Hello, my name is Styna. I'm 19, currently I live about an hour north of Columbus, Ohio. I've been vegan since November or last year (in which time I've managed to move all the way across the country and back). I'm definitely considering transitioning to the raw food diet. I primarily went Vegan because of animal rights, but learning about the health changes these kind of diets make to your body, the raw food diet seems like the way to go. The only problem I really see arising is that my family has never acknowledged me being a vegan, they're ex-farmers and they love their steak. They also think it's completely unhealthy for a person to go without eating meat, and refuse to listen when I try to tell them anything. They'll probably think I've gone crazy for only eating raw foods. But I think if I've managed veganism this long, I'll be able to pull it off. Which is why I'm joining this community - gotta have support coming from somewhere.

Anyone from Ohio?

Hi, my name is Jessica. I'm 22 and currently studying in Quebec, Canada. I've been raw for 5 months now, but I have been studying it for about 3 years. I have sympathy for what you're experiencing with your family. Most of my family is very much against the raw diet, and I have spent much of my time defending myself. Frankly, I'm tired of feeling guilty for choosing this lifestyle simply because it's so different what everyone else is doing. I love how I feel and I'm not trying to push my beliefs on anyone else so whats the problem It was only a few years ago that vegetarians were as "absurd" as raw foodists are in mainstream society. I do understand that, in comparison to Standard American Diet (SAD), eating only raw foods is considered extreme. But, of course, that doesn't necessarily mean that it's wrong. If you do decide to go raw, my only suggestion is to do as much research as possible so you get all the proper nutrients. When I asked my doctor about the raw food lifestyle she gave me a look of doubt and said, "It's great...if you can do it right." The last thing you need is to unknowingly miss an essential nutrient and end up in the hospital...wouldn't THAT give your family plenty of ammunition against it
If you ever have any questions, I'd be happy to help if I can.
Take Care, and Good Luck!

Jessica