FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQs): RAW FOODS pass on...

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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQs)

 

http://www.rawfamily.com/faq.html

 

 

Read Raw Food FAQs about…

 

(1) GETTING STARTED ON RAW FOODS

(2)THE RAW FOOD DIET—GENERAL INFORMATION

(3) QUESTIONS ABOUT SPECIFIC RAW FOODS

(4) RAW FOODS-RELATED PRODUCTS

(5) THE RAW FOOD LIFESTYLE

(6) QUESTIONS ABOUT HEALTH

(7) PREGNANCY AND RAW FOOD BABIES

(8) RAW FAMILY CLASSES, BOOKS AND VIDEOS

 

 

Dear Friends,

 

We have carefully prepared the answers in this section by reviewing

thousands of questions we have received in the last three years. We

hope that you will find the answer to your question below.

 

Due to the growing popularity of the Raw Family books in many

countries, and our intensive lecture schedule, we are not able to

respond personally to questions about health problems, food

preparation, and other personal questions. We hope to see you soon in

our classes!

 

Sincerely,

 

Victoria, Igor, Sergei and Valya Boutenko

 

 

30 Thu 5:54

(1) GETTING STARTED ON RAW FOODS

PLEASE JUST TELL ME—HOW DO I TAKE THE FIRST STEP?

There are so many important things to be read and remembered before

taking the first step. One way to approach it is to start replacing

raw munchies for the cooked ones, and build on that, one day at a

time. Then, before you know it, you will be halfway there.

IF I WANT TO INTRODUCE SOMEONE TO RAW FOOD, WHAT IS THE BEST VIDEO TO USE?

The best video to introduce someone to raw food is " Is Raw Food for You? "

WHAT IS A GOOD BASIC PIECE OF KITCHEN EQUIPMENT FOR GETTING STARTED ON

THE RAW FOOD DIET?

The most often-used tool in my kitchen is the 7-cup Cuisinart food

processor. It is not very expensive, and you can make so much with it.

For example, the live garden burger, which is a good everyday staple

for the time of transition.

WHAT IS THE BEST WAY TO TRANSITION FROM COOKED MEAT TO RAW (VEGETARIAN) FOOD?

My advice to you is to start experimenting with raw food recipes,

things like garden burgers, soups, and pates! These are fairly heavy

raw foods that will satisfy former meat eaters as well as raw fooders!

HOW CAN I GET MY FAMILY, WHICH DOES NOT EAT RAW FOOD, TO SUPPORT ME IN

MY TRANSITION TO RAW FOOD?

First, if you openly let your family know that you do not expect them

to eat raw, they will be much more supportive! In fact that is

probably the best way I know of to get a person to eat raw! And once

you start making tasty raw dishes, giving up meat will be a treat!

WHERE'S A GOOD PLACE TO LEARN ABOUT RAW FOOD?

My best recommendation to you is the Creative Health Institute (CHI),

which is located in Michigan, just two hours from Windsor. Their phone

number is 517-278-6260; their website is

www.creativehealthinstitute.us They teach everything you need to know

about raw food, including gourmet food preparing.

DO YOU KNOW ANYONE IN MY AREA WHO IS A RAW FOODIST?

We run into people from all parts of the world who are raw foodists,

but unfortunately, we do not have time to personally answer all the

requests to link up raw foodists. I think that you should start your

own support group, teaching classes, sharing your library, subscribing

to magazines. Another good idea is to look for buddies from your area

online. We have lots of links on our website.

WHERE CAN I GET A LIST OF RAW FOOD POTLUCKS?

You can find a list of all raw food potlucks in the United States at:

www.livingnutrition.com.

HOW CAN I GET A SUPPORT GROUP GOING IN MY AREA?

Have you asked around the health food or organic food stores for

others who may be raw? Don't be shy; put up a flyer to start a raw

support group. There could be one already established which could help

answer your questions and help support your decision to stay raw.

(2)THE RAW FOOD DIET—GENERAL INFORMATION

THE MOST POPULAR QUESTION: WHAT IS A GOOD SOURCE FOR PROTEIN ON THE

RAW FOOD DIET?

Raw protein can be found in mass quantities in green leafy veggies

like kale, swiss chard, etc., and in wheatgrass. It can also be found

in nuts, sprouted beans and grains, in coconuts, and in durians (a

tropical fruit).

RE: CALCIUM. HOW CAN I GET ENOUGH?

There is a good deal of calcium in green leafy vegetables, in many

fruits, and nuts. However, according to recent research, calcium does

not absorb well if the person does not exercise enough. So, in my

family we routinely exercise one or two hours daily. Jumping is

mandatory, preferably on a trampoline.

I HAVE SO MUCH TROUBLE STAYING ON THE RAW FOOD DIET. IT'S THE YO-YO

SYNDROME! WHAT CAN I DO?

I think that it is very helpful to read some good books about

overeating. For example, the book, Feeding the Hungry Heart, or

another book, Living without ED. Another book is called Overcoming

Binge Eating. This book particularly helped me. I decided to read it

to reference it in my book, and found it personally helpful. For

example, I didn't know that my habit of munching while reading a book

or watching TV or driving is actually binging. Unfortunately, I don't

remember the authors' names, but they are best-selling books, easily

found at Amazon. Some people wrote to me about similar problems, and I

suggested reading these books. And they reported that it helped them.

Sometimes, going to Overeaters Anonymous helps. Unfortunately, they

are not always well-organized, and you might find yourself among

severely overweight people. Some people told me that it helped them to

visit AA meetings. Since you do not have an AA problem, you could find

a friend who has an AA problem, and go with this friend.

WHAT ABOUT COMPULSIVE / EMOTIONAL EATING?

Compulsive eaters have been helped by the following book: Feeding the

Hungry Heart: The Experience of Compulsive Eating by Geneen Roth. She

has three books, all of them are good. She doesn't promote only raw

food, but people are able to apply her approach and stay raw.

IS THERE A BOOK I CAN BUY WHICH PROVIDES DAILY MEAL PLANS?

I don't know of any book with daily meals. I can only tell you that I

know maybe thousands of people on a raw food diet and every single one

of them eats differently. From twenty bananas in one sitting and no

oils, to no fruit at all but lots of salads, six times a day, to

eating raw crackers with green leaf and slice of raw meat on top of

it, to eating only nuts and raisins. If I were you I would create my

own daily plan that satisfies you, and gives you enough energy.

HOW CAN I LEARN TO MAKE SIMPLE RAW DISHES?

You can watch my new video, Raw Gourmet Dishes Simplified. People who

watched it emailed me saying that their dishes are tasty and the

preparation is really easy. If you're interested, you can order it by

going to my website.

CAN YOU RECOMMEND GOOD RAW FOOD (NON-)COOKBOOKS?

 

* The Complete Book of Raw Food, a compendium of information and

recipes from 49 of the world's top raw food chefs.

* Hooked on Raw by Rhio

* Eating Without Heating by Sergei and Valya Boutenko

* Raw Gourmet by Nomi Shannon

* Dining in the Raw by Rita Romano

* Angel Foods by Cherie Soria

 

HOW CAN WE STAY ON A RAW FOOD DIET IN A COLD CLIMATE?

 

This is one of the most frequently asked questions about eating raw.

People commonly believe that without a bowl of cooked food on a chilly

winter day they would not be able to stay warm. I know many persons

who quit the raw food lifestyle because they were afraid that they

would become too cold during the winter.

 

Let us take a closer look at this situation. Would a quarter pound of

rice physically keep a 160 lbs body warm? In order to get warmed by

it, one would have to fill a bathtub with warm rice and sit in it for

20 minutes.

 

So why do we feel warmer after consuming cooked food?

 

A hot meal, a cup of coffee or an ice-cold shot of vodka warm our body

in the same manner. When any impure substances get into our blood

through the walls of the intestines, they irritate our adrenals the

endocrine glands located above the kidneys. The adrenals immediately

begin to produce epinephrine, norepinephrine and a variety of steroid

hormones. These hormones stimulate our sympathetic nervous system,

which is why we feel awake at first. They also force our heart to beat

faster and to pump larger amounts of blood through our body, which

makes us feel warm. This feeling doesn't last long and we pay a high

price for it. After 10-15 minutes our body gets exhausted from

performing extra work, the heart requires rest, the nervous system

becomes inhibited, and we feel tired, sleepy and even colder than

before. However we remember only the feeling of getting warmer after

eating cooked food and repeat such stimulation again and again. This

harmful practice wears the body out and by the end of the winter many

people feel exhausted and depleted.

 

Winter after winter of eating quantities of cooked food doesn't help

the human body to withstand cold weather better. On the contrary,

weakened adrenals eventually won't be able to work properly even at

warm temperatures. For example, most older people feel cold even in

the middle of the summer. Wool socks and sweaters become necessity to

them. Another reason why it is hard for many of us to tolerate cold

temperatures is because eating a cooked food diet severely impairs our

capillary circulation. According to Dr. Alexander Zalmanoff, author of

" Sacred Wisdom of Human Body " (Paris, 1961) 80% of all blood in any

human body is located in the capillaries and only 20% in arteries and

veins. Tiny capillaries get clogged easily by unnaturally large

particles of cooked food, and the blood no longer circulates

adequately.

If you truly want to feel warm during the cold season, a raw food

lifestyle is inevitable choice for you. During your first " raw " winter

you may experience some cold due to the weakened adrenals, so put on

an extra sweater, take a hot bath, or do some pushups. If you will

continue staying raw, your adrenals will rest and recover, your

capillary circulation will improve, your nervous system and your heart

will naturally strengthen without any artificial stimulation.

 

In a year you will tolerate cold better than ever before. My family is

going now through our ninth " raw " winter. We do not feel any

discomfort from cold. We jump in icy-cold mountain rivers year round

for enjoyment. In fact that is how we celebrate Christmas and New

Year's Eve. We always sleep outside under the rain or snow. Sergei, my

son, goes snowboarding sometimes wearing only shorts. My daughter

Valya never wears socks. Igor, my husband, loves to take snow baths.

We strongly believe that staying on a raw food diet has helped us to

feel comfortable in any weather and not to feel the cold.

DO YOU TAKE SUPPLEMENTS?

I don't take any supplements. A couple of times I tried taking the

best supplements, like SuperFood and E-3 Life, and I didn't notice any

difference. I notice that I feel the best after drinking green juices

and eating dark greens.

I'M NOT LOSING MUCH WEIGHT ON RAW FOODS, HELP!

Are you not exercising? What kind of diet did you have before going

raw? Do you snack? Are you under a lot of stress? Are you not 100%

raw? These are all factors that could slow down the weight loss.

I'M LOSING TOO MUCH WEIGHT ON RAW FOODS, HELP!

 

As far as body weight goes, everyone reacts differently to raw foods,

but I do believe that your body does eventually reach an equilibrium.

The symptom of weight loss can happen during the first year of

transitioning to raw food because assimilation is still low due to

toxins in the body. When the body is loaded with toxins it becomes

unable to assimilate nutrients. Eating more food doesn't help. What to

do? How to make the body cleaner? By cleansing it with the means of a

raw food diet and even fasting. Eating more nuts cannot help. Nuts are

not very easily digestible. As long as you are on a raw food diet and

you have plenty of energy you are likely doing the right thing.

 

I also believe that there are a number of other factors that affect

body weight. Stress seems to be my number one factor; as my stress

reduces so does my weight. Something that so many people overlook

though is the need for exercise. Of course raw is a great thing for

the body, but exercise is equally important.

WHAT CAN I DO ABOUT SUGAR ADDICTION?

Very often when people crave sweets, they need calcium. The sugar

molecule has calcium in it. What has worked for me, and for many

others, is to drink sesame milk every morning for a couple weeks. You

will notice that even dates will taste too sweet for you.

MILK CRAVINGS—WHAT SHOULD I DO ABOUT THEM?

Have you tried the raw almond milk recipe? That might help get you

through the milk cravings, and I believe it would be much more

nutritious.

WHAT KIND OF WATER SHOULD I DRINK DURING WATER FASTS?

I used both distilled and purified water for my water fasts, and

didn't feel much difference, though different articles say different

things. It is a very confusing subject. Just don't drink faucet water.

ARE YOUR DISHES VEGAN?

Yes, our dishes are vegan except sometimes I say " If you want to keep

almond milk white, you may use honey, " however I always state that one

could easily substitute honey with dates or raisins in any recipe.

(3) QUESTIONS ABOUT SPECIFIC RAW FOODS

WILL I GET PROTEIN FROM WHEAT GRASS?

I highly recommend to you, one of the following books:

 

* Ann Wigmore: Be Your Own Doctor

* Ann Wigmore: Why Suffer?

* Steve Meyerowitz: Wheat Grass: Nature's Finest Medicine

 

Because these books have scientific data showing that Wheat Grass is

twelve times richer in protein than eggs, chicken, milk or meat.

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN BROWN AND GOLDEN FLAX?

Golden flax is a little more mild in taste, other than that there is

no major difference between golden and brown flax.

WHERE CAN I GET A RECIPE FOR IGOR'S CRACKERS?

The recipe of Igor's crackers is published in both books: 12 Steps to

Raw Foods, and Eating without Heating.

CAN I PUT YOUR CRACKERS IN THE FREEZER?

Do not put crackers or scones in the freezer! The Omega oils will

begin to smell like fish oil. Only in the cool place or fridge. They

will survive for a couple of weeks at a room temperature.

WHAT ABOUT FREEZING RAW FOODS?

Freezing is a natural process, many wild animals like deer eat frozen

grass, and branches of trees, during the winter. However, I have

noticed that when I freeze soups, they are not as tasty as fresh. See

for yourself.

WHERE CAN I GET RAW CAROB POWDER?

You can buy ground raw carob powder from SunOrganic Farm, in Southern

California; their phone number is 888-269-9888.

CAN YOU TELL ME IF ROLLED OATS (STEEL CUT OATS, SOY FLOUR ETC) HAVE BEEN COOKED?

Ask the manufacturers. Everyone processes these items differently.

 

[another answer:]

For many years, I believed that rolled oats are cooked, and I didn't

use them or recommend them. But last year, when I was teaching in

Montreal, a miller explained that rolled oats are a hardy grain that

retain their enzymes at higher temperatures. So now I feel okay about

eating them.

IS MANNA BREAD RAW?

If you are in transitional phase, you may eat Manna bread for a while.

I spoke to the manufacturer, and they claim that the inside of the

bread is definitely raw, while the crust is slightly baked. However,

if you are trying to stay 100% raw, then you probably will be better

off not eating Manna bread. You can learn how to make flax crackers,

it is very simple.

DO YOU KNOW WHERE I CAN FIND RECIPES FOR RAW TOFU?

You may find recipes for raw tofu in the books by Anne Wigmore.

However, I don't recommend that you make anything from soybeans

because they are all heavily genetically engineered and their benefits

are exaggerated. If making a mess in the kitchen, why not use high

quality products like hemp seeds, sesame seeds, almonds, etc? In our

books 12 Steps to Raw Foods and Eating without Heating, we have a

recipe called Valya's Spicy Almond Cheese which has been complimented

by many.

WHICH BEANS SHOULD I USE FOR SPROUTS?

About beans: You can only sprout four kinds of beans. Garbanzo,

Adzuki, mung and lentils. All the rest of them are poisonous and

bitter. These four are available at all health food stores.

HOW CAN I USE GARBANZO (OR OTHER) BEANS AND LENTILS WITHOUT COOKING

(AS IS REQUIRED IN THE HUMMUS AND CHILI RECIPES)?

In the book Eating without Heating, on Page 84, in the recipe for

hummus, it says: 2 cups of garbanzo beans, sprouted for one day. On

Page 64, in the recipe for chili, it says: add one pound of bean, pea

or lentil sprouts. That's what we do: we sprout beans. You may

purchase sprouted beans in the health food store. Or you may sprout

beans yourself. You may sprout only four kinds of beans: garbanzo,

adzuki, lentils, and mung. There are many books that teach about

sprouting. Books by Ann Wigmore, Steve Mayerowich, Victoras

Kolvinskas, and many others. In order to sprout beans, you soak them

overnight in pure water, then drain. Wait till the tail of the sprout

is the same length as the bean.

ICEBERG LETTUCE IS ONE OF MY FAVORITE FOODS TO EAT. WHY DO I ALWAYS FEEL HUNGRY?

Iceberg lettuce is not the healthiest vegetable. First of all it comes

from the opium family and does have toxins in it. Secondly it is

commercially grown and genetically engineered, has lots of pesticides

and other chemicals in it. It has a pale color, which means that it is

poor in nutrients. I never eat iceberg lettuce! I always buy dark

green vegetables like kale, spinach, mescaline mix (baby greens),

endives, escarole, chard, collards, whatever you can get. These dark

leafy greens are rich in proteins, calcium, iron and other important

nutrients.

DO YOU EAT RAW FISH?

Several of my raw food friends eat raw fish. I tried it once and was

throwing up for two days very painfully, so I have no desire to try

again.

DO YOU USE SALT?

We do not use salt in my family at all. We like dulse and nori.

However in my classes I serve meals with Celtic salt, otherwise most

of my food appears in the garbage.

WHAT ABOUT WINE—IS IT RAW?

Wine is raw, but it has lots of chemicals in it (over 100). Also, it

contains alcohol.

IS HOT TEA A COOKED FOOD?

Yes, hot tea is considered a cooked food. I would suggest placing a

jar in the sun for sun tea.

DO YOU LIKE KOMBUCHA TEA?

I don't believe that Kombucha is as helpful as they say, because I

came from Russia. There, everyone has Kombucha tea on their

windowsill, and it doesn't seem to help much.

DO YOU USE HONEY?

In my books there is honey as an optional ingredient. I believe that

honey is not a vegan ingredient, but raw honey is a raw ingredient.

WHERE CAN I BUY KAMUT? MY HEALTH FOOD STORE DOESN'T HAVE IT.

Some sources of kamut require you to buy hundreds of pounds. Any

health food store can special-order kamut for you. If not, the food

co-op will do it for sure.

WHEN I MAKE SESAME MILK SHOULD I HULL THE SEEDS? SHOULD I SOAK THEM?

You may use both hulled and unhulled sesame seeds to make milk. I

personally prefer unhulled because I like the bitter taste of it.

However, for the classes I always use hulled seeds, even blended with

almond milk to make it more palatable.

I don't always soak sesame seeds, but if I do I only soak them for 2

hours otherwise they become moldy and slimy.

I never soak seeds in salt or do anything other than soak in plain water.

NUT BUTTER IS SO EXPENSIVE! CAN I MAKE IT IN THE VITAMIX?

I don't believe that you can make nut butter in the Vitamix blender.

Here's what you can do. In every health food store, according to

rules, they have to clean the peanut butter machine once a week,

usually in the morning before opening the store. For example, in

Ashland, they do it on Wednesday. A group of raw fooders come

Wednesday morning, purchase nuts from the same store, and put their

nuts in the store's grinder before they clean it. That brings the

price down about 50%.

WHERE CAN I GET COCONUT BUTTER?

You may buy coconut butter at any health food store or if you like

higher quality I suggest for Brian Shilhavy the owner of Tropical

Traditions in the Philippines. he has 2 sites.

www.tropicaltraditions.com and www.coconut-info.com.

CASHEWS: WHERE CAN I GET RAW ORGANIC CASHEW NUTS?

You may buy organic raw cashew nuts www.rawfoods.com

(4) RAW FOODS-RELATED PRODUCTS

WHAT IS A GOOD BASIC PIECE OF KITCHEN EQUIPMENT FOR GETTING STARTED ON

THE RAW FOOD DIET?

The most often-used tool in my kitchen is the 7-cup Cuisinart food

processor. It is not very expensive, and you can make so much with it.

For example, the live garden burger, which is a good everyday staple

for the time of transition.

CAN I MAKE FLAX CRACKERS AND BREADS IN THE EXCALIBUR DEHYDRATOR?

You certainly can make bread and flax crackers in the Excalibur food

dehydrators. But that's only half the fun; you can also make, fruit

roll-ups, dried fruit, cookies, garden burgers, and lots more!

WHICH SIZE OF DEHYDRATOR DO YOU RECOMMEND?

It is good to have the extra space of a large dehydrator. Whenever

there is fruit on sale or something else, I buy it and dry it! I

highly recommend the Excalibur dehydrator; you can find information

about it on our website: www.rawfamily.com.

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A DEHYDRATOR AND AN OVEN?

The difference between a food dehydrator and an oven is: an oven heats

food at over 200 degrees and kills the enzymes in the food, whereas a

dehydrator blows warm air no hotter than 100 degrees on the food,

leaving the enzymes still intact.

ABOUT BLENDERS: WHICH DO YOU PREFER, THE VITA-MIX OR THE CHAMP?

We have both of those blenders. I think that every member in my family

would agree that the Vita-mix is better.

The Champ is too small and does not have a hole in the lid. Each time

you want to add something to a dish you need to stop blending to open

the lid. Also I don't like the way the Champ blends in pulses. We love

the Vita-mix!

WHERE CAN I BUY NUT MILK BAGS WHOLESALE?

We can give you the source where you could buy nut milk bags

wholesale. Her name is Loreta Vainius. Her email is: LVAINIUS

WHICH MODEL VITA-MIX IS THE BEST FOR YOUR RECIPES?

Any model of the Vita-mix is good.

(5) THE RAW FOOD LIFESTYLE

DO YOU ALWAYS SLEEP ON A HARD SURFACE?

Yes we do sleep on a hard surface. Right now we are sleeping in a tent

on our deck. We have heavy rain every day these days, and sometimes

even snow. I just love fresh air, and I sleep well only when I sleep

on hard surfaces.

DO YOU BRUSH YOUR TEETH?

We found that the best thing for teeth is raw food plus brushing your

teeth without any toothpaste! For our teeth, we use Dr. Bronner's Soap

(liquid, plain, diluted). Yes, it creates lots of bubbles in your

mouth, but it actually restores your enamel.

DO YOU USE SOAPS?

For washing dishes, I use sometimes just plain warm water, sometimes

baking soda, sometimes biodegradable detergent. I don't use soap for

any parts of my body.

HOW DO YOU WASH YOUR HAIR?

 

VALYA: Most often, I wash my hair with flaxseed " shampoo " . This is how

I make it: I soak about a tablespoon of dry flaxseed in half a cup of

water overnight. In the morning, I blend this mix thoroughly, then

wash my hair with it, applying it the same way as " normal " shampoo. I

like to experiment with fragrances, and to add a drop of either tea

tree oil, or lavender, or a piece of aloe vera, so every couple of

days I have a " new blend. "

 

Sometimes I wash my hair with honey and lemon juice. I first wet my

hair, then take some honey in my hands, rub it on my hair, and rinse

it out. This cleans my hair and makes it soft. Then I take a half a

cup of lemon juice and mix it with a half a cup of water. I put this

into my hair and then wash it out like regular shampoo, (except for

the bubbles).The lemon juice gives my hair shininess and makes it easy

to comb. It also tends to lighten my hair when I spend a lot of time

outside under the sun. The one thing I would say about washing your

hair with honey though, is to be sure to wash it all out! (It can get

a bit sticky if you don't.) Also, make sure to wash the honey out in

hot water because honey freezes when it gets cold!

HOW CAN I STAY RAW WHILE TRAVELING?

Traveling and staying raw can be very challenging. When I travel

overseas I make sure to have lots of dried food with me and there are

days that I just drink water, because I cannot find any suitable food.

However, I think the biggest challenge is not the absence of food but

the temptations surrounding the traveler.

HOW DO YOU CLEAN YOUR RAW FOODS WHEN YOU TRAVEL?

When we travel, we take lots of dehydrated food with us. The only

thing I use for cleaning produce is hydrogen peroxide solution. After

ten years being raw, I am not afraid anymore of any parasites because

I believe that my immune system is very strong now.

(6) QUESTIONS ABOUT HEALTH

 

PLEASE NOTE: the information contained in this section about health is

not intended as medical advice. Victoria is only sharing her personal

experiences with the raw food diet.

HOW CAN I TELL IF I'M GOING THROUGH A DETOX?

According to my observation, raw food helps everyone. However, we are

all pioneers. There are no experts in raw foods. We are pretty much on

our own. I realize that our body is like a vessel where so much waste

is coming in, and accumulating over the years, but only a limited

amount of waste is allowed to get out. Even with people who eat pretty

healthy, there is still air pollution, water pollution etc. Thus when

we change the diet, and the body gains extra energy, it often tries to

detox. However, we cannot label every symptom as " detox " . I believe

that no one could tell you what exactly is happening to you. In my

experience, I had several detoxes, and all of them were quite

different. At the same time, I do have some weak spots in my body. For

example, I am sensitive to salt. If I consume a little bit of salt, my

knees could start hurting. Or when I get extremely tired, my voice

becomes hoarse. During the ten years I have been on 100% raw foods,

the couple times I was so concerned that the thought about antibiotics

popped in my mind, I just fasted on water, for one or two or three

days. Or on vegetable juices. Read some literature on natural hygiene.

There are lots of helpful books. I hope it helps. I wish you well.

I JUST STARTED ON A RAW FOOD DIET, AND MY BODY JUST FEELS STRANGE.

WHAT SHOULD I DO?

Do expect your body to go through a cleansing process, and don't be

too critical of it while it does.

I HAVE A GRINDING FEELING IN MY STOMACH! WHAT'S WRONG?

I am not sure what exactly is happening, but my guess is that you are

suffering from having too many things combined at once. Raw gourmet

food very often has horrible combinations in it. In the past, both

Igor and I felt truly sick after eating some raw gourmet meals. Maybe

try to eat simpler?

WILL I GET PROTEIN FROM WHEAT GRASS?

I highly recommend to you, one of the following books:

 

* Ann Wigmore: Be Your Own Doctor

* Ann Wigmore: Why Suffer?

* Steve Meyerowitz: Wheat Grass: Nature's Finest Medicine

 

Because these books have scientific data showing that Wheat Grass is

twelve times richer in protein than eggs, chicken, milk or meat.

I AM HAVING INTESTINAL PROBLEMS ON RAW FOOD, AND MY WIFE HAS IRRITABLE

BOWEL SYNDROME. CAN RAW FOOD HELP US?

The best book I've read about raw food and intestinal problems was

written by Dave Klein. You can find it at his website:

www.livingnutrition.com .

ANY ADVICE FOR DEALING WITH CONSTIPATION?

I met many people who had chronic constipation who were relieved by

adding ground flax to their daily meals, about 1 Tablespoon per plate.

WHERE CAN I GET MORE INFORMATION ABOUT DIABETES?

Here is a wonderful source for diabetics. The guy who runs this

newsletter collects success stories of diabetics! His name is Patrick

and here is how you get a hold of him: plecky

I READ AN ARTICLE THAT RAW VEGANS DON'T GET ENOUGH B12. WHAT DO YOU THINK?

I agree that there is a lot of contradictory information about B12 in

the human organism. I cannot tell you which information is right, and

which is wrong; the only thing I can tell you is, that my family of

four has been staying on the raw food diet, 100%, for over ten years,

and we feel well. We do not have any signs of B12 deficiency. Like

anemia, or nervous breakdown. We do not take any supplements, and we

do not eat animal products.

MY BODY REACTS BADLY TO SOMETHING I'M EATING; HOW CAN I FIGURE OUT WHAT IT IS?

On raw food, the human body becomes much more sensitive to different

products. The best way to figure out what causes a reaction is to

write a list of everything you consumed about six hours prior to such

a reaction. Then you could compare several of these lists, and figure

out what food is common to all the lists.

WHAT CAN I DO TO IMPROVE THE HEALTH OF MY TEETH?

 

From Sergei:

Teeth can be simply confusing! Orange and grapefruit juice are very

healthy but not in mass quantities. Citrus juices have a lot of sugar

which if over-consumed take their toll on the teeth. Whoever said that

" too much of a good thing is a bad thing " was right!

Here is what you can do to improve the health of your teeth:

 

1. Limit citrus juice intake (once again I do not mean stop

drinking orange juice, just watch how much you drink) I would say no

more than 8-12oz per day depending on the person.

2. DO NOT SNACK. This is something that many raw fooders do.

Snacking is very destructive for teeth. (this is where the yellow

color comes from.) You see, the chemistry in your mouth is always

alkaline when you are not eating. When you put any kind of food in

your mouth (cooked or raw) the chemistry changes to acid. If a person

eats non-stop (snacks) then the chemistry in his mouth always stays

acidic. This is what makes teeth yellow first before getting worse.

 

From Victoria:

Even though I met two people in my life who showed me regrown teeth in

their mouths, I still regard it as a miracle. I understand that the

human race is so unhealthy in general, and our poor teeth are just the

result of it.

 

My recommendations for dental care are as follows: don't use any kind

of toothpaste, even health brands, because toothpaste contains

vegetable glycerin in it. Glycerin covers enamel with a film for

several hours, and prevents regrowth of enamel. The best thing to

brush your teeth with is Castile Soap. It is not very pleasant at

first, but you can get used to it. I found that it really does work.

It provides alkaline solution in the mouth, for several hours, and you

can actually feel how your enamel becomes stronger. Always clean your

teeth after eating dates, raisins, or similar foods. Try to have

several hour breaks between meals, without eating anything.

HAVING GAS IS MY PROBLEM. I HAVE BEEN ON RAW FOOD FOR FIVE DAYS AND

HAVE BEEN HAVING GAS. ANY COMMENTS?

I will share with you some of my observations.

People who eat cooked food develop very low level of chloric acid in

their stomach. In order to digest raw food properly, especially

fibers, we do need a normal level of chloric acid. When the fiber has

not been properly digested by chloric acid it is common to experience

gas. Usually after a couple of months of eating 100% raw, the stomach

recovers and the chloric acid level becomes normal. However, you can

help this process by blending your food in a blender, or by adding

apple cider vinegar to your meals. Also, try to eat nuts and fruits at

separate times.

I HAVE RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS. HOW CAN RAW FOOD HELP ME?

I am not a medical doctor and cannot give you medical advice.

I can only tell you that my husband Igor, who was diagnosed with

rheumatoid arthritis, went on 100% raw diet Jan. 21st 1994, and stayed

on it. He was also very active. He is constantly exercising, jumping

with rope, doing hundreds of pushups daily, and taking long walks

whenever he can. He also likes saunas. He goes to the local YMCA and

spends an hour or two in the sauna there every other day. His

arthritis is practically gone.

WHY AM I GETTING COLD SORES?

Cold sores are one of the most common healing crises, which actually

indicates the strength of the body. I remember that when I began I had

terrible sores on the inside of my lips. They soon went away and yes,

it was just a phase or cleansing my body needed to go through.

WHAT CAN I DO ABOUT CANDIDA?

Many people mistakenly think that Candida is caused by sugary foods,

or fermented foods. It has been discovered by an English professor,

Rosalyn Gruben, that the real cause is fat. Some people are very

sensitive to any fats, even fats coming from nuts, avocados or the

best quality oils. For this reason, she recommends to go for one or

two days per week without any oil, avocados, seeds, nuts, crackers or

anything that has fat. That is very effective way of dealing with

Candida. I know many people who completely got rid of their symptoms.

WILL RAW FOOD STILL WORK FOR ME EVEN IF I HAVE HAD SURGERY?

Is cooked food working for you since your surgery? Raw is everything

your body could possibly want in its simplest state. The body does not

have to work nearly as hard with raw as it does with cooked.

(7) PREGNANCY AND RAW FOOD BABIES

IS IT SAFE TO CONTINUE TO EAT RAW FOOD IF I'M PREGNANT? AND, HOW DO I

RAISE MY BABY ON RAW AND/OR VEGAN FOOD?

 

I think that whatever is good for adults is good for a child. You may

find a lot of helpful information about raw babies and raw pregnancy

at the e-magazine, www.vegetarianbaby.com

 

Unfortunately I have never been pregnant on raw diet. I know that

there are several books coming soon written by mothers who have been

pregnant on a raw food diet. I will have them on my website as soon as

they are in print. You may also get detailed information about raw

babies from Jinjee, mother of 4 raw babies at www.thegardendiet.com

The following doctors have written articles on Vegan Babies:

 

* Michael Klaper MD

* Dean Ornish MD

* McDougall MD

 

These articles have been published by EarthSave Magazine.

You can find them online: www.earthsave.org and www.vegsource.org Here

are some other helpful websites:

peacefulsimplicity. www.unassistedchildbirth.com. You

may,also, want to contact Hygeia Halfmoon or Laura Shanley.

Another good source is a magazine from the United Kingdom, " Get

Fresh " . You may look at it at www.fresh-network.com. There was an

article about pregnancy in a recent issue of this magazine; it was by

Karen Knowler.

(8) RAW FAMILY CLASSES, BOOKS AND VIDEOS

COULD YOU COME TO MY TOWN TO TEACH A CLASS?

We would love to come to your town to teach a class, if you can

guarantee 30 or more people. Let us know at least two months ahead of

time, and we try to weave it into our schedule.

WHAT IS THE CONTENT OF VICTORIA'S CLASSES?

Victoria offers several different classes, including:

 

* an introductory class called " Miracles of Raw Food " in which she

inspires people with information that motivates them to try a raw,

organic food diet

* a more advanced class called " 12 Steps to Raw Foods " in which

she leads people through practical exercises, giving them coping

techniques for staying raw in the cooked world.

* a food preparation class, that offers simple techniques for

quickly preparing delicious raw meals.

* " The Spiritual Power of Raw Food, " in which Victoria shares the

deep impact that raw food had on her life, including profound

spiritual awakening and gaining clarity.

* Each class is about 2 hours long; they begin with a small raw

gourmet meal and end with questions.

 

ARE SERGEI AND VALYA STILL TEACHING CLASSES?

Yes, but since they are attending Southern Oregon University

full-time, they must work it around their school schedule. They could

travel to nearby states, like California, Nevada and Washington. They

offer wonderful classes on food preparation, and how to inspire

children and teens to go raw. Their classes are full of humor and

life.

YOUR TYPICAL AUDIENCE—WHO COMES TO YOUR TALKS & CLASSES?

Our usual audience is getting younger and broader in spectrum. It used

to be mostly middle aged, middle & high income mothers and people with

health issues. Now half of the audience is made up of youth.

WHAT DO YOUR WORKSHOPS COVER?

In my workshops, I give real tools that help people stay on a raw food

diet in this cooked food world.

WILL YOU HAVE A TEEN HIKE THIS SUMMER?

We are not going to have a teen hike this summer, because we will be

traveling. I highly recommend that you go to the website:

www.vegetarianteen.com

It is such a great site, where teenagers chat about raw food, review

books, exchange experiences.

IN WHAT ORDER SHOULD I READ YOUR BOOKS?

I recommend Raw Family as the first book, then immediately after, 12

Steps to Raw Food book, or better the video with the same name.

HOW DO I GET A COPY OF BOOKS / VIDEOS PRODUCED BY RAW FAMILY?

You can order any of our books and/or videos online. www.rawfamily.com

is available if you are able to use PayPal.

If you would rather not use PayPal you may send a check payable to

 

Raw Family,

P.O. Box 172

Ashland, OR 97520.

Or call us with your credit card number, at 541-488-8865.

The amount is very easy to calculate. All three of our books have the

same price of $11.95 and Shipping and Handling is $3.50 for the first

book and $1.00 each additional book. The prices of other items they

offer can be found on the website.

WHAT IS ON YOUR VIDEO, " RAW GOURMET DISHES SIMPLIFIED " ?

My videotape " Gourmet Dishes Simplified " contains instructions for

preparing 14 different dishes including seed cheese, crackers,

delicious soups, burgers, desserts, " mashed potatoes " and others. It

doesn't have instructions for sprouting. This video is for sale on my

website www.rawfamily.com.

ARE ALL YOUR RECIPES IN YOUR BOOKS?

Many of our recipes that we have so far are included in Eating without Heating.

 

 

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