I think half of the posts that I did last month for Vegetarian Awareness Month were interviews. Well, there was great feedback and due to my busy schedule there was one interview that I really wanted to include but was not able to at the end of the month. I initially was going to post it on Halloween, but that just wouldn't have done it justice, so I've reserved it for now. Eva Rawposa is a delight, and her story is a burst of inspiration. Let me know how it inspires you by commenting below.
Name: Eva Rawposa
Age: 27
Occupation: Raw Food Chef and Instructor
Twitter: Catch her on twitter at EvaRawposa
Website: www.Uncooking101.com (great resources and free stuff here!)
How old are you and where do you live?
I’ll start with the easy one – I’m 27 years old. As for where I live, my address and I are in Florida at the moment. I am half-Hungarian and was overseas with family for half the year last year. My husband is half-Brazilian, and I will be in Brazil with him next month. I’ve been joking for some time now about collecting passports and becoming a super secret spy.
How long have you been a vegetarian, and what type are you?
I first became a vegetarian when I was in 8th grade, but it didn’t stick. Now, it’s been about 3 years this go round. I am a raw vegan. I sometimes call myself a bee-gan because I occasionally use bee products like honey.
Why did you become one?
When I gave money to an animal rights organization as a kid, I got a book that opened my eyes. From that point, I was back and forth from being vegetarian for the animals to eating meat for the convenience. After I married my husband in 2005, I began to eat a lot more meat thanks to his frequent BBQ’s. I ended up with ulcers and constant digestive issues.
I googled “ulcers + gas + natural cure” and found some information about how I eat now, which is a mostly raw vegan diet. Something about it clicked, so I jumped right in.
What's been your biggest obstacle?
Myself. I mean, I could name all of the details and people who have not been encouraging in some way. But I know that when I am my biggest supporter, those are very small details. So it’s been the times that I have not believed that I was and am WORTH total health, that I had those other details become obstacles.
Did you have any health issues before cutting out meat?
The ones that brought me from meat were the ulcers, gas, and other digestive issues. I also had high blood pressure for a short time, although it was connected to stressful times. I had ADHD and took medication for that for at least half of my life.
What difference do you see in your health?
Let’s see, no more acne, gas, ulcers, stomach issues. Once upon a time, I did not know what it meant to not have even an ounce of pain for the whole day. There was always something wrong. I no longer have ADHD symptoms and as a result do not need prescription drugs to focus and live life like a normal person. It’s been a pretty drastic life change.
What influence do you think you've had on others?
With my diet? Considering that my full-time business is devoted to sharing this lifestyle with others, I’ve helped probably hundreds at this point in a big way. They come to classes wanting to make some changes but not sure how, then they leaving knowing it’s easy. At least a few times a week, I have someone exclaim that I make it all so easy. They thought it was complicated for months or sometimes as long as 10 years, until they came to class to get all the tricks. Then, bam, they can take on the world!
In my everyday life, my mom has changed her diet as well. My husband is still quite the carnivore, but he drinks green smoothies regularly and can’t eat meat in the USA without getting sick now. (Although he can eat it in Brazil with no problem; they treat the animals differently there, he says.) My stepkids actually like eating their veggies now, if you can believe it.
Can you describe a typical day of meals for you?
Hmm, I don’t have a typical day. How about I just tell you about today?
- Breakfast – A smoothie with dandelion greens, parsley, some pears, some date paste, ice, water, and 2 frozen bananas.
- Lunch – A burger (raw, vegan). This was prepared in advance, so I just grabbed it.
- Dinner – Hmm, what did I have? I think I just nibbled on the burger buns because I was working and in the zone. Ah, and I threw some tomatoes, sundried tomatoes, olive oil, and an avocado in the blender to make a creamy tomato soup really quickly.
- Snacks – Some homemade banana bread with jam (had this twice, it’s so good!), a young coconut
What's your next goal in nutrition?
I don’t have one, but I do have a health goal of balancing work and life a little better. I am now taking a full day off from all things related to work on Sundays. That even includes potlucks and local events related to my work, which means I miss out at times. But networking, as fun as it is, is still related to work. I have some other mini goals related to this balance, but this first step is a big one for me!
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