To help keep all of you inspired, we ve asked some

remarkable individuals to share their raw food stories with you. Enjoy!

My Story of Conquering the Myths of My 50+ Body

I ve been eating 100% live/raw food for a little over eight months now, and I believe it all started? well.... hmmmm? let s see. Last summer I was determined to do something once and for all about the weight that I put on since I turned 50, six years ago (well, almost seven years now ). It seemed that no matter how much I exercised or how much I ate ? or didn t eat ? nothing stopped the onslaught of impending bulk. Each year added a few more pounds until I hardly recognized myself! What happened? Who was I? Where did this strange body come from? I decided I needed to take this foreign body by the horns and wrangle it back into submission. Actually, I was gentler than that, but the determination was there.

I am a constant gardener in my kitchen. I am planting and harvesting green sprouts daily in my apartment, but that s a story I can tell you about another time. I am also a constant gardener of my thoughts ? persistently planting seeds of gratitude, love, appreciation, and acceptance. I think there s more to being vibrant and healthy than just eating the proper foods. I also find that I need to clear the clutter of thoughts which aren t true for me, and replace them ? replant them - with thoughts that align myself with who I really am.

I have experienced that my body responds only to my thoughts. So, with some resolve I began to question my thoughts about popular beliefs that I was buying into like, ?Women over 50 look matronly , ?Menopause causes every woman s body to explode into uncontrollable pockets of flab and sag , ?Sex appeal and being over 50 is an oxymoron , ?No matter what you do after 50, a beautiful body is totally illusive ? and guess what? I found out that those beliefs are not true at all!

Eating live/raw food came to me as a result of my learning to constantly question any stressful thoughts that I was buying into. Eating food in its natural state just came to me naturally! Detoxing ?whole-istically" is so valuable, because I ve found that it s not possible to clean up the body without paying attention to cleaning up thoughts and beliefs, also. In fact, I ve discovered that when I cleanse stressful thoughts, the body follows ? it sparkles easily and effortlessly.

I lost 45 pounds in three months. It just melted away, and has stayed away. I ate (and still do eat) tons of delicious raw foods, and if some judgments pop up like, ?I shouldn t eat after dark? or ?I shouldn t eat too many sweet fruits? or ?If I eat ?that? I ll blow everything , I just question those opinions to see if they are really true for me, or if I might just be latching on to someone else s beliefs no matter how ?scientific? they appear to be!

As I become more aware of the power, beauty, and truth that s within me, all the ?shoulds and shouldn ts? of the world, which always feel like prison sentences, become flagrant myths ? not true for me at all. Discovering what is true for me reveals the most delicious freedom I ve ever experienced. I also keep my attention on how beautiful l feel, rather than paying any heed to how I look in the moment, because when I feel the beauty from within it radiates outward.

I have found that starting a raw food diet by detoxing a bunch of stressful, untrue beliefs is the most effective way to go. Cleaning out all the old sludge in the body and the mind has ensured me success in staying raw/live and healthy. As I continue to question some of my stressful thoughts on the subject of ?my over 50 body , I can feel this spark of power hidden deep in the recesses of my being, trying to get my attention, only muted under layers of sludge that need dissolving.

Those layers are finally melting away, and that spark (the ?sparkle puff? that we are!) is becoming stronger and brighter by the minute. I ve promised to honor and listen to, and accept the truth of my being, and not allow any false thoughts or beliefs to bury that truth ever again. Finding my power and beauty once more feels magnificent! It s magical, fun, pure freedom, dominion and joy! I now know that the power and beauty are there, and I have every intention of keeping this bounty upfront and center. Eating simple natural raw foods, and cleansing my thinking has become a way of life for me that I don't ever want to give up. I feel and look better than I ever have. I love it!

You can find out more about Jacki-Ann by visiting the following links:

• BLOG: www.inspiredrawhealth.blogspot.com
• TWITTER: @InspiredRawDiva
• FACEBOOK: Jacki Harmon