Raw and Simple: Judita Wignall

BIO: Judita is a Certified Raw Culinary Arts Associate Chef and Instructor from the Living Light Culinary Arts Institute in Fort Bragg, CA, as well as a Certified Benefits of Raw Food Nutrition Educator.

Judita has been passionate about raw foods and nutrition for the past three years. This came as a result of health issues that made her want to take reassessment of her diet and lifestyle.

As a model, actress, and musician, she has to credit raw foods for helping her reach an incredible state of health as well as helping her keep her weight down, energy up and skin clear.

She is currently writing a raw food lifestyle recipe book which will be released in the spring of 2011.

Read more: 10 Great Tips for Saving Money with Raw Food

Wedding Diet

You are going to a wedding reception/dinner that just serves cooked foods, you..… eat before I go to weddings and pack raw snacks in my purse like fruit, nuts, dates and avocados. Usually there’s a salad I can eat so I just omit the dressing and squeeze some lemon juice over it.

If the food looks truly amazing, like at vegan weddings, I’ll have a few bites. Life’s too short to miss out on really good food.

What simple steps can a SAD eater take to transition to RAW?

Everyone loves a good smoothie. Start your day with that and then add a salad before lunch and dinner. Voila! You’re 50% raw.

What is the most radical change you’ve experienced personally from a raw diet? Having more energy. I used to feel so sluggish all the time. Now I wake up early and have the energy to finish projects and be creative and inspired without constant brain fog.

Do you recommend detoxing before incorporating a raw diet?

The raw food diet is a detox diet. I recommend going slow. 100% overnight is too radical for most. Start off with what I suggested earlier. Smoothie for breakfast and salads before meals.

Then try doing 75% raw and go up to 100% raw when you feel ready. It’s also important to cut out processed foods and focus on vegan whole foods, not food made in factories.

Your exercise regime consists of?

Rebounding every day for 15 minutes followed by 15 minutes of yoga stretches. Weights a couple times a week. I also try to ride my bike or roller skate every day I can.

What sets your new recipe book apart from all the rest?

This book is aimed at people new to raw foods. It’s fully illustrated with step by step instructions on how to make familiar comfort foods like pizza, burgers and ice cream that are really tasty and nutritious.

I think a lot of people are overwhelmed with raw food making techniques so I’ve tried to demystify dehydration, soaking, sprouting, etc.

Best kept raw food secret: the desserts! They’re insanely good.

Related article: Sun Seed Nori Rolls and the Importance of Raw Food

Do you believe clean insides=clean menstruation?

Your thoughts on the RAW diet monthly cycle. I’m not a raw food health expert but I certainly believe we were designed to have a monthly cycle accompanied by some bleeding. Too much bleeding or none at all is abnormal.

Anorexic and underweight women stop having periods because their bodies don’t have enough nutrients to produce reproductive hormones and it’s very possible to become too skinny and undernourished on an extreme raw food diet.

I have a light cycle and minimal PMS symptoms since going raw and I believe my clean diet has had everything to do with that but I certainly hope other women on raw food diets aren’t discouraged that they aren’t ‘clean enough’ because they have bleeding.

It’s totally normal to have bleeding and to not have any is unusual. This is not a goal that needs to be pursued but a very unhealthy idea that needs to stop being promoted in holistic health circles.

Judita, would you like to add anything?

Eating raw is isn’t all or nothing. It’s about eating real, healthy, whole foods and that can include gently cooked foods as well. Make time to feed your body the best stuff on Earth and see the difference it can make in your health.

My favorite quote lately has been “Those who think they have no time for healthy eating, will sooner or later have to find time for illness.” ~Edward Stanley. Make the time to eat well and you will BE WELL.