couple of questions

[dread head vegan]

how did you hear about raw foods? what what was your first thought when you found out about it?

[juliebove]

I read a magazine article by Carole Alt. I then bought her book. I can't remember the specifics of why I bought it except that when I read about what she ate, I realized that was pretty much what I was already eating. She eats about 80% raw but not a vegan diet.

I had been vegetarian, but then due to food allergies had to eliminate dairy and eggs. So I became a bit stumped as to what to eat, other than what I already was.

I also bought Juliano's book, Alissa's book and a few others. I was glad to discover things like nut cheese and onion bread.

[Cheetah]

LOL I have to laugh cause I have come such a long way! I first heard about raw foods at a womens retreat where the main speakers was encouraging us as moms and wives and women to be "Life Givers!" and part of that was raw and living foods. As the daughter of a cattle rancher, the whole idea was beyond ludicrous to me hehehe. I was a merciless skeptic. Poor poor woman!

Then about a year later I was duped into going to a raw food restaurant and was completely hooked! If THAT was what living and raw food was, count me IN!

True karma came to bite me LOL - I learned to be careful what I made fun of because it might just change my life the next year.

:D Chee

[buckabucka]

I read about it on the Natural News Website. It made sense to me. I have tried every diet out there just about. You eat raw food how can that be bad for you. I actually started by eliminating dairy first.

[Dimond]

Not sure of the very first time, but I always knew it was the most optimal way to eat. I do remember thinking it would be extremely difficult with my life circumstances and not liking to prepare/cook food. But it actually turned out to be quite simple. I already had done various "healthier" eating on and off for years.

[SheLovesToEat]

how did you hear about raw foods? what what was your first thought when you found out about it?


in the 70's my mother had a friend that was into trying new things. she had this book that had some raw recipies in it. i dont remember the name of it but it was a small paperback that was basically about eating healthy foods.....and possibly RAW foods if you REALLY wanted to be healthy.

she made some carrot patties and brought them round to us..... and they were SUPER tasty....we knocked off the plate ! i was really shocked but made a mental note that someday i would rememeber to try it myself.

i still remember what they tasted like.... and they werent even dehydrated.

[klomasius]

I found out about it from an acquaintance about 5 years back and I poo pooed the very idea of it being healthier than the average vegan diet! I didn't believe a word of it!

Back before I discovered Alissa's book and site, I figured I would try this 'diet' for 30 days, and then I could say I've tried it and it had done nothing for me so nyer!

How wrong I was! I not only lost a heap of weight, my skin cleared up and got heaps softer, digestion got better etc etc etc so many profound health effects that I had no way of saying that it wasn't this wonderful life changing event. I'm quite grateful for my stubborness now.

I have discovered something so important that I never would have otherwise!

[Bodhi]

I got serious about Raw Food after reading and following Steve Pavlina on his 30 day Raw Food Trail.

[Lady Green Jeans]

I first heard about raw through looking at and finally purchasing Juliano's book "RAW" back in 2001. Mostly I just looked at his beautiful recipes pictured although the few I did try were tasty.

I was not on the raw bandwagon at this point--I saw Alissa's site after my favorite raw site crashed. Ordered her book and DVD (neither were in my budget at the time, but felt I was worth having good health). Best purchase of my life. Watched both DVDs the day they came and fell asleep reading her book that night.

Signed up for the 30-day challenge which is a great start to a lifetime commitment. Literally one day, one bite at a time. Being on this site has helped motivate me, stretched me and all the stories, pictures, recipes have continued to inspire me in so many ways. Do not think any of this would have been found on my own or somewhere else.

Thank you Alissa for your great book and your great site to support health through healthy raw eating.

[RawHeaven]

I have to edit this because I just remembered the first time I heard about Raw at all was when Juliano opened his restaurant in San Francisco. It's no longer there and he moved to LA, but I think this was 2001 or 2003. Anyway, I read about it in the Sunday paper, thought to myself "oh that doesn't sound good, everything is raw?" while I chomped on a pastry probably. Wow, makes me realize I have come a long way!

This is a great thread, helps you remember why your friends and family may feel sorry for you, think you're weird or are deprived somehow. There may have been a moment in time where we felt the same way too. Hahahaa.

[sport]

I picked up a book at the airport (Living Foods for Radient Health by Elaine Bruce) and read it on the flight.
My first reaction was "How on earth is it that I have not known about this before now, What planet have I lived on".
It made so much sense to me that I could not understand how I had missed it.

[freshlight]

My mummy bought one of the Dr. Norman Walkers books about the freshly pressed juice when I was 10-11 years old.
From then on my life did become much more delicious ;)

[annavon]

The very first time I heard of the raw diet was back in 1985. I lived on a farm and our neighbors who were sprout farmers went raw. I thought they were crazy. Fast forward to 2001, read an article about Burger King carrying veggie burgers and the article mentioned a local raw food restaurant that made raw burgers. I also saw a few articles in magazines about raw food. Finally in either 2004 or 2005, I visited the local raw food restaurant "Rawsome Cafe" (unfortunately closed now:(). I was instantly hooked. I didn't become raw right away, but I bought several books and over the next couple of years gradually added various pieces of equipment to help in the raw process. I tried to go raw in Spring/summer of 2007, but didn't have any support like Raw Food Talk and gave up after getting burned out on nuts. After stuggling with the health problems, I decided to give it a try again last July. I think it has stuck this time.

[RawHeaven]

The very first time I heard of the raw diet was back in 1985. I lived on a farm and our neighbors who were sprout farmers went raw. I thought they were crazy.

Wow, these people were the true pioneers. 1985. No internet. No global support. Everything was big 80's - big hair, big money, big food. It probably was a lot more challenging to go raw then I'm guessing. I wonder if they're still raw? I hope so.

[rayofsunshine]

I had been a vegetarian and raw fruit and veggie juicer for a long time. Stopped when I looked at the ingredients of my veggie chick pattie I was about to eat. There were about a hundred ingredients and most of them sounded like chemical concoctions. So... fully ate the traditional SAD diet during a very busy time in my life and developed IBS, then GERD. I wanted a holistic way to regain my health.

I was at the library, looking to go back to my former vegetarian ways, but in a more whole foods approach, and found Juliano's book. I was hooked. Checked out a few more raw books at the library and started purchasing my own. It has taken me a few years to get close to 100% raw.