IN THIS ISSUE...

Boredom is a Pattern, not a Reality.

See all the beautiful food pictures from my kitchen and "Like" the new Raw Living Food Success Facebook Page!

Raw Cacao Truffles

Raw Vegan Mac N' Cheez

Raw Fruit Pie

To your raw enjoyment!

~Corin Stephenson

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Does a Raw Food Diet Get Boring?

Several people have have written in saying they see boredom as a possible challenge with eating raw. After 12 years of eating a raw vegan diet, I can tell you that boredom is actually very rare for me, and has only appeared when I get stuck in a pattern.

If you find yourself getting bored, or simply worried that the lifestyle itself may get boring before you've even begun... here are some patterns that you should avoid:

1. Not spending enough time exercising, breathing, being in nature, doing yoga, or doing what you love, and too much time working.

It's easy to get stuck in a rut in life where I'm not doing things that are good for my body and soul - exercising, breathing, playing, etc.

There are many things in life more important than food, which doesn't mean that you should eat poor quality food, it means there is so much more to do in life than eat! Raw foods enable us to maximize the nutrients in our nutrition so that we no longer have to spend so much time eating. Change up your routine and become a more active person who eats less, then there is no time for boredom!

2. Not trying out new foods and flavors on a periodic basis, and mixing up the variety in my diet frequently.

Sometimes I will rediscover a fruit, like watermelon, and eat it everyday for a month as if I just discovered watermelon for the first time. Trust me, the month that I did that this summer, I WAS NOT BORED. The watermelon was a VERY exciting part of my day! Mix in something new, and keep your palate intrigued. Nature is NOT boring!

2. Letting the raw vegan diet cause me to isolate myself socially.

Maybe you're not hanging out with others simply because they are always eating at restaurants with poor quality food (this is a great percentage of the population, so you're in for some serious social isolation if you make this mistake). Or maybe you're not finding ways to share this lifestyle with others, or meeting others interested in a healthier lifestyle. Therefore, you're not really bored with the lifestyle, you're bored of being alone.

If you are really doing well with how you are eating, then the fact is you simply do not need to eat that much food because you are getting plenty of nutrition from the small amount of food that you eat. This means that you should have plenty of time for social interaction, even if that means that it is around food you aren't interested in consuming. Great! Don't eat it! You can still get something to snack on or drink, but most importantly, be social and have fun!

To meet more people into raw food, go to potlucks or have your own, and visit raw food restaurants and online forums. Have fun in the kitchen with others trying new things! There are many ways to be social with a healthy lifestyle. Health expos and eco fairs are other fun places to meet like-minded people.

3. I don't have food and health as a priority in my finances or my income doesn't allow me to spend much money on anything but bills. If you can't afford to spend money on food to try new things then this can lead to boredom because you can't afford variety.

a. Have I tried to restructure my finances so that I stop spending excess money at Starbucks or other places and instead make sure it goes to my health?

b. I have the time and/or space to grow some organic vegetables and herbs or plant some fruit trees, but I'm being lazy or I haven't even thought about how this could save me tons of money in the long run. (Community gardens also exist.)

c. I haven't found my local farmers markets and gotten to know my local organic farmers and found out how to save a lot of money from them.

d. I haven't started a local nut and seed co-op in my area to save hundreds of dollars a year on the most expensive items of this lifestyle. (You can even get some superfoods in bulk.)

e. I haven't gotten a part time job at Whole Foods or another health food store where they generally give 30% discount to employees.

4. I am unwilling to spend any time in the kitchen exploring new flavors and making it fun.

5. I'm being too rigid and not allowing myself to eat some cooked food or to have more fun and variety in my diet.

6. I haven't explored the many spices available and added spices to my spice rack, nor have I tried to copy some of my favorite cooked food flavors and spices with a raw food meal.

I hope the above list gives you plenty of ideas for how to "spice up" your routine and your life!