so, I have to ask what happens if you go off and eat something that is not raw or even not vegetarian?

I know we are not suppose to discuss meat so I will not go into details, however, I need to use this as a learning experience and just keep moving forward.

luckily, I am still gluten and dairy free but my salad had some not vegan protein and I am feeling really guilty.

Has anyone ever experienced this guilt?

Usually stomachache, poor digestion, nausea, burping, sluggish. That's with cooked vegan stuff. I haven't gone over to the nonvegan side since, ethically, I am a vegan.

Thank you for the reply. I guess what I am asking is confirmation that I should not be so hard on myself.

I think it is all trial and error.

I thought I was bloated on the raw foods because I was not eating meat, however, I think it might have been the hummus or just not enough protein. I know something was off, but cant really identify what exactly it was..

what's done is done. live in the present.

I found that when following any type of strict diet that if i deviated from the diet i had bad symptoms, such as intense depression, feelings of failure and guilt, stomach problems, fatigue even panic attacks. I really do believe alot of this was due to a poor mental relationship with food as when i let up on myself(took years) most of these problems stopped.

I firmly believe that stressing over eating the odd treat is worse for your health than actually eating the less desirable food. Obviously you don't want your whole diet to consist of crap food, but if the majority of your diet is healthy there is no reason not to enjoy a little treat if that is want you want now and again.

Dietary purists will tell you otherwise but i have no place for purism in my diet anymore, it created an unhealthy relationship towards food for me.

[www.vegankingdom.co.uk]



Edited 4 time(s). Last edit at 10/21/2012 10:10AM by powerlifer.

When you are really healthy, you are resilient, one night stand should not kill you.

It is sad to realize that if there was a tsunami with polluted waters for a couple of weeks, only canned non organic foods, our raw friends will be the first to die. The medical examiner would say "The raw fooders were too clean to survive".

You should be able to enjoy GrandMa's cake for little Brian's birthday.
Food has a social dimension too.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 10/21/2012 11:23AM by madinah.

madinah Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> When you are really healthy, you are resilient,
> one night stand should not kill you.
>
> It is sad to realize that if there was a tsunami
> with polluted waters for a couple of weeks, only
> canned non organic foods, our raw friends will be
> the first to die. The medical examiner would say
> "The raw fooders were too clean to survive".
>
> You should be able to enjoy GrandMa's cake for
> little Brian's birthday.
> Food has a social dimension too.


Thanks for the support. True,I need to look at the whole picture and not just one aspect. In general, I am 90 percent compliant and healthy.

My cheating is when I got natural on B12
That is not actually cheating because it is still raw.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/22/2012 03:55PM by RawPracticalist.

Wow.. good for you. definitely not cheating.

I think reconsidering my idea of how compliant I am is another discussion in of itself.

Cheating is not a very optimistic outlook.

Eat lots of raw fresh produce, and be guilt free when you eat 'other' foods. Why have guilt? Probably more a feeling of letting yourself down..but don't go for 'perfect' as that's unrealistic. Guilt infers doing something bad which is not going to get one far..think of how raw you are and that's a step up from where you began.

Love,
Prism

I cannot remember your story and how you came to this diet but it's my feeling that words like 'cheating' are ways your ego uses to be a defeatist. I believe that this is why it's better to gradually go into this lifestyle rather than change overnight. Well, at least if you are a meat-eater. For someone like me, who has been a vegetarian for many years, the transition will be different (notice I am saying WILL because I have not made it...yet).

Meat is known as a stimulating food (even though it is hard to break down and would seem to burden the body) so I could see how you would slip into having it after having gone raw. If you felt a need for protein, I am wondering if you could have chosen some raw, organic cheese (or learn to make almond cheeze!) instead of meat. Maybe the guilt is over the meat aspect, too?

I agree with Powerlifer. It's better to relax with your eating because otherwise it sets up needless anxiety. I also know, however, that certain foods are highly psychoactive and set up a chain reaction so "treats" do have to be carefully chosen or else a person can easily fall into SAD. I find that it's helpful to choose whole treats (even if cooked). Old-fashioned oatmeal and raisins is hearty and satisfying at this time of year and is way better than a sugary cake.

banana who Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
Old-fashioned oatmeal and
> raisins is hearty and satisfying at this time of
> year and is way better than a sugary cake.

I love making flapjacks, which have to be one of my favorite treats and there not so bad for you either. Oats are one of the better grains and you can control what you put in them like raisins, pumpkin seeds etc.

[www.vegankingdom.co.uk]

Yeah, don't allow guilt into the equation. The ego creates guilt. The greatest manifestation of the ego run amok in the dietary world is the person who never strays. It's like they're trying to atone for something when all they have to do is forgive themselves. Excuse me, the person who never strays is not as bad as the person who strays yet who claims to never stray. The latter has issues with guilt AND psychopathy. The former simply and truly believes that their "sins" are worthy of sustained time on the dietary crucifix. Also, avoid advice from "gurus" who use guilt and shame as motivators, i.e. "If you don't do blahblahblah diet you'll be fat and you won't look this and you'll be a bad person!" These people are kinda messed up and have no business dispensing health advice. If you want to change your diet, do it because you love life and your new diet helps you to evolve and feel beautiful. People who can forgive themselves always do things that they want to do. People who are plagued by guilt and lack of self-forgiveness tend to do a lot of things that they would never do if they could get over their guilt.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 10/22/2012 07:02PM by HH.

You're a vegetarian yet you're on here cheering on raw vegan bullies who call people stupid for not raising their children free of B12? Well, well, ain't that sumpin. Appreciate your honesty, but not quite sure why you...nevermind.

banana who Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I cannot remember your story and how you came to
> this diet but it's my feeling that words like
> 'cheating' are ways your ego uses to be a
> defeatist. I believe that this is why it's better
> to gradually go into this lifestyle rather than
> change overnight. Well, at least if you are a
> meat-eater. For someone like me, who has been a
> vegetarian for many years, the transition will be
> different (notice I am saying WILL because I have
> not made it...yet).
>
> Meat is known as a stimulating food (even though
> it is hard to break down and would seem to burden
> the body) so I could see how you would slip into
> having it after having gone raw. If you felt a
> need for protein, I am wondering if you could have
> chosen some raw, organic cheese (or learn to make
> almond cheeze!) instead of meat. Maybe the guilt
> is over the meat aspect, too?
>
> I agree with Powerlifer. It's better to relax with
> your eating because otherwise it sets up needless
> anxiety. I also know, however, that certain foods
> are highly psychoactive and set up a chain
> reaction so "treats" do have to be carefully
> chosen or else a person can easily fall into SAD.
> I find that it's helpful to choose whole treats
> (even if cooked). Old-fashioned oatmeal and
> raisins is hearty and satisfying at this time of
> year and is way better than a sugary cake.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 10/22/2012 07:04PM by HH.

HH:

Well now. That was...quite an unexpected outburst from you, pal. Not sure what all that emotion is about. Thank you for reaffirming why I do not want to worry about purist sentiments. Whoa...

Maybe my ego needs to defend itself so I will indulge it like a spoiled child. I understand how some people would take umbrage with what Raw Lion said. Yes, maybe he was very strident but can you blame the dude? He dropped lots of weight and is feeding his kids in this way with success. It's him. I was giving him kudos where they are due. I am used to people's particular dogma and so it does not threaten me and I don't have to lecture them about it constantly.

Did I contradict myself? In this case, I do not believe so. Do I ever? Sure. Learn to deal--it's how I roll

HH Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> You're a vegetarian yet you're on here cheering on
> raw vegan bullies who call people stupid for not
> raising their children free of B12? Well, well,
> ain't that sumpin. Appreciate your honesty, but
> not quite sure why you...nevermind.
>
> banana who Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > I cannot remember your story and how you came
> to
> > this diet but it's my feeling that words like
> > 'cheating' are ways your ego uses to be a
> > defeatist. I believe that this is why it's
> better
> > to gradually go into this lifestyle rather than
> > change overnight. Well, at least if you are a
> > meat-eater. For someone like me, who has been a
> > vegetarian for many years, the transition will
> be
> > different (notice I am saying WILL because I
> have
> > not made it...yet).
> >
> > Meat is known as a stimulating food (even
> though
> > it is hard to break down and would seem to
> burden
> > the body) so I could see how you would slip
> into
> > having it after having gone raw. If you felt a
> > need for protein, I am wondering if you could
> have
> > chosen some raw, organic cheese (or learn to
> make
> > almond cheeze!) instead of meat. Maybe the
> guilt
> > is over the meat aspect, too?
> >
> > I agree with Powerlifer. It's better to relax
> with
> > your eating because otherwise it sets up
> needless
> > anxiety. I also know, however, that certain
> foods
> > are highly psychoactive and set up a chain
> > reaction so "treats" do have to be carefully
> > chosen or else a person can easily fall into
> SAD.
> > I find that it's helpful to choose whole treats
> > (even if cooked). Old-fashioned oatmeal and
> > raisins is hearty and satisfying at this time
> of
> > year and is way better than a sugary cake.


Thank you, and you reminded me that I need to listen to my body and it will have the answer. Sometimes, getting so hung up the label really can mess with my head. I just want to be healthy and happy. I am doing this because I dont enjoy my life if I am consuming animals, however, I struggle with eating anything lately which I know is more psychological.

I am celiac, so no oatmeal for me and I definitely do not do well on grains in general. I become very lethargic

Meat is a stimulater and this is why I tend to give in and have a piece of fish... thinking it will give me the energy I need. I am pretty low carb, so I dont think my body needs to detox.

HOWEVER-- YAY! I received my Gabriel Counsens book Rainbow Diet and hopefully by educating myself more on eating raw, the transition will not be so difficult. I was surprised to read that he does mention the blood type diet.

Oatmeal does NOT contain gluten, although they say that it's one of those crops which is cross-contaminated. If you are very concerned about it, Bob's Red Mill brand has gluten-free oatmeal. I do believe that there must be something related in oatmeal that has the same gluey quality of gluten but it's never been implicated for any other protein substance.

hi Michelle i tried to return your private message but your inbox is full

if you want to email me instead can holler at nwjodi @ rocketmail . com (no spaces) or let me know when you empty your inbox

...Jodi, the banana eating buddhist

Seriously, who cares?

banana who Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> HH:
>
> Well now. That was...quite an unexpected outburst
> from you, pal. Not sure what all that emotion is
> about. Thank you for reaffirming why I do not want
> to worry about purist sentiments. Whoa...
>
> Maybe my ego needs to defend itself so I will
> indulge it like a spoiled child. I understand
> how some people would take umbrage with what Raw
> Lion said. Yes, maybe he was very strident but can
> you blame the dude? He dropped lots of weight and
> is feeding his kids in this way with success. It's
> him. I was giving him kudos where they are due. I
> am used to people's particular dogma and so it
> does not threaten me and I don't have to lecture
> them about it constantly.
>
> Did I contradict myself? In this case, I do not
> believe so. Do I ever? Sure. Learn to deal--it's
> how I roll

Cheating against what? What is the optimal diet?

RawPracticalist Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Cheating against what? What is the optimal diet?


hi
I think I am so confused I dont even know anymore

Cheating on food is the equivalent of going for a walk around the park as opposed to climbing Mount Everest. Not everyone wants to climb Mount Everest, or more importantly, not everyone needs to climb Mount Everest to get results. The correct term is ' brainwashing', not cheating. A lot of us were brainwashed into believing that if you ate something objectionable then you undid all the good or should feel guilty.Just eat as well as you can and do your best and get on with life.

If you are torturing yourself emotionally, you're probably doing more harm than good. I take what I see as a pretty balanced approach, with high-raw as the basis, allowing for small exceptions when 100% raw would be severely stressful or detrimental: [fresherthanlife.com]

fresherthanlife Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> If you are torturing yourself emotionally, you're
> probably doing more harm than good. I take what I
> see as a pretty balanced approach, with high-raw
> as the basis, allowing for small exceptions when
> 100% raw would be severely stressful or
> detrimental:
> [fresherthanlife.com]


So true. Striving for as much raw as I can do, thank you.