I am a cooked food addict

[RebeccaI]

Several weeks ago I read Victoria's book "12 steps to Raw Food" which discussed the SAD diet as an addiction to be conquered much like alcoholism. Frankly I didn't really buy it. I ate the SAD diet because that is how I was raised, that is what I was used to and it was what I was comfortable with - not because I was addicted! Some people always have to take things to such ridiculous extremes I thought.

I went 100% raw one week ago because I felt terrific doing it. Even the detox wasn't too bad at least until that point. I am overweight and this is the only thing that seems to cause my body to just melt weight off and believe me I have tried about everything under the sun. I have 5 children and want to be healthy and happy for them. I was waking up after 5-8 hours of sleep, had more energy and tons of motivation. Life was good. It was a decision but it wasn't TOO hard. Then.....

Saturday night my husband ordered pizza and we had huge fresh chocolate chip cookies for dessert. As I served my children, I thought one bit won't hurt me - it smells so good! So I had a bit and went back to my salad. Half an hour later I was back and ate a whole piece and then another. I chastised myself - that is more than enough. An hour later, I was back in the kitchen for another and another before I went to bed.

The next day I woke up shocked but still not convinced about the addiction thing. As my busy day progressed, I just didn't "want" my usual raw yummies. Well, I thought today IS a holiday so I will eat with my family and sooo I did. Tons of it. Tacos and toffee and ice cream sundaes and cookies and nachos and pretty much went on a total bender. About halfway through I came to a horrible realization, I felt terrible but I couldn't/wouldn't/really didn't want to stop eating.

This morning I woke up feeling something close to a hangover - my eyes are puffy, fingers so swollen I can't move my ringer, my nose is running and my throat is sore, my head is pounding, I am queasy and I have golf ball size nodules in my neck just to name a few physical symptoms. And.....

I am ecstatically, wonderfully happy! I know! I am really truly addicted to cooked food. 100% is the road for me. I am going to go through each step of Victoria's book and follow it faithfully. I am so very grateful to all of you for all your support as my stubborn mind has been digested all of the new information it has been presented with. I will find a raw food buddy I can talk to daily and get together with regularly and find potlucks and other support events in my area. I will be an inspiration to those around me as my health, attitude, and life begin to change. I will not preach or force my life choices on anyone else but rather simply answer the questions they ask when they are ready to ask them.

I have always said that I am a bit of a slow learner and that Jesus needs to pretty much thump me over the head with the obvious sometimes and I am ever thankful to Him that He did that this time. I know not everyone has such a drastic reaction to a little binge on cooked food. But He knew exactly what I needed. What an incredible, blessed way to start a new year! (even though I am feeling yucky! LOL)

Blessings to you all this new year!

[BuddyLive]

Thank you for the inspiring story, Rebecca. I truly know what you are talking about. I can't touch any cooked food at all, or I go into this awful, raging craving. Last week I bought some frozen organic corn and warmed it up before I ate it. Man, it set me off for about two days. I think they must have cooked it before they froze it. I feel so blessed to be on this path, it gets easier to stay all raw as time goes on. Cooked food is "truly" an addiction.

May we all rock on raw in 2007!

Buddy

www.lifeonlivingfood.com

[Alba]

that is so good for you!
what a wonderful beginning of the new year!
Good luck with it - I am sure you are goign to do great!
Love alba

[Sharon in Colorado]

Isn't it a great realization when we use ourselves to prove a theory? I've had this happen to me as well - "just one flour tortilla" led to a whole string of cooked stuff. And the cooked hang overs are totally evidential of the damage that cooked food does to an cleaner body.

[Raw Jewelrylady]

Hi- Been there...done that....I have terrible *cooked hangovers* as well. No fun...but it does keep me *truckin* on Raw.

Victoria's book is GREAT! I need to re-read it again.

Thanks for the thread..very reminding.. :)

Lana

[everclear]

I have that book, I need to finish reading it!

I had the same thing happen to me a few days ago. I ate one cooked food, and it got completely out of control and I binged and in the morning felt completely awful!

Good luck with your raw journey! :)

[rawwannabe]

I hear you loud and clear Rebecca. I too recently read 12 Steps to Raw Food. Last night, I ate ate a cooked meal, and could barely eat! I did eat a bit of each course, and was queasy from last night until about two hours after my my kale/celery/apple juice....and Pepto Bismol at 2 a.m. I did recall Victoria's explanation about how medicines "heal", but succumbed to the Pepto because, after all, it WAS 2 a.m., and I wanted to sleep!

[chilove]

Hi there,

A slip up is sometimes a blessing in disguise. It lets know how diligent some of us need to be about staying 100% raw. One bite really can lead to days (and weeks and months) of cooked food binging. You have the right attitude!

It's also a great opportunity to feel how much better our bodies function on raw food. There is nothing like waking up feeling horrible to remind us that the momentary pleasure of eating cooked food is simply not worth it.

All the best,

Audrey
www.rawhealing.com