Seeking your help

[Christinabelle]

Hello, I have been reading the different threads and felt like I wanted to write. I am not new to raw food and was 100% raw for quite awhile 5 years ago. I did it in a support group run by Alissa and it was an incredible experience. Since then fell back into emotional overeating and got away from raw almost altogether--except for attempts here and there. I gained back weight I had lost and the incredible vitality and joy for life that I had has been replaced with constant tiredness, lack of vitality and my passion for my life is very difficult to muster in the face of my health issues. It makes me so upset to see myself at this point--I turned 40 this year. And dont feel like I have been able to create the things in my life that I want to due to my food issues. I know I have done this to myself and want to lift myself out of this NOW!!!!!!!!!!!! I know support can really help and Alissa has many many times suggested I go on the raw food board. so here I am...looking for inspiration and perhaps a raw buddy or two??? Thanks xxoooo

[veg-one]

Hello Christinabelle,
Welcome to the boards, they are indeed a source of great support.
Wow, how lucky you are to have been in a group with Alissa! That must have been very inspiring??
This is for sure the right place to be even when struggling with food and addiction. Someone wrote a post yesterday that sounded like yours. We are all here to help you and support you. Please make sure you read through the other post as you will get lots of inspiration and don’t hesitate to ask any and all questions.
I just wanted to welcome you with open arms to this board as you sound a lot like myself. One thing that has helped me is making sure i check in here everyday since i don’t have much support in my daily life. To me, that feels like when i used to go to my groups that met a few times a week and kept me on track. Im sure others will have some great advice for you also.
veg-one

[solarliving]

"A JOURNEY OF A THOUSAND MILES, MUST BEGIN WITH A SINGLE STEP."
Lao-tzu

Even if that means doing 1 smoothie a day, or one piece of fruit, or more water. I believe just doing 1 thing a day that you know is good for you, can make a difference.

[sailaway]

Hello Christinabelle,
I am pretty new to the board also although I have been moved to "sprout".( It was an exciting day) I have found that using the board has helped me to stay raw even though I have had a few fall offs. This board showed me that it was ok, I don't need to beat myself up if I take a bite (or plate, LOL) of an old favorite food that my family still wants me to make for them. Like everything in life it is the journey as much as the destination. ( I personally find destinations are over rated!) Mid life has many challenges from the realization the you may have traveled a path that did not turn out as planned, to unresolved childhood issues, to health issues. In fact I think most people hit these bends in the road to some degree, it unltimately is how we decide to handle them that sets us apart from the "pack". Why else would we bother to change at all. The fact that you have hit the boards shows that you are ready to start to take back control of your life! For me I see it as owning myself, controling my life even when family and friends encourage me to do things differently. All my life I have been a very conservative person never really breaking any rules, trying to live up to the expectations of others etc so to go raw is a HUGE break from the norm. But I know it is right for me and I do believe it is right for everyone although I won't preach it to them. I answer questions from family and friends as they ask, supply them with my books and this web site and let them do what they are led to do. So far that has proven to be a good path as several of my adault children have started to move more to raw (50-75%) and 1 daughter has taken it to her work which now has a "lunch group" of 5 additional people that I prepare food for M-F. I do not think that any of it would ahve happened before joining this site. I actually started 100 % raw for almost a month before I found this site. What this site has done is provide not only support for me but answered soooooooo many questions that I would have spent hours reachering on my own, not to mention the recipes, tips, activities AND Alissa's book! Good Luck on your journey! I am not the most experienced person on this site by far but if I can help you at all just send me a post. Cheers, Robin

[racheljj]

Hi, Christinabelle. I can relate to a lot of what you wrote. I started a raw summer boot camp (it's a thread here) if you want to check out that thread for support please feel free to. Good luck,

Rachel

[Christinabelle]

Thanks so much sprout and Rachel for the support! First day back raw today looking forward to this journey and took in your words of wisdom. --I will try to enjoy the journey and yes midlife has come crashing down on me with this 40th bday--- it seems in such an unexpected strong way that seems to come from my soul---I think my soul is saying--"YOU CANNOT MOVE FORWARD IN THE OLD WAY" and not to sound too dramatic but I have been feeling like I am starting to die inside-physically, emotionally, spiritually unless I change..Don't like the thoughts of "maybe all the best things have already happened to me" Feel like I cannot fool around anymore. My life is demanding change. I always thought I knew who I was
Anyway, pretty heavy for a monday!!! Feel teary as I write this and now the passion and happiness will come back to me soon. Thanks for listening


:)

[Christinabelle]

Thanks for your reply Veg one--look forward to talking with you further!

[sailaway]

That is exactly how I felt when I started raw. I found it by in Feb/early March and just knew I was dying inside and out it (raw) was a "chance for life". I can tell you that it will get better, not only from my experience but from all the poats I have read and family /friends who have moved toward raw. Take it one baby step at atime and just like a baby we don't run until we sit, crawl, stand and walk! Steps and Stages.

[Sweet lips]

Christinabelle,
Welcome a board - Glad you came on board, and yes, you have some valuable experience and recipes to share and I, for one

I no longer think in days, but in time as my body begins to heal itself. I am putting away the thoughts of the when to end, but knowing I am just beginning. We stand apart from what we learned in our eating and our thinking, we stand apart in teaching our body that we truly love it, and we want to begin again.

Where ever you are in your "eating": beginning", "struggling to stay on it", "thinking about beginning", "wondering when it will end", "cruising through" , "in the midst of detox", remember in your mind you can begin again, with the reason as to why you chose to do so; what benefits are you searching for; where do you want to go; what do you want to be; questions that are in your heart that haven't even surfaced; Remember -We are all still here together to hold one another in our weakness, and to draw from our strengths - we can all Begin Again!

Begin Again

"One of the best things we can do in our lives is this:
Begin again.

Begin to see yourself as you were when you were the happiest and strongest you've ever been.

Begin to remember what worked for you (and what worked against you) and try to capture the magic again.

Begin to remember how natural it was when you were a child - to live a lifetime each day.

Begin to forget the baggage you have carried with you for years: the problems that don't matter anymore, the tears that cried themselves away and the worries that are going to wash away on the shore of tomorrow's new beginning.

Tomorrow tells us it will be here every new day of our lives; and if we will be wise, we will turn away from the problems of the past and give the future - and ourselves - a chance to become the best of friends.

Sometimes all it takes is a wish in the heart to let yourself... Begin again. "

[Christinabelle]

Hello Sailaway,
Ok stages--yes, baby steps! I hear you and will remind myself of that. Appreciate that you understand where I am coming from.

[Christinabelle]

Hello Sweet lips,
Loved what you wrote! thank you so much!
warmly,
Christina belle

[ksabe98]

Hi Christinabelle glad to see you here. I am just getting back on track myself was raw for 6 months and healed my body quite a bit then went to about 60% raw and then I started going backwards with my health again and realized that 100% raw is the only way to health for me otherwise I would be shortening my life so here I am day 20 and going strong. You have to really make your mind up about going raw. Having a motivation as you do really helps you. I know it is for me. I am would be happy to be your buddy feel free to contact me anytime. All of the advice that everyone has given you is definately good and helps all of us. I have visited probably every raw board available on the net and I have to say this one is by far the one I enjoy the most. Have a great day! By the way you are going to start feeling great pretty quickly!
Lisa

[Texicalian]

Hi Christinabelle - I also turned 40 this year, so I'm experiencing the watershed year that it can be as well. For me, this year is about new beginnings - mainly a move from Texas to Northern California - and finding out who I am without a lot of feedback from my friends and social network. I discovered raw right after my dad had a cardiac arrest (April 1st)- he's doing wonderful now, but there's nothing like death at the doorstep to make you think about what really matters in life. My grandmother used to say if you have your health, you have everything. So here's to vivacious vitility in our 40s!
Lori

[Christinabelle]

Hi Lisa,
Happy solstice! Yes, I need to decide to go 100 % raw and stop fooling around. Good for you for being back on track!!! Would love to have you for my "bud" Lets talk more--
Hi Lori
What is it about the year 40?? I feel like I have a time clock ticking in my head right now--dont want to waste anymore time.
You have had so much change this year---are you glad to moved to Cali? Its true you dont have anything without health!
Did a solstice celebration tonight with my friend. We wrote down what we want to create in our lives and health was at the top and I prayed that I would do what I need to do to get healthy.
thanks for writing, this board is amazing!
love christine

[Texicalian]

Happy Solstice to you too! My friends and I did the exact same thing last year. I have my collage I created at the gathering out where I can see it to remember what I want out of life. About 40 - for me, it's the realization that you have hit that invisible mid-point. But it's not a sad or bad thing - it's actually an empowering feeling. I'm very glad to have moved to the land of fruits and nuts (the farmer's markets are great)! And out of Texas' humidity. I lived in SoCal several years ago, but NorCal is SO different. It's been hard to believe I'm really in California. Feel free to PM me any time! Lori

[RawTruth]

Welcome Christine,

Take it from one who hit that watershed year a while back -- you have lots more life ahead of you. There are a number of us "experienced" folk here, actually, so if you need proof that wonder-full things still await you, just ask.

I applaud the decision you've made to take control of your health (all of it -- emotional, physical, spiritual, creative), and I'm glad you found your way to this forum. It can make all the difference for you. I know, for me, it kept me raw during my first 30 days ... and beyond. I don't know if I'd have made it through the beginning without the support I found here.

I hope you'll take the time to read through people's journals; they can be such a source of inspiration and can also give a sense of community.

Best regards to you --

[Christinabelle]

Hello Raw Truth,
Ok I will take your word for it ha! ha!--my mom is 64 and is a busy acupuncturist who runs marathons and has an incredible life. It has been the unexpected emotions that came with this birthday that had me on my knees--so to speak. How do I want to live this part of my life? Do I want to fool around with my health and waste more time? Because when I am in my destructive eating mode it really puts me in a backward mode and wastes a tremendous amount of my life. Not to mention the danger of will eat myself into a heart attack this time??? Always a risky game that I really don't want to play anymore. Not fun---
Best,
Christine :D

[rawpriestess]

Dear Christinabelle,

What a beautiful name, my "real" name is Christine, but I am dark haired and olive skinned, so people often think I am Italian, so they often call me Christina, and I just love it.

So, welcome from another Christine(a)

First, let me say that Alissa is right, (as usual) you will get lots of help and support here.

I want to let you know that I thought there was no life after 40, and boy was I wrong.

At 40, I was 285 lbs, wayyyyy overweight, marriad to an abusinve man, working for the City, (a terrible job, but decent pay), and commuting 1 hour each way to work, I had divorced years earlier and lost everything, and had to start over, my mom had passed away, my son (whom, I love dearly) and I were on the "outs" and I really had no friends. I was in major debt, and I hated life.

Now, I am 50+, I am eating raw, lost 40+ pounds (so far), married to the most wonderful man in the world, who worships me (like the goddess I am), I work for myself, making way way way more money, I work out of my home, so no commute, I have everything I ever wanted materially, my son and I are really great friends, I have a ton of freinds, on this board, and in my "other" life, and I've paid 1/2 of my mortgage off, all of my bills off, and am happy happy happy.

So, let me say there is life after 40, or 50 or whatever.

There are many things that can bring us into a depressed state, and when we are feeling low, we tend to look at the challenges in life instead of looking at the great things we have in our life.

I know this sounds corny, but you might try two things.

1. Write down everything you are grateful for in your life right now. Start with your body, I bet you weigh less than my 285 (when I started raw), but what ever you weigh, there is someone out there that would LOVE to be your weight, and put down all the things that work such as your eyesight, your hearing, etc. then put down all the friends, you have, things you own, experiences you don't want to forget, things you've learned, etc. Take at least an hour, or longer to do this. I'll wait.

2. Write down everything you would like to have in your life, make a treasure map of it, cut out pictures, of thin healthy bodies, if that is something you would like, or whatever makes you smile, a castle, or a big house, a new car, grandkids, travel, visiting with freinds over a smoothie, whatever would make you happier to have in your life, or experiences you would like, maybe taking a class with someone you've always admired, or even meeting a celeberity. Take at least an hour, to do this. I'll wait.

Okay, I'm hoping you feel a little better, see how far you've come already in the first one? Look at all that you've accomplished in your life (so far), just imagine all that you can accomplish in the next 40 years? (with all the knowledge you already have?) WOW, it is amazine at what one person can do.

And remember life is a journey, not a destination. Live each day to the fullest, as you'll never have that day, with that mindset again. Each day is a new beginning, and you may have to recommit to raw today, or this hour, or even this second, but each time to recommit, you are getting closer to "being" raw forever. Just one day at a time, one meal at a time, one bite at a time, and pretty soon, it will be second nature to you, to "think" raw.

Trust me on this, we all know how difficult it can be, especially either in the beginning, or starting over. And although none of us know exactly your personal circumstances, we do care about YOU, and we will do everything we can to help you make it, because we want to make it too.

And the more of us "rawbies" out there in the world, the better for us, everyone else, and our planet.

So, I'm with yah on this one, and I'll be right beside you.

Please feel free to PM me, or email me, or chat with me, or whatever "feels" right for you.

I am raw right now, but I never know for sure, as it's only been a few months, and sometimes I slip up, and when I do, it isn't pretty, it is binge city.

I always, think I can have just one bite, or try just this one thing, and I do so much traveling and receptions, and party type things, that it is very difficult to NOT be around cooked food. And I just have to realize, that even one bite, is disaster (for me), although many others, can eat raw/cooked/raw/cooked and no problems, it just doesn't work for me at all.