Hello everybody, I am Vincent and I'm 17 years old.
I"m from the Netherlands and I've just found out about this raw food stuff
I've started 4 days ago, I have been 100 % raw the last 4 days. Eating mostly fruit with some veggies and nuts.

My problem is my parents. They think I'm crazy and they say I should eat "normal",
and what I'm doing is very unhealthy and I will get all kinds of diseases if I continue doing this. I said to them "Well I've done my research and I truly believe this is the right thing for me, I feel really great so don't worry about it." So after a lot of discussion they said "Ok you can continue your own fruit diet and you don't have to eat the same as us every day, but you must eat 1 day in the week with us." They think I won't get enough nutrients. So they really insist that I eat a cooked meal with them once a week.

My question is: Will this cooked meal once a week affect me that much? Or is it no big deal? I mean, if I eat this cooked meal once a week, will it be bad for me?

Vincent

cooked food isn't going to hurt you, it's still healthy and just fine. it's just not AS good for you as raw foods, that's important if you're aiming for optimum health.

what is it that they think cooking imparts to food that isn't there in the raw equivalent i wonder? ask them, and possibly offer to eat the same ingredients raw that they are eating cooked (excluding anything that has to be cooked like bread, pasta, beans etc. make an acceptable substitute).

you can track all of your daily nutritional intake using one of the free online services available, like fitday.com. then you can show them what you are getting and missing. perhaps do a comparison between a raw day and a cooked day.

there is a fantastic book out now called The China Study that that highlights the health benefits of excluding and greatly minimizing animal protein in the diet. it's written by some research scientist, your parents will find it difficult to refute that info.

ask them to do some research to base their beliefs on. if they are willing to take a look at that they may learn something and change their minds about what they think they know. after all, none of us is born with a degree in nutrition, right? we all have lots to learn.

good luck!

Vinny,
Its great you want to go raw.
You have the fundamental right to eat however you wish.
I consider folks like you and me to be the lucky ones who can avert the sad results of the SAD,
SAD=standard American(or cooked) diet.
When people get all nervous and worried you will get sick from eating raw,I believe they are just operating on all the brainwashing we have been subject to from all the big meat,dairy,and grain industries that say you need to eat their products to get your protein and nutrients..

Brian



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/21/2008 07:23PM by Raw1228.

Try describing raw as "fresh produce" or "fresh garden fruits & vegetables" and see if they can appreciate that. I have found that the word "raw" dosn't seem to mean fresh produce to some people. Everyone knows that fresh fruits and vegetables are healthy so its probably just a misunderstanding in terms.

Hey Vinny. This concern is normal and happens to many others (although YOUR feelings are unique...of course). As long as you are dependent on others.....you play by their rules....to a certain extent. To answer your question: I would not worry about 1 cooked meal....which is a willing sacrifice of love. The rest of your diet would be 99% healthy. The scale tips even further if you are considering eating healthy for the rest of your life....and living a healthier ande healthier process. The ONE cooked meal you had per week while you were 17-18 won't matter much when you've been eating healthy for 10 years and are now 30...you know? Heh...heh.

-David Z. Mason

WWW.RawFoodFarm.com

HI,

The are simply ignorant and want to continue to control you.

This is the family way for most people.

Of course you are living under there roof so there rules apply.

I don't agree with some of the info here. I understnad that our parents give us support, food, shelter, and love, and that we must express appreciation. But is it not the greatest appreciation to honor yourself, nourish yourself properly in the way that you believe best, and make the most out of your life? Your body is not the property of anyone. Including your parents. For one to tell another to do something that feels wrong and dishonoring to their body is one of the greatest violations one can do - Just my opinion. I too struggle with this with my father. But I now see how absurd it is. He is not in my body and is certainly no reflection of health himself. Even if he were, it is still my choice as to how I heal and care for myself.





Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/22/2008 12:11AM by dancerinthenight.

many parents feel that it is their responsibility to guide their children in the best way that they know how. but parents are just people and they make mistakes just like anyone else. still, i will continue to feed my children a vegetarian diet even though there are many studies that "prove" that we need animal products, many health care practitioners and doctors who support that. so long as they are my children they will not eat meat in my house no matter how much they possibly want to in the future (or smoke or drink or take drugs or have underage unprotected sex, etc etc etc). they will undoubtably feel the way that you do about your father dancerinthenight but that is my role as parent. to guide as best i can using all of my knowledge and experience to assist me, whether they agree with me or not. it's not an easy task, let me tell you.

your folks prob have you in their med insurance
which includes annual exams
you could ask them to please trust your judgement
and support your raw diet for a few months
with the agreement that you will have labwork
showing your progress at various intervals

Dancerinthenight,
you said,
" Your body is not the property of anyone. Including your parents. For one to tell another to do something that feels wrong and dishonoring to their body is one of the greatest violations one can do "

I totally agree with this 100%! My son is 15 and lives with his mom and wants to eat raw but she says to him "your dad is unhealthy and malnutritioned" .lol. she has no clue what is healthy and for her to decide what he puts in his body just because shes his mother is WRONG!

She says as long as he lives under her roof hell eat what she fixes him. this is SAD!! and SICK!! and also SELFISH!

Vinny dont worry about your parents thinking youre crazy, youre not, youre right and dont worry about the one cooked meal a week, youll be fine! At least its only one and not more.
Rob

Why not ask them to allow you to share some of your research with them?
Share some of your knowledge. Tell the story of your research, experimentation, what you still wonder about and what you have learned. Love is a two way street.

Vinny,

You always get a roadblock in your life when you try to do something you feel deep inside is the right thing.

One meal a week isn't too bad. I would avoid arguing with them until you can backup your raw experience with good articles which you will come across if you keep coming to this forum.

The problem with a lot of cooked foods, like bread and dairy, is that they are addictive like sugar and chocolate are, so if you eat one meal a week of these things, it might give you cravings for several days. :-(

I know this from experience, I have in-laws that I often eat with and it always screws up my diet and gives me cravings, but I'd really rather deal with the cravings than the in-laws. The best way to zap the cravings is to do green smoothies, the minerals in the greens help zap the cravings.

Enlightened food addiction clinics are using minerals and vitamin C! So if you have cravings the day after, try a green smoothie! Just blend apples and a little water together, then add some baby spinach.
[www.springboard4health.com]
Dr. Rosenbaum, as well as other nutritionally oriented allergists rely on other methods besides avoidance of the allergenic foods. Vitamin C and mineral bicarbonates are used extensively in allergy clinics throughout the country. The mineral buffers should not include sodium, which is a hypertensive agent and can make a person more prone to edema, but instead the minerals calcium, magnesium and potassium. These buffers will neutralize the acidity caused by the allergic reaction and alleviate stress, thereby inducing symptomatic relief.

As little as tone teaspoon of this combination of nutrients can totally knock out hunger cravings caused by food allergies as well as eliminate the withdrawal symptoms caused by exclusion of the addictive foods.

This is symptomatic relief, but works dramatically and also gives a clear indication that the symptoms were caused by allergic phenomenon. If the nutrient combination eliminates your hunger then you can be sure that your hunger was induced by some aspect of the allergy-addiction syndrome.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/23/2008 08:33PM by Lillianswan.