Contraception has been a challenging issue - initially I chose 'Nuvaring' - a small plastic ring that you wear in the vagina for three weeks at a time, where it releases small hormonal doses. Clearly, Nuvaring is not 'natural' - I would have preferred to have used natural family planning if I was more organised and my cycles more regular, but as it was, this was my best option. I used it for about a year in total, but then stopped, as I was tired of the unnatural feeling of having my cycle artificially regulated and ovulation suppressed - I was also experiencing emotional upset and physical pain. I then considered allowing my body to re-adjust to its natural cycle before beginning with a non-intrusive form of contraception called 'Persona' - a small urine-analysis machine that tells you which days of the month you are most likely to become pregnant, so you can exercise caution on the appropriate days (see www.unipath.com for more information). Persona is apparently 96% effective and overall seems like a very good option to me. Persona is available in pharmacies in Britain and it seems the equivalent in North America is something called 'Clear Blue'. I am currently learning more about 'The Billings Method' form of natural family planning, which is based on monitoring mucus and seems to be just as effective as methods such as 'the pill', yet completely non-obtrusive and very easy to learn and use, unlike many natural family methods.
Think about changing to natural sanitary protection too - like the Natracare range (www.natracare.com) - kinder to you and the environment. Find out about  any supplements that may benefit you; pay special attention to sources of B12 if vegan. Seaweed, unwashed veggies and unpasteurised miso are all said to provide B12, but you may need to supplement too. Always buy the best quality supplements you can afford.
Be aware that by going raw, you're putting your body through major detox, clearing out filth that's accumulated over years - you will almost certainly experience diarrhoea and you will need to be kind to yourself, especially in the beginning. Get lots of water, lots of rest and try not to lose faith. Eventually your digestive system will run very smoothly, producing healthy stools 2 to 3 times a day. If you find your motivation's slipping, use this website for support, re-read books, make some positive affirmations for yourself and try to stay focused on your recovery. Guidance can often be confusingly conflicting from different sources - try to listen to everything with an open mind and make your own choices, based on what feels true for you.


Skin Care
I used to wear make-up every single day and my nails always suffocated under some bright nail varnish - these were important fashion statements for me - I couldn't wear the clothes I wanted, but I could express myself with blue lipstick and union jack nails…
I take much more care now with my body - I only buy natural products and keep things as simple as possible - I have no make-up, use MSM lotion, raw coconut oil or aloe vera gel as my body moisturiser and crystal deodorant instead of toxic chemical ones (see www.pitrok.co.uk - it may seem expensive at first, but lasts literally years).
I use toothpaste and other products from the lovely Weleda range (see www.weleda.co.uk or health food shops), face moisturiser and lip balm from the exquisite Raw Gaia range (www.rawgaia.com) and some hair products from high-street alternative Lush - see www.lush.co.uk or the lovely Faith In Nature (www.faithinnature.com). There are often local small businesses producing fabulous products that you won't find on any supermarket shelf - look out for them and support them. Also consider making products using on-line recipes from search engines - I've tried face scrubs, shower gels and hair packs - so, get experimenting if this interests you.


Household Care
Try to treat your living space and clothes naturally - don't pollute them with chemicals - use instead eco-friendly products from companies like Ecover or Seventh Generation, which you can find in health food shops or online.


Natural Remedies
Here are some natural remedies I use myself:

Colds/throat issues
When I feel somehting like this developing, I try to take at least 1000mg of vitamin C as soon as possible (preferably in food form - e.g. camu-camu powder or goji berries), and repeated as feels necessary. I also drink fresh lemon juice in hot water, steeped with ginger root. (N.B. I very rarely get any problems like this now, whereas I used to have some kind of flu/cold/throat issue almost continuously.)

Verrucas
Tape banana skin onto the area - can be squishy, but works. Or mash up garlic cloves and spread over area.

Stretch marks
Mix together equal amounts of wheat germ, sesame, camellia and vitamin E oils and rub into skin twice daily. Alternatively, use pure, unrefined shea butter, rubbed into skin, MSM lotion or high-quality aloe vera gel, daily.

Water retention/bloatedness
Any form of dandelion leaf is great - e.g. dandelion tea, tincture in water, or some raw leaves in hot water. Chamomile tea can also be effective.

MANY OF THE PRODUCTS MENTIONED ABOVE CAN BE FOUND IN
THE RAWREFORM ONLINE STORE  - ENJOY ;)