total-cleanse-guide

Eating Living Raw Foods Made Me Feel Great

Tue, 24 Jan 2012 14:08:55 +0100

When I was first diagnosed with breast cancer a few years back, I struck back and took control of my health. My early stage cancer had not spread. So, instead of following the traditional one-size-fits-all protocol of chemotherapy and radiation, I decided to dedicate myself to nurturing my body and my health.

I stepped back and took a good look at my diet and lifestyle. What I thought had been a healthy diet, because I was a vegan, was surprisingly not as healthy as I had thought. Even though I was not consuming animal products, I was consuming quite a bit of processed foods that were lacking in the nutritional elements my body needed to fight off disease and repair. I learned that high fructose corn syrup and refined sugars and flours were not keeping my body healthy.

Since my cancer diagnosis was a kick in the butt for me. I used the opportunity to go cold turkey on processed junk foods. I eliminated all of the foods that I felt were making me sick and went back to nature.

I went on a raw food diet and consumed only raw organic foods. I spent hours in the kitchen each day preparing delicious, ultra-nutritious raw recipes. Consulting with raw food cookbooks, I created some amazingly healthy meals. The first week or so of eating this way was difficult. My body went into sudden detox mode. This caused me awful migraine headaches and fatigue. But, I was determined. And, you know what? After I came through on the other side, I felt great. I felt better than I had ever felt in my life.

I stuck with the raw food regime for several months. During this time, the migraines that plagued me for my whole life all but disappeared. The sinus congestion I had been dealing with since childhood vanished. The difficult menstrual cycle I had each month with severe cramping and PMS was gone too. Typically, I would have a week’s notice that my period was on its way. The mood, the little aches and pains, the headache. My new lifestyle incredibly eliminated all of this. It got to the point where I had absolutely no symptoms when I got my period. What was going on? I could not believe that the foods that I was eating before were causing me so much trouble. I never knew I could feel so good.

The problem was this lifestyle was exceedingly time consuming. When I started the raw food regime, I had been unemployed. I had the time to dedicate to fixing my daily meals. When it was time for me to go back to work, I was terrified that I would not be able to keep up with this lifestyle. And, sadly, I wasn’t. While I remained dedicated to a new, healthy lifestyle, I had to add cooked foods into my diet. I added back soy and a small amount of wheat to round things out. And, slowly, the migraines reared their head again. The menstrual symptoms came back with a bam. I still felt good, but not euphoric, yes euphoric, as I had on raw food alone.

It became clear that foods were the culprit of the issues that I had come to accept as "normal." But what was it in the cooked foods causing me so much trouble? Some blood testing by my doctor revealed that I had strong sensitivities to soy, wheat, corn, apple, dairy and eggs. While I had completely eliminated the dairy and eggs from my diet when I made my total lifestyle change and hadn’t added them back, I had added quite a bit of soy and a bit of wheat back to my diet following the initial all raw period.

I was shocked at this revelation. I immediately eliminated these products from my diet again. And what do you know? The headaches vanished. And, I started to feel great again.

This brought on yet another revelation. I don’t have to eat all raw foods to feel good. A diet abundant in raw foods plus some cooked foods that consist of whole grains (but no gluten), veggies and occasional wild caught fish kept me feeling great with no symptoms. And, my cancer has not recurred to date.

When I was focused on only raw foods, I found some great restaurants in New York City. Living in the suburbs about 35 miles outside, I was limited as to how often I could indulge. Plus, one of the raw food restaurants that my husband and I came to love closed down leaving much more expensive options. Since, I couldn’t adopt the chef of this restaurant and have him come live with us and prepare all of my raw vegan meals, I had to come up with a workable solution to all of my food sensitivities.

Three years out, 40 pounds down and aware of the food offenders, I was armed with the knowledge I needed to keep my diet at the level it needed to be. The weight loss I experienced was not intentional either. It was a side effect of eating the most healthy foods. I have a big appetite and I can tell you that I can have a huge plate of food and not gain weight. But, it has to be the right food. It took time and tweaking, but I feel really good about my diet now. I feel like I have come to an understanding with my body. And, I have come to realize that I don’t need those other foods that were not good for me.

Anybody can change their lives for optimal health. I will not say that it is not challenging, but I will say that it is worth it. It is worth it to feel as good as I do. It is worth it to feel confident that cancer will not rear its head again. It is worth it to eat the best and the healthiest foods around.

My Approach To Optimal Cleanse Using Xymogen Opticleanse

Mon, 16 Jan 2012 17:56:59 +0100

I started using OptiCleanse GHI and OptiCleanse Plus at the suggestion of my doctor. He recommended that I use it daily in order to cleanse my system and as a means to get a good dose of amino acids and other important nutrients. Being a person who deals with numerous food allergies, it can be difficult to find a product that is free of all of the allergens which cause me discomforts that manifest themselves in many ways and can be severe. OptiCleanse is made with these issues in mind. It is free of wheat, soy, dairy products and corn. What is even more appealing about it is that it does not contain refined or artificial sweeteners.

As much as I hate to admit it to myself, I am approaching middle age. I have to say my diet is better than most and it is abundant with fiber and fresh fruits and vegetables. Even still, I do sometimes suffer from constipation. Making an OptiCleanse shake daily helps to keep things on track and keep my system regular.

When I make my daily shake, I use it as a meal replacement. Since it is not a low-calorie food, I can’t afford to consume the approximately 200 calories per shake between meals. Typically, I will have my OptiCleanse shake first thing in the morning as a breakfast drink. Depending on the flavor I am using, I sometimes add some fresh fruit to it which makes it a complete, delicious meal. For example, for me, the chocolate flavor is delicious and satisfying on its own. But, if I am switching it up and using the vanilla flavor, I like to add some fresh berries to it in a bowl with a little bit of freshly ground flax seed. This makes it more of a pudding that is delicious and very filling. I don’t have to eat again until lunch. This is a great solution for me because I am on the go and it makes grabbing a quick breakfast easy.

What is even more convenient is using the OptiCleanse blending cup with blender ball. I love this clever tool because it is not only a convenient cup that I can drink right out of, but it includes the blender ball which is a metal coil that is left in the cup. When you add water to the cup and shake it to mix, the coil helps to dissolve the OptiCleanse powder for a well-blended shake.

Nutrients are abundant in the OptiCleanse formula. One serving provides 24 grams of protein. As a vegan who does not eat soy or wheat due to food allergies, ensuring a good dose of protein is essential. The nutrition label on OptiCleanse says it all – this is a well-balanced supplement that provides a laundry list of nutrients.

But, as a clean vegan (someone who does not only avoid dairy products but also processed foods with unpronounceable, undesirable ingredients and refined sugars), the most appealing characteristic of OptiCleanse Plus is its list of ingredients. It is short and natural. There are no fillers or chemicals in this product and only natural sweeteners are used.

The entire product line and varying flavors are available through the Xymogen.com website. Xymogen is a manufacturer of professional grade supplements. Typically, all Xymogen products are available only via recommendation by a qualified health care professional. My doctor was able to provide me with a log in so that I could order the product directly via the Xymogen site. Many traditionally minded doctors may not be as open to the use of products such as OptiCleanse Plus. My wonderful doctor is a holistic MD. He is a unique doctor. After he served as a traditional Gynecologist for over 30 years, he shifted his practice to that of a more holistic one and now sees men in addition to women. He is a rare find. He is so knowledgeable about the human body and how it works. I have never been able to find another doctor like him. But, have faith! With some research and digging, you can find a good holistically minded doctor who is open to alternative approaches and not tied into the conventional way of thinking. Searching members on the American Holistic Medical Association website can help you to locate one of these doctors.

Eating a well-balanced diet and including OptiCleanse Plus as a replacement for breakfast or even lunch helps me to maintain a healthy weight. This is essential as my metabolism has been slowing up over the last couple of years!

The benefits of OptiCleanse Plus are many fold. Providing so many essential minerals, vitamins and nutrients and serving as a satisfying meal this product rocks.

Cleansing with Whole Foods

Wed, 11 Jan 2012 15:02:24 +0100

Cleansing your body is such an important process in staying healthy. And, you may not realize it but you can prompt cleansing in your body by eating foods that are healthy. Processed junk foods and highly processed packaged foods will clog up your body systems and make your system toxic. But whether you realize it or not, you can control your level of healthfulness simply by nourishing your body.

I realized that I could total cleanse my system when I was diagnosed with cancer. The stunning diagnosis prompted me to examine my lifestyle and take a look at building up my body’s ability to fight disease. Since I had a lumpectomy to remove the cancer but refused other conventional treatments, I knew it was vital that I strengthen my immune system to the best of my ability.

I researched the value of nutrition and the incredible impact it has on our health. I found out what foods I had sensitivities too and I overhauled the way that I look at foods. I cut out the ones that contained ingredients I could not pronounce. I also eliminated the foods that contain high fructose corn syrup, refined white sugar or flour and hydrogenated oils. Since I had found out I was sensitive to gluten, I had to find replacements for the wheat products I loved. Luckily, there are so many folks with gluten intolerance, that this was not difficult at all. Whole Foods is brimming with gluten-free options. I didn’t even have to give up pasta! There are wonderful pastas produced by Tinkyada and other companies made out of nothing more than brown rice. They are delicious, whole grain and they don’t contain gluten. If you search my total cleanse website, you will find many recipes that contain brown rice pasta.

People often wonder how I can possibly give up all of my favorites foods. I have a different outlook. I don’t feel like I am denying myself anything - quite the opposite. I have found satisfying replacements for all of my old favorites. And, I have retaught myself the art of cooking. You can really get creative. And, there are so many cookbooks out there that have helped me such as Crazy Sexy Diet. I don’t feel deprived. In fact, I am treating myself to the best food nature has to offer. The varieties of fruits and vegetables are endless. And the greater variety of fruits and veggies you eat, the more nutrients you are consuming to nourish your body.

There is also a question about the extra money that I spend on groceries buying organic, whole food products. The truth is that I am investing in my health and future. By practicing prevention now, I am significantly reducing the potential for high medical bills in the future. Health must prevail. And, if you don’t have your health you really don’t have anything. I look at our grocery expenses as an investment in my family’s health.

On a typical day, I will have a berry smoothie for breakfast. The ingredients are all pure, cleansing and whole foods:

Berry Smoothie

Fresh or frozen organic mixed berries (blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, blackberries)
½ banana
1 small scoop of Barley Green powder
1 tablespoon of freshly ground flax seed
Coconut water as the base

Blend all ingredients in a blender or magic bullet. Enjoy!

This will carry me over until lunch.

For lunch I will typically have a huge fresh salad consisting of as many organic ingredients as possible. Since salad is a melting pot of goodness, you can really add anything to it to make it satisfying and nutritious. However, be careful about adding fatty dressing that contains all kinds of ingredients that you really don’t want to eat. I will mix a bunch of leafy greens, red pepper, chick peas, red onion, endive, etc.

Here is a light, delicious dressing that I make from scratch:

Juice from half fresh lemon
1 tbls of Extra virgin organic olive oil
1 tbls walnut oil (for Omega 3 benefits)
1 tbls Balsamic vinegar (or to taste)
½ tbls freshly ground flax
Sea salt, black pepper, granulated garlic, dulse flakes, sesame seeds (for calcium)

Combine all ingredients well and pour over your salad. Yum! If I am really hungry, I will also have some gluten free crackers or rice cakes with my salad.

For dinner, I will make any number of things. A favorite is a piece of wild caught salmon and broccoli sautéed with garlic in a little coconut oil. I use coconut oil instead of olive oil for cooking because it stands up to heat better and is heart healthy. But, as with any saturated fat, it should be consumed moderately.

For dessert, I will either make homemade raw ice cream (great recipes can be found in Everyday Raw by Matthew Kenney) or have a store bought coconut based or cashew based ice cream. Just watch the ingredients. Sometimes wacky stuff is snuck in there that you really don’t want to eat.

Shifting to a total cleanse diet does not have to be painful or depriving. It can actually be super satisfying and so nutritious that you will feel better than ever. That is exactly what happened with me. I feel so good on my (not-so) new lifestyle that I would never consider going back to my evil old ways. I have come to think of those damaging foods as not really foods as all. They don’t tempt me and I have never "cheated". When I consider all of the damage they can do to my health and well being, I would rather stay away!

Vegan Green Split Pea Soup

Mon, 09 Jan 2012 12:55:58 +0100

My family loves this soup! It is hearty and delicious. Since peas are in the legume family, they provide many of the typical nutritional benefits found in legumes, such as high protein, high fiber, and low fat.

This soup is easy to prepare and inexpensive. Total cooking time is a couple of hours. Preparation time is about 15-20 minutes. The only advance preparation necessary is to soak the split peas overnight. When you soak them beforehand you can shorten their cooking time and make them more easily digestible and the soaking breaks down some of the natural sugars in the peas. As far as seasoning this soup, all you need to add is some vegetable bouillon. This will add all of the scrumptious flavor that you need.

Whenever I make a pot of this soup, I always think that I will have a good amount of leftovers to enjoy over the next few days. But, alas, it never lasts that long!

Ingredients:
1 cup of organic green split peas (soaked overnight)
1 yellow onion – diced
3 tablespoons extra virgin, cold pressed olive oil
1 bay leaf
1 whole organic carrot – cut into small pieces (peeling is not necessary)
2 stalks of organic celery – cut into small pieces
3 vegetable bouillon cubes (preferable without added MSG)
8 cups of purified water
½ cup of brown rice (to make a heartier soup)

Method:
In a large stock pot, sauté the onion in the olive oil until it is translucent (about 5 minutes), stirring often
Add the split peas and sauté for a couple of minutes
Add the carrot and celery and sauté for another 5 minutes
Add the water, bouillon and bay leaf mix together well
Add the brown rice
Bring to a boil over medium heat
Once it comes to a boil lower the heat to a simmer
Cover the pot and simmer for about 2 hours stirring occasionally.

The split peas will open and naturally collapse to form a purée. When this happens the soup is ready.

If you prefer a smoother soup, you can pour the finished pea soup into a blender and puree until smooth. I prefer it a little bit lumpy myself.

Food Sensitivities and Cancer Recovery

Sun, 08 Jan 2012 16:02:13 +0100

As someone recovering from breast cancer, I am extremely devoted to ensuring I stay healthy. Since the only traditional treatment I received was surgery to remove the lump and surrounding tissue for clear margins (it took removing the lump and two subsequent re-excisions to accomplish this), I have made it my life’s mission to educate myself on more natural approaches to healing and recovery from cancer.

Shortly after my diagnosis in 2009, I transformed my lifestyle. I cut out processed foods from my life and went on a mostly vegan (I do eat some wild caught salmon and other fish on occasion for the healthy omega 3 fatty acid benefits) diet. But I went beyond vegan. I call my diet a "clean vegan" diet. There are many who believe that a vegan diet is healthy. However, this is not necessarily the case. Even as a vegan you can still consume junk foods and processed foods. My diet excludes the junk and processed foods leaving only clean foods as close to their original state as possible.

This also means that I do most of my cooking from scratch, which is time consuming but worth the health rewards. I was able to total cleanse my body and rebuild my immune system.

With all of my eliminations of foods, I still seem to get migraines often. Shortly after my cancer diagnosis during the first phase of my lifestyle changes, I converted to a mostly raw food diet. I did this for several months and felt amazingly well. No headaches and I lost a bunch of weight. However, I found that the diet was very time consuming to prepare and starting adding soy, Ezekiel bread (which contains wheat) and some cooked foods into my diet, even though I still consume a lot of raw foods. But with these reintroductions of certain foods, some of the headaches returned.

During a recent visit to the doctor, he did some bloodwork for food sensitivities. I had done this in the past and discovered I have intolerance to dairy products and eggs. Sure enough it was discovered that I have sensitivities to not only dairy and eggs, but also soy, corn and wheat. SOY! Oh my gosh. I consume soy on almost a daily basis. And, it is even in the "Earth Balance" vegan butter spread that I love so much! Luckily, they make a soy free version!

My new mission is to find replacements for soy products since soy is found in nearly everything out there! And, no more tofu for me :(. I also found a replacement for the Ezekiel bread I sometimes eat. Food for Life also makes gluten free bread products made from rice and seeds. I have tried the English muffins so far – not bad! In fact, last night I made English muffin pizzas for my family. Mine were made using the Food For Life gluten free English muffins and Daiya (soy free) cheese with a homemade tomato sauce. It was delicious!

I am pretty confident that eliminating soy is going to reduce the number of headaches I get. I will let you know. If you have had sensitivity to soy and eliminating it improved your life, please leave a comment and let me know what you did and how it helped! I am a true believer that all of our body functions are connected. It would not surprise me if one day a link between allergens and cancer is discovered. It would make sense that after years and years of introducing allergens to your system there would be some ill effect like cancer as a result. I am not a doctor, but it makes sense to me!

Living with food sensitivities can be a challenge. But, with all of the gluten free, vegan restaurants popping up, it is easier and easier to find places that offer options for those with food sensitivities or who don’t eat animal products. When in doubt, order salad! I think that has become my new motto!

Eating this super healthy diet, I believe, has kept my cancer from recurring. I regularly monitor my health and am quickly approaching my 3 year cancer-versary. This is a big milestone considering my cancer was an aggressive form. Luckily it was found early and removed. My two year anniversary was big because it is after 2 years that your chance of recurrence drops significantly. After 5 years with no recurrence it drops to almost nothing. I regularly consult with my wonderful doctors who are both prevention and health minded. However, I don’t see an oncologist. I feel that an oncologist would try to talk me into treatments that I do not wish to take. At this point, there seems no reason to see an oncologist.

Cancer is certainly something that should not be approached mindlessly and without good resources. It can be a deadly killer. I once saw David Wolfe, the nutrition expert, speak. He said that the biggest mistake Steve Jobs made with his cancer was walking into the wrong doctor’s office. That open-minded type of thinking is what I believed put me on the road to recovery. One of the first documentaries I watched regarding nutrition was "Food Matters". It is an important film that looks into how we can affect our health with what we eat. I had never thought this way before and watching the film gave me a new prospective on the importance of nutrition.

I turned down the harsh treatments and found ways to improve my overall health. I believed that since my cancer was at stage one with no spread, it was wiser to remove it and build my instead health of wreck my body with chemo and radiation. Those treatments seemed like such overkill for my situation. But, the traditional world is directed by one standard of care. It is a one-size-fits-all approach that does not really examine an individuals need or likelihood of benefit. This needs to change and seems to be headed in the direction of a more personalized approach.

It is so important that you feel comfortable with whatever decisions you make about your approach to cancer. If you don’t feel confident and comfortable with your decisions, they may not work for you. You have to be your own advocate. It is your life and your body afterall. You are the one who must live with the consequence of your decisions.

My advice to anyone who is newly diagnosed with cancer and does not know what to do is to absorb as much information as you can on ways to deal with cancer. Look at ALL possibilities. Talk to doctors – both traditional and alternative – and see what makes the most sense to you. It is important to question the statistics and what the real benefit of treatment would be in your situation. Don’t make a decision before you feel confident in doing so.

Eating Gluten Free Away from Home

Fri, 06 Jan 2012 13:53:48 +0100

If you have celiac disease or are otherwise unable to eat foods containing gluten, you’re well aware of how difficult it can sometimes be to maintain a gluten free kitchen. But what happens when you aren’t home? How do you maintain your gluten free diet day in and day out when you’re at the office or eating out with friends? What if you go on vacation and don’t have your kitchen at your disposal for coming up with your own delicious gluten free meals?

Well, there is good news! You can still lead an active social life, go to work and take vacations. You don’t have to worry about gluten getting in your way; it just takes a little preparation and planning. When you know you aren’t going to be home, arm yourself with gluten-free snacks and information, and you can make it through any situation.

The first thing you should do is make a list of restaurants in the area you will be visiting that provide gluten free options. It’s as simple as doing an internet search for gluten free restaurants in that town. With gluten intolerance on the rise, more and more restaurants are including gluten-free options on their menus. Keep a list of several favorites handy so that you can make recommendations to friends or co-workers who want to go out for a bite after work. Of course, once you have your list, you should call and check with the restaurant, especially if it’s part of a chain. You should always confirm that what’s on their website is what they’re still currently serving.

This is a great way to find places to eat while you’re traveling, too. Many of the larger regional and national restaurant chains offer gluten free options on their menus. And it’s not just the sit-down restaurants – even some of the fast food and take out joints are making it easier than ever for you to enjoy eating out without having to worry about gluten. Even places like Boston Market, Wendy’s, and McDonald’s are all making an effort to add gluten-free choices to their offerings. However, you should always check ingredient lists and not take the word of employees who may not have the proper information. Although these fast food restaurants may offer these options, it is not ideal to eat at these restaurants for overall good health. But, if you are in a pinch and need to find food fast, at least it is an option!

A smarter idea for those times when you don’t know when you’ll be able to get to eat, it’s best to bring along something safe to snack on. There are several companies that make gluten-free snacks that you can keep in your purse or glove box. If you’re kept late at the office, you won’t have to worry about going hungry while the rest of your team gets snacks from the vending machine. Have your healthy, gluten-free snack with you so that you are ready for any circumstance.

Basically, it all comes down to preparation. You know how important it is to avoid gluten in your diet, and no one is going to do it for you. It’s up to you to find ways to manage. Keep your list of restaurants handy and you’ll always be able to make a recommendation when you’re heading out for a night on the town with friends. Keep a couple of snacks with you to tide you over in unexpected situations. And relax, knowing that you’re taking control of your own life and making the right decisions for your own health.

The Difference Between Food Allergies and Food Intolerance

Fri, 06 Jan 2012 13:38:39 +0100

Food allergies are very common. However, it is only within recent years that more and more people are becoming aware of allergies to certain foods. Peanut butter has been banned from many schools because so many children are now testing as positive for allergies. But how many of us understand exactly what a food allergy is? Is an allergy to a certain food the same thing as having food intolerance?

Let’s look at allergies first. Allergies can be triggered by many things, not just food items. Pet hair and pollen are two very common allergy triggers. Allergy symptoms are caused by the body’s immune system over reacting to a perceived threat. For example, when you have a cold, the immune system fights the cold virus by producing histamines. Histamines provoke certain reactions in the body, like mucous production for example, to wash the virus out of your mucous membranes. For some people however, the body doesn’t recognize pollen as a harmless intruder and begins attacking it in the same way, causing sniffles, congestion and watery eyes.

The same thing happens with some people and certain foods. When someone with a food allergy consumes the allergen, the immune system goes on high alert and starts defending itself against what it believes is a dangerous substance. The resulting overdose of histamines can cause hives, itching, and even life-threatening swelling of the mucous membranes which in extreme cases can close off the airway and become life threatening.

Food intolerance, on the other hand, simply means that a person’s body has difficulty digesting or processing a certain food. Someone with wheat intolerance may have gas, bloating and stomach pains, cramps or diarrhea, or even vomiting. Intolerance to food can also lead to problems such as headache or a general run-down feeling. Food intolerance is rarely life threatening, but it can cause a lot of problems in daily life.

One serious issue with food intolerance is the effect it can have on growing children. A child with an undiagnosed wheat or gluten intolerance who is still eating products with these ingredients will often have chronic diarrhea, cramping and gas. Diarrhea causes an increased mobility of the bowel, which simply means food passes through the intestines faster than normal. Because of this, the child’s body isn’t able to absorb all the nutrients it needs from the food. This is why children with food intolerances may suffer from stunted or delayed growth.

It’s also important to note that food allergies can be triggered by even a tiny amount of the offending food. The allergic reaction will also become more severe each time the trigger food is encountered. With food intolerance, eating a small amount of the food may not be enough to cause any problems. The quantity of food consumed (and also the frequency with which it is consumed) is usually in direct proportion to the symptoms noted.

Starting a Raw Food Diet

Wed, 04 Jan 2012 22:40:35 +0100

If you’re thinking of starting a raw food diet, you aren’t alone. More a lifestyle than a diet, raw food is proving to be incredibly popular among those looking to improve their health through eating whole, natural foods that are as close to their living state as possible.

Switching to a raw diet isn’t hard to do, but you will need to do some shopping to get started. How much preparation you do ahead of time will depend on you and your tastes. Not only that, but as you make the switch, you’ll need to listen to your body as it adjusts to this healthier way of eating.

Before making such a drastic change in your eating habits you should check with your doctor or nutritionist. This is true before starting any diet. Make sure that you don’t have any underlying health problems to deal with first. Because the raw food diet is such a different way of eating, your body will take time to adjust, and any underlying problems could be impacted as it goes through these changes.

While there are some people who eat a near 100% raw diet, most eat somewhere between 75% and 90% raw. Experts say to eat optimally for your health, each meal should consist of at least 51% raw foods. No matter how much raw food you plan on incorporating into your diet, it isn’t a good idea to switch completely in one day. Your digestive system has been processing cooked foods all your life, and having so much raw food thrown at it all at once can cause gastrointestinal distress. It’s better to make a gradual move into eating raw food, and start with one raw meal each day. Gradually increase the amount of raw food over time until you’re eating raw food for every meal.

Eating raw food will help to detoxify your body, cleansing it of toxins. Because of this, you might experience some uncomfortable side effects for a short time. Diarrhea is common when starting the diet, simply because of the amount of fiber that you’ll be adding to your daily meals as you eat more raw fruits and vegetables. As the toxins are cleansed from your body, you may develop a slight headache or even a very mild depression. The more toxic you are and the more substantial a change this diet is for you will dictate the severity of the symptoms you experience. However, it is important to note that these symptoms should pass quickly; if they persist or are particularly bothersome, consult your doctor.

When your body is more accustomed to raw food, you’ll find that it’s actually easier to digest. This is because living food contains enzymes that help your digestive system. These enzymes are destroyed by the heat of the cooking process. Heating foods to more than 115 degrees destroy the valuable enzymes in fruits and vegetables. Mixing raw and cooked foods in your meals can actually cause your digestive system to work harder since it needs to distinguish the cooked from the raw.

As you progress in your diet, have fun discovering new ways to eat raw! Sure you can eat whole, raw fruits and vegetables, but you can also chop, dice or blend your foods to create new combinations. Try julienned zucchini in place of pasta with a blended raw tomato sauce or enjoy a raw fruit and spinach smoothie for breakfast. Just because you aren’t cooking, doesn’t mean you can’t be creative. There are some incredible cookbooks developed by raw food chefs who are amazingly creative. If you are one who likes desserts, and who doesn’t, you will be delighted to discover how delicious and guilt free raw desserts can be.

Eating raw and transform your health and your waistline. But, you have to approach your new lifestyle in a smart way. Once you discover the benefits of the raw way of life, you won’t want to go back to eating the SAD (standard American diet) way of life!

Raw Food For Healthy Skin

Wed, 04 Jan 2012 22:36:03 +0100

The job of our skin is to provide protective cover for all the organs in our bodies. It is, in fact, the largest organ of our bodies. It’s vital that we keep our skin healthy. The skin also works to help our body maintain and regulate its core temperature, through perspiration. Generally, looking at someone’s skin will give you a good indication of their general health. Pale, oily or sallow skin can all be signs of a less than healthy body.

The irony is that so many people spend so much of their hard earned money buying creams and lotions to put on their skin, trying to improve its appearance. We buy bronzers, acne creams, moisturizers and so much more, all trying to make our skin look healthier. What if we could quit spending all that money on ointments to put on the outside of our skin, and start making it look better from the inside?

That’s what the raw food diet can do for you. By eating a diet based on healthy and organic raw foods, many people find that their once pallid and unhealthy looking skin begins to glow with a new vigor.

As you eat a diet consisting of mostly raw fruits and vegetables and limited processed foods, you’ll be adding more of the minerals and vitamins that your body so desperately needs for healthy skin. Raw foods also contain higher moisture content than cooked foods, and that added moisture shows in your skin.

The increase in fiber, vitamins and minerals will lead to better health for all your organs on the inside and that improved health will show on the outside in your skin.

You see, your skin is like a window into what is happening inside your body. As your organs begin receiving the nutritional food that they need to perform, it shows in your skin. Not only are you receiving more of the nutrients that you do need, you’ll be cutting out the toxins and impurities that you don’t need.

One of the ways that your body removes impurities is through perspiration. That means that all those bad chemicals pass through the skin, causing problems like dry skin or acne breakouts. On a naturally healthy organic raw food diet, you won’t be consuming all the impurities and toxins found in so many processed and cooked foods. That leads to better looking skin and healthier hair. There really is something to that phrase “an inner glow”!

As you reduce the amount of cooked foods in your diet and replace them with raw foods, you’ll find you’ll have more energy and better health – and it will show on the outside. As your body receives optimum nutrition through uncooked fruits and vegetables, you’ll begin to look and feel your best, naturally. This brings to mind another common expression, “You are what you eat.” This could not be more true. Healthy diet, healthy you!

Are Wheat and Gluten the Same Thing?

Wed, 04 Jan 2012 22:33:43 +0100

We hear a lot these days about wheat and gluten allergies or intolerance. It seems that more and more people are developing problems with foods that contain these ingredients, leading to symptoms running the gamut from merely annoyance all the way to life threatening.

The symptoms of a wheat allergy or intolerance are very similar to those of gluten allergy and intolerance. What’s more, the lists of foods that you should avoid also seem to contain many of the same items for both of these. This has caused many people to wonder if wheat and gluten are the same thing. And, if they aren’t, what’s the difference?

As we know, wheat is the grain of a plant that can be ground up to make flour. It can also be eaten as a cereal or used in soups much the same as rice. Wheat contains a protein called gluten. Gluten is a binding protein, and is what makes wheat dough which works so wonderfully for breads and cakes. If you’ve ever seen stretchy pizza dough, you’ve seen gluten at work – it’s what makes the dough so elastic. So, when you eat a wheat product, whether bread, cake, bagel, or cereal, you’re also eating gluten. However, gluten is also found in some other grains besides wheat, like rye and barley, and some believe in oats. However, the truth about oats is that it does not contain gluten but it is often processed on equipment that also handles wheat causing contamination.

So this means for you and your food allergies is that if you’re allergic or have an intolerance to gluten, then you can not eat wheat products, pure and simple because they contain gluten. You also need to avoid products made using other grains that contain gluten. Your doctor or nutritionist can advise you on the foods you should avoid, which may or may not include oat products.

On the other hand, if you are intolerant or allergic to wheat, you’ll only need to avoid foods that list wheat or wheat products as an ingredient. You’ll still be able to enjoy rye bread and oatmeal cookies, and any other product made from the other grains.

If you should suspect that you or someone in your family has a problem with wheat or gluten, you should consult your doctor right away. Allergies to these products can have life-threatening symptoms, including anaphylactic shock. Food intolerance is not usually life threatening, but it can truly disrupt your quality of life with symptoms as far ranging as irritability and fatigue to chronic diarrhea. This can be especially troublesome for children, as it can affect their ability to absorb nutrients from their foods, leading to delayed physical development.

At the moment there is no cure for either wheat or gluten allergies or intolerance. However, the symptoms of these conditions can be controlled by carefully planned diets that avoid the offending ingredients.