the RAW food diet

[bluejay]

I am just reading up some on this diet and it seems nice so far, just requires som reading. Anyone here at AP that is on this diet and has some advice, book recommendations, site recommendations and so on?

Do share!  

[Frank]

Hello:

I eat mainly a raw food diet. I'd say at least 80% raw maybe more. I don't have any particular recommendations as I came upon this intuitively rather than through reading books, websites, etc.

I also eat nothing animal in my diet. I'm not really into fruits though I have been known to pig out on fruits such as dates, figs and oranges when they are in season. Apricots and plums I can get the hots for if I am in the mood. But I mainly eat raw vegetables combined with potatoes and/or rice. Pasta I go through phases of having.

I tried for 100% raw but I am too active to get enough calories to sustain what I believe is an ideal bodyweight for me. Eating a largely raw diet keeps my bodyfat percentage to around 8% which I like. But I find if I don't eat enough, I start to lose muscle tissue.

If I stop training then there is no problem. But then my muscle density and my overall strength starts decreasing fairly quickly. For example, this time last year I weighed in at a nicely muscular (IMO) 190lbs with a bodyfat percentage of about 8% (my height is 5ft 9in). Today I carry about the same bodyfat percentage but weigh-in at 175 lbs. So that's 15lbs of hard-earned beef gone in the name of not training, because I have been up to my eyes doing other things.

I suppose it all depends on the person. For someone who carries a high fat to muscle ratio and who wishes to adjust to a lower body-fat percentage then a 100% raw diet is ideal. But someone with an already low body-fat percentage who wishes to increase their muscle percentage, then they will have to work at it. I'm not saying it is impossible, it is perfectly possible, but it just takes a lot of thought as to what you need to eat and when.

Yours,
Frank

[neutrino]

I have been eating a high raw diet (70-90%+) for about 8-9 years. I also have done various periods on 100% raw, with the longest consecutive period lasting just over a year. I was also a vegan for 6 years, although I now sometimes include soft boiled organic egg yolks & unpasteurised cheese, after suffering prolonged  health problems & intense cravings.

Unfortunately, like Frank I find it difficult to give book & site recommendations. This is because all of those I have come across so far (a lot) are, IMO flawed to some extent in terms of the advice they give. There is a huge amount of conflicting information out there as to the most appropriate way to eat (vegan/non vegan, high/low fat, high/low fruit, whether to include sprouts/juices/nuts/vegetables/very sweet fruits/salt/supplements/superfoods etc etc). My own approach (after years of reading & trying various plans) is just to listen to my body & try to give it what it wants on a day to day basis, & to take all 'expert' advicee with a large pinch of salt (there are many self-proclaimed 'experts' & 'educators' in the raw food arena, many of whom have zero credentials or long term experience with the diet they are promoting - so beware!)

Some sites & books I like are listed below. I don't necessarily agree with all of what they have to say, and many contradict each other, but unfortunately that's how it is.

www.mercola.com - a great general alternative health site. Doesn't promote an all raw diet, or veganism, but one of the best health sites out there IMO.

www.rawplus.com - great forum & open minded approach to those who aren't all raw, or vegan

http://www.rawfoods.com/ - vegan, promotes all raw,
good source of general info & links to other vegan raw sites. Very active forum, but strictly vegan

http://www.rawfood.com/ - good mail order source for the US

www.fresh-network.com - UK mail order etc

www.beyondveg.com - warns of some of the problems some people have encountered as raw vegans. Good to be aware of this stuff, although many do well as vegans.

There are loads of others too - try following the links on the above sites, or doing a search on Google. Most sites are vegan - if you want to eat animal foods, try looking for raw paleodiet,  or something similar

Books

I like Gabriel Cousens books, even though he is a hard core vegan. 'Conscious Eatiing' is especially good, but be aware that the chapter on B12 is out of date & misleading, & he has published an update on his Tree of Life site (sorry no link)

I also like Leslie Kenton's books. Her latest 'The  Powerhouse Diet' advocates high raw, but not vegan. The principles could be adapted to a vegan diet however. Paul Nison has also published 3 books of interviews with long term raw fooders, which are very interesting, as they cover a range of diets.  Again, I don't have time to list all the good (& bad) raw books I've read, but if you follow the links on the above sites, you should come across more info on the major raw writers.

But in the end, I'd say your body is your best guide, and its needs will most likely change over time ( I for example, will happily return to being vegan if my body leads me in that direction again). No one type of raw diet works perfectly for everyone, despite what some of the more extreme advocates of particular raw food plans like to say!

And BTW - take it slowly! Trying to go all raw overnight usually leads to disaster. Give your body & mind as long as it takes to make a comfortable change. And remember that diet is only one component of good health, albeit an important one.