My name is Julie, and I am a foodaholic. (Hi, Julie!)
I think it's safe to say that I have been slightly obsessed with food and nutrition for several years, now. Inspired by my formerly "meat and potatoes," broccoli-phobic father, I denounced all meat from my diet and became a lacto-ovo vegetarian when I was sixteen years old; I am now thirty one.
Initially, I saw vegetarianism as an opportunity to avoid my mother's lack-luster cooking. She was actually fairly gifted with cheesy, fatty, starchy dishes, but her carnivorous creations left something to be desired. She wouldn't argue.
Of course, out of concern for my health, after a year of eating nothing but cheese, potatoes, bread, and pasta (did I mention my own broccoli-phobia?), I began doing some preliminary research into the world of nutrition.
Wow! It turns out that vegetarianism is actually good for animals, you and the planet! Who knew? Okay...a lot of people knew. Mr. Faulkrod, my tenth grade Environmental Science teacher, had already instilled in me a devotion to environmental ethics. This, coupled with my emotional attachment to cows, compelled me to commit to my new diet.
It was a rough transition, while still relying on other people to provide me with regular meals, yet I managed to find sustenance in side dishes (which proved to be quite satisfying around the holidays). A girl can only get by on grilled cheese and gravy fries from the B'Ville Diner for so long, though! The time had come to learn to cook (I had not bargained for this).
I began studying vegetarian recipes, which led to vegetarian literature, which often stressed the importance of the "right" combination of proteins, which led to my interest in proper nutrition, which led to a deeper obsession with food and its benefits. I was evolving from "live to eat," to "eat to live." Out of sheer necessity, I developed a true passion for cooking, and more for creating. My goal? Animal-friendly comfort foods that enhanced quality of life...and still tasted...well, like they didn't.
I found moderate success, enough so that I embarked, briefly, on authoring a Vegetarian Home Cooking cook book, which I never saw to fruition. I was more interested in reading, than writing. I couldn't soak up enough of SHAPE, SELF, Vegetarian Times - type magazines, gathering all the current information on all the latest studies about what really does the body good. I have probably studied more scientific literature on nutrition than your average MD, nutritionist and fitness trainer, combined. I consider myself an unprofessional expert (that's my disclaimer, btw...always check with your physician before dramatically altering your diet and exercise regimens).
On March 11, 2008, I was diagnosed with DCIS, Stage I (that's breast cancer). I was 29. I had no significant family history; I didn't smoke; I didn't drink; I had never experimented with illegal drugs; I exercised regularly; I breastfed; I didn't even eat meat. Cancer? Seriously? I'm like the poster child for how to AVOID cancer.
Time for an overhaul...
Fast-forward to present day: January 11th, 2010 (Happy New Year, by the way!)...
For the past (nearly) two years, I have been trying (not very vigilantly) to transition from vegetarian to vegan. But, oh, how I adore cheese! Immediately after my diagnosis and surgery (mastectomy - ugh), I adopted a macrobiotic diet, which has been proven to slow cancer growth, and suspected to "cure" incurable cancer. In a nutshell, macrobiotics suggests that our bodies are adapted to our environment, therefore, for optimum health and bodily function, we require the foods which are indigenous to our environment: local fruits and vegetables, organic and unprocessed. Makes sense. And so, the journey began...for six months (did I mention I love cheese?).
I've waxed and waned since then, typically proclaiming vegan every Monday, and eating eggs and cheese every Tuesday. If you're reading this, it probably sounds familiar. I experimented with detoxification programs and fasting, to curb my unhealthy cravings and start on a clean plate (get it?), but my will power only lasts weeks, at the most. To be fair, though, my diet for the past many years, has consisted of mostly fruits and vegetables, soy meat replacements, and soy milk (that was a tough one), as I eliminated caffeine, refined sugars, bleached starches and alcohol about eight years ago. So even my unhealthy cravings weren't so naughty.
"I want something hot, on a plate, I can eat with a fork!" - My mother
I like cooked foods. Remember my quest to de-meat comfort food? I never, ever considered a Raw Food Diet. What's comforting about a celery stalk??? Yuck.
I honestly don't know what came over me this past December. It was not premeditated, nothing was planned...well, except for my annual detox and fast. I vowed that THIS time, I would go 100% vegan FOR GOOD. I had more motivation, after all, because I timed it so that my fast, which fed into my two-week detox, ended on Christmas Eve, allowing me to gluttonously binge for two days, while enjoying the family festivities. Then, on New Year's Eve, I would revel in my last ball of walnut-encrusted Boursin cheese, wrapped in kaitifi dough, and deep-fried...before the ball dropped on my old life, and the sun rose on my new one. Poetic, huh?
But while I was plotting against myself, my interest (or curiosity) in Raw Foodism was piqued. I am not sure WHAT piqued it...maybe an incoherent internet search for vegan recipes. My most vivid and recent recollection is that of a YouTube video I watched about a girl who was documenting her 100-day journey into raw foodism. She was about as fascinating as my mother's meatloaf, but for some reason, this inspired me. Without question, I decided to go RAW. And so the research began...AGAIN (only this time, I was up against a deadline, so I indulged in a self-taught crash course in why and how to go raw).
Here's what I've learned:
Yes, our bodies need protein; proteins are essential building blocks, without which we could not survive. Turns out, though, that the protein we eat is not utilized by our bodies. (Read on)
When we consume protein-packed foods like meat and fish, the body immediately goes to work breaking down those proteins, to extract the enzymes from which they were built, in order to create its own, usable proteins. Could this explain why omnivores experience such fatigue after a hearty meal? Yes. Meat makes you tired. Period.
Translation: we don't get our protein from meat, we get our protein from the veggies our meat eats. Think about it: Some of the largest, strongest animals on earth are vegetarians! Cows, Horses, Elephants, Dugongs (that's a marine animal). Talk about muscle mass!
So, the nutrients and enzymes naturally found in fruits and vegetables (especially the dark green, leafy ones) are more efficient at building the proteins that our bodies need, than beef, pork, poultry, or fish. Of course, we all know that the longer we cook and the more we process these foods, the less nutritional value they hold. Conclusion: Raw fruits and vegetables are the way to a healthy body, a strong immune system, and an increase in energy!
http://http://www.theproteinmyth.com/
Friday, January 1, 2010: "I'M GOING RAW!" (yeah, right)
Well, guess what, folks. I am 11 days vegan, 10 days raw, and 5 lbs. lighter. My skin has cleared up, my appetite has shrunk, my sleep is more restful, and, with the abundance of yummy, creative raw recipes available online, my palate is pleased!
Join me on my journey!
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