Patagonia, AZ. 2003. After conventional medicine failed to help me get rid of a dental infection caused by a botched up dental procedure, I searched the alternative spectrum.
I discovered Gabriel Cousens books Conscious Eating and Rainbow Green: Live Food Cuisine at a bookstore and was amazed by the extensive research he assimilated about the health benefits eating pure organic foods, and in the other book, simple, easy, delicious recipes using raw foods.
Around 2003, I first heard about the Tree of Life when I saw an announcement that Gabriel Cousens, M.D. was speaking about Rawfood Nutrition across from the Gentle Strenth Natural Foods Co-op in Tempe, AZ.
When I scheduled a consult with Gabriel, I filled out an extensive history. In person, he tested my live blood under a microscope, and performed BTA/BBB tests administered by a nurse. (Bio-terrain analysis, and Blood-Brain-Balance). He integrated multiple tests as "windows" into his comprehensive treatment plan.
From this first visit I received deep insights into the percentage and quantity of raw foods that best suited my body, clear nutritional guidelines (Phase I diet), and pharmaceutical-grade supplements that targeted specific issues.
The Phase I diet was designed to eliminate common health problems including hypoglycemia, parasites, candida, yeast, and bacterial infections. After 6-12 months I found my persistent health issues resolved, and I felt my body and health enter into a new octave of well being. I ate very strictly "raw" for 12-24 months as a conscious personal choice to upgrade my health; after feeling myself plateau to this new octave, my eating is more relaxed and socially sustainable.
Also the Tree of Life cafe' prepared stunningly delicious meals lovingly blessed and prepared by the apprentices and chefs. It was where I personally trained and took classes on how to make rawfood staples such as crackers, breads, soups, brownies and chocolates, smoothies--and how to use the basic tools for rawfood preparation--dehydrator, blender, juicer.
Viola, My sweetheart at the time, flew in from Australia, apprenticed there for 3 months in the kitchen.
TOL is a living-foods community, and I participated in friday night Shabbat services, sunset meditations, treatments, and detox programs.
I owe alot to Gabriel for getting me on a solid nutritional and health foundation that can serve me for the rest of my life. He is not for everyone however; some of his nutritional programs are intense and can result in detoxification symptoms, such as headache, nausea, fatigue--but these are signs that the body is releasing and healing.
It is a 3 hour drive south of Phoenix: 2 hours to Tucson, and then 1 hour to Patagonia. I also take friends and visitors there for splendid Sunday brunch, and TOL even holds a huge Thanksgiving potluck, with hundreds of visitors.
So if you would like to experience first-hand a peaceful vibrant raw-foods community, and receive a comprehensive medical assessment to help establish healthful patterns suitable for YOUR body, please visit www.treeoflife.nu
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