Every season offers its beauty and wisdom. Winter is a time of stillness, reflection and rest.  Eating raw in during the winter months seems counter-intuitive, on the surface.  But raw foodists who have been doing it for several years, know it’s a magical milestone…

Would you love to connect with yourself, your loved ones and your life on a deeper level this winter? Eating nourishing foods from Nature is the fastest way to transform your looks, energy levels, vibration and overall health.

I will give you some great tips for including more raw foods into your regime over winter, while ensuring you stay warm and cozy.  But first, a little sharing about my raw beginnings…

MY RAW ROOTS

About a year after meeting Brian Clements and Juliano, both who inspired me to go raw, I heard that David Wolfe was coming into town.  I had heard a lot about him, so I really excited. My husband wasn’t interested. Sad face.

When I arrived, alone, I heard the sound of hand-drumming.  There was a crowd of about a hundred people in this small Sprout House store.  The lights were dimmed; there were beautiful people everywhere.  The women were all so sexy, and so were the guys for that matter.  Some had their shirts off while they were drumming, everyone seemed so relaxed and cool, and it was like no other ‘health lecture’ I had ever been to before.

A HIP PARTY WITH COCONUTS INSTEAD OF COCKTAILS

It was like a hip cocktail party with coconuts and flowers and sweaty bodies dancing and sparkly people everywhere.  I mingled with everyone, most were 80% raw or more, and had heard David speak before; they all said that I was going to love him.  I was filled with delicious anticipation.  But, it was bitter-sweet because I felt like my husband was missing out on something that was about to be life-changing…

Two things happened that night.

One, I committed to being 80% Raw on the spot, and not for just myself, but on behalf of my whole family, too!  Up until that moment, I had spent the year transitioning from a vegetarian and mostly macrobiotic diet that included a lot of tofu and tempeh and miso- nearly everything was cooked.

And two, I decided no matter what lay before us, that our journey would be joyful and not stressful from here on in.  No more apologizing when eating with extended family who weren’t raw, and no more feeling like this is a fringe movement.

This lifestyle is SEXY, HIP, HOT, CUTTING EDGE, SPIRITUAL and BEAUTIFUL- a PARADISE.  I was officially out of the closet and going BIG.

My husband was in for a surprise when I came home that night…

STAYING RAW IN WINTER

Like many others venturing on the raw path, I wondered how we would stay raw during the long cold winter months.

What I noticed is that if one is motivated and filled with intention, it actually is surprisingly doable. My family have been on and off all raw and now have settled into being high-raw. This has been working well for us.  We are listening to our body, and are open to seasonal rhythms and how they affect us.  We take it year by year.

As well, our family is now at a place where everyone is on their own journey.

For example, we all used to commit to eating the same way when our children were younger. They are pre-teens now, and so it’s different- they make their own choices for the most part.  They have both settled at about 70% raw and are happy with that.

ALLOW OTHERS, HONOUR ONESELF

There was a point last year where my husband went 100% raw and I stayed at 90% so that I could eat some cooked food with our children. They look forward to warm broths and grains and chick peas, and I find I need some fish during the winter.  (It isn’t that these foods actually keep us warmer, but rather, they provide comfort and ‘warmth’ psychologically. This can be just as important, especially for children.)

Every family is different and may honour what works best for them.

I have found that my children thrive and are happier with this balance. And there are times that I go 100% raw for a few months at a time, regardless of how everyone else in my family is eating.

It’s about sovereignty, not following anyone else’s evaluation.  Please give yourself permission to trust yourself, and honour your needs.

THIS ISN’T A RAWLIGION

Being dogmatic about percentages is not healthy, or necessary.  What I encourage is for people to go as high-raw as is exciting and comfortable for them.  No pressure, no stress.  All joy!  It’s truly a joyous journey.  Eating high-raw is an incredibly exiting lifestyle. And it evolves over time, organically and naturally, so there is no rush.

Eating a high-raw diet is one of the most profoundly healthifying magic wands we can wave, given us by Mother Nature.

Some of the wonderful BENEFITS you will enjoy:

* Improved DIGESTION and HYDRATION

* A reversal of disease and increased IMMUNITY

* More ENERGY and VITALITY

* A BEAUTIFUL COMPLEXION of GLOWING HEALTH

* A heightened sense of AWARENESS

* Better MEMORY and ability to CONCENTRATE

* SPIRITUAL CONNECTION to Nature,  Source and your nature

You don’t want to miss out on these and so many other incredible effects of eating wholesome, whole, natural, real, raw foods, no matter what the weather.

To be able to keep as much raw food in your diet during winter, I will answer a few questions before I list my top tips:

WILL I FEEL COLD EATING RAW FOODS?

Many people feel afraid that they will be too cold during winter to eat raw instead of cooked foods. This actually is true- you will- at first.

Let me explain.  When you switch from a SAD diet to a raw diet, you will probably feel colder because your body is going through a detoxification.

This process of eating lighter, clean burning raw foods is an instant detox even without fasting or any other cleansing.  Your blood thickens during detoxification, which causes lymph and blood circulation to decrease.

As well, your body is able to direct more energy to healing when your diet isn’t clogging it up.  The body heals from the inside out, which means that internal organs will have increased circulation and oxygen, while the extremities will actually receive less blood flow.

HOW LONG WILL I FEEL COLD?

This internal ‘house cleaning’ stage will last for different durations depending on you, your health, and how raw you go. The main thing to remember is that you are cleansing and healing your body!

I found the first couple years I was very cold, which was horrible for me because I had always suffered from cold during the winter, and it became even worse.

However, it was temporary. Today, I actually enjoy the cold and am usually very comfortable and warm in extremely cold weather.  Many people report feeling warmed up after the initial stage of detoxification from going raw, too.

My friend, long time raw foodist and Longevity Expert, Wayne Gendel says:

‘As your body gets healthier, it will automatically start to stay warmer. As toxins are released in transition to 80-100% raw food diet, there can be a colder feeling in the body. Raw foodists do seem to have a slightly lower body temperature but that, in my opinion, is due to the body not working so hard at digesting cooked foods. So, it is the cook foodists who have the unnatural, slightly elevated body temperature.’

Susan Schenk in ‘The Live Food Factor’ offers this:

‘This feeling of chill is believed to be part of the healing process, as the body is directing the blood, warmth, oxygen and nutrients inward to heal the most vital organs and tissues first, cleansing and rebuilding the body from the inside out.’

BAREFOOTING IN THE SNOW AND POLAR BEAR DIPS

You will warm up, so it is definitely worth the initial stages of discomfort.  I became so invincible-feeling the 5^th year of being raw that I started to have the strangest cravings in my being…I needed to be out in every kind of weather, and to walk barefoot- even in the snow!

I have been doing it ever since and this will be my 9^th winter raw.  I also started jumping into icy lakes and rivers.  It is still challenging for sure, but I love it!

This is a sure sign my health has radically improved as this would have been absolutely impossible for me before going raw.  I haven’t gotten a cold or flu in 5 years.  You may not be jumping in the freezing lake anytime soon, but you will still find your health and vitality will surge on a living foods regime, even during winter.

David Wolfe:

‘After you persist through the transition and detoxification – through the feeling of coldness – you will discover that your resistance to both cold and hot weather will increase by eating raw foods.’

Victoria Boutenko:

‘During your first raw winter you may experience some cold due to the weakened adrenals, so put on an extra sweater, take a hot bath or do some push-ups. If you will continue staying raw, your adrenals will rest and recover, your capillary circulation will improve, your nervous system and your heart will naturally strengthen.

I remember being SO inspire after I read this in her December Newsletter years ago:

‘My family is now going through our eleventh raw winter. We do not feel any discomfort from cold. We jump in icy-cold mountain rivers year round for enjoyment. In fact that is how we celebrate Christmas and New Year’s Eve. We always sleep outside under the rain or snow. Sergei, my son, goes snowboarding sometimes wearing only shorts. My daughter Valya rarely wears socks. Igor, my husband, loves to take snow baths. We strongly believe that staying on a raw food diet has helped us to feel comfortable in any weather and not to feel the cold.’

MY TOP 10 TIPS FOR STAYING WARM IN WINTER WHILE EATING RAW

If you are excited and intent about feeling and looking amazing and radically shifting your health and vibration, eating high-raw during the winter is a place of grace that you will enjoy.  And think of how you will look and feel in Spring!

1. DRESS WARMER- ETHICAL CLOTHING

Dress warm; wear extra layers.  Wear organic wool from ethically and humanely raised and handled sheep, or if you are vegan, there is gore-tex, polyester fleece.  I personally don’t wear synthetic fabrics, and my wool is a decade old or longer.

I don’t buy wool.  If you wear cotton, please remember that although it may seem harmless and cruelty-free, billions of dollars worth of chemicals are used in cotton farming that seep into the air and groundwater every year.  Please buy organic and recycled cotton whenever possible.

I am interested in learning about ethical clothing and using sustainable fibers like hemp and bamboo, which I need to research more. In the meantime if anyone has information on that, please share.

2. WARMING SPICES

Spices have been highly valued in other cultures for their health and beauty properties.

Ayurveda, which is the oldest recorded medical system teaches that certain spices have a warming effect on our system. These spices can be used in your raw recipes to not only boost the flavor of your food, even mimicking the taste of many of your cooked food favorites, they will also increase circulation and add heat to the body:

Cardamon, Cayenne Pepper, Chili, Cinnamon, Cloves, Cumin, Curry, Garlic, Ginger, Peppercorn and Tumeric.

3. EAT MORE WARMING FOODS AND AVOID COOLING FOODS

David Wolfe suggests these warming foods:

*Dehydrated foods (more calorically dense, therefore they are typically more warming)

*Blended foods

*Dried fruit (raisins, apricots, and dates are especially warming)

*Nuts (especially macadamia nuts and raw nut butters)

*Fatty Seeds (pumpkin seeds, hemp seeds, flax seeds)

*Sprouted Grain Seeds (good for some people, not everyone)

*Avocados

*Durian

*Pumpkin (shred into a salad or use to make a raw pumpkin pie) is overall one of the most heating foods

*Hot peppers or chiles

*Ginger

*Onions

*Garlic

*Arugula

*Watercress

*Mustard leaves

Wayne Gendel’s list:

*Fruits: durian, cherries

*Veggies: most dark greens

*Most raw fat foods: avocado, nuts, seeds, dried coconut flakes, raw oils

*Herbs: maca, ginseng

*Spices: cayenne pepper, cinnamon, cloves, cumin, ginger, garlic

*Superfoods: Moringa, Spirulina

*Take kelp, dulse or some form of sea veggies or spirulina to make you’re your thyroid is balanced and getting iodine. Best to take in the mornings!

Cooling Foods – minimize or avoid in cold weather:

*Veggies: cucumber, celery, iceberg lettuce

*Fruits: melons, apples

Avoid cold foods that are served below room temperature

4. STAY MOTIVATED

Read inspiring books from raw food authors like David Wolfe, Victoria Boutenko, Dr Gabriel Cousins, Tonya Zavasta, Angela Stokes, Shazzie, Kate Magic, Briggette Mars, Ani Phyo, Susan Schenck, etc- there are so many raw recipe and other inspirational raw food books to enjoy during the cold winter months to keep you inspired; including my new offering, Naked Beauty.

5. KEEP BUSY IN THE KITCHEN- EXPERIMENT WITH RAW FOOD RECIPES

Winter is a slower rhythm.  It gets darker earlier.  It is cold and dense and heavy. There are seasonal hints that we can attune to if we wish to remain in flow and enjoy the gifts that are offered.  We can rest more, read more, research more, do more yoga, take care of ourselves and slow down.

We tend to stay by the hearth fires more in the dark and cold winter months. It is a perfect time to spend learning basic raw recipes and experimenting in our cozy kitchen with dehydrated foods. I recommend that you learn to make fermented foods like Sauerkraut, and also, some dehydrated treats this winter.

6.HERBAL TEAS AND WARM CACOA DRINKS

Drink warm beverages: herbal teas and infusions, veggie broths, apple cider,

lemon water, ginger slices in hot water with honey, hot cacao drinks

made with raw nut milk or raw dairy, medicinal mushroom teas like chaga, reishi

7. INCREASE CIRCULATION- MASSAGE, EXERCISE etc

* AUYERVEDIC MASSAGE

Use warm sesame oil, especially around joints, and on your skin to stimulate circulation and create a nourishing buffer on your skin, which helps insulate the nervous system and provides added warmth and insulation between you and the elements

* HOT AND COLD SHOWERS AND AROMATHERAPY BATHS

Finishing off your showers with cold water is a longevity practice widely known across Europe that will increase your strength and resistance to cold.

Keeping your core warm in winter is a luxury with a warming aromatherapy bath.  Using ginger in your bath is especially warming.  In Naked Beauty there are several other delicious aromatherapy baths to choose from.

* DRY SKIN BRUSHING

One of the most effective way to increase circulation is to brush the skin in circular motions with a natural bristle body brush; the benefits are a glowing complexion all over and increased immunity to cold and illness.  I describe this simple and effective process in detail in Naked Beauty.

* EXERCISE

Exercise is the best way to stimulate your circulation and keep warm. Do some physical activity first thing in the morning to get your body going, and try some light exercise (yoga, stretching) or be active outdoors during the day as much as possible to keep the metabolism boosted until bedtime.  An extra tip is to sleep with a hot water bottle at your feet, and wear socks to bed to stay cozy.

* PLAY OUTSIDE in the cold- go tobogganing, ice skating, skiing, hiking, Polar Bear Dipping etc explore your options and enjoy the beauty of the season

8. WARM YOUR BOWLS

Take food out of the fridge a half hour or so before you want to eat.  Keep fruit, including bananas, citrus, avocados and tomatoes out of the fridge all year round. Put cold foods from the fridge into the dehydrator/low oven for few minutes to make it room temperature, or just leave food out at room temperature for 30 minutes before eating.

9.WARM YOUR FOODS IN DEHYDRATER OR LOW HEAT ON STOVE

Warm food up to 115 F for a couple minutes. Just stir and when it becomes warm to touch, remove from heat to avoid destroying the enzymes. If you are going to cook foods occasionally, use a low temperature and slow cook, which preserves much more nutritional value.  Or you could place food on a hot plate to warm.

10. GREENS

Boost your immune system with this powerful food group, which will keep you warmer by increasing your life force, so eat them, juice them, blend them and sprout them:

* Arugula

* Bok Choy

* Broccoli

* Chicory

* Collards

* Dandelion Greens

* Kale

* Mustard Greens

* Spinach

*Sprouts

* Swiss Chard

* Watercress

Staying raw during the winter will keep you more resilient to not only the cold, but also to seasonal depression from lack of sunlight, weight gain and the winter blahs. Eating a Nature-inspired diet will infuse you with excitement and inspiration and vibrance all winter long!

So, who is with me- are you up for a funtastic raw winter?

Tagged: exquisite self care, natural health and beauty, raw foods, raw renewal, rejuvenation, sensual beauty