New and Concerns

[smokeyquartz]

I've read the posts that say parasites are good and they are only in the bodies of people who don't eat a healthy raw diet.
So what if you haven't been eating a healthy raw diet and want to start eating some raw foods?  Will you get parasites because you didn't eat healthy before? 
I know some have gotten sick from eating raw meats in the beginning.
Thanks.

[TylerDurden]

There is a thing where one gets  a natural detox after switching to raw, palaeo foods. This is normal,as the body starts getting rid of the cooking-derived toxins built up after decades of eating cooked, processed foods. This is temporary. Admittedly, those who are very terminally-ill from eating cooked foods should be very careful to start slowly with rawpalaeo foods, but that's all. Parasites are not an issue in the developed world, as almost all farmers, even organic ones, use deworming medicines etc. against parasites. Even if one does, there are many anti-parasite medicines which work easily over a couple of days to remove any parasites. Most parasites are species-specific so die in other species, anyway.And even human-oriented parasites  are designed, mostly, to allow their host to live with few complications - a failed parasite is one which kills its host.

[smokeyquartz]

Can one incorporate some raw foods while still eating cooked? Do you think that's ok?

Bacteria/viruses don't frighten me very much - I do believe that bacteria and viruses can be helpful because there is evidence for it (bacteriophages, probiotics, etc).  But the thing that scares me the most are possible worms.  I remember being in middle school science class and the teacher passed around a preserved tapeworm in a jar.  I just never, never want to have that inside me!

[TylerDurden]

It's generally a bad idea to mix cooked and raw. It prevents detox.If you are ill, the best thing is to stick to at least 95%+  raw as much as possible until you become healthy. That way, you get healthier a lot faster, without your body constantly having to deal with incoming toxins from eating cooked foods. I have also noted that the longer one is on a RVAF diet, the more one starts to react to cooked foods. For example,  I would occasionally eat some compromise foods(sushi from a reputable Japanese shop) but, after 10 years on Rawpalaeo, I would vomit up the stuff if I ate more than a certain amount  of rice. Basically, the body over time recognises that the cooked food is a poison and therefore tries to get rid of it if you overdo it.

[surfsteve]

I feel that the body gets used to toxins and a poisonous diet and that when you go on a raw diet and then eat something cooked it is much more detrimental. The same is true of coffee. If I drink it every day all day long I can fall asleep easily right after drinking it but if I have a cup after not having had one for a while it will upset my stomach and keep me up all night. Smokers can also tolerate much higher doses of nicotine than non smokers. It's not that much different when it comes to raw and cooked foods. 

[TylerDurden]

It's not  a great explanation. While it is true that the human body has a limited ability to detox on its own, it does not have a limitless ability to detox. Plus, if the human body adapts to one type of toxin, it is highly likely that it develops weaknesses/lack of resources versus other things.

[a_real_man]

I don't believe that the main difficulty in switching to all raw is detox. If you stick to simple foods like tuna, steak, liver and fruits I don't expect a strong reaction, and you'll be fed for a few days. IMO the difficulty is maintaining a fully raw diet in the long term because it is difficult a) logistically b) palate-wise c) to keep weight d) to get all the diverse foods you need. To solve a), b), c) and d) you will have to wrestle and problem solve until you can be fed and happy on a raw diet.

[smokeyquartz]

Not sure if I should start a new thread because this is a new question - do any of you enjoy eating raw liver?  I have had it cooked in the past (tasted pretty bad except with spices & butter) and now I am trying it raw because many people seem to advocate it. 
It just tastes even more horrible raw, to me.  But all the robust cultures eat it raw.  I want to be able to enjoy it and eat more of it.  Do you get used to it?  Do you have any theories why so many other cultures enjoy it raw?
Chicken livers I like (cooked), but I want to eat more beef liver for the copper. 

[TylerDurden]

I like the taste of raw liver. However, given past experiences, I avoid eating it too much of it at a time. One just gets used to it over time. Best to only eat raw liver from wild or grassfed sources.

[a_real_man]

Not sure if I should start a new thread because this is a new question - do any of you enjoy eating raw liver?  I have had it cooked in the past (tasted pretty bad except with spices & butter) and now I am trying it raw because many people seem to advocate it. 
It just tastes even more horrible raw, to me.  But all the robust cultures eat it raw.  I want to be able to enjoy it and eat more of it.  Do you get used to it?  Do you have any theories why so many other cultures enjoy it raw?
Chicken livers I like (cooked), but I want to eat more beef liver for the copper.

I found massive variation in taste depending on where I buy it. Dont give up on it until u tried diff sources

[thehadezb]

Not sure if I should start a new thread because this is a new question - do any of you enjoy eating raw liver?  I have had it cooked in the past (tasted pretty bad except with spices & butter) and now I am trying it raw because many people seem to advocate it. 
It just tastes even more horrible raw, to me.  But all the robust cultures eat it raw.  I want to be able to enjoy it and eat more of it.  Do you get used to it?  Do you have any theories why so many other cultures enjoy it raw?
Chicken livers I like (cooked), but I want to eat more beef liver for the copper. 

Taste of liver varies a lot from source to source. Some are mild, some are mildy sweet and some are sweet. I recommend freezing liver 24 hours before eating because it get rids of the bloody taste it has and develops its sweetness more.