The Raw Food Diet.

[Guest guest]

Dear Friends, There are definite advantages of including raw food and fruits in your diet. They are full of nutrients and fibre, take less time to digest, help in detoxification, in fighting obesity, and are economical too as you consume less time, fuel and spices. Naturopaths advocate a judicious mix of raw and cooked food. Food should never be overcooked. And similarly, do not store cut fruits and vegetables as they loose nutrients very fast after being cut. Have plenty of salads consisting of carrots, turnips, tomatoes, cabbage leaves, coriander leaves, lemon juice, pepper powder, with a little olive oil if you like it. Do not add salt. Add any other fruit or food ingredient you like, even curd. Have plenty of fruit juices, prepared fresh. Do not consume packed juices. Vegetable soups too would be excellent. Try

to reduce your intake of polished rice. Take chapatis instead. Do not neglect taking a glass of plain lemon juice in the morning, without sugar or salt. Do not turn your noses at the above diet. It's your film star's favourite, both in Bollywood and Hollywood !! I am enclosing an article that advocates an only raw food diet, and discusses the pros and cons. Regards, Jagannath. You are here: About>Health & Fitness>Alternative Medicine http://altmedicine.about.com/od/popularhealthdiets/a/Raw_Food.htm The Raw Food Diet From Cathy Wong, N.D.,Your Guide to Alternative Medicine. The raw food diet has become popular recently, thanks to high-profile adherents like actor Woody Harrelson, model Carol Alt, designer Donna Karan, and Chicago-based celebrity chef Charlie Trotter. What is the Raw Food Diet?The raw food

diet is based on unprocessed and uncooked plant foods, such as fresh fruit and vegetables, sprouts, seeds, nuts, grains, beans, nuts, dried fruit, and seaweed. Heating food above 116 degrees F is believed to destroy enzymes in food that can assist in the digestion and absorption of food. Cooking is also thought to diminish the nutritional value and "life force" of food.At least 75 percent of the diet must be living or raw. What are the Benefits of the Raw Food Diet?Proponents of the raw food diet believe it has numerous health benefits, including: increased energy improved skin appearance better digestion weight loss reduced risk of heart diseaseThe raw food diet contains little or no saturated fat and trans fats. It is also low in sodium, high in potassium, magnesium, folate, fiber, and health-promoting plant chemicals called phytochemicals. These properties

are associated with a reduced risk of diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, and cancer. For example, a study published in the Journal of Nutrition found that consumption of a raw food diet lowered plasma total cholesterol and triglyceride concentrations. What are the Guidelines of the Raw Food Diet?1. What can I eat?Eat unprocessed, preferably organic, whole foods such as: fresh fruits and vegetables nuts seeds beans grains legumes dried fruit seaweed unprocessed organic or natural foods freshly juiced fruit and vegetables purified water young coconut milkAt least 3/4 of food consumed should not be heated over 116 degrees F. 2. What cooking techniques are used?Specific cooking techniques make foods more digestible and add variety to the diet, including: sprouting seeds,

grains, and beans juicing fruit and vegetables soaking nuts and dried fruit blending dehydrating food3. What equipment can I use? A dehydrator, a piece of equipment that blows air through food at a temperature of less than 116 degrees F. A good-quality juice extractor for juicing fruit and vegetables A blender, food processor, or chopper to save time Large glass containers to soak and sprout seeds, grains, and beans Mason jars for storing sprouts and other food Side EffectsSome people experience a detoxification reaction when they start the raw food diet, especially if their previous diet was rich in meat, sugar, and caffeine. Mild headaches, nausea, and cravings can occur but usually last for several days. PrecautionsThe raw food diet may not be appropriate for certain people, such as: Children Pregnant or nursing women People with anemia People at risk for osteoporosis- A Washington University study found that people following a raw food diet had lower bone mass. Bone turnover rates, however, were similar to the group that ate a standard American diet.Considerable time, energy, and commitment is needed to be healthy on the raw food diet. Many of the foods are made from scratch. Some ingredients may be hard to find, such as Rejuvelac (the fermented liquid drained from sprouted grains), sprouted flour, date sugar, young coconut milk, carob powder and Celtic sea salt.People must be aware that certain nutritional deficiencies can occur on the raw food diet, including: Calcium Iron B12 – The Journal of Nutrition study found that a raw food diet increased levels of homocysteine due to vitamin B-12 deficiency. Protein CaloriesCritics of the raw food diet say while it’s

true that some enzymes are inactivated when food is heated, it doesn’t matter because the body uses its own enzymes for digestion. In addition, cooking makes certain phytochemicals easier to absorb, such as beta-carotene in carrots.Another critique is that the human body has changed in response to eating cooked foods. Some of these changes are that are jaws and teeth have become smaller, our stomachs have shrunk, and our small intestines have grown longer, lengthening the digestive surface area. According to other alternative diet theories, such as macrobiotics, Ayurveda, and traditional Chinese medicine, a raw-only diet may not be appropriate for people living in colder climates or for people with certain constitutional types.Updated 03/31/06SourcesFontana L, Shew JL, Holloszy JO, Villareal DT. Low bone mass in subjects on a long-term raw vegetarian diet. Arch Intern Med. 2005 Mar 28;165(6):684-9. Koebnick C,

Garcia AL, Dagnelie PC, Strassner C, Lindemans J, Katz N, Leitzmann C, Hoffmann I. Long-term consumption of a raw food diet is associated with favorable serum LDL cholesterol and triglycerides but also with elevated plasma homocysteine and low serum HDL cholesterol in humans. J Nutr. 2005 Oct;135(10):2372-8. "The Living and Raw Foods F.A.Q." 1998. Living and Raw Foods. 31 03 2006. <http://www.living-foods.com/faq.html> Our Story | Be a Guide | Advertising Info | News & Events | Work at About | Site Map | Icons | HelpUser Agreement | Ethics Policy | Patent Info. | Privacy Policy | Kids' Privacy Policy©2006 About, Inc., A part of The New York Times Company. All rights reserved. "Our ideal is not the spirituality that withdraws from life but the conquest of life by the power of the spirit." - Aurobindo.

New Messenger with Voice. Call regular phones from your PC and save big.