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Friday, April 11, 2025




Simple Raw and Natural

I began Simple Raw and Natural in May 2011, just before embarking on a five-month adventure to the Clohesy River Health Farm near Kuranda, Queensland, Australia. I was in the midst of a four-year study with Dr. John Fielder called A Lifestyle Consultant’s Course in Natural Living, and this trip served as the internship portion of that journey.

The conditions at the health farm were anything but luxurious—simple, rustic, and deeply outside my comfort zone. But that experience shifted my perspective in ways I couldn’t have anticipated.

It’s been over three years since I last posted here. Part of that silence came from the struggle to stay within the parameters of the identity I created for this blog.

Back then, I believed raw food and natural living might be the solution to everything. And in many ways, that lifestyle helped me—physically, emotionally, and even spiritually. But over time, I realized that it didn’t address the full complexity of being human. Rather than write from a place that felt too narrow—or worse, inauthentic—I stopped posting.

For years, I debated changing the name of this blog. After all, I haven’t eaten 100% raw in a long time. Our raw foods group still meets (going strong after 11 years!), but raw isn’t my only source of nourishment anymore.

Still, the name stays. Simple Raw and Natural is where it all began—and that origin story still matters.

Now, at 76, I’m still learning. Still creating. Still saying yes to curiosity. I’m committed to being a lifelong learner and health explorer—but I no longer identify with the wellness industry or the swirl of conspiracy theories that sometimes surround it.

This space will evolve as I do. It will be a place to reflect, connect, and share what nourishes—whether that’s a budget-friendly, plant-based recipe with a French flair, a book that changed my thinking, a moment from the past that still glows, or thoughts on how to live fully and honestly in a complex world.

I believe in good food, clear thinking, honest conversation, legacy writing, democratic values—and being just raw enough to let our true selves shine through.

Going forward, Simple Raw and Natural will be part reflection, part recipe box, part love letter to life.

Welcome back.

Still curious. Still growing. Still grateful.

Janis





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