Mediterranean Goes Raw

 Let me start by telling you that I have been a vegetarian since I was born.
      Today, I am 49 years of age. I am a painter. You can see some of my work in
this url: http://www.freewebs.com/florap/

        Nine years ago, I came across a small American book with raw food
recipes.
         I tried the recipes; some of them I liked, others not so. But, I was excited
by the idea that I could eat whatever (raw food) I wanted and in any
quantity, without gaining any weight!
         I started looking further into the subject; in some point, I lost contact.
But, four years ago, the idea matured in me. I realized that I had make
some important changes in my diet and lifestyle, if I want to look good and
be healthy.
         I was already 44 years old and I had signs of decadence… the result of
bad diet, lack of exercise and living in an urban environment.
Some of these signs are well known to women of my age group. Problems
before menstruation, headaches, overweight by 13-15 kg, lack of energy
and stamina, hair loss, gingivitis, periodontitis, fear of heights and fear of
cockroaches. After each meal, I suffered from feeling overblown and heavy,
         I had gases and sometimes, bad digestion. I felt depressed and my feelings tended to change quickly, which exhausted me and those around me.    I could not stand the changes of weather nor could I withstand extreme hot or cold temperatures.
          Having read a lot about raw food diet meanwhile, and seeing that
everyone had very positive things to say about it, I decided to give it a try.
When I first tried to live on raw food, I had decided to do it only for a month,
as an experiment. But, after the first two weeks, I was already feeling so
good with the energy filling me, that I realized that something very
important was happening here.
          Changes came one after another, faster than I could realize. First, I started to lose weight, sleep less hours, do a lot more things during the day without being tired, see better, think clearer. My chronic pre-menstruation
headaches were lessened. All this, in the first month. After the 5th month,
my hair became thicker. Headaches disappeared. I forgot about painkillers.
           My sweat no longer smells, so I stopped using deodorants. Mosquitoes
stopped biting me (now that’s a good thing), I stopped being troubled about
them and using repellents. My skin became softer and tighter than it was
15 years ago. My face is clear and shining! All my past problems, including
phobias have disappeared!
           I now have a positive stance in life and emotional stability. I fell 15 years younger. The people I know keep exclaiming:
                      “Unbelievable! How did you change so much?”
           I constantly try new tastes, new recipes (because raw food is much more than oranges and nuts), I eat every day how much I want and whatever
(raw) I want and my belly is… flat! I feel so much joy and energy flowing
through me, that sometimes I can barely keep myself from dancing in the
street! And surprises keep on coming, because everyday brings a positive
change.
           Together with raw food diet, I became a regular in the gym, which has also helped a lot.
           Raw food diet has become a way of life for me, and I enjoy it very much.
It is the best investment I ever made for my physical and psychic health.
                                        A great gift to myself!
           When people hear that I only eat raw food and no milk products, the first question is: “How do you get proteins? Ferum? Calcium? How can
vegetables sustain you?” www.notmilk.com
           But what I have to say is that in my 46th years, I started equitation and
horseback archery, www.horsebackarcherygr.com I go to the gym 6 hours a
week, and I also practice traditional archery. Not in my dreams did I see
these sports before turning to raw food. I only sleep 5 hours a day (instead
of 8-9 hours before) and I am fully active. And I work 50 hours a week.
This is the first period of my life that I do not feel tired and do not complain
about a busy schedule.
            What most people don’t know, is that we can get proteins, ferum and 
calcium from nuts, vegetables and fruits. Without fruits and vegetables,
there would be no life on earth, no animals and no humans!
But the current way of life makes most people “fall asleep”; so, they eat
whatever is given to them, without judgment, without objection and
without conscience.
            We live in an era of desire and profit and both of them are cut off from
nature!
           When we think that something is tasty, we go ahead and eat it, without
considering if this taste is the result of chemical procedures incompatible
with our organism, that are designed not to feed us but to make us
addicted, in order to maximize some people’s profit.
           If we want quality of life restored, then we must become conscious
consumers.
           Another important element is that veganism (consumption of fruits and
vegetables and abstinence from milk products) does not weaken the
organism, but, on the contrary, shields it from diseases!
           There are numerous vegan athletes and champions in dynamic sports
such as biking, swimming, running,  triathlon,  bodybuilding, dancing
etc.         
           When interviewed, they claim that their sporting life and health were
greatly enhanced thanks to the vegan diet.
          Their personal testimonies can be found everywhere on the internet. Here are some relative links.

www.brendanbrazier.com

www.organicathlete.org

www.rawfoodlife.com

www.veganbodybuilding.com