A Couple of Questions...

[mommamia]

Greetings~
I've been lurking awhile. My family and I are a bit new to all this. I've been 90% raw for about 4 weeks, my husband 1 week, my daughter well, we're working on that!

I haven't read Alissa's book yet, but have ordered it. I've been impressed at all the information I've gleaned here just lurking! I do have a couple questions however.

I was first introduced to raw foods via Natalia Rose's book, Raw Food Detox Diet. In that she stresses food combining. I don't see a lot of information here or much mention of food combining (perhaps I'm not digging hard enough!) and was wondering what are your thoughts. My initial thought was it was a good idea to start with but something that wouldn't be necessary to keep up with. I would like some ideas from some of you who have been doing this for awhile.

My next question concerns medication. I have been on Wellbutrin for a few years to deal with major depression. In only three days smoothies and raw made a huge difference in my mood swings and cravings. My goal is to someday be off medication. Until then, do any of you find that if your body is assimlating more you need to decrease your dosage of medication? How has your raw diet interplayed with any medications you take?

Thanks so much for any insight you can give!

Mommamia

[mommamia]

...and tell me what SAD is!! I haven't been able to figure that one out!

[berrienoire]

...and tell me what SAD is!! I haven't been able to figure that one out!

SAD = Standard American Diet ;)

[cafejane]

SAD is Standard American Diet. I'm just an example of what the lies can do about the Standard Food Pyramid. When you are RAW, you have a whole different graph to go by.

Food combing? I can only give my view & I know that you have to learn what foods go together because when you cross fruit/vegs that shouldnt be together, it's rather painful. (you get pretty sick)

And Food combining is a GOOD thing because it allows you to grab so many more nutrients not found in only one or two fruits/vegs. Variety is aways a good thing though.

There are a lot of ppl that eat mono & I only use this if I'm filling ill & want to cleanse. (Only one kind of fruit or veg in one meal) Some ppl get so sick from food combining they dont have a choice.

[cafejane]

I'm so anxious to hear how 4 weeks at 90% has made you feel?! Please share!!


Doesnt David Wolfe have a graph on which foods go together??

[mommamia]

Standard American Diet. Right. I can't believe I couldn't/didn't figure that one out! Thanks..

Does it just depend on the person as to what fruits/veg's don't combine right? Or are there certain ones that are not a good combo across the board for every one?

[jaurequi]

I think combining has a reach that is general, but there are always exceptions because we are all so unique. I can eat most any combination and not feel "sick"; but it may not serve me well healthwise (for example in digestion, weightloss, etc.)
You'll find what works and doesn't work for you :)

Best,

[mommamia]

I'm so anxious to hear how 4 weeks at 90% has made you feel?! Please share!!


Doesnt David Wolfe have a graph on which foods go together??


Well, thanks for mentioning him, because as I"m a newbie I'm not familiar with him....checking out his site I don't see a graph...but I'll search more thoroughly.

How do I feel...? This has been such an interesting time! (proceeding with life story...
:D )

I've ate the SAD with a high dose of sugar and carbs all my life. Favorite snack? Cookie dough. Refined sugar fast! I"m known for my awesome cookie dough making "skills". I inherited the family depression and PPD and was the first to try medication. It helped wonderfully! I was more "even" less moody....until three years later the side effects drove me nuts! Enter trying about three different drugs til I hit Wellbutrin. About a year on that and it's starting to "wear" off. I really truly felt at my wits end.

During this time we moved to the east coast. We (meaning dh,dd and I) started buying organic more as it was more accessible, starting buying meat/dairy that was BGH free. I started to cut out refined sugar. For a treat I just had Black/Green chocolate. I had a friend who was on the Rose Detox and the hasn't had a bi-polar episode in three months. I was impressed, but really leary of jumping on a bandwagon. That is just not me. She came over, made me a green smoothie. Then I thought, besides a wasted juicer, what do I have to loose? Bought the book, bought the juicer.

Four days later: no cravings whatsoever. To have this happen after a lifetime of cravings was the most amazing feeling. My moods leveled. I would get irritated but not fly into rages (and I DO mean rages)I could concentrate on raising and schooling my daughter. I could be a better wife and friend! Wow!!

I hit a point where green wasn't starting to taste good every morning so I switched some stuff around. I lost 10lbs but I found I wasn't eating enough. I just wasn't interested in food, which concerned me a bit. I knew that would happen eventually, but so soon?? My daughter was transitioning pretty well, too, but one day wanted to go to Pizza Hut (I LOVED pizza hut) I wasn't too interested but ordered anyway. Within an hour I felt a huge plummet in my energy (I was used to that before but not anymore!) I awoke the next day very moody and craving chocolate. I did pretty good until a day later friends wanted to meet at Pizza Hut again...I ordered...along with a coke. Wow. My body is really mad at me!!

So it's two days later and I've learned a very very valuable lesson. I could see the change so clearly, like night and day. So I know that this is the road for me. It's taken awhile to get back with the groove and my body is still pretty ornery at me. Today my mood was better...so that's good. I know that I will be feeling better again soon so at least I have something I never did before...HOPE!!

So there it is. My husband loves to cook and he's really gotton into preparing raw dishes for us (thank you Juliano, my dh loves the pictures in that book!) so I"m very fortunate I have such support. My brother who has the same issues as I do is now trying RAW with his supportive wife. I have another friend who noticed a change and wants to know more. She and her husband are coming over for a raw foods four course meal in a few weeks.

I can't tell you how relieved I am to find this diet. It is truly amazing. I really thought I"d be on drugs forever and live only 1/2 a life.

I do have a nice support group, but we are all newbies...so finding this board has been a huge boon! What a wonderful resource!

Thanks for asking, you know how we newly converted love to tell our stories!! It is inspiring to hear so many great successes.

[BDraw]

This is great!!!!! What a witness for raw you are!! So hope it helps your brother too!

Isn't it amazing to find out that we really are "what we eat"?

Keep us the good work and hopefully you will find your final escape from what ails you!!

Blessings! Brenda

Oh, and to have your husbands total support -- you are one lucky lady!

[cafejane]

Well, I understand what happd when you ate at Pizza Hut. Same thing here. I inheirited fibromyalgia from my mom so when I dont eat raw, I REALLY feel it the next day. Chronic pain, fatigue, etc.

But we have to remember the mucus build up when we have cooked food. Eating raw for awhile, our bodies go into a mode where the cooked food is like foreign matter. We will get very sick. Some ppl have to stay in bed because they cant bear to move or even be on their feet.

[Angelina]

Hi Mommamia.. I had read Natalia's book also, I thought it was pretty good, although I didn't need all the transitional steps (as I came to this eating very healthy); I did incorporate the green lemonade for quite some time, but felt it wasn't enough to satisfy me after my morning workout and switched to just fruit in the am. Just wondering what your thoughts are on her whole cleansing regimen? She definitely promotes colonics (something I've been hesitant on getting) and food combining, which I do find to be useful to some extent (I have food allergies and sensitivities). I think each person approaches the food combining differently, i.e. if their bodies need it, they follow, but if they don't have problems they don't worry about it. You seem to have transitioned well, did you follow the steps in the book? Ahh and finally I think most of us went raw, had a great experience, had a big fall, experienced how bad that "other" food is and when we come back to raw, we do it 100% knowing how great it is for our bodies. You are so fortunate that you have a great support system, I think thats 1/2 the battle won :) Lots of luck.

angelina

[mommamia]

Hi Angelina!

per the colonics. Hmm...I'm not there yet either. I dry brush, walk as much as possible in the hideous winter weather...and that is about it for now. I don't rule colonics out eventually, but I am not there yet. I am thinking of getting a lymph massage to help clean things out...perhaps in a couple weeks.

I "transitioned" pretty much before I read the book. I had been cutting out a lot of unhealthy eating. So by the time I came to it I was abuot a three...which is kinda the inbetween stage in her transitions...i'm closer to a two now, but not totally. I haven't really followed the phases verbatim. I liked her flexibility..and really the flexibility of all Raw Foodists in that we are encouraged to do what feels right and listen to our body.

Speaking of which, since I wrote earlier today I have started getting headaches and feel a lot of drainage through the sinuses....I started getting really tired which is the 'old' me, but not the 'new' I'm going to take a hot bath and go to bed!! It's amazing how two meals of cooked can undo so much!....or at least it feels like it...

Thanks to all for your kind words and advice!

[Angelina]

Hi Mommamia..thanks for your reply; I'm on the fence about the whole colonics issue myself. At first I was completely against them but now after doing some research I have been considering them. I'll definitely keep you posted if I go through with it..you do the same. I've been dry brushing when I have time!! which isn't often enough, but I do find it does make a difference in skin tone and anything to help detox is great. Yes, I like Natalia's book for the flexibility but also for the great recipes, she takes a much more natural approach, i.e. no dehydrated nut heavy meals and she also admits that yes, on occasion she'll be out and have some non-raw food (but healthy foods) ~ she makes it very non intimidating. Well its great to have you around here..Hope you're feeling better.

[JMD]

I wanted to share my experience w/ colonics. I did a juice fast 3 yrs ago at a colonic center in Maine. IT WAS GREAT!! If I could afford it today I would do one once a month even 2x during spring and fall--my heavy detox seasons. I find it very cleansing and helps to detox the entire intestine from loads of stored junk. I feel that even if I am eating perfectly clean--there is still toxins in the environment that I need to cleanse from also.

I can share more too--if you want you can PM me anytime. I started the "raw adventure" at stage one of Natalia Rose's book so I feel that a colonic esp now will help me out a bit.

:)JMD

[Angelina]

JMD, my hesitancy about colonics is that I've heard that they can cause a person to have to rely on them solely and will have troubles getting things moving without them. lol, I laugh because I've had lifelong constipation (regardless of how much water, fiber,fruits and veggies I eat), so I obviously have troubles with bm's to begin with (which that can't be good..soo toxic) I found a certified therapist in my area who recommends 12 sessions in total, two the first two weeks and then weekly thereafter, I believe they are $70/session which seems reasonable. Did you experience any problems after, such as constipation? I am hoping that if I go through with this it will kick my system into gear so to speak.

[mommamia]

Hey JMD~ Where in Maine did you go? I"m in New England and would be interested...if I ever get to that point...

I"ll let you know Angelina~ I think it will be awhile...:)

I"m feeling a bit better today, got a good nites sleep....boy was a irritable yesterday!!

[mindelicious]

hopefully this works,
I am not sure who but someone else had posted this chart before--I could not find it under the banana so I am trying to paste it here :confused:

[mommamia]

Wow!! THat chart is great! I have a feeling I'll combine sometimes and others not...I think I"ll just have to figure out what works for me, but this is a wonderful chart to have! Makes it all so easy to have a visual.

Thanks so much!!

[sport]

This chart has put the greens in with the veg. Victoria Butenko says that this is a mistake and they should have a catagory of their own because they can be combined with anything else

[mommamia]

You know, I'm glad you mentioned that. My husband and I were scatching our heads over greens combining w/fruit yet supposedly we aren't supposed to be combining fruit and veggies. I stumbled across a mention yesterday that greens are more neutral and can be mixed with most anything. Now it all makes more sense!
Thanks for seconding that!

[JMD]

HI MOMMAMIA!!

I went to a place in Kittery Maine--but for a few reasons--I stopped going..to many price changes that I did not like.

I LOVEEEEEE a place in Brookline MA called ISIS. I think they have a website. I went a few months ago and the girl was a raw foodist and used to work with Juliano in CA yrs before!! I KNEW it was a HIGHER sign to go.

Where are you in New England....?? I would love to try to do a raw-potluck sometimes near me. I am 25 min. north of Boston.

:)JMD

[JMD]

Angelica--

Actually--I felt GREAT after the slew of colonics I did--b/c I took so many anti-biotics growing up I got a lot of toxins out of my liver and gallbladder too!! I have IBS so i can still get sonstipated--but only when I travel. It helped and not hindered the situation. I ,too, feared getting addicted but it really never happened...I think the cost took care of it! :p and self-honesty. For example, I knew a women who would eat junk then get a colonic. I used it to detox old stuff not as a diet tool.

Good luck!! Maybe try one and see how you feel...??

JMD

[Angelina]

JMD, thanks so much for sharing your experience, it has definitely helped me with my decision. I too was on a ton of antibiotics growing up (between ear infections and bronchitis..a bad staph infection). I am hoping this is what I need to finally clear out all the toxins. omg, that is crazy about that woman using colonics to get rid of junk food!! yeah it doesn't surprise me what some people will do for diet tricks or to lose a few lbs. total abuse, not only of a detox tool but of her body!! (but then again I am sure she isn't alone in that practice) I will definitely keep the board posted as of my results :) . Thanks again,
angelina

[yeahbethany]

Hi Mommamia,
Welcome to the boards!

As for the food combining thing, I think it is very important, though I admit I don't always follow it myself...

But mainly, I wanted to share with you a bit of inspiration. My partner, Matt, was on four(!) psychiatric meds, including Wellbutrin. After being on raw for about 6 months, he started going off them (under the supervision of his doctor!) one at a time. He's now been raw for over a year and a half, and is completely off two of the medications, and only takes half his dose of another one. He feels great, and has no doubt he will be completely medication-free soon.

My thoughts about this are, especially if you have some weight to lose, it may be good to be in contact with your doctor in order to monitor the dosage and avoid over-medicating.

Good luck, and welcome!

[mommamia]

yeahbethany!

I can not thank you enough for posting this. It has given me so much hope. I'm literally crying (emotional detox!!) I hate what drugs are doing to me and I really just want to feel good without them. Yet, without them life is pretty scary. Anxiety/depression/rage. I will absolutely be in contact with my dr and naturopath both as I continue this raw journey.
Could you (or anyone else) recommend what particular fruit/veggie/mineral/vitamin would support anxiety related depression? Would Matt be willing to share a bit of his journey with me? If not, that is fine, too.

I can't tell you all how appreciative I am of the support! Thanks for the great welcome!!

[mommamia]

HI MOMMAMIA!!

I went to a place in Kittery Maine--but for a few reasons--I stopped going..to many price changes that I did not like.

I LOVEEEEEE a place in Brookline MA called ISIS. I think they have a website. I went a few months ago and the girl was a raw foodist and used to work with Juliano in CA yrs before!! I KNEW it was a HIGHER sign to go.

Where are you in New England....?? I would love to try to do a raw-potluck sometimes near me. I am 25 min. north of Boston.

:)JMD



Hi there, thanks for responding! I live in the mid coast part of Maine. Kittery would be about 3 hours from me...which would probably be worth it! Okay, I've been reading alot about Colonics and am a little bit more comfortable. Like Angelina, the antibiotic thing really hit home!

Thanks!

[Dancer]

Where in Mid-coast? I'm in Belfast.

[karenisraw]

I am now off anti-depressants, and am happier than ever before.

The pizza hut thing happened to me just the other night. I was at work and there is an expensive italian gourmet restraunt next door and they brought us over a treat of some alfredo-like penne and a huge ceasar salad. It was sitting on the counter and my co-worker says, pointing to the food. "there that's for you"! I just picked it up and looked at it and all I think of was Ewwww. Icky. This is yucky food. And I had this image of feeling crap for 2 days after eating it and it sitting in my body for as long. It just looked like a big glob of goopy glop. I did not even want it. I tried not to look putrified at my coworker and explained that I only eat raw food. And he just nodded and said, Oh I didn't know. And that was it. I did not even want the ceasear salad because I didn't know what was in the dressing.

I other words, raw makes me happy, anything else makes me unhappy.


:p :p :p

[sport]

I did not even want the ceasear salad because I didn't know what was in the dressing.

:p :p :p
Ceaser salad is not even vegetarian. It has anchovies in the dressing, so it was as well that you avoided that one.

[mommamia]

Karen~yah another person off antidepressants!! This is SO very encouraging to me.
I know I've felt pretty awful after two evenings of Pizza Hut...I also indulged in some high in refined sugar chocolate (okay, I have a think for Haystacks...) and between the combination it's taken me three days to feel better and I'm not even at the optimum I was before. I still cook supper for my husband and last night I couldn't even stomach cooked food. All I could think, too, was "This is just crap for my body...it doesn't help me AT ALL beyond the moment." You're so right, its just not worth being miserable all that time. Your description of the Alfredo does sound awful!! that my mindset has changed so quickly is amazing to me. Once you know what works and what "good" feels like, ya just don't want to go back.



Hey Dancer~

I'm in Saint George...near Thomaston. I have family in Belfast! Where do you like to go raw shopping around here? Anywhere up your way or near by that you recommend?

[Dancer]

Hey Dancer~

I'm in Saint George...near Thomaston. I have family in Belfast! Where do you like to go raw shopping around here? Anywhere up your way or near by that you recommend?

Well, since I'm very new, like so new I haven't even started yet (:rolleyes: - tranisitioning), I have just been increasing my fruits and veggies from Hannafords. But there is the Belfast Co-op that has some great organic stuff. We'll probably end up shopping there or online for the items that are more rare.

How about you? Any good places to shop? We come down to the Rockland Shaw's sometimes so it wouldn't be that much further.

Thanks,
Donna

[mommamia]

That was cute....so new you haven't started yet! I think if you're on your way it's a start, right?

We've got a coop down here but its pretty $$$. I am finding Hannafords to be okay, but Shaws a bit better. Their produce section is really great. They get things in everyday (don't laugh but I come from the Midwest where our grocery got things in weekly) They've got a pretty decent natural foods section. If you are coming from Belfast on RT 1 you may want to check out Fresh Off The Farm. It is just past Rockport before you come into Rockland on your right hand side. It is an unassuming little yellow/red building w/very little parking. They have a wonderful selection of organic produce and health products. I was able to find my raw honey, nut butters etc. They also have some organic "transitioning" foods (for me that was rice pasta to get off of wheat...and let me add Green and Blacks chocolate...yum)

Is your whole family transitioning?

[mommamia]

Angelina~

I just ran across a website that maybe you're already familiar with but it discusses at length the whys and wherefors of the colon cleanse. The site has what looks to be a good program...but there are lots of great articles and per another post I had concerning mucoid matter I've searched some Google Images. Let's just say that I see a colonic in my future. Perhaps not near future, but it's there. Hopefully I can successfully link the site below as I flunked PC's 101.


HPS Health/Cleanse (http://www.hps-online.com/)

If you've heard of this do you have any feedback?

[karenisraw]

mamamia,

I KNOW IT FOR THE TRUTH that our moods and happiness has everything to do with what we eat. most of my family is SAD. The interesting thing is my mother is a happy go luck bubbly person and she is the closest to vegan as anyone in may family. Everyone else is sort of depressed kind of. My dad has gotten happier over the years at the same rate that he started incorporating fresh salads, olive oil and smoothies into his diet. Why would anyone subject themselves to 3 meals a day of SAD food. To counter act SAD, people are on caffeine, have to rest after a meal, are exhausted after lunch and need a coke, perscribe antidepressants, and many other things to feel happy. The more I know about raw, the more I want to yank people's lunches away from them and give them mine. If I accidently eat the "wrong" thing it can completely mess me up for a day or two or even for a couple of hours. When you are raw, you are so on a high that a boo boo is like a major catastrophe in comparison.


I wish you luck,

PM if you have questions about depression.

Happy as an uneaten clam!!
:p :p :p

[Dancer]

That was cute....so new you haven't started yet! I think if you're on your way it's a start, right?

We've got a coop down here but its pretty $$$. I am finding Hannafords to be okay, but Shaws a bit better. Their produce section is really great. They get things in everyday (don't laugh but I come from the Midwest where our grocery got things in weekly) They've got a pretty decent natural foods section. If you are coming from Belfast on RT 1 you may want to check out Fresh Off The Farm. It is just past Rockport before you come into Rockland on your right hand side. It is an unassuming little yellow/red building w/very little parking. They have a wonderful selection of organic produce and health products. I was able to find my raw honey, nut butters etc. They also have some organic "transitioning" foods (for me that was rice pasta to get off of wheat...and let me add Green and Blacks chocolate...yum)

Is your whole family transitioning?


Hi Again,

Yes, my boyfriend and I are both going to do it together. We got unhealthy together so why not get healthy? Actually, he has medical reasons (cholesteral and high blood pressure) so it's more urgent for him. And he wants to be off the meds.

We'll have to try Fresh Off The Farm next time we swing down. Do you know if there are any really large health food stores in Augusta or Bangor? I'll have to look through the phonebook. If I find any, I'll let you know.

Oh and by the way, we just watched the DVD last night and we're going 100% on Monday. We're spending the weekend cleaning out our fridge and pantry and restocking with live foods. Yay for us. I'm so excited for my new journey.

May I add you to my buddy List? You're welcome to add me if you want.

Thanks,
Dancer

[Queen2]

Mommamia, I used to be suicidal and I went off my med and instead started working with flower essences. I had a practitioner who helped me decide which ones. This was a long time before I found the raw diet and the essences were wonderful. Flower Essence Services has a great website. There are different ones for different kinds of depression, so I can't suggest specifics.

I still occasionally get a little depressed but it is rare and does seem to follow a bout of eating a little too much cooked food (ie the holidays)

Colonics are supposed to be good but there are also a lot of colon detoxifying herbs you can use. Robert Morse's herbs are fabulous for detoxing, but there are others that I'm sure are good also. Colonics aren't supposed to be good in the first few moneths, it's supposed to be better to wait. Also be careful, there is a difference between an intestinal cleanser and a laxative.

Good luck - Queenie

[mommamia]

Oh and by the way, we just watched the DVD last night and we're going 100% on Monday. We're spending the weekend cleaning out our fridge and pantry and restocking with live foods. Yay for us. I'm so excited for my new journey.

May I add you to my buddy List? You're welcome to add me if you want.

Thanks,
Dancer



I have to get that DVD!! I have to get the book...still waiting for it..I"m excited for you on going 100%. Keep me posted as I have had kind of a "a-ha" moment today about going 100%. You can certainly add me to your buddy list and I've added you to mine. Altho I'm pretty dense and don't really know what I do with it?? I'm totally dumb when it comes to anything dealing w/computer or it's language.

[mommamia]

Hey Queenie~

My grandma used to call me that all time. Hey if the shoe fits, wear it. :D

I was just at the health coop today looking over flower essences! I am very curious about how they work so it is good to hear your testimonial. I also appreciate your honesty about the fact that you were suicidal. I'm very frightened of going off meds in that I tend to be very self destructive in my down times. So I appreciate knowing that this worked so well for you in your case. I was considering using homeopathy in connection with my depression, but I will definatly check out the essence option! I think it will be a bit before I tackle the medication journey so I will research the site you mentioned, too.

Per colonics I've been reading a lot about it and came to the same conclusion that maybe I will wait and let my body do what it needs to for a few months and then cleanse more fully.

Thanks so very much for speaking up!

[karenisraw]

Queen2,

I used to have depression most of my life and since I have been 100% raw, I have not needed them and are off of them. I would say that most of the time now, I am very happy or even euphoric. Once in a while I will eat something and it will make me depressed within a few minutes of eating it and I have to sit there depressed, knowing it is from what I ate. It's not that big a deal but it is the pits and I just ride it out. I wish I would have discovered raw a very long time ago.

k :p :p

[RawTruth]

Mommamia,

I just noticed this thread today, so, if you don't mind, even though it's a few days old, I'll go ahead and respond to some of your original questions and concerns.

Food Combining -- is a logical way of helping your body digest your good well. At the beginning of being raw, though, if you find it difficult to combine foods properly, don't worry about it until you're more firmly into raw & living foods. The rules of food combining are very easy. The chart posted here is simple to follow, but you don't even really have to worry about the sub-acid fruits, etc. when you first start. Just don't combine nuts & starches or veggies with fruit. Period. That's about it. You can blend (or eat) fruit and greens together. Thus, the green smoothies in the morning are perfect. Victoria Boutenko states that greens have been miscategorized as a vegetable when it should be in a category all by itself ... and it can definitely be eaten with fruit. However, nuts and starches should only be eaten with greens or veggies or alone. That's all you really need to pay attention to. Oh, and that melons must be eaten totally alone. The other important idea in food combining is understanding that the stomach must finish digesting one type of food before you put another in since different types have different digestive rates and therefore lead to rotting food in the stomach. (Bear in mind that I'm just very roughly explaining these concepts here -- there are plenty of great books on the subject, including -- believe it or not -- Suzanne Somers' books which you can get from the library. Just ignore the recipes and her recommendations about meat and dairy!!)

Medication - can definitely be decreased the longer you are raw. I used to be on SSRIs (for over 7 years) and am now totally free of them. BUT -- hear this, please, with an open mind: This can (and most certainly will) happen when you are 100% raw, not 90% or any other percent.

I'm so glad Alissa's book is on its way to you. When you get it, please read it immediately. You will get to a point where she says to put the book down and go clean out your cupboards. She will tell you exactly what to get to restock your pantry. Then, she will offer you a plan with which you can go completely raw immediately. The book is written with so much experience and authority about why you must be all raw to reap the benefits that you won't hesitate to take that last step. (Or, at least, I hope you won't hesitate.) This will be the key to your complete renewal and recovery from mood disorders ... and a beginning of an amazing and magical path that can lead you into a transformation.

This has been said on this forum many, many, many times, but, for the sake of the latest round of newbies, I will repeat it: The difference between 95% raw and 100% raw of FAR more than a mere 5%; it is the difference between sickness and health, between maintaining a toxic body and eliminating the toxins that are poisoning you, the difference between feeling better and feeling amazing, the difference between ... need I go on? I'm (obviously) not just speaking to you now -- so many lurkers read these posts -- so I want to emphasize and re-emphasize that one cannot expect to be transformed by the raw and living foods lifestyle until they commit and actually begin it!! As Alissa has said repeatedly - just do it.

So, mammamia, even though you didn't ask about becoming all raw, to me it's so obvious that it's a necessity in order to fully transform your physical and mental state (a big bonus is that it will affect your spirituality, too, but that's another whole subject!). And, since reducing and/or getting off the psych meds are of particular concern to you, I would be irresponsible if I didn't tell you that doing raw half way (which anything less than 100% is, in my opinion and experience) will yield half way results.

I'm glad you found this forum, I hope you'll take this post in the spirit in which was intended (to be helpful), and, if you wish, I'd be happy to answer any other questions you may have.

[mommamia]

RT: ~~I had a nice long reply and lost it! I'll attempt to re-cap so pardon if I"m not totally coherant~~

I wanted to thank you for replying as I've read you posts on previous threads and have always gleaned something from them. I absolutely took this in the way it was intended.

You've verified the feeling I have been having this week. The need to really go 100%. In fact, last night when my husband got home I told him "I can't do this. I can cook supper, but I can't eat it. I know what it is doing to me." (He was nice enough to ask for a smoothie and make his own supper. (He's coming along so nicely! :) ) I"ve been fearing 100% because I know the detox is a bit more intense and I'm under the impression if you do this a bit slower the detox will be less intense. Is this thinking correct? However, I can see that in order to get off medication, I need to give my body the best I can. I"m only going to do that 100%. The changes have been amazing at this level, so how can I deny myself 100%??

You put food combining so succinctly. I think between that and the chart it looks much less complicated now. While I haven't been strict about it since I'm just starting, I can see where it makes sense.

I can't wait to get the book! This forum alone has given me such a resource and such a boost. I think that the book will give me that extra "push" I need.

Thanks again for posting~ I was ready to hear what you had to say. Especially as it concerns mental health and medication. That's why I started down this road in the first place....as I mentioned above somewhere, I finally feel like I have some hope.



I'm editing to add: I thought of a question for you! (Remember: You offered ;)
I posted a thread on Loss of Appetite and was hoping you could give me some feedback on that. It's something that has been concerning me. THanks!

[RawTruth]

I'm so proud of you. The first step can be the scariest, but it's the most important. You're also lucky to have partner who will take care of himself so that you can do the same for you.

Now, I'm setting off to my Raw Food Festival with a bigger smile on my face.