We Like It Raw - Raw Food Goodness

Cecilia Cooked, Cecilia Raw

Say hello to Cecilia Benjumea, a former suffer of multiple alignments, (asthma, depression, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome) who discovered the power of raw foods and turned it all around. Here's Cecilia's story:

As a child I was often sick with upper respiratory infections. At around age seven I was diagnosed with asthma and chronic sinusitis. At around age 10 I was on about 4 different medications for my asthma, 3 different types of inhalers and antihistamine pills. For me it was just a part of life to have asthma attacks and feel like I was suffocating on a daily basis. I didn't let it stop me from doing anything I wanted as long as I had my inhaler with me. I would use my inhalers sometimes up to 14 + times a day. Every time I would use the inhaler I would feel my heart race because of the stimulating affect it had on my system. I just learned to live with it and  never questioned that I could heal it, I just assumed I would have asthma 

Keep reading at rawglow.com

Related

• Cecilia's Raw Food Recipes
• Cecilia's Raw Food Recipe Booklets
• More WLIR before and afters

Felicia's Story: raw after gastric bypass

Wow...this is really powerful stuff! Via Allison & Raw Odyssey:

To: WLIR

I thought I would let you know that yesterday and today’s  posts concern Felicia, a woman who underwent gastric bypass surgery and lost  over 150 lbs but still had to deal with food addictions that caused her to  start regaining weight two years later.  People may find this  interesting, since many tend to see gastric bypass as a panacea or an easy  weight-loss gimmick. Unfortunately, the surgery doesn’t teach you how to deal  with food addictions and compulsive overeating.  Felica turned to a raw food diet last month and is enjoying the benefits - including losing weight  again.

Sincerely,
Allison

• Felicia's Story: Part I
• Felicia's Story: Part II

Dixie Cooked, Dixie Raw

Dixie, a health educator and midife (more than 500 babies over the last 27 years), shares her life changing results, (special thanks to Stephen for the link):

My philosophy is this, “If we look to the earth, the natural flow of our bodies, trust our bodies and learn their language then we will never be lead astray in our own health.”

I believe humans have the knowledge within them to be stewards over their lives and health.  We have forgotten that knowledge.  If we put forth a little effort we can remember it or relearn it.  We have given our power over to many other people, governments and institutions.  We have lost faith in our own ability, our bodies and lives ability to heal.

Mihir's Raw Food Round II.... I'm making a come back!

Hey everyone, this Mihir Kothari from the WLIR Squad and this is my Raw food Round Two post! If you don't want to read the full summary here is the short version.

Short version: I was overweight and sick. I moved in with Dhrumil during my college years and started eating raw. I felt great and transformed my life, but I didn't stick with the rawness. I've since gained back the weight, but I hate it and am ready for change. I'm starting by sharing my story today. Raw Food Round 2!

Full story: During my freshmen year in college (Aug 2001) I was roommates with WLIR editor Dhrumil Purohit. At the start of college I was a non-vegetarian that had many healthy issues that effected me on a daily basis. I was overweight, had acne, terrible asthma and heavy grass allergies. After living like this for years, I was committed to change! It just so happened that my eagerness to change was matched with right knowledge it would take to produce change....thank to my health mentors Nature Love and Dhrumil Purohit.

After one month of living with Dhrumil  my world had been turned upside down. I turned completely Veg-Raw from non-vegetarian at the skip of a beat. 4 Months into my change I had lost around 65 pounds. With this change, my life had finally taken a turn for the better!

I looked good, felt great, and my confidence was sky high! I felt as though I was untouchable. I had become the complete opposite of what I was before. Not only had I lost weight, but I had reversed my asthma, cleared my face and had no grass allergies anymore.

At the start of my sophomore year in college, I moved home and started eating a diet heavy in cooked foods again. Now, 8 months after graduation, I have gained weight again approximately 40 pounds in total since I had lost all the weight initially. Not only have I gained weight, but I break out more often, and my asthma is back.

Todd Cooked, Todd Raw

• More before and after photos from Todd
• Todd's Raw Food Journal

"I posted a picture today that was after 17 months raw and after the "fat-free" month. My body is definitely feeling tighter and I feel more fit. This journey is so interesting in that I am always learning, my body is always adjusting and adapting. My mind also, is always becoming clearer (just when I think its as clear as can be), I am continually reaching higher levels. Its exciting in that I look forward to what the future brings. After 17 months I can definitely say, I am suffering from no deficiencies of minerals or vitamins. No protien issues, no b12 issues, no amino acid issues, no health issues...period. I am 44 years old but I definitely feel like my body is much younger. The 8 miles I run seems like a stroll in the park, especially in these beautiful New England fall days. My family has accepted the raw lifestyle. My little daughter is very careful to eat plenty of raws before she eats cooked as is my youngest son. If they ever feel sick they immediately want to go all raw until they feel better. I never have to say anything. I never forced them or tried to coerce them in anyway. It was simply being an example, a living testimony. My wife is 80-90% raw, my oldest daughter is 100% most of the time. This has been a great blessing to my entire family. By God's grace I want to stay raw for life. But I have learned, life is one day at a time."

Sarma's Before & Afters

Sarma doesn't have any good "before raw - after raw" photos, but she does have proof of her punk rock days. A little rebellious were we?

Tonya Cooked, Tonya Raw

Tonya cooked at age 35 with her son nick, Tonya with her son nick again at 41 after 2 years of being raw.

"Tonya Zavasta, is the author of the book "Your Right to be Beautiful: How to Halt the Train of Aging and Meet the Most Beautiful You" and of the forthcoming recipe book "Beautiful on Raw." In these books Tonya comes across as an ambassador for plain looking women in their quest for physical beauty.

Her story is a shining example of how the raw food lifestyle can influence people's lives. She had to wrestle with adversity for her ability to walk from early childhood. Recently after several reconstructive hip surgeries she won that battle.

Tonya has been following the raw food lifestyle since 1997. She put this lifestyle to the real test when she used it against not only the common "after forty" downslide but also against the grave consequences on the body that general anesthetics and pain can bring. The raw food lifestyle not only helped her to sail courageously through troublesome times, brought her general health and appearance to an all time best, but also opened a new chapter of her life."

Keep reading at beautifulonraw.com

Michelle Cooked, Michelle Raw

At the age of 29 Michelle Reeves went from 310 pounds to 231 pounds in 1 year. Whoa! Here is an excerpt from an interview with Michelle conducted by Tonya Zavasta in September 2004.

Were you considered beautiful when you were growing up?

I was not happy with my appearance when I started, and honestly weight loss was the motivating factor for starting my raw journey. Now, even though I haven't lost all of the weight I want to lose, I feel very good about my appearance. My self esteem and confidence level is a million times greater than it was. I feel beautiful on the inside and it's beginning to resonate to the outside. When I was very young, before high school, I was not considered beautiful. I was actually quite unattractive, overweight, and awkward. Right before high school, I worked very hard to completely reform my appearance and it worked. Once I started high school, I began to feel attractive, thin, athletic and well....beautiful. I know now, though that that beauty was artificial, because I wasn't focusing on all aspects of health, and certainly not working to attain natural beauty. That is why that beauty did not last and in January 2004, I began the journey to natural beauty, and true self-confidence and appreciation for what "beautiful" really means. I am not where I want to be, but right now, I feel beautiful just the way I am.

More from Michelle at FromSADtoRAW.com

Angela Cooked, Angela Raw (Damn!)

This blog isn't anywhere near politically correct, so don't freak out when I say "holy shit!" Now THIS is the power of the most healing food on earth, raw plant food.

Angela's story (more photos here):

My name is Angela, I am 27 and I overcame morbid obesity by adopting a healthy lifestyle of raw food and natural health care.

Back in 2002, I was 23 years old, about 19 stone (266lbs/120kg), UK dress size 26-28 and lost in miserable cycles of a non-existent love-life, uncontrollable overeating and complete denial. My pride stopped me from discussing my weight with even my closest friends and if anyone tried to broach the subject with me, I strongly resented them for 'interfering'.

Joel Cooked, Joel Raw

Open an email, title it "OMG!" and forward these photos to a friend.

We've been pimping Joel Odhner & rawlifeline.com a lot recently. But these before and after photos are just way to AMAZING to hold back!

If raw-food & presence could do this for Joel, what the heck could it do for you?

Not only was Joel overweight and un-healthy, (hey, he's a good friend, we can call it like it is) but he was also addicted to cocaine. Not only did his addiction cause a state of total chaos in his body, but it almost tore apart his family as well.

Many people come into the world of raw-food expecting to loose some weight and gain access to some more energy - flash forward a little while later and they are a completely different person. And we aren't just talking physically.

Raw-food is the ultimate brand/product. Vain enough for our beauty crazed culture, enlightening enough for global consciousness.

Good stuff Joel!