I have so much to learn and unlearn. It sometimes seems like I can't do it fast enough. But patience! one step at a time, one day at a time!

I agree. Just when I think I am beginning to understand, they change the rules! lol

It is amazing though; What we once thought to be "healthy" choices is so far off base...

Me too!

The main thing I have learned about raw food and cooked food is that they don't mix.
A person who eats cooked food will eat more and more cooked food and less and less raw food.
Degenerative diseases come from eating cooked food. Health & wellness come from eating raw food.

Bryan its nice to hear you say that. I always imagine that you are the expert. I find you are extremely knowledgeable thats for sure.

EZ, what about cooked brown rice? I'm eating raw of course for the health benefits, but I am also trying to lose weight. I eat raw all day, but if the evening (around 6ish) I will eat about 1 cup of brown organic rice every night.

I am so new to this lifestyle. I am also a lone ranger - single - and all my friends that I love dearly support it, but inwardly the groan & think I'm crazy.

I started eating raw mid September for a little over a month, got weak for a month and ate cooked (some raw), but I have been raw again for over a week now. It's kinda hard this time around. I will do a 2 week fast to help detox and cleanse at the end of the month.

lisap75
Thats one thing that worries me. I have heard a number of people complain about feeling weak on raw, or loosing too much weight. I did a two day fast before transitioning to raw, that made it easier, but a 2 week fast? I thought about doing that, but I don't have that luxury at the moment. I also heard its recommended to have medical supervision for a lengthy fast.

Lisap75,

I might suggest a transition diet at fist! Eat the cooked rice or soup at night- there's no right/wrong. Jumping into 100% raw can be shocking and stressfull to a body (and mind). You're the expert of you, only you know whats best for you!

Do the fast too! A clean colon allows for better nutrient-utilization which = more energy. Also remember, while your body is cleansing and detoxifying it will require lots of energy for healing! Rest and sleep allot (especially while fasting).

Good luck!!!

EZ rider Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> The main thing I have learned about raw food and
> cooked food is that they don't mix.
> A person who eats cooked food will eat more and
> more cooked food and less and less raw food.
> Degenerative diseases come from eating cooked
> food. Health & wellness come from eating raw food.

Beautifully put EZ rider. Reminds me of this quote from the Essene Gospel of Peace:

"For no man can serve two masters. For either he serves Beelzebub and his devils or else he serves our Earthly Mother and her angels. Either he serves death or he serves life. I tell you truly, happy are those that do the laws of life and wander not upon the paths of death. For in them the forces of life wax strong and they escape the plagues of death."

EZ rider Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> The main thing I have learned about raw food and
> cooked food is that they don't mix.
> A person who eats cooked food will eat more and
> more cooked food and less and less raw food.
> Degenerative diseases come from eating cooked
> food. Health & wellness come from eating raw food.


I don't agree. I once ate nearly 100% cooked. Then switched to 100% raw. Now I oscillate between about 30/70 to 70/30 cooked/raw. If you believe that anything cooked is some sort of poison & one bite will said you into some downward spiral you'll probably create a self-fulfilling prophecy though. For people new on the path this type of attitude is likely to do more harm than good (again, speaking from personal experience).

Cheers.

Community Builder,
Yes, that caused me some problems in my first attempts to go raw. When I ate something cooked I felt like I had failed, and eventually just went back to a primarily cooked diet. Now I feel like keeping up high raw, and building my general habits and outlook to raw, even if its not 100% to start, and even if I never get to 100%.

Another thing I am trying to remember is that all cooked foods are not equally bad. I honestly believe that a bowl of brown ice is light years away from a doughnut, or a piece of fried chicken. Tomato soup isn't equal to a cheeseburger or fries etc... So, if I have something cooked, it doesn't mean I have to reach for the worst.

Such great suggestions!!! Thanks everyone. Thanks so much, Mislu for starting this thread.

I found with myself that I have to jump right in, otherwise I'll just procrastinate with it....unfortunately I was under the wrong assumption that my line of thinking was not conducive with feeling good when I eat raw. I initially felt like I was depriving myself or something....which is some of the reason I started to dwindle back to cooked back in October. Ugh. What a farce this system of cooked processed foods has created for our mindset! It's a total handicap that I have to struggle to get out of (and have almost conquered).

When I do eat raw, I am eating at I guess at 85%....meaning I treat myself to one california roll a week....and then the cooked brown rice at night. I agree with Mislu in the respect that all cooked foods aren't equally horrible for you. I know that once I master the 85% portion, I do want to move into the bracket of 90-100%. For right now, I think giving it up would do more harm to me than good. But you are correct, EZ....moving more towards raw, I'm slowly losing my desire for cooked foods.

I am on a master cleanse right now, on day 5. Our company is shutting down the next week & 1/2, so that will enable me to realx more on this fast and exercise a little. I have to find a good colonic outlet here in Orange County CA....my father & mother used to be certified in that when I was a kid and I was as healthy as a horse. I want to get back into that. Anybody know where I can look?

My "success story" at 5'9" so far is this: 2004, at 327 lbs (very cooked)....fast forward to 2007, at 275 (very cooked still but exercising)...from 2007-Aug 2009, at 260(cooked dieting). From Sept. til now: 239 - RAW RAW RAW baby! Only downhill from here. Goal is somewhere normal, and to feel soooo good living raw!

I have found happiness in this lifestyle. It's saving my life. Thanks for reading.

lisap75,

I am one of the ones who jumped in high 90-something percent raw right from the beginning. I know that's not for everyone, but it worked great for me. Instead of thinking I was depriving myself, I gave myself permission to eat all the raw fruits and vegetables I wanted. (I only set limits on nuts, seeds and avocados.) So, I had the freedom to eat anything and everything in the produce section. WOW! How liberating!!! It was adopting a mindset of abundance instead of deprivation that made all the difference for me.

And although we're in agreement that all cooked foods aren't equally horrible for you, by telling myself that cooked foods weren't food, I lost my desire for it. That was an amazing "unlearning." How far I have come is that many cooked food smells that I previously liked now smell horrible to me! I wouldn't have believed that I'd no longer want to test-taste food I cook for my husband, but I don't.

Congratulations on your success story. You are doing wonderfully well.


My favorite raw vegan

lisap75,
I recently checked out a copy of "Conscious Eating" by Gabriel Cousens. He is such a talented writer with such great knowledge of nutrition. Of course he upholds raw veganism as being the optimal diet for a lot of reasons. However, he isn't as judgemental about cooked foods and animal foods as I thought he would be. I think he realizes that a lot of people are very addicted to those things. Maybe a lot of readers of his books are first time readers,so some concepts are very new to me. so hes very sensitive to that, hes quite amazing.

He compared cooked foods and raw foods to driving a car and walking. I was suprised that he says that it takes more effort to digest raw foods, but that it is ultimately healthier. But if your not used to it, it might be uncomfortable, and often times people have difficulty at first. Supplementation is also pretty widespread, and for years I thought it essential as good insurance. Hes not opposed to supplementation by any means, but thinks it should be done very minimally and wisely, with a clear purpose and diagnosis. At least that is how I read it, he might have meant something else.

The digestive system might get lazy if it doesn't have to work at extracting nutrients, as is often the case with unnecesary supplementation, and cooked foods.
Well, it sounds like you are making excellent progress in your health and lifestyle. You sound like you feel better and are happier with the changes you have made! excellent work!

I had the same problem. There is too much brainwashing around so i have had to step back and reasses everything as well.