Monday, April 21, 2008

Being "Normal"


Today I was driving down the street and the thought occurred to me that I would probably never be "normal" again. What I mean is that I wouldn't be eating a diet that is considered normal in this culture. I would be somehow different, always on the outskirts of society. I mean let's face it, eating is a big deal in our world.

About 10 years ago my cousin spent 6 months living at the Optimum Health Institute in San Diego. She healed herself from her imbalances she had and then she came home and began eating "normal" again. As far as I know she is still well. On Easter she said something to me that has stuck with me. She said that once you begin eating this way (raw and living) you realize how different you are from everyone else.

So this thought hit me today in the car and I started thinking how unfair that is and how I didn't want to be different. My mind was a swirl of thoughts like, "Why can't I just eat like everyone else?", and "I just want to be normal." And then, a car came up on the left side of me and passed me. I looked over and I saw a young man driving the car with what looked like his mother in the passenger seat. They didn't look horribly heavy or unhealthy but they didn't look that fantastic either...they looked normal. We got to a stoplight and I watched as the young man lifted up a TWO LITRE BOTTLE of some kind of soft drink and started glugging it down.

And then I looked to my right and there was a "normal" looking man taking his last drag from a cigarette and dropping it out the window. I sat there watching it burning as it lie on the running board of his truck. Suddenly visions of all the people I have ever seen in fast food restaurants mindlessly stuffing their faces with dead food popped into my head.

It was in that moment I realized that "normal" is crap! When it comes to health and vitality, if I strive to be like everyone else and fit in with the crowd I may find myself loaded up on multiple drugs, depressed, overweight and still sick. Oh wait, I've been there and done that! I've gone the normal route and it hasn't given me anything I want.

So now I will boldly explore a new route, a new way of living out of the norm. A way that leads to health, vitality, confidence and joy. This way has given me a new outlook on life so I won't let that old voice in my head brainwash me back into the flock of the mindless. Isn't it amazing how the Universe showed me such truth in that split second of doubt? I mean really, how often do you see a guy driving a car chugging a two liter bottle of pop?

Breaking the Feast
Yesterday I posted my video but I didn't really talk about anything else so I am going to do it today. I had 1 1/2 quarts of a green powdered drink before eating my prunes yesterday. I also had a green vegetable juice afterwards. I didn't finish the prunes. They were making me nauseous. I only ate half of them.

I took a cascara sagrada pill later that night since I didn't move anything out on my own. I've taken 2 more today and lo and behold I had some success in that department tonight.

Today I had 2 quarts romaine, leaf lettuce, celery, tomato, garlic and more prunes. I was able to eat almost the entire portion of prunes today and I didn't feel as sick as I did yesterday so that is fabulous! I am having quite a bit of gas and some grumblings in my tummy but I am actually thinking the grumblings is from the cascara sagrada.

I had my hour long yoga class today that was amazing as usual. As I drove home I had the windows down and was enjoying the beautiful warm weather and feeling the sun on me and I was overcome with this sense of complete joy. It was so overwhelming that I began to cry. I was so happy and at peace. I just know that I am on the right path.

OK are you ready for this? Hanlie ate prunes on the same day as me! We didn't talk and we didn't know that the other was planning on doing it. Isn't that amazing? I have often said that we are so much alike in so many ways and I think this is just another way that we are connected across the world. I am so glad we shared this part of our feast together!

So tomorrow is juicy fruit. I am going to try to keep it to berries so I don't have too much sugar. I have a bunch of strawberries and I think I will pop out and get some blueberries or blackberries. I so wish I could just skip ahead to salads. I am dying for a salad. Ha ha, I will get it. Just 2 days away.

5 comments:

Candice Davis said...

Well put! "Normal" health in America is crap! The thing is, you don't necessarily know it until you make some kind of improvement, since there are so many people who are doing even worse than the norm. Unfortunately, most people don't know there's a better option. Cheers to knowing!

RAW FOOD R&R: Rations & Rational said...

Wow Michelle,
It is hard enough my doing this as a single person I can't imagine doing it with influence of a family who is not quite totally into it. You are a pioneer for them showing how much you love yourself and that you want the best for yourself and in turn will be the best for them...living healthy and well and vibrantly and happy and not being one of those "normal" unwell burdens on your family when you are 65. SUPERCALIFRAGILISTICEXPIALIDOCIOUS 83 days...cheers to your future! You are an inspiration.
Helping people by helping yourself :-)

Lisa (Pixywinks) said...

Hey Michelle
This was a great post. I'm still not totally sure about what my diet will be after feasting. I have a good idea that I want to keep it as clean as possible, but social pressures sometimes, uh, ya know? If I can remember your insights on this blog I think it will help me a great deal to stay on track. I want to live healthy, and we are all really blessed to have found this path.
Cheerios!
Pixy Lisa

Linda in the Raw said...

Melissa,

You sound great! It is difficult breaking away from the 'norm' but we've got so much to gain!

It's never easy going down the road less travelled but we are all travelling with you!

Happy feast breaking!!

xoxo

Hanlie said...

Right, we shouldn't eat like the world; the world should eat healthier! This is a great post and you've just reminded me that all the years that I tried to be one of the crowd, fit in, conform, etc. were the unhappiest and most devastating years of my life... I was always meant to be different and I will be celebrating my uniqueness instead of suppressing it!