How to get started with Raw Foods – a book review
One dream that I have is something that has been bubbling on the surface for the past 3 months (after brewing below the surface for the past 9 years…). It all ties in with my own feelings of Self Love /
Worth.
I want to be fit and healthy and living my life at my ideal weight – whatever that turns out to be.
To do this I’ve been drawn increasingly to ‘eating raw’ as, not only will this stabilise my body weight to its natural state, it will also remove toxins from my body and clear my thoughts which will help me in my desire to work with the Universal Energy to live a life I love (also reiki / spiritual /angelic healing especially interest me and the clearer you are the better channel you can be).
I first started to ‘geddit’ about the difference between ‘going on a diet’ and ‘getting healthy’ when I bought (and followed religiously) the Fit For Life book after I had my daughter, Chloe, in 1994. And with a determination I’ve been striving to find again, I stopped stuffing my face with the wrong foods and got down to my pre-pregnancy weight (with some killer abs from doing Step Reebok video workouts no matter how bored I got), only to then fall pregnant again.
I’ve read with great delight the books by Jason ‘The Juicemaster’ Vale and this has had an impact on me to give juicing a go and I feel the benefits really quickly (when I do it) – loads more energy, clearer skin, sparkly eyes, no uncomfortable bloating, lowered body fat percentage, loss of unwanted fat and a desire to exercise as it suddenly seems like fun (bizarre !!!).
But as soon as people start to notice the changes in me I relax(?) and fall back into old habits. (I secretly wonder if I self sabotage myself as I have a fear that I’ll get pregnant again – even though I’ve been sterilised…)
Anyway, now I’ve acknowledged that fear (and my other biggy that popped out in a conversation with a friend – will my new self confidence end my marriage?), I’m telling myself that I have choices and that if I can love myself enough to treat myself well, what amazing things could I then do to help other people? After all – you can only give what you’ve got.
Inspired by Jason Vale, I read with great interest the posts of The Raw Food Coach, Karen Knowler, on my sister (Nicola Cairncross)’s support group for The Money Gym and Karen’s newsletter Successfully Raw (sign up to get it for free at Karen’s website www.TheRawFoodCoach.com). Karen is inspirational to me. She walks her talk and her enthusiasm for what she does and the energy she exudes makes me feel that ‘I want some of that!’ So when she told the group that she was launching her new ebook – How To Get Started With Raw Foods – I downloaded it immediately.
I’ve just finished reading it today and am amazed at …
…how the information has been presented in such a way that it makes a complete newbie (or thinking of becoming a newbie – which is where I am), have the confidence and knowledge to give it a go, a bit at a time if you want, while no doubt bringing new ideas (as well as delicious looking recipes) to the attention of the more experienced ‘raw foodie’.
She covers everything, from where your ‘head is at’, to the attitudes of those around you. This is sooo important if you’re looking, like I am, to incorporate more raw foods into your life for ever and not just a short term fix.
Karen also helpfully covers the benefits you may experience – mentally, physically and spiritually (which I would like to read more on! actually scrap that, I’ll do it for myself and share it with you lot) and I’m printing that list out so I can use it to remind myself of why I’m making these new choices until it feels ‘normal’.
Explained clearly are the many types of food you can eat (including ice-cream!) with some clever ideas on how to get the best produce you can into your kitchen without breaking the bank and even a shopping list to guide me in my new adventure.
When I first started looking at juicing, I spent many, many hours researching products to help me get the best result. Karen very thoughtfully shares info on what she uses and how to set up a successful raw food kitchen – and as she has been doing this for over 14 years, she’s tried and tested quite a few different pieces of equipment so I feel I can trust her judgement. What would be really helpful though, is if she put a comprehensive list, with links on where to buy specific items, on her website (so it gets updated – and if I was Karen, I’d make sure they were affiliate links) with the web address given throughout the book.
Overall, this has been an easy to digest (pun intended *grin*), well thought out and very informative ebook that is more than worth every penny. It delivers everything I’d hoped and more – including recipes and a one week kick-start pack to help get me going (I believe Karen is doing a limited offer support package at the moment as well – go to www.TheRawFoodCoach.com and click on the very fetching dalmation banana for more info).
If you’re interested in improving your health or want to clear a specific ailment, eating raw will no doubt offer you a key which is a lot more attractive than pumping your body full of synthetic chemicals. It’s worth a go and I intend on keeping a diary on my efforts to share what happens…
Thank you Karen for sharing the raw food way of life in a truly whole-istic and gentle manner! I wonder if I’ll be able to wear an outfit like your rather go-getting logo in a year’s time… *grin*
