The Accidental Rawist

Lately I have been having such an easy time getting up in the mornings. I also find that since I have changed my diet I have been sleeping less (about 6 hours, as opposed to 8-10 when I was pre -raw food) and waking up feeling more refreshed and energized. Obviously I credit this change to my diet, giving up caffeine and drinking a lot more water in general. This morning, however I woke up with a bit of a headache, no doubt a result of the couple glasses of wine I had last night (yes, many raw foodists consider some wines to be raw) and not enough water. I was just going to ride it out, but I thought I should probably try to eat something. I didn't have time to make my green smoothie this morning and was really craving vegetables. The only veg. in my lunch that sounded any good was the seaweed salad. I know, it probably sounds really weird having seaweed for breakfast, but it almost completely took my headache away. I am curious to know if it was merely that I had eaten some...

Yesterday after a meeting, my co-worker, Stephen and I decided to grab some lunch. I had heard of a decent Vegan place nearby called Sacred Chow and Stephen (S.A.D. eater) was more than happy to join me! Yay ! I didn't have to try to convince him or anything! I knew I definitely wanted a fresh juice. I don't own a juicer yet (sad) and have been relying on my blender for a variety of fresh green and fruit smoothies. Fresh juice is a luxury! That, right there, is a picture of Beet-Apple-Lemon juice. It was outstanding. I had no idea I liked beets so much. Here's a little tip; you can always tell when the juice is truly fresh squeezed because it's never as cold as refrigerated juice. Most people who don't have fresh juice very often are always very surprised by it's temperature. For my main dish I had this amazing salad with carrot-ginger dressing. One of the things I love about eating Raw is the remarkable flavor these foods take on. Since I have been ea...

Whoa! I just realized that yesterday officially marked my 30 th day of eating Raw! Woo hoo ! Hmmm , to be honest, I don't feel overwhelmingly accomplished. Being Raw for 30 days really was not hard at all. In fact, it was a really enjoyable experience. Initially, I was going to try 48 hours, but wanted to challenge myself to try a full 30 days eating 75% Raw. I actually ended my 30 days eating around 90% Raw ( I'm taking some points off for beer ). So now what? Am I going to keep doing this? Am I going to change anything? What's the plan!? Well, as it stands right now, I am going to stay Raw. Why not? I feel great, I feel strong and look really healthy. I have not been sick once, which is so awesome, considering that one of the main reasons I started eating this way was because I had a really weak immune system and was catching colds once or twice a month. My blood sugar levels have completely evened out. Granted, I don't have the blood-work to support my...

I actually ran out of fruit this morning. Fortunately for me there is a fruit and nut stand just outside the front doors of where I work. If I am lucky, "Fruit Guy" (as I like to call him), will have something organic on hand, if not I usually aim for one of the lower level pesticide laden foods, like bananas or avocados. You can get a shopping guide to pesticides here . I actually keep a little card with a list of all the dirtiest produce tucked away in my wallet (because that's what cool people do). Today I picked up a couple bananas and some blackberries and headed to the ladies room to wash my fruit. The ladies room isn't my most ideal location to wash my food, but so be it. When I walked in I was surprised to see a young, female physician washing her fruit too! I looked at her and said, "you're here to do the same thing I am." So we stood there, washing our fruit in the sink, talking "produce shop," if you will, and laughing about ...

Okay, so let's see...I've been eating Raw (about 90%) for 28 days now. Here's what has been going on physically... First of all, I have had zero problems with craving sweets or managing weight. I've been a steady 127 lbs (5' 9" height) since I began eating Raw and I eat twice as much as I did when I started. Every once in great while, I've had cravings for S.A.D. foods and I have tasted them occasionally, but they never tasted as good as I thought they would (more reason for me to believe that food is connected with emotions and memory more than anything else). The thickness and health of my hair has been completely unexpected. Strangers have actually approached me to ask if they could touch my hair (weird). It's been more manageable that ever and that is saying a lot for a girl with naturally curly hair. My skin has been looking really good. Someone told me the other day that I looked like "summer." I have a great deal of energy and fee...

Today a friend of mine invited me over for a BBQ. Of course I said yes, I love BBQ's. After I got off the phone with my friend I thought about how I might do in the environment. I was going to a BBQ, after all, that's like basically saying you are going to a meat party. I think I mentioned before that I never entered into this lifestyle due to ethical or moral issues. Almost five weeks ago I was not a Rawist, a Vegan, or a Vegetarian. I was a full-fledged meat and potatoes kind of girl. I loved it all. The only reason I cut animal products out of my diet was due to convenience. It's a lot easier for me to be Raw if I don't include animal products in my diet (see previous posts for more info). I actually learned a lot from this BBQ. I had just had a large lunch of seaweed salad and I felt pretty full. I thought I would be fine just bringing some strawberries and an apple to snack on. I admit, I entered into this completely unprepared. I was fine for the first fe...

I just got home form the farmers market and made myself a great lunch with some of my finds. It was so good, I'd like to share the recipe with you. It took me about 6 or 7minutes to make. Salad Ingredients: all 100% Certified Organic (if possible) - About two large handfuls of fresh Spinach Leaves (I pinched the bottom of the stems off) - 1/4 Cup fresh Cilantro (I actually added a little bit more than a 1/4 cup, but I love Cilantro) - A handful of fresh Sunflower Sprouts (very mild sprout, delicious) - 1/4 Cup chopped Scallions or Green Onions - 3 to 4 large Cherry Tomatoes, diced and de -seeded Dressing Ingredients: - Fresh squeezed juice from 1/2 of a Lemon - 2 Garlic Cloves, pressed - 1/4 tsp. Himalayan Pink Salt (or any all-natural, 100% Sea Salt) - 1 Tbsp. cold-pressed Hemp Oil, 100% organic (if it's not cold-pressed, it's not Raw) Then you just mix it all up in a large bowl and enjoy. I like to mix it with my hands because I think that coats everything the best an...

Yesterday I had an intense craving for seaweed. I was thinking about it all day! My mouth was watering thinking about seaweed. Damn, that stuff is good! I am just loving the fact that my cravings have turned towards hyper-healthy, Superfood items. I wanted to investigate more about why I might be craving seaweed so I looked up some things online (librarian power activated!). Apparently, not many people crave sea vegetables (go figure), so it's not like there is an abundant amount of info out there. I have heard before that if you crave coffee, tea, or alcohol you could be lacking iron and potassium. I have cut coffee out of my diet completely these past few days and it's been extremely difficult. Not because I want it, in fact, I don't crave coffee at all. My body has become so addicted to caffeine over the years that cutting it out of my diet has caused debilitating physical side-effects. Basically, I am experiencing caffeine withdrawal to the max. It's terr...

It feels really weird calling myself a Vegetarian or even a Vegan. I don't really consider myself either of things, but technically I am. It's really strange to me. I guess, I am what is known as a Raw Beegan , which basically means I only eat fresh, uncooked fruits and vegetables. The only animal product I include in my diet is honey (bee + vegan = beegan ). Mind you, in the month that I have been on this diet I have not ingested honey once, but I have zero problems with including it my diet in the future. I never entered into this diet, well, lifestyle due to any moral or ethical issues regarding the use of animal products. I wanted to go Raw because I was sick all the time and needed a drastic change right away. I suppose the name of this blog shouldn't be the Accidental Rawist , but the Accidental Vegan. It was just easier to be true to the Raw diet when I wasn't ingesting animal products. For example, technically Raw diets can include raw meat, but raw mea...

Part of the reason I don't think I will ever be 100% raw is due to my love of finely crafted ales. One of the main reasons craft beer is not Raw is due to the fact that part of it's creation requires that it be heated to temperatures above 114 degrees Fahrenheit. In fact, your average beer needs to be brought to at least 150*F. Boiling the grains in beer draws out tannins in the grain's husks which could attribute to a more bitter or harsh flavor of beer. For the most part, too much of a tannin presence is considered a flaw of the beer, although there are certain types of beer where this flavor is favored. Even though beer is not Raw, it is a Superfood . It's an excellent source of the mineral Silicon, which is an essential nutrient for maintaining healthy and strong bones. A 2005 study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine reported that adherents of a Raw Vegetarian diet had a greater likelihood for lower bone mass and density than adherents of the typi...

I was just watching the original Twilight Zone. It was the episode about the two soldiers (one male, one female) making their way through the aftermath of war. Apparently, they are the only survivors left. So there they are making their way through a desolate town, scavenging for food. One of them manages to find a can filled with chicken wings (weird, right?). It's a black and white show, but man, those chicken wings made me hungry. This is what happens from time to time. You see something, smell something or think of an old favorite meal and you miss it. It seems like you can almost taste it on the tip of your tongue and all the memories that were ever associated with that food come rushing back in waves. I do miss some food occasionally. Fortunately, the cravings are few and far between, and they only seem to last for a minute or two before they vanish completely. Yet still, they come with a sadness. A hat-tip, if you will, to the life you had before in which you felt ...

MY SKIN LOOKS AMAZING!!!!! Seriously! This alone is enough to keep me going. Also, my hair is so much thicker than it has been in the past 8 months and looks really healthy.

Raw foodists must be the best planners in the world. I say this for a couple of reasons. First, organic fruits and vegetables can be pricey and fresh produce does not last as long as something that comes out of a can or package. You have to know the best way to store these items and how long they will last before turning rancid. The same goes with nuts and seeds. Soaking nuts is favored by most Raw foodists I have met primarily because it makes them easier to digest, yet soaked nuts only last a day or two before going bad. I have been doing pretty good so far with timing and planning, but it is a balancing act. You may plan a dinner and then find that you've been invited out to dine at the last minute. Things can keep getting in the way of preparing your food and next thing you know that beautiful cucumber in your crisper has turned into a wilted blob. It sucks. My Raw food diet is almost at it's three week anniversary and I have learned so much in this short amou...

Will I ever be able to cut coffee out of my life? I had no idea how addicted and/or dependent I was until I tried to cut it out of my diet. It's becoming increasingly frustrating. I use to basically live off of coffee. Drinking 32 ounces a day was completely normal behavior for me. Since I have gone Raw I haven't ever needed more than 8 to 10 ounces. That alone is no small feat. I thought kicking those last few ounces would get easier, but it's been a struggle. Mentally, I can do without coffee. I do not feel that I want coffee, it seems that my body is so use to having it in the morning that I may actually need coffee...at least, for a little bit longer. This past weekend it was easy to go without coffee. I didn't have to wake up early and get ready for work and my mind wasn't required to be performing at optimal sharpness by 8am. The days when I have cut coffee out of my mornings at work I feel sluggish and cannot concentrate. I feel like I am in a fog...

I have discovered the magic that is the Chia Seed! Talk about a Superfood ! Chia Seeds have enormous nutritional value; they are an excellent source of fiber, loaded with antioxidants, protein, calcium, packed with vitamins and minerals ( phosphorus, magnesium, manganese, copper, niacin, zinc) , and the richest known plant source of omega-3. In addition to all that great stuff, Chia is great for maintaining healthy blood-sugar levels and aids digestion. Probably by far, the coolest Chia facts come from their history. Living and Raw Food columnist, William Anderson writes " For centuries this tiny little seed was used as a staple food by the Indians of the south west and Mexico. Known as the running food, its use as a high energy endurance food has been recorded as far back as the ancient Aztecs. It was said the Aztec warriors subsisted on the Chia seed during the conquests. The Indians of the south west would eat as little as a teaspoon full...

One of the things I love most about New York are all the bizarre and interesting things you can see in one day. I've been to a lot of places in the world and I can safely say that New York City pretty much wins the prize for most highly concentrated area for the unusual . I was on the N train last night heading into Manhattan. A tanned man got on at the Queensborough stop and propped himself against the door in front of me. He looked like he had just broken out of prison. He was dirty, especially his hands. He also had a faded tattoo of a rose on his hand and a really intense looking scar that ran down the entire length of his forearm. Yet, by far, the most interesting thing about this man was the fact that he was using those beat-up, dirty hands to work on a Rubik's Cube, of which he solved right before my very eyes! I almost applauded him, but stopped myself before I could make a scene. He didn't even seem proud of himself when he solved what I consider the most...

One of the things I am dying to try are all the fabulous Raw food eateries in New York. Sadly, not many of my friends are as anxious to try these restaurants as I am ( boooooooo !). Fortunately I convinced my my friend, Ryan, to meet me for lunch at Bonobo's Vegetarian yesterday. I was really excited eat some Raw food with a good friend, but when I had arrived at the restaurant he was eating some chili that he had purchased at another restaurant a few doors down. It was kind of hilarious. In his defense, it was cold and raining outside, so I can't blame him for thinking a bowl of warm chili would hit-the-spot. At least he purchased some fresh squeezed, organic orange juice which he thoroughly enjoyed (baby steps). This morning I managed to get my other friend, Chris, to meet me at Josie's East for brunch. The only catch, I didn't tell him it was what he calls "a health food restaurant ." Chris is a steak and potato's kind of Brit, so this was ...

The first physical change I have noticed is mood. Having a goal and desire to eat healthy (arguably the healthiest way possible) and following through on it has been remarkable for my mental health over all. I feel excited about food and creating meals. I also feel extremely proud of myself for making the move to eat better. My excitement has been so overwhelming I am probably sickening all of my friends and family by talking about how awesome I feel all the time ( Haha , sorry guys!). In addition to the increased feeling of happiness and positivity, I can safely say that I have experienced increased energy. Some of the Rawists I have spoken with have talked about actually feeling some fatigue during the early transitional weeks. They call it "detoxing." When you have adhered to the S.A.D. (Standard American Diet) way of living for almost all your life, you would think that the body would behave differently to a new and sudden change in diet. This is why it's be...

Here is a picture of the first Raw meal I ever made for myself. It's the Sunflower Seed Cheese Wrap out of Amsden's book, RAWvolution . It was shockingly easy and remarkably delicious. I really was amazed by how easy it was to prepare. It was also really fun. It felt really good to create something so delicious with such natural and beautiful vegetables. After I finished my first wrap I thought 'yeah, I can definitely do this.' I was pretty much hooked at that point.

Yesterday marked my one week anniversary of living on a Raw diet. The goal of this blog was to document my transition to eating raw as closely as possible, so I figured I had better get posting. Unfortunately, there is still much controversy surrounding the "Living" and/or "Raw" food diet. I call this blog the Accidental Rawist because I really do feel like it's something I fell into (but more on that later). I had originally heard about the Raw diet many years ago when I was in my early twenties. I think it was some T.V. program about nutrition and Supermodel Carol Alt was talking about how she has no problems managing weight while living Raw. I was intrigued. I had no idea what that meant; 'eating Raw?' I thought, 'what does that mean exactly?' So, I asked around and no one seemed to have any information. The Internet wasn't nearly as active ten years ago as it is today, so even searching online didn't provide good results. Fas...