Tracy’s Raw Food Journal

Ok, I have to fess up here. I tried a new concoction yesterday and quite frankly, it SUCKED!

I had my first “crack” at a Young Thai Coconut (pun intended!) and am having a blast thinking about the many ways I can use the soft flesh in a wide variety of recipes.

BUT…

After reading information on the internet about how nutritious and enzyme-rich the coconut water from inside these coconuts is I decided to use it as the base for a green smoothie.

BIG mistake!

Well, in truth, I also read about how nutritious papaya’s are and that the seeds should also be eaten because they are supposed to be a powerhouse of nutrition, SO I bought 4 smallish ripe papayas and cut one in half, peeled it, and put a whole half into the blender with the coconut water. I added a big handful of fresh spinach and threw in some frozen strawberries and a packet of vanilla flavored stevia for texture and to balance the flavors.

WELL….ya, no. Not so good.

In the first place, I think it must have been the seeds from the papaya that have a peppery heat and flavor to them…so, that was…interesting…and the papya is just too…perfumy for me. The combination was more than I could stand. I HATE wasting good, raw ingredients…but I made nearly a blender pitcher full and drank only about 1/2 a cup of it. Then I had to toss the rest out.

I AM adding some solid raw foods to my diet once in a while now, including some fruits. But I’m trying to stick mostly with the vegetable and greens juice as my mainstay with other foods serving more as “condiments” or side dishes.

I’ve noticed over the past two years as I have experimented with raw foods that sometimes you do make dishes or concoctions that just don’t work for you. Or you make far more than you will actually eat before the rest goes bad. It just takes some experimenting and you have to expect a few mistakes along the way as you learn what you really like and what satisfies you, both physically as well as what tastes good to you.

I _won’t_ be making this particular green smoothie again, lol!

Good luck on your path.

~tracy

Ok, so this morning I am down another 1.5 pounds for a total weight loss of 11 pounds since I started the cleanse!

I must admit, I’ve added some whole, raw foods to my diet since the beginning…but I’m still getting great results. And I even included a wee bit of fruit…I’ll provide a breakdown of what I ate yesterday in a moment. But I’m not consuming any condensed sweet fruits like bananas or mangos or dried fruits like dates or raisins.

Also, I think a big contributor to my success so far is the addition of a powdered magnesium supplement I am consuming 3 or 4 times a day. It’s called CALM and it is lightly sweetened with all-natural Stevia and gently lemon flavored. I mix it into a big mug (about 20 ounces) of cold water and add ice and just sip on it throughout the day. Magnesium is necessary for our bodies to absorb calcium and many other minerals and nutrients in our diet. From the research I’ve done most adults are severely deficient in their magnesium intake. Magnesium also offers the added benefit of reducing anxiety and stress and helps you achieve a good night’s sleep. I have noticed a significant reduction in my anxiety and stress level this past week and I am definitely experiencing more restful sleep, awakening rejuvenated and refreshed! Which is a nice change of pace for me! So, I highly recommend the addition of CALM to your diet.

Ok, so I noticed that I was feeling very satisfied just sipping the vegetable juices I was sipping, from a hunger perspective. But I wanted to change-up the variety of what I was consuming. So, I decided to add in a green smoothie yesterday morning. I made it out of only water, fresh spinach leaves and frozen strawberries with a packet of vanilla Stevia for flavor. That was very filling and satisfying. Then in the afternoon I remembered I had purchased a zucchini at the health food store the other day and wanted to use it up but didn’t really think it would be great in the juicer. So, I decided to make a batch of Raw Spaghetti (recipe below in another posting, but I replaced the tomato with red bell pepper since I didn’t have tomato and I blended all the sauce ingredients in my food processor. Also, I added no olive oil during my cleanse period)

I spent the afternoon and evening out with my daughter visiting an Asian market I’ve been wanting to go to for years. I bought 2 Thai Young Coconuts! (First time I have ever tried them! They are still sitting on my kitchen counter waiting to be opened!) and a couple of big bags of mung bean sprouts. Then we went to Barnes and Noble and I gave into my one vice – Iced Decaf Americano. I don’t add sweetener or milk…just sip it black. But it’s a treat and it isn’t interfering with my progress…at least not the weight loss. I will have to wait and see how my body is doing when next cycle comes around again.

Anyhow, when I got home I was ravenous for something to eat…so, I treated myself to my version of a raw Thai Peanut Sauce dish (I just mixed a tablespoon of fresh ground peanut butter, light soy sauce, powdered ginger and stevia in a big bowl then added about 2 cups of the raw mung bean sprouts I purchased at the Asian market. It was delicious.) I felt a little guilty because of the peanut butter and soy sauce…because they aren’t on my list for what I planned to allow myself for my raw vegetable juice cleanse…but they DO fall well within my regular 80/20% raw foods parameters, so I didn’t allow myself to feel bad too long! I still stayed raw and today I’m seeing even more results!

So, I’m happy!

Today, so far, I’ve only sipped my big mug of CALM and I’m getting ready to make some vegetable juice. I think something light and green, like celery and cucumber…maybe with a carrot and some other fun things…will fill the bill!

Anyhow, I’m going to get back to mostly just juice today after my little “binge” yesterday, but SO FAR, SO GOOD!!!

~tracy

I am really excited this morning! Not only is it a gorgeous Saturday outside with blue skies, sunshine and the perfect temperature, the birds are chirping and I’m feeling great!

But in addition to all of that, I have lost 5.5 pounds in the last 3 days, the dark circles under my eyes are seriously diminished and my skin looks GREAT!

The cause of these results? Vegetable juice cleansing!

Three days ago I decided to start a cleanse for an undetermined period of time…at least a few days…because for the past three months my monthly cycle has been giving me problems and it seems to be getting progressively worse each month. Now, at 47 years of age you might just assume it’s nature’s way of moving me closer to that dreaded “menopause” chapter of my life…but I don’t think that’s it.

So, since I am very much into taking personal responsibility for my own health and well being and not just running to a traditional, western medical “doctor” to solve my problem…because in my experience they never do SOLVE the PROBLEM…they just prescribe pharmaceuticals which mask the symptoms and don’t really address the underlying cause…I decided to work on healing myself before I look to outside sources for help.

After considerable research I have discovered there is undeniable and empirical proof that the human body CAN and WILL heal itself when given the correct environment of fresh, raw, living foods which are nutrient dense, for doing so.

That said, I have adopted a short-term, fresh leafy greens and vegetables only cleanse that appears to be producing great results, thus far, in my body. I feel lighter, have increased energy and  many of my symptoms have been significantly reduced, and I am seeing the added benefits listed above which are a HUGE side benefit!

Here is my thinking on why vegetables and greens only. It is a well established fact that bacteria, yeast, mold, parasites all thrive in a sugar-dense environment. For example, try activating some regular bakers yeast in water, one dish without the addition of sugar and the other with a teaspoon of sugar added, and see which one grows more rapidly. Because of this, anything sweet in our diet aids in the growth of these little buggers in our bodies. That said, fruit and fruit juices, in addition to alcohol, grains, dairy, animal products, etc., will encourage their growth. Removing these fuels from our bodies seems to starve them and this appears to be a good place to start the healing process for any disease or illness in the human body.

If you are interested in what I am putting in my juice (I am using a juicer and not a blender, in order to give my digestive tract a break from working so hard) here are a couple of examples:

Vegetable Juice #1 -

(All vegetables are organic)

1/2 lg. Cucumber with skin

1 whole Beet, with skin and greens

about 2 inches of fresh Ginger, peeled

part of a bunch of Italian Parsley

part of a bunch of Red Dandilion Greens

Generous sprinkling of Dulse flakes

a little salt and pepper to taste.

Stirred and iced.

Vegetable Juice #2 -

5 whole Carrots with peel

1 whole Red Bell Pepper – seeds and stem removed

1/2 small yellow onion, peeled

3 stalks of Celery with leaves

part of a bunch of Italian Parsley

part of a bunch of Red Dandilion Greens

Generous sprinkling of Dulse flakes

a little salt and pepper and Soy Sauce to taste.

Stirred and iced.

I was going to move on to a fully-raw, whole foods diet starting today but with the success I’m experiencing I’ve decided to extend my cleanse a few more days. I’ll let you know how I’m doing. My plan is to adopt the whole, raw foods diet following the cleanse and maintain that at 98% raw for the entire month and then see how I’m feeling when next month’s cycle rolls around. By the way, when I do move into the raw foods regimen I plan to include no nuts, some seeds and still eat primarily greens and vegetables with fruit being a smaller portion of my diet.

Let me know if you decide to try any of these ideas yourself!

Blessings,

~tracy

Ok, I promised to post some of my favorite Raw Food recipes so I’m including them below for you.

These are inexpensive, take very little preparation time, and are absolutley delicious and satisfying! Try them yourself and let me know what you think!

Tracy’s Raw Breakfast “Cereal”

1 banana

1 apple (I like Fuji or Gala)

1 handful raw nuts (I prefer almonds or walnuts)

1 packet Vanilla flavored Stevia (optional) (all natural sweetener – get at health food store or order online)

sprinkle of cinnamon (optional)

Rinse apple and quarter it. Remove core/seeds, stem section from each piece but do not peel. Shred the apple on a cheese grater. Put into cereal bowl. Peel banana. Slice in half length-wise. Slice each half length-wise into 3 segments and then cut multiple times across to “dice” the banana. Add to shredded apple in bowl. Finely chop the handful of nuts. Add to bowl. Sprinkle with stevia and cinnamon if desired. Mix well and eat.

Makes 1 substantial serving

Tracy’s Green Smoothie

3 cups orange juice from concentrate (or any other 100% fruit juice you desire. Pineapple is delicious!)

1 large handful raw spinach leaves

1 banana (frozen or fresh)

2 cups frozen fruit (I like strawberries and mixed fruit blend from Costco)

1 packet vanilla flavored stevia

Put  juice into blender. Add spinach and blend well until spinach is fully incorporated into juice. Add stevia, banana and other frozen fruit. Blend until smooth and creamy.

This recipe can be adapted any way you like, but make sure you always include spinach or other “greens” to make sure the fruit is absorbed into your bloodstream more slowly.  I like using a variety of juices for variety as well as other frozen fruit options, but I do try to almost always include a banana because it really adds to the creaminess and the sweetness of the drink. Try adding frozen; peaches, mixed berries, blue berries, pineapple, etc. Let your imagination run wild!

Makes a blender pitcher FULL! Share with a friend or drink it all yourself!

Raw Chocolate Pudding

1 large or 2 small avocados – ripe/soft, peeled and pitted.

3 Tbl. baking Cocoa or carob powder (I like carob better because it has it’s own natural sweetness. Raw cacao powder is very expensive but you can use it if you want to be a purist)

3 packets vanilla stevia

1/2 c. cold water

4 – 6  ice cubes

Put the cold water into the bottom of the blender jar. Add carob or cocoa powder & stevia. Scoop soft avocado into the blender jar and add ice last. Blend at high speed until completely creamy and looking  just like chocolate pudding. Add more water as necessary for correct texture. Adjust ingredients to taste.

Makes 1 very satisfying serving

Raw Spaghetti

1 medium zucchini – rinsed and spiralized, shredded, or thinly shaved into “noodles” with a vegetable peeler

2 or 3 ripe, red roma tomatoes or other tomato of your choice

4 to 6 Crimini mushrooms – or other mushroom of your choice

1 large clove garlic – minced

Dry herbs to taste; basil and oregano or fresh, finely chopped, if available

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Salt and pepper to taste

Spiralize, shred or peel zucchini and place in bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and massage  with hands for a couple of minutes to work oil into zucchini to soften. Let stand while you prepare the sauce.

Dice tomato, press or mince garlic, finely chop mushrooms and place all in separate mixing bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle liberally with all herbs and spices. Stir well. Mash with a hand potato masher for a chunky texture or place in blender or food processor and blend for a smooth sauce.

Place “noodles” in spaghetti bowl (it will be very juicy, so you don’t really want to use a plate for this) and top with all of the sauce.

Enjoy!

Makes 1 very satisfying or 2 small servings

Tracy’s Sante Fe Corn Salad

1 cup frozen organic white corn kernals (Costco)

1/2 red bell pepper – diced

1/2 avocado – diced (optional but makes for a rich, creamy, filling meal)

1 thick slice red onion – diced

Black olives (optional)

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Powdered Cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, fresh ground black pepper

Put corn kernals into colandar or strainer and run under warm tap water to thaw to room temperature. Place corn and all other ingredients into mixing bowl. Mix well. Season to taste. Enjoy!

Makes 1 very large serving or two regular servings

Tracy’s Guacamole Salad

1 large avocado – peeled, pitted and diced

2 – 3 red, ripe roma (or other) tomatoes – diced

thick slice red onion – minced

1/2 lime – juiced

Cumin (optional)

Salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients in bowl. Mix well and serve!

Makes 1 very large serving or 2 regular servings

Ok, that gets you started! Check back for more in a day or two. Please do let me know if you try these. I’d love to hear your thoughts!

Blessings,

~tracy

I decided to use this blog as the foundation for the Raw Foods Blog on my www.tracypartridgejohnson.com site rather than starting a new blog from scratch because I think there is some good information and background already here. However, it has been 2 years since I last wrote a post for this blog, so I need to provide a few updates to bring it current. Afterwards I’m going to offer some of my favorite Raw Food Recipes for your enjoyment and to get your creative juices flowing!

First – The Update!

Over the past two years I have been playing with different configurations of Raw Foods living to see what works best for me and have come up with a few conclusions which may also be of benefit to you. But one thing I have learned is, just like religion, diet is a very personal thing and what works for one person may not work for another. Keep that in mind as you design your own eating regimen so that you can do what works best for your personality, preferences and health objectives.

In addition to the obvious health benefits of increasing the amount of raw food I consume on a daily basis compared to my consumption of refined, highly processed foods, my primary goal with going raw is weight loss. I have struggled with my weight my entire life and I’d really like to get beyond that concern and obsession so that I can move on to more important issues.

That said, I suspect many reading this post my have weight loss issues to deal with, as well. If so, these few insights I’m about to offer my be helpful as you pursue a raw foods lifestyle.

Weight Loss and a Raw Foods Lifestyle

Based on my personal experience I discovered that even though I felt GREAT essentially eliminating nutrient deficient foods from my diet, still, I wasn’t losing that much weight. And here is my belief regarding WHY that is the case;

When you move away from the SAD (Standard American Diet) and the plethora of highly cooked, processed and refined foods consumed on that diet and towards a Raw Foods lifestyle many people look for “replacement” foods to take the place of the old, familiar, comfort foods they are used to eating. In addition to that, most people don’t really know or understand HOW to eat a Raw Foods lifestyle. So, they search the internet and find loads of wonderful information and ideas about what to eat. It really is amazing the vast variety of gourmet foods that can be created using raw ingredients as substitutes for many of the grain, animal, and dairy foods we are used to consuming.

While these raw substitutes are, in most cases, much more nutrient dense and healthier options than the refined grain, meat, and dairy foods we are seeking to replace, they can also be extremely high in fat and thus, calories. The fat isn’t generally saturated fat, so technically that isn’t a bad thing. BUT the high calorie consumption can definitely slow or stop any weight loss objectives you are working towards.

Many recipes you will find on Raw Food websites offer delicious choices for making meat substitutes, dairy substitutes and wheat flour or other grain alternatives. GREAT! But the problem with most of these recipes, when it comes to weight loss, is that most of these substitute foods use Nuts and Seeds as the foundation for their recipes. Avocados are also extensively used. All of these foods are very dense, heavy, and fatty foods. I LOVE the fact that we CAN creatively replace all these unhealthy, refined foods in our diet with nutrient-dense, all-natural, raw alternatives. BUT…if you include these type of foods in your diet on a daily basis you will likely find it difficult to lose the weight. Even though your body will be much healthier because you’re removing all the toxins, preservatives, and “glue” from your digestive system, still, weight loss can be a challenge.

I know it has been for me.

So, here is my recommendation for those of us wishing to become healthier by eating Raw Foods while at the same time shedding unwanted pounds;

While you are actively working on losing weight, eliminate or very severely reduce your consumption of the following raw foods from your diet -

Nuts

Seeds

Avocados

Juices

Dried fruits such as; Dates, Raisins, Cherries, etc.

These foods are all very “dense” heavy foods with the exception of juices. You may be wondering why I would say limit your consumption of juices. A lot of Raw Foodists recommend juice fasting as a means of cleansing you body. There may or may not be value in this. All I can tell you is that it is much better to consume the whole fruit and not just the juice. The reason behind my thinking is that 1.) Juicing removes all of the fiber from the fruit or vegetable you are consuming. The fiber is the part of the food that satisfies your sense of fullness, but more than that, it slows the body’s absorption of natural sugars and thus it’s release of those sugars into the bloodstream. Of course, this is desirable in order to maintain a steady, stable blood/sugar level. 2. If you think about it, you would never be able to consume the same number of whole fruits and/or vegetables as you require for a glass full of juice. It’s just not possible to eat that much Raw Food. It takes me about 8 large carrots, juiced, to fill a good sized mug. Compare that to my ability or even desire to sit down and eat 8 whole, large carrots in one sitting. It’s just not going to happen. So, there is immense value in consuming the whole food and not just drinking the juice.

Then, what DO I eat on a Raw Food diet if I’m limiting my consumption of the above foods?

WHILE YOU ARE TRYING TO LOSE WEIGHT -

Focus on consuming a LOT of leafy greens. Supplement that with as many other raw vegetables as you desire. Then use fruit as dessert or a snack. You can still use the above ingredients as “condiments” in moderation…but remember you are trying to lose weight and piling on loads of high-calorie foods in the form of nuts, seeds, dry fruit and juices just won’t help you in that department.

That said, in my next post I will offer some really great recipes and meal ideas to get you off to a great start with the Raw Foods lifestyle! Recipes that won’t put on pounds and bulk you out.

Until next time…

Blessings and Namaste

~tracy

Alright, here is the list of things I always make sure I have in the house. As I mentioned, not everything is 100% RAW, but I believe this is a huge step in the right direction. Your mileage may vary. Follow your own intuition and listen to the needs of your body.

Vegies -

Fresh/raw – carrots (bulk bag from Costco), cucumbers (bulk from Costco), broccoli (florets in a bulk bag from Costco), organic spinach (bulk tub from Costco), avocados (in a bulk bag from Costco), tomatoes, red bell peppers (bulk bag from Costco), romain lettuce (bulk bag from Costco), celery (bulk bag from Costco), yukon gold potatoes (bulk bag from Costco), zucchini, crimini mushrooms, yams, onions, garlic.

Frozen – organic white corn (in a bulk bag from Costco), a variety of frozen mixed vegetables.

Fruit -

Fresh/raw – apples, bananas, (both sometimes from Costco depending on quality and pricing), lemons, limes

Frozen – mixed fruit blend (in a bulk bag from Costco), strawberries (in a bulk bag from Costco), mixed berry blend (in a bulk bag from Costco), frozen orange juice concentrate (6 pack from Costco)

Dried – raisins, dates, sometimes apricots

Nuts & Seeds -

All nuts in bulk bags from Costco – almonds, walnuts, pecans.

Seeds – (bulk section at Food 4 Less or in the cooler section of natural health store) Sunflower, pumpkin, flax (golden and brown)

Condiments -

(Most I get from the health food store) Shredded, raw, unsweetened coconut,  Stevia packets (natural, no-cal, no-carb sweetener), vanilla extract, tobasco sauce, worchestershire sauce, soy sauce, cold pressed olive oil, real butter, sea salt, whole pepper corns to grind, spices (cumin, chili powder, cinnamon, ginger -fresh and dry powder, dry basil, dry oregano, onion salt or powder, garlic salt or powder), agave nectar, honey, cocoa powder, carob powder, apple cidar vinegar.

Dry red wine and a chocolate bar frequently make their way onto this list and into my mouth, as well!

Ok, there’s my basic list. This isn’t my “shopping list”, these are just things I make sure I keep in the house most of the time. Obviously, I have to replenish some things more than others…like the fresh produce. Much of this keeps for a long time on the shelf or in the freezer and is used as needed.

Next blog entry? A typical food day for me and some of my favorite meals.

Till next time!

Blessings

I was online today exchanging messages with a friend who is also interested in learning about the Raw Foods Lifestyle. He asked me a question that is really relevant to deciding whether or not to go Raw.

Is it expensive to eat a Raw Diet?

This is such a great question and honestly, I thought it would be expensive, too. So I will share what I have learned from my own experience and you can decide for yourself.

Now, keep in mind that I am a regular person and I believe fanaticism is just as unhealthy, or more so, than a lot of other choices we could make. For me, balance is key.  So, you will find, if you decide to educate yourself about eating a Raw Foods lifestyle, that for most people in the “movement” this equates to the following:

1. No animal products of any kind – raw or not.

2. Only certifiably raw, certifiably organic produce.

So, granted, organic is more than likely going to be better for you than the alternative, in that hopefully it won’t be exposed to any pesticides or other chemicals during the growing process. And if you can afford to buy strictly organic, by all means, you are probably going to be better off doing it.

HOWEVER, this is how I look at it. You see, I am a very practical kind of person. I figure, if my body is used to being subjected to all kinds of processed foods such as bleached white flour and sugar, artificial sweeteners and colorants, fat-dense hamburgers, pizza, ice cream and all kinds of other dairy, processed and sugared cereals and grain products, carbonation, preservatives, and otherwise enzyme absent, dead foods… then my body is going to be a helluva lot healthier and happier simply cutting this junk out and consuming PRIMARILY raw foods and vegetables.

So, looking at it from this perspective, I completely advocate simply continuing to shop at your regular grocery store and continue purchasing your produce there. Organic can come later, if that’s what you feel your body would benefit from. But when you are just starting to transition over, it’s wise to be sensible. And make it cost-effective.

That said, you will find that your grocery bill will likely go down immensely, simply cutting out the stuff you no longer want to consume by going raw, ie;

Meats, dairy products, sugary cereals and desserts, packaged grain-based foods, soda, any canned foods, etc.

If you focus on buying produce “in-season” you will find that this is some of the least expensive food you can buy! Also, cutting out all of the above items will free up your budget so that you can afford to include some of the more expensive fruits and vegetable selections along with some nuts and seeds.

Something else to consider is this – Raw foods are very nutrient dense. Your body isn’t used to this. You will find that you are only able to eat a fraction of the serving size of a raw dish as compared to it’s traditional counter-part. Think about it…you know how you can eat a large portion of lasagna and garlic bread or mashed potatoes and gravy…then an hour later you are craving more? It’s not that your body hasn’t gotten enough FOOD. What your body is craving are nutrients! You have filled your stomach but your body still hasn’t received the nutrition it needs. This isn’t the case with raw foods. You will find yourself making a healthy sized serving of “raw” spaghetti, thinking that this is the size portion you would normally eat of the cooked version, and half way through the meal you will simply feel satisfied. It really is amazing! So, keep this in mind when making the decision to go raw…especially if you are fearful due to budget constraints. I have frequently had to throw out left-over raw food because I made more than I could eat. So, you will learn to pay attention to how much food your body REALLY wants and needs.

When thinking about going Raw, I hope you will consider what I have said here, and I hope it has been helpful to you in your decision making process.

Next blog entry? I am going to offer a shopping list of the items I most often make sure I have in the house at all times to maintain my healthy Raw Foods Lifestyle!

Ciao!

Well, I think I have figured out what works for me! I have been so excited about Raw Foods and all the amazing gourmet dishes that can be created using only wholesome, living foods, and I know I am healthier not putting cooked or otherwise processed foods into my body. But, I haven’t been losing the weight I want to lose, which has been discouraging me. I keep reading all these amazing success stories from people who went Raw and have lost all their excess weight and I keep thinking “Why not me?” Aside from the fact that I eat junk food, or my idea of junk food anyhow, every so often. But most of the time I really am pretty good about staying Raw. So…I think I figured out the catch, for me, anyhow!

No starches or grains and very, VERY few nuts and seeds! At least until I get down to my desired weight. A lot of the creative dishes I have been making are very nut or seed dense, which is very gratifying and satisfying for my MOUTH…but I am not getting the results in my body that I desire.

So, here is what I am allowing myself:

All the fruit I want – except I am severely restricting my consumption of dried fruits. I used to snack on dates or raisins and nuts frequently and I am not doing this any longer. Dry fruits are also now in the “condiment” category for me. A few in a salad, that’s it!

All the vegetables I want, with the exception of white potatoes

Nuts or seeds only as a condiment…say, a handful in a fruit salad…but not used as a base for a meal such as raw tacos or refried beans or hummus or pie crust or nut butters/creams or pie fillings or faux sour cream or nut milks or raw cereal, etc, etc, etc.

I feel lighter already after doing this for 3 days and have already lost 2.5 pounds. I am even allowing myself some raw fish…marinated in citrus juice so that it is the texture of “cooked” fish and lightly steamed broccoli along with the occassional cooked yam. And I am feeling GREAT!

So, for those with weightloss issues who are thinking about adopting a Raw Foods lifestyle, try this approach if you are not experiencing success, and see if it works for you, too!

The last few days I have been feeling really horrible. Not like the stomach flu kind of horrible. But anxious. And when I say anxious, I don’t just mean nervous. I mean…a constant state of self-doubt. Rapid heart rate, fear so intense that it’s nearly immobilizing. Irregular sleep patterns…as in, only sleeping for 3 hours a night and being physically and emotionally exhausted. In addition to this, it has taken a huge amount of self control to keep from lashing out at others, because I feel so irritable and short tempered. I want to cry or vomit or purge myself of this feeling somehow so that I can feel better. I simply haven’t felt myself.

Then I realized it’s “that time of the month” and my hormones seem to be all out of whack. A primary contributor, I am sure, is the fact that I have been eating things the past couple of weeks that I NEVER eat anymore; homemade mashed potatoes with hamburger gravy (talk about a real wild canon for someone who has eaten practically no dairy or meat for months and very limited cooked foods!), store-bought, microwaved chicken taquitos and cheap chocolate, homemade meatloaf with pork sausage stuffing, mashed potatoes, rum cake and ice cream with lots of wine. I mean, what have I been thinking? Of course I am going to feel like CRAP! But, even more so considering that I am 45 and have been experiencing symptoms of perimenopause for a while now.

But the funny thing is, I was feeling GREAT when I was on 95% raw foods just a couple of months ago. So, I did some research last night, after spending several days and nights experiencing the above symptoms, in addition to some others not mentioned and here is what I found…the following are all symptoms typical of perimenopause. My own symptoms are marked with an X: (from http://www.project-aware.org/Experience/symptoms.shtml )

1. Hot flashes, flushes, night sweats and/or cold flashes, clammy feeling – X
2. Irregular heart beat – X
3. Irritability – X
4. Mood swings, sudden tears – X
5. Trouble sleeping through the night (with or without night sweats) _ X
6. Irregular periods; shorter, lighter periods; heavier periods, flooding; phantom periods, shorter cycles, longer cycles – X
7. Loss of libido
8. Dry vagina
9. Crashing fatigue -X
10. Anxiety, feeling ill at ease – X
11. Feelings of dread, apprehension, doom – X
12. Difficulty concentrating, disorientation, mental confusion – X
13. Disturbing memory lapses
14. Incontinence, especially upon sneezing, laughing; urge incontinence
15. Itchy, crawly skin
16. Aching, sore joints, muscles and tendons – X
17. Increased tension in muscles – X
18. Breast tenderness
19. Headache change: increase or decrease
20. Gastrointestinal distress, indigestion, flatulence, gas pain, nausea – X
21. Sudden bouts of bloat
22. Depression
23. Exacerbation of existing conditions
24. Increase in allergies – X
25. Weight gain
26. Hair loss or thinning, head, pubic, or whole body; increase in facial hair
27. Dizziness, light-headedness, episodes of loss of balance
28. Changes in body odor
29. Electric shock sensation under the skin and in the head
30. Tingling in the extremities
31. Gum problems, increased bleeding
32. Burning tongue, burning roof of mouth, bad taste in mouth, change in breath odor
33. Osteoporosis (after several years)
34. Changes in fingernails: softer, crack or break easier
35. Tinnitus: ringing in ears, bells, ‘whooshing,’ buzzing etc.

The interesting thing is…I wasn’t experiencing most of these symptoms while sustaining a primarily raw foods lifestyle. The exception would be the sporadic/irregular periods or spotting between periods. But most of the other symptoms…the general lack of a sense of well being, confusion and fear issues were all pretty much non-existent while on raw foods.

So, my theory is this – I believe these symptoms can be managed or eliminated all together simply by ridding my system of all processed foods and beverages and consuming primarily raw foods. I have had difficulty re-comitting to the 95% raw foods lifestyle…mostly at night. I do quite well most days, but generally give in at night. However, the experiences I have had the past few days have really showed me that I can’t afford to consume foods that are clearly toxic to my system. The pain FAR out weighs the pleasure! So, I will post my results here. I will be most interested to see how I am feeling one month from now, during the week prior-to and week of my period.

If you have had any of the same symptoms and you are even in your late 20’s on, I would highly recommend trying the same thing to see if you get better results with raw foods.

Stay tuned!

Ok, so I really have to come up with a concrete plan of action for overcoming this problem I have with nightly nibbles. I am FABULOUS about sticking to my designated eating routine right up until dinner time. Man! I just don’t know what it is about the evening that makes me crack my resolve…any feedback on this would be greatly appreciated! If this has been a challenge for you but you figured out a way to overcome it, please do drop me a note!

Every day I set a new goal regarding what I will and won’t allow myself to eat. And every evening (pretty much without exception) I give in and eat foods that are “off the beaten path.” I think it may begin with the wine…lol! Actually, I think that’s a very likely culprit. Sip the wine, lower my resolve, get acid stomach needing something starchy to soak it up, and VOILA! Off I go into what most people would probably consider reasonable eating…but when you are working on eating 100% raw, there are a LOT of foods that would seem, to the conventional mind, like healthy, sensible food options, but which are not getting me the nutritional benefits I am seeking from a primarily raw foods lifestyle.

Not going to bother writing down what I have been eating the past few days because I have been very off-again, on-again with it. Got to rethink my strategy!