happy_kauai
10-22-2005, 11:01 PM
Hello everyone!
I've been lurking around this site for the last two days, and I think that it's just awesome. Everyone seems so nice and supportive! Plus, it's a very active site with new posts all the time, which is cool.
This is the first time that I've done anything like this (posting, chatting, discussing things in a forum) and I gotta say that I'm pretty nervous about posting my first message here. It's a weird feeling, because I'm a really outgoing person! Anyways - here's some stuff about me. Sorry if it is long, there's just so much to say! :D
I'm a 22 year old female living on the island of Kauai, Hawaii. If there is someone else here who's around my age and lives on Kauai (that would be amazing!) please feel free to contact me!
About a month ago I picked up a book at the library called "Raw Food, Real World: 100 Recipes to Get the Glow" written by a really cute New York couple, both of whom are professional chefs. It was just by chance that I found it - it was displayed on the new books rack - and the title was intriquing - what is "raw food" and what do they mean, "Get the Glow?"
I didn't look at it right away, but once I did I couldn't stop reading till I had finished it! I was completely floored by that fact that I had never heard of raw foods before! Here's why:
I have always been health conscious. I was a self-proclaimed vegetarian at the age of 8. Once I made the connection that chicken nuggets came from chickens, I didn't want any part of them. :) After a few years though, I reluctantly started to eat meat (chicken and fish) again, but I have never really liked it. When I was 16 my family and I went on a strict candida diet. This diet consisted of lots of fruits and veggies, but also white meat & eggs (and of course, cooked food). I never really liked this diet much, (it was too strict) but I am so grateful for it because it opened my eyes to how much diet really affects us! Ever since then I've been continually searching for ways to improve my diet and my health. I again became vegetarian for a while, then I did alot of research on meats and dairy and became vegan for a while, but nothing has really made me say "wow! I really feel amazing!" I kept thinking I was doing the best that I could, I mean how much more healthy than vegan can you get? But still, I had all the same problems. In fact, I was the heaviest I've been yet when I was vegan! How frustrating.
Finally I thought - GOOD HEALTH CAN'T POSSIBLY BE THIS HARD. So, I began eating what I wanted, but everything in moderation. I also made the decision to be consistently committed to exercise. I lost 15 pounds! :D I was doing pretty good. Great even. Still yet, though, all my health and mental problems remained.
So -after reading this book - I couldn't believe I'd never heard of it before. Oh! Another reason I can't believe I'd never heard it before: My mom has been sick my whole life. As far as I know it started with ovarian cancer when I was 3 - and over the years has snowballed into something even more scary - constant pain, depression, fatigue, gosh.. alot. Anyway, she has seen so many doctors, naturalpaths, you name it - and NOT ONCE has anyone ever mentioned raw foods. Imagine my excitement to find out that maybe I can help her help her body help itself? ( was that confusing? :D)
WHAT I LOVE MOST ABOUT THE IDEA OF RAW FOOD IS THAT IT MAKES GREAT HEALTH EASY! No doctors, no pills, no magic - all you need is yourself and the freedom to really listen to your body.
Needless to say I have been looking into this thing non-stop. I've shared it with my mom and after a few days of her digesting the new info, she's on board. In fact, there was no stopping her for a few days - she ordered a dehydrator and a Vita-Mix, bought a food processor and sprouting jars, then we emptied our cabinets and donated to the food drive (no need to waste, especially when so many go hungry) then filled our countertops and fridge with tons of fresh raw goodies. Man. It's been a whirlwind.
Still, she's hesitant. And I don't blame her. It's hard to believe and be positive when you've been let down so many times. It's kinda scary for me too, because I really want it to work - for her and for me.
So, that's where this forum comes in. This is just too exciting and too new (and also at times too overwhelming) to do it alone - so it will be absolutely wonderful to visit with others who are on the same journey towards great health.
Thankyou so much and I wish all of you the best of luck!
I'll be taking the 30-day challenge starting monday, so hopefully I can figure out how to post a before pic and how to journal before then. I figure the best way to dispell any fears that it might not work is to do it and see for myself!
Wow, it's gonna be great, I know it. Doesn't it just feel so right?
Ok, I really gotta go now.
Mahalo! (means thanks & goodbye) :)
I've been lurking around this site for the last two days, and I think that it's just awesome. Everyone seems so nice and supportive! Plus, it's a very active site with new posts all the time, which is cool.
This is the first time that I've done anything like this (posting, chatting, discussing things in a forum) and I gotta say that I'm pretty nervous about posting my first message here. It's a weird feeling, because I'm a really outgoing person! Anyways - here's some stuff about me. Sorry if it is long, there's just so much to say! :D
I'm a 22 year old female living on the island of Kauai, Hawaii. If there is someone else here who's around my age and lives on Kauai (that would be amazing!) please feel free to contact me!
About a month ago I picked up a book at the library called "Raw Food, Real World: 100 Recipes to Get the Glow" written by a really cute New York couple, both of whom are professional chefs. It was just by chance that I found it - it was displayed on the new books rack - and the title was intriquing - what is "raw food" and what do they mean, "Get the Glow?"
I didn't look at it right away, but once I did I couldn't stop reading till I had finished it! I was completely floored by that fact that I had never heard of raw foods before! Here's why:
I have always been health conscious. I was a self-proclaimed vegetarian at the age of 8. Once I made the connection that chicken nuggets came from chickens, I didn't want any part of them. :) After a few years though, I reluctantly started to eat meat (chicken and fish) again, but I have never really liked it. When I was 16 my family and I went on a strict candida diet. This diet consisted of lots of fruits and veggies, but also white meat & eggs (and of course, cooked food). I never really liked this diet much, (it was too strict) but I am so grateful for it because it opened my eyes to how much diet really affects us! Ever since then I've been continually searching for ways to improve my diet and my health. I again became vegetarian for a while, then I did alot of research on meats and dairy and became vegan for a while, but nothing has really made me say "wow! I really feel amazing!" I kept thinking I was doing the best that I could, I mean how much more healthy than vegan can you get? But still, I had all the same problems. In fact, I was the heaviest I've been yet when I was vegan! How frustrating.
Finally I thought - GOOD HEALTH CAN'T POSSIBLY BE THIS HARD. So, I began eating what I wanted, but everything in moderation. I also made the decision to be consistently committed to exercise. I lost 15 pounds! :D I was doing pretty good. Great even. Still yet, though, all my health and mental problems remained.
So -after reading this book - I couldn't believe I'd never heard of it before. Oh! Another reason I can't believe I'd never heard it before: My mom has been sick my whole life. As far as I know it started with ovarian cancer when I was 3 - and over the years has snowballed into something even more scary - constant pain, depression, fatigue, gosh.. alot. Anyway, she has seen so many doctors, naturalpaths, you name it - and NOT ONCE has anyone ever mentioned raw foods. Imagine my excitement to find out that maybe I can help her help her body help itself? ( was that confusing? :D)
WHAT I LOVE MOST ABOUT THE IDEA OF RAW FOOD IS THAT IT MAKES GREAT HEALTH EASY! No doctors, no pills, no magic - all you need is yourself and the freedom to really listen to your body.
Needless to say I have been looking into this thing non-stop. I've shared it with my mom and after a few days of her digesting the new info, she's on board. In fact, there was no stopping her for a few days - she ordered a dehydrator and a Vita-Mix, bought a food processor and sprouting jars, then we emptied our cabinets and donated to the food drive (no need to waste, especially when so many go hungry) then filled our countertops and fridge with tons of fresh raw goodies. Man. It's been a whirlwind.
Still, she's hesitant. And I don't blame her. It's hard to believe and be positive when you've been let down so many times. It's kinda scary for me too, because I really want it to work - for her and for me.
So, that's where this forum comes in. This is just too exciting and too new (and also at times too overwhelming) to do it alone - so it will be absolutely wonderful to visit with others who are on the same journey towards great health.
Thankyou so much and I wish all of you the best of luck!
I'll be taking the 30-day challenge starting monday, so hopefully I can figure out how to post a before pic and how to journal before then. I figure the best way to dispell any fears that it might not work is to do it and see for myself!
Wow, it's gonna be great, I know it. Doesn't it just feel so right?
Ok, I really gotta go now.
Mahalo! (means thanks & goodbye) :)