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The Raw Food Diet
The raw food diet is as much a life-style as an eating plan; a naturalistic approach which excludes, in addition to cooked and animal foods, processed and refined ingredients.
In the ever-hungry quest for new fads and health panaceas, the raw food diet, with adherents such as Woody Harrelson and Donna Karan, is growing in mainstream popularity. Unlike many other bandwagons however, raw foods (also referred to as ‘living foods'), offer unarguable health benefits and one can reap rewards even as a 50% dabbler. To be a 100% extremist takes commitment, discipline and education and is best introduced gradually to avoid the overwhelm of inevitable detoxification.
A food is essentially ‘raw' if it is kept below 115 degrees Fahrenheit, the temperature above which enzymes are destroyed. Eating raw food ensures an opulent intake of nutrients, fibre, healthy oils and life-giving enzymes. Raw food is much more easily digested, taking half to a third of the time of cooked food, around 24-36 hours compared to 40-100 hours. Raw vegetables and fruits, are also predominantly alkaline so help to optmize the pH balance of the body (around 60-80% alkaline foods being recommended for a healthy internal environment resistant to disease).
Sprouts, raw juices and superfoods are favoured in a raw food diet, and dehydrating ‘ovens' effectively concentrate the flavour of certain raw foods to assist in the creation of a mind-boggling array of as-cooked dishes. I've eaten a raw food pizza that unbelievably contained no wheat, no cheese and no cooked ingredients! It tasted delicious and I was stumped to figure out what it was actually made of!
Raw Power
Raw plant foods are healthy, regenerative, cleansing, energising, predominantly alkaline, and packed with vitamins, minerals, healthy oils, enzymes and antioxidants that promote health, beauty and longevity. As well as enhancing digestion and protecting against aging and disease, a raw food diet has noted weight loss benefits and promotes clear, beautiful skin.
The benefit of raw food becomes even more apparent in view of the effects cooking can have on constituents in food
The Effects of Cooking
Arthur Baker writes in Awakening Our Self-Healing Body, ‘Overly cooked foods literally wreck our body. They deny needed nutrients to the system since heat alters foodstuffs such that they are partially, mostly, or wholly destroyed. Nutrients are coagulated, deaminized, caramelized and rendered inorganic and become toxic and pathogenic in the body.'
The indigestible end products of cooked foods can linger in the gut, clogging the intestines and interfering with healthy elimination. They can cause a build-up of toxins, mutagens and carcinogens. Carbohydrates ferment, proteins putrefy and fats become rancid, creating free radicals that enter the blood stream.
Lipufuscin, the ‘aging pigment', is an example of a waste product created from damaged proteins and fats. It accumulates in the skin and nervous system and is visible as brown ‘liver spots' on the skin and eyes.
Toxic by-products and excess free radicals from cooked foods can weaken the immune system and accelerate the aging process.
Enzymes
Cooking destroys enzymes in our food. These delicate, heat sensitive proteins can destabilise at temperatures as low as 115 degrees Fahrenheit, hence even light steaming can render them inactive.
Enzymes, so abundant in a raw food diet, are highly functional catalysts involved in various health-regulating tasks in the body, such as breaking down food in digestion, delivering nutrients, carrying away toxic wastes and strengthening the endocrine and immune system. All living cells contain enzymes which function in cooperation with other minerals. As there is not an unlimited supply of enzymes, eating them in our food lifts the burden off organs to produce digestive enzymes which allows a greater use of enzymes for other metabolic purposes, freeing up more energy for the performance of other tasks.
Nutrients
In cooking food we can loose up to 97% of water-soluble vitamins (B and C) and 40% of fat-soluble vitamins (namely A, D, E and K).
Proteins
Heat denatures proteins, modifying their molecular structure and rendering them unusable. The bacteria in the gut feeds upon undigested proteins that tend to putrefy, giving rise to toxins. Raw foods provide healthy, readily available protein in greater supply without unwanted residue.
Fats
As oils are heat, light and air sensitive, heating can destroy the goodness of the and can alter molecules generating toxins and free radicals. Unrefined oils that are cold-pressed contain all their natural healthful substances (olive oil for example is rich in phytonutrients, flaxseed oil a great source of omega-3 fatty acids and so on). They should be kept refrigerated in dark sealed containers.
Fibre
Fibre is essential for health and helps to flush out the intestines, scrubbing them clean and aiding elimination. With cooked food fibre becomes a soft substance, loosing its brush-like quality. It can partially rot, ferment and putrefy in the gut, causing toxins, gas and heartburn.
Super Raw
Eating superfoods enhances a raw food diet even further. Superfoods are the most potent, antioxidant rich, nutrient dense, disease fighting, anti aging, beautifying, mood enhancing, immune boosting foods on the planet. Raw superfoods ensure an optimum intake of nutrients and phytochemicals for ultimate health, beauty and longevity.
Raw Food Diets For Dogs and Cats
A raw food diet for dogs and cats is natural and species-appropriate. Not only does it provide a rich supply of nutrients, antioxidants and enzymes, but ensures a move a way from low grade, inappropriate, highly processed and toxic ingredients found in commercial pet foods that can damage your pets health. If embarking on a homemade raw food diet for your pet (sometimes referred to as BARF - Biologically Appropriate Raw Food), thoroughly research the area first as nutritional balance is essential.
About the Author
MIRACLE SUPERFOODS:
http://www.miracle-superfoods.com
NATURAL NUTRITION GUIDE FOR DOGS AND CATS:
http://www.pet-nutrition-guide.com
Yeast Problems and Diet
Yeast is a microorganism that grows in warm, moist areas that have sugar as a food source. Everyone has yeast somewhere in their body---it’s a natural situation. It is present in the large intestine, and often as a thin white layer at the back of the tongue. A strong immune system and “friendly” bacteria inside our gut act to keep yeast levels in check. However, if a person’s immune system is not functioning correctly, or if they don’t have the right amount of friendly bacteria, yeast overgrowth (candidiasis) can occur. Candida albicans is a single-celled fungus, and it is this species which appears to cause the most yeast-related problems for people. It can penetrate the lining of the gut, which can worsen food allergies and food sensitivities. Candida overgrowth in the vagina can cause a painful infection.
In fact, yeast overgrowth is much more common in women than men (1). Candida overgrowth can spread to the ears, fingernails and/or toenails, ears, and nose. If candidiasis becomes severe and uncontrolled, the yeast can actually invade multiple organs and cause life-threatening health problems. Certain diseases can also contribute to Candida overgrowth, including: HIV infection, diabetes, and cancer. Causes of candidiasis can include: steroid medication, alcohol use, a high-sugar diet, chronic antibiotic use, oral contraceptive use, and parasites.
There are many different symptoms of candidiasis. Neurological symptoms can include: chronic fatigue, memory loss, alcohol intolerance, and depression. Gastrointestinal symptoms can include: food allergies and sensitivities, heartburn, cramps, gas and bloating, and diarrhea or constipation. Genitourinary symptoms can include: impotence and/or prostatitis for males, and vaginal and/or urinary tract infections for females. Other symptoms can include: jock itch, athlete’s foot, rectal itching, and severe premenstrual syndrome. There is often a craving for alcohol, sweets, or breads.
Like most fungus, Candida grows in moist, warm areas. This can include areas on and inside the body such as the mouth, throat, lower intestine (which is alkaline pH), and vagina. Alkaline pH can support infection, including yeast infection. This is why areas like the vagina are normally acidic, to help inhibit infections. Candida infection of the mouth is called thrush. The tongue and other areas inside the mouth end up covered with a fluffy white layer of fungus.
Many people mistakenly believe that organisms like fungi and yeast are harmless organisms. However, yeast toxin damage in the body is widespread and can include: hormonal problems to the thyroid, testes, adrenals, and/or ovaries, staph infections, impaired immune response, fatty acid imbalances, decreased absorption and/or metabolism of nutrients, impaired circulation, impaired neurotransmission, and decreased protein metabolism (2).
There are a variety of over-the-counter drugs to help fight Candida infection of the skin, and these are generally safe if used properly. There are also some anti-yeast prescription drugs to fight Candida internally. Miconazole (Monistat) is a popular antifungal cream for vaginal yeast infections. Nystatin is an older drug that is relatively safe, although as mentioned elsewhere in this article, some holistic practitioners believe that, even if it does kill Candida, in the long term it is ineffective at controlling general fungal infections. They speculate that the drug simply forces the yeast strain into a different form (3). It may be that Nystatin does in fact kill specific strains of yeast such as Candida albicans, but it may leave other species of fungus relatively unharmed, and these species then fill the void that albicans left. Fluconazole (Diflucan) is a newer antifungal drug that unfortunately can have liver toxicity and multiple drug interactions as side effects.
Holistic treatment of candidiasis can be complicated, since there are so many variables in the causes and symptoms for this illness. Below are a few helpful tips in combating yeast overgrowth. Citrus fruits such as lemons, limes, oranges, pineapple, and grapefruit may worsen Candida infection in some people. Try eliminating these fruits for a few weeks and then reintroduce them one at a time, to see if you are sensitive to their yeast-promoting character. People with significant intestinal candidiasis may have low levels of stomach acid (4); they should check this with a physician. Finally, when a person uses various therapies described below for controlling yeast infections, they may actually feel worse for a couple of weeks. This may often be due to the yeast being killed off, and their toxins being released into the bloodstream. People who feel worse while starting a yeast-controlling program should continue unless the dead yeast toxin symptoms are intolerable.
To help the immune system and friendly bacteria defeat Candida, sugar intake must be eliminated. This includes fructose (fruit sugar), which some people think is a healthy form of sugar, but it is not. Fructose goes into the same biochemical pathway as sucrose (table sugar). People with candidiasis should also avoid food molds: fermented foods, cheese, mushrooms, and grapes. Even sweetened yogurt should be avoided, since the added sugar in the yogurt outweighs the benefits of the friendly acidophilus bacteria in the yogurt. Unsweetened yogurt is the best form. Unsweetened yogurt may inhibit yeast infections (5). It’s not recommended to apply yogurt in the vagina or other areas where yeast infections are on the skin. A good anti-yeast diet can include: eggs, fish, nuts/seeds, poultry, vegetables, meat, and small amounts of whole grains (1).
There are several different supplements that can help the body keep yeast under control. Iron supplements may help oral candidiasis (mouth and throat infection) (6). Experiments on mice showed that zinc supplementation increased resistance to Candida infection (7). Supplemental digestive enzymes such as chymotrypsin, lactase, pancrelipase, papain, pepsin, and trypsin may be helpful for keeping intestinal Candida in check by the improved digestion of foods. There are also additional methods to help keep yeast in check. Women with vaginitis who ate eight ounces of yogurt containing the friendly probiotic Acidophilus significantly reduced Candida infection (8). Tea tree oil can be used to treat external Candida infections (8). Tea tree oil should never be used internally, either by ingestion or as a vaginal douche. Oregano oil has antifungal activity against Candida (9).
References:
1. Haas, E. Staying Healthy with Nutrition. Berkeley, CA: Celestial Arts, 1992.
2. Golan, R. Optimal Wellness. New York, NY: Ballantine Books/Random House, 1995.
3. Burton Goldberg Group. Alternative Medicine: The Definitive Guide. Tiburon, CA: Future Medicine Publishing, Inc., 1997.
4. Werbach, M. Nutritional Influences on Illness, 2nd Ed. Tarzana, CA: Third Line Press, 1996.
5. The Healing Power of Vitamins, Minerals, and Herbs. Pleasantville, NY: Reader’s Digest Association, 1999.
6. Fletcher, J., et. al. Mouth Lesions in iron-deficient anemia: relationship to Candida albicans, saliva and to impairment of lymphocyte transformation. Journal of Infectious Diseases (1975) 131: 44-50.
7. Salvin, S., & Rabin, B. Resistance & susceptibility to infection in inbred murine strains. IV. Effects of dietary zinc. Cellular Immunology (1984) 87 (2):546-552.
8. PDR for Nutritional Supplements. Montvale, NJ: Thomson PDR, 2001.
9. Biondi, D., et. al. Antimicrobial activity and chemical composition of essential oils from Sicilian aromatic plants. J Flav & Frag (1993) 8(6): 331-337.
About the Author
Dr. Jensen is both a consultant and author in the BioMedical and Nutrition fields. He has previously written a book on both topics, The Failures of American Medicine, published in 2002. Dr. Jensen has also written a doctoral dissertation on how Vitamin C can reduce stress and allergies via its antihistamine effect. He has worked in a broad range of BioMedical fields, such as gene regulation, cancer research, and HIV vaccine development. However, Dr. Jensen eventually decided that helping people more directly would be more rewarding for everyone involved. He has since helped clients with dozens of different ailments. Dr. Jensen is a practitioner in the field of Metabolic Typing, which characterizes different biochemistries among people based on certain physical and behavioral traits they have.
You can contact Dr. Jensen at 1-800-390-5365, or mail him at drjensen@individualizednutrition.com.
