How to know who/what to believe?

[papaya-berry]

I'm not totally new to raw foods. I know that raw foods (when prepared healthfully) are amazing for the body and have huge health benefits. I'm sold. But, there is so much hype, marketing, exaggeration, and misinformation about what is/is not healthy that it gets confusing.

Sometimes in the past I have felt that I've found 'the source' - the person or book or way of eating that is 'best' to follow but after a while found that it didn't agree with me (my health declined) or I became concerned that following only one thing so strictly could be closing me off from hearing about even better alternatives...

I know I'm not the only one in this boat so, how do you guys deal with this? How do you keep perspective? How do you know who/what to believe?

[RawHealthyBeauty]

I just go by what my body wants when to comes to raw food, plus it comes from the earth, so to me that is real food with enzymes in it, so that my body doesn't have to sacrifice it's own enzyme to digest food. I just stick to it, because I know it is packed with vitamins and minerals where man made food that is loaded with science lab chemicals and preservatives that we never heard of which is very questionable. So to me it just common sense to eat real food over plastic food! That is how I deal with it and know that food from the earth is good for my health.

Have you gotten Alissa's book and dvd? It's a great way to get started.
I've met Alissa and have taken her classes. She's been eating raw food for a very very long time!! I trust her and she is one of the nicest people I've met!! :)

[Revvell]

Ditto (on what Whoa Raw said).

I don't "believe" any of it. It is either right for me or it isn't. It's that simple.


I know that raw foods (when prepared healthfully) are amazing for the body and have huge health benefits.

... if they're raw, and meant for the human body, they are healthy. They don't really need to be "prepared"... Take 'em and eat 'em. Just play with your food.


I just go by what my body wants when to comes to raw food, plus it comes from the earth, so to me that is real food with enzymes in it, so that my body doesn't have to sacrifice it's own enzyme to digest food. I just stick to it, because I know it is packed with vitamins and minerals where man made food that is loaded with science lab chemicals and preservatives that we never heard of which is very questionable. So to me it just common sense to eat real food over plastic food! That is how I deal with it and know that food from the earth is good for my health.

Have you gotten Alissa's book and dvd? It's a great way to get started.
I've met Alissa and have taken her classes. She's been eating raw food for a very very long time!! I trust her and she is one of the nicest people I've met!! :)

[levamssg]

Ditto on what has already been said.

I've been raw a long time, and at first wanted to do everything "right" according to what I read/heard, etc. And it is nice to have some general guidelines when first starting out. At the time I started out, there wasn't much, so I ended up just beginning to eat raw things and going along.

The bottom line is this. Everyone is unique. Trust what your body is telling you. Go slow, listen, try things. You will continually be making small "corrections" as you move along ... it's simply the way things work. You learn, take the new knowledge, and go from there ... again and again. Keep it simple. Keep it fun. There are no food police out there. Just do what works for you.

[TaupeRawMan]

This is a nice thread about this topic

http://rawfoodtalk.com/showthread.php?t=50136

[JennaHoneyBear]

It's definitely a lot of info in the beginning. I wanted to do food combining, no hybrids, ayurvedic and found all i could eat were foods I didn't particularly like :p
just do your own thang and make tweaks later; the important thing is to eat raw

[cara4art]

I'll add my two cents to everyone else's here - just jump in and start doing it. Don't be one of these people who "studies the raw food diet" for 10 years, but still doesn't do it. Try different things - this is the time to do it. Everybody is different - there are some things you'll like and agree with you and some that don't, and it can change too as you go along. Some things that you might not like at the beginning you'll end up loving, and vice versa. Alissa's book is wonderful and explains so much, along with terrific food!

[lodestar]

TRMan... thanks for the link.

i have chosen to make this path custom fit for me. for example... i rarely use a dehydrator and i own a very nice one. along the raw way i have found that simple straight forward raw food suits ME best. somehow i have picked up the confidence to sift through vast raw food information and keep what rings true for me. i appreciate this aspect of going the raw way most of all.

[islesgirl]

Thank you papaya-berry for posing these questions. You echoed exactly what thoughts have been driving me nuts for a long time and especially these past few days.

I so appreciate all the comments from the other long-time rawbies here. I guess it boils down to learning how to listen to our bodies but before we can do that we have to jump in there and stop fooling around, wasting precious time, agonizing over which way to go.

TaupeRawMan - thank you for the link.

cara4art - you said exactly what I've known all along really but needed to hear again. I have been yo-yoing from sad food to raw while reading everything I could get my hands on about raw food. I could have used that time trying some new recipes. I am going to haul Alissa's book out again and use it and look at her DVD's again. I liked her - thought she was genuine.

[xPIXIEx]

This is something that has bothered me as well. I'm such a worry wart that I'll take the smallest thing and stress over it endlessly! As far as raw food is concerned, I decided that I'm going to do it as long as it makes me feel great. If I'm feeling great and looking great (not quite there yet on that one), and I remain healthy, I'm doing it. My body and how I feel is the greatest indicator for me that this is right. When I eat raw, I feel like a new person. So, this is on the agenda for me as long as it keeps doing me right. :)

[Evie]

I do not follow one specific "guru" or diet plan for my raw food lifestyle. I take the information I agree with and use it in my daily living. Alissa seems to have one of the most balanced approaches to raw food. She makes the lifestyle doable for the beginner. I try to not go to extremes. There are many raw gurus who teach the extreme. Seek knowledge and use what applies to your life and body.

[Mad Mex]

Amen sister!

Common sense is needed.

Saludos,

Marcel :cool:

[lovenlife]

I didnt get to read everybodys post yet but the answer is to listen to your own body!

[Green_Woman]

I believe mySelf. ;)

If I'm looking for answers outside mySelf, I consult friends whose bodies/health are what I want to achieve... and I try out their recommendations. If the food/remedy agrees with me, I keep it. If it doesn't, I toss it out.

I adhere to no "beliefs" about raw food-ism, nor do I follow a guru.

My Body is my own Best Guru.

[CathyA.]

"My body is my own Best Guru."

Too good of advice to ignore!!!!

[klomasius]

What they all said, nothing more to add. :D