Newbie~RAW questions

[health-nugget]

Hello,

I am a newbie and currently eating 70% RAW. I would like to up my daily intake to about 80%, and then slowly raise the bar.

Before proceeding to eat more RAW, I wanted to know if anyone could recommend a daily percentage of fruits, nuts, oils, veggies, etc. Maybe a sample meal plan could help.

I just want to do this RAW diet/lifestyle transformation the right way, properly, so I can be healthy. What forms of detox should I expect?

I am on a strict budget, so organic is really not an option. Do most RAW foodists eat 100% organic? Are superfoods necessary?What about vitamin supplements? Sprouting and bochulism? I have so many questions. Could anyone recommend some good books or websites to read more about RAW foods?

I have two RAW 'uncook' books; RAWvolution by Matt Amsden and Ani's Raw Food Kitchen: Easy, Delectable Living Foods Recipes
by Ani Phyo--my favourite, easy recipes.

Thank for your help!
Health-nugget

[Revvell]

Alissa's HUGE book and dvd's are really the best way to start. Her advice for beginners is basically eat what you want, when you want as long as it's raw.



Do most RAW foodists eat 100% organic?

No


Are superfoods necessary?

If you can afford bottled, packaged, canned, etc. "superfoods", you can afford organic and your money would be well circulated.


What about vitamin supplements?

What about them? When eating raw foods you're most likely getting more nutrients than you ever have. In my opinion, vitamin supplements are dead, raw food is filled with life force, nutrients, enzymes.


Sprouting and bochulism?

Only a problem when you purchase them from people who don't use pure water. I've never had a problem with them. Sprouts are nature's true superfoods.

[RawSar]

Alissa's Book is a good one with tons of awesome recipes!! Her recipes will help with any cooked/processed food cravings!! She has everything from lasagna-burgers with fries - cheesecake - chocolate mousse!!!
I've also read The 80/10/10 by Dr Doug Grahm. I don't follow 100% on what he says but there's some good basic info. (great for cleansing)
Organic is a little more pricey but obviously worth it!! Organic tastes better, organic farming is better for wildlife, better for the soil, contains MORE NUTRIENTS, protects the climate, is safer.. there are just too many reasons why organic is better. When it isn't possible to buy ALL organic then the most important produce to ALWAYS get organic is: apples, bell peppers,celery, cherries, imported grapes, nectarines, peaches, pears,potatoes, red raspberries, spinach, and strawberries. Even after you have washed them (non-organic) these specifically still have a high levels of pesticides!
My boyfriend and I go for regular check ups with our naturopathic doctor where he checks our levels of vitamins, minerals and toxins..etc.. Only then will we take vitamins/supplements if his tests show that we are low..
(The Electrodermal Screening Test)

[ArcturusXIV]

My current diet consists of about 40% greens, 50% fruits, 10% nuts/seeds. I think that's a pretty good percentage to start with. You can start with 20-30% greens if you need, and move up from there.

[spicyfull]

Detox can Vary in each individual.

[EZ rider]

a daily percentage of fruits, nuts, oils, veggies, etc.
I eat an all fresh raw diet consisting of about 70% fresh fruit, 0% nuts, 0% oils (I do get fats as part of whole foods), 30% fresh veggies.


I just want to do this RAW diet/lifestyle transformation the right way, properly, so I can be healthy.
The "right" way to eat raw is the way that works for you. We are all different and you need to experiment and learn what works for you.

[Eva]

Hello Health Nugget (love the name!)!

Unfortunately -- or fortunately, depending on how you look at it -- there is no real formula that works with everyone on percentage of fruits, etc. It can even vary from day to day for a particular person.

I've been 100% raw for most of almost two years now, and boy has my life changed in that time! And so has my lifestyle/diet... An example: Today, it's just after noon here. I actually didn't wake up until 10:30 -- slept 12 hours (highly unusual for me -- but I needed it. I've been working so hard and efficiently because I work full time but am starting my own business too -- and also had an intense hot yoga session last night plus went running and walked around the city for an hour or so. I needed the rest!). Last night, when I came home, all I wanted was almonds. Weird. I have an apartment full of a variety of food, but that was what I wanted. (I did have a big apple right after yoga though; it had already digested.)

Often I wake up not too hungry. But this morning, I felt famished. But all I really wanted was a green smoothie. I used carrot tops and spinach. On a normal day, I would want 2-3 bananas in there. Not today. One seemed perfect. Cinnamon also sounded incredibly good. So that's what I had -- a smoothie with greens, 1 banana, and cinnamon (and some water).

Now I am not hungry at all. Now, my percentage of greens so far today is much higher than usual because on a normal day, I put about half fruit in my smoothies.

Just a few weeks ago, I went through a day where all I really wanted was apples. I got over it. Now, apples are not appealing at all...

On any given day, I do nothing more or less than eat what I want! And it WORKS. I feel SO GOOD! And if I wanted non-raw food, I might consider it. But I really just don't want it. I "can" have anything I want!

I don't supplement, and I feel fantastic. I do make an effort to have a very wide variety of food and to eat my greens. That's natural anyways. I love to go to the farmer's market and try things I've never had before or haven't had in awhile. That's fun. :)

Detox can be heck, but it might not have to be! If you start on the green smoothies (http://readysethealthy.blogspot.com/2008/06/basic-green-smoothie.html) that will help your detox to be through your bowels rather than your face or headaches. BUT -- when I was detoxing from eliminating coffee, wine, bread, cheese, red meat, cereal, white rice, sugar, sweets, doctor-prescribed Ritalin, etc. -- I felt like I needed to go to the hospital. Seriously. I was so delirious and in pain. Then two days later, I felt like I was on top of the world and haven't looked back.

Alissa's book really is great -- looking around on this forum, you can just use the banana at the top to search for questions you have. There is so much information here that we've all contributed!

I hope that helps. :)

[Raw Angel Mom]

If you are really able to do it right, i agree to explore the 80/10/10 but hear me out first.

What makes us choose bad food is our mind. What make us sick is our mind too. Our way to react with problem, our way to tell ourselves story for eating that we know we shouldn't have etc... Also, many are compulsive eater. If you are the kind of person that is discipline and follow through to anything you do, i would say, yes you can do the raw food right from the start, if not, then you need to take care of you mind first.

Meaning, you need to eat in a way with raw food to be comfortable, to feel comfortable and feel that you really can do this and feel at peace with this diet. By doing so, you cannot worry about the ratio of fruits, nuts or vegetables etc... at first. You really need to eat what you want and feel this freedom to trick you mind that this is ok to be raw for good.

I can promise you that even though you eat what you want etc.. you are going to see the benefit of this diet immediately. First, you are eating food with enzyme which mean less energy to digest and more energy for your body to heal you. Eliminating all the bad choice of food that you had, will be a tremendous relief of stress that you put your body through because now, he won't have to work harder to keep you alive. Many problem of overweight are due that there are to much toxin that were engorged and forced your body to store it in fat form. So eliminating the bad stuff and making room for the good stuff is already a great accomplishment.

My main advice to you, will be to add green smoothies right now in your diet. Green smoothie heal addiction, restore your ph balance it rejuvenate your blood stream and so much great miracles it does to your body. Google rawfamily.com She is the queen of green smoothie and has great advice and recipe with that.

Alissa Cohen approach for any starter is the best in my humble opinion, because she helps you to really enjoy this life style and not feeling limited. If you are restricted yourself too much and are too religious about it, you could end up giving up and eating food way more harmful then doing the right proportion of fruits, vegetables and nuts.

I can promise you one thing, at some point you will naturally start to adjust and eating more pure. I found myself having just plain tomato for lunch, or other time only red pepper or only a specific fruit. I can promise you that it felt like heaven, gourmet and delicious to me. Few years ago, i would of felt deprive eating like this. You see your body will guide you and don't try to rush thing out, you are doing a good approach to transition.

One trick eat a lot of fruit, vegetable and greens. If you do, you will be less hungry for the cook food.

Best wishes!

[MelissaO]

Alissa book is great when you are starting out. It has everything you need in there (meal plans, recipes, stories, etc)

Like the others that have posted - I have days were all I want to eat is fruit so I will eat lots of fruit. There are other days were I just want mostly greens. For beginners I think it all depends on the person - everyone is different. For me I started with lots of fruit and some greens added in. I had never tasted Kale before Alissa's book and this forum, the first time I had I did not like it at all. I was not really a high greens eater so I started off with organic green baby spinch. After awhile my body started craving more green things and now I can eat Kale raw and like it, there are times I crave it.


Organics - they are very expensive. I buy based mostly on price these days - I am not to far from a store that has really great priced organics so I will purchase the majority of my produce from them (things like lemon, apples, kiwi, ginger ) my organic baby spinch I buy from Costco. I go to 3 different stores normally on shopping day and will pick up things for my meals from each of them (Woodman's, Costco, and once a week I have to go the internal food market to pick up things like kale, young decent young coconut,figs etc).

Detox - again everyone is different. Depends on what your diet and lifestyle is. I had fatigue, mood swings, headaches, your bathroom usage will change, my face broke out for a few days. I would say for me it was like having the flu- it leaves in a few days and you feel better and better with each passing day. My body now will beg me to work out.



All of your questions are good ones. :)

[health-nugget]

Thank you all for taking the time to share your wonderful advice. Yesterday I wanted to be 100% RAW, so I was, and I felt amazing today!

Dates and bananas have been the key foods that have helped me to eliminate added sugars for the past few months. Anyone that knows me, knows that in the past I was a major sugar addict, so this is a big accomplishment, eliminating added/refined sugars. I don't miss them at all!

I am definitely going to look into obtaining Alissa's book in the near future.

Thanks for your replies RAW buddies :D
Health-nugget

[Patch]

Ever thought of growing your own vegetables, that way you know they are organic the cost is very low and what a thrill to pick a pepper or a lettuce. You don't need a big space. You can grow them in pots and have them in the house, nothing like fresh tomatoes picked with your own hands. We are lucky as we have a farm so we can grow all our own vegetables but I have friends who live in the city and they have vegetables all around there house. Even strawberries grown in pots or trays, so yummy been able to pick them when you are hungry.

[health-nugget]

Thnx patch! I have thought about the home interior garden. I will be more interested in proceeding once we move :) I don't want to stress out my plants.:p