Raw Food?? Kidding myself, right??

[whenley68]

So I am here, at this moment, typing away on a site, a forum nonetheless that has everything to do with raw food. I am a meat guy, loves a less than medium rare steak, grilled chicken, shrimp/pork/beef/chicken fajitas; I am that guy. Yet I am a guy open to new ideas. I've known for years that the Standard American Diet is no good, and that the reason it is no good is that there is soo much money to be made peddling things that taste super good, yet aren't a superfood.

The Weston Foundation and Paleo sites got my curiosity years back, I think it was in 2006, as well as raised my awareness to other eating lifestyles. Well, if I go back to 2002, which was when I bought my Vitamix, I had stumbled on to the terminology of Raw, yet was not to a point of committing myself to such a "barbaric" way of eating. LOL, Raw = Barbaric, now that is really some strange thinking. But back then I did get off of dairy and over the years have maybe had a gallon of milk in the past 6 years. So some things stuck from that first elementary study.

Back then sugar busters was a huge seller I think. Anyway, last week I was on Netflix and saw this movie called FoodMatters. Whenever I see a new documentary on food I watch it. Well, I watched it and immediately felt a sence of trust with the Dr. Andrew Saul. This guy, I could see, was confident in everything he was saying, had numbers and statistics to back it up and everything. And through that DVD I was exposed to this Wolfe guy whom I don't really know that he has any qualifications, but was genuinely believeable concerning all he said; my favorite was "Every people everywhere...know that they are what they eat". I just loved that line.

Raw food? I am not an idiot, I know myself better than anyone and aside from being placed in a facility where I would have no other option than to be fed food by the professionals, and to have a bed that I could lay in and be absoluely miserable with headaches, void of any responsiblities of family, expenses, work etc, I know I can't submit myself to torture and be true to it for any great length of time.

Knowing this about me I would like to submit any reader, with experience in eating raw, to a few questions.

1. Is there anything wrong with transitioning to 100% raw over a period of time vs. cold turkey, headaches, cognitive molasses etc????

2. Thanksgiving is coming up and we are going to my inlaws. Now, I don't want to be rude and not eat, and I don't want to partake and have the turkey coma and carb overload either. So I can have my veggies and fruits throughout the day and for the cooked meal I can be highly selective and have the meat without the gravy etc?? Like the lowcarb way.

3.Then that night continue on with the veggies, nuts etc that I am coming to like??

4. I have to be realistic in my transitioning, I mean, I know that everytime I do something I fail after 2 weeks. So I am thinking if I incorporate say, 30% and then 50% etc, in stages, then I will be a much happyer person to be around; I can get really mean acting and then I just retreat to the bed.

5. Vitamins. I took loads of vitamins throughout the day yesterday and was up peeing all night. Is that normal or what? I was extremely thirsty all night.

6. My sister is a Herbalife nazi, pushing her product on me and my family, so I really have this thing about, "Well this is the best product on the market" type mentalilty. I figure if I have never took anything then something is better than nothing. Let me just get in the stride with act of taking and let me over time come to my opinion as to whether or not Herbalife is better than Walgreens or visaversa....PLEASE!.

To anyone who is still with me, a deep heartfelt thank you for making it this far, and a brotherly hug and kiss to you for leaving some feedback to the questions posed. I kinda look at the food/medicine idiology and the retraining of the mind to accept what is certainly not the norm in western civilization in this way, think of a child that was brought up fundamentalist muslim or christian or whatever. What are the obstacles to them changing their religion.

I am 42 and have been taught lies all my life. I am overcoming hurdles, deeply held belief systems that for a large degree couldn't probably defend, "Well, I can't explain it, its what I've always known to be true", types of things. This is tough stuff really. I just want to live the way the Creator made me to live, and if cooked food was not the original meal plan then lets get to it so I can feel energetic and not lathargic and worthless by 6 pm.

Will

[sport]

Hi and welcome.
I have a sister that is a herbalife junkie as well but she knows that it is not the best but can not give it up. She is not healthy.
Some say that the best way to change your diet is to do it gradually. Go veg first , then vegan and then raw. Even when you are all raw there are still progressions.
By doing it that way if you ever fall off the wagon then you do not have as far to fall. If I fall off the wagon now it just means having a bit too much fat in my raw food.
You will do this your way but if you want to do it you can. The results and rewards will be well worth the effort.

[sport]

As a result of your post my friend and I are about to watch Food Matters on netflix.

[Revvell]

Transitioning is fine. You can keep a blog over in the blogging section of this site.

I'm only going to comment on Herbalife having been a distributor. My suggestion, read the label. Unless things have changed they use a LOT of sugar by its various names.

IF you want an herbal company that uses little-to-no sugar in their products, go with Sun Rider. (former distributor of that, as well).

After eating raw awhile, you may do as I did and drop all of that.

Best of luck in your process. I know what you mean about going "cold turkey" instead of transitioning. It may work for some yet, if not for you... gotta do what works!

~ Revvell ~

[ReneeH]

Hi Will!!!!

My GOODNESS!!!! Open up a little, huh!!!! :D. This was VERY interesting! Do you have Alissa's 1st book? If not, I highly recommend it. She talks about how to go Raw 100% and how to handle holidays. She even has recipes like Nosted Turkey, Mushroom Loaf, Stuffing, Potato Salad, etc...in the book for that tome of the year.

If you can't do 100%, do the best you can with what you have. But, realize you won't get the effect you want until you do... Healing and Cleansing happen within a clean body... Some can jump in the water and GO for it. For others (like Alissa...like me), it took some time to get here. Your journey is unique to you!!!

Honestly, you can HAVE whatever you want....there are NO Raw Police out there. But what do you REALLY want out of life? The SAD Diet and the Raw lifestyle are on opposite ends of the scale. Yea, you are what you eat...from your head down to your feet!!!! Whatever you decide, make it the best you can for YOU!!!!

Oh, BTW....on a 100% Raw lifestyle, Vitamins are NOT needed!!! :D Eat your way to a healthier you, my friend!!!!

Tootles!
Nee

[Stina]

You're funny, hope you stick around!

[whenley68]

Thanks for the positive words and encouragement.

I'm not the kind of person that will get down on myself for not trying to be like the very best person in the world who can stick to anything they put there mind to the task on. So, if I don't go 100% off the bat, that's cool, because everday I put lets say 40% of the food I eat being raw into my body, welp, that is 40% more than I was.

Some people are high acheivers who are very dogmatic about what they are doing and how they are doing, I read through some of the threads and see that. But I don't want to lose sight of the fact that everyone is different and what works for one doesn't neccesarily mean it will work for everyone.

I met an old guy one time and he said something I never have forgotten, why is is that happens...anyway, he said Will, to thine own self be true. So I know I am a weak fella when it comes to foods. So why over commit myself right off the bat, because being spontaneous in a decision doesn't always pan out in the end.

So seeing and understanding, through literature, the dvd, videos on youtube, I have discerned that there is something to be said about this raw food thing. Furthermore, I believe it is only worth putting my best foot forward.

Here is something funny, I bought some organic granola and my daughter has the bag in her hand eating it. I have four children who I want to be a positive influence on. My 8 year old son made his own glass of carrot/grape juice last night. Pretty cool watching him press the veggies down into that machine. He drank it and also gave his 6 year old brother a cup as well; they both finished it! That friggin rocks!

Yes, I am a funny guy, all my friends and family say I am nuts. I could give you my Youtube channel and you would see what a cut up I really am. But maybe that will have to wait til later.

[kjduf]

I would have to say your on the right track. You are the only person that knows you, so do what you know is right.

At first I chose to transition slowly because like you I go gun hoe into something and it fizzles out by 2-4 weeks and I am back to eating junk. But this lifestyle is so incredibly awesome that after two weeks I went for it. It was so easy for me. I feel great, lost 42lb's (only have 20 more to go), have energy. I try to be 100% but if Im not I don't beat myself up.

This is not a diet for me it's a lifestyle.

Kellie

[klomasius]

Great stuff! Sounds like you have a good attitude coming into it!





1. Is there anything wrong with transitioning to 100% raw over a period of time vs. cold turkey, headaches, cognitive molasses etc????

Not at all! It took me about 4 years to go 100%, and I'm not one to feel guilty or beat myself up about stuff, this 4 years of transitioning meant it made it SO much easier. And remember, it's often not black and white, i.e. the more the eat fresh raw foods the better you feel. It's not like a light switch where you go from feel crap on high raw to feeling fantastic at 100%. 100% has so many benefits, but many of these are felt with high raw too.

2. Thanksgiving is coming up and we are going to my inlaws. Now, I don't want to be rude and not eat, and I don't want to partake and have the turkey coma and carb overload either. So I can have my veggies and fruits throughout the day and for the cooked meal I can be highly selective and have the meat without the gravy etc?? Like the lowcarb way.

Um... Not sure here, everyone is different, these days I take my own stuff, eat beforehand as well and just relax. But I had to train my family to accept my different way of eating, that took about 10 years (I've been a veggie for 15 years). Do what's best for you. :)

3.Then that night continue on with the veggies, nuts etc that I am coming to like??

Sure.. why not. :)

4. I have to be realistic in my transitioning, I mean, I know that everytime I do something I fail after 2 weeks. So I am thinking if I incorporate say, 30% and then 50% etc, in stages, then I will be a much happyer person to be around; I can get really mean acting and then I just retreat to the bed.

Transition, transition transition...

5. Vitamins. I took loads of vitamins throughout the day yesterday and was up peeing all night. Is that normal or what? I was extremely thirsty all night.

I used to be a vitamin freak years ago, taking up to 20 pills a day. My pee was flouro! I don't really take any vitamins these days except for B12. I do take some supplements like wheatgrass powder, chia seeds, spirulina etc. Vitamins are kind of a poor substitute for fresh nutrient packed food.

6. My sister is a Herbalife nazi, pushing her product on me and my family, so I really have this thing about, "Well this is the best product on the market" type mentalilty. I figure if I have never took anything then something is better than nothing. Let me just get in the stride with act of taking and let me over time come to my opinion as to whether or not Herbalife is better than Walgreens or visaversa....PLEASE!.

Fair enough... :)

To anyone who is still with me, a deep heartfelt thank you for making it this far, and a brotherly hug and kiss to you for leaving some feedback to the questions posed. I kinda look at the food/medicine idiology and the retraining of the mind to accept what is certainly not the norm in western civilization in this way, think of a child that was brought up fundamentalist muslim or christian or whatever. What are the obstacles to them changing their religion.

VERY true! Many of us have had to retrain our minds (and our bodies) due to lots of conditioning. If you live in a western country, odds on you've been trained since birth, it will take time and open mindednesss to evolve past our indoctrinations.

I am 42 and have been taught lies all my life. I am overcoming hurdles, deeply held belief systems that for a large degree couldn't probably defend, "Well, I can't explain it, its what I've always known to be true", types of things. This is tough stuff really. I just want to live the way the Creator made me to live, and if cooked food was not the original meal plan then lets get to it so I can feel energetic and not lathargic and worthless by 6 pm.

Will

GOOD LUCK!!! :)

[GlimR]

Hey Will~
I think you are def on the right track....any guy who has his kids voluntarily juicing has to be doing something right!!:)
You have eliminated some things and are adding others in and that's great....a reasonable path and one you can progress on till you feel ready to make other changes. You have an open mind and an eye to really look at what you are doing, that alone makes you several steps ahead of most folks. There is nothing wrong with doing things at your own pace...this is the way to make changes that you can comfortably live with, changes that become your norm....just as you did with letting go of dairy...it's all the same.

Wishing you and your family the very best. Glad you are here~

[janicejourney]

Hey Will!

I wanted to add that the whole detox thing is, in my opinion, nothing to worry about. Over the last 8 years I have been 100% raw, high raw, not raw, back to 100% and to high raw over and over. I have never had any big issues with detoxing. I think people over-hype it. What I have learned is I LOVE how I feel when eating raw food. I have no idea if I will "slip" again, but what I know FOR SURE is that I will ALWAYS go back to raw. There is just nothing that compares to how good I feel when I eat raw foods. It isn't about weight loss for me, it is about feeling incredible. I have to admit that I do feel that eating raw makes me look younger and more beautiful which is a draw for me as well, but the main draw is that I love how I feel. This way of life will be with me until my dieing days, but I might have times in my life where I am less raw then others.... I am fine with that. Hope that helps :)

[T-Bird]

Here is my advice to you:

Start each day with a large green smoothie, and have whatever you like after that....

Make a big salad to go with whatever is for dinner. A third of the plate is filled with salad, other 2/3 with whatever. You can't get more of the "other" till you finish the salad. Every time you fill your plate, 1/3 is salad. could be green salad with fresh parsley and dill, cole slaw, etc. All raw and be creative. Also counts: fresh fermented saur kraut or kim chee, just be sure it's not the dead stuff.

Keep going with that until your ready for the next step......Half the plate!:p

[January Noir]

Hi Will! Best to you in your Raw Awakening!

To some people it appeared that I went cold turkey, but I had been transitioning in my spirit. I've been raw for 4 months, but from day 1, I was eating anywhere from 90%-100% raw. I slipped up on Day 2-3, but on Day 4, it was full steam ahead to 100% each and everyday. I'm doing pretty good so far and I feel and look pretty darn good for a 52 year-old!

I even "converted" my kitchen to a raw kitchen (covered the stove top with a cover to extend my counter space, purchased Vitamix & Blendtec blenders, food processors, mandolins, Excalibur Dehydrator, glass straws, etc.)

It is a learning curve as you get to know how to eat and what to eat anyway, so very few ppl are 100% when they first start; some food don't know what isn't "Raw" until they research, read and learn from other raw foodists. In the beginning, I thought some foods were raw, but they weren't; Larabar's, dried un-sulphured fruit from local stores like Trader Joe's, how some Raw nuts are prepared, Nama Shoya, etc.

I suspect that once you get going, you will move quickly to almost 100%.
The food preparation is therapeutic as well and can you say DELICIOUS? :D

[whenley68]

Wow! Thanks everyone, I feel very encouraged now...I guess I am not alone in this quest towards "normal" eating, or is it abnormal given our culture? I will try to keep a post from time to time, but tomorrow it is back to my 12 hour days with work and running a business, so I doubt I will post much. My lunch box is ready for lots of fruit and veggies. Know what I really like??? An avocado halfed, sprinkled with lemon juice and salt. Is that weird or what? I think I could eat 3 of them, but will keep it to 1 a day, they are kinda expensive right now. The other thing that is cool is that I open the ice box and I am greeted by all this great looking stuff. I grab strawberries and grapes and just consume, guilt free pleasure. thanks all of ya, I read every response, gr8 stuff. No headache today either,, whewhooo!

[klomasius]

Wow! Thanks everyone, I feel very encouraged now...I guess I am not alone in this quest towards "normal" eating, or is it abnormal given our culture? I will try to keep a post from time to time, but tomorrow it is back to my 12 hour days with work and running a business, so I doubt I will post much. My lunch box is ready for lots of fruit and veggies. Know what I really like??? An avocado halfed, sprinkled with lemon juice and salt. Is that weird or what? I think I could eat 3 of them, but will keep it to 1 a day, they are kinda expensive right now. The other thing that is cool is that I open the ice box and I am greeted by all this great looking stuff. I grab strawberries and grapes and just consume, guilt free pleasure. thanks all of ya, I read every response, gr8 stuff. No headache today either,, whewhooo!

No, this is not weird at all! I love half an avo, sprinkled with salt and lemon juice!

[janicejourney]

Expense-wise. Half of an avocado, no doubt costs less then a sandwich at the deli ;) Enjoy!

[saltamontes]

Green Smoothie is something you don't want to miss. It is the best way to start your day.

[PammieTaj]

I've been 'sneaking' more raw food into my omnivore husband's diet. He wouldn't watch the Food Matters movie, not if I begged him. He does drink a smoothie every morning - he's up to a quart. I started by telling him I made too much and would he please finish the last little cup for me. I still haven't gotten my quantities right. (c: Now he asks what happened on the odd day I don't get smoothies made.

My next step was making a big salad every day. Oops. I cut up too many veggies, I'm going to put some salad in the fridge for you, will you eat that for lunch please? So he gets a huge salad every day for lunch. I leave cut up fruit as well. It's very insidious and convenient. Insidious on my part, convenient on his.

I think he's noticing a change in how he feels. He seems more 'awake' than he had been. He's very supportive of me, by the way, always has been. He says I'm a better person when I'm raw.

For myself, I'm recently hitting this point where I just don't recognize most of what people eat as being food. More and more substances are just losing the identification of 'food' with me. And if it's not food, why would I eat it?

[klomasius]

I've been 'sneaking' more raw food into my omnivore husband's diet. He wouldn't watch the Food Matters movie, not if I begged him. He does drink a smoothie every morning - he's up to a quart. I started by telling him I made too much and would he please finish the last little cup for me. I still haven't gotten my quantities right. (c: Now he asks what happened on the odd day I don't get smoothies made.

My next step was making a big salad every day. Oops. I cut up too many veggies, I'm going to put some salad in the fridge for you, will you eat that for lunch please? So he gets a huge salad every day for lunch. I leave cut up fruit as well. It's very insidious and convenient. Insidious on my part, convenient on his.

I think he's noticing a change in how he feels. He seems more 'awake' than he had been. He's very supportive of me, by the way, always has been. He says I'm a better person when I'm raw.

For myself, I'm recently hitting this point where I just don't recognize most of what people eat as being food. More and more substances are just losing the identification of 'food' with me. And if it's not food, why would I eat it?

Wow, now that's sneaky and smart! :D