Confused, Confuzzled and Combobulated

[Kirsteen]

I first became interested in raw food in September, about 3 months ago. I threw myself into an absolute **** of reading, listening and finding out information about it. I tend to be a bit fanatical about anything new :o

At first it all seemed so simple - do not destroy the enzymes by cooking your food. Even a bear of very little brain like me could grasp that. since then it's become a tad more complicated. It appears that for everything I read or hear, I also read or hear the opposite - and this is within the raw food movement :confused:

In the past week alone, I've read or heard the following arguments:-

Juicing is the best way to go to give your body the enzymes it needs; Juicing is to be avoided, you need the fibre and other nutrients that juicing discards.

Green smoothies and blended salads are the ideal foods; Blending loses 81% of available nutrients.

A high fruit diet is ideal; Fruit should be severely limited as it's too sugary.

Avocadoes are the ideal food; Avocadoes shouldn't be eaten more than once a week because of the fat content.

The diet should be low in fat, no more than 10% so restrict nuts etc; Nuts etc provide the ideal fuel for the colder weather.

Superfoods (maca. spirulina, bee pollen etc) are necessary to supplement the diet : Superfoods and all supplements should be avoided, they can unbalance the body and we should only eat local produce.

We should only eat when genuinely hungry; We should stick to regular mealtimes each day.

We should only eat during the day and not after the sun sets; We should nibble sparingly through the day and have our main meal when we finish work in the evening.

We should as wide a variety of foods as possible; We should eat mono meals.

Cacao is the original superfood and packed with nutrients; Cacao is a stimulant to be avoided completely.

We must eat 100% raw vegan to get the benefits; No animal is naturally 100% vegan therefore we should be prepared to add in other things.

There's actually a lot more, but I'm sure you get the idea. Now the thing is every single argument has seemed thoroughly logical and well documented or thought out; until you read the opposite, also well thought out and presented. (Icon wanted for spinning round in circles with brain exploding)

So with all these arguments spinning round my head crowding my brain, I started to feel thoroughly confused, confuzzled and (dis)combobulated. :confused2:You never get this much confusion ordering a Big Mac and Fries - only joking :peace:

However, I've now decided that it's actually quite freeing. You see this is MY body, My life, MY journey - it's not Victoria Boutenko's or Paul Nison's or David Wolfe's - IT'S MINE! We all come to this with different genetic make-ups, different states of health and different susceptibilities. So I will continue to read, I will continue to ask questions and advice but I can only be my own yardstick. I can only decide for myself what's working or not.

So I will keep my diary here, as a way of feeling accountable when it all seems too much bother and too confusing. I hope it'll help me track what is and isn't making me feel good and of course, I'm always open to advice or suggestions from others. Let the good times roll :party0007:

[Jax]

I first became interested in raw food in September, about 3 months ago. I threw myself into an absolute **** of reading, listening and finding out information about it. I tend to be a bit fanatical about anything new :o I'm exactly the same Kirsteen http://www.rawinuk.com/images/icons/icon11.gif

At first it all seemed so simple - do not destroy the enzymes by cooking your food. Even a bear of very little brain like me could grasp that. since then it's become a tad more complicated. It appears that for everything I read or hear, I also read or hear the opposite - and this is within the raw food movement :confused:You are not alone there, it was a real eye opener for me to see that the raw food movement seemed to be turning in on itself at one point when I was wading through it all :confused:


(Icon wanted for spinning round in circles with brain exploding) I've always liked this one >> http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v445/ShaunRydersBrainCell/Smilies/splat.gif


However, I've now decided that it's actually quite freeing. You see this is MY body, My life, MY journey - it's not Victoria Boutenko's or Paul Nison's or David Wolfe's - IT'S MINE! We all come to this with different genetic make-ups, different states of health and different susceptibilities. So I will continue to read, I will continue to ask questions and advice but I can only be my own yardstick. I can only decide for myself what's working or not.And this is the only way you can do it, what works for one doesn't necessarily work for another. Whatever feels right for you is the answer with a lot of trial and error along the way. And keeping a diary works really well because then you can look back easier and remember what you did http://www.rawinuk.com/images/icons/icon12.gif

[Ruth]

I totally agree with the conclusions you've both come to! It's so important to have perspective from maintaining a healthy mind as well as body. After all our minds direct our bodies anyway! Getting obsessed, fanatical or anxious about what to eat, when and how does not lead to true health, especially if we are trying to emulate a whole host of other 'better' people! Books can be helpful but only if we don't take everything written in them too seriously. I too read continuously in my first raw year and like you got amazed at the sheer amount of conflicting advice; enough to put anyone off perseverving with raw or even healthy eating!

it's so simple really when you learn that you can trust, and let go of giving over responsability to raw food authors to garner perfect dietary knowledge on your behalf. Tribal people do not need to read the timeless wisdom that our bodies know exactlywhat they need and when and we could be free to stop thinking about it if we learnt to listen. I'd re-name the raw food diet the, 'stop and listen more diet.' Stop thinking other people's thoughts and eat your own raw, unadulterated, organic, intuitive knowledge for breakfast, lunch and tea. Much healthier and less troubling. And the food tastes so much better when you are not eating it for it's nutrient or enzyme; superfood or essential fat...but for the sake of true hunger and joy. I would rather not be 100% raw than forget what food really is...

[Debbie Took]

Hi Kirsteen

Yes - the 'raw' world is incredibly interesting! So many different opinions. And that's all they are - opinions. Basically, people who go raw are usually (by definition?) pretty strong-minded folk - not shrinking violets. Unfortunately this can also mean they're prone to being bossy and some of them just love telling other people what to do and what not to do.

I suggest be very wary of raw 'experts', some of whom have been raw for around five minutes, and some of whom (the majority) aren't raw foodists at all - they simply follow a high-raw diet. That's fine, but do be aware of that if they are giving you advice on 'how to be raw':-) or to 'stay raw', when they are in fact eating all the cooked food they fancy.

I agree with you that the 'confusion' can in fact be 'freeing'.

Here's an extract from my website on that theme:

There are ALL SORTS of raw food diet, and ALL of them can transform!

Although I have now moved towards a relatively simple high-fruit diet, let me stress that people have transformed their lives on all sorts of raw food diets. The diet that excited me when I came to raw and cured all sorts of health ailments that I'd (incorrectly) accepted as 'normal' was full of 'transition foods', and quite high fat in the form of nuts and seeds. This worked beautifully for me in the first year - the only reason I eat a little differently now is that the longer I've been raw the more the simpler my tastes have become (and the more passionate I've become about fruit!).

What's key is to kick out the baddies, the damaged food and move the raw food IN. You can then fine-tune your raw food diet in line with your individual preferences.

Be a Raw Food 'Independent'.

You'll become aware that people in the raw food world feel very strongly about what constitutes the ideal raw food diet. For example, you'll see high-fruiters and low-fruiters telling everyone their diet is best, and anyone following the other diet is doomed. Neither is true.

You'll hear people declare that certain (raw) foods are not 'optimal', but please be aware that judgements of this sort are subjective, and debatable. You'll even hear some people say that you shouldn't eat 'too much' fruit!! (If you have been concerned by statements of this sort - please, contact me!) If, once having made the life-transforming and positive decision to 'go raw', you then start fretting too much about what you're eating within your raw food diet, it may well make you make you miserable, which is NOT what eating raw is all about.

So, please, listen to the various 'gurus' and self-proclaimed 'experts' by all means, but, ultimately, ... sail free!

Love

Debbie Took
www.rawforlife.co.uk (http://www.rawforlife.co.uk)

[Kirsteen]

I've been inspired by reading all the other diaries on here and very grateful for the replies I've had to my confused ramblings so I'm going to keep on with this diary and hopefully later I'll be able to look back at the progress I've made (see I'm thinking positive ;) )

Before I came to raw food, unlike most raw foodists I've encountered, I was a complete carnivore; that has obviously changed radically. However I decided that since this was my first Xmas since I started this and since I'm solely responsible for what I prepare and eat, then on this one day, I'd have whatever I want and not feel guilty. I thought about a traditional dinner with all the trimmings or some salmon or steak. What did I end up having - grated cauliflower with olives, sun dried tomatoes, spring onion and chopped spinach with a pesto dressing, some raw cranberry relish and a whole pile of mixed sprouted seeds. It was exactly what I wanted and I adored it (I'd already had a green smoothie for breakfast).

Boxing day I was a little wilder. I have relatives up and do a buffet. Believe me, these are not the type of people to give raw food to. They won't even touch anything they think is 'furren' or different in any way, so I put out cooked meat, mini quiches, kievs, sausage rolls and assorted party food. In amongst it I put the raw cauli dish, the cranberry relish, some guacamole and some flax crackers. Among the cakes and biscuits I put out Have Raw Cake's delicious brownies and some hemp and brazil nut bars I'd made. No one commented or noticed that I was eating differently from the others and again, I was amazed that this was what I wanted. What I'd enjoyed previously didn't tempt me at all.

However, there is one major exception to the above, one item of cooked food I have not given up - humous! I can get raw tahini no problem but find that making it with sprouted chickpeas gives me a really painful stomach so. so far, I'm still using cooked chickpeas. But so what? This is my way of eating, not my religion and I agree with others, it's more important to cut out the **** than sweat the small stuff. I'm aiming for a High raw, healthy diet. I'd never claim to be 100% raw anyway, as I can't guarantee the nuts I eat are full raw, though I believe them to be. I don't eat much cacao (I seem to prefer carob) but I have some and I've read the arguments that none of it is fully raw, whatever it's producers claim but, hey, no sweat, right? :)

I've been getting dips in energy, crashes and literally being unable to keep my eyes open at certain times. I'm not sure if this is something I'm eating, or not eating or a totally coincidental flare up of the M.E. or, as my friend suggested, maybe I'm just doing more and not pacing as well as normal. I'm not sure but my new year's resolution is to start keeping a food diary to see if I can find an answer to that.

Oh and I chickened out of going to see the dietician; the weather was horrendous so I've managed to postpone it til February.

And lastly, my closest friend who doesn't understand this way of eating nor, I suspect, approve of it, put a large packet of raw organic brazil nuts in with my present instead of the box of chocolates she usually puts. Aren't friends like that great :first:


Happy new Year everyone. May 2010 be a truly rawsome experience :tea:

[Kirsteen]

OK, so I had a pretty grim night last night, lying awake for hours feeling shaky, heart racing and as if I was going to be sick :( Today, I'm lying propped up in bed trying to work out why :confused2:

I started eating raw because of severe digestive issues. I'd been in hospital several times and was so traumatised by the pain I'd become terrified about all food and only ate once a day, in the evening after I'd done everything I needed to do and at home so I could lie down afterwards. I also lost about 6 stone. I've only put on a couple of pounds eating raw but I have totally lost my fear of food (this year I ate with the others on boxing day - last year I only had coffee) I'm not going back to that so I'm determined to nip this in the bud.

I added a couple of slices of smoked tuna to my salad last night but I don't really feel that was to blame. I've had a dodgy tum for a few days and I believe it's a combination of eating possibly a tad too much, definitely a tad too late and unfortunately a tad too much of what Paul Nison calls 'raw rubbish':7854: Now, in moderation I don't see anything wrong with what I had but I think, over the festive period I just overdid the raw chocolate, figgy rolls, biscuits etc. And of course, old habits die hard, the more I eat of them, the more I want to.

So today my aim is to be 'clean'. I'm sipping some spiced redbush tea which I find quite soothing and I'm going to make some detox juices and see how I get on with those. I'd like to eat according to the Daylight Diet (it makes so much sense). Unfortunately the evening is when I get most hungry, probably through habit. I was listening to Mat Monarch's radio show and Paul Nison said that if people were finding it hard to transition to the diet, then pure green juice could be sipped in the evening as that didn't burden the digestion too much. So I would like to give that a try.

Anyway it's a new year so I'm determined that last year was the last time I eat things I know might upset me. From here on - things will only get better. :grindance:

[Kirsteen]

Well I finally saw the dietician, couldn't put it off any longer and, much to my surprise, she was really, really nice. The one I'd seen while I was in hospital was one of those Me-heap-big-professional-know-everything-you-silly-little-layperson-know-nothing type. :hand:

This one was a young Muslim woman who was really friendly. She discussed my medical history, actually listened to my thoughts on it and then asked to see my 3 day food diary. Her first comment was "Wow! You're certainly getting your vitamins and minerals. That's really impressive" She asked if I was vegetarian and I said I didn't really like labels but would describe it as a high raw, high vegan diet. She did query was I getting enough protein but was happy when I pointed out there was protein powder in my smoothies (I just wanted to avoid the whole argument) Fortunately?? I have pernicious aneamia so the B12 isn't an issue.

She agreed that all the supplements they could offer me contained loads of chemicals and artificial ingredients and she quite understood me wishing to avoid that. She asked if I'd consider soy products to replace the dairy. I said nope I didn't like soy but I took hemp milk and made nut milks etc. she thought that was fantastic. She said she'd take a week or two to analyse my diet and then phone me with her suggestions.

She 'phoned the other day and said my diet was fine and agreed there was no point in adding empty calories, I was just to make sure I had some nuts & seeds and fats (I told her I used VCO) and they'll see me in a couple of months to make sure I haven't lost any more weight.

She said she wished all her patients had such a healthy diet :597:

[Ruth]

Wow!! That's fantastic and gives hope to us all Kirsteen! To think that there ARE people like that out there in the NHS....i bet you were walking on air afterwards! Well done!