CTL + ALT + DLT (aka Starting Over with Raw Food)

Yes, I cleaned OUT my fridge!

I'll start this post the same way I'll end it:

"Eat and live in the way that is best for YOU!"

I have decided to make a commitment to myself. In Leah's Raw Food Fest, she writes, "If you fail to plan, plan to fail." I've been on and off the raw path for 6 years now.

I've given it tons of thought.

I've read millions of books.

I've made some pretty darn good food, with plenty of clunkers thrown in.

I've fasted, once successfully. Other times, not so successful.

I subscribe to others' raw food blogs.

I've joined communities.

I've written The Raw Food Hero's Journey.

I've introduced my husband to raw food.

My oldest son will try anything once, so I've got at least one child open to raw food.

I've taught classes.

But still, this Candida is kicking my ASS. I am not living the entire point of my blog which is my transition from a starch-loving vegetarian to raw vegan who enjoys spectacular health.

(If you don't know what Candida is, here's an explanation from The National Candida Center: Candida Albicans is a yeast microorganism that commonly lives in the intestinal tract of every human being. It shares space in your bowel with a variety of other microorganisms, mostly helpful bacteria, call probiotics. The bacteria to yeast ration in a healthy person is about 10:1, so in a normal bowel everything lives in a nice ecological balance. The problem comes when your “inner ecology” gets off balance through a variety of causes. The bowel becomes vulnerable to other opportunistic’ microorganisms seeking a new home. With no healthy probiotics to keep it under control, the growth of yeast takes off, multiplies and causes Candida Overgrowth yeast infection resulting in a multitude of symptoms.)

I've enjoyed perfect health once in my life: when I participated in the Yabba Pot's 21-day Raw Food Challenge in December 2006.  The first four days I felt like crap. The last 17 days were the clearest, cleanest, most-energetic I've have ever been. It helped a mom like me that all my meals were prepared for me; I can't ignore that part of it contributed to my success.

But it was the high-fiber, nutrient dense food that made me feel so good. I was eating mostly veggies and hardly any fruit, if any. Processed sugars and even Nature's sugar, found in fruit, are what Candida feed on.

There's constantly lots of noise and static on raw food social networks about the "best" raw food diet. That &%$! gets on my nerves. The best way to eat is what is best for YOU. I encourage people to keep a food diary and write down how you feel twenty minutes to an hour after you eat. Your body and internal organs do communicate with you. LISTEN, and you'll discover what foods do and don't work for you.

For me, a mostly raw food diet of vegetables, seaweeds, smoothies and juices work best. Because I do enjoy the pleasure of food, I decided not to restrict tasting cooked food. The caveat is I stay away from processed food and sugars. I'll still make raw desserts for my family (got some cookies in the dehydrator now), but for me, not so much. 

I've decided to "Eat for Beauty." When your internal organs function at their optimum level (yes, you can have a beautiful, clean colon!), your internal beauty reflects as outer beauty. My next two posts will elaborate on this further. 

I am drafting a contract to myself. I will sign and date. My commitment includes 95% raw food, yoga, herbs, affirmations, exercise, and plenty of positivity. This is a year-long commitment between July 15, 2010 and July 15, 2011.

Ready to come along?

Love,

Althea

(comments ALWAYS welcomed!)

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CTL + ALT + DLT (aka Starting Over with Raw Food)