Why go raw?
On average, most human beings only live to about half (or below) their potential lifespan, largely influenced by poor dietary and lifestyle habits. The truth is that we're fully capable of living to 150 years old, and even much longer. The average species in its natural environment lives about 5-7x past its age of maturity. However, in humans, this is rarely achieved due to the prevalence of cooked food, stress, environmental pollution, and unhealthy lifestyle habits. The healing power of nature is vastly under looked despite the fact that most diseases and health issues are directly related to nutritional deficiencies and physical inactivity. Don't be conned into believing that you have little control over your own health due to genetics - hereditary accounts for less than 10% of all chronic illnesses, including cancer.
An optimal raw food diet focuses strictly on raw, organic, plant-based whole foods, which are brimming with nutrients, oxygen, and precious enzymes that promote peak health and wellness. A raw food diet accentuates fruits, vegetables, sprouts, algae, sea vegetables, nuts/nut butters, and seeds. Medicinal mushrooms and superfood powders are also implemented. Food is not cooked or chemically altered in any way, shape, or form, just as nature intended. Human beings, along with every other living organism on the planet, survive AND thrive on raw nutrition. In fact, no other creature on Earth applies heat to its food, it is unnatural. Additionally, humans are also the only species that drinks another species' milk.
Raw foodists don't eat anything heated beyond 118 degrees F because vital enzymes, the "life force", begin to denature. Other things that destroy enzymes are exposure to air, alcohol use, caffeine, smoking, pharmaceutical drugs, and pesticides. Enzymes are arguably the most important aspect of overall health and longevity. They are essential for proper digestion, enhance nutrient assimilation, and are necessary to perform every single bodily function. Life would cease to exist without enzymes because they are critical components to all biochemical reactions taken place within the body. A diet sufficient in raw food enzymes results in vitality and significantly slows the aging process. Since they also reduce the need for the body to produce its own digestive enzymes, energy is freed up for other important functions, such as healing, cellular detoxification and boosting immunity.
There are three classes of enzymes: food enzymes, metabolic enzymes, and digestive enzymes. Food enzymes, as you may have guessed, come from fresh, raw, organic foods. Enzymes from plant foods take a huge burden off of the body by digesting food before the body's own digestive process begins (autolytic digestion), improving digestion and the delivery of nutrients to the bloodstream. They also have the ability to function in both an alkaline or acidic environment. Metabolic enzymes catalyze and regulate ALL biochemical reactions that occur within the human body, making them paramount for physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual health. Unlike food and digestive enzymes, metabolic enzymes are found throughout the body, even inside cells. Every fiber of your being relies upon these reactions. Digestive enzymes and food enzymes have virtually the same job, to digest food for maximum absorption of nutrients. Furthermore, digestive enzymes also turn the food we consume into energy. A lack of dietary enzymes can lead to a toxic colon due to a build-up of fermenting, undigested food. Toxins that have accumulated eventually end up in the blood stream where they disrupt all cells in the body, leading to chronic disease and lower quality of life.
Raw foods digest with ease - quickly and comfortably. Your body knows what to do with unadulterated nutrients, enzymes, and fiber, resulting in a speedy transit time. Cooked foods can spend up to 100 hours passing through the digestive tract, brewing a putrefied and toxic colon in the mean time. When food is heated above 118 degrees F for three minutes or longer, proteins become coagulated, sugar caramelizes, enzymes are destroyed and its natural fibers are broken down, with the end result being a much longer transit time. Continuation of this process for an extended period of time is a recipe for digestive disaster and unnecessarily drains the body of strength and energy.
The raw food diet is an alkaline diet, which helps balance blood pH levels. An alkaline diet will expedite the uptake and utilization of nutrients and oxygen from the blood, accelerate the release of toxins and waste, and create balance within our bodies. Maintaining a proper blood pH level is vital for overall health. For optimal health, blood pH should stay between 7.35 - 7.45, which is slightly alkaline. Acidic pH levels, or "acidosis", pave way for serious disease and illness, even at minor imbalances. Poor dietary habits, emotional stress, and environmental toxins all contribute to an acidic pH level. The human body is constantly working to maintain a healthy blood pH and will even take acid neutralizing minerals, like calcium, from bones and teeth, as an attempt to offset acidic conditions. Eating a lot of animal protein also contributes to an acidic environment due to the release of sulfuric acid. Ways to become more alkaline include eating plenty of raw, organic fruits and vegetables, exercising, staying well hydrated, and managing stress.
Your body has the ability to completely regenerate itself via the food you consume. In other words, you literally are what you eat. Everything you eat, drink, breathe, and absorb either fuels or fights disease. Many people eat processed food, pesticides/chemicals, GMO's, fast food, nuke their food in microwaves, don't exercise, etc. and wonder why aspects of their health are suffering. Their brains and bodies are being starved of the nutrients they so desperately need in order to function optimally. Humans aren't designed to handle all of these toxic chemicals and ingredients that are found in most products on the market today. We seem to care more about what kind of fuel goes into our cars than what kind of fuel goes into our bodies. The elimination of junk food in its own regard is a big reason why going on a raw food diet is so beneficial. Additionally, plant based foods contain significantly higher amounts of antioxidants than animal foods. Don't let money grubbing corporations who intentionally add chemicals to processed foods, rob you of your health and vitality. Your addiction is their profit. Instead, support local and organic farming while greatly improving your health at the same time. Be cautious of what goes into and onto your body and your biological age will be much younger than your chronological age. After all, it is health that is the real wealth.
Why go raw?
On average, most human beings only live to about half (or below) their potential lifespan, largely influenced by poor dietary and lifestyle habits. The truth is that we're fully capable of living to 150 years old, and even much longer. The average species in its natural environment lives about 5-7x past its age of maturity. However, in humans, this is rarely achieved due to the prevalence of cooked food, stress, environmental pollution, and unhealthy lifestyle habits. The healing power of nature is vastly under looked despite the fact that most diseases and health issues are directly related to nutritional deficiencies and physical inactivity. Don't be conned into believing that you have little control over your own health due to genetics - hereditary accounts for less than 10% of all chronic illnesses, including cancer.
An optimal raw food diet focuses strictly on raw, organic, plant-based whole foods, which are brimming with nutrients, oxygen, and precious enzymes that promote peak health and wellness. A raw food diet accentuates fruits, vegetables, sprouts, algae, sea vegetables, nuts/nut butters, and seeds. Medicinal mushrooms and superfood powders are also implemented. Food is not cooked or chemically altered in any way, shape, or form, just as nature intended. Human beings, along with every other living organism on the planet, survive AND thrive on raw nutrition. In fact, no other creature on Earth applies heat to its food, it is unnatural. Additionally, humans are also the only species that drinks another species' milk.
Raw foodists don't eat anything heated beyond 118 degrees F because vital enzymes, the "life force", begin to denature. Other things that destroy enzymes are exposure to air, alcohol use, caffeine, smoking, pharmaceutical drugs, and pesticides. Enzymes are arguably the most important aspect of overall health and longevity. They are essential for proper digestion, enhance nutrient assimilation, and are necessary to perform every single bodily function. Life would cease to exist without enzymes because they are critical components to all biochemical reactions taken place within the body. A diet sufficient in raw food enzymes results in vitality and significantly slows the aging process. Since they also reduce the need for the body to produce its own digestive enzymes, energy is freed up for other important functions, such as healing, cellular detoxification and boosting immunity.
There are three classes of enzymes: food enzymes, metabolic enzymes, and digestive enzymes. Food enzymes, as you may have guessed, come from fresh, raw, organic foods. Enzymes from plant foods take a huge burden off of the body by digesting food before the body's own digestive process begins (autolytic digestion), improving digestion and the delivery of nutrients to the bloodstream. They also have the ability to function in both an alkaline or acidic environment. Metabolic enzymes catalyze and regulate ALL biochemical reactions that occur within the human body, making them paramount for physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual health. Unlike food and digestive enzymes, metabolic enzymes are found throughout the body, even inside cells. Every fiber of your being relies upon these reactions. Digestive enzymes and food enzymes have virtually the same job, to digest food for maximum absorption of nutrients. Furthermore, digestive enzymes also turn the food we consume into energy. A lack of dietary enzymes can lead to a toxic colon due to a build-up of fermenting, undigested food. Toxins that have accumulated eventually end up in the blood stream where they disrupt all cells in the body, leading to chronic disease and lower quality of life.
Raw foods digest with ease - quickly and comfortably. Your body knows what to do with unadulterated nutrients, enzymes, and fiber, resulting in a speedy transit time. Cooked foods can spend up to 100 hours passing through the digestive tract, brewing a putrefied and toxic colon in the mean time. When food is heated above 118 degrees F for three minutes or longer, proteins become coagulated, sugar caramelizes, enzymes are destroyed and its natural fibers are broken down, with the end result being a much longer transit time. Continuation of this process for an extended period of time is a recipe for digestive disaster and unnecessarily drains the body of strength and energy.
The raw food diet is an alkaline diet, which helps balance blood pH levels. An alkaline diet will expedite the uptake and utilization of nutrients and oxygen from the blood, accelerate the release of toxins and waste, and create balance within our bodies. Maintaining a proper blood pH level is vital for overall health. For optimal health, blood pH should stay between 7.35 - 7.45, which is slightly alkaline. Acidic pH levels, or "acidosis", pave way for serious disease and illness, even at minor imbalances. Poor dietary habits, emotional stress, and environmental toxins all contribute to an acidic pH level. The human body is constantly working to maintain a healthy blood pH and will even take acid neutralizing minerals, like calcium, from bones and teeth, as an attempt to offset acidic conditions. Eating a lot of animal protein also contributes to an acidic environment due to the release of sulfuric acid. Ways to become more alkaline include eating plenty of raw, organic fruits and vegetables, exercising, staying well hydrated, and managing stress.
Your body has the ability to completely regenerate itself via the food you consume. In other words, you literally are what you eat. Everything you eat, drink, breathe, and absorb either fuels or fights disease. Many people eat processed food, pesticides/chemicals, GMO's, fast food, nuke their food in microwaves, don't exercise, etc. and wonder why aspects of their health are suffering. Their brains and bodies are being starved of the nutrients they so desperately need in order to function optimally. Humans aren't designed to handle all of these toxic chemicals and ingredients that are found in most products on the market today. We seem to care more about what kind of fuel goes into our cars than what kind of fuel goes into our bodies. The elimination of junk food in its own regard is a big reason why going on a raw food diet is so beneficial. Additionally, plant based foods contain significantly higher amounts of antioxidants than animal foods. Don't let money grubbing corporations who intentionally add chemicals to processed foods, rob you of your health and vitality. Your addiction is their profit. Instead, support local and organic farming while greatly improving your health at the same time. Be cautious of what goes into and onto your body and your biological age will be much younger than your chronological age. After all, it is health that is the real wealth.