Barbara's presence is quickly growing in the raw community. She has been a guest speaker on the popular radio shows, "What Matters Most" and "Healthy Shots" (two times), hosted a Pastapalooza raw cooking demo at Organic Avenue in NYC, publishes a monthly Newsletter, "The Living Kitchen," was nominated for three categories in the 2010 Best of Raw International Contest, and four categories in 2011 Best of Raw, including Best Raw Vegan Blog and Raw Gourmet Chef. Barbara was also invited to compete, where she won 1st place in Chef Andrea Beaman's, Unlock the Taste of Summer Tour Cook-Off with her Award Winning - Champagne Mango Cream Sauce with Zucchini Noodles.
You can read her complete interview at FriendsEat.com, as well as a feature spread in the fabulous June issue of Super Raw Life Magazine. Barbara has also published several eZine articles that are quite informative. Several of her recipes have been published in Raw Garden and Raw Potluck by Lisa Montgomery, and most recently, Barbara was interviewed by FoodPhone.com. Check out another feature article on Food4Um.com.
Barbara is available for demos, hands- on workshops and private raw food prep coaching. Please see her SERVICES section of this site for more information.
Barbara is "Mum-mum" to her dear, GrandPrincess, Charlotte (see photo on left), "Mom" to two beautiful daughters, Jessica and Lindsey, and lover, friend and confidante to her amazing partner William, who goes by the name of "W." She is blessed to have each of them in her life.
Rawfully Tempting also has an amazing line of nutrient dense, raw, gluten free cuisine that explodes with flavor. These treats are "decadent, nutritious and delicious" Check out her online Cafe here: http://www.rawfullytempting.com/p/store.html
Barbara continues to evolve spiritually, and a holistic approach to life greatly influences her perception of the world and this most certainly includes food, which she considers to be sacred. According to Barbara, how you feel about what you put into your body can influence you as much as "what" you actually put into your body. She believes a positive attitude can make a huge difference in how the body utilizes the nutrients it's being fed. Barbara practices what many call "mindful eating" or "conscious eating." This basically means taking a pause to be present before eating, and spending a moment n gratitude to the Source of the ingredients in any meal. Most of us are in the habit of sitting down to eat in an unconscious state, and barely take the time to taste, smell and feel our connection to the food we are putting into our bodies to nourish us.Barbara is "Mum-mum" to her dear, GrandPrincess, Charlotte (see photo on left), "Mom" to two beautiful daughters, Jessica and Lindsey, and lover, friend and confidante to her amazing partner William, who goes by the name of "W." She is blessed to have each of them in her life.
From Barbara
I'm on a challenging and rewarding journey to reclaim my health. My adventure into raw food began in October, 2009. In the process, I've discovered JOY in the exploration and creation of food that is literally ALIVE with color, texture, flavor, healing nutrients and LIFE! I began a journey towards healing, and ended up literally falling in love with this new concept in eating, and all it has to offer.
Why Raw?
Why not? It's fun. It's beautiful. It's alive...and it offers me an incredible challenge to CREATE new and exciting flavors and textures that are decadent, delicious and nutritious. On top of that, food in this state contains many healing properties. The fact that it's not cooked, means that it comes with it's own enzymes so the body does not have to work as hard to digest it. If you are chronically ill, this enables your body to conserve some of it's resources that are needed for healing.
Are you 100% Raw?
No. I try to eat mostly raw at home and definitely incorporate raw into every meal I eat. For health reasons, I have phases where I eat about 80 to 90 percent raw, however this number fluctuates, especially in the Winter when my body craves cooked soups and other "warm" meals. I am not a fanatic and I really do believe how you feel about your food while you are eating it, affects the energy in your body, and ultimately, your health and sense of well being. I don't need guilt in my life. I try to be in the moment and accept what it is I have on my plate...with love and gratitude. Also, as I grow and evolve, I am able to make better choices, and if not...tomorrow is another day. Beating myself up and feeling guilty is certainly not going to heal me!I started this purely for health reasons, but it evolved into something I never imagined. I found myself completely stoked when it came to creating new raw recipes. I would literally dream recipes and go into the kitchen and create them! This never happened to me with cooked food. It has become a passion, a love, a drive that comes from my heart and soul and I placed that intention into all of my creations. I love it when people tell me they can "feel the love" in my food.
For whatever reason, I truly love developing recipes for sexy, vibrant, high energy, healing, living foods, and friends and family will tell you , when they observe me in the kitchen or talking about raw food, I go somewhere else, a zone, a very highly charged place...of joy. Warning: Don't get me started about this topic, because I've become a total raw foodie GEEK and I will talk your ear off, if you let me! I don't preach. I have nothing to preach about. . I simply ooze with passion and I am not even sure why, other than my body recognizes the value of this food and is celebrating this new-found knowledge.
Now, on the other hand, W and I do like to travel and socialize, and I refuse to give up the joy that sharing food of all kinds can bring. Other people also like to create food, and put as much love energy into their food as I do mine. I do not wish to offend or alienate, and I prefer to foster and share LOVE of all kinds, regardless of what form it comes in...raw or cooked. My personal choice in my personal space is RAW, and I can say with all of my heart that I feel much better when I eat mostly raw, and for that reason, I try to incorporate as much of that as I can. I just don't let it limit my realm of other experiences and can be quite the chameleon when I need to in social settings. Making a fuss about having to eat this or that, when this or that may not be available, does not give me a warm and fuzzy feeling.
Are you professionally trained?
I am an accomplished, self-taught "chef" and raw food advocate. I started out reading articles, magazines and raw cook books. I've dedicated the past two years to learning all that I can, researching and experimenting with many different ingredients that I had never used before. My partner was a die-hard carnivore who feared this new lifestyle would be a thorn in our relationship. He is a Cancer, a lover of fine food, in addition to over 15 years experience in commercial food management, and he was not about to change and I was not about to change him. This is a personal choice. However, my passion for decadent, nutritious and delicious food, combined with my desire to "seduce" W into at least wanting to explore this new adventure with me, propelled me into experimenting and creating some of the most amazing raw food recipes that I readily share in my blog. While the majority of my recipes have been raw, I do offer a few cooked recipes and "raw fusion" recipes as well. I am not a 100 percent vegan either, and do enjoy seafood and chicken on occasion. I'm always grateful to the Universe for providing this source of nutrition to me.
How can I contact you?
Please feel free to comment or make suggestions in the comments section of any post on this blog. I appreciate feedback and would be happy to respond. You may also email me at info@rawfullytempting.com. You can also contact me on Facebook and Twitter.
More About My Health and Interstitial Cystitis
Since incorporating raw food into my life, I've healed many physical challenges such as acid reflux, insomnia, chronic sinusitis, and some weight loss, (although, weight loss is still a challenge). I am confident that in time, I will eliminate the painful symptoms of Interstitial Cystitis, a debilitating and painful disease of the bladder and pelvic floor. I was diagnosed with this disease over a decade ago. I had previously gotten this into remission switching to a vegan diet. That lasted about 3 years. Life happens and I let myself go, and the IC returned.Initially, while trying to heal the Interstitial Cystitis (IC), I made some poor choices, taxed my immune system and developed Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and I 'm currently working to heal those as well. I believe that disease, is merely a symptom of something going wrong in the body, so I try not to treat the disease, but get to the source. If you only treat the disease to alleviate the symptoms, the real problem will probably manifest again as another disease. We've got to get to the source. Most of my ailments probably stem from the same place and because the problem has gone unaddressed for so long, my body is screaming for my attention.
According to my holistic physician, I have blocked bile ducts which can cause more serious illnesses when left untreated. I think sometimes we lose site of the real problem and it seems like so-called holistic practitioners are treating disease with the same focus that Western medicine does. They "prescribe" this or that supplement to alleviate this or that symptom or ailment. The problem is, while you may alleviate symptoms with supplements, you are still not getting to the source of the problem that caused a particular symptom. I will talk about that more in the Day to Day portion of my blog.
I was diagnosed with IC over ten years ago and got it into remission through diet and lifestyle changes. Sadly, I fell off the wagon, and the IC returned. While I look okay on the outside, inside, my body hurts, and things that most people take for granted, like walking, sitting, and wearing a pair of snug jeans, and intimacy, can cause me great discomfort.
There is no known cure for IC and no one is really sure what causes it. IC generally effects the entire pelvic floor and many ICers also suffer from other auto-immune diseases. I truly believe that changing my lifestyle and the foods I eat, will help me regain my health.
If you suffer from this disease, or any other illness, I'm not a doctor, and I cannot guarantee that what I'm doing will work for you (or me). I'm on a journey to re-discover my health and to finally feel at peace in my body, and not at war with it. It's challenging to feel like your body has betrayed you, is your enemy, and there are days where that is exactly how I feel. I've fallen into the depths of depression at times, but am determined to find my way out and celebrate LIFE once again!
While my goal is to incorporate more living foods into my diet, I am open to whatever my body needs in order to get healthy! I was eating 80 - 90 percent raw, but over time, that seems to vary from 70 - 95 percent. The percentage of raw food per day is not my focus, however, this may change over time. "Trying" to eat 100 percent raw, and then feeling badly about failing, is not my goal. HOW we feel about what we eat is at least as important as WHAT we actually eat. I've seen too many guilt-ridden folks set themselves up for failure and I think these negative emotions can be more detrimental than actually falling off the raw food wagon. Different times in our lives our emotional and physical needs may vary.
Because we feel that emotions and thought process play such a profound role in our lives, W and I have adopted an attitude of gratitude. Before every meal, we say a prayer, and extend gratitude to the Source of that food, and of course, thanks to the Universe, God, Goddess, (or whatever you are comfortable calling "It)."
I started this journey thinking the more raw I ate, the better I would feel, and for the most part, that is true, but I was not emotionally or physically ready to go to that extreme and rather than feeling badly about this, I've changed my mindset. I'm working on fine tuning my diet, and my life. I'm no expert in this field...just a journeyer exploring the world of good, Rawfully Tempting food and I invite you to join me, with all of the ups and downs, and in betweens.
If something I've written here in my blog sparks an interest in you, great. If you can find good information and a selection of easy to follow recipes that make this lifestyle much easier, even better!
So ten years ago, I was diagnosed with Interstitial Cystitis. I won't get into the nitty gritty details of this awful disease here, other than to say it sucks. I may refer on occasion to having a "bad IC day," and all that means is, I am in pain - more pain than usual!
Several years ago, I worked with a nutritional biochemist, and ate a strictly vegetarian diet, including cooked foods. I also eliminated sugar, dairy and grains from my diet. During that period, my IC went into remission and while I was only vegetarian for 2 yrs, my IC remained in remission for at least double that.
Sadly, after years of remission. my IC symptoms returned, and I've been pretty house bound, and unable to get around well on my own. I cannot even begin to tell you the impact of this disease on my life. I was a Director of Customer Support, worked 10-12 hour days,commuted 1.5 hours each way, and kept a household. This disease is invisible. I look fine on the outside, but inside, a volcano is erupting. It is difficult for people to sometimes understand that even though I look okay, I may not be able to do the things they expect of me.
On top of this, about 4 years ago, I had a major heart attack. I was lucky and survived with absolutely no damage to my heart, to the utter amazement of my cardiologist. Since then, I am heavier than I have ever been in my life, and no matter what I do, I have been unable to lose weight. Sooooo...I am sick and tired, of being sick and tired. I cannot stand my body at this weight, and I hate being unable to get around on my own. I am not happy with IC being so prevalent in my life, and aside from a lot of medication (which are all liver toxic), there currently is no cure. I have no other choice than to seek an alternative means to good health. So here I am!
I recently contacted a holistic Doctor that I know and asked for his help. I had been researching some of the work he and his associates were doing and it resonated with me. This program requires a very stringent diet in conjunction with some excellent supplementation, but the concept makes sense.
After two months, W and both were down about 10 pounds. He was quickly intrigued with my exploration into raw food and he is constantly amazed at how wonderful the food tastes, in addition to how much better he feels. He loves to do the shopping and it is a joy to see him evolving, bringing home beautiful, fresh vegetables, raw nuts, seeds, and legumes. These are things that were not generally on his shopping list. And when he does buy animal products, making sure they are free range and organic. That was a big hurdle for him! He never thought it was worth the money before, but now that I am required to, by my doc, and he's starting to understand the difference, it's coming more naturally to him.
He surprised me one day and brought home a lovely brush for dry skin brushing!!! I got such a kick out of that. It's so lovely to see him evolve too. We schleppe to Whole Foods once a week to get bottled RO (Reverse Osmosis) water,pick up some needed supplies, and make the trip fun. Since I don't get out much, it's a short adventure for me, and time we share together.Eating raw is bringing us even closer together than we were before. It truly is amazing. I am grateful.
(Taken Christmas 2009 - Both minus 10 pounds)
An Opening of Hearts - OUR STORY
It's been a challenging few years here, in the body and life of Barbara Shevkun. After leaving a 20 yr marriage, I lived on my own for about 8 years. While I certainly love my alone time, I've never liked living alone. I envy those that are comfortable being on their own. It's just not me. ENTER: "W" (yes that really is the name he goes by). I knew there was something special about him as soon as we started communicating on line. However, about a week after we met, I had a sense that W didn't fit the mold of my"perfect guy," at least not the one I thought I wanted and needed in my life. He was a "nice guy," but a little quirky, and not what I envisioned for myself. I figured it best to break up with him sooner than later and continue my "hunt" for Mr Right.
Normally, having only known him a week, I'd have done this the quick and easy way, over the phone. He lived 2.5 hours away, and this surely would have saved us both any excess drama, and saved me from any resistance on his part. For whatever reason, I did not do that, and opted to have him come over so I couuld do the evil deed in person. Of course, W had no idea this is what I had planned.
W loved to cook, and was coming over to prepare dinner for us. I was anxiously awaiting his arrival so I could "dump" him. Oy! Bear with me here as I'm a pretty spiritual /woo woo person. If metaphysics, energy, fate and all that jazz are not your thing, you may wish to stop reading here. However, if you're open minded and have an interest in delving into the beautiful, strange and unexplainable mysteries of life, read on...
W had no idea where the hospital was located and fortunately a neighbor hopped in the car and drove him there. The ambulance driver had to keep slowing down so the EMT could insert the IV in my vein. This was a GOLDEN MOMENT and someone was looking out for me!! I never realized how bumpy those damned ambulances could be, but i t definitely prohibited the EMT from getting the IV in place!!!
The IV was finally inserted, and when we arrived at the hospital, W was already there, waiting. I was so grateful to have him there. His calm demeanor was needed to keep me from total panic. He assured me that I'd be okay. By the time they got me into ER, I I truly believe that I was pretty close to leaving my body and on my way to the Other Side.
I was preparing the dining room table for dinner. I was feeling uneasy, as I thought about how I'd break the news to this man knowing how determined and stubborn he could be. As I was going over the potential dialogue in my head, I was suddenly jarred by a voice that shouted, "Will you just shut up and give the guy a break!" Seriously. It was so strong that it stopped me dead in my tracks! I remember shrugging my shoulders and responding aloud,"Well alrighty then," wondering what the heck had just happened. Only one other time in my life had I experienced this sort of thing. It was 17 years after my Father had passed, and I had not really allowed myself to heal from that loss. (another story for another time, but it was an inner voice that rocked my world).
So, W arrived, dinner ingredients in hand. At this point we were obviously not vegetarian or vegan, and he showed up with an abundance of lobsters, shrimp, crabs, corn, and a bottle of wine. We sat down to a lovely feast, and a surprisingly pleasant evening. No agenda, no stress, no expectations, and as we sat there, I began to wonder, "What guy in the past 8 yrs has ever been so kind and generous to me, am I crazy?" Needless to say, I didn't break up with W.
A week later, due to layoffs, I lost my job as Director of Customer Support and wondered how I was going to support myself. W owned his own business, had a lot of free time, and ended up hanging out with me....and hanging out...and hanging out....and it was fun, nice, sweet. We did a lot of things together, got to know each other rather quickly. We dined out, started to socialize with friends, and just enjoyed each others company. There was still that something about him that I couldn't put my finger on, but I also recognized that he had the biggest heart I had ever seen in anyone, and I was certainly having fun dating him. It was not until a couple of years later, that I was able to pinpoint what was bothering me, but that is another story for another time.
Fast forward another three weeks, June 25, 2006. We had been out and about, shopping, and when we arrived home, I suddenly sunk to my knees, doubled over, with excruciating burning and searing pain in my gut, through my back. At first, I thought maybe it was a gas bubble...and tried moving around to release it. I began sweating like crazy, and falsely assumed it was a nervous reaction to the pain. The pain was horrific and after an hour with no relief, I suggested W call 911. I was terrified. I had never called 911 before, and had never been in an ambulance.
The EMT's filled my tiny living room and spent almost an hour taking one EKG after another, attempting to isolate the problem. One minute everything seemed fine, the next, not so fine. They were stumped. When I suddenly felt pain move down my arm and into my jaw I realized it was time to take me to the hospital. My Dad was 48 when he had his heart-attack and died. I was now 49 and I was scared!
Fast forward another three weeks, June 25, 2006. We had been out and about, shopping, and when we arrived home, I suddenly sunk to my knees, doubled over, with excruciating burning and searing pain in my gut, through my back. At first, I thought maybe it was a gas bubble...and tried moving around to release it. I began sweating like crazy, and falsely assumed it was a nervous reaction to the pain. The pain was horrific and after an hour with no relief, I suggested W call 911. I was terrified. I had never called 911 before, and had never been in an ambulance.
The EMT's filled my tiny living room and spent almost an hour taking one EKG after another, attempting to isolate the problem. One minute everything seemed fine, the next, not so fine. They were stumped. When I suddenly felt pain move down my arm and into my jaw I realized it was time to take me to the hospital. My Dad was 48 when he had his heart-attack and died. I was now 49 and I was scared!
W had no idea where the hospital was located and fortunately a neighbor hopped in the car and drove him there. The ambulance driver had to keep slowing down so the EMT could insert the IV in my vein. This was a GOLDEN MOMENT and someone was looking out for me!! I never realized how bumpy those damned ambulances could be, but i t definitely prohibited the EMT from getting the IV in place!!!
The IV was finally inserted, and when we arrived at the hospital, W was already there, waiting. I was so grateful to have him there. His calm demeanor was needed to keep me from total panic. He assured me that I'd be okay. By the time they got me into ER, I I truly believe that I was pretty close to leaving my body and on my way to the Other Side.
I could hear everything going on around me, but the pain stopped and I didn't feel my body. I heard the ER team talking to each other, I knew they were poking at me, and I clearly heard the ER nurse screaming, "Get the cardiologist in here now, she is bottoming out!!" Yep, I heard it, and wondered what all of the commotion was about when it suddenly]dawned on me that I might be dying. I was calm and peaceful and if W had not just come into my life, I may have stayed in that place...and slipped out quietly.
Instead, I asked, "God, am I really dying?" I thought about it for a moment and added, "Please don't let me go now." At the same moment, W was leaning against the cold cinder block wall saying a silent prayer, "God, if you let her live, I promise I'll take care of her forever."
It felt like a whirlwind, and yet, like there was no time at all, when I heard the emergency room door swing open and a Doctor shouting, "Get her off the IV now! They did...and I heard the "beep beep beep," of the monitor and felt a whoosh sensation as the blood rushed back into my face. Whatever they did, I was back in my body. I opened my eyes to find the doctor and W smiling down at me. The doc spoke kindly, but firmly, "We don't have a lot of time, and we have to get you to OR now.
I remember W's face looking at me so lovingly. I remember hearing him tell me that I'd be okay, felt the softness of his caress on my forehead, and in that moment, truly felt that he had come into my life as a Guardian Angel. Had I broken up with him just weeks before and had he not been there, I wonder if I would have even made it to the hospital.
Two stents were inserted into my arteries and W was at my side morning, noon and night. When it came time to remove the shunt in my groin, (inserted under emergency conditions) it was W that held me down, bravely, and lovingly as the nurse jammed her fist into my groin to clot the blood before yanking out the shunt. I screamed bloody murder as it was the worst pain I had felt since childbirth. My groin, to just above my knee was completely black and purple for months.
It turns out that I had a "right-sided " heart attack, the opposite of what most people have. Heart attacks are generally treated with morphine and nitro. In my case, my body needed water, saline. The nitro was doing the opposite of what my body needed and would have killed me if the cardiologist had not come in when he did. Also, if the EMT in the ambulance had gotten that IV in me any sooner, I probably would not have made it to the hospital alive!
W, not a relative or spouse, somehow managed to slip into ER and remain during the entire incident. He said my skin was gray and that I looked about as close to death as he would ever want to see anyone! Here he was offering God to take care of me forever and we only knew each other 4 weeks when this happened!
So this incredible man came into my life out of nowhere, and because I thought I knew better, I almost let him go. Instead, I listened to that inner voice. and waited. I lost my job, and 3 weeks later almost died....and there he was, at my side, my Guardian Angel.
He took me home and nursed me back to health, in the only way he knew how, which resulted in me gaining another 20 pounds! It was all in the name of love. Ha! Neither of us had a clue where we were headed or how drastically our lifestyle was about to change.
That was over four years ago (as of 2011). We have been through a bunch of ups and downs and so many changes. I realize how blessed I am to have him in my life and I know that God was watching over me, and sent me this incredible man to share my life with. We've had some tough times, but I can't think of anyone else in the world that I'd rather have shared these challenges with.
We continue to evolve so many ways, spiritually, emotionally and physically. We came through the ordeal together. My cardiologist said that in 25 years of practice, he has never seen anyone survive the kind of heart attack I had, with no signs of damage to the heart!
W came into my life, and I believe that God broke my heart open so that I could come out of this experience with an even greater capacity to love and to be loved then I have never known. What a journey!
Check the "Less of Me - More Me" section for weight loss updates.
Check the "Day to Day" section to learn more about my life and how I'm doing with my health, weight loss, and life in general. Thank you for stopping by!
Other Things I'm Doing to Restore My Health:
I see what I am doing as more of a lifestyle change, than a diet and will continue to embrace it as such. In addition to what my practitioner suggests, I've chosen to embrace more raw vegan foods into my daily repertoire. I believe organic foods, in their raw state, are not only filled with nutrients (that haven't been cooked out), but contain Life-Force energy that helps to nourish and re-generate us down to the cellular level.
My decision to eat more raw has evolved naturally. As I started eating vegetarian, I immediately felt a difference, and it was a good transition to get to where I ultimately want to go. But I'm trying to repair a lot of damage in my body and the way it operates, and believe that eating raw will help nourish my cells to regenerate faster and offer me an easier and more direct path to good health.
When I started dabbling with raw food recipes, my taste buds became far more in tune with the food I was eating. It's similar to when you do any diet eliminating sugar and limiting salt, and you suddenly find everything tastes good. Since these foods are not broken down and processed, they are concentrated with flavor. You discover that you feel totally satisfied with a lot less. It becomes quality as opposed to quantity. W and I are so amazed every time we taste a new raw recipe. Foods literally burst with flavor!
About My Practitioner
As for "the program," I am working with Dr. Monte Elgarten. He is a colleague of Dr. PaulYanick, who is the founder of QuantaFoods, LLC and coined the term "Quorum Nutrition."
According to them, mycotoxins/aflatoxins (food borne molds), along with environmental stressors, tax the body's immune system and are the cause of disease. Food borne molds are rampant in processed foods, packaged foods, and even food supplements that sit on store shelves. Mold is a stress to the body and stress inhibits our ability to digest nutrients properly.
Dr. Yanick's nutrients are closely monitored in a mold-free fermentation process which gives the products a longer shelf life and eliminates the presence of toxic mold spores. These nutrients are still alive! If you want to read more on these products go here.
In addition, I avoid processed and packaged foods. I also do specific detox baths several times a week.
My program and supplements change from week to week, depending on where I am, and therefore, I am so very grateful to Dr. Elgarten for all his help in monitoring me on this journey.
The last two weeks were rougher than anything I have done in the last 2 mos. My diet (and this part does feel like a "diet") right now consists of jasmine rice (provided by AE Vincent, monitored by Dr. Yanick to be as mold free as possible), steamed or raw veggies, and Ohsawa Nama Shoyu (raw soy sauce). No fruit, nothing sweet...and I've definitely felt some of the old addictive cravings kick in as my body continues to detox. Fortunately, this part of the diet is only 2-3 weeks long!
I've eliminated dairy products, (I actually did that on my own several months ago) , sugar, gluten and most grains (although I may attempt a few raw, sprouted grains over time and see how I do). I feel so much better when I avoid dairy and processed grains. Milk allergies are abundant in my family, but cows milk and the way it's processed, is not meant for human consumption, and most people would do better to give it up. Many digestive problems are eliminated by avoiding dairy.
Side Note: Thirty years ago, I went through hell with my oldest daughter being allergic to milk and not knowing it for 5 yrs. So many babies with colic, frequent colds and ear infections are screaming, milk allergies, but instead of experimenting with taking the child off of milk, pediatricians jump to prescribe antibiotics, or surgery, implanting inner ear tubes, if the infections get that bad. If only some of those moms knew to try taking their babies off milk for 6 weeks, and just see what happens. Fewer colds, ear infections and better overall health. There are many red flags that warn you a child is allergic to milk: colic, cradle cap that does not go away and turns to eczema, colds, ear infections, intermittent diarrhea/constipation. I discovered my daughter's allergies about 25 yrs ago and in that time, it doesn't seem like much progress has been made in the way of educating pediatricians to look for allergies before prescribing medication or surgery. When my youngest was born, she didn't have any dairy products until she was 3 yrs old, and that was in nursery school. Later, I did introduce cheese and yogurt on occasion, but we avoided cows milk for many years. My girls are healthy and rarely ever had colds and ear infections growing up.
Back to me: Improvement so far - I was an insomniac, and I am now sleeping 6-8 hours per night, for the most part. (For those who know me, this is a miracle). I've lost 16 pounds so far, and while my IC is not yet in remission, my skin looks better, my eyes are brighter and my overall emotional state is much better than it was.
I have only skimmed the surface here about this program. If you're really interested in this type of work you can contact Dr. Paul Yanick and find a practitioner in your area. If you are in the tr-state area, feel free to contact Dr. Monte Elgarten, The Health Principles...and tell him Barbara sent you!
I'll continue to update as needed. Again, thank you for taking the time to read this. It is quite a journey!!!
In Celebration of Health and Well-Being.
My Program Updates:
April 16, 2010
Adding a few good fats back into my diet and limiting the greens in my smoothies to kale, romaine, and chard. Some of the others may be flaring up the IC, not sure. I know several fruits are, so keeping smoothies "cleaner." Bananas are safe for me. See
March 21, 2010
It's been 8 days since I started drinking green smoothies...and I mean GREEN. I try to make them 60 percent green leafies to 40 percent fruit. Today the smoothie was mostly green. I got a little scared because I felt some major IC flareup...bladder burning, frequency. I eliminated lemons from my smoothies, diluted them with a bit more water, and made sure I drank a lot of water. So far I seem to be doing well. Back down 22 pounds and feeling pretty good. I walked 3 times in the past few days and my IC did not hurt me. That is a miracle!
March 15, 2010
Starting today, I no longer have to do rice and nama shoyu two times a day! I'm going to try doing a large green smoothie each day and see how I feel. I'm starting a product called HydraBooster in my Reverse Osmosis water, using only 1 cap full a day in a 40 ounce water bottle.
As you change your diet and slowly detox, your body will become more alkaline. I'm not an expert, but was told by a nutritional biochemist that ingesting alkaline water in an acid body, is not going to make your body more alkaline. An acid body cannot absorb the alkalinity, and it will just pass through your urine and may cause irritation.I found the alkaline water to be extremely harsh. I'm a little concerned about the smoothies, so as noted above, I'm using extra water and making it a point to hydrate myself well. I"ll keep you posted.
March 8, 2010
Yay! Doc gave me the go ahead that I can slowly reintroduce fruit back into my diet. I am happy! It's been rough avoiding fruit, and I never really stopped craving the sweetness that I get from it. Still adjusting to getting back on some new supplements after being sick with an ear infection. And I can do smoothies again in the morning!! I missed those a lot! I still can't juice, but I love smoothies made with nut milk. I continue to make pecan nut milk, as pecans are required on my plan for breakfast.
