Giving thanks

[streetsurfer]

I think my exuberance to express may gratitude has caused me to step outside the guidelines for posting in this section. I am sorry for that and will not be hurt if the thread need be deleted. Here I will amend it to try and stay withing the guidelines.....

While my slow transition to and my often slipping away from the raw lifestyle has not done me great harm, it has very likely slowed my recovery from health problems. I certainly recommend following raw more closely than I have sometimes been able to. If you fall down, do your best to get back up and continue on. I have never felt better than when I am eating high raw. Even with all the slip ups, it has been the returning to raw foods and my persistant desire to recover my health through raw foods, that has helped me most. One thing raw has certainly helped with is lowering my anxiety levels, increasing my patience, and helping me reflect upon my lifes situations and to react to them in a better fashion. It has also really helped me with making the right choices of foods revolving around countless food sensitivities. Realizing that there are so many whole live food choices available with everything being raw, if I just look past the cooked and refined foods, has been a great help. With time, there has been a great reduction of those uncomfortable symptoms that follow my being exposed to my many food sensitivities such as wheat, pineapple, cranberry, and many others even though they are whole live raw foods. I don't mind leaving those things alone that are not so good for me, like wheat, certain beans, and such, because I now realize there are better healthy alternatives. I do miss bananas, avocados, and some other fruits and veggies that I became sensitive to when I became ill some years back. Raw has helped me ovecome several of them and I am hopeful and certain that in time I can resume the other desirable raw produce on my bummer foods list.
Well, I've tried to list some of the benefits Raw has given me, but I will leave my original post, which follows. Feel free to edit it out if it does not adhere closely enough to the intended purpose of this forum section.
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I am here to post how grateful I am for this forum and the friends I have made here. I hope you will all reflect on the same this evening, and realize what wonderful friends we have here, Aleesha and Alissa. Alissa is not so often conversing with us, but I am sure she is every bit as wonderful a person as Aleesha is, and working just as hard at making things work so well here. Thank you both!

I wont go into detail about my recent troubles because that is not the focus of my thoughts. The focus is how great the support of this group has been for me, and how wonderfully things are going of late with the encouragement Aleesha has given me. Please take a moment to thank whatever/whoever it is that you give thanks to, for your good fortune and blessings, and ask that each of them be equally blessed in return, just as I (or you) have been blessed, through participating in this forum.

Thank you Alissa for creating and maintaining this site, and spurring on the Raw Food Movement through your activities. It has helped me immensely. May you recieve many blessings as well.

Thanks Aleesha for all the hard work you put into running this forum and encourageing us all. You are very special!

Much love and respect,
streetsurfer

[RawHealthyBeauty]

I agree with you all the way!!! I too am forever grateful for this forum and everyone here!!! Everyone here on this forum really helped me out as well in small and big ways whenever there was a question or encouragement needed.

I wish you many great blessing for your health and your raw food journey!

Continue on in gratitude!!! :)

[Aleesha Sattva]

If you fall down, do your best to get back up and continue on. I have never felt better than when I am eating high raw. Even with all the slip ups, it has been the returning to raw foods and my persistant desire to recover my health through raw foods, that has helped me most.

I agree completely. When I have struggled with being raw - I've always found that picking myself up and getting back to raw is the way to mental, physical and spiritual health for me.

(((hugs))) Street (((hugs))) It's been an honour to be there for you my friend. A complete honour.

And trust me... Alissa is absolutely lovely. She's divine. Very down to earth, very honest and sooooo real. I just love her. (((Alissa hug)))

And just so you know... this thread is exactly what personal growth is all about. Thanks for sharing your thoughts... I can only imagine how many people you will inspire with your words!

[edenvegan]

Wow,

I just met you, and now I wish you weren't leaving.

Take care,

E.V.

[blizzardfrisbee]

Yes yes--I am thankful for this forum too!! I've been encouraged and also learning so much from the people. Thank you thank you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[streetsurfer]

Thank you Everyone! I am really feeling the positive energy from you all. I am blessed to be a part of this great group.

E.V., I am not sure if you are thinking I am leaving. I'll remain a loyal member here. There is the possibility down the road that I might move from one state to another, but it's too soon to call.

I'm very thankful my health is improving, and I've seen it take the largest strides since adding the raw factor in. It's like my eyes have been opened for a puzzle that I've been trying to put together for years by touch only, that is now being more quickly assembled with the aid of vision. My grandmother was blind, so I often imagine what it must have been like for her. I always like to honor her for what she struggled with and accomplished in spite of it. I've tried to take good care of my eyes so I can donate them when I pass on. I was greatly distressed when my vision dropped off from better than 20/20, to needing glasses to read and help with road signs several years ago, as I approached my late forties. Since one year ago (now 52), both near and far vision have improved noticably. That's another plus brought on by my dietary changes.

[bing]

I'm new to this forum and I'm learning a lot! Thank you to all the people who unselfishly provide information and insights as well.

I just recently gone raw (2 days ago) and I'm currently breastfeeding. I also have a medical condition (too personal which I can't share) and I greatly hope that going raw will make things better.