Hello dear ones,

I am totally new... fat up with all cooked food, want to make the change to step into the world of RAW.. But where to start?.I live in a tropic climate in South America all kinds of fruits are available even the Acai juice. I just started two days eating raw and I am eating fruits and Nuts almost that the whole day!!
What about steaming vegetables is that much healthier than cooking it?

My ayurveda constitution is Vata/Pita does someone know what to eat and what to avoid being vata/Pita? Can some suggest some good books or sites to search as a beginner?

Thank you all so much for responding. every single suggestion is welcome.

Warm regards,
Petra

Starting out, steamings fine. Starting out, eating lots of nuts is fine. How do you feel? Its about making steps you are comfortable with.

I'm not familiar with Vata/Pita, though, but I'm sure someone on here is.

david

Petra,

How is your raw food digesting for you? What works for me if I am going to eat nuts is to eat fruit in the morning and afternoon, and not eat any nuts or other fats until I am done with eating sweet fruits for the day. This way the food digests much better without any gas.

If you are going to cook vegetables, steaming is the healthiest way to cook them. The crisper the vegetables the better. But also include a lot of fresh salads in your diet.

David and Prana,

Thanks so much for your suggestions, step by step I am going.
Can you maybe tell me what you for example eat morning , afternoon and evenings I understand that it is different from day today but just to have a clue. How many servings are you taken during one day??
Thaks a lot by supporting me!!
Big Hugs,
Petra

David and Prana,

I am feeling quit well a lot of gas though. Because of all the nuts I quess?Thanks so much for your suggestions, step by step I am going my way.
Can you maybe tell me what you for example eat morning , afternoon and evenings I understand that it is different from day today but just to have a clue. How many servings are you taken during one day??
Thanks a lot by supporting me!!
Big Hugs,
Petra

Yesterday I ate:

8am: 8 ounces of water
1pm: 8 medium valencia oranges. 8 ounces of black sphinx dates from arizona
6pm: smoothie with 6 bananas and 6 strawberries. a salad with one romaine heart, one cucumber, 1/4 avocado, 2 tomatoes with a dressing of 1 valencia orange, 2 ribs celery, 1 red bell pepper, 1/2 bunch cilantro, and 1/4 avocado.

Typically for me its no breakfast, fruit for lunch, fruit for dinner followed by a salad.

Sometimes in the summer if its really hot, I start the morning with a quart of fresh squeezed orange juice (about 8 medium oranges).

Hey Petra, you'll find that the change in diet will promote changes in your digestion also, including gas, and it may take some time for it all to settle down, though you'll be amazed at the positive changes over time.

From the viewpoint of physical, mental and emotional aspects, I believe a steady transition to a mainly raw diet is best.

I typically begin the day with juice, usually organic grape juice, followed by a raw veg salad for my mid-day meal, with fresh and dried fruit in the evening. What works for me is the main meal at mid-day. I find that I sleep much better with a lighter meal prior to retiring for the night.

My veg salad generally consists of grated carrot, capsicum, spinach, yellow button squash, mushrooms, green olives, avocado, tomato, zucchini,chic peas and garlic. I do change the combination around and add other veg, so it's not the same every day, such as corn, cabbage or lettuce, butter beans or lentils etc. I usually add some kind of dressing such as lemon juice, vinegar based herb dressing or heaven forbid, a touch of light soya sauce or a balsamic dressing.

I never get tired of my veg salad, and if possible, the use of organic produce, with the meal prepared fresh prior to eating is the way to go. I really notice the drop in flavour if store it for the next day.

As I mentioned, at night I eat a variety of fresh and dried fruit. Though I usually soak the dried fruit for an hour beforehand. Figs, dates and currents are my favourites. I do snack on nuts throughout the day, generally cashews or almonds.

Have fun experimenting to find what works for you,and the foods tickle your taste buds.

Cheers geo

Some vegetables are also better cooked/steamed such as carrots(higher beta-carotene content once cooked), vegetables that contain goitrogens(compounds that interfere with thyroid function) such as broccoli, kale, spinach, cauliflower etc. Steaming for 10 minutes inactivates goitrogens.

Welcome!

My plans for the future include moving to your part of the world, to be able to take advantage of the abundance of tropical fruit/veggies.

Eat fruit - lots of it. Fresh, raw, and as whole as possible (if the skin is edible, eat it, in other words). Fruit gives you energy, and lots of great vitamins.

Eat greens - lettuce, kale, spinach - all the dark green leafy veggies. They will provide you with much needed minerals. If you need to, you can start off with having them lightly steamed, until you are used to eating so much (about a pound a day of dark greens). You can certainly make salads with them, instead.

If you have a powerful blender, you can combine fruit and greens into a smoothie, using enough water to make it blend easily. This might help you get enough greens.

Other vegetables: not nearly the nutrition powerhouses as the fruit and greens, but relieves boredom, provides some variety, and provides more fibre.

As far as your pita/vata, that's an Indian-based system that really applies to cooked foods. If you have some health challenges that are helped by following it, then keep with it. If you are basically in good health otherwise, just focus on getting plenty of food in its live, raw state into you.

Oh, and drink lots of pure water, as well.

Enjoy!

Live Well, Laugh Often, Love Much
We are all in this together!
Namasté

Thank you Prana for your up date it helps!!

yeah prana
had a good suggestion of not mixing fruit and nuts

easy digestion is key

also his diet is very alkaline and not very acidic

nuts are acidic
so if you wanna eat nuts, combine them with something alkaline ( like greens but not fruits)