Step into the Genesis – Raw Foodism101
86400.
Read this number out loud.
…
In the bat of an eye, you have just blown 2 seconds by simply performing the instructed action. What about the subsisting 86398 moments you have been gifted with – each day? Well, since you are neither Alice in Wonderland nor the guardian of the Chronosphere (sorry to burst your bubble), you most likely cannot turn back time and fix the past. If you beg to differ, please seek medical advice or contact Tim Burton – either should work.
As foolish as it might seem, this example illustrates the brevity of life in a nutshell. Each day is a fight between the right and the effortless way. You can choose the path of least resistance which, more often than not, simply means admiring other people’s success from afar, watching and reading their stories in awe and never truly being part of a meaningful change.
In order to change the world, you need to get to know yourself first – take a sneak peek into your own backyard (don’t be literal) and work your way from there to the top of the world if need be. A splendid technique to do so is altering your lifestyle step by step, so why not start from the very bottom of the life-sustaining chain – food? Sure, this can be easier said than done and preaching to others about the wonders of life is not that hard if you have millions in your bank account and drown your sorrow by eating caviar in a Lamborghini. This is how most mortals perceive healthy and good-looking people promoting a raw vegan diet. Nodding our heads from a safe distance and suffused with fear, we find it difficult to work towards changes that are far less complex than they appear to be.
Crossing the road to join the raw foodie community can alter your life in numerous ways. While this might be hard to imagine at this point, you will never want to go back to your old habits once you experience how refreshing it feels to get rid of all processed, toxin filled and cooked food. All of these have been robbing you of such bulky portions of both your mental and physical health.
The essential thing to keep in mind is that no slow-paced transition has ever really worked. We are cultural beings and find it excruciatingly difficult not to dive into our addictions whenever given the option. Don’t be weak. No, I mean it. There is no subtle way to put this – stand up for your body. When it comes to health, it is either black or white. Don’t get fooled by myths and legends passed around by unreliable sources telling you that transitioning to a raw vegan diet can take years of arduous work. This is simply not true. Food is an essence. It can be a passion, but it should never be the only thing on your mind and your psyche is strong enough to change from Dark Knight black to the wedding gown white within 24 hours. The question remains – how, in the name of deep fried chicken, are you supposed to do that? (if this made you drool, don’t discontinue reading under no circumstances – you will thank me later)
- Forget everything you think you know
Don’t believe in dogmas – not even those surrounding the concept of raw food. Not all raw food is healthy. It is not miraculous either. In order to establish balance in both body and mind, you need to work on yourself. Experiment and try to stay objective.
Real raw foodism should be simple and this simplicity is what gives its followers the feeling of freedom. If you treat it as a burden, stop and rethink. You were not put on this planet to prove anything to anyone. There is a right way for you and there is a right way for me. You should never compare yourself and your achievements to those of others – only your past self with your present self. For example – why do we overeat? We can still binge eat fruit, it does not always have to be cookies or pizza. Not being able to control ourselves (no matter what type of food) is a concept each individual has to face.
- Nope, your body will not shut itself down – shocking
Contrary to the trendy belief, nothing bad is going to happen to you. Sure, you will be facing multiple challenges by switching your diet from toxicity levels Cruella de Vil bad to Popeye healthy, so it is only natural to expect a certain level of resistance known as detox. This will most likely be resolved on its own within 3 days. Research about proper food combinations will help you stay gasless.
Whenever you feel like giving in, remember that it takes 30 days to build a habit. Stay determined – you are doing this for yourself and a healthier future. Sometimes reality won’t match our plans, so you need to be patient and mindful with your self-talk. Don’t beat yourself up, face your fears and challenge them at your own pace. If you keep trying, you might end up changing your world.
- Where there is a will, there is a way
The good thing about our bodies is that they communicate with us. As long as this is the case, we have the opportunity to fix what has been broken.
Your stomach is a muscle and it will be struggling to adjust to the recent changes you are trying to implement. You might end up feeling hungry or too full. If you are feeling weak, try to add more calorie dense food that will give you a carbohydrate boost. If you fall into the latter category, it is simply because a raw diet is based on high-water-content food choices that are nutrient dense.
- Shift your focus
Oh, the cravings! First things first – crowd out junk food. Satisfy candy cravings with sweet fruit and salty ones with mineral rich veggies.
Build an environment that supports your new diet. The best way to do so is to stock up on food and plan your meals beforehand – if you know the exact content and quantity of your next meal, your mind is already set up and it will be easier to stay or track. A raw diet will save time and energy. Besides, it will always allow you to stay within budget by buying fresh veggies and fruits in bulk or from local farmers.
- Mingle with the outcasts
Avoid the temptation of discussing your diet choice with people who won’t understand – the hassle of explaining slows down your excitement of transitioning. At this point, you don’t have enough experience to be confident yet – allow the results to speak for themselves. In the main time, find local or online communities that will allow you to learn and evolve. The amusing part is that a new, healthy diet will open up a whole can of health worms – one that is beyond diet. This can involve exercise, spirituality and creative expression. Each of them can help you become closer to your current and new friends.
Beware of common pitfalls though. Learn from others, but don’t take their experience as gospel and remain respectful. Once you are confident enough in your choices and knowledge, people will stop pestering and doubting you.
- The blender will become your sixth sense
The golden duo of raw foodism is the Julienne Peeler and the blender. They will aid you in utilizing food texture properly and are a lifesaver when flip-flopping from heavy, cooked food to a simpler, raw vegan one. With time, you will learn how to use your senses to pick fresh foods and combine them to make smoothies, dressings, dips, sauces and even ice cream. A spiralizer will turn zucchini into tasty noodles.
Keep it simple. Extra gear in the form of juicers, food processors, dehydrators and fancy bowls are fun but optional.
Ultimately, great deeds are performed by people who know how to live, not just survive. Even though we might have forgotten this, we learned to fight the unknown from an early age. When the light would turn off at bed time, a common habit was to hide our heads under the blanket – fearful that the monsters in the closet would see us otherwise. As minutes passed, oxygen levels would drop and we would be breathing in more and more toxins in the form of carbon dioxide.
In those moments, we weren’t lifting the blanket up inch by inch, we would do it all at once – thrilled to breathe in the fresh, clean air. Transitioning from poisonous food to raw, fresh food needs to be done similarly – it is like taking off a bandage – the pain does not last long and is followed by satisfaction.
Raw foodism is beneficial for the planet, the animals and most of all – your health. Choose to transition for all the right reasons. Stick to your beliefs and evolve them into a perpetual phenomenon.
Check out this amazing green juice powder which has nutrients to help your body detox, lose weight and regain optimum health. It may be just the thing to help transition to eating more raw foods in your diet.
