Wanting to help people out there like me

[mattm]

Hi guys, I'm 20yrs old and just finished my first year of uni during which I've been a 100% raw and, for the past few months (since Dec), have been on a purely green smoothie diet. I started at about 16 going vegetarian and since made the transition gradually to vegan, to a percentage raw and then 100% raw. I've been incredibly lucky in having very supportive parents which even though SAD eaters have always been behind me and have even taken on board a lot of the things I have discovered over the years through first-hand experience with overcoming a number of ailments and my extensive reading on nutrition. I don't find the raw diet a problem for me as I'm a very determined and open person who is always willing to talk about my lifestyle to anyone interested, whch I can tell you now after whizzing up a few concoctions, didn't take long before people everywhere were asking questions. I've found university a very positive place with regard to my diet because even thogh no one here is raw or anywhere near raw...from people asking questions, I've been able to inform them about the wonderful healing abilities of such a diet and the many foods I'm able to enjoy. Also people are genuinely interested believe it or not...they see the energy, radiance and enthusiasm I have for life every moment of the day (which is one of the greatest changes I've seen in myself since raw) and often are desperate to know my 'secret' of being like this and especially why I'm bouncing around in the morning after comparitively little sleep when they can barely walk!!!! I can't even count the number of people that have wanted to try my smoothie/soups after I say that it has chocolate in it (great selling pont:) ) and as a result have received more nutrition in 2 seconds than in their entire lives. I've even had people gathering where they want to see me make a smoothie because, as they say, "it looks great fun matt". I've written this story on the forum before but I'll repeat it again and that was the time that a boy (renowned for the great lumps of meat he gets through and hating veg) tried my breakfast chocolate smoothie after being tempted, loved it and, as he walked out, said to me "...but you'll never get me eating all that green stuff!". All that veg he lovingly refers to as 'green stuff' was piled into the smoothie he just had and he never knew. He and others have even gone out since and bought themselves blender and started making fruit smoothies which, even though I know they aren't going to be raw, is a wonderful thing to see and being able to pass on my knowledge, improve others health and see a glimmer of light in even the "SADDEST" of eaters brings a smile to my face and makes every moment of this lifesyle worth it.

I know Random Violin Guy has just started a thread for 'youngins' experiences but, with my experiences and age, I've been wanting to start a thread for a while now, after someone recommended it to me on the forum, specifically on the subject of giving suppport to anyone (especially us 'spring chicks' as Random Violin Guy says) that want any help or guidance with going raw or mainatining this lifestyle whilst, for instance, being at uni...so please write and I'll be glad to help. I know there is a big community of us guys out there so please speak up and it would be great to help and get to know you guys.

[sport]

As one of the "Olduns" here may I say Well Done.
I, like you, am very public about my diet choices and am willing to put up with the little verbal kicks that I sometimes get just to get the message out there.
Every person that you influence to make even a slight change in their diet is a "feather in your cap".

[mattm]

Thank you very much Sport for your support. I wanted to start this thread becuase I would also like to get everyones feedback on something that I've been wanting to do for a while now...set up a separate forum for us young ones at school, uni etc in order to give support and guidance to people at an age where, as I'm fully aware, there are enormous temptations and pressures. I would very much appreciate people's thoughts, suggestions and any support they would have for me to do this.

(P.S. If you read this Alissa...would you be willing to support me starting a seperate category on the forum for youngsters or indeed a separate forum as I feel there is very much a need for this?)

Thanks for everyones time and, as I said...if anyone has questions please write.

All the best.

[StarFire]

HURRAH FOR THE GUYZ.... YEA MATTM.... REPRESENT!!! I think your story is awesome! I loved reading it. Whats your major and will you be branching out into the field of raw food coach or something along those lines... open a smoothie or raw food restaurant perhaps?? I love seeing this group of the Futures Finest sharing their knowledge rather than sitting alone - hiding out in the Raw World. Looks like you 'young'ens' are starting a RAWVOLUTION here... and it RAWKS!! ;)

[LightLover]

Carry the candle Matt, you can do it.

LL

[wanderinglady]

Hey! I wanted to ask you a question regarding raw and college. Do you live on campus and if so how have you handled that and eating raw? I'm curious because I'm hopefully going to be starting in the fall and will more than likely live on campus. I'm a little concerned because I'm not exactly sure how to balance this and I know the school cafeterias are notorious for only having iceberg salads As least the ones I've seen.

[eatyourbroccoli]

good for you matt..really, thats awesome.

too bad youre not over here in canada..you seem like a great guy to hang out with!

[SmilingRawDancer]

Yeah, where are the raw nice guys in SoCal? Hahaha

I'm as close to %100 as I can get, I'm a college student (not UNI yet, waiting to transfer somewhere:)


I'm pretty sure I'll be living at home throughout my college experiance, as that's the way the finances are looking right now. But I like home, and the comfort it gives me food-wise :)
I think I'd die in a small dorm...I'd kill my roommate with dehydrators and Blender sounds!

[mattm]

Hey guys, thanks so much for all the support and great to start meeting you all...as Starfire says we could have a rawvolution. By the way, Wanderinglady I did live on campus in my first year and I will say now I found staying raw much easier than I thought at first. I did my research before I went and was lucky to find, in addition to the supermarket around the corner, whihch sells a range of organic produce that there was also a nearby organics shop which sources loads of local organic produce and has a well established box scheme. BEING PREPARED is crucial to succeeding with raw and that doesn't end just at the stock cupboard or what you have in the fridge...researching, learning, finding out what is going to be available to you when you arrive that first day so it's not all overwhelming for you is all part of it. I would always make sure I planned ahead, looked at my timetables and made sure I developed a routine of shopping and eating based around my daily committments (lectures, societies, socialising etc). For instance, if I knew I had a hectic day lecture wise or just generally the night before or that morning I would knock up a big green smoothie, pour it into my thermos (gotta love these things!) and that would keep me ticking over easily for the entire day. As for socialising, eating out with freinds etc., people talk about their social lives going down the drain but mine was absolutely fine and I think it all stems from confidence. I went out with frieneds, if I wanted a drink I would get water and if people gave me looks of the 'not-alcohol kind' which they did admittedly and still do I frankly couldn't care any less. My freinds, who are all SAD, have even gone as far as telling me how much they respect me for my determination to eat healthy and not to cave into temptation as "they couldn't manage it". I've also haven't preached to people about my way of eating or done things like tell them how terrible what they are eating is as this would only create tension and an unpleasant environment which is the last thing you want when living with people 24/7. I've just ploughed along with my lifestyle and as people just naturally enquire (as they will do soon as they see a load of fruit and veg in the fridge and not pizzas!) I've been totally open to them about my way of eating and I find myself gradually educating them about it in a non-offensive way and, as I explained in my first post, I've even gone as far as feeding them!!

There is a lot I could write on this subject and everyone is going to be in a different environment, with a different group of people around them and consequently have different problems but I hope I have answered some of your questions and, if I haven't (probably the case!!), please write again. The complexity of this subject due to the reasons just outlined plus others is why I think a separate category or some sort of sister website forum connected to Rawfoodtalk ideally that addresses younsgters problems and unites the community is so dreadfully important.

All the best and keep the posts coming...speak up!

[wanderinglady]

Hey mattm thanks! That did help :) I like that you're willing to show your friends the healthy way and even feed them, but you don't preach.

There is a raw food teens forum (www.rawfoodteens.com) but it's been under construction for a while and doesn't seem to be opening anytime soon.

Maybe a Yahoo! group or something would be nice?

[spicyfull]

I wish you everything you need to Stay RAW....Welcome to MY World.....

[mattm]

Hi guys, thanks Wanderinglady regarding the info about rawfoodteens...do you or anyone else know anything more about this website...you mention it has been 'under construction' for quite some time now. I was originally thinking of a separate forum (along the lines of probably what this other website has planned) but thought it would be much better to link it to Rawfoodtalk as, like others have already commented, you could be missing out on a wealth of information that the older ones have, in addition to which, the community already knows this site and is gathered here. I was wandering what your opinions on this were?

All the best

[mattm]

Everybody come on over to the new teen/youngins forum!!! Contacted Alissa and she was as enthusiastic about the idea as I was and before I could blinked she had set up the separate forum I had envisioned...absolutely wonderful. Things can really start getting going now and thank you all for the support and encouragement you gave me to get make this forum a relality. I'm really excited to see how this evolves and where this will take us.

[LightLover]

Hi Mattm, what I really can advise in your smoothies is "Mesquite".
In works wonderfull with maca and raw cacao, and it is lifting up the
taste of the maca. It's taste is like caramel, molasse and it is packed with minerals. For the people not liking maca: mesquite hides the taste of the former, and comes with a smooth elegantly extra tastelayer.

In most of the recipes I see the following ratio:

Maca:Mesquite:Raw Cacao = 1:2:2-3

LL

[mattm]

Hi Lightlover...I already include mesquite in my smoothies with cocoa regularly and I agree it is gorgeous...very addictive Another product I'm very fond of that I don't think I've mentioned is lucuma which is a peruvian exotic fruit also known as the "Gold of the Incas" that, other than having a wonderful nutritional profile (including extremely high beta carotene content), has an absolutely stunning maple syrup taste. It is sweet and ideal for the occasional treat (as it is expensive)...so it comes highly recommended. In fact in Peru they apparently flavour their ice creams with it...how cool is that...and after whipping up a bit with some frozen fruit I now know why they do it!!!