Sara

Count me in on the support network. I'll try to be brief as I tell you my raw-related story. I learned about RAW from a friend & read NFL at the start of November 1998. I immediately went 100% for 6 weeks. I finally had hope after years of depression, chronic sinus problems, allergies, overweight, 12-step programs for drugs/alcohol/overeating, moodiness, unstable joints & related pains, 3 mostly miserable pregnancies, allergic kids... I was eating a mostly vegan diet, 5 small meals a day, working out several times per week & had all these problems & was exhausted & psychotic from the combination. In 6 weeks I had more moments of feeling joy than I had in years, my eyes felt open, the lethargy began to lift (after the initial detox fatigue), I came more into line with my instincts & my behaviors aligned with my values much more than they had previously (always a struggle for me). My skin looked good, I reached a weight less than I had ever dreamed of reaching (133 at 5'7" - I was usually around 167 but had lost weight in OA so I was 145 when I went raw). So I gave into a craving that I'd had for a week during an ice storm (I was f---in' freezing) & proceeded to binge on high sugar & high dairy foods for a month. These were my forbiddens in OA. Then 3 weeks of 100% raw with lots of juice & a small fast. This brought a 2 week flu + 2 weeks sinus infection. Then we had Thai food & I was at 85% raw for 3 weeks, but no sugar or dairy. The food addiction was even worse. I couldn't stop eating the cooked food until it was gone. Twice I found myself purging because I had way overstuffed. Now I couldn't go down that road, so I stopped again with many new insights & lessons from all this up & down. So now 9 days of 100% raw was Sunday. I got married that day, watched the Oscars & had yakisoba & sugarless malt balls. I've been raw since except for about 10 yogurt almonds to chill out the migraine I was having. (Migraine + shopping + kids = bad combination). That was today. The headaches coming back. The cravings have been horrible for me all along the way. My kids are raw & I need to be in order to have the life I want. I've never felt better in my mind, in my relationship, in my skin, with my kids, than when I was 100% raw. I have no doubt that it is our biologically appropriate diet. I can say for myself also that at 85% raw, all the depressions, insanity, body aches, etc. came right back. Detox is hell if you ask me. That instant-gratification monster must be tamed for me to succeed in becoming raw. I found that it's really important for me to not dwell on my cravings in my mind or in my speech. But that's about enough out of me.

Sara

I was 100% raw for 6 weeks, binged on horrible sugar/cheese/crap food for 4 weeks & now I have 3 weeks raw. I have really payed physically for that binge...I still am. Anyway with these 2 raw experiences, I find that everything in my life seems to fall into place. I suddenly am able to live in line with my values especially around parenting. It's hard to explain but I've struggled with knowing that I have all this stuff and I should feel a certain way (happy) with it, but I just don't & I can't make myself. My depression lifts, I experience happy moments, my psychic ability expands, I stop spinning (engaging in and creating drama), I get perspective of what really matters, I automatically start purging my attachments to thing & the things themselves, I automatically start purging old memories and experiences with no emotional process necessary, I have hope & even excitement about where my life is going, I feel comfortable in my skin for the first time in my life. There's lot of other physical benefits I experience as well and this is all from my beginners experience. I can only imagine what my life will be like 1,2,3 raw years from now. It's very exciting for me and I haven't even gone into how I feel about raising my kids this way... Sara

If you would like to write to Sara, you may send e-mail Baldscorp@aol.com

Please don't forget to sign the guestbook when you leave!

Return to All Raw Times Homepage