When I was a little girl, I ate a typical western diet. In the '80s, M&M Meats, Rice-A-Roni and Green Giant frozen vegetables were marketed as fast, healthy food choices—I actually thought a carrot was a little orange cube. Then after dinner, no matter how much I had eaten, there was always room for dessert.
Growing up, I always had low energy. I thought it was normal. I also suffered chronic eczema flare-ups but I just thought that was normal, too. By the time I reached my early 20s, I was having constant stomach pains. The doctor concluded the stomach pains must be a symptom of IBS and, just like every other symptom I had, assured me it was all quite common. He prescribed me some pills but when I asked him what happens if it comes back, he simply said some people stay on medication for life. I was so angry and bitter that my body was treating me so badly that it'd never occured to me that actually it was the other way around and for the first time in my life I started listening to my symptoms.
In 2009, after years of experimenting with food combinations and food elimination diets, I finally admitted to myself that it wasn't a food allergy, in fact it wasn't even food. No, I was addicted to processed sugar.
Processed sugar is in everything and IBS is merely one in over 100 side effects. This was a very scary reality check because I knew that even if I tried to avoid sugar, I wouldn't. So instead of "cheat days" or "portion control" I needed a substitution. That's when I discovered raw food and raw desserts. The primary sweetener in most raw desserts is dates. I personally also indulge in local honey and maple syrup. (Not raw, but it works for me!) No more fatigue, no more IBS and my eczema is considerably under control.
Today, I am proud to say after switching to raw desserts (or what I like to call the gateway drug to a raw food diet) my energy is high, my body is strong and my palate has broadened.
For the record, I am not exclusively raw. Nor am I vegan. I never label myself by what I eat. I only follow one strict rule: no cane sugar. In addition, I have some personal guidelines: Eat regionally - support local farmers. Eat more alkaline. Eat all the colours of the rainbow. (White is a starch, not a colour of the rainbow.) And lastly, avoid the 4 pesty "Ps": NO Preservatives, Processing, Packaging or Pesticides.
It has taken me 30 years to learn how to listen to my body and respect it like a temple but the body is forgiving and it's never too late to adopt healthy behaviour.