im currently on a road trip and im in beautiful broome at the moment. The only thing lacking is the availability to buy fresh produce from independent businesses.There is a lovely raw enthused organic fruit and vege shop but that seems to be it. Obviously the big wigs of the food retail gangs have made it difficult for the little guy! Anyone with other contacts..... I have chatted to loads of local retailers who gave me a couple of other avenues all of which came to a dead end...all closed up.

Ohhh and the mangoes hanging beautifully from the kerbside, still green and teasing my senses and my spirit lending me a hand in patience......

Fantastic and just delightful to hear from BB and your loving tips with growing a raw family. IT has inspired me to reclaim more raw for my family.

Actually my partner the other night asked why I had cooked him a vegan stirfry when he would have eaten my raw lettuce wraps? I then asked myself? It was a habitual thing. Even though he quite enjoys raw, I was just in the mindset that he'd prefer a cooked meal, when in fact, he'd have preferred the raw option. Again my daughter tasted my raw salsa yesterday and she really enjoyed it when I was sure she wouldnt. How we can assume so much and be so wrong. Life is full of lessons, inspiration and gifts! Offer offer offer I guess is the key. The offerings of the gods. How can one resist. Guess whats for dinner tomorrow...RAW

I actually find it more expensive being raw. Having said that my diet is probably 3/4 organic. I and a girlfriend have started a small little organic co op which is fantastic. A great way to cut out the middle man, get the produce at wholesale and not give those dollars to those greedy so called food chains. Its a concern when you buy organic carrots for $3 kilo and the super is selling exactly those carrots for $7. What about the farmer?

Another friend has also started an organic nuts, seeds and dried fruits co op, so I am blessed in being able to get beautiful organic foods. I still find it pricey but only in the wallet.....not pricey on my health...worth every cent. Will be cheaper as my garden produce grows....Thats the best shopping of all. Getting all my greens from my garden.

Jungle definately get into co oping!. Its such a beautiful way to enjoy but also share the goodness. I get quite a lot of joy from doing it actually. It feels great supplying those riches to myself and those around us. Goodluck.

 The thread jen has directed you to had some great info in it....I too posted and wondered the exact same question and wanted to hear from other women how their cycles had been effected on raw. When I fisrt heard of the concept that many women stop menstrating on raw, concerned me. For me its a very natural, beautiful and desired ability and function as a women, to menstrate.

I have been raw since dec, so 5 months on now. I have always had a very rhythmical cycle and enjoyed it with ease. In the first month of being raw due to recovering from a severe bout of colitis, I was eating only juices (well drinking them up yum) and smoothies and nourishing fruits. I literally didnt have any fats and very limited protein as my bowel needed to heal. As a result I lost alot of weight (but my bowel thanked me for every minute and does everyday) very quickly, about 9 kilos in three to four weeks. And this weight loss included alot of muscle I guess as I wasnt large to begin with. Up until this last cycle, it had been unaffected. This moon, no bleeding!!!! Having said that on top of the weight loss, my iron levels still aren't that high.

I feel like this wont be a long term issue. I have now regained three kilos and  I think im at the healthiest weight I could be at. And the healthiest Ive been in five years and medication free!!!! yeahhhh!!! (need to build some tone and exercise more though) So Im feeling that the next cycle or two I can be returned to a normal shedding cycle.

I find this topic really intriguing. Unfortunately after many of my own questions of fading menstruation, it has happened to me. Im glad to hear its returned for many women. I will urge it back!!

It that other thread mentioned angelic...Im sure someone had posted that they actually conceived their children without having a shedding cycle. So you may still ovulate without shedding your lining. Perhaps the whole concept of your body reabsorbing its vitality has something in it. Especially if your body as wise and intelligent as it is, needs it elsewhere. Fascinating!!!

Just love the pics! we're surrounding by propaganda, thats what those pics scream out to me and that to be aware of all of that around us, a good sense of humour is required. And the beauty in the simple unadulterated food...wow.

When every single person asks me a question referring to protein, calcium, iron etc, its a challenge to remain humble and not answer with some smart arse answer and judgement. They are all "educated" by the propaganda that they see and hear. We are in many ways such a misinformed society. Having said that its also important to not judge someone else's choices or lifestyle. I was in a major shopping complex the other day and was just struck by the amount of really over weight very unhealthy looking people just shoveling * into their bodies. I felt incredibly sad for them, for what they didnt know was killing them. But their I was, judging them for how they were treating themselves, and I didnt even know them. Im finding this a daily struggle and lesson.

I consider myself a very liberal open minded person but (as jungle said in a recent post,) I too am becoming increasingly concerned with what other people are eating, and in turn judging their choices. Its difficult to witness friends and family in particular, eating what they think is healthy eating but its starchy heavily cooked, badly combined nutrient deficient foods. They do ask questions and tell me I have inspired them in their diets but it is like re learning what and how to eat. They are all brainwashed into what they think is good eating. I just have to remind myself that raw has given me a healthy body and spirit and its a gift to share the knowledge, amidst the fear that I will in turn become a nagging nemesis to those that are in ear shot.

well im gathering that you have all come to the end of your juicing feast! Would love to hear more from those of you who feasted.

I have pondered the difference between light and dark agave nectar. Is it as mentioned in a few earlier posts that the dark is refined and the the light is as is. Im about to purchase some and my list is telling me that the dark agave syrup is raw organic. So can anyone fill me in on the differneces and how you would use them differently. Which is recommended for chocolate???

congrats on all you raw successes. its wonderful to get such support from a virtual little space as this. Being raw can  be a very isolating way to be for many! Im not good at time related lines so lets just say im raw and still going strong raw, although a few added extras like cheese and some dark choc have popped back into my very raw diet. I have never in my life been a big cheese eater (apart from when I was pregnant) but having cravings big time, for maybe the past month. And the more I have the more I want! As for the choc, well that arose after eating some living earth raw choc at easter. I hadnt had choc not even cacao of any shape or form since dec. Now I cant seem to shake that desire. All in the will and power of the mind.

love and light to you all

Where are all the juicey fasters? Is there anyone still out there??

The journey sounds intense and that deprivation eventually set in. glad your a listener and in tune with what your body needs. How is everyone else going who embarked on this fast. I think its an incredible feat. The discipline it must take. I admire that.

wow, ive been feasting on figs today, got them at 3 bucks a kilo from the local farmers market. I will eat each one with more appreciation than before, so thanks jen for making me more grateful to the abundant figs at my reach!!!  I have been just passing them and grabbing a few to eat every time I walk past, eating them, enjoying them but not really thanking them. I NEED to eat them today for Im going away tomorrow and cant take them with them,only in nutrient and energy form!.....Ive enjoyed figs before but not like I love them now being raw. I will be planting a fig tree amoungst many fruit trees in my backward to bare their gifts. ohh the joys of how a humble fig can tranpire  into your awakening life. plant more trees!!!!!

xxx

That exact issue phil is what turned me completely off milk years ago. i was never a big fan, just the smell of it I think is gross. But yeah all I could think about was the pus and infectious muck! My partner drinks milk in his coffee but we buy an organic non homogenised milk, surely there are smaller eco farmers that have good practices to avoid this muck making milk.

At the moment im lovin

grated carrot
grated beetroot
soaked dates in orange juice
chopped soaked almonds
handful of mint/coriander

for the dressing: whatever oil is taking your fancy, orange juice and zest, ground cumin and coriander, paprika and ground cinnamon........very yum  but I apologize for my lack of amounts as I tend to just throw things together. I guess it will give you a general feel for this, make it up as you go, depending on your tastes.

yeah i dont care how raw pepsi claims to be with a new drink...i wouldnt drink it! I wouldnt believe them for starters, wouldnt trust them. wouldnt wont their product in my body. Seems a little far fetched considering the vastness between the pepsi drink to the raw drink! Perhaps if a different company more health orientated marketed something similar I wouldnt dismiss it so easily. Buy an apple and chop on that!

unbelievable! And it is truely unbelievable. I am stunned when I hear such ignorant suggestions. Our society still is really reliant on the quick fix pharmaceutical cures!

Just a quick question to you juicy people out there..By the way I commend you all! Im not ready for a juice feast yet, but it lays in the near future! I can smell it. But was wondering if and how much weight loss you will experience. I can not afford to loose any more weight and seem to have plateaued the last month after 3 months raw. If I stay the same weight which im expecting giving a couple of kilos here and there, but this is probably the biggest fear I have of a juice fast. The weight loss. Having said that I dont exercise alot but do need to do more muscle building activity.

stine, confest is over the easter weekend 21st-24th but has volunteers setting up and clearing up...check out the website,  dte.org.au

 Im off to hobart on tuesday, before I head to melb.....my mum lives there. I love tassie its a great, beautiful place. Hope you make it to confest.