailing list. On Monday we'll select a random winner. If you are in the Kansas City are we will deliver it to you. If you are an out-of-towner it will ship it to you.

Happy Friday!
Danielle

Upcoming Events

2009-04-09T11:22:00.000-07:00

I want to update you on a few things going on with PracticallyRaw.

1. Free Food Friday!
Check out our blog this Friday to find out how you can win! Every few weeks we’ll be doing another giveaway.

2. May 7th:
Nutrition for the Family
Join us Thursday, May 7th at noon for a Health for the Family. Mary-Ann Shearer, nutrition educator and author, will be speaking on Health for the Whole Family. She will cover nutrition from pre-pregnancy all the way to the teenage years. Learn how proper nutrition can help keep your family happy and healthy without breaking your budget! Email me (daniellehenry(at)practicallyraw(dot)net). if you would like more info. Pre-registration is required.

3. May 9th:
The Natural Way Seminar
Come and hear Mary-Ann Shearer,bestselling health and nutrition authorin the Southern hemisphere explain some simple ways on how to obtain optimum health while living “The Fasted Lifestyle.” Mary-Ann has studied health and nutrition for over 30 years and is the author of several books best-selling books on health and nutrition.

Topics to be discussed:
• Fundamentals of Nutrition
• Eating healthy on a budget
• Learn how fasting correctly canbenefit your whole spirit, soul & body

Location: Birchwood Training Center, Kansas City, MO
Time: 10am - 12, 1pm - 3pm

Cost: $10Pre-registration is required.

You can see the full brochure at: http://www.practicallyraw.net/events/Mary%20Anns-KC-05-2009.pdf

Both events will be very informative with lots of practical information. Please forward this information onto anyone who you think may be interested. Hope to see you at one of our upcoming events!

Danie

An Update part 2 of 2

2009-04-07T07:36:00.001-07:00

Here is my status so far after a few months:

Weight Loss: I have not lost nearly as much weight this time as I did previously. I expected this. I am not on a fast, nor am I indulging yet another compulsive action. I am making a much more long term change, and it is therefore more gradual. This is necessary for me emotionally, as most of the binging last time was out of a sense of deprivation, and wasn't healthy either. I have lost at least 10 pounds, although I don't know exactly, because I didn't measure it at the beginning, and my main focus is not weight loss. My weight will adjust as my body heals.
Blood Pressure: I have not checked my Blood Pressure. There have been a few times when I have noticed a little light headedness, which MIGHT indicate my meds are a little strong. However I have not had the significant drop I had before.
Habits: This is where I have had the most improvement, and gives me the most hope. My daily eating has modulated to a much less compulsive and less emotional level. I'm happy with eating the current way I am, and I am able to make small, incremental improvements to my diet on a daily basis. This has great potential for me, as it means that as I improve, over the long term, my body will not only become healthier, but will remain and improve over time. This is about the next 25 year, not the next 25 pounds.

My daily diet follows something close to the following. There are areas where I am going to take more action, and will blog about them for those interested:

1^st food: We have started juicing. I normally HATE raw Carrots, however something is changing both in my taste buds, and my smell. I make juice most mornings with 1-2 apples or pears, 8-10 carrots, a red beet (including tops), and sometimes we blend this with a Young Coconut. This has proved to be a great thing first off in the day.

2^nd Food: I make a raw shake with more density. I use Raw Soaked Almonds, Flax Seed, Hemp Oil, Young Coconut Water, Agave, Stevia (more Stevia, less Agave), and sometimes add cinnamon, vanilla, Raw Cacao, or even some ground coffee, with Ice.

3^rd Food: Usually a large Green Salad, with some whole grain naturally leavened bread. Greens, Tomatoes, Peppers, Carrot, Avocado, and homemade vinaigrette. I sometimes eat this 2^nd in the day if I don't feel like a shake.

The rest of the day will depend on our schedule. It might be more Salad, or a combination of cooked food that is typically vegetarian, although not always. There is also a fast every Tuesday in our community, and I'm trying to juice for most of that.

From Friday evening to Saturday evening, it is our personal conviction that it is a day of rest, and celebration. We stop and feed our hearts, as well as eat joyfully anything that sounds good. We happened to have a mostly Raw meal this last week, however it is more of a "free" day. Sat am I have one of my favorites, a cup of coffee, and eggs and toast. Throughout the day I might eat whatever I want.

One of the factors that needs to change is the idea of a "free" day. I'm a fan of feasting. But a "free" day means I'm not "free" the rest of the time, and that's not true. But there is still a process of healing and turning of other parts of me that aren't just physical, but emotional and mental.

We are also making an effort to eat during daylight, and not eat toward the end of the day. Our friend Paul Nison is soon releasing a book about this, and the concept has some real merit. But after 39 years of being in a routine of large meals at night etc… I'm going to take this as simply and practically as possible.

An Update – Part 1 of 2

2009-04-06T12:01:00.001-07:00

I realized that I wrote a blog post a few months back that explained one of the motivating factors for me personally to get to a much higher level of Raw Foods.

While I am not 100% Raw and don't actually advocate that unless there is a mitigating factor like life threatening illness, or immediate issues, I am making every reasonable attempt to have the Raw % as high as practical.

My previous experience has been my ability to get off my medicine completely. I did this in 2007, and I believe this was due to 2 very clear factors which when they were changed, so was my health.

Weight. I have ALWAYS been a heavy guy. When I experienced freedom from hypertension it corresponded with my weight dropping 20%. I could have actually lost even more weight and still been very healthy. Weight and Hypertension go hand in hand. I was eating incredible amounts of food! I was eating Raw Foods 4 out of 7 days on average, and most of that was Raw Food treats, not the more fundamental building blocks of Fruits, Veggies, Nuts and Seeds. I'm not saying this is healthy, however the results speak for themselves.
Nutrition/Enzymes. Just losing weight isn't necessarily enough. I'm not convinced that weight alone did this because I was diagnosed with hypertension when I was not nearly at my heaviest. I believe the weight loss itself, and change in symptoms were also due to the fact my body was being fed comparatively huge amounts of enzymes, vitamins, and minerals. Considering that I might have been eating way more calories than ever (Young Coconut Meat, Avocados, Nuts all have high caloric content) I was losing huge amounts of weight. Some of that had to be the colon cleansing and water retention change as well.

These factors forced me to make a real decision… medication and weight struggles for the rest of my life, medication free life with no change to my nutrition and risking stroke, or changing my nutrition with a long term vision and getting off medication.

I am not doing this without medical supervision! I don't recommend that for people with my risks. When I get dizzy or light headed, I will take my BP, and make small adjustments to my meds, but I have agreed to my wife's request, and will get an eventual check up before removing all my meds.

Sean Henry/PracticallyRaw

My High Hopes to Raise a Picky Eater

2009-04-05T08:53:00.001-07:00

A few times a week I will talk with other moms about nutrition for the family. Up until the past year I've really only be responsible for feeding myself. Our two older daughters are old enough to go to the kitchen and feed themselves. Sean and I encourage them to make good choices, but they are at a place where they will choose what they do and don't eat when they are at school or at a friend's house.

When our youngest daughter started to seem interested in food I realized that I had some big decisions to make. When is the right time to introduce solid food? What is the right first food? I looked all over the internet, I went to the bookstore and to the library in search of answers. I found a lot of helpful information. I also found a lot of useless information! The most common answer that I found was something like this, "Around 4-6 months of age your baby will need something in addition to breast milk. This is great time to introduce rice cereal. If you feed your baby rice cereal before putting him to bed, you can expect that he will begin to sleep through the night." This was helpful, but not exactly what I was looking for. The information that I really wanted was something like, "Here are the nutritional needs of your baby and why. Here are good foods that meet those needs." I did find a few sites and books that provided that type of information.

The best source I found was a book by Mary-Ann Shearer called Healthy Kids the Natural Way. I had read a few of Mary-Ann's books before, but didn't realize that she had a book about children's health until my friend Merrily Bright turned me onto it. Mary-Ann discusses nutrition from pre-pregnancy all the way to adolescence. The chapters on when to introduce solid food and what to give my baby were great! She goes on to break down several fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds - providing the vitamin and mineral content of each. It was great information. It really helped me to understand that these foods have everything that the body needs for optimum health. Unfortunately, if you look for this book on the web you will have trouble finding it. If are interested in getting a copy email me.

Another good resource is www.rawmom.com. Many of the articles are very practical. Besides having a super fun raw food family, they discuss great tips on providing proper nutrition to your children and practical advice on how to survive travel, school lunches etc. while keeping health in mind.

Recently, my friend Paul Nison (raw food author, chef and educator) has been posting information on nutrition for babies and children as he and his wonderful wife Andrea just had a baby girl. Andrea wrote a great post about her plans for their daughter's diet in the coming years. You can check out their blog at paulnison.blogspot.com. Guaranteed good info and great videos.

So here's what happened with Havah: At around seven months old I gave her a taste of ripe banana mixed with breast milk. Over the next several months I introduced several other raw fresh fruits and vegetables. Some of her favorites are mangos, blended apples and pears, avocados, carrot juice, bananas (when she wants something to eat she asks for a nana), nectarines, papaya, young coconut meat, some of our raw shakes of course BarleyLife. A few times a week we give her food that is lightly steamed like yellow squash, peas and green beans. Basically, she loves any food we give her!

I found some interesting info the on rice cereal suggestion. It turns out that babies don't produce ptyalin, the enzyme that is produced in the mouth to help convert starches into sugars. Babies don't produce this enzyme until they have a mouth full of teeth and are good at chewing. This usually happens around 18 - 24 months. Introduction of complex starches (rice cereal, potatoes, bread etc.) can sometimes result in constipation, mucus production and food intolerances.

My hope for Havah and all of our children is to raise picky eaters! I hope that if she grows up being stuffed with wonderful foods that help her body thrive that she will prefer them all of her life. I hope that our children will try anything, but have a preference for raw, fresh, ripe fruits and vegetables.

Danielle Henry
Practically Raw

BarleyLife

2009-03-20T13:12:00.001-07:00

We all know that it's important to eat your fruits and vegetables. Most of us are making an extra effort to have a few salads each week. I think eat pretty well (except for my oldest daughter Israel's chocolate chip cookies and Saturday am coffee, of course). I eat at least one fruit meal a day, I try to have a salad, snack on fruits and vegetables and eat as much raw food in a day as I can. After all of that good food why would I choose to take a green food supplement? I have several reasons:

I live in Kansas City, MO. The season for fresh, organic, local produce is pretty slim here. Even in winter I'm still getting green vegetables, but the quality is not what it should be to provide the nutrition I'm looking for. If I eat till I'm full I'm still not getting enough good green nutrition! I take AIM's BarleyLife® year round, so I'm supplementing my diet with BarleyLife in the off season and building up my body during the peak season.

Taking BarleyLife is cheaper than eating 9 servings a day of organic green vegetables. A friend estimated that the cost is five times as much to eat nine serving of organic green vegetables each day. I pay $17 a month for Barley.

I can't afford to get sick! Even in a thriving economy I can't afford to have down time, doctor visits, prescriptions and the toll that getting sick takes on my body! In the past two years I've had one minor cold. I've spent plenty of time around sick kids, family members and co-workers. Before supplementing with the Barley I had my fair share of time being sick (3-4 colds or flus per year).

I'm nursing a baby and that takes a lot of energy from my body. Right now my body's first priority is to feed my baby. It will prioritize that over any other requirement. By supplying my body with proper nutrition I'm really giving myself and my baby a big advantage. Havah has never been sick and is the healthiest baby I've ever seen. Using the BarleyLife provided:
- High quality, fatty breast milk
- Abundant milk supply
- A quick recovery from birth

I don't think any of these factors would have been as significant (especially in those first few months) without the supplementation of BarleyLife.

I'm not a big fan of vitamin supplements. I think most of them end up passing right through your body into the toilet. If you are taking a vitamin that is not plant based it is pretty hard for your body to assimilate the vitamins and minerals that are in that little pill. In addition, you are also potentially putting a strain on your organs. The best source of vitamins and minerals is plants. God perfectly designed fruits and vegetables to provide nutrition that our body can get proper nutrition from and properly digest.

There are a few good companies that make a green food supplement. After price and quality comparison I am convinced that AIMs BarleyLife is the highest quality for the best price. Here's a paragraph from the AIM website:

AIM BarleyLife® is an all-natural, green barley juice concentrate that helps provide the daily nutrition you need to develop a strong foundation for your good health. The power of AIM BarleyLife® is found in the nutrients of young barley leaves. Research has found that green barley juice is abundant in enzymes, essential amino acids, and is rich in antioxidant ability, anti-inflammatory activity, immune system support and cholesterol lowering effects. The result is a feeling of total wellness!

Here is my dilemma; I believe in the concept behind this product. I believe in the benefits both for myself, and some incredible stories of people I know. I also realize the weird dynamic of a "Network Marketing" company/product. I believe the benefits far outweigh the difficulties, and encourage you to investigate these kinds of options for your own health.

Danielle Henry/PracticallyRaw

Ups and Downs

2009-03-04T08:20:00.001-08:00

I find myself returning from a small family trip. We stayed with wonderful people, and the fellowship and family was great. I was around supportive people who understood my health goals and needs, and while they don't share the same things, certainly were helpful and accommodating.

However, I was out of my routine, out of my element, out of MY KITCHEN! All the little things I do all the time to keep me pointed towards a long term goal of sustainable health were missing. And I feel a little panic as I have slid around on my goals and my habits, and for me, that usually spells a decline.

However, this time I feel different. And at the risk of sounding like a women's health magazine, I think the following is a list of things that are helping me with maintaining a forward focus and progress towards long term, sustainable health with Raw Foods:

No matter how supportive someone else is, your health is ENTIRELY your responsibility. It doesn't have to be a burden, and it is easier if others join you, but regardless of others choices, I've made one already about my own body.
I'm in this for the long term. Similar to investing in the stock market vs. day trading. I'm thinking about the payoff 5-10-15-20 years from now. Momentary lapses or inconsistencies are not the definition of success out on the long term, consistent effort is.
The truth is, while I ate a lot more cooked food than normal, I also made concerted efforts to eat a LOT more Raw Veggies. For instance, I had a considerable amount of shredded broccoli I brought with me. It was marinating when I left, and I ate it off and on for 5 days! I started eating fruit in the am again, and got at least 2 pieces in. I ate salads often, and took fiber supplements as least an hours before I knew I would be eating cooked food to help me feel physically full.
I depended on my wife a lot, who ALWAYS encourages me. We shared a few bites of desserts, and splitting things always helps me enjoy things without over doing it.
Focus on %. I don't advocate 100% Raw Foods unless you are struggling with illness or have a conviction that is pointing you in that direction. I'm shooting for 70% Raw Foods on any average day/week. If I do more great, if not, I shoot for it again. I'm not going to answer a compulsive day of eating cooked foods with an equally compulsive day of Raw Foods. Compulsivity is the enemy, with Cooked or Raw Foods. 12 step groups use the phrase "Progress rather than Perfection".
I'm focusing on the good, not the bad. This is mentioned all the time, but is really worth repeating. After all the things listed above, I'm also thankful I'm even CONSCIOUS about my health, have a plan that has been proven successful, and I am working the plan.

You might have other ideas and helps that you know you can focus on. Martha Stewart might have a point; you won't make good choices or take good actions in the long term without focusing on good things. Focusing on bad things won't be sufficient, long lasting motivation, and it is very unproductive. Slaves have horrible productivity; Lovers will die for each other. I'm not a slave to my body, I love it appropriately.

Raw Breads and Spreads this Sunday

2009-02-18T12:01:00.000-08:00

Want to try some of our Raw Breads? We're planning on having too much fun this Sunday from 3-5pm. We'd love for you to come try our Raw Breads and connect with some other folks who are eating more Raw Food in Kansas City. Interested? Email getpractical (at) practicallyraw.net for the details.

The PracticallyRaw Approach

2009-02-17T12:02:00.001-08:00

Here at PracticallyRaw, we approach making food, educating people, and conducting business from the primary foundation of PRACTICALITY. The name of our company is somewhat of a "double entendre", in that it has 2 meanings (that we know of so far!):

Our approach to eating Raw Foods is a practical one. We look for the easiest, most direct way to do this without engaging in unfruitful speculation or abstraction, and base our choices on experience (ours or others we trust) as much as anything else.
Our commitment to Raw Foods is almost, or nearly Raw. The concept here is to address the reality that unless one has mitigating circumstances (primarily sickness), or is adhering to some specific belief system (i.e. environmentalism, veganism etc…) that would require 100% Raw Foods, the overwhelming majority of people engaging Raw Foods do it without an all or nothing commitment.

The results of this approach are very positive and tangible:

It provides an easy onramp to Raw Foods. It isn't black or white, all or nothing. You can jump on where you want, and do your best.
It makes it more sustainable. Eating out, travelling, dealing with others isn't nearly as hard. I know people who are successful in 100% Raw Foods that navigate these problems easily, but you need to realize they are Professional Raw Foodists. They make a living at the business of Raw Foods, and their lives are oriented around it.
It works well in the majority of the U.S. We don't all live where farmers markets, backyard fruit trees, and organic produce is available the majority of the year.

Here is a list of practical values we adhere to when it comes to Raw Food:

We strive for eating Raw Foods, at the highest percentage.
We try to use Organic products at every opportunity.
When the decision is between more Raw Foods with a compromise on the above, or less Raw Foods, More Raw Foods wins.
If possible, we want to use small businesses, and/or locally owned and operated farms and suppliers.
We always make food with a heart toward giving. Giving product, knowledge, or finances towards the poor, the widow, and the orphan.

A Typical “PracticallyRaw” Day

2009-02-13T14:00:00.001-08:00

I realized that as we talk more and more about a practical approach to including more Raw Foods, it hasn't been communicated that we are not advocates of 100% Raw Food diet!

I cannot say I'm against it, only that I know very few people who are 100% Raw, and out of that few, only a small % are not dogmatic, bizarre, or on an agenda. And because of that, their ability to facilitate others in their life is SEVERELY limited. I do make exception in my consideration for people who are battling sickness. That is entirely a different story.

I'm a dogmatic person! I admit it. And I'm certainly not afraid of being labeled bizarre. And I recognize time after time my agendas, usually after the fact. But I try very hard not to include that in the effort I put into helping other people benefit from better nutrition.

One of my family's core principles is fellowship. We care about others, and we like to be with them. Usually around a common table, a shared place of community. It is clear from both my own conscience, and the practices of my own personal spiritual pursuit that my own dogmatics should submit themselves to the other whenever possible, and in whatever way encourages and builds up others. The main thing is the community and the exchange of affection between the people, not my agendas.

When my "Raw Food" becomes an inhibitor to connecting with others, or overrides my ability to sit with someone, and enjoy them, I have let Raw Food become the principal thing, and not the person.

I also want to add that I am on a 20+ year commitment to improving my own personal health. As I mentioned in a previous post, I have a significant health issue that could kill me. I want to be around for my daughters and my grand babies! I want to be healthy in my late 50's and 60's to play with my children and share life with my wife and wherever our path leads.

This has forced me into a choice. And it is a marathon, not a sprint. I'm not 100% raw, and I might never get there! But I am committed to making long term choices, and work towards a healthy and balanced life where health, well being, communion (spiritually and physically), affection and connection are enabling me to be faithful with what I have, and where I'm going.

I hope to tweak my day more and more to include more things that are direct benefit to my health. I'm already seeing an improvement, and look forward to lots more. A typical day for me now is the following. :

A Raw Shake in the am. Typically Coconut water, mixed with Soaked Almonds, Flax seeds, a little Agave Nectar, Stevia, a little coconut meat, and some flavorings:
1. Raw Cacao. This one is controversial. It IS a stimulant, and I can tell. A little goes a LONG way.
2. Vanilla Extract. Not Raw, but I use very little.
3. Cinnamon. I use the actual bark type.
A Salad in the late AM with Bread. My favorite meal. Chopped greens, vinaigrette, Tabasco! The bread I eat is my own bread I make. It is a mostly whole wheat, naturally fermented (i.e. "sourdough") bread with whole grains. It is thoroughly baked. It will last out on a cutting board for well over a week without mold. We will probably begin selling this bread as a practical compliment to Raw Foods in the future.
I try and test all our dehydrated breads and spreads and other things throughout the afternoon.
At "dinner", or the meal in the evening, I have my hardest time. I'm so programmed to think big, and cooked, and I also prepare food for the rest of my family, and my kids certainly aren't raw. I have been using Collard Greens for wraps, noodles from Zucchini, more Salad, and lots of other things to try and tame my habits.
On Tuesday nights, and Friday night through Saturday evening, I have "free" meals. This is a holdover from habits and patterns, as well as personal choices to share food with others. I eat whatever I wish. Typically Sat am I have a cup of coffee, and Eggs and Toast! I still love that. It does make it harder to "return" to Raw Foods on Sunday, and I'm slowly feeling a change coming on about this kind of situation.

I share this to communicate that it isn't all about 100% this or that. I'm not a Raw Food Success Story. I'm simply a guy making a lifelong transition to things I know are good for me, and slowly adapting myself around a more healthy and effective life. I have been here before. I have done the detoxes, and gotten the benefits of all this, but because I didn't have a long-term, lifestyle perspective, I would return to my own habits and patterns. I'm slowly losing my all or nothing approach, and adapting.

Enzymes and Raw Food

2009-02-09T08:09:00.001-08:00

It is our belief, shared by many proponents of Raw Foods that the single best mechanism for getting enzymes inside your body is by eating Raw Foods.

Why?

First off, what is an enzyme, and why it is so important.

Enzymes are the fundamental catalysts (helpers) of processes occurring in the body. They help facilitate chemical reactions and allow them to speed up and work more efficiently. Without enzymes, these reactions might never occur quickly enough, powerfully enough, or occur at all.

What kind of processes? Almost every single one! It is common reading articles readily available (and NOT from Raw Foodists who make money directly or indirectly from their information) that enzymes are largely held as the measuring stick for biological activity. Meaning Life is measured by the amount of enzymatic activity!

There are lots of chemical catalysts, however most chemical catalysts catalyze (help) a wide range of reactions. They are not usually very selective. Enzymes are usually highly selective, catalyzing specific reactions only (for instance digestion). This is due to the shapes of the enzyme molecules, and how they fit into the substances they help.

Secondly, what are the best scenarios for them to function?

Enzymes humans use fit into 2 categories, ones we make (Intrinsic) and ones we get from outside (Extrinsic). A great example of Intrinsic enzymes is digestive enzymes. Our bodies produce these in many areas of the body that help break down food into its simpler and more usable substances. An example of an Extrinsic enzyme is Papain, which comes from Papaya.

Enzymes function within a fairly narrow range of Temperature, PH, and Concentration. The optimum temperature is about 104 degrees F. Above that, the enzymes break down and degrade (actually they "denature" similar to cooking proteins). They also function in very narrow ranges of PH. They are also limited by Concentration. If there isn't enough of them, they won't work on all the chemical "substrates" (molecules) that need them.

So what does this mean to me?

This essentially means that a very fundamental ingredient in the basic functions of most every part of life are dependent on and governed by, some very specific products that have very specific requirements.

This has huge impact on our bodies because there is really only one source of these products if they are not enzymes the body can make itself: EATING!

So now what?

It isn't simply eating, but eating enzymes that are functioning within their correct parameters; Temperature, PH, and Concentration. Without these factors, the enzymes will not work as well as we need. ¹

Concentration: Considering basic logic that all true food designed for Humans has within itself what we need (or it really wouldn't be food), Concentration isn't hard if we don't affect the other parameters. The levels of enzymes should be sufficient assuming they haven't already been denatured or modified. The concentration of enzymes in a particular food will be highest if we ensure the following:

PH: There is a lot of debate about this topic, but we can safely say enzymes themselves function within specific ranges, and if you need enzymes but are not able to have an environment within their optimum range, they are not optimally active! Some enzymes function only in acidic environments, but those are typically specialized, and occur only in areas they are needed (think pepsin in the stomach). Most references point to human enzymes, especially metabolic enzymes (enzymes that affect metabolic processes that are located in EVERY cell of the body) working at about 7.2, slightly alkaline. Therefore, more alkalinity would be considered better than more acidic for most enzymes in the human body.

Temperature: This is the easiest to control, but the hardest to implement! The more closely most enzymes is to 104 degrees F, the better. Any higher, and it starts to denature, until they are totally ineffective. Note this serious dilemma, I have found no easily accessible research claiming that at 118 degrees F all enzymes break down! I cannot find it anywhere other than on sites selling raw Foods, and it is not backed up by a results based study, it is simply made as a blanket claim!

However, it is clear from a simple looking around that enzymes do break down after heating, and I found a claim that Papain (from Papaya) is able to handle one of the highest temperatures, 190 degrees F.

Therefore, it is safe to find some maximum, and we think most Plant based enzymes handle up to 125 degrees F, which is awfully close to 118!

So tell it to me straight.

So, all factors point to foods that are slightly alkaline near 104 Degrees F are optimum sources of enzymes. This would mean that RAW PLANT FOODS that have not been brought to Acidic PH, or above 104 degrees, have to be some of the best, if not THE best, enzymes for us to eat. The other alternative is taking supplements that have been extracted from Plants, and we think you should skip the middle man, and go right to the source.

Notice, we didn't use or reference any Raw Foodists. We simply looked at basic, public articles in general acceptance. Not some esoteric research, or agenda driven scientists. Not that they don't have their point, but common biology and understandings point by themselves to basic raw plants as optimum source of enzymes. This isn't rocket science, and it isn't a metaphysical argument.

The basic conclusion is: More RAW FOODS!

[1] http://ezinearticles.com/?How-the-Different-Types-of-Enzymes-Support-the-Process-of-Life&id=291981

[2] http://www.rsc.org/education/teachers/learnnet/cfb/enzymes.htm
[3] http://www.worthington-biochem.com/introbiochem/tempEffects.html
[4] http://www.houston-enzymes.com/blog/enzyme-myths-part-2/

About PracticallyRaw/The Raw Pantry

2009-02-06T13:05:00.000-08:00

One of the main motivators for me (Sean) about Raw Foods is my health. I have “essential hypertension” which means I have high blood pressure, but there is no discernable cause. My arteries and blood flow is fine etc… and there isn’t a simple cause and effect answer. I found this out about 5 years ago while at my parents house, visiting for Christmas. My mother has high blood pressure, as well as my sister.

I took my BP on a monitor at their house, and the results were staggering: 180/120. In reality, I should have gone right to the ER! However, the even greater reality is I have been walking around with this situation, a potentially life threatening situation.

The only time in the last 5 years I have lowered, or been able to get off medication, is after extended periods of raw food fasting. MY weight dropped significantly, as well as my intake of nutrition increased dramatically.

Another motivator for me is my struggles with compulsive eating, combined with a real creativity and love for food and fellowship. I have struggled most of my life with compulsive behaviors. I have been clean from drugs for almost 20 years after having to come to grips with being an addict at age 19. I have always used food as great comfort, and yet have also had a creative outlet making food, and sharing with people! Dangerous combinations!

Eating Raw Food is quite frankly boring for a long time. Until the body is detoxified, and revolutionized it craves the flavors and false nutrition of cooked foods. Once you have converted (I have experienced this at different times in my life) to a healthier diet for long enough, you don’t crave the same things, and you actually enjoy simpler, healthier foods MUCH more. Eating a piece of fruit can be an incredible tasting experience when your palette is restored.

The compulsive problem is a lot more difficult. It is very easy to binge eat on Raw Food! And because at first, the damage is not noticeable, it doesn’t seem to be a problem. But as time goes by, eating the largest bowl of salad I can create has its drawbacks! The interesting thing for me is that the outlets of creativity, and fellowship with people interested in health actually help me avoid binge eating. As I see improvements in my health, my well being, and my overall mentality again, I find this time less and less of a desire to binge. I’m learning, as we all do, how to listen and respond as well as proactively act to help me along.

So PracticallyRaw, and The Raw Pantry are ways in which I can engage a lifestyle that provides an outlet for creativity, fellowship, and health with the added bonus of helping others become more practical. What a great combination!

Why Raw?

2009-02-02T13:09:00.001-08:00

Why Raw?
Honestly, I can only tell you from experience, and the investigation and experience of others, along with a little observational logic. I think the basic points people land on are as follows

Health

For instance, Author/Speaker/All around Great Guy Paul Nison quotes Dr Douglas Graham on his FAQ section:

"All sciences point to the consumption of raw food as best for the human body. The science of nutrition, that is establishment textbook nutrition, mentions raw fruits and vegetables as the best source of every known human nutrient. No organization is promoting cooked food for its nutritional value. Logic dictates that raw is best. There is no model in nature for the consumption of cooked foods."

I don’t know any research etc… this statement rests on, but overall, it seems to make a lot of sense. Additionally, it is consistent with things even the US government (which hasn’t always been interested in things that don’t produce more revenue for lobbyists re Milk Advisory Board, American Cattlemens Assoc. etc…) propsoes with their "5 fruits and vegtables a day" program.

The main thrust here is that foods themselves are primarily ready to eat, and with further processing, decompose and lose “bio-availability” or nutritive value. In some cases they even become poisonous.

2. Taste

There is a growing number of people who can demonstrate radical skill in preparing raw foods to such a degree that the presentation, the flavor, the experience is quite high up there with other culinary forms. I am somewhat of a food snob at times, and have sent lots of money on great food and great wine. My dining experiences at restaurants in Santa Monica and Orange County eating 100% raw foods demonstrated to me that the intensity of taste on a well prepared raw food meal is at least at dramatic as a $300 a plate 12 course chefs tasting menu.

One thing to add as well, the longer you eat raw food, the more you can taste. There is basically only 1 real flavor profile you cannot replicate without heat, Carmelization/Maillards reaction. And what I have found is that cooked food and raw food flavor profiles don’t complement each other well more often than not.

3. Cost

This might surprise people. I believe it is possible, on a high raw (or even 100% raw) diet to adjust your food costs DOWN. This depends a lot on ingenuity, health and interest.

For one, people on raw food, through detoxification and overall health, tend to need less (in some cases a LOT less) food than others. Their bodies are far more efficient at digestion.

Secondly, unprocessed foods are cheaper in every regular sense. The labor involved in processing is essentially “Value Added Manufacturing” and adds costs.

Thirdly, when the interest is high, a lot of effort can be made to source things that create opportunities. A sale at the end of the year at a farmers market might put a lot more apples in your pantry for cheaper. Dehydration, blending, recipes etc… can make the most out of a late harvest deal. Same with tomatoes, squashes and lots of other produce.

There are many other positions to take. More than I can list. The practical reality is the cumulative effects/benefits of raw food create a “trickle down” reality that shares the benefits with many other facets of your life.

Practically Raw, A Reality

2009-01-31T08:07:00.000-08:00

Is it possible to eat Raw Foods, but be Practical?

Is it possible to increase your intake of Raw foods, and yet not fall into the religous, environmental or health dogma?

Is it possible to enjoy Raw Food Flavors without buying hundreds or thousands of dollars in special equipment, or spend dozens of hours of prep in the kitchen?

YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We will show you how... Check back real soon!