Why are you raw??

[tanishamarshall]

I ask this question because I have read numerous times that Raw does not necessarily extend our lifespan, so I am wondering, why do you eat raw?

I will start first:

I eat Raw because I do not believe we have to suffer. I believe that by eating raw we are eating the way nature intended for us to eat. I also believe that the diseases we have today are not necessary they are here because of our SAD Diets.

I also believe the reason why just being raw alone may not extend our lives is because of years of abuse with food being passed down in our genes and by us changing now we could provide stronger healthier genes that can change our family line and possibly they will be able to live longer, if they stay raw.

What are your thoughts?

[magglepie]

I eat raw because I have more energy and I feel better. I feel emotionally and physically better than when I eat cooked food.

I eat raw because it is better on the environment as well.

[mindlikewater]

#1) Digestion RAWKS!

#2) No animals are harmed in the process of eating that banana

#3) Much less waste is produced from harvesting fruits and veggies than livestock and grains (fun fact: rice paddies and cows produce almost the same amount of methane:eek: )

Sooo, in summary, raw is beneficial for both 1. self 2. other living creatures and 3. planet earth. Yay!

[Eva]

I just feel waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay better than before. I was drinking coffee and taking Ritalin for years yet I still struggled to concentrate. I can focus without anything like that now! I came to raw because of my belly aches. I had no idea my emotions and concentration level would thrive. I also had no idea that I would excel so much with work that my pay would more than double in less than a year.

:) All selfish reasons, really. But through eating raw, I have ended up with a much deeper respect for the planet as well... All together, I have some really good reasons for remaining raw!

[GoingtoRAW]

While I am still not 100% yet I am working very hard to get there.

1). I feel so much better physically and emotionally than I did before.
2). I no longer need an alarm clock to wake me up in the morning.
3). I am thriving on much less sleep and I wake up with boundless energy.
4). My knees don't hurt when I get out of bed in the morning.
5). My depression has lifted which has affected so many areas of my life!
6). I have way better concentration and I can focus better.
7). The excess weight is slowly coming off!
8). I don't dread walking up and down stairs any more.
9). I feel more hopefull about every thing.
10). My skin is glowing.
11). The grey hair is turning dark again.

I could probably go on and on.....all I can say is I look forward to the time when I am 100% raw. If I feel this good now I can only imagine how much better I will feel.:p

[Talley]

Health! I don't want to spend my life on blood pressure meds, cholestrol meds, and develope diabetes and cardiovascular disease! All very prevalent on both sides of my family. Also I was reminded this past week of death as my high school best friend died of cancer 6 weeks after diagnoses. While we can not control it all I want to at least lessen the chance of my children growing up without mommy!
I feel raw is my best bet.

[tanishamarshall]

When I first went raw I thought, hey I might live longer and then discovered that raw may not expand your life it was kind of a shock to me, I thought eating raw would definitely give me a couple more years. I'd rather feel good the rest of my days then to feel sick and tired all of the time.

I agree with all of you. Who would want to live with all of these diseases and be on tons of pills for the rest of your life? The reason why there is medicine is because we are trying to fix what we messed up and unfortunately nothing can fix us as good as plant foods. Plant foods were designed for the human body, but over the years we have changed our way of eating to make it cheaper and to produce food faster. We have taken way to much into our own hands and don't allow nature to run its course, and we wonder why were dying younger and younger.

[justinesmith]

What good is living a long time if you feel like crap for most of it. :D Raw keeps me off depression meds, is helping me control my alcoholism, makes me feel better, look better and I find myself becoming more spiritual. I can more effectively control my stress (I have severe PTSD and adrenal fatigue so this is MAJOR) and it is my belief that stress will kill you just as fast as crummy food. Life is just plain better with raw. RAWK ON!

[RawHeaven]

Tanisha, I choose to be Raw for many of the same reasons you do. I feel that a quality life is more important than living a long, unfulfilled, unhealthy life. I try to live in the present day and pack in as much as possible each and every day. This includes being grateful for every breath I take and for the magnificence of the machine I'm traveling in -- my body. I sometimes don't practice this and can fall into negative thinking like the rest of us, but being Raw somehow helps me bounce back more quickly and I'm more prone not to start the spiral of negative thinking or not appreciating my life as it is Right Now. Because I experienced a life after death experience a few years ago, it changed my thoughts on this subject forever. I know there is an afterlife and I know that it's awesome and I know that there is nothing to fear when we pass on. It's more important to live for today and enjoy and LOVE your body, your friends, your family, yourself and the many gifts that we have on the earth NOW. This includes taking care of the earth and the environment. I believe Raw is another way to do this effortlessly.

The other reasons I choose to be Raw are because it makes me feel tremendous and well and happy. I also believe it is how we should be eating. Should is a strong word, but I believe it to be true.

Have a great day!

[tanishamarshall]

Tanisha, I choose to be Raw for many of the same reasons you do. I feel that a quality life is more important than living a long, unfulfilled, unhealthy life. I try to live in the present day and pack in as much as possible each and every day. This includes being grateful for every breath I take and for the magnificence of the machine I'm traveling in -- my body. I sometimes don't practice this and can fall into negative thinking like the rest of us, but being Raw somehow helps me bounce back more quickly and I'm more prone not to start the spiral of negative thinking or not appreciating my life as it is Right Now. Because I experienced a life after death experience a few years ago, it changed my thoughts on this subject forever. I know there is an afterlife and I know that it's awesome and I know that there is nothing to fear when we pass on. It's more important to live for today and enjoy and LOVE your body, your friends, your family, yourself and the many gifts that we have on the earth NOW. This includes taking care of the earth and the environment. I believe Raw is another way to do this effortlessly.

The other reasons I choose to be Raw are because it makes me feel tremendous and well and happy. I also believe it is how we should be eating. Should is a strong word, but I believe it to be true.

Have a great day!

Wow Crystalzgoneraw Thank you so much for sharing, the near death experience sounds really scary but it also sounds like it changed your life for the better.

Tanisha

[mamabird1953]

I'm raw because I feel better and look better than most 54 yr. olds that I know. My arthritis pains went away, my swellings from wheat and dairy are gone. My skin is clear. When I've blown this way of eating everything comes back. I feel old and week and full of pain and severly depressed. I'm raw because it doesn't hurt anyone, including our animal friends. I want to be a good example to others, my man who is diabetic and 60. lbs overweight (he's going to try raw for 30 days!) I want to be an example to my 20 yr. old son, my 74 yr. old mother, my diabetic brother, and my many friends who are in recovery from drugs and alcohol. Oh yes...because I like it too! One more thing....I stopped dying my hair and it's a beautiful grey and white!

[Nurse in the Raw]

I went raw as an experiment because I wanted to see if eating this way would bring down my iron stores (I have genetic iron overload). For me it is working, I went for my 8 week blood withdrawal yesterday and they told me my iron was not high enough to draw. I was so excited, I almost hugged the guy. This is the lifestyle to embrace for people with Hemochromatosis.

[lily]

I went raw for the same reasons as have already been given but losing weight and looking younger were my main motivations to start with.

I also value so much the independence of not having to depend on food manufactures for my food, being able to eat it in a simple, natural form, and knowing that my food is doing minimal damage to the environment.

Thank you Crystalzgoneraw for what you said about your out of the body experience. I have always believed in a life after death and it's always interesting and encouraging when people like you, who have experienced it, confirm it.

lily

[tanishamarshall]

I went raw as an experiment because I wanted to see if eating this way would bring down my iron stores (I have genetic iron overload). For me it is working, I went for my 8 week blood withdrawal yesterday and they told me my iron was not high enough to draw. I was so excited, I almost hugged the guy. This is the lifestyle to embrace for people with Hemochromatosis.


Wow I'm so happy for you.

[tanishamarshall]

I'm raw because I feel better and look better than most 54 yr. olds that I know. My arthritis pains went away, my swellings from wheat and dairy are gone. My skin is clear. When I've blown this way of eating everything comes back. I feel old and week and full of pain and severly depressed. I'm raw because it doesn't hurt anyone, including our animal friends. I want to be a good example to others, my man who is diabetic and 60. lbs overweight (he's going to try raw for 30 days!) I want to be an example to my 20 yr. old son, my 74 yr. old mother, my diabetic brother, and my many friends who are in recovery from drugs and alcohol. Oh yes...because I like it too! One more thing....I stopped dying my hair and it's a beautiful grey and white!

Mamabrid, have you had to worry about removing the nightshade veggies from your diet? I always here that they are not good for people with Arthritis.

Besides the above congrats on your success and for just being a great example to your family and friends.

[lily]

Could you point me in the direction for finding out more about longevity and raw foods? That would be so helpful, thank you in advance.

lily

[tanishamarshall]

Well I don't think we are allowed to suggest someone elses book on here, and since I can't remember I would email a couple to you but I think you have your profile set so that RFT Members cannot email you. If you like you can email me (By clicking on my username) and I'll provide a few suggestions.

[tanishamarshall]

Or better yet, check out my blog today, I've listed several of the books I've been reading but there is one I'd love to point out to you.

[tanishamarshall]

Well Viva, I'm not "Going to Raw" but I've experienced depression all of my life until I went raw, even at 90% raw I am ok and do not exeperience Depression or Anxiety and I actually find it very hard to have a pity party with myself, I use to do that all the time. When I cry now there is a real reason and not just to make my self feel better or to wallow in my sadness but for a really good reason.

What exactly is it that you want to know?

[tanishamarshall]

You know I re-read your post Viva and congrats on being 27 days raw. I think for all of us our time frame of how things change will be different. I don't know if it was just me maturing that helped me kick the depression but I truly believe it was raw foods, because before raw I was having all kinds of anxiety and depression.

I also hear that it takes some people more time. Are you drinking Green Smoothies? I started drinking those twice a day in the beginning, now I'm down to 1 large one but I'd like to get back to 2 a day.

[Vivafree2]

To improve quality of life or maybe even to have life after all:) and i hope for happy one. I had allergies and thyroid problems and want them to go away:)

[tanishamarshall]

I would have to say after 5 days I started feeling better, I'm not sure why but I find it amazingly unblieveable that things could turn around so fast being that I've dealth with depression since about 13 years old and now I just don't deal with it knock on would and I'm about 5 months raw now, with some mistakes but I always strive to be 100% every day.

I wonder if GoneRaw experienced the in and out of depression.. Maybe she can shed some light on this.

[Eveleaf]

Of course RAW helps us to live longer. Not necessarily in the conventional way of thinking about it, i.e. "If you eat raw you can live to 150 or even 200!" But it will certainly help YOU live longer than you would have if YOU had remained SAD. This is common sense. Your body is healing itself of toxins and ailments and diseases that would have killed you a lot sooner. Maybe on RAW I will live to 80. No, that may not be legendary. But I guarrantee you I would have croaked at least 20 years earlier if I had stayed on SAD. I was over 300 pounds and still packing it on, seriously ill, and heading to an early grave!

Today I saw my doctor and he was absolutely astounded. I have lost over 100 pounds, my blood pressure and resting heart rate were perfectly healthy and normal (bp 120/83, rhr 72), and I am cheerfully bounding around with tons of energy. Even though I have strep throat. I am glowing with life and exuberance. This is so not the "me" I was before, depressed and exhausted and hopeless!


(rah, rah, long live raw) :p

[tanishamarshall]

Of course RAW helps us to live longer. Not necessarily in the conventional way of thinking about it, i.e. "If you eat raw you can live to 150 or even 200!" But it will certainly help YOU live longer than you would have if YOU had remained SAD. This is common sense. Your body is healing itself of toxins and ailments and diseases that would have killed you a lot sooner. Maybe on RAW I will live to 80. No, that may not be legendary. But I guarrantee you I would have croaked at least 20 years earlier if I had stayed on SAD. I was over 300 pounds and still packing it on, seriously ill, and heading to an early grave!

Today I saw my doctor and he was absolutely astounded. I have lost over 100 pounds, my blood pressure and resting heart rate were perfectly healthy and normal (bp 120/83, rhr 72), and I am cheerfully bounding around with tons of energy. Even though I have strep throat. I am glowing with life and exuberance. This is so not the "me" I was before, depressed and exhausted and hopeless!

When I first started to go raw, I had a dear friend, Suze, who was in much better shape then me who went raw with me, really encouraged me and gave me a push in the right direction. I was so grateful for Suze and didn't believe I could keep doing it without her. We would talk on the phone for hours, marvelling in the positive changes we experienced together, feeling so incredible and blessed and grateful for finding this lifestyle.

Quite suddenly Suze got pregnant and had to move to a foreign country for a stay of several years. These two things combined were just too hard for her, and she gave up her dedication to RAW in order to better cope with these new challenges.

This Christmas I got to see Suze again after a year and a half when she came home to visit, and it was *heartbreaking* to see the changes in her. Where I have lost a ton of weight and gained amazing optimism and energy and health, she has put ON a lot of weight (is now heavier than me, which really depressed her), looks swollen and bloated and so, so much older.

But it wasn't just the physical changes that worried me. She was *miserable* almost the entire visit, complaining constantly, obsessing over little details, depressing and controlling everyone around her. This is not the girl I used to know! But it kind of bears a resemblance to the "me" I was before... :(

So there is the other side of things, that YES raw food has impacted, not just my length of life, but also my *quality* of life in a radical way. It does both!!

(rah, rah, long live raw) :p

Yes I agree, I don't think we'll get the 120 and 150 and yes I believe we could die a bit sooner if we continued down the SAD paths, plus we'd be so misrable until the day we die, not fun.

[RawHeaven]

Wow Crystalzgoneraw Thank you so much for sharing, the near death experience sounds really scary but it also sounds like it changed your life for the better.

Tanisha

What was scary was coming back here. ;) :p It was only seconds, but it made an impression on me as I shared with you in the email. It didn't change my life right away, moreso it changed my overall awareness of my life at a later time when I realized what actually took place if this makes any sense. It's all the same I guess, however you word it.

You're a rockstar Tanisha.

Edit: I mean Rawkstar!

[tanishamarshall]

Hey Crystal,

I just got your email about 30-45 mins ago and wow you said more then I could have ever imagined but like I said in my reply, I can't email from work so typing on my cell was quite a task, but I'll be sure to reply when I get home well around 7:30 or 8pm Central time, but for sure all that you said was great if only you know what I wrote in my study time today, you also mentioned something that I just talked with someone else about earlier this morning.. wow. I will have to give you the link to my blog outside of RFT, I'm looking for more people to share there insight on things if they want of course.

I'm kind of beating around the bush because I think we are not suppose to talk about certain things on the board but I'll email you Crystal.

[veggie luver]

Because it makes me feel great!

I know this for a fact after eating just a smidgen of my son's cooked food recently. No meat, just a couple of green beens (which probably had some type of animal grease mixed in!), and a few other things. They are so tempting. I'll be happy when I'm past this point of my raw journey. So, guess I did ingest meat! YUCK! Hopefully, my way of eating will rub off on him eventually. He is open to trying new things. Better than rejecting everything. I only ask him to try it once. I love to see him nibbling on sprouts that I have drying on the paper towels on the countertop! His Dad would probably make some type of negative comment if he were to see him do that.

[StarFire]

Of course RAW helps us to live longer. Not necessarily in the conventional way of thinking about it, i.e. "If you eat raw you can live to 150 or even 200!" But it will certainly help YOU live longer than you would have if YOU had remained SAD. This is common sense. Your body is healing itself of toxins and ailments and diseases that would have killed you a lot sooner. Maybe on RAW I will live to 80. No, that may not be legendary. But I guarrantee you I would have croaked at least 20 years earlier if I had stayed on SAD. I was over 300 pounds and still packing it on, seriously ill, and heading to an early grave!

So there is the other side of things, that YES raw food has impacted, not just my length of life, but also my *quality* of life in a radical way. It does both!!


this is a great thread Tanisha - thank you for starting it... and... I gotta say - I loved your post Eveleaf... and I agree with you completely.

Maybe not in the 'conventional' way Tanisha... but for me... raw has saved my life...

I was head-first into a Vodka bottle, and smoking almost 2 packs of cigarettes a day... living with heart palpatation, sharp pains in my heart and chest - plus pain in my back and neck, migraines... My body was getting ready to shut down, stroke out - do something very serious - I could feel it slowly sliding in that direction...

RAW SAVED MY LIFE.... so for me... it has blessed me with a second chance and it is allowing me to live longer... and I am so grateful...

http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s43/FireStar_830/thawwaherst.gif

[Eveleaf]

Exactly, Starfire, and I'm always so inspired with your story!

I tell everyone, raw foods saved my life. No one who knew me before could possibly question for a moment that I was working hard at killing myself before, and now I finally get to really live! :)

[StarFire]

EveLeaf ----- oH GIRL.... I just bumped up your testimony thread... I had never seen that before :eek:
you are amazing!!! You should Edit the title though to include the word PHOTOS!!! so peeps know that there are pics there!!! Pics say a thousand words!!

raw rawks...

whooops - sorry to momentarily hijack the thread Doc!! :o

http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s43/FireStar_830/wow_bounce.gif

[raweater]

Where did you read about raw not extending lifespan? This sounds absurd to me like it's from some anti vegan/anti raw propaganda and makes no logical sense whatsoever.

The human body can easily live to 100-150 (and many people do, in Hunza the average lifespan is 100-120 with many reaching 140), and the raw diet is a huge part of living that long (you also need good hydration, exercise, stress avoidance, chemical avoidance, sunshine 15 minutes per day with as little clothes as possible on and no sunscreen, there are a few more, but those are the main factors). The raw diet also has to be done properly, if you eat just raw bananas you'll end up with diabetes, cancer, and all sorts of other diseases, it needs variety and no excess of any specific thing either, if you eat raw but 80% from fat, you'll probably get a heart attack anyway (and in fact many raw foodists have 80% fat in their diet and are dying from heart attacks accoridng to a doctor I heard a while ago).

Anyway I'd really lik to know your source that says eating raw doesn't extend life, as I'm 99.99999% sure that study, if it even was a study, is seriously falsified. Don't forget SAD people try to make the raw diet look LESS HEALTHY than the SAD diet, in fact many parents feeding their children raw are being jailed for "child abuse" and having their children kidnapped and poisoned to a life of disease with the "mandatory" SAD diet.

[tanishamarshall]

Where did you read about raw not extending lifespan? This sounds absurd to me like it's from some anti vegan/anti raw propaganda and makes no logical sense whatsoever.

The human body can easily live to 100-150 (and many people do, in Hunza the average lifespan is 100-120 with many reaching 140), and the raw diet is a huge part of living that long (you also need good hydration, exercise, stress avoidance, chemical avoidance, sunshine 15 minutes per day with as little clothes as possible on and no sunscreen, there are a few more, but those are the main factors). The raw diet also has to be done properly, if you eat just raw bananas you'll end up with diabetes, cancer, and all sorts of other diseases, it needs variety and no excess of any specific thing either, if you eat raw but 80% from fat, you'll probably get a heart attack anyway (and in fact many raw foodists have 80% fat in their diet and are dying from heart attacks accoridng to a doctor I heard a while ago).

Anyway I'd really lik to know your source that says eating raw doesn't extend life, as I'm 99.99999% sure that study, if it even was a study, is seriously falsified. Don't forget SAD people try to make the raw diet look LESS HEALTHY than the SAD diet, in fact many parents feeding their children raw are being jailed for "child abuse" and having their children kidnapped and poisoned to a life of disease with the "mandatory" SAD diet.

In a couple books (Raw Food Books)I read this it said being raw doesn't promise that you'll extend your life greatly possibly due to pass lifestyle. I always thought it would extend our life.. I'm telling you some people say one thing and some say another. I would like to believe it does even if it's a couple years.

[raweater]

Well as I said in Hunza they live 100-120 years with many up to 140, and their diet is mostly raw but not all, maybe 90%. Also, people living here that eat raw or even just vegan have much longer life expectancies and less or no disease. The founder of the vegan diet lived to 94 from what I read, imagine if he was raw vegan, I'm sure he would have exceeded 100.

We must also not forget our bodies are self repairing machines and all cells are constantly dying and being replaced by new cells, so with a raw diet you can rebuild your entire body from scratch and eliminate damage you may have caused on the SAD diet.

[momma-rawma]

I'll type why i'd like to be raw or mostly raw....

Did the raw experiment back in MAy and was high raw--I was tickled to death that I didn't have any more stinky breath, morning breath and that listerine didn't sting when I used it. Now where did all those germies go?

I like that 2 days in (had some non-raw stuff last night at dinner--had to spit out the roast though..didn't care for it)....My mouth doesn't feel dirty.

I am enjoying my juicer.

And I don't want to be fat any more. I think if I calculated the compuslive (and non-compulsive) cookie and dessert consumption since birth--I think I have had more than enough sugar and crap that would put the SAD to shame for the average American.

I LOVE raw desserts--I have ALWAYS loved fruit.

I wanted more veg--and then my Omega joined us this Christmas--so I can make my own veggie juices. WOO WOO!!!

I've been watching "You are What you Eat" which promotes and alkaline, veg, vegan, or low meat diet (though most everyone dairy free) depending on the client and I was disgusted. I lived half healthy and 90% unhealthy. (yes 50% plus 90%....aka OVEREATING!!!)

I don't want to be that way anymore.

I do have one raw friend locally. So I have local support.

I have ADHD (highly likely--have not actually been tested as I will save my $750 for other things thank you very much!). I can't take meds. Not interested in Caffeine (HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE coffee....liked tea, but not LOVED it).

I have post partum depression that I'd like to finally wean off of my meds after almost 1 year on them...but everytime I try...well...too sad to be able to stick with that pattern.

I get acne.

I have unpleasant odors at times. :rolleyes:

And I am FAT FAT FAT FAT. not obese---but certainly not "slightly" overweight. Time to get rid of my chub rub and be models for my children and husband.

Not sure how far I will take it--but I had Alissa's green drink today (modified though as I didn't have all the greens--so subbed in baby greens for the missing stuff)....and while it wasn't knock me down delicious....it was how they would describe on that show as....lovely. And boy--what a buzz after it.

Due to the ADHD and impulse issues--I am an all or nothing kind of gal. I've never been one of those dieters who can indulge on just one bite of something. Oh no. And the cookie monster--I could out eat him in the bakery any day of the week.

It is a great way to live--and Alissa's book is awesome.

2 days, I can feel a difference all ready.

[GoingtoRAW]

Goingto raw,
I am interested in your experience with depression - how different do you feel now. I experience some sort of sudden blues and hope it is just detox results. I ma only 27 days 100RAW


VIVAFREE2 I have suffered from depression for years - had my good times and bad times. I have always had a very difficult time admitting it because I have been able to put on such a good front that everyone I know thinks that I am the strongest person they know....BEEN THROUGH A LOT AND JUST WORKED AND PRAYED MY WAY THROUGH IT...didn't complain to friends or family so they never really knew what was going on with me. The only 2 people I have ever been able to say the words out loud to is one of my very good friends that I trust and a therapist I was seeing to work on some issues with my son. He recommended that I get some medication for myself and I refused because I don't like taking chemicals to make my self feel better - not even for a cold or headache. The doctor meant well anyway....

Anyway, I really started on raw for health reasons. I need to lose a lot of weight but my real focus was on my general health and I figured the weight loss would just naturally follow. Never in my wildest dreams did I think that this change in the way I eat would do so much more than what I originally thought. I really did not see the connection between how I eat and my mental health. I can't speak for anyone else...just my own experience with being raw. The depression lifted and my ability to concentrate on more positive things and focus on taking action just increased very quickly. When I finally added the green smoothies to my raw diet that just kicked things up another notch. I felt a sense or euphoria. Not that "high" that people say they feel...just a sense of well being. I have only been doing the smoothies for a little over a month and I am working towards 100% raw - I feel like a new person. Don't get me wrong - my problems have not gone away but my thinking is so clear that I am able to focus and figure out solutions for my problems instead of feeling total panic and depression and not knowing what to do and not being able to move forward and make things happen. I am actually making positive changes in my life instead of just talking about making changes and being too paralyzed with depression to move.

I attribute all of this to my change in diet and the green smoothies. BECAUSE I had been dealing with the depression for so long and have never been able to feel this well and this focused while trying to work out my problems. Another reason I absolutely attribute my new sense of well being to my diet is that when I go off and start eating SAD...it literally takes only a few days before the depression and aches and pains come back with a vengence and I have to get back on raw and drag myself back up.

I also know that I am going to experience some emotional detox at some point but I am kind of looking forward to that because I think at this point I will know the difference between letting go of some deep down hurt and true depression and I will be able to get through it!:rolleyes:

[Aleesha Sattva]

i am raw because i choose to be healthy.

eating cooked food was not working for me. i couldn't digest it and i refuse to live on pills for the rest of my life. so... raw was a solution to my digestion issues. in time, i discovered it was also the solution to a lot more issues... including obesity, yucky skin and lack of energy to name a few.

i loooove being raw and i know... 100% that i will be raw for the rest of my life... :)

[mike8709]

I am a full time university student and I work in a warehouse (so to anyone who has a better excuse to eat like crap I've got you beat). My boss is a horrible diabetic. I don't know the exact numbers but the blood sugar is usually at would make a normal person go into a coma. Before I started working there he had a surgery which required a stoma to be placed on his stomach because his intestines were being destroyed due to his diet. To put it in laymen terms his ass is on his stomach and his feces go into a bag which he has to empty. Sorry for the graphic description.

You would think something this serious would make someone want to change? Nope. This man eats 2-3 doughnuts every morning and has fast food everyday for lunch. The worst part? He often gets Big Macs in which he takes off the lettuce! The only remotely healthy thing on there, if you consider a piece of lettuce soaked in mayonnaise healthy.

I have always ate pretty healthy but seeing someone like this just made me sick and I found out that the more healthy and raw foods I ate, the better I felt. I often get made fun there when I bring in my raw spinach in for lunch or when I eat raw oatmeal for breakfast. Anyway to put it short and sweet I eat raw because I have seen what a bad diet can do to you.

[rawkchicster]

if you put a baby in a crib with a banana and a rabbit... I'll BUY YOU A CAR if the baby eats the rabbit and plays with the banana...

I LOVE TO EAT LIKE A BABY! :eek:

[RawHeaven]

I am a full time university student and I work in a warehouse (so to anyone who has a better excuse to eat like crap I've got you beat). My boss is a horrible diabetic. I don't know the exact numbers but the blood sugar is usually at would make a normal person go into a coma. Before I started working there he had a surgery which required a stoma to be placed on his stomach because his intestines were being destroyed due to his diet. To put it in laymen terms his ass is on his stomach and his feces go into a bag which he has to empty. Sorry for the graphic description.

You would think something this serious would make someone want to change? Nope. This man eats 2-3 doughnuts every morning and has fast food everyday for lunch. The worst part? He often gets Big Macs in which he takes off the lettuce! The only remotely healthy thing on there, if you consider a piece of lettuce soaked in mayonnaise healthy.

I have always ate pretty healthy but seeing someone like this just made me sick and I found out that the more healthy and raw foods I ate, the better I felt. I often get made fun there when I bring in my raw spinach in for lunch or when I eat raw oatmeal for breakfast. Anyway to put it short and sweet I eat raw because I have seen what a bad diet can do to you.

This reminds of when I was 16 and visiting a relative who was ailing in the hospital. I was in the waiting room, kind of bored and waiting for my turn to see them and this man walked by with this huge thing he was lugging around behind him that was as big as him. It was making so much noise and sounded like a tractor trailer which initially caught my attention. Then I saw him. He was wearing a hospital gown that he seemed to be lost in. I would guess he was probably 6 feet tall and 40 pounds, just a skeleton of a man and he was bright yellow! I will never forget his complexion and his breathing was very labored. Well that huge thing was an old fashioned respirator I came to find out later. This man was obviously dying and he had a huge hole in his throat. And he was smoking a cigarette through the hole in his neck which was bright red and the smoke was coming out of his eyes, neck and nose and I will never forget that image either. He would put a tube that was connected to this moving machine into his throat for to get oxygen I guess and then he would alternate and stick the cigarette into his throat and made this sucking sound with this throat. His eyes were lifeless, but I swear when he would take a drag of that cigarette there was a little spark in his eyes. I felt very sorry for him in that moment. It was like he was a robot. I observed all of this for about 3 minutes I think because he was walking extremely slowly past me. First it was surreal and kind of gross and second it's like this is insanity at it's worst. The way we treat our bodies is insane in this country. Your question is so valid, but a lot of people are so far gone and addicted to their addictions. Food addiction is no exception. Like eating fast food and donuts when your colon has been rewired, that's insanity.

[RawHeaven]

if you put a baby in a crib with a banana and a rabbit... I'll BUY YOU A CAR if the baby eats the rabbit and plays with the banana...




...... HA!

[greenfeline]

Someone mentioned before that once they know the truth they cannot ignore it. Now that I know how raw can feel, I cannot ignore it or explain it away. I have tried! I have thrown my hands up and said I will just go back to being vegan with some raw, but then I find myself here and reading my raw recipe books looking for new inspiration :o

In short, it just feels too good to be raw.

[GlimR]

This is a great thread...thank you~

I eat or attempt to stay raw because I know in my deepest heart it is THE right way for me to live. I've had a weight issue for many years and refuse to be in a place where I will be dependent on medication. A year ago my Dr. kept insisting I go on blood pressure meds for borderline high bp 148/90. I said no. I am on no meds and don't want them. I said I'd get it down myself. He said most people can't. I said. I will! And I have.
Raw is amazing...not just for the way I feel physically...but emotionally AND spiritually. I am so positive, so connected, grounded to life itself. How can you not love that?? I have a long way to go and many more changes to make...but what I don't have is doubts about this path.

[jaurequi]

Those Peoples living well into the 100's are people who have much more going for them to extend their lives than simply food.
As well, they have lived that way their entire lives, and their ancestors also. It is no where near the same as a conventional-eating person going 'RAW' at 20, 30, 40 + years of age.

One can always become healthier and live longer. A smoker quitting, extends their life (and even that depends on genetics, how much damage was done, for how long one smoked, environment, on and on). Simply flossing one's teeth extends life...
Many have damaged beyond total repair, some were born with deficiencies because their mothers were not properly nourished, and passed it along. Many, many, many factors.

Food is only one thing which attributes to long life.

We can expect to live more healthfully by eating fresh, wholefoods; but it is no "guarantee" for anything.

So start now. It's never too late, for sure. You can only improve.

Best,

[tanishamarshall]

This reminds of when I was 16 and visiting a relative who was ailing in the hospital. I was in the waiting room, kind of bored and waiting for my turn to see them and this man walked by with this huge thing he was lugging around behind him that was as big as him. It was making so much noise and sounded like a tractor trailer which initially caught my attention. Then I saw him. He was wearing a hospital gown that he seemed to be lost in. I would guess he was probably 6 feet tall and 40 pounds, just a skeleton of a man and he was bright yellow! I will never forget his complexion and his breathing was very labored. Well that huge thing was an old fashioned respirator I came to find out later. This man was obviously dying and he had a huge hole in his throat. And he was smoking a cigarette through the hole in his neck which was bright red and the smoke was coming out of his eyes, neck and nose and I will never forget that image either. He would put a tube that was connected to this moving machine into his throat for to get oxygen I guess and then he would alternate and stick the cigarette into his throat and made this sucking sound with this throat. His eyes were lifeless, but I swear when he would take a drag of that cigarette there was a little spark in his eyes. I felt very sorry for him in that moment. It was like he was a robot. I observed all of this for about 3 minutes I think because he was walking extremely slowly past me. First it was surreal and kind of gross and second it's like this is insanity at it's worst. The way we treat our bodies is insane in this country. Your question is so valid, but a lot of people are so far gone and addicted to their addictions. Food addiction is no exception. Like eating fast food and donuts when your colon has been rewired, that's insanity.

It really saddens me to see people who just can't seem to kick the habit no matter how it has affected there quality of life. I really hope that people start to take a stand and change, but I know there will be many who won't.

I'm grateful to have been able to make a change and remove my addictions, it is not easy but the rewards are great.

[tanishamarshall]

Those Peoples living well into the 100's are people who have much more going for them to extend their lives than simply food.
As well, they have lived that way their entire lives, and their ancestors also. It is no where near the same as a conventional-eating person going 'RAW' at 20, 30, 40 + years of age.

One can always become healthier and live longer. A smoker quitting, extends their life (and even that depends on genetics, how much damage was done, for how long one smoked, environment, on and on). Simply flossing one's teeth extends life...
Many have damaged beyond total repair, some were born with deficiencies because their mothers were not properly nourished, and passed it along. Many, many, many factors.

Food is only one thing which attributes to long life.

We can expect to live more healthfully by eating fresh, wholefoods; but it is no "guarantee" for anything.

So start now. It's never too late, for sure. You can only improve.

Best,

I totally agree that our lifespan is based on more then our diet.

[chilove]

Great thread! I am raw because raw healed me from fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue, irritable bowel syndrome, depression and anxiety. Cooked food makes me very ill. I love being raw because I have regained my health, lost a great deal of weight, lost my gloomy outlook and gained energy, enthusiasm and a lust for life. I no longer get sick at all and I love how I feel. Raw is awesome!!!!

Blessings,

Audrey
www.rawhealing.com

[Ingenue]

I went raw because I had some deep intuitive call that Raw was something that could save me from a life that was consumed with addiction and self-destructive behavior. My soul was dying and I can't even go into the state my body was in. I started using speed at the age of 15 and rapidly turned into a young woman who would take just about anything (washed down with liberal amounts of hard alcohol) to transform her mental state into something else.

Every addiction comes from refusing to accept what is. I had such a profound fear of my emotions, inner states, and Self that I was constantly trying to escape that no matter how brief that escape might be. No matter what that escape might have cost me.

I won't go to far into the nightmare of alcoholism. Anyone who's come out the other side of it knows how terrifying the downward spiral is. What I will say is that I think Alcoholism is just one more symptom of a larger, collective, spiritual disease. And I believe Raw foods are a huge part of the cure.

This diet addresses nutritional and spiritual concerns in a way that no other does. It has helped me immeasurably to face my addictions and live sober and it has helped me heal from the self-inflicted cruelty I've shown my body for the last 13 years. I am so grateful and really documenting and witnessing this transformation within me. I hope to be a part of the solution now, no longer part of the disease.....

Much love! Emilie

[rawfigure]

no more Hypoglycemia ! and my skin looks better....and I have more energy..and it is a simpler way to eat.

[Stina]

Well as I said in Hunza they live 100-120 years with many up to 140, and their diet is mostly raw but not all, maybe 90%. Also, people living here that eat raw or even just vegan have much longer life expectancies and less or no disease. The founder of the vegan diet lived to 94 from what I read, imagine if he was raw vegan, I'm sure he would have exceeded 100.

We must also not forget our bodies are self repairing machines and all cells are constantly dying and being replaced by new cells, so with a raw diet you can rebuild your entire body from scratch and eliminate damage you may have caused on the SAD diet.

That must be a reference to Paul Bragg. The man died surfing at the age of 94!

[tanishamarshall]

I went raw because I had some deep intuitive call that Raw was something that could save me from a life that was consumed with addiction and self-destructive behavior. My soul was dying and I can't even go into the state my body was in. I started using speed at the age of 15 and rapidly turned into a young woman who would take just about anything (washed down with liberal amounts of hard alcohol) to transform her mental state into something else.

Every addiction comes from refusing to accept what is. I had such a profound fear of my emotions, inner states, and Self that I was constantly trying to escape that no matter how brief that escape might be. No matter what that escape might have cost me.

I won't go to far into the nightmare of alcoholism. Anyone who's come out the other side of it knows how terrifying the downward spiral is. What I will say is that I think Alcoholism is just one more symptom of a larger, collective, spiritual disease. And I believe Raw foods are a huge part of the cure.

This diet addresses nutritional and spiritual concerns in a way that no other does. It has helped me immeasurably to face my addictions and live sober and it has helped me heal from the self-inflicted cruelty I've shown my body for the last 13 years. I am so grateful and really documenting and witnessing this transformation within me. I hope to be a part of the solution now, no longer part of the disease.....

Much love! Emilie

Emilie you are such an inspiration, I'm so happy that you were able to rid yourself of the addictions that were holding you back. Wow, thanks for sharing.