Hey everyone! My name is Kristin, I live in Northern New Jersey, and I think I'm finally ready to go raw!
I've been thinking about it for so long and now I think is the time to just dive in and do it. So I came here looking for advice and support, which from what I've seen so far, seems like the best place to do so!
I'm 24, been a vegetarian for about 7 years, and already feed my kitties a raw diet (which inspired me to try it myself). I've been doing some reading and research, and am totally convinced that this is what I want/need to do, I just need to get started and run with it, which I hope to do this week. Right now my fridge is bare and I plan on stocking it with raw food starting tomorrow!

I do have one question starting out. I am not a particularly "healthy" person right now, and I want to be. There are a lot of things I want to change, but I know if I try and do it all at once I will fail at all of them. I want to 1) go raw 2) start consistently getting good exercise 3) Quit smoking 4) stop drinking 5) stop taking my anti-anxiety meds.
I figure, start with the raw, which should give me more energy to exercise with, (and hopefully stop drinking caffeine too). Then work on cutting back the drinking, and then quit smoking. I know smoking will be the hardest, at one point I quit successfully for 11 months. After this I should be safe to stop the pills. What do you all think? Has anyone else here successfully tackled all this? I don't need to do it all at once, but I certainly don't want to be doing these things for the rest of my life. Thanks in advance and I look forward to talking with all of you!

-Kristin

Hi Kristin. I'm very new to raw. This is my 3rd day, but I considered it for quite awhile before actually taking the plunge. I'm sorry that no one has replied to your post. I thought I'd say hi and ask you how its going for you!

Hello Krisitin,

Where in New Jersey are you? From my experience, It is easier to be raw & vegetarian when you can support one another.

s

Hi, I'm in Jersey too. Gladstone. Am also looking for support and maybe some fun pot lucks.

When I quit drinking coffee I slept for two days - well, not solid, but almost - and had quite a headache. I haven't smoked, but imagine the withdrawal is also hard to beat at first. HOWEVER, IT IS REALLY WORTH IT!!! I absolutely LOVE eating raw foods and now can't imagine eating any other way. Oh, when I started, I told myself it would be for one month only to try it out. I haven't looked back. Best wishes for health and many happy raw meals.

hello everyone just been thinking of the raw diet,I have celiac dieseses and wanted some feedback

Hey Kristin,

I just wanted to know how you are doing on the raw road? Hope all is going well.

Hi Kirstin!

Congratulations on going raw! How is it going for you? I am 28 and in CA, I have been about 75% raw since December and totally raw for almost two months. I also drank, smoked pot everyday and took prescription meds for along time before going raw. I went through alot of extreme detoxing in the beginning (nausea, vomiting, emotional weakness etc.) but after each healing crisis I felt so much stronger and healthier that there was no going back. I have found that it is quite a transition to go through and will affect relationships with friends and change hobbies. For me in the beginning I would get such strong cravings for foods like pizza that I would have to eat them, tried to keep it to once a week but that usually became more. I found that the digestion of such foods became so unpleasant though that it helped me to eat them because they started to become more and more unappealing to me. Ditto with drinking, the purer you become the less your body will welcome toxins.

The most difficult to give up for me was pot, even more than any cooked food. I quit eating all cooked foods because I read that if you eat even 1% cooked food you will set up a continuous craving inside of yourself. I have to say that now I am totally raw cooked food has no power over me. I am changing into a new person and it is an exciting process. I hope that you doing well and thriving on raw foods!

-chloe

totally raw wow,, It would almost a dream looking in to it,, reading trying to learn about it

P.S. I wish you the very best,,,

Hey Michelita,

A new friend I just met is beating celiacs disease and Lupis on the raw foods diet. Go for it!