Here is a brief introduction to my raw food story. In addition to introducing you to me, it sets the stage for many blog posts to come.

Health is My Passion, Not a Religion

Most raw food enthusiasts are passionate about helping others. I’m definitely passionate both about the lifestyle and about helping others. Occasionally my passion is interpreted as dogmatic or judgmental about others’ choices.

However, I sincerely honor the choices that others make. In fact, this blog is specifically about making choices, making choices joyfully. I hope that I can add some insights and information to help you to make the choices that are right for you and to make those with the proper mental attitude.

I love helping others, yet only when they take the first step. I’m not here to argue for the lifestyle I’ve chosen. I’m especially not here to argue against the lifestyle you’ve chosen, even if it’s very different from mine.

Knowledge, Mindset, Focus

I’ve found that the most important ingredients in beginning and maintaining a mostly raw food lifestyle are knowledge and a positive mental attitude. I prefer the term "living foods," but that has not caught on as much as "raw foods."

When I first moved to raw food eating as a result of a compromised health condition (my preferred phrase over "illness") about 10 years ago, I became very focused on learning as many parts of the living food cuisine as possible. I already knew the value of such a lifestyle and had experimented previously; I already knew a lot about nutrition.

My quest for knowledge helped me to have a focus that was "for" something rather than "against" something. I saturated myself with information. I found the hope and the beauty in everything I saw.

I read books, took classes, watched videos and DVD’s. My new knowledge led me in creating a raw-food kitchen, purchasing equipment, and sharing information with others. The more I educated myself and experimented, the more aware I became that I would not turn back. My original plan was to eat 80% raw, living, vegan foods, but as I was acquiring knowledge, I committed to 100%.

That 100% commitment continued for a full 6 months. I returned to full health in about three months and continued to get stronger. I now maintain a 75-95% raw food lifestyle when calculated over a week. The most difficult part of maintaining 100% commitment for me is social. Most of my friends and family are considered by American standards to be conscious of making healthy choices, but they have not adopted a raw food cuisine.

My Eating Lifestyle

The most satisfying foods that help me to maintain my mostly raw lifestyle are considered "super foods." These tend to be nutrient-dense foods which I find filling and fulfilling in very small amounts.

The super foods I eat daily are cacao, maca, hemp nut seed, flax, olives, goji berries. In addition, I grow sprouts and eat mineral-rich green vegetables. Nuts are also very satisfying. I usually eat 4-6 times a day, very lightly. I only eat when I’m hungry.

I believe the key for me is a moderate amount of a wide variety of living, organic, plant foods that taste good. With that as a basis, the occasional cooked or non-organic or animal food I consume has no negative effect. And, no, I do not eat highly processed foods.

I alternate easy, easy meals with gourmet meals. When I discovered Ann Wigmore’s Energy Soup, I made the soup in five minutes because I had all the ingredients in my kitchen. For months, I made that soup at least once a day, adding a few different ingredients to the basic recipe so that the soup never tastes the same twice. Now, I usually make Energy Soup at least three times a week. Here’s the recipe for this Energy Soup.

I choose to eat mostly raw, organic, vegan food because quite simply, I feel better. I’m strong, and still I continue to grow stronger and healthier. I believe that eating plant foods that are alive and raw is one of the best means to a life that gets better and better. That’s quite profound in a culture that’s oriented toward decline with age and belief in long deaths. I intend to be healthy to the end and leave quickly.