This Blog has been on pause since 2016... I disappeared because I felt like I was failing... but that was what countless Raw Food Bloggers wanted me to think.
That it was 100% Raw...or nothing.
WRONG! The actual definition of a raw foodist is 70% raw or more.
That if my condition didn't magically go away, I was doing it wrong... or flawed. And heaven forbid if I mentioned I'd begun taking medication for my Psoriatic Arthritis. That was a 100% FAIL>
!BULLSHIT!
For nearly four years I was in complete remission and then slowly but surely my symptoms started returning and then by mid 2015 I was in dire straits. But it didn't mean the diet was failing me. Raw Food continued to keep me out of a wheelchair. But damn it, I wanted to hike 5-6 miles at a go, maintain my 3x a week yoga, and 2x a week belly dance routine and my body just wasn't up to that kind of a commitment.
But what they were selling was pure fantasy...
At least for some of us.
When I fired my rheumatologist in 2010 and started this raw food journey, I intended to never see him again. Every med I'd tried had progressively worse and worse side effects. The last med I injected into my thigh was the last straw. It would affect me for 30 days. Thirty days of not trusting myself alone. My husband keeping me in sight 24 hours a day. When one reads the label and it advises the adverse effects may include drastic mood changes, the first thought isn't, 'Oh, I might self harm or attempt suicide out of the clear blue."
And one really doesn't think a panicked call to their doctor will be responded to with the calm assurance, "I'll prescribe an antidepressant and antipsychotic. You'll be okay. Sometimes we have to do this for cases with mood instability."
The biologic making me batshit was the end. Raw Journey 101 began...
My 2014 Psoriatic Arthritis Flare was a really low point. After four and a half years of feeling amazing, I was tossed back into the nightmare.
I'm going to share a screenshot of a draft never posted because it would make my failure real in my mind. My soul wouldn't have survived the criticism I knew would be forthcoming at that time. Everyone knows social media is one harsh bitch on a good day. Family 'I told you so's' are even worse.
I stuck to the plan, adjusted caloric intake, didn't listen to the 'concerned' friends and relatives who thought a raw food diet would kill me, when in reality it was the meds dragging me low, and carried on. Eventually, my body bounced back and even though I lost more weight than medical guidelines allowed, I convinced my doctor it didn't mean I couldn't tolerate the harsh medication and that I believed I was in a healthier state than I'd ever been. Bloodwork confirmed my theory.
Thanks be. I did not have lab results that confirmed malnourishment. I was fucking thriving! My pain was gone. My swollen joints calm. I was back in remission.
Hiking! Yoga! Dancing! And in addition since 2020, the main daytime caregiver for my two grandsons, who I love to crawl around on the floor with. That's something I couldn't have done pre-Raw Food.
The truth is, since going onto the Rx and staying raw, I've felt amazing... as long as I stick with it.
I've averaged 70%-95% raw all of my missing in action years.
Having caved to the Rx, did I still feel like a failure? You betcha.
Knowing I needed the meds to stay out of a wheelchair and off a ventilator was not the same as emotionally accepting the fact. So those times when I was feeling low (usually crashing post-manic phase) and binged on my old-ways-go-to Pizza, Beer, and Reece's Cups, my progress was set back months. But it didn't mean I was a failure at being a raw foodist. I could move past that stumbling block. Again. And apparently again.
Anxiety. Food Addictions. Manic/Rage Cycles. Just don't give a fuck that you're trying so damn hard to stick to the program. And falling below 50% raw... or my really bad 'fuck it all' days inevitably led to ppain, stiffness, and balance issues.
At some point, I came to a place of peace knowing I could fall off the raw food wagon, and as long as I got right back to it, I'd pay the physical price and move on ... and that freed me. It's been a couple years since I've fallen. Not to say it won't happen again, but if it does... I am still a raw foodist.
And now I'm strong enough to face social media again. Do I think the masses have suddenly become nicer? No. But I've become stronger and more committed. I believe in myself and I believe in this lifestyle. For some reason raw food in conjunction with the DMARD works really, really well. And now I have a message to all the peeps out there trying and struggling... do the ratio of raw that makes you glow. Don't give up the diet if you find yourself needing a medication to manage your disease.
THE RAW FOOD DIET IS CUSTOMIZABLE TO YOUR NEEDS!
THE WORLD WILL NOT COME TO AN END IF YOU HAVE A CHEAT DAY OR EVEN A CHEAT WEEK. MONTHS? OKAY, COME BACK TO YOUR RAW FOOD PLAN AS SOON AS YOU CAN.
I PROMISE YOU WILL BE EVEN MORE DETERMINED TO SUCCEED EVERY TIME YOU START OVER UNTIL YOU FINALLY GET IT RIGHT.
What I want you to know above all else from my years of struggle is that you can succeed as long as you don't give up.
If you are chronically ill or in chronic pain and you've turned to raw food and juicing to feel better, don't let anyone make you doubt yourself and this lifestyle. If raw food makes you feel better day to day, you'll know you're on the right track for you... and so what if you can't throw your meds away immediately... or if ever. You'll probably reduce the number of meds you need over time.
Now for the serious talk to get the most benefit from the diet. Stay away from high fat raw food recipes that look like tacos or pizza or... cheesecake. Those recipes are to sell not-cooking books not to improve your health. Every recipe you need is online.
- Focus on juice, then mono meals of fruit, and then lots of greens.
- Keep it low fat, no more than 10% a day on average, unless you are already underweight when you start the Raw Food Diet... and then fat is your friend. As are Replacement Meal shakes that are super high quality. There's even raw ones on the market. Ka'Chava doesn't profess to be raw but it is super clean and so far superior in quality, flavor, and texture that I've advised struggling beginners to supplement with one shake a day in addition to daily juice, fresh fruit, and salad meals. If its a means to the end... success at this diet... it's justifiable. (See, I really do skip that fine gray line dividing black and white)
- Eat until you are full at every meal. Don't skip meals, even if that meal is all juice or a mono meal.
Few of the raw food zealots who were around in 2012 and making up the rules as they went are even around now. The ones who are, I respect immensely. I've learned everything I know from them. But I'm a creature of the shadows, the gray zones. I challenge rules...
My only hard line in the sand is keep the raw to cooked ratio to a minimum of 70% and eliminate ALL processed food! My only exceptions are fermented foods. Yes, they can be made at home. My life currently doesn't grant me that kind of time so I am all about quick prep, immediate delivery, and the highest nutritional value I can wrestle from every meal.
So, lets talk about what's raw and what's not really raw... depending on who's giving you input you never asked for... and what reference material they wanna wave in your face.
**Honey... is not vegan, and is usually highly processed. Avoid those wannabes.
But yay, Raw Honey is available on most grocery shelves now and you won't need to trek across the field to the kinda scary neighbor you've never actually met but who you know has bee hives in order to procure it. True story. And yes, I've argued with raw vegans who tried to make me feel lesser for not obeying their food rules. I even survived to tell about it.
**Beer is not raw; distilled liquor is not raw. Wine is raw.
Do those statements sway me from having a Corona now and then? Nope, it doesn't factor in. A decade ago it did. I was trying so hard to do raw food by the rules. Now, I identify as a mostly-raw foodist and drink the rare beer.
**Olives are not raw.
Raw olives are inedible. And for some people... it's me... I'm the some people, living without olives is not an option I'll consider. Again, I am a mostly-raw foodist. But also, consider live culture olives made with a salt-water brine, which create naturally occurring probiotics. Think good gut health and pat yourself on the back for being brilliant and finding a loop hole.
**Tea: Black, White, Green, and Herbal Teas are not raw unless the label specifically states that it is and you can find that in specialty shops with root and leaf herbal teas. For the most part, all the rest, even hand picked delicate teas, are oxygenated and then rapidly dried by freezing or heating. Maybe you have the time to research all the different types of tea available... I don't... and I am still both a raw foodist and a tea aficionado/advocate.
IMHO the benefits of all teas outweigh the fact that they are typically brewed at high temperatures to extract the oils. While some brews provide more health benefits than others, there's a lot of evidence that regularly consuming tea has wellness advantages. That said, I cannot remember the last time I had a hot, steaming cup of tea... I usually let mine cool to 120*F unless its a medicinal tea that suggests drinking at a higher heat is of benefit. Also, sun brewed tea is amazing.
**Fermented Foods can be raw but some are not, so when seeking these at the grocer look for labels claiming raw or not pasteurized. This includes: Kimchee, Sauerkraut, Tempeh, Kombucha, Yogurt, Pickles, Miso, and Cider.
**Typically pasteurized, definitely not vegan: Raw Dairy, including milk, cheese, and eggs.
**Popcorn - this is one food that most raw foodists will agree is cooked, but okay to use as a transitionary food or occasional snack if it's organic and air-popped.
So there you have it, my list of gray zones guaranteed to land you in an argument with someone who believes themselves more raw than you, or that nay-sayer McDs burger chomper who always tells you that you're not getting enough protein and discovers you're not 100% adhering to the raw by-laws so rubs your face in the fact that you can't even do raw right. Eye roll. I've lived this stuff so it happens.
Final thoughts...
At my last rheumatologist appointment, my doctor was flipping through my years of data on his tablet when he said, "You could be the poster child for this DMARD. You've been on it longer than any of my other patients who just couldn't handle the side effects. What's your secret?"
R: "It's never been a secret since you've known all along. I'm a Raw Foodist. My diet is my strength."
He chuckled. "Nah, that can't be it."
There's always going to be doubters. I just won't be one of them.
I Hope You Have a Happy and Blessed 2023!
xoxo,
Re
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