After a run last week during an unseasonably warm February day I strained a muscle in my leg and have been limping ever since. I can’t quite place where the strain is, but it is somewhere between my thigh and my hip bone.

I have dealt with shin splints and smaller ailments in the past, but nothing to the extent of this injury. Maybe I am just a big baby, but walking just a few steps brings on the pain!

Now, how does this raw food challenge come in to the picture? Well, instead of wallowing in self pity because I can’t workout much- I have decided to take a week off to focus on eating a super clean diet. I believe that rest, meditation, stretching, and eating clean whole nutritious foods will help me heal faster. 

I am going to stick to raw vegan for the first three days and then transition to vegan for the remainder of the week. I am excited to share this journey with you all and will share how I feel mentally and physically along the way.

So first things first.. what is a raw food diet?

A raw foods diet is made up of fresh, whole, unrefined, living, plant-based foods: fruits, vegetables, leafy greens, nuts, and seeds, which are consumed in their natural state, without cooking or steaming.

What are the guidelines for a raw diet?

• No meat, dairy, wheat, eggs, processed sugar or alcohol
• Eat plenty of fresh fruit, raw vegetables and drink fresh juice & smoothies
• Drink lots of water
• You can also drink warm tea and warm water with lemon
• Be super gentle with yourself ( I like the sounds of that!)

Pros:

• May ward off disease and increase energy
• May jump-start weight loss
• May improve skin quality

Cons:

• May be too low-calorie for some people
• May be difficult to stick to when eating out
• May cause anemia

Now that we have some of the facts, let’s get started!