It has now been three months that I have been raw and vegan. The raw lifestyle is an amazing and magical journey, for sure. If you don't mind me being mystical for a moment, I have to say being raw feels like your cells are singing in harmony with nature. I have been on many diets -- probably every diet ever created -- but being raw is different. It feels like a way of life, not a means to an end. My instincts tell me something is different here. I feel as if my body is working the way it is supposed to work!
Poops: This may be a strange conversation topic but when I consider if this is truly the best way of eating, I think about how I am feeling but also I simply cannot ignore the fact that I have been doing 2-3 poops a day and those poops are sometimes 2 feet long. Never before in my life have my bowels moved like this. I know this sounds gross but it's definitely worth discussing. It has to mean this is the proper way for me to eat! Also makes me wonder where all that poop was going before I was raw. Is it still in my intestines?
Snacks: I try to keep the majority of my diet raw fruits and veggies, while keeping the nuts, seeds and chocolate to a minimum. But most days in the afternoon I do crave something sweet. I am so grateful for things like raw bars, cookies and macaroons found at our local health food store. Some of my favorites include Raw Revolution bars (my favorite is chocolate coconut), Rawnola Bar (original), and Raw Bakery chocolate-dipped macaroons!
Slip-ups: Because I am new to this I have had some slip-ups. Raisins: I thought they were raw but apparently they are not. Green tea is another thing I consumed that was not raw. I did read it might be considered raw if it is brewed in the sun. I still have an Honest Tea once in a while and when it warms up I will be brewing my own green tea in the sun. I have probably consumed some nuts that were not raw. Also made the most amazing Thai Lettuce Wraps but the sauce had wild raw honey, which is raw but not vegan.
I am now falling into the groove of being raw but there is one area where I am being easy on myself. That area is salad dressings. Some dressings I ate I suspect were not raw but I was traveling this month, which can make it difficult. Whenever I am not at home I usually have a salad. Confirming that dressing is completely raw and vegan is tough so I don't sweat the dressings. I am certainly not eating bleu cheese dressing but if I have an Italian dressing I am not going to be able to confirm that all ingredients are raw and vegan. If I am making a choice to eat a raw salad I will not take time to decipher the dressing ingredients.
Sample Day:
Water with lemon upon waking
Breakfast: Organic fruit salad with oranges, kiwi and blueberries, Green Juice (kale, celery, ginger, apple, lemon)
Lunch: Huge salad (romaine lettuce, carrots, cucumbers, cauliflower, walnuts, red bell peppers and sprouts) with basil avocado dressing! Bowl of organic strawberries
Snack: Raw Revolution bar
Dinner: Stuffed mushrooms (crimini mushrooms with sunflower seed pate) herb salad with tomatoes and cucumbers (fig dressing), more fruit salad
Snack: Blueberry smoothie (frozen bananas, tbsp of almond butter, almond milk and dates)
Some nights I might have a glass or two or organic wine!
Results: Lost 35 pounds so far, skin is clear, poops are out of this world, eyes are clear, all is good! I feel as though I could stick to the raw lifestyle forever.
I have received so many inquiries about my raw lifestyle I created a Facebook page called Sandy's Salad dedicated completely to my raw journey.
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