My coworker Jane Simmons had been inviting me for months to attend a raw food potluck. While curious, I wasn't exactly burning with desire. Raw food? I just couldn't imagine it tasting very interesting, or having a lot of variety. After all, an apple is an apple is an apple, despite the varieties available. I like to cook and this was un-cooking.
At the end of June, while Jane was on vacation, I attended a talk by Jane Van Benthusen. Jane VB started eating raw food in 2008 to cure her cervical cancer. It worked.
Not only was her story amazing, but her high energy spoke volumes more than her words. She and her husband Loran prepared lunch for us: marinated kale salad and zucchini "pasta" with marinara sauce. I was astounded by the delicious flavors. Who knew?
Without really much planning or thought, I started eating raw as best I could. The kale salad recipe was my rock through the first week. Jane Simmons lent me her copy of Living on Live Foods by Alissa Cohen. I ordered a copy for myself.
Coincidentally, or not, I started reading The China Study by T. Colin Campbell and it relieved my concerns about getting enough protein. According to Campbell, cultures that eat a plant-based diet have no/low incidences of heart disease and cancer. As they become more affluent and incorporate animal products into their diet, their rates of heart disease and cancer increase.
I am not 100% raw. How does one judge percentages? I have fish about twice a week. I politely ate chicken and shrimp while visiting my mother-in-love for two days. Maybe someday I won't, but I'm not there. (I paid for it health-wise, so I may be there sooner than I expected.)
I also eat cooked vegan food 2-4 meals a week. I'm not driving myself crazy, nor skipping social outings. I brought a raw sweet potato and hijiki salad to a birthday potluck with some non-raw friends. One referred to it as the "Halloween salad" due to the orange and black color. They tried it though and mostly liked it.
My scale reading is better. Right now I've lost enough to drop me into a smaller jean size. :-)
This week I gave blood for the first time in a year and a half. My iron level hovers around the acceptable minimum, so sometimes I am .1 too low to donate. This time the reading was almost two full points higher than the minimum! I was thrilled. My blood pressure, always good/low, was even better.
Another difference this time was how long it took me to give. I am a slow bleeder. The average donor takes around seven minutes. I usually take 13-17 minutes. Once I came very close to the maximum limit. This week it took me less than 10 minutes.
The only way I can explain these differences is by my semi-raw-food diet. The facts speak for themselves. My blood donation confirmed that I am on the right path. I can't wait to see what my cholesterol is.
I'll have a physical in October. Those numbers should be very revealing. My doctor will be amazed. Maybe I'll ge a chance to spread the word about this raw food diet. I hope he'll listen.
I can't argue with the healthy numbers I'm getting. Looks like I'm going to be investing in a dehydrator soon. Love those raw crackers and cookies!
For those of you in the Kansas City area, there is a Kansas City Raw Food Union Facebook page. There are also two raw food groups that meet on a monthly basis. See the FB page and Jane VB for more info.
