The ninth week of the raw food on a budget diary...
A summary of this diet is provided here: 100 days raw food summary.
Raw Food Diet on a Budget Conclusions
See Week 1 for initial notes.
2nd December 2011, Friday
Woke up at 8am
Breakfast:
- Smoothie: 2 apples (54p), 5 lettuce leaves (40p), 2 tbsp sprouted quinoa (4p), 1 teasp raw honey (42p).
COST: £1.40
Lunch:
- 2 salads from Marks&Spencer (£3) with Neals Yard Dairy Raw Stichelton Blue Cheese (£2.14)
- 2 green teas (free)
COST: £5.14
Dinner:
- 1 banana (22p)
- Perrier sparkling water (99p)
- 2 organic raw olives with apple vinegar and herbs from Oliveology (33p)
COST: £1.54
TOTAL COST FOR DAY 55: £8.08 ($12.64, €9.40)
3rd December 2011, Saturday
Breakfast:
- Juice: 2 bunches of celery (£2.43), 3 pink grapefruits (£1)
- 2 bananas (44p)
- Yogi 'Classic' spice tea (12p)
- Raw apple cider vinegar with water (3p)
- One raw organic egg mixed in with water (25p)
COST: £4.27
Lunch (3pm):
- Smoothie: an apple (27p), two heaped tbsp sprouted quinoa (5p), 5 lettuce leaves (40p), 3 dates (14p), 1 tbsp bee pollen (33p), water
- Two organic raw olives (33p)
- Two brazil nuts (7p)
- Loose leaf green tea (4p)
COST: £1.63
Dinner:
- Raw St-Felicien Fermier Cheese (£3.90)
- 2 green teas (4p)
- Cup of mixed sundried organic raisins (20p) and cashew nuts (27p)
COST: £4.41
TOTAL COST FOR DAY 56: £10.31 ($16.13, €12.00)
Went to bed at 3am.
4th December 2011, Sunday
Woke up at 11am.
Breakfast:
- Smoothie: 1 cup mixed frozen berries (67p), 1 organic apple (27p), 1 cup mixed sprouts (5p), 2 dates (9p), 1 tbsp bee pollen (33p), water.
- Raw apple cider vinegar in a glass of water (3p)
- 2 dates (9p)
- A green tea (2p)
- 1 raw organic egg mixed in with water (25p)
COST: £1.80
Lunch:
- Handful of cashew nuts (40g, 27p) and handful of raisins (20p).
Dinner:
- Juice (organic): 1/2 beetroot (12p), 1/2 bunch greens (67p), bit of broccoli (10p), ginger (5p), 5 brussels sprouts (29p), 5 carrots (45p), 1.5 parsnips (50p), 1/2 large purple cabbage (70p).
- Raw 'pasta': 1 courgette (57p), 1 pack of cherry tomatoes from Tesco (£1), 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil (4p), juice of 1/2 lemon (14p), 6 dates (27p), thyme (2p), salt (1p), pepper (1p).
COST: £4.94
Evening drink and snack:
- Chaga mushroom tea, wild-foraged from Finland
- Handful of cashews (27p) and a handful of sundried organic raisins (20p).
TOTAL COST FOR DAY 57: £7.68 ($11.99, €8.93)
Went to bed at 12 midnight.
I found out the name of 'pakurikääpä' (Inonotus Obliquus) in English now. It is the infamous Chaga Mushroom! Daniel Vitalis talks about it a lot.
[Update: David Wolfe also has a new book out: "Chaga: King of the Medicinal Mushrooms"]
All is well in the raw life at the moment. I got my salary this week and spent a bit of extra on food. But bills paid, I'm down to very little money again.... The good thing about Abel&Cole is that they don't stop their deliveries even if your payment bounces - they give you at least two weeks' grace. So I have plenty of fruit and veg for the next two weeks but very little opportunity to get anything else.
In fact I spent some of my last money on buying chlorella and spirulina from Gojiking.co.uk. I will start taking those in quite large amounts as I have seen some interesting testimonials on the internet regarding the health benefits of chlorophyll-rich foods. [Update: I have plenty more information on greens on this website. A good place to start is here: "Ann Wigmore's Teachings on the Benefits of Wheatgrass Juice".
I emailed Goji King to enquire whether their chlorella and spirulina were from Japan or not, and whether they were radiation-tested. Both are typically grown in water so there is also (apparently) an issue about potential contamination levels of the water. They did not respond to my email. But their products are cheap so I bought it anyway...
But I found the perfect product to buy when I can afford it: Health Force Nutritionals' Chlorella Powder. Apparently their chlorella, for example, is "tested for all forms of radiation and 100% clean" and sourced from the Hainan Island in the South China Sea.
So many people at work are coughing badly and being very ill. So far I haven't had any symptoms of a cold.
As you can see, I have also drank raw eggs in the last two days. There have been many reported health benefits and for raw foodists, it has been suggested that it might help to put on some weight. Also, there is another source of B12 there.
I have heard so much conflicting information about vitamin B12... but what it seems to come down to is, that the deficiency is often the inability of the digestive system to utilise vit B12 and not so much the lack of it in the diet.
It seems that some people's bodies may absorb it better from animal products than from vegan food. BUT. If this is the case it is because there is something wrong with the digestive system in the first place - and I believe that once the digestive system is strong and healthy it should be perfectly possible to live vibrantly healthy as a vegan. At least for many people, if not all. Everyone's metabolism is different.
Also, contrary to many people's beliefs, B12 deficiency is not purely a vegan/ vegetarian problem. It seems to be equally prevalent in meat eaters!
I also learned of a new way of making raw 'cheese' although I haven't tried it yet and can't vouch that it will work. But it is an interesting idea: making cashew nut-based raw vegan 'cheese' and adding 1/2 capsule's worth of probiotics to it! After 16 hours, apparently, you have cheese!
By the way I had that little rant last week about being sick of raw foods. Somehow I was on a sour mood that day and just not in the mood for anything. Since then I have felt good again and being raw feels easy. The benefits I've experienced are quite a big deal although the change is so gradual that you don't really have a chance to get amazed. It feels natural... But, funnily enough, one thing I experienced was that my moods have definitely been better and more balanced on raw foods. I think that one day was just either mental detox or, perhaps, just one of those days... Everyone has to release some bad energies sometimes I guess... It might have had a lot to do with external circumstances as well, but I won't get into that in more detail.
But, generally, I don't think you lose the ability to get angry or bored no matter how long you are raw. These feelings are a natural part of life and serve a certain purpose after all. I guess, at least. Although there is the 'law of attraction -school' who seem to believe that any bad feelings are a sign of low vibrating energy. So perhaps it is just that eventually, when your energies are vibrating high enough, your 'bad' moods are more conscious and you understand them differently. Or maybe you don't get them at all. This would be a nice thought but I don't think I've heard of much evidence of this. There hasn't been a testimonial yet which claims that "on raw foods I feel happy all the time". But it could well be possible, although would most likely include other energy-work practices and not only raw food.
But I definitely believe that raw foods help to raise your energy vibrations and also help to increase your awareness. I believe having a clean, healthy and well-energised body generally allows one to have guidance, inspiration and get more interested in all kinds of practices which can further 'good vibes'. In any case, I will be reporting on my experiences on this.
So far, I would say that I feel happy more often and also more happy and in a different way when on raw foods. It seems to me that my mind just feels more content generally and also finds more reasons to be happy. Just not every single day! :)
Also, I must say that I have noticed recently that I get quite a good amount of moments of inspiration... I don't know if this has to do with being raw but it easily might. The inspiration is related to various things... relationships, everyday life situations, future plans, etc.
5th Dec 2011, Monday
Woke up at 7am
Brekkie:
- Smoothie: 2 bananas (44p), 5 lettuce leaves (40p), 2 tbsp sprouted millet (8p), 1/2 cup mixed sprouts (8p), 2 brussel sprouts (10p), 1 tbsp linseed (flax seed) (12p), 2 dates (9p), tap water.
COST: £1.31
Lunch:
- Salad: 1/2 kohlrabi (34p), 5 lettuce leaves (40p), little bit of purple cabbage (5p), 2 dates (9p), 1 tbsp coconut flakes (5p), 3 raw olives (48p), 1/2 red pepper (16p), 2 small carrots (20p), cold pressed olive oil from the raw olives (free), 1 tbsp pumpkin seeds (9p), 1 tbsp raisins (10p).
COST: £1.96
Snacks:
- Handful of cashew nuts (27p) and handful of organic sundried raisins (20p).
- A banana (22p)
- 2 green teas (free at work)
- 4 'Clipper' organic berry teas (very nice, with liquorice root)(free at work)
- 10ml Floravital (30p)
COST: 99p
Dinner:
- Handful of cashew nuts (27p) and handful of organic sundried raisins (20p).
- Salad: red cabbage (17p), 1 carrot (10p), 1/6 cucumber (3p), piece of leek (8p), red chilli (2p), 2 tbsp maple syrup (72p), 1/4 juice of lemon (7p), salt (1p), apple cider vinegar (5p) (very nice salad!).
- Lots of chaga mushroom tea (free) with loose red clover tea (2p).
COST: £1.74
TOTAL COST FOR DAY 58: £6.00 ($9.35, €7.10)
6th Dec 2011, Tuesday
B:
- 1 banana (22p)
- Chaga mushroom tea (free)
- Smoothie: 1.5 apples (38p), 1 cup mixed sprouts (10p), 2 tbsp linseeds (flax seeds) (12p), 5 lettuce leaves (40p), juice of 1/2 lemon (14p), unfiltered tap water.
COST: £1.36
Snacks, through the day:
- 4 green teas (free at work)
- 1/2 lemon juice in hot water (fresh lemon tea) (14p)
- Plenty of chaga mushroom tea (free)
- Handful of cashew nuts (27p) and handful of raisins (20p)
- 2 organic dried figs (30p)
COST: 91p
L:
- Smoothie: 2 apples (50p), 5 lettuce leaves (40p), 2 tbsp linseed (flax seed) (12p), 1 teasp raw honey (42p), 2 dates (9p).
COST: £1.53
D:
- 'Raw pasta': Courgette grated to resemble pasta (£1.16), sauce: 3 tomatoes (86p), cayenne pepper (1p), 1/2 lemon juice (14p), 6 dates (27p), dry basil (2p), dry rosemary (free), 1/4 cup olive oil (13p), salt (1p), pepper (1p).
COST: £2.61
TOTAL COST FOR DAY 59: £6.41 ($9.99, €7.58)
7th Dec 2011, Wednesday
B:
- Juice of two oranges (67p)
- Smoothie: 7 salad leaves (56p), 2 organic dried figs (30p), 2 apples (50p), 1 tbsp linseeds (flax seeds) (12p), 1 tbsp pumpkin seeds (9p), 3 broccoli florets (21p), 1 tbsp bee pollen (37p), tap water.
COST: £2.82
S:
- Handful of cashew nuts (27p) and handful of organic sun-dried raisins (20p)
- a banana (22p)
- 4 green teas, 1 organic berry tea (made from real berries, no flavourings or additives)
COST: 69p
L:
- Salad: 8 lettuce leaves (64p), 4 dried figs (60p), piece of cucumber (5p), 2 apples (50p).
COST: £1.79
D:
- Smoothie: 2 apples (50p), 2 heaped tbsp chlorella (99p)*, 2 heaped tbsp spirulina (48p)**, 2 figs (30p), tap water.
- 1 handful of (non-raw) cashew nuts (from Tesco)(27p)
- 4 raw olives (64p)
- 1 Chinese loose-leaf 'gunpowder' green tea (2p)
- A cafetiere of chaga mushroom tea (free, from the Finnish forest)
COST: £3.20
(* 1 heaped tbsp of organic spirulina weighs 5.5g, 125g from Goji King costs £5.50 for 125g > 24p per heaped tbsp
** 125g of raw organic chlorella powder, cell wall cracked, from Goji King costs £11.19 > 49p per heaped tbsp (5.5g))
TOTAL COST FOR DAY 60: £8.50 ($13.25, €10.05)
I had swollen lymph nodes today in my throat and behind my ears. The ones behind the ears felt painful as well when pressing. My throat also felt infected, and all my sinuses, and I had bad taste in my mouth.
8th Dec 2011, Thursday
Breakfast:
- Smoothie: 2 apples (50p), 2 tbsp spirulina (48p), 2 tbsp raw organic chlorella (99p), 1 tbsp linseed (12p), 1 tbsp hemp seeds (13p), 1 tbsp bee pollen (37p), 2 figs (30p), water.
COST: £2.89
Snacks:
- Handful of cashew nuts (27p)
- 4 figs (60p)
- 3 raw olives (48p)
COST: £1.35
Lunch:
- Salad: 1 carrot (10p), 1 parsnip (33p), 5 raw olives (80p), 10 walnuts (75p), 1 orange (34p), 1/2 red pepper (13p), 5 organic figs (75p), cold-pressed olive oil (14p), lemon juice (8p), raw apple cider vinegar (4p).
COST: £3.46
Dinner:
- Nori rolls* ("raw vegan sushi"): 3 sheets = 24 pieces (£2.20).
(* Live Sushi/ Nori Rolls, three sheets: 3 nori seaweed sheets (39p), 3/4 cup pumpkin seeds (32p), large chunk of ginger, grated (3p), soya sauce (4p), 3 teasp wasabi powder (33p), a small daikon radish (47p), 1/4 cup sunflower seeds (24p), salt (2p), pepper (2p), 1 carrot (9p), 1/2 apple (14p), small piece of courgette (11p), water - COST: £2.20, 73p per roll, 9p per piece)
TOTAL COST FOR DAY 61: £9.90 ($15.43, €11.71)
Total spent in Week 9: £56.88 ($88.67, €67.27)
Average per day: £8.13 ($12.67, €9.61)
A summary of this diet is provided here: 100 days raw food summary.
More raw food diet books, including summaries of the content, here.
Raw Food on a Budget - Conclusions
Forward to: Week 10
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My Raw Food Journey - See my later challenges
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