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Hi Karen!!!
So where do I begin…? : )
I just want to say Thank you from the depths of my being for your book, Creating Healthy Children. It is what motivated/inspired us to go on a raw food journey and also become attachment parents. Our 3rd baby was born in Nov (11) and it was like life started over with her birth. We welcomed her naturally, unassisted, into the water of our bath. She was born totally peacefully (unlike our first 2 hospital, induced, medicated, epidural births) and left attached to her cord until it fell off @ 5 days old. We continued on with exclusively breastfeeding (my first 2 received pumped milk for 6 mos and then it was on to formula! BLAH!!!) … she is going on 8 1/2 months now and all she’s ever had was breastmilk, she’s been “worn” in a moby wrap or soft structured carrier since she was 3 weeks old, and she has slept with us every night since arriving earthside. It is amazing what a difference attachment parenting makes. And now we can’t help but look back and realize how many mistakes we made with our boys. I’m just grateful I followed my instincts and educated myself before her birth and then your book fell into my lap in Dec 2011, so it all worked out so perfectly. You reaffirmed everything we were doing, but also gave us that “push” to take it even further with the raw foods.
Thank you Karen,
Sincerely,
SavannahAnna Rodgers of Miss EcoGlam:
http://www.missecoglam.com/kids-health/item/4016-creating-super-healthy-children-through-attachment-parenting-and-raw-food-karen-ranziNecessity for all moms and moms-to-be!!!,
Mommies and mommies-to-be, a must-read is “Creating Healthy Children through Attachment Parenting and Raw Foods” by Karen Ranzi. It’s PACKED with great info on lots of topics from pre-pregnancy, through pregnancy, birth and beyond with regards to exercise, proper nutrition, and addressing lots of hard questions with the latest information regarding nutrition or other myths that abound with both raw foods and attachment parenting. Even if you don’t know about AP or raw foods, I highly suggest giving it a read and then forming your own opinion about the information in the book!
A very important book for parents and non-parents, HulaHelena (Los Angeles, CA United States) –
I have had the privilege of hearing Karen Ranzi speak about topics presented in this book. She is extremely warm, caring and truthful, and I could tell she really wants to help others. It shows in this book the wealth of knowledge and research she’s acquired over the years about health and creating healthy children.
She has incredible courage to present her work to a mainstream audience. A mainstream that relies on an invasive, quick-fix, disjointed, ill-informed, industry-driven system of health care. A mainstream that’s seeing health decline rapidly and an increase of children being born with diseases, illnesses, and conditions of all kinds.
This book is a treasure for those who seek real, educated, truthful, holistic, optimal, and natural ways of living and healing for our children and ourselves. It’s chock full of information. Everything from pregnancy, homebirth, breastfeeding, attachment parenting to modeling emotional poise, dental and vision health, homeschooling, vaccinations, personal stories, and lots more.
Not only is it a great book for parents, but I also found myself thinking about my own experiences growing up, and found the information helpful to my own healing process.
Ultimately, healthy children equal a healthy world – and this book leads us in that direction.
Thorough and well researched
By Magic and Mayhem (Minnesota USA)Karen Ranzi’s new book, “Creating Healthy Children Through Attachment Parenting and Raw Foods,” is one of those books that seems to take an eternity to finish — not because it is not interesting, but because it is so full of information.
I was not sure what to expect when I first started the book. I am a firm believer in Attachment Parenting, but I could never be called a raw food enthusiast. I lean towards a vegetarian (often vegan), organic, all natural diet, but it is generally cooked and I had no desire to change that.
That said, I found the book fascinating, informative and incredibly well researched, and have already made small changes in my food choices and my family’s. I do not intend to switch to a completely raw food diet, but Ranzi makes it clear that I don’t have to in order to still see some benefits of raw foods.
Subjects included in the nearly 500-page book include: The health of the parents before conception, home birth, circumcision, diet during pregnancy, the B12 question, breastfeeding, the importance of skin-to-skin contact, co-sleeping, feeding baby uncooked foods, teaching children how to eat, personal care products for children, children’s exercise and ventilation, transitioning children to raw foods, kid-tested recipes, Essential Fatty Acids, vitamins and minerals, eliminating causes of illnesses, water needs, genetic engineering, homeschooling, nonviolent communication with children, vaccinations, dental health, vision health, the importance of the sun, questions from parents, stories of raw families and their journeys and more.
When I first began reading, I have to admit to feeling rather overwhelmed and depressed. Ranzi lists so many health risks that adopting her lifestyle may seem impossible to some (and this is coming from someone who already makes a concerted effort to live a healthy lifestyle). From the chlorine in your shower water to the toxic molds in peanut butter, it can seem that nothing is safe.
By the time I finished the book, however, I had put those elements in perspective. I now feel more educated and empowered, and see that information as simply knowledge and perspectives to use as I see fit.
As parents, we tend to accumulate vast amounts of information on our journeys. We research, we ask questions, we learn from our own mistakes and we eventually emerge with so much wisdom to pass on. With this book, I feel that Karen Ranzi has gathered all the knowledge of her own parenting and health journeys in one place for those beginning their own.
The book is incredibly well researched and Ranzi quotes her sources extensively. In the chapter about B12, for instance, she tells all perspectives and lists so many studies that I felt as if I could pass a test by the time I finished it. The chapter about circumcision is twelve pages long and includes a personal story of a mother who became an anti-circumcision activist and two full pages of books, websites, videos, organizations and other resources on the subject.
Karen Ranzi shares her knowledge and beliefs without concern for whether people see her as a radical or disagree. The book is not watered down in an attempt to please every reader or avoid ruffling feathers. Ranzi quite simply shares what she believes is best for children, from breastfeeding to avoiding vaccination to choosing organic foods, and why.
Ranzi also talks about common pitfalls of raw food diets, such as relying too heavily on dried fruits (which harm the teeth) and nuts (which are high in fat and not necessary in large quantities).
Since I began reading this book, my twelve year-old daughter decided to begin eating raw. In the past, I might have worried about her protein intake, vitamin needs and other issues. Armed with Creating Healthy Children, I feel completely comfortable with her decision and have been able to help her choose good foods and prepare simple recipes (Ranzi’s recipes do tend to be very simple indeed since she advocates consuming whole fresh foods most of the time).
I highly recommend this book and plan to keep it in my personal collection. I am still not ready to switch to an all-raw diet, but I have been serving more salads, smoothies and fresh fruits for snacks and meals. Who knows what the future may hold.
MUST READ
By bchcrzzrThis is a must read for any parent or anyone wanting to become a parent one day. I couldn’t put the book down, and finished it within a week. Easy reading, great information and something I will use to reference for a long time. Whether you are a raw foodist or practice attachment parenting or not, it has great things to take for everyone!
Richard Raw on Facebook 8:32pm Jul 5, 2012 Ronnie Skurow raised the concern of children on another thread. I wanted to make sure that everyone had access to what we recently posted on this important matter.Most certainly a very deep and abiding concern. Children are our responsibility, the future and a most precious resource. Children get conditioned and brainwashed at a young age and come to very great harm on account of it. I published this recently . . . .
Karen Ranzi’s “Creating Healthy Children”:
https://www.facebook.com/events/281687778526540/Everyone knows that children are our most precious resource…Especially Karen!!!
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Jill Drehmer
Vegan Times
I loved spending my afternoon listening to Karen Ranzi speaking at the Corning Public Library in New York. She is so knowledgable, yet very personable. I highly suggest reading her book Creating Healthy Children. It’s a true life changer. I look forward to seeing her again in two months at The Woodstock Fruit Festival.
Noel S.
Parent of Child with Autism
We started the RAW diet about 10 months back under your guidance. We are about 90-95% raw. Our son has improved in so many ways! We love this diet and are going to continue tweaking it for more and more healing from autism symptoms. Your valuable experience with your own kids, and others is helping us and so many! We will continue to work with you.
Lee Leho
Parent
We bought your book Creating Healthy Children when I was pregnant with my daughter. It was very helpful. My daughter is now 7. Never been sick and very energetic. She is always happy. We eat raw and simple food and very happy with this lifestyle. Please keep doing what you’re doing. Many others will benefit from your experience.
Lisa Tomasi, @naplesbythebeach
Thank you Karen @superhealthyraw! Your book Creating Healthy Children transformed the way I saw nutrition! Thank you for your contributions to world peace and health! We love you!
Ronald E. Zupp
Just a note of gratitude for your energy and the time you took to get us all this great info. Looking forward to our next raw food coaching session. I have applied some of your raw food recommendations already!
Adriana Csongor
When we switched to raw vegan, our baby was 9 months. I had lots of questions, so we got coaching sessions with Karen. She is like my second Mom. Gave me information, knowledge, support, faith and love. Now we are a happy raw vegan family.
Camille Beaudouin
“You are the real raw Doctor with insight who does not do harm to patients. I stopped the mad science project from that doctor. Words cannot describe how indebted I am to you. My son is more alert, making eye contact, participating and interacting well.”
Rosanne Ponchick
My most significant life change took place when I met Karen Ranzi. I took her raw food course 4 times and began to make more lifestyle changes. As a result I lost over 30 lbs without dieting; I had more energy and looked at life with much joy! Thank you Karen for changing my life!
Dr. Tumi Johnson, Canary Islands
Medical Doctor
https://youtu.be/zdg-3vH9h3w
Dr. Tumi Johnson
Raw Vegan Pregnancy, Breastfeeding, Raising Healthy Vegan Children
Maria Victoria Daral
Turning Around the Symptoms of Autism: Language, Communication, Reducing Behaviors, Eye Contact
Mihaela Roșu
Mihaela Testimonial on Alexandra from Romania
Improved Digestion, Improved Communication Skills, Improved Behaviors for Teenager with Autism
Dr. Kristina Todoroska of Croatia
Raising Healthy Vegan and Raw Children
The following testimonial came from a family from Greece who I worked with for a three month commitment. I worked with the two parents through skype, focusing dietary transition to a mostly raw food lifestyle for their daughter Electra.
”It was definitely one of the most difficult times in our life when fortunately we met Karen. She helped us a lot in so many ways with our 2.5 year old daughter with autism. We changed all her diet together in a raw way and step by step our little girl did a very important progress in her communication, speech, and behavior. She is even happier and healthier now than ever and we are too! I was not so sure and comfortable with all these changes that we have to do in our life at the beginning as my husband was…but after coaching with Karen, I saw all this amazing progress in our daughter so I changed my mind about it all. Karen is a very sweet person, always there for you when you need her, never criticizes you and always advises you in the best way she can. We love and appreciate her basically as a person who really loves children, and cares about them and their parents as being a part of the family. We learned a lot from her and are still learning in order to have a healthy and happy life. We are so lucky to meet you Karen! Keep going and remember that there is always a place here in Greece for you!”
Warmly,
Giota, Dimitris and Electra
“Karen is an encouraging mentor who actually cares about us and genuinely wants us to succeed. It is not easy transitioning to the raw and vegan lifestyle, however, Karen’s approach is personal and genuine. She puts thought and energy into all the health information and meal planning she gives to you. With Karen as a mentor, I feel more confident about the food I choose for my family. She has provided me with information that clarified my perspective on nutrition as well as education, that I’ll keep and treasure forever. I am grateful that I had the opportunity to be guided by Karen.“
Karen, I appreciate you with all my heart. Thank you for everything you did for us!
Adina
Dear Karen,
Thank you for a wonderful Women’s Health Retreat Weekend. You have opened my mind and heart to so many new things. I have discovered how absolutely delicious and satisfying vegan food can be. I also appreciate the love and patience you have shown me as a total newcomer to a plant-based lifestyle. Your passion for wellness and health is beautiful and infectious. You have truly changed my life for the better.
With Love,
Laura K.
It is just wonderful how much terrific information you offer for free, from your generosity of spirit! I am so hoping to make a turn toward the positive through your example.
Pamela Hedrick
So excited 
😬to be embarking on my very first juice cleanse this coming Tuesday. Between now and then I prep – letting go of all processed foods, slowly easing off of my bff 
☕️ and getting to 100% raw by Sunday. I’ve always been scared to do it, feeling like I can’t survive without solid and even cooked food. But it’s time. Time to release the old toxins and beliefs. Really excited to deepen my channel to my intuition and my guides. Karen Ranzi, couldn’t be doing it without your support. Thanks for the work you do!
Patricia Laufer
“Karen is an absolute wealth of knowledge and information on the raw food lifestyle. I’ve been studying health and wellness for the last 20 years, and I can tell you, Karen is the “real deal”……this area is quite lucky to have her!
Last night’s raw potluck was wonderful…..good food, fun/friendly people, and great energy!…..doesn’t get any better than that!
A BIG thank you to Karen, for putting together a 5 star event……and making us feel welcome.
Looking forward to connecting again soon……
Robert
“Karen Ranzi was the best guide I came across through my journey as a special needs parent. Her advice has been the best therapy for my son and my whole family. She is very knowledgeable on the links between food and health and everything she explains to you she backs it up with proven research or studies. She knows the foods you should eat and even will provide you with sites that are safe to buy from when on your path to a raw diet. My son has an ASD diagnosis and no therapy has shown as much progress as our new plant based diet. We are now on our journey to eat raw. I will recommend Karen 100%. It felt so good to feel I’m in control of my son’s improvement. Karen’s knowledge and her support were outstanding and inspirational. She even gave me great tips to stay on track this Halloween and I’m so glad to say my children enjoyed banana ghosts and tangerine and celery pumpkins :). I will forever be grateful to Karen for her uplifting advice. My husband and I lost weight and I have energy again that I could never have thought possible”.
Thank you Karen 🙂
B. Kang
In my experience, going raw and staying raw was very challenging without support at home and in my community. Karen really helped give me the support I needed. She was wonderful to work with. Flexible. Kind. Understanding. Non-judgemental. She is very knowledgeable and was full of different ideas on how to help. But what sticks out the most for me was how kind, gentle and caring she is. She helped me feel ok with where I was on my journey and was truly passionate about helping me. Amazing. Thank you Karen!!
P.S. I highly recommend reading her book “Creating Healthy Children”!
-Kim, London, Ontario, Canada
“I have known Karen for a decade and have been working with her during my pregnancy and after my baby boy was born. I value her opinion immensely. I feel blessed to have her as my pregnancy guide so that I know I am making the healthiest possible decisions for my family. She is always there for me when I need her help. I consider her one of the most knowledgeable, kindest, compassionate and amazing person/friend in the raw food community. ”
Rachel
I hope this email finds you well! I know it’s been quite a while since we were last in touch. As you may remember, while I interned for you in college, I was pursuing a teaching degree. A former student of mine is now in college and asked me to read an essay of his about factory farming vs buying locally. As I read it, I noticed he cited you as a source at one point. You can imagine how surprised I felt, and excited to tell him that I knew who you were!
Anyway, I just wanted to share that with you and say that your lifestyle continues to impact the way I see the world around me and the food I eat.
Thanks again for everything,
Valmira
I took Karen’s five week raw food coaching program and it was by far the best thing I could do at this point in my journey toward a better lifestyle and diet. I took Karen’s program starting in December, 2016. She has knowledge and expertise that she passes on to her students in a very relaxed manner and tone of voice that helps in assimilation and practice of a raw lifestyle. I am 64 years old and wish I had found Karen much earlier on my path to this greater understanding of a healthy living raw diet. Thanks to Karen, In the four months since starting Karen’s classes I have maintained a 90% raw diet. I feel confident that the changes in my choice to a raw diet are now permanently part of my everyday life. I definitely feel the benefits of this lifestyle and diet.
Thank You Karen!Joel Mittentag
Read Karen’s book, which is so good and gave me all the information I needed about raw food. Loved it. Then started to go on the way, but as coming from a high meat eater diet the transformation was difficult. Had lots of detoxification. When we switched to raw vegan, our baby was 9 months, so it was important to do everything right with her. Had lots of questions, so decided to get coaching sessions with Karen. She is like my second Mom. The coaching sessions helped me a lot. Gave me information, knowledge, support, faith and love. Now we are a happy raw vegan family and Karen has a big work in it.
I just say to you if have any question, do the coaching with Karen. This lifestyle is amazing but you have to do it right.
Our life changed completely in a good way!Un saludo
Adriana Csongor, Spain
“I was inspired to take Karen’s Raw Food Coaching Program to get better health and to learn tools to fight Diabetes Type II. I really liked the valuable coaching and support. I recently had my cholesterol numbers checked. My endocrinologist said my cholesterol numbers have already dropped so much that a drug is no longer required. Also due to Karen’s teachings, my A1C levels have dropped. Based on taking Karen’s classes, I have added many more raw foods to my diet. Now my ultimate goal is to get off the remaining drugs for Type II Diabetes.”
Amanda Grubb
When I was hired to work as Karen’s intern, I knew that I would walk away with many positive memories and experiences. My internship alongside her gave me just that! Throughout my internship, I learned more than I could have ever imagined about health and how much of an impact it has on my life. I learned how to incorporate all the knowledge I learned from Karen throughout my everyday life. The experiences that I have had working alongside Karen made me feel fully prepared for the real world ahead of me next year. Karen is an intelligent, patient and health conscious woman who is extremely passionate about what she teaches. Taking one of her classes or attending one of her events will go a long way! I am very grateful to know her.
Jacqueline Teschon, Spring 2017 Ramapo College Intern to Karen Ranzi, M.A.
Karen’s coaching has been very beneficial to my raw vegan journey. I’ve seen the most improvements in my bodily awareness and resources. Karen was able to walk with me as my guide, and assist in different areas where I was struggling, such as diet, cleansing(detox), and finding the support I need to grow. In the past month I’ve learned new skills for dealing with social pressures, as well as obtaining resources for raw vegan support communities. I have gained a fresh look on nutrition and meal planning, as well as tips on how to stick to my goals in a proactive, nurturing way. I feel nurtured by the whole experience! Karen has been so kind, professional and present with me. Thank you so much Karen.
Anne Dylewski
Karen is a tremendous asset to the vegan community and the assistance to the autistic community. She’s an outstanding speaker and her book “Creating Healthy Children” is a classic.
Betsy Bragg
“I feel blessed and fortunate to have found Karen. I am taking away from her 5 week raw food coaching program a calming awareness that I can cleanse my body. I found this program to be very reasonably priced. Thanks to this program, I have achieved a level of athletic endurance that I wish I was able to discover years ago. My mental clarity and confidence are rejuvenated. Specifically, I list below all of my recent health “recoveries:”
1. I lift heavier weights at the gym than I have ever in my life, with LESS time devoted to workouts!
2. Karen inspired me to drop my coffee habit. I have dreams again and fall into a deeper sleep!
3. I’m now a size 4 without effort. I don’t need to say more about that.
4. I’ve been experiencing a higher spiritual awareness and less destructive internal dialogue. I have self respect for my body and focus on healing from the inside out.
This class is for those who desire a ‘permanent healthy lifestyle change.'”
Lauren Cellini
“I was inspired to take Karen Ranzi’s raw food program because I wanted to eat healthy as I get older. I thought the cost was reasonable for all we received from the classes. It’s very valuable and helpful to have the support and others who are also interested in a healthy raw food lifestyle. I appreciated all the information on eating healthy, information that the average person isn’t aware of…how we are lied to about what our bodies need. The class size was perfect along with all the valuable information we got. The class was perfect!!
Laura Logan
Karen,
Thank you so much for an amazing nutrition coaching session. Your knowledge is priceless. I really appreciate your help!
Love Ann Goldstein
Hi Karen,I wanted to update you on the progress my 4.5 year old son has made. We started the RAW diet about 10 months back under your guidance. We are about 90-95% raw. We do a LOT of fresh fruits, green smoothies, and very little fats in the night. He has improved in so many ways :
– MUCH more energy to run and play. Climb.
– Constipation fully resolved (nothing else could resolve constipation).
– More language
– More connectivity with us and the world.
– The insect bites on his skin seem to heal so much faster now.
– Much lesser allergy.We love this diet and are going to continue tweaking it for more and more healing from autism symptoms. Currently, we are adding some green juices and like what we are seeing.
Thanks so much for your guidance and continued support! Your valuable experience with your own kids, and others is helping us and so many! We will continue to work with you.
And thanks for responding pretty quickly to so many emails.
Noel S.
This past summer, I interned with author Karen Ranzi, M.A., of Super Healthy Children Publishing. I began the internship in early May not knowing what to expect. The first piece of work that I did for Karen was creating a flyer advertising her upcoming retreat in Costa Rica. The following weekend, I assisted Karen in her raw food group coaching class. This event introduced me to the kind of work Karen does: helping people to change their diets for healing (many of the women who attended had children on the autism spectrum). She also teaches them about the importance of fresh fruits and vegetables and the dangers of animal foods and processed food. All of this was new information to me. From then on, I became truly passionate about the goal of the company I was working for.
I enjoyed many aspects of the co-op experience. In fact, I was surprised that this position taught me a lot about fields outside of my writing major. Although I did perform tasks such as writing blog articles, public relations, and video production, the internship involved so much more. By researching topics that I would never have sought out on my own – such as autism, organic foods, and Vitamin D – I increased my knowledge base. I think that I have also become a more compassionate and tolerant person through working for Karen. I witnessed how she accepts people who do not agree with her and remains optimistic through all situations. In addition, I learned about the animal agriculture industry and the harmful toxins in processed foods. This caused me to become vegan within a few weeks of working for Karen. Without the opportunity to work for Super Healthy Children, this lifestyle change would not have occurred. I am so grateful for the unexpected learning experiences of this co-op.
Overall, I have learned so much from my first co-op with Ramapo College. Working for Karen Ranzi has helped me improve my interpersonal skills, my writing skills, and has instilled in me a new passion for human health and reverence for animal life. I am also quite privileged to have contributed to Karen’s new book about autism. I have learned a great deal about science, medicine, and nutrition that I will carry with me throughout my life.
Sincerely,
Jessica Santulli
I loved spending my afternoon listening to Karen Ranzi speaking at the Corning Public Library in New York. She is so knowledgable, yet very personable. I highly suggest reading her book Creating Healthy Children. It’s a true life changer. I look forward to seeing her again in two months at The Woodstock Fruit Festival.
Jill Drehmer, Vegan Times
Dear Karen,
Thank you for being part of the Joseph P. Cory Foundation and for sharing all you know and your light that shines so bright!
With a grateful heart,
Nada Cory
Dear Karen,
Thank you for everything. We love you and appreciate you.
Love Vaughn, Jenny, Caleb, Elisha, and Daniel Berkeley
Publishers of Eternity Watch Magazine, Canada
It was great speaking with you yesterday. Thank you so much for your information. They are all very helpful. I really appreciate that you share your thoughts and experience. I will follow your suggestions and keep practicing healthy living. Our society need people like you to spread the right information to the world.
Ting Liang
Thank you so much for coming to speak to us in California. We bought your book CreatingHealthy Children when I was pregnant with my daughter. It was very helpful. My daughter is now 7. Never been sick and very energetic. She is always happy. We eat raw and simple food and very happy with this lifestyle. Please keep doing what you’re doing. Many others will benefit from your experience.
Lee Leho
My coaching session with Karen was so great! I learned a lot from her about making my baby fully raw. I enjoyed our session even though we had a little technical problem on skype. She answered all my questions and she is so generous and gracious to me. I highly recommend her. Thanks so much Karen! Hope to have another session with you!
Catherine Dela Chica Belen, Philippines
Thank you Karen @superhealthyraw! Your book Creating Healthy Children transformed the way I saw nutrition! Thank you for your contributions to world peace and health! We love you!
Lisa Tomasi, @naplesbythebeach
“Creating Healthy Children” was inspiring and informative both for our lives and the life of our daughter. I would encourage all future and current parents to read the book. I also believe there are relevant sections throughout for non-parents. While some may characterize the book as controversial or radical, I think it helps provide an alternative and fresh perspective that promotes questioning what the health care system proposes, societal norms, and what food goes into the mouths of you and your family members.
Adam Kassim
Creating Healthy Children by Karen Ranzi gave me all I was looking for when I went raw. I feel the book talks to me. The letters in it are so inspiring. They gave me the confidence to live my life on raw food as a woman and a mother.
Rupinder Kaur, New Delhi, India
Karen,
I am very inspired after your raw food workshop and have already tried the tabouleh and two dressings! Delish! Also, my fridge looks so beautiful filled with fruits and veggies!Tanja Rohweder
Just talking to my wife and we have your book!!! We have a 4.5 yr old and 3 month and she loves your book! She said it’s been super helpful and very detailed and wanted to thank you for all you’ve done!
Again much love,
JP, Owner of Peace Pies Cafe, San Diego
Karen,
Just a note of gratitude for your time, energy and extremely healthy “good looks”… Appreciate the time you took to get us all this great info. Looking forward to our next raw food coaching session. I have applied some of your raw food recommendations already..Best regards, Ronald E. Zupp
Like most people, I wanted to be healthy. Over the last year I went through many different diets, never happy with one: a diet that was only counting calories which lead to highly processed foods, a diet high in protein which lead to high meat intake, and a diet low in sugar and carbohydrates which lead to unhealthy binges. When I saw this opportunity to work with Karen, I not only thought about the benefits it would have in my search for a career, but also the benefits it would have on my health.
I was right about both benefits. Working with Karen allowed me to express my creativity (I am a creative writing minor) in many aspects: social media work, creating flyers, writing blogs, preparing food, advertising events. These opportunities improved my marketing skills. I got a great inside look on what it is like to publish and advertise your own work. In addition to practicing job skills, I also learned about nutrition in a non-judgmental, encouraging environment. There is so much false information out there and, like myself, it is so easy to get lost and discouraged. But this raw food support group is full of optimistic energy. If you don’t know Karen, you should know that she is nothing but positive towards everyone, no matter where they are in their life journey. In her classes and events, I met so many people (plant-based, vegetarian, aspiring vegetarians, vegans, raw vegans…) who simply wanted to help and support one another in healthful, mindful, and spiritual ways.
This fall internship was enlightening in more ways than one. I learned how to make low-fat raw vegan meals. I helped prepare the most delicious carob mint pie (all raw!). I heard the most inspirational and intelligent nutritionist speakers. I met amazing people who were passionate about improving their lives. I met people who have healed themselves from crippling diseases. I went to a fair and met many plant-based enthusiasts. I learned to make flyers and improved my marketing skills. And, very importantly, I have incorporated high amounts of leafy greens and fruits into my diet. So much so, that my family is starting to pick up on my healthy habits. I have never been happier with the way I eat than I do today. Karen has touched the hearts and lives of so many people and I am forever grateful that I could be a part of such an experience.
Heather Debel, Ramapo College Intern to Karen Ranzi, M.A.
Marco and Gabriela Ranzi are two of the sweetest people I know. I’d make a cheesy joke about it having something to do with all of the fruit they eat, but it probably has more to do with their mother, Karen, and her awesome parenting. Their story of growing up raw vegan, deviating from the diet, and eventually returning to it is very interesting and speaks volumes about human nature and our relationship with nature.
Raini Pachak Ostler
It was wonderful to meet You at The Northern Vegan Festival in the UK! You are one of my favorite authors and meeting you was like a dream that came true 🙂 And I love the fact that you are such a good woman, so kind and always ready to give advice.
Iris Mataro, UK
Thank you, Karen, for your inspiring talk at the Toronto Vegetarian Food Festival!!
I have been a lacto vegetarian for over 30 Years. I am now eliminating the dairy and starting my raw food journey.
Much love,
Amy Kirk
“Allow me to call you Dr. I do not mean it in the conventional sense. You are the real raw Doctor with insight who does not do harm to patients.
My son has been doing well. He receives a green smoothie daily and fruit for lunch, and a big salad with his dinner in the evening. I stopped the mad science project from that doctor. Words cannot describe how indebted I am to you . After implementing your nutritional prescription, my son is more alert, making eye contact, participating and interacting well.”
Thank you,
Camille
My name is Lisa Greene and I have seen utube videos of you speak, while on my journey to be 100% raw. I am not entirely there, but I am working on it and I have 2 young daughters, ages 9 and 11, and give them an abundance of raw food, every day.
You are a huge inspiration to me. Thank you for sharing your wisdom and inspiration!
Sincerely,
Lisa Greene
You are the one who teach all the mothers to become a wonderful mother. Your contribution to all the mothers can’t be forgotten. Have a wonderful day.
Lee Wei Fang, Bukit Mertajam, Penang, Malaysia
Karen, you have helped my family sooooo much and we have learned so many healthy things from you.
I will make sure that I continue to take care of my body and my family.
Thank You so very much,
Lots of Love
Yasmin Mohammed
I am promoting your book Creating Healthy Children at True North Health Clinic here in Santa Rosa, California. This fasting practice loves your book. True North is the only real fasting retreat in California. They all love your book, Karen.
Michael Bobier
Love what you are contributing and know that who you are makes a huge difference on this planet. Thank God you are pioneering this movement.
Sun Wolf
I did a blood test and my ferritin level was really really low… It said all out of iron.
Then after I spoke with you, I started eating/drinking even more greens (I included wild nettles, more salads and green juice and red beet juice twice daily) and a few days later the symptoms disappeared completely! I was soo happy.
Anyway, thank you again for the wonderful work you do,
best wishes from Austria,Veronika Lichtner-Hoyer
Such a great book for parents!
What I loved the most in this book? So much as a matter of fact. But things that were for me the most inspiring were the nutritional facts what children need, and the topics about homeschooling and attachment parenting.
Thank you Karen Ranzi xxxNathalie Eulaerts
My name is Erica Broner, I am a Health and Nutrition Coach based in Buenos Aires, Argentina (www.sosloquecomes.com). As someone who guides people in their journeys towards a healthy lifestyle, I stand on the new paradigm, which requires constant every-day research.
I thank the day I found CREATING HEALTHY CHILDREN. I´ve read it many times and keep it handy in my office. I love the book because it embraces many important topics in creating and raising healthy children. The nutritional information is very complete and explained very friendly. There is a beautiful part in the book that includes different stories of raw families- very inspiring! And I loved that the book had a complete chapter dedicated to vaccines and another one to circumcision- excellent.
Another thing that I LOVED about the book, is that it not only talks about pregnancy, babies and kids, but also about BEFORE getting pregnant.
This books scares away the old paradigm!!
Beautiful, helpful, inspiring, fun, complete! I always recommend CREATING HEALTHY CHILDREN to my patients and friends as a MUST.
Erica Broner
Dear Mrs. Ranzi,
My name is Sanja and I am from Serbia. I deeply respect your work. I have purchased Creating Healthy Children 3 years ago, and it helped me enormously in raising my raw vegan baby. I recently wrote an article dedicated to healthy and natural raising children, and I strongly recommend your book among others as a great source of information. Keep your great work and mission on, we fully support you and we follow your work.
Sanja
Karen Ranzi…my family loves your books! “Creating Healthy Children” was a changing point for my family and an amazing eye opener. And our new favorite, “Raw Vegan Recipe Fun for Families”…our favorite recipe is “Love Raspberry Pie.”
Kim Ferrentino
Karen Ranzi’s new book “Raw Vegan Recipe Fun for Families” will teach and inspire. Here’s what I love…Karen shoots straight with her recipes-all raw all the way. No questionable ingredients here—no soy sauce, agave nectar or miso, not even salt. But she’s all about fun, too. You won’t get page-long ingredient lists, and no laborious multi-hour prep times. Simple recipes, simple preparation, great taste. And that leaves you more time for fun, as you bring easier digestion, better energy, and all the other benefits of raw to your household. She also includes many helpful tips for getting kids to eat healthy! Karen Ranzi’s book is a must for every raw kitchen. Check out her book here:
Tonya Zavasta, Author of Quantum Eating and Beautiful on Raw
“Thank you so much for the excellent value you gave to our listeners on the RAWmazing Life Summit 2014, Karen. Your wonderfully generous spirit, your incredible wisdom and insight about how to restore & ensure health in our children, and your personal story of healing within your family, were hugely appreciated by myself and, I’m sure, everyone involved. Your simple advice to go with whole, fresh, ripe fruits and vegetables is so refreshing in a world where advice to go raw seems so convoluted and complicated!”
Anthea Frances, www.RealRawNutrition.com
I think all problems just found a solution. Thank Goodness for Karen Ranzi’s book “Creating Healthy Children Through Attachment Parenting and Raw Foods.” Highly recommended for parents of babies, toddlers, and future parents.
Stephanie Borrelly
Dear Mrs. Ranzi,
I would like to share our whole experience with you in brief, and really thank you for all that you have blessed us with. We are really thankful that you wrote ‘Creating Healthy Children’ which is a true light to all families of the world. I know that our experience that follows may give hope to many:
OUR EXPERIENCE IN BRIEF:
Our son was hospitalized for Hirsch Sprungs disease at birth. Operated thrice with colostomy, near the age of 1 year and 1/3rd of his intestine was removed. Left mother’s milk at the age of 1 year. Teeth show degeneration. Progressed well on a lacto-vegetarian diet, but slowly developed severe immunity issues. At 2 years 3 months, hospitalized again with sudden high fever, febrile seizure and blood infection for several days. Started pre-school at 2 years 8 months, accompanied by mother. Regularly administered seizure medicine on getting 99 degree F fever. Regular increasing cough, colds, fevers and stomach infections till the age of 3 ½ years. Given antibiotics and steroids thrice a month with lots of blood tests, regular x-rays. During this time he was on a lacto-vegetarian diet, eating packaged foods, outside in restaurants and parties.
Cough and cold improved within 2 days of shifting him on completely organic foods. Started conventional schooling at the age of 3 years and 7 months of age. Stomach upset and severe pains healed by removing all dairy and related products in the same month by the advise of his doctors. After 2 months, India’s top most surgeon cum homeopathic doctor suggested Autistic symptoms. (Injections had been recently administered). Shifted to a gluten and sugar free vegan diet next day. Autistic symptoms completely gone within 3-4 days when family goes to visit other doctors to seek advise. Many doctors visited by the family so that wheat may be reintroduced to him, but mother keeps him on a gluten and sugar-free vegan diet and sends food from home for school lunch. Mother turns 80 10 10 raw vegan just after his fourth birthday. All her symptoms and pains improve and heal just in few days. She starts to introduce more fresh fruits, vegetables and green smoothies in his diet. His health improves significantly. He is still tempted to eat biscuits at school. Family feeds him gluten dairy sugar cakes at birthday parties. Falls really sick with fever beyond 105 degree F each time. Mother finds Mrs. Karen Ranzi’s book ‘Creating Healthy Children’ and gets the inspiration, knowledge and courage to make him 100% raw vegan. She also takes him out of school and starts to home-school him despite of lot of resistance.
He improves significantly after receiving consultation from Mrs. Karen Ranzi. After few months of excellent health on 100% raw, he starts to have some cooked vegetables and plain white rice, seeing the rest of the family. Health starts to go down again. Mother lovingly puts him back to 100% fresh raw vegan diet appropriate to his age. They also chose sunlight as a medium for natural D3 and few other appropriate lifestyle changes. At 5 ½ now all his blood tests are excellent. Whole family accepts his lifestyle and support him. Vit D3 is improving first time in life. He is a raw vegan by his own choice. He is a very active and socially confident child. His creativity and imagination have increased. He is very vibrant and many people are mesmerized by him when they get to stay with him longer. Many kids and adults have taken to a 100% or high raw vegan diet after meeting him and are truly benefiting.
Thankyou Mrs. Ranzi for all your love and support. You are one of the greatest blessing in our lives,
Manu’s Parents, India
“I started my son off on mashed bananas mixed with breast milk, then avocado, soft ripe pears, soft peaches. He would also gnaw at a piece of Apple or pear wrapped in a muslin so he couldn’t choke on any bits. Creating Healthy Children is an excellent guide.
My son was really keen to eat whatever we ate, so moving to solids was easy for us. I think him being tactile and exploring foods in his own way with his own hands was key. All using the ‘Which Foods When’ guide in Creating Healthy Children. Ruined his clothes with stains; but I have a healthy hearty preschooler now” 🙂
Natalie Simpson
“Like you already know, we were vegan since The Woodstock Fruit Festival. We are still vegan, but now we are eating raw vegan and we just thrive more and more everyday…
Our skin regenerates, our energy is rising, cravings or rather lack of coffee are gone…and what about the maternal milk on demand for Eliam. 🙂
Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge. For years I read about it, now I am fully happy raw xx
Brigitte Fabi
Karen, It was a pleasure meeting you. You have such a beautiful energy.
I’m reading your book Creating Healthy Children and it’s been very enlightening finding out all this essential information, but the most remarkable to me so far is to find a bit about your own story. I was already impressed with what you have accomplished with your life and kids.
But I now understand a bit more about what kind of person you are, and I must say I feel really blessed and honored to have met such a knowledgeable, loving, strong woman.
Your desire to help others and your force to stay in your path regardless of what others may believe, is truly inspiring. I admire you so much.
Thank you for being so loving and spreading your knowledge!
Lots of love for you and your beautiful family,Anna Krassusky
The whole raw foods community is so blessed to have you as an educator; thank you so much for all the knowledge you’ve shared with the world.
Megan Sherow
“Your raw food coaching class was great last night! You always do an excellent job of presenting information, encouraging and answering questions, and demonstrating delicious dishes! You have put together a really nice enthusiastic group. I am happy to be a part of your wonderful raw food class!”
Carolyn Gizzi
“Raw Vegan Recipe Fun for Families is destined to become a classic in the raw food world. Karen’s recipes are simple and delicious. They can be prepared by children and adults with ease. Also, she provides excellent health tips to enhance health and energetic living. This book is a treasure for all families wanting to raise healthy, happy children and for adults to maintain their good health.”
Eve Bienenfeld, California Press Bureau
“I truly enjoyed your raw food coaching classes. Thank you so much for what you do. You have been a great inspiration to me and I hope to take more classes in the future.”
Maria Hager
In an era that has children going to school and not being taught much of anything about true nutrition, but being fed toxic cafeteria foods containing what it takes to experience the most common chronic and degenerative diseases, including cancer and heart disease, it is wise for families to teach children how to make simple, health-infusing, nutrient-rich, plant-based meals from scratch.
What many children today end up doing is not learning much about nutrition while eating the cheap, unhealthful junk foods they learn about from advertising aimed at children, and that are so readily available in vending machines and snack stores. What this has lead to is the most unhealthful generation in world history, and one populated by children taking varieties of pharmaceutical drugs largely used to treat the symptoms of unhealthful living and horrible dietary choices.
We know that junk diets increase the rates of everything from osteoporosis, asthma, and diabetes to heart disease, kidney disease, and cancer, and also what have been labeled “learning and attention deficit disorders.”
It is no wonder why so many children who are eating terrible diets are also taking pharmaceutical drugs – which carry long-term health risks, including increased risks of organ malfunction, cancer, depression, violent outbursts, and suicide.
With around 8 to 10 percent of the U.S. population experiencing some level of diabetes (according to the American Diabetes Association), and with obesity more than doubling in children and quadrupling in adolescents in the past thirty years (according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), it is time that families get more involved in guiding children toward healthful food choices for every meal. Otherwise, we are looking at a country with a chronically ill population commonly experiencing obesity, diabetes, heart disease, strokes, cancer, osteoporosis, kidney disease, MS, Alzheimer’s disease, asthma, and a variety of other degenerative conditions that take the joy out of life, increase stress, anxiety, depression and mental illness, and lead to premature death. To help prevent this possibility, Karen Ranzi has published an easy-to-use recipe book titled “Raw Vegan Recipe Fun for Families.”
Karen’s book provides over 100 healthy, nutrient-rich, plant based recipes that are easy for children to make using simple kitchen equipment, and with no heating involved. The book contains additional suggested reading materials and listings of helpful Web sites.
We know that a diet rich in raw fruits and vegetables decreases the risk of common degenerative and chronic diseases while improving nerve and brain health. With a book like Karen’s being used in the kitchens of households with children, the chance of those children living lives in which they thrive in health increases.If you have children, pick up a copy of Karen’s book, and, with your children, learn how to make and utilize its recipes in your kitchen.
John McCabe, author of “Sunfood Living,” “Sunfood Diet Infusion,” “Sunfood Traveler,” “Igniting Your Life,” “Raw Vegan Easy Health Recipes,” and “Extinction.”
This is Fatun. I am feeling alot better than the day I spoke to you and I have been following what you told me to eat. We got your books, my mom and brother were basically screaming with joy. My mom said blessing has come to my house and these books will make my life sooooo much easier. I like the party foods, it looks delicious. Tonight is my Dads night to fixe dinner and guess what I will help him make? Pizzetts from your recipe and a big salad, Yum. On friday my mom, baby sister and I made a little indoor garden with kala, cherry tomatoes and lettuce and today the lettuce came out, we are so excited
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Thank you sooooooo much for helping me. It feels like my heart has been fixedthank you.
fatun.
Dear Karen,
Thank you so much for the wonderful raw foods classes. I had a great time learning new healthy information and tasting your delicious recipes. Of course I am “hungry” for more of both … and I will get more of both in your next class in September. I can’t wait!
Rosanne Susan Ponchick
Thank you for the wonderful Raw Foods presentation you gave at the West Nyack Library. Our patrons really enjoyed it.
Susan Ferber, Program Coordinator, West Nyack Free Library
Interning with Karen Ranzi has been an enriching experience both personally and professionally. It has truly been a pleasure to work alongside Karen. Her passion for helping others achieve their health goals is not only apparent, but highly contagious. Although I had already been consuming a raw diet for several years prior to working with her, the internship has helped me to deepen my understanding of certain nutritional as well as environmental issues through extensive research for articles and blog posts. The articles were always focused around my personal interests, which made conducting research both gratifying and instructive. Karen’s simple approach to healthy living is something that I found to be extremely valuable in making health an attainable goal for everyone, especially children. This approach has empowered me to help influence my own family, friends and co-workers to incorporate more whole, raw plant foods into their diets. I’ve also benefited greatly from exposure to a variety of speakers within the raw food movement. This ensured that both I and other regular event attendants view health from all angles and are able to sift through the information to find what makes sense to them. Karen all the while provides basic guidelines to ensure we stay on the right path, which, in a world of conflicting data, I found to be invaluable. I highly recommend Karen to anyone looking to work with an enthusiastic, pragmatic, knowledgeable and experienced health coach and mentor.
Stephanie Vazquez, Intern; Autumn 2013-Spring 2014
“If you have children, or even if you don’t, do yourself a favor and check out this book (Raw Vegan Recipe Fun for Families). I haven’t gotten mine in yet, but judging by her last book, it will be GREAT! Karen Ranzi is one of the most knowledgeable people I know of in the field of creating healthy children and families. She is truly a beautiful person and delivers information in a way that is fun and easy to understand!” Erin Volentine
“Karen Ranzi is an amazing health coach! You want some simple and delicious raw recipes, get her book!”
Tasha-Rose Whitt
Creating Healthy Children is one of the best books I have ever bought. Thank you for your great work Karen, I always recommend your book. ((http://zivetizdravo.org/ekoloski-i-prirodni-proizvodi-za…/). It helped us greatly throughout pregnancy and introducing solids for our baby.
Sanja Mawica
Recipe Fun for Families book.Oh Karen, I am so proud of you. I like the size of the book, bright bold colors,layout and the recipes. This is hands down by far the most beautiful natural foods
recipe book I have ever laid my eyes on.It shows you have truly put so much time and energy into this creation of knowledge. I want to thank you for sharing your passions and wisdom.I love you soul sister. Because of you, I am a healthy person. The change happened
at 15 years old.LOVE YASharonLast night for my raw foods meetup group, we made two dishes from Karen Ranzi’s Raw Vegan Recipe Fun for Families. We did the pineapple coleslaw with lemon tahini sauce and garden soup, and everyone loved them. It was great to serve them a full meal without using oils, and all our guests are omnivores!
Sincerely,
Susan Bernstein-Mann
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This was truly an eye-opening and amazing presentation by Karen. I expected somebody to talk about the benefits of raw vegetables and that would be it. However, she prepared some food Which was amazingly delicious. I never thought that raw vegetables could be prepared and eaten the way she did it. I can’t wait to make myself a veggie burrito and veggie pasta. It was a very exciting afternoon.
JED
Dear Mrs. Ranzi,
Wanted to thank-you with all our heart for the constant support you have provided to us related to Manikya’s food and lifestyle changes. We would like to acknowledge how your book: ‘Creating Healthy Children’, provided us with the right guidance to step by step proceed in making changes in Manikya’s foods. The experiences shared by so many families in your book are so rich and encouraging. The book is truly priceless with many views on varied issues on pregnancy, child development, care, parenting, education, nutrition, deficiencies, immunization and others. Every single line in the book has definitely benefitted us. We see the sparkle of well-being in his eyes- every day.You are a gift to the world. We are very great-ful for you. Thank you for being our mentor and guide on this natural path..With reverence and love:Parents Manikya Sanghi (Age: 5 years)New Delhi, INDIA
Hi Karen,
I finished reading Creating Healthy Children a few months ago and I just want to tell you how much I enjoyed it! I was very impressed with your thoroughness in almost every aspect of healthy living. I believe that raising healthy children means living a healthy life and you sure made that point in your book. It is possibly one of the most in-depth books that I have ever read and I learned SO MUCH and know there is still more for me to learn from it. It is obvious that you come from a place of love, care, and intuition. Your knowledge and experience are invaluable. Thanks again! Hope to see you at WFF this year!
Erin Volentine
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Congratulations on your wonderful awareness-bringing book and for supporting a healthy vegan diet for our kids.”
Blessings,
Etienne Van Poucke
“This book rocked my world.”
Imee Luz
I have not only read your book, but find myself constantly using it for resources! Thank you so much for providing such a complete overview for all of us out there following our instincts to raise healthy children.
Miriam
Recently I was reading over one of my favorite books. It is by Karen Ranzi, Creating Healthy Children, and it is just literally filled with so much vital knowledge on how to raise healthy children naturally. I highly recommend it to anyone planning on having a family, or for those already parents. I was so inspired by the information that I share the top reasons why breastfeeding is so important for both mother and baby on my website justglowingwithhealth.com
Christine Roseberry, Registered Nurse specializing in Gastroenterology
My son James was told when he was a sophomore in high school that he needed glasses. After I spoke with you around that time, James took a break from reading so much schoolwork. He also stopped eating bags of coconut covered dates every day. I then took him to our trusted opthalmologist who tested James and said he didn’t need glasses. Meanwhile, had I listened to the eye doctors at the eyeglass store who told me James needed to wear glasses, his eyes would most likely be dependent on them by now, and he probably would have needed stronger lenses over time. He doesn’t complain about his eyes at all and he gets sunlight here in Florida during the school day because he walks outside to get to his classes in different buildings. I wish that someone would have understood more about vision and had been there to help you when you were young. Thank you for being there to help James.
Carolyn Gizzi
I am well on my way to embracing a Raw food lifestyle thanks to you. I have learned so much from your classes and recipes. I can’t get enough! I look forward to each and every class and/or speaker that you host. There is no turning back. I know too much about the benefits of eating Raw. A shift in my consciousness has taken place. I’m equally as excited that both my daughters (ages 18 and 20) had the opportunity to meet with you and explore incorporating Raw foods into their diets as well.Dear Karen,
Ranée Weinstein
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Thank you for opening up your home and providing a space where people can learn to live their lives wholistically. Your work will be a great assistance to my clients.
Patricia Hinds-Bankole
Young mother heals from Osteoarthritis in just 2 weeks after reading Creating Healthy Children. See youtube video below:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bgAqUNaZoMU
Dear Karen,
Thank you so much for an amazing consultation session. Your knowledge is priceless. I really appreciate your help!
Love,
Ann Goldstein
If you happen to stumble upon this book and get a good feeling, like me, then this book is probably for you! The way I come about books that change my life is usually seemingly “random,” but I believe it is inspired. I’ve been led to so much truth and richness, knowledge that I might not have been able to acquire in a lifetime, but gratefully, am connected to by the passion and work of others. Beautifully, there are people out there whom I resonate with, like Karen! I slowly feel I am becoming connected to a network of people who do work I am passionate about and that I feel thrilled about through books and the internet. I was perusing the books on the RawFoodWorld and saw this book and decided to buy it. Love it, and am gaining momentum in my path. This book offers a lot of great knowledge to counter those around you who may be fully convinced by conventional medicine, SAD diet, etc. Of course, now, I am putting what I learned to practice and finding out for myself. This book is a great support and leads you in a true direction.
Emily
Loved your book, Karen, and I don’t even have kids! Packed with so much good advice on balanced and healthy living. Good luck with it. xoxoSunshine Day
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Love this book!!!! We carry it at our Center.
Rhonda Tackett
Karen, you are making the world a better place with your great efforts!
Dr. Glen Hepker
For approximately the past 8 years, despite working with the numerous doctors of conventional medicine, I have been plagued by fatigue, extreme thirst (with no diabetes or diabetes inspidus), multiple wake-ups at night to drink 32 or more ounces of water and go to the bathroom, hormonal imbalances, weight gain and very poor sleep quality (due to the thirst which creates a vicious cycle of constantly needing to drink and go to the bathroom). Last year, at age 33, during the first trimester of my twin pregnancy, my naturopathic doctor recommended that I follow a raw foods program of 80/10/10 (Dr. Graham) with an abundance of raw fruits and vegetables. I was very worried about switching from eating primarily cooked food and animal proteins to an all raw vegan way of life during my pregnancy because of all of the brainwashing that I had experienced over the years by doctors who led me to believe that high protein and fat helps women’s hormones and helps develop large, healthy babies. With my years of increasingly declining health, I was desperate for a solution.
Once I incorporated more and more raw foods and kept fats to a minimum, I could feel that my cells were finally getting nourished and my energy was beginning to return. Eating an abundance of raw fruits and vegetables helped me have a very healthy twin pregnancy and give birth to strong, healthy children. When I first switched to incorporating more raw foods, I searched for books to support me, especially during my pregnancy. Karen Ranzi’s well-researched book, Creating Healthy Children, is the only book I have found that discusses in depth raw pregnancy and nursing and provides detailed guidance to help you achieve long-term vibrant health for yourself and your family. Her extensive research helped me tremendously in whole-heartedly embracing raw foods. I highly recommend this book to anyone seeking long-term vibrant health, a zest and happiness for life and a foundation of health for their children.
Devorah L.
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Hello Mrs. Ranzi! My name is Shanna. I recently purchased your book Creating Healthy Children. I just wanted to say thank you very much. I am sure you are bombarded with messages. I wanted to let you know that your knowledge has inspired me to be the best mom that I can be. I haven’t even finished the book yet but the more and more I read the more I become overwhelmed (in a good way) with inspiration to give my child the most healthy life and happy life. I feel a bit silly writing this but you should know that you most likely have and are going to help so many mothers, and families. I really appreciate how much you put into this book and all of the websites, books, and movies listed to further the knowledge of raw eating..etc. Thank you for taking the time to make sure this information reached others. I am so happy my boyfriend Rod found your book. We were already looking into the raw lifestyle, but your book has really encouraged me and pushed me to do what is right for myself, my child, and family. You wrote us a little note on a posted note and it made me feel like you are very passionate about what you do and teach. Again, thank you so much!!!
P.S. I am really glad that you decided to not only make this book about raw foods, but also about all the other information such as vaccinations, homeschooling, etc. Especially circumcision because I am having a little boy.
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Dear Karen,
My husband, 2 year old daughter and I had recently transitioned to a 100 % raw diet when I found out I was pregnant again. We were reaping the benefits of the raw vegan lifestyle (my husband lost 100 pounds, my chronic skin condition cleared up, and we all had more energy than ever before, among other things,) but suddenly I found myself with many questions and uncertainties about being raw and pregnant. I didn’t know many other raw vegans let alone any who had been pregnant while raw or who had raw children so I was searching online for anyone to connect to. Curt Griffing at Raw Food Central in Windsor, CT had your book and highly recommended it to me and it was just what I needed. Not only did it put my mind at ease about my diet, but about all the aspects of parenting that felt natural to me but that I needed some reassurance about. I realized that I was giving my body and my growing baby the best nutrition by eating raw fruits and vegetables, nuts and seeds, and that my instincts about having the baby at home, breastfeeding, carrying my baby, co-sleeping, and not wanting to vaccinate or circumcise were all natural.
After reading your book I felt so confident in my choices for my pregnancy and children and knew I was doing the right thing for my family. I’ve even started giving talks to groups about raw pregnancy and raising a raw family because so many people have expressed interest in how we live after meeting us and seeing our beautiful, healthy daughter and seeing my pregnancy progress so vibrantly. I am so thankful to you for having written “Creating Healthy Children.” It is a must read for all parents or to-be parents and is an invaluable resource for anyone wishing to create a more positive, vibrant life for themselves and their families. I can’t thank you enough and am so looking forward to the birth of our baby and enjoying our raw vegan life as a family.
Most sincerely,
Julia Rossa
James M. Dyer
Hello Karen,
I have been reading your book and wanted to tell you that I love it and wish sometimes that my grandmother had read this. A lot of pain and suffering in my family would have been avoided. Never has a book been so enlightening as yours, and affirming much of what my research came to believe prior to reading.
Thank you so much for your love and light that you put into your book. The truths resonated strongly with me.
Btw, I saw you love Costa Rica. I have two children born there and also have dual-citizenship, so I love Costa Rica also.
James M. Dyer
Review of Creating Healthy Children by Natpacker (UK)
This book is amazing. It contains all the questions that I have wanted answers to since I started eating raw following the 80/10/10 diet. It contains information on a wide range of topics that cover raising healthy children, enough to wet your appetite to read much more about them, and she includes other sources of information so you know where to look for further information. This book has completely changed my view of raising children, and I’m so glad I read this book before having children as I now think I’ll enjoy them so much more, and look on my future children as such a blessing and not something that gets in the way of my life. It was such an informative read I think I’ll read it again from the start and make notes. This book is great for everyone. If people truly want to know how they can help their children to be healthy, they can find all the answers here.
Marilyn Chiarello
If you are a mother, know a mother or a mother-to-be, this is a must. I have given this book at baby showers many times.
 Dear Karen,
Your insightful and caring presentation was a timely one at the Holy Martyrs Armenian Day School,
(Oakland Gardens, NY) just before the schools are closed for summer vacation. Parents and educators all enjoyed listening to you and learning from you.
I am sure many of our parents will try your healthy-easy recipes and add onto their family menu over this summer!. . .
and get to the habit of putting them on their family routine of eating healthy!
Your style of presentation is another point that I would like to bring up and say that I am very impressed!
You were able to create a very unique, friendly and congenial atmosphere spiced with your personal experiences to get your professional message across to your audience.
Thank you for guiding us all in the right path of eating healthy.
Your book is an excellent reference book and should stay permanently on our kitchen shelves to refer to it frequently.
I wish you all the best for your mission in educating people in the right direction.
Sincerely,
Zarminé Boghosian
HMADS Principal
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April 26, 2012
Dear Karen,
Thank you for the time that you spent speaking to our students on the topic of “Super Healthy Children.” It was apparent from our students’ comments and reviews that they greatly enjoyed your presentation. We are all impressed by the work that you are doing on behalf of spreading the word about health and children. Please continue your good work with our blessings.
Thank you for both your commitment to the better health and well being of others and for the time that you spent with our students.
Sincere Regards,
Alea M. Deeter, M.A., ED.S. Health Educator, Director of Hippocrates Health Educator Program
Hippocrates Health Institute, 1443 Palmdale Court, West Palm Beach, Florida 33411
May 26, 2012 Book Review by Christine Powell of the Natural Parents Network and African Babies Don’t Cry:
http://naturalparentsnetwork.com/giveaway-creating-healthy-children-by-karen-ranzi-25-arv-6-9-worldwide/
http://www.africanbabiesdontcry.com/2012/05/giveaway-creating-healthy-children-by.html
Saddle River, New Jersey School District
Wandell School
97 East Allendale Road, Saddle River, New Jersey 07458
(201) 327-0727 Fax (201) 236-8166
Dr. David Goldblatt Robert Schoendorf
Superintendent/ Principal Head Teacher
February 9, 2012
Mrs. Karen Ranzi
42 New England Drive
Ramsey, NJ 07446
Dear Ms. Ranzi:
Having attended your program on “Creating Healthy Children” in the Wandell School’s library on Tuesday, February 7th, I would be remiss in not sending you a letter of appreciation. I found your parent presentation timely, insightful, and informative. Your efforts to bring important health and nutrition information to parents are greatly appreciated by our Wandell School family. Changing the culture of how we eat, what we eat, and their lasting health benefits is a courageous effort that is long overdue. Hopefully, through the efforts of individuals like you we can change the eating habits of children and provide a strong foundation of healthy living for future generations.
Thank you.
Sincerely,
Dr. David Goldblatt
DEG:mhc
East Hampton Patch News: Weekend Spotlight: How to Raise ‘Super Healthy Children’ with Review by Dr. Gerry Curatola
In response to the Ad on “Weekend Spotlight: How to Raise ‘Super Healthy Children'” at Gurney’s Inn Resort & Spa in Montauk, New York, as seen in the East Hampton Patch News, Dr. Gerry Curatola comments:
“I highly recommend Karen Ranzi’s book and this lecture to all parents, many of whom are in the dark about healthy nutrition and parenting. The statistics on the health of children in the United States is frightening. We have the first generation of children in this country who will not outlive their parents, and childhood obesity and correlating diseases such as diabetes and heart disease are being observed at younger ages never seen before. The result has been to bring many of these children into dependency on a host of pharmaceutical products and a myriad of debilitating psycho-social problems from ADHD to depression. Karen’s wealth of knowledge in nutrition and wellness, combined with fostering children’s individual creative spiritual being is a great contribution to all parenting.”
LOVING IT: Creating Healthy Children
by Sarah of Natural Mama on June 6th, 2012 NaturalMama.co.za
Another recommendation from the lovely Candice, who wrote our Raw Story guest post, was that of Creating Healthy Children. It’s a book written by author, lecturer and raw food consultant, Karen Ranzi, and it is focused on attachment parenting and raw food.
Karen Ranzi has a website, where you can get a great idea of what to expect from the book because it shares its full table of contents. And she also writes a blog, where she shares valuable tips on things like getting your kids to eat their leafy greens, and lots of other topics involving raising children, schooling children and healthy eating.
All in all, it seems like Creating Healthy Children would be another invaluble source of advice and information in the life of any Natural Mama.
From Lisa Wilson, Director of The Raw Foods Institute, Washington, D.C.
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From Kristen Suzanne of The Green Mommy Blog and KristensRaw.com
This book is big, offering you over 400 pages filled with information to help you raise a healthy raw vegan family. Some of the chapters include homebirth, raw food nutrition for pregnancy and childbirth (including a discussion of fats in a raw food pregnancy), exercise during pregnancy, vitamin B12, breastfeeding, attachment parenting and the family bed, feeding baby raw food, transitioning older kids to raw food, genetic engineering, homeschooling, vaccinations, dental health and raw food, the sun, and more. Wow! Is there anything she didn’t cover? I don’t think so. Heck, after writing this last paragraph, I want to dive into the book and read it right now (Karen, if you’re reading this, please also offer this in ebook format).
I’m excited about this book because we need more research and information for raising a vegan and raw family that includes pregnancy nutrition and beyond. There just aren’t enough out there. So, thank you, Karen, for writing this!
Ken Rohla of Fresh and Alive
Author, raw food mom, and my friend Karen Ranzi will be speaking in GA, NC, VA, & Washington, DC in the coming weeks. If you want to learn how to raise super healthy children, Karen has written the Bible on it, Creating Healthy Children, the most comprehensive source on the topic available, full of hard data and references on the facts.
Renee Morgiewicz
I have been recommending your book to many people. All your research and hard work makes it so easy for me as a reader to apply your succinct information. Your success is in
my prayers. I hope you touch many people!
Brian Axelrod
It is people driven like you who change the unhealthy lives many people in this country are living. You motivate me to become one more voice to spread the truth in achieving optimum health through live foods and exercise.
I enjoyed your presentation and your spirit.
| Sarah Nolan “i love your book karen! I’ve just had a little baby and can’t wait to bring it up a little raw healthy and very happy child” |
| Carla Green |
| “As a physical therapist and acupuncturist with a pediatric specialty I treat many children with all these common disorders. Diet is one of the most important parts of their treatment and one that is too often overlooked by parents and mainstream medical practitioners. I am definitely investing in your book. It will be a great resource to my patients. “ |
| Jessica Conroy Neil “Somehow I misplaced your book and now my life just isn’t the same. Your book is my favorite book…I think ever! Would love to be a part of spreading your parenting guidance…I believe I am a much better mother because of you!” |
| Sanja Mawica |
| “Dear Karen,We ordered your book (we are the ones that ordered through a friend from Belgium and you eventually sent us the book to Serbia.) and we are thrilled.The book is great, so many excellent topics covered and well prepared and rationally explained.Thanks a million for an amazing inscription, you really made our day. |
| Sandie A. Sajner “Thank you, Karen, for coming to Cleveland, OH this summer! You are a big hit here. Love your book! Thank you for the reminder in your e-mail newsletter of that absolutely fabulously simple and delicious blueberry/banana pie!!! “Kelli AndersIt was so wonderful to see you again in Baltimore. And it’s so comforting to know there are people like you working so hard to help others SEE THE LIGHT!!Much love and respect, Kelli |
Reshma Mahbubani
I just got your book and am halfway through it. I am pregnant and want to give my baby the best! Thank you so much for your amazing knowledge!
Jeff Sekerak
I’m glad you’re out there, doing such great, important work! J (i.e.: ‘What a pregnant woman consumes will determine the health and the genetic code for that human being, for the rest of his or her life’ (Ranzi) Well said! http://www.facebook.com/l/OAQHTICxB/www.youtube.com/watch?v=O2k4GOCAFOM)! J”
| Susana G. Marescommented on Creating Healthy Children.Susana wrote: “So true…this book is a blessing. My sister works at our neighborhood library and introduced this book to me one day. I browsed through it reading here and there. I finally stopped and gave her back the book. “You didn’t like it?” she inquired. I responded, Patty, I have to buy this book. I need it to help me with my students and maybe even help guide my parents (I’m a preschool teacher.) I see the difference between children who get unconditional love and those that do not. I bought the book only to give it away to a parent three weeks later. But I am buying the book again. Who knows, I may have to give it away again. It is a wonderful and insightful book. Someday soon I pray that it will get translated into different languages.”Shannon RomanMommies and mommies-to-be, a must-read is “Creating Healthy Children through Attachment Parenting and Raw Foods” by Karen Ranzi. It’s PACKED with great info. Even if you don’t know about AP or raw foods, I highly suggest giving it a read and then forming your own opinion about the information in the book! |
Helena Wei
Hi Karen, it’s Helena (video volunteer from fruit fest) – been reading your book and loooooove it!! thanks for sharing your wonderful insights and research and experiences!!! xoxoxo.
Dr. LindaJoy Rose wrote: “Karen Ranzi is an extraordinary woman who really “walks her talk” – strongly recommend her book. She inspired me to write Raw Fusion.”
| Lacie WhittenSubject: Your BookHello Karen! I am reading Creating Healthy Children and it is my current favorite, AMAZING book. I bought it at the raw spirit festival in September. Sorry i didn’t get to meet you while there! I do not have children yet. Now i can prepare for the most healthy experience. Thank You for writing this book and providing all the vast knowledge it contains. I’m so excited and inspired and want to send this book to lots of people! Lots of Love and Light, Thanks and Appreciation! Lacie |
| Raw GourmandSubject: The latest review – A Wonderful Book Attached, you will find a copy of my latest review. Her book Creating Healthy Childrenwas both a joy and enlightening. I hope you enjoy the review as much as I enjoyed the book. I encourage all of my readers to consider this a necessity on their “RAW BOOKSHELF.”My best,The Raw Gourmandhttp://www.facebook.com/l/566d1sMnBf7CuZochOfCku2U5Xg;www.rawcritic.info |
| Bahay Kalipay “Hi Karen! I just want to thank you for sharing this beautiful gift, Creating Healthy Children. Our Sinag (which means ray of light in Filipino). Love will turn one this Monday and it became easier to raise him with your book acting as our pediatrician, guide, mom, etc. It’s at my bedside all the time! The simple hand written note you have inside the book when you send it to me gave a warm feeling of being connected and it was nurturing. I would love to keep in touch. Sinag is the first Raw Food (unassisted waterbirth) Baby in the Philippines and for us, every little tip from the experts will be greatly appreciated. My deepest gratitude. More power to you. 🙂 – Daniw” |
Nathalie Eulaerts of Belgium Goes Raw
Super boek! Zeker aan te raden ook als je geen kinderen hebt.
Health Enthusiast Dawny
“Keep being the light for the next generation of kids.”
Danielle Rose
Hi Karen, I’m so lucky to have met you at the Fruit Festival! I look forward to seeing
you again in the future, you’ve really inspired me. Thank you for everything you’ve
taught me already in such a short amount of time! With love, Danielle
Pamela Rich, Holistic Health Practitioner
“You are without question a light to many you meet, and amazingly passionate!!!
Keep up all the wonderful work and inspiring and educating others…
Namaste”
Raw Mom Approved Book Review: Creating Healthy Children Through Attachment Parenting and Raw Foods
– Review by Althea Hughes Wills www.RawMom.com
When someone has a passion for the health of our children, it shows. Karen Ranzi is one of those people. Blessed to have a father and paternal grandmother who were vegetarians and staunch health advocates, Karen proudly follows their traditions. She learned first-hand about the power of raw food by healing herself of gynecological problems, and her son from asthma, ear infections, and allergies.
Creating Healthy Children Through Attachment Parenting and Raw Foods is a comprehensive, thoroughly researched 462 page book. You don’t have to be a parent yet in order to learn from the book. Here are some of the things Karen teaches:
- Pre-conception Health of Parents
- Fats in the Raw Food Diet for Pregnancy
- Attachment Parenting
- Feeding Baby Uncooked Foods
- Transitioning Older Children to Raw Food
- Modeling Emotional Poise for Our Children
- Homeschooling
- Your Child’s Vision Health
- And much, much more!
I love the depth and passion of this book. Karen interviewed medical doctors, naturopaths, and parents. The research is hard to argue with, even for the most skeptical of readers.
This is the Parenting Manual I wish I had from the start. This is the book you wish your parents had read before they conceived you. Seriously. So many parents I know are “un-learning” bad emotional and food habits from their childhood. A lot of us are raising our own children differently because we want to start them off on the right foot. And as I read Karen’s book, I wished I had read it before I became pregnant with my first child.
THE go-to manual for raising emotionally, physically, and mentally balanced human beings, Creating Healthy Childrenis a winner.
Parent Guide News Magazine April 2011 Health Column (Reading Rainbow)
Along with advocating the benefits of eating fresh fare, Creating Healthy Children (SHC Publishing) by Karen Ranzi describes “attachment parenting,” a child-rearing method that relies on intuitive parenting. Detailed yet a cinch to read, the tome gives parents insight about important topics like how to have an ideal pregnancy and ways to deal with children’s weight issues.
Book Review by Evelyn Bienenfeld,
California Press Bureau, part of Publishers Weekly in West Los Angeles
This is by far the best written and researched book I have read on the subject of raising healthy children, from the womb to maturity, on a plant based diet. It took Karen years to produce such a fund of knowledge. She includes chapters on kid-tested recipes, stories by raw families and their journey in quest of good health, vaccinations, B12 sources and questions and many more aspects of healthy living. You learn from Karen that you don’t have to be on a completely raw diet, although many people are, to reap good health for you and your family and friends.
This is a must read book for all parents striving to raise healthy happy children. It is packed with so much insightful, factual information that people of all ages can use on a daily basis to improve the quality of their lives. It is a complete encyclopedia for healthy living, as naturally as possible, in the world we live in today. Karen repeatedly inspires you to be passionate in caring for yourself and the well being of those you love and care about.
This book is PRICELESS and destined to become a classic.
One Bored Mommy Blogspot
There are so many “IDEAS” out there…especially when it comes to parenting. Unfortunately, there has never been a SUPREME & ULTIMATE GUIDE (that everyone agrees with and follows) to teach us, as new parents…the right decisions to make for our family and children.
My opinion…read up on the subject and draw your own conclusions from multiple places! Some things you read may set your mind racing and other things may give you peace of mind. Regardless, ultimately the decision on how to raise your children is yours (and your spouses) and that’s all that matters! Continue Reading Here
Rich Sniadig, Chicago North Shore Raw Food Meetup
Wow! Super talk from such a well qualified speaker. Thanks for sharing your life discoveries. So heart warming and dead on! Wishing you much success and prosperity on your journey. Your publication, Creating Healthy Children, is now on the front desk on an easel in our store. I’m look forward to sharing the life-changing knowledge to help ease suffering.
Blessings, Rich
Marta Gal of Belgium
Karen Ranzi’s book shows how to gain the power over the health of your children. The parents are in power to protect their children against infections and illnesses.
Karen is focusing on themes about pregnancy, breastfeeding, nutrition, vaccinations, overweight, B12 source, connection between mother and child.
Written from heart and underlined with facts are all the benefits for healthy children from raw food and plant-based nutrition, education hints, web links, organisations and examples of life style of other raw food families.
Karen’s attachment parenting explains the importance of emotional bonding to children. Especially this is going to be less and less today – the motherly attachment to children seems to vanish in the sound of babyphones and kinderwagens. The babies are taken away in very yang age – in Belgium with 3 month.
This Book is the wake up call for the intuition all parents have sleeping deeply in their hearts. Intuition to handle right, with love, caring, healthy and supporting… Thank you so much Karen for sharing your health supporting experience. As a mother of 2, planing new pregnancy – this book is a great manual for all open questions about raw food. The book inspires one to stay on plant and even step more – raw food nutrition.
“Is there any Europe trip planned? We would love to hear you in Belgium. Your book is amazing, the truth. Thank you for endless inspiration. I added you to our brand new group “belgium does raw.”
Kelly Marra, Coordinator of the Raleigh, NC Raw Food Meetup
Karen Ranzi gave a talk to our Raleigh group last week. It was amazing! I got a copy of her book, Creating Healthy Children: Through Attachment Parenting and Raw Foods. Even though kids are many many years away for us, I haven’t been able to put the book down. If you are a parent, this book is a MUST read.
From Carissa Leventis-Cox,
www.mamainthekitchen.com, thecardinalhouse.blogsot.com
My family and I were fortunate to be able to spend a whole day recently withKaren Ranzi author of Creating Healthy Children Through Attachment Parenting and Raw Foods. Her book is full of researched evidence for topics that include breastfeeding, natural birth, circumcision, vaccinations, non-violent communication, raw foods for pregnancy, lactating mothers, children and the family, non-toxic households and other important issues that any parent (raw or otherwise) would love to read about. In the time we shared with Karen, we discovered an easy going, funny, kind and a loving person. There are three things about Karen that really impressed me however:
1. SHE SUPPORTS THE MARRIAGE: Karen Ranzi says, “Prior to conception, the mother and the father need to be on the same page on how they want to bring up their children. If there is conflict between mother and father, there will be conflict with the child.”
Karen encourages couples to work together as a team in creating a family. Only then can there be a happy household and thus the creation of a healthy happy child.
2. SHE IS VERY FLEXIBLE and OPEN: When I said my boys wouldn’t want to go 100% raw, Karen said “That’s ok. Don’t force it. Work with what they want and change one thing at a time. Controlling what they eat won’t work. JUST DO YOUR BEST. They are already eating so much better.”
Karen is a mother’s cheerleader. She’s been there and done that. She admits easily to her own mistakes and encourages mothers to learn from her. She says that the only thing she regrets were times when she wanted to control her own children: in their food or education. She encourages flexibility instead. Her advice to mothers is to: “Do your best,” “Change one thing at a time,” “Work with your family,” and “Controlling only severs relationships.” Most of all, LOVE your children and your family.
3. KAREN LOVES CHILDREN AND CHILDREN LOVE KAREN: My son exclaimed, “I want Karen Ranzi to stay at our house for 100 days!”
Karen says, “If I can change just one thing for one person in their road to health, then it was worth it!” Not only is she passionate about her message and generous with her knowledge , but she knows just how to instill a love for health in the young ones. I saw this as she interacted playfully with my son. After presenting him with and reading The Children’s Health Food Book together, my son and Karen were transformed into Superheroes with capes saving stuffed animals from the effects of bad food. Needless to say, my 4 year old happily drank all his green smoothies and ate all his greens while she was here. He was in Raw Food Heaven!
And finally, before we said goodbye, Karen looked into my eyes and said “You are doing a great job!” I smiled a really big smile because that was the highest compliment I could have received from her.
From Leah Jacobsen, Massachusetts
Thank you for inspiring me personally, and I mean that literally – you look at health from a personal perspective, how health choices can truly affect our own lives, lives of those around us and of course, the planet. Thank you also for caring enough to teach the next generation that the gift of health is really the gift of Life. With clear, well researched information, you dismantle the complexities that lie in the gulf of knowing what’s right for our families.. and actually doing what’s right by them. You’ve helped clear the path for me Karen, and helped enable me to truly access the peace, love, and joy that comes with being truly healthy, from the inside out.
Book Review by Priscilla Soligo
I want to thank you so much for your book ‘Creating Healthy Children’. I am on page 58 and am excited to read through this incredible parent bible! I ordered it through Amazon.com as I live with my husband and 16 month old son in Hong Kong. You were so kind to leave me a post it note from yourself inside the front cover, which touched my heart that you would take the time to do that for me. My sister, who has an infant also ordered your book after I had been raving about it!
My son is a very happy and healthy little boy. When the doctors tried to put him on asthma medication after he had the flu, I instinctively thought ‘no’ and since eating this way he has gotten rid of asthma and his eczema! My mild asthma has also seemed to ‘disappear’ and I no longer get nearly as sick as I used to if I do come down with a flu.
I just started a second business (it has been my hobby) creating raw vegan organic foods and educating people about it here in Hong Kong. It’s very exciting, as this is a very international place where Westerners and Chinese alike wish to learn about this ‘healthy’ lifestyle. I have called it “Rawthentic Food” and you can see what I’ve been up to on my website: www.rawthenticfood.com. I’d love to hear what you think.
Karen, you are such a mentor and inspiration to me. I’m so blessed to have come across you and your work.
I have been reading your book every spare minute I get and the more I read it the more I think every parent should read this. It’s very difficult to put down, as it feels as though you are right there speaking to the reader! I thank God I have it in my hands.
I would like to put a link to your website and book on my website, or even stock/ sell your amazing book in the near future! I would love to highly recommend your book for those parents wanting to learn more about what to feed their little ones as well as conscious and attachment parenting. I am very passionate about having other mothers read your book, as it is so well researched and you have kindly let readers into your own family to learn through your own experiences of ‘Creating Healthy Children’. You bring up so many things I had ‘thought’ about intuitively, but was just sort of led to believe otherwise. It is true that we as mothers really need to listen to our own inner voice, even more so when ‘mainstream’ says we should do things the other way.
I really want to recommend your book to all new ‘raw,’ or partly ‘raw’ parents in my workshop classes as I truly believe it will benefit them. I am almost finished with your book now (I told you I could not put it down!) and have highlighted and made notes in the margins because there is so much useful information in there. I also believe in ‘attachment’ parenting (I couldn’t bear to let my son ‘cry it out’ – awful!) and so the book to me is such a holistic approach to parenting and everything I support. I am so grateful for you having taken the time (I heard 7 years on your youtube presentation?) to write this book for other mothers to read. You are my mentor and I am blessed to have met you through your book.
Peace, love & light, Priscilla
Creating Healthy Children Through Attachment Parenting and Raw Foods, is an amazing book for those who desire optimal health for their children and family. A must read for anyone considering being a parent or guardian. Karen’s honest, compassionate, comprehensive and well researched book covers many topics that impact our health and environment, today and in the future!
Carolyn Gizzi, Nurse, New York
Kelli Haines www.beautifulonraw.com
I made the mistake of putting off reading this book because my children are all grown and on their own. What could possibly hold any interest for me in a book about raising healthy children? If I’m going to take the time to read an entire book, I like it to be applicable and relevant. Let’s repeat the cliché- “Never judge a book by its cover!”
Karen Ranzi’s book marries the two most important foundations for creating healthy children: the raw food diet and attachment parenting, a term originally used by pediatrician William Sears in describing a more natural and intuitive parenting philosophy than most people in this day and age practice. Attachment parenting sheds light on the truths about raising and truly ‘nurturing’ children from the heart and not the head. I loved reading about the mothers, and fathers returning to the practice of following their parenting instincts and each child’s individual needs for the mutual benefit of all, and not following whatever current popular parenting trend comes along.
From the first few pages, I was thoroughly engrossed. Karen’s writing style is very easy to read, yet highly informative. This book was seven years in the making and it shows. The research is impeccable and covers the entire spectrum of parenting healthy children from pre-conception, to pregnancy, breastfeeding and beyond. It also includes information on vaccinations, circumcision, exercise, education of children, obtaining sufficient nutrition from plant foods at every stage of a child’s life, transitioning older kids to the raw food diet, meeting emotional needs, and would you believe there’s more?
You can see that no stone is left unturned and it seems every aspect of a child’s life is examined in light of the raw vegan lifestyle, not merely diet. By the time I was done reading the hefty question and answer section from real people with real life questions, I realized how valuable this book will be. It will help ease the minds of parents and soon-to-be’s, showing them that having healthy, natural children and families is entirely possible and within their grasp if they are willing to follow their hearts and dedicate themselves to this most noble of tasks. There is such a lovely balance of first hand experience and nutritional research related between the covers of this book that no one, parent or not, could read it without becoming thoroughly informed about avoiding the most common pitfalls in the raw food diet.
By the time I finished chapter two, I felt as if I had already taken away an entire book worth of valuable and motivating information and had hardly scratched the surface. Nearly every page is peppered with research, resources, personal experiences, websites, quotes from experts, and even recipes. The extensive chapter on the controversial B12 issue is, in my opinion, worth the price of the book alone.
Reading this book rekindles my hope and yes, that utopian vision, for a new generation of healthy, naturally birthed and raised children. You might be tempted, as I was, to gather your tribe and head off to greener pastures in Costa Rica!
Having said all that, I must admit there is one thing I didn’t like about Karen’s book: she wrote it after my children were already grown! How I wish I had this information 20 years ago. I had the desire, the inner vision, but not the information. We parents are famous for saying “I want my kids to have what I never did.”? Thanks to Karen’s dedicated work, I feel like I now have a gold nugget of my own to pass along to the next generation: their very own copy of Creating Healthy Children.
Victoria Bidwell, Author of The Health Seekers’ YearBook – Review of Creating Healthy Children
I have not studied the entire book. But I have spent a few hours thumbing through and reading it. It is written for those who want help in raising healthy, happy children at their best! My 1-sentence summary is this: “Creating Healthy Children is to children-oriented people what The Live Food Factor is to raw fooders and what 2 Books in 1: The Health Seekers’ Yearbook with The Best of Common Health Sense is to Natural Hygienists – THE VERY BEST IN THE FIELD AND AN ABSOLUTELY MUST-HAVE, MUST-READ & MUST-APPLY BOOK!”
After investing 10,000 hours in The Health Seekers’ YearBook and 2,400 hours in The Live Food Factor, I can say: “CREATING HEALTHY CHILDREN IS ‘IT’ – JUST LIKE THESE OTHER TWO BOOKS ARE ‘IT’ IN THEIR FIELDS.”
Drs. Tosca and Gregory Haag, Dr. Vivian V. Vetrano and myself recommend CREATING HEALTHY CHILDREN. What the three Texas doctors especially like about CREATING HEALTHY CHILDREN is in the subtitle: “THROUGH ATTACHMENT PARENTING AND RAW FOODS.”
Victoria Boutenko, award-winning author of Green for Life and 12 Steps to Raw Foods
“Creating Healthy Children” is a valuable compilation of research and findings on different aspects of children’s health. Karen Ranzi is an honest researcher and a dedicated mother, and I envision this book being embraced by all loving parents seeking optimum health for their children. Karen’s bold suggestions, sincerity, passion, genuine style and interjection of personal anecdotes make this book a valuable read.”
David Klein, Ph.D., publisher and editor of Vibrance Magazine, author of Self-Healing Colitis and Crohn’s and Director of Colitis & Crohn’s Health Recovery Services, and co-author of Your Natural Diet: Alive Raw Foods.
“Creating Healthy Children is a superb, long-needed ‘how to’ guide for parents desire to succeed with the raw-health lifestyle. Karen covers all the intricate aspects of natural parenting with uncommon insight, sensitivity and depth, as only a well-experienced, effective teacher and mom could. Her unique background with the Natural Hygiene health science program and continuum parenting education have afforded Karen the expertise to write this comprehensive book and to be a leader in the natural health field. The best feature of this book is how, in personable, heart-centered terms, Karen portrays a balanced picture of how to work at mastering the natural parenting process and make it a pleasurably nurturing lifestyle for the entire family, one with reverberations which radiate out to the local community. Her treatment of the integration of the raw food diet and homeschooling is most authoritative, compassionate and practical. Is the author’s teaching approach valid? No doubt! I have heard some of Karen’s warm, embracing lectures, met her, her husband and their two exceptionally healthy, well-poised teenagers at their home and will attest Karen is a superb teacher, loving mother and holistic thinker. Moreover, the parents I’ve known who’ve applied the same basic principles Karen teaches have reaped similar results—the poised, bright, happy and healthy children and close family bonds are beautiful to behold. Indeed, this book demonstrates how to create healthy families, and it uplifts our unhealthy society in wonderful ways. Karen deserves our heartfelt thanks, and the book deserves a thorough read by all.”
Paul Nison, author of The Raw Life, Raw Knowledge, Formula for Health and The Daylight Diet
“I’ve known Karen for many years and have sent all my clients with questions about raising healthy children to her. This book is a must-read for everyone who has children and wants to learn how to bring them up healthier. There is so much wisdom in it Karen has compiled over the years; it belongs in every home and library. I’m excited the world can now learn and apply Karen’s program that really works!”
Tonya Zavasta, author of Your Right to Be Beautiful, Beautiful on Raw, Quantum Eating: The Ultimate Elixir of Youth, and Raw Food and Hot Yoga
“Before reading Karen Ranzi’s book, I thought I was all done with kids—and glad of it! I understand why people want to go raw for its anti-aging benefits, but I always thought it would be a real challenge to raise raw kids. Karen Ranzi made it seem easy and fun. The book Creating Healthy Children is full term pregnant with parent-child wisdom. It should be priceless to its target audience since I was reading it at 50 and wishing for an offspring just to exercise her expert advice and experience the joys of raw parenthood.”
Elson M. Haas, MD, Founder and Director,
Preventive Medical Center of Marin, California
Integrated Medicine Practitioner
Author of Staying Healthy with Nutrition and many other books
“I believe that reaching and teaching our young people about health and the human body is our foremost task as educators and healers. That is the focus of my work now, and Karen Ranzi’s Creating Healthy Children offers great support for this grand task. I suggest we all embrace her ideas for ourselves and our families.”
From Get Fresh Magazine
If you are tempted to skip this review because you don’t have children – at least not young ones – resist the urge, and read on! Although the main topic is parenting, there is such a wealth of other information here that this 430-page text stands as one of the most important raw food books ever written. Ranzi presents some extremely in-depth and insightful material on many perennial raw diet issues, including dental health and getting enough vitamin B12, essential fatty acids, vitamins and minerals. And the information for those who are raising children is second to none. This book covers it all, from advice on preconceptual care, to pregnancy, birth, breastfeeding, attachment parenting and even a chapter on personal care products for children. A real highlight of the book is the 120-page section where 30 families who have chosen this lifestyle share their stories.
Small Press Bookwatch: November 2010
James A. Cox, Editor-in-Chief
Midwest Book Review
278 Orchard Drive, Oregon, WI 53575
From: The Parenting Shelf
Health comes from a natural diet. “Creating Healthy Children: Through Attachment Parenting and Raw Foods” speaks of the benefits of a raw food dominated diet for younger children and how it can combat health problems and obesity. Drawing on her own experiences, she hopes to inspire other parents to embrace raw foods as a way of maintaining good health without spending a lot of money. “Creating Healthy Children” is a worthwhile read for any with concerns for health and childhood obesity.
Lightword Publishing
Del Rio, Texas 78840
This transformational book was created for two reasons: 1) consuming raw vegan foods during pregnancy and lactation will result in “raising the healthiest children possible.” 2) The trust and security of the “inner knowing” attachment between mother and baby. The book reveals how parents can grasp the “physiological and emotional needs of their children” through attachment parenting. Noteworthy: Recognized as an expert in vegetarian and raw food parenting, the author provides answers to many common questions about child health including overweight issues, diseases, best infant/child/pregnancy diets, and much more. The attachment parenting principles are understandably presented for improving family “physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual well-being.” Details: SHC Publishing, POB 13, Ramsey, N.J. 07446-0013, (201) 934-6778, 496 pg., $24.95. ISBN: 978-0-615-33150-8. Karen@superhealthychildren.com www.superhealthychildren.com.
From: Alice Marie
Candid, comprehensive, compassionate, and controversial (given what’s accepted as “food” and nurturing in our society), Karen’s book is a wonderful gift for new parents or anyone contemplating parenthood. It’s also a great refresher for someone like me who’s been vegan for a few years but needed to make some course corrections for myself and my six-year-old daughter, who has benefited greatly from Karen’s expertise and support. The truth isn’t “out there” — it’s in this book!
From The Cardinal House Blog
Admittedly, we have chosen to create a HEALTHY CHILD through alternative choices, unlike our own upbringing, unlike most friends’ and family’s choices for their children. This is why I love Karen Ranzi‘s book Creating Healthy Children: Through Attachment Parenting and Raw Foods. It discusses everything I have tried to research on my own: home birth, circumcision, pregnancy, breastfeeding, attachment parenting, teaching your child how to eat, personal care products for children, exercise and outdoor time, nutrition, homeschooling, nonviolent communication, vaccination and, of course, the raw foods diet. T. Colin Campbell, author of The China Study, praises her book. As do Victoria Boutenko (author of Green Smoothie Revolution), David Klein (Vibrance Magazine), Susan Smith Jones (The Healing Power of Naturefoods), Matthew Grace (A Way Out), Paul Nison (The Raw Life), Rhio (Hooked on Raw), Tonya Zavasta (Your Right to Be Beautiful) and Elson M. Haas (Staying Healthy with Nutrition), among others. In reading her book, I feel supported in what we have been practicing at home and I feel encouraged to know that it can all be done.
Karen Ranzi’s book can help many families create HEALTHY CHILDREN: not only physically, but mentally and spiritually as well. Here are a few excerpts from the book, which is full of supporting research and recommendations:
“What a pregnant woman consumes while growing a baby can lay down the health and genetic code for that new human being, predisposing that person to ailments such as heart disease in later life. The health of our children is of great concern today as we are exposed to an ever more toxic environment.
We don’t always have control over much that goes on in our physical world. Water and air pollution affect us every day, and the daily stresses of life are detriments to our health. The only things we have complete control over are what food we choose to put into our bodies, what we use on our skin, the amounts of sleep and exercise we get, and the love and emotional support we give ourselves and our children… Over the years, I’ve learned focusing on food alone is not sufficient. Time outdoors each day, a relaxed positive attitude, plenty of exercise and enough sleep should also be top priorities in a healthy lifestyle.
The real cause of infections is not germs. Instead, it is because of an internally unclean body.
… to avoid health problems, the vegan diet should be low in fat… applied to fresh raw vegan foods, focusing on lower consumption of nuts, seeds and avocados.
Not only do meat-eaters fall ill, vegetarians, vegans and raw foodists can also get sick. Many vegetarians and vegans consume too much starchy food; processed starches are particularly problematic. The problems a raw foodist can develop are often due to poor food combining, improper acid/alkaline balance, lack of variety of foods and too much fat.”
P.S. The other night, before bedtime, our son said with a big smile and a twinkle in his eye: “Mama, let’s look outside the window at how beautiful the world is!” Be still my heart! The world is beautiful and my son knows it. I may not be able to carry my son on my back for longer, but I know there is a way to create a healthy child. I already have one.
From: Lauren Nastasi, Ginger Is The New Pink:
My Journey Toward Healing with A High Raw Vegan Diet
Monday, August 16, 2010
I hope you had a great weekend! Today I bring you a book review. A few months ago, the very lovely Karen Ranzi sent me her book: Creating Healthy Children: Through Attachment Parenting and Raw Foods. Right up my alley! I couldn’t wait to dig into to this gem. It took me a lot of time to read (I’ve been reading it since June), mostly because I wanted to absorb all the info and really enjoy it. Also, my time to read hasn’t been as available as I had hoped. But, I am so glad I got the opportunity to read this wonderful book.
Karen gives a background on her life and the diet she grew up on. I found getting to know her, in the first few chapters, very comforting. She talks about raising her own kids on a raw food diet the struggles they had to face and how they overcame them. The book also has a lot of sited material to back up what she talks about in each chapter. I enjoyed reading her view on things and then the “professional” view from different people like, Dr. Gabriel Cousens, Dr. Douglas Graham, Dr. John McDougall, etc.
This book goes further then just raising children on a raw food diet. She has chapters on Homebirth, Nutrition for Pregnancy and Childbirth, Exercise, Digestion, Breastfeeding, Attachment Parenting, Feeding Babies Raw Foods, Personal Care Products, Caring for Animals, Transitioning Older Kids to Raw Foods, Kid-tested Recipes, Vitamins and Minerals on a Raw Diet, Water, Homeschooling, Vaccines, Vision, Dental and Sun Health. At the end of the book she even added questions and answers from parents trying to raise healthy kids.
I found this book to be one of the best books I have read on pregnancy, parenting and raising healthy children. Although I don’t plan on feeding my kids exclusively raw, I do plan on having them eat a high raw, all vegan diet, as I do. All the tips in Creating Healthy Children were extremely helpful and I found no questions unanswered. I am so happy that I had the opportunity to read it before my baby girl is born. I will use it as a reference for now on. I can’t wait to share the things I learned with my children so they can be as healthy and happy as possible.
Thank you Karen, for allowing me to read and review this book, I feel this is a must read for anyone who plans on including raw foods in their child’s diet or is looking to raise their children with a holistic lifestyle.
Anna Andersson from Sweden
“I got your book just a few days after ordering it, thank you. I have been loving reading it. I have just read the last words, and I feel deep thankfulness for all this important information, and the many examples of families which you have presented with their paths. One important aspect of the book is the all-embracing portrait of the foods and nutrition needed when wanting the natural health in ones life, and especially when raising children. I feel it is very important to have this kind of support you are offering through your book, considering this is still very uncommon. But when reading your book, the natural health does not seem so uncommon anymore! This means a lot to me, and others I am sure. It is a great gift to mankind. Thank you for your dedication and for sharing your experiences! I think all the chapters are great and meaningful, but the one about B12, I think contains information that is very rare and difficult to find. Yet so important and needed! And about fats, it is valuable too. I have received much good advise for myself, and my husband and our children, for today and for the future.”
From: Mankato Attachment Parenting Examiner
Karen Ranzi’s new book, “Creating Healthy Children Through Attachment Parenting and Raw Foods“, is one of those books that seems to take an eternity to finish — not because it is not interesting, but because it is so full of information.
I received the book to review earlier this month, and was not sure what to expect. I am a firm believer in Attachment Parenting, but I could never be called a raw food enthusiast. I lean towards a vegetarian (often vegan), organic, all natural diet, but it is generally cooked and I had no desire to change that.
That said, I found the book fascinating, informative and incredibly well researched, and have already made small changes in my food choices and my family’s. I do not intend to switch to a completely raw food diet, but Ranzi makes it clear that I don’t have to in order to still see some benefits of raw foods.
Subjects included in the nearly 500-page book include: The health of the parents before conception, home birth, circumcision, diet during pregnancy, the B12 question, breastfeeding, the importance of skin-to-skin contact, co-sleeping, feeding baby uncooked foods, teaching children how to eat, personal care products for children, children’s exercise and ventilation, transitioning children to raw foods, kid-tested recipes, Essential Fatty Acids, vitamins and minerals, eliminating causes of illnesses, water needs, genetic engineering, homeschooling, nonviolent communication with children, vaccinations, dental health, vision health, the importance of the sun, questions from parents, stories of raw families and their journeys and more.
When I first began reading, I have to admit to feeling rather overwhelmed and depressed. Ranzi lists so many health risks that adopting her lifestyle may seem impossible to some (and this is coming from someone who already makes a concerted effort to live a healthy lifestyle). From the chlorine in your shower water to the toxic molds in peanut butter, it can seem that nothing is safe.
By the time I finished the book, however, I had put those elements in perspective. I now feel more educated and empowered, and see that information as simply knowledge and perspectives to use as I see fit.
As parents, we tend to accumulate vast amounts of information on our journeys. We research, we ask questions, we learn from our own mistakes and we eventually emerge with so much wisdom to pass on. With this book, I feel that Karen Ranzi has gathered all the knowledge of her own parenting and health journeys in one place for those beginning their own.
The book is incredibly well researched and Ranzi quotes her sources extensively. In the chapter about B12, for instance, she tells all perspectives and lists so many studies that I felt as if I could pass a test by the time I finished it. The chapter about circumcision is twelve pages long and includes a personal story of a mother who became an anti-circumcision activist and two full pages of books, websites, videos, organizations and other resources on the subject.
Karen Ranzi shares her knowledge and beliefs without concern for whether people see her as a radical or disagree. The book is not watered down in an attempt to please every reader or avoid ruffling feathers. Ranzi quite simply shares what she believes is best for children, from breastfeeding to avoiding vaccination to choosing organic foods, and why.
Ranzi also talks about common pitfalls of raw food diets, such as relying too heavily on dried fruits (which harm the teeth) and nuts (which are high in fat and not necessary in large quantities).
Since I began reading this book, my twelve year-old daughter decided to begin eating raw. In the past, I might have worried about her protein intake, vitamin needs and other issues. Armed with Creating Healthy Children, I feel completely comfortable with her decision and have been able to help her choose good foods and prepare simple recipes (Ranzi’s recipes do tend to be very simple indeed since she advocates consuming whole fresh foods most of the time).
I highly recommend this book and plan to keep it in my personal collection. I am still not ready to switch to an all-raw diet, but I have been serving more salads, smoothies and fresh fruits for snacks and meals. Who knows what the future may hold.
Creating Healthy Children Through Attachment Parenting and Raw Foods is published by SHC Publishing and retails for $24.95. It’s available at www.SuperHealthyChildren.com or and can be ordered in Mankato at Barnes and Noble.
Karen, I thought you might be interested in knowing I reviewed another book on Attachment Parenting today and I used your book as a positive example in it. (http://www.examiner.com/attachment-parenting-in-mankato/review-what-your-pediatrician-doesn-t-know-can-hurt-your-child-review). The other author avoided the subject of circumcision and said it was “beyond the scope” of her book (about health and attachment parenting of babies and children). I wrote that your book was about raw foods and you still included 11 pages of information, including 2 pages of sources for more information.
I wanted to thank you for that. Circumcision is a controversial issue and it’s one that brings out really strong emotions, but for the sake of the babies it affects I feel that it’s cowardly to avoid talking about it out of fear of offending. I admire the fact that you speak your truth in your book and you do not sidestep anything in sharing what you believe is best for children and for the world.
I just wanted to thank you for that and to let you know about the mention. Happy Holidays!
Alicia Bayer
Mankato Homeschooling Examiner: http://tinyurl.com/Homeschooling-Examiner
Mankato Green Culture Examiner: http://tinyurl.com/Green-Culture
Mankato Attachment Parenting Examiner: http://tinyurl.com/Attachment-Parenting
A Magical Childhood: http://magicalchildhood.wordpress.com/
Magic & Mayhem (homeschool adventures): http://magicandmayhem.homeschooljournal.net/
Ayah Solomon
This is Ayah from Facebook. Here is my book review on your amazing book: Creating Healthy Children Through Attachment Parenting and Raw Foods. I find it so comforting that this book has been manifested into my life at the perfect timing…in sync with the challenges that I and my oldest daughter have been facing the past seven months. I have already started applying what the soul of your book is presenting. This blessing of a tool you have written is working hand in hand with the healing of my daughter and myself as well as my youngest daughter. Seven months ago my 12 year old daughter came into a deep depression…she almost took her own life and was put on Prozac. Even though I am against children being on any form of drug, I was told this was best for her. I remember conversing with my doctor and explaining that I really want her off the meds because I truly believe that a more natural raw food based diet and more nature connection and exercise would really make a huge difference. He told me that was garbage, and in fact, he was going to increase the dosage. I took her off the drug myself that week and started truly parenting with more unconditional love and acceptance and slowly introducing her to a raw vegetarian based lifestyle and more nature based exercise. The difference is amazing. Love and commitment truly is the best medicine. I came across your book at the perfect time…what luck!!! A book about the raw lifestyle for children and attachment parenting all in one!!! I had hit the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow! So now I am using your book as my training wheels, my instruction booklet until I can venture out on this journey on my own. Thank you Karen for your inspiration. I am so grateful to you. I will definitely spread the ripple effect and pass this book on to as many parents as I can. It will make the perfect gift.
Blessings and Love,
Ayah and Family
Karen’s book Creating Healthy Children was both a joy and enlightening. I hope you enjoy the review as much as I enjoyed the book. I encourage all of my readers to consider this a necessity on their “RAW BOOKSHELF.”
The Raw Gourmand
P.O. Box 520
Sardis, MS 38666-0520
323-I-EAT-RAW(323-432-8729)
rawcritic@rawcritic.info
In the Judeo-Christian Bible, Proverbs 22:6 says “Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.” It is great to see that someone takes this seriously.
Karen Ranzi, an author, speaker and consultant, has taken raw to a whole new level in her book “Creating Healthy Children.” The majority of my reviews are all about the “me.” In other words, it is food that “I” eat; it is products that “I” use and it is a recipe that “I” will prepare. Karen’s book takes raw and health to a new level. Her book is all about preparing us to prepare the next generation. Having seen what the Standard American Diet (S.A.D) did to one of her parents, and knowing the difference that changing to a raw diet lifestyle did for her, she decided to share with her readers the advantages to a raw and healthy diet for our children. From the womb through adolescence, her book takes us through the necessary steps to a healthy childhood. Allow me a moment to share with you, my reader, why I think everyone needs this book in his or her library.
Even before opening the cover, I was impressed by the quality and obvious professionalism that went into publishing this book. The cover, each of the 496 pages and the photographs appear to be well thought out and prepared with the reader in mind.
The easy to follow index and the helpful appendices lead me directly to areas of the book that I needed to refer back to when I had questions.
Unlike many authors who I read and review, Karen does not seem to be afraid to quote her sources, and whenever medical jargon might be confusing to the reader, she is quick to offer an explanation. While many “raw” and “health” books state opinion after opinion, this book states the facts necessary to back up any claims she has made. The appendices give websites, periodicals and other references for further information.
But, enough about that, let’s get on with the book’s contents. I was inspired when I first opened the book and discovered that the forewords were
written by an M.D. and a Ph.D. This always adds credibility to a book in a field where everyone seems to want to write about something, and they are all “experts.” Then, as I began to read “My Story,” a chapter about Karen’s life, I realized that this was not just a happy-go-lucky, feel-good book. I understand that Karen was going to stick with the facts, whether they were “warm and fuzzy” or “hard and cruel.” One sentence made me laugh, while the next made me want to cry. Her attention to detail and information is phenomenal, which made the reading more interesting. I was interested in her approach early in the book with regards to the parents. I expected the book to be all about “healthy children,” and did not even consider that “healthy children” need to come from “healthy parents.” This was a pleasant realization, and the book points out that healthy children begin before conception. Then, she touts the benefits of home childbirth in the next chapter, and reminds the reader that medical intervention is only one danger of a hospital birth.
Karen seems very concerned about the amount of fats and proteins in the diet of pregnant women, and rightfully so. The incidence of early puberty in girls, obesity and other health issues are addressed with accuracy and fact-filled information. While promoting a reduction of fat in the diet, the author points out that many foods are rich in protein, yet S.A.D. does not push these as high-protein foods. The amount of information to the public is deceptive about where these proteins should come from, and how much protein our bodies actually need.
In another part of the book, a whole chapter is dedicated to the myth that vegans and children of vegans are going to experience medical problems because of a lack of B12 in their bodies. The author offers options for increasing B12, as well as medical information on whether this is even necessary. But, as a true informer, Karen confronts both sides of the issue and how it affects her readers. This chapter then moves into the next section involving breast-feeding and attachment parenting. It makes sense that mothers should breastfeed their infants. Karen references many sources which show how advantageous breastfeeding is since the infant is readily able to digest the mother’s milk. It is all very natural and this common sense approach seems best. Although I found the lead-in to attachment parenting to be informative and interesting, I do not feel qualified to review this aspect of the book. Skin-to-skin contact between the mother and the infant seems important to me, but as a man, I have to yield to a woman’s expertise in this area.
The information on feeding a baby uncooked food and teaching a child how to eat was for me, the most important part of the book. Imagine where we would all be today if our mothers had started us eating correctly from the womb. Obesity, as well as many diseases would be a thing of the past. However, that is not the world in which we live, and the next chapter on “Transitioning Older Children to Raw Foods” addresses that need in today’s society. With the prevalence of fast food restaurants, junk food in the grocery stores, snack foods being served and sold in schools, it is no wonder that our children are in terrible shape both physically and emotionally. If a million families would follow the advice set-forth in this book, two to three million children could be saved from an early death, as well as billions of dollars saved in future medical bills, much of which are going to have to be paid by a strapped government system. The United States Government should consider buying one of these books for every American home as part of the stimulus package. Stimulate healthy kids to save the government money. What a concept!!
Much of the remainder of the book is dedicated to recipes for children (ok, adults, too – I have already used some and they are great) along with testimonials from raw families and how it has affected their lives. The stories all brought smiles to my face when I read how a raw lifestyle changed their lives. Having been through the transformation myself, I know what a life changing and life saving experience it can be.
About Karen Ranzi: Karen is an author, speaker and consultant on the raw foods lifestyle. Karen coordinates the New Jersey Raw Food Support Network. She has been interviewed on TV and radio on the topics of vegetarian and raw food parenting. Karen has presented at numerous seminars and
festivals, including the Portland International Raw Food Festival in 2003, the Creative Health Institute in Michigan in 2004 as well as the Raw Passion Seminar in Philadelphia and the Living Now Festival in Buffalo, the Raw Spirit Festival in 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010, and Hippocrates Health Institute in 2010. She is currently traveling the United States on her book tour. Karen co-founded the not-for-profit organization Health Liberties Network to protect the health freedoms of families in their health care choices.
This 496-page book can be ordered at the address listed above or through her website for only $24.95 plus shipping and handling.