A couple of Questions

I want so badly to feel the benefits of a raw diet, but I am heavily addicted to sugar and caffeine. There seems to be two ways to go raw 1) transition. 2) all the way. I find that with the transition, I never QUITE get to "all the way" but all the way seems so dramatic. Like, where can I START!!! I dont have all the fancy equipment. And does it REALLY Matter if we sprout our nuts and seeds? Can't we start off fairly simply and then move into dehydration, sprouting, crazy baking adn blending. Whats the simple simple simplest way to start incorporating changes?

Warmly,

e

Comments

  • hikurohikuro Raw Newbie

    There's plenty of sugar in fruits, any time you feel a craving you could whip up something sweet like a strawberry banana smoothie guilt free. For caffeine you could start off having raw cocoa or something similar and gradually decrease your dosage if you want.

    Starting is technically easy, sticking to it is harder. You don't need any equipment at all, just hit the produce section and go home and enjoy. For me having a blender is near essential, but that's it.

    You don't have to sprout your seeds, or do any fancy dehydrating, 'baking', etc. Blending is used sometimes in complex recipes, but doing something simple like bananas and water is pretty easy.

    I think a commonly suggested way to start out is with breakfast. Have a big fruit meal for breakfast, then eat the rest of the day like normal. Or pick lunch or dinner instead, or start doing fruit for snacks instead. Gradually increase your fruit intake as much as you can(fruit smoothies are an easy delicious way). Social eating is the biggest challenge, as there's seldom raw choices available, and people tend to think this diet is odd if not unhealthy.

    There's a lot of viewpoints on raw out there, but it doesn't have to be difficult, and it doesn't have to be fancy. Do what makes sense and works for you. If you feel better on more veggies than fruit, than do that. Personally I'd recommend getting plenty of calories(3,000 is a good number), mostly from fruit, don't forget to have some greens(a large salad for dinner is common, but I mostly get them in green smoothies), an iodine source like seaweed, and to limit your total fat intake from avocado's, nuts, seeds, etc. Exercise is also pretty important

  • powerliferpowerlifer Raw Newbie

    Couldnt have said it better myself. Alot think of raw that you need all the fancy dehydrators and such. Dehydrators and such are good if you like doing abit of raw gourmet recipes but there not essential.

    You dont need to sprout either but sprouts are a great source of protein and nutrients.

    Weaning yourself off the caffiene is a better idea so that you can restore your adrenal glands rather than coming straight off and crashing. Then you end up looking for a pick me up because your so tired. Adaptogenic herbs are good to restore the adrenal glands whilst giving a mild energy boost which isnt harmful to the adrenals.

     

  • I have starting by having one cooked meal a day until I use up all my "SAD" food - which will more than likely be next month and then going completely raw until August. For me, mentally that works out. I don't have the mental freak out of having to do this forever. What I know will probably happen, is that I will love it and continue on. So far so GOOD! Green Smoothie for breakfast, cooked meal at lunch, salad or uncooked meal in the evening with nuts/fruit/veggie for snacks in between. Meal planning has helped me a lot!

    You could try transitioning by making a raw feast one week per month (or whatever makes you comfortable) and then increasing that time span each month.

    Use the transition time to ween off the caffeine and switch to more nutritious forms of sugar like honey, agave, dried fruit in cereals and oatmeal, etc. I know the more I weened myself from refined & processed sugars, the sweeter things with natural sugars tasted. I don't know if you've ever tried herbal teas, but I find them way tastier than coffee and most have their own sweetness to them.

    eat well. live well. heal.

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