Raw Girl in Japan

‘Not sure how I can keep this short..will give it my best shot.

So, you may have sussed from my info page that I’m a bit of a Dancing Queen. Love pointing my toes, creating movement and my degree allowed me to venture into the world of physical theatre.

The yoga obsession isn’t much of a shock to those who know me. And the fact that I love teaching (currently teaching english in Japan), it only seems natural that i wish to pass on my dance a yoga knowledge…my goal for the next few years in japan.

Now the raw food thing has led to many a strange reaction; the question ‘why’? the hovering over my lunchbox out of curiosity, the ‘uuurghh’ when one sees a raw mushroom swallowed with glee and the very direct..what the f***?

At 6 years old I vommited when I ate fish. I rememeber sipping lemonade then being sick after that. Chicken was spat out when i was 10 as I had gone off the texture and taste. Then upon starting secondary school I realized that if i love animals so much why was i eating them? So, I went vegetarian. ma hoped it was a phase, but alas no. When I do something, i do it good and proper.

So for 21 years now I’ve been vegetarian. Was a tad hard when Imoved to japan, but fortunately managed to escape the fish bits and bacon bits put in, on and around most dishes.

So, I married a wonderful man. Loved life, got promoted and was happy. Then all seemed to collapse around me. My promotion turned out to be hell. The enviroment was negative, people were critical…my self esteem was none existant. i then miscarried at 9 weeks. Being so far away from home, and a limited support network in Japan, I sank. I realized drinking wine made me happy, so I’d down wine and then some more after work. I gained weight…my dancers figure long gone. I went to yoga when my schedule allowed……then one evening after about 2 years I thought ‘cut the crap Em’.

Spoke to my boss the following day and told him I was demoting myself. I returned to teaching in January 2005…white wine was thrown out the window. Lifted myself up, yogaing daily, turned vegan later in 2005, lost a load of weight and then……..discovered the world of RAW FOOD. Toyed with the idea a bit, then again thought ‘gotta do this properly girl’, so this year (2006) went full hog…raw vegan.

* have lost 30kg (want to get a bit more off) – (2007 -this is now about 35kg)
* have never had this much energy in my life, not even when at dance college
* my yoga practice has deepened (2007 – completed on yoga TTC, have two more this year)
* clearer frame of mind (2007 – positive, know my direction)
* strong nails (have always been a little brittle)
* deep sleep (2007 – but less hours due to diet)
* happy, happy, happy (2007 – even more so since quitting my job in December)

Now studying to be a raw lifestyle coach along with becoming a yoga teacher and returning to my dance roots.

I have been reborn……….

Hope I didn’t rabbit on too long’

I wrote the above about eight months ago.

I feel there are a few things to explain. I never thought myself to be someone to work in an office. I had always been an active, on the go person who couldn’t sit still, but I thought at the time the promotion was the right direction to go in, financial security,looks good on a resume, ….killing all my dreams, hopes.

Lesson to be learned – Money isn’t everything. Foremost be happy in what you do.

I was fortunate to be born with long, slender limbs – a family trait. I was active. Always dancing, cycled round London when I lived there, never taking the tube. My weight gain was a shock to all who knew me and made me most unhappy and I felt ill all the time.

Lesson here is – Diet and exercise is the key (d’oh!!!!). And POSITIVITY!!!!

My baby. The miscarriage was hard, especially when so far away from home. I now know what depression is and was on the verge of suicide (not helped with the job). Not a day goes by when I don’t think of my little one, and occasionally I shed some tears but the pain has eased.

Lesson: Things do happen for a reason. May not seem fair or right at the time, but in the future you will be able to see the fuller picture. Don’t despair – all good will come your way eventually.

I do feel like I have been reborn. I am one lucky, little bunny – I really am.