The only animal foods I have available...questions!

[fireflysea]

So until I can get to a whole foods (I don't have a car so it'll be a long bus ride), or find a ride to a fish market, here are the animal food options I've found:

1. Fresh 100% Grass fed ground lamb in regular supermarket
2. Fresh 100% grass fed/finished organic beef (options of ground and a small steak)
3. Frozen wild salmon (is in freezer with skin still on...can I thaw and eat?)
4. Frozen wild seafood in freezer section (shrimp, blue crab, etc)
5. Fresh wild salmon, never frozen, but is way way too expensive for me right now
6. Wild shrimp, previously frozen
8. Pastured eggs that are also fed organic non gmo corn-soy mixture as supplement (I think I'm allergic to chicken eggs but it may just be the whites)
9. Can prob order desiccated liver powder online to use for now

So those are my options. I'm a bit afraid of trying the fresh grass fed meat from the supermarket honestly because I've never eaten raw meat before and because most of it is pre-ground and because it's packaged in the regular supermarket. I can't freeze the meat first either because I'm couch surfing right now and don't really have prep space so I eat most of my meals as like monos of whatever I feel like while I'm out and about. I have some fridge space so I can thaw frozen things to eat later. The only thing I've tried since getting here was the frozen wild salmon piece I found in the freezer section of a health food store. It still had the skin on and looked fresh. Thawed it and ate it straight with some raw sauerkraut. Not sure how I felt about it. Is that even safe/healthy to do? Is it ok to buy frozen seafood, thaw it yourself, and eat it? For sure it compromises taste a bit. But for now, what would you all recommend??

[CatTreats]

1. This is great.
2.  Also great. I would recommend cheaper cuts like chuck (especially if untrimmed). They sell cheaper because they're tougher, but when you eat beef raw the difference is minimal. Chuck also contains a lot more collagen/gelatin in it so yum yum nutrients.
3. You certainly can eat this. I would try to find fresh, but I eat frozen meats and would be fine eating this if I had to.
4. Depends really ... similar to the frozen salmon. Would prefer fresh but it's better than nothing. When I can't get fresh scallops I will do frozen. Crab I have no experience with, but many members here eat it.
5. Understandable. It's summer though, so prices should be getting better. Whole Foods is going to be bad for that, though. They are disgustingly expensive year round.
6. I recently learned that most shrimp are sprayed with numerous preservatives and chemicals during transport, things that are never actually disclosed to consumers. I've been avoiding them unless I manage to get fresh and local.
7. You skipped this number. ^_^
8. It could just be the whites. I have issues with cooked eggs and dislike the whites, so I only eat raw yolk. Works fine for me. However, that soy feed kinda sucks. I've had eggs that were pasture-raised but got supplemental feed (same with poultry meat) and eat it all raw just fine. It's good as a temporary source until you find something better. But listen to your stomach.
9. Ehhh I would not use that myself but someone else might be able to give their opinion.

The grass-fed beef I sometimes eat is from a "supermarket" really and it's fine. I've also had pre-ground bison from the supermarket and it was also fine. Some people condescend ground meats but hey it's better than cooked, right? Mono eating can be beneficial because you'll be in touch with your instincts (instinctive eating) and you'll have a clear feeling of being satisfied. I think you're off to a good start. Frozen foods are better than cooked. Not as good as fresh, but by far better than nothing I say. A lot of what I eat is frozen and there's nothing I can do about it.

Good luck!

[eveheart]

Nothing so wrong with your stash of food. I have eaten the pre-packaged ground beef and it wasn't my favorite in texture because it was very finely ground, but you will be able to find your favorites if you try a bunch of things. Frozen raw fish is another non-favorite because of another texture issue: frozen then thawed fish seems watery to me. It's certainly okay to eat things that aren't your favorites if that's all you have.

I like to eat the "whole animal" for complete nutrition, and my best (and only) source for many organs and glands is mail order from North Star Bison. I've never priced desiccated organs or glands, but I know a lot of supplements are expensive, so mail order might be a good alternative (and completely raw, too).

The only thing on your list that I won't eat is corn-soy eggs. They aren't right for me, but you can tell if they are right for you.

It can take a while to get your meat and fish sources lined up, so figure that you will find more sources as you go along. Look at eatwild.com for ranches near you, if there are any. The WF near me has limited selection and they tend to carry the higher-priced cuts, so I have rarely shopped there once I turned up better local sources.

[fireflysea]

1. This is great.
2.  Also great. I would recommend cheaper cuts like chuck (especially if untrimmed). They sell cheaper because they're tougher, but when you eat beef raw the difference is minimal. Chuck also contains a lot more collagen/gelatin in it so yum yum nutrients.
3. You certainly can eat this. I would try to find fresh, but I eat frozen meats and would be fine eating this if I had to.
4. Depends really ... similar to the frozen salmon. Would prefer fresh but it's better than nothing. When I can't get fresh scallops I will do frozen. Crab I have no experience with, but many members here eat it.
5. Understandable. It's summer though, so prices should be getting better. Whole Foods is going to be bad for that, though. They are disgustingly expensive year round.
6. I recently learned that most shrimp are sprayed with numerous preservatives and chemicals during transport, things that are never actually disclosed to consumers. I've been avoiding them unless I manage to get fresh and local.
7. You skipped this number. ^_^
8. It could just be the whites. I have issues with cooked eggs and dislike the whites, so I only eat raw yolk. Works fine for me. However, that soy feed kinda sucks. I've had eggs that were pasture-raised but got supplemental feed (same with poultry meat) and eat it all raw just fine. It's good as a temporary source until you find something better. But listen to your stomach.
9. Ehhh I would not use that myself but someone else might be able to give their opinion.

The grass-fed beef I sometimes eat is from a "supermarket" really and it's fine. I've also had pre-ground bison from the supermarket and it was also fine. Some people condescend ground meats but hey it's better than cooked, right? Mono eating can be beneficial because you'll be in touch with your instincts (instinctive eating) and you'll have a clear feeling of being satisfied. I think you're off to a good start. Frozen foods are better than cooked. Not as good as fresh, but by far better than nothing I say. A lot of what I eat is frozen and there's nothing I can do about it.

Good luck!

Thank you for all your answers!!! That's really helpful! So its ok to eat meat that hasn't been pre-frozen, even if its ground? I thought ground meat had more air exposure and so more bacteria and whatnot? Ah I have only eaten meat in general a few times in the past year and before that I was mostly vegan for 10 years so this will still be a challenge! Raw meat is more appealing than cooked and I really don't have a problem with eating it I just don't want to get sick from eating anything. Like I know I know, I just want to make sure that I'm even doing things ok by raw paleo standards. And oops I forgot number 7! baha oops sorry I was typing it on my phone. I may have to try some raw beef and lamb then! I'll look for the chuck cut but they didn't have many options. ahh yayyy my body has been craving essential fatty acids. Ok what about fresh wild fish? I found one type fresh today. Do you prep it with lemon juice at all? I could mix it with raw fermented veggies (though they KILL my teeth, I have some left). Idk why I'm nervous to eat things straight raw from the supermarket. All I want to eat is sashimi everrr right now lol. Instead today I had raw radishes, green juice, all the meat of a whole large mature coconut and some raw coconut water. not optimal for my digestion.
Thank you for the tip on shrimp too! I DID find fresh and local today. argh I should have bought some but wasn't sure if they can be eaten straight raw. Jeez Idk why I'm being so hesitant!

I'm totally rambling though, thank youu!!

[fireflysea]

Nothing so wrong with your stash of food. I have eaten the pre-packaged ground beef and it wasn't my favorite in texture because it was very finely ground, but you will be able to find your favorites if you try a bunch of things. Frozen raw fish is another non-favorite because of another texture issue: frozen then thawed fish seems watery to me. It's certainly okay to eat things that aren't your favorites if that's all you have.

I like to eat the "whole animal" for complete nutrition, and my best (and only) source for many organs and glands is mail order from North Star Bison. I've never priced desiccated organs or glands, but I know a lot of supplements are expensive, so mail order might be a good alternative (and completely raw, too).

The only thing on your list that I won't eat is corn-soy eggs. They aren't right for me, but you can tell if they are right for you.

It can take a while to get your meat and fish sources lined up, so figure that you will find more sources as you go along. Look at eatwild.com for ranches near you, if there are any. The WF near me has limited selection and they tend to carry the higher-priced cuts, so I have rarely shopped there once I turned up better local sources.

Thanks Eveheart!
I actually have some amazing sources for fresh grass fed meat near me BUT I don't have a car and public transport here is awful. I just moved back here and couch surfing so its difficult to purchase more than I'll eat in a day anyway! They don't know I've eaten raw fish and so I've mostly been sticking to veggies, green juice, and coconuts this week I've been here. idk how they would feel about me eating raw meat in their house, and I don't think I could eat the whole package in 1 go while out. I mean I could but I'd rather not lol! Also I gravitate much more toward fish than meat, and like you I do prefer to eat the whole animal so I get the proper balance of aminos! I don't think I'll try the chicken eggs either, I've had general bad experiences with eggs in  the past, organic or otherwise. These are primarily pastured, but still. idk how I react in general. So meh. skip!

Its sounding like whole foods might not be much help anyway lol. I just thought they'd have more fish/seafood options than the regular grocery stores here. I agree the frozen thawed fish was watery and not the best texture, but if I have to I will have it again! It wasn't the worst ever, but def not my favorite either haha!

[Andy Chow]

I have a car and live in a large city (Montreal), and heck, I don't have access to as many natural foods as you do. Grass-fed animals are very hard to find here.

All your options seem good. I would advise against desiccated liver powder, and generally all supplements. Fresh liver is easy to find, even if not the grass-fed kind. Organs are really cheap because no one wants them, however they spoil very easily so you need to get them fresh. Your nose is usually a better instrument than the date on the package.

Fish that has been frozen is usually very fresh, and less risk of worms or whatnot. I buy all my fish frozen, except what I catch myself. If you buy it fresh, ask the person selling it to you if it's sushi quality. If it's not, then there may be greater risk of eating it raw. Again, trust your nose.

I don't trust ground meat. Grinding exposes the entire meat to bacteria. A whole piece only has it's surface exposed, so much much less bacteria. Freshly ground should be okay, but there is bacteria in air, and as soon as it is ground those bacteria start to do their work on the meat.

Sometimes I eat raw fish, I'll just add some red onion slices, and maybe a raw egg on top.

[CatTreats]

Thank you for all your answers!!! That's really helpful! So its ok to eat meat that hasn't been pre-frozen, even if its ground? I thought ground meat had more air exposure and so more bacteria and whatnot?

This is true. It's really your discretion, but I don't worry about it myself. Personally, if I would eat meat from the source at all, I'll take it ground or normal.

Ah I have only eaten meat in general a few times in the past year and before that I was mostly vegan for 10 years so this will still be a challenge!

That's understandable! Take your time. Going slow with it is better than going too fast and somehow scaring yourself back to veganism.

Raw meat is more appealing than cooked and I really don't have a problem with eating it I just don't want to get sick from eating anything. Like I know I know, I just want to make sure that I'm even doing things ok by raw paleo standards.

Don't worry! Better safe than sorry. I used to be the same way. I hesitated with everything. Looking back, I laugh at how hesitant I was eating SEARED steak. Now, it's like I don't even put a second thought into eating anything raw. I just tried like three new things yesterday and there was no hesitation. You get over the hump at some point or another, whether it's a month in or a year in. You'll get there. And like I said, going slow is okay as long as you're moving forward. Baby steps.

I may have to try some raw beef and lamb then! I'll look for the chuck cut but they didn't have many options.

I don't know the name of the cut, but I always get the really tiny chops for lamb. They have less of the "lamby" taste that I dislike. Chuck is pretty common. It's a tougher cut used for roasts like pot roast or oven roasts. You should be able to ask. It isn't obscure like asking for back fat or tongue haha sometime you get blank stares when requesting those things.

ahh yayyy my body has been craving essential fatty acids.

Not surprising when you were a vegan. I know my body was thrilled when I started eating tons of healthy fats, and I never really went with a lowfat diet at all in my life.

Ok what about fresh wild fish? I found one type fresh today. Do you prep it with lemon juice at all? I could mix it with raw fermented veggies (though they KILL my teeth, I have some left). Idk why I'm nervous to eat things straight raw from the supermarket. All I want to eat is sashimi everrr right now lol. Instead today I had raw radishes, green juice, all the meat of a whole large mature coconut and some raw coconut water. not optimal for my digestion.

Baby steps. It's okay to be nervous. Like I said, I was nervous eating new stuff, even when I would sear things at the beginning. Unless I'm making an actual recipe like kinilaw or ahi poke (good stuff by the way), I never season or mix my foods. No salt, pepper, lemon, garlic, sauce, etc. It's fine in the beginning especially if it will keep you eating raw (some people will get bored with plain foods), but eventually you want to strive for eating things separately. Again, not required. It's better to mix foods and stay raw than to go plain and end up going crazy or something and then ending up eating cooked again. You say that fermented veggies hurt your teeth? I haven't heard of that, but if they aren't making you feel good then ditch em. A lot of raw eaters here do not eat veggies, myself included (unless as a garnish in a recipe, again not often). Fruit is much more popular amongst all of us it seems.

Thank you for the tip on shrimp too! I DID find fresh and local today. argh I should have bought some but wasn't sure if they can be eaten straight raw. Jeez Idk why I'm being so hesitant!

Don't feel bad! Raw shrimp taste a bit milder than cooked to me (unless we're talking about OVERcooked shrimp then that's bland), but they are creamy like butter. I didn't bother to devein them either, and it didn't change the consistency or flavor (I've heard that the "vein" can be crunchy, I didn't notice anything). Just keep in mind the preservatives issue with shrimp.

It sounds like you have a good variety though. Just try one thing at a time until you're feeling more adventurous. Red meat and popular fish like salmon and tuna are easiest for starting out because it's pretty mainstream to have undercooked beef and raw fish. So you won't feel like you're going totally against what's "safe" (like raw chicken or something). Soon, you'll be super excited to try everything raw. n_n

I would advise against desiccated liver powder, and generally all supplements.

Yeah, I agree here. Supplements are good in a pinch if you really think it's necessary, but remember that supplements are ALL heavily processed (so on the same level as cooking). Also, nutrients in supplement form aren't as readily available to the body as food. Your body doesn't recognize a pill as food, so it doesn't respond the same way. The website owner, GS, pretty much proved this with a personal experiment. I believe it was his brother (or some relative) that was taking omega-3 supplements for his skin. It was not working. He stopped the supplements and ate fresh raw tuna, and the next morning he had phenomenal results. The same thing happened to me. I was having acne issues and realized that I was deficient in zinc. Knowing that oysters are the best source, I planned to get them but wasn't going to have the chance for a couple of days. I took a zinc pill (just happened to have it), and nothing. I had oysters and by the next morning my face had cleared up by 50%. So yeah, there's a big difference.

Fresh liver is easy to find, even if not the grass-fed kind. Organs are really cheap because no one wants them, however they spoil very easily so you need to get them fresh. Your nose is usually a better instrument than the date on the package.

I wouldn't want a grain-fed liver. But I can't really say anything because I ate the liver out of what was most likely and entirely grain-fed duck and it was delicious. I guess it's just like anything else - grain-fed is better than none at all.

Fish that has been frozen is usually very fresh, and less risk of worms or whatnot. I buy all my fish frozen, except what I catch myself. If you buy it fresh, ask the person selling it to you if it's sushi quality. If it's not, then there may be greater risk of eating it raw. Again, trust your nose.

I've found that fattier fish spoils faster. The owner of the fish market I go to knows us now and saves SUPERRR fatty cuts of salmon for me. I've found that the parts that are almost entirely fat will spoil while the leaner meat will still taste fresh. I just taste test everything. If it's not tasting good, I know I waited too long.  Hate when that happens.

I don't trust ground meat. Grinding exposes the entire meat to bacteria. A whole piece only has it's surface exposed, so much much less bacteria. Freshly ground should be okay, but there is bacteria in air, and as soon as it is ground those bacteria start to do their work on the meat.

We've been eating raw ground bison regularly for a long time now. Maybe we have a good source ... maybe we're just lucky ... but bacteria isn't really an issue. I'd trust ground grass-fed meats long before grain-fed at least.

[colorles]

i eat frozen fish quite regularly, more than i eat fresh due to the affordability. seafood freezes and thaws much better than red meats, and is delicious cold

sure its great to eat fresh whenever you can, but in all honesty i can't afford to eat fresh all the time (sucks i know, but most of the world population has it considerably worse than any of us do; for that matter most of the "rich" people in this world indulge in toxic diets and lifestyles, so really the whole world is destroying itself from the inside out), and freezing especially with seafood isn't all that bad at all

key thing with this diet: planning. you don't want to find yourself strapped for cash with no quality food to eat; because then it becomes tempting to fall back on your old habits. which then the question comes to your head, is it really right to be eating so much meat, when you are not hunting and killing it yourself?...in which the answer always is, of course i would rather be hunting for food, its a very natural and fulfilling instinct; but the alternative ie destroying myself with toxic substances marketed as "food", would be the ultimate disgrace to my body that does everything in its power to keep itself healthy, and by extension my parents who put everything they could into raising me to be healthy and happy

tricky world we live in these days

[fireflysea]

I have a car and live in a large city (Montreal), and heck, I don't have access to as many natural foods as you do. Grass-fed animals are very hard to find here.

All your options seem good. I would advise against desiccated liver powder, and generally all supplements. Fresh liver is easy to find, even if not the grass-fed kind. Organs are really cheap because no one wants them, however they spoil very easily so you need to get them fresh. Your nose is usually a better instrument than the date on the package.

Fish that has been frozen is usually very fresh, and less risk of worms or whatnot. I buy all my fish frozen, except what I catch myself. If you buy it fresh, ask the person selling it to you if it's sushi quality. If it's not, then there may be greater risk of eating it raw. Again, trust your nose.

I don't trust ground meat. Grinding exposes the entire meat to bacteria. A whole piece only has it's surface exposed, so much much less bacteria. Freshly ground should be okay, but there is bacteria in air, and as soon as it is ground those bacteria start to do their work on the meat.

Sometimes I eat raw fish, I'll just add some red onion slices, and maybe a raw egg on top.

Its true I am lucky to have all the options that I do! I'm super grateful! And as I said this is really an amazing place to eat raw primal if you have the resources (transport, fridge, prep space, money, etc....all things that can be obtained!), but right now I'm staying with a family in a very small apartment on their couch and don't have much space! and so like I need to only really eat things I can eat when I'm out. I'm sure they'll let me put a bag of frozen seafood in the freezer if I can make space or something, but its super small and they have their things. Still I am sure I'll work it out!! I'm lucky because where I'm living now there are people who care about their food quality and there's a lot of local stuff, so there's more of a demand for grass fed and stuff in some of the stores.

I agree planning is essential! Before this I was raw vegan for 7 years, vegan for 10, and then cooked paleo for a while after developing a ton of food allergies and a digestive problem from untreated pneumonia and stuff. I gained a ton of weight after getting food allergies. Anyway could no longer stand the idea of eating tinned sardines or cooked things as I felt so out of balance. So I just naturally gravitated back to raw (I first reintroduced animal products back into my diet as raw fish prior to cooked paleo), and thats when I started seeing if other people were doing it too and found this forum! But yeah so no threat of me wanting to eat processed food or anything like that, but I don't react well to carbs or nuts/seeds right now at all so going back to raw vegan right now just isn't healthy or feasible either! I don't like eating a ton of animal foods, but I like eating as much as I crave of them, which can be a lot at times and not as much at other times! I agree with you about seafood being ok to eat frozen thawed and omg it makes me feel so much better that others do it too! I wasn't sure if it was like not the quality that could be eaten raw or whatever lol.  =))))

[fireflysea]

CatTreats----

Omg thank you so much for like answering all my questions and all! Its really so helpful even just to hear your experiences and whatnot. =)

Ohh I wanted to ask you...I wasn't sure if you know what I mean about the meat being like supermarket meat like what I mean is that its prepackaged and sold with other meat so its not like I get it fresh from the meat counter and they package it for me you know? Do you think thats still ok? Like I think maybe the store orders it in these packages already? but yeah I guess it should be fine either way! I just wanted to specify in case! Unfortunately the stores near me don't seem to carry grass fed meats in the like meat counter section so I can't really ask for specific cuts or amounts which makes it a bit more challenging in terms of storage. I don't really want to have to eat the whole pound of meat at once. hmmmmm

Its good to hear you eat the meat straight and don't have any problems with it! I guess there are always risks with anything really. But I think you're right and that its good to take it slow! I was vegan for 10 years, 7 of which were 100% raw, and then I tried incorporating raw eggs and raw wild fish like maybe 5 times in total, and then I ended up on cooked "paleo" I guess (mostly cooked or smoked wild fish, cooked veggies, leafy greens, raw chocolate, coconut, avocado, raw bee foods, tried eggs and didn't work, some raw dairy, tinned fish and oysters, etc but with occasional fruit binges or juice or things like that) and I gained a ton of weight and felt awful but had developed a ton of food allergies prior to going cooked and was basically reacting and becoming inflamed to like everything I ate ever (which was why I stopped being raw in the first place, did not know what to do anymore to feel good/ok). But yeah so like I'm not going straight from vegan to eating meat but I have not really ever had much meat regardless so it still feels all new. But as you said I'll get over that hump and it will become more natural with time and exposure! I know how much better I feel after eating fish than, say, a bunch of raw salad or something!

The liver powder is of course still processed and not optimal, but I'm also trying to figure out a source of vitamin A if I can't get liver or eggs. I'm trying to heal my teeth and the liver powder is just ground up freeze dried grass fed liver so its not exposed to high heat or anything like that. Still processed of course, but in many respects still a whole food. its something I'll think about if I have t, but I def agree fresh food is optimal!!! And maybe the desiccated liver should be avoided. I have no experience with it so I can't go by that either.

That's amazing your acne cleared up nearly right away after eating oysters! Raw oysters are one of my favorite foods omg and I know they're super high in many minerals. They're def a superfood haha. I have had acne and I'm finding rebalancing my hormones through sun exposure, proper sleep, and walking is helping to clear it up a bit. But part of it I know is from all the food sensitivities. Its all red around my mouth/chin and nose from having had so many allergic reactions. That coupled with acne and ughhh. I'm hoping it will resolve over time with being careful with what I eat and hopefully healing my gut. Anyway hope I can find some fresh oysters and see if they help this acne!!!

=D

[fireflysea]

OH and I did find fresh oysters! But they are removed from their shells and sold that way. I'm guessing thats a no-go for eating raw? It has a warning on the side saying eating raw shellfish is dangerous for people with weak immune systems of course and whatnot but doesn't say they can't be. I'm sure they wouldn't be as fresh and tasty but there's no preservatives or anything, they're sold in seawater.

[CatTreats]

Ohh I wanted to ask you...I wasn't sure if you know what I mean about the meat being like supermarket meat like what I mean is that its prepackaged and sold with other meat so its not like I get it fresh from the meat counter and they package it for me you know? Do you think thats still ok? Like I think maybe the store orders it in these packages already? but yeah I guess it should be fine either way! I just wanted to specify in case!

I would eat it. As long as it still looks okay (not browning already). Brown is fine when you're aging it yourself, but I wouldn't buy something that's already browning. Ground or cut. But yeah, in a pinch I'll have to eat "supermarket" beef. As long as it's for sure 100% grass-fed.

Unfortunately the stores near me don't seem to carry grass fed meats in the like meat counter section so I can't really ask for specific cuts or amounts which makes it a bit more challenging in terms of storage. I don't really want to have to eat the whole pound of meat at once. hmmmmm

I don't really understand what you mean. But if you're worried about storage, you can look into dry aging meat. That way nothing goes bad. I can't tell you any personal experiences about it because I actually don't have a taste for aged meat. But almost everyone on here does practice the dry aging and loves it.

Its good to hear you eat the meat straight and don't have any problems with it! I guess there are always risks with anything really.

That's how I see it. You reduce your risk of parasites when you freeze meat, but then you can lose beneficial bacteria and degrade the quality (though nothing like cooking). I take fresh over frozen whenever I can, but will take frozen over nothing at all.

I was vegan for 10 years, 7 of which were 100% raw, and then I tried incorporating raw eggs and raw wild fish like maybe 5 times in total, and then I ended up on cooked "paleo" I guess (mostly cooked or smoked wild fish, cooked veggies, leafy greens, raw chocolate, coconut, avocado, raw bee foods, tried eggs and didn't work, some raw dairy, tinned fish and oysters, etc but with occasional fruit binges or juice or things like that) and I gained a ton of weight and felt awful but had developed a ton of food allergies prior to going cooked and was basically reacting and becoming inflamed to like everything I ate ever (which was why I stopped being raw in the first place, did not know what to do anymore to feel good/ok).

That does not sound fun. For me, I was SAD for basically my whole life. I went vegetarian off and on a few times throughout my childhood mainly just going with the trends (which is odd for me, but hey) since some good friends were veg(an). We tried veganism when I started learning about nutrition. I hated it. Then, we went paleo (cooked) and BAM the majority of my health problems vanished within a couple of days plus rapid weight loss (always a plus when you're very overweight like I was). I didn't actually seek anything more. I was feeling great. It was one of those random searches on google because I know that carnivorous pets need to eat raw meat to be healthy. I looked up about humans eating raw meat and we got into it. Then I found this forum, and here we are. n_n

But yeah so like I'm not going straight from vegan to eating meat but I have not really ever had much meat regardless so it still feels all new. But as you said I'll get over that hump and it will become more natural with time and exposure! I know how much better I feel after eating fish than, say, a bunch of raw salad or something!

I'm sure you do! Your body is probably relishing in all of those nutrients and fats that it was lacking before hehe. Like I said, baby steps. Meat is usually the hardest for ex-veg(an)s. And you'll be getting a lot of nutrients already just from sticking to eggs and seafood. A lot of vegans use the Wai Diet (raw fruit, eggs, and seafood, NO veggies or dairy) as a stepping stone to raw paleo because it's easier than diving into raw meat and organs right away. So whichever route works for you.

The liver powder is of course still processed and not optimal, but I'm also trying to figure out a source of vitamin A if I can't get liver or eggs. I'm trying to heal my teeth and the liver powder is just ground up freeze dried grass fed liver so its not exposed to high heat or anything like that. Still processed of course, but in many respects still a whole food. its something I'll think about if I have t, but I def agree fresh food is optimal!!! And maybe the desiccated liver should be avoided. I have no experience with it so I can't go by that either.

I do think it's not the worst, but it's not a "whole food" unfortunately. Liver is the best source, but you can also get it from fatty fish and red meat, also egg but I think it's not as much. I hope someone can contribute because I do want to know my best alternative to liver because I'm about to run out and my source is on vacation. >.<" In general, you don't need to worry so much about nutrients because you should get enough. Just keep your variety diverse and don't mess up like me not eating any shellfish for a month and getting deficient in Zinc haha.

That's amazing your acne cleared up nearly right away after eating oysters! Raw oysters are one of my favorite foods omg and I know they're super high in many minerals. They're def a superfood haha. I have had acne and I'm finding rebalancing my hormones through sun exposure, proper sleep, and walking is helping to clear it up a bit. But part of it I know is from all the food sensitivities. Its all red around my mouth/chin and nose from having had so many allergic reactions. That coupled with acne and ughhh. I'm hoping it will resolve over time with being careful with what I eat and hopefully healing my gut. Anyway hope I can find some fresh oysters and see if they help this acne!!!

You could be going through a detox. I wouldn't worry until you've been eating raw paleo for sometime and it's still not improving (or getting worse like mine did). Just focus on sticking to raw by whatever means necessary and keep trying new foods. Always try something new to increase variety. It's okay if you find something you LOVE and eat it for like 5 days straight (I did this with duck a couple weeks ago), but try to be diverse if possible.

OH and I did find fresh oysters! But they are removed from their shells and sold that way. I'm guessing thats a no-go for eating raw? It has a warning on the side saying eating raw shellfish is dangerous for people with weak immune systems of course and whatnot but doesn't say they can't be. I'm sure they wouldn't be as fresh and tasty but there's no preservatives or anything, they're sold in seawater.

I wouldn't. You want live oysters which will always be in the shell. I've had a dead oyster still in the shell and it tasted soooo bad. Like rotten eggs and sewage. BAD. And you can get very sick from that. Also don't mind labeling, they legally have to warn people about consuming ANY animal products raw because of lawsuits and crap. But either way I wouldn't get those. I've seen the jars and mehh they just don't look right. The best oysters I had were from my small trusty fish market. I think they were brought in that day. SO good.