Helloooo  Sam,   looking forward to meeting you at the potlucks.   Don't ever stress about what to bring, raw fresh untouched produce is fine. 

I am 49 (female, sorry...........  lol) but we get people of all ages turning up interested and curious.

And hey Rawgasm  -  thank YOU for drumming up the interest in our potlucks!!   

joybell   

"when you find yourself on the side of the majority, it's time to pause and reflect"

    Hey Greg  -   I use a food processor too.   Just your average ordinary one, nothing fancy and it works a treat.   Slice 3 bananas into chunks and squeeze the juice of 1-2 oranges on top.   Turn on and soon you will see a delicious creamy consistency at the base of the mixture.  Push down the chunks and keep going.  Dead easy.

Top with fresh blueberries or strawberry puree'  YUMMO!!   

 :yahh:joybell

"When you find yourself on the side of the majority, it's time to pause and reflect"

   just drank 2 huge glasses of paw-paw and banana smoothie, blended with warm water 'cos it's a cold night.   
If you don't put water in, it becomes paw-paw and banana pudding, eat with spoon - yummo! 

joybell

"the gods created certain kinds of beings to replenish our bodies.... they are the trees and the plants and the seeds"
-  Plato

   Hey R'nF & Freelea!   I have volunteered to help at the expo.  Greg gave me the info.  The theme this year is "Cool the planet bite by bite".   
They have Deni Hines as a guest, she will be singing and Julie from Conscious Choice is going to have a stall there.  Also Raw Power from up North.  Greg was hoping to have some raw food demonstrating but not possible this year. 
I think they are still looking for volunteers if anyone wants to help out.

See you there!       joybell

"Living a life that matters doesn't happen by accident.  It's not a matter of circumstance but of choice.  Choose to live a life that matters."

   hello Jen    and hello Jen !! 

From another low blood pressure gal to the others......   my blood pressure is still 90/60 but haven't had a dizzy attack for about a year now.  I think my body is absorbing most of the nutrients I eat.  I also took digestive enzymes and hydrochloric acid for about a year to begin with to help my system get healthy (from Hippocrates, they have really good quality). 

My iron levels are HIGH, over 20 and climbing and I attribute that to the green garden peas I eat every day.  You don't find them at all greengrocers but I get mine almost all year round at a small Lebanese place.  I take a big bagful to work on Monday and put them in the fridge.  Every day I take out a handful, shell them and eat mid-morning.  By eating them on their own and after my big fruit breakfast I feel the iron is being absorbed totally.

Good luck!    joybell   

    Hey Harley  -  just read your poem about the little citrus oranges and loved it!   You get better and better at sharing the raw word.

Just one question -  ARE YOU KEEPING all these wonderful words?  We could have our very own first raw food poetry book.  What does everyone else think, get Harley to put all his magic in one place so we can read them over and over.

"living a life that matters doesn't happen by accident.  It'a not a matter of circumstance but of choice.  Choose to live a life that matters"

   joybell

   Hi Emily,

Yes, this thread has been done before and lots of information.  Maybe try the new 'search' funciton to find it. 
I have been on maca powder for 2 years and swear by it. 
I get if from Hippocrates health centre in Queensland and take it for 4 weeks, have a break for one week and then continue.  I know a few others who take it and say that energy levels have increased and libido.  Especially helpful for women who need increased lubrication during intercourse. 
I have read that it is not suitable for children as it does affect hormone levels.  Great for adults though!

joybell   

"when you find yourself on the side of the majority it's time to pause and reflect"

  Hi Jennie, not sure why your mouth would be so sore after the oil pulling.  I guess like any detox perhaps things get worse before they get better. 
If your gums have been discoloured for a while then maybe the oil pulling is having an immediate effect on cleansing them.   I can't see that the oil would harm in any way but don't know enough on the topic.   
Keep it up for a couple of weeks and see if things improve?

joy.............fully       

"when you find yourself on the side of the majority its time to pause and reflect"

I have been oil pulling for about 3 months about 5 mornings a week.  My friend and I got Black Sesame Oil from Eumundi markets in Queensland.  The man who makes it posted it down to us here in Sydney.

I swish for 20 minutes and always make sure I pour a kettle full of boiling water down the sink after I have spat it out.  My friend spits hers in the loo and flushes.  Her sister is a flight attendant and as an experiment did not flush her toilet, went on a trip and got back about 5 days later to a gross, black film in the toilet bowl.  Toxins/bacteria multiplying?  Always dispose of your mouthful of oil carefully and cleanly. 

Honestly the only benefit I have noticed is my gums hardly bleed anymore.  The dentist said they were very healthy and that it is extremely important to have strong gums to hold the teeth in!  Pity the teeth are not so good.....   

Perhaps the oil pulling is beneficial in other areas of my body that I am not aware of.  I have been 80% raw for 2 years now so it's hard to tell. 

"when you find yourself on the side of the majority it's time to pause and reflect"

joybell   

    looking forward to meeting lots of "newbies" at the picnic potluck on Sunday!  Sounds like the weather will be fine. 

Look out for the big RAW sign and there you will find us under the trees near the duckpond in Lachlan Reserve surrounded by colourful fruit & vegetables, mouth watering creations to tempt the taste buds and please the senses.

joybell

"Living a life that matters doesn't happen by accident, its' not a matter of circumstance but of choice.  Choose to live a life that matters"

   Thanks Earth Angel and Harley.  I have heard from another source about the Cansema black salve being very effective in killing the skin cancers and removing all the diseased cells underneath the skin too.

But as you say near the eye, it is too scary to risk at this stage.  Liz has been using the Raspberry skin creme now for a few weeks and it does seem to be shrinking the growth.  It has also cleared up other minor dry patches/spots on her face.  This is combined with now being at least 80% raw, exercising and meditating.  All will be well. 

"Living a life that matters doesn't happen by accident, it's not a matter of circumstance but of choice.  Choose to live a life that matters"

joybell

 

   Hey Bee, pity you missed it.  Definitely worth going to if Julie runs the course again.

There were some recipes without nuts eg. chocvanilla smoothie - young coconut water and flesh, 2 tbls cacao powder, 1 tbls agave, pinch Himalayan rock salt.  flavour with vanilla bean or extract optional. 

Fudge was made of pitted dates, coconut oil, cacao and carob powder and cinnamon. Place all except powders in food processor, then add powders and shape into block on tray.  chill before slicing. 

You'd have to be there for the rest! 

joybell   

   I did the raw vegan Easter chocolate class yesterday with Julie at conscious-choice.  Oh my golly, lolly, delicious, scrumptious things she made for us to try.
3 hours of chocolate heaven using cacao powder, coconut oil, nuts, goji berries and and and....

Warm chocolate fondue!  The mixture left in the dehydrator to warm slowly and served with fruits and cinnamon crumble, chocolate ice-cream and fudge and hot chocolate chai and truffles.  We felt sick afterwards, guilt free chocolate sick. 

If you feel a chocolate craving again, reach for the raw and enjoy, it's all healthy! 

joybell   

"if you find yourself on the side of the majority it's time to pause and reflect"

   Hello Lesbc, 

I have been using maca for 2 years and think the benefits are wonderful if it is taken correctly. There is a huge amount of information about it on the net.  It has worked well for PMS, mood swings etc in people close to me who have tried it.  I take it for 4 weeks, stop for one week and start again.
A group of us in the 40-60 age bracket find it helpful as pre and menopausal symtoms start.
What concerns me is that it now seems to be used in foods frequently - smoothies and added to food.  This is a hormone supplement and not a 'food' and recommendations were that it is for 16 year olds and upwards, not small children.  
Try it for a few months and see how you go. 

joybell      

"Living a life that matters doesn't happen by accident, it's not a matter of circumstance but choice.   Choose to live a life that matters"

  Hey PrincessBee!   Thank you so much for posting about our potluck and adding such a lovely photo of the healthy crowd.

As you said the potlucks are every month, the last weekend.  In summer we have picnics in Centennial Park on a Sunday and in winter we do Saturday nights at Gay (Catmom) and Denis's place in Randwick.  Sometimes others offer their places and then we have a change.  Check out the www.giftsfromgaia.com website for the raw vegan guidelines. 

We try to have a theme each month and Gay has tons of recipes and suggestions for each theme for those of us who need ideas.  Some of our potlucks would rival the best raw restaurants in New York! And it is one dish per person even just a platter of fresh fruit for 'newbies' or those not sure what to bring. 

Look forward to seeing many of you end or April   

 :wub:joybell   

"when you find yourself on the side of the majority it's time to pause and reflect"