A six-week course got Seleana Abrahams eating raw foods — she believes it transformed her life.

The 43-year-old claims her blood pressure is lower, she’s sleeping better and has found the energy to exercise, since she changed her diet in 2014.

She’s now offering a programme called Fresh Start so others can benefit from her experience.

The $40 classes start tomorrow at Admiralty House, and run every other Saturday until June.

“My blood pressure was rising, my sugar was getting a little out of whack and because I was such a heavy snacker that made matters worse,” she said.

“I would get upset and want to eat a whole cake, go out and buy cupcakes or fill myself with sugary items such as chocolates. I was lacking energy and everything else.

“Every year guaranteed, if there was a flu or cold bug going around, I would be the one to get it. I was feeling fatigued and not my normal self.

“I was spiritually alive and vibrant, but physically I was having issues and wasn’t in proper balance.”

The online programme with Christian organisation Hallelujah Acres proved her salvation. The group promotes a diet of raw, vegan foods.

“I had been following them for a good ten years but never implemented anything they taught up until 2014 because I didn’t have any physical problems,” she said.

“As soon as the problems started to arise I jumped on the health bandwagon and decided I had to move forward. I knew I didn’t have to be sick. I could make changes, and nutrition was the way.”

Raw diets centre around uncooked, unprocessed foods, mainly fruits, vegetables and grains. Followers believe that heat destroys the nutrients in food that help prevent illness and improve digestion.

Bean burgers, spicy sweet potato veggie patties and walnut and pineapple cheesecake are some of Mrs Abrahams’ signature creations.

“There’s also a green banana burger I do. Everyone who tried it thought it was a fishcake, which was surprising because it doesn’t have any animal source in it. It’s all vegetables, and the base is the green bananas.”

She went through several trials before she found success, researching recipes online and tweaking them in the kitchen.

“I spent a lot of time in the kitchen on weekends and would [also] come up with my own creations,” she said.

“I put my heart into it because I want it to still taste good, without adding all those seasonings and a lot of salt into it.

“I’ve learnt there are a lot of ways to make your food taste good.

“You just have to practise, learn what your family likes and tweak things a bit.”

The accountant’s health improved within a matter of months.

“My allergies disappeared. Everything slowly began to rebuild and now I feel happy and alive,” she said.

“Now I’m excited to share what I’ve learnt with other people. I want to motivate and encourage people so they know they don’t have to be sick.

“I have a lot of people say it’s very expensive and time-consuming to eat healthy, but I always say you’re either going to pay for it on the front end, or the back end in terms of going to doctors and paying for medications.

“Ask yourself, ‘What can I cut out of my budget so I can begin to invest and take care of my body more?’ It’s not just the physical parts, it’s a full mental, physical and spiritual transformation.”

•Mrs Abrahams’ classes run 4pm to 6pm at the Bermuda Senior Islanders’ Centre. For more information e-mail frmigroup@gmail.com.