I have changed my diet many times over the years. About 25 years ago a boyfriend introduced me to vegetarianism... and I took it on immediately. I had always been an animal lover and after being exposed to the horrors of factory farming, I couldn't participate in it anymore. In fact, I became one of those militant vegetarians who made faces at people who ate meat and gave the vegetarian righteousness speech to anyone who would or wouldn't listen! I wasn't that fun to be around if you ate meat!
Over time, I mellowed out and switched from being totally vegan (no animal products at all) to once again eating eggs and cheese. But then my diet evolved again as I learned the benefits of raw, uncooked foods. Raw foods still have all their enzymes in them so that your body doesn't have to use it's own enzymes to process the food. For about six months, I was totally raw, not eating anything cooked at all. I had so much energy I was bouncing off the walls and hardly needed any sleep. I needed to ground myself just a little bit because I didn't know what to do with all my energy!!
Now my diet has evolved to a mostly raw foods diet, probably about 80 percent, with the addition of fresh fish that we catch ourselves, my favorite salad dressings and occasional binges of breads, pastas and desserts.
I feel that everyone has to find the diet that feels right for them. I believe that just like everything else, food has a vibration and that raw foods have a higher vibration. But I also believe that YOUR VIBRATION as you eat any kind of food affects the way your body assimilates and uses the food.
If you are eating a carrot and hating it, well, that does not do your body any good. And if you eat a hamburger and feel totally guilty about it, that does not do any good either.
I think the trick is to make friends with your food, love and appreciate whatever it is that you are eating, and make sure your beliefs about what you are eating are aligned with the result you want for the food to affect your body!
Just my .... I love eating raw foods, it makes me feel good, it makes me feel healthy, it gives me a lot of energy and it is great for me. But for others, it might be like a punishment. So, eat what you want, but eat it with love and appreciation and NO GUILT!
I have really benefited from a whole foods diet too, but I agree, it is more how you feel about your food and people should enjoy what they eat, not feel guilty about it! So, eat let them eat cake, and eat it happily!
I have experienced the raw foods lifestyle in the past 10 years. A couple of things happened with that:
I found myself being very judgemental of others who were not on it, and who were using refined sugar, etc,etc, etc. Much righteousness going on!
I had to get an additional mini refrigerator just to hold all the "leaves" and sprouts, etc. (There were 2 of us who were doing the diet).
A lot of TIME was spent washing and rinsing the leaves, and then juicing them, and then cleaning all the moving parts of the juicer, and cleaning up all the mess in the kitchen.
I lost quite a bit of weight (not my intention at the time) and was down to 99 lbs. and well, at my age, it was not very nice looking.
I started to have some trouble with joint pain. I had a lot of life changes around that time, and moved to a new tai chi teacher, an elderly Chinese man, who said I was very much lacking in the building blocks for cartlidge. He had some suggestions to remedy that.
To cut to the end....It seemed that I really needed the animal protein, and so now I bless and put into the Violet Flame all of the animal products that I now eat. I keep in mind always what Abraham has said to the effect that the animals come into physical knowing that they are going to be someone's dinner.
I do love fish best of all....
To make sure I get the phytonutrients, I like to use Dr. Richard Schultz's "Superfood," and put it into smoothies every day. I often add BarleyGreen (which is very close to wheatgrass in its phytonutrients). The BarleyGreen is a mulitlevel marketing product, but not the Superfood (You have to mail order it from Dr. Schutlz's website.
The other critical componet to weight loss is ramping up the EXERCISE.
I totally agree. For some, raw foods seems to really agree and others have problems with it. I find for me, if I go to 100% raw foods, I have WAY too much energy, I bounce off the walls and don't need to sleep many hours either. It is a bit much. I am also a simple raw foodist and instead of worrying about raw food dishes and all the trouble, I just grab a mango, or crunch a carrot, eat a whole avocado, whatever is calling to me and keep it REAL simple. I eat lots of raw nuts too, and occasionally fresh fish and eggs for protein. I also use the VIBE Supplement, which I have found to be VERY benefical for my health, and powdered protein in water when I am feeling the need for more protein.
On my regular schedule (no cruises or trips to Sedona!) I eat about 75-80% raw. That's how I feel best. I notice when I eat lots of cooked foods, I get tired faster and sometimes even sleepy during the day. That's me, of course, and how my body is built.
While raw foods is certainly not for everyone, I do believe that people should try to eat more WHOLE FOODS, foods that have not been processed or canned. This is definately healthier for people AND the planet, and of course this includes eating fresh fish and preferably organic meats.
And you are right, there are definately Radical Raw Fooders out there, pushing against everyone else. I must admit that when I first became vegetarian over 20 years ago, you didn't want to be around me if you ate meat, especially at the same table! I mellowed out over a short time, though, and now of course I don't push against anything or anybody. I just don't let it into my raw pie!
Sierra and all--
I am really drawn to raw food and when I have done it, it became far more complicated than I wanted. Your post points out what seems to be a simple raw food program--skip the juicers and stuff and just eat the vegetables and fruit raw. Is that what you were saying and can you get enough nourishment into yourself without juicing?
One problem. family and friends think its crazy(but they think the same thing about L of A.).My partner is pretty much ok but provides no support and Isn't into it and provides no energy of project- partnership and I don't seem to be able to endure the tedium of such a diet without others to talk to. .
Any common experiences and how do you deal with the loneliness of the raw foodist?
glad to be here
antonio
Yes, I really enjoy simplicity. Lately I am starting out my mornings with super green smoothies. I'll put lots of super foods in them, like goji berries, raw cacao, coconut, kale, spinach and fruit.
I feel so good that it doesn't bother me what anyone else says!
There are tons of videos on Youtube about raw foods. It is growing very fast and more and more people are catching on. I don't think you'll feel alone for very long!
Sierra, I couldn't agree more!! That was extremely well put. It sounds like your journey with food/vegetarianism was just like mine...and I have the same problem re not knowing what to do with all the extra energy and less sleep that I need on a raw food diet! Every time I eat raw high vibrational foods I instantly feel more positive in my thoughts and my outlook on life in general, it's amazing...and thank you for reminding me that I also need to think positively and lovingly when eating the food rather than relying on it to make me feel positive, as it is a cycle that is inter-dependent....when I eat HV foods it creates HV thinking, and I literally am buzzing along on the high vibrations, swept along without much effort at all!! go on...RAISE YOUR VIBRATIONS PEOPLE!! zz2hearts22
Antonio, trust me...once you get onto the high vibrations of raw food...you will feel so good and positive that being 'alone' in your eating habit won't bother you in the slightest!!! you will be high on life...not reliant on others for validation...good luck! ps you look great, so it must be working??
Last edited on Thu Dec 2nd, 2010 10:25 pm by evie_eve
Sierra, I couldn't agree more!! That was extremely well put. It sounds like your journey with food/vegetarianism was just like mine...and I have the same problem re not knowing what to do with all the extra energy and less sleep that I need on a raw food diet! Every time I eat raw high vibrational foods I instantly feel more positive in my thoughts and my outlook on life in general, it's amazing...and thank you for reminding me that I also need to think positively and lovingly when eating the food rather than relying on it to make me feel positive, as it is a cycle that is inter-dependent....when I eat HV foods it creates HV thinking, and I literally am buzzing along on the high vibrations, swept along without much effort at all!! go on...RAISE YOUR VIBRATIONS PEOPLE!! zz2hearts22
.... I love eating raw foods, it makes me feel good, it makes me feel healthy, it gives me a lot of energy and it is great for me. But for others, it might be like a punishment. So, eat what you want, but eat it with love and appreciation and NO GUILT!
Sierra
