How did you start eating raw? - Raw Food Chat

RawGuru · 04-04-2006

How did you learn about the raw food diet? Why did you start? Where are you now on your journey?

Elsaraw · 04-04-2006

Hi Alex and everyone!
I hope other people answer this because it is interesting how others got on this path.
A year ago I kept watching two of my yoga classmates get healthier and healthier looking. I couldn't figure it out - every week they looked more radiant. I finally asked them and they said they went raw. I didn't get it at first because I never really paid attention (I was vegan and thought that was very good, but was sick all the time) one of them lent me a raw food book and it resonated so deeply as being right, I went 100% raw overnight and never went, or looked, back.

goldielion · 04-05-2006

She truely is an angle! Her site is so awesome, though I wish I lived in the UK so I could purchase more of her goods!

Leslie · 04-05-2006

Hi All,

About a year ago I went on a cleansing fast supervised by a local naturopathic physician. They gave us a list of acid and alkaline foods along with recommendations on how to eat after the transition back to solids was complete. Although they did not call it raw and living foods, it was basically mostly just that. I started to do a little research about acid and alkaline foods and pH balance.

Then I went to 2 yoga retreats several months apart, where mostly raw food was served. I asked a lot of questions and observed quite a bit. I was very interested in learning more.

I did some more research and stumbled on Natalie Rose's book The Raw Detox diet. I started juicing. The recipes however seemed difficult without the appropriate appliances.

A friend gave me David Wolf’s book Eating for Beauty and then he just happened to be doing an all day seminar in my area a month or so later, which I was able to attend.

My journey is a little complicated by some food restrictions. I am reactive/sensitive to several foods used frequently in raw recipes. Things like flax, oranges, cashews, soy (miso) and a few others. The unfamiliar way of preparing foods combined with my food sensitivities and what seemed at the time like so many appliances/food prep tools that I did not have were necessary, it sort of intimidated me and kept me from just diving in. It seemed like it would be just too difficult to do

All during this folks kept mentioning how great I looked and that they noticed a shift in my attitude and mood. I was still waxing and waning. I began to notice when I ate processed foods especially refined white sugar and carbs I would not feel well emotionally.... cranky and irritable mostly. So I just kept incorporating more and more raw foods into my diet, slipping less and less.

About 3 months ago I stumbled on Alissa Cohen’s web site and decided to do her 30-day 100% raw challenge. I got her book and DVD. My main motivation was weight loss with a secondary motivation of just plain feeling better and being as healthy as possible. I had already lost 35 lbs and had 30 more to go. It seemed like a good way to do it. I lost another 8 lbs in the first 3 weeks of doing 100% raw and then sort of hit a plateau. As I look back I am sure I was eating to many nuts and seeds. Anyway, the plateau was a bit discouraging and I began to have food cravings. I slipped back into some old eating habits for several weeks. I beat my self up a bit over it but realized in the end that for me 100% of anything one way or the other just feeds my black and white way of thinking and that I really need to find a healthy balance. So I decided to honor myself and my cravings by including some cooked healthy food into my new way of eating.

I just finished a 3 week raw cleanse workshop with a group from my local yoga center. The last part of the cleanse we did the Master Cleanse fast which I choose to do for 3 days. I have lost another few pounds and now have 19 left to go.

I am just transitioning back into raw foods. This is day 2 of eating again. I feel great.

So at this point transitioning out of the fast I am 100% raw but plan on somewhere between 75 to 100% raw.

Leslie

RawGuru · 04-05-2006

Hey Leslie,

Why don't you start a raw food journal/blog on your raw food journey? You can start one here.

http://www.rawfoodchat.com/forums/journal.html

Also, anyone else who wants to create a journal, please do. It will be like your own little blog.

Leslie · 04-05-2006

Hi Alex,

Don't laugh to hard

. What's a blog?? I am seeing the term all over the place these days and it seems like it is a web site od sorts, but what does the word actually mean?

Thanks,

Leslie

RawGuru · 04-05-2006

Hi Leslie,
It's ok. Blog is short for weblog. A weblog is a journal (or newsletter) that is frequently updated and intended for general public consumption. Blogs generally represent the personality of the author or the Web site.

Source : www.bytowninternet.com/glossary

Val · 04-05-2006

Elsaraw, I admire your commitment to go 100% overnight and never look back! That's awesome! Leslie, loved reading about your story on becoming raw. It's encouraging and it also reminds us that we have to do what's right for us individually. I, too, have a problem with the 100% anything, black and white thing. This may not be true for everyone but, for me, if I try to do anything 100% I tend to become fanatical about it (which is probably not the healthiest mentality). However, I do believe that the raw lifestyle is so healthy and makes so much sense that it might be the one thing that I might want to do 100% all the way. Don't have time now, but will come back later to share my story and how I got on the road to raw!