When i see the food options for the poorer countries, it makes me very humble indeed. We have everything at our fingertips... and still we complain.

Just bumping up this link that Rosal posted last year about essential fatty acids, the importance of DHA and its conversion  from ALA in the human body.
Rick Dina advocates algae supplementation if needed, but also makes the point of the well nourished (vegan) being able to convert ALA to DHA.
 A very interesting video, especially for pregnant and breastfeeding mothers.
...and for anyone interested in how fats are used in the body and in which ratios they work best.

http://www.archive.org/details/OrganicAthlete_2006_09_30_Rick_Dina

Chia seeds contain 32 to 39 percent oil, and this oil has the highest natural percentage of alpha-linolenic acid or omega 3 – up to 64 percent.    The oil also contains omega 6 essential fatty acids, and has an omega 3 to omega 6 ratio of 3:2.  Chia seeds are also rich in long-chain triglycerides which help to maintain the proper wall flexibility of the cells and also restore the correct cholesterol to triglycerides ratio.
 The omega 3 found in chia seeds is converted by the body into DHA and EPA fatty acids – the same kinds that are found in fish oil.

http://www.naturaltherapypages.com.au/article/Chia_Seeds

I totally agree about the breast milk for babies/children. I breastfed my last 2 chillies for 3 yrs and 2.5 yrs respectively and they are well adjusted clever people now!!
I read on one raw vegan blog (  I think it was Raw Baby Alex) where the child ate a chia dipped banana every morning for breakfast..hehe!

Chia seeds are a fantastic  and superior source of omega 3 fats. No need to squeeze fish for their juice.

Somebody on this board recently asked for the 10 tips that Angela Stokes recommends for starting on raw.
I can't find the thread so here they are, ...my friend Suzi copied them down at the talk.

ANGELA STOKES' "10 TIPS" FOR A RAW LIFE.
 
         1) START NOW! .....start 50% raw, ie by the weight of the food , and not the volume...work up to what suits you, even if its not 100% raw.....just dont be a 'nazi' about it.
 
          2) LIFESTYLE CHOICE....this is not a diet..... its 'not' about deprivation ....its about abundance.
 
          3) WHOLEFOODS...... middle aisles at supermarkets are full of 'weird experiments'!
 
          4) CHEW WELL! ......your stomach does 'not' have teeth!
 
          5) GREENS....at least one green drink per day.ie , green smoothie or juice.....greens remineralise us, balance us and alkalise us.
 
          6) STRUCTURE OF DAY..... exercise b4 eating.make lunch the biggest meal of the day.ie , 10am - 2pm.....apparently our solar plexus is aligned (with ?)  and its easier to eat the heavier stuff and to digest it.                                 
 
          7) DETOX....inevitable, and the whole point of going raw. self responsibility. its a choice. if you stay with it , you 'will' come out the other side.
 
         8. CANDIDA. garlic , oil of oregano , colon cleansing
 
          9) SKIN ... loose skin can be a big issue when there is a lot of weightloss. Angela said that she researched a lot on how to support the skin.she finds that her skin is healing on  raw food.
                       biggest eliminative organ. sweating is good , therefore exercise.
                       dry skin brushing.
 
          10) SOCIAL ISSUES. ...get support.....dont try to change others , they may not be ready......."be the change" , let others come to you.

Despite the Australian Therapeutic Goods Administration's advice, I've been using comfrey for years.
It's one of my favourite herbs...and is sold by most garden centres, too .

For the search function, go to the very top of the screen, and just above the big peach  it says "search Raw Pleasure...". Put your cursor in there and type a word  or two.

For Raw pets, go to the main forum page... and you'll find a sub heading.. Raw pets... Freedom is the moderator for this section.

Later on this year I'll be spending a bit of time in Ireland, Nthn Ireland  and Scotland and wondered if there were
any raw goings-on in these areas?
I've heard of one new raw restaurant in Edinburgh, will definitely be spending some time there... is there a group that has regular pot lucks, etc. in these areas?
 Would be great to meet up with some UK raw people.
Dani

That was  a brilliant insight from one  who's not yet 21 years old.
Who is she, RowdyBB?

Hi Bumble Bee,
 Yes, much more central for those living SOR.
Hyde Park and King's Park have been the best places so far, we are so lucky to have these gorgeous parks... and the views are magnificent. I also think the noon time is a better deal also.

We haven't really been anywhere in South Perth yet, does anybody know of a great venue there?

Look forward to meeting you one day at a more central location!

Today's raw picnic was myself, Aztec Babe and Ed.
It was great to spend some time with them both.
But I'd like to make a suggestion and I know that Aztec and Ed will Agree.
NO MORE PICNICS ON THE BEACH!
 Why?
No shelter, too hot without shade, (35 degrees), amenities too far away, sea breeze blowing sand into faces, let alone food....not really a good place to hold an event that involves food.
We moved to another beach that at least had some grass and shade where we could spread out and eat.

Otherwise ..nice company and lovely food.

Hi Aztec,
I think it's the one after the dog beach..  the one where  all the surf skis load off into the sea. There's a grassed area  in front the the car park and you walk about 100 metres to the sand.
 I'll do a google map search!


... just did a search, not really sure now!
 

I' ve also had this problem in the past, but i attribute this partly to having mercury based fillings in my teeth which was the norm when I was growing up. Many raw food people do seem to have this issue.
Here's a link to some info that may be of interest to you.

http://www.rawguru.com/dougteeth.html


and an excerpt from David Wolfe:

 Are fruits bad for your teeth? The internal condition of the body is the best indicator as to the health of the teeth. If teeth are bad, there is an internal disruption in the body, and we need to bring in more calcium in the form of green-leafy salads and green juices, as Dr. Shelton has pointed out in his great book: "The Science And Fine Art Of Nutrition."

There is a great misconception that fruits are bad on the teeth. Why the myth of poor teeth on a fruitarian diet? The clue I picked up from Johnny Lovewisdom's book: "Spiritualizing Dietetics: Vitarianism." He attacks nuts and seeds viciously as being the cause of teeth problems in fruitarians, not fruit. I've noticed that myself. Nuts leave an acid ash and are high in phosphorous which must be balanced with calcium (found abundantly and usable in greens). If you eat lots of nuts and seeds, you should also eat plenty of greens. If they are not balanced the phosphorous will eventually acidify the body and leech calcium from the bones, especially the jaw and teeth -- the body is signaling the mouth to stop taking in food, especially the nuts and seeds. Another important point appropriate here is that raw animal foods too leave an acid ash and are high in phosphorous, just like nuts and seeds. If they are not balanced off with greens (calcium) they'll decalcify the teeth over the long term.

Hi Jen,
 Caitlyn is your "mini me" , she has your megawatt smile and cheeky brown eyes!

Of course, Brock is gorgeous too.

I would like to come and live in your fridge as the weather in Perth has been from 39-44 degrees Celsius for the last few days. I would be very happy in there!
 
Maybe we could start a thread of fridge pictures for a little fun.

Sergei Boutenko overcame type 1 diabetes (childhood) through a raw food diet. You can read about his experiences in his book, Raw food Family.

Doug Graham explains the role of too much fat  in the diet as being a cause of type 2 diabetes (mature onset) and explains the pathophysiology  of it in his book 80/10/10  (pge 30-33).
No doubt this is why even young children on junk food diets are getting "mature onset" diabetes.

Cutting out overt fats from the diet might be one way to start on the road to freedom from diabetes.

But some people are loathe to give up their unhealthy ways of eating, preferring instead to take pills.. and eventually insulin. I've  encountered this attitude  many times when I was a registerd nurse in the hospital system.

Sometimes the hardest part for some people is taking responsibility for their health, and when this is addressed, the  necessary information  will be taken in and health  starts to improve. I feel this to be the  biggest hurdle to the answer of diabetes.