When you are the only raw vegan.

I have to admit it's not easy being the only one of my friends and family to be a raw vegan. Ever since I began my raw lifestyle, I feel as if I'm from another planet. Don't get me wrong, I am in no way feeling regret. I love the way I eat. I can go out to eat with my friends and family and have no problems. I have, on occasion, found myself in a situation were I was served plate of iceberg lettuce with some slices of waxy cucumbers and tomatoes. I've learned from those experiences to always be prepared. I now keep a cooler bag with me at all times with lots of raw goodies. I make my meals the night before so that I can be ready for just about whatever. You see, the good thing about being raw is you never have to heat up anything...just keep it cold. I had people say they would be bored with eating this way. I am here to tell you that there is just as many recipes for raw food as there is for cooked. I must own at least a dozen raw food prep books, however, many of my recipes are just made up out of my head. I've been asked the question, "do you miss eating cooked foods"? My answer to that is "yes, but I would like to create a raw version of it". The same herbs and spices used to flavor a cooked dish can equally flavor a raw one. All you need is your taste buds.

I find it kind of cute when someone say's "I have some macaroni salad in the fridge and some potato salad for you". I politely say no thank you. I know they mean well, however, cold cooked food is still cooked. I don't think everybody quite gets the raw thing. I would like to point out that I am not one of those preaching vegans that makes everyone feel bad that they are omnivores. I believe in coexistence. In my last post, I mentioned eating some cooked vegetarian food. It's not that I don't like it. It's that my body has adjusted to this new way of eating and I crave more of it.

I feel everyone of us should be who we are and enjoy it. On that note, I raise my glass of homemade kombucha and say...To Life!

I'm Back

Hi to all my blog followers,
As you may have noticed, I haven't been blogging for some time. My absence has been due to a number of things. I had to close down Sprigs Of This N That, my herbal remedy store along with my website. Then I had to close Emerald Light Circle In The Raw, my discussion board, and last but not least, my Henna By Tuliza website. I tell ya, it's been quite a challenge. I guess life would not be interesting without challenges.

I am so happy to see so many visitors and followers here on Tuliza Is Vegan And Raw. Thank you for taking an interest in my juicing and raw food journey.

Since the last time I posted, I have allowed myself to experience some vegan cooked food during the winter months and some being non-vegan, vegetarian prepackaged foods. Most of you know that I have been 100% raw vegan for four years now. The results of eating these foods, for me personally were not positive. Even though I ate, what most would say, healthy food, My body reacted as if I ate the worst junk food ever. I can only guess it is because my body had become so clean, it would no longer tolerate anything other than raw food without ill effects. The ill effects that I am speaking of is, craving to the point of overeating, weight gain, constipation, bloating and edema. The edema came as a result of too much sodium. It did not dawn on me that it was what I was eating that was the problem. I thought I had made healthy choices. For someone on the SAD(Standard American Diet), I did. I am proud to say that I am now back on track and am 100% raw again. I did, however, gain 12lbs in the process of my indulgence. This is not to say that healthy, cooked and sometimes packaged vegetarian foods are not good for you. It was my own personal experience that convinced me I needed to continue to maintain totally vegan raw lifestyle.

Each day provides a new opportunity for me make fine adjustments in my beingness. :)