We are extremely honored and excited to present this testimony.  When I requested people submit their stories I never expected such an amazing heart felt and personal response. For me the below story is incredible; I never really understood that, as well as the many physical improvements, raw food can reverse abusive and negative mental patterns. I recommend you take the time to read this amazing story; it’s extremely moving and clearly demonstrates the benefits of the raw food diet.

If you have a testimony you would like to share, feel free to send your story to  info@rawfamily.com

It would have never occurred to me to share my life story with anyone. Until recently, I was doing my best to conceal as much of it as possible, never thinking once that someone out there might find it a source of inspiration and strength. The raw food experience changed all that, not only from a purely physical point of view – I did experience tremendous changes in a surprisingly short amount of time – but also from a mental one as well.

I am a survivor of violent childhood abuse. I have repeatedly been scarred both physically and mentally over a long period of time. As a result, I have to function with PTSD and other mental disorders, which manifest themselves on a daily basis. My nights are often worse than my days, with recurring night terrors, nightmares and the sleeplessness that ensues. Phantom and real pains have plagued my body every single day of my existence: I am still trying to come to terms with broken bones that never healed properly. Medications were the very inadequate, but unfortunately the best available help I was given to cope with my hellish life.

There’s more, but I’ll stop here. I think the picture is clear enough.

Last February, I was diagnosed with diabetes. This was the end of the road for me: to add one more catastrophic, painful disease to my long list of ailments was not an option. I gave myself an ultimatum to either change life paths completely or bring my miserable existence to an end. I did not want to be subjected to any more pain, whether physical or psychological.

I had started working at controlling my blood glucose and was going through intense bouts of anguish about the potential consequences of this disease. My usual night terrors were making things worse: my blood glucose would jump to a scary 400! I started an additional regimen of drugs to help control these spikes. Every book I was reading about diabetes was depressing and promised a life of growing disabilities, pain and eventually a slow death. I started writing individual letters to the people who were important to me to share my decision to end my life and say a final “au revoir”.

And then, I came across Gabriel Cousens  M.D.  book “ There is a  cure for  diabetes”. I held my breath while I was reading, barely believing there could be a way out of this nightmare. My curiosity was aroused: I moved on to Victoria Boutenko’s books and a new world of possibilities offered itself to me. Their information made sense to me and gave me so much hope that I decided to postpone my plan to end my days until I had given their approach a fair chance.

RAW LIFE!

I became a 70 % raw foodist right away. After learning more about the nuts and bolts of this new approach, I took the plunge and went 100% raw, thereby brushing away my death plans and opting for life. That was the first week of June. This past august, I did a 21 day juice feasting and pumped more life into my body and soul, and the amazing cumulative results from raw food diet and the juice feasting list as follow:

- I no longer take any drug of any kind: all the medications I was using for PTSD, night terrors, anxiety, depression, acid reflux, diabetes etc… went into the “trash”!

- I got rid of my diabetes. I am eating all kinds of fruits in large quantity and my blood glucose remains normal.  My doctors recently told me I was diabetes-free.

- Chronic migraines that could sometimes last for 2 months have not come back.

- Acid reflux is completely gone.  I have been dealing with GERD (reflux disease) for 20 years now. 3 days after adopting a 100% raw diet, acid reflux was a thing of the past.

- I lost 78 pounds and am still losing unhealthy weight.

-   My blood pH is normal

-   My cholesterol is back to normal

-   My blood pressure is now perfect.

- I experience no more hair loss

-   My hair has stopped graying

-   I have no more excessive body hair

- My skin condition has improved immensely.  I do not need to use makeup anymore.

- PMS is gone

- Joint pains are gone

- I have more energy to bounce back from triggers/flashbacks

- I am finally able to sleep more hours at a time and when night terrors comes, I can recuperate faster afterwards.

- BUT THE BIGGEST MIRACLE IN MY BOOK IS that, for the first time in my life, I feel safer.  The raw community has shown me that human beings are not parasites with bad intentions. Raw food has given me the control of my health and the vibrancy I need to walk my days with courage and strength. I am more aware of the “now”, there is more distance between now and then so when my past comes back and haunts me I can bounce back quicker and feel that I am walking forward.  Eventually, I know that the past will be the past. Raw life has brought me into a path of kindness towards the planet and the animals that cohabit with us.  I eat nature’s real bounty, the produce and fruit that were meant to be our sustenance all along. I feel nature’s loving energy.

In the past I would isolate myself days at a time. Sitting on my couch and not stirring, trapped in my past, horrors coming back to me.  I was antisocial and scared of everybody.  I couldn’t stand being in close proximity with people.  I would frequently isolate myself to hide my often uncontrollable emotional reactions from triggers/flashbacks. I used to injure myself and tried to commit suicide many times. Now I want to live a lot more and see what this path will bring into my life. I want to explore my potential when I am enjoying my growing mental and physical health. I now know the road ahead looks safer and that life is worth living.

My Primary Care Physician is convinced that raw food is the best diet and all should be on it. My psychiatrist was convinced from day one that it was the best way for me to move forward. My therapist is supporting me a 100% and is a witness of my mental and physical transformation. Now my husband and my best friend have joined me on this path to full health and it is so beautiful to see the transformation in them.

I wish to extend my deepest gratitude to: Victoria Boutenko and her family, Gabriel Cousens M.D., David Wolfe,  Dr. Doug Graham , Dan McDonald, Tim Van Orden,  Any Phyo, Frederic Patenaude and I know this is only the beginning of a long list of inspiring great souls/ superheroes.

Finally I wish to salute you personally because if you read this it means that life’s synchronicity has brought you to this instant where your life can change and that you are almost ready, or absolutely ready,  to jump onto a powerful path where every day has the potential to become - as David Wolfe would say - ”the Best Day Ever”

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Valerie StandingTall, NY