Hi everybody

I have question about raw food diet transition.

In highschool I mostly ate junkfood for breakfast lunch and dinner. Now I'm 20, in college with a low budget - no more than 7 fruits per day + romaine lettuce for lunch and maybe some cashews. This is not enough to sustain high energy levels.

So the length of everyone's detox period is different. What can I do in the mean time to counter this diet-induced fatigue? As of now I'm prepared to reintroduce cheap, cooked pastas and oats into my diet. Anything to stop stomach growling, stay awake in class and bypass these headaches.

They say 100 percent raw is too extreme for most beginners, but I don't particularly want to eat pasta, bread. Will steaming my vegetables slow down detox?

Maybe I am simply not eating enough food?

It feels like my circumstances (urban environment, low budget) do not promote raw food diet. Feeling discouraged. Suggestions and help is appreciated..


Ezra

The first thing to do is to start with a diet that you are 100% VERY comfortable with. Decide what is right for you....and live at that level for a bit....so that you are not the least bit stressed by eating. Then make small, incremental changes. Everyone's situation is different....and they must start at a place that is right for them......and set goals that they are PREPARED and MOTIVATED to do. The question is not whether you can engage in a 100% raw food diet. The question is: Are you engaged in a process that IS sustainable for you....and sticking to it? I'm sure you'll be very successful.

-David Z. Mason

WWW.RawFoodFarm.com

Hi Ezra

I have the same problem! Not enough cash!

I know we're starting to go into autumn, but even here in the rainy UK there is still a lot of fruit on the bushes (blackberries etc), dandelion leaves (free!). Sprouting is cheap, also look for fruit on sale at the supermarket or buy one get one free offers. Fruits like melon may be more expensive but they have a massive amount of calories!

Instead of icky white bread or pasta, you could try buying a loaf of sprouted bread (from health food shop- they have hemp, quinoa etc). That was a good transition food for me. Cheaper still, would be maybe wild rice- you could buy a big batch of it and mix it in with your salads to help fill you up!

Great advice from both of you.. Thanks for taking the time to respond. I'll give sustainability and preparation more attention, David. Raw noogin, wild rice in salad is a good idea, especially since I have some sitting in my cupboard waiting to be used.

Thanks again,
Ez


ps. Look forward to reading your posts

raw pumpkin seeds(pepitas) and sun flower seeds are generally less expensive then cashews
zuchini, cabbage, carrots and sweet potatoes are usually inexpensive
bananas are a great fruit because the more ripe (and less acid) they are generally the less people want them and they sometimes go on sale
its good to get some higher glycemic fruits in you if you are studing, at least in my case its really hard for me to be focused if i am on low glycemic foods
whenever i am really broke i soak rolled oats(organic of corse) or definatly cook up some quinoa or wild rice or even GASP!!!!!!!!!lentils and garbonzos!, i have heard a ton of negative things about these but sometimes its better to be practical then starving and also wasting your education!
check to see if there are farmers markets or community supported agriculture in your area, i am also a big fan of picking other peoples fruit(i ask.........most of the time!) when i can tell they are just letting it fall to the ground! depending on where you live there are probably a variety of wild edibles like amaranth and lambs quarter that are super nutritious greens you can pick yourself

minus,

why are lentils and garbanzos supposed to be bad for you? I try to eat a little every day..even on the 8/1/1. I feel that's what partly stopped my hair loss (that and a couple of olives a day..)