how raw am I?

[noworldorder]

I have been raw for almost a month now. It is so fantastic I can't imagine ever going back. I am almost completely raw (unless the not-raw things I am doing are really bad or something)

Here is a list of thinge not-raw things I am doing. I would love to hear opinions on how harmful it is or isn't. (thanks)

* wasabi ever couple nights with sushi
* cooked sea weed nori rolls
* organic prepared mustard
* frozen berries ever now and then in sorbet and smoothies
* braggs (a far bit of it) with sushi
* a couple cups of decaf every couple days

Other than that everything is raw. Is it a good idea to cut these things out? Would they be doing me any harm?

Thanks!!!

[MysticTree]

Is it a good idea to cut these things out? Would they be doing me any harm?

Thanks!!!

Definitely cut out the decaff. The process it goes through to have the caffeine removed is as bad as if they left it in!

[Raw Angel Mom]

What matter for you, is how your feel now? Have you noticed a significant improvement in your health? Are you reaching your goal?

If you do and are happy, focus on your accomplishment and all the good fresh produce that you eat. All the great nurturing time that you do for you.

On the other hand, if you notice that your progress is steady and getting slower, then look into upgrading your diet.

You cannot run a marathon unless you have trained first. Every training or step that you do toward this goal, is worth gratitude.

Looking for excuse to justify any unhealthy choice, is to feed the addiction and to hold you back. The key is to focus on your accomplishment and never making it an excuse for any choice.

The ideal diet would be freshly pick food from mother earth and just eat whole. Well, not everyone can do this and you need to honor where you are. Every positive change that you do for you or positive choice, is valuable and something to treasure at the end of the day. Do not worry if your diet is perfect or not as long you don't try to tell yourself story that this is right because again it feeds the part of us that make us hook on cook food. BE free and be happy.

Without question, your first goal is to eliminate anything that had arms you the most such the decaf. Make a conscious decision that if you are going to make exception that it will be at the very least organic and no chemical. Check your prepared mustard, i bet you will read scary ingredient in it. If your goal is health, you must eliminate any substance such decaf or anything that contain chemical. The rest of your list seem ok (read the ingredient of the wasabi too, you can always find a healthier version on anything) for now but keep in mind, your goal is to go 100% raw. The more you go toward it, the more young and refresh you will look because your body won't be using its own enzyme to digest that.

All the best!

[Okradlakpok]

I am new, too, and loving it! I also have a few non raw things like tea and coffee, fish and rice cakes. At first I felt down about it, but I saw a video on You Tube by a man who called it "Raw Food Prison." I am not sure if we can link, so you can find it easily...... He is 100% raw, and he sees it as the way to go, but he became disturbed to see so many people getting down about not being 100% or beating themselves up over a slip or two.

His message was sooo powerful!! I wanted to give him a hug because he changed the way I looked at it totally. He helped me to see that the point is vibrancy. We are all on a path and it is easier for some who might live by a Wholefoods for instance, or those with lots of money to go all raw and even hire a cook.

We have to do the best we can and enjoy it, celebrate every piece of raw, living food we can eat! It is so hard to find good cclean food these days that it IS a matter to celebrate if we can be 80% or 50% or however much we can be.

We are pulled into it by a good force and I believe that those on this path find ways to do it more and more or even in bad places. A soldier in Iraq eating MRE's might have a terrible time, but youwould be surprised what happens when people really seek this path.

Cheers to all! :-D

[Living Food]

Definitely cut out the decaff. The process it goes through to have the caffeine removed is as bad as if they left it in!

I second that.

The wasabi is almost definitely full of harmful chemicals too, whether they list them on the label or not. Ultimately, you should strive for the freshest, whole food diet possible (like Raw Angel Mom said), but remember that it's a process and only do what you feel comfortable with.Many of those things (mustard, wasabi, bragg's) are toppings and should be easy to eliminate, as your taste buds will adjust quickly. The decaff should also be easy to let go of if you put your mind to it.

By "wasabi" I assume that you meant the processed powder, not the plant?

By the way, it seems that a main ingredient in many processed condiments like mustard is "water". That water is unfiltered tap water which is loaded with toxic chemicals, so it's best to cut out all foods that have it as one of the main ingredients (you'll be surprised how many do).

If you're interested in foraging, mustard plants grow wild in many places and you can make your own condiments from them.

[nrothgarden]

Definitely cut out the decaff. The process it goes through to have the caffeine removed is as bad as if they left it in!

A couple cups of decaf every now and then isn't going to hurt anything IMO. If she enjoys it, I think she should be able to have it in moderation.

[nrothgarden]

I second that.

The wasabi is almost definitely full of harmful chemicals too, whether they list them on the label or not. Ultimately, you should strive for the freshest, whole food diet possible (like Raw Angel Mom said), but remember that it's a process and only do what you feel comfortable with.Many of those things (mustard, wasabi, bragg's) are toppings and should be easy to eliminate, as your taste buds will adjust quickly. The decaff should also be easy to let go of if you put your mind to it.

By "wasabi" I assume that you meant the processed powder, not the plant?

By the way, it seems that a main ingredient in many processed condiments like mustard is "water". That water is unfiltered tap water which is loaded with toxic chemicals, so it's best to cut out all foods that have it as one of the main ingredients (you'll be surprised how many do).

If you're interested in foraging, mustard plants grow wild in many places and you can make your own condiments from them.

I agree about the taste buds adjusting. But I honestly think she has nothing to worry about. Ideally, you would want to cut most of those things out, but she's only been raw for a month now. This is a transitional period for her.

[MysticTree]

A couple cups of decaf every now and then isn't going to hurt anything IMO. If she enjoys it, I think she should be able to have it in moderation.

This forum is not here to assist people in allowing themselves to eat non-raw foods.

[MysticTree]

By the way, it seems that a main ingredient in many processed condiments like mustard is "water". That water is unfiltered tap water which is loaded with toxic chemicals, so it's best to cut out all foods that have it as one of the main ingredients (you'll be surprised how many do).

I don't see why we should be surprised. It's added to most foods.

[Living Food]

I don't see why we should be surprised. It's added to most foods.

In my experience very few people who are new to trying to live a healthy lifestyle actually think about things like that.

[Raw Angel Mom]

In my experience very few people who are new to trying to live a healthy lifestyle actually think about things like that.

I have been doing this for a while and i didn't even think about this, lol..... It makes perfect sense that they won't use filter water or good water to prepare any process food. This is another good reason to stick with my own home made food unless i can trust the source.

Good point (((Living Food))).

All the best.

[MysticTree]

In my experience very few people who are new to trying to live a healthy lifestyle actually think about things like that.

and lots do but don't see it as a problem I guess.

I drink tap water. It's not something I am looking to change.

[Revvell]

I drink tap water. It's not something I am looking to change.

Ahhhh, maybe your tap water is better than ours across the pond? In many places here, they've put flouride in the water and we really cannot find water that's not been contaminated so, they put all kinds of chemicals in to counteract the junk.

[MysticTree]

they don't add fluoride to ours. They do add some stuff though I am sure.
But my point I guess was that whilst many don't think about it many others do and still choose not to go with filtered - for many reasons.

[Living Food]

But my point I guess was that whilst many don't think about it many others do and still choose not to go with filtered - for many reasons.

The only reason that makes even a tiny bit of sense would be if they didn't have the money to afford it...unless their health isn't that important to them.

Some people argue that drinking pure H2O leaches minerals from your bones (and I can't really say for sure if that's true or not), but you can easily remineralize water after you filter it and still avoid all of the **** that is in it.