Preparing for Raw in 2008

Recently I have been hanging out at Give It To Me Raw, a new social network that all of you who are interested in raw health should check out. It's chock full of positive energy and wisdom, and it has been an uplifting experience for me to post there. I've had a lot of fun there sharing my experiences, getting to know people, and reading responses to my posts and questions. I recently posted about my plans for 2008:

It's been so wonderful reading all of the stories and comments people have been posting at GITMR. This community is very open-minded and welcoming, which is a blessing. My raw odyssey has been an interesting one, but thanks to the internet, it doesn't feel so strange anymore, as I see that many people have jumped on and off the raw wagon, tried different percentages of raw vs. cooked foods, and tested various permutations of a raw diet. I think most of us have concluded that there is no one raw diet for an entire population of people, and that finding the right version is a personal journey.

My own journey began as 100% raw in January of 2006, and progressed to partially raw,then totally SAD, vegetarian, SAD again... and now I'm ready to get back to eating 100% raw. I've pretty much proved to myself that, for me, an unhealthy diet leads to the following things, either directly or indirectly:

1) Poor complexion (rough, dark patches on my cheeks, acne)
2) Digestion problems (noisy stomach, diarrhea, constipation)
3) Low energy, tiredness
4) Depression
5) Poorer quality of sleep
6) Difficulty focusing and concentrating
7) Back pain
8) Dry, scaly skin
9) Severe cravings for sugary/salty foods, binge eating
10) Increased appetite
11) Rapid weight gain
12) Edema (water retention)
I'm very excited about taking what I've learned in 2006 and 2007 from both my raw diet and my doctor visits, and applying it to my 2008 version of raw. This time I plan to do 5 simple things to rid myself of the above problems:

1) Eat a low carb version of raw
2) Drink green smoothies (daily, when possible)
3) Approach 100% raw, 100% whole foods
4) Don't be hard on myself if I occasionally wander off the path- just find my way back!
5) Monitor my health with my doctor throughout the year

I wish everyone success with your own versions of eating raw, and hope to learn from you throughout the year. Maybe I'll even meet some of you in person!

For those who haven't been to GiveItToMeRaw.com, drop by!! I think you'll like it.