British raw food author Angela Stokes lost around
160lbs through adopting a raw food lifestyle, reversing morbid obesity.
Now a svelte 138lbs, at her biggest, the 29 year old was nearly 300lbs
and her health was extremely compromised. She was constantly ill and
underneath a false mask of contentment, she was also deeply unhappy and
insecure.
Here is her story.
From being a very healthy and active young
child, Angela's health began to edge into issues when, at the age of
11, her thyroid gland went under-active. Her metabolism slowed and she
began to gradually gain weight.
The condition was diagnosed 2 years later. But even after starting
thyroid medication, food had become the center of Angela's world - she
was lost in cycles of compulsive overeating (primarily 'junk' foods)
and the weight kept piling on as a result.
Diabetes - The Catalyst
At age 21 Angela was 295 lbs, and in 2000 a possible diabetes scare was
enough to jolt Angela into awareness that perhaps there were kinder
ways to treat her body. Her life took on a new direction after reading
The Raw Family by the Boutenkos. Angela swapped her calorie-packed greasy carbs diet overnight for a 100% raw lifestyle.
Weight Loss
The weight began to burn off at an astonishing rate - in the first year
alone, she lost around 105lb. As the pounds slipped away, her body came
to life. She says that every time she looked in the mirror, it was like
seeing someone different. Suddenly she could see her collar bone again
for the first time in years, feel her ribs down her side, long-term
acne was clearing, and her clothes and jewelery all became loose.
Before / After While obese, Angela walked with only the bottom half of her legs, as
her thighs were so large they were wedged together. As the weight fell
away, it was like her legs doubled in length. Every day was an
adventure of discovering new activities she could now participate in
more easily, like exercise and shopping for nice clothes.
Her thyroid is now also completely naturally balanced. She came
off the thyroid medication she had been on for around 13 years when she
went raw (switching instead to homeopathic remedies and seaweed) and
now her thyroid is completely balanced naturally, with daily kelp
supplements and regular seaweed meals.
