 Raw Foods... An Avenue Towards Health By Karen Brody We've come a long way from the Garden of Eden. While Adam and Eve frolicked in the buff, plucking their sensual delights from trees, we live in a time when a hundred sun-kissed oranges don't have the allure of a single chocolate kiss. The more we change food, the more it changes us. We're heavier, we're sicker; we're clearly addicted to cooked food. What begs examination is not just the food we eat, but how we alter food, largely by reflex. One look at the nutritional values of raw food versus those of cooked food, and an astonishing reality emerges We are killing our food, and by extension ourselves. But are we likely to give up the affair? The seduction, the promise of emotional bliss? A better question might be How badly do we want to be well? Cooked food and illness Not only is disease not a natural course for the human body, according to raw foodist, health educator and author Dave Klein of Sebastopol, California, the illnesses we characterize as normal, colds, flu, headaches, PMS, body odors, thinning hair, bruising, aches and pains, and excess weight are manifestations of cooked food diets. "This is normal for a population living unhealthily. These are also signs of aging faster than we would if we were living in accordance with our biological dispositions," he said in a recent interview. Klein, who was extremely ill for eight years with ulcerative colitis, is a testament to the healing power of raw foods. After he tried everything the medical establishment had to offer short of having his colon removed, he turned to self-healing and living foods. On an 80% fruit-based diet, good rest and exercise, his recovery was swift. Within just a few a months he was able to experience a higher level of health than he had ever thought possible. We can't all expect to transition as quickly as Klein. Each of us must come to terms with our own path to health. The path is marred with pitfalls-addictions, social struggles, restructuring our belief systems. Sometimes purifying our bodies can be a long, arduous process. "Raw fooding is a unique and personal journey," Klein says. "The bottom line is the majority of us are not ready to leave our cooked food attachment until internal changes happen." Dr. Douglas Graham, who boasts a rather high profile list of athletes to his credit as a sports nutritionist, including Martina Navritalova, as well as being a highly sought after speaker around the country, is a 100% raw fooder. But he didn't get his badge of honor overnight. Like Klein, it took many years, seven to be exact. While eating American style is a walk in the park, eating raw requires presence of mind and education if you're serious. Whatever age, we are the offspring of people who ate cooked food. The changes in your energy level, your body's weight, your emotional structure are going to be monumental. Right or wrong eating cooked food is a habit deeply rooted in our culture and in our psyches and changing that takes time. Dave Klein advises, "If one forces it before they're emotionally and biologically ready, he or she is going to suffer a backlash." Being right isn't always enough. "Eating raw is environmentally correct, economically correct, animal rights correct-from every viewpoint of health and nutrition there is no point in arguing it," Graham says. "People are sicker than we give them credit for. We must transition them to health." Graham advises moving toward your goal, rather than trying to change everything at once. Increase your consumption of raw food, and slowly, as your health improves, the desire for cooked foods will diminish, naturally. It also helps to avoid pitfalls, Graham says. They are Over-consumption of fat, under consumption of carbohydrates, dehydrating foods and juicing-all attempts to reduce volume, which unfortunately diminish nutrition. His recommendation? A balance of 80% simple carbohydrates, primarily from fruits; 10% protein, and 10% fat. "The key to success is to learn to consume sufficient quantity to maintain caloric intake." His strongest advise is to seek guidance from a professional. On Klein's website, (see below) is a wealth of information of the subject including some of the following "Don't be surprised if the first changes you experience are not improved health, especially if you go too quickly in this lifestyle change. "To be successful at raw food eating. I truly believe we should study human physiology. "People need to understand that when we eat an enzymatically active raw food diet, their nutritious energizing sugars cause the body to spring into action, utilizing much of its energy in cleaning house purging debris; shedding old inferior cells, and using the new raw nutrients to build a completely new, healthier body. In order to avoid the drastic cleansing, a gradual transition is prudent. "If it takes 10 or 20 years to get to 100% that's how it is. Health is a journey, not a destination." A large part of the adaptation is learning to cope socially. Imagine the struggles with family, lovers, and friends. Bob Saladino, owner of The Raw Truth restaurant in Las Vegas, resolved many of these issues for himself when he opened his restaurant six months into a raw food life. The restaurant filled a need for raw fooders, and gave him a place to eat. "I'm so happy I'm able to help people on this journey," he said in a recent conversation. "It's not a diet change, it's a lifestyle change." "In the beginning I thought about what I'd be giving up. Being Italian, I grew up with wonderful foods. Down the road that changes; it's not about giving anything up anymore, it's about what I've gained." Graham's struggle wasn't just with everyone else's ideas about his new-found lifestyle, but with his own belief system. Wanting a pure body wasn't always enough. "I told my parents for seven years every time I saw them, 'You'll never see me eat cooked food again.'" It took me that long to succeed. "There is a tremendous amount of social pressure without some guidance. We know how to deal with sickness, to say 'My doctor said I can't have salt or I can't eat sugar with my meal,' but we're not comfortable with saying, "My doctor says I should only eat raw food." 'People will stare, but they'll also see that raw food is working. Everyone on a subconscious level wants their health and vitality back and so they're going to be looking at you and what's on your plate. You've found the answer and they haven't. 'I have no question about 100% raw because I've seen what happens when I take a top level performer and improve performance, agility and flexibility in 30 days simply by changing from a cooked to a raw diet.'" We should keep in mind this extraordinary journey for health is not just about marathoners and tennis stars pushing limits - the renewed energy and the promise of clarity and wellness are universal. "It's hard to understand until you've eaten raw and seen your vibration increase," says Klein. "The realization of raw food eating is like a giant key," he adds. "Most of us become incredibly passionate and charge into it. A lot of people go overboard, and focus their health concerns solely on food." Letting go The consensus among raw fooders is that starches are the toughest cooked foods to eliminate from the diet. According to the Glycemic Index, a chart for measuring food's effect on human blood sugar, cooked grains will dramatically raise blood sugar levels. On the other hand, fruits, surprisingly, stabilize blood sugar with a low index rating. We should keep in mind that cooked starches are more than just "comfort" foods; they're as potent in the bloodstream as the rush of a cocktail. Graham adds that scientists have isolated 17 components in grains that behave exactly like opiates. It's no wonder craving for starches can seem uncontrollable. Increasing fruit in the diet eventually quells the craving for starches, Graham says. In addition, once we start to identify the psychological feelings we get from these foods, we can start to replace them with other experiences that mimic those same feelings. However changing what we eat will not automatically change who we are. "If you're a closet eater or a comfort eater, you're going to bring those habits with you to raw fooding. You're body is used to a particular program. Shifting food choices isn't enough," he says. hen Graham talks about his own success story, he says figuring out the right balance of simple carbohydrates is what allowed him to succeed. "The body is fueled by carbohydrates regardless of what you eat. I wasn't making the connection between that and my cravings." For Saladino, it was a green supplement and Udo's Oil that made it possible for him to be as raw as he's comfortable with at any given time. And for Klein, he needed to remineralize his body after a long bout with illness, and for that, sea dulse and spirulina gave him that added edge. It's important on this journey to not let lack of perfection get in the way of good intention. Klein's advice is valuable in this. He says, "Start with a healing vision. Don't expect food to heal you, but let your ideas about food do the healing." "Food is just food and eating raw foods is just one of the many ingredients in our health recipe. Food does not act on the body and heal us; we act on food. "So I suggest people enjoy food. Take a look at any fanatical behavior and judgments from within and from others; accept yourself, and be good to yourself along the raw food path." Graham's website Foodnsport@aol.com
Klein's website www.livingnutrition.com .
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