100% raw now, and frustrated!!! HELP!!!

[Mary Poppins]

I have been over 80% raw for a few weeks now, but for the past three days I've been 100% raw. I have three small children, and it seems that all I am doing is cleaning in the kitchen now!!!! I understand that it's for my health, and it really is helping me spiritually, etc. but I need to complain a little...LOL!
I have a juicer, and I have a food processor. I'm using them both. And I'm cleaning them ALL DAY IT SEEMS!!!
I went to bed lastnight feeling really upset. I can't turn back to cooked food. It just sounds disgusting to me, and I can't do that to myself. I know that raw is the way for me, but with these little kids I find myself becoming increasingly frustrated. More so than I was when I could just have some cheese and crackers, and feed them PB&J sandwiches.
Also, I have TMJ, and for the past 3 days I have been CLENCHING my teeth together so tightly that my jaw is continuously popping out. Any ideas as to why I'm so clenched??
I haven't fasted. Perhaps I should start by fasting?
I'm frustrated! My focus in life is to be a good, happy, loving mother to my children. Any insight on how to balance all of this out and somehow find some CALM?
*sigh*
Any help would be so appreciated. Thanks for letting me vent. :confused:

[JustMe]

OH mary poppins i know how ya feel! I too feel like i am always in the kitchen and constantly cleaning the kitchen!!!! i have three little ones too, though we are not 100% raw, but getting there (actually transitioning from SAD to vegan/raw.) But when i get frustrated i try and focus on my goal and remember why i'm eating this way. i don't have an answer for you TMJ, but hope someone can reply with some of those suggestions you were requesting as i could sure use some too!

[newyearspromise]

I feel like yesterday I spent the entire day in the kitchen doing dishes and wiping up the counter. I have been off of work all week, so when I go back next week ( :( ) I am not going to be able to "cook" like this.

I feel your pain.

I have basically decided that going raw can go 2 ways--you can be really creative and spend a lot of time in the kitchen, or you can go super simple and just grab 'n go fruits and veggies. I am thinking that on the weekends I will be creative and make dishes, and during the week the extent of cooking will be limited to chopping veggies.

I know it sounds like...geez, plain veggies and fruits and salads all week long?? But then I think about the old way of eating blindly and having to count calories/fat grams/carbs...whooo...never want to go there again.

When I put it that way, slices of fruits and veggies and salads sound pretty darn good to me. :)

[joannes]

I also have 3 kids - but they are older (8, 10 and 12). I am 100% raw, but they still have a cooked (gluten free and vegan) meal with hubby every night. So, they are mostly raw. Anyway, my point - just eat the raw fruits and veggies they way they come, no need to juice or process. It's so easy to grab a bunch of bananas and fill up. The only thing you have to clean is their hands ;) My rule is, if you can't eat it as it comes, you should not be eating it (there s/be no need to dehydrate, sprout, juice, etc .. that stuff takes too long!). The only thing I prepare that takes a long time is a salad every night. I like tomatoes and carrots in my salad. I dice the tomatoes by hand and throw the carrots into my vitamix on a low setting to 'shred' them. It takes me about 30 minutes to make the salads and clean up (we have really big salads!). I keep it even more simple by not adding a dressing. Everyone loves the taste of the raw veggies as they are, so this works out great. Even if they didn't like the taste, I wouldn't give them a choice ... once again, keep it simple.
You can make whole meals out of one fruit, you don't have to get fancy. My kids love this way of eating ... and so do I.
Good luck!

[Revvell]

Here's what I did when I got started ~ 2 days a week, only a few hours each time.

Find "gourmet" recipes that feed a lot of people. Alissa's lasagne is a case in point. Make about 3 of those type of things so you will have enough food for 2-3 days. Do the same with desserts. Alissa's black forest cake is case in point ~ or something else heavy that family want some, yet not a lot of. Make some dips and pates and have baby carrots, cut celery, broccoli, jicama and the such on hand so family can nibble and snack all day.

THEN all you need are salad dressings for the greens, etc. Basically, all you'll need outside of that is fresh fruit, juices and smoothies (made up for the day).

Have a rawsome day ~

Revvell

[DrPr]

I also hate all the cleanup, but I tell myself that my time in the kitchen is a way to get to know the food I'm eating and a time for meditation (in the sense of just thinking about what I'm doing, living in the moment, etc.) something I never seem to find time to do, or forget to do regularly. Since I have to clean, I have a ready-made opportunity for meditation. When I ate before, I rarely even LOOKED at what I put in my mouth. All I cared about was the taste, the motions of eating, and the anxiety about getting to that last bite! Now I pay attention to my food from the time I take it out of the refrigerator to the last seed I pick up off the floor.

[PRIL]

i had tmj terrible. Dr. Rodom 931 796 0777 i think. of Howenwall TN (osas garden) he put me on his own made pills for 3 months and no more tmj unbeliveable

[choleblack]

MP, I feel for you. I think even when eating SAD most mom's spend all their time cleaning up the kitchen. It's never ending around here at least.

I like the idea of sticking to simple foods. Making a peanut butter sandwich isn't harder than slicing an apple and putting a spoonful of almond butter on a plate but when we're trying to learn something new, it seems that way. Eventually it will become second nature.

Are you including your kids in the cooking at all? I know sometimes it can make things take longer and increase the mess. However you would also be getting in family time with them while getting meals made and the kitchen cleaned. I am always suprised at how much more willing my DD is to try new foods if she had a hand in making them.

I also read an intersting bit of advice the other day about taking 2 recipe for a dish and making it 1 week, then repeting this over the course of a few weeks, adding more to the list each time. Again when learning something new it's often best to start small. 1 "meal" this week, 1 dip next week. Focus on simple quick things in the mean time so you can get out of the kitchen and enjoy being with your kids.

Good luck on your journey.

Chole

[raeannasun]

I agree with Revell. I have a VERY busy schedule with teaching school all day through the week and then coming home and teaching piano lessons until 6:30-7:00 at night 3 days a week! What I did last year when I was very dedicated to being high raw was to put together my meals in little plastic storage containers and get them out when it was time to eat. In planning ahead that way I was also able to pack my husband a healthy lunch every day. It really only takes a few minutes to plan and then you can knock out all your meal preperation and "uncooking" one or two nights a week! As far as the juicer goes, that will probably have to be washed every day but at least you don't have to clean your food processor every day!!!!

[Mary Poppins]

You are all so wonderful! Thank you so much for your replies. Yes, I basically think I'm trying to re-invent the wheel here. Today the children had fresh juice and fruit, but I did give them Cheerio's....LOL.
What do you think about fasting during the next week or more? Do you think that would help detoxify, focus on the family, and plan ahead? You know, sort of get a game plan in motion? Hmmm....
Also, I will need to read up more on Raw children, and babies. My youngest son is 11 months old, and aside from fruits and veggies, he's used to crackers, breads, etc. I read another post on the Raw children forum, and there were some suggestions of making crackers, etc...but I just can't afford a dehydrator right now. I've spent several hundred on my juicer and food processor!!!
I'm thrilled to be diving in, and today I will just take a deep breath and enjoy my children.
You are all so amazing to be here to help me through this. Thank you so much!!!!

[faith4u]

I hear you too! I have 4 children and ever since going vegan I feel I have spent more of my lifetime in my kitchen than any where else.

I agree with the advice given to you so far, try to simplify your eating. You can make raw food as easy or as complicated as you want.

I learned that again today. I made the Black Forest Cake (it looks yummy but it took forever to make) and the Almost Tuna. I don't do that every day just once in a while. For the most part, it makes my job much easier to eat food in its natural state.

The hardest part for me is that I am the only one eating raw and I still have to cook for my family. I hope that someday they will follow my lead. I am trying to gradually get my kids eating more raw meals than cooked but it is hard when Daddy is eating all the snacky vegan foods all the time.

Keep it up, have faith that it will get easier. You are just a short time into 100% raw.

Tracy

[Raspberry4]

I will usually cut up enough salad, clean and store it for 2 to 3 days maximum. Fresh is best, of course, but we are all living hectic lives. Also, I like to make sunflower seed pate - soak seeds, and drain, then throw into food processor with garlic, veges, seasonings. This can last for 3 or 4 days, in the fridge and I put it on cut up veges with olives and any veges I have on hand - it looks like appetizers and tastes divine. Good luck and it is great that the kids are involved with the fruit/veges too. :)

[adrienne]

Congratulations on your raw journey!
Here are some ideas
When cleaning the equipment over and over :-), think of it as time to do some meditative breathing, even if you can just get a few deep breaths in while talking to/dealing with the kids!! also try saying affirmations about being on the right track and being in the moment while cleaning too.
The tension in your jaw/clenching is stress! every time you find your self doing it, breath! deeply! Most likely, if you continue on your raw journey you will help your body to be less acidic and therefore have less pain and hopefully less stress!
Raising 3 kids is so hard and doing while you are trying to better yourself makes it all the more challenging, but know you are doing the right thing and don't beat yourself up about anything!
I hope this was helpful for you.
Adrienne
fellow mom (of one) and raw journey woman