Hi Raw Foodists!

My name is Tiffany, I am 30 years old and I have untreated Ulcerative Colitis. I would love to begin eating clean and natural, and for the most part I do but the transition to raw has been daunting.

Some key life facts that affect eating habits are these:

I have 4 children aging from 14 to 3.
I work 3 jobs.
I am in school 1/2 time during the evenings and am adding another college in, in March.
I teach Yoga and Cycling classes so I'm really active and tend to catch a cold every other month because of the pace I move at with Ulcerative Colitis and a fair diet. I need to be stellar with food if I'm going to heal and move at the pace I want to move at.
Time is tight! How can I be healthy with time constraints?

My challenges -

1.) I have children that are at their Dad's half the time and by me the other half. Their father is not a believer in raw or vegan foods and I don't have control over what the kids eat there, making the idea of transitioning my kids to even a partially raw diet, tough. This means that much of the time, I have to make 2 dinners, 2 lunches and 2 breakfasts. One for me, the other them. I think it might be a good idea to have them in the kitchen with me, and I'll start that as soon as I have a meal plan to begin with. Perhaps that will help warm them up to this taste difference.

2.) I find that eating raw is extremely time consuming when it comes to getting in necessary amino acids from fermenting or sprouting foods. Additionally, I haven't found sprouted or fermented foods to taste very good

3.) Food pairings. How should I create rounded meals? Which foods are best paired with others for optimal digestion and health? I think this is a really great place for me to start.

I think some of my issues are misconceptions, that being a part of a supportive community can help me with. (especially the time consuming bit)

I really wish to heal my body and be vital. I'm all ears and eager to learn but treat me like a newbie because I'd like to re learn from the ground up.

Thank you for all your help.

Tiffany, I am totally blown away at what you are managing in terms of time! How can you possibly get enough rest with all that you do!?!!?!!

I am not well familiar with ulcerative colitis, but I have completely eliminated a severe gastroesophageal reflux disease. I began by refusing the pharmacy approach and instead read books on the digestion process itself. I was amazed to learn that the lower digestive tract actually "digested" our food. Before long, I began to think that preservatives in food killed bacteria on the food and in our digestive tract so I eliminated all foods that had preservatives. I no longer was awakened with horrible pain and taste in my mouth for refluxed acid.

My raw food began with Joe Cross' movie "Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead," which led me on 10/28/11 to begin at 205 pounds on a 5 ft 1 in body to lose weight. I began to research diet on the net anticipating a return to eating whole food. I found Dr. Graham's book, "The 80/10/10 Diet" and was completely amazed. However, I was still not sure because of the primary conditioning of the need for animal food sources. But, I reasoned, since I still have about 60 pounds to lose what could I lose trying a diet of low fat! I am so totally amazed at all the benefits of the diet, high energy, normal sleep, lowered pain, continued slow weight loss, a feeling of happiness, and the hope of a longer life without debility.

So, I would say start with reading that book and reading this forum. The book gives sample meals so you don't have to think about what to do, just follow the sample meals. Before I had to take 2 hours of sleep in the afternoon. Now I work all day and sleep a good 8 to 10 hours at night. I have eliminated my last caffeine addiction, which was black tea. I have begun to do more and more physical work.

I believe if you start this way of living, you will find a more focused concentration on what is important to you as well as a diminution of any digestive problems. It is important to get started soon, if not immediately. When I researched gastroesophageal disease and it is probably a similar condition as ulcerative colitis, I found that Barrett's esophagitis was the next evolution, i.e., the erosion of the sphincter that keeps food in the stomach once swallowed with the final result stomach cancer. Your life depends on modifying your food and I believe the ease of digestion with raw fruits and vegetables, particularly organic ones, does a great job toward achieving optimal and permanent health.

Welcome!

There are people who have very positive results with the 80/10/10 lifestyle regarding Ulcerative Colitis. I have met a few and heard of more.

Good news: the diet involved is one of the most simple and easiest preparation-wise I can think of.

Sure, you can make it fancy, but optimally it's quite simple health and effort-wise. The main transitional challenges people have logistically with it are in finding enough fruit that is ripe enough to eat when they need the calories, so it does help to get more than you think you'll need ahead of time just to be sure you're covered until you get the hang of it.

I also find that pre-washing greens and storing them in the fridge ahead of time helps in a busy life too. That way you can do that part when you have the time and energy rather than waiting 'till the end of the day when you might not feel quite up to it.

With children around it can help to have a grazing policy and encourage it by having pre-washed fruits and greens always available for them to just grab as they like throughout the day. It helps that food be the easiest to get and gives it a chance to compete with fast food and junk food items that are just as quick to the eater. This way, perhaps you won't have to do any meals per se if you don't want to. Everyone can just eat what they want when they are hungry. You would have to keep the supply stocked though, hehe.

The lifestyle does not require ferments, sprouting, soaking and the like often used in other raw food programs. In fact, we recommend not to do these things ideally, especially the ferments. Getting in the necessary amino acids turns out to be mostly a factor of getting in enough calories from quality sources of truly whole food, rather than empty calories.

Food combining principles are used in this method in order to prevent pairing foods that are not compatible with each other digestive-wise rather than pairing them to get some sort of nutrient mix. This method actually encourages us to eat as simply as possible, encouraging mono-meals of only one item at a time when hungry 'till full. Greens are added whenever as well. Other veggies are eaten when desired, but not required, as well as nuts and seeds, which should be kept to a minimum so as not to get too many of dietary calories from fat (for optimum health).

You'll find a wealth of information all spelled out in The 80/10/10 Diet as well as many of the other FoodnSport products. You can also find free information and articles in the blog area of this website, the FAQ, the video page and the newsletter archives. You can also sign up to the FoodnSport email mailing list and have information and newsletters delivered to you. This discussion board is a place where you can interact with people online, and going to a FoodnSport event allows you to not only experience the education and activities of the event itself and immerse yourself in the 80/10/10 lifestyle, but also to meet other people in person who are starting out and/or already following this lifestyle.

Enjoy your new journey toward health, happiness and Vitality (to match your ID here)!

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Aloha!

-Janie