Newbie Questions

[Jenni]

Hi everyone,

I'm just starting to transition from a vegan diet to a raw-vegan diet, but I have one major concern. I'm really sensitive to the cold, and I'm afraid that without cooked food, I'll get even colder! Winter's coming and I really don't want it to ruin my new lifestyle, but I was wondering how you guys cope? Lots of hot herbal tea in between meals?!

Thanks for your time,

Jenni

[Zaphirah]

some people do drink hot tea. My plan is to get thru my 1st winter in this tiny hill town known for HORRIBLE winters by using tea, if need be. Then hopefully by next winter I will have it more figured out. (I'm scared of winter this year. I live on a mountain. People wear making fun of me yesterday when I work a hat, big sweater, scarf and gloves to a soccer game. It was 55 degrees. OTHER PARENTS HAD ON TEE-SHIRTS!!!!!!!!!!! I am so screwed.LOL!

[sport]

I found that the first winter I was very cold but the second winter I was fine so try to stick with it if you can.
The destination is worth the journey.
I continued to take tea for well more than a year after going raw. It helped me to transition so I felt that it was justified.
I also would put a spoonfull of miso in a mug of warm water to heat me up. I still take a mug of warm water sometimes.

[lafsalot]

Here's a few suggestions:

*dress warmly
*exercise
*make any raw soup and heat it up till just warm to the touch
*add spices that add "heat" to raw foods
*leave fruits out and eat at room temps
*you can make "hot chocolate" with raw cacao powder/agave nectar, nut butter, and lukewarm water

[ladypeace82]

this is my first raw winter. and I've already been freezing. mostly indoors though. Especially at work and school. I haven't made much to use a whole bunch of spice, simple and cheap right now. But I have left fruit out to eat at room temps instead of keeping them in the fridge. I've been doing that for a week now. It's helped some. I've stopped drinking cold water. I let it warm to room temp. I brought a jacket, a heating pad, blanket, and some socks to work. At night school.....I just freeze.
:)

[Radiantly Raw]

I'm cold right now and it's only around 66 degrees or so! Fall is my favorite time of year and I love the weather! I've never felt cold during fall though, so this is new to me. I've been raw for 10 weeks. We already leave all of our fruit out, and drink room temp water. And I had to buy jackets for my kids several weeks ago because of the air conditioning at stores and church. Our own AC is running much less. I'm in Florida, by the way!! :eek: LOL!

I plan on using spices to heat me up, seems like that will have a more lasting effect than warm beverages. I like herbal tea, but I won't boil the water, or I'll let it cool off a good bit before adding to the herbs. I wouldn't want to cook my tea now!

I hope to have a VitaMix soon, and I'll be able to warm soups & hopefully "hot" chocolate though. If I add warming spices to these, all the better, right?!

Although not related to winter- I was reading about feeling cold last night in Alissa's book & she mentions that it's a detox symptom. I think this applies to us, since we are in Florida after all, and we've been feeling cold for a while. I know we can make it through the winter though, here it only lasts till January & it's intermittent usually. Warm, then cool, cold, then warm again. I would love to have a real winter actually. But maybe not my first one raw!

[Jenni]

Interesting, does that mean you're not supposed to have hot water on a raw food diet? Because I certainly intend to! The amount of herbs in herbal tea would mean that surely such a small percentage of the diet would be "cooked", it wouldn't really be any concern, right?

[EZ rider]

The amount of herbs in herbal tea would mean that surely such a small percentage of the diet would be "cooked", it wouldn't really be any concern, right?IMO, anything in the diet that isn't raw and the diet isn't 100% all raw. But hey maybe 99% is right for you ?


This is my first winter all raw and so far I havn't had any noticeable effect from the changing season. I don't use anything hot or warm in my foods or beverages and it feels very comfortable to me so far. I have taken to wearing more clothes but that always happens to me when fall arrives. So far everything feels "normal" for me so far and I'm still using plenty of ice in my smoothies.

[Yeshia]

This will be my first raw winter in Montreal , minus 45 before long :eek:

I always have cold feet an after effect of the Chemotherapy, so maybe I will be alright, though I must admit I am colder than usual. I thought it was due to the fact that I do Brikman (HOT ) Yoga most days.

He he I still have plenty of fat to insulate me a little.
We cant keep fruit out here cos the fruit flies are a real pest.

I thought tea was a big no no also:confused:

I am not sure if I will warm things up unless I am desperate, I think as I am used to the raw I don't want to open the door to a feeling of cooked again, as I am not missing it, and therefore do not want to be reminded lol am I making sense.

I am sorry if I am not answering your question this is more, me pondering the issue.:D

Last thought:) what ever the temperature of the food or drink it is warmed in the stomach soo.... its really a psychological warming thing , a comfort hot chocolatey feeling , rather that a physical warming. Except the feeling on your hands of the warm mug and lol you can get that with out drinking it he he

Hmmm enough of my rambling.

[Radiantly Raw]

Interesting, does that mean you're not supposed to have hot water on a raw food diet? Because I certainly intend to! The amount of herbs in herbal tea would mean that surely such a small percentage of the diet would be "cooked", it wouldn't really be any concern, right?

Oh that just depends on what you decide for yourself! ;) I don't know if your "supposed" to have hot water or not!? For me, I just don't want to cook my herbs with hot water, because like everything else in the raw diet, I want it as fresh as possible! I buy bulk dried herbs online as well, not normal tea bags, since I don't know if those are heat treated. So far, I haven't had much luck making herbal tea with warm water, it's like the warm water doesn't penetrate the leaves like hot water used to. I have heard sun tea is ideal, but in the winter I don't know if that would work at all! No worries though, it's just another one of those personal choices. The way I see it, we have lots of freedom in this lifestyle!:D

[Aleesha Sattva]

i've been raw since august 15thish... and i'm not cold at all. although my feet do get a bit cooler... so i just make sure i'm wearing socks. :P

[northernstars]

They told me at the hospital that I may feel a lot colder since I had the stroke. Now I am adding the raw foods and am definately feeling the cold this year! We already have snow outside and it is just at freezing temps and below now.

I am wearing long sleeved shirts and hope to stay warm, but that really hasn't helped that much. I have always stayed hot except for this winter.

[EZ rider]

my feet do get a bit cooler... I like to wear insulated boots when its cold. I got them on sale at Walmart a couple of years ago for $22 and they are a nice looking camouflage hiking boot that is nice and cozy and comfy.

[crystalmoon]

Hi Jenni Im in the Uk & where I live we often have long dark cold & windy winters. Im joining the November 30 day challenge but already on a high raw diet I am really feeling the cold (& Ive got an extra 100 lbs I need to release working as padding right now LOL). I dont think I can get through the cold months without drinking at least warm water from time to time, especially as my rented house doesnt have good heating. Im going to use up my herbal teabag supply in my baths.

[Riiiya]

i plan to purchase a little thermometer for baking (or whatever) and use it when i warm up my soups!! hmm we'll see how that works

Also- "warm" stuff like cinnamon, hot peppers.. garlic! hmm

i hope i survive the raw winter :o

[sport]

You could deprive yourself of tea when it would really make a differance to your ability to stay raw and then discover that some of the nuts or seeds you were eating were not fully raw.
I take this way of life seriously but I think that it would be a mistake to get paranoid.

[slmcarte]

I know what you mean. green smoothies are my favorite thing in the world... and I don't want to go a whole winter without them! The problem for me, is I generally like them cold (with ice)...it's hard for me to wake up in a cold house and want to make a cold drink. :Brrrrr!:

I've been;
1. Eating my green smoothies next to a space heater :).
2. Or just taking out some fruits/veggies out of the fridge the night before so that it's room temp. (In the morning I make my salad and let it sit out until lunch, so that it's not cold).
3. Or I have herbal tea. Maybe it's not raw, and maybe I cook out the nutrients, but I don't see it as having a negatvie effect either -, so I'll drink it, By Golly!
4. My mil and sil have been known to take more warm baths in the winter (esp. after a green smoothie!)

[Shell]

You could deprive yourself of tea when it would really make a differance to your ability to stay raw and then discover that some of the nuts or seeds you were eating were not fully raw.
I take this way of life seriously but I think that it would be a mistake to get paranoid.

I completely agree!

Jenni ~ I REEEEEAAALLLYYY don't think that a little tea in a time of need is going to derail you from your raw path, if that's what you need to make it through! Plus, herbal teas are beneficial, IMO, so I'm going to continue with them, even when I join the November challenge. So sip away, my friend! That's what I say!

[EZ rider]

Usually you get out of something what you put into it right ? Well I have found that is not the case with raw. When you get to 100% totally all fresh raw a synergism occurs that is fantastic and when you get there you'll know what I mean. But I don't think you will experience it at 90% raw or 95% raw or 99% raw or even 100% raw its got to be 100% fresh raw IMO. You can get good results with "high raw" and if your satisfied with that then that is good.

[Joyeuse]

I've only been raw for less than a week, so I'm new also. But I have been a whole, natural foods person for several years.

I really like making a gingerale type of drink and drink it with meals, it is raw and keeps me warm from the inside out. To make 2 quarts/litres, I take a piece of fresh ginger and peel and grate it (about 1/2 cup grated, use a bit less maybe halfif you find it too strong but we like it like this) and juice 1-2 limes by hand and spoon (take seeds out) and 1 lemon, add 1/2-3/4 cup of your choice of sweetener according to your taste and top with fresh water until equals 2 quarts/litres. I then shake it up well and let it sit at room temperature for 2-3 days (2 in warm weather, 3 in colder), the lemon juice will preserve it. Then strain and store in fridge, you can drink it cold or at room temperature.

Also as a sidenote, I also have thyroid issues that make me cold. Hormonal changes can do that too. I read alot of good things about raw macca powder and will be ordering some and taking 1-3 tsp. a day by mixing it with carob things (carob pudding, almond carob balls, etc.). Macca is very nutrient-dense as well and a whole food. Usually macca goes for 25-35 dollars a pound in Canada but I found a place online that sells it in Canada for $15 a pound, you're in Canada too. It's www.realrawfood.com and they're Canadian. Also raw dulse added to salads is very nourishing, yummy and is supposed to be very good for the hormonal system too. I say supposed to because I am just starting as you are but have read theses things in books and online from other raw fooders.

HTH!

[Raspberry4]

Slmcarte- I agree with liking my smoothies cold; however, the last couple of days I have been adding coconut oil to them without ice (it does not let the coconut oil get incorporated too well) and they hve been pretty good anyway. Try it without the ice and see if you like it.

Spices to add heat - cumin, cayenne pepper, cinnamon, ginger.

Also - I just always have an extra sweater on in the cold and seem to do fine. Plus it's a good reason to snuggle up to dh at night to try to stay warm - gotta love that! ;)