Hello, my name is River Willow. I am a 31 yr old mother of 5 from Kansas and I am attempting to go raw... again.

I tried it for the first time when I was big fat preggo with my 5th child. Probably not the smartest move but I am glad I did it because it gave me a taste of what it was like and what to expect. I asked the family to do it with me. I told them to give me just 2 weeks to see what it was like. I think I was lacking in folic acid or something, because all I could do was eat tons of bananas and avacodos. I craved them sooooo much. And even then I didn't gain any weight at that point. I, however, gained a ton of weight on cooked food. Of course, the diet didn't last. I had major detox symptoms and was sick and tired. Not to mention big as a house. My kids did nothing but complain and told my parents. Can you imagine their reaction? I won't even go there.

Anywho, my daughter is now 7 months old. We have entered a new phase of life. My husband and I have gone back to college and we are loving it. Also, we have started a new life in a new town. But it seems that I just can't lose the pregnancy weight. No matter what I do it's still there. I am 5 ft 4 and was about 177lbs. I have never in my life been this heavy. I can't think straight, my self esteem is non-existent, it's just rediculous!

That was before I was looking around at you tube videos. I did a search for raw food videos. They just started popping up everywhere! As I started watching these videos I started becoming very excited about this way of life again. I made a decision to try it over again. I figured it would be different this time because I am not a fat pregnant hormonal psychopath anymore. I know women kid about that all the time but I am being serious here. I really had some major issues with my hormones. I'm surprised I didn't slit my own wrists. It was a terrible experience.

Anyhow, I had a completely different plan of action. This time I just started by myself. I didn't make the family do it too, I didn't tell my husband, I don't talk about it nor do I make a big deal out of it. This seams to help for some reason. I think it's because now I don't have people scrutinizing and watching everything I do. There are no expectations from others. Not even from myself. If I want a cookie in the evening at work, then I have it. There are no bounderies. The funny thing is, since I have given myself this freedom I just don't want that cookie in the evening. Yesterday I was completely raw the whole day.

This time I am trying to take it slower than last time. For example; I am eliminating things from my diet slowly instead of all at once. I still have my coffee in the morning. I still have some wine if I want it (eventually this is something I want to eliminate but I am taking it slow). I ate a peice of beer battered fish the other day and almost threw up. Basically I am allowing myself to eat as much as I want, all day long. Once I get use to eating only raw all day then I will look at the amount or what types of food I am eating.

Another thing that has helped me is the fact that since my pregnancy I have been reading and learning about this way of life. Educating myself has been very beneficial and has played a major role in the, thus far, successful second attempt.

Ok, it's been about 3 or 4 days since I started raw again. As I have mentioned, I am eating whatever I want whenever I want, including avacados (yummo). I weighed myself at work last night and I seem to have lost about 3 lbs or so. That's not much but it's more than I have lost since giving birth. My mind is clearer. I am able to concentrate on my school work better. I am thinking clearly. I feel fantastic! I have a deep urge to go out and start telling people about this. I know most won't listen. But I feel very passionately about it. The family members who do know that I am into this think I'm nuts. Oh if they only knew

I also had an idea for my kids. I was going to buy some raw food books that were geared towards children. Then I would give them to the kids asking them to read them. I need their opinion on these books because I intend on giving them as gifts to (I'll think of someone) and I need to know if they are any good. I don't plan on trying to force anyone into this way of eating. I just plan on leading by example this time. That's the only way for my stubborn family. Except for the baby. She is just starting to eat real food. Why should I start her off in what I know to be the wrong way. I am in the process of purchacing a vita mix blender and I will blend all of her raw food and feed it to her. By the time I am done with her she will be "Super Baby"! I can't wait!

One more thing before I sign off. Another helpful thing I learned was to make green smoothies in bulk. I have a gallon milk jug that has been washed out. I bought a ton of organic spinach leaves, bananas, and oranges. I blended several batches of this, enough to fill the jug all the way up. Now I dont' have to stop and blend something because it's already done. From what I understand it will last up to 3 days in the fridge. It's a pain to get it all done but then in the end I am glad I did it. Well, I guess it wasn't too bad. It took about 30 minutes or so to do. But it is very helpful. Also I find it helpful to buy fruit by the case. I found a place just before easter that sold me a case of 88 oranges for $18. That's about $.20 per orange. I haven't gone 100% organic yet but I have every intention to in the future.


River Willow

Ok folks. I have been doing this for a few days now, yesterday being my first 100% raw day. So far today 100% raw. I am definately feeling nauseated. IF indeed this is caused by detox, then how long would this last?

Well, it has been several days since going raw, once again. It does seem much easier this time. I am very happy with the way I am feeling and how things are going. I don't have many temptations here lately. I just dont feel like I am struggling with it as much as I did before. I do, however, still eat too many avacados. I can't help it.

I think I want to start training for my first marathon. That should be exciting! I am unsure of how to start though.

Another thing I have done, is I went out and bought a rebounder. I have read a ton of information on how beneficial this is. Just rebound for 5 or 10 minutes a day. It is also highly reccomended by that guy... Trudeaux... the author of the natural cures books.

Strange things were happening yesterday. For instance; I wasn't really hungry for most of the day. This is unusual for me. I generally have an appetite that is insatiable (hence the 177 lb body) but yesterday I just didn't. I had a quart and a half, maybe 2 quarts of green smoothies. Then a salad that I couldn't finish because I had made it too big. I am in the process of experimenting with dressingless salads. It's weird but good.

I have started making my own sprouts. This isn't anything new to me. I have done it a million times, it has just been awhile. Right now I have alfalfa, pumkin, mung bean, and sunflower seed sprouts going. I want to sprout other things as well. One time I sprouted some wheat berries. They smelled fantastic, but tasted awful. I threw them away. Then I sprouted navy beans. I think they were too old because not many sprouted and then after awhile they just started smelling bad. Those went out the door too.

Well, I am signing off now. Gotta alot of stuff to do today.

Here's something I have learned. Perhaps everyone already knows this but that's ok. You know how people are always buying those nutmilk bags? Well, one of my gifts for my baby shower was 12 cloth diapers. They weren't those thick good diapers, they were those thin, single layer birdseye brand diapers. Well, I just don't use those. BUT... I have found that if you fold one in half and sew the sides together it makes a perfect nutmilk bag. I have used it for making almond milk and soy milk and it worked fabulously! They are about $11 at Walmart for 12.

I am at work and they ordered pizza for everyone. I have never been able to turn down pizza before but I did. And I did it without the least bit of a problem.Everything is just going really great! I feel as though I have entered a new segment of my life. Like I have moved up a level.

Life is good.

Well, we had a big drunken BBQ last night. Even though it was alot of fun, I must say I feel like crap now.

Everyone is always talking about thier health improvements after switching to raw. It makes me wander what other improvements can occur. My experiment that I want to do is to see how eating raw effects my non-physical self. My psychic awareness and higher self. How will it effect my spiritual side? I can't wait to find out.

Well, yesterday I took my dad out to a chinese restaraunt. I didn't think much about it not being raw. I just thought that it wouldn't really affect me. Then after work that night I just was unusually hungry for some reason. My hubby bought some food from the store and so I ate that. It was doritos with spinach dip, and these spinach and mushroom type appetisers. I was just soooo very hungry and I am never like that. I got full very quickly and then went to bed. I have to be honest here, I feel like crap. I am tired as heck, I've been crabby and hateful all day, I have zero energy and my self esteem is in the toilet right now. I also feel very conjested... not only sinus-like but even my very aurora and I feel like my intestines are out of wack! I have been 100% raw all day today and I don't eveer want to repeat again what I did yesterday. Next time I say "oh it's ok just this one time", someone slap the crap outta me!