Ideas for newbies

[TylerDurden]

Most newbies like to experiment by adding salt and pepper and other condiments, mostly because they are either wary of the taste or frightened of bacteria. This is a transitional phase, and most long-termers end up usually not bothering to add extras and just eat their raw meats without anything else.

That said, since I and most others did go in for adding raw ACV/raw olive oil etc., it would be a good idea to have a thread in which people/long-termers  suggest various ideas they used when they were newbies in order to make raw meat more palatable before they experienced the taste-changes where raw meats ended up tasting fine. Any recommendations welcome. I could then add a section in the info for newbies thread on this issue.

[eveheart]

While I am not against a newbie easing in to eating raw meats, my idea as a newbie was, "Forget the fear, heal the pain." My pain was coming at me from many directions, all of them related to autoimmune issues and inflammation. I was totally exhausted from hurting all the time.

My beginning was to scour my kitchen, throwing away or giving away anything that was not raw paleo. I rushed out and bought whatever raw food was mentioned in this forum. I really like most of what I tried.

The benefit of going cold turkey was that I started feeling better immediately. I realized that non-raw paleo foods were poisoning me, and I kept reminding myself that what looked "good" was killing me. So, if a newbie is reading this, please realize that you don't have to ease into raw eating.

[TylerDurden]

Sure, eveheart, going "cold-turkey" worked fine for you and me.  The sheer pain of severe ill-health can do wonders. It's just that many others can't get over the phobia, and need assurances, however unnecessary, that their  raw meats are "OK".

In my own case, I actually found the taste of most raw animal foods I first tried  to be either bland-tasting or repellent.  This didn't matter so much, as, by then, all cooked animal foods had lost all their taste, afaiwc. The further trick I used was to vastly expand my diet by eating tiny amounts of many dozens of different types of raw animal foods until I found those which I really enjoyed right from the start. So, I subsequently quickly  found that I really liked the taste of most raw shellfish and some raw fish. I eventually got used to raw flesh from grassfed land mammals and their raw organs, and, ultimately, raw wild game and innards.

[LePatron7]

I think cold turkey is the way to go. But if that's too hard, then eating all the same foods you'd be eating raw, but the meats cooked and plain. Your taste buds would get used to plain, unflavored food. Then switching to raw would be easier.

[eveheart]

I hesitate to write this because I don't want to ruin the intent of your thread, but I also feel strongly that suggestions for a slow switch to RPD can mask its immense benefits. A person new to RPD should know the cost of going slowly.

If I had eased into raw, I would have never known how beneficial it was. I would have continued hurting and eventually walked away for lack of improvement. Anybody considering half measures should read this statement as a disclaimer.

[TylerDurden]

Well, it's true that for many rawists, eating some cooked food as well can cause additional problems. Partly because cooked and raw foods require different digestive processes, but also because no additional toxins(such as via an all-raw diet) can be very important. That said, some people are so phobic about raw animal foods that they just can't transition suddenly.

[Iguana]

I hesitate to write this because I don't want to ruin the intent of your thread, but I also feel strongly that suggestions for a slow switch to RPD can mask its immense benefits. A person new to RPD should know the cost of going slowly.

Yes, and it makes it much more difficult too. There can be a sort of approach for a few days… but the runway is not infinite: the plane must take off  before it reaches the end of the tarmac and then its landing gear should be retracted ASAP.

We may for example eat raw fruits, veggies and nuts during a few days, but we will soon feel unsatisfied and hungry. Then, raw fish and raw meat shall become attractive. Meat and fish fillets may be tastier and easier to eat when somewhat dried — in some European countries dried raw meat (although salted) is a quite common food.

Do the experiment properly, as every experiment should be done. Neither think nor tell the others that you’re going to eat raw for the whole rest of your life: just consider that you’re doing a limited duration experiment, for one or two weeks. The others and your subconscious will easily accept that. At the end of this period, you will be free either go back to cooked food or to prolong your experiment for another period, say one more month. In such a way you won’t feel locked into a system. And then you can choose again or not to still go raw for 3 months, 6 months or a year. Then another year, perhaps?

That’s the way advised by GCB and I followed his advice. Now after just 26 years I have long forgotten to assign me some more test periods…

[Suiren]

I hesitate to write this because I don't want to ruin the intent of your thread, but I also feel strongly that suggestions for a slow switch to RPD can mask its immense benefits. A person new to RPD should know the cost of going slowly.

If I had eased into raw, I would have never known how beneficial it was. I would have continued hurting and eventually walked away for lack of improvement. Anybody considering half measures should read this statement as a disclaimer.

Maybe that will not necessarily be the case if easing into the diet is done right.

Because I am breastfeeding, I could have never went cold turkey. On top of that I was dealing with hypoglycemia. I HAD to be able to function and take care of my baby during the transition phase.

I eased into the diet by cutting out foods first. In pregnancy I cut out sugar, but not much else because I relied on bread for "energy"...at least my body thought so.
Anyhow, I cut out grains first (except rice), just a few weeks later I cut out potato and rice too, then dairy. By going step by step I could watch how my body was reacting to it.
Immediate benefits were not being so hazy anymore, my skin improved, no more back pain, even on just less of the SAD foods.
I think I transitioned within about 2 months.
That said, I can see how some would just get lost and procrastinate transitioning fully. But if you have a plan, I think going a bit slower can work.

Once I was at least fully Paleo, partly cooked still, I started noticing even more benefits. The longer I was on the diet, the more severe/ obvious my reactions were when I cheated and ate something I shouldn't.

I eased into raw meat by seasoning with onions, garlic, olive oil, herbs, wasabi,  and very small amounts of salt and pepper. I still season my meats, but less since I am not as grossed out anymore. 
I try to make raw meals appealing and like little recipes.

I tried going cold turkey on raw meat and just eating it, but that is what actually almost discouraged me. At least my body was just utterly disgusted.

[Iguana]

Because I am breastfeeding, I could have never went cold turkey. On top of that I was dealing with hypoglycemia. I HAD to be able to function and take care of my baby during the transition phase.

Yes, it is certainly unwise to transition when pregnant or even when breastfeeding, another reason being that too many toxins would be released and find their way into the baby.

I think I transitioned within about 2 months.
That said, I can see how some would just get lost and procrastinate transitioning fully. But if you have a plan, I think going a bit slower can work.

Yes, why not. Sticking to predefined plan may be more binding and difficult, though.