"Life is a (information) highway, and I'm gonna ride it...."

...all the way to raw foods!  Interested in learning more about the raw food lifestyle?  What hell is maca, irish moss, and yacon, and where can I get it?!  Spiroolies, Vita Vixes, and dehydrators?  Do what?!  Alkalization, pH, and juicing?

Yes, there's a LOT out there about the raw food lifestyle the common "Joe" doesn't know.  At first it can seem overwhelming, but what new adventure doesn't?  Luckily, we have the internet which helps make our huge world more accessible and user friendly for all types of folks.  Not good with reading?  Watch some vlogs and instructional You Tube videos.  Need more Layman's terms?  Hit up some user blogs; there are a ton!  The raw food community is extremely friendly and helpful, but if you're just looking to browse around on your own, here are some website I find super helpful:

• The Renegade Health Show, Community, and Store-  This is a husband/wife team who host interviews, how-to, informational, and instructional recipe videos.  They also have a store if you're looking to buy some ingredients, supplements, or literature.
• Sun Food Store-  David Wolfe is the founder of this online store, and is also a huge advocate of, and leader within, the raw food movement.  His online "grocery store" is well equipped, especially in "super foods."  
• Ani Phyo- Ani was recently on an episode of The Travel Channel's Andrew Zimmern's Bizarre Foods.  She's a raw food chef and educator.
  
• Natalia Rose 
  
• Elaina Love with Pure Joy Planet
• Raw Food Life
  
• The Hippocrates Institute
• Gabriel Cousens and The Tree of Life Center   
  
• Matt Monarch and Angela Stokes-Monarch-  This couple started out as individual raw food activists who are now a team as a married couple.  Angela was recently on CNN for her 160 lbs weight loss journey through raw foods.  You see these two's names come up all over raw food sites.  They are highly enthusiastic about raw foods, have great tips, knowledge, personal experiences, a raw food online store, and Matt's simply entertaining to watch ;-)
  
• Raw Freedom Community- this site is founded by Carmella (don't know her last name) who also has a great blog with tons of credible recipes.  This online community forum is GREAT for recipe sharing, questions and concerns, support, and connecting with other raw foodists.
• Tim VanOrden-  Tim's site is a great place for those of you who are highly physically active with concerns about raw foodism in conjuction with athleticism. 
• All Raw Directory 
  
• Greenling Organic Delivery-  Don't have time to shop?  Can't find what your looking for at the grocery store?  Want the option of buying local?  Check out Greenling!  They're not a 100% raw company, so if you're not interested in raw there's PLENTY for you to check out.  They're basically an online grocery store that delivers to your home if you are in the Georgetown to San Antonio stretch on I35!  Create an account, order online in advance, and on your delivery day, they leave a plastic bin on your front porch with all your groceries.  Click here to see if they ship to your area. 

There's a ton of info out there!  Simply type "raw food" in a google search, and you know the rest.  Also, hit up some blogs here on blogger.com.  There are some AWESOME blogs with great recipes, tips, and pictures.


Happy eating,
Claire

"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