EcoDiva Has Gone Raw and it’s Purely Delicious

Earlier this year I was introduced to a way of thinking about food and life that was quite different from the Eastern European diet I was raised with. Growing up, cooked foods and cooking foods was a staple of home and family life. So when I discovered the term “raw foods” I was a bit turned off at the thought of losing my favorite hot steamy favorite dishes. But, I was curious enough to keep it in the back of my mind and keep learning and asking questions. One of the resources I happened upon is a beautiful magazine called Purely Delicious and its equally beautiful publisher Rebecca Carlson. Here is the interview with Rebecca where she fills us in on the background of this new, beautiful and raw-food educational magazine to help you learn about the raw lifestyle. As you will see, it truly is about much more than just knawing on a raw carrot.

EcoDiva: Why did you choose the name Purely Delicious for your magazine?

RC: Actually, the name Purely Delicious was chosen by the former owner, Anna Tipps. Sometimes people think the raw diet consists of nothing but alfalfa sprouts and carrot sticks when in actuality that couldn’t be further from the truth. Purely Delicious is just what the name implies – amazing gourmet recipes that also happen to be healthy and raw.

EcoDiva: Why do you feel as though now is the perfect time for a raw lifestyle magazine?

RC: People are searching for answers. They’re busy, stressed-out and eating what the government pyramid tells them is healthy, they’re taking medicine as prescribed by their doctors and yet they are exhausted, depressed, sick, and aging prematurely. They can’t lose weight and don’t know why. Purely Delicious exists to educate readers how such problems can be significantly helped. By simply changing what we are placing on the end of our forks we can improve our quality of life, all around.

EcoDiva: Who is your magazine written for?

RC: Purely Delicious is written for anyone concerned with fatigue, anti-aging, excess weight, as well as those interested in green living. It’s more than just about food, it’s about putting the informational “cookies” on the table where everyone can reach them regardless of age or social status. Purely Delicious appeals to anyone looking to add more fresh whole foods and less processed and packaged “frankenfoods” to their diet. We reach out to those who have no idea what raw is all about, and have no clue what amazing benefits are not only possible but within easy reach. It’s for people like the one I was, those who are trapped in sick bodies, being held captive by depression, obesity and fatigue. We want to provide the key to set those captives free while being informative, fun, relevant and a little bit sassy. Purely Delicious touches on all of the subjects that arise quite naturally when people begin to clean up their diets… everything from eco-friendly products to organic gardening, pet care, detoxification and of course easy and delicious raw recipes.

EcoDiva: In this new market of green lifestyle magazines, what makes Purely Delicious stand out from the crowd?

RC: A few years ago I was less concerned about health and earth and more concerned with convenience and price. A funny thing happened though when I began eating raw foods: at first I started wondering about all of the chemicals being sprayed on what I ate. Then my focus shifted to concern about ingredients in cosmetics and detergents, excess packaging, recycling, wildlife, groundwater, etc. That’s what makes our readers different, many of us weren’t eco-concerned at all when we started down the raw path, but green living seems to develop naturally as a byproduct of a cleaner diet. So at Purely Delicious we just provide basic information to our readers and encourage them to take a step.

The way in which the information is presented sets us apart, specifically the design, look and feel of our magazine. It’s a little more mainstream looking than you would expect from a “green” magazine. We want everyone to feel compelled to pick up the magazine – not just those already interested in the subjects we address.

EcoDiva: With all of the questions surrounding the raw lifestyle, what criteria do you have in place for the products and stories you feature?

RC: We accept advertising for only the products which would fit into a raw lifestyle. For example: we wouldn’t run an ad for a beef product even if it was organic, but we do have advertising who sell an exercise DVDs, organic clothing, raw or transitional foods such as granola. In terms of editorial content, we run stories we hope that our readers will relate to or benefit from. We do not seek to be political or confrotational but we also will not shrink from what we consider to be an obligation to present important information.

EcoDiva: What type of articles and stories can we look forward to in future issues?

RC: We will be unveiling a new series dealing more with the healing aspects of diet, importance of choosing organic & locally-grown produce, superfoods, water, travel and green-designs.

EcoDiva: So many people are changing their lives to be more health conscious and earth friendly. Tell me about your personal journey to choosing raw.

RC: I was a creative director/art director (a stressful, very deadline-driven job) when I was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis in the last months of 2005. The diagnosis and symptoms – including fatigue, numbness in legs, vertigo, blurred vision, slurred speech, mental confusion, migraines, spasms in hands – turned my life upside down. Doctors painted a very grim future. They said I would most likely end up in a wheelchair, lose my vision, motor skills and bladder control, etc. It crushed me.

Then they said I should start injecting medicine immediately, which I didn’t like the idea of doing not only because it would give me flu-like symptoms daily for the rest of my life, but because it also only has a 30% efficacy rate. So I began to search for a better option, I found an experimental drug, which looked very promising but my blood would not reproduce the vaccine so I was not admitted into the program. It was at that point life seemed almost hopeless and depression set in. Even my faith was tested during this season, and I wasn’t sure life was worth living. It was in this state – home and sick on the couch – when I stumbled upon raw foods quite unexpectedly by flipping through the channels and coming across an episode of “Diet Wars” on the Tyra Banks show featuring Alissa Cohen.

The challenge was to try eating only raw for 30 days to have more energy. So I started that very afternoon eating 100% raw and the first week I was plagued with caffeine headaches and mood swings. After about five days my MS symptoms, cravings and depression lifted and I felt like a completely different person.

Needless to say I was hooked and amazed because I was only hoping for a little more energy to get me through the day. This meat and potatoes girl would have laughed at the notion of going vegetarian – let alone raw – but there it was. There was no getting past how I felt…fantastic!

EcoDiva: What are your some of your “green” personal and business practices?

RC: At home we grow our own organic garden. We also recycle, use rain barrels, support local farmers, compost, use soap nuts, buy eco cosmetics and cleansers, etc. Professionally we use recycled paper, vegetable-based inks, recycle, work less than 10 minutes from home, use paperless technology, solar cell phone chargers, compact florescent lights, save and reuse all boxes and packing supplies. Every day we ask the question ” How can I reduce my carbon footprint today?”

EcoDiva: How important do you think these kinds of changes are for you, personally?

RC: It feels great when your beliefs align with your actions. There is something magical that happens when you take that very first step. I’ve noticed that many times a first step acts as a catalyst not only for me as I change but also to those around me.

EcoDiva: What organic beauty/fashion products do you use & recommend?

RC: Hands down my favorite fabric is bamboo, I simply love it because it is so soft and comfortable. At home we use bamboo sheets, towels, robes, shirts, socks… basically anything I can lay my hands on. I’m also partial to recycled and vintage clothing and jewelry. On my website at 123raw.com we carry some smart glass jewelry that is very chic. I love the inventiveness of someone looking at a soda pop top and thinking “purse,” a truck tire and thinking “belt,” or a billboard and thinking “lunchbox.”

EcoDiva: What books, movies, or CDs have been most helpful or inspiring to you?

RC: Movies: Simply Raw, Killer at Large, Crazy Sexy Cancer, SuperSize Me. Books: I have really been enjoying Matthew Kenney’s new book, “Entertaining in the Raw”, and a friend gave me a nice devotional that we have been going through together. Believe it or not, I don’t have a lot of time for reading books!

EcoDiva: What’s the biggest raw falsehood you would like to correct?

RC: Three things: first, that the raw lifestyle is some sort of an extreme diet, second, that you have to go 100% raw in order to see and feel results and lastly, that you can eat anything as long as it is raw and be healthy. The truth is, that even on a raw diet we need to eat a good variety of good quality food.

EcoDiva: What’s your current obsession?

RC: (Laughs) Well it changes by the week. Right now it’s a tossup between watermelon and a yummy juice concoction made from spinach, sunflower sprouts, pineapple and tangerine.

EcoDiva: Who inspires you?

RC: People who rise above adversity and retain humor and grace throughout the process. Also people who are both nice and encouraging. It’s so easy to be rude and indifferent, and it always impresses me when someone chooses to be uplifting and kind.

EcoDiva: How do you get things done?

RC: I’m a list maker and find the act of crossing items off my to do list to be extremely satisfying.

EcoDiva: What would you like to revolutionize?

RC: I would like to revolutionize the way that Americans seem to view diet, fitness, aging, disease and healthcare reform as separate components. They are completely interwoven. If we could change the “Standard American Diet” there would be no need for healthcare reform.

EcoDiva: What’s the biggest change you’d like to make in your life—even if it’s impossible right now?

RC: We’d like to start a family.

EcoDiva: What’s your favorite raw lifestyle tip our readers should know about?

RC: It is so easy to get started simply by swapping your regular breakfast in favor of a green smoothie. When you are comfortable with that step then add a nice green salad (without meat, cheese or bread) per day. Before you know it, you’re well on your way.

EcoDiva: What music is in your iPod or CD Player right now?

RC: Well that is a loaded question because my tastes sort of run the gamut from Sid Vicious to Switchfoot. But lately I have been hitting the repeat button on Cirque du Soleil, la nouba… I find it hypnotic.

EcoDiva: What’s the best green/raw lifestyle advice you ever received—and who gave it to you?

RC: When I was first starting the raw diet my friend Kika reminded me that I didn’t have to be perfect and that there was no diet “wagon” hence there was no need to “fall off.” That advice allowed me to take a step back from the perfectionism, which toppled all of my previous diet attempts. It was such a freeing thought that I didn’t have to be perfect in order to succeed. This concept has also allowed me to be more adventurous in other areas of life.

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Your Turn: Have you gone raw? Are you ready to try it? I’d love to hear your thoughts about the raw movement and any advice or tips that you’ve learned…..please share below in the comments section.

Enjoy!

Signing off…EcoDiva