I need to change my bad eating habits... will you give me a clue?

In a message dated 1/23/06 7:03:24 PM, J writes:

Hi Rhio, my name is J, I am a sixty year old african american female and I need to change my bad eating habits. When I was in my twenties I was a vegetarian, I allowed my ex husband to talk me into eating meat. My skin color changed and I have more asthma attacks, Bronchitis, arthritis in my joints and spine and over weight by 135 lbs. over these 60 years.

I tried going raw once before but giving myself an enema was not easy and trying to buy organic in the black community is not an easy task I would have to travel many miles and carry heavy bags on public transportation and I would not dream of going raw, vegetarian, or vegan without organic.

This is my question; Should I fast first, become a vegetarian, go straight to vegan or a combination of all. I really want to give up meat. I am tired of it but, because I gave up cigarettes 15 years ago I picked up bad eating habits. I eat too many sweets and overinduldge in eating, probably a lack of male love.

I am bored and I believe I use food as a substitute for many things. I am a Buddhist and chant twice a day and I have figured this much out through chanting, I found you hotline conversation with Naz and others and now I am personally confused. Should I do all three until my body has rejuvinated itself. What do you think? Will you give me a clue?

Thank You,

Dear J,

Wow, that's quite a list you've got there! I'll do my best to undo the confusion.

First, I want to let you know that I am not a practitioner of any kind so please accept the following only as an exchange of information and ideas.

It's great that the chanting was able to open your mind enough so that you are committed to making some changes.

I believe that since you've waited so long to get back to your original preference (you were a vegetarian in your twenties) that it might be best now to take it step-by-step, so as not to overwhelm yourself.

1) First, if I were you, I would eliminate the meat altogether and increase the amount of raw vegetables that you eat. Have a pint of fresh juice for breakfast and 1/2 hour later some fresh fruit or fruit blended with some soaked oats or buckwheat and dates or raisins. Have a raw salad for lunch and a raw salad with dinner. I would continue to eat a little cooked whole food. Meat is an addiction, so it might take some doing to shake it. If you eat a little cooked food, such as at your evening meal, you may not feel like you are giving up too much at one time. Do this for approx. 1 to 2 months.

2) Next phase. Drop the cooked food for dinner and replace it with a prepared raw food dish, even if it is a fancy dish with nuts or a pate made with nuts and vegetables or raw pizza or any of the more fancy raw food dishes. Make sure what you make is tasty to you. It has to be tasty because now that you've given up the meat, you are in the second phase of giving up the cooked food and you want to make sure the raw food that you eat for dinner is going to be satisfying. Also, have with that dinner some dehydrated crackers. Plan ahead and make sure you are satisfied. This is a good time to experiment with raw recipes to find the ones that taste good to you.

3) Phase three will just happen naturally. It may take one year or five, but eventually your own body will be telling you to simplify your diet. You don't have to push this. It will just unfold naturally. Sometimes you will want the more fancy prepared raw food, and other times you will be happy and satisfied with the simpler fare. Either way, it's all good.

While buying organic is best, if you can't get all your items organic, don't fret. I don't think anyone can. We just do the best we can. You said you did not want to become a raw vegan or vegetarian without going organic too. I want to clarify one thing, eating conventional produce raw is still better than eating conventional produce cooked. You see the cooking does not destroy the pesticides or other chemicals in the produce. By consuming it raw you would be getting whatever nutrients, antioxidants, etc. are in there in their optimal form.

Another clarification, going raw doesn't necessarily mean you have to give yourself an enema. You may want to give yourself a few enemas or go get some colonics but it's not absolutely necessary to make the switchover. So again, on this point, I would go through phase 1 first and get through that before I think about enemas or colonics. Step-by-step - take it nice and easy... cause it'll be hard enough.

You say you are bored and use food to substitute for a lot of things that could be in your life. I have a suggestion. During this time that you are devoting to the switchover, find someone to help... like perhaps a relative's child or a child from an orphanage or somebody to help in some way. That will get your mind off yourself and this great effort you are making and onto someone else that might benefit greatly from your attention. I guarantee that it will be very rewarding.

A program such as I've outlined, with some personal tweaking to allow for individualities, will bring anyone to their natural state of vibrant health. All dis-eases fall away with the return of an alkaline body.

Wishing you awesome health and the best of everything good.

With blessings,

Rhio

Jan. 30, 2006

Dear Rhio, thank you so much for the encouraging words, your suggestions to take my time and not worry if I can not get organic makes mountains of sense. I would rather go vegetarian by changing my eating habits than worry about not having organic foods. Thanks for that.

Too many African Americans have the worst diets and I wish I could help everyone after I help myself.

Case in point; A young lady in my office has Lupus, Arthritis, cataracts and Diabetes and a few other diseases. We have been asking her to eat more salads with raw vegetables in it. Half the time she can not eat or sleep. Would you believe the doctors have her on eight different types of medication, twice a day? I feel really bad for her, we need someone to give us lessons in nutrition, not mainstream lessons, (the food pyramid) but like the lesson you have given me. Maybe in another lifetime.

I really appreciate your advice and I am beginning today!
Once Again, thank you

Dear J,

You will help that young lady in your office just by helping yourself. When she sees how much better you look and feel and when she feels your renewed zest for life and boundless energy, she will want to follow your example. That's the best way I've found to teach, by being the personification of what is possible.

I'm holding a dazzling good thought for your rejuvenation. Please let me know how it goes down the road.

With blessings and peace,

Rhio

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