Raw Dish!

i really like natalia's book because it's good for not scaring cooked foodies.it reads a lot more sensibly (less new agey and spiritual) than a lot of raw books and makes a good transitional diet for my friends without them having to commit all the way at the beginning. i'm down with her green lemonade, but i've moved on to other books now that i'm mostly raw.

I get it, she has some helpful information and suggestions for people. I just feel very disappointed about the pizza and the cake.

I am almost 100% raw and do my very best to feed my family as healthful and raw as they will allow. I make raw dishes at home for every meal, and unfortunately have to accommodate my husband with transitional cooked sides to keep meals peaceful. My husband and I just reunited after an almost ugly divorce. He finally respects my choices and supports my lifestyle as long as I respect his. And, he now eats vegetarian at home 100% of the time. He wants to dine out (about) twice a week which is difficult for me because I have to eat before we leave or talk to the manager about putting fresh veggies in a bowl for me... so I can stay true to my diet and feel good.

As for my daughter, who was raw until two, she eats raw about 50% of the time. We talk about food choices and grocery shop together daily. She is well informed about food and how it effects our bodies. She postalizes my husband when he doesn't make healthy food choices, which is so funny coming from a four year old. I also allow her to eat the "rare but occasional" pizza and birthday cake". I just can't be that overly restrictive mother who my daughter may grow up resenting. It is very hard to raise a healthy happy child and be very social.

For a quite a while I wouldn't let her touch anything but raw food and vegan dishes dining out. Have you any idea how hard it is to raise a child raw? Without singling her out at school, parties, play-dates, and family gatherings. She is very aware when everyone around her is not eating "healthy", we do our best. We even surround ourselves with friends who eat as close to us as possible and have let go of friends who are "bad" influence at the table.

My point is, mothering a raw child is very difficult in a world that is ignorant when it comes to eating. I think your comments regarding Natalia's choices are harsh. It is very easy to be raw and even eat a mono-fruitarian diet when you are single. I did it. I think you could open up a little and see the bigger picture when it comes to balance and mental and emotional health of a family. And the reality is, we are parenting a social "cooked" society. As a parent you do your very best but life will not be perfect and neither will your partners and kids eating habbits. I do agree that all kids should eat raw, but it is easier said than done.

Yes, it is easier said than done, but does that mean we shouldn't do it? The first few years of life are when we can have the greatest influence on the eating habits of the children in our lives. I affirm your efforts!

I know parents whose children are all raw. It can be done. I feel uneasy when the "leaders" don't live up to the ideals they suggest.

While I understand what you feel about Natalia allowing her children to eat pizza and cake you missed the rest. She says that when they do, they usually end up being sick and are now able to make decisions about whether they really want the cake and pizza or not. The thing is, they are children and while they shouldn't eat just junk, I believe it is good for children to experience things like cake and ice cream a few times in their lives. How will they know how to make decisions if we are constantly telling them no. I think that many parents are over doing the anti-bacterial soaps and healthy diets, how can we expect our child's immune systems to develop otherwise. Cake once or twice a year will not effect anyone unless they have an allergy to it. As far as the non-raw food items go. She does explain that she is not 100% raw she never said anything about only eating raw food.

I just happened to re-read these comments and on some level I agree with all of them, in part. I still feel that adults have the best opportunity to influence their children's eating habits when they are young and it's important to take full advantage of that window of opportunity. There is plenty of time for pizza and cake, a whole life time. Why not protect our children from these harmful substances as long as we reasonably can. I would think that its much easier to not permit the eating of pizza and cake when children are under the age of six, versus when they are older.