Anastasia Voss Finds Purpose, Love and Friendships on a Raw Diet

‘I Want to Help More People, Improve Lives and Make a Positive Difference for the Planet’

Anastasia Voss first found sanity on a raw food diet, enabling her to escape anxiety and depression. The 27-year-old from Greenwich, Connecticut, later found her life purpose, love and friendships.

After watching a video on factory farming, Anastasia went vegan overnight in 2004. Four years later, she discovered a raw food diet while experiencing a “really dark period” as she struggled with anorexia.

“I was terrified of eating and didn’t know where to turn,” she said. “My life was chaotic, and I had little support. I transitioned to low-fat raw vegan from there. The biggest change I’m so grateful for is that I found sanity in eating real fruits and vegetables. Since then, I’ve done a 500-mile bicycle tour, ran the Midnight Sun Marathon as my first marathon in Norway and fasted for 32 days in Costa Rica on water alone.”

Anastasia ate a wholly raw food diet from 2010 to 2015, when she began introducing some cooked foods such as hummus and tofu back into her diet.

“I feel awesome either way [wholly or mostly raw], and my athletic output is the same,” Anastasia said. “The biggest change I’ve seen physically has been from the weightlifting that I’ve recently started enjoying.”

These days, Anastasia usually enjoys a smoothie loaded with greens and some fruits and flaxseed for breakfast. For lunch, she eats fruit plus a salad and then a large salad for dinner. Other than a small amount of flaxseed in her morning smoothie, Anastasia saves consumption of overt fats for later in the day.

When it comes to fruits, Anastasia has gravitated especially toward red grapes, sweet lychees and sun-kissed champagne mangos. “My favorite fruit varies,” she said. “I think most perfectly ripe fruits have the opportunity to be a favorite.”

Anastasia also loves devouring vegetables. “I eat more greens and vegetables than anyone I know,” she said. “All types: kale, romaine, butter lettuce, cabbage, bok choy, celery, zucchini, cucumbers, cauliflower, etc.

“I don’t typically have fats, but I’ve started realizing I could incorporate more into my diet and be OK,” Anastasia continued. “I was 90/5/5 [ratios of the macronutrients carbohydrates, protein and fats] and 80/10/10 for all the time I was fully raw.”

Anastasia and her partner, Wynter Griffing, have started gardening. “You can taste the difference in the quality of food. Over time, we aim to increase the percentage of food to be coming from our garden or farmers’ markets,” she said, noting that most of the food they purchase comes from wholesalers, Whole Foods and farmers’ markets.

Anastasia works out in the mornings, whose light she calls “magical,” for adrenal and hormonal health as well as to kick off the day with energy, she said. She enjoys cycling for activity and didn’t own a car until she was 22, choosing instead to cycle everywhere. Anastasia also likes to run, an activity she’s been engrossed in since her high school days, and started weight training this year.

“Basically, everything adventure-related and everything outdoors is a win in my book, and there’s so much more to discover,” said Anastasia, adding that she wants to explore a martial art and acroyoga more fully. “A raw vegan diet has helped me to embrace exercise as a joy and exploration, whereas before it was a purging or guilt-driven activity.”

Anastasia gets a blood test just about annually, she said. “In the winter here in the Northeast, I get dangerously low levels of Vitamin D deficiency due to the lack of UVB rays,” she said. “I usually supplement by traveling to warmer climates for adventure.”

Anastasia recommends those transitioning to a raw food diet commit to it and educate themselves as well as exercise persistence. “Surround yourself with this community, since we become who we hang around,” she said.

Anastasia launched The AnastasiaRaw Uncook Book: An Exceptional Collection of Low Fat Raw Vegan Cuisine last year, inspired to help others get their sea legs on a raw diet. “I know it can be difficult to know where to start eating this way,” she said. “My recipe book makes it so easy, doable and visually appealing to eat raw vegan. It has all my favorite recipes compiled into one easy-to-use recipe book.”

Watch Anastasia Voss’ Video on the Tromsø Midnight Sun Marathon in Norway

Anastasia also produces videos for her YouTube channel, AnastasiaRaw. “Come watch some videos to help get motivation to become your best!” she said. “I aim to give insight on eating raw, eating vegan, travel, friendship, fun and adventure, humor, exercise and love. It’s what I wished I could have seen earlier on. It’s a snapshot into my life.”

Finally, Anastasia also launched Double Helix Marketing, a vegan agency, with Wynter Griffing. Over the next decade, Anastasia sees this business, promoting companies with vegan messages, blossoming. She also wants to build her dream sustainable home, an Earthship, in Hawaii with loved ones and host retreats at it. “I want to help more people, improve lives and make a positive difference for the planet through my talks, demonstrations and YouTube videos,” she said. “I’m excited to wake up every day to the people I love and the sound of the waves of the ocean.”