Raw Food Diet - Day 4 (Blog)

[Steve Pavlina]

Use this thread to discuss the following entry from Steve Pavlina's blog:

Raw Food Diet - Day 4

[OlderWiser]

I have a suggestion for you on the wraps. Instead of lettuce, try celery stalks, and "stuff" them with the avacado/tomato filling (leave the celery out of the filling mixture). The celery should fix the "needs salt" thing, and it's nice and crunchy, a pleasant contrast to the creamy avacado and the tangy tomatoes.

[Andrzej Ostromecki]

hello
Steve I got a question about proportions of ingredients in your daily diet .

This is summary of daily intake:
day 1: 2261 cal / 28g fat / 524g carbo/ 41g proteins
day 2: 1704 cal / 28g fat / 387g carbo/ 23g proteins
day 3: 1814 cal / 35g fat / 385g carbo/ 41g proteins
day 4: 2202 cal / 37g fat / 496g carbo/ 35g proteins

My assumption based on my knowledge and experience with diet ( I have lost 15kg / 33lb) are that is better to keep proportions constant throughout the week. Through Better I mean: better digestion, a steady blood sugar level which greatly influence mood and self-discipline, less intensive cravings for certain foods( quite obvious on weigh-loss diet) but expected on other types diet as well.

Are you preparing yours meals based on some plan? I'm referring to those 20-25% deferences between daily calories or proteins intake. Imho such swings (hi and low, up and down) may cause unnecessary difficulties.
Andrew.

ps. Guys I'm sry for any language mistakes , as a New Year goal I start to forces my self to write in English no matter what :kamikaze: . So if I cause U pain sorry

[Jake Birkett]

My headache has gone today too. I was already vegetarian with occasional cheese consumption but I ate a bit too much veggie junk-food and occasionally drunk alcohol (and naturally Christmas provided an excess of all these things).

I've given up all processed food and sugars this year and started eating tons more fruit and drinking more water and I definitely felt a "detox low" for a few days (headache, foggy, tired, aches, cravings, hunger, sleeplessness). But I feel pretty good today.

I'm definitely doing a lot more "browsing" of fruit and foods too. Perhaps that means my main meals are too small or I'm still used to filling up on fats and sugars, who knows?

Just wanted to post this so people know it's worth pushing on!

[beel]

Hi Steve,

I am very glad to see you are giving the raw diet another trial and hope you will be successful with it and want to continue on or at least make some major alterations to your previous diet. I have to admit that after reading your post about the things you ate in NYC some months back, I was fairly disgusted and surprised by your food choices. Given my impression of your awareness of health and your choice to be vegan, I could not believe how many processed foods you and your wife ate. It left me wondering how and why you choose to be vegan as I believe you mentioned it had little to do with animal rights, but more about health. I am surrounded by vegans in my life (both family and friends) and notice a consistent difference between those that eat mostly soy products and "fake" meats/cheese/etc. to those that eat whole grains, legumes, fruits, vegetables and very little soy. The former generally look unhealthy and tend to be overweight and sluggish, while the latter are vibrant and the picture of health.

While there are a myriad of soy products available for virtually every non vegan food out there, simply being vegan does not equal healthy. In fact, if you do a bit of research, I think you will find that processed soy and overuse of it in ones diet is more detrimental to health than eating whole unprocessed grilled chicken, fish, or even beef. It is very disconcerting to see so many highly processed soy products on the market and so many people using them on a daily basis. I believe in the coming years we will start to hear more and more about the harmful effects of excess soy in our diets.

I say this out of respect as I think you are an incredible human being offering great knowledge and insight to hundreds of thousands, if not millions of people. However, I cringe when I read your blogs discussing the vegan veggie patties, chicken patties, and other processed products you crave. I am appalled when I read that your wife and children are eating these things day in and day out on a bun. Where are the salads, vegetables, beans, and whole foods in their diet? Those should be the primary source of nutrients in a vegan diet, NOT fake processed meats! One only need to see a visual of you and your wife to know that you are far from a picture of vibrant health. It actually saddens me to think that you influence so many people, and outside of this and other raw trials, your everyday diet is really no better than a typical SAD diet in vegan form.



I applaud your commitment to do this 30 day raw trial and I believe you are definitely going about it in the right manner by choosing low fat and more mono meals with less "gourmet". I truly hope that your experience with whole raw vegan foods will urge you to maintain a higher standard in your vegan diet if and when you decide to go back to eating other foods. I also hope that you will look more into the types of things you and your family are eating that aren't raw, especially highly processed foods. As an observer , it is frightening to read what you are feeding your family in the name of health.

My apologies this is so long and somewhat negative, but this is something that has really been bothering me since your NYC post. I am not one to go around criticizing others and their choices, but I feel in this instance, it is important to bring these issues to your attention as your choices influence so many other people. Also, that you strive to seek the truth and I believe this is a very real issue.

With that said, I would like to offer you a tip for your raw food challenge. I want to recommend to you Vitamineral Green for use in your smoothies. When I first went raw, I used various fresh greens as you do, but didn't care for the taste if I used the more nutrient dense greens or higher quantities as I wanted to. I knew a raw foodist that had been 99% raw for 3 years and also worked in the raw food department at Whole Foods. He recommended vitamineral green to me. Since I began using it, I noticed a drastic increase in energy and overall sense of well-being, an even higher level than eating raw with lots of greens. At first I only used a bit, but then I began using higher amounts mixed in my smoothies. After a month or so, I started drinking it mixed in with water alone. What was once a gag-inducing smell/taste on it's own become something I craved and enjoyed even without being masked by sweet fruit. I believe it is an excellent way to get your greens without having to eat or buy massive quantities of fresh greens on a daily basis. I still eat fresh green salads, but never could get into blended soups loaded with greens. I believe the benefits are far superior due to the quality of greens used to make it and how it is made. I don't use any other supplements and it is not an actual supplement, but whole food. I encourage you to read the reviews at Amazon or other sites. The Health Force Nutritional website allows you to buy a sample size for about $3. Through experience and research, I have found Vitamineral green to be far superior to any other green "powder" available. I would and do recommend this to everyone, whether eating raw or not.

[wulph]

Originally Posted by beel

Where are the salads, vegetables, beans, and whole foods in their diet? Those should be the primary source of nutrients in a vegan diet, NOT fake processed meats!

This makes huge sense. However, I'll expand on that and point out that they should be the primary ingredients (with the inclusion of fresh fruit) of ANY healthy diet.

I'm not sold on the idea that 100% raw or 100% vegan is the way to go, but a common theme seems to be that refined sugars & starches, preservatives, modified fats, and commercial processing are the primary culprit.

Originally Posted by beel

I want to recommend to you Vitamineral Green for use in your smoothies.

You had my attention up to this point... but I just can't support "nutrition in a bottle."

[nownow]

Such a diet as yours Steve would give me wild mood swings and hormonal problems. My blood sugar would bounce around so much. The body likes an even slow release of fuel not a huge rush which usually happens with too much fruit. My insulin and cortisol levels would become unbalanced causing mood swings. I would get rushes of adrenaline as my blood sugar fell because I ate too much sugar and my body had over reacted by releasing too much insulin dropping my blood sugar too low. I don't buy the detox theory for mood swings, its usually hormonal. In addition, your getting very little in the way of usable protein. One egg which has about four grams of protein will be more usefull to your body/mind than 30 grams of what your calling protein. You can be vegan and still get real and digestible protein but I don't think you are. Good luck.

[beel]

Originally Posted by wulph

This makes huge sense. However, I'll expand on that and point out that they should be the primary ingredients (with the inclusion of fresh fruit) of ANY healthy diet.

I'm not sold on the idea that 100% raw or 100% vegan is the way to go, but a common theme seems to be that refined sugars & starches, preservatives, modified fats, and commercial processing are the primary culprit.

I agree with you that this should be applicable to any healthy diet and I only specified a vegan diet because that is what Steve and his family follow. You are absolutely correct that regardless of the diet you choose, refined sugars & starches, preservatives, modified fats, and commercial processing are problematic.

Have you ever eaten 100% raw for any extended period of time? I'm curious because once you experience the effects firsthand, its hard to deny the significant improvement and life your body feels. It's a feeling that I have been unable to duplicate with any another diet, no matter how healthy.

My only problem with a raw food diet is the social implications.

Originally Posted by wulph

You had my attention up to this point... but I just can't support "nutrition in a bottle."

I can respect your opinion on not supporting "nutrition in a bottle", in fact that was my initial reaction when it was recommended to me. I don't think its necessary and if I go a day without, it's fine. However, if I had the time, resources, and patience, I would probably juice all of those foods myself and incorporate them into my diet. With that said, I don't want to be a slave to my diet and that is simply way too time consuming. I don't take any other vitamins or supplements and I don't think they are necessary on a raw food diet, but this is one product I have found to be absolutely incredible for giving me nutrients my body loves, easily and efficiently that I would not get otherwise. I eat primarily mono meals or simple salads and prepare a green smoothie daily using Vitamineral green. The time it saves me and the benefits I receive are vast. Eating raw can be as simple or as complicated as you want it to be and I find that this product gives me great benefits in a simple manner. Perhaps it is not for everyone, but I wanted to recommend it based on my experience. I am not sure if you visited the website, but if not, here are the ingredients, basically dehydrated juices:

Land Vegetables:

• Whole Leaf Barley Grass

• Whole Leaf Wheat Grass

• Nettle Leaf

• Shavegrass (Horsetail)

• Alfalfa Leaf Juice

• Dandelion Leaf Juice

• Barley Grass Juice

• Oat Grass Juice

• Burdock Root

• Broccoli Juice

• Kale Juice

• Spinach Juice

• Parsley Juice

• Carob Pod

• Ginger Root

• Nopal Cactus

• Amla Berry

Algaes:

• Spirulina

• Broken Cell Wall Chlorella

Wildcrafted Aquatic Vegetables:

• Icelandic Kelp

• Nova Scotia Dulse

Enzymes:
(optimum absorption, cleansing +)

• Amylase

• Lipase

• Protease

• Alpha Galactosidase NEW!

• Cellulase

• Bromelain

• Papain

[beel]

Originally Posted by nownow

Such a diet as yours Steve would give me wild mood swings and hormonal problems. My blood sugar would bounce around so much. The body likes an even slow release of fuel not a huge rush which usually happens with too much fruit. My insulin and cortisol levels would become unbalanced causing mood swings. I would get rushes of adrenaline as my blood sugar fell because I ate too much sugar and my body had over reacted by releasing too much insulin dropping my blood sugar too low. I don't buy the detox theory for mood swings, its usually hormonal. In addition, your getting very little in the way of usable protein. One egg which has about four grams of protein will be more usefull to your body/mind than 30 grams of what your calling protein. You can be vegan and still get real and digestible protein but I don't think you are. Good luck.

It's interesting that you say what your body would do without having ever tried it. You assume these things would happen because of what you have learned, but have you had the experience? I know several diabetics that "cured" their diabetes following a raw food diet. Not to mention several other people that "cured" many other diseases and ailments when modern science and diets failed them. I am unsure how you can not "buy the detox theory", the proof is in the results when levels adjust and people begin to flourish after their initial detox.

[deenie]

I have been a lurker on this website for some time, and I decided to comment today after reading beel's post. My reason for doing so is that I completely agree and I was happy to see the topic of dependence on processed soy foods in vegan and vegetarian diets raised.

I believe in each person deciding for him or herself what diet works best for them and I respect a vegan's decision to choose such a lifestyle. In fact, along my journey to figure out what foods/diet worked best for me (a decision that was based both on personal health experiences and the social and environmental implications of my chosen diet), I experimented with both vegetarianism and veganism.

In my teens, as an ovo-lacto vegetarian, I relied heavily on soy products and processed foods as a way to "fit-in" with my omnivorous family. My decision to try a vegan diet during my college years was also the beginning of my interest in nutrition and how we eat. I wanted to ensure that I would meet my daily nutritional needs on such a limited diet (compared to an omnivore's diet of course) and began to read as many books on diet and nutrition that I could.

The reason I am no longer a vegan today is because I had an epiphany while shopping in my Whole Foods for vegan "chick'n strips." "How is eating an over processed version of cheese/milk/chicken better than eating a minimally processed, organic, and local (for example) version of the real thing?" Most of these products have a just as many unpronounceable ingredients as regular old cookies and chips.

I have heard many wonderful vegan chefs and vegan cookbook authors say that "you will be just as unhealthy on a vegan diet if you eat vegan junk food." There were several reasons for my own decision to not continue on the vegan path, but the dependence on processed soy foods among my vegan and vegetarian friends and in my own meals was enough to convince me that veganism can be, if done improperly, just another version of the Standard American Diet.

Situations like this, make it all the more clear that there is something wrong with our nation's relationship to food. Processed foods and our dependence on them is a huge problem in the United States and an issue that I wish was addressed and discussed more often. Unfortunately many, many people see these soy foods as a healthy alternative to the real thing, which in reality they are far from it.

[sebzzz]

Reading recent Steve's posts, I decided to give to give the raw diet a try.

For me, it will be difficult not only for cravings, but socially and economically since I still live with my parents and they are not really comprehensive.

I have some physical problems (tight muscles, fatigue, headaches) and I'll see if this diet will help with those.

Since my relation with my parents is really bad and my step dad does everything he can to make my life miserable, I often end up at one of my friend's house where is parents really love me and care for me. However, I eat at their place often and I wonder how they will react to me trying this new diet. They are meat lovers and they want the best for me, but they probably think that this type of diet is far from the best.

I'm kind of addicted to natural peanut butter (only roasted peanuts) and I wonder is roasted is still considered raw or if I should stop eating this peanut butter also. If so, is there any other alternatives that I could eat in somewhat large quantities since I like it so much.

[Andrew Brunelle]

I believe Steve knows that his diet can always improve and thus he decided to try what he would consider an improvement by doing the 30 days raw trial. We are all human and crave "unhealthy foods" once in awhile. I understand and I totally agree with the whole absurdity of eating fake turkey or fake soy product x that is made to look and taste like the "real thing." If you crave the real thing so bad, why sacrifice and go all in? It will be far healthier than some concoction made in a lab to look like and taste like a real cut of meat.

If and when I go vegan or vegetarian, I am choosing to not go for the substitutes. Yuck. I would not be able to hold down something called tofurkey. I know what processed soy does to people. Fermented soy is supposedly the best.

All I can really say about beel's post is that I did agree when I saw pictures of Steve and Erin that they did not like they had absolute vibrant health. But I see this with other vegans as well. Remember Morgan Spurlock's girlfriend from Supersize Me? IMO, she looked subpar at best. Many of them look kind of pale. There's that old joke about how all the people working in health food stores look sick. I am sure with the proper nutrition and a large emphasis on whole foods, it is possible to look vibrant on a vegan or raw vegan diet. Supplements may be needed, though.

But I have to say that I am impressed that Steve has decided to go raw and that is a good step towards vibrant health. And I am sure he is aware that a cooked vegan diet may not be the optimal diet, depending on the ingredients of course. We all need to experiment and find better things. It may take time, but if we all can find our optimal diets, we can and will accomplish so much more.

[Keith]

I'm amazed that Roger Haeske was able to help you simplify your meal production. From the screenshots, your meals seem to mostly be "throw some (largely unpeeled and uncut) fruit on a plate". It's hard to see much room for efficiency gains.

[seeker5]

If and when I go vegan or vegetarian, I am choosing to not go for the substitutes. Yuck. I would not be able to hold down something called tofurkey. I know what processed soy does to people. Fermented soy is supposedly the best.

I feel the same way. When I went vegetarian for two years, I didn't eat substitutes at all. I didn't see the need to eat pretend-meat. Now, from the standpoint of being a meat eater who doesn't really cook much, I do find it more appealing to go all raw like Steve is doing during this trial instead of going to first vegetarian and then vegan.