Story of Gratitude... 2 Families Completely Transformed By Going Raw

Hi Friends,

I have a truly uplifting story to share with you. This is such an amazing story of transformation, of before and after. This woman learned about the raw food diet and her family of eight members and her sister's family, which I believe is even larger, have completely transformed their lives because of switching to a raw food diet.

I truly believe some of her children's lives as described below have been saved. Lives of misery have been transformed to lives of beauty. It's all because of the dramatic effect raw foods have on emotional health.

We even have documentation of a raw birth and how much eating raw made the child healthier and giving birth easier. You get a little bit of everything in this story.

Cheri Jones became an active member of http://www.howtogoraw.com/ the best place to learn the Raw Food Diet Success Mindset. During her membership and active participation on our coaching and support forums, her life, her families life, her sister's families life and other members of her extended family, have dramatically improved their health, emotions and lost a lot of weight.

Cheri's own story is dramatic, so I'll start by sharing her testimonial and then details about her life before going raw. This way you can see how really far she has come. It's quite shocking actually.

Then you'll also love to find out about the miracle Raw Baby (later he becomes Raw Boy) her sister's son that hates cooked food and would rather starve than eat it. It's such an uplifting story and that kid is always laughing when he gets to eat raw food.

This is a great story to share on this Thanksgiving weekend that we are celebrating here in the U.S. This is really my favorite holiday of the year because I love giving and gratitude.

I hope this Raw Food ripple effect story; will help many people who were sitting on the fence about going raw.

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This is Cheri Jones's story. Parts of it she wrote
to me via email and the rest is taken directly from
our forums at http://www.howtogoraw.com/.

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From Cheri's Testimonial at http://www.howtogoraw.com/testimonials.htm:


"I no longer use a motorized wheelchair... I went to the site and always found help"

March 23, 2006

I am a raw foodist. I love how that sounds. I started raw after hearing about it from a friend last August. This same friend recommended HowToGoRaw.com, so I checked it out.

I signed up right away and started posting in the forum. There were many times in the beginning of my raw journey that I struggled. I went to the site and always found help.

There were days when I was cranky and depressed. (You know you are a raw foodist when your children ask you if you ate cooked just because you are a little cranky) Days where I wondered if being raw was worth it.

It was a struggle for me because I had to give up everything that was comfortable to me. The hardest food for me to stop eating was cheese. If you had asked me before I would have said chocolate, but it was cheese.

I needed a cheese substitute and found it. (You know you are a raw foodist when you grind up nuts and call it cheese) I received the support I needed. I found a couple of on-line friendships that I value.

Raw Food is a miracle for me. I feel better than I have ever remembered. I have confidence in this program that I've had in no other; confidence that I am doing the healthiest thing for my body, and confidence that I can continue to lose weight until all of it is gone.

I have lost 60 pounds. I no longer use a motorized wheelchair. The pain in my knees has disappeared. All the numbers doctors are concerned with have come down and into normal range i.e. BP 101 over 68. Above all else, I feel wonderful both emotionally and physically. Raw really works.

(Roger's Note: Cheri has been transitioning to raw since August, 2005 and has lost 90 pounds. )
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Cheri's Raw Beginning

October 09, 2005

I have a friend in CA that has been 100% raw for a few years now. When she first talked about it, I felt something stir inside. I asked her, so what do you eat? She said," Fruit all day and a lovely salad at night."

I said, "OK, so what do you eat?" She said the same. I did not get it and she was not good at explaining it, besides I didn't like fruit and salad.

Finally my mother was diagnosed as borderline diabetic; my sister has diabetes plus high blood pressure and high cholesterol. The worst thing is, my baby, my six year old daughter, climbed into my lap and said, "I like skinny mommies better than fat mommies." I could not help myself and started to cry.

I decided to lose 30 pounds. (I need to lose 100). I decided to drink protein shakes for breakfast and lunch, eat raw for snacks, and eat dinner with everyone else. My other sister and I live together and between us we have 12 kids.

(Note: Cheri's sister has had another baby since this time and it was a birth in which she had been eating mostly raw food.)

After the first week everything happened fast. We were reading and studying everything and anything trying to decide how to best eat and regain our health. We started to wean ourselves off of things like sweets, milk, butter, meat, etc. It was hard for us because our husbands were against it. And then there are the children from the age of one to 16.

Then we were eating mostly raw. Our health improved dramatically.

For example, my blood pressure went from 140 over 80 to 102 over 68. Our skin is smoother, our eyes are clearer. We have more energy. I am talking feelings of being high, like on drugs.

We sit there with our raw food and just start laughing at how good it makes us feel. I can't imagine going back, although I must admit that it is still very much a struggle on some days. My sister and I had a rule that we can "cheat" on Sundays. That is also the day we chose to celebrate the kids' birthdays with birthday cake. But we are finding the desire to eat any other way on Sundays is not as appealing as it once was.

Today if I feel deprived, I'll ask what I am depriving myself of and the answer will be ill health.

Cheri's Background

August, 2006

The first half of my childhood was spent with my grandparents. My grandmother and mother were pregnant at the same time, so my uncle is the same age as me. Many times my uncle and I were left alone in the house.

We would eat an entire jar of jelly or a loaf of Mary Jane bread (same as Wonder I think) or nothing on some days. I don't remember what we ate in elementary school. When my older uncles returned from Vietnam, my grandmother cooked large meals; roast, rolls slathered in butter, green beans with potatoes, onion, and bacon bits all tossed together, mashed potatoes, gravy, and corn.

My grandfather brought home Krispy Kreme doughnuts and we'd have doughnut eating contests. He often took us to get doughnuts.

Whenever we visited extended family breakfast was always sweets.

My grandfather died from diabetes, my half-sister has it, my mother is borderline, my grandmother had it, and an uncle has it. I am always tested for it, and last time I was told my sugar is too high, and to be careful. My mother was told at her last doctor visit that she is to go on diabetes meds (last week).

My mother always ate bags of candy. I think the entire bag in one sitting, and for many years I felt I needed to have M&M's or something to eat whenever I read a book.

My husband was also raised in a family who ate what I ate; meat, potatoes, and a vegetable from a can and sweets for breakfast. His mother was also obese. His brother and sister also struggle with their weight, he could stand to lose 20 pounds.

I can cook. My grandmother taught me. The men in my life bragged on me but when the kids started coming, I wanted to eat less meat and less fat. I had no idea what I was doing as this way of eating was opposite of my family, so it did not last.

And I fell into what I knew. I took my kids to Krispy Kreme. I bought them candy. Friday nights were movie night. I always had soda, cookies, candy, and popcorn to eat while we watched the movie.

When the kids went to school I packed their lunches with a meat sandwich with mayo and white bread and a Kraft slice of what, a juice box with no juice in it, a granola bar, bag of potato chips, and a ding dong or a pack of cookies.

My husband was always depressed and angry about something. Life never went his way. He was a downer. He complained a lot. He was dark and depressed.

All of my children's behavior has improved because of raw foods, but I only want to talk about the remarkable ones.

One teacher called me in tears because of my son, C. Every single year in school his teachers have complained about the same things with him. When he was in first grade the teachers pulled me into a meeting with the school psychologist, the principal, and the teacher. They wanted me to put C on Ritalin. I refused.

Then I refused to attend any more of these meetings where it seemed to me that they were setting it up so that they could force me to put him on it. This by the way was not in Texas. C was almost kicked off the school bus. His dad picked him up from school and made him walk home, then got him up early the next day and made him walk to school. This sort of punishment had no effect on him.

He would yell and scream irrationally. We could not reason with him. As soon as I put that kid on raw, there was almost instant improvement. I can reason with him for the first time and he is eleven years old. I have yet to see how he will be in school as this is his first year raw and school. I am looking forward to seeing how that goes.

My daughter, R, has been the biggest problem. She was born angry at the world. She cannot be reached in any way while having a tantrum. She throws herself onto the floor screaming like a two year old. She has thrown herself down the stairs while screaming.

I am ashamed to admit, but my behaviors toward her in these moments were not good. That is vastly different now that I am raw. Her tirades no longer affected me which make her angrier. She began kicking me. When I was S.A.D, I kicked her back. Now that I'm raw I leave the room. She follows me. She has followed me down the street yelling and screaming while I am driving away to get away from her.

When she was younger (two and three years old) I had to put a leash on her to keep her from running off. If she became angry she would throw herself onto the ground, and I would drag her. One adult yelled at me, "You are dragging your child!" And my response was, "Well if she would walk I would not have to drag her." I too had a problem.

She is in fourth grade this year and has always given the teachers grief in school. We have had many calls about R. She doesn't focus, she gets out of her seat at school, she talks way too much and says inappropriate things, etc. And have we ever considered putting her on Ritalin to help her focus?

My oldest daughter, H, went around the house saying snide remarks to get everyone into arguments. It was unbelievable. You'd have to see it to believe it.

And still after all that I had no clue that it was what we ate, and that our house could be different.

As for me, I was depressed, angry, needed a wheel chair if I was to go anywhere. I was diagnosed with arthritis and I limped about the house. My feet and ankles were always swollen. I stayed in one room of the house playing Nintendo and watching TV, eating Reese's and Chips Ahoy, Cherry Coke and Lays. I look back and my God, my poor children. I hope they are not permanently scarred because of me.

As for the rest of my problems, this is what I wrote in my journal when I started to transition to raw food:

" Bursitis in left shoulder
" Acid reflux disease
" Intense migraines
" Depression
" Pain in my arms and legs which causes them to twitch
" Post nasal drip
" Blood pressure: 140 over 80
" Cholesterol: 220
" Low red blood count
" Pain in my left arm
" Numbness in my hands
" Peeing three times in the night
" Arthritis in both knees (I walk with a limp in left knee when its really
bad)
" Use a motorized cart at Wal-Mart or any other place I need to go.
" Pain in-between shoulders, neck, and head upon retiring to my bed in the
evening
" Kidney stones (They want me to have surgery, but will my body will heal
it once raw?)

***Can no longer read w/o reading glasses
***Pain in my lower back
***Pain in my buttocks that extends down my leg
***Arthritis in both hips

I also made a list of reasons I no longer want to be fat:
" I don't want my children to be ashamed of me
" I am careful not to sit on certain furniture for fear I will break it
" I sit in the middle of benches, because if I sit on the end I might
break it, or I might tip it up in the air
" I have to ask for an extension on an airplane
" My clothes are T-shirts and Spandex
" I hurt everywhere
" I cannot run and not be weary nor can I walk and not be faint
" I order all of my clothes from the internet
" I can't wear my wedding ring
" I snore
" I am depressed
" I get out of breath just by washing my hair in the shower
" I have to sit down in the shower because I can not stand for more than a
few seconds at a time
" I do not attend my children's school events because it takes too much
effort to get out of the car and walk across the parking lot to their
class room.

***I am embarrassed by the way I look
***I will not allow myself to be seen by my husband's co-workers
***I have abdominal overhang

The items with an asterisk *** are the problems I still have, but the rest of it raw has taken care of.

Raw Baby

November 19, 2005

My nephew weaned himself and refused to take the breast or breast milk when he was a year old so my sister switched him to formula. Then he didn't want formula. The formula that raw baby was on was causing his poop to be mucousy.

This poop is causing his cute little baby butt to become red and blistered. We decided to take him off formula and put him on almond milk. He only takes three bottles a day now anyway; when he first wakes up, naptime, and at night. We have to sweeten it with agave, but that's ok.

The next thing is that he only wants raw food, but is picky about which ones. We are worried that his nutritional needs are not being met, so we purchased baby vitamins.

He still wants a bottle when he goes to sleep. He is too young to be taken off the bottle yet. He eats raw food the rest of the day.


November 20, 2005

The problem we were having is that he wouldn't eat the greens. He went off the breast to juicy fruits. He likes carrots, peas, bananas, tomatoes, and sweet drinks I make in the Vita Mix. All the stuff he loves is out of season.

We have not tried dates...I will though. He is with his dad this weekend. It's funny to us because his dad tries to feed him cooked food and raw baby keeps spitting it out. Dad is so confused.

November 21, 2005
He loves the banana in soaked oatmeal. His dad tried to give him sausage and biscuit but he shook his head no and proceeded to walk over and nod at my soaked oats.

Really, he loves raw. I was shopping in Whole Foods with him and three of his siblings when he stood up in the cart and grabbed an heirloom tomato, shoved it in his mouth and sat down again. In the meantime, my three year old was licking the broccoli! Love that they are raw, now I must teach them that the world is not their sample!!!


November 22, 2005

My sister made hard boiled eggs for the family. Raw baby thought he wanted one, so she gave it to him. He spit it out, and got fussy. Then she opened a container of blueberries, and he laughed. He laughed!!! He wolfed the blueberries, and then had mangoes.

We chose almond milk because it is all we know besides the breast and formula. He likes it and it is easy to make. Then we were advised that almond milk isn't right for babies either and wondered if we should try coconut milk. Greens were also suggested.

When he is with his dad on the weekend and he tries to feed him cooked food, raw baby keeps spitting it out. We tried avocado and dates also.

November 28, 2005

Raw baby loves to suck on mangoes. This morning he crawled into the fridge and started eating pea pods for breakfast.

December 5, 2005

Her husband is very supportive now of her raw diet. He has offered to make her raw food, and wants the entire family to go raw.

December 06, 2005

We took Raw Baby to Whole Foods again. He was like a baby bird with its beak open waiting for mamma bird to shove food in. He grabbed a cantaloupe and tried to get the rind off with his teeth. He wolfed down cherries, atriums, orange, clementines, honeydew, and raw tomato soup. He acted like he had not eaten for a week. He was so happy and excited several people commented on him, and he had several people in the store smiling and even laughing.

January 10, 2006

My sister came over today and started making raw fudge in the food processor. As soon as Raw Baby heard the machine start whirring, he came running into the kitchen laughing. We just started laughing ourselves. He knows something good is coming. Like a cat when they hear the can opener. He loves green smoothies and my sister puts herbal fruit tee in his bottle. He likes to have a bottle at night still; otherwise he eats all day long, almost all raw.

March 25, 2006

My sister's husband was laid off from work. She literally had no food in the house, not in the cupboards and not in the fridge. She had only five dollars left to feed the family, so she bought cheap pancake mix and some beans. Pancake mix will fill the stomachs of many.

Raw Baby finally ate, but for a week was cranky and clingy and refusing food. When I picked him and my sister up and went to Whole Foods. He wolfed down an entire piece of raw carrot cake from the raw foods bar, ate some of my raw tostada, ate many blueberries, raw applesauce, and was laughing the whole time. He laughed and gave out smiles and hugs. He had returned back to his normal self. My sister started crying thinking that her baby had been so hungry. He also grabbed a tomato and chowed down.

Rawboy binged on raw foods, and perhaps we should have stopped him from eating so much, but we fed him until he wanted to stop. He slept all the way home and woke up happy.

This is more proof to me that we are meant to be raw.

April 24, 2006

I bought Raw Baby what I thought was raw macadamia nuts, but he spit them out. My sister and I looked at one another and we said, "They are not raw."


Cheri's Husband

October 13, 2005

I have to tell you about my night. The husband emails me and wants to take me to my favorite restaurant to celebrate our wedding anniversary. Problem is my old favorite is no longer my favorite. I start to stress because I don't want to tell him no, but I don't want to go out because I don't feel strong enough yet. Sami suggested Whole Foods.

So we went, and on the way downtown I told him what I learned today. He actually listened and asked questions. We got to Whole Foods and I ordered a raw tostada and a piece of raw cheesecake. He got Chinese. We paid for our food and went to eat on the third-floor, outside, balcony. He was very curious about what I was eating and tasted it and liked it. Throughout the evening he asked questions. Tomorrow he does not want meat on mayo and white bread; he wants me to fix him fruit!!!

October 18, 2005

The first time I served my husband a vegetarian dish, he pushed the food around with his fork and asked, "Where's the meat?"

We used to eat a chunk of meat, gravy with potatoes, veggies from a can (gross) and a gallon of Kool-aid every night. Sometimes we'd have a baked potato or rice with the meat. Then I started to eat raw, but I still had to cook for the family. I started grilling our meats, making huge salads with raw goodies, and huge fruit salads. At first the kids and the husband asked for seconds on the meat and shied away from the salad and fruit. Now they wolf down the salad and fruit and ask for more. They made the choice all on their own without me saying a word.


August 22, 2006

The husband came in last night and asked me if I would stop buying vegetarian lunch meat for him because he is OVER the meat thing. Then he asked me if I was sure eating raw was the right thing to do.

He has flipped flopped in the past as he and I have had a few discussions of eating meat. I feel he is catching up to me on the raw path, and soon we'll be equals and teaching our kids.

He asked me if I was sure eating raw was the right thing to do. He said that he is worried about what to eat when he goes out with the guys at work.


He feels that eating salad is "not cool", and he wonders what we will serve the kids when they are having a party over here. He doesn't think the kids will want fruit.


August 23, 2006

I packed my husband's lunch the same as the kids. He ate all of it, and said it was good and that he really appreciated it. I know I'm not properly food combining, and mixing fats and all that, but I packed a pecan salad with pecan, dried apple bits, and raisins; a smoothie, carrot sticks, a plum, and a Lara bar.

February 08, 2006

I think my husband is finally on the same page as me. He takes over the kitchen on Sundays, and when I was tired of being raw and wanted to have a tuna sandwich with everyone else, he encouraged me to stick with it, and a few minutes later handed me a plate of celery sticks, sliced cucumbers, oranges, and tomatoes. I ate it, felt better and was able to get back into the raw mind set. He made sandwiches for the kids, and instead of chips he sliced up various fruits for them to eat.

May 03, 2006

Today he came home from work and ate raw with me. We had pineapple-mango salsa with avocado and tortillas and watermelon for dessert. My love for him increased 100 fold with his support. He is supporting me and has joined me in being vegetarian except when he goes out. When I was struggling he suggested that I fix a raw dinner for the entire family.

January 18, 2006

I made enchilada pie for the family. I used rice instead of meat, and everyone, even my picky husband loved it and asked for more. I licked the spoon after serving my kids, and they all jumped up from the table and chased me out of the kitchen.

November 04, 2006
My husband came into my office last night and told me to serve raw dinners, and if the kids won't eat it, then they go to bed hungry.

November 7, 2006

He approached me and asked me to get back to raw. I told him how I had felt de-railed and why. He told me to get back to serving the family raw food, and that we need to be eating dinner as a family...together.

He called a family meeting and informed the kids of how we will be eating here in the home. He told them that they can make their own choice while with friends or in school. They have been educated on how different foods impact their bodies just as they have drugs and alcohol. They will have to someday make a choice over that too.

A couple of the kids complained and the rest were ok with it. It is the oldest and youngest who are upset about it.

They are making good choices 1/4 to 1/2 of the time in school. I am pleased with the way things are for now. My daughter said something about having raw again, and I told her that she gets to eat whatever she wants at school within reason. And that eating one raw meal is something she has to get used to.

Then she said she does not like salad and proceeded to have two plates full.

September 26, 2006

Dave read Susan Schneck's book, The Live Food Factor, last night. He said that the book made him angry; angry at his parents, at the medical profession, (of whom he was almost a part) and at our culture in general. He says he has to make a paradigm shift now, and it is painful.

He has arthritis in his hands, the kind that swells up the knuckles. He was in constant pain. He told me that he is no longer in pain. I told him it was because he had been eating high raw and if he will go 100% with me the swollen fingers will go away too.

He is ready for another book. When you're new you have to keep reading or the old thoughts will crush the new ones. So in order to push out the old, you have to infiltrate your brain with all new stuff, yeah, brainwash yourself.

April 24, 2006

A few months ago, Dave was embarrassed to be a vegetarian in front of the "guys". They went out to lunch and he ordered a vegetarian dish. I'm proud of him. He said that it has been my influence which has influenced him. Tonight he did not bat an eye when all we had for dinner was corn and oranges and neither did the kids.


July 13, 2006

After falling back into eating raw, my husband and my kids asked me to please return to raw. Dave noticed the difference in me whereas before, in the beginning, he noticed nothing and even fought me in this new lifestyle.

August 7, 2006

The husband went out to lunch with a couple of buddies from work. The buddies decided on a steak house, and my husband ordered salad. Of course they harassed him about going to a steak house and ordering salad.

Dave told them meat was not a healthy way to eat. He told them I had become a vegetarian and lost over 70 pounds. They wanted to know what we ate.

He begins by telling them that I make a "to die for" pot roast with mashed potatoes and gravy...gets them all envious like. He says that now I'm a vegetarian he works hard all day just to go home to watermelon for dinner. The buddies look aghast. That's all you ate? Just watermelon?

He is getting a kick out of their reaction and goes on to explain not only does she not eat meat but she will eat nothing cooked either. They are all like what do you mean raw?

By the end of the lunch session the friends are walking away thinking they too should become vegetarian. (Note: You see how the great results with raw foods makes it spread far and wide to all the people you contact.)

Remember how hard it was for us in the beginning? It's nice to have him on the path with me even if he is not in the same place.

August 15, 2006

Taking the older four kids out, one son asked my husband for a hamburger and he said no. I asked my son why a McDonald's hamburger? And he said because it was right there. He then said there is no harm in asking for a hamburger. My husband answered him and said there's no harm in asking for a cigarette either. Then Dave explained to him that we do not eat that.


Cheri's Kids
Cheri's children are 13, 12, 11, 10, 8, and 7 years old.

January 1, 2006

I am drinking my green smoothie as we speak. My teenaged daughter made it for me. She is excited to help me and even made dinner the other night.

March 26, 2006

My kids are choosing more and more fruits and veggies. I am very proud of them. We went as a family to an all you can eat pizza/arcade/ movie place, and three of my kids loaded up at the salad bar with salad and fruit. The other two went for the pizza, but chose vegetarian. And only two went for the dessert bar, but ended up not eating it after tasting it. These are such great strides.


April 17, 2006

My oldest boy went raw with me, the middle boy has become a vegetarian, and the youngest will do whatever his father does. One night dinner was watermelon, and a couple of hours later I had a couple of kids hungry and asking for bananas! The high schooler wanted to cook some eggs, and I told her no. She screamed at me that she is not raw and why am I forcing her to be raw?

July 13, 2006

My second daughter and son are raw with me. The other kids will be raw one day and not the next day. The oldest daughter complained the loudest when we started, but is now the most supportive. We have family meetings once a week where the kids can talk about anything. She researched and taught us a lesson on why we should not eat meat.

My second daughter told me that she does not feel as angry when she is raw. She made the family smoothies yesterday. That was the best smoothie ever.

My second son told me that he liked doing dishes now that we are raw because they are easier to clean. My third son said that he eats less while raw and that he doesn't want as much food.


July 19, 2006

Another son came into my office telling me it was his body and why can't he do with his body what he wants. He said he wished I had never heard of raw because I've taken away his favorite foods. I was filled with empathy and asked him what was his favorite, so I could make the raw substitute? Then he said Krispy Kreme doughnuts and cookies! I printed an article off the net entitled 76 Ways Sugar Can Ruin Your Health and made him write down all the ways sugar is bad for you that he had never heard of before. I think he was just having a bad de-tox.

August 4, 2006

My second daughter and son have been doing very well staying on and choosing raw food. They struggle of course, and they "cheat" (which is OK) when they are with their church youth group on Wednesday nights. When I say it's ok, I mean that I know in time they will no longer want that food. I'm sure it's a social thing for them now.

My second daughter asked if she could have ranch on her spinach salad, and I said yes. She ended up wiping it off and not eating it, saying that it did not taste good. She's getting there!

Her teachers have wanted me to put her on Ritalin so that she will calm down and focus at school. I'm pleased to report that raw has mellowed her out. She is much easier to live with. I can tell immediately if she has eaten something cooked, and she herself told me she does not want to take Sundays off anymore because she does not want to be mad on Mondays anymore.

August 22, 2006

One night she asked if she could have a smoothie for dinner. "Sure," I said, "And make a couple for your sisters while you're at it. The entire family had smoothies and was perfectly happy with that. My kids like their smoothies better if I let them make them themselves.


August 23, 2006

She came home raging one night and I figured she traded food or bought something she should not have. She has her own money, and I don't feel like I can monitor everyone's money all of the time. I have to teach them and hope they make the right choices.


September 08, 2006

One of the ideas I got about raising raw kids was to let them look through a raw recipe book and choose a dinner that they were drawn to and then to let them make it. This was a complete success, and the kids who made the food loved it the most.

They made tacos, tuna salad, Shish Kabobs, tomato stackers, and zucchini Alfredo. I had asked my youngest daughters to set the table and to decorate the plates. They put the sliced tomatoes on the plate like a big smiley face using the dino kale as the eyes. My youngest got out the wine goblets and placed a bunch of red grapes in each one, so on that night we had wine and pasta.

September 12, 2006

Last night I made my family stir fry with broccoli, onion, garlic, pea pods, summer squash, sesame, zucchini, Napa cabbage and used a sauce of olive oil, vinegar, and Nama Shoyu. I realize that it is not optimal, but it is transitional. My entire family except for the youngest was happy with it. Last week I made mock tuna salad which everyone liked and ate. I made zucchini pasta with Alfredo sauce. All these things I make take only a couple of minutes in the food processor, easy and quick and my kids and husband like it.

November 16, 2006

My son came home from school today bragging that he was six days at 100%. Somehow he convinced the lunch ladies to let him get food from the teacher's cafeteria. He loads up his plate with fruit, and they only charge him a dollar.


November 20, 2006

My 12 year old went on a campout this weekend with his scout troop. On the first night he was served a foil supper containing chicken, potatoes and veggies. The leader explained vegetarianism to the boys, and asked if there was a volunteer who would exchange their veggies for my son's meat. A couple of boys traded, and my son had enough to eat. I asked my son if it had been hard to not eat the meat that was there at every meal, and this is what he said:

"I'm over meat mom. I will only eat it if I need it to keep from dying." There was a maturity about him as I looked into his blue eyes. It made me cry for some reason.

I'm proud of him. I remember how hard it was for me to give up meat, and how long it took for the wanting of it to go away.


Cheri's Sisters

November 13, 2005

My sister went from a size 20 to a size 14! She went shopping for a new dress in the larger sizes department as she is used to it, but the saleswoman pulled her into the smaller sizes. She was shocked to be in a 14. She looks so good in her new clothes.

September 16, 2006

Sami had her baby today...it's a girl, 6 pounds, 19 inches! She named her S, beautiful baby girl.

The doctors were amazed at how little bleeding she had, and the color of the placenta. The baby received the highest Apgar scoring the hospital gives out. (Comment: Apgar is a test developed to evaluate health of newborns.)

Sam has never carried a baby to term except for this one. She has always had to be induced into labor except for this one. She normally takes six doses of meds, but only took 1.75.

She says that a raw pregnancy was a cake walk, and the raw delivery was way easier, but still way painful. She thinks she should not have cheated so much. (Comment: She wasn't 100% raw her whole pregnancy.)

S is a very calm baby. She has none of the health problems that the other six have consistently had. It is just so amazing. Sami and I are convinced that it is because she is raw.

Also Sami is finally convinced about vaccinations, and even though she is being pressured from her husband and his family she demanded that S receive no shots. It is criminal that we vaccinate infants and babies.
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I hope Cheri Jones's story of Raw Transformation was helpful to you in some way.

To Your Radiant Health, Happiness and Fitness, Roger Haeske

P.S. The most important elements to succeeding with going raw are:

1. Overcoming cooked food addiction which is easiest if you learn my proprietary, desire crushing methods like the Raw Food Warrior Guided Visualization Audio. I share these methods on the forum and in my ebook "Think and Go Raw," and the audio program "Your First 30-Days Raw.

2. Following a healthy raw food diet. Many of the current programs out there will actually lead to health problems. The Optimal Raw Food Diet is the closest diet to what we'd be following in nature.

3. Getting support from an experienced raw food mentor or coach and a supportive group of raw foodists. You get all that and more in our coaching forums, for the lowest price you can imagine.

Visit http://www.howtogoraw.com/ and you'll discover that going raw is easier if you do it the right way.