Raw is not all or nothing...

Raw is not all or nothing...
And eating should not involve guilt.

This blog is about my attempt to eat more nutritiously, and since raw foods are more nutritious, I am trying to incorporate more raw foods into my meals. This DOES NOT mean that I am ONLY eating raw foods. 

I am also trying to avoid meat and dairy products, after my recent discovery that animal products are linked to diseases and not very good for us (and that you can get the same nutrients in plant foods, only they are much better for us in that form). But that doesn't mean I am NEVER going to eat ANY meat or dairy in my entire life. 

I am not doing some kind of a raw food or vegan challenge, to see how many days I can go without eating animal products, or without any cooked food. No, no. You see, I don't like to give myself rules when it comes to food. I eat what I want, when I want. However, lately I have wanted to eat a certain way to see how that might positively affect me.

(Before I go any further, I should say that I do have some rules, that are pretty easy for me to keep at this point in my life, so I don't even really consider them rules. They are just part of my way of life. They are that I never will consume: alcohol, tobacco, illegal drugs, coffee, or caffeinated tea. Besides being unhealthy, these are part of a law of health called the "Word of Wisdom" that I follow as a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (Mormon). We believe that God himself revealed this health advice to Joseph Smith, a prophet in the early 1800's (way before tobacco was even considered bad for you). The "Word of Wisdom" also indicates that we should eat vegetables, fruits, and grains, and that meat should be consumed sparingly and only in times of famine. There is no mention of dairy products. Since I believe our bodies are gifts from God, and what we do to them affects us not only physically, but spiritually, I am trying to take the best care of mine that I can, by following this inspired counsel, and searching for the best types of foods available.)

I feel that if I were constantly focused on the foods I "can't" eat, I would feel deprived and ultimately fail at trying to eat good foods.

Instead of putting pressure on myself to eat 100% raw or vegan, each day I applaud myself for the amount of raw fruits and vegetables I've eaten. As I plan my meals (which usually happens that day, because I use what fresh foods I have left in my kitchen) I make the raw fruits and vegetables the main course, with a "side" of whole grains, nuts, or seeds, and I don't even consider meat or dairy as an option.

It was important for me to go for at least a month without meat or dairy (in addition to eating a lot more raw fruits and vegetables) to see the difference it would make. But I felt it was also important for me to try those foods after not eating them for awhile, to see how I would feel. 

So after eliminating meat for about 6 weeks, I decided to see what my body would feel like eating a chicken stir fry dish that I had in my freezer for a couple months. Meat had actually lost its appeal to me, but I wanted to try it out and pay attention to my body as I did so. 

The result of my first experiment:

Taste: It didn't taste very good. The sauce tasted like a mix of sugar and chemicals, and eating the meat was like eating something...dead.

How I felt: I felt gross and a little sick after the meal and actually craved fresh, raw foods to give me the energy I was used to. 

Body: My digestion was a lot slower that normal. And I don't know if this was a coincidence but the next day I got a sore throat. 

Conclusion: I don't think I will be eating meat again any time soon. 

Experiment #2- I ate a plateful of pumpkin pancakes (ingredients included milk and egg). Instead of putting syrup on top, I put applesauce, since applesauce is just as good to me and doesn't make my head hurt afterwards (from the high amount of sugar). I also had a fruit smoothie that I drank after eating about 4 small pancakes. 

Taste: Disappointed, and this is surprising since I used to be a huge fan of all types of pumpkin baked goods. I think I would liken my taste experience to looking at a painting of brown and tan paint as opposed to a painting filled with all sorts of vibrant colors. I missed fresh, raw foods. (The smoothie was good, but there wasn't much more room in my stomach after the pancakes- definitely would have been better to drink the smoothie first).

How I felt: I felt like I had just shoved a sponge into my stomach and it was expanding. My stomach was uncomfortable and felt like it was filled to the brim. This is completely different than how I feel after eating raw fruits and vegetables first, and then adding a little grain/nuts/seeds until I feel satisfied.

Body: I had a cold, so it's hard to say since my head might have been hurting anyway.

Conclusion: When I'm hungry, I'm going to start with raw fruits and vegetables, and if I do want to eat pancakes I will replace cows milk with almond or coconut milk to see if I feel better afterwards (and use whole wheat flour again).

I ate 2 organic hard boiled eggs the other day and felt ok. So I might eat organic eggs occasionally. And salmon too. 

But when it comes time to planning my meals, they will continue to be centered mostly around raw foods. Why? Because I feel so much better when my body is fed pure nutrients instead of gross processed food, or animal products. 

Remember, this is coming from someone who used to eat primarily grains and dairy when I got hungry, and only a small side of fruits or veggies. But as I have changed my diet, my taste buds have changed, and my body now craves raw food over cooked and processed food.

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I challenge you to try eating more raw fruits and vegetables too! But remember raw is not all or nothing. Go at your own pace. Don't set rules if that makes it too hard. Just have fun making beautiful, colorful main course dishes out of fruits and vegetables (using recipes on my blog or other raw food blogs or books), then add some whole grains, nuts, and seeds until you feel nicely satisfied. Let me know how it works for you!