Raw Food Diet Update

A lot has changed in my diet since my last post on the subject. While I haven't been reading a lot, I've been really paying attention to my body and learning from the feedback it gives me. Here is a summary:

• For now, I've decided to not only have raw food in social situations. If I can get it, I will have it, but I don't think it is worth the difficulty to always eat raw.
• In my opinion, eating less food makes me feel a lot more energetic. Also, not eating before I go to bed makes a HUGE, positive difference in how I feel when I wake up. Both of these are easy to test on your own.
  
• I've been needing less sleep. I've been waking up naturally after 6 hours feeling refreshed.
  
• I don't feel particularly more energetic during the day. I was pretty good on being 'high energy' before the diet.
  
• I'm having difficulty with cravings, especially when my girl friend buys ice cream or cooks meals that I know would taste great. Also, there are always five restaurants in view practically no matter where you are in the city. This makes it difficult.
  
• It is hard to stop thinking about food. I'm literally thinking about my next meal before I finish a meal.
  
• Even though I've learned so much about food this summer, I've realized more and more how little I know. As such, It is hard for me to enjoy many foods because I'm always worrying about possible negative effects. I need to relax, which is easier said then done. Especially, when I've been hearing how so many things lead to cancer. Worrying so much probably counteracts a lot of the health benefits I'm looking for.
  
• Changing diet is very difficult (but worth it). I think things like entrepreneurship have been easier for me!!

When all is said in done, I'm going to keep exploring reading books on a variety of subjects related to health. I look forward to my class at NYU on health and nutrition.

Related to health, I had an interesting conversation with my mom today about death. We were talking about one of my dogs (I love dogs!!!), which is already 7 years old, which I guess means she's in her fifties. We got Ginger (that's her name) when I was in 9th grade and my other dog, who I had grown up with, was hit by a car. To me, the curse of owning dogs is that you know you will have to watch it die even if you get it when it is a puppy. Would the curse of having super-health, be knowing that you would have to watch everybody you were once close with die?

Posted at August 30, 2003 01:54 AM