Raw Journey Begins! Again:)

3 February 2008  

Well, after almost a year of eating cooked food, I am finally back on 100% raw.  After returning from a crazy fasting retreat in Costa Rica last year (working, not fasting), I felt positive that I would never eat 100% raw again.  Too many crazies I told myself.  Being the pragmatic person that I am, I have finally decided that one can't throw the baby out with the bath water.  I have so many symptoms of disease right now that I feel I really have no choice but to obey Nature's laws and eat correctly.  I am going to list all of my beginning symptoms here so that when (if) I feel discouraged I can look back and see how far I have come.

Current symptoms:

1. Obesity (an all time high of 166 lbs!)

   (Normal weight 100-105 lbs)

2. Large pores, oily and discolored skin.

3. Puffy eyes all day.

4. Pain in knees and hips.

5. Constipation

6. Smelly urine and feces (smells like creosote)

7. Acid pH (5.5)

8. Vertigo off and on.

9. Ridged nails.

10. Excess mucus in head and throat.

11. Trouble breathing, coughing at night.

12. Depression, brain fog.  Poor short term memory.

13. Vision that is worse than -500.  Poor night vision.

14. Bloodshot and dry eyes.

15. Stiffness all over.

16. Tailbone pain from a break in Costa Rica over a year ago.

17. Fatigue.

18. Pancreas pain on eating certain things (mostly sugary or starchy).

19. Enlarged spleen.

20. Coated tongue.

And I consider myself "healthy"!  Obviously, I have a lot of work ahead of me.  Fortunately, I just have to get out of my body's way and let it heal itself to the best of its ability.  

On a lighter note, today I watched the movie A Good Year.  This is a cute bit of fluff about an driven Englishman (played aptly by Russell Crowe) who inherits a chateau in Provence.  At first he is determined to sell it as he is a hard-edged business man who is all business.  The longer he stays in France, the harder it is for him to decide if he wants to continue his monetarily rich but spiritually poor life in London.  As I watched the movie, I tried to imagine a more restful life than relaxing while reading good books, walks, a bit of tennis, and healthy food eaten at a french pace.  I sometimes feel that I was born 50 years too late.  I have several favorite authors who set their books in that time period, just at the turn of the century or near.  I would love to see the countryside unspoiled by cars and roads.  While I do appreciate modern conveniences, I would certainly be willing to do without some of them for a quieter life.  I remember reading M.M. Kaye's autobiography about her life in India before and during World War I.  She can remember eating a picnic lunch in the Taj Mahal with just her family present.  No one went there when she was a child.  I think I am just feeling the pull of rural life.  I grew up that way and I know its splendors.  I think it is harder to be long term raw in the city.  It's just too toxic.

Okay, back to reality!

Rules to follow to achieve my goal of great health:

No eating after 8:00pm.

In bed by 10:00pm.

Exercise every day (Even if it's just a good walk.)

Get outside in the sunshine everyday.

Keep Smiling.

Oh, and don't let myself get hungry!