Welcome to RawforLife
RAWFORLIFE IS A FREE RAW FOOD RESOURCE
I'm Debbie Took, raw food promoter, and founder of RawforLife.
Please note that I no longer update the site very often BUT there's still lots of helpful stuff on here! (And the blog.)
This site can help those who would like to 'go raw' -whether that's 'overnight' or in steps - free of charge.
It does this by:
- supplying information, on this website and through articles (eg via RawforLife Blog)
- support for raw fooders. I am very happy to answer short e-mail questions (wherever you are in the world) on raw food, (if they're long ones, I may direct you to one of my articles...). There are no strings, and I promise you I won't put you on a mailing list and/or try to sell you anything. Feel free to contact me via the Contact Page and I will do what I can to help. (By the way, I don't do 'diet plans' - if you'd like some guidelines on what to eat see What is the raw food diet?)
Check the archives for articles on a range of raw food/health topics and use the Search facility for anything you are particularly interested in.
(I also have two other jobs - I'm a maths teacher, and Company Secretary for a visual effects company. Raw Power gives me the energy to do all these things - without any 'sick days'!)
As I know those who don't know me will be looking at my picture to judge what the raw food diet is doing for me, the photo' was taken when I was 51 (and note I no longer spend most of my time nowadays in boring jeans - I like dresses now!). Like everyone, I choose my most flattering pics to go on the website. and in real life, I look a bit older and uglier. But, at 54 now, I have hardly any grey hairs (I don't dye), my skin and teeth are good, and figure's good. (My legs and feet are awful, but they were before raw...).
SO WHAT'S THIS RAW FOOD THING?
No gimmicks, no fads, just, 'hey, why not eat food without damaging it?' Without damaging and destroying the nutrients in our food and without creating toxic substances, both of which kill us prematurely and cause unnecessary suffering.
Eat for LIFE, so that we may have it more ABUNDANTLY!
Some people think Raw is ‘extreme’ - they just want to be NORMAL…
THIS is NORMAL: coughs, colds, allergies, IBS, high blood pressure, diabetes, cancer, heart disease, strokes, pain, suffering and premature death.
These things may be NORMAL, but they are NOT inevitable. Many people have waved goodbye to illnesses they had been told were normal and even couldn't be 'cured', and credit raw food for the transformation in their health. That's simply eating food that has not been damaged by heat. Oh, and those who have spent most of their lives battling weight gain will find that, on the raw food diet, that particular problem should be solved - permanently.
The raw food diet is eating the pure, nourishing, healing, protecting foods that were made for us!
Whether you’re 20, 40, 60 or 80, do you really want NORMAL, any more?
If you don’t, TURN to raw food.
Seven years ago, I discovered raw food eating. In the eyes of most of the world, I became a 'nutter', an 'extremist', but, in becoming one, my body seemed to get younger rather than older, I found heaps more energy and found myself healed of a host of health complaints that we're taught are 'normal'. So, with past/parallel lives as a communicator and teacher, one way in which I can serve the raw food community is to use those skills, plus my experience of raw to help others along the path I've travelled. So, if you're interested in the benefits that raw can bring, read on.
You can switch to all raw food at once, or move towards that, in a gentle way, by gradually increasing the amount of raw food in your diet.
Read on... Where would you like to be? All-raw? High raw? Or just a bit more raw?
The Rawforlife site can help those at all stages of the raw food journey, with differing short and long-term goals.
How RawforLife can help
Do you want to go raw GENTLY? To simply increase the raw in your diet?
If you are looking simply to increase the amount of raw food in your diet, how to make a positive difference to health, how to make interesting meals purely from raw ingredients, you will find all sorts of practical help on this site and the blog.
When have you achieved success with raw food? When you can say you're eating more raw than you were a year ago. After that, it's up to you!
I'll be happy if this site can help someone move to even 25% raw whose previous raw was the lettuce in a burger bun!
Or do you want to DIVE IN? Is your goal 100% raw (or very close to), either now or in the future...
As someone who has travelled the path, I can help.
I've been following a raw food diet (switching back and forth from vegetarian to vegan!) for seven years. In the first few months I was about 80% raw. After that, and for the past few years, I've moved between 100% and 90%. Right now (Sept 11) I'm 90% raw vegan. (The 10% is socialising/eating out, where I might have vegetarian/a little cooked food) BUT, MAKE NO MISTAKE - 100% raw is best.
Raw overnight, or in steps?
Some people go raw overnight and never look back. Others go raw in steps. There are advantages and disadvantages to each approach.
The raw food diet is very exciting! There are many things in life that can affect our health, and some things are pretty much beyond our control. But one thing we can do something about is what goes down our gullets, and even correcting diet alone can transform lives, as you will see from the testimonials on this site alone.(And when you've done that, you can get on to those other things!)
But, my general recommendation is only increase your raw food to a level at which you feel comfortable and happy. If you suspect eating more raw will be a struggle, 'rest' a while where you are (for weeks, months or even years) before going on. A 75% raw diet is light years healthier than the standard diet and will make you feel (and look) a LOT better! If you're 'not sure' go for a 'high raw' diet initially rather than 100%.
Here's an article that could help you decide whether to switch to 100% raw food straight away, or start more gradually. It's from the RawforLife April 08 e-zine - 'How Raw? How Soon?
If you'd like to be 100% raw (or - OK - very close to!), rest assured that there will be no need to turn down any social invitations - I spent at least two years 100% raw and never did! While I'm writing this it's quite icy in chilly UK right now; RawforLife can explain why no one 'needs' to eat cooked (damaged) food in the winter any more than they do in the summer (although there will be psychological and social pressures on you to do otherwise!) See the Articles page for lots of help in these areas.
So, however raw you'd like to be, you should find this site (and the links to articles) useful. And, if you do, let others know.
Debbie Took, BA (Hons)(Psychology), PGCE, Dip NH (Natural Health) Trained Raw Food Coach - approved and recommended by Karen Knowler. However, please note I am no longer 'coaching' in a professional sense and prefer to be known as a 'raw food promoter' than a 'coach', as no one really needs 'coaching' in raw food!
Whilst I am a student of Natural Hygiene (Natural Health) and would describe myself as a 'Natural Hygienist', as my thinking is generally in line with NH, there are some (not many) teachings that I don't subscribe to, and...some that I do, but don't follow (yet!). Also, I don't ally myself to any raw food 'guru', nor to any particular 'brand' of raw food diet - I'm a Raw Food Independent, and hope you will be too.
