Day 8- One step at a time...

I just want to point out the importance of taking one step at a time in making the transition to raw food. Even though you may like the idea of eating raw, your body may not cooperate the way you would like, especially if you're accustomed to eating meat and dairy on a regular basis. So, my suggestions for those wanting to make this transition are as follows:

Assess your current way of eating- Do you eat meat & dairy regularly? Are you already a vegetarian? Are you already a vegan? 

Then transition as slow as you feel comfortable from where you are. 

First try to eat like a vegetarian (no meat) for a day. If that's easy, then try a week. You will probably be eating a lot more grain in place of the meat for protein & to fill you up. But don't forget to include good fruits & veggies, especially dark leafy greens for iron. Take a vitamin B12 supplement.

Once you have mastered eating like a vegetarian, try eating like a vegan (no animal products- such as meat & dairy). This will most likely be a bit more of a challenge, since your meals probably revolve around dairy & grains now that you've cut out meat (some of my standard vegetarian meals were pasta, quesadillas, grilled cheese, cheese enchiladas, etc.). Sadly, the fruits & veggies probably aren't  noticed much; they are more of an after thought. (If not, the transition will be a lot easier for you!).

Don't try to go from vegetarian to raw! Trust me, I learned that the hard way. You need to transition to vegan first. Let yourself eat lots of grains to make up for lost calories that you would be getting with the dairy (and meat). And as you are transitioning to vegan, don't take out certain foods until you have a replacement ready to eat. For example, don't stop eating yogurt until you have another good probiotic to replace it with (sauerkraut or fermented veggies, or a supplement like acidophilus). Don't stop drinking milk until you can replace it with a fortified almond milk or a good calcium & vitamin d supplement. Don't just stop eating as much protein- replace it with nuts, seeds, & grains. You get the idea. Take your time so that you don't shock your body and deprive it of vital nutrients just because you aren't prepared with all the vegan & raw food replacements yet. 

Once you have mastered vegan, then start to move on to raw. Of course, if you are still making the transition to vegan, you can include completely raw meals into your week, but don't feel like they all have to be at first. Take it slow.

In short, let yourself take one step at a time. And be ok with that. :)