When I first started raw (Aug 1, 07) I had frequent "white knuckle" moments when the difference between staying on my raw journey and staying off the path was getting a grip on myself and thinking about what I wanted to leave behind. I was more then 60 pounds heavier then and I had no energy. My life and health were fading away like a distant memory. I had increasing signs of the effects of the SAD lifestyle. Then as I stayed raw I started to see these conditions turn around. It took time and perseverance but the improvements kept me going. I "slipped" a few times and on one slip I thought I was going to join the crowd of "used to be raw" food eaters but I learned what I needed to learn from the experience and started in again and I'm still all fresh raw. Here's what I wanted to say in this post to anyone finding themselves struggling or fighting to stay raw -- After awhile, and its taken me months and months to get here, I stopped having to control those fewer and fewer and weaker and weaker "white knuckle" moments and they have been replaced by feeling's of YES ! ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY TO EAT THE FOODS THAT ENHANCE MY BODY WITH HEALTH, RADIANCE AND JOY. A poster on this forum states "I love this food" and I know what they mean. Eating raw foods gives me a feeling of deep calm and wellness. This is a very important change to me as its like waking up to a fresh new beautiful day. Its not a feeling of dislike for the way cooked food tastes but rather a feeling of appreciation for the tastes of fresh raw foods. So take heart if your struggling and keep on keeping on because if you stay with it your body can make the change if given the chance, I know this because that change has happened for me and if its happened for me it can happen for you. Has anyone else experienced a change like this since going raw ?

I appreciate your enthusiasm, and cheer your success! Losing 60 pounds and now having more energy are very real accomplishments, and you should be proud! I look at eating in much the same manner as you. That is, every meal is a choice, every meal is another opportunity to eat well, and to give the body what may be best to keep it functioning well into old age.

Eating a plant-based diet is not magic, though, it's not an elixir to all that ails, and no food is anti-aging. Eating raw fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds is one way to keep the body healthy. It's not the only way. What seems evident about the human diet is that we've evolved to be flexible in what we eat. We can survive on just about any food. But to keep ourselves healthy over longer stretches of time, eating raw fruits and vegetables is great! I guess what I'm trying to communicate is that eating raw need not be this all or nothing affair in which good food is pitted against evil food. If you eat something you wish you had not eaten, your body will adjust just fine.

way to go EZ

...Jodi, the banana eating buddhist

Very uplifting. Thanks!

Thanks, EZ! I AM struggling with what I KNOW for ME is the RIGHT thing -- eating all raw, because when I do I feel and look GREAT!!! However, it is very difficult for me right now for a few reasons (cravings, fear of dealing with what I will probably be facing emotionally, and a partner who is an AMAZING cook), but I haven't given up and don't intend to. Thanks again!