Raw Food - The Simplest Natural Diet

More and more people are realizing that the key to health is not just in the exercise that you do but also in the type of food that you eat. The old saying is that you can not out train a bad diet. But a health diet is not just for people looking to get fit. It's also for people that want to cure or prevent illness and disease, to feel better and happier or to slow down the aging process. Eating raw food is one of the ways in which you can provide your body with optimal nutrition. This article will explain the benefits of eating a raw food diet and how you can start following it today.

There are many benefits to a Raw food diet, or just incorporating more raw food into your current diet. Humans were meant to eat natural whole foods not the processed sugar and salt filled foods that are causing so many modern illnesses, diseases and obesity in Western countries. Specific benefits of eating more raw food include losing weight easily and keeping it off, curing heart disease, reducing bad cholesterol in the blood, curing IBS, acne and other allergies. People who start eating more raw food also report having more energy, and increased libido.

The reason that eating raw food makes you feel so much better is because raw food is richer in enzymes and nutrients than processed food or food that has been cooked too much. Our body needs enzymes to function correctly and many processed foods contain little or no enzymes. Cooking food at a temperature higher than 115 degrees Fahrenheit destroys the natural occurring enzymes in food depriving you of the benefits of eating food in the first place.

Further advantages of eating raw food are that your body is able to extract the maximum amount of nutrients from what you are eating, it is cheaper than processed food which isn't giving you any nutrition, helps you lose fat easily, it helps you think more clearly and feel more calm and contains little chemicals or preservatives especially if you get organic produce.

In order to start incorporating more raw food into your diet you must first consult with a doctor, especially if you are suffering from an illness. Start investigating which foods you can safely eat raw. Many fruits and vegetables are naturally raw food. Learn how to broil or otherwise prepare vegetables below 115 degrees Fahrenheit. Also investigate eating different kinds of nuts and sprouts in order to get all the nutrients you need.

When it comes to food such as meats, eggs and fish you must be more cautious. Since many of these foods are raised on an industrial scale there is more potential for diseases to spread and infect the food. There are people that claim that eating raw animal products is a very healthy and natural thing to do and that our early ancestors ate like this. It should be noted that those that eat raw meat prefer their meat to come from pasture or grass fed animals in order to lower the risk of disease. You should thoroughly investigate how you can eat these foods safely if you choose to do this, and again always consult with your doctor before changing your diet in this way.

There are many ways in which you can prepare raw food meals, either as salads, smoothies or sauces. The juicer, broiler and blender are some great pieces of kitchen equipment to get that will help you create delicious raw food meals, juices and smoothies. So educate yourself and start benefiting from raw food immediately.

The Top 5 Reasons Why You Should Consider a Raw Foods Diet

There are quite a few reasons why you should consider eating a raw foods diet. This diet, comprised of at least 75% raw, unprocessed, and ideally organic foods, will have you feeling better, looking better, and enjoying an improved state of your overall well being.

Raw Nutrition Allow You to Live a Healthier Lifestyle

When you switch to a raw vegan diet, you will be eating much healthier foods that are low in saturated fats, sugars, and sodium compared to cooked, processed foods. Raw foods are nutritionally dense without the calories of cooked foods and processed foods, so your body will feel full and satisfied without the need for excess calories.

You'll be able to eat in a much more controlled manor and eliminate cravings and hunger pangs that result in needless calorie intake. The result will be maintaining a healthy weight and significantly decreasing the risk of major cardiovascular related diseases, as well as diabetes and cancer.

Raw Organic Foods Increase Energy Levels

While on the raw foods diet, you will experience higher energy levels on a more consistent basis throughout the day. You won't experience the ebbs and flows of energy highs and lows that occur on an unhealthy diet of processed foods. This is because processed foods cause blood sugar spikes and subsequent drops, draining you of energy. With a high energy level that lasts throughout the day, you will be much more productive and be able to accomplish a lot more. Raw foods also cost your body less energy since cook foods require much more energy to digest than raw foods.

Detoxify Your Body with Uncooked Foods

Because toxins and other bad chemicals are abundant in processed foods, they accumulate in your body with this type of diet. When you switch to eating mainly raw unprocessed food, will body will expel the toxins until they are completely gone from your system.

The result is that the systems in your body will become more efficient and less stressed. You will see improvements in your circulatory system, respiratory system, nervous system, and immune system. You will feel healthy, alive, vibrant and suffer from much fewer illnesses, if any at all.

Lose weight and Look Great

People who put themselves on raw vegan diets have a much easier time losing weight than those who are on cooked food diets. Uncooked foods have more fiber in them so that will make you feel fuller without having to consume excess calories, and since raw foods are nutrient-rich, your body won't crave foods like it does when nutrients are lacking in your diet.

The result is less food in-take, as well as less sugar, saturated fats and trans fats intake, all of which pack on pounds when consumed with processed foods.

There has also been a correlation between raw foodism and healthy-looking skin. This is due to the detoxification effects and increased antioxidant intake with raw nutrition. Antioxidants eliminate harmful free radicals. when there are excess free radicals roaming around, this can result in dry skin, chaffed shin, and a poor skin complexion.

Mental Clarity and Psychological Improvements

Several people have reported a higher level of mental clarity and increased focus after switching to a raw foods diet. With higher energy levels and increased focus, the motivation to accomplish your goals and get things done becomes easier. Generally you will feel more relaxed and in a better mood on the raw foods diet.

So these are the top five reason to get yourself on a raw foods diet. It's important to realize that these benefits won't take place overnight, so stick with it a couple weeks and you'll soon begin to feel the positive effects of the raw foods diet.

A Large Variety O f Healthy Foods At A Natural Food Market

It is surprising to many consumers to discover just what is in the products that they purchase to consume. Grocery stores offer a large variety of foods, but often these foods contain processed and refined sugars that may not be the healthiest choices available.

As consumers have become more and more aware of the fact that many foods that are offered through the local grocery store are not ideal for their families, they are searching for a natural food market that carries products that they feel more comfortable purchasing.

Where a Natural Food Market Can Be Located

As the popularity increases with the natural food market, more and more of these types of stores are being found. In many areas there are natural food markets that are located in easy to access locations. A natural food market can be found by simply using a local phone book or even searching on-line for local natural food markets.

If a natural food market is not nearby, there are on-line stores that offer products to be purchased and then they will expedite delivery to the consumer. If a complete natural food market can not be located, many areas also have summer farmer markets that offer the consumer many choices in organically grown fruits and vegetables available in the summer and fall.

What Types of Products Can Be Found at a Natural Food Market

A natural food market will carry organically grown fruits and vegetables and meats for consumers. These products must meet the standards set by the FDA to considered organically grown and will not contain antibiotics, hormones or chemicals.

Other products that are found in a natural food market include processed foods that have been made with organically grown foods. These can include things like pastas, cereal, rice, cookies, crackers and other foods enjoyed by the entire family. What makes them unique is the fact that they are all organically grown materials that are being used, ensuring that the consumer is getting high quality organic foods for their families.

A natural food market may also carry vitamins and herbs that can be used for a variety of ailments and in helping keep a person in balance. These are also usually organically grown and flow with the rest of the natural food market philosophy of pure foods.

The idea behind the natural food market is to give the consumer a choice in products that are organically raised and allow for the consumer to choose what is best for them.

Organic Raw Foods and Your Family

More and more people are finding that friends and family members are getting diseases like diabetes and cancer. They hear that the only cure is drugs, chemicals or surgery. Can organic raw foods help?

You'll hear things like "your mom had it so you're going to get it" or "it runs in the family." You rarely hear that some of these diseases are caused by the chemicals that you intake through food and environment.

The number of chemicals in your food, water and the air are extremely high. What about typical vegetables and fruits that you get at the grocery store? They are better than processed foods and fast food, right?

Yes and no. A processed chicken nugget is more chemical than meat. Unless vegetables are certified organic then you might want to think twice. Vegetables and fruits that aren't organic have been tested at times to contain up to 20 different pesticide residues.

What about people who claim that pesticide levels are so low they aren't harmful. Is that why there are pesticide residues still present in soil five to 10 years later?

Eating more organic raw foods including vegetables and vegetable juice are going to go a long ways into making you a healthier person and not becoming a disease statistic just because your grandfather had it.

What about the higher cost of organic raw foods? The prices are currently a bit higher but it is well worth it especially compared to paying for high doctor bills and drugs later on. Investing in healthy food is an investment for having a longer, more enjoyable life.

What about the taste? When many people, especially kids, aren't brought up on vegetables and fruits they get the idea that organic raw foods may taste gross. That is completely untrue. My family eats many raw food recipes and we find the food more tasty and flavorful than most other foods.

Do your research and come up with a plan for your family. Start out slow, start out gradually. The most important thing is for you to start!

Raw Food Diets Secrets. Method #1 For Weight Loss

Raw Food Diet Weight Loss- Method # 1

You may have heard that a raw food diet is effective for weight loss. So if you'reconsidering switching to a raw food diet to lose some weight, you may bewondering whether you have to stay on it for the rest of your life, or whether you can resume eating 'dead' foods once you reach your weight goal.

If you're used to eating steaks, refined pasta, burgers and chocolate chip cookies,but you're willing to 'go on a diet' for a while to drop some pounds, you may bemissing the point and many of the advantages of a raw food diet.
To answer you original question: no, you don't have to stay on any 'diet' for therest of your life. No one is going to come to your house and force to eat only rawfoods. But the truth is that short terms dieting only yields short tem results, nomatter which kind you suscribe to.

If you gained weight and became unhealthy by eating your current 'diet', you maybe able to lose weight by changing what you eat, but as soon as you start eatingwhat made you overweight in the first place, guess what will happen? If you guessed that you'll gain the weight back, you absolutely right!

Although a raw food 'diet' can help you lose weight, where it is really powerful itthat it can help you become healthy-and if you are overweight due to pooreating habits now, then weight loss will be an automatic beneficial effect.
But once you discover that you not only lose weight, But you feel better, havemore energy, have fewer problems with allergies and a whole host of otherhealthy results, you may not want to return to your old 'diet'.
What many people don't think of is that feeling good can become addictive. Youmay be surprised to find that once you become healthy from eating raw foods fora while, you stop craving those unhealthy foods that you used to rely on.

Raw Food Detox Diet

Detox, or detoxification of the body is a common practice many people use in order to rid the body of toxic substances or lose some weight quickly. There are many different ways and many different diets to detox the body. Some of these are the dieuretic diet, the fat flush diet, an all liquid diet, liver cleansing diet and the raw food diet. Certain detox diets may be better for certain people, so it is important to look at each and decide which one would fit your day to day lifestyle the best. The detox diet that I would like to talk about here is the raw food detox diet, also sometimes called foodism. This detox diet is generally made up of fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, grains, dried fruits, herbs and spices that are all eaten raw.

The first thing you will want to do is prepare for the detox. The safest way to do so is to slowly remove the foods that are not allowed during the detox from your day to day diet for a week before you start the full on detox. This means that the first day of preparation you will replace one or two things that you regularly eat during the day with something that is a fruit, vegetable or other food allowed by the detox. By the seventh day, you will have replaced pretty much everything in your regular diet with someone that is allowed in the detox diet. The other thing that you will need to do to prepare is create a menu plan for your detox diet. You will want to make your menu as appetizing as possible for yourself, but don’t expect it to be as good as friend chicken or extra cheesy lasagna. With a little creativity and searching for recipes you can however find some very tasty meals.

Once you have created your menu plan, create a grocery list and go shopping the day before you start the detox. You are now ready to begin your raw food detox diet.

Generally the first couple days of any detox are the hardest days, so it is important to keep any temptations out of sight and as out of mind as possible. It may take a lot of will power but you will find as you are on the detox for longer that it will become easier, and believe me, when you start seeing those results of how much better you feel or how much weight you have lost, you will want to keep the detox going strong.

With the raw food diet it may be a little costly to purchase all of the fruits and vegetables that you will need, but it is important not to skimp or cheat. Some great meals you can make are fresh fruit salads, mixed salads with other various vegetables such as tomatoes, onions, parsley and other dressings, raw mixed vegetable soup, avocado and even raspberry and banana sorbet. You should be able to find these special raw diet recipes as well as many others with just a little searching online. The important thing with a raw food detox diet is that you make a plan and stick with it.

4 Ways to Improve Your Raw Food Diet

Recently I reviewed an essay on evolution and the human diet and concluded with 4 main ways to improve the modern human diet:

1. Eliminate Salt Intake
2. Eliminate Grains and Replace with Fruits and Vegetables, with an emphasis on sweet fruit
3. Exercise Everyday
4. Limit Fat Intake

Unfortunately, modern Americans with their SAD diet are not the only ones guilty of ignoring the lifestyle points above. Many health conscious individuals and their so-called nutritious diets fail as well.

For instance, vegans are known for eating tons of grain-based meals coupled with staggering levels of salt and oil. And while many vegans don't struggle with hyperadiposity, there is definitely no shortage of under-muscled veg-heads.

But what about RAW vegans? Well, it seems that there is much room for improvement amongst this special class of health hobbyists as well.

Salt

The average raw foodist eats too much salt, as well as other spices and condiments. Here's a raw soup recipe I found while scouring the web:

* South River unpasteurized miso
* Tomato concentrate by Premier Research
* Hijiki
* Goji Berries
* Hemp Seeds
* Raw Honey
* Sea Salt (pink himalayan salt is a great option)
* Other seaweed (optional)
* Nutritional flakes (optional)
* Agaricus mushroom powder (optional)

Can this really be considered a recipe? It seems to be made up of flavorings rather than actual nutritious food.

Grains Over Fruits and Vegetables

You would think that most raw foodists would naturally favor ripe fruits and veggies over difficult to digest grains.

Unfortunately, this is not the case. Many cooked-made-raw recipes, like burgers, wraps, and pizzas, use sprouted grains.

Here's an example of a raw pizza:

* 400g sprouted wheat (or sprouted buckwheat)
* 2 medium fresh tomatoes
* ½ a medium sized onion
* 6-8 sundried tomato halves (ideally pre-soaked)
* About 10 leaves of fresh basil
* Liberal shaking of Italian dried herbs mix
* 1 clove garlic
* ⅓ cup of olive oil

And while many mainstream raw foodists do eat good amounts of greens, tomatoes, cucumbers, etc., they put WAY too little emphasis on sweet fruit. Some even shun fruit completely!

For more on the problem with eating grains, check out my article here.

Exercise

I don't know what it is, but mainstream raw food vegans seem to HATE to exercise...not including meditation and low-intensity yoga, of course. ;)

Actually I DO know why: they don't eat enough calories! It's impossible to find the energy to work up a good sweat when you're living on heavy fats and low-calorie veggies.

This is why it's so common to see super skinny, yet still over-fat and under-muscled raw foodists.

Fat

Here's the big one: raw foodists eat way too many avocados, nuts, seeds, and oils. They're used in salads, soups, salsas, sauces, and even sweet desserts!

ESPECIALLY the desserts! Here are the ingredients for an almond cake recipe:

* 1 cup walnuts
* 2/3 cup almonds
* 1 cup pitted, packed medjool dates
* 1/2 teaspoon orange zest
* 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

And that doesn't include the almond creme...

* 1 cup cashews
* 1/3 cup almond milk
* 1/3 cup melted coconut oil
* 3 tablespoons maple syrup
* 1 1/2 -2 teaspoons pure almond extract
* 2 tablespoons chopped almonds

...or the whipped creme...

* 3/4 cup almond milk
* 1/2 cup cashews
* 1/2 cup walnuts
* 3 tablespoons cacao powder
* 3 tablespoons maple syrup
* 2 teaspoons carob powder
* Seeds of 1/2 vanilla bean
* Pinch celtic sea salt
* 2 tablespoons melted cacao butter
* 1 tablespoons coconut oil

...that go along with it.

Holy Cannoli!

No wonder so many raw foodists have issues with candida overgrowth.

Raw Rules for Everyone

So yea, unfortunately cooked food lovers are NOT the only ones guilty of dietary sin. But that's okay, because you definitely don't have to follow the trend:

1. Eliminate Salt Intake
2. Eliminate Grains and Replace with Fruits and Vegetables, with an emphasis on sweet fruit
3. Exercise Everyday
4. Limit Fat Intake

No matter what your current diet, you will see tremendous health gains by adopting the 4 guidelines above.

Go raw and be fit,

Raw Foods Diet to Live Naturally and Long

Ever wonder as to why the average age of the Japanese people is 92 for males and 94 for females? For that matter the average age of the people in so many other Asian countries where most live above 80 years. It can simply be pointed to their diet which includes a lot of raw foods. Raw foods diet is a revolutionary albeit a very old concept of living a healthy, clean and simple life which is in harmony with nature. Raw foods are very rich in dietary nutrients such as fiber, vitamins, minerals, and enzymes. Most people would have heard that the enzymes that are provided with raw food are usually flushed out along with all the vitamins and minerals when the food is cooked. However what most do not know is that when the cooked food is digested without these nutrients and the enzymes, the digestive process suffers and leads to disorders such as constipation, gastritis, and heartburns. Besides our bodies are just not designed to take in the kind of junk that is such a norm these days.

The oxidants that are added as a result steadily destroy the body's regenerative abilities and lead to severe diseases such as cancer and asthma. People who live on raw foods diet naturally have all these issues taken care of as the body gets what it requires. It is worth noting that people who live entirely on cooked food are the ones who face almost all the problems mentioned above apart from obesity and other chronic ones; while those who rely on raw foods diet are seen to experience almost no such issues while having existing health problems solved. Try some raw recipes and see the difference it creates in your life.

Ever wonder as to why the average age of the Japanese people is 92 for males and 94 for females? For that matter the average age of the people in so many other Asian countries where most live above 80 years. It can simply be pointed to their diet which includes a lot of raw foods. Raw foods diet is a revolutionary albeit a very old concept of living a healthy, clean and simple life which is in harmony with nature.

Raw foods are very rich in dietary nutrients such as fiber, vitamins, minerals, and enzymes. Most people would have heard that the enzymes that are provided with raw food are usually flushed out along with all the vitamins and minerals when the food is cooked. However what most do not know is that when the cooked food is digested without these nutrients and the enzymes, the digestive process suffers and leads to disorders such as constipation, gastritis, and heartburns. Besides our bodies are just not designed to take in the kind of junk that is such a norm these days. The oxidants that are added as a result steadily destroy the body's regenerative abilities and lead to severe diseases such as cancer and asthma.

People who live on raw foods diet naturally have all these issues taken care of as the body gets what it requires. It is worth noting that people who live entirely on cooked food are the ones who face almost all the problems mentioned above apart from obesity and other chronic ones; while those who rely on raw foods diet are seen to experience almost no such issues while having existing health problems solved.

Try some raw recipes and see the difference it creates in your life.

Getting A Natural Food Diet

One of the advantages to changing to a diet consisting of natural food is that it plays an important role in preventing as well as controlling obesity. To be sure, people become obese because they eat an excess of processed foods, foods that are sweet, foods that are frozen and also foods that have been preserved. Of course, there are other causes for becoming obese including some genetic reasons as too endocrinal malfunctions, though these causes are quite rare as compared to the other reasons.

Obesity is also known to start as early as during childhood and part of the reason for this is that parents pamper their children by letting them eat whatever they set their hearts on and thus children end up lacking the ability to control their urges. Also, fast foods that they love to eat do not contain much by way of nutrition and in fact contribute to an unhealthy increase in the amounts of calories consumed.

Less Fat and High Fibers

However, if the parents ensure feeding their children proper and natural food it has been found that such a step can help control obesity in children. The same is the case when it concerns cholesterol because eating natural food can also lower your bad cholesterol as well.

A diet consisting of natural food should in fact, include eating foods that contain less fat, high fiber as well as should also include eating freshly grown fruits and vegetables, and in addition, you also need to lower your salt and sugar consumption as well as consume nuts and legumes.

Besides ensuring taking a natural food diet you also need to complement your diet regime with a healthy dose of exercises like performing aerobic exercises that help to maintain proper body weight and improve the blood circulation. You can also achieve better results by consuming natural food and by also doing some form of walking or running and perhaps even some swimming because these activities will help to burn unwanted fats and calories.

Other actions that you will need to do besides eating natural food include quitting smoking because that will help make your blood vessels stronger and the chances of suffering from a stroke too will be reduced.

In most cases, if you ensure that your diet consists mainly of natural food and you also exercise regularly, you should be able to control your cholesterol and obesity problems and so, the next time you go to buy your food supplies, makes sure to buy only natural food.

Why Eat Raw Foods Today - natural ?

Eating raw foods is natural. Our bodies thrive on all that is fresh and vital. A raw food diet (or increasing the amount of raw food that you eat) is bound to bring a feeling of increased wellbeing.

Raw food diets are based on unprocessed and uncooked plant foods, preferably organic, such as a variety of fresh fruits and vegies, nuts, seeds, grains, dried fruit, fresh juices and purified water.

Why Raw Foods?

Basically a vegetarian diet, the raw food diet promotes eating and drinking ‘living’ foods. Living foods and juices contain the maximum amount of fibre found in raw produce, fibre that can be lost in processing. Such foods are easily metabolised and tend to be lower in calories than the average diet.

Heating food above 116°F destroys enzymes in food that aid in digestion and in absorption of food, diminishing its nutritional value.

Benefits of a Raw Food Diet

A diet of at least 75% raw food offers numerous health benefits, such as increased energy, improved skin appearance, better digestion, weight loss and reduced risk of serious illnesses like heart disease, diabetes and cancer.

A raw food diet contains little or no saturated fats, is low in sodium, high in potassium, magnesium, folate and fibre.
Raw food diets are also excellent detox diets. Different combinations of raw, living foods and juices can be used for colon cleansing, liver cleansing, kidney cleansing and skin cleansing.

The Basics of a Raw Food Diet

Any fresh fruits, vegetables, grains, seeds, beans, nuts, legumes, young coconut milk – even seaweed – can be menu items of a raw food diet. Your choice of foods may depend on your reasons for dieting, for example:

- sprouted brown rice slows glucose absorption and improves the metabolism

- cabbage supports healthy cellular function; radish leaves act as an anti-oxidant, as does Shitake mushroom

-carrots are a great source of vitamin A as well as encouraging healthy vision and a healthy cardio-vascular system

You can use a sprouter such as the Easy Green automatic sprouter to sprout seeds, grains, beans – even wheatgrass. Sprouts could be called a ‘super food’ – organic sprouts contain enormous levels of proteins, vitamins, minerals, trace minerals, chlorophyll pigments and enzymes, and are the ideal natural supplement.

Sprouts can be used in salads and soups, or can be juiced. Fresh juices are a great ready energy supply and a good quality juicer, such as the Kempo Greenpower juicer, produces living juices that are full of essential nutrients.
A great juicing recipe to complement a raw food diet is carrot juice with potato, fennel and apple. Simply juice 4 medium carrots, 2 apples, 1 small potato and 1 small stalk of fennel.
Fennel has been shown to reduce and control inflammation of arthritis, it evens mood fluctuation and depressive states and has the rare nutrient called manganese, plus zinc and vitamin B complex.
The nutritional value of grains and seeds is impressive. They contain most of the vitamins – particularly A, B, and E. They’re also fantastic natural sources of unsaturated fatty acids and lecithin, and an excellent source of proteins.

You can even use soy milk makers (such as SoyQuick) to make non-dairy drinks from different beans, rice, nuts, seeds and grains to have with breakfast. If you want something a little more substantial than soy milk you can make your tofu (or, of course, visit a good health food shop).

Essentially, the idea of a raw food diet is to eat unprocessed foods for at least 75% of the time. If the idea of raw food isn’t very appetising to you, you can warm the food a little as long as the food isn’t heated above 116°F.

Cautionary Note

As with any major change in diet, it’s wise idea to consult your doctor before beginning a special diet. This is especially true for children, pregnant women, anyone with anemia and anyone with a pre-existing medical condition.

Even natural foods can conflict with certain medications, so please ask your doctor or pharmacist if you’re taking any medication.

Because a raw food diet is detoxifying some people suffer a mild detox reaction including mild headaches, nausea and cravings. These symptoms may last for several days and you’ll get more enjoyment out of your raw food diet if you cut down on things like meat, sugar and caffeine a week or so before commencing the diet.

Last But Not Least…

A raw food diet is certainly a good way to improve your overall health and wellbeing. Like anything worthwhile it takes time, energy and commitment. Because many of the foods for this particular type of diet are made from scratch there is some preparation time involved. There are many great products on the market that can help you prepare your own living food and save you some time as well.

Combined with regular exercise, a raw food diet is also an excellent weight loss method. If you’ve been feeling ‘a little off’, or just need a pick-me-up and some extra energy, then a raw food diet is certainly a good way to go.

Raw Food Diet- Weight Loss And Raw Foods

Here are a few important tips to healthy weight loss and raw foods:

* Eat as much raw food as you can (Many people fallow the 80/20 rule. 80% raw foods and 20% cooked/processed foods)
* Eat Organic 99% of the time! Anything that is not organic, is not only completed depleted of nutrients but also filled with toxins such as herbicides, insecticides, hormones, antibiotics, etc.
* Eat a majority of alkaline foods rather than acidic foods. Out bodies are already acidic due to a number of causes and so we must balance that out by adding alkaline food and water to our diets. Here are some suggestions for alkaline and acidic foods.



Alkaline Foods

* Mineral rich water is going to be one the MOST IMPORTANT alkaline substances you should be feeding your body.
* Vegetables- especially RAW ORGANIC green leafy vegetables
* Fresh herbs and spices – parsley, basil, cilantro, cayenne, ginger
* Fruits – watermelon, avocado, cucumber, young coconuts, wheat grass
* Sprouts – alfalfa, mung bean, broccoli, etc.

Acidic Foods

* Junk/Processed foods
* Sugar
* All animal food (meat, eggs, chicken, fish, lobster, oysters)
* Grains (white; wheat, rice, pasta, flour, bread etc;)
* Some Fruits
* Dairy Products (milk, cheese, butter)
* Bad fats (processed safflower oils, butters, etc.)
* Peanuts and Cashews



Now you are probably wondering how any of these suggestions help you lose weight. The answer is simply this: if you choose to eat wholesome, raw, organic, alkaline foods, you will absolutely loose weight. Your body adds and holds onto storage fat to protect itself from all the harmful toxins we are putting in our bodies. Your body is retaining that fat because your body is acidic! (Although, it is good to remember that we must have a BALANCED body. Too acidic or too alkaline can both be harmful.)



To maintain a healthy long-term weight loss you must have an alkaline pH. The more green vegetables and herbs you eat the more alkaline your body will be. Also through eating an organic raw food diet you will receive a much higher dose of alkaline nutrients and minerals, thus eating organic will speed up your weight loss.

Beauty from The Outside In, Know-How on Raw Food

Raw food and beauty

The raw food diet is a very effective way to ensure flawless skin for yourself. Many people have accepted the strict raw food regime mainly because of this extraordinary effect. The raw food diet gives you great skin and makes you look younger than ever before.

Cooking destroys many important enzymes that are present in the food material. Apart from the enzymes, the extremely high temperatures in which cooking is done results in the destruction of many important nutrients as well. Thus, when you consume the cooked food, the enzymes present in your own body are used up. Raw Food does not let this happen. The enzymes present in the raw food help in the process of digestion.

Thus, by consuming raw food, you are getting more enzymes in. papaya and sprouts very rich in enzymes.

Antioxidants are another important thing present in raw food like carrots, apricots and berries. Berries have antioxidants that encourage collagen formation and carrots have beta-carotene antioxidants that protect the skin from sun damage.

The function of the antioxidants is to fight the free radicals that do a lot of damage to the skin, hinder collagen production and result in wrinkles and premature aging. The raw food also protects the skin from harmful rays of the sun. Many citrus fruits, like lemon, grapefruit and orange also help fight the free radicals.

Coenzyme Q10, also called CoQ10, is a great antioxidant that fights open radicals and aging. Raw food like Broccoli, peanuts and spinach are rich in them.

Anti oxidant like alpha lipoic acid, found in spinach, tomatoes, peas and brewer's yeast, is another anti-oxidant that increases the power of Vitamin C and E and encourage the energy production in the body.

Sulfur, a material needed in the production of good skin, tresses and nails, is a mineral. The sulfur present in natural food is said to be destroyed during cooking. The raw food rich in sulfur are asparagus, pumpkin seeds, red pepper, garlic, onion etc.

Silicon, a mineral that decreases in content with age, is required for good skin, hair, nails and bones. Green leafy vegetables and fruits like apples cherries etc are the best source of this mineral.

Different green leafy vegetables, bell pepper etc are rich in a chemical present in plants called Phytochemicals. These are magic chemicals with anti-aging properties.

Vitamin E is also good for the skin and is found aplenty in nuts and seeds.

Selenium is a material, which prevents the skin from sagging. It is present in garlic, onions and shallots.

Skin is an organ. And when the body needs to throw off poison, it passes out throughout the skin. Sticking to a raw food diet and taking in loads of water ensures proper detoxification. Seaweed is very rich in minerals and assists the body in detoxification.

Thus, for great skin, eat a lot of healthy raw food along with at least 8 glasses of water per day!

How to Go Raw With the Raw Food Diet

A raw way of eating is becoming the latest trend in many countries around the world. More and more people are hopping on the raw food band wagon in hopes of promoting greater health for themselves and their family.

A raw cookbook can be just the thing and has become quite the craze along with this most popular diet fad. A raw food diet cookbook can offer quite an array of delicious recipes that are not only fun to eat but are completely 100% raw goodness.

It is much easier to incorporate this new way of eating when you have a book that covers all the basics to raw living. There are many kitchen tools that are necessary to perform various culinary tasks such as making nut pates, seed cheese recipes and various raw dessert recipes.

Many of these books recommend the basic food processor, high speed blender, and a good knife. Thousands of people are maintaining this way of life, using everything in their kitchen but the stove itself. No need for heat when you got raw meat!

The authors of these cookbooks have often being doing a raw diet for years and are accustom to all the questions that come up when eating purely non processed, living foods. They have usually seen it all and don't mind sharing the information collected in their books.

This is quite handy for the newbie just starting out. You can be assured that many of the recipes have been put to the test and are full proof. There are so many beginner books with this diet that are easy to understand, giving basic steps and instructions for many of the simplest raw meals.

Often you just need a good knife and chopping block and your good to go... go raw that is! Who knows where your delicious recipes may evolve. You could end up adding other ingredients to make them extra yummy, adding your favorite herbs and spices to get just the right flavor.

Other books offer more complex recipes that involve the use of more high tech kitchen appliances. A lot of people already are well familiar with the processor and blender, so this makes it easy. Raw entrees, smoothies and shakes can be blended, whipped and processed into culinary works of art.

It is good to practice a bit to get it down, but using these tools instead of your frying pan with give you a healthier way of eating that will catch on quick. Children love to a raw cookbook because they are usually kid friendly. They do not involve the dangers of cooking at high temperatures.

You can try making some tasty desserts that the whole family will instantly love. I mean, who can usually refuse a fresh fruit pie or strawberry mouse. They won't even know that it is raw at first, until you tell them, of course.

Raw recipes from a cookbook are the way to go for making the best desserts and meals anywhere. They make it easy for anyone to become a chef in the kitchen, exploring all the raw fruits, nuts and vegetables to create an abundant array of raw dishes.

Water, The Bodies Favorite Raw Food

Most likely all of us have been ill or felt weak at one point or another in our lives and just hoped that the pain and torment would disappear. In many cases sickness and discomfort can be attributed to a lack of proper nutrition and raw food intake. Our health is a complex subject that depends on an expansive array of variables. One of the most vital raw food variables is water. Purified drinking water is one of the most critical elements to staying healthy. Shocking even to me still, medical research claims the brain, our blood and lungs all consist of around 80% or more water. These numbers are pretty staggering and really highlight water as a crucial raw food for the body. Flowing inside of us all over, water in some capacity facilitates almost every action we take. Just reading and processing this article demands your physical and mental systems to have water available. Water is full of redeeming qualities and by viewing it truly as a raw food it becomes easier to appropriately incorporate into our diets. To a raw food enthusiast water must never be the boring drink on the menu. It should be viewed as a food fuel that powers our essence. It would be wise to avoid taking water for granted and to begin embracing it. Now would be a great time to review some of the reasons why water's place in our raw food diets is essential and not as difficult to manage as we may think.

Drinking a glass of water may not conjure visions of nourishment and empowerment but this seemingly simple compound is often more powerful than we realize. What we usually do not completely comprehend is that water consumption strengthens a large portion of our bodily functions. Even something as simple as PH balance may provide a hint that the contributions of water as a raw food source may be larger than we think. Water is the focal feature of our PH ranges which ties directly into immune stability, energy viability and the handling of oxygen processes. While still on the subject of PH levels and oxygen water injects its powers onto our breathing as well. Water is an oxygen distribution aid and an accumulator of carbon dioxide which lets our air flows flourish. Another water function revolves around our Kidneys. Water dilutes the toxic fluid urea which allows the kidney and other body tissues to perform. Water is also a proven deterrent of kidney stones. I am sure at one time or another we have all found our muscles, bones, joints and limbs to be exhausted. Utilizing water as a raw food can help many of our bodies characteristics to rejuvenate, energize and age slower. Medical issues such as rheumatoid arthritis, osteoporosis, and continual backaches can in many cases be curbed and contained by increasing our use of water as a raw food. A revealing sign of waters value is its value to pregnant and nursing women. Providing for another life, expecting mothers depend on water to assure the baby has proper nutrient delivery, blood circulation and fetal nourishment. If helping babies stay alive was not enough water personally discourages constipation, heartburn, migraines, ulcers, gastritis, dehydration and fatigue. Water can even prevent such traumas as brain damage, cancer, heart disease and strokes. Water as a raw food resource is one of the quintessential aspects to us feeling good and maximizing our potentials. By drinking more and cooking with it in our raw food recipes we will be securing a sizeable health advantage for ourselves.

Sourcing purified and contaminant free drinking water is nearly a requirement for preserving our bodies and catering to its needs. Water as a significant piece of our cell make up is one of the most important components to our physiological success. We must constantly be looking for new ways to incorporate water into our diets and raw food smoothie and soup recipes are one great way to accomplish this. Here are a few more easy tips to aid our water intake levels. Make water available around the temperature you like. Maybe smoothies if you like cold and soups if you like hot. Teas and even a cold or warm glass of just water with a little lemon are other ways to adjust water temperature to encourage consumption. Drinking through a straw and drinking water at hotter temperatures are some other approaches that have worked when trying to increase results. A safely tested filtration system and clean water accessibility are some further keys to assuring water stays a part of your raw food menus. Regardless of what angle you take if you care about your health and well-being then including water into your life on a more frequent basis should be a goal.

Proponents of raw food should have a passion for drinking water and cooking with it. Water represents a positive tomorrow. Our bodies crave it and it is ideal to satisfy these longings. Without water we can become crippled, confused and confined. With water our fitness and health blossom in new directions. Workouts are more productive with it, our bodies cherish it and almost anybody that has studied its qualities will recommend it. We all should have a great respect for water and by thinking outside the box and really understanding water for the raw food that it is will only enhance our experiences. Drinking more purified water is about becoming a better person and when we can learn how to cook with it we really expand our horizons. Bring more water into your life now and thank me later. Try some of our raw food recipe cookbooks, add more water to your life and educate your mind through some of our raw food research and you will not be disappointed with the result.

5 Know-How Tips For the Raw Food Beginner

Are you new to the raw food diet and finding it hard to maintain? Do you feel like a raw food newbie, surrounded by thriving veteran raw foodists?

Fear not, dear reader! These 5 know how tips will give any raw food beginner the confidence and the know-how to succeed on a low fat, raw vegan diet. You'll be a thriving raw foodist in no time.

#1: Know How to Pick Good Quality Fruit

This is #1 on the list for a reason. Knowing how to choose fresh, ripe, and delicious raw produce - as well as knowing how much food you need for the day and what fruits you enjoy - is a huge factor in your raw success.

My original decision to give low fat, high fruit raw vegan a chance was rather impulsive. I was sick and tired of feeling sick and tired and didn't know where to turn. I had been on what I thought at the time was the healthiest diet in the world: cooked vegan. The anemia, excess weight, and joint pains that plagued me screamed that the diet wasn't working and so raw foods seemed like the next logical step.

Unlike most of the decisions in my life, I just kind of went for it! I started by eating about 75% raw and saw results immediately. I had much more energy, experienced immediate weight loss, had more focus, etc. This got me so excited that I felt I had to go 100% raw right away!

Because I was still a new player in the raw food game, I had to go through a lot of trial and error. It became shockingly clear how little I knew about produce and what a newbie I was at choosing anything close to edible. I can't tell you the number of times I threw away wads of cash on rock hard, never to ripen, out of season, tasteless fruits and turned to cooked foods for sustenance!

My best advice to you is to take it slow. Gradually adding in raw, sweet fruit to your diet will allow you to learn as you go along without worrying about "slipping up" on cooked foods.

#2: Know How to Make Simple (Yet Tasty) Raw Recipes

Many raw food beginners feel that a low fat raw vegan diet is completely tasteless and way too boring. I understand that eating foods in their whole states can seem a little bland at first. Okay, maybe REALLY bland!

Well, that's where raw recipes come in!

To get started, I recommend that you experiment with fruit salads, fruit smoothies and green smoothies. A fruit salad is just a few different varieties of fruits mixed together. For instance, I love equal parts of chopped papaya, orange, and pineapple mixed together in a big bowl. So juicy and refreshing!

A fruit smoothie is a few different fruits blended together. In most cases, the base is a denser fruit like bananas, mangoes, or papayas. Smaller portions of other fruits are then added to the base. My favorite smoothie is 3 bananas, 2 oranges, and 1 cup of wild blueberries. How much water you add to your drink will depend on how thick you like it. I usually start with 1 cup.

A green smoothie is just a fruit smoothie with greens added to it. These are great to help cut the sweetness in your meal and help you get in your greens for the day. An always popular green smoothie is 5 bananas, 1 cup of blueberries, and 2 handfuls of romaine. When adding greens, start with small handfuls. Trust me, a grassy smoothie is not very appetizing.

I also recommend that you have at least one savory recipe that you really, really enjoy. Salsas with lots of tomatoes and celery are great and you can use them as a dressing over greens to give a heartier feel to the dish. You can also make lots of delicious raw soups or blended salads using saltier veggies as your base.

#3: Know How to Eat Enough

Yes, I know I harp on calorie consumption A LOT. That's because it's important! The best quality fruit and the tastiest raw recipes will do NOTHING for your success if you don't eat enough. It becomes all to easy to slip back into cooked food eating habits when you're running on empty.

So how do you make sure you are consuming the right amount of food? First, multiply your ideal weight by 10. This is your basal metabolic rate (BMR), or the calories you would need if you remained in bed all day. Second, add any calories that you burn during the day to your BMR. This is dependent upon your lifestyle. For instance, someone who works in construction will use many more calories than someone working a desk job. Lastly, add any calories you burn from exercise. Voila! Now you have a rough estimate of how much food you need per day.

It's important to remember that this is just an estimate. If you don't feel satisfied eating this amount, just gradually increase how much sweet fruit you eat during a meal. The general rule is that satiation should last between 3-5 hours after you have eaten.

#4: Know How to Move Your Body

Exercise can be a lifesaver if you are new to raw foods and struggling with cooked food cravings. Moving your body every day really helps to foster hunger and when your hungry, any food will do. I've never enjoyed my simple fruit meals as much as I do after an intense workout!

If you're new to exercise, don't sweat it (pun intended)! A simple jog around the neighborhood or a game of badminton or a dip in the pool can do wonders for your eating efforts. A little exercise goes a long way!:)

#5: Know How to Have Fun

Just this past month, I had a lot of fun produce shopping. Not only did I visit my favorite farmers market, but I also learned about a Hispanic market a few minutes from my house. I had actually known about this place for quite some time, but was hesitant to go there because it was in a not-so-nice part of town.

Anyway, I headed over there with my Dad and was amazed by the variety and quality of produce available. There were at least 10 different types of greens that I had never heard of!

But the really spectacular part was the produce. Not only did the store have sapodilla, mamey, guava, and my favorite mangoes, they carried JACKFRUIT! I could not believe it.

It really is so much fun to come across foods that you have never seen in person or never even heard of. I am constantly surprised and amused by all the different varieties of produce out there.

And even "normal" produce is exciting! Just look at some of the foods you will be dining on: bananas, oranges, grapes, apples, peaches, strawberries, cantaloupe, pears, kiwi, papaya, pineapple, tangerines, mangoes, nectarines, apricots, blueberries, watermelon, romaine, boston lettuce, bok choy, celery, tomatoes, bell pepper...all of which can be found at your local grocery store!

And don't forget all the fun you can have making (and eating) simple raw recipes with these ingredients. The combinations and taste sensations are truly endless.

4 Raw Food Recipes to Get You Started Today

By far the hardest thing about going raw is figuring out what to eat on a meal-to-meal basis. Even with all the free raw resources available, I know it's still difficult to go raw.

We live in a cooked food world and eating raw just seems so difficult...even preposterous!

The best thing I can do for you is to give you some recipes to get started, raw recipes that are not only tasty and satisfying, but HEALTHY.

Check out this entire day's worth of low fat, high fruit raw vegan recipes!

Breakfast: Banana Blueberry Bonanza

Ingredients:

* 5 bananas
* 1 pint blueberries
* water


Directions:

Blend! The amount of water used is completely up to you. I prefer thinner smoothies so 1.5 cups would be about perfect for me.

Lunch: Papaya Power

Ingredients:

* 6 medium papaya
* Half a lime


Directions:



Cut papayas in half and remove the seeds. Squeeze limejuice over the papaya and devour with a spoon...or your hands.:)

Dinner Fruit Meal: Peaches and Blueberries

Ingredients:

* 8 medium peaches
* 1 pint blueberries


Directions:

Half, pit, and chop up the peaches (I prefer to peel mine first, but it isn't necessary). Mix together with the blueberries in a big (and I mean BIG) bowl.

Dinner Savory Meal: Lettuce Wraps

Ingredients:

* 1/2 Hass avocado
* 1/2 red bell pepper, diced
* 2 medium tomatoes, diced
* (Optional): lime juice
* (Optional): handful cilantro
* 1 head romaine lettuce


Directions:

Peel and mash the avocado with a fork. Mix in chopped bell pepper, tomatoes, squeeze of lime juice and cilantro (if desired). Spoon mixture into lettuce leaves and down the hatch!

I really hope you enjoy these delicious and healthy raw recipes and that they help you stop procrastinating and go raw TODAY!

And remember, each meal can easily be modified for taste or calories needed. If you don't like blueberries, substitute raspberries or blackberries instead. If you need double the amount of calories for breakfast, don't hesitate to double the recipe.:)

Go raw and be fit,