Anyone have any non-raw cravings???

[AvocadoLady04]

Please help, if you've ever dealt with this, and know how to conquer your non-raw food cravings. I am just starting this diet and have been craving breads, pasta, and sweets! :mad:

I am nursing my 2-month old daughter, and would also like to know if a 100% raw diet is healthy for her?

[katchmoleen]

Oh, yes, definitely, especially when I first started. The key is to make good tasting raw food and eat a LOT. Especially with nursing you need lots of calories so don't live on rabbit food all day long. Add plenty of healthy fats and don't skimp on the heavier foods at first. Eventually your taste will adjust and you won't need so much and rabbit food will suffice!

Yes this is a healthy diet for you to eat while nourishing your baby.

[DopeRawAbundance]

Insta-cravings hit me smackdab in the butt when I see a Pizza Hut commercial, a piece being pulled away from the rest of the pie, cheese oozing off the sides, steaming deliciousness atop a sweet sauce layered over the softest golden chewy crust.

^ Most likely, the above sounds disturbingly appetizing to you. This is what we have to be trained to deal with, sometimes I think I'm perfectly fine with resisting "SAD" foods until I seem them on a commercial or right in front of me and get a spontaneous craving.

What do I do in these situations? I revert my thoughts to the tastiest raw living tastebudorgasms I can think of, and throw a corresponding recipe together. Have you tried some complex tasting dopeness like say, onion bread? I have some in the dehydrator right now, made with sunflower seeds, flax seeds, olive oil, apple cider vinegar, garlic, an italian herbs blend, sweet basil, onion, and water to get to the right consistency. This is only my first stab at it and it's delicious, me and my brother killed a whole tray of it before it could even begin to dehydrate, so even if you don't have a dehydrator, the batter is a force on it's own.

If you think raw foods aren't a trip to TongueEuphoriaville, you haven't tried the right recipes, I always say. Ok that was my first time saying that ever but it's bound to be said again.

[Green_Woman]

AvocadoLady - have you had a chance to get a copy of Alissa Cohen's book: Living on Live Food...?

It will be the absolute BEST investment of $30 you make in your RAW Journey, guaranteed!!!

Alissa answers so many VITAL questions, plus she compiles the information you really NEED to know to get a successful, strong start on RAW... and there are some GREAT recipes for everything from Chocolate Cake to Calzone to Soups, Salads, Smoothies and much, much more!

I should work for Alissa by the sounds of this... but I don't. :eek:

However, I do swear by her book as the #1 Resource I have ever found in the RAW world!!!

[Green_Woman]

P.S. I conquer my SAD cravings by NOT giving in to them, and instead going and fixing myself something RAW that is sweet or salty or crunchy or smooth, depending on the texture/flavor of what I'm craving...

...example: if I'm craving SUSHI (big one, for me) then I go home and prepare a bowl of Carrot Miso Soup, or I'll whip up a batch of Raw Nori Rolls (30-45 min. prep time, max! way less time than it takes to drive to the Sushi Bar and wait for an order! :D )

RAW saves me time, energy, MONEY, and it's saving my health!

I hope this encourages you. :D

I LOVE RAW!

:D

[xPIXIEx]

Definitely! Drinking lots of water, grazing all day long and eating a raw dessert helps me. For some reason, even though it's not what I'm craving, a raw dessert tends to knock the cravings out pretty good. It's probably because I get the feeling of 'cheating' because it's sooo good. With the grazing bit, I find that if I'm almost always munching on something, I don't really think about cooked food. With raw food, I don't get FULL like with cooked food...I just stay satisfied.

But what works for one may not work for another. Try it all and see what helps!

[freshlight]

surround yourself with lots of wonderful raw books & keep reading them as often as you can.Indulge yourself with your favourite raw foods. You can do this. As soon as you jumped in 100% for a long time, the cravings will disappear and you'll start craving apples insted :)

The raw food is the best thing (foodwise) you can give to your child.....but all she needs right now is your milk. Take care.

[freelee]

Go to nutridiary.com and work out how many calories you need to maintain your current body weight and aim for this with sweet juicy fruits, you will no longer have cravings. We need to meet our physiological carbohydrate requirements if we want to thrive and be craving-free. Every cell in the human body runs on glucose, give the body the fuel it craves - sweet juicy fruits and life will be sweet!


LovefreeleeX

[katchmoleen]

The fruit thing definitely does NOT work for me. I have tried fruit and juice fasting and it kicks my cravings into high gear. Eating some fat keeps me from craving too much. I think there must be something to the "dosha" types....different bodies crave different things. If I had to eat mostly fruit, no way could I stay raw. One or two pieces a day is way enough for me.

[freelee]

I know many peeps succeeding on a high fruit diet, have done for the past 2years, its fantastic! I suggest peeps try it properly 100% for at least a month before writing it off, I have written plenty of articles about my success here (http://www.sweetjuicyfreelee.com)

[Green_Woman]

Freelee - Alissa Cohen doesn't recommend an exclusively high-fruit diet. :) This is her site, her rules. ;) I personally would say that a HIGH GREEN-diet is going to be your best bet for cutting cravings and increasing your overall wellness... and that's supported by the top names in RAW research/publishing including the Boutenkos and Gabriel Cousens, MD.

Alissa has a statement in her book regarding high-fruit recommendations... she says that fruitarian may be fine for short time spans but is NOT recommended for sustaining your health/life for long term.

I'm getting the impression that you're trying more to generate fans for your own site/"raw way" than actually trying to help the original poster, which isn't a terrible except that... aside from shameless self promotion in our signatures, we're not encouraged to try to harvest from the folks here on RFT. ;)

Or I might just be grumpy from lack of sleep this week. ;)

[freelee]

Thanks GreenWoman :)
I didn't realise Alissa's views on a fruit diet, thanks for letting me know.
I respect its her site for sure, I understand because I have my own forum to run! No not trying to generate fans, I just like to spread the fruity vibes to those in need and also just found this cool site yesterday and wanted to join the good vibes X

[freelee]

Plus I've been through what avocadolady is going through so many times, I know how awful it can be... i no longer have the craving issue so I wanted to help..as always :)

[Eva]

Hey there! I have been raw with my ups and downs (mostly ups, 100%-ish) for about 3 years now. I only very rarely crave anything other than raw food. Feeling dang good too.

I have a close friend who is a raw vegan and has a 10-month-old baby. She was raw while nursing and still is 100%. Her baby is breast feeding a lot and sometimes gnaws on things like celery sticks, (she's got those cute front two teeth), stuff like that. But mostly, her diet is mom's milk. She never gets sick, and she is the happiest baby I have ever seen in my entire life. She can't possibly be deficient with the way she looks and acts. :)

[Eva]

freelee - Just a quick Hello! and welcome to you. You'll get the hang of it, but Green_Woman is right... The other thing about Alissa is that she talks a lot about listening to your body... So maybe high fruit is great for some people? But because it is her forum, it still keeps any of us from talking about a high-fruit or other specific diet other than just raw. At least around these parts!

I personally find, AvocadoLady, that green smoothies make a HUGE difference to me for cravings. Sorry I didn't mention that earlier. It just helps to get some greens in. But I don't do it every day. (I mean to, but you know how life works...)

Here's some info about calcium (http://www.uncooking101.com/raw-food-calcium.shtml) and some about green smoothies (http://www.uncooking101.com/basic-green-smoothie-recipe.shtml) (which are great for calcium and building strong bones for you and your baby).

I'm really glad you're asking these questions... I hope you find what you are looking for. Remember, many people end up with moderately healthy babies even while on a pathetic diet void of much nutrition. You are already doing so much - doing your best and being educated about this stuff is fabulous.

[rawrawks]

avacadolady,its ok. It happens to all of us. Green smoothies cured this for me. We all have experienced this. Eat some special yumminesses too at this time! it will pass. ALl part of your journey.

Freelee, its ok. Thankx for stepping over to share your success!! Your enthusiasm is always welcome here and its nice you shared what worked n raw for you. Happy you are here! Its all sharing and there is enough of everything for it all to go around to anyone who wants it.

In business and the raw bizzzyness, somehow peeps got this idea that whats mine is mine and only mine and I gotta hold on tight. Peeps dont realize if ones fist is closed, it is also closed to the abundance coming in as well. There are a ton of people, money, resources, etc out there. Enough for everyone to have all they want and need. I love it!

I love how most of the raw biz peeps have a free networking. They all promote on another and highlight and feature and interview one another. To me, that is where abundance comes. Independence is a struggle I think. Imagine if you GOT that we are all out to help one another and that everyone in your path will add to your life somehow to aid you at suceeding!!! woweeee. This, my friends is true! It happens all the time.
I see you freelee as a beauty example of this. Thankx for sharing with us sweet. I am on your site too and love it.

[Green_Woman]

In business and the raw bizzzyness, somehow peeps got this idea that whats mine is mine and only mine and I gotta hold on tight. Peeps dont realize if ones fist is closed, it is also closed to the abundance coming in as well. There are a ton of people, money, resources, etc out there. Enough for everyone to have all they want and need. I love it!

Love this!!!

:D

Free - My post definitely sounded grumpier than I had intended. I'm a huge promoter of all things RAW myself, and love to share new discoveries and ideas too, so I'm sorry that I came across as trying to put a damper on your light! Don't wanna do that - and meantime I have to learn how to write lighter responses. ;)

[rawrawks]

YOU ,my dear green woman, are a big person to apologize! awwwww

[Green_Woman]

(Nah, I just have a big mouth and never catch things until AFTER I say them... ;) it works GREAT in some situations - like improv theatre, for instance... :D but not so great on Boards where communication is already tricky because we don't have facial expressions, tone of voice, etc., to understand what folks mean by what they say!)


P.S. I LOVE RAW!!!

:D

[freelee]

Hey no need for apologies Green Woman! I understand completely :) My priority is always to help peeps and I can see how the way I do things may not be in line with Alissa's. On a side not Alissa has always been a huge source of inspiration on my journey to raw and still is. I will keep in mind your advice i appreciate it.

Rawrawks hello! Same name on 30BaD?
Happy you are here! Its all sharing and there is enough of everything for it all to go around to anyone who wants it.
- thankyou so much my friend, I really love your abundant outlook. I appreciate your warm welcome :)

Eva, hello to you! Thanks for the lovely welcome, I appreciate that X

[revdrcyn]

I always try to have 3 or 4 days worth of DELICIOUS recipes pre-made and just waiting in the fridge. This is how I started back in August and it has served me well.

When I do get cravings, I indulge in the pates, casseroles, cheezes, crackers/breads, and/or desserts I have on hand.

With this kind of variety, I can pretty much cover whatever type of craving comes along, e.g., sweet, savory, Asian, Mexican, Italian, etc.

In addition, I keep TONS of fruits and greens stocked all the time.

MY SECRET WEAPON against cravings: Green Smoothies -- a miracle!

[RawKnitster]

Cravings for bread, pasta, and sweets can be handled with raw crackers and dried fruits. Before getting a dehydrator and making my own crackers I bought "Lydia's Organics" crackers and cereals. A cracker topped with nut butter and honey or berries is great for curing that bread and sweet craving. Lydia's cereals with homemade almond milk were a lifesaver.

I also ate dates and dried figs daily as a cure for sweet craving. Dried figs have the added bonus of calcium. So does the almond milk. As a nursing mom that might be beneficial for you and the babe. Nursing burns an extra 1000 calories a day, so you can handle a few extra fats and sweets. :)

Best wishes to you and the babe. Happy times. :)

[VeGenesis]

have been craving breads, pasta, and sweets! :mad:

I am nursing my 2-month old daughter, and would also like to know if a 100% raw diet is healthy for her?

I wonder what kind of sweets??? If it is chocolate, you are likely not getting enough greens. I have about 4 dozen people I am advising on raw diets. One is preg, one is nursing. One common factor I have seen is not enough greens.

For a nursing mom, this is vital. Greens provide the aminos and the a bunch of calcium for your baby.

Being an AvocadoLady we likely do not need to worry about fat. One of those or a coconut each day will likely give your baby all the fat it needs!

I will say don't skimp on fruit. Cravings are often triggered when you do not eat enough fruit. So the first line of defense against hunger or cravings may likely be fruit - especially non-choco sweet cravings.

However, I must say hunger and being tired is usually a need for fruit and cravings are most likely solved by greens. Believe it or not my wife has started making green smoothies for me 2-3 times a day and throws 250grams of greens and a couple bananas in each - then I add fruit and veggies to that! Our group laughed because I, the preg lady and the nursing mom are all eating a very similar diet! My tummy is getting smaller (losing 1/2 to 1 Kg a week for 2 years!), the preg lady's tummy is getting bigger, and the baby of the nursing mom is giggling happy and strong and we all expect the first steps and then running anytime - at only 8 months!

So cravings, make sure you load up on greens and check your fruit. Most newbies don't eat enough fruit.

For what it is worth - within our group we have identified what we call the special needs group. These people have health related issues - not just maintenance. This group has a goal - nursing a healthy baby or being pregy would surely be in here. These have goals (weaning and birth, respectively).

Others in the special needs group would likely be resolving an illness (counting obesity as an illness).

ALL of these people (in our group) seem to do better on whole foods during that time, and they lean away from the celebration gourmet foods then.

While you are nursing you may want to see how well you do on whole foods. Our group of 50 defines whole foods as "Not part foods!"

Nuts, seeds, grain and beans are the reproductive PART of the plants. These are often protected by either hard shells or by toxic content making it difficult for a human do eat. Those of us in the special needs group seem to do better by avoiding these for that time and increasing Dark Green Leafy Food.

Some might argue the same for stalks or roots, but consider a ginger root or carrot. They are easy to pull from the soil and bite right into! Compare a single cashew, you must first remove the cashew apple (eat it!) then find a big rock, smash your thumb and fingers a number of times, get frustrated and maybe from time to time you may get to eat one! ONE NUT!

Oranges, mangos, bananas, greens of all kinds, bell peppers, etc., all are very easy to just pick and eat with your hands. Whole foods.

Oils and juice and dehydrated food is extracted, not whole.

2000 years ago, no one knew about the nutritional values we know about today. Do doctors know everything about nutrition today? It takes about 1 pound of carrots to make 8oz of carrot juice. Good for you, right? Well...

IF you accept that man knows everything there is to know about nutrition and

IF you believe we have developed a perfect diet for everyone and

IF you think doctors have all the answers and

IF you think that there is not some yet undiscovered nutrient that is not hiding in the part of the carrot we throw away...

That is a lot of IF's to base your baby's life on!

Whereas it seems everyone agrees that veggies are good for you!

There is a rising expression in the special needs group here, started by the nursing mom, that when translated goes something like, "Unless you are God, why mess with nature!" The nursing mom thrives on whole food.

I offer this as just a possible solution. Your good mommy skills are already telling you that raw living food is better than the cooked to death stuff (how do people call that food?). Thanks for being a great RAW mom and for loving your baby. I believe Raw Babies are the greatest hope for mankind!