so raw, you might need ointment

Monday was the first day of the thirty-days mostly raw diet. The "mostly" is because I am still drinking coffee. I admit it, I am quite the java-junking, the coffee-craver and the caffeine-consumer. I also do not want to get one heck of a wicked withdrawal headache but, honestly, that is just an excuse to not stop imbibing my liquid vice. Other than that, the diet has been raw, raw, raw.

The tangible plan began over the weekend. We put together a tentative week long menu and from that I extrapolated a shopping list. Now having just moved, we did not have much of anything in the pantry. This was a major shopping voyage.

First stop, Cornucopia in Sayville, NY. I had not been to this little gem of a health food store in about five and a half years, but it is still how I remembered: small business, friendly feel with mostly exorbitant prices. Where else are you going to get some of the raw essentials, especially when we were not plugged in to order things online? Exactly!

Next, we headed over to Costco, to stock up on some bulk items and fresh produce. It is much cheaper to buy nuts there than the food store. Of course, you have to read labels to make sure they are raw and not roasted, toasted or otherwise heated. I think this is the first time that I only made purchases that were actually on my list. Go, me!

Last stop of the day, good, old fashioned Long Island food store. Dang! They were out of lemons and we did get screwed on the price of some nori sheets...that were toasted, incidentally. (Okay, so coffee and 5 nori sheets were not raw....we'll live.)

Back at the apartment (which still is not fully in order) we unloaded and put away all our yummy treasures. I took a moment to admire the beautiful aesthetics of the produce, nuts and spices on the kitchen island. At that point, my excitement was almost tangible.

As for the meals, let me just tell you, I have never experienced such a wonderfully full flavor experience. There have been a couple of "okay-but-we-need-to-tweak-this-if-we-are-going-to-make-it-again" recipes, but most of the recipes have been amazing and delicious beyond belief. Seriously some of the best tasting food I have ever eaten. Even after only five days, I have come to notice some changes in myself, physically and mentally.

Here are some of my observations:
I truly look forward to eating and am not obsessing about it. It is more of a pleasure rather than a glutenous activity trying to satiate some form of emptiness.

Live foods, especially in the right combination, taste amazingly dynamic. I feel good after I eat; I am full and energetic rather than stuffed and lethargic.

My body, mind and soul are satisfied, actually satisfied, and content, very content. I can not explain how eating this way feels in it's totality; it is just something that needs to be experienced.

I feel light. This, too, is difficult to explain. I know I have not lost in the way of weight since it has only been five days (well, actually, I do not know that since the battery is not back in the scale yet. Just an assumption.) but I feel lighter, my clothes fit better, I do not feel bloated or uncomfortable by any means.

Even with the dry, chilled air, my dry skin is not so dry anymore. I suppose the higher amounts of healthier fats, notably the EFAs, must be helping.

My energy level is not spiking or dropping. I am not even getting the post-lunch, mid-afternoon sleepies....even at a boring job.

When I am hungry, I eat. There is no guilt or worry about what I am putting in my body. Everything, even the occasional indulgent snacks, are incredibly healthful and full of nutrients.

When I am full, I stop. It is amazing how quickly I feel full. I am sure the higher fiber content contributes to this. I also feel like my body is not wanting more and more in order to try and obtain the vitamins and minerals it needs when I have filled up on empty calories.

(Baja Cheeze Burrito w/Taco Nut Meat and Red Pepper Corn Salsa)

People react oddly when you rack out a spread of non-typical foodstuff and they sometimes project their own discomfort onto you. For example, Greg and I were eating our lunch when one of our co-workers had to keep commenting about the fact that we were eating "cabbage an' stuff". She continued saying, (insert bad cliche' New Yawk ack-scent here) "You's are makin me feel guilty 'bout eatin' mah lunch wit you eatin dat healthy stuff in heya. I feel like a chubba, me an mah chubby belly."

My list to Santa is going to have some kitchen gadgets on it.

I have not craved any cooked food or junk food.

I have had three dreams about working for three different courier services including FedEx, UPS and the United Postal Service. However, I have my doubts that it has anything to do with eating a raw foods diet.

That is all for now. Thanks for reading. I am going to go to bed and dream about DHL.