About Ashley Ward

I am a Rutgers University graduate living in Southern New Jersey. I began my research into nutrition in order to help myself, and I now aim to use it to help others. After studying for nearly ten years on how diet impacts health, I have discovered that a diet of raw and whole foods has the ability to transform a persons life.

Healing Myself

In my early youth I could get away with eating whatever I wanted but when I reached my teens the problems began, and a lot of them. I suffered from chronic fatigue, PMDD, recurring bladder infections, severe menstrual cramps, migraines, acne, depression, constipation, dizziness, and weight gain.

I read every book and tried every diet, but I just felt worse and worse. I fell victim to high protein diets, low carb diets, vegan diets, no grain diets, and so many others. I was taking so many supplements that some days I couldn't bear to swallow one more capsule. I felt better initially on some programs, but I never felt as good as I knew I wanted to.

Finally I read a book called The Raw Food Detox Diet by Natalia Rose and it changed my life. I immediately felt incredible improvements. I lost weight quickly and easily, I gained energy, my periods were light and pain free and my depression lifted. I finally felt like I was always supposed to feel.

My Mission

I began to read as much about a raw food diet as I could get my hands on and have learned there are many different approaches to this diet. Some people eat raw during the day and cooked at night, others incorporate raw dairy, and some eat low fat raw vegan. Some even eat mostly cooked meals but healthy, whole foods. A number of these approaches are healthier than others, but what I have learned is that no matter who you are, there is a way for you to reap the benefits of this way of eating.

It is my goal to inform others that there is middle ground with a raw food diet and not to feel burdened by an "all or nothing" approach when considering to change ones diet. Often the seemingly smallest changes make the biggest impact.

I hope to help others avoid getting lost in the maze of misinformation that is out there and overcome the hardships of their health. No one should have to suffer and I believe that any disease or illness can be overcome through diet, exercise, and happiness.

What do I eat?

I feel my absolute best when I eat a 100% low fat raw vegan diet. What does this consist of? Raw fruits, vegetables, lots and lots of leafy greens (a minimum of a pound each day!), and a small amount of nuts, seeds, and other fatty fruits such as avocado and raw unsalted olives. However, once in a while I will have a steamed veggie or baked sweet potato and I feel no negative effects.

Do I stray from this way of eating? It took me a little over a year to transition to a low fat raw vegan diet (although I was a vegetarian for ten years prior) and on occasion I will eat something I know I may regret but the trick is not to make a habit of it. I never thought I would eat this way but I simply followed where my body and mind led me and I have never turned back. I have found it is important to continue to learn and do what makes me feel my best.

Click here to learn what a raw food diet is