I may have a few suggestions for you, but first could you answer a few questions so that I understand better.

1) What kind of cooked foods do you enjoy eating? What tastes good to you?

2) Are there any raw vegetables or fruits, nuts, or seeds that you do enjoy? When you say that you can't stand the juices – do you mean the flavor of them or the way they make you feel afterwards?

3) Have you ever fasted in your life? Have you ever fasted on juices – like a juice fast? If so, for how long and how did it feel to you? Also, If so, how did you break the fast? How did you feel afterwards?

4) Have you ever gone to an institute that teaches the raw foods lifestyle?

5) Do you want to go on a raw diet because you have become convinced of its healthfulness? What has brought you to want to go raw? How long have you been trying to eat raw?

I feel your sense of frustration, but if you answer these questions, maybe I can give you a few suggestions that will help make your transition easier.

Many blessings to you,

I have a few suggestions for you, but nothing is going to make you like the raw foods until your tongue changes back to its natural condition, and this does take time. I've included a section from my book, Hooked on Raw, called "It's a Matter of the Tongue" (see Below). If what I say makes sense to you then use it – if not, just discard it.

You say you like all steamed vegetables but is that what your diet was before, just steamed vegetables? Because even though they are not the optimum, I don't believe that steamed vegetables would have created a Candida condition. I was trying to find out what kind of cooked foods you were fond of before and usually ate. Like if it was pizza or steak and potatoes, or lots of sweets or sodas? Because if I knew what you liked, then I could suggest some raw alternatives for those dishes that seem to satisfy most newcoming raw food enthusiasts.

I know this sounds harsh to say and I don't mean it that way, but if you would or could fast until you are really hungry – a few days to a week – then even a turnip would taste wonderful to you. However, if you feel qualms about this, then it is better not to do it, unless under some supervision.

There are some raw food institutes you can go to that teach all about the raw/live food lifestyle. Unfortunately, I do not know of one in your area. But there is one in California near San Diego (Optimum Health), there is another one in Puerto Rico (The Ann Wigmore Institute) and there is one in Florida (Hippocrates). You can find out about them by going to my website: www.rawfoodinfo.com and looking in the Links section, scroll down to Institutes or Schools. These three that I've suggested to you, I have been to myself and they are very, very good.

My favorite institute is the Ann Wigmore Institute in Puerto Rico. It is small, near the ocean and the personnel there creates a very loving atmosphere. They have some wonderful green water coconuts and they encourage you to drink the water, as much as you want. They serve a very healing "Energy Soup", which is similar to fasting on juices but made from whole vegetables and sprouts. Of course there are also the tropical fruits, which are divine. If at all possible, it would be good if you could go to one of these institutes because there you are in a supervised situation – everybody is converting to raw together – it becomes like a family – and it is easier to transition. There are classes all day long on all aspects of the raw lifestyle.

I believe that until your Candida is tamed back a bit, you may have to cut down on the fruits, because of the sugar. Now since you like carrots (don't worry about the sugar of the carrots for now) and tomatoes, I would start with those and eat all you want of them, then gradually start adding in some other vegetables – let's say cucumbers – just a little. So you have the bulk of carrots and tomatoes that you like and adding a little of something that you don't like, just to see if you can get accustomed to it.

Drink lots of clean filtered water.

Try to eat organic foods if at all possible. First of all, they just taste better than conventional produce, they are higher in nutritional values, and of course, no pesticide residues.

Don't give up on the juicing, start with the carrots and vegetables that you seem to be able to tolerate, you said because of the sweetness of the carrots. Get a good juicing book and try different combinations.

I know it seems hard now, but if you persevere, your tongue will gradually come around. Others have done it and you have half the battle won because you truly want to do it.

Here's what my friend, Patrick, wrote when I asked him to share some of his experience, "Fasting might be a good idea… the problem I see here is that her taste buds are just totally messed up, and she needs a good program to get her taste buds back to normal……….. This for me was done in 92… And it was from forcing myself to drink 1 gal of water a day, work out every day, stop smoking, and only eat organic foods………………… I remember how weird that food tasted and dull at first.. later on.. the original foods that I loved ended up tasting weird.

That's all…

I remember when brown rice used to make me gag.

it's all weird mental and tastebud stuff."

There is a recipe on my website called "Toona" – I don't know if you tried that one, most newcomers seem to like it. It is basically made from carrots and walnuts – You like carrots, and nuts you said. It has herbs added in and people have said it tastes like tuna to them, that's why I named it Toona.

Do you have a champion juicer or a Green Life Juicer? To make creamy patés out of vegetables and nuts, you would need one of these machines. You could also make some patés in a food processor but they don't come out as creamy. Might have to add some extra liquid in to break things down.

Well, I hope we have helped or at least given you some food for thought – Raw of course.

Yes, they still contain enzymes but less of them. If you dehydrate some peas (at low temperature) and later soak them and then let them sprout – they will sprout – which means they still have the enzymes and the life force. But when you dehydrate blended foods such as crackers – in this form they would have less enzymatic value. (But still has some.)

As to how much to eat? — 2, 3, or 4 small dehydrated crackers or cookies would be ok. See, it's really an individual thing. What does your body tell you? I know your body right now is not telling you the right things, so you can't rely on that for the moment. But eventually, through patience and perseverance, your body will slowly become your best ally. And then it will speak the truth and if you listen, it will return you to your birthright which is abundant health.

While you are making this difficult transition, use the dehydrated foods more if you find them satisfying.

Also, please don't be so hard on yourself. Do not despise yourself. Love yourself. You know each failure brings you one step closer to success. Who hasn't had failures? We wouldn't be human otherwise, would we?

You know when I was writing my book, I sent it to many publishers and had one rejection after another, then when I finally did get two publishers interested, both of them only wanted the recipes section. They wanted me to either discard or cut way down the other information in the book which I considered essential. I thought that this information was important so that people would understand all the advantages they would gain by going through all the trouble to become and stay raw. So then I couldn't accept the terms of these publishers and had to self-publish in the end. Since then, thousands of people have told me that they not only appreciate the recipes in the book but also the hard information in the beginning section.

See, I went through a lot, but by persevering with my vision I got the benefit in the end.

The same thing can happen for you. Hold the vision of yourself strong, work towards it, but at the same time love and appreciate yourself each day. If you make a mistake and regress – start again.

Two more things – when your body becomes more alkaline – it will be easier to break completely away from those addictions. Addictive foods lose their grip in an alkaline body. Second, I mentioned before – if at all possible – go to one of the institutes. I believe that it will be very beneficial to you.

Many blessings,