Diet Tweaking

So, I started on my raw adventure to get rid of my joint pain... and I've succeeded.

I never dreamed I could put an end to three decades (maybe more) of digestive issues...But there are days my guts are so happy I could dance around singing...
And days there are still issues...

So my number one priority is tweaking my diet to fill the nutritional gaps and get myself one-hundred percent right all the time.

I'M 85% Raw right now and that is because I have added spaghetti squash (you can only get the strands if you bake the squash first), baked sweet potatoes, baked plantains, some hummus (with cooked chickpeas), and some steamed veggies... I am basically raw through dinner so breakfast, am snack, lunch, midday snack, and evening snack are all raw and a few dinners per week are warm meals.

What I don't eat:

Meat or Fish (anything with a face)

I have removed all grains from my diet, yes, all grains, including wheat, oats, barley, amaranth, quinoa, rice, wild rice, and sprouted grains.

I have removed all meat and bovine dairy from my diet.

I have removed all processed sugars.

I have removed all seeds from my diet, including sprouted seeds.

What I eat:

I allow all raw fruits and vegetables, mindful of keeping a rainbow of color in every day's meals.

I have added some shellfish back into my diet, keeping in mind if it has a face I don't eat it...so, crab, lobster not in, oysters, scallops, clams, mussels in...and no more often than one serving every other week.

I am allowing myself some goat or sheep cheese as long as I know the source, that it is a raw product and the animals are cared for humanely. This is one brand I use and trust. I never exceed more than 2 ounces per week of any total cheese.

Occasionally I will use honey or maple syrup as a sweetener, but prefer to use dates if possible.

I have added chelated magnesium, vitamin c, b complex and a calcium + D supplements

I am maintaining less than 10 grams of fat per day and attribute that success for a lot of my joint pain relief.

It's hard meeting my caloric needs per day, thus more meals... a minimum of six... spaced about two hours apart...which means I am still losing weight, not a problem since I'm still considered "overweight" on any doctor's chart (I'm now a solid size 8) but I am still in possession of a two inch fat layer over my abdominal wall...so until that's gone, I don't mind dropping sizes, although I am very aware that I do not want to get below the "magic number" my husband and I have agreed would be a maximum low chosen from a series of lifetime photos he pointed to and said "how much did you weigh here?" and after being told said, "I don't want you to get that small." I agreed though I thought I looked good at that weight, I can also agree I was pretty bone-y. That will be awhile though since I still have a stack of jeans in the closet I can't yet fit into.

New necessary habits:

When I hike I always take pieces of fruit with me. Bananas and apples transport easiest.

I take water and/or juice with me everywhere, even for quick trips across town because I never know when my blood sugar might crash or a craving will hit.

I drink 3L of water a day and 4L on days I hike.

Making the changes I've made have required huge commitment (from the entire family), determination, and perseverance but the benefits have been worth the pain of giving up old habits and favorite foods. I won't say I have it figured out 100% but I know I'm on the right path. And no doubt, more tweaking may be required as time goes on...

Biggest Benefits of my RAW Diet:
I am hiking!
I am able to do many of the yoga poses I haven't been able to do in years! And am planning on getting my daily routine habit back on track as soon as the holiday business subsides.
I am able to believe I will be strong enough to rock climb again in the very near future!