What Should I Believe!?!

I guess you could say I have been on a 25 year transition (or more like an odyssey) to raw. I am a 56 year old woman who was introduced to food combining in the early 80's when someone lent me a copy of the "Beverly Hills Diet." After being educated on dairy products, sugar, and how cholesterol works in the body, I promptly lost 20 pounds, and kept it off for at least a year by correct food combining. However, I thought the author was playing Russan Roulette by seeing how much she could eat and then use "corrective counterparts" to keep the weight off. Once I read about enzymes being killed when you heat food, I never forgot it, but did nothing about it for years.

Over the course of several years, I have read most of Harvey Diamond's books. And when I heard about raw food veganism, I saw it as an optimal, achievable diet. I made a goal for myself of 90% raw for now, and eventually 100% raw. However, my addiction to sugar made it difficult for me to start.

In the meantime, I was told by an iridologist that I had too much yeast in my body, and that I needed to eliminate processed sugar, white flour, fermented foods, and types of fungal foods like mushrooms and cheese. I was also told that for the next four months I needed to eliminate most fruits, which I did not do because fruit was how I satisfied my sweet tooth.

So now, here I am, 5 months and 45 1/2 pounds later. I feel better. I have also eliminated plant-based oils, grains, and cooked legumes and vegetables. I have been eating fish once or twice a week during my transition, and about once a month I can't currently resist chicken. But I am most confused by all the raw food information out there.

For example, according to rawfoodexplained.com, lightly fermented foods do NOT replace beneficial bacteria in the gut. So why do so many recipes include some form of lightly fermented food? Also, cruciferous vegetables, such as cabbage and Swiss Chard, are difficult to digest, and so are zucchini. But why does everyone have a Zucchini Pasta recipe in their repertoire? And if fruit is the optimal fruit for humans and what we are visually attracted to, and can eat in their raw state without seasoning or making into some raw food concoction, why do we have to eat green leafy vegetables at all? I'm having an extremely difficult time with savory recipes without salt. I use Celtic Sea Salt, but I read that any salt, apart from that which occurs naturally in some vegetables, is toxic.

I'm interested in attaining and maintaining optimal health, yet the International Natural Hygiene Society is saying that they have no defined diet, and that vegan diets are deficient.

HELP!!!

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Permalink Reply by Prana on August 11, 2009 at 7:05am

Carol,

Believe in nothing. Rather than belief, take it upon yourself to find out what works for you. You will always find conflicting points of view out there in the raw or alternative diet world.

If you are interested in eating raw organic whole fresh ripe fruits and vegetables, this is a great place to get support for that view.

The natural hygienist are very split when it comes to diet. Most people here think the best hygienic diet is a largely frugivorous diet with lots of greens and vegetables. But there are many factions of the hygienists that subscribe to eating cooked foods and animal products.

Again, rather than finding someone to believe, see what works best for you. If you are unhappy with the results you are getting with your diet, try 80/10/10 and get some support from this forum.

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Permalink Reply by Carol M on August 11, 2009 at 8:26am

Hello,

Thank you for your comment. I am quite happy with the results of eating fresh fruits, vegetables, and raw nuts, seeds, and sprouts. But I am having a difficult time on the vegetable front. Perhaps it is because my taste buds need to mature. Despite trying many sauce and salsa recipes, I find it difficult to eat green leafy vegetables without salt or spices. I know I will eventually transition totally from fish once or twice a week, but I am realistic enough to know that if I don't enjoy the food, I may be tempted to make less than optimal choices.

I believe being on this forum is one of the best things I can do for myself, with all the information, support, and encouragement available to a newbie like me.

So thank you for your encouragement, and I whole heartedly accept your advice.

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Permalink Reply by Carol M on August 11, 2009 at 8:17am

Thank you so much for your support! I have read information about Colin Campbell's China Study on the cornell.edu web site. And my goal was to transition to an 80-10-10 diet, based on what I read on the website raw-food-health.com, but not because I have read the book. So I will give it a read, and thank you again so much for the information!

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Permalink Reply by D on August 11, 2009 at 7:35am

http://foodnsport.com/faq

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Permalink Reply by Carol M on August 11, 2009 at 8:51am

Thanks for the link! I definitely am transitioning to a low fat, raw vegan diet.

I guess my education has been evolutionary.

After buying "cold pressed" olive oil, sesame oil, and sunflower oil, looking at Almondaise recipes and pestos, and investigating food dehydrators, I read about how a high fat raw food diet is not optimal, so I promptly took those products back to Whole Foods for a refund. I also discontinued eating dried fruits, opting instead for whole, fresh, ripe, raw, organic, and plant-based fruits and vegetables. Right now my biggest concern is finding tasty ways to eat savory green leafy vegetables and vegetable fruits. My second biggest concern is over whether I should be using fresh herbs like basil, parsley, and cilantro, and green onions. I recognize that garlic, pungent peppers and white, yellow, or red onions over foods make me want to overeat.

Thanks so much for your support!

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Permalink Reply by Carol M on August 11, 2009 at 10:12am

Thanks! I truly feel privileged to be here!

I will adopt your rule of thumb. I love cilantro, but I am learning that a little goes a long way!

I am also learning to listen to my body, which is easier to do now that I don't have all the "white noise interference" of processed, chemicalized, dead foods dulling my "hearing."

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Permalink Reply by Carol M on August 11, 2009 at 10:05am

Thanks Steve! I will be trying this soon!

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Permalink Reply by ednshell on August 11, 2009 at 10:32pm

whole, fresh, ripe, raw, organic! say it again! :)

Dr. Doug says it's fine to go without greens when first starting out, that within a month or so you will inevitably start craving them, as has been my and many others experience.

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Permalink Reply by Carol M on August 11, 2009 at 8:27am

Thanks. I can't wait to try it! I'll let you know how it works for me.

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Permalink Reply by Carol M on August 11, 2009 at 10:02am

Thanks Michelle.

I agree about the fermented food analogy! And I agree about Harvey Diamond's so-called diet. I got a lot from reading his books, though, because it was a springboard to doing more research and learning something better.

Maybe I'm more of an idealist than a realist, but I continue to be optimistic. I am getting the results I want as far as weight loss and better health are concerned. But I'm here because Swayze Foster, who has a website called fitonraw.com, suggested it and sings this site's praises. So I'm here for support, information, and tips on eating green leafy vegetables and vegetable fruits. They are a challenge because I haven't found much in the way of sauces, dressings, or salsas that make the veggies taste satisfying. I am going to try a few recipes that I have seen on this site.

I'm surprised that everyday I'm still optimistic that I will find something appetizing. When I don't, I still soldier on, because no matter what, my diet is so much better than it was. I can't unlearn what I know about all the benefits of a low fat raw diet, including the fact that we are physiologically made to eat this way. To do so would be like untelling a secret!

thanks again.

I plan on transitioning to 100% raw (right now I am at about 90%), and soon.

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Permalink Reply by Carol M on August 11, 2009 at 10:41am

Thanks! I'm just tickled over all the neat suggestions and encouragement! I have copied some of the recipes, and will be trying them out this week.

I'm SO glad to be here!!!

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Permalink Reply by rebeccaj on August 11, 2009 at 10:35am

just a thought, carol -

there are many of us here who don't eat greens on a daily basis, from FruitBatAnne who eats no greens to some who just have a salad once a month or so when they feel like it. perhaps, rather than trying to force down greens with sauces and recipes, just go with fruit for awhile until greens speak to you.