FEATURE ARTICLEThe Bamboo Family:
Raw Food Pioneers Living A Life They Love I first met Jackie in Costa Rica. As soon as I met this lively character I bombarded her with questions like no one had ever done before. I was so curious and excited by who she was and how she lived with her family in the jungles of Costa Rica!! And over time I got the chance to know her better and after several requests, she finally allowed me to share with others a window into her world. As a family they live in the heart of the jungle making it out to the neighboring towns and cities about once a month as a family. The rest of the teim, they bask in what is for them a blissful, natural life. At the crack of sun, the family jumps to their feet, sharpens their machetés and gets on with the busy day of life on the fruit farm. By the time most of us are getting up to wipe the sleep out of our eyes, this lively bunch has already put in a good 3 hours of hard physical labor. When you talk about eating well, being fit, getting proper sun and rest… well, you realize what a struggle it is for most of us because we no longer live in a natural environment. Jackie, her husband Doug and their children; Julianna (17), Olivia (15), Giovanni (13), and Aureliano (7) live about as close as you could get to a natural, pioneering lifestyle. We trust you’ll appreciate her tips wisdom and time. (In her writing, she calls me their “adopted cub” because she really has done a lot to “take me in” and offer me a great deal of support and kindness throughout the time we have known each other.)
Practical Tips for Happy Living from A Modern Day Diva-Turned Raw Pioneering Jungle Mama
Tera (our adopted cub) has asked us to give an idea of our lifestyle and diet. We’re very reluctant to do so, for most people think we are too extreme. We think of ourselves as Pioneers ~ Old Style ~ working and loving the land! Also, we’ve been creating our lifestyle for the last 26 years and don’t honestly believe that if we jumped into it as is, we’d necessarily like it. So, why would anybody else? We can give some guidelines to live up to!
Our diet is constantly improving! We’ve been 80% Raw from Ann Wigmore, Viktorus Kulvinskus and The Biogenic Society since ‘81 when my husband and I met at a small Natural Health College. We’ve lived in Costa Rica on about 60 acres for over 15 years with plenty of wild greens, fruit trees and bamboo. We’ve been 100% Raw for two years and are now about 90%, which is more comfortable for us at this time.
We truly believe in self-sufficiency, have no workers other than our four children ages 16-10, who were all born at home with only family attendance. It would be reasonable to assume that we grow all our own food ~ would if we could! Unfortunately, our climate will not allow for most veggies. So, we have organic friends in the mountains who bring us a weekly delivery ~ we also provide this service to neighbor friends. A horse, goat, chickens, banties, bunnies, Russian hamsters, parakeets and a mouse complete our family right now. We take care of our farm all morning ~ have school all afternoon. To Some This Is Boring ~ To Us Bliss!Life is a fantastically, wonderful journey of joy and lessons, which when learned should be seen for the blessings they are. Quick fixes don’t usually work! Everybody is different and needs to find out what works for themselves.Hopefully the list below can give some ideas of where to start!75 Simple Living Strategies for an Ideal Life
(From A Exceptional Woman Who Actually Walks the Walk) 1. Take Responsibility For Your Health and Life
2. Make Home A Sanctuary ~ Don’t Bring “Bad Stuff” Home
3. 100% Pure/Organic/Whole Foods
4. Eaducate Yourself ~ Trust Your Wisdom!
5. 80% Live/Vital Foods Minimum ~ Some “Raw” Foods Are Junk
6. Read LABELS ~ Understand What You Are Eating!
7. Simplify. Always Simplify
8. Cook With Minimal Temperatures ~ Avoid Frying
9. Vegan/Vegetarian? ~ Your Conscious Decision!
10. No Processed/Refined Foods ~ Avoid All Chemicals
11. Follow Food Combining Rules ~ Limit Items Per Meal
12. Moderation In All Things ~ Very Wise!
13. Soak All Grains, Seeds, Nuts And Beans 8 Hours Before Using
14. Juices/Smoothies: High Nutrition ~ Easy To Digest (Drink Within 20 Min)
15. “Follow Your Bliss!” ~ Joseph Campbell’s Wisdom
16. Sufficient Greens In The Diet “Green Inside= Clean Inside
17. No Microwaved OR Irradiated Foods
18. Natural Sea Salt In Moderation ~ No Aluminum Silicate
19. Don’t Eat When You Are Angry, Sad, Scared OR Anxious
20. Only Stainless Steel OR Glass Cookware ~ No Aluminum OR Teflon
21. No Negativity ~ Only Love ~ Pure Love!
22. Detoxify Home ~ Throw Away Anything Questionable
23. Daily Music Therapy ~ Bach Not Rock
24. Extra Virgin Olive Oil OR Coconut Oil – No Vegetable Oils
25. Intention Is Everything! ~ Evaluate Intentions!
26. Green Clean Only ~ Use Borax, Bicarbonate, EMA, Lemon & W.Vinegar
27. Daily Pet Therapy ~ Pet Your Pets!
28. Organize Your Living Spaces ~ A Place For Everything…
29. No Chlorine Bleach In Drinking Water, Toilets OR Swimming Pools
30. Hot/Cold Water Alternating Therapy ~ Stimulating/Healing
31. No Artificial Sweeteners LikeNutraSweet, Equal, Saccharine OR W.Sugar
32. Beauty Therapy ~ Surround Yourself Only With Things You Love!
33. Pure/Clean Water ~ Drink Plenty!
34. Always Be Willing To Change For The Better!
35. Limit Radiation ~ Limit TV, Computer, Cell Phones & Towers, X-Rays
36. Full-Body Sunshine Daily ~ Closed Eyes “Looking” At The Sun
37. Plenty Of Unmedicated Sleep
38. No Fluoride In Drinking Water, Toothpaste OR Mouthwash
39. Laugh & Hug Several Times Each Day
40. Avoid Metal Contact With Skin ~ Rings, Watch, Necklace OR Earrings
41. Cotton OR Natural Fiber Clothing ~ Not Too Tight
42. If It Feels Right *** It Is Right ~ Trust Your Heart!
43. Only Glass Drinking Bottles, Plates, Bowl & Glasses
44. Use Alternative Energies If Possible
45. Non-Toxic Soap & Shampoo, Essential Oils ~ No Deodorant OR Perfume
46. Avoid Piercings And Tattoos
47. Reconcile Any Broken Relationships That Bother You
48. Chew All Food Well ~ Fletcherize
49. No Aluminum Foil OR Plastic Wrap
50. Walk Barefoot On Grass In Early Morning
51. Natural Contraceptives ~ Abstinence, Rhythm, Withdrawal OR Condoms
52. Love Your Work ~ TEST: No Need For Vacations!
53. Deep Breathing ~ Abdominal Vacuum Yoga
54. No Sunglasses ~ Sunlight To Eyes Is Extremely Important 55. Replace ALL Metal In Mouth ~ Fillings, Crowns & Bridges
56. Avoid Air Travel ~ Hidden Radiation
57. Color Therapy ~ Utilize Colors For Health
58. No Immunizations ~ Degrades Immune System
59. Organic Garden Therapy ~ Get Dirty!
60. No Caffeine, Alcohol, Tobacco OR Other Drugs
61. Walk Daily Everywhere ~ “The Best Exercise!”
62. Meditation ~ Thinking About Good Things
63. Shower Before Bed ~ Just Good Hygiene 64. Nobody Is Perfect! ~ Do The Best You Can!
65. Minimize Medications ~ Substitute Natural Remedies If Possible
66. edtime: Eight O’ Clock ~ Up With The Sun!
67. No Synthetic Vitamins, Minerals OR Hormones
68. Wash New Clothes Several Times Before Wearing
69. Gratitude ~ Everything Is A Blessing!
70. Most Things In Health Food Stores Are Not Healthy ~ Be Aware!
71. Periodic Cleansing/Detoxification Programs
72. Value Family Above All ~ Realize Everybody Is Family!
73. “Make It Go Right!” ~ My Dad’s Favorite Blessing
74. Easy Ideas That When Incorporated Into Your Daily Schedule Make An Enormous Difference ~ Use Whatever Is Logical To You.
75. Create A Healthy, Authentic Lifestyle That Works For You In Your Home And Work Place ~ Which You Live 95% Of The Time. This Is What Counts!
76. When You Are In Unusual Circumstances ~ Enjoy Yourself! If you’d like to know more information you are welcome to contact us.Love, Jackie
