Six Months Raw: My Experience
Six Months Raw: My Experience
Let me start this by saying that I have no hidden agenda for sharing this information. I’m not trying to sell blenders or bananas. I know there is a tendency to distrust people who share “success stories,” so I wanted to put that out front. I have nothing to sell. I’ve had a positive experience that I want to share with others who may benefit from the info. That’s all.
January 1st marked six months since my last bite of cooked food. Those of you who’ve met me recently might be surprised to know that six months ago I was suicidal and practically agoraphobic. Even many of those who *did* know me then would likely be surprised. But in fact I’d been heading down that path for years. My first memory is of being frozen with obsessive worry. Over the years I have experimented with all kinds of alternative treatments, trying to stay as functional as possible (”functional” was always the goal…somehow “happy” never even seemed like an option). People perceived me as cold, hard, bitchy, “a miserable person,” or just odd. In truth I was in so much emotional pain that it was all I could do to get by from day to day. Over the years the depression and anxiety got worse, culminating in the last few years when I became almost non-functional. Moving to the country, which was supposed to help, ended up adding to the problem because I allowed myself to become so isolated.
Prior to last July 1st I had flirted with a raw food lifestyle for two years. I was led to try the diet in the first place because I’d heard it could be a huge help for people with depression and anxiety issues. I failed for various reasons: got sick of the food, thought it was too much work, gave into cravings, all the usuals. At my lowest, last spring, I turned to raw food as what I felt like then was my last hope, if it didn’t work, I felt suicide was my only other relief from the pain. Fortunately, it worked. Even under this pressure I had a hard time sticking to the diet, but on July 1st I recommitted to 100% raw, and this is what I have experienced:
~Mood
As mentioned above, at my worst I was very close to agoraphobic, and was absolutely terrified of people. I rarely talked to anyone other than my husband. I rejected contact with anyone who tried to reach out to me via phone or in-person contact. I can thank email and texting for those few friends I had left at the end of this period! Depression had me feeling so helpless and hopeless I could barely get off the couch some days. Everything was negative and bleak…black. Today I literally feel like a different person. I can’t say that my depression and anxiety are gone, but I am managing them. I am functional, even happy sometimes! I have friends, I go places, I do things. I even enjoy it! Probably doesn’t seem like anything to get excited about to an average person, but to me it is huge. And when I do get depressed it’s a very different feeling than it used to be. I can distance myself from it, see inside of it, call it out. It doesn’t control me.
~Energy Level
I was 35 when I went raw, and there were many days when just getting a few daily chores done was all that I could manage. Whether this was primarily or exclusively a symptom of depression, or of physical illness, I really don’t know. But it was one of the first issues to resolve when I went raw. While I can’t say my energy is “boundless,” as some raw folks have experienced (what would that feel like, anyway?), I am able to do everything I want to do in an average day, which is a nice switch for me. And some days I have *so* much energy I have to exercise for hours just to keep from crawling out of my skin and slithering away. This is an area which has continually improved and in which I expect to see further improvement.
~Music!
Not something I expected or have ever read about people experiencing on a raw food diet, but a very nice surprise indeed. I’ve always been a huge music fan, but on raw the enjoyment I experience listening to music is transcendent. It’s like being on some marvelous drug with no side effects. I can feel every note. I don’t experience this constantly, but often enough that the enjoyment from this enough totally outweighs any “suffering” caused by missing cooked food.
~General Attitude
Certainly a factor in some or all of the above, but I feel it should have its own category. My general attitude towards life used to be about as bleak as you could imagine. No hope for improvement. These days I see my problems as areas that will and can improve. Odd to think that just a dietary switch could cause this, but for me it has.
Why it works
For me, a large factor has been the elimination of allergens. I had severe food allergies as a child, and for many years thought I had “outgrown them.” No, I had just internalized the reactions they produced. So hyperactivity caused by eating the wrong foods turned to anxiety. Sadness and exhaustion eating the wrong foods turned to depression. And the feeling of helplessness from never feeling good physically was the refined sugar sweetened artificially colored frosting on the wheat, dairy, egg and chocolate containing cake, lol.
Other factors for me were nutrient deficiency and blood sugar instability. I don’t know enough about the mechanics of these issues to write well about them, but I’ll put some links at the end of this in case you are interested in reading further. Suffice to say that the high nutrient density and lack of refined sugar in raw food are thought by many to be responsible for many or most of the positive effects. Another big factor is the live enzymes in raw food, which are destroyed by cooking. Your body needs these to be able to use the aforementioned nutrients, and to digest food quickly so it can focus on healing.
This is a rough summary. I’m by no means an expert on how or why raw food works. I just know that for me, it does. And by sharing this info I hope to plant the seed in others who may be suffering from similar problems. I’m promising no miracles, only saying, it may help you too.
To be clear, I’m by no means saying that this diet has solved all my problems. Among those I am still dealing with are
~Attention Span
This continues to be one of my biggest problems. I’ve read of many people who have had their ability to focus increase through a raw diet. So far this has not been the case for me. If anything my ability to focus has gotten worse, due to the increased energy. I may just not have found the ideal version of the diet for me, or may not have given it enough time. Or it may be something raw can’t heal. But I’m hoping to see improvement in this area soon!
~Weight
While depressed I gained a lot of weight. I’ve lost 35lbs in six months. Not bad, but many raw foodists have lost weight much more rapidly. I still have at least 30 more pounds to lose. I think the reason my weight loss has been slower than some is that I have found a higher fat raw diet to be the most effective in stabilizing my moods. It’s a trade-off I’m willing to make.
~Mood
Better, better, so much better. But not *all* better. Will raw alone be enough? I doubt it. However, raw has led me to have the energy to start exercising, try meditation, and do loads of other things that are good for me. I’m confident that by staying on this path I will continue to see improvement.
Overall I have to say that without question the last six months have been the best of my life. And this is taking in to account some pretty shitty external circumstances! The difference for me is that with raw I can see that I am not powerless to change my life. I’ve heard so many times that mood is pretty much a set point for people, regardless of what goes on around them. Given my experience I can’t help but wonder if that’s not due more to habit than genetics. An interesting option to explore, at least.
If you’re interested in getting started with raw food, my strong suggestion would be to start with green smoothies first. So easy! Try whipping up some bananas in the blender with a handful or two of spinach. Sounds bad, tastes good. Add some frozen fruit (unsweetened) if you like it colder. If you do this every day for a month, you *will* feel different. Your attitude will start to improve. You may find that you crave more salads or raw fruits and veggies. If you do, listen to your body. Try some raw recipes. Try a whole day raw, or a whole week. See how you feel.
Feel free to share this info with anyone you think could benefit from it. And feel free to email me at dawn.shimp@gmail.com if you have any questions about my experience with raw food. I’m a new person now, experiencing life in a way I never thought I could,, and if sharing this info can help others I am so very glad to do it!
For further reading (as mentioned above I have no vested interest in any of these authors or sites…just sharing info I feel could be helpful);
Alissa Cohen
http://www.alissacohen.com/
We refer to her book “Living on Live Food” as the Bible around here. I have dozens of raw food prep books, and this is definitely the one I use the most. Also has tons of useful info on how and why raw works, as well as testimonials from people who have had success on raw food. Her website is informative and hosts a great free forum.
Victoria Boutenko
http://www.rawfamily.com/
“Green for Life” is *the* source for green smoothie info. Even if you have no intention of going raw, her book will show you how easy it is to improve your health and mood by adding green smoothies to your existing diet.
Gabriel Cousens
http://www.gabrielcousens.com/
A medical doctor who has done tons of research on how raw foods benefit health. “Rainbow Green Live Food Cuisine” is an excellent book which combines science and recipes. “Conscious Eating” seems brilliant but I’m only about a third of the way through it so I can’t give it my full recommendation yet ;)
Give it to me Raw
http://www.giveittomeraw.com/
Raw Food community where you can ask questions, get support, etc. I’ve not participated much but have heard great things, and it seems like a good place to start for a newbie just learning about raw foods.
Gone Raw
http://goneraw.com/
Tons of recipes!
Or just google “raw food” and see what turns up that appeals to you. There’s a ton of info out there now. If you decide to try this, good luck to you! Remember it’s not something that needs to be done all at once. For most people (including me) it’s a gradual process. Every step you make in the direction of progress is a wonderful gift to yourself :)
Filed under raw, vegan, depression | Comment (1)Ashtabula OH — Cats losing home — Donations needed
Please spread the word, and help if you can!
Ashtabula Animal Advocates is trying to help a local family who needs
to get rid of their animals due to divorce and the loss of their home.
We have already placed the dogs, but cats, as you know, are always a
challenge. An area rescuer has generously offered to board some of
the cats and find them homes, but Ashtabula Animal Advocates needs to
get them vetted and pay a surrender fee to the farm that some of the
cats will be going to. The total amount we need to raise is $563.12
If you are able to donate even a little it would be so helpful.
Please send donations to ashtabulaanimaladvocates@
(gmail.com)
I will also be donating the proceeds for all sales in my Etsy shop
through this weekend to this cause: http://fashionsplatter.etsy.
Thanks for all you do to help the animals!
Dawn
A great item for a great cause!
Wonderful Scottish artist Annette Tait from Dragon House of Yuen has donated one of her beautiful Arabella bags to the Buckeye House Rabbit Society. This is a great group that does so much to help Ohio bunnies in need. Buy some raffle tickets to support a great cause and take a chance at winning this beautiful bag!
Filed under Etsy | Comment (1)Ashtabula OH — Special needs Lhasa and Corgi mix need rescue
Crossposting is appreciated!
(Sorry for the icky alignment….
Please contact me at ashtabulaanimaladvocates @ gmail.com if you can help either of these dogs!)
McArthur is a 4 to 6 year old Lhasa with severe ulceration to both eyes. He appears to be blind and according to the shelter vet will need both eyes removed. He is also cryptorchid and has ear mites, which can be treated at the shelter if needed. He is super sweet in spite of all he is going through, and likes to be held like a baby.
Muffin is a 5 to 7 year old corgi/beagle mix who is obese and has a skin fold around her read end. She will need major skinfold dermatitis correction and tumor removal and biopsy of the tail. Ideally the shelter would love to see her go to rescue so that she can get more intensive care. If that’s not an option they may be able to have the surgery done by a local vet if we can raise the money.
Filed under Ashtabula Animal Advocates | Comment (0)BEFORE (Etsy shop relauch)
This weekend marked my one year anniversary of selling on Etsy. And I’ve sold, yeah, five things. And while I’m very grateful for those five sales, most of which were to benefit APL animals in urgent need, I would like to have a few more! I am supposed to be supporting our bunny sanctuary with my shop! So, today begins the complete relaunch. I have some exciting new products I am working on. I have some fun promotional ideas. I’ll be doing a complete makeover with all new pics. And I’ll be keeping things up to date. I’m very excited! I will be blogging at least once a day during the whole process, so stay tuned and you might even learn some stuff! :)
Filed under fashionsplatter, Etsy | Comment (0)Update on Pumpkin (now Spencer)
I just knew you guys would all like to see these new pics of Pumpkin (now called Spencer) that his mom Caren sent me the other day. The little kitten in the pics is named Tyler, he’s a fellow tripod from GA. He was severely abused; some kids cut one of his feet off with a pair of hedgeclippers. Fortunately he, like Pumpkin, will be able to live out the rest of his life in happiness. Look how happy they look :)
Ashtabula OH — ACD mix pup needs leg amputation — Donations needed
Jack was found walking along a country road by an APL volunteer, dragging his left front leg. He apparently has no feeling in the leg because all the skin has been worn off and the bone is exposed. The wound is already infected, and he needs to have his leg amputated right away to keep it from getting worse. A vet will be at the shelter tomorrow night to do spays and neuters. He can do the amputation then if we pay for his time. This will likely be around $200. The shelter also owes about $75 to an area vet who cleaned and bandaged the wound and made sure Jack would stay safe and comfortable until his surgery. So we are hoping to raise close to $300 by tomorrow night.
I know we are all having a tough time financially right now, so I’m not asking for large donations, but if you can give just a few dollars it would really help. Please PayPal to ashtabulaanimaladvocates@gmail.com (gmail.com) Please use this address, not any others you might have used to donate to the APL previously (I’ve sent out too many typos to count!) If we happen to raise more money than what is needed to care for Jack, the extra will be used to treat other APL animals with special medical needs.
I am also donating all proceeds from sales at my Etsy shop through Saturday night to Jack’s care: http://fashionsplatter.etsy.com
Jack is a super sweet and loving pup, about 8 months old. He was a little scared when first found, but warmed up quickly. His PF listing is at http://www.petfinder.com/petnote/displaypet.cgi?petid=13184470
(I’m not sure why it says that he has spent most of his life in foster care (well, technically it says that his paw has spent most of *its* life in foster care!) b/c he was just found on Wednesday. Must have been a misunderstanding when his paperwork was processed. The person who does the PF descriptions has in most cases not actually met the dogs. His description will be corrected with the next Petfinder upload.)
Thanks so much for reading, and for all you do to help animals in need, whether you’re able to donate this time or not!
Dawn
Filed under Ashtabula Animal Advocates | Comment (1)Ashtabula OH — Gutter, senior lab with seizures, needs rescue!
Crossposting is appreciated!!!
Gutter (unfortunate name, I know) is a super sweet senior lab. He
arrived at the Ashtabula County APL with severe eye entropian, which
was corrected with surgery. It was noted that his eyes appeared
rather sunken in his skull. Due to extreme overcrowding at the
shelter, Gutter went to stay in the home of an employee, since he was
a good candidate for a house with cats, kids, and other dogs. Shortly
after arriving at the employee’s home it was discovered that the poor
old boy has seizures as well. Thanks to donations we were able to get blood work done and have Gutter put on an appropriate dosage of phenobarbital, which curbed the seizures while in foster care. He has since come back to stay at the shelter, and did have a couple seizures when he first came back, but they appear to have stopped again now that he is used to his surroundings.
Please note that the pic was taken before his entropian surgery.
This is what the family who fostered Gutter has to say about him:
“11 yr old Black Lab (mix I think). Male, Having seizures in his sleep.
Foster home has
4 kids, 6 months,3 yr,7 yr and 9 yr
4 Foster Kittens under 3 months.
2 other dogs. Both around 6 months.
Potty trained, Sits, Speaks, Lays, and Is leashed trained. Love to go
for walks. Curls up next to the bed at night. Gives a low growl when
rubbing his ears cause it feels just that darn good. He lays around
most of the day as any older dog does.
He has been pacing for what seems like forever, cause he associates
his seizures with his sleep. When he wakes up from it, the first
thing he does is check on everyone else in the house to make sure
everyone is oki. Bumping into just about everything. He seems very
determined to check on everyone. Then he just walks around and “walks
it off”.”
Gutter is great with kids and other dogs. He’s about the nicest dog you could ever hope to meet, and deserves a chance to live out his retirement years in safety and comfort.
If you might be able to rescue this sweet old fellow, *please*
contact me at ashtabulaanimaladvocates@gmail.com (gmail.com)!
(Please not that I’ve been having some issues receiving email. I always reply to rescue inquiries within 24 hours, so if you contact me about Gutter and don’t hear back, please try again!)
Thanks,
Dawn
UPDATE: Ashtabula OH — THANK YOU to the rescue community and local residents!
Crossposting is appreciated!
We so rarely hear good news, so I wanted to be sure and let you all know how much you’ve helped the animals of Ashtabula County. The last few days have been truly moving and humbling, especially to this grumpy old “people suck” cynic ;) Between rescues and adoptions, we were able to get over 100 dogs to safety! The shelter has gone from having up to five dogs in some kennels to having more than half the kennels empty! And we couldn’t have done it without the help of everyone who pulled dogs, adopted new family members, spread the word, donated, etc. My most heartfelt thanks to all of you. And you *know* all the dogs whose lives you’ve saved thank you too :)
Dawn
Filed under Ashtabula Animal Advocates | Comment (1)Ashtabula OH — Crisis at the APL — 100+ animals may be killed — all are free to rescue
Crossposting is appreciated
I know I’ve posted many times about the overcrowding at the Ashtabula County APL in NE Ohio. But the situation has reached a breaking point and the Humane Society is about to come in and shut the place down. They need to get numbers down *drastically*….like to about 1/3 of what they are now. This may mean killing more than 100 animals. Euthanasia of adoptable dogs begins Friday.
All animals come fully vetted and can go to approved rescues for free. Transport help is available.
Please contact me at dawn.shimp @ gmail.com (gmail.com) if you can help.
Please see the adoptable animals below. Not all are listed..many more will be added in the coming days.
Thanks,
Dawn
