Kay, I know the basic premise for eating raw foods: it’s healthier to eat foods that haven’t been deprived of their natural enzymes by heating above 118 F for longer than 3 minutes. Got that.
But what I’d really like to see is some solid evidence. Every article I’ve been able to find (and my search has been admittedly cursory) borders on fanatical; I keep reading over and over, “Living food is better!” Okay, got that point. What I need is some evidence.
So can anyone refer me to a book or website that has a more esoteric explanation of why eating raw is more healthful? I’m pretty sure my friends and family won’t think I’m quite so crazy if I can explain the thought process behind this lifestyle a little better.
Comments
sunfood nutrition by david wolfe it’s a great book.
The China Study is excellent!
I don’t know if it has much “hard evidence” but I like the website http://www.runningraw.com/ you might like it too! It has Tim’s personal expierence and he does a lot of training and running.
I think you meant practical information about why Raw Food might be enjoyable to someone. If you’re really looking for more esoteric detail, study Iridology and start watching changes in people’s eye features. Just be prepared to see miracles.
More practically… In our client practice, we start sessions giving people some of the Raw Super Food Chocolate Drink mix and Vanilla Agave Nectar we package.
Usually in 5-10 minutes, most clients feel a dramatic upleveling of energy, expanded breath and mental clarity. This expands to balance out chronic pain, fatigue and other symptoms which many times require meds, like depression, diabetes, blood pressure, insomnia, etc.
In fact, if a person is on meds, we suggest they immediately switch to working with a compounding pharmacist, as Raw Super Food intake tends to greatly reduce required dosages toward zero at a rapid pace. This is especially important for insulin and blood pressure meds, as diabetes and blood pressure usually balances to normal in a few days. The longest we’ve ever had a client take to get off insulin is around three weeks, as they’d been injecting for over 20 years. Most people complete with insulin in 3-4 days.
For me the reason I eat Raw is Raw Super Foods taste better, are easier to prepare and I feel better when I’m eating Raw Super Foods.
Most people who visit our client practice report they’re desiring to look and feel better too.
We suggest people avoid mentioning they’re eating Raw to anyone, except other Raw Foodists. Instead we suggest people simply fill their fridge with goodies like Chocolate Drinks, Mole’s, Chia Pudding and Mole Cabbage Salads.
Then simply share these with people, only saying things like “you’ve gotta taste this!” Then let them ask you about your secrets. Again avoid taking about Raw, just explain how to prepare your dish and leave it at that. Many people have converted their families to Raw during holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas by quietly introducing one of Yemiah’s holiday recipes.
Considering many people have diabetes the ability to eat sweet treats which balance, rather than spike blood sugar is a great conversion feature.
This approach is especially great for covertly converting spouses, children, friends and family without sounding like you’ve joined some weird cult. :-)
Wow! I am so impressed with the response you guys have given. I resonate with many of the ideas presented, particularly the observation that much of our knowledge of human nutrition is theory and, let’s face it, propaganda (food pyramid, anyone?). I so appreciate the depth and breadth of knowledge available on this forum. I’ve also responded with a post, which you can read at hhttp://trihardist.blogspot.com/2008/02/raw-days…
Being able to explain theories behind a raw diet can be helpful, but in my experience, this isn’t what people are really asking for.
I agree with Dfavor’s earlier post. Almost all people, whether they’re aware of it or not, really just desire food that tastes great and has the short- and long-term effects of feeling wonderful in their bodies.
My husband and I have been raw fooders for 7-8+ years each, and have learned a lot about social interactions. A tendency raw fooders have in the beginning is they are so astonished about what they’ve learned and how much better they feel (a complete paradigm shift) that they want to tell everyone about it! Purely out of good intention. And it usually backfires anyway.
Be centered in yourself, confident with your choices, and be genuinely interested in others. Bring delicious food to social gatherings. Say nothing about being a “raw foodist” unless their excitement about your food naturally progresses your conversation that far.
As an example, my husband and I went to an Irish music jam last weekend (we love traditional Irish music and are friends with the host of this jam). We brought a gallon jug of Chocolate Silk, which is a superfood mix we blend together with Vanilla Agave Nectar (you can read more about both of these at http://Loving-foods.com). It takes about 5 minutes to prepare, and is food for us for days. We also made some Tomato Spice Flax Crackers. All we did was drink Chocolate ourselves (while everyone else was eating chips and drinking soda) and offer it to anyone who looked at us curiously. All we said initially is:
“it’s a creamy, sweet chocolate drink that’s our primary food, because it has almost every nutrient our bodies need. Try some!”
The result of being low-key with your approach is the right people will be attracted to your food, and people who aren’t ready to hear it won’t allow themselves to even see it. Every conversation on the subject of nutrition we had on that night naturally progressed in a way where the “asker” controlled the flow with their own excitement, and we read their energy and responded accordingly. This produces excellent results, and you end up having way more fun :)
Part of our nature as humans is we look to others for inspiration, to give us an example of what another person who is living in joy and vitality looks and acts like. We are in our most alive state when we’re in the act of communing with fully alive people, because we have the opportunity to take on their qualities for ourselves. The most powerful thing you can do to support others is to be this for them. That’s all. Just have fun, by yourself and with others :)
- Courtney