Matt & Angela

This past Monday evening I had the rare privilege of meeting two of my favorite raw food gurus: Matt Monarch and Angela Stokes-Monarch. I have followed the both of them for almost 2 years now and seeing them in the flesh felt to me like seeing old friends again. Of course, they didn't exactly have the same reaction! I knew them...shouldn't they know me?!!!

When I first started talking about going raw, my daughter bought Matt's book Raw Spirit for me. She picked his book because he talked so much about what it was like getting started. The book really prepared me for my journey by letting me know a lot of what I later experienced. I also liked Matt's theory that as long as you are eating raw, your body will eventually find its own balance and you will eat less.

Shortly after reading Matt's book and deciding to move forward in search of other raw foodies who had achieved what I wanted to do....namely lose weight, I found Angela Stokes' blog. I immediately became a huge fan of hers. I loved her down-to-earth approach and the fact that she published what she ate every single day. She has written several books that I have found extremely helpful, namely her latest, Raw Emotions.

When I first started following Matt and Angela, I wondered why Angela kept talking about Matt. Finally I realized that she and Matt were in a relationship. Well now they are newlyweds and touring the United States together...sharing their own experiences and opinions on the raw food lifestyle.

These two are truly hard-core raw foodists. They have years of experience being raw and are relentless in their pursuit of perfect health. While I am not ready for everything they do, I have come a long way because of them. I am very grateful to have had a chance to meet them and speak with them personally. I came away from the evening with the happy feeling that I am on the right path and that I am not alone. Even my husband was inspired by them and he is not an easy sale!