We just returned from the East End Food Co-op, where we answered raw food questions for two hours. We were still answering questions on our way out the door, and would have stayed longer but the place was closing. ;-) So, if anyone from this evening stops by our site and you still have questions, just comment here (or send me an email) and I'll be happy to answer them.

I'm more of a one-on-one kind of person, so I was a bit nervous about sitting in front of everyone to answer questions. Jim and KDcat were there to help me, of course, otherwise I probably wouldn't have been there at all. Once people started arriving, I was comfortable. The first people who entered the room were super sweet and I could tell they were genuinely nice people. Then little by little the room filled up, and I was surprisingly comfortable.Maybe in addition to all of the other positive changes in my life, my self confidence is getting better, too!

There were a lot of great questions asked, some that I hadn't anticipated, but I was still able to answer.I was prepared for possible questions that I wouldn't know how to answer, however---I figured I'd jot down the question, ask around in some of the raw forums for advice, and then post the answers here for anything I didn't know.I've done so much reading and learning about raw foods, however, that all of the questions were ones I've come across over the past few years.

I wasn't able to get in-depth with all of the answers, or else I would have ended up spending the entire evening on just a few questions. It's important to read and learn a lot about raw foods, and then take what you learn to see what works for you as an individual. What I've said, and what others have said, are our opinions and experiences. It's up to each of us to find what works for us, individually. I hope I stressed that enough this evening.?

It's hard to address an entire group when there are specific, individual concerns being asked about. I wanted to help everyone, to answer all of their questions, but I don't think I know enough about addressing a group to keep things interesting for an entire crowd. It was my first time talking in public, really, so overall I think I did okay. I did what I wanted to do: I shared information about the raw food diet, which can be a life-altering change for anyone ready to make it. So, mission accomplished!!

When I have some extra time, I'm going to compile a list of the questions that were asked and post them here in the blog, along with our answers. KDcat was a great help. She thought to bring up points that I didn't consider when I answered some questions. She's knowledgeable enough about nutrition; she probably could have answered all of the questions on her own! She's an awesome person, and I'm so happy she's in my life.

More information for those who attended tonight's Q&A Session...

For some of the places I referred people, here are links:?

Edible Herbs Information: Our good friends Melissa and David Sokulski run a massage and acupuncture clinic in the South Side. They are both extremely knowledgeable about Chinese medicine, in addition to wild edible herbs. Melissa has held herb walks in the past, teaching others about the herbs we can easily pick and consume! For anyone interested in finding out more, visit their site, The Birch Center, and send them an email if you have questions.They also have a blog that is quite informative, as well. Melissa and Dave are wonderful people, and I'm sure they'd love to hear from you.

Important Protein Information: We talked about the need for protein not being as high as many people believe. The book I mentioned is called The China Study, by Dr. T. Colin Campbell. KDcat pointed out that you don't even have to check out the book if you want to just get the basic information. You can access information about the study just by viewing videos on YouTube! She's a clever girl to think of that! So, here's a link for a YouTube video discussing The China Study.

Recipes: You can find some recipes here on our site, but there are an endless amount all over the Internet if you search for them! Here is a site that has a large amount of raw food recipes: Gone Raw (once on the site, click on the right for the category you are interested in, and you'll narrow the choices down and also be able to view photos with the recipes).

Please let me know if there's anything else I can help you with. It was nice meeting you and I hope you have a beautiful raw food journey ahead of you!! I'd love to hear from you, so please leave a comment if you have the time.

Lots of love to all of you!

Wendi

XOXOXO