Raw food: No it doesn't mean I eat a lot of sushi, it means DH and I eat predominately vegan food which has not been heated above 115 degrees. This leaves living enzymes intact and available for our bodies to process. This of course is a very simplistic, unscientific explanation of our diet.
Today I'll give you a short history of how we ended up here.
In September 2008 DH had surgery for some sinus problems. The Doctor found what he described as "profound" infection. After the surgery DH was feeling better, but the core infection was lingering. He spent several months on antibiotics and it still didn't solve the problem. That was when he started researching alternative solutions.
The first thing he tried was a fast. He did a water only fast for 7 days in early 2009. This was something I was able to support him in, but unable to do with him. I just couldn't commit to that drastic change. He did well on the fast, and felt better for several weeks afterward. However, once back on our Standard American Diet (SAD) for a few weeks, his problems returned. For those who are concerned, he did the appropriate preparation for the fast, and the necessary 'easing into' solid food again.
He admitted he didn't think he could water fast regularly to keep the sinus issues at bay so together we tried a juice fast. In May, we went 7 days drinking nothing but water and fruit or vegetable juice. It was difficult, but do-able. I really missed chewing my food, but I was never hungry. Again, DH felt better after the fast, but when we were back on burgers and bread for a while, the problems returned. We tried to eat raw based on a tiny bit of Internet research but eating salads all the time was unsatisfying.
In August of 2009, I was wandering a book store looking for "Mastering the Art of French Cooking" after watching "Julie and Julia". Lucky for me, I did not find that book, but I did find "Raw Food, Real World" by Matthew Kenney and Sarma Melngailis. I bought it on impulse and it really opened our eyes. We did more research and I started talking about this 'diet' to my friends. I was lucky to have a wonderful friend, KB, who was also just starting to research raw food and the benefits to her health. Together we shared recipes, book titles and the best places to shop. Both of us also had the help of our husbands. DH was very enthusiastic and we embraced this way of food preparation.
We bought all the gadgets, a few more books, and hit the farmers markets each week in search of fresh foods. I'll talk about gadgets later. We felt better almost immediately. We both noticed a difference in our sleeping habits, we both ate less and still felt full, and we had hardly any food cravings. We are not vegan - I feel that I should clarify that right now. We still go out with friends, have family over and cook holiday meals. We cook and eat meat when we choose to do so. DH and I enjoy raw food, and try to keep 60% or more of our diet there, but given our lifestyle it's not realistic for us to be 'high raw'. And let's face it - bacon is good, I don't want to live in a world where I don't get to eat bacon once in a while.
During our 5 month journey, we've had lots of time 'off the wagon'. We get busy and don't get to the store for fresh food, or we cook for the holidays and have leftover turkey and pie, or we eat out with friends and family for birthday celebrations. We have learned that we feel better when we keep the majority of our food raw. However we still feel the benefits even if we have a few meals that include meat or bread or pasta. For us, it's a balancing act and we are pleased with our results. There are some out there who are 100% raw and will be unhappy with my claims of health at 60% but this is my life, my body and my path to walk however I see fit.
DH has seen significant improvement in his sinus problems and food allergies. I am feeling better in general and losing weight. I have also found several other people who are eating raw and drinking green smoothies. I was amazed that in my relatively small circle of friends and colleagues, I was able to find 3 other people who are on the same path and we all started around the same time.
I guess that's all, and it's not a short history, but a history nonetheless.
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