That's what I used to think, but maybe you're heading straight to fruitarianism. You could try raw tahini (sesame paste) - it should be a lot cheaper than almond butter (I pay less than half) and it's got lots of nutrients. It's not very tasty, but it's not bad if you eat it with something else.

ooooo i love the ann wigmore quote! so many sad eatters to show that too! thank you!

i am like pampam, i usually just eat fruit because i am too lazy to eat anything else. the more i eat it, the more i crave it!

i was really bad this past weekend! and now i am paying for it. i was drinking with friends and i ended up eatting vegan cheese pizza! woke up with a stomach ache, cough, sore throat! ugh!!!! nursing myself back to health with smoothies and watermelon juice. its good in a way because it reminds me of what is so so so so so bad for me.

hope you are having a great week, karen! your doctor's appointment is friday, isnt it?

Camille, we both got weak this weekend - me with my roasted nuts and you with your vegan pizza. Yes, it is a good reminder isn't it?

I have an appointment with the lab of my work's health care center on Friday, first thing in the morning - fasting blood labs. I am keeping my fingers crossed that the results are encouraging and motivating.

I'm glad you liked Ann's quote.

pam & aqua, raw almond butter probably isn't a good choice anymore, right, since all the almonds are irradiated or pasteurized now. Raw tahini is very good in smoothies and dressings and would be good in a nori wrap too. I tested as allergic to sesame seeds too years ago, so I have been avoiding tahini too but I may try a little of it again sometime.

I think eating a banana instead of cleaning the veggies is great. I have heard that some people have done a monodiet of bananas for a few days and thought it was great.
--------------------
Oh, I made that raw strawberry pie recipe from www.happycow.net and took it to that social gathering. People were nice and ate about half of it, but I think they were just being polite - but that's okay. I thought it tasted great. One lady did ask for the recipe of my husband in Sunday School, once again may just be being nice but I will give her the url. It felt good though setting a healthy example by not eating all the other desserts. Patting my back.

pampam Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I haven't tried raw almond butter yet. I say the
> price and got very scared of it haha.


i take raw almonds and put them in a high powered food processor. yummy, not as pricey, and no separation (that oil separation in packaged nut butters still freaks me out. it's the eating disorder in me. weird, i know.)

the pie sounds great, karen! i am sure if people ate it they liked it. not many people would eat something that they did not like just be polite. really. i wouldnt.

yea i agree the folks were probably being genuine ! give yer self some credit and a DOUBLE pat on the back !!

...Jodi, the banana eating buddhist

You're right, it was a great pie if I don't say so myself! But I did notice that when people started taking care packages home, they didn't touch my pie. ;-)

Next time I will try some raw candy or something. Gives me a chance to experiment which is good.
---------------------
Btw, when I got down to 100 pounds not too long ago then my weight started climbing and went back up to 104 pounds. No problem, that is fine, whatever my body thinks is best although I feel a little better at 100. But then after a week at 104 it suddenly went down to 102 and seems to have stabilized there. No biggee, just interesting to me and I wanted it in my journal - boring to others I am sure. ;-0

I am really enjoying those nori wraps right now. They are a nice change. I tend to try to put too much in them though and then they fall apart, but they are still yummy.

I used 2 nori wraps last night and that held it together better since I put so much in it. It makes for a pretty quick meal.

Tomorrow is my fasting blood labs. Can't wait until I get the results next week.

I am going to take a half day of vacation on November 9th to go to Asheville for a special concert event at the mind-body fitness studio from 6:15-8:30. It will be a lo-o-ong drive but I feel drawn to do this. It's sponsored by visionarymusic.com and it's called a Transmission of Light Codes - multidimensional sound & music to awaken humanity's personal and planetary co-creative mission for abundance, empowerment and transcendence. It is supposed to trigger and activate the divine codes in your DNA.

The suggested energy exchange is $35, I have preregistered, and requested the vacation. It should be interesting.

hi karen

good luck with the blood tests.

nice part of the country you live in. we were in asheville once, we flew from western canada to charlotte for a celine dion concert and a football game and then drove around the state for a few days. fondly remember that trip.

cheers
charlie

For a Celine Dion concert and a football game, eh? Nice.

Yes, it is pretty here. We have only lived here 7 years but we do like it.

oh wow! your vacation sounds so cool. i am going to holland that same weekend for my mini-vacation! i cant wait to hear about this.

good luck on your tests today!

love

camille

karen, check this out. i am dying to make one of these!

[gorillasandwich.com]

Karen good luck on the tests and that concert sounds awesome !


Pihourrova that links so cool i love the sandwich ! i wanna make one too

...Jodi, the banana eating buddhist

Camille, let me know how your trip to Holland goes. That definitely sounds fun!

I will let everyone know how the concert goes. Should be different, that's for sure. :-)

Thanks everyone, I just had the blood pulled and they said they will have the results ready for me on Monday. I will keep you posted.

I want to buy one of the Gorilla sandwiches! So cool. I am going to ask about them at the local Whole Foods and see if they have it yet. Thanks for telling me about it!

I slept in this morning, had a huge fruit smoothie for a late brunch while I made my son some gluten free pancakes (Pamela's brand). He used to be on a gluten free diet. He isn't any longer, but this pancake mix is so awesome that we still use it.

Then I did all my grocery shopping at Trader Joe's, Whole Foods, and Lowes. I only picked up 2 items at Lowes, and that is where I used to do most of my grocery shopping there. Funny how that has changed.

Then I came back and finished up a leftover salad for supper. We are going to the State Fair tomorrow. I have a few raw bars stashed in my purse, to help resist temptations and in case my blood sugar crashes.

I have a 10 oclock massage tomorrow morning. That should feel good! I'm using a coupon and getting a 50 minute massage for $39 at a new place.

Hope you had fun at the State Fair! Oh...massages..so lucky! After doing yard work yesterday, and the yard job that I'll be doing today..I sure could use one or 2 of those!

Love,
Prism

That massage was good, but I think I will go back to my regular practitioner even though she costs more.

We are headed off to the State Fair. I hope everyone is having a good weekend!

We had fun. We watched the pig races, a one handed comedian juggler, and one of the guessers. Then I had him guess my weight - he guessed 116 and I weighed 104 on their scales. I had him guess my age - he guessed 45 and I'm 52. So that was fun.

We rode some rides and the kids ate some junk - ice cream, popcorn, and cotton candy. Then they ate a salad when we got home.

I thought I had taken my meter with me and I grabbed the wrong thing. So, I decided to only eat the apple or raw bars I brought if I could feel my blood sugar crashing. It never did and when I tested it at home it was 400 - but I felt okay at the fair. I never want to get caught out all day again without my meter.

Well, I should find out my blood test results tomorrow. I sure hope they are good, it would help to keep me motivated!

i hope they are good too, karen. i have a feeling they will be. )

I can't wait to hear about your blood work also. I am crossing my fingers, Sounds like the fair was a blast.

hi karen

i'm pulling for you too. my bs tests have always been pretty good but my control is out of sight since i've been mostly raw...i still have some highs but not like before so my use of insulin is way down. fingers crossed...toes too.

Being an optimist after you've got very thing you want doesn't count.

Thanks, everyone for the encouragement. Well, I forgot that the lab tests did not include cholesterol tests this time. I guess that will be next time, in about another 4 months. So that gives me lots of time to really make those test results awesome.

So, this time it was just mainly the hemoglobin A1c test. This is the all important diabetes blood test that indicates how much your blood cells have been damaged by high sugar and kind of correlates with your average blood sugar over the last three months. They tell people with diabetes to strive for an A1c of <7%. A non-diabetic person would have 4.8 - 5.9.

The good news is that my A1c is the best it has ever been, but the bad news is that it is still not under 7. It is 7.2.

In June of this year it was 8.6, in January it was 7.8 and in September of last year it was 8.9.

I was a little disappointed in the results, so I ate some cooked food - not good! I am thinking that I need to recommit myself for another 3 months, but to make some changes. Up the ante a little. I am thinking no nuts, except on social occasions when I take a raw dessert or something. Maybe try relying on avocados for my fats because they seem to upset my blood sugar less. And I need to dust off my juicer and start juicing. Of course, that's easier said than done. Once I get home, I end up so sidetracked with my chores - feeding the animals (they require their own mix of supplements, especially the dog who is fighting cancer), making sure my son does his homework, doing the wash, etc.

If anyone has any suggestions, let me know!

hi karen

i wouldn't be disappointed in those results at all. they are very good results. keep up the good work.

Thanks, Charlie. You're right, I was expecting too much in just four months. But I want to do better... :-)

karen, you are four months raw just like me, I think we have only begun to see what kind of healing is going to take place in our bodies. To me it sounds like something is happening with your blood that is good. It sounds like improvement is happening. I think one of your posts said we didnt get sick overnight. I do agree the juicer will help I too need to bring out the juicer. Carrots are pretty easy to clean and juice. Is your juicer easy to clean? What if we have a pact to juice at least three times a week. I think that would bring some results. I am feeling on the edge of healing. My energy level is getting better. Don't sweat the nuts thing. The avacado is a good Idea though. Do you have to cook for the family? well I have been prepareing some meals and freezing it for advance, that seems to make dinner prep a little easier for them. Maybe if you have the animal foods prepped on say sunday for the work week so you can take less time on the pet food prep time that would free you up a little? It will work out karen. You will get better. You are so good at finding information keep up the good work catch ya later
pam

Karen those results are great and next time the will be even better Your *rome* wasnt built in a day ... it will take time to remodel it to your likeing

way to go Karen you are doing great and have done a great job

...Jodi, the banana eating buddhist




Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/16/2007 01:53PM by Jgunn.

Thanks, guys!

Well, I have decided that nuts are definitely on the no-no list for me. They require insulin, just like omega 3 supplements do, and therefore they just aren't worth it. And I am starting to feel a hit to my system when I eat them.

I am going to start doing more green smoothies for my suppers with an avocado for that creamy, filling feeling I am craving right now during this early time in my raw food diet.

pam, I have a Champion juicer and it isn't bad. But it does take time to set up, juice, and clean up. Maybe I will try to use it more on the weekend. Yes, I have to cook for the family but they are pretty simple meals and I don't crave those foods anymore. The dog is on a 50/50 raw food diet right now with the raw food half coming from reconstituted raw dehydrated dog food that you can only mix up when you feed her. The other half of her diet is a lightly cooked dog food that you keep frozen until you need the next tube. So, I can't prepare it a week ahead of time. I do prepare the supplements to mix in for both the cat and dog the night before, so it is easier in the morning.

Okay, for right now I am going for some slight improvements - no nuts and no raw bars (except on rare occasions in a raw dessert), more smoothies with avocados, and more rebounding at home for exercise (as my daughter and I have not made it to the gym in awhile since she is helping work on a play at school). I will try to juice on weekends, but I am not guaranteeing that one yet. I don't want to feel like a failure if I don't do it.

I just read some interviews with raw foodists in Jinjee & Storms Pear magazine and it surprises me but many raw foodists count themselves as so many years raw even though it hasn't been 100%. Angela Stokes is one and I totally admire her. I think she started at 70% raw and is now 100% raw, but she does count the 70% raw time period as being raw - so that is cool. There is also a couple with a blog called Raw Food in the Real World (I think that is the title) talking about how long they have been eating raw food and the man admits to still having coffee and sometimes eating heavy cooked food late at night. So, I am going to still consider myself as 3 1/2 months raw (despite my one day blip) and going for longer. Sometimes I am too much of a perfectionist, so I am trying to let go. :-)

I am just going to call myself a work in progress. ha ha. My shirt I have on right now is so baggey. I use to fill it out real well. I have a champion also. Sometimes when I juice I take the parts off and just soak it in the sink. I am so lazy about cleaning the vegies. I am having a hard time with them going bad in the fridge. I have got to figure out just how to keep them better.

We are progressing karen and the longer we do this the better we will become. My teeth are not hurting as badly and I think it has to do with eating raw foods. I am sure something is happening inside you with the diebetes that you might not know about. Have faith.

karen, its not perfect but its still a great accomplisment.


as was said earlier, rome was not built in a day. this is a slow process. and, as you know, self surgery is no picnic!

i know how easy it is to go back to cooked food. we all do. so dont beat yourself up for slipping either! we all slip.

my suggestion.....
i know you love to experiment with making raw gourmet. why not find a new recipe that sounds delicious. look forward to it all day. then make it when you get home.

or

try to find time to make your food ahead of time. that way its pre-made and you dont have to spend extra time when you get home making it. you can spend that extra time making the kids buckle down.

and finally, karen, you gotta get off those nuts! you want to stop, i know you do. so if you want to stop, then you CAN stop!

you are doing fab! i am so inspired by you for taking control and responsibility for yourself. you have come too far to give up now. just think, these results are the best you have ever had! and i have a feeling it will just keep getting better and better. just like you!

love ya!

Yep, Pam, we are a work in progress! ;-) Good point, I am sure things are changing in our bodies on the raw food diet that we aren't even aware of. Hey, undetected precancer could have healed for all we know!

Camille, self surgery - that's good, I like that.

I give that advice to people all the time - don't beat yourself up and I am trying not too. But it is hard to not be a little disappointed in yourself when you slip. Oh well, I paid a short visit to my old friend - cooked food - but it was not an enjoyable visit and I have returned to my new friend - raw food.

I thought about trying out recipes at one point. I was going to make seed cheese, but I never got around to doing it. I still think simple is best for me, less time consuming and easier to fit into my life.

I can't think of a time to premake my food and I also want it fresh. Now, when I make a salad or a smoothie I do try to make it extra big so I can eat on it the next day also. But the morning is rushed and I stay up too late every night...

I didn't want to stop eating nuts completely until now. I just wanted to cut back and I think that worked fine for my first 3 months raw. You know, being told to stop eating them just now made me want to go eat some - the rebel in me, I guess. An over controlling mom at times in my youth... ;-)

Also, I want to make it clear in my journal that I still think nuts are great for some people on a raw food diet. I'm just weird. I can't even take Omega 3 supplements without injecting insulin, so I don't take them. But I still give them to my kids.

So, I am kind of like Dr. Mercola. He recommends and advocates raw dairy but cannot eat it himself. I recommend nuts on a raw diet for many people, but I cannot eat them myself - not without taking insulin, so it's just not worth it.

Thanks, Camille.

So far so good today. I've had 1 1/2 bananas and my vitamins and a small persimmon and I am not hungry yet for anything else. No nuts or raw bars!