How to convince parents to let me go raw?

[skylarruloff]

Hey, I have a dilemma. I currently live with my mom. I have finally convinced her to le the go raw, but only 2 days a week. I thought this was good until this morning. I ate a bagel and it felt like I ate a brick. My stomach was in pain and I feel like crap. I feel like I've tried everything to show my mom how great raw is. She is still convinced that raw is just "rabbit food." I can't continue this back and forth between raw and shit food. How do I show my mom that raw is healthy.

[Blueberries]

Heya, just wanted to reply to let you know that somebody's read your post. I know nothing about raw foodism but there definitely are some raw vegans around the forum. However I do know that there is a debate as to whether raw veganism is healthier than regular veganism, which I don't really know enough to get involved in, but if you're looking for sources of information about raw veganism that issue will probably come up.

[LunaOrion]

I was a raw vegan for a couple months a year or two ago, and plan on going back to it as I really felt quite a bit better physically at that time. The biggest thing that my parents worried about was that I wasn't eating, and that what I did eat wouldn't be 'enough'. I spent the first week or two trying to experiment with recipes and different meal ideas, making sure to prepare enough food for both me & my family. In that time, they kind of got an idea of how much variety there is despite how limiting it often seems to people.

I don't know what your family's diet is at the moment, but you could try to introduce some raw food meals into their lives. There are quite a few recipes online that are relatively simple and quite tasty in my opinion. That being said, if they have a fairly contrasting diet, their bodies and taste buds may not be used to the flavors/textures/etc.

Jumping back and forth from raw to processed is hard on your body, as you probably discovered; is there any way for you to assume a more 'similar' diet to raw that would be alright with you mother? For example, instead of a bagel, you could try having a tofu scramble w/ bell peppers and salsa (very filling) or something to that effect.

Hope that helps!
~Luna

[jackrabbitfreedom]

Hey skylarruloff,
Sounds like quite the dilemma. This sounds like a perfect time to show your mother that you're finding new avenues of better health. Let her know that your education is not going to waist by giving her a, well thought and sincere, presentation as to why you believe going raw is healthier than the diet she wants for you. Why should a mother approve of what she probably sees as a "trendy diet"? How much effort is she going to have to put into changing your diet? Are you purchasing your own food and suppliments? A raw diet can be pretty expensive in some places....let alone a huge hassle to find all the foods you need to keep up a well rounded diet. Good luck on going raw.... do your homework, stay persistant, stay healthy; what more could a mother ask for?