I am glad to find this sight because I am looking for some sort of support in this quest I have to eat raw foods. I am a very unhealthy 49 year old who has dabbled in eating right here and there. I have come to the conclusion that it is now or never so I am taking a dive into the raw eating lifestyle.
I have a family who I still have to cook for and prepare what they want to eat. I am trying to plan out this a little better so I have some of these unusual foods ready for me.
I am reading several books written by ann wigmore and like her aproach to the liveing foods.
last week I attempted fasting and failed I lasted five days by juicing carrots spinach apples and other vegies I could get my hands on. I was doing fine until I drank some coffee. I kind of justified it in my mind to have the coffee but it only hyped me up the wrong way and then I couldnt sleap well and felt hungry and week. So I stoped the juicing and went back to the old way of eating with the family.
This week I started to make a drink called rejuvelac which is formented sprouted wheat. This is fairly new to do for me and the drink smelled sort of musty and the drink tasted kind of like a musty lemon aid. The kids tasted it and almost threw up but surprisingly it tasted good to me. I felt good to drink it to. Its is suppose to help in digestion.
I have made some attempts to grow wheat grass. I think I have figured that out. As long as I keep it away from birds and our horses, I think they know whats good for them too. So I have to find some more wheat so I can start some trays of grass growing. I have Two habits to get rid of, drinking coffee and smoking. I quit smoking last month and something happened and I started up again. I am very frusterated with the smoking thing and really have a desire to quit for good. any how I will keep this updated on my progress.

hey there welcome to the raw diary section and congrats to you for taking the steps on this journey...it is an amazing one and you are going to feel so healthy and happy after this!!!! good for you for taking the steps....ooh rejuvalac..it is great for you....they have tons of it at the health institute i have been too...such a great thing..you can use rye too..but the wheat tastes a little better..the rye is a little much....that is good for you though...ooh and so is wheatgrass...such an amazing thing for the body...good for you growing it and juicing it.....good good...you seem to have things together right now...keep it up!!!
don't stress so much on the coffee until you are ready..the smoking i naturally gave up when i went raw..it wasn't something i felt right or wrong about either way..it didn't come up...but then i just didn't want or like it ...so hopefully it will be like that for you..or easier
good luck hun
love earthangel
oxoxoxoxoxxoxo

Much peace and love!!!
EarthAngel
Xoxo

Hey PamPam, i am a newbie also. Glad to hear your going raw. Try not to beat yourself up with the coffee and cigs. I gave up the cigs in April. I only have two regrets, i slipped twice and the last time it tormented my soul so bad - i really hated myself. I read once a cheap thrill is a high price to pay, so that is how i look at cigs now when i crave one. The first month was awful, but it is getting so much easier. Just keep trying. Try just cutting back on everything else slowly, whatever you can handle. I am going raw till supper but then i am trying eating as close to natural as i can only cooked for now. I know its hard with family. I have children also. I try buying healthy snacks and food for them, but they still like their pizza, spagetti and whatever else. I do cut up veggies for them to snack on, smoothies and some juices through the juicer. I try and just keep trying harder everyday but some days are harder. Just dont give up. I do admire you for trying this all at once. Give yourself some great credit, your getting healthier. Children also learn by what they see, so in the long run they will be healthy eaters also. My oldest daughter is 24 and she is mainly a veggie but likes occasionally seafood or sushi. My youngest is the same only she is allergic to seafood but likes chicken. My other two are somewhat but look great to the other kids in this area. Keep the good work up. i will keep checking in on you. We are around the same age and started this at the same time.

Blessings to you and
Good Luck

Mamafrey

Thankyou earthangel and mamafrey for the much needed support.

Well, lets see here I tryed just diveing in head first and got into a bind of sorts. For some reason I dont feel like beating my self for not being a success. I just got a short tast of feeling great and realize I have a need to quit the two real offenders cig smoke and coffee.
In the five das I was juice fasting I was able to sleap so much better than I have slept in years. I felt more aware of how the foods I ate made me feel directly. Also for some reason I experianced a keener sense of smell.
Just because I stoped the juice fast does not mean I give up........ I have only begun..........I have a strong desire to change and improve and feel good again, even though I am almost 50 years old I feel I am to young to feel so tired and warn out. I have such a desire to turn myself around and reach for that new energy that comes from eating live foods.
sooooo...........I have a plan........
I am prepareing myself this time .
I have started soaking seeds to grow some wheat grass and have made some rejuvelac. The rejuvelac tasts like a lemonaid drink. I mix some honey and let it sit about 12 to 24 hours, to forment and it kind of has a fizz to it.
The nearest healthfood store is about 25 miles away in the city. So I hope to get over there tomorrow and get some more supplies. They sell trays of wheat grass but it is fairly expensive.
I prepared some foods for the family ahead and froze it so I can relax a bit on the heavy cooking for them. So I am hopeing to have things pretty much planned out to start up this monday.
You know I usually am pretty hard on myself and can really be my worst enemy but this time around I only feel that if I fail in a goal I have set I should approach the failure as a learning experiance rather than a failure and just keep learning and growing. So with that in mind I will keep striveing to eat better and be happy.
Thanks for the support

hey there...yay for you!! good idea freezing meals for the family so you don't have to do any heavy duty cooking while you are going through your first few days!!
that is good thinking.....
you sound like you are doing well!! what sort of things are you eating during the day???
good luck
love earthangel
xoxoxoxoxxo

Much peace and love!!!
EarthAngel
Xoxo

Hey its me again! I forgot to tell you - since i quit smoking my energy level is way up there. I honestly havent felt this good in years. Everyone was telling me i was going to gain weight but guess what - not a single pound. Eating healthy, exercising (just walking and a few light weights) and keeping busy was the key. So you have that to look forward to and i am sure you are starting to feel it already.

Keep the good work up!!!

Mamafrey

just a short noat right now.....
thanks you two for the support that is just what I need right now. I went to the nearest healthfood store and got some supplies it took all morning as I had my little grandson and I had to go into the city. But I got a couple of trays of wheat grass and some sprouting supplies. The grass cost ten dollers, can you believe that? I got some seeds to grow more but that taks a little time. I think I got the hang of making the rejuvelac and it really was'nt that hard.
As for the coffee I did'nt even drink any this day and don't miss it. I am anxious to quit the cigs and think I am reved up in my mind to undertake a cold turkey style of quiting. I don"t want to chew the nicoteen gum I think I'll just try to get the nicoteen out of my system the hard way.
any how I got to go for now

Hey there...how do you make rejuvalac/?? you seem to soak it overnight and become done haha...it takes like a few days usually..i want your way haha...sounds good to me
ooh 10 dollars for a tray of wheatgrass?? that is crazy but in a good way...it is usually like 15-20 dollars a tray most places so be happy!! that is a great price..wholesale usually...
you are doing good so keep it up..
tke care
love earthangel
xoxoxoxo

Much peace and love!!!
EarthAngel
Xoxo

hi earthangel
Well about the rejuvelac. I soak the soft wheat seeds about 12 hurs, Than I drain the water sometimes I rince it because I am afraid of mold. I let the seeds sprout, then I simpley soak in water until it has a foggy look to it that usually is another day. I then drain the seeds keeping the foggy water in a container then I take some honey and mix some honey in with the rejuvelac and let it sit another 12 hours or so. The result is a kind of sparkling formented lemmoney tasting drink. All of this is very new to me you see I attempted many years ago to make rejuvelac and thought it tasted like rotten foul stuff. I really like the honey mixed in it. I just leav it outside the refrigerator and it seems as if it forments like wine and the honey tast ends up to be very mild or non existent. You can resoak the sprouts about three times before discarding the used wheat. I am open to any other recepies you might have. feel free to share.
So you say wheat grass trays cost 15 dollers where you live? Thats outragous I have some seeds sprouting right now ant will need to get the trays ready for growing soon. I think I need more sprouting jars though. Wheat grass juice is one thing other family members enjoy. So I need to grow lots of it. I have a hand cranker juicer for the grass and boy that can be a work out. I love how the juice makes me feel though. I have this rush about 20 minutes after drinking it. Then if the whole family drinks it we get kinda happy. Its funney because its so healthy and can have such effect on ones disposition.
Its late and I got a long day ahead of me tomorrow Catch ya later
Thanks for the support

Good morning Pam! Boy what a process for the rejuvelac. It sounds wonderful though. I would love to try this. I like a lemoney sprkling drink. How much of this do you make at a time? I dont think i have ever seen wheat grass trays at the health food store i go to. I will check it out though the next time i go to the city. Like you the nearest city is 30 min. away.

Keep the good work up.

Mamafrey

About the wheat grass I have some old plastic cafeteria trays I use and also some plastic trays that one could buy at any store that sells gardes supplies. a while ago I tried to grow some grass. At first I had some problems but eventually got the hang of it. I just have to keep on track with the rinseing and keeping an eye on the sprouts. I hope to get a cycle going so I will always have trays of grass and rejuvelac on hand. From what I have read these seem to be important foods to have available daily. I am going to need some more jars or figure another container to sprout the seeds. If anybody has other suggestions on sprouting please send a noat. With the weather getting better I will be able to place the trays outside on my porch. Sometimes I have to buy potting soil but I don't trust what is put into the store soil. Tomorrow I will hunt around my back yard for good dirt to plant my seeds.
I did'nt start any rejuvelac so I miss it. Tonight I will start some soft wheat seads to make the drink.
I figure if I keep plugging along I will get a system going and it will become as natural as frying an egg.

Hey there..keep up the good work...you are doing really well..keep up the good work with the grass and rejuvalac...that is awesome!!!
love earthangel
xoxoxoxoxoxo

Much peace and love!!!
EarthAngel
Xoxo

awwwww earthangel you sure are liveing up to your name "angel" your encouragement is very helpful.
I havent been writeing what I have been eating because I am really on the fence still on changing over. The desire and motivation is there and I have experianced the feeling of eating fresh live foods. I realize this undertaking will have some setbacks at times.
A little about me.........

over 20 years ago I was very legalistic healthey eater. Or so I thought. I abstained from all sugar and ate a fairly balanced diet. I had some very tragic circumstance occor in my personal life and truely desired to not live but because I had children inwhich I love so much I couldnt end my life. However I became very destructive and depressed to myself. I basicaly ate myself to death. For about 15 years I had to endure some extreemly stressfull situations that I had no control over. It seemed as my life was wrot with stressfull and bazar events that eroded my fragile self esteem. I ate to sooth myself. consequestly I am obese due to my overeating. Only in the last couple of years I have been comeing to grips to the painful past I had to overcome. I now look at my past as past and only hope to hold a forgiveness to those who have harmed me.
I have many bad habits to overcome.
I take full responsibility for the state of health I am in.
The reason I desire to eat the raw foods is because I feel in my heart that this way of eating will bring a great healing to my body and give me a new more energetic life. I have desired to eat this way for about 15 years and really have not put much effort in changing. I habitualy been a very destructive person towards myself and a very negative thinker.
I am 49 years old and not getting any younger. Due to my smoking and overeating and weight problems I am a very unhealthy person. I have high blood preasure to boot. I feel strongly that reading the books is not getting me anywhere until I take that action to make this drastic change for the betterment of my health. I desire to be a healthe senior citizen not a older person who will need constant care. I WANT MY ENERGY BACK

Today I rinsed my seeds that are sprouting
dug up some soil to pland the sprouts
started soaking more wheat seeds for grass and rejuvelac
juiced some organic watermellon with mostly rind for am drink
search out the house for more jars for sprouting

I'll be back later
Thanks for the support

Pampam,

Hello there. Keep going, raw is the best. Not easy at times, but worth the challenge. I understand your frustrations and weariness and your sincerity in wanting to change lifestyle. I UNDERSTAND! Have you read any other books...I'm always for reading reading reading. Lots to read on the internet, too. wwwrawfoodexplained is good for information, and Rawschool.com. Shazzie.com is fun to read. I think she has such a cute funny personality, but to me her food is kind of weird.

Anyway, lots to discover. It is a journey.

You stopped by my journal, I was so surprised! Then, I saw yours so I am stopping by to say HI and wish you the best. I am alone, no family, but if I did have to feed others I would ---without fanfare---increase the availability of fruit in the kitchen, on the table. Increase salads, etc. And keep increasing it! See if they catch the bait.

Take care...be easy on yourself but also be enthusiastic about changes. Do what you can, and just keep consolidating on that.

Elakti

hey hun...wow another wonderful day for you!! yay.....don't worry with time you will get the raw thing down..dn't worry one day at a time..one foot in front of the other

ooh if you don't have jars..you can use plastic containers and poke holes in the bottom for easy rinsing..or use a strainer and colander...(you can get these at the dollar store as well!!! and i just put a wet towel or paper towel at the bottom place the seeds..then another one on top and put in dishwasher (only dark space in my house that doesn't get opened except for rinsing )....
good luck and take care
love earthangel
xoxoxoxoxoxoxo

Much peace and love!!!
EarthAngel
Xoxo

Dear Pam, forgiving ones self and others is sometimes hard but in the long run we only hurt ourselves if we dont. It is so important to let the past go, today is a new day. I am sure you already know all of this, but its also important to have friends to support you. Your a wonderful person even though i dont personally know you, i can tell by your compassion in your post. Just keep the good work up and i think taking it at your own pace and your way, is the way. A personal journey is ones own journey, but with help along the way. Your friends can lend advice and support. I think you are doing great!


Have a good evening.

mamafrey

Thank you elakti for the new web sites I have been searching different areas and have not come across the ones you have mentioned. Today I was searching information about a weed in my back yard and found out it was edible and very healthy. I am not sure if I am brave enough to juice it just yet but it is called burdock or curley burdock. I know our horse ate some and usually she knows what is good for her. I do know it is bitter. I also found some information on stinging nettles but you cannot eat them raw but you can dry them and make tea. Not brave enough to eat them if I do I will write a noat about it.
earthangel you are full of great ideas. I may have to sacrifise one of my bowls and drill some holes in them. I now have some soft wheat soaking for rejuvelac. I was getting use to drinking it and I actually miss it. It takes so long to prepare though I have about three more days till I will have some to drink. I started some more hard wheat for sprouting and sunflower seeds to grow for greens. This is a lot of prepareing and I sure have to keep an eye on them so they don't mold. The mold can grow so quickly. The weather is getting warmer this week too. I am useing bouls strainers and jars. I have some large gallen jars for the hard wheat and rejuvelac. and some smaller quart jars for the other sprouts. I am trying to rearange my kitchen for space in the sprouting process.
Mags good to hear from you, I tryed to send a private message but it did not work. I am working from a very old computer and it is a bit fussey.
You all are so very encourageing thank-you so much.
Even though I am not completely raw in my eating I will continue to strive for the gold. I am not going to give up this It has been my desire for so long.
I also had to clean my abused wheat grass juicer It was in such bad shape it took a lot of elbo grease but its up and ready for juicing.

hey keep up the good work!!
take care
love earthangel
xoxoxoxo

Much peace and love!!!
EarthAngel
Xoxo

thanks earthangel
This morning was very hectic. I did not eat raw foods. I still have the rest of the day. I have been working hard on prepareing some of the basic foods, it sure takes time to get them growing. I am not sure if I did this batch of rejuvelac right but I have water in a gallen jar of sprouted soft wheat. The water is looking a bit foggey and has some bubbles. I sure hope it works after all this time waiting for it to sprout and all.
I was reading some of ann wigmore's writeing about visualization........
how our thoughts control our actions and useing many of the five senses as possible. She said to creat in your mind what you desire and visualize what you woould like to be. See yourself strong, healthy, and at your correct weight.
It was encourageing. I have been filling my thoughts with as much positive input and reading much about this way of eating. This site has been helpfull in reading about individual struggles in changing a lifelong way of being into something far more different than mainstream lifestyles.
I wish I could find people in my area who eat raw foods. but all of you here are a supportive blessing.
Have a good day to all

Where do you live Pam? There may be some raw fooders lurking about where you are..just have to search them out. Have you tried meetup.com?

You mentioned you did a 5 day juice fast but feel like you failed..I don't see it as a failure..gee 5 days is terrific.

I think it's better to learn how and what to eat when you start out then doing fasts..a one day fast would be good though periodocially.

Take care,
Love,
Prism

well today I read a lot of other peoples stories {on other sights also} and I talked with my older daughters who live with me and asked them to take over in the dinner cooking for a while until I get a grip on this way of eating. I started to get a bit hungry while I was rinsing my sprouts so I munched on the wheat seeds. That filled the desire for carbs then I juiced some wheat grass. I usually drink some of that juice in the morning but I was anxious for the juice of the gods and finally got my wheat grass juicer opporateing.. wohoo..... The sprouts are going good and my rejuvelac will be ready tomorrow. It tasts way to mild so I think I got to much water on them. I am feeling positive on this change and actually getting excited.
I do agree with you prisim I don't have to fast, That was hard to do right off the bat. I am reading some recipes and want to try some of the new foods. I want to make some seed cheese and I read somewhere about a seed yougurt that sounded yummey. I still will need to get some more supplies but I feel confidant in starting. I still smoke but I think I can start to get that habit under control as I start feeling the positive effects of eating raw foods.

I started the morning with some rejuvelac and later a shot of wheatgrass juice. I went shopping and bought some more seeds to sprout. I grazed on some almonds I have soaking and tried a date ate a half of a avacado and had another shot of wheat grass juice and later had a watermellon rind drink. I did not drink coffee today and had a withdrawel headach from that. I hope tomorrow will be better but I feel proud I made it through the day.
The rejuvelac is not as tasty as my last batch it is real muskey smelling. I have some rejuvelac formenting with honney I hope will tast better.
Tomorrow I hope to be more energetic and prepare a more balanced meals for myself.
Still glad to be taking steps towards a more healthy me and am visualizing a myself more energetic and thiner.

Hey hun...well you are doing great!! good for you replacing yourself int he kithcen till you have the hang of it! that is awesome news...keep up the good work hun and good luck!!
love earthangel
xoxoxoxoxo

Much peace and love!!!
EarthAngel
Xoxo

This will be my third day without coffee and I still have a slight headach. I have been drinking the rejuvelac and useing a straw for it due to the smell. The rejuvelac seems to have this odor that I can't get past but it tasts lemoney and a bit muskey. The muskey taste is o.k. I think it is a good thing for my digestion as I feel the diference. Its just the odor of it. We will see about that stuff. My sprouts all got moldy and I had to throw them out and start over again. I feel lighter and have slight tinges of craving for cooked foods. I am sill smoking and can't wait till I tackel that bad habit.
Another thing I did was dehydrate some treats. I soaked some sunflower seeds and almonds. Than mixed banana and dates and with some I mixed carob powder and dehydrated them for tasty snacks. They don't taste like candy but they are sweet and may be good for an energy food in a pinch.
Today I hope to go to the local healthfood store that is about 25 miles away and check out some things.
earthangel thanks for the encouragement

hey there dear!! glad to hear you are doing well!! hmm i think that honey in your rejuvalac is awesome if it gets you to drink it and enjoy it!!
keep up the good work!
love earthangel
xoxox

Much peace and love!!!
EarthAngel
Xoxo

I think you are doing very well, especially the quitting coffee. The improvements we make to ourselves are done with each step we take to make them. You have the mindset to succeed!

Love,
Prism

hey there ....just stopping by to say hello and see how everything was going...hope all is well with you!! take care
love earthangel
xoxoxoxo

Much peace and love!!!
EarthAngel
Xoxo

Well this morning I woke up feeling refreshed. That is a new thing for me. I also woke up early to boot. It seems I sleap better and need less sleap time. This is day 5 on eating raw. I start my morning drinking a glass of rejuvelac. Today I will have a shot of wheat grass.
I have been thinking of how to tackle quiting smoking. I thought of just chewing some wheat grass when I crave a cig. I wonder if that will ease off the addictin.
It seams as if I have been losing some weight. I don't weigh myself But I do notice a change in how I look. Is it possible to loose a lot of weight at a time? Whatever it is I enjoy eating this way. I feel more energetic and it seems as if my perspective on life is more positive.
Yesterday I ate mostly watermellon and cantaloup with just a small handfull of soaked almonds. Throughout the day I drank the rejuvelac. It seems this batch is tasting better. I seem to be more aware of the food I eat and how it makes me feel. At times I have fleeting thoughts of eating some cooked foods but not a real strong craving for those foods.
I am feeling more energetic also. What will this be like after I have been doing this for a month? Its not as hard as I thought it to be to eat raw foods.

hey there hun..wow so positive today good for you!!! yay for thinking of quiting smoking...best decision i have ever made well besides all raw too!!! keep up the awesome work...you are doing great..
love earthangel
xoxoxoxo

Much peace and love!!!
EarthAngel
Xoxo

you smoked earth angel? I think I will guit without the gum or the patch it takes three days to get the nicoteen out of my system and than the rest is in my mind. Or so they say. I have heard it is best to quit without anything.
I took a bath in wheatgrass juice. I had a flat of grass that didnt look real great so I juiced about two cups of it and poured a little water in the tub and poured the wheat grass in and soaked in it. Surprisingly it felt luxurious. I did not use any soap or shampoo and my skin and hair got clean and softer than by using soap. I felt a bit relaxed to boot. Well I got to start growing that stuff its the best.
I'm still going strong with not eating cooked foods. Yesterday I drank some rejuvelac in the morning and had a shot of wheatgrass I nibbled on some fruit and at mid day I ate half of a avacado. I had a spinach tomatoe, avacado salad with a squeeze of lime for dinner. All the foods tast so good, it seems I have tast buds after all. I just wonder what will happen when I quit smoking.
I do have one problem though...... I have been feeling week. I think perhaps I need to eat a green drink and that will aid in me being stronger.
I look forward to today being another raw food day. I hardly miss the cooked foods because of how I feel eating raw foods. I am also losing weight I can notice the difference.