How to survive in a world of cooked food

[lily]

When I'm just on my own with raw, I'm fine -- I love making it, eating it, feel great. Hubby fits in with this -- he loves salads -- and just adds bread to his meals.

When friends or family come to stay or have a meal with us, I struggle. They think I'm odd to be raw. I find that difficult to stand up to. They don't like the raw food I make, even the (delicious, I think) dehydrated things. They think it's one of my mad crazes and it will pass.

Sometimes I make nice cooked things for them -- lovely pasta dishes, cheese baked in filo etc -- and serve them with a big salad with all my favourite things in it such as avocados and olives, and we all eat that -- I just eat the salad, I mean.

It's difficult, though, especially the feeling that they don't approve of what I'm doing, though you'd think at my age -- 60 -- I'd be over that. But I'm not...

I'm OK eating out with friends in a restaurant when I can choose a salad, but can't face the hassle when i eat in their homes and end up eating cooked, as vegan as possible, but I don't fuss over that either, and end up feeling yuk with myself.

I'd love to know how others cope as this is really bugging me...

lily

[DeadNutrition]

I feel your pain. Everywhere I go: COOKED, especially unhealthy dead foods such as McDonald's. In nature, animals who are like one another stick together. Perhaps you should become friends with animals who are also raw foodists, and ditch your unliving nutrition friends.

Do not say you "make" your meals. That is something unliving nutrition folks say. You eat the food provided by the plants. Does a tiger "make" the antelope? Does the monkey "make" the banana?

Every time you eat food heated by a microwave, oven, etc. you are draining essential electrocaloric forces from your body. Thankfully, consumption of raw, natural foods can replenish electrocaloric forces/energies, but you want to keep these forces intact. Heating food in natural fire and sunlight is different; only 25% of the electrocaloric forces are depleted from the food item but still that is a lot. That is why animals are always happy all the time; they're electrocaloric forces are always 100% inbound and intact. They are only jumbled when they are put into cages or are forced to eat dead food.

From now on tell them you are a. not hungry, b. do not want to eat dead foods, or c. you are in the process of revilatizing your energies

[swingbolder]

Hi Lily,

I don't know the answer to that one, it is the one challenge with this raw thing I haven't been able to lick yet.

I fall off of eating raw food every summer when I visit my parents. This has happened for two summers now. And each time it takes me weeks to get back to eating raw food and I have to go through detox all over again. Not to mention the havoc it wreaks with my health during those several weeks. Like you I am fine eating out with friends.

The one encouraging thing I can say is that I'm sure it's a process, and a matter of "messing up" over and over until we get it right! :)

[DavidZaneMason]

I hear you. The key word is PREPAREDNESS.

-I go out to restaurants and social occasions all the time. I always eat very well before I go....so I am never hungry and feel compelled to eat junk when I show up.

-I always bring some apples...or nuts....or avocadoes in my pocket (or a snack bag).....and eat wherever I happen to be. I tell my friends / family I am there to be with THEM and enjoy THEIR company. I can be in the company of food on my own time! Ha! ha!

-My experience / opinion is that when you make it your priority to support others....you should have no trouble being supported (well! Not AS much anway!) LOL.

-Remember: You cannot make yourself sick enough to make ONE other person well.

-Power to you.

-David Mason

[sungoddess]

I understand. My dad just picked me up from the bus for a weekend home from college. And he asked me on the way home " So are you still doing raw?". He wasn't malicious, or rude, but he didn't understand the commitment behind it.

My answer was, "yea dad, I am actually doing this to attempt to accomplish some sort of result"

I can see where he thinks that this is a fad that will pass, I have done that so many times before saying that this was the way I would keep forever.
I ALSO have pretty bad skin, so I can see where he would wonder why I would do something that MAKES my skin worse, even though I explained it...

I am also dodging silly extended family restaurant outings with Grandmothers who think I am being crazy and "restrictively" unhealthful. Hopefully this will pass and I can have some proof behind this raw path I have chosen!!!!!

[Lay-Lay]

I don't really see this is an issue anymore. I just take it all with a grain of sea salt, haha!

[Bingka]

Lily, you said
They think it's one of my mad crazes and it will pass.

I have been thinking about this in my own life. If you have a habit of starting things, then quitting them, what can you expect others to think? Most of us on this forum have the same problem. We have been searching for the right thing for us for so long that people think we are nuts.

I think you should admit that you have tried alot of things that did not feel right after awhile. You have been searching for the answer to your health and have finally found it. You cannot expect everyone who knows you to beleive this is permanent if you have a track record for quitting things. You need to prove it before you will get the respect and understanding you are asking for.....

Stick with it. Do it for yourself and let everyone else have their beliefs. Be the shining example that they need.

Ken

[swingbolder]

Lily, you said

I have been thinking about this in my own life. If you have a habit of starting things, then quitting them, what can you expect others to think? Most of us on this forum have the same problem. We have been searching for the right thing for us for so long that people think we are nuts.
Ken

"Continuing the search" and "quitting" are not the same thing, although others may see it that way. Going back to SAD would be quitting, IMO.

[Melindaxl]

Lily, I actually think it's good for us to be around friends and family that aren't raw foodest so we can set a good example for them! Now don't get me wrong, we should set a limit so it don't make us weak!
Anyway here's what I do when ever I'm going to eat with friends and family and it's not at a restaurant. I take something to be prepared. like take a salad and some fruit or a big bowl of cut up fruits or vegetables! You can also make a veggie tray and make your own dip out of avocados and say well I see most of the time you don't have any of the raw foods so I thought I would help you out! Then you would have plenty of raw food to eat and maybe incourage your friends or family to eat some of it too. If they ask why you brought your own food, then I say well sorry I can't eat any of this because 1) it's cooked, 2) it has animal products in it and 3) I only eat raw vegan foods! Then if they see your not going to eat it then maybe next time they'll try to make a salad or something you can eat! If not just always be prepared then you won't have to worry about it!
Anyways I hope this gives you some ideas and helps you! Have a great raw day!

Melindaxl

[lily]

My goodness, I feel incredibly loved and supported by you all. Each of your responses has been helpful to me -- and stregthened my resolve.

I've also realised that if there wasn't the tiniest chink of doubt -- or the ability to be swayed -- within me, then they wouldn't be able to upset me (my non-raw friends and family, that is).

I like Melindaxi's point about turning things around and actually thinking of positively influencing others to try the life-style. That was certainly always my approach with vegetarianism, and I never thought twice about it -- it's exactly the same principle here. So I'll be a bit more proactive in future.

One thing -- I keep thinking I must do it perfectly, be the perfect weight, be the perfect picture of health etc before I dare make any claims about being raw, so maybe I've been a bit quiet and almost 'apologetic' about it. So I've had a hard time from myself AND from others -- and I bet there are lots of us here who do that. But this revelation came as a result of reading your thoughts which have given me renewed inspiration as well as strategies.

So thank you all.

lily x

[Bingka]

Swingbolder - I agree with what you said. That was my meaning, but worded incorrectly.

Ken

[spicyfull]

It's your Journey. You are in the Drivers seat. You choose to take directions from a back seat driver.............