Advice

A hearty dose of diet advice, from a non-doctor :)

Wouldnt you rather be called a "Healer" than a "Doctor"? One of my sisters is in medical school right now, but she is so busy studying that she never has the time to read this...so I can talk trash about the medical industry without worrying about revenge from her.

A horrible diet is promoted in this society to keep you sick AND broke. Dont forget that one. BROKE and tied to the wage-slave system.
Some doctors need for you to have heart problems. Some want you to have bad skin. Maybe not YOU directly, but they need people coming into their office.
Their mortgage, car, and childrens' tuition payments depend on it. Do you think a cardiologist would really want everyone to become a raw vegan?

And lets not even get into the Pharmaceutical industry right now.

My new friend Grace told me that her nutritionist told her that uncooked food will only burn MUSCLE, and NOT FAT.

Have you heard of this one? This was totally new to me. I havent looked in the books, but something tells me that it is completely ABSURD and LAUGHABLE.
This man thrives on 100% raw vegan nutrition. Mostly greens.
This photo is from We Like it Raw.com Check out the interview here.

And just to reiterate from my own personal experience:



I was doing superfood smoothies and green smoothies everyday. Doing elliptical in the morning, and weights and a little more elliptical at night. I watched TV or listened to audio books while working out to multi-task. I dont think the raw food was breaking down muscle.

Now I really want to get a tan. Damn.

So...LESSON? Look at the person giving you advice. Advice is cheap and seconds are served happily. Big...sloppy...and usually worthless. Dish it up, baby!

Early night

This pic isn't really related to anything below...just thought Id throw it in there for all to enjoy.
I took this shot almost 2 years ago when I was living in Brooklyn (Williamsburg).

So...be the light in the sea of darkness.

I booked another job today. They are picking the models up at 6:45 tomorrow morning...not cool! The pick up spot is about 40 min away from my apt as well....so - its gonna be an early night.

I had a durian for dinner...which is totally rare, but I was near Chinatown this evening after my shoot, so I strolled over and bought one. At $1 a pound...you cant beat it in the US. Soon though...I'll be touring Durian plantations in Cambodia...trying different varieties as if they were different apples at the Greenmarket. I just sat on a park bench and ate half of it...its hard to go through a durian in public without someone asking about it, but I lucked out this time. Actually, its totally cool to introduce people to it, but when you are chilling with your headphones on, it can get a little annoying.

My good friend S. from Oklahoma emailed me about the thanksgiving difficulties she had since this is her first holiday season after going raw. I told her to just eat what she was still craving if that is what would have made her happy...

Once you are raw for a while, you will notice that the cooked desires usually become less and less. My desires for ice cream and cookies were fierce early on, and even striking me hard for a couple of days every few months during my journey. But at this point, you could put them in front of me and it really wouldnt do anything for me. I would much rather have a raw dessert if anything...but ultimately its not a big deal. Like a growing child, you put down the old things that you used to be really fond of, and move on to the next.

So my dear friend S....

Eat what you want to eat deep down. And when you start to fall asleep 20 min later and start sweating, questions might come into your mind. Listen to those questions. Balance it out later with extra greenery and a brisk walk around the neighborhood for at least 40-45 min...

No Rawmodel! Resist the dark side! No!!!!! (a bad summer night)
See how faded I look? Brain fog!

I'll talk more about some of my moments of food addiction mayhem in the next post.

Until next time,

Anthony

Working Again...and Jenny's Macaroons

So I'm back in the mix. I have a job with Sprint tomorrow, and two days with Geoffrey Beene Menswear in the middle of Dec. I had two castings today, one for Oscar De La Renta and the other for Paul Stewart, and both went better than I ever hoped for. The Oscar job shoots in Panama in Mid Jan...so Im really hoping for that one. Seems pretty possible at this point.

I've been lucky enough to be doing morning workouts, and I can't emphasize how much better and energized I feel throughout the day. I simply cant recommend doing pre-breakfast exercises enough. They keep a person lean, and give them a great feeling throughout the morning.

I have to give the biggest virtual hug ever to Jenny from Maine who was unbelievably kind and thoughtful enough to send chocolate macaroons to the NYC potluck last week. Sadly enough, she mailed them to my agency, and since they were closed the day before Thanksgiving, I didn't receive them until today.


So...after a long subway ride...samples had to be tried. Couldnt help myself!

The best chocolate macaroons EVER!
Jenny - Open a raw cafe in Maine & live the dream! You have a serious talent...they taste perfect!
Seriously though...there was a lot of love put into those,
and I'll be sure to spread the goodness...no hoarding, I promise. They just taste simply amazing. Well done...

I mean, who sends macaroons to strangers for a potluck? The world just gets better and better.


Let this be an example to inspire us to be the superhero that we know we really are.
You are reading this for a reason...let it inspire you to help others come together.

Oh yes! For anyone out there who had their feathers ruffled (sorry for the lame cliche) over the "Young and Hip Raw Food Potluck"...please read.

I know that we arent aiming to exclude anyone...we are just ADDING a new event specifically designed for those who are raw AND young. Of course we always reach the fuzzy fence-riding area when we reach our late 30's. No one would ever get turned away, and in fact there were some older people there as well, just not in the picture. Its like a meetup.com group for young people new to the city. No one would give them a hard time because they are excluding old people new to the city. We cant always worry about upsetting someone, because its truly inevitable and it keeps us from taking risks and going for it.

I encourage all types of raw food groups to form. Id love to see a Raw Latino group, or a Women's Group. I promise I wont cry discrimination.
I dont think its a case of fragmentation either...Id say its more about adding different facets to the overall "movement" and creating more community.

NYC is getting cold...SE Asia here I come! Durians are in Season in Late December, right?

The Future

Raw Food - The Choice of the New Generation

This was about half of the group...the pic being taken at the very end of the night.
Why arent all raw-food potlucks like this??? I had the best time ever. Just to see everyone
there talking and having a great time was the biggest joy for me.
It was just so...YOUTHFUL. Good looking raw foodists everywhere. Life can be this good!

My transition struggle would likely have been non-existent if not severely reduced if I would have had these types of get-togethers when I first started. I did raw food pretty much completely alone for 2.5 years....it can be really isolating. This changes everything now.

I can only hope that everyone else had such a fun time. Participation in the raw food community is likely the key to making the switch and not feeling lonely or strange or crazy. We are social animals, whether we want to believe it or not, and if we have some others nearby who we can talk to and console...we've made such a huge leap forward.

But that being said...I tried to go to other events, and of course...the crowd was MUCH "wiser" if you know what I mean. Is "wiser" even a good word? I mean...I look at that pic of young people above and I see individuals who are REALLY wise...not buying into the SAD diet for decades. Those young people pictured above are the forerunners...people ENJOYING a healthy diet and lifestyle.

Its about pleasure....its the only way we will succeed. Putting ourselves through pain in order to succeed will simply not work. Its the pleasure principle...duh. You have to enjoy what you are doing in order for it to work in the long run....and with these group of young people and the food that was there...who could have possibly had a bad time?

Big thanks always to Dhru and Philip for pulling this together and bringing such amazing friends to this event. Let this be the first of many.

And if you arent in NYC...remember...this is the example. You can do the same.
Don't feel bad for excluding older people...this is for us.
We are the minority of probably the smallest minority in the present world.
We have our other events with the whole community, but I think these young raw-foodie meetups are what will keep us going and accelerate our growth.

GOOD TIMES!!!

Much love always,

Anthony

Thanksgiving Pt. 2

On a more somber note...let's all close our eyes for a second to at least acknowledge the massive amount of slaughter that went on during the weeks coming up to this family feast we call "Thanksgiving". There was staggering amount of suffering and death going on while we were sitting inside our warm houses and apartments.
I'm not saying that we have to feel bad for it, thats up for you to decide,
but we should at least acknowledge in some small way the suffering and sacrifice they gave
so that people could devour their roasted carcasses.

Ok...a little harsh? But technically true, right? Its all about the wording of it.

I just don't find it appealing anymore to eat any of that stuff.
You truly just float (or soar) further and further away from all that after going raw for a while.

Being Thankful

I'm thankful that I can sleep at night without my feet aching from cold.
I'm thankful that soldiers from an invading country haven't come into my home and killed some of my family members.
I'm lucky that I have eyes to see, and feet to walk on.
I'm thankful for all the experiences and people that I have met in my life.
Every single one of them was and is a teacher, whether they know it or not.
And I'm thankful for parents that can't stand George Bush. Really Thankful.

Here is a thought: We are walking works of priceless art.
What would you pay to get your legs back?
What would you pay to get your dying child back to good health?
What would you pay to get your memory back?
We just have so much, and we don't even truly realize it.
Every moment should be an act of celebration.


The most priceless stuff we have is what we notice the least. So ridiculous, no?

Our bodies are one of our most prized possessions, but most of us treat them like a garbage dump and a graveyard.

Be thankful that you are warm tonight. (Hopefully you are...my feet are cold and i wouldnt mind a sweater right now...)

And the more you celebrate thanksgiving every single day,
the more estatic you will be for what you have going well for you that you will simply attract
(I dont want to use that word, but it really fits) more of what will keep you feeling BLISS.

Try this...

Every morning you wake up. For like 5 minutes, or even 2 at first...
Feel gratefulness for all the positive things you have in your life.
Just feel that gratitude, and feel gratitude for good stuff coming your way.

And if you are really on it...you'll do the same thing before you go to bed.
Once you are REALLY on it...you will want to be doing this whenever you have a second to think about it. Every spare moment could begin flowing towards gratitude and realized dreams.



The Potluck was tonight...Saturday the 24th.
4 hours flew by like it was nothing.

This could be big...I'll talk all about it tomorrow.

2:26...off to bed. Have you had your greens today?

We gotta check up on each other!


-Anthony

Thanksgiving Pt. 1

This was taken in Shenandoah National Park, USA...two years ago. Beautiful spot...great river hiking. Why did I not go there this fall? Crazy....
If a pic is not mine, I'll mention it. Otherwise it will always be my stuff. I just have a litle 5.1 mb Canon Ixy (Elph)...that takes pretty decent shots. Ok....I'm really ready to get back into posting again...lots of ideas lately.

Fair Enough...3 days behind schedule but better late than never.

Ive been noticing that this site is becoming more and more demanding of my time. I feel that its good because this (writing about the raw food and green lifestyle) is my passion right now, as weird or sad as that may sound to some of you out there. I really feel this stuff, and I have felt the immense change that it has given me, and spreading the joy and liberation from sickness becomes a part of one's life after you really reach the other side after going through the transition.

Anyways, I worked on Thanksgiving. Poured wine and passed cooked appetizers to rich people. Some rich couple in the northern suburbs of NYC. Traditional thanksgiving food, I brought home some sweet potatoes baked with pecans for my roommates. I'm much happier that I was on my feet all day on Thursday instead of sitting around pigging out. I ate some kale that was used as a garnish and some crudites from the platter(raw sliced veggies). I brought some stuff with me, so that paid off. Seriously, for these kind of days (if you are finished with cooked food and want to stay alert and radiant), make some emergency superfood fudge with your food processor.

Want to know how?

6 or 7 coconut date rolls
1 cup brazil nuts, or almonds or walnuts or a mix of all
1 cup hemp seeds, or some pumpkin seeds if you cant get hemp right away,
1 tbls of premium green superfood (I like Jameth Sheridan's Mix...and whoever is selling it at the most competitive price)
Now add all these as you see fit...but you get the idea by now...
Gojis
Maca
Cacao Nibs or Powder (Add after food processor mixes up the other ingredients...)
Mesquite Powder
Agave
Yacon Root Syrup (never tried this...heard that by itself it is pretty...um...not tasty?
Camu Camu Powder (never tried this)
Mint oil...or Cayenne...or Cinnamon...or Vanilla Bean...see where we are going here? You create.
You can also add some coconut oil or more coconut shavings.

This can get you through anything. I was thinking about doing some long hikes and living off of that and wild greens alone.

I think the majority of living foodists would eat some stuff (there are still salads veg dishes and we can always bring our own stuff if we want to) so I cant see how there would be this huge conflict either way. It seems that vegans and vegetarians are so much more militant that living-foodists. We all seem to be just too happy and mellow to get pissed about petty little things.

Think about this. Alkalize?...! Get your greens everyone! 1 lb a day (At least)!

Anthony (listening to M.I.A....check it out...pretty far out stuff...listen to track 7)

AA

Reflections on Sunday

Pure Food and Good Times with the WLIR crew on Sunday night...

Pictured above from l to r...

Glen Colello from Catch a Healthy Habit. Super-knowledgeable and really fun.

Some strange guy in a purple t-shirt who sat down with us and wouldnt leave...

Nancy C, who is an AMAZING illustrator and is lucky enough to work from home.

Dhru of WLIR...the man who brought all of us together. Truly a gift to know this guy.

Philip, who created and runs Lovingraw.com. He is probably one of the nicest guys I've met.

Michael Simmons, who is CEO of Extreme Entrepreneurship. I hope to team up with him soon.


When you sit down and have a meal with people that are coming from love and are supportive and just overall have great energy, you realize that so much of your life can be full of inspiration and joy if you simply choose to be around people like this.

We were there for nearly three hours...but it seemed like 30 min instead. Whether you are on a date, or meeting with business partners...look for this sign. If time flies by...keep spending time with that person. If time drags on...reassess the situation, yes?

This was basically my thanksgiving. Check out the bounty...



Unfortunately I only took pics of the apps. We did entrees and dessert as well.

By the way, Pure Food's Ice Cream is SO creamy that I would absolutely swear that it was regular milky variety. I don't know exactly what they do, but its was unreal.

So after that was the Chocolate for Charity event. We got there a little late, but it was great. It was much better than last time, and the cacao samples were in overabundance.

Serious overabundance. I couldnt take it anymore. It was just so plentiful. Plates and plates just sitting around at the end of the evening, overflowing with Cacao treats. They were all stellar, but I have to say that Gnosis Chocolate took the prize. Vanessa is a Chocolate Goddess!!!

Last year was sparse, this year was anything but. We danced a ton, and had a blast. Tons of good energy there and David is always a joy to listen to and visit with. The progression that the FTPF has made in the past three years is anything but EPIC. (thanks for the word C.P.!)


My apologies for the lack of posts these past few days...I have been going out dancing quite a bit lately. I LOVE IT!!! Of course it depends on the music, but serioulsy, at this point I feel that I can just go dancing alone and dance for its own sake.

And here is something I realized...by going out dancing at night after dinner, you stay lean so much easier. I have a good model friend named Paula who eats...um...EVERYTHING...and she maintains her figure by going out and dancing at night. Of course her health (acidic tissues, toxin buildup) is surely another issue, but she is thin. My issue was always late-night eating and inactivity as well. But by eating earlier, and going out to dance, you are really ensuring a leaner body. I used to do an hour of powerwalking everynight, but dancing for 3 hours seems to be a little more fun. Try it and let me know what you think. And if anyone is interested, I try to go to this place called Cielo once a week.

Ok...back on track. Lots of posts to come. Its the day after thanksgiving, so I have to write about that, as well as the WLIR Potluck tomorrow. Busy!

-Anthony

Note: Skinny does NOT equal healthy. We likely know this. We want to be lean, but we need to fuel our bodies with the best food ever. We deserve it....nothing less.

The New Raw Food Generation

Here we come....

A new generation...filled with 20 and 30-somethings who have PAID ATTENTION to the mayhem that has been caused by the lifestyles of our recent elders. We are the ones who don't have to heal ourselves...we beat disease to the punch, because we woke up in time.

I go to some raw food meetings, and I have to admit that there are many older people there. I love all raw-foodists...dont get me wrong. But there is a serious lack of youth at these things. You can't blame the older people for being there. They were lied to for decades about what to eat and how to live, but luckily now they are trying to undo the many years of damage and neglect.

I am with these people, without a doubt...but who I really identify with are the young and intelligent bunch that comprise this new generation of raw-foodists. Those who have said no to trashing our bodies (our temples) and have realized that the true goal in life is not material possessions, but the development of a strong and loving community and a life filled with purpose and learning. I can really see how vital all of this is now. We share something that most (99.99%) of the population doesnt share, or even know about. So let's do what we can, no?

These "kids" are where its at. I know 20-somethings who know more about raw food than some of the "experts" out there did when those people were in their 40's. Most, if not all of us weren't raised raw, but eventually we followed the clues of the Universe, and the payoff has been wonderful. We have a 20-year head start on most of this. Where can this all go now? Especially with the internet?!

Our main priority should be community building (whether in physical life or online) and constant self development and improvement. In light of this, Dhru (We Like it Raw), Philip (Lovingraw) and myself are putting together a potluck designed to bring the young raw community together. No exclusions of course...our loving brothers and sisters who have been around the sun more than us are welcome to come...

...but ESPECIALLY...the new young raw-foodies out there...this is ultimately for us.

Its hard being young and raw. Friends want to meet for coffee, want to go out for drinks, and always want to go out and eat foods that we are trying to stay away from. This can be really tough...I have more experience in this lonely realm than Id like to admit...and most of it was because I just didnt know more raw foodists in NY. We need socialization, but most of our social networks don't really share our lifestyle habits.

So lets do what we can. If you are young (or young at heart) and want to come, we have about 25 spots open. The place Dhru found was NOT free to rent, so we have to ask $10 each so we can all split the cost. There is no money trying to be made, just friendships, relationships and overall...connections.

Its going to be next Saturday, two days after Tofurkey Day (You ever seen a tofurkey??? ouch...) please email myself or one of the other guys if you are interested in going.

Oh yes...and if you want me to directly answer a question, just email me at anthony_aanderson@yahoo.com

The comments...I usually leave them as they are...sometimes trying to respond to some pertinent questions, but usually I just let them be. So email me if its something specific.

As for wheatgrass juice...Ive never vomited, although Ive heard many stories. I would drink 8oz a day usually, maybe 4oz sometimes. Even starting out it wasnt a big deal. If you are having problems with it, combine with celery, cuke, carrot, and apple. Sweeter, but it will get the grass down...and I always add lemon or lime because the vitamin C helps with absorption of the wheatgrass.

I'm going to overload on COCO NABS tonight!! Haha!! Love the Chinese translations!

I might be a bit late because of the dinner at Pure, but we will be there. Wait for me, and DONT EAT ALL THE CACAO!!! Put some in your fanny-pack for me!!! PLEASE!!!

I'm just a little worried...there was so much good stuff last time, and the cacao vultures (myself included) were circling the kill BIGTIME.

Seriously though, the Fruit Tree Planting Foundation is one of my top non-profits out there, and especially because as David Wolfe says, it focuses on SOLUTIONS...not PROBLEMS. Think about this PETA.
This younger generation...the neo-greens...we have got to model our thinking on solutions, not problem identification. We know what the previous generations did to this planet and to themselves and their children, and we are not going to keep walking down that path. Save your friends from the emptiness of materialism and show them all the love you have so they know that they simply cannot lose with people like us on their side.

Big rambling session today...thanks for bearing with me on this one.

Im getting so many good vibes...nothing but positivity, so lets keep the momentum up. (Sans the rather spiteful Quintessence-basher who has been contributing lately...so it goes)

AAA

Mid-November already?

Yeah...this totally shocked me today about how late in the year it is already. Maybe because its been really mild, or I'm on the computer too much these days...

This weekend is going to be really fun though, because I get to hang out with Dhru of We Like It Raw and Philip of Lovingraw, plus a lucky person willing to get themselves to NYC this weekend for an amazing meal at Pure Food and Wine. Im really excited to meet whoever wins! All of you on here are smart people...you could easily win that contest! We all read good books, right?

To be totally honest, within the past couple of months, Ive really been digging the moving picture show (dvds, youtube) compared to reading good ol' fashioned books. I will start many, but its seems like lately Ive just been dabbling too much. Ive really been online a ton lately learning about friggin' fruit trees and honeybees. Go figure...

I got some really slick swimming goggles for when I swim over at my friend's building. They make swimming SO much more enjoyable, and it wont irritate your eyes. Im not really down with the whole chlorine pool issue of course and totally would prefer a saline-treated pool...but swimming is really great and I'll take whatever I can get.

Here is the most hardcore green juice you can make for yourself 6 days a week. Invest in your health. This might not be cheap, but do this for two weeks while also being raw, and your clarity and alkalinity will skyrocket.


I weigh 165-170lbs, 6'1''.

8 oz of wheatgrass juice. Ok...I know, I know. Hear me out.
Buy a tray, usually the price will be around $12-14 US. Juice half of that tray each day. Maybe even a third if you are small.
Make sure the grass is fairly high, around 6-7 inches before harvest.

1 cucumber

5 stalks of celery

3 lemons (or blend the peeled lemons w/pith in the vitamix after making the green juice to retain seed and fruit fiber) Of course they should be organic, but just the fact that you are consuming 3 lemons a day is a HUGE step in your wellness and alkalinity.

Cilantro if you have it, otherwise parsley. Yhe stems and all.

If I have some kale on hand or collards, usually $2 worth is fine.

So overall, juicing this yourself, I think the cost would be about $12. Maybe a little less...UNLESS YOU GROW YOUR OWN. Think about how much wheatgrass you are consuming each day, and what that would cost at the juice bar. 8 oz at $2 an oz? No joke!

This drink will change your life. 6 days a week...youll learn to love the taste. Starting this next year in April Ill be growing all my own wheatgrass in Minnesota, and I might even have to do it in Paris if I cant find a good source. Its kind of a pain at first, but if you have the space for it and set it up so its efficient and easy to clean up, then youre on the fast-track to vibrancy and re-mineralization.

I just buy mine now, because I dont have the good light or space for the trays here at the apartment. And it does save alot of time, you have to set up a good system to be effective in the long term.

Have a great weekend everyone! Make the most of it! Maybe a little day trip somewhere? You write the story, remember!

Anthony

Manifestations and Scott McGuire

I was doing some grocery shopping with my good friend E tonight, and we were at the Fairway Market on 74th and Broadway. Upstairs is the organic area...I took him there to show him the bulk section and the great olives that they have there. So upstairs, I see organic hachiya persimmons on sale...$.99 each...oh yeah...thats right..ORGANIC baby! $1!!! Usually $2-$4! And these little sweeties were PLUMP! Loving it!!

I think I bought 6 or 7...so in about 3 days its gonna be......!!! Oh god...this is what excites me? Hmmm...definitely a bad sign.

Well...I manifested organic persimmons, so that was a plus.

And on to the 2nd topic...

Scott McGuire is my new hero.

Who is he?

This guy set up an amazing backyard sustainability system...he really knows his stuff and its all so practical. He hasnt even been at this place for a year. It really inspires me to do something likewise. He still has alot of projects to work on, but it looks pretty good already in that video. And what's best is that he educates the public and children especially, and just asks for donations. We need more of these people in the world. Check it out if you have a little free time.

My agency gave their blessings for me to take the time off next spring and summer and build my Home-Sustainability project in Minnesota. I really thought I was going to have to choose one over the other, but they said that they would still like to have me on the team even if I was away for some time. I dont know what I would decide to do after the first season of the project, but its all good of course.

Hong Kong in one month! FRESH DURIAN and MANGOSTEEN!

David Wolfe's Charity for Chocolate is going on Sunday at 8pm...I'll be there...will you? Raw Cacao sample bonanza! Bring your ziplock bags!! KIDDING!!! I DID NOT SAY THAT!

Rawmodel

Birds....Bees...and Jesus???

Too Much of a Good Thing

This weekend, I overindulged both on honey, and bee pollen. This health food store near my apartment was having a 20% off sale on all their merchandise, so I picked up some items to try.

The honey was pretty good. $10 for the pound. I ate .5lbs on saturday, and .5lbs on Sunday. You would be amazed at how fast you can eat a pound of honey if you place it nearby you with a spoon. This variety...I was hoping it was going to be more creamy and fragrant...it was ok, but not what I really expected for some reason.

The pollen though...NOT good. There is fresh pollen, and there is this pellet-like garbage. It was crunchy, and Ive had pollen so soft before it would just fall apart in your hand. That is fresh. Like that point where its still moist. Thats magic. This...was a joke. At $11.29 a lb, I didnt feel it was a huge rip-off, but just find the fresh and hopefully local stuff and pay the $13-15 its worth, even more if you have to...just dont go crazy on it. 1/4 cup a day MAX. Spread out the love...

So...how would we get the freshest honey and especially for me...POLLEN ever? Buy a hive and raise bees yourself! Right? I realized that this could be an integral part of the permaculture concept. They are pollinators of the fruit trees and other berries and fruits, and they can produce those easily stored superfoods. And one family could probably get enough pollen in one day to last many months. Im really excited about this idea. Ive been looking online and doing my research and it seems that a person could get started raising bees for about $150. Read up on it and see if it could work for you. Sure, it would be easy just to buy the honey or pollen from someone else who already knows what they are doing, but remember the purpose that they serve as pollinators to your landscape. Its a good balance, and worth thinking about.

Check out a good site for getting started with bees
...I havent bought anything yet though.

Its the same with chickens. They just dont give you eggs and milk...oh wait..flesh? Um.. or just eggs?..anyways...

I would just raise chickens for egg production because my father and friends would still want to eat the eggs and Id prefer that they were stress-free, highly-mineralized, cage-free eggs instead of the frankenstein-rubbish they are selling these days.

Here is a chicken site I found.

We are looking specifically for chickens that lay very good BROWN eggs...its so great that you get to pick and choose. I read about a guy in Brooklyn, NY that was raising chickens in his backyard, so maybe you can too.

AND...the chickens do duties like covert bugs, weeds, and waste like kitchen scraps or lawn clippings into manure which goes into your compost piles. Its the same as putting up a bat-house...the bats that live inside come out at night and will eat thousands of mosquitoes so you dont have to spray chemicals everywhere and on your skin and your kid's skin. Work with nature!!!

Question of the day:

euclase said...

Hello Anthony,
I enjoy reading your blog. Great posting always.
I was reading some of your old postings and back in June you talked about quantum physics when you are discussing our body being the temple for our soul. I thought it was interesting and you are def. not the only one who approach diet and spirituality from that angle. I know very little on the subject of quantum physics so could you recommend any books or articles for beginners like me? Thank you and you sound/look very RAWsome!

Euclase

Hi Euclase. Very original name, right? My first time ever hearing. Very cool though.

Ok, I think I would recommend three books, and another that comes highly recommended to me but which ive yet to read.

This is tough...

For quantum physics? Someone out there is gonna be upset no matter what. I guess as a wide beginning I would recommend "The Field". You know whats the best way to find out about good books is to go to amazon.com and search for Quantum Physics, and just start looking at overall reviews and narrow it down. Check out the movie "What the Bleep do We Know" (if the storyline becomes really too cheesy for you and the polka scene seems LIKE IT WILL NEVER FRIGGIN' END....just stick through it. Its worth it. Even the Secret. True, a bit materialistic for me at times...but the concepts are true. Just use your powers to manifest positive change in the world and the minds of others, not fancy-ass mansions and $100,000 cars.

I also loved the book series called "Conversations with God". I found that those writings changed the whole way I see how this world works. It helped me to realize who I REALLY am, and who you REALLY are. (Answer? The same "individual"...in different temporary expressions)

I loved it. And when I was listening to the Steve Adler interview on We Like It Raw, he mentioned a book called "Love without End...Jesus Speaks". The reviews for this book are excellent, so i will likely read this within the next few months.

Dont get me wrong, Im not some Christian telling people to read just Christianity stuff. All teachings can be great or flawed. Be sure to read "Autobiography of a Yogi" as well...

The....rawmodel

Going crazy in the city...GRASPing for clean air...

Reasons for Rawness

I know that I've stated some reasons as to why I live this lifestyle. Some more were coming into my mind, so I thought I shouldd do an updated list so any new people out there can get a fresh look at it.

So...why do all of this?

1. I don't eat dead animals. Therefore my body is no longer a graveyard for the corpses of stressed and murdered beings. How does this really sound? Talk about bad energy going into your body.

2. Since I don't eat dead animals, they cannot leave deposits of their cholesterol and toxins in my body. My blood flows easily and pure. You will never see them pulling strings of cholesterol out of me when Im older. Think of the money and stressed saved right there!

3. I'm no longer contributing to the madness which is industrial agriculture. The toxins, the petrol-based fertilizers, the GREED. This system has devoured our forests and sprayed our topsoils with mixtures unimaginable. And all the food and water that goes into these poor animals before they are dismembered and devoured is appalling. 40 gallons of water for one pound of beef. Is it worth it???? Id much rather have the water. This HAS to stop, but for now, no more for me.

4. By eating only raw plant-based food, my garbage practically goes to ZERO. I can throw my food scraps and juice pulp in the garden or compost pile, and I reuse bags when I shop from the farmer's market.

5. I dont have to bake, fry, steam, boil, sautée, blanch, BLAH BLAH BLAH...ANYMORE. And no scrubbing greasy buildup off of pans (and off my arteries). I dont have to buy a microwave or even a stove and oven. And think of all the ancient stuff in my cupboards that I can throw away now! Im now telling myself as Im going through everything..."I was planning to eat THAT someday?" Holy shit! Haha...

6. Because my diet is cleaner and fresher, the nutrients within it can be absorbed much easier. Edestin, found in hemp seed, is the most easily-absorbed form of protein. All you guys and gals out there drinking whey protein are definitely not "in-the-know". Plant-based protein! Learn about it before you think it cant work for you...just goes to show how small-minded people can be. And look at my pics...I have to look good in order to get paid, so I take it really seriously. Raw plant protein is the way to go.

7. This diet (lots of green leaves included) is basically depression-proof. I feel so happy and clear about things when my blood is alkaline. This can only be achieved by fasting or being on a raw food diet. I am trying to consume about 5 lemons a day in my green smoothies now as well. So alkaline!

8. I simply get to eat the best food ever. I'm not joking. The idea of 'treating' myself with some big cooked dish compared to a decadent living-food dish isnt even present at all in my mind. Its all about the savory raw dishes for me now. Really go all out for it and give/make yourself the best living food ever for you and your loved ones. Get good recipes and do it right...you wont regret it.

So...ethically, heath-wise, and resource/waste-wise...the LIVING FOODS DIET is the champ. Unless you can sungaze and live off of air...best of luck. I've yet to try, so I can't comment. HRM
deserves much due respect though. Anyways...you get what I'm saying. This diet is the best for the body because it IS the best for the earth. We are getting back to where we need to be, and the Universe is showing us that we are taking the right steps.

9. And on top of that, the spirituality factor is a major tool against the ills of our society. I've felt more at peace than ever before, and the thought of stealing from someone or hurting another with nasty words or violence is really out of the question. I still say some things that offend people, but its just my current truth. To live in full truth is supreme freedom. Im not there yet, but I hope to be one day in this lifetime. I've just never felt the "oneness" or "connectedness" feelings so intensely as when Im on a 100% living foods diet (with loads of greens, mind you). The feeling of one spirit was never so strong as when I became raw-vegan. I dont know if its a shortcut of sorts, or all in my head, but it amazes me that spiritual leaders can really feel whats going on and not be living-foodists. Anyone with me on this? Any full 99%-100% people with me on this?

Living Foods are really where its at. I can't go back now, even if I wanted to. When I tried before for a few days, my body would be sending me big red lights as to why I should stop immediately.
Its just so damn obvious that I can't argue about it with myself even a little bit in my mind.

And #10! - All of evolutionary biology reinforces it too, as well as primate studies. We are the strange off-shoot of evolution that wishes to cook our food and enslave the rest of life on Earth. I'm being dark though...we have SO much light on the side of life now...and ultimately we can only win. Failure doesnt even exist, only sustained victories.

So anytime you are having doubts, or some carnivorous beast is giving you a hard time about your diet choices...keep these reasons in mind.

Next up...joining forces with bees.

Persimmons and Peak Oil

Its Persimmon Season!!

I have to say, I think Persimmons are in my top three rotating all-time favorite fruits.
(The others...? Figs and Durian)
This one is about 2 days away from being ready. I bought this one on 14th St, but I bought a few smaller ones down in Chinatown. The lady said that everyone she knows eats them when they are still crisp, but if you wait until they are dark orange and soft, they are simply the best. This one Im going to enjoy by itself, then after that I'm going to blend one with avocado and see how it combines. Should be great.

They vary in price from $1 to $1.50 for non-organic, and $2-$4 for organic. So far Ive just been buying the conventional ones. I don't know how they compare nutritionally and how many massive doses of spray they get each season, but they are always pretty tasty...Im thinking about getting a couple for planting next summer, but I would have to place them in a greenhouse in the winter if they were going to survive. The climate is ever-changing though, and the people that make the colored "zone" agricultural charts have already had to change the map twice to reflect the changes in global warming. They say that NY will have the climate of Washington D.C. in just another decade or so.

...

Despite the great impact global warming will have, I think our most pressing concerning the idea of keeping civilization up and running is peak oil.
What THIS VIDEO as well for more info.

Especially for those living in the suburban areas of the U.S., there are big problems that are going to be faced. Check out James Howard Kunstler speak about this topic from the annual TED festival held in Silicon Valley every year.

I would say that we should be thinking of ways to live with less energy instead of trying to develop alternatives to keep business going as usual. The Earth simply can't continue to take this growth. We need to live smart and lightly. Im going to put in two wind power turbines, and maybe a couple of solar panels. I'm not going to need much because I want the whole system to pretty much support some highly-efficient lightbulbs and our laptops. I might not even put a refrigerator in there. If so, it would be a little college-sized energy-star version. I would just hand wash whatever small amount of clothes I would be wearing, and hang them out to dry. Kitchen appliances my take up alot...maybe vita-mix once a week?

I just read Henry David Thoreau's "Walden" at a time when I was really ripe for something like that to come along my way. I just want the simple, self-sufficient life full of clean air, water, and food. I don't want the fancy cars or the mansions...they can have all that, because its just too much worry and too much money to maintain.

Courtesy: Colorado Yurt (I LIKE THESE!)

"A man is rich in proportion to the number of things
which he can afford to let alone."
from the chapter "Where I Lived and What I Lived For" in Walden

Am I crazy? Does this all make any sense to you? Wouldn't you prefer to live in a cute and smart little cottage with your loved ones and be surrounded by grape vines and berry bushes and fruit trees? Wouldn't it be nice to step out of the rat-race and not have a million things to take care of by the end of the week?

I've lived in major cities, and I think I've got all I needed from them. I want to go back and reconnect. Im tempted to take a break from modeling asap and just focus on writing and getting ready for the springtime. I could stay in Asia longer too, and there is nothing wrong with that at all. We just have to follow our dreams and not be bound by the desires of a stable paycheck. Hell, I havent had a stable paycheck for years really, and it gets a little tense. Its not fun cutting deep into savings. Id want to work on the Minnesota project and then spend some time out on the west coast. Ive been to California, but never lived there. And I would love to spend time in Oregon with my good friend D.L. who lives out there. Life is to be lived! Sitting around in the cold NYC weather is just not doing it for me anymore.


Check these little cottages out...sent to my by my good friend Miin!
We can do this people! Green & sustainable living done with style! Why isnt every rich person creating little eco-villages with these things?

Peace everyone! Have a great weekend!!!

Anthony

Permaculture Sketch and Travel

A Very Rough Sketch

This is my first preliminary drawing of what I'd like to do to my little spot of land in Minnesota. Here is a pic of that again:
So the yurt that Id get for about $10-12k US, (A VERY affordable way to live in style) www.pacificyurts.com

I should friggin' work for these people, especially when I think of how much I talk about their product. Seriously though, I think these yurts can be done with a high level of eco-style and they are really resource efficient. I would put a trellis of grapes and planters around the outer wall. Lots of windows, lots of natural light. Just by viewing their 3-D tour, I saw how much ANYONE could improve it. I would totally put up something to cover that interior wall!

So fix that up, make it really cool and cozy inside, and then put it on a circular terrace or deck made from recycled plastic and reclaimed (recycled) wood. Ideally, you want to build the yurt on the deck, so have the deck made FIRST. I think the main structure would be under $20,000 including the deck. Then just add in the fruit trees and berry bushes and get the poultry area built (so my dad can have his eggs...at least they would be fresh and from unstressed and well-fed birds.) And they would provide excellent organic manure for the compost. Add the hoop-house/greenhouse, and build the rest. You could even build your own greenhouse with 2x4's and plexiglass. Im not saying that its going to be easy, but it will be fun and a great project to work on with my family, and especially my dad.

This smaller style could be further back into the woods

I'll talk more about all of this really soon (Water, Solar, Wind especially) so feel free to ask me questions if you have any.

Question:

hey anthony! i know this is waaaay past commenting time already but.. in relation to this post- what are your ideas on travelling green? i too am planning the whole eco lifesyle with travel options thing but flying anywhere on a plane just kills the environment. i was thinking about driving from malaysia to the UK or taking trains. i'd love to know if you have any ideas about this. also.. what do you think about the eating local idea? in some places, perhaps even in nyc, unless you grow things yourself it's pretty hard to eat organic, local and raw.. what do you think?



Let's face it, flying IS REALLY BAD for the atmosphere. Ive heard that it's equal to a whole year of everything else...? Can this be true? Probably because its spewing all the CO2 WAY up in the upper atmosphere, doing serious direct damage. I did this game called Consumer Consequences, and the only thing that really nailed me was the flying.

Your journey would be 1000 times richer if you traveled by land. However, if you have the time, consider yourself a rare and lucky soul. Few can take the time from needed and unneeded responsibilities, so if you can, I would surely do it. It sounds like a VERY long trip though...
Arrange an itinerary that would allow you to stay at eco-villages/resorts or wwoof as you go along. Im sure some people will take you for shorter periods of time if they need the extra help. Eat local fruits, support local farmers, maybe share ideas about the future...you can't go wrong with that.

I think after peak oil really changes things, and affordable flying is no longer an option whatsoever, its going to become all continental journeys via hi-speed train and other continents via ship. Can't wait to pull into Victoria Harbor! Could you imagine going over the ocean like in the old days? This whole airplane business is going to come and go within our lifetime...at least the widespread public use of it.

NYC pretty good for eating locally, esp in the summer and fall of course. We are located near the Hudson River Valley and all the good farms in New Jersey as well, so we have really good local produce all the time, from less than 100 miles. To really increase the locality factor of your diet, consume a ton of local sprouts and definitely grow them yourself if you want to save alot of money and try to make a little hobby of it. You can become THE urban farmer! But if you had a greenhouse and lived in the suburbs, you could probably grow year round here and live off of your apples and root vegetables throughout the winter if you wanted to stay raw. Honey and dried fruit added in plentifully, I hope. It would take a while to get the fruit trees established and producing (or maybe not...you can order large trees now) but it shouldnt take long overall to reach the point of feeding yourself.

And we have a strong number of raw restaurants here in NY, so if you dont feel like making something, you can find a great alternative not far away. And some might even deliver. Its pretty good here. Im tired of it(NYC) for sure, and ready to start this Permaculture stuff, but its a really cool city, with lots of good resources and cool people. Its worth trying out at least from April to July, or Sept-End of Dec if you dont mind the cold. There's just so much more out there...its been 3 years...time to move on, right?

Anthony

Raw Couples and Tree Update

Blended Together -
Durian
1 Young Thai Coconut with water (you know what to do, scoop it out with the spoon...)
Cacao Powder (as much as you like)
Green Superfood (So many, go as pure as possible). Avoid ALL with bran and soy lecithin or apple fiber. Big waste of money. Just buy bulk spirulina or chlorella or blue green algae. There are good blends out there as well so just check the trusted raw websites to find out which ones we're thinking about.
Next...blend it all together until its soooo smooth. Im not going to give a specific amount of durian and cacao powder because this is really up to you. You will know how much you want. You can even throw cashews or macadamia nuts in, even avocado! Have this early though, at LEAST 6 hours before bed.

After its all blended, throw a fierce handful of:
Hemp Seeds (look into Manitoba Harvest Online Bulk, (the best price around and especially to support the best company out there that is promoting organic hemp growth)
And...Cacao Nibs. Look for the Criollo variety. This is definitely the best quality kind of chocolate.
You could easily modify this with bee pollen on top, goji berries or different seeds and nuts. Its really up to the creator of the dish.

with pistachios (and less green superfood)
-
This is a dish for LOVERS!

There should be some more insight about couples who are living-foodists. Im trying to avoid saying RAW as much as I can, it does have this rough all-too-natural-and SCARY sound to it. So living-foodists...ahh....so peaceful and pleasant sounding....Living-Foodist Model doesnt sound all that great.

Anyways, these couples should be talking about their experiences with transitioning and what they do for recreation and how its changed their lives overall. And how about raising KIDS raw? Ive seen some examples, but I would think that there should be bunches more in the past couple of years. There has to be some kind of study to compare these children to regular kids eating white bread and drinking soda and kool-aid. This would convince more parents to switch over than anything else could.

How about those fruit trees? Did anyone happen to check out those fruit tree sites that I posted earlier? I bought alot of smaller ones from Peaceful Valley, but after looking at Willis Orchards, I've discovered all these trees for sale which are already 6-8ft (2-2.5m) Tall. So you are getting your valuble pesticide-free-fruit in much, MUCH less time. True they are more expensive, but if you consider the value of all the fruit you will get compared to buying the same amount, its much closer, if not a cheaper price. Think about persimmons and figs! Or guavas and jujube trees! Damn!....those are so cool, and so expensive...so if you have loads of these...Think about it - if they are charging $8/lb for them here in the states, you could have yourself easily enough to pay for the tree. And they will keep producing for a very long time. So GOOD.

If you or someone you know ends up getting some fruit trees, Id love to hear about the story. I'm planning on getting from Willis Orchards the Italian Everbearing Fig, 1 of each Paw Paw, Black Mulberry, and maybe try a Hachiya Persimmon since I'll have the greenhouse to keep it warmer in winter. I also ordered Walnut trees. Remember, this is just because of my area. I would get an avocado tree in a second if I knew I could grow it where I live.
The whole idea is that with the right storage, you can eat off of your own piece of land 365 days a year. With good year-round food growing techniques and a dehydrator you can do it. Nuts provide the fat. Hemp seed would be the perfect fat to have, but walnuts or almonds would be do-able.

I can't grow olives in Minnesota either, but those trees would be a definite selection if I lived in the right climate. Many of you probably do, so look into those, along with avocados!.

Have a good Tuesday evening! Its the best night to eat out! No weekend rush, so you know your food is cared for, and the food is fresher. Some places are always fresher, but most will buy in bigger shipments and hold food for days and days before serving it. If you or your friend eat fresh fish, I wouldnt go out to eat on Sundays or Mondays...think about it...

Rawmodel

Raw, but Unbalanced

Fresh Cherries tossed in a mixture of:
Hemp Seed
Cacao Nibs
Agave Nectar
Hemp Oil.

The Best. Works with apricots also.

These are the kind of dishes you just start to imagine. There was really no set recipe, you just work with what you have on hand. With raw foods you can really become an alchemist with your diet...so many "raw" materials to work with...haha

I stayed raw this weekend, but was eating LATE and heavy. Really low on the greenery scale and way too many nuts and seeds. I ate that whole FIG (I just corrected this after WAY too long)-coco tart right after I made it! It was soooo good though. But way too much. When you live alone you don't have your partner there to share it (the raw dessert) with...or to have them nearby to tell you to stop being a pig and not to eat that whole raw pie! Haha...I need that person every so often to keep me in line, because I really do pay the price afterwards. The weather was hell this Saturday here in NY, and I just stayed inside the whole time. That's really rare for me. I have to admit it, but its just SO depressing riding that subway around. The bike was quick freedom, and now everything is in slow motion when it comes to getting around.

I walked down to Chinatown from 21st St and bought a durian. I walked over to this basketball court area on Grand and Allen or Chrystie St down in the Lower East Side. I was watching these young 20-somethings play polo while riding on their single-speed bicycles. Young women and men playing together...it was really great to watch. I felt like such a lazy spectator though. Here they were, so active and having a good time with friends, and there I was, eating a durian (awesome) in the park alone(not awesome).

I gotta give my mom that damn dehydrator too. Its just too convenient to make all these amazing raw treats, and then since my dehydrator is easily within my reach from this desk that Im typing on...its just too easy to eat a pound of raw granola in 30 min. NOT GOOD.

She (my mom) will be able to experiment a bunch more with it as well, so its best that she has it. Once you really start using it, and always have items in there...rotating all these different creations...it really gets a person excited about living-foods. This is what can really help a new person transition. The crackers, and crusts, and cookies, and chips...SO much easier to leave the cooked side.

So whats worse? Eating heavy raw fats and superfoods late at night, or being 90% raw instead of 100%? I have to tell you, even at 100%, with a diet like I had this weekend, it really made me more lethargic that the usual green smoothie fresh fruit diet that I have been doing lately. Keep this in mind everyone.

A reader of the blog recently asked me if I have ever had any tooth pains since going raw. Nothing yet, but I havent experienced any eyesight changes either like some have. However, I have not been 100% the entire time either. We could be in the realms of LONG term change when we mention teeth and eyes. Usually when I end up traveling somewhere I try some local dishes. So my 100% for many times of the year is more like 90-95%, some rare days much less than that.

Ive eaten a ton of goji berries for extended periods of time though, and didnt notice any changes. But I would honestly believe that it takes a longer time before the change comes. I do believe after years and years of goji berries, senses like eyesight and hearing will definitely be different. 3 years of my experience as raw (usually 100%) shouldnt be considered yet as a source of long term changes.

Here's a thought...Living-foodists might be one of the smallest minority groups out there today. In per capita numbers, the living-foods percentage must be beyond minuscule. All the more reason to stick together for when we need support. Keep on brainstorming about get-togethers to watch related movies and having potlucks, lets really use the internet to our advantage.

Im about to watch some more episodes of "Its Always Sunny in Philadelphia" . I know there are those out there that would never ever watch a tv show ever again, and especially not a comedy sitcom! Well...its good to laugh, and this is really smart humor. I've found myself laughing out loud many times. Check it out if you'd like, I dont think you would regret it.

So Im gonna try to post every other day. Lets shoot for 3-4 a week...that way I wont run out of steam so fast. Many times the ideas just flow, and I cant reason to just sit on them for a while. So we'll see how this goes. Lots of plans for my Permaculture project in Minnesota too...much more to come.

Question of the Day - Craving Cooked Foods

Question of the day:


Hi Anthony,
I love your site! You are doing a great job updating and adding videos which livens things up and really gives insight into the raw/live foods lifestyle.

I have a question for you as a person new to raw food: Do you ever get terribly hungry and/or have cravings for cooked food? I am 50% raw right now and can feel a difference due to adding a greens smoothie to my day and fresh fruit and veg. But I am concerned that I will get really hungry with higher % of raw foods each day, then eat too many nuts or high fat raw and get fat. Neither condition is desirable to me. Any suggestions?

Thanks so much!
Kiki
P.S. Those figs look GORGEOUS!

Kiki...

For me, it was always specific dishes that I was craving. Like some kind of Indian food like saag paneer or Italian food like eggplant parmesan (sp?), or of course - falafel. Its amazing how falafel can even be referred to as "healthy". And I referring even to the regular deep-fried falafels. For some reason, many individuals will still relate "vegetarian" to "healthy". You can be a vegan that drinks and eats all kinds of bread and noodles and other cooked carbs, and be headed straight for sickness. The difference with me eating raw carbs and cooked carbs is shockingly noticeable. I'll add on 10lbs of water weight in 3 or 4 days. Once you go full raw, that fine line becomes so apparent. All of our years before, we literally floated around in the "meso-health" area. I had a little padding on my body (probably that last 10lbs) for years. I was around 180lbs (81kg) - 6'1'' (186cm), working out but still eating lots of cooked food.
When I reached 100% for extended periods of time, I leaned out and reached 165-168. You could see all the muscles that were underneath...as they are there for everyone else too. We just have to remove the padding (both interior - the colon build-up) and exterior (excess water weight) and the beauty will again shine through.

Giving up cooked vegan dishes was MUCH harder than giving up meat. Vegans think they are making big sacrifices sometimes...it's laughable. Going raw is COMPLETELY different. You are in a different paradigm once you are raw. The whole concept of rejoining the rest of nature by eating RAW food is totally new for most of us on this planet.

So if you are craving dishes that you miss because you are trying to go raw, its likely that those dishes are cooked, because its all we have ever eaten basically. Sure, we ate our fruit and had our salads. However, the GOOD dishes...the ones that our parents would make for us, or that we would have when we went out on special occasions, we always COOKED. So, save that dish for when you reach the two or even three week mark of being raw. Make that your special occasion. But really give raw a serious effort and know that your special meal is coming. Once you have the breakthrough, you will be able to make an honest choice of whether you want to keep it at 100%. I've experienced profound moments being at 100% with lots of greens and by being active, and that feeling then replaces the old longing of those cooked dishes. And once you find unbelieveably good raw dishes, its so much easier to replace those cravings.

One more thing everyone, if you know someone having a hard time viewing this page, let them know that its best viewed at 1280x800 resolution. My mom was having that problem and a very nice woman from the UK just contacted me and said the same thing. Hope this helps! Have a juicy weekend...

Anthony

Raw Food Nation

When you first become raw, you realize that you are living in a world full of addicts. I'm totally more easy-going about it than when I started, because I was way more vulnerable back then.

Maybe one could slightly compare it to quitting alcohol, except that every single person you know, including all of your family and friends, are still indulging 3+ times a day. And they want you to drink again with them! They ask, why dont you join them? Even dear old grandma is trying to pour a pint of beer down your throat. This sounds insane, but its pretty much the world of a new raw-foodist. You can be a 100% when you are at home and with other people who are like-minded. Then you can usually try and go cooked when you spend time at family events and get-togethers with friends...OR you can choose go 99%-100% and REALLY feel the difference. I could always tell the difference when I went back to 5% cooked. Not as drastic as many people have claimed, but I would sleep a bit longer and be just a little slower throughout my waking hours. I hated this feeling, but I wanted to still be a part of what was going on around me.

Wouldnt it be amazing to go to a family reunion some day in the future and all that was there was exotic fruits, amazing raw food dishes, and glowing, radiant people? Wouldn't it be easier to stay 100%?

My good friend Dhru from We Like It Raw just wrote about Community, and it inspired me to make this post. I was a lone wolf doing raw for almost 3 years. I didnt attend or even know of any pot-lucks, and knew one other person in NY that was about 75% raw. I felt like an alien. My social life was non-existent because whatever we tend to do socially involves food and alcohol. It was too much of a sacrifice for me...so I ended up staying home a lot or going to the gym. I justified that it was good for work, which is was, but I was surely missing the human connections that we really do need in life.

If I would have had a closer raw community when I was in my first year, my transition would have been SO much easier. I would not have felt like I was trading my social life for raw radiance. I would have had both! And now WE CAN have both. I beg you to start up raw food meetups and potlucks...wherever you live. Its tough in NY and some other cities because many people do not have the space in their apartments (or this is an excuse?) but if you are anywhere else, you should be able to have great potlucks at your home at least once a month. Its like having instant friends because when you share the raw food lifestyle, you can empathize with what they are going through and understand a good deal more about them. All you need is the space...and maybe a little background music.

So if you want to instantly improve your social life, become a Living Foods Champion and start hosting pot-lucks. Get some raw dvds and put them on while everyone is enjoying great raw food creations. My apartment could maybe seat about 6 people in our living room, so it would be tough for me, but if I had the space, there's no doubt I'd have one, and likely I would make it a once-a-week occurrence.

Dhru mentioned that any kind of community support is essential. There is no need have to have 20 people over in order to call it a community. Even having one or two other raw-foodists to talk to when times are tough can make all the difference. For this reason, Dhru started the We Like It Raw group on Facebook. I just joined a few days ago, and there is a good presence of people on it. The Universe Provides.

The internet was made for raw food. Can you imagine where this movement and lifestyle would be if it werent for the internet? It would all still be through books and movies, and most of us probably never would have heard enough about it to be interested in it. The truth about some things are so prevalent, that when something comes along that spreads the message easily like the printing press and now the internet, the message EXPLODES. Living food is so obvious, that when people seriously give it a try, they usually become living-breathing advertisements for the living-foods lifestyle. Thats alot of LIVING. Like leads to like. Its impossible not to happen. And when you simply live the radiant life you have helped to create through living foods and higher consciousness, there is no need to even say a word. People will notice. All the better to not say anything, and just let your life do all the talking.

When I finally shut my mouth about raw foods to my family and friends and just started living it, slowly more and more became receptive to it. We dont want to sound like religious born-agains trying to spread THE TRUTH. It doesnt work for those people, and it wont work for us either. Just live...and see what happens. And if people dont want to switch, its their path and they will do what they need to do. I would LOVE for the whole world to be raw (except other Caucasian male models with brown hair...haha) but we have to be patient. This truth is so powerful that it will reach everyone eventually. The tipping point will come.

Join some groups. Life can be so much better and fresher if you do. We want our fruit and greens fresh, but a lot of times we forget that our lives should be too. Groups bring fresh people and ideas into your life. If you are in an area that lacks a raw food "scene"...CREATE ONE. Be the vanguard of living foods in your area. Even if you live in a smaller town, you can put up flyers and show some websites that people can look at for recipes...this is what the internet is for. Its spinning faster and faster, so let's use it to get people turned onto this lifestyle. Once you know "the truth" i.e....we are the only species that has chosen to cook and alter our food...it will be hard to go back. Red pill or Blue pill?

I think I'm going to do a 6 person pot luck at my place. Better 6 than none, right?

Anthony (Andrew?...some nice girl mistakenly called me Andrew in a comment. Funny stuff..)

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The New York City Raw Food Meetup Group!