Your whole food, plant-based life.

Are you a “Raw Foodist”

I have been thoroughly enjoying the responses to the salt post. I knew when I wrote it, there would be varying opinions. To use salt or not is objective…as your responses to the salt post have indicated! It also brings up an important point. Are we labeling? I have wanted to address this for a while because we like to use labels and unfortunately division occurs because of those labels.

People like to separate into camps. There even is a new school-old school raw food dichotomy present these days. Unfortunately it is full of judgment. Which is why I don’t like labels and why I deviate away from calling myself a “raw-foodist”. Really what I am is a person who is interested in eating the food I like in the healthiest, most nutritious form possible. In my opinion, that is raw.

Yes, there are certain foods, like Kale that develop more of some nutrients when cooked. So does being a raw foodist mean I can’t cook my kale? Not in my book. Am I 100% raw? Sometimes. Am I high raw? Most of the time. But there you go again…another label, “High Raw”. Do we need that label just to make ourselves feel good? To stroke our own ego? To put ourselves ‘one up’ over someone who isn’t?

Google “raw-foodist” and you will come up with all kinds of silly descriptions of what eating a raw food diet means-mostly written by people who have no experience with a raw food diet. We are freaks, fadists – and, oh my – you better talk to your doctor before eating natural raw foods because, who knows what might happen when you introduce more healthy food and nutrients.* I think that people should be advised to consult their physician before they eat a fast food, super-sized meal at McDonald’s!

The problem with labels, whether it be raw, vegan, vegetarian…is that they are divisive. Society, our broken food system, corporate farms and advertising make it hard enough to eat healthy in our society. Do we really need to put a label on someone and separate and judge them by how good at being raw we think they are? It doesn’t bring us together, it drives us apart.

I have friends that are complete meat and potato eaters. A green vegetable? Never. Now, because of what they are learning, they are starting to make different choices. Small ones but changes nonetheless. In my book, that is fabulous. Because all it takes is that one small step and before you know it, you are on the road to better health.

What it all comes down to is you. Your body and what you feel is best for it. See if something resonates in you and figure out if it works for you. Determine what your goals are. Eating mostly raw does amazing things for me and many people I know. It is why I am here, why I dedicate so much time to getting the message out.

Instead of labeling, let’s supporting anyone who is making choices to be healthier with their diet, no matter where they are along their path. Ditch the labels and share the recipes. Set an example instead of judging. Be a community.

Peace and Blessings!

*If you have health issues you should always consult your doctor before making any changes.

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39 Comments

  1. melissa moss wrote on November 8, 2013

    Susan you are incredible and your site is so fun and makes me mouth water! Your photos are beyond words (lol, no pun intended). Just love being here!
    not too much to comment on the label controversy…other than nothing that grows in my garden has a label on it my stuff just seems to grow without any labels and that’s pretty much how I eat everything…uh, I guess it’s a ‘man thing (as in human or “modern man”) to slap labels on everything. So, to me, I guess they (labels) are basically useless…lol.

    Reply
  2. Mary wrote on November 26, 2010

    I completely agree! We don’t need the labels. Let’s just eat what is healthy for us and support others on their journies toward more healthy eating.

    Reply

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