I Need ADVICE!!

[SkyWillow]

I have recently became interested in eating raw and have a few questions and would appreciate any feedback. Sorry if this is the wrong place to post! This s my 1st time posting on ANY website ever.
~1st ?- is it expensive to eat raw?
~ 2.- are you hungry every couple of hours? and have to constantly eat ?
~ 3.- What were your "detox" symptoms and how long did they last?
~ 4.- none of the food is hot? Is it hard not to eat a "hot" meal on a cold day? (I love the warm fuzzies I get from this)
~ 5.-what book helped you best?
~ 6.-go cold turkey? or gradual?
~ 7.- are the blender smoothies filling ? and do they wear off fast?
~ 8._ have any of you had amazing health benifits? I suffer from adult acne myself, and am about 100lbs over weight.
~ 9.- Is the weight loss fast?
~ 10.- Does your gray hair really start to go away??
That's my top 10 for now! Thankyou!!

[michigan roman]

yes it can be expensive til you figure out your personal diet and find all your local food sources , ide bet expense knocks out the majority of raw foodies .

but heres a link to a thread with tons of good info to get you in the game .

and yes the lack of hot meals made me feel cold initially , im 3 years raw .
alot like adding cayene pepper to food to heat up .

and yes you wont feel full for months on raw like you did on heavy cooked foods that densely packed your guts . but itll change , and youll end realizing all the empty / heavy / nutritionless cooked that made you feel full was also leading to excess / useless body weight and lesser energy . a good thing for me when started raw was green tea for its appetite supressing properties . i guzzled green tea day and night for a year to help quell appetite . so does lemon squeezed in ice water in my experience , thogh've never read another repeat this .

and at about 18 months i started to notice very good improvements in skin , very good - and ive heard many repeat this .

and to fend off hunger / empty gut feeling ide suggest alot of bananas and avacados , avacados added to salads with whatever type crumbled nuts or ground seeds which add fat / protein / density help satisfy appetite .

and as one whoms always exercised i can say to me the best weight loss move you could make is running , even if it starts out as power walking . then slowly advances to jogging . raw combined with running (or aerobics) would be weight loss in the quick mode .

good luck :)

[michigan roman]

oh i forgot the link :o , link =

http://www.rawfoodtalk.com/showthread.php?t=22555&highlight=raw+on+a+budget ...

[jacsam]

I have ONE bit of advice....buy Alissa's book and watch her DVD. They will give you more than the 10 questions you want to know about. REALLY, you'll love the information you'll learn and you just can't help but want to eat more fruits and veggies after going through the book and DVD.....and you don't need to be raw to need more fruits and veggies.

[ShelShel]

~1st ?- is it expensive to eat raw?Only if you do it half way. Eating consistently raw is no more expensive, but if you throw in all the junk foods and meats...it can be.
~ 2.- are you hungry every couple of hours? and have to constantly eat ?At first you are constantly hungry, grazing every few hours. Eventually though, you settle in and require less and less to be satisfied.
~ 3.- What were your "detox" symptoms and how long did they last?For me personally, I get ill and tired feeling around the fourth day. It doesn't last long, but I do feel ill.
~ 4.- none of the food is hot? Is it hard not to eat a "hot" meal on a cold day? (I love the warm fuzzies I get from this)You freeze your first winter! LOL :D Truly it took a long time for me to get used to adding the necessary spices to stay warm.
~ 5.-what book helped you best?Alissa's for sure the best!, Rawvolution & Ani Phyo
~ 6.-go cold turkey? or gradual? I found it easiest the first time...to go gradually. I started with breakfast only, then added lunches and eventually switched over dinner. Now that I've been raw off and on for years, I can go cold turkey and that works best.
~ 7.- are the blender smoothies filling ? and do they wear off fast? I find blender smoothies very filling. They wear off no faster than eating the same amount of food. I really like to start my day with them.
~ 8._ have any of you had amazing health benifits? I suffer from adult acne myself, and am about 100lbs over weight. Yes, chronic exhaustion left after a few months, major acne cleared, and lost 63 pounds!
~ 9.- Is the weight loss fast? The fastest I've ever experienced in my life and I had been dieting since the age of 12.
~ 10.- Does your gray hair really start to go away??I have just as much gray, if not a little more. :) But my hair is extremely healthy and beautiful!
That's my top 10 for now! Thankyou!!
You are most welcome! I wish you the best of luck. Give it a try...the only thing you have to lose is excess weight and bad health! :D Raw Rawks!

[Raw Angel Mom]

I have recently became interested in eating raw and have a few questions and would appreciate any feedback. Sorry if this is the wrong place to post! This s my 1st time posting on ANY website ever.
~1st ?- is it expensive to eat raw?
~ 2.- are you hungry every couple of hours? and have to constantly eat ?
~ 3.- What were your "detox" symptoms and how long did they last?
~ 4.- none of the food is hot? Is it hard not to eat a "hot" meal on a cold day? (I love the warm fuzzies I get from this)
~ 5.-what book helped you best?
~ 6.-go cold turkey? or gradual?
~ 7.- are the blender smoothies filling ? and do they wear off fast?
~ 8._ have any of you had amazing health benifits? I suffer from adult acne myself, and am about 100lbs over weight.
~ 9.- Is the weight loss fast?
~ 10.- Does your gray hair really start to go away??
That's my top 10 for now! Thankyou!!

1- If you are already eating organic, it is less expensive. Plus when you start to sprout and buy from your local farmer and even pick up your food in the wild, the cost is reduced dramatically. At first, you will be attracted by gourmet meal and yes, these are costly, but no more if you are already buying organic food.

2- I eat way less then i used too, no i am not hungry. The more fresh food such fruits, vegetables, greens etc.. you eat the less hungry you are for other food. When you start in raw food, you will go through a process and yes during this process, you may experience craving not hunger but craving. There is a difference between wanted food to nourish your body and wanted food for the plaisure or fill up and emotional need. Once you get the hang of it, raw food is freedom, and so wonderful. Raw food is absolutely tasty and so good, but this isn't addictive as so many cook food. When your body has enough, it will tell you. If you eat addictive food, even though you are full, you will continue to eat. Raw food will set you free from unhealthy craving.

3- Withdraw. Let's say you decide to quit coffee, you will experience headache etc... What i recommend before you decide to commit to 100% raw food, is to do research and try recipe. I would highly recommend that you start to prepare some green smoothie. Keep your diet but add green smoothie, i can promise you that you will be more attracted to raw food after. Green smoothie heal addiction, balance your ph level and it simply rejuvenate you. I highly recommend that you by Alissa DVD also, it will give you faith that you can do it and show you so many easy recipe.

4-You can do a transition. Perhaps have a warm meal at night or drink warm water or warm herbal tea. I cannot stand the heat of warm food anymore, this is too hot for me. I never eat cold food except for icecream. I eat my food at room temperature and some nice miso soup that i make, i warm it up in warm water. As long you can touch the water without burning yourself, the enzyme will be ok. Or you can warm them up in the dehydrator. I never exceed 105 degree F. Another trick, is to take your food out of the fridge before to prepare it. Room temperature is perfect for me. I live in a cold climat and this is very comfortable for me. At first, you may experience chill even in summer, only because you are loosing fat from your body, once you have done the transition, speaking for myself, i find this is easier for me now to tolerate the very warm weather or cold weather, it seems easier with raw food. Pumpkin and squash will keep your warm, i make burger with it or cooki or simply shred it on my salad.

5.I like dvd's Allisa, victorial Butenko www.rawfamily.com, raw made easy for two (just google). Now, i love reading more in depth and i could recommend more but i find this is important to start simple.

6. If you can do gradual, go for it. For me, i had to do the cold turkey. I lasted the first time 60 days, then i made the mistake to taste some cook food and it took me another two years to do 100% raw food. It was the green smoothie that helpt me. I couldn't forget the energy i had the first time i tried, and this is why i went back. I wanted to have my energy back. I was suffering of chronic fatigue, letting go dairy and doing raw food is what put me on track. Cook food is addictive. If you are compulsive eater, you may need to do cold turkey like i did. You always keep a bound with cook food if you don't do the 100%. But if you have a lot of attachment with cook food, i would recommend that you do this gradually and focus on your accomplishment. Never allow guilt take over you for it will feed your addiction. Meaning, you know coffee isn't good for you but you still choose to drink it, this is ok and responsible choice. You know coffee isn't good for you and you tell yourself story to justify to drink it then it feed your addiction even more. If you drink it and feel guilty for doing this, it feeds also your addiction. The best is do your best of not drinking it but if you choose to drink it, no story or guilt but from a place of being responsible and aware. Focus on all the positive aspect that you do for your health. If you make room for the good stuff, this is a great accomplishment. IF you eliminate some food, this is wonderful also.

7. Oh yes, they fill you up and last. One thing is very important, is to train your mind that you can do this diet. Eat as much you want as long this is raw and good for you. Do not restrict yourself, because if you are starting to be too religious about it, you might go back to your old habit. I really love Allissa approach. Really get her DVD or book.

8. The good news about loosing so much weight with this diet, is that many have shared that their skin isn't loose. Do not get obsess with loosing weight, focus only on your health. This is really easy to do even though it seems overwelming. Yes, your old habit with food might make it hard because you will crave for them, but once you get that point, you will feel comfortable and finally free from this armful food.

9. Our body prioritize. If it needs to fix something inside first this is where it will put the energy. Many loose weight very fast and some others it takes just a little bit longer. This is why, you must focus on your health, losing the weight will be the side effect. You can do this. You deserve to be healthy and finally find the real you.

10. Speaking for me, i have a very stressful life, so nop for me. But i have close friend where their gray hair went away. For this, you need to do wheat grass and dark greens. Wheat grass at first, you need to take just a little bit. Maybe one table spoon a day, to give a chance to your body to get use to it. Also, be careful of not buying wheat grass that have mold. I used to think that i just couldn't do wheat grass, until that i found a grower with a good quality of wheat grass. I can drink a whole glass now without having any nausea. Dr. Ann Wingmore had her hair cover of gray by age of 50, when she started the alive food and wheat grass, she has no gray hair by the age of 70. Remember, stress is something that we need to get the hang of it. I am starting some breathing exercise to help me to cope with this busy life, hopping, it will make a difference with my gray hair. I must admit that i seem to have less but i am not 100% sure.

Congratulation for having any interest of this raw food. You can do this and please don't get discourage. It is more planning but i find this is way easier then cook food and quicker to prepare. No pot to clean, no smoke or greace (fat) in your kitchen or glass. This raw food is just heaven to me, lol..

[rawviveyourself]

~1st ?- is it expensive to eat raw?
You can be frugal - buy in bulk, from a co-op. No more expensive meat bills! Or eating out regularly for that matter....
~ 2.- are you hungry every couple of hours? and have to constantly eat ?
No. It's the first time in my life I have ever felt satiated.
~ 3.- What were your "detox" symptoms and how long did they last?
None - by the time I got to raw I had done lots of detox. Master cleanser was my favorite.
~ 4.- none of the food is hot? Is it hard not to eat a "hot" meal on a cold day? (I love the warm fuzzies I get from this)
You can always warm things in the dehydrator or vitamix or you can use spices to heat up the dish. Or have hot herbal tea.
~ 5.-what book helped you best?
Living on Live Food & 12 Steps to Raw give a good perspective, after that just flipping through lots of raw recipe books and websites helps me connect.
~ 6.-go cold turkey? or gradual?
Up to you - I went cold turkey for a few months, but then regressed. Back now and started cold turkey again. It works for me. David Rainoshek talks about the Spectrum of foods -- worth looking up online.
~ 7.- are the blender smoothies filling ? and do they wear off fast?
Filling - absolutely. I love them and feel like I missed something if I get through a day and don't have one.
~ 8._ have any of you had amazing health benifits? I suffer from adult acne myself, and am about 100lbs over weight.
everything I've suffered from cleared up almost instantly.
~ 9.- Is the weight loss fast?
40 lbs in about 4 months.
~ 10.- Does your gray hair really start to go away??
Don't know - don't have any!
That's my top 10 for now! Thankyou!!
You are welcome! Good luck and post here for support!!

[MelissaO]

1st ?- is it expensive to eat raw?[/U]
No more expensive than buying the standard american diet items. I do not use all organics, I shop at places like the Asian market, Costco, Woodmans and the International food market. When fruits are in season I will buy in bulk and freeze.

~ 2.- are you hungry every couple of hours? and have to constantly eat ?
I am not, eating natural got rid of cravings, I have days I have to remind myself to eat.

~ 3.- What were your "detox" symptoms and how long did they last?Headache, fatigue, feeling like I was getting the flu- sore muscles etc. Mine lasted 3 days.

~ 4.- none of the food is hot? Is it hard not to eat a "hot" meal on a cold day? (I love the warm fuzzies I get from this)I use things like ginger, cayanne, I will cheat with herbal tea's as well. If you have a Vita mix or Blentec you can warm things up in there, or in a food dehydrator.

~ 5.-what book helped you best?
Alissa's and one from Natalia Rose (Raw food detox diet)

~ 6.-go cold turkey? or gradual?I did gradual using Raw food detox diet book, after I got used to the way veggies and greens tasted Alissa's book is my new best friend.

~ 7.- are the blender smoothies filling ? and do they wear off fast?
I use lots of greens in mine - they are wonderfully filling.

~ 8._ have any of you had amazing health benefits? I suffer from adult acne myself, and am about 100lbs over weight. My benefits are clearer complextion, I was not overweight I lost 10 pounds, eat as much of what I want when I want to eat and do not gain, I also have more energy, and feel incredibly sexy.

~ 9.- Is the weight loss fast? I would say I am 90% raw and last 10 pounds in the first 2 weeks and have pretty much maintained that. I am pretty tiny to begin with so weightloss is not my main goal - my main goal is to be healthy and happy with myself.

~ 10.- Does your gray hair really start to go away??I still have grey hair - I use hair color to make it gone :D:D


That is my input. I also think that being more raw saves me money in the long run- trips to the doctor for being sick and run day are far and few between. When I bought life insurance I qualified for the best rates because of my good health.

I wish you lots of luck in your journey.

[sunnylisa]

The green smoothies are terrific! The are very satisfying and give you energy. If I ever wonder about the ability of vegetarian, raw foods to nourish the body, I think of gorillas! Look at the muscle they build on raw plant foods!

It's fun to see what the better foods are doing for our bodies, and what positive changes are visible. Skin improvements show up early, and weight drops off. There are so many inspirational accounts within this website, plus I enjoy the Raw Family info. :)

[Veganforlife]

The best advice? Get Alissa's book and DVDs.