So I told some family members . . .

[Hedi]

. . . about going raw. I told my mother I'd initially plunged into it 100% after three days of being on the fence, and that now I might have an egg or something similar once a day. (I'm still moving toward 100%, although slower than I'd initially planned.) I had a bit of trepidation because she's always been a bit more mainstream in diet, but to her credit, she was *very* supportive. What a relief! She was excited that I would be able to release years of Prednisone side effects from my body, and was hopeful that my asthma would disappear. Hallelujah!

I also told my sister-in-law when she called tonight to invite me out to dinner. She wanted to go to a Middle Eastern restaurant that we've frequented in the past, and I told her that I had just changed my way of eating and wasn't fully comfortable with eating out yet. I then told her I'm done with red meat, too, and that shocked her. (I used to be the koobideh kebab queen!) But she was very encouraging, too, and said she hoped this would heal my body.

Of course, I haven't really spoken to my dad about it, but I bet she did. He has diabetes, and I'm going to look online and in texts regarding the raw lifestyle and reversing the disease. He doesn't need to lose any weight, but -- like just about everyone I know -- could stand to gain some nutrition.

Before I forget, another friend is also starting raw. I spoke with her last night and she was very excited about the food variation. She's switching from Atkins to this. Yay!!!

[spicyfull]

I am So Happy you are making a change in your life and have a support group. There is a Thread on this Forum about reversing diabetes in 30 days. From Atkins to RAW is an Awakening, I wish her all the Best.

[Hedi]

Thanks for the encouragement and info, spicyfull! I'll check out that thread. I'd love to see my dad healthy and free of diabetes. :) As for my friend leaving Atkins -- I think "an Awakening" is the perfect description. I'm so proud of her!

[jacsam]

Sounds like it won't be long and all your friends and family will be on board with you. I'm glad it worked out so well for you.

[Veganforlife]

RAWsome! Do you have Alissa's book and DVDs? Maybe wanna share them with family and friends?

[Revvell]

Congrats on having the courage to do what you're doing and to tell your family.

Here's where you want to go for your dad... Reversing Diabetes in 30 Days (http://www.1shoppingcart.com/app/?af=814995)

Revvell (http://LetsTalkRaw.com)

[rawstrength]

Congratulations on having such wonderful and supportive friends and family. From atkins to raw . . . wow, your friend could be up for some harsh detox coming soon. Make sure she eats lots of mineral rich green foods to neutralize all of the acid in her body that she will be releasing on a raw food diet. Meat is so acidifying, raw foods are very alkalinizing. Disease (cancer, viruses, candida yeast, fungal infections) cannot survive in an alkaline body.
I'd ditch the eggs and eat cooked plant foods as your transition foods to raw. Afterall, a raw vegan diet is a plant based diet. And if you must eat eggs, then get organic ones because they will have the least pesticide contamination. Go slow and at a pace that is comfortable to you as you approach being 100% raw.
I know from personal experience that Prednisone is nasty, nasty stuff. I had to take a high dose of it for just four days to clear up a very severe case of poison ivy that I had this fall. During those four days on Prednisone I literally felt like I was going insane, and my body and face swelled up like a balloon. Fortunately I only needed to take the Prednisone for four days. I'm sure that the long term effects of Prednisone would be even worse. Getting off of steroids is a huge step to take in improving the health of your body. Be kind and gentle to yourself as you make this big adjustment.
Raw love,
Raw Strength

[Defiance]

I went vegan from Atkins, and then raw shortly thereafter. Talk about a 180-degree turnaround, with tires squealing and a screeching halt! It was, surprisingly, not as tough as I thought it was going to be. The hardest thing for me to give up was coffee, not meat. Actually I was so sick of chicken that I was GLAD not to have to eat it anymore.

My health improved dramatically. My low blood sugar I had always suffered from went away. An enlarged tonsil that had blocked half my throat for nearly 30 years completely normalized. My allergies, colds, and sinus problems disappeared, and I can breathe through my nose for the first time in my life. All this in just a few months on raw.

I think I am still peeling through layers of detox, though. Because things will surface occasionally and I will have to work through them. Tell your friend to expect a lot of detoxing, but to push through it with lots of green smoothies and water. It is SO worth it to come out on the other side. I just wish I had known about raw before I suffered through a surgery and all the other problems. But I was told by doctor after doctor to go high-protein, low-carb, to avoid fruit, etc. How frustrating that is to me now!

Congratulations to you for having the courage and fortitude to stand up for yourself and tell everyone what you are doing. And what a blessing that they are supportive. My family owns a beef cattle farm! I am definitely the 'black sheep' of the family! But they are surprisingly supportive as well. I just take my own delicious recipes to family dinners now, and they generally love them too.

Blessings to you and your friend. I hope your father will see the light and reverse his diabetes. What a gift that would be! Good luck!

[Hedi]

I just read all the wonderful replies and wanted to send out a big THANK YOU! You guys rock (er, RAWk?)!

Kudos to Alissa, who's fabulous -- her energy alone is a terrific testimony as to how eating raw is a way of life and not just eating. I think I'll order her book and DVD as holiday or birthday gifts this year for family and friends!

Thanks for the _Simply Raw_ link, Revell -- I'm going to read and watch it carefully. My dad was told to do the same high protein diet that you were, Defiance. That doesn't make sense to me any more.

I see my mother on Tuesday and I think she'll be taken aback by the change since right before New Year's. I got into a pair of jeans today that I thought I'd never wear again -- I last tried them on in November. No struggling whatsoever to pull up the zipper -- glory! That's a sign that everything is beginning to balance out. I'm also not seeing "impact lines" from my clothing. How nice to take off my socks and not see their outline on my skin!

Right now I'm still allergic to soy and nuts/legumes . . . I think this will dissipate as my body strengthens its various systems. That's why I was eating eggs (always, always organic!) or tuna if I'm in a pinch. I'm trying to keep it as "clean" as possible even though I haven't fully transitioned yet. Just so long as I get my green smoothies every day, it'll all work out fine! :)

Thanks again to everyone for your great responses!

[jurence]

Diabetes is frequently reversed with a raw food diet so long as it is idiopathic in nature (IE: Doc says every organ is working normally)

[Pking]

Awesome job in dealing w/your family on eating raw. Continue to be a shining example and hopefully they too will understand the many benefits of eating raw.

[Hedi]

jurence, thanks for the info. I'll keep that in mind.

Pking, I don't know if I'm a shining example yet, but I think I'm starting to see a bit of a glow! LOL.

Have a wonderful weekend, everyone!

[Indie]

Here's a link to Gabriel Cousen's program for reversing diabetes: http://www.21daycure.com

[Hedi]

Thanks for the link, Indie -- I'm glad I checked the forum one more time before signing off for the night! :)