I ran across this article that I wrote in 2012, and can't believe that I never posted it as a blog, but I don't think I did.  It's a little of my own story, and offer it to you now in a small effort to get more acquainted.  We all have a story of how we got from where we were to where we are......this is a piece of mine.  Here's hoping that you have lots of opportunity in your own life to share yours.

The "Raw Foods" Lifestyle?  What's That? That was my question several years ago when I was making my way through life as a "lacto-ovo" vegetarian of 12 years, which means that I ate eggs and dairy, but no meat.

It was a good life, I thought. I was 20-30 pounds overweight, give or take.  My blood pressure, though not terribly high, was well controlled by three medications that I took daily.  I rode my bike, even when my knees bothered me, swam regularly, had regular sessions of yoga, and worked out with weights at home.  I thought that life was OK, and quite normal -- healthy, actually.

An Introduction to the Raw Foods Diet

It was my granddaughter Leah, then 15, who introduced me to a new way of thinking about food and its affect on health.  During a Christmas visit with her family in 2006, I took note of her simple eating patterns and her calm demeanor with which she carried herself.  Wanting to at least learn something of what she was up to, I read through her raw food books. Because I knew the "loneliness" of eating an unconventional diet, I wanted to at least be supportive of Leah.  While her parents encouraged her to choose nutritious foods, Lean was in mayh ways "on her own" as she tried to figure out the path of raw foods.

I also wanted to learn about a diet of raw foods, and not be judgmental about something I knew nothing about.  And while the benefits and personal success stories that I  read in her books were compelling, I did not imagine making such a drastic change in my own way of eating.  After all, I was too busy commuting a long distance to work, and dealing with the stresses of life the way it was.  Changing to a raw foods lifestyle seemed too hard -- and, well, maybe too weird, as well. But then I realized that I was on the verge of rejecting something out of hand because it was just too new and too different.   Certainly, eating a diet of purely raw foods posed a challenge, but maybe the fabulous benefits I was reading about were worth it.

I tried an experiment.  Two days after that Christmas I ate nothing by raw food.  The next day, after I realized that I had lived through the experiment, I ate nothing but raw food again.  The rest is history, and I have been a very high raw eater ever since, and, I am pleased to say, that it's been a wonderful (and healthy) adventure.

So, Just What are We Talking about Here?

Simply put, a raw and living foods lifestyle means eating exclusively fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds that have never been cooked. A very fun and liberating part of the raw foods way of life is that there are myriad combinations of these foods, so that mealtime is always interesting.  I was surprised to learn that raw food recipes abound!

But, why eat raw?  In my experience , my occasional knee pain disappeared in just a few weeks, even though  I was  bike riding harder and more often on some very steep hills.  In three months I had effortlessly lost thirty pounds.  After about one year, my blood pressure had dropped sufficiently that my doctor suggested that I didn't need medications for it any longer.

There are many, many benefits to eating and "living" raw!  My success story isn't that dramatic, even when you factor in my greatly increased energy, the need for less sleep, the disappearance of occasional headaches, and my greater strength and improved performance in athletic endeavors.

Raw Foods Success Stories

Individuals switching to a diet of raw foods have reported dramatic outcomes, some of them after years of taking medication and undergoing extensive medical treatments.  I have witnessed many of them.  A raw foods lifestyle has led to relief from depression, hay fever, fibromyalgia, and diabetes. Other benefits of a raw food diet include lower cholesterol, a clearer complexion, less grey hair, fewer toothaches, a more positive outlook, and overall improvement in health and vitality, and more harmony in body, mind, and spirit. Even more, people plagued with arthritis, multiple sclerosis, all manner of digestive disorders, and allergies have made remarkable recoveries after other fruitless efforts. And the list of benefits goes on.

Consider This!

The trend towards a raw and living lifestyle begins with being open to the idea that human beings can be more healthy and vigorous than we are now.  Everyone deserves to be as healthy and vibrant as they can be.  It begins with nutrition, and the  best nutrition is plant-based and raw!

One way to get started adding more raw foods into your diet is to investigate the possibility of a raw food potluck group.  The benefits of such a group abound!  Here in Columbia ,Missouri, join us at the Columbia Raw Food Feasters, a monthly raw food potluck where we share food, ideas, and help each other.  For further information about Raw Food Cuisine and Health Coaching, visit my Abundant Raw Life website.

Live Well  ~  ~  Eat Raw!

The Holidays Are Coming....

….or hadn’t you noticed ?  We just returned from some wonderful vacationing, and now there’s no choice but to face up to the fact that the most busy time of year is fast approaching.  It seems, then, like a good time to begin to strategize about some good self care, which ultimately will pay big dividends in energy, stamina, and the ability to stay calm and enjoy all the benefits of the holiday season.  Begin now to incorporate these five definitely healthy practices. Streamline your self-care so that you can fit it in to your busy life without bending over backwards.

 

1.  If you do nothing else, make sleep a priority.  Sleep might be the single biggest missing piece to your health puzzle (and to your weight management puzzle, in fact).  Being sleep deprived messes with our hunger and stress hormones, making us prone to binging on calorie-dense foods with lots of sugar, refined carbohydrates, and fat.  The energy boost from these foods disappears quickly, leaving us depleted and more tired than before. 

2. When you make food choices, think efficiency.  Eating food that is good fuels for you is your best defense against time wasters like low energy and frequent illness.  Choosing foods that give you the most nutritional bang means that you spend less time eating and more tie doing.  Nutrient-dense foods like fresh fruit and vegetables, nuts and seeds give your body what it needs on less.  Choose them first, whenever possible, instead of wasting time on options that leave you hungry an hour later and searching for more food.

3.  Even if you’re working against deadlines, get up for 10 minutes and walk around the block.  Learn to tune into your own personal “I need a break alarm” by noticing what happens in your body when you’ve hit a wall.  Does your back ache:   Do you stare at your computer screen for just a little too long (without actually doing any work)?  Does your stomach feel a little funky?   Once you identify your body’s “alarm,” start listening to it!  Giving yourself these short little movement breaks when your body calls out for them is a quick way to avoid burnout and reduce stress. 

4.  Take 20 minutes a week to plan your meals.  “Who has time to plan?” you say.  Two small things will make a huge difference in how well you eat and whether or not yu move your body.  First, using your calendar, and second, taking 20 minutes to plan our meals. Put workouts, meal planning time, and cooking time on your actual calendar.  It’s a guaranteed game changer, and will save you time in the long run. 

5.    Use the 4-7-8 breathing technique.  This “paced breathing” is an amazing way to refresh your body and mind wherever you are.  Begin by breathing in through your nose for a count of 4. Hold that breath for a count of 7.  Then, breathe out strongly , (as if you were blowing up a balloon for an count of 8.  Repeat this cycle 3 or 4 times.  Simple.  It only takes a few minutes and will bring your stress level down, and your sense of wellbeing up, almost instantly.  

Try these five things, get used to doing them,  and you’ll be more than ready to sail through the holidays, and enjoy them fully.