hi guys.

i am new too - very new actually - still in the research phase and trying to eat mostly raw but doing it haphazardly (today is day one for me) - I need some insight on the best way to stock my kitchen - I like to have things on hand as opposed to going to the market every day. can anyone give me any suggestions? also, i have a juicer but what other supplies are essential?

is anyone located in SF? is there a raw foods grocery out here or a market that is heavy on raw foods (other than fruits/veggies).

also what detox side effects should i expect? i am pretty unhealthy at the moment so i am expecting to deal with the worst of it.

thanks for your help!
emily

Hi emilyah1981 and welcome,

I have been raw 80 -95 % since about august 15th. This site is amazing for learning things about becoming raw and the people that post here are super supportive, so be sure to read as many posts here as you can.

One of the things that I learned is that you can make raw eating as simple or as complex as you want to make it, if that makes sense. I like the simpler way of eating. I do alot of salads, dehydrated crackers, green smoothies and juice. I really like to start my day out with many ounces of green smoothies: spinach or kale, blueberries, strawberries and pineapple is my favorite. I also drink alot of filtered water. See what works best for you, but I do recommend buying organic soft fruits, like strawberries, blueberries, apples, etc. simply because of the pesticides that are absorbed into the softer skinned fruits. I checked alot of books out of the library when I began researching the raw lifestyle (before I found this site) and they helped alot too.

Essential supplies? I don't know that you need alot of expensive equipment to be raw, although a blender does help. I am slowly acquiring some raw equipment (dehydrator for christmas), but I don't think that they are essential when first starting out raw.

I had alot of detox issues at first, but every person is different. I had headaches because I wasn't using a supplement and my b12 levels went very low. I also had bowel issues and was really tired for a while, but!!!!! now I sleep soundly through the night, no hot flashes (I am at that age, yuck), my menstrual cycle has slowed way down, skipping this month, yay! Oh, I lost 17 pounds so far, but I also work out 2-3 times a week. I have no bathroom issues, it is now very regular and I wake up easily in the morning. I love the way raw foods make me feel, think and look.

Sorry for the long post, I hope that I answered your questions and welcome to the site!

Deb

Like you I spent a lot of time scouring the internet for information on raw food when I first decided to try it. It seemed so radical to do something so natural, that I wanted to be sure and be informed! LOL Although I'm still learning, now I am much more relaxed about it all.

I don't have a juicer or dehydrator, but I use a blender and a food processor at least once a day. The blender motor stays warm - mostly for the many green smoothies I make. (Yeah, the thought of green smoothies sounded gross to me too, but I LOVE them now.) I like including the fiber in my drinks, but may also get a juicer one day too. Since you already have a juicer, you might not want a blender? My blender is a cheapie that I plan to wear into the ground, but others write about loving their Vitamix blenders. As to getting a dehydrator, I don't want the density of sugar in dried fruit without the water that fruit has when it is whole and fresh. However, if you're fine with eating dried fruit (as many people are), but don't want to get a dehydrator, beware that store-bought dehydrated fruit usually has preservatives (bad).

Since I ate a fairly healthy diet (by SAD standards) before going raw, I didn't have detox symptoms like others have described. I hope detox is a breeze for you too.

Stocking a kitchen will be really different because you'll mostly be stocking your fridge with fruits and veggies instead of stocking a pantry with boxes and cans. Be sure to include some leafy greens. I try to keep my fat percentage at 10% or less, so I rarely get raw nuts. I do still use some dried herbs and spices (maybe I am still transitioning), although I understand some people don't consider them raw.

Write again when you have questions. AND WELCOME, NEWBIE!


My favorite raw vegan

Thank you both for the great responses! Today is day two for me and I am keeping it simple too - lots of fruits and veggies - although I don't yet have a raw salad dressing so I used salsa - it's definately going to be a learning process! I am also transistioning slow - I don't want to put so much pressure on myself to do everything at once - or else I will quit - it's been my M.O. with every other 'diet' I've tried! My goal is not for a diet but a lifestyle change this time around!!

I have a blender and a food processor (cheapie brands but they'll do the trick) so I am going to start with the green smoothies tomorrow - so excited! Are there any suppliments you would suggest to add to the smoothie? It's really bizarre that I am going to be mixing spinach and kale with fruit but I'll give it a shot!

I swear I am already feeling a bit of detox - this all might be in my brain but my skin is feeling a bit itchy and colors are seeming to be more vibrant! Like I said, I am expecting the worse but I know it's only short term - I am tough - I can deal!

I add flax seed to my smoothies, but imo it is personal preference. I also take a b12 supplement every day. When I started green smoothies, I added more fruit to the smoothie (25% veggies, 75% fruit and everyday slowly added more veggies until I was at a ratio of 60% veggies, 40% fruit), that may help you get used to drinking them. They are really quite good and my family looks forward to them every morning.

On Thanksgiving, I blended spinach with carrots and onion (all tho I think some will say not to use onions) and a tbsp. of tahini to use as a dip for fresh veggies. You could probably use that as a raw dressing. Good luck and enjoy your journey.


Deb

There was a thread a while back "Any good raw salad dressings?" where Jodi and others listed lots of raw dressings. You can click on search and type in "dressing" to get to it.


My favorite raw vegan

Emily,


The SF Bay Area is ripe with a large raw food community and restaurants.

Rainbow Grocery on Folsom street has a pretty decent selection of raw foods & a great produce section. They're a veggie grocery, in business since the 1970's. Fun to shop in there.

There are a handful of natural grocery stores scattered throughout the city that also carry some raw "transitional" foods.

Other Avenues on 3930 Judah is fantastic as well and there's a raw juice bar next door.

Consider checking out the year round farmer's markets too...a great one @ Embarcadero Center, near the piers every Saturday.

Restaurants: Visit Cafe Gratitude (24th & Harrison) & Alive! (Lombard) to get ideas and sample great raw foods. Cafe Gratitude serves some cooked, but it's mostly raw.

Go to meetup.com and type in raw foods and you should find some groups on there.

Good luck on your journey.

Peace.

Oh yes...almost forgot a great natural foods store. When you're in Berkeley, you absolutely must visit the Berkeley Bowl. They are supreme with their selection of raw foods, raw food ingredients and produce. They have a new store on 4th which offers a gigantic produce section. I'm talking in the range of 20 selections of each kind of fruit, greens and vegetables. The bulk food section is the bomb also. Your eyes may indeed pop right out of your head when you walk in the door! Have fun.

Whole Foods, while pricey does offer a wide assortment of raw foods. At least the ones in the Bay do. Okay, that's it! Happy New Year.

Hey Everyone! I am also new to eating raw. Currently in the research/transition phase. I'm also kinda new to the Bay Area (4 months). Are there any clubs or potlucks that meet up in the Bay or the SF??

Hi Emilyah-

I did mostly raw a few years back when I was still with my ex. We even catered some progressive parties/events in the bay area/north of the bay area. Now, 2 years later I find myself being drawn back to the raw lifestyle. I know I feel the best, think the best, function the best, am truest to myself when I do. I'm not IN San Francisco, but I live about one hour north if you'd want to chat or maybe go to lunch sometime??? Cafe Gratitude??? I just started Bikram Yoga as well...