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Are You Too Raw Food Focused?

swayzeswayze Raw Newbie

This is one of the emails I send out to people who subscribe to my list. I was encouraged by a subscriber to post this here so I hope you guys enjoy it! :)

Swayze

www.fitonraw.com

*Subject: Are You Too Raw Food Focused?*

This may seem like a strange question, seeing as this is a mailing list dedicated to raw *foods*. Keep reading and you'll see why it's perfectly reasonable.

You see, many raw foodists think that raw food is the end all be all. They believe that if they shun cooked food and only eat raw food, they will be perfectly healthy.

Perhaps you're feeling the same way. Maybe you've read all the great testimonials from people who have released hundreds of pounds, reversed cancer, and have finally begun to thrive and you are convinced that raw foods are the answer to everything.

I completely understand the enthusiasm - perhaps even fanaticism - surrounding raw foods. It's amazing to see the results that can be achieved just by going raw, especially if you go the low fat, high fruit route.

However, there are a couple of problems with this way of thinking.

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Perfection

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As I said, many raw foodists see a raw vegan diet as the "end all be all." They think they can give up cooked foods, go 100% raw and all their problems will (magically) be solved.

Let's get one thing straight. No one is perfect and no one ever will be...and that includes you!

I don't care how little cooked food you eat or much raw foods you stuff down your gullet, you will *never* be perfect.

PERIOD.

Just look at all the raw food "gurus" out there. Sure, they may market the raw food diet as the only way to achieve the "perfect" body, or to have "perfect digestion," or to get "perfect" teeth...but that certainly does not make it so.

I mean, if this were really the case, wouldn't these gurus be pinnacles of perfection? Some of them have been raw for 20+ years and yet I know they are nowhere near perfect...because no one is!

If these long-term raw food radicals still aren't perfect, is there any reason to expect perfection from your own raw food efforts?

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There's More To Health Than Just Diet

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One of the side effects of the mainstream raw food movement's focus on food is the almost complete avoidance of exercise. There are far too many raw foodists, gurus included, who rarely (if ever) participate in some form of bodily movement.

It's as if they believe that eating raw will somehow "cancel out" the fact that they spend all day sitting on their butts!

In The 80/10/10 Diet, Dr. Graham actually lists a total of *32* "Fundamental Elements of Health" that you should be concerned with.

Here's the first ten on the list:

1.Clean, fresh air

2.Pure water

3.Foods for which we are biologically designed

4.Sufficient sleep

5.Rest and relaxation

6.Vigorous activity

7.Emotional poise and stability

8.Sunshine and natural light

9.Comfortable temperature

10.Peace, harmony, serenity, and tranquility

See that?

"Foods for which we are biologically designed" (i.e. a low fat raw vegan diet) makes up just ONE single factor!

And it isn't even first on the list!

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Make What You Eat a Priority, Not an Obsession

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I'm not arguing that improving your diet is not important.

It is *hugely* important, especially considering the harmful food and drugs that the majority of people consume day in and day out. Eliminating cooked food and making healthy raw food a priority in your life will have wonderful consequences for you.

However, there's no need to get obsessed. Your diet is only one factor of many that play a role in your overall health and well-being. If you truly want to thrive, you must consider every aspect and act accordingly.

As Dr. Graham likes to say...

You are only as strong as your weakest link.

Go raw and be fit,

Swayze

www.fitonraw.com

Comments

  • Great post!

  • Wow!! Great article. It describes exactly how I try not to be. I find myself obsessing about it but I think that is because it is so different from the way I have believed my whole life (I embraced RAW at age 46 and am now 48) and old habits are extremely hard to break. As well, I live with 3 other people who think my eating philosophy is extreme in addition to the fact that I have to cook for them and I have to admit that SAD food is still very tempting. SAD foods are everywhere and in order to stay strong on RAW I tend to immerse myself in it. I used to be worse--when I first went RAW I tried to convince everyone to change their eating habits. Now I mostly try to contain myself.

  • Not trying to be perfect. It just makes me feel better than any other way of eating. If it feels good...do it!

  • Thanks for the post! Perfectly describes my outlook on raw!

  • SuasoriaSuasoria Raw Newbie

    Well said - and wise.

    A quote that has been resonating with me lately is "The perfect is the enemy of the good."

  • swayzeswayze Raw Newbie

    Glad you guys liked it! :D

    rawfreak4fr, I can totally relate. I was just so enthusiastic when I first went raw that I thought everyone should know about it. More importantly, I thought everyone *wanted* to know about it!

    My experience has been that if people really want to change, it has to be on their own terms. It has to be their idea and their decision, no matter how convincing and/or enticing your argument may be.

    Swayze

    www.fitonraw.com

  • Swayze, that's a hard lesson to learn for me when I know that the ones I love could benefit so much from RAW. As the saying goes, you can lead a horse to water but you can't make him drink.

  • Raw PassionRaw Passion Raw Newbie

    See, I agree. Because I do think Raw Food is good for me, and I admit at first I thought it would solve all my problems, but to be honest theres too many grains out there I love! Rice, quinoa etc.

    I think when people become obsessed thats when it becomes an eating disorder..which is why we do tend to have a bad name. I don't think I will ever become completely raw. I eat Raw because to me not eating sugar and eating tons of unprocessed fruit and veg is logic.

    To be honest, I prefer my broccoli steamed...and I do like a jacket potato with baked beans. If you're eating 100% raw because thats what you prefer then good, but if your reasons dont flow well it's not good. I have to admit, once I went to Raw Desserts I have a hard time going back to normal lol - there just so damned good!

  • Raw Passion! that's what got me- the raw desserts! I actually stopped eating all desserts that weren't raw. I recently began to eat gluten-free desserts and soy/rice ice cream again, but even that's rare and not as tasty as raw desserts. I only went back to the grains because I had a hard time digesting nut/fruit desserts, but I'm back to exclusive raw pastries.

    I love raw foods!

  • raw desserts? tell me more.

  • Raw PassionRaw Passion Raw Newbie

    ItVeganAtGenesis: They are soooo yummy arent they, I mean I love knowing that I can't eat them and not have to worry about the sugar and fat within them.

    I love raw chocolate cakes..and cakes in generals...and ice cream..and cakes...well you get the idea.

    I eat the occasional non raw dessert, but I make it vegan and use wholemeal flour. But I think once you have tried Agave or Maple syrup and know how healthy raw desserts are, you struggle to eat the fatty other types.

    Nubeinluvecreasun: What did you want to know? Raw Desserts are basically (like all raw) Uncooked, they dont have sugar, wheat, gluten or dairy in. There not always vegan as many have honey in. A typical crust is made with nuts and dates then with a filling. Sugar is substituted with things like agave, maple syrup, honey, stevia, palm sugar etc.

  • I want to know as much as possible. I love sweets. That's my guilty (not guilty cause I don't care about the guilt) pleasure. So, I want to know exactly how does that work? Because I'm starting this journey and may have to decide to do everything raw except the sweets unless I find some yummy alternatives. Keep in mind that I am a admitted chocoholic.

  • spiritedmamaspiritedmama Raw Newbie

    nubeinluvcreasun,

    If you love chocolate, then you will ABSOLUTELY LOVE raw chocolate...I don't think I will ever go back to mainstream chocolate! You can get many raw chocolates from places that sell raw foods, but my absolute favorite chocolate comes from right here in my home town- Flagstaff, AZ! It is an amazing place called Mayan Magic and you can order the chocolates on-line too (http://www.mayanmagiconline.com/Site/Mayan_Magic.html) The chocolate is made with the highest quality, rainforest friendly, cacao. The owner, Amita, grinds the whole beans with black granite stones for 3 days until it is like a river of cacao- so amazing! My family and I go in there at least 1x a week. The website has a ton of info. about Amita's philosophy and raw cacao journey, and is well worth reading.

    But, if you don't want to spend too much money (raw chocolate IS more expensive), or you don't want to wait, here is a simple recipe that I use at home for raw chocolate:

    1/4 cup raw cacao butter, melted slowly at low temperature in a double/triple boiler

    1/8 cup sweetener of choice

    1/4 cup cacao powder

    dash of salt

    dash of other desired flavor (optional, but I often use vanilla)

    Melt cacao butter slowly to maintain raw temperatures. Place remaining ingredients in a seperate bowl. Add melted cacao butter and stir until well combined. Pour into molds, or small muffin tins. I have even used this recipe to make raw chocolate chips by dropping small amounts onto a frozen cookie sheet!

    Blessings!

  • freewitheftfreewitheft Raw Newbie

    spiritedmama, isn't Amita awesome? :) I looooooove her chocolate, my favorite so far is the lavender. So glad she opened the cafe, really need to make it over there!

  • I have a few recipes on my site that are very simple but super delicious here's a link

    http://itveganatgenesis.blogspot.com/2009/10/raw-desserts.html

    http://itveganatgenesis.blogspot.com/2009/11/no-bake-desserts-in-10-minutes.html

    My favorite raw food chef

  • swayzeswayze Raw Newbie

    Thanks for hijacking my thread, guys! LOL! ;)

    If you *really* like your tasty raw sweets - so much so that you choose to have dessert for breakfast, lunch, and dinner (like me) - but want to stick to a healthy low fat raw vegan diet, feel free to check out my new raw recipe book:

    www.fitonraw.com/low-fat-raw-vegan-favorites

    Enjoy,

    Swayze

  • sv3sv3 Raw Newbie

    Nice one Swayze, some good advice.

    nubeinluvcreasun, a really yum dessert is 'ice cream' made from frozen bananas.

    Firsty, chop up bananas into small chunks and freeze. Then put the chunks into your food processor and whizz up until it starts getting gloopy. Add in whatever additions you like near the end. I personally love a spoonful of maple syrup, cinnamon, raisins and some buckwheates (or sunflower seeds) for a touch of crunch. If you like your chocolate, you could add cacao/carob powder.

    It really is so lovely and I prefer this anyday to real ice cream.

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