Introduction

Welcome to my new blog for those of you who are raw eaters! You don't have to be raw to read my blog, however, I want to make this a place where people can come and get support for their raw lifestyles in a cooked world. I have been slowly converting to a raw foodist for about 2 months now. I cannot say that it is the easiest accomplishment in my life. In fact, it could possibly be one of the hardest. However, I would not trade this decision for the world. I have had digestive issues my entire life. Though, I am not sure they were developed based upon the way that I ate in my younger years, I do feel that my circumstances have messed with my digestive tract. It has caused me difficulty in digesting foods (obviously), maintaining weight, and hormonal imbalances. I could probably go on and on about my health, but I want to just make this an introduction.

I am 22 years old and was raised on the average American diet. Often, I think that I was raised on more of an abnoral American diet that consisted of mostly sweets and fatty foods, but now I have decided to make a change in my life. I was a huge child. When I was a freshman in high school, I was 5'9", weighed 265 lbs and wore a size 24. I couldn't walk up the stairs in my home without becoming out of breath halfway up. During that same year of my heaviest weight, my mother proposed to me the Atkins diet and suggested that we go on it together in hopes to be each other's support. I agreed and shortly there after, found myself eating meat, cheese, and sugar free jello every day for almost 8 months. I lost somewhere in the midst of 100 lbs and felt great after. I only gained a little bit back of that, but that was mainly because I went off to college and didn't exercise. After researching the ways of a raw foodist, I look back and cannot believe what I was eating to lose weight. I wouldn't trade the experience for the world because of the confidence it gave me, I just wish I could have found raw foodism first and been able to do it in a more healthy manner.

I remember a lot of negative affects while being on the diet, however, I don't need to get into them. I want to focus more on what I have learned and how to help others convert over to it. It is a struggle, especially when you are single and live with individuals who like to cook, but I have to say that it is totally worth it.

I have not decided on weather or not I want to become 100% raw, but I do want to become at least 90%. It has been a struggle to give up meat, dairy, and baked goods since that is what I was raised on. However, I think that my body deserves to be treated like a temple and only eat clean, fresh, and nutrient-rich foods. Foods that have not been burned by fire and killed all the digestive enzymes.

In this blog you will probably read of my experiences of this transition I am making and the affects I am seeing. I hope to post recipes that I find along with advice on how to help others become raw.