Big Change Takes All of You

Lifestyle changes aren't easy.

Wow, now that's an understatement!

When I decided to switch my eating habits to almost entirely raw foods (no, I'm still not ready for 100% all day every day), it was quite a shock. To my body, of course, but more so to my mental and emotional self. Now my body was absolutely grateful to be rid of things like refined sugar and grains, dairy products, and fried or prepackaged foods, but it took a giant mental shift to do so, and that required a good deal of emotional undergirding.

The awe I felt when I would go to a super-sized supermarket and see shelves and shelves and shelves of food products I would never need to purchase again is indescribable. I still sometimes have moments when I shake my head and think, "What are we doing to ourselves?" I couldn't help but feel like an island in an ocean--forget the stream! I mean, look at the immense support there is for the standard American diet! And the money-making potential for retailers of foodstuffs! We're talking billion-dollar industry here. How can it be so bad, really, if everyone is partaking of it?

So even though my mind understands the logic of whole food nutrition, the cultural machine of our society seems to drive us all emotionally to join in and thus fit in. We're busy, so we deserve convenience. We're urban, so we can't possibly all buy food from local farmers. We're busy, so we deserve convenience. Oh wait, I said that already, but honestly I think that's the root of it all. One stop shopping baby...it's the hip, happenin', modern way to be! Keepin' up with the Joneses was never so convenient! =)

All of that is to say that the raw food lifestyle is a departure from the norm that can seem overwhelming and not worth the cost of change. You have to be willing to stand up for yourself, and it's not easy. It is absolutely possible though, and support helps. A lot! The best way to go and stay raw is to connect with others who are also on the same alternative path. To share thoughts, feelings, discoveries, and of course RECIPES! The human experience of eating is all about community, so it's no wonder that very few folks enjoy dining alone. Eating solely to fuel the body does happen from time to time, but eating to fuel a sense of well-being, happiness, and humanity is more often what takes place.

And so I confess that when I am alone, I tend to eat to feed my body. And when I am surrounded by people sharing their lives around plates of cooked food (or when I just want some seafood), I find myself partaking of that food too. But when I'm with people who partake of the same kinds of foods as I do, who are also sharing their humanity and bonding over living food, then I am most pleased to partake of both experiences! Any which way I eat, though, I do just enjoy it.

The point of all of this is to say that a raw food lifestyle isn't built in a day, and it doesn't have to be an impenetrable force against intruders. It can be what you want it to be, and what you need it to be. After all, it's yours and you can do what you like with it. =) If you find yourself starting and stopping, getting frustrated, or worse, feeling guilty if you "cheat," then you need to take a deep breath and give yourself a break. Look at your own emotional ties to food and look for ways to make your eating a positive experience, no matter what happens to be on your plate. Be kind to yourself, physically, mentally, and emotionally because nourishing yourself should not have to be a chore. Bless yourself and give thanks regardless...you'll see it will make a big difference. You should not, I repeat not, feel punished by the way you eat.

On that note, I will say that the biggest mistake a raw food enthusiast can make, and I include myself here, is to come across as judgmental, which can even mean fanatical I think. For myself, I can say that when I get excited about feeling healthy and try to share, what I really feel is concern and care for others, even if it doesn't always come out just right. I didn't know how important whole foods were either until my daughters and I had health issues and I did the research and found some things out for myself. Now with the knowledge I have, which is still far from exhaustive, I merely want to share with others as best I can.

And so that is why I look forward to feeding you well at my little living foods cafe in our humble health food store. And I'm willing to teach some classes. And I'm always available to answer questions. The answers are out there and I encourage anyone reading this to find them out for themselves--however, and whenever, it best suits their needs.

My wish for you is that you feel nourished in body, mind, and spirit. When all three are in alignment, it's like a curtain is lifted and you see the world with new eyes. This is my goal for myself too, and there are days when the curtain is black, and some when it is sheer, and others when I'm blinded by the crystal clear vision of what a life in balance truly looks (and feels) like. I confess it can be very frightening, but also quite exhilarating and satisfying indeed.

A little life in your food goes a long way! Enjoy it!

What's in a name?

Hi Everyone!

Welcome to Nicole's RawCreation online!

First, I thought I would begin at the beginning and tell you a bit about how RawCreation came to be. I came up with the name RawCreation as a play on words in the "raw foodie" style of using raw in other words....like "rawvolution," "rawesome," and "rawks"...in the sense of "that rawks!"

RawCreation is raw + recreation. Being a raw food enthusiast came naturally once I really understood it, and it is something that is fun, and energizing, and really, a passionate hobby for me, so I thought it only made sense that the name should reflect that sense of ease and fun!

Of course, it also means exactly what it says...raw creation. My new eating philosophy revolves around the idea that if we eat food the way it was created, our bodies are so much happier and healthier! I like to think of it as the Garden of Eden style of eating! =)

But this is a fairly new concept for me actually. I began experimenting with a raw foods lifestyle almost exactly one year ago in my search for health and happiness for me, who wanted to lose weight, and for my daughters, who had problems with chronic indigestion.

Now I have always loved food and cooking and also worked in my family's seafood restaurant while I was growing up, but when I started researching raw foods, I fell in love with food all over again! What started as a search for a solution became a hobby, and then a passion.

As my daughters' indigestion disappeared, and I lost weight, and we all started feeling great, it was easy to start talking to people about this wonderful way of eating! And when the opportunity presented itself to share what I did with others, I was so excited!

And so, RawCreation at Grace's was born, and here you are, hopefully to see what's going to be on the menu next so that you can come by and have some "rawesome" food to eat! =)

I'll tell you more about all that I have learned on my raw foods journey in future posts, so check back and see what's new each week!

I look forward to feeding you well!
Nicole