I’m here! So sorry I did not post last week. I went out of town kind of on a whim to visit a great friend and her children. It was a lot of fun and I’m happy I was able to make the trip. You would think I lost a lot of weight running around with six children ages 4, 4, 2, 2, 5 months and 3 months! LOL. It was a riot! The highlights of the trip were getting to see a good friend, the beautiful mountain views, going to the movies (one of my favorite things to do), eating at the Bear Paw, checking out Colorado City and finally getting to buy some raw cheese and milk!
Actually, I got sick while I was there. I ate some food on Tuesday night that did not settle well and Wednesday I felt horrible. Okay, Staci is going to pee her pants when she reads this, but I was burping sewage out of my mouth! I’m not kidding. Her husband finally lit candles. All I could do was crack up that I was having the nastiest burps any human could possibly have. Gross! On Thursday, my body finally decided to dispose of things in the toilet instead of out my mouth! I don’t remember the last time I had bowel movements like that. My kids also didn’t feel well. This is just not "normal" for us. Why am I sharing this with you all? While I was sitting, staring at the toilet, thinking I was going to barf, I just couldn’t believe I was there. There was no one to blame but myself. Why do I do this? I know what is good for my body and what is not. So, why do I continue to eat foods that are not life sustaining? Why am I not fed up enough to progress to the next level of health? These are the questions that have been on my mind.
I am home and getting back into the swing of things. While I was gone I had time to reflect on what I was doing and more on what I was not doing. I know that I am not making the improvements in my life that I truly want. Brandon and I had time to discuss this on our seven hour drive home. It is obvious to us that I have somehow lost some of my spark. I care too much what others think and I do not do what I need or want to for myself while taking care of my family first. I am never going to be at my optimal level of health (mentally, emotionally, physically or spiritually) if I don’t change this.
Finally, I asked my husband to make a list of things he thinks I could be doing to improve my life and become my best self.
Here it is:
-Meditate about visualization in the morning and gratitude in the evening
-Read 2 chapters a day of personal development material
-Listen to 1 CD a day of personal development material
-Read 1 chapter a day of scriptures
-Eat a vegetarian diet with no white flour, white rice (my love!), pasta or sugar
-Do 30 minutes of cardio a day and work my way up to 45 minutes to an hour (start at 3 times/week)
-Do pushups, crunches and lunges every other day
-Set a goal of how many blog posts I want per week and write them. I can do them all in a day, just decide what is best for my and stick to it
-Get a success journal and write down good points on things I have read, listened to or think of. Write in it every day. We can do this together and share if we want to.
We discussed each thing and I feel they are all great. My only thing is finding time to do all of these things being home with three small children. That is not an excuse, just something to work around. We decided that I should start with doing one of these things today and work my way into all of them. They all have to become routine and habitual. My days will eventually be shaped into a rhythm of doing all these things.
I am adding these to the list:
-Pick up and keep the house clean. The kids can help
-Do more activities and crafts with the children.
-Have more reading time with me and the kids.
-Start scrap booking again (get that 3rd bedroom organized!)
I am realizing that I have to integrate all of this. I can have reading time with the kids where they look at their book while I read my few chapters and when I’m finished I can read to them. I can set them up with a craft at the table an work on it with them while listening to a CD or posting a blog. It doesn’t have to be one or the other, it’s just a matter of finding the right flow for us.
I hope to report back soon on my success starting and continuing to do these things. I also hope that Brandon can give me great support, because my biggest thing to improve is following through.
What are some things you have done or are going to start doing to get to your best self?
With all this talk about a raw lifestyle, I think another raw foodist interview would be beneficial and interesting!
This interview is with on December 22nd, 2007 with Ginger. She is a mother who is very informative about raw food. She has helped me with deciding whether to go all raw while breastfeeding. Thank you!
Tell us a little bit about yourself (3-5 sentences). I am a stay at home mom and I unschool my daughter who will be 5 on Christmas in a few days! I am one of those spiritual but not religious people, into astrology, numerology, meditating, LOA and all that super neat new age stuff! I have a raw website that I have big plans for in the not so distant future, I am very exited! I’m just itching to share what is in store but you won’t be getting a word out of me till it’s ready.
Are you male or female? Female
What is your age? I think 29?
How long have you been eating RAW? Since the summer of 2002. I go all raw off and on.
How did you learn about RAW? I was 5 months pregnant with my daughter in the summer of 02. Drove by a place here in Las Vegas called The Raw Truth cafe and juice bar. Decided to check it out and as soon as Bob (owner) told me what it was all about it was like a big light came on in my head and I realized I had finally figured out what was wrong with the world. It just instantly clicked for me the moment I heard it. Like common sense. I was struck by the fact that I had never stopped to think about it on my own all my life. It’s strange how something so obvious could be so effectively hidden right in front of us.
What does eating RAW mean to you? Lifeforce. Capable of producing and sustaining life. Just can’t do that eating dead and altered stuff.
Why did you choose to eat RAW and why do you continue to do so? It just makes sense. Eating cooked food is totally absurd and very extreme if you stop to think about it. Just because something is common does not mean it’s normal. Like that saying.. If 10,000 men do a stupid thing, it is still a stupid thing.
How did you transition from SAD to RAW? I didn’t. The day I learned of raw I went totally fully raw on the spot. Stayed that way until a month later when my life was totally unstable and I had to move 4 times in only a few months. I was pregnant and working a full shift plus taking on extra hours when I could. Life was quite challenging between being so busy and ending a relationship and moving so much and I ended up falling back into eating standard food. Shortly after my daughter was born I went vegetarian and I was vegan before she was 3 months old because my eating dairy was causing her problems. I decided to go raw again when I could and have been all raw off and on since. Hope to stay raw eventually.
Are you a vegetarian or vegan? Why? How does that effect your RAW lifestyle? Vegan now although on two occasions now I let some things creep back in for awhile. I grew up eating standard foods but mostly junk food and fast food. A home cooked meal in my house was usually just as processed and almost as bad. I always liked salad though. With croutons and bleu cheese and ham or shrimp.. yeah I was never into health until I was pregnant! Never crossed my mind until then. Weird huh? Why am I vegan? Pick a reason! There is no valid reason not to be. Mostly health reasons though for me.
What benefits have you personally noticed from eating RAW? The cloud lifts, everything heals, and the world is a better place. I have never had another abscessed tooth since changing my diet, and I used to get them constantly like every few months. My period is the complete opposite of what it used to be, it’s now hardly even noticeable, it’s very light, lasts only 3 days tops and no cramping no emotional stuff no nothing. The only way I know when I’m about to get it is that my body wants to fast the day before and the first day I have it. I totally lose my appetite. I lost all my pregnancy weight in 3 months raw eating whatever and whenever I wanted so long as it was raw. Later gained it all back and for some reason I now have to watch my fat intake even when I’m all raw but that’s another story. I never get sick anymore AT ALL. I could go on & on about all the benefits I notice, I notice with my child and my mother (she healed her cancer) but let me just mention one last thing! I had a neat thing happen, totally unexpected. My tooth that I had chipped when I was a kid GREW BACK! My self my family and my friends were floored. Didn’t know it was even possible, it just happened when I was eating all raw for about 6 months. I gave up using toothpaste because turns out it is harmful to teeth. I started using toothsoap instead or just water and a natural bristle toothbrush.
What is your favorite RAW food or recipe? Soooo many! I love food! It is always changing so I’m going to say salad because I could eat a different salad every day and be perfectly happy the rest of my life.
What advice do you have for others looking into eating RAW? Try it. Really. Just try it and if something isn’t working your body will tell you so you can adjust things to make it work for you. Raw works for everyone, it is just not true that not everybody can eat raw. Some people just don’t want to eat raw and that is fine, but it’s not because they can’t- it’s that they choose not to. You may have to get creative depending on your diseases or allergies etc but it can be done and you will benefit. It is the way we are all designed to live.
Is there anything else you would like our readers to know about eating RAW? There is a saying that totally fits here.. You don’t have to change your life to eat raw, but eating raw will definitely change your life!
Do you have a blog or website you would like to share? My main site: http://therawpath.com/
I am happy to tell you that today I am feeling much better! No headache! My congestion has turned into sneezing and draining. It feels good to know my body is releasing all the crap! Last night I had the headache, bad breath, gas and I was terribly bloated! Today I feel lighter, and have more energy, even with my lack of sleep! This is why raw is awesome! I also had a rash on my left arm that started about a week ago. This morning it is almost all gone. Just like that …overnight!
I also need to bring you some bad news. My husband can’t hack it! That’s right, the food machine can not eat all raw. It’s too hard for him. You have no idea the joy this brings me. That’s right…joy. For the first time in 10 years I am the better example and have the superior diet. I made him say it. "January, yes you have a superior diet". Oh ya baby! I don’t think him eating high raw is bad, it’s great, but I am better. LOL.
I think most people can benefit from a high raw diet, that’s obvious. To eat all raw, you have to want it. It’s not something to take lightly. We don’t live in a raw world. I have a fault (one of many). I can not make decisions and stick to them…usually. In the rare cases that I do make a decision, I become hard core about it. When I decided to have children instead of going to school and have a career (want to be a Dr.), I decided to put my all into being a SAHM (stay at home mom) . It may be hard when 3 kids are screaming at me, but I know it’s right. When I decided to never have another c-section (or surgery of any kind) again, that was it. I fought damn hard for my VBA2C (vaginal birth after 2 c-sections). I have finally made the decision to eat raw. Since I have made the decision, I have not been tempted to eat anything else. I feel strong and powerful in my choice.
These are pictures of my 4 and 2 year old helping me make fruit salad. We actually had a lot of fun. They ate some, then I snacked on it the rest of the day! It was very good. I don’t normally like blueberries, but with bananas and raw agave they taste better to me.
What I Ate:
-Fruit Salad: blueberries, blackberries, banana, raisins, and raw agave nectar
-2 kiwi
-Chopped up celery, radish, tomatoes and baby cucumbers mixed w/Bragg’s
-G.T. Synergy Kombucha
-Dried organic mango
-Small handful raw almonds, grape tomatoes, sprouted raw sunflower and pumpkin seeds, lemon juice, sea salt (I usually eat this with avocados and not almonds. Unfortunately when I went to prepare it, my avocados were not ripe. I was so bummed.)
-Few bites of peanut butter, raw cocoa, and raw agave nectar
-Banana
-3 organic dates
I drank more water today, but I think I still need more. I can just feel it in my body. I don’t feel hydrated enough. I think the dried mangoes are causing too much gas (I know, too much information, but that’s what this blog is all about!). I did feel much better today, like I expected (maybe that’s why I felt better, b/c of my expectation!). Towards the end of the night, the headache came back. I think this is from lack of sleep though. I almost feel like I have allergies. I am welcoming all of it though.
