I customized the raw food diet to be able to be done by myself and possibly other long term without having to say "never" to their old favorite foods. Let me know what you think of it- [journeyforhealth.blogspot.com]

Just started my rawfood journey and blogging daily about it here: [journeyforhealth.blogspot.com]

I am curious about the pizza photo. If this pizza is raw, what's the base recipe pretty please?

Gosia


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I think it sounds like a great plan you made there for yourself. I've thought of sticking to a plan quite similar of allowing myself one cooked meal a week. I've had problems staying completely raw in the past cause I am the cook of the family and boy do I loooooove to cook... so for me it keeps me on track knowing that if I ever do want to eat a cooked meal every once in a while, I shouldn't feel guilty about it.

Interesting plan.

There is some difference of opinion here whether or not the raw diet, as a healing diet, should restore healthy digestion and overall systems functioning to the extent that a person may partake of healthy cooked foodstuffs without any adverse affects. Some say yes, some say no. (some here deny that there is any such thing as "healthy" cooked foodstuffs)

I found it interesting that Brian Clement was quoted on this site as saying that "ill people should stay on the 100% raw diet for an average of 1.5 years, after which some portions of healthy cooked can then be eaten."

This question interests me a great deal, perhaps because I am looking for a loophole; perhaps because I am still questioning the viable health benefits of a long-term 100% raw food diet, and perhaps because I see a great many people panicky when considering a 100% raw food diet for life and the thought of NEVER having (fill in the blank) again.

I do know Amy, that after 100 days 100% that a mexican food meal is gonna hit your stomach like a pound of bricks! and pizza? I can almost feel the food hangover now! In my opinion, the span between raw and cooked in your plan is too wide. It would be better, if planning for cooked is your goal, to include small amounts of cooked more often than bombarding your system with it after 100 days raw. I think it's helpful to consider a 100% raw food diet as technically kin to a fast or cleansing diet. You wouldn't break a fast with Mexican food and I'd venture to guess that after 100 days raw you aren't gonna want to break it with mexican food either. Your enjoyment of this meal will be very fleeting indeed.

Just my take

khale

I went raw for 30 days the month of Sept. 06 and then have had one to three cooked vegetarian meals a week since. If you want to wean yourself I suggest doing it gradually because you get really sick even when going slow. The last time I ate mexican food I barely made it home and I was on the couch for two days. It seems silly for me to think about eating mexican food now, unless it is a mostly raw taco salad. I haven't gone all raw yet but if I continue to eat any cooked for much longer it will be rice with raw veggies and maybe cooked beans, but these are only for transition and eventually I anticipate the need to give those up also. I totally understand not having "forbidden" food. That is why I chose to transition slowly. I think after 100 days you won't be giving yourself that choice anymore. I think you would have to take baby steps toward building up your immunity to cooked again. If it makes you feel better I have been successfully healing on mostly raw and am successfully losing my, not just cravings but also, want of cooked foods. Raw food is getting better and better. Raw has become almost magically tasty to me. Like food has never been before and cooked is getting sucky. My kids had pizza a month or so ago and I took a bite and really felt it in my mouth and tried to really experience it. It was greasy and rubbery and I had a repulsion to it. Now I just remind myself of that when I think I want it and I think of something yummy and raw to eat. I don't anticipate a problem going raw socialy anymore. I just take simple foods with me and just eat what I eat. Since I have been vegetarian for eight years I am used to eating a little bit differently.

Sorry for the leangthy reply. I hope it helps with your decision.

Hi Amy,

I tried something similar to this all last year (skipped the 100 days part) and found it very difficult to not keep slipping more and more into the realm of cooked foods. But that doesn't mean that you couldn't easily handle it. I'm not trying to discourage you - just sharing my experience. Cooked is an emotional AND physiological addiction and I found it impossible to be healthy and raw or mostly raw when I had a big toe still dipped in cooked. But that is my personal experience and I know others here have had success doing different things.

As for eating out socially - I have found that it is not a problem at all if I don't announce it to anybody and don't make a big deal out of it. Most people will never notice if you are eating cooked food or not - esp with all the different diets and allergies people have these days.

Good luck!

Sarah
[goingbananasblog.com]

> There is some difference of opinion here whether
> or not the raw diet, as a healing diet, should
> restore healthy digestion and overall systems
> functioning to the extent that a person may
> partake of healthy cooked foodstuffs without any
> adverse affects. Some say yes, some say no. (some
> here deny that there is any such thing as
> "healthy" cooked foodstuffs)

while I agree for the individual, depending on where they are at, there IS such a thing as 'healthy cooked foodstuffs', however, I don't think there is much disagreement over such a thing as 'restoring healthy digestion' existing - its like an oxymoron wrapped in a tautology.

There is the whole 'digestive fire' concept, where things burn quickly and efficiently, that could certainly be 'restored' but I don't think theres any belief systems based on restoring ones ability to digest un-healthful foods... and by that I mean, if that individual has cleansed of a food at that point it certainly would be un-healthful...

I think with Clement, (just a blind assumption) that he's simply of the opinion that most folks have quite a bit of work to do on themselves...and that eating some millet and steam vegies or whatever, is pretty much non-toxic in comparisson to 'the lifetime'. And of course that the other parts of his program..the jucing, alkalizing etc..are far more impactful then going 100% raw for health.

personally

I've been having detox symptoms from dried fruits/ dates and dipped mangos lately...have to give em up...way it goes. I certainly couldn't eat say, broccoli without some distress I would think.

As for the plan
I would deffinetly not set things too rigidly in general. If you want to have the GOAL of 1 cooked meal per week that seems plenty challanging for most. although I agree with sparkler that in a way it will take more dicipline...but thats a good kind of dicipline I think, a small manageable goal. setting some kind of 100 day mark sounds more strange to me than cold-turkey. and depending on how 'light' your raw diet is, you certainly will lose the ability to eat unhealthful foods with digestive (and possible other) consequences.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/03/2007 09:50PM by anaken.

Anyone willing to give me permission to include your comments on my blog? Thanks, Amy

Just started my rawfood journey and blogging daily about it here: [journeyforhealth.blogspot.com]

bump, anyone willing to share comments for my blog on this topic? Thanks, Amy

Just started my rawfood journey and blogging daily about it here: [journeyforhealth.blogspot.com]

Hi Amy, I never ask for permission in quoting someone - I just try to do it in a positive way and make sure to mention the source... I've done this a few times. Hope this helps.

Sarah
[goingbananasblog.com]

yes I agree, you don't have my permission...but certainly go ahead

Go ahead