Jan 30 • Celebrations
Healed knee pain & swelling in 6 days
Thankful Thursday
I continue to be amazed by what raw foods do for my body and feel blessed that I found this info in a little documentary all those years ago!
As you know, I'm not dogmatic "all raw is law" - especially for those transitioning and trying to increase their raw food intake.
But I had to share a personal experience.
You know I was adding lentils from time to time to my salads. Everything else was raw (minus maybe a little bit of walnuts I don't know if they were "fully raw").
A few months ago, I started experiencing knee pain, swelling, and stiffness. I also gained a bit of weight. Could have been menopause... and maybe those delicious Medjool dates too! (Let's be real - I love those things!)
Here's what I did:
Two simple things -
1 Started taking moringa powder again (I'd been slacking on it)
2. Last Friday, I went all raw, eliminating lentils even occasionally
The result? Today - less than 6 full days later - I noticed I was sitting like a kid here at my desk with my legs all the way up in the chair, cris-crossed. I couldn't even bend them like that last week!
Here's what I've learned about why this works:
When you eat whole raw food, your body recognizes it in its natural form - it knows exactly what to do with it. Your body says 'oh hey, I know you!' and gets right to work using those nutrients and enzymes. The body is incredibly smart that way.
But here's what I had no idea about before I started this journey: When you heat food above 118 degrees, you destroy enzymes and certain heat-sensitive nutrients, and you change the molecular structure of the food. High heat cooking can also create compounds like AGEs (Advanced Glycation End Products) and acrylamide - substances that can contribute to inflammation and oxidative stress in the body.
If you're brand new to raw food: Raw food is anything that's raw or not cooked above 118 degrees. That's why many people use dehydrators or light steaming - they stay below that temperature so you can create different textures and recipes while keeping all the nutrients intact AND avoiding those inflammatory compounds from high heat. For me, I even include a little bit of nuts that might not be "fully raw" and they still work well for my body.
Now here's what's important to understand: Lentils are a bioavailable source of protein, fiber, and iron. But here's the reality - we wouldn't just pick up and eat one of those little pebbles without cooking them.
So while when prepared they're delicious, versatile, and a wonderful transition food (or staple for those eating WFPB), they still require your body to do that extra immune work to process cooked food.
Think of it like this: When you cook food above 118 degrees, it's like if your best friend walked in wearing a disguise - you'd eventually figure out it's them, but your brain has to work harder to recognize them first. That's what happens with cooked food - your body has to trigger an immune response (called digestive leukocytosis) to process it because it's been altered from its natural form. Yes! It can also enhance certain nutrients that is not a lie.. but it depends on whether the good for you outweighs the bad.
Many people use lentils as part of their WFPB diet and thrive. So why did everything improve when I eliminated them and replaced them with avocado and maybe walnuts for that little bit of density I was craving? For me personally, when it comes to pain and inflammation, eliminating that extra immune work and getting food in its most enzyme-rich form gave my body space to heal.
Think about this: We as humans can eat a piece of fruit - no cooking, no sauces. It's a little harder with other things, right? That's not an accident. Our bodies are set up most closely to fruit-eating animals. Now, I'm not saying everyone with their current absorption or preexisting conditions could eat only fruit - but it's important we understand WHY we're so enamored with raw foods.
It's not just the mental clarity and weight loss (though those are amazing). It's about understanding the power of whole foods your body recognizes. It's about a vegan lifestyle that saves animals and reduces saturated fat. It's about redirecting the market for ethical reasons - not supporting the meat industry and having some form of control over how we show up for the voiceless animals. These are all part of my WHY.
Here's the trick: Learning to allow yourself to get to love raw food, and also in your mind understanding the WHY. I stay raw because I love it AND I understand the philosophy, principle, and science behind it - at least as much as possible for me. That combination of enjoying it and understanding it makes it sustainable.
This is why I love the "crowding factor" - when we put more good stuff in (fresh fruits, vegetables, all that raw goodness), it becomes easier and more natural to move out the things that don't serve us as well. It's not about restriction or being extreme. It's abundance first. Celebrate your little wins.. Then the progression happens naturally when you can feel satisfied with the foods that serve your body best.
Never give up, even if it's trial and error. If you're feeling pain or trying to cut weight to feel better, small tweaks can make such a big difference.
A lot of this also has to do with sitting at my desk, and I'm trying to move more and stretch too. But even with doing that, nothing worked like getting back to that original 2019 diet + moringa.
The power of fresh fruits and vegetables and nutrients is real. What amazed me was how a little tweak made such a big difference.
What’s one small tweak you could make this week to feel better? Keep at it! I’m so proud of every one of you here! If you took the time to read this.. I appreciate you being a part of my journey & I would love to hear about yours.
If you know a beginner raw vegan or someone who has restarted a few times but knows deep down this lifestyle is where they want to be.. weight loss clarity confidence glowing skin & energy… I’m here to help them with a different approach than you may have tried before. Inside our VIP club as you know we celebrate abundance, life changing mindset shifts from my psychology base coaching & use a simple 3 fill up framework as a foundation.
Please tell them If they are ready to simplify their raw vegan journey & finally make this lifestyle stick. Don’t wait because I’m offering a free 7 day trial when you sign up before 1/31 … cancel any time no questions asked or surveys! It’s my gift to you. Visit gladblueprint.com website & click on the green vip link - sincerely Coach JJ
PS there’s a free meal plan and a beginner guide there for you too… And my new book is coming out in the beginning of February and I would love for you to have a copy if you’re inside the VIP club. It’s absolutely free. I’m so excited to be able to work closely with my VIP members this year and go beyond what a Facebook post or YouTube video can do and really make this work for everyone in real life You never know who may KNEEd to hear this.. get it! If you made it to my silly play on words pun you’re the best! Let me know that too 🤣🙏
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Healed knee pain & swelling in 6 days
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Find joy in the journey! Raw vegan author & mindset coach JJ guides with kindness, fun, coaching & tools to transform at your pace w theGLAD Blueprint
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