This week has been full of heavy rain and strong winds. Lots of rain and flooding, trees falling and becoming uprooted. I see broken branches from eucalyptus trees, having fallen to the streets.

So, I’ve been looking back to the days just prior to the storms, and going through some sunrise photos I’d taken. And I came upon this one that was very interesting, and looked somewhat promising as a start to a new day.

I’m taking the notion of cultivating a more positive attitude and approach to the New Year. It seems the past year-and-a-half has been very trying for me. Lots of negative energy getting kicked around in my life. I confess it disrupted my usual positive flow.

Am I working to get this positive flow back?

Perhaps…

I confess too that I let the negative energies around me get the better of me. I had stopped being raw for awhile, and I paid the price. I didn’t feel well at all, not my usual energetic self, but I now realize just how addictive a lot of cooked foods are, especially rice and other cooked grains.

It’s hard when we live in a world where cooked foods, fast foods, so-called “fine dining” is considered the norm. As much as I now am dedicated to the raw vegan lifestyle and in 2010 (so far) I am a practicing raw foodist, it’s quite hard when you’re surrounded by family and friends who aren’t raw and consider you the oddball of the group.

But at the same time, people admire me for my “courage”(?) and dedication to the raw food lifestyle. And there really is more to it all than just raw food. It’s about achieving a sense of well-being, of practicing “ahimsa” and practicing compassion.

A raw food lifestyle truly makes it easier to practice Zen in all aspects of Life. And it’s just one part of a (w)holistic approach in experiencing our journey through Life to its fullest…

This is my simple religion. There is no need for temples; no need for complicated philosophy. Our own brain, our own heart is our temple; the philosophy is kindness.
—the Dalai Lama

This Journey is Mine, and Mine Alone…

I apologize if I seem to promote the raw food lifestyle as if it’s the best thing for everyone. I realize that we are all on our personal journeys.

In my own, I have tried many diets to help me lose weight and stay healthy. And, I know many people who don’t subscribe to a raw vegan diet because it is either too foreign to them, or they believe it’s not a healthy diet.

I can respect that….

From my own personal experience, and after experimenting over the years, I’ve simply found that a raw vegan diet can help me lower my blood pressure more effectively and quickly than any other diet outside of fasting. If it still didn’t work for me, then it’s not the diet itself but what I was including in the diet, or not including in it.

I’ve realized that even if a diet is raw vegan, it doesn’t make it healthy per se. One could eat too many bananas or too many avocados. Even on a raw food diet, it can be unbalanced. With any kind of diet, variety is the spice of life.

Learning To Understand The Realities of My Being

But regardless, I’ve realized that periodic fasting plus a “healthy” raw vegan diet can improve my own health and vitality. The results show in my performance levels as a musician, drummer, pianist, etc… as a human being.

I’ve also realized that within my raw vegan diet I can “fine tune” it to help me lower my blood pressure. There is a direct correlation with health and vitality and the notion that “we are what we eat”.

Also, how much we eat….

Right now I’m trying to graze more throughout the day rather than eat huge meals like I had been doing. For someone who is prone to high triglyceride levels in the blood, it seems that is the best strategy for me.

Blood Chemistry versus The Raw Food Diet

Because I am raw vegan I have no problems with my cholesterol levels. They are relatively low now at 170 and 43.

My triglyceride levels were more than 310+ which my doctor says is in the relatively high risk zone. Problems that may occur due to high triglyceride levels would be the risk of stroke or heart disease, kidney failure, or even pancreatitus.

So, whatever I am doing for my diet, it is out of necessity and not because I am pushing an agenda or trying to promote the raw vegan cause.

I stopped eating animal foods when my doctor told me I can have 1 serving of fish or seafood in a week. No chicken, meats, etc. But just 1 serving of fish or seafood per week!

That led me to the decision long ago to become a vegan. Then I read of the benefits of going raw, not just health-wise but energy-wise too. I don’t think it’s a placebo effect. A raw vegan diet can definitely (and effectively) boost one’s energy levels.

Right now I feel very healthy. And I seem to be on the right path, for my own personal journey… hopefully, I can stay disciplined enough to continue to improve and experience a healthy life…. and a healthy lifestyle.

I have realized that without our supreme health we simply can not experience life to the fullest. We will always have some hindrance because of health issues. And that is why I continue to strive in what I do.

The Philosophy of Kindness…

Anyway, getting back to the true purpose of this post… promoting the philosophy of kindness. For the world is cruel, but only because we are possibly no connecting in more positive ways… we are lacking in compassion, understanding, etc… and we just all need to focus on our mindset. Because mind and body are one… and making our world a better place to live starts with our “selves”…

I know I need to be more kind to others. No matter how they treat me, or whether they understand me or not. It all begins with a smile and an act of kindness.

Sorry folks. I have been neglecting this site lately, mainly because of the following reasons:

1. I’m frantically preparing my taxes right now because I have an appointment with my accountant this Friday.

2. Have been concentrating on marketing and promoting and musical groups I am currently performing with.

3. I’ve been doing a lot of other work online to pay some bills and save up for some studio recording equipment (I plan to record at home).

Anyway, I’m back, somewhat. But plan on being “more” focused on this site in the next week or two.

I thank you for visiting this site and for your continued support…

The Joy of Cashew Milk, & Other Absurdities

Regular people must think us raw foodies are totally on the fringe when it comes to diet and lifestyle. I mean, to turn your back on hamburgers, hotdogs and pizza?

Are you nuts!?!

Well, frankly… yes! I eat plenty of them now… nuts, that is!

But when people come home from work feeling tired and fatigued, they blame it on the job, or the stress, or getting through an hour’s worth of traffic.

They don’t consider that food could be the problem causing their tiredness and fatigue. Or the lack of certain foods.

I have this theory that, unless you go totally raw… and I mean, like TOTALLY raw, your simple NOT going to feel the benefits, that amazing “euphoria” you get when adopting (and adapting to) a 100% raw food lifestyle!

You see, the more processed, refined, chemically enhanced foods that go into your system, the more YOUR body has to work on handling all the toxins and junk that come with that food. And the less nutrients your body gets, the more it struggles with eliminating the poisonous stuffs, and less time rejuvenating and healing the body.

Enzymes, which are abundant in raw foods, are the stuff that helps metabolize food and is vital for the body’s maintenance and healing. Cooking simply destroys much of those important enzymes, AND cooks and steams away all that vital water… overall the body just has a tough time and thus…

…feeling tired, fatigued, low on energy and less vitality.

Major Relapse For The Sake of Culture and Heritage

Last year in June, after coming home from the Philippines after attending a funeral there, I was feeling extremely fatigued and had no energy whatsoever to even do simple tasks. I thought I had chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS).

The reality concerning my fatigue wasn’t really the stress because of a death in the family, although naturally that would be a big blow to anyone. I think it was the simple fact that (for the two and a half weeks I was there in the Philippines) my diet had changed from a “high raw” vegan to a total omnivore.

Talk about absurdities…

I really let myself go, and that is my big confession for the year 2008. But I guess a part of me was saying, “Well, you’re back in the homeland now, so you have to experience the food, it’s a part of the culture”!

Today I’m still on my raw food journey and approaching day 100. When that happens I don’t know what will happen. Maybe, I’ll revert to a 75-90% raw diet (but most definitely vegan), maybe I’ll continue to be 100% on my own… or maybe I’ll go on a long juice fast, or feast.

We’ll see how that goes in a couple of weeks…. :o)

So, what has this article have to do with cashew milk? Well, nothing really. It just sounded good at the time, but actually, I’ve been loving cashew milk in my raw cacao smoothies! It is amazing and different than almond or walnut milk. And definitely blends well with the cacao, in my humble opinion…

I’ve done this a few times before, jotting down any random thoughts on being a raw vegan.

Things I’ve Realized About Being Raw

• I LOVE Avocados!
• After 3 years of being mostly raw vegan, I still don’t own an Excalibur Dehydrator or a Vitamix Blender.
• I also LOVE olives!
• Whenever I eat a high fat raw meal, like with nut dips and nut dishes, I still feel sleepy afterwards and it DOES slow me down.
• Fresh, raw, organic salads always get my energy up, up, up!!! Never fails.
• A combination of olives, basil, cilantro, dill, radicchio, and sunflower sprouts make for an amazing taste, when added to salads.
• Raw salads seem to give me more “get-up-and-go” energy than raw cacao banana smoothies.
• I still LOVE raw cacao banana smoothies, and now mix Spirulina tablets regularly into my smoothies.
• Just started getting into raw, dried dulce flakes. A great sea vegetable that can be added to salads.
• It’s so easy to sprout sunflower seeds.
• It’s definitely a good idea to start the morning off with a glass of water. I like to mix in a tablespoon of Aloe Vera juice.
• Adding Aloe Vera juice to your smoothies and juices is wonderful, and Aloe Vera has a very rejuvenating effect on the body. And is great for the complexion.
• A smoothie is an excellent way to start the morning.
• I used to hate eating salads. Now I eat at least 2 salads a day, and make sure there are a lot of greens.
• I find I don’t like the green smoothies so much, perhaps because I’m already eating enough salads.
• My energy level seems to have gone up 50% since going 100% raw. I’d like to say my energy level went up 100% but I’m just being conservative at this point.
• My digestion problems in the past, are now completely gone!

Dhrumil posted the above quote on Give It To Me Raw, and it’s been on my mind recently. Words of wisdom.

Happy New Year! Welcome To 2009!

For those of you who have been following a raw food lifestyle for most of 2008 I commend you. And Happy New Year! May we live well and prosper in 2009 eating more healthy, raw organic foods.

So, I’m starting off the New Year eating 100% raw and launching this new site to further promote my passion and devotion to the raw food lifestyle!

Passing Day 50 of the 100 Day Challenge

Personally, I just passed the 50 day mark of a 100% raw 100 day challenge. And being 100% raw is something that seems to come naturally for me at this point.

I confess, that I have been “under-the-weather” with this head cold but to be honest I could be worse off… like, bed-ridden. But although this cold has slowed me down I’m still out and about.

Things I’ve Learned in 2008:

• I love almond milk!
• I confess that during the Holidays I’ve had cravings for the “old foods”. But, I just kept telling myself that they were just that, old cravings. Nothing more.
• Eating a salad for breakfast is very good! I can really feel it. The greens really get the body moving.
• Go easy on the raw cacao smoothies! Too much of a good thing can also be detrimental to one’s health and well-being.
• I find myself with more energy when I maintain a 75% (approximately) ratio of greens to everything else. Going easy on the nuts, seeds and sweet raw foods.
• A glass of purified water with a tablespoon of Aloe Vera juice is a perfect elixir for health and well-being. I’m totally sold on Aloe Vera healing and rejuvenating effects.
• Tried out this MonaVie Acai drink for the first time. It tastes quite good and maybe I just might be a distributor.

Continuing The 100% Raw Challenge

And in summary, going 100% raw was quite easy for me because I had been “high raw” and mostly vegan for the better part of 3 years… since August 2005.

So, going 100% raw in 2009 and reaching day 100 at 100% raw seems very attainable.