Hi! You can call me Tonya. I am from Kiev, but live in Tokyo. So grammar English my strongest point not is  😉 I hope my blog will help me to improve my English level 🙂

I was on the same diet as my family, was not interested in cooking very much, and was eating whatever I wanted, including tea and sweet desserts EVERY day. This everyday habit ended up giving me a bunch of diseases consistently…one after another. I had taken a few medications as a teenager, for acne and anxiety, which was hard on my body and contributed to building the ill health I experienced. Waking up with mucus in my nose and throat was a commonplace event, and I often took analgesic medicine to cure my headache and PMC. I used to hide my face with a layer of foundation to cover the acne and oily luster. I had such the life until I delivered my first-born son. One day, it was nothing short of a miracle, but I worked a miracle that changed my life! Even I weighed 10kg extra after the delivery, I was not aware of the importance of the diet. But a maternal love made me think about the right food.

Breast milk and perfect baby food.... and then start off with the solid foods. What would be the best way to feed my baby? I researched all the foods in the local market. There, I came to realize how they produce margarine, mayonnaise, bread etc. I found out why my son had an allergy from lactic products and eggs. I attended many lectures and read many books, researched, discovered and acquired new knowledge. I was horrified by the amount of harmful foods around us, which are commonly accessible nowadays. Thus, I changed my views on life and developed a philosophy of food.  I began my vegan journey in 2009 after watching Food Inc. and Forks over Knives. I was honestly shocked and my life changed completely. I see food in a different way now.  I went vegan overnight and I included mostly raw foods in my diet though my son Ray eats some cooked food along with abundance of fruits, vegetables and greens. I became a vegan for ethical reasons first, and found about healthy privilege later on. My diet changed after the birth of my son and I always checked ingredients of the food products I purchased. With the knowledge I’ve learned about what animal products do to me, you, our Earth, and our beloved fellow animals – I choose not to put anything that has caused suffering in my body and my son‘s body.

One day, I encountered many of interesting stories ― “The 80-10-10 Diet” about raw food version of a low fat plant based diet, written by Dr. Douglas Graham, Mimi Kirk as “Sexiest Vegetarian over 50″at age 70”, and researches by Michael Greger, M.D. and Dr. John McDougall, ”The China Study” by T. Colin Campbell, Ph.D. and Thomas M. Campbell II, M.D. and Dr. William Davis, cardiologist, author of the New York Times Bestselling Wheat Belly Books, and health crusader for the wheat-free, grain-free lifestyle. I made my own researches about milk in Japan and other Japanese products. And of course Youtube! 🙂 I love to watch youtube channels of Ka Sundance, Dara, Banana Girl, Fully Raw Kristina and others. Next, I ordered my first raw food recipes book and tried to follow the raw food diet theory and its activities (2011). That time I was not sure whether I could continue it for a certain length of time. Incredibly, I fell in love with this new food and its well-being. I had never felt so graceful ever in my life!

When I experienced the raw food diet, a world of health and beauty was opening―all I had to do was just walking in. The healing power of natural foods was highly effective for internal and external body, gave me a huge impact on my whole body. I learned how to detoxify my body, how to keep it extremely clean and how to nourish myself on a cellular level. I am continuing my yoga exercise and trying to be active and positive. That is how I worked the miracle! Emotion, mood, and thoughts ― they get radically altered. Deep conditions get shaken as toxins get stirred up and released. The body’s nutritional requirements are met and the body is in balance. My health has become much better than that of two decades years ago. And now I look better than a decade ago. All my sickness are gone!

I eat mostly a raw food now and I feel amazing―healthy and active! I am 36 y.o. and feel like 25 again! I am 55 kg again, as in my 25 😉 I hope my experience will help you to make your raw food journey easy and enjoyable! The ideal amount of raw food you should eat varies with each person, but I do believe a plant-based, whole foods diet with an emphasis on raw food can bring us all to better health and a longer, more vibrant life.

People around me often ask me about raw food and therefore I started my blog and began teaching classes for mothers who are interested in raw foods and health, I named this class “Raw-Yummy-Mommy”. Besides, I am organizing a small Raw Foods classes for kids – “Raw-Yummy-Tummy”. In March 2013, I completed Fundamentals of Raw Cuisine and achieved the high standard of Matthew Kenney method and philosophy of raw and living cuisine in Matthew Kenney Academy. In the future, I dream to open my own raw food restaurant and healing center, to have a nice wood house in Hawaii where I can eat fresh fruits 😉

I’m open to questions and all types of feedback. You can also find me over on Twitter or Facebook, Youtube, and Instagram.

Thank you for checking out my blog!

With Love from Japan!
Tonya Ogino