The Raw Journal
What Is Ormus?
Ormus is a fascinating substance, that blurs the line between mineral supplements and energy medicine. By no means an essential supplement, nonetheless, it is interesting to understand why it is missing from our modern diets, and how supplementing with it can affect our well-being. Any plants that grow in the wild and at high altitudes are naturally rich in ormus: think foods like goji berries and maca. We also carry a range of different ormus supplement ranges, including Now Alchemy and Harmonic Innerprizes. Rehmannia Dean Thomas includes ormus in all of his RDT Connoisseurs formulas, and he explains why here: "ORMUS is a mysterious substance that merits a book of its own. Currently an acronym for “orbitally rearranged monatomic elements,” ORMUS is alchemically precipitated from naturally occurring minerals or their complexes that form hexagonal crystalline structures, including crystal, gold, and salt. Since ancient times, Indian Mystics, called Siddhars, named this mysterious substance Muppu, and in Egypt, Manna. In tombs from Egypt and Cghina, Urns for smelting gold into a white powder have been revealed. The powder was apparently taken by the elite to increase longevity. It is thought that the mysterious Ark of the Covenant carried by Moses may have contained a white powder smelted from gold; early Greek literature refers to Moses as an alchemist. The same smelted mineral may have been taken by the mysterious Annunaki, who depicted astronauts in their art. Alchemists of the Middle Ages, including Pathagorus, Paracelsus, Nicholas Flamel, and Roger Bacon, searched for the famed “Philosopher’s stone,” and may have gained access to lost Aristotelian texts on alchemy, which were thought to refer to earlier texts by Egyptian alchemists and mystics, Zozimos, and Hermes Trismegistus. These texts were thought to have been archived at the Library of Alexandra ~ in the city of the same name ~ which was an epicenter of alchemical knowledge. In the 1970’s, Canadian farmer and alchemist, David Hudson, claimed to have rediscovered the process of extracting essences trapped within crystalline structures. He gave it the name ORMUS; there is some debate among alchemists over whether this term accurately describes its real properties. ORMUS is believed to exist at the threshold between energy and matter, where molecules begin to assemble ~ based on genetic blueprints ~ into recognizable phenomena. In other words, ORMUS is the potentiator, therefore, I call ORMUS a “dedication device,” dedicating atomic configurations to link together in formation of structural lattices at the foundation of physical life. That stated, alchemists believe ormic substances may act to increase the efficacy of other materials they are mixed with. This is why I include ORMUS in all of my RDT products. It is said that ORMUS will augment whatever intentions and lifestyles a person engages in. Therefore, ORMUS should only be included in a healthy lifestyle and as a component of health-supporting supplements and foods. My ORMUS is homeopathically precipitated from salts collected ten miles beneath a Bolivian desert. These salts contain tiny lattice-like chambers that have trapped the essence of an ancient lake. Precipitation from the salts is done through intensive alchemical and homeopathic processes, including mantras and prayer. The final product contains very little noticeable salinity." Interested to learn more about the magical properties of Ormus? Check out our podcast episodes with Archer Love of Now Alchemy, and David Barbash of Harmonic Innerprizes. There is also a chapter on Ormus in Kate's Raw Magic recipe book.
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Peruvian Fruits And Vegetables
Interested in learning more about Peruvian Super Foods? At Raw Living, we sell lots of Peruvian fruits and vegetables in dried and powdered form, including Purple Corn, Yacon, Lucuma, Peruvian Carob (Mesquite), Camu Camu, Maca, and of course, Cacao in all its various forms. On Kate's recent visit to Peru, she had the opportunity to enjoy all these foods in their natural state. Click here to discover actually what a Lucuma fruit looks like, and why we never see Cacao fruits!
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Superfoods For Pets: Natural Supplements for Dogs, Cats, Horses & More 🐾
At Raw Living, we're passionate about natural health — and that doesn't stop with humans. Over the years, so many of you have written in to share how our products have helped your dogs, cats, horses, and even your goldfish! So we thought it was time to show your animal companions some love with a dedicated guide. Many of the whole-food supplements we stock for humans are also loved by pet owners — and your reviews speak for themselves. Below you'll find our community-tested recommendations, organised by animal. We'll keep adding to this list as your reviews and testimonials come in — so please do share what's working for your superpets! 🐶🐱🐴 🐶 Superfoods for Dogs Our customers have been sharing their favourite natural supplements for dogs for years, and this is what they keep coming back to. Doggykraut 🥬Who knew that sauerkraut could be great for dogs as well as their human underlings? Loving Foods Raw Unpasteurised Doggykraut is a low-salt organic sauerkraut with carrot, broccoli, and kale — packed with beneficial live bacteria and specially crafted for your dog's tummy. Dog Microbz 🦠A liquid multi-strain fermentation broth of beneficial live bacteria, designed for dogs and puppies. Dog Microbz is crafted to promote gut health and build resilience Kelp PowderWith its high mineral content — particularly iodine — kelp powder is an excellent addition to any dog's diet. As recommended by customer Kathy G. Coconut OilMany dog owners report that their dogs love the taste of coconut oil, and it has the added benefit of making their coats shinier and healthier. Also worth exploring: flax, hemp, olive, and chia oils as alternative options. AhiflowerCustomer Kayleigh wrote in to tell us how Ahiflower had been helping her dog Hades. She said: "We've been using the capsules for about a month now, and we can physically see a reduction in his limp, he is able to go from laying down to standing much quicker and seems way more playful." Also consider Nuique as an omega oil supplement. Diatomaceous EarthOne of our lovely customers, Tara, recommends The Clay Cure diatomaceous earth as a natural option for digestive health in dogs. Chia SeedsChia is great for both dogs and cats — simply soak and add to their food for an easy nutritional boost. BarleygrassYulia says she mixes barleygrass powder with her dogs' food and they lick the plates clean! 🌿 MSMMSM is popular among dog and horse owners, often used to support comfort and mobility. Cats can use it too. 🐱 Superfoods for Cats Cats can be notoriously fussy — but these are the products our customers keep coming back to for their feline friends. Chlorella TabletsWith their slightly fishy taste, chlorella and spirulina tablets are great to add to your cat's dry food for an easy nutritional boost. Chia SeedsAs mentioned in the Dogs section, chia works brilliantly for cats too — just soak and add to their food. Aloe VeraSpike the cat was thought to be the world's oldest cat when he died aged 31 — and his owner put his longevity down to a daily dose of aloe vera juice. We're not saying it's the secret to a long life, but it's a pretty good story! 😸 MSMAs noted above, MSM can be used for cats as well as dogs and horses, and is a popular choice among pet owners looking to support comfort and mobility. 🐴 Superfoods for Horses Horses have their own nutritional needs, and a number of our products are particularly well suited to them. Hemp Protein PowderCustomer Margo C. bought our hemp protein powder for her elderly horse as an easy way to add extra plant-based protein to his diet. MSMMSM is particularly popular with horse owners and is one of our most frequently recommended products for supporting comfort and mobility in horses. It's also used by dog owners — see the Dogs section above. 🌿 Superfoods for All Pets These products work across a range of animals — a great starting point if you're new to natural supplements for pets. PetPlusCreated by a naturopathic veterinarian, PetPlus is a premium all-natural nutritional supplement for dogs and cats. It combines a blend of superfoods — including barley grass, wheatgrass, alfalfa, and bilberry extract — with digestive enzymes, probiotics, and balanced omegas 3, 6, 9, and 12, all designed to support your pet's overall health and wellbeing. SerraPetSerraPet is an enzyme supplement specifically developed for animal consumption — a great all-rounder for any pet. PetFloraPetFlora is a probiotic supplement designed specifically for pets, supporting a healthy gut across a range of animals. Colloidal Silver Petcare GelCustomer Kathy G keeps colloidal silver on standby for animals that aren't so easy to treat. Nature's Greatest Secret Colloidal Silver Petcare Multi-Purpose Gel is a lightweight, fast-absorbing gel suitable for dogs, cats, and other animals — ideal for paws, minor scrapes, and everyday skin maintenance. Free from alcohol and harsh synthetic additives. Activated CharcoalActivated charcoal can be used as an emergency remedy for accidental food poisoning. Always consult your vet in any emergency situation. TurmericDr Doug English (BVSc) says: "As a Veterinarian, I have been using turmeric successfully for years with animals to control inflammation and pain, in itchy skin conditions like allergy, atopy, arthritis, infections, age degeneration and for various cancers. I have seen benefits in all animals in my care: dogs, horses, cattle, sheep, crocodiles, reptiles, chickens, ducks, cage birds, cats, alpacas, guinea pigs, and rabbits!" 🐾 Explore Our Full Pets Range We're always adding to this list as our community shares what's working for their animals — so please do get in touch with your recommendations and testimonials. We love hearing from you and your superpets! Browse everything in our Pets section to see the full range. 🐶🐱🐴 We always recommend consulting your own vet before introducing any new supplement to your pet's diet. ❓ Frequently Asked Questions Q: Are natural supplements safe for pets?A: Many natural supplements and superfoods for pets are safe when used appropriately and in the right quantities. However every animal is different, and what works well for one pet may not suit another. We always recommend consulting your vet before introducing anything new to your pet's diet. Q: Can I give my dog the same supplements I take myself?A: In many cases, yes — several of our superfoods for pets are the same products we stock for humans, including kelp powder, chia seeds, barleygrass, turmeric, and coconut oil. That said, some human supplements are not suitable for animals, so always check before sharing your stash! Q: How do I introduce a new supplement to my pet's diet?A: Start slowly and introduce one new product at a time. Add a small amount to your pet's food and gradually increase over a week or two, keeping an eye on how they respond. If in doubt, your vet is always the best first port of call. Q: Which superfoods are suitable for both dogs and cats?A: A number of our products work well for both, including chia seeds, MSM, chlorella tablets, and aloe vera juice. Look out for the notes in each section above, and always check the product page for specific guidance. Q: How do I know which superfood is right for my pet?A: A great starting point is our Pets section, where you'll find everything we recommend for animals. You're also welcome to get in touch — we're always happy to help point you in the right direction. 🐾
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Vegan Sources of Essential Omega Fats
Omegas are a common area of concern, and it’s not just vegans and those following a plant-based diet who need to be mindful of getting sufficient healthy fats. Most of us are getting way too little omega-3 in our diets- fats that are associated with anti-inflammatory properties and that support our brains, hearts, joints, mood, immune system and even the gut microbiome. As well as too little omega-3, most people are getting far too much omega-6 in proportion, and this imbalance of fats can drive inflammation in the body, which we know is an important risk factor in many diseases. It’s important to acknowledge that omega-6 is still necessary though, and some omega-6s including omega-6 GLA have well-known benefits for women’s hormones and skin. The only two biologically “essential” fatty acids are omega-3 ALA and omega-6 LA. This doesn’t mean that the other omegas aren’t important, just that our bodies can make the other omegas from these “building blocks”. Not everybody does this efficiently though, and that’s where thinking about supplementation comes in. We can get omega-3 from foods like flax and chia but they need to be ground preferably used right away, or stored in an airtight container and not exposed to heat. Depending on your overall diet, and your genetics, the omega-3 found in these plant foods may not be sufficient to provide adequate long-chain omega-3s EPA and DHA. Plant-based supplements like Ahiflower provide omega-3 SDA, as well as ALA, which allows it to convert to EPA up to 4x more effectively than flax, and biosynthesise in key tissues like the brain and liver almost as much as a marine DHA source. Omega-3 ALA converts to EPA at around 5-6%, with better conversion in pre-menopausal women, those eating a plant-based diet and not supplementing with algae, whereas omega-3 SDA converts to EPA at 30-40%. Hemp contains omega-3 SDA at around 2%, though the highest known natural plant source of omega-3, Ahiflower, provides 8-10x more of this omega-3. Algal sources provide just the long chain omegas, and are typically more skewed towards DHA. Getting enough DHA is critical, but when we take it directly (as in fish or algae), we downregulate our body’s natural omega-3 metabolism pathway. Algal may be a wise choice to supplement during pregnancy, breastfeeding and in the case of traumatic brain injuries, but may be best accompanied with flax, chia or Ahiflower so that you get all the benefits of the entire family of omega-3. Guest blog by Camilla Brinkworth, Naturopath and co-founder of PhytoLove. Check out our top recommendations for vegan sources of EFAs here
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Natural Make-Up That Loves You Back
Are you a make-up fan? Maybe you love a full face, or perhaps you prefer a natural, bare look. Whether your drawers are crammed with shades and brands, or you keep things simple, we think you’ll love what Living Libations have to offer. If you already know the Living Libations brand, you’ll know they’ve taken skincare to another level, communing with the spirits of flowers and trees to create exquisite scents and soothing balms that work with your natural beauty. Their make-up range is no different, and we’re excited to introduce you to some of the key items in their ever-expanding collection. For eyes 👁️ Living Libations offer two elegant eyeliners - rich brown Cacao and jet black Onyx - classic wooden pencils with bio-resin caps. Their new Raven Maven Mascara is infused with luscious botanicals such as frankincense, rosemary, and arginine. For lips 💋 Cinnamon Sea Buckthorn Lover Lips - a natural plumping balm that boosts fullness with circulation-enhancing botanicals. Rose Glow Lover Lips - a delicate bouquet of rose otto, immortelle, and lavender. Ruby Juice Lover Lips - a subtle lip stain that doubles as a cheek tint. Ruby Juice Ozone Lip Tint - a glossy blush that’s “rosier than a milk-maiden and more wholesome than any other too.” For cheeks 🌸 Maidenfern Blushing Balm - a playful rosy tint for lips and cheeks alike. We’d love to know your favourites! Explore the Living Libations make-up range today and tell us which products you’re loving the most. Want to dive deeper? Step inside the Venice store with Kate’s video from her visit last year, or tune into our podcast chat with founder Nadine Artemis to hear her magic straight from the source.
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Celebrating Twenty Years In Business
Raw Living was founded in September 2002, before Wordpress, Google, Facebook, Shopify, YouTube or Instagram! A simple five page website, we sold juicers, tahini, and Kate's first book, Eat Smart, Eat Raw. Over the years, we've continued to innovate, being among the first to introduce foods like Goji berries, Maca powder, Cacao products, Chia seeds and medicinal mushrooms to the UK and Europe. Kate's international travel as a raw food chef and educator meant that she was able to see what the raw food trends around the world were, and we brought over many new brands including Four Sigmatic, Living Libations, Dragon Herbs and Anima Mundi Herbals. It hasn't all been plain sailing, however. Harsh European regulations around what we are permitted to say on the website were brought in in 2013, which meant we had to remove most of the information we had spent a decade building up on the wonders of super foods, and even remove many of our favourite products from sale completely. The challenges of importing organic foods from the USA often lead to long and frustrating delays at customs that mean products are out of stock for extended periods. Brexit in 2021 was a huge blow to our business, and meant that we could no longer serve our European customer base as we would wish. But we have survived it all, and it's a cliche to say it, but we couldn't have done it without you! So to celebrate our twentieth birthday, we talked to some of our oldest and best customers about why they love Raw Living: the products, the service and the ethos. Our passion has always been to elevate the collective vibration through the wonder of magical plant foods. We love to seek out the best quality foods on the planet, and then bring them to you with love and integrity operating along every step of the chain. From the farmers that do the growing and the harvesting, to the delivery company that brings them to your door, every effort is made to ensure the optimum treatment of people and planet. Listen back to this extra special episode here and congratulate yourself on making the choice to shop with a company that truly cares: this is not just about buying products that serve your individual and personal well-being, but the well-being of everyone involved. We appreciate you making that choice. Grab yourself a glass of kombucha and a square of raw chocolate, and toast with us to another twenty years!
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Best Sellers
We thought we would do a review of some of your favourite products this week. Which are our consistent best-sellers that customers can't get enough of? You're about to find out... 1. Shilajit. We currently have nearly 80 5-star reviews for our Shilajit, with many saying that it is the best they have ever tried. Shilajit is an amazing detoxifier, and an essential in today's polluted environment. Read the testimonials for yourself. 2. Activated Walnuts. All the Activated Nuts are popular, but Walnuts come out on top, closely followed by the Mixed Nuts. More delicious and nutritious than your average nut. 3. Cacao Powder. Out of all the Cacao products, the powder is the best-seller, probably because it's so easy to use, followed by the Cacao Butter. 4. Be The Change raw chocolate bar. Be The Change has been a best-seller since we first launched it in 2006, nearly 20 years ago. With Klamath Lake Algae and Reishi, it's more than just a chocolate bar. 5. Lion's Mane mushroom extract. All the mushrooms get a lot of love, but people seem most excited about Lion's Mane and its benefits for brain health. Lion's Mane contains a unique substance called NGF which helps grow neurons, and it has a palatable flavour. 6. Nori Sheets. Obviously we are biased, but we do believe that these are the best nori sheets on the planet. Certified organic and dolphin-friendly, they are robust, and a staple in the raw food pantry. 7. Organic Bee Pollen. Organic bee pollen is hard to find. Our is harvested fresh and then frozen until it is dried at low temperatures, to preserve all the valuable nutrients. 8. Shelled Hemp Seeds. Another staple of the raw food pantry, many hemp seeds on the market are rancid, with a slight bitter taste. Not ours! Ours are fresh and nutty. 9. MSM crystals. The number one supplement for joint repair, MSM is an essential for anyone recovering from accident or injury, anyone doing a lot of physical labour or exercise, and pretty much everyone over 40 who is feeling the creakiness set into their bones! 10. Maca. Kate loves Maca so much, she went all the way to the Peruvian Andes mountains to see where it was grown. The number one adaptogen for women. Are all ten already a part of your regular shop? Check them all out and more in our Best Sellers section.
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How To Deal With Computer Eye Strain
Technology has become a standard part of the lives of millions of people around the world. Whether it's using a smartphone, laptop, tablet, video games, or television, looking at a screen in some form is a daily occurrence. In addition, more people are working from home. As a result, you may be experiencing computer fatigue and need eye strain relief. Protecting your eyesight is essential. It's important to fully understand vision issues related to computers since your eyes do so much work. Once you know what your eyes may be dealing with, you can focus on solutions. When on a computer, or any screen, you take in a lot of information. Your eyes are always focused on something, whether you're watching a video or typing. In fact, U.S. adults spend nearly four hours on computers every day. With prolonged exposure, issues start to arise. Computer Vision Syndrome (CVS) is an overarching term that encompasses all screen fatigue and eye strain-related problems. It affects people of all ages, too. Therefore, adults and children alike need to understand what their eyes are enduring. Examples of CVS include repetitive stress injuries, digital eye strain, and computer fatigue. Your eyes may hurt from moving them too much, you could be having trouble seeing or concentrating, or you might find yourself struggling to look at the screen. If you're experiencing any of these symptoms, you should try to identify contributing factors. They include having poor posture, ocular diseases, lighting, resolution, contrast, viewing distance, and ergonomics. These issues can be subtle — you may not even notice them. Other times, they start small but become a major hindrance when you're trying to work or enjoy some downtime. It can get to the point where you need a prescription for contact lenses or glasses. Since CVS is a broad category, the eye strain and computer fatigue issues that it brings will present various symptoms. They often overlap but are sometimes clear indicators of what eye impediment you're dealing with. For instance, if you find yourself needing eye strain relief, you may be looking at the computer for too long. It's vital to have the right comfort, setup, and ergonomics. Further, you might not have the right glasses prescription. Minor adjustments can go a long way — and you may need your first prescription ever if the strain is significant enough. Keep in mind blue light can be a common cause of irritation for many people. The harsh light from screens can negatively affect your sleep schedule. This situation can then result in similar symptoms — with fatigue, eye irritation, and headaches leading the list. Some overall symptoms of CVS-related fatigue or strain include neck stiffness, backaches, tearing, dryness, redness, grittiness, burning, double vision, myopia, and slowness of changing your focus. Luckily, there are solutions that can bring you comfort for your CVS impediments. The first step is to see if blue-light-blocking glasses are right for you. Often, blue light from your screens causes irritation, worsening headaches, and eye strain. You can purchase glasses with blue-light blocking abilities. You can get daytime glasses that are perfect for protecting your eyes when spending prolonged periods in front of a screen. Nighttime glasses provide high protection rates, helping your eyes adjust to the dark. Add your current or new prescription for extra strength. You should then follow the 20-20-20 rule with your new glasses. Look away from the screen every 20 minutes at something 20 feet away, and do this for 20 seconds. Don't forget to blink a lot, too. Rearrange your setup so you're more comfortable when you type, and the words and images on your screen are clear. Be sure to take breaks when possible so you give your eyes a rest from the screen. Computer fatigue and all CVS-related eye strain issues can be an obstacle when working or when you're trying to enjoy some screen time. Understanding how they occur and what their symptoms are will help you avoid the pain. That way, you can work or enjoy a video without interruption and create a better computer-vision dynamic. This is an edited version of an article by Shannon Flynn, taken from the Swanwick website. You can find Blue Light blocking glasses from Swanwick here.
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The Science Of Health
Scientific understanding of health and the body has progressed particularly rapidly in the past couple of decades. In particular, our understanding of the importance of the microbiome, the function of hormones and neurotransmitters, and how deeply connected the systems of the gut, the brain, and the immune system all are have all made huge leaps.
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Some (Seriously) Sick Advice
By Kate Magic If you want to cut to the chase, skip to the bottom of this article for the most succinct and simple health advice for acute illness that I have to offer. The most common resistance I hear to eating healthily is that people believe it is expensive, and they can’t afford it. But I believe that your health is an investment that you can’t avoid. If you invest the time and energy in maintaining good health, you are minimizing your chances of falling sick, and maximizing your chances of a speedy recovery. If you don’t put the work in before you fall ill, then when you inevitably do come down with something, it’s a lot more time-consuming and expensive to get well again. Either way, it’s going to cost you: wouldn’t you prefer to spend that money on delicious food that makes you feel amazing, rather than pills and potions to make you better? Wouldn’t you prefer to have tons of energy and productivity, and not need to take sick days that mess up your schedule, inconvenience those around you, and potentially mean a loss of income? Wouldn’t you prefer to invest your time in making good food and taking yoga classes, rather than lying in bed and feeling like death because you didn’t do those things? Think of your immunity as a weapon, and the illness as something to be fought off. If your immunity muscles are strong, you can bat off illness without too much effort. If you haven’t built up your immunity, then you’re more susceptible to everything that comes around. So either you can put in the hours in in the immunity gym, getting fit and sexy, or you’re going to end up spending it in battle with an opponent that’s going to thrash you. I don’t believe that a person can live in the West in the early 21st century, with the level of toxicity that we are currently bombarded with in the air, water, food, electromagnetics, weak genetics, and worst of all, the stress levels, and not reach middle age without coming down with some kind of chronic illness. I believe it’s vital that we take good care of ourselves in our 20s and 30s so when we hit our 40s, we have the reserves to deal with the physical changes that happen to both men and women at this age. Diet, exercise, and cultivating a stress-free life are all equally essential to being able to transition into our fifties with continued vitality and enthusiasm for life. But the chances are you haven't been taking enough preventative health measures, and you've come down with something. And to be real, however careful (or not) we are, flus and viruses are something that happen to us all around certain times of year. So what’s the best way to treat the flu? Everyone knows: antibiotics and Ibuprofen, right? But why do we take those things? Antibiotics kill infection. They kill everything! Good bacteria and bad bacteria alike. What’s nature’s most effective antibiotic? Colloidal silver. Unlike conventional antibiotics, silver doesn’t create resistance in the body, so it’s not something that stops being effective after a while. I believe it’s the number one natural remedy to have in your home medicine cabinet. If you feel you’re starting to come down with something, take 1 oz shots twice a day, first thing in the morning and last thing at night, without food. It has a metallic taste which isn’t awful, but it’s best to just knock it back. Do this for three days. Silver works instantly, so over the three days, you’re giving it a chance to kill whatever virus is starting to breed. If it hasn’t worked within three days, it’s not going to, but everyone I suggest this protocol to has reported back that it worked for them. Silver is very strong, and is not something you should take as part of a maintenance programme. I don’t recommend taking it for more than three days in a row, and I don’t recommend taking more than 1oz at a time. If you feel it was working, I would leave it seven days, and if your virus is still hanging around, take it for another three days. If you have probiotics, it would be good to take those afterwards as well. If you have a sore throat, gargle with silver, or you can get sprays that you use in the back of your throat. Silver can be used for absolutely everything! It’s really good for rashes and any kind of skin infection when applied topically. Externally or internally, make it your number one go-to: if silver is not going to knock it out, nothing will. So what about the Ibuprofen? Ibuprofen and Nurofen are basically just anti-inflammatories. They reduce inflammation, and inflammation is what causes pain. What’s our number one go-to anti-inflammatory? You probably know, it’s Turmeric. The active ingredient in turmeric is curcumin. If you are taking it for maintenance, turmeric is fine, but if you want it for an acute illness, then it’s high-strength curcumin you need, and it's the other essential part of your home medicine cabinet. High strength curcumin (you’re looking for doses of around 2,000mg) will reduce inflammation better than anything else on the planet. Keep taking 2000mg every couple of hours until the pain subsides. Unlike silver, you can’t take too much turmeric; the only side effect is you might start smelling like a curry house, in which case you know you’ve probably reached your maximum dose as your body is starting to excrete it, and you should lay off for 24 hours. My experience with curcumin is that it doesn’t work as rapidly as Paracetamol, say for a toothache or a headache, but if you take enough of it, it makes the pain go away and stay away. Paracetamol makes the pain subside temporarily, but it’s not treating the root cause or support the body's healing processes, so it’s more of a Band-Aid fix. For any kind of flu, make a tea with turmeric root, ginger root, lemon slices and goji berries. Take 20-25g each of turmeric and ginger root, and fine slice it. Take half a lemon, and slice that finely as well. Take a handful of goji berries (10-15g). Put it all in a pot and brew; I use a 1 litre coffee press. I make a litre and drink it, then you can get a second or even third brew out of the pot. Guzzle this down! Drink buckets of it to flush the flu out of your system, ideally 2-3 litres a day. The combined medicinal benefits of the ginger, turmeric, gojis and lemon are easing your symptoms and helping the body to heal faster. It’s a highly effective home remedy that’s inexpensive and easily attainable. That’s it, I’m going to keep it really simple, because I know if it’s not simple, you won’t do it. Get some colloidal silver ready for when you need it. This is your number one antibiotic. Take 1oz shots, twice a day for three days, to knock out any infection. Leave a week, then repeat if necessary. Get some high strength curcumin ready for when you need it. This is your number one anti-inflammatory. Take 2000mg every 2hrs until the pain subsides. Take it for as long as you need it. Whenever you need to fight something off, make tea with turmeric root, ginger root, goji berries, and fresh lemon, and drink buckets of it. The other key point obviously is to rest. The body has an innate self-healing capacity. Sleep a lot, eat a little, and you will allow that magic to kick in. Keep soldiering on, and you are severely impeding your ability to heal. Stop everything else, focus on your healing, and you will bounce back to good health much more readily. You can view our entire immune system support collection here.
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Eco-Efficient Deliveries
You already know that at Raw Living, we pride ourselves on delivering customer service that equals the high standard of the products that we offer. We partner with DPD for all UK deliveries over 2kg (parcels under 2kg go with Royal Mail). If you haven't already, we highly recommend downloading the DPD app to your phone. There, you can create a profile and receive tracking info. You can even go into the "Delivery Address" section of your profile, and add a pin location, a "what3words" reference, a photo of your front door, and info about where to leave deliveries when you are out. Invaluable for those hard to find tricky addresses! Not only are DPD the most reliable couriers that we have worked with, they are unparalleled in the UK currently for their efforts to provide an environmentally responsible service, with the aim of being "the greenest delivery fleet on the planet". Over 1500 of their fleet are electric vehicles, the largest electric fleet in the country; they plant a tree for every 10 deliveries that you receive; 100% of their waste avoids landfill, and much more. You can read the full statement on their website here. As part of this eco-mission, DPD now only make one delivery attempt, after that they will leave it with a local hub. So be sure to get the app, input all the necessary info for a seamless delivery experience, and watch that forest grow that all your orders help contribute to! Nearly all our orders are sent to DPD within 24hrs of receiving them, Mon-Fri. DPD's standard delivery service is 24-48hrs, also Mon-Fri. Most UK mainland customers experience that if they make an order in the morning, it is there the next day, or a day later. If you make an order on a Friday afternoon, it may not arrive until Tues or Wed the following week, as it will not be picked up until Mon.
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Organic Bee Pollen: Nature's Most Complete Superfood
Bee pollen is one of nature's most extraordinary whole foods - a complete nutritional package gathered by bees from thousands of flowers and valued across cultures for centuries. Rich in protein, B-vitamins and minerals. 🌸 What is Bee Pollen? Our organic bee pollen is one of our best-selling products - and for good reason. Bee pollen is a flower product, gathered by the bees and collected from the hives by the beekeepers. At Raw Living, we only work with beekeepers who work with the utmost respect for the bees and their environment, and who are sustaining the traditions of generations of beekeepers in preserving this most essential element of our biodiversity. 🏔️ Where Does Our Bee Pollen Come From? Our bee pollen is from a remote region of the Carpathian mountains in Eastern Europe, free from any pollution. The type of bee bred is called the Apis Mellifera Carpatica, which is native to the region and known for its gentle behaviour towards beekeepers. Typically, beekeepers will be responsible for over 200 bee colonies, but the beekeepers of this region only have around 100 colonies each. All of this means that the bees receive the very highest quality care and attention - just as you would wish it! ❄️ How Is Our Bee Pollen Processed? What makes our bee pollen special is the care with which it's transported. It's put into deep-freeze on collection, at a temperature of -18°C, and then transported within two weeks to the facility where it is dried at temperatures of less than 40°C. This process preserves all the natural enzymes, nutrients, and beautiful rich floral flavour. 🌿 What Nutrients Does Bee Pollen Contain? Bee pollen is one of nature's rare, remarkable whole foods. It contains a vast array of nutrients, including around 35% protein - making it one of the best vegetarian sources of protein available. It is also high in essential B-vitamins and a good source of minerals. 🍯 How to Use Bee Pollen Bee Pollen is ideal for those days when you need to buzz around! It is very naturally energising. It's also ideal for keeping your nutrient levels up while fasting. It's a perfect superfood for kids, who love the sweet, honey-like taste. Bee pollen is wonderfully versatile and easy to add to your daily routine. Add a spoonful to your breakfast, or just eat it off the spoon - it tastes that good. We don't recommend blending it, but it's wonderful stirred into porridge, yoghurt, or even guacamole. Try adding it to a trail mix like our Hi-Trail for an extra boost, or sprinkle it over a salad. You'll find lots of bee pollen recipes in Kate's book Raw Magic. 💚 Why We Love Our Beekeepers We love the bees - and we are proud to work with beekeepers who do too. Our supplier says: "A good beekeeper can't do this activity without loving his darling bees. They talk about them with admiration, they care about them and they will not do anything to harm the bees - it's a symbiosis between those two parts: beekeeper and bees. For a responsible beekeeper, the bees are like their own children. They truly love their bees." 🐝 What's The Difference Between Bee Pollen and Bee Bread? Bee pollen and bee bread are both produced by bees, but they are quite different products. Bee pollen is collected fresh from the hive and dried for human consumption. Bee bread, on the other hand, is pollen that the bees have packed into the honeycomb and left to ferment naturally with honey and bee secretions - a process that can last several weeks. This fermentation process means that bee bread has a slightly different nutritional profile from bee pollen, and some consider it easier for the body to digest. It has a stronger, more complex flavour - earthier and less sweet than bee pollen. Both are nutrient-dense whole foods rich in protein, B-vitamins, and minerals, and both are valued in traditional and natural health communities around the world. You can buy Raw Living Bee Bread here. ❓ Bee Pollen FAQs Q: Is bee pollen suitable for vegans? A: Bee pollen is not considered vegan as it is an animal-derived product collected from bees. It is however suitable for vegetarians, and for many people who follow a predominantly plant-based diet but include some bee products. If you are looking for a plant-based alternative with a similarly impressive nutritional profile, spirulina or hemp protein are worth exploring. Q: Is bee pollen safe if I have a pollen allergy? A: If you have a known pollen allergy or hay fever, it is worth proceeding with caution and consulting a healthcare practitioner before taking bee pollen. Some people with pollen allergies do react to bee pollen, and in rare cases reactions can be serious. If you do want to try it, starting with a very small amount and monitoring your response is the sensible approach. Q: What's the difference between organic and non-organic bee pollen? A: Organic bee pollen comes from hives situated in areas free from pesticides, herbicides and other chemical treatments, meaning the pollen the bees collect is cleaner and less likely to carry residues. Non-organic bee pollen may come from areas where crops are treated with agrochemicals, which can find their way into the pollen. Given that one of the main reasons to take bee pollen is its nutritional purity, organic is always worth choosing where possible. Q: How should bee pollen be stored? A: Bee pollen is best stored in the freezer to preserve its natural enzymes and nutritional content - which is exactly how ours is transported from the hive. Once opened, it can be kept in the fridge for everyday use. Avoid storing it at room temperature for extended periods, as heat and light will degrade the delicate nutrients over time. 🛒 Ready to Try Bee Pollen? Whether you're new to bee pollen or a longtime fan, our organic bee pollen is as fresh, pure and flavourful as it gets - frozen at source and handled with care every step of the way. Shop Raw Living Organic Bee Pollen here →
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Be The Change - Great Taste Award Winner 2023
Let's take you back in time twenty years, to 2003. It's early days of the Internet, before Google, YouTube, Facebook and Instagram, and if you wanted to learn about something you had to seek it out in person. There weren't really any raw food gurus: Gabriel Cousens had the Tree of Life Centre in Arizona, Anna Maria & Brian Clements were running Hippocrates in Florida, David Wolfe was touring the world, and that was about it. In the UK, there weren't any raw food products to buy, and raw fooders subsisted on veggies, fruits, sprouts, nuts and seeds. A classic raw food dessert was to make a "pie" with a date and almond base and then fill it with fruits like bananas and mangos. Juliano had introduced the world to raw gourmet cuisine with his book "Raw" in 2000, but the recipes were very labour intensive, and to be quite honest, didn't actually work a lot of the time. Kate's first book Eat Smart Eat Raw was the first ever raw food recipe book to come out in the UK, and Raw Living was a modest affair selling that book, juicers, tahini and Klamath Lake algae. But in 2004, the game changed with the introduction of raw cacao. David Wolfe's company at the time, Sunfood, were the first to go to the Peruvian producers to get the raw cacao beans in their unroasted state, and Shazzie's company Detox Your World, were the first to bring them over to the UK. We would take the beans, grind them in the Vitamix with Brazil nuts and raw agave, to make a kind of nut butter, that would set when put in the fridge. This was our very first bar, the Hi-Bar, and it was sold in a few London stores including Olivers in Kew and Here in Chelsea. At the Festival of Life (the raw food festival that ran in central London for nearly a decade) in 2005, many raw-fooders got their first taste of raw chocolate, and we completely sold out that day. From thereon, due largely to David's connections with the Peruvian farmers, we got introduced to more and more plants that revolutionised raw cuisine - ingredients like Lucuma, Mesquite, Camu Camu, Suma and Purple Corn. And this took raw foods out of the "lettuce and bananas" era of the 90s and opened up so many people to the exciting potentials of a living foods diet. In the UK, for the first time, you started to see raw food products appearing on health food store shelves, not just raw chocolate and snack bars, but granolas, crackers and kale chips. And at Raw Living, we made it our mission to seek out the best products and make our website a trusted and reliable resource for those interested in the raw foods lifestyle. But we really owe it all to the mighty cacao bean! We would not be where we are today without it, if it hadn't sparked that wave of interest in raw foods and superfoods twenty years ago. Be The Change was one of the first bars that we created, back in 2006, and it's been in our top-sellers ever since. So we are delighted that the judges of The Great Taste Awards 2023 recognised it in this year's awards, and to celebrate we are offering 20% off all our Raw Living chocolate bars for one week only, from now until 16th August. T&C: Discount automatically applied on site. Maximum 10 bars per customer. Check out Raw Living chocolate bars Be The Change, Whoosh, Hi-Lovers and LuckyMe here.
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