People always ask me what I eat, how I cleanse and how my diet changes with the seasons. Not that my own body necessarily has anything to do with others’ individual processes, but I thought I’d share answers to some FAQ’s.
I came across your ebook today. I’ve been a vegan for 2 years and am considering going raw. I was hoping you could give me some benefits of raw vegan vs vegan. I know your time is precious but if you have any beneficial information I would appreciate it ever so much (The ebook she mentions is The Lazy Raw Foodist’s Guide.)
Thanks for contacting me. I do get into more of the benefits within the actual book. The biggest difference is that a vegan diet can remain a totally unhealthy diet of processed foods, in some cases far more processed than a traditional diet. Things like soy and all its derivatives are often GMO and can interfere with endocrine function and digestion, two of the biggest factors in health. A raw vegan diet can be very heavy on fat and sweets and needs some knowledge about supplementation and pitfalls (which I also cover in my ebook), but in general, raw diets offer far better nutrient absorption than cooked counterparts. For me personally, I need an average of 3-4 hours less sleep per night on a raw vs. a cooked diet. I also notice far clearer, more radiant skin, better mood and clearer thought patterns on higher raw.
I’ve heard you mention using raw dairy to heal tooth decay. Can you please share your protocol?
I actually include a chapter in The Lazy Raw Foodist’s Guide called “Raw Foodists and Rotten Teeth,” with contributing vegan information from Tera Warner. Despite all the amazing benefits of going raw, teeth can remain a weak link, especially for people eating lots of gourmet raw vegan food. Eating tons of greens and green powders, avoiding sticky, sugary dried fruits, and adding highly mineralized medicinal mushrooms and superfoods can definitely help. A dentist also confirmed tooth remineralization in me when I added VEGA protein powder (green flavor) and started brushing with Ascended Health oral care products. These oral products include Lemurian crystals, clay and green powder in a toothpaste you can actually swallow.
After hearing from multiple dentists that I “have perfect oral hygiene,” I made an agreement with myself in 2009 that if my tooth decay returned, I would reconsider diet. I’d been receiving intuitive hits since 2005 that I needed to add raw dairy and some fish, but as a committed vegan and animal communicator, I reallllllly didn’t want to go down that path. Plus, I had always reacted terribly to cooked dairy and cooked fish — breakouts, allergic reactions. I didn’t see how either could possibly enhance my health, but the nudges continued.
In January 2011, my teeth began to hurt big time. Although they look perfect on the outside, I have polymer fillings down to the roots of most of my molars. No wiggle room for ideology. If decay begins again, I feel it as excruciating pain right at the roots. I already had a nighttime mouthguard, which helps with grinding pain and any risk of cracking, but by January 2011, I could barely sleep. Tooth pain in pretty much every single molar kept me awake all night and distracted me all day. As loud as my teeth screamed, my intuition screamed louder, “Just eat the raw dairy!”
Stubborn I am, though. Discussing the situation with my then-housemate, now-boyfriend, David, I began to consider the compassionate roots of my veganism. Might that compassion also appropriately extend to me? I had already tried supplementing with Grow Bone and a variety of green powders, algaes, etc. I’d experienced momentary relief but felt like I was eating more processed, fake stuff than actual whole, raw foods. David is trained in hypnosis and I asked him to “hypnotize me so I can do for myself what I do for others in Medical Intuitive readings.” I wanted objective information, not filtered through my own prejudices or blocks. Sure enough, raw dairy came through, as did a raw, unfermented fish oil by Green Pastures. I synchronously stumbled upon a book by Ramiel Nagel called, “Cure Tooth Decay,” which recommended a program quite similar to my own trance-induced advice to myself.
Long story short, after a few more internal battles, I decided to try a modified protocol. I don’t use bone broth, and I still eat a predominantly raw vegan diet. I added raw dairy, mostly in cheese form, but also sometimes as raw kefir. I also supplement with the raw, fermented cod liver oil capsules from Green Pastures, which also include Active X butter from grass fed cows. I’ve found that my teeth and brain feel much better with this diet, as long as I avoid dried fruit and whole grains. I have a weakness for dried papaya and brown rice. Both are no-no’s on the Cure Tooth Decay diet, especially if I’m avoiding things like liver, fish brains and bone broth. Um, sorry! I would rather avoid some tasty sweets than go that far into animal consumption. It’s just a personal preference, although I know people for whom more of a paleo diet has worked well. I prefer to get most of my calories from greens, not-too-sweet fruits, seeds, raw dairy and some occasional steamed or lightly sauteed veggies. Every once in awhile, we bake root veggies.
In terms of results, this diet feels more balanced, and I feel much more grounded. I did learn from my chiropractor that my back had received such massive damage from my 1998 car accident that the digestive nerves had been severely compromised for nearly 14 years. I don’t know to what degree that has impaired my mineral absorption of purely plant sourced calcium and other minerals, but I do know that vitamin D revolutionized my winters. With the raw, fermented fish oil capsules and some raw dairy, I not only remineralized my teeth, but also managed to completely avoid any kind of seasonal slump. I also know several friends and clients who have had “miraculous” results with their own adaptation of the Cure Tooth Decay diet.
What about cleansing?
I still like to do a general detox at least twice per year. In the past, I liked the Dr. Natura Colonix system, but it now contains Maltodextrin, which I don’t find, er, the most cleansing ingredient. It does get the junk out for a reasonable price and not too much inconvenience, though!
I’m currently doing a bit of a pre-Spring reboot, drinking chaga tea each day, dandelion and/or nettle tea for my liver and kidneys, as well as lots of Fizzeology (a local brand) fermented veggies. I’ve opted for more Omega-3 rich seeds like hemp and chia, rather than nuts, which feel very heavy to me right now. I drink a fresh green juice about 5 times per week, and I alternate green smoothies with a tasty chaga superfood drink. For whatever reason, sometimes my body just doesn’t do so well with green smoothies. I listen to that guidance and shift to steamed or lightly sauteed greens, more green juices and more salads.
David and I have also started rebounding for the past couple weeks to get our lymph moving around more fluidly. In addition, I’ve continued my sea salt detox baths once or twice per week, and I’m getting ready to use the Morrocco Method Zen Detox for Hair and Scalp. I’ve had the box for years, but now feels like a good time to get any remaining heavy metals and chemicals out of my scalp and brain. When it’s not so cold, I love a good skin brushing, but in the Wisconsin Winter, I much prefer bouncing and/or baths.
What kind of diet to you recommend as the best diet for everyone?
In my own experience, that of friends and colleagues as well as observations in ten years as a Medical Intuitive, I’ve found that no single diet works for everyone (or even an individual) all the time. Changes in climate, stress level, subtle ingredient shifts, life obligations, creative and health goals, perceived need for cleansing, and lifestyle shifts can and really “should” influence dietary decisions. I wrote The Lazy Raw Foodist’s Guide as a compilation of information, including ways to determine your own best dietary path at any given time.
My work as a Medical Intuitive has revealed so many other factors than diet as major influences on health and well-being. Certainly, diet can play a tremendous supportive or sabotaging role. Pay attention to what you eat and how you feel! I just recommend that people aim for balance in mental, emotional, physical and spiritual areas. Anytime we place an ideology above deep needs, we create imbalances, compensations and judgments within ourselves. Such things do eventually take a toll on overall health. Conversely, a positive attitude and positive affirmations to the subconscious can do more for you than most people believe possible. If you feel good about what and how you eat, you’ll find that your body usually agrees with you. Love yourself, to the best of your ability, and offer little tokens of love to your body, mind, emotions and spirit every day. You may find, like me and so many other people, that raw and living foods up your vibe and give you energy. Have fun with it! Life’s a journey, and the more you enjoy it, the better you’ll feel.
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