Many raw foodists, when they see they are starting to have problems with their health, almost instantly assume that there is something wrong with their diet. Perhaps this is because when they first went raw, that changing over to raw foods healed a plethora of health problems. Certainly a major aspect of being healthy is a healthful diet. However, having a healthy diet does not guarantee being healthy.

So why is this? Simply put, there is more to health than just diet. There is a whole set of healthful lifestyle habits and practices one needs to become and remain healthy. Many of these you will know - being fit, exercising, getting fresh clean air and sunshine, getting plenty of rest and sleep, engaging in healthy relationships.

A person might have a healthy diet, and even practice these healthful lifestyle practices and still be unhealthy. So what other things can influence one's health?

An often ignored aspect of health has to do with mental/emotional/spiritual balance and poise. As we become more sensitive, this poise determines how we will fare when challenged by the world in our new raw bodies.

One of the more difficult challenges of going from SAD to raw is that as the body becomes lighter and less dense, the fat and density that used to insulate us from energies coming from the outside are no longer there. In some sense the SAD diet gave us some shields to help keep those unpleasant energies from affecting us, and the foods served to numb us, so we could easily deal with the prevalent pain that is all over our society. As we become more sensitive on the lighter diet, we get to feel more intensely the pain that others are experiencing and we get more in touch with our own pain. How we deal with feeling this pain and our reaction to this pain is largely driven by our pre-existing mental/emotional/spiritual balance. And many of us don't have the tools necessary to navigate the modern industrial world without our shields on or without our desensitizing foods.

The place where we really feel our pain is around our attachments, specifically our preferences, desires, judgments, and criticisms. To see if you have some attachments, ask yourself the following questions:

Are you OK with the current state of the world? If not, what is it that is bothering you?

Are you OK with the way people are treating you? If not, what is it that is bothering you?

Are you OK with they way people with whom you interact behave and live their lives? If not, what is bothering you?

If your answers to these questions is "yes, I am OK with this" and you are a happy person, then this aspect of balance and poise is not your issue. If you said yes and you still feel unhappy, then it could be that you need to get a bit quieter and go inside and see if your answers really reflect how you feel.

But for most people, there will be a list of things that are bothering them. This list is a gift, as it points to places inside you where you resist your world and reality, and bringing this to consciousness provides you with a beginning place to start your exploration of getting free of pain of these issues.

Another place I see where raw foodists create pain in their lives is how they exert control over themselves. For many, controlling how one lives their day to day life is a means of avoiding pain and not feeling bad. And when we first engaged in some of these control tactics, they seemed to work well and kept us from our pain. But often these control tactics become abusive to ourselves and they create more pain than they prevent. Certainly controlling what one eats (especially when there is high desire to eat things that aren't on one's officially approved list of good foods) is a form of abuse or violence.

Freeing oneself of one's self control is not as easy as it may seem. First one has to get in touch with the feelings that put the control there in the first place, and then bring these feelings to consciousness and find it within ourselves to let this stuff go.

I had this control issue come up with going to a low fat diet. At first I exerted control to keep my fat very low. But the desire was there, and it wasn't going away. So I let go of my control, allowed myself to eat more fat, and over time (about 2 years) the desire for fat disappeared all by itself.

There was a point early in my raw foods process where the desire for cooked foods simply disappeared. It happened after I went to eating high fruit and a lot of mono eating. But I often meet raw foodists who don't ever get to this point, the desire for cooked food is always there. What I recommend to them is to let go of the control, and allow themselves to eat the cooked foods. At some point the body will either tell you that this doesn't work, at which point the desire will go away, or if it does work, then why change it?

These issues described here - dealing with new found sensitivity, feeling more strongly the pains of attachment, and use of control to achieve one's goals, are problems I see time and time again in the raw community. And these issues, if not brought to consciousness and resolved, will create a painful life that will hamper or even cease one's healing that came with the raw diet, to a point where the raw diet no longer works. For many people, this will mean needing supplementation to cope, or needing to eat heavier foods including cooked grains and animal products.

Thank you so much for the intelligent and inspiring post Bryan. What you say is true. It's funny (in my case) that one does SO much research on healthy eating and lifestyles.....and then practices them. And very quickly you learn that it's not about the food at all...it's about a process of self-realization.

-And yet the temptation is to see the 'outward' effects...and try to manipulate those. It is very wise to bring that awareness back to the center. That's why I think the questions you indicated.....to ask yourself if you are OK with your life.....and the answers that self-inquiry provide....are so important.

-David Z. Mason

WWW.RawFoodFarm.com

Bryan Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Simply put, there is more to
> health than just diet. There is a whole set of
> healthful lifestyle habits and practices one needs
> to become and remain healthy.
So True!! Diet is just one aspect. For me,
Relationships and Environment, are the main issues. Diet
is still very important because it tells you a lot about
yourself, but who your friends are and where you live are
more important. Take a long, hard look.
Exercise, too, is near the Top. Any others? Maybe type of
Employment, for those still working?.....WY

Great post, Bryan -- thanks!

hi bryan

as usual
great post

A very helpful post. Thanks Bryan.

It helps to stop and think about whats right and whats not and contemplate the Serenity Prayer:

"God grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change;
courage to change the things I can;
and wisdom to know the difference."

Bryan, thank you very much for sharing your wisdom and experience.

Bryan,

Excellent!!! Thats what I realy need now. All that is happening in my family now, I need to take a giant step back and analyze ME. Thats what I need to do.

Many many Thanks. I am going to print it and work on it. Thats what I will do.

Take care
A Iyer

EZ rider Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> It helps to stop and think about whats right and
> whats not and contemplate the Serenity Prayer:
>
> "God grant me the serenity
> to accept the things I cannot change;
> courage to change the things I can;
> and wisdom to know the difference."


One of my favorite words... "contemplate".

Here here. I am in total agreement. Especially in regards to relationships that we choose, to ourselves, our environment and others.

Thank you Bryan.

This is extremely helpful.

Great stuff Bry!

F1

Fantastic! Thank you Bryan.

If I read this post several years ago, I would not get it. I may say that I am discovering and working on "all of the above" for some time now, and I know that it will be a never ending process. How exciting!

Being here, on this forum, is a huge inspiration and help in time of crisis.

Love you all!

Ruby

This is such a timely, well-written post; thank you for taking the time to share! This is everything that I've been thinking and saying for a while, now. I've always believed in the wisdom of working slowly with yourself, and not being too rigid in one's thinking and approach...

As i read, I realised that cleaning up my diet cultivated the desire to practice the other healthy lifestyle choices.

I eat well, so am no longer sick. I sleep better, I have more energy so therefore wish to exercise regularly.

As i have had several attempts at a raw diet, I recognise this pattern.

I feel very peaceful eating a raw diet.
Things just don't bother me, like they do when i eat cooked food.
I think about things and catch myself reacting to certain situations, but on the whole I'm able to simply let go.

This does not happen on cooked, I'm unable to let go, instead turn to food or a glass of wine to distract or quieten my mind.

I feel that right now, I can honestly answer yes to the questions offered.
However, I know that within a week of eating a cooked diet, my answer would change to no for all 3 questions.
Thanks for taking the time to put this together Bryan

Wonderful Bryan!!! Thank you so much.

I heard Wayne Dyer, years ago, saying that if you want something,rehearse it.Tell yourself that you are doing it,that you are getting closer and close to your desire.Just let it be that you'll get there.
For me was the best thing to hear that because I was so much trying to control my way to raw that I was literally bitting myself up.After I heard him I started to relax and than I got to be completly raw.
Now I'm in a process of taking care of my emotional and spiritual life.It is a process that I'm rehearsing day by day,step by step with the help of my raw diet that makes me much stronger.

Thank you so much for that post Bryan, after the recent events in which I know than I can reveal, for fear of personal attack on me, I have felt very unhappy and stressed around it

I believe wholeheartedly in raw vegan, but most of my raw aquaintances now eat raw animal products and have ostracised me from the raw community I was in by refusing to accept my experiences.

I was unwell a little while back for a year or so due to stress and my adrenals were whacked I'm guessing, and I did try animal products as I was constantly told that was what it was, but it didn't work, so I went back to raw vegan, eventually I started lots of energy healings and they were miraculous, within a few weeks I was back to normal.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/29/2008 03:30AM by Ariel55.

Lorretta Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------

> I feel very peaceful eating a raw diet.
> Things just don't bother me, like they do when i
> eat cooked food.
> I think about things and catch myself reacting to
> certain situations, but on the whole I'm able to
> simply let go.


i hear you lorretta. isn`t it wonderful? i am the same way and i try and explain it to my hubby and i feel stupid cuz if you haven`t walked the walk you just don`t know!! LOL
patty

Bryan,

Thanks I agree but one requires some discipline in life as well to achieve anything the other challenge is knowing what is a real body need and a emotional craving.

Through time one will get to know the real deal.

If you want to know where your at as far as physical,mental spiritual eat a high fruit, low fat diet for awhile and it will open you up.

This will be a good guage where your at as far as attachments etc.

dewey Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Lorretta Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
>
> > I feel very peaceful eating a raw diet.
> > Things just don't bother me, like they do when
> i
> > eat cooked food.
> > I think about things and catch myself reacting
> to
> > certain situations, but on the whole I'm able
> to
> > simply let go.
>
>
> i hear you lorretta. isn`t it wonderful? i am the
> same way and i try and explain it to my hubby and
> i feel stupid cuz if you haven`t walked the walk
> you just don`t know!! LOL
> patty

Hi Patty
You are right.
How do you explain it to someone who has not experienced it?
How could they possibly understand?

My family does notice the difference a raw diet brings to me.
I suppose this is the closest to understanding the effects of raw they can experience.

Eating raw flicks the peace switch!

About being in control. I never felt such a need to be so much in control of everything until I became a mother. I feel I have to control his diet, his environment, who he associates with and so on. It makes me stressed out and I end up in a constant state of worry.

It has gotten better since switching us both to raw. But now I think I should know how to fix everything with his diet since his health has improved so much.

The other day he started complaining about his arm hurting. I immediatly thought.."oh no...his bones are brittle ..he is not getting what he needs" and started thinking about what I should do. Should I supplement like shazzie says? (damm her). Then I took a step back and thought maybe it's not diet..maybe his arm is sore from something else. Repetitive movement can cause it to be sore. What has he done that is repetative. He was on the computer for WAY to long this week. And maybe it was the mouse. And it's the same arm that he uses. I took him off the computer for the last few days and now he is better.

So I guess I just want to say...I understand the need to be in control Especailly when being a parent. And expecially when being a parent of a child who has been sick all his life.

I have to remember that he has come a long way and I am doing the best I can. But all the worry is not healthy either. And you are right Bryan, It's not just diet.

We are lucky to be where we are at. And I am grateful for all that we have.

If it is true (and I believe it is)
YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT
Than it has to be said YOU ARE WHAT YOU THINK
Your post provides good 'food for thought'

Quote

zella wrote;

maybe his arm is sore from something else. Repetitive movement can cause it to be sore. What has he done that is repetative. He was on the computer for WAY to long this week. And maybe it was the mouse. And it's the same arm that he uses. I took him off the computer for the last few days and now he is better.

I experienced a similar problem and I switched to a TrackBall mouse and it solved the problem. I got an inexpensive Microsoft one that is easy to use and requires less effort to move the cursor and uses different mussels. You might want to look at them next time your in a store that has computer accessories. One disadvantage it requires occasional cleaning with a tissue under the ball when it starts sticking. I have a lot of surfing miles on mine and its still working great.

Thanks for the advise Ez. I just took him off the computer. A child doesn't need to spend so much time on a computer.

I will look into the trackball for myself though.

Bryan Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> > The place where we really feel our pain is around
> our attachments, specifically our preferences,
> desires, judgments, and criticisms. To see if you
> have some attachments, ask yourself the following
> questions:
>
> Are you OK with the current state of the
> world? If not, what is it that is bothering you?
>
> Are you OK with the way people are treating
> you? If not, what is it that is bothering you?
>
> Are you OK with they way people with whom you
> interact behave and live their lives? If not, what
> is bothering you?


Hello Bryan, I just wanted to thank you again for taking time to post this information recently. I thought about your questions in meditation yesterday and whoa, I released an avalanche of tears and emotions for at least 4 hours after doing so. I'm been working through some stuff with my sibilings, some if related to my food choices...all three questions I had to be really truthful about - there was a lot of unconscious pain & attachment there. Wow, it was great bringing that to light and today I feel wonderful. I've been doing a lot of work on myself over the years, but that exercise in particular as relates to being a raw foodist absolutely helped me like no other. I feel absolutely light and at peace. Bless you!

Rawangel

A yogi would say that proper breathing is also essential. This may sound silly if one is unfamiliar with the anatomy of breathing, and the science of breathing, but is actually very important, as mind and breath are linked.

Anyway as regards emotional issues, I have been using this CD, to explore and open to unwanted feelings:

[www.amazon.com]

from the website

"From AudioFile
Dealing with feelings of unworthiness and self-loathing is the focus of this audio by a clinical psychologist who also teaches Buddhist meditation. It's a guide to practicing meditative awareness and to asking questions that clarify negative self-feelings to make them available for reworking. The author's belief in this process is profoundly evident as she repeats her suggestions, shares genuine stories of shame, and presses on with her invitation to reclaim the self, no matter how deficient or unacceptable it may seem to be. A solid resource goes beyond jargon and mere encouragement to offer a real possibility of emotional recovery. T.W. © AudioFile 2001, Portland, Maine-- Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Book Description
In the same tradition as such bestselling authors as Jack Kornfield and Sharon Salzberg, Insight Meditation teacher Tara Brach has cultivated one of the largest and most active Buddhist meditation communities in the eastern United States. With Radical Self-Acceptance, this gifted guide brings her enthusiasm and depth of experience to a wide new arena of listeners for the first time. "Imagine what it would be like to be without anxiety about your imperfections," begins Brach. Employing her skills in two worlds, this clinical psychologist and meditation instructor takes on what she considers to be the most difficult – and pervasive – challenge to Westerners today: the suffering caused by our feelings of unworthiness and deficiency. Here, Brach teaches the specific practices we need to become more mindful and compassionate toward the "unforgivable" parts within ourselves – and how to free ourselves from "the prison of shame and self-aversion." Practical and supportive, Radical Self-Acceptance marks the debut of one of the most capable new voices today on the marriage between Eastern meditation and Western psychology"

Oh Bryan, but you are answering the very question that I have put out to the universe recently! After my 5-year-old experience with raw, I have observed the issue of control emerge, the issue of emotions emerge, and so I came to a conclusion that, rather than focus on my colon (what I eat etc) so much, there are other, far more important areas to address. In fact, focusing on the colon is like putting the house upside down, or building a house without the fundations. It will collapse or sink. So, thanks Bryan, for sharing your insights, very very good insights, very very helpful indeed.

Gosia


RawGosia channel
RawGosia streams

emotions..... after being raw for about two months last year I started to feel those emotions and found myself going through a vast aray of emotions from crying jags to anger and started to Identify those emotions. I began to act on these emotions also and sometimes it was not plesant because with the positive came the negative. People can accept the nice words but can't take the negative. Sometimes it would cause conflict, especially with those closest to me. I did not know just how to handle these new found "emotions" Being raw was like being in another world and I felt out vernable. Really I did not know just how to handle these "emotions" Being raw does bring on a sensitivity that I was not aware of and what Brian has written is very helpful to me. Thank=you Brian
Perhaps that is why I wanted to find other raw foodists to identify with. I really don't have that much of a thick skin to begin with concerning picking up on peoples energies but it is so new to me to think about these things. Perhaps that would be my personal hold up?

pampam,

This is the biggest hurdle people have with raw especially if your eating a low fat raw diet it opens you up very much.

Not many can achieve this this is the ultimate test of mind body and soul.

Most people who go raw eat high fat because they use the fat to numb the emotions with this people are not aware of these new emotions that come up but they are not really new they where always thier and now have come up to surface.

The reality is we have to deal with them at one point or another.

It is up to us when to deal with them but to put them under the rug with cooked food is a temporary solution.

You can always justify your actions with something but only you really know if your thruthful with yourself.

Remember wherever you go thier you are.