We Like It Raw - Raw Food Goodness

Trusting In The Universe

As I sit in the airplane on my way to London to give my first International lecture, I can’t help but ponder over the past year, and all the joy and happiness it has brought me.  I don’t think I ever expected to be traveling, giving motivational talks about raw food, but then again the universe has a funny was of mixing things up a bit.  So here I am reviewing the years past experiences in my head, as I found myself thinking about how much of it was really my doing, and how much was just given to me, as a gift from the universe.

2007
One year ago I was sitting in my bed at The Creative Health Institute in Michigan, a raw food retreat center that I attended for two weeks, wondering what life had in store for me.  I already knew how to make all the recipes, and knew how to eat, but more than anything I went there to take a break, relax, and breathe.  I really hadn’t any raw food support to speak of up to this point, I didn’t even know one person that was a vegetarian.  So, I would huddle around my books and contemplate the future.  I felt sort of lost and out of place in the world, and knew I just needed to feel safe, even if it was just for a moment. 

My visit there was just what I needed because I met beautiful friends, and really felt recharged for what was to come.  I knew I needed to be there for a reason, and I knew I needed to take something important home with me, a tool, a skill, something.  Little did I know that “something” was faith?  I had been a spiritually minded person my entire life but somehow allowed nervousness, control, and fear into my life as well.  How did they get in?  I must have left a back door open somewhere. 

What I ended up taking away was invaluable, and I am eternally grateful for it.

Faith
Trusting in the Universe has been a wonderful learning process for me.  Leaning that I manifest the world around me.  Learning there is no such thing as coincidence.  Learning that I am a co-creator, and not a victim.  Learning that the responsibility is all mine.  Learning that the universe only has good things for me.  Learning to be still, and know that everything is perfect.

From the moment I began to release the reigns a bit I found that I was actually able to truly enjoy life for the first time.  I began attracting new friends, from all over the world.  Raw food communities were popping up and it seemed like support was everywhere.  I met Dhrumil and found a new business partner.  Companies began to contact me, opportunities for adventure began to present themselves, and people began to ask me to speak in their area enabling me to travel all over the world. 

The Best
I came to find that living a life with the attitude of having the “The Best Day Ever,” everyday, presented more than I could ever hope or dream for.  I decided not to put my future in a box, but rather be completely open to whatever was to come.  Expecting the best in every situation and being in a space of gratitude no matter what was gifted to me.  This new way of thinking turned into a new way of manifesting.  If I create the world around me, why not create it the very best way possible.

Tools
Here are a couple tools I found that helped me along the way:

1.    Affirmations.  Most people have a terrible day because subconsciously they don’t feel that they deserve anything good in life, usually do to a lack of self-love.  You can reverse that by affirming it to yourself in the mirror daily.  I dare you.  Do it until you actually believe yourself, or until you crack up laughing.

2.    Creating Your Day.  Create your day by writing down exactly how you want your day to go.  It is quite simple, and should take less than 5 or 10 minutes.  Don’t be skimpy on the details either.  If you are having a problem with a co-worker, write down how you would like them to act towards you, seeing that person as cordial and pleasant.  Whatever the situation, see it in your mind and write it down.

3.    Visualization.  Take 30 minutes once or more a week and picture your future, the way you want it to be.  Write your own movie where you get to be the star.  Your goal may be to lose 40 pounds, and go to work in a new tailored pinstripe suit.  If that is the case, picture yourself as that person in your minds eye, trim, strong, muscular, confidant, and looking amazing in your new suit.  Picture what it feels like when you walk around and interact with people.  Feel the emotion of the moment.  The emotion is what sets it into action. 

I have pictured myself as a trim muscular guy for pretty much my entire life.  After losing nearly 200 lbs, I am surely on my way.  It might have taken a little longer than expected, but like I said, I am learning.  What if I took this approach years ago, maybe it would have happened a lot sooner, but then again, there was lessons that I needed to learn to get to this point.  Why else would I have manifested it this way?

So whether you struggle with viewing yourself from the perspective of the past…
Or find yourself worrying about your purpose, or who you will be in the future…
Or just plain tired of having days that are “less than the best ever…”

Trust in the Universe.
Take steps to create change.
And smile, because you are loved.

Blissfully Yours,

Philip @ Lovingraw

Eye Contact: a vehicle to the present moment

Related

• Gateways to Now, by Eckhart Tolle (also on itunes)
• Sarano Kelley

Bringing more video to WLIR

Two ways we're bringing more video to WLIR

1. Dhrumil's weekly video casts: about all sorts of subjects related to raw food + spirituality
2. Video comments: in the commenting section of all blog posts (video and text)

Let's see some more beautiful raw food faces and beautiful videos!

Bunny Berry's 100 Day Raw Food Challenge

One of the hippest ladies in the raw food scene today is Bunny Berry aka Beth Berry. I can't take credit for discovering her site though, that goes to my good friend Penni Shelton who sent me this message today:

Hi Dhrumil, I wanted to mention a member of our community at GI2MR, Beth Berry. Beth, aka, Bunny Berry has the most entertaining raw food blog on the internet right now and I think you all should feature her on WLIR. She's a hilarious personality and a breath of fresh air... she's really bringing the humor back to what sometimes can be a serious lot of people. She is on a 100 day raw food challenge and blogs w/ videos 5 days a week. She's got a loyal following already, but today is Day 30 for her and I think she needs a bump into the spot light!

I spent the last 45 minutes catching up on Beth's journey and I couldn't agree more. You can't help but to smile watching Beth.

Here's one of Beth's most recent videos on mothers day, Ani Phyo's recipe book and exercise:

If you have a few minutes today, check out Beth and catch her latest videos at Bunny Berry's 100 Day Raw Food Challenge

Back on solids again, and it feels so good

The break down.

• Day 1: Prunes
• Day 2: Prunes
• Day 3: Fruit
• Day 4: Fruit
• Day 5: Sprouts
• Day 6: Sprouts

Product Review Corner

Sproutliving
I received a beautiful box of sprouts from Alex and Mark at Sproutliving.com.  I got them just in time for day 6 after breaking my juice feast.  You might remember Alex, he is the owner of Rawguru.com. 

As I opened the box I was delighted to find everything was neatly packed and kept cold with plenty of ice packs.  There were a dozen boxes in all, with a wide variety of sprouts including sunflower, cilantro, red Russian kale, celery, broccoli, pea shoots, onion, wasabi, citrus mixes and edible blossoms.  If you check out their site you will find about another 20 varieties, all organic, all amazing.  Also, stay tuned as their newly formulated sprout powder line is launched.  And if that is not enough, Rawguru sells USDA organic coconuts…. that’s right, ORGANIC COCONUTS. 

I think you will be able to figure out my impression of the sprouts from my video below.

O.N.E Natural Experience
When O.N.E. contacted me to review their ready-to-drink coconut water, I must admit, I was a little hesitant.  I knew they were pasteurized, and since I have never been anything other than 100% raw, I wasn’t sure how I felt about that.  But then I came to the conclusion… how many people are actually 100% raw.  Maybe 5%, maybe 10%.  Some people drink coffee, some beer, and some just don’t have access to good coconut water, so why not at least review something amazing, even if it is heated.  Besides, who is counting percentages anyway… well, except me?

So I gave a case away to some friends to try, both raw foodists and non-raw foodists alike.  The consensus was anonymous that the 100% pure coconut water was delicious and refreshing.  So if you’re not a purist and looking for a nice treat, check it out.  They also have Amazon Acai and Cashew Juice. 

Reversing the Irreversible DVD
Valya Boutenko just released a 90-minute DVD with nothing but testimonies of raw foodists who improved their health naturally, and overcame dis-ease.  Everything from weight loss to cancer is covered, including yours truly.  Check out a preview of the movie.  So if you have some friends or family members with less than stellar health, and just won’t pick up a book, get a DVD and show them its possible with raw!

Keep Sprouting,

Philip @ Lovingraw

PS.  Be sure to stop by my event if your in the London area on the 20th.

PSS.  Stay tuned for my upcoming review on new rawfood recipe books.

My Scoop on Cosmetics

If there is one question I get asked more often than any others, it is this:

"What kind of beauty care products do you use?"

Ironically enough, I guess I would have to say..."Just my diet".

Make-up artists and hairstylists always tell me how easy I make their job, and they ask me what I use as well. I tell them that I am a raw vegan, and they just don't believe that it could be the answer. IT IS.

Even in the realms of the organic beauty industry, I believe there is one fundamental piece missing.
As long as you put poor foods INTO your body, nothing that you put ONTO your body will really matter.

No cremes or lotions or magic potions ever made a difference for me. It was not until I cut out dairy and cooked oils that my acne cleared up. Everyone talks about putting cucumbers on their eyes to reduce puffiness...how about EATING the cucumbers? I try to eat at least 1 cucumber a day, maybe 2.

I do believe the external products can help a little. But if we're feeding our skin, hair, and nails nothing but nasty foods, no topical raw, organic or vegan product will help us.

When we get into the cycle of using products, its hard to get off. Here is an example. We take lots of showers and usually always wash our hair. We strip out the natural oils by doing this. Then we have to re-condition our hair. Same with facial products. We use cremes to help with acne but by doing so, dry our skin out, and then we have to buy expensive moisturizers. Let the body do its thing... know what I mean?!

A big "Ah-ha!" moment about this subject happened before I went raw. I was eating healthier at that point, but was not quite there yet. I was on a road trip out to Oregon and lived on mostly peanut butter and honey sandwiches, and some carrot juice. Probably 32 oz of carrot juice a day. My feet, hands, and face started to turn orange.

Simple logic demonstrated that what I was consuming through my mouth was showing up on the surface of my skin. At last, I made the connection. So what happened when I drank 32 oz of milk a day? Oily, pimply skin.

When I was a teenager, my dermatologist told me not to take my acne medication with milk because another patient of his drank milk with his medicine, and the doctor figured that the milk was blocking the medicine from being absorbed, therefore halting any progress he would have made.

When I look back, I think just drinking the milk in general was keeping him from the clear skin. Not the simple fact that he was taking it with his medicine. An interesting thought.

For some it may be a little more complex. I know hormones affect the skin as well, especially in estrogen imbalances (high estrogen increases sebum production and taxes the liver). The roots of imbalances can be caused when taking oral birth control (though it works, the body doesn't understand what it is and what to do with it), eating soy products (gmo + high in estrogen), and a overworked liver which detoxifies everything (support your liver with dandelion, artichoke, milk thistle- when your liver is over worked- your body will use the skin as organ of elimination).  Also, for women as they age they tend not to drop an egg every month- which also is a culprit of throwing the hormones out of whack (when an egg is dropped a corpus luteum is formed which is the natural progesterone to balance out the estrogen).

So yes, it can be a little more complex, but on the whole, the use of beauty foods will consistently make a strong difference, much more than a bad diet coupled with beauty products ever could in my opinion.

So, what to eat?

Like I mentioned before, cucumbers seem to do wonders for me, and there are many female actresses that swear by them as well. I would also recommend awesome raw plant fats that will moisturize from the inside out.

Coconuts and avocados are amazing, and I'm big fan of hemp products too. Every so often I put coconut oil on my face and in my hair for some extra shine, maybe once every 2 weeks.

Any spicy greens like arugula and mustard greens. We are looking for sulfur. Sulfur is the element that is mainly responsible for building hair, skin, and nails. That is why taking MSM is so helpful for people with joint and skin issues.

And believe it or not, anything with fiber is good. It helps you eliminate more which will push toxins out through your colon instead of out through your skin. If you can get to the point of 3 eliminations a day, there should be some big changes happening in your outside appearance by then.

Beauty must come from the inside out. You have to cultivate beauty, just like you have to cultivate disease. We choose our path, whether consciously or not. When you realize that you are beautiful, you will treat yourself that way and eat that way.

We are beautiful, and beauty must be how we define ourselves. We are beauty. Make it your mantra. Cultivate it from the inside-out, and use some external products for "icing on the cake".

Just remember... it comes from within...

Peace and Love,
Anthony the Raw Model

Mouth Revolution: if it ain't real, spit out your meal

There website isn't working yet, but I'm really interested to see who's behind this video:

Thx Philip

Model for Living: Anthony's Master Project

Our home boy Anthony (the Raw Model) just finished up his first first week in Minnesota working on his master project - a totally off the grid, eco effective, modern sanctuary.

Here's a little about this Model for Living:

• It yields fruits
• It yields vegetables
• It yields wild greens
• It yields edible flowers
• It collects rain water
• It has a green house for colder months
• It houses hens to eat insects and produce fertilizer
• It has a bee hive to pollinate
• It has multiple sleeping spaces
• It has a yoga platform
• It has an herb garden

And best of all, it's real because Anthony got started.

Here's a photo of Anthony making the invisible visible - planting his first tree during ground breaking.

Many people in the world of raw/eco have great intentions and powerful ideas to bring good things to this planet, but identification with old insecurities and fears prevents them from moving forward and taking the first step. These old fears and insecurities are nothing but a collection of tricks the ego uses to blame others and in turn, suppress the real you - the you that can't be defined with words. When we take an opportunity to bring stillness into our lives, we have a chance to let all those fears melt away and realize that in the present moment anything is possible.

Anthony knew that building his eco sanctuary was going to be a challenge, so he put the spotlight on himself by publicly blogging about the journey. There was no place to hide. Sharing his idea online also allowed Anthony to take baby steps, get feedback and get support along the way. Now his idea, which started off as a simple sketch, is literally coming to fruit.

Congratulations Anthony. I wish you all the best in this project that you've put so much love into. I know you'll stay present and enjoy the journey just as much as you do the final product.

Related

• Recap from my first week in Minnesota
• Anthony on GI2MR

Raw Chocolate Rave Photos

Yes... it's official, we had a blast! Raw Chocolate Rave Photos

Big thanks to everyone who made it out and everyone who made it out in spirit. Your presence was certainly felt.

Special thanks to all the event organizers: Vanessa and her team from Gnosis Chocolate, Daniel Vitalis and his team from Ambrosia Mystique, and of course my crew - Nirav aka Dj MoSoul, Mihir, Kaya and Gigi.

Born Again

Hallelujah, there’s nothing like being born again!
Today is Day 1 of my new life.

• Nearly 200 lbs Released – Check!
• 2 Years @ 100% Raw – Check!
• 100-Day Juice Fast Finished – Check!

Today is the day I realize my life long goal of being a healthy weight.

This journey started for me 2 years ago when I reached my heaviest weight of 400 lbs.  Sometimes just saying that number takes my breath away.  I felt hopeless.  I couldn’t fit in car seats, theatre seats, or even an airplane seat.  My size 58 pants and 5X shirt were all starting to get too tight on me.  I couldn’t go up 1 flight of stairs without having to lie down on the couch and catch my breath.  As a matter of fact I couldn’t even tie my own shoes.

Then something shifted.

From that day 2 years ago until today I have released 195 lbs.  But come to think of it, in actually started long before then.  Ever since I was 8 years old I realized that my weight had become a problem.  No third grader should ever have to worry about that.  Well, I did, and I did every day since then.  Being the biggest kid in every class, grade, and school you have ever been in is well, depressing to say the least.  I longed for the day when I would be healthy, muscular, or just “normal.”  I wasn’t sure if that day would ever come to pass, but either way I hoped, dreamed, and envisioned what I would look like when I lost the weight.

Now that the day is here, my dream has manifested, and I couldn’t be happier.  Sure I can fine tune and probably loose another 25 lbs, and I will, but the point is…

I am literally half the man I used to be, and twice the man I ever was.

Today is my 2-year anniversary of being 100% raw.

For two years I have consumed nothing but raw food, primarily organic.  No cheating, no sneaking, not even a baked potato.  You could call me a purist, maybe, and extremist, definitely, a lover of fruits and veggies, that’s more like it.  I developed such a passion for raw organic produce that I really don’t crave anything else.  Sure occasionally I reminisce about a bag of warm salty French fries, but that is where it stops.  I never take action, I never actually buy them. 

The funny thing is that I barely liked any vegetables before going raw.  I restricted myself to iceberg lettuce and the steamed broccoli that came with my Chinese food takeout meal.  Now you would be hard pressed to find a fruit or vegetable that I don’t really like.  And the more exotic fruits I discover only deepens my love affair with this wonderful lifestyle.

Today is the first day I will consume solid food after my 100-day juice fast.

Rumor has it that for every day you juice fast you reclaim 120 days of your life.  Guess that makes me -1.  I can’t think of a better place to begin.

There’s nothing like living in pre-womb innocence again.

Being on any kind of extended fast really show you what you’re made of.  It strips away the façade, breaks down all the walls, and leaves you standing in a mirror, naked, staring back at yourself.  And when you’re in that position, let me tell you, it’s all visible. 

But, it’s also one of the most wonderful places to be in because that is usually the first time you see yourself for who you really are.  I am not just talking about revealing food addictions, but trapped emotions, unhappiness with life, lack of self love, and much more.  Once you know where you are, you can figure out whether you want to stay there or not. 

I chose not.

I wanted to soar in the sky like a superhero.  I stood in front of that mirror, took a look, released some emotion, and then decided to grab my cape.  Once I strapped on that cape there was no holding back.  I thought, “why not discover what my potential really is.”  So I tried it all, fasting every way I could, playing with my energy, meditating, and running through the woods like a child without a care in the world. 

It was the one of the biggest and toughest challenges I have ever completed in my life, and at the same time, one of the easiest.  I am eternally grateful.

Today is the day that I pass along the torch to you.

The time for mediocre living has come and gone.  The idea of just getting by, feeling alright, doing ok, kind-of happy, we might make it, my job is the same, nothing new going on here… That is all the old paradigm of thinking, and living. 

Enter: new shift in consciousness.

We are living in a time where our global consciousness is resonating higher than ever before.  We have so much available to us now.  Not only do we have the best food ever, but people are starting to operate more out of a space of love every day.  We’re finally realizing that we have no limits, and that we create our own reality, and the world around us.  We all have the ability to manifest.  We can have the best day ever, everyday for the rest of out lives.

So I am calling all Superheros.  The time to shine is Now.

Use your powers.
Transform your life.
Inspire others.

…and don’t forget your cape!

I love you all,

Philip @ Lovingraw

Raw Chocolate Rave, a VIP guest list

These are just a few of the amazing people that will be present this Friday at our NYC Chocolate Party.

• Kris Carr, author of Crazy Sexy Cancer
• Natalia Rose, author of The Raw Food Detox Diet
• Daniel Vitalis, the Super Food Elixir King
• Tera Warner, co-founder of The Raw Divas
• and (we're still working on her) Gala Darling, famous iCiNG blogger

See you Friday!

How to make Green Juice

With Karen Knowler

[Video] Your genes are not your fate

3 minutes and 35 seconds of powerful information.

Via TED Talks, recommended by that cool cat Philip

Reflections of a Juice Feaster

94 days. Just Juice.

I have not had solid food in over 3 months. 

• No nuts.
• No salads.
• No bananas.
• No avocados.
• Not even a smoothie.

With 6 days left on this juice feast I really don’t know what to expect on my first day of solid foods.  I mean sure, I have seen the YouTube videos of everyone eating prunes on their first day of food, and that looks all find and dandy, but for some reason I just can’t even picture it anymore.  For example, I honestly don’t remember eating almonds.  I remember using them in recipes, chopping them, and even dehydrating them, I just don’t remember eating them. 

I have been to some of the top raw food restaurants in NYC, watched literally hundred of delicious meals and desserts being consumed, and even acted as the chef for our GITMR Poconos raw food retreat, and all I can think about is lettuce!  Not Pure Food’s amazing ice cream, not Quintessence’s impossible to duplicate fofu, not even Gnosis’s gourmet yummy chocolate (you didn’t just read that Vanessa), just beautifully nutritious, highly delicious, high-water-content Boston lettuce.  There is just something about the crunch that I have been missing. 

A part of me feels that I could keep on living on juice forever.  Actually, I know I could.  The fear of not eating solid food has left me.  I have discovered that for me, it’s a choice.  Once you believe that anything is possible, and that we live a limitless life, a whole new world opens up to you. 

We truly are bound by nothing! 

I have tried every type of technique during this 100-day adventure:

Days with just water.
Days with just fruit juice.
Days with just veggie juice.
Days with mainly coconut water.
Periods with no food or water at all.

Nights when I slept 11 hours. 
Nights when I danced until 4am.
Nights when I didn’t sleep at all.

And what are my closing thoughts of this wonderful journey:

…it’s all just so beautiful.

The beauty of watching yourself continue to grow.
The humility of discovering what you are really made of. 
The gratitude for being alive during the most amazing time in the history of the human race.

Thank you.  Thank you.  Thank you.

Weight Update

• Day 1 - 260.0 lbs


• Day 10 - 249.4 lbs (10.6 lbs lost)


• Day 17 - 244.4 lbs (5.0 lbs lost)


• Day 24 – 238.6 lbs (5.8 lbs lost)


• Day 31 – 234.6 lbs (4.0 lbs lost)


• Day 38 – 231.5 lbs (3.1 lbs lost)


• Day 45 – 227.6 lbs (3.9 lbs lost)


• Day 52 – 224.2 lbs (3.4 lbs lost)

• Day 60 – 223.2 lbs (1.0 lb lost)
• Day 74 – 217.6 lbs (5.6 lbs lost)
• Day 82 – 213.6 lbs (4.0 lbs lost)
• Day 88 - 209.0 lbs (4.6 lbs lost)
• Day 94 – 207.0 lbs (2.0 lbs lost)

Total Weight Loss while JF: 53.0 lbs




Total Weight Loss since raw: 193.0 lbs
 (2 years)

Grateful,

Philip @ Lovingraw

Ps.  I hope to see you for my Raw Chocolate Rave Party  next week, to celebrate the finish of my 100 days on juice!  This party is hosted by Gnosis Chocolate and Welikeitraw, and it going to be an amazing event!

Raw Chocolate Rave, Friday May 2nd, New York City

We Like It Raw and Gnosis Chocolate are throwing a raw chocolate rave in NYC on Friday May 2nd to honor two special people and two special dates:

1. Entourage member Philip McCluskey and the completion of his 100 Day Juice Feast and his 2 year 100% raw anniversary
2. Our home boy Tim the Raw Runner and his 40th birthday

Will you be joining us for one of the hottest parties of the year? Tickets available here.

To keep things warm, cosy and exclusive raw, we'll only be selling 100 tickets. 10% of all the profits will go to The Fruit Tree Planting Foundation.

Full details and tickets available here