If you’re a newcomer to the raw food way of life, it could turn out to be a daunting process, especially if your system is not used to the change. There are those who swear by the 80/10/10 diet that relies heavily on carbohydrates to provide fuel for your body, and others who denounce it with equal fervor.
Diet is a question of personal
choice, and it’s wise to choose one that suits us and that we’re likely
to stick to. So if you’re looking to go the raw food way, here’s what
you need to know as newbie to this way of life:
• It’s best
to make gradual changes rather than quit cooked food cold turkey
because this diet is not something that works wonders all of a sudden.
Your body may find it difficult to adjust and you may be prone to
spells of dizziness, mental and physical fatigue, headaches,
drowsiness, emotional mood swings, and low concentration levels. So
start out with one meal a day for a week, and then gradually increase
the amount of raw food you eat as your system adjusts.
• When
you’re eating a mix of raw and cooked food, remember to eat cooked food
that’s healthy so that you’re able to gain the maximum benefit out of
this process. You must avoid food that has been heated beyond 115 F,
processed, refined, or pasteurized.
• The raw food diet takes
time getting used to, so don’t worry if you find the going tough in the
beginning. Ensure that you take adequate precautions to prevent medical
complications, especially if you’re on medication and suffer from other
medical conditions. If you’re really serious about changing to a raw
food diet, you must persevere with it even when it seems hard to
adjust. You will find it easier as the days go by.
• Although
it may seem like less work when you don’t have to cook food, you need
to make a larger effort in making raw food edible by processing,
dehydrating, soaking or fermenting. You also need to work on finding
recipes to prevent boredom from stopping you from adhering to this way
of life.
• Raw food diets find favor with athletes, especially
those who specialize in endurance and strength training. It seems to
give them an edge when it comes to performance and achievement.
If
you’re looking for good recipes to help you stick to your raw food diet
and make your meals more interesting, you could try the ones listed in The Complete Book of Raw Food.
The book, now in its second edition, has over 400 recipes from 55 chefs
and is reputed to have the most widely available collection of raw food
recipes. It also includes detailed information including preparation
times, both advance and immediate. So go ahead, launch your entry into
the world of raw food with this book for an ally, and feel the
difference in your life.
This post was contributed by Katie Wilson, who writes about the top nursing colleges. She welcomes your feedback at KatieWilson06 at gmail.com
Great article Katie. I think you helped a lot of new people to this great way of eating!
James Reno
Raw-Food-Repair.com
Posted by: RawFoodRepair | May 01, 2010 at 04:15 PM