How this blog got started, part 1

The inception of this blog came about yesterday in a conversation with Kare Possick about her discovery of a wonderful, anti-inflammatory cactus fruit juice that rescued her husband, Charles, from a life sentence of pain and inflammation. (For more information and to try a free bottle, You may find Kares Cactus Juice using google.) And then, since she's reading our book, A Radiant Life, the conversation went to raw vegan eating and autism, and developing an anti-inflammatory diet to take the blessing of the cactus juice to a new level, and to make it especially germane to the brain and gut inflammation that is often so difficult to manage in autism.

Our family's experience of healing with better food spans forty years. Since it's such a long and interesting story, I'll give it to You in short installments, so as not to detract from the point of the blog, which is to find an excellent and anti-inflammatory diet. We are going to be sharing our anti-inflammatory, raw vegan diet search with You.

Sarah is my daughter, (that's she above, roller-blading). She originally regressed into autism after a very early smallpox vaccination. When she was a young child, our family worked diligently with Sarah using Doman and Delacato's patterning work from the Institutes for the Achievement of Human Potential, and with the help of many, many wonderful volunteers from our community, and the shifting to a vegan diet, Sarah got well.

Despite tremendous family problems, trauma, and loss, Sarah graduated from our local high school in almost all regular classes. Shortly after graduation, we had a pesticide exposure, and she regressed back into autism. We've been walking again out of autism (albeit more slowly). Experiencing the miracle of autism being healed once, we know healing is always a present possibility.

Enough story and time for a recipe!

There will be explanations of the whys of the food selected as we go along, as well as suggestions for kitchen tools, stores, and miscellany. The majority of the food used is suggested to be organic. We do use regular avocados and prickly pears. And if anyone knows where to get organic prickly pears, please let me know.

Here's today's offering:

BETALAINE DRINK

Tangerine* or orange* juice, fresh squeezed, enough to balance the beet taste
Beet*, 1 small to medium (beets have a strong taste, so use accordingly)
Rhubarb Chard*, 2 leaves.

[Note: Rhubarb chard is the swiss chard with the beautiful magenta stalk. It is not regular rhubarb. It just looks like it! Please don't use rhubarb as I have read that the plain rhubarb leaves contain way too much oxalic acid, and so are not good to eat. The stalks are used, however.]

Blend. We have a Vitamix which can blend just about anything. A less strong blender will need the beets chopped finely. In both cases, add as blending, slowly, with regard for the blender.

Drink. If You already have Kares Cactus Juice, You can add a shot (an ounce) to any smoothie or juice. I think google doesn't like website names used on blogs, so please do search for it. The Possick's story is wonderful.

ANTI-INFLAMMATORY SALAD 1 (hereafter referred to as A-I Salad)

When we talk about salad, we're talking full meal! The quantities are up to You. I will star * the ingredients that have betalaines or beta-carotene, or are otherwise considered anti-inflammatory. Some ingredients not starred may be, depending on the research we're doing. All the ingredients are raw, unless otherwise specified.

Rhubarb Swiss Chard*
Celery
Cauliflower* (I use the florets, the leaves, and the core grated)
Garlic*, minced very finely, to taste
Butternut squash (baked at about 250 degrees.See note below)
Avocado or flaxseed oil* or fresh ground flaxseed*
Rejuvelac, purple cabbage rejuvelac, with thanks to Ann Wigmore
Or (until I put up the rejuvelac recipe) use fresh chopped tangerine,
orange, lemon, or lime, or if You really love grapefruit it should
work too)(That's for Kare who loves grapefruit.)

Toss all ingredients together, adding some curry powder* (the turmeric is anti-inflammatory, and plain turmeric can be used if You don't like curry) and eat.

[Note: I have read that food baked at that temperature retain enzyme activity. In fact one source goes up to 300 degrees. I personally find this hard to believe, although I've planted some of the squash seeds and they have sprouted. The plus to this is that butternut squash is so hard to cut or peel raw, and so much easier after even a short baking.

I am sharing what I've learned in over 40 years of researching food. Please feel free to add to it whatever You know. I would appreciate it. As well, I will be sharing the places I've found to be good sources of foods, and I would also appreciate additions from everyone.]

[Note 2: If You like salt, I suggest Celtic Sea Salt, Sea Salt, or powdered seaweeds, or seaweed pieces. Maine Coast Sea Vegetables has organic seaweed, and Eden Foods has wonderful, clean wakame.]