More questions

[sebert2]

I have two new questions. First, would it be better to stay 100% raw even if it wouldn't be 100% organic, or is it more important to be 100% organic?

Second - I haven't read anything about the benefits of raw for women during the menopause phase of their lives. Would a woman still need hormone replacement, or does raw food take care of that, also? I have read a great deal about bio-identical HRT. That would be my choice, but even better would be if a raw diet took care of giving the body all it needed in that area, too.

[Revvell]

Personally, I go as much organic as possible and if I can't find organic, I get what I can conventional, purchasing from local farmers. I'm not sure of your question. Is it if one can't find organic eat conventional? Or is it between raw and organic?

As far as menopause goes, personally, I see no reason to "need" hrt except that people do that instead of a good food program. IF one is drinking caffeinated, carbonated beverages, lots of sugar, meat, dairy, etc., doctors (and most others because they've rarely seen a healthy woman) recommend hrt (therapy? Where's the therapy?). I'm 56. Many here are my age give or take. Personally, I never even considered hrt. Since being raw, my hot flashes have pretty much disappeared. Being that, before meno, I was not a meat eater and minimal dairy, they weren't real bad anyway ~ compared to many I've heard of. Does that help at all?

Revvell

[sport]

Revvell's story is identical to mine. I was vegan and had a mild menopause with just light hot flushes and no other symptom. Even those have stoped since going raw. My sister on the other hand is a meat eater and could not cope at all. She had to go on HRT because she could not sleep at night. We are very alike and I would have expected our experience to be the same.

[Ariannah]

I say staying raw is the most important. Organic is the optimal, in my opinion, as the quality of the fruit/veg is much better and purer, but obviously there are people who cannot either afford or obtain organic all the time, so one needs to be realistic when selecting their food. Staying raw keeps the quality of the produce at its best.

I, personally, go for organic most of the time, but the selection of food that's real organic (NO pesticides, excellent soil) vs "we used an organic pesticide" variety is slim.... I'd be eating next to nothing in this case! So I go first for organic, and then second the commercial produce that is on the "safer" list (Gabriel Cousens "Conscious Eating" page 440-441).

Only foods I won't compromise on for commercial are apples and grapes. They are sprayed heavily and Melons and avocadoes, coconuts are ok from commercial sources.

[sebert2]

Revvell, my question really is: I want to be 100% raw, but I can't always have organic produce available. I wonder if eating raw but not organic is still good enough.

I was vegtarian, 52 years old, and I have very few symptoms of menopause. But I have read Dr. Schwarzbein's book, "Schrarzbein Principle II", and it seems that many things can happen other than the uncomfortable symtoms. Does a raw diet prevent the effects of an unbalnced endocrine system? Does a raw diet keep everything in the body balanced?

[Helen Of Tennessee]

I'm 51 and close to menopause (miss a few periods here and there). I would never do hrt. I eat high raw and seem to be doing very well with it. Saying that, I do use natural progesterone cream from the heath food store, but I feel if I were all raw I wouldn't even need that.

I remember reading where Roe Gallo was raw for 25 years and she had no symptoms of menopause. http://www.roegallo.com/

I think that eating raw will keep all our hormone levels where they naturally should be, hence, little or no symptoms of the changes.

<>< Helen of Tennessee

[rawpriestess]

This is the order of importance for produce, as I was taught by several Raw food gurus.

The eccential:
RAW

very important
FRESH

important
RIPE

good
ORGANIC

So, RAw is the most important part of eating any produce, freshest is the best, ripe is also important, and organic is good, but do the best you can.

So, if you can get raw, non organic, that is okay, if you can get cooked organic, don't eat it.

Also, I do not believe in suppliments of any kind, this is just me, but if it isn't natural, I won't put in in or on my body.

[RawTruth]

I want to be 100% raw, but I can't always have organic produce available. I wonder if eating raw but not organic is still good enough.Yes, eating raw but not organic is good enough. Try to eat as much organic as possible. However, using conventional when organic isn't available or is too expensive is a reasonable concession. That is what many of us who are all raw do.


I was vegtarian, 52 years old, and I have very few symptoms of menopause. But I have read Dr. Schwarzbein's book, "Schrarzbein Principle II", and it seems that many things can happen other than the uncomfortable symtoms. Does a raw diet prevent the effects of an unbalnced endocrine system? Does a raw diet keep everything in the body balanced?I strongly recommend the recent book Revitalize Your Hormones: Dr. Dale's 7 Steps to a Happier, Healthier, and Sexier You by Theresa Dale, a naturopathic physician. I heard her on public radio and followed up with her book which is fascinating and contains suggestions that are extremely do-able. It is not just for perimenopause, but offers solutions for women during all phases of their hormonal life (which should be as long as she is alive!). Simply, she espouses several fairly simple things to allow your body to kick itself back into gear. A lifetime of wrong eating and environmental toxins help shut it down and can cause PMS, thyroid problems, and a bunch of unpleasantries. There was nothing I saw that would go against a raw food lifestyle. She advised homeopathy, skin brushing, etc.

I am someone who did use bioidentical hormones compounded to a prescription devised by my holistic doctor. Prior to that, I used natural progesterone cream. I would not recommend these to anyone and would strongly encourage anyone who is on them to investigate this book. The theory about menopause, which is backed up by her practice, is that when we add hormones to our body, it reduces its own output even further. This is the opposite of what we want. We'd rather help our body increase its own production.

It is available as a downloadable e-book in addition to being in print:
http://www.wiley.com/WileyCDA/WileyTitle/productCd-0471716871.html

[flutterfly]

If I had to eat all organic I would have to starve lol

[RawTruth]

I may not starve, but I'd be broke.

[Rawadventures]

Whew, it is good to read other people's input on this. With my budget being as tight as it is I would never be able to eat raw if it had to be organic. I do use my veggie wash on whatever can be washed (unless I peel it).

[twinyoga]

I'm like rawadventures. I use veggie wash when it's not organic. Sometimes I'll have an all organic week sometimes I just go to the local market and buy what the specials are. If it's something that absorbs (like strawberries) I buy organic only. Things that I peel, I might be not organic. Make sense?

[Autumn]

<<I strongly recommend the recent book Revitalize Your Hormones: Dr. Dale's 7 Steps to a Happier, Healthier, and Sexier You by Theresa Dale, a naturopathic physician. I heard her on public radio and followed up with her book which is fascinating and contains suggestions that are extremely do-able. It is not just for perimenopause, but offers solutions for women during all phases of their hormonal life (which should be as long as she is alive!). Simply, she espouses several fairly simple things to allow your body to kick itself back into gear. A lifetime of wrong eating and environmental toxins help shut it down and can cause PMS, thyroid problems, and a bunch of unpleasantries.>>

Does this book mention anything about PCOS (Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome)?