"The beginning of knowledge is the discovery of something we do not understand." -Frank Herbert

Earlier, I told you guys how my interest in the Raw Foods movement developed, and my stress over buying my first Raw Foodism book. Well, I don't have those feelings of hesitation anymore; instead, I'm inspired to read more! I can not stress enough how important it is to educate yourself, both the pro and anti material, before you embark on a new adventure. With that being said, also know there are no perfect, or responsibility-free, miracle producing solutions out there. EVERY item, idea, philosophy, ideology, etc. has potential downfalls. When coming across these areas of negative criticism in your research, you should ask yourself 1.) is this "negative criticism" due to lack of individual responsibility, 2.) how could this "downfall" possibly have an impact on my life, and are the consequences worth taking the risks, and 3.) is this criticism from a credible source, and what are the anti-arguments to this criticism, as well? Be a smart, unbiased, educated researcher before deciding something's right for you.

With that said, I am on my second of three books about Raw Foodism (outside of my relentless daily internet researching), the first being The Raw Food Diet Myth by Ruthann Russo and the second being The Raw Food Detox Diet by Natalia Rose. Both are great reads I highly recommend, especially for those simply interested, but not yet convinced, of Raw Foodism. One thing I would like to draw attention to is the word "diet." Before reading any literature on Raw Foodism, you must change the way you perceive the word "diet." "Diet" is not a bad word; it's a neutral word! "Diet" is not the same as "dieting." A "diet" is the food or drink regularly provided to aid the process of habitual nourishment; it's simply your food LIFESTYLE. Raw foodists use this word as a general term for a their approach to an alternative food life style to the Standard American Diet (aka: SAD diet), not some short-lived gimmick to help you shed some pounds, and then return to your previous way of eating now that you're skinny.


The Raw Food Diet Myth was my first read, and I'm glad it was. This book gives a great overview of Raw Foodism as a whole, but does not overwhelm the reader with too much scientific jargon, or unbelievable hippie-esque warm fuzzies. Russo provides the reader with a sturdy base of Raw Foodism fundamentals. She discusses raw foodism history, founders, modern raw food activists and leaders, various approaches to raw foodism, nutritional and anatomical science, and raw food lifestyle beyond simply what you put in your mouth. Russo's book had me hooked from the first page. If you're looking for a credible and easy-to-read overview of Raw Foodism, this book should be the first in your hand.


Upon reading Russo's book, and while doing all my internet researching, Natalia Rose's The Raw Food Detox Diet came up quite a bit. Most reviews stated this was the book to get one started in the raw food direction. After becoming completely excited by Russo's book, I had come to the conclusion I wanted to start integrating raw food into my life. So, of course, the next step was to provide myself with more tools...Natalia's book being first on my shopping list. This book is imperative for those looking to start their transition into raw foods. Rose addresses food pairing, transitional foods, meal plans, recipes, and food science knowledge for ALL types of eaters. No, you do not have to be a dreaded out, wheat grass juice eeking, nutritionally obsessed tree huger to be interested in incorporating raw foods into your diet. Rose has developed an easy-to-follow realistic plan for ANY type of eater looking to stray from their Standard American Diet and onto the raw path. She has you evaluate your current diet "type," ranging from the meat and potatoes guy to the vegan, and then guides you through a plan according to the needs your "type" is used to meeting. Rose is not asking you to be a 100% raw foodist (although that would be ideal), but simply a more educated person in regards to your daily food choices and "pairings" so you can be a healthier, better feeling, individual. Whether you're in to RawFoodism, or not, this book should be on everyone's bookshelf.


Happy eating,
Claire