“One cannot think well, love well, sleep well, if one has not dined well.” – Virginia Wolfe
Yes, Virginia, there is a reason to dine well! Whether you believe in Santa Claus or not is debatable, however, the importance of a living healthy lifestyle is not. Hopefully, you have been following along our 14 Day Raw Food Detox and read our first and second posts. Today, we thought it would be fun to have Chris of Mama Bird’s Blog and mother of 4 year old Reagan, ask Ron and myself questions. Chris has never implemented a vegetarian, vegan or raw food lifestyle and we want to clear the air on possible misconceptions and obstacles that could be preventing her and others like you from eating a better, more well balanced diet. We’d love for you to join in on the conversation at the bottom if you have concerns, too, that we can address.
Chris: What exactly constitutes a meal being considered raw food?
Lisa: That is a great question! I wondered the same thing when I started and my vision of baby carrots, chopped celery sticks and sliced apples was unbearable, at best. Raw living food is composed of vegetarian variety cannot and cannot be cooked over 118 degrees in order to preserve the natural enzymes. Cooked food destroys the naturally occurring vitamins, minerals & enzymes found in fresh produce. With raw living food, your body utilizes these enzymes to break down and digest the food you eat, hence, digesting the food faster and allowing your body to maintain more energy!
Ron: Raw food is organic vegetarian cuisine. Until just recently and unbeknown to me, it also is fuel for the soul.
Chris: Are you required to eat like this 100% of the time?
Lisa: I have been told that eating a diet consisting of at least 75% raw food constitutes one being considered a raw foodist while achieving the majority of benefits from a raw food lifestyle.
Ron: For the raw food cleanse, it is suggested that you eat the prepared meals that are provided throughout the duration of the detox. However, I have substituted additional fruit juices and nuts on a few occasions during the cleanse. At the end of day 2, I was starting to feel detox-like symptoms (ie: headaches & fatigue) and rather then suffer through it, I indulged in organic fresh squeezed juices and pistachio nuts to subsided my temptation to cave in. This satisfied my desire for additional carbohydrates and fats without compromising health. Ideally, it’s best to stick as close as you can to a cleanse program, but in my opinion, if you stray slightly and hop back on track, that is better than feeling overwhelmed and throwing in the towel too early. Temptation and cravings are very normal and common on any detox plan. My best advice is to do the best YOU can – everyone is different 🙂
Chris: What if I get hungry in between meals, or really crave a hot dog?
Lisa: A what?? Do you mean a veggie dog? When I was in college my mom went back to school herself to fulfill her lifelong dream of becoming a nurse. One day, they were studying what constitutes the makeup of a hot dog and the results – meat byproducts (can you say animal intestines?), fat, flavorings, preservatives and sodium nitrites rocked my world. I had already given up meat, but vowed to never eat a hot dog again. Cravings are very normal and are part of your body transitioning from a SAD (Standard American Diet) and avoiding the toxins that your body is use to and perhaps addicted to.
Ron: I have not had a hot dog in over twenty years, so I have to say my cravings for meat and particularly pork have long passed me by. Personally, I succumb more easily to cheese pizza and/or various types of deserts. As I had mentioned previously, I did crave and eat nuts and fruit juices in-between meals on days 2 and day 3. I believe this is normal, but I am doing my personal best to stick to the plan. That is all you can ask of yourself – to give it your personal best at this very moment in your journey.
Check back on Monday for Part II of He Said, She Said!
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