Testimonials

"My Journey in Raw" by Dori Bodman, RHN (from Health Action Network's December 2008 e-newsletter)

"Vicky's Testimonial" by Vicky White, Coach & Feng Shui Consultant

MY JOURNEY IN RAW -  by Dori Bodman, RHN

Earlier this year, I received an email from my niece, a massage therapist in Parksville, BC, telling me about an upcoming "RAW Rose's Raw Retreat" with Rose Vasile, raw food chef and author.

Being a natural nutritionist, I jumped at the hands-on opportunity to learn about a new healthful way of preparing foods. Simply put, in raw foodism, fresh and alive ingredients are used but not heated above 105 degrees F so as to preserve the live enzymes and nutrient-rich content and flavour of foods.

My sister picked me up in Nanaimo and off we headed to Parksville to pick up my niece. The three of us made our way to Oyster Bay and discovered a beautiful seaside accommodation with fresh ocean air and rooms in green tones, matching our environment and calming the senses. Rose, our hostess and teacher, had supplied a welcome basket of fresh fruits and a scrumptious "Raw Delight" of seasoned seeds. We sat in our room munching, trying to decipher the spice in them ... cinnamon, maybe?

Soon we realized that our training was about to start. We headed to another building to help create our raw dinner of Zucchini Spaghetti with Neat Balls and Marinara Sauce, Green Salad with Ginger Dressing, followed by scrumptious Banana Lemon Pie for dessert ... all uncooked!

So began our routine for the next two days. We had smoothie prep and consumption in the morning, then with yoga by the sea, then breakfast prep, which consisted of steel cut oat porridge with local fresh fruits uncooked and yummy! All of these foods, so rich in live enzymes, had my system thanking me and leaving me with a comfortable sense of fullness, satisfaction, non-stressed digestion, and revived vitality, alertness and energy. We had free time between meals to enjoy the beautiful surroundings.

As a raw food chef, Rose has wonderful knowledge and expertise in combining the five tastes - sweet, sour, salty, spicy and bitter. For example, excess sour can be balanced by adding sweet; fats tone down spiciness and mellow out too much sweetness; and salt brings out flavours. Another aspect to all the wonderful foods we tried was that the majority of them came from local growers, organically grown and picked fresh.

We did meditation at night and even experienced raw facials using such ingredients as cucumber, avocado, steel cut oats and coconut oil. Wow, my skin felt alive.

Did I mention the cocoa truffles and carrot cake that we prepared for dessert? Or the cocoa fondue with fresh fruits for breakfast? I found raw cocoa (in moderation, of course) to be an excellent antioxidant-rich boost. Having this in the morning was satisfying and kickstarted my body.

Raw preparation is a healthful addition to your current regime that cleans and refreshes all your body systems. Bright eyes and glowing skin, vitality and clarity, weight and blood sugar levels can be maintained. Raw meals and snacks are both wholesome and tasty. There are lots of live enzymes that enable digestion and assimilation of a variety of vital nutrients contained in foods like nuts, seeds, vegetables, fruit, raw cocoa, carob and oil.

This way of preparing food can be a beneficial addition for everyone, even individuals with special dietary needs, as it does not contain wheat, gluten, flour, artificial flavours, colours, sugar or additives, common allergens. Raw food prep brings variety, fun and creativity to the meal table and can be a wonderful way to get your kids involved.

Since this first experience, I continue to prepare the majority of my foods in this manner and enjoy sharing my ideas and preparations with family, friends and co-workers. To find your own natural balance of foods that brings you vim and vigor for life, seek coaching from a registered natural nutritionist or other professional health practitioner for guidance.

Dori Bodman, RHN, is available for consultation with individuals and groups, special needs, sports, corporate and seniors. She has written articles for the North Shore News and North Shore Magazine and has given many wellness talks through her "Love the Body You Were Given" health series in North Vancouver, BC. Her professional affiliations include CSNN (Canadian School of Natural Nutrition) Alumni Association and HANS member.  For more information on attending or hosting "A Taste Of Raw" talk and sampling, or to book a nutritional consultation, contact Dori Bodman at bodman_nutrition@yahoo.ca

Vicky's Testimonial - By Vicky White

I went pretty much 90% raw immediately after doing a raw food detox, and for most of this last year yours was the only book I had.  I love it- I've tried most of the recipes and a number of them are real favorites- truffles, nori snacks, banana carob cookies, sunburgers, can't beet that salad - for a start!

In the first few months of being raw I dropped 30 lb, got rid of stiff and aching hip joints so I can walk again, eliminated acid reflux, and many other things.  I love this lifestyle and now incorporate raw food coaching in my work - I'm an Inner Feng Shui coach - and raw food fits perfectly into the 'inner' part of my work - it feels I found the missing ingredient.

I came to raw food mainly to lose weight and got so much more on all levels. I feel my life has been evolving and transforming faster and faster and raw food has had a big part to play - and of course your book.  So thank you so much for a great down to earth, easy to understand book with simple and yummy recipes.  I found it in Banyen Books - it just fell off the shelf when I passed!

Vicky White
www.LifeDesignStrategies.com