Ah, this comes down to the concept that good health is a result of mindful eating: what we eat, how much, our attitude when eating, what time, etc. Plus exercise, fresh air, proper breathing and attitude are vital for wellness. But without eating calmly, mindfully and with regards to nutrition, one simply can't maintain good health.

I add fresh ginger to fresh summer melon, and throw in the blender. Or freshly picked and chopped mint and fresh red onions to fresh melon (which makes a great salsa too). These herbs/spices compliment melon, helping the digestion and increasing nutritional value, as well as turning the sweetness of melon with the heat of ginger or cooling quality of mint and varied taste/healthy aspect of a summer red onion into a gourmet, healthier meal or smoothie.

That's become my mantra for eating raw foods: not just food combining, but being inspired by nature and traditional recipes. Parsley is not just a garnish, but something meaningful to eat, freshening the breath and in many cases, being the most nutritional food on a typical restaurant plate (and too often neglected, as if parsley is inedible or beneath contempt to actually eat!).

I make my own sauerkraut, and there's nothing more refreshing than juicing fermented/cultured combination of cabbage, summer beets, apples, sea veggies, etc! Beets and cabbage, in season, fermented and juiced. OMG!

I also make my own rejuvelac, and until you've drunk home made, fresh rejuvelac, well, you are missing out! I use a variety of grains, some in combination, some by themselves. The taste varies, from sweetish to very tangy, somehow lighting up my body and giving me a jolt of life force that's hard to explain. It's not like caffeine. It's calming yet energizing. Just feels great going down! And the taste sometimes gets richer after being in the fridge for a day.

So what's the difference between an elixir, a tonic, or just studied combining of various fruits, veggies, herbs, seasonings, all plant forms, whether blended, juiced or yes, as a soup? As someone who has read Dragon Herb's vast and fascinating literature (I'm near their Santa Monica site), my issue is money and time to get there.

The price of organic almonds has gone through the roof. California, one of the world's largest almond producers, just imposed a crazy law that California almonds must be pasteurized, but it's ok to import from Europe. So be aware that "raw" CA almonds are not raw! Check it out on the net, but that's what I've read. Am I wrong? Could be . . . find out yourself.

That's why Trader Joe's now labels "raw" almond butter. I don't think they label it's been pasteurized; they just put quotes around it. Nice eh? It takes a lot of expensive truly raw, organic almonds to make almond milk. So I opt for organic, grains I purchase from the Santa Monica Co-Op for my rejuvelac.

So fresh green juices (I use the greens people discard, like beet tops, carrot tops, turnip tops, plus tons of leafy greens, and yes, beets -- it must be my German/Russian DNA. I wish beets were more affordable so I could have every day, instead of once in awhile), juicing my sauerkraut/kimchi variations, rejuvelac, herbs/spices combined with fruit and/or veggies, well, the only thing missing is enough time, but most of all, MONEY to do this more often!

Raw, organic or unsprayed green juices are the true elixirs! They provide so many vitamins, minerals and balance our too-acidic bodies. Here's to green juices!

ADD the fact everything I've mentioned takes minimal skills and equipment. A good juicer (Green Star/Green Life or Samson, dedicated "pickling jars," both available online), a good knife, glass jars, and a joyful, open attitude embracing that which grows within a few hundred miles from our own LA homes helps small, local farmers or our local Co-Op.

Not only is this affordable, compared to buying ready-made foods or health costs now or down the line. Believe me, just the act of doing all this is incredibly healing.

I know from experience. Here's to YOUR good health! Namaste!

I've got a super healing elixir for your curious, investigative pleasure. Have you heard of fucoidan? I heard of it last year (because of my cancer, which I treat 100% holistically) and learned of its antiangiogenic properties (it cuts off blood supply to your growing tumors... very popular modality for holistic anticancer treatments!)... but just recently, I discovered a whole 'nother side to fucoidan! ...Or should I say more like thousands of sides... so... I needed to know more about this, given my epidemic. So I opened my mind up WIDE and went digging. I found the limu drink by The LImu Company and - yes, I am absolutely in love - and also was rewarded with an amazing amount of information on how it heals this, that, and the other thing. And I could never keep a lid on anything that could help save others' health.
I teach yoga and I believe that the foundation to a happy life, particularly with our modern health issues, diet addictions, et cetera... is in healing our physical beings and practicing yoga to evolve the consciousness as we uncover our new selves and quite an exhilarating path, too!

Live life with open arms, hug everyone in your path, and bliss shall blossom in your trails.

Namaste'
Karen

Thanks Jenny and Karen for your well-considered posts. very informative and inspiring. And yes Jenny, I did discover the raw almond debacle and though I surely am using pasteurized almonds, I still enjoy the taste and process of making almond milk all the same. But I would love to know where I can get my hands on "real" raw almonds. perhaps some of L.A.'s raw chefs will know. I'll do some digging and let you know what I find.