You don’t need to make a huge investment in eating raw and living foods. In fact, you’ll probably be saving money by cutting back on highly processed convenience foods. All that high-fat, high-sodium microwaveable foods are pricey, too!

If you’re new to this, eating raw foods isn’t just about putting something different in you mouth. It’s an experience that goes beyond the act of eating. When you’re shopping for your food, make it an aesthetic experience as well. Fill your cart up with all the colors of these delicious live foods.

Invest in a good juicer. There are cooks’ catalogues that carry them. Shop online. Maybe you can find a good used juicer on an auction site. A juicer is NOT really a blender. It’s much more powerful because it needs to liquefy foods that can be highly fibrous.

You want some good knives too, for cutting up your fruits and vegetables. Invest in a few good ones. Turn the work of chopping up your food into something artistic.

If you don’t have a steamer, invest in one of those too, so you can lightly steam your vegetables if you want. Buy specific types of steamers. We’ve seen an asparagus steamer that’s especially designed to steam the woody bottoms more than the tender tips.

Get a few chopping tools that are also garnishing tools. It’s just as easy to cut up carrots with a ridged cutting knife to make them more attractive. There are special slicers that get your fruits and veggies really thin and therefore more fun to eat.

And do invest in a new cutting board. You don’t want to use the same cutting board for all your fresh new foods that you’ve used through the years to cut up chicken or other foods. No matter how much you scrub , your cutting board can absorb bacteria. Start fresh in all things – not just your food!

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As we move into late summer, we may start to think about and feel the energy of the “back to school” rush - even those of us without children. Recently a subscriber asked me my viewpoint about fasting/juicing. This time of year is a good time to do some gentle cleansing work to maintain the energy and vitality from summer during the run-up to the end of the year. Let me share with you 7 points to consider for cleansing success.

1. Why do you want to do a fast/ cleansing work? Objectives are good to have because it gives us something to work towards. However, it’s also important to be open to the other lessons that such an experience might provide.

2. Concerned about a “healing crisis”? Any cleansing work, even if short, moves toxins on all levels. It’s important to inform yourself how to eliminate them effectively so you don’t end up having a “healing crisis”.

3. Have you ever done a juice fast/cleanse before? If you’re new to this work, try a herbal tea/ lemon juice and water cleanse for half a day and work up to one day. Ayurvedic Nutrition supports more regular short cleansing work of this type rather than longer fasts.

4. How stable is your blood sugar? If you have ANY concerns about this point, get your doctor’s opinion before undertaking a fast/juice cleanse. It’s important to feel that what you’re doing is safe for you. The release of toxins affects each person differently but can result in emotions like fear or anxiety.

5. Do you have time to set aside for your fast? Since cleansing work such as fasting releases physical as well as mental waste, the calmer the environment you can have for it, the more likely you are to achieve success.

6. Are you drinking enough? It’s important to keep hydrated - drink plenty of warm (body temperature) water during the morning. It will help keep oxygen levels up and boost concentration.

7. How are you going to treat yourself afterwards? After the cleanse, reform your eating habits i.e. eat organic, local produce , as far as possible if you’re not doing so already. Do the best you can without being too hard on yourself. Go at your own pace and take time to acknowledge and appreciate your improved health.

Copyright © 2008 All rights reserved Janet Gomez

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Following on from a previous article, where I described six of the more common problems that can arise when brewing your own beer, and what to do about it.

This seems to be a recurring theme, and people that know me have suggested that I do a few more. So here we go with another half dozen of the problems you might come across.

Too sweet. Of course this assumes that you were not going for a sweet beer anyway, in which case no problem. Mind you, even a stout or other “sweet beer” can be too sweet, but you definitely don’t want it in a bitter. There are two main causes of this, one is an excess of malt, where the remedy is to add half a teaspoon from your starter bottle to the fermenting vessel. The other is insufficient attenuation, that is where the specific gravity is below 1.010. Unfortunately there is no remedy for this, and if the brew is completely undrinkable (we all know someone who will) all you can do is discard it.

Too lively. A fairly common problem and relatively easy to fix. There are three main causes here. The excessive use of priming sugar, where you need to decant inro a large covered vessel, avoiding contamination. Too high a storage temperature. Just remove to the correct temperature of between 50-55F. And too high a specific gravity when bottled. Add half a teaspoon from the starter bottle, do not seal too tightly, and release the gas daily.

Yeast Bite. As the name suggests this is an excess of yeast, giving an intense acrid bitterness. An excess of yeast can be removed from the periphery of the fermentation vessel along with any waste matter by simply using a damp cloth. Any yeast still in suspension can be dealt with by adding more finings. Sometimes storing at too high a temperature will cause sediment to rise and disperse. Simply remove to the correct temperature of 50-55F.

Lack of a decent head. Four main causes for this condition. Using faulty malt. Nothing to be done here except throw it away and start again. Maturation time too short. Ah, the impatience of youth! Can be rescued by pouring into a large covered container, sparing use of the starter bottle, and moving to a slightly higher temperature. A lack of dextrins, which means the mash has not reached a temperature of a least 152F. You can try heating to that temperature. The simplest cause is using a drinking vessel that has not been washed and rinsed properly. Clean glasses are a must.

The beer tastes “off”. This can be caused by the decomposition of dead yeast cells. Remove by racking.

Cloudy beer. A contentious one this, as some drinkers don’t mind as long as the taste and flavour are OK. However the majority of beer drinkers like to see a nice clear product. Causes are storing at too high a temperature. Just move to somewhere cooler. Insufficient sievings of hops and grain malt. Adding finings will usually solve that. Excessive use of finings. Nothing to be done, either drink as is or discard. Too few finings. Add more, carefully. Filtering too soon or ineffectively. Filter again.

OK, there we have it. If you are thinking that there is just so much to go wrong it just isn’t worth it. Don’t be put off. You will usually produce a perfectly drinkable beer. It’s just useful to know a few of the things that can go wrong, and how to fix them if possible. Of course, the likelyhood of things going wrong are drastically reduced if you find a good beer recipe, and stick to it. When you have become a reasonably competent brewer , then you can go and experiment.

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If you’re eating more raw foods and making that important lifestyle change, at some point you’ll need to consider investing in a juicer. A blender is NOT the same thing. To get all the benefits of juicing fruits and vegetables, you need to be able to process every part of the food – seeds, stems, peels and pulp. That’s where all the vitamins are. A blender just can’t do that effectively.  A juicer will extract all the nutrients from fruit or vegetable that not even your stomach can adequately do.

Juicers routinely used to cost $300-$400 and more. The best ones still do, but if you’re just getting into juicing, there are less expensive styles on the market as well. Here are a few you can research to find the best one for you. Natural food stores and cooking catalogues like Williams-Sonoma also carry juicers.

Here are some reasonably priced juicers to consider.

Omega 1000 – Makes good, virtually pulp-free juice. It’s a high-yield juicer but not good for juicing leafy greens. This juicer will not process wheatgrass. Price $150-$200

Commercial Champion – Better juice quality, pulpy with good nutritional value. Also a multi-purpose machine that grates and churns and can make nut butters. A good heavy-duty juicer, high volume, good for families. Does not process wheatgrass. Price $230-$300.

Solo Star – Create a pulpy juice, but very high nutrient value because the motor is a lower RPM. This is a multi-purpose machine that can grate, churn, make nut butters and extrude pasta. It can process wheatgrass. Price $190 - $300.

Green Power – A premium juicer, although a more complicated machine with more parts that need to be cleaned. Creates the least pulp with more nutrients. It is a Twin Screw Press type of juicer that is superior to masticating or centrifugal juicers. It will process wheatgrass. Also a multi-purpose machine. Pricey , but may be well worth it. Price $450 - $650

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Food that is grown or raised without chemical pesticides or chemical fertilizers is called “organic.” We’ve become so accustomed to getting by with foods that have been grown with fertilizers and that contain harmful toxins, that we’ve forgotten what it’s like to feel truly “well.” We don’t know how good we can really feel.

Why else would you choose to eat organic food? We pay a lot in terms of flavor and nutrition to eat perfect-looking food. Yes, organic food might have an occasional bruise on its flesh – but so does food that’s been sprayed with harmful chemicals. Organic food, though, are generally fresher and more flavorful. Many times, they’re grown locally, so they haven’t been stored or refrigerated. Consider the difference in flavor between a vine-ripened tomato and a regular tomato. There’s just no comparison.

The body has to process everything you put into it and eliminate what it cannot digest. If your food contains toxins in the form of chemical pesticides and fertilizers, your body has to figure out a way to get rid of the toxins. When the body cannot get rid of toxins fast enough, it stores them until it has time to eliminate them. This can lead to many health problems. Many of the pesticides used in farming have been found to be carcinogenic. Reducing your exposure to these toxins can improve your health.

True, some people eliminate toxins well. Still, the body needs to expend energy to eliminate toxins when it could be doing other things such as healing damaged cells, fighting off viruses and bacteria, or patrolling the body for cancer cells. Even people who can tolerate or eliminate toxins could feel substantially better without putting these poisons into their bodies. And if your system is sensitive to toxins, you’ll be much better off eliminating them from your diet as much as possible.

Fortunately , it’s easier to do this because there’s a greater selection and variety of organic produce in our grocery stores.

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In London the party scene cannot be compared to any where else in the world, especially during the time when the true spirit of Xmas is amplified to its full glory. Every party organiser wants to turn every party he or she organises into a memorable event and why not? A Christmas party is an event that is not only enjoyed at Christmas, it also becomes a subject of relish and wonderment afterwards.

When you organise a Christmas party, in London or elsewhere, you certainly want your guests to remember it for a long time, and take back fond memories. Christmas is a great time of the year and should be enjoyed to the fullest and what better way can there be than throwing a charming party? Amidst a maddeningly fast London life, a Christmas party is the best place to come together, bump into new people, re-establish old contacts, spend some quality time with your colleagues, family and relatives, and explore new grounds.

Come November and the party season in London begins to stir and wakes up completely by the second half of the month. Every alley, house, lane, shop, mall and office comes alive with decorations and multicoloured lighting arrangements. Even those who generally shy away from attending parties feel like either throwing or attending parties and mingle with people.

Due to over-commercialisation and excessive celebrations things begin to seem a bit monotonous after a point and some people begin to get put-off whenever they are asked to attend another Christmas party. This is a reason some event organisers in London are arranging themed Christmas parties for their clients. Our Dickens Christmas parties metamorphose tedious gatherings into enthralling experiences that render an entirely different meaning to both organising and attending Christmas parties.

Christmas party themes are conceived around the common interests and backgrounds of the guests and hosts. For instance if it is a children’s party the theme can be derived from a popular fairytale or the latest children’s movie or anything that can cater to children’s imagination and excitement.

Similarly, adults can have a theme party according to a common interest. For instance if you are a technology company then you can organise tech-themed party for your colleagues or something totally different that can catch their fancy. And what about people with a literary bent of mind who are fascinated by the literary aura of the Victorian age? Wouldn’t it be great to visit the London of Charles Dickens and embody one of the characters of his great novels? Although it is almost impossible that you are unacquainted with Charles Dickens but just in case… he was one of the great Victorian authors of his time and gave this world classics like The Tale Of Two Cities, The Great Expectations and David Copperfield.

Whether you want to celebrate your next Christmas party in the proximity of Miss Havisham’s dusty chambers or in a dark alley of Dickens’ London the options of enjoying a Dickens themed Christmas party are as infinite as the imagination of the prodigal author. It doesn’t matter if you are a couple or an entire corporate team, if you want to party in London you can find a suitable theme for yourself. Forget about astronomical budgets and hackneyed party conversations; take a trip down the annals of literary history and submerge yourself in the good old charmingly dark world of Charles Dickens.

Imagine what wonders a themed Christmas party can work on the overall mood of the gathering? Everybody comes to the party in peculiar costumes and with a sense of purpose. Nothing is vague but the mystery is very much alive. Since everyone plays a crucial part in the theme all your guests feel special. A themed Christmas party can consist of various activities that can become an integral part of spending quality time at the party. So the next time you plan to hold a Christmas party in London , hold a themed Christmas party and you will never ever like the idea of holding or attending a normal party.

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Fortunately for those of us newly interested in eating organic and raw foods, there are lots of products out there. Natural and organic foods used to be found only in natural food stores, and those could be few and far between. While not as ubiquitous as McDonald’s, there ARE many more stand-alone stores. And the grocery chains are catching on too, with more organic selections than ever before. If you don’t see them in your grocery store, just ask. You’re probably not the only person in your neighborhood who’d like to see more of these options.

Many grocery stores now feature sprouts and other living foods in the produce aisle. Of course, if they don’t, there’s nothing easier to grow for yourself than sprouts!

There are also tons of sites on the Web where you can order raw and living foods. Just do a search on raw foods and you’ll come up with a lot of different places to order the foods you’d like to buy. Many of these sites are also full of useful information, to help you learn about eating raw foods, and help educate you on the specific food values.

What else? Experiment with what you like. Take the time to learn a little about what the different nutrients in foods do for you. A few examples:

Cabbage – High in Vitamin C; important for healthy cell function
Shitake mushrooms – contain essential fatty acids and antioxidants to support a healthy immune system

Kale – Rich in fiber and helps reduce calorie intake with less hunger. We like that!
Barley – Loaded with niacin , fiber and iron and is important for healthy blood sugar.
Pumpkin – So rich in fiber and vitamins; helps reduce appetite by filling the stomach with indigestible fibers

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Wiping the sweat from his brow whilst tending his drying tea leaves, a farmer spotted a black serpent nearby. Startled and worried, he ran off and did not return for a few days, ensuring the serpent had moved elsewhere. Unfortunately, he had left his leaves in the full glare of the Southern China sun and the leaves had changed colour. Out of curiosity, he brewed them and found that they gave a pleasant, sweet and floral flavour. Oolong tea was born.



OK, that is one of the interesting legends that seem to surround the origins of many types of tea and is probably not literally true. Oolong tea seems to date back only to the end of the Ming Dynasty, around 400 years ago. No one really knows for sure. Oolong is a cross between Green and Black teas, it is processed much more than Green but less than black and is oxidised somewhere between 15 and 70 percent. The first stage of the processing is to bruise the leaves so that they can oxidise more readily. Once oxidised to the extent required, the tea leaves are rolled and fired to halt the oxidation process. Those with &nbspless oxidation are sometimes referred to as “green Oolongs” whilst ones that are at the top end of the oxidation scale are “brown Oolongs”.



The tea therefore is supplied in small balls which expand in the cup to produce their delicate floral aroma and flavour. There are a wide variety of Oolong teas available so if you have tried one, do not think that you know the flavour of Oolong.



In common with all pure, organic Chinese teas, this type is believed to confer health benefits. It has been demonstrated that the polyphenols (anti-oxidant chemicals) that are present in the tea can destroy free radicals. Free radicals are implicated both in heart disease and cancer situations. The levels are less than in Green teas but are still significant, which makes Oolong a healthy drink.



This tea is very often used as the basis of slimming (or weight loss) teas. Certainly it is a low calorie alternative to other drinks as it is taken without milk or sugar, but it would need much more research under strictly controlled conditions to determine if it genuinely helps. Checking on forums about the subject, some people swear by it and claim that it has been very successful whilst others say they have noticed no difference. So maybe it just works for some? Whatever the truth, it would need to used as part of a diet and exercise programme rather than as a silver bullet that solves obesity.



Getting hold of this tea can sometimes be problematical; very few tea shops will offer it, unless they are high-class and sell gourmet teas. Buying it in health shops is not always possible, they tend to stock green teas and mainly teas in tea bags, which are too highly processed to retain the flavour and goodness. However, if you are willing to buy via the internet, there are plenty of retailers. But beware, not all are equal. To have the best experience of Oolong tea, avoid tea bags, avoid the cheap ones. Choose pure, organic loose varieties - these are more expensive but will give you the best flavour and aroma.



To summarise; the complexity , regional varieties and level of oxidation create a variety of different tastes within a single type of tea - try several and you will see what I mean.

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Have you ever seen a picture of your blood plasma after you’ve eaten a meal from McDonald’s or Burger King? It’s not a pretty picture. It looks thick and cloudy. Fast foods are loaded with fat and sodium. They use white bread and rolls, which means they’ve used white processed flour, with very few nutrients in them.

And how do you feel after a Big Mac and french fries? You need a nap, don’t you? All that fat will drag you down and make you feel sluggish.

Going on a diet is hard, but think about some of the things you do when you go on a diet. You eliminate those high fat, processed, high-sodium foods. You eat less, true. But you also eat more raw fruits and vegetables. You drink water. And the results of eating this way are increased energy, less need for sleep. Processed foods, with their high fat content are hard to digest. They take an enormous amount of the body’s energy to consume. When your body’s energy isn’t used up digesting all that fat, it’s available for YOU – for work, play, love, exercise – in other words, for LIFE.

These aren’t drastic concepts. You don’t have to make drastic changes in your lifestyle. But take a good look at what you consume without even thinking about it. We reach for the potato chips, or stop at McDonald’s or Taco Bell when we’re hungry and we want something in a hurry.

It’s much easier these days to have snacks on hand so you don’t have to stop at a fast food place when you’re hungry. If you’re on the road a lot, and get hungry, pick up a bag of vegetables or apple slices at a grocery store. Yes, it’s easier to drive up to Wendy’s, but taking a few extra minutes, not to mention a few extra steps , will be well worth it in energy and vitality.

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First of all, raw foods, such as raw fruits and vegetables have a
higher volume of water in them, so your body is getting the hydration
it needs from foods.

When you start eating more raw foods, you may find you’re not as thirsty or don’t need as much water or other beverages as you normally do. There are several reasons for this.

First of all, raw foods, such as raw fruits and vegetables have a higher volume of water in them, so your body is getting the hydration it needs from foods.

This doesn’t mean you should stop drinking water or juices. You don’t want to adopt some of the more radical elements of the raw food trend. First and foremost, listen to your body. It will tell you what it needs. If you’re overweight, sluggish, tired, depressed, your body might be telling you to make some dietary changes, and raw foods might be one way to alleviate some physical disorders.

But if you’re overweight and have symptoms of Type II diabetes, overwhelming thirst can be one symptom. When you start consuming more raw foods, with a higher fiber and moisture content, you may start to lose weight, and that can go a long way to reducing your blood sugars.

If you’re not overweight, or don’t have Type II diabetes, you still might find you’re not as thirsty as you normally are. First of all, if you’re drinking water and juices, you’re not consuming caffeine, which is so dehydrating and makes you thirstier. And by not consuming as much in the way of cooked foods or especially highly processed foods, which have astronomical sodium counts, you won’t be as thirsty either.

By consuming more raw, uncooked food, and pure water and fruit juices, you’re putting your body into balance. Keeping sodium to normal levels found in foods means you’ll start to require a more balanced amount of water.  Don’t think of this as changing or taking away. Think of it as adding balance , and it will make the process of eating healthier much easier.

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