What is Hydrochloric Acid?

Chemically speaking, hydrochloric acid is hydrogen chloride (HCl) in a water solution. It’s found naturally in our own gastric acid.

If your hydrochloric acid levels are up to par, you’ll experience good digestion and good nutrient absorption, and you’ll be protected from harmful pathogens and parasites. But if your HCL levels are low, you may show such symptoms as fatigue, hair loss, impaired digestion, candida, gastritis, slow healing and vitamin B12 deficiency and a host of other maladies. That’s how much HCL effects your health.

Importance of Hydrochloric Acid

Ample organic sodium in the stomach is necessary to protect stomach cells from hydrochloric acid. If that protection isn’t available, the body’s natural protection systems inhibit HCL production so as to protect the stomach lining.

As digestion uses up the stomach’s organic sodium, it begins ‘stealing’ needed sodium from elsewhere in the body. This can weaken muscles and even, over a long term, promote arthritis. Indeed, want of certain minerals—organic sodium among these—can mark the beginning of old age.

HCl is produced in the parietal cells of the stomach and is needed for the absorption of vitamins and minerals such as calcium, iron, folic acid and the B vitamins. Sufficient stomach acid is imperative for destroying certain microorganisms, bacteria, fungi and parasites.

Since raw food aficionados do not consume meat or many others of the foods whose digestion requires high HCL levels, we tend to produce less hydrochloric acid—we don’t need it, so our bodies make less. Should you decide to eat some cooked protein, watch out—it could create digestive issues due to insufficient stomach acid. Hydrochloric acid is essential to digestion, especially when it comes to large protein molecules.

Ways to Ensure Adequate HCL Production

If you want to ensure adequate HCL production, or increase production, you can go about this in a few ways.

Consuming adequate organic sodium is essential. Celery is a great way to get organic sodium. Include it liberally in your diet, especially in vegetable juice. Wheatgrass is also extremely high in organic sodium. Seek out other sodium-rich foods, too, such as any of the sea vegetables, aloe vera, or barley grass juice.

Chew. Chew well. I can’t stress enough that proper chewing is of utmost importance for raw foodists. Since we don’t have as much HCL as others, we must chew our food well. This is where the value of blended raw foods—green smoothies, especially—comes into play. By consuming green smoothies daily, you’re assured of obtaining more greens and fiber as well of having your food completely broken down for proper digestion and assimilation. There are many raw foodists who were not able to overcome their health challenges or put on desired weight until they dramatically improved their levels of HCL. This is an important tip—don’t overlook it!

If you do have digestive problems, it might well be in your interest to look into colonic hydrotherapy and boosting HCL levels with either temporary supplementation or some of the methods I mentioned above.

The information I’m giving here is for educational purposes only. Do consult your own health care professional.

Be sure you’re not deficient in B12. A B12 deficiency may be directly related to your body’s ability to produce sufficient hydrochloric acid in your stomach. Read more about B12 here.

3/28/2012

Tonya`s book “Rawsome Flex” is the essential facial workout guide for me, as the most comprehensive collection of facial exercises ever created. I’ve been doing these facial exercises and found them to be incredibly helpful. –B.

3/27/2012

Tonya, I just purchased your book, “Quantum Eating.” I’ve devoured the book in two days! Thanks for sharing your truth. I believe in everything you’re saying. I myself have learned through trial and error much of what you are sharing, you helped me understand the why behind it. –L.

3/27/2012

Dear Mrs. Zavasta, I happened to take a quick glance at the TV the other day and could not stop chuckling. I thank Jehovah God for giving you the insight to readjust our thinking on matters of health. We do not have to worry and be anxious for laws to be promulgated or enacted in anticipation of being sick. Eating cooked foods will adversely affect health and of course you need to be preemptive and proactive and buy sick care insurance. Truly, I feel so good on my rawsome vegan lifestyle that I could not stop laughing. I am glad my thinking is sharp now and not distorted. –C.B.

3/27/2012

Inspirational reading! I have transitioned over to raw vegan lifestyle now 2 weeks ago after trying it out over some time gradually – and I bought your books last summer and enjoy them. Thanks for being out there spreading your wisdom, experiences and light with me and others who chose to live a healthy and conscious life. Blessings, –L.M.J.

03/22/2012

Tonya, I absolutely had to thank you. I ordered your products and they arrived less than one week ago. For the first time in 16 years my skin is nearly clear. I think after another week or so even the last remaining acne scars will be gone as well. I have been on the raw diet and juicing for about six months now. Still my skin was breaking out. I have been in a cycle of wearing make up to cover acne; therefore, breaking out even more.

For the first time in 16 years I don’t need foundation. Your products are amazing. Not to mention how rawsome my hair looks. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. You have given me the best gift “The right (and the ability) to be beautiful.” –C.C.

03/19/2012

Hello Tonya, I am writing because I am in the process of my own raw food journey, which I began after watching one (after another, after another) of your YouTube videos.

Since September 2011, I have lost 60 lbs and have about 30 more that I would like to lose before I am ready to send in my complete transformation photos for your use. –B.B.

03/10/2012

You did it again!  I applied my facial masque and brushed as soon as I received my package. Then I massaged my Your Right to Be Beautiful moisture cream also before bedtime. I am so in love with these Luxurious products. They are effective, phenomenal and luxurious. My face felt great instantly because I have been implementing a rawsome lifestyle since 3 months. The next day my face looked lifted and smooth and got so many compliments. Thanks so much for your insight and brilliance and I thank Jehovah God for you. Cant’ wait to receive my Flex Facial exercise book that I ordered. –C.B.

03/07/2012

Dear Tonya (and research assistant Kelli), this is an email responding to your March 2012 newsletter. Mostly the “What you need to learn from people you disagree with” section. I think it’s interesting that you say that a “raw food lifestyle makes you deeply aware that you get what you send out”. I have been trying to eat as much raw foods as I can, and the more I do the more I’m aware of my own actions. I still feel the need to every once and a while indulge in the warmth of a cooked meal with meat especially when it’s cold and blustery out lol . That being said I really appreciate hearing that words only carry a hurtful meaning if you yourself allow them to. I’ve been experiencing a lot of negativity lately from outside sources and instead of being hurt, I’ve turned them into learning tools. To hear someone else confirm my recent discoveries is uplifting. I don’t know if I will ever be able to completely shut out meat and cooked foods but cutting out nighttime meals and eating mostly raw is certainly do-able for me! Thank you for your kind spirit and informative ideas. I will continue to put out only what I want to receive in return! –K.N.

03/07/2012

Tonya, your recent newsletter really hit home.  I had been raw for over a couple months and was not seeing much change. I started a juice cleanse about 11 days ago and implemented some colonics. I has been amazing-the difference. My skin is better on my body, the acne on my face is clearing up, my nails are growing faster and they are becoming a very beautiful pinkish-white color, and my eyes are clearer and brighter.  I am going to continue my cleanse for 30 days before resuming my raw food diet. I just thought you might like to know that your words are tried and true by me and I feel and look much healthier after only 11 days! –T.

03/02/2012

Blessings to you! I love your Pins and Needles Roller!! I have two and use one for my face and one for my legs. Works so much better than dry brushing on my legs. My mom has one too and it has helped incredibly with her cellulite. Thank you!! –Amy

Hearty Stuffed Avocados (by Kelli Haines) 

It’s great for an Easter celebration feast.

Ingredients:

1 cup raw pistachios, soaked
½ cup raw pecans, soaked
1 cup diced celery
1 red pepper, diced
2 scallions, chopped
1 Tablespoon fresh dill (or 1 tsp. dried)
2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
pinch of celtic sea salt, optional
3 avocados, halved and pitted but skin intact

Pulse all ingredients in a food processor until still slightly chunky and fill avocado halves with the mixture. Arrange on a platter of greens and sprinkle with curry powder and dried dill, if desired. Use any leftover filling for nori wraps.

Serves 6

Queen’s Juice
This exhilarating green juice is hydrating, alkalizing and refreshing. Queen’s Juice: It’s what’s for breakfast.

Ingredients:
1 lime, peeled
1 bunch of fresh parsley
2 apples, any variety
2 stalks of celery
2 handfuls of spinach
1 small beetroot

Run everything through a juicer and pour into a tall glass. Drink immediately.
Serves 1 generously

Pond Pudding
When you were a child, did you ever seek out frog eggs in the ponds and ditches and try to hatch them at home? This delicious spring pudding is bound to remind you of your childhood adventures.

Ingredients:
2 handfuls of fresh spinach
1 ripe papaya, peeled and seeded
1 cup fresh chopped pineapple
1 Tablespoon of raw honey
dash of vanilla, optional
¼ cup black chia seeds (soaked in 1 cup water or coconut water overnight)

Blend everything but the soaked chia seeds in a blender. Pour into a bowl and stir in the chia until thoroughly incorporated. Dust with cinnamon and eat with a spoon.

Serves 1

Figging Around Salad
You can use this salad as a foundation to build your own creations. Or eat it just the way it is for delicious simplicity.

Ingredients:
2 cups fresh arugula, roughly chopped
2 cups romaine hearts, roughly chopped
2 cups fresh figs, roughly chopped
½ cup chopped pistachios

Toss all ingredients in a bowl and drizzle with your favorite raw citrus dressing, such as orange juice and honey, with a pinch of celtic sea salt if desired.

Serves 2

Parfait
A rich, creamy parfait that tastes and looks decadent but is very easy to make…and eat.

2 and ½ cups raw cashews, soaked
1 cup fresh nut milk, any flavor
¼ cup raw honey or natural sweetener of your choice
2 cups fresh ripe strawberries, sliced
½ cup ground flaxseed
fresh mint leaves for garnish

Blend cashews with nut milk and sweetener until smooth. Put a couple spoonfuls in the bottom of a dessert cup and then layer sliced strawberries, followed by ground flax seed. Repeat the layers once or twice, depending on the size of your cup and garnish with strawberries and mint leaf.

Serves 2

Regular evacuation of your bowels is essential for being healthy, for maintaining ideal weight (or getting down to it), and for having clear, youthful skin. For more on that, read my article: The Straight Poop.

So what if you can’t go? What do you do?

Quick Remedies

There are some quick remedies, some of which you’ll already aware of. Eating prunes. Drinking cabbage or carrot juice. A tablespoon of raw honey—which offers laxative properties—thrice daily. These remedies will likely relieve symptoms. But you should start getting to the root of the problem.

Where to get the best fiber?

If constipation occurs other than very rarely, you’re almost surely eating wrong. Your remedy here: raw foods. Vegetables and fruits. Go raw or close, and you’ll get all the fiber you’ll ever need, plus (inside those fruits and vegetables) a great supply of the best water there is—biologically active water.

“Massage” your digestive system

If you’ve ever spent more than a couple of days in a hospital bed, you’ll know they start handing you stool softeners. Why? Because inactivity causes all that digested food to build up inside. It’s the motion imparted to your bowels by your moving about which “massages” the bowels and gets that food moving through. And there is no exercise more effective or natural than yoga.

Rest your digestive system

You also need to give your digestive system a complete rest once in a while, so it has a chance to heal itself. There’s only one kind of complete rest for the digestive system: fasting.

If you’re already pretty thin, fasting sounds genuinely scary. Consider what one correspondent wrote to me when I suggested fasting as a solution to constipation: I do like a mini fast now and again. Right now I don’t eat till noon, then drink green juice and have a raw meal at night. I’m pretty underweight at the moment, so a full-on fast seems kinda scary—when I do fast, it makes me weak and dizzy…

If you feel weak and dizzy while fasting, this is a likely indication that your body is toxic. And if you’re constipated at the same time, that weak, dizzy feeling may well derive directly from impacted stool.

Here’s the tough part: You’ve got to be willing to endure a little discomfort now for greater results later. It’s understandable. We want it now and easy. We don’t want to feel “weak and dizzy.” We want immediate results. And we want the symptoms to go away. But to gain real health, you have to go through a detox process as you heal, so later you’ll get truly, deeply healthy. So yes, early on you may feel a tad weak, may feel a faint, generalized kind of dizziness. I suggest you just try to deal with it—good things are coming.

Stop eating at night

If a day long fast doesn’t appeal to you, extend your night rest. Eating at night isn’t a good idea. In my book Quantum Eating I explain the circadian rhythms which govern our body’s workings. To become and stay healthy, we need to eat according to those rhythms. Try eating in the morning, instead. Go to bed on an empty stomach, giving your digestive system its needed nightly rest. Quantum Eating is about eating raw foods and not eating at night. I believe it’s the best anti-aging program.  Try it and see for yourself.

What are parasites?

Parasites are organisms which live upon a host. But we’re not talking about what’s called a symbiotic relationship, in which a living thing lives off the host and provides a benefit in return. This is rarely the case with parasites.

It is estimated that currently in the West at least one out of every six people has parasites of some sort. Parasites are so prevalent that it’s surprising the subject is not more openly addressed in North American culture, as it is in other countries.

What kinds of parasites are there?

There are countless types of parasites, ranging from single-celled protozoa to actual worms which can grow to several feet in length. Some of the more well known protozoa are Giardia and Cryptosporidium, while most people have at some time come into contact with pinworms, hookworms, roundworms and tapeworms, just to name a few.

 How do we get parasites?

We can get them by travelling abroad, by playing with pets which have them, by walking barefoot, by drinking contaminated water, from contact with raw meat, even from swimming in the ocean.

Contact with parasites is frequent. I promise you that you’ve touched a bunch of them today. But how do they take hold inside of us? For the most part, parasites enter and take up residence in unhealthy human bodies. They feed, for example, on excess constipated food in the gut. They’re especially fond of the remains of cooked starchy food and decaying animal products. However, there are reports that even raw foodists may be at risk.

 Symptoms of parasites

Symptoms are often overlooked. Parasites mimic symptoms of other disorders, presenting in the form of nausea, skin rashes, diarrhea, abdominal pain, headaches, rectal itching, constipation, heartburn, weight loss or weight gain, fatigue and night sweats. Take a list of these complaints to your doctor, and chances are that testing you for parasites will not be the first order of business. Common as these symptoms are, keep in mind that an absence of symptoms does not mean you are parasite-free.

 Testing

Testing for parasites is usually only available through your health care provider, though determined individuals might be able to locate independent labs to conduct their own testing. A test from a health care professional will usually start with a stool sample or a blood test, or both, depending on your symptoms, your history and your current concerns.

 Parasite Cleansing

There are numerous parasite cleanses available on the internet. Many of these are quite involved, requiring strict protocols and the purchase of specific herbs and oils. As big a believer as I am in cleansing generally, I have never cleansed for parasites in particular. Thus I can’t speak with any authority on ‘parasite cleanses’ available online or at your local health food store. Dr. Hulda Clark, a leading authority on parasites, offers an Herbal Parasite Cleanse, and there are other parasite cleanses popular in the raw food movement, such as Ejuva.

Besides parasite cleansing protocols, there are other methods that have stood the test of time and have been used successfully in other countries for years.

 Home Remedies for Parasites

One world-renowned remedy for intestinal parasites is Black Walnut Hull, which you can buy at reputable brick-and-mortar or online health food vendors.

Oil of Oregano is very effective for some people. It’s advised to take oil of oregano in tablet form for six weeks. One study showed growth inhibition for at least ten different microbes, including Candida albicans (yeast). Other anti-parasitic oils include flax oil, pumpkin seed oil, and watermelon oil.

There are teas with anti-parasitic herbs such as ginger, horseradish, chili pepper, flax with stevia, and others. Pomegranate juice daily will kill tapeworms. A quarter cup of finely ground pumpkin seeds can eliminate many other varieties of worms.

 Anti-parasite Smoothies

If you are concerned about parasites, adding certain seasonings, namely cinnamon, ginger, bay leaf, cardamom, mellissa, mint, and oregano in your smoothies could be beneficial.

 Keep Your Colon Clean

Colon hydrotherapy is essential in cleansing the entire colon of waste and toxic debris that harbor parasites of all kinds. If you’re embarking on a parasite cleanse, you’ll definitely want to schedule some sessions with a trained colon hydrotherapist.

 Be Good to Your Pets

De-worm your pets regularly to avoid re-infecting yourself or your family members.

Anti-parasitic Raw Foods

Eat an abundance of raw foods considered ‘anti-parasitic,’ such as cabbage and onions, garlic, pineapple, pumpkin seeds, almonds, figs, blackberries, papaya, pomegranate, ginger, hot peppers, radishes, coconut oil, and cloves. Implement fasting as well, as an overall body cleanse.

It’s also recommended to exclude honey and dried fruit from your diet when treating for parasites.

On a raw diet you have a better chance of keeping a clean, alkaline bloodstream and a healthier intestinal terrain to discourage parasites from sticking around. The name of the game: If you want to get rid of and stay rid of parasites, become a poor host!

Quantum Eating helped me to stay parasite free.

It’s not that I have no sympathy with the urge to wear nail polish. I’m a girl, too. I used to wear that stuff. No more.

I can present you with a list of ingredients in your regular nail polish and talk about their toxicity. But do you really need to hear all that? Instead, come along with me to the nail salon. Been to one lately? You can literally sniff those chemicals when you park your car, even before you get in the door. When you do open the door, the powerful whiff hits you. And those ladies doing your nails wear masks—like soldiers in a chemical warfare. Is there any doubt nail polish is toxic?

Most of the time, I do my own manicures. When on rare occasions I do go to a salon, I always refuse polish, asking for nail buffing only. The buffer is a simple tool for polishing nails to make them look smooth and shiny. Easy procedure…good results…no harm done. I feel better about it, too—not only do I not get these toxins slapped on my nails, but the aesthetician has one less fifteen minute session of fumes to inhale.

Human nails are porous. They are meant to pass air and “breathe.” Like your skin, your nails need oxygen. Stick on a polish and a layer of clear-coat, and you’ve nearly completely impaired that function.

Moreover, nail polishes can cause problems both biological and aesthetic within your nails. Formaldehyde, an ingredient in many nail polishes, can react with the protein keratin in your nails, eventually creating that brittle, yellowish look. So if my little lecture on toxins and health won’t do it for you, maybe this concern about looks will.

As you embrace and move ever onward in a lifestyle founded on raw foods, your nails will start looking better and better. More on healthy nails here. Eventually, I predict, you’ll come, like me, to prefer the sight of healthy-looking “naked” nails. Nails tell tales about the state of your health. Why cover something that proclaims your own good health?

Shelly, age 42, wrote us:

Just thought I’d forward my “before” and “after” pix showing the results of doing the chin exercises you’ve shared with us. Thank you, Tonya! I’d been so dismayed about my double chin that I’d begun thinking plastic surgery was the answer.

         I started (almost raw diet) at the start of this year. The first picture-on the left side-was taken on the 7^th of January of this year at a family gathering. I think it really shows the “saggy” chin.

The second picture-on the right-was taken on February 28^th, 2012 and shows a difference in the chin/neck. I have been doing the ‘fish kiss’ exercises almost every day – until it burns. I had also juice-fasted for 4 days and did vigorous exercise during January to lose the kilograms. So it has taken me approximately 6 weeks of work to see this difference (again taking into account diet as well as the exercising/fasting).
Thanks, Shelly

My personal comment to Shelly on the photos: Your before looks not bad at all. But your after picture: Stunningly different. You look terrific!

I’m so grateful for Shelly’s permission to use these photos. As we can see she used a systematic approach to improve her health and appearance. She also went through a juice fast to cleanse her body and lose some kilograms.  She was performing whole-body exercise, leading to more weight loss, and giving her a better muscle tone overall.  She added a lot of raw foods for both better nutrition and more efficient nutrition (more nutrient value per calorie, much less toxicity in total and per calorie). Then she added specific exercises recommended for a specific problem area—the chin and neck, in Shelly’s case.

We all “have issues”—specific things about ourselves that bug us. For Shelly, it was that now-vanished double chin. For you it might be crows feet or jowls, wrinkles around your mouth or under the eyes. All these facial concerns and more can be resolved through a combination of the raw food diet and facial exercises. Check out my book Rawsome Flex: Beautifying System of Raw Foods and Facial Exercises.

2/29/2012

You are such an inspiration!!!! I bought your books a few years ago, I was too new to raw to be able to embrace them. Now I am not scared and am ready to enjoy the benefits of drinking my green juice and eating my last meal before three – thank you for getting this info out !!!!—J.M.M.

2/25/2012

Hi. I saw Tonya on YouTube demonstrating deep tissue facial massage. So far I’ve done this last night Friday and Saturday. Already I’ve noticed a difference for the better! I’m in menopause and my complexion has lost its glow and my face is sagging. I’ve tried so many products and nothing seems to help. In my 30′s and 40′s I would get compliments all the time on my complexion. But now even makeup doesn’t help. I want to thank Tonya for her information and she is a great example of the technique. …There is hope for me. Thank you Tonya!! –F.G.

2/19/2012

Just finished purchasing, downloading, and reading Raw Food Diet and Your Compromised Teeth. Thanks to the author for not “sugar-coating” the truth (bad pun intended!). I was at times exhilarated (finally, someone who’s “been there!”), and then depressed (are implants inevitable no matter what I do?).  My dental situation seems worse than Tonya’s when she started…

Like Tonya, all I can do is start from here and now.  I hope she’s wrong when she says superior health could cause only a small cavity to remineralize naturally. Why not a larger one, or larger problem? When skin is cut, all other things being equal, it’ll scab over whether small or large. Maybe wishful thinking on my part…Again, thanks for a great book. I can feel Tonya’s caring in its pages, and also in the way she lays out her website.—D.M.

2/17/2012

I’m a first time user and I was surprised at how effective her products are. The shampoo, conditioner, and scalp tonic leaned towards more volume, which, I was weary of, since the last thing I needed was more volume. I have Asian hair and the texture is like a coarse broom. I have tried many products but Tonya’s gave me manageable volume. My hair feels silky without feeling greasy. I, also, have grey hair coming in, especially on the top and the scalp tonic (I don’t understand the science) but, I could swear it deflects the white streak. It’s still there but it makes it softer and blends in with the rest of the hair.  –C.

2/17/2012

Tonya, I’m looking forward to the beautiful me! I’m looking forward to purchasing your books and products in the future. My Health Minister is 88 years old and has used your face products for several years now. The other day I was at her house to help her juice and looking at her face I could see the lines are going away I was so surprised to see her face was much smother than I have ever seen it. God Bless You. Please I want to tell you I appreciate you and others who talk about the Rawsome life style. Warm Regards, –A.A.

2/13/2012

Good morning. Thank you so much for formulating the oral balm – it is wonderful.  I’ve tried many natural tooth / oral products and this is the best by far. Just wanted to say thanks.-A. B.

2/9/2012

Tonya, I am starting my raw food life style today! You look AMAZING! I just turned 46. I can not wait to look as good as you do! I run, eat organic food and juice carrots daily, but still have not been totally happy with how I look, After I saw Madonna’s halftime show I started researching raw food and found your videos, you are providing hope and truth for women every where, I want to read all of you books and will be putting them on my birthday list. Thank you! —D.

2/06/2012

Tonya, you are an excellent example of good health, keep up the good work! I thank the Lord for the health message and teachers like you! I was healed of 2nd stage breast cancer in 1984, NO CHEMO, NO RADIATION, NO SURGERY (ALL CANCELLED) through the vegan lifestyle. Ten years later introduced to 80/20 raw, in mid 90′s 85/15 and I saw you in Florida lecture around 2007 or ‘08. Like you, I look many years younger than my age group and haven’t needed a medical doctor since 1984!!!

I will always continue to live the healthy diet and lifestyle, not just for the outer appearance, but the awesome blessings of my healthy internal body. I am a very active senior and happy that I am disease free, enjoying my later years like all of us should and are meant to do!… I know Jack LaLane’s niece here in Hawaii and she looks and does great for her senior age! I will suggest your newsletter to her! Thank you very much for all the time and effort you put into the health message!  Aloha from N.

2/06/2012

I’m loving the scalp treatment. And I asked my niece Julia to look at my roots because I thought I was imagining how well it worked. She confirmed what I thought…very little gray. It’s been 2 weeks and there is very little gray left in my long brown increasingly shiny hair (thanks to the shampoo and the scalp treatment). Thank you everyone! And especially Tonya. –J. S.

2/06/2012

Hello! I have ordered your book Miracle of Raw Foods in Russian! Thank you. I have seen 1.5 year ago your roller the first time and prayed you could possibly translate [the books] into Russian! I am very glad that it has occurred! By mail for 7 days I have received the book from publishing house “Peter”! I very much love you, thankful that you are inspiring us on beauty and health!

Yours faithfully, M. S., the director of the Educational center “Beauty Light”, the Russian Federation

2/06/2012

I, myself, feel amazingly healthier and clearer from being raw. My brain is not focused on my gut, but where it belongs. Winter is a bit difficult for me, but it has given me time to experiment and play with my dehydrator. Win some, lose some, but that’s how it was and is when I cook for my husband. I still enjoy being in the kitchen. Most of the time I like simplicity. When I do have something cooked with my husband, I totally regret it afterwards.

The only learning experiences I still need are what to replace bananas with (sugar alcohol content too high for me), and most nuts and seeds are too binding (I’ll make almond milk and make almond flour and will use pecans once in a blue moon).  I am determined to figure that out… I am 58 years old, and not ready to grow old. –A.

2/06/2012

Dear Mrs. Zavasta, I am doing well since I embarked in the Rawsome lifestyle.  I just ordered the last two books (Quantum eating and Raw food and Hot Yoga). Your writing style is phenomenal and I enjoy and appreciate your talented, scientific mind. Love it.   Even though I live in the Northeast with frigid temperature I did not relinquish my raw vegan eating. Reading your posts in the blog help me implement measures to minimize the decrease in body temperature.

Thanks so much: I do have my right to be beautiful. Even my facial bones are changing for the better. At 45 prior to the rawsome lifestyle my facial skin and nose was sagging and my hair was turning gray. No need to enumerate all the positive changes that are occurring. I am just blessed and thank JEHOVAH GOD for your genius and your humility. –C.B.

2/06/2012

Miss Tonya Zavasta. Thank you thank you thank you… For all that you do. Out of 6 or so “raw newsletters” I receive monthly: you are my favorite. I hope you don’t mind that I use your “real talk” as inspiration for my next newsletter…Aloha nui Loa, –L.L.

2/06/2012

Hi Tonya, I just wanted to tell you that I bought the face cream and dry brush 2 weeks ago. I have been using it faithfully. I have suffered from acne for the majority of my adult life. Your program is WONDERFUL, yes I had to shout it. THANK YOU TONYA, I wish I knew about dry brushing for my face and your incredible face cream 30 yrs ago….Thanks so much. Much Love and Light, –A.

2/05/2012

I would like to say how much I love the products, especially my most recent purchase of the Oral Balm. It’s really fantastic! –B.

2/03/2012

I viewed all of Tonya’s info on YouTube and was very impressed.  I pray that the Lord bless her for helping women all over the world.  She is brilliant and is willing to share so freely.  I have tried her methods and I am amaze at the results…. May the Lord bless her mightily.   Judy Price

2/03/2012

I am LOVING the [hair] serum. My hair has so much body and looks really good.  Also I don’t know if I am imagining this or if it is real, but I think my gray has decreased a lot. –J. S.

 2/01/2012

Dear Tonya, I just want to say how grateful I am for your monthly letter packed with excellent info, discussion, suggestion, recipes, etc…Thank you, especially, for your passion and integrity in this business of health and beauty. I have been looking forward to read your monthly newsletter, as well as have been using your products including books and equipment for 2 years now—I really appreciate your doing everything to share the best from your knowledge (via well done research) and sell the best products (without compromising for profit gaining). I am motivated to put into practice when I have good knowledge (my whys are answered, etc…) and I am not too burdened with complicated procedures or recipes. THANK YOU for a variety of rawsome recipes, especially the simple yet tasty ones so I can stay flexible with my schedule. –K.L.

Strawberry Grapefruit Slurry

Ingredients:
2 cups of fresh whole strawberries
1 grapefruit, peeled and seeded
2 ripe bananas
½ head of Romaine lettuce, roughly chopped

Set aside a few strawberries and grapefruit slices in a bowl and blend all other ingredients until smooth. Add the remaining fruit pieces and pulse gently until they are blended in, but still slightly chunky. Pour into two tall smoothie glasses and enjoy!

Serves 2

Snappy Spring Toss

Ingredients:
2 cups fresh snow peas
2 cups of jicama, peeled and cut into matchsticks
2 cups of orange wedges, peeled and divided
½ cup of chopped raw soaked pecans
2 Tablespoons of raw honey
juice of one orange
pinch of celtic sea salt, optional

In a serving bowl, mix the honey, orange juice and salt together with a fork. Add remaining ingredients and toss thoroughly until well coated with the resulting dressing. Let it sit to marinade for at least half an hour.

Serves 2

Love Your Liver Salad

Ingredients:
1 bunch of dandelion greens, stems removed
1 handful of mixed baby greens
2 red apples, cored and sliced thinly
¼ cup of scallions, roughly chopped
1/2 avocado, peeled and cubed
¼ cup tahini
juice of 2 fresh navel oranges
1 inch of peeled and grated ginger root
1 teaspoon of freshly ground cinnamon
pinch of celtic sea salt
1 Tablespoon of fresh parsley, chopped

Place the dandelion greens, baby greens, apples, scallions and avocado in a large salad bowl. Blend the remaining ingredients in a blender and pour over the salad. Toss gently to coat entire salad with the dressing and let sit for at least half an hour before serving. Garnish with dandelion flowers, if available, and sprinkles of dulse flakes.

Serves 2

Creamy Asparagus Soup

Ingredients:
1 cup coconut water
1/2 avocado
1 small bunch of fresh asparagus, ends trimmed
1 stalk of celery, chopped
½ cup raw pine nuts, soaked
Juice of half a lemon
handful of fresh dill
Pinch of sea salt

Blend all ingredients in blender until smooth. Pour into two soup bowls and garnish with chives, extra chopped asparagus or fresh corn, if you live where it’s available.

Serves 2

Dear Tonya, I’m prompted to respond to the recent comments of yours replying to people who, for one reason or another, have given up their raw food regimen.

Background…I’m from Russia, aged 40, been on a raw foods diet some two and a half years. Early on, I felt quite inspired. I was surprised by the mental clarity and bright spirit raw foods brought me. My hearing improved. I stopped catching colds. I felt proud of these improvements.

Then I had occasion to attend a party of raw food people. I’d hoped to see beautiful, healthy guests. But reality showed to me just ordinary people, some of them looking downright unhealthy.

Then, despite the benefits I’d already gained, my looks became worse than before I’d ventured onto the raw food diet. I didn’t want to give up this diet, didn’t want, in particular, to give up my good spirits and clarity of mind. Something was wrong—especially the color of my face.

I read countless books about raw foods. Only one, however, stressed the necessity of cleansing from parasites. I’d believed that raw foods by themselves could rid me of parasites—many raw foods books say so. Nevertheless, I decided to get a bioresonance diagnostic test to determine whether my body was harboring parasites. The results astounded me—a half-page list of various fungal parasites. I found the root of my problems. Perhaps this is also a problem for many others who feel they’re not achieving optimum results from going raw.

I began treatment and it’s working. A few raw sites are starting to mention that going raw does not by itself always rid us of parasites, the fungal ones in particular.

For all our similarities, each person’s body system is also unique. When going raw, some people get immediate and thoroughly positive results. Some take more time. Most experience a mixed bag of results until they achieve a more consistently positive condition. And a few seem to endure disappointment for a good long time before real health embraces them. But the real reason I’m suggesting, for a lack of positive results from raw foods lies in the state of your body at the time you switch to raw.

As for me, I am still continuing parasite treatment, and already have regained a healthy glow in my face and have begun to see more fully than ever before my own natural beauty. Perhaps best of all, my cellulite’s disappeared!

Anna Kaminskaya