New to this!

[raweutifulgirl3]

Im extremely new to this type of lifestyle but am really interested on incorporating this into my life. In order to do so, I need support not because it's something I don't want to do but feel like I have to do but because it's easier to stay confident in my ways that way. If anyone wants a buddy and is new to this as well let me knowwww! =)

[revdrcyn]

Welcome to RFT! You will find lots of support and wisdom on this site! When I was brand-new, I really enjoyed searching old threads by topic or recipe - just click on the banana above!

Glad you joined us!

[raweutifulgirl3]

What are the best ways to start a successful raw lifestyle? I really need advice for I DO NOT get any support whatsoever from my family...:(

[ddelong]

I would start out by eating and juicing alot of organic fruits and vegetables. I juice 1-2 times per day and eat a fair amount of raw broccali. At the same time I would do alot of research on the Internet, read articles, blog posts, forum threads, and watch videos about the raw food lifestyle and the benefits of it. That's how I got started. I have since purchased a food dehydrator and started looking around for recipes for it.

[jnjking]

I started raw this week also. I'm not quite 100% there yet. My goal is to be 100% by the end of June. Does anybody know of a raw brand of entrees at the grocery store?

[CathyA.]

anything in the produce section.;)

[bananarama]

I'm sort of an old timer at this - I'll be 6 years raw this August. It feels funny being an old pro, especially because I'm 20.

When I first started, I didn't have a juicer, but I was doing a lot of smoothies. I've developed a lot since then - I eat a lot more vegetables than before, and I don't really do smoothies that much. I think the key things for a new raw-foodist to remember are:

1. Make sure raw food is fun and tasty: If it's not fun and tasty, you'll go back to eating cooked!
2. Make sure you get plenty of dark leafy greens (kale, spinach, collards, chard, etc.)
3. Don't stress out about being 100% raw: If you do, the diet will stop being fun, and that will increase your chances of 'falling off the wagon'
4. Moderate nut, seed, and oil intake: these things will constipate you if you overdo them, and constipation leads to toxin reabsorption (auto-intoxication), among other things
5. Listen to your thirst: Drink the water you need, but don't overdo it. If you don't feel the need for 8 glasses of water in a day, don't force yourself to drink them (the reason I say this is, with the raw food diet you get a lot of water in your food, and if you get too much water, you could overload your kidneys and create very serious problems) Of course, if you're eating a lot of dehydrated food, nuts, seeds, and/or sprouted grains, you're going to be more thirsty because these foods absorb water.

Here's a recipe I hope someone new (or not-so-new) to the diet will enjoy:

1 bunch of broccoli
1 or 2 avocados
apple cidar vinegar (1 teaspoon of ACV for each avocado used)
pinch of cayenne powder
1/8 teaspoon tumeric
1 tablespoon miso
black pepper to taste

Wash broccoli, cut off florets, and put florets in a bowl. In another bowl, mash avocado. Add cayenne, tumeric, miso, and ACV to mashed avo, and mix well. Mix avo mixture with broccoli, and grind pepper over top. This is a good meal on its own, and it also makes a good side dish.

Hope this helped! :D

[spicyfull]

I wish you everything you need to Stay RAW..........Welcome to MY World.