007-Why should I “try out” a raw food lifestyle?

Many have asked and many more have given their reasons but ultimately, the decision to live a raw food lifestyle belongs to the individual. That person might ask the opinions of others and may even find someone who is willing to give them an honest and unbiased opinion. For most of my youth, teen, and young adult years, I have had a moderate amount of exercise, moderate amount of stress levels, and a moderate amount of health conscious eating habits. Within the past ten years, I have gradually introduced myself to alternative ways to lead a wonderfully balanced life. One that is filled with enjoyment, love, and consciousness toward all life. One that balanced my need for pure nutrition, love of self, love of life. I wanted my existence to reflect the Natural Order of things that nature has so brilliantly organized. This brought me to identify what type of daily sustenance I brought into my body. I looked from various angles, making sure to remain neutral and not judgmental. What I ultimately discovered was that there used to be a void in my overall Journey towards natural order. I developed many ways to organize my daily routine to encourage a wonderful outcome. This means that I made sure I learned something new each day. I passed something that I know on to someone who didn't know. It meant that I made a point to notice and acknowledge those things I took for granted each and every day. For example, I used to wake every morning and start my day with little or no thought given to how the new day came into existence. How nature has turned the planet to make sure every life form is kissed by the brilliant light of the sunshine. Now, I wake in the mornings and GREET THE SUN! Each day I think about my ancestors and how their footprints all over this planet have given birth to mine. At night, I look at the stars and am only able to see their brilliant past. This allows me to understand my past and where I currently stand as a life form and a human being.

So what does all this have to do with leading a raw food lifestyle? Initially, leading a raw food lifestyle begins at the foundation. This means that you allow nature to teach you how to replenish your physical body through the act of eating raw food. Then, you learn the lessons of life and nutrition and begin to understand that there is more to eating raw than just "not cooking" your food. There is more to food than just what goes into your mouth to satiate and provide nutrients. There is an entire mindset that goes along with leading a raw food lifestyle. You become deeply involved with your total being and how everything you do and each choice that you make affects another. As a raw foodist, biting into an apple means you love yourself enough to make sure it receives natures best as often as humanly possible. It becomes an act of gratitude toward the lifeforce given by the tree that grew the fruit. It becomes a form of honoring the sun for its part in ripening the fruit so you could enjoy its sweetness. Honoring the rains for replenishing the earth so the tree roots could suck in the "liquid love" and deliver it to the fruit for the production of juicy sweetness ready and waiting for your consumption. It's a pledge to other life forms saying that you will not consume their flesh but instead you will bask in the delight of having them as a symbiotic connection. You will rejoice in knowing that they too care for this planet and honor each new sun with their breath in the winds, sun upon their face, water in their bodies, and footprints upon the lifeforce of earth. These are only a few of the elements that make up my experience so far in choosing to live a raw food lifestyle.

If you keep in mind that there is no correct way to start and no right or wrong way to lead a raw food lifestyle then you might want to consider my list of ten reasons to give it a try.

You should "try out" a raw food lifestyle if you are currently:

1. Lacking in nutrient dense foods.
   
2. Not feeling a benefit from your level of nutrition and your overall health condition.
   
3. Eating meals that are high in processed foods.
   
4. Eating meals that are high in genetically modified food products (GMO'S)
   
5. Eating meals that are high in chemically treated food products.
   
6. Eating meals that have a high concentration in animal products.
   
7. Eating meals that have a low concentration of fresh fruits and vegetables.
   
8. NOT eliminating daily.
   
9. Experiencing poor digestion.
   
10. Looking for additional ways to live a greener more nature balanced lifestyle.
    

This is my personal list of reasons to give the raw food lifestyle a chance. Although I have had personal experiences similar to some of them, writing this list doesn't mean that I have experienced all of them or even most of them. It is through my experience in the raw food lifestyle that I have been able to see how these things can be reasons to make a change in your current way of life.

As with most change, be sure to talk with your current health care professional if you would like to know how making this choice would affect your personal health. If you have not been under the care of a medical professional, I would suggest you begin with finding a reputable professional first. I have a wonderful nurse practitioner that I visit regularly (they will determine how often you need to visit with them). She didn't initiate my raw food journey's but I did make her aware and so should you if you consider beginning a raw food lifestyle.