But they are always asking how I lost the weight or got so “healthy looking”? And I will tell them when they really want to know, they can spend a day with me and my routine, because telling them, won’t do much for them.

Is it rude to comment on what others are eating? Sure, but you can’t change how people were raised or teach them manners, once they are adults, you can only ignore or teach, and you just have to decide which you want to do when the comments come up.

One of my teaching tools is to show pictures of myself a year ago, when someone that was in my shoes 12 months ago, makes comments about how what I’m eating can’t be very good. And I just add, it was eating that did this (the weight gain), and eating that fixed it (weight loss and healthy eating).

It’s amazing how people both find their own choices untouchable – and yet still feel perfectly free to attack others while they eat. In my case, I have food allergies and celiac. Gluten is off the table forever, and a weird mix of others (bananas, shellfish, nuts, eggs…) have to be avoided as I am rather fond of breathing. Even with clear immediate negative responses (the whole lack of breathing for example) conversation always seems to rotate around to “But why not at least a bite, come on it can’t be THAT bad” or my personal favorite “You know it’s just a fad… right?”

I love food. Eating it, cooking it, talking about it. I’ll ask what you might be eating and if you enjoy it, how is it made, what other tastes you might like… but criticize it as it goes in?

That’s just RUDE.

What’s interesting is that I get the SAME response but in a reverse way. I am not a vegan or raw foodist. Rather, I’m just interested in different foods and recipes and do have a few food limitations (I’m allergic to dairy, which is why I starting looking into first dairy-free alternatives but then expanded into trying interesting alternatives like gluten-free, raw, vegan cuisine, etc). A vegan co-worker of mine, however, peers at my lunch almost everyday and if there’s any meat in it will comment “Oh, so you’re eating Babe today?” or “that’s like eating your dog… ” or something to that extent which really is a turn-off. Not only does it make me NOT want to consider his perspective just because he comes off close-minded, but in general just makes me feel as if I’m not entitled to my own choices, food or whatever it may be, and that I have to defend them. So it does come from both ends and really limits open discussion, at the dinner table or elsewhere. Honestly, otherwise, I’m very open to discussing different options as long as my choices are respected after considering points brought up.

As recent raw afficionado, I have seen dramatic shifts in my health in as little as a few days. As I Type 2 diabetic, among other issues, my glucose levels have dropped so quickly on raw that I have to monitor for LOWS as opposed to highs. I’m almost off all medication (anticipate it in a few days). This, all from going raw food.

My daily challenge is that I am single, but eat dinner with my sister and her family and her mother in law. It is the only time I get to see them most days. I bring my own food to the table since I’ve started eating raw.

Each day, my plate gets scrutinized, faces made, eyes rolled. My sister was the instigator of my going raw. She noted when I was on the Elimination Diet for allergies that I did much better health-wise. I chose raw over EDA and suddenly, I’m doing very strange and abnormal things!

Today, I had a lovely portobello mushroom with almond/pinenut cheese sauce, snap peas and beet/green juice for a little extra boost tonight. When I came to the table, my three y.o. niece was the first to mimic her dad and grandma and make fun of my food choices.

I’d reached my limit. I told my niece, “It’s not nice to make fun of other people food. This is my dinner and I plan to enjoy it. Would you be happy and enjoy your food if I pulled faces and said “yuck!”. Thankfully, my sister and bro in law stopped in their trackes and realized they were teaching her bad behaviors.

The irony is this kid is a basically vegetarian. She really doesn’t like meat and loves raw vegetables. So, she tried my beet juice (not my best batch…needed some apple), pulled a face for attention and that was the end of it. She’s allergic to nuts, so no Portobello for her. I hope this is the end of it, in general.