Looing into being more raw

[Pedstone]

I'm tired of doing the same old diets that never seem to work. Tired of being tired after eating. Have had a few smoothies recently and have really enjoyed them..My mom had a big health scare 2 weeks ago and I want us to learn together on what being raw is.

I'm just a little concerned on one thing though...Currently when eating fruits and veggies I get really gassy...and a big salad cleans the digestive system big time! Also when eating a lot of fruits & veggies it tends to upset my stomach...I have acid reflux also so alot of citrus and tomatoes don't agree with me (I still eat them though because they are YUMMY)...I'm also a big scaredy cat when it comes to trying new fruits/veggies...

I LOVE cheese, milk, pasta, crackers, breads, etc....I do like a steak every now and then but really don't eat much red meat, I do eat chicken and turkey though.

I'd like to start out slowly...I know I can't go straight raw right away but I think incorporating it more into my diet will not only help me lose weight but feel better in general....

[christinajade]

I started out slow. I stopped eating red meat. Then I stopped eating chicken and turkey. I never really was a big fish eater so it was easy to stop eating that. I became vegetarian but still having dairy. Finally I am at the point now where I am 90% raw and I'm very happy with that. I am not ruling out 100% raw but for now I am satisfied where I am. There are some people that can go "cold turkey". For me, it needed to be gradual. The important thing is to do what is right for you. Don't ever say well I'm never going to have this again or I can't have this. Those words, I learned, were dangerous to some. It caused me to want certain things even more. Once I realized not to beat myself up if I had something that wasn't raw, it was ok. My main diet is raw and for me, that is what is important. Your acid reflux is most likely do to your years of eating things that were not good for you. All health problems start with the intenstines. So, what you put in your body, affects you. I would start out slowly because of the acid reflux. Don't concentrate on the citrus fruits for now because until your body rids itself of toxins, your stomach is going to keep producing too much acid. Soothing smoothies with almond milk, banana, cinnamon might be good for you to try. If that's not your cup of tea, just be creative and don't limit yourself. There are many different options on a raw food diet. You can start by a nice raw breakfast. For lunch incorporate salad with something cooked if necessary but I would not include meat. It really isn't good for you and could possibly be the underlying cause of your acid reflux. Hope this helps and if you have any other questions, let us know!:)

[NellieBelle]

Welcome Pedstone! You found the right place to begin your journey to better health.

I started my conversion in February by making green smoothies and adding more fruit and veggies in my diet. Then I tried to eat raw until supper with some days being more successful than others. We all get on the road to raw a different way, the important part is just to start the walk. Godspeed!

[Shels]

Welcome! Glad to have you here.

I'm still a bit of a newbie, but I'm pretty sure the gas you get from raw foods is either a little detox starting to happen, bad food combination's, or just your cooked-food body not being quite up to the task of receiving all the nutrients yet.
At any rate, my point was that it's a temporary thing. :)

I'd suggest cutting out white foods first (flour, sugar, rice (not literally all white food :p), as that will be one of the hardest addictions to break, and then continue from there?
Maybe start limiting yourself to one "bad" item a day, and then two a week, and then cut it out altogether and move on to the next challenge?

[klomasius]

Welcome!

Yep, that upset tummy from fruit would probably be a reaction to a change in diet, or a result of a not so good diet. It will go away after a while, raw fruit and veg are very digestible.

You'll get lots of suport here if you want it!

[Pedstone]

Can anyone guide me to where I can find some good fruit smoothie recipes? Also does anyone have tricks to make the seeds go away when doing berries...without getting the $400+ blenders?? I love berries, but I've made a few smoothies with them and can't stand the seeds :(

Thanks!

[lafsalot]

Shels is right. The bloating and other problems you are experiencing has more to do with the condition of your colon (clogged) which is caused by yrs of eating cooked foods, hence, the raw foods you are starting to introduce into your diet now are just sitting there fermenting. Don't worry though, as you continue to clean up your diet you also clean your colon.

Here's a few helpful tips to help keep things moving:

*keep well hydrated - drink lots of water between meals and eat plenty of water rich food

And just for the first couple of wks -

*simplify your meals and cut down on your nut based meals and dehydrated foods (they take longer to digest, and again, you want to keep things moving)
*soak any nuts or seeds you do eat, and be sure to eat them with greens

I didn't have my vitamix when I first started and my regular blender worked fine. Just add and blend in small increments. Don't like the seeds? Here's a list of recipes you may like -
http://www.rawfoodtalk.com/showthread.php?t=54452&highlight=green+smoothie+recipes

Enjoy ~ C

[StarFire]

Aloha and Welcome to RFT!!!
Lots of GREAT advice already shared ! I just wanted to welcome you!!


http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s43/FireStar_830/welcome.gif

[Pedstone]

Don't like the seeds? Here's a list of recipes you may like -
http://www.rawfoodtalk.com/showthread.php?t=54452&highlight=green+smoothie+recipes

Enjoy ~ C


Thanks for the link!! I haven't really explored the site much so I didn't know there was a section for food/recipes :o

I'm going to be very busy these next few days/weeks LOL

[lafsalot]

Thanks for the link!! I haven't really explored the site much so I didn't know there was a section for food/recipes :o

I'm going to be very busy these next few days/weeks LOL

Definitely up your green smoothies - everything is broken down for you so it is easier to digest and the leafy greens will help keep you well hydrated.

[klomasius]

Seeds are easily removed, just blend the berries separately and put them through a strainer. Use a spoon to scrape the sauce/pulp through. Easy!

Add this to whatever smoothies or recipes you want. Also, you can use seedless (or ones that don't have tiny seeds) berries like cherries and blueberries.

[spicyfull]

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