Food Eaten: Apples, raw food pizza, choco-gorilla shake
Quality of life: Day of the dead might be better than christmas this year.
Physical Activity: Walked around the seawall. For some reason.
Raw Food Percentage: 100
To deny yourself something takes willpower, to deny yourself something for a set length of time takes patience. So I've definitely practiced my patience, now the question is, have I gained anything else.
I'm now 195 pounds, which is not a lot of weight loss (5 pounds) for 31 days, though I do seem to have reduced my body fat a little bit. I suspect its more of a feeling of being leaner than actually being any leaner. Still, feeling leaner's better than not at all.
I'm not sure if I'd say I have more or less energy at this point. I seem to be equally able to fall asleep or go off and adventure at virtually any given point. Good? Bad?
I've gotta admit I never mastered this diet. A person could definitely argue if I was ever even on a raw food diet, either because of the number of times I screwed up and ate something cooked(In retrospect the pistachios were kind of obvious), or because I never adhered to any planned diet. But, the vast majority of the food I ate was raw, and I've kept myself fed for the most part, though often through trial and error. Part of this was seeing if this diet could be part of my everyday life and trial and error has always been a larger part of my life than planning ever will be. And apparently I'm willing to sacrifice some comfort to keep it that way.
I suppose in the end the hardest part of this whole thing has been a loss of convenience, the loss of flexibility. Nothing to eat in the house, well you're screwed until the grocery opens tomorrow. Tired of walnuts, well you're kind of fucked son its a pretty heavy part of the diet. Food you packed for your shift not filling enough? Then you're spending it hungry lad.
Though mostly I'm just looking forward to being able to go out and get a coffee or a beer with my friends. Or eat out with my girlfriend at a restaurant we can both enjoy. When you stop being able to share food with your friends it can place a very strange and novel strain on the ties of affection.
All in all, I do feel healthier than I did at the beginning, though thats not particularly hard thanks to the upside of the law of diminishing returns. Maybe its just anticipation of the end of this fast, but I feel strangely filled with optimism. Perhaps I will finally swing my habits around to live a balanced lifestyle and not have to do this again in a year or two. At the very least the threat should work to scare me into ordering a salad now and then.
Anyhow, if anyone is still reading this, thank you for your patronage and I hope you found the admittedly repetitive complaining interesting at times. For any of my friends who have had to put up with me in a foul humour as a result of plummeting blood sugar, had to sit there uncomfortably at a bar or restaurant as I stared at them eat and drink, or just in general were inconvenienced by the fact that I couldn't do nothin' but eat salad, I apologize and thank you for your patience.
Now, as I finish this I'm 90 minutes away from the day of the dead, which just to make things a little sweeter, is a 25 hour day.
I'm going to go get drunk, sobre up, and get drunk again.
Saturday, October 31, 2009
Friday, October 30, 2009
Day 30 October 30th 5:53 PM
Food Eaten: Coconut, breakfast shake, dates, dulse
Quality of life: Feelin' groovy.
Physical activity: research isn't particularly taxing...
Raw Food Percentage: 100
So, quickie research day has been fairly fruitful. To begin, let's address the major claims of raw food. Or rather, the major claim.
Raw Food is Healthier than Cooked Food. Which would account for the claims of more energy, weight loss without entering starvation mode and putting it all back on as soon as a return to a normal diet occurs, the extension of youth and the slowing of degenerative disease.
Now lets talk about claims as to why raw food is better than cooked food. Once again, this basically just boils down to one claim.
Cooking destroys the nutrients in food and makes it harder to digest, making raw food a more efficient source of nutrients.
a-protein
Okay, so cooking does denature proteins. Fry an egg to see evidence of that. Now is that denaturing a bad thing? Laurie Forti, a fitness and nutrition coach who's website is here argues that as the proteins are broken down from higher stages of complexity, (quaternary, tertiary and primary structures) by cooking they become shaped in such a way that the enzymes specific to their breakdown are unable to work on them properly. As a result the digestive process is less efficient and in general less effective.
Now, as a quick refresher which I had to do because biology class was a whole long time ago, proteins are long chains of amino acids which fold themselves into a variety of shapes and consequent functions. This folding is a result of attraction between the various amino acids on the chain. This process is really neat, and is one of the reasons why cellular biology is so interesting. Its also what is meant by primary(long chain), tertiary, (final form after its folded itself completely), and quaternary (bonding with another protein) structure. Now, what you're body needs is amino acids. That way it can make its own proteins.
So, as I can see, protein denaturization is actually a good thing in general, hence why your stomach is acidic. It breaks down and denatures the protein structure. So cooking would seem to have little negative effect, and possibly a positive affect.
However, cooked proteins don't simply break down when heated, they just get... weird, for lack of a better word. And in some cases, according to this exhaustively researched article, this can reduce the efficiency of their digestion. While there is mention of cross linkage between proteins in a few places I couldn't find an explanation for what that was I could easily understand. It essentially appears to be proteins bonding together in some cases and forming a structure that is resistant to digestion. As a result, they're harder to digest and less efficient. This is only some proteins in some foods, ranging from a negligible to moderate difference.
b-enzymes
I'm going to make this quick, the living enzyme theory that you see now and then on raw food sites, that raw plants contain enzymes that assist in their own digestion, is bullshit. The enzymes in plants do not make a meaningful contribution to the digestion of food in your body. Their contribution is, quite, quite small. And specifically must be made before they're deactivated by the acids in your stomach, and as they are proteins themselves, digested.
Aswell, you cannot exhaust your supply of enzymes, as is occasionally claimed in some quarters, they're proteins like everything else and created by your body as needed for specific jobs. In point of fact, they're recyclable, being used many times for the same reaction.
If you'd like to see a much longer argument against enzyme health look here.
The source of this idea is a book called "Enzyme Nutrition" Written by Edward Howell, a Doctor who experimented with various fruit juices to treat Tuberculosis during the 30s and 40s. It's vitalism people. Vitalism and nothing more. Once again I refer to Forti. There is no life force in organic compounds that makes them special. They're synthesizable chemicals and nothing more. Organic vs. inorganic compounds refers to whether or not they contain carbon and can therefore be used by a carbon-based life form.
c-Vitamins
This one actually does seem to go to raw food. Particularly in the case of boiling, many vitamins are leached from food by cooking. Not all mind you, but it does reduce the amount of vitamins in food. I refer to this set of imposing tables.
The idea seems to be that the process of cooking, usually boiling, leeches vitamins off and into the water. However, its pointed out that steaming retains most of the vitamins lost by other forms of cooking.
So, raw food does contain moderately more vitamins, but not specifically due to being raw per se, rather just for the manner in which they're prepared.
d- Toxicity of Cooked Foods
Alright, I admit I had a lot of trouble with this. But near as I can tell, there are certain reactions that occur between proteins and carbohydrates that generate carcinogenic chemicals.
This, has a lot of information on it, however the final conclusion is that the toxicity of cooked foods is mild at worst.
Conclusion
So, for the most part, raw foods are more nutrient rich than cooked foods. Though, it does not appear that this reduction in nutrients is particularly great. In some cases they are more easily digestible than cooked foods. However, this ease of digestion is arguably outweighed by the fact that your diet is limited too foods that can be digested at all when served raw.
In the end, a raw food diet is probably healthiest for you simply because anything you can eat raw is very good for you. And if you can assemble a completely balanced diet that provides you everything from these foods you will be eating a whole bunch of nutrients without any unnecessary by products that will be found in processed and cooked foods.
However it appears that a raw food vegan diet isn't vastly superior to a vegan diet. To put it simply, if you can keep yourself fed with nothing but vegetables you will be extremely healthy.
But, people with anecdotal evidence about the benefits of raw food abound. So, the best I can say, since I lack training in nutrition, biochemistry or much of anything else is if you feel like eating nothing but vegetables will make you feel better, go for it. If it works, good for you.
If you want to give raw food a shot, go ahead. There doesn't seem to be any reason why it's remarkably better than cooked food, but it seems to make a difference for some people. I would suggest easing into it. In the end, eating more fresh fruits and vegetables is basically always going to do you some good. Eating nothing but fresh fruits and vegetables if you can manage to do it and get everything you need, certainly won't do you any harm, but it doesn't apppear that there's a significant difference between an 80% raw foodist and a 100% raw foodist. Or, a difference between a vegan and a raw food vegan. If you find you're happier and healthier as a raw foodist than as a vegan, go for it. Though it appears that chemically the difference is negligible.
Note: I have omitted some of the more ridiculous raw food claims(cures cancer, reverse aging etc.) because I honestly don't think they're worth looking at and finding trustworthy information on them is a somewhat daunting task. To see an argument for them, check out this pile of douche. I got two minutes in before I shut it off.
Quality of life: Feelin' groovy.
Physical activity: research isn't particularly taxing...
Raw Food Percentage: 100
So, quickie research day has been fairly fruitful. To begin, let's address the major claims of raw food. Or rather, the major claim.
Raw Food is Healthier than Cooked Food. Which would account for the claims of more energy, weight loss without entering starvation mode and putting it all back on as soon as a return to a normal diet occurs, the extension of youth and the slowing of degenerative disease.
Now lets talk about claims as to why raw food is better than cooked food. Once again, this basically just boils down to one claim.
Cooking destroys the nutrients in food and makes it harder to digest, making raw food a more efficient source of nutrients.
a-protein
Okay, so cooking does denature proteins. Fry an egg to see evidence of that. Now is that denaturing a bad thing? Laurie Forti, a fitness and nutrition coach who's website is here argues that as the proteins are broken down from higher stages of complexity, (quaternary, tertiary and primary structures) by cooking they become shaped in such a way that the enzymes specific to their breakdown are unable to work on them properly. As a result the digestive process is less efficient and in general less effective.
Now, as a quick refresher which I had to do because biology class was a whole long time ago, proteins are long chains of amino acids which fold themselves into a variety of shapes and consequent functions. This folding is a result of attraction between the various amino acids on the chain. This process is really neat, and is one of the reasons why cellular biology is so interesting. Its also what is meant by primary(long chain), tertiary, (final form after its folded itself completely), and quaternary (bonding with another protein) structure. Now, what you're body needs is amino acids. That way it can make its own proteins.
So, as I can see, protein denaturization is actually a good thing in general, hence why your stomach is acidic. It breaks down and denatures the protein structure. So cooking would seem to have little negative effect, and possibly a positive affect.
However, cooked proteins don't simply break down when heated, they just get... weird, for lack of a better word. And in some cases, according to this exhaustively researched article, this can reduce the efficiency of their digestion. While there is mention of cross linkage between proteins in a few places I couldn't find an explanation for what that was I could easily understand. It essentially appears to be proteins bonding together in some cases and forming a structure that is resistant to digestion. As a result, they're harder to digest and less efficient. This is only some proteins in some foods, ranging from a negligible to moderate difference.
b-enzymes
I'm going to make this quick, the living enzyme theory that you see now and then on raw food sites, that raw plants contain enzymes that assist in their own digestion, is bullshit. The enzymes in plants do not make a meaningful contribution to the digestion of food in your body. Their contribution is, quite, quite small. And specifically must be made before they're deactivated by the acids in your stomach, and as they are proteins themselves, digested.
Aswell, you cannot exhaust your supply of enzymes, as is occasionally claimed in some quarters, they're proteins like everything else and created by your body as needed for specific jobs. In point of fact, they're recyclable, being used many times for the same reaction.
If you'd like to see a much longer argument against enzyme health look here.
The source of this idea is a book called "Enzyme Nutrition" Written by Edward Howell, a Doctor who experimented with various fruit juices to treat Tuberculosis during the 30s and 40s. It's vitalism people. Vitalism and nothing more. Once again I refer to Forti. There is no life force in organic compounds that makes them special. They're synthesizable chemicals and nothing more. Organic vs. inorganic compounds refers to whether or not they contain carbon and can therefore be used by a carbon-based life form.
c-Vitamins
This one actually does seem to go to raw food. Particularly in the case of boiling, many vitamins are leached from food by cooking. Not all mind you, but it does reduce the amount of vitamins in food. I refer to this set of imposing tables.
The idea seems to be that the process of cooking, usually boiling, leeches vitamins off and into the water. However, its pointed out that steaming retains most of the vitamins lost by other forms of cooking.
So, raw food does contain moderately more vitamins, but not specifically due to being raw per se, rather just for the manner in which they're prepared.
d- Toxicity of Cooked Foods
Alright, I admit I had a lot of trouble with this. But near as I can tell, there are certain reactions that occur between proteins and carbohydrates that generate carcinogenic chemicals.
This, has a lot of information on it, however the final conclusion is that the toxicity of cooked foods is mild at worst.
Conclusion
So, for the most part, raw foods are more nutrient rich than cooked foods. Though, it does not appear that this reduction in nutrients is particularly great. In some cases they are more easily digestible than cooked foods. However, this ease of digestion is arguably outweighed by the fact that your diet is limited too foods that can be digested at all when served raw.
In the end, a raw food diet is probably healthiest for you simply because anything you can eat raw is very good for you. And if you can assemble a completely balanced diet that provides you everything from these foods you will be eating a whole bunch of nutrients without any unnecessary by products that will be found in processed and cooked foods.
However it appears that a raw food vegan diet isn't vastly superior to a vegan diet. To put it simply, if you can keep yourself fed with nothing but vegetables you will be extremely healthy.
But, people with anecdotal evidence about the benefits of raw food abound. So, the best I can say, since I lack training in nutrition, biochemistry or much of anything else is if you feel like eating nothing but vegetables will make you feel better, go for it. If it works, good for you.
If you want to give raw food a shot, go ahead. There doesn't seem to be any reason why it's remarkably better than cooked food, but it seems to make a difference for some people. I would suggest easing into it. In the end, eating more fresh fruits and vegetables is basically always going to do you some good. Eating nothing but fresh fruits and vegetables if you can manage to do it and get everything you need, certainly won't do you any harm, but it doesn't apppear that there's a significant difference between an 80% raw foodist and a 100% raw foodist. Or, a difference between a vegan and a raw food vegan. If you find you're happier and healthier as a raw foodist than as a vegan, go for it. Though it appears that chemically the difference is negligible.
Note: I have omitted some of the more ridiculous raw food claims(cures cancer, reverse aging etc.) because I honestly don't think they're worth looking at and finding trustworthy information on them is a somewhat daunting task. To see an argument for them, check out this pile of douche. I got two minutes in before I shut it off.
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Day 29: October 29th 8:19 PM
Food Eaten: Breakfast shake, apples, dulse
Quality of Life: I am an excellent argument for or against mind-body dualism.
Physical Activity Level: Very, very little.
Raw Food Percentage: 100
I've been reading a book on backpacking recently. I just finished the chapters dealing with crime and disease. While the entire book is of course full of reasons why backpacking is fun and reasonably safe, after finishing those chapters I don't think I'll ever set foot outside of my house, much less the country.
Of course, this is just the problem of creating an exhaustive list of dangers, all of which are much, much more concerning to a person than the possibility of delightful sightseeing and french cuisine. The dangers are specific and clearly communicated. The benefits are ephemeral and hard to describe in words alone(There's only so many ways to say, "It was totally awesome!")
It occurs to me this blog might suffer from the same presentation problem, as most of my posts I'll say I feel fine in the first sentence and then catalogue any problem I'm having exhaustively over the next few paragraphs. So, in the interests of balance I would like to say that this past month has not been as hard as I might have made it seem. For the most part I've actually had a steadily increasing feeling of well being. And, while I miss regular food, I know I'll get to eat it again eventually. Its just a matter of a little patience.
Happily, I've also felt particularly good today, so I can present a post of pros for the raw food thing as opposed to only cons.
As I said, I feel quite well today. Much better than the last two days especially. I think I can chalk up my getting sick as a result of eating some strawberries and an avacado that were a bit past their prime.
Still having occasional moments where I just zone out. But they're rarer and I'm ready to conclude that it has less to do with raw food and more to do with the fact that without coffee I find it much harder to pay attention to dull things. As an interesting side note my focus has actually seemed to improve in some cases, I read Atlas Shrugged(Don't worry, I'm not a Randian, its just after you get a degree in philosophy you kind of get the itch to expose yourself to ideas you disagree with now and then) over the course of this month and am now making progress on the Critique of Pure Reason. It has been pointed out to me that it might be easier to focus on my reading and the like now that I don't have a background stimulant level to maintain in the form of regular smoke breaks and a triple espresso.
Body fat percentages appear to be fairly steady. I'm a bit trimmer, but not so much that you'd notice unless you just stared at my belly for a long, long time. And that seems like a fairly unlikely scenario.
Energy levels remain somewhat unpredictable. I felt real sleepy as I finished last nights blog post, and then proceeded to stay awake for three more hours reading. I woke up this morning actually feeling quite energetic and now am starting to go down again. I'm assuming this is a sign that my blood sugar level is still fluctuating somewhat. I haven't had a major meal today and the last snack I had was a few hours ago, so it would make sense for me to start to feel a little sluggish.
I haven't quite felt up to doing anything particulat strenuous for the last couple of days, but I'll try tomorrow if I still feel this good.
I'm not hungry all the time anymore, which is odd and a little unsettling. I hope this is a result of me finally getting everything I need and adapting to the constraints of a raw food diet and not a sign that my body has concluded I'm starving to death and has just shut down.
Anyhow, I don't think I've entirely gotten the hang of this whole thing, but I think I get the idea. So thats good. Hopefully I've also gained some form of long term health benefits. A bit of a cleanse or some sort of recalibration of my body towards more efficient biochemical processes. Maybe just some lung tissue growing back or my liver speaking to me again. I suspect I'm still dietarily unbalanced and undereating in a few things. But its not like my diet was too balanced last month either and I definitely feel better than then. At least now its unbalanced with too much of one kind of vegetable on one side and not enough of some kind of bean on the other. As opposed to too much junk and not enough damn near anything else.
2 days left now, since I haven't had much to talk about on here about my current condition for the last week or so, its safe to assume I'll be fairly steady unless otherwise noted. So, tomorrow's post will deal with a discussion of some of the claims for and against raw foodism and what I can find that refutes or supports them, so I guess I'll finally have to some damn research. Saturday's will be a sobre reflection on my personal experience followed by twenty four hours of whiskey, shisha and cake.
Quality of Life: I am an excellent argument for or against mind-body dualism.
Physical Activity Level: Very, very little.
Raw Food Percentage: 100
I've been reading a book on backpacking recently. I just finished the chapters dealing with crime and disease. While the entire book is of course full of reasons why backpacking is fun and reasonably safe, after finishing those chapters I don't think I'll ever set foot outside of my house, much less the country.
Of course, this is just the problem of creating an exhaustive list of dangers, all of which are much, much more concerning to a person than the possibility of delightful sightseeing and french cuisine. The dangers are specific and clearly communicated. The benefits are ephemeral and hard to describe in words alone(There's only so many ways to say, "It was totally awesome!")
It occurs to me this blog might suffer from the same presentation problem, as most of my posts I'll say I feel fine in the first sentence and then catalogue any problem I'm having exhaustively over the next few paragraphs. So, in the interests of balance I would like to say that this past month has not been as hard as I might have made it seem. For the most part I've actually had a steadily increasing feeling of well being. And, while I miss regular food, I know I'll get to eat it again eventually. Its just a matter of a little patience.
Happily, I've also felt particularly good today, so I can present a post of pros for the raw food thing as opposed to only cons.
As I said, I feel quite well today. Much better than the last two days especially. I think I can chalk up my getting sick as a result of eating some strawberries and an avacado that were a bit past their prime.
Still having occasional moments where I just zone out. But they're rarer and I'm ready to conclude that it has less to do with raw food and more to do with the fact that without coffee I find it much harder to pay attention to dull things. As an interesting side note my focus has actually seemed to improve in some cases, I read Atlas Shrugged(Don't worry, I'm not a Randian, its just after you get a degree in philosophy you kind of get the itch to expose yourself to ideas you disagree with now and then) over the course of this month and am now making progress on the Critique of Pure Reason. It has been pointed out to me that it might be easier to focus on my reading and the like now that I don't have a background stimulant level to maintain in the form of regular smoke breaks and a triple espresso.
Body fat percentages appear to be fairly steady. I'm a bit trimmer, but not so much that you'd notice unless you just stared at my belly for a long, long time. And that seems like a fairly unlikely scenario.
Energy levels remain somewhat unpredictable. I felt real sleepy as I finished last nights blog post, and then proceeded to stay awake for three more hours reading. I woke up this morning actually feeling quite energetic and now am starting to go down again. I'm assuming this is a sign that my blood sugar level is still fluctuating somewhat. I haven't had a major meal today and the last snack I had was a few hours ago, so it would make sense for me to start to feel a little sluggish.
I haven't quite felt up to doing anything particulat strenuous for the last couple of days, but I'll try tomorrow if I still feel this good.
I'm not hungry all the time anymore, which is odd and a little unsettling. I hope this is a result of me finally getting everything I need and adapting to the constraints of a raw food diet and not a sign that my body has concluded I'm starving to death and has just shut down.
Anyhow, I don't think I've entirely gotten the hang of this whole thing, but I think I get the idea. So thats good. Hopefully I've also gained some form of long term health benefits. A bit of a cleanse or some sort of recalibration of my body towards more efficient biochemical processes. Maybe just some lung tissue growing back or my liver speaking to me again. I suspect I'm still dietarily unbalanced and undereating in a few things. But its not like my diet was too balanced last month either and I definitely feel better than then. At least now its unbalanced with too much of one kind of vegetable on one side and not enough of some kind of bean on the other. As opposed to too much junk and not enough damn near anything else.
2 days left now, since I haven't had much to talk about on here about my current condition for the last week or so, its safe to assume I'll be fairly steady unless otherwise noted. So, tomorrow's post will deal with a discussion of some of the claims for and against raw foodism and what I can find that refutes or supports them, so I guess I'll finally have to some damn research. Saturday's will be a sobre reflection on my personal experience followed by twenty four hours of whiskey, shisha and cake.
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Day 28: October 28 11:00 PM
Food Eaten: Breakfast shake, complex salad, dates, bananas
Quality of Life: One way or another the end is near.
Physical activity level: Minimal
Raw Food Percentage 100
So, I felt better this morning when I woke up, but that was after sleeping for 10 or so hours. I've only been awake for 12 hours and I'm already starting to feel tired again. My metabolism appears to be keying down.
My body is exhausted. I don't know what happened yesterday, but its becoming obvious my current health is fairly precarious. I miss a few hours sleep and suddenly I appear to have a cold.
After 4 weeks of an unbalanced and limited diet I appear to have come close to the end of my physical tether. Whereas previously I assumed I wasn't getting enough of some specific things I'm beginning to wonder if I'm getting enough of damn near anything.
I don't know if I'm getting sick because of the diet, if I've just caught the cold or if my body's started to flush toxins out of my liver, but in any event, I clearly need to make some sort of change. I suppose all I can really do is eat more and try to get some of those hyper-nutritious foods I keep hearing so much about. Dulse for starters, its supposed to have an uncanny amount of vitamin b12 which I know I'm not getting, it also has plenty of protein and iron which would help with this whole pale thing I've got going on right now. They sell it around the corner, its supposed to be like raw foodist manna. Never got around to trying it, no time like the present. More avacado for more fat. And even more fruit. Yaaaaaay. Tommorrow morning, to the grocers!
Quality of Life: One way or another the end is near.
Physical activity level: Minimal
Raw Food Percentage 100
So, I felt better this morning when I woke up, but that was after sleeping for 10 or so hours. I've only been awake for 12 hours and I'm already starting to feel tired again. My metabolism appears to be keying down.
My body is exhausted. I don't know what happened yesterday, but its becoming obvious my current health is fairly precarious. I miss a few hours sleep and suddenly I appear to have a cold.
After 4 weeks of an unbalanced and limited diet I appear to have come close to the end of my physical tether. Whereas previously I assumed I wasn't getting enough of some specific things I'm beginning to wonder if I'm getting enough of damn near anything.
I don't know if I'm getting sick because of the diet, if I've just caught the cold or if my body's started to flush toxins out of my liver, but in any event, I clearly need to make some sort of change. I suppose all I can really do is eat more and try to get some of those hyper-nutritious foods I keep hearing so much about. Dulse for starters, its supposed to have an uncanny amount of vitamin b12 which I know I'm not getting, it also has plenty of protein and iron which would help with this whole pale thing I've got going on right now. They sell it around the corner, its supposed to be like raw foodist manna. Never got around to trying it, no time like the present. More avacado for more fat. And even more fruit. Yaaaaaay. Tommorrow morning, to the grocers!
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Day 27: October 27th 11:39 PM
Food Eaten: Breakfast shake, apples, bananas, dates, beat burrito
Quality of life: Stored toxins flowing through my veins or the common cold?
Physical activity level: There was some walking, some talking.
Raw Food Percentage: 100
Day 26 suffered from internet problems, if you're curious it was like today except I ate a salad instead of a burrito.
Bad day today. Maybe I ate something off or just didn't get enough sleep. Something went wrong, I feel like crap.
Mental confusion, slightly upset stomach, loss of appetite, general feeling of exhaustion, pale and sunken eyes. Its possible the diet is finally catching up to me, but it feels like there should have been some warning signs, I've been feeling pretty alright for the last week or so.
I didn't get a lot of sleep, so thats my best guess as to whats wrong. Alternately my body has just finally run out of whatever the reserves it was using to keep me standing were. Regardless I felt crummy when I woke up and its been all down hill from there.
I think I'm going to turn in. I'll see how I feel tomorrow. If better, expect a longer post. If worse, expect a shorter, more profane post. Possibly followed by me eating a bunch of chicken.
Quality of life: Stored toxins flowing through my veins or the common cold?
Physical activity level: There was some walking, some talking.
Raw Food Percentage: 100
Day 26 suffered from internet problems, if you're curious it was like today except I ate a salad instead of a burrito.
Bad day today. Maybe I ate something off or just didn't get enough sleep. Something went wrong, I feel like crap.
Mental confusion, slightly upset stomach, loss of appetite, general feeling of exhaustion, pale and sunken eyes. Its possible the diet is finally catching up to me, but it feels like there should have been some warning signs, I've been feeling pretty alright for the last week or so.
I didn't get a lot of sleep, so thats my best guess as to whats wrong. Alternately my body has just finally run out of whatever the reserves it was using to keep me standing were. Regardless I felt crummy when I woke up and its been all down hill from there.
I think I'm going to turn in. I'll see how I feel tomorrow. If better, expect a longer post. If worse, expect a shorter, more profane post. Possibly followed by me eating a bunch of chicken.
Sunday, October 25, 2009
Day 25 October 25th 11:31 PM
Food Eaten: Apples, bananas, dates, avacado
Quality of life: Work/eat/work/eat/work/eat/work/eat/work/eat/work/eat/work/eat
Physical activity level: Let's talk about it tomorrow
Raw Food Percentage: 100
Continued inability to maintain a consistent energy level. Though even when I'm tired I still feel pretty good. I don't exactly feel exhausted, just tired more often during the day. Usually if I haven't had a snack in a bit. Which is shocking.
I don't really mind constantly grazing, though I am looking forward to my big salad tonight.
Looking forward to a salad thats predominantly spinach is kind of depressing.
Of course when I do have energy I have more than usual, which is pretty alright. I could switch my small snacks for larger meals at once, but I kind of like this.
Other than that, little to report. Looking forward to the end, getting obsessed with baking bread.
Quality of life: Work/eat/work/eat/work/eat/work/eat/work/eat/work/eat/work/eat
Physical activity level: Let's talk about it tomorrow
Raw Food Percentage: 100
Continued inability to maintain a consistent energy level. Though even when I'm tired I still feel pretty good. I don't exactly feel exhausted, just tired more often during the day. Usually if I haven't had a snack in a bit. Which is shocking.
I don't really mind constantly grazing, though I am looking forward to my big salad tonight.
Looking forward to a salad thats predominantly spinach is kind of depressing.
Of course when I do have energy I have more than usual, which is pretty alright. I could switch my small snacks for larger meals at once, but I kind of like this.
Other than that, little to report. Looking forward to the end, getting obsessed with baking bread.
Day 24 October 25 1:40 AM
Food Eaten: Apples, Dates, choco-gorilla shake, raw food pizza
Quality of life: Doing pretty well but ready to go home now.
Physical Activity Level: Got pretty excited listening to surf-rock. That's about it though.
Raw Food Percentage: 100%
Forgot to do this earlier as a result I'm blogging from my girlfriend's bathtub so the light from the computer won't keep her up. There are sometimes sacrifices to be made if you're a night person and you want to date a day person.
Anyhow, its actually pretty comfortable in here, I've got a pillow, I can put my feet up. My computer is resting comfortably on my lap with the screen against my knees and my back is well supported by the wall.
I believe I've found the perfect blogging pose. I'm even in the perfect position for navel gazing.
Very little to report. Still oversleeping, but I think that has more to do with a slightly messed up sleep and professional schedule than my diet. Though I think more avocados will help me maintain a consistent energy level through the day.
I want to try and get more exercise this week, maybe go for a jog or something on Monday morning. See if my pink new lungs have grown in or if I'm still more tar than man.
Interesting side note, I'm not really losing weight. I've lost a little of course, but I'm still the same shape for the most part, and I suspect the same weight as well. This probably has to do with the fact that I'm not getting any exercise for the most part. I'm not adding new weight, but I'm not sucking it up either. I'll do a weighing on November 1st I suppose, though I forgot to do one on September 30th. I was around 200 the week before, so that's good enough for my pseudo-science. I'll have to track down a scale.
Interesting that I didn't lose much weight though. I suppose I kept myself further from starvation than I thought I did, though I suspect I've been running out of something or other on and off for most of this month. I'm definitely a lot paler. But then again, I'm a Vancouverite and we lose the sun somewhere in the middle of October. Its hard to tan under grey skies.
I feel pretty healthy, so that's a plus, as well as a nod to the ability for a person to support themselves on a raw food diet. You will live. Though as I was eating my raw food pizza today and drinking my raw food shake I realized I couldn't do this forever. Or even for much longer than a month. The food is tasty, if well prepared, and has interesting flavours and dense nutrients, but for me personally it could never be a staple. Though most of what I've read has suggested that most raw foodists keep around 80-90% I don't think I could do much more than 50. I miss sandwiches and eggs and coffee and toast and potatoes.
I am looking forward to returning to cooked food. Though hopefully I will at least try and remember my lesson and eat a balanced diet. Suppose we'll see.
Anyhow, 7 days remaining, well 6 now. We're in the homestretch and I can smell the future.
The future smells like bacon.
Quality of life: Doing pretty well but ready to go home now.
Physical Activity Level: Got pretty excited listening to surf-rock. That's about it though.
Raw Food Percentage: 100%
Forgot to do this earlier as a result I'm blogging from my girlfriend's bathtub so the light from the computer won't keep her up. There are sometimes sacrifices to be made if you're a night person and you want to date a day person.
Anyhow, its actually pretty comfortable in here, I've got a pillow, I can put my feet up. My computer is resting comfortably on my lap with the screen against my knees and my back is well supported by the wall.
I believe I've found the perfect blogging pose. I'm even in the perfect position for navel gazing.
Very little to report. Still oversleeping, but I think that has more to do with a slightly messed up sleep and professional schedule than my diet. Though I think more avocados will help me maintain a consistent energy level through the day.
I want to try and get more exercise this week, maybe go for a jog or something on Monday morning. See if my pink new lungs have grown in or if I'm still more tar than man.
Interesting side note, I'm not really losing weight. I've lost a little of course, but I'm still the same shape for the most part, and I suspect the same weight as well. This probably has to do with the fact that I'm not getting any exercise for the most part. I'm not adding new weight, but I'm not sucking it up either. I'll do a weighing on November 1st I suppose, though I forgot to do one on September 30th. I was around 200 the week before, so that's good enough for my pseudo-science. I'll have to track down a scale.
Interesting that I didn't lose much weight though. I suppose I kept myself further from starvation than I thought I did, though I suspect I've been running out of something or other on and off for most of this month. I'm definitely a lot paler. But then again, I'm a Vancouverite and we lose the sun somewhere in the middle of October. Its hard to tan under grey skies.
I feel pretty healthy, so that's a plus, as well as a nod to the ability for a person to support themselves on a raw food diet. You will live. Though as I was eating my raw food pizza today and drinking my raw food shake I realized I couldn't do this forever. Or even for much longer than a month. The food is tasty, if well prepared, and has interesting flavours and dense nutrients, but for me personally it could never be a staple. Though most of what I've read has suggested that most raw foodists keep around 80-90% I don't think I could do much more than 50. I miss sandwiches and eggs and coffee and toast and potatoes.
I am looking forward to returning to cooked food. Though hopefully I will at least try and remember my lesson and eat a balanced diet. Suppose we'll see.
Anyhow, 7 days remaining, well 6 now. We're in the homestretch and I can smell the future.
The future smells like bacon.
Friday, October 23, 2009
Day 23 October 23rd 10:50 PM
Food Eaten: Travel sized complex salad, sesame seeds, dates, hemp shake, olives, bananas
Quality of Life: Learning how to spit sesame seed shells. Almost not grossed out by it.
Physical Activity Level: See above.
Raw Food Percentage: 100%
Ugh, I hate filling out job applications. I particularly hate filling out online job applications. I never understand this, I fill out my education, work experience, marketable skills and references on the form. Then I attach a resume containing the same information in a different format.
I know why they do this of course. Their online application is searchable, so the HR dude can just fill out a form of his requirements and it'll pop through the data base and find him everyone who's applied in the last 6 months who qualifies. Its just there's something a little dehumanizing about being broken down to an index of my achievements. Dehumanizing and disappointing given it doesn't add up to much.
Aswell, I'm at the mercy of how flexible the database tags are. Do they interpret my degree as a boon for communication and organization skills, or writing and research skills, or did they just forget to put it in altogether? Do my previous jobs link up with the skills they think it requires to do them? Laying aside the fact that I'm commodified, am I being traded fairly on the market?
With a human being reading a resume she can get a picture of what your skills and abilities are by looking at your work experience and education as a whole, something that a searchable database may lack.
Anyhow, I'm mostly just frustrated cause my useless degree is useless. And frightened by a not too distant future where I submit my whole biography and it spits out a little slip of paper that says: "Dishwasher".
Quality of Life: Learning how to spit sesame seed shells. Almost not grossed out by it.
Physical Activity Level: See above.
Raw Food Percentage: 100%
Ugh, I hate filling out job applications. I particularly hate filling out online job applications. I never understand this, I fill out my education, work experience, marketable skills and references on the form. Then I attach a resume containing the same information in a different format.
I know why they do this of course. Their online application is searchable, so the HR dude can just fill out a form of his requirements and it'll pop through the data base and find him everyone who's applied in the last 6 months who qualifies. Its just there's something a little dehumanizing about being broken down to an index of my achievements. Dehumanizing and disappointing given it doesn't add up to much.
Aswell, I'm at the mercy of how flexible the database tags are. Do they interpret my degree as a boon for communication and organization skills, or writing and research skills, or did they just forget to put it in altogether? Do my previous jobs link up with the skills they think it requires to do them? Laying aside the fact that I'm commodified, am I being traded fairly on the market?
With a human being reading a resume she can get a picture of what your skills and abilities are by looking at your work experience and education as a whole, something that a searchable database may lack.
Anyhow, I'm mostly just frustrated cause my useless degree is useless. And frightened by a not too distant future where I submit my whole biography and it spits out a little slip of paper that says: "Dishwasher".
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Day 22 October 22nd 10:21 PM
Food Eaten: Sunflower Seeds, Breakfast Shake, Apples, Large Complex Salad
Quality of Life: God Bless Chopin
Physical Activity Level: Lots of sleep, very little exercise.
Raw Food Percentage: 100
Out of nowhere around the middle of the afternoon today, I had an enormously strong craving for a cigarette. Naturally this had a pretty negative effect on my mood. I still haven't completely shaken it.
What gives? Next to nothing for a month and now all of a sudden it hits like a freight train?
It wasn't just smokes either, it was the whole fast, I wanted it done and finished more than in the whole time I've been on it. Maybe its having the end so near (9 days!), its making it less bearable or enjoyable.
Or I might just be getting a bit sick, flu season's coming and I felt a little off today. Overslept too.
As usual I guess I'll just have to see how I feel tomorrow. I wonder if its the raw food that's causing so many fluctations in my health, the fact that I'm paying so much more attention to it, or the fact that my raw food diet is still unbalanced. Probably all three working in tandem.
Anyhow, when I got home from work I put on one of my roommate's Chopin CDs. It eases the urge to kill.
That Thrive Diet book I read to get ready for this one, while I didn't follow it well enough for it to be real useful to me, did have one interesting thing in it that springs to mind as being applicable to this situation.
It said that its helpful to think of your willpower and resolve as having a finite supply, there's only so much stress you can take after all. Though there is quite a bit, so sometimes its better to have a really bad situation than just a sort of bad one. You'll put up with the bearable one longer than you should whereas you'll immediately cast off the miserable one.
Perhaps the lack of food and booze and cigarettes to relax or distract me is revealing other sources of discontent, making them unbearable. Maybe I'm just missing my soma so I can go back to being satisfied with what I have when I shouldn't be.
Perhaps it is time to consider a career change.
Quality of Life: God Bless Chopin
Physical Activity Level: Lots of sleep, very little exercise.
Raw Food Percentage: 100
Out of nowhere around the middle of the afternoon today, I had an enormously strong craving for a cigarette. Naturally this had a pretty negative effect on my mood. I still haven't completely shaken it.
What gives? Next to nothing for a month and now all of a sudden it hits like a freight train?
It wasn't just smokes either, it was the whole fast, I wanted it done and finished more than in the whole time I've been on it. Maybe its having the end so near (9 days!), its making it less bearable or enjoyable.
Or I might just be getting a bit sick, flu season's coming and I felt a little off today. Overslept too.
As usual I guess I'll just have to see how I feel tomorrow. I wonder if its the raw food that's causing so many fluctations in my health, the fact that I'm paying so much more attention to it, or the fact that my raw food diet is still unbalanced. Probably all three working in tandem.
Anyhow, when I got home from work I put on one of my roommate's Chopin CDs. It eases the urge to kill.
That Thrive Diet book I read to get ready for this one, while I didn't follow it well enough for it to be real useful to me, did have one interesting thing in it that springs to mind as being applicable to this situation.
It said that its helpful to think of your willpower and resolve as having a finite supply, there's only so much stress you can take after all. Though there is quite a bit, so sometimes its better to have a really bad situation than just a sort of bad one. You'll put up with the bearable one longer than you should whereas you'll immediately cast off the miserable one.
Perhaps the lack of food and booze and cigarettes to relax or distract me is revealing other sources of discontent, making them unbearable. Maybe I'm just missing my soma so I can go back to being satisfied with what I have when I shouldn't be.
Perhaps it is time to consider a career change.
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Day 21 October 21st 10:09 PM
Food Eaten: Large complex salad, breakfast shake, dates, olives
Quality of Life: Thinking about my next move
Physical Activity: Got some exercise, also overslept, so... broke even?
Raw Food Percentage: 100
Well, ten days to go. Barring unforeseen circumstances it looks like it should be pretty smooth sailing to the end. I've more or less gotten the hang of the food I need to eat to feel alright, and as long as I don't forget to get a hold of it in time I shouldn't run into any real big issues.
I think I'll try my hand at sprouting at one point or another this week. But it doesn't strike me as being a very pressing need right now, and I don't think it will be one. Raw hummus would be nice but its not the difference between a nutritionally incomplete diet and me anymore.
I will need to work a little variety into this soon, salad everyday is already getting a bit dull, although apparently I can't get tired of dates or avocados.
Although when this is over and done with I'll need to get used to eating normally again. I imagine the main trouble will be resisting the urge to gorge myself on junk food. Having Halloween be the last day might not have been a great move in retrospect. Come midnight I could be tearing through the streets beating up children for their candy.
Quality of Life: Thinking about my next move
Physical Activity: Got some exercise, also overslept, so... broke even?
Raw Food Percentage: 100
Well, ten days to go. Barring unforeseen circumstances it looks like it should be pretty smooth sailing to the end. I've more or less gotten the hang of the food I need to eat to feel alright, and as long as I don't forget to get a hold of it in time I shouldn't run into any real big issues.
I think I'll try my hand at sprouting at one point or another this week. But it doesn't strike me as being a very pressing need right now, and I don't think it will be one. Raw hummus would be nice but its not the difference between a nutritionally incomplete diet and me anymore.
I will need to work a little variety into this soon, salad everyday is already getting a bit dull, although apparently I can't get tired of dates or avocados.
Although when this is over and done with I'll need to get used to eating normally again. I imagine the main trouble will be resisting the urge to gorge myself on junk food. Having Halloween be the last day might not have been a great move in retrospect. Come midnight I could be tearing through the streets beating up children for their candy.
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Day 20 October 20th 10:38
Food Eaten: Breakfast shake, dates, pistachios, apples
Quality of Life: Sanity is preferable in the long term as well as the last little bit of the short term.
Physical Activity Level: More situps than I thought I could, fewer push ups than I thought I could.
Raw Food Percentage: 100
The most interesting thing about this diet so far is the way my cravings have modified themselves too what they see as the limitations of my environment for food.
I now eat dates the same way I eat potato chips, as in if a bag is there I will keep putting them in my mouth until there's none left. With no regard for hunger.
Olives have replaced cigarettes in a very strange way. I think its the fact that they're not considered raw by all quarters. I suppose I crave them to prove to myself I'm capable of disagreeing with some members of the raw food community. Also cause salt is delicious and I suspect I lack it right now.
Now if I can just find a substitute for coffee we'll be all set.
As far as mental status goes I feel much, much calmer today. Though I did have a depressingly happy dream about it being October 31st.
Anyway, getting pretty hungry and I don't think the salad alone is going too entirely bed down my appetite.
To the grocers!
Quality of Life: Sanity is preferable in the long term as well as the last little bit of the short term.
Physical Activity Level: More situps than I thought I could, fewer push ups than I thought I could.
Raw Food Percentage: 100
The most interesting thing about this diet so far is the way my cravings have modified themselves too what they see as the limitations of my environment for food.
I now eat dates the same way I eat potato chips, as in if a bag is there I will keep putting them in my mouth until there's none left. With no regard for hunger.
Olives have replaced cigarettes in a very strange way. I think its the fact that they're not considered raw by all quarters. I suppose I crave them to prove to myself I'm capable of disagreeing with some members of the raw food community. Also cause salt is delicious and I suspect I lack it right now.
Now if I can just find a substitute for coffee we'll be all set.
As far as mental status goes I feel much, much calmer today. Though I did have a depressingly happy dream about it being October 31st.
Anyway, getting pretty hungry and I don't think the salad alone is going too entirely bed down my appetite.
To the grocers!
Monday, October 19, 2009
Day 19: October 19 10:51 PM
Food Eaten: Really big salad, banana hemp shake
Quality of life: Popeye had the answer all along.
Physical activity: Did some sit ups and some push ups. Hurt my hand on low ceilings stretching.
Raw Food Percentage: 100
So, eat enough salad and I no longer feel malnourished. I actually feel really healthy, although not quite as energetic as I'd like. I imagine that will come in time, and with a more regular sleep schedule and an actually dependable diet.
Exercising this morning felt pretty good. I didn't do much, although I'm considering trying to go for a jog. I'm curious how much lung I've regenerated.
I also feel much, much calmer than I have for the last few days. This will probably translate into a much less whiny blog. Though I am already pretty tired of spinach, I really don't see getting eleven days worth of material out of it.
We'll see, I'm sure I'll think of something. Tune in tomorrow for a hopefully well reasoned and calm appraisal of a the diet before fire.
Quality of life: Popeye had the answer all along.
Physical activity: Did some sit ups and some push ups. Hurt my hand on low ceilings stretching.
Raw Food Percentage: 100
So, eat enough salad and I no longer feel malnourished. I actually feel really healthy, although not quite as energetic as I'd like. I imagine that will come in time, and with a more regular sleep schedule and an actually dependable diet.
Exercising this morning felt pretty good. I didn't do much, although I'm considering trying to go for a jog. I'm curious how much lung I've regenerated.
I also feel much, much calmer than I have for the last few days. This will probably translate into a much less whiny blog. Though I am already pretty tired of spinach, I really don't see getting eleven days worth of material out of it.
We'll see, I'm sure I'll think of something. Tune in tomorrow for a hopefully well reasoned and calm appraisal of a the diet before fire.
Sunday, October 18, 2009
Day 18 October 18 10:50 PM
Food Eaten: Bananas, Apples, Dates, Strawberry Hemp Drink, Spinach salad
Quality of Life: Approaching a better intake balance
Physical Activity: How 'bout I just let you know if something happens.
Raw Food Percentage: 100
So, feeling better today, the last couple of days kind of sucked. Damn you veggie loaf.
Though the fault was mine, I had no food ready so I was starving by the time I got off work thursday, which coloured my judgement somewhat when I was preparing the recipe. At that point all I cared about was eating something substantial. My roommate believes it can be resurrected as a tasty soup. Heating has saved many a meal in the past.
Unfortunately it threw me off kilter for the next few days. Since I've become so dependant on just constant grazing it takes me a while to make up for a missed meal.
Walked around with a headache for the last couple of days and was seriously drained for most of the weekend but other than that no serious problems. But today is so far a nice step beyond subsistence and towards actual health.
Picked up some more hemp seed. I felt better after drinking it so thats another step in the right direction. Its also not too expensive so breakfast drink along with some fruit will make an acceptable start to the day. Salad for food at break at work. When I get home more complicated salad. Possibly involving avacado. Night shift does strange things to your eating habits.
Quality of Life: Approaching a better intake balance
Physical Activity: How 'bout I just let you know if something happens.
Raw Food Percentage: 100
So, feeling better today, the last couple of days kind of sucked. Damn you veggie loaf.
Though the fault was mine, I had no food ready so I was starving by the time I got off work thursday, which coloured my judgement somewhat when I was preparing the recipe. At that point all I cared about was eating something substantial. My roommate believes it can be resurrected as a tasty soup. Heating has saved many a meal in the past.
Unfortunately it threw me off kilter for the next few days. Since I've become so dependant on just constant grazing it takes me a while to make up for a missed meal.
Walked around with a headache for the last couple of days and was seriously drained for most of the weekend but other than that no serious problems. But today is so far a nice step beyond subsistence and towards actual health.
Picked up some more hemp seed. I felt better after drinking it so thats another step in the right direction. Its also not too expensive so breakfast drink along with some fruit will make an acceptable start to the day. Salad for food at break at work. When I get home more complicated salad. Possibly involving avacado. Night shift does strange things to your eating habits.
Saturday, October 17, 2009
Day 17 October 17 9:09 PM
Food Eaten: Gazpacho, Bananas, Carrots
Quality of Life: Reasonable men have reasonable bedtimes
Physical Activity Level: Walked up and down Main, looking at suits, sitting in boutiques.
Raw Food Percentage: 100
I think I need more leafy greens.
I was looking through a weekly breakdown of an example raw food diet and that seemed to be what dinner most often was, an enormous spinach and kale salad. Dark leafy greens are probably what I'm missing that's leaving me feeling so drained.
Of course the other problem is just prepping food in advance and carrying it with me, which I'm just generally not willing to do. Its one thing to have a couple of apples and a bunch of dates in my pockets but having all three meals packed away in my bag feels a little inconvenient.
Oh well, only two weeks left, just have to dance around my work schedule a little bit. Only have a couple of closing shifts this week, so if I can have a salad made and ready to go to bring with me and a pile of fruit to boot as well as the hemp shake in the morning. It should be alright.
I think I got discouraged early with the lack of non dehydrator recipes, salads seem to be key. Hopefully anyway, I'm feeling tired more and more lately. And two weeks can feel like a lot more.
Also need to start exercising so I can test out the supposed increased energy levels and recovery rates with a raw food diet. I'm still not giving it a completely fair shake.
Quality of Life: Reasonable men have reasonable bedtimes
Physical Activity Level: Walked up and down Main, looking at suits, sitting in boutiques.
Raw Food Percentage: 100
I think I need more leafy greens.
I was looking through a weekly breakdown of an example raw food diet and that seemed to be what dinner most often was, an enormous spinach and kale salad. Dark leafy greens are probably what I'm missing that's leaving me feeling so drained.
Of course the other problem is just prepping food in advance and carrying it with me, which I'm just generally not willing to do. Its one thing to have a couple of apples and a bunch of dates in my pockets but having all three meals packed away in my bag feels a little inconvenient.
Oh well, only two weeks left, just have to dance around my work schedule a little bit. Only have a couple of closing shifts this week, so if I can have a salad made and ready to go to bring with me and a pile of fruit to boot as well as the hemp shake in the morning. It should be alright.
I think I got discouraged early with the lack of non dehydrator recipes, salads seem to be key. Hopefully anyway, I'm feeling tired more and more lately. And two weeks can feel like a lot more.
Also need to start exercising so I can test out the supposed increased energy levels and recovery rates with a raw food diet. I'm still not giving it a completely fair shake.
Friday, October 16, 2009
Day 16 October 16th 11:55 PM
Food Eaten: Dates, Pistachios, Strawberry smoothie, olives, veggie loaf
Quality of Life: Up and down and all around
Physical Activity: Went to work, that is all
Raw Food Percentage: 100
That veggie loaf doesn't go down easy. I'm not sure if the problem is that I hate beats, I'm still not used to raw cooking, if I made it wrong or if its actually undigestible. I guess how I feel for the next day or so will define that.
Definitely felt better without the soy beans, but I'm still tired all the time. I'm definitely not eating a balanced enough diet. Or sleeping a stable enough schedule, or getting enough exercise yada yada yada.
Anyhow, over the halfway mark now, more behind me than ahead of me. So that's good. I think I'll switch back to z-pasta and gazpacho, I felt better than. More fruit and fresh veggies.
The veggie loaf is making me smell like onions. And it in no way resembles a loaf.
Quality of Life: Up and down and all around
Physical Activity: Went to work, that is all
Raw Food Percentage: 100
That veggie loaf doesn't go down easy. I'm not sure if the problem is that I hate beats, I'm still not used to raw cooking, if I made it wrong or if its actually undigestible. I guess how I feel for the next day or so will define that.
Definitely felt better without the soy beans, but I'm still tired all the time. I'm definitely not eating a balanced enough diet. Or sleeping a stable enough schedule, or getting enough exercise yada yada yada.
Anyhow, over the halfway mark now, more behind me than ahead of me. So that's good. I think I'll switch back to z-pasta and gazpacho, I felt better than. More fruit and fresh veggies.
The veggie loaf is making me smell like onions. And it in no way resembles a loaf.
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Day 15 October 15 11:41 PM
Food Eaten: Banana Hemp Milk, Pistachios
Quality of Life: So Very Hungry
Physical Activity Level: Thinking about how hungry I am, some whimpering
Raw Food Percentage: 100
It happened. What I was warned about, what my poor planning skills were pointing at, I forgot to go shopping, slept in and didn't have time to get anything to eat before work. Last night's dinner was also pretty lackluster. I am hungry.
Today, I am hungry. Today I will make veggie loaf.
I picked up a bunch of stuff at safeway, which was more expensive than I'd like and I couldn't find any hemp stuff, but I am currently waiting for the strange concoction of potatoes and sweet potatoes and various other vegetables and almond paste to set into a mass in my fridge. Man I really hope it tastes alright.
I tried to focus on how other people get through days without even soy shake thingies and the knowledge that they will eat tonight. But that just made me sad and hungry.
Anyway, it will be a little while till the food is ready. In the meantime I'm eating a few pistachios. And updating this blog.
Other issues, I think I started to feel unwell around the time I threw those soy beans into my morning shake, so they're out tomorrow. See if I feel better. Also, I sprouted the wrong kind of beans, those black-eyed beans are not edible raw. But the chickpeas I got should do alright. Soon there will be raw hummus. And life will continue on with me dipping celery sticks into said hummus.
On a mental health note, have you ever been at a stop light, saw red and thought green? Or not even thought green, just thought go? Happened today with my clock. It didn't click what time it was until I was almost late for work. I knew what time I had to be there, I knew what time it was, I knew how long it took me to get to work, but for some reason there was no connection between all of these facts. No unification of these facts into an imperative.
Odd but not completely unheard of. Lets just see if I zone out more often. Though more frequent zoning out does add credence to my raw food makes zombie theory.
Quality of Life: So Very Hungry
Physical Activity Level: Thinking about how hungry I am, some whimpering
Raw Food Percentage: 100
It happened. What I was warned about, what my poor planning skills were pointing at, I forgot to go shopping, slept in and didn't have time to get anything to eat before work. Last night's dinner was also pretty lackluster. I am hungry.
Today, I am hungry. Today I will make veggie loaf.
I picked up a bunch of stuff at safeway, which was more expensive than I'd like and I couldn't find any hemp stuff, but I am currently waiting for the strange concoction of potatoes and sweet potatoes and various other vegetables and almond paste to set into a mass in my fridge. Man I really hope it tastes alright.
I tried to focus on how other people get through days without even soy shake thingies and the knowledge that they will eat tonight. But that just made me sad and hungry.
Anyway, it will be a little while till the food is ready. In the meantime I'm eating a few pistachios. And updating this blog.
Other issues, I think I started to feel unwell around the time I threw those soy beans into my morning shake, so they're out tomorrow. See if I feel better. Also, I sprouted the wrong kind of beans, those black-eyed beans are not edible raw. But the chickpeas I got should do alright. Soon there will be raw hummus. And life will continue on with me dipping celery sticks into said hummus.
On a mental health note, have you ever been at a stop light, saw red and thought green? Or not even thought green, just thought go? Happened today with my clock. It didn't click what time it was until I was almost late for work. I knew what time I had to be there, I knew what time it was, I knew how long it took me to get to work, but for some reason there was no connection between all of these facts. No unification of these facts into an imperative.
Odd but not completely unheard of. Lets just see if I zone out more often. Though more frequent zoning out does add credence to my raw food makes zombie theory.
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Day 14 October 14 8:32 PM
Food Eaten: Breakfast shake concoction, olives, dates, apples
Quality of life: Improving with a somewhat erratic energy level
Physical activity: Well, I made it to work on time
Estimated raw food percentage: 100
I don't think I'm getting enough salt. That would explain the fact that I seem to have trouble with how much water I want and how much energy I have. It feels like I'm generally getting enough of everything else, but this strange fixation on olives might just be an expression of a need for more salt in my diet. I don't think the fruits I'm generally eating are a great source.
Anyhow, slept much better last night woke up feeling more rested. However I didn't do much today and I already feel sleepy. Its not even 9 yet, so unless I'm secretly an old man, I think there's still a few things out of whack.
Alright, more leafy greens, a salad of some kind would be good. Figure out a couple of raw dressing recipes to get some oils and fats in me. After that, I just need a decent source for some salts and I'm golden.
As for energy levels, I'm usually pretty lazy, getting some exercise probably would help some. Just telling my body to use some of the food I'm pouring into it.
Cravings for cooked foods returned today, but milder than ever. Occasionally thoughts of paninis dance through my head, but it passes quickly. And in any event, I know I'll get to eat properly again in a little more than 2 weeks.
Coming up on the halfway marker. I feel a bit healthier, but there's still work to do.
Quality of life: Improving with a somewhat erratic energy level
Physical activity: Well, I made it to work on time
Estimated raw food percentage: 100
I don't think I'm getting enough salt. That would explain the fact that I seem to have trouble with how much water I want and how much energy I have. It feels like I'm generally getting enough of everything else, but this strange fixation on olives might just be an expression of a need for more salt in my diet. I don't think the fruits I'm generally eating are a great source.
Anyhow, slept much better last night woke up feeling more rested. However I didn't do much today and I already feel sleepy. Its not even 9 yet, so unless I'm secretly an old man, I think there's still a few things out of whack.
Alright, more leafy greens, a salad of some kind would be good. Figure out a couple of raw dressing recipes to get some oils and fats in me. After that, I just need a decent source for some salts and I'm golden.
As for energy levels, I'm usually pretty lazy, getting some exercise probably would help some. Just telling my body to use some of the food I'm pouring into it.
Cravings for cooked foods returned today, but milder than ever. Occasionally thoughts of paninis dance through my head, but it passes quickly. And in any event, I know I'll get to eat properly again in a little more than 2 weeks.
Coming up on the halfway marker. I feel a bit healthier, but there's still work to do.
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Day 13 October 13 8:21 PM
Food Eaten: Straberry hemp shake, dates, olives, gazpacho, apples
Quality of Life: Apathy towards future growing
Activity Level: Ran some errands. Can't get enough sleep.
Raw Food Percentage: 100
I'm very tired today, granted I didn't sleep real well last night but this feels a bit different. If it persists tomorrow I'm going to have to change my diet and try to balance it out, check to see which vitamins I'm lacking. Probably Bn+1, vegetable diets lack those I hear.
In general I just feel kind of dopey and vague, acting mostly on impulse and not on conscious decision. Raw food can be linked to zombie-ism perhaps? Trick a man into denying the fire that brings him life and the fire of life within will perish, leaving only an empty husk with the cinders of life glowing weakly inside.
Alternately, this is supposed to be one of the adaptation and detox symptoms, trouble sleeping, depression, headaches... It's possible I'll feel like a new man in a few days, the detox having done its job admirably.
As an interesting side effect I no longer think about cooked food when I get hungry, I had a craving for dates when I woke up this morning instead of bacon eggs and coffee. My body has apparently realized its not really an option. So that's a start, I guess.
The downside is that means its probably going to be quite a shock when I switch back on the first. Let's hope my liver likes surprises.
Quality of Life: Apathy towards future growing
Activity Level: Ran some errands. Can't get enough sleep.
Raw Food Percentage: 100
I'm very tired today, granted I didn't sleep real well last night but this feels a bit different. If it persists tomorrow I'm going to have to change my diet and try to balance it out, check to see which vitamins I'm lacking. Probably Bn+1, vegetable diets lack those I hear.
In general I just feel kind of dopey and vague, acting mostly on impulse and not on conscious decision. Raw food can be linked to zombie-ism perhaps? Trick a man into denying the fire that brings him life and the fire of life within will perish, leaving only an empty husk with the cinders of life glowing weakly inside.
Alternately, this is supposed to be one of the adaptation and detox symptoms, trouble sleeping, depression, headaches... It's possible I'll feel like a new man in a few days, the detox having done its job admirably.
As an interesting side effect I no longer think about cooked food when I get hungry, I had a craving for dates when I woke up this morning instead of bacon eggs and coffee. My body has apparently realized its not really an option. So that's a start, I guess.
The downside is that means its probably going to be quite a shock when I switch back on the first. Let's hope my liver likes surprises.
Monday, October 12, 2009
Day 12:October 12th 2009
Catch up log:
Day 10
Food Eaten: Fruit salad, Strawberry Hemp Shake, Olives, Grapes, Apples, Stuffing, curried yams, pumpkin souffle, chip chocolate cake
Quality of Life: Giving Thanks
Activity Level: Awake all day on 2 hours of sleep. That's kind of odd.
Raw Food Percentage: 40 at best
Day 11
Food Eaten: Apples, Olives, Bananas, Strawberry coconut hemp shake
Quality of Life: Hungry
Activity Level: Off the island and back to work.
Raw Food Percentage: 100
Day 12
Food Eaten: Breakfast shake, gazpacho
Quality of Life: Back on the wagon, feeling calm
Activity Level: Cleaned... a bit.
Raw Food Percentage: 100
Thanksgiving was nice, even if I had to break my fast to do it. No meat and no booze though, which is probably for the best given the morning after when I woke up and realized I couldn't eat any leftovers was pretty depressing. If I'd gorged myself properly I would have felt even worse. Or would I have felt better if I'd made myself sick on real food to go back to post-modern pasta?
Regardless, back in the saddle now, eating gazpacho and having put all manner of things I found at the grocery into a shake. On the upside, found agave nectar, on the downside its really pricey. Currently the breakfast shake is composed of soy beans, hemp seeds, strawberries, banana, water and coconut milk and a few precious drops of agave nectar. It's delicious, although it makes me feel like I'm eating bread someone already chewed for me. The gazpacho has also had avocado added to it, which results in a smoother fresher flavour, though its now bright green.
Sprouting has commenced, I am currently staring at some beans soaking up water. Soon, soon they will sprout and I shall consume the flesh of the living bean. And become one with the bean spirit or whatever the hell it is that's destroyed by cooking.
My personal experience with raw food is leading me to a fairly negative view of the whole thing. I'm not finding my health is significantly improved over just eating the proper amount of vegetables, cooked or not. I do feel better than normal, but that might have something to do with not having a drink or a smoke or any junk food in all this time. Still, its early days yet. We'll see.
Research and recriminations abound as we approach the halfway point. Perhaps the sun will come out from behind its cloud and my mitochondria will dance with a compound made of ATP and hope. Or perhaps this blog will end 19 days from now with the utter rejection of raw food.
In the meantime, I need a more balanced diet. The breakfast shake is a good start, it has a lot of
stuff I need. We'll see how the sprouted beans work out, have to figure out something to eat them in. Maybe ground up into a raw taco? I'll have to hold my skepticism and examine some of these raw food sites in more detail.
I relinquish my self, briefly, to the great spirit of nutritional mysticism.
Day 10
Food Eaten: Fruit salad, Strawberry Hemp Shake, Olives, Grapes, Apples, Stuffing, curried yams, pumpkin souffle, chip chocolate cake
Quality of Life: Giving Thanks
Activity Level: Awake all day on 2 hours of sleep. That's kind of odd.
Raw Food Percentage: 40 at best
Day 11
Food Eaten: Apples, Olives, Bananas, Strawberry coconut hemp shake
Quality of Life: Hungry
Activity Level: Off the island and back to work.
Raw Food Percentage: 100
Day 12
Food Eaten: Breakfast shake, gazpacho
Quality of Life: Back on the wagon, feeling calm
Activity Level: Cleaned... a bit.
Raw Food Percentage: 100
Thanksgiving was nice, even if I had to break my fast to do it. No meat and no booze though, which is probably for the best given the morning after when I woke up and realized I couldn't eat any leftovers was pretty depressing. If I'd gorged myself properly I would have felt even worse. Or would I have felt better if I'd made myself sick on real food to go back to post-modern pasta?
Regardless, back in the saddle now, eating gazpacho and having put all manner of things I found at the grocery into a shake. On the upside, found agave nectar, on the downside its really pricey. Currently the breakfast shake is composed of soy beans, hemp seeds, strawberries, banana, water and coconut milk and a few precious drops of agave nectar. It's delicious, although it makes me feel like I'm eating bread someone already chewed for me. The gazpacho has also had avocado added to it, which results in a smoother fresher flavour, though its now bright green.
Sprouting has commenced, I am currently staring at some beans soaking up water. Soon, soon they will sprout and I shall consume the flesh of the living bean. And become one with the bean spirit or whatever the hell it is that's destroyed by cooking.
My personal experience with raw food is leading me to a fairly negative view of the whole thing. I'm not finding my health is significantly improved over just eating the proper amount of vegetables, cooked or not. I do feel better than normal, but that might have something to do with not having a drink or a smoke or any junk food in all this time. Still, its early days yet. We'll see.
Research and recriminations abound as we approach the halfway point. Perhaps the sun will come out from behind its cloud and my mitochondria will dance with a compound made of ATP and hope. Or perhaps this blog will end 19 days from now with the utter rejection of raw food.
In the meantime, I need a more balanced diet. The breakfast shake is a good start, it has a lot of
stuff I need. We'll see how the sprouted beans work out, have to figure out something to eat them in. Maybe ground up into a raw taco? I'll have to hold my skepticism and examine some of these raw food sites in more detail.
I relinquish my self, briefly, to the great spirit of nutritional mysticism.
Friday, October 9, 2009
Day 9 October 9th 10:20 PM
Food Eaten: Strawberry Hemp Milk, Zucchini Pasta, Apples, Olives, Dates
Quality of Life: Sleepy and getting sleepier
Activity Level: Woke up, got out of bed, ran a comb across my hair
Raw Food Percentage: 100
Last of the raw marinara is gone, time to move on to greener pastures. Today's experiment was the hemp milk, which worked out alright, it certainly looked like strawberry milk, though I didn't have any agave nectar so it wasn't even the slightest bit sweet. Still, I'm declaring the breakfast shake idea to be a good one though in need of further development. Some agave nectar, a little banana, a dash of flax seed to make it even more nutritious. On the upside, the slightly grainy flavour of the hemp was a welcome change from fruits and veggies.
I still miss grains.
Nothing much else to report, feeling pretty tired today, have yet to experience the increased energy people talk about with raw food. I don't feel sluggish in the same way I used to, but I don't feel at all energetic. Now I just feel slightly healthier after sleeping till noon rather than slightly disgusted with myself. I suppose my diet just needs some balancing, more carbohydrates and protein will likely help.
Going to my folks place tomorrow for thanksgiving. In the interests of not turning my nose up at my own mother's cooking I am going to be eating cooked food. However I will remain vegetarian and abstain from alcohol, so don't worry. Though I will be taking a day off from this fast, I won't enjoy it too much.
I haven't said this for a few days, so just to reiterate, I should have done this in September.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Quality of Life: Sleepy and getting sleepier
Activity Level: Woke up, got out of bed, ran a comb across my hair
Raw Food Percentage: 100
Last of the raw marinara is gone, time to move on to greener pastures. Today's experiment was the hemp milk, which worked out alright, it certainly looked like strawberry milk, though I didn't have any agave nectar so it wasn't even the slightest bit sweet. Still, I'm declaring the breakfast shake idea to be a good one though in need of further development. Some agave nectar, a little banana, a dash of flax seed to make it even more nutritious. On the upside, the slightly grainy flavour of the hemp was a welcome change from fruits and veggies.
I still miss grains.
Nothing much else to report, feeling pretty tired today, have yet to experience the increased energy people talk about with raw food. I don't feel sluggish in the same way I used to, but I don't feel at all energetic. Now I just feel slightly healthier after sleeping till noon rather than slightly disgusted with myself. I suppose my diet just needs some balancing, more carbohydrates and protein will likely help.
Going to my folks place tomorrow for thanksgiving. In the interests of not turning my nose up at my own mother's cooking I am going to be eating cooked food. However I will remain vegetarian and abstain from alcohol, so don't worry. Though I will be taking a day off from this fast, I won't enjoy it too much.
I haven't said this for a few days, so just to reiterate, I should have done this in September.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Thursday, October 8, 2009
Day 8 October 8th 7:29 PM
Food Eaten: Bananas, Apples, Dates, Baby Carrots
Quality of Life: Strangely lucid calm
Activity Level: If not for work, probably wouldn't have left the bed
Raw Food Percentage: 100%
Looks like I've been forgetting the percentage lately, I suppose if I don't think about it I'm not worried about it, so its probably 100.
More Z-pasta for dinner last night, and probably tonight too. Its easy and quick and I don't want the sauce to go bad. What to eat tommorrow is an interesting question as I have the late shift at work. And won't be off till midnight. I guess I'll have to make lunch my heavier meal and just get some fruit for dinner. I'm not quite comfortable enough with this diet to be able to adapt to new circumstances very effectively though, I strongly suspect I'll be going to bed hungry that night.
Speaking of hungry, I seem to be having more trouble being satisfied by meals. I'm not sure if the average raw foodist has less of an appetite than I generally do, or alternately if my body is still adapting to not getting a massive load of carbohydrates and protein to sit in the stomach and remind me I'm full, but I need to snack regularly throughout the day.
The baby carrots are good, and so are the dates I've been eating. Both are cheap, delicious, portable and have a lot of good stuff in them, especially the dates. Still, I kind of miss the feeling of finality after a really good meal. Guess I just have to keep looking for recipes and trying stuff out. Interestingly enough I have found talk of the raw sandwich. Its made from a hollowed out cucumber. Its also called a gorilla sandwich if you want to buy the storemade version. http://www.gorillasandwich.com/ tells the story of its design and development, with perhaps a bit more fanfare than is deserved for salad in a cucumber.
I will once again be able to eat sandwiches, after a fashion. Though likely the experience will be similar to the Z-pasta, the resemblance is more a matter of me belieiving it to be the same than it having much in common. Still, its worth a shot, I just have to work out what my raw sandwich fixings are going to be, and find a cucmber big enough to replicate a dagwood.
Quality of Life: Strangely lucid calm
Activity Level: If not for work, probably wouldn't have left the bed
Raw Food Percentage: 100%
Looks like I've been forgetting the percentage lately, I suppose if I don't think about it I'm not worried about it, so its probably 100.
More Z-pasta for dinner last night, and probably tonight too. Its easy and quick and I don't want the sauce to go bad. What to eat tommorrow is an interesting question as I have the late shift at work. And won't be off till midnight. I guess I'll have to make lunch my heavier meal and just get some fruit for dinner. I'm not quite comfortable enough with this diet to be able to adapt to new circumstances very effectively though, I strongly suspect I'll be going to bed hungry that night.
Speaking of hungry, I seem to be having more trouble being satisfied by meals. I'm not sure if the average raw foodist has less of an appetite than I generally do, or alternately if my body is still adapting to not getting a massive load of carbohydrates and protein to sit in the stomach and remind me I'm full, but I need to snack regularly throughout the day.
The baby carrots are good, and so are the dates I've been eating. Both are cheap, delicious, portable and have a lot of good stuff in them, especially the dates. Still, I kind of miss the feeling of finality after a really good meal. Guess I just have to keep looking for recipes and trying stuff out. Interestingly enough I have found talk of the raw sandwich. Its made from a hollowed out cucumber. Its also called a gorilla sandwich if you want to buy the storemade version. http://www.gorillasandwich.com/ tells the story of its design and development, with perhaps a bit more fanfare than is deserved for salad in a cucumber.
I will once again be able to eat sandwiches, after a fashion. Though likely the experience will be similar to the Z-pasta, the resemblance is more a matter of me belieiving it to be the same than it having much in common. Still, its worth a shot, I just have to work out what my raw sandwich fixings are going to be, and find a cucmber big enough to replicate a dagwood.
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Day 6 and Day 7 October 7th 7:53 PM
Day 6
Food Eaten: Raisins, Apples, Beet Burrito, zucchini pasta. Dates
Quality of life: Slow on the uptake
Activity Level: Had to walk to find the burrito, and then walked back to find home
Day 7
Food Eaten: Almonds, Dates, cuccumber, leftover raw marinara, apples
Quality of life: Hungry...angry...sleeping
Activity level: Physically undertaxed
Internet was down for yesterday so today will have to cover both days. Not much to report, the gazpacho was delicious and the zucchini pasta with raw marinara was also wonderful. I forgot how much I missed garlic. I made a ton of sauce though so I either have to keep eating the zucchini pasta or find another use for it. Today's use for lunch was slicing up a cucumber and using it as a thinly veiled excuse to eat more sauce.
The zucchini pasta itself is a little underwhelming. It's made by taking a vegetable peeler and peeling off long strands of zucchini until there's no zucchini left. This is great for providing an excuse to eat sauce, but at no point do you believe you are eating a pasta dish.
I'm not sure if I would prefer it was called something different, as it is different, or not. I'm eating it like pasta, with sauce and some vegetables thrown on, but there's nothing in and of itself that makes it pasta. I'm treating it like pasta but it's still just over zealously peeled zucchini. It doesn't really seem to share in the form of pasta, only in the function. And function can only serve for a definition of existence so far. Eventually you're pretending that the cow is a chair and you're shoe is a fork. I'm fine with my dinner being post-modern, but I'd rather not skate into dadaist.
Ontology aside, I suppose I'm wondering if raw food recipes should even attempt to ape cooked food recipes, or press on into strange new territories. On the other hand, if this was called something completely different, zucchini string, for example, would it have caught my eye?
What if it was called Z-String? That's either a new polymer or horrifying lingerie.
Anyhow, I'm going to see if I can track down a recipe for dinner tonight. If not, I pick up a zucchini at Safeway on the way home, and do my part to negate the definitions that keep reality sensible.
Food Eaten: Raisins, Apples, Beet Burrito, zucchini pasta. Dates
Quality of life: Slow on the uptake
Activity Level: Had to walk to find the burrito, and then walked back to find home
Day 7
Food Eaten: Almonds, Dates, cuccumber, leftover raw marinara, apples
Quality of life: Hungry...angry...sleeping
Activity level: Physically undertaxed
Internet was down for yesterday so today will have to cover both days. Not much to report, the gazpacho was delicious and the zucchini pasta with raw marinara was also wonderful. I forgot how much I missed garlic. I made a ton of sauce though so I either have to keep eating the zucchini pasta or find another use for it. Today's use for lunch was slicing up a cucumber and using it as a thinly veiled excuse to eat more sauce.
The zucchini pasta itself is a little underwhelming. It's made by taking a vegetable peeler and peeling off long strands of zucchini until there's no zucchini left. This is great for providing an excuse to eat sauce, but at no point do you believe you are eating a pasta dish.
I'm not sure if I would prefer it was called something different, as it is different, or not. I'm eating it like pasta, with sauce and some vegetables thrown on, but there's nothing in and of itself that makes it pasta. I'm treating it like pasta but it's still just over zealously peeled zucchini. It doesn't really seem to share in the form of pasta, only in the function. And function can only serve for a definition of existence so far. Eventually you're pretending that the cow is a chair and you're shoe is a fork. I'm fine with my dinner being post-modern, but I'd rather not skate into dadaist.
Ontology aside, I suppose I'm wondering if raw food recipes should even attempt to ape cooked food recipes, or press on into strange new territories. On the other hand, if this was called something completely different, zucchini string, for example, would it have caught my eye?
What if it was called Z-String? That's either a new polymer or horrifying lingerie.
Anyhow, I'm going to see if I can track down a recipe for dinner tonight. If not, I pick up a zucchini at Safeway on the way home, and do my part to negate the definitions that keep reality sensible.
Monday, October 5, 2009
Day 5 October 5th 2009 4:37 PM
Food Eaten: Bananas, Raisins, Maca chocoroons, dates
Quality of Life: Vulcan learns to cry
Activity Level: Ran for the bus, took a nap when I got home
Interesting observation from today, I seem to be more emotional. Probably just an adjustment issue, still I'm getting angrier easier than usual. Luckily that's still pretty calm.
I'm also more out of it than usual, when buying the chocoroons today at Gorilla foods I walked out the door before I remembered I had to pay for food before leaving restaurants.
On the upside, I feel a bit better about the diet today than yesterday, though I still haven't made the gazpacho that I hope will save me.
Anyhow, I figure something along the lines of fruit for breakfast, salad for lunch and some sort of complicated raw thingy for dinner.
As a side note, I miss sandwiches a lot. Sandwiches are beautiful. Sandwiches are so friggin' complicated to make from scratch and are considered such basic food. First I need bread. And all the things that go with making bread. I need flour, water, yeast(or not) eggs (so, chickens). Then I need a sandwich spread, preferably two or three. Mayo (more chickens), mustard (mustard seed, various other spices), and some olive oil to give it a little more flavour. Now we need sandwich fillings, lettuce, tomatoes, some sort of meat. Cheese, salt and pepper.
To make a sandwich I need every kind of farm.
God, what a wonderful invention.
Quality of Life: Vulcan learns to cry
Activity Level: Ran for the bus, took a nap when I got home
Interesting observation from today, I seem to be more emotional. Probably just an adjustment issue, still I'm getting angrier easier than usual. Luckily that's still pretty calm.
I'm also more out of it than usual, when buying the chocoroons today at Gorilla foods I walked out the door before I remembered I had to pay for food before leaving restaurants.
On the upside, I feel a bit better about the diet today than yesterday, though I still haven't made the gazpacho that I hope will save me.
Anyhow, I figure something along the lines of fruit for breakfast, salad for lunch and some sort of complicated raw thingy for dinner.
As a side note, I miss sandwiches a lot. Sandwiches are beautiful. Sandwiches are so friggin' complicated to make from scratch and are considered such basic food. First I need bread. And all the things that go with making bread. I need flour, water, yeast(or not) eggs (so, chickens). Then I need a sandwich spread, preferably two or three. Mayo (more chickens), mustard (mustard seed, various other spices), and some olive oil to give it a little more flavour. Now we need sandwich fillings, lettuce, tomatoes, some sort of meat. Cheese, salt and pepper.
To make a sandwich I need every kind of farm.
God, what a wonderful invention.
Sunday, October 4, 2009
Day 4 October 4th 2009
Food Eaten: Apples, almonds, celery, organic peanut butter, raisins, olives, raspberries, grapes
Quality of life: Ebbing slowly.
Activity level: Went to the aquarium, envied the jellyfish
Raw Food Percentage: 100??
Are olives raw? Is peanut butter? If the olives are pitted, if the peanut butter is organic and not made from roasted peanuts? Is it possible to make peanut butter without roasted peanuts? Can a man survive in this manner for much longer?
Tomorrow I make gazpacho. More recipes will follow. This process is unpleasant enough without putting myself in a foul humour from having no real meals to look forward to.
On the upside I'm beginning to understand what vegetarians, vegans and people with food allergies go through. Knowing that you've got only a few places you can expect to eat, and if you're not near them, you go hungry. It must have really sucked being vegetarian before it really got off the ground. You go out for dinner, you're having salad as the entree. Maybe pasta if you can find one where the meat is seperable from the rest of the plate. Though I suppose it still sucks now, you have a vegetarian option, but only one or two. Vegetarian restaurants seem to do well if only for having a small but deeply loyal customer base.
I imagine food allergies would be like me wondering if olives are considered raw, except instead of being embarrassed when I realize they're not, I would be dead half way through the dish.
Wikipedia tells me olives are generally picked then cured and fermented. Which would not appear to involve cooking. However, there are raw olives on the market, as described by this slightly smug article (http://www.practicallyedible.com/edible.nsf/pages/rawolives). So... what's the difference here?
Ah, here we go, is it raw or not (http://www.living-foods.com/articles/rawornot.html). Wait, so vinegar is bad? Salt or brine is bad? I'm a little lost, I can't quite figure out what principle this person is eluding to that the olives violate. I think I'm just going to conclude that olives are probably fine but maybe I should double check with trustworthy sources before I eat more.. Also apparently, the definition of raw refers to more than just temperature.
Anyhow, felt a little odd for most of today. I'm starting to wonder if I really don't have the enzymes necessary to digest a 100% raw diet. I guess we'll know more later.
Quality of life: Ebbing slowly.
Activity level: Went to the aquarium, envied the jellyfish
Raw Food Percentage: 100??
Are olives raw? Is peanut butter? If the olives are pitted, if the peanut butter is organic and not made from roasted peanuts? Is it possible to make peanut butter without roasted peanuts? Can a man survive in this manner for much longer?
Tomorrow I make gazpacho. More recipes will follow. This process is unpleasant enough without putting myself in a foul humour from having no real meals to look forward to.
On the upside I'm beginning to understand what vegetarians, vegans and people with food allergies go through. Knowing that you've got only a few places you can expect to eat, and if you're not near them, you go hungry. It must have really sucked being vegetarian before it really got off the ground. You go out for dinner, you're having salad as the entree. Maybe pasta if you can find one where the meat is seperable from the rest of the plate. Though I suppose it still sucks now, you have a vegetarian option, but only one or two. Vegetarian restaurants seem to do well if only for having a small but deeply loyal customer base.
I imagine food allergies would be like me wondering if olives are considered raw, except instead of being embarrassed when I realize they're not, I would be dead half way through the dish.
Wikipedia tells me olives are generally picked then cured and fermented. Which would not appear to involve cooking. However, there are raw olives on the market, as described by this slightly smug article (http://www.practicallyedible.com/edible.nsf/pages/rawolives). So... what's the difference here?
Ah, here we go, is it raw or not (http://www.living-foods.com/articles/rawornot.html). Wait, so vinegar is bad? Salt or brine is bad? I'm a little lost, I can't quite figure out what principle this person is eluding to that the olives violate. I think I'm just going to conclude that olives are probably fine but maybe I should double check with trustworthy sources before I eat more.. Also apparently, the definition of raw refers to more than just temperature.
Anyhow, felt a little odd for most of today. I'm starting to wonder if I really don't have the enzymes necessary to digest a 100% raw diet. I guess we'll know more later.
Saturday, October 3, 2009
Day 3 October 3rd 9:21 PM
Food Eaten: Apples, almonds, cashew 'cheese' plate, raw lasagna
Quality of life: nutrient bliss out
Activity level: Walked around the sea wall
Estimated Raw Food Percentage: 100%
I feel like maybe that should be 98, I finished Heather's salad at the restaurant we were at and the dressing might've been cooked, who knows? I'm developing a fairly intense paranoia about that, since I didn't do enough research to figure out what I can and can't eat in every situation. For example, raw cookie dough? It does say raw right there.
That ignorance is limiting my options for food right now, unfamiliarity with raw ingredients and methods makes me kind of uncomfortable with improvising, which is mainly how I tend to cook. Though the fact I don't really cook either isn't helping my confidence. I don't really know what I can use, and in what manner. I spent an embarrassingly long time last night staring at a bag of cashews trying to figure out if the salt on them was itself a problem or was a sign of other kinds of processing and cooking. A man should not live in fear of cashews, be they roasted or not.
But after watching me eat almost exclusively almonds for most of today, Heather suggested we try an actual raw food restaurant and eat food prepared by people who know how to make it.
Were I king I would give every single person working at the Radha eatery a medal. After eating an unreasonable quantity of almonds all day getting to sit in a restaurant and eat a real meal, a full plate of raw food that wasn't just a pile of lettuce, was a massive relief. It actually made this whole plan feel a lot more reasonable and possible. Also, raw lasagna, Christ it was like eating ten salads at once. Its currently sitting in my stomach like the monolith from 2001, teaching and training my body, moving my digestive enzymes and cells into a higher state of being.
I really have to start preparing real meals for myself instead of living off of snacks and ruffage. I feel this good after lasagna, I might have actually transcended existence into a being of pure energy if we'd gotten the raw cheese cake dessert. This is a much better way of living than staring at the nuts in the bulk food section of Safeway, confounded by the various ways a person could mean raw.
Which is going to mean recipes and trial and error until I get the hang of things. Hopefully I'll get to the point I feel as comfortable making a raw dish as I would making pasta or stir-fry; Be able to grab a random pile of vegetables and some sort of sauce and know that there will be edible and tasty food after I'm done with it.
Quality of life: nutrient bliss out
Activity level: Walked around the sea wall
Estimated Raw Food Percentage: 100%
I feel like maybe that should be 98, I finished Heather's salad at the restaurant we were at and the dressing might've been cooked, who knows? I'm developing a fairly intense paranoia about that, since I didn't do enough research to figure out what I can and can't eat in every situation. For example, raw cookie dough? It does say raw right there.
That ignorance is limiting my options for food right now, unfamiliarity with raw ingredients and methods makes me kind of uncomfortable with improvising, which is mainly how I tend to cook. Though the fact I don't really cook either isn't helping my confidence. I don't really know what I can use, and in what manner. I spent an embarrassingly long time last night staring at a bag of cashews trying to figure out if the salt on them was itself a problem or was a sign of other kinds of processing and cooking. A man should not live in fear of cashews, be they roasted or not.
But after watching me eat almost exclusively almonds for most of today, Heather suggested we try an actual raw food restaurant and eat food prepared by people who know how to make it.
Were I king I would give every single person working at the Radha eatery a medal. After eating an unreasonable quantity of almonds all day getting to sit in a restaurant and eat a real meal, a full plate of raw food that wasn't just a pile of lettuce, was a massive relief. It actually made this whole plan feel a lot more reasonable and possible. Also, raw lasagna, Christ it was like eating ten salads at once. Its currently sitting in my stomach like the monolith from 2001, teaching and training my body, moving my digestive enzymes and cells into a higher state of being.
I really have to start preparing real meals for myself instead of living off of snacks and ruffage. I feel this good after lasagna, I might have actually transcended existence into a being of pure energy if we'd gotten the raw cheese cake dessert. This is a much better way of living than staring at the nuts in the bulk food section of Safeway, confounded by the various ways a person could mean raw.
Which is going to mean recipes and trial and error until I get the hang of things. Hopefully I'll get to the point I feel as comfortable making a raw dish as I would making pasta or stir-fry; Be able to grab a random pile of vegetables and some sort of sauce and know that there will be edible and tasty food after I'm done with it.
Friday, October 2, 2009
Day 2 October 2nd 2:23 PM
Food Eaten: Avocado, portobello mushroom, apples and bananas.
Quality of Life: Capable of cautious optimism
Activity level: Walked to the chair from the bed
Estimated raw food percentage: 100%
So I'm willing to admit I should've done more research. Or at least bought some food in advance.
Last night while falling asleep I realized I wanted potatoes and pasta more than anything in the world. Now, I'm a reasonably intelligent person, and I vaguely remember that starch and complex carbohydrates come from such things. But where could I get such things if they were raw?
You kind of can't, near as I could tell. I mean, you can eat raw potato, its just not highly recommended. It tastes like crap and your body has a devil of a time digesting it. Which sort of goes against the whole "Raw food is instantly useful to your body" thing. Though grains help. So thats on the grocery list for today, or whenever I get around to it.
I also found a bunch of people arguing for only fruits and vegetables. The premise was that while fruit looks very appetizing and feels natural, grains do not. I can see where they're coming from, after all, agrarian culture was probably something of a shock to the digestive system. But that was millennia ago.
Anyhow, the upshot seems to be that with enough simple carbohydrates from fruit your body will slowly learn not to be dependent on complex ones. I'm sure there's a downside here. Probably a lot of them actually. Anyhow, more research is needed...
As a side note while I read wikipedia to try and remind myself what complex carbohydrates are, nothing for me is more irritating than slogging through some of the more mystically inclined raw food articles. As a general rule of thumb, the minute someone refers to the life force of plants, I am out. Vitalism was rejected so long ago blogger will not accept it as a properly spelled word and I'd rather not encourage its return. While spiritual beliefs and nutrition go hand in hand at times, I've certainly eaten my share of Jesus body and blood, I'd rather this particular month remain secular.
Ah here we go, beans. Beans will provide protein and also give me a change of pace from fruits and vegetables, they also have delicious delicious starch in quantity. Legumes, how could I forget you. Though apparently they'll need to be sprouted, so that's going to be pretty damn exciting.
Anyhow, other things on the grocery list for the next little while, macca root, cloud ear mushroom, fresh flaxseed. Also, making and eating some of these recipes I have. Descriptions and reviews to follow in the next few days, or possibly just whining and a slow spiral into malnutrition.
Quality of Life: Capable of cautious optimism
Activity level: Walked to the chair from the bed
Estimated raw food percentage: 100%
So I'm willing to admit I should've done more research. Or at least bought some food in advance.
Last night while falling asleep I realized I wanted potatoes and pasta more than anything in the world. Now, I'm a reasonably intelligent person, and I vaguely remember that starch and complex carbohydrates come from such things. But where could I get such things if they were raw?
You kind of can't, near as I could tell. I mean, you can eat raw potato, its just not highly recommended. It tastes like crap and your body has a devil of a time digesting it. Which sort of goes against the whole "Raw food is instantly useful to your body" thing. Though grains help. So thats on the grocery list for today, or whenever I get around to it.
I also found a bunch of people arguing for only fruits and vegetables. The premise was that while fruit looks very appetizing and feels natural, grains do not. I can see where they're coming from, after all, agrarian culture was probably something of a shock to the digestive system. But that was millennia ago.
Anyhow, the upshot seems to be that with enough simple carbohydrates from fruit your body will slowly learn not to be dependent on complex ones. I'm sure there's a downside here. Probably a lot of them actually. Anyhow, more research is needed...
As a side note while I read wikipedia to try and remind myself what complex carbohydrates are, nothing for me is more irritating than slogging through some of the more mystically inclined raw food articles. As a general rule of thumb, the minute someone refers to the life force of plants, I am out. Vitalism was rejected so long ago blogger will not accept it as a properly spelled word and I'd rather not encourage its return. While spiritual beliefs and nutrition go hand in hand at times, I've certainly eaten my share of Jesus body and blood, I'd rather this particular month remain secular.
Ah here we go, beans. Beans will provide protein and also give me a change of pace from fruits and vegetables, they also have delicious delicious starch in quantity. Legumes, how could I forget you. Though apparently they'll need to be sprouted, so that's going to be pretty damn exciting.
Anyhow, other things on the grocery list for the next little while, macca root, cloud ear mushroom, fresh flaxseed. Also, making and eating some of these recipes I have. Descriptions and reviews to follow in the next few days, or possibly just whining and a slow spiral into malnutrition.
Day 1 October 1st 1:25 PM
Food eaten: most of a mediterranean salad
Quality of life: Vaguely nauseous, headache with growing strength, short tempered.
Activity level: Prisoner of gravity
Estimated Raw Food Percentage: 95%
I suppose this'll have to be the month of as close to raw 100% raw as I can manage. I mean, this is important to me and all, but there's limitations to what's possible.
Anyhow, basically I'm just going to have to accept that in the occasional events where I can't avoid going out to eat I'll have to be mostly raw with an allowance for slight discrepancies. Which will mean a lot of avoiding going out to eat. Still not entirely sure how to handle thanksgiving. Lots of salad?
My last meal yesterday was a whole bunch of pitchers of beer, some tequila, a lamb burger and a cigarette. At midnight I switched to water and envy. The lamb burger was pretty unsatisfying. The cigarette was 100 shades of awesome but probably put me back a few days on the chemical withdrawal. I don't really know how that works actually. I believe this calls for research.
Wikipedia's entry for nicotine withdrawal is fairly... stark. Suddenly reducing or stopping nicotine intake "...can lead to the person becoming irritable; craving cigarettes and suffering from intense headaches" which is accurate, but doesn't give me much new information.
Let's try to find something a little more, technical. huh, the Wikipedia on nicotine itself is fascinating. Apparently there are theories that the 75-90% of schizophrenics who smoke do so as an attempt at self medication and that some aspects of the nicotine compound could help in the reduction of symptoms. No formal studies have been done. It doesn't sound like this is the most promising lead toward a breakthrough in schizophrenia treatment.
Anyway, tomorrow less hangover more raw food! YAAAAAAAAAAAY!
Having a cold and getting drunk the night before starting this wasn't the best idea, but so far its working out pretty well. I'm definitely not hungry and I didn't even finish the salad thingy I got at white spot. Though it was irritatingly not 100%, so technically I've already failed. Woooo.
Sadly the raw food restaurant was a little further away than I could make it and I had promised my mom I'd meet her for lunch. Kind of pisses me off though. I guess if it really keeps bothering me I can go an extra day into November, but still. Aw well, what's a little feta.
Sadly the raw food restaurant was a little further away than I could make it and I had promised my mom I'd meet her for lunch. Kind of pisses me off though. I guess if it really keeps bothering me I can go an extra day into November, but still. Aw well, what's a little feta.
I suppose this'll have to be the month of as close to raw 100% raw as I can manage. I mean, this is important to me and all, but there's limitations to what's possible.
Anyhow, basically I'm just going to have to accept that in the occasional events where I can't avoid going out to eat I'll have to be mostly raw with an allowance for slight discrepancies. Which will mean a lot of avoiding going out to eat. Still not entirely sure how to handle thanksgiving. Lots of salad?
My last meal yesterday was a whole bunch of pitchers of beer, some tequila, a lamb burger and a cigarette. At midnight I switched to water and envy. The lamb burger was pretty unsatisfying. The cigarette was 100 shades of awesome but probably put me back a few days on the chemical withdrawal. I don't really know how that works actually. I believe this calls for research.
Wikipedia's entry for nicotine withdrawal is fairly... stark. Suddenly reducing or stopping nicotine intake "...can lead to the person becoming irritable; craving cigarettes and suffering from intense headaches" which is accurate, but doesn't give me much new information.
And the rest of the internet seems to generally be interested in reminding me that quitting is hard, but I can do it...ah this is nice, "I can assure you, along with thousands of happy former smokers, that if you follow the right strategies and make the small sacrifices to get over the physical dependence of nicotine, you'll think all your birthdays have come at once." http://www.quitguide.com/nicotine-withdrawal.html so that's something to look forward to. I wonder how many unhappy former smokers there are. Well, not counting the dead ones.
Let's try to find something a little more, technical. huh, the Wikipedia on nicotine itself is fascinating. Apparently there are theories that the 75-90% of schizophrenics who smoke do so as an attempt at self medication and that some aspects of the nicotine compound could help in the reduction of symptoms. No formal studies have been done. It doesn't sound like this is the most promising lead toward a breakthrough in schizophrenia treatment.
Anyway, tomorrow less hangover more raw food! YAAAAAAAAAAAY!
Day 0 September 30th 2:14 PM
*Log started before I got the blog, so this and the next post will be catch ups.
Food eaten: none
Food eaten: none
Quality of life: acceptable
activity level: somnambulist
My name is Liam, this is the record of the month where I will not eat anything cooked. In preparation for this I stopped smoking and drinking coffee 10 days ago. I feel alright with that except for the fact I'm having trouble sleeping normal hours and I'm more irritable. I understand this is actually a lot better than I had any right to expect. The only real mental side effect I'm having trouble with is a preponderance of getting fixated on things. Basically an inability to ignore annoying things.
Anyhow, this is my last day of eating cooked food, I'm having a drink after work and probably a burger or some nachos and then at midnight the switch over begins.
I was supposed to do a bunch of research and get recipes all ready to go for tommorrow but I kept putting it off. As a result I'm doing this in october and not september. Which is kind of dumb as I'm going to mess up thanksgiving (sorry mom) and halloween (sorry everybody else).
Anyway, I don't really have recipes ready to go, but I have read at least 1 book(The Thrive Diet) on the subject and skimmed a few more(stood in chapters and laughed at photos of hippies). Honestly, its not like I put that much thought into how much cooked food I ate either. Near as I can tell the whole thing boils down to, "You need x, y, and z to live, these are raw food sources of x, y, and z. Please consume them in appropriate ratios and amounts."
So, thats the plan essentially. Starting tommorrow, get vegetables and fruits and nuts. Prepare them in fascinating ways that don't involve heating. Put them in my mouth. Chew.
It has been pointed out to me that the combination of my lack of self-discipline and demonstrated inability to plan ahead will make this month excruciatingly difficult, and most likely unsuccessful. Others have pointed out that any gains in health I make in the next month will be obliterated by my return to an unhealthy life style in november. One person postulated a theory that after years of processed food my body may no longer possess the ability to digest a 100% raw diet. Most however most seem content to simply enjoy the fact that they can eat delicious cooked food and I cannot.
Hopefully this log will answer all of these questions in the coming month and entertain readers whether they're motivated by curiosity, the desire to encourage or schadenfreude.
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