Trying but...

[rayelynn]

Hey everyone. Thanks for all your support yesterday. I am the one who is pregnant and trying to be more healthy. I have decided to take many of your advice and increase my raw intake and have some "healthy cooked" as well. I have decided not to beat myself up over slip ups as I always do in the past. That always leads binging. Today I had apples for breakfast, soup and salad for lunch, and am having a big salad with advacado and nuts for dinner. I have also had SEVERAL Hershey Kisses throughout the day. (They are right next to the fax machine.) But, hey, I did increase the raw food intake!!!

My question is that we are expecting a baby and finances are tight. We are not equipped to buy the dehydrators, expensive juicers (we do have a Walmart brand one) food processors, etc... Is it possible to eat raw without these things? If I am eating better foods, but not organic is it ok? I live in a very small town and organic is very hard to come by here, plus when its available- its SUPER expensive.

Plus, sometimes, (I know this sounds horrible), but sometimes, just the thought of green, healthy food makes me sick. I literally couldn't eat a salad at all the first trimester. Its getting better, but a big fat burger always sounds much more appealing than a salad. Is this normal addiction? Does it go away?

Thanks for all your help and continued support.

raye lynn

[rayelynn]

Oh yeah, and I can't stand the taste of "natural" sweeteners like carob and date flavored foods. Is this the addiction to refined sugars? Will the taste get better when I give up the Junk?

Thanks again,

Raye Lynn

[Pailani]

My question is that we are expecting a baby and finances are tight. We are not equipped to buy the dehydrators, expensive juicers (we do have a Walmart brand one) food processors, etc... Is it possible to eat raw without these things? If I am eating better foods, but not organic is it ok?

Plus, sometimes, (I know this sounds horrible), but sometimes, just the thought of green, healthy food makes me sick.

I have a Walmart dehydrator sitting on my counter, it's been there two months and I haven't used it even once. You can do a high raw diet without one! I don't use my expensive juicer, either. I use my Walmart food processer and my blender. I make green smoothies in the blender (fruit smoothies with greens thrown in, and stevia drops if I want it really sweet!) and blended soups. I make raw chili or banana ice cream in the food processer. I don't usually buy organic, I can't afford it.

I had started eating pretty healthy when I got pregnant, but then in my first trimester, the only thing that ever sounded good was graham crackers and chocolate soy milk! It didn't last the entire pregnancy, though. Try a sweet, green smoothie. If you can fit that in once a day, you'll get some green, healthy food. And you can work up to adding more as you feel more up to it.

[Pailani]

I can't stand the taste of "natural" sweeteners like carob and date flavored foods. Is this the addiction to refined sugars? Will the taste get better when I give up the Junk?

It's hard to tell whether it's your addiction to refined sugars, or your pregnancy hormones that can make things taste bad. Just keep trying, your tastes can change. Especially if you're pregnant, they can change drastically.

I add stevia drops to my smoothies, I couldn't stand it in tea (it tasted like saccharin!) but in some things, it's really good. It's also safe, since it's not artificial. A bottle is expensive, but mine has lasted two months and isn't even half empty yet. I got it at the health food store.

[DotfromOz]

I've always loved dates, so no problem for me there, but I hated carob when I used to eat it. Now, I've found I really REALLY like the raw carob powder Alissa's store sells here on the site. It has a great flavor, much better than the roasted carob I'd had before.

As others have said, your tastes might change a lot after you have your baby. I noticed that the hormonal changes of menopause majorly affected what tasted good to me or what I wanted to eat. I couldn't stand the thought of some SAD foods I'd always really liked when I was going through the worst of that.

Getting used to eating raw and figuring out what you want to eat even when you have a fridge full of stuff can be such a frustrating experiment sometimes.

[rayelynn]

Again, you guys are great. Thanks so much for your input.

P, can I ask what kind of greens you put in your smoothies that dont make them lose their flavor and sweetness?


Pregnancy is the weirdest thing I have ever experienced. One day I bought a hummus wrap and thought it was the best thing I have ever eaten. The next day, I went to eat the other half and I nearly vomited from the smell of opening up the container and had to throw it away.

Thanks again,

Raye Lynn

[Rawkinlocs]

Oh yeah, and I can't stand the taste of "natural" sweeteners like carob and date flavored foods. Is this the addiction to refined sugars? Will the taste get better when I give up the Junk?

Thanks again,

Raye Lynn

Yes! As you increase your raw intake and your body and palette gets cleaned, then you might find yourself accepting the flavor of things you currently do not. But then again, not everyone likes carob or dates, so it could just be that you don't like them. But I believe that over time, if you eat things sweetened with dates you will like it better.

[Pailani]

what kind of greens you put in your smoothies that dont make them lose their flavor and sweetness?

My basic smoothie is one granny smith apple, a ring of fresh pineapple and 4 or 5 huge leaves of dark green lettuce. I add up to 10 drops of stevia if I want it really sweet, that makes it taste like green applesauce. I might also add a small handful of alfalfa sprouts and a stalk or two of celery.


Pregnancy is the weirdest thing I have ever experienced.

The weirdest--and the best! Looking forward to a baby is the most wonderful thing on earth--well, next to actually snuggling the baby itself! :)

[DotfromOz]

...but I'll stick with cats for my nurturing. You can shove them off your lap onto the floor when you get tired of cuddling, and they go away for a while. From what I've heard, you get visits from social workers or arrest warrants for shoving babies off your lap like that. ;)