~Attempting to Stay Raw While Visiting Carnivorous relatives~

Don't get me wrong! I love my family, &, aside from a cold goin' from one of us to the other, & a rock hard bed, (Until I finally dragged a foamie out to put on top) & not enough sleep, it's been a great visit!
But holy canolies, Batman, it's been sooooo hard to stay vegan, let alone raw, when there's meat at almost every meal, & lotsa yummy stuff I used to eat surrounding me, tempting me with smells, sights, when serving it to others, doing the dishes, clearing the table...yummy, good quality stuff I used to love to eat!
So I must confess, my dear readers, that I have not been 100% raw sinse arriving...not even 1 full day...close, on some days, not so close on others...they are planning a big Thanksgiving feast tomorrow, & that's it, it'll be my 'last supper', the 'Famous Final Feast" (rather than Bob Seger's old, "Famous Final Scene") & then I'm running back into the arms of raw, never to wander down this crazy twisting turning road of compromise again!

Would you like to know what not even 2 weeks of cooked food has done to me?

~Not sleeping well at all! Due to all-over FM pain back pretty much fully-force, digestion issues, weird dreams, {& a headache going on 3 days now that definately feels chemical-induced!}

~Carpal tunnel syndrome in BOTH wrists acting up big time, as well as old arthritic pains in my knuckles, joints & especially my hips. {Walking, & climbing the stairs has become very slow & painful, almost like I weigh what I used to again! Not eager to get home & weigh in....have been stretching & doing some walking & stuff, but not near enough!}

~Very low energy, moodier, tired all day, grumpy, reactive, with lots more brain fog!

~ Sinus congestion, fighting off a cold, Hannah got a pretty bad one, whereas when raw, or high raw, she's been able to be around sick kids & not get sick at all!

~Skin is dry, itchy, & my rash on my scalp that was almost healed is back full force!

Constipated (TMI, I know!) & forgetting to drink enough water, seem to have lost my sense of thirst! (Been getting back pains, like my kidney's are being affected again, so am forcing myself to carry it around with me again so I can sip on it thru the day....)

~& here's a fun one! My morning breath AND pits STINK again!!! (not to mention my poops! Did ya notice that when you're raw, ya don't stink up the bathroom!?!?!)

On the other hand, I have been making smoothies & either a big salad, or veggies & dip almost daily, & snacking on fruit as much as possible...it's hard when we're out running around, a few times, I've brought enough food for me, but all the kids are hungry, (my sis has 3, & Hannah) so I end up sharing, then not getting enough calories in, then losing my willpower as the day progresses, then eating cooked, junk, at places where there ARE no healthy choices! & Often, we've gotten home STARVING & just eating the quick meal that's been thrown together!
I've also made a big blender of smoothie numerous times, & often the kids want to drink it all with me, so I'm getting a cup, maybe 2, rather than a blenderful, as I usually do...(Which is wonderful ,I want them to eat more produce! But then I don't get enough, & rather than doing all involved in making another one (especially with my carpal tunnel syndrome acting up!) I just eat something else....but the smoothies help stop cravings, & are so nourishing, it's soooooooo much harder to resist temptation without starting my day with them!
...but with all that's going on, I'm not doing too bad, & I refuse to get all down on myself for allowing myself to go down this carnivorous road again.... rather than made me want the old, unhealthy foods I once lived off of even more, I'm very eager to get back on track, & it's somehow renewed my commitment, & shown me once again the incredible healing power of the body God's given us when fueled with the things he created for food...
...& above all else, it's given me such an appreciation for what eating raw has done for my health! I can't believe how, after just over a week of allowing things in my diet I haven't eaten in many months, so many of my health problems have returned! An excellent object lesson...one I'm eager to never repeat again!
& the biggest thing I've learned is how much easier it is to stay raw when you're not constantly surrounded by cooked food!
I'm sorry if I've seemed glib in acting like it's easy...I mean, once I made up my mind to just do it, I was able to do it, with very little struggling...but I had Hannah's support, & until she went raw with me, if she wanted something non-raw, she made it herself, so I wasn't tempted to break raw...
...here, I'm constantly surrounded by temptation....harder to handle when I'm over-tired, in pain, & not always having access to what I'm used to that has helped me stay raw. Please know I have a LOT more compassion on those committed to raw while surrounded by cooked!!!
Anyways, the moral of the story is RAW IS BEST!!! & I can't wait to get home & get stronger in it, so the next time we visit, I will STAY 100% raw!!! No matter what!!!
When we get back, a few days later, we're heading to Vancouver, & we get to go visit "Gorilla Foods" our first raw cafe! We're only going for 6 or 7 days, so I'm determined to stay 100%! In fact, after tomorrow's dinner I'm back to 100%, as well as some much-needed detox!!!
STAY raw!
It's SOOOOO NOT worth breaking it,
no matter the circumstances!!!!
(I wish I'd come re-read September 12th's Blog entry before coming here!)