Paleo Diet: Raw Paleo Diet and Lifestyle Forum
Raw Paleo Diet Forums => General Discussion => Topic started by: Dorothy on July 20, 2011, 03:55:54 am
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That's right, the highest up on the food chain I've eaten for the last 20 years has been raw fish - and extremely infrequently at that - and not large servings and I have gone a decade without it and then the other 10 years I could go many months without it. I've been eating raw eggs regularly for a year or two now - because I got my own chickens so trust the quality.
As I re-introduce meat into my generally raw diet, what should I expect? My stomach is now making some pretty outrageous sounds that I haven't heard in a very very long time. Is that normal?
Has anyone else here done similar or can guess what might happen?
I am very healthy so no issues there to consider.
My first meat meal was lightly seared steak.
Are there things that are easier to start with that you can suggest for me?
Btw, I don't want to eat animal species that live with us - dog, cat, rabbit, chickens. Not that most people eat dog or cat - but it is common in other cultures. I am willing to eat insects if I can figure out ways to prepare them that I can tolerate. I understand that they are very healthy to consume and I have raised many of them to feed pets.
Thanks in advance for any help/advice you can give me.
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There are always certain issues:-
1) Many ex-raw or ex-cooked vegans experience digestive issues when they start to re-cinroprorate animal foods. Similiarly, people who go RZC generally find they get digestive issues when they re-incorporate plant foods into their diet. This is normal as animal foods and plant foods require entirely different bacteria and enzymes to digest them, so that it takes time to re-add in the necessary bacteria/switch to the right enzymes so as to adjust to the different foods in the diet.
2) Switching from raw to cooked, or worse, being partially raw/cooked inevitably causes issues as raw and cooked foods require different digestive processes etc.. For example, I used to be able to happily swallow dozen of croissants into my mouth in my pre-raw, cooked-food-eating days, but a few months after going rawpalaeo, I found that I secreted far less mucus in my throat so that I had to wash down every mouthful of dry croissant with a drink of mineral water, in order for it not to stick in my throat. Similiarly, I would produce much less stomachg-acid after going rawpalaeo, which made it problematic when I consumed cooked foods at times, as the latter required more stomach-acids to properly digest them.
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Thank you Tyler. That was very useful information. You say that plant foods and meat need different enzymes and bacteria. Does this mean that I should not eat raw greens with my steak in the future? Do you eat only meat at one meal?
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Thank you Tyler. That was very useful information. You say that plant foods and meat need different enzymes and bacteria. Does this mean that I should not eat raw greens with my steak in the future? Do you eat only meat at one meal?
Yeah, keeping animal and plant foods separate is a great idea- at least 30 minutes inbetween, preferably more.
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It all depends on a lot of individual factors, like the enzymes and bacteria, as Tyler mentioned, amount of stomach acid, health of your GI tract (such as the epithelial cells, mucosa and smooth muscle tissue), immune system functioning, metabolic functioning, hydration and so on. So we have little way of knowing how you'll be affected in the short term, so maybe start out slow and don't panic if things don't go swimmingly at first?
I enjoy eating meats and greens together and don't notice any problems from that, but YMMV (your mileage may vary). One factor to consider is that it is known that mixing fats and carbs increases the reward value of foods, which can trigger increased consumption, and thus might be a concern for anyone who doesn't want to add any body fat. I've noticed that the more successful dieters tend to eat either low carb with moderate to high fat or high carb with relatively low fat, but there are exceptions in between, of course.
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So we have little way of knowing how you'll be affected in the short term, so maybe start out slow and don't panic if things don't go swimmingly at first?
Well, so far so good Phil. I felt better from the steak than I do from any processed food. So far better to eat a raw steak than to eat say a vegetarian burrito (even without the beans). :) We will eat any carbos first and wait awhile at least just for the beginning until we have things down and know that it isn't an issue... and I promise not to do one of those: "but I tried it for lunch and it didn't make me feel good so it must be all bad" moronic dances for you.
I've noticed that the more successful dieters tend to eat either low carb with moderate to high fat or high carb with relatively low fat, but there are exceptions in between, of course.
That's interesting. The whole 80/10/10 folks being super thin even with lots of calories. My problem is that I could never figure out what high fat was if we're not talking eating mostly suet. I mean, I would think that I was eating TONS of raw fat with my butter and avocados and eggs and milkshakes and seeds and then I would go out to a restaurant and see deep fried cheese, covered in cream, wrapped in fat fried coating with a fried egg on top - all dripping and think to myself - compared to what most Americans eat my high fat raw diet is chicken feed.
But I never care two hoots about my size. If I feel good, I am good - and I pretty much always feel good. -d
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No way!!! ;D
Ohh I wonder the outcome!
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No way!!! ;D
Ohh I wonder the outcome!
Ha ha ha. Yes way.
But then TO - you have had a tremendous influence on me. You have no idea how you have changed my thinking with your persistent darn logic! Ecology and agriculture and all your arguments you devil. -d Talking to so many vegans and vegetarians who were so incredibly self-righteous and judgmental of others had its effects over time too. When the people that are being the least violent, hostile and angry towards other people and are the most stable are eating raw meat it can make a big impression. I became slowly convinced that maybe all the benefits came from the other things that people were not eating - and perhaps had nothing to do with meat in general itself - if eaten in it's natural raw form. I watched many people start or continue to do all raw vegan or fruitarian over time talking and watched the changes. It was a bit shocking. I'm still not convinced that I in particular need to eat meat, but, I also wonder the outcome! I've gotten curious and this thing with the hubbie as the massive push - will also satisfy a curiosity. I want to know how it will affect my energy, my emotions and my spiritual work. I might not need it to feel good or even great - but will it effect me badly in any way?
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I became slowly convinced that maybe all the benefits came from the other things that people were not eating - and perhaps had nothing to do with meat in general itself - if eaten in it's natural raw form.
Bingo!
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I don't know how I missed it - but I just found Tyler's stickies for newbies.
How generous and kind to do all that work and post it for us! Thank you Tyler. :)
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My stomach is now making some pretty outrageous sounds that I haven't heard in a very very long time. Is that normal?
My first beef in over a couple dozen years was freshly store ground 100% grass-fed I think 20% fat beef. I had recently tried fully raw sustainably harvested salmon with its skin no prob. After the beef that night I had a horrible nightmare. I never get those (or more like once in thirty years). I have many theories why it happened. I am even more careful now about beef and grinding. Seared like you did it I'd get an arthritis-like attack and other inflammation. Every person is different.
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Seared like you did it I'd get an arthritis-like attack and other inflammation. Every person is different.
I thought that pan-seared might be easiest for my husband to adjust to, but now I'm not so sure. I mean it was the closest to what he normally ate - yet it was different enough and tough enough that it wasn't exactly appealing to him.
Ground meat from the store - no way! No wonder you had nightmares.
I'm thinking that what I need to do is get my husband into ideas for sauces. He's a master at making sauces.
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Dorothy - What does your husband normally eat that pan-seared would be tough enough that it lost its appeal?? Maybe it was the cut of meat??? There are a few cuts of beef that are too tough to be enjoyable raw and are only enjoyable if eaten braised.
Lex Rooker, an iconic raw carnivore who comes from one of the greatest health challenges that I've ever read about, doesn't really notice much of a difference between lightly seared meats and raw.
I personally don't notice much of a difference between raw and medium-rare beef. Raw meat is awfully hydrating though and for that reason alone I find raw meats very desirable.
On a cow the best value cut IMO is the Chuck Roast. Best value for the most fat, tenderness, flavor, and price. On a lamb the best value cut is the shoulder. Amazing marbeling, as tender as any beef tenderloin, great flavor and great price. Fyi =]
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Ground meat from the store - no way! No wonder you had nightmares.
I've been eating mostly ground grassfed meats from local markets for years now with never a headache or other problem as versus unground cuts of meat. I find ground meats to be easier to digest and a little less constipating and they are also cheaper, so they work for me. As always, YMMV.
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I saw a program on ground meat on television that made me have nightmares without ever eating it! They showed how ground meat came from all different animals and because that would be a breeding ground for bacteria because if only one cow was sick all the ground beef would be contaminated they would soak it all of it in ammonia! -v
Of course getting it from a vendor you know and trust and if you see them grind it right in front of you would be different I would think - but there's no way I'm eating ammonia soaked anything.
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Dorothy - What does your husband normally eat that pan-seared would be tough enough that it lost its appeal?? Maybe it was the cut of meat??? There are a few cuts of beef that are too tough to be enjoyable raw and are only enjoyable if eaten braised.
Lex Rooker, an iconic raw carnivore who comes from one of the greatest health challenges that I've ever read about, doesn't really notice much of a difference between lightly seared meats and raw.
I personally don't notice much of a difference between raw and medium-rare beef. Raw meat is awfully hydrating though and for that reason alone I find raw meats very desirable.
On a cow the best value cut IMO is the Chuck Roast. Best value for the most fat, tenderness, flavor, and price. On a lamb the best value cut is the shoulder. Amazing marbeling, as tender as any beef tenderloin, great flavor and great price. Fyi =]
I have a feeling that you were right TO and that it was just not a good cut - I wasn't used to buying meat. I have to learn all about cuts. The man at the farmer's market told me that it was really great and I believed him - and now I can't even remember what on earth it was! I'm going to get myself a little notebook to take to the farmer's market with me and take notes on vendors and cuts etc. and how we like them. This is a totally new area of knowledge that I have no experience in and that I do not even know the language of. The first thing to go in my notebook is your suggestions on cuts.
What about bison raw? There are a few really good bison ranches. Shape Ranch in San Antonio has these things on its brochure that are so cool. They let the bison live with minimal interference on native grasses and don't wean or take the calves away so that the bison have a secure herd and the animals are field harvested. They come to the farmer's market I go to and I got hubbie some bison before and he liked it - so time to try it raw. They say that it's real important not to cook bison too much - so it might be really good raw. Bison are what our ancient ancestors were eating - unlike the cows that have been so changed from the even recent past. What bison part do you think we should try?
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I saw a program on ground meat on television that made me have nightmares without ever eating it! They showed how ground meat came from all different animals and because that would be a breeding ground for bacteria because if only one cow was sick all the ground beef would be contaminated they would soak it all of it in ammonia! -v
That's CAFO supermarket ground beef, not at all like the super high quality stuff I buy. I buy only the best available in the healthfood markets and I've never had a problem with it. From eating raw my taste buds and nose have become quite sensitive. At work I can smell when the guy in the next office out of my sight gets a cup of French vanilla coffee and tell him the flavor he bought and if I've been out and walk by a half hour or more after he has consumed it I can still smell the odor in the air from that little cup of coffee (and if I tell him, he responds with a WTH? how did you know ??? look LOL).
Even before I went raw I had a sensitive sniffer. When I worked as a bank teller I could tell, from behind the security glass, when a smoker walked into the bank (without any cigarette, as smoking in the branch was prohibited), via the door on the other side of the branch, without looking up to see. I also like guessing the ingredients in coworkers' hot meals. There's no way anyone is sneaking ammonia by me, believe me. :D
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Bison is spectacular, my absolute favorite red meat hands down. Here's a quick rundown on bovine cuts. I would probably stick to this list. Anything outside runs the risk of a very dry, tough, lean, or unappetizing cut. As a rule on any animal the muscle that gets worked the least is the most tender (tenderloin usually), and any muscle that gets worked a lot is tough. Tougher cuts of meat are also the most flavorful by far.
Chuck Roast / Tri-tip - I already told you about this.
Tenderloin / Filet Mignon- Extremely lean but extremely tender. Not much flavor. Unless paired with a strong sauce I would forget it.
Strip steak - Extremely tender, fatty, cooks tender, and has tons of flavor. In terms of asthetics my favorite cut. Premium though.
Porterhouse / T-bone - The only difference between these two are the size of the "good section". This steak is 2 steaks in 1 ; a strip steak and a filet mignon. Good compromise between tender and flavor. Cooks tender.
Flat Iron - Very fatty,tender, and flavorful. Best used eaten raw -> medium rare.
Brisket - Generally only suitable for slow cooking, braising, or super quick frying. Can get dry quite easily.
Skirt steak - Extremely fatty and flavorful. Meltingly tender if raw or quick seared but very tough if cooked well done.
Cheek meat - Unbelievable flavor but tough. Only suitable for braising. One of the best cuts of meat to braise. Lots of collagen in there too!!
SHORT ribs (has to be "short") - Extremely fatty and flavorful but pretty tough. Do not mistake for just plain ol "beef ribs". It's a good cut if you don't mind gnawing on meat like a dog lol. Extremely good braised.
Shank - Mildly tough raw yet good flavorful. Not particularly fatty at all. Good for braising.
For a staple cut I use chuck roast or a decently priced skirt steak. For a premium tender cut choose the strip steak / strip loin or porterhouse.
I personally think the chuck roast, cheek, and short ribs are only cuts worth braising.
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"At work I can smell when the guy in the next office out of my sight gets a cup of French vanilla coffee"
Ah - Phil, I remember when all raw for awhile I smelt a grapefruit that had fallen and broken 3 blocks away when walking in NYC!
I hear ya, I hear ya! It's about the quality. I gotta get grasfed and use my sniffer! Will do, will do. Thanks!
On a similar note I made my butter yesterday and there was an incredible smell of PLASTIC coming out of my food processor. Weird. I made my milkshake and it was awful. -\ Then I made my dog her's and she wouldn't eat it! I realized duh! that's the first time I left the milk in the fridge for a couple of days before making the quark in the plastic bottles instead of putting it directly into my "cauldron" for fermentation.
I'm not sure I'm going to be able to eat the stuff. :(
I'll use the snoz!
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Bison is spectacular, my absolute favorite red meat hands down. Here's a quick rundown on bovine cuts. I would probably stick to this list. Anything outside runs the risk of a very dry, tough, lean, or unappetizing cut. As a rule on any animal the muscle that gets worked the least is the most tender (tenderloin usually), and any muscle that gets worked a lot is tough. Tougher cuts of meat are also the most flavorful by far.
Chuck Roast / Tri-tip - I already told you about this.
Tenderloin / Filet Mignon- Extremely lean but extremely tender. Not much flavor. Unless paired with a strong sauce I would forget it.
Strip steak - Extremely tender, fatty, cooks tender, and has tons of flavor. In terms of asthetics my favorite cut. Premium though.
Porterhouse / T-bone - The only difference between these two are the size of the "good section". This steak is 2 steaks in 1 ; a strip steak and a filet mignon. Good compromise between tender and flavor. Cooks tender.
Flat Iron - Very fatty,tender, and flavorful. Best used eaten raw -> medium rare.
Brisket - Generally only suitable for slow cooking, braising, or super quick frying. Can get dry quite easily.
Skirt steak - Extremely fatty and flavorful. Meltingly tender if raw or quick seared but very tough if cooked well done.
Cheek meat - Unbelievable flavor but tough. Only suitable for braising. One of the best cuts of meat to braise. Lots of collagen in there too!!
SHORT ribs (has to be "short") - Extremely fatty and flavorful but pretty tough. Do not mistake for just plain ol "beef ribs". It's a good cut if you don't mind gnawing on meat like a dog lol. Extremely good braised.
Shank - Mildly tough raw yet good flavorful. Not particularly fatty at all. Good for braising.
For a staple cut I use chuck roast or a decently priced skirt steak. For a premium tender cut choose the strip steak / strip loin or porterhouse.
I personally think the chuck roast, cheek, and short ribs are only cuts worth braising.
Just what I needed!
OK - I should get for eating raw and not cooking (I think I want to skip it and go straight to raw never having cooked meat before):
Staple:
Chuck
Strip steak
Premium:
Porterhouse
Strip loin
And also good are:
Flat Iron
Skirt steak
I will memorize this list! THANK YOU!
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Top sirloin is my favourite steak to eat raw, out of the steaks I have tried.. but as for the 100% grass-fed steaks, there isn't much choice, I have only seen top sirloin, flank, and rib-eye. For some reason I hate the taste of the rib-eye, and it tastes slightly rotten to me, but I can't seem to handle high meat anymore. Fresh top sirloin, while still all red and no brown, tastes amazing to me eaten raw. The flank was just okay. I haven't tried any of the other steaks grass-fed.
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I dont know how the cuts translate to the dutch names so can't tell you right now which cuts I eat. However I order my grassfed beef in bulk and get a bit of every part of the animal in the same ratio it is in the animal. So lots of cheap cuts and little expensive cuts. Some are very tough some extremely tender. I hate the overly tender ones (premiun cuts) I like to chew on the meat.
@Tsurugi_Oni
Whats with that list? you recommend cooked on most cuts. I like all cuts better raw and besides this is a RAW forum. In fact I think most her focus even more on the raw than on the paleo aspects of the diet.
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I quit vegetarianism after four decades because my body signals were unmistakable. I had to learn the cuts of meat, and I'm still confused when it comes to names like New York steak and porterhouse. It took another ten years for me to find raw paleo. Bison is great, if you have a reliable source. I had always assumed that bison was grass-fed, but I came to find out that it can be grain-supplemented, so ask direct questions. As Wolf mentioned, many grass-fed beef retailers carry only a small selection of cuts. I, too, like top sirloin the best.
Don't overlook lamb. Most of my meat intake is lamb, and mostly loin cuts, plus lamb liver.
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I just eat raw grassfed ground beef or bison every day. Easy and delicious.
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Thanks so much everyone for chiming in on your favorite cuts! It's majorly helpful.
HIT you said: In fact I think most her focus even more on the raw than on the paleo aspects of the diet.
You're right about that for myself. It wasn't until I could get good raw eggs that I started eating them - they do me good when cooked eggs just aren't the same and when it came to dairy I was researching a cancer cure for my dog and learned about Budwig. They said that in the US they use regular cottage cheese. Well, my dogs eat all raw so I figured I'd try the cottage cheese mixed with flax on myself and boy did it make me feel sick. But then when I got good raw milk and fermented it correctly it was just fine for me. When it comes to me I'm assuming just like with all other foods - that I will be better off if I eat it raw. If I have to stay strong enough and not get sick so that I can keep on helping my husband then I might be better off seeing if I can figure out ways that both of us can do it together and jump hand-in-hand into eating the good meats - me staying well by not eating cooked stuff and him being able to handle the idea and him NOT being a raw foodist like me he might detox more and be more sensitive.
I think TO because he knows more about me and my husband, realizes that I might have chosen to gradate him into raw meat more gradually. So far I've learned ways to make him feel more secure about raw fish by using whey and citrus and have gotten him to eat raw eggs by using them in sauces - unlike me who just eats the yolks out of my palm.
My husband is an amazing chef and I'e been slowly talking him into cooking better grass-fed meats for himself. This is a big shift me doing it with him now.... and a big shift in that I think he needs to just leap into raw foods for the sake of his health faster than I would have subtly tried to convince him of before.
I'm very respectful of other people's choices of food for themselves. Me being willing to eat steak after 20 years just for him made a major impression as you can imagine and if I'm willing to do that - he is willing to try a lot for me. So, raw meat it is going to be for the both of us now because I am convinced that he needs lots of excellent raw fats!
The only exception is that I might try a long slow cooking bone stock for him until I can get him to eat just plain bone marrow. He might have to watch me eat bone marrow for a while before he's willing to try it - but I think he needs those minerals now.
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Eve wrote: I quit vegetarianism after four decades because my body signals were unmistakable.
Wow! LOL - you have me beat sister! :D
What were your body signals if you don't mind me asking?
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klowcarb - do you get your ground grass-fed beef and bison from a particular place that you trust? Do you know that they are grinding it just from one animal? Do you use sauces?
It does sound really simple.
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Wolf, HIT and Eve, strange that there are fewer cuts of bison. I mean - what do they do with the rest?
I'm going to email the farm in San Antonio and ask them what cuts they have, ask more details on slaughter and feshness and then ask if they can bring some things to the farmer's market next week for me. I got hubbie some bison a couple of weeks ago to cook and he made it very rare and liked it - so that is promising. I'm in Texas - so there are some really good sources here - and therefore maybe I can get a larger variety? I also got him some raw ground beef from a farm that seemed ok and he made himself a very rare hamburger and was purring - so I think I've already been getting him used to the idea.
I've been saying for about half a year now that if he's going to be eating meat he shouldn't eat the crap in restaurants and eat grass-fed made at home because of what I learned when learning about dairy - and then I started buying it for him. He said, "Is this the same woman that told me in our last house that our kitchen was going to be "cruelty free"? I kind of turned purple and blamed it on the fact that we got dogs. He was like - This is just too weird. l) Now he's watching me eat steak and knows that I'm dead serious about doing anything I can to improve his diet. Because of it he's now ready to make things, listen to all your advice and even made a lovely sauce for the raw himachi for lunch today.
And........ he was willing to wait the half an hour between the himachi and the salad even!
I read him what y'all say... and I take notes.
Thank you!
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Eve wrote: I quit vegetarianism after four decades because my body signals were unmistakable.
Wow! LOL - you have me beat sister! :D
What were your body signals if you don't mind me asking?
My signals were craving meat! This happened when I hit that certain age and many changes were upon me. At first, I was such a purist that I wouldn't cook meat in the house because I didn't want all that grease in the air, so I would sneak through fast-food restaurants and order grilled chicken sandwiches, (chicken being less carnivorous than beef because it's white). From chicken I quickly moved on to beefy burgers. I know this sounds like a drug addict's confession, but I did feel so depraved after so many years of vegetarianism. When I came to terms with meat-eating as a nutritional necessity for me, I was able to buy and cook meat at home, but I still held to meal models that used lean meat sparingly as a side accompaniment to mounds of brown rice and stir-fried veggies, using cooking spray to keep the fat content ultra low. In spite of my proper diet, my health was declining for years. Everything ached. I tried to regain health by going to raw vegan, but I couldn't tolerate that for longer than a few days. Looking back, I think my poison was grains and my craving was for more fat. I eat no grains and a lot of fat now, and I feel so much better.
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Another thing I've noticed is that lower quality meats like supermarket ground buffalo tend to be softer, mushier, more watery and anemic looking, whereas high quality red meats from animals that are fed more grass and less grains tend to be firmer, less watery, and more blood red; and of course there's quite a taste difference.
40 years is one of the longest periods I've heard of a vegetarian or vegan lasting. That's amazing.
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100% GF strip steaks that I've tasted were so minerally that they actually tasted moreso than liver!!! The first time that I tried it I was absolutely dumbfounded.
In comparison grainfed conventional meat is just so bland. Conventional meat is to Grain-fed what CAFO white chicken breast is to wild goose. The difference in flavor is unmistakable.
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klowcarb - do you get your ground grass-fed beef and bison from a particular place that you trust? Do you know that they are grinding it just from one animal? Do you use sauces?
It does sound really simple.
I get the grassfed from Trader Joe's or Whole Foods. No sauces, but I've recently been adding nutrient dense spices like oregano, basil, etc. I don't need them for flavor, but I add them for nutrients. I use sea salt, coconut oil and butter.
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I thought that pan-seared might be easiest for my husband to adjust to, but now I'm not so sure. I mean it was the closest to what he normally ate - yet it was different enough and tough enough that it wasn't exactly appealing to him.
Ground meat from the store - no way! No wonder you had nightmares.
I only saw the steak was what you ate on this thread before that. Of course a somewhat SAD dieter would feel more comfortable to go little by little tapering off cooking. And it's nice you two can do it together. You're a better "man" than me, Dorothy. My man thinks it's healthier to sear meat than eat it raw. He's a near vegan; because he incorporated raw cheese into his diet occasionally lately. Maybe if I made meals like this one, he'd start eating meat again.
Yes, from the store aajonus gets from when he's in that area, and he recommends them to clients and friends even if they are miles away. Since then I hear he says get no meat pre-ground because they grind it all three times and that destroys nutrients. I had some ground on a fresh machine one time rather than three, and I ate a few pounds in one night, and it made me feel well. This one was from rather fibrous meat, so they made it edible for me (shank), as chewing on it makes me nauseas. And no, none of the meat I was ever able to get in my mouth had added ammonia wash/rinse. I did once try to eat some chicken that shouldn't have had disinfectant, but probably did. I couldn't eat it and neither would my cats. Probably many years ago I had a hamburger or bologna that was bleached.
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Welcome to the forum Dorothy. It sounds like you're following a very sensible course with how you're transitioning into eating meat (and raw). It sounds like your husband is making progress as well. With a good head on your shoulders I'm sure you'll do fine. :)
I eat a diet of ground (single pass I think; it's still very coarse) grass-fed/finished meat and suet from a semi-local farmer here in New York. I buy the ground meat as I'me eating at least 2 pounds a day and at $5 a pound it's about the limits of what I can afford for myself. I throw some organs in here and there if I've got a hankering. I do treat myself to the occasional treat of brisket (tasty, tasty fat cap on those :D) but have to be conscious about not spending too much.
One of the best parts for me in the beginning was visiting the farm and seeing just how contented the animals are. A lot of people are disconnected with the food chain but eating meat and animals not suffering do not need to be mutually exclusive.
I did not come to this way of eating by way of ideals nor recovery from deficiencies. I started raw as I was backed into a corner with my food allergies and things just kept getting bleaker and bleaker. That said I've been eating RAF for 2 years now and I have never felt healthier in my life. I wish you and your husband the same fortune with it. :)
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Thank you Dan. :D
I have had to stop eating meat other than fish with my husband as of now because he wants to go more slowly and continue to cook his meats less and less over time and have me get him better meats instead of jumping right into raw meats. Having been a raw foodist for so long I find that eating of the meat cooked has had a some negative affects on me that I can't afford right now. When he gets to the point where he feels comfortable eating all raw I will try it again with him. I have gotten him used to raw eggs and dairy and fish over the course of the last year - so there is a foundation and trust. He's getting used to the idea slowly in his own way.
I wanted to ask you about your allergies Dan. What kinds of allergies do you have? My husband suffers horribly from allergies and if I could find others who have been helped with allergies to pollens and such that would help me a great deal in making this whole thing more appealing to him. I have gotten him raw local honey - but it doesn't help all that much.
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I was diagnosed with a gazillion allergies, including external sources like pollens, pet dander, and so on, and I had chronic sinus congestion and post nasal drip. I was given allergy shots for many years. "Hay fever"-type symptoms were particularly bad in the summer and I thought I would have to live with them the rest of my life. Several weeks after I cut gluten grains, pasteurized dairy, legumes, sweeteners, cooked tubers and nightshades out of my diet and cut down on my intake of dried fruits, fruit juices and fruit smoothies, my allergies disappeared. It was totally unexpected for me, but welcome.
Interestingly, I seem to handle certain plant carbs relatively OK (just minor negative symptoms or none at all): roots like carrots and parsnips, organic and wild berries, and raw fermented honey (not standard raw honey).
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Nice! Thanks Phil. Have you re-introduced any of that list one at a time to see if eating them made your seasonal allergies start up again by any chance?
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Yes, I can eat limited amounts of some of them with little problems, but the more I eat, the more the symptoms return. I appear to have a more sensitive immune system than most people. Some people are even more sensitive than me, like the woman who owns the "Paleo Approved" company. Robb Wolf, the Paleo diet expert, said that if she eats sweet potato her feet get swollen badly (if I eat too much of them I get mild swelling and pain in the feet and lower legs) and even grain-fed meats bother her (I don't notice significant negative symptoms from them raw, but they don't taste as good and I don't get as much positive effect from them as I do from 100% grass-fed meats).
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I wanted to ask you about your allergies Dan. What kinds of allergies do you have? My husband suffers horribly from allergies and if I could find others who have been helped with allergies to pollens and such that would help me a great deal in making this whole thing more appealing to him. I have gotten him raw local honey - but it doesn't help all that much.
Both environmental and food based.
I have particular issues with pet dander, mold, and dust environmentally. I used to have really bad seasonal allergies to pollen but this has been greatly diminished since going RAF.
On the food front it really runs the gamut. The last blood testing that was done (and which I can attest is fairly accurate with how my body reacts to the foods) showed positive allergic responses to many fruits and vegetables, all nuts tested, all grains/cereals tested, all shellfish tested, and some fish I think. Also had a bunch of herbs identified. I'm so sensitive to corn in particular that I have issues with meat from an animal with it in it's diet (even so far as deer who forage off of farms when corn is in season will effect me). The only time I have issues with my food is when I "cheat" with fresh fruit or vegetables (I have Candida which flares if I ingest too many carbs hence my diet which is very low carb).
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Thank y'all so much for your experiences with allergies!
I can't help but to wonder if I can do well on most whole food diets simply because I don't have food allergies. (Or maybe allergies just to the chemicals in non-whole foods?) So many diets could be effective just because of what people cut out of their diet that is bad for them specifically I would venture to guess - perhaps more than the benefit of what they are actually eating.
Hubbie is so allergic generally that I'm sure he has lots of food allergies. Probably it would be a good thing to get him tested. How are these tests done? Would you mind educating me some on this please???
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I had IgG and IgA antibody blood tests to foods done by a naturopath, though they only partially matched up with what foods produce symptoms in me. I scored high on a lot of foods, whereas my father, who also had it done, only scored high on a few. They do a blood draw and then send it to a lab that does the tests.