Noobie's hello

[GeoffreyLevens]

Just found this site via link someone posted for me on McDougall forum. I tried 80-10-10 a few years ago and it didn't work for me. From there went to McDougall and from there (after a couple years) to Fuhrman. Fuhrman likes both cooked and raw but says "the salad is the main course." So I've been vegan for about 3 1/2 years (this time, was for quite awhile many years ago, but almost all cooked). I seem to be drifting more and more toward raw of late. My two biggest issues are 1) In US Rocky Mountians where I live it is cold cold cold in winter. Today's high is clear up to 42 F. but many days in 20's and Jan/Feb will have many in teens. When I eat raw meal I generally feel freezing cold, even in doors, for several hours when the temps are like this. My latest fix is I make either "chopped salad" in food processor or green smoothie in Vitamix and warm it in a pan to about body temp. Comfortable warmth to dipped finger. Still plenty cool enough to be raw and not damage nutrients or enzymes but I don't feel cold after eating! Nice success on that. 2) I just don't feel satisfied after eating. Probably should add yet. I can eat raw until my stomach is straining toward stretch mark city and still feel unsatisfied. That does not seem to happen after a cooked veg meal but maybe it is just adaptation needed?

So basically, hello! I have been browsing and lots of good reading here it seems...

[GoodCat]

First off ...Welcome...

I too am from Colorado and understand the cold winters.. Your body will adjust. Keep going. I tend to get more "heavy" raw foods in the winter. Lots of avocado (okay, I eat lots of those all year long..lol), lots of nuts or nut sauces, dehydrated breads and such. I like to use lots of seasonings as well. I found that the longer I eat raw, the more I eat smaller meals throughout the day instead of 3 meals a day. I eat when I'm hungry and stop when I'm satisfied. If I'm hungry and hour later, then I'll eat something. Eventually your body will balance out.

I hope you enjoy your journey with raw.

Cathy

[GeoffreyLevens]

Thank you, Cathy. I've found I eat a lot less than I used to. I think higher nutrient intake does it, your body just gets satisfied. I am hoping to get set up soon for lots of sprouting, both greens and beans/grains.

Strange little adventure; just made almond butter out of pasteurized almonds I had that I first soaked/sprouted for about 24 hours then dried back to crunchy. I would have thought that the pasteurization would fully "kill" them but they were totally transformed and enlivened by the soak! Much less "oily" and very different flavor in a good way. And I am comparing to almonds from same batch that I previously ground without the soak etc.