to have Courage....In Family Life, In Spirituality, In Health, In Living Simply

I'm on a journey...... as we all are. Learning, remembering, re-discovering about health, spirituality, relationships, emotions and the mind.

Sunday, February 28, 2010

Transitioning

In the Raw blogger has a great post called 15 Tips To Transition to a Raw Foods Lifestyle.
Something to check out.

A couple of points that struck true with me......

~"Now, why are you doing this? Until you get crystal clear about that, you'll just be spinning your wheels. "  
If you are changing your eating habits to please anybody else besides yourself (like a significant-other) or because your best-friend is, or you 'know' you should, forget it.  As in other areas of life, if you are convinced it is right, that might not be enough to keep you going when the times are difficult.  But if you are convicted that this is the right thing for you, then that will carry you a long ways.  
If you are changing your eating habits for a quick fix to a problem, and hope that this change will only have to be short-term, think again.  Most of us could do with an improvement to our health for the long-haul, and that means choosing a long-term course of action that we can live with for permanent change.  
We have made our dietary changes because we not only want health & vitality for ourselves, but also for our children.  And while they are still young and at home, we have the greatest opportunity to positively influence their health for the rest of their lives.  What an awesome gift we can give them.



~"Lose the labels. Lose the percentages. Who are you competing with? Seriously. Set your own bar. Neither a label nor a percentage ever made anyone healthy." 

Just do what works for you and your family.  Nothing else matters.  There's no need to measure up to anybody or any system.  It actually bothers me when people ask "Are you still doing that raw thing?" or "Are you still 100% raw?"  There was 1 month.....30 days, once.....that I was 100% raw.  That's it.  And people still label me as eating 100% raw.  Jeesh.  I'm not.  As much as I might believe it to be healthiest for me, that's not where I am.  And presently, it isn't even where my sights are.  And I'm even happy and content at where I am right now.  To me, there are other health issues to consider besides how much I eat that is raw, blah blah blah.

~"Let go of the black-and-white, all-or-nothing mentality. I mean, really, take a look at where that's gotten you in life. And that wagon you keep "falling off"? Put it down by the curb for trash pick-up. Say goodbye. "

This sort of goes along with what I commented above.  I'm not trying to do the 100% raw thing.  And even if I was, I think we stress too much over whether the cashews are really raw,  and maybe some of that food at the potluck had something un-raw in it, etc.
No big deal.  Get over it.  Do the best you can, and chill out about the rest.

Saturday, February 27, 2010

Did We Get Natasha Hooked?

A few weeks back we got Natasha, an aspiring chef, to try a raw chocolate pudding.  She fell in love, on the spot.  And when she later got the recipe from us she ran out to load up on avocados, and has been raiding her fridge spoonful by spoonful ever since.

On another recent visit she tried some Carob Balls we had, full of sesame seeds (but made with cacao instead of carob, cuz we don't like carob.  I'm not suggesting that cacao is a health food.  Lots of debate out there.  I presently am in neither camp, but still use it somewhat sparingly....I suppose its still good for enticing people).  She also had some nut pate and a (not Pea-)nut sauce on a rye crisp.

Then she was coming over for lunch to see Rauchelle, and as a chef who adores food we knew we could put her to work.  So I had the ingredients ready for her to make our Blueberry Dream Cake, but with strawberries instead.  This was a raw cake she'd mentioned wanting to try, so we decided we'd share it with her after she learned how to make it.

So, here's Natasha making the topping for the cake, startled by Everette & the camera.

Next on the list was for her to make a Sun-dried Tomato Pate made with walnuts, which Natasha claims she doesn't like, but she sure liked the pate!

For lunch we served up wraps of your choice ~ nori, rice paper, or romaine leaves.  Everybody got to stuff them with whatever they wanted.  Options included :
~spiralized carrots and beets
~dill pickles
~celery
~cucumber
~sun-dried tomato pate
~almond & veggie pate
~cultured cabbage/carrot/cauliflower/broccoli mix
~spinach
~avocado
~green onions
~hot mustard dip
~spicy (pea-)nut sauce
~creamy ranch dressing (raw, tastes like a Caesar salad dressing with Parmesan cheese in it, but its a    raw recipe made primarily from macadamia nuts & lemon juice)

We discovered after having the rice papers (not raw) a couple of times, some of the children prefer just putting it in romaine leaves like a boat.  I don't think they can get past the gummy texture of the rice wrappers.  Some of the dc put up with the texture because its fun soaking and wrapping their own creations.  Or, like Toveli, she likes to blow into her rice wrap and watch the other end expand!  Whatever!

I think Mitchell has decided he prefers the nori rolls, Anders and Gaelyn the lettuce, and the rest don't mind the rice papers (my intention was for them to be an option, a fun packaging to get more greens & veggies down their throats).  Most of the family also likes to make 'sandwiches' in the romaine.  And most of us also like making collard wraps, we just didn't offer that option the other day.

Overall, its been a hit.  It's somewhat like a big salad bar, but you take it in the Wrap!

And we finished it all off with this creation from Natasha!  (this recipe is from Andrea Nison )

Friday, February 26, 2010

Plastic Bags

When I was walking the streets in White Rock, BC mid-January I was surprised to find 2 plastic bags decomposing in the tree branches above our heads along a commercial street sidewalk.  Yuck.

It has taken awhile to adjust to using cloth bags, but our family has been doing this for a few years now.  We occasionally forget them at home, but normally they are returned to our van upon unpacking our groceries so they will be available anytime we decide to pick up groceries, even an impromptu trip.  I find the cloth bags far more reliable than plastic, and like knowing that they aren't ending up in the trash.
We recently picked up these plastic (ugh!) totes that we are using to put our produce in at the store, avoiding those small plastic produce bags.  So now we can avoid the use of even more plastic bags on a weekly basis.  And it looks quaint, to boot!!



Here's a way to create your own cloth bags to replace plastic.  Free patterns.
Or check out this ingenious Moukisac made right here in Canada.  If you're going to order from here, make sure you check out the Referral instructions for a reward.

Thursday, February 25, 2010

What's Going On in There?

With a large family full of different personalities, there is virtually always somebody who will be interested in or find humour in any event.  Life with the littles is always entertaining.

Delayed for Rauchelle

Anders turned 4 years old......last Friday.  But since his hero/big sister Rauchelle was away, he decided he wouldn't have his birthday until she returned.  And so, yesterday was spent with Anders going to the airport (basically an all-day event from here) with Daddy & Maret & Mitchell, and now he's "so glad we got Rauchelle home".  It was bedtime last night when they got home, as expected, so we had planned to have his birthday celebration today.  6 days after the fact.  But with his lovely Rauchelle home, by his side.  (he would have LOVED to have Layne home too, but since she doesn't live with us any more, he wasn't going to wait that long until she showed up!)

So, here's some pics from the day.  Anders' celebration had to include a Rainbow Cake.  That's been his order for a whole month.  So here, several of the children helped him build it, putting different colourful bows across the cake.



On his actual birthday last week, he received the Praying Teddy from 'Aunt Beatrix and him' (for some reason he temporarily forgot Jim's name.  Cute).  Today he received the spotted puppy.  Once he decided it was a boy-puppy he named it 'Anders'.  Cuz they are both boys!!

Wednesday, February 24, 2010

Rubbermaid Totes and Little Boys

The Perfect Fit!

Curing Cancer

Presently, Paul Nison is posting a series of videos of an interview with Dr. Leonard Coldwell.  You can view all of them on YouTube, or on Paul's site, archived.  Below I've included part 6, in which this Dr. claims a sure cure for cancer.

If you have an open mind you might hear and understand a whole different perspective on dealing with cancer.

I know that I would never chose the 'accepted' means to treat cancer.  With a 'success' rate of 2-3%, it is ridiculous to succumb to that!  Dr. Coldwell claims to have a 92% success rate for his cancer patients!!  What a difference.

He also says that 1/3 of cancer diagnosis are false!!!  That is staggering!!

In video 3 the Dr talks about cancer in his grandmother.  A fascinating story that put him on the road of helping people recover from this dis-ease.  He, along with Dr Thomas Lodi, say that we ALL have cancer several times in our life.  We just aren't diagnosed, and our immune system overcomes.  Dr Coldwell says that cancer isn't even a disease....it is a symptom, of how our body is trying to deal with dead cells and basic gargabe in our body.

I can't explain it like the Doctor.  Just listen to him.  He knows a heck of a lot more than me (snicker!).




Be sure to learn about how to alkalize your body.  Cancer doesn't even exist in an alkaline body.  It can't.  Get hydrated, get oxidized, get healthy!

Tuesday, February 23, 2010

Gaelyn's View of the Family

Some things I ponder from my observation...

why do some of us have teeth, and the rest don't? 
Does she really see as all as happy people?  
Does Mommy really have rosy cheeks like she portrays?

Believe me, we all wear clothes in real life.  
And I'm so glad she didn't indicate our genders
since we weren't wearing any clothes.
Talk about immodesty!!!

Oh, go visit Andrea Nison's blog  to read this & that
where she's writing about dressing modestly,
 and her dh's v-blog about the subject.

Juicing vs Blending Drinks

Does it confuse you, why people would juice and remove the fiber, when we need fiber to have a healthy colon? Here's a video with a clear explanation.



Everette & I are presently giving a try at Juice Feasting.  If you are interested, check out their site, which is crammed full of great information.  They also have programs available for you to have a mentor on your juice feasting journey.

So, today is day 4 for us.  And I'm hoping my headaches are history!!  We don't know how long we will stay at this juice feasting.  I'd love to think I could make it all the way to 92 days, but I actually haven't made that my goal.  I want to listen more to my own body, and do what is best for it.  It's not like I have a disease to rid my body of....that I am aware of.  But I know my health could do with some improvements!

We both are feeling great.

Everette is now at a weight he hasn't seen since he was in highschool, and he's looking Awesome!!

I'm seeing numbers on the scale that I haven't seen in years, but have quite a ways to go still.  I'm not necessarily expecting to lose it all through juicing.  Since doing The Daylight Diet (which I imagine will be a lifetime practice now), the weight has been coming off, so I know that eventually it will all melt off just by not eating past dark.  Such a simple adjustment it was, and a huge benefit.

I don't know how much I will blog about the juice feasting.  We'll see.  

Monday, February 22, 2010

Do You Have a "Nature Deficiency" ?

I think The Health Ranger, Mike Adams, is my favorite on-line writer about issues pertaining to health. I've shared his thoughts before, and here is another article I wanted to share with you. It is something I definitely have a deficiency in, and I get chilled just thinking of going outside here today on Cape Breton. Seems the older I get, the more I hate to be cold.

I'm still dreaming of a warmer location to reside in, and a huge part of the reason for that is because of the health benefits that are easier to attain there.

Anyways, here's the article by Mike. Not really anything profound.....just common sense that no longer is common!

Heal yourself in 15 days by correcting your "nature deficiency" (part nine)

I'd also add that sleeping with our windows open can certainly improve our health and sleep. When we sleep with the windows and doors closed, we are obviously breathing in stale air all night long. When our body is in a prime cleansing cycle, we should be aiding it in its job by providing fresh live air. You'll have a better sleep, and wake up totally refreshed.

Saturday, February 20, 2010

Canada's R.e.a.l.l.y Big!

Our children have been singing this song for a few years now, and just today I got around to looking it up on YouTube.  I was pleasantly surprised to find this.........

Friday, February 19, 2010

A Common Evening Event

Lucuma

We just started using this product called Lucuma, and we are enjoying it supremely!  We add it to our raw 'ice cream', and our raw applesauce, and to chia pudding.

Read about lucuma here or check it out at UpayaNaturals. Just do a 'search' on Lucuma.


It'll tell you things like:
~ pronounced Loo- Ku- Mah

~ An exotic maple-flavored fruit from Peru

~Lucuma flavored ice cream is even more popular than vanilla or chocolate ice cream in Peru!

~a dried powder which is an excellent source of carbohydrates, fiber, vitamins and minerals--including remarkable concentrations of beta-carotene, niacin and iron. Lucuma contains vitamin B1,B2, C. Iron, Fibre, and phosphorous.

~Lucuma is low in acid, low in sugar

~One tree can produce as many as five hundred fruits during a year and lucuma literally becomes the tree of life when field crops are out of season or damaged by drought.

Give it a try.  We did, and we love it. We use it in some places where we otherwise might have used cacao.

Question for You:  Do you use a raw food that isn't well known, that you could share with us?

Thursday, February 18, 2010

O Canada!

The Olympics are on. Here we are, a big family all born in Beautiful British Columbia, and when the world's Winter Olympics come not only to our country, but to our province, where are we??? On the Atlantic coast, just about as far away from the Games as we could be within this big country. But I'm just fine with that. To be honest.....I'm not a big fan of the Games, nor of professional sports, nor the whole spirit behind competition. Call me 'odd', that's ok. You wouldn't be the first one.

Now, I think its great to have such world exposure on our beautiful country. Canada has a lot to offer. Listen to this.......



So, I'm not trying to be an Olympic party-pooper. It doesn't thrill me. Some of my family watches some of the competitions. It's talked about a little bit around here. Everette usually catches a bit on the TV each evening, as does Danaka.

Now, one day, our own daughter might be at the Olympics. Actually, the Commonwealth Games are a higher goal, shall we say, for those in her sport (air rifle), so although the Olympics sounds more accomplished to the rest of us, the Commonwealth Games is her goal.

Will I be thrilled if it is my daughter who makes it to the Games? You betcha! Will I think the whole "competition spirit" is a good thing? Not likely.

I'll be thrilled for her to have the experience of more world travel.
Of meeting other athletes from other nations and cultures.
To make friends with those she would otherwise have never met.
To learn to handle her stresses better;
to practice the presence of God in her uncertainty;
to rise to her challenges.
To collect a mosaic of memories I couldn't provide for her.

This, too, is what I hope for all the athletes who have come
to our beautiful country to fulfill their dreams.
May they truly find themselves as better people,
with a heart for the world,
no matter what their standings were.
And more than anything, 
May they hear in their hearts a call from God
that He loves them
no matter where they are
and no matter what they do.
He just Loves.

Young Children & Raw Recipes

Ice Cream for Breakfast. Yes, I let my children eat ice cream for breakfast. Actually, I am enjoying a bowl of it myself at the moment, thanks to Toveli who wants me to make her her own raw recipe book.


Lucuma Ice Cream
4 frozen bananas, chopped
1/4 c lucuma powder
1/4 c walnuts, if desired

Blend in food processor. Viola!! Enjoy.

I'm planning to share on another post all about lucuma. Just hold tight!

This morning Gaelyn and I also made 2 easy pudding recipes shared by Nomi Shannon, a raw gourmet chef. We wanted to compare them and see what we liked. My children discovered this morning that they do not like papaya (but Daddy does. He ate it most days while we were in Belize). So, one pudding didn't go over well at our house (I liked it), but the other one got all ate up!

Papaya Pudding:

about 2 cups papaya, seeded, peeled and cubed
1 banana
1 1/2 TBsp organic tahini (or more, to taste)
Blend in a blender, adding a bit of water or some juice to make it a smooth pudding texture.


Here's the recipe that disappeared lickety-split:

Basic Pudding:


1 ripe avocado, pitted, peeled and cubed
2 bananas, peeled and cubed


Whirl in a blender until creamy pudding texture.

This is a basic pudding recipe. Play around with it, adding lucuma & mesquite powder, or cacao and dates/honey, let the imagination soar.

We have plans for each of the children to have their own recipe books that they can work out of.  Right now we have a few raw recipe books we are working from, trying new recipes, taking notes, picking favorites.  Then we'll take each child's favorite recipes and use them to make their own books that they can create from.  I hope this will continue to encourage them to create their own healthy foods, and be more independent in the kitchen.  With eating predominantly raw I don't have to worry so much about them always using the propane stove and the oven, and the possibility of burns. I feel much better with them using the food processor, which won't  even turn the motor on if the lid isn't on correctly at all times.  And the chute is too small for fingers/hands to go down.


At present, the children are on the 'Healthy Train'.  Gaelyn keeps telling me "I'm happy to be eating healthy" and then 15 minutes later she might ask me for a cookie :)  But they are more willing to try new foods.  Their newest new-find is raw snowpeas.  And Danaka chose Brussel sprouts the other day while shopping with me, and liked them!

Wednesday, February 17, 2010

Cleaning Surfaces from Germs

Question for You:  Where do you think the dirtiest surface is at your house?

Tuesday, February 16, 2010

They Figured It Out!!

How to use the Timer on the Camera.....and now they can teach their mama.






Question for You:  Do you know how to operate the delay/timer on your camera?  How did you learn how to operate it?

Monday, February 15, 2010

Stop Building Disease (Part 3 of 3)



Hope you enjoyed these 3 videos, like Everette & I did.

It really isn't hard to start taking care of ourselves and get back to more natural means. It requires thought and de-programming, but it is possible.

Not only in our health, but in our spiritual life and emotions....everything......we have been programmed to live an unnatural and denatured life. But YOU can come away from all of that. Take charge, and start thinking for yourself. Get back to listening to your heart.

You can watch other videos by Thomas Lodi, MD here

Breaking Johnson News!

Do you have any clue what used to take up this space on the counter?

I was somewhat shocked to find this space empty yesterday morning.  Pleasantly surprised.

My sweetheart put his coffee maker way up beside the micro-wave oven (not ours!  We gave our microwave away 7 years ago).  He hasn't had a coffee in over a week.  And I'm so proud of him.

Everette did it with no nagging from me.  He just decided to stop last week, because he wants better health.

Well Done, Everette.  Well Done.

 Question for You:  Are you addicted to coffee?  Ever have been?  Are you a Starbucks die-hard, or a Timmies?

Sunday, February 14, 2010

A Raw Dessert

The Johnson's love cheesecake.... baked cheesecake. The one that sticks to the roof of your mouth like peanut butter. We know it isn't healthy for us, but we haven't been willing to give it up yet.

Until today.  Maybe today will help us give up cheesecake in the future. 

Mitchell (my new health enthusiast) and I watched a video  about making this raw dessert (Thanks for the recipe, Andrea), and got things soaking overnight so we could assemble this this morning. And, I want to share the results with you.
The recipe referred to it as a raw cheesecake.  We've decided (like we expected) it isn't quite like a baked cheesecake.  My mouth was never gummed together.  (But likely my intestines won't be gummed from this cake, either)  But we totally give it a Thumbs Up!!  It was absolutely fantastic, and totally as satisfying as our usual cheesecake.  But we won't be calling it a 'cheesecake'.  We've decided to call it Coconut Blueberry Dream Cake.  And it might just be our new 'Birthday Cake' recipe.

We unabashedly ate almost the whole cake panful in less than 5 minutes!  No guilt cake.  Yahoo for Raw.

HAPPY 24th WEDDING ANNIVERSARY, EVERETTE!  I love you!

Disclaimer.  Eating raw does not mean eating excessively is healthy.  Overeating is not recommended, no matter what foods you eat.

Question for You:  What is your all-time favorite dessert....raw or not?

Stop Building Disease (Part 2 of 3)

Saturday, February 13, 2010

Stop Building Disease

I watched three videos (all <10 mins) of Thomas Lodi speaking about health and disease. He has a very simple, unique, and humorous way of talking about the strange behavior the human race is engaged in. I think you will find his talk enlightening. Here's Part 1 of 3

Friday, February 12, 2010

This is Where I Presently am at

"In all affairs it's a healthy thing now and then to hang a question mark on the things you have long taken for granted."
-- Bertrand Russell (1872-1970) Philosopher, Educator

Question for You:  Are you presently questioning something you have 'always' believed?

God's Love

 " "We didn't do anything to make him love us and we can't do anything to make him stop loving us."

Steve McVey of Grace Walk

Thursday, February 11, 2010

Ergo Baby Carriers

Ergo gets the SafBaby "Excellent" seal of approval.  "Safbaby's mission is to shine the light from potentially toxic and harmful choices we may unknowingly make for our children, onto SAFER ALTERNATIVES."  And so they have found the Ergobaby Organics baby carrier fits the criteria.

Also, Ergo recieved the "Jet With Kids Approved" seal. From their site: "At Jet With Kids, the ERGObaby Carrier is our preferred carrier for travel ...This carrier will last when your back won't - and your little travelers will appreciate the comfortable ride."




Additionally, ERGObaby's Organic carrier was selected by EcoBabyWorld as one of their top "Holiday Product Picks for 2009."

So, if you aren't already aware of the Ergo baby carrier you might just want to skip on over to their site  and check out what the talk is all about.  We have used our 2 Ergo carriers while we traveled across Canada and then circled much of the United States from Blaine, WA to Ft. Worth, TX, to Atlanta, GA to Houlton, ME on up to Cape Breton, Canada.  The carriers pack so well for traveling, they fit easily in suitcases if you need them to, and are easy to put on and take off even when you are alone with your baby(with some practice).


The huge difference I have found with this product verses other types is that the youngster doesn't dangle from their groin.  In the Ergo the child is sitting comfortably on their bum, and sort of piggy-backing safely on your back.  They don't get as grand a view over the top of your head like a framed pack where they ride high up and the weight is distributed much like a heavy backpack.  Granted, for long hikes those packs may be more comfortable for the adult person like my dh, Everette, who likes the weight up higher over his shoulders.  But I wouldn't think dangling from ones groin for a day hike would be comfortable nor healthy for the anatomy of a little person.


We've had those high backpack type carriers, plus we've had slings, and made our own wraps.  But overall, I like the Ergo, and its the only one we've kept (2 of them, actually!) even when we drastically scaled down our possessions.  I don't think I'll be getting rid of the Ergo's, ever.  They are totally washable, and I'll be able to use them with our grandchildren.


Question for You:  What is your favorite baby carrier, and why?

Anders' Question of the Day

This boys been asking us all a question today.  And it's a good one.

"Do you want energy?"

but it actually sounds more like .....

"Do you want injury?"

So, as he munched away on a bag of carrots, he was wondering "Do carrots gots injury?"

"Mommy, do you like get injury?"

"Daddy like injury?"

"Mitchell, do you like injury?"

"Injury makes you do alot of stuff.  It makes you jump up and down."

He climbs off the stool and starts jumping up and down.

"I think I got a carrot inside my leg."

Maybe he's eaten more than enough carrots for the day......or the week?

Gotta love these precious souls.  I certainly do!

Oh, and a note for Rauchelle....... Anders has decided that he isn't going to have his birthday until "Chelle comes home."
So, it's decided.  This year his birthday will be on Feb 28th.