Absolutely not! Platelets are what stops you from bleeding to death if you cut yourself - people with ... oh dang, I've forgotten what it's called. Well anyway, when there is damage to a blood vessel the platelets all stick together to form what is called a 'platelet plug' to stop more blood coming out. It's a really complex reaction but thats the bottom line.

I would think low platelets could be an issue in someone with HIV, not so much for them but others, due to the fact that they could bleed more after a small injury, putting the health of others at risk.

That said, I really don't think it's necessarily a good idea to trust conventional medical doctors on what is 'normal' or 'healthy.' Sure, platelets might be low compared to the standard curve they use but then we generally agree that other figures, such as recommended daily intakes of nutrients, are wildly exaggerated.

You've got me so interested, I'm half tempted to get my own levels tested! 

Oh I feel really sorry for you guys. I had head lice quite a few times at school and when we went to England when I was 6, Mum and Dad and I all caught it from the head rests in the plane. The first thing we wanted when we got to the UK was a chemist, lol.
I really hope I never get them again; I was in my room reading the other night and a mozzie came in, it bit me about three times and I was SOOOOOO itchy, i made myself bleed scratching. Then I decided I couldn't take being bitten anymore (I was quite worked up by this stage) and so I killed it and then I couldn't stop crying. So I don't know how I'd feel if I had to kill a whole head full of nits!

Maggie, regarding hairdressers - I haven't been to one in well over a year. I already didn't like going because almost every hairdresser I've ever gone to has told me my hair is 'boring' and I should get a more interesting cut. Once a hairdresser did all this layering and feathering after I said I didn't want it - I cried and cried and my Mum got very angry at him - I never went there again! So anyway, now my Mum just cuts it every now and then.

Hi Carol, where in Perth are you? Two places that come to my mind are Alive Organics in Bayswater and Manna Wholefoods in Fremantle. I'm pretty sure that Sunny Wholefoods in the Freo markets has them as well as The Earth Market in Subiaco.

Good luck!

I strongly agree with Aguacate on feeding cats - I eat raw vegan because I believe that is how my body is designed to eat. I feed my beautiful Ruhsa raw meat because that is what I believe her body is designed to eat. She is beautiful and thriving and is very gentle and loving. I have had first hand experience with fully grown male cheetahs that were hand raised at an open range zoo and fed on a raw meat diet. They were beautiful, gentle pussy cats - I believe it is only human contact that is needed to produce an animal that is gentle, not a meat free diet.

If you browse through the 'Raw Pets' section of the forum you will find lots of stories and opinions on feeding animals raw. Also, the two gorgeous rats pictured with me in my forum photo are both thriving raw vegans.

Ooooh I love the whole concept of this Becky... and I love to hear from the perspective of someone who often knows what they're talking about!

I'm pretty sure I never got formula, just breast milk, although I was started on solids reasonably early.

Hey Linda,

Here's mine:  http://veganmuffinprincess.blogspot.com/

Great that you're enjoying the site so much, it's a wonderful place!

I know it is short notice but there is a potluck in Perth (15 minutes out of the city) this Sunday at my house!!



Please send me a Personal Message if you would like the details!!

Freedom 

Hi Greenmum, glad to hear you're doing well. I think a list of benefits is a great idea!
Did you get the Personal Message I sent you?

B12 is a bacteria that lives in your intestines and helps you to digest your food and get adequate nutrients from it. You are born with a healthy colony of B12 living in your intestines, which reproduces and lives happily. Poor diet and lifestyle, especially lots of stress, can kill off your B12 - on the flipside, a good and healthy diet and lifestyle will allow your B12 to flourish.

You don't need to worry about consuming B12 if you are living a healthy lifestyle that supports your own B12 colony. Also, blood tests do not accurately reveal your B12 status because, as I've said, B12 is in your intestines not your blood. If you want a test to accurately tell you how much B12 you have, there is something called an MMA test. I don't know much about it though.

I hope I've helped. Please note that I am not qualified as anything, though I have studied a fair bit of biology. 

Freedom 

Hey Angie,
Rejuvelac is definitely raw though I think it can be hard to get it right... it is supposed to be a fermented drink but there is a fine line between being fermented and being off (ew)! Do a basic google search, you should be able to find instructions on making rejuvelac. If not, let me know and I'll pm you a recipe... i think there's one in a book I have.

Nutritional yeast is definitely not raw. It is definitely not the same as regular yeast. It is a yellow powdery that supposedly has a cheesy taste. If you have a yeast allergy I would avoid it.

You can sprout pretty much any legume except red kidney beans (supposedly they kill you if eaten sprouted). For example lentils, mung beans, chickpeas, quinoa. There's more that I can't think of just now.

Hope I've helped!

OOps, posting at the same time as Patti!

Yes, that's the one I'm thinking of! Thanks Michelle! 

Okay I've been over at nutritiondata.com (good site!) doing some comparisons.

1 cup chopped carrot (128g) contains:

428% of recommended daily intake (RDI) of vit A
4% of RDI calcium
13% of RDI of vit C
2% of RDI of iron

1 cup chopped kale (67g) contains:

206% of RDI of vit A
9% of RDI of calcium
134% of RDI of vit C
6% of RDI of iron

Obviously this is only a small snapshot of two vitamins and two minerals but from this, I can't see how you would be better off with carrot than kale. You get more of everything other than vitamin A with kale, and you still have more than double what they say you need.

Can anyone find out anything that is in root veggies but not leafy greens?? 

I read a book a little while ago by a husband and wife team about edible Australian natives with a lot of info about wattle seeds but I just can't think what it was called. I'll try to find out!

Bucket hats... though broad brimmed is my fave!

Purple or green?

I have not had a period since... early 2004? About May 04 I think. I never really got to experience 'my cycle' or anything because I only started menstruating a short time before I developed my eating disorder and things went a bit haywire.

I have now been recovering for 18 months and 12 days (but who's counting, lol!) and have gained close to 14kg (I weigh more now than I ever have in my life, at 45kg). I actually believe that my body is almost fully healed now, because I have recently started detoxing (pimples, itchy skin, BO [smells like aloe vera, oddly  ], LOTS of mucous, blood in my snot etc) - I think my body has finally built itself up enough that it can release old toxins.

So if I am going to start getting my period, I think now is the time! And I'm not one for believing in dreams telling the future or anything but my Mum had a dream a few nights ago that I got my period so we'll see! 

I was interested in why no other species of animal on the planet sheds its endometrial lining but we do. I spoke to an anatomy lecturer at uni who said that we have special arterioles called 'spiral arterioles' in our uterus that other species don't have but he wasn't sure how/why that would cause menstruation. I still wonder about that one.

Personally, I'm glad I'm not getting my period. I'm not demeaning any other woman's feelings about menstruation but for me, it's just a hassle. Messy and annoying. I already know I'm a woman, I don't need this to come every month in order for me to feel womanly or anything. I never ever ever plan on having children. Even if I wanted children, it just ain't gonna happen naturally... if by some freak of nature I found myself in a relationship and wanted a child (I tell ya, not gonna happen!  ) I would go for adoption. Whatever happened, it certainly wouldn't be me carrying the baby!

Thanks for all your opinions guys - very interesting reading.