Raw food… all the rage? A passing fad? Another Hollywood trend? Is a raw food diet truly sustainable? With the guidance, tips and reinforcement from this book I feel more confident taking steps to integrate more raw meals into my diet.
First things first – what is raw and what is not? Raw foods are: Whole fruits, dried fruits (without sugar); Whole veggies; Nuts; Raw goat cheese; Raw honey; Healthy fats, like avocados and almond butter. Natalia also includes foods to make life tast-ier while you’re “transitioning” (which is why I like her version of raw!) and includes the following in her diet plan: Whole grain pasta; Pure maple syrup; Chocolate; Fish; Organic meats; ANDDDD Organic BUTTER!
True raw foodies have transitioned away from the foods listed above. For those of us simply trying to clean up our diet, it’s a great starting place. The “take away point” for the meats… know the sources if you can or buy from a trusted seller. Natalia encourages you to learn how to love what you eat, eat well and allow food to help you have optimal health. Constantly making ourselves a better version of ourselves one day at a time, right? The book has five sections… brief, brief overview of each section is outlined below.
Part 1: RFDD 101
The bulk of the book… How raw food diets “work”; giving your kitchen/shopping a make-over; when to eat what during the day (quick-exit combos, per Ms. Rose); her magic green juice (join other green juicer/smoothie fiends here!); “waste management” (what it sounds like!); and… drumroll… determining your stage in taking the raw diet plunge.
Part 2: Gimme Your Digit
Once you’ve determined your diet number stage, 1-5, with 5 being a “raw food newbie” and 1 being “raw-food rockstar”, you create your menus with the guides entailed in the back of the book. Natalia gives recommendations for keeping momentum and building through the stages toward your goal.
Part 3: Un-Cooking
Cleaning, chopping and prep work are a large part of “cooking” from my point of view. Cooking is more than firing up the over or stove, especially when it comes to making raw meals. Her recipes present new and fun challenges for your diet. Road-tested: Sprouted-Grain Portobello Mushroom Fajitas and Pad Thai. YUM!
Part 4: Is Raw Realistic?
Applying raw in real life… this is invaluable. How to handle dining out situations, work – things that seem very common sense but I appreciate having someone with the knowledge and confidence giving me a little extra push in the right direction.
Part 5: You Can Do It!
Raw Revelations - affirmations and assurances on how to do this and how to do it well. Don’t try to cheat your body when it is adjusting. Read the book through before deciding if it is for you. The last part will either convince you to go forward or that this is not for you.
RFDD a great resource and guide if you’re serious about cleaning up your diet. One of the better “diet” books on the market. Find it on Amazon. WELL-Rating: 3.5/5 stars! This is a LOT of change to make at once and even with the “steps” there are a number of purchases that she asks you to make early on in the processes. It also feels a little like a lecture at times, where other authors try to make the transition more playful and fun.
This is a fab review! A helpful picture of the ups and downs. I’ve wanted to take the plunge and try the book for a while, but I’ll probably wait until I have more time, like an hour to devote to juicing every day. I also love it when books engage, instead of lecture!
Thanks, Caroline! As a working woman managing a coaching/blog business on the side + all the other stuff in life, I felt a little isolated by RFDD. I think it’s great for exposure to food combining (here’s an awesome primer from My New Roots: http://bit.ly/HWCQ1v) and the recipes are tasty. RFDD is not a diet for people on a tight budget, btw. It’s been a couple of years since I’ve read it. Maybe a little re-read is in order soon. :)