Today I reached step four in re-feeding. I can add grains and one-half ounce of nuts. I was excited as the oatmeal at breakfast sounded great. Adding grains was not as exciting as I thought. True North is 100% gluten free for people with celiac or gluten sensitivity. I am still unsure about what will sit well in my stomach and meals are taking me about an hour to eat. Food that I was used to eating in abundance just doesn’t sound all that great to me. I am sure this is just a passing phase, but it is odd to experience a change in my association with food.
I took walks in the neighborhood after breakfast and dinner to build up my stamina and strength. I attended the raw cooking class. Our instructor didn’t know she was on today’s schedule, so she answered many questions about raw food living first. Then she went into the kitchen and pulled out a few fruits and vegetables and showed us how to make some quick raw salad dressings using what was on hand. The fast that she was not prepared ahead of time to teach the class was actually a good lesson, because eating raw does not mean that you can’t eat well and it can’t be simple. The secret is that she had some fresh herbs that made her dressing flavors stand out. Raw living is an interesting way of thinking about food for me, but not something I will be doing.
People who eat raw come from the philosophy that no other species cooks their food, and this is the way humans originally ate. They feel that it is healthier and makes them not feel so heavy. Our instructor eats lots of fruit each day to get the majority of her calories. In eating raw, you do need to eat large quantities of food.
Video of a typical breakfast buffet at True North:
