14 year old wanting to know more about raw

[1ee1isa]

Hi Everyone!
I was wondering if i could have some help from you guys
Im 14 and im a vegetarian, but im really interested in raw food and having a raw life style. I mean, i've always known that vitamins get burned when you cook them but as i reasearch more, things start to make more and more sence.

Im worried though, about 1) what my parents would say, and everyone else and 2) about my vitamins because im still growing, oviously ive been proven that you get more vitamins from eating raw, but then why does no body know about it?
Ive really wanted to become a vegan, but my parents and our former vegan friend said that she sort of regerts it, i dont know why though
but being a vegan and being raw is so different! and there are a lot of different reasons for choosing each thing.

Anyways i would really recomend any information that you all have to offer, ill talk to you all later

[Sharon in Colorado]

Welcome - You are doing the right thing. It is really important to have accurate information about raw food, because if your parents get concerned or think you have an eating disorder, you'll have the right tools to defend yourself.

Check some raw books out from the library on raw foods. When you see important stuff that makes sense to you, tag it with a paper clip or post it note, then copy it. Make copies of relavant information like protein, calcium, etc. Make sure you write down the source (book and author) if it's not already on the page.

The China Study by Dr. T. Colin Campbell is probably one of the best books out right now on protein, fat and calcium from plant foods. This will be really important with your parents especially if they are big on animal foods and dairy, or believe that those food make you healthy.

I just got through reading another book called 80/10/10 by Dr. Douglas Graham. It is very scientific and there is just a slew of info in there on why raw food is so healing and superior to cooked.

I would try to get books that were written by doctors just because to your parents and/or other authoritative figures in your life, it give the books and information within more credibility.

Share this info with your parents up front. Don't try to hide it and then all of a sudden become a raw foodist. Let them know what's going on, whether you think they'll take it well or not. It's important not to act or appear like you are hiding something from them.

Meanwhile, just eat more fruits and veggies, and bigger salads. Start with breakfast and eat as much fruit as you can until you are full. Not only is this good for you and will fill you up (because it takes the place of filling bread and cereal type products) but it will show your parents that you are eating a lot of food.

Slowly add more fruits, veggies and salads to your diet, while slowly weaning off the animal foods and grains. You don't need to be in a huge hurry. Make a schedule if you want to give yourself a goal date to be free of refined products, then another date to be off animal foods, then another to be off grains, etc.

Let us know how it goes!