Hello there!

I am starting the new year by switching to a raw food diet. Currently I am a type 2 diabetic with hypertension and several diabetes related complications. I am honestly a little afraid of trying this diet as I know myself and what I can and cannot force myself to eat.

Are salads ok to start with? Plus things like carrots and fruit as snacks and between meal items? My biggest worry is not sticking to it, and I feel if I don't I may not see many more new years at all.

I am also disabled and on a very fixed income of about $400 a month so can't really afford coaching or gadgets, any advice?

I wouldn't feel qualified to advise anyone with diabetes, but you can use the SEARCH FUNCTION on this site to call up entries with lots of comments people have made in the past. Just enter the word diabetes in the subject box and select how far back you want the search to go. Good luck and happy reading!


My favorite raw vegan

Searching for diabetes didn't yield much. Mostly what I am looking for is a good list of food and food items for someone who needs 'training wheels' to get started with this. I can go to the Whole Foods store and get all sorts of organic stuff, but what to pick, where to start and how to find a way to make the foods palatable for me and not boring are the things I am more concerned with. Some sort of raw foods newbie guide is what I think I need.

Take it or leave it, here is what I advise...

Start by making a smoothie in the morning for breakfast. Drink as much of it as you like, keep it as simple as you want. The one thing that will add lots of minerals to your smoothie is some sort of greens. Baby spinach is terrific, I make that for my kids. Spinach, frozen berries (fresh in summer, great if you find them wild and can pick them yourself), any sort of fruit you wish, and a banana. The banana disguises the flavour of the greens very well, it's really all you taste. If you don't like banana (I don't), try the smoothie with just the greens and fruit and a bit of fresh juice or water to get it blending.

Snack on fruit and veggies during the day, add some raw nuts and/or seeds if you like, try avocados, coconuts, olives, for healthy fats. Add lots of salad to the meals you already eat. You can continue eating whatever it is that you like, just make the portions smaller and have Big salads along side. Or, even better, have a very large salad and put a small portion of the foods you already eat and enjoy right on top of the salad. This works with nearly everything. Use a fresh dressing of lemon, herbs, garlic and cold pressed oil (olive is fine).

That isn't anything drastic and you can keep the foods and flavours you already know and like. You can transition to more and more raw as you go along and it feels right to you. It doesn't have to be drastic or unpleasant or over night, in fact for many people that doesn't work in the end. Just take it easy and do what you're comfortable with. And remember, every little thing you do towards improving your health is a tremendous gift to yourself. Be positive and stay in the moment.

Best of luck!

Coco gave great advice!

In my opinion, when you have a medical condition that is closely related to food -- diabetes, hypoglycemic tendancies, etc. that it is best to start slowly. Add more and more raw foods to your current diet.

Have to say Im completely on board with what Coco suggested, whatever you do, just make sure to keep track of how its effecting your diabetes and you should be ok...

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What is love?
Can the child within my heart rise above?
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Can I handle the seasons of my life?

Have you tried chromium supplementation which is part responsible for diabetes 2. You should find relief in that.

Magnesium from an acidified source such as magnesium malate, citrate etc will also help not only with blood sugar regulation but improved blood flow and lowering blood pressure.

Agree with coco; also powerlifer's suggestion. Good luck and keep checking in!

Thank you for the help and advice I think I can manage the salad thing. I am hopeful that I will be able to stick to this and it will help turn my health around.

well, i'm ignorant

but i'd go easy on the bananas if i were you

and stick to lower glycemic index foods ( low sugar)

and remember

when anything is juiced, the sugar content is higher

for example,

carrots eaten with the fiber is not as high glycemic index sugar spike as carrots juiced

so if u wanna sweeten stuff, eat it WITH the fiber to slow down sugar release

but if u want to juice it, minimize stuff that will yield concentrated sugar such as fruits, carrots etc.

i'd go with the greens

unless u also have some thyroid condition

cruciferous vegetables

are good

high sulfur content
and other superior minerals

very dense in nutrition

dark leafy greens are good

smoothies are good but like i said, i'd avoid the bananas and instead make them savory ( thus make them more like green raw soups... so put in the greens plus avocado, tomato and other stuff that will flavor it, cilantro dill , lemon etc. )

good luck

what's good for the entire health

is generally what is good for diabetes as well

thus

low stress ( better yet, a positive attitude wherein you are constantly focusing your attention on what IS working for you)

this will boost your immunity

yep, its true

good thoughts equals good health

also, fresh air

sunlight

plenty of very enjoyable forms of exercise that you actually ENJOY

get creative

start with stuff that you can do and like

if you don't like it

then just focus on the end result and listen to some good music

and think of all the good it is doing you

i'd say exercise ought to be a mainstay of your diet

exercise ought to be part of the diet .. think of it as consuming oxygen

also, look at ALL areas of your life

see which areas need improvement

and take very small manageable steps to improve those areas

that will reduce stress and simultaneously boost confidence and make one feel better overall

thus its good for health overall

good luck

great choice you made to venture into RAWesome RAWlicious RAWcking

RAWorld

you're going to have a blaaaaaastttt!!!

(wink

and yeah

you'll definitely be having lots and lots more great years to look forward to

just keep putting your toe into the deep end of the pool

little bit at a time

till .. before you know it

you're swimming along with the dolphins

and having a wonderful time