My New Beginning

[Abby Sutton]

Hello Raw Food Rehab and thank you for allowing me to join your gracious community.  I actually learned of you guys through watching a video and "Andy" who was a raw juicer mentioned you! So again, thank you and I wanted to ask that if I do anything on the wrong boards or posts please do not hesitate to send me in the right direction! I am completely new not only with my "new" family but as being a raw consumer as well.  And now I would like to tell you why I am here....

I am a 47 year old mother of 2 awesome children and a wonderful husband. I am originally from Tennessee (Go Vols!) and live in western Georgia (Go Dawgs!) with my family. I am in my second year of nursing school and will graduate July, 2013. 

I was diagnosed with type II Diabetes almost 15 years ago and immediately went into a denial that has now put my life in jeopardy. The last 5 years I have changed many things but continuing yo-yo diets, then major binges, and still weighing in at 195, small framed and only 5'4".  I know now I have to not just go on a diet but make some life style MAJOR changes forever and I need your help!

A friend of mine told me of a documentary over a year ago about juice fasting and last week I watched it with my husband (who is also 65 pounds over weight). We were definitely impressed and are both ready to make this change in our lives. So...... we plan on starting in 2 weeks (I receive a school reimbursement around January 19th which will allow us to buy our juicer and all of our vegetables, thermos containers, etc.) 

Our first concoction is the one "Joe Cross" used in his documentary containing ~ 

     Kale, Celery, Cucumbers, Green Apple, Lemon and Ginger Root

And, we have also googled some other recipes.  Please, please, please if anyone has the time ( I understand in this crazy world now that extra time is hard to come by ) please write me and give me ANY advice at all ~ I actually love criticism and will not get my feelings hurt :)  Throw it at me guys ~ I am all ears and am the most sincere with this decision than I have ever been! I also wanted to tell you that I was a smoker and am now going on my 6th month of being smoke free ~ so I realize that I do actually have some will power!

Thank you ~ Abby

[Peggy Speir]

awesome!

Sometimes eating this way isn't any more expensive than my normal grocery bill. In fact, last week was cheaper! Go figure.

It's so great the 2 of you are doing this together - keep us posted on your journey and how you are feeling.

[Abby Sutton]

Peggy ~ OMG! Thank you so VERY much for your comments that I have found extremely helpful! Hopefully my husband and I will start our first cleanse next Thursday (waiting on finances, etc) and we will definitely be trying your recipes! Again ~ thank you and will keep you posted!

[Peggy Speir]

Yippeee on the smoke free! You clearly have what it takes to make some big healthy changes. And congrats on nursing school....good for you.

Depending on what your eating habits currently are you might find going the Joe Cross cold turkey route very challenging. TOTALLY do-able, but be prepared for a bit of a roller coaster. When you feel lost check in here at the rehab for encouragement and inspiration.

I'm 46 yrs old. I have been slowly easing into the RAW world for over a year now. I have done 3 cleanses - currently in the middle of a 4th - which help with a weight loss boost, a crazy boost in energy and gets me focused on eating a lot more healthily. I originally had the intention of going head on into becoming 100% RAW....but I found it too challenging socially and there are just some days I want cooked food....BUT I am 100% healthier than I was this time last year. I have found out that when eating high raw it helps me in so many amazing ways: it levels my hormones out, I suffer ZERO PMS (and perhaps peri menopausal symptoms as well), I have so much more energy, less arthritic pain, clear bright skin, happiness (I have always been slightly depressed.....but not now!) and to be honest - I'm nicer.

My point in telling you this is if you start going full on into eating RAW or just juicing you might fall off the wagon - do not beat your self up, because even making a few healthier changes to your diet will reap amazing benefits.

I start my day off with:

kale, cucumber, celery, romaine, lemon, ginger, apple, parsley, cilantro - this actually fills me up and gets me through most of the morning.

My favorite afternoon juice is:

pineapple, orange, ginger, carrot (sometimes beet) juice. DELICIOUS and lively.

My husband can't get enough of:

watermelon, lime, ginger juice. Some days this will be all we drink and it makes us both feel so clean and fresh inside.

When you first start out you might feel really tired. Sleep. You might be head achy. Drink lots more green juices and water. Lots and lots of water - it helps flush out the toxins faster.

Find a few minutes a day, multiple times a day, to stretch. Make them easy, make them deep - it helps move everything along. As you get cleaner in your eating you will start to notice your body uncoiling. It becomes less congested and your body opens up in ways you haven't felt before. Seriously - this really happens.

Enjoy your new journey and keep us posted on your progress here.

[Abby Sutton]

Thank you Nathalie for your encouraging words!  I am very excited about this new way of life and maybe I don't need "criticizing" but some "nudging" a long the way! Thank you for the diabetes tip with Gabriel Cousens and I will definitely be googling him!

[nathalie carles]

If you google Gabriel Cousens, a fabulous guy who cures people with diabetes with raw food, it is worth looking at his center and his interviews etc...his center is in the States in the south (california?) and here at RFR you are at the best  place totaly non judgemental, with tons of recipes and tips and advices and great community. Nobody is going to criticize you...what for by the way? Who would criticize someone who has decided to take her life in her hands and take care of her health???????????????? Good luck and keep posting there are always answers here.

[Abby Sutton]

Thank You Janelle for all the sweet and kind inspiring words! And definitely want you joining me in my new journey as I am yours!

[Janelle Jurgenson]

I am so happy for you and your husband making these wonderful changes in your life Abby! No matter what hurdles the coming weeks and months bring they are so worth it when you are on the right track :) congratulations for being 6 months smoking free, finding funds for your own juicer and taking the first steps as these are the hardest. I am fairly new here and still exploring the groups but the recipes in the kitchen themselves are enough to get you inspired to try new raw foods and keep moving forward, plus they are open to interpretation for what ingredients you have, don't think of it as a diet but a wonderful opportunity to become artistic and creative with flavors and colors of raw foods in a new creative way of life that brings more energy and benefits to you than you could have imagined! 

I look forward to hearing and joining you with your journey into new found energy and health :)