Newbie but not to RAW!

[splendorintheraw]

Hello Everyone!

My name is Chef Tina Jo and I joined this forum in hopes to connect with and talk to others. I have been on a 100% raw food diet for 9 years since a debilitating illness. To help myself overcome my sickness, I turned to the diet as a last resort and have been hooked ever since. I am a firm believer that we are what we eat and that so many of our pandemic illnesses (diabetes, cancers etc) can be traced back to what we have put in our mouths all throughout our lives.
I graduated from the Living Light Culinary Arts Institute in California.
Looking forward to meeting others and sharing ideas.

[Carly]

Welcome Tina! Wow! I read the 'about' section of your website - how inspiring! 9 years is a long time to be raw! Has it changed you in any other ways besides those you mentioned on the website? Many of us have a difficult time staying with raw (I'm currently on my 7th attempt!), do you have any advice for how to stay with it? Does it get easier as time goes on? Do you still feel the 'raw high'?

[michigan roman]

hi tj :)

the late norman walkers book ' raw fruit / vegi juices ' given to me by my neighboor gardening buddy whose been diet concious since developing cancer in the 1960's (very healthy octarian today she is , with giant garden she about lives off of ) got me into raw many years ago but not fully til 4 years ago , at which time ide been a long term vegan on an whole food vegan diet for ethical reasons . the old timers like walker and the late fasting guru herbert shelton are the people i go by . and the ex member here the erudite 'rawtruth'

ide already been on the raw track as i started self studying diet / disease / veganism / herbs seriously 15 years ago and eventually concluded that raw plant matter and water were optimum cell fuel , its just that it took me a while to determine the diet should be soley raw plants and water with nothing else involved

so current day all my friends and family enjoy hating me :eek: as i constantly lecture them on the wrongs of their s.a.d. diets .
its alot of fun though calling them all naive americans :D


cheers :)

[Thick]

I'm so glad you joined us!=)

[spicyfull]

Welcome to Our Forum..........

[splendorintheraw]

Carly,
First let me apologize for taking so long to get back to you, im a FANTASTIC chef but horrible at this computer stuff - Never have done this before! took me forever to figure this forum out!! so sorry!!
Anyways, you mentioned this is your seventh attempt at staying 100% raw. First, let me say don’t get caught up in all the percentages. I think the fact that you’re consistently incorporating raw foods into your lifestyle is something to be commended for. Simply adding a high amount of raw foods and staying away from all refined sugars and processed starches and animal products will put you on a healthy path. Bravo to you and all your efforts! Remember, this is not a quick fix. It’s not about a diet, it’s about a lifestyle. This journey will last your life time. I truly believe that you should celebrate yourself and your accomplishments to date. So what if you have something cooked one day! The most important thing is to not beat yourself up over it and start the next meal or day anew.
For me staying raw is all about being organized and variety. I make sure I always have my staples on hand. Every few weeks I set aside a day to make my, crackers, bread, chips and wraps. Once a week it’s the same for dressings, rice, veggies, sprouts, chesses. Once a month it’s all about my fermented foods. I truly have a schedule. It works like a charm. I found if I have these on hand I don’t have any slip ups. Let’s face it; we have all come home from work starving with nothing in the refrigerator. Well, that’s just a disaster waiting to happen. We’re more likely to grab something that’s not as healthy for us just to stop those hunger pains or stop those cravings. Staying organized is the key and so is variety! You’d think being a chef I’d never run into this problem, but for a while there, I did find myself eating the same several dishes over and over again. I was getting bored. Well, that’s certainly wasn’t good for my body let alone my moral or taste buds. So, now I make sure I’m eating a large variety of fruits, vegetables and this includes sea veggies nuts and seeds. I’m always trying something new. It keeps it exciting and fun!!
As for the “raw high” I experience it regularly, mostly when I’m just juicing. I’m sure it’s because my body doesn’t have to work as hard at digesting my foods and I have all that extra energy just busting out all over!
Carly, you also asked what other things I’ve noticed about my body since being raw, other than no more tumors. Well where do I begin? If we go by just my blood tests, that would be informative, but boring. So I’ll tell you about my psychical differences. First there’s my skin. It’s clear, fresh and glows. My hair and nails grow at a rapid rate and are also strong and healthy. I never have headaches or body aches and pains any more. When I sleep, I sleep like a baby. I’m strong, vibrant and healthy. The one thing that thrills me to death is my body size and appearance and this is coming from someone who struggled for years with body issues! I don’t even think about weight any more, when for years I was obsessed with it. I eat what I want without guilt and fear! That’s amazing! That’s what raw will do!
I hope this helps. I look forward to hearing back from you.
Your new friend,
Chef Tina Jo

[splendorintheraw]

Hi Michigan Roman!
I can appreciate what you’re saying. When it comes to our friends and family or let’s say the people we love the most, it’s hard not to lecture because we want the best for them. I found with my own experience the more I lectured the more they turned a deaf ear! So I tried a new strategy!! I stopped lecturing and I started cooking. Well our version of cooking anyway! Whenever I would go to their homes for a visit I would make something - show stopping delicious and pretty. Pretty, is the key word here! Remember we eat with our eyes first! Now again, I can appreciate what you eat and what works best for you, but when you’re trying to enlighten someone as to the benefits of eating a whole foods diet based on organic vegetables and fruits serving them something amazing delicious goes a long way. Best yet, make them an out of this world dessert! You need to hook them first. Then perhaps they’ll listen. I know it work for me! Remember, it’s not about what you like to eat. Make it about them. Then make it raw and fabulously delicious! They’ll listen!
I look forward to hearing back from you,
Your new friend,
Chef Tina Jo

[splendorintheraw]

Thick and Spiciful!

Thanks for the warm welcome! I am SO SO very excited to be part of this wonderful community of raw food friends. I cannnnnot wait to turn myself into a beautiful tree. IS that the highest level??!!

[splendorintheraw]

ive seen that! upwards in the 5 figure range! woo i better get busy!

[SunChild]

HI and welcome! I want to thank you for mentioning your raw schedule for making foods, that is one thing I don't do yet! I like how you set a day once a week or once a month to make staple foods and fermented foods. I think that is they key for people who are struggling because of the common problem of leaving meal planning to the last minute! I have only just started making 3 days worth of Chia pudding! You have just motivated me to write up my own schedule and print it out and stick it on my fridge!

[Carly]

Thanks for all the wonderful advice Tina Jo! You're right, I'm finding myself preparing food a lot, mostly out of necessity because I know I need a variety of tasty things to eat. Otherwise I won't be able to stick to raw because I just love to eat too much! I just starting juicing today and I think I'll like it. I've been doing green smoothies and I think they're keeping my cravings away; I really haven;t had many at all yet! I love your testimonial about how raw changed you, thank you so much! Have you always lived in Mexico?