Raw Blahs--advice??

[bellabella]

Hi Everyone
I could really use some post support now. I will try to make this as brief as I can. Over a week ago I was really sick from two of the pasta recipes in Alissa's book. I realized I cannot tolerate nuts in large concentrated amounts. I've also struggled with not having all of these devices . . . I've tried to get cheaper versions....with the food processor not blending properly and the dehydrator seems to be useful only for fruit. I feel as though this lifestyle is geared toward the rich and famous, because there are tonnes of recipes that require things I have never heard of before and don't have the time to go and find. And then there's the cost of organics and RAW....which isn't anything to smirk about. And for me, the response "money should not be considered along with health" is rather glib . . . because you can't pull it out of thin air if you don't have any.
And sometimes, without being able to make most of the nut laden recipes, you just dont WANT a piece of fruit or something hard,cold, and green.

Can anyone relate? I'm slipping away. . . . . . .!!

[Strong]

I can understand how you are feeling. I remember your post from last week. I also felt sick after the fettuchini.....Not sure why.

Currently, I have a hard time eating raw for dinner. I really do feel more satisfied with a cooked meal at the end of the day. I am focusing on staying raw until dinner and this is working for me, for now. I have more energy. I need less sleep and I am sleeping better. I have lost only 5 lbs in the last 4 months, but I am sure that is because I am not following the path to a T as described in Alissa's book. But, I am heading it the right direction and I am almost/completly satisfied most days until dinner with raw.

So,....I do undertand. Find your own way down the raw path.

[GlimR]

bella~
Sorry to hear you have a case of the mullygrubs! We all get ups and downs regardless of what we are eating and sometimes you just have to be patient and wait out the down times. I am not rich and famous, that's for sure but I try to spend what money I ahve on what I beleive is beneficial for my health and that includes raw food. If you can't eat nut heavy food then don't. You've learned that about yourself so move on from there. I have a cheap food processor and it is fantastic for most things but there are some that I just don't try to make in it.

As for the food ingredients themselves there are plenty of things to make that only require simple, easily had ingredients, common raw foods that are available in most grocery stores. There are tons of recipes all over the net.

I don't mean to sound insensitive because I know there can be points at which we all really struggle and on raw is no exception....but...if you believe in raw and what it can potentially do for your body, your health you will find a way to make it work for you within the bounds of what you have to work with. Attitude IS a big part of success and whether you enjoy the trip. If you face this in a positive way it will be a positive experience, even though not easy at times. If you see it as a drag and a hardship it will certainly BE that.

Wishing you joy on whatever path you chose.

[bellabella]

THANK you raw friends. I got back onto my "dehydrator hourse" and just began to make some dry fruit....so that I can see the benefits of how it will work for me, until I can figure out the whole cracker thing...

AND the date nut torte that didn't sit well with me, well, I hand't thrown it out yet, instead I scraped off the icing and use a chunk of it in my Green smoothie this morning. It tastes wonderful....so I woke up with a new perspective, and asked for help from you guys...no am coffee.....I'm moving in the right directions so far....sometimes I just don't like feeling so focused on FOOD..you know? So much energy in the beginning stages of this lifestyle goes to food, and I have a history of an eating disorder...so it's easy for me to get obsessive, and also very easy to get really ashamed and down when I "slip". Thes are my challenges, but still pressing forward. There has to be a reason why RAW keeps coming back again and again and again, despite these frustrations. I haven't given up yet :)

[lafsalot]

I think with any "diet' change, there is a period of adjustment. Green smoothies helped me with the transition, and even now, are a main staple of my eating lifestyle.

Success (whether you equate that with weight loss, mental clarity, healing/health, etc) on the raw road invariably leads to more enthusiasm and better adherence to the raw way.

It took Alissa quite some time - might want to listen to some of the RawkinRadio shows.

Wishing you much success on your raw journey ~ Cathy

[GlimR]

bellabella~
I never would have thought of putting pieces of the torte in a smoothie...cool idea!!:) When I first tried to do raw I hated everything I made...I wanted it to really taste like sad food and it just doesn't. Eventually though I found things that I liked and make them routinely now to round out the other "unmessed" with raw staples.
So glad to see you feeling better...*hug*

[EZ rider]

I think the very best part of raw where there is the most benefit to be gained both in health and weight achievement is done not with expensive equipment but with the food. IMO, to get the most benefit from the raw lifestyle a person needs to focus on the simple aspects of raw like eating foods that are simply prepared, fresh, and raw and eat raw 100%.

[solarliving]

Flax crackers are super easy. Just soak the flax in water over night and spread on teflex sheet, dehydrate. I make my plain and spread almond butter on them or use them with avacado dip. You can make them more complicated if you want to add different flavors to them. Also smoothies are the mainstay in my diet. Whether I feel like a green smoothie or a mostly fruit smoothie with some dandelions, I have one every morning for breakfast. As for organics I tend to buy things like greens organic and stuff I want to eat the skin such as zucchini. Other than that I resort to non-organic.

They dehydrator can be useful for warming up vegetables, making crackers, crusts, cookies, fruit wraps, etc.. Honestly I use it for crackers right now and that's it. I prefer my fruit fresh. I've also add sprouted lentils and seaweeds to my diet which are pretty cheap and provide good source of protein and minerals.

Hope this helps : )

[Spiral Leana]

hi bella, I think it is wise that you pointed out that food can become the central issue really easily for you. I have the same tendency right now and can honestly say that when I get blahs are not usually about the food at all

take the food out of the equation and contemplate the same feeling...maybe there is something else there that needs attention or fulfillment

I don't think eating something else will take it away it will only temporarily change it...perhaps?

[bellabella]

Solarliving...
what ARE these teflex sheets? Where do I get them? grocery store? which section?
I have no clue what these are!

[bellabella]

Thanks Spiral. . . . you're absolutely right. The frustration, etc..... coming from elsewhere. It's easy to stuff down with SAD foods that have no nutritional value but a lot of greasy taste, and the cycle begins . . . perhaps it's time to investigate . . .

[justinesmith]

Bellabella ~ you can use wax paper in your dehydrator as well. I can't afford new sheets right now and have been using wax paper which is relatively cheap. Good luck on your journey. By the way, you can order teflex sheets from Alissa if you want.

[agumble]

Hi bella,

I know what you mean about the pasta recipes not sitting well.......I couldn't stomach the fettucini alfredo or the pad thai either. But I've found others that seem to satisfy my cravings other than just salad and fruits......the collard rolls and stuffed portabellas are some of my favorites when I start craving protein, and they're easy to make. I'm a grad student, so I'm definitely on a budget too and spending more than I'd like to be. After a couple trips to the grocery store, I think the trick is to find the recipes with the fewest and cheapest ingredients. I've also gotten away making a decent number of foods between the food processor, blender, and juicer, without the dehydrator. Good luck with everything, and try to stick with it......the health benefits are worth the effort.

[Spiral Leana]

well as RUMI says bella, you can't be a doctor without a broken leg....my wisdom comes from experience

the teflex sheets come WITH the expensive dehydrators...pretty sure..I used wax paper when I did my bread/cracker experiments seemed to work fine;)

hope you haven't slipped. I am so convinced now in the difference of quality energy with the raw..if you eat something else at least try to keep to a wholesome food, blessings

[bellabella]

This is what I mean....I just googled them, and they're about $8 a piece!!! Are they reusable??? Is there no "normal" grocery store substitute? Honestly, I tried Wax paper already and it dried right into my mix. I had to throw it ALL in the garbage :(

[Spiral Leana]

bella, I think they are re-usable....also what I remember doing with the wax paper was once my dough dried a little on the top layer, I flipped them so the wet was on top and the dry on the bottom.....still messy, less sticky

[Queen Bean]

I agree that the raw diet can be complicated and expensive if you want to be fulfilled, especially at first. Of course it can be made very simple, but usually, at the start, you are unable to maintain such a light diet. Buying a dehydrator and all of the other accoutrements associated with raw is expensive. Plus, the act of dehydrating means that you have to plan ahead. You can't just get home from work and throw something in there and it will be ready in half an hour. It is a real learning curve. That is why I have to transition. Over the course of the transition, I will eat less cooked and more raw, while building up my skills in terms of being able to prepare a variety of raw foods.

[bellabella]

Weel, I guess the wax paper didn't work maybe because my dehydrator is too hot....or something, god knows.....but I can't afford an expensive one and won't be returning it. so.... if anyone says raw is easy, or inexpensive, it just aint' true!!!

[solarliving]

Bella- the Teflex sheets are reusable. I have 2. You just rinse them off when you're done. Basically with the crackers, you spread on teflex, dehydrate till fairly firm then flip onto a regular tray without sheet and continue to dehydrate. Walaa crackers. I used to grind the flax seeds prior but now I just soak as is in water and spread. What's expensive is buying the flax crackers in the store. I think when someone starts raw it can be expensive if you want to buy all the gadgets, but if you think about cooking, you have to buy a stove, pots and pans, etcc..It isn't necessary to buy everything at once and honestly a lot of long time raw foodists eat pretty simply. Once you have some basic ingredients you can do a lot with them. This is generally what I buy based on what I like:

Fruits-bananas, oranges, lemon, strawberries, apples, avocados, cucumbers, tomatoes
greens-Kale, chard, parsley, cilantro, dandelion
veggies-zucchini, carrots, celery
Seaweeds- Nori, kelp, wakame, arame
Nuts/Seeds- Cashews, walnuts, pumpkin, sesame, sunflower seeds, almond butter, flax seeds
beans- Lentils
Grains- I don't do those right now.

Most of it lasts a while too, so basically when I shop all I need to stock up on is fruit, greens, and veggies.