October is Vegetarian Awareness Month. How cool is that? To celebrate, I'll be posting a series of articles on vegan diet and lifestyle. Some interesting statistics…

• The vegetarian food market is growing at a rate of 100 percent-plus every year.
• There were approximately 12.5 million vegetarians in the United States in 2003.
• India has the highest rate of vegetarians for any country worldwide. 30% of India's population is completely vegetarian.
• According to a national Harris Interactive survey, one-third to one-half of all vegetarians are vegan.

Some of these statistics were acquired from an article published in The Oakland Press (a Michigan newspaper). Excerpt of the article is below..

At age 18, Amber Poupore put down greasy burgers and processed lunch meat in exchange for a vegetarian diet of fresh, organic fare.

Poupore was turned off when she learned hormones and chemicals are fed to farm animals in mass production, to meet the high demands of human consumption. "Beyond the physical rewards, vegetarianism is also mentally and spiritually rewarding," said Poupore, now 27. "When we consume animals, it's a dead energy. But with plants, we're consuming living, colorful, vibrant foods that internalize in you."

Local vegetarians say Vegetarian Awareness Month, observed in October, is an opportunity to explore benefits of the lifestyle. "Now is a great time to experiment with changing your diet," said Cyndi Summers, spokeswoman for Madison Heights-based VegMichigan, a grass-roots vegetarian network, formerly called Veggies in Motion.

Summers, a vegetarian, suggested people try to eat meatless for a couple of days or buy something unfamiliar and vegetarian at the grocery store. Poupore, manager of vegetarian restaurant Inn Season Cafe in Royal Oak, is part of the trend of teens and twentysomethings embracing vegetarianism. She said young people are dropping meat nowadays because, with increasing food choices, it's more socially acceptable than it was years ago.

"People are starting to think and question what they're putting in their bodies and what changes we can make early on in life," Poupore said. "It's catching on. Even mainstream restaurants are realizing more people are making these choices, so they are offering meat-free options. There are so many more vegetarian restaurants, juice bars and products now."

There were 12.5 million vegetarians in the United States in 2003, according to a poll. But the numbers have skyrocketed since then, Summers said, adding that one in four Michigan college students requests vegetarian meals on campus.

"It's obvious that vegetarians are increasing because the vegetarian food market is growing at a rate of 100 percent-plus every year," Summers said.

Steve Pavlina runs an excellent personal development blog, which I "accidentally" discovered 5 weeks ago. Steve writes about subjects that many people would "tiptoe" around, or avoid writing about altogether. Many of his articles are controversial and thought-provoking, and I enjoy reading them.

Steve writes about his personal explorations with consciousness, and discusses the nature of reality, entrepreneurship, productivity, how intentions manifest, health, goal-setting, discipline and metaphysics—among many other subjects.

Must Reads from Steve's Blog…

The Law of Attraction

In this article, Steve tackles some tough questions relating to the Law of Attraction such as…

• What happens when people put out conflicting intentions, like two people intending to get the same promotion when only one position is available?
• Do children, babies, and/or animals put out intentions?
• If a child is abused, does that mean the child intended it in some way?
• If I intend for my relationship to improve, but my spouse/partner doesn’t seem to care, what will happen?

How Intentions Manifest

Steve discusses how intentions manifest in the physical world, and how we receive confirmation of our intentions.

Why Do Intentions Take So Long To Manifest?

If we live in a universe that responds to thought, then why don't our thoughts instantly manifest? Steve answers this question brilliantly and provides 5 reasons why this occurs. He also explains how our subconscious beliefs can sabotage our intentions.

Subjective Reality
Subjective Reality Q & A

In these 2 articles, Steve discusses subjective reality and answers commonly-asked questions such as…

• How can I know that subjective reality is real?
• How many subjective realities are there?
• Why do I identify with this particular body and not someone else’s?
• But what if I don’t believe that I am consciousness? What if I believe I am a physical body with a mind?
• So if I were to believe in something that didn’t exist or that wasn’t possible yet, it would actually begin to manifest in the physical universe?
• What about the physical laws of science? Can I break them?

The True Nature of Reality (Podcast)

This is a great podcast. In this audio recording, Steve answers the following questions…

• What kind of reality do we actually live in? What are its capabilities?
• Do people, places, and objects still exist when you aren’t perceiving them?
• How can you manifest more of what you want and less of what you don’t want?
• What assumptions have you made about reality that are totally unprovable and may in fact be wrong?
• What are the limitations of the Law of Attraction, why do they arise, and how do you work around them?
• Why might subjective reality be a more accurate model than objective reality?
• What are the practical consequences of a subjective belief system?
• If you’re stuck in an unhappy situation right now, why are you stuck, and how do you change it?

Cause-Effect vs. Intention-Manifestation

Steve discusses how cause-and-effect is really intention-manifestation. Most importantly, he points out that we often sabotage our own success because our intentions are not clear, and we have negative thoughts towards that intention.

If you want to achieve a goal you’ve set, the most crucial part is to DECIDE to manifest it. It doesn’t matter if you feel it’s outside your control to do so. It doesn’t matter if you can’t yet see how you’ll get from A to B. Most of those resources will come online AFTER you’ve made the decision, not before.

If you don’t understand this simple step, then you will waste a lot of time. Step 1 is to decide. Not to ruminate or to ponder or to ask around and see whether or not you can do it. If you want to start your own business, then decide to make it so. If you want to be married and have a family, then decide to attract a mate. If you want to change careers, then decide to do so.

It blows my mind that people think that something else has to come before the decision. People waste months trying to figure out, “Is this goal possible?” And this makes a lot of sense to do so if you’re at a certain level of consciousness. But all you’re really doing is creating delay, and you’ll simply manifest evidence to suggest that the goal is both possible and not possible. You think doubt in your head, you find doubt in the world.

Steve Pavlina is doing brilliant work by helping people improve their lives—and better understand themselves and the universe. I think his blog is a real gem, and I hope you find it useful too.

In this video, Mike Dooley gives a very passionate speech about thought and consciousness to a local Toastmasters' group.

For those who are unaware, Toastmasters is a business organization that helps people develop public speaking skills. Toastmasters sponsors public speaking contests and holds monthly meetings.

From the magazine, Natural Awakenings,a free alternative health magazine that I picked up at Whole Foods…

Most people today lead excessively nature-separated lives. Some doctors believe that this disconnect leads to poor mental health. Ecopsychologists believe that reconnecting people with nature will improve mental health. Anyone who's experienced nature—whether in open backcountry or a sunny backyard, whether in the context of sea or stars—knows how nature renews and re-creates us.

So maybe traffic, concrete and skyscrapers really are driving us crazy. Polluted inorganic environments may well be contaminating our heart, mind and spirit. A 2004 study even suggests that kids who engage with nature are less apt to have attention-deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADD). And a Univeristy of Michigan study found that people with views of nature from home are happier."

This is a good reminder to spend more time outdoors. Interestingly, we can find scientific evidence for "ecopsychology" in the field of harmonics and physics. The resonant frequency of the Earth's electromagnetic shield is referred to as The Shumann Resonance, and although this frequency varies, it's around 7.8 Hz. Apparently this Earth frequency has extremely beneficial effects on living organisms, including humans.

According to a site about electromagnetic frequencies…

The Schumann Resonances are quasi-standing electromagnetic waves that exist in the Earth's 'electromagnetic' cavity (the space between the surface of the Earth and the Ionosphere). So long as the properties of Earth's electromagnetic cavity remains about the same, these frequencies remain the same. Presumably there is some change due to the solar sunspot cycle as the Earth's ionosphere changes in response to the 11-year cycle of solar activity.

Depending on your point of view, living beings either evolved in this natural electromagnetic environment or were created with Divine Intelligence to live in harmony with it. One thing is certain: Since life began, the Earth has been surrounding all living things with this natural frequency pulsation. Many experts believe that the wide spectrum of artificial man-made EMF (electromagnetic frequency) radiation masks the natural beneficial frequency of the Earth.

Electropollution may cause us to feel more stressed, fatigued and "out of balance." Laboratory research has shown that exposing living cells to the Schumann Resonance had the effect of "protecting" them from ambient EMFs, allowing the cells to increase their immune protection, and decrease the absorption of depression-inducing chemicals.

[This connects with the "ecopsychologists" who believe that people often develop depression, mood swings and mental problems when they spend too much time indoors.]

Some researchers believe that by producing a 7.83 Hz pulse with a field generator (Schumann device), we can counter the effects of the irritating man-made fields. [Man-made electromagnetic fields are produced by radiation from power lines, cell phones, microwaves, and most technology. According to scientists, depending on where we live, we spend a large amount of time existing in 50 and 60 Hz power fields.] By replicating the Earth's natural rhythm, we may be providing ourselves (at least in our immediate vicinity) with a more healthy environment."

Even more interesting…

The Schumann Resonance lies within the alpha range (human brain waves are normally in one of four states–beta, alpha, theta, or delta). Alpha waves range between 7-12 Hz. This is a place of deep relaxation, but not quite meditation. In Alpha, we begin to access the wealth of creativity that lies just below our conscious awareness—it is the entry-point that leads into deeper states of consciousness.

Endorphins are naturally generated in the alpha state, and we feel more relaxed. Perhaps this explains why we feel better after spending time outdoors.

If you eat meat, or know someone who does, please pass this video on to them. This video depicts the way animals are used and abused for human consumption. It is disgusting from a health perspective. From a compassion/decency standpoint, it is simply horrifying.

Meet Your Meat–PETA Video

Health Reasons to Eat a Vegan Diet

• Who wants to eat something that is overweight and diseased? (Most cattle are lame by the time they are put on the truck to head to the slaughterhouse. Their legs cannot support the weight they must carry from being overfed and "fattened up.")
• Do you really want to eat something that contains antibiotics, hormones, and perhaps pieces of other animals? (cows are often fed the dead remnants of other animals)
• Up to 90% of hens have broken bones or are hemorrhaging by the time they make it to slaughter. Do you want to eat something that is hemorrhaging or has broken bones (conditions that affect the surrounding tissues)?
• Once an animal dies, its flesh begins rotting. You are eating something that becomes more rotten with each passing day.
• Meat acidifies the body (disease thrives in an acidic environment) and contributes to cholesterol formation, heart attacks and clogged arteries.
• Red meat consumption doubles the risk of colon cancer. (The body has to work very hard to eliminate the animal waste from the colon, and often the body can't eliminate fast enough, because more meat is continually being added.)

Want more reasons?

Additional reasons courtesy of Adrian Cooper

• Meat contains many dangerous chemical substances such as: carcinogenic growth hormones, DDT, preservatives, tranquilizers, hormones and other drugs fed to animals, arsenic, sodium sulphate and numerous other chemical compound used in livestock farming, all of which are consumed with meat.
• The "run-off" from thousands of "slaughter-houses", an extremely evocative phrase, is a major pollutant of rivers, streams and lakes; thereby causing further suffering, death and destruction.
• Rain forests are being levelled at an unsustainable rate to provide land for cattle, and also to grow soy beans to feed cattle, thus further damaging the environment.
• 20% of all methane, a major contributor to climate change, is produced by cattle.
• Vegetarian and vegans have considerably more endurance and stamina. It has been medically proven that that, on average, a vegetarian or vegan has 2 to 3 times more endurance during physical exercise than a comparable meat eater, and will recover from that exercise up to 5 times faster than the comparable animal eater.
• Vegans live on average 5 to 7 years longer than meat eaters.
• The proteins originating in vegetables, fruits and nuts are in a far more readily available and digestible form than than "meat protein." This is why the world's largest mammals such as elephants, rhinoceros, giraffe and many others can grow so large.
• The amino acids required by the human body to physically repair itself, under "instruction" from the energy body are found in vegetation, fruits, nuts, etc.
• Human teeth are designed for grinding and chewing in exactly the same manner as a herbivorous animal.
• Humans have no teeth that are characteristic of carnivorous animals as used for tearing flesh.
• The human hand has no claws or thumb designed for handling meat. Our hands and fingers are rather designed for harvesting vegetables, fruits, nuts etc.
• The strength of hydrochloric acid in the human stomach, the acid used to break down food into a digestible form, is only 5% of the strength of hydrochloric acid found in carnivorous animals. This is because vegetation is much easier to "break down" than meat.
• The alimentary canal, which is the entire digestive canal of a human is many times longer in comparison to body size than the alimentary canal of a carnivore. This is so a meat eating animal can eliminate putrefying meat as as soon as possible, a requirement that does not apply to vegetation. This is one major reason why cancer of the colon is rapidly increasing in human beings, as well as other related digestive tract diseases.
• Humans are unable to deal with excess fat in the same way that carnivorous animals are. This is a major reason why, due to eating meat, humans are increasingly paying the price in the form of obesity, heart diseases such as hardening and obstruction of the arteries, and related diseases such as diabetes. These are all increasing as parents feed children more and more harmful food. It should also be noted that a child produces most fat cells in the body at a young age, and once produced these fat cells will always exist and have the ability to manifest as fat. So once a child has been "fattened" by parents, they will be fighting against obesity and fat related diseases all their physical life. An obese child will always become an obese adult.
• When we consume a vegan diet we also consume an ideal balance of other crucial substances such as carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, enzymes, chlorophyll and numerous others.

While reading an alternative health magazine, I came across an interesting comment in an editorial column. In the column, a local chiropractor mentioned that metal body piercings are typically inserted at prime accupuncture points, and can block energy, disturb meridians, and cause long-term heath problems.

Intellectually, this made sense. But I wanted to find out more, so I went online. I discovered a very interesting article about metal rings, body piercing and health. The author writes:

"It is a little known fact, that metal anywhere on your body negatively affects your health. How can that be?

In his article, "Chinese Lessons for Modern Chiropractors" Dr. George Goodheart, the father of Applied Kinesiology spoke of his discovery called the Antenna Effect. He found that it is possible to tape a small metal ball onto an acupuncture point and accomplish longer term stimulation to that point. These little BB's are now called AcuAids and are used by thousands of doctors daily. This was an important discovery. Like those tiny BB's, any metal that is constantly on a given point on the human body may cause problems. The critical factor is where the points are located on the body.

"Perhaps two of the most important energy centers in the body are two areas where people are now commonly starting to pierce their bodies. One is the tongue. This is where the meridian for the central nervous system and its counterpart, the governing system, meet. Some people put a stud right in the middle of their tongue. My body cringes when I think of the harm they are doing to themselves energetically.

[My comment: According to a Chinese accupuncturist, piercing through the tongue depletes spleen Qi (energy) and can eventually lead to muscle wasting later in life.]

"A more common area of body piercing is the navel. This is right on the meridian for the central nervous system. The central nervous system is responsible for just about every single functioning part of your body. So if you have metal on your central meridian this can obviously have all kinds of effects on all kinds of different parts of your health. One [may] never realize the problems relate to the stud on the navel.

"The navel area is also very important for another reason. If you ask people who do martial arts, you will learn that this area is called the “hara”. This is your main power center. If you want to do martial arts you focus on this power center. If you want to pick up a heavy box, focus on this center. Any time you want to be stronger, if you feel this area, you will have more strength. Putting a metal stud there distorts and short circuits the energy.

"Wherever metal is present, it distorts the energy flow. If it is located near a meridian, it throws off the meridians and can have a small or even a large effect, especially long term on a person’s health."

Very interesting. Even more interesting are the accupuncture points on the ear.

Photo courtesy of Accupuncture.com

Fortunately, there are no accupuncture points associated with the middle earlobe, which the majority of women (myself included) have pierced. After looking at the diagram of the ear (above), it makes me less inclined to wear earrings.

I'm always surprised to see nutritionally savvy people (organic vegans, raw vegans, holistic health care practitioners) with dyed and chemically processed hair. I think there is a huge lack of awareness when it comes to the dangers of chemical hair coloring.

Using chemical hair coloring is just as dangerous as the pesticides and toxins that are sprayed on produce (if not more dangerous). Even more alarming is the fact that when you chemically color your hair, it's seeping into your scalp (your skin) and into your bloodstream.

When you color your hair, you're dumping toxic chemicals onto one of the most important spots of your body–your brain. This is where the blood supply is the richest in the entire human body (thus increasing the likelihood of harmful chemicals being absorbed into the bloodstream). The National Cancer Institute estimates that 20% of the non-Hodgkins lymphoma (the cancer that killed Jackie Kennedy-Onassis) is linked to the use of commercial, chemical hair dyes.

According to an article published in Energy Times…

• Most commercial hair coloring products contain cancer-causing agents and harsh bleaches. Some of the most dangerous are resorcinol and phenylenediamine derivatives (often preceded by an o-, p- or m- on the label). Another common hair dye ingredient, nitro-2-aminopherols, can initiate free-radical damage and DNA mutation which can lead to cancer. All of these chemicals have been associated with an increased occurance of asthma, Hodgkin's disease, lymphoma, breast cancer, bladder cancer and a form of leukemia called essential thrombocythemia."
• According to a study published by The American Journal of Epidemiology, hairstylists who worked with hair dyes for five years or more had had triple the risk of developing breast cancer.
• According to the American Cancer Society, people who used dark hair dye for two decades or more had a four times greater risk of dying from two cancers of the immune system, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and multiple myeloma.
• Dr. Andrew Weil, the natural health care guru, advises against any use of hair colors or dyes whatsoever. Dr. Weil believes that the color additives in hair dyes "are energetic molecules that can interact with DNA, potentially causing mutations that lead to cancer."

More information on the dangers of commercial hair coloring.

The good news is you can color your hair naturally. How? The answer is Henna. It's 100% natural, and harvested from a plant that's grown in India and parts of China. Many people assume that Henna means red hair. While Henna does have a reddish hue, it will not turn your hair bright red. That's a misconception. You can choose from a range of colors: light blonde, brown, red, and black. From what I've read, Henna is effective at covering gray hair, too.

One caveat: You should understand that Henna has no bleaching properties. In other words, you can't become blonde if your natural hair color is brown or black. Also, make sure you buy 100% pure Henna, with no added ingredients. I recommend Morrocco Method Henna.

My friend and I applied Morrocco Henna a couple of days ago. The color turned out nicely, although the application process is pretty messy (it's a green plant paste you're working with).

Have fun!

What you put on your skin, face, and scalp is *just* as important as the food you put into your mouth. Be sure to read the label on all skin care and body care products.

Women need to consider eliminating makeup, which contains enormous amounts of synthetic chemicals, surfectants and "chemical cocktails." If you need makeup, be sure to buy all-natural, organic makeup without synthetic ingredients.

According to The Organic Makeup Company…

"The human skin wraps and protects our bodies. It constitutes a living, dynamic tissue system. It has the remarkable ability to absorb applied products, partially or completely, into the bloodstream."

• Up to 60% of the products we use on our skin are absorbed and deposited into the circulatory system.
• The average woman absorbs 30 pounds of the ingredients contained in moisturizers over sixty years.

Whatever food you ingest passes through your liver. Your liver functions to detoxify and neutralize harmful ingredients. However, body care products applied to the skin are absorbed *directly* through the skin. Since they don't pass through your liver, you want the highest purity level.

Both men and women need to re-evaluate the ingredients in the following household products…

toothpaste
shampoos & conditioners
deodorants
hairsprays, perfumes
lotions
chapstick
soap
sunscreen
nail polish & nail polish remover
houseshold cleaning products
dishwashing soap (which goes on your hands, into your skin, and into your bloodstream)

Here is a list of harmful ingredients to avoid when choosing skin care and body care products.

Another excellent list can be found at Aubrey Organics. Aubrey Organics has been creating natural hair and skin care products for almost 40 years. Here is their list of
10 Synthetic Ingredients to Avoid

Print this list, and take it with you when go shopping for shampoo, dish soap, lotion, etc. After 3 or 4 trips to the health food store, you'll have the list memorized.

Here's a tip: If the ingredient list contains very long words, and you don't know what the words mean, then it's probably synthetically manufactured in a laboratory and should be avoided. Only buy products with ingredients that you understand. If you don't know what the word means, don't buy the product. For example, can you explain what Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine is? How about Butylphenyl Methylpropional? Most people do not know what these ingredients are–aside from knowing that they're synthetically manufactured in a laboratory. They both sound artificial, and in fact they *ARE* artificial. These ingredients have Methyl, Propyl, and Butyl in their names, and should therefore be avoided.

What I Use & Recommend:

Toothpaste–> I use Tooth Soap which helps re-enamelize the teeth. Fantastic, great. Love it.

Shampoo & Conditioner –> Aubrey Organics

Deodorant –> Crystal Stick. This is a natural body deodorant for men & women that is non-sticky, non-staining, and guaranteed to last one year. It contains 100% natural mineral salts, and is completely free of perfumes and chemicals. And yes, it works.

Hairsprays, Nail Polish, Nail Polish Remover & Perfumes–> I don't use nail polish remover or perfumes. I have found a chemical-free nail polish called "No Miss."

Soap–> I use 100% pure olive oil soap. The soap is green (from the crushed olives).

Lotion–> Organic Virgin Coconut Oil from Tropical Traditions

Chapstick–> Beeswax Lip Balm from Burt's Bees.

Sunscreen–> Aubrey Organics

Dishwashing Soap–> The brands "7th Generation" and "Earth Friendly Products" both sell dishwashing soap that does not contain Sodium Laurel Sulfate (SLS), artificial colors, phosphates, dyes, or Cocamide DEA. You can find many more natural brands at Whole Foods or your local health food store.

Where to Buy
I buy all of the products listed above from Whole Foods—except for Toothsoap and coconut oil, which I purchase online.

Unfortunately, many products that advertise themselves as "all natural" are not truly all-natural. The next time you go shopping for a bottle of shampoo, take the list of "10 Synthetic Ingredients to Avoid." You'll be amazed at how many so-called "natural" products contain parabens, cocoamide DEA/MEA, and some type of SLS or SMS (Sodium Myreth Sulfate). Start reading ingredient labels for all products you put on your body.

If you wouldn't eat it, don't put it on your skin.

A video of Paul Nison giving a presentation on raw foods. The video quality is kind of blurry/spotty, but the content is great.

Take-aways from Paul's presentation

1.) Strive to eat a majority of "high quality foods." High quality foods possess these 4 characteristics…

Raw - Uncooked fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds.

Ripe - Fully ripened fruits and vegetables contain more vitamins and minerals than unripe or partially ripened produce.

Fresh - Produce that is eaten close to the time it has been harvested is more beneficial than produce that has been sitting on a grocery shelf for 1-2 weeks before being sold. This is why local produce and local agriculture is highly favored. Local produce is fresher because it hasn't been shipped from halfway around the country/world, before making its way to your grocery/health food store.

Organic - Free of pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, and synthetic poisons.

2.) Sleep is another word for "healing." The blood goes through dialysis at night; the cleaner your blood, the less sleep you need (usually).

A "sometimes-raw" food restaurant in Ashland, Oregon, called Mana Community Cafe, recently received some publicity in the Mail Tribune (a newspaper targeted towards southern Oregon). Manna Community Cafe serves all raw food on Sundays and Mondays. Article excerpt is below, and was written by Paris Achen…

Manna Community Cafe

If a raw foods diet conjures up images of eating cold, bland vegetables off an austere table, it's time for a visit to the new Manna Community Cafe in Ashland's Lithia Park. The outdoor raw foods cafe — with a few cooked organic, vegetarian offerings — debuted July 26 within view of Ashland Creek. A raw foods novice — except for my daily salad and weekly tub of hummus — I was pleasantly surprised by how flavorful Manna's food is. Post-cravings are a sign of well-seasoned food. As we sat on black wrought iron chairs in Manna's garden patio, my friend and I listened to the gurgle of the creek and enjoyed the caress of a sweet mountain breeze as we sipped fresh watermelon juice and pomegranate-colored sun tea, which is a combination of nettle, hibiscus, honey and lemon. Like most, I've visited restaurants where the plates are piled with pallid, overcooked vegetables and starches sealed with a film from lingering under a heat lamp.

Manna defies all that.

The idea behind a raw foods diet is that in nature, animals eat raw food. Raw food has more health benefits as it retains its moisture and nutrients. Manna's cuisine is made with such care and detail even my cynical side could believe Chef John Larson's declaration that the food is infused with "good energy and love." Everything from the watermelon juice to the marinated salad tastes extraordinarily fresh. The living foods platter (living, in this case, is just another term for raw) was a nutritious tour of textures and flavors pleasing to the palate and kind to the body. And the platter was satisfying for the hungry vegan, hot food lover or the occasional carnivore.

We munched on dehydrated crackers dotted with flax seeds, cole slaw bursting with a kaleidoscope of chopped red pepper, carrots and cabbage, spicy gourmet olives, and greens drizzled with tangy ginger tahini dressing. My favorite was the vegetable paté, a complex nutty-flavored spread enlivened with fresh herbs and a delectable substitute for meat. I added it to just about everything on the plate and found it was versatile as well. The platter at $8.95 is the most expensive item on the regular menu. We also tried the tempeh skewers, a cooked finger food with a barbecue-like coating. Fresh juices, smoothies, sparkling beverages, veggie dogs, rice curry and raw soup are some of the other regular menu items.

Larson opened a raw foods restaurant called Luminescence on the second floor of an old house on Water Street about three years ago that survived for less than a year. Manna's location in a structure owned by John and Maya Viknius (Maya Viknius and Larson own the business) will likely draw more patrons during fair weather. But as we enjoyed the delicious food on a warm summer day, we wondered how the cafe would fare in the winter, as there is no indoor seating. Larson said he hopes takeout food and community events at the venue will keep customers trickling in. The cafe also has the advantage of neighboring the ice-skating rink.

Larson said he envisions the cafe becoming a community hub, where local musicians, poets and dancers can perform. Local artists already feature their pieces at Manna's patio. The Lovers Manna, a weekly community event, kicks off Monday, Aug. 7 at the cafe. The cafe will serve raw food with aphrodisiac properties and hold games from 7 to 11 p.m. on Mondays. Raw foods only are served on Sundays and Mondays. Both cooked and raw dishes are available on other days.