I feel even better today and my energy just seems to keep on improving. I feel like I have so much energy, I could even outlast the Energizer Bunny in a race. I can’t believe I didn’t try the raw food diet out sooner. I feel like I just got an upgrade. If things stay this way I really don’t see myself going back to my standard diet.
I’ve also noticed that as I progress my skin seems to be becoming drier and drier. The back of my hands have this whitish dry appearance and the skin seems to keep flaking off. I think I will need to eat more fats going forward, so I will try to incorporate more raw plant fats such as pumpkin, flax, and sunflower seeds as well as avocados, into my diet.
On top of that more weight loss…boooo! It’s not a lot, but I still don’t like losing weight. I feel strong, but I look skinnier than what I prefer.
Breakfast
I’ve decided to eat food that also require less prep time. I have a full time job, an active social life, workouts 3 times a week, and on top of that I’m trying to keep this journal while eating right. The measuring of the food is way easier if I don’t have to cut it up, so from now on it’s just wash, peel, and eat. I read that some people made the transition to full raw by first using recipes. They used raw foods to make foods that closely resemble what they normally ate. This is a great idea, helping to ease the transition to raw foods. Eventually the people dropped the recipes and ate simpler and simpler as time went on. I do not have that luxury right now, so for me, it’s more of a necessity than a choice.
I found it particularly amusing that pioneers of raw foods, ate raw foods in their simple form. They ate whole fruits, some vegetables, and nuts. There were no fancy recipes, no gadgets, and no resources on how to eat a raw food diet. The would just grab some fruits from their local markets, take them home, wash them, and eat. On to breakfast!
- organic bananas (315g)
- organic Fuji apple (168g)
- organic kiwi (221g)
After breakfast I got a bit of a runny nose that lasted about two hours. I though I might be getting sick at first, but the symptoms disappeared as quickly as they appeared. I don’t really know what happened, but I’m glad I’m not sick. Speaking of which, I don’t normally get sick. I think it happens once every two years. When it does happen it gets bad and I’m out of commission for a couple of days. Normally though I don’t get colds or the flu or anything. I find that a contrast to the reasons why other people go on this diet.
From what I’ve seen and read, many people switch to the raw food diet in order to cure themselves of diseases that conventional medicines were not able to treat. Some have used the diet to cure themselves of bursitis, diabetes, and cancer. There are countless examples on the internet, just do a goggle search.
I feel that this is kind of reactive way of doing things, but it’s better than not doing anything at all. I feel you should always try to prevent bad health, instead of reacting to fix it only once things are really bad. To me that’s like trying to patch up a hole in a ship that’s already sinking. If you’d taken the time to maintain the hull in the first place, there would be no hole.
Still the benefits of the raw food diet as a cure for some very nasty diseases, like cancer should not be dismissed lightly. There are theories on why it is viable. For example, the Food Enzyme Concept.
Lunch
My co-workers have asked me to eat at a few restaurants with them and I’ve had to turn them down on more than one occasion. I like the social interaction of eating with my co-workers, but the places they frequent have little to no food for a raw foods experimenter like me. Other times I have declined because I feel it is a big temptation to be around people who are eating meat. I have the discipline to resist cravings when the cooked food is not present, but I have to really hold myself back when I see others eating a standard diet. I don’t want to put myself in that situation unless I have to. I have a strong will, but I’m still human. Just whiffing on the cooked food could flip my switch, transforming me from Dr. Jekyll to Mr. Hyde. If you really like to tempt yourself you can try it, but I would strongly advise against it.
So far I feel like I won’t break, but it’s only the 10th day. I really wish I had a person I could eat lunch with as opposed to eating by myself. Going to Orlando and eating salad with a group of people has spoiled me. I now need a raw food posse or at least a raw food companion.
I have joined a few raw food groups in my area by using meetup.com. I have even met a few people from one group yesterday, when I went to see David Wolfe’s speech in Orlando (yes I will have it for you here soon). I have been posting on message boards and a few members have given me advice and other pointers. This process would certainly be easier if I got a mentor or at least someone who’s been at this a while. It’s like going to the gym for the first time. You either get a trainer or you meet people whose primary goals are working out and staying fit. In any case, it’s time for lunch!
For lunch I switched things up a little today. I had a salad. I just had a craving for a nice salad with variety, so I made one. That’s how I roll.
- mixed salad: blended salad made up of romaine lettuce, radicchio lettuce, and carrot blend (246g), tomatoes (245g), orange bell pepper (76g), organic onions (65g)
- salad dressing: organic spinach (15g), organic carrots (30g), organic banana (34g), 1/2 cup water
As you can tell from the picture, I put too much water in the salad dressing, so you might only want to add 1/4 of a cup for thicker dressing.
Pre-Dinner
- green smoothie: organic bananas (310g), organic baby spinach(83g), organic collard greens (68g), 3 cups water
Dinner
For dinner I had a glorious meal, I really like eating fresh food now. I feel so much better afterward. I feel like I can do anything after I eat a raw food meal. I feel positive emotions, at peace, and I have all this clean energy that rushes over my body. It feels like every cell in my body is experiencing a symphony of joy. I’m not quite at the euphoria feeling, like I was on Day 11 in my December trial, but I expect those feelings to come soon. It’s inevitable.
- organic bananas (487g)
- organic Washington State apples (769g)
- organic blueberries (129g)
Weight: Lost another .5 lbs from Day 9. Down to 180.1 lbs. I’m trying to eat more, but my body does not want more food than I am giving it.
Body Temperature: My temperature today was 97.5 °F. Seems like my body temperature is dropping somewhat, but I can never tell. The readings on the body temperature have been kind of inconsistent.
pH levels: The pH level today was an average of of 7.25. This seems to be pretty stable.
Blood Pressure: The systolic was at 130 and diastolic at 68. Just when I thought it would go lower.
Endurance: I did not go to the gym today, but I had a lot of energy throughout the day. I felt pretty good.
Strength: I did not go to the gym, but I still felt strong.
Cognitive Capacity: Mentally, I’ve improved dramatically, I feel that I am sharper than I have been in a while. Ever since the mental fog lifted on Day 6, I haven’t had a problem with cognitive capacity. I now have a faster processor and I can’t really see myself going back to a diet that holds me back mentally. If mental clarity is a priority for you, I would definetly give the raw food diet a shot.
nice posting as to prepare or utilise a raw food is bit difficult but you did it very well. Nice and keep it up and keep posting
I agree with you that prevention is better than cure. It is important to eat healthy from the beginning … and not just start once you get sick. But in retrospect, it is better to start later than never.
Also, I rarely get sick. Like I may be ill for 2-3 days every year. I know people on the raw food diet who have never been ill for more than 10 years! I guess the fruits and vegetables take care of your immune system for you.