new with questions

[ellenalesa]

Hi everyone, My name is Ellen and I just posted an intro. I have been doing Atkins off and on for years and years now, and getting fatter and fatter. I am heavier than I have ever been and my body actually hurts. I have about 80 pounds to lose.

I listened to an Anthony Robbins CD and he talked about acid making the body hold fat, become alkaline, he says, and the weight will drop off. I am reading PH Miracle for Weight Loss and am looking for recipes. I ordered Alissa's book today, and would like to know how to get started.

I use a green drink and alkalizing water drops. I am eating lots of salads and fruits right now and am looking into buying a dehydrator.

I am being careful not to get into the sweets you can make raw; I need to concentrate on good healthy food that I won't abuse (I am an emotional eater and use sweets to feel better when I'm sad, etc).

While I'm waiting for the book, can anyone give me a brief overview?

Is it true that it doesn't work if you eat any cooked food?

Do you get enough protein from vegetables?

Thanks....

Ellen

[Shan]

Welcome! You're going to love raw.

Funny you asked about protein, we had a really interesting thread form here about protein just in the last couple of days....good timing.... check it out!

http://www.rawfoodtalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=16073

[spicyfull]

and everything will fall in line. I have always said why should I eat my vegetables second hand. The cow does not eat meat and he lives. To answer your quo. Yes you will get enough protein. There is more protein found in vegetables, grain and nuts than in some meats.
Your book should arrive in a few days and you will enjoy your reading. in the meantime you are doing fine eating salad, fruit and nuts. I don't think your hunger will effect you eating raw as it does eating cooked food. I find myself getting tired, finally I realized that was my new hunger signal. I think you should take the 30 day challenge and on this you eat only raw food. During this time your body will began to detox. Everyone detox different, since you have been on Atkins, you have consumed lots of meat and dairy which are mucus forming.
I wish you much success and pray for your new venture. Just take it one day at a time. I have been a vegetarian for some time but I am newely raw. I am learning different things myself but thought I would drop you a line, not to leave you hanging. As someone said to me stay tuned to rawfoodtalk.com and you will be ok...There is always someone eager to answer your quo. and give you advice. and classes are being held across the nation. So my sister hang in there "HELP IS ON THE WAY" Love, Love..............

[Tombi]

Greetings Ellen!

The best place to start would be here until you get your book from Alissa.
http://www.alissacohen.com/raw.html

Alissa advocates not worry about calories, carbs and etc. when you first start. That means you are free to indulge in sweets and anythingelse your heart may desire. Within time your body will adjust to the nutrients that it is receiving and then will let you know what is best for you to eat or not to eat. Her book is wonderful and very very straight forward. There is really no need to second guess what she is saying...it is very simple.

Enjoy and Embrace your Journey and you will be fine. I have lost 75 pounds and I want to loose about 60 more. However I know that my body is going to tell me if I really need to loose that much or not. Trusting your body is the main key to success.

This is not a diet and that is why it works...it is a lifestyle that is unique to you and your bodies needs.

Happy Journey
Ntombi

[Sharon in Colorado]

Hi Ellen,

Raw is definately the way to go. Many men and women have lost weight and gained health eating this way.

Here's a GREAT site to check out http://www.ibeatobesity.com/ There's lots of good info that might interest you.

Also the Raw Food Boot Camp is a great support for overeaters and those looking to lost at least 50-75 pounds.

Welcome and looking forward to seeing your RAWsome transformation!

[Pailani]

Hi Ellen,

I'm in the middle of The Ph Miracle by the same author. He agrees with most raw foodists that leafy greens are the best source of the amino acids that our bodies need to make protein. He advocates a lot of salads, but an even better way to get a lot of greens is to add them to fruit smoothies. I can eat a lot more greens in a green smoothie than I ever could in a salad bowl, and then you don't need any unhealthy or fatty salad dressings.

For a sweet treat that's not dehydrated, I've been making smoothies from one banana and a big handful of frozen blueberries, which are very alkaline. I suspect that the reason raw food works has more to do with alkalinity than with enzymes. After reading The Ph Moiracle, though, I think that a raw diet is a LOT easier to maintain than his Ph diet, which is nothing but veggies and salads, with a bit of fish thrown in every once in awhile. A raw diet is more varied, more tast, and more fun.

[JEN]

I just know you are going to love raw foods. If you are suffering emotional problems then raw is just what you need. You will find that you will not have to deprive yourself of the sweets you love because your body will be nutrionally satisfied. I have been raw for 3 mos now and when I want something sweet I will eat it all day long if I so choose and I still dont gain wait. I only had 10-15 lbs to lose and Ive lost 7 so far. Ive only been 100% raw for a little over 3 wks and thats when I started losing the weight and really feeling fabulous, even with detox. You will find all the support you need here for anything that occurs. Just ask..........Good luck in your journey! :)

[rawpriestess]

I have been on diets my entire life, and ended up gaining over 130 pounds, I've been eating 100% raw foods for 3 months and I've lost 50 pounds so far.


I LOVE RAW FOODS.

[ellenalesa]

Thanks everyone for sharing with me. I'm excited about this journey. It just seems like it will be easier than all the other nonsense I've done before! I've always dreaded having to figure out how to pack up my low carb food; I relied a lot on dairy and have recently started reacting to it. I think I'll start feeling better just by cutting that out of my diet.

In the past I have been diagnosed with systemic candida. I was put on a diet with lots of meat, yogurt and vegetables. I was told to avoid fruit because of the sugar content.

Right now I am using bananas, melons and strawberries, and trying to not eat too much of them. Has anyone else here had candida? Do I have to cut out fruit? I can't wait to get the book, but I don't know if this is addressed in it.

Thanks again!

Ellen

[Rawmommie]

Welcome Ellen! I did Atkins for 3 years, lost some weight, and got VERY sick. Everything hurt and I ended up being diagnosed with Fibro and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. Going raw made me healthy again! The pain and fatigue is gone now. Stick with fresh, uncooked fruits, nuts, and vegi's and you will be amazed at how much better you feel! The weight will come off too! :)

[sport]

acidalkfoods




ALKALIZING FOODS
VEGETABLES
Garlic
Asparagus
Fermented Veggies
Watercress
Beets
Broccoli
Brussel sprouts
Cabbage
Carrot
Cauliflower
Celery
Chard
Chlorella
Collard Greens
Cucumber
Eggplant
Kale
Kohlrabi
Lettuce
Mushrooms
Mustard Greens
Dulce
Dandelions
Edible Flowers
Onions
Parsnips (high glycemic)
Peas
Peppers
Pumpkin
Rutabaga
Sea Veggies
Spirulina
Sprouts
Squashes
Alfalfa
Barley Grass
Wheat Grass
Wild Greens
Nightshade Veggies FRUITS
Apple
Apricot
Avocado
Banana (high glycemic)
Cantaloupe
Cherries
Currants
Dates/Figs
Grapes
Grapefruit
Lime
Honeydew Melon
Nectarine
Orange
Lemon
Peach
Pear
Pineapple
All Berries
Tangerine
Tomato
Tropical Fruits
Watermelon

PROTEIN
Almonds
Chestnuts
Tofu (fermented)
Flax Seeds
Pumpkin Seeds
Tempeh (fermented)
Squash Seeds
Sunflower Seeds
Millet
Sprouted Seeds
Nuts

SWEETENERS
Stevia OTHER
Apple Cider Vinegar
Lecithin Granules
Probiotic Cultures
Green Juices
Veggies Juices
Fresh Fruit Juice
Mineral Water
Alkaline Antioxidant Water
Green Tea
Herbal Tea
Dandelion Tea
Ginseng Tea
Banchi Tea
Kombucha

SPICES/SEASONINGS
Cinnamon
Curry
Ginger
Mustard
Chili Pepper
Sea Salt
Miso
Tamari
All Herbs

ORIENTAL VEGETABLES
Maitake
Daikon
Dandelion Root
Kombu
Reishi
Nori
Umeboshi
Wakame
Sea Veggies

ACIDIFYING FOODS
FATS & OILS
Avocado Oil
Canola Oil
Corn Oil
Hemp Seed Oil
Flax Oil
Olive Oil
Safflower Oil
Sesame Oil
Sunflower Oil


NUTS & BUTTERS
Cashews
Brazil Nuts
Peanuts
Peanut Butter
Pecans
Tahini
Walnuts

OTHER
Distilled Vinegar

GRAINS
Amaranth
Barley
Buckwheat
Corn
Oats (rolled)
Quinoi
Rice (all)
Rye
Spelt
Kamut
Wheat
Hemp Seed Flour

FRUITS
Cranberries
BEANS & LEGUMES
Black Beans
Chick Peas
Green Peas
Kidney Beans
Lentils
Lima Beans
Pinto Beans
Red Beans
Soy Beans
Soy Milk
White Beans
Rice Milk

PASTA (WHITE)
Noodles
Macaroni
Spaghetti

Almond Milk

[Pailani]

Has anyone else here had candida? Do I have to cut out fruit?

I think I did - when I started raw, I started having candida symptoms. I cut back on fruit, but didn't cut it out. I used a lot of green smoothies made with green apple and pineapple. As long as I stayed away from dried fruit and nuts, I was okay. Many raw foodists think that candida isn't actually caused by sugar, but by fat, and they'll recommend cutting out fat (nuts and avocados), not fruit.

[Sharon in Colorado]

I was told to avoid fruit because of the sugar content.

Right now I am using bananas, melons and strawberries, and trying to not eat too much of them. Has anyone else here had candida? Do I have to cut out fruit? I can't wait to get the book, but I don't know if this is addressed in it.

Thanks again!

Ellen

Hi Ellen,

No fruit isn't the culprit of candida, it is the high amount of fat that causes the sugars of the fruit not to go through the system correctly, making the sugar in the blood rise.

Some people will avoid the ultra sweet fruits like bananas, melons and grapes in the beginning while avoiding fat or not eating fat with fruit. Many people are able to heal their cadida this way in a matter of days or weeks.

Here are some links for you:

http://jinjee1.securesites.net/candida/

From: http://www.doctorgraham.cc/ under the FAQ's menu:



I have candida or a yeast infection. How can I eat so much fruit?

Written by Administrator

Excess fat is the culprit in candida, not sugar, per se. When fat levels in the blood rise, so does blood sugar, because excess fat inhibits insulin from performing its function of escorting sugar out of the bloodstream. The excess fat lines the blood vessel walls, the cells, insulin receptor sites, the sugar molecules themselves, and the insulin with a thin coating of fat, thus blocking and inhibiting normal metabolic activity.

Too much sugar in the blood is as life threatening as too little and can result in serious illness or death. Yeast, or candida, is a constant presence in the blood; it serves as a life preservation mechanism, blooming when there is an excess of sugar in the blood stream to bring blood sugar down to a non-threatening level. When the sugar is distributed and used by the cells of the body, the yeast quickly dies off as it is supposed to.

If fat levels stay chronically high due to a poor diet, sugar will remain in the bloodstream and feed the large candida colonies instead of feeding the 18 trillion cells of your body. Starved for fuel, these cells can no longer metabolize energy, and you become tired, and feel rundown. Because all carbohydrate, fat, and protein that we eat is converted to simple sugar (glucose) if it is to be used by the cells for fuel, the way out of this cycle is not to eat less sugar, but to consume less fat. When fat levels drop, the sugar starts to get processed and distributed again, and the yeast levels drop because there is no longer excess sugar available.