Shun the H1N1

The hot topic in the news now is the H1N1 or Swine Flu virus, causing a lot of undue panic. Fewer deaths are attributed to H1N1 than to the regular seasonal flu. I have been unable to take flu vaccines, because of an allergy to eggs. Since I improved my immune system 14 years ago by eating a raw vegan diet, I have not gotten the flu or colds, which are also viral infections. As a nurse working in the hospital with exposure to many patients, staff and visitors who were sick with colds and flu, I did not contract these illnesses because I kept my immune system strong. The antioxidants in unprocessed fruits and vegetables boost the immune system.

The last time there was a Swine Flu outbreak, was in the mid 70’s. Anyone born before this probably has immunity to H1N1. Children and pregnant women probably do not have immunity if they were born after this. This is one of the reasons the government is pushing vaccine on children and pregnant women. The Swine Flu vaccine that was produced in 1976 had neurological side effects. One in 80,000 developed symptoms of Guillain-Barre after this vaccine, which can be a fatal disease.

The Daily Mail reported that the Government has sent a warning about the new swine flu vaccine being linked to a deadly nerve disease, to senior neurologists in a confidential letter. The letter from the Health Protection Agency, the official body that oversees public health, has been leaked to The Daily Mail, leading to demands to know why the information has not been given to the public before the vaccination of millions of people, including children, begins. It tells the neurologists that they must be alert for an increase in a brain disorder called Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS), which could be triggered by the vaccine. GBS attacks the lining of the nerves, causing paralysis and inability to breath, and can be fatal.

There are pediatricians and doctors that are not in favor of children or adults taking this vaccine because of the possible side effects and the fact that it has not been tested just as the previous vaccine in the mid 70’s. There are some employees of the CDC who have stated that they will not take this vaccine. Many people have already been exposed to the H1N1 virus since the present outbreak and those with a depressed immune system have probably already gotten sick and are now immune.

High levels of toxicity in the body are the root cause of most common diseases and illness. This includes conditions such as the common cold, flues, viruses, infections, allergies, asthma, and others; this over abundance of toxins helps create adrenal fatigue, overloads the liver and kidneys (the body’s primary toxic elimination organs) and generally depresses the immune system, thus allowing a variety of harmful microorganisms and viruses to proliferate. These organisms in turn put a tremendous burden on the body, drain it of energy and create the disease conditions listed above. A primary source of toxicity for most people is their food.

What parents can do is what they should normally do to keep their kids and themselves healthy: Keep a healthy immune system, wash hands frequently, sanitize the house, keep kids with fevers at home and away from others until they’re without a fever for a least 24 hours, make sure everyone in the family is getting adequate sleep of 8 hours per night, and eating healthy.

Eating healthy is the most important and includes a diet of many raw fruits and vegetables nuts and seeds, which are loaded with anti-oxidants. Eat whole food, and eliminate processed food, especially sugar from the diet. Sugar depresses the immune system. Glucose and Vitamin C have similar chemical structures and they compete with each other to be transported to all cells by insulin. If there is more glucose around, there is going to be less vitamin C allowed into the cell. It doesn’t take much: a blood sugar value of 120 reduces the immune system by 75%. Vitamin C is needed for healthy immune cells. Short-term elevated blood sugar affects all major components of immunity and impairs the ability of the individual to fight infection. The white blood cells are the primary mediators of the immune response and act as an important first-line-of-defense in the immune system by engulfing bacteria and viruses. Elevated blood sugar has been shown to decrease white blood cell activity to engulf these pathogens. Vitamin C rich fruits and vegetables can boost the immune system.

Around the holidays, when people eat more sugary foods and refined carbohydrates, there is a direct and unfavorable effect on immune function. In addition, the stress of the holiday season can also have detrimental effects on the immune response. The increased consumption of sugar beginning with Halloween candies, lasting through the holidays of Thanksgiving, and on until the New Year. Diets are deficient in nutrition this time of year, depressing the immune system and are one of the reasons why we have the “flu season”. During an average cold & flu season, Americans have up to 1 billion colds each year. Between 10-20% of the population will contract the flu annually and many will need to be hospitalized. Taking measures to prevent all flu will also prevent colds.

Reducing fat in the diet is also important because it influences how well the immune system works. Diets that are high in fat depress the immune response and thus increase the risk of infections. Reducing fat content in the diet can increase immune activity. This might not just affect infections but could also strengthen the type of immune cells, which can fight tumor cells. However, it is not just the amount of fat that is important but also its origin. It is important to include Omega 3 fatty acids found in flax seeds, walnuts, pumpkin seeds, and other vegetables, nuts and seeds.

Regular consumption of probiotics or fermented foods such as coconut kefir and veggie-kraut may enhance the immune defenses in the gut. Recent research results suggest that Lactic Bacteria (called probiotics) may have a beneficial effect on the immune system. Immune system maintenance requires a steady intake of all the necessary vitamins and minerals.

Dairy products can cause mucous and lactose intolerance, digestive disturbance and are best eliminated. Making sure the diet has enough Vitamin D or exposure to sunlight, which improves the immune system, can be a problem during the winter. Exercising by taking a walk in the sunshine is good for boosting the immune system.  Drinking adequate water or eating juicy fruit and vegetables is important. Adding super foods such as Blue green Algae, wheat or barley grass, sea vegetables, probiotics and digestive enzymes can combat the stress of the holidays and strengthen the immune system.

The tests for H1N1 cost approximately $200, and now physicians and are not testing those who have the symptoms of H1N1. The treatment is the same as any virus. Many of the children who died from H1N1 had either preexisting conditions or got bacterial infections on top of the viral infections. The bacterial infections that were identified included:  Streptococcus, Pseudomonas, Staphylococcus, and Enterococcus. Many children are being treated with antibiotics as a precaution for the secondary bacterial infections. Viral infections are not treated with antibiotics. After being treated with antibiotics it is important to replace the beneficial lactic bacteria to normalize the digestive tract. These healthy bacteria break down fiber and create nutrients.

When a child goes to the pediatrician, the parents are sent home and told to keep the sick child well hydrated and rested. If a child or adult, sick with any virus, has a high fever and is unable to drink fluids and is not voiding, they are severely dehydrated. This is a serious condition, which can result in kidney failure leading to death. Hydration and keeping the fever down are both very important with sick children.

Some children have succumbed to an influenza virus this year according to the CDC and 67% had high-risk medical conditions, including epilepsy, cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy and other neuro-developmental disorders and some had a secondary bacterial infection.

The H1N1 death of an otherwise healthy child can put fear into parents for their own healthy children.  The reality is that most children who contract H1N1 get sick, but they don’t die.  Many fewer deaths are attributed to H1N1 than the regular seasonal flu:  on an average year, around 36,000 people in the US die from the seasonal flu; as of the end of September, around 4,000 people have died from H1N1 worldwide.

It is important to take kids with high fevers and coughs to the doctor for treatment. Parents should watch closely for additional symptoms, such as breathing difficulties, discoloration of the lips, extreme drowsiness, crankiness or fussiness in infants, or not drinking enough fluids. Keeping them well hydrated is most important. Young coconut water is great because it is loaded with minerals and has natural sugar for their caloric needs. Keeping the diet light with a lot of fruits and vegetables and juice is the best diet for decreasing stress to the body while it heals. The media hype surrounding H1N1 is enough to scare any parent into wanting a vaccination to protect themselves and their kids from this flu.  Before doing that, parents should be vigilant in researching the vaccines and their possible side effects. Prevention with a healthy diet and immune system for the whole family should be the priority.

Stay in touch for more ways to boost your immune system. Please forward this to friends and relatives and have them sign up for our email here!

Love and Peace,

Jackie Graff

Jackie’s Vegetable and Fruit of the Month Club- November

Pumpkin

The bright orange color of pumpkin is a telltale sign that it is loaded with an important antioxidant, beta-carotene. Beta-carotene is one of the plant carotenoids converted to vitamin A in the body. Pumpkin is also a good source of vitamins C, K, and E, and lots of minerals, including magnesium, potassium, and iron with 6 grams of carbohydrate and 3.5 grams of fiber in one cup. In the conversion to vitamin A, beta-carotene performs many important functions in overall health. Current research indicates that a diet rich in foods containing beta-carotene may reduce the risk of developing certain types of cancer and offers protection against heart disease. Beta-carotene offers protection against other diseases as well as some degenerative aspects of aging. Beta-carotene also helps prevent night blindness, lowers the risk of macular degeneration, and other eye problems, heals skin disorders, enhances immunity, protects against toxins and cancer formations, colds, flu, and infections. It is an antioxidant and protector of the cells while slowing the aging process. Increased consumption of fruits (cantaloupe and apricots) and vegetables (greens, carrots and squashes) high in beta-carotene are associated with a lower risk of cancer. It is also important in the formation of bones and teeth. No vitamin overdose can occur with natural beta-carotene and the antioxidant effect is thought to only occur in its natural form.

The most popular use of pumpkins is for decoration as jack-o-lanterns. When selecting a pumpkin for recipes, the best selection is a “pie pumpkin” or “sweet pumpkin.” These are smaller than the large jack-o-lantern pumpkins and the flesh is sweeter and less watery.  Look for a pumpkin with 1 to 2 inches of stem left. If the stem is cut down too low the pumpkin will decay quickly or may be decaying at the time of purchase. Avoid pumpkins with blemishes and soft spots and since pumpkin keeps for 6 months whole, it can almost be a year-round addition to our diets. Buy now and keep for later.

To prepare the pumpkin, start by removing the stem with a sharp knife and cut in half, scoop out the seeds and scrape away all of the stringy mass. I cut the pumpkin into wedges to peel off the hard skin and cut into pieces. Once it is cut open it must be refrigerated and used in a couple of days.

Pumpkin seeds offer a nutritious, sweet, somewhat soft and chewy snack or food additive. Some pumpkin seeds have hulls, while others do not. Like most gourds, they contain the best flavor when in season during the fall months. These flat, greenish seeds can be found at grocery stores; they come packaged or loose in bins. When purchasing seeds, check for moisture or insect evidence. Smell them if possible to check for freshness. They should not smell musty. Stored in airtight containers and refrigerated, they will keep for several months, but they may lose their best nutritional value after one to two months.

Pumpkin seeds, also called pepitas, are loaded with minerals, have an anti-inflammatory effect, and may even help protect against prostate cancer and osteoporosis. A quarter cup has about 5 grams of carbohydrates and 1.5 grams of fiber. Pumpkin seeds are a nutritious snack, and contain less than 200 calories. This amount also provides 15 to 50 percent of several important nutrients including protein, zinc, iron, magnesium, manganese and beneficial Omega 3 fatty acids and amino acids.

To prepare pumpkin seeds, remove them from the gourd and pick off excess pulp. Allow the seeds to dry out overnight on an absorbent material. After drying, remove the hulls and you may eat them alone as a snack or add them to salads. Pumpkin seeds are not a high allergen food and should be safe for most people.

Historically, Native Americans used pumpkin seeds as both a food and for medicinal purposes. Their primary use as a parasite remedy is well documented in Native American history. This became so well documented that during the late 1800s to early 1900s, the United States pharmacopoeia listed pumpkin seeds as an official medicine for the treatment of parasites. Native Americans also used the seeds for kidney problems. In the late 1800s, herbal doctors used pumpkin seeds regularly to treat urinary and gastric illness, and as a parasite remedy. Worldwide, pumpkin seeds have been used as both a food and common medicine to cure tapeworms in both India and Mexico.

Medical resources regularly list medicinal uses for pumpkin seeds, such as to promote prostate health in men and as a bone density and arthritis aide. Additionally, medical sources often list medicinal purposes for the seed such as parasite remedy, mild diuretic and laxative, stomach cancer deterrent and as a pulmonary ailment and irritable bladder aide. Current studies in Asia, Africa and Russia continue to research their benefits in the treatment of parasites, depression and kidney stones.

Each day we drink 16 ounces of vegetable juice with a lot of kale, collards, spinach, and carrots and in season, pumpkin, all of which are high in beta-carotene. These are some of my favorite pumpkin recipes.

Pumpkin Pie

Created by Jackie Graff

Sprout Raw Food

Serves 8

1 avocado, peeled and seeded
1/2 cup raw honey
4 dates soaked in 1 cup filtered water
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ginger powder
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 cup raw macadamias soaked 8 hours and drained
4 cups raw pumpkin, peeled and seeded
1 teaspoon psyllium
1/2 cup pumpkin seeds, washed, soaked for 8 hours, drained and dehydrated for 6-8 hours
1 Honey Nut and Date Pie Crust (see recipe)

1. Place macadamias, and water from dates into blender and blend until smooth.
2. Add avocado, honey, vanilla, dates, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, salt, Add pumpkin and blend until very smooth.
3. Add psyllium and blend well.  Let this mixture sit for 1-2 minutes and blend well again.
4. Pour into piecrust and top with 1/2 cup of pumpkin seeds.

Honey, Nut and Date Pie Crust

Created by Jackie Graff

Sprout raw Food

Serves 8

1 cup almonds, soaked for 12 hours, drained, and dehydrated for 12 hours
1 cup pecans, soaked for 12 hours, drained, and dehydrated for 12 hours
1 cup walnuts, soaked for 12 hours, drained, and dehydrated for 12 hours
1 cup medjool dates, pits removed
½ teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon vanilla powder
¼ cup of raw honey

1. Place almonds in processor and process until mixture resembles flour.
2. Add salt and vanilla to the almonds and process well.
3. Place pecans, walnuts, and dates in food processor and process.
4. Add honey to the nut and date mixture and process just until mixed well.
5. Press mixture into 8 –10 inch glass pie pan.

Crust may be made ahead of time and refrigerated or frozen

Pumpkin Bread

Created by Jackie Graff

Sprout Raw Food

3 cups almonds, soaked for 12 hours, drained, and dehydrated for 12 hours
2 teaspoons sea salt
2 teaspoons vanilla powder
3 cups medjool dates, pits removed
1 small “pumpkin pie” pumpkin peeled, seeds removed and finely chopped until it looks mashed
1 tablespoon cinnamon powder
2 teaspoons ground nutmeg
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
Zest of 2 oranges
¼ cup raw honey
1 cup walnuts, soaked for 12 hours, drained, and dehydrated for 12 hours and coarsely chopped
1 ½ cups raisins
1 cup ground flax seeds

Glaze

¼ cup honey
1 tablespoon orange juice

1. Place dehydrated almonds in a food processor and process until nuts are ground to flour.
2. Add salt and vanilla, pulse food processor and move this mixture to a bowl.
3. Place dates, pumpkin pulp, cinnamon powder, nutmeg, orange zest and honey processing until mixture is smooth.
4. Add pumpkin mixture to almond mixture in the bowl mixing well by hand.
5. Add chopped walnuts, flax seeds and raisins to the mixture mixing well by hand.
6. Let this sit for 15 minutes.
7. Form the mixture into small loafs and place on dehydrator mesh sheet.
8. Dehydrate for 12 hours, brush with glaze and dehydrate 12 more hours.

Shelf Life: 1 week refrigerated if it lasts that long. It may also be frozen for one month.

Spicy Pumpkin and Sunflower Seeds

Created by Jackie Graff

6 cups pumpkin seeds, soaked for 12 hours, drained, and dehydrated for 12 hours
6 cups sunflower seeds, soaked for 12 hours, drained, and dehydrated for 12 hours
¼ cup olive oil
¼ cup water
3 tablespoons onion powder
3 tablespoons garlic powder
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper (add more if you like it real spicy)
1 tablespoon sea salt
¼ cups flax seeds ground

1. Place seeds in a bowl.
2. Mix olive oil, water, salt and spices.
3. Mix in flax seeds into spice mixture and immediately stir into seeds, mixing well using hands. Divide into 4 trays.
4. Spread mix on teflex dehydrator sheet and dehydrate for 12 hours and letting seeds cool before packaging.

Note: Other nuts or seeds can be substituted.

Kids Pumpkin Treats

Created by Jackie Graff

Sprout Raw Food

Yield:  24-36 cookies

1 cup pecans, soaked for 12 hours, drained and dehydrated for 12 hours
1 cup walnuts, soaked for 12 hours, drained and dehydrated for 12 hours
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups medjool dates, pitted
1 teaspoon vanilla powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 cup finely grated pumpkin
½ cup pumpkin seeds , soaked for 12 hours, drained and dehydrated for 12 hours

1. Place all ingredients except pumpkin and pumpkin seeds in a food processor and process well.
2. Remove small amounts cookie dough, approximately one inch round.
3. Bring the kids into the kitchen and let them help with the rest.
4. Roll dough into a ball and roll into finely grated pumpkin, covering until the ball is orange.
5. Decorate the  “pumpkin” with pumpkin seeds – press one on top for the stem, two for eyes and one for the mouth and two for ears. Great treats during pumpkin season.

Vanilla Powder

By Jackie Graff

Sprout Raw Food

5 vanilla beans
½ cup buckwheat grouts

1.   Place vanilla beans buckwheat in blender or seed grinder and grind to powder.
2.   Place in an airtight container and store in refrigerator.

Feeding Finnley III

After returning home from each of our trips, we have Finnley over to spend the night and how she changes in just a week or two! She is eighteen months now and has a mouthful of teeth and chews her food quite well.   She is talking or singing all the time unless she is “reading” a book. She has a large vocabulary along with a long string of what we call

“ Finnley speaking in tongues”. What a happy, smart child who is a joy to us!

I have had so many requests for more ideas feeding children. I have to make it clear that Finnley does not eat completely raw but she eats a lot of raw foods and her mother has been open to trying different things. I approach feeding Finnley as a grandmother who eats a raw food diet feeding a granddaughter whose parents eat a healthy but cooked diet. I think it is best not to have issues over food choices and be an example for new healthy foods that she will eat. As a grandparent be an inspiration and don’t be judgmental!

So what is she eating now…during the summer she ate a lot of blueberries but they are out of season now, as a mater of fact the last month they were available she would not eat them, maybe they did not taste as good since they were out of season. Finnley is so bright because she ate so many blueberries, a brain food.

She adores bananas, her all time favorite. She likes apples and pears cut up and gobbles up my Cinnamon Applesauce and Apple Cobbler. Soaked raisins make a great snack! Vegetables are more challenging now. She will not touch the Green Pudding from a previous blog entry. She will eat cooked carrot slices sometimes and can chew some raw carrot. About the only thing green she will eat are peas. We get the organic frozen peas and simply thaw them out. Since she is trying to feed herself, peas are quite a challenge with a spoon. The last time she stayed with us, I made her some mashed potatoes using a little olive oil instead of butter, mixing the peas and finely chopped raw carrot in the potatoes, which she loved.  She also likes my dehydrated Vege-Burgers.

She still likes my Biscuits (see feeding Finnley II) and eats the whole grain oat cereal for breakfast along with fruit.  She would not drink anything but milk, no water or fruit juice, so I make sure she gets plenty of juicy fruit to eat, such as grapes and watermelon. This past weekend I asked Gideon (Saba) to open a coconut to see if she would like it… she will drink the coconut water and calls it Saba’s WaWa.

I also make cooked vegan whole grain cous cous, brown rice or whole-wheat pasta dish using humus, and black beans, peas and corn (all of course organic). To help her feed herself with a spoon, the humus holds it together and these items together provide a complete protein.

I hope these recipes along with others from previous Feeding Finnley Blogs will provide some ideas for vegan and raw foods that your children will eat.

Apple Cobbler

By Jackie Graff

Sprout Raw Food

6 golden delicious apples, peeled and cored
1 teaspoon sea salt
2 teaspoons cinnamon
5 medjool dates, pitted
1 teaspoon vanilla powder
1 cup raisins
2 tablespoons flaxseed, ground fine

1. Place 3 apples, salt, cinnamon, dates, and vanilla in food processor. Process until mixture is almost the consistency of applesauce.
2. Place mixture in a bowl.
3. Chop the 3 remaining apples into small pieces,
4. Mix all of the apples together and add raisins. The raisins will soak up the juice from the apples.
5. Stir in flaxseeds and mix well.
6. Let mixture sit at room temperature for 1 hour to soften the raisins.

Cinnamon Apple Sauce

Created by Jackie Graff

Sprout Raw Food

4 apples peeled and cored
6 pitted medjool dates or more to taste
½ teaspoon sea salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground psyllium

1. Place apples in a blender with the dates, cinnamon and salt and blend well.
2. More dates may be added if a sweeter taste is desired.
3. Add psyllium blending well.
4. Let this mixture sit for 5 minutes and blend again.

Shelf life: This keeps well in small jars in the freezer for a month, and will keep in the refrigerator for 2 weeks. The cinnamon acts as a natural food preservative.

Vege-Burger

By Jackie Graff

Sprout Raw Food

2 cups walnuts, soaked 4-6 hours and drained
2 cups sunflower seeds, soaked 4-6 hours and drained
1 onion
1 red pepper
2 teaspoons sea salt
2 teaspoons cumin
2 cloves garlic, chopped fine
1 cup sun-dried tomatoes, soaked 2 hours, drained, and processed into paste
1-2 cups carrot pulp (If no juicer, use finely processed carrots. The slightly moist pulp from the champion works best. Drink the carrot juice!)

1. Place garlic in food processor and process well.
2. Add onion, red pepper, sea salt, cumin, and sun-dried tomato paste in food processor and process until almost smooth. Add sunflower seeds and walnuts processing well. This can also be processed in a 2 hp blender.
3. Add carrot pulp mixing well. Form into 1 ½ inch by ½ inch high burger shape patties and place on a teflex sheet covered dehydrator rack. Make larger patties if desired. The smaller ones work well for children to pick up and hold easily.
4. Place in dehydrator for 8 hours. Remove and turn over using another dehydrator rack, placing it on top and flipping patties over, removing teflex sheet.
5. Dehydrate for 8 hours more. The burgers should be soft in the middle and dry on the outside.

Note: These burgers may be frozen after dehydration.

Let me know if you have more suggestions for feeding babies or toddlers.

Peace and love,

Jackie Graff

“Reviving” the Raw Food Revival Tour Blog

We have been very busy with family, traveling and teaching since my last Blog entry. To revive my Blog and bring you up to date on our travels, I will give brief particulars of all the places we have been.

June- was a little warm in Austin, Texas, a beautiful, eclectic city we found to have a very active community with interests in a healthier lifestyle.  We had an enjoyable stay in Mckiney State Park for a couple of nights between classes, and had time to visit The Ladybird Johnson Wildflower Center.  Our host Dr. Rita Marie Loscalzo organized a large group who wants us to return for more classes on our next journey westward. We also rekindled our friendship with Chavah Aima, an amazing healer who created a new discipline of Alchemical Yoga using raw food, juices and fasting for healing and spiritual acceleration. We are planning a weekend Retreat with Chavah for April 2010 and will let you know more details.  From Austin we went to Dallas for several great classes hosted by Miranda Martinez, Amy Hirsh and Maria Whitworth. We had some individuals that followed us through all the classes.

We were home for a couple of weeks then on to Toronto, Rochester and Ithaca, New York to teach more Kitchen Magic. In Toronto we taught for four days of Italian, Tex Mex, Barbecue, and a whole day class of delicious Raw Food Recipes. We were hosted by Mary Luciano and Lamont Alexander in a beautiful event space overlooking the skyline of Toronto.

Toronto Night Sky Line from our class location

The Brewery in downtown Toronto, the tall building is where we had our classes for four days

When we went into Canada from Detroit, there was no question about the produce we had in the RV. Returning from Canada through Niagara Falls we were detained by the border patrol, confiscating all of our mangos, oranges, passion fruit, and avocados. We should have had lunch in Canada!

Niagara Falls

In Rochester, NY, Monique at Abundance hosted us for a Tex Mex presentation and in Ithaca, NY at the Greenstar Store we presented Raw Barbecue. Everyone was getting ready for a Raw 4^th of July Celebration.

Abundance Coop in Rochester NY

Gideon is cherry picking in NY Finger Lakes region

Greenstar Coop in Ithaca NY

July- We returned to Hallelujah Acres in Shelby, NC for another day long Raw Revival Class with a great turnout. Gwen Morton gathered a great group in Ashville for a presentation and demonstration of a Tex-Mex meal. We ended the month in Nashville, TN with a presentation organized by Alwanda Carothers in the Church of Christ at Lawrence Avenue, and a day long class the next day. Then on to Murfreesboro, TN for a class organized by Stacy King.

August – This was a busy month! On our way to the Raw Spirit Festival we went to Virginia Beach, VA for a desert and barbeque presentation hosted by Todd Owen then on to Richmond, VA for a Tex Mex presentation hosted by Rob Murphy and the day following we had a half day Caribbean Extravaganza. We were hosted by Alysse Muldoon at the Briarley Hill Retreat, MD for a Barbeque presentation. This is a picturesque farm and retreat that focuses on raw food and juicing to achieve a better state of health. The accommodations are stunning and it is only 45 minutes from Washington, D.C. We need to get some of our politicians over there to understand what real healthcare is all about.

Briarly Hill Retreat, - view from window

Briarly Hill Retreat

The next five days were spent at the Raw Spirit Festival, which was held at a beautiful 4-H center in MD. We had a great time with presentations and selling food (which everyone loved). Our thanks to Happy Oasis for her vision to organize these festivals and we encourage presenters, volunteers and participants to continue attending and supporting their efforts.

Jackie & Gideon at the Raw Spirit Festival in Maryland

From left: Gideon, Rhonda (Barefoot Artist) Bethanne, Shashi, Jackie, Sarah, Anna - The Raw Food Revival Tour volunteers, thank you for your amazing help

September- After the Raw Spirit Festival we went to Silver Springs, MD where we were hosted by Shari Mollerick and Patricia Monica for a presentation and Tex Mex meal. Then we were on our way to Rockville, MD for a presentation with an Indian theme hosted by Sharon Greenspan. Sharon serves her community with many classes, so contact her if you are in the area. The last stop was in Baltimore for two days of classes at the home of Andrea and Stein Langlie. We thank all those who hosted us took our classes on this trip and will honor your enthusiastic request to return.

October- We traveled to Huntsville, AL for two days of classes hosted by Donna and Al Turman at their the Brindlee Mountain Baptist church. We unloaded for our first class in the middle of a tornado warning with an unbelievable amount of rain. The class was great and everyone arrived safe and sound. We ended the month with a Thanksgiving class at home.

November we will be traveling to Hickory and Ashville NC for Holiday classes, and returning to Shelby, NC for a Raw Revival Class. Click here to see the tour schedule!

December we will be teaching Holiday classes in Athens, GA, Greenville, Columbia, Charleston, Rock Hill and Myrtle Beach, SC, and Charlotte, NC For information on these classes. Click here for our seminar schedule

Janurary -we will be instructing our three week intensive Raw Food Nutrition Science, Health Educator and Raw Culinary Arts Certification. This class is limited and has a few openings. For details and to request an application click here!

February- we will return to Florida. If anyone would like to host us in the areas we are presenting, please click here see our hosting program!

Coming up soon – Feeding Finnley, Fruit and Vegetable of the Month Club, with yummy delicious recipes

Peace and love,

Jackie Graff