Your Raw Wellness

Raw food diets seem to be all the rage.  Advocates are even hosting event seminars where the topic of discussion is how to follow a raw food diet.  For many people however, the term “raw food” has them picturing sushi and steak tar tar. That may not be very appealing to you until you find out that this type of diet consists of adding more raw natural foods to your diet such at vegetables and fruit (usually about 75%) to promote greater energy levels and improved health.  And, when your energy is high and your health is good, your sense of overall well being is in good shape too! 

Alkaline vs. Acidic Foods
One of the benefits of a raw food diet is that it forces you to eat more alkaline foods which have been proven to ward off and even reverse the effects of diseases such as cancer, heart disease and diabetes. You already know that processed foods are not good for you and that they can add to your girth. By eating more alkaline foods such as colourful raw vegetables and fruits, you’ll be less inclined to fill up on the processed foods and you’ll be doing your health a favor. When you eat foods that are as close to natural as possible, it’s always a good thing. And, raw is even better because many of the nutrients are lost during the cooking process. That’s not to say that you should never again eat an apple pie or cooked carrots, just that you should consider raw vegetables or fruits as snacks rather than potato chips or cookies. Also, rather than choosing a meat as the main focus of your meal and your veggies as a side dish, do it the other way around and choose your vegetables first.

Detox & Weight Loss
Another benefit to a raw food diet is that it encourages weight loss. Water is a natural way to detox and because raw fruits and vegetables contain lots of water, you’ll find that your body begins to detox once you adopt a raw food diet. You may at first experience headaches or you skin might break out but this is only temporary as your body cleanses itself. Pretty soon, you’ll feel more energized, you skin and eyes will be bright and you’ll notice that the needle on the scale is lower than usual.
So what can you do to add more raw food to your diet? One way is to eat more salads, another way is to cut up fruits and veggies into bite sized pieces and keep them available in your fridge.
 

Only in the small “health nut” circles has the idea of eating a raw diet been mainstream. Lately, however, it is gaining more wide-spread popularity. An increasing number of people are now promoting the variety of benefits from eating raw food.

Advocates of a raw food diet believe it is the most logical diet for humans. After all, our hunting and gathering ancestors ate a large majority of their diet in raw form. Proponents believe raw food contains enzymes and nutritional content lost in the process of cooking the food.

Types of Raw Food Diets

There are varying degrees of a raw food diet.

* Raw foodism refers to a diet without any food restrictions as long as it’s raw or warmed to less than 105 degrees.

* Raw vegans consume only fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, sprouts and legumes, and no animal products (meat or dairy).

* The Raw Paleolithic Dieters eat meat, organ-meats, fruit, vegetables, honey, nuts, fish, shellfish, and eggs. They exclude dairy, grains, legumes and vegetable juices from their diet.

Within their food restrictions, they all require that at least 75 percent of foods in the diet are eaten raw, or are warmed to a temperature of no more than 105 degrees prior to eating.

Benefits of the Raw Food Diet

* One of obvious benefits of a raw food diet is weight loss. As most raw food dieters eat only plant foods, fewer calories are usually consumed. The diet is also usually low in fat, unless a large amount of seeds and nuts are eaten regularly.

* Improved digestion is also a benefit of eating a raw food diet. This is due to the digestive enzymes present in raw foods, allowing the body’s own enzymes to maintain their focus on regulating it’s metabolism. People who complain of a low metabolism may benefit from eating more raw food. Others who complain of digestive issues such as acid reflux may also benefit.

* Those on the raw food diet often report an increase in energy. The body doesn’t have to work as hard to produce enzymes, as they already exist in the raw food. They also tend not to combine proteins and carbs in the same meal which slows digestion and zaps our energy.

* The downside of eating cooked food in which the enzymes have been destroyed makes digestion more difficult. This could lead to toxins accumulating in the body, obesity and chronic disease.

* Raw foods contain beneficial bacteria and other micro-organisms that benefit the immune system and digestion by increasing the healthy gut flora in the digestive tract. You may have heard of taking probiotic supplements to achieve the same thing.

The raw food diet may sound like a life of deprivation to some, but it is not as limiting as one might think. Advocates believe there are a number of benefits backed up by scientific evidence. Try incorporating more raw food with each meal and experience the benefits yourself.

For example, try adding fresh fruit with breakfast, fresh cut vegetables at lunch, nuts and seeds for a snack and a salad at dinner. Experience for yourself the benefits of eating foods the way nature presents them.

Raw Food Recipes * raw food diet *

❤ Fruit Shish Kebabs ❤

INGREDIENTS:
Pineapple
Red Bell Peppers
Yellow Bell Peppers
Orange Bell Peppers
Zucchini
Avocados
Tomatoes

PREPARATION:
1) Slice all fruits into bite-size chunks.

2) Load onto skewers, or chopsticks, or anything else similar that you can find!

3) OPTIONAL: Squeeze a lime over everything

4) Serve & enjoy!!

PEACE, DAN =)
.

Duration : 0:9:55

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From http://www.thebestofrawfood.com.
Conversations with David Wolfe about eating raw food at social events. David reveals what he does when he eats out or visits family or friends.

For more info about David Wolfe, visit his website at http://www.thebestdayever.com.

Duration : 0:2:47

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