| If you are one of those people who loves food, | | | | things that the doctors and researchers have |
| but feels that food doesn't love you - it just likes | | | | been telling us are beneficial, like fresh fruit, leafy |
| to hang out on your hips - you may already have | | | | green vegetables, whole grains (not processed) |
| heard about the Raw Food diet/lifestyle. | | | | and natural, unprocessed sugars - the raw, living |
| It is a movement to a new, simpler way of | | | | food approach is the way to go. |
| eating that is rapidly gaining momentum worldwide | | | | Raw Food ticks all the boxes |
| - after having been the health method of choice in | | | | Approaching a raw food diet with the objectives |
| exclusive European clinics for at least the last 100 | | | | of increasing health and wellbeing, slowing down |
| years. | | | | aging, increasing energy levels and clarity of |
| In the US, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia | | | | thought, reducing or eliminating sickness will help |
| and even New Zealand, raw groups have sprung | | | | keep you on track. |
| up sharing potluck or rawluck meals on a regular | | | | A well balanced raw food diet will include a wide |
| basis, and gourmet raw food restaurants seem to | | | | range of fruits, leafy greens and other |
| have appeared on every second corner in cities | | | | vegetables, usually a daily green smoothie, often |
| like Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York and | | | | freshly made juices, sprouted and soaked nuts |
| Vancouver. | | | | and seeds, and plenty of other goodies. Creative |
| So what is a Raw Food lifestyle all about? | | | | minds have worked out plenty of ways to make |
| The usual cliched response is that people | | | | some raw foods taste like their former cooked |
| immediately think of either subsisting on carrot | | | | food favourites, often by using a dehydrator, so |
| and celery sticks, or they immediately think of | | | | there are plenty of gourmet style recipes out |
| raw meat or sushi. I am constantly amazed that | | | | there too. |
| many people seem to have little idea of what | | | | The internet and bookstores are full of great |
| foods are actually cooked before they eat them - | | | | resources for anyone wanting to explore what a |
| no matter whether they are normally eaten hot | | | | raw food diet is all about. There are message |
| or cold. | | | | boards and forums like and free recipe sites like |
| In essence, raw food is food that has not been | | | | which provide an awesome resource of support, |
| processed using heat of above 115 deg | | | | information and delicious raw food recipes. |
| Fahrenheit, which is about 43 deg Celsius. | | | | Great for the Planet too |
| But more importantly the keys to a raw food | | | | Recent research shows that growing, transporting |
| lifestyle (which is usually also a vegan lifestyle, | | | | and processing meat and animal products create a |
| therefore ruling out the raw meat, raw eggs etc) | | | | huge carbon footprint. A raw lifestyle gives you a |
| are the exclusion of foods that are damaging to | | | | chance to minimise your impact on the planet (as |
| our health. | | | | well as becoming a lot healthier) by growing the |
| Cut out the processed carbs, fats, proteins, sugar | | | | majority of your daily food intake in your own |
| "Going Raw" is one of the best approaches I have | | | | backyard, or supplementing your fruits and |
| come across for eliminating the most unhealthy | | | | vegetables from local farmer's markets and |
| food groups from our diets. | | | | organic stores. The less processed a food item is, |
| Many may think that a cooked vegetarian or a | | | | the smaller the footprint, and the better it is for |
| cooked vegan diet is healthy, but in many cases, | | | | your health - AND the planet. |
| people simply decide to eliminate meat, or as | | | | Start by Googling Raw Food |
| vegans, eliminate dairy, eggs, meat and | | | | Just try it and you will have a massive range of |
| sometimes honey... but still continue to eat | | | | resources at your fingertips to get you started. |
| unhealthily. | | | | One recommendation though (take it from |
| After all, it is very possible to go to your local | | | | someone who has walked this path) - don't go |
| takeaway and buy a vegan meal of fried chips | | | | Raw overnight. All the experts recommend you |
| and even a burger with no meat, cheese or eggs | | | | transition into it gradually, to minimise the effect |
| in it. And of course the vegetarian can do chips, | | | | on your body as it starts to eliminate the toxins |
| coleslaw, thickshakes and much more. Just no | | | | you have built up over the years. |
| meat. | | | | Give it a go - your body will love you for it! |
| So to ensure a truly healthy diet, that eliminates | | | | Why not give it a try, and share your results with |
| all the things medical science has been telling us | | | | friends and family. After all, you'll want a few |
| for many years will damage our health and | | | | people around to have fun with in your ripe old |
| wellbeing - and at the same time, add IN the | | | | age! |