Hello everyone,

I am new to this site and need some support regarding this lifestyle. I have only one friend who understands what raw foodism is, but even she has been critical of my progress--mainly because she has never tried it and never been through the healing crisis stage. Even though I tell her it's a normal process, she thinks I am harming my health--although many things have improved for me (of which she's aware!). I am wondering what others here have done in a similar situation?

I try to limit my discussions about raw to people who who are raw or have a genuine interest in raw. If you want to find out why just make up a sign saying "RAW IS THE ONLY WAY TO EAT" and get a megaphone. Take the sign in one hand and the megaphone in the other hand and go out and try to convert the world to raw.
Raw is the only way to eat IMO but not everyone is open to change.

From my personal experience I found most people are not interested in raw foods, even if the results I achieved in my health were amazing to me. So I don't mention it any more, and I take care of myself when I am in a social situation that will involve eating, that is, I bring my own food and don't expect others to feed me.

You don't need to defend your diet, and its best if you just don't talk about it. Let your friends know that you don't care what they eat, and you didn't become their friends because of their diet. Let them know that you don't have an opinion about their diet, and that whatever they choose to eat is OK with you.

If you find that you cannot say this to your friends, then you can probably expect to see some friction between you and them whenever diet comes up in the conversation.

Hi.
Maybe it's because I've only been raw for 4 months, but I find it helpful to tell people around me that I'm a raw vegan. Now I don't try to convert anyone, but when it comes to eating situations out of the house, It seems like their always looking at what I'm eating, and that helps me from cheating.

Here's a post about a guy who was on the receiving end of anger about his healthy eating choices:
[www.rawfoodtalk.com]

EZ,

The people posting there all seem fairly young. What a pity it is for that generation that they are MORE closed off to "The Other" than us Xers or above. The only thing anybody has expressed to me about raw was a concern about protein or other nutrient deficiency. Once I explain the science behind Raw, that's the end of it. And, of course, I cannot fault people for being concerned about my welfare; that would be ungracious, as there's no malice intended.

Someone blowing up in your face spewing ad hominem and profanity isn't angry about your food choices. They are insecure about their own food choices and of their power over their psychological realm, and one is better off being cordial but distant with them, if maintaining relations at all.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/26/2009 02:06PM by Tamukha.

I found that even sick people would not try raw food if they were told that it will heal them. It really is too much of a change, too drastic, or they don't believe in it I guess, afterall if it was so wonderfull their doctor would have told them about it.

One lady said to me that really she can't do it because she can't stop eating the way she eats usually. So it is not about raw food at all but rather about what is in the mind, thoughts, desires, beliefs...

Everything is possible if we believe it is.

thank you for these replies--it's interesting that many people don't care to hear the facts about eating raw--they would rather believe it's a fringe fad or something.
I did become quite sick (cold, bronchitis) 2 weeks into the raw, and being who I am I explained to a coworker that it was the toxins coming out of my tissues, etc (he s into health and supplements, so I figured he wouldn't be too weirded out). He wasn't negative about it per se, but he said, 'wow, it seems like it destroys your immune system'...of course, had I been eating 'regular' food and gotten sick (which rarely happened) he wouldn't think anything was wrong with my immune system at all!

To paraphrase Morpheus from the movie "The Matrix,"
"Most people are not ready to be 'unplugged.' They
are so deeply inured by 'the system' that they will
fight to protect it."

And that's what you're facing with Raw Foods. A lot
of resistance from SAD eaters. Even Vegans and
so-called "Vegetarians" aren't often the most receptive
to a Raw diet either.

The resistance, and/or lack of acceptance, is to Healthy
Living; and the conflict that resides within one, esp.
when they're not living that way.

I remember my Mom once saying she felt "...too intimidated
around [me] to even eat a cookie." Yet, I had never said
anything about eating cookies or tried to promulgate my
lifestyle onto her. So a lot of this is self-imposed ego
issues PROJECTED ONTO YOU!

And the fear that holds people back from discovering their
true potential; the fear of self and self-actualization, and
the feelings of unworthiness (i.e., that you don't deserve
to be happy) that goes along with it.

Steve
[www.meetup.com]
[www.rawgosia.com]



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/30/2009 06:57PM by paragon1685.