Well, I read some interesting posts on here while researching the raw food diet a few weeks ago, and since I have a lull in my day, I thought I'd come by and start my own blog. I am almost 30 and am almost a sophomore college student. I took 10 years off from college for various reasons, and have been coming to terms with my poor decisions in the past.

Diet is very important. I've come to realize that in order to remain motivated in life, I have to feel healthy. Who wants to go out and do MORE in life when their normal routine already exhausts them entirely? Well, I've found that eating raw vegan allows me to go further in my life. I'm no longer worried about being "overtired," or completely inundated. After just one week of eating mostly raw vegan foods, I feel like I am 18 again. It is a warm, energetic feeling, that makes bitterness in life impossible.

I am surprised it happened this quickly, but then again, I have maintained a regular cardiovascular routine of jogging 4 times a week for 35-45 minutes with sprints interspersed and no breaks. I am sure this had something to do with my body reacting so well. I definitely have missed this feeling of not being WEIGHED DOWN when I'm full.

I used to be 100% raw from April 2007-March 2008. I only stopped because of financial issues. I went from being 220 lbs in April 2007 to a healthy 145 lbs in August 2007 and my weight remained at that level until I went back to a SAD. I look forward to going back to that weight, because it is a longevity-minded weight. I'm one of those guys that wants to die when he's 130. Anyway, I apologize if this colloquial style is annoying to some, but I am not writing for a class right now, so I'm going to remain sloppy and conversational.

So, to verify my current commitment to this diet, I will provide what I have most recently eaten (mind you, I was kind of in a hurry, and a little fatigued from a run):

In a large bowl, I mixed:

1.5 cups fresh corn
1/2 large red bell pepper
1 roma tomato
2 hass avacados
1/4 cup soaked raw sunflower kernels
1-2 tablespoons Bragg's Liquid Aminos
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
4 tablespoons cilantro
2 cloves garlic

After that, I'm pretty satiated! I don't feel that gross heavy and lethargic feeling I used to get with the SADiet.

Oh, and to add one more thing, for the first time, I juiced a green leafy vegetable this morning. I juiced 1-2 cups of spinach, with a parsnip, 3 carrots and 6 stalks of celery. Might I say that I've never felt such a quick benefit from a food I've consumed as I have with that! I don't think there's any better way to start a day than that, for me. Now, I know that I should watch out for oxalic acid, and spinach is a culprit of it, but, I am assuming that is if I go overboard and juice a couple pounds or so of spinach at a time and drink several cups of it. So, I'm wondering if anyone that is reading this would let me know which is the best green leafy veggie to juice?

Also, I think I've found my replacement for dairy in young Thai coconuts. Anyway, that's about it for now.

Look at Jannabanana's response to Cassiopeia's question re: green smoothie confusion. It's in the juicing and blending forum. She lists lots of greens that can be used.

I'd think to go with what you are drawn to - at least I'm learning to trust what my body "tells" me is right. That said... every now and then I go with a different choice just to make sure I'm getting a variety of different nutrients.


My favorite raw vegan

wuddup my friend!
kale is the OM green to me. it seems to have no negative effects. keep in mind any green if consumed regularly, will probably lead you to a build up of alkaloids in the system. which can then cause minor issues like gas or pain. so the key is to rotate. they are all super foods, but kale is like god to me. even in my garden the animals eat all the kale right up, but walk past all m chard and spinach, both of which contain oxalic acid! the animals know something.

The Raw Lion 440 pounds to 225 pounds!