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“I wasn’t born skinny”, Carol says. “In fact, no one in my family is particularly thin. But when I decided to become a fashion model, everyone I met drummed into my head that I was too heavy. Even though I’m tall, I’m not large-boned – I wear a size 7-1/2 shoe and my ring size is a 4! – meaning I can never blame extra pounds on “heavy bones”. So, I started dieting very, very early in my career.
“I must have tried every fad diet in the book – I was constantly dieting and the end result was, oh, yes – I was thin enough, but I was also becoming ill! I had colds and the flu all the time; my respiratory system was a mess; and I seemed to be allergic to everything. Hell! I was even allergic to myself! And I was really becoming sick and tired of being…sick and tired.”
It wasn’t until Carol turned to a raw diet and a lifestyle to go with it that her health improved. She hasn’t had any kind of respiratory or allergy problems since and she was in her mid-30s when she began this regimen. Her “discovery” of the raw diet was the result of a series of serendipitous events.
“I had a friend who had a friend and that young woman had been diagnosed at the age of 22 with cancer. The doctors wanted to remove just about everything that made her a female, from her entire reproductive system to her lymph nodes. In fact, she had been misdiagnosed as a teen when this first began, so her health had deteriorated terribly by the time the cancer diagnosis occurred.
Her boyfriend – and I really take my hat off to this man! – bucked all convention and battled with everyone to try to find her a cure. Meanwhile, everyone else, doctors included, was telling him he was killing her; she only had a couple of weeks left to have the surgery, etc. Instead of listening to them, he took her to another doctor that he had researched. Six months later, his girlfriend was pronounced cancer-free.
So, he called me up one day and said, ‘Carol, you’re the most health-minded person I know and you’re going to want to meet this doctor.’ Little did he know that I was going through my own problems: My weight was ballooning, my skin looked terrible, I was developing fine lines and wrinkles, and I just generally felt awful. I was no longer projecting youth and health, and energy, and I could see my career slipping through my fingers like grains of sand! Still, when he brought this idea to me, I literally was rolling my eyes, thinking, yeah, yeah, yeah. But he wouldn’t give up, so I finally told him to give me this doctor’s number – because I really just wanted to get him off the phone!
Truthfully, though, when we hung up, this little voice inside was saying to me, ‘You’ve been looking for something to help you. How could you be so stupid and too proud to try whatever comes your way? At least look at it, at least educate yourself about whatever it is.’
Well, fortunately, I remembered the doctor’s number (you see? I hadn’t even written it down when my friend gave it to me!), so I called and left him a message. When he called me back – and this I found very interesting – he did not say the usual ‘What can I do for you?’ or ‘What’s wrong with you?’. He said, ‘What do you eat?’! So, I answered this, this and this. He said ‘Oh, my god!’ and started laughing, but it was a very sad kind of laugh. ‘With what you’re eating, I’m surprised you don’t have this, this and this kind of problem’, he said. He listed sinus infections, colds and flues every few weeks, allergies, weight gain, being tired and moody, plus skin problems. Well, I also had a rash on my leg that I couldn’t get rid of and several doctors had been unable to diagnose it. The rash was spreading to other parts of my body.
The doctor finally said, ‘I want you to go eat this weekend’. ‘Eat? I’m a model. I have to stay thin!’, I told him. No – he wanted me to eat specific foods: Raw vegetables, cold-pressed oils, evaporated sea salt, seared fish, fresh fruits – with no restrictions on the amount. All I could think was, ‘This man wants me to eat. This is the most freeing moment of my life!’
That weekend, I followed his instructions and almost immediately began to feel better. That was 12 years ago and I’ve been following this regime ever since. No more colds, no more respiratory infections, no more skin problems, no more anything that bothered me before. Of course, my weight adjusted itself, too, and that hasn’t been a problem since that time, either.”
Carol is still astounded by the people who resist advice that is so easy to follow and makes so much sense. “When I talk to someone with breast cancer, who refuses to give up chicken, or someone with terrible allergies, who refuses to give up wheat products, I tell them, ‘Look, you can take a pill, but that pill is going to bother your liver, or cause some other problem, while your symptoms continue to get worse. Why don’t you just get to the source of all of these problems – the foods you consume and the various ways that food is prepared.’ After all, preservatives, pasteurization, etc., aren’t added to foods to help the person eating them; they’re put there to help the company that sells the food!”
As an example, Carol cites milk. For thousands of years, man drank raw milk and thrived. But then, quite rapidly in the overall scheme of things, big cities replaced small towns and farmers could no longer get their raw milk to the consumer quickly enough to prevent it from spoiling. Thus the need for pasteurization was born. That does not mean, however, that raw milk (which, of course, is still available many places) suddenly became bad for you. It just wasn’t financially feasible to market it in the good old way.
That same principal can be applied to any and all fresh (“raw”) foods. Getting it from the farm to the distributor to you cannot be done quickly enough to prevent it from going bad. That is, when you’re talking about mass production for millions of people. Yet, Carol reminds us, “Whenever I’m in Paris, for example, I eat whatever everyone else is eating and I actually lose weight. Europeans handle their foods differently than we do here in the United States. The taste alone will show you how much better their methods are than what we’re doing to our foods.
Speaking of the taste of food, I understand that a lot of people are turned off by what they think “raw” foods are going to taste like. Let me tell you…I’m not a vegan, so I do eat all kinds of fish, meats, unpasteurized raw milk cheeses, sprouted breads – in other words, a wide variety of foods. But for me, the natural flavor of a food, which has not been killed by cooking or processing it, is amazing. The flavor of a raw tomato, for example, is unbelievable – sweet, juicy, delicious, all by itself! Compare that to a cooked tomato that requires all kinds of “additions” to make it palatable and you’ll know what I mean. On top of that, raw tomatoes are alkaline, so they don’t cause acid indigestion or canker sores.
Of course, a great thing about raw “cooking” is the use of spices, which are uncooked themselves, and which can really work beautifully to bring new and wonderful flavors to all of the raw foods you’ll be consuming. Cumin, thyme, garlic, onion, sea salt, all kinds of peppers, ginger – the list is endless and so are the possibilities…!
One other point: I, myself, don’t cook much. I know how – I just don’t have the time. I order many, many food items online and have them delivered, including the milk! I even order entire meals – a whole week’s worth – from a company on the other side of the country! It’s so easy. But no matter how you get it, raw foods are available everywhere to everyone, in every conceivable price range. So, there are no good excuses not to try this out, either cold turkey or little by little. I have never felt better in my life!”
Carol Alt’s popular book, “Eating In The Raw“, can be found at the following on-line location:
http://www.amazon.com/Eating-Raw-Beginners-Healthier-Raw-Food/dp/140005284X
And this will take you to Carol’s other book, “The Raw 50“:
http://www.amazon.com/Raw-50-Amazing-Breakfasts-Lifestyle/dp/0307351742/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1221695729&sr=1-1
Hi Carol,
I’ve read your book, The Raw 50, and am attempting to germinate my oat groats from Whole Foods. The oats didn’t appear any different after soaking. Does this mean that they have been processed at high temperatures, as you mentioned in your book.? Or does germinating not change the appearance of the oat groat.
Also, any chance you could reccomend a cooking class for raw foodists in Connecticut?
Thanks for your time.
Donna S.
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carol alt Reply:
November 28th, 2009 at 2:57 am
Hi Donna,
You guessed it! Oat groats bought commercially (as in whole foods) are already cooked!
some times cooking changes the appearance of things and some times not. Whole Foods sells pasteurized almonds now as RAW, too. Well, pasteurizing is COOKED so how they can still legally call them raw is beyond me….
since i have written my book, so much has changed…..
go to Naturesfirstlaw.com and ask David Wolfe if he could recommend a place to get them. i mean, if he is not selling them himself.
i wanted to do a store on my site, but david, and also Sarma from oneluckyduck.com, do it so much better than i ever could!
anyway, as for raw classes in Connecticut, i would check online. i am sure someone must list them?
i know of the classes only in NYC as that is where my office is so i am more aware of my local area.
perhaps we can put out that question?
Anyone know of a good class in Connecticut?
Sorry i cannot be of more help, but some times people do respond. i will keep you posted. and i will ask my web master to include that question on my next blog, too……
all the best,
ca
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Hi Carol, I am ok now, I just have a question, I live in Celaya, Mexico, near San Miguel Allende, I found about your diet in a people magazine, and I d ecided to do it since january 1, at firsth I did not know what to eat, now I found the bread, tortillas and a lot of fresh cheese, I think I am all alone in this diet, but anyway, I am do it this not because of the weight, I am doing this for my face, I am 47 I am very very skinny, but my question is I feel the shrinking only in my neck , do you feel the shrinking in other place, but the way I eat a lot of quezadillas with raw salsa,. Regards
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carol alt Reply:
November 28th, 2009 at 3:01 am
Hi Miriam,
One thing i noticed from your email is that you eat a lot of the same thing. one of the biggest parts of this lifestyle is variety.
Salads are important, too–how about ceviche?
and believe me, you are not alone doing this. So many people have decided to take their health into their own hands and have found eating as RAW as possible is the best way to stay healthy!
please put variety back into your life.
any more problems, don’t hesitate to write.
all the best,
ca
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Dear Carol,
You are definately an inspiration to the rest of us 40-50 ish ladies! I’m so proud as a woman to see that another woman has shown us how we can maintain our bodies in a healthy way and look good doing it. I believe every woman is beautiful in their own way. It’s what we put into our bodies that ”influences” the way we look.
I eat all organic but cook as well. I would love to just eat organic but like alot of other people,am afraid I won’t be able to afford it.
I watch alot of Arnold’s from Lansdale Pa. If you’ve never seen him your missing a great show. He is just so full of energy and vitality. 61 yrs old its hard to believe ! He doesn’t look it!
I just wish my Sister would have lived long enough to try the raw diet . She had Lupus for 28yrs and then developed Luekemia. One month later she had passed.
I know this is the way we should eat. I feel it everytime I hear anything about raw. Its just a matter of time.
The Bible says We know truth,when we hear it. I believe this.
Love,
stardustndreams
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carol alt Reply:
November 28th, 2009 at 3:09 am
Hi Stardustndreams,
how right you are in quoting the Bible.
so many times i tell people that there is a reason they hear about RAW or that for some strange reason i have been put in front of them talking about RAW.
but, so many people “choose” not to listen.
RAW saved my life–and then gave it back to me in a big way.
so i am compelled to speak about it to “pay it forward” and give others the gift of life that i got. i believe you don’t really live until you go RAW–so many things made me feel so bad when i ate cooked. but the worst part was that i got so used to feeling that way that i didn’t know what feeling good was until i changed my eating.
and by the way, i did a juicer infomercial with jack lalanne, man, he turned 92 while we were shooting—talk about energy!
he juices everyday–and yes, juicing is RAW!
so, i hope you take your own advice (or the advice of the Bible) and eat RAW and enjoy good health for a long, long time!
all the best,
ca
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Aloha!
I have to thank you for your 2 books about eating raw. I have the challenge of an underactive thyroid and post menopause. I have tried many ‘diets’ over the years which really don’t work when you have a thyroid problem so it is very refreshing to discover a way of eating that is contributing to my well-being.
My husband had a massive stroke about 10 years ago and I have been his caregiver without help from others, thus not paying much attention to myself and consequently I lost track of my own self caregiving. I fell into eating few meals and not healthy ones at that. Lack of sleep, poor diet, stress, exhaustion, disappointments, and aging have all been my companions these last ten years.
Finally, heart problems along with some others made me take notice of my own needs. I have been searching many resources for help. One has been Dr. Joel Fuhrman, which I find exceptional and it his suggestioons have been helpful. Yet, I needed more input on a personal level in addition to that. I came across a bit on the internet about your book and immediately ordered it from my local library to ‘check it out’. I felt I had found a solution to my needs and preferences. So I drove to the bookstore which is 50 miles away and bought your book, Raw 50.
I have been successfully adding the suggestions into my daily life and am eating from 40-70% raw each day, for now. I have been able to get up early in the morning as I used to. I have more energy to get outdoors and walk. I am more interested in my day. I have also begun painting again, which I have not had enough energy to do. I am actually finishing projects.
I want to thank you for your research and sharing this with others, including me. Women are sometimes forgotten by the medical profession or are overlooked, neglectfully or purposefully. So we are forced to do the research ourselves. I’m glad your information was here for me to find.
Mahalo, my friend, Pam
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carol alt Reply:
November 28th, 2009 at 3:14 am
Hi Pam,
You know, sometimes we can have the info in front of us and do nothing about it. you have made a conscious decision to change your life and for that i congratulate you!
i am so happy that you got these kind of results and feel like your life is coming back to you.
i remember that feeling.
you know, sometimes i wonder or forget why i do this…..why i tell people about RAW.
So many choose to laugh at me or to challenge me, it gets discouraging.
i must say, that letters like yours remind me of why i wrote the book to begin with.
your letter took me back to what is real……health and happiness.
these should be our legacy, unfortunately, as one can see with the state of our health care, it is not.
again, thank you for your letter and keep up your good work!
ca
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Hi Carol, I have read your book “Eating in the Raw” and love it. And although I am not eating completely raw yet…I am working on it. I remember reading in your “Eating in the Raw” book that you once suffered from candida. I am experiencing much confusion about all the info and guidance that is out there with regards to how to manage and eliminate this altogether. I realize that the ultimate response might be to “go completely raw” but I am just not there yet. I would greatly appreciate any insight on this topic because I am frustrated with what seems to be conflicting info on what I can and cannot eat while trying to detox my body of candida. I would love for you refer me to info, give me some guidelines or write an article on this yourself. I know that alcohol and sugar and grains are out…but some have said that SOME types of sugars and grains DO NOT promote candida and even detox the body of fungus (jear? emmer?) And that even some veggies DO promote it… I have been experiencing discomforts for years and finally thought I had gotten rid of it…but here it is again and I have been experiencing discomfort for a month now…doing everything “diet wise” that I can by eliminating certain foods, but still it is taking its time…I have been reading about what other raw foodists have to say as well but even you all recommend foods that others say are forbidden…like honey, stevia, agave nectar, spelt, wheatberries, etc. In the raw food books I have read, authors eat foods that are forbidden to me at the moment, but none seem to experience candida. I realize that this is more than just a comment, but I am truly confused, overwhelmed and frustrated about how to overcome this situation.
Thank you so much for your time.
Lisa Rene
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carol alt Reply:
November 28th, 2009 at 3:35 am
Hi lisa rene,
i am sorry it took me so long to answer, i try to keep on top of email. but, i sometimes fail.
i hope this email can still help. first of all, there are doctors that can take you thru this process. i suggest you contact one.
that said, all i can tell you is what i did and why.
i stopped all non-essential sugars. what i mean is, i ate veggies which are long chain carbos but cut out even pistachio nuts! (they have trace amounts of sugar)
i ate no honey or agave at all. no breads, no fruit or fruit juices no dried fruit.
i took citricidal (grapefruit seed extract drops) daily to kill viruses and fungus. and i drank aquaflora phase 1 which i got at the health food store. i also added probiotics to replenish the “good” bacteria in my intestines.
my doctor recommended a psycillium flush to clean out the intestines. that flush lasted for 5 days and felt great.
i did this all for a total of about 5/6 weeks. and man, i got rid of some stuff.
BUT, then you have to keep it up. what i mean is, “yeast” (which is the candidias) is natural to have in the system. only when we become unbalanced does it grow out of control and we feel the results of it.
remember, things like coffee, aspirin or any drugs can kill off the good bacteria which keeps the yeast in check in the system; too much sugar can feed the yeast and give it an unfair advantage over the good biotics which are more fragile than the yeast is.
it is when the body’s system of checks and balances are thrown off, that yeast can grow wild again and thereby cause you the same problems you had before.
in other words, you cannot do this candidias cleanse once and forget about it.
you must keep up with it by keeping the body clean and healthy and by eating right and avoiding the things that kill good bacteria (flora in the system).
I do citrucidal everyday- still. i add aquaflora when i need it. i take probiotics all the time and i avoid coffee, drugs and too much sugar on a daily basis.
hope this helps. but again, i am not a doctor. this is just what i did for myself.
best of luck to you!
ca
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Hello,
I would like to say thank you to Carol. I’m presently reading your (her) book “The Raw 50″ and excited about the journey to raw foods. I have a question. In the book it mentions that I can visit this website to purchase food items such as raw oats, page 46 in the tip box. I can’t seem to locate that section on this website. Please advise. Thank you and have a great day!
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Hello,
Where are all of the links to great raw products, etc. that you talked about in your Raw 50 book. There were several places where you mentioned if a reader went to your site they could find where to buy various products. Am I on the wrong site? Thanks.
I do like the recipes in the book.
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carol alt Reply:
November 28th, 2009 at 3:39 am
Hi
jennifer,
i am sorry but i have answered this same question many times.
i cannot compete with the sites that do this for a living. and when i wrote my books which are now a few years old, i did have a site. but i gave it up to the better sites that are able to do a better job.
naturesfirstlaw.com oneluckyduck.com goodstuff etc….
i have been after my webmaster to put this up under a special heading so that it is in one place and everyone can see it.
you have just reminded me i need to “bug” him again to do it!
thanks!
ca
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There is a total of one restaurant dedicated to raw food in the Cincinnati area (a good distance from my home). With your resources . . . Ever think of starting a chain with reasonable prices and all of your favorites on the menu? Think of all the lives you’d be saving.
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carol alt Reply:
November 28th, 2009 at 3:46 am
Hi Sarah,
Nope. not really my thing.
i am not a chef and what did with my books was what i wanted to do…..start people thinking about their food and what is in it.
i gave recipes from my favorite chefs–
that is it.
now it is up to each individual to find what works for them. I, myself, order a lot online and have deliveries.
however, the recipes make raw food affordable.
that is what i wanted to do.
i leave the non-cooking to the experts!
sorry to disappoint. but, i believe that in time, RAW will grow (no pun intended!) and it will be easier to find it.
by the way, the nature of RAW is such that i personally think it would be impossible to do any kind of chain restaurant. RAW food is labor intenstive.
but maybe someone out there has an idea of how this could be done?
ca
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hi donna,
so in sprouting some things change their shape and some do not. raw almonds will sprout and cashews will just get softer. but in my experience, i have gotten change with oats.
so the problem with whole foods is that they will call pasteurized almonds “raw” when they are not. and they put up a sign saying that they consider flash pasteurizing of foods as an ok thing to do. raw foodists however do not recognize these things as raw. in evidence, the almonds that are flash pasteurized do not sprout-only “live”/raw things can sprout.
so you must ask your whole foods if they “flash pasteurize their oats and still sell them as raw….this might answer your question for you.
in my book i tried to explain that you must know where your food comes from and what they do to it BEFORE you get it! and this is exactly why….
as for classes, i do not personally know any in connecticut to recommend, but christopher at LIVE LIVE in manhattan (info in my second book, i do not have it at my fingertips right now, however, sorry) knows everyone and gives very fun classes! he may also know of someone in connecticut!
hope i have helped you!
ca
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hi Miriam,
since you told me you are already slender, you may be at your proper weight. i have found that raw food brings me to my “healthy” weight.
you also said you are “eating for your face”, i am not sure what this means: perhaps you want to look younger?
i have found that raw cold pressed fats helped me a lot. but i always recommend you speak a doctor who knows raw food and he can guide you to your goal.
in any case, i do a line of raw skin care and we have gotten some phenomenal results from our users. it is called Raw Essentials and it is sold on HSN. perhaps this might be a great compliment to your raw food diet.
i believe the raw food diet makes you healthier- that is why i did it! i wish for you the same result that i got!
to your health!
ca
PS make sure you are not eating too much of one type of food. you need a wide variety of foods in your diet….
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Dear stardustdreams!
i beleive this, too! and i knew the truth of raw foods when i heard it and it saved my life.
i do not ask why i had my cancer, i thank God i had it because it made me a stronger believer in what i do and what i preach.
i am sorry for your sister that she did not find the diet. and i am sorry for you as you seem to miss her so.
the best we can do (as i lost my brother three years ago, too!) is to live our life so they would be proud of us!
i believe in always trying to speak the truth. but in this world, seems the truth is lost in all this marketing. I believe God guides us…..and that we are responsible to help guide others.
thank you for your email!
to your health,
ca
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dear pam,
you made me cry! thank you so much for your letter. it is women like you who give me the energy to keep ‘shouting against the machine’.
God bless and keep up the good work!
ca
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hi lisa,
sorry it took me so long to answer! i get so much mail!
please forgive me as i realize you have a problem and need help.
i do not know how to help you as i am not a doctor, but i can try by telling you pretty much (not all of) what i did- and dr. timothy brantley is the one who helped me- and realize he tailored this program for me, but some things you might find helpful in your search!
first of all, grains–i will try to “unconfuse’ you from the point of view of what grains to eat and why it seems you are getting conflicting views!. sprouted grains are more protein as cooked grains are carbos! so, depending on who is talking and what type of grain they are talking about, is why some say to eat grains and others say not to! a raw food person will always talk about raw grains (which are proteins) and a conventional person will talk about cooked grains (which are carbos or sugar!) so you must know WHO is talking! is he a raw foodist or not?
on the candidias diet, they tell you to cut our “sugars.” so that means cooked grains, breads, pastas, any sugars such as honey and white, “raw” and brown sugars. some nuts are even more full of sugar than other nuts(pistachios are sugary!!). fruits, milk products etc.
agave is thought to be from a plant and raw so not in the same category as table sugar(which is cooked)- same with stevia. i just cut all this stuff out as i wanted a faster resolve to my problem!
i used citricidal (a grapefruit seed extract) to help kill the bacteria as it is not enough just to cut out certain things in the diet, you need to help rid the body of excess bacteria and yeast.
i also added a heavy duty probiotic, agua flora and psyllium husk to clear out my colon and repopulate it with helpful bacteria. many people suggest enemas (please talk to your doctor about all this- as i said, this was tailored for me)
there are some commercial systems out there on the market- they take somewhat of a long time to do, but i did use one i found to successfully clean out a friend of mine.
hope this all helps!
again, please consult a doctor as i am not one. this information is only to guide you in your own research.
hope i was somewhat helpful?
ca
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hi Gloria
Hi Jennifer
hope you both don’t mind that i answer you together as you both have the same question!
I HAD a site up. but as the people who did the site with me were not right for what i wanted to do, i took the site down.
while out searching for another site manager, time passed and so many great online sites came up, it became clear to me that to compete in a medium that was not my main medium would not help people. besides the fact that whole foods does a pretty good job with their raw veggies and fruits and cheeses–
so now i just tell people to go online by typing in “raw foods” and look up sites. there are raw milk sites and raw veggie sites as well as bulk and prepared food sites.
in terms of prepared foods, i have my favs-(you can pretty much find everything you need for my book online)
oneluckyduck.com
sundiet.com (also known as Naturesfirstlaw.com)
rawvolution.com and Goodstuff.com (also known as good stuff from mom and me)
and many, many others!
sorry to have frustrated you! the books are now a couple of years old! and RAW FOOD is booming online and in stores…
hope this helps!
to your health,
ca
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hi sarah!
LOL!
i leave this to the pros!
but thank you for your vote of confidence!
what i have learned from all my raw food friends who own stores and restaurants is that raw food is expensive when eaten out! mostly because it is time consuming to make it. and they cannot store it-so it is all fresh and “in the moment”
and that is exactly why i wrote my books-to make raw food accessible and cheaper by giving you recipes and letting you make things yourself.
but oh, how i dream of the day that there is a chain of raw food restaurants! i just hope that someone can come up with a way to make it cheaply! until then, i believe my books offer the best, cheapest solution!
thanks again for your idea….i WILL mull it over……
ca
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Hi Carol,
I saw a show on OPRAH called: “Calorie Restriction” where host Dr. Mehmet Oz talks with husband-and-wife team Paul McGlothin and Meredith Averill about the health benefits of a calorie-restricted diet. I went to Barnes & Noble’s bookstore but could not find their book, but your book “Eating In The Raw” jumped out at me twice so I guess you could say it picked me. lol I have pulmonary fibrosis, low energy, sleeping problems, anxiety issues, allergies and have been having pneumonia once a year as well as recurring sinus infections. I’m 5.0 and 130 lbs so I’m not too overweight. I have been trying to eat healthy but didnot know all the benefits of eating raw foods till I read your book. I’m on my second round of antibiotics and would like to resolve my health issues. I’m just a week into eating salads, fruits etc. and hope it helps my health. I just want to thank you for sharing your story and getting information out there to people who would like to live a healthier life. By the way you look beautiful, amazing and healthy. Cora
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i think that Carol is awesome and I’ve been about 50% raw all week, still weaning myself from sweets and dairy and cooked foods altogether. I have a blog on soulvegfolk.com. I love the raw lifestyle already just because of how I’m feeling right now. I can testify to a whole new outlook on life ALREADY and i started on Monday, it’s now Friday…5 days of only eating raw for breakfast and lunch, cooked dinner with a desert comprised of a few cookies and milk in the evenings. I already feel lighter (i’m 5ft 4, 190 lbs from havnig a baby last year and eating crazy), and I respond to things better (i tend to get angry fast and I also tend to depress and stress easily). The problems in life are still there, it’s all in how u respond to them. I noticed that my addicitons to sugar and sweets in general including dairy are now the areas that i need to work on. i love to eat a plate of raw collards and kale accompanied by a whole unpeeled carrot and handful of grapes as a meal. Reading Carol’s story in a couple of interviews she did really helped to inspire me. Love you Carol!-Tanisha McClellan
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hi cora,
you know, i had terrible health problems besides just sinus infections and colds and flu and stomach burning–
so i can really feel what you are going thru! your email brought back so many memories because i felt your frustration!
I think that God helped me to find RAW food and it is my way of paying it forward to bring it to other people who need it.
you picked this book, because you needed it! and as my doctor told me when i thanked HIM for saving MY life–
he told me ” you should thank your self. i can only lead the horse to water….
do you know how many people i tell this information to and most of them do nothing?
you are responsible for your own health. and the fact that you took matters into your own hands and saved your own life is a testimony to the power of taking not only responsibility, but action!”
Cora, your life is in your hands and the more education you get about what is happening to food and what it does to the body, the more you can chose properly and take care of yourself with better results.
I wish you the best of everything life has to offer…..
let me know how you do.
ca
ps there are great EASY menus in my second book THE RAW 50- and there are things you can order online to give you more variety of things to eat! you’d be surprised what you can make–practically anything you cook, you can make raw–even raw ice cream (oneluckyduck.com)
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Hi Carol,
First I must say it is amazing that you actually answer any emails! Thank you!
I bought your book Eating in the Raw a few months ago and absolutely love it and the recipes. I teach raw foods classes at Lassens Foods stores around Southern California and your book is so inspirational and fresh.
I bought a watermelon the other day to try your Watermelon Cheesecake recipe and ran into some problems. Is there info missing from this recipe or am I just missing it somehow? The ingredients list calls for cashews and then doesn’t use them in the directions anywhere that I can find. I am thinking the cashews (and the sesame seeds and some agave?) are part of the cheesecake crust?
Anyway, I would so appreciate some clarification for this recipe, as the watermelon continues to sit on my kitchen counter crying to be transformed into a delicious and refreshing raw dessert.
You are such a great example and inspiration for us! Beauty, brains, health, and a nice personality as well! Wow.
Thank you in advance.
Sincerely,
Becky Bennett
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carol alt Reply:
December 3rd, 2009 at 6:04 am
Hi Becky,
yes, the cashews are part of the crust.
Man, no matter how much i proof read this book, recipes are like trying to wrangle jelly with rubber bands. you just don’t catch all the mistakes.
as i did not create these recipes, i just gave the credit to all my raw chef friends, and they made them for me to taste, not always did i or my editor find these mistakes.
it takes people like you to point them out!
thanks and i will try to have these things corrected in the next edition of the book!
ca
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I love your eating in the raw book…..I am starting to incorporate Raw into my daily life and feel awesome. You said in your book, that on your website you would have where to go to by “on line” your favorite raw foods. Where is this link? Can’t find it on your website. Want to know where to find the Fourteen Grain RAW cereal on line. Also several other foods you mentioned. What website do you recommend for this?
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carol alt Reply:
December 3rd, 2009 at 6:06 am
Hi Sonya,
please read the answers to the other comments as so many people have asked the same question.
i am not able to do the “food” part of my site as well as the people who actually do that for a living.
so, i have left that to the experts.
please read above responses for the websites and sorry for any inconvenience!
all the best,
ca
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I also have been trying to find the link you mention (in Raw 50) on your website that you would have a where to go to by “on line” your favorite raw foods. I live in a very remote NW area, no good local stores & short growing season, so any help would be appreciated.
Thank you!
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Carol Alt Reply:
December 22nd, 2009 at 4:06 pm
DPMarkham,
if you cannot find what you want on the links on my homepage, then just type in RAW foods on the web and there should be a ton-a ton!-of sites that can help you out by shipping.
i ship everything to my house, too!
hope this helps?
ca
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Hi-Should you detox your body,
yes you should, in my opinion!
there are plenty of books on the subject.
there are liver cleanses, colon cleanses as well as full body detoxes and enemas!
my books, however, just deal with food-
hope this helps!
ca
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I wrote on your wall, but then found this part of your site. Not sure where you read and answer. I asked about making “raw” keifer. I’ve got the starter and in your book you said you can use pasteurized milk. I found some organic, pasteurized but NOT homogenized. All the recipes I have read for making it says to boil the milk first, do you need to? and can you use 2% or skim to make it or does it have to be whole milk?
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Carol Alt Reply:
February 3rd, 2010 at 12:46 pm
well, Leslie, i answer here!
and here is your answer:
The doctor i buy the “starter” from says to boil the milk.
and i do.
but then i take SEVERAL keifer buds and freeze them in
little plastic bottles in my freezer. i do this so i can play.
and i say “play”
sometimes i am able to get keifer from unboiled milk.
so try it.
but use the regular, not low fat milk.
and if you can find unpasteurized milk online and get it
shipped, great!
then i would try it without boiling it.
that would be optimum!
have fun and experiment. sometimes i do everything right,
and i do not get keifer from the milk. so that is why i
say to take several keifer “buds,” so you can play.
enjoy!
ca
ps-a keifer bud is just a spoonful of keifer. i put it in an
empty vitamin bottle and freeze individual servings!
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First, thank you, thank you, thank you. I have been researching raw food for awhile but I’m having a hard time getting started especially with a family used to eating dead cooked meat. I would love to attend a raw retreat to help me. Can you suggest any?
Thanks in advance,
Jacki
Btw- you looked gorgeous on Dr. Oz last week
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Carol Alt Reply:
May 15th, 2010 at 6:57 pm
Hi Jacki,
Wow!
a raw retreat…i mean, i know the Hippocrates center in
Palm Beach Fla.
however, i do not think this is the answer to your problem
as you will eventually come home and have to eat with
the family!
So, if you are having a hard time with the family,
then read my books, i talk about starting slow.
Start with cooking your meat less and less, little by little
until you get to the point of searing fish and meat–
I am not vegan-in my books (found in the library)
i tell you how to find raw foods that are fun. i also teach
you to make interesting recipes at home and i also
teach you how to eat out at restaurants.
in the super markets there are lots of stuff to eat that is
not vegan but RAW
and if you have access to a Whole Foods, you can get
raw milk cheeses as well as Sashimi grade fish and meats.
Also, Ezekiel bread is found in the frozen foods section
and if you have people who are having a hard time
getting off bread this is a good stepping stone as it is not
raw, but at least it is sprouted-like i said, a good stepping
stone. as is Manna bread which is raw, AND flavorful but
not so good for sandwiches(or at least i do not use it that
way. LOL!)-
Manna Bread is also found in Whole Foods frozen section.
My Dr, Dr Brantley said to aim for 75-100% raw.
that leaves you a lot of play…..
Aim first for 75% and move slowly from there.
My whole family does it, but it did take some people
more time than others to make the switch.
Dump out the cooked snacks and get some Manna Bread
(comes in Carrot, fruit and nut, cinnamon and raisin as well
as rye and multi-grain!)
dump out the sugar and get Raw Agave or Raw Honey.
go online and get nut mixes–Good stuff from mom and
me has one i like. and they also make a great Granola
breakfast cereal….
but most importantly, remember, not everyone likes
every raw food! you have to go slow and pick and choose.
hope this helps!!
ca
ps thanks for the compliment–i but i am just paying it
forward…..raw food has been the miracle in my life! hope
you get thru the speed bumps!
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Hi Carol! Thank you so much for making your healthy lifestyle public so we may benefit. So generous.
I am in a bind. I have been very sick with Lyme since I was 19 (now 34) and have endured a cascade of health problems that has left my body ravaged. This makes me very sad. I have lost my joy, my looks, my youth. It’s been hard. My digestion has shut down completely as a result of so much weakness. And I am extremely thin and having trouble absorbing nutrients and keeping weight on. I am inclined towards raw foods, as my body is thirsty for life and vibrancy. What do you suggest in terms of food choices, recipes, etc for someone with compromised digestion, fungal infections in the gut, and low body weight? I know you are not a doctor. But wondering if you have any ideas. Do you eat a lot of fruit? Or do you mostly gravitate towards protein and fats? Just curious…..
Thank you!!!!
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Dear Carol,
im Algerian, and here in Algeria, you find more raw food than industrial food, i have to say, every since i was born, i ate raw food, and when i went to other countries, i had the opprtunity to compare the food, it wasn’t raw, i have to admit that it has completely another taste, it tasted like plastic.That was when i realized that raw food was much more tasty.Some weeks ago, i discovered you, and your raw program, i was so relieved to know that raw food was even better for health.
love.
amira
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Carol Alt Reply:
September 15th, 2010 at 3:15 pm
Hi Amira,
LUCKY YOU! growing up on mostly raw food….
wow!
Yes, raw food has a completely different taste than
cooked, for sure.
Nice to try cooked once but when you see the
difference(and the difference in your health)
better to be RAW!
Thank you for writing. and keep on eating that
delicious RAW food.
wishing you Health!
CA
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Hi Carol, Did I hear you say on Howard Stern that you had cervical cancer and went the nontraditional way? If so, was it mainly your raw foods diet? thanks, gail
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Carol Alt Reply:
December 19th, 2010 at 12:36 pm
Yes, Gail, I did.
I did many things to try to get healthy…raw food being the main thing. But i followed Dr Gonzales’ Protocol.
So it was not just changing my diet, it was a whole program.
thank for asking.
CA
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Hi Carol,
I have read both of your books and they are so inspiring. You are inspiring! A few years ago I tried going 100% raw (there may have been a few exceptions, I don’t know if the kelp I was eating was raw, for instance). It was exciting, but I didn’t have anyone to guide me, so I don’t think I was eating a balanced diet. I was raw for 9 months. I didn’t stop abruptly, but I decided that I felt better eating some salmon occasionally and gradually moved to eating more cooked foods.
I read your books several months ago and I have been working towards a higher raw diet and I feel that I have gotten a perspective of more balance from you, since you are not vegan. You really inspire me! Also, your responses to blog posts are amazing, I have come across so much helpful information from you. Thanks for caring to share your raw lifestyle.
Sincerely,
Jeannine
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Carol Alt Reply:
December 19th, 2010 at 11:35 am
Hi Jeannine,
Thank you for your email. Your experience is exactly why i want people to work with a doctor. A doctor can help you find your own balance!
and If you have questions, they are following you personally; your own personal story.
My books are general guidelines!
I have learned so much from some amazing people along my own road to raw that i am just trying to pay it forward. i am trying to help other women find their health.
i am glad you gave a more balance diet a try….Balance is so important!!
Thank you again for writing.
Warm Regards,
CA
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Hey love your article about eating raw. I saw it in an old Playboy magazine and it was interesting. By the way you look great for a woman who is her late 40s and just so you know your photos in Playboy were fantastic! I do not mean in the typical way some look at mags like that, but your figure looks fantastic and you did show that older women can look great as well!
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Carol Alt Reply:
April 24th, 2011 at 8:29 am
Thank you!
but i did it to spread the word about how great RAW food is- i guess most people do look at the pics! LOL!
thank you for your comments!
Happy Easter/Passover!
CA
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This has been one of the best blogs I have come across in a long time. I hope you keep you the great work and keep the good stuff coming.
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Carol Alt Reply:
May 29th, 2011 at 7:01 pm
Thank you for your comment! I try….
CA
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You’re not just a goddess, but also a very sensitive and sensible person. My compliments! I agree totally with your views on food and how important is the way you eat. I eat raw as much as I can, don’t drink pasteurized milk nor consume refined sugar anymore. Natural vitamins are also fundamental…all the best to you and your work!
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Carol Alt Reply:
July 6th, 2011 at 12:21 pm
Stefano,
Thank you so much! The best to you also!
CA
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Carol Alt Reply:
July 7th, 2011 at 1:21 pm
Jenny,
Thank you for your email. I will forward to my partners who make the business decisions.
Regards,
CA
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