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From:	kris (mail.starfishmedical.com)
Subject:	Re: Have any of you gone from a 100% raw diet back to Fuhrman?
Date:	March 10, 2006 at 12:04 pm PST

In Reply to: Have any of you gone from a 100% raw diet back to Fuhrman? posted by vegmommy on March 8, 2006 at 1:53 pm:

I'm currently doing exactly that -- going back to Furhman's method from 100% raw. Truthfully, I found a raw diet interesting and exciting, but extremely difficult to maintain for the following reasons:

1. Without the "dense" feeling of cooked foods, I always ended up going for too many nuts and fats.

2. In social situations, such as a dinner party or going out with friends, it's very difficult to be "raw." I always felt like it put the attention on me and how I eat, rather than on the occasion. I didn't like my food preferences being the center of attention, and I also hated the frustration of being able to order literally nothing off the menu -- not even simple steamed veggies.

3. I found that, in order to not feel deprived on raw, I had to constantly make expensive, time-consuming, and fatty recipes. Not wanting to spend SO much time and money on such fatty food, I'd often try to eat more simply, as in plain fruits and veg, but would often crave things like plain baked yams or sweet potatoes. Rather than just eating these things, I'd try to avoid them, but the feeling of deprivation I experienced from such a regimented food program made me occasionally go nuts and eat an entire bag of potato chips or something awful that I don't even enjoy, simply because I needed to feel less shackled, for lack of a better word.

4. Although I did see some improvements while on raw, weight loss was not one of them. I think my need to feel full and overdo fats was the problem here.

Overall, though I like the IDEA of a raw foods diet, I don't think it's sustainable for me in the long term. Dr. Fuhrman's plan is primarily raw anyway, but allows me enough flexibility to go out with friends and not draw attention, occasionally eat some of my favorite foods like yams and soups, and feels quite easy and sustainable to me.

I do have to say, though, that in transitioning back to some cooked foods, I'm having a heck of a time digesting them! I'm sure it will get better with time.

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