Weather you are diving right into the raw food diet or just dabbling, it does not matter.

Enjoy the process and the flow of all the positive energy that you will get from living

food. Slow down and listen to your body, don’t fight the flow.
 

First of all you need to ask your self a very important question. WHY? Why do you

want to change your life with a raw food lifestyle – diet? Seriously ask your self this

question and then answer it. Keep it in the back of your mind at all times. You will need to refer back to it often. You will come to depend on it when you are detoxing and transitioning into your new life. It will help you to keep it real.

Becoming a raw vegan is nothing new. People have been raw vegans for hundreds of years. We started out in this world as raw vegans. The raw food lifestyle has gained much attention in recent years because of all its health benefits, energy, and vitality. Raw and living foods have the ability to cure disease and other illness. People have cured themselves of all kinds of cancers, diabetes, ADHD, anxiety, depression, obesity, and hundreds of other ailments. I just recently heard of a child being cured of autism eating whole, live, raw foods. Living foods are life. Dead foods are death.

Raw certainly is not a very inspiring word, however when you begin your journey into the raw lifestyle you will soon realize that it is full of life, inspiration and rewards that you have never before experienced.

Raw food is an honest and true whole food. What you see is what you get. There are no hidden ingredients; there are no injections to produce more food. There is no processing done to the whole foods to improve shelf life. It is pure food with all its nutritional value intact. Pure, delicious fresh food that the human body was designed to consume. Your whole body cheers when fed by it. Best of all you can grow your own food.

Soon your family and friends will see you in a new light, they will see you glow, they

will feel your love, you will look healthy, and soon you will begin to look younger. You will be happy and feel light and alive. You will return to your natural weight, no matter what your size is. Soon they will want what you have. They will all want to be a part of your new lifestyle.

I am finding that a lot of people think that eating raw takes a lot of time and that it is too expensive. Raw foods are the fastest of fast foods to prepare. When we were cooked eaters I would spend $200 or more each week for my family, as raw foodists I spent $125 a week for the family. I don’t know of a better deal than that.

As you begin your transition you will probably spend more money on food until you have tried everything that you want to, you will make all kinds of recipes because it is all new and exciting. Soon you will begin to eat less because your body is getting all the vitamins, minerals, enzymes and nutrients that it requires. Your body will want a smaller amount of food remember it is pure food. You will eat to live, not live to eat.

You do not need any special kitchen equipment to get started. You will need a blender, any blender will work, and you may eventually invest in a high-speed blender such as a Vita-Mix. You will need a juicer; you can get a good juicer for around $100. Check out the ebay auctions you might get one cheaper. Again you may want to upgrade in the future. You will want a basic food processor. You may even want to invest in a food dehydrator. We use a dehydrator because I make raw cookies, crackers and breads for Alex. Other than that you really do not need anything else. It is all pretty basic and easy.

When you are new to raw foods you automatically assume that all that you will be eating are salads, carrot sticks and Apples. It is not true. There are hundreds of recipes online as well as helpful information. Keep an open mind, stay strong and never stop learning.

Everyone has his or her own approach and ideas about the raw food diet. Eating raw food does not mean that you need to give up your razor. Do your research and do what is right for you and your family.

Supplements are not essentail. We get everything from the food that we eat. Purchasing supplements is a personal choice; don’t let others “scare” you into taking supplements. Listen to your body. I do however buy a green superfood. It is a green powder that has numerous green leafy vegetables that have been sun dried and ground into a fine powder. It is a food not a supplement. I give a small amount of it to my baby Alex in his juice or nut milk every other day just to make sure that he is getting enough greens for his growing body and brain.

Here is a brief overview of what a raw foodist eats. These are a few food groups.

Fresh fruit

Green leafy vegetables

Vegetables

Root vegetables

Squash

Variety of zucchini

Wild greens

Nuts & seeds

Bean sprouts

Legume sprouts

Sprouting seeds

Vegetable sprouting seeds

Mushrooms

Wild rice sprouted

Sea alages

Sea vegetables

Cold-pressed oils

Honey & agave (sweetners)

This just mentions a few items. Walk into your local market look at the produce, there are hundreds of items there for you to eat, plus so much more. There is nothing better than cold live nut milk. You will be amazed at all the recipes we make, and the variety of food we eat. You can eat gourmet foods or simple foods, there are delicious desserts, and pure raw chocolate is to die for.

There are quick simple recipes as well as complex recipes. Again you will do what is right for you.

Detox: Your body will begin to rid itself of all the chemicals, pesticides, and various

other toxins that that it has been living on. The time line of this detoxification process

depends on each individual. It may last a few days or a few weeks, every body is unique each of you will detox differently. You may have a mild or severe headache, stomach cramps, low-energy. Some may experience flu like symptoms and vomit the toxins out.

It too will pass and you will quickly learn how ill the cooked meat and potatoes diet really makes us. Be patient the outcome will be wonderful and worthwhile.

Eat as much raw fruits and vegetables as you possibly can during this time. Remember the “WHY?” that I mentioned keeping in the back of your mind and refer to it.

Transition: This will vary according to each individual as well. Some folks jump right in with both feet and that is just fine. Others choose to transition slowly. Cutting back on their cooked foods maybe eating 1 or 2 cooked foods or meals each week. Then they will eliminate meat, dairy products and finally eat cooked brown rice until they are ready to completely transition to being 100% raw. However you choose to do it will depend on you.

Dependency on cooked food is an addiction. Most of us either are or were food addicts. Ending your dependency to cooked food is not an easy thing. In fact it is hard, very hard. Some of us think about cooked food a lot, some not at all. You will be aware of the problem and adjust your diet accordingly. Keep busy and embrace other healthy habits.

Get support from others. There are a lot of great raw food forums on the net. You will gain support, recipes, ideas and knowledge. Get out there make some new friends.

Although a 100% raw food diet is beneficial for optimal health, you do not have to be 100% raw. Do what you feel is right for you. 75-85-or even 95% raw, do your own thing. Having a Raw Coach thru this transition time can be beneficial if you want to achieve 100%, true health or Weight Naturalization. You will have questions and need advice. You will want to learn all you can from your Raw Coach. Get the support you will want and need during this time. A majority of Raw Coaches are also Nutrition Specialists. They can help you plan your weekly menu to insure that you are getting all the nutrients and important enzymes that your body craves. Soon you will be able to recognize and listen to your body, it will tell you what it wants and needs. Many Raw Coaches are also Raw Food Chefs. They have created many awesome recipes for their family, friends and clients and will pass on their knowledge of food preparation with you.

Good Luck to you on your raw food journey.