Even though it's not time to share everything with you about the life-changing events going on with us here at Pure Jeevan, I'm going to try harder to squeeze in a few minutes once in a while to update this blog with other information. I miss coming here and connecting with all of you. Thank you for so many lovely emails that you've been sending to me. I will be responding to all of you very soon. Please forgive me for taking so long to respond, but once we fill you in on everything that's been going on, I think you'll understand that it's difficult to find time to keep up with email and blog writing, among other things.

The latest news, as far as raw foods go, is that I'm having a love affair with a particular fruit. When I was transitioning to raw foods over two years ago, and also during the first few months of eating 100% raw foods, I was in love with young Thai coconuts. I couldn't get enough of them and they did some amazing things for my body---the most amazing was lowering my cholesterol to a healthy range within one month! After many months of consuming at least one coconut per day, however, my love affair ended. I still loved those Thai coconuts, but they just weren't as attractive to me anymore.

I've currently found myself in the middle of an equally intense love affair again, but this time it's directed at the lovely pineapple. I can't get enough of them. I've been eating at least one a day and not tiring of their sweet smell or taste in the least bit. In fact, every day when I wake I'm looking forward to eating another one. I'm so crazy about pineapples that when I find myself with a counter filled with only green organic pineapples, I'll actually ask Jim to pick up a ripe, nonorganic pineapple for me! I know, I can't believe I'm sometimes eating nonorganic fruit, either! But, there you have it...I'm not 100% organic, after all---and I'm a bit fickle when it comes to love affairs involving food.

Did you know the Thai coconuts aren't organic, either? Not only are they not organic, they are many times treated with chemicals to keep them from turning moldy.There were rumors going around that they were dipped in formaldehyde, but the lovely Matt Amsden (of Rawvolution) had some tested to see if the rumors were true, and found that they weren't. Even if they were, the amount of positives my body received from those young coconuts was worth the negatives of ingesting chemicals. They took me to a higher level of health, as I feel the pineapples are currently doing.

What have I noticed after consuming so many pineapples for the past few weeks? Well, it's pretty amazing! I've had rosacea since about the time I gave birth to KDcat, over thirteen years ago. Rosacea is a common skin condition in fair-skinned people (particularly if you are from a Celtic descent), where parts of the face become flushed or there are patches of red. For me, it has always been worse on my nose and my cheeks. Different foods used to trigger it, making it more noticeable. Intense changes in temperature would do the same, as would exercise.

Well, the last time I visited with the holistic doctor, she mentioned my rosacea. I asked her what causes it, and whether there's anything I can do for it. She said it many times comes from low stomach acid (Hydrochloric Acid or HCL), which happens to be one of my remaining health issues. Low HCL is what causes me to not absorb enough B12 and iron. I have always felt that eventually raw foods would help my stomach acid reach a healthy level, though, so I haven't taken any kind of supplements to aid my digestion. Well, guess what? My rosacea is clearing up! That, to me, means that my stomach acid must be getting to a healthier level!

When I was younger my skin was flawless, almost like porcelain. When I got older and the redness started showing up, I used makeup to cover up the patches of red. I rarely wear makeup anymore, so the redness is almost always visible and I have never gotten used to it. Lately, however, I've noticed that it's fading! Some days there is next to no redness on my cheeks, and my nose is more a patchy red than all-over red!

I had a feeling that the pineapples must be causing the change, so I did a little research. Pineapples are loaded with bromelain, a source of beneficial digestive enzymes. They break down the foods in the stomach, aiding any natural stomach acid digestion that is taking place. People have been eating pineapples to aid in digestion for a long time, and here I find myself doing the same!?

Let's hear it for new love affairs and following our instincts when we are drawn to something on some deep level. I just love that my body can give me signals for what it needs, and that I am connected enough to hear the messages! Who knows how long this love affair will last, but it sure is doing some amazing things for me right now!

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So, what's new with all of you? Have we lost readers because we haven't been able to keep this blog regularly updated? What are your thoughts about pineapples? I always heard that they don't ripen once they've been picked, but I've since found that they actually do ripen if you are patient enough (thanks to a sweet employee at the food co-op who encouraged me to experiment with a green one). I've missed all of you and I hope you'll continue to be patient while we are away for days and weeks at a time.

Lots and lots of love to all of you!

Wendi

XOXOXO