Hi there,

I thought I'd share some of my largely positive experiences with raw food. I've been a veggie since I was fifteen and have at various times been mostly vegan and eat a little fish now and again.

My realistation that raw was the way dawned on me as I strugged to get well from a bad infection last year. You know the pattern:

1. You're fairly well, nothing special, but no big 'issues'.
2. You get some moderate amount of sickness.
3. They give you loadsa broad-spectrum antibiotics.
4. Months later you are certainly 'better' from the original illness but you feel like something the cat dragged in - giddyy-headed, digestion all over the place, constantly tired, dragging yourself through simple tasks - perhaps labelled depressed even though if you weren't feeling poorly you'd be 101% happy with your life.

I've had that reaction to antibiotics before - when in my late teens they even labelled me with 'anxiety/depression/derealisation'. It was total nonsense as there was nothing particualrly neurotic about me - at least until I started feeling faint, looked pale as a ghost most of the time and would pass clear mucus several times a day. The Doctors didn't seem to concerned about the very physical nature of my illness and put everything down to 'anxiety'.

Now, with hindsight, I know that the antibiotics had messed up by digestion and the symptoms were all those of candida and malabsorbtion of nutrients.

This time around at least I was under no illusion - the antibiotics messed me up badly.

I just wanted to get my digestion sorted and eat ultra-well to cleanse my body and get it running more normally again. Raw was the kindest thing I could think of to do to it.

Now, not all my current minor ailments stem from the antibiotics - I do tend towards excessive fatigue rather than brilliant vitality. I'm often stuffy in the ears, nose and throat and I have psoriasis (which went mental after last year's illness').

So far I've been 80% raw for a few months and most of the other 20% has been steamed macrobiotic-style stuff. Big green-leaved salads, veggie juices and smoothies, cold soups, seeds, nuts have been the largest part of my diet.

What are the changes?

Well, no dairy has made my ears, nose and throat feel much less congested - my ears often 'pop open' and I can hear really well. It just feels like areas that have been stuffed up for years are re-opening.

My psoriasis has been positvely affected. The milder, recent patches now look like just a slight 'dusting' of psoriasis and patches that have been there for years are less purply red, less prone to bleeding and seem to be slowly improving. Psoriasis is so all-pervasive that any improvement is amazing to see.

I have virtually none of the sudden piercing headaches I occasionally get.

My vitality levels are not bad but trying to kick coffee is really making feeling energetic tough work. Ginger seesm to give me a natural 'kick' so I'm experiment with teas to get rid of that heavy caffiene addiction.

I'm pretty much sold on RAW now. I just get the feeling if I keep doing it and learning more about how to do it well, I'll just feel better and better.

I would really appreciate any recommendation. Do you eat any fruit. what veges do you eat steamed? any suggestions would be helpful would you mind giving me what you have on a typical day? thank you so much. it is so beautiful out, and I would love to wear summer clothes. thankyou