Wow! Time sure does fly by!

This has been a busy, exhausting, LOOOONG year! I've been adjusting to working, going back & forth with raw, which has affected my health in numerous ways...weight came off, then some came back on, due to my hypothyroidism, which I believe I've reversed now, & will get blood tests soon to confirm.
A new year is about to begin, & I am led to go begin a new blog for the next leg of my journey.
I've committed to 2011 being my first FULL year of 100% raw ALL YEAR!!!
That is what I NEED to get the reversal of my health issues that I know raw will accomplish! So here I go...I'll refer back here on occasion, or perhaps one day join all my posts together on one big blog, when I've reached my goals...or write a book! Who knows! All I know is, it's time to get on with it!
 I'll post a link to my new blog in the next few days, if anyone's still following this one, or comes across it ~ Have a wonderful 2011!

Looking Forward, Forgetting The Things That Are Behind...

I've been going through a LOT lately {far too much to write it all out}
so needless to say, my health has been suffering in the face of the stress I've been foolishly allowing to deter me from my health routines.
I am determined to learn ONCE & FOR ALL to OVERCOME ANYTHING that comes up & no longer allow it to overcome me in ANY area of my life...the main area it really affects me now is my health...I pray things through, & get victory, spiritually, mentally & emotionally, yet when things get to be too intense, it throws me off course with my health goals & routines...which is so silly, cuz it's when I'm stressed I NEED to stay on track the most, in order to HANDLE the stress!
I've gone from being a stay-at-home mom (on dissability still, & homechooling my daughter) to working 4 days a week, caring for 3 girls of a single dad. Preparing their breakfast, lunch & snacks all day has made it a challenge to stay raw, though I'm finally getting into the swing of things & make it work. (They LOVE the produce I bring, & especially my smoothies!) I'm walking to & from work (25 minutes each way) though all last week had to get rides due to being sick, & coughing half the night, getting little sleep.
I've also been trying to weed my stuff out LOTS, pack & make arrangements to move to a new province, & have been going through some personal things that have been heartbreaking. For awhile, I totally lost focus & gained back nearly 30 pounds of the 60+ I'd let go of since the start of the year, but am back on track & determined to not only shed those 30 pounds again quickly (& gone so far this week) but also get a LOT more off before moving!!!
 I have so many health challenges that lately they feel a little overwhelming & I find myself wondering what it's gonna take to truly overcome ALL of them, & if I really can be consistant enough to do this! (Not just manage them, but reverse them!)
I know it CAN be done, but it's practiclally a full-time job, & leaves little room for other things, & with working now it's even harder to have balance with the different areas of life...but OTHERS do it, so I KNOW it's DO-ABLE! 
 By the time we move (Sept 1st) my goal is to be AT LEAST 50-60 lbs lighter than I am right now. As more weight comes off, I know I'll be helping others with their weight/health issues.
I've begun writing a business plan, flyers, & a manual, as well as gathering the best links & info on various aspects of all this (for the online version) & just need the outside to reflect the inside.
 I'm more than ready...it's so close I can already feel what it'll feel like!
Please keep praying for me...I know God's not finished with me yet!

~HYPOTHYROIDISM & Learning (again!) to Just Take Things One Day at a Time~

So much for beginning the fast in the next few days...here it is weeks later, & though I've been trying to return to & STAY 100% raw so I can get back to the fast I still feel called to, some days, I do great, but others, not so much.
I'm still going through a lot emotionally, & am just feeling so exhausted from it (as well as intense dreams waking me through the night & having dificulty getting back to sleep...) & am really wishing I could just go hibernate somewhere awhile & fast, & pray it all through...
...the days I do manage to stay raw, I begin to feel better, begin to get my perspective back again, & MOVE more...but then, another sleepless night, another day working when I just want to be home, & choosing to do what I know is best for my health starts feeling harder to do consistantly again...
...& for me, consistancy is the KEY, it's the only thing that really ensures this will work...
...so here I go, trying to, once more, start over...having learned recently that my thyroid is outa whack has helped me understand why I'm freezing all the time, & lethargic sometimes, & why I gain weight SO easily if I don't stay raw...I just began taking a iodine vegetable source tincture, hopefully that'll help...soon...{I'll let ya know...} I know that many have reversed hypo-thyroid with raw food & other lifestyle changes, so that's my plan, Stan...
http://eathealthybehappy.blogspot.com/2009/08/how-to-reverse-hypothyroidism-8-mins.html
http://www.ehow.com/how_4861697_treat-yourself-hypothyroid-natural-cures.html
& here's one with more info on the causes, symptoms, side affects & ways to treat it naturally: http://altmedangel.com/hypothy.htm
I'm not even gonna tell you what they scale says right now, cuz I don't even wanna think about it....(& it's not good news lately...*sigh*...) I just wanna focus on getting HEALTHY again! No matter what it takes, I'm determined to persevere...I ask you to please keep me in your prayers...sometimes it seems like I just have too many health issues to ever overcome, but God keeps drawing me onwards, refusing to let me give up...
On a good note, I went to a REAL gym with my daughter a few days ago, worked out for over 2 hours, & it felt GREAT! Yup, I discovered muscles I forgot I had...& yup, I was SORE the next day...but we're planning on going 3 days a week now, & I know it'll help with everything I'm going through, so I am excited about that...now if I could just sleep...
Off to drink some smoothie, then get movin' my body!

About to Begin Fasting Again...

It's been 11 days since I broke the fast (that I lasted 10 days on, though I know I was being called to fast for much longer...) I haven't stayed 100% raw since then, & haven't slept or exercised near enough, & have been going through a lot of very intense, emotional, & very stressful things...the Lord has sustained me, though, & has been gently leading me back into fasting mode, & I believe I am to start again in the next few days...
My focus is totally on the spiritual purposes for the fast, yet I know that in the Bible, God says when we fast as He calls us to, "Your health will spring forth speedily"...
I'm seeing clearer the harm done in just jumping in last time, when He called me, & know that I needed to have more wisdom & take a little more time to prepare, to make sure I was rested, strong, & my colon was cleaned out first, & should have had at least a few days of very light, raw eating to be ready to handle detox easier...
...so that is what I'm doing now to prepare to return to the fast, as well as getting back into daily treadmill & handweight use, to maintain muscle even as I fast...(I will be doing regular but very moderate amounts throughout the fasting period, resting as much as possible, for detox as well as spiritual purposes...)
I am so ready to get free of ALL my health issues...but even more, I need spritual strength, healing, peace, & restoration....I need to learn to FULLY rely on God in EVERYTHING & no longer allow my flesh-nature to hinder my walk with Him in ANY way!
So though I know that the things He's preparing me for are still a ways away, & there is much He's begun doing to prepare me that will take time to unfold, I am determinded to stop going in slow motion, & back & forth! It's time for steady, onward progress, more thorough change & healing of ALL I need healing of, leading to TOTAL  RAWSTORATION!!!
One day, when I have finally reached ALL my goals, I'll look back & remember this moment in time of going to a deeper level of commitment, & my life's transformation beginning to be revealed in more ways than just physical, where I have finally fully surrendered to God making me truly willing to change anything & EVERYTHING needing changing in EVERY part of my life!
 He's preparing me for things I've been running from & not ready for for many, many years, (like sharing my music) & now I see that I cannot waste another DAY, let alone another YEAR, waiting for things to change! I need to let Him help me change them NOW!!!
Here's some "Before" & "During" pictures of what God's helped me change with my health so far...this first one  was taken just over a year ago, close to my highest weight, when I could barely walk up the stairs & out to the car, let alone anywhere else, so I barely left the house, living in continual pain, with increasingly worsenling health...my 5x clothes were all too small...I had one too-tight shirt I could wear in public...

This next one was taken on April 30th, 2010, the tenth day of my recent fast (after 4 hours sleep, no make-up on) 82 pounds down from my highest weight... I am READY for TOTAL transformation!!!

Though it's nice to begin to see my cheekbones again, (& recognize myself again! Haha!) still, I want a healthy body again! I'm ready to completely reverse (not just control!) my diabetes, FM, MS, IBS, CTS, PCOS & everything else I've had going on that has been hindering me!
I may still have a  long way to go, but I'm definately, finally consistantly on my way!

After The Fast Interrupted, Before The Next One Begins...

I recently did ten days of water fasting (for spiritual purposes, though the detox was needed & the pounds shed were a nice side benefit...) I broke the fast three days ago, not as raw as I needed to be, but am back to 100% today.
 One things I'm always reminded of, when I fast, is how little food we actually need, & in fact, when we carry excess weight, we do our body a great kindness by taking a break from eating & digestion in order to allow our bodies to release some of the things we carry around that we don't need, & feel much better without.
I let go of 22 pounds during those 10 days, but of course as soon as eating resumes, most people naturally re-gain 5-10 pounds. I've had 7lbs come back, but now that I'm back to raw & am moving more (didn't get much sleep through the fast, & got pretty weary, by the end) I know the scale will continue going down.
I wasn't done fasting, but needed to stop for a little while, & am planning on resuming again within the next few days, unless I'm going to a weekend camping trip with my daughter, in which case it'll be right after the coming weekend (Monday, may 10th.)
I've fasted lots in the past, though not for many years, so knew most of the physical things I'd be experiencing, but still found it good to refresh my memory...the spiritual aspects of fasting can be completely life-changing, in my experience, & are worth learning more about in order to be ready to make the most of the time you set apart from the things of the fleshly appetites in order to draw closer to God, & to seek His will.
Here's a link I found extremely beneficial for my fast, in case you're so led, & ever want a good online source of info: This particular article is on Muscle maintained while fasting: (This is the BEST fasting site I've found yet! If you know of better ones, please let me know!)
http://www.freedomyou.com/fasting_book/Muscles_Maintained.htm
All I know for sure is that, day by day, God leads me on. I am determined to get & keep my flesh-nature crucified, never again allowing my appetites to hinder my health or walk with Him, or dim the light I'm meant to shine to others. It's time. I'm ready to be victorious in ALL areas of my life!
This was physically the easiest fast I've done (aside from the last day or 2) but the hardest, spiritually...but I'm pressing on...I've been led to be online as little as possible (though am writing lots offline) & have had little tv or other distractions from seeking the Lord...
I wish I hadn't had to work, but can't change that...am eager to get back to it, now that I'm feeling better, but am taking a few days to juice & do smoothies to clean out first, as I wish I'd done before the ten days. (I heard the call & dove right in the next day, not quite ready physically...)
 Thanks for your prayers, I need them...if anyone's still reading this...
HELLO...Hello...hello...is there an echo in here, here, here?

Changing, Transforming, RAWjuvinating!

Well after being sick for 3 & a half weeks (which practically stopped the scale, though I was high raw & hardly had any appetite) I'm finally back on track...I weighed in recently & discovered that I'm now SEVENTY-TWO POUNDS DOWN FROM MY HIGHEST WEIGHT! This took me by suprise (though I'm really beginning to feel it, after the last 25 pounds or so...)
I'm pressing on, & really looking forward to what the next few months hold as I prepare to move & get back to the life I'm meant to live, back on the Coast with my closest friends where I lived 14 years & never should've moved away from! 
I want to be able to walk lots by the time I get there, because it'll be a necessity with having to bus everywhere. I never want to have to use my walker there as I did when I visited in January! My legs are stronger now (been on the treadmill at least 4 or 5 days a week for months now, except when I was sick), & they're not in as much pain as they used to be after being on them & though my back is in major pain right now (happens whenever I lose weight, especially quickly, as my spine adjusts...I have slight scoliosis & it doesn't like change, it seems) I am doing all I can to strengthen it, too & help it not be so reactive to my weight adjusting.
God has been so good to me, helping me grow (as I shrink, haha!) & learn & change things that have needed changing in my life, & for that I'm eternally grateful. I know He's preparing me to be able to step into living in the center of His will, & I'm filled with anticipation & hope, & doing all He leads me to in order to be ready!
I'm also beginning to prepare the songs He's given me to be ready to share them because I know He's going to be opening doors in that area of my life, too.
Here's a picture of me on my birthday last week....a few days ago I met a couple in the steam room where I swim & they guessed my age at 32 or 33 (him) & 24 or 25 (her). I just turned 45...the weight may not be coming off as fast as I wanted it to, but obviously I'm still healing other things...when I visited Vancouver in January, my friends I hadn't seen in nearly & years all said I looked younger!
 I thought maybe they were just being nice, but the couple I met who guessed me to be so much younger than I am kinda freaked me out! {Of course, they couldn't really see how much grey hair I have cuz it was wet!}

How does God see my obesity, & my ongoing journey back to health?

I just got a link to this article today in my inbox, someone had written Kimberly asking her if God cares about her weight, & I found her answer & the article about it very edifying & inspiring...
http://www.takebackyourtemple.com/christian-weight-loss-does-god-care-about-your-weight/comment-page-1/#comment-1096
(you can subscribe to her awesome newsletter on that page, with the little pop-up that comes up when you arrive at the page.)
...& it got me thinking more about my own health issues {some of which have been caused by my obesity, & some have just been greatly aggrevated by it}. I've been pondering for awhile now how God has been seeing these things in my life, not only in the past when I was too exhausted & in pain to do much of anything, but also lately, as I'm finally gaining some ground in regaining my health.
God's shown such mercy, compassion & grace towards me in my struggles with my health  & He's definately been the source of my strength, especially lately, as I've been learning how to push through my limitations without pushing so hard I wipe out & quit (which has been a regular occurance in the past, due to my fibromyalgia). I see now that the times in the past I've felt defeated, hopeless, unchangeable, & too far gone I've not been looking at my health from His perspective, but my own limited one.
One of the things I've been reminded of lately is that much as I know that God wants me free of the things that have hindered my health in the past, if Jesus returns or I leave this earth before this is complete, I will still be given a perfect & whole resurrected body to dwell in for eternity in His presence! How awesome is that!! & most awesome of all, we don't have to earn that incredible gift, He offers it freely to ALL!
And not only will we be completely free of the things that have caused us so much distress, pain, & frustration here on earth, they'll no longer even be remembered! Knowing that is part of what helps me get & maintain an eternal perspective about the physical realm we live in here, each with our own particular limitations, hinderances, & daily struggles & pain, & it helps me {even as I get more focussed on conquering my particular health challenges} to not get distracted from the eternal perspective He's been giving me more each day.
"Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do ALL to the glory of God." 1 Corinthians 10:31
 "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.  And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith."  Romans 1:3
I love that He tells us that He's given EACH ONE OF US a measure of faith! He knows how much faith we'll need, as individuals, first to come to Him, & then, as we grow in Him, to learn to be overcomers, & no longer be overcome!
 I'm praying for you to be enabled by the power of His Holy Spirit to get & keep things in an eternal perspective, too, even as your attention must be on the physical realm sometimes in order to get as healthy as possible in order to serve Him & others more effectively.
As I'm learning to surrender daily to only eating the things He created for food (& no longer the health-destroying man-made immitations) I think about what Manna must've tasted like, perfectly created to meet ALL the body's physical needs, & how much God loves us to create fruits & veggies & things that enable our immune system to operate as the self-healing health restorer it was created to be.
And as I work out each day, I sometimes find myself close my eyes & imagine what it'll be like to be in that heavenly body He'll give me when I finally get to see my Beloved Lord face to face, free to dance before Him with the joy He's filling me with, even now, as He heals me, free of pain & disease & the slow process of dying we undergo here on earth.
The Bible promises us that death is the last enemy to be conquered...as I think on these things, I'm so thankful for His incredible gift of eternal life that we can begin to walk in now as we're being prepared to enter into things we can't even really imagine!
The moment we're there, the light of the truth will expose all the fretting we do here about things that are irrelevant eternally for the foolishness that it really is.
As we're being given glimpes here of all that is to come, help us, Father, to keep our focus on You, & not on the things of this world, including these mortal bodies we put on for a season, until we're ready to put on immortality there by your side. Help our pursuit of health here be for your glory, to enable us to serve you more effectively, & especially help us not to use our victories & renewed health as occasions to live more in the flesh, but teach us to contually grow in our ability to crucify our flesh-nature daily, as You've asked those who love you to be willing to do.
~Amen~

Too Much Mucus! Detox is NOT fun!!!

I've been sick for over a week now, & have been coughing practically non-stop for days, & the last two nights, especially, it's been robbing me of sleep...I woke this morning about 6 (didn't get to bed until 1:30 am or so) & couldn't stop coughing up huge amounts of mucus, & am exhausted, but as soon as I lay down, it starts up again, so I guess I'm up now.
I've been thinking about the vast amounts of mucus leaving my body, & where it all came from...no more cheese for me again, ever! Or the other JUNK on this list!
http://www.detox.net.au/mucoid-plaque.html
I'm learning that mucus-forming foods are the ones that are acidic, & alkaline foods not only won't form new mucus, but also to clean up what's already built up in us. "To maintain health, the diet should consist of 60% alkaline forming foods and 40% acid forming foods. To restore health, the diet should consist of 80% alkaline forming foods and 20% acid forming foods.
Generally, alkaline forming foods include: most fruits, green vegetables, peas, beans, lentils, spices, herbs and seasonings, and seeds and nuts.
Generally, acid forming foods include: meat, fish, poultry, eggs, grains, and legumes."
From this site: http://www.rense.com/1.mpicons/acidalka.htm  This is obviously not a raw site, but if the average person followed these guidelines, they'd definately be healthier!
In the past, intense detox has made me stop being raw, & though it's slown the detox symptoms down to eat some cooked food, I see now it also just prolonged the healing process my body was undertaking, so this time, I'm pushing through, drinking lots of lemon water, juicing daily, resting even when I can't sleep, & pressing on. 2 days ago, I could only get in 20 minutes on the treadmill, & yesterday I barely managed 5, & it that was broken up...it sent me into major coughing fits for hours, & hurt my lungs (I used to have asthma, they still tend towards weakness when sick), so no more of that until this coughing & huge expelling of mucus is over. I'll just focus on stretching, & some light weights.
And though I'm staying 100% raw, the scale has stopped moving, so I've decided to not get on it again until the end of March (8 more days) to see if I meet my goal of 15 more pounds off since my last recorded weigh-in (over there on the right, under "What's Goin' Down on the Scale". I'm realizing that I may not be getting enough calories to keep shedding pounds, I just haven't had much appetite lately, with all this detox, but will try to get in a few more calories today than I have been...wish I could go for a walk, but my legs are too weak to go too far outside now from so little sleep lately.
 Off to try some of these home remedies for expelling/clearing mucus...please keep me in your prayers!
http://www.drjims-natural-cures.com/chest-congestion-remedies.html   

Hannah's Goin' Raw With Me Again!!!

My 14 year old budding raw chef been in the kitchen most of the day, making a bunch of raw yummies! I just had a big platter of veggies & dip, & she's been juicing LOTS, & we're going to make some raw fudge here pretty quick, too! I'm still sick, so have been starting my day with echinacea tea with a whole lemon in it, to break up all the mucus trying to escape my body!
I want to exercise, my body's craving movement, but I'm still so exhausted & weak, so I'm focussing on just a few minutes at a time, stretching here & there, & a little treadmill time, but not pushing too hard...
...it's so exciting to have my raw recipe inventor back! She comes up with the most wonderful recipes! We may even get the dehydrator going, too! I have some sweet potatoes just callin' out to be made into chips!
(Except she just tried to get me to drink kale juice straight! Stronger than wheatgrass (which I love, & can handle!) so we're gonna mix it with the other stuff...)
  I've been able to spend a little time online again today, & was led to check in with RawFu & share my progress, & will begin making YouTube videos again to share the changes that are happening, though I won't be making them public until I've made a little more progress...gotta take some more full-body pictures soon!
Suddenly, I'm excited about summer, rather than dreading it! I can handle the heat sooooo much better the more of my fat suit I shed!!!
  God has been SOOOOOO good to me lately, blessing me from every direction! Hope that's true for you, too!
Spring has definately sprung!!!

Swanson Vitamins Shopping Spree Giveaway!

Here's another awesome contest, for a $50 ahopping spress at an amazing company I've just learned about with a HUGE variety of natural products! This one ends on Saturday March 27th! Here's the link to the contest:
http://thevegster.wordpress.com/2010/03/18/swanson-vitamins-giveaway/#comment-1089
& here's the link to their site:
http://www.swansonvitamins.com/
Check it out! I'm off to check on their shipping policy to Canada!
   

A wonderful contest for Coconut lovers like me!

Check it out....but hurry, it ends at Midnight tonight! The prize is one GALLON of organic shredded coconut! {Their site has many wonderful recipes, too!}
http://homestead.delightfullearning.com/2010/03/homemade-coconut-milk-macaroons-and-a-tt-giveaway/#newcomment

PROGRESS! CHANGE! HEALING FINALLY UNFOLDING!

Things are FINALLY starting to fall into place, & I'm beginning to feel better, move better, sleep better (& even be able to pray more, & more effectively! & even fast a little, as the Lord has led, as my blood sugars have been getting much more stable!) & all because I'm eating better! I still haven't been 100% raw every single day, but definately a LOT more than I have been, & as the pounds are coming off, & I can do more, I'm wanting to do more every day! It's amazing how that works, huh?
God's really been giving me so much more strength & peace about following through on the things I've known for years to do but haven't been consistant with....love is such a great motivator! I've been seeing that in order to be there for those I love, I NEED to get a LOT healthier! It's grieved me for years that I have been hindered from serving others, from fully participating in my life (& especially in my daughter's life!) but I've received God's forgiveness, & He's enabled me to forgive myself & press on towards the goal, remembering that "His mercies are new every morning!"        
A deep level of determination & readiness, with my eye on all the things He's showing me are about to happen (& change!) in my life have infused me with such commitment to do all I know to do, even when the yucky detox stuff starts (as I'm in the throes of right now!)
Since returning from my trip (Feb 12th) I've shed 9 or 10 more pounds, & though it's definately slower than I would like, I'm actually starting to feel a difference, & be able to accomplish more each day.
I know if I'd been 100% raw, & pushing myself to exercise more, it'd be coming off much faster, especially for how much I still have to lose, but I let myself rest as I need to, & needed to let myself ease back into 100% raw...but now, here I go again, ready to push through everything that has slown me down in the past, & pick up the pace!
 I'm even getting my glow & my dimples back (& finally losing my double chin!) & I'm ready to start juicing again daily, (after dropping in at Booster juice & remembering how instantly better I feel when I drink juice!& though I've had an elbow injury that's hurt sinse before my trip (over 6 weeks now) I'm trying to up my level of exercise again (& am finally going to go to a doctor about my elbow *sigh*)
I'll post some before & after pics next time! I've barely been online lately, have been led to pull away from the computer to get EVERY area of my life back on track, but will be back in touch soon, if there's anyone out there still following, still wondering how I'm doing...I'm seeing some little-yet-growing results now! Thank-you, Jesus!                
(& thank YOU, too, for your prayers, encouragement, & support...)
"The Lord is my strength, & my song, & He has become my salvation!"

Where Does Inspiration Come From For You?

God said, "My people perish without a vision..." Boy, can I relate to that! When I have no clear vision of where I'm headed, I feel like I'm languishing, & missing the strength that having inspiration brings...
...when I see what's ahead, (as I do now) & have been given the ability to see & grasp the things God's wanting to do, & my part in bringing them to pass, the motivation to push through any barriers & seek God to break any strongholds that've been hindering my ability to overcome obstacles instensifies exponentially...
  I have been called to help others, body, soul, & spirit...the spirit is the most important part, of course, yet unless the other two are healed, or at least in the process of healing, it can be difficult to focus on spiritual things, on seeking the source of life, love, joy, & peace...
I am growing crystal clear on the fact that until my life lines up with His will for me, I am going to remain hindered in what I can share, give, & do.
There are walls coming down in my life, & especially around my heart. They have stood, unchallenged, for far too long, & I'm ready to face them head-on, & allow God to complete the work He's begun in me in the areas I've been ignoring...my weight, & even my health issues are very connected to this, & I see now that until these areas are healed, I will just keep going back & forth with the scale, & only sloooooooooowly let go of the extra pounds I've hidden behind for too long.
  I let go of 13 more pounds on my (two week) trip...I am pressing on, seeking to stay 100% raw, but babysitting for my sis, being in their home surrounded by my old comfort foods is making it difficult to STAY 100% raw...but now I won't be babysitting for a week or so, so I have time to get the transition complete, & next time I return, I will ONLY be eating the raw foods I bring.
I did have a BIG smoothie today that was at least 70% green, but then had borsch & other stuff my body is now protesting...how I wish my blood sugars were under control already so I could fast...
...when I do fast, I can get free of strongholds so much faster, & pray so much more focussed, Spirit-led, & effectively...my blood sugar levels have been coming down, (were at 12 & higher for months, are often at 7 now, highest lately is 9) yet when I take the anti-inflammatories I've been prescribed, they start to rapidly rise again...I wish I wasn't in so much pain, so I could take them less often.
I put off taking them as many days in a row that I can, but I still have very high levels of inflammation in my body, due to numerous things, so sometimes, in order to work, & do what I need to at home, I must still take them sometimes...but hopefully not for much longer!
  All this is just to say, inspiration comes from the Holy Spirit opening our eyes...to His will, His plan, to possibilities, to HOPE for the tomorrows He has planned! I am inspired again, I am more ready than I've ever been, & I am determined to overcome everything standing in the way of His perfect will unfolding in my life, & with my health, & the ways I'm being called, once more, to help others overcome...
What about you???

~Time, Changes, Adjusting, Growing & Learning~

Where HAS the time gone?? HOW ON EARTH has it passed so fast!?!?!?!?!?
I've been going through some intense, big changes lately in my life....facing some unpleasant realities, confronting walls I've left standing far too long, & looking at the various ways I get sidetracked, allow myself to get pulled off course, & my tendancies to not be consistant...
...& I've made a decision.
I'm on my way out of town until Feb 7th, then when I return, am going to begin tackling my list of the many things I've been procrastinating on, & until it's completely done, I'm cutting my computer time down to next to nothing, & only keeping up with my raw journey here, & perhaps on videos on You Tube, & maybe checking in once in awhile at my favorite raw communities, once a week or so...but I've spent too much time writing, learning, talking & not enough time DOING!!! 
& I am ready to DO ALL I need to to get strong & healthy!!!
The weight is coming off, slowly but surely, but I've still been back & forth with raw {though more raw than cooked, & better quality cooked than before...} & I've been more active, trying to walk daily, doing hand-weights at my desk, stretching more....but I have NOT been doing all I know I CAN to regain my health! & it's time to PICK UP THE PACE!!!
  So here I go, tired of goin' in slow motion, ready to accelerate EVERYTHING I've been doing to get healthy again!
 Are ya with me, still, or have I lost ya all along the way?

Shopping Spree in the produce Section!! Woohoo!!!

Oh. MY. Goodness! This is OUR table!!! You HAVE to click on this picture to blow it up to appreciate it!
  I just went & spent a BUNCH on produce, our fridge & cupboards are gonna overflow, no more being tempted with non-raw! We got a BUNCH of it at 50% off, & lots of it is even organic! Hannah just had to set it all up, & said it looks & SMELLS SOOOO beautiful...it's edible art!!!
  Hannah & I are BOTH back to raw, & it's been 2 days (almost 100%, had some organic salad dressing, & one or two other things, but with all THIS, I'm now ready for 100%!) & I feel better already!
(& my blood sugars are beginning to come down!)
  Some amazing breakthroughs have been happening in my life, the Lord's been healing some things that've hindered me for 13 years! So much has shifted...too many to write about them all right now, but needless to say, someting major has changed in me, & I am ready in a way that I've never been! Awhile back, in prayer, I asked the Lord to revela whatever it was that has been hindering me from being consistant, to show my WHY I was sabotaging myself..& he has answered my prayers! Suddenly it's EASY again to stay raw!!!
It all began with RawdawgRory's mom going raw, moving in with him & his lovely wife for 6 weeks to have their support, & Rory's wonderful food skills at her disposal!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Q-LA7q38Do&feature=player_embedded 
As I was watching her walking into his house, up a little hill with her walker, getting in & out of the car, talking about her health issues, I saw myself....not in 20 years, not in 10, but SOON, if I don't stop the direction I've been going in!
 I saw her determination, her commitment, her excitment about this, her HOPE, like I had when I first began, & it somehow brought me back to that place of simple eagerness!!! I can also see where I've been headed rapidly, with mobility issues, & fitting in a vehicle (one of my first goals is to be able to fit behind a steering wheel again!) & I've even got a walker, & have been told I'll likely need an electric wheelchair soon!
 BUT I WON'T!!! I am heading in the other direction once again! I can't believe it's taken me this long, I've been going back & forth for many months now, & I'm feeling so FREE, all of a sudden, of that wavering! I'm ready, & committed, & PREPARED (which I believe is a major ket to succeeding with this!)
the other breakthrough involved forgiving someome for something said 13 years ago, that made me feel incapable of changing, healing, & being restored...once I forgave them completely, the chains fell off in my spirit, & I am able to see it all differently...7 the hurt, 7 hinderance is gone! 
The ONLY way we can eat all this food before it goes bad is if we STAY 100% raw!!! (& hey, I've even been getting on the treadmill again!!! Only 5 minutes at a time, but I'm determined to work my way up quickly to MUCH, MUCH MORE!!!
& I WILL update y'all more often! I give you my word! At LEAST once a week, K?!
 By the way, here's Rory's Excellent Raw E-book link, on his wonderful blog!
http://rawdawgrory.com/gettin-raw-with-rawdawg-rory-e-book/
...& here's Penny's Raw For The  Holidays Recipe Book link! Can't wait to get BOTH, been hearing such amazing things about them!
http://www.lulu.com/content/e-book/raw-food-rehabs-raw-for-the-holidays/7849749
 Enjoy the days to come, & please don't let the holidaze derail your raw intentions!!!
{{{{{{{{{{{{Hugs! Take care of your health!!!}}}}}}}}}}}

Candy is NOT Dandy...Smoothies are Groovy!!!

Well, as Christians, we don't 'do' Halloween, but Hannah's cousin's invited her over to watch movies & play games, seeing as their night of trick'or'treating was cancelled, due to swine flu concerns...so she dug through my closet & found my orange clothes, & stuffed 'em with quilt batting & pillows, & went to their house as a pumpkin! ("Cuz God made pumpkins, so it's not a scary costume!")

So anyways, they pulled a fast one, & went trick'or'treating ANYWAYS! *Sigh* & she's offered me all her chocolate, to appease me...but I DON'T WANT IT! So I'm saying NO THANKS!!! & I'm going to feast on pumpkin seeds, pomegranites, pumpkin spice flavoroed green smoothies, & a BIG yummy salad for dinner tonight, & am determined to get it out of the house as fast as possible!
  I am NOT afraid of swine flu, BUT I am aware that with my health conditions, I'm more at risk for complications than the average person, so I know the last thing I need to do is bombard my body with a regular intake of sugar! (Not to mention what that'll do with my diabetes & blood sugar levels!!!)
I've been gathering links/info on swine flu, to help people make a decision not based on fear, but on the facts, they're posted on a new blog I've put together called, "Links To Make You Think" & I'll be posting whatever research I gather there (next topic/Cancer - if you have any good alternative healing/healing testimony links on this, please send them to me at stazia@telus.net  , thanks!) & as I've been posting them, I've been so thankful for the ability & time to research these things & help others to educate themselves on issues of importance.
Here's the link: http://linkstomakeyouthink.blogspot.com/2009/09/swine-fluwhat-to-do.html
I trust God to continue healing me, to keep me healthy & alive as long as I'm meant to be here, & I hope you, too, will live a strong, healthy long life serving Him & others, blessing everyone He brings across your path with your love of life, your joy, your passion for living for Him & His purposes! 
& remember, if it's not nutritious & delicious, it ain't worth eating!!!
(& here's some raw pumpkin recipes, just for good measure! & REMEMBER TO THROW IN SOME PUMKIN PIE SPICES INTO YOUR SMOOTHIES! YUM!!!)
5 Deliciopus-lookin' raw pumkin recipes...even pumpkin nog! Mmmmmm!!!
http://earthmother-intheraw.blogspot.com/2008/10/5-simple-raw-pumpkin-recipes.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
http://www.fromsadtoraw.com/Recipes/PumpkinPie.htm ( & this came from an excellent raw recipe site I somehow missed along the way, or saw way back, I think, then lost in the shuffle....check it out! http://www.fromsadtoraw.com/RawRecipes.htm
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Mmmmmmmmmmmmmm, raw pumpkin soup!!! Looks amazing, with lotsa great ingredients!!!
http://www.vegalicious.org/2009/02/25/raw-pumpkin-soup/comment-page-1/

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ok, that'll give ya lots to do with all those pumpkins on sale this week! Enjoy!!! & remember to dehydrate the seeds! Maybe sprinkle some spices on 'em when ya do! Delish!!!

As her Facebook page says, we have nothing to fear but fear itself....& spiders, of course!!!

"Do I LOOK like a Pumpkin, Mom???" 

 Um, YEA....now can I have my clothes back, before ya stretch 'em all outa shape?!?

 I'm not THAT big!!!

P.S. Nope, I haven't been 100% raw the last few daze, but am getting back on track, have a fridge fulla produce again, & am ready to dive in full steam ahead! 60-70-even 80% raw just doesn't cut it for me! I even have rotton egg (sulphur) burps from yesterday! YUK! & I'm nervous about gettin' on the scale again...but will be soon anyways!)

My Favorite Rawjuvinating Miracle Food!!!

(Before picture, tryin' to smile...pale, even with my rosacea...)
I've been sitting here in awe today, after about 8 days of barely being able to move (my neck went out, badly, & then it went to my shoulder, & it wiped me out!)...I was feeling like I was TOTALLY depleted, fighting a deeper level of exhaustion than I've ever experienced; I could barely stand, was so weak, knees kept buckling, kept getting told I was pale, & was actually getting SCARED! (I even fell a few times, getting up in the night...) 
BUT THEN....something happened!!! My brother-in-law was grabbing a few groceries for me, & though they've never carried them before, Superstore had BABY COCONUTS!!! He got all 3 for me, knowing I LOVE 'em, & have been looking for them (& keep forgetting to order a case of them!) 
When he brought the groceries, I was so weak he began putting them away for me, knowing I'd find it difficult. I asked him to open a coconut for me before he left, (knowing I was too weak) & after I drank all the water, I started feeling much better within moments, so before he left, I asked him to open another one...by the time I'd finished both of them, & the sweet yummy meat inside, I began feeling totally & completely rawjuvinated! (This picture was taken just half an hour later!!!)

I had been thinking I was feeling so weak not only cuz of my injury, & the way it affected my sleep, & being in the middle of an FM flare-up, but also cuz I knew my iron counts were low... now I believe it was also clearly that my electrolyte balance was off, to have such a dramatic rejuvination from consuming it! (It's far better to replace them than any gatoraide product!) Did you know this about baby coconuts?
Coconut Water is More Nutritious than whole milk - Less fat and NO cholesterol!
Coconut Water is More Healthy than Orange Juice - Much lower calories
Coconut Water is Better than processed baby milk- It contains lauric acid, which is present in human mother's milk
Coconut water is naturally sterile -- Water permeates though the filtering husk!
Coconut water is a universal donor-- Its identical to human blook plasma
Coconut Water is a Natural Isotonic Beverage - The same level we have in our blood.
Coconut water has saved lives in 3rd world countries thru Coconut IV.
This info (& much more about them) was found here:
 http://www.living-foods.com/articles/coconutwater.html
Here's some more info on the amazing health benefits of young coconuts, including recommended amounts (a few paragraphs in):
http://www.living-foods.com/articles/coconutbenefits.html
And here's the google search results on how to open a young (also called a baby) coconut...there are a variety of ways, based on your knife preference, mainly: http://www.google.com/search?q=how+to+open+a+young+coconut&rls=com.microsoft:en-us:IE-SearchBox&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&sourceid=ie7&rlz=1I7ADBS
Here's a good video on it, with additional teaching about it's benefits, etc.:
http://www.metacafe.com/watch/2180232/how_to_open_a_young_coconut/
The one thing I'll add to this is that on this video, she mentions formaldhyde on the non-organic coconuts...while it's true they're dipped in that to keep it from molding during transport, {& yes, it's a carcinogen, & you'ld be suprised how many things are coated in it, like new fabric & new clothing! Always wash them first!}, there have been those in the raw community (when I remember who I'll find & share a link....anyone?) who have tested the water & meat & learned that it doesn't get through the hardness of the shell....BUT PLEASE keep the plastic they're wrapped in on them (aside from the top piece, of course, so you can open it) until you're done, & if you do happen to touch it, please wash immediately, k? Thanks!
 Also, while I'm at it, here's info on the benefits of raw organic coconut oil: Here's my favorite thing about it, from this site:
http://www.organicfacts.net/organic-oils/organic-coconut-oil/health-benefits-of-coconut-oil.html
"Weight Loss: Coconut oil is very useful in reducing weight. It contains short and medium-chain fatty acids that help in taking off excessive weight. It is also easy to digest and it helps in healthy functioning of the thyroid and enzymes systems. Further, it increases the body metabolism by removing stress on pancreases, (*VERY beneficial for diabetics! ) thereby burning out more energy and helping obese and overweight people reduce their weight. Hence, people living in tropical coastal areas, who eat coconut oil daily as their primary cooking oil, are normally not fat, obese or overweight." {* My comment}
And rather than giving you just one or two sites on this, here's some you can research yourself, & if you prefer videos, there's links to those, too...http://www.google.com/search?q=benefits+of+coconut+oil&rls=com.microsoft:en-us:IE-SearchBox&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&sourceid=ie7&rlz=1I7ADBS
 So all in all, now ya know why I love 'em so much! {Besides their incredible creamy deliciousness, of course!}
The first time Hannah, my daughter, tried them, she declared them her forever favorite food! We end up fighting over them, almost, so now I'm ordering them by the case!!!
 These incredible nourishing treats have totally gotten me back on track with raw...thanks to God leading my brother-in-law to get them for me! Thanks, Darrell!
(Don'tcha just love it when God knows exactly what we need, & provides it in His always-perfect time?! I know I sure do!!! Thanks, most of all, to you, Lord, for lookin' after me & meeting my every need!)
Here's some fresh off the tree for ya! Enjoy!!!

Day 3 (almost 100% raw) & feeling better by the hour!

Wow, I'm actually doin' it! & my detox headache is gone, finally! After having some non-raw stuff yesterday, I really regretted it...it definately raised my blood sugars a bit, they were 9.9 this morning, & I know it affected my digestion a bit, but it also made me more determined than ever to STAY 100% raw!!!
  It was so nice to see nearly 11 pounds gone today, the morning of the 3rd day! (Plus the 7 I was down awhile ago...well, it was 11, but gained back 4...so down 18lbs since I began the last 100 day RawFu challenge...) 
My first goals are to stay 100% raw, workout DAILY in one way or another, & have as much weight off as possible by the time we go visit where we just moved from for a wedding on the 20th of October! (my goal is 30-40 lbs, able to wear my dress, walk easier, & feel better!) Well, I'm hoping to go, it'll depend on finances, of course...
  Today my goals are to get my house completely clean, then do lots of homeschooling stuff with Hannah (throughout the day) & get in LOTS of sewing/quilting time! I have so many projects on the go & have had so little time to work on them, so on the days I'm home I intend to sew at least 4 hours...& I'll be taking workout breaks throughout the day, as well, on my treadmill, & with my other equipment.
  I'm drinking a really weird leftover smoothie, added some celery at the last minute to make it more green, less sweet, but it didn't get fully blended, so it feels like drinking pulp from the juicer! (& my blender's dirty! & I'm too hungry to wait, so I'm drinkin' it thick!) 
The first time I went raw I shed 45 lbs in 43 days by starting each day with a really big smoothie, then snacking on fruit, & having a BIG salad for dinner! No fancy stuff, not too many recipes, only a few avacados & nuts, & the pounds just flew off...no idea why it's taken me so long to get back to simple 100% raw consistantly, but here I go again, & there'll be no stoppin' me this time, no matter what!!!

Day two, juicing, almost 100% raw....BUT....

...I've been dizzy with a non-stop headache for 2 days now...thought maybe my blood sugars were reacting to the few carrots & some beet I put in my juice, so switched over to smoothies (dumping the last of my juice today in my smoothie...) but it still left me spinning...was told it could be low blood pressure...? (I do run low) Anyways, so I ended up eating a few noodles & cooked veggies that my daughter & niece were having for lunch, but it didn't help...in fact, I felt worse...detox?
 I did test my blood sugars almost an hour after my salad/dinner last night, & it was quite a bit lower, from just ONE FULL DAY RAW, & the juicing...it had been 11.1 & went down to 7.6! & because it wasn't the full two hours after eating, I'm sure it was even another point or two lower by then...I am going to keep testing, but was so eager to get to my juice this morning, & forgot to test it first & see how it was after overnight!
I'm willing to go through detox...just don't want to go into a diabetic coma,, or pass out, or fall & get hurt....every time I stand up, & even just sitting, that's how I've been feeling...
Well, whatever it is, I've decided to NOT let it slow me down with raw...no more carrots or beets in my juice, though...& I need to study more of the protocol Dr. Gabriel Cousins recommends in His book, "There is a cure for diabetes" & stop trying to do it my own way...
...the problem is I can't afford all the produce it's going to take to juice lots for a week straight to begin with, as he recommends...but I'll do my best with what I have, & may have to ease into it gradually until I can save up the $...but I'm stayin' raw!!! 
He (Dr.  Cousins) also has, as part of his protocol, recommendations for many supplements, most of which I can't afford at this point.
I'm going to just keep on plugging away, & do the best I can, until I can do better...
I'm also reading "The China Study" right now, finally, & WOW. Definately informative, eye-opening, thought-provoking, & really reinforcing my resolve to never go back to SAD eating, & all it's proven consequences! No matter how much I thought I knew from years of studying health & nutrition, I've learned a LOT already & have barely started (been flipping to different sections, actually...then I'll read it cover to cover.
 This is the kind of book that will convince anyone to re-consider their way of eating, & begin to see the brainwashing our culture has undergone regarding meat, dairy, junk food, & all that goes with those things!
It would especially appeal to men, I think, due to it's clearly articulated scientific approach & proof, as well as it's logical approach. It's the kind of book I would like to buy by the case, & give to everyone I know!!
So here I go, done with day two...not perfectly, but still, way more raw than I have been lately! & I regret the cooked I ate (though am glad it was last than a bowl), & see how dumb it was to think it would help (what I really wanted was avacado, but had none...)
One day at a time, sweet Jesus!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Y1wtgLAytA&feature=related

~Consistancy, One Day at a Time~

Well, here I go, finally getting another fully raw day under my belt...(Ok, yea, I know, I know, I still don't wear one....but I will one day!) & I feel MARVELOUS, DARLING!!!
  I've had fruit for breakfast, (a banana, & 2 or 3 oranges) & then decided this was a major juicing day...
...when I first tried the juice (mostly greens, some carrot & beet & apple) it was waaaaay too sweet (cuz of my diabetes, made me dizzy! In the past it would've been fine) so I had to juice three more heads of romaine lettuce! THEN it was GREAT, been drinking it for awhile now...
...then Hannah drank her juice, got sooo envigorated she decided to invent a BUCH of raw recipes for me! & she made RAW MARSHMELLOWS! Seriously!!! I'll try to get her to let me share the recipe with ya...
  Now I'm off to make a big salad, then get to bed! It's sooooo nice to be back on track!
Oh, by the way, I even FINALLY made my first video for YouTube, (check out my old blog to see how long I've been tryin' to get THAT done! Haha!) & am going to make a bunch over the next little while....BUT they're going to be kept private for the first little while, while I do my Tuesday weigh-in's on Biggest Loser day, & when I've made a little progress again, THEN I'll start posting them!
   I'm so excited, so full of anticipation again, & so eager to get on with it all!
Oh, yea, I joined a 6 week detox program today, too! Woohoo!
More about that later, I hear a salad callin' out to be made & eaten!!!

Where do the days go?!?!?! {& thanks, God, for each new one You give us!}

I have to determine that no matter how busy I get, no matter how tired I get, NO MATTER WHAT, I will plan ahead, be prepared & STAY RAW!!!
If I could just get a few days in a row of 100% consistancy under my belt (not that I wear one!) then I KNOW 99% of the struggle to STAY raw, (no matter what!) would dissipate, & finding the ability to continue on would be soooo much easier to attain!
So.....if I just have to say NO to everything for a few days, (aside from church, which I hope to FINALLY start attending again this Sunday!) & focus on doin' smoothies 4 breki, juicing through the day, & eating big salads & snackin' on fruits, then that's what I have to do!
Lately I've been bbsitting for my sis & her family, & haven't had the strength to resist temptations, they've got sooooo many of my old favorite foods that call to me...I haven't purchased them myself for AGES, but man, they still call to me...I need to bring earplugs next time! (Metaphorically speaking, of course! Lol!)
Most of all, when I'm there I want to be a good example to them of healthy eating! I do make a big smoothie every time I go over, (which almost all of them try now, & some of them even like, even when they're heavy on the greens! i just add a bit of honey to theirs, so they don't freak at it's greenness!) & tonight, I made everyone veggies & dip, & then a salad, for those who didn't want that, for BEFORE they got to eat fries & egg rolls! (Well, the kids, anyways! My sis & her hubby were allowed the processed junk first! Haha!)
I've finally had some time to read more of Dr. Gabriel Cousin's book on curing diabetes naturally, & wow, I'm soooooooo eager to just jump on in to full green juicing for 4 days straight, cuz I know it'll get my blood sugar to a safe place & stabilized!
Watched the latest video from the raw trucker, wow! He's doin' so good! Check it out!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sTlHVoyy7Xc
& I'm determined to start making weekly update videos & start posting them on You Tube, & start having WORLDWIDE accountability! There's a big raw community there, & a big raw weight loss group, as well, & a big weight loss group, too! It's time to put myself out there again, & just get on with it ALL!
It hit me yesterday that I've been living here now, in my new home, & new town, since July 1st! I'm nearly half way through my third month, & have only shed about 15 lbs (12 since I began my latest 100 day RawFu challenge on August 10th...)
Goals are wonderful to have, but the reality (Hi, Shannon! There's that word again!) is that it takes time to adjust, settle in, & get used to ALL the changes in my daily life...not to mention dealing with health issues, high pain levels lately, way too little sleep, & being waaaaay busier than ever...& then getting diagnosed with diabetes...
...BUT, no matter what, I'm NEVER giving up!!!
I'm pressing on, thankful that each new day is a gift from God to use for His glory, to strive towards ALL He's called me to do, & to move towards total RAWstored health, so I can fulfil His will in EVERY area of my life!
Sooooo, the moral of the story is...don't let ANYTHING deter you, even if it slows ya down!!!
& soon you begin to consistantly see that you can handle EVERYTHING even better when you eat the way you know brings you fully alive!!!
JUST DO IT!!! You'll thank yourself in the mornin'!!!

One month of Diabetes, Victory's comin' slowly...

I told my doctor to give me 6 weeks, he'd see me with stable & MUCh lower blood sugars, & a good amount of weight off...here I am, almost a month later, only a few pounds down, blood sugars lower, but still fluctuating...
...I'm still not being totally consistant in the things I need to be, yet I am making some progress, doing more than I was before to move towards success with reaching my goals...
...But all the wibble-wobbling & dilly-dallying is about to change...
...my fridge is fulla greens, my body is beginning to respond more to movement, (though I've been sore & slow lately!) & I'm about to accelerate things BIG TIME!
This has been a long month, of learning, reading, preparing to get completely serious. I'm ready to do whatever it takes, & get healthy in EVERY WAY!
So here's my plan:
~ TONS of green smoothies, juicing as I have time, staying high raw, aiming towards 100% again!
~ I'm going to post a list of ALL of my health issues TODAY!
~I'll make a video once a week on Tuesdays & post the link to it here by Tuesday evening. (The new Biggest Loser season begins on Tuesdays, so I like to set that as my check-in day!)
The video will detail how my week has been, food-wise, & will show me working out, so my progress can be monitored week to week. {I may do the workout video separately, & post a bunch in a row when there's actual progress!}
~ We're going to start our water aerobics classes a few times a week now, {including on Tuesday nights, so I'll be taping BL}, & posting my video after swimming, if I don't get it done in the day.
~ I will begin videotaping my weigh-ins again, even though the first few got lost in cyberspace somewhere! I want a CLEAR record of my transformation!!!
So here we go again....anyone still hangin' in there with me, standing by, praying for me, not givin' up on my slow-motion progress?