Wow, it has been an interesting three days. I've done a lot of research on veganism, and I have to say, it is a healthy lifestyle. All of these years without any knowledge about the food an average American consumes. All of these years, I'm 26 now, of consuming these terrible foods. I wish that my mom and dad, though good parents, had known and believed some of this. (Though my mother is bulimic.)

I need to change my mind about certain things about food, and how to prepare food that is non animal-product. How to do that and satisfy my husband at the same time, I don't know. I talked to him last night about my concerns about our eating habits and the information I found out about animal products. He thought I was going to extreme. He thinks I'm extreme in diet the way it is. So what's a woman to do? I also have two kids to think about. I'll have to try some of these yummy vegan recipes and see if they like them. Maybe I'll sudtily introduce this instead of getting all "radical" on my husband.

I just read some alarming findings on consuming cow's milk! I will say I will not consume milk ever again! God willing! It's for baby cow's not humans! My family is on the Woman Infant Children program (WIC) and they only allow to get cow's milk and not soy milk. My daughter Miriam, who is 2, doesn't even like milk. She won't drink it. This has gradually taken place that she refuses milk. She likes juice instead! Milk makes my stomach turn, I'll say that. Maybe it hurts her belly, too.

Well, it has been since Saturday that I haven't consumed meat products. I have been making smoothies. We ate organic spagetti today. It was good. I have to say I have been eating lighter for the past 2 weeks. But these past few days I don't have the "heavy with food" feeling. My food is digesting, not just sitting there digesting slowly. The heavy feeling in my esophagus after I have eaten a big meal is not there because I am eating lighter. I don't have the heartburn I was getting. That was probably caused by cow's milk. Gross!

That's it for now on my journey to better health if it isn't too late already.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/28/2006 02:35AM by shep252.

shep252 Wrote:
> That's it for now on my journey to better health
> if it isn't too late already.

Nahhh It's not too late. Don't ever think that.

Small changes add up. Be patient with yourself and with your family.

One good way to phase out meat gradually is to prepare a lot of stir-frys with 80% to 90% of the dish being vegetable and 10% being meat (or poultry or seafood). You'll save a lot of money this way too. Big pots of beans served with brown rice are another good way to phase out meat. If you do pinto beans you can eat them with rice one day and make burritos the next. Very economical and healthy. Try to include something raw with every meal so that you're getting plenty of enzymes for that stomach of yours. Think lots of salads or try a coleslaw with your beans.

best of luck,

~Kathleen

Great idea! Thanks!

Well, today was a very interesting day. I talked to Wayne about the milk. I told him about my findings on milk. He then said to me, "Well, just don't drink milk then and Miriam at that!" Then he went to tell me to just become 100% vegan. So I have his support. He did call the pastor and smiled and said, "my wife is becoming a vegan. What do you think of this? She is a fruitcake, isn't she?." My husband was joking about the fruitcake part, but the pastor said he supports me becoming a vegan, and I should go with my convictions. So my husband was more relaxed about the idea. He just smiles at me when I make my smoothies. He did drink a fruit smoothie I made this morning. But then the green smoothie I made later, he wouldn't have any. He said it looked like it came from a nuclear plant and it was radioactive. I just roared. On the floor laughing! I never had this much fun with the other foods I was eating. How fun! We are having fun. I also have a good mood because I don't feel weighed down with food! I made a vegan burger for Miriam and I earlier, too. She loved it! She'd rather eat veggies and beans than milk! That is awesome! It was like she knew she was going to go vegan with me the whole time. My son is already a vegan, so I will keep him that way. I will keep nursing him and feed him his healthy fruits and veggies.

I find that I need to make different things so it won't get boring eating the same thing all the time. This will be a hobby for me in a way, because I like to make different things, and will eventually plant our own garden. This is defenitly fun, like someone on here told me earlier. It's not an "ordeal". Of course the taste buds need to adjust a little, then it will be even more wonderful! The transition wil go smoothly, I feel. I'm going to make a raw banana coconut pie for my husband later and see if he likes it. *smiles*

I found out some things about myself, also. Not knowing so before, I would eat to try to suffice my emotions. Or just something to do. I would eat all of the time. Especially junk food. (I am not overweight from all the eating I've done all of these years, thank God.) Now, I have freedom to get to know myself and what triggers me for wanting to eat. Instead of eating junk, I could snack on something healthy, or just not eat at all until lunch or dinner or my next snack. I can snack when my daughter snacks. Then I can deal with what is triggering any negative emotions instead of trying to cover it with nasty foods. I am so aware of things. I had a blast with my husband and kids as we watched Sesame Street. I laughed and enjoyed it. Wow! I had such peace with my husband today, too. The journey continues......



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/28/2006 07:15PM by shep252.

Today was interesting. My husband loved the raw coconut, banana creme pie I made. I had fun making it! I had some smoothies today, also. This morning he woke me up and started to talk about how interesting my findings were about milk. Then I got up and was shocked he was even talking to me that way. So I excitedly told him all of the things I knew. He was like, "Yeah, this morning I woke up and the first thing on my mind was 'Why do humans drink cow's milk?'
Anyway, that didn't stop him from drinking it this morning. Oh well. We had some bean burritos I made from scratch. It was pretty good. Wayne enjoyed it actually! At first he was a little mad at me. He said I was trying to "force" him to go vegan. I told him I was not! I just plainly told him this is what I prepared for our lunch. He said, "It could have been a beef and bean burrito." I said that I don't eat meat anymore. Anyway, we all sat down as a family and he liked it. Then I cooked him a steak to suffice his desire for meat for supper at his work. Anyway, as we were driving into town I told him how I have been feeling better without meat and eating a lot of fruits and veggies. He said, "It is a lot healthier." Then he said, "Why don't you and I just go 100% vegan." I laughed and asked if he was being sarcastic. He then repeated what he said, so I don't know. Maybe in time. WHo knows. I'm not going to push it. All I know is I love and respect my husband and we will keep peace with each other. Since becoming vegan, I am really getting to know my husband, too, and also how to talk with him about things.

Also, I have never had so much fun with food before. I always wanted to eat more fruits and veggies. I would look in the produce section and wonder what I could make out of such a wonderful variety of them. Now I have endless possibilities that I never knew before. I am so happy. The only hangup I have right now is that I feel hungry in between meals. I try to eat things with protein and fats, but it feels like I need to keep eating. That was one of my old habits, though. Eating all the time anything I could get my hands on. I guess my body is trying to get used to the idea of not eating so much. I have been consuming a large amount of fruits and a smoothie in the mornings. Then at lunch, salad before anything else. I am also nursing which makes a woman prone to wanting to eat a lot. I know I need to consume a lot of fruits and veggies during nursing.

Even though I know veganism would be best for my family, I'm the only one in my house that is. I buy all of my foods separately from theirs. My daughter has taken over cooking the meats for them.Not because I refuse to cook it, but she's supporting me in her own 14 year old way, I guess. If I leave the choice to them, they will follow my example in time.

Yeah, you are right. You know, I found that I need to change myself in order for others to change. I can't just expect others to change if I'm not willing to change. Make sense?

Well, my husband confided in me last night. He said that he is going to wean of of milk! He said he thought about it all day yesterday. Very interesting. Then he said he was sorry for calling me a nut. He said that he understands now that I am only trying to do something healthy, he just didn't understand before. He thought it was just some religious kick, but now he thinks of it differently. He himself wants to lose weight. I told him he can take steps toward his goals. I told him I can help him. We can work together.

Cool! ! yes you made sense to me! I quit eating meat due to the amounts of human growth hormone and other crap they put into livestock. I mean, have you noticed how fast girls develop these days? there has to be a connection. My doctor seems to think there is also a connection with that and ADHD in kids. vegan and vegitarian kids don't get that very often, the ones that do, usually still drink cows milk. It's just his hypothosis, but I bet it could be proven with a little studying.

Absolutely! I believe there is a great connection, too!

Well, this weekend went pretty good, considering I love to eat during the weekend. We did have a cookout with the family, and I did eat a little meat. But otherwise, everything went good. Socially, did pretty well considering eating is a big part of socializing culturally. Nothing wrong with that, except for watching what a person eats is critical.

I am figuring out which foods help me and which food don't help me. I noticed that I don't do that well with certain fruits. Bananas give me heartburn. I will limit my fruits. Coconut is something that I need to consume more of, though. On the other hand, veggies agree with me so much! I never knew that before. I can tolerate almost any veggie and am excited to juice veggies. Especially for my kids sake! I hope that Miriam takes it well because she likes fruit juice from the bottles.

I planned meals for this week. Organic foods! My family will be eating them as well.
-A lot of vegetable drinks, and salads.
-As for meats, we are going to reduce (especially for me to transition.) It is going to be organic, though. My husband is o.k. with that.
-carbs- no grains for me what so ever! I found out it does not agree with me. No wonder I've been feeling crappy all thses years!
-Pumpkin seeds, flax seeds are a must.
Nuts- almonds
fats- Olive oil
-Beverages- Well, pure water mostly. Tea. No milk. We haven't been drinking that at all.
If I need a sweet ocassionally, raw honey. Otherwise no sweets. I just don't feel right when my insulin levels raise. (No I don't have diabets, but my metabolic rate can't handle too much sugars and refined carbs. Probably because my parents limited them when I was a child.)
Condiments- Apple cider vinegar, sea salt. Don't know what else.

I also found a good way to clean veggies and fruits. One spray bottle has apple cider vinegar and the other spary bottle has hydrogen peroxide. Spray one at a time. Then rinse, rinse, rinse. I don't believe even a little trace of those left would be toxic. You can also clean countertops that way.

So....anyone think this is a good diet? suggestions are appreciated, too, if you would like.

Yesterday, I ate terribly. We went to my mother in law's house. Bless her heart, she made us some food. I couldn't say no to her, especially with her health condition and her doing all the work preparing sandwiches. I said I wasn't hungry, but I gave in. Then I felt terribly all day.

WOW! I read Raw Secrets. Opened my eyes up totally. I ate raw all day today! Yay me! Now for my husband, he likes the "diet" he's on. As for my daughter, she didn't even eat the raw soup I made. I hope she will start eating them. THe problem is, my husband gives her popsicles. At Grandma's, she gets cookies. She has a sweet tooth. So I gave her some fruits today. I want her to like her greens, though.

I am going to do the shopping myself, no more popsicles! Some hurdles to get through, but with a positive attitude, things can change!

For kids, lead by example, I guess. Mine are teens with,I thought, crazy eating habits. I was shocked to learn that they were beginning to follow my diet by eating more salads and fresh fruits and veggies. WOW! ! I guess they just have to argue and whine a bit first. LOLOL! ! Keeping fresh fruit in the house instead of icecream, cookies,and othe crap made a big difference I guess. if it's not there, they can't eat it.

I am going through some uncomfortable detox right now. It always seems I get this way around this time of night since eating raw. I sat in the sun, too, which may be speeding up the process. I hate the feeling. My face is showing signs of detox, also. I told my chiropractor this today. She encouraged my eating habits. I think I need to slow down a bit, though. I love eating raw foods, and I like that I don't feel so heavy, but my body is trying to adjust really fast. I know this won't last forever,though. Thank the good Lord above. I'm up to 651 calories so far today. We'll see how it ends up after the evening meal of a nice raw soup. Otherwise, I need to figure out how to get more calories.

Wow, today I feel great. Some periods of detox, but I suspect tonight I will get it. I will have to get to bed when that happens. I felt great this morning and this afternoon. I felt so light,not heavy with food, but also not hungry and satisfied. I thought I'd be able to do cartwheels for my daughter. I picked some flowers for Miriam and we had a good time in the sunshine while Jesse was asleep. Also, No more heartburn! Yah!!!After all of these years struggling with heartburn, I'm finally free from that beast!

Well, it has been an interesting time lately. I've keep learning new things. I've been raw 90% raw for a while now. I have steamed potatoes now and then with my evening meal. Not today, though. I had the most awesome soup! I was craving jalepeno pepper with something. So I had a soup this evening that had red peppers and some jalepeno peppers in it. Ooooohh what have I been missing all of these years! I have been going through some periods of detox. Yesterday was horrible. It occurs around 4-7. Today I hardly had any symptoms. Thank God! Tomorrow is another day. That's it for now.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/20/2006 01:10AM by shep252.

Wow, everything has been going well. I 've been keeping my own diary at home and on my web page, so I haven't been writing a whole lot on here. But just to keep up, here I am.

Well, It has been 1 1/2 months now on raw foods. I am enjoying it and the benefits, also. I have been doing a parasite and a whole body cleanse, and you wouldn't beleive what I have been seeing. I have been feeling a lot better, too. Anyway, that's all I will say about that. I am so encouraged and I feel wonderful.

I am learning the different foods that I love to eat and how I react to them. I mostly like to eat monos (like a certain food at a time.) I don't do smoothies or soups that much anymore. My mouth is a human blender with my teeth saliva doing the work. I find that I do better this way. I don't like too many ingredients either if I mix something together (like a salad). I love greens! And seaweed, and blue-green algae! They are my friend. I love fruit! My tastebuds are so ever changing!

I am finding my spiritual life is doing better than ever. I don't beleive that God wants us to feel guilty all of the time. I used to feel guilty now and then (even when I would get happy, otherwise something was wrong) Now I don't feel guilt anymore and I love it! Sometimes I think it could be a sin! I know that it isn't, though. That God!

Well, that's it for now.

Well, I am expelling a tapeworm! (and other nasty things) But I won'[t go there. I can say, I can definately feel the detox going on. I feel like I am getting a cold. It is from all the crap inside my body that has been stored up all of these years. I am glad I am riding of those things! Oh my word! Well anyway, have a great a rawful day.

Today I am feeling really good from the herbal whole body cleanse! (day 7) I feel like I am so much lighter and I can't believe what I am eliminating. Anyway, I am glad beause I am enjoying raw food so much the more, and I don't have that ravenous hunger like I used to. I would eat and wonder why I would still be hungry a little while later (even on the standard American diet). Not anymore. I think after this, I will be doing fasting cleanses later in the future. Wayne will be, too.

I just got over the hand, foot and mouth disease that my kids were sick with. Uhhh, my throat stings everytime I eat something citrus or tangy. So,I had to skip on my favorite oranges the last few days. Oh, well. I got to eat other things like grapes. That didn't bother me as much. I have been eating more greens, too, and find that I really am enjoying them more and more. I love arugula.

Have a good day!

Awesome! I am finally getting more calories in my diet! I am up to 1700 now. That is good. That means I am getting used to eating a high fruit diet. I believe I am digesting greens better, too.

Here is what I ate today:

5 oranges
3 bananas
2 cup mixed greens
1 honeydew
1 bunch romaine
1 cup arugula
1 avocado

(I can't remember what else I ate. I think that is it.)

I am doing pretty well. I had a weird episode the other night (the same as when I first started out raw.) I started to get numb feeling in my hands and numb face. I then had to go to the bathroom (#2) then I felt o.k. after that. (Just extremely tired.) I don't know what it is. Maybe a toxic release into my bloodstream. I hate that feeling, though and I am paranoid that it will happen again. Otherwise I have been feeling well on this diet. I need to add some more Celtic Sea salt in my diet. I have been feeling betters ince I have. I read some good benifits on using it. I also found a lot of good things about it in the Bible and how people used sea salt.

Yesterday, I ate a lot of watermelon. It was soooo delicious.
That's it for now.

Hello. Just checking in. I can see where I am going and where I came from. I have been thinking a lot about what rawgosia says "Be your own guru". That is so true in this raw food journey. It is good to get opinions from others, I think, but most of all to listen to your own body and what it needs. That is what is keeping me feeling so well lately.

I have had bruises and rashes and mild acne and some weird episodes, and some light headedness from detox, but I find these things are slipping away, and feel like I should be feeling. More well than I have ever been. Am I totally well? It doesn't matter. What matters is that I feel like I am getting better, and I am taking one step and one day at a time, and I am finding the best foods that fit my needs, and how to utilize them. So far this is what is working for me. A high-fruit diet,low-fat. This is what really works well:

juice from lemons upon waking.
Then later that morning a cantelope or something juicy.

That is for the morning. The rest of the day seems to be much better when I do this in the mornings. Then I eat whatever else I feel like eating,in monos, that is. With some space in between. Sunflower seeds are easy on my palate. (Better than almond butter. I will skip the almond butter from now on. I noticed I don't get as hungry as I once did, and plus I am working out at the YMCA with my husband. Plus sunshine and plenty of rest. I don'trecommend anything to anyone anymore, just my opinion, becaue like everyone else, I am finding out what is best.

The only thing I regret is my family is not totally raw. My husband has commented now and then asking me if he should be raw. I laugh and say he can do it if he wants to. Lol! Anyway, that is my thoughts for now.

Hi Shep,

I am wary of consuming soy milk, and I definitely wouldn't give it to children. Tofu has shown to be toxic, so I don't touch that either. I've heard that 99% of soy is genetically modified and highly affected by contamination and pesticides.

"Soybeans are high in phytic acid, present in the bran or hulls of all seeds. It's a substance that can block the uptake of essential minerals - calcium, magnesium, copper, iron and especially zinc - in the intestinal tract."

(from [www.mercola.com])

Also, on feeding soy to children:

"Soy processors have worked hard to get these antinutrients out of the finished product, particularly soy protein isolate (SPI) which is the key ingredient in most soy foods that imitate meat and dairy products, including baby formulas and some brands of soy milk.

SPI is not something you can make in your own kitchen. Production takes place in industrial factories where a slurry of soy beans is first mixed with an alkaline solution to remove fiber, then precipitated and separated using an acid wash and, finally, neutralized in an alkaline solution.

Acid washing in aluminum tanks leaches high levels of aluminum into the final product. The resultant curds are spray- dried at high temperatures to produce a high-protein powder. A final indignity to the original soybean is high-temperature, high-pressure extrusion processing of soy protein isolate to produce textured vegetable protein (TVP).

Much of the trypsin inhibitor content can be removed through high-temperature processing, but not all. Trypsin inhibitor content of soy protein isolate can vary as much as fivefold.21 (In rats, even low-level trypsin inhibitor SPI feeding results in reduced weight gain compared to controls.22)

But high-temperature processing has the unfortunate side-effect of so denaturing the other proteins in soy that they are rendered largely ineffective.23 That's why animals on soy feed need lysine supplements for normal growth.

Nitrites, which are potent carcinogens, are formed during spray-drying, and a toxin called lysinoalanine is formed during alkaline processing.24 Numerous artificial flavorings, particularly MSG, are added to soy protein isolate and textured vegetable protein products to mask their strong "beany" taste and to impart the flavor of meat.25

In feeding experiments, the use of SPI increased requirements for vitamins E, K, D and B12 and created deficiency symptoms of calcium, magnesium, manganese, molybdenum, copper, iron and zinc.26 Phytic acid remaining in these soy products greatly inhibits zinc and iron absorption; test animals fed SPI develop enlarged organs, particularly the pancreas and thyroid gland, and increased deposition of fatty acids in the liver.27"

So, you see, soy milk is not as "natural" as the companies would have you believe. I personally don't like soy milk or cow milk, and I wouldn't give either to children. It is nice to hear how much fun you're having incorporating raw foods into your life. Be well!

another link: [www.mercola.com]

I love honeydew lately, but it is getting cold out. So I think I will have to eat some raisins for breakfast pretty soon.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/13/2006 02:31AM by shep252.

Well, I had those wierd episodes again of hyperventelation. I never really had that when I was on the SAD, so I don't know what the deal is. I just breathed into a paper bag 1/2 hour ago because I felt like I was hyperventelating again. Myabe it's the arugula or maybe it's the Brazil nuts. I have no idea. I wish it would go away.

Warning: Confession.....Read with care

Raw food led me to an eating disorder. I am now coming out of it. I wanted to be moslty fruitarian after eating raw for about 2 1/2 months. (Before then I was like 60% raw for a year. Well for over a month I did so, I recently came into some problems (and it isn't detox either) I started to lose rapid weight I was already 97 lbs I didn't need to lose anymore) and my hair started to fall out just recently. I binged on sweet fruit all day then had a large salad later and then some nuts later on. Big mistake for me. I thought I was alkalizing my body. Turns out, I am way over acidic and it was robbing me of vital nutrients. I can feel it sucking me dry. So now I need to go find some balance. I bought some litmus paper to test my pH. Wow, I need some help. I found out because I started to eat raw, soaked, steal-cut oatmeal and raisins. Little did I know it was very alkalizing and I started to have some detox from acid reactions.. So now my body is trying to detox from all of the acid built up in my reserves. I will warn people now about the dangers of not knowing your pH, and how obsessed I got about eating food, because I was so hungry all of the time (watching the clock to see when 1 1/2 hours was over so I could have some other kind of fruit, or eat some more grapes and such. No wonder, there was no balance. Where there is no balance, there is an eating disorder, and when you become compulsive about eating, and that's all your talking about and thinking of and it takes over your life, that is an eating disorder and that person needs help. Some people may not have this problem, it just turns out I can't metabolize acid that well, never could. That's one of the reason I went raw to heal of acid reflux.

sounds like you were doing the 811 diet...
i am interested in this..
but my hair is already very thin (genetic)
this worries me

do you think you were doing 811?

HI shep252 ...i am interested in knowing how you are doing now?? how is life and the eating and the raw..how are your hubby and children??? well i hope all is well...as i am keeping you in my thoughts...keep us posted please
love sachelle
xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox

hey there just stopped by to check in and see how things were going for you..hope all is well
take care
love earthangel
akasachelle
xoxoxoxoxoxox

Much peace and love!!!
EarthAngel
Xoxo

Well, this is shep252 (under ladyshep now) I am checking in. Thanks for your concern for me. I am doing fine, but I am no longer a raw fooder. I can't even hardly stomach any raw food anymore without feeling ill. I can eat a banana and maybe an apple. But that is about it. I have developed many allergies to foods, sadly to say. Including intolerance to raw food. It was quite the journey, though, but don't ever think of going back to it. Just thought I'd let you know what happened to me.

ladyshep, thanks for the update. Raw foods are not definitely for everyone. It sounds like your diet modifications have allowed for more healing to occur, though it sounds like you still have some ways to go.

Ladyshep,

Thank you for sharing. I just read through your entire post and it's neat to see the highs and lows of your experience. I think there is more to this than just eating fruit and nuts every now and then and that's kind of what happened to me. I thought this was more of a weight loss thing instead of a health benefit and I became obsessive but really there can be a balance. I should do more research to see which foods should be eaten together and yada yada yada, but really I don't feel I have the time or think it's necessary but obviously in your case, the research could have prevented some serious issues. I check my pH so I'm good there to see where my levels are. Your detoxing sounds pretty intense. I haven't had issues with that but I haven't done it long enough either. Those cleanses you did, did you feel as though they were beneficial? I am a person that goes a week at a time without @#$%& unless I use a laxative so that's another reason I want to go raw/vegan but with kids in the house, it's just kinda hard.

Glad to know you are healing. Hope you are well