I'm mostly writing because I don't want to seem like some kind of creepy lurker person. I mostly come to the board to read all the wonderful, inspiring, supportive stuff on here, and to get some information about raw food. At this point I eat about 50% raw, and I certainly don't go around calling myself a raw foodist or anything. I know that this is the healthiest way to eat, and I keep on trying to make the shift, but my life has been kind of crazy for the last 3 years. I am in a very intense landscape architecture graduate program, and right now I am in South America writing my thesis. But I truly want to get to a place where I eat 90% - 100% raw, because I know I would feel and look so much better if I did!

I am young, slim and in good shape, and without any serious illnesses or problems. I have a huge appetite and I'm tired of getting it under control and then losing control again, and I feel like maybe with raw foods, where I can eat as much as I want and not get into a feeling deprived/ overeating cycle, which I think is my main problem. That, and I want to develop healthy habits.

If anybody has any suggestions or advice or whatever, I'd be very glad to hear it. Any suggestions on which foods are so important that one should eat them every day, tips for how to make the transition easy for myself, whatever. All of your comments on the board are always so helpful and inspiring, I love it. I'm going back to the states in a couple of weeks, and I am fortunate enough to live by a huge and amazing produce market three blocks away, so I think I'm going to try to do 100% raw, at least till I get home, and see how it goes.

thanks again for being here, everyone, and sharing your questions and knowledge!

Learn about food combining. Practicing this will give you the best digestion when you eat your raw foods.

Eat a lot of fruits and a lot of salads. I get over 80% of my calories from fruits. I recommend in the beginning to eat a lot of greens, as the minerals in the greens will help you with the deficiencies that were part of the cooked food diet.

ok. Are lighter greens like romaine and lettuce okay to start with? I try to eat dark stuff like spinach and kale, but to be honest I don't like the taste and it makes me feel nauseous. I love fruit and all sweet things, so that's all good, but I have a hard time eating a lot of greens. I take wheatgrass shots when I get the chance, but they make me feel sick, too. Should I just force myself to eat greens and green juices and stuff because I know it's healthy for me, or should I follow my tastes?

Welcome to the site Catalpa !

...Jodi, the banana eating buddhist

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I try to eat dark stuff like spinach and kale, but to be honest I don't like the taste and it makes me feel nauseous.

Try Romaine and/or baby spinach as I find those to be the tastiest greens. I also like Wheat Grass juice chased with orange juice.

Romaine and lettuces are great! Later you can try baby spinach greens if you like, since they are easier to digest, but there are lots of people who don't like spinach and kale.

Although I try to read and learn what is good for me, I trust my body to let me know what I should do. It seems the longer I am raw, the more what I want is what I am learning that I should be eating. It's a journey. Thankfully, it can be a pleasant one. So, good luck sticking with it.


My favorite raw vegan

Hi Catalpa,

How are you today? Fine I hope. I bet you are in great shape with no illnesses. Praise the Lord. As far as I can see, leave well enough alone. Apply mind over matter, mind over smell. A Nabisco factory spreads sweet smells all over my neighborhood and because of discipline I didn't let it bother me so don't let the smells bother you. You are doing just great after a year and a half. That's much longer than I have done. You need to figure out what's making you crave cooked foods. God bless!

I should have mentioned earlier that when you have greens or a raw food where you don't like its taste then use a salad dressing over it or an almond spread. For a long time I didn't eat avocado until I recently had it with the almond spread and a little spice. So, you've got to hang in there and try raw with various dressings and spreads until you find a desired taste. Stick with it. Eventually you be happy that you did.

Hi Catalpa,

Regarding eating things you know are good for you but make you feel nausea, I agree sometimes it's a matter of food combining, sometimes finding just the right veggie or green. For instance dandelion tastes bitter to me but never made me nauseous though swiss chard was a little risky.

If you go 100% please be sure to get your electrolytes. Young coconut water is very good for this. Schools of architecture are tough, having studied at the BAC and in the ASU M.Arch program and remembering the all-nighters. I OD'd on coffee and snickers bars so appreciate your questions here.

Catalpa in the beginnng i had total fruit rejection lol i was the exact opposite, i could eat greens till the cows came home I found that my rejection of fruit was partially because i grew up never consuming it , and secondly i was always picking mostly underripe fruit or overripe and not getting the good tastes i was looking for

maybe the same holds for greens for you, i find baby greens much more palatable compared to mature greens which can sometimes be kinda bitter

...Jodi, the banana eating buddhist

Catalpa,

Welcome, non-lurker, creepy or otherwise!

Fruit! Fruit! Fruit! I, too, studied architecture for a while and, gosh, would it have been easier on fructose : ) Good luck with your studies!

Thanks for your help everyone! I absolutely adore fruit, so I guess I'll be relying on fruit as my doorway into eating better this year. I ate a pineapple for breakfast this morning and it was heavenly. It's summer down here in Argentina so there is TONS of yummy fruit available.

Next semester when I am trudging up the hill in the snow to class, I'm sure a backpack full of fruit for the day will be a comfort, although I confess that I wonder if I will be craving warm soups and toast and stuff like that. (?)

Catalpa

I have been on this journey for years and had many ups and downs. I've noticed that stress makes me lose my motivation and focus. So if I keep that in check I seem to do much better. Another major thing that helped me (because I eat a lot too!) is adding coconut oil to my diet. It is so filling. But make sure you get the good kind- organic, unrefined, unbleached and raw. I get mine from www.NaturesApproved.com. They all taste different too so make sure you get one you like. I make chocolate shakes with it, add it to my smoothies, spread it on ezekiel bread, etc. It has been a life saver for me because I find that all the fruits and vegetables are not enough to make me feel full.

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coconut oil to my diet. It is so filling. But make sure you get the good kind- organic, unrefined, unbleached and raw. I get mine from www.NaturesApproved.com. They all taste different

I wonder why different brands all taste different ? Are there different tasting coconut trees ?



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/01/2009 04:49PM by EZ rider.

Fruit, fruit and more fruit. If you are hungry more fruit. You do not need any oils but you may like to add them - I do not.

Don't eat any greens that you do not like - don't eat things that you do not like by disguising the flavour with other food. Salad leaves are just fine.

By the way I am a garden designer - I bet you are having a great time in South America. You have all that fruit on your doorstep not like us here in freezing wet England -

> I wonder why different brands all taste different
> ? Are there different tasting coconut trees ?

With coconut oils there are so many variables. The traditional Philippine method involves fermentation which affects the taste, or the nuts can be pressed and centrifuged. Storage, bottling and shipping can further affect the taste.

I'd also like to hear more on tree varieties, even if they are very local...

Just got home with a lovely mature Dominican coconut.

Dear EZ Rider,
I'm no expert but I know the different tastes have to with many things such as if it's organic, where it's from, if it's cold-pressed, bleached, etc. I just know I love the brand I get and the one's I got from the store taste more processed.