Raw Food Diet

What is the Raw Food Diet?

The raw food diet is a diet based on unprocessed and uncooked plant foods, and often organic foods, such as fresh fruit and vegetables, sprouts, seeds, nuts, grains, beans, nuts, dried fruit, and seaweed, sushi. If 75-100% of a person's total food consumption is raw food, he/she is considered a raw foodist or living foodist.

Some raw foodists only eat raw plant foods, but other raw foodists emphasize raw meat and other raw animal products. Depending on the type of lifestyle and results desired, raw food diets may include a selectıon of raw fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds (including sprouted whole grains such as gaba rice), eggs, fish (such as sashimi), meat (such as carpaccio), and non-pasteurized/non-homogenized dairy products (such as raw milk, raw cheese and raw yogurt). Raw foodists can be divided between those that advocate raw vegetarianism or raw veganism, those that advocate a raw omnivorous diet, and those that advocate a diet of only raw animal foods (carnivorous).


What are the Benefits of the Raw Food Diet?

Heating food above 116 degrees F is believed to destroy enzymes in food that can assist in the digestion and absorption of food. Cooking is also thought to diminish the nutritional value and "life force" of food.

Adherents of raw foodism believe that consumption of uncooked foods and prevents and/or heals many forms of sickness and chronic diseases. Some medical studies have indicated that different forms of raw food diets may lead to various health problems, while other studies have shown positive health outcomes with such diets.

Proponents of the raw food diet believe it has numerous health benefits, including:

* Increased energy
* Improved skin appearance
* Better digestion
* Weight loss
* Reduced risk of heart disease

The raw food diet contains fewer trans fats and saturated fat than the typical Western diet. It is also low in sodium and high in potassium, magnesium, folate, fiber and health-promoting plant chemicals called phytochemicals.

These properties are associated with a reduced risk of diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, and cancer. For example, a study published in the Journal of Nutrition found that consumption of a raw food diet lowered plasma total cholesterol and triglyceride concentrations.

What can I eat?

Unprocessed, preferably organic, whole foods such as:
* Fresh fruits and vegetables
* Nuts
* Seeds
* Beans
* Grains
* Legumes
* Dried fruit
* Seaweed
* Unprocessed organic or natural foods
* Freshly juiced fruit and vegetables
* Purified water
* Young coconut milk

At least 75% of food consumed should not be heated over 116 degrees F.

What cooking techniques are used?

Specific cooking techniques make foods more digestible and add variety to the diet, including:
* Sprouting seeds, grains, and beans
* Juicing fruit and vegetables
* Soaking nuts and dried fruit
* Blending
* Dehydrating food

What equipment can I use?
* A dehydrator, a piece of equipment that blows air through food at a temperature of less than 116 degrees F.
* A good-quality juice extractor for juicing fruit and vegetables
* A blender, food processor, or chopper to save time
* Large glass containers to soak and sprout seeds, grains, and beans
* Mason jars for storing sprouts and other food

Side Effects
Some people experience a detoxification reaction when they start the raw food diet, especially if their previous diet was rich in meat, sugar, and caffeine. Mild headaches, nausea, and cravings can occur but usually last for several days.

Precautions
The raw food diet may not be appropriate for certain people, such as:
* Children
* Pregnant or nursing women
* People with anemia
* People at risk for osteoporosis - A Washington University study found that people following a raw food diet had lower bone mass. Bone turnover rates, however, were similar to the group that ate a standard American diet.

TYPES OF FAITH

THE BRILLIANT MIND vs the PROFESSOR

An Atheist Professor of Philosophy was speaking to his Class on the
Problem Science has with GOD , the ALMIGHTY. He asked one of his New
Christian Students to stand and . . .

Professor : You are a Christian, aren't you, son ?
Student : Yes, sir.
Professor : So, you Believe in GOD ?
Student : Absolutely, sir.
Professor : Is GOD Good ?
Student : Sure.
Professor : Is GOD ALL - POWERFUL ?
Student : Yes.
Professor : My Brother died of Cancer even though he prayed to GOD to
heal him. Most of us would attempt to help others who are ill. But GOD
didn't. How is this GOD good then? Hmm?

(Student was silent )

Professor : You can't answer, can you ? Let's start again, Young
fella. Is GOD Good?
Student : Yes.
Professor : Is Satan good ?
Student : No.
Professor : Where does Satan come from ?
Student : From . . . GOD . . .
Professor : That's right. Tell me son, is there evil in this world?
Student : Yes.
Professor : Evil is everywhere, isn't it ? And GOD did make everything. Correct?
Student : Yes.
Professor : So who created evil ?

(Student did not answer)

Professor : Is there Sickness? Immorality? Hatred? Ugliness? All these
terrible things exist in the world, don't they?
Student : Yes, sir.
Professor : So, who created them ?

(Student had no answer)

Professor : Science says you have 5 senses you use to identify and
observe the world around you. Tell me, son . . . Have you ever seen
GOD?
Student : No, sir.
Professor : Tell us if you have ever heard your GOD?
Student : No , sir.
Professor : Have you ever felt your GOD , tasted your GOD , smelt your
GOD ? Have you ever had any sensory perception of GOD for that matter?
Student : No, sir. I'm afraid I haven't.
Professor : Yet you still believe in HIM?
Student : Yes.
Professor : According to empirical, testable, demonstrable protocol,
science says your GOD doesn't exist. What do you say to that, son?
Student : Nothing. I only have my faith.
Professor : Yes, faith. And that is the problem science has.
Student : Professor, is there such a thing as heat?
Professor : Yes.
Student : And is there such a thing as cold?
Professor : Yes.
Student : No, sir. There isn't..

(The Lecture Theatre became very quiet with this turn of events )

Student : Sir, you can have lots of heat, even more heat, superheat,
mega Heat, white Heat, a little heat or no heat. But we don't have
anything called cold. We can hit 458 degrees below zero which is no
heat, but we can't go any further after that. There is no such thing
as cold. Cold is only a word we use to describe the absence of heat.
We cannot measure cold. Heat is energy. Cold is not the opposite of
heat, sir, just the absence of it.

(There was pin-drop silence in the Lecture Theatre )

Student : What about darkness, Professor? Is there such a thing as darkness?
Professor : Yes. What is night if there isn't darkness?
Student : You're wrong again, sir. Darkness is the absence of
something. You can have low light, normal light, bright light,
flashing light . . but if you have no light constantly, you have
nothing and its called darkness, isn't it? In reality, darkness isn't.
If it is, were you would be able to make darkness darker, wouldn't
you?

Professor : So what is the point you are making, Young Man ?
Student : Sir, my point is your Philosophical premise is flawed.
Professor : Flawed ? Can you explain how?
Student : Sir, you are working on the premise of duality. You argue
there is life and then there is death, a Good GOD and a Bad GOD. You
are viewing the concept of GOD as something finite, something we can
measure. Sir, science can't even explain a thought. It uses
electricity and magnetism, but has never seen, much less fully
understood either one. To view death as the opposite of life is to be
ignorant of the fact that death cannot exist as a substantive thing.
Death is not the opposite of life: just the absence of it. Now tell
me, Professor, do you teach your students that they evolved from a
monkey?

Professor : If you are referring to the natural evolutionary process,
yes, of course, I do.

Student : Have you ever observed evolution with your own eyes, sir?

(The Professor shook his head with a smile, beginning to realize where
the argument was going )

Student : Since no one has ever observed the process of evolution at
work and cannot even prove that this process is an on-going endeavor,
are you not teaching your opinion, sir? Are you not a scientist but a
preacher?

(The class was in uproar )

Student : Is there anyone in the class who has ever seen the professor's brain?

(The class broke out into laughter )

Student : Is there anyone here who has ever heard the Professor's
brain, felt it, touched or smelt it? . . .
No one appears to have done so. So, according to the established rules
of empirical, stable, demonstrable protocol, Science says that you
have no brain, sir. With all due respect, sir, how do we then trust
your lectures, sir?

(The room was silent. The Professor stared at the student, his face
unfathomable)

Professor : I guess you'll have to take them on faith, son.

Student : That is it sir . . . exactly ! The link between MAN & GOD is
FAITH. That is all that keeps things alive and moving.

That student was Albert Einstein.

Whole Foods vs. Processed Foods

Whole foods are those that are unprocessed and unrefined, or processed and refined as little as possible before being consumed. They typically do not contain added ingredients, such as sugar, salt, or fat. Thus, the World's Healthiest Foods!

The term "Whole foods" is often confused with "Organic food" (i.e., organically-grown food) but whole foods are not necessarily organic, nor are organic foods necessarily whole, although they do share a number of traits, such as an avoidance of chemically-assisted agricultural techniques. Because of the lack of basic processing, many whole foods have a very short shelf life and are not easily sold outside of farmers' markets.

Examples of whole foods include unpolished grains; fruits and vegetables; unprocessed meat, poultry, and fish; and non-homogenized milk.

There are several ways to meet the body's needs with respect to whole foods. One way is to consume a variety of fresh raw fruits and vegetables every day.

"Diets rich in whole and unrefined foods, like whole grains, dark green and yellow/orange-fleshed vegetables and fruits, legumes, nuts and seeds, contain high concentrations of antioxidant phenolics, fibers and numerous other phytochemicals that may be protective against chronic diseases.

Many of our common foods are processed foods, and some processed foods are less nutritious than the original whole foods from which they came. Processed foods usually have sugar, salt, or fat added to them, and fiber taken out of them.

Making the transition to a whole food diet or raw food lifestyle helps in maintaining a strong and health body, a stress-free mind and a positive spirituality within this mixed up world. Today, 97% of all health disorders can be traced to a faulty nutrition and diet. It has been observed that Asian (East) civilizations suffer least from bowel problems, constipation, indigestion and other food related disorders such as obesity. Do you know why? Because they follow the philosophy of cooking and eating real whole food fresh from the market!

The key to true health is to have a balanced wholefoods diet. A balanced diet ensures that all the faculties of digestion work smoothly – absorption, assimilation and elimination. A balanced whole foods diet ensures a healthy you!!

Junk Food

Here is a list of JUNK Food you should avoid, they're not good for your body and will only create sickness!

French fries
This is a deep fried product, which contains large amount of oil and made from potatoes.
* French fries have 43% energy from fat.
* A baked potato only has 1% energy from fat.
Substitution: Baked or mashed potatoes

Deep-fried drumstick
Though it contains abundant protein, it contains large amount of fat after deep-frying.
Substitute: Steamed drumstick or soy sauce drumstick (with skin removed).

Sausage
Sausages contain a large amount of energy (76% of energy) from invisible fat and salt. We should eat these less frequently than unprocessed lean meats.
Substitution: Fresh or frozen unprocessed lean meat.

Dry salted vegetables
Due to their high salt content, these should also be categorized into the 4th level of the pyramid.
Substitution: Fresh vegetables or vegetables cooked in only a little oil.

Cream cake
It is high in calories because it has a large amount of sugar, butter and cream added during the cooking process, and it has no fiber.
Substitution: Soda crackers, whole-wheat biscuits or plain cake made with less oil and fat.

Soft drinks
Though soft drinks contain water and can partially or briefly relieve our thirst, their high sugar content gives us 'empty calories' with no other nutrients. So, we should only drink these very seldom.
Substitution: Water, low-sugar soymilk, pure fruit juice, low- or nonfat plain milk.

Instant noodles
These are high in calories because they contain a large amount of invisible fat and are always eaten with soup that is high in salt and MSG. So, we should eat these seldom.
Substitution: Fresh noodles, egg noodles, vermicelli or spaghetti.