Project “UN-NUMB”

Posted on April 14, 2013 by jolynt

We walk into a MRT train in Singapore, how many people can we really establish eye contact and hold the gaze? We go into a lift; people stare at the buttons, look at their shoe, or start observing an invisible insect on the wall. If somebody’s gaze happens to meet ours, they quickly shift their focus. Some, when we smile at them, look nervous, as if something bad is going to happen.

Well actually that extends to even loved ones and family. Most of the time we are talking to our kids with our eyes on the newspaper; or we could be dismantling a conflict with our husband and we cannot look at him without breaking the gaze.

Tears are God’s gift to Humans for Healing. If everyone is not afraid to cry a little more, we can laugh much more, and there can be less violence/war.

We had a quarrel with the girlfriend; she sits on the couch and sulks, while I continue to stare at the TV screen in silence.

Such is the intensity of our disconnectivity in the city. If we observe the rural areas & indigenous people, who stay close to the land, eat close to the land, they have little or no such problems.

Just like we eat foods that come in plastic wrappers, we become plastic to our own emotions and to our loved ones – we become so fake, we don’t even realize it. We take vaccines and pain-killers when we fall sick, we cannot face up to the physical pain, so we numb our senses. When body parts eventually fail we cut them off on the surgery table.

And just like all the above, we numb and isolate ourselves from one another.

Every human, including myself, is fallible to this. The entire planet exist in some sort of a poisonous prison, and it is contagious. We become inspired and alive for merely 5 min, but the moment we enter the poison, we revert to the default mode of numbness.

Of course we don’t mean it; how can a fish know air?

Actually, it is not our fault; Humans have something called Survival Instinct – we are designed to preserve and protect ourselves to ensure the human race ensues. This Defense Mechanism works beautifully on the Physical dimension, ie the body has a natural immunity system, produce white blood cells to fight cancer, or makes a fever to kill of some threatening bacteria.

However, it also extends to the other Personalities of the Being as well – including Emotional & Mental. Like how we produce an immunity defense, we also put up emotional barriers to block hurt/pain. We put an amour over our heart like how we put natural good bacteria on the skin to block environmental pathogens.

“Do you have any idea how painful it is right now for me to remain, and consciously choose to be un-numb in the face of Numbness? What does it take for you to shed all those fears, amours and stories and connect with me Being to Being?” This was the thing I say to my loved ones, when it becomes too unbearable that I could not reach them emotionally.

I choose to bond deeply with all my loved ones, even in the face of excruciating pain. And I strive to call out the Great Spirit (like one of my mentors put it) from them as best as I can.

You know something really ironical? We are starving for Love, Connection & Acknowledgment. The distinction is only in whether we dare to admit it. But then what do we do?

We give a little, then we test the water; we want reassurance, this and that to happen before we give a little more. We already boxed down a list of words or actions from the person before it shows he/she loves us. If the person say or do something which falls out, under or behind of this box, then this person does not love us, and I’d better protect myself.

I heard this from Landmark Education:
Picture this scenario – a cup has a handle. You and I are staring at the same cup from different directions, from your view you see a handle, from my view I cannot see any handle. And therefore I will never pick up the cup by holding the handle. Are we looking at the same cup? Yes.

Does it mean that when I don’t see the handle, I cannot pick the cup up?
NO!

I can still pick the cup up, use it to fill water and drink from it.

Similarly, a loved one can react in a way or say things which are completely our of the box we drew, but can they still love us? Yes.

We can only see this when we enlarge the vision, enlarge the space. When we can accommodate the space, then we can see that the person cannot see a handle on the cup, and that’s why he would never pick the cup up by the handle.

My intention of writing this is to encourage everybody to allow your loved ones to “not” see the handle; it is okay to have them “miss” the handle. That thing is still a cup; your loved one can still pick up the cup and use it to drink. He/she can even bring you some Hot Choc in that cup when you most need it!

No matter what’s the expression, their words, their demeanor, simply keep on enlarging the space for them.

You see, the world of being un-numb is not a Happily Ever After thing.

When we are un-numb and open, there is definitely pain, joy, tears, and laughter.

When we are numb, there is still pain, joy, tears, and laughter. It is the same both ways. This is Life; the question is do we want to go through Life playing safe, sitting on the fence? Or do we want to just embrace it all?

Playing safe includes thinking that my Life happens someday in the future – when this or that happens, then I’ll be embracing and be totally alive and un-numb. We think that someday the real Life will happen, now is only the Rehearsal Life.

But there is no Rehearsal Life you know. There is only now, and now, and now – see, 3 moments have passed by.

And these are the Real Moments of our Life.

“What does it take for me to bond deeply with others? What does it take to shed those amours/suits, fears/stories to really connect? Can I see that he/she cannot see the handle on the cup, and can I get over it, be okay with that?”

© Copyright Linda Loo, Light Love Laughter

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Gracing Grief

Posted on April 14, 2013 by jolynt

My father is the person I love the most in this world. The funny thing is that I spent a good majority of my life without knowing him because I left home at a young age.
My parents’ marriage did not work out since I was 3, and I did not agree with Mum’s way of loving her child though abuse, I left home to create my own life at 13. And so I never really knew how it was like to grow up with a father.
We lost contact through all the years while I was growing up, and I consider it a huge blessing when I finally managed to find him 2 years back. We completed all the unfinished dialogues between father and daughter, forgave each other and connected strongly.

At the time I found him, he had 2 major heart attacks, 5 operations & a heart pacer to power his heart. When I found him, he said:

“During one of the operations, the doctors said my heart beat was weakening and almost stopped. I went in between dimensions, and saw Buddha in extreme white light. But Buddha was back facing me and he told me that my job on Earth is not done yet. He said I caused a lot of hurt to 2 women – my wife and my daughter in this lifetime, and I must come back to finish my journey.”

That time, he looked way older than his age. With almost 15 types of medication everyday, he started to have swollen feet because the liver and kidney start to give way. We brought him to a Chinese Physician, who said that the burden of prescriptive drugs is started to show. The feet started to swell, dark liver spots formed all over his hands and body.

Right away, I changed his diet. Over 3 months, he was put on Enemas, Green Smoothies, and we replaced all his sweet sugary snacks with Raw Gourmet snacks. He was eating almost 50 – 60 % living foods, with weekly Enemas. He went for morning walks, grounding and did his Pranayams faithfully. Before long, the swelling subsided, his blood pressure regularizes, cholesterol lowers, heartbeat strengthened; even though he secretly reduced the medication!

At 64, he continued to ace all the periodic health checks. His hair grew full and dark, complexion became fair, his walk is brisk and energetic; he is healthy, happy, and fulfilled. And continuously, he shares about his healthy lifestyle to his friends, neighbors, and even chess mates at the Chess Clubs.

We hang out like buddies, talk on the phone like soul mates and enjoy long hikes & sunsets. There were many times when I’d go to him, especially when I’m feeling discouraged. Being a pioneer on the Living Foods journey is not an easy feat. I’d go to him and say “Look Dad, this is the pay when I was in the bank; this is the pay when I’m doing what I’m doing raw foods. So-and-So is saying I’m wasting my time & talents and so on…”

Dad always has a perfect way of encouraging me. He’d say, “Fame, material wealth, power all these are passing illusions. What matters most is while we are alive, what is the positive impact we can make to those around us. Money and success will happen when the time is right. Successful people usually make it after years of perseverance. Girl, what you are doing is extraordinary, it’s an extremely tough path; but you are on the right track; as long as the intention is pure, and you give your all, everything else will fall in place.”

And this is the reason why whenever I get positive feedback or words of gratitude from workshops, I’ll acknowledge Dad. Without Dad’s encouragement these years, which also happen to be the toughest years, I would not be able to continue my path.

Recently, Dad passed away. In his pink of health, looking at his best and feeling his best, he died in an accident which – according to my human opinion, should not have happened. While I’m grateful that we always end each conservation with “I love you”, we spent the best times relaxing at the beach, watching the sunsets on cruises and shared the best jokes together; the pain I experienced is nonetheless gripping, excruciating, and devastating.

I feel fortunate that I could put to use what I know, to improve the quality of his last 2 years on Earth. I do catch myself wishing for another 2 years. However at the same time, the work I’m doing reminds me that Dad has never left me.

For one, I know that as long as I continue to teach Living Foods & Yoga, Dad is close to me. He is in my mission; he is my source of inspiration and my source of wisdom. Dad’s words ring louder than ever before, now that he is physically not around. Some of the impactful ones include:

1) Always seek to give, rather than take. See a beggar, give; see someone who needs a hand, extend our arm.

2) Forgive, especially those who hurt you or play you out. In business, I meet many who are kind, some not so. There was a time I ran to him in tears, and all he said to me was to cut connections with the person and forgive. Because of him, I continue to cultivate forgiveness, and encourage everyone around me to do the same.

3) This is probably the strongest one because I think of this every min of the day. Dad always talks to me about how we are connected by Light; that there are infinite Universes; we are merely one little bubble on the ocean. I remember I used to say jokingly “Dad, yeah I know we are connected by Light in Oneness; but please don’t leave me until I can transcend dimensions ok! I selfishly disallow you to leave me. and let me love you until we can communicate beyond boundaries, like Death.”

The first week after his death, I felt betrayed. It seems like he broke his promise. In actual fact, grief is a sort of complaint – a complaint against the person who died. He should not have died before me, he broke his promise to be here and so on.

I thought I got it all together, until the moment I knew I cannot hold his hand anymore, no hug, nor hear his voice into the wee hours, that I really got it into my DNA that evolution is a process.

The best thing I heard during this period came from my Landmark Course Centre Manager Wendy – she said, “It’s ok to grief. Don’t even worry about when it’s going to stop. When you are grieving you are grieving; when you are ok you are ok.”

That was like an immediate relief bandage on a wound. I felt the bleeding in the heart stop, and tears poured like waterfall. It is such a comfort to know that grieving is ok, it is permissible, and it is human.

Throughout this time, the number of people coming to our workshops tripled, I continued to teach, train and make living foods. And it is a good thing because training requires me to get out of myself. When I train, my focus is on the students; it is not about me. When I stop training, and think about Dad, it was about me.

As a human, it is not possible to never go back to “me”; but it is possible to reverse the states. For me, the method is to simply allow it to be “about me” when I grieve. And when it’s over, it’s over. Every emotion is equal, and every emotion is temporary. Pain, regardless how intense, can heal with time. And it is through the most intense pain, from which a space is generated for the most intense joy.

My Dad now has a greater involvement in my life than ever before. He is in my mission, my work, my Smoothies, my loved ones, my friends, my dreams, and my books. I continue to write letters to him, I’m sure he gets them, and each time I do something I’ll ask myself whether this thing will make Dad proud of me.

Although I can’t see him for the time being, I have no doubt he is doing better than ever. We are more deeply connected than ever, not even Death can separate us. And I’m sure he is overjoyed that I’m doing great, I’m contributing a lot, and that I continue to do him proud.

© Copyright July 2011, Linda Loo, Light Love Laughter

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The Meaning of Pain

Posted on April 14, 2013 by jolynt

Last Saturday a student said to me: “Linda you have fantastic skin! I want to be like you and eat raw foods too!”

When I heard that, I wanted to cry. I felt so emotional, overwhelmed with relief and gratitude.

In the past, this usually does not come as a surprise. One of the life changing benefits I got from Raw Foods & Yoga was reversing my Ezcema & being proud of beautiful skin. Everyone who read my blog & saw my pictures are impressed at how radiant and smooth my skin is.

Taken in Feb 2012 during ULC 2; I’m grateful to see my skin recovering to normal

And then last year in Jun the Ezcema returned. For a good 9 months, my skin reacted and broke out at almost anything – air condition, sun, rain, pollutants, dust. Concerned friends and loved ones were shocked each time they see me. My god sis ran all over town searching for the right cream to apply, worried readers writing in, students emailing me juice recipes for skin outbreaks, and well meaning friends trying to persuade me to go skin clinics.

So what exactly happened last year Jun? Dad passed away, in an unusual accident. The news came to me when I was on my way to meet him; we were supposed to go eat our favorite Durian. I was sitting in Jolyn’s car, my phone rang and I saw Dad’s incoming call.

Overjoyed as always, I picked up the call “Daddy where are you now I’m on my way I can’t wait to see you yay we are going for Durian!” I chirped without punctuation.

My Uncle could not bear to break the news when he heard my voice. He told me Dad was injured; I thought it was a joke. 5 minutes later, he told me Dad was seriously injured and passed away the morning before.

Jolyn stopped the car and put her hand on my arm as I howled my lungs out. It is painful enough to lose a loved one. It is even more painful when we know that our loved one went through pain before they died. Outside the sky blackened, thunder roared and it poured. It was a perfect tragic setting, something like what you would see on TV, except that I am in the movie.

The details of how I got over the news shall be written more in the coming book. In a nutshell, that was the beginning of the most painful period to date of my life – getting over the lost of a loved one.

I went through some sort of extreme grieve, too painful perhaps to be illustrated in words. My skin started to behave weirdly. I would wake up in the middle of the night with itching on the face and arms, and in the morning they would be bleeding from scratches. Needless to say, they are painful.

Air conditioning, strong sunshine and pollutants became torturing experiences. In the days I continued teaching, writing and creating training content; at night I would cry myself to sleep. There were many mornings when I almost can’t recognize myself with bleeding skin and swollen eyes. Eventually I even stopped looking at the mirror because it was so disheartening.

It took about 6 months before signs of recovery began to show up. And the recovery was really slow. It would improve for 2 days, and then get worse for a day, before getting better again. As I looked back, I realized that this was also the period of a rapid growth of our academy – my team started to form, the quality of the team members improving exponentially, the students increased, and demand of our education increased.

The only thing is that all my physical, emotional & mental beings were in great pain. Physically, my skin felt like acid was poured over it especially when I bled; emotionally I missed Dad beyond words; and mentally I had to continuously give up looking good.

Before every class, I have to consciously choose to show up instead of hiding and avoid looking bad because of my skin.

By now you probably can get why I had tears in my eyes when a student complimented me on having beautiful skin last week. I’m almost back to normal now, I mean my skin, although not quite what I would deem satisfactory. But then of course that’s my interpretation, and as always, I’m a perfectionist ☺

Thank you to each one of you who wrote in with concern about my skin. Those of you, who called or wrote to me asking me to take care, send encouragement and words of love. I want to tell you that I am recovering, and that yes I still grieve, but your support helps me get over it. I know why I am doing what I am doing every time I think of you.

Besides showing gratitude, my purpose of writing this is to share with you my valuable experiences. Life is too short to learn all the lessons; I gain a lot from others’ sharing and experiences too, that is why I think we all need to share ourselves such that others may benefit from our pains & joys:

1)) In life, things happen. And since we are human, we have feelings, we experience pain and joy. These 2 categories are different – Things happened vs My Feelings. My Feelings does not have to determine My Actions. Anything can happen, and as long as I alive I am going to always feel something. That is not wrong, but that does not need to get in my way of doing what I said I would do.

One of my dear friend and mentor Ken Chee said to me “Sis, a true Master acts in spite of feelings. A Master does not only act when he/she feels like one; authentic mastery is displayed when you act in spite of feelings and recreate mastery from nothing, again and again.”

2) Don’t be scared of pain. I know great joy because I have known great pain. My good friend & mentor Lai Hock told me “Linda you did not go through pain for nothing; everything happens for a reason. Find a meaning, and make it an empowering one.” Only with emotional depths can we truly savor life, at both ends of its finest grandeurs.

3) Nobody is an island, unity, teamwork and team spirit is more precious than anything in the world. So many times I crumbled and stood up again because I know my team is backing me up. Both in Simei and Cluny, there were countless times when I ran into the toilet & cried in between training because I thought of Dad. But I know that I have a commitment to my team, I have a commitment and I want to fulfill that regardless of my feelings.

4) This is for all you girls, who want to find a real man that loves you for what you are. You want to be with somebody that loves you beyond your skin. Please don’t always apply loads of make up, dress beautiful and put on fronts. Choose your man wisely, and let him see you in your real skin, your real looks before you commit. All my life I have been considered attractive, and I turn heads when I walk on the street with layers of make up. But during the 2 Eczema outbreaks I could see clearly who were the ones that truly care for me. Not only men that courted me, but friends as well. This is the time when real friends show up, and when you find them, keep them!

5) Many of you think I run the academy alone. There is another person who is essential to our growth – her name is Jolyn Tan my partner, best friend and soul mate. The 2 of us set up Light Love Laughter Academy jointly.

At my most vulnerable moments, she was there to catch me. When I thought I could not generate any inspiration to teach, she touches me in a magical way. At times when I feel so ugly and unworthy with my bleeding face, she transformed my state of mind with nonchalant smiles, loving eyes and kind words. She is the quiet one managing the space at the back of the workshops, planning the logistics and putting out chairs early in the morning. If you are reading this, and if our work has touched you and your loved ones, do me a favor. The next time you see Jolyn, go to her and give her a dolphin hug, tell her she is an amazing girl and that the world becomes better because of her!

6) Last but not least, I get asked very often why I do what I do.

I think there are only 2 options in life. Option A is living as if I don’t matter, I have no impact, I’m invisible or at least I pretend so. The other Option B is that I have a huge contribution, I can cause the world to feel more love, and I have the power to enliven humanity.

Choosing between these 2 options is an option. I choose Option B, everyday, because when I die, I have plenty of time to choose the former.

I stand for a new species of humanity who is free from degenerative diseases, who eats consciously and lives with compassion. I stand for a beautiful world with abundant soils. I stand for massive wealth transfers in Asia such that committed Raw Food & Yoga Teachers enjoy as much wealth as Bankers.

What are you standing for? ☺

© Copyright Mar 2012, Linda Loo, Light Love Laughter

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Going Back to Basics = Progression

Posted on April 14, 2013 by jolynt

Once upon a time, humans run onto the grassland every morning to embrace the sun rays, bathing their faces, hands and legs in the warmth. We ran barefooted on grassland, hair blown back by the wind, exposing our full face to the Sun’s magnificence.

We played, laughed and rolled in between wild bushes, picking berries along the way, chasing one another in hide-and-seek games, buried our noses in full blooms and enjoying the scent of sweet petals.

Of course, we did not have Iphones, Aeroplanes or Neon Lighted Cities then. We used Mouth signals, Palm Leaves for shade, Horses or Elephants for travel, and Night Fire Celebrations of Songs and Dances.

We did not have Hamburgers, Processed Canned Drinks/Packaged Foods nor Microwaves. We ate glorious whole foods grown from our land, and maybe sometimes the wild game hunted on abundant days. Even when we ate that, it was done in appreciation and acknowledgment.

Nobody had cancer, diabetes, obesity, heart attack, kidney disorders, depressions, pre-mature aging, or other degenerative disorders. Normal propagation happens, we bond with one another soulfully, we love Mother Earth for her gifts of Abundance.

The world today seems to be so much more advanced, exciting and even powerful, as compared to our History. Zooming in with clarity, it seems we are more cut off, isolated, diseased and sick than ever, at the point of extinction.

We are meant for Love, Creative Power, Strength & Wisdom; instead we have war and violence, fear and indifference. We made choices which did not support us to be in our natural state; and so as we create disharmony on Earth, we create the very same havoc in our own Body, Mind and Spirit.

In this rapidly evolving New Age, we all know that eating/living as simply and naturally as possible is one of the key to transforming our health. Many of us, are at the same time, questioning the viability of transformation in terms of time, effort, costs, and even “opportunity costs” – Gosh?!

I would feel that the “Opportunity costs” of not changing are exponentially higher than changing.

When we feel this way (which is very natural and I’ve been exactly through this stage before), it is because we do not know what Life is on the side of “NaturalVille” yet. We do not experience the sun-sweet scent of flowers, the endorphins rush from Vit D stimulating and reactivating our Pineal Gland (controlling more than 8,000 neurological functions!), nor the mental clarity and supreme health brought about by living foods.

We do not know what it feels like to be “healthy” until we actually are, because if there is no change in state, there is no benchmark for comparison.

Going back to Simple Living – in both Diet and Lifestyle, is essential to Man’s progression, even survival. Today, right here and now, is indeed the best time because we have the best of both worlds.

We have the best technological advancements, we have enough left of Mother Earth to start a New Awareness; once we start integrating Technology into “Mother Earth’s Naturalville”, the sky is absolutely the limit.

It really is very simple, everything in Life, is in fact very simple. The answers and solutions to the most complicated problems in Life, lies within simplicity. Clear the Body, Hold the Clarity, Move the Breath, and see with an Eagle’s eye!

3 Cheers for Mother Earth! Clap Clap Clap Clap Clap
Light Love and Laughter

© Copyright Linda Loo, Light Love Laughter

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Raw Food in Real World – Surviving Socialism

Posted on April 14, 2013 by jolynt

“That food is for hamster!” was the latest comment made by an old-time friend last week at a KTV lounge I went to. Singing has always been my passion and hobby, independent of my eating style. So even though I stopped drinking and smoking years ago, and eats living vegan foods, one thing remained unchanged is my love for singing and connecting with like-minded friends.

After he made the comment, we both laughed, and he reached into my bag of Sprouted Sea Salted Pumpkin seeds! I looked at him and asked “So, does this make you a beer-drinking hamster now?” and we both laughed louder.

“I am human; not a hamster!”

Raw Foods can be considered one of the most extreme diets – after having walked the journey for years, I’ve experienced the full throttle social effects besides reaping benefits on body-mind-spirit levels. Some of the feelings I’ve gone through included confusion, isolation, loneliness and sometimes even waking up thinking if I was really mad! Everything only seems to make sense when I’m surrounded by Nature, have my bare feet planted firmly on the soil, soaking in the sea or simply rolling in the grass in my apartment downstairs.

Looking back on the journey, there were social situations which I cruised by when the crowds were more health conscious; there were also plenty which gone wry! I learnt that each situation taught me to handle the next one better.

Some inferences which I’d like to share includes these:

Rule No 1: Thou shall not criticize another’s palate unless asked or invited to opine
Food is an extremely sensitive topic – many people cling to it as if it is their life. They will cite religious, government, political etc writings to defend their rights, and of course they will fight till the end to prove any opposing theories wrong. They are not wrong of course, this is Human Nature. In some literature, it is called Ego.

Years ago, there were times when I took a look at somebody’s plate and said “Do you know you are digging your graves with your spoon?”

You can probably guess that I became the number one public enemy in that group afterwards. Well I had a good intention, but the resulting situation was nothing but good. So remember that even though we are dying to tell our friend that the carcinogens in the bbq meat is clogging his arteries at that very moment and that he is in dangerous acidic sea waters, hold the tongue and think this – everyone has a different timing with all things. Your friend does not get it now does not mean he will not get it forever.

Rule No. 2: Thou shall keep your raw food/healthy lifestyle experiences to yourself until prompted to share
Let’s face this – in the KTV pub last week with my friends, nobody really want to hear how their beer is forming a belt of fat around their waist, or drying their skin out. Do they know about the harms of alcohol? Of course they do! I was once a hard core alcoholic, and I was the master of self-delusion. I’m not very keen on someone telling me that my glass of poison is killing me while I’m partying away.

Rule No. 3: Thou shall separate your friends/loved ones, from your diet
Some of my friends have been with me for more than 10 years, and there are very good reasons for that. I love them for their them, for what we’ve been through, I appreciate what they’ve taught me and the fact that we still have the fate to connect today. Regardless of their habits, habits can be very different, but they are still my friends yes. And I still love to sing, talk and hang out with them when appropriate.

What I eat and live as my lifestyle, is my choice. I have no right over another’s choices; I could perhaps choose to the extent of where, how long and with whom I wish to hang out, but the right does not extend over another person’s life. So even if a friend/loved one does not support or believe in whatever I’m doing, that does not mean he/she does not love me. It just means we are different, period. Can we still hang out and bond on our other common grounds? Definitely.

Rule No. 4: Thou shall see things as THEY ARE
Sounds simple? Not very when you apply it to daily life.
You see, my friends have called me “rabbit”, “monkey”, “hamster”, “horse” and also “goose” before. There was even one occasion when a good friend mischievously asked for “raw chicken wings” from a lounge waitress! At that time I took it badly; I felt hurt, isolated and lonely. And then later I realized that everything which my friends said, are simply THINGS WHICH THEY SAY. They are separate from what they think of me, separate from their intentions, and I don’t have to take that personally.

As long as there are humans, there will be things we say. Everyday, there will continue to be things said by friends, colleagues, family, the world etc. When you recognize them for what they are, you realize that they are not real, they do not exist! What exist is our interpretations of these words, and of course, our resulting reactions, words, beliefs and behavior.

Rule No. 5: Thou shall see beyond the surface and recognize intentions
It’s New Years’ Eve, and Grandma makes us a Braised Pigs Trotters with Seafood (which perhaps we used to love). What to do?

Besides telling Grandma that the stuff is laden with trans-fats, we can look one step further. Why is Grandma doing this? She loves me, and she wants to make me happy by making my fav dish.

Well, I can’t really tell you what to do in this one – everyone has different family settings. What I can assure you is that if you look beyond and seek out her kind intention below the surface, things will definitely be better than a downright rejection. Tell her you see her love, tell her you appreciate her actions, tell her you wanna hug her, and then hug her! Life is not too long to hug someone you love and say “I love you” as much as possible.

After all, remember one of the best things about eating living foods is to spread love for Earth and people? Why not start with our loved ones

© Copyright Linda Loo, Light Love Laughter

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How I Induce My 84-Year-Old Grandmother Onto Raw Foods

Posted on March 13, 2013 by jolynt

Yesterday marked a significant milestone on my living foods journey, when my 84 years old Grandmother ate a Raw Vegan Longan Cream Dessert that I made specially for her.
Not only did she eat it, she finished everything to the last drop.

Vegan Longan Cream

Now mind you, my Grandmother is a typical “Abalone, Bird Nest & Ginseng” Asian woman. She believes that too much meat is no good, but you got to have codfish, scallops & sea cucumbers for “protein”.

Busting the protein myth is what I consider elementary level in healthful conscious eating. So while I put my rolling of eyes aside, I also realized that she is nonetheless my Grandmother, I have only one Grandmother & there must be a reason for one of her 10 Grandchildren (that is me) to be a Raw Food Chef & Teacher.

They say that the fastest way to a man’s heart is through the stomach; I would say the fastest way to my Grandmother’s heart is through her mouth. Everything has to taste good to begin with.

There are some easy steps that we can follow to introduce healthier options to the elders in our family. No matter how tough, how picky they are, how stubborn their beliefs, all can be worked out!

Step 1:

What do they like? My Grandmother has some favorite foods – Longans one of them. She loves the smell, flavor & texture of dried Longans. The easiest way to begin is to make something out of their favorite foods. This way, half the battle is won because the dish is something familiar & we won’t have to explain too much.

Compared to making a Calzone or Dehydrated Pizza/Garden Burgers (and spend the whole night explaining what it is all about, plus they may not even nibble at the end!), prepare something that your elders like, that taste familiar.

Step 2:

The first time you make raw foods for them, make it at home, and then bring down. Don’t make it in front of them. This is an occasion where you prepare something out of love for them, they do not need nor are they burning to hear a lecture about sprouting, keeping enzymes intact! Unless of course you know they are already interested, then invite them for a raw food class.

Once they tasted it, and they like it, they may start asking. This is the right time to slowly explain to them, tactfully, that the dish is prepared intelligently & creatively to preserve maximum nutrient density. Then perhaps on the next visit, you can show them a little more.

The key is to go slow.

Step 3:

It is impossible to make a raw dish taste exactly like a cooked dish – because cooked foods taste identical while every raw food in their natural forms vary slightly in texture & flavor.

The idea is to mimic a dish that they love; like my Ah Ma (affectionate name for Grandmother) loves Longan Almond Tofu. So I begin to create something with the taste of Longans, Almonds flavor & something soft & creamy. While going along these lines, I also bear in mind how the end dish must look – something that she must want to eat at first glance.

Step 4:

When we showcase the dish, do NOT say it is RAW. Banish the word “Raw” once and forever more!!

The moment we say the word, the walls go up, alarms start to ring, and fire engines ready to shoot water.

It is really much harmonious to say, “Prepared intelligently to preserve vitamins & minerals. Good for washing the bad fats from fried stuff, bowel movement & digestion; plus delicious too. Oh yes, did I mention that they fight wrinkles because of the Vitamin E? Ah Ma you are going to love this!”

Last night, when Ah Ma first open it and stir with her antique porcelain spoon, she said “Wow, Ho Liao!” –which means “Good Stuff” in our Hokkien dialect.

And so, last night, we had dinner – just Ah Ma and me. I brought my own Cucumber Olive Oil salad, and Ah Ma brought a huge tray of Apples & Oranges from the fridge.

While I was peeling an Orange, I caught a moment of fulfillment – knowing that my Grandmother’s dinner is at least 50% nutrient dense Raw Vegan because of the dessert & I was there to peel Oranges for her. I caused it to happen; and that is how powerful I can be.

If you are reading this, it probably means you are a health nut, if not at least half a health nut, like me. It is one thing to be a health nut alone; it is another if you inspire your family & loved to be health nuts together. You have the power to influence your family, your community to either be eating more consciously, or just letting circumstances decide for them.

By default you are causing something to happen. Even if you sit there and do nothing while they eat Fish & Chips, that will be causing them to continue to eat Fish & Chips.

We are not saying to declare war or discriminate them for that, but there is always something you can do at that moment. Cut an Apple & share, give half the salad on your plate away, never mind if they say no, just try again later.

At the end of the night, I gave Ah Ma a leg rub. The second lesson I got that night was that the most precious thing in family gatherings is not food; but rather love & connection. Our parents & Grandparents yearn for our attention; food is simply one channel that they communicate their love. We can create more channels that are not food-related. When we establish a strong bond, we can re-work on their unsupportive diet beliefs much better.

Before leaving, I told Ah Ma “I love you Ah Ma, I love to see you smile because you have so many golden front teeth. You are very important to me, because if you have not given birth to my father, there would be no me in the first place.” As I exited the front door, out of the corner of my eyes I caught a glimpse of a bottle of roasted Cashews on the coffee table.

Next visit, Dehydrated Sprouted Crunchy Teriyaki Cashews ☺

© Copyright Linda Loo, Light Love Laughter

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Common Types of Enema and their Benefits

Posted on March 4, 2013 by jolynt

 

 

 

 

 

The most widely used and common type of enema is a coffee enema. Many people all over the world can testify to the cleansing, healing and emotional benefits brought about by regular coffee enemas.

The famous Gerson’s Therapy (alternative way of healing cancer) is also built around coffee enemas. Subjects were given coffee enemas at specific times, combined with a largely raw foods menu, supplements and monitored closely over the treatment period. Many cases of cancer (other wise sentenced incurable by conventional medical professionals), were healed from the treatment.

What is a coffee enema?

It is a procedure whereby coffee solution is passed through the rectum into the colon, and into the liver. The caffeine in the coffee stimulates the production of bile juice for intense cleansing. What happens next is the removal of accumulated toxins (food, air, water and environment) into the colon, ready to be exported out of the body.

The wastes matter which are purged out of the body during a coffee enema is pretty different from the normal fecal matter eliminated. Coffee enema wastes are usually dark colored and foul-smelling, which shows that the years of accumulated toxins have been broken down and finally removed from the body.

As a result, intense healing benefits can be experienced. After a period of doing regular enemas, many people also reported an improvement in an overall sense of wellness.

Coffee enemas are considered one of the most intense forms of enema. There are other forms of enemas like ones done with Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) solution, lemon juice solution, herbal teas solutions and even plain water enemas etc.

An ACV enema is done with a diluted ACV solution. Its main benefits include relief of chronic constipation and stimulation of metabolic rate and digestion powers.

Water enemas are done usually to relief constipation temporarily. As a long term measure, a person still has to incorporate exercise, adequate fluid intake, fiber intake as well as maintain a healthy digestive tract in order to enjoy regular bowel movement.

Water enemas are also sometimes used as a back-to-back enema after a coffee enema to eliminate remaining toxins which are still stuck in the colon. We shall explore back-to-back enemas in later stages.

Herbal tea solutions can also be used to administer an enema. Depending on the type of tea, they can be used to achieve different objectives. For eg. a chamomile enema is good for balancing ph levels and calming the stomach. It is a milder form of enema.

For more information on enema, email info@rawfoodlifestyles.com.

© Copyright, Linda Loo, Light Love Laughter

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Introduction to Enema: Benefits and Importance of a Clean Colon

Posted on February 26, 2013 by jolynt

Do you know that the number one cause of diseases today is an unhealthy and polluted colon? When a person’s intestines are congested, colon health is poor, there is no end to the things which can go hay-wire inside the body.

Why is this so?

First of all, we all know that constipation is unpleasant, and can cause sickness when it becomes serious. The colon is responsible for storing undigested bulks temporarily, until it is eliminated from the body. When these decomposed bulks stay in the colon for more than a day, major putrefaction occurs, fermentation gives off gas, unfriendly bacteria, moisture gets depleted and it becomes even harder to expel the bulk – leading to a vicious cycle of chronic constipation.

The longer the wastes stay in the body, the more toxicity develops.

The best indicator of a healthy colon is transit time. Transit time is the number of hours food takes from the time it enters the body to exit the body. The longer the time, the more decomposition and fermentation occurs, the more toxins are given out.

To sidetrack a bit, this is also a good reason why humans thrive on a largely raw food diet – because uncooked fruits and vegetables do not decay as fast as cooked foods, meats and other processed foods. We can definitely expect a food to decay much more faster inside the body than outside – because of the temperature and digestive juices.

As layers and layers of dry wastes get stuck in the colon, the walls then become hardened with accumulated toxins.

All of the unfavorable factors named above – unfriendly bacteria, hardening of colon walls with toxic wastes, depletion of moisture resulting in more constipation, fermentation gas and more toxicity, has undesirable consequences on the individual.

On the most basic physical level, the person experiences intestinal discomfort, flatulence and indigestion. When it gets more serious, allergies like skin itching may occur – a sign of over-toxicity which is too much for the body to cope. Nutrient absorption is poor, because a polluted intestine without a balanced friendly bacteria ratio cannot function optimally. Immunity systems are compromised, lethargy and headaches are often experienced.

What are the uses and benefits of doing enemas then?

The enema is a self-administered procedure whereby a fluid is passed into the colon, through the rectum, into the colon and body for cleansing purposes. Most basic forms of enemas cleanse the intestines of expired fecal matter; while more advanced forms focus on cleansing the liver.

The most common ones include coffee enemas, apple cider vinegar/lemon enema, herbal enema etc. There have been countless cases of people being healed from degenerative diseases with the use of coffee enemas, raw foods and certain high quality supplements.

For a start, let’s look at the most basic forms of advantages of an enema for colon cleansing:

1) Clears the colon of hardened accumulated toxic waste which are otherwise stuck
2) Unplugs the lymphatic system and reactivates the body’s natural detoxification system
3) Improves nutrient absorption so you get more from your food
4) Better energy levels and improved concentration powers
5) Improved immunity system
6) Clearer and radiant skin

The above are simply some physical benefits which are commonly seen after a period of regular enemas; the list is in fact, inexhaustive.

On deeper levels, colon cleansing also has some meaningful benefits. An unhealthy person cannot be a happy person. We have long come to the awareness that mind, body and spirit are one, all three are inter-connected and closely related. When a person is suffering from physical ailments, they feel less optimistic, more easily overwhelmed and generally less happy. People are happy when they feel good in their bodies and when they are connected to their spirit.

And people who are happy, are also more likely to be compassionate, kind and generally more considerate. When a person is feeling good, he has more to give, more love to share, more sympathy and a bigger heart.

Indeed in today’s world where we are bombarded with conventional processed foods, fast food, artificial ingredients, hormones-laden processed meats, medications with dubious chemicals and many more potentially harmful additives, enemas are, I would say, one of the fastest and safest way of rapid detoxification. We can not afford to wait further because the level of global pollution in terms of air, environment, food and water, is constant and ever-increasing. Not only do we need to keep up with on-going detoxification, but we still have the previous accumulated layers to deal with.

In the next few articles, we will talk about the different types of enema, their uses and benefits, how to choose quality enema equipment and where to get them.

To know more about what types of quality enema equipment, how to choose them and where to get them, send us an email at info@rawfoodlifestyles.com today.

© Copyright, Linda Loo, Light Love Laughter

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Eye Protection: Top 8 Natural Tips

Posted on February 4, 2013 by jolynt

With technology evolving at lightening speed, we now spend more time in front of the computer and reading into wee hours. While it is meaningful to learn & upgrade, it is also important to take care of our beepers!

1. Wash the eyes with clean filtered water/spring water every night before sleep.

2. When eyestrain occurs from over computer exposure, shut the lights & close eyes under complete darkness for 10 min.

 

 

 

 

Stare at Natural Greenery everyday to help eye recovery!

3. Refrain from reading from reading under the following conditions:
-Moving vehicle
-Dim or insufficient light.

4. Strive to keep the following rules when reading:

-Hold the book at least 15 inches away from the eyes
-Always let the light fall on the book from your left
-Frequently blink the eyes when reading
-For every hour of reading, focus the eyes on an object far away for at least 2 min.

5. Never look at the blazing sun directly.

6. This is for the girls – reduce the frequency of applying Mascara on the eyelashes. The acts of applying & removing eye make our eyes weak & vulnerable to infections.

7. Hair dyes, or chemical treatments directly affect the eye functioning because they shoot right into the brain. If possible, eliminate the use of chemical dyes or products.

8. Eat more dark green leafy vegetables – one of the ways is to have them in your green smoothies! If you want to learn how to make delicious green smoothies, join us in our Intro to Living Foods (ILF) workshop!

© Copyright Linda Loo, Light Love Laughter

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My Food Pyramid

Posted on January 26, 2013 by jolynt

I’d been asked many questions about the food pyramid throughout all these years, the good news is that it is getting dramatically less frequent recently! People all around are waking up to the fact that what we see out there, may be pretty far away from what really works for us.

And of course, most of the readers or students who come to me are already quite savvy on their own course of pursuing healthy eating.

In fact, I dismissed the standard food pyramid way before I even discovered about raw foods. Back in 2005 when I was training madly for the Standard Chartered Marathon, I already learnt that the standard food pyramid cannot serve me in helping me achieve stellar fitness stamina.

That was also the time I started my interest into health diets, lifestyle practices as well as anti-ageing methods, which till today I am still crazy about!

This figure currently best summarizes what I eat:

You can see that the base of my diet is formed mainly of living greens, fruits and sprouts. This also includes fatty fruits like Avocados, Durian and Coconut which are very abundant in Singapore.

In fact, I consume most of my calories in the form of blended Green Smoothies, Green Smoothie Superfood Ice-Creams and Blended Soups. These 2 categories of foods are the most efficient and fastest ways of packing the most amount of nutrition into my body for best digestion. And of course, they taste awesome too!

Next on the ladder comes my complementary foods like ginger, carrots and cucumbers. They add flavor, variety as well as serve as delicious salad vegetables when I feel like chewing something. Ground flax seeds are my main source of omegas; I always tell my readers and friends that if they want their omegas covered, just turn to ground flax seeds and save all the trouble!

Flax seeds contain the perfect Omega 3 to 6 ratio, which is optimal for human body assimilation. All those hype about fish, meat, supplements and so on? I choose to disregard them because I’ve found that I’ve gained more benefits just by adding in ground flax to my diet.

And so have many other healthy alive people I’ve known all over the world from all cultures. Many of them happen to be active people who loves to exercise too.

If I am able to get organic raw oats, I’ll sprout them (by soaking overnight) and make them into cookies, breads and pies. These make awesome healthy nibbles and treats for guests. There was a point in time in my transition when I needed to eat a large amount of sprouted nuts and fats; that was temporary though. Now I’m very easily satisfied with fresh fruit fats, and small amounts of sprouted seeds & nuts.

Raw Organic Cacao is something which have done wonders for my health and beauty breakthroughs in the past 1 year. Some of you whom have been to our sessions may know that one of the factors that pushed me onto natural health, is my vanity!

Being a super food in itself, Cacao is concentrated in magnesium and contains unique heart boosting qualities. My exercise stamina can improve greatly just by having a small serving of Raw Organic Cacao Brownie in the mornings!

And of course, right at the very top, those which I eats the least quantities of, are the pure refined fats. Although cold pressed, raw and organic, they are still refined fats, and best taken in small quantities. Virgin Coconut and Virgin Olive are the only 2 oils I use currently, because they both serve important functions to regulate liver regeneration, and of course, beauty! Cacao Butter is also something I’ll work into my recipes because this is one of the best fats to give maximum skin nourishment while making the raw cookies delicious!

I hope this pyramid can give you a better idea of what I have been doing, to be where I am today. Like what I encourage the readers, look at what you are today compared to yesterday, last week, last year, 2 years ago etc. Are you progressing towards where you want to go? If you are nearer, then yes you are on the right track.

As for me, I’ve never looked better before, more radiant before, have more energy before, while spending next to zero on cosmetics, supplements or counter drugs. If I’m having darker hair than before, brighter skin, clearer eyes and stronger mind than before, I must have done some right things

Cheers to Clarity!
Luv,
Linda

© Copyright, Linda Loo, Light Love Laughter

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