On this Thankful Thursday I am feeling especially thankful for the Internet. Without the Internet I wouldn't be able to learn as much as I've learned about raw foods in such a short period of time. The Internet has connected me with people from all over the world who are also interested in natural health and raw food living. I am part of a larger community, one that would never exist without the Internet.

So, today I am especially thankful for the Internet. What are you thankful for today?

Read more: Thankful Thursday: Internet

To help keep all of you inspired, we ve asked some

remarkable individuals to share their raw food stories with you. Enjoy!

Read more: My Raw Story: Pamela Reilly

Since Pure Jeevan specializes in raw food weight loss, we receive a lot of questions about what is required in order to lose excess weight. Many individuals want to know if they need to go on a 100% raw food diet in order to release excess weight.

The answer is, "No, you do not need to switch to a 100% raw food diet in order to lose weight." If you're asking if a 100% raw food diet works better for losing weight than slowly transitioning and increasing your raw food intake, the answer is still, "No."

Read more: Do I Have to Go 100% Raw To Lose Weight?

I thought I'd put another fun week together here at Pure Jeevan while Wendi is away (although, actually, ALL of our weeks are fun-filled here!). This week, I thought I'd discuss herbs, spices, and essential oils. Of course, I can't cover those enormously important (and huge) subjects in-depth over the course of just one week, so I created that little banner (above) so that we can re-use it from time to time.

Herbs are fascinating, aren't they? Sometimes, you don't even consciously know why you use the ones you do but, invariably, there's a reason. Sure, sometimes recipes call for a specific flavor. But, often, there are other reasons as well -- such as to support digestion, or to provide a warming or cooling sensaiton. This type of thing is critical in ayurvedic principles, as we touched on recently on this blog, where the spices could be present for digestive or medicinal purposes, or of course as a preservative.

Read more: Herbs & Spices & Oils... Oh My!

Hi everyone!? Sorry for not posting yesterday. Things got crazy-busy on my end, and Wendi is still out of town on her tour. I know poor Deb Young is eagerly awaiting our next installment, as that's the one from Wendi and KDcat's visit to sunny L.A. (during which they had SO much fun and captured some great footage at a raw restaurant there!). However, I honestly do not have a single free moment this week. So, we'll pick up on Monday, April 5 -- by which time our raw travelers will have returned home!? Upcoming posts include:

• Los Angeles -- vids w/ Deb Young, visits to raw restauranrs
• Las Vegas -- vid interviews @ a raw restaurant there
• Arizona -- some Makin' It Monday stuff & staying w/ raw friends
• New Mexico -- visiting w/ raw friend Terri Mares & all sorts of interesting activity/video
• Oklahoma -- hanging at 105 degrees, & Wendi & Penni's raw event
• St. Louis -- visiting w/ family there & my mom as a guest Makin' It Monday chef!
• Geneseo -- visiting with family!! (Hi Cindy!)
• Chicago -- visiting with Danny & Kathy Living, and a raw event at Whole Foods

Some of those are multi-day posts, too, as we have so many interesting raw food goodies to share!? So, see you soon!

When we were heading out of town, I said that this trip might be a bit difficult on Jim because it's his first time being exposed to our friend Mamta's Indian food while he's 100% raw. I created some rich, delicious dishes to keep him satisfied, so that the temptation wouldn't overpower him. I expected no problems for myself, since I've been raw for more than three years and have been exposed to this temptation before without any problems.

Well, guess what? The cravings are here! You see, Mamta is THE BEST Indian food chef EVER. We've eaten literally thousands of Indian meals over the years, and even enjoyed it while touring India for nearly a month in the 1990s, but nothing has ever compared to Mamta's skill at creating the most delicious food on the planet. As usual, she sent home lots of food when we left this weekend -- this time all for KDcat, who is so very happy she's not eating 100% raw foods. I don't even know how many different dishes came home with us, but their aroma has been extremely tempting.

Read more: The Cravings Are Here! What To Do?

Pardon the video quality there. A.J. and I shot that video at night and, although it looked decent on the camera's preview screen, the actual video came out almost totally black!? However, with a bit of video processing, we were able to salvage it. It's not optimal video, but it's at least watchable (and, hey, also conveys a little of that nighttime festival feeling).

A quick note about veganism before I share some additional info... As we've stated here many times, Pure Jeevan advocates a raw vegan lifestyle. What do we intend that to mean, exactly? Well, strictly speaking, veganism excludes all animal products, both in terms of diet and lifestyle.

Read more: RSF East -- Chocolate Conspiracy

Jim here (again!) A little over a month ago, we couldn t contain our excitement about an online contest to win the best job EVER ? living as caretaker of a tropical island in Queensland, Australia, on the Great Barrier Reef for 6 months (and being paid $100k for the task!).

The deadline has come for this and, as we promised, we BOTH applied. You saw my video, below. Here's Wendi's application. Once again, we hope you'll view the video & rate her a 5!!! You can click the screenshot above, or go there directly via this link. (As I said below, I ve heard that the rating system can get a little screwy on that site ? that you need to wait for it to load and maybe mouse over the rating part first. But, a 5-star rating would really help, as would the traffic, even if you don t watch the entire video.)

Read more: Help Wendi Win the BEST JOB EVER!

To help keep all of you inspired, we ve asked some

remarkable individuals to share their raw food stories with you. Enjoy!

Read more: My Raw Story: Jeff Rose

So, did you like Part One yesterday ? Pretty great, right ? Well, today we present Part Two, in which Wendi takes the interview into a more up-close and personal place. In this audio, Kevin shares details about:

• the first interview he ever conducted
• what he wanted to be when he grew up
• what his family thinks of his raw lifestyle
• his tattoo, Joseph Campbell, and thoughts on life and death
• spirituality, religion, and guilt
• the book that opened his mind to a deeper connection
• running and spirituality
• his typical day / routine
• his business expanding
• what "systems" are and how he uses them
• the shocking truth about his teen years
• recent personal development programs he's listening to
• "taking 1%, applying it, and moving on"
• mentors and influences
• the books that shaped his life
• making shifts in friendships
• his thoughts on "The Secret"
• whether he thinks he can do more push-ups than Gabriel Cousens
• why there was a donkey at his wedding
• his biggest wish (it's a beautiful one!)

So, what are you waiting for ? Listen NOW!!

Read more: Part *2* of a 3-Part Series Profiling the Multi-Talented Kevin Gianni!

Today we thought we'd introduce you to a common wild edible known as Purple Deadnettle (or, more dramatically, the Purple Archangel). Watch the video and let us know if it grows in your area, and if you've tasted it!

Read more: Have You Met the Purple Archangel?