The before pictures were of me from the age of 16-18 years old where I ranged from 185-198 lbs and was a size 18. Now I am 22 years old, down to 125-130 lbs and a size 7/8, thanks to going 70-80% raw and eliminating all gluten/wheat, rice, grains, dairy and artificial sugars from my diet for the past 5 years and just now for the past 26 days being 100% raw vegan.I was diagnosed with having GERD and a Hiatal Hernia at the age of nine and was immediately put on the acid blocker Aciphex which I have remained on for the past 13 years and am just now discovering has had a lot to do with many of my food allergies and constant bacteria infections, candida and malnutrition. I am working with a well-known Holistic and Medical Doctor who is helping to get me off of the Aciphex and who also treating me for Candida overgrowth in my blood and digestive system, Mercury Poisoning, Hypothyroidism, Anemia, Endometriosis with Ammenoreah, Spastic Colon/Colitis and many B-12, Vitamin D and Amino Acid deficiencies.
I am also fighting to overcome Anxiety Disorder and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorders due to so many years of debilitating chronic and painful illnesses that have made such an impact on my life and have effected me, my family and my everyday life in an extreme way.
It has been a long and hard road for me to travel but it's made me a much stronger person. I firmly believe that "everything happens for a reason" and that we are here on earth to go through different obstacles and to take what we learn from our hardest times in life, turn it into knowledge and help others to overcome.
Why I went Raw: When I first found that I was intolerant to Gluten, Dairy and all grains, including Rice, I was devastated. It was so hard for me to go out with friends or to family functions and feel so deprived. It wasn't until I found so many great Raw Food Recipes and Websites where I started to learn the joy about Live foods. I discovered how much I truly loved Fruit and Vegetables and started incorporating them into my life daily. Although, I have always been a fruit lover, not up until I was found out to having so many food allergies and feeling limited did I finally decide to start eating more of the fresh Fruits and Veggies. I then decided to eat mainly Organic foods, although I still ate meat and plenty of fish. For the past 26 days I have cut out all meat and fish and have been 100% Raw (with the exception of certain spices, condiments, herbal teas and possibly toasted sea veggies) and have found my cravings for most cooked foods have diminished. I wake up in the morning now craving a huge watermelon or dates and goji berries with some agave nectar. It's truly amazing how your taste buds change once forced to try something new. I absolutely LOVE eating the way that I do, although of course there are times when I wish I were "normal" and able to eat all the foods that most people around me do but honestly, when I read more about the damage that cooked and processed foods and meats are doing to most of the worlds population, it's truly hard to go back into eating that way. I truly believe that food can be our best friend or are worst enemy. It doesn't seem like a hard choice, yet so many of us are hooked on bad foods. I think if more of us Raw foodists and health-conscious eaters just inform one person at a time, more and more people will become aware and intrigued by this healthy lifestyle and want to learn and join as well!!
Keep spreading the world people. Live food is love :)
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